영국 언론사들은 23일 케이트 미들턴 비와 윌리엄 왕세손 사이에서 태어난 아들 소식으로 하루종일 바빴다. 영국의 타블로이드 신문사인 “The SUN”은 “u”를 “o”로 바꿔 왕세자의 탄생을 알렸고, 다른 신문사들도 “아들입니다!”라는 문구로 1면을 장식하기도 했다.또한 왕세자의 탄생을 축하하기 위해 런던 시내의 분수들이 파란 물을 뿜었고 나이아가라 폭포를 포함한 캐나다와 뉴질랜드의 자연광경도 파란색으로 물들었다.한편 버킹엄 궁전 앞에서는 영국 왕위 계승 서열 3위인 왕자의 탄생을 알리는 공식 문서발표를 기다리는 인파로 북적였다. 최근 왕족의 수명을 따져봤을 때 이번에 탄생한 왕세자는 왕위를 집권 하기까지 60년이 거릴 것으로 예상되지만 그때쯤 영국의 군주제도가 남아있을지는 의문이다.현재의 군주제도는 사람들의 관심과 사실상 다른 정치형태의 대안이 없기 때문에 큰 문제 없어 지속되어 왔다.영국 왕족의 헌법에 의하면 국가원수 보다 높은 직책을 부여 받을 수 있는 사람은 없으며 현재 원수

지난 7월 6일 아시아나 214편 착륙사고 당시 중국 여고생을 치여 숨지게 한 소방 구조차량에는 열감지 적외선 장비가 설치돼 있지 않은 것으로 확인됐다고 한 미국 언론 매체가 전했다.샌프란시스코 크로니클에 따르면 사고 여객기 화재진압 과정에서 중국인 여학생 예멍위안(葉夢圓•16)을 치여 숨지게 한 소방 구조차량은 갖춰야 할 적외선 감지기가 없다. 연방 법률에 따르면 모든 구조차량은 적외선 감지기를 갖춰야한다. FAA 항공안전 전문가 출신으로 현재 컨설팅업무를 하는 벤 카스텔라노는 이 시스템은 바닥에 있는 특정 사물에서 열기를 측정하거나 불에 탄 잔해 속에서 남아있는 남은 불 등을 파악해 인명 교통사고를 막기 위해 고안된 방안이라고 한 언론과의 인터뷰서 말했다. 그는 “사고 때 사람들이 생존해 있을 경우 소방 진압액이 열기를 빼앗아가더라도 여전히 열기를 발산한다”며 “이를 이용해 생존자를 파악할 수 있다”라고 강조했다.조앤 해이스-화이트 샌프란시스코 소방국장은 공항 내 일부 구조차량이

최근 소셜 네트워크나 방송에서 말실수로 구설수에 오른 유명인사들이 있다. 최근 남성 아이돌 그룹 빅스의 켄 (본명 이재환)은 팬들이 갈아타면 어떻게 할 것이냐는 질문에 “갈아타면 귓방맹이를!”라고 대답해 화제가 된 바 있다.방송인이자 전 개그우먼인 안선영 또한 말실수 연예인 리스트 이름에 올렸다. 그녀는 한 방송에서 “나는 좀 속물이라 나보다 100만 원이라도 더 벌지 않으면 남자로 안 보인다”고 말해 논란을 일으켰다. 유명 영화배우 정준호는 최근 이슈가 되고 있는 ‘연예 병사’ 관련 발언 덕분에 말실수 연예인 대열에 합류했다. 그는 <박종진의 쾌도난마>에 출연해 “남자로 태어나 혈기왕성한 나이에 그럴 수도 있다. 나도 그런 경험이 있다”라고 말해 파문이었다. 유명연예인들이 팬들과의 대화와 소통의 장으로 활용되는 SNS에서의 발언으로 곤욕을 겪은 연예인들도 많다.뮤지컬 배우 백민정은 자신의 SNS에 올린 글이 누리꾼들의 이목을 끌었다. “사인회 싫어. 공연 끝나고 피곤한데... 방실

Ken, a member of boy band VIXX, is facing a firestorm of criticism after reports surfaced on Monday that he said he would “slap fans” if they ever left him. The controversial remark by the 21-year-old singer is just one in a string of high-profile blunders by local celebrities, thanks partly to the social networks’ superfast circulation. Famous TV actress and former comedian An Sun-young also joined the list by saying on TV that she thinks real men should make 1 million won more than she does. A

South Korea remains resolute on demanding solid safeguards to prevent a recurrence of the work stoppage at an inter-Korean factory park in the communist country, a government official said Tuesday.The Gaeseong Industrial Complex has remained shut down since early April as the North unilaterally withdrew its workers from South Korean companies there amid high inter-Korean tensions. The two sides have held five rounds of talks to reopen the industrial zone but to no avail.The official from the Min

The White House announced Monday that President Barack Obama will join a special ceremony to mark Korean War Armistice Day this weekend."On Saturday, July 27, President Obama will deliver remarks at the Korean War Veterans Memorial to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended the Korean War," the White House said in a press release.Obama would become the first U.S. president to take part in such a formal ceremony to commemorate Armistice Day.The three-year confl

Home appliance giant LG Electronics Inc. said Tuesday that it has released organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs with curved displays in the U.S.In April this year, the South Korean tech giant rolled out the revolutionary model with a 55-inch curved screen for the first time in the world on its home turf.Usually, images on a flat screen are stretched to match the screen size, making it possible for them to be distorted. However, a curved display, according to LG, helps eliminate such a problem

Former National League MVP Ryan Braun was suspended without pay for the rest of the season and the postseason Monday, the first penalty from baseball's investigation of players reportedly linked to a Florida clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs.The Milwaukee Brewers star accepted the 65-game penalty, 15 games more than the one he avoided last year when an arbitrator overturned his positive test for elevated testosterone because the urine sample had been improperly handled.`

Clashes between supporters and opponents of Mohamed Morsi killed four people on Monday as the ousted Egyptian president's family vowed to sue the army over his ouster.At least 28 people were also injured in the violence between the rival groups of demonstrators in Cairo and the nearby town of Qalyub, emergency services said.The latest bloodshed came as Morsi's family said they planned to sue the military for having "kidnapped" the elected president, who has been in custody since the July 3 coup.

South Korea's plastic card spending maintained a stagnant growth in June as card holders continued to hold back their purchasing amid the economic slowdown, a trade association said Tuesday.Purchases made with plastic cards totaled 44.5 trillion won (US$39.7 billion) last month, up 4.1 percent from 42.7 trillion won tallied a year earlier, according to the data by the Credit Finance Association (CREFIA).The country's card spending growth sank to an all-time low in February, growing 3.4 percent o

Frenzied crowds of Roman Catholics mobbed the car carrying Pope Francis on Monday when he returned to his home continent for the first time as pontiff, embarking on a seven-day visit meant to fan the fervor of the faithful around the globe.During his first minutes in Brazil, ecstatic believers swarmed around the closed Fiat several times when it was forced to stop by heavy traffic on the drive from the airport to an official ceremony in Rio's center. A few security guards struggled mightily to p

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault plans to visit South Korea later this week for meetings with President Park Geun-hye and other top officials, the nation's embassy here said Monday.During his trip to Seoul on Thursday, Ayrault "will be received by Ms. Park Geun-hye, President of the Republic of Korea, and will meet with Mr. Chung Hong-won, Prime Minister," it said in a press release.The French prime minister will also deliver a speech at a business conference with the South Korean and Fre

The government said Monday it will finalize its stance on when and how to lower the acquisition tax rates for home purchases by the end of August as part of efforts to stimulate the prolonged slump in the local property market."Consultation is under way among ministries and agencies on the premise that the government will lower the acquisition tax rates in order to normalize the housing market," the finance ministry said in a press release jointly unveiled by the land and transportation ministry

A team of Israeli archaeologists believes it has discovered the ruins of a palace belonging to the biblical King David, but other Israeli experts dispute the claim.Archaeologists from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Israel's Antiquities Authority said their find, a large fortified complex west of Jerusalem at a site called Khirbet Qeiyafa , is the first palace of the biblical king ever to be discovered.``Khirbet Qeiyafa is the best example exposed to date of a fortified city from the time of

Direct financing by South Korean companies shrank 9.3 percent in the first half as firms remained reluctant to raise money in bond markets on yield hikes following the U.S. signaling it would cut its stimulus, the financial regulator said Monday.Local companies raised a total of 59.9 trillion won (US$53.4 billion) in the January-June period by selling stocks and bonds, compared with the 66.1 trillion won a year earlier, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).In June, however, corpo

I won't let you down like Lance Armstrong. This Tour de France champion is for real.That, in so many words, is the promise Chris Froome made as the newest winner of cycling's showcase race so badly hurt over the years by riders who doped to win it.Because of their deceit, Froome faced a barrage of questions as he dominated rivals over three weeks of racing, all centered on the same key concern: Can we believe in you?Yes, he insisted. The sport is changing, he argued. He handled the scrutiny poli

It remains unclear whether Yoon Chang-jung, a former South Korean presidential spokesman, will stand trial in the U.S. on charges of molesting an embassy intern, his attorney said Sunday.Kim Suk-han, a lawyer and partner with law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in Washington, D.C., dismissed a news report that U.S. law-enforcement authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Yoon. President Park Geun-hye fired Yoon, 56, while visiting the U.S. in early May as he was accused of sexually abus

One of the greatest final rounds in a major. Two of the best shots he ever struck with a 3-wood. The third leg of the Grand Slam.Phil Mickelson never imagined any of this happening at the British Open.No wonder he never took his hand off the base of that silver claret jug as he talked about the best Sunday he ever had at a major. Five shots out of the lead, Mickelson blew past Tiger Woods, caught up to Lee Westwood and Masters champion Adam Scott, and won golf's oldest championship with the lowe

기획재정부는 한국시간으로 지난 20일 밤 한미 재무장관 면담결과 요약자료를 언론에 배포했다.현오석 부총리 겸 기재부 장관이 G20 재무장관-중앙은행총재 회의에 참석차 모스크바에 머물던 시점이다.이 보도자료는 “양국은 세원확보를 위한 조세회피 방지의 중요성을 인정했다”고 밝히고 있다. “미국의 해외금융계좌납세순응법(FATCA)을 집행하기 위한 양국 정부간 협정에 진전이 있었다”는 내용도 포함됐다.FATCA가 한미 양국 간에도 발효되면 국내 금융회사들은 미화 5만불 이상의 현금을 예치한 미국인들(재미교포 포함)의 계좌를 미 세무당국에 통보해야 한다. 불이행 시에는 금융회사가 벌금을 물게 된다.기재부는 그러나 이후 다시 배포한 자료에서 해당 부분을 삭제했다. 삭제 이유에 대한 설명은 전혀 없었다.수정했다는 공지 또한 없었기 때문에 같은 자료를 단순히 두 번 송부한 것으로 여겨질 수도 있는 상황이다.상당수 매체가 이 내용을 온라인 기사에서 다뤘고 기재부는 그제야 “한미금융거래정보 제공협정

The central government has retracted its plan to render financial support for the Gwangju world swimming championships after the local government was found to have forged a bid document to host the event, officials said Sunday, a move that could cause much trouble in running the event."We define the Gwangju city government's forgery of a document guaranteeing the central government's financial support as a case in which a municipal government deceived a state organization, disrupting the discipl