Kuala Lumpur - Malaysian police busted two drug syndicates believed to be helmed by Singaporeans with the seizure of drugs worth about 1.5 million ringgit (434,783 dollars) and the arrest of 13 suspects, news reports said Thursday.

Two raids conducted by police Tuesday night in the southern state of Johor resulted in the seizure of 26 kilograms of drugs, including ketamine; nimetazepam pills, also known as Erimin 5; methamphetamines; and ecstasy.

The suspects, including two accused Singaporean masterminds, were aged 20 to 66 and were believed to be part of the syndicates that have been in operation for the past six months, acting state police chief Hisan Tun Hamzah said.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Two soldiers and three Muslim secessionist rebels were killed in a clash in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokeswoman said Thursday.

The clash erupted when army troops on combat patrol encountered about 30 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas late Tuesday in Piagapo town in Lanao del Sur province, 855 kilometres south of Manila, First Lieutenant Esteffani Cacho said.

Cacho said civilians saw at least five more wounded rebels being carried by their comrades fleeing from the battle zone.

Karlsruhe, Germany - Clubhouses often have rundown kitchens.

Johannesburg  - Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe has a new calling in South Africa ... as a fly swatter.

Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysian police detained five suspects, including two Singaporeans, suspected of running an illegal lottery syndicate in the southern state of Johor, news reports said Thursday.

The suspects - three women and two men, aged 30 to 47 - were arrested when police conducted a raid at a home late Tuesday after a tip-off, the Star daily reported.

Bremen, Germany  - A Bremen-based designer is turning heads with hats that look like grandma herself made them, while giving the wearer a light, airy feel.