WASHINGTON (AFP) ― The International Monetary Fund said Friday it had okayed a sixth tranche of $225 million in financing for Iceland, citing Reykjavik’s “impressive progress” in post-crisis restructuring.The IMF said Iceland’s economy would likely return to growth this year, but still faced risks from inflationary pressures, delays in investment projects, joblessness and slow private sector debt

NEW DELHI (AP) ― Hundreds of police officers swooped down Sunday on the venue of a hunger strike by a charismatic Indian yoga guru and forcibly removed him and thousands of his supporters.Officers detained Baba Ramdev for security reasons, but later released him, said Rajan Bhagat, a police spokesman in the Indian capital, New Delhi. Renowned yoga guru Baba Ramdev performs Yoga exercises before go

NEW YORK ― In almost every part of the world, long-festering problems can be solved through closer cooperation among neighboring countries. The European Union provides the best model for how neighbors that have long fought each other can come together for mutual benefit. Ironically, today’s decline in American global power may lead to more effective regional cooperation.This may seem an odd time t

WASHINGTON ― At the Pentagon, there’s a legal formula for intelligence operations that has come to be known as “Gates practice,” after its proponent, Defense Secretary Bob Gates. It basically argues that if the U.S. conducts a sensitive intelligence mission outside a war zone, the president should make the decision. That may seem like a no-brainer, but it wasn’t always the case. Early in the last

Summoning of suspects in savings bank scandal delayed after parliamentary subpanel’s decisionProsecutors geared up for a dogfight with the assemblymen over the weekend after a parliamentary subcommittee agreed to push ahead with its legislation plan to remove a central investigation unit of the state prosecution.A six-member panel under the special legislative committee on judicial reform announce

Shin Joo-yeon, winner of the third season of “Project Runway Korea,” won 100 million won ($92,000) and the chance to have her designs featured in the Korean edition of “Bazaar.” The 26-year-old’s stellar performance is particularly notable given that she has a modest background compared with other contenders. Shin Joo-yeonThe Korean version of the American show, starring established Korean designe

Film looks into unsavory ties between TVs, restaurantsDirector Kim Jae-hwan exposes the unflattering truth behind major TV food shows in a new film. His documentary “True Taste Show,” which received an audience-award at the 12th Jeonju International Film Festival, reveals TV food shows taking money to feature certain restaurants. Named after the satirical movie “The Truman Show,” the “True Taste S

VENICE, Italy (AFP) ― An array of sometimes disconcerting sights and sounds went on public display Saturday on the shores of the Venice lagoon for the Biennale contemporary art festival.From a picture of Jesus in his underwear to a human skull decorated with pearls, the images at the festival provoke, bemuse or titillate.“This is completely amazing!” exclaimed Edouard Duval-Carrie, an artist from