South Koreans spent nearly 30 billion dollars on education last year, more than in any previous year, despite the deepening economic downturn, official figures showed yesterday.
The increase, due largely to a rise in spending on private teaching including English-language learning, indicated South Koreans were reluctant to cut back on education despite a dramatic economic slowdown.
Household spending on education reached an all-time high of 39.8 trillion won (22.2 billion euro) in 2008, up 7.7 per cent from a year earlier, the Yonhap news agency said, citing Bank of Korea figures.
The picture shows traditionally-dressed children at a classroom in Seoul. (AFP)
Gay parade with Eurovision final
Russian gay pride events will coincide with Moscow's hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest this May and competitors will be asked to back homosexual rights onstage, Russian gay activists said yesterday.
Moscow city authorities have repeatedly banned events organised by gay activists and while homosexual sex is legal in Russia, it faces strong disapproval from the influential Russian Orthodox Church.
"Moscow Pride will take place on May 16th, the day of the Eurovision song contest final," gay pride organisers stated. Eurovision performers will be asked to wear lapel pins to show support for gay rights during the live show.
This year's 54th Eurovision was already shaping up to be one of the most politically charged final in the history of the competition, one of Europe's most watched annual television shows. Russia's own entrant has been criticised by some nationalists because the singer comes from Ukraine, another country which has tense relations with Moscow. (Reuters)
Action video games sharpen eyesight
Adults who play a lot of action video games may be improving their eyesight, US researchers said yesterday.
They said people who used a video-game training programme saw significant improvements in their ability to notice subtle differences in shades of gray, a finding that may help people who have trouble with night driving.
"Normally, improving contrast sensitivity means getting glasses or eye surgery - somehow changing the optics of the eye," said Daphne Bavelier of the University of Rochester in New York. "But we've found that action video games train the brain to process the existing visual information more efficientl". (Reuters)
Medvedev insists: I'm the boss
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he alone rules Russia and not former President Vladimir Putin, in unusually direct language during an interview with the BBC aired yesterday.
Analysts have been sceptical of Mr Medvedev's ability to govern independently of Mr Putin while polls show most Russians think the former President is still the real power in the country.
"I am the leader of this state, I am the head of this state, and the division of power is based on this," Mr Medvedev said, making no direct reference to the so-called power tandem between himself and Mr Putin, now Russia's Prime Minister.
A poll published last month by the independent Levada centre showed that 12 per cent of Russians believe Mr Medvedev holds real power while 34 per cent say Mr Putin is in charge. (Reuters)
Gangster escapes, police chief quits
The police chief of the Mexican state hit hardest by drug violence has resigned after a group of armed men rescued a suspected cocaine smuggler from police custody.
Javier Torres, the top officer in the border state of Chihuahua, said in his resignation letter he did not want to be a burden to the police force.
Last week a dozen men armed with automatic rifles raided a Chihuahua City hospital where Crispin Borunda, a suspected drug smuggler, had been transferred from a local prison for treatment of a heart ailment.
The raiders overpowered guards and made off with Mr Borunda.
Gangland killings have become commonplace in Chihuahua and the escape was just the latest embarrassment to Mexican law enforcement. (Reuters)