An opposition leader convicted of war crimes during Bangladesh's war of independence in 1971 was executed Thursday, a move that raised fears of new violence before next month's elections.Abdul Quader Mollah was hanged at 10:01 p.m., said Sheikh Yousuf Harun, chief government administrator in Dhaka, hours after the Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal.Mollah's Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami, immediately called a nationwide general strike for Sunday.Hundreds of people gathered at a major in

U.N inspectors said Thursday that chemical weapons were probably used in four locations in Syria this year in addition to the confirmed attack near Damascus in August.The report by U.N. chemical weapons experts, led by Swedish professor Ake Sellstrom, examined seven alleged chemical weapons attacks and said it lacked information to corroborate the allegations at two locations. The inspectors' limited mandate barred them from identifying whether the government or opposition fighters were responsi

An American who vanished nearly seven years ago in Iran was working for the CIA on an unapproved intelligence-gathering mission that, when it came to light inside the government, produced one of the most serious scandals in the recent history of the CIA _ but all in secret, an Associated Press investigation found.The CIA paid Robert Levinson's family $2.5 million to head off a revealing lawsuit. Three veteran analysts were forced out of the agency and seven others were disciplined.The U.S. publi

A top U.S. trade official said it would be "very difficult" for South Korea to join the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, which are on the verge of a deal."We think we are in the end game ... I think it will be very, very difficult for any country, including (South) Korea, to join the ongoing negotiations if you just look at the timetable and the clock," Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler said at a forum here.After months of taking a wait-and-see stance, the

Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday assured Japan that the United States does not recognize a new air zone imposed by China and called for steps to ease tensions.A week after a trip to China, Japan and South Korea, Biden telephoned Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a new show of support for the country which is bound by a security treaty."The vice president reaffirmed that the United States does not recognize China's recently announced Air Defense Identification Zone and that the announcement will

South Korea expressed deep concerns Friday after North Korea announced the surprise execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle amid fears about its implications for Pyongyang's future, inter-Korean relations and the standoff over the country's nuclear program.The execution of Jang Song-thaek came as a surprise, as few had expected the young leader would go as far as executing his uncle just four days after the regime held a political bureau meeting of the ruling Workers Party and removed him from a

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday as improved economic data from the United States is feared to induce an early stimulus cut by the Federal Reserve, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 10.11 points, or 0.51 percent, to 1,957.82 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Carmakers traded weak, with No. 1 Hyundai Motor remaining unchanged from the previous trading session, and its auto parts affiliate Hyundai Mobis losing 0.86 percent. Kia Motors shed 0.36 perc

북한은 12일 특별군사재판을 열고 장성택에 사형을 판결하고 즉시 집행했다고 조선중앙통신이 13일 전했다.중앙통신은 "장성택에 대한 조선민주주의인민공화국 국가안전보위부 특별군사재판이 12월 12일에 진행됐다"며 "공화국 형법 제60조에 따라 사형에 처하기로 판결했고 판결은 즉시에 집행됐다"고 밝혔다.형법 제60조는 국가전복음모행위에 대한 규정으로 사형에 처할 수 있다.장성택은 지난 8일 노동당 정치국 확대회의에서 '반당반혁명종파행위자'로 낙인 찍혀 끌려나간 지 나흘 만에 형장의 이슬로 생을 마감했다.김정일 국방위원장의 후계자 시절인 1970년대부터 시작된 장성택의 '2인자 삶'은 40여 년 만에 막을 내리게 됐으며 앞으로 북한에서는 후속조치를 위한 대대적인 숙청작업이 이뤄질 것으로 보인다.중앙통신은 "특별군사재판에 기소된 장성택의 일체 범행은 심리과정에 100％ 입 증되고 피소자에 의해 전적으로 시인됐다"며 "특별군사재판소는 피소자 장성택이 우 리 공화국의 인민주권을 뒤집을 목적으로

South Korea on Thursday expressed its willingness to render financial and other support for Syria to rebuild its economy devastated by a civil war that has raged for more than two and a half years.South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se was responding to a call for international help by the leader of the Syrian opposition forces during an international meeting in Seoul.The Seoul meeting, the third of its kind called by the Working Group on Economic Recovery and Development for Syria, brought

President Park Geun-hye has no plans to issue special pardons marking Christmas Day or New Year's Day, an official said Thursday.Senior presidential press secretary Lee Jung-hyun told reporters he hasn't heard of any talk of preparations for special presidential pardons yet. That means Park has no plan to exercise her clemency power this time around, he said.South Korean presidents have issued pardons to commemorate important holidays, such as Liberation Day -- which recognizes Korea's independe