YANGON - MYANMAR'S most famous comedian and two other men who were all arrested after delivering aid to cyclone victims have had their prison sentences extended, a family member said on Friday.

Zarganar, who was also involved in anti-junta protests last year, had on Nov 21 been sentenced to 45 years in prison, but that was extended by 14 years on Thursday, his sister Ma Nyein told AFP.

HANOI - FOREIGN diplomats at a meeting on Friday criticised Vietnam for punishing graft-busting journalists and urged the communist government to step up its anti-corruption drive.

JAKARTA - A MAGNITUDE 6.0 earthquake struck off Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, although there was no tsunami warning or reports of damage or casualties.

The quake was centred 141km south south-west of Bengkulu city at a depth of 35km, the agency said in a bulletin on its website.