AP: Food industry bitten by its lobbying success (AP)

AP - One of the worst outbreaks of foodborne illness in the U.S. is teaching the food industry the truth of the adage, "Be careful what you wish for because you might get it."

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South Texas begins cleanup after Dolly (AP)

AP - Business at reopened restaurants was humming, grocery store parking lots were packed and residents of south Texas were venturing out on the newly dry roads again as the remnants of Hurricane Dolly moved well away from the Rio Grande Valley.

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Report urges overhauling how passports are issued (AP)

AP - The State Department must develop a "comprehensive, long-term strategy" to meet the public's rising demand for passports and avoid a repeat of the frustrating backlog fiasco of last summer, congressional investigators have concluded.

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Obama beats McCain in Europe donations (AP)

AP - Barack Obama's campaign has received roughly 10 times more money from declared U.S. donors living in Germany, France and Britain than his Republican rival, reflecting his popularity in Europe as he makes his first tour of the continent as the presumed Democratic nominee.

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Olympian PR bout under way in Washington (AP)

AP - In an air-conditioned room in the Chinese Embassy, a vice minister from Beijing chastises Americans for their "very limited" understanding of violent anti-government protests in Tibet.

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Analysis: GOP stroked base in housing vote (AP)

AP - President Bush pulled the rug out from under Republicans this week when he abruptly dropped his opposition to a massive housing rescue. Their reaction? Good riddance.

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Rice: Pakistan should do more to end violence (AP)

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Pakistan needs to do more to prevent Taliban militants from launching attacks into Afghanistan from its territory.

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New markets spur Honda to record quarter (AP)

AP - Honda Motor Co. reported record profit for a fiscal first quarter Friday as sales growth in new markets offset the damage from a stronger yen and soaring material costs.

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Farrow: Nations should protest China at Olympics (AP)

AP - Mia Farrow said Friday the world should use next month's Olympic Games as a platform to demand that China end its support for Myanmar's junta.

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Brewers stay hot behind Braun and Hardy (AP)

AP - No team in baseball is playing as well as the Milwaukee Brewers and no hitter is on a tear like Ryan Braun.

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Obama says his foreign tour will reassure Americans (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama hopes his visit to Europe and the Middle East will show U.S. voters that he is a safe pair of hands, the Democrat said in an interview on Friday.

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Foreclosures rise 14 pct in Q2: RealtyTrac (Reuters)

Reuters - Home foreclosure filings rose 14 percent in the second quarter, the eighth consecutive quarterly climb, and more than doubled from the same period a year-earlier, real estate data firm RealtyTrac said on Friday.

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Time running out for deadlocked trade talks: WTO (Reuters)

Reuters - Deadlocked global trade talks will fail unless countries can find compromise in the coming hours, the chair of WTO negotiations said on Friday.

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Seven small blasts hit Indian IT city of Bangalore (Reuters)
Reuters - Seven small bombs exploded in quick succession across the south Indian IT city of Bangalore on Friday, killing a woman and wounding at least 15 people, police said.more

Holed Qantas plane in emergency landing at Manila (Reuters)

Reuters - A Qantas Airways plane made an emergency landing in Manila on Friday after part of its undercarriage blew off, triggering a loss in cabin pressure during a flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne.

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Pakistani PM expected to hear price of U.S. support (Reuters)

Reuters - New Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani can expect U.S. demands for action against militants in tribal lands on the Afghan border, along with usual statements of support, when he visits Washington next week.

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Iran cleric says ultimatum won't help atom talks (Reuters)
Reuters - An influential Iranian cleric told the West on Friday an ultimatum would not help talks with Iran over its nuclear plans, after Washington told Tehran it had two weeks to respond to a package of nuclear incentives.more

Iraqi PM says troop withdrawal must satisfy all (Reuters)
Reuters - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Friday that any U.S. troop withdrawal would have to satisfy all parties and protect Iraq's sovereignty.more

Obama swipes McCain before heading to France (AFP)

AFP - White House hopeful Barack Obama fired back at Republican foe John McCain in a new row over Iraq, as his Europe and Middle East tour Friday took him to France, after a massive campaign event in Berlin.

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Qantas jumbo lands with 'gaping hole' in fuselage (AFP)

AFP - A Qantas Boeing 747 flying to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Manila on Friday after a dramatic mid-air rupture that left a "gaping hole" in its fuselage, officials and passengers said.

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Bombings hit Gaza Strip targets
A bombing outside a cafe in Gaza City kills one person, while a second attack appears to target the home of a Hamas official.more

Fresh clashes shake Lebanese city
Sectarian fighting breaks out between rival Lebanese factions in the northern city of Tripoli with one reported fatality.more

Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics
The International Olympic Committee bans Iraq from competing at this summer's Olympic Games.more

Female bomber kills eight in Iraq
At least eight people are killed and more than 20 others hurt by a female suicide bomber in the Iraqi city of Baquba.more

Talabani denounces election law
Iraq's president says he will not approve a draft provincial election law adopted by MPs despite a Kurdish walkout. more

Bombing hits police HQ in Yemen
Two people are killed in a bomb attack at a police headquarters in the east of Yemen.more

UK MPs call for talks with Hamas
A UK parliamentary committee calls for dialogue with Hamas, as the UN says poverty has reached a new high in Gaza.more

Libya 'halts Swiss oil shipments'
Libya's state shipping company says it has halted oil shipments to Switzerland in protest over the arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's son.more

Spat over Iranian film on Sadat
The Cairo office of an Iranian-backed TV station is closed down, the latest victim of a spat over a film on the assassination of President Sadat.more

Turkish jets target PKK in Iraq
Turkish warplanes attack 13 Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq, the Turkish military says.more

W Bank homes 'close to approval'
Israel is close to approving the construction of new settler homes at Maskiot iin the West Bank.more

Obama firm on Iran nuclear plans
US White House hopeful Barack Obama says the world must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.more

Swapped human remains reach Syria
Syria received the bodies of 114 Arab fighters handed over by Israel as part of last week's prisoner exchange.more

Online queen
Rania of Jordan goes on YouTube to tackle stereotypesmore

Backlash fears
Palestinian workers under pressure after digger attackmore

Friends with Iran
Armenians and Iranians find common comfortmore

Against the Odds
Lebanese Olympic shooter is no stranger to gunfiremore

Troops out
US scales down its military 'surge' in Iraqmore

Relief and anger
The impact of mechanical digger attack in Jerusalemmore

Iran vows no nuclear concessions
Iran will not "retreat one iota" in its nuclear activities, its president says, defying fresh international pressure. more

Jerusalem shooting officer dies
An Israeli policeman dies 12 days after being shot in an apparent militant attack in Jerusalem. more

Sudan president defiant in Darfur
Sudan's president defies accusations from the International Criminal Court during a rare visit to Darfur.more

Obama urges political fix in Iraq
US Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama says security in Iraq is better but political solutions are needed.more

Israel hit by new digger attack
At least 10 people are injured in Jerusalem, as the driver of a construction vehicle rams cars before he is shot dead.more

Iran urged to free HIV pioneers
A human rights group calls on Iran to release or charge two renowned HIV/Aids doctors arrested last month. more

Final quizzing of Olmert witness
The Israeli PM's lawyers continue their push to discredit a key witness in the corruption probe against him.more

Al-Qaeda leader in TV interview
The man believed to be al-Qaeda's commander of operations in Afghanistan, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, gives a rare TV interview.more

Israeli shooter sent back to unit
An Israeli soldier detained after he was filmed firing a rubber bullet at a Palestinian detainee is freed from custody. more

Hamas member killed in explosion
Hamas says one of its members is killed in an explosion at a house near Gaza City while handling explosives.more

Bin Laden's driver denies charges
A former driver of Osama Bin Laden pleads not guilty at the first war crimes trial to be held in Guantanamo Bay.more

GE in $8bn Abu Dhabi investment
General Electric seals a $8bn tie-up with an Abu Dhabi investment firm to provide finance in the Middle East.more

Global energy 'must grow 50%'
World demand for oil will grow by 50% by 2030 but supply should keep up with demand, Opec says.more

Press lukewarm on Obama
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama's visit to the Middle East has drawn a cynical reaction in the region's media.more

Press on Jerusalem attack
The bulldozer attack in Jerusalem on 2 July provoked much comment in Israel and the wider Middle East but little in Palestinian press.more

Israeli reaction to prisoner swap
Israelis comment on the prisoner swap taking place between Israel and Lebanon.more

Iraqis in video, audio and text
Four Iraqis describe their hopes and frustrations with life in their country. more

Iranian voices on missile tests
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Yemen's Jurassic past
Ancient footprints put Yemeni village on the mapmore

Egypt's 'cancer'
Disturbing survey on attitudes to sexual harassmentmore

Somali refugee life in Yemen
Somali refugee life in Yemen after risky crossingmore

Saudi black gold
Giant Saudi Arabian oil field set to boost production more

Hole forces Qantas plane to land
A Qantas plane makes an emergency landing in Manila as a hole in its belly causes it to lose cabin pressure, an official says.more

Cyprus sets date for peace talks
Leaders from both sides of the divided island of Cyprus agree to launch reunification talks in early September, the UN says.more

Scrum for last Olympic tickets
Thousands of people descend on ticket booths in Beijing, to get their hands on the last batch of Olympic tickets.more

DR Congo boat accident 'kills 42'
At least 42 people die after their boat sinks on a remote river in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials say. more

I'll get on with job, says UK PM
Gordon Brown is seeking to rally Labour activists and union representatives after the party's Glasgow by-election defeat.more

Karadzic's appeal deadline looms
Bosnian Serb ex-leader Radovan Karadzic has hours left to appeal against his extradition to The Netherlands on genocide charges.more

Chavez gets royal Spanish welcome
Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has talks over breakfast with Spain's King Juan Carlos - who famously told him to shut up last year.more

Ships blocked after US oil spill
Commercial shipping is severely disrupted following an oil spill on the Mississippi River in the United States.more

Scrabble's owners sue Scrabulous
Hasbro, the company that owns the North American rights to Scrabble, sues the founders of Scrabulous. more

Does yeti exist? Does it have split ends? DNA tests to tell
Scientists in the UK who examined hairs reputed to belong to a yeti in India say that an initial series of tests have proved inconclusive.more

Condoleezza Rice talks shopping with Australian schoolgirls
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tells Australian schoolgirls she is looking forward to having time to shop again.more

Boycott may hit Champions Trophy
Player associations around the world warn members over travelling to the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan on security grounds.more

Live text - Tour de France
Carlos Sastre could extend his lead in stage 19 of the Tour de France ahead of Saturday's crucial time trial.more

Medicine man
Bosnian tells how he was charmed by 'healer' Karadzicmore

It's quiz time!
Who was annoyed by this Canadian concert?more

Unsung star
India's top boxer takes a shot at Beijingmore

Friends with Iran
Armenians and Iranians find common comfortmore

Online queen
Rania of Jordan goes on YouTube to tackle stereotypesmore

Witchdoctor fury
BBC reporter tells of threats for taking on albino killersmore

HIV drugs 'add 13 years of life'
Life expectancy for people with HIV increases by 13 years on average since the late 1990s, survey finds.more

Obama seeks stronger Europe ties
Barack Obama tells Berliners the US and Europe have drifted apart and it is time for them to come together again.more

Seoul irked as inquiry hits wall
South Korea says it cannot resolve questions over the killing of a tourist without access to the scene in North Korea.more

Serbia to reinstate EU diplomats
Serbia says it will reinstate ambassadors withdrawn from EU states that supported Kosovo's independence.more

Bombings hit Gaza Strip targets
A bombing outside a cafe in Gaza City kills one person, while a second attack appears to target the home of a Hamas official.more

'Serial bombs' hit India's IT hub
Seven bombs hit the southern Indian city of Bangalore in a span of 15 minutes killing one person, police say.more

EDF customers face higher bills
EDF Energy has announced it is putting up gas prices by 22% and electricity prices by 17% for domestic customers.more

Boss of BP Russia venture leaves
BP says the chief executive of its Russian venture TNK-BP has temporarily left Russia because of "sustained harassment".more

Fat friends 'can boost your size'
People are subconsciously influenced by the weight of those around them, researchers suggest.more

Rare fossils in India threatened
Nature protected rare fossils for millions of years, but humans are now destroying them, says the BBC's Salman Ravi in eastern India.more

Russell Brand to host MTV Awards
Comedian Russell Brand is to present this year's MTV Video Music Awards show, which will be held in Los Angeles in September.more

Boom times ahead for mobile web
Unprecedented demand will see mobile web-using devices proliferate over the next four years, predicts Intel.more

Your say
What do you want the world to talk about?more

Obama swipes McCain before heading to France
BERLIN (AFP) - White House hopeful Barack Obama fired back at Republican foe John McCain in a new row over Iraq, as his Europe and Middle East tour Friday took him to France, after a massive campaign event in Berlin.more

Qantas jumbo lands with 'gaping hole' in fuselage
MANILA (AFP) - A Qantas Boeing 747 flying to Melbourne made an emergency landing in Manila on Friday after a dramatic mid-air rupture that left a "gaping hole" in its fuselage, officials and passengers said.more

Magnetic energy blasts make Northern Lights 'dance': NASA
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Explosions of magnetic energy between Earth and the moon are behind the sparkles and wavy glows of the Northern Lights that color the night sky, NASA has said.more

SAfrica-EU summit opens in France
BORDEAUX, France (AFP) - South Africa and the European Union on Friday began their first-ever summit in the French city of Bordeaux with Pretoria set to defend its role as mediator in the Zimbabwean political crisis.more

Ugly scenes as Beijingers snap up last Olympic tickets
BEIJING (AFP) - Violence broke out on Friday among the more than 50,000 people who queued to grab the last batch of Olympic tickets on sale in Beijing, as police struggled to control the frustrated fans.more

WTO talks face collapse
GENEVA (AFP) - WTO head Pascal Lamy warned on Friday that talks on a global free-trade pact faced collapse as leading nations searched here for a way to break a seven-year log jam.more

Japan's inflation hits fresh decade high
TOKYO (AFP) - Worries about the health of Japan's economy mounted Friday as inflation hit a new decade high on soaring commodity costs, casting a pall over the outlook for consumer spending.more

U.S. Expands Visa Program for Iraqi Allies
The 10-fold expansion of a system to help threatened Iraqi employees obtain U.S. visas and ultimately citizenship comes after criticism over delays.

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News Analysis: Obama, Vague on Issues, Pleases Crowd in Europe
Many Europeans see Barack Obama?s candidacy as a sign of hope for a more flexible, less ideological America. Governments and politicians are not so sure.

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4 Spitzer Aides Broke Ethics Law in Bid to Smear Rival, Panel Says
The State Commission on Public Integrity brought no charges against the former governor but left open the possibility of action.

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New Orleans Dining Is Up for Review Again
The city?s newspaper is rating restaurants for the first time since Hurricane Katrina shut down all of them.

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Your Money: Housing Bill Has Something for Nearly Everyone
If you think the housing bailout bill will benefit only troubled homeowners, you may miss out on a windfall.

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Griping Online? Comcast Hears You and Talks Back
Some customers like the company?s responses to online criticism; others see an eerie version of ?Big Brother.?

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Labor Party Suffers Defeat in Scotland
In one of its worst electoral setbacks in years, Prime Minister Gordon Brown?s Labor Party suffered a huge and surprising defeat in a Scottish by-election.

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Israel Moves Toward Building More Settler Homes
An Israeli defense committee has approved the construction of 22 homes in a barely populated West Bank settlement, a move that angered Palestinians.

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Oil Spill on Nearly 100 Miles of Mississippi River
A sheen of oil coated the Mississippi River for nearly 100 miles from the center of New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico following the worst oil spill in the area in nearly a decade.

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Iraqi Athletes ?Unlikely? to Compete at Olympics
The International Olympic Committee said that the Iraqi government refused to reinstate the country?s official committee in time to submit most of their names.

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Economic Growth Rate in New York Slows Down
The growth of the city economy slowed to a crawl at the start of this year, falling below the national rate, according to a comptroller?s report.

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Housing crisis hits exurbs hard
Home values have fallen 43 percent in Victorville, Calif., but the city has rebounded from previous slumps. more

Inflation adds to Pakistan's troubles
Rising prices and a falling stock market have sparked protests in recent weeks, increasing the pressure on a government already facing militancy, political discord. more

Hurricane season: big start
July's storms bolster forecasts for a very active year. more

In Berlin, Obama calls for stronger U.S.-Europe partnership
The Illinois senator addressed an enthusiastic crowd of some 250,000 that stretched for a mile to the storied Brandenburg Gate. more

Fuel cost now driving up electric bills
Disconnect notices have risen sharply, indicating stress on more households. more

Gaping hole in Qantas jet forces emergency landing
A large hole in the fuselage of a jet forced a Qantas flight to make a rapid descent and emergency landing, the airline said. "There was an almighty crack," said one passenger on the Hong Kong-Melbourne flight that landed in Manila, Philippines, instead. Another passenger said there was "a big bang." "I knew there was a hole somewhere, but I didn't know what was going on." more

FARC turns over 8 hostages to Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross announced Thursday that it arranged for the release Wednesday of eight civilians held for a week by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. more

Foreclosure filings soar 120 percent
Foreclosures continue to soar, with 220,000 homes lost to bank repossessions in the second quarter of this year, according to the latest statistics from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed homes. That's nearly triple the number from the same period in 2007. more

What it means to be black in America
For Anthony Williams, being black in America means being a suspect. The 39-year-old former Marine said he's never had any major trouble with the law, but the Atlanta, Georgia, native said he still gets nervous around cops. "You never know what to expect when you get pulled over by police, and that's how it is when you're black," he said. more

Politics end Iraq's quest for Olympic glory
Sprinter Dana Hussain was devastated after learning she and six other Iraqi athletes would not be able to participate in next month's Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The International Olympic Committee banned Iraq from competing because of what it says is the government's political interference in sports. more

State executes man who fought lethal injection
Read full story for latest details. more

Gas price nears 7-week low
Gas prices declined for the 8th straight day on Friday, nearing a level not seen in seven weeks, according to a nationwide survey of filling station credit card swipes. Other fuel prices also continued to fall. more

Teen sentenced for nephews' pot-smoking
Read full story for latest details. more

Feds blame, punish mine operator for deaths
The U.S. government today announced its highest penalty for coal mine safety violations, $1.85 million, for a collapse that killed six miners in Utah last year. The mine's owner had insisted that earth movement detected at the time had caused the collapse. But federal investigators found instead that the collapse caused the earth movement. more

Prosecutor: Bring molester into custody
A convicted South Florida child molester who has avoided serving a 43-year prison sentence may soon be taken back into custody, according to a court document filed Thursday afternoon. more

More World News
U.S. still hopes for Israeli-Palestinian deal (Reuters)
Hamas-ruled Gaza hit by twin bomb blasts (Reuters)
Gaza officials: 2 bombs explode in Gaza City (AP)
Jerusalem bulldozer drivers live in fear after attacks (Reuters)
Still time for Mideast peace deal under Bush: Rice (AFP)
Israeli PM accused of dragging feet in graft probe (AFP)
Israelis, Palestinians: Mixed feelings about Obama (AP)
US: Israeli settlement talk 'not helpful' (AFP)
Israel set to authorise more settlements in Jordan Valley (AFP)
Israel to build new settlement in West Bank (AP)
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Average maintenance cost is RM542 a year, says Proton
Proton maintains that the cost of maintenance for the Perdana car is reasonable. The average maintenance cost of each Perdana belonging to the Terengganu government is RM542 per annum.more

Anwar may contest in Kulim-Bandar Baharu
PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is expected to announce where he would be contesting during a gathering at the Chinese Recreational Club in Kulim on Sunday.more

Merc for visiting foreign dignitaries, says PM
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has clarified that the 14 Mercedes E200 Kompressors purchased by the Terengganu government for RM3.43mil would be used for visiting foreign dignitaries.more

Focus on positive elements in dialogue: Hadi
PAS is ready to continue the muzakarah (dialogue) with Umno if the discussion is beneficial to all Malaysians and will further the cause of Islam.more

Cops quiz Sivarasa on SD
Subang MP R. Sivarasa was questioned by the police for about four hours over private investigator P. Balasubramaniam's first statutory declaration on the murder case of Altantuya Shaariibuu.more

Suhakam risks being downgraded
Suhakam, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission, risks an imminent international downgrading unless the Government acts immediately to amend the laws and make it more independent.more

Wards, ICUs remain shut due to shortage of nurses
The shortage of nurses in Malaysia has caused several wards and intensive care units in newer hospitals to remain closed.more

Museums, galleries must be disabled-friendly
All museums and galleries need to become disabled-friendly to ensure these public places are accessible to everyone.more

Heritage party kicks off in Penang
The state?s three-day Unesco World Heritage Site listing celebration got off to a colourful and festive start with a large multiracial crowd touring George Town?s most famous cultural and religious landmarks.more

Cops investigating EC bag found in river
A full investigation is underway to find out how an Election Commission brown canvas bag for postal votes ended up in the Tebobon river in Kota Kinabalu.more

Nikko Electronics talking with investors about takeover
Nikko Electronics Bhd, which laid off 948 workers early this month, is having talks with foreign investors who are interested in taking over the factory?s premises and operations.more

Is Musa vying for veep post?
Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman is keeping everyone guessing as to whether he is going for the Umno vice-president's post.more

Mersing health dept officer charged with graft
An assistant medical officer from the Mersing Health Department was charged Friday with receiving a bribe of RM12,925 at a Session's Court in Kota Tinggi.more

Pahang to become country?s first ICT hub
Pahang is set to become the first information, communication and technology (ICT) infrastructure hub in the country with investments estimated between RM10bil and RM12bil.more

Edu ministry revamping vocational curriculum
The Education Ministry is revamping its vocational, technical and skills education to make it more relevant.more

Cops nab six, recover RM1.2m worth of syabu
Police on Wednesday arrested a couple with four other men and recovered about RM1.2mil worth of syabu.more

King presents flag to Olympics contingent
Yang diPertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin presented the national flag to the Malaysian contingent for the Beijing Olympics at the Istana Negara on Friday.more

PM okays Merc for T'ganu govt (updated)
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has given his blessings to the state government to use the Mercedes E200 Kompressors as official cars.more

Edu dept officer attended heritage meeting, says DG
The Penang state education department has refuted a report that it did not respond to invitations from the state government to attend meetings to plan the celebrations of George Town?s listing as a Unesco World Heritage Site.