RIO DE JANEIRO -- At least 57 prisoners were killed, including 16 who were decapitated, during a prison riot in Brazil's northern Para state on Monday, authorities said.

"It was a targeted attack," Para prison official Jarbas Vasconcelos said. "The aim was to show that it was a settling of accounts between the two groups, not a protest or rebellion against the prison system."

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TOKYO -- Since the publication of "The Three-Body Problem," the first installment of Liu Cixin's epic science fiction trilogy, the series has earned the Chinese novelist enormous acclaim and legions of fans worldwide.

"I bought the Japanese version as soon as it was published. I started to read after work at six o'clock and I finished reading the whole book at 12 o'clock at night. It's really wonderful," said Japanese reader Daichi Nakashima excitedly.

Nakashima, 27, said he was impressed by the "distinctive Chinese cultural characteristics" and "scientific details" of the book.

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was formally installed as Malaysia's new king on Tuesday, as part of a grand ceremony marking the event held at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur.

In his speech televised nationwide, Abdullah pledged to prioritize the welfare of the people and called for unity among the various groups in the multi-racial and multi-religious country.

"I will put the people first, respect the old and honor the young. I will express all this with great humility," he said. "I hope that efforts to eradicate poverty are also given priority. The cycle of the legacy of poverty should be addressed immediately because it can affect the agenda of building a developed nation."

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JUBA -- Three Western countries on Tuesday called on South Sudan parties to the conflict to step up efforts to fully implement the peace process with less than four months until the new deadline for the end of the pre-transitional period.

The members of the troika, which comprises Britain, Norway and the United States, said while there is progress, lack of momentum to fully implement the peace agreement may threaten the successful formation of the transitional government and prospects for the peace process.

"We call on the parties to redouble their efforts to resolve the most pressing remaining issues, which include ensuring agreed security reforms, are delivered, through the mobilization of necessary support," the troika said in a joint statement issued in Juba. Enditem

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