Violence and military operations claimed the lives of more than 16,000 civilians in Iraq last year, a research group that tracks civilian deaths in Iraq said Thursday, making it one of the deadliest years for war-weary Iraqis since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.  In its annual report, the London-based Iraqi Body Count reported that 16,361 civilian Iraqis died in 2016, with the northern province of Nineveh the worst hit at 7,431 people killed. The Iraqi capital, Baghdad, was next with 3,714 civilian

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at a press conference after returning home through Incheon International Airport on Thursday. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald)The following is former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's full-text speech at the Incheon International Airport Thursday upon returning home from New York -- Ed.Thank you very much. It’s cold, and late, so thank you so much for the warm welcome. My fellow Koreans, I have completed 10 years serving as the secretary-general of

Winners of the 2017 Korea Image Award ceremony, an event annually organized by the Corea Image Communications Institute, pose at the InterContinental Seoul Coex on Wednesday. (Corea Image Communications Institute)Winners of the 2017 Korea Image Award ceremony, an event annually organized by the Corea Image Communications Institute, pose at the InterContinental Seoul Coex on Wednesday. Since 2005, the venue has honored individuals who have promoted Korea worldwide, supported by Korea’s Ministry o

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) _ The Islamic State group is likely to carry out new attacks in the European Union in the near future, probably targeting countries that are members of the U.S.-led coalition fighting the extremist organization in Syria and Iraq, EU police agency Europol said in a report published Friday.``Estimates from some intelligence services indicate several dozen people directed by IS may be currently present in Europe with a capability to commit terrorist attacks,'' according

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) _ At least 200,000 conservative Muslims rallied peacefully in the Indonesian capital on Friday in the second major protest against its minority Christian governor, who is being prosecuted for alleged blasphemy.President Joko ``Jokowi'' Widodo, a political ally of the governor who angered hard-liners by being out of the city during their first protest, unexpectedly went to the national monument to join Friday prayers with the sprawling crowd. He called for protesters to le

State prosecutors on Wednesday raided an office under the control of a former presidential aide over allegations that he condoned an influence-peddling scandal involving President Park Geun-hye and her close confidante.The prosecution sent investigators to the special inspection unit attached to the office of Woo Byung-woo, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs from February 2015 to October this year, to gather evidence of his alleged wrongdoing. The facility is located at the d

Seven civilians were killed and nine others wounded by Pakistani shelling in Kashmir on Tuesday, Indian officials said, as cross-border firing by the two countries' troops escalated in the disputed region. A police officer said five people, including two children, were killed by Pakistani shelling in Ramgarh sector. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy.Civil administrator Pawan Kotwal said two women also died in Rajouri sector in cross-border firing. He s

Iraq's special forces entered the outskirts of Mosul on Tuesday and were advancing toward its more urban center despite fierce resistance by Islamic State group fighters who hold the city, an Iraqi general said.It was the first time Iraqi troops have set foot in the city, Iraq's second largest, in over two years. The advance could be the start of a grueling and slow operation for the troops, who will be forced to engage in difficult, house-to-house fighting in urban areas that is expected to tak

An Israeli human rights group urged the U.N. Security Council to take decisive action now to end the country's occupation of Palestinian territory.Hagai El-Ad, executive director of B'Tselem, told an informal council meeting Friday on "Illegal Israeli Settlements: Obstacles to Peace and the Two-State Solution'' that Israel has controlled Palestinian lives in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem for the past 49 years "and counting.''"Israel will not cease being an oppressor simply by waking up

KIGALI, Rwanda -- Nearly 200 nations have reached a deal to limit the use of greenhouse gases far more powerful than carbon dioxide in a major effort to fight climate change.  The talks on hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, were called the first test of global will since the historic Paris Agreement to cut carbon emissions was reached last year. HFCs are described as the world's fastest-growing climate pollutant and are used in air conditioners and refrigerators.The agreement, announced Saturday morni

Prem Tinsulanonda, the regent who will be caretaker of Thailand's monarchy following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is a sprightly 96-year-old known as the face of the country's traditionalist establishment. The regency is necessary after the government said Bhumibol's son and heir apparent, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, did not want to be immediately named king to give the nation time to mourn his father's death. Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that Thailand's constituti

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, revered in Thailand as a demigod, a humble father figure and an anchor of stability through decades of upheaval at home and abroad, died Thursday. He was 88 and had been the world's longest reigning monarch.The Royal Palace said Bhumibol died "in a peaceful state'' at Siriraj Hospital, where he had been treated for various health problems for most of the past decade.During a reign that spanned 70 years, the U.S.-born Bhumibol became much more than Thailand's constitution

American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan won the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature on Thursday, a stunning announcement that for the first time bestowed the prestigious award on a musician.The Swedish Academy cited Dylan for "having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.''Reporters and others gathered for the announcement at the academy's headquarters in Stockholm's Old Town reacted with a loud cheer as his name was read out.American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan (Associ

Getting rid of everything but the essentials in her home started from a simple source of motivation for Hwang Yun-jeong. The 47-year-old special education teacher, wife, mother of three children and dog owner no longer wanted to spend much time on cleaning, washing dishes and an endless list of household chores after returning home from work. What first caught her eye was a pile of clothes that she had not been wearing for years. Then she moved on to flowerpots and a fishbowl, which she had want

North Korea's surprise nuclear test this week has further strengthened the rationale for stronger international unity and tougher sanctions against the provocative state, analysts here said Friday.President Park Geun-hye cut short her overseas trip to take care of the aftermath of the North's fifth nuclear test, but her summit diplomacy helped create fresh momentum for global efforts to pressure Pyongyang into renouncing its nuclear and missile programs, observers said."Pyongyang's nuclear test,

Top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States agreed on the need for "swift" and "tough" measures against North Korea, promising to closely cooperate in making Pyongyang give up its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.Kim Hong-kyun, special representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the foreign ministry, held talks with his U.S. counterpart Sung Kim via phone and exchanged views on necessary steps in response to the North'

ORLANDO -- A gunman wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun took hostages and opened fire inside a crowded Florida nightclub, killing approximately 20 people dead and wounding 42 others before dying in a gunfight with SWAT officers, police said Sunday.Police Chief John Mina also said the shooter had some sort of “suspicious device.'' He said the suspect exchanged gunfire with an officer working at the club around 2 a.m., then went back inside and took hostages. Around 5 a.m., authorities se

SHANGHAI - A blast caused by "home-made" explosives injured four people and sparked a major security alert at the main international airport in China's commercial hub of Shanghai on Sunday, according to the operator and state media.The blast at Pudong Airport occurred near the check-in counter of Terminal Two in mid-afternoon, according to a statement on the official microblog of the Shanghai Airport Authority.The official Xinhua news agency, citing authorities, said a "home-made explosive" blew

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Friday the government will do more to expand the rights of women and children, adding it also seeks to have more men take paternity leave this year."The government will promote gender equality at all levels of society and make a determined effort to achieve this vision," Hwang said.Among government goals, Hwang said Seoul will push up the percentage of men taking paternity leave this year to 6.7 percent of workers taking childcare-related leave. This will mark a

South Korea, the United States and Japan will look to expand their sharing of military intelligence in response to the growing threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, a top U.S. diplomat said Wednesday. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken made the remarks in an interview with South Korean reporters, saying the three countries are boosting security cooperation to protect their citizens from any North Korean provocation."Information-sharing among us is one important ele