could formalize an attempt to transfer power from current leader Kim Jong Il to his third son Kim Jong Un, analysts said after Pyongyang's official state media reported Saturday that a rare meeting to determine government leadership will be held in September.The planned handoff of power, a topic of speculation since Kim Jong Il, 68, suffered an apparent stroke in August 2008, comes at a time when
SYDNEY – Australians wasted no time cashing in on the shock ouster of Kevin Rudd as prime minister, businesses launching a series of cheeky adverts to run alongside stories about the party coup.Budget airline Jetstar took out a half-page newspaper ad with a picture of Rudd and the tagline, Taking a Break? Sunshine Coast from $99 , a tongue-in-cheek reference to the former leader's home to
PATNA, India – Police say an overcrowded bus has collided head-on into a truck along a sharp curve on a highway in eastern India, killing 23 people and injuring 15 others.Police officer Amit Jain says the bus driver apparently lost control of the vehicle in the accident Saturday near Dhannarua, a village in Bihar state.He says all of the injured have been hospitalized.Jain says some passeng
Spain earns slot in round of 16 with winSpain learned from Italy and .But Chile still is alive, and South America keeps on rolling.With Spain staring at an early exit from the World Cup, David Villa and Andres Iniesta each scored and the Spanish beat Chile, 2-1, on Friday in Pretoria, .The result sent both teams to the round of 16.Spain finished at the top of Group H with six points and will play
VATICAN CITY – The Vatican's No.2 official says raids carried out by Belgian police investigating sex abuse allegations are unprecedented even under communism.Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, said Saturday that the raids were an unheard-of and grave fact, according to the ANSA and Apcom news agencies.He lamented that officials had been held for several hours without
When Sid and Barb Williams began searching for the perfect place to retire, they never thought they'd wind up living outside the United States.But they kept hearing about the benefits of retiring to Panama.The Central American country not only offers a warmer clime than their hometown of Cincinnati but also provides a lower cost of living, generous financial incentives for retirees, and a reliabl
BAGHDAD – Gunmen raided a jewelry shop Saturday morning in western Iraq, killing four people before fleeing with a large amount of gold, officials said.Police and hospital officials said six attackers used handguns fitted with silencers during the heist in Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad.The victims were believed to have been the owners of the shop, police said.All officials spoke on co