International

10 killed as resort building collapses in South Korea

(Reuters) — Ten people attending a welcoming party for new university students were killed when a building at a South Korean mountain resort collapsed late on Monday (February 17), emergency officials said, trapping dozens in snow and rubble for several hours. About 560 students had gathered in the auditorium of the golf resort in the mountains in the city of Gyeongju, around 375 km (235 miles) southeast of Seoul. Heavy snow had built up on the roof of the […]

Napolitano nominates Renzi prime minister in Italy

Matteo Renzi has been nominated Italy’s youngest-ever prime minister. His ascension follows a daring power grab that has been welcomed by investors but has left many Italians skeptical. After receiving the mandate from President Giorgio Napolitano Monday morning, the 39-year-old Renzi must move quickly to form a new government and then deliver on his promise to lead Italy “out of the quagmire.” Over the weekend, Napolitano had consulted with the leaders of Italy’s various political factions before nominating Renzi […]

Co-pilot hijacks Ethiopian plane, surrenders to Swiss police

(Reuters) – The co-pilot of a hijacked Ethiopian Airlines flight surrendered to Swiss authorities in Geneva on Monday after commandeering his aircraft to seek asylum in Switzerland, police said. The plane’s second-in-command, who was not carrying a weapon, took control of the plane when the pilot left the cockpit to use the toilet. After landing, he left the aircraft via a cockpit window, without harming passengers or crew, police spokesman Pierre Grangean told a news […]

Nokor’s Kim warned he might face charges over atrocities

(Reuters) – North Korean security chiefs and possibly even Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un himself should face international justice for ordering systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities, U.N. investigators said on Monday. The investigators told Kim in a letter they were advising the United Nations to refer North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC), to make sure any culprits “including possibly yourself” were held accountable. North Korea “categorically and totally” rejected the […]

“Victory for the Philippines” as INC sets 2 new Guinness records for worldwide benefit walk

MANILA, Philippines — “Congratulations!  You are now officially amazing, again!” With this declaration, Guinness world records official adjudicator Kirsty Bennett announced Sunday, February 16, that the Iglesia Ni Cristo now had set two new world records for its “Worldwide Walk” for Yolanda survivors held on Saturday, February 15, coinciding with the 100th day since the super typhoon struck Central Philippines. The first Guinness record set on February 15 was for the largest charity walk in a […]

Exclusive: Syria on track to miss deadline to destroy chemical weapons

By Anthony Deutsch AMSTERDAM Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:34pm EST (Reuters) – Syria has relinquished only 11 percent of its chemical weapons in three shipments and is on track to miss a politically-loaded midyear deadline to completely destroy the toxic stockpile, sources told Reuters on Friday. Syria should already have handed over the 1,300 tonnes of toxic chemicals declared to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the body overseeing the process with […]

Thousands flee Syrian town as ‘major assault’ looms

By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:52am EST (Reuters) – Thousands of people have fled a rebel-held town in Syria after it was bombed and shelled in an operation that has prompted fears of a major assault by ground troops, the United Nations said on Friday. The fighting came as peace talks in Geneva neared the end of a second round with the government and opposition sides as far from agreement as ever, […]

Winter storm buries parts of northeast; death toll at 20

By Barbara Goldberg NEW YORK Fri Feb 14, 2014 1:55pm EST (Reuters) – The U.S. East Coast dug out on Friday from the final wallop of a deadly four-day storm that dumped more than two feet of snow in some places, causing chaos from the South to New England. Five more people were killed on icy roads or while shoveling snow in North Carolina, bringing the storm’s death toll to at least 20. In New […]

Snowstorm Hits Northeast US, 18 Killed

Northeastern United States was covered in snow because of the heavy snowstorm, covering 750,000 houses and business establishments, causing power outages and flight cancellations. 18 were reported killed because of the snowstorm.

Attack on prison in Yemeni capital kills 11

By Khaled Abdullah SANAA Thu Feb 13, 2014 3:46pm EST (Reuters) – Eleven people were killed when attackers mounted a bomb, grenade and gun assault on the main prison in Yemen’s capital on Thursday to try to free inmates, security sources and witnesses said. Explosions and gunfire could be heard several kilometers away from the prison in northern Sanaa, which has al Qaeda members among its inmates. The biggest explosion rattled windows in the area. […]

Storms taking toll on families, schools in Northeast

By Victoria Cavaliere and Chris Francescani NEW YORK Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:29pm EST (Reuters) – A winter storm that froze the U.S. southeast in its tracks pushed north on Thursday, with driving winds and heavy snow snarling travel and closing many schools from Washington to Connecticut, creating havoc for winter-weary parents. More than 700,000 people, including residents of Georgia and South Carolina hit by a heavy blast of ice a day earlier, were without […]