IN BRIEF (Page 12)

China

Li, Malaysian PM to promote ties

Premier Li Keqiang and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, talked on the phone on Monday, agreeing to further promote ties and cooperation between their countries. Li also congratulated Najib on his re-election as prime minister, saying that bilateral relations now enjoy a great opportunity for further development.German embassy holds open house

The German embassy in Beijing held an open house on Tuesday, attracting more than 100 Chinese students and netizens. Embassy officials explained their work to the visitors and discussed various issues with them, including political ties, economic cooperation and visa applications.

Saudi Arabia

4 new cases of SARS-like virus

Saudi Arabia has confirmed four new cases of a deadly new respiratory virus related to SARS that appears centered in the Arabian Peninsula but that has also been reported in Europe. The official Saudi Press Agency said on Tuesday that one patient was treated and released from a hospital, while three others remain under medical care.

United States

O.J. Simpson seeks retrial

O.J. Simpson appeared in a Las Vegas court on Monday, hoping to be retried for a September 2007 casino hotel robbery on grounds that his longtime lawyer had botched his defense. The 65-year-old former football star - famously acquitted for the 1994 murder of ex-wife - was handcuffed to his chair as he closely followed the proceedings.

Germany

Chinese receives Fresnel Prize

Chen Yu-Ao, a physicist from the University of Science and Technology of China, was awarded the European Physical Society's Fresnel Prize on Tuesday in Munich. The prize is regarded as the highest global honor for scientists under 35 in the field of quantum electronics and optics.

Xinhua-AFP-AP-China Daily

(China Daily 05/15/2013 page12)