World

Leaders warn of harrowing risk of nuclear-armed terrorists

WASHINGTON — World leaders declared progress Friday in securing nuclear materials worldwide but warned of a persistent and harrowing threat: terrorists getting their hands on a nuclear bomb. "It would change our world," President Barack Obama said.

After 10 days, Brussels airport remains closed to passengers

BRUSSELS — Struck by suicide bombers 10 days ago, the airport known as "the heart of Europe" has stopped beating temporarily, causing headaches for thousands of business and vacation travelers, and painful financial losses for Belgium's capital and tourism industry.

Seoul: N. Korea fires missile and tries to jam GPS signals

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired a short-range missile into the sea and tried to jam GPS navigation signals in South Korea on Friday, Seoul officials said, hours after U.S., South Korean and Japanese leaders pledged to work closer together to prevent North Korea from advancing its nuclear and missile programs.

3 construction officials arrested over Indian overpass

KOLKATA, India — Indian police on Friday arrested three officials and detained seven more from a company constructing an overpass that collapsed onto a crowded Kolkata neighborhood, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 80.

Rescuers cleared the crumbled concrete and twisted metal rods a day after the collapse in the crowded area of the eastern Indian city. They have pulled out 67 people alive.

Secret Tut chamber? Egypt calls experts to examine evidence

VALLEY OF THE KINGS, Egypt — Egypt on Friday invited archaeologists and experts from around the world to examine new data from new, extensive radar scanning conducted on King Tutankhamun's tomb to explore a theory that secret chambers could be hidden behind its walls.

The open invitation to a conference in Cairo in May, issued by the antiquities minister at a news conference just outside the tomb, aims to bring broader scientific rigor to what so far have only been tantalizing clues.

UN court acquits Serb nationalist Seselj; Croatia shocked

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — In a rare courtroom victory for a Serb defendant, a U.N. war crimes tribunal on Thursday acquitted ultranationalist politician Vojislav Seselj of atrocities and pronounced him a free man. The decision inflamed simmering tensions in the Balkans, sparking joy in Serbia and horror and deep anger in Bosnia and Croatia.

Syrian activists: Airstrikes hit east of Damascus, kill 23

BEIRUT — Airstrikes hit near a school and a hospital east of the Syrian capital of Damascus on Wednesday, killing at least 23 people in one of the deadliest incidents involving civilians since a partial cease-fire came into effect in the war-torn country more than a month ago, pro-opposition activists said Thursday.

South Africa's top court rules against president in scandal

JOHANNESBURG — For two years, South Africa's president brushed off a scandal over state spending on his private home, even when critics scoffed at the notion that a swimming pool and a chicken run were necessary security features. It took the country's highest court to bring him to account.

South African President Jacob Zuma "failed to uphold" the constitution when he didn't pay back some of the more than $20 million in state funds used to upgrade his rural home, South Africa's Constitutional Court ruled unanimously on Thursday.

Overpass collapse kills 21, leaves others trapped in India

KOLKATA, India — A long section of an overpass under construction collapsed Thursday in a crowded Kolkata neighborhood and sent tons of concrete and steel slamming onto midday traffic, killing at least 21 people and leaving scores of others injured, police said.

More people were feared trapped in the debris, and rescuers used saws, small cranes and their bare hands to search for survivors. Smashed yellow taxis, destroyed rickshaws and the bloody legs of trapped people jutted from the fallen girders and concrete.

Obama, Xi vow to narrow differences, work closely on NKorea

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged Thursday to cooperate to confront the North Korean nuclear threat while working to narrow persistent differences over cybersecurity, human rights and maritime conflicts.