NAIROBI (AFP) -- Kenya's top Muslim leaders warned Tuesday that Islamist attacks and a harsh government response risked dividing the country along ethnic and religious lines that could trigger a repeat of the deadly post-election violence six years ago."The continued violence risks tearing the country apart ... while little has come from the government to address these concerns," Abdullahi Abdi, chairman of the National Muslim Leaders Forum, told reporters.At least 15 people were reported to hav

RAMADI, Iraq (AFP) -- Gunmen took control Tuesday of Al-Qaim, the Iraqi side of a border crossing with Syria, after security forces withdrew, police and army officers said.The gunmen were loyal to the rebel Free Syrian Army and Al-Qaeda's Syrian  franchise Al-Nusra Front, which already controlled the Syrian side of the crossing.Al-Qaim is one of three official crossings from Iraq into Syria.One at Rabia to the north was abandoned by Iraqi forces last week during a major offensive by Sunni milita

Nexen Tire Corp., South Korea's smallest tiremaker, said Tuesday that it inked a deal to build a new plant in the Czech Republic.The confirmation comes after the company had hinted for some time that it was reviewing various options to build its second overseas factory in an East European country."A deal has been reached for the building of the Czech plant, but it is too early to go into details," said a corporate source who declined to be identified.The insider, however, said Czech Prime Minist

Reversing an earlier position, the South Korean government said Tuesday that it is "impossible" to form joint teams with North Korea for the upcoming Asian Games, given tight schedules and current inter-Korean relations.Last month, North Korea announced its plan to join the 2014 Asian Games to be held in the metropolitan city of Incheon, just west of Seoul, from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4.If the North participates in the event, it will be the communist country's second Asian Games appearance in South Ko

An avalanche swept down a climbing route on Mount Everest early Friday, killing at least 12 Nepalese guides and leaving three missing in the deadliest disaster on the world's highest peak.The Sherpa guides had gone early in the morning to fix ropes for other climbers when the avalanche hit just them below Camp 2 at about 6:30 a.m., Nepal Tourism Ministry official Krishna Lamsal said from the base camp where he is monitoring rescue efforts.Rescue workers pulled out 12 bodies from under mounds of

Pantech Co., South Korea's smallest smartphone manufacturer, on Friday raised concerns over a mobile carrier's decision to cut the factory price of its smartphone, saying the two did not have an agreement on the matter.LG Uplus said it will slash the price of Vega Secret Up smartphones by 37 percent to 599,500 won ($577.92) from the previous 954,800 won, claiming the move is meant to help Pantech expand its sales amid stagnant market conditions."The matter (pricing) needs to be discussed among a

Honolulu police officers have urged lawmakers to keep an exemption in state law that allows undercover officers to have sex with prostitutes during investigations, touching off a heated debate.Authorities say they need the legal protection to catch lawbreakers in the act. Critics, including human trafficking experts and other police, say it's unnecessary and could further victimize sex workers, many of whom have been forced into the trade.Police haven't said how often - or even if - they use the

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Friday the Ukrainian crisis could only be resolved through a diplomatic solution that respected the territorial integrity of the splintered ex-Soviet state.Ban arrived in Ukraine a day after holding talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin during which he expressed his deep concern over the worst East-West crisis since the Cold War.“This current crisis can only be resolved through peaceful diplomatic solutions based on the princip

The four gunmen were swift as they entered the luxury hotel in Kabul, although it took them a few minutes to find the restaurant that was their target, Afghan officials said Friday as they pieced together details of the brazen attack that killed nine people, including four foreigners and two children who were shot in the head.The Afghan capital has been hit by several attacks, but authorities appeared stunned that the militants had managed to get through the tight security at the Serena hotel -

Iran’s top leader said Friday that his nation can best counter Western sanctions by strengthening its economy and rallied Iranians to exert “extraordinary efforts” to take their country forward.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks came in his annual speech for the Persian New Year, Nowruz. Friday, the first day of spring, marks the beginning of the year 1393 on the Persian calendar.Khamenei spoke in Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, and dedicated 1393 as the year of “economy and culture.” Iranians, he

There is no need for Russia to further retaliate against U.S. sanctions, President Vladimir Putin said Friday as Russia's upper house of parliament endorsed the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine.Moscow made its first retaliatory shot on Thursday by banning nine U.S. officials and lawmakers from entering Russia, but Putin indicated that Russia would likely refrain from curtailing cooperation in areas such as Afghanistan. Moscow appears to hope to limit the damage from the latest U.S. and EU sanct

Ukraine has joined two weeks of multinational military exercises that involve troops from 12 NATO member and partner nations, and demonstrate that cooperation continues between the alliance and the crisis-torn former Soviet republic.The drills, dubbed Saber Guardian, began Friday at the Novo Selo training facility in eastern Bulgaria and will include some 700 troops from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States, as w

Ukraine interim prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk put his country firmly in the Western camp Friday, signing the political provisions of a landmark association accord with EU leaders in defiance of Russia."This gesture symbolizes the importance both sides attach to this relationship ... and the joint will to take it further," EU president Hermann Van Rompuy said.The EU was offering Ukraine its "steadfast support," Van Rompuy said, promising help to get the country's struggling economy back on tra