MANILA - ABOUT 20 protesters were hurt on Wednesday as police broke up a rally at the US embassy, days after a Filipina woman recanted her testimony in a high-profile rape case against a US marine, activists said.

KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA'S central bank warned on Wednesday the economy may contract in the first quarter but indicated there would be no further interest rates cuts in the near term.

JAKARTA- THE Association of South-east Asian Nations announced on Wednesday it has revamped the structure of its secretariat as part of its bid to form an EU-style community by 2015.

The restructuring will see the Jakarta-based secretariat divided into four separate departments covering economic, political and security, community and corporate, and social-cultural affairs, a media statement said.