PARIS (AFP) -- The Brussels bombings exposed the vulnerability of publically accessible zones in crowded airports, railway stations and subway systems to terror attacks, and it is a risk that can never be completely eliminated, security analysts say.Islamic State-linked jihadists targeted that weak spot when they detonated bombs that tore through the main hall of Brussels airport and blew up a city-centre metro train, killing about 30 people and wounding more than 200.The bombers carried out the

The military is developing a new bulletproof vest that could resist armor-piercing ammunition, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.The Defense Agency for Technology and Quality, the state-run quality control agency for defense goods, is currently gauging the level of technology needed for the body armor development, the ministry said in a release to the media.It was in response to a report by the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea that accused several defense officials of taking

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) -- Syrian government forces seized highland around Palmyra Wednesday, positioning themselves to recapture the ancient town held by Islamic State group. The army advanced from the west and south of Palmyra and was also closing in on the IS-held town of Qaryatain in central Syria, Homs governor Talal Barazi said. ``There is continuous progress by the army from all directions,'' he said, adding that he expected ``positive results'' over the next few days. Syrian opposition acti

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AFP) -- A forum of mainly Asian countries agreed Wednesday on new contingency measures to better respond to refugee crises, and vowed to review the region's much-criticised handling of a major migrant influx last year.The announcement at a conference on Indonesia's Bali island on people smuggling and illegal migration was welcomed by the UN refugee agency, which declared it the first agreement of its kind in the 14-year history of the regional forum.Australian Foreign Minist

TAIPEI (AFP) -- Taiwan on Wednesday gave its first ever international press tour of a disputed island in the South China Sea to boost its claim, less than two months after a visit by its leader sparked protests from rival claimants.Taiping is the largest island in the Spratlys chain and is administered by Taiwan, which sees it as part of its territory.But the Spratlys are also claimed in part or whole by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei and have been at the centre of escalati

THE HAGUE (AFP) -- The Netherlands evacuated and closed its Turkish consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday because of a possible terror threat, the Dutch foreign ministry said.The move comes after the latest attack on Saturday that killed three Israelis and an Iranian in a busy Istanbul shopping hub, blamed by the Turkish authorities on a jihadist with links to the Islamic State group.Foreign Minister Bert Koenders "decided to temporarily close the Dutch consulate in Istanbul after a possible terror

HONG KONG (AP) -- It's the Hong Kong movie that Beijing doesn't want you to see. Made on a shoestring budget, ``Ten Years'' became a surprise hit with local audiences for its dystopian view of the former British colony's future under Beijing's rule. The filmmakers imagine a Hong Kong in which protesters set themselves on fire, political assassinations are used to scare the population into supporting repressive laws and children are enlisted as neighborhood political watchdogs reminiscent of Mao'

SANYA, China (AP) -- Leaders from China and five neighboring Southeast Asian countries met in a southern Chinese resort city on Wednesday amid wariness but also hope for greater regional cooperation.The inaugural Lancang-Mekong Cooperation meeting, named for the mighty waterway that begins in Tibet and discharges into the South China Sea in southern Vietnam, was framed by the Chinese and Thai co-hosts as a chance to deepen ties and cut trade deals in a fast-growing region.The five Southeast Asia

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Former Florida governor Jeb Bush endorsed Ted Cruz Wednesday for the Republican presidential nomination."Ted is a consistent, principled conservative who has demonstrated the ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests, including yesterday's Utah caucus," Bush said, referring to one of three votes held Tuesday."Republicans can win back the White House and put our nation on a path to security and prosperity if we support a nominee who can unite our party and articulat

BEIJING (Yonhap) -- Trade between North Korea and its economic lifeline, China, grew 4.6 percent on-year in February, Chinese customs data showed Wednesday, despite tensions over the launch of a long-range rocket following the North's fourth nuclear test. Bilateral trade volume stood at $323 million last month, according to the data. China's imports of North Korean goods gained 2.48 percent on year to $162 million and its exports to the North rose 6.91 percent to $161 million. Compared with Janu

BEIJING (Yonhap) -- China's foreign ministry said Wednesday that a North Korean diplomat killed two Chinese citizens last month in a car accident and paid compensation to the families of the victims. The accident happened in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Feb. 10 when a car being driven by the unnamed North Korean consular official "collided with a taxi, killing the taxi driver and a passenger," China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. Hua said the North Korean di

Donald Trump predicted “riots” if Republican power-brokers deny him the presidential nomination in Cleveland even if he's leading in the delegate count.The billionaire New York developer, who prevailed in three states that voted Tuesday, held a narrow lead in Missouri and lost Ohio, is faced with the prospect of a floor fight at the Republican convention if he's leading in delegates but falls short of a majority, 1,237.“I think we’ll win before getting to the convention, but I can tell you, if w

GENEVA (AFP) -- A Syrian opposition group that is close to Russia and tolerated by Damascus will meet UN envoy Staffan de Mistura at peace talks in Geneva, a delegation member told AFP Wednesday."We received an invitation to take part in the Geneva talks," said Fateh Jamous, a member of the so-called Moscow Group, which includes ex-Syrian deputy prime minister Qadri Jamil who is considered a moderate opposition leader by the regime.Jamil, who was sacked by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 201

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- European leaders scrambled Wednesday to salvage an under-fire draft deal with Turkey to ease the migrant crisis with a round of shuttle diplomacy on the eve of a crunch summit.The 28-member bloc, divided and desperate to end the biggest refugee influx in Europe since World War II, is pinning its hopes on an agreement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Under the plan hailed as a "game-changer", Turkey would seek to stop the dangerous sea journeys of refugees and take ba

GENEVA (AP) -- While acknowledging for the first time that votes were bought in past World Cup hosting contests, FIFA is seeking to claim ``tens of millions of dollars'' in bribe money seized by U.S. federal prosecutors.FIFA submitted a 22-page claim to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York on Tuesday that seeks a big share in restitution from more than $190 million already forfeited by soccer and marketing officials who pleaded guilty in the sprawling corruption case.Tens of millions of dollar

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) -- Denmark, perhaps better known for its fictional, suicide-agonizing prince Hamlet and fierce marauding Vikings than being a nation of the happiest people, has just won that very accolade. Again.Even U.S. Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have singled out the small Scandinavian country as an example of a happy, well-oiled society. On Wednesday, the United Nations made it official: It found Danes to be the happiest people on Earth in a

South Korea's preparations for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang are moving in the right direction, but a "lot of work" remains to be done, an official inspector said Wednesday.The International Olympic Committee in 2011 picked South Korea's northeastern ski resort of Pyeongchang to host the winter games, favouring it over Munich and the French Alpine town of Annecy. But initial preparations were hit by financial problems and construction delays, which at one point saw the IOC float the possi

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- Police found an Islamic State flag next to the body of an Algerian killed during a major anti-terror raid in Brussels, prosecutors said Wednesday, as investigators raced to track down two suspected extremists who escaped.The man had been identified as Mohamed Belkaid, 35, an Algerian national who was illegally in Belgium, the federal prosecutor said a day after the chaotic shootout. Two suspects were still at large after the gunbattle, which erupted as Belgian and French police

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Wednesday he will reveal his Supreme Court nominee to fill the vacancy of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and his pick is expected to come from a small circle of federal appeals court judges.``I've made my decision,'' Obama said in an email to supporters early Wednesday.Obama planned to introduce his pick at 11 a.m. in the White House Rose Garden, setting up a showdown with Senate Republicans who have told the White House not to bother filling the

CAIRO (AFP) -- Russia's withdrawal of forces from Syria is a "positive step" that will help the ongoing Geneva peace talks, Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi said on Wednesday.Russian warplanes began leaving Syria on Tuesday after Moscow's surprise decision to withdraw most of its forces from the war-torn country."The Russian announcement represents an important positive step in the efforts of the international group for Syria in making the Geneva talks a success," Arabi said in a statement.Offer