BASEL, Switzerland (AP) ― Roger Federer advanced to the quarterfinals and Andy Murray withdrew because of an injury just before his first-round match at the Swiss Indoors on Wednesday.Andy Roddick also advanced, using his serve to beat Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 6-4 in the late match. The seventh-seeded American had 12 aces and never allowed Haas a break point chance.Federer, defending champion at his hometown event, dropped a set against Jarkko Nieminen of Finland for the first time in their 12

CARSON, California (AP) ― David Beckham appears to be considering the same old question for the first time, the white flecks in his scruffy beard highlighted by the brilliant California sun as he frowns in thoughtful contemplation.Yet Beckham always gives the same answer: The English superstar hasn’t decided where he’ll play next season, but he’s determined to lead the Los Angeles Galaxy to an MLS championship this month. If his five-year American soccer odyssey is about to end, he’ll go out pla

Kosdaq-listed frontrunner in capacitor eyes future-oriented items for growthPark Hwan-woo, president and CEO of KOSDAQ-listed Sungho Electronics Co. (www.sungho.net) was quick to use metaphor in explaining what the company’s core business is. And his metaphor of choice is a human heart. Not that Sungho is making an artificial heart. The company’s specialty is producing capacitors, a component used extensively for a variety of electronic devices. So instead of blood, Park said the capacitors pump

POSCO, South Korea’s leading steelmaker, said Thursday that it has signed a steel supply contract with a European home appliance maker, a deal that will help the steelmaker expand its presence there.Under the deal with Gorenje, the largest Slovenian manufacturer of home appliances, POSCO will supply steels, including cold-rolled steel plates used for the production of refrigerators and washing machines, over the next three years.POSCO did not give specifics on how many steel plates it will suppl

Five vehicles made by Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. have won 2012 Canadian Car of the Year awards, industry sources said Thursday.The cars that ranked first in their sections were Hyundai’s Accent subcompact, Elantra compact and Veloster compact sports car and Kia’s Optima and Optima hybrid mid-size sedans.Sources said the five awards mark the highest number of honors given to a carmaker in the North American country and reflects sharp improvements in both design and perfo

The government on Thursday outlined plans to transform about 10 percent of the country’s gas stations into “alternative” vendors to supply petroleum products as part of its fight against runaway fuel prices.Seeking to lessen the dominance of the country’s four refiners and stimulate competition, the government has devised measures that includ multiplying non-franchise and self-service stations.Through the plan, ministry officials expect to cut gas prices by around 100 won (9 cents) per liter by

Shoplifting, employee and supplier fraud, organized retail crime and administrative errors cost the nation’s retail industry 2.41 trillion won ($2.13 billion) over the past year, an international report found Thursday. The amount was equivalent to 1.3 percent of the industry’s total sales in 2011, according to the Global Retail Theft Barometer Report, which monitors the cost of “shrink” in the global retail industry. Korea was first included this year on the list of 43 countries to be surveyed o

Incheon International Airport Corp. said Thursday it has been honored as one of the world’s best airports for its superior services by the Airports Council International, a global association of airports.In the new “Roll of Excellence” program, the council listed airports that have made if into the top five in terms of service quality for five consecutive years and lauded Incheon, the sole Asian airport operator that has reigned as the best airport for six years in a row to 2010.Hong Kong’s Chek

LG Electronics said Thursday it will issue new shares worth about 1.062 trillion won ($939 million), for the first time in six years in a sign that the company is in need of financing facility investments and other capital expenditures for next year.The company announced that it will issue 19 million new shares priced at 55,900 won per share and list them on Jan. 9.“The purpose of issuing new shares is to increase the competitiveness of our core businesses, such as smartphones, and secure our in

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- While celebrating the recent passage in the U.S. Congress of a free trade agreement (FTA) with South Korea, lawmakers here on Wednesday voiced bipartisan demand for their counterparts in Asia to follow suit.“We’ve all waited enough. I hope it will take into effect as soon as practicable,” Rep. David Camp (R-Michigan), who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, told Yonhap News Agency.He was attending a reception to celebrate the passage of the FTA in the U.S. last