In brief: Ruling coalition takes election

PENANG, Malaysia – Malaysia’s ruling National Front coalition won a narrow victory Sunday, election commission officials announced, as voters chose continuity and experience over opposition calls for reform.

The 13-party National Front secured a simple majority, winning 112 of 222 parliamentary seats. It was the coalition’s 13th consecutive general election victory since the country gained independence from Britain in 1957.

Prime Minister Najib Razak, 59, head of the majority United Malays National Organization Party, led the coalition to victory, emphasizing the message to his largely rural conservative Muslim Malay base that the inexperienced opposition would ruin the economy and erode national security.

Suicide bomber kills seven

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Seven people were killed Sunday morning when a suicide bomber attempted to ram a car laden with explosives into a military convoy escorting a four-member Qatari delegation.

Gen. Garad Nor Abdulle, a senior police official, said the members of the Qatari delegation who were being escorted in the interior minister’s convoy were unharmed and safely reached their hotel.

Abdulle said the interior minister was not in the convoy.

Mohamed Abdi, an officer at the scene of the blast, said four civilians and a soldier died immediately. Another two people died in a hospital and 18 were being treated for wounds from the blast, said Dr. Duniya Mohamed Ali at the Medina hospital.

Aerosmith drops Indonesia show

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Aerosmith canceled a show in Indonesia after authorities there said they had foiled a bomb plot targeting the Myanmar Embassy.

Concert promoter Ismaya Live cited safety concerns as the reason for the cancellation, but it wasn’t clear if there was a direct connection to the alleged embassy plot.

The American rockers were scheduled to perform this coming Saturday for a nearly sold-out crowd of 15,000 in the capital, Jakarta, said Helmi Sugara, event organizer spokesman.