The House of Representatives passed a huge stopgap spending bill Thursday to keep the government functioning through the end of September, sidestepping any threat of a government shutdown.The bipartisan vote in the Republican-controlled House follows approval earlier this week in the Democrat-controlled Senate and sends the measure President Barack Obama to be signed into law.The measure would fund the day-to-day operating budgets of every Cabinet agency through Sept. 30, provide another $87 bil

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers keenly interested in Korean affairs launched a "Korea Caucus" Thursday for the 113th session of Congress.It is co-chaired by Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA).Attending a ceremony at Capitol Hill, they noted the development of the South Korea-U.S. alliance since the 1950-53 Korean War."Many times it’s called the forgotten war, but it’s not forgotten for those of us who appreciate freedom," Roska

A suicide bomb ripped through a mosque in the heart of the Syrian capital Thursday, killing a top Sunni Muslim preacher and outspoken supporter of President Bashar Assad in one of the most stunning assassinations of Syria’s 2-year-old civil war. At least 41 others were killed and more than 84 wounded.The slaying of Sheikh Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Buti removes one of the few remaining pillars of support for Assad among the majority Sunni sect that has risen up against him. It also marks a new low

A judge on Thursday filed preliminary charges against former President Nicolas Sarkozy in a campaign finance case, formally placing him under investigation over allegations that he illegally took donations from France’s richest woman on way to his 2007 election victory. The preliminary charges were issued against Sarkozy after he went through hours of questioning in a Bordeaux courthouse, according to the prosecutor’s office. The ex-president is accused of “abuse of someone in an impaired state”

Mario Balotelli scored a stunning goal as Italy came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Brazil in an entertaining friendly in Geneva on Thursday.It looked as if Italy would pay for its missed opportunities when Brazil took a 2-0 halftime lead thanks to goals from Fred and Oscar.However, Daniele De Rossi pulled one back nine minutes after the interval and the in-form Balotelli leveled with a screamer from about 25 yards (meters) three minutes later, taking his tally to eight goals in eight

A United Nations body voted Thursday to embark on a formal investigation into human rights violations in North Korea, a move viewed as largely symbolic but significant in sending a message to Pyongyang.In a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, the U.N. Human Rights Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a three-member Commission of Inquiry on North Korean Human Rights for a one-year mission. The time of its operation can be extended.It is required to report the resul

Vice Justice Minister Kim Hak-ui resigned Thursday amid alleged involvement in a sex-for-favors scandal, dealing a fresh blow to President Park Geun-hye. Police have reportedly obtained statements from a woman hired by a contractor to perform sexual services for the official in 2009 at a country house in Wonju, Gangwon Province. After his name was disclosed by news media earlier in the day, he denied having received sexual services in exchange for exerting his influence.“Though all these allegat

미국 대통령 버락 오바마가 이스라엘을 방문하고 있는 가운데 21일 (현지시간) 팔레스타인 무장조직 하마스가 이스라엘 남부에 로켓공격을 감행했다.현지 경찰이 발표한 바에 따르면 하마스가 통치하고 있는 가자지구에서 남부 이스라엘 스데롯 마을에 로켓 두 발을 발사했다고 한다. 이 중 한발은 오전 7시경 한 가정에, 또 한발은 들판에 떨어졌으며 사상자는 없었다.이 지역은 오바마가 대선 후보이던 지난 2008년 방문한 곳이다.집권 후 처음으로 이스라엘을 방문 중인 오바마 대통령은 이번 방문을 통해 집권 1기 내내 껄끄러웠던 베냐민 네타냐후 총리와의 유대를 강화하는데 노력했다.그는 이스라엘의 미사일 방어 시스템인 ‘아이언 돔’을 시찰한 데 이어 시오니즘 이론가인 시어 도르 헤르츨의 묘와 ‘사해의 서’ 박물관 등도 방문했다.그는 이어 팔레스타인 서안지구를 방문할 예정이다. 그는 이스라엘과 팔레스타인 사이의 평화협정 재개를 위해 양측을 설득할 것으로 알려졌다. (코리아헤럴드) <관련 영문 기사>R

한국농구의 전설 서장훈 (39)이 마지막 프로농구 경기를 치렀다.부산 KT 소속인 서장훈은 19일, 전주 KCC를 상대로 한 정규시즌 마지막 경기에서 시즌최다인 33점을 맹폭하며 팀의 84대79 승리를 이끌었다. KT가 플레이오프에 진출하지 못함에 따라 서장훈으로서는 이날 생애 마지막 프로농구 경기를 치른 것이다.서장훈은 이날 사직구장을 찾은 홈팬들 앞에서 감사의 뜻을 표했다.그는 “너무나도 부족한 저에게 20년 넘게 과분한 성원을 보내주셔서 감사하다. 제가 갖고 있는 한계 내에서 최선을 다하려고 노력했지만 충족시키지 못해 죄송하다"고 지나온 농구시절을 회상했다. 서장훈은 이어 “부모님의 희생과 사랑이 없었다면 지금 이 자리에 없었을 것”이라면서 가족과 구단 관계자들, 동료들에게 감사의 뜻을 표했다. “골리앗,” “국보센터” 등으로 불렸던 서장훈은 별명에 걸맞게 대학시절부터 압도적인 기량을 자랑했다.그가 소속된 연세대는 1994년, 대학팀으로는 사상 최초로 농구대잔치 우승을 거머쥐었

An unidentified man pulled down his pants and flashed female contestants at the 2013 Biathlon World Cup in Russia, according to Russian news reports.The video of the perverted prank, which took place during a women’s competition, recently surfaced via Russian news website, Life.ru. In the video, a man waits on a slope nearby trees and takes off his trousers and jumps down as skiers pass him. According to a British newspaper, the prankster is involved with one of the competing countries in the co

Part of the malicious code that paralyzed network systems at South Korean banks and TV broadcasters came from a Chinese Internet Protocol (IP) address, Seoul's communications watchdog said Thursday.Local TV broadcasters KBS, MBC and YTN along with Shinhan, NongHyup and Jeju banks suffered a massive network failure on Wednesday that halted financial services and crippled operations.Following an analysis of source codes, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced that the incident was cau

North Korea issued air raid alerts and ordered its military to take immediate action, the country's state media outlet said Thursday.Korean Central Television, a TV and radio broadcaster, said the alert was issued at 9:32 a.m. with military units and civilians told to take cover. It added that authorities called on the armed forces to take countermeasures to reduce damage.The broadcaster did not say if an attack is under way or expected, indicating it may be a drill. The North has carried out si

President Park Geun-hye on Thursday nominated Constitutional Court justice Park Hanchul as its chief, and business administration professor Han Jung-wha to head the Small and Medium usiness Administration.Park, who has been serving as a member of the top court’s nine-member bench since 2011, was chosen for his “expertise and capability,”Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Yoon Chang-jung said. Yoon also explained that Park was the first in line to succeed the top seat in terms of his tenure, the longest amo

North Korea's nuclear and missile programs have moved forward faster than expected, especially since the transition of leadership a year ago, a top U.S. military commander told lawmakers Wednesday."I think that North Korea proceeded at a pace faster than we had anticipated," Army Gen. Charles Jacoby, head of the U.S. Northern Command, said at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee.His command is tasked with managing the operation of the U.S. homeland missile defense system.Among many fa

South Korea doesn't need to feel pressed for time in deciding whether to join the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, a top U.S. trade official said Wednesday."There's no formal deadline," Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis said at a press conference for foreign journalists in Washington. "The idea is that if economies aren't ready right now, that they'll be able to join once it's done and essentially accede to the TPP."Marantis said an envisioned TPP deal woul

The Senate approved a huge spending bill to keep the government open through the end of September, preventing a shutdown next week but locking in $85 billion in budget cuts that will mean job furloughs for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.The bipartisan 73-26 vote in the Democratic-controlled Senate sends the measure to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, which is expected to approve it on Thursday and ship it to President Barack Obama for his signature. The vote represen

Venezuela's government has halted lines of communication established by a top U.S. diplomat to protest what it says has been U.S. interference in the country's internal affairs ahead of an election set next month to replace the late President Hugo Chavez. Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said in a news conference Wednesday that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson had violated Venezuela's sovereignty despite reaching out to the South American country's gov

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday stood by its efforts to keep borrowing costs at record lows, saying it isn't yet convinced that the U.S. economy's growth can accelerate without significant help from the central bank.It wants to see sustained improvement.Fed officials reinforced their plan to keep short-term interest rates at rock-bottom levels at least until unemployment falls to 6.5 percent.An unemployment rate of 6.5 percent is a threshold, not a “trigger,” for a possible rate increase, Chair

Banks in Cyprus will not open before Tuesday at the earliest as government officials try to find a new plan to stave off financial ruin, the central bank's spokeswoman said Wednesday.Aliki Stylianou said the banks would remain shut for another two days, Thursday and Friday. Monday is a national bank holiday in Cyprus.The cash-strapped lenders have been closed since Saturday, when Cyprus said it would raid bank deposits to help fund its international bailout package, to avoid a bank run.The Parli

A lawyer for IMF chief Christine Lagarde says French investigators have searched her Paris home as part of an inquiry into her role in a $400 million arbitration deal in favor of a tycoon.The lawyer, Yves Repiquet (eev ruh-PEE-kay), says Lagarde has nothing to hide and welcomed Wednesday's search as another step in proving her innocence.Lagarde was France's finance minister when magnate Bernard Tapie won a 2008 settlement with a state-owned bank over the mishandled sale of Adidas in the 1990s. C