The Federal Reserve cautioned America's political leaders Wednesday that their policies are hurting the economy.The Fed stood by its aggressive efforts to stimulate the economy and reduce unemployment. But it sent its clearest signal to date that tax increases and spending cuts that kicked in this year are slowing the economy.“Fiscal policy is restraining economic growth,” the Fed said in a statement after a two-day policy meeting.The Fed maintained its plan to keep short-term interest rates at

Three college friends of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were arrested and accused Wednesday of trying to protect him by going into his dorm room and getting rid of a backpack filled with hollowed-out fireworks three days after the deadly attack.The three 19-year-olds were not accused of any role in the bombing itself. But in a footnote in the court papers outlining the charges, the FBI said that about a month before the tragedy, Tsarnaev told two of them that he knew how to ma

A top Japanese envoy sought Wednesday to calm negative sentiment in the U.S. against the Shinzo Abe government's controversial take on history.In an op-ed piece in the Washington Post, Ambassador to Washington Kenichiro Sasae said his country has already expressed its "feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology" for wartime atrocities."The (Japanese) government believes that it is always important to face history head-on and with humility," he said. "It is also desirable that efforts to do s

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter may soon travel to North Korea as part of his efforts, not always fruitful, to broker the resumption of dialogue and win the release of a Korean-American man detained there, diplomatic sources said Wednesday.But the South Korean and U.S. governments apparently take a dim view of Carter's possible trip to North Korea out of concern that the communist nation may try to exploit it for propaganda purposes.Carter recently sent a letter to Secretary of State John Ker

최근 발의된 ‘4대중독(알코올, 도박, 마약, 인터넷)’ 예방 법안과 관련해, ‘과연 게임이 다른 해악과 같은 선상에서 놓일 정도인가’를 놓고 논란이 일고 있다.새누리당 신의진 의원을 포함한 여야 의원 14명은 최근 알코올, 인터넷 게임, 도박, 마약 중독으로 인한 여러가지 사회문제를 해결하는 것을 목표로 하는 “중독 예방ㆍ관리 및 치료를 위한 법률”을 발의했다. 이 법안은 ‘국가중독관리위원회’ 설치를 포함해 각종 중독의 예방 및 치료의 활성과 중독으로 인한 사회경제적 폐해를 최소화하는 것을 추구하고 있다.이는 이번 정부에서 국정과제로 선정한 ‘4대중독’ 대응체계 구축과 일맥상통하는 것으로 여겨진다.그러나 게임업계에서는 문화콘텐츠인 인터넷 게임을 의학적 치료가 필요한 알코올, 도박, 마약과 묶어 중독 요인으로 분류했다는 이유로 인해 강력하게 반발하고 있다. 한 게임업계 관계자는 “인터넷 게임 과몰입을 약물치료가 명백히 필요한 다른 중독들과 동일 선상에 놓은 것부터 논란의 여지를 안고

‘팝의 황제’ 마이클 잭슨이 사망하던 날에 그의 자택으로 출동했던 긴급 구조원이 잭슨이 사망당일날 “오랫동안 병에 시달리던 사람 같았다”고 30일 (현지시간) 증언했다.로스엔젤레스의 카운티 긴급구조대원인 리처드 세네프는 잭슨의 가족과 AEG 라이브 사이에서 벌어진 법정공방 도중 증인으로 불려와 잭슨의 당시 건강상태에 대해 증언했다. 잭슨의 모친인 케서린 잭슨 (82)은 AEG가 자사의 이득을 위해 아들의 건강상태를 무시하고 공연을 추진했다고 주장, 손해배상을 청구한 상태이다.세네프는 잭슨이 사망 당시 오랜 지병에 시달리던 사람처럼 매우 아파보였으며 그의 얼굴이 창백하고, “아주, 아주 말랐다 (very, very underweight)”라고 전했다.그는 당시 잭슨의 주치의인 콘라드 머리가 어쩔 줄 몰라했으며 처음에는 그저멍하니 자신을 바라보기만 했다고 전했다. 세네프는 또한 당시 잭슨이 죽어있던 것처럼 보였다고 전했다.잭슨은 2009년 6월 25일 강력한 마취제인 프로포폴 과대투여로

South Korean police have raided the office of a pro-North Korean activist group as part of a probe into its alleged violation of the nation's draconian security law, officers said Wednesday.The so-called "sopoong" is a Seoul-based organization formed in 2006 by pro-North activists. The group claims its goal is to call for the reunification of the two Koreas.The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) said it has also searched the houses of 10 members of the organization to search and seize relev

Ricin was found in the former martial arts studio of the man suspected of sending poison letters to President Barack Obama and other officials, and it was discovered on a dust mask and other items he threw in the trash, federal prosecutors said in a court document made public Tuesday.The affidavit says an FBI surveillance team saw James Everett Dutschke remove several items from the studio in Mississippi on April 22 and dump them in a trash bin down the street. The items included a dust mask tha

South Korea's trade surplus narrowed in April from a year earlier as local exporters lost ground in overseas markets in the face of a weaker Japanese yen, the government said Wednesday.The country chalked up a trade surplus of $2.58 billion last month, compared with a surplus of $3.36 billion a month earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Exports gained 0.4 percent on-year to $46.29 billion last month, while imports inched down 0.5 percent to $43.71 billion over the ci

Cyprus' lawmakers approved on Tuesday a multi-billion bailout agreement with international creditors aimed at preventing the crisis-hit country from going bankrupt.The agreement was passed in the 56-seat parliament as expected with 29 votes in favor and 27 against. Cyprus struck the 23 billion euro ($30 billion) deal with its euro partners and the International Monetary Fund last month.Voting in favor were the ruling center-right Democratic Rally party and its ally, the Democratic party, which t

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group said Tuesday that Syrian rebels will not be able to defeat President Bashar Assad's regime militarily, warning that Syria's “real friends,” including his Iranian-backed militant group, were ready to intervene on the government's side.In Damascus, a powerful bomb ripped through a bustling commercial district, killing at least 14 people and bringing Syria's civil war to the heart of the capital for the second consecutive day.Hezbollah, a powerful Sh

The first paramedic on scene at Michael Jackson's home the day he died said Tuesday the singer looked emaciated and like someone at the end of a chronic illness.On the second day of a trial pitting Jackson's mother against tour promoter AEG Live, paramedic Richard Senneff -- the first witness to be called -- said doctor Conrad Murray was "frantic, pale and sweating.""The patient was in pajamas. He looked very pale, very, very underweight," he said, recounting how he was called to the self-styled

President Barack Obama said he wants more information about chemical weapons use in the Syrian civil war before he decides on escalating U.S. military or diplomatic responses, despite earlier assertions that use of such weapons would be a “game-changer.” With the U.S. disengaging from the unpopular war in Afghanistan and still smarting from the difficult conflict in Iraq, Obama has been reluctant to unleash American military power in the Syrian fighting, a civil war that has killed tens of thous

Despite being labeled “clumsy” for his part in one of FIFA's biggest corruption scandals, Sepp Blatter was cleared of any criminal or unethical wrongdoing in a case involving millions of dollars in bribes for World Cup contracts.The reputation of Blatter's predecessor as FIFA president, Joao Havelange, was further damaged, however. The 96-year-old Brazilian, who led FIFA from 1974-98, was forced to step down as honorary president due to his involvement in the case.A report issued Tuesday by FIFA

Overall relations between South Korea and the United States are expected to remain healthy in the coming years but budget constraints on both sides may strain the alliance, a recent U.S. congressional report said.A new approach toward North Korea by South Korea's Park Geun-hye administration is also a potential source of friction, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS)."Considered by most analysts to be a strong supporter of the alliance, Park is expected to continue close defense

South Korea's consumer prices increased at a slower pace in April than a month earlier, keeping its on-year growth in the 1-percent range for the sixth straight month, a government report showed Wednesday.The country's consumer prices index rose 1.2 percent on-year in April, slowing from a 1.3 percent on-year gain in the previous month, according to the report by Statistics Korea. From a month earlier, it dropped 0.1 percent.The on-year figure represents the sixth straight month since November t

국회는 30일 오후 본회의를 열어 오는 2016년부터 사업장 규모에 따라 단계적으로 정년을 60세로 연장하는 내용의 일 명 '정년 60세 연장법'을 가결했다.  '고용상 연령차별금지 및 고령자고용촉진법 개정안'은 본회의 표결에 부쳐져 재석의원 197명 가운데 찬성 158명, 반대 6명, 기권 33명으로 통과됐다. 정년 60세 규정은 오는 2016년 1월 1일부터 공공기관, 지방공사, 지방공단, 300 인 이상 사업장에 적용되며 이듬해인 2017년 1월 1일부터는 국가 및 지자체, 300인 미만 사업장에 적용된 뒤 모든 사업장으로 확대된다.개정안은 먼저 '사업주는 근로자의 정년을 60세 이상으로 정해야 한다'고 명시함으로써 정년 60세를 의무 조항으로 규정했다. 현행법에는 정년 60세가 권고 조항으로만 돼 있어 강제력이 없다. 개정안은 또 사업주가 정년을 60세 미만으로 정해도 정년을 60세로 정한 것으로 본다는 내용을 포함함으로써 사업주가 근로자를 60세 이전에 내보낼 경우 부당해고

The National Assembly on Tuesday approved plans to raise the retirement age to 60, and passed a key economic democratization measure that will bring into force tougher penalties for unfair subcontracting transactions.The measures are part of economic democratization efforts, which have been strongly opposed by pro-business lobbies that argue the changes will incur significant costs for businesses.  On Monday, the deputy chiefs of the country’s five main pro-business lobbies including the Federat

 삼성 전자의 최신 스마트폰인 갤럭시 S4가 애플의 아이폰5나 전작 갤럭시 S3보다 파손 위험이 크다고 미국의 휴대전화 보험사 스퀘어트레이드(Squaretrade)사가 밝혔다. 스퀘어트레이드사는 최근 갤럭시 S4와 갤럭시 S3, 아이폰5등을 대상으로 내구성 테스트를 시행했다. 테스트 결과 갤럭시 S4는 10점 만점에 7점 (10점에 가까울수록 내구성이 약함), 갤럭시 S3는 6.5점, 아이폰5는 5점을 받았다.스퀘어트레이드사는 갤럭시 S4가 방수기능을 제외한 거의 모든 부문에서 갤럭시 S3보다 낮은 점수를 받았다고 지적했다. 이들은 갤럭시 S4가 5인치 (12.7센티미터)에 달하는 커다란 화면으로 인해 파손에 취약하며, 뒤면 패널이 미끄럽고 화면이 너무 커서 잡기가 불편할 수도 있다고 지적했다. 갤럭시 S4는 낙하 시험 (drop test)에서도 낮은 점수를 받았다.그러나 이와 같은 단점에도 불구하고 스퀘어트레이드사는 미국인 5명 중 1명이 갤럭시 S4를 구입할 것이라고 추정했다.

Policymakers at South Korea's central bank froze the key interest rate in a 4-3 vote in April when the government had put pressure on the Bank of Korea (BOK) to lower borrowing costs, the bank's minutes showed Tuesday.   At a rate-setting meeting held on April 11, the Bank of Korea's seven-member monetary policy committee decided to leave the benchmark 7-day repo rate unchanged at 2.75 percent for the sixth straight month. The central bank cut the key rate in July and October last year.   In Apr