Briefs, December 5, 2012

Bail doubt on Myanmar mining protesters

YANGON - Demonstrators who protested peacefully in Yangon against a mining project in northwestern Myanmar have been charged under a law that denies them release on bail, a lawyer said. Aung Thein, the lawyer for two of the six activists arrested last week in Yangon, said they were accused of inciting unrest, a criminal offence. AP

Indonesia furore over four-day marriage

JAKARTA - Hundreds of Indonesians have demanded a district chief's resignation following his text-message divorce of a teenage girl four days after their marriage. Aceng Fikri, 40, chief of West Java district in Garut, took Fani Oktora, 17, as his second wife in July, but divorced her, alleging Oktora was not a virgin when they married. AP

Police raid tunnel collapse firm's offices

TOKYO - Police searched the offices of the company operating an expressway tunnel where hundreds of concrete ceiling slabs collapsed on to moving vehicles below, killing nine people. About a dozen police entered the headquarters of Central Japan Expressway Co. AP

Indonesia police chief faces corruption claims

JAKARTA - Indonesia has detained a former traffic police chief in a multi-million dollar graft case, the nation's corruption watchdog said. Djoko Susilo was detained "for allegedly abusing his authority" in a case involving a US$21 million tender for driving simulators. AFP