"South Koreans cook Korean beef at a restaurant in Seoul on June 20.

Washington has confirmed a deal to add extra health safeguards on US beef exports to South Korea, and agreed not to export any cattle older than 30 months in a bid to avert mad cow disease." [yahoo photos]

"Japanese miniature train model maker Eishindo's T-gauge, which the company claims is the world's smallest commercially available model railroading scale, is displayed at International Tokyo Toy Show in Tokyo June 19, 2008." [yahoo photos]

"From Sunday, June 22 for one week, Usher's life is up for sale on eBay with the package including his $420,000 (US$397,000) three-bedroom house in Perth, Western Australia, a trial for his job at a rug store, his car, motorbike, clothes and even friends.

Usher, 44, told Reuters he had been inundated with emails from all over the world since he put his life up for grabs in March, largely from people supporting him but also from those who were asking for advice on how to change their own lives.

"I was taken aback by how much interest there has been and by the amount of people it has inspired and had an impact on," said Usher who is hoping to raise up to $500,000 to fund a new life."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080620/wr_nm/auction_life_dc

"FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Officials on Thursday abruptly canceled a state program to spray chemicals to combat crop-eating moth in urban areas after months of public uproar over its unclear effects on the environment and human health.

A.G. Kawamura, state secretary of food and agriculture, announced that California had abandoned plans to send up pesticide-spraying planes to fight the light brown apple moth in cities. That includes the densely populated San Francisco Bay area, which had been scheduled for treatment this fall."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDBafi68i1rrzl5yvYoj0PX6eULgD91DIJ8O1

"Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said on Friday he would not force Czech lawmakers to ratify the European Union's troubled reform treaty after Ireland voted "No" in a referendum.

"I am not going to force members of parliament to back Lisbon and I would not bet 100 crowns (4 euros) on a Czech "Yes"," a Czech spokesman quoted him as telling an EU summit."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKL2013127020080620

"VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - A Russian drunk driver knocked over a traffic policeman then drove for about 1 km (0.6 miles) with the officer clinging to the roof of his car, local police said on Friday.

The motorist only came to a halt after the policeman on the roof fired eight rounds from his pistol, police in the Khabarovsk region, on Russia's Pacific coast, said in a statement."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080620/od_nm/russia_odd_dc

"Less than one day after its launch, Firefox 3 has a vulnerability.

According to Tipping Point's Zero Day Initiative, the vulnerability, which it rates as critical, was reported within the first five hours of Firefox 3's release. "

"Mozilla is reported to be working on a fix."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10789_3-9972207-57.html

"Graphic shows states with identified cases of a current salmonella outbreak" [yahoo photos]

"SYDNEY (AFP) — An unnamed buyer has paid 6.9 million dollars (6.5 million US dollars) for a Picasso at an Australian auction, making it the most expensive painting ever sold in the country."

"The buyer was a New York collector"

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jbej6dFrm9y9SwGZmtIvJrHU0_yw

"Hospital authorities in India have ordered an independent inquiry after a baby was declared dead, only to make an apparently miraculous return to life.

The baby girl - born in the city of Mumbai (Bombay) - was diagnosed as stillborn on Monday night.

But she astonished her distraught family by gurgling as they took her off to the cemetery the next day.

It is thought she revived after the effect of drugs - given to her mother during a complicated labour - wore off.

Hospital authorities say they are now investigating possible negligence by staff who attended the birth."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7463245.stm