News In Brief

France FM doubts breakthrough at Syria talks
Afp, Paris

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius played down expectations yesterday for next month's talks in Geneva on the Syrian conflict, saying he doubted they would mark a breakthrough.
The "Geneva 2" meeting is slated for January 22 and aims to bring together Syria's opposition and President Bashar al-Assad's regime to try to end the country's nearly three-year civil war.

China 'regrets' S Korea air zone expansion
Afp, Beijing

China expressed "regret" yesterday at South Korea's expansion of its air defence identification zone, weeks after Beijing provoked regional fury by establishing its own.
Seoul and Tokyo, along with Washington, which is in security alliances with them both, have all refused to accept Beijing's air defence identification zone (ADIZ).

Philippines bans worker deployment to Yemen
Afp, Manila

The Philippines yesterday banned its citizens from taking up new jobs in Yemen, following a militant attack which killed dozens including seven Filipino medical workers.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement the government was also offering to repatriate an estimated 1,000 other citizens already employed there as medical workers or construction labourers.