Hundreds of refugees lost at sea, says UN

YANGON - About 13,000 boat people, including many stateless Rohingya Muslims, fled Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh in 2012 with hundreds dying during the perilous sea voyage, the UN said. A wave of deadly sectarian violence in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine has triggered an exodus of refugees, mostly heading for Malaysia. "We know of at least 485 people who've drowned or are lost at sea," UN spokeswoman Vivian Tan said, adding the real death toll was probably far higher. More than 10,000 people have attempted the sea voyage since October 2012 - a sharp increase on last season's departures. AFP

Terrorists killed in Indonesian raids

JAKARTA - Five suspected terrorists were killed in raids on militant camps in eastern Indonesia in the latest in a series of anti-terror operations, police said. A national police spokesman said the raids took place on two separate militant training camps in West Nusa Tenggara province. They were forced to open fire as the militants had explosive material, he said, adding that five pipe-bombs and materials to make explosive devices were seized. The raids came after police killed two suspected Islamic militants carrying a handgun and grenades, and arrested four others, in Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi province. AFP

US 'disappointment' at ban on Sam Rainsy

WASHINGTON - The US says Cambodia's decision to bar exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy from July elections calls into question the vote's legitimacy. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the US was disappointed by the announcement from Cambodia's election committee that Sam Rainsy had been removed from the official voter list because of criminal convictions that carry 12 years in prison. Sam Rainsy, who lives in Paris, is widely viewed as the sole Cambodian politician with the charisma and resources to present any real challenge to Prime Minister Hun Sen . AP