News Today - June 26

* Japanese Core consumer prices chalk up another expected drop, fueling further fears of deflation. Tokyo prices, considered a leading indicator for the nationwide figure, suffer similar fall.

* Michael Jackson, the child star turned King of Pop who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and scandals, died on Thursday. He was 50.

* Japanese regulators are said to be set to order closure of some of Citi's retail operations due to lax money laundering controls.

* New Zealand's economy suffers a record fifth-straight decline, as the nation sinks further into its worst-ever recession.

* The Indian Government on Thursday set in motion the process of providing a Unique Identification Number to India's citizens and appointed Infosys Technologies Co-Chairman Nandan Nilekani as head of an Authority for this purpose.