■ AUSTRALIA
Cyclone veers away
Tropical Cyclone Melanie, a category two storm with winds of up to 155kph, has veered away from the country's remote northwest coast and was not expected to make a land crossing, meteorologists said yesterday. Melanie, which was speeding towards the coast a day ago, has changed tracks to move on a southwesterly direction, parallel to the Pilbara coast, the Bureau of Meteorology said on its Web site. The bureau said a cyclone warning continues for coastal areas from Coral Bay to Mardie, but a warning between Karratha and Mardie has been canceled.
■ AFGHANISTAN
Taliban dismiss commander
The Taliban have dismissed a senior regional commander for insubordination, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said yesterday. The spokesman said Mullah Omar, the group's supreme leader, had dismissed Mansoor Dadullah as a commander and expelled him from the hardline Islamic movement. The spokesman said the action had been taken for insubordination and disobeying orders. He did not say when Mansoor was removed or who would replace him. Mansoor was the brother of Mullah Dadullah, one of the most senior Taliban commanders to be killed since the group was ousted as the country's rulers in 2001 in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks on the US.
■ PHILIPPINES
Report says 1,000 rebels lost
Communist guerrillas lost about 1,000 fighters this year but continue to be a thorn in the side of the government by launching attacks against the armed forces, a military report said yesterday. The number of New People's Army guerrillas dropped this year to slightly more than 6,000 -- the lowest level in 12 years. The insurgents were killed in battle, arrested, or surrendered, the report said. Thirteen rebel bases were also lost, leaving 87 strongholds nationwide, it said.
■ VIETNAM
Workers in radiation scare
More than 400 workers were evacuated from an oil rig after a radioactive device was lost, officials and state media said yesterday. Nearly 200 panicked workers were tested for exposure at a local hospital after dozens complained of dizziness and problems breathing, said Tran Van Bay, director of Le Loi Hospital. Preliminary test results showed all were in good health, Bay said. The radioactive device, used to inspect welding knots on an oil rig in Ba Ria Vung Tau Province was misplaced when it was being moved from one welding area to another, said the online news Web site VnExpress. It was missing for more than an hour before being found. He said it would have been difficult for radiation poisoning to occur because the device, which was not damaged, had a low level of radioactivity.
■ MALAYSIA
Minority actors get boost
The nation's state-run television will start featuring more ethnic minority actors to curb fears that the industry sidelines people who are not from the Malay Muslim majority, the national news agency reported. Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin said most of the Malay-language shows that dominate Radio Televisyen Malaysia involve only Malay stars, even though many non-Malays are proficient in the language, the national Bernama news agency reported late on Saturday. "Now, even if there are non-Malays in RTM's entertainment programs, they only hold minor roles," Bernama quoted Zainuddin as saying.
■ SUDAN
Government accuses Chad
The government has accused Chadian aircraft of bombing Darfur in what it called "repeated aggressions" by its neighbor. Relations between the two African oil producers have been touchy in recent years as both try to quell insurgencies close to their long and porous border. They accuse each other of backing rebels trying to overthrow their respective governments. "In an unprecedented escalation, Chadian forces have violated the joint border as three Chadian war planes bombed two areas ... in West Darfur ... on Dec. 28," a Sudanese foreign ministry statement said.
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