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• It was the latest in a series of accidents hitting luxury cruise liners since January, when the Costa Concordia capsized off the coast of Italy, killing 32 people.
• Sandakan authorities may have ambulances on standby, even though they have not received requests for assistance, said city police official Rudy Wiliding.
• Five crew members suffered smoke inhalation, including one who was seriously injured and needed hospital care, the ship's operator has said.
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Turkey hosts meeting of nations to back Syrian opposition, increase pressure on Assad
• ISTANBUL (AP) -- Dozens of countries on Sunday sought to set conditions for a new Syria, pushing for tighter sanctions and diplomatic pressure to further isolate President Bashar Assad, while urging the opposition to offer a democratic alternative to his regime.
• Yet the show of solidarity at the "Friends of the Syrian People" conference in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, was marred by the absence of China, Russia and Iran -- key supporters of Assad who disagree with Western and Arab allies over how to stop the bloodshed. A peace plan by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan has so far failed to take hold amid fresh reports of deadly violence.
• "The Syrian regime should not be allowed at any cost to manipulate this plan to gain time," Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an opening address. "This regime has never kept its promises."
• Erdogan also indicated military options might have to be considered if the international community fails to unite in opposition to Assad. He referred to the vetoes of (Continued on page 19)
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