LAC-MEGANTIC, Quebec (AP) -- A large swath of a town in eastern Quebec was destroyed Saturday after a train carrying crude oil derailed, sparking several explosions and forcing the evacuation of up to 1,000 people.    Several people were reported missing but Quebec provincial police Lt. Michel Brunet said it was too early to say if there are any casualties in the town of Lac-Megantic, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) east of Montreal.    The explosions ignited a blaze that sent flames shootin

World News July 7, 2013

   An Asiana Airlines flight crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport on Saturday, killing at least two people, injuring dozens of others and forcing passengers to jump down the emergency inflatable slides to safety as flames tore through the plane. One person was unaccounted for from among the 307 passengers and crew, said airport spokesman Doug Yakel. He said 181 people were taken to local hospitals. There were 291 passengers and 16 crew members. San Francisco Fire Chief Jo

World News July 7, 2013

   SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple is throwing out most of the real-world graphical cues from its iPhone and iPad software in what it calls the biggest update since the iPhone's launch in 2007.    The new operating system, called iOS 7, strives for a clean, simple, translucent look. Apple is redesigning all its applications and icons to conform to the new look, driven by long-time hardware design chief Jony Ive.    Apple demonstrated the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisc

World Business June 11, 2013

 Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday launched its own tablet computer Surface in South Korea in a bid to bolster its presence in the market dominated by rival gadgets manufactured by Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co.   The U.S. software giant said consumers will be able to buy the Surface RT tablet computer and its upgraded version, the Surface Pro, at local retail shops starting from June 11.      The tablet computer has been already released in over 20 countries, including the United States and Ch

Technology May 21, 2013

Lee Nam-ki, senior presidential secretary for public relations, offered to step down Friday, taking responsibility for a burgeoning sexual assault scandal involving the now-fired spokesperson Yoon Chang-jung, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.Presidential Chief of Staff Huh Tae-yeol apologized to the nation for the “embarrassing, unsavory” incident, for which the main opposition Democratic United Party demanded all senior presidential secretaries bow out.The apology came a day after Yoon denied all alle

Politics May 12, 2013

LOS ANGELES -- President Park Geun-hye on Thursday (Friday Korea time) dismissed her spokesman Yoon Chang-jung as rumors spread that he engaged in "inappropriate conduct" during the delegation’s stay in Washington. “The decision was made as it was deemed that Yoon showed inappropriate conduct as a high-ranking official and damaged the dignity of the country by being involved in a disgraceful event personally while accompanying President Park in her U.S. visit,” said Lee Nam-ki, senior secretary

Politics May 10, 2013

Google, HTC, Red Hat and Rackspace reportedly filed friends of the court briefs in support of Samsung Electronics on Monday urging the U.S. Federal court of Appeals to rule against Apple’s request for a sales ban on Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphone and Galaxy Tab. The support from the Google-led group comes amid an ongoing mobile device patent infringement battle between Samsung and Apple. The briefs stated that companies shouldn’t be restricted because of what they see as a trivial feature tha

Industry May 8, 2013

Namyang Dairy, one of Korea’s biggest dairy giants, is taking a turn for the worse following a nationwide uproar caused by one of its salesmen ranting and swearing at its distributor.Ever since an audio file that contained the conversation between Namyang’s salesperson and the distributor was exposed last week on the net, including YouTube, consumers have posted messages on their blogs or taken to the street holding placards urging the general public to stop buying its products ranging from milk

Industry May 8, 2013

With South Korean citizens withdrawing from the inter-Korean industrial park in Gaeseong over the weekend, the Seoul government faces a double whammy of challenges of protecting business assets from the North’s possible seizure and meeting the companies’ demand for huge compensation for the suspension.　All of the 126 workers including one Chinese returned to the South in 63 vehicles on Saturday, a day after the government decided to withdraw all South Korean citizens from the park following Pyon

North Korea April 28, 2013

North Korea criticized South Korea on Sunday for "insulting" celebrations marking the birth of its founder, as the world keeps a close watch on what the North's next move will be after weeks of bellicose threats.   Monday will mark the birthday of the North's founder Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un. In recent weeks, the North has issued a torrent of warlike rhetoric following the latest U.N. sanctions that punished Pyongyang for conducting its third nuclear test.  

North Korea April 14, 2013