World at a glance

MOSCOW:
Three schoolgirls aged 11, 12 and 14 threw themselves off the eighth floor of a Moscow suburban apartment block in a collective suicide late on Monday, NTV television reported. Two of the girls were killed immediately and the third died in hospital, the television said. They left a farewell letter but the reason for their action was not known.

SYDNEY:
Lachlan Murdoch, son of News Corp Ltd chairman Rupert Murdoch, has been promoted to head the media giant8217;s US print operations in a move seen as confirming his status as heir apparent to the publishing tycoon. Lachlan, 27, continues in his current job as chairman and chief executive of Australian subsidiary, News Ltd, but will divide his time between Sydney and New York with the new title of senior executive vice-president. He will assume responsibility for operations like the New York Post, book publisher Harper Collins and the newspaper, advertising and marketing company, News Marketing America. Recently engaged to model SarahO8217;Hare, Lachlan, who sports a tattoo and likes motorcycles, is considered the most flamboyant of Murdoch8217;s children.

CAMP ABUBAKAR PHILIPPINES:
Osama bin Laden supplied monetary aid to Muslim separatists in the southern Philippines until last year, a guerrilla leader said on Tuesday. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front MILF received funds from bin Laden until Filipino guerrilla leaders decided they could do without the aid, MILF chief Hashim Salamat told mediapersons here at his group8217;s training base. 8220;He was supporting so many revolutionary fronts that the MILF felt we would only become an additional burden,8221; Salamat added.