South Korea

Former spy chief charged

Prosecutors have charged the former head of the country's spy agency with trying to influence last year's presidential election. Ex-director of the National Intelligence Service Won Sei-hoon is accused of ordering agents to post stories and comments under aliases attacking opposition candidate Moon Jae-in on popular websites.

Philippines

Two dead after ferry sinks

Two people have been killed and 13 others are still missing after a ferry sank in the central Philippines on Friday. Dozens of people were rescued by fishermen. In the latest disaster to hit the nation's notoriously dangerous sea transport industry, the ferry mysteriously sank in calm weather before dawn about 2 km from the Burias Island.

United States

Wildfire claims 2 in Colorado

Two people have been killed by the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history, law enforcement officials said on Thursday, as crews fought to keep the fierce, wind-whipped blaze from roaring into the outskirts of Colorado Springs. The blaze has ripped across more than 6,200 hectares of countryside northeast of the city since it erupted on Tuesday, forcing some 38,000 people to flee the flames.

France

Airbus A350 on test flight

Airbus's next-generation A350 plane took off on its first test flight on Friday in a milestone for an airliner the firm hopes will challenge Boeing's 787 Dreamliner in the lucrative long-haul market. With hundreds of cheering supporters looking on, some of whom arrived early to get a prime spot under a patchy sky, the plane took off at 0800 GMT from the airport in the French city of Toulouse for a flight due to last four hours.

AFP-Reuters

(China Daily 06/15/2013 page8)