IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Rebels relax, play soccer as conflict winds down

Behaving as laid-back, sport-loving youths was unthinkable months ago

A national symbol of pride dying off in the wild

Embraced by kings and common people alike, Myanmar's peacocks have long been a national symbol of pride and resistance - but they are becoming ever harder to spot in the wild.

Refugee who made it returns with drone to halt drownings

Standing on a pebbled beach on the Greek island of Lesbos, Mehdi Salehi searches for a good spot to set his drone loose.

Rare endangered primate spotted

A new group of critically endangered primates has been spotted in Vietnam, raising hopes the rare creatures may not be wiped out in the next decade as scientists had feared.

Extreme weather threatens butterfly migration

Heavy storms earlier this year hammered the forests that North America's monarch butterflies migrate to in central Mexico, a study showed on Tuesday, fueling fears the habitat could eventually become untenable.

Floods force halt to cremations

India's holy city of Varanasi has been forced to halt cremations along the banks of the sacred river Ganges as deadly floods from monsoon rains hit parts of the country, an official said on Tuesday.

Twitter users mock official who tries to stay high and dry

A senior Indian politician was widely mocked on Monday after photos showed policemen carrying him through ankle-deep muddy water while inspecting deadly floods in the country's center.

One dead, dozens wounded in car bomb explosion

A car bomb exploded in a nightlife district in Thailand's deep south, killing one and wounding more than 30, in a nation already on edge after a bombing spree that targeted tourist towns.

British woman stabbed to death by Frenchman

A 29-year-old Frenchman shouted "Allahu akbar" (God is Great) as he stabbed a British woman to death and wounded two people at a backpackers' hotel in Australia, police said on Wednesday.

New mung bean spread holds hope for allergy sufferers

Australian scientists have developed a mung bean alternative to peanut butter for people allergic to the popular spread.

Turkey launches anti-Islamic State operation in Syria

Extremist group has been blamed for a weekend attack on a Kurdish wedding that left 54 dead