DETROIT (AP) _ Betty Ford, the former first lady whose triumph over drug and alcohol addiction became a beacon of hope for addicts and the inspiration for her Betty Ford Center, has died, a family friend said Friday. She was 93. Mrs. Ford's death was confirmed by Marty Allen, chairman emeritus of the Ford Foundation. He did not comment further, and said he expected the Gerald R. Ford Presidentia...

South Korean stocks are expected to continue their upward march next week on the back of favorable market conditions, analysts said Saturday. The country's key stock index, the KOSPI, gained 2.57 percent, or 54.61 points, this week to close at 2,180.35 on Friday, despite the lingering debt crisis in Europe and a rate hike by China. Next week is packed with major events such as the central bank'...

Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin has ordered military commanders to inspect the standards of discipline and irregularities, following a shooting rampage earlier this week by a marine that killed four colleagues on a front-line unit, a source said Saturday. Questions over discipline have been raised since the 19-year-old marine corporal, only identified by his surname Kim, opened fire on Monday at h...

WASHINGTON -- The leader of the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voiced clear opposition to President Barack Obama's push to package three pending trade pacts with a worker assistance program. "We expect in the House to move four separate bills, and I would hope they would heed our advice," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters. His firm stance came a day after key committee...

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) _ South Sudan became the world's newest nation early Saturday, officially breaking away from Sudan after two civil wars over five decades that cost the lives of millions. In the new country's capital, Juba, streets pulsed with excitement. Residents danced, banged on jerry cans and chanted the name of the world's newest president, Salva Kiir. One man kneeled and kissed the ...

ADDIS ABABA -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak agreed Friday to provide active support for Ethiopia's economic development, pledging to significantly boost relations with the African nation that helped save the South from North Korea's invasion 60 years ago. In summit talks with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Lee expressed gratitude for Ethiopia's participation in the 1950-53 Korean War, and ...

Workers often turn to other companies for better opportunities but more than half of those who switched jobs have regrets, according to research. In a poll conducted by Incruit, a local online recruitment website, about 58.7 percent of those who changed jobs are unsatisfied and willing to go back to their previous employment. The major reasons provided was “the original work turned out to be be...

The number of foreigners accused of serious crimes such as violence and gambling is increasing, according to National Police Agency. In the last 3 months, about 8,311 expats were arrested with 341 of them being taken into custody. The figure is marks a more than 26 percent increase from the same period last year. Accusations of five major crimes of murder, robbery, rape, theft, and violence sho...

A new U.S. street sign reading “Seven in Heaven Way” has been criticized by atheist groups, according to reports. In order to commemorate firefighters who died a decade ago during the 9/11 bombings, the new sign was put up in Brooklyn, New York, near where the victims used to work. However, atheist groups are furious about the sign’s message, saying it may provoke people of different faiths, or...

STX Group also continues to express interest to the last minute By Kim Ji-hyun and Choi He-suk KCC Corp., a member of Hyundai’s sprawling industrial empire, may submit its letter of intent for a stake in Hynix Semiconductor, industry sources said on Thursday. Reports of KCC’s intention to participate in the bidding came shortly after Hyundai Heavy Industries said it would not be participatin...