The first­-ever regional centre set up to fight transnational crime in ASEAN and share information could be up and running by next year.

Burma is to investigate whether police have committed abuses against Rohingya Muslims, the government has said, after officials promised that allegations of atrocities against members of the Muslim minority would be looked into.

Burma’s government remains “in denial” about alleged atrocities by its military against minority Rohingya Muslims, officials present at a meeting in Bangladesh said, despite leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s pledge to investigate the findings of a devastating UN report.

The top United Nations human rights official said State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi promised on Friday to investigate UN allegations of atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.

A newspaper published by Burma's former ruling party claims that crime has sharply risen in the less than five months that the NLD has been in power.

Statistics revealing the high rate of rape in Rangoon come as Burma's record on protecting the rights of women is set to come under scrutiny by the United Nations.