World News
N. Korea warns Seoul to ax military drill
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said on Friday it would strike again at the South if a live-firing drill planned by Seoul on a disputed island went ahead, with an even stronger response than last month’s shelling that killed four people. North Korean official news agency KCNA said the “intensity and scope” of its [...]
Storm dumps feet of snow on Midwest; 4 dead
A powerful, gusty storm dumped mounds of snow across the upper Midwest yesterday, closing highways in several states, canceling more than 1,600 flights in Chicago and collapsing the roof of the Minnesota Vikings’ stadium. At least four weather-related deaths were reported as the system dropped nearly 2 feet of snow in parts of Minnesota and [...]
Now playing in a sky near you: Winter meteor show
Flaming rocks are hurtling toward the Earth upon the arrival of the annual Geminid meteor shower, one of the biggest of the year. The peak of the week-long shower will come just before dawn Tuesday, but the shooting stars were visible across the world late this past weekend, says Rebecca Johnson, editor of StarDate magazine, [...]
Preval urges calm as electoral violence rocks Haiti
Acknowledging there was “certainly” fraud in Haiti’s contested elections, President René Préval appealed for calm Wednesday, telling Haitians they will not resolve the country’s electoral crisis through chaos. “We are asking everyone, please stop burning tires on the roads, stop destroying government buildings, stop attacking people’s businesses… We are asking everyone to obey the law,” [...]
Grassland fire kills 22 in southwestern China
grassland fire they were fighting in southwestern China turned and trapped them. The official Xinhua News Agency says the 22 were among more than 2,000 people fighting the raging fire Sunday in Sichuan province. It says three others were badly injured. The provincial website says 15 soldiers and two government workers died. The other five [...]
South Korea Names New Defense Minister after North Korean Artillery Attack
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has named a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as his new defense minister. Officials say retired general Kim Kwan-jin replaces Kim Tae-young, who resigned Thursday, following criticism of a slow response to Tuesday’s deadly North Korean artillery attack. Also on Friday, the American commander of United Nations [...]
APEC Trade, Foreign Ministers Agree To Curb Trade Barriers
Trade and foreign ministers from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) nations said in their statement Thursday they agreed no new trade barriers should be established for at least three years, as the fragile global and regional economic recovery continues. The ministers said they will recommend that APEC leaders, who meet over the weekend, [...]
‘Israel’s aggressive policies threaten peace talks’
PA President Abbas tours Gulf to “exchange views with brotherly leaders;” expresses hope for next week’s talks between Fatah and Hamas; says “Israeli occupation authorities put in peril” success of negotiations. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Kuwait on Wednesday, following a visit to Bahrain earlier in the week as part of a tour [...]
Indonesia volcano erupts for about 7 minutes
Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano erupted again Wednesday morning, loudly sending an ash cloud into the air, a government volcanologist said. The approximately seven-minute eruption sent ash clouds south toward Kali Gendol and possibly west to the Magelang district, volcanologist Heru Suparwoko said. Mount Merapi has killed at least 39 people since it began erupting on [...]
Indonesia’s Merapi volcano erupts again and threatens more
Indonesia’s Mt. Merapi erupted again on Friday. Officials say most, but not all, of the danger is past. Rains dampened relief efforts around Indonesia’s Mt. Merapi, as it erupted for a third time Friday. The country’s most active volcano has been spewing hot ash and debris since Tuesday, killing at least 34 people and displacing [...]
