Golf greats celebrate life of Seve

The 2011 edition of the BMW PGA Championship - one of the flagship events on the European Tour - gets underway Thursday from the famous Wentworth Club in Surrey.However the focus Monday was celebrating the life of Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, who passed away two weeks ago at the age of 54.The pro-am event features 22 teams with a host of professionals including several Major Champions like Michael, Retief Goosen and Jose Maria Olazabal. Despite the somewhat challenging conditions the consensus amongst those taking part was that it was an enjoyable way to honour the celebrated man known simply as 'Seve'.Matteo Manassero, Italian golfer, said, "I think it means a lot. It shows you how much Seve (Ballesteros) was loved. Not just from here but from everybody in the Tour. What is moving now is that...

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Zhang Ziyi named ScreenSingapore ambassador

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has been named the ambassador for the ScreenSingapore 2011, organizers have announced.Zhang will join directors Oliver Stone and Wayne Wang to promote the first international film event in Singapore."It is an honor to be involved with such an exciting project," Zhang said in a press statement. "ScreenSingapore will no doubt prove to be a meaningful event, a platform from where both Asian and Western cinemas will flourish together."Being a top actress from Asia, Zhang established her international fan base when she starred in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Memoirs of a Geisha". Her recent film is a domestic drama named "Love for Life ", in which she plays an HIV-infected villager.The inaugural ScreenSingapore will run from June 5 to 12. Among the star-studded...

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Policeman killed in Georgia protest

Georgian authorities said early Thursday they have cleared the area in front of the parliament building which had been occupied by supporters of the opposition, but a policeman was killed in the process.A unspecific number of protesters were detained, the Interior Ministry said in a statement, while there were no reports on casualties among the protesters."At 0:10 a.m., police cleared the territories adjacent to the parliament building from the protesters. A number of participants of the unsanctioned rally were detained for resisting the police," the ministry said.The policeman was run over by speeding motor vehicles pulling out from the front of the building, it added.Led by the opposition People's Assembly, the protesters took to the streets of the capital on May 21-25.As the protesters...

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Ban on plastic bag needs further enforcement

It's been almost three years since China banned plastic bags from supermarket and produce markets. Since then, what used to such a natural and free part of bagging shopping has required additional charge. CCTV repoter Jie Bai looks at how markets in Jiangsu Province are enforcing, or flaunting, the ban.Ms. Ma's shopping routine has changed very little since the plastic bag ban came into force. She is one shopper who takes responsibility in bagging her own goods."I've been doing this for several years. It's environmental friendly.More shoppers are joining the campaign, meaning more plastic bags that used to be in rampant use are now lying unused at the checkout.Supermarket Cashier of Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province said "More than 10-thousand plastic bags were given out daily three years ago....

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French Open: Federer moves into 3rd round

Roger Federer is on a roll again in the French Open. The Swiss star won 13 straight games with a powerful display in the second round in Paris on Wednesday.It was French wild card Maxime Teixeira's first time to meet Federer. The French youngster seemed so nervous that he double-faulted his way to a love-2 disadvantage right from the start.But Teixeira finally settled down to hold serve and take the match to 3-all in the opening set. Federer took over from there. He won the first set 6-3.Federer continued his dominance in the second set with a 22-minute demolition. The Swiss was in stride with a 6-love scoreline. The rest of the match went on without any doubt.The 3rd seeded Federer closed out Teixeira with ease and moved to the 3rd round. His next opponent will be 29th seed Janko Tipsarevic,...

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Indian PM urges developing countries to stand united for IMF overhauls

 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is urging developing countries to stand united, in order to foster reforms at the IMF, and other Bretton-Woods institutions. He adds that this process is not a "one-shot operation."He said, "The reform of global institutions, and that includes the Bretton Woods institutions, has been high on the agenda of developing countries for a long time. But we have also to recognize that international relations, beyond a point, our power relations, and that those who wield power do not wish to yield ground very easily.So, I am not very well-informed about what is going on with regard to the successor, to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, but I do recognize that the struggle for the transformation of global institutions, including the...

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Mexico´s Finance Minister backs Carstens for IMF leader

Mexico's Finance Minister, Ernesto Cordero Arroyo, says he backs the candidacy of Agustin Carstens, Governor of their country's Central Bank, to head the International Monetary Fund.He said, "The Mexican government supports the candidacy of Agustin Carstens, but we recognize as well, that the French Finance Minister has enough qualities to run the IMF. Without a doubt, however, we consider the Governor of the Mexican Central Bank to be the right person for the job."Arroyo's comments came at a Paris news conference, on the same day French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde launched her bid to lead the organization. Carstens previously served as an Executive Director at the IMF, representing Mexico, Venezuela, Central America, and Spain in 1999 and 2000. He says his nationality should not be...

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Iceland cleans up as eruption calms

People in Iceland have begun the task of cleaning up, after the Grimsvotn Volcano eruption sent clouds of ash into the sky, and disrupted air travel across the region. Experts say geological activity appears be winding down, and local residents add that heavy rainfall started making the air breathable again, late on Tuesday.Property owners started hosing down their yards on Wednesday, to clear away soot which had settled into a thin layer on many surfaces. European air traffic controllers say haze from the volcano has declined sharply, adding that flights over continent's skies can return to normal later Thursd...

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France's Finance Minister Lagarde lauches IMF bid

France's Finance Minister Christine Lagarde has officially thrown her hat in the ring, for a chance to head the IMF. She appears to be the front runner for the top job, despite objections by big emerging economies over Europe's "obsolete" lock on the job.Christine Lagarde announced her candidacy on the eve of a G8 Summit of industrialized countries in Deauville, France, after she received wide European backing for the post.She said, "I have decided to present my candidacy for the job. This decision was made after mature reflection. And I have a perfectly clear conscience about that affair."The 55-year-old center-right politician, a former corporate lawyer, has won plaudits for her deft chairing of the G20 finance ministers and communication skills.Lagarde gained fresh endorsements on Wednesday,...

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Protest conducted ahead of G8 Summit

Demonstrators have marched to the police station in the French town of Le Havre, to protest arrests made by security forces in recent days, ahead of the G8 Summit. Thousands of protesters took to local streets on Saturday, and several were later detained for smashing windows.It was the first anti-G8 rally staged ahead of the international gathering, which begins later Thursday, in the nearby resort of Deauville. Those marching on Wednesday shouted at law enforcement officers to free their colleagues, who have been held since the weekend.The host site has been all but blocked off to the general public. All G8 meetings since the disastrous 2001 conference in Italy, when a demonstrator was shot and killed by police, have been held in remote areas that are easily sealed o...

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NATO strikes Tripoli overnight, 19 killed

NATO warplanes have pounded Tripoli for a second day, raising military pressure on Gaddafi's forces. At least six large explosions within 10 minutes of each other, rocked the Libyan capital.The air strikes targeted the area around Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound. Libyan officials say the strikes killed 19 people. A NATO official says the alliance hit a vehicle storage bunker, a missile storage and maintenance site as well as a command-and-control site on the outskirts of Tripoli. Government targets around the Western rebel outpost of Misrata have also been hit.Meanwhile, diplomatic activity in Libya is also increasing. South African President Jacob Zuma has announced he will visit Tripoli next week for talks with Gaddafi. G8 world powers will also discuss ways to break the impasse this ...

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IAEA team to investigate Fukushima

The UN nuclear watchdog has sent a 20-member team to investigate the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan.Head of the IAEA team, Michael Weightman, held a meeting with TEPCO spokesman, Junichi Matsumoto, ahead of visiting the defective plant. The cores of all three troubled reactors underwent meltdown in the early days. Damage will be examined by experts in a bid to learn from the accident and work to prevent a recurrence. The final report will be presented at an IAEA ministerial-level meeting to be held from the 20th of June.Michael Weightman, head of IAEA Investigation Team, said, "I have no concerns. We have full cooperation and access to information. Whatever questions we've asked, they have answered. No I haven't done any analysis on that. We have just got here. We just started...

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Obama: U.S. ties with UK are enduring

In Britain visiting U.S. President Barack Obama has addressed the UK Parliament, and held a news conference with Prime Minister David Cameron.They reaffirmed that their Trans-Atlantic Alliance will remain strong and indispensable. The two leaders also discussed Israeli-Palestinian relations, as well as the Libya situation.UK Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama have, once again, underlined the importance of bilateral relations, referring to their ties as special and essential.Cameron spoke about the shared history between the two countries, as well as their mutual business and scientific ventures.Cameron said, "That is what makes this relationship special. But what makes it essential, is that it's not just about history or sentiment. It is a living, working, partnership....

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Vietnam to promote trade with China: official

Vietnam attracts great attention from Chinese businesses, and in return, China sees Vietnam as potential market in the future, said Dao Ngoc Chuong, Deputy Head of the Asia-Pacific Market Division, under the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT).Vietnam News Agency on Thursday quoted Chuong said that China is Vietnam's biggest neighboring market, with a similar structure of import-export goods. The two-way trade is implemented in diverse forms, including official routes, border trade, temporary import for export, transits, exchange of goods between people in the border areas.Currently China is Vietnam's biggest importer, and the third biggest exporter, after the United States and Japan.According to statistics from China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat, in the first quarter of 2011, China-Vietnam...

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Cuban seniors meet at "120 Year Club"

Dozens of Cuba's oldest citizens are meeting at Havana's posh Hotel National this week, to celebrate another anniversary of the "120 Year Club." The organization claims more than 5,000 seniors as members, with many aged 100 or older.They hope to reach the 120-year mark through healthy diet, regular exercise, and positive thinking. Cuba claims to be home to the oldest woman on earth. Most of the nation's residents live rent-free, while food, electricity, and transportation are heavily subsidized. The government says it wants Cuba to become the world leader in life expectancy, surpassing the average of 82 years boasted by Japan and Singapo...

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S Korean oil refiners fined nearly 400 mln USD for collusion

 South Korea's major oil refiners were fined 434.8 billion won (399 million U.S. dollars) for collusion, the country's antitrust watchdog said Thursday.Four leading refiners, including SK Innovation, GS Caltex, S-Oil and Hyundai Oilbank, were ordered to pay a combined 434.8 billion won for colluding to refuse requests by gas stations to change their brands, the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said in a statement.The country's gas stations are run under the so-called pole-sign system, which compels them to buy oil products from a single refiner.The number of gas stations, which purchase refined oil from SK Innovation, reached 4,460, or 34.2 percent of the total 13,045 outlets, as of February. Gas stations with GS Caltex brand came in at 25.9 percent, while Hyundai Oilbank and S-oil had market...

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Endeavour astronauts begin 3rd spacewalk

Crew aboard US space shuttle Endeavour have begun their third of four spacewalks at the International Space Station. CCTV News now brings you live pictures from the space station.Today's walk involves astronauts Mike Finke and Andrew Feustal. Their task involves replacing the overnight airlock campout. The pair will first complete work on an external wireless antenna system that was left unfinished from last mission.The remainder of the spacewalk will be used to stabilize power supplies to the Russian side of the space station. The astronauts also aim to extend the reach of the space station's robotic arm by adding a grapple fixture to the exterior of the Russian Zarya control module.This will allow the robotic arm to reach the Russian segment, using the grapple fixture as a base. Feustel...

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S Korea, U.S. discuss threat of bioterrorism

 South Korea and the United States are holding three-day discussions over joint anti-bioterrorism drills, officials here said Thursday.The discussions, called "Able Response 11", are first such joint dialogue between the allies aimed at deterring bioterrorist threats and potential attacks, according to Yang Young-mo, a defense ministry official in Seoul. The discussions kicked off Wednesday.Andrew Weber, U.S. assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs, are among the U.S. officials engaged in the discussions, he said.South Korea has never held anti-bioterrorism attacks on its own, and it has yet to be decided whether the allies would continue holding anti-bioterrorism meetings, Yang add...

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Costa Rican exports rise 5.3% in 1st four month of 2011

Costa Rica's exports increased 5.3 percent in the first four months this year, reaching a record high of 3.352 billion U.S. dollars, the country's foreign trade ministry said Wednesday.At a press conference, Foreign Trade Minister Anabel Gonzalez highlighted the three main export sectors, fishing, agriculture and industry."Exports of the three sectors grew at the rates of 10.4 percent, 7.5 percent and 4.3 percent respectively in the first four months," Gonzalez said.Pineapple exports rose 4.9 percent to 242.9 million dollars, exceeding bananas as the main exported fruit.Exports of the electronic industry fell 12.3 percent, and continued to be affected by changes of Intel production.Electricity cable exports grew 77 percent, followed by tires with 37 percent and other electricity-related products...

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Ireland endorses Lagarde for IMF chief

Ireland, though, is giving its backing to the current forerunner for the top position, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde. The endorsement comes after England, France, Italy and Germany all vouched their support for Lagarde.However, Ireland's backing of the French candidate comes as a surprise as the two countries have been in contention over the EU's proposed bailout of debt-ridden Ireland. Another voice has weighed in on Legard... that's Angel Gurria, secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).She believes that Lagarde will bring cohesiveness to the IMF's management, should she be elected. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that Lagarde is planning to announce her candidacy during a press conference at 9:45 GMT, that's 5:45 this afternoon,...

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Manchester City celebrates FA victory

Thousands of people lined the streets on Monday as Manchester City held a parade to celebrate their FA Cup victory.Players, including captain Carlos Tevez, celebrated on board an open-topped bus which drove through the packed streets of Manchester after a presentation at the town hall. The parade ended with a firework display at their Eastlands stadium.Yaya Toure's goal gave Roberto Mancini's side a deserved 1-0 victory over Stoke City at Wembley on May 14 to secure the club's first trophy in 35 years.It was a double celebration for City, who confirmed their automatic entry to the group stage of the Champions League by winning 2-0 at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday to finish third in the league table, the first tangible reward for Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Al Nahyan, who bought the...

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Australia's mining investment hits record high in April

Investment in Australia's advanced minerals and energy projects hit a record 183.8 billion U.S. dollars in April 2011, 31 percent higher than in October 2010, latest data showed on Thursday.The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) on Thursday released the latest report on capital expenditure (capex) for minerals and energy projects for April.The April's figure has set a new record, and is nearly four times the average annual expenditure of the past 30 years. "The significant increase in planned capital expenditure reflects the mining industry's confidence in the medium and long term outlook for Australia's mineral and energy commodities," ABARES acting deputy executive director Terry Sheales said in a statement on Thursday.The record capex takes in...

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Australian strong capital expenditure data increases chances of June rate rise

The Australian strong capital expenditure data for the March quarter suggests a June interest rate rise is likely, economists said on Thursday.New private capital expenditure rose 3.4 percent in the March quarter, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Thursday.The median market forecast was for a rise of 2.9 percent in the March quarter.Chief economist Stephen Roberts from Nomura Australia, a leading financial services firm, said the capital expenditure ( capex) data was strong, particularly in the mining sector."There was a good mix between buildings and plant and also machinery," Roberts said.He said the data would add around 0.1 percent to most analysts' estimates of GDP growth for the quarter.Roberts said Thursday's capital expenditure data increased the likelihood that the...

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10 killed in plane crash in N India

At least 10 people were killed when an ambulence plane carrying one patient and two doctors crashed in Faridabad near the Indian capital late Wednesday night on its way from Patna to New Delhi, said police.The plane crashed into a residential area and killed seven people on the ground, said poli...

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Macao chief executive pledges policies for middle class

Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chui Sai On has pledged to focus more on middle class living standards in the second half of the year, the Macao Daily Times reported on Thursday.Chui made the remarks as he met with Macao Scholars Association Wednesday to listen to their views and suggestions about social topics.The participants showed concerns on matters related to Macao's middle class, as well as regional cooperation and the development of Hengqin Island, economic development, housing policies, social security and education, said the report.In a press statement released after the meeting, Chui assured that the government will draw additional policies geared toward the middle class within this year.Besides, he said the government will continue to listen to the...

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Obama plans to visit Indonesia's Bali in November, governor says

 Indonesia's Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said U.S. President Barack Obama plans to visit Bali in November this year, local media reported Thursday."I just met with U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel. He told me Obama would visit Bali, most likely in November," Pastika said Wednesday.He added that U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton would also visit Bali in July, to attend an international meeting and to check on preparations in Bali before Obama's visit.Pastika said Bali would be ready to receive the U.S. president."Security will be coordinated by the central government, the National Police and related institutions," he was quoted by the Jakarta Post online as saying.Obama had planned to visit Bali in 2010, but cancelled the visit because of home affai...

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S.Korea's e-commerce sales jump 20.9% in Q1

South Korea's e-commerce sales jumped 20.9 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, a government report showed Thursday.E-commerce sales, gauging transactions in the cyberspace, reached 220.91 trillion won (202.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter, up 20.9 percent from the previous year, Statistics Korea said in a report.Business-to-business (B2B), or cyberspace transactions among companies, expanded 23.5 percent on-year to 202.56 trillion won during the January-March period.Business-to-consumer (B2C) sales jumped 23.6 percent on-year to 4.52 trillion won in the first quarter, but consumer-to-consumer ( C2C) transactions edged up 3.1 percent to 2.16 trillion won.Business-to-government (B2G) sales contracted 10.5 percent to 11.68 trillion won for the first three months of this...

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China's April lottery sales up 32.2%

China's April lottery sales rose 32.2 percent year-on-year to 18.65 billion yuan (2.87 billion U.S.dollars), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced Thursday.Sales of lottery tickets in the first four months of the year totaled 64.96 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 33.3 percent, the MOF said in a statement on its website.In April alone, sales of welfare lottery tickets went up 30.8 percent year-on-year to 10.59 billion yuan, and sales of sports lottery tickets rose 34.2 percent year-on-year to 8.06 billion yuan, the statement said.The surge in sales has come as new quiz-type lottery games have gone on sale in about 30 provinces, along with the expansion of trial sales of the welfare lottery's online games, it said.According to China's Regulations on Lottery Management, the money raised...

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Myanmar president leaves on state visit to China

 Myanmar President U Thein Sein left Nay Pyi Taw Thursday on a three-day state visit to China, aimed at furthering the two countries' friendly and cooperative ties as well as economic cooperation.At the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, Thein Sein's trip signifies his first to China after he assumed office as the president on March 30.Seeing off the president at the Nay Pyi Taw airport were two Vice presidents -- U Tin Aung Myint Oo and Dr. Sai Mauk Kham and Charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy Wang Zongying.Accompanying U Thein Sein are about a dozen union government ministers and military leaders.U Thein Sein's China tour came after the visits of Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, in April and...

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Bogota stages international coffee expo

The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia on Tuesday launched Expoespeciales 2011, the region's most important coffee fair attended by more than 100 exhibitors.Over 10,000 people from home and abroad are expected to visit the expo, during which Bogota will be nominated as the "World Capital of Coffee," chief of the federation Lius Genaro Munoz told Xinhua."It's a unique opportunity because all the key players in the coffee production chain will meet here. It is also a great opportunity to promote the city of Bogota to the world as the 'World Capital of Coffee'," he said.The chief said the fair reinforces his organization's strategy to position Colombia as the origin of coffee of the highest quality, which is already yielding positive results in countries like China."In Asia, we...

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China to build stronger education ties with Australia

 Australia has become one of China' s major partners in terms of training and development of talents and scientific innovation, China's Vice Minister of Education Du Yubo told Xinhua in a recent interview, adding that the two countries will continue to build a stronger relationship in education corporation.The fourth China-Australia education joint work group meeting was held in Canberra on Monday. The meeting was jointly-chaired by Du and Robert Griew, the Australian Associate Secretary for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace Relations. Xinhua reporters conducted an exclusive interview with Du after the conclusion of the meeting.Du stressed the needs to constantly enrich the content of educational exchange, to enhance the level of educational cooperation, and to make greater...

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Philippine police on heightened alert as president leaves for Thailand

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been placed in heightened alert starting Thursday following the departure of President Benigno S. Aquino III for a two-day state visit to Thailand.Police spokesman Senior Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. said the heightened alert was raised effective 10:00 a.m., local time. Full alert remains in southern Philippines, including the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao."All Unit Commanders are reminded to secure all PNP camps and offices, vital installations, economic key points and places of convergence of people and are given the discretion to upgrade their alert level based on the prevailing peace and order situation in their respective areas of responsibility," he said.Aquino left for Bangkok this morning. He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert...

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Almost half of Australian indoor workers suffer vitamin D deficiency: study

Nearly half of all indoor workers in Australia suffer vitamin D deficiency through the winter, according to a new Australian study revealed on Thursday.The survey of 100 Sydney office workers, presented at the Dietitians Association of Australia conference in Adelaide on Thursday, found 42 percent were deficient in the vitamin at the end of winter while one in three had low levels over summer."We suspected lifestyle makes a difference to vitamin D, especially working indoors, but we hadn't expected that we'd have this much of a problem," researcher Professor Rebecca Mason from the University of Sydney , told Australian Associated Press (AAP).While there are no short-term symptoms indicating a deficiency, a lack of vitamin D puts people at greater risk of osteoporosis and poor muscle function...

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S Korea to export T-50 supersonic jets to Indonesia

South Korea has struck a multi- million-dollar deal to export T-50 supersonic trainer jets to Indonesia, state-run aircraft company Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) said Thursday.The deal to sell 16 supersonic jets worth 400 million U.S. dollars to Indonesia was signed in Jakarta Wednesday, the first time for South Korea to export its T-50 Golden Eagles, jointly produced by the KAI and U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin, officials at the KAI said."I believe the cooperative atmosphere currently building up between South Korea and Indonesia in various sectors, including the economic (sector), was fundamental to (winning the contract)," said KAI president Kim Hong-kyung.The jet maker was named a preferred bidder in April, as Jakarta sought to replace its old Hawk Mk-53 trainer jets.South Korea...

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Myanmar heading for fifth five-year plan for economic development

Myanmar is heading for its fifth five-year plan (2011-12 to 2015-16) for national economic development, setting an annual target of 10.5-percent economic growth for the fiscal year 2011-12 starting in April.FOREIGN INVESTMENTAccording to Myanmar official statistics, Myanmar had drawn a total of 36.05 billion U.S. dollars of foreign investment up to March this year since late 1988 when Myanmar started to adopt a market-oriented economic policy.Of the total foreign investment coming from 31 countries and regions, China (including Hong Kong) was leading with 15.5 billion dollars, followed by Thailand with 9.56 billion dollars, South Korea 2.915 billion dollars, Britain 2.659 billion dollars and Singapore 1.818 billion dollars.Sectorwise investment as of the date was shown as 14.5 billion dollars...

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Beijing construction waste landfill to become garden almost twice as large as Summer Palace

A garden, almost twice as large as the famed Summer Palace, will be built on a construction waste landfill in order to host the Ninth China International Garden Expo in 2013, according to local authorities.The ninth expo, with the theme "A Green Symphony, A Green Garden", will be held along the Yongding River in Beijing from April to October of 2013, jointly by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the municipal government, said government officials at a promotional meeting on Wednesday.The construction of the new garden, including a garden museum, main exhibition hall and Yongding Tower, has begun and is expected to finish by the end of 2012, said officials.The new garden will cover 513 hectares, while the famous Summer Palace takes up 300 hectares. The Summer Palace once...

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Brazil says selection of IMF head should be open race

 Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said Wednesday the process to select a new IMF chief should be an open race that includes more than one formal candidate.Brazil seeks a reform agenda that would ensure greater participation of emerging countries at the IMF, and selection from multiple candidates would allow comparison of various proposals, he said.The minister made the remarks after the Mexican central bank's president Agustin Castens called him to ask Brazil's support for his bid for the top job at the global institution vacated by French Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who is embroiled in a high-profile sex scandal.Castens would travel to Brazil next week to discuss the issue, the minister added.Meanwhile, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, whose candidacy was backed by European...

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Sao Paulo release Silva from contract

Sao Paulo FC decided on Wednesday to release fullback Alex Silva from his contract.Unhappy with the team, the defender requested early departure from his contractual obligations.Silva's contract with Sao Paulo was valid up to July 31, 2011. However, the player pleaded for early release from his loan and pointed to his dissatisfaction with the behavior from the administration as the principal reason.Sao Paulo was recently eliminated by Avai in the Brazilian Cup. Silva claimed that the directors and club administration abandoned the players after the defeat, leaving the athletes to fend for themselves.Silva and Sao Paulo had previously demonstrated a healthy relationship that would eventually lead to the purchase of his player rights. However, Silva was severely disappointed with the club directors'...

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Olympic judo champion Tong back to action after being cleared of doping

Chinese Olympic judo champion Tong Wen, cleared of doping offence, has embarked her journey for a series of London Olympic Games qualifying events, local newspaper reported on Thursday.Tong, who aims at defending her over 78 kilograms category title in London next year, will compete in the first qualification on Saturday in Moscow.Tong's coach said the 28-year-old judoka still needs time to regain her best form."That domineering Tong came back a little bit just yesterday. Since she has been away from the court for such a long time, it is normal that she felt nervous," Wu Weifeng was quoted by the Tianjin Daily as saying.Tong successfully had her two-year ban for a positive clenbuterol test overturned in February and was reinstated as world champion.The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned...

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Australian waterfront dispute spreads to west coast port of Fremantle

The waterfront dispute at some of Australia's largest ports will spread to Fremantle in Western Australia due to continuing row between stevedoring company Patrick and the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), local media reported on Thursday.Wednesday's industrial action saw the closure of container ports in Sydney and Brisbane, and the dispute is threatening to shut down ports around the country for a week, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said.The union has rejected an offer from Patrick to enter into voluntary conciliation and arbitration before Fair Work Australia on a new enterprise bargaining agreement.MUA deputy national secretary Mick Doleman says Patrick's offer is a case of double standards.Patrick says it is preparing an application to Fair Work Australia, citing the...

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Brazilian president opposes changes to Forest Code

 Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff opposes a parliamentary bill that would pardon farmers who deforested their share of preserved land and reduce that share of the protected land, her top aide said Wednesday.The bill, passed the House of Representatives on Tuesday, amended the country's Forest Code in a bid to relax restrictions on deforestation. It now heads to the Senate for a final vote, and Rousseff said she hopes the Senators to vote against it, according to her secretary-general Gilberto Carvalho.If the Senate approves the bill, the president is ready to use her veto power, he said."A law is not only for now, it has to consider the future of the country," Carvalho said. "We will now fight this battle in the Senat...

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S Korea's consumer confidence rises in May

South Korea's consumer sentiment index (CSI) rose to 104 in May, up from 100 the previous month, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said in a monthly report Thursday.The May figure, calculated on a poll of 2,047 households in 56 major cities, increased for the second consecutive month after falling below the benchmark 100 in March.The CSI gauges domestic consumers' overall economic outlook. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists.Inflation expectation, an approximate gauge of consumers' expectations on inflation over the next 12 months, came in at an annual average of 3.9 percent in May, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, the BOK said.South Korea's consumer prices rose 4.2 percent in April from a year earlier, slowing from a 4.7 percent advance in March. The BOK unexpectedly...

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Posted in: S Korea's consumer confidence rises in May

Beijing Olympic rowing champion Free injured while cycling

Beijing Olympic rowing pairs champion Duncan Free has undergone surgery on a broken leg after being hit by a car while cycling.It will cost him the chance of winning a world title as the world championships to be held in Slovenia in late August.Rowing Australia said Thursday that Free was riding with three other rowers on Wednesday, his 38th birthday, when a car knocked him from his bike.The surgery to insert a rod through his broken femur was successful and he still hopes to compete in next year's London Games, which would be his fifth Olympi...

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Posted in: Beijing Olympic rowing champion Free injured while cycling