박찬욱, 봉준호, 고레에다 히로카즈 등 유독 거장들과의 인연이 깊었던 배우 배두나 (33)가 이번엔 할리우드 영화의 주인공으로 돌아왔다. 복귀작은 ’매트릭스‘로 잘 알려진 워쇼스키 남매와 ’향수‘의 톰 티크베어 감독의 SF 블록버스터 ’클라우드 아틀라스.‘ 영화는 과거와 미래를 아우르는 시공간을 무대로 여섯개의 이야기를 500년에 걸쳐 엮은 대작이다. 수잔 서랜든, 톰 행크스를 비롯, 휴 그랜트, 할리 베리, 짐 스터게스 등 굵직한 할리우드 배우들이 대거 출연했다. 영화의 국내 개봉을 앞두고 삼청동에서 만난 배두나는 뿌듯한 표정이었다. “이제껏 내가 해냈다기 보다는 행운아다라고 생각한 적이 많았어요. 그런데 이번에는 내가 해냈다는 뿌듯함이 좀 있어요. 정말 혼자 부딪쳤거든요. ” 영화에서 배두나는 2144년의 국제미래도시 네오 서울에서 노예로 살아가는 복제인간 ’손미‘ 역할을 맡았다. 2011년 5월 처음 대본을 받아 든 순간부터 “홀로 뛴” 시간들의 연속이었다.집에서 데모 테이프를

A Chicago church distributed $12,000 to congregation members with instructions to use the funds to help their community.The Rev. Jackson Crum ended his sermon about the city's struggles with crime and other problems Sunday at the Park Community Church by passing out envelopes containing amounts of cash between $2 and $102, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.Crum instructed church members to put the cash toward improving their community."Isn't that why we're here as a church?" Crum said. "Aren't

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to enter the emotionally-charged debate over stem cell research, refusing to hear an appeal centered on the issue of federal government funding.The top U.S. court did not give a reason for its decision, which ends the long judicial saga over President Barack Obama's 2009 executive order lifting restrictions on financing imposed by his predecessor George W. Bush.The appeal had come from two researchers working with adult cells rather than embryonic stem cell

Venezuela's leftist leadership on Monday called for a massive show of support for ailing President Hugo Chavez in Caracas on January 10, the day he is supposed to be sworn in to a new six year term.The request came as the government faced a rising storm of criticism over plans to indefinitely delay Chavez's inauguration if the cancer-stricken leader, still in hospital in Havana, is too sick to be inaugurated."All of Venezuela will come here in front of the Miraflores presidential palace, the peo

Despite Republican misgivings, President Barack Obama announced Monday he will nominate former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel as his next defense secretary. He also chose White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. Controversy surrounds both choices, but the president called on the Senate to quickly confirm both at what are expected to be tough confirmation hearings.Hagel has faced tough criticism from fellow Republicans who say he is anti-Israel and s

China's economic growth will likely exceed 8 percent this year on the back of stimulus measures, recovering slightly from last year's slower growth, a Chinese financial daily said Monday.The Beijing-based Securities Daily, a media outlet designated by China Securities Regulatory Commission, said China's economy will grow 8.2 percent this year, higher than an estimated 7.7 percent growth in 2012. "With the effect of policy measures gradually emerging, the Chinese economy in 2013 is expected to ac

With its glossy pages of pouting models and racy romance tips, Myanmar's first sex education magazine has got the usually demure nation hot under the collar as it cashes in on new-found cultural freedom. "Hyno" has sparked fevered debate since hitting Myanmar's bookstores in November, where it has become a must-read among the young and curious, just a few months after the end of direct censorship in the former junta-ruled nation.Perhaps tame by western standards, Hyno's photo spreads of semi-cla

The new season of "The Biggest Loser" reality weight loss show will feature two 13-year-olds, sparking controversy, a fat-acceptance group said. Season 14 will include the two young teens and a 16-year-old, causing The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance to denounce the move, accusing the show of attempting to "profit off the bullying and stigmatization of fat kids" the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday. "I am concerned that 'The Biggest Loser' promotes short-term weight loss and do

South Korea could see the younger population aged between 9-24 decrease by more than 50 percent from now in 2060 if the country's low birth rates continue, a government report showed Monday.The nation's youth population reached its peak at 14 million in 1980, but it has since steadily declined to 10.2 million last year, accounting for 20.4 percent of the total population, census data by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family showed.The number of young people aged 9-24 is expected to dwindle

The father of the New Delhi gang-rape victim has revealed his daughter's identity to a British newspaper and called for her name to be made public "to give courage to other women" in an interview published Sunday."My daughter didn't do anything wrong, she died while protecting herself," he told the Sunday People. "We want the world to know her real name."I am proud of her," he added. "Revealing her name will give courage to other women who have survived these attacks. They will find strength fro

South Korean stocks started lower Monday, led by losses in tech and construction shares, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 7.31 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,004.63 in the first 15 minutes of trading.Tech blue chips led the market decline, with top-cap Samsung Electronics falling 1.11 percent and LG Display, the biggest panel supplier for Apple's iPad tablet computer, dipping 2.27 percent.Top chipmaker SK hynix shed 1.14 percent.Construction firms also tr

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt left Beijing for North Korea on Monday, defying the U.S. government's advice not to visit there.Diplomatic sources said the delegation departed for Pyongyang on a scheduled Air China flight and the CA121 flight should land at Sunan International Airport later in the afternoon.In a meeting with reporters at the airport, Richardson made clear that the visit has nothing to do with the U.S. government and that he is not represen

The World Bank and Korea Communications Commission (KCC) will sign a deal next week on a joint project to establish a "Global Cybersecurity Center" in South Korea, officials said Sunday.The World Bank, headed by Korean-born physician Jim Yong Kim, proposed it set up the center in South Korea in late 2013, they said.The facility will be tasked with promoting cybersecurity and other information protection in developing nations."The World Bank and KCC plan to sign a memorandum of understanding on e

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas gave orders Sunday for work to begin on new passports, ID cards, drivers' licenses and stamps reading "State of Palestine," official media said.The decree, carried by the official WAFA news agency, came in the wake of the Palestinians' successful bid late last year for non-member observer state status at the United Nations over intense Israeli and US opposition.Abbas said the changed language on official documents would help strengthen the Palestinian state "on

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas came off the bench after just five minutes for 10-man Real Madrid who needed a second half double from Cristiano Ronaldo to beat Real Sociedad 4-3 on Sunday.The Madrid captain was left out for the second consecutive game but was called upon in the opening minutes following a penalty conceded by his replacement Adan Garrido who was red carded. Xabi Prieto, who was to grab a hat-trick, scored from the spot-kick to equalize after Karim Benzema had put Madrid ahead after jus

President Barack Obama will nominate Chuck Hagel as his next defense secretary, a senior administration official said Sunday, choosing a former Senate colleague and a decorated Vietnam veteran and signaling he's ready for a contentious confirmation fight likely dominated by questions about Hagel's stands on Israel and Iran.Obama, who avoided a Capitol Hill battle by deciding not to nominate U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice as his first choice for secretary of state, went ahead with Hagel, 66, even as

President Bashar al-Assad offered a road map to end Syria's civil war in a rare speech Sunday in which he branded the opposition "slaves" of the West and told foreign powers to stop backing the rebels.The main armed opposition group the National Coalition, swiftly rejected the plan and Washington said Assad's speech, his first in public in seven months, showed he was "detached from reality".The European Union again called on him to step aside.And Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi told CNN he back

걸그룹 씨스타의 유닛그룹인 씨스타19의 이번 달 컴백 소식에 다른 아이돌 유닛그룹의 소식도 활발히 들리고 있다. 포미닛과 인피니트는 이미 유닛그룹계획을 발표한 바 있다. 지난해 상반기 출격한 소녀시대의 유닛그룹 태티서가 큰 성공을 거둔 후 올해 초부터 다른 아이돌 그룹의 유닛활동이 이어질 것으로 보인다. 씨스타19는 2011년 디지털 싱글 “Ma Boy” 를 발표한 4인조 걸그룹 씨스타의 유닛그룹이다. 씨스타가 본격적인 활동을 이어나가면서 한동안 씨스타19는 개별활동을 하지 않았다.  5인조 걸그룹 포미닛의 허가윤과 전지윤은 “더블 윤”이라는 가칭으로 유닛그룹을 결성한다. 포미닛의 후속 앨범활동이 끝난 후 활동을 시작할 “더블 윤”은 발라드 곡을 발표할 것이라고 큐브 엔터테인먼트 관계자가 언급했다. 2009년 타이틀곡 “핫이슈”로 성공리에 데뷔한 포미닛은 케이팝 최정상 걸그룹중 하나로 손꼽힌다. 하지만 포미닛의 멤버 현아의 독보적인 활동으로 다른 멤버들은 매력을 발산하지 못했다고 볼

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said Friday he remained cautious about the prospects of improving the strained ties with Japan, describing relations with Tokyo as a "big challenge" for Seoul this year. Kim made the remarks at a meeting with former diplomats hosted by the Korean Council on Foreign Relations, hours before he meets with a special envoy sent by Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to President-elect Park Geun-hye. "I would like to emphasize that we should develop a futu

이명박 대통령이 이동흡 전 헌법재판관을 헌법재판소장 후보자로 지명한 조치가 민주통합당의 거센 반발에 부딪혔다. 윤관석 민주통합당 원내대변인은 이날 오전 국회 브리핑을 통해 “강경보수성향의 이동흡 헌법재판소장의 후보자 지명은 부적절하다”고 언급했다.윤 대변인은 이동흡 내정자의 ‘친일 인사’ 적인 태도를 비판했다. 이 내정자는 2011년 3월 일제강점기의 친일재산 환수 결정에 대해 일부 위헌이라는 의견을 낸 적 있다. 일본군 위안부 피해자 여섯 명에 대한 피해보상과 배상 청구에 이 내정자는 소극적인 입장을 보이기도 했다. 또, 집회를 위한 서울광장 개방에 반대 입장을 보인 바 있다. 이번 내정은 이명박 대통령과 박근혜 대통령 당선인의 만남 후 이루어졌기에 박 당선인에 대한 민주통합당의 비판도 가해졌다. 박기춘 민주통합당 원내대표는 이날 오전 라디오 프로그램에 출연해 “이 대통령이 지명했지만 현실적으로 박근혜 대통령 당선인이 결정에 참여했다. 이번 결정은 박 당선인이 ‘화합’과 반대되는