BAGHDAD (AP) -- A wave of car bombs hit the Iraqi capital on Thursday, killing 33 people and wounding dozens, the latest attacks in a months-long surge in violence.Attacks have been on the rise in Iraq since a deadly security crackdown in April on a Sunni protest camp. More than 3,000 people have been killed in violence during the past few months, raising fears Iraq could see a new round of widespread sectarian bloodshed similar to that which brought the country to the edge of civil war in 2006

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain (AP) -- Spanish police on Friday detained the driver of a train that crashed in northwestern Spain, lowered the death toll from 80 to 78 and took possession of the “black box” of the train expected to shed light on why it was going faster than the speed limit on the curve where it derailed.And in an interview with The Associated Press, an American passenger injured on the train said he saw on a TV monitor screen inside his car that the train was traveling 194 kph (1

Three workers were killed and 12 others injured Friday when a water tank burst during a stress test at a polysilicon plant construction site inside Samsung Fine Chemicals, police said.Hospital officials said the death toll could rise as some of the injured were in critical condition.According to the police, the 1,300-ton water tank was being filled for the third day to detect any cracks or defects in it. The steel tank exploded when about 1,000 tons of water were injected.Investigators suspected

After fiddling with his lineup in the first two games of the East Asian Cup tournament, South Korean men's football head coach Hong Myung-bo said Friday he has virtually settled on his starting 11 for the finale against Japan.This Sunday South Korea will take on Japan at 8 p.m. in Seoul for the teams' final game at the regional tournament. South Korea had a 0-0 tie against Australia last Saturday, and for a game against China on Wednesday, Hong replaced nine starters from the earlier match.The g

Police said Friday they were searching for a male rights activist who jumped off a bridge into the Han River in Seoul in an apparent attempt to carry out his open threat to commit suicide if he failed to raise funds for his financially troubled organization.Citing witnesses, police said Sung Jae-gi, 45, jumped off the Mapo Bridge in western Seoul shortly after 3 p.m.  Photographs soon appeared on Sung's Twitter showing him holding onto the outer side of the bridge, ready to jump. The photos also

농협은행 방카슈랑스 사업부의 비인가 영업행위가 최근 금융당국에 적발됐다.15일 금융감독원에 따르면 이 은행 36개 지점의 보험모집 종사자 37명은 총 796건의 부당대출을 취급한 혐의를 받고 있다. 지난해 불과 두 달 남짓한 기간에 이들이 당국 몰래 승인해 준 은행 여신은 414억원에 달했다.보험업법 제91조 등에 의하면 금융기관 보험대리점에서 종사하는 사람은 대출 등 불공정 모집의 우려가 있는 상품판매를 할 수 없다.농협은행은 또 총 6천5백억원 이상의 부동산개발금융 대출을 승인했다가 3천4백여억원의 손실을 입었다. 미흡한 여신심사 등으로 인한 부실채권이다.금감원은 농협중앙회에 대한 농협은행의 특혜 여신도 적발했다. 각종 심사 및 산출 절차를 생략한 채 계열사 농협중앙회의 대출요청액 6조3천억원을 전액 승인한 혐의다.지난 2012년 3월 농협중앙회에 대한 적정한 대출금리는 당초 연 5.79%로 산출됐었다. 그러나 가산금리 등을 제외시켜 5.27%로 감면해 준 것으로 드러났다.　(코

금융감독원은 최근 농협은행을 종합 검사해 취급 제한 파생상품 거래로 인한 손실, 부당한 연대보증 요구 등을 적발하고 기관주의를 내렸다고 11일 밝혔다.농협은행은 이번 검사에서 시중은행이라고 보기 어려울 정도로 허술함을 드러냈다.농협은행 파생상품 딜러는 2011년에 은행 내규에서 취급을 제한한 파생상품을 182회 거래해 1천900만달러(218억원)의 손실을 초래했다. 2010년부터 2011년에는 무려 323회에 걸쳐 해외금리선물 등 파생상품의 거래 조건을 전산시스템에 허위로 입력하기도 했다.해외 부동산펀드 투자도 엉망이었다.2007년부터 2009년까지 농협은행은 해외 부동산펀드에 3천300만달러(389억원) 투자 시 전결 규정을 위반해 투자 결정을 했다가 2천830만달러(333억원)의 손해를 봤다.　<관련 영문뉴스>NongHyup Bank sanctioned for incurring W55b lossFinancial regulators revealed that NongHyup Bank

Officials say two more bodies were discovered overnight after a runaway train carrying crude oil derailed in eastern Quebec, igniting explosions and fires that destroyed a town's center. That brings the confirmed death toll to three.Quebec provincial police lieutenant Michel Brunet said Sunday says that fires are preventing rescuers from reaching parts of the train on fire, and that some of the other people who are missing are likely dead.Police are still not saying how many other people are mis

Some residents warily eyed the driverless "ghost train" as it rushed through the Quebec countryside. The train derailed, crashed into this small town, engulfing the downtown area in flames.Now scores of people -- perhaps as many as 80 -- are missing.Rescuers cautiously entered the charred debris Sunday, more than 24 hours after the spectacular crash that saw flames shoot into the sky and burn into the night.The accident and resulting huge fireball forced 2,000 people from their homes. Witnesses

Venezuela's foreign minister says his country has not yet been in contact with NSA leaker Edward Snowden, despite its offer of asylum.Elias Jaua says he expects to consult on Monday with Russian officials. Snowden is believed to be in the transit area of a Moscow airport.Jaua's comments came Saturday during a Caribbean summit in Trinidad and Tobago. They were distributed by his office.President Nicolas Maduro announced Friday that he would grant asylum to Snowden. Bolivia and Nicaragua have said

Israel's Cabinet has approved a plan that would gradually end a contentious system that has granted automatic draft exemptions to Jewish ultra-Orthodox seminary students.Under a longstanding system, thousands of young men are allowed to skip compulsory military service to pursue religious studies. This has caused widespread resentment among secular Jewish Israelis.The new system, which needs parliamentary approval, would reduce the number of exemptions and require ultra-Orthodox men to register

Kim Jong-shin, former chief of the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., was put behind bars Sunday on charges of taking 100 million won in bribes from one of the company’s contractors.Busan District Court on the day issued an arrest warrant for Kim.While Kim resigned a year ago before his term expired amid simmering criticism over power outages, the prosecution recently expanded its investigation into irregularities involving a parts supplier to KHNP’s nuclear plants.Operations had been

Chinese citizens mourned the deaths of two teenage girls killed after a South Korean-owned passenger jet crashed at San Francisco airport Sunday as survivors recounted harrowing details of their tragic flight.Chinese nationals made up 141 of the 291 passengers aboard the Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 which burst into flames after it landed short of the runway, injuring 182.The two dead were Chinese girls born in 1996 and 1997, state broadcaster CCTV said.As of Sunday afternoon the Chinese consulate

Ecuador on Thursday waived preferential rights granted under a trade agreement with the United States, in a show of independence as it considers asylum for fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden."Ecuador unilaterally and irrevocably renounces these preferential customs tariff rights," Communications Minister Fernando Alvarado, said, reading from a government statement."Ecuador does not accept pressure or threats from anyone, and does not trade on principles or make them contingent on com

South African President Jacob Zuma said Thursday that the condition of ailing anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela had improved overnight and was now critical but stable."He is much better today than he was when I saw him last night. The medical team continues to do a sterling job," Zuma said in a statement.After visiting Mandela for a second time in 24 hours, Zuma urged SouthAfricans to pray for the 94-year-old former president.Zuma "was informed by the medical team that Madiba's condition has im