WASHINGTON - Tsunami-hit Indonesia and earthquake-jolted Pakistan once risked a backlash from their predominantly Muslim populations and allowed in US military forces to help in relief operations. But cyclone-ravaged Myanmar's ruling military is suspicious of any US aid.

As the cyclone's official death toll soared to 22,000, two US Navy ships are near the waters of military-ruled Myanmar awaiting its green light to enter the reclusive nation for evacuation and other critical relief activities.

Tue 22 Jan 2008 
Forty-three Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority in Burma, were arrested while trying to slip into Thailand yesterday morning. Marine police spotted a boat suspected of carrying illegal immigrants between Lao and Mor islands in the Andaman sea about 8am.

After checking the boat, they found 43 Rohingya aged 20 to 55 years.The boat’s skipper, identified as Eno, 52, told police he and his crewmen picked up the group from Burma’s Arakan state on Jan 12.They were to meet a Thai broker who promised to find jobs for them. All the migrants were in police custody pending deportation.

Funded by the US Embassy in Malaysia, and with the joint efforts from Tzu Chi, UNHCR and refugee communities, four "UNHCR Tzu Chi Education Centres" for refugees' children were officially opened in early January 2008, after months of preparation. A total of 178 students enrolled at the centres.

Being the eldest child in her family, 11-year old Shaidah binti Abdullah is a great help to her parents. Her chores include cooking for the family, taking care of her siblings or helping her father to collect scraps for sale. Each morning, upon seeing a school bus with school-going children of her age coming round her house, Shaidah would tell her mother, "I want to go to school too."

Teknaf: Bangladesh border authorities pushed back 14 Burmese Muslim migrants to Burma soon after they were arrested in Bangladesh territory on Wednesday, reports a local official.

Among the Burmese migrants were three women, eight men, and three children. All are from Maugndaw Township in Arakan State.