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BEIJING (Reuters) - China is likely to appoint an expert on Japan and North Korea as its next foreign minister, three independent sources said, in a measure of Beijing's resolve to improve difficult relationships with two of its closest neighbours. Barring last-minute changes, Wang Yi, 59, China's ambassador to Japan from 2004 to 2007, was likely to be appointed foreign minister during the annual full session of parliament next month, the sources said. ...

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid's crushing victory away to Barcelona to reach the King's Cup final has fired out a warning to Manchester United ahead of their Champions League last 16 return at Old Trafford next week. United manager Alex Ferguson was watching from the stands at the Nou Camp on Tuesday when Real romped to a 3-1 semi-final second leg victory, helped by a double from the outstanding Cristiano Ronaldo. ...

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Gold demand in India, the world's biggest consumer of the metal, jumped on Wednesday as buyers preponed purchases on concerns the government may raise the import duty on Thursday to control a record current account deficit. The government has already targeted gold, second only to oil in value of imports, by raising the duty to 6 percent from 4 percent on January 21. A government report on Wednesday recommended reining in gold imports to curb external deficit. "Jewellers and traders are a bit worried about the government policy. ...

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict bade an emotional farewell at his last general audience on Wednesday, saying he understood the gravity of his decision to become the first pontiff to resign in 700 years but he had done it for the good of the Church. "I took this step in full awareness of its gravity and rarity but also with profound serenity of spirit," he told a packed crowd in Saint Peter's Square. He said he was not "coming down from the cross" despite renouncing his office but would remain in the service of the church through prayer. ...

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's gold imports are likely to come down because of lower inflation and more attractive financial instruments for saving, said Raghuram Rajan, the finance minister's top economic adviser, on Wednesday. Gold, used as an inflation hedge by Indian savers, is a major driver of the country's record current account deficit and the government raised tariffs on imports of the metal this year. Inflation has trended downward in recent months. (Reporting By Rajesh Kumar Singh; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Arup Roychoudhury)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Irish actor Gabriel Byrne is going into battle as an 8th century Viking chieftain in History Channel's new nine-part scripted TV series "Vikings", starting on Sunday. Byrne's elder statesman Earl Haraldson is also locked in a power struggle with the adventurous young Ragnar Lothbrook,(Travis Fimmel) who is looking for new worlds to conquer in the Irish/Canadian historical co-production that explores the world of the mighty Norse warriors. ...

REUTERS - The Asian Football Confederation has told Reuters it is investigating a report of matchfixing in Lebanon, where 24 players have been sanctioned following allegations that international and regional games were rigged. The Lebanese Football Federation on Tuesday announced the punishments, including lifetime bans for Malaysian-based defender Ramez Dayoub and Indonesian-based forward Mahmoud El-Ali, which centre on international fixtures and AFC Cup matches, the second tier regional club tournament. ...

TOKYO (Reuters) - A 114-year-old Japanese woman born the same year that radium was discovered was recognised as the world's oldest woman by Guinness World Records on Wednesday. Misao Ookawa, who was born to a clothing merchant in 1898 and now lives in the western city of Osaka, received a certificate acknowledging her status and said she was pleased. "Given everything, it's pretty good," she told a gathering at the nursing home where she resides. ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Lotus are expecting a new-look Romain Grosjean this season after assuring the crash-prone French Formula One driver that he has a long-term future with them. Grosjean earned a one race ban last season after a Belgian Grand Prix collision that put Ferrari's title contender Fernando Alonso out of the race, with the Spaniard lucky to escape serious injury. ...

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The BSE Sensex rose on Wednesday, rebounding from three-month lows hit in the previous session, as recent blue chip under-performers such as Larsen & Toubro recovered on value buying a day ahead of the presentation of the 2013/14 budget. Larsen & Toubro Ltd provisionally rose 2.95 percent. The BSE Sensex provisionally rose 0.68 percent, rebounding from its lowest close since November 27 on Tuesday. The 50-share Nifty gained 0.62 percent. (Reporting by Abhishek Vishnoi; Editing by Rafael Nam)

ROME (Reuters) - Beppe Grillo can allow himself a few days to bask in the afterglow of his triumph in Italy's election, but soon the comedian who now leads the country's largest party will face some tough political choices. After a spectacular rise since its formation in 2009, Grillo's anti-establishment 5-Star movement won a stunning 26 percent of lower house votes at the election, fractionally more than the centre-left Democratic Party (PD). His 108 seats in the 630 seat Chamber of Deputies and 54 in the 315 seat Senate leave him holding the key to Italy's political future. ...

NEW DELHI/DUBAI (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways paid $70 million to buy Jet Airways' slots at London's Heathrow airport and said it remains in talks to buy a stake in the Indian carrier. The move signals positive developments in the discussions and investors cheered the move after a delayed announcement of the potential deal significantly hurt Jet's shares in recent weeks. Earlier on Wednesday, shares in Jet surged as much as 19.7 percent after TV channel ET Now cited unidentified sources as saying Etihad Airways was close to a deal to purchase a 24 percent stake in the company. ...

Reuters Market Eye - The rupee rises further in the afternoon session to trade at 53.66/67 versus its previous close of 54.09/10. The rupee rose to a high of 53.63, its highest since February 11. Traders say optimism for a fiscally disciplined 2013/14 budget on Thursday prompting dollar selling. The Sensex also trading up nearly 1 percent. A broad risk rally in global markets following solid U.S. data and the Fed's continued support to easy monetary policy also hurting the dollar. Month-end dollar demand from oil firms however capping slides in the pair. (Reporting by Swati Bhat)

Hyderabad, Feb 27 (IANS) Infrastructure developers GVK Wednesday announced they will sponsor and support Hyderabad tennis player Gunuganti Sruta Kirti from here on.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The Indian economy is likely to improve in this financial year beginning April 1, helped by moderate inflation and better external factors, chief economic advisor to the finance ministry Raghuram Rajan said Wednesday.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Sony Music has clinched a deal with Dharma Productions to distribute the music of its three upcoming films.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) India is pursuing a research programme for developing thorium-based reactors for generation of power, parliament was informed Wednesday.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Work on the Jaitapur nuclear reactor in Maharashtra will start in 2015, the government told parliament Wednesday.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) India's Economic Survey 2012-13, which was tabled in parliament Wednesday, has called for a balance between the need to acquire land for economic growth and costs related to the displacement of its owners.

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 27 (IANS) The Unique Identification (UID) card is among numerous examples of "fantastic" Indian innovations, British High Commissioner to India James Bevan said here Wednesday.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Telecom, tourism and railways have been the best performers in services sector in India, the 2012-13 Economic Survey tabled in parliament Wednesday said.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The government said Wednesday that it proposed to set up additional streams of production of heavy water.

Jammu, Feb 27 (IANS) With the opposition gathering all necessary political ammunition to target the Omar Abdullah-headed coalition government, the stage is set for a budget session of the state legislature, beginning Thursday, that is likely to generate much heat.

Chennai, Feb 27 (IANS) Having completed filming for upcoming Tamil thriller "Chennaiyil Oru Naal", a remake of Malayalam hit "Traffic", actor Lakshmy Ramakrishnan says she has tried to push the envelope to avoid comparison with Fathima Babu.

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) India's nuclear power capacity will rise from 4,780 MW now to 10,080 MW by 2017, parliament was informed Wednesday.

Beijing, Feb 27 (IANS) China has told schools to shun extravagance and waste, a move in line with a call by the country's leaders for thrifty lifestyles and a rejection of pomp.