In 2008, as financial crisis threatened the U.S. banking system, President George W. Bush asked Congress to approve an emergency bailout. Leaders of both parties blessed the idea; both presidential candidates ― Barack Obama and John McCain ― endorsed it. But conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats rebelled, the House defeated the bill ― and the stock market plummeted in real time during the

The Grand National Party has elected its new executive council, including the party chairperson, which will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the governing party through next year’s parliamentary and presidential election campaigns. What is special about the five new stewards of the party, who will be added with two appointed members is that they are barred from presidential candidacy

Upon resigning from his office Monday, Supreme Prosecutor General Kim Jun-kyu cited the legal maxim, “pacta sunt servanda,” which means “promises (agreements) must be kept.” He was referring to the National Assembly’s passage of a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act overriding an agreement between the prosecution and the National Police Agency concerning the distribution of criminal investigati

Like many of Asia’s antique cities, Istanbul is a palimpsest, continuously inscribed by new movements of people and ideas, even as older writings on its parchment remain faintly visible. Few Istanbul neighborhoods manifest a multilayered identity as much as Kuzguncuk, which lies on the Asian shore of the Bosporus. Legend has it that Jews expelled from Spain in the late 15th century first settled h

VIENNA (AP) ― The U.N. Security Council plans to meet next week to discuss what to do about Syria’s refusal to cooperate with an investigation of its alleged secret nuclear activities, diplomats told the Associated Press on Monday.The move comes just weeks after the International Atomic Energy Agency referred it the council. The closed session could result in anything from debate to sanctions of t

DURBAN, South Africa (AFP) ― PyeongChang hopes that at the third time of asking it will prevail here on Wednesday and win the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and deliver Asia only its third ever Games.The Koreans have twice finished runners-up ― to Vancouver for 2010 and Sochi for 2014 ― and here they must wait once again to see if at last they have convinced the electorate of International

LONDON (AFP) ― The final Harry Potter film has its world premiere in London on Thursday, an action-packed finale bringing the curtain down on a saga that has enthralled audiences worldwide.“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ― Part 2” will see the boy wizard take on the evil Lord Voldemort in an epic showdown.Stars from the highly successful film series will walk down the red carpet in London fo

The Seoul Global Center will accept applications for its third term of free Korean classes on July 11-12.The course runs from Sept. 5 to Dec. 2 and has classes at nine different levels.Applicants must visit the center in person and take a placement test on July 18 and 19. The SGC is on the third floor of the Korea Press Center near City Hall.Space will be limited to 15 people per class, and studen

Busan International Women’s Association is hosting informal lunches and coffee mornings this summer.The coffee mornings are at 10 a.m. on July 27 and Aug. 24 and the lunches are at noon on July 13 and Aug. 10. Both will be at Pale de Cz by Haeundae Beach.BIWA is an association of women of different cultures in the Busan and South Gyeongsang Province area. The group helps members form a community t