Taipei - Taiwan's pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party is to stage an anti-China protest on Saturday, to be followed by a series of demonstrations when Chinese top envoy Chen Yunlin visits the island next month, the party leader said Friday.

"We will start a series of events, including a large-scale march in Taipei on Saturday, to make our voices known to Chen Yunlin during his Taiwan visit that we do not want military threats, tainted food, and suppression of our sovereignty from China," said DPP chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen.

Manila - Fighting between government troops and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines is not likely to escalate into a full-scale war, an international security think tank said Friday.

The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) said several factors, including lack of resources, "militate against the widening of the conflict" between security forces and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the strife-torn southern region of Mindanao.

"The likelihood of full-scale war engulfing Mindanao seems low," the ICG said. "Neither side has the resources to engage in sustained combat.

Stockholm - Swedish heavy-vehicle maker Volvo on Friday reported a 37-per-cent drop in pre-tax income for the third quarter of 2008, citing the economic downturn in key markets.

Pre-tax income was 2.89 billion kronor (370 million dollars), compared to 4.57 billion kronor in the corresponding period 2007 for the Volvo group, excluding the Ford-owned car division.

Net sales were up 2 per cent to 69.6 billion kronor, while net income fell 36 per cent to 2 billion kronor.

The Apex Court of India on Thursday refused to entertain an application filed by the Ansal brothers seeking review of their bail cancellation in the Uphaar cinema tragedy case.

The Uphaar cinema tragedy in New Delhi had claimed 59 lives.

A Bench comprising of Justices B N Aggrawal and G S Singhvi said the Ansal brothers, cannot seek review of the apex court's order in the garb of modification application.

The Court directed the accused to file a review petition as that was the only remedy available to them under the law.

A fear that 50 students might be exposed to HIV, led health officials to test students at Normandy High School, in St Louis, Missouri. The scare began when the St. Louis County Health Department said last week that a positive HIV infected person told health officials that as many as 50 students might be infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.