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 we loved him and it is moving so much now in the European Tour. He has done so much and he is always going to be in everybody's heart and he will always inspire so many kids to start golf."

Ross Fisher, English golfer, said, "Yeah, you know it is great to be out here today supporting such a great event. Seve (Ballesteros) was one of my idols growing up and it is a huge and sad loss. What he did for golf in general and maybe golf in Europe. you know, he will always be remembered."

The 2011 BMW PGA Championship gets underway on Thursday.

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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 attendee list will be Tom Hanks, who will appear at the Asian premiere of "Larry Crowne", which he directs and stars in.

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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 marched Wednesday from the state-owned GPB TV station toward the direction of the Freedom Square, they stopped in front of the parliament building on the Rustaveli Avenue. The protesters then occupied the reviewing platforms and set up makeshift fences to block traffic along the avenue, where a parade was scheduled for Thursday to mark the country's 20th independence anniversary.

Later on Wednesday, anti-riot police were sent in to disperse the protesters, using water cannons, tear gases and rubber bullets. Shortly after midnight Wednesday, authorities announced they took back control of the area front of the parliament building.

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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. But now, only 6-thousand are sold daily."

However, it doesn't mean plastic bags are used less even within the supermarkets. Many consumers have found its replacement: the free grocery bags supermarkets provide for fruits and vegetables.

(Nats: a women tears several plastic bags from a roll)

With some greedy shoppers taking advantage...

Supermarket cashier of Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province said "These grocery bags are free and convenient. So many people just use them as a substitute to plastic shopping bags."

Vegetable markets represent a different scene.

Bulks of plastic bags are in plain sight in stark defiance to the ban, giving shoppers an easy choice.

Local resident said "It's common practice that sellers provide plastic bags."

"Me, carrying a basket? It makes me looks like a housewife. I won't do that."

Vendors say that if they don't provide plastic bags, consumers will simply turn sellers who will.

Strong market demand has prompted plastic dealers to dump many plastic bags into the market. But insufficient enforcement of regulations have exacerbated their abuse.

Vendors who rent stalls at vegetable markets don't have to register for a operational license. This means that cannot be punished by the major supervisor, the industry and commerce bureau.

Street vendors, a major source of plastic bags, are also out of the crosshair of regulators.

Although four bureaus and departments are involved in regulation, their task of rooting out plastic bags from markets remains a key challenge three years since the ban was enforced.

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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, who beat Pere Riba of Spain to advance.

Wozniacki advances to 3rd round

Over on Philippe Chatrier court, women's top seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark also moved on to the third round. She took a straight sets victory over Aleksandra Wozniak.

The Danish player worked her way through a second set tiebreak against the stubborn Canadian, but Wozniacki eventually prevailed for the win.

Other matches saw 2010 French Open finalist Sam Stosur advance to the third round by beating Simona Halep. Julia Goerges defeated Lucie Safarova in three sets, Gisela Dulko thrashed Tsvetana Pironkova, and Anastasia Rodionova had a win over Edina Gallovits-Hall 6-1, 6-4.

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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 Bretton Woods institutions, is not a one-shot operation. It is a long process, in which all the developing countries have to stand united."

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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 an impediment to reaching the top post.

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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 Thursday.

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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, with the head of the European Commission Jose Manual Barroso saying he fully supported her decision.

The OECD has also threw its support behind Lagarde before she announced her bid for the IMF's top job. The head of the organization, Angel Gurria says Lagarde meets all the criteria to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn as director of the International Monetary Fund.

He said, "That certainly is welcome, but I think again Madame Lagarde herself would be the first one to say it is not a question of simply because you are a woman. But if it's a formidable woman like she is, well, of course, then you're talking business. It's difficult to find somebody with more merit. The Europeans have clearly picked up their best and the brightest."

But IMF directors from five emerging economies said Europe's longstanding exclusive deal to lead the IMF undermines the legitimacy of the Fund.

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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 off.

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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 week.

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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 our discussions. We will come to our own views on the information that we seek and we will seek to learn these lessons on behalf of the world."

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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. It is essential to our security, and it's essential for our prosperity."

Obama was equally warm about the relationship.

In the wide-ranging session, the two leaders reaffirmed their joint resolve on Libya. The U.S. President then said he believes a two-state Israeli-Palestinian solution is achievable, but urged both sides to return to the negotiating table.

Obama also reiterated their commitment to supporting the desire for democracy across the Middle East.

Obama said, "As historic change unfolds across the Middle East and North Africa, we agree that the pursuit of self-determination must be driven by the peoples of the region, and not imposed from the outside. But we are both committed to doing everything that we can, to support peoples who reach for democracy, and leaders who implement democratic reform."

Obama's speech to Parliament, and the ensuing news conference, came on the third day of his four-country, six-day European tour. The American leader is now scheduled to head to France for an economic summit, and will wrap up his trip in Poland.

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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 two-way trade has risen sharply, with total value of imports and exports up 42.3 percent to 7.9 billion U.S. dollars.

Chuong said that the two countries' legal framework for investment has been improved in lines with the international laws, which helped boost the bilateral trade. China supplied fuel and raw materials of strategic significance to Vietnam's economy. In return, it needs a great amount of Vietnamese products, such as rubber, coffee, fruit, high-quality wooden ware, sea food and consumer goods, Chuong added.

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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 Singapore.

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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 shares of 18.3 percent and 15.1 percent respectively.

The oil refiners agreed to reject requests from gas stations to change pole-signs to shun fierce competition, which helped them guarantee stable market shares over the past 10 years, according to the FTC.

The antitrust regulator said restricted competition among fuel suppliers led to higher oil product prices. South Korea's consumer prices rose 4.2 percent in April from a year earlier.

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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 and Fincke were both involved in the mission's second spacewalk on Sunday, but the pair encountered problems with loose bolts and washers.

Endeavour's current mission is its 25th and final flight before it is retired along with the rest of NASA's fleet later this year.

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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 added.

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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 with 33.5 percent.

As regards destination markets, the United States continued to be the main receiver with 38.1 percent of Costa Rican exports, Central America was second with 20 percent, while the European Union and Asia ranked third and fourth with 19 percent and 11 percent, respectively.

The country expects to achieve 14.6 billion dollars of exports for the entire 2011 year.

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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, local time.

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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 club in 2008 and has spent around 300 million pounds on transfers alone.

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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 35 energy projects, 356 mineral mining projects, 20 infrastructure projects, and four minerals and energy processing projects.

The increase was fuelled by the Queensland Curtis and Gladstone coal seam gas to liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, as well as major expansions and new developments in coal and iron ore by BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals.

According to Resources Minister Martin Ferguson, the figure was evidence of continued confidence in Australia as an investment destination.

He pointed out that the challenge was now to ensure companies investing in Australia's future had the labour and skills needed to deliver projects.

He said that the federal government will address the skills shortage by boosting skilled migration and skills and training for Australians to meet demand.

The report showed Western Australia accounts for 63 percent of advanced capital expenditure, reflecting the significant oil, gas and iron ore developments in the state.

Queensland accounts for a further 28 percent supported mainly by the development of LNG facilities using coal seam gas as a feedstock, and coal mines and associated infrastructure.

Also, there is no sign of capex slowing ahead of the introduction of the Mineral Resources Rent Tax (MRRT) in July 2012, with the report predicted capex will increase 33 percent in 2011/12 from the previous financial year.

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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 Reserve Bank of Australia will increase the cash rate at its June board meeting from 4.75 percent to 5.0 percent.

Senior economist Adam Carr form ICAP, the financial services provider in Australia, said the strength in the data was broad- based and not concentrated in the mining sector.

"The data today showed that there were some other sectors which had a decent tick up in investment for the quarter, including transport, wholesale, construction, utilities and other services," Carr said.

He said the capex figures showed the economy was strong and that a cash rate rise by the central bank was looking like a near-term prospect.

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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 police.

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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 views of society regarding the creation of a housing system best suited in addition to career promotion, professional training, benefits and social security among others benefits.

Last month, the Administration announced it will spend over 311.7 million patacas (38.96 million U.S. dollars) in support of several social measures to the poorest sections of society.

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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 affairs.

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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 year.

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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 through lotteries is divided into three parts: the jackpot, lottery management fees and lottery public funds.

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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 General Xu Caihou, Vice-Chairman of China's Central Military Commission earlier in May.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Myanmar in 2010, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Myanmar in June, while former Myanmar top leader Senior- General Than Shwe paid a state visit to China in September.

During Wen's visit to Myanmar, the two countries signed 15 documents on cooperation covering areas such as a natural gas pipeline, hydropower station and grant aid.

According to Chinese official figures, China-Myanmar bilateral trade hit 4.44 billion U.S. dollars in 2010, a 53.2-percent increase over the previous year, with China standing the second largest trading partner of Myanmar.

The two countries' border trade amounted to 1.054 billion in the first seven months (April-November) of 2010-11, accounting for 83 percent of Myanmar's border trade, Myanmar official statistics also show.

Myanmar's export to China through border trade stood 567 million while its import from the neighbor was registered as 486 million.

In recent years, the two sides had expanded cooperation in hydropower, energy, mining, communications, fishery, manufacturing and infrastructure, and there had been frequent exchanges in culture, news and sports.

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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 are making our greatest efforts to expand the market," he said.

Munoz added that the expo shows that despite the difficult situation caused by the last harsh winter season, Colombia is still working hard to optimize its coffee products.

The main show of the expo, Munoz went on to say, is the World Barista Championship to be held for the first time in a coffee-producing country, where 56 national barista champions will come to compete after competing in their national champions.

Cindy Chang, director of the WBC, the preeminent international coffee competition, told Xinhua that one of the reasons for choosing Colombia to host WBC 2011 was because it offers a valuable opportunity for participants to visit the country's coffee zone.

Chang added that the expo in Colombia underscores the importance of the barista profession, which requires special knowledge in the preparation of coffee drinks, especially in the process of roasting and grinding coffee.

"Coming to a coffee producing country means we can talk about the real importance and values of coffee, and we are highlighting the barista profession in the industry," she said.

Colombia, the world's largest producer of mild Arabica coffee, produces about 12 million bags of coffee a year, about 90 percent of which are exported. Its main customers include the United States, Japan, Belgium, Canada and Germany.

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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 efforts to deepen cultural exchanges between the two countries.

"Although the two countries differ in culture, value and characteristics, we face the same challenges in education development," Du told Xinhua.

"Being open, tolerant, cooperative and complementing to each other should be our choice."

"I believe we can infuse Australia-China education cooperation with new stimulus, thereby contributing to the two countries' cultural exchange."

During Monday's meeting, China and Australia signed a "Jointly Work Plan" to determine the priority areas of educational cooperation in the next two years.

Du said the contents of the future corporation plan is very sufficient, which includes issues regarding higher education, vocational education, Chinese language teaching and student exchange.

In the aspect of higher education, Du said China and Australia both agreed to continue exchanging information on higher education reform. China and Australia will also encourage top universities of both countries to further their corporations.

In student exchange, Du said both countries agree they should develop a safety handbook for Chinese students in Australia, while China will also explore effective ways to increase the number of Australian students in China.

In aspect if promoting Chinese language teaching, Du said Australia will try to promote Chinese teaching in primary and secondary schools. At the same time, China will continue to support the building of Confucius Institutes and classes in Australia and will find ways to raise the number of qualified institutions for learning Chinese.

"I have briefly introduced three areas of the plan with examples. Some contents are really specific," he said.

"The next two years will be our base for cooperation and policy implementation."

Meanwhile, Du praised Australia's efforts in trying to perfect its policies and laws to secure Chinese students' interest and rights, building a stable environment for studying and living.

At the same time, he also reminded Chinese students to be prudent about studying overseas and choose institutions of quality. He urged Chinese students to abide by laws in the countries where they study and learn how to protect themselves in foreign countries.

Du expressed broad prospects on the future of the development between the two countries, saying that he firmly believes Australia and China can complement each other, and both have great potentials to cooperate in the education field.

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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 del Rosario, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang.

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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 later in life, the study said.

The lowest levels of vitamin D were measured in people with very dark skin -- 90 percent were deficient by the end of winter.

Mason stressed the importance of getting out of the office and soaking up some sunlight during the winter months.

She recommended 10 minutes of sunshine mid-morning or afternoon every day during the summer and 30 minutes around midday during winter.

Mason admitted the sample size was small, but said it was the first Australian study to examine how vitamin D levels linked to indoors working.

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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 has pledged to deliver the 16 jets in 2013, within 18 months after the contract takes effect, Kim added.

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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 INVESTMENT

According 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 in electric power, 13.8 billion dollars in oil and gas, 2. 8 billion dollars in mining, 1.7 billion dollars in manufacturing and 1 billion dollars in hotels and tourism.

Markedly in the single year of 2010-11, Myanmar drew over 20 billion USD's foreign investment, registering a huge figure of foreign investment which is more than that absorbed over the past two decades.

Of the investment during the year, Chinese mainland led with 7.75 billion dollars, followed by Thailand with 2.14 billion dollars, China's Hong Kong with 5.79 billion dollars, South Korea with 2.67 billion dollars, Britain with 799 million dollars and Singapore with 226 million dollars.

Of the investment sectorwise, oil and gas received 10.17 billion dollars, electric power 8.218 billion dollars, mining 1. 396 billion dollars and manufacturing 66.32 million 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 served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi and was named to the World Heritage List in December 1998.

The expo will be held to showcase the landscaping development and raise public awareness about harmony among people, resources and the environment, to make the world a more beautiful, harmonious place, said the officials.

The biannual expo has been held seven times since 1997 in cities including Dalian, Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen and Jinan. The upcoming 8th expo will be held in Chongqing municipality this year.

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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 countries, haven't talked to the Brazilian side on the issue after she launched her bid, according to Mantega.

The minister also voiced concerns over the June 30 deadline set by the IMF board to choose its new leader, saying it would not allow "a proper evaluation of the proposals and commitments made by the candidates."

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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' attitude.

The athlete's player rights belong to Brazil's Iraty-PR and Germany's Hamburgo. Both clubs will meet soon to discuss the fullback's fate.

In order to fill the position, Sao Paulo is looking to sign Uruguay's Coates.

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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 the suspension imposed by the International Judo Federation, citing a "procedural failure" in the laboratory tests.

Tong tested positive for the fat-burning drug at the 2009 world championships in Rotterdam, where she won the +78kg category title.

The governing body ordered tests on her backup "B" sample -- which also showed clenbuterol traces -- without telling her or giving her the chance to attend the tests at the World Anti-Doping Agency lab in Cologne, Germany.

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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 economic impact the dispute is having and seeking the arbitrator's intervention.

The union is demanding pay rises of six percent a year for workers, over three years, as well as increases in superannuation and staffing levels.

It has rejected a five percent offer, saying that is actually a four percent pay offer, with one percent in productivity bonuses.

Patrick said the dispute is affecting 26 ships nationwide, including six in Fremantle and will cost the company about eight million AU dollars (8.45 million U.S. dollars).

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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 Senate."

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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 froze the key policy rate at three percent at the May rate-setting meeting.

Sub-indices gained ground. Consumer sentiment on living standards increased three points on-month to 88 in May, with that on prospective living standards jumping six points to 96.

In May, consumer sentiment on current and future domestic economic conditions climbed 12 points and 10 points on-month respectively, while consumer sentiment on prospective income and spending stayed unchanged.

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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 Olympics.

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