US-Singapore naval exercise: The US and Singapore began a 15-day joint naval exercise in the South China Sea on Friday, the ministry of defence said. AFP reports from Singapore.

The exercise, to run until September 22. is the sixth to be held under the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training series. It Is aimed at enhancing ■'interoperability in several areas, including antl-mlne. anti-surface and anti-air operations, the ministry said in a statement. More than 2.000 personnel and 17 ships from the US and Singapore navies are taking part in the manoevres.

8 killed in Aceh violence: «least eight people were killed in an upsurge of violence in Aceh, an Indonesia's province on the northern Up of Sumatra Island, police and rebels said Friday. AP reports from Banda Aceh.

Supt. Abadan Bangko, chief of North Aceh police, said 14 soldiers and policemen were wounded In five separate clashes Thursday with guerillas of the free Aceh Movement. They launched grenade attacks against two military and police posts and ambushed truckloads of security forces." Bangko said.