EU slams Thai junta over students' arrest

BANGKOK • The European Union hit out at Thailand's junta yesterday for pursuing sedition charges against a group of anti-coup student activists, describing their arrest and prosecution in a military court as a "disturbing development". The 14 students are part of a small network of pro-democracy campaigners who have dared to publicly challenge Thailand's military rulers, who ousted an elected government last year and curbed civil liberties.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

300 march against Cambodian draft law

PHNOM PENH • About 300 Cambodian activists, opposed to a draft law which they claim would stifle the development of non-governmental organisations , defied a ban and marched to the National Assembly in protest yesterday.

A few arrests were made, but no major clash occurred between riot police and the protesters calling for scrapping of the law, said a city spokesman.

XINHUA

KFC opens first outlet in Myanmar

YANGON • Fried chicken aficionados queued for hours at Myanmar's first KFC restaurant yesterday, as the American fast-food chain became the latest big foreign brand to open an outlet in the long-cloistered nation.

KFC is the first major American restaurant chain to open in the country.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE