Chilean and Argentine officials issued a red alert Monday for the increasingly active Copahue volcano bordering the two countries and ordered the evacuation of about 3,000 people.Chilean Interior and Security Minister Andres Chadwick said the increased activity could lead to an eruption and officials would soon begin evacuating 2,240 people, or 460 families, within a 25-kilometer radius. “This evacuation is obligatory; it's not voluntary,” Chadwick told reporters. Chile's Emergency Office said t

A coordinated wave of car bombings tore through mostly Shiite areas of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 66 people and maiming nearly 200 as insurgents step up the bloodshed roiling Iraq.The attacks in markets and other areas frequented by civilians are the latest sign of a rapid deterioration in security as sectarian tensions are exacerbated by anti-government protests and the war in neighboring Syria grinds on.More than 450 people have been killed across Iraq in May. Most of the killings cam

The European Union has decided to lift the arms embargo on the Syrian opposition while maintaining all other sanctions against President Bashar Assad's regime after June 1, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said late Monday. The decision “sends a very strong message from Europe to the Assad regime,” Hague said after an all-day meeting that laid bare EU hesitation on feeding arms in a foreign conflict only months after it won the Nobel Peace Prize.Hague insisted that Britain had “no immedia

일본군의 위안부 관련해 망언을 계속해온 하시모토 도루 오사카시장이 27일 일본 정부나 군이 조직적으로 여성을 납치하거나 인신매매한 증거는 없다고 주장했다.하시모토 시장은 이날 도쿄에서 열린 외신 기자회견에서 “위안부 피해자들의 강제연행 증언에 대해 “신빙성의 의문이 있다”고 주장했다. 그는 위안부 문제에 관한 일본 정부의 책임을 인정한 고노 담화 당시에도 강제연행에 대한 증거는 없었다면서 “고노담화는 정치적 타협의 결과”라고 밝혔다.하시모토 시장은 이날 “당시 위안부가 필요했다”는 자신의 주장이 잘못 인용되었다면서 자신의 말은 “당시 세계 각지의 군대들이 위안부가 필요했던 것처럼 보였다’는 의미라고 해명했다.그는 또한 일본뿐 아니라 미국, 영국, 프랑스, 독일, 소비에트 연방 등 다른 국가도 여성의 인권을 침해했다고 주장하면서 일본만 집어서 죄를 뒤집어 씌우는 것은 부당하다고 주장했다.하시모토 시장은 “일본이 과거의 잘못들을 깊이 뉘우치며 이를 절대 반복하지 않아야 한다는 전제 하에

An outspoken Japanese politician apologized Monday for saying U.S. troops should patronize adult entertainment businesses as a way to reduce rapes, but defended another controversial remark about Japan's use of sex slaves during World War II.Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, who is also the co-head of an emerging nationalistic party, said his remarks two weeks ago rose from a “sense of crisis” about cases of sexual assaults by U.S. military personnel on Japanese civilians in Okinawa, where a large num

South Korean stocks closed 0.33 percent higher Monday, as a hike in Japanese government bond yields last week lifted concerns over the yen's weakness, prompting foreigners to increase risky bets in local equities, analysts said. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 6.52 points to finish at 1,979.97. Trading volume was light at 245.9 million shares worth 2.83 trillion won ($2.51 billion) with gainers outpacing decliners 444 to 367. "Worries about the weakening yen have aba

The Seoul police agency on Monday denied allegations that it had destroyed evidence and hampered a probe into the national spy agency's alleged attempt to influence public opinion ahead of last year's presidential election.Prosecutors on Sunday said that a mid-ranking official of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), whose identity has been withheld, had allegedly permanently deleted data on a computer hard disk ahead of a prosecution raid into the agency's headquarters.A team of prosecut

Lazio took city bragging rights by beating Roma 1-0 Sunday in a derby to win a heated Italian Cup final and maintain its recent edge in the series.Senad Lulic scored in the 71st minute at the Stadio Olimpico after goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont failed to clear a cross from Antonio Candreva, leaving the unmarked Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder to put the ball into the net at the far post.“This victory won't be forgotten,” Lulic said. “I found myself there in the right moment. I dedicate this goal to my w

The Miami Heat rediscovered its offensive punch and beat the Indiana Pacers 114-96 on Sunday to take a 2-1 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals.LeBron James profited from a tactical switch, scored 22 points and got plenty of help as the Heat reclaimed the home-court advantage they lost two nights earlier. Dwyane Wade had 18 points, and Udonis Haslem added 17.“I made a conscious effort to get down in the post tonight, to put pressure on their defense,” James said. “The coaching staff wanted

South Korean rapper PSY has been met with boos and small firework explosions during his performance at the Stadio Olimpico ahead of the Italian Cup final and derby between Roma and Lazio.Organizers responded by raising the volume during PSY's performance of his hit, ''Gangnam Style.''The rapper appeared embarrassed but told fans afterward in Italian, ''I love Italy.''It was unclear if the boos were of a racist nature, although fans for both clubs have come under attack this season for racist cha

방송 도중 정인영 아나운서에게 물을 뿌린 LG 트윈스의 임찬규 선수가 인터넷 상에서 맹비난받고 있다.LG는 26일 서울 송파구 잠실동 잠실야구장에서 열린 SK 와이번스의 경기에서 정의윤의 끝내기 안타로 1대0 짜릿한 승리를 거뒀다. 경기가 끝나고 임 선수는 인터뷰를 하고 있던 정 선수에게 플라스틱 통에 가득한 물을 뿌렸는데, 이 물의 상당 부분을 인터뷰를 진행하던 정인영 아나운서가 맞으면서 문제가 불거졌다.경기가 끝난 26일 오후부터 하루가 지난 27일까지 이틀간 임찬규 선수의 미니홈피에는 사건과 관련된 댓글이 1,600개 이상 달렸으며 그 대부분은 임 선수를 맹렬히 비난하는 내용이었다.네티즌들은 그가 한 행동이 “프로답지 못하고 미성숙하다”면서 사과를 요구했다.이와 관련해 임 선수와 정 아나운서 측에서 아직 공식적인 입장을 밝히지 않은 상태이다.한편 장유례 아나운서는 사건이 불거지자 자신의 트위터에 “(임) 찬규선수한테 물어보니 선배가 시키셔서 후다닥 물 세례하고 온건데 각도가 잘

Samsung Electronics Co. has sold more than 10 million smartphones in China in the first three months of this year, retaining its position as the top smartphone seller in the world's most populous country for the fifth straight quarter, data showed Monday.Samsung sold 12.5 million smartphones in China between January and March, accounting for a 18.5 percent market share, up 2.2 percentage points from the previous quarter, according to the data compiled by Strategy Analytics, a U.S. market researc

South Korea on Monday rejected the North’s offer to host a joint gathering to mark the 13th anniversary of the June 15 inter-Korean joint declaration.The Ministry of Unification said in a statement that Pyongyang should not try to stir internal discord within South Korea by calling for a joint gathering involving private organizations who do not have the authority to resolve outstanding issues that can only be handled at the government level.The June 15 declaration reached at the historic 2000 s

Childbirths in South Korea fell for the third straight month in March amid worries over the country's chronically low birthrate, a report showed Monday.According to the report by Statistics Korea, the number of babies born in March came to about 38,800, down 10.2 percent or 4,400 from the same month a year earlier. The decline followed 0.4 percent and 9.1 percent falls in January and February.The latest childbirth report comes as South Korea is pushing to raise its chronically low birthrate, whi