Vienna - Austrian police have arrested five persons suspected of dealing with doping substances and have seized 200.000 euros (266.000 dollars) worth of substances, Vienna's prosecution authority said on Friday.

"Some of the suspects are persons who are active in fitness and power training," prosecution spokesman Gerhard Jarosch told Austrian press agency APA.

Vienna - The global economic downturn has taken a major effect on Austria's external trade sector, as exports dropped by 25.2 per cent in January year-on-year, according to official data released on Friday.

Exports amounted to 7.2 billion euros (9.6 billion dollars), while imports fell by 17.7 per cent to 7.8 billion euros, Austria's statistical office said.

In 2008, Austrian trade had still developed positively. Exports rose by 2.3 per cent to 117.3 billion euros, while imports were up 4.3 per cent at 119.1 billion euros.

Vienna  - Austria's cycling doping scandal widened Thursday as three more people were detained, according to media reports.

The reports come on top of four arrests of alleged doping suppliers in March.

The latest development came after Stefan Matschiner, the former manager of disgraced Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl, was detained Monday night for allegedly supplying athletes with a range of performance-enhancing substances and blood transfusions.

Vienna - Malaysia is considering fielding top nuclear official Noramly Muslim as a candidate to lead the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) after a first vote last week brought no decision, Malaysia's ambassador in Vienna said Thursday.

But the government had not yet taken a final decision on whether to nominate Professor Muslim, who currently chairs Malaysia's Nuclear Energy Licensing Board, Ambassador Arshad Manzoor Hussain told the German News Agency dpa.

Vienna - Some 3,700 Austrians injure themselves every year while spring-cleaning, a safety watchdog organization said Thursday, urging the population to do chores at a more leisurely and safer pace.

Among those involved in such accidents between March and April, a third suffered broken bones and a quarter sustained open wounds in 2007, said the Austrian Road Safety Board, which also campaigns for other safety issues.