Boat sinks off Malaysia; 8 dead

A wooden boat carrying Indonesians home in a storm sank in choppy seas off Malaysia's west coast early on Wednesday, leaving 28 people missing and eight dead, Malaysian officials said. At least 61 people survived.

Suffering at Myanmar's Muslim camps is 'appalling'

A top UN humanitarian official said on Tuesday she witnessed "appalling conditions" and the worst human suffering she has ever seen in camps for stateless Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar's violence-torn Rakhine State.

Japan outlaws possession of child pornography

Japan's parliament voted on Wednesday to make possession of child pornography a crime, after years of international calls for a crackdown, but it avoided a clampdown on sexually explicit manga comics and animations depicting young children.

Indonesia's haze pollution defenses inadequate, green group says

Indonesia's promises to tackle the upcoming annual haze season with a $30 million fund and limited military equipment have been called into question by experts anticipating worse pollution levels than last year as a result of the El Nino weather pattern.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Ukraine president sets out unilateral cease-fire plan

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko set out proposals on Wednesday for a peace plan for eastern Ukraine involving a unilateral cease-fire by government forces. The announcement came after a late-night telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which the possibility of a cease fire was discussed.

Mortar fire kills Russian journalists

Two Russian journalists for a Russian state-owned TV channel died on Tuesday in eastern Ukraine after being hit by mortar fire, the Rossiya 24 network said.

US commandos capture Libya attack 'ringleader'

US commandos have captured the suspected ringleader of a deadly 2012 attack on a US compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi, in a raid hailed by the White House as a triumph for justice.

Bomb plot defendant denied files by court

Lawyers for a man accused of plotting to bomb a Chicago bar have been barred by a US federal court from seeing documents relating to his case that are classified under a recent US spying law.

Thailand and Cambodia to quash crackdown 'rumors'

Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Tuesday to quash "rumors" of a crackdown against illegal migrant workers by the new Thai government after the exodus of nearly 180,000 Cambodian laborers.

Fraud claim mars Afghan voting

Afghan election authorities rejected fraud allegations against top officials on Monday after front-running presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah unleashed accusations that could threaten a smooth transition of power.

Sweden returns pre-Incan funeral shroud to Peru

A rare and fragile pre-Incan funeral shroud was displayed to reporters on Monday, part of the first batch of ancient Paracas textiles that Sweden is returning to Peru 80 years after they were smuggled out by a diplomat.