A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Murder accused CIA contractor
WASHINGTON – Raymond Davis, the American held in Pakistan on double murder charges for a shooting last month, is employed by the CIA as a contractor but was not involved in covert operations, US sources said yesterday.
Mr Davis, who is being held in a Lahore jail amid a tense US-Pakistan diplomatic dispute over whether he has diplomatic immunity, was working as a “protective officer”, the sources said.
Davis’s duties as a protective officer, essentially a bodyguard, were to provide physical security to US embassy and consular officers. – (Reuters)
Peace talks on Philippine conflict to start
Manila – The Philippine government and communist guerrillas, whose conflict has taken 40,000 lives and stunted economic growth for five decades, agreed yesterday to an 18-month timetable of peace talks.
“We have moved the peace negotiations forward, ending a six-year impasse,” said Luis G Jalandoni, chief negotiator of the National Democratic Front, whose demands include land reform.
Among the forces Mr Jalandoni represents is the Communist Party’s New People’s Army, whose more than 4,000 fighters are known for attacking political leaders and businesses, according to the International Crisis Group. – (Reuters)