"Miranda was rear-ended, but is totally fine," Kerr's spokeswoman said in a statement.

Kerr's Australian publicist Annie Kelly told media there that the model was traveling on a Los Angeles freeway on Monday when the accident occurred, and was in pain from the collision.

Kerr, 29, is also the face of Australian airline Qantas and has her own line of skin-care products.

Kerr married British actor Orlando Bloom in 2010. She gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy, in 2011.

Victoria's Secret is a subsidiary of Limited Brands Inc.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Jill Serjeant and Jan Paschal)

The country has a long and storied boxing tradition and is usually a force at international amateur tournaments. This move represents a big step for the island's Communist authorities, who long ago decided pro sports were not in keeping with Marxist social ideals.

The new format, the World Series of Boxing, consists of 12 squads from across the globe that square off in a series of five fights using a point system similar to the pros.

The World Series of Boxing is organized by the international boxing association known as AIBA. The competition begins in November.

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Cuba to World Series of Boxing," AIBA President C.K. Wu said in a statement. "With a total of 116 World medals and 67 Olympic ones, Cuban boxers have always lived at the pinnacle of our sport. ... We are convinced that this new franchise will bring WSB to an even higher level."

In addition to the salaries, boxers in the series can make $500 to $2,000 bonuses, although it's not immediately clear how, or how much, the Cubans will be paid.

They still stand to receive a big raise from their current salaries, which are close to the $20 a month that most Cuban workers earn. The best boxers, those who win medals at major tournaments, are granted lifetime stipends of up to $300 a month.

Wu visited the island in January for talks with local sports officials about adding Cuba to the series. The nation's fighters have expressed great excitement about the prospect. Boxers in the World Series will compete for 30 automatic bids to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"It is our duty to help our athletes develop their careers as far as possible," Cuban Boxing Federation President Alberto Puig de la Barca was quoted as saying by AIBA. "Our best boxers will compete in WSB over seven months against the world's cream of the crop. This will offer them the chance to get a taste of the styles of other world-class athletes and thus be better prepared to face them in the Olympic Games, Pan American, Central American and world championships."

"We are pleased to join," he added.

Fidel Castro banned professional sports in 1961, two years after the Cuban Revolution.

"Sport is not just another instrument of the market ... nor of profit for promoters, agents and all manner of parasites that feed off the athlete's hard work," Castro said in 2005.

He left office in 2006 because of a near-fatal intestinal ailment, and brother Raul has been in charge since. The younger Castro has since instituted a number of social and economic reforms that have brought significant change to the country's socialist model.

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Follow Anne-Marie Garcia on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnneMarie279

South Korea's Kospi index jumped 1.2 percent to 1,972.70 after the Bank of Korea lowered its benchmark interest rate for the first time in seven months.

In announcing that it was lowering the rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.5 percent, the Bank of Korea became the latest central bank to take steps to boost flagging economic growth.

"Overall sentiment continues to be dictated by central bank actions and hopes of more policy accommodation," said analysts at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index shed its morning gains and was down 0.3 percent to 14,246.07. Shares of Toyota Motor Corp., the world's top-selling auto maker, rose 0.3 percent a day after reporting that its quarterly profit more than doubled. Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and the Philippines rose.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.5 percent to 23,134.51 after the Chinese government issued a report showing that inflation rose slightly in April, which could temper any stimulus response by Beijing to China's shaky economic recovery. The rise was driven by a 4 percent gain in food costs.

"The inflation was a little bit higher than expected, especially food prices," said Francis Lun, chief economist at GE Oriental Financial Group. "That shows the central bank cannot relax monetary policy just yet. So that brought down the market today."

Additionally, government data released Wednesday showed April trade growth accelerating, but Lun said export figures might be inflated and China's recovery might be weaker than it looks.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average closed above 15,000 for a second day, yet another record finish. The Dow climbed 0.3 percent to end at 15,105.12. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 0.4 percent, to 1,632.69. The Nasdaq composite index gained 0.5 percent, to 3,413.27.

Benchmark oil for June delivery was down 10 cents to $96.52 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1 to finish at $96.62 a barrel on the Nymex on Wednesday, its highest level since April 2.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3157 from $1.3159 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar fell to 98.73 from 98.82 yen.

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The 2012 Premier League champions will take on two of the Premier Soccer League's top teams - still to be confirmed - with the second game to take place on 18 July, also known as Mandela Day.

Organisers of the tour, Matchworld, have collaborated with City to promote the '67 minutes for Madiba campaign that has become so successful in South Africa.

The aim of the project is to provide '67 minutes service to one's fellow human' and Patrick Vieira, City's Football Development Executive and representative for the tour, is delighted to be a part of the initiative.

"South Africa is one of my favourite countries," said the former France captain.

"I spent a lot of time here during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was thrilled when City tasked me to come over and launch the South African leg of our upcoming Tour. Mandela is one of my heroes and to be part of Mandela Day will be an honour."

Executive chairman of Matchworld, Lyndon Barends, added that City's involvement will provide a great opportunity for South Africans to see one of the Premier League's elite, just as they did when Manchester United participated in the project last year.

"We are pleased that Manchester City has included South Africa in their pre-season Tour and help us promote Mandela Day," Barends told the club's official website.

"We are continuing from where we left off last year and give all South Africans a chance to see another great team in action."

Toyota Motor Corp., which last year reclaimed the title of world's top-selling automaker, said Wednesday it expects the strong results to continue in its new business year that ends March 2014. It projected a 1.37 trillion yen ($13.8 billion) profit, up from 962 billion yen for the year ended March 2013.

The annual earnings result was better than the average forecast of 912 billion yen ($9.2 billion) in a FactSet survey of analysts and also outdid the company's own forecast for 860 billion yen ($8.7 billion) profit. Toyota reported a 121 billion yen profit for the January-March quarter of the previous year.

A recent plunge in the yen, brought about by the economic and monetary policies of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who took office late last year, is a boon for Japanese exporters such as Toyota because it boosts earnings from overseas. The U.S. dollar has gained about 20 percent against the yen and is now trading at nearly 100 yen.

But Toyota President Akio Toyoda warned competition remains tough, while crediting "Abenomics" as helping automakers like "a wind that's blowing to push us forward."

Toyota has undergone hard times in recent years, starting with the massive recall fiasco which hurt its image in the crucial U.S. market and came on the heels of the financial crisis that also slammed its business.Then the automaker's production was devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan. But the maker of the Prius hybrid and Camry sedan has been gradually recovering.

"In the years since my succession as president in June 2009, we have faced many challenges. For Toyota, this was a period of perseverance but also a period of learning through extraordinary and invaluable experiences," Toyoda told reporters.

He said he was far from confident Toyota was on a path to sustainable growth, and noted it was just "at the starting line."

Analysts warn that Toyota faces intense competition from a powerful Hyundai of South Korea as well as more established U.S. automakers General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. They are all fighting for a slice of the pie in growing markets such as Asia and Africa.

Toyota officials were quick to point out that only a small part of its improved fortunes came from a favorable exchange rate.

For its operating profit for the fiscal year ended March, Toyota credited 650 billion yen ($6.6 billion) to what it called marketing activities, or improved sales, 450 billion yen ($4.5 billion) to cost cuts and 150 billion yen ($1.5 billion) to the weaker yen.

Toyota's vehicle sales improved in almost all regions around the world, including the important U.S. market, Japan, the rest of Asia and Europe.

Anti-Japanese sentiment in China, rekindled by a territorial dispute over tiny East China Sea islands in the latter half of last year, hardly dented Toyota's overall sales growth, despite a sharp drop in China sales that has not completely ended.

Sales for the quarter ending March totaled 5.8 trillion yen ($58.6 billion). Toyota expects sales for the fiscal year through March 2014 to gain 6.5 percent to 23.5 trillion yen ($237 billion).

Toyota is expecting the dollar to trade at 90 yen for that fiscal year.

Toyota sold 8.87 million vehicles around the world in its last business year, up nearly 21 percent from 7.35 million vehicles the previous year.

The annual gain came despite a fall in vehicle sales in the last quarter because of the China woes and a sales decline in Japan when subsidies for green vehicles ended.

Toyota expects to sell 9.1 million vehicles in its current business year, with sales growth around the world, including North America, Europe and Asia, offsetting a slight fall in Japan.

"What an amazing turnaround for Toyota ... after a couple of years of a roller-coaster ride dealing with numerous recalls and the Japanese earthquake," said Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book. "Toyota saw its highest earnings in nearly five years and strong growth in sales last year."

Last month, Honda Motor Co. reported a 367 billion yen ($3.7 billion) profit for the fiscal year through March, up 73.6 percent from a year earlier, and said it's expecting to do even better this fiscal year through March 2014, with a 580 billion yen ($5.8 billion) profit.

Nissan Motor Co. reports earnings Friday.

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CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia committed to long-term plans to buy up to 100 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 Joint Strike Fighters as part of its new defense strategy on Friday, easing concerns about the future of the controversial fighter from a major foreign buyer.

Canberra, a close U.S. ally, would also buy 12 Boeing Co EA-18G electronic attack planes, modified versions of the 24 Super Hornets already equipping Australia's air force, as a stopgap until the F-35 is delivered.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced the decisions as he released a new defense white paper, which is the first reassessment of Australia's military priorities since 2009, and since the U.S. pivot to the Asia-Pacific, which included U.S. marine rotations through northern Australia.

"This important decision will assure a first-class air combat capability for Australia through the transition period to the Joint Strike Fighter (F-35), which will proceed on its current schedule," Smith said.

Australia's first two F-35s are due in 2014-15.

Canberra's decision reinforces positive steps for the F-35, coming on the heels of a decision by Norway to buy six F-35s a year earlier than planned, and the Dutch parliament's decision not to reassess F-35 rivals to replace aging F-16s, despite cost overruns and development delays.

Australia decided to stick with the F-35, initially buying 14 F-35s, followed by three operational F-35 squadrons, of around 75 planes, with the first squadron in service from 2020.

The government also holds the option of buying a further 25 F-35s from 2030, to replace the Super Hornets when they are withdrawn from service, bringing the total of F-35s to 100.

The paper makes no commitment to build a fourth advanced air warfare destroyer, part-built by BAE Systems and Spain's Navantia, but opts to replace two ageing supply ships.

Smith also said the government would proceed with plans for 12 new conventional submarines but he ruled out buying the submarines off the shelf, opting instead for new designs to be built in Australia.

With Prime Minister Julia Gillard's minority Labor government under pressure to find Budget savings to respond to collapsing revenues, Australia's net defense budget has contracted to around 1.56 percent of GDP, or A$24.2 billion. As a percentage, spending is at the lowest level since 1938.

The new white paper makes no commitments on defense spending, but says the government remains committed to a target to increase defense funding to 2.0 percent of GDP, but when the economic circumstances allow.

(Additional reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by Paul Tait and Michael Perry)

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's public broadcaster came under fire on Friday for compromising over the song "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead" that was sent flying up the UK charts by a campaign to celebrate former prime minister Margaret Thatcher's death.

The song from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" is vying for the No. 1 slot in the UK's weekly list of the top 40 best-selling singles that are usually played in full on a BBC Radio 1 chart show on Sunday.

As pressure mounted from some politicians and members of the public to ban the "disrespectful" song, the BBC said it would air the track on Sunday but only a short clip as part of a "news item" explaining why the song is in the charts.

"The BBC finds this campaign distasteful but does not believe the record should be banned," the BBC said in a statement.

The furor was seen as a critical test for the new head of the BBC, Tony Hall, appointed after a sex scandal involving the late TV presenter Jimmy Savile threw the broadcaster into turmoil and raised questions about the organization's ethics.

The publicly-funded BBC was criticized for a slow and unconvincing response to revelations that Savile was a serial pedophile abusing children over decades.

BBC Radio 1 controller Ben Cooper acknowledged the decision to air a clip of the Wicked Witch song was a compromise.

"You have very difficult and emotional arguments on both sides of the fence and let's not forget you also have a family that is grieving for a loved one who has yet to be buried," he said in a statement.

But the reaction not to play the song in full like other chart hits sparked criticism of the BBC caving in to political pressure over the 87-year-old leader who died of a stroke last Monday.

Even some Thatcher supporters, including the former Conservative MP Louise Mensch, said the BBC should air the song.

"Thatcher stood for freedom," tweeted Mensch.

Media lawyer Mark Stephens from London law firm HowardKennedyFsi said the BBC should play the song.

"She was a controversial figure and its chart position represents the views of a section of the community," he told the Independent newspaper.

Prime Minister David Cameron steered clear of the debate on Friday, having struggled all week to find a unified approach towards handling Thatcher's death and her funeral on Wednesday.

Earlier in the week he described so-called death parties by her detractors as "distasteful" and a spokesman on Friday said he had no further comment to add over the Wicked Witch song.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, said it was not for politicians to tell the BBC what to play even though he did not feel the online campaign was "in very good taste at all".

The BBC has banned other songs in the past, including the Sex Pistols' "God Save The Queen" which was released in 1977 at the time of the Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee.

(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith; Editing by Jason Webb)

DALLASPresident Barack Obama praised his predecessor George W. Bush as a good man who should be commended for his resolve in trying to keep the country safe after the 9/11 attacks, and for his foresight in leading the fight for immigration reform.

Obamas remarks came as he and the other four living presidents along with dozens of state, federal and foreign dignitaries gathered here to mark the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Southern Methodist University.

Obama, who has been a fierce critic of Bushs handling of the country, and his colleagues followed the tradition of past presidential library ceremonies by putting political differences aside. Obama praised what he called Bushs compassion, generosity and personality, and said, To know the man is to like the man.

Remarking on the rare gathering of all five presidents, Obama spoke of the exclusive club that he shares with Bush as well as Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carterwho were also in attendance. But, he said, its more like a support group.

He recalled finding a letter in his desk from George W. Bush upon arriving in the Oval Office in 2009 offering his successor advice.

He knew I would come to learn what he had learned, Obama said. Being president above all is a humbling job. There are moments when you make mistakes. There are times when you wish you could turn back the clock.

But, Obama noted, We love this country and we do our best.

Obamas remarks came after former Clinton and Carter offered similar praise of Bush. Among other things, they touted Bushs efforts to stop the spread of AIDS in Africa.

But Clintons remarks seemed more like a roast of his successor, as he spoke warmly of Bush and talked about how close he had gotten to the Bush family after he defeated George H.W. Bush. He joked of being the black sheep son and said his mother had told him not to speak too long at the event, turning to acknowledge former first lady Barbara Bush, who giggled in response.

He also praised George W. Bushs recently discovered artistic skills as a painter, saying Barbara Bush had shared portraits her son had painted of animals. I thought they were great, Clinton said, adding that he had considered asking Bush to paint his portrait.

Clinton said he had hesitated, however, after seeing Bushs self-portraits in the bathroom. At my age, I think I should keep my suit, Clinton said, as Bush laughed wildly.

A bittersweet moment came when George H.W. Bush briefly addressed the crowd, thanking them for coming. The elder Bush was hospitalized in December, and the family worried he might not make it to see his son unveil his presidential library.

From the podium later, George W. Bush praised his father for teaching him how to be a president, but first teaching him how to be a man, and said it was the first time in history that father-and-son presidents had attended the opening of each others libraries.

Addressing the crowd of more than 8,000 supporters and former staffers, Bush repeatedly became emotional as he thanked those who had turned out to mark the librarys opening. At one point he joked, There was a time in my life when I wasnt likely to be found in a library, much less founding one.

In praising his ex-staffers, Bush said, History is going to show I served with great people. He then gave a shout-out to former Vice President Dick Cheney, who is barely mentioned in the librarys exhibits, telling him, Im proud to call you a friend.

In brief remarks, Bush recalled the goals that led him while in office.

In democracy, the purpose of public office is not to fulfill personal ambition, he said, echoing a line that hes used throughout his career. Elected officials must serve a cause greater than themselves. The political winds blow left and right, polls rise and fall, supporters come and go. But in the end, leaders are defined by the convictions they held.

At the end of his speech, Bush audibly choked up. With tears in his eyes, he returned to this seat, where he smiled and threw three fingers in the air in the shape of a W.

I have known my best friend, "Vanessa," for a year and a half. She is my age and we were very close. She had to leave school because her family moved. I can't visit her because she is too far away. I cried because I don't know if she is going to remember me or if she is going to forget all about me. I'm so afraid I am going to lose her. Can you help me? -- SAD IN BUFFALO

DEAR SAD: You are obviously doing well in your ESL studies, and for that I congratulate you. Because you and Vanessa no longer live close does not mean that you can't still be friends. Although she has moved to a different geographical location, you can maintain a friendship because she is as near as your phone or computer.

Because you want to still be a part of her life, keep her updated on what is going on in your life and ask her to do the same. That is the way long-distance relationships are maintained, and some of them have been known to last a lifetime.

DEAR ABBY: I have been dating my boyfriend, "Adam," for three years. Although we are young, we are serious about our relationship. Not too long after we started dating, Adam began staying over at my house on most weekends. I live with my mom, who is 47.

For the past year when Adam comes to visit, my mom has been coming out of her bedroom in her bra and panties, for the most part exposed. She also makes flirtatious comments to Adam that I feel are completely inappropriate.

I have tried talking to her about it, letting her know how uncomfortable Adam and I and some of my friends are about it. I hoped she would understand, but she continues with the flirting and underdressing. What can I do about this? I'm desperate to try anything. -- DESPERATE IN MAINE

DEAR DESPERATE: You may be desperate, but not as desperate as it appears your mother is for attention. Because talking to her hasn't helped, accept that she is not going to change her behavior. Have Adam stay over less often. When you meet with your friends, do it at someone else's house. And if you can afford to move elsewhere, you should consider it.

DEAR ABBY: I am a single mother of a 12-year-old boy. Three or four of his friends are constantly over at our house, and I feel obligated to feed and/or entertain them. Their parents don't send money for their meals and often don't even call to check on them, so they are left spending the night here.

I don't mind the boys staying with us, but I don't think I should be expected to pay for their food and fun or feel guilty if my son and I eat and they don't. Any suggestions? -- SINGLE MOM IN THE SOUTH

DEAR SINGLE MOM: Call the boys' parents and have a friendly chat with them. I agree that the current situation isn't fair to you, and because the boys are at your home so often, their parents should be chipping in. Alternatively, start sending the boys home at dinner time.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby ator P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

For an excellent guide to becoming a better conversationalist and a more sociable person, order "How to Be Popular." Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $7 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby, Popularity Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)

The archdiocese sent a subpoena to President Barack Obama's administration in February asking for documents from White House staff, including Obama himself, for use in a church lawsuit against the contraception mandate.

Citing the burden involved and calling a subpoena of the president's office inappropriate, the White House asked a federal judge to toss out the subpoena on April 4.

A notice filed in U.S. District Court in Washington late on Monday said the archdiocese agreed to withdraw its subpoena. It did not say why.

A lawyer for the archdiocese declined to comment on Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Justice Department, which represented the White House in court, had no immediate comment.

The archdiocese is continuing its lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court challenging the Obama administration's health policy requirement that employers generally include coverage of birth control in health insurance plans they offer workers.

The Catholic Church teaches that artificial birth control is sinful because it violates natural law.

Part of the 2010 healthcare law championed by Obama and congressional Democrats, the birth control mandate has some exceptions for religious employers but the New York archdiocese said it expected to incur nearly $200 million each year in penalties if it refuses to comply.

(Reporting by David Ingram; editing by Andrew Hay)