U.S. experts are raising the alarm over the spread of drug-resistant malaria in several Southeast Asian countries, endangering major global gains in fighting the mosquito-borne disease that kills more than 600,000 people annually.

While the communicable disease wreaks its heaviest toll in Africa, it's in nations along the Mekong River where the most serious threat to treating it has emerged.

Five years after a global financial crisis erupted, the world's biggest economies still need to be propped up.

They're growing and hiring a little faster and creating more jobs, but only with extraordinary aid from central banks or government spending. And economists say major countries may need help for years more.

Felipe Massa has replaced Pastor Maldonado at Williams and will race for the Formula One team from the 2014 season after eight years at Ferrari.

The 32-year-old Massa will partner Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas next season, following in the footsteps of Brazilian drivers Ayrton Senna and Rubens Barrichello who both drove for the British team.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of 2013 after picking up his third leg injury of the season.

The Argentina forward hurt his left leg Sunday in Barcelona's 4-1 victory at Real Betis and medical exams on Monday showed he needs a recovery period of six to eight weeks. That would rule Messi out until about Christmas, when the Spanish league takes its annual winter break.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar are among 10 candidates for the Puskas Award honoring the best goal of the year.

Ibrahimovic was nominated for his long-range bicycle kick for Sweden against England in a friendly last November, which just missed the 2012 award entry deadline.

The United States and the European Union, which already enjoy the world's biggest business relationship, are resuming talks on a deal to further grow two-way trade and investment.

The negotiations take place against the backdrop of European pique over reported U.S. electronic espionage, and were delayed due to the U.S. government shutdown. But officials for both sides say the benefits of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership are too great for the talks to be affected.

Barcelona lost Lionel Messi to another leg injury but still had more than enough firepower to win 4-1 at struggling Real Betis and capitalize on a stumble by title rival Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Things looked grim for the defending champions when Messi suffered his third leg injury of the season and asked to be substituted in the 21st minute, as Barcelona came under pressure.

League leader Cruzeiro defeated Gremio 3-0 at a packed Mineirao Stadium on Sunday, but was denied a chance to seal the Brazilian title because second-place Atletico Paranaense also won.

Cruzeiro would have clinched its third league title by beating Gremio coupled with Atletico Paranaense either having a draw or loss to Sao Paulo at home. But Atletico kept the title race alive with a 3-0 victory.

FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke meets with Ghana's sports minister and other officials in Togo on Monday to assure them of security plans for next week's World Cup playoff in Cairo.

The Ghana Football Association said it has already received some details of the safety procedures around the decisive Nov. 19 playoff in the troubled Egyptian capital in a letter from Valcke, including permanent police escorts for players and officials, and "sufficient" security at team hotels and at training sessions.

Kevin Durant scored 33 points, including a game-leveling 3 pointer late in regulation and the go-ahead foul shots in overtime to send the Oklahoma City Thunder past the Washington Wizards 106-105 on Sunday.

John Wall missed a driving layup attempt at the buzzer for Washington, which was seeking its third straight win. Bradley Beal scored a career-high 34 points for the Wizards.