IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Switzerland

Syrian peace talks resume

The second round of the so-called Geneva II conference resumed on Monday, 10 days after the first round ended with no concrete results. The new round began with a meeting between UN-Arab League joint envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and a delegation from the Syrian opposition, which was to be followed by a meeting between Brahimi and a delegation from the Syrian government, according to UN sources.

Afghanistan

Clash claims 17 Taliban militants

Afghan police backed by the army killed 17 Taliban militants during a series of operations across the country in 24 hours, the Interior Ministry said on Monday. "The national police backed by the national army have carried out a series of operations in Nangarhar, Laghman, Zabul, Maidan Wardak, Khost, Paktika and Helmand provinces, leaving 17 armed Taliban insurgents dead," it said.

Mali

Group blamed for 31 killings

The Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa was responsible for killing 31 Tuaregs in an attack on Friday near the town of Tamkoutat in northern Mali, the minister for interior security said on Sunday. General Sada Samaka, who visited the site of the attack accompanied by army officers, told Malian television the killings took place at about 2 pm on Friday, 12 km outside Tamkoutat.

New Zealand

Whaler's arrival triggers protest

New Zealand summoned its ambassador to Japan on Monday to protest against the entry of a Japanese whaling ship into its exclusive economic zone, after clashes earlier between whalers and vessels from the Sea Shepherd conservationist group.

Indonesia

Drug smuggler Corby released

An Australian woman convicted of smuggling marijuana into Indonesia's tourist island of Bali walked free from nine years in jail on Monday after being given parole, the latest chapter in what has been a media sensation in Australia. Schapelle Corby, 35, said nothing as she left Bali's Kerobokan prison through a large crowd of reporters.

Nepal

New PM gives reform vow

Lawmakers elected veteran politician Sushil Koirala as prime minister on Monday, with the 75-year-old promising to steer through a long-delayed new constitution for the Himalayan nation within a year. The silver-haired bachelor easily won a vote in the constituent assembly, which was elected in November.

AP-AFP-Reuters-Xinhua

(China Daily 02/11/2014 page12)