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By Tony Jimenez VIRGINIA WATER, England (Reuters) - Spain's Alejandro Canizares is hoping to pull off a remarkable victory at the PGA Championship, three and a half weeks after being diagnosed with viral meningitis. The 30-year-old admitted it was "scary" when he became ill on a flight from the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea to the China Open at the start of the month. "I started getting headaches, didn't attach too much importance to it, but the next day I woke up with the biggest headache I've had in my life," Canizares told Reuters in an interview on Saturday. ...

By Justin Palmer LEEDS (Reuters) - Joe Root hit a maiden test century on his home ground at Headingley and county colleague Jonny Bairstow chipped in with 64 to leave England on top at 337 for seven in the second test against New Zealand on Saturday. Root, in his sixth test, punched the air and gleefully hugged fellow Yorkshireman Bairstow after steering Doug Bracewell to the third-man boundary to bring up his hundred. Batting with ease and showing exemplary footwork and timing, Root and Bairstow made New Zealand's attack toil in a fifth-wicket stand of 124 on an extended second day. ...

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's highest court ruled on Saturday that parts of a revised election law setting out terms for a parliamentary vote were unconstitutional, casting fresh doubt over a poll that has already been delayed. The Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament had approved the law last month and sent it to the Supreme Constitutional Court to check the legality of the voting procedures for a new lower house. Opposition politicians had denounced the text of the revised election law approved by parliament and repeated threats to boycott the vote. ...

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leader of Lebanese guerrilla movement Hezbollah said on Saturday his group would stay in the Syrian war "to the end of the road" and bring victory to its ally President Bashar al-Assad. Hassan Nasrallah, head of the militant Shi'ite Muslim group, said in a televised speech that Syria and Lebanon were facing a threat from radical Sunni Islamists, which he argued was a plot devised by the United States and its allies to serve Israel's interests in the region. "We will not rely on anyone ... ...

By Erika Solomon BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government forces and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah launched a fierce campaign to seize more rebel territory in the border town of Qusair on Saturday, sources on both sides of the conflict said. Rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad said additional tanks and artillery had been deployed around opposition-held territory in Qusair, a Syrian town close to the Lebanese border. "I've never seen a day like this since the battle started," said Malek Ammar, an activist speaking from the town by Skype. ...

PARIS (Reuters) - A French soldier patrolling a business neighbourhood west of Paris was stabbed in the neck on Saturday by a man who quickly fled the scene and is being sought by police, President Francois Hollande said. The soldier was patrolling in uniform with two other men as part of France's Vigipirate anti-terrorist surveillance plan when he was approached from behind around 1800 p.m. and stabbed in the neck with a knife or a box-cutter. Hollande, in the Ethiopian city of Addis Ababa, commented on the stabbing to say that the man was still on the run and police were exploring all leads. ...

By Malia Mattoch McManus HONOLULU (Reuters) - The city of Detroit may be facing a deepening financial crisis but that hasn't stopped four trustees of its public pension funds from spending $22,000 of retirement system funds to attend a conference in Hawaii this week. The trip 4,500 miles west to a four-star resort on the world-famous Waikiki Beach in Honolulu doesn't sit well with the top officials now running Detroit's finances under an emergency order from the state of Michigan. ...

TRIPOLI, Lebanon (Reuters) - The death toll in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli reached 25 on Saturday in the seventh straight day of clashes between factions supporting opposing sides in Syria's two-year civil war, security sources said. Residents heard sounds of rocket-propelled grenades and sniper fire throughout the night and into Saturday morning in one of the most violent bouts of fighting so far in the city. Two people were killed on Saturday, according to medical sources. Security sources said 25 had died in the clashes in the past week. ...

REUTERS - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called sexual assault a "scourge" on Saturday as he addressed graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where a sergeant stands accused of videotaping female cadets in the showers. "Sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military are a profound betrayal - a profound betrayal - of sacred oaths and sacred trusts," Hagel said. "This scourge must be stamped out." His comments came a day after President Barack Obama delivered a similar message to graduates at the U.S. ...

REUTERS - Two freight trains collided at a rail intersection in southeastern Missouri on Saturday, triggering the collapse of a highway overpass when several rail cars derailed and struck a support pillar, authorities said. None of the seven people hurt - two aboard the trains and five people who had been in cars on the two-lane overpass - suffered life-threatening injuries, Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said in a statement. ...

KARACHI (Reuters) - Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, who has been withdrawn from the Champions Trophy following media reports he was under investigation by Mumbai police, will clear his name, his elder brother Adnan said on Saturday. Adnan Rauf told reporters that Asad had returned to his hometown Lahore but could not speak to them because of the code of conduct for umpires on the International Cricket Council (ICC) elite panel. Asad Rauf, 57, who has officiated 48 tests and 98 one-day internationals, was removed from the Champions Trophy panel this week by the sport's world governing body. ...

By Jason Bush MOSCOW, May 25 - Interpol has refused to include UK-based fund manager William Browder on its international search list after deciding that Russia's tax evasion case against him is "of a predominantly political nature". The decision is the latest twist in a long-running battle between the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Browder, whose investment company Hermitage Capital was once the largest investor in Russia's equity market. ...

CANNES (Reuters) - This year 20 films are in the main competition at the Cannes film festival, vying for the Palme d'Or for best picture that will be awarded on Sunday. Here is the lineup with the average rating out of four by 10 international critics as published in trade magazine Screen: - HELI by Amat Escalante, Mexico Stars: Armando Espitia, Andrea Vergara. Synopsis: A 12-year-old girl falls in love with a police cadet, dragging her family into Mexico's brutal drug war. Average Critic Score: 1. ...

Lucknow, May 25 (IANS) A gang betting on the Indian Premier League (IPL) was busted here late Saturday and ten people arrested, police said.

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) BCCI president N. Srinivasan, facing uncomfortable questions over his son-in-law's arrest in the spot fixing scam, attended a dinner thrown by former board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya here Saturday, amid speculation that some BCCI members have come together to ensure his exit from Indian cricket's apex body.

Jeddah, May 25 (IANS) Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Saturday discussed bilateral issues, including the Nitaqat law, with his Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Saud Al Faisal as the Indian missions there scrambled to help over 55,000 Indian workers leave the kingdom in adherence to its new stringent work policy.

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami Saturday directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to replace its faulty air-conditioned buses that break down frequently.

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) Amid the growing chorus for sacking BCCI chief and Chennai Super Kings boss N. Srinivasan in wake of the spot fixing allegations, his team Saturday sought to distance itself from the raging controversy.

Shanghai, May 25 (IANS) India's 18-year old Raj Bharath continued his charge in the Formula Masters championship as he clinched second place at round two of the series here Saturday.

Tehran, May 25 (IANS) Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi denied Saturday that Iran has dispatched any military forces to Syria, reported Xinhua citing the semi-official Fars news agency.

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Penal provisions on rape have been misused by some women who develop consensual physical relationship with their lovers and after the breakup file false rape cases to force them to marry them, the Delhi High Court has said.

Mumbai/New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Embattled BCCI president N. Srinivasan refused to quit Saturday as his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was sent to police custody till May 29 in connection with the raging spot fixing scam in Indian cricket.

Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming Saturday attributed "loyalty to players" and "consistency in selection" for the success of his team which has played in five IPL finals and won two of them.

Dead Sea (Jordan), May 25 (IANS) US Senator John McCain said Saturday that if the second Geneva conference on the Syria issue failed, his country would act to take out the air power of the Syrian government.

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), May 25 (IANS) Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari Saturday participated in the golden jubilee celebrations of the African Union at Addis Ababa that is being attended by around 75 heads of state, including of 54 African countries.

Yangon, May 25 (IANS) At least 11 people were killed and 15 others injured Saturday when a passenger bus overturned on Yangon-Nay Pyi Taw highway in Myanmar, reported Xinhua citing state-run radio.