Towards peace in Rakhine state

YANGON • Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former United Nations chief Kofi Annan have overseen the first meeting of a panel tasked with bringing peace to a region where violence between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims has cast a pall over the nation's democratic transition.

The commission, whose aim is to stop human rights abuses in Rakhine state, was chaired by Mr Annan. "This is an issue that we have failed to meet squarely and fairly, and to which we have not been able to find the right solution," Ms Suu Kyi said yesterday in Yangon.

REUTERS

KL nabs five over assault on envoy

SEPANG • Five people have been arrested over an alleged assault on Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia Ibrahim Ansar at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Malaysian police yesterday confirmed the arrests but did not give details.

Mr Ansar was reportedly assaulted by a small group of people at the airport on Sunday, in an attack condemned by Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

China busts online porn operations

BEIJING • China has published details of seven criminal cases uncovered during a crackdown on online pornography and piracy.

The National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications launched a campaign in February against the production, sale and distribution of illegal publications and online content that could affect juveniles.

In some cases, the police busted the illegal printing and sale of pirated books for children. Production and storage sites and illegal bookstores were closed and suspects involved were arrested.

XINHUA