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Assad says won't step down

BEIRUT: Syrian President Bashar Assad said in a newspaper interview on Saturday he won’t step down before elections and that the United States has no right to interfere in his country’s politics, raising new doubts about a US-Russian effort to get Assad and his opponents to negotiate an end to the country’s civil war.

18-year-old chef killed in motorcycle-taxi crash

GEORGE TOWN: An 18-year-old chef was killed in an accident after the motorcycle he was riding on was involved in a collision with a taxi along Jalan Kelawei, here today.

Bold action, big money needed to curb Asia's flood

CHIANGMAI, Thailand - Asia’s flood-prone megacities should fund major drainage, water recycling and waste reduction projects to stem deluges and secure clean supply for their booming populations, experts said Sunday.

Kedah to review delayed housing projects

ALOR STAR: The Barisan Nasional (BN) state government will review three housing projects in Kedah, which have been delayed for almost three years under the previous Pas-led administration, Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said.

Netanyahu takes aim at weapons 'leakage' in Syria

JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held out the prospect on Sunday of further Israeli strikes inside Syria, pledging to act to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Hezbollah and other militant groups.

Greying China taps rural elderly to care for those even older

QIANTUN (China): Two years short of 70, Zhang Guosheng spends his days caring for an 81-year-old fellow villager - washing his clothes, bringing meals to his bed, and keeping him company - a routine he’ll keep up until he himself needs the type of care he is now giving.

BoE governor warns of euro risk to British recovery

LONDON - The single biggest risk to Britain’s nascent economic recovery is continued eurozone weakness, the Bank of England’s outgoing governor Mervyn King said in a television interview on Sunday.

Ancelotti mulls future, praises Beckham

PARIS -- As Carlo Ancelotti paid fulsome tribute to the retiring David Beckham the Paris Saint Germain manager revealed an announcement on his own future may be imminent.

Man pleads not guilty to assaulting political party worker

GURUN: A 47-year-old odd-job worker was charged at the magistrate's court yesterday with assaulting a political party worker with a knife during the campaign period of the recently-concluded election.

N. Korea test-fires another short-range missile

SEOUL - North Korea on Sunday test-fired a short-range missile off its east coast, its fourth in two days, a Seoul official said.

Petronas gives RM80,000 to 4 families of fallen heroes in Ops Daulat

KOTA KINABALU: Petronas today presented RM80,000 to four families of fallen heroes during Operation Daulat to rid the armed intruders in the east coast of Sabah, in March.

Bodies of 2 men found floating in sea

GEORGE TOWN: The bodies of two unidentified men, believed to have drowned, were found floating in separate incidents here today.

Up to 60 injured after car drives into US parade

DAMASCUS (Virginia): About 50 to 60 people were injured Saturday when a driver described by witnesses as an elderly man drove his car into a group of hikers marching in a parade in a small Virginia mountain town.

Bodies of two men found floating in sea

GEORGE TOWN: The bodies of two unidentified men - believed to have drowned - were found floating in separate incidents here today.

Bodies of 2 men found floating at sea

GEORGE TOWN -- The bodies of two unidentified men - believed to have drowned - were found floating in separate incidents here today

U.N. chief Ban says worried over N.Korea missile launch

MOSCOW: U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Sunday over North Korea’s launch of short-range missiles, urging Pyonyang to refrain from further launches and return to stalled nuclear talks with world powers.

Japanese expatriate dies of heart attack

KUALA LUMPUR: A 53-year-old Japanese director of a golf company was found dead at his condominium unit at Casa Desa Condo, Jalan Desa Utama here yesterday.

Pakistan's Imran blames rival for killing

KARACHI: Pakistani politician Imran Khan Sunday blamed a rival political leader for the killing of a senior member of his party, who was gunned down outside her home in the violence-plagued city of Karachi.

2 Bills to be tabled at Sarawak state assembly sitting

KUCHING: Two bills would be tabled at the Sarawak State Legislative Assembly sitting which begins on Monday, Speaker Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar said today.

Less than 1pc of forest reserves in Peninsula affected by illegal logging

IPOH: Less than one per cent of 4.7 million hectares of forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia have been affected by illegal logging, according to Peninsula Forestry director-general Datuk Dr Abd Rahman Abd Rahim.

Iran hangs two spies working for Israel and U.S.-report

DUBAI: Iranian authorities executed two men on Sunday convicted of working for Israeli and U.S. spy agencies, Iran’s Fars news agency reported.

Sailor dies during Sri Lanka victory parade

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s navy Sunday recovered the body of a sailor who drowned during a parade marking the fourth anniversary of the defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels, an official said.

Taib wants Sarawak infrastructure development issues resolved

KUCHING: Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud wants all Sarawak members of parliament appointed to the federal government to resolve the state's infrastructure development issues which are unique, as compared to those in the Peninsular.

China investigates N. Korea boat hijack claim: official

BEIJING: Chinese authorities were Sunday investigating claims that unidentified North Koreans hijacked a Chinese fishing boat, kidnapping 16 sailors and demanding a ransom, local media and an official said.

Philippines waiting for Taiwan anger to cool

MANILA: The Philippines is waiting for tempers in Taiwan to cool before settling the dispute over a shot Taiwanese fisherman, the head of an office in charge of relations said Sunday.

S. Korea slams N. Korea's 'provocative' missile launches

SEOUL: South Korea Sunday condemned North Korea’s latest short-range missile launches as “provocative” and again urged it to hold talks about a suspended jointly-run industrial park.

Japan defends PM aide's surprise N. Korea trip

TOKYO: A Japanese minister Sunday defended a surprise visit to North Korea by one of the prime minister’s aides which Washington and Seoul said could not help efforts to forge a united front against Pyongyang.

Couple killed in pre-dawn fire

JOHOR BARU: A couple was killed when a fire broke out about dawn today, trapping them inside their house.

Pas gets four in Selangor Exco

PORT KLANG: The Selangor State Executive Council (Exco) will be represented by four candidates from PAS and three each from PKR and DAP, said Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim.

Karpal warns Tunku Abdul Aziz to stop exposing party secrets

GEORGE TOWN: DAP chairman Karpal Singh has warned former party chairman Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim to stop exposing the DAP's internal secrets to the public.

Chinese premier heads to India to boost ties

NEW DELHI: Just weeks after a tense border standoff, China’s new premier headed to India on Sunday for his first foreign trip as the neighboring giants look to speed up efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost economic ties.

Official: Broken rail eyed in US train crash

BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut: The commuter train derailment and collision that left dozens injured outside New York City was not the result of foul play, officials said, but a fractured section of rail is being studied to determine if it is connected to the accident.

Training push fails to halt U.S. military sexual assault crisis

WASHINGTON: Under pressure to fight sexual assault, the U.S. armed forces in recent years rolled out education programs about proper sexual conduct through methods like role playing and video games.

Saudi woman tops Everest as country warms to women in sports

KATHMANDU: Saudi woman Raha Moharrak reached the summit of Nepal’s Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, in a first for the conservative Muslim kingdom where women’s sports are severely restricted, tourism officials said Sunday.

Johnson first to win 4 NASCAR All-Star races

CONCORD, North Carolina: Jimmie Johnson became the first four-time winner of NASCAR’s annual All-Star race, taking out Saturday’s event to break a tie with the late Dale Earnhardt and teammate Jeff Gordon.

Greying China taps rural elderly to care for those even older

QIANTUN, China: Two years short of 70, Zhang Guosheng spends his days caring for an 81-year-old fellow villager - washing his clothes, bringing meals to his bed, and keeping him company - a routine he’ll keep up until he himself needs the type of care he is now giving.

Winning numbers drawn in huge US Powerball jackpot

DES MOINES, Iowa: Last-minute fortune seekers across the U.S. rushed to buy lottery tickets Saturday, undeterred by the astronomically low odds of winning a Powerball jackpot that could reach a near-historic $600 million.

Chinese premier heads to India to boost ties

NEW DELHI: Just weeks after a tense border standoff, China’s new premier is heading to India on his first foreign trip as the neighboring giants look to expedite efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost economic ties.

Japan's elderly not acting their age

SAITAMA: When amateur actress Etsuko Shigemoto walks out in front of a Paris audience in an all-Japanese production this month she will forget about being 87 years old.

Slippery eel slides towards disaster

NEWBURGH, USA / New York: Cupping a tiny, translucent eel in the palm of his hand, New York environmental researcher Chris Bowser shook his head in amazement. “This is worth about one dollar,” he said.

Beatles’ guitar auctioned to the tune of $408,000

LOS ANGELES: A custom-made electric guitar played by the late John Lennon and George Harrison of the Beatles sold at a New York auction on Saturday for $408,000, said officials with the company behind the event.

China police billions spell profit opportunity

BEIJING: Mannequins in riot gear, armoured cars and drones line a police equipment and “anti-terrorism technology” trade fair in Beijing as vendors seek to profit from China’s huge internal security budget.

Pakistani politician gunned down in Karachi

KARACHI: Gunmen have killed a Pakistani politician from Imran Khan’s party in the southern port city of Karachi on the eve of a partial re-run of May 11 polls that were marked by more than 150 killings.

Police: Fatal NYC shooting an anti-gay hate crime

NEW YORK: A gunman used homophobic slurs before firing a fatal shot point-blank into a man’s face on a Manhattan street alive with a weekend midnight crowd, in a neighborhood long known as a bedrock of the gay rights movement. New York’s police commissioner called the killing a hate crime.

Dissident ex-general released in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuelan authorities have released a dissident ex-general who was jailed on charges of inciting unrest after the country’s disputed presidential election.

Visually-impaired student swims across Penang Channel

GEORGE TOWN: A Universiti Malaya visually-impaired undergraduate began his quest to swim across the Penang Channel today.

Alzheimer's leaves bilingual victims stranded in Canada

TORONTO, Canada: The devastating effect of Alzheimer’s disease on bilingual people has been thrown into focus in Canada, where the sudden loss of a second language can leave sufferers feeling like strangers in their own country.

Mexico judge orders prison for suspects in killing

MEXICO CITY: A judge on Saturday issued an order for the imprisonment of two waiters accused in the beating death of Malcolm Shabazz, grandson of civil rights activist Malcolm X, the Mexico City attorney general’s office said.

Edward Furlong arrested in West Hollywood

LOS ANGELES: A Los Angeles sheriff’s spokesman says `Terminator 2’ star Edward Furlong has been arrested on suspicion of violating a restraining order filed by his ex-girlfriend.

Authorities: US student was killed by police

MINEOLA: A New York college student being held by an armed home intruder was shot and killed by a police officer who had responded to a report of a home invasion at an off-campus home, police said Saturday.

Alzheimer's leaves bilingual victims stranded in Canada

TORONTO: The devastating effect of Alzheimer’s disease on bilingual people has been thrown into focus in Canada, where the sudden loss of a second language can leave sufferers feeling like strangers in their own country.

'Gap' for HIV vaccine efforts after latest setback

WASHINGTON: The hunt for an HIV vaccine has gobbled up $8 billion in the past decade, and the failure of the most recent efficacy trial has delivered yet another setback to 26 years of efforts.

Probe opened into US train crash, major disruption seen

NEW YORK: US officials opened an investigation Saturday into a rush-hour collision between two commuter trains that injured 70 passengers and severed a key rail link in the northeastern United States.

France's disgraced ex-minister abandons re-election bid

TOULOUSE, France: France’s disgraced former budget minister, forced out of office over a tax fraud scandal, will not seek re-election to his former parliamentary seat, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Taib rejects 'Chinese Tsunami' reason for urban losses in GE13

MIRI -- Sarawak Barisan Nasional (BN) has rejected the main reason behind it losses in urban areas in the recent 13th general election due dwindling support of Chinese communities.

New Xbox more than a game console

SAN FRANCISCO/SEATTLE - Microsoft Corp is set to make a splash this week with the eagerly awaited unveiling of its new Xbox game console, eight years after the last version, as it seeks a larger share of the $65 billion a year global computer gaming industry.

Submit proof of price hike in essential items: Hasan

KUALA LUMPUR -- Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek today challenged anyone claiming that there are increases in the prices of essential items after the 13th general election (GE13) to come forward with proof instead of making unfounded claims.

Bollywood bad boy Dutt held in 'terrorist' jail cell: report

NEW DELHI - Bollywood superstar Sanjay Dutt, who is in jail for arms possession, is being held in a cell built for militants where he cannot see daylight and wants to be transferred, a report said Saturday.

Clean water supply in Selangor, KL steadily decreasing: Syabas

KUALA LUMPUR -- Supply of clean water in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur is steadily decreasing due to water treatment plants reaching maximum production levels, according to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas),

Bumiputeras can now afford to be involved in equity investments: Shahrir

JOHOR BAHARU -- Malays and other Bumiputeras can now afford to be involved in equity investments, says Member of Parliament for Johor Baharu Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Ferguson criticises City for Mancini sacking

LONDON - Manchester United’s outgoing manager Alex Ferguson has criticised neighbours Manchester City for sacking Roberto Mancini.

Kevin Yeap sets new meet, national record

KUALA LUMPUR -- Perak's national swimmer, Kevin Yeap splashed his way to a new Malaysia Open Swimming Championship and National record en route to the men's 400m freestyle gold medal at the National Aquatics Centre, Bukit Jalil here today.

Chef detained in connection with wife's murder

KUALA LUMPUR -- The police have detained a chef in connection with the murder of his wife early today.

Hindraf chairman promises to solve Indian problems in 5 years

KUALA LUMPUR -- Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) chairman P. Waythamoorthy has promised to solve the problems faced by the Indian community and bring positive changes to its socio-economic position in the next five years.

6 people injured in bomb explosion in Sg Golok

KOTA BARU: Six people were injured in a bomb explosion at a hotel in the border town of Sungai Golok here this morning.

Mukhriz says no to Pakatan rally organiser

ALOR SETAR -- Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said he would not allow Pakatan Rakyat to hold a rally at the Sultan Abdul Halim Stadium in Suka Menanti on Tuesday for it (rally) was not a wise thing to do.

Student activist Adam Adli arrested in Bangsar Utama

KUALA LUMPUR: Student activist Adam Adli Abd Halim was arrested at 3.15pm in Bangsar Utama, here to facilitate police investigations under Section 124 of the Sedition Act.

Malaysia can become great through balanced education: Idris

BESUT: Second Education Minister II Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh is confident that Malaysia can become a great nation through a good and balanced education process.

Don't waste time holding illegal rallies: Shafie

SEMPORNA -- Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has called on the opposition not to waste time holding illegal rallies to protest the outcome of the 13th general election as it would only be to the detriment of the people.

Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen is the new President of BWF

Former Olympic champion, Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen was picked as the President of Badminton World Federation (BWF) at the annual meeting today.

Strong 6.1 earthquake strikes off Japan coast

TOKYO - A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan’s main Honshu island on Saturday, seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage.

'Selangor should promote more inclusive politics'

SHAH ALAM -- Selangor Gerakan chief A. Kohilan Pillay has suggested that at least two Indians be appointed in the Selangor State Executive Committee to better serve the needs of the Indian community and promote a more inclusive politics.

Chinese held in Pakistani Kashmir over Koran abuse

MUZAFFARABAD : A Chinese man working on an energy project in Pakistan-administered Kashmir was being held Saturday after hundreds of protesters attacked his company offices over the alleged desecration of a Koran, officials said.

South Korea says North Korea fires 3 short-range missiles

SEOUL : South Korea says North Korea has fired three short-range guided missiles into its eastern waters.

Careful investigation on sabotage by Umno members: Megat

KUALA LUMPUR -- Careful investigation is being carried out following reports of sabotage by Umno members against the party during the 13th general election (GE13).

South Korea sees big demand for fastest mobile network

SEOUL : South Korea is forecasting blistering growth in the use of a network technology that gives the fastest speeds for connecting to the Internet from a mobile device.

US zoo unveils new Amur tiger cub to public

PITTSBURGH : Officials at a Pennsylvania zoo are showing off their new Amur tiger cub to the public, though the 6-week-old cat can only be seen on a video monitor for now.

US sports world shocked by dying girlfriend hoax

SOUTH BEND, Indiana : The U.S. sports world was baffled Thursday by the story of a star college football player who says he was duped into an online relationship with a woman whose “death” from leukemia was faked by perpetrators of an elaborate hoax.

Indian Progressive Front confident Najib will give party due recognition

PUTRAJAYA -- The Indian Progressive Front (IPF) is confident that Datuk Seri Najib Razak will give due recognition to the party, following Barisan Nasional's (BN) triumph at the 13th General Election (GE13).

Small fire sends smoke into 787 cabin in Boston

BOSTON : An electrical fire filled the cabin of an empty Japan Airlines Boeing 787 with smoke on Monday after it landed in Boston following a non-stop flight from Tokyo.

Afghan police chief shot dead outside home

KABUL : An official says motorcycle-riding gunmen have shot dead a police chief who led an anti-Taliban campaign in western Afghanistan in front of his house.

Indonesia arrests suspected rare animal smugglers

JAKARTA, Indonesia : Four Chinese nationals have been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle hornbill’s beaks and pangolin scales for use in traditional medicines.

Shafie: More programmes to maximise rural economic activities

SEMPORNA -- The Rural and Regional Development ministry will prepare more effective programmes to maximise rural economic activities and expand employment opportunities for the target group.

Texas shootout might be tied to Colorado slaying

DECATUR, Texas : A man who could be linked to the slaying of Colorado’s state prison chief is likely to die after being shot by Texas authorities following a harrowing car chase there, authorities said Thursday.

AP 'napalm girl' photo from Vietnam War turns 40

TRANG BANG, Vietnam : In the picture, the girl will always be 9 years old and wailing “Too hot! Too hot!” as she runs down the road away from her burning Vietnamese village.

Indian businesses no stranger to power outages

GHAZIABAD, India : Work making potato chip display racks at Jayraj Kumar’s factory barely paused when much of India’s power grid collapsed.

Facebook CEO turns 28: Does age matter?

NEW YORK : Don’t let the hoodie and sneakers fool you. Mark Zuckerberg is no wet-behind-the-ears CEO.

Idaho executes inmate for woman's killing in 1984

BOISE, Idaho : Idaho prison officials on Tuesday put to death a convicted killer for brutally stabbing a woman nearly three decades ago as the state allowed witnesses to watch the whole process of lethal injection for the first time.

'96 gold medalist discovers she has another sister

Olympic gold medalist Dominique Moceanu discovered at 26 that she had another sister, given up for adoption at birth.

Record $600M jackpot inspires US office pools

DES MOINES, Iowa : It’s the second-largest world jackpot of all time — 600 million. And in workplaces across the United States, people are inviting colleagues to chip in 2 for a lottery ticket and a shared dream.

Northeast Japan jolted by magnitude 5.9 quake

TOKYO: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 jolted northeastern Japan on Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

China arrests man over fake plane bomb threats

BEIJING: A man has been arrested for allegedly making fake bomb threats against several domestic flights bound for Shanghai, Chinese officials said Saturday.

Three new suicides at Foxconn China factory: report

BEIJING: Three Foxconn workers have committed suicide at a factory in China in the past three weeks, state media and a labour rights group said Saturday.

Family album of last tsar surfaces in Russian museum

MOSCOW : Held a virtual prisoner by the Bolsheviks months before his execution, Russia’s last tsar Nicholas II pasted informal snapshots of his family into an album which has now come to light in a Russian provincial museum.

Photos sought of Guantanamo prisoner hit in clash

MIAMI : A lawyer for a Guantanamo Bay prisoner is calling on the U.S. Justice Department to release photos of wounds the man suffered when struck with non-lethal rounds at a recent clash with guards at the prison.

Meteoroid impact triggers bright flash on the moon

CAPE CANAVERAL : An automated telescope monitoring the moon has captured images of an 88-pound (40 kg) rock slamming into the lunar surface, creating a bright flash of light, NASA scientists said on Friday.

British woman may face death in Indonesia for drugs

JAKARTA : A British woman could face the death penalty in Indonesia after being arrested for allegedly smuggling crystal methamphetamine into the country from China, an official said Saturday.

Hong Kong launches first electric taxis

HONG KONG: Hong Kong saw its first electric taxis hit the streets on Saturday in a step towards reducing the city’s high levels of roadside pollution.

France wants 'decisive sanctions' against Iran

WASHINGTON : The United States and European nations should take “decisive sanctions” against Iran over its controversial nuclear program, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Friday.

Activists mark 100 days of Guantanamo strike with petition

WASHINGTON : Activists demanding the closure of Guantanamo prison marked the 100th day of a hunger strike there Friday by submitting a petition to the White House containing some 370,000 signatures.