North Korea warned Sunday that the United States will be "pouring gasoline on fire" by conducting an annual war game in the South next week amid heightened tensions between Pyongyang and Washington.Combative rhetoric between the nations spiked after Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles last month that appeared to bring much of the US within range, sparking an intense warning by President Donald Trump that Washington could rain "fire and fury" on the North. Anti-USA propaganda

North Korea Aug. 20, 2017

A South Korean man accused of duping over 20 Thai women into forced prostitution in his home country has been arrested in Bangkok, an officer said Saturday.The suspect surnamed Kim, 39, is believed to be part of a transnational gang funnelling Thai women into the sex trade in South Korea, and his arrest follows efforts by Bangkok and Seoul to dismantle the group.Thai police said Kim promised women jobs as masseuses in South Korea. Tourists take a selfie with a mobile phone as they visit Wat Arun

Social Affairs Aug. 20, 2017

BARCELONA (AFP) - Suspects in Spain's twin terror attacks had been planning an even bigger assault than the deadly car rampages they carried out, police said, as distressing details emerged of families torn apart in the horror.A 35-year-old Italian was among 14 killed, mowed down in front of his wife and young children in Barcelona when a driver rammed his van through crowds on the busy Las Ramblas boulevard on Thursday, before fleeing on foot.Police said they shot dead five "suspected terrorist

World News Aug. 19, 2017

BARCELONA - Drivers have ploughed into pedestrians in two quick-succession, separate attacks in Barcelona and another popular Spanish seaside city, leaving 13 people dead and injuring more than 100 others.In the first incident, which was claimed by the Islamic State group, a white van sped into a street packed full of tourists in central Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, knocking people out of the way and killing 13 in a scene of chaos and horror.Some eight hours later in Cambrils, a city 120 kil

World Aug. 18, 2017

The United States swiftly condemned Thursday's deadly attack in Barcelona and offered assistance to authorities in Spain.President Donald Trump, who remained out of public view for a second straight day, denounced what authorities are calling a terror attack in a statement on Twitter. "The United States condemns the terror attack in Barcelona, Spain, and will do whatever is necessary to help. Be tough & strong, we love you!'' the president said. (Twitter)Trump is on a working vacation at his pri

World News Aug. 18, 2017

BARCELONA - A van driver ploughed into crowds of pedestrians on Barcelona's most popular street in broad daylight on Thursday, killing 13 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.Police announced the arrest of two suspects, identified as a Spaniard and a Moroccan, but said the driver was still on the run. People are escorted by Spanish policemen outside a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13 persons and injuring over 80 on the Rambla in Barcelo

World News Aug. 18, 2017

Spanish police said they had shot dead "four suspected terrorists" and left another injured early Friday in Cambrils, a city south of Barcelona where a van mowed into pedestrians on Thursday, killing 13 people.The regional government of Catalonia, where both Barcelona and Cambrils are located, also confirmed the incident, which police had earlier qualified as a "possible terrorist attack." (AFP) Spanish policemen stand guard in a cordoned off area after a van ploughed into the crowd, killing 13

World News Aug. 18, 2017

SHANGHAI -- Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said Thursday its net profit almost doubled in the latest quarter on the back of solid revenue growth in its core shopping business and in cloud computing.Alibaba, which has made billionaire founder Jack Ma one of China's richest men and a global e-commerce icon, has seen its New York-listed shares soar 80 percent since last December on perennially robust earnings.(www.alibabagroup.com)With those shares at all-time highs, the company's market worth ha

World Business Aug. 17, 2017

HAGATNA, Guam -- Guam's leader said Monday that "sometimes a bully can only be stopped with a punch in the nose", in a spirited defence of President Donald Trump's rhetoric against North Korea which has the island in its crosshairs.While Trump's critics accuse him of inflaming tensions with Pyongyang, Guam governor Eddie Calvo said he was grateful the US leader was taking a strong stance against North Korean threats against his Pacific homeland. "Everyone who grew up in the schoolyard in element

North Korea Aug. 14, 2017

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- US President Donald Trump and his French counterpart pledged Saturday to work to denuclearize North Korea, but Trump again invoked the grim possibility of "military measures" if other steps should fail.Trump's latest warning came amid a flurry of international calls -- from China, the North's key ally, as well as Russia, Germany, Britain and the United Nations -- for the president to show greater rhetorical restraint.A White House statement said Trump and French President Emm

North Korea Aug. 13, 2017