IN BRIEF

32nd ferry fire body recovered by PCG

THE Philippine Coast Guard on Easter Sunday recovered another body from the passenger ferry that was engulfed in flames in the waters off Basilan last week.

The body was identified as Alses Hassan, one of the missing passengers of the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 that burned down last March 29.

This brings the confirmed deaths from the ferry fire to 32 people, where 17 dead bodies were recovered onboard the vessel and 15 were retrieved at sea. PCG had carried on its search and retrieval operations to look for the last missing passenger. Charles Dantes

7 dead in

Taytay fire;

40 houses destroyed

SEVEN relatives including two children found hugging each other – a 2-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy – died in a fire Saturday night in Taytay, 25 kilometers east of Manila, which destroyed 40 houses, police said Sunday.

Among the victims was a 60-year-old who, like the rest, failed to escape, according to police who stressed arson probers were continuing their investigation.

At least one person was injured by falling debris during the nearly two-hour fire, initially suspected as caused by faulty wiring, police said.

The fire left at least 60 families homeless and are now temporarily staying at the San Juan Gym, according to police. AFP

Pope...

From A1 people on their journey towards peace, and shed the light of Easter upon the people of Russia," he said.

"Comfort the wounded and all those who have lost loved ones because of the war, and grant that prisoners may return safe and sound to their families."

He drew attention to conflicts around the world, from Syria to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and offered prayers for victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

Call for peace

This week has seen a surge in violence and unrest between Israel and Palestinians at the same time as the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, Jewish Passover and Christian Easter have coincided.

The pope called for a resumption in dialogue to ensure peace "in the Holy City (of Jerusalem) and in the entire region".

On Wednesday, Israeli police stormed the prayer hall of Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest site, in a pre-dawn raid aimed at dislodging "law-breaking youths and masked agitators" they said had barricaded themselves inside.

The next day, more than 30 rockets were fired from Lebanese soil into Israel, which the Israeli army blamed on Palestinian groups, saying it was most likely Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)