The Korea Herald

Russian ship stopped carrying arms bound for Syria

World NewsJan 12, 2012

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ― A Russian ship that made an unscheduled stop in Cyprus while carrying tons of arms to Syria was technically violating an EU embargo on such shipments, say Cypriot officials.The vessel, however, was allowed to continue its journey Wednesday after changing its destination.The cargo ship, owned by St. Petersburg-based Westberg Ltd., left the Russian port on Dec. 9 for Turkey and Syria, which is 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of Cyprus, the officials said.Russia and Turkey are
French journalist killed in Syria on official trip

World NewsJan 12, 2012

BEIRUT (AP) ― A French TV cameraman became the first Western journalist killed in the 10-month-old Syrian uprising Wednesday, dying in a barrage of grenades during a government-sponsored trip to the restive city of Homs, officials and a witness said.The violence came just hours after President Bashar Assad made a surprise appearance at a rally in the capital, Damascus, joining thousands of supporters in a show of confidence as the conflict enters a dangerous and violent new phase.The killing of
Marines probe video depicting urination on corpses

World NewsJan 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The U.S. Marine Corps said Wednesday it is investigating a video depicting what appears to be four Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban fighters.In a statement, the Marine Corps said it has not verified the origin or authenticity of the YouTube video. It also said the action
Muhammad Ali returning to Kentucky for birthday

World NewsJan 12, 2012

Muhammad Ali is coming home to Louisville to celebrate another milestone -- his 70th birthday.In this June 15, 1975, file photo, world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali shouts "Joe Bugner must go!" to Malaysian fans during a training session for his fight against Bugner in Kuala Lumpur. (AP)In this
6 pandas amble toward freedom in China preserve

World NewsJan 12, 2012

Six pandas bred in captivity wandered into an enclosed nature preserve in their native central China on Wednesday, a step toward eventually being reintroduced to the wild.A panda plays in Panda Valley natural reserve in Dujiangyan city, in southwestern China's Sichuan province, Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2
Michelle Obama: Tired of 'angry black woman' stereotype

World NewsJan 12, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Michelle Obama is challenging assertions she's forcefully imposed her will on White House aides, saying she's tired of people portraying her as "some kind of angry black woman."Mrs. Obama tells CBS News she hasn't read New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor's new book
Romney wins N.H. Republican primary

World NewsJan 11, 2012

CONCORD, New Hampshire (AP) ― Mitt Romney handily won the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary Tuesday, a major step toward cementing his position as the party’s choice to run against President Barack Obama in November.With a sizable win in New Hampshire on the heels of his narrow victory last week in the Iowa caucuses, Romney has strong momentum going into the crucial ― and likely more difficult ― South Carolina primary on Jan. 21.Returns from 87 percent of the state’s precincts showed
India lets Starbucks, Ikea open stores

World BusinessJan 11, 2012

India allowed foreign single-brand retailers to open stores in the world’s second-most populous nation, paving the way for Starbucks Corp. and Ikea to start outlets without local partners. The government Tuesday ratified a Nov. 24 cabinet decision to raise the ownership limit to 100 percent from 51 percent, Trade Minister Anand Sharma said in a statement. The companies will need to buy 30 percent of the value of products sold from domestic small and cottage industries, he said. The move undersco
Geithner in Beijing, faces uphill struggle on Iran

World BusinessJan 11, 2012

BEIJING (AP) ― China and the United States have pledged during a visit by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to cooperate on boosting the global economic recovery, but Chinese backing for U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil industry appeared unlikely.China buys almost one-third of Iran’s oil exports and has rejected the U.S. sanctions as a tool to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program. That sets Washington up for a public setback if the government of the world’s second-largest economy refuses to cooperate.
EU sees NYSE-Deutsche Boerse tie-up as unacceptable: source

World BusinessJan 11, 2012

BRUSSELS (AFP) ― European regulators consider a merger between stock market operators Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext to be unacceptable, a source said Tuesday, as the European Commission approaches making a final decision next month.The services of Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia still have reservations and objections to a merger which would see Deutsche Boerse shareholders own 60 percent of the new combined, Netherlands-incorporated firm, a source familiar with the review told AFP o
Merkel meets Lagarde in euro crisis flurry

World BusinessJan 11, 2012

BERLIN (AFP) ― Ratings agency Fitch offered a ray of light for the eurozone Tuesday as German Chancellor Angela Merkel met IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Greece’s struggle to cut its debt, amid tentative signs of progress.While the agency said Italy was the most worrying of the embattled eurozone countries and could see its credit rating cut this month, it also said France’s top “AAA” rating was safe for 2012 barring any significant economic shocks.Speculation has raged for months that France, t
World’s ‘most expensive’ tea grown in Chinese panda poo

World NewsJan 11, 2012

CHENGDU, China (AFP) ― Chinese entrepreneur An Yanshi is convinced he has found the key ingredient to produce the world’s most expensive tea ― panda poo.The former calligraphy teacher has purchased 11 tons of excrement from a panda breeding center to fertilize a tea crop in the mountains of Sichuan province in southwestern China, home to the black and white bears.An says he will harvest the first batch of tea leaves this spring and it will be the “world’s most expensive tea” at almost 220,000 yu
Korean food companies set sights on overseas wholesale buyers

World NewsJan 11, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (Yonhap News) ― Going international with Korean food, or “hansik,” has traditionally involved opening Korean restaurants abroad with menu variations developed to appeal to foreign taste buds. Food companies, however, are taking the campaign to a new niche, offering consumers the opportunity to incorporate Korean ingredients into their own dishes.This was the catalyst for bringing South Korea’s major food companies to San Francisco to directly pitch their products to nearly 100 food
Nigeria strike fuels fears of unrest

World NewsJan 11, 2012

LAGOS (AP) ― Thick black smoke and flames rose from the burning roadblock that cut off a highway linking Nigeria’s mainland to the islands where the oil-rich nation’s wealthy live. The bare-chested young men who live under the bridge said they had had enough.“This is oligarchy, this is not a democracy!” shouted Danjuma Mohammed, clutching a rock in each hand. “We are no longer afraid of you! We are ready for war!”A paralyzing strike called by labor unions to protest spiraling gasoline prices dre
Taiwan’s Tsai seeks to be 1st woman president

World NewsJan 11, 2012

TAIPEI (AFP) ― Taiwan’s opposition leader Tsai Ing-wen is seeking to become the island’s first female president with a blend of understated charisma, low-key eloquence and quiet strength.In a traditionally male-dominated society, the 55-year-old leader of the Democratic Progressive Party has sought to turn her gender into an advantage in the campaign for this Saturday’s election.“Our society will be more harmonious and our country will be more united with a woman in charge,” she told supporters