"What I gathered is that about 100 people have been buried alive," Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told AFP after visiting the site in the eastern Koslanda region.

"There is no chance they could have survived," said the minister, as other officials said 16 people were confirmed dead.

Hundreds of soldiers, who initially used their hands to dig for survivors, had switched to operating excavators by evening but hopes had faded of finding anyone else still alive.

An unmanned commercial supply rocket bound for the International Space Station exploded moments after liftoff Tuesday evening, with debris falling in flames over the launch site in Virginia. 

No injuries were reported following the first catastrophic launch in NASA's commercial spaceflight effort.

Malaysia's top court has begun hearing a final appeal filed by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim against a sodomy conviction widely regarded as politically motivated. 

Anwar was sentenced to five years in prison in March on charges of sodomizing a male aide in 2008 after the appeals court overturned an earlier acquittal. 

"I am confident of winning the case if we have judicial independence,'' the 67-year-old said before entering the Federal Court, where around 200 of his supporters had gathered. 

"I'm mentally prepared, but I don't have much hope.'' Sodomy, even consensual, is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. 

Anwar would also be banned from running for office for five years from the day he is released from jail. 

Critics and independent human rights activists say the case against Anwar is the latest salvo in a long-running campaign by Malaysia's coalition government to silence its most potent threat. 

The US government and other Western governments have expressed concerns over his treatment. "This trial is so unjust," Anwar's wife, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, said outside the courtroom. 

"We hope and pray that justice will be served, not just for Anwar but for all Malaysians." A verdict is expected on Wednesday.

Despite this week's spike, Gufran Beig, chief scientist at India's state-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (Safar), said Delhi's air was generally better than Beijing's.
"A majority of the time, Delhi air is quite bad, but it is still better than Beijing," Beig told AFP, while conceding that the post-Diwali air likely rivalled the Chinese capital's infamous smog.
"It's going to be that way for 24 hours before it gets better," he added.
- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/world/article/delhi-chokes-on-toxic-smog-after-festival-of-lights#sthash.HtnRrWgb.dpuf

Iran has executed a 26-year-old woman convicted for killing a man who she said tried to sexually abuse her. 

Reyhaneh Jabbari(photo) was arrested in 2007 for the murder of Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, a former employee of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence. 

She was hanged at dawn on Saturday, the official IRNA news agency quoted the Tehran prosecutor's office as saying. 

A message posted on the homepage of a Facebook campaign that was set up to try to save her, but which now states "Rest in Peace," appeared to confirm the report. Efforts for clemency had intensified in recent weeks. 

Jabbari's mother was allowed to visit her for one hour on Friday.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili(photo) said studies are being conducted to test the possibilities of having the ocean-based plant either in the Straits of Malacca or in the waters between Labuan and Kuala Penyu off the coast of Sabah, where the tidal movement is most suitable.

“I also think that Kudat and Pulau Banggi has got good flow but this needs to be confirmed by the experts. It would be great to have it in Sabah where we really need the power,” Sabah-born Ongkili told reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project here recently.

The MoU, between Tawau-based Green Power Solutions and US underwater power developer Current2Current International, kicks off a partnership to develop an ocean-based renewable energy source.

“This new prototype technology has the potential to be used worldwide, in any location that has an ocean current, is self contained and therefore, is portable. 

We are extremely proud that an internationally company such as C2C has chosen Malaysia and Sabah in particular to launch their first venture in Asean,” said Green Power Solutions business development 

director Reuben Lim.

With a new adopted definition of RE that includes all forms of renewable energy including hydro and off-grid renewable energy, Malaysia’s RE has jumped from under 2 per cent to 14 per cent.

“Malaysia has huge renewable energy potential and we should tap into these resources to ensure greater energy security and autonomy in the country. Sabah is exemplary with rich bioenergy resources from the palm oil industry, and can make sure of its high solar irradiance, and harness energy from rivers, wind and geothermal,” Ongkili said in his speech earlier.

He said the talk on ocean renewable energy technologies is consistent with the Government’s policy to explore all forms of sustainable energy.