The Maute brothers: Se Asia’s ‘time bomb’
Marawi City: On his Facebook profile page Omarkhayam Romato Maute describes himself as a “Walking Time-Bomb”. When a band of terrorists led by Omarkhayam and one of his brothers over-ran a town in the southern Philippines on May 23, festooning its alleyways with the black banners of ISIS, the Facebook description seemed appropriate. Governments across Southeast Asia had been bracing for the time when ISIS, on a back foot in Iraq and Syria, would look to establish a ‘caliphate’ in Southeast Asia and become a terrifying threat to the region.
Britain, EU fail to agree Brexit talks start date
Brussels: Top EU and British figures held “talks about talks” on Brexit on Monday but failed to nail down a date for the start of negotiations amid the fallout from Britain's chaotic election, officials said. The two-year negotiation process between EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier and Britain's Brexit minister David Davis had been due to formally start on June 19. But that looks increasingly unlikely as Conservative British Prime Minister Theresa May fights for her political life after unexpectedly losing her majority in parliament.
China establishes highest military award
Beijing: China has established its highest military award, the Order of August 1, which marks the founding anniversary of the People’s liberation Army (PlA). The selection process for the first batch of winners has begun.
‘Freed’ Gaddafi son still wanted: prosecutor
Tripoli: libyan authorities said on Monday that Moamer Gaddafi’s son Seif al-Islam, reportedly set free by a local militia at the weekend, was still wanted by a Tripoli court for a 2015 conviction.
SCO membership can bring India, Pak closer
Beijing: The membership of India and Pakistan in the SCO could bring them closer to address their differences and help facilitate New Delhi’s attendance at the SAARC summit in Islamabad, a senior Pakistani diplomat said on Monday.
Philippine flag raised on I-Day in war-torn city
Marawi: Filipino forces and officials have marked the country’s Independence Day by raising the Philippine flag in a southern city where troops are trying to end a three-week siege by ISIS group-aligned militants that has left 270 combatants and civilians dead.