Malaysia Levies Fines For Incorrect Usage Of Nation’s Language

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia will levy fines on those incorrectly using the national language and will set up a specialized division to weed out offenders who mix Malay with English, news reports said yesterday. Culture, Arts, and Heritage Minister Rais Yatim said fines of up to $271 can be imposed on displays with any wrong or mutated form of Malay, the Star newspaper reported. The move was to ensure “the national language was not sidelined in any way,” the minister said, according to the Star.

— Associated Press

Japan Premier Endorses Apology For Former Aggression

TOKYO — Prime Minister Abe endorsed a 1995 apology by former leader Tomiichi Murayama for the country’s aggression in Asia before and during World War II during Parliament this week, his spokesman said. Mr. Murayama issued a formal apology on the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II on August 15, 1995, in which he stated “feelings of deep remorse” and “feelings of profound mourning” toward all victims involved. Mr. Abe, who previously had questioned the apology, repeated some of the statement on October 2.

— Bloomberg News

Muslim Excused From Israeli Embassy Duty on Moral Grounds

LONDON — The head of London’s Metropolitan Police ordered an investigation after one of his Islamic officers was excused from guarding the Israeli Embassy in the city. “Having learned of this issue, I have asked for an urgent review of the situation and a full report of the circumstances,” Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said in an e-mailed statement. Mr. Blair’s action followed a report in Britain’s Sun newspaper that an Islamic constable in the force’s diplomatic protection group, Alexander Omar Basha, was granted a request to be moved from his post on moral grounds after Israel’s bombing of Lebanon.

— Bloomberg News

Scientists Find First Complete Skeleton Of Bus-Size Dinosaur

OSLO, Norway — Researchers yesterday announced the discovery of the remains of a short-necked plesiosaur, a prehistoric marine reptile the size of a bus, that they believe is the first complete skeleton ever found.The 150 million year old remains of the 33-foot ocean going predator were found in August on the remote Svalbard Islands of the Arctic, the University of Oslo announced. Fragments of plesiosaur have been found elsewhere, including in England, Russia, and Argentina, but researcher Joern Harald Hurum said the partially fossilized Svalbard find appeared to be the first whole example. “We are quite sure it is complete,” he said by telephone about the partially buried fossils.

— Associated Press