Manila - Malaysia said Thursday it was withdrawing its troops from an international peacekeeping mission in the troubled southern Philippines amid stalled peace talks between the Philippine government and Muslim separatist rebels.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Rais Yatim said Malaysia's troops were pulling out of the southern region of Mindanao as scheduled on November 30.

He said Malaysia, which has led the international monitoring team (IMT) in Mindanao since 2004, would consider rejoining the mission if the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) make progress in peace negotiations.

Manila - The Philippines' economic growth slowed down in the third quarter of 2008, expanding by only 4.6 per cent from 7.1 per cent a year ago, the government said Thursday.

The third quarter performance brought the average gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the first nine months to 4.6 per cent, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

Gross national product, which includes income from abroad, including remittances of overseas Filipinos, expanded only 6.5 per cent in the July-September period from 9.1 per cent a year ago.

Manila - The Philippines on Thursday condemned the series of terrorist attacks in India's financial capital of Mumbai that killed 101 people and injured 287.

"The entire Filipino nation and Filipinos around the world mourn with the families of those who died and were hurt because of the Mumbai attacks," said deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez.

Manila - The Philippines has asked Malaysia, Brunei, Libya and Japan to extend the stay of their peacekeeping forces in the strife-torn southern region of Mindanao, an official said Wednesday.

Hermogenes Esperon, presidential adviser on the peace process, said the presence of the 30-member international monitoring team (IMT) in Mindanao has helped implement a five-year ceasefire with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Esperon added that the team's continued presence was needed to ensure that hostilities between the military and rebels do not escalate further.

Manila - The Philippine government on Wednesday urged its citizens to defer non-essential travel to Thailand as anti-government demonstrators seized the international airport in Bangkok.

Foreign department spokesman Claro Cristobal said Filipino travellers requiring assistance were advised to contact the Philippine embassy in Bangkok.

He said the travel advisory was issued "in consideration of the Filipino travelers' safety and convenience."

Cotabato City, Philippines  - One soldier was killed Wednesday and three were wounded in clashes with Muslim secessionist rebels in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokesman said.

One soldier was killed and one was wounded when patrolling troops encountered Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, Major Randolph Cabangbang said.

Cabangbang said fighting between MILF rebels and government troops also erupted Wednesday in the nearby town of Guindulungan, resulting in the wounding of two soldiers.

The military dispatched more troops to the areas of the fighting to pursue the rebels, he added.