Hong Kong  - Asia's richest woman, according to court testimony, was the lover of a feng shui master for 14 years before leaving him her entire multibillion-US-dollar fortune, a news report said Saturday.

Lawyers for feng shui master Tony Chan said he and Nina Wang shared a "long-lasting, close and affectionate love" from 1993 to her death last year, the South China Morning Post reported.

Bangkok  - Providing a rare glimpse of Thailand's royal pageantry and rituals, the funeral procession for princess Galyani Vadhana, the elder sister of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, began Saturday morning.

The princess' remains were kept in an urn on an ornate palanquin carried by 60 soldiers clad in red uniforms. The procession left the Dusit Maha Prasart Throne Hall at the Grand Palace, where the remains had been lying in state for the past 11 months.

Washington  - US authorities on Friday approved the 52- billion-dollar takeover of beer giant Anheuser-Busch by Belgian firm InBev.

Under the deal, InBev must give up its Labatt brand in the United States. The a Canadian brewed beer is popular in New York state and anti-trust regulators feared a lack of competition there, the US Justice Department said.

The takeover would create the world's largest brewer. InBev, producer of brands like Stella Artois and Beck's, while Anheuser- Busch brews Budweiser and Bud Light.

Washington  - Former presidential candidate and New York Senator Hillary Clinton has refused to address speculation that president-elect Barack Obama will tap her to become his top diplomat.

"I'm not going to speculate about the president-elect's incoming administration," Clinton told a gathering in New York, adding that any questions should be directed to Obama's transition team.

Washington  - US stocks dropped Friday, capping a dismal end to another volatile week, over concerns that a slump in retail sales revealed the extent of a looming recession.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 337.94 points, or 3.82 per cent, as investors grappled with the bleak outlook for consumer spending.