■ Philippines
Man stopped by soft drink
A German man killed two men and wounded two others with a pistol in a farming town in the northern Philippines before he was knocked unconscious with a soft drink bottle, police said yesterday. The trouble began when a 51-year-old German national, who is married to a Filipina woman, was summoned to the community hall to answer complaints from his neighbors accusing him of issuing threats on Sunday. During a heated argument with his four neighbors, the man pulled out a .45 caliber pistol and began shooting at people inside the hall, said Jefferson Soriano, chief of police in the northern Cagayan Valley region.
■ South Korea
Hu Jintao to visit
Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) will visit South Korea next month for talks with President Roh Moo-hyun and a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, Roh's office announced yesterday. It is the first time in 10 years that a Chinese president will visit South Korea. Hu will be in Seoul from Nov. 16-17 for a state visit before traveling to South Korea's second-largest city of Busan for a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, scheduled for Nov. 18-19, the presidential office said in a statement. The two leaders will hold "wide-ranging talks" on bilateral relations, the standoff over North Korea's nuclear program and other issues of common interest, the presidential office said.
■ South Korea
Baby blurs borders
The first South Korean baby born in the North came to the South yesterday, but her mother said her home will always be Pyongyang. Hwang Seon was visiting the North to see a festival when she went into labor on Oct. 10, earlier than scheduled. She was the first woman from the South to give birth in the North. She said the care given by doctors and nurses at the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital had been exceptional. Hwang faced disappointment on her return with her as yet unnamed baby because the father was not there to meet them. "I hope that the baby's father, who is wanted under the National Security Law, will come home soon so that we can go to Pyongyang together on the baby's first birthday," she said.
■ Australia
Scientists track geese
Scientists assessing the bird flu threat will use satellite tracking to test whether any of the magpie geese found across northern Australia fly in from the island of New Guinea to the north, a researcher said yesterday. Four Indonesians have died from bird flu but none in Papua. Concern about bird flu infections is heightened by the role of magpie geese as a traditional food of Aborigines who are allowed to hunt them without restrictions. People slaughtering and preparing infected fowl are considered the most at risk from the H5N1 strain.
■ Australia
Howard says no to temps
Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday dashed the hopes of Pacific island leaders that the region's richest country would accept temporary workers from its impoverished neighbors. Australia had long-held reservations about the idea, which had been raised as part of an unprecedented plan to improve the economies, governance and security in the Pacific region, Howard said ahead of the opening of a meeting of 16 regional leaders.
■ United Kingdom
Cops question bomb suspect
Anti-terror police were granted more time yesterday to question a man arrested on Saturday in connection with the July 7 bombings in London. Detectives now have until tomorrow to decide whether to charge or release the 27-year-old man or apply for a further extension. The man was arrested in Dewsbury. Three of the four July 7 bombers hailed from Leeds and its environs in West Yorkshire. The suspect was held on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000. The man is the only person in police custody over the July 7 attacks.
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