The Korea Herald

Dead Boston bomber in terror database

Apr 25, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The federal government added the name of the dead Boston Marathon bombing suspect to a terrorist database 18 months before the deadly explosions, U.S. officials told the Associated Press on Wednesday. Five days after the U.S. determined who was allegedly behind the deadly Boston marathon terror attacks, Washington is piecing together what happened and whether there were any unconnected dots buried in U.S. government files that, if connected, could have prevented the bombings. T
Death toll in Bangladesh building collapse at 175

Apr 25, 2013

With deep cracks visible in the walls, police had ordered a Bangladesh garment building evacuated the day before its deadly collapse, but the factories flouted the order and kept more than 2,000 people working, officials said Thursday. At least 175 people died when a huge section of the eight-story building splintered into a pile of concrete slabs.The disaster in the Dhaka suburb of Savar came less than five months after a blaze killed 112 people in a garment factory and underscored the unsafe c
Clashes suggest Sunni anger boiling over in Iraq

Apr 25, 2013

With Sunni gunmen beginning to confront the Shiite-led government's security forces head-on in northern and western Iraq, fears are growing fast of a return to full-scale sectarian fighting that could plunge the country into a broader battle merged with the Syrian civil war across the border. With more than 100 people killed over the past two days, it's shaping up to be the most pivotal moment for Iraq since U.S. combat troops withdrew in December 2011.“Everybody has the feeling that Iraq is bec
Southeast Asian leaders to talk China, trade pact

Apr 24, 2013

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (AFP) ― Southeast Asian leaders will meet in Brunei on Wednesday hoping to heal wounds from damaging infighting over China, while seeking to build momentum towards a giant free trade pact.The summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations comes after the bloc suffered deep splits last year linked to territorial disputes with China over the resource-rich South China Sea.ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as China and Taiwan, cl
Clashes leave 21 dead in China’s Xinjiang

Apr 24, 2013

BEIJING (AP) ― A violent clash between authorities and assailants described as a terrorist gang left 21 people dead in China’s restive northwestern region of Xinjiang, the local government said on Wednesday. Among the dead in the Tuesday afternoon fighting were 15 police officers and local government officials, the Xinjiang government propaganda office said in a news release. It said six assailants were killed on the spot and another eight were captured alive. “Initial investigations show this w
Hackers compromise AP Twitter account

Apr 24, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) ― Hackers compromised Twitter accounts of the Associated Press on Tuesday, sending out a false tweet about an attack at the White House. The false tweet said there had been two explosions at the White House and that President Barack Obama was injured. The attack on AP’s Twitter account and the AP Mobile Twitter account was preceded by phishing attempts on AP’s corporate network. The AP confirmed that its Twitter account had been suspended following a hack and said it was working to
Boston buries dead; evidence gathered

Apr 24, 2013

BOSTON (AP) ― New details emerged Tuesday from U.S. officials and family members about how the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects may have been swayed by a radical, anti-American strain of Islam. A U.S. senator said they had been radicalized by sources on the Web, not through direct contact with terror groups. The condition of the younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was upgraded from serious to fair as investigators continued building their case against the 19-year-old university student. He c
Australian firm introduces lingerie exclusively for men

Apr 24, 2013

“Jungle Fever,” “Moulin Rouge” and “Forget-me-not” are the names of some popular lingerie products that men purchase on one lingerie website. Surprisingly, they are not visiting the site for their girlfriends.Australian lingerie label HommeMystere gained a surge of publicity for its items designed exclusively for men. The products range from panties and bras to G-strings and stockings that are just as colorful as what women wear. In the website’s FAQ section, the CEO said “we (the company) prov
France approves gay marriage despite protest

Apr 24, 2013

France legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after a wrenching national debate that has exposed deep conservatism in the nation's heartland and triggered huge protests that tapped into deep discontent with the Socialist government.Legions of officers with water cannon braced outside the National Assembly for violence that had not come by late evening. The protests against the measure included thousands but were peaceful. Other gatherings were simply celebrations. But it was an issue that galvanized
Charges dropped for U.S. man in ricin letters case

Apr 24, 2013

Charges were dropped Tuesday against the man accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and others, while authorities searched at another man's home in connection with the case.The surprising move was announced in a brief document filed in federal court in Oxford hours after Paul Kevin Curtis was released from custody. The charges were dismissed without prejudice, which means they could be re-instated if prosecutors so choose.Attorneys for Curtis have suggested he was frame
Dutch reality show seeks one-way astronauts for Mars

Apr 23, 2013

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Are you crazy enough to sign up for a one-way trip to Mars? Applications are now being accepted by the makers of a Dutch reality show that says it will deliver the first humans to the Red Planet in 10 years.The main requirements are strong health, good people and survival skills, being 18 or older, and having a reasonable grasp of the English language.The non-profit company, called “Mars One,” aims to land its first four astronauts in 2023 for a televised reality show that would
Afghan Taliban say foreign captives ‘safe’

Apr 23, 2013

KABUL (AFP) ― A group of foreigners abducted by Taliban insurgents in eastern Afghanistan are well and have been moved to a “safe area” inside the country, a spokesman for the militants said Tuesday.The Taliban leadership will decide what to do with the group, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. Eight Turks, a Russian, a Kyrgyz man and an Afghan were seized after their helicopter made a forced landing on Sunday.“They have been moved to a safe area, they have no health problem and they are fine. T
China quake rescuers battle landslides

Apr 23, 2013

LUSHAN, China (AFP) ―Clogged roads, debris and landslides impeded rescuers Monday as they battled to find survivors of a powerful earthquake in mountainous southwest China that has left at least 192 dead.Huge boulders blocked rescue vehicles along roads leading to some of the worst-hit areas, and some areas were only accessible by foot along broken passes through the rough terrain.Survivors including the elderly were carried out on the backs of neighbors as well as by helicopter, as rescuers wer
Car bomb hits French Embassy in Tripoli, wounding two guards

Apr 23, 2013

TRIPOLI (AFP) ― A car bomb hit the France Embassy in Libya, wounding two French guards and causing extensive damage in the first attack on a foreign mission since militants stormed the U.S. consulate in Benghazi in September.The Libyan Foreign Ministry called the attack in Tripoli a “terrorist” incident.An AFP correspondent at the site said the wall surrounding the property was destroyed and the embassy building extensively damaged. Two cars parked near the embassy were also destroyed.The explos
Two arrested in al-Qaida linked Canada plot: police

Apr 23, 2013

TORONTO (AP) ― Two men were arrested and charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from al-Qaida elements in Iran, police said Monday. The case bolstered allegations by some governments and experts of a relationship of convenience between Shiite-led Iran and the predominantly Sunni Arab terrorist network. Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, had “direction and guidance” from al-Qaida members in Iran, though there was no reason to think the pla