The Korea Herald

Egypt’s highest court joins judicial strike

Dec 3, 2012

CAIRO (AP) ― Egypt’s highest court joined a judicial rebellion against President Mohammed Morsi on Sunday by declaring an open-ended strike on the day it was supposed to rule on the legitimacy of two key assemblies controlled by allies of the Islamist leader. The strike by the Supreme Constitutional Court and opposition plans to march on the presidential palace on Tuesday take the country’s latest political crisis to a level not seen in the nearly two years of turmoil since Hosni Mubarak’s ouste
At least 20 FARC rebels killed in Colombia: army

Dec 3, 2012

BOGOTA (AFP) ― At least 20 leftist rebels were killed in Colombia after the military launched bombing strikes against their camp in Narino province, near the border with Ecuador, the army announced late Sunday.The rebels belonged to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country’s largest guerrilla group, according to General Leonardo Barrero, a local military commander.He said the guerrillas belonged to the mobile Marshal Sucre column who had set up a base in the area. At least
Global carbon pollution rises...by 3% in 2011

Dec 3, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The amount of heat-trapping pollution the world spewed rose again last year by 3 percent. So scientists say it’s now unlikely that global warming can be limited to a couple of degrees, which is an international goal.The overwhelming majority of the increase was from China, the world’s biggest carbon dioxide polluter. Of the planet’s top 10 polluters, the United States and Germany were the only countries that reduced their carbon dioxide emissions.Last year, all the world’s nati
Slovenia’s former premier Pahor elected president

Dec 3, 2012

LJUBLJANA (AFP) -- Slovenia’s center-left former prime minister Borut Pahor became the country’s fourth president Sunday, scoring a comfortable second-round victory despite his support for the government‘s unpopular austerity measures.With 99.99 percent of ballots counted, Pahor had 67.44 percent of the votes, ahead of the incumbent Danilo Turk with 32.56 percent, the central electoral commission said.The 49-year-old Pahor, who was backed by the centre-left opposition Social Democrats, also rece
War-era shell kills four Vietnamese children

Dec 3, 2012

A shell from the Vietnam War killed four children and seriously injured four other villagers when it exploded at a family party, police said Monday.The children, a girl and three boys aged between four and 11-years-old, died on Sunday after finding the unexploded shell while they played in a garden, according to police officer Luong Van Tri.Four others -- two men and two children aged five and 12 -- were seriously wounded in the blast which occurred in Vinh Long province, he added."The owner of
China may keep 7.5% growth target as manufacturing gains

Dec 3, 2012

China may maintain its annual economic growth target at 7.5 percent next year in a sign the new leadership headed by Xi Jinping won’t tolerate a bigger slowdown from the lowest goal since 2004. Nine of 16 analysts surveyed over the last two weeks by Bloomberg News forecast the government will set a goal unchanged from 2012, while six expect a decline to 7 percent and one sees an increase to 8 percent. Top economic officials meet this month to map out policies for 2013 and may set the target that
Palestinian president returns triumphantly from U.N.

Dec 3, 2012

The Palestinian president returned triumphantly to the West Bank on Sunday, receiving a boisterous welcome from thousands of cheering supporters at a rally celebrating his people's new acceptance to the United Nations.An Israeli decision to cut off a cash transfer to the financially troubled Palestinian Authority, following an earlier decision to build thousands of new homes in Jewish settlements, failed to put a damper on the celebrations. But Palestinian officials acknowledged they were undeci
Slovenia's former premier Pahor elected president

Dec 3, 2012

Slovenia's center-left former prime minister Borut Pahor became the country's fourth president Sunday, scoring a comfortable second-round victory despite his support for the government's unpopular austerity measures.With 99.99 percent of ballots counted, Pahor had 67.44 percent of the votes, ahead of the incumbent Danilo Turk with 32.56 percent, the central electoral commission said.The 49-year-old Pahor, who was backed by the center-left opposition Social Democrats (SD), also received the votes
Egypt's highest court joins judicial strike

Dec 3, 2012

Egypt's highest court joined a judicial rebellion against President Mohammed Morsi on Sunday by declaring an open-ended strike on the day it was supposed to rule on the legitimacy of two key assemblies controlled by allies of the Islamist leader.The strike by the Supreme Constitutional Court and opposition plans to march on the presidential palace on Tuesday take the country's latest political crisis to a level not seen in the nearly two years of turmoil since Hosni Mubarak's ouster in a popular
Congolese rebels complete Goma pullout

Dec 2, 2012

GOMA, Congo (AP) ― Rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda completed their retreat from Congo’s eastern provincial capital on Saturday less than two weeks after taking control of the strategic city, a military official said. The retreat, however, may be tentative after a leader for the M23 rebels said they now wanted to negotiate with the government within 48 hours. Ugandan Brig. Jeffrey Muheesi, who is part of a mission sent by regional leaders to oversee the rebel retreat, said the rebels’ pull
Around 30 killed in Congo plane crash

Dec 2, 2012

BRAZZAVILLE (AFP) ― A cargo plan crashed at Brazzaville airport as it was trying to land in a storm Friday, killing around 30 residents and also the crew, emergency services and witnesses said.Around 30 local people had been killed as the plane skidded off the runway and crashed into houses and a bar in the Congolese capital before crashing into a ravine, said Georgelin Massemba, head of the emergency services. Earlier Friday, emergency services had spoken of around 20 dead. The crew, numbering
Taliban attack U.S.-Afghan base

Dec 2, 2012

KABUL (AP) ― Taliban suicide bombers assaulted a joint U.S.-Afghan air base in eastern Afghanistan early Sunday, detonating explosives at the gate and sparking a gunbattle that lasted at least two hours with American helicopters firing down at militants before the attackers were defeated. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said they first exploded a car bomb at the entrance of Jalalabad Airfield then stormed into the base. A spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi,
Syrian Internet largely restored after blackout

Dec 2, 2012

BEIRUT (AP) ― Internet and telephone service were restored across much of Syria on Saturday following a two-day, nationwide communications blackout that came during some of the worst fighting to hit the capital since July. Experts say the shutdown was likely caused by President Bashar Assad’s regime, raising fears that the government is taking increasingly bold measures to cut off the country from the outside world as it tries to crush a relentless rebellion. Renesys, a U.S.-based network monito
Several charred bodies found in Japanese tunnel collapse

Dec 2, 2012

KOSHU, Japan (AFP) ―Japanese rescuers found several charred bodies in a highway tunnel that collapsed on Sunday, crushing cars and triggering a blaze, and sparking fears of another cave-in.At least seven people were missing inside the nearly 5-kilometer-long tunnel. Witnesses spoke of terrifying scenes as one vehicle burst into flames, sending out clouds of blinding, acrid smoke.Rescuers were forced to suspend for several hours their efforts to reach those believed trapped under thick concrete c
Israeli settlement expansion ‘sets back’ peace bid: Clinton

Dec 2, 2012

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― The United States on Friday criticized Israel’s decision to build 3,000 settler homes in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling it a setback for peace.The White House earlier called the move ― which came in response to a historic vote in the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday to recognize Palestine within the 1967 borders as a non-member observer state ― “counterproductive.”“In light of today’s announcement, let me reiterate that this