TRIPOLI (AFP) - Explosions rocked Tripoli as Western forces staged fresh air strikes to halt Moamer Kadhafi's attacks on civilians, with one raid flattening a building in the strongman's heavily-fortified residence.As warplanes took off from Italian bases and anti-aircraft guns roared in the Libyan capital, Kadhafi's army announced a new ceasefire Sunday, saying it was heeding an African Union cal

The Korea National Red Cross (KNRC) has collected more than 10 billion won (US$8.9 million) in a national fundraising campaign for those affected by Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami.   South Koreans from all walks of life donated 10.5 billion won in 532,000 cases to the KNRC as of Saturday, the sixth day of the campaign, KNRC officials said. Among the top donors were Korean TV stars popular

KITAKAMI, Japan, March 20, 2011 (AFP) - Crews fighting to cool reactors at Japan's stricken nuclear plant struggled Sunday to switch partial power back on after a natural disaster that has left more than 20,000 people dead or missing.The discovery of radiation in foodstuffs in regions around the plant, and of traces of radioactive iodine in Tokyo tap water well to the southwest, compounded public

A warplane is seen being shot down over the outskirts of Benghazi, eastern Libya, Saturday. (AP-Yonhap News)Libya says 48 killed in West's air and missile strikesTRIPOLI (AFP) - At least 48 people have died since the US, Britain and France began pounding Libya with air strikes and Tomahawk missiles, according to an initial toll given to AFP by a Libyan official early Sunday.Allies launch Libya for

Libya declared an immediate cease-fire and promised to stop military operations Friday in a bid to fend off international military intervention after the U.N. authorized a no-fly zone and ``all necessary measures'' to prevent the regime from striking its own people. The announcement by Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa followed a fierce attack by Gadhafi's forces against Misrata, the last rebel-held

WASHINGTON (AP) _ For the first time, Earth has a regular orbiting eye-in-the-sky spying on the solar system's smallest and strangest planet, Mercury.NASA's spacecraft called Messenger successfully veered into a pinpoint orbit Thursday night after a 6 1/2-year trip and 4.9 billion miles (7.9 billion kilometers) and tricky maneuvering to fend off the gravitational pull of the sun. It is the fifth p

SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- Women in the military are no exception when it comes to sexual violence that is rampant in North Korea, which claims it runs one of the world's finest armies, a human rights group said Thursday.It remains unknown how many women serve in the 1.2 million-strong North Korean military, but joining the armed forces is considered an honor even for women in the communist count

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's youngest son and a four-star general Kim Jong Un attends a Lantern Festival concert in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP-Yonhap News)SEOUL (AFP) - North Korea said on Friday it would call its parliament into session in April, with attention focused on whether heir apparent Kim Jong-Un will be further promoted.The fourth session of the 12th Supreme People's Assembly will

TOKYO (AFP) - The yen fell sharply in Tokyo trade on Friday after the Group of Seven major economies agreed on joint market intervention to stabilize currencies following a huge earthquake in Japan.

VIENNA (AP) _ The situation at Japan's tsunami-stricken nuclear plant is ``very serious,'' but at the moment does not appear to be deteriorating, a senior official of the U.N. atomic agency said Thursday.As emergency workers frantically worked to regain control of the dangerously overheated nuclear complex, Graham Andrew told reporters ``there had been no significant worsening'' over the past 24 h

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US celebrities are rallying their fans to raise money for survivors of the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, with Lady Gaga leading the charge and raising $250,000 in 48 hours. The larger-than-life pop icon announced her plan Monday to raise money for Japan by selling red and white wristbands bearing the message "We Pray for Japan" for $5 a piece via her online merchandis

TOKYO (AP) _ Australia, Britain and Germany advised their citizens in Japan to consider leaving Tokyo and earthquake-affected areas, joining a growing number of governments and businesses telling their people it may be safer elsewhere.The advisories came as the crisis at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in the northeast deepened in the wake of last week's earthquake and ensuing tsunami.Aus

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's Emperor Akihito said Wednesday he was praying for the safety of the people in the wake of last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, in a rare public address on live television.“The number of people killed is increasing day by day and we do not know how many people have fallen victim,” Akihito said in the brief speech."I pray for the safety of as many people as possible.

TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo shares closed up 5.68 percent Wednesday on bargain hunting following a huge two-day selloff, as Japan scrambled to avoid a nuclear catastrophe. 

MILAN (AP) _ Premier Silvio Berlusconi paid for sex with an under-age Moroccan teen 13 times at his villa near Milan, prosecutors said in a document filed Tuesday seeking indictments against three aides for allegedly soliciting prostitutes for the Italian leader.The seven-page document, obtained by The Associated Press, alleges that the sex-fueled parties started with dinner, progressed to erotic

TOKYO (AFP) - The levels of radiation detected in Tokyo and neighboring Chiba fell back Tuesday after rising above normal levels possibly due to radiation emitted from a quake-hit nuclear power plant, officials said.Tokyo officials said they detected 0.809 of a micro-sievert between 10:00 and 11:00 am in the capital, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of the troubled Fukushima plant on the

TOKYO (AFP) - A fire has broken out at the number-four reactor at the quake-hit Fukushima No. 1 atomic power plant and radiation levels have risen considerably, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Tuesday.

North Korea's state-run media said Monday that the North's Red Cross sent a message of sympathy to its Japanese counterpart, a rare move considering the communist state has remained largely mum on the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan."Jang Jae-on, chairman of the DPRK Red Cross Society, Monday sent a message of sympathy to Konoe Tadateru, president of the Japan Red Cross Society," said

TOKYO (AFP) - Part of the container of a troubled nuclear reactor appears to be damaged, the Japanese government said early Tuesday, indicating possible serious radiation leaks.Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters that "damage appears on the suppression pool" -- the bottom part of the container, which contains water used to cool down the reactor and control air pressure inside."But w

TOKYO (AFP) - An explosion was heard at another reactor of an earthquake-damaged nuclear power plant early Tuesday, the Japanese government said, according to local media.