The Antenna

Disney+ original series "The Remarried Empress" is showing strong signs of becoming a hit even before its official release. Its teaser, unveiled ahead of the full series, has surpassed 10 million views. Expectations are also building among viewers outside Korea, raising questions about whether the series could establish itself as one of Disney+'s flagship Korean originals. Set to premiere in November, "The Remarried Empress" follows Navier (Shin Min-a), the perfect empress of the fictional Eastern Empire. After Emperor Sovieshu (Ju Ji-hoon) falls for Rashta (Lee Se-young), a runaway slave, he tells Navier that he wants a divorce. Navier accepts — but on one condition: that she be allowed to remarry Prince Heinrey (Lee Jong-suk) of the Western Kingdom. What follows is an epic romance fantasy centered on love, power and revenge. The series has a strong foundation from the outset. Based on the popular web novel of the same name, which was later adapted into a webtoon, "The Remarried Empress" already has a substantial fan base in Korea. For a screen adaptation, having an established audi

KUHESTAK, Iran — Women with their children were gathered in the house and yard, waiting for the bride and groom to arrive to kick off a wedding celebration in this small town in southern Iran. Then an explosion turned the scene to carnage. The town of Kuhestak is still reeling from a barrage of strikes that killed five people during an American bombardment of southern Iran on Tuesday evening. Lampposts at the entrance to the town displayed large posters of four of the dead — a 4-year-old boy, a 16-year-old and two women. Another woman, one of more than 60 people wounded in the blasts, died Thursday at a hospital. On Friday, an Associated Press team made a rare visit to the town on the coast overlooking the Strait of Hormuz. Within a densely built neighborhood of houses and unpaved alleys stood the compound of the Mallahi family, which was struck as relatives celebrated their daughter’s wedding. A U.S. weapons expert who reviewed images from the scene said the evidence suggests the strikes were carried out with American guided bombs. Blast left gaping hole in roof Ali Mallahi, a cous

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Rescuers in Nepal pulled a Chinese national and a woman alive 10 days after devastating floods hit the country, officials said Saturday. The man was rescued from a hydropower tunnel, according to a social media post by the country’s prime minister’s office, bringing the total to three workers pulled alive from the Trishuli hydropower project. Two Nepali workers were rescued from a tunnel at the Trishuli 3A hydropower plant on Friday. Nepal's army said a joint rescue team of Nepal military personnel and South Korean disaster experts rescued the man from a 225-meter tunnel and that he was undergoing a health assessment. Images showed him being evacuated by helicopter, with an army medic checking on him during the flight. A photo released by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed two rescuers carrying the man out of the tunnel. About 900 workers are missing from 12 hydropower projects across Nepal, with roughly 500 believed to be trapped in various tunnels, authorities said. In flood-hit Nuwakot town, a woman was rescued alive from a house, Nepal's army spokesperson s

One shaped and delivered the language of feminism. The other rejected the label but showed how feminism can be done: with a microphone dusted in rhinestones, and without apology. Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton embodied two towering versions of the same idea: that women should know themselves well enough to make their own choices about matters intimate and societal. Their deaths eight days apart sent a double dose of grief around the world and across generations as many women (and some men!) asked who would take their places at the forefront of women's rights. Steinem, overtly political, went undercover as a Playboy bunny to deliver an exposé, founded Ms. Magazine and spent the rest of her life urging women to support each other. Parton, on the other hand, defined herself as a larger-than-life daughter of the American South who told stories with music and included everybody — but refused to play politics or call herself a feminist. “Dolly taught us to dream big. Gloria taught us to speak up," wrote DeMond B Nason, a New York City singer. “Both reminded us that a woman could walk

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said the conflict in Iran is “small potatoes” as he defended Vice President JD Vance for asserting that months of on-and-off attacks in the Middle East did not constitute a “war.” Asked during an Oval Office exchange about Vance’s comments made a day earlier, Trump said U.S. strikes on Iran are now “intermittent” and “a lot of people don’t call it a war." The conflict has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $37.5 billion and left 18 U.S. service members dead. Total regional deaths from the war have surpassed 7,000, according to Human Rights Activists News Agency. “I can understand what he’s saying,” Trump said. “I call it a military conflict because it’s small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing." Vance, during a White House press briefing Thursday, rejected the use of the word “war” to describe the U.S. fighting with Iran and steered clear of predicting that the 6-month conflict would be over by November’s midterm elections, in which Republicans are trying to hang on to their narrow majorities in Congress

MANILA, Philippines — Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte posted bail Saturday after an order was issued for her arrest the previous day on charges that she publicly threatened to arrange the assassination of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and two other people. Emerging in a black outfit from Quezon City Regional Trial Court in Metro Manila, Duterte consoled her supporters, hugging a woman who was sobbing as supporters chanted “Duterte! Duterte!” The vice president, who has denied the allegations, showed a court order lifting the arrest warrant issued by the court Friday and said her lawyers instructed her to keep a copy on hand. She urged journalists to surround her on the way to her car because she did not feel safe. “If possible please go with me, because I do not feel safe with all these police personnel who are harassing those at my home, harassing me since 2023,” Duterte said. “What does this administration really want to do with me?” Paul Lawrence Lim, one of her attorneys, said court staff took Duterte’s fingerprints and she posted 360,000 pesos bail ($5,740)

President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday shared on social media a report from the customs chief showing that South Korea's cumulative exports so far this year had already surpassed last year's annual record. Lee said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, titled "A report from Korea Customs Service Commissioner Lee Jong-wook," that cumulative exports had reached $709.4 billion as of 1 p.m. Saturday, exceeding the previous annual record of $709.3 billion set in 2025. "Despite the uncertain trade environment, including growing protectionism, the restructuring of global supply chains and the situation in the Middle East, our exports continue to show remarkable growth," the agency chief said in the report. "If the current trend of solid exports continues, annual exports are expected to reach $1 trillion around early December," he said, noting that the United States, China and Germany have so far recorded annual exports of $1 trillion or more. During the first eight months of this year, semiconductor exports rose 169.6 percent from a year earlier, while exports of other major products, including comput

Taking the court for the first time in their lives, athletes with developmental disabilities are redefining what it means to compete. The new sports documentary "Perfect Shoot" offers an intimate look at the nation's first handball league All Win Peak, created specifically for players with developmental disabilities. Directed by Oh Kyu-ik, the film was originally produced to be released on MBC Chungbuk, a local branch of major broadcaster MBC, but the project expanded into a feature-length theatrical release after it gained widespread recognition. The documentary traces the origin of the league back to 2021, when the Sports Support Center for the Disabled at Seowon University launched an initiative to establish developmental disability handball teams. Backed by corporate sponsorship and local welfare funding, 10 teams were formed across the country. Handball was officially designated as a demonstration sport by Special Olympics Korea in 2022, paving the way for the historic launch of the national league in 2023. Oh captured the journey over a three-year period, following players from the

SEOUL/NEW YORK — North Korea is expected to send a vice minister-level official to the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York, with Kim Son-gyong, a vice foreign minister in charge of international organizations, likely to deliver a speech, sources said Saturday. According to the list of speakers updated by the U.N. Secretariat, a North Korean vice minister-level official is scheduled to represent the country and deliver a speech at the U.N. headquarters on Sept. 28, the final day of the high-level segment of the 81st U.N. General Assembly. The general debate of this year's U.N. General Assembly is scheduled to take place Sept. 22-26 and Sept. 28. North Korea has several vice foreign ministers, but diplomatic sources believe Kim, who is in charge of international organizations, is likely to attend, as he did last year. Last year, Kim led a North Korean delegation to the General Assembly for the first time in seven years. From 2019 through 2024, Pyongyang did not send a high-level official to the General Assembly following the failed 2019 Hanoi summit between U.S. President Donald Tr

A South Korean man has been sentenced to five years in prison for spying for North Korea, officials said Saturday. The 43-year-old man, whose identity was withheld, was found to have received an order from a North Korean agent via the messaging app Telegram in May-June of 2021 to collect information about anti-Pyongyang defectors from North Korea and their activities. Around that time, the man took about 660 million won ($479,346) worth of virtual currency from the North Korean agent as funds for operating cryptocurrency investments. He later approached the head of a North Korean defector group, offering to sponsor the organization. He asked the leader to create a virtual currency wallet and forwarded its address to the North Korean agent. After the agent transferred 1 million won worth of Bitcoin in the name of donation, the man received videos and photos showing the group sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets in return. The man was also instructed by the agent to collect personal information of seven active-duty military officers, including their units and resident registration numbers, and a

Korea's largest annual fireworks show is set to take place in Seoul on Saturday. The Seoul International Fireworks Festival, hosted by Hanwha Group, begins at 8 p.m. in Seoul's Yeouido area. This year's show takes place about three weeks earlier than in previous years due mainly to the Chuseok fall harvest holiday coming later this month. Under the theme of "Find Your Light," this year's show features fireworks teams from three countries — Korea's Hanwha Corp., the United States and Britain. A pre-festival event will take place for the first time in the history of the festival that was launched in 2000. About 6,800 personnel will be mobilized to manage crowds and handle emergencies. The Seoul city government said a safety headquarters will be set up together with the police, fire departments, Hanwha and other relevant agencies to oversee crowds and traffic around the site. Operational command centers doubling as emergency medical stations will be established at six locations across the Yeouido and Ichon neighborhoods, while 45 patrol boats will be used to monitor safety on the river. Add

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun was set to depart for Nepal on Saturday to meet with his Nepali counterpart and discuss Seoul's support for search-and-rescue efforts following devastating floods, the foreign ministry said. During his three-day visit through Monday, Cho plans to hold talks with Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal and meet with the families of the missing Koreans, according to the ministry. Nine Koreans — six employees of Doosan Enerbility Co. and three of Korea South-East Power Co. — went missing on Aug. 26 after massive floods and landslides hit the country's Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border while they were working at a hydropower plant construction site. Cho is expected to ask for Nepal's support to facilitate and intensify search efforts for the missing nationals during his talks with Khanal, with the two sides also expected to discuss support measures for the recovery of the affected areas and other issues of mutual concern. Cho also plans to encourage the Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) working at the disaster site and meet with officials from the comp

No signs were found of six crew members missing after a tugboat capsized earlier this week off the southeastern city of Busan, despite search and rescue efforts entering their fourth day, officials said Saturday. The 286-ton vessel was carrying six Korean and two Indonesian crew members when it overturned Wednesday afternoon after setting off from Busan Port to tow a commercial ship. One Indonesian crew member was rescued alive while a Korean crew member was found unconscious and died later. Six Coast Guard vessels were mobilized overnight to search for the remaining six crew members amid high waves and strong winds, but no signs of them were found. Due to the bad weather, underwater searches of the sunken vessel have not yet been carried out. Search operations resumed during the day, but were having difficulty due to strong winds and high waves.

Korea's industry minister urged the United States on Saturday to ease tariffs on equipment that Korean companies will need to import for a $5.8 billion steel mill in Louisiana they are investing in. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan made the request at a meeting with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry before attending a groundbreaking ceremony for Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel LLC (HPLS), an electric arc furnace-based integrated steel mill scheduled to begin construction in the fourth quarter, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said in a press release. HPLS is a joint venture among Hyundai Motor Group affiliates Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., and steelmaker POSCO. Foreign steelmakers in the U.S. face tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which allows the U.S. president to adjust imports deemed to threaten national security, as well as other trade remedy measures, the ministry said. Kim urged Washington to pay close attention to difficulties facing Korean companies investing in the U.S. and support the project by easing tariffs on equipment and ma

The government's initiative to create “10 Seoul National Universities” is facing growing backlash following the selection of three universities for concentrated funding, prompting questions over the transparency of the selection process and concerns that the initiative could create a new hierarchy among regional national universities. The Ministry of Education on Tuesday selected Pusan National University, Chonnam National University and Chungnam National University as the first beneficiaries of the initiative. Each will receive 70 billion won ($51 million) in government funding to advance education in artificial intelligence and industries tied to regional strategic priorities. While the three selected universities will each receive roughly 100 billion won more in government funding than last year, the six other regional flagship national universities will receive only about 40 billion won each in additional support for undergraduate education reform and shared university programs. Universities left out of the initiative warn that, by the end of the five-year program, the funding g

Korea is uniquely positioned to lead global efforts to design and test more inclusive artificial intelligence (AI) systems for older people, combining its advanced technological capabilities with the world’s fastest-aging population, according to a U.N. expert. The country’s rapid technological development and equally fast demographic transition give it an unusual opportunity — and responsibility — to develop an age-inclusive model that can be adopted by other countries, said Zvezdan Pirtosek, the U.N. Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of All Human Rights by Older Persons. Korea became a super-aged society in late 2024, as people aged 65 and older accounted for more than 20 percent of the population. The share is expected to continue to rise as its total fertility rate remains the world’s lowest, at around 0.8. “I think Korea can lead discussions about these very, very important and timely issues,” he said in an interview with The Korea Times on Wednesday, adding that Korea can pioneer the development and testing of its own comprehensive AI models and policies, and that

Older people should be treated as rights-holders and active participants in the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI), rather than passive beneficiaries of technology or care, experts said at an international forum in Seoul on Wednesday. The forum, co-hosted by the ASEM Global Ageing Center, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea and the Korea office of Germany’s Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, brought together experts from international organizations, academia, civil society and government to discuss the opportunities and risks AI presents for ageing societies. Speakers said AI can help older people live independently, maintain social connections and access information and services but warned that the rapid spread of automated AI systems could also intensify age-based discrimination, digital exclusion, privacy risks and threats to individual autonomy. “AI is already changing health care and care, communication, employment, banking, public services and access to information,” Zvezdan Pirtosek, the U.N. Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of All Human

Long before Mongolian workers board their flights to Seoul, their preparation for Korea's fast-paced industrial shop floors will now begin at home in Ulaanbaatar — part of a new push by labor officials to prevent workplace accidents before foreign hires even touch down. The Korea Labor-Foundation (KLF) said Friday that Secretary-General Park Jong-pil was leading a four-day delegation to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from Wednesday through Saturday to streamline the training and integration pipeline for Mongolian workers bound for Korean factories and job sites under the Employment Permit System (EPS). Rather than waiting for foreign laborers to undergo safety briefings after entering the country, the initiative links predeparture instruction in Mongolia directly with post-arrival orientation in Korea. By sharing standardized safety materials developed alongside the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, KLF said it aims to build early safety awareness and curb workplace accidents. The policy shift comes as Korea relies heavily on foreign labor to counter severe demographic shifts and w

The first time I went to a PC bang in Korea, it wasn’t for the internet. It was 1998, and I went with several of my students to play StarCraft, a game they raved about the way Americans talked about the Super Bowl. Like every other trend that swept the nation, PC bangs were appearing faster than a pop-up window on your computer screen. They were the cheapest way of accessing the internet in Korea, especially at the height of the Asian financial crisis. I knew what PC meant — personal computer. A bulky monitor and CPU that clicked and whirred, and occasionally froze for no reason. But “bang”? In Korea, bang means room, a simple word, functional and to the point. The PC bang we went to was located in a neighborhood of traditional shops, coffee houses, eateries, pharmacies and a traditional medicine shop with a strange-looking apparatus inside — less a pharmacy than a set piece from an old Frankenstein movie. The street was bright, with signs in Hangeul stacked like glowing dominoes. Food smells drifted through the air — dumplings, spicy rice cakes, charcoal and grilled meat — k

BEIJING — The U.S. and China are gearing up to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) safety risks during a dialogue planned for mid-September, two sources briefed on the discussions told Reuters, as rapidly advancing frontier AI capabilities reach a global tipping point. The talks, the first official bilateral discussions devoted exclusively to AI between the U.S. and China since U.S. President Donald Trump took office for a second time, will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the U.S. side, the sources, who were briefed on the planning, said on condition of anonymity. Reuters is reporting the tentative mid-September period for the first time. A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said no meeting is planned. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are due to meet on Sept. 24 during a summit in Washington. The U.S. wants to discuss cooperation on monitoring AI-directed cyberattacks, and has floated a proposal to ask U.S. and Chinese AI labs to "police themselves" and share information to prevent AI-linked cyberattacks, one of the sources said on condition of anonymity. Nearly 700 r

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates, he would stop trading with countries with which the United States has a deficit. "High interest rates put the U.S.A. at a very unfair disadvantage, and I won't allow that to happen!" said Trump, who has repeatedly demanded that the Fed cut rates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday reported stronger-than-expected job creation in August, prompting traders to boost bets on a hike later this month. "We should have the LOWEST RATE of any country in the World ... LOWER THE RATE OR I’LL STOP TRADING WITH COUNTRIES WITH WHICH WE HAVE A DEFICIT," Trump said in a social media post.

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order related to beef on Friday, according to two sources familiar with the situation. One of the sources said the order would pertain to country-of-origin labeling for beef. Trump is scheduled to sign an executive order behind closed doors at 1:30 p.m. ET (1730 GMT). The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump said last week he would look into whether there were too many regulations restricting ranchers from slaughtering their own cattle. He also signed last week an order to temporarily increase imports of some lower-tariff beef in an effort to bring down consumer beef prices, which have hit record highs this year. Ranchers and farm groups strongly oppose the plan, which they argue will disadvantage American producers. Some ranchers have sought mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef, arguing that would support domestic producers and provide more transparency to consumers. Under current regulations, meat companies can voluntarily add a "Product of USA" label for meat born, rais

VIENNA/PARIS — The United States, Britain, France and Germany are seeking a resolution by the U.N. nuclear watchdog's board next week reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council for the first time in 20 years, according to diplomats and the proposed text seen by Reuters. If passed, the resolution would follow up on one adopted on June 12 of last year declaring Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for not fully cooperating with an investigation into uranium traces found at undeclared sites. Israel started bombing Iran's nuclear facilities the next day, soon joined by the U.S. Iran's uranium-enrichment plants were destroyed or badly damaged. Iran has not let International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors return to the bombed sites since then or verify what remains of its stocks of enriched uranium, some of which was enriched to up to 60 percent purity, a short step from weapons grade. Fresh diplomatic escalation A resolution by the IAEA's 35-nation board reporting Iran to the Security Council would also be the culmination of a standoff over IAEA access to those sites, since

U.S. stocks fell and Treasury bond yields mostly rose Friday after the government reported that employers unexpectedly added 162,000 jobs last month. The surprise increase in hiring could give the Federal Reserve leeway to raise its benchmark short-term interest rate to fight inflation when central bank policymakers meet later this month. The S&P 500 fell 0.5 percent in morning trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 378 points, or 0.7 percent, as of 11:08 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.4 percent. Gains in technology stocks helped limit declines in other sectors. Nvidia rose 1.9 percent, Micron Technology gained 4.3 percent and Sandisk climbed 8.7 percent. Lululemon Athletica sank 19.1 percent after the retailer reported quarterly revenue that fell short of analysts' estimates and lowered its fiscal full-year outlook again. Markets were mixed in Europe and Asia. U.S. government bond yields, which had eased the last couple of days, mostly rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which influences mortgage rates, held steady at 4.77 percent. It has been rising steadi

WASHINGTON — A Tennessee factory that Washington had hoped to protect as part of a push to safeguard the U.S. semiconductor supply chain is at risk of closure after the Trump administration's new trade measures drove away its two remaining customers, according to sources familiar with the matter. Germany's Wacker Chemie, which produces polysilicon that goes into chips and solar panels, will make a decision in the coming weeks on whether to close its Charleston, Tennessee, facility, which employs about 600 workers, the sources said. Reuters was not able to confirm the names of the two customers. The move follows a White House proclamation last month that seeks to incentivize purchases of American polysilicon, the sources said, declining to be named because the matter was not public. Wacker did not comment on the loss of customers or potential plant closure. It said it was too soon to assess the policy's impact on its business but noted the proclamation "does not, as it reads now, effectively support the use of U.S. made polysilicon." The company also said it was in active discussions wit

WASHINGTON — The U.S. job market rebounded in August as employers added a surprising 162,000 jobs. The unemployment rate stayed at a low 4.1 percent. Hiring far exceeded the 65,000 forecasters had expected, according to a poll by FactSet. Labor Department revisions also looked good, adding 55,000 to June and July payrolls. Employers created 21,000 jobs in July; the Labor Department had originally reported that they’d cut 23,000. Two months before the midterm elections, President Donald Trump welcomed the strong hiring report Friday. “Great jobs number just announced, breaking all estimates (except mine!) by double and triple - And you haven’t seen anything yet!” Trump wrote in a social media post. But it is inflation that has dominated conversations this year at both business and in households. Voters are increasingly frustrated by higher costs, particularly fuel prices that have hit record levels since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February. And meager pay raises have made rising prices more painful for many. Average hourly wages rose 3.1 percent last month from a

Last year, the United States imported more kimchi from Korea than K-pop albums. However, in the first half of 2026, K-pop album exports to the United States surged to three times the value of kimchi exports, while the country surpassed Japan and China to become the largest overseas market for K-pop albums. The United States was not alone in seeing a surge in K-pop album imports. Germany became the fourth-largest overseas market after its imports increased more than sixfold in a year. K-pop also breathed new life into CDs, once thought destined for extinction, while fans in their 40s and 50s emerged as an increasingly visible part of the fandom. Korea also rose to become the world’s third-largest “music export powerhouse,” behind only the United States and Britain, breaking the English-speaking world’s monopoly on the top three. The global music market witnessed one K-pop surprise after another in the first half of this year. As striking as the pace of growth was the way that growth unfolded: Where, by whom and how K-pop is consumed are all changing. US reshapes K-pop album expor

On the morning of Aug. 25, hikers gathered in small groups outside Beomeosa Station on Busan Metro Line 1, in the city's Geumjeong District, and set off for Geumjeongsan National Park. From the station they walked about five minutes uphill and boarded the No. 90 city bus, which reached Beomeo Temple in about 10 minutes. Roughly a dozen hikers rode the bus, along with about a dozen more visitors bound for Beomeo Temple and other nearby sites. Kim Jong-seok, 66, who had come from Seoul, said he knew little about the mountain. "I didn't know much about Mount Geumjeong, but I came because I heard it had been designated a national park," he said. "It's more charming than I expected, and it's nice that you can see a famous place like Beomeo Temple at the same time." Beomeo Temple, a Buddhist site at the foot of the mountain, is a favored starting point for Mount Geumjeong hikers. The first route heads from the North Gate of the fortress to Godang Peak to the East Gate, Wonhyobong Peak, the Third Watchtower and the South Gate, covering about 13 kilometers. A second route starts at the South Ga

The party says the tax cut will be paid for by reducing public spending by £80bn.

Nigel Farage's admirers in the party are calling for a stronger operation as the party aims for power.

A new trio has taken the wheel of the motoring TV show from Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are due to hold talks with Russia before travelling to Ukraine on Sunday.

Rescuers recovered another body today from a ferry disaster off Cyprus last week, raising the death toll to 13, while 15 people remain missing, officials said.

A "co-ordinated" protest in the UK that appears to be "illegal migration-related" has seen hundreds of black-clad, masked demonstrators block roads in Dover, a local councillor said.

As the Church marks the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Fr. Luke Gregory, OFM, reflects on the theme: "Love is the basis and the fulfillment of the Law.”

Read all

The journalist, author and environmental campaigner, Frank McDonald, has died after a brief illness. He was 76.

Meeting with contemplative nuns, Pope Leo XIV upholds their role in the Church as weavers of communion with the threads of prayer, work, and Eucharistic adoration.

Read all

Some say the case shed light on the mental health struggles of mothers, while others argue it's no excuse for murder.

The national government is expected to present the plan at a meeting with local governments to be held shortly.

Witness describes flames and loud banging noises coming from the plane shortly after takeoff.

A Chinese national has been rescued alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal, 10 days after catastrophic flooding, the Nepali Army said.

Grain farmers hope more dairy farmers will buy local animal feed wheat, instead of cheaper palm kernel-derived product from Asia.

Hardship withdrawal numbers have increased rapidly in recent years.

Rescuers in Nepal pulled out a Chinese man and a woman in separate operations Saturday, 10 days after devastating floods hit the country, as teams continued searching for thousands of missing people.

A teenage boy who died following a hit-and-run incident in Co Clare last night has been named locally as Bryan Lowe who was 16 years old.

Police are investigating the blaze at Kerikeri's Honey House Café, which started in a storage shed around 11.30pm on Friday.

After nearly 30 years of ministry in Turkmenistan as a missionary, Fr. Andrzej Madej, OMI, tells Vatican News that his goal was to build relationships with all people based on respect and peace, since "where Christ comes, love comes with Him."

Read all

Saturday Morning talks with one of the New Zealand psychiatrists granted permission to give patients MDMA as part of controlled therapy sessions for PTSD.

Andrew and Tristan Tate are currently in a Miami jail fighting extradition to the UK over separate charges and deny all the allegations.

Lytton Road has been closed, with traffic diversions in place following the incident.

Fuel supports, transport regulation, decarbonisation and the future of Ireland's supply chain are set to be the focus of the second day of the Irish Road Haulage Association's (IRHA) annual conference.

The person was pulled out after getting into difficulty in the water.

Two men face charges and were to appear in court after a central Auckland traffic stop.

With Argentina's President Milei promising "winds of change" over the Falklands, will Donald Trump shift his stance on British rule?

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama is under pressure to strengthen the yen while balancing competing demands from the prime minister and Washington.

Is Russia's alleged hybrid campaign against Europe a genuine threat, and, if so, what has Europe's response been?

The slump in Shein's valuation represents doubts about the Chinese firm's ability to grow rapidly into the future rather than an expectation that consumers are abandoning fast fashion, writes Adam Maguire.

A State commemoration for the 48 people who died in the Dromcollogher cinema fire has taken place, marking the centenary of one of the deadliest disasters in Irish history.

Excitement is reaching fever pitch in Bray as Katie Taylor prepares to hang up her gloves.

OpenAI officials had kept the incident under wraps as they grappled with the fallout from the July breach of the open source repository Hugging Face.

Victoria Fuller tells the BBC the force's resources need a rethink, speaking after the A66 crash in Middlesbrough which killed seven including two officers.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering keeping Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama in their posts.

Hugh Jackman has told RTÉ Entertainment that his experience making The Death of Robin Hood in Antrim, Down, and Tipperary was "a gift" and something he will never forget.

Automatic licence plate recognition cameras are in the spotlight as citizens across North America question their use by municipalities and law enforcement agencies — with some critics calling them a tool for ‘mass surveillance.’One company in particular, Flock Safety, has found itself at the heart of the debate and while the company’s tech has yet to be used in Canada, greater awareness about these AI-powered cameras is raising questions about how Canadian ALPR camera makers operate.

New research suggests Great Lake sturgeon may live more than 400 years — far longer than previously thought. The discovery is forcing scientists to rethink the already-generations-long effort to bring the giant fish back from the brink of extinction.

Ikram, 17, left the Moroccan border town of Fnideq at the end of July, when an estimated 80,000 Moroccans and migrants from countries further south travelled travelled to the northern border city, hoping to cross into Ceuta. For a brief period, Ikram felt relief in the Spanish enclave. But she is now homeless.

Canada's federal government is taking steps to designate the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 port expansion in Vancouver as a project of national interest. Environmentalists are concerned that fast-tracking the project could damage the Fraser River Estuary, an area integral to the survival of orcas and salmon.

In the island town of Yakushima, 24-hour rainfall reached 490.5 millimeters until 5:30 a.m., a record for the area.

Four separate productions of "King Lear" in one year in Japan signal renewed interest in the Shakespeare play that hasn't always been the first choice.

The Tenancy Tribunal is piloting prioritising cases with serious health and safety risks.

Israeli strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon have killed at least three people and injured 23, the Lebanese health ministry said.

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who were sent by US President Donald Trump with a new peace plan for the Ukraine war, have arrived in Moscow for talks.

In her second national address, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po carried her father's call for kotahitanga.

Trade minister Ryosei Akazawa declined to comment in detail, but said discussions on AI and chips will carry "very significant weight."

Sources did not say why the White House was reviewing potential replacements and did not specify which candidates the it was considering.

PACOM chief Adm. Sam Paparo recently held his first in-person talks with Gen. Yang Zhibin, commander of the Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command.

New tailwinds from capital repatriation, unwinding carry trades and U.S. political pressure are now giving short speculators cause to rethink their long-term game.

The US rapper rolled back the years for more than two hours at the first of his two shows in London.

The Netherlands has relocated 86 tonnes of the shiny stuff - what's going on?

The labor market showed strong growth but record-high diesel prices are likely to further fuel inflation.

The new map — known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection — improves "the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world," the resolution said.

The U.S. president again compared the death toll of 18 U.S. service members to the wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan, which lasted years.

The AI-powered cameras have been vandalised across the US, as citizens object to the growing surveillance network.

State Highway 3 has reopened north of New Plymouth after being closed due to a slip.

Rangatahi say the Māori Queen is showing a new generation what is possible through her leadership of the Kiingitanga.

Tetris said it did not give permission for the White House to use the game's iconic imagery for a controversial online arcade that was released Thursday.

The shift pushes back what some investors have said could be a $2 trillion listing.

Pharmac is considering wider access to meningitis vaccines, as the Meningitis Foundation warns the $450 cost is preventing some families from accessing protection.

Middle East tensions have choked the production and transportation of oil, causing a surge in the price of car and jet fuels.

Nigel Farage is to close Reform UK's conference as the party finds itself embroiled in a row about political donations and two senior aides were permanently suspended from their roles.

The Panama Canal has begun to reduce the number of ships passing through due to a drought caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.

Parts of central and southern Europe have seen temperatures above 40C this week. As things warm up in the UK, is there a heatwave on the way?

His comments sparked discussions around parenting, gender and culture, and just how important those three simple words are.

After more than 10 years, Amelia Dimoldenberg announced Chicken Shop Date was shutting up shop.

Xi rarely travels abroad with corporate executives, many of whom fell out of favor after Beijing's regulatory crackdowns on the tech, education and property sectors.

A second patient in two months has been found dead in a toilet at Waikato Hospital, prompting a Health NZ review.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Moscow and — for the first time, Kyiv — with a proposal to end the yearslong conflict with Ukraine.

The move is the latest twist in a legal dispute ahead of November's midterm elections.

Industry leaders are worried the deal short-circuits ongoing commercial talks and cuts them out of some of Venezuela's most prospective targets.

The talks will be led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on the U.S. side, sources briefed on the discussions said.

Counterfeit versions of a drug which is still in clinical trials are flooding the black market.

The Japanese currency posted its best week since July, gaining about 2.4% against the dollar.

Her government has promised to review and cut back on unnecessary spending programs and is trying to incorporate more forward-looking investment into the budget.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced more financial assistance for New Caledonia.

If it wins an outright majority in Saxony-Anhalt, it would be the first time a far-right party has held state-level power in Germany since World War Two.

The 42-year-old man was arrested after allegedly contacting multiple electoral offices in Australia while he was in NZ.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured on Friday after an explosion at ‌a military barracks in the Bolivian municipality of Viacha, about 30 kilometres from La Paz, local authorities said.

"Every corner of this farm she's touched something, planted something," says Pattie O'Boyle of the legacy left behind by Marangai's first farming family.

Magnolia petals and pine pollen are among the ingredients foraged and plated up at Tussock Hill restaurant.

Three months earlier, Fleur Lonsdale had booked her flights on British Airways' (BA) website, but the ticket that was generated looked strange.

A woman and man were found dead at a house in Tahunanui after a report of a shotgun being stolen.

Thousands of people have been jolted awake by an early morning quake in Wellington. The magnitude 4.9 tremor hit at 6.34am on Saturday, centred about 30km north-west of Paraparaumu, and...

Milford Road snow closure extended into Saturday morning

One person has died after a single-vehicle crash in Huntly.

After more than a decade of interviewing and flirting with movie stars, musicians and athletes while sharing some fried chicken, Amelia Dimoldenberg, the host of the popular YouTube talk show Chicken Shop Date, announced this week she's closing up shop.

A collision with a ute whilst on his e-scooter left Riana Grobbelaar’s son with a fractured pelvis, internal bleeding and memory loss.

BBC News visits town where violence has escalated after the fatal crash and residents say they are living in fear.

Here’s what the trolls get wrong about extreme heat

Stanislav Volo went for a hike on Sunday above the Sea-to-Sky Gondola and did not return home.

RNZ's money correspondent answers your questions.

Deputy leader Shane Jones wants economic activities like mining and quarrying on conservation land - apart from in national parks.

The chief justice of Alberta, who also served as the chief justice of the courts of appeal of Alberta, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, has died after battling an illness.

A former contestant on the Greek edition of the hit competition show Survivor is suing the show's producers after a horrific boat accident led to him having part of his leg cut off.

I’m a climate scientist. Here’s what the trolls get wrong about extreme heat.

A new addition to the Faith & Science Resource Center: The religious journey of Mary Anning, a remarkable and yet unheralded figure in the history of science.

A new addition to the Faith & Science Resource Center: geology, history, faith, and the early nineteenth-century paleontologist Mary Anning.

The United Nations General Assembly voted for a resolution spearheaded by several African countries to adopt a map that makes their continent bigger while shrinking North America and Europe - aiming at "a more accurate representation" of world geography.

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says he's worried the Canadian government is meddling in the Quebec provincial election, saying there is a “possibility that we are facing the greatest federal interference in our affairs and our election since 1995.”

A new five-part drama 'The Murder of Mr Moonlight' has been commissioned by RTÉ and is expected to be broadcast next year.

Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly has said it is time to introduce universal road safety and driver theory test programmes in schools across the country.

The World Nomad Games, a cultural and sporting festival centred on traditional nomadic ‌sports, are happening in Kyrgyzstan until Sunday.

The City of Toronto has issued an "order to remedy unsafe building" to Live Nation Canada about the state of Rogers Stadium after the concert venue was damaged by Wednesday's severe thunderstorm.

There is no legal requirement for practitioners to report every medically unfit driver, the New Zealand Transport Agency says.

German authorities said they believe a militant climate activist was behind a spate of sabotage attacks on the power grid and are hunting for the 48-year-old suspect.

A fraudster who pawned former Premier League star Edgar Davids' £188,000 modern art collection failed to turn up to court to be sentenced, claiming she had been struck with a bag on her way to the airport.

Pop singer Miley dropped "Cyrus" from her name on her social media accounts earlier this week, and now her famous father Billy Ray Cyrus is clearing up the confusion on social media.

Turkish prosecutors said they had charged a popular comedian with insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other offences during a stand-up performance in June that, if proven, could see him jailed for years.

Toronto police say they have arrested and charged a man in connection to an arson investigation after several cars were torched at the home of a Scarborough MP last week.

SSE Airtricity has announced a price increase which will see its average customers' energy bills rise by around 9%.

A judge declared a mistrial in the high-profile case of an American woman who killed her three young children.

No relevant information was uncovered in a review carried out by the Northern Ireland Assembly following the conviction of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson for historical sex offences.

The National Transport Committee has been asked to appear before the Oireachtas Transport Committee over increases in public transport fares.

The Taoiseach has said he accepts that the proportion of taxation coming from corporation tax is a concern.

Following new instructions barring military chaplains from referencing God in certain contexts, Bishop Scott McCaig speaks to Vatican News about the dangerous precedence this policy can set, the road that led to these instructions, an inter-faith committee dedicated to confronting this policy, and the hope that Canadian Catholics have.

Read all

Scholars, politicians, businessmen and women, religious leaders, activists, and young people are gathering in Indonesia to reflect on “one of the great challenges of our time: how to ensure that artificial intelligence is at the service of human dignity, fraternity, and peace.”

Read all

Spain registered its joint-highest temperature for September on record with 45.7C measured in a southwestern town as exceptional heat hits the country, weather agency AEMET said.

The Latin Apostolic Vicar of Alexandria speaks to Vatican News about the Catholic Church in Egypt, its relations with the Coptic Orthodox and Muslim communities, and the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Read all

Five EU countries are seeking a deal with an unnamed non-EU country to host a "return hub" for migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. job market rebounded in August as employers added a surprising 162,000 jobs. The unemployment rate stayed at a low 4.1%. The jobs report, issued by the Labor Department Friday, could be good news for President Donald Trump two months before midterm elections in which the health of the economy is weighing on voters' minds. Hiring far exceeded the 65,000 forecasters had expected, according to a poll by FactSet. Labor Department revisions also looked good, adding 55,000 to June and July payrolls. Employers created 21,000 jobs in July; the Labor Department had originally reported that they’d cut 23,000. Restaurants and bars added 59,000 jobs last month, construction companies 22,000 and manufacturers 16,000. And the U.S. labor force — the number of people working or looking for work — jumped by 683,000 last month after falling in June and July. Yet many households are struggling with the high cost of living, and wage gains aren’t helping much. Average hourly wages rose 3.1% last month from a year earlier, the weakest year-over-year increase since May 2021. Frida

Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Inc. have won a combined 11 awards at IFA 2026, a major home electronics trade show in Berlin, organizers said Friday, in recognition of their technological prowess and design excellence. Samsung Electronics won four innovation awards at the annual tech show, which runs from Wednesday through Sunday (local time). Among the winners, Samsung's Bespoke wall-mounted air conditioner won innovation awards in the design category and in the home appliances category. The air conditioner's front features a clean and flat design, while ultra-precise holes are positioned at the bottom. The design was highly praised for harmonizing with surrounding spaces. LG Electronics won seven product awards, including best brand. The best brand award, introduced last year, is the top brand honor of the IFA innovation awards, recognizing overall brand excellence based on technological innovation, market impact and design.

The foreign ministry said Friday it is lifting special travel advisories for parts of Thailand, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Ethiopia, as local security and health risks have subsided. The ministry lifted the special advisory, which calls for citizens to cancel or postpone their trips unless essential, for seven provinces near the Thailand-Cambodia border and revised down the travel alert to Level 1 that calls for caution. Separately from the government's standard four-tier travel alert system, special travel advisories are temporary measures issued for countries facing immediate and short-term risks. They remain in effect for up to 90 days and can be extended if the risks persist. Special advisories for checkpoint areas bordering Laos and Myanmar will remain in place to prevent South Korean nationals from widespread job scams and potential forced confinement in the region, the ministry said. The same advisory issued for parts of Ethiopia's capital of Addis Ababa will also be lifted as no active Ebola cases have been found. Similar restrictions will be removed for select areas in Azerbaijan and

A lawmaker of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) proposed a bill Friday that would require proportional representation lawmakers to give up their parliamentary seats in order to serve as Cabinet members. The proposal came as Rep. Yong Hye-in of the minor Basic Income Party, nominee for gender equality minister, faced criticism after expressing her intention to retain her National Assembly seat even after being appointed to the Cabinet position. "Yong Hye-in's greed in refusing to give up either position has laid bare the loophole in the current system that allows lawmakers to hold Cabinet posts," PPP Rep. Kim Jae-sub said, as he proposed the revision to the National Assembly Act. Under current law, lawmakers can double as members of the Cabinet, though proportional representatives have customarily given up their parliamentary seats to join the Cabinet, passing on the post to the next candidate in line on the proportional representation list. Yong, who is currently the sole lawmaker of her party, earlier said she would keep her Assembly seat even if she becomes the minister, not

A government-experts panel selected Friday three former senior prosecutors and one former judge as candidates to lead a new investigative agency for serious crimes. The panel of government officials and private experts shortlisted the four candidates — three current practicing lawyers and a law professor — to lead the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, set to be launched early next month, the nomination committee said. They will be submitted to Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung, who will pick one final candidate for the appointment by President Lee Jae Myung. Lee will formally appoint the agency chief after a parliamentary confirmation hearing. The nomination committee was launched to make candidate recommendations for the inaugural agency chief, ahead of the agency's planned launch on Oct. 2. It has also received public recommendations for the candidates. The new agency is being established as part of a sweeping reform in the criminal justice system that centers on stripping prosecutors of their independent and supplementary investigative powers. One of the candidates is Moon Hong-ju, a

President Lee Jae Myung has designated the whole southeastern city of Tongyeong as a special disaster zone eligible for government support after torrential rains battered the region, a presidential spokesperson said Friday. The government plans to step up recovery efforts following extreme torrential rains hitting the city and adjacent regions, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. Late last month, the president designated parts of the city and neighboring Geoje city as special disaster zones, which are eligible for state funding for reconstruction, while some tax cuts and discounts on utility fees are offered to residents. More than 800 millimeters of rain pounded South Gyeongsang Province, including Tongyeong and Geoje, late last month.

Danielle, formerly of NewJeans, has launched a YouTube channel, raising questions about whether she is preparing to embark on a full-fledged solo career. The former NewJeans member uploaded a video titled “Detour” to her YouTube channel, Danielle Marsh, on Thursday. The clip, which runs just over a minute, is her first upload since launching the channel. Appearing before the camera with little to no makeup, Danielle wore a hoodie and flashed a relaxed smile. “I’m by myself now so this is kind of awkward,” Danielle said in the video. She also revealed that she is currently staying in Australia and admitted that speaking to the camera alone after a long absence felt unfamiliar. “I really missed where I grew up and, of course, my family,” Danielle continued. “I chose to spend some quality time here.” The artist said she has spent time unwinding by swimming at the beach and being with her family since returning to Australia. “I’m really looking forward to my new adventure of my own,” she said. “I don’t know what what awaits me, I don't know where I'll be going. All

BLACKPINK’s Lisa has opened up about the hardships and restrictions she faced as a K-pop idol. According to a report by the Toronto Star on Thursday, Lisa discussed her past relationships and the constraints of idol life in her solo documentary, “Always Lalisa.” Lisa moved to Korea in 2011 at the age of 14 to begin training under YG Entertainment. Recalling those years, she said, “I didn’t dare speak up or express my thoughts.” She was also seen wiping away tears as she described the monthly performance tapes she submitted to bosses for review during those years and the feedback. “In K-pop culture, we can't date,” Lisa said. “When I was younger, I dated a few times, but we had to hide when we’re dating. I didn’t want my dating to be the thing that hurts BLACKPINK's popularity.” She also revealed that her debut solo studio album, “Alter Ego,” released last year, draws on her own romantic experiences. One of its songs, “Dream,” was inspired by a relationship she had kept secret in the past, Lisa explained. The artist added that she had contacted her former pa

The Korea Environmental Education Center said it launched an outreach program on Aug. 25 to teach communities about the principles of the circular economy and resource circulation. The program, jointly developed by the Korea Environmental Education Center and Novelis Korea, explains how commonly used materials, including plastic, glass bottles, paper cartons and aluminum cans, are collected, processed and recycled. In particular, the program introduces the “Can-to-Can” aluminum recycling model, which turns used cans into new ones through a closed-loop system. The lessons help participants understand how resources can remain in circulation rather than being discarded after a single use. Through November, instructors from the center will conduct at least 30 on-site classes at public institutions, lifelong learning centers and civic organizations in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Incheon and Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The sessions will explain the principles of the circular economy and closed-loop recycling while encouraging participants to adopt resource-saving practices in their d

Police will seek to introduce legal grounds to track the locations of adults reported missing as part of follow-up measures to a recent high-profile missing person case, officials said Friday. The National Police Agency said it will push to establish such provisions so that they will be able to confirm or track the data of missing adults, akin to the current system used to find missing children. Police investigators are currently restricted from tracking the locations of mobile devices of adults reported missing unless there are signs of a crime involved, forcing the police to presume that those missing may have simply left their homes. The agency said it also plans to strengthen management of missing person cases by establishing a dedicated organization to oversee such cases. The move comes amid growing calls to improve police handling of missing person cases following public outcry over a missing woman case on the southern resort island of Jeju. A police officer was found to have closed the case shortly after the woman was first reported missing in May without confirming her safety. Her

The National Education Commission is debating extending the school day for first- and second-graders, sparking a clash between policymakers and educators. Supporters argue that aligning instruction time with the OECD average will reduce parents' reliance on private tutoring centers, known as hagwons in Korean. However, teachers' groups warn that longer classes will merely delay the daily after-school hagwon cycle without solving the underlying gap in after-school care. The commission, the National Assembly Futures Institute and the Korean Educational Development Institute held a joint policy forum on Thursday at the National Assembly Library. The event marked the commission's first public debate on lengthening the school day for young students. Shorter school days strain working parents Hwang In-hyeok and Seong Mun-ju, associate research fellows at the National Assembly Futures Institute, presented data showing a severe gap in instructional time. Korean elementary students receive 655 hours of instruction a year, falling about 22 percent, or 190 hours, short of the OECD average of 845 ho

As Seoul weighs how to contribute to efforts to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, attention is turning to what military assets Korea could realistically send — and what missions they could perform without drawing the country directly into combat with Iran. Military experts say maritime surveillance, logistics support and mine-clearing operations could be the most practical roles for Korean forces in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Seoul to contribute to securing the strategic waterway while limiting the risks of direct involvement in the conflict. Cheong Wa Dae said Friday that no decision has been made on whether to deploy forces or what assets could be sent, adding that it is considering a range of options, including combat, noncombat and search missions. Military readiness on the Korean Peninsula is also a key consideration. A Cheong Wa Dae official said Seoul could consider options that would not significantly undermine its readiness posture at home. Kang Eun-ho, former head of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and a professor at Korea Aerospace Uni

DUBAI — A U.S. campaign to throttle Iran's economy by blockading its oil exports and stopping sanctions evasion is growing increasingly difficult to withstand, three senior Iranian sources said. Washington has in recent weeks sought to ratchet up the economic pressure on Tehran, in an effort to extract concessions in any future negotiation that six months of conflict have so far failed to secure. Although Iran's clerical rulers managed to bypass sanctions for decades, the latest U.S. moves have left them in a far more sensitive position, with few remaining channels to secure foreign currency or buy goods, the sources said. In particular, the effort to stop Iran accessing international financing networks in other countries it has long used to keep its economy functioning poses a real and urgent threat, the sources said. Any sign the economic campaign may break a months-long deadlock in the conflict will likely cheer U.S. planners, though Iran has also warned it could respond to the pressure with military escalation, raising the stakes at a key moment. Petrol stocks low as currency collap

JEONNAM-GWANGJU METROPOLITAN CITY — The 16th Gwangju Biennale began its opening events Friday, ahead of its public opening Saturday, with an exhibition that invites visitors to see change not as a sudden break, but as a gradual process shaping individuals, communities, landscapes and the planet. Titled “You Must Change Your Life,” the biennale's main exhibition runs through Nov. 15 at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall. Curated by Ho Tzu Nyen with Che Kyong-fa, Park Ga-hee and Brian Kuan Wood, the exhibition brings together 43 artists and groups in five galleries within the venue. The title, drawn from the final line of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem “Archaic Torso of Apollo,” serves less as an instruction than an open-ended provocation, according to Ho. “It tells you that something must change, but it does not tell you how, why or what you should become,” Ho said during a press conference. “It is a demand without a program.” That ambiguity takes on a collective meaning in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, a city defined by the 1980 pro-democracy movement and it

Naver Board Chairman Lee Hae-jin and Brookfield Asset Management CEO Bruce Flatt discussed Brookfield’s investment commitment to a 1-gigawatt artificial intelligence (AI) data center project jointly pursued by Naver and Nvidia. Naver said Friday that Lee and Flatt met at Naver’s 1784 office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, a day earlier and held follow-up discussions on Naver’s AI Factory project. Brookfield is a leading global alternative asset manager with more than $1 trillion in assets under management. In July, the company committed up to $9 billion to the project’s first phase, accounting for 200 megawatts. During the meeting, Lee expressed gratitude to Brookfield for supporting Naver’s AI Factory vision through its investment decision. He said he hopes the two companies can lead the global AI infrastructure market by combining Brookfield’s accumulated expertise in infrastructure investment with Naver’s AI technologies. In the first phase, Naver will establish a wholly owned subsidiary to operate the AI Factory, while Brookfield will set up a special purpose vehicle (S

As diplomatic tension over the Taiwan Pavilion threatens to overshadow the Gwangju Biennale, organizers of Asia’s premier contemporary art event appealed for the exhibition to be viewed separately from political disputes. The controversy centers on the decision by the organizers to use the name "Taiwan Pavilion" for a project organized by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. The move prompted Chinese artists and organizers to announce their withdrawal from the exhibition on Thursday, arguing that the title brought political issues into the cultural field. Youn Bum-mo, president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, expressed deep regret over the situation while defending the foundation’s original administrative process. "It is truly regrettable that we have reached this situation, and I am deeply sorry," Youn said during a press conference held at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Friday, the day before the 72-day event opens. "We wanted the Chinese Pavilion to participate until the end, and it is very disappointing that it led to the

Unionized workers in the financial sector took to the streets Friday to oppose the government's consideration of relocating state-run banks and other public financial institutions out of the capital. The Korea Financial Industry Union (KFIU), a major umbrella labor group, staged a strike in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, drawing about 30,000 members, according to organizers. Police estimated the turnout at 14,000. The rally focused on the prospect of relocating state-run banks, including Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), Korea Development Bank (KDB) and Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank). KFIU Chairman Yoon Seok-gu said the union opposed relocating financial institutions for political reasons, arguing that Seoul already serves as a major financial hub. "Major financial centers such as New York, London, Tokyo and Hong Kong have their financial institutions concentrated in their cities, and Seoul is fully capable of serving the same role," Yoon said. "What kind of logic is it to simply tell us to go somewhere else without any clear reason or justification?" he said. The union's other

Korea will launch free agentic artificial intelligence (AI) services for all citizens by the end of the year, allowing users to have AI agents that carry out real-world tasks such as reservations and payments through mobile messengers, phone calls and text messages. The Ministry of Science and ICT and the operators of the “AI for All” project held a press briefing on Friday and outlined their service plans. The programs will enter beta testing next month before their official launch later this year. The three operators are consortiums each led by telecom operators SK Telecom and KT, along with mobile messenger firm Kakao. “Our ultimate goal is to have new homegrown AI services blend naturally into people’s daily lives,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon said. “What matters most is how easily people can access the services, how often they use the services and how much the services actually help in everyday life.” A consortium led by Kakao will team up with LG Group, using KakaoTalk messenger as the entry point for its AI service. Based on

Korean stocks climbed Friday, with the benchmark KOSPI reclaiming the 6,600 level as a rally on Wall Street and a pullback in U.S. Treasury yields improved investor sentiment. Foreign and institutional investors turned net buyers after five consecutive sessions of selling, with net purchases of 479.3 billion won ($355 million) and 1.67 trillion won, respectively, providing a boost to the index. KOSPI started the session 1.14 percent higher at 6,654.36, up 74.88 points from the previous close. The index remained in positive territory throughout the session and ended 107.73 points, or 1.64 percent, higher at 6,687.21. U.S. stocks advanced across the board overnight as Treasury yields steadied. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.18 percent, while the other two major indexes also posted gains. The rally was partly fueled by comments from Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller, who signaled he could support keeping interest rates unchanged at this month’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting, if incoming inflation data confirm that price pressures are continuing to ease. His remarks

Foreign nationals who are victims of crimes such as domestic violence will now be able to apply for permission to remain in the country, through immigration offices with jurisdiction over the shelters where they are staying. According to the Ministry of Justice, Friday, it has revised the rules to allow foreign victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse and other human rights violations to apply for extensions of stay and other permits at the immigration offices with jurisdiction over the shelters where they are staying, rather than their places of residence. Previously, foreign nationals were required to apply for immigration permits at offices covering their registered addresses. Concerns had been raised that requiring victims who fled domestic violence or other abuse to visit immigration offices near their former residences could expose their whereabouts and put their safety at risk. In response, the ministry expanded the rules so the foreign victims would not have to risk returning to the area of their registered address and potentially encountering the perpetrator of

South Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace is nearing a deal to export its Chunmoo multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) to Croatia, industry sources said Friday. Hanwha Aerospace has been in final negotiations with Croatia to supply 18 Chunmoo launchers and guided missiles in a deal estimated at 435.2 million euros ($510 million), according to industry sources and Croatian media reports. If finalized, the deal would make Croatia the fourth European country to acquire the Chunmoo system, following Poland, Estonia and Norway. The Chunmoo MLRS, developed to counter North Korea's artillery threats, is a South Korean weapons system capable of delivering rapid, precision strikes using various types of rockets and missiles with different ranges.

A special counsel team on Friday appealed Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja's two-year prison sentence for bribing the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and other corruption charges. Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which had sought a 13-year prison term for the 83-year-old, said it submitted the appeal, arguing the sentence did not match the gravity of her crimes. The Seoul Central District Court on Monday convicted Han of giving a luxury necklace and a Chanel bag to Yoon's wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, while requesting favors for the church through an intermediary in July 2022. It also found her guilty of colluding with former church officials to give 100 million won ($66,400) to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the then ruling People Power Party (PPP) in January 2022. Min's team said it was difficult to accept the sentence, objecting to the court citing Han's efforts for world peace as a favorable sentencing factor for her. It also separately appealed a court decision to extend Han's suspension of detention until Sept. 30 due to health issues. Han has yet to file an appeal a

The leader of Samsung Electronics' largest labor union and a senior union official are under investigation on suspicion of stealing the personal information of about 100,000 company employees to create a "union blacklist," information obtained by Yonhap News Agency showed Friday. The Hwaseong Dongtan Police Station referred Choi Seung-ho, head of the Samsung Electronics labor union, and the unidentified senior union official to the prosecution without detention on charges of violating the personal information protection law, according to the information. Choi and the union official are accused of compiling a blacklist, using illegally obtained personal information of employees that included their union membership. They are believed to have made such a list in and around March, when the union was preparing to launch a general strike over performance-based bonuses. The unidentified union official, who used to handle the company's internal systems, is suspected of unlawfully obtaining a file containing the names of more than 100,000 company employees and handing it over to the labor union.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met with new Irish Ambassador to Korea Sean Hoy on Friday and discussed ways to advance peace on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said Friday. At the meeting, Chung called on Ireland to take a leading role in building Europe's understanding and support for peace on the peninsula, leveraging Ireland's position as the rotating chair of the European Union for the second half of the year. Pointing to Ireland's long struggle for independence and the eventual settlement of the conflict in Northern Ireland, Chung said the two Koreas could learn from the country's perseverance in pursuing peace. For his part, Hoy voiced support for Seoul's peace efforts and shared insights from Ireland's own peace process. Hoy said Ireland is ready to work with any country seeking to learn from its experience, adding that peace is a goal always worth pursuing. The two affirmed their shared commitment to pursuing peace on the peninsula, rooted in a mutual understanding of the pain of division and the need to restore peace, the ministry said.

U.S. actor Ansel Elgort, known for his lead role in the 2017 film "Baby Driver," drew criticism from some Koreans online after wearing a traditional Japanese yukata to a Seoul art event. The "CJ NIGHT in Celebration of Frieze Seoul" event took place Wednesday at the Leeum Museum of Art in Yongsan District, Seoul. The gala celebrated Frieze, an art fair that began in the United Kingdom in 2003 and selected Seoul in 2022 to host its first Asian edition. High-profile Korean attendees included actors Lee Byung-hun, Lee Min-jung and Lee Jung-jae, director Park Chan-wook and K-pop artist G-Dragon. Among the guests, Elgort's attire quickly sparked controversy. Elgort posed for photographers at the photo call wearing the yukata. The event reportedly asked guests to follow a "cocktail attire" dress code. Korean fans criticized his wearing of the traditional Japanese garment, which is unrelated to Korea. Elgort is engaged to a Japanese American woman and recently announced the birth of a son. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generativ

NEW DELHI — Two workers have been rescued from a flooded hydropower tunnel in Nepal, nine days after the disaster that has killed more than 1,200 people across Nepal and China. The men were pulled alive on Friday from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project along the Trishuli River. Officials said one of the survivors told rescuers that more people were still alive inside the tunnel. At least 900 workers are missing from hydropower projects , with about 500 believed to be inside tunnels, according to officials and industry representatives. But access to the tunnels has been hampered by flooding, debris and damaged infrastructure, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach workers. Rescuers are scouring tunnels filled with debris Teams aided by foreign experts have been working at several hydropower projects, while rescuers have combed dark, debris-filled tunnels, wading through mud and scrambling over rocks in search of the missing. Mohan Kumar Dangi, president of the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal, said floods damaged at least 12 hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwako

Discarded picture books, worn-down crayons and scraps of fabric will get a new life this weekend as Seoul hosts an upcycling festival built around a simple idea: What people throw away can become something useful again. Seoul Water Recycling Facilities Corp. said Friday that it will hold the Earth Regeneration Project from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the outdoor plaza of the Seoul Water Recycling Experience Center. The event coincides with Resource Circulation Day, a legal observance intended to promote environmental protection and the importance of recycling resources. The festival is being held alongside the center’s exhibition “Water That Goes Around,” which explores the journey of water as it flows, gathers and begins again. Organizers said the event extends that idea beyond water, inviting visitors to see discarded materials as resources that can reenter everyday life in new forms. Visitors will be able to make environmentally friendly bookmarks from recycled paper, decorate pouches with discarded banners and create crafts using sea glass collected as marine waste. Other activiti

Seoul will host a two-day environmental festival at Gwangnaru Bicycle Park along the Han River, Saturday and Sunday, combining trash pickup with hands-on activities to mark Resource Circulation Day, observed Sept. 6, the city said. The event, called "Our Neighborhood Hangang Park Beautification: GREEN Hangang," invites participants to pick up litter, learn proper waste sorting and try upcycling crafts, including making cotton candy powered by pedaling a stationary bike and building musical instruments out of discarded materials. It builds on an ongoing citizen program in which the Gwangnaru Environmental Volunteer Corps has cleaned the park and removed invasive plants every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday since April, drawing about 900 participants so far; those regular cleanups continue through November. A similar event tied to Environment Day in June drew 1,800 participants. Organizers said the festival also highlights the Han River's recovering ecosystem, which has recently seen the return of otters and other wildlife. The event runs across four zones. In Han River Guardians, participan

National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik on Friday urged Korea and Japan to address historical issues and sincerely reflect on the past to further advance their bilateral ties. Cho made the call during a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Mizushima at the National Assembly, stressing the importance of maintaining exchanges between the countries' parliaments. "For Korea-Japan ties to continue and advance, we must resolve historical issues and make efforts toward the future," Cho said at the meeting. "The parliaments of the two countries have a tradition of maintaining dialogue even during difficult periods in Korea-Japan relations," he added, stressing that this tradition of parliamentary exchanges must serve as a "solid pillar" of bilateral ties. He also expressed hope that bilateral relations will continue to move toward the future based on "sincere reflection" on the past, as demonstrated by the 1998 joint declaration announced by then Korean President Kim Dae-jung and then Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi that called for the two nations to build a future-oriented rela

Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix maintained their positions as the top two players in the global NAND flash memory market in the second quarter, as the market continued to expand, industry data showed Friday. The NAND market expanded 70 percent in the April-June period compared with three months earlier, driven by rising prices, according to data compiled by industry tracker Counterpoint Research. The growth followed a 90 percent quarter-on-quarter increase in the first quarter. Samsung Electronics maintained its No. 1 position with a 28 percent market share in the second quarter, while SK hynix ranked second with a 19 percent share. Micron Technology Inc. ranked third, benefiting from higher selling prices. China's YMTC posted higher revenue than expected, with its market share reaching 14 percent in the cited period.

Samyang Foods, buoyed by the global success of its Buldak spicy noodle brand, is expanding its presence in North America and Europe with Tangle, a protein pasta brand positioned as a healthier alternative to instant noodles. The company said Tangle’s global sales in the first half of the year rose 102 percent from a year earlier. In the United States, sales surged 475 percent, reflecting growing demand among local consumers for protein-focused convenience foods, it said. Tangle has entered major U.S. retail chains, including Walmart, Target, Albertsons, Kroger, Aldi and Five Below. The brand has also expanded its online distribution through Amazon and TikTok Shop. Its lineup — Mushroom Cream, Garlic Oil, Garlic Shrimp, Bulgogi Alfredo and Basil Tomato — combines classic pasta flavors with Korean elements, appealing to a broad range of tastes. Samyang Foods is accelerating its push into mainstream U.S. retail channels in the second half of the year. Walmart is set to expand Tangle sales to more than 1,600 stores nationwide, while Target plans to carry the products at more than 1,000

The Kookmin University-led Environment Consortium of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUSS) Convergence Talent Development Project has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Qatar-based Gulf Organization for Research & Development (GORD) to foster global climate professionals and advance the green industry. The university said the two sides signed the agreement at the university’s Seoul campus on Tuesday. It added that the partnership marks the beginning of broader educational and research cooperation with the Qatari institution specializing in sustainability. The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from five participating universities in the consortium, including Duksung Women’s University, the University of Ulsan, Inha University and Chosun University. Founded in 2009 by Yousef Alhorr, GORD is a quasi-governmental organization responsible for promoting sustainability under the Qatar National Vision 2030. It operates the Global Sustainability Assessment System and conducts applied research in carbon management, energy efficiency, renewable energy and water reso

K-pop boy group Monsta X returned to the music scene Friday with its latest EP, "The Phase." The album comprises six tracks, including the lead track "Magic," B-sides such as "Type X" and "That's My Girl." "Magic" blends rhythmic guitar riffs with a punchy beat and credits member Jooheon as a lyricist, according to the group's agency, Starship Entertainment. Since debuting in 2015, Monsta X has built a sizable international following, becoming known for its high-energy performances and active involvement in songwriting and production.

The Korea Customs Service will roll out a package of special measures ahead of Chuseok, Korea's autumn holiday, to speed the supply of seasonal food items, ease import clearance and reduce the financial burden on exporters, the agency said. From Sept. 7-27, 34 customs offices nationwide will operate 24-hour special clearance teams, including nights and holidays, to fast-track imports of holiday food staples and urgently needed raw materials, while stepping up inspections of imported food to block unsafe or illegal products. Separate teams will handle the surge in direct overseas purchases — personal imports bought straight from foreign online retailers — at customs offices in Incheon, Pyeongtaek, Gunsan, Yongdang and Gimpo Airport. To curb the stockpiling of items covered by tariff-rate quotas, such as frozen pork and fruit, the agency will impose penalty surcharges on delayed import declarations and step up inspections of bonded warehouses to ensure timely release of goods. A "special customs refund support" period will run Sept. 10-23 to ease exporters' cash flow, with refunds gene

The proposed restructuring of state-run firms is aimed at responding to major changes in the industrial landscape, including the artificial intelligence (AI) transformation, rather than cutting costs, a finance ministry official said Friday. The remarks came after the Korean government unveiled a blueprint to reduce the number of state-run firms by around 20 percent, from 524 to 415, the previous day. "We are taking a completely different approach from previous initiatives to reform state-run firms," the official said. "(During previous administrations), reforms were aimed at improving efficiency and tackling poor management. This time, however, we are pursuing comprehensive and preemptive reforms to address complex challenges, including the AI transformation," the official added. The official said that although the restructuring will involve workforce reallocation, it will not affect the total number of new employees hired. The 109 entities subject to restructuring currently employ an estimated 120,000 full-time workers, according to the finance ministry. Korea will establish a task force

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel Friday as emergency teams continued an operation to reach others believed to be trapped inside, officials said. The two men were rescued from the Trishuli 3A tunnel nine days after floods, likely caused by a glacier collapse, devastated towns and swept away villages in Nepal on Aug. 26. Nepalese lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane posted about the second rescue on his Facebook page shortly after army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first trapped worker’s rescue. Officials identified the two men as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor. Local television news channels showed images of the first rescued worker covered in mud and being carried from the site on a rescuer’s shoulder. Officials said both men were in stable condition and were flown to a hospital in Kathmandu. At least 557 workers are missing from the Trishuli 3A hydropower project along the Trishuli River, with about 115 believed to be trapped in the main tunnel, according to the Independent Power Producers Associa

The free 2026 Seoul Taekwondo Performance series resumes Sept. 5 at Namsangol Hanok Village and the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), the city said, following a summer hiatus after drawing more than 20,000 spectators in the first half of the year. The city held 35 performances in the first six months of 2026, attracting 20,809 viewers — more than double last year's turnout for the same period and already surpassing all of 2025's annual attendance of 19,835. Of the 22,308 people who took part in performances and hands-on experience programs combined, 7,462, or 33.4 percent, were foreign tourists — meaning roughly one in three participants came from abroad. The series combines traditional taekwondo demonstrations with staged performance elements, aimed at giving both domestic and international visitors an accessible introduction to Korea's national martial art. The main fall performances run weekends at 2 and 4 p.m. from Sept. 5 through Oct. 18 at Cheonu Pavilion in Namsangol Hanok Village, a recreated traditional village in Jung District. Performing groups include Kukkiwon, Korea's offi

A historic hanok compound in northeastern Seoul is becoming a stage for autumn, with live music, hands-on crafts and food trucks set among the trees at Bukseoul Dream Forest on Saturday. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the Bukseoul Dream Forest Fall Concert is taking place from 1.1. am to 8 p.m. at Changnyeongwigung Jaesa, a nationally registered cultural heritage site within the park. The program combines an afternoon of craft activities with an evening concert, offering visitors a chance to experience traditional architecture and outdoor entertainment in one setting. Five craft programs are available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., including plaster figure art, terrarium making, art lamp crafts, sea glass crafts and decoden crafts. The paid activities are open to the first 800 visitors, while food trucks will operate throughout the event. The evening concert begins at 5:30 p.m. on a special stage in the courtyard of Changnyeongwigung Jaesa and runs until 8 p.m. Performers include rock band Youngstar, children’s belly dance group Nuri Kids and electric violinist Ujoo. The lineup also incl

Busan drew 2.93 million foreign tourists from January through July, reaching 73.2 percent of its annual target of 4 million visitors, the city said. The figure marks a 46.1 percent increase from the same period last year, far outpacing Korea's overall 21.3 percent growth rate in foreign arrivals. July alone brought 507,045 foreign visitors to the southeastern port city, breaking June's record of 484,057 and marking a second consecutive monthly high. Busan accounted for 24.2 percent of all foreign arrivals to Korea that month, meaning roughly one in four visitors to the country came to Busan. The city expects to surpass 3 million foreign visitors for the year sometime in August, about two months earlier than last year, when it first crossed that threshold in October. Taiwan and China were Busan's top visitor markets in July, with about 128,000 and 125,000 visitors respectively, together accounting for nearly half of the month's arrivals. Cumulative visitors from the United States reached 259,675 through July, up 78.4 percent from a year earlier — more than six times the national growth

The Korea Heritage Service (KHS) and its affiliate, the Korea National University of Heritage (KNUH), held a completion ceremony Wednesday for a temporary protective shelter built over the Ramesseum temple's pylon gate in Luxor, Egypt, marking a milestone in a Korean-led restoration project. The Ramesseum is the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, who ruled Egypt's 19th dynasty from roughly 1279 B.C. to 1213 B.C., and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis." Years of weathering, sharp temperature swings and earthquake risk have long threatened the structure's stability. KHS and KNUH have worked with Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), led by Secretary-General Hisham El-Leithy, since 2023 on a five-year project to dismantle and restore the temple's pylon, or monumental gateway. During excavation and survey work, researchers identified a cartouche — an oval hieroglyphic frame enclosing a pharaoh's name — bearing Ramesses II's name, along with a previously unrecorded place name that could help confirm the extent of his kingdom's

Korea’s cultural footprint has long been defined by chart-topping pop bands and Oscar-winning cinema. Now, the government is leveraging that soft power to fuel a commercial transformation. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revealed plans, Friday, to turn six overseas Korean Cultural Centers into permanent promotional hubs for everyday consumer goods. Under the newly minted Global K-Zone initiative, diplomacy will merge with commercial retail as hubs in Tokyo, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, Beijing and Shanghai showcase Korean beauty, cuisine and fashion. The initiative marks a pivot from passive artistic diplomacy to active economic export. By housing these zones within existing Korean Cultural Centers — hubs that consolidate state tourism, content and language agencies — officials aim to convert global fascination with screen culture into sales for tangible consumer products. The rollout begins Saturday in Tokyo, where the local cultural center will showcase 194 beauty products across 52 brands, including industry titans like Amorepacific, Sulwhasoo and Laneige. Visitors

AliExpress, the global e-commerce platform, is running its largest Chuseok promotion to date this month, roughly doubling the number of discounted products from a year earlier ahead of one of Korea's two biggest traditional holidays, the company said. Chuseok, a mid-autumn festival often compared to Thanksgiving, falls on Sept. 25 this year and is typically marked by family gatherings and gift-giving. The campaign, which began with early promotions Aug. 30, runs through Sept. 23 in a series of themed phases tied to holiday shopping and the start of fall. It opened with holiday essentials at discounted prices through Sept. 7, followed by category-focused deals from Sept. 8-11. From Sept. 14-20, the platform will highlight outdoor gear, electronics and holiday gift sets under themes built around fall outings and holiday preparation, before closing Sept. 21-23 with discounts from major brands. AliExpress said this year's event roughly doubles last year's product lineup and, alongside its traditional strength in direct overseas purchases, it has expanded its roster to include about 3,000 gl

LG will bring together its top technology executives with representatives from Nvidia, Google, Amazon and Microsoft at a two-week artificial intelligence event running Sept. 7-17 at LG Science Park, the company's research and development hub in southwestern Seoul's Magok area, the company said. The event, called LG SPARK 2026, began in 2018 as a series of internal events for LG affiliates to share R&D progress and was consolidated in 2023 into a single festival combining technology, culture and the arts. It drew about 60,000 attendees last year and has grown into LG's largest annual event. This year's edition has been reorganized to spread examples of AI transformation (AX) across the group. The festival opens Sept. 7-8 with a Tech Fair showcasing 41 new technologies, including 13 developed jointly across LG affiliates in physical AI, AI data centers and mobility, and 28 additional technologies in AI, biotechnology and clean technology — three areas Chairman Koo Kwang-mo has designated as future growth businesses since taking over the company. An AX Fair, Sept. 10-11, will present 68

Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, joined U.S. political and technology leaders Thursday in Washington for the launch of Foundry School, a workforce initiative aimed at strengthening advanced manufacturing and technology supply chains. Chung attended the event at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace at the invitation of Vice President JD Vance and the U.S. Department of State. Foundry School is a U.S.-led program developed with Stanford University to train entrepreneurs, engineers and advanced manufacturing leaders for strategic industries. The initiative is part of Pax Silica, a U.S.-led economic security partnership focused on strengthening supply chains supporting artificial intelligence (AI) and other strategic technologies. Jacob Helberg, U.S. under secretary of state for economic affairs, said Shinsegae’s partnership with Reflection AI represented an important milestone in Korea-U.S. cooperation in advanced industries. Helberg said Chung was a strong partner in efforts to build trusted AI supply chains among allies. Chung’s participation came as Shinsegae Group works

Kolmar Korea is putting Korean beauty in front of fashion’s global trendsetters, becoming the first Korean cosmetics company invited to Première Vision Paris, where it showcased makeup technology, textures and colors alongside the world’s leading textile and fashion material suppliers. Kolmar Korea said Friday that it participated in Première Vision Paris, held Sept. 1-3 in Paris, after being the only Korean beauty company invited to this year’s event. Première Vision Paris is one of the world’s leading fashion and textile trade shows, bringing together companies across yarns, fabrics, design, accessories, leather and other materials. More than 900 companies took part in this year’s event, according to Première Vision, which also introduced its first Cosmetic Village to encourage collaboration between fashion and beauty. The 150-square-meter space brought together more than 10 beauty companies, including French firms, to present products and technologies. Kolmar Korea established its own booth outside the Cosmetic Village in the show’s main area for seasonal trends, presen

Korea will provide additional emergency relief supplies worth 130 million won ($95,850) to help people affected by the recent massive floods in Nepal, the foreign ministry said Friday. The supplies, including 36,000 emergency thermal blankets and 2,320 heavy-duty thermal blankets, are scheduled to be sent to Nepal aboard a commercial flight Saturday, according to the ministry. Korea had previously announced $1 million in humanitarian aid for Nepal after massive floods and landslides hit the country's Rasuwa District near the Nepal-Tibet border on Aug. 26. The aid will be delivered through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to provide drinking water, first-aid and hygiene kits and basic health supplies to people in the affected areas. The disaster has left more than 1,200 people dead and nearly 6,000 still missing, including nine Koreans. Seoul dispatched a Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) to support search and rescue efforts. "The government will continue communicating with the Nepalese government and actively seek ways to provide assistance neede

Despite bad weather and rugged terrain, Korea continued a multipronged search Friday for nine nationals and others still missing after last week's devastating floods in Nepal, the foreign ministry said. The nine Koreans, along with local employees, were working at the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower plant construction site in Nepal's Rasuwa District when massive floods and landslides struck the area near the Nepal-Tibet border on Aug. 26. The Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) plans to resume helicopter and ground searches early Friday, according to the ministry. "Yesterday, the KDRT and corporate response teams conducted ground searches near Ramche and used drones and other advanced equipment for aerial searches, but found no meaningful signs," a ministry official said. KDRT chief Lee Kyoo-ho met with the commander of the Nepalese military unit in charge of the area to discuss the search operation. "While the two sides agreed to first use helicopters to assess the situation and determine search priorities, one of the two helicopters mobilized returned early due to worsening weather con

Koo Jeong-a makes art from what people usually fail to notice: the lingering trace of scent, a glow that emerges only after darkness falls and a crystal that flashes only when a viewer happens to stand in the right place. Her new solo exhibition at Leeum Museum of Art, “KOO JEONG A: OUSSSMOS,” turns that preoccupation into a museum-wide experience. On a rainy afternoon, the first challenge was simply to locate 50 crystals hidden in the dark gabion wall outside the gallery — a task that seemed designed to test whether looking is the same as seeing. In the work, titled “A Reality Upgrade & End Alone,” (2003/2026) the crystals refused to announce themselves. Only after shifting position and looking again did a small flash of light appear. That fleeting discovery — or the possibility of never finding it at all — is integral to her work. “Seeing is understanding,” Koo said at a press event Monday for her new exhibition. “I think seeing is knowing.” Yet the artist added that she cannot compel viewers to understand her works; she only hopes they will find their own way tow

What is required to lead a 117-year-old institution like Rotary — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic era? For Jennifer Jones, a Canadian from Windsor, dedication and "the power of storytelling" were essential to the job. As Rotary International's first female president, she knew her authentic and real communication style and desire to provide "vulnerable" leadership would see her through. "I think that sometimes the timing is right. My vocational strength, communication, was important as we were coming out of the COVID times," Jones said in an interview with The Korea Times at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. She said it was important to make sure that "people were not feeling isolated and that even in our solitude, we had the ability to connect across nations and still do good and support each other." During the pandemic, Rotary made use of infrastructure set up to fight polio — one of its most successful initiatives — helping people access treatment, vaccines and materials like masks in over 70 nations. "Rotary was meant for challenging times," Jones said, adding

Drivers and commuters heading into central Seoul this weekend should expect significant disruptions, with road closures and crowd control measures in place for the Seoul International Fireworks Festival on Saturday and a major marathon on Sunday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that traffic in Yeouido — from the southern end of Mapo Bridge to the 63 Building — will be fully controlled from 3 p.m. to midnight on Saturday in preparation for and during the Seoul International Fireworks Festival. Wonhyo Bridge will also be closed in both directions from 9 a.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday. Police will selectively allow access at six checkpoints in Yeouido. Subway trains will bypass Yeouinaru Station without stopping between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday to manage crowd flow. Safety personnel will be deployed from Friday evening across surrounding roads, subway stations and major entrance routes to Hangang Park ahead of a pre-festival event. On Sunday, the YTN Seoul Tour Marathon will take place in the central Seoul area from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The marathon course starts f

As adoption of artificiall intelligence (AI) accelerates across industries, one thing is becoming clear: infrastructure planning cannot wait. AI workloads are becoming more interconnected, distributed and operationally integrated across cloud, data center and edge environments. Infrastructure planning now requires organizations to align compute, networking, software, memory and operational requirements across increasingly complex environments. The cost of delaying AI infrastructure planning is becoming more apparent. Modern AI workloads require more than raw compute performance. They require balanced infrastructure where compute, networking, software, memory and operational workflows work cohesively at scale. Delays can slow deployment readiness and postpone AI-driven benefits such as productivity gains and operational automation. As AI demand continues to rise, organizations are prioritizing earlier planning to secure the compute capacity needed to support long-term AI growth. As AI infrastructure becomes more complex, infrastructure planning needs to begin earlier than traditional IT up

Comedian Kim Sook jokingly named Dr. Hong Hye-gul, film director Jang Hang-jun, singer Lee Sang-soon and former KBS announcer-turned-TV personality Do Kyung-wan as husbands blessed with successful wives, drawing laughs from the cast and viewers. On the Sept. 1 episode of KBS 2TV’s entertainment show “Problem Child in House,” physician and broadcaster Yeo Esther revealed that she is a self-described “homebody” who rarely goes out, even on weekends. Hong, who has been married to Yeo for 33 years, joked about the financial benefits of his wife’s lifestyle. “Because she stays home, she doesn’t spend much money. The money just keeps piling up at home, and I’m the only one who spends it,” he said with a laugh. Kim Sook then said Hong is widely regarded as one of the “four kings of husbands blessed with wifely luck.” “Hong Hye-gul is famous as one of the four kings of husbands who hit the jackpot with their wives. The others are Jang Hang-jun, Lee Sang-soon and Do Kyung-wan,” she said. Jang is married to screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, while Lee Sang-soon is the husband of s

The Institute of Middle East Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) has been selected for a joint research project under the government-led Humanities Korea Grants 3.0 program. The university said Wednesday that the institute will receive 12 billion won ($8.8 million) in research funding from the National Research Foundation of Korea over the next six years to conduct joint research with leading Middle East studies institutions in Korea. The institute formed a consortium with the Institute of Middle Eastern Affairs at Myongji University, the GCC Institute at Dankook University and the Institute of Mediterranean Studies at Busan University of Foreign Studies. The consortium was selected for the Humanities Korea Grants 3.0 program under the research agenda, “Building K-Middle Eastern Humanities for a Transformed Era: Reinterpreting Social Dynamics in the Middle East and Its Contemporary Adaptations.” The research project aims to provide an in-depth examination of changes in Middle Eastern societies and the mechanisms driving them. It is also designed to develop a Korean

The presidential office said Friday no final decision has been reached on sending military forces to the Strait of Hormuz, saying a review is still under way. Korea may be able to make military contributions to global efforts to ensure free navigation through the strait, to the extent that such contributions do not compromise its defense readiness, if it decides to do so, a presidential official said. The remarks follow media reports that the government is preparing to seek parliamentary approval for a plan to dispatch military forces to the strait, including a combat support ship. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently ratcheted up apparent pressure on Seoul to make military contributions to the critical waterway, repeatedly accusing the ally of turning down his request. "In order to make tangible contributions to the Strait of Hormuz, this should first be considered in light of our readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula, as well as in accordance with local legal procedures," the official said on condition of anonymity. "We are thinking that we may be able to (make contributions) wi

Simmons Korea, a company that manufactures mattresses and bedding products under license from the global Simmons brand, took an experimental marketing approach. By staging a pop-up event featuring dance, culinary experiences and other forms of art, the company sought to explore the blurring boundary between sleep and dreams without a single display of its own products. Simmons on Wednesday unveiled an immersive art performance titled “The Breath Before Inspiration” at Simmons Gallery Seongsu in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong, exploring themes of sleep, dreams and inspiration. The performance was designed as an immersive experience in a space with no separation between the stage and audience. Dancers waved through the audience as they performed, viewers, pulling spectators along with them and drawing them into the performance itself. The performance translated four values that Simmons’ Beautyrest Black line products promote — tranquility, flexibility, resilience and structure — into distinct movements. Rapper and record producer Gray served as music director for the project, while spati

Fans of Japanese horror manga will have a chilling new reason to visit Lotte World this fall, as the iconic Seoul theme park prepares to transform its grounds into a surreal nightmare directly inspired by the macabre universe of legendary artist Junji Ito. Lotte World Adventure announced Friday that its autumn festival, titled “Invitation to Bizarre World,” will run from Sept. 19 through Nov. 15. Created in partnership with the official “Junji Ito Collection,” the event marks the very first time the artist’s eerie, psychological universe has been recreated inside a full-scale amusement park. For decades, Junji Ito has captivated global audiences with his unsettling body horror, grotesque imagery and deeply uncomfortable narratives. His influence has sparked anime adaptations, live-action films and art exhibitions worldwide. Now, the Seoul theme park is bringing that signature aesthetic off the page. The festival imagines a dimensional door opening within Lotte World, blurring the lines between reality and dark fantasy as strange phenomena sweep through the park. Unforgettable

American television viewers are getting two new front-row seats to Korean entertainment, and accessing them will not require a subscription. CJ ENM, the entertainment powerhouse behind global smashes like "Parasite," said Friday that it is launching two free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels on Amazon Prime Video in the United States. Operating around the clock, the brand channels — “CJ ENM K-Stories” and “CJ ENM K-Pop” — aim to expand the reach of Korean drama, film and music directly into American living rooms. The venture signals a strategic push by CJ ENM to monetize its extensive content library while leaning into the rapidly expanding FAST market, which offers linear, cable-style channels over the internet without monthly fees. As traditional paid streaming services face consumer fatigue over rising subscription costs, free ad-supported platforms have quietly emerged as a dominant force in American media consumption. The flagship channel, “CJ ENM K-Stories,” will showcase hit television series and movies. Its inaugural lineup includes acclaimed tele

A Seoul tourism program brought 20 people, including people with disabilities, older adults and families with young children, together to explore traditional culture, public art and accessible travel. The Seoul Tourism Organization said Friday that it held the "Own Your Way Mingling Tour" at Namsangol Hanok Village and Seoul Namsan Gugak Center as part of a campaign promoting Seoul as a city open to everyone. The program included a hunt for hidden coins, a universal tourism quiz, a guided tour of Namsangol Hanok Village and a talk show on accessible travel. The tour was linked to The Find Seoul, a public art project by British artist Ryan Gander that invites people to discover specially designed coins hidden around Seoul. Frieze Seoul says The Find Seoul is running from Aug. 31 through Sept. 10, with 16,000 coins hidden across Seoul. Participants searched for coins at Namsangol Hanok Village, using the hunt to explore the traditional cultural site from a different perspective. The organization also provided a Seoul Danurim Tourism minivan equipped with a wheelchair lift so participants cou

President Lee Jae Myung will visit France next week to attend a summit-level event on cinema and hold bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, a presidential official said Friday. The trip, scheduled for Sunday to Wednesday, comes at the invitation of Macron following the French leader's visit to Korea in April, according to National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. It also comes as the two countries mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Lee will first travel to Saint-Paul-de-Vence to attend the Lumiere Summit on the future of cinema before making a two-day state visit to Paris from Tuesday, during which he will hold summit talks with Macron, Wi said. Lee will serve as co-chair of the Lumiere Summit with Macron on Monday, while on Tuesday, Lee and Macron will have a one-on-one luncheon, followed by a summit and a dinner banquet hosted by Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, at the Elysee Palace. In Paris, Lee will also attend a business roundtable involving 20 companies from both countries and have meetings with Yael Braun-Pivet, speaker of

K-pop boy group Riize marked its third anniversary on Friday with a promise to keep growing and avoid settling for a comfort zone. "Our goal has always been growth, and that remains unchanged today," the six-member act said through its agency, SM Entertainment. "We want to show our new sides rather than staying in a place of familiarity." Since debuting in 2023, Riize became best known for hit singles including "Get a Guitar," "Love 119" and "Boom Boom Bass." This year, the act completed a world tour that has drawn 420,000 fans in 21 destinations. The group thanked its fans, known as "Breeze," for steady support during moments of doubt. "Whenever we wondered whether we were doing well or whether this was the right path, Breeze gave us confidence and guided us positively. We are thankful for that," it said. Member Sungchan said he owed his current position to sharing "both good times and hard times" with his bandmates and fans, and vowed to keep "cherishing each moment" going forward. Eunseok said he felt more composure onstage, able to enjoy the moment as well as execute choreography and

A Chinese man was referred to the prosecution on Friday for allegedly killing one of his students and dismembering her body in the southeastern city of Gyeongsan last month, police said. Zheng Changsheng, a 31-year-old university lecturer, is accused of killing the 25-year-old female graduate student, also from China, at his home in the city some 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul on Aug. 20, mutilating her body and abandoning the body parts in mountains and other places in five cities, including nearby Gyeongju and Gunpo, just south of Seoul. He is also accused of obstructing the police's investigation by falsely reporting her missing after the alleged murder and taking her cell phone to a train station while dressed as a woman. According to the Gyeongbuk Gyeongsan Police Station, Zheng feared losing his job when the victim threatened during an argument to disclose their romantic relationship to the university. Police also said they conducted a psychopathy test on the suspect but his score was below the 25 out of 40 points required to classify him as a psychopath. The search for the victi

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 40 percent, marking its lowest level since he took office in June last year, a poll showed Friday. In a survey conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday through Thursday on 1,001 people aged 18 and older, 40 percent positively assessed Lee's management of state affairs, down 2 percentage points from the previous week. Lee's disapproval rating rose 1 percentage point to 51 percent, the highest level since he took office. The economy and people's livelihoods were the most frequently cited reason for the positive assessment at 14 percent, followed by diplomacy at 13 percent and overall performance at 10 percent. Among those who negatively assessed Lee's performance, 23 percent cited his real estate policies, followed by concerns over the economy and people's livelihoods at 11 percent and personnel appointments at 9 percent. Gallup said concerns over personnel appointments in this week's poll appeared to be linked to Lee's recent nomination of six new ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle. The pollster also said real estate policies have remained the m

Actor Kwak Si-yang and Yoo Ji-ae, a former member of K-pop girl group Lovelyz, shared handwritten letters with fans after announcing their surprise marriage. Kwak posted an image of his handwritten letter on social media Thursday, saying, "I am writing this letter because there is something I wanted to tell you personally." "I have met someone precious whom I want to spend the rest of my life with," he said. "Based on our trust and love for each other, we have promised to walk through life together. We hope to build a warm family, supporting each other through difficult times and sharing laughter in happy moments." Kwak also thanked his fans and promised to remain active as an actor after his marriage. "I will work hard to show you a more mature side of myself as I start a family, as well as good projects and performances as an actor," he said. Yoo also posted a handwritten letter on social media the same day. "I have met someone with whom I want to share my future, and we have happily promised to make a new start together," she said. Yoo expressed gratitude to her fans, saying, "I know man

Actor-singer Yim Si-wan has been selected as the emcee for the closing ceremony of this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), its organizers said Friday. The closing ceremony will feature the presentation of the Busan awards for works that competed in BIFF's main competition section introduced last year, according to the organizers. Yim, who first debuted as a member of K-pop boy group Ze:a, made his debut as an actor in the historical romance TV drama "The Moon Embracing the Sun" (2012). He has also appeared in the workplace drama "Misaeng" (2014) and the second and third seasons of the global megahit Netflix series "Squid Game." Meanwhile, actor Kim Min-ha, who appeared in the historical saga "Pachinko," will host the opening ceremony. The 31st edition of BIFF is slated to take place in the southeastern city of Busan from Oct. 6-15.

Anti-corruption investigators on Friday indicted a judge, known for sentencing former President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison, over allegations he was entertained at an expensive bar in 2023. Judge Jee Kui-youn faces charges of violating the anti-graft law for allegedly making two lawyers pay for services worth 4.09 million won ($3,000) at a bar in Seoul's posh neighborhood of Cheongdam in August 2023, according to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). The anti-graft law restricts public officials from receiving gifts or services exceeding 1 million won at a time from the same person regardless of any connection to their duties. The CIO determined the lawyers effectively paid more than 1 million won per person for the gathering of three people. The CIO said it investigated whether the services were provided in exchange for trial favors, but decided not to press bribery charges after determining the court bench that Jee belonged to did not handle the lawyers' cases at the time. It also identified another instance when Jee was treated at the same bar in Sep

Korea will hold an annual international security forum next week to discuss ways for cooperation in the midst of growing uncertainties in the global security environment, the defense ministry said Friday. The Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), scheduled to run from Monday through Wednesday, will be held under the theme "Toward a new coexistence in the age of turbulence," according to the ministry. This year's forum is expected to bring together some 1,000 personnel from 67 nations, including the defense chiefs of the Czech Republic, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Uganda. The event includes three plenary sessions on international order and alliance, and four special sessions involving security experts to discuss a new approach to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula, and rifts and cooperation in the maritime order. A working-group discussion on cyber and space security sectors is scheduled to take place Monday. The ministry said the forum will serve as an opportunity to seek new ways for coexistence in a rapidly changing security environment. Launched in 2012, the annual forum is a maj

Korea's finance minister on Friday discussed measures to stabilize financial markets amid growing concerns over rising interest rates and heightened volatility in global markets amid renewed tensions in the Middle East. Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol reviewed the latest developments in global and domestic financial markets with relevant officials, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy. During the meeting, the participants assessed that upward pressure on interest rates has continued due to increased government bond issuance around the globe and corporate bond sales by global artificial intelligence (AI) businesses. The participants also pointed out that rising crude oil prices amid renewed tensions in the Middle East could increase financial market volatility, vowing to closely monitor the situation. The government additionally vowed to protect vulnerable borrowers from rate hikes, noting that current conditions remain generally manageable but could deteriorate if interest rates rise sharply. During the meeting, the participants also reviewed progress in reforming the tech-heav

Singer-songwriter IU will release a new digital single next Thursday, her agency said, marking her first new music in a year after health issues forced concert cancellations and delayed her sixth studio album. EDAM Entertainment announced the return in a statement Friday, alongside a teaser video uploaded to the artist's social media channels. The agency did not provide further details about the single, including its title. IU's most recent release was the digital single "Bye, Summer" in September 2025. The 33-year-old artist, one of Korea's best-selling solo acts, had planned to hold standalone concerts in Goyang near Seoul earlier this month. The shows were canceled after she suffered a flare-up of patulous Eustachian tube, a condition in which the tube inside the eardrum remains abnormally open. She also postponed the release of her sixth studio album due to the same health issue and has not announced a new date.

The government plans to build infrastructure to tokenize traditional securities such as stocks, bonds and funds, expanding security token offerings (STOs) beyond fractional investment products ahead of the system's scheduled launch in February. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) unveiled the policy direction on Friday, with the ultimate goal of laying the groundwork for stablecoin payment infrastructure. Tokenized securities are digital representations of securities issued and traded through blockchain-based distributed ledger technology. The term is frequently confused with fractional investing, but it actually describes the method used to issue a security, rather than a distinct category of investment. The technology can thus be applied far beyond fractional investment products, allowing conventional securities such as stocks, bonds and funds to be issued and traded in tokenized form using distributed ledger systems. The FSC, the country's top financial regulator, has been developing the regulatory framework for token securities since am

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it will introduce hydrogen fuel cell buses and build electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Oman in partnership with the Omani government and local companies. The automotive group signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Oman's transport ministry and local companies to cooperate on sustainable mobility solutions during a ceremony at the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Complex in Salalah, Oman. Under the agreements, Hyundai Motor will introduce Oman's first hydrogen-powered city buses, while the group will also help establish ultra-fast EV charging infrastructure in the country. Oman's state-run transport company Mwasalat plans to designate an eco-friendly public transportation route in the capital city of Muscat and conduct a pilot passenger service using Hyundai Motor's ELEC CITY hydrogen fuel cell buses. Oman Oil Marketing Co. will operate 240-kilowatt ultra-fast EV chargers supplied by Hyundai Kefico at a gas station in Halban. After a six-month trial, OOMCO will consider expanding its EV charging network. Hyundai Motor Group said it plans to use

Seoul stocks were trading higher late Friday morning as remarks from a U.S. Federal Reserve governor eased concerns over further rate hikes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was trading up 81.74 points, or 1.24 percent, to 6,661.22, as of 11:20 a.m. Risk appetite revived after Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller signaled a cautious stance on further rate hikes. Korea also extended its account surplus in July, driven by strong exports from the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, Bank of Korea data showed. July was the 39th consecutive month the balance has remained in the black. Most market top caps were trading higher. Chip giant Samsung Electronics added 1.8 percent, while industry rival SK hynix advanced 2.57 percent. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor slid 0.26 percent, while battery maker LG Energy Solutions fell 1.64 percent, and financial firm KB Financial dipped 2.53 percent. The Korean won was quoted at 1,358.1 won against the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., down 0.6 won from the close of the previous stock trading session.

Four U.S. companies have committed to investing a combined 2.8 trillion won ($2 billion) in Korea in the semiconductor, advanced materials and energy sectors, the industry ministry said Friday. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced the investment commitments at a ceremony co-hosted by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in Washington on Sept. 3 (U.S. time), attended by Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan. Under the commitments, Air Products, a U.S. supplier of industrial gases, plans to expand its semiconductor gas production facilities in Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, the ministry said in a press release. Chip equipment maker Axcelis also plans to expand production of ion implantation systems in Korea, strengthening the role of its Korean facility as an export hub for the Asia-Pacific market. Corning, a specialty materials company, will strengthen its manufacturing capabilities and invest in equipment for advanced materials used in next-generation mobile devices and semiconductors. Renewable energy company Pacifico Energy plans to develop a 3.2-gigawatt o

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is expected to skip an annual security forum in Seoul early next week, sources familiar with the matter said Friday, a move seen as related to his recent visit to a controversial war shrine in Tokyo that drew criticism from Seoul. Koizumi will not attend the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD), set for Monday through Wednesday, multiple sources told Yonhap News Agency. A vice defense minister from Tokyo will be present in his place, Seoul's defense ministry said. Koizumi had been widely expected to attend next week's forum, given the brisk high-level defense diplomacy between the two neighbors amid a warming of bilateral relations. His predecessor, Gen Kanatani, attended last year's SDD. While the exact reason for his absence remains unclear, Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine last month may have affected the decision. Koizumi was among a group of Japanese lawmakers who visited the shrine on the anniversary of the end of World War II on Aug. 15. The Yasukuni Shrine honors Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted in international tr

Korea will develop two next-generation land observation satellites for launch starting in 2030 to strengthen land monitoring and disaster response capabilities, the land ministry said Friday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said the 312.9 billion-won ($230.4 million) project has passed a preliminary feasibility review, clearing the way for development to begin next year. Under the plan, National Land Satellite No. 3 will be launched in 2030, followed by No. 4 in 2031. The government currently operates National Land Satellite No. 1, while No. 2, launched in May, is undergoing test operations and is scheduled to begin public services later this year. Satellite No. 1 began official operations in December 2021 and has been used to monitor changes in land use, manage infrastructure and mountainous areas, respond to natural disasters and produce geospatial information and maps. The next-generation satellites will feature a wider observation range, higher-resolution imaging capabilities and a longer mission life of more than five years, compared with about four years for the e

HAVANA — The U.S. government on Thursday slapped new sanctions on Cuba in a fresh push to strangle the island’s economy and deepen its multiple crises. Among those hit with sanctions are Fidel Ernesto Castro, grandson of former President Raúl Castro, and Cuba’s Oil Industry Supply Import Company, known as Abapet. The company is responsible for importing special equipment and spare parts needed to sustain Cuba’s crumbling power grid. The sanctions aim to push Cuba’s critical machinery offline and exacerbate its energy crisis, said Brett Erickson, a sanctions expert and managing principal at Obsidian Risk Advisors, a consulting firm. “The U.S. is trying to really tighten the screws as much as possible,” he said. “The Trump administration seems to have no seriousness to accept any change from Cuba other than a toppling of regime. Marco is not going to let that go,” he added, referring to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Erickson anticipated that Cuba’s government would try to circumvent the sanctions “because they have to.” “They’ll get creative in how they tr

Korea posted a current account surplus in July, central bank data showed Friday, led by robust exports amid the global artificial intelligence (AI) boom. The current account surplus totaled $42 billion in July, down $7.65 billion from a month earlier, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). Compared with the same month a year earlier, the figure jumped $30.1 billion. It marked the second-largest monthly figure following $49.73 billion set in June. It was also the highest for any July. The BOK said the goods account posted a surplus of $40.43 billion in July, as exports shot up 65.3 percent on-year to $100.4 billion. The central bank added the primary income account also logged a $4.35 billion surplus following an increase in the equity income. Korea has reported a current account surplus every month since May 2023, making July the 39th consecutive month the balance has remained in the black. In 2025, the country posted its largest annual surplus on record at $123.05 billion, exceeding the previous high of $105.1 billion set in 2015.

Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said Thursday that Seoul and Washington are continuing talks on U.S. semiconductor tariffs under the understanding that Korea would not be put at a disadvantage compared with its competitors. Kim made the remarks during a meeting with reporters at an event marking four U.S. companies' plans to invest in Korea, a day after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that President Donald Trump's administration is working to develop a "targeted" and "thoughtful" tariff policy for semiconductors. "During tariff negotiations in October, the U.S. already said that it would not treat Korean semiconductors less favorably than those of its competitors," he said. "I believe the two countries are continuing discussions in this spirit." The minister also pointed out the semiconductor-related portion of a joint fact sheet that Seoul and Washington published in November to outline bilateral agreements on trade, investment and security. The fact sheet included a U.S. pledge to offer semiconductor tariff rates for Korea that are "no less favorable" than terms tha

Seoul will host the first-ever Inter-Continental Dialogue among Political Parties (ICDPP) from Sept. 6 to 9, bringing together up to 23 political parties from 24 countries across Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe to explore how political organizations can jointly address growing global uncertainties. The inaugural conference, organized by the Secretariat of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), is themed "From Vision to Reality" and will focus on frameworks for sustainable intercontinental cooperation. Participants are expected to adopt the Seoul Declaration, outlining a road map for future multilateral dialogue managed by the ICAPP. The conference will be chaired by Chung Eui-yong, a former Korean foreign minister and national security adviser under the Moon Jae-in administration. Standing committee members, including co-Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed of Pakistan, Suos Yara of Cambodia, Zafer Sırakaya of Turkey, Salman Khurshid of India, Theo Sambuaga of Indonesia, Maiko Tajima of Japan and Nguyen Thi Hoang Van of Vietnam, will attend the event. Sun Ha

Korea’s cryptocurrency industry is weighing the prospect of regulatory relief following the sudden resignation of presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom, who had aggressively pushed to curb major shareholder dominance in local crypto exchanges, industry officials said Thursday. Kim submitted his resignation Monday amid continued criticism that single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) introduced in May under his leadership have been contributing to heightened stock market volatility. President Lee Jae Myung accepted his resignation Tuesday, with no successor named yet. Kim, a former senior financial bureaucrat who previously headed the crypto think tank Hashed Open Research, was initially expected to foster pro-industry regulations upon taking office in June 2025. Instead, his tenure saw a push to cap major exchange shareholders’ equity at 20 percent, which would force founders to sell their excess stakes. The industry, which believed Kim played a significant role in shaping the regulation, has mounted fierce opposition to the proposed equity cap, arguing tha

• Musok and mugyo are common names for Korean shamanism. Musok is an older term associated with shamanism as a folk tradition, while mugyo is a newer term often used in more scholarly contexts. • Mudang is the gender-neutral term for shamans. The less common "baksu" refers exclusively to male practitioners. • Mansin is a respectful term for shamans, meaning “10,000 spirits.” • Sinbyeong, or “spirit sickness” is an illness experienced by someone who is called by spirits. It usually manifests as a period of poor health encompassing both physical and psychological symptoms, and improves once the person is initiated as a shaman. • Gangsinmu become shamans as the result of spirit possession. They are called to the practice after experiencing sinbyeong. • Seseupmu are shamans who inherit their positions, which are transmitted through families. They do not usually experience sinbyeong. • Gut are rituals used in shamanic practice. They include music, singing, chanting and dance as performative aspects, the contents of which are transmitted orally and through practice between

As Korea has taken its place among the world leaders in technology, many facets of its traditional culture also have found their way to a global audience. Through a series of appearances in media and popular streaming content, Korean shamanism has achieved a a new level of global awareness in recent years. For some, the idea of Korean shamanism being a global entity began 20 years ago with the arrival of Andrea Kalff, a woman from Prien am Chiemsee, Germany, who became the very first European to become a Korean shaman. Kalff was raised in a Catholic family in Bavaria, with little knowledge or interest in any kind of shamanism, let alone the Korean version. “Since childhood, I had experienced unusual dreams, intuitive perceptions, illnesses that physicians could not explain and psychological crises that correspond to what Korean tradition understands as 'sinbyeong',” she explained, referencing the "spirit sickness" that is thought to affect people marked to become shamans. Initiation into world of Korean shamanism At the age of 32, while in declining health, she was invited by a frien

Kim Keum-hwa (1931-2019) was a master shaman born in Jangyon, South Hwanghae Province, in what is now North Korea — a region once known for its rich shamanic traditions. Affected by "sinbyeong" (spirit sickness) as a child, she was taken to a local shaman where she soon began her apprenticeship as a "gangsinmu" (a "spirit-conjuring" shaman). Kim performed her first complete ritual at the age of 15, and by 20, she was renowned in her local area. She was forced to move south during the 1950-53 Korean War, though she did not stop her shaman practice during the tumultuous time. As a high-level "mansin" ("10,000 spirits"), her central shamanic god was General Cho, whom she regarded as her guardian spirit. In her ritual practice, Kim also invoked figures such as the Dragon King; the spirit of the big dipper; and the mountain spirit Sansin; as well as numerous other spirits and deities. Kim described herself as “a vessel for the gods.” Beginning in the early 1980s, Kim took part in festivals, conferences and events in 25 countries around the globe, bringing the practice of Korea’s sha

WASHINGTON — A prominent expert said Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump may not have a problem with acknowledging North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons as he thinks it is "not his fault," while noting that Pyongyang might wait for the November midterm election outcome before a potential summit with Trump. Victor Cha, president of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made the remarks during a podcast, as Trump is seeking to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year amid questions over whether he would adhere to the long-elusive goal of the North's denuclearization. "When it comes to Trump and North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, I actually don't think President Trump has a problem with acknowledging North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons, or that they are, in fact, a nuclear weapons power," he said during the CSIS podcast. "I don't think he has a problem with that because ... in his mind, that is not his fault. That is the failure of 35 years of U.S. policy, everybody before him, and

TEHRAN — Iran said it hit U.S. military bases in Kuwait and the UAE on Thursday, vowing to avenge a wedding attack it blamed on Washington as U.S. Vice President JD Vance said the strike was being investigated. The new clashes, which began with U.S. raids on Sunday, have deepened the impasse in the six-month war, as Iran maintains a stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz and Washington presses its counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Kuwait's army said Thursday it intercepted a missile and drone attack from Iran, with the Iranian army reporting that it hit "the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait." Kuwait called the attack a "grave breach of the rules of international law." Iran's army also said it struck Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, but the Gulf country reported no such attack. The strikes came after the Iranian Red Crescent said a missile attack on a wedding in the Iranian coastal town of Kuhestak killed four people on Tuesday night, including a child, and wounded more than 50. Vance said Washington was probing the alleged strike but cast doubt on reports out of

NEW YORK — Wall Street advanced on Thursday as investors curbed their rate hike bets after U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said he would support holding the Fed funds target rate steady if data shows inflationary pressures are easing. All three major U.S. stock indexes were sharply higher, with the Nasdaq enjoying a boost from the "magnificent seven" group of AI-related megacap stocks. All three indexes were on track for weekly gains. Fed Governor Christopher Waller told Reuters he would be inclined to let key interest rates stand should upcoming data confirm that price pressures are easing, but added he would support a rate hike if inflation fails to cool down. Following Waller's remarks, financial markets moderated expectations for rate hikes at the Fed's September meeting, lowering the likelihood to 50.4 percent from 63.2 percent on Wednesday, according to CME's FedWatch tool. The benchmark U.S. Treasury yield pulled back for the second straight session after touching its highest level since November 2023. Rate-hike expectations had spiked in recent sessions, as lon

WASHINGTON — Confronted by an intransigent Iranian government that has refused to back down in the face of a massive military campaign, President Donald Trump appears to have settled on a dual-prong approach that combines economic pressure with the potential of a devastating escalation in force . Having launched “Operation Economic Outcast” just last week to try to isolate Iran from its remaining global trade partners , the Trump administration also resumed strikes in recent days, prompting Iranian retaliation that has renewed concerns of an all-out regional war. However, the combination of already intense sanctions on Iran and an off-and-on bombing campaign since the war began more than six months ago has not bowed the Iranian leadership and has left the administration struggling to find a way to wind down the conflict . Tehran has dug in its heels — to Trump’s frustration — as energy prices rise, the global economy roils and poll numbers on the administration's handling of the war dip ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections. Trump said Wednesday that he didn'

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday voiced confidence that Iran's Islamic Republic could soon fall, saying it was weaker than ever as the United States resumed attacks. "This regime is currently teetering. It is weaker than ever. It is fighting for its survival," Netanyahu said at an event with Israeli military leaders. "I am convinced that we can remove this threat once and for all — that is, to overthrow this regime. That is the central task that still lies ahead of us, but it is close. It is not impossible. It is within reach," he said. Netanyahu, after decades of describing Iran's cleric-run state as an existential threat, in late February launched a joint attack on Iran with the United States, although U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly called a ceasefire in April. The United States has imposed more economic pressure and resumed strikes this week, leading Iran to fire back at U.S. allies in the Gulf, Jordan and in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region — but not Israel. "If they're not attacking us, it is not by chance. They attack everyone, but not

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is temporarily rescinding recently published clinical guidance for a new, mandatory testosterone deficiency screening policy for service members aged 30 and older, a U.S. official told Reuters on Thursday. On Wednesday, the Pentagon posted the "Clinical Guidance for Health and Human Performance Optimization" on its website. By Thursday, the memo and an accompanying statement from spokesperson Sean Parnell had been removed. "The draft (document) published on September 2, 2026, has been temporarily rescinded to allow for updates," the official said, adding that interim guidance remains in effect. The detailed clinical guidelines had laid out separate testosterone deficiency screening paths for men and women that were to happen during their annual health assessments. The guidance was set to take effect immediately, and the Pentagon said it is aimed at improving military readiness by identifying and managing hormonal and energy-availability issues. "PAGE NOT FOUND" A "Page Not Found" banner appeared on websites for both the Pentagon and Defense Health Agency when cl

CARACAS — Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado on Thursday called for a democratic transition in her country after the interim government struck a massive oil deal with the United States. The agreement grants U.S. access to more than 65 billion barrels — almost 20 percent — of oil in Venezuela, which holds the largest proven reserves in the world. Celebrating the "historic" pact on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodriguez both sidelined the notion of elections in the near future. Machado, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said genuine development required a democratic transition. "The oil sector is only one part of the immense reconstruction we must undertake in Venezuela," she said in a video statement. The South American country "requires colossal investments," she said, "but it needs much more than money." "No development is possible without solid institutions and a government elected by popular vote," added Machado. The deal comes as U.S. Republicans brace for possible losses in November midterm elections over spiraling fuel cos

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. As adolescents go through puberty, the timing of melatonin release — the hormone that promotes sleep — tends to shift later. As a result, teenagers often find themselves falling asleep and waking up later. However, when schools start early in the morning, adolescents are often required to wake up earlier than their natural body clocks would prefer. This is one reason why many teenagers sleep late on weekends. A recent study published in the international journal Sleep Medicine Reviews found that this difference in sleep schedules between weekdays and weekends, known as “social jetlag,” is associated with anxiety among adolescents. Researchers from the University of Southampton’s department of psychology systematically reviewed studies examining the relationship between social jetlag and anxiety in adolescents aged 12 to 18. A total of 18 studies were included in the review, while data from 12 of those studies involving 235,526 adolescents was included in a meta-analysis. The researchers found that adolescents with greater differences

Political and social divisions between young men and women have become increasingly visible in Korea, raising questions about whether the divide is spilling over into their romantic relationships. But for young Koreans themselves, differences in political views do not necessarily make romance impossible. Instead, they say they are finding their own balance between love and personal values — while some see checking a potential partner's views as an essential step before entering a relationship. The following is the first installment of "Tiki-Taka," a Hankook Ilbo roundtable series that presents the perspectives and ideas of young people whose outlook differs from and may never become the same as that of older generations. Screening before dating Participant 2: “I have a friend who checks what online communities someone uses and who they follow on social media before dating them. She doesn't automatically rule someone out just because they support a particular politician, but she feels that following that politician on social media means they're an active supporter, so it makes her thi

Heather MacAuley and Chris Murphy recently stumbled across a rare North Atlantic right whale in the water off Blackhead Cove, marking a sighting of a critically endangered species of whale with only an estimated 384 individuals remaining.

The funeral of one of five young men killed in the crash with a police car will take place on Friday.

Thames Valley Police said 11 sheep were stolen from the farm in Chadlington.

The helicopter search for Canadian mountain runner Kalie McCrystal, who was last seen on Tuesday above the Jean-Antoine Carrel hut of the Matterhorn, has been suspended after repeated aerial sweeps of the Italian side of the mountain.

A swarm of rogue OpenAI agents hijacked a German website this spring and transformed it into a bulletin board for other AI agents, according to new research published Friday and two people familiar with the matter.

Tributes have been paid to "wonderful young boy" Eoin Doyle, who died after a train hit a car near Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, on Thursday night.

New e-scooter rules which came into force today punish responsible users, a group representing commuters has said.

Vancouver police say a high-profile officer who was arrested on Thursday allegedly defrauded 19 victims of a total of about $3 million.

A new documentary titled Top of the World tells the story of Windows on the World, the legendary restaurant atop the World Trade Center, through the eyes of its former employees. Windows on the World served guests for 25 years, until the morning of September 11, 2001, when it was destroyed in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Seventy-nine workers and 91 diners were killed.

We’re joined by Top of the World's co-directors, Julie Cohen and Betsy West, and by Sekou Siby, a former line cook at Windows on the World. Siby, who immigrated to the United States from the Ivory Coast in 1996, was originally scheduled to work on the morning of September 11, but a co-worker asked him to switch shifts. “He didn't make it,” says Siby, who later became an organizer and longtime leader at the Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC), an advocacy group founded by Windows on the World workers to support each other in the aftermath of the attack.

“The extraordinary immigrant workforce of Windows [of the World] and what they collectively created is just a reminder of the contributions of immigrant New Yorkers to the restaurant world and to the culture of the city,” says Cohen. “We want people to remember not just the tragedy, but the real beauty and the specific stories of what was lost on that day.”

Top of the World premieres on CNN Monday, September 7, 2026.

Palestinian teenagers Omar al-Naasan and Khalil Abu Alia were shot dead when Israeli settlers and soldiers entered a village in the occupied West Bank.

The Minister for European Affairs has said that what Russia was doing was "absolutely outrageous" following an attempted drone attack in Leipzig in Germany last month.

We go to Danbury, Connecticut, where residents held a mass demonstration this week to protest recent immigration arrests and to support the city’s immigrant community. Danbury, like many other communities across the United States, has been the target of a spike in immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, including local reports of ICE arresting parents at school bus stops.

“We really have been describing it as the administration terrorizing our city, because that is what it felt like. The streets were empty. Kids stayed home from practice. Kids stayed home from school,” says Juliana Soares, the lead organizer for Danbury Unites for Immigrants. “Masked agents often would shut down the street to just abduct people. … They just do a gross display of force and intimidation in a grocery store parking lot, where they’re just walking around, kind of hunting their next target.”

Pope Leo XIV receives the President of the Republic of Latvia, Mr Edgars Rinkēvičs, in audience in the Vatican.

Read all

Tyson Foods, the United States’ largest meatpacking and processing company, shuttered a beef processing facility in Joslin, Illinois, last month, laying off more than 2,500 primarily immigrant workers “virtually overnight.” Although Tyson Foods CEO and President Donnie King made over $34 million last year, nearly 800 times more than the median Tyson worker, the company cites a historic 75-year low in the U.S. cattle herd as a primary reason for the closure.

We speak to Caitlyn Clark, director of the group Essential Workers for Democracy, which is working to institute democratic reforms within the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), a labor union that represents more than a million workers across the United States. These workers include the former Tyson plant meatpackers, who worked in “some of the most dangerous jobs in America” while making “billions of dollars in profit for Tyson.” Clark ascribes the U.S. cattle shortage to climate change-induced drought in the American West, rising prices for diesel and fertilizer amid the U.S. war on Iran and years of corporate consolidation that has driven down profits for cattle ranchers.

Since they were suddenly laid off, former Joslin plant workers have been protesting outside the shuttered plant, calling on Tyson “to extend their severance pay, and calling on Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to intervene to help keep the plant open,” Clark tells us. “We need to take on the bosses and be serious about the level of inequality and exploitation that working people are facing today,” she adds. “Working people need more, they deserve more, and they’re ready to fight for it. It’s time that our union leadership catch up.”

Two senior Reform UK officials step down after undercover donations report.

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration violated the constitutional rights of international students in seeking to deport them for their pro-Palestinian activism and criticism of Israel. The ruling is the result of a lawsuit filed by The Stanford Daily, the student newspaper at Stanford University, which claimed that some of its writers on student visas declined to report on topics related to Israel and Palestine, or requested their published articles be removed from the paper’s website, for fear of deportation.

“What we were hearing from the noncitizens in our newsroom and from noncitizens across campus — current students, former students, alumni — was that they were genuinely frightened because of what they saw in the headlines, what they saw happen to Rümeysa Öztürk,” says George Porteous, editor-in-chief of The Stanford Daily. Rümeysa Öztürk is the former Tufts University graduate student arrested and detained by ICE after co-authoring an op-ed encouraging Tufts to divest from Israel in her university’s student newspaper.

“The chill is the point,” adds Will Creeley, legal director at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, the organization that represented The Stanford Daily in court. “That’s a First Amendment violation every day of the week. It’s flatly un-American.”

CBC’s visual investigations team and the Centre for Information Resilience reveals who is behind a Canadian 'revolutionary banking' company with ties to a sanctioned money-laundering network serving cartels and wealthy Russians.

The UN General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to encourage governments, schools and tech companies worldwide to stop using maps that make Africa look far smaller than it really is.

Israeli security forces forcibly displaced the entire population of three Palestine refugee camps in the occupied West Bank in January and February last year – and continue to prevent their return, in violation of international law, according to a new report by the UN human rights office, OHCHR.

The UN and its humanitarian partners launched a $49.6 million flash appeal on Friday to deliver emergency assistance to more than 84,000 people affected by last week’s catastrophic floods in Nepal.

A new airstrike overnight damaged one of the main warehouses used by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Ukraine to store humanitarian medical supplies in the Kyiv region, the UN agency said on Friday.

As U.S. Conflict wIth Iran Enters 7th Month, Vance Declares, “I Wouldn’t Call This a War” , Israel’s National Security Minister Outlines Plan to Expel All Palestinians from Gaza Strip, 33 Democrats Join GOP Lawmakers to Pass Bill Stripping Funds from Schools That Boycott Israel, Missouri Supreme Court Blocks GOP’s Gerrymandered Congressional Map, Federal Judge Warns Mail-In Voting Restrictions Would Lead to “Major Disenfranchisement”, DOJ Says States Must Report Undocumented Immigrants or Lose Funds for Needy Families, U.S. Sends Third Deportation Flight to Cap-Haïtien Despite Rampant Insecurity in Haiti, Chinese National Is 57th to Die in Custody of ICE or Border Patrol Under Trump’s Second Term, 76-Year-Old Green Card Holder with Cancer Freed After Two Months in ICE Jail, DOJ Indicts ICE Officer Who Shot Immigrant in Minneapolis, But Blocks More Serious Charges, Survivors Pulled from Flooded Tunnel in Nepal as Death Toll from Glacier’s Collapse Nears 1,300, U.N. Warns the World Will “Overshoot” 1.5°C Limit to Global Heating, U.N. Warns “Supersized” El Niño Will Persist into 2027, Fueling Extreme Weather and Food Insecurity

Mabon ap Gwynfor says he respects the decision but has questions for the health board responsible.

US President Donald Trump said that he was sending envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Moscow and Kyiv with a proposal to end the four-year-old Ukraine war.

The comments come as Argentinian president Javier Milei says the "winds of change" favoured his country's claim on the British overseas territory.

Xbox said the limits were due to the rising cost of cloud gaming, and would allow it to invest more in its performance

Israel's military has cleared Hezbollah fighters holed up in tunnels under the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has said

The comedian says his son Felix died earlier this year shortly after his wife Cerys had given birth.

Chris Mason speaks from the Reform UK conference as two of its senior officials step down following a Channel 4 investigation.

Bishop Jamal Daibes, Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Somalia, shines the spotlight on the region and calls for international and diplomatic pressure to protect Palestinians in the Holy Land and enable them to remain in their homeland with dignity, freedom and security.

Read all

Kelcie Reed admitted being in control of a dangerous dog which killed 19-year-old Morgan Dorsett.

Researchers used DNA and isotope analysis to figure out how the large cats survived in the far north.

The man was held captive and filmed being repeatedly assaulted before escaping, police say.

Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming Apostolic Journey to France will also bring him to Metz where Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union, grew up. Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg, reflects on this important figure and how his experience of living in border areas shaped his political action and ideas.

Read all

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the Oriel College of Oxford University, and invites them to look to St. John Henry Newman as an example of the inseparability of faith and reason.

Read all

The judge in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial has officially declared a mistrial after the defence’s eleventh-hour emergency appeal was denied, bringing this chapter of the case that has captivated spectators to a dramatic close.

MLAs Rosalyn Bird, Bruce Banman and Áʼa:líya Warbus are joining a new party led by Peter Milobar and Ian Paton.

Dame Angela Eagle warns the weather event could lead to extreme storms this winter.

Electric Picnic 2027 has sold out after tickets for next year's festival went on sale on Friday morning.

A Russian drone hit the headquarters of Ukraine's SBU security service in Kyiv on Friday, one of the most high-profile targets struck during the war as Russia intensified its campaign of air strikes against Ukraine.

As some international aid groups leave Ethiopia, Church-run assistance programs, like those supported by the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, continue to feed children who cry from hunger.

Read all

Visitors looked amazed to see one of the robots deftly move its flippers to change direction and dive deeper into the water as it swam next to real penguins.

The panel was set up in May after the motor maker disclosed more than 1,000 suspected cases of quality irregularities committed between 2020 and 2025.

The domestic economy grew by a healthy 3.1% in the first six months of this year, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.

A Dublin-born GP, who has been recognised for bravery for wrestling a man who attacked his colleague with an axe three years ago, said everything moved "very slowly" during the attack.

Germany has blamed Russia for an attack on Leipzig airport but there has been a series of suspicious incidents elsewhere.

His biggest roles included Robin Tripp in 70s TV sitcoms Man About the House and Robin's Nest.

Police said it appeared the injured people were inside the pub, although a person in the car may also be among those hurt.

Residents across Windsor and Essex County were left cleaning up Thursday night after a powerful storm moved through the region, with Environment Canada saying its radar showed a tornado in the area.

The cost of a standard size of a household tank of oil has increased by 59% when compared to September of last year, due to the disruption of global oil supply with the ongoing war in Iran.

Millions of people are using their solar panels and batteries to generate energy and sell excess back to the grid.

A botched racecourse that was longer than it should have been for the Edmonton Marathon has cost 13 runners a chance to compete in the prestigious Boston Marathon.

Buses carrying crew members of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier streamed into Thailand's seaside resort city of Pattaya, as part of a port call after a lengthy deployment to the Middle East.

World food prices rose in August to their highest since late 2022, as adverse weather and war disruption heightened concern over supply of staples, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization said.

The director talks about his approach to the 4K restoration of his classic film, now showing in theaters nationwide.

After renewed strikes this week, does either side have an exit strategy?

Indonesia's government says the proposed visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to West Papua is on track.

The catastrophe struck just ahead of the crucial September-to-November Hindu festival season, when celebrations typically drive a surge in spending.

Many Fraser River sockeye salmon fishers are coming home empty-handed, following a dismal run that shut down fisheries this season.

Cinema tickets will be available from €4 at participating cinemas across the country this weekend as National Cinema Weekend gets under way.

Following the earthquake that affected numerous communities in western Colombia, Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, the Primate of the country, tells Vatican News about the "Spiritual First Aid" - a support mission of 4 bishops and 80 priests who set out to accompany the suffering in the impacted areas.

Read all

The Code of Civil Procedure does not currently ban the use of evidence and confidential information for purposes unrelated to trials or the provision of copies to third parties.

From searching for a buried tunnel entrance to blowing up rocks the size of cars, rescuers had to surmount multiple challenges to reach survivors.

What was once seen as a bad fit for Japanese companies is seen now as more of a necessity.

Unno was awarded the prize for his 1977 paper, "How to Blow the Nose – An Aerodynamic Study of the Nose Blowing."

Romanian prosecutors officially indicted social media influencer Andrew Tate on Friday for trafficking minors, money laundering, sex with a minor and witness tampering and his brother Tristan for complicity, years after they began investigating them.

The Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora has said the impact of the US drastically cutting its aid to countries has been "devastating".

Cake, coffee, make-up and burgers are just some of the free things you can get on your birthday.

Nigel Farage has sought to defend himself over allegations Reform had broken laws on political donations as he addressed his party conference.

The group - which includes Audi, Porsche, Skoda as well as the VW brand - plans to cut a total of 100,000 posts by 2030.

Craig Fox will find out later this month how many years he will spend in prison before he's eligible for parole. He was convicted earlier this year of the second-degree murder of Lee Bearsears on Oct. 15, 2023, on Poundmaker Cree Nation.

The move has left councils struggling to see how they can fund road maintenance, public transport and other costs.

A shotgun was stolen from an Annesbrook shop before the shooting a few streets over.

The currency's strengthening is not seen as rapid enough to indicate official buying.

Rescuers have pulled out a survivor alive from a tunnel linked to a hydropower station on the Trishuli River, nine days after an ice, rock and mud slide swept through a valley in Nepal, a video released by the Nepalese army showed.

A team of 17 volunteers is calling for donated curtains to help families in cold, damp homes.

The government is set to give the go-ahead for the gas field off the coast of Aberdeen, the BBC understands.

Loyalty programmes are likely to become more sophisticated as retailers make more use of the data collected about shoppers, one professor says.

The deputy PM says a completed but unreleased review has not shown the Māori and Pacific medical school admissions scheme is justified.

An American woman who travelled from Colorado to the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival on a whim has returned to Co Clare after finding love at the famous event.

The former Great British Bake Off star says ageing is something to celebrate.

Dozens have contacted BBC Your Voice as complaints to ombudsman have tripled in a year.

Cambodian families forced to flee last year's deadly border clashes with Thailand now live in "waiting villages" built by the government.

Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said his ministry's top priority "must be the people who are currently serving."

When Katie Taylor steps into the ring tomorrow night for a momentous farewell - the last Irish boxer, who fought in Croke Park, 54 years ago, will be among the 80,000 spectators.

Downton Abbey actor Brendon Coyle is to play Bobby Ryan in a new RTÉ drama about the disappearance and murder of the Tipperary DJ known as Mr Moonlight.

Some N.S. artists have stopped selling their work to U.S. customers after President Donald Trump implemented a 50 per cent tariff on nearly $28 billion worth of Canadian goods — including original art.

Pacific solidarity has been strong at Koroneihana as international guests converged on Tūrangawaewae marae.

A 12-year-old boy has died after a train hit a car near Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo last night.

RNZ understands the bank wants to shift 13 roles to Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch.

Slots for the test in December were snapped up within three days after applications opened for most levels, and within a week for the remainder.

Authorities hope some of the roughly 900 people reported missing at six hydropower plants may have escaped the deluge because they worked in or fled into tunnels.

Two hydropower workers have been pulled alive from a tunnel buried by debris in Nepal, a rare ray of hope on the tenth day of rescue efforts after catastrophic Himalayan flooding.

Rescuers in Nepal pulled two workers alive from a hydropower tunnel Friday, raising hopes of reaching a dozen others believed to be trapped nine days after catastrophic floods devastated towns and swept away villages.

The administration's opponents have accused the U.S. president and officials of racing to implement the Postal Service's new rules to aid Republicans in the congressional midterms.

None of the three coalition party leaders will attend Friday's political pōwhiri at Tūrangawaewae Marae.

Detours are in place with drivers warned of delays as emergency services respond to the incident in the Dome Valley area, north of Warkworth.

The Tokyo High Court said ballots with the words "manjū shop" and "Mr. Dango" could not be clearly understood to refer to a mayor whose family runs a confectionery business.

They descended on Tūrangawaewae Marae to celebrate and honour the Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po.

Tech experts are warning of dire consequences if AI systems continue to escape human control, after a group of OpenAI agents went rogue in July and hacked into a billion-dollar company — what some are calling a "warning shot" amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

The arrest of Canadian Biwei Zhang on espionage allegations has set off a transatlantic intelligence scramble. From NATO headquarters to Canadian and European agencies, investigators are retracing a decade of internships and government work to determine what she accessed, what may have been compromised — and whether she was working alone.

U.S. President Donald Trump is promising to campaign alongside Republicans who are at risk of losing their Congressional races in the upcoming midterm elections. Many Democrats are secretly hoping this is one promise that Trump keeps.

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party is soaring in popularity in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. It could form government in an upcoming regional election and become the first far-right party to hold state power in the country since the Second World War.

The bond market is experiencing a steep, global sell-off, creating waves for consumers and investors alike. Here's what you need to know about how the bond market can affect you.

A hiring boom across Alberta and Ontario health-care systems has been singlehandedly propping up Canada's national job market — but that growth may say more about the sluggish state of the rest of the economy than about improving patient outcomes.

A soaking wet bald eagle that was unable to fly was rescued from the Brantford Landfill Site Scale and is recovering at a wildlife rehabilitation facility. "She was soaked to the skin," says the authorized wildlife custodian at Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge.

It would be depressing for a movie like Mayday to work, given that it's really just a form of propaganda. Which makes it all the more difficult to admit that Mayday, starring Kenneth Branagh and Ryan Reynolds, actually does completely work.

An Indigenous fire stewardship advocate says climate change driven wildfires are disrupting Indigenous peoples' ability to harvest traditional plants and berries.

President of Argentina Javier Milei has reiterated the country's claim on the Falkland Islands and said he would introduce sanctions on any oil companies working in the area.

The confession from an alleged co-conspirator was filed away and not looked at until after another alleged murder two months later.

The funeral will be held at Oslo Cathedral in the Norwegian capital on Wednesday.

Community has yet to hear much news from relatives in the stricken Tibet region since the disaster.

Several South Korean media outlets have reported that Seoul was preparing to deploy military assets before the end of the year and could ​seek parliamentary approval this month.

As the natural weather phenomenon El Nino builds into one of the strongest ever recorded, meteorologists are now looking ahead.

The stricter rules come amid cases in which solar power companies rented abandoned farmland and failed to sufficiently engage in agricultural activities.

The "maxxing" trend encapsulates our increasingly intense optimisation culture, but it could actually be having the opposite affect.

In the 7.1-magnitude temblor on July 28, a chimney at the plant collapsed, leaving nine people dead.

A summery 26C day in Christchurch was among the standouts.

Ministries are seeking ¥143.1 trillion in total for the fiscal year starting in April, the Finance Ministry said.

Construction of the castle began in 1604 under the direction of the Tokugawa shogunate. It was completed some 20 years later.

As the fishing boat has not been located, authorities are continuing the search, including deploying aircraft, while investigating the cause of the incident.

Toyota has long touted hydrogen as an option alongside combustion engines, gas-electric hybrids and battery electric vehicles, as part of the automaker's "multipathway approach."

Melanesian countries are pushing Indonesia to facilitate a long-requested visit to West Papua by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Galaxy Robot Park is a 16,500-square-meter venue in South Korea, with attractions including humanoid robots dancing to K-pop hits.

Gareth Anderson was swept down a river near Craigieburn Forest Park more than a week ago.

China gave only a handful of nations short notice before test-firing the intercontinental ballistic missile in July.

Household outlays adjusted for inflation fell 3.6% in July from a year earlier, the internal affairs ministry reported Friday.

Solar energy has moved from the margins of mainstream political debate into a fully fledged election issue.

MDMA is a psychoactive drug used recreationally, but now it can be prescribed for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Motorists in the south are being warned to expect delays with SH7 down to one lane due to fallen trees.

The members, apart from Nauru, called on all states undertaking testing of intercontinental ballistic missiles to be transparent.

Time is changing in Golden, B.C., and some residents say it is not what they wanted.

The latest survey shows Auckland's businesses are feeling much more positive about the region's outlook.

Travel, recreation and movie theatres remained bright spots, new data from ANZ shows.

Shalty Heta, 49, is accused of assaulting a jogger, taking a car and running down three high-school-aged cyclists before killing a dog.

Some graduates may be able to apply for residency once they secure skilled employment or a job offer from an accredited employer and meet the wage threshold without having to accumulate additional skilled work experience.

It's not uncommon to see the NZ and Australian flags mixed up at events in other countries, but it seems Aussies have trouble telling them apart too.

Community-based practices set up by Health NZ should be based in deprived areas, the Resident Doctors Association says.

Legal experts say the practice can expose businesses to privacy complaints, defamation claims and safety risks.

Irish property prices are 17% overvalued, a new report from the Economic and Social Research Institute has found.

New regulations requiring e-scooter users to wear helmets and high-visibility clothing have come into effect from today.

Fiji-born ex-Wallaby forward Isi Naisarani has joined the Fijian Drua ahead of the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season.

The country's politicians aren't the only ones gearing up for an election.

Alper Yesil tells The National about the moment a severe Toronto thunderstorm turned a local Tim Hortons into a makeshift storm shelter as heavy rains and high winds sent traffic lights and people flying.

The cast of Heated Rivalry is getting hotter by the week, with the Canadian-made hockey drama recruiting three more stars for its second season roster.

Gloria Steinem was a trailblazing figure in women's liberation with words and impact that echoed across the globe.

Lianyong Wei, 51, died on 23 August at a hospital in Saipan after he was found unresponsive at the local detention facility.

Gone are the days of trying to smuggle pieces of paper into an exam or writing answers on a hand or water bottle label.

The Russian Embassy in Ireland has accused the Government of "copy-pasting EU conspiracy theories" regarding an attempted drone attack in Leipzig that Germany attributed to Russia.

The federal government's new report summarizing the latest science on climate change warns that under current climate policies, the impact on Canadians will likely be "far from benign."

WorkSafe says developers need to follow its instructions if unsafe work is observed on building sites.

Leaders in the Pacific have registered their concern over a nuclear-capable missile test conducted by China in July, calling on all states to provide advance warning ahead of any testing.

Andrew Bayly says further delays to raising the age will just make the fix more painful.

The possible closure came as a relief but at the same time felt like "the bare minimum", Lilia Tarawa says.

The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of a group of six Quebec mothers who were denied regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, after being laid off in the context of maternity and parental leaves.

Innu Nation are asking for attention from both the provincial and federal governments to the subject of policing, for the creation of localized police for Innu, in the wake of a case involving alleged use of excessive force by members of the RCMP.

North Shore's hospital emergency department nurses spoke out last month about having to leave patients in soiled beds and treat them in corridors and waiting rooms.

"The effective tax rate for the first couple of hundred thousand of savings is 100 percent."

More than 70,000 pints worth of Guinness has been stolen by thieves who took two HGV trailers from a depot, UK police have said.

Vancouver police officer, anti-gang advocate and youth charity CEO Kal Dosanjh has been charged with theft, fraud and breach of trust offences dating back to 2017.

Canada's Prime Minister and musician Bryan Adams both had appearances in Thunder Bay, Ont. on Thursday. While visiting the northern Ontario city, the pair met up at several local landmarks.

U.S. President Donald Trump's oil deal with interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez is being rejected by the Venezuelan opposition, and by some in her own party. Venezuelan Canadians, some with long careers in the oil industry, say the deal is illegitimate and will be repudiated.

Ontario has issued what could be its first fine against a ticket reselling platform under the province's anti-scalping law, which continues to get tested as resellers look to unload tickets to upcoming events such as the Toronto International Film Festival.

A new report from the Canada West Foundation warns that, though the grievances behind Alberta secession may be real, the economic risks and political uncertainties are too great to consider separating from Canada.

​Russian drones struck and damaged a Coca-Cola plant outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Thursday, Ukrainian President ‌Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

School secretaries and caretakers, who are members of the Fórsa trade union, are to be balloted on proposals on pay, pensions and leave entitlements.

The B.C. Highway Patrol says an officer captured video of a man with his eyes closed and hands off the wheel as his Tesla travelled on through Langley.

The Hatchet Lake Denesuline First Nation announced Tuesday it has reached terms with the governments of Saskatchewan and Canada to settle a land claim tied to promises made in Treaty 10.

An Edmonton woman who owned two large dogs that killed an 11-year-old boy in 2024 has been sentenced.

There have been renewed calls to progress legislation which specifically outlaws spiking.

More than 800 barrels of the stout have been stolen from a depot in Runcorn, Cheshire, say police.

How is the global economic picture shaping Andy Burnham’s first budget?

How much attention did you pay to what happened in the world over the past seven days?

An Alberta Sheriffs peace officer won't be charged criminally for using artificial intelligence to create intimate images of women, including co-workers, without their consent.

Mi'kmaw wood carver Gordon Sparks, of Oinpegitjoig (Pabineau First Nation) in New Brunswick, has won a national award recognizing his work's connection to land, culture and community.

The deadlocked jury in the Lindsay Clancy trial went home without a verdict Thursday following a dramatic sixth day of deliberations.

A train and a car have collided in Co Mayo in what has been described as a "serious incident". The westbound train collided with the vehicle on a level crossing at Kiltybo, near Ballyhaunis, shortly before 9pm.

Ambulances took more than an hour to respond to over 20,000 emergency calls in the past five years, new figures show.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he would ask European nations to pay back the United States for military aid and munitions previously sent to Ukraine amid the ‌ongoing war with Russia and appeared to signal a halt in sales to allied nations.

Dublin's Phoenix Park will be closed to the public for two days due of the visit of US President Donald Trump to Dublin.

Ontario's Progressive Conservatives held onto the ridings of York-Simcoe and Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, while the NDP maintained its grip on Scarborough Southwest in three provincial byelections held Thursday.

Corporation tax payments shot up by 32.5% last month to €2.8 billion when compared to August 2025, partly due to some large multinationals being charged a higher rate of tax.

Martin 'The Viper' Foley, a veteran gangland criminal, has taken the first step in the High Court in his bid to challenge the Criminal Assets Bureau's (CAB) bid to seize and sell his Dublin home.

The Minister for Justice has said the criminal courts are running "effectively" amid an ongoing dispute with solicitors who have withdrawn their services.

Summer 2026 was the hottest ever recorded in Ireland, according to a provisional report from Met Éireann.

British police are trying to recover 70,000 pints worth of stolen Guinness.

Br. Guy is the Jesuit Scientist in Residence and McDevitt Visiting Scholar at Le Moyne College this Fall

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he hopes to host US President Donald Trump's envoys in Kyiv in the coming days to resume efforts to end the Russian invasion.

This is the first Canadian paper currency to feature Charles, whose image replaces that of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Korea's presidential office on Thursday rejected a report claiming the government is considering sending troops to the conflict-stricken Hormuz Strait. "It is different from the facts. Details related to the issue have yet to be decided," Cheong Wa Dae said in a notice to reporters. The presidential office reiterated its previous stance that Korea has been in discussions with other nations on how it could contribute to restoring peace and stability in the Middle East and inside the strait. Earlier in the day, local broadcaster JTBC reported that the government is "leaning toward" dispatching troops to the Strait of Hormuz and is reviewing related details to submit a request for a parliamentary approval to the National Assembly. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Korea for declining requests to send naval assets and help secure the strait, claiming President Lee Jae Myung had said "no thanks" to his request to join U.S. efforts against Iran.

India on Friday ordered a Nepali billionaire's company popular for its Wai Wai noodles to discontinue some products after an investigation found its factory used unhygienic "floor-collected, broken noodles" in making its Indian snacks. The crackdown is part of an unprecedented food safety drive in India, where federal and state officials are taking strict action against big and small eateries and brands ranging from Domino's and Pizza Hut to Diageo for any food safety, hygiene or labeling lapses. Friday's order was issued to a CG Foods India factory in Rajasthan state in western India, which is part of CG Corp Global, led by Nepal's only billionaire Binod Chaudhary, nicknamed the "Noodle King." The regulator's investigation focused on two Wai Wai-branded products called bhujia — a popular fried Indian snack sold by many companies in the country in tiny packs. Inspectors found "re-processing floor-collected broken noodles into bhujia without heat treatment," the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in a social media post. CG Foods India did not respond to a request f

Nvidia is buying artificial intelligence (AI) software platform Hugging Face for $12.93 billion. Jensen Huang wrote in a blog post Thursday that more than 18 million developers, researchers and creators use Hugging Face to share more than 3 million models, 500,000 data sets and 1 million applications. There's also more than 200,000 companies that use the platform, he said. The AI chipmaker will keep Hugging Face as an open platform. “Hugging Face will remain an open platform for the entire AI ecosystem. Developers will choose the models they want, the frameworks they want, the clouds and inference service providers they want and the computing platforms they want,” Huang wrote. “Nvidia compute will not be required to build on or deploy through Hugging Face.” Hugging Face will still support open source and open weight models as well as multi-cloud and multi-accelerator development and deployment. Nvidia has released more than 500 models on Hugging Face and more than 250 open datasets. Nvidia's stock rose slightly before the market open.

Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard on Wednesday at the request of Ukraine’s Naftogaz as part of a global effort to enforce a $4.22 billion arbitration award. Naftogaz is trying to recover the multibillion-dollar arbitration award stemming from Russia’s 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea and its seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, including gas fields and pipelines. In 2023, an arbitration tribunal in The Hague ordered Russia to pay the $4.22 billion to the Ukrainian state-owned energy company for unlawfully seizing its assets in Crimea. After Russia's refusal to pay the award, Naftogaz has been petitioning national courts seeking court orders to seize Russian commercial assets. “This is another important step towards restoring justice for Russia’s unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea. Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award. We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world,” said Naftogaz CEO Sergii Fedorenko. When asked on Thursday about Norway’s act

Renowned director Lee Joon-ik, best known for historical blockbusters such as "King And The Clown" (2005), "The Throne" (2015) and "Anarchist from Colony" (2017), has made his first foray into vertical short-form drama with "My Father's Table." "I wanted to expand the simple and warm stories we used to capture in traditional movies into the short-form format," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. “I really wanted to try this so that even people who usually do not watch short-form content could enjoy it." Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, "My Father's Table" follows Ha-ung (Jung Jin-young) a traditional husband who has insisted on home-cooked meals for 40 years. When his wife, Sun-ae (Lee Jung-eun), suddenly develops an inability to cook, Ha-ung enters the kitchen for the first time in his life in order to survive. The vertical short-form series will be released exclusively at Lotte Cinema on Sept. 9, followed by its release on Lezhin Snack, a new short-form drama platform launched by the webtoon platform Lezhin Comics, with Part 1 on Sept. 17 and Part 2

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday threatened Iran with a massive response in the event of an attack on Israel. "We would strike all of Iran's national military and civilian infrastructure, including its energy infrastructure, and send Iran deep back into the Stone Age and an age of darkness," Katz said, according to his office. "An Iranian attack on Israel would free us from any existing constraints," he added in the comments made during a meeting with defense ministry employees. Katz said Israel was monitoring signs that economic pressure on Iran could prompt Tehran to take drastic action. "We are seeing signs that the enormous economic pressure Iran is under, as well as fears of an uprising and the collapse of the regime, could drive the country to desperate measures," he said. Katz had already said on Wednesday that Israel was preparing for the possibility of an Iranian attack during the upcoming Jewish holidays. Tehran "likes to attack on holidays," Israeli news site ynet quoted the defense minister as saying. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins on the evening of S

“The 2015 earthquake was a natural disaster. This catastrophic flood, however, is essentially man-made.” Kang Dae-seok, head of the Nepal branch of the Um Hong Gil Human Foundation, made the comparison during an interview in Kathmandu on Tuesday. Looking back on the two massive disasters that struck Nepal over the past 11 years, he warned that man-made disasters could happen again unless adequate preparations were made. The two disasters may seem similar in that both claimed thousands of lives, Kang said. But unlike the 2015 earthquake, which was beyond human control, the recent flooding was triggered by a glacial collapse linked to global warming and therefore bears humanity’s fingerprints. The Um Hong Gil Human Foundation's Nepal branch is where Kang heads conducts educational aid projects in Nepal, including overseeing the building of 19 schools across the country. Kang is an expert on local affairs, having served as a secretary at the Korean Embassy in Nepal during the 2015 earthquake. The foundation is currently helping Korean companies affected by the flooding assess conditi

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Catastrophic floods on the China-Nepal border have killed at least 1,252 people in Nepal, the disaster authority said Thursday, taking overall deaths to more than 1,270. Chinese state media earlier confirmed 21 people were killed in Tibet, bringing the total toll from the disaster that struck on August 26 to 1,273. The number of missing in Nepal remained 4,216, as rescue operations continued on a war-footing. In China, state media say there are 541 people missing, taking the overall number to 4,757. Nearly 600 foreigners from over 30 nationalities are also missing, with Indians making up one of the largest proportions. Some 75 Americans are also unaccounted for, according to the State Department on Wednesday. In Kathmandu, desperate families of some of the missing foreigners said they were combing hospitals and morgues for any information about their loved ones. "I feel desperate, it's been so many days," said 53-year-old American Sanjeev Rai who flew to Nepal after learning that his wife was untraceable. The floods, which tore through mountain districts, have destroyed

MOSCOW — Russia will shutter German cultural centers across the country, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday. The move comes after Berlin blamed Moscow for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport and announced the closure of both the Russian Consulate in Bonn and the Russian House cultural center in the German capital. Lavrov said that cultural centers belonging to Germany’s Goethe-Institut would be closed in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, adding that any other response would show a lack of “self-respect” on Russia’s part. Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Lavrov said that Germany “could not have failed to understand” that the closure of Russian House would “signify the end of their cultural presence in Russia.” A drone laden with explosives was found near a Ukrainian plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4 and later defused. The airport is a major international freight hub used for providing support to Ukraine. Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the aim

President Lee Jae Myung has met Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung in a closed-door meeting, sources said Thursday, with the two likely discussing investment matters. The meeting on Wednesday was presumed to have focused on Hyundai's prior pledge to invest 9 trillion won ($6.6 billion) to establish an industrial hub for artificial intelligence (AI), robots and energy in the Saemangeum reclaimed area on Korea's southwestern coast by 2029. The meeting likely also included discussions on Hyundai's contributions to the government's high-profile "megaproject" investment initiative, aimed at nurturing a new semiconductor cluster and facilities for AI data centers. Lee has previously met with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, likely in the same vein.

A study has confirmed that Korea's fierce competition over private education is one of the factors contributing to the country's low birthrate. The study found that parents tend to increase spending on private education as they compare their children's academic achievements with those of other families. The resulting financial burden, in turn, discourages families from having additional children. Researchers estimated that without the effects of such competition, the average number of children per woman would have been about 0.53 higher than the actual figure. The findings were presented Wednesday at a conference on population aging jointly hosted by the Bank of Korea, the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The research team, which included Kim Sung-eun, a professor of economics at Sejong University; Michele Tertilt, a professor at the University of Mannheim in Germany; and Mincheol Yeom, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States, examined the relationship between private education competition and

Controversy over the name of a Taiwanese exhibition venue at Gwangju Biennale has fueled concerns of a potential diplomatic conflict between Korea and China. Chinese officials say that the biennale organizers’ permission for the participating Taiwanese artists to use the name of “Taiwan Pavilion” is against the “One China” principle, and that the decision crossed a “red line.” They warned that its impact on the bilateral relationship between Korea and China could be as serious as the diplomatic row over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system deployment in 2017. China protested on Thursday through a press release criticizing the Gwangju Biennale Foundation’s decision to permit Taiwanese artists to use the name “Taiwan Pavilion” at the international art event instead of the institutional name, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA). The release followed Chinese artists' official announcement of their withdrawal from the exhibition. In the release, the embassy said the incident “directly damages the political base of Ch

The benchmark KOSPI closed slightly higher Thursday, following a choppy session in which the main index plunged nearly 2 percent during afternoon trading. The KOSPI opened 1.33 percent higher at 6,650.33 and initially extended its gains before reversing sharply around 2 p.m. It fell to the 6,400 range before rebounding to close at 6,579.48, up 16.76 points, or 0.26 percent, from the previous session. Retail investors led net selling with 955 billion won ($703 million), while foreign investors and institutions sold a net 423.4 billion won and 215.2 billion won, respectively. Corporations were the only major investor group to post net buying, purchasing nearly 1.6 trillion won and helping cushion the selling pressure from the other three groups. Ongoing share buybacks by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix have recently emerged as a buffer against the sell-off. Market bellwethers closed lower. Samsung Electronics closed at 250,000 won, down 0.2 percent from the previous session, while SK hynix fell 1.05 percent to 1.596 million won. The KOSPI's initial gains followed an overnight rebound on Wa

The Korean won climbed to a near 14-month high against the U.S. dollar Thursday, as the strength of the Japanese yen weighed on the dollar. The won was quoted at 1,359.3 won per dollar at 3:30 p.m., up 9.4 won from the close of the previous stock trading session. It marked the first time since July 3 last year that the won strengthened past the level of 1,360 per dollar. At one point in morning trading, the Korean currency rose to as high as 1,355.9 per dollar. The won's advance came amid market expectations that Japan's financial authorities may intervene to support the yen, which increased to its highest level since Aug. 7. Local exporters also appeared to continue to sell dollars as the U.S. currency remained weak ahead of a U.S. employment report.

The government has reset its strategy in order to accomplish this year’s K-food exports goal of $16 billion, setting specific goals for different export markets. With exports having reached $8.25 billion as of the end of July, and instant noodles alone accounting for $1 billion of the total, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on Thursday that the second half of the year is “the last opportunity to determine whether the goal is accomplished or not.” Planned measures range from expanding exports and catering to the needs of overseas markets to providing financial support for Korean exporters and responding swiftly to non-tariff barriers in export markets. Plans were finalized at the third meeting of a private-public Korean food export committee meeting in Seoul, which was joined by officials from eight ministries, representatives of major companies including CJ, Samyang Foods, Daesang and Nongshim, and officials from agencies related to agriculture, fresh produce exports and tourism promotion. The updated export measures have been recalibrated to be region-spec

The labor ministry and police raided a chemical manufacturer Thursday over a deadly fire that occurred at its factory in the central city of Cheonan last week, officials said. About 40 police officers and labor inspectors were deployed to seize computers and mobile phones from Daewon Sanup's headquarters in Cheonan, some 85 kilometers south of Seoul, and its office in Seoul, according to the ministry. The raid followed the fire that broke out at a paint ingredient factory in Cheonan, run by the company, Friday, leaving three people dead and two others injured. Investigators plan to examine whether company officials abided by safety protocols, such as fire prevention and evacuation measures, in a bid to determine the exact cause of the blaze.

The National Assembly on Thursday passed a bill extending the mandate of a special committee investigating the deadly Itaewon crowd crush in 2022. The bill was approved in a 220-5 vote with six abstentions during a plenary session at the National Assembly. Under the bill, the committee's mandate will be extended until Sept. 16 next year to continue its investigation into the crowd accident that killed 159 people during Halloween festivities in the central Seoul district in October 2022. The Itaewon crowd crush has prompted criticism over a lack of effective crowd control measures and response measures. In July, the special committee released a report suggesting that more lives could have been saved had more active rescue efforts been made immediately after the accident. The Assembly also approved a motion to donate 3 percent of all lawmakers' monthly allowances for September to help relief efforts for flood victims in Nepal. It also passed a revision to the National Intelligence Service Act that expands the scope of the spy agency's duties to include economic security and broadens its inte

President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday called on the police to step up internal reform following a legal revision that will transfer prosecutors' investigative authority entirely to the police. Lee renewed the call during a meeting with his top aides following the recent passage of a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act, which will completely strip the prosecution of all investigative authority, leaving such power solely to the police. Ahead of the scheduled transition, the police came under public outcry after a police officer on the southern island of Jeju was accused of closing multiple missing-person cases without confirming the safety of those reported missing. Two of them were found dead. "The police should embark on an internal overhaul and system improvements with a bone-cutting determination in light of recent cases," Lee said. "An overall review should also be carried out to determine whether there are any flaws in the practices and systems used to process cases." The president pointed out that recent cases of police mishandling exposed a major weak point in the management of pu

Hyundai Mobis has opened a new plant in Slovakia to produce power electric systems for electric vehicles (EVs), strengthening its production network in Europe amid the region’s growing electrification demand, the auto parts maker said Thursday. The facility, located in Novaky in western Slovakia, is the Korean auto parts maker’s first PE system plant in Europe and its third electrification production base on the continent. The company already operates battery system assembly plants in the Czech Republic and Spain. The new plant has an annual production capacity of up to 280,000 PE systems. Power electric systems integrate three major components of an electric powertrain — an electric motor, an inverter and a reduction gear. Hyundai Mobis invested about 250 billion won ($184 million) in the facility, which occupies a site of about 106,000 square meters. The plant includes production lines for stators, a core component of electric motors, as well as inverters and other electric powertrain components. The company said the facility will serve as a regional production hub supplying Hyund

A Seoul family court on Thursday dismissed a petition by Kim Young-sik, widow of LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo and adoptive mother of LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, seeking to dissolve their adoptive relationship. The Seoul Family Court rejected Kim’s petition for judicial dissolution of the adoption. The court did not disclose its detailed reasoning during the hearing. Kim filed the petition in November 2024 while she was involved in a separate inheritance dispute with Koo Kwang-mo over assets left by her late husband. Koo Kwang-mo is the biological son of Koo Bon-neung, chairman of Heesung Group and younger brother of Koo Bon-moo. Koo Bon-moo adopted his nephew at age 26 in 2004 after losing his only son in an accident, a move widely viewed as paving the way for the succession of LG Group, which has traditionally followed a firstborn-son succession principle. After Koo Bon-moo’s death in 2018, Koo Kwang-mo inherited most of his adoptive father’s shares in LG Group and became the conglomerate’s largest shareholder. The inheritance dispute began in 2023, when Kim and her two daug

The labor ministry on Thursday issued new guidelines for labor negotiations, outlining demands for bonuses tied to a fixed percentage of a company's profit cannot be a mandatory subject of collective bargaining. The ministry's new guidelines are designed to clarify the revised trade union law that went into effect in March and expands subcontracted workers' bargaining rights, while increasing the accountability of prime contractors. While the revision expanded the scope of labor-management issues eligible for legal negotiations, it also caused ambiguity over the extent of negotiations legally allowed between the two parties. The guidelines address key labor issues that have recently rocked the country, including performance bonus demands from Samsung Electronics' labor union and plans to build a new semiconductor complex in the country's southwest. Under the guidelines, demands for performance bonuses fixed to a certain percentage of a company's profit can be a voluntary subject of bargaining but do not fall under mandatory subjects of negotiation. While the trade union law allows collect

Ven. Jinwoo, the current leader of the Jogye Order, was elected as the leader of Korea's biggest Buddhist sect for another term Thursday. Jinwoo won 57 percent of the vote to beat Ven. Gyeongwoo, who earned 43 percent of the ballot. Jinwoo is the second person in the Jogye Order's history to win a second term since Ven. Jaseung was elected for his second term in 2013. "I will wholeheartedly devote myself to ushering in a new century for Korean Buddhism," Jinwoo said after winning the election. He also vowed to embrace everyone who took part in the election and to stabilize the order while making Buddhism younger and more dynamic. As the leader of the country's biggest Buddhist sect, he will oversee some 3,500 temples and 12,000 monks associated with the Jogye Order across the country. He is set to begin his four-year term on Sept. 28 after receiving approval from the order's elders assembly.

President Xi Jinping’s journey from Central Asia to Egypt highlights Beijing’s efforts to strengthen alternative trade, energy and manufacturing networks across Eurasia and Africa, analysts said, as wars and tariffs expose a reliance on vulnerable supply routes and overseas markets. Xi arrived in Egypt on Tuesday for his first visit in 10 years after attending a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where state leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to deepen economic and financial ties. According to a joint statement issued by China and Egypt on Thursday, the two sides will explore cooperation in renewable energy, data centres, semiconductors and space applications, as well as critical-mineral supply chains, agriculture and car manufacturing. The two countries also welcomed the renewal and potential expansion of their bilateral currency-swap agreement and called for greater use of the yuan and Egyptian pound in trade and investment settlements. Ahead of Xi’s visit to the North Africa

Chinese participants in the Gwangju Biennale 2026 withdrew from the art exhibition Thursday, two days before the scheduled opening, in protest of the organizer's decision to allow Taiwanese participants to use the name "Taiwan Pavilion." Chinese Pavilion curator Ruan Yuelai said the Chinese participants "cannot accept this" and have unanimously decided to withdraw from the exhibition as a strong expression of protest. "We have placed great importance on the biennale and had worked hard preparing for it," Ruan said at a press conference at the Ha Jungwoong Museum of Art in Gwangju. "However, the Gwangju Biennale organizers used an incorrect name in connection with Taiwan's participation, allowing political elements to intrude into the realm of art." The Chinese Embassy in Seoul backed the withdrawal and issued a formal statement, arguing that allowing the name "Taiwan Pavilion" violates the "One China" principle that Korea has committed to respecting. The embassy said it and the Chinese Consulate General in Gwangju had communicated multiple times with both the Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metro

Unionized workers affiliated with the country's umbrella labor union will go on strike Friday to oppose the government's plans to relocate policy lenders and other public financial organizations from Seoul to provincial areas. The Korea Financial Industry Union (KFIU), a major umbrella labor group, said Thursday its members will hold a rally in Gwanghwamun Square as planned as the government pushes ahead with its relocation scheme. Although a detailed timeline or list of institutions subject to relocation are still murky, public financial institutions are opposed to the plan given the government's firm stance to relocate government ministries and agencies. The KFIU also calls for a pay rise, a shortened workweek and an increase in the hiring of young people. "We can't accept relocation plans without deep talks with interested parties," the labor umbrella group said, adding that it will hurt the lives of workers and undermine the overall financial industry. The union demanded that the government stop pushing ahead with the process, claiming that the relocation plan is a political attempt t

Four of Seoul’s major royal palaces are preparing to host five days of music, night walks, and living history next month as the city’s flagship heritage festival expands its offerings for international visitors. From Oct. 7 to 11, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center and the Korea Heritage Agency will hold the 2026 Autumn K-Royal Culture Festival across Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace, Deoksu Palace and Changgyeong Palace, alongside Jongmyo Royal Shrine. Following a record-setting spring edition that drew over 725,000 visitors, organizers are leaning into evening illuminations and dedicated foreign-language programs to build on the event's global momentum. The festivities kick off on Oct. 6 outside Gyeongbok Palace’s Heungnyemun Gate with a special outdoor screening of the music program "Immortal Songs," blending traditional Korean instruments with modern K-pop performances. Each historic complex will highlight a distinct aspect of Joseon Dynasty tradition. At Gyeongbok Palace, the "Gyeongbokgung Hanbok Banquet" on Oct. 9 and 10 will center on traditional court attire, featuring m

Anticipating a crowd of more than 1 million people along the Han River, Seoul officials led by Mayor Oh Se-hoon carried out on-site safety checks Thursday to prevent overcrowding at the annual Seoul International Fireworks Festival. Oh conducted an on-site inspection at Yeouido Hangang Park, focusing on crowd management, emergency response plans and facility safety at one of the festival’s main viewing areas. This year’s festival will be held Friday and Saturday, with a pre-event Friday and the main program Saturday. The festival, now in its 22nd year, is expanding to two days for the first time, with visitors expected to include large numbers of international tourists. During his inspection, Oh reviewed plans for identifying different crowd-control zones, dispersing visitors after the event and managing traffic around the venue. He also examined spectator seating, entry and exit routes, safety fences, restrooms and trash bins at the festival site. Oh said the two-day format is expected to draw more visitors than usual, making comprehensive safety preparations essential. He said Seoul w

The Bank of Korea (BOK) has decided to stop disclosing Korea's ranking among major countries by foreign exchange reserves on Thursday, ending a practice that had continued for more than 25 years. In its monthly report on foreign exchange reserves released Thursday morning, the central bank left out the section showing Korea's ranking among major countries, a figure it had routinely included in its releases. It was the first time since February 2001 that the BOK had omitted Korea's global ranking from its monthly report, ending a practice that began after the country recovered from the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis. The central bank first began publishing the names and reserve holdings of the world's top 10 countries in February 2001. Foreign exchange reserves have long been viewed as a key indicator of Korea's ability to meet external payment obligations, making the ranking a closely watched measure among market watchers both home and abroad. The decision to remove the data raised eyebrows, particularly as the central bank initially did not give any explanation for the change. "The rankin

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday that South Korea will continue efforts to revive dialogue between North Korea and the United States, noting U.S. President Donald Trump's willingness to reengage with Pyongyang. Cho made the remarks in his keynote speech at the Seoul Diplomacy Forum 2026, hosted by the Korea National Diplomatic Academy under the theme of "Changing International Order and Global Governance." "We will continue our diplomatic efforts to facilitate the resumption of the U.S.-DPRK dialogue," Cho said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "In this regard, we take note of President Trump's continued interest in peace on the Korean Peninsula and his willingness to resume dialogue with the DPRK, as reflected in his recent messages," he said. Last month, Trump expressed his intention to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year, while ordering the scaling back of a major South Korea-U.S. exercise, citing his "very good" relationship with Kim. "We also expect that such dialogue will pave the way for complete denuc

Seoul’s historic Dongdaemun district will host a hands-on cultural fair on Sept. 12, offering local residents a chance to sample global traditions, eco-friendly crafts and live performances right in the heart of the city. Running from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the outdoor plaza of Hyundai City Outlet Dongdaemun, the "Multicultural Family Happy Gathering" aims to bridge cultural gaps and celebrate the neighborhood's growing diversity through interactive workshops and family activities. Organized by the Jung-gu Family Center, this year's installment expanded its footprint through sponsorships from local corporate partners, including Hyundai City Outlet, the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation and KB Kookmin Bank. High public interest sparked an early sellout of advance registrations, though organizers expect thousands of walk-up visitors to crowd the plaza. The venue will be divided into three interactive zones designed around a fairy-tale narrative. At the Magic Workshop, visitors can participate in hands-on cultural activities representing Vietnam, Mongolia and the United States, or assemble

BigBang member Daesung's luxury apartment overlooking the Han River has reportedly surged in value from 1.45 billion won ($1 million) when he bought it to around 10 billion won today. A recent video posted on the YouTube channel "wander planet" highlighted Daesung's apartment in Heukseok-dong, southern Seoul, describing the property as a prime spot for watching the city's annual fireworks festival over the Han River. According to the video, Daesung purchased the apartment in the summer of 2015. The unit has 275 square meters of floor space with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. He reportedly paid 1.45 billion won for the property at the time. Its current market value is now estimated at around 10 billion won, nearly seven times the original purchase price. The luxury apartment complex has long attracted attention for its celebrity residents, as well as its panoramic views of the Han River. Actors Jang Dong-gun and Ko So-young reportedly lived there as newlyweds, while actor Hyun Bin is said to have lived in the complex for about 11 years before his marriage. Former Olympic figure skating

A top Korean military official has underscored the need for deeper cooperation in joint operational readiness among Indo-Pacific nations, highlighting Seoul's role as a key security partner in the region. Lt. Gen. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), made the remarks during the Chiefs of Defense Conference in Canada on Tuesday (local time), addressing a rapidly evolving international security landscape. "Strengthening interoperability among nations is essential to effectively responding to the shifting security environment in the Indo-Pacific," Kwon was quoted as saying by the JCS. "The Republic of Korea will continue to contribute to ensuring regional peace and stability as a responsible security partner," he said, referring to Korea by its official name. The high-level military conference was launched in 1998 as a regional dialogue platform to discuss security challenges and ways to advance military cooperation among participating countries. This year's conference, co-hosted by the United States and Canada, brought together top military officers from 30 co

Embattled retailer Homeplus staved off immediate liquidation after winning court approval for its restructuring plan, but it still faces steep hurdles to achieve a full recovery, industry watchers said Thursday. The court's decision on Wednesday took immediate effect, formally allowing Homeplus to carry out the debt repayment and restructuring measures outlined in the plan. However, the company must stabilize its cash flow, restore normal operations, sell real estate assets and ultimately secure a new buyer to achieve a full recovery. The retailer, controlled by private equity firm MBK Partners, entered corporate rehabilitation in March 2025 but saw the proceedings terminated last July after failing to secure the minimum 200 billion won ($147 million) in operating funds required to implement its rehabilitation plan. It later secured emergency debtor-in-possession financing from Meritz Financial Group, prompting the court to reverse the termination decision. Immediate risks stem from administrative claims, including payments owed to suppliers, which take priority over standard rehabilita

Seoul is expanding its ban on personal e-scooters to three additional crowded pedestrian zones, building on a crackdown that officials say has sharply reduced sidewalks cluttered with abandoned rides and lowered collision risks. The new restrictions will take effect Sept. 30 in Daechi-dong in Gangnam District, Yeonsinnae Rodeo Street in Eunpyeong and the Wirye Transit Mall pedestrian walkway in Songpa. The three areas join Hongdae Red Road in Mapo District and the Banpo area in Seocho District, which have been operating on a trial basis since May 2025 and will become permanent under the expanded program. The city said 95 percent of 281 residents surveyed from June through August supported expanding the restrictions. Support reached 100 percent among 70 respondents in Songpa, 98.1 percent among 103 respondents in Gangnam and 88.9 percent among 108 respondents in Eunpyeong District. The new zones were selected after officials analyzed traffic accidents involving pedestrians and personal mobility devices, along with complaints, reports of illegally parked devices, shared mobility operations

Korea Airports Corp. (KAC) has repeatedly turned to former police officials to lead the state-run airport operator, with security concerns taking precedence over aviation and management expertise in selecting its top executives, industry officials said Thursday. The appointment of Kim Won-joon, former chief of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, as KAC's 14th president on Wednesday has revived questions over why the airport operator continues to favor security officials for its top job. Kim is the fifth KAC president with a police background since the airport operator was reorganized into its current structure in 2002. A former military general and a former intelligence official have also served as KAC president. An aviation industry official said the pattern stems largely from the special nature of airports. “Airports are not simply places for aviation operations,” an official from the industry said. “They are facilities closely linked to national security, which is why police officials with expertise in security have frequently been selected as leaders for the organizati

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has developed seven types of "Seoul-style water fountains" designed for refilling personal tumblers, along with features for wheelchair users, children and pet owners, as part of an effort to cut single-use plastic consumption and expand access to public drinking water. The fountains, which dispense Arisu, Seoul's tap water brand, were developed through a process involving citizen workshops and coordination among city departments, the city said. The designs incorporate universal design principles, removing floor-level steps and creating open space underneath so wheelchair users and children can approach the fountains directly. Safety features include a structure to prevent burns from hot water and tactile buttons that can be operated with minimal pressure. The fountains come in three outdoor types — for refilling tumblers, an expanded refill version and a pet-friendly design — and four indoor types, including a version sized for younger children and one built into a wall. A dedicated nozzle holds tumblers steady for faster refills, and an internal

Nearly 40 million user accounts of Korean streaming platform Tving were compromised in a massive data breach stemming from a hacking incident reported in June, a joint investigation showed Thursday. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the results of a three-month government-civilian investigation into the breach at Tving, an online video streaming platform operated by entertainment giant CJ ENM. A total of 39.54 million user accounts and 361 technical assets, including source code, were found to have been compromised in the breach reported on June 1, although the account figure includes multiple accounts held by the same users, the ministry said. Tving has since strengthened its security measures, and no signs of additional attacks have been detected so far, it noted. By registration method, they included 7.26 million accounts registered directly with Tving, 8.63 million CJ ONE integrated membership accounts and 22.47 million accounts created through social media log-in services, including Naver, Kakao, Facebook, Apple and X. Of the total, 22.06 million were active accounts that cou

ALLDAY PROJECT member Annie, the granddaughter of Shinsegae Group Chairwoman Lee Myung-hee, is drawing attention for a series of photos showing off a sleek all-black look. Annie shared multiple photos on her personal social media account Tuesday, writing in English, "sorry to all my friends i didnt listen to any of you and im posting them all." In the photos, Annie wears a fitted black mini dress paired with black high heels. The strapless, minimalist design highlights her tall, slender silhouette, while long straight hair and earrings complete the polished look. In another photo, she poses seated in a chair with a black jacket over her outfit, adding a more mature touch while maintaining the monochrome styling. Beyond her growing profile as a K-pop artist, Annie has attracted particular attention in Korea because of her ties to one of the country's most prominent business families. She is the granddaughter of Lee Myung-hee, chairwoman of Shinsegae Group, a major Korean retail conglomerate, and the eldest daughter of Shinsegae Chairwoman Chung Yoo-kyung. Annie studied art history and visua

Star couple Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin have drawn attention after being spotted enjoying a family outing with their young son in Tokyo. Photos of the couple visiting a restaurant in downtown Tokyo with their son circulated on social media and online communities Tuesday. In the photos, Hyun is seen standing with their son's stroller while Son orders food. Their son stays close to his mother, with his hand tucked inside her sleeve. Both actors opted for casual looks for the family outing. Son wore a loose-fitting white top with balloon pants, while Hyun, sporting a beard, wore a navy blue short-sleeved T-shirt and white shorts. The Tokyo sighting is not the first time they've attracted attention while traveling as a family. Previous sightings of the couple and their son in Los Angeles and Okinawa, Japan, have also circulated online. Hyun recently spoke about how becoming a father has changed the way he approaches family outings. "Now that I have a child, I try to go somewhere and do something whenever I can," Hyun said during Tuesday's episode of the SBS variety show "Whenever Possible." His com

North Korea has stripped references to "peaceful unification" with South Korea from the charter of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), the full text of the document showed Thursday, in line with Pyongyang's redefinition of inter-Korean ties as those between "two hostile" states. The text, released by Seoul's Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), is the first public disclosure of the charter in full. South Korea's intelligence authorities have previously said the charter was revised in June 2024 to reflect the North's new stance, but the actual language had not been made public until now. The released text also includes updates adopted at the WPK's ninth congress in February. The revised WPK rules strengthens the authority of leader Kim Jong-un, while removing references to the achievements of his predecessors, the late state founder Kim Il-sung and his father Kim Jong-il. The change is widely interpreted as an effort to cement the third-generation leader's standing as the party's sole and unchallenged leader. Beyond unification, the charter also removed mentions of the U.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) called Thursday for predictable, globally aligned health care policies to improve patient access, encourage innovation and attract global investment. The call came at the Healthcare Innovation Seminar 2026, hosted by AMCHAM in Seoul. About 150 government officials, business leaders and health care experts from Korea and the United States attended the 17th annual event. Under the theme “From Reform to Execution: Building a Predictable Healthcare Innovation Ecosystem,” participants discussed how Korea can translate health care reforms into tangible outcomes while creating a more innovation-friendly regulatory environment. The discussions came amid ongoing Korea-U.S. talks on regulatory competitiveness and nontariff barriers. Participants stressed predictable policy implementation, alignment with global standards and closer public-private cooperation as key to strengthening Korea’s competitiveness in health care. The agenda focused on three areas: implementing pharmaceutical pricing reforms announced by the Ministry of Health and Welf

A consortium led by Naver Cloud Corp. has been selected for a government project to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model specialized in cybersecurity, the Ministry of Science and ICT said Thursday. The cloud and AI arm of portal operator Naver beat a rival consortium led by SK Telecom, earning high marks for its broad industry-academia-research partnership, technological capabilities and development strategy, among other factors, the ministry said. The project aims to develop a sovereign cybersecurity AI model tailored to Korea's security environment amid growing cyber risks stemming from rapidly evolving AI technologies. The Naver Cloud consortium comprises 32 companies and institutions, including LG CNS, LG Uplus, KEPCO KDN Co., Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. and the Financial Security Institute. The government plans to provide the consortium with up to 256 Nvidia B200 graphics processing units (GPUs) over the next 10 months to support the development of the model. On top of the 256 GPUs provided by the government, the consortium plans to deploy 4,000 B200 GPUs from

BTS member Jung Kook surprised fans by revealing a massive bag packed with medicines and supplements he carries with him, ranging from magnesium and vitamin D to prescription drugs he said he had received for various health issues. During a livestream on fan platform Weverse on Tuesday, Jung Kook was chatting with fans when he said, "I need to take magnesium. Where's my medicine?" He then offered to show viewers the vitamins he carries around. He pulled out a large bag, which he called his "medicine bag." Inside were numerous medicines and supplements organized in zip-top bags. He went through some of them one by one, explaining why he had received or used them. "This was prescribed when my tonsils were swollen and hurting," he said of one medication. Pointing to others, he said, "This was prescribed when my liver enzyme levels went up," and, "This is a sleeping pill I take when I can't sleep." He also showed medication he said he takes after eating food that does not agree with him. The bag contained a variety of other products, including cold medicine, liquid vitamin D, antibiotics and m

Oriental Brewery’s flagship lager brand, Cass, cemented its dominance in the domestic market by sweeping three categories at the 2026 Brand of the Year Awards, including top votes for its traditional beer, zero-alcohol lineup and music festival properties. Cass won the beer category for the fourth consecutive year, while Cass Zero took the nonalcoholic beer category for a second straight year. CassCool Festival, the brand’s summer music event, was selected for the newly created Music Festival of the Year category. The awards, organized by the Korea Consumer Forum, are determined through annual consumer voting, with more than 770,000 people participating this year. Cass said its latest honors reflect both the strength of its products and the response to its efforts to create more interactive experiences around its brand. Cass has expanded its consumer-facing campaigns this year through a World Cup-themed pop-up called Cass Fan Base Camp and viewing events at Cass Viewing Pubs. The brand has also promoted Cass Extreme Cold, served at minus 3 degrees Celsius, and “Ultra Fresh” draft b

Seoul police referred Bang Si-hyuk, chairman of HYBE, the entertainment giant behind boy band BTS, to prosecutors Thursday over allegations that he deceived early investors in the agency into selling their stakes before the company went public. Police did not request an arrest warrant for him. Bang is accused of unfair trading in violation of the Capital Markets Act. The police alleged that in 2019, when HYBE was still known as BigHit Music, he told existing shareholders that the company had no plans for an initial public offering, prompting them to sell their shares to a special purpose company set up by a private equity fund tied to him, even as BigHit was already moving through preliminary listing procedures. The fund sold the shares after the company listed in 2020, and police believe Bang collected roughly 30 percent of the proceeds under an undisclosed agreement. Financial authorities have put his improper gains at nearly 200 billion won ($145 million). The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's financial crime investigation unit opened the case in December 2024 and raided HYBE's Yongs

Regional flagship national universities are drawing increasing interest as the government prepares to expand support for balanced regional development. The competition rate for regular admissions, based on Korea's College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), reached 5.68 to 1 for admission in 2026 at nine regional flagship national universities, the highest in five years, according to an analysis released Thursday by Jongro Academy, a private university admissions prep institution. The nine schools are Kangwon National University, Gyeongsang National University, Kyungpook National University, Pusan National University, Chonnam National University, Jeonbuk National University, Jeju National University, Chungnam National University and Chungbuk National University. Their competition rate for regular admissions was 4.67 to 1 for admission in 2022, 4.69 to 1 in 2023, 4.58 to 1 in 2024 and 4.88 to 1 in 2025. The competition rate for early admissions, based primarily on high school academic performance and other extracurricular activities, reached 8.65 to 1 for admission in 2026, the highest in fou

In Jeonju, a historic city in southwestern Korea, one of the region’s oldest markets is making a radical bid for young night owls: swapping early curfews for open-air cinema, live music and football fandom that lasts until sunrise. From Saturday to Sunday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, alongside the Korea Tourism Organization, will launch a high-energy campaign at Jeonju Nambu Market. Dubbed the "All-Day Trip," the initiative pairs sports fandom with late-night urban exploration, reimagining the market's role in the city's modern tourism landscape. The festivities begin on Saturday evening, capitalizing on a marquee football match between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Pohang Steelers at the nearby stadium. Organizers are encouraging fans to flood the market before and after kickoff. Supporters arriving in team jerseys who post proof on social media will receive vouchers to spend at stalls, blending athletic spectacle with local culinary trade. As night falls, a 100-meter stretch of road near the market will shut down to vehicular traffic, creating a pedestrian-only zone. V

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that movie theaters' failure to provide audio descriptions and subtitles for people with visual and hearing impairments constitutes disability discrimination. The top court made the ruling while overturning a lower court verdict that strictly limited the number of screenings and theaters required to provide accessibility services for people with disabilities. The lawsuit was filed against three multiplex operators, including CJ CGV, in February 2016 by two visually impaired and two hearing-impaired people, who demanded the theaters provide subtitles and audio descriptions for all movies screened. The Seoul High Court ruled in November 2021 that theaters with 300 or more seats must provide subtitles and audio descriptions at a frequency equivalent to 3 percent of their total screenings, citing excessive financial burden on movie theater operators. The Supreme Court ordered the high court to reconsider the case, saying it had placed excessive weight on the financial burden of theater operators. The Supreme Court said the defendants' failure to provide the pl

The Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and Coex will host the 2026 Jakarta K-Premium Consumer Goods Fair from Thursday through Sunday at the JICC exhibition center in Jakarta, bringing together about 200 Korean consumer goods companies as they target Indonesia's halal market. Now in its eighth year, the fair is themed around "K-halal" and Korean consumer products, aimed at helping Korean firms enter Indonesia's halal market — one of the world's largest, given that roughly 87 percent of the country's 290 million people are Muslim. Organizers timed the event with Indonesia's mandatory halal certification rules set to take effect in October. The rules have driven strong interest among Korean companies looking to establish an early foothold. The event combines an exhibition with a buyer-matching program and a pop-up store. About 300 Indonesian buyers and 30 buyers from neighboring Malaysia are expected to hold roughly 1,100 export consultations with Korean companies during the fair. The exhibition itself will feature roughly 200 Korean food, beauty and home goods companies across

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Tourists previously reported missing in Nepal have made contact with authorities, officials said Wednesday, as families of locals still unaccounted for after last week's catastrophic floods held symbolic funerals for their loved ones. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said 324 foreign nationals have been rescued, while another 590 from 39 countries remain missing following the Aug. 26 floods. At least 1,204 people have been killed and more than 4,200 are missing, according to the country's disaster management agency. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday that the number of Australians missing in the disaster had fallen from 43 to 38 after five were confirmed safe overnight. “Amidst all of this tragedy, we are seeing some positive news. Today, another five Australians have been confirmed safe,” Albanese told reporters in Palau, where he is attending a regional summit. “We hope, of course, for positive news further, and we’re doing everything we can to work with authorities,” Albanese added. On Thursday, the Australian government said it would sen

LS Electric said it signed a memorandum of understanding with KT Cloud on Wednesday to jointly supply power infrastructure and develop technology for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, as the two firms move to capture a share of Korea's fast-growing AI infrastructure market. The agreement was signed at LS Yongsan Tower in Seoul, with LS Electric CEO Chae Dae-seok and KT Cloud's chief executive Kim Bong-kyun among senior officials from both companies in attendance. Under the partnership, the companies will collaborate from the early design stage on power solutions for modular data centers — prefabricated facilities in which standardized server rooms, power systems and cooling modules are built at a factory, then assembled on-site. The approach can cut construction time significantly compared with conventional reinforced-concrete buildings and allows for more flexible expansion, a growing priority as data center operators race to add capacity quickly. LS Electric will supply core power equipment — including ultra-high-voltage transformers, gas-insulated switchgear and power di

Hanwha Ocean said it has won an order from Taiwan's Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. for six 13,650-TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container ships worth about 1.55 trillion won ($1.05 billion), just a year after signing its first contract with the shipping line. The vessels will be built at Hanwha Ocean's shipyard in Geoje and delivered in stages through the second half of 2029, the company said. The order follows Yang Ming's initial contract with Hanwha Ocean last September for seven 15,880-TEU LNG dual-fuel container ships — the two companies' first newbuilding deal. Hanwha Ocean said a major global carrier placing a large follow-up order with the same shipyard within such a short span reflects confidence in its design, production and process management capabilities, and deepens the companies' long-term partnership. The new vessels will use Hanwha Ocean's proprietary high-manganese steel Type-B LNG fuel tank, a technology the company said offers better cost competitiveness than nickel-alloy steel or aluminum while maintaining strength and toughness at minus 163 degrees Cel

Nongshim will introduce Shin Ramyun instant noodles to young Indian consumers at K-culture festivals in four cities this month, the company said, as it expands its outreach beyond product sales into hands-on brand experiences. The instant noodle maker will run a "Shin Ramyun Bunsik" booth — "bunsik" referring to Korean snack foods — at HYBE INDIA Pop-Up Park events starting in mid-September in Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Kochi. The festival is organized by HYBE, the Korean entertainment agency behind BTS, as part of an audition project it is running in India, and combines K-pop fan activities, creative experiences and brand promotions in one venue. At each stop, Nongshim will offer free tastings of Shin Ramyun noodles alongside games and giveaways aimed at drawing in young festivalgoers who are already engaged with K-pop and Korean culture. The company said it hopes to convert that cultural interest into direct exposure to Korean food, reinforcing Shin Ramyun's position as a global brand associated with Korea's food culture. The push follows a first round of HYBE INDIA Pop-Up Pa

Sarah Sikatenda, a 45-year-old businesswoman and advocate for refugee women, worked as a journalist in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before arriving in Turkana County in northern Kenya in 2017. She now leads the Kalobeyei Women Handicraft Cooperative, an organization that produces beaded jewelry, woven baskets and upcycled textile products made from used jeans. It has more than 300 members from South Sudan, Burundi, Ethiopia and other African nations. Sikatenda was visiting Korea with three other African businesswomen from Turkana County with support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) under a project aimed at empowering women-led businesses in marginalized regions. Through the ITC and KOICA project, dubbed "Thrive," the four African businesswomen were able to meet with potential buyers in Korea. The ITC noted that Korea is an important market, pointing out that 62 percent of Korean consumers prefer ethical brands. Among others, Sikatenda said she was impressed by the Korean market's emphasis on detail. "South Koreans stri

A court on Thursday held an arrest warrant hearing for a man accused of murdering his estranged wife in front of their young daughter. The suspect, a public servant in his 30s, was apprehended Tuesday after allegedly stabbing his wife, also in her 30s, outside her home in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. The two had been undergoing divorce proceedings and the man feared he would be at a disadvantage, investigators said. The Suwon District Court's Seongnam branch held the hearing at 11 a.m. and was expected to decide later Thursday whether to issue the warrant. According to the police, the wife had been living apart from her husband under a court-ordered protection order due to his history of domestic violence, but he tracked her down using her address listed on divorce papers. The warrant request listed charges of murder and child abuse.

Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday it will launch the Galaxy S26 FE in Korea later this week. The latest budget Galaxy model will go on sale Friday, the tech giant said. The Galaxy S26 FE features the latest camera capabilities and artificial intelligence (AI), offering a user experience comparable to that of Samsung's flagship smartphones. The device runs Galaxy AI based on One UI 9, the company's latest operating system. It supports features such as Now Brief, which understands users' context and provides personalized information, and Now Nudge, which proactively suggests actions based on users' needs. The phone features My PanCam, which tracks the movements of specific people in videos, and Super Steady with a horizon lock option to help users capture more stable footage. The Galaxy S26 FE will be available with 256 gigabytes of storage in three colors — Blueberry, Graphite and Pistachio. It is priced at 1.05 million won ($772).

More than a week after devastating floods struck Nepal, Korea is intensifying efforts to locate nine nationals who remain unaccounted for, while expanding its humanitarian support for the disaster-hit country, the foreign ministry said Thursday. The 44-member Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) has arrived in Kathmandu and is working to launch search-and-rescue operations in earnest in areas devastated by the floods and landslides that struck on Aug. 26, according to the ministry. "The government's rapid response team dispatched last week was incorporated into the KDRT as of yesterday, and they now operate as one team," a ministry official said. "KDRT chief Lee Kyoo-ho is scheduled to meet with the military commander in the Batar region to coordinate operations." The KDRT set up a base camp in Batar in neighboring Nuwakot district on Wednesday, a major stop on the route to flood-hit Rasuwa, he added. The nine Koreans went missing following last week's massive floods and landslides while working at the Upper Trishuli-1 (UT-1) hydropower plant construction site in Rasuwa district. Six were e

Two Korean officials were selected as World Customs Organization (WCO) Accredited Experts, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Wednesday. The two officials are Kim Kye-yeong, an IT official, and Kim Kwan-woo, a customs official at Gimhae Airport Customs. They were accredited as technical and operational advisors in the fields of single window and data analytics, respectively, on Aug. 25. The number of KCS officials currently serving as WCO Accredited Experts has risen to nine. WCO Accredited Experts are customs officials from member countries who have been officially certified by the WCO for their professional expertise and practical capabilities. They join the WCO's pool of experts supporting capacity building in customs administration and participate in a range of training, technical assistance and advisory activities. To become a WCO Accredited Expert, candidates must first pass a document screening before participating in a workshop, where their expertise is assessed through presentations, discussions and other activities. Candidates who receive strong evaluations then take part in a

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. More consumers are choosing whole-wheat bread over white bread in an effort to make healthier choices. But many products sold as whole-wheat bread are not what they appear to be. To identify genuine whole-wheat bread, consumers should check whether whole-wheat flour is listed as the first ingredient. Some whole-wheat bread products on the market are made primarily with refined wheat flour, with a small amount of whole wheat added and caramel coloring or other colorants used to give the bread a darker appearance. Although they may look healthier, nutritionally they can be little different from conventional bread and remain primarily carbohydrate-based foods. “Fake” whole-wheat bread often has a dark brown color, a soft and moist texture, and a sweet taste. In many cases, these characteristics come from the addition of coloring to regular wheat flour. By contrast, genuine whole-wheat bread made with 100 percent whole-wheat flour tends to be a lighter shade of brown than consumers might expect. It is typically coarser and firmer in texture,

A Sungkyunkwan University research team has developed a novel nanocomposite material with enhanced electrical and thermal conductivity. The university said Tuesday that the team, led by professors Baik Seung-hyun and Choi Joon-myung of the School of Mechanical Engineering, developed the material and successfully applied it to a heat-dissipation technology for foldable smartphones. The findings were published online on Aug. 24 in the international journal Advanced Functional Materials under the title “Ballistic-like Thermal Transport Between Fillers in Highly Conductive Stretchable Nanocomposites.” Baik served as the corresponding author. Research professor C. Muhammed Ajmal and researcher Cheon Seong-su served as co-first authors. “The significance of this study lies in discovering a unique physical phenomenon in which thermal conductivity increases as the material is stretched through precise control of energy barriers between particles at the nanoscale,” Baik said. “The study also demonstrated that this phenomenon can be applied to thermal management in flexible electronic dev

Ahead of next week’s official rebrand, T’way Air is taking its new identity to the skies with the rollout of its first Boeing 737-8 painted in Trinity Airways’ updated brand colors. The airline said Thursday that it introduced the aircraft at Gimpo International Airport, where employees and cabin crew wearing Trinity Airways uniforms gathered to mark the occasion. The aircraft is scheduled to make its first flight under the new brand on Sept. 10, on the Gimpo-Jeju route, as T’way Air begins operating as Trinity Airways. Trinity Airways’ new corporate identity and brand design are being applied to the Boeing 737-8, which is equipped with CFM International’s LEAP-1B engines and is designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions compared with earlier aircraft in its class. T’way Air said additional aircraft featuring the new livery will be introduced in stages, while existing aircraft will also be repainted as part of the transition. During the changeover, aircraft will display the Trinity Airways name to help passengers adjust to the new brand and reduce confus

Rep. Jin Jong-oh of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) said Thursday he will file for a court injunction to suspend disciplinary action taken against him for supporting an independent candidate in a parliamentary by-election. The move came after the PPP ethics committee handed Jin a two-year suspension of his party membership for supporting independent candidate Han Dong-hoon for a parliamentary seat in the southeastern city of Busan ahead of the June 3 local elections, despite the PPP running its own candidate in the district. "I will seek a legal judgment on whether the grounds for disciplinary action were sufficiently proven by objective facts and evidence, whether the conduct constitutes as grounds for disciplinary action under party rules, whether the process was carried out lawfully and fairly, and whether the two-year suspension is proportionate and reasonable from a legal perspective," Jin wrote on Facebook. The lawmaker was also disciplined over a separate incident involving remarks widely considered insensitive toward the victim of the "roundhouse kick" assault case

Golfzon said Thursday that it has completed the Korean qualifying rounds for the 2026 Golfzon China Open, finalizing 20 Korean players who will compete in the tournament finals in December. The global tournament offers a total prize pool of about 4.25 billion won ($3.1 million), with the winner taking home approximately 1.05 billion won. It brings together professional and amateur golfers from Korea, China, other parts of Asia, the Americas and Europe. The Korean preliminary qualifiers ran from March 10 to May 31, attracting about 20,000 golfers — 4,461 in the Pro Division and 15,523 in the Open Division. Participants played more than 40,000 rounds in total. About 200 golfers advanced to the Korean main qualifying rounds, held in July and August at Golfzon City Golf China No. 2 in Yanji, China. The qualifiers selected 15 professionals and five amateurs for the finals. Pro Division A, held from July 20-24, featured players with previous KPGA or KLPGA Tour victories, as well as those ranked in the top 30 in the 2025 first-tier tour money rankings. Kim Hong-taek, Lee Tae-hee, Ji Han-sol,

The government said Thursday it will begin relocating central government agencies and public institutions remaining in the Seoul metropolitan area to Sejong in the first half of 2027, starting with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The agencies that will take over the soon-to-be-dismantled prosecution’s functions, including indictments and criminal investigations, as well as the National Police Agency, will be relocated after new headquarters are built. Announced during a government-wide briefing led by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook, the measures are part of a phased plan to relocate about 350 public institutions currently based in the capital region to other parts of the country to promote balanced regional development. The plan marks the second round of the government’s relocation drive, following the first round carried out from the 2000s through the 2010s. The government will announce a detailed relocation plan for the public institutions in the fourth quarter of this year, with the moves to begin in 2027. Separately, the government plans to c

Humanoid robots are moving from testing grounds into daily warehouse operations at CJ Logistics, marking what the company says is its first use of such robots in an actual logistics process. CJ Logistics said Thursday it has deployed two humanoid robots at its Olive Young logistics center in Yangji, Yongin, where they are being used to place cushioning material inside boxes during packaging. The move follows field testing at its Gunpo fulfillment center last year and is intended to turn data gathered from real logistics work into new training material for improving robot accuracy and responsiveness. Unlike fixed automation equipment designed for standardized tasks, humanoid robots can work within spaces built for people and potentially shift between different jobs as products and orders change. CJ Logistics is applying its own control technology, using logistics work data to develop what it describes as a robot foundation model (RFM) that serves as the robot’s “brain.” The system combines information from vision and sensors with simulated data to help robots recognize their surround

Korean coffee chain Twosome Place said Thursday it will enter the U.S. market next month, marking its first move into a major overseas market. Twosome Place will open its first overseas outlet in Alexandria, Virginia, in October and plans to open more locations in the DMV area, which encompasses Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, the company said in a statement. The company aims to expand into other major U.S. cities after establishing a presence in the DMV area and become a "major brand" in the United States, drawing on its 25 years of experience in Korea's food and beverage industry. "The U.S. will be our first stage, and the opening of our first Alexandria store will mark the beginning of a new chapter in Twosome's global journey," Chief Executive Moon Young-ju said. In the U.S., the company said it will combine its expertise in coffee-and-dessert pairings with Korean flavors and local consumer preferences to offer products and experiences tailored to the U.S. market. Twosome Place, which launched in 2002, has 1,750 outlets in Korea. It is wholly owned by global investment firm C

OCI Holdings' U.S. subsidiary OCI Energy broke ground Tuesday (local time) on the 260-megawatt SunRoper solar project in Wharton County, Texas, as rising electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers drives growth in renewable power, the Korean company said Thursday. The project, a 50-50 joint venture with Israeli renewable energy developer Arava Power, spans 1,714 acres and is scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2027. Once completed, it will generate enough electricity to power about 60,000 households. The companies secured project financing based on a long-term power purchase agreement signed in February with a Fortune 100 company. The buyer was not disclosed. OCI Holdings Chairman Lee Woo-hyun attended the groundbreaking ceremony along with OCI Energy President Sabah Bayatli and Arava Power CEO Ilan Zidkony. OCI Energy has developed utility-scale solar projects in Texas since 2012, developing and selling about 2 gigawatts of capacity in the U.S. market. Its business has accelerated over the past two years as AI data center construction has increased demand f

Eight years after the poetic devastation of "Burning," director Lee Chang-dong is stepping back into the international cinematic spotlight, bringing with him a hypnotic modern melodrama about class divide, hidden desire and emotional distance. His latest project, "Possible Love," distributed globally by Netflix, has secured the prestigious Auteur Award at the 49th Mill Valley Film Festival — making Lee the first Korean filmmaker to receive the honor. The recognition comes alongside his Tribute Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, cementing a triumphant festival circuit run that includes invitations to Venice, New York, San Sebastian, Zurich and Vancouver. The film revolves around two couples brought together under the guise of an artistic pursuit: Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu), who plays a laid-off factory worker, and Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon), who plays his wife, both harboring deep economic and emotional wounds, along with Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a wealthy documentary director, and her husband, Sang-woo (Zo In-sung). When Ye-ji picks up her lens to capture the working-class couple'

K-pop boy band Stray Kids' latest album, "This & That," has been certified "gold" by a major French recording industry association, the group's agency said Thursday. The EP received the certification from France's National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing for achieving 50,000 sales units across physical copies, downloads and streams, according to JYP Entertainment. With the latest certification, Stray Kids now owns six gold-certified albums in France, including "5-Star" and "Rock-Star." In August, "This & That" debuted atop the U.S. Billboard 200, the main albums chart, becoming the group's ninth No. 1 album. Stray Kids now has the second-most Billboard 200 No. 1 albums in the chart's history among group acts, behind the Beatles, who has 19, and tied with the Rolling Stones.

In 1806, Carl Maria von Weber accidentally drank nitric acid used for engraving, mistaking it for wine. The near-fatal mishap left his vocal cords damaged for life. A year later, entangled in his father’s catastrophic debts, he was arrested for embezzlement and banished from Württemberg. Yet, out of this chaotic crucible in his early 20s, the German composer forged his Piano Quartet in B-flat major — a daring work that helped lay the groundwork for early Romanticism. Nearly four decades later, Felix Mendelssohn found himself consumed by a different kind of anguish. Plunged into severe depression following the sudden stroke and death of his sister and musical confidante, Fanny, Mendelssohn struggled to regain his footing. Writing to his sister Rebecka while recovering in Switzerland in 1847, he confessed his desperate attempt to force himself back into his craft: "I am trying to be industrious, in the hope that I may once more find some interest and pleasure in work." That search for solace yielded his final completed masterpiece, the String Quartet No. 6 in F minor. A stark depart

Renowned Korean director Lee Chang-dong has won the Auteur Award at this year's Mill Valley Film Festival, Netflix said Thursday. Lee, whose latest feature "Possible Love" has also been invited to the Spotlights Program of the festival set to take place in San Francisco next month, is the first Korean to receive the award, according to the streaming platform. The award recognizes Lee's unique cinematic world and accomplishments, it added. The recognition is the latest among numerous accolades the veteran director has earned. Most recently, he became the first Korean to win the TIFF Ebert Director Award, a lifetime achievement honor presented at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). "Possible Love" has also been invited to compete at the main competition section of the prestigious Venice International Film Festival. The film will hit Korean theaters on Sept. 23 and will be available on Netflix from Nov. 6.

Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won on Thursday denied any intention to order the withdrawal of indictments against President Lee Jae Myung if he takes office, saying the position has no direct authority over such matters. Kim, a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has faced criticism from the main opposition People Power Party over his involvement in a group of DPK lawmakers calling for dropping Lee's criminal indictments. "The justice minister has no direct authority and I have no intent to issue orders through the prosecutor general," Kim told reporters when asked about the issue. "Prosecutors have the authority over maintaining indictments in individual cases, so I will respect that." He explained his involvement in the group was intended to convey the public's stance to correct wrongs in cases brought by the state through "illegal" investigations. Kim has called for cancelling Lee's indictments, claiming they were brought by politically motivated prosecutors. Lee had faced multiple criminal trials before his presidential election in June last year. The trials h

The nation's new acting police chief on Thursday issued a statement of de facto self-reflection over the recent mishandling of high-profile missing-person and murder cases, vowing sweeping internal reforms to regain public trust. Kim Jong-chul, the new acting head of the Korean National Police Agency, issued the statement at a meeting with new police leadership following his inauguration ceremony in Seoul. The slogan of the meeting was "The police have fallen short. Through deep self-reflection and sweeping reforms, we will rebuild the police from the ground up." "The police have no reason to exist if they lose the trust of the people," Kim said in the statement. We will not stop at mere rhetoric. We will prove it through changes and actions." The statement came amid growing public outcry after a Jeju police officer was found to have wrongfully closed the case of a missing woman without confirming her safety, a move that may have contributed to her death. Earlier, a separate allegation that police in Gwangju, 270 kilometers south of Seoul, had leaked investigative materials to a murder su

U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel met with Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Thursday, her first such meeting with the top Korean defense chief since assuming the post in late July. Steel arrived at the defense ministry headquarters in Yongsan, accompanied by U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson. She was expected to discuss key alliance issues with Ahn, including Seoul's ongoing efforts to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States. Thursday's meeting follows her previous separate meetings with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan last month.

A federal judge has blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's latest attempt to limit birthright citizenship, granting a preliminary injunction against an executive order that the administration said would target “birth tourism.” U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman in Maryland on Wednesday issued the injunction until a class-action lawsuit brought by immigrant families and advocacy groups is resolved. “The Supreme Court has spoken: Children in the certified class are ‘citizens at birth,’” Boardman, appointed by President Joe Biden, wrote in Wednesday's ruling. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under current law for anyone who is born on U.S. soil, with a few exceptions. The law stretches back to 1868, when the 14th Amendment was ratified in the aftermath of the Civil War. But Trump has long wanted to end birthright citizenship, issuing a previous executive order declaring that children born to people who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens. The Supreme Court struck down that attempt in June. In August, the president tried again with a

No details have been finalized on any new U.S. tariffs on semiconductors, the presidential office here said Thursday, after the U.S. commerce secretary said a "targeted" chip tariff policy is under consideration. Appearing on a CNBC interview Wednesday (U.S. time), Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the U.S. administration is considering a "targeted" and "thoughtful" tariff policy for semiconductors. "As far as we know, details related to U.S. semiconductor tariffs have not been finalized," an official at Cheong Wa Dae said. "The government will closely monitor related developments while closely cooperating with the U.S. to prevent any unfavorable impact on our companies," the official said.

Defense Minister nominee Kang Shin-chul said Thursday he will pursue the retaking of wartime operational command (OPCON) from Washington in a way that will strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance. Kang, ex-deputy commander of the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, made the remarks as Seoul has been seeking to regain wartime command of Korean troops before President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term ends in 2030. Under the three-phase OPCON transition plan, the allies are at the second stage of verifying the combined forces' "full operational capability (FOC)," with Seoul aiming to complete the FOC assessment process within this year. "We will pursue the transition of OPCON in a way that will strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance," Kang told reporters on his way to work to prepare for a parliamentary confirmation hearing. Korea has been hoping to set a target year for the OPCON handover at this year's annual Security Consultative Meeting between the allies' defense chiefs this fall. In regard to controversy over the government's push to integrate the three military academies of the Army, Navy and Ai

North Korea has opened the 15th National Conference of Teachers in Pyongyang, with leader Kim Jong-un stressing the importance of education and touting teachers' role in advancing it, state media reported Thursday. In his opening address a day earlier, Kim called education "the most important state affair that cannot and should not lag behind the work of any other fields" and praised teachers as "patriots" at the forefront of raising the country's next generation. North Korea held the teachers' conference for the first time since February 2019. Kim singled out members of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon, thanking them for serving as "champions of the right to national education" who have raised the community's youth "in the alien land" through patriotic devotion. He described the education sector as standing at a critical juncture, noting changes in recent years to its system, content and environment, a shift he called nothing short of "a revolution." "I reaffirm that education is the most important state affair and educators should be held in higher este

Seoul shares extended their gains late Thursday morning as oil prices eased after U.S. President Donald Trump played down the prospect of a prolonged conflict with Iran. After opening 1.33 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was up 92.04 points, or 1.4 percent, at 6,654.76 as of 11:20 a.m. The main index plunged 3.99 percent in the previous session amid concerns about tensions in the Middle East and the possibility of further U.S. Federal Reserve rate hikes. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.56 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite gained 0.45 percent. Trump said renewed U.S. attacks on Iran would likely be short-lived, easing concerns about inflation. Foreigners and individuals sold a net 300.38 billion won (US$221 million) and 319.95 billion won worth of stocks, respectively. Institutions bought a net 17.79 billion won. In Seoul, tech stocks led the gains. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 1.4 percent, and its chipmaking rival SK hynix climbed 0.99 percent. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor gained 1.46 percent, and leading bat

Chinese participants of the Gwangju Biennale will announce their withdrawal from the art exhibition on Thursday morning, in protest of the organizer’s permission for Taiwanese participants to use the name “Taiwan Pavilion” instead of their institutional name, a source familiar with the issue said. The Chinese side, together with the Chinese Embassy in Korea, argues the change of name goes against the “One China” principle that Korea has committed to respect. According to the source, the Chinese participants decided to withdraw from the Gwangju Biennale and will make an official announcement at a press conference on Thursday morning — two days before the international art festival starts — unless the organizer reverses its decision. They already stopped preparations for the China Pavilion several days ago. Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing met with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City Mayor Min Hyung-bae to express protest and regret. The officials also expressed regret over the row but declined to intervene, noting

NEW YORK — New York City’s public schools will temporarily ban elementary and middle school students from using generative artificial intelligence tools during the upcoming school year, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday. The one-year moratorium — part of a broader assessment of how children in the nation’s largest school system interact with the technology — will apply to “all software that uses student-facing generative AI” for students through eighth grade, the mayor’s office said. It described the policy as the most expansive prohibition in the country. At the same time, the city will establish twice-yearly AI literacy classes for all public high school students. It will also launch pilot programs allowing some high school students to use a handful of AI platforms under an educator’s supervision. Companion chatbots will be prohibited across all grades, officials said. The approach comes as students, parents and schools across the country attempt to navigate the use of AI tools in the classroom and elsewhere. Schools are working to teach children how to incorp

“Little Boys isn’t really about age. It’s a state of mind. It’s about keeping something of Peter Pan alive inside you — that restless, curious and slightly reckless energy you have when you still see the world as something to challenge. We never want to lose that.” This is how vocalist and guitarist Elle Bertone explained the origins of the power rock duo's name, Little Boys. She added that part of the band’s ethos is holding onto curiosities that bring them to places they are yet to understand. “In that sense, we still feel like little boys.” It’s this state of mind that the Italian two-piece act is bringing to Korea with their extensive 16-show tour of Korea this September and October. On stage, the duo goes beyond child’s play — turning that childlike spirit into something loud and unstoppable, creating a playground of their own. Bertone, a former classical pianist, opted to tinker with a guitar in her unusual technique — playing left-handed on a standard right-handed guitar without reversing the strings. Meanwhile, her bandmate, Esse Pirotta, who spent year

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that South Korea, Japan and other countries are going to Alaska to "load up with oil and build pipelines," as he highlighted his support for the state ahead of the November midterm elections. Trump made the remarks during a press availability at the White House, mentioning Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) who is up for reelection. "I definitely know nobody has helped Alaska like Donald Trump. We've invested billions and billions of dollars and created trillions of dollars in value," he said. "You have Japan. You have South Korea. You have all of these people now going to Alaska to load up with fuel, load up with oil, build pipelines, everything else. Dan Sullivan's done a great job," he added, noting his intention to visit Alaska to help Republican candidates. The Trump administration has sought to elicit cooperation from South Korea, Japan and other nations in an Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. The project aims to build a 1,287-kilometer pipeline from the North Slope, which has massive proven natural gas reserves, to southern

The heat has finally started to break, but nobody told the K-pop release calendar. September opens with Chung Ha, Kwon Eun-bi, Lisa and Jisoo all putting out new music in just a four day span, the densest run of solo releases by women in K-pop this year. The month only gets busier, with a long-delayed first full-length album, a debut EP, a band's second wave and a rapid-turnaround return from HYBE's girl group LE SSERAFIM still to come. Solo queens open the month Chung Ha started the run on Tuesday, releasing the digital single "México" through MORE VISION. It is her first new music since "Save me," the birthday single she put out in February. Kwon Eun-bi then arrives Sept. 3 with the digital single "DEJAVU," her first release in a year and four months. It is also her first since signing with RBW in April, after ending a long run with Woollim Entertainment at the end of March. RBW has been teasing a wider tonal range with the single, compared to the sharply sexy register of her last release. BLACKPINK's Lisa also lands on Sept. 3 with "SaWaDiKa," the lead single from her six-track EP "PR

K-pop singer Kwon Eun-bi has taken to numbering versions of herself. The first one, she said, was spent working out who she actually was. The second one starts Thursday. "The Kwon Eun-bi at Woollim Entertainment was a time of getting to know myself," the singer said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul's Gwangjin District, Monday. "Going solo meant having to think hard about who I am, and that was quite difficult at the time. I'd had so little time alone that I hadn't thought about it much." The second, she said, "feels like a fresh start, finally knowing what I enjoy doing." Some of what she found was smaller than expected. "I discovered that I like little things more than I'd expected. Traveling abroad, meeting friends and giving out small gifts," she said. "I was always the older sister, always the leader, so I lived pretending to be that person. Turns out I was more than that." That leadership role is where most listeners first encountered her. Kwon debuted in 2014 with the short-lived girl group Ye-A, left the following year and signed as a trainee with Woollim

There's a lot of information out there about Korean history, whether through academic study, historical sites or even period K-dramas. We know, or at least think we know, how society functioned, how people dressed, where they lived and so on. But was Korea ever funny? The history of humor in Korea has been largely overlooked by historians. When a visiting professor at Korea University introduced a 1916-published joke book to his class, it got the attention of G.S. Hand, then a grad student, now a professional literature translator. "I decided to start translating these jokes the moment I saw them because they're hilarious — at least sometimes — and I don't think many people know about them," he said. "Scholars of Korean modern literature usually study things from later than that, classical literature scholars usually study things from earlier, and neither group is all that interested in humor." "Kkalkkal Useum" contains 72 short humorous texts that were considered funny in 1916, although many are likely much older, with clear indications they date back to the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty

WASHINGTON/DUBAI — Iranians and their Arab neighbours feared a return of war on Wednesday after the biggest exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington since July, with U.S. forces striking Iran's southern coast and Iran firing at American bases across the region. The United States threatened more devastating strikes. Iran accused Washington of hitting a wedding party, killing four people and wounding dozens. Its health minister later said 18 people in total had been killed and 108 injured in the latest wave of U.S. strikes. Asian and European stocks tumbled after the airstrikes, though Wall Street opened higher as investors focused instead on AI developments. Oil prices were marginally firmer in a volatile session that had earlier seen them hit levels not reached since July, amid concerns over the impact of the war on the global economy. 'Like the end of the world' The U.S. military said it struck air defences, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites on Tuesday. Iran reported hits on multiple targets near the Strait of Hormuz. "Last night wa

An adult was wounded in a shooting at a Virginia elementary school Wednesday morning, according to an official who responded to the scene and confirmed no children were injured. Jim Wood, a Waynesboro city council member whose district includes Westwood Hills Elementary School, said in a phone interview that the shooting was an isolated event and that the shooter is no longer a threat. He declined to further elaborate on the suspect's status. “This is a one-on-one incident,” said Wood, who was at a nearby event Wednesday morning and went to the scene. He later went to a church, where he said children were being reunited with their families. The adult victim was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, Wood said. Robin Lawson, a spokeswoman for Virginia State Police, also confirmed that initial reports indicate one adult was injured and no children were harmed. Waynesboro police have not yet released a full statement on the shooting, but Lawson said one would be forthcoming Wednesday afternoon. Wood said he could not identify the suspect or confirm any connecti

WASHINGTON — U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday that President Donald Trump's administration is working to craft a "targeted" and "thoughtful" tariff policy for semiconductors, reiterating that companies that produce products in the United States would not pay duties. During a CNBC interview, Lutnick confirmed that the administration is working on the envisioned tariffs, after Politico, a media outlet, reported last week that it is weighing new chip tariffs despite warnings from tech companies that the move could doom U.S. hopes of dominating artificial intelligence. "I think what you're going to see is targeted, thoughtful tariff policy that basically says if you build here, you don't pay, but if you don't build here, expect to pay to enter the greatest market in the world," the secretary said. Asked to confirm the Politico report that he favors a structure tying foreign companies' tariff relief to investment in U.S. chip manufacturing, Lutnick said, "Yeah. It's exactly right." "If you build in America, we will give you tariff relief, and if you don't build in Ameri

WASHINGTON — The United States is considering frigate designs from South Korea, Japan and Turkey for a new class of warships, a news report said Wednesday, as it is seeking cooperation with trusted allies to rebuild its navy and shipbuilding industry. Citing three industry sources, USNI News, the U.S. Naval Institute's news outlet, reported that the White House and the U.S. Navy are considering the designs from the countries for a competition that could include building up to two of the ships in foreign shipyards before transitioning to U.S. yards. The frigate designs under consideration include the Chungnam-class guided-missile frigate built by South Korean shipbuilders, the export version of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' FFM Mogami-class guided-missile frigate and the Istanbul-class guided-missile frigate built by several Turkish shipyards, according to the report. The move to procure foreign-built warships would break with more than a century of U.S. domestic naval construction, the report pointed out. South Korea has been carrying out a project to build a total of six Chungnam-class

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz as "Trump Strait" despite the fact that the crucial waterway remains contested amid the war with Iran. "Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT??? Like America itself, it would be 'hotter' than ever before!" Trump said on his Truth Social network. It is the latest geographical name change floated by Trump and comes a week after he ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed as "Lake America" amid a trade war with Canada. Trump also renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" on his first day back in office in January 2025. Neither Mexico nor Canada have accepted the changes. Many of the previous name changes started off as apparently jovial remarks by the 80-year-old U.S. president before he then followed through to make them a reality. Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly pressed a threat to claim sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, even posting a map showing the waterway as a "new U.S. territory." But Iran has effectively shut down the

Participants during a debate hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety at Yonsei University on Saturday were sharply divided over escalator etiquette. While a majority called for standing on both sides for safety and formally adopting the practice as government policy, a vocal opposing camp argued that passengers should stand on one side during rush hour. Standing on one side takes root during 2002 World Cup Current government guidelines for escalator use advise passengers not to walk or run. But the practice of standing on one side became widespread between 1998 and 2008 through a campaign promoting considerate public behavior, with the 2002 World Cup playing a decisive role in its nationwide adoption. There was a prevailing belief that passengers should leave one side clear for people in a hurry. The practice, however, led to more accidents as increasing numbers of people walked or ran on escalators. According to the National Elevator Information Center, the number of escalator accidents nearly doubled from 44 in 2007 to 85 in 2008. Equipment maintenance also became a concern.

A cafe in Korea has sparked debate after banning male middle and high school students. Following the emergence of "no-kids zones" that bar children, a "no male student zone" has now surfaced. While some view the policy as an exercise of a business owner's right to run their business as they see fit, critics argue it illustrates a growing trend of exclusion and discrimination against specific demographic groups. Posts circulating on multiple online forums and social media platforms on Tuesday showed an image of the cafe's entrance sign, which read, "Groups of male middle and high school students are prohibited from using the store." The original poster sympathized with the business, saying, "Things must have been bad for the owner to go that far." The cafe cited excessive profanity and leaving a mess as the reasons for the ban, saying the students caused discomfort to other customers. The cafe asked for understanding, describing the restriction as an "unavoidable decision." The cafe's location remains undisclosed. Online reactions were divided, with some commenters defending the owner. Su

Israel is waiting for U.S. approval to remove Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, Defence Minister Israel Katz said, renewing a plan that has been widely condemned as forced displacement and described as ethnic cleansing.

Search and rescue crews say a hiker who's been missing from the Squamish area since Sunday managed to briefly get through to 911 on Tuesday, but that searchers still haven't been able to find him.

The pair are discussing small boats, defence and Ukraine in Burnham's first bilateral talks in Downing Street.

Her foundation said she "passed away peacefully" at her home in New York City, "surrounded by many who loved her".

The sister of an Ontario university student arrested in an FBI counter-intelligence investigation has denied her brother is knowingly involved in espionage for Beijing. Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese citizen, was arrested while attempting to cross the U.S. border.

Increases in public transport fares for adults have been described as "absolutely unacceptable" by commuter groups.

More than 600 companies underpaid staff, with £4m returned to workers, according to the government.

As part of our ongoing series on artificial intelligence, we speak with researcher Shreya Johri, who says AI has the power to revolutionize the field of medicine, particularly in diagnosing patients. Johri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and completed her Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School in 2025. She discusses ways that new technology is improving patient care, but she says AI must be treated like an additional tool and not be given control over patient care. “Doctors have to be responsible, have to take the responsibility of this, until we are more confident we have frameworks developed that can deploy these AI models in a more responsible way,” she says.

The Green Party leader intends to run in the Holborn and St Pancras seat following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as MP.

Following recent flash flooding, Caritas Nepal is ramping up its aid to be able to reach up to 4,000 families. Caritas Internationalis Secretary General calls on the global community to “commit to do what is necessary to care for our common home.”

Read all

Ahead of the November midterm elections, Republican officials in the third most populous county of Texas have voted to slash the number of polling sites by nearly one-third. Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth, will have just 224 polling sites for 1.3 million voters. The change was approved in a party-line vote Tuesday, with all three of the county’s Republican commissioners voting in favor and the two Democrats opposing it. Civil rights groups including the ACLU and NAACP warn the changes will disproportionately affect voters of color.

“The eyes of the nation are on Tarrant County,” says Roderick Miles Jr., a Democratic Tarrant County commissioner, who calls the voting restriction a “modern-day poll tax.”

The IFA has said the EU ban on Brazilian beef and other animal products should reassure consumers that standards are being upheld.

Shirakawa, who won the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2000 for developing conductive polymers, a key component of modern touch screens, died late last month.

An anonymous federal whistleblower has warned that the Trump administration’s new system for handling mail ballots through the U.S. Postal Service is untested, fatally flawed and likely to lead to a “catastrophic failure” if it’s implemented ahead of November’s midterm elections. This follows President Trump’s executive order in March directing his administration to create federal lists of citizens and to refuse delivery of mail-in ballots to people not on those lists. The legality of Trump’s executive order is being challenged.

The new hurdles raised by the executive order for mail ballots and the rushed software system built to administer them “create this potential for grave, catastrophic failure,” says David Kligerman from Whistleblower Aid, the organization representing the whistleblower.

Spain's prime minister tells parliament it is absurd to think the government knew and did nothing, after thousands join protests in Spanish cities.

Amelia Dimoldenberg announces she will end her popular YouTube series after more than a decade.

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem has died at the age of 92. According to her Instagram page, she died Wednesday “at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her.” Steinem was a tireless advocate for the social, economic and political advancement of women. Steinem co-founded Ms. magazine, the first major publication to be owned, run and written by women. She also helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus with a group of women including Shirley Chisholm, Betty Friedan and Fannie Lou Hamer. Before becoming a feminist icon, she served as director of the Independent Research Service, a nonprofit educational foundation secretly funded by the CIA. In 2013, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. She spoke with Democracy Now! at the historic Women’s March in Washington, D.C., on January 21, 2017. We play an excerpt.

Putin, speaking at an economic forum in Russia's Far East, said a number of countries including the U.S. and China were ready to support a peace settlement.

The Quebec premier insists 'the rights of the English-speaking community are being respected,' despite voter info not being mailed out in English ahead of the Oct. 5 election.

As the death toll from its Ebola outbreak exceeds 3,000, the Democratic Republic of Congo is using cell data to map travel routes out of the epidemic's hotspots. The pioneering approach aims to contain the thus-far untreatable strain before it reaches major cities like Kinshasa.

Diesel prices have risen above €2 per litre in some forecourts, according to lobby group Fuels for Ireland.

The UN General Assembly has approved the merger of two United Nations learning and training bodies, creating a new institution designed to strengthen support for both Member States and the UN system itself.

Fuelled by exceptionally warm Pacific waters, the El Niño climate pattern is intensifying and has yet to peak. Forecasters are almost certain it will persist through February 2027 – with unusually warm conditions expected across much of the world in the coming months.

Foreign recruitment and external support networks are fuelling the brutal conflict in Sudan, independent UN human rights investigators said on Thursday in a new report, calling for accountability as fighting continues between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

More than a week after flash floods struck the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river basin in Nepal, at least 22,000 children urgently need safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene support, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday.

About 20 million children aged 12 to 17 – one in five across 21 countries – were sexually exploited by perpetrators using technology such as social media, according to a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report released on Thursday.

Peacekeepers in Lebanon have reported a marked deterioration in the security situation along the Blue Line of separation, with Israeli forces intensifying their military footprint in violation of a landmark Security Council resolution, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Thursday.

Gloria Steinem, the journalist and women's rights campaigner who became one of the most influential voices of the feminist movement, has died at the age of 92. In an announcement on Instagram, her family said she had passed away on Wednesday at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her.

Following revelations from the UN nuclear watchdog that the former Syrian regime failed to report holding nuclear material and the discovery in May of an undeclared chemical weapons cache, the Security Council met Thursday to be briefed on the latest developments and discuss the way ahead.

Iran’s Red Crescent Asks ICC to Investigate U.S. Strike on Wedding That Killed Four, Widow of Airman Who Died Supporting U.S. Attacks on Iran Says She Was Denied Benefits, USS Abraham Lincoln Docks in Thailand After Unprecedented Wartime Deployment, Trump Nominates Hung Cao as Navy Secretary as GOP Lawmakers Call for Pete Hegseth’s Ouster, Israeli Soldiers Fatally Shoot Two Palestinian Teens in Occupied West Bank, Israeli Defense Minister Seeks Trump’s Support for Plans to Expel Palestinians from Gaza, Death Toll from Nepal Floods Tops 1,200 People, Former Venezuelan President Maduro and His Wife Ask Judge to Dismiss Drug Trafficking Charges, Chevron Pledges to Invest $7 Billion in Venezuela as U.S. Energy Secretary Touts Oil and Gas Deal, Rep. Greg Casar Blasts OpenAI for Withholding Info About Rogue AI Agent Hack, Trump Admin Sides with OpenAI in Legal Fight with New York Times and Other Newspapers, New York City Adopts AI Moratorium for K-8 Students, Workers Remove Giant Statue “Blue” from Kennedy Center Grounds

The remaining amount of general reserve funds is around ¥800 billion. In addition, about ¥1.9 trillion is left in reserve funds for responses to the situation in the Middle East.

Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne has said he is "absolutely confident" that agreement can be reached on the next long-term EU budget before Ireland's Presidency of the EU concludes at the end of the year.

Fans laid flowers on the singer's star after her death, but vandals scratched her name off.

Steinem championed the cause of equal rights for American women for more than six decades using her skills as a writer, activist and public speaker.

The incident offers a window into the use of powerful and invasive spyware aimed at students and political opposition members amid contentious elections.

The four Slovakian nationals will stand trial at Sheffield Crown Court in April, a judge rules.

With military haircuts and moustaches, the US sailors stand out against the flip-flops of the usual Pattaya crowd.

Vicki Williams feared she would die in the classroom attack at Milford Haven Comprehensive School.

The trailblazing feminist spoke out for the legalisation of abortion, same-sex marriage and equal pay for women - but her activism was not without backlash.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has defended the implementation of the Public Only Consultant Contract after criticism from the Irish Hospital Consultants Association.

The school remains open as a result of a High Court challenge by the board.

Gloria Steinem, the American writer, lecturer, activist and organiser who fought for gender equality and women's civil and reproductive rights for more than five decades, has died, her foundation said. She was 92 years old.

Zanami's taxi collided with Takeo Omura, who was walking in front of the vehicle in Toshima Ward around 2 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2024, according to the ruling.

As he meets with Latin-rite Bishops from Arab regions, Pope Leo XIV urges the Church to confront conflict and division with solidarity for the poor and bear witness that it is possible to live and hope together.

Read all

A doctor at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital says 103 patients were queuing at 11.15pm on Wednesday, waiting to be seen by just seven doctors.

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) has expressed concern on rent increases, particularly outside the capital, despite a sharp decrease in eviction notices by landlords to tenants in the second quarter of this year.

Rescuers found 44 survivors on board the vessel but bad weather meant they had to leave five bodies behind.

Thousands of Inuit women in Greenland are now eligible for monetary compensation over a decades-long Danish birth-control program that forcibly implanted intrauterine devices (IUDs). The compensation has some Inuit women in Canada who faced the same treatment hopeful for an apology from their own federal government.

East Japan Usami and Kyoei Sekiyu of Tokyo, Eneos Wing of Nagoya, Enex Fleet of Osaka and Kitaseki of Miyagi Prefecture are suspected of violating the antimonopoly law.

A report from Met Éireann for this summer shows that it was provisionally the hottest on record.

The conviction against Sir Sadiq Khan is withdrawn after he was prosecuted in a car ownership scam.

“The heart of the seminary experience” is “learning to be with the Master, Jesus,” Pope Leo XIV tells Italian seminarians from the Pius XI Regional Seminary in Molfetta and the Episcopal Seminary of Aversa.

Read all

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has insisted there was no "solid proof" that Morocco orchestrated July's migrant rush into Ceuta, after a police report highlighted multiple failings by Moroccan security forces.

Thomas Fahmy says he saw "a bright white flash" and instantly fell to the ground.

Adult fares for public transport will increase by an average of 15% from January 2027 under new fare structures announced by the National Transport Authority.

Al-Mughayyir's council says they were trying to stop settlers stealing sheep, but the Israeli military says they threw stones at its troops.

After meeting with Pope Leo, the Salzburg Youth Orchestra "Bella Musica" recorded a concert in the historic Vatican Radio studio in the Vatican Gardens, using the two original Mozart violins. The Austrian composer once played for a Pope in Rome more than 250 years ago.

Read all

Bishop Pierre-André Dumas of Anse-à-Veau-Miragoâne, expresses his concern for Haitian immigrants in the US, following the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for them. TPS is a measure designed to welcome and protect people from countries where wars, natural disasters, and serious humanitarian crises make it impossible to return them safely.

Read all

Jeffery was known for playing cheerleader Bree in 2018 Disney Channel movie Zombies and two sequels.

It is targeting mixed-use complexes with high-end office, retail and hospitality spaces in prime Tokyo locations.

Westlife have been confirmed as the headline performers for Katie Taylor's farewell fight at Croke Park this Saturday

The Tokyo Stock Exchange's mainstay Prime, Growth and Standard sections saw 17 companies go public in the first half of the year, down about 30% from a year before.

Before "Backrooms" became a movie, the singing-synthesizer software Vocaloid was the hallmark of the liminal and the uneasy in Japan.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to visit Canada next week, according to sources that spoke to Radio-Canada.

Catastrophic floods on the China-Nepal border have killed at least 1,252 people in Nepal, the disaster authority has said, taking overall deaths to more than 1,270.

Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien has said a ban on the use of e-scooters by under 18s could now be introduced by the end of this month or early next month, after he received permission from Europe to proceed with the plans.

Market pressures are mounting on New Zealand's small but significant agricultural seed and grain sectors, considered vital to the $64 billion food and fibre industries.

Recent attacks have elevated the risk for tankers attempting to move oil through the waterway.

Dozens of aftershocks have been recorded in the lower South Island after a string of earthquakes that struck near Milford Sound on Wednesday night.

The agriculture ministry plans to hold a briefing this month on potato pests and diseases identified as possibly posing a threat to domestic agriculture.

St John ambulance says one person is in a serious condition and the other is in a moderate condition.

The Edmonton police commission says public speakers will no longer be allowed in remaining public meetings this year because of what it calls insulting and abusive public feedback that it has recently received.

BBC Verify has used satellite imagery to track the mysterious phenomenon, which has surprised people around the world.

A rare trio of hurricanes were churning through the Pacific Ocean today, which scientists attributed to waters warmed by a historically strong El Niño phenomenon.

As Okinawa Prefecture's gubernatorial race picks up steam, some guidance can be had from a 2024 Supreme Court ruling.

The Labour Party is proposing a €100-per-child monthly groceries supplement for families over the winter to help deal with the cost of living.

The mortal remains of three former Church leaders return to Dili, joining those of a fourth bishop as Timor-Leste honours pastors who accompanied the nation through some of its darkest chapters.

Read all

The Seoul capital region accounts for just 12% of South Korea's land but 53% of national gross domestic product.

The BBC's Zoe Kleinman takes a ride on Uber's self-driving robotaxi as the service rolls out on Thursday.

While most runway shows are invite-only, online streams and events throughout Tokyo give everyone the chance to participate.

A US federal judge has blocked the enforcement of a new executive order limiting the number of people eligible for birthright citizenship.

Donald Trump is likely to arrive in Dublin early on Saturday 12 September before flying by helicopter to Phoenix Park for meetings with Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Hannah Jane Large, from Greystones, Co Wicklow, was one of three young people who died when their car veered off the road 29km south of the capital Reykjavík.

An 18-year-old Irish woman has died in a car crash in Iceland.

Recently sacked Solomon Islands Finance Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo says further resignations from Cabinet are coming.

A Toronto woman whose relative is among the missing, said family members have been left scouring the internet, looking on Nepal police sites and missing identity sites to see if the names of any relatives come up. She's calling for a wider international response to help in rescue efforts as the days tick by with no word on her cousin or the three family members he was travelling with.

Gloria Steinem, the celebrated U.S. author and activist who became one of the most potent voices of the feminist movement, has died. She was 92.

A BBC investigation has found smuggling gangs are running low on small boats, forcing rival gangs to work together and load more migrants on larger boats.

Congo recorded 3,007 deaths from Ebola as of Monday, and payment disputes are interfering with some of the basic work needed to contain the outbreak.

A Sasakawa Peace Foundation panel pitched the idea to the Defense Ministry as a part of recommendations on bolstering the SDF's capabilities.

Disinformation researchers say people online have recast the first bird flu cases as a Covid sequel.

The WMO has warned that the natural weather phenomenon could bring disruption to global economies.

As AI becomes capable of doing more of the things humans do, where do we want to draw the line between humanity and machine?

A potentially exceptional El Niño warming event is expected to strengthen significantly into a "very strong" El Niño over the coming months, the WMO warned.

Ok, here's the pitch - take a slightly zany Irish comedian and shove him into a classroom full of school kids aged from six to 12 years old, point a camera at them and watch the chats and the giggles flow.

Quebec’s election looked like a foregone conclusion. Then, the trade war hit, and turned the race on its head.

Iran said it hit US military bases in Kuwait and the UAE, vowing to avenge a wedding attack it blamed on Washington as US Vice President JD Vance said the strike was being investigated.

Nepal plans ⁠to rebuild an early-warning system for landslides on part of its border with China, installing seismic sensors, cameras and a satellite link, two Nepali government sources said, a week after a glacial flood killed more than 1,000.

Locals fear it will choke roads, hurt regional tourism and bypass years of careful district council planning.

About 20 million internet-using children across 21 countries were subjected to sexual exploitation or abuse on digital platforms in a single year, a new report by the UN children's charity has said.

New Zealand's per capita consumption now sits among the lowest of all OECD countries.

Residents in Nelson's Tāhunanui Hills are divided over speed bumps intended to slow traffic and reduce rat-running on the streets above State Highway 6.

Almost 188,000 young people are still not enrolled to vote, with a rangatahi-led campaign urging them to sign up by 25 October.

A single juror in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial is preventing the jury from reaching a unanimous verdict, her lawyer said in court, after deliberations stretched into a sixth day over whether to convict the Massachusetts woman of killing her three young children.

Wellingtonians urged to be vigilant over parking scams after about a dozen fake stickers removed from parking meters around the capital.

The weed has the potential to become a significant problem for pastoral farmers in New Zealand, following its discovery on farmland in South Wairarapa.

Workers should weigh no more than 19.5st fully clothed so that they can be winched to safety in an emergency.

Once-rival criminal groups are being forced to work together because of a shortage of small boats, a BBC investigation has found.

An investigation is under way by the Environmental Protection Agency into complaints about noise emitting from a new data centre in Clondalkin in west Dublin.

Suggestions in the naming competition ranged from iconic Nova Scotians to more bizarre proposals, while some people simply took the opportunity to complain about the task at hand.

Lacey Tompkins was told by police to cover up while topless at Dominion Park Beach in July. After she filed a complaint, the Saint John Police Force apologized and said there was no legal basis for the officer’s direction.

The fresh setback to Trump's hard-line immigration agenda puts the fight over birthright citizenship on a path to return to the Supreme Court.

Japan's currency is back at about ¥157 to the dollar for the first time since early August.

It is thought to be a person of interest related to a 2025 homicide.

Travel across the vital connection might be disrupted on Friday, transport officials have warned.

Families have been asked to watch out for symptoms.

BNZ, ASB and Kiwibank have become the latest to move on interest rates.

Library's services to schools could be cut by more than a third, School Library Association's president says.

With millions of Canadian kids heading back to school and temperatures set to drop, it’s time to brace for another fall of seasonal illnesses — and medical experts say staying healthy takes more than just a flu shot.

On Friday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration will celebrate 1,413 consecutive days in office, overtaking a record set by Silvio Berlusconi's second administration to become the longest-lasting government in the country's postwar history.

The often-misunderstood disease is characterized by severe pain throughout the body.

With the rising cost of living front and centre in the Quebec election campaign, a familiar refrain has emerged: Quebec is the most taxed jurisdiction in North America. But is the claim actually true? We took a closer look.

On Wednesday, as jurors in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial started deliberating for a fifth day, a Clancy supporter was arraigned on charges that she filmed members of the jury. It was far from the first time the trial has been overshadowed by the frenzy surrounding it.

The National Police Agency plans to introduce a stricter test in fiscal 2027 to assess drivers' ability more comprehensively.

The Tokelau community is mourning Neil Walter, a New Zealand career diplomat, who served multiple times as the administrator to Tokelau.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has come out swinging against a motion of no confidence against him and the MPs backing the leadership challenge.

Hanmer Springs Forest Camp has connected to the council water supply after six schoolchildren were hospitalised last year.

Rising interest rates are not welcome news for most, but they hit some especially hard.

The voices of tāngata whaikaha Māori have been "made invisible" within the system, the tribunal says.

Because U.S. assets make up a large share of global portfolios, increased hedging effectively means more dollar selling.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has set out a plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza and send them abroad.

Investors and entrepreneurs are paying thousands of dollars for rare access to Chinese factories, seeking a front-row seat to what could be the next technological revolution.

The asset manager changed its weighting a day before Japan's 10-year government bond yield touched a century high of 3%.

For two decades, Chevron stayed while all its major peers quit after former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez nationalized foreign assets atop the world's largest oil reserves.

The Venezuelan leader has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and is scheduled to go on trial on June 1, 2027, if his effort to dismiss the case is unsuccessful.

The party's continued prominence has brought what prominence always brings: scrutiny, says BBC political editor Chris Mason.

Tauranga’s council appointed lawyers just four days after the landslide killed six people.

Southland’s regional council will cut a channel to the sea after weeks of unusually high water levels at the lagoon.

Two people have died and several more were injured, including three police officers, when a gunman opened fire in the US city of Minneapolis, police said.

The State Department says the Trump Administration is reorienting Pacific relationships towards "championing US enterprise and investments", mirroring its approach to much of the developing world.

More than 80 people have been killed in the mob violence, the BBC finds after gathering data from six African nations.

At a specialist childhood obesity clinic, almost all of the children are not in school. Why?

International judges. Months of preparation. A demanding grooming regime. It is, of course, the New Zealand National Guinea Pig Show.

The things you're doing to make your sleep better could actually be making your sleep worse.

Eight Kiwis were among a group whose tour operator decided to cross the border earlier.

Regional Harbourmaster Chris Bredenbeck says the legislation will bring national consistency to a safety rule that has been part of the Waikato Navigation Safety Bylaw for years.

Asking strangers on social media to bring items from China to New Zealand for a fee is not an uncommon practice within the Chinese community.

The fines followed an earlier ERA order to the business to pay five former employees $147,001 in wage arrears.

While a US-New Zealand-funded port upgrade in the Cook Islands is being welcomed as a vital infrastructure project, a landowner and an environmental group are raising transparency concerns.

Jurors have five options before them as they decide the fate of the former nurse charged with murdering her three children.

Eight Kiwis were among a group whose tour operator decided to cross the border a earlier.

Solomon Islands has asked Pacific Islands Forum members to consider separating external dialogue partners from the annual leaders' meeting.

However, the museum has opened Te Ripo o te Moana, featuring many of the same objects, now asbestos-free.

Bryan and Wyatt Esbaugh tell The National about the moment they rescued a bald eagle that got tangled in their fishing line in Bridgwater, N.S., and how it inspired them to take a poke at U.S. President Donald Trump.

Scott Barlow says he's "a conduit" between agencies in both countries as they try and stem the flow of illicit drugs to the South Pacific.

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago says two whales have died after it took in several beluga whales from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ont.

Jude's tick bites didn't seem normal, they "festered for months". Then came gut aches in the evening.

Attitudes towards e-scooter safety is generally too relaxed in Aotearoa, a psychologist says.

The bridge was closed this morning until engineers inspected the structure and cleared it to reopen.

Solar schools, flash floods in the Himalayas, and how to go climate solution sleuthing

A customer told RNZ he checked his account last night, only to find no money.

A dad who has been lifting his teenage daughter from her wheelchair up the stairs to their front door is relieved a lift has been installed

Industry insiders are putting the decrease down to the struggling economy, the expiry of various government subsidies, and several years of change in training policy.

"If you’re hosting a party with 18 very important people coming and 1/3 don’t turn up, you’ve got to be concerned."

The latest Regional Score update shows Otago and Canterbury are the best performing regions, while Wellington and Gisborne were at the bottom of the rankings.

Late country music legend Dolly Parton will get a new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, after the original one was vandalized, officials have announced.

Ottawa-based visual artist Michael Harrington says he cancelled an upcoming exhibition in Boston after learning the Trump administration had implemented a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian art.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says one of the 30 Canadian citizens and permanent residents missing after catastrophic flooding in Nepal's border region with China has been found safe.

The cast of Season 35 of Dancing With The Stars was officially announced on Wednesday, with a fresh lineup of familiar faces trading their famous day jobs for sequins, choreography and a shot at the mirror-ball trophy.

The Canada-U.S. trade war has complicated Manitoba Hydro's plan to buy gas turbines for its $3-billion Brandon generating station expansion from a manufacturer based in Massachusetts.

A collapsed glacier in Nepal caused catastrophic flooding that killed more than a thousand people, while thousands more are still missing. Andrew Chang breaks down what accelerated the flood to such a violent degree and how factors like the scale of the Himalayan mountains and the region's climate make prediction and monitoring so challenging.

(Photo credits: The Canadian Press, Reuters and Getty Images)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has described a fire at a defence manufacturer in Poland as "deliberate arson".

One of the teachers caught in the deadly school shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary has shared her story publicly for the first time, alongside a series of new lawsuits against OpenAI that allege the company should have warned Canadian officials about the shooter's ChatGPT activity.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has not ruled out cutting excise on alcohol as part of next month's Budget.

Flight attendants who work on Air Canada Express flights are voting on whether to authorize strike action as their union says bargaining talks have stalled.

The ​U.S. Pentagon issued detailed guidance on Wednesday for a new, mandatory testosterone deficiency screening policy for active-duty and reserve service members age 30 and older, ‌a follow-up to a July announcement from U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.

Dozens of people protested outside the RCMP detachment in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Wednesday following the arrest of a man that was recorded and posted online by his girlfriend, who called the actions by the police officers excessive.

Republican members of Congress are publicly backing U.S. President Donald Trump in his trade war with Canada and blaming Prime Minister Mark Carney's government for walking away from negotiations.

A candidate for the Conservative Party of Quebec is apologizing for online comments he made at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He wrote that Quebecers in favour of vaccines should be euthanized. Just seven days into the election campaign, several other candidates in various parties have faced pushback and even calls to resign.

The US military is losing its senior leaders.

At the age of 91, Dale Sanders — known on the trails as "Grey Beard" — is once again the oldest hiker to complete the Appalachian Trail.

The Trump administration has filed a brief supporting OpenAI in its dispute with the New York Times and other newspapers over the company's use of their work ⁠to train the large language models behind ChatGPT, saying AI training generally makes fair use of copyrighted material.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday implied the Bank of Canada was a commercial bank with locations south of the border, not a Crown corporation based up north.

Pope Leo XIV speaks by telephone with the Colombian President, expressing his solidarity following the country’s recent earthquake.

Read all

The longest partial drought on record since 1941 concluded at the end of August, Met Éireann has said in its climate statement for the month.

Drone footage from Wednesday shows skeletal remains of homes and mud-caked debris in the Nepalese town of Devighat, which sits on the banks of the Trishuli river, after deadly flash floods tore through the region last week.

Nepal's flood disaster and Europe's wildfires should turn attention to the cost of climate change, the head of the world's biggest climate fund said in an interview.

And, Nigel Farage speaks to Chris Mason

Hilroy has apologized for leaving Newfoundland and Cape Breton off the Canadian map on its glossy notebooks, after the mistake led to backlash online.

Former pop star Gary Glitter has pleaded not guilty to eight charges relating to alleged sexual offences against a girl when she was aged between eight and 11.

Jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial went home without a verdict Wednesday following a fifth day of deliberations — and twice saying they can't agree whether the Massachusetts mother is criminally responsible for killing her three young children.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip today, where he vowed not to pull back troops despite a recent push by mediators to advance a US-backed ceasefire plan calling for their withdrawal.

Some 147 newly appointed bishops from five continents are taking part in a Vatican formation course addressing mission, pastoral ministry, safeguarding, liturgy and Church governance, culminating in an audience with Pope Leo XIV.

Read all

Ottawa's ethics commissioner found Liberal MP Lori Idlout violated Parliament's conflict of interest code, but recommended against imposing any penalties against her.

This magical view of the eclipse disappeared and reappeared several times. It was like a rolling animation entertainment.

Two Irish men were denied a fair trial when they were convicted of the manslaughter of a Dublin drug dealer whose mutilated body was found in a suitcase in an Amsterdam canal, according to a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The IRA's anti-poitín campaign was an early example of the group presenting themselves as figures of law and order to win popular support

The Taoiseach says Irish troops will not be able to serve in Lebanon without a UN mandate.

Donegal Wilson, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen, and Scott McInnis, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, have have quit the B.C. Conservative caucus.

The man suspected of shooting dead an Italian woman at a rave party in Switzerland is suffering from "psychological problems" and has remained silent in custody, prosecutors have said.

A Mexican court has issued arrest warrants against the man and woman accused of defrauding a Canadian couple of their retirement savings through an alleged condo-flip scheme, CBC News has learned.

As the Vatican hosts a conference exploring how technology is changing art, culture, and the human mind, organizers reflect on the need for prudence when approaching the creative boost that artificial intelligence offers humanity.

Read all

South Africa's aviation regulator is probing a low flypast by two jets over a Cape Town stadium last week.

The golfer will accept a five-year driving ban and $1,000 fine as part of a plea agreement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Egyptian counterpart on Wednesday that "external interference" in the Middle East should be opposed, Beijing's state media reported, following talks in Cairo between the two leaders. "We must uphold the principle that the people of the Middle East are the masters of their own affairs, oppose external interference (and) support regional countries in strengthening dialogue on peace and security," Xi told Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. Xi is on his first visit to Egypt in a decade as Beijing seeks a greater foothold in the region against the backdrop of the U.S.-Iran war. Washington vowed last month to isolate Iran economically, threatening expanded sanctions that could also hit Chinese banks, among others. China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, has vowed to safeguard its interests. Xi also said during talks with Sisi that Beijing was willing to help protect maritime shipping from the energy-rich region, upended since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February triggered the war. "China stands ready t

Homeplus, which is under court-led rehabilitation proceedings, secured court approval Wednesday for its restructuring plan. The rehabilitation proceedings of the country's No. 2 supermarket chain will come to an end once it begins repaying creditors in line with the approved plan. The Seoul Bankruptcy Court held a creditors’ meeting earlier in the day to vote on the plan. After creditors approved the proposal, the court immediately gave it the green light, formally authorizing the retailer to carry out the debt repayment and restructuring measures set out in the plan. “The plan satisfied the requirements for approval, with support from at least two-thirds of creditors,” the court said. It urged the retailer, controlled by private equity firm MBK Partners, to cooperate closely with its employees and business partners and do its utmost to ensure the successful implementation of the rehabilitation plan. MBK Vice Chairman and Homeplus co-CEO Kim Kwang-il, who attended the meeting, apologized to creditors affected by the company’s rehabilitation process. “Our priority under the restru

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has reflected on his career in a new overseas interview as he accelerates his return to public activities, with appearances at two major awards shows and a fan meeting lined up in the coming months. His agency, Gold Medalist, shared clips Tuesday from an interview Kim gave to Indonesian broadcaster RCTI+, following his appearance on the network's 37th anniversary live special, "Mahakarya RCTI 37," in Jakarta on Aug. 23. "I feel like I made the right choice becoming an actor," Kim said in the interview. "I think it might be interesting to ask fans what kind of character they would like to see me play." The comments drew attention as Kim, who had largely stayed out of the public eye for more than a year following controversy over his past relationship with late actor Kim Sae-ron, begins to resume his entertainment career. Kim also kept the interview lighthearted, saying he hoped to visit Bali and showing some of the personal items he carries in his bag. He appeared noticeably slimmer than during his previous activities but smiled throughout the interview. His Indonesian a

Seoul City Hall's free public viewing deck, known as the Sky Observatory, will extend its hours into the evening on Fridays and Saturdays starting this weekend, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday, as the city looks to turn the building into a nighttime attraction. The observatory, on the eighth and ninth floors of the west wing of Seoul City Hall's main building, has drawn more than 66,000 visitors since it opened to daytime crowds on July 6, according to the city government. Citing that response, officials said the deck — previously open only on weekdays until 6 p.m. — will now stay open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through the fall, and until 9 p.m. from November through February. Admission is free and no reservation is required. Visitors can reach the deck by taking a dedicated elevator directly to the ninth floor from the main entrance on the first floor, near a cafe staffed by robotic baristas. From the observatory's floor-to-ceiling windows, visitors can see Deoksu Palace, a centuries-old royal palace, and the Seoul Anglican Cathedral at dusk, and after

KATHMANDU — White smoke billowed over the banks of the Bagmati River running through the Nepalese capital. A Hindu funeral ritual was underway, in which the deceased were washed in the sacred river before being cremated and their ashes returned to the water. As victims of the devastating floods continued to arrive, the smoke had grown noticeably thicker over the past several days. On Tuesday, a week after the devastating floods, the Hankook Ilbo visited the Pashupatinath Temple on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu. The site was shrouded in smoke, with bodies being cremated at 11 of the temple’s 12 cremation platforms. Soon, another body, covered in orange cloth, arrived on a stretcher. Family members removed the deceased’s clothes and carefully washed the body in the river. Firewood crackled and flames rose into the air. It was a final farewell. Pashupatinath Temple, one of the world’s most renowned Hindu pilgrimage sites, is dedicated to Shiva, the god associated with destruction and regeneration. An Indian man who had lost family members in the floods struggled to hold back his

President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed his commitment Wednesday to establishing a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, also pledging efforts to help resume dialogue between the North and the United States to establish peace. The president reiterated the commitment during a gathering of the American unit of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a presidential advisory body on unification, in Incheon, west of Seoul. In his Liberation Day speech on Aug. 15, Lee proposed that the two Koreas begin talks on ending their long-running war and discuss practical ways to halt the advancement of Pyongyang's nuclear program, pledging to seek a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. The divided Koreas have technically remained at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. "To prevent tensions from rekindling due to shifts in domestic politics or changes in the international situation, (we) should replace the armistice based on conflict and confrontation with a peace regime anchored in cooperation and prosperity," Lee told the gathering. The president noted

A former head of the National Office of Investigation under the National Police Agency was indicted Wednesday on charges of obstructing an investigation into a high-profile murder case in Gwangju, prosecutors said. Park Sung-ju was charged with abuse of power for allegedly ordering separate investigations into the suspect's stalking and rape case and his subsequent murder case, according to the Gwangju District Prosecutors Office. Park allegedly gave such orders despite repeated suggestions to the contrary from front-line police officers, apparently out of fear that combining the two cases involving the same suspect may expose the police's failure to stop the suspect from committing additional crimes following his first offense. The murder case involves 23-year-old Jang Yoon-gi, who has been charged with stabbing and killing a 17-year-old female student on a street in the city located some 270 kilometers south of Seoul, two days after he allegedly stalked and raped a Vietnamese acquaintance, also in Gwangju. The Gwangju prosecutors office said Park's order prevented the Gwangju Gwangsan

Jeong Yeon-doo, South Korea's vice foreign minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence, met with U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Michelle Steel on Wednesday and agreed to step up coordination on key issues, the foreign ministry said. During their meeting, Jeong welcomed Steel to her new post, and the two "reaffirmed the importance of close communication and coordination on a range of issues, including matters concerning the Korean Peninsula," according to the ministry. They also agreed to keep working together closely, it added. Steel began her official duties in August amid pending alliance issues, including economic cooperation, security consultations and the North Korean nuclear issue.

The government is tightening regulations on the national pension following concerns that a legal loophole could let foreign residents unfairly secure old-age pension benefits. It is considering limiting a retroactive payment system only to foreign nationals whose countries also provide reciprocal measures to Koreans in those nations. The controversy emerged recently as some foreign nationals were found to have applied for the retroactive payment system in the national pension scheme. The retroactive payment system allows both Korean and foreign subscribers to pay missed premiums in one lump sum, covering up to 119 months, to fill contribution gaps. This qualifies them for a lifelong monthly pension once their contribution period exceeds 120 months. Recently, a news outlet reported on a case in which a foreign national worked in Korea for just one month and still secured a lifelong old-age pension by taking advantage of the loophole. Foreign nationals aged 18 to 59 who work at a domestic company or run their own business can join the National Pension Service (NPS) schemes. As of last year,

Animation is no longer a peripheral genre in contemporary cinema, as it gains ground in the global film industry. Across Asia, animated features topped the box office in both China and Japan last year. Globally, Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" became a cultural phenomenon. It proved that animated storytelling infused with Korean motifs can captivate worldwide audiences. This global shift will be reflected at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), where animated works are prominently featured across various sections. At the center of this trend is "Long Long Night," an animated feature adapted from a bestselling Korean children's novel. It made history as the first animated title ever selected for BIFF's main competition lineup since the section was established last year. Jung Han-seok, director of the festival, said the selection caught even the festival's program committee by surprise. "This is only the second year we have run the competition section, and an animated film has already made it in," Jung said during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "This is something we

The number of voice phishing cases fell nearly 40 percent from a year earlier between October and July, thanks to a package of special measures designed to combat the crime, the government said Wednesday. The government formed a special anti-voice phishing task force in August 2025 and took a series of measures to root out voice phishing crimes, such as emergency blocking of phone numbers used in such crimes, introducing an artificial intelligence-based warning system and boosting international cooperation. The measures began paying off in October, when the number of such cases dropped 32.8 percent on-year to 1,226, following a steady increase through September last year, according to the prime minister's office. The downward trend has continued for 10 consecutive months through July. Against such a backdrop, the total number of voice phishing cases between October and July fell 39.9 percent on-year to 12,554, and the amount of financial losses from such crimes declined 43.2 percent to 632.4 billion won ($462.5 million), the office said.

The director of a care facility for people with severe developmental disabilities was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday for sexually assaulting multiple facility residents. The Seoul Central District Court handed down the sentence to the director, identified only by his surname Kim, for committing sexual offenses at the Saekdongwon facility in Incheon's Ganghwa district, west of Seoul, and banned him from working at institutions serving children, adolescents and the disabled. The court found Kim guilty of sexually assaulting three Saekdongwon residents and injuring one victim who resisted by throwing a glass cup at the victim's head. The court found the victims' testimonies credible, stressing the need for stern punishment for sexual offenses against people with disabilities, who are socially vulnerable. However, the court acquitted Kim of raping another facility resident, although it found that the offense violated the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities.

Korean biotechnology company Alteogen Inc. said Wednesday that it signed an option and licensing agreement with Novartis AG worth up to 4.4 trillion won ($3.2 billion) to develop and commercialize subcutaneous (SC) formulations using its ALT-B4 technology. Under the agreement, the Swiss pharmaceutical company will have exclusive rights, through multiple options, to develop and commercialize SC formulations for multiple products using ALT-B4, Alteogen said in a press release. In addition to up to 4.4 trillion won available if all development and commercialization milestones are met, the company will also receive royalties on net sales after commercialization, it said. ALT-B4 is a recombinant human hyaluronidase developed using Alteogen's Hybrozyme platform technology. It enables biologic drugs administered intravenously (IV) to be converted into SC formulations, the company said. The deal marks Alteogen's fourth ALT-B4 licensing agreement with a global pharmaceutical company this year. ALT-B4 temporarily breaks down hyaluronic acid, a key component of the extracellular matrix, to help drug

The Disney+ original series “Made in Korea” returns for its second season with an even more intense narrative than before, shifting from an episodic structure to a singular, continuous arc spanning six episodes. Following its debut season — which ranked as the most-watched Korean original on Disney+ globally in 2025 and secured major accolades at the Baeksang Arts Awards — the drama leaps forward nine years in time from the last season. Set against the political backdrop leading up to the Dec. 12 military coup of 1979, Season 2 focuses on the power vacuum created by the assassination of the president. Unlike the first season, the entire six-episode installment delivers one overarching narrative. "If Season 1 featured distinct stories for each episode, Season 2 is one continuous rush from Episode 1 to 6," director Woo Min-ho said during a news conference at the Conrad Seoul hotel Wednesday, adding that viewers will find the new run significantly more immersive. "If Season 1 felt like a fight between kids, Season 2 feels like a battle among adults." Woo emphasized that while histor

CJ Olive Young is stepping up efforts to establish Busan as a global K-beauty hub, opening a large-scale town store and a design-focused outlet. The country’s largest beauty retailer said Wednesday that it relocated and expanded Olive Young Nampo Town in Nampo-dong, Busan’s Jung District, on Friday, making it the largest town-format store outside the capital region. It also opened Olive Young Millak The Market in Millak-dong, Busan’s Suyeong District, on Sunday. The expansion reflects a sharp rise in foreign visitors to Busan. The city welcomed 3.1 million international tourists last year, the largest number among cities outside the capital region. During the first half of this year, the number rose 44 percent from previous year to 2.4 million. Cruise tourism has been a major driver of the increase. The number of cruise passengers visiting Busan is projected to nearly quadruple to 990,000 this year from 257,000 in 2025. Olive Young Millak The Market store is located in a waterfront commercial district stretching from Gwangalli Beach to Millak-dong, which includes Olive Young’s Gw

G-Star, Korea’s largest game trade show and one of Busan’s flagship international events, is losing traction as major domestic game developers increasingly turn their attention to global shows, raising concerns over the event’s long-term sustainability and its role as a major annual gathering outside Seoul. According to industry officials, Nexon, Netmarble, NC, Smilegate, NHN, Shift Up and other Korean game developers will participate in Tokyo Game Show 2026, set to take place from Sept. 17 to 21, where they will showcase upcoming titles to local and international gamers. Nexon will showcase Mabinogi Mobile, which is set for release in Japan, along with Fareidolia, a new subculture title under development by Nexon Games. Netmarble will present its new titles Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi, Solo Leveling: Karma and Pearl in Blue. NC will showcase the RPG title Astrae Oratio, while Smilegate will present two titles, including MIRESI: Invisible Future. Late last month, Krafton and NC also participated in Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, the world's largest game trade show. Krafto

WASHINGTON/CAIRO — The U.S. and Iran found themselves back on a war footing on Wednesday after the most significant exchange of fire in weeks, with Washington threatening more devastating strikes while Iran protested an attack that it said killed five and wounded dozens of civilians at a wedding. The U.S. military's Central Command said it struck Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites on Tuesday, with Iranian media reporting hits on multiple targets near the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway where Tehran has threatened tankers attempting to pass without authorization. Iran said it struck U.S. assets in Jordan and Iraq, according to official statements, while Iranian media reports said it also attacked Bahrain. Although the IRGC said it killed a large number of U.S. forces in Jordan, two U.S. officials told Reuters there had not been any casualties, according to initial assessments. Jordan's armed forces said their air defense systems dealt with 13 ballistic missiles that entered the kingd

POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa has called for stronger cooperation between Korea and Australia in securing critical minerals and building resilient resource supply chains. He has particularly underscored the need for Australia’s abundant natural resources to be combined with Korea’s advanced processing technologies. Chang made the proposal Wednesday at the 47th Korea-Australia Economic Cooperation Committee annual joint meeting in Adelaide, where he attended as chairman of the Korean side. More than 200 government and business leaders from both countries attended the meeting, including Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell. Chang said critical minerals could become a new growth engine for economic cooperation between the two countries. He also requested deeper and broader bilateral partnerships in energy, defense, space and research and development. “Critical minerals have the potential to become a new growth pillar for industrial cooperation between the two countries,” Chang said in his opening remarks. He also raised the need for clo

Lee Hyoung-il, nominee for deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy, vowed to make price stability a top priority Wednesday, calling grocery prices a key gauge of the economic team’s performance. “Price stability is the foundation of people’s livelihoods and the starting point for narrowing economic polarization,” Lee, currently the first vice finance minister, said during a press briefing. “High prices weigh more heavily on vulnerable groups, making inflation control the economic authorities’ biggest mission.” Lee also said he would seek to roll out additional measures to keep prices of key Chuseok holiday items in check. The remarks came after the government announced Tuesday that it would release a record 180,000 tons of Chuseok food staples and offer 100 billion won ($73 million) in discounts on agricultural, livestock and fishery products. During a Cabinet meeting the same day, President Lee Jae Myung also urged the nominee to keep a close watch on prices of Chuseok staples, joking that he could withdraw the nomination if prices were not brought under

President Lee Jae Myung made a candid acknowledgment at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, amid criticism that his administration has repeatedly revised policy proposals following public backlash. “We have to accept that government proposals are not always right, nor can they be perfect,” Lee said, urging ministries to take concerns seriously and reflect reasonable alternatives in their policies. The remarks could be viewed as an expression of flexibility — a president acknowledging that policymakers can make mistakes and should correct them when better options emerge. But they also touch on a growing question surrounding the Lee administration: At what point does flexibility turn into inconsistency? The question has become increasingly relevant as the government has repeatedly modified or reconsidered major policy proposals in response to public opposition. The latest example came at the same Cabinet meeting, when the government reversed a key part of its real estate tax reform just a month after unveiling the overhaul plan. Under the tax reform plan announced Aug. 3, the government propose

Ticket sales for events of the annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will begin this month, with schedules for movie screenings set to be disclosed later this week, organizers said Wednesday. Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as events such as outdoor and overnight screenings and conversations with invited actors, will begin at 2 p.m. on Sept. 17, according to the BIFF organizing committee. Tickets for all other film screenings will begin at 2 p.m. on Sept. 21, with the overall schedule set to be disclosed at 5 p.m. Friday next week, it added. All ticket sales will be available through BIFF's official website, with the exception of remaining and cancelled tickets and a small number of tickets set aside for visitors aged 65 and older and the disabled. The 31st edition of BIFF, the country's biggest film fest, is slated to run Oct. 6-15 in the southeastern city of Busan.

Seoul’s cultural pulse is beating around art this week as galleries, collectors and visitors converge on Coex for the twin openings of Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul, which opened on Wednesday, while late-night gallery openings and major museum exhibitions spread the energy across the city. A combined 308 galleries are participating in the fairs. Frieze Seoul debuted five years ago, and this year marks the final time the two events will be held in the same COEX building. The arrangement will change next year as Frieze Seoul moves to Dongdaemun Design Plaza while Kiaf remains at Coex during the convention center’s renovation. The separation will not end their partnership, as the two — which initially agreed to collaborate for five years starting in 2022 — extended their agreement through 2031. Frieze Seoul brings together 133 galleries from 30 countries and regions, including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Gladstone Gallery, Lehmann Maupin, Pace Gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac, White Cube and David Zwirner. Gagosian has devoted its booth to British artist Damien Hirst, presenting works from his

CHITWAN, Nepal — As a doctor, Arbin Shakya has witnessed countless deaths. But even he felt overwhelmed by the sight of bodies drifting endlessly downstream. Large numbers of bodies swept away by the floods were recovered across Chitwan’s low-lying plains. Shakya had spent six days without leaving Bharatpur Hospital in Nepal’s Chitwan district when the Hankook Ilbo interviewed him Monday. He was tasked with examining bodies recovered from the river and brought to the hospital, as well as collecting DNA samples to identify them. Over those six days, he handled more than 200 bodies. “Bodies poured in during the first two days after the floods,” Shakya said. “I’m a doctor, and this is work I must do for the people of Nepal, but it has been emotionally exhausting.” Chitwan lies some 200 kilometers from the flood zone near the Tibetan border. After being carried all the way downstream to Chitwan by the torrents, few of the bodies remained intact. “Most consisted of only an arm, a leg or a torso. They bore numerous wounds from being battered against rocks,” he said. “I ca

Migrant women in Korea can face domestic abuse or exploitation, cultural barriers, linguistic isolation and complex visa requirements. To help create better conditions for those women, Gyeonggi Province — the country’s most populous region and home to its largest foreign resident population — launched a specialized support initiative last year. Provincial officials gathered at the Gyeonggi Provincial Council on Wednesday to review the center’s performance, reporting that the Gyeonggi Foreign Women’s Counseling Center provided 6,101 counseling sessions to 712 women between August 2025 and June 2026. The center’s holistic model marks a departure from traditional social services, which can struggle to address overlapping crises. Counselors reported that cases rarely involve physical or domestic violence in isolation. Instead, abuse is often tightly interwoven with legal status anxiety, custody disputes, financial stress and child rearing. To navigate these multilayered challenges, the center established a dedicated legal advisory panel of 17 attorneys, who handled 64 specialize

President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday ordered the mobilization of all available resources to rescue crew members after a tugboat capsized in waters off the southeastern city of Busan. The 286-ton vessel, carrying eight crew members, overturned in waters off Busan at about 1:30 p.m. Two of them were subsequently rescued, but one of them remained unconscious, according to earlier reports. Six others remained missing as Coast Guard rescuers searched for them. "Mobilize all available resources to rescue lives," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung quoted Lee as instructing officials. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook also ordered all-out rescue efforts. Han ordered the Coast Guard and the maritime ministry to mobilize all available resources for rescue efforts, and the interior ministry, the defense ministry and the Busan city government to provide any necessary support, her office said.

Mark, the rapper and singer who rose to fame as a member of K-pop boy group NCT, will release his first solo single since leaving the band, his new agency Upper Room said Wednesday. The track, "My Friend," will come out on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. (Korean time), marking the artist's first new release in 17 months and his first public appearance as a solo act since departing NCT 127 and NCT Dream in April. Mark debuted in 2016 as part of SM Entertainment's rotational supergroup NCT, quickly becoming one of the act's most prominent members through his appearances in multiple subunits, including NCT 127 and NCT Dream. After nearly a decade with the company, he chose not to renew his exclusive contract and instead founded Upper Room, a one-person agency he describes as a "creative company" built with long-time collaborators he trusts. He currently serves as a co-chief executive of the company.

Seoul will roll out an expanded lineup of autumn programming at Seoul Forest, a large riverside park in the city's Seongdong District, as part of the ongoing Seoul International Garden Show, the city government said. The programming includes an "18 Recommended Autumn Gardens" guide highlighting areas within the park suited to strolling, relaxing or observing seasonal changes as part of a broader collection of individually designed gardens created for the show, which runs through Oct. 27 at Seoul Forest. An outdoor movie series called "Garden Theater," held Friday or Saturday evenings, will screen family- and nature-themed films including "Midnight in Paris," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Paddington 2," "Kung Fu Panda 3" and "Life Is Beautiful" between Thursday and Oct. 24. From Sept. 18-20, the park's outdoor stage will host a mini-festival with student and professional musical performances, and buskers will perform in the park's gardens through October. Other programs include garden-focused walking tours led by docents; ecology sessions on wetland and urban wildlife; nighttime nature walks to

BUSAN — A tugboat capsized in waters off the southeastern city of Busan on Wednesday, leaving one crew member dead and six others missing, the Coast Guard said. The 286-ton vessel, carrying six South Korean and two Indonesian crew members, overturned in the waters at 1:29 p.m. after setting off from Busan Port in the morning to tow a commercial ship, according to the Coast Guard. An Indonesian crew member in his 50s was rescued by the 66,332-ton Liberia-flagged commercial vessel, while the Coast Guard rescued a South Korean crew member in his 50s, who was found unconscious. Coast Guard officials rushed the South Korean crew member to a hospital, but he was later pronounced dead. The Coast Guard said it dispatched 13 vessels for the search efforts for the missing, while the Navy deployed the ROKS Gwangyang salvage and rescue ship and other vessels and aircraft for the operation. The Coast Guard said search efforts face difficulties due to waves reaching up to 1.5 meters in height and wind speeds of up to 6 meters per second. The tugboat completely sank in the waters at 3:27 p.m., about tw

Korean employees of a local company who were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti have been safely released after about a month in captivity, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. On July 31, the two were kidnapped by a gang in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, while on their way to work. "One of them was released Aug. 18, followed by the release of the other on Tuesday. Their health conditions are good," the ministry said in a release to reporters. Following a report of the kidnapping to the Korean Embassy in the Dominican Republic, which is also accredited to Haiti, the government established a task force and worked closely with Haitian authorities to secure their safe release, it added. The incident occurred amid deteriorating security conditions in Haiti, where gangs wield significant influence over parts of the country. Korea has designated Haiti as a travel-ban country since May 2024, and Koreans require special permission to use their passports to stay in the country. The two Koreans had been staying there after obtaining such permission for business activities, according to the ministry.

Out at sea, migrant fishermen work far from the public eye. For years, human rights advocates have warned that this isolation makes them exceptionally vulnerable to debt bondage, physical control and forced labor. Now, the government is taking direct steps to identify and protect these exploited workers before they vanish into the shadows of the maritime economy. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries issued updated national guidelines on Wednesday designed to help inspectors and law enforcement spot signs of human trafficking in the fishing industry. The revised framework addresses long-standing gaps, responding directly to recommendations from last year's U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report. Unlike land-based factory or farm environments, maritime labor presents unique challenges. Migrant crew members — often recruited from Southeast Asia — frequently face physical confinement on vessels, language barriers and an inability to access local support networks. Under the new rules, officials must look for subtle indicators of

The nominees for small and medium enterprises (SME) minister and land minister will undergo parliamentary confirmation hearings on Sept. 15 and 16, respectively, officials said Wednesday. SME Minister nominee Lee So-young, a two-term lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, and Land Minister nominee Hong Jee-sun, currently vice land minister, were tapped by President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday as part of a broader Cabinet reshuffle. The dates of their confirmation hearings were decided Wednesday by the parliamentary trade committee and parliamentary land committee, respectively. By law, all minister nominees are required to undergo the confirmation process, but parliamentary consent is necessary only for the prime minister in order for the president to appoint them.

Known for its sprawling coastlines, bustling traditional markets and vibrant local cuisine, Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan has long relied on broad statistical surveys to gauge its appeal to foreign travelers. But this summer, municipal officials decided to swap numbers for direct conversation, sitting down with international visitors to learn what is actually working — and what needs fixing. Busan Metropolitan City said Wednesday that it conducted its first-ever series of in-depth, one-on-one field interviews with foreign tourists, aiming to refine the city's hospitality infrastructure ahead of the autumn travel season. Over three days in late August, researchers interviewed 34 travelers across primary hubs, including Haeundae Beach, Gamcheon Culture Village and Yongdusan Park. While travelers unanimously praised Busan’s dramatic setting — where mountains meet the sea — and celebrated the warmth of local residents, the study revealed starkly distinct frustrations depending on where the tourists came from. Visitors from the United States and Europe reported significant

The catastrophic flooding in Nepal and China has sent reverberations through Korea, with Nepali residents mobilizing to support their flood-ravaged homeland by sending relief funds and arranging memorial spaces. Meanwhile, tour operators are growing increasingly concerned as cancellations and changes to Nepal travel packages mount ahead of the peak Himalayan trekking season. According to information gathered by the Hankook Ilbo on Monday, some 20 migrant workers belonging to an association of Nepalis from Sudurpashchim Province each contributed between 30,000 won (around $21) and 50,000 won, raising a total of 920,000 won, which they donated Saturday to the Nepali government’s Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. Sudurpashchim lies at Nepal’s westernmost edge, around 900 kilometers from the flood-hit Nuwakot region. “I believe those of us earning money abroad should help our homeland when it is going through such hardship,” said one contributor, who participated even though he grew up far from the disaster area and had no family members affected by the flooding. Some 60 Nepali or

The fallout from SK Telecom's data breach last year has resurfaced in consumer inflation data a year later. In an unexpected twist, a 50 percent cut in mobile phone bills for more than 20 million subscribers at the time created a base effect that pushed up last month’s consumer inflation rate by nearly 0.6 percentage point, government data showed Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, the consumer price index stood at 120.05 in August, up 3.1 percent from a year earlier. Inflation had accelerated from 2.6 percent in April to 3.1 percent in May and 3.2 percent in June before easing to 2.8 percent in July. It returned to the 3 percent range a month later. At first glance, the latest data may suggest that inflationary pressures are picking up again. But the August increase was largely driven by the fading impact of SK Telecom’s massive mobile bill discounts introduced last year following the incident, which potentially affected approximately 25 million customers. In August last year, the country’s largest wireless carrier cut mobile bills by 50 percent for all su

Officials pose during a ceremony marking the 18th anniversary of the Woongjin Foundation's multicultural family music broadcasting service at the broadcaster's studio in Seoul, Wednesday. From fifth from left are Sohn Wie-soo, adviser to the Woongjin Foundation; Shin Hyon-ung, chairperson of the foundation; Kim Choong-hyun, CEO of Digital Skynet; and Yun Seung-ju, director of the Gangnam Global Village Center. Launched in 2008, the multilingual service broadcasts around the clock in eight languages — including Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Thai and Arabic — across 28 channels on satellite, cable and online platforms, providing music, home-country news and Korean language lessons to foreign residents. Cumulative listenership reached 116 million as of last month. Courtesy of Woongjin Foundation

Deep within the dense canopy of Gwangneung Forest, centuries-old trees have long served as a quiet refuge for native flora and fauna. Now, the historic woodland and four national recreational forests across Korea have secured international recognition, not just as scenic escapes, but as crucial players in the global fight to reverse biodiversity loss. The Korea Forest Service and the National Arboretum said Wednesday that Gwangneung Forest, located northeast of Seoul, alongside four national recreational forests — Sin Sido, Sinbulsan, Unmunsan and Hwangjeongsan — have been officially listed in the World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas. They earned the designation of "Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures," or OECMs. Unlike traditional national parks or legally designated nature reserves, OECMs refer to territories managed primarily for other purposes, such as public recreation or forestry, that nonetheless deliver long-term and effective biodiversity protection. Spanning a combined 5,383.7 hectares, these five sites mark the first forest-based OECMs from Korea

Long before the rise of modern architecture, Bronze Age communities across the Korean Peninsula were moving massive boulders to erect giant stone tombs, creating one of the world's dense concentration of megalithic monuments. Today, researchers are looking beyond the stones themselves to ask a broader question: What did the landscape look like when these prehistoric structures were built? International archaeologists and heritage experts will gather at the Gochang Well Park Hotel Convention Center, Thursday, for a major conference titled "Formation and Landscape Restoration of the Gochang Dolmen Site." Co-hosted by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (Wanju Institute) and the Gochang County government, the symposium aims to reconstruct the prehistoric environment surrounding Korea's most iconic dolmens and create new strategies for their preservation. The Gochang dolmen site, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000, along with similar sites in Hwasun and Ganghwa Island, is famous for its extraordinary scale and diversity. The area houses hundreds of prehistoric

Wrtn Technologies, a Korean artificial intelligence (AI) service platform operator, said Tuesday it has begun preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), sending requests for proposals to major domestic securities firms to select an IPO underwriter. The company, known in Korea as Wrtn and led by CEO Lee Se-young, said it aims to select an underwriter and finalize listing details this month, with an IPO targeted for some time after next year. Wrtn recently raised 100 billion won ($72.8 million) in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to roughly 230 billion won, and said it has been valued at more than 1 trillion won — a threshold commonly used to designate a startup as a "unicorn" — becoming the first Korean AI service startup to reach that valuation. The company credited rapid overseas revenue growth, particularly in North America, where OOC, its AI entertainment content platform, has surpassed 10 billion won in monthly revenue. Wrtn also said it is preparing a strengthened set of youth-protection policies, to be detailed later this month, as part of what it desc

Global home furnishings giant IKEA is expanding to southeastern Korea this month, opening its first store in Daegu — about 235 kilometers southeast of Seoul — on Sept. 17 inside the downtown Shinsegae department store near Dongdaegu Station. The roughly 1,000-square-meter store, called IKEA Shinsegae Department Store Daegu, will be IKEA Korea's largest city-center-format outlet to date and its first physical store in the Daegu-North Gyeongsang region. It follows two earlier city-center stores — inside Lotte Department Store's Gwangju branch, opened last November, and Hyundai Premium Outlet's Songdo location, opened in July — as IKEA moves away from its earlier strategy of building large standalone "big-box" stores on city outskirts. IKEA said the Daegu store will offer showrooms, home-furnishing consultation and space-planning services, with an emphasis on storage and space-saving solutions suited to the region's apartment-heavy housing. It will also include a market selling Swedish food and snacks exclusive to IKEA stores. The company cited a roughly 10-month pop-up store it ran

SK Broadband said Tuesday that its "AI 5" set-top box has won all four of the world's major product design awards, a feat the Korean telecom and media company called a "grand slam." The device, used with SK Broadband's B tv pay-television service, won Japan's Good Design Award last year, followed this year by Germany's iF Design Award in March, Germany's Red Dot Design Award in April and a main prize at the International Design Excellence Awards, a U.S. competition known as IDEA, in August. SK Broadband, led by CEO Kim Sung-soo, said the set-top box features a circular, matte-black design meant to minimize visible technology and blend into everyday living spaces as a "home object" rather than looking like typical telecom equipment. The company said it deliberately hid buttons and a logo that are usually visible on top of set-top boxes, shifting most functions to artificial intelligence voice controls and the on-screen interface, and applied a matte surface finish after testing different textures to give the device an object-like feel distinct from typical electronics. The rear panel, whe

For families overseas, the death of an international student in Korea can mark the beginning of another ordeal. The recent killing of a Vietnamese student in Busan exposed the difficulties bereaved families can face when dealing with multiple institutions across borders, raising questions over whether Korea has a clear and coordinated system to support them after serious incidents. The victim, 20-year-old Vo Thi Thuy Vi, was found dead in Busan's Jung District at around 1:15 a.m. Friday. According to police, a Vietnamese man allegedly broke into her home, threatened her with a weapon and bound her while attempting to steal cash. Police said he strangled Vi after she resisted and then fled the scene. Her family learned of Vi's death through a phone call from her friends later that day. Since then, they have sought assistance from the university and Vietnamese diplomatic authorities on a range of issues, including traveling to Korea, repatriating Vi's body, obtaining information about the investigation, recovering her personal belongings and securing legal assistance. In a formal request to

Korea's major banks are hiring fewer entry-level employees as they expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and continue to close branches, making the job market tougher for young people seeking careers in finance, industry officials said Wednesday. The banks have recently begun their open recruitment for the second half of the year. Woori Bank is accepting applications through Aug. 8. While it has not disclosed how many people it plans to hire, the bank is expected to recruit fewer than 100 new employees, down sharply from the 190 it hired in the second half of last year. KB Kookmin Bank is taking applications for about 160 entry-level positions through Sept. 9, while the Industrial Bank of Korea plans to hire 175 new employees, with applications open through Sept. 14. Other major banks are expected to announce their hiring plans soon, but industry officials say the overall number of positions is unlikely to increase. The trend is already evident in figures shown in the first half of this year. The country's four major banks — KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana and Woori — hired a combin

A new push to bring Korean literature and webtoons into the U.S. mainstream is set to land in Manhattan this week. Hosted at the NYC Seminar & Conference Center on Wednesday and Thursday, the "Outreach New York Book Fair" directly connects Korean publishers with major U.S. buyers, paving the way for "K-books" to capture the lucrative North American market. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, a state-run body that supports the publishing industry, have organized similar outreach fairs in three to five countries annually since 2015, holding one-on-one export meetings between Korean publishers and local buyers. Last year's edition, held in five countries, produced 1,045 consultations and about $17.66 million in export results. Last year's New York leg alone generated 252 meetings worth more than $7.5 million. This year's fairs will also visit Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Italy. In New York, 15 Korean publishers, including Dasan Books, will meet 40 U.S. publishing houses, agencies and imprints, among them Penguin Random House,

More than 11,000 people spent summer nights beside Han River this year, giving Seoul officials evidence that after-dark leisure can do more than keep people cool — it can benefit the local economy. “Han River Night Camping,” held at Yeouido and Ttukseom Han River parks from Aug. 1 through Aug. 30, drew 3,503 groups and 11,476 people, with Friday and Saturday sessions selling out within five minutes. The overnight program allowed participants to set up tents from 5 pm until 9 am, combining riverside views with delivery food and an escape from Seoul’s summer heat. In a survey of 1,106 participants, 94.7 percent said they wanted the program to return next year, while 80.1 percent said they were satisfied with their experience. Another 90.1 percent said the program helped promote nighttime leisure culture and the local economy. Spending rose with foot traffic in commercial districts surrounding Yeouido, Ttukseom and Mangwon areas, according to an analysis of payment data from four credit card companies. Nighttime pedestrian traffic across the three areas increased 66 percent to an aver

CJ ENM, one of Korea's largest entertainment companies, said Tuesday that its dating reality format "EXchange" is expanding overseas, with a new season confirmed in Japan and a first-ever remake set for Brazil. In Japan, "Love Transit," the local adaptation of "EXchange," will return with a fourth season, "Love Transit 35+," following three earlier seasons. Premiering globally on Amazon Prime Video on Oct. 22, the new season will feature 10 participants aged 35 and older, including previously married couples, reflecting shifting attitudes toward marriage in Japan. In Brazil, "EXchange" will be remade as a local version of "Love Transit," directed by veteran Brazilian television producer Boninho and co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Formata, marking the format's first adaptation outside Asia. CJ ENM cited growing interest in Korean content in Brazil. A July report by the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil found Korean dramas made up 28 percent of local media coverage of Korean culture, ranking second after K-pop. The Korea Creative Content Agency, a government body promoting Korean cult

When an 11-year-old disabled child died in early August after suffering fatal abuse, the tragedy laid bare a devastating sequence of systemic failures. Despite a history of prior abuse reports dating back to 2021, a protracted hospital stay and an official exemption from mandatory school attendance granted just months earlier, local authorities, school boards and police failed to cross-reference crucial data. Even when new abuse reports flooded in days before the child’s death, emergency separation measures were never enacted. Seeking to prevent a repeat of this tragedy, the Korean government announced Wednesday a comprehensive overhaul of its child protection and crisis prevention framework. Led by the Ministry of Health and Welfare alongside joint government ministries, the sweeping policy measures aim to break down administrative barriers, enforce mandatory separation protocols for repeated abuse and dramatically expand specialized care infrastructure. At the heart of the overhaul is a fundamental shift in how law enforcement and municipal child welfare officers assess immediate dan

HONG KONG — Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty to foreign collusion on Wednesday in a second national security trial against him that could see him jailed for life, AFP journalists in court saw. He is accused of asking foreign countries, individuals or institutions to "impose sanctions or blockade, or engage in other hostile activities" against Hong Kong and China in 2020, after Beijing imposed a national security law on the finance hub. The 29-year-old Wong, one of the most recognisable faces of Hong Kong's now-quashed democracy movement, is already serving a nearly five-year sentence for subversion and was due to be released next year. Rights groups have said the new charges, which could see Wong sent to prison for life, aim to keep him behind bars as long as possible. Wong sat in the courtroom dock as the charges were read out, before confirming his guilty plea. He smiled and nodded in thanks after a supporter in the public gallery shouted "hang in there!" Prosecutors said Wong and other activists had been lobbying on social media to get attention and support

Seoul is taking its popular morning exercise program into the city’s green spaces this fall, inviting residents to trade busy roads and river paths for tree-lined trails and botanical gardens. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that “Swieom Swieom Morning” will hold park-based events at World Cup Park on Sunday and Seoul Botanic Park on Sept. 13. The first event will run from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sunday, starting at Star Plaza in World Cup Park and following a roughly 4-kilometer route along Metasequoia Road before returning to the starting point. Participants can also take part in Seoul Physical Fitness, which will offer fitness checks and other recreational sports activities at Star Plaza. The second event, on Sept. 13, will take place along walking paths and green spaces at Seoul Botanic Park, with a basic round-trip route of about 2 kilometers. Participants will be able to extend their route from 1 to 5 kilometers depending on their fitness level and exercise goals. A GPS exercise verification event will also allow participants to record their routes and distances us

For 14 university students from Korea and Japan, eight days in China offered something that classrooms rarely can: a close look at how emerging technologies move from theory to the real world. Huawei Korea said Wednesday that its Seeds for the Future 2026 program, held Aug. 23-30 in Dongguan and Shenzhen in China, brought together nine Korean students and five Japanese students for training and field activities focused on information and communications technology. The Korean participants came from Ajou University, Hanyang University and Yonsei University, while the Japanese participants were selected from the University of Tokyo, Waseda University and Keio University. Students completed courses covering artificial intelligence, 5G and digital power technologies, as well as cloud computing, while visiting Huawei research and development facilities and technology exhibition spaces. The field visits gave participants an opportunity to see how technologies discussed in class are deployed in equipment and systems and to ask researchers about their development and commercialization. The program

VENICE, Italy — George Clooney and Danny Boyle are helping kick off the Venice Film Festival in style Wednesday on the Lido. Clooney, a festival mainstay, is receiving a lifetime achievement award, while Boyle is premiering “Ink,” his film about Rupert Murdoch's acquisition of the British tabloid “The Sun” in 1969. Over the course of the next 11 days, the festival will see many stars from Hollywood and beyond grace the red carpet, from Robert Pattinson to Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, but the focus this year seems to be more on geopolitics than movie star moments. The sprawling lineup includes documentaries about the conflict in Gaza ( “Naza” ), Elon Musk (“Musk”) and independent Russian journalists covering the war in Ukraine (“My Undesirable Friends — Part II: Exile”) as well as Palestinian films and a short about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis. The festival’s director Alberto Barbera told The Associated Press that most of the films they saw during the selection process dealt with “contemporary problems.” “We didn’t really

Outgoing presidential policy chief Kim Yong-beom spoke out Tuesday about the introduction of single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and the government's controversial housing policies, both of which had made him a target of opposition calls for his resignation. Kim, who stepped down after 15 months in office, said he was unfairly portrayed as the main culprit behind losses suffered by leveraged ETF investors, arguing that the timing of the product's introduction happened to coincide with a global market correction. In a telephone interview with the Hankook Ilbo on Tuesday, Kim emphasized the circumstances surrounding the introduction of leveraged ETFs in late May. At the time, the won-dollar exchange rate had surged above 1,500 won per dollar, putting pressure on the government to stabilize the currency. “At the time, we discussed why Koreans were investing disproportionately in the U.S. Nasdaq,” Kim said. “That led us to discuss differences in financial products available in Korea and the U.S., and that was how the idea came up.” The benchmark KOSPI had previously c

For millions of CJ ONE members, earning and spending loyalty points is about to become easier, as a new partnership will turn it into something that happens alongside everyday payments. CJ OliveNetworks, which operates CJ ONE, said Wednesday that it has partnered with Npay to integrate its membership service with Naver’s payment platform. CJ ONE members can add their membership through the “Membership” section of the Npay app or website, then earn and use points at participating offline merchants after completing the consent and identification process. The partnership connects CJ ONE’s 32 million members with Npay, which has more than 34 million users, expanding access to membership benefits through a widely used payment platform. Points can be earned and redeemed at CJ brands including Olive Young, Tous les Jours and CGV, as well as partner brands such as Emart24 and Ground Seesaw. The move comes as mobile payments have become routine and consumers increasingly expect loyalty benefits to follow them through checkout rather than requiring a separate membership process. Npay combine

Jeonbuk National University has been selected for the government-funded Support Program for Specialized Graduate Schools in Advanced Industries. The university said Tuesday that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy designated the university’s Specialized Graduate School for Robotics as a specialized graduate school for national strategic advanced industries on Monday. The university added that the specialized graduate school will be operated primarily through the Department of Advanced Robotics under the university’s Graduate School. Under the program, the university will receive 15 billion won ($10.9 million) in government funding over the next five years. The university said the funding will be used to foster master’s- and doctoral-level professionals who will lead the fields of manufacturing robots and artificial intelligence (AI). The funding will also be used to establish a robotics industry innovation hub linked to the region’s advanced manufacturing and mobility industries. “This selection recognizes the university’s accumulated capabilities in education and resear

In a strategic retreat in the fight against climate change, the United Nations has acknowledged that Earth has lost its chance to prevent some of the worst of global warming's harms. So now the world must figure out how to get temperatures below the danger zone and back to safety, officials say. Earth is soon going to exceed the safe temperature threshold agreed upon by the world in the 2015 Paris climate accord because of warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas, according to a bleak first-of-its-kind report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme Wednesday. Instead of giving up, scientists and U.N. officials recommend trying to limit excessive warming and then bring the temperature back down to the agreed-upon threshold. But it still will mean decades of increased weather-related disasters, rising seas, extinctions and melting ice and glaciers. “Humanity is speeding past the limit to avoid climate catastrophe,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said. After a period of over-the-limit warming, the new strategy envisions getting back below the limit by

Aman, one of the world’s most exclusive luxury hospitality brands, is set to enter Korea with a hotel, branded residences and private club in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong. Shinsegae Property and Aman said Wednesday they will develop Aman Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, marking Aman’s first project in Korea. The development will span about 70,000 square meters, with eight underground levels and 38 floors above ground, and will include a hotel, 49 residences, and retail and cultural spaces. Shinsegae Property will oversee planning, strategy and development, while Aman will participate in architecture, design and operations. Aman Seoul is envisioned as an “urban sanctuary,” combining a hotel, branded residences and Aman Club, a private membership community, in one high-end lifestyle complex. The project will incorporate Korean spatial aesthetics alongside Aman’s design philosophy, with restrained interiors intended to emphasize privacy and harmony between people, nature and space. Aman will operate the hotel, residences and community facilities under a long-term management ar

Oleg Smagin's workday in Seoul looks much like that of his Korean colleagues. The 31-year-old Russian national works as a senior manager in JB Financial Group's AX Strategy Division at its Seoul office in Yeouido, the heart of Korea's financial district. His work involves market research, writing reports, attending meetings and keeping track of regulatory developments across the financial sector. He usually has lunch with his colleagues and joins after-work gatherings, a familiar part of Korean office culture. Having joined JB Financial in June 2025, Smagin focuses on finding new business opportunities related to digital assets. "My main task is to explore business strategies related to digital assets, particularly how assets such as stablecoins can be connected with existing financial services to create new products and services," Smagin said in a recent interview with The Korea Times, speaking in fluent Korean. Smagin first came to Korea as an exchange student in 2014 and eventually decided to settle here. His current role allows him to put his academic background in economics and previ

SIHEUNG, Gyeonggi Province — Local travelers who judge a destination by the number of attractions tend to look east, toward the deep blue water and fine sand beaches that fill summer travel supplements. The West Sea close to Seoul and its metropolitan area has long been treated as the consolation prize — flat, brown at low tide and governed by a tidal range that rearranges the shoreline twice a day. Yet, those who would like the coast for tranquility and reflection will find this stretch offering exactly that at a price nobody has thought to advertise. Siheung, a city of more than 500,000 in Gyeonggi Province, sits about 40 kilometers southwest of central Seoul and holds two coastal destinations — Geobukseom and Oido — of entirely opposite temperaments. Geobukseom, which literally translates as “Turtle Island,” is an island of marinas, surf lagoons and glass towers that has not yet filled up. Oido, some 10 minutes away, is a former island that has been grilling shellfish for day-trippers for decades. The "turtle" is not without its reason. Pull Geobukseom up on a map and the o

A Korean disaster relief team arrived in Nepal on Wednesday to help bolster the ongoing intensive search for nine Koreans and other victims missing in massive floods and landslides, the foreign ministry said. The 44-member Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), comprising personnel from the ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and fire authorities, arrived in Kathmandu earlier in the day aboard an Air Force KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft, according to the ministry. "The team plans to conduct search-and-rescue operations in cooperation with Nepali authorities and our dispatched government emergency response team," a ministry official said. "Its deployment is scheduled to last about 10 days but may be extended depending on conditions at the site," he added. The KDRT brought five rescue dogs and various types of advanced equipment, including high-resolution drones, devices for detecting buried victims through sound and video and thermal imaging detectors. The nine Koreans went missing after massive floods hit Nepal's Rasuwa district on Aug. 26 while the

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — As the last light faded over New Tashkent on Friday, hundreds of drones rose into the sky, forming moving images for a celebration of Uzbekistan's 35th anniversary of independence. Music swept across the open-air venue. Uzbek dancers and musicians shared the stage with international stars, including British soprano Sarah Brightman, Italian tenor Alessandro Safina and Spanish tenor José Carreras. Giant 3D projections, robotics, lighting effects and an aerial display turned the evening into a carefully choreographed mixture of history, technology and spectacle. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev joined the ceremony and delivered a speech outlining an ambitious national agenda for the decade ahead. The country's official Independence Day falls on Sept. 1, but this year's principal celebrations were staged several days earlier. For nearly a week, international journalists in Uzbekistan had been observing a quiet effort to shape the country's image abroad. From Aug. 24 to 29, Tashkent and Samarkand hosted the international media forum “Islamic Civilization: A New Perspec

A Pakistani man was sentenced to seven years in prison Wednesday for sexually assaulting foreign children nearly two decades ago at an Islamic mosque in Incheon, west of Seoul. The Bucheon branch of the Incheon District Court handed down the sentence to the man in his 40s on charges including rape of minors under the age of 13 and ordered his immediate detention. The man was also banned from working at institutions serving children, adolescents and the disabled for seven years each. He is accused of threatening and sexually assaulting two foreign children, then aged seven and nine, at a mosque in Incheon's Seohae district in September 2008. He was teaching the Quran at the mosque at the time. Prosecutors said a complaint was filed belatedly because the victims were too young at the time of the incident. The court found the man guilty of all charges, stating that the victims' detailed and consistent testimonies were credible.

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has selected six technology companies to test artificial intelligence (AI) services at major tourist sites in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province, including Ssanggye Temple and Hwagaejangteo Market. The project, announced Friday, is intended to address problems ranging from crowding and parking congestion to limited multilingual assistance for international visitors. Ssanggye Temple, a historic Buddhist temple in Jirisan National Park, draws more than 500,000 visitors annually, while Hwagaejangteo Market attracts about 1 million visitors, according to the KTO. The sites face particular challenges during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons, when heavy crowds can raise safety concerns and make movement and parking more difficult. The tourism organization has identified five areas for AI-based solutions: customized maps and routes, crowd-density analysis, multilingual information, parking congestion monitoring and personalized services. The six companies selected for the project are Freegrow, Deeping Source, XL8.ai, Intflow, CFlat AI and Tail Studio. F

For police officers spending long hours in buses during Korea’s summer heat, relief may soon come not from stronger air conditioning but from a nearly transparent film on the windows. Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday it has applied its Nano Cooling Film to two Universe buses operated by the 1st Mobile Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The buses serve as mobile offices and living spaces for officers responding to demonstrations and other public safety duties, making heat inside the vehicles a persistent concern during hot weather. Because dark window tinting is difficult to use on police buses for operational and regulatory reasons, officers can be particularly exposed to high temperatures while carrying out their duties. Nano Cooling Film is designed to reflect solar heat while also radiating infrared heat from inside a vehicle to the outside, according to Hyundai Motor Group. The three-layer material includes two layers that reflect near-infrared wavelengths from sunlight and another layer that releases mid-infrared wavelengths from inside the vehicle. Hyundai Motor Group

Kim Won-joon, former chief of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, took office as the 14th president and CEO of Korea Airports Corp. (KAC) on Wednesday, filling the state-run airport operator's two-year leadership vacuum. He pledged to put airport safety and public trust at the center of his management strategy. Kim is scheduled to visit Muan International Airport immediately after his inauguration to pay tribute to victims of a disastrous Jeju Air crash in December 2024, which left 179 people dead. He will inspect the site of the disaster and a facility storing victims’ belongings. He is expected to prioritize support for bereaved families and the handling of remaining issues surrounding the crash. At his inauguration ceremony, Kim said he would reassess long-standing practices and overhaul the company’s management system to ensure sustainable growth. He pointed to the challenges facing the airport operator, including a prolonged leadership vacuum, limited room for further growth in domestic air travel, a stagnant revenue structure and mounting financial pressures. Kim said sa

The U.S. Army’s top acquisition official visited Hanwha Aerospace’s defense production sites in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, Aug. 26 to review the company’s manufacturing capabilities for artillery, rocket systems and other land-based defense platforms. Brent Ingraham, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, led the delegation during the visit. His visit followed Hanwha’s Aug. 18 deal with the U.S. Army to supply six prototype systems for the Mobile Tactical Cannon program, with an option for 12 additional systems. The delegation toured Hanwha’s K9 production line, where K9MH systems are currently being manufactured, and observed automated processes, including robotic welding, used in the production of the company’s artillery systems. The delegation also watched mobility demonstrations of the K9MH and K9A1 self-propelled howitzers and a demonstration of the Chunmoo multiple rocket launcher. It also reviewed Hanwha’s broader portfolio of land-based defense systems. “Hanwha brings proven manufacturing capabilities and global product

A little-known connection between actor Hyun Bin and entertainer Yoo Jae-suk took the spotlight on SBS variety show "Whenever Possible," which aired Tuesday. The program visits people during short breaks in their daily routines, offering participants a chance to win prizes. In the episode, Hyun Bin and Woo Do-hwan appeared alongside hosts Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok to promote their Disney+ series "Made in Korea." Yoo noted that Hyun Bin had "bulked up" and revealed that they used to work out at the same gym, adding that Hyun Bin "helped me train my triceps." Hyun Bin joked about Yoo's muscles and remarked on his "slimmer frame." Making his first variety show appearance in his 23-year career, Hyun Bin showed a competitive streak. He looked for gaps in the rules and even tried to negotiate with the production staff, leaving Yoo in disbelief at his drive. The cast visited a Samsung service center, where they met a man with a warm demeanor and quick wit. He revealed that his wife was a camera director who had worked with Yoo on the hit variety show "Family Outing." Yoo expressed delight upo

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will exhibit their artificial intelligence (AI) home appliances at IFA 2026, Europe’s largest consumer electronics and home appliance trade show set to run from Friday to Tuesday in Berlin. Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it has set up its standalone booth at Humboldt Carre in downtown Berlin, rather than joining the event’s main venue at Messe Berlin. At the booth, which will operate from Wednesday to Sunday, Samsung will showcase its “AI Home,” which connects home appliances, services and energy management. Samsung said the exhibition will present a concept of “AI living,” focused not only on technological convenience but also on people’s daily lives and needs. The company will also showcase its 2026 TV lineup, including Micro RGB models. The TVs feature Vision AI Companion, a conversational AI technology that provides personalized content recommendations and context information without disrupting the viewing experience. The Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator uses camera-based AI Vision technology to automatically recognize food in

Gender Minister nominee Yong Hye-in said Wednesday she is aware of concerns over retaining her National Assembly seat to take her newly nominated position, sidestepping questions about calls for her to resign from parliament. Yong has faced growing calls to give up her parliamentary seat after she earlier said she would keep her seat even after being appointed to the Cabinet position, breaking from convention for proportional representatives. "I will well prepare for the confirmation hearing and deliver my thoughts after organizing them," she told reporters when asked about the calls to resign as lawmaker. "I am listening to the many worries and concerns." While lawmakers can double as members of the Cabinet, proportional representatives, like Yong, have customarily given up their parliamentary seats to take such posts. Yong, who is the sole lawmaker of the Basic Income Party, earlier highlighted that her party would become a non-parliamentary party should she resign as lawmaker.

President Lee Jae Myung said Wednesday it is unrealistic to pursue both economic growth and welfare expansion for now, stressing that priority should be placed on expanding the economic pie rather than welfare. The president wrote the message on his X account, uploading a media column that argued the government's budget bill for next year relatively lacked spending on "distribution." "Giving up growth while expanding welfare should never happen. Pursing the expansion of both growth and welfare is ideal but unrealistic," Lee wrote, adding, "Now is inevitably the time to focus on growth to expand the pie." The president still argued that the government has not cut back on welfare. "If we fail to recover sustained growth and head toward zero or negative growth, (economic) polarization would further worsen and could even lead to a decline in welfare," he said. The president added that the government is also paying attention to improving welfare policies and that more time would be needed for further measures. The previous day, the government proposed a record 820.9 trillion-won ($599 billion)

LONDON — As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes higher education, universities face a challenge that goes far beyond simply bringing the technology into classrooms. King’s College London Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Shitij Kapur argues that the more fundamental task is to rethink the very nature of learning itself. “Universities need to look beyond how to use AI and ask what the essence of learning should be when machines can increasingly perform many of the cognitive tasks students have traditionally been trained to do,” Kapur said in an interview with The Korea Times. Rather than treating AI primarily as a challenge to academic integrity, he said universities should focus on whether traditional models of education — largely built around acquiring and demonstrating knowledge — are still sufficient in a world where machines can perform many cognitive tasks. That requires a shift in emphasis from knowledge-based learning toward experiences that develop students’ ability to apply what they know in real-world settings. “The big shift is from cognitive to

Inflation in September is expected to ease from the previous month as a base effect fades, but underlying price pressures will likely persist, particularly in core items, the central bank said Wednesday. "In August, the consumer price index rose at a faster rate than the previous month due to a base effect resulting from discount programs by a telecommunications company last year," Deputy Gov. Lee Ji-ho said during a meeting to review inflation trends. "In September, consumer price growth is expected to be lower than in August as the base effect fades, but the underlying upward trend is expected to continue, particularly in core items." Earlier in the day, government data showed that the country's consumer prices rose 3.1 percent in August from a year earlier as oil prices remained elevated. Higher mobile service subscription charges also contributed to the increase, due to the base effect from large-scale discounts offered last year following a hacking incident. The August figure marked a rebound from a 2.8 percent on-year rise in July, following increases of 3.1 percent and 3.2 percent

The number of foreign workers staying in Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS) reached a record high of 287,424 this year, data showed Wednesday. The EPS allows small and medium-sized businesses facing labor shortages to hire nonprofessional foreign workers, who are issued E-9 visas. According to the data submitted by the labor ministry to Rep. Kim Wi-sang of the main opposition People Power Party, the number of foreign workers under the EPS reached the record figure as of July. The number has been on a steady rise from 159,463 in 2021 and 203,121 in 2022 to 247,191 in 2023, 271,925 in 2024 and 282,839 last year. By industry, 229,844 foreign workers, or an overwhelming 80 percent of the total, worked in the manufacturing sector. The agriculture and livestock sector accounted for 33,878 foreign workers, or 11.8 percent, followed by fisheries with 15,441 (5.4 percent), construction with 6,724 (2.3 percent) and services with 1,410 (0.5 percent). Rep. Kim said the excessive concentration of E-9 visa holders in the manufacturing sector underscores the need to overhaul the EPS, as the s

LG Electronics has partnered with Marriott International to develop a cloud-based technology platform to enhance entertainment and digital services in hotel guest rooms. The two companies announced a long-term strategic collaboration Wednesday, saying Marriott plans to roll out the jointly developed platform at participating hotels across its global portfolio. The platform will initially focus on in-room entertainment while laying the foundation for centralized device management and connected guest services across Marriott properties. Under the partnership, Marriott will help shape the platform around guest experience, hotel operations and enterprise integration needs, while LG will provide its connected-device capabilities, device management technology and technical support. “By combining LG’s connected-device capabilities with Marriott’s hospitality expertise and enterprise platform, we are creating a more seamless, personalized guest room experience while helping hotel teams operate more efficiently,” said Drew Pinto, executive vice president and chief revenue and technology o

The veterans ministry said Wednesday it is seeking an 8 percent hike in its 2027 budget to expand veterans benefits, support independence fighters' descendants and host an international sports event for injured soldiers. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs said it has proposed 7.22 trillion won ($5.25 billion) for next year's budget, up by 532 billion won from this year's 6.68 trillion won. The draft proposal calls for raising basic compensation for war veterans and allowances for persons of national merit, as well as benefits for descendants of independence fighters from Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said. The ministry recently unveiled plans to expand the eligibility of independence fighters' benefits to their third-generation descendants in certain cases, which will add around 2,500 new recipients. The ministry will lower the age threshold for those eligible to use veterans hospitals from the current 75 to 65, and continue to expand contracted medical institutions for veterans and their families. The proposed budget also aims to transform

Kia Corp. posted record monthly sales in the United States in August, while Hyundai Motor Co. reported a decline in numbers, the Hyundai Motor Group affiliates said Wednesday. Kia America sold 83,793 vehicles last month, up 1 percent from a year earlier and marking its highest-ever monthly sales. Cumulative sales in the first eight months of the year rose 3 percent on-year to 590,377 units, also setting a record for the January-August period. The Sportage SUV was Kia's bestselling model, with 18,723 units sold. Hyundai Motor America, on the other hand, saw its U.S. sales decline 2 percent on-year to 86,977 units in August, despite continued strength in hybrid vehicles. Hyundai's hybrid sales jumped 33 percent from a year earlier, setting a record for the month of August. Among major models, sales of the Palisade SUV fell 18 percent on-year to 12,729 units, while the Ioniq electric vehicle lineup also posted weaker sales. In contrast, sales of the Tucson and Santa Fe SUVs increased 18 percent and 5 percent on-year over the period, respectively.

Actress Ji Ye-eun and dancer Vata will marry on Dec. 12 after about a year of dating, their agencies said Wednesday. Ji's agency, CP Entertainment, said the couple "have promised to share their lives based on deep trust." Vata's agency, Ara, also said the pair "will start a new journey as husband and wife," noting that they "have promised to become each other's most reliable companions based on deep trust and love." Born in 1994, the same-age couple first drew closer through their shared faith after meeting as entertainment industry colleagues, according to local media reports. They publicly confirmed their relationship in April and have been dating openly ever since. Ji debuted in 2017 with the web-based drama "How To" and later gained attention through appearances on TV variety shows, including "SNL Korea," "Running Man" and "Office Workers." Vata, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyun, is the leader of dance crew We Dem Boyz, which finished as runners-up on Mnet's "Street Man Fighter" in 2022. He has choreographed hit songs including Zico's "New Thing" and BLACKPINK member Jennie's "Like Jen

Korean auteur Lee Chang-dong's latest feature "Possible Love" is set to vie for the Golden Lion at this year's prestigious Venice International Film Festival that begins Wednesday. The film will compete alongside 20 other features nominated for the main Competition section at the 83rd edition of the festival that runs in Venice through Saturday next week. "Possible Love" is Lee's first feature film in eight years following the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018) and has been selected as the Korean Film Council's pick to represent Korea at the Oscars. The new film, starring a star-studded cast, including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong, follows the subtle feelings and relationship between a laid-off worker and his wife and a documentary maker and her affluent husband. The invitation marks Lee's return to the film festival after 24 years, following the romance drama "Oasis" (2002). The film won the Silver Lion for best director and the FIPRESCI critics award, while lead actress Moon So-ri won the Marcello Mastroianni Award presented to emerging actors. Meanwhile,

Korea's fair trade watchdog has carried out another on-site probe into the Korean arm of U.S.-listed Coupang Inc. in connection with a separate case following a failed inspection attempt last month, industry sources said Wednesday. According to the sources, officials from the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) conducted an on-site inspection of Coupang's headquarters in Seoul on the previous day, with the company cooperating with the probe. The investigation centered on whether Coupang unfairly obstructed the business operations of other companies, the sources said. Last month, the FTC attempted to conduct on-site inspections amid allegations that Coupang had shifted the costs of discounts onto its suppliers. Coupang declined to cooperate with the investigation at the time, claiming it had not been notified of the inspection as stipulated under the Framework Act on Administrative Investigations. "We cannot comment on individual cases," an official from the FTC said.

A court has ordered a man in his 20s to pay 12.56 million won ($9,136) in damages for wasting police resources last year by making a hoax bomb threat online targeting a Seoul department store, police said Wednesday. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), the Seoul Central District Court ordered the man on Friday to cover the full cost incurred by the Seoul police, including personnel expenses, overtime allowances, fuel costs and meal expenses. This marks the first time a court has recognized a claim for full compensation of public security costs wasted due to an online threat, according to the police. The man posted the threat on YouTube in August 2025, claiming he would bomb Shinsegae Department Store. In response, the SMPA deployed 277 personnel to step up patrols around the department store area. Police tracked down the suspect and arrested him in Hadong, a city located some 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul. "We will strictly punish those who threaten public safety and hold them accountable to the end for any damage caused by their actions," an SMPA official said.

Korean stocks traded sharply lower late Wednesday morning, weighed down by escalating military tensions in the Middle East. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was trading down 195.54 points, or 2.86 percent, to 6,640.26 as of 11:20 a.m. Overnight, U.S. stocks closed lower as inflation fears amplified due to higher oil prices after the United States and Iran exchanged strikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.79 percent, and the S&P 500 lost 0.71 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite dropped 1.03 percent. In Seoul, most shares went bearish across the board. Top-cap Samsung Electronics declined 2.97 percent, and SK hynix, the second-largest share in terms of market capitalization, tumbled 3.13 percent. Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace fell 3.02 percent, and leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries slumped 5.08 percent. Hyundai Mobis, an auto parts affiliate under Hyundai Motor Group, sank 6.2 percent, and food giant CJ Cheiljedang slid 1.99 percent. The Korean won was quoted at 1,370.4 won against the U.S. dollar as of 11:20 a.m., up 3 won from the close of

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Wednesday reaffirmed his commitment to deepening ties with Vietnam in a letter to President To Lam marking the country's 81st founding anniversary, Pyongyang's state media said. "I take this opportunity to express the belief that the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between the two parties and two countries would grow stronger in conformity with the spirit of the agreement reached at our meeting in Pyongyang in October last year," Kim wrote in the letter, released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Wednesday marks Vietnam's National Day, commemorating the country's independence from France and the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. The two countries have been moving steadily closer since the October summit. Lam's visit at that time marked the first by a top Vietnamese leader to the North in 18 years. In May, Vietnamese Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung visited the North for talks with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son-hui. The following month, the two countries' security ministers held talks in Pyongy

Korea's consumer prices moved up 3.1 percent in August from a year earlier as oil prices remained elevated. According to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, consumer price growth hovered above 3 percent in August, accelerating from a 2.8 percent on-year rise in July. The August increase was led by fuel prices, with diesel prices rising sharply by 19.6 percent and gasoline prices advancing 11.5 percent. Korea relies heavily on imports to meet its energy needs.

WASHINGTON — The United States' policy on North Korea remains unchanged, a White House official said Tuesday, while reaffirming U.S. President Donald Trump's openness to dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "without any preconditions." The official made the remarks in response to Yonhap News Agency's question about whether the White House has been seriously preparing for a potential Trump-Kim summit, amid questions about whether Trump would continue to pursue the North's denuclearization or shift toward goals short of denuclearization, such as tension reduction. "U.S. policy on North Korea has not changed. President Trump remains open to talking with Kim Jong-un without any preconditions," the official said in an email. The official pointed out that in his first term, Trump held three summits with Kim that "stabilized the Korean Peninsula." Questions about whether the Trump administration would stick to the denuclearization goal resurfaced after Trump said last month that North Korea has 57 "very powerful" nuclear weapons, while declining to answer a question about whether his

There's a passage in the bridge of rookie boy band TUNEXX's new title track that the members simply call the "kill part." "If I mess it up, I'm the one who gets killed," Sungjun said. "If I actually pull it off, it's whoever's watching. I'm practicing hard so it lands the second way." It was a bold line in an otherwise pretty quiet morning. The seven-member rookie group met with The Korea Times in central Seoul on Aug. 20 for an interview ahead of its first comeback, in what was also the members' first official opportunity to speak directly with the press. Questions drew pauses. Answers sometimes trailed off halfway through and several members looked toward leader Dongkyu before speaking. They had, after all, debuted only five months earlier. TUNEXX will release its second EP, "BLUE MODE," on Sept. 2 at 6 p.m., marking the IST Entertainment group's first comeback since its March debut with "SET BY US ONLY." Dongkyu described the new four-track album as a contrast to the group's debut, which he characterized as a declaration of individuality. "If the last album felt like each of us saying,

WASHINGTON — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will be "like a worthless piece of water" in two years as oil will be shipped through land-based pipelines, bypassing the crucial waterway. Bessent made the remarks during a fireside chat with FOX Business Network host Larry Kudlow at the Group of 20 finance ministers' meetings in Asheville, North Carolina, as Washington and Tehran have exchanged strikes, heightening tensions in the strait. "We can see the Iranians are trying to use the Strait of Hormuz as a choke point. It's not a choke point for the U.S., but it is a choke point for many other countries," the secretary said. "That will be bypassed in two years. In two years, the Strait of Hormuz will be like a worthless piece of water. Oil will be going on pipelines across the land," he added. During the Middle East war, Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for oil, natural gas, fertilizer and other commodities. Disruptions to shipping in the strait have kept energy prices high, piling pressure on Washingto

Runner-friendly cafes are appearing near popular running routes across Korea. The businesses are gaining ground around well-known running destinations, including Seoul's Han River, Olympic Park and Seoul Forest, Busan's Haeundae Beach and the coast of Jeju Island. Customers at these cafes can receive perks, such as beverage discounts and bag storage, by proving they completed a run that day. The concept aims to make post-run coffee or brunch part of a broader wellness routine. It differs from public facilities like the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Runner Station, which offers changing rooms and lockers, or sportswear brands' rental hubs that lend out running shoes and apparel. While the concept began as a way to attract more customers, most cafe operators say they are driven more by enthusiasm for running culture than by profit. "As a runner myself, I made the cafe runner-friendly in May 2025 because I wanted to share running culture," said Kang Dong-won, owner of Evan Coffee in Seoul's Mapo District. "No matter how popular running is, the customer base is inevitably limited, so most

For one day, Korea’s most revered artifacts are no longer kept behind museum glass. Instead, they stride down runways, pose for selfies and perform choreography in front of crowds at museums across the country, as golden Buddhist sculptures, smiling Silla-era roof tiles, Bronze Age bells and even a life-size map of the Korean Peninsula come to life for the National Museum of Korea’s cosplay contest. The relatively new tradition has become like a Korean version of Halloween, when for one day in September, participants become the cultural treasures they love most. This year's “Dress Like a Museum” has drawn 275 teams and 643 participants — more than triple last year’s 83 entries — turning what began as a museum participation program two years ago into a fast-growing heritage fandom event. Contestants are not only asked to imitate heritage but also to bring it to life through their own storytelling. Echoing the contest’s poster slogan — “It is time to awaken the artifact sleeping inside you” — the event invites participants to discover a personal connection with heri

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. People who make a habit of recording what they eat every day may lose more weight, according to a new study. Those who tracked their food intake nearly every day of the week lost an average of 11 percent of their initial body weight over six months. Researchers at MyNetDiary, a U.S.-based diet and weight-management app, analyzed six months of usage data from 5,132 app users to examine the relationship between food-tracking frequency and weight change. The participants had an average age of 42.1, and 72.8 percent were women. The researchers counted a day as a “food-tracking day” if a user entered at least one food item into the app. Participants were then grouped according to their average number of tracking days per week, and their weight changes were compared. The results showed a clear trend: The more frequently people recorded their food intake, the greater their weight loss tended to be. Those who tracked their food six to seven days a week lost an average of 11 percent of their initial body weight over six months. By comparison, those w

Korea is moving toward a future firefighting system in which drones and robots enter hazardous zones first, artificial intelligence (AI) helps commanders make decisions and more advanced protective gear gives firefighters a better chance of surviving extreme conditions. “Drones and robots will be deployed to collect information on risks at the scene. Once they finish the task, AI will analyze it and provide commanders with the information they need,” Kim Yeon-sang, head of the National Fire Research Institute, said in a written interview with The Korea Times. “All this will enable faster and more accurate situational judgments.” The envisioned changes reflect a broader effort to adapt firefighting to increasingly complex emergencies, including high-rise blazes, electric vehicle fires — as seen in the 2024 Incheon underground parking garage fire, which damaged more than 900 vehicles — and large warehouse and logistics-center fires, such as the recent four-day blaze at a Coupang facility in Incheon. Kim said the institute is developing AI-assisted search drones, firefighting r

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on Tuesday raised the possibility of President Donald Trump meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang for a new summit, while noting the "very high" risk of renewed summitry between them. Bolton, who served as a top security aide to Trump from 2018-2019, made the remarks during an online forum as Trump has expressed his intention to meet Kim later this year. Trump held three meetings with Kim during his first term: the first in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the third at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. "I think Trump would look at Pyongyang because ... he's had the first meeting with the North Korean leader (in Singapore). So doing it again breaks no new ground. It's not a big PR stunt," he said during the forum hosted by the Institute for Corean-American Studies (ICAS). "He's been to the DMZ and walked in North Korea, so he can't do that again. So what else is there really except to go to Pyongyang?" he added, referring to the Panmunjom meeting inside

ASHEVILLE, North Carolina — The Trump administration urged other G20 countries on Tuesday to do more to protect their domestic industries and job markets from Chinese imports, arguing such distortions were "sucking" much-needed growth out of the global economy. The two-day meeting of finance chiefs — which saw differences in tone between the U.S. hosts and some of the European participants — came amid a global bond market selloff on worries over growing debt levels and inflation pressures. While Washington used a parallel G20 gathering of industry titans and commerce ministers on Tuesday to make the case for a hands-off approach to AI regulation, the focus of the finance ministers' meeting was on China. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he already warned other trading partners last year that tougher U.S. tariffs would lead to an influx of Chinese goods diverted to their markets. "And unfortunately, I was right. They have — and the rest of the world probably needs to take a hard look at what they should be doing to protect their citizens' jobs," he told the meeting in Ash

SEATTLE — For many Americans, ordering at Chipotle is practically muscle memory — rice, beans, protein, salsa, toppings. In Korea, some diners have a more immediate concern: How exactly are you supposed to order without holding up the line? Chipotle opened its first restaurant in Asia near Seoul's Gangnam Station this week, largely transplanting the American experience, including its signature build-your-own ordering system. Almost immediately, Korean social media filled with explainers on how to order, along with comparisons to Subway, another U.S. chain where customers move down the counter choosing ingredients as they go. “More nerve-racking than Subway,” one blogger wrote. Subway has long generated similar anxiety in Korea, spawning countless online tutorials explaining what to say, what to choose and in what order. “As someone who was scared of Subway, this is giving me PTSD,” one commenter said. Another had a simpler request: “Please introduce kiosks.” Part of the anxiety may come from having to make one choice after another while an employee waits for an answer and ot

NEW YORK — Oil prices jumped about 4 percent to a one-week high on Tuesday as a resumption in fighting between the U.S. and Iran renewed fears of supply disruptions from the Middle East. Brent futures rose $3.44, or 3.8 percent, to $93.93 a barrel at 1:10 p.m. EDT (1710 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $3.72, or 4.3 percent, to $89.48. That puts Brent on track for its highest close since August 20 and WTI on track for its highest close since July 23. The U.S. launched new air strikes on Iranian targets on Tuesday, quashing hopes that an exchange of fire last weekend might not presage a wider renewal of hostilities. Oil prices had already risen after that first exchange of direct attacks since July and after reports of two tankers being hit leaving the Strait, the global oil supply waterway that Iran has effectively closed to shipping. Tehran remained defiant, warning that it would prevent oil being exported from the Gulf, despite a threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to hit Iran "hard" in response to the renewed Iranian strikes, and a warning from U.S. Treasury Secr

MOSCOW — Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping may hold a trilateral meeting at the next summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Asked on state TV about the possibility of such a meeting, Ushakov said: "This issue was discussed, yes." He said all three leaders were expected to attend the summit, adding: "And if it turns out as has been said, then the three of them will be able to have a meeting." Ushakov was speaking from Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, where Putin and Xi had attended a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Some tourists previously reported missing in Nepal have made contact with authorities, officials said Wednesday, as search efforts continued following catastrophic floods that killed at least 1,118 people and left more than 3,900 missing. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said 324 foreign nationals had been rescued so far, while about 590 from 39 countries remained missing a week after the Aug. 26 floods. Missing tourists make contact Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Wednesday that the number of Australians missing in the disaster had fallen from 43 to 38 after five were confirmed safe overnight. “Amidst all of this tragedy, we are seeing some positive news. Today, another five Australians have been confirmed safe,” Albanese told reporters in Palau, where he is attending a regional summit. “We hope, of course, for positive news further, and we’re doing everything we can to work with authorities,” Albanese added. Sunil Sharma, a spokesperson for the Nepal Tourism Board, said at least five other foreign tourists who were previously reported missing had

Chinese consumer electronics company TCL sued South Korea's Samsung in Los Angeles federal court, accusing its rival of falsely advertising some televisions as using "Mini LED" technology. The lawsuit, filed on Monday, alleges Samsung falsely marketed its M Model televisions as featuring the technology, which is designed to improve picture quality. Samsung "took a cheap, non-Mini LED model from a recycled product line and peddled it to the public as a 'supreme' Mini LED model at an attractive price point," TCL said. Samsung said in a statement on Tuesday that it intends to vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit and stands "fully behind the quality and accuracy of our product descriptions." "Samsung's false advertising misled consumers who wanted the higher picture quality associated with Mini LED televisions into buying Samsung's falsely labeled product, unfairly damaging TCL's sales, goodwill, and valuable technology in the process," TCL attorney R.C. Harlan said in a statement. TCL's lawsuit said that the Mini LED technology in its televisions delivers "substantially better pictur

A Korean disaster relief team has left for Nepal to support search, rescue and other relief efforts following devastating floods, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. The Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), consisting of 44 personnel from the foreign ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), fire authorities and other agencies, departed for Nepal shortly before midnight Tuesday aboard a KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft, according to the ministry. The team is expected to arrive in Nepal at 5:55 a.m. (local time), bringing 700 pieces of equipment and five search-and-rescue dogs. The team will stay in Nepal for about 10 days, conducting search and rescue operations for victims, including nine Koreans who remain unaccounted for. "We plan to conduct rescue operations in consultation with the Nepali government, and our rapid response team already on the ground," a ministry official said. "The deployment may be extended beyond 10 days if necessary." The KDRT is a statutory emergency response unit deployed to provide disaster relief, search and rescue, medical

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military hit targets in Iran on Tuesday and Tehran fired missiles and drones at various sites across the region in response as hostilities flare once again in an intermittent war that has lasted more than six months. One U.S. strike hit a home hosting a wedding, killing five people and wounding dozens, local officials said. U.S. Central Command said in a statement Tuesday evening that it had completed the latest barrage against Iranian military targets including air defense sites, radar systems and maritime assets. The U.S. strikes followed others on Sunday that abruptly ended a month without military action and threatened to fully reignite a conflict that has spiked global oil prices and posed political problems for Republicans in November's midterm congressional elections. The renewed fighting comes after President Donald Trump had appeared to pivot toward trying to bend Iran to his will through economic sanctions. “If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level, but it will not

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday vowed to match any U.S. move to return to a June deal aimed at ending their war, warning that diplomatic efforts could be endangered by "pressure and threats" from Washington. He also thanked Russian leader Vladimir Putin for Moscow's stance on the conflict, in comments during an international summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek. Russia and Iran — two of the most sanctioned countries in the world — have massively deepened their military and trade ties during Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Putin and Pezeshkian held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, attended by over a dozen leaders including China's Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They met a day after U.S. President Donald Trump — who has warned Moscow and Beijing against arming Tehran — threatened to hit Iran "hard" after it and the United States traded fire for the first time in weeks. Pezeshkian told the summit that if the United States returns to the deal aimed at ending months of hostilities, Ira

DUBAI/ASHEVILLE, North Carolina — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday Washington was likely to announce bank sanctions against Iran this week, stepping up an attempt to "economically asphyxiate" Iran's leadership after six months of conflict. Oil prices rose further after the first exchange of direct attacks since July and reports of two tankers being hit leaving the Strait of Hormuz, the global oil supply waterway that Iran has effectively closed to shipping. Tehran remained defiant, warning that it would prevent oil being exported from the Gulf, despite a threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to hit Iran "hard" in response to the renewed Iranian strikes, and Bessent's warning that Washington was about to impose new sanctions. 'Zero tolerance' "We are probably going to announce a bank sanction this week, and we will announce one the week after. We are speaking to our allies here, who have all come forward, and we have had a great show of support," Bessent said at a G20 finance leaders' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. He said the U.S. was also looking at targetin

The chief of the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency was appointed deputy commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency (KNPA), police said Tuesday, effectively making him acting head of the national police force amid a prolonged vacancy in the top post. Kim Jong-chul was named to replace Yoo Jae-seong, who has served as acting KNPA commissioner for more than 20 months. The KNPA said it applied a regional avoidance principle in the reshuffle, under which senior officers are generally not assigned to their hometowns or regions where they have close ties, in an effort to strengthen impartiality and prevent corruption. As part of the reshuffle, 14 out of 18 national police agency chiefs in the city and province level, equivalent to 78 percent of the total, were replaced. Over 80 percent of senior superintendent general ranks were replaced in the personnel shakeup, according to officials. Ko Beom-seok was appointed the new chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, while Yu Seung-ryeol was promoted to head the Incheon Metropolitan Police chief. The KNPA said it plans to overhaul

The Reform UK leader said a "whole ecosystem" didn't want "new kids on the block succeeding".

More than 1,000 people have died and thousands are missing, as rescue efforts continue and aid is airlifted to villages.

Chinese and Gulf state airlines are among those still using Russian airspace. Meanwhile, Russia says it will intensify its own attacks on Ukraine.

Chevron will invest more than $7 billion US through its Venezuela joint ventures to double oil production to about 600,000 barrels per day over the next five years in the ‌South American country, the U.S. oil major said on Wednesday.

On the International Day Against Nuclear Tests on September 1, the Counselor and Chargé d'Affaires at the Holy See Mission to the United Nations renews the Holy See’s appeal to end nuclear testing and stresses how interconnected a nuclear-free world is to establishing “a just and lasting peace.”

Read all

Four people, aged between 19 and 38, appear in court charged with murdering the newborn.

Sr. Simona Brambilla, Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, invites consecrated women and men gathered in Zamboanga, Philippines, to recognize God in the vulnerable and become witnesses of peace in a wounded world.

Read all

Grab your glitteriest outfit and your tallest blonde wig: Dollyfest is set to go ahead in 2027 without its titular star, with the festival now transformed into a celebration of Dolly Parton’s life, her estate has announced.

Demonstrators gathered outside Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday to protest against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a far-right Indian paramilitary Hindu nationalist organization with close ties to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leader of the RSS, Mohan Bhagwat, was holding a rally inside the arena to launch a global speaking tour marking the 100th anniversary of the RSS.

The RSS’s “explicitly stated mission, its purpose, is to create a Hindu Rashtra, a Hindu nation — to take the India that is a secular and inclusive democracy and transform it into a country that is just for Hindus, where Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and other minorities are basically erased,” says Sunita Viswanath, co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights Action. ”RSS affiliates, these Hindu right-wing organizations, exist in growing numbers in the diaspora, especially in America.”

“In 1939, [Madison Square Garden] hosted a Nazi rally with swastikas hung from the banners around a portrait of George Washington. They said they wouldn’t do something like that again, and yet here they were hosting Mohan Bhagwat, spouting a similar fascist ideology,” says Brad Lander, a Democratic nominee for Congress from New York City, who joined Saturday’s protest.

A lone signal from an experiment in South Dakota doesn’t fit the profile of any other known particles, physicists say.

Nottinghamshire Police received a complaint and has referred the matter to the IOPC.

While the impact of last year's drought still casts a lingering fear on the farmers, they find the crops looking great so far and expect a slow recovery.

A year ago today, the United States bombed a small boat in the Caribbean, killing nine people on board. Two survivors clung to the wreckage for 45 minutes, reportedly waving for help, before a second “double-tap” strike killed them, too. President Trump posted a video of the first attack on social media, announcing that 11 terrorists had been killed in a military operation that would be called “Operation Southern Spear.” The second video, showing the killing of the survivors, has never been released. The bombings have continued for a year, killing at least 227 people in nearly 70 separate strikes. The Pentagon often accuses the boats it targets of narcotrafficking.

In a new documentary, the investigative team at Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines traveled to St. Lucia and Colombia to speak with two families who believe their loved ones, both fishermen, were killed at sea by U.S. airstrikes. “They describe it as a war. They describe these people as enemy combatants that are attacking America,” says Josh Rushing, a senior correspondent for Fault Lines who worked on the documentary. In reality, “it’s unclear, really, if the U.S. government knows who they’re killing … They’ve never named anyone in any of the strikes.”

“We had the 'war on drugs,' the 'war on terror.' This is kind of the worst of both,” says Rushing.

A Belfast man has pleaded guilty to charges arising from a loyalist bomb hoax targeting former minister for foreign affairs Simon Coveney.

Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz undertook a minor shakeup of his executive council Wednesday afternoon at Government House in Charlottetown.

The Pacific islands will face food shortages and drinking water will be impacted by rising seas, scientists have warned, as a UN report found the world would fail to limit global warming to 1.5C.

A Winnipeg woman says she's still recovering, but glad everyone is safe, days after rescuing both a child who fell into the Red River and the girl's father, who attempted to save the child.

We speak to Richard Wolff, a prominent Marxist economist, about the economic fallout from the war on Iran, which recently reached the six-month mark. “Because it’s only been going on for a few months, the impact on the prices we pay is about to unload itself,” says Wolff.

The U.S. national debt, which recently topped $40 trillion, is “one of the many signs of an economy and of an empire that is now in decline,” says Wolff. “There is an enormous increase in defense spending, or now war spending, that is scheduled, and no comparable increase in revenue.”

Wolff also discusses how a global selloff of U.S. government bonds means increasing borrowing costs for everyday consumers.

The About Damn Time singer says she is "relieved" at the outcome and will "continue to fight" every claim.

Maggie Gyllenhaal has said women continue to face "systemic" barriers in the film industry, as she questioned why so few female directors feature in the main competition at this year's Venice Film Festival.

Masami Kurumada is best known as the creator of the popular manga series "Ring ni Kakero" and "Saint Seiya."

Record heat waves, deadly flooding and extreme weather reflect an ever-warming planet poised to soon breach safe temperature limits, according to a UN report released on Tuesday, but doubling down on climate action now could avoid a climate catastrophe.

Two truckloads of food aid destined for hungry families in South Kordofan state, Sudan, were destroyed in an aerial attack over the weekend, the World Food Progamme (WFP) said on Wednesday.

Following Zambia’s contested presidential and parliamentary elections almost three weeks ago, the crackdown on political opposition has intensified, raising concerns about the future of democracy in the country, according to a UN Human Rights Council-appointed expert.

Fighting between the United States and Iran has sharply escalated after a month-long lull, with the two sides exchanging strikes as fears grow over further civilian casualties.

Yasmin Al-Mashaan lost five brothers during more than a decade of conflict in Syria. Two were forcibly disappeared. Three were killed during peaceful demonstrations or by snipers loyal to the Bashar Al-Assad regime.

U.S. Launches Wave of Attacks in Iran, Killing 11 People, German Officials Accuse Russia of an Attempted Drone Attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport Last Month, World Food Programme Announces It Will Halve Its Food Assistance in the Occupied West Bank, Israeli Court Brings Criminal Charges Against a Dozen Guards Accused of Beating Palestinian Prisoners, Ebola Outbreak Death Toll Tops 3,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Whistleblower Warns USPS Mail Voting System Headed for “Catastrophic Failure” Ahead of Midterms, Federal Immigration Agents Arrest 50,000 People in August, 20-Year-Old Haitian Immigrant Dies by Suicide After Being Outfitted with an Ankle Monitor, Activist Ya’akub Vijandre Wins Right to Challenge ICE Detention After Nearly 1 Year Behind Bars, Mississippi Police Chief Fired over Racist Text Messages, House Censures GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards over Sexual Harassment Claims, 80-Year-Old Sen. Ed Markey Defeats Primary Challenger Who Raised Concerns over His Age

Around 5,000 US sailors and marines arrived in Thailand and headed for a resort town after a Middle East deployment that sparked concerns over conditions on board.

In a strategic retreat in the fight against climate change, the United Nations has acknowledged that Earth has lost its chance to prevent some of the worst of global warming's harms. Officials say the world must now figure out how to get temperatures below the danger zone and back to safety.

The app is expected to help verify the safety of Japanese citizens swiftly in the event of an armed conflict or a massive disaster overseas.

The ministry says the total number of people killed in the Strip since 10 October is now more than 1,300, including 301 children.

Dublin Airport operator daa acted in clear breach of competition law when it sought to prevent a low-cost, car hire firm from using facilities at Dublin Airport to pick up and drop off customers from its base outside the airport, the High Court has ruled.

The Russian president wants to keep Britain guessing - and stressing - over Moscow's real intentions.

City Hall officials say the Nissan Micra does not belong to the mayor or Transport for London.

Dubravko Ostojic, of Claí Mór, Ballybrit, Galway, was brought before Galway District Court this morning.

Poland’s new rules on religion classes in public schools are raising concerns among parents, catechists and bishops, who say the changes could make it more difficult for students to attend.

Read all

"Godzilla Minus Zero," the highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning "Godzilla Minus One," will be the centerpiece of the 39th edition of Japan's largest film festival.

British and French leaders will be at the British Museum to see the exhibition of the historic Bayeux Tapestry.

Some government borrowing costs have hit their highest level for 28 years - what does it mean for you?

The 30-year-old from Birmingham went missing on Saturday as he was descending from Musa Ka Musala.

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has officially launched the 2026 Season of Creation, calling on Zambians to protect the environment and stand up for communities affected by climate change.

Read all

BBC Verify looks at footage showing the aftermath of a strike on a building in southern Iran.

Trials for three potential vaccines against the Ebola strain that has killed thousands in the DR Congo should begin by October or November, the World Health Organization said.

Syphilis rates have had the biggest drop - about a quarter - and have fallen everywhere except the South Island.

Łutsel K’e Dene First Nation Chief James Marlowe said he expected the premier's apology to come with something to offer residents, like funding for programs and services.

In an emotional message, Rajan thanked his family, team and listeners as he said goodbye to the programme.

The former singer, whose real name is Paul Gadd, appeared at Southwark Crown Court via video.

The NPA aims to introduce remote analysis at an early date after the panel announces its final recommendations as soon as this month.

While there's no sign of Japan dumping its $2.4 trillion hoard in overseas debt yet, global fund managers and a growing body of data is showing a steadier drawdown is underway.

The USS Abraham Lincoln is docking close to Pattaya, known for its neon-lit nightlife, and for sex tourism.

The document “Caring for Our Common Home” calls for a “responsible and fraternal response to the Triune God”. The ecological question is a theological question: the way we care for Creation reveals and shapes our relationship with God. The deterioration of the environment is alarming and urgent action is needed to ensure the sustainability of the planet. Everything is connected: we must listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.

Read all

The move comes at a time when the number of suicides among elementary, junior high and high school students marked a record high of 538 in 2025.

Alastair Chambers says the mix-up was after he returned to Kathmandu after flying back in an aid helicopter.

New legal filings describe the horror students and teachers experienced on Feb. 10 and include new details of OpenAI's alleged negligence in preventing the shooting.

A series of earthquakes struck near Milford Sound on Wednesday evening, the first hitting soon after 6pm.

Nathan Gallagher failed to show up to court and police think he has fled the country.

Fontaines D.C. have announced a second concert at Slane Castle next summer due to demand.

Countertariffs Canada is preparing to place on more than $27 billion of American products has left a cloud of uncertainty for homebuilders in Newfoundland and Labrador, who say business could become more expensive and difficult.

Under the partnership launched between the restaurant and the home goods company on Wednesday, customers who link their Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts will earn between two and five per cent in Canadian Tire money in addition to Tims points on select Tims purchases.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has said she believes "in the future we will have a border poll" but added that the focus for now needs to be on trying to "bring people together".

Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews have announced the birth of their fourth child.

African women are quietly renewing the Church in places where faith first arrived on their shores, as the Global South gives back while vocations decline in parts of the West. Through education, presence, and prayer, religious sisters like Sr. Julie Eyaya, CSF, offer a witness of love lived daily in the field of education.

Read all

All eyes will now turn to what the central bank thinks will happen next.

Under stricter requirements imposed since October, applicants must now have at least ¥30 million in capital, up from ¥5 million.

Preventable deaths on our roads deserve stronger accountability, say the family of a young mum-to-be Jade Evans.

“A Christian on Death Row,” a book by American lay chaplain Dale Recinella recounting his ministry among prisoners condemned to death, is now available in English.

Read all

At the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the Church’s mission to be at the service of humanity by engaging with reality, getting involved in the challenges of our time, and bearing witness to Christ.

Read all

There have been differences among areas in Kumamoto in terms of the number of disaster relief volunteers and donation amounts.

From the Faith & Science Resource Center: On video -- top scientists who are Christian, talking about science and faith.

A member of the clergy with an Orthodox church in Edmonton has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman more than two decades ago, and the complainant in the case says she was ostracized from the church after reporting the alleged crime.

Golf legend Tiger Woods has pleaded no contest to a reckless driving charge from March in Florida.

The travel schedule comes as China's leader aims to convince nations that Beijing offers better global leadership than the U.S.

Cornwall Park is known for its quiet and friendly animals, who've adapted to the buzz of urban life.

According to a new bear management plan, the Tokyo government will aim to cull about 34 bears a year to keep the population from increasing.

Whether Komeito's former members in the Centrist Reform Alliance choose to stay or leave is a decision that has far-reaching ramifications.

Banks have started to move their floating rates, after Wednesday's official cash rate increase.

B.C.'s consumer watchdog is locked in a court battle with Telus after accusing the telecommunications giant of stonewalling an inspector trying to determine if a mistaken $1,435.65 contract cancellation fee was part of a bigger issue.

Students at Bethlehem Catholic High School will be back in class Wednesday for the first time since a fire last month — and the school day has been cut by half for most.

The funding follows an increase in China's influence in recent years via grants, infrastructure projects and donations.

Once a symbol of Hong Kong's democracy movement, Joshua Wong has been in custody since late 2020 and sentenced multiple times for his role in anti-government protests in 2019.

The UN said a rise in global temperatures of 1.5C will be surpassed and that the challenge has now "shifted from avoiding overshoot to navigating it".

Memorabilia from the likes of Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Queen are among the lots in a music auction with a combined estimated value of £3 million (€3.49m).

The birds have damaged roofs, while their excrement has blocked drains and contaminated water in Dairy Flat.

At least 1,050 people have been killed and nearly 4,000 remain unaccounted ​for.

Iran and its Arab neighbours were plunged back into war on Wednesday by the biggest exchange of fire between Tehran and Washington since July, with U.S. forces striking Iran's southern coast and Iran firing at American bases across the region.

The PSA says it will be questionable whether basic legal requirements around record keeping can be met.

A Kaikōura school bus route has been reinstated two months after flooding, but one parent is questioning why it was not able to happen sooner.

A changing climate is bringing unstable glaciers and unpredictable rain, creating new risks and raising costs for hydropower projects.

With Germany’s far right party ahead in the polls, voters in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt are gearing up for what could be one of the most significant elections in the country’s post-war history.

Some Manitoba farmers face a devastating year after extreme weather — including record-breaking flooding in the Parkland and Swan Valley — caused massive crop losses.

The Otago University Students' Association plans to trespass controversial Dunedin City Councillor Benedict Ong.

Crews have identified a major leak near Seddon, but residents are still being urged to conserve water and follow boil-water notices.

Lok Fung Lorrence Li roped in a church friend to help him murder his landlady, the Crown says.

An explosion near a German train station followed by the discovery of a suspicious object caused police to temporarily close the transport hub in the southern city of Augsburg on Wednesday morning.

A multi-billion dollar Texas company says it is going to fix the world's extinction problem by resurrecting species like the moa.

A BBC team joined a humanitarian mission of the UN peacekeeping force, which says Israeli troops are fortifying positions and continuing demolitions.

A new exhibition documents every red card in Roy Keane's football career.

Riding on Prime Minister Mark Carney's use of the proper word for a body of water, a London, Ont., company has created T-shirts emblazoned with "My hydronyms are Lake and Ontario." A portion of the apparel sales proceeds go to Swim Drink Fish Canada, a charity that connects people with the lake, and works to keep it safe and clean.

A longtime women's clothing store called Rudolf's Ladies Wear is closing its door after more than 100 years of operation, with Jane Lordly, the current manager and owner, having worked it for 40 years. Lordly says she received an offer for the space she couldn't refuse.

Nearly 8,000 applicants denied a provincial home heating rebate last winter would have qualified under previous rules, a CBC News analysis has found.

One menopause specialist says she has seen women with up to 12 times the safe level of the hormone.

Hopes of finding more survivors among thousands still missing in Nepal were fading on Wednesday, but authorities believed that dozens of workers trapped in the tunnels of hydropower projects hit by the Himalayan catastrophe could still be alive.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers "strongly rejected" the claims when they were first made public.

Serious injuries have been reported after a crash involving a car and a cyclist.

Rescue teams are racing ⁠to reach dozens of workers believed to be trapped inside hydropower tunnels in Nepal's mountains, offering one of the last hopes of finding survivors a week after a Himalayan flood killed more than 1,200 people.

Some accept the inevitability of having to pay higher rents due to inflation. Others find the extra financial burden frustrating amid stagnant wages.

At the annual Taungbyone Festival, the dazzling mediums drank, danced and swooned as they communed with the 111 divine ghosts of ancient Burmese folk religion

A UN report says the world must keep the 'overshoot' as small as possible to limit irreversible damage.

Researchers in South Dakota observed hints of it during a deep-underground experiment but stopped short of saying they finally detected this elusive cosmic component.

G20 finance leaders closed their two-day gathering with a statement that all but China backed in full, as the United States insisted that the presence of a Russian minister had no effect on talks.

Four weeks after Neskantaga First Nation declared a state of emergency over a sewage spill at its nursing station, a fire at the temporary health-care facility has left the community scrambling again. Officials with Indigenous Services Canada have visited the First Nation to assess the situation, which has forced the relocation of about 250 vulnerable people to Toronto.

A University of Waterloo student is suspected of espionage after the FBI said he admitted to accessing airport facilities in Toronto and Chicago, to take photos on behalf of a shadowy figure from China. Weiheng Zeng, himself a Chinese citizen, was arrested in Michigan on Aug. 23 and charged with making false statements.

It has been 20 years since Canadian soldiers walked into a Taliban killing ground west of Kandahar. Operation Medusa became Canada’s largest battle since Korea — a brutal test against a disciplined, entrenched enemy. Canada prevailed, but at a terrible cost, in a fight that changed the Afghan war and those who survived it.

Shoppers looking to save money on Lululemon apparel have another option. The athletic wear company has launched its resale site in Canada. A 25,000 square foot processing hub in Calgary is at the center of the expansion.

U.S. President Donald Trump is continuing his pursuit of Venezuela's oil jackpot, announcing a new deal aimed at boosting production in the South American country. And while Trump is flaunting the potential controlling stake in a portion of Venezuela's oil reserves as a warning to Canada, experts say there is little cause for concern in Western Canada.

A group of Cook Islands women are pushing to break the silence around menopause.

With Washington and other donors reducing much of their aid to Somalia, Yosuke Nagai's agency has effectively become the only foreign-run one still working on deradicalization.

A small movement of Israelis, many of them religious Jews, periodically go to the occupied West Bank to protect Palestinians under growing assault by violent settlers.

Expectations have also been fueled by a slew of comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinting at the need for action.

The plant flooded, sending 14 billion litres of raw sewage into Wellington’s south coast.

Erin Piacenti — who was a vice president of business selection and conflicts at the bank, according to a LinkedIn profile — died at the hospital from the stabbing injuries.

The Chinese leader is coming back to a region convulsed by war and with U.S. economic weapons once again deployed against Tehran.

Both Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and rival Flavio Bolsonaro are making data centers central to their pitches to bolster the economy.

With fish consumption declining, particularly among younger people, one fish market official hopes pairing fish with fruit will give dishes a "sense of novelty and visual flair."

Firefighters and paramedics went to Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto following reports of a suspected gas leak.

A mayor says the tragedy in Nepal should prompt practical preparation for the tsunami threat at the tourism drawcard.

The iPhone maker follows rival technology giant Google in relabelling the Great Lake.

Thousands will descend on the Waikato settlement of Ngaaruawaahia over the coming days.

A US judge has ruled that the man accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk will face trial for murder, finding that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to proceed.

Lok Fung Lorrence Li is on trial for the murder of a couple and conspiring to murder his former landlord.

The NZX-listed company's operating net profit after tax was 20 percent ahead of last year, at $61.5 million.

Despite reports that efforts to remove street dwellers were a collaboration between Fiji's police and government, there remains a disconnect over who is responsible for what.

Fears of renewed escalation gripped the Middle East after the United States and Iran exchanged their biggest barrage since July, with Washington striking Iran's southern coast and Tehran ⁠firing at bases across the region.

The NZX-listed company reported an almost $105 million loss the year before, prompting it to raise capital.

The Uptown Funk singer plans to fill 50,000 seats at Auckland's Eden Park on March 13 and 14, 2027.

The temporary arrangement with Grosave came about in response to the Treasury's request for weekly food price data.

"The world economy is going through a major transition. That creates a significant opportunity" for Kiwi companies, an expert says.

Pacific chiefs from across Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia will gather at Tūrangawaewae Marae for Māori Queen Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po's second koroneihana.

The United States is set to announce a fuel security deal worth US$60 million for the Pacific region, RNZ Pacific understands.

Skim milk powder has reached a 12-month high, however, as farmers welcome a "more resilient result" than expected.

A recent report showed a flexible choice of when people can start receiving NZ Super could improve affordability.

Russian drones ⁠tore into central Kyiv, wounding 11 people and damaging residential and university buildings on the seventh day attacks that have upended daily life in Ukraine's capital.

A charity is backing calls by a coroner for more support for those left behind after self-inflicted deaths.

The cost of dining out is getting increasingly hard to swallow - but clever planning can get you cheaper deals.

The abandoned crackdown has been in the works for years and was originally due to come into force in mid-2025.

Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security under a Beijing-imposed law that has effectively stifled the city's once-thriving pro-democracy movement.

There has been no reduction in underage children's access to social media platforms, despite legal obligations which came into effect in July 2025 designed to prevent this, according to a new report.

There has been no reduction in underage children's access to social media platforms, despite legal obligations which came into effect in July 2025 designed to prevent this, according to a new report.

There has been a "sharp fall" in public confidence that human rights are being delivered fairly, according to the latest annual public attitudes poll by the IHREC.

An investigation into the storage of paper records by the HSE has found incidents of documents contaminated by animal droppings, destroyed by mould or rotting due to water damage.

The Minister for Transport Darragh O'Brien and Minister of State Seán Canney have signed regulations that will from Friday make the wearing of helmets and high-visibility clothing mandatory for those using e-scooters.

People who grow up in areas with better access to public transport and who learn to drive later in life rely less on cars when they are older, according to a new ESRI study.

The EU has summoned Russia's top diplomat in Brussels over an attempted "hybrid attack" involving an explosive-laden drone at a German airport last month.

More than 284,000 people are waiting for initial appointments across primary and community care services, new figures reveal.

Dr. Michelle Francl was interviewed by EWTN about the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Blue Rodeo fan Patti McKague tells The National about the moment she and 16,000 fans joined the band in belting out “in the middle of Lake Ontario” during their performance of the song Hasn't Hit Me Yet in Toronto.

The BBC's Tokyo correspondent Kurumi Mori tries Japan's latest food trend, instant noodles made using cold water.

Even the wolfhound's tongue was hanging out - and episode three of the new series did not disappoint!

The star makes an emotional farewell as she wraps up a tour she's described as her "last hurrah".

The staffer is one of 10 facing criminal charges following investigations by the National Integrity Unit.

The prime minister is instead talking up his confidence in turning the group into a centralising force for the region.

Police say one person has died following a crash in Te Puke overnight.

Vanuatu is trying to bring a decades-old dispute with France over two uninhabited islands before the International Court of Justice, the United Nations' top court said on Tuesday.

Jobhunters using AI to help with their applications are flooding listings, leaving some recruiters sifting through thousands of potential hires for each position advertised.

Tyler Robinson, the man accused of fatally shooting prominent U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk on ‌a Utah college campus last year, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to a murder charge that a judge ruled could carry the death penalty.

We've had decades of experts telling us how to heat up our homes. Insulation, double glazing, heat pumps. Now we're being told we need to cool them down.

Premier Danielle Smith defended her upcoming personal trip to the United States when asked if it was sending the wrong message amid an active trade war with Canada's southern neighbours.

Apple changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America on the web version of its Apple Maps following U.S. President Donald ‌Trump's executive order renaming the lake. The move by Apple on Tuesday followed a decision by Alphabet late on Saturday to change the name of the lake on its Google Maps for U.S. users.

The developer behind a controversial housing project near Arrowtown is putting new financial incentives on the table in a revised Fast-track application.

Canada is attracting dozens of top academics from the United States with a promise to support their work, which has been deprioritized by the Trump administration. Andrew Chang breaks down how this sweep of American professors fits into Canada's trade war with the U.S.

(Photo credits: The Canadian Press, Reuters, Adobe Stock and Getty Images)

An updated version of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's statement commemorating the province's 121st birthday was issued with the original statement's reference to Indigenous peoples removed.

More than 170 Jewish members of the entertainment industry, including Hannah Einbinder, Ilana Glazer, Joel Coen and Canadian filmmaker Emma Seligman, have signed an open letter defending American actor Mark Ruffalo from what the letter calls an "outrageous smear campaign."

With fewer than 50 days until this October’s referendum, a new poll suggests Albertans remain entrenched in long-held positions tied to the idea of separating from Canada.

One as great as America ever produced, and the other Elon Musk

A 30,000-square-foot casino, entertainment centre and hotel is being proposed for Fredericton's north side, on the edge of the St. Mary’s First Nation, also known as Sitansisk.

Pope Leo XIV encourages Christians to embrace ecological conversion, transform destruction into life, and renew their commitment to caring for creation and the poor.

Read all

The K'ómoks and We Wai Kai First Nations on mid-Vancouver Island say they have signed a historic protocol agreement as neighbouring nations.

The German government has said that Russia was behind an incident last month involving an explosive-laden drone at a strategic airport in the eastern city of Leipzig.

Student representatives in Galway have called for urgent action to address a lack of accommodation, ahead of the start of the new academic year.

The negotiations are the last round of bargaining between the Big Three carmakers — Stellantis, Ford and GM — and Unifor, which represents autoworkers at each. And with the backdrop of American tariffs threatening Canada's auto industry, the talks come at a critical juncture.

Four people were killed in a Gaza City displacement camp Tuesday in a raid Israel's defence minister said was to locate a senior Hamas official.

A devastating glacial collapse on the China-Nepal border that unleashed deadly floods was a "warning signal" over the growing risks climate change poses to the Himalayan nation, its foreign minister said.

Scientists at a little-known federal agency in Ottawa reveal the forensic tools that helped crack the largest art fraud case in history. For decades, the forgery ring produced thousands of fake paintings attributed to famed Anishinaabe artist Norval Morrisseau.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” last week, but not all Americans are happy with the change — including some in the United States House of Representatives. Democratic Rep. Tim Kennedy of New York, along with two colleagues, introduced the Hands Off Our Great Lakes Act to block the renaming.

Former Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stand down as an MP triggering a by-election.

Members of the Fórsa trade union employed in the public sector have voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action up to and including strike action.

Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., resident Chloe Dixon was diagnosed with a soft-tissue sarcoma in the summer of last year. While treatment for cancers like hers can impact a person's fertility, a relatively new procedure in Canada is giving Chloe the choice of having children in the future.

Next-day delivery performance by An Post worsened significantly last year with the postal service falling well further short of official targets than in 2024.

A 24-year-old man who sustained "catastrophic injuries" in the weekend violence has died, a court has heard.

This summer was the warmest in the UK since records began in 1884, according to provisional figures from the country's Met Office.

Eliminated Traitor Edelle and murdered Faithful Emma have said they are "raging" to be out of the RTÉ One show but are loving the way that butter-wouldn't-melt Traitor Carla is playing the game, describing her as "TV gold".

The German government is blaming Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month using a drone laden with explosives, and announced it would shut down a Russian consulate, among other measures against Moscow.

As video games become an increasingly digital-first hobby, the people keeping the Atari name alive are going back to their roots, by offering new versions of their 1980s classics.

As a new school year approaches, parents and students are out buying new school supplies — but one classroom staple has people in Newfoundland and Labrador demanding answers.

Higher borrowing costs have piled fresh pressure on Andy Burnham ahead of his first Budget.

When the lyrics of Blue Rodeo's Hasn't Hit Me Yet reverberated over the shore of Lake Ontario Saturday, they morphed into a rallying cry for Canadians following U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order to change the lake's name to "Lake America."

Korea's Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon attended the Group of 20 (G20) Innovation Ministerial Meeting taking place in North Carolina on Tuesday, Bae's office said. The event is part of the broader G20 events leading up to the leaders' summit scheduled for December in Miami, Florida, this year, and brought together policymakers and high-level executives from 21 countries to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies. Poland was the guest nation this year, the science ministry said. At the event, Bae introduced Korea's policies aimed at nurturing AI into the country's key growth driver. He also shared the progress of the government's tripolar "megaproject" initiative, a massive investment plan unveiled in June centered on AI data centers, advanced semiconductors and physical AI. The minister reiterated Korea's commitment to contributing to the establishment of a global AI ecosystem, while asked member nations for their interest into the country's digital policies. Participants plan to adopt a ministerial statement following the event, the science ministry said.

Iran's president said Tuesday his country is ready to return to the ceasefire deal reached with the United States in June if Washington does the same, in conciliatory remarks following the first exchange of fire between the two countries in a month. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here. Iran is willing to go back to ceasefire agreement if US does Speaking on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said that “if the U.S. returns to its commitments in the memorandum of understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately reciprocate,” Iranian state media reported. The June memorandum of understanding called for an immediate ceasefire and started a 60-day period for negotiations aimed at reaching a wider peace deal. Iran agreed to clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines and allow ships to pass during the period, and the U.S. agreed to end its naval blockade, lift sanctions, issue waivers for Iranian oil exports and begin work on a r

The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will shine a light on animated films while bringing an impressive array of global cinema icons and top Korean stars to the coastal city next month. Running from October 6 to 15, Asia's premier film festival will present 246 official invitations from 59 countries. The scale makes it the largest event since 2019, reflecting the festival's elevated global standing. BIFF earned A-list accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) earlier this year, solidifying its standing among 17 elite global festivals alongside festivals like the Toronto and Berlin International Film Festivals. In addition, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selected Busan as one of six festivals to send top award winners directly to the International Feature Film category. Park Kwang-su, chairperson of the festival’s organizing committee, emphasized the significance of these milestones. "We introduced the competition section last year and it is making steady progress in its second year," Park said. "The festival is re

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Tehran would "immediately" reciprocate if the United States returned to a June deal aimed at ending their war. "I state explicitly that if the United States returns to its commitments under the aforementioned memorandum of understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take reciprocal action," Pezeshkian said at a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, according to the website of the Iranian presidency. The memorandum of understanding was aimed at ending months of hostilities between Tehran and Washington, which began in late February with the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that killed former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The deal later collapsed, with both sides accusing each other of violating its terms. "The repeated violation by the United States of its commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding showed that... the absence of effective enforcement guarantees and a return to a policy of pressure and threats could derail the path of diplomacy," said Pez

Korea and Japan held a bilateral economic security dialogue in Tokyo on Tuesday to share their relevant policies and discuss current issues, including the development of advanced technologies, the presidential office said. The fifth Korea-Japan economic security dialogue was attended by Kim Sung-yeol, Seoul's presidential secretary for economic security, and Takeshi Soda, a senior official at Japan's National Security Secretariat. The two sides reviewed their economic security environments and shared relevant polices to enhance mutual understanding, Cheong Wa Dae said. They also exchanged views on the latest economic security issues, including the development and protection of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and semiconductor, and the stabilization of supply chains for energy and critical minerals, while discussing measures for cooperation in those areas, according to the presidential office. The dialogue was arranged as part of an earlier agreement between the Korean and Japanese leaders to step up communication and cooperation in economic security, the office sai

Korean actor Ryu Jun-yeol stepped into double-duty territory for his latest project, tackling a dual role for the first time in the Netflix original series "Mousetrap." The psychological thriller, directed by Kim Hong-sun, follows Moon-jae (Ryu), a novelist whose identity, face and life are stolen by a mysterious figure known as "the Rat." The chase escalates as loan shark No-ja (Sul Kyung-gu) fights to recover his lost funds, while detective Sun-yong (Lee Kyu-hyung) pursues the truth. Following its release on Aug. 28, the series quickly climbed the charts. By Sept. 1, "Mousetrap" reached No. 6 on Netflix's global TV show rankings via FlixPatrol, entering the Top 10 in 49 countries, including Korea, France, India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. "I’ve been getting so many calls from people around me since the show came out," Ryu said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Tuesday. "I can really feel the response firsthand." Ryu admitted he was drawn to the script early on, even before the ending was finalized, curious about the fate of a man stripped of hi

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it will deploy 6,800 safety personnel and expand traffic controls around this year's Seoul International Fireworks Festival, which for the first time will run over two days, with a preliminary program Friday and the main fireworks show Saturday. The main show begins at 8 p.m. Saturday at Yeouido Hangang Park along the Han River. The event, organized by Hanwha Corp. along with the city, typically draws more than 1 million spectators. This year's theme is "Your Infinite Colors," with teams from Korea, the United States and Britain. The city urged visitors to use public transit and avoid Yeouinaru Station, the subway stop closest to the venue, in favor of nearby Yeouido, Mapo or Saetgang stations instead. Wonhyo Bridge will be closed from 9 a.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday, and Yeouidong-ro, the road running from the southern end of Mapo Bridge to the 63 Building, will close from 3 p.m. to midnight Saturday, rerouting two dozen bus routes. Seoul Subway Line 5 will add 18 extra trips and Line 9 will add 65 during peak hours, with three to five ti

Navigating bureaucracy in a foreign country can often feel like translating a map in the dark. For the more than 400,000 foreign residents who call Seoul home — ranging from university students and tech professionals to marriage migrants and factory workers — the challenge has rarely been a lack of government services, but rather finding them hidden across fragmented public websites and buried beneath dense, bureaucratic Korean. Hoping to eliminate those administrative barriers, the Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled "MY SEOUL+" Tuesday. The newly revamped Seoul foreign portal consolidates essential public services, real-time municipal updates and localized civic support into a single, user-friendly digital hub. The overhaul reflects a broader policy shift in Korea, where demographic decline has driven local governments to transition from temporary foreign-worker policies to long-term integration strategies. With the nation’s foreign-resident population surpassing 2.8 million, municipal authorities increasingly view digital accessibility as a vital tool for social stability and

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) will become a vast canvas of light and sound Thursday as Seoul opens its latest bid to turn nighttime culture into an engine for activity around the city. Seoul Light DDP 2026 Fall will run through Sept. 13 at DDP, with free shows each evening from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., according to Seoul Design Foundation. This season, titled “K-Original Light,” will reinterpret works by Nam June Paik and Yoo Young-kuk, along with Korean lyrics from Cheongguyeong-eon, through contemporary media art projected across DDP’s 222-meter facade. For the first time, live music will directly shape the images and lighting, creating performances that change with each artist’s sound. IDIOTAPE will open the festival Thursday, followed by SION on Friday and Saturday, HYPNOSIS THERAPY on Sunday and Sept. 12, and SOULSCAPE on Sept. 11 and 13. The festival will also feature laser art by Yoon Je-ho, combining traditional percussion, electronic sounds, artificial intelligence-generated video and lighting at DDP’s historic site exhibition space. Seoul is pairing the festival with fo

Pusan National University, Chonnam National University and Chungnam National University have been selected for the government's "making 10 Seoul National Universities" initiative, the Ministry of Education announced Tuesday. The three universities will each receive up to around 70 billion won ($51 million) in government funding. Announced by the ministry in April, the initiative is designed to strengthen leading national universities outside the capital region by linking them with strategic local industries and developing them into regional hubs for education, research and development. The broader goal is to create a pipeline in which students study, find jobs and eventually settle in the regions where they were educated. Under the program, each selected university will receive a funding package spanning undergraduate and graduate education, research and artificial intelligence (AI) development. The funding will be spread across several areas, with about 40 billion won earmarked for specialized colleges and interdisciplinary research institutes focused on regional growth industries. Anoth

The National Assembly convened a regular session Tuesday, with heated clashes expected between the ruling and opposition parties over next year's budget and key legislative issues. During the 100-day session, which runs through Dec. 9, lawmakers are expected to wrangle over the government's 821 trillion-won ($595 billion) budget proposal for next year and confirmation hearings for six minister nominees recently picked by President Lee Jae Myung. National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik called on lawmakers to make improving people's livelihoods their top priority, saying the country's economic growth driven by a semiconductor boom has yet to be felt by the people in their daily lives. "The first, second and third priorities are all people's livelihoods," Cho said in his opening address during a plenary session. Cho also cited artificial intelligence (AI), advanced technologies, youth, the climate crisis and peace on the Korean Peninsula as key agenda items for the country's future. "A one-year delay in legislation creates a 10-year gap," he said, urging the rival parties to swiftly handle b

South Korea and the United States are coordinating a possible visit by Foreign Minister Cho Hyun to Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio over North Korea and other key bilateral issues, officials said Tuesday. During a phone call last week, Cho and Rubio agreed to meet "face-to-face in the near future" and continue close communication and cooperation to make progress on key issues, including economic cooperation, the North Korean nuclear issues and the Middle East crisis, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. "Though both ministers have tight schedules, they share the view that they need to hold substantive discussions to make progress on pending issues as soon as possible," a ministry official said. "We are working together to find the earliest possible time rather than letting the meeting be delayed," the official added. The U.N. General Assembly could provide a venue for talks between the two top diplomats as its 81st high-level week is scheduled to take place at the U.N. Headquarters in New York from Sept. 18-28. As the gathering brings together leaders from

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday vowed to match any U.S. move to return to a June deal aimed at ending their war, as he prepares to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at a regional summit. The two allies were due to hold talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan, a bloc promoted by Russia and China as an alternative to Western power. "I state explicitly that if the United States returns to its commitments under the aforementioned memorandum of understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately take reciprocal action," Pezeshkian said, according to the Iran presidency's website. The memorandum aimed at ending hostilities between Tehran and Washington that began in late February with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran that killed former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The deal, meant to set the stage for final peace talks, later collapsed, with both sides accusing each other of violating its terms. Pezeshkian's remarks came as the Strait of Hormuz remained a key point of contention betw

Four major defense companies have secured spots among the world’s top 100 defense companies, with Hanwha climbing six spots to No. 16 on sharply higher defense revenue. According to this year’s Top 100 ranking released by U.S. magazine Defense News on Monday (local time), Hanwha, LIG Defense & Aerospace (D&A), formerly known as LIG Nex1, Hyundai Rotem and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) were all ranked on the list for a second consecutive year. The annual ranking is based on defense revenue generated in the previous year. Hanwha Group ranked 16th, with about $10.44 billion in defense revenue in 2025, up from $6.82 billion a year earlier, according to Defense News. Its defense revenue rose about 53 percent year-on-year, marking the largest increase among the four Korean companies in the ranking. The company moved up from 22nd in last year’s ranking, with defense revenue accounting for 20 percent of its total revenue of $52.60 billion in 2025. Hanwha Group has been expanding its presence beyond its established markets in Europe, while seeking a broader foothold in the United States.

The government on Tuesday projected the combined debt of state-run firms to reach 997.4 trillion won ($728.6 billion) in 2030, calling for comprehensive efforts to improve their financial health. The Ministry of Finance and Economy unveiled the projections in its 2026-30 financial management plan for 37 state-run firms. The plan outlines investment plans for policy projects specific to each institution and self-help measures to improve their financial conditions. Under the plan, the combined debt of the 37 firms is expected to increase by 219.1 trillion won from 778.3 trillion won this year to 997.4 trillion won in 2030. Their combined debt-to-equity ratio is expected to rise 8.4 percentage points from 208.2 percent to 216.6 percent over the period. The increase is expected to be driven mainly by Korea Land & Housing Corp., a state-run housing developer, whose debt is projected to rise from 197.5 trillion won to 372.8 trillion won over the period. Its debt-to-equity ratio is expected to rise from 250.6 percent to 351.2 percent. "With the financial conditions of public institutions expected

Seoul stocks eked out modest gains Tuesday, as corporate buying helped the KOSPI hold above 6,800 despite net selling by retail, foreign and institutional investors. The benchmark index opened at 6,784.29, down 0.52 percent from the previous session, and extended its losses early in the day before gradually recovering to trade around the flat line. It ended at 6,835.8, up 0.23 percent. All three major investor groups were net sellers. Foreign investors offloaded 486.7 billion won ($355 million) worth of shares, while institutional and retail investors sold 634 billion won and 539.7 billion won, respectively. Companies, classified separately from the three main investor groups, provided a counterweight, purchasing a net 1.62 trillion won. Much of that buying was believed to have come from share buybacks by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Samsung Electronics rose 0.38 percent to 261,000 won, while SK hynix gained 1.14 percent to 1.69 million won. Analysts said corporate buying could provide a short-term floor for the market but was unlikely to drive a sustained rally. “Corporate investor

A debate over whether a cabinet minister can simultaneously hold a parliamentary seat is widening across the political circle, with the nomination of Rep. Yong Hye-in as minister of gender equality and family emerging as a test case for the limits of parliamentary convention and the unresolved contradictions of Korea's satellite party system. Yong, a two-term lawmaker representing the progressive Basic Income Party, announced Monday she would retain her National Assembly seat despite her ministerial nomination — a break with parliamentary convention that has since drawn criticism from opposition parties, women's advocacy groups and a growing number of voices within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) itself. Yong secured both her terms on proportional representation tickets formed by satellite coalitions led by the liberal DPK. She justified her decision by pointing to an institutional gap in coalition politics. "Due to an institutional void in coalition politics, the Basic Income Party is legally unable to succeed my proportional seat if I step down," she wrote on her social m

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Tuesday she will stake her job on ensuring that the government's housing supply plan will go as planned. Han made the remark during a Cabinet meeting after President Lee Jae Myung asked her to consider the housing supply plan as an economic stimulus policy and focus all efforts on it. "I will stake my job and do my best," she said. Han said she has been visiting construction sites every week to check on progress. Last month, the government announced plans to supply more than 230,000 additional homes in the Seoul metropolitan area by accelerating development on public land, lifting greenbelt restrictions and supporting private-sector projects. The plan came amid criticism the government focuses more on curbing demand than expanding supply.

TOKYO — Japan will ease overtime regulation starting Tuesday in a move meant to help spur economic growth but criticised as a relapse into the country's ingrained workaholic culture. The move comes after the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi — a self-proclaimed workaholic — adopted a growth strategy in July calling for revisions to the current oversight of work hours. The change in part reflects calls from certain business sectors for more flexible work styles as they grapple with a deepening labour shortage. Roughly 40 percent of businesses in Japan are operating under specific labour-management agreements that legally allow monthly overtime of up to 100 hours, according to the labour ministry. But those companies were still advised by authorities to cap overtime at 45 hours each month, with that guidance considered on par with regulation. That was because exceeding that threshold can increase risks for so-called "karoshi," or deaths from overwork, a labour ministry official told AFP. Under the new rule that took effect Tuesday, labour standards inspection offices will

North Korea has downgraded its diplomatic mission in London in protest against Britain's decision to sanction a North Korean camp over its suspected involvement in the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. North Korea's foreign ministry announced the decision on its website Friday, calling it a "diplomatic response" to what it described as a "politically provocative" move. Ambassador Mun Myong-sin has been recalled and will be reassigned, with the charge d'affaires serving as an acting chief of mission in London, according to the announcement. In early May, the British government included a range of Russian individuals and entities in its latest sanctions package, alongside North Korea's Songdowon International Children's Camp. London suspects the camp is linked to Russian-led forced deportations and the indoctrination of Ukrainian youths. Following the announcement, Pyongyang denounced the move as an attempt to tarnish its image and undermine its relationship with Russia, accusing London of "unreasonably linking our children's camping facility with the groundless issue of 'forcible

The government scrapped a plan to lower the basic deduction under the comprehensive real estate tax to 900 million won ($657,000) for nonresident single-home owners, deciding to retain it at the current level of 1.2 billion won, the Ministry of Finance and Economy said Tuesday. The original measure was intended to tighten property tax rules for homeowners who do not live in their properties, but it faced substantial public opposition. The decision to drop the measure came after leaders of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea called for the government to reconsider it. The changes, however, are still subject to parliamentary approval and could be revised during the legislative process. The finance ministry said the Cabinet approved the final versions of 11 tax-related bills earlier in the day after consultations with relevant ministries. The original reform package, unveiled last month, sought to differentiate the tax treatment of single-home owners based on whether they actually lived in their properties. Under the proposal, the basic deduction would have risen from 1.2 billion won to 1.4

Samsung Electro-Mechanics said Tuesday it has secured a 1.07 trillion won ($780 million) contract to supply multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) for artificial intelligence (AI) servers to a global customer. The contract, which runs from January through December 2027, is the largest long-term MLCC supply agreement in the company’s history. Samsung Electro-Mechanics did not identify the customer, citing a confidentiality agreement. Industry observers said the client is believed to be one of the world’s major AI semiconductor companies. Demand for MLCCs used in AI servers has risen rapidly as major cloud service providers, including Amazon Web Services, Google and Meta, and chipmakers such as Nvidia and AMD expand their investments in AI infrastructure. MLCCs are essential electronic components that regulate and stabilize electrical current in circuits while helping prevent signal interference between components. They are widely used in smartphones, personal computers, automotive electronics and servers. MLCCs designed for AI servers require high capacity and reliability because the se

Actor Shin Min-a’s longstanding charitable work has returned to the spotlight following a viral online post. A post titled “The 3.7 billion won ($2.7 million) quietly withdrawn from Shin Min-a’s bank account over the past 15 years” spread across online communities and social media Monday. “At first, I thought money intended for someone else had been transferred by mistake,” wrote the author, who claimed to be an official at a foundation. “Large sums began arriving every month in 2009, and it turned out that the donor was Shin Min-a.” “She insisted that no one be told and asked that the money be used to cover treatment for burn patients and fund study rooms for children from low-income families,” the writer added. “Over 15 years, she quietly donated more than 3.7 billion won. She is truly an angel.” Shin has long been known for donating to low-income families and others in need, as well as contributing relief funds following national disasters such as wildfires and earthquakes. Her charitable work previously drew attention when it was revealed that she had helped c

Jung Kwan Jang, Korea Ginseng Corp.’s global health food brand, ranked first worldwide in the retail market for ginseng and red ginseng products and herbal dietary supplements for 12 consecutive years from 2014 to 2025, according to global market research firm Euromonitor International. Euromonitor International’s 2025 report showed that Jung Kwan Jang held a 44.3 percent share of the global retail market for ginseng and red ginseng products in 2024 by sales. The brand has ranked first every year since Euromonitor began tracking the market in 2014. Its market share increased 3.9 percentage points from 40.4 percent in 2020. Jung Kwan Jang also ranked at the top of the broader herbal dietary supplements market, with a 3.5 percent share. The Korean Ginseng Corporation (KGC), which owns Jung Kwang Jang, exports its products to more than 40 countries, building on its 127-year history in the red ginseng business. Its major brands include Red Ginseng Extract, Hwa-Ae-Rak, Everytime and CheonNok. The company has recently expanded its portfolio beyond ginseng, adding products featuring ingred

A man in his 30s was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stabbing and killing his wife, also in her 30s, in Gwangju, just south of Seoul, police said. The suspect, a public servant, was apprehended at a motel in nearby Suwon, hours after the alleged murder took place at around 7 a.m., according to the Gwangju police. The victim, who was undergoing legal divorce proceedings with the man, used a police-issued smartwatch to call for help during the alleged attack but was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital. According to the police, the smartwatch had been provided to the victim due to a history of domestic violence involving five prior reports against the husband. The victim had also obtained a court-issued temporary protection order, which prohibited the suspect from approaching her within 100 meters or contacting her, while mandating separate living arrangements. Investigators believe the suspect tracked down the victim's new address through court document deliveries. The police said they plan to question the suspect for more details.

Korea's finance ministry said Tuesday that 39.7 trillion won ($29 billion) has been earmarked for the ministry under the government's 2027 budget proposal, with a focus on fostering future growth engines and expanding export financing. The Ministry of Finance and Economy said the amount marks a 15.7 percent increase, or 5.4 trillion won, from the 2026 budget. "The finance ministry will focus on providing capital and export financing to foster future strategic industries and supporting hyper-innovation economy projects through the budget in connection with the second-half economic growth strategy," the ministry said. In detail, Korea will establish a new strategic investment account under Korea Investment Corp. (KIC), the country's sovereign wealth fund, allocating 500 billion won. The move comes as a growing number of countries are using strategic sovereign wealth funds to build national wealth, and as tools for strengthening economic security and pursuing proactive industrial policies. Korea will also launch a strategic export finance fund to better support exporters undertaking large-sc

CHITWAN, Nepal — The smell grew stronger with every step, stinging the nose and causing headaches. Vendors selling masks outside the hospital had warned us. "One mask won't be enough," they said. When the Hankook Ilbo visited Bharatpur in the Chitwan district on Monday, the sixth day of the massive floods, the entire city reeked of death, functioning as a giant morgue. Bharatpur sits approximately 200 kilometers southwest of the disaster zone near the Tibetan border, a six-hour drive from the capital, Kathmandu. Bodies swept downstream are piling up here because the river current slows in the plains. Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 259 of the 675 bodies recovered nationwide as of Saturday turned up in Chitwan district. Bodies floating in the river or washing ashore are moved to Bharatpur Hospital. Inside the autopsy room, a grim scene unfolded as scattered bodies lay across the floor. On a work table, employees in full hazmat suits sprayed water to clean a severed, severely swollen leg. When they finished, they pulled another body from the freeze

Korea’s annual government spending will surpass 1 quadrillion won ($729 billion) for the first time by 2030, driven by aggressive fiscal expansion under the Lee Jae Myung administration, government figures showed Tuesday. According to the 2026-2030 fiscal plan published by the Ministry of Planning and Budget, government expenditure will reach 820.9 trillion won next year before climbing to 957.4 trillion won in 2029 and reaching 1.005 quadrillion won in 2030. The spending expansion is largely fueled by surging tax revenues, driven by strong corporate earnings in the semiconductor sector. National tax revenues are projected to jump 49.8 percent to 584.4 trillion won next year, up 194.2 trillion won from this year. Over a five-year period, revenues are forecast to grow at an average annual pace of 13.4 percent, reaching 644.8 trillion won by 2030. Despite record spending, the government expects to keep its fiscal deficit under control, supported by steady nominal economic growth. The government projects the managed fiscal deficit to remain below 3 percent of nominal gross domestic product

Korea's space agency said Tuesday it will seek a 1.65 trillion-won ($1.2 billion) budget next year, as part of its effort to nurture aerospace as one of the country's strategic industries. The 2027 budget proposal to be submitted to the National Assembly is a 47.2 percent increase from the budget this year, the highest since the agency was established in 2024, according to the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA). Of the total, 562.9 billion won will be allocated to projectiles, including funding to support regular launches of the homegrown rocket Nuri. The amount is more than double the budget allocated this year, the agency said. The Nuri rocket is scheduled for its fifth launch on Oct. 7, for a mission to put 15 satellites into orbit. In the area of lunar exploration, KASA seeks a total of 279.4 billion won, nearly triple the amount allocated in 2026. The money will be used to develop a lunar orbit communication network and other moon exploration equipment, such as small lunar landers, KASA said. Korea is targeting an uncrewed lunar landing by the year 2030. Additionally, the agency se

Long known globally as a playground for high-end fashion, tech conglomerates and sleek modern pop culture, Seoul’s southern district of Gangnam is shifting its focus toward grassroots community building this weekend. The Gangnam District Office said Tuesday that it will host the "2026 Gangnam Family Harmony Festa" Saturday, consolidating four previously separate annual events into a single, large-scale community gathering at Maru Park. Running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the streamlined event merges Gender Equality Week observances, the 37th Gangnam Children’s Writing and Drawing Contest, an all-family flea market and a multicultural festival into one unified program. District officials designed the combined venue to foster cross-generational engagement and promote social inclusivity within one of the capital's most densely populated urban hubs. The consolidation reflects a broader effort by local authorities in Seoul to streamline public programming while tackling social isolation. While Gangnam often projects an image of hypermodern luxury, local administrators face the challenge of se

South Korea's military reaffirmed Tuesday the upcoming combined exercise with the United States and Japan will go ahead as scheduled, following North Korea's renewed criticism branding the drills as evolving hostility toward the regime. A spokesperson from the North's foreign ministry on Monday slammed the trilateral Freedom Edge exercise, set for Sept. 7-11, warning that it is "pointless" to expect an easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula so long as Washington maintains its hostile policy toward Pyongyang. "This exercise is an annual defensive drill conducted by South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats, and safeguard regional peace and stability," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Capt. Jang Do-young said in a press briefing. "There are no changes to the schedule so far," he said. The three countries announced last week they will conduct the multidomain combined exercise in international waters east and south of South Korea's southern island of Jeju. Freedom Edge, set for its fourth iteration this year, is seen as symbolizin

Chipotle Mexican Grill will open its first restaurant in Asia in Seoul on Wednesday, marking the U.S. fast-casual chain’s first expansion into the region since its founding in Denver in 1993. The restaurant, located near Gangnam Station, one of Seoul’s major hot spots, faces a main road for easy access. It has 96 seats, an open kitchen and a counter where customers can order and customize their meals, including bowls, burritos, tacos and salads. A crew of culinary experts from Chipotle’s headquarters was inside the kitchen of the new restaurant on Tuesday, helping locally hired workers become familiar with kitchen operations. According to a restaurant employee, the crew travels to all newly opened Chipotle restaurants worldwide to train local workers. Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said Korea was an ideal market to begin the company’s Asian expansion because of local consumers’ growing interest in quality ingredients and the country’s ability to generate global market trends. “We know that Korea is a very sophisticated market with very dynamic consumers who care deeply about

Samsung Electronics on Tuesday showcased its 3D architecture strategy to break through current limitations in memory chip manufacturing during SEMICON Taiwan 2026, an international exhibition covering semiconductor design, manufacturing, testing and packaging. According to the company, Samsung Electronics Device Solutions Vice President Choi Jang-seok delivered a keynote speech at the Memory Executive Summit, a preview event for SEMICON Taiwan 2026, which will begin its three-day run on Wednesday. During his speech, Choi said Samsung is pushing the limits of memory technology with its “CUBE” strategy, which applies 3D technologies across memory chip manufacturing processes to improve capacity, utilization, bandwidth and efficiency. In memory chips, 3D architecture stacks chip dies or other components vertically to shorten the physical distance data must travel, increase data pathways and improve energy efficiency. It is called 3D architecture because chips or memory dies are stacked vertically instead of being placed side by side on a two-dimensional plane. High-bandwidth memory (HBM

BUNIA, Congo — Congo’s authorities said Monday that the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has topped 6,000 cases with 2,911 deaths. More than 1,360 people have recovered from the virus, in what authorities said was an “encouraging” development. The outbreak in eastern Congo is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements. The situation is particularly concerning at displacement sites, where residents already live in extremely precarious conditions. Last week, the virus spilled into two new health zones in the region. The World Health Organization has said that it remains out of control and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record, which killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. On Saturday, an Ebola response team was attacked on the outskirts of the town of Mambasa in Ituri province while responding to a call to secure a body. Young people armed with machetes stormed the site of the funeral,

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Rescue teams with search dogs combed through mud, rocks and debris Tuesday in Nepal and China looking for thousands of people still missing after catastrophic flooding tore through communities across the Himalayas , leaving more than 1,000 dead. Nepal’s disaster agency said Tuesday that 987 deaths had been counted there, with 3,916 people missing, including 583 foreigners. Chinese authorities, in their latest update on Sunday, reported 16 deaths and 546 people still missing, including 261 foreigners. The scale of last week's disaster was hampering rescue efforts in both regions, with landslides, destroyed roads and widespread damage cutting off remote areas. Crews faced challenging conditions as they searched unstable terrain and piles of debris, raising fears the death toll could rise as rescuers reach isolated communities. Rescuers race to reach missing hydropower workers In Nepal, rescuers were racing to reach hundreds of workers believed to be trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects damaged by the floods. About 900 workers are missing from 12 projects, wi

LG Energy Solution is deepening its push to localize critical-mineral sourcing in North America, securing a long-term lithium supply deal with a U.S. developer as it prepares for rising demand for electric vehicles (EV) and energy storage systems (ESS). The company said on Tuesday that it has signed a 10-year deal to secure lithium carbonate from U.S.-based lithium developer Smackover Lithium. Under the agreement, the company will receive a total of 80,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate over 10 years, with deliveries set to begin in 2029, when Smackover Lithium is expected to start commercial production. It said the volume is enough to make batteries for about 1.8 million high-performance EVs with a range of more than 500 kilometers on a single charge. “The agreement marks another step toward establishing a solid and resilient supply chain that keeps our products competitive in key strategic markets,” said Lee Kang-yeol, LG Energy Solution’s procurement center leader. “By bringing both battery production and sourcing to the United States, we will deliver competitive and sustain

Meritz Securities launched MOUM on Tuesday, a new investment platform that combines artificial intelligence (AI)-powered analysis with real-time insights from global investor communities to help retail investors make faster, more informed investment decisions. "As investing has become more fragmented, markets have grown more interconnected and investors face a much wider flow of information," Lee Jang-wook, executive director of the InnoBiz Center at Meritz Securities, said during the launch event at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul. "A platform integrating AI, data and communities will transform the investment experience." The platform integrates its own stock discussion boards with communities on U.S. social investing platform Stocktwits and global fintech company Webull. English-language posts from overseas communities are automatically translated into Korean. The integration allows Korean investors to follow a broader range of overseas investor views and market reactions in real time, helping them identify global investment trends and new investment ideas more quickly. AI also enhances

The Korea Times officially launched the latest cohort of its Global Supporters program on Monday, welcoming 50 students from 41 countries to serve as ambassadors for the English-language daily over the next six months. The program drew record interest, with 281 applicants from 44 countries competing for spots. Applicants were selected based on their social media activity, self-introductions and motivation. The group represents a wide geographic spectrum, spanning 41 countries including France, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, China, India, the United States, Vietnam and Russia. Running through February, the supporters will participate in major events hosted by the newspaper, promote its content and create digital material. The Korea Times launched the program in 2021 in an effort to reach out to prospective readers and to engage with existing readership. During the appointment ceremony held at the newspaper's headquarters in Seoul, Oh Young-jin, president and publisher of The Korea Times, offered a warm welcome to the new members and emphasized long-term engagement. "We welcome you all to The Kor

The defense ministry said Tuesday it has proposed an 8.2 percent increase in the 2027 budget, seeking to accelerate its push for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from the United States, and modernizing forces and capabilities amid a demographic cliff. The proposal calls for a budget of 73.27 trillion won ($53.5 billion), up 5.57 trillion won from 67.7 trillion won in 2026, the ministry said. The on-year rise of 8.2 percent will mark the largest increase in the defense ministry's spending since 2008, if the budget is approved at the National Assembly. The proposed defense budget will represent 2.33 percent of next year's gross domestic product (GDP) forecast, slightly up from this year's 2.28 percent. Seoul seeks to gradually raise its defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035, aligning with the Donald Trump administration's demand for its allies to shoulder a greater share of their own defense. "It is focused on strengthening our military's self-reliant defense capabilities and pivoting from manpower-heavy forces to a technology-centered military, in response to a

Korea's media watchdog said Tuesday it will seek a 34.6 billion-won ($25.2 million) budget for 2027, up 13.2 percent from this year's budget. The increased budget proposal comes as part of the Korea Media and Communications Commission's (KMCC) efforts to foster what it calls a "media basic society," where everyone can safely access and share the benefits of media. Of the total being requested, 10 billion won will be earmarked for a project to utilize stock footage owned by local broadcasters to train artificial intelligence (AI), the media watchdog said. It also includes money needed to operate an envisioned "transparency center" tasked with fact-checking and other related research, following the revision to the Information and Communications Network Act that is being enforced since early July. The act aims to stem the spread of false information.

Chungnam National University (CNU) is holding a series of events to support and encourage its students to mark the start of the 2026 fall semester. The university said Tuesday that it is hosting the “Cheer Up, CNU” project for all students through Friday. A university official noted that the project aims to help students readjust to campus life and inject new energy into their university experience at the beginning of the semester. The project consists of three programs: a morning welcome event for students, messages of encouragement and support, and welfare promotions designed to support students’ everyday needs. On Tuesday, the first day of the fall semester, the university held the welcome event. Starting at 8:30 a.m., President Kim Jeong-kyoum, three vice presidents and other senior university officials greeted students and offered words of encouragement for the new semester on the Daedeok campus. At the Bowun and Sejong campuses, deans and other senior university officials also took part in welcome events tailored to the characteristics of each campus. In particular, the encourag

Four Uzbek men have been apprehended in Korea on charges of violating the counter-terrorism financing law over their alleged roles in sending money and vehicles to a terrorist group in Syria, police said Tuesday. One of the four Uzbek nationals is accused of sending 6.3 million won ($4,600) worth of cryptocurrency to Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (KTJ), a U.N.-listed terrorist organization, over roughly eight months since April 2025, according to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency. The man, who is in his 30s, is also suspected to have received cryptocurrency from the group over the same period, which he apparently used to purchase 11 used cars and two excavators here worth a combined total of 170 million won and ship them to Syria. The United Nations designated KTJ, a militant group affiliated with al-Qaeda, as a terrorist organization in 2022. Investigators believe the suspect has no official ties with the group but found that he began supporting it after being contacted by his younger brother, who is a member of the organization. The suspect was placed under arrest in April, a month a

Student supporters from the first half of the 2026 Korea Times Global Supporters program pose during a completion ceremony at the newspaper's headquarters in Seoul, Monday, after finishing a series of global engagement projects. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Pernod Ricard Korea, the Korean unit of the French spirits group, said Tuesday it is launching its global responsible-drinking campaign called "Split Drinks" in Korea for the first time. The campaign builds on Pernod Ricard's long-running Drink More Water initiative, encouraging drinkers to pair cocktails with water at bars. Its centerpiece is a glass with a dual-chamber design, split into two sections — one for a cocktail, the other for water — allowing drinkers to sip both together to help pace their alcohol consumption while still enjoying a premium cocktail experience. The company is producing content for the campaign with Time Out Asia, a lifestyle magazine, and three Seoul bars recognized on the Asia's 50 Best Bars list: Zest, Bar Cham and Gong Gan. Each bar will create cocktails using Pernod Ricard brands, served in the dual-chamber glasses. The content will appear on Time Out Asia's digital channels, the bars' Instagram accounts and Pernod Ricard Korea's LinkedIn page. Later this year, major bars in Seoul will run programs letting customers try the Split Drinks format in pe

Samsung SDS will bring OpenAI, Anthropic and major Korean companies together in Seoul next week for Real Summit 2026, with a focus on turning artificial intelligence (AI) adoption into measurable business results. The enterprise AI transformation conference is scheduled for Sept. 8 at Coex Convention and Exhibition Center under the theme “The Future of Successful AX Innovation Completed With Samsung SDS AI Full Stack.” Samsung SDS said the event will outline strategies for companies seeking to redesign their operations and businesses around AI, rather than simply adding AI tools to existing workflows. Lee June-hee, chief executive of Samsung SDS, will deliver a keynote speech. Lee will discuss the direction of AI transformation and key factors for successful implementation, while OpenAI and Anthropic will address developments in global AI technology and strategies for corporate adoption, Samsung SDS said. Executives from GS Caltex, Dongwon Group and VESSLAI will also share examples of AI-driven business innovation developed with Samsung SDS. The afternoon program will feature 59 sessio

HiteJinro Beverage said Tuesday that its advertising campaign for Terra Zero, a nonalcoholic beer-flavored drink, has drawn more than 20 million cumulative views in about a month, while cumulative sales of the product have topped 12 million units. The three-part campaign, released July 30, features comedian Kim Won-hoon and centers on the tagline "Why not." The ads spread quickly across YouTube, Instagram and other online platforms, drawing roughly 40,000 combined likes, comments and clicks, the company said. Kim has become a breakout star in Korea's recent wave of hyperrealistic comedy sketches, known for absurdist, deadpan humor drawn from everyday situations. Terra Zero reached 4 million units in canned-product sales within its first 100 days on the market before expanding into bottles, HiteJinro Beverage said. The campaign portrays the drink being consumed in a range of everyday moments — beyond the driving, pregnancy and health-focused scenarios typically associated with nonalcoholic beer — including ordinary Monday mornings and casual breaks, positioning Terra Zero as a "daily

HLB Group's liver cancer combination therapy showed consistent treatment benefits regardless of patient age, including in patients under 40, according to a new subgroup analysis to be presented this week at an international cancer conference. Elevar Therapeutics, HLB's U.S. subsidiary, will present an age-based post-hoc analysis of its global Phase 3 CARES-310 trial in a poster session at the International Liver Cancer Association's 2026 annual conference, running Thursday through Saturday at the Le Plaza Hotel in Brussels. The trial tested a combination of rivoceranib, an oral drug that blocks tumor blood vessel growth, and camrelizumab, an immunotherapy drug, in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer. Among patients under 50, median overall survival reached 21.5 months, versus 15.2 months for those on sorafenib, the standard comparator drug. Median progression-free survival — the time before the cancer worsens — was 5.5 months versus 2.7 months. Patients 50 and older saw similar gains, with overall survival of 23.9 months versus 1

LG Uplus is teaming up with Arize AI to build a system for monitoring artificial intelligence (AI) agents, focusing on performance, response quality and safety as businesses put AI to work in more of their operations. LG Uplus said Tuesday it signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Arize AI, a global AI operations management company, to collaborate on technologies that evaluate AI agents, analyze errors and identify potential risks. The partnership will focus on measuring agent performance and response quality while developing tools to manage problems that emerge during operation. The companies also plan to jointly examine Korean-language and voice-based AI evaluation technologies and develop safeguards designed to prevent inaccurate or inappropriate responses. They will also explore potential business opportunities in Korea’s business-to-business market, LG Uplus said. The agreement was signed at LG Uplus headquarters in Magok, Seoul, with Lee Sang-yeob, the company’s chief technology officer, and Patrick Kelly, Arize AI’s head of Asia-Pacific, among those in attendance

South Korea's spy agency said Tuesday a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be held at any time, citing possible signs of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment during a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly's intelligence committee, according to Rep. Youn Kun-young of the ruling Democratic Party and Rep. Yoo Yeong-ha of the main opposition People Power Party. "Regarding a North Korea-U.S. summit, we should consider it possible at any time," the NIS was quoted as saying. "No concrete facts of dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. have been confirmed, but there are signs of dialogue." Trump has expressed hope to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this year. Pyongyang has not offered any direct response to Trump's overtures, while renewing its criticism of what it claims to be the U.S.' hostile policy toward the North. On President Lee Jae Myung's recent proposal calling on the two Koreas to begin talks on formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War, the NIS said th

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to hit Iran "hard" after the two foes traded fire for the first time in weeks, as his Treasury secretary vowed to keep up a pressure campaign aimed at hobbling Tehran's economy. After six months of war, the foes remain at an impasse, with Iran keeping the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed and the U.S. persisting with a counter-blockade of Iranian ports. On Sunday, the United States carried out strikes on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran quickly retaliating by attacking U.S. military targets in the Middle East. The exchange raised fears of a return to major hostilities, with the U.S. president vowing to respond. "We're going to hit them hard," Trump said, according to a Fox News reporter who spoke to him briefly. "There will be a response." The United States said it attacked Iranian rocket launchers on the island of Larak to prevent Tehran planting mines in the key shipping lane. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, saying they targeted U.S. forces the

Korean brokerages are stepping up their overseas expansion and efforts to attract foreign investors as they seek to reduce their dependence on domestic trading income and sustain profits, industry officials said Monday. Meritz Securities, the only one of Korea's 10 largest brokerages without an overseas presence, is reportedly preparing to establish its first foreign subsidiary in Hong Kong. The unit will source investment opportunities in bonds and alternative assets, supporting the group's investment banking business. Mirae Asset Securities and Toss Securities are also considering acquisitions of local brokerages in Japan, where a resurgent equity market has drawn increasing interest from global investors. NH Investment & Securities, meanwhile, acquired a roughly 32 percent stake in Choice Equity Broking, the securities arm of India's Choice Group, on July 9, becoming the third Korean brokerage to enter the Indian market. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval. As of 2025, 16 Korean securities firms were operating a total of 93 overseas offices across 15 countries, acco

Police on Tuesday disclosed the identity of a Chinese man suspected of killing his student, also from China, in the southeastern city of Gyeongsan last month. Zheng Changsheng, 31, was placed under formal arrest Thursday for allegedly murdering the 25-year-old female student at his home in the city located some 290 kilometers southeast of Seoul on Aug. 20, mutilating her body and abandoning the parts in multiple places in the city of Gunpo, near Seoul, and the southeastern city of Gyeongju. Zheng's name, age and mug shots were posted on the website of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency and will remain posted until Oct. 1, the agency said. Police said they plan to refer Zheng to the prosecution by Friday. The suspect is also accused of filing a false missing report, traveling to a train station while dressed as a woman and turning off the victim's mobile phone near the station, all in an apparent attempt to obstruct the police's investigation.

Seven in 10 South Koreans said they support the introduction of a policy restricting social media use by teenagers, a poll showed Tuesday, amid growing concerns over the excessive use of such platforms. In the survey conducted on 1,000 respondents aged 14 to 58, 70.7 percent said they support such a policy, while 29.3 percent said they oppose it, according to the poll conducted by the Korea Press Foundation last month. But among teen respondents, who accounted for one-fifth of the total, 59 percent said they oppose the plan, while 41 percent said they support it. When asked about what would be the appropriate age to impose such a restriction, 16.8 percent of all the respondents picked 15, followed by 14.9 percent who picked 18, and 13.1 percent who picked 11 and younger. A majority of the respondents, however, said even introducing such a policy would have limitations in restricting social media use by teens, citing the possibility of adolescent users using other people's accounts or moving onto new, unrestricted platforms. Against such a backdrop, 59.8 percent said platforms should do mo

The Embassy of India in Korea will hold the 12th edition of its annual Sarang festival from Sept. 15-22, with an Odissi classical dance troupe performing in six cities across the country. The festival opens at Ewha Womans University's Samsung Hall in Seoul and closes at Wonkwang Digital University's Seoul campus. A separate film program follows in November. Sarang began in 2015 as a small embassy event and has grown into the mission's flagship cultural program, introducing Koreans to Indian dance, music, cinema, art and cuisine. The name carries a double meaning for both countries: "sarang" means love in Korean, while the embassy translates it as a "medley of colors" in Hindi. Each edition centers on a different Indian classical dance tradition. This year's is Odissi, from the eastern state of Odisha, a temple-rooted form distinguished by its sculptural poses, rhythmic patterns, expressive hand gestures known as mudras and detailed facial expressions, or abhinaya. Its traditional repertoire draws on devotional themes, particularly those associated with Lord Jagannath and the love of Rad

The government plans to significantly ramp up investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors to prevent structurally low growth from becoming entrenched and strengthen Korea’s position in the global tech race through its record-high 2027 budget of nearly 821 trillion won ($599 billion), the Ministry of Planning and Budget said Tuesday. It has designated semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers as the three megaprojects in its plan to provide comprehensive support, ranging from key infrastructure to technology development, with an injection of 21.3 trillion won. President Lee Jae Myung said at a Cabinet meeting that a major shift is underway in the global industrial order as the AI revolution, energy transition and restructuring of global supply chains converge to reshape the global economy and industries. "Against the backdrop of these sweeping changes, next year’s budget should serve as a solid foundation for Korea to emerge as a global leader in cutting-edge technologies," Lee said. "We need a productive fiscal strategy that uses expanded resources for future

From late-night temple meditation in a bustling business district to fine dining in a 500-year-old traditional courtyard, Korea’s capital is aiming to redefine how high-stress global travelers recharge. The Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled, Tuesday, the Seoul Wellness 100, a curated index highlighting 100 premier destinations designed to elevate the city as a major hub of high-end wellness travel. Selected through a rigorous evaluation process that narrowed down 217 public and expert nominations, the list breaks wellness down into three core pillars: "Rest" (52 spots covering meditation, nature therapy and stays), "Taste" (17 healthy culinary destinations) and "Style" (31 venues focused on beauty, spas and performing arts). The effort comes at a lucrative moment for global travel. According to industry projections, the global wellness economy is expected to balloon from $6.7 trillion to nearly $10 trillion by 2029. Crucially for city planners, international wellness tourists spend an average of $1,601 per trip — roughly 35 percent more than standard leisure travelers. To capture

Seeking to energize its performing arts scene and bridge a persistent regional cultural divide, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a major ticket subsidy campaign Tuesday, releasing 220,000 performance vouchers valued at 10,000 won ($7.50) each. The 4.1 billion won initiative, backed by a supplementary government budget, runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. It marks the second phase of a broader push to spur live entertainment attendance following an initial release in May. Starting Tuesday at 10 a.m., theatergoers can claim up to two vouchers per week across five major online ticketing portals, including Naver Booking, Yes24 and Ticketlink. The vouchers apply to a broad spectrum of live performing arts — including theater, musicals, classical concerts, traditional Korean music (known as "gugak") and dance — while excluding mainstream K-pop concerts and commercial pop dance shows. To prevent the nation's capital region from monopolizing cultural subsidies, officials designed targeted interventions for nonmetropolitan areas outside Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheo

From the neon-lit galleries of Seoul to the coastal pavilions of Busan, Korea is turning itself into an expansive, monthlong art venue. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, alongside the Korea Arts Management Service, officially launched the 2026 Korea Art Festival on Tuesday, bringing together world-class biennales, major commercial fairs and nearly 100 museums for a nationwide cultural blitz that spans the month of September. Now in its third consecutive year, the festival aims to democratize art appreciation and solidify Korea's standing as Asia’s premier contemporary art hub. The ambitious monthlong calendar harmonizes four major regional biennials — in Gwangju, Busan, Jeju, and Gyeonggi Province — with two titan commercial fairs in the capital, Kiaf Seoul and Frieze Seoul. Adding weight to the scale, 96 public and private museums across the country are joining the festivities with tailored exhibitions. To make the arts accessible, the government subsidized tens of thousands of entry tickets with discounts ranging from 30 to 70 percent, more than 13,000 of which sold ou

Los Angeles has officially declared "BTS Week" ahead of the K-pop supergroup's four sold-out shows, the latest in a series of such honors bestowed on the group by cities around the world, the group's agency BigHit Music said Tuesday. The U.S. city designated Sept. 1-8 as "BTS Week" to mark the group's "Arirang" world tour concerts at SoFi Stadium on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. As part of the tribute, Los Angeles City Hall will be lit in red Tuesday, matching the key color of BTS' fifth studio album, "Arirang," in what officials described as an official welcome and gesture of friendship to the group and visiting fans. A formal proclamation ceremony was held at the City Hall on Monday, attended by members of the City Council, tourism officials and executives from BigHit Music. Mayor Karen Bass said the declaration reflects a belief in the power of arts and culture to foster mutual understanding and unite communities, according to BigHit. The city is proud to honor BTS' remarkable contributions to global culture and celebrate its special connection with Los Angeles, Bass was quo

The Jeju Provincial Police said Tuesday that an officer who prematurely closed multiple missing person cases on the island admitted to closing them to avoid the extra workload involved in keeping the cases open. The controversy erupted after it emerged that the officer had closed the missing person case of Jang Mi-ran, a 37-year-old woman missing for months, without confirming her whereabouts. Last week, police said they had removed all four officers in the chain of command at Jeju Seobu Police Station from their duties, pending an investigation. Police said the officer did not take Jang’s disappearance seriously because she was an adult and wished to avoid the workload associated with keeping the case open. “He indicated that he felt burdened by the additional work required if the case remained unresolved and prematurely closed it as a result,” police said at a briefing. Profilers who questioned the officer believe that negligence, driven by fatigue from a growing workload, was the main motive behind his actions. After closing Jang's case, the officer removed the case record by en

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan will visit the United States from Sept. 1-4 (U.S. time) to attend a Group of 20 (G20) meeting on innovation and a groundbreaking ceremony for the Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana steel plant (HPLS), the ministry said Tuesday. Kim will first attend the G20 Innovation Ministerial Meeting in North Carolina, on Sept. 2 to discuss ways to strengthen global cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, focusing on AI intellectual property rights, standards and supply chains, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said in a press release. On Sept. 3, Kim will hold a roundtable in Washington, D.C., with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in a bid to attract foreign direct investment in Korea from U.S. companies in semiconductors, advanced materials and offshore wind power. He will also hear from U.S. companies about their investments in Korea and their views on the country's investment environment, the ministry said. The following day, Kim will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the HPLS. The project is part of a $26 billion investment

Over the past half-century, Korea's economic rise has rested on something less obvious than exports alone: a consistent ability to spot the shape of the next global system before it becomes obvious to everyone else. Shipbuilding, automobiles, semiconductors, broadband networks, consumer electronics and, more recently, cultural exports each reflect the same pattern of adapting early to new systems of production, trade and connectivity, and turning that shift into national strength. A similar transition may now be taking shape, this time not in manufacturing or telecommunications, but in the infrastructure of money and cross-border settlement. That shift is easy to miss, because most people still associate stablecoins mainly with crypto trading. That's an understandable read, but an increasingly incomplete one. The more consequential role for stablecoins may turn out to be as a new settlement layer for global commerce, corporate treasury management, digital services and cross-border finance. The real question isn't whether stablecoins will replace banks, payment companies or national curre

A flagship submarine of the Korean Navy returned home Tuesday after completing the first and longest round-trip transit across the Pacific Ocean, the armed forces said. The 3,000-ton indigenous ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho arrived at the Jinhae Naval Base, 161 days after it departed from the same base on March 25, the Navy said. The 28,000-kilometer voyage included making port calls in Hawaii and Guam to participate in U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) multinational drills, before traveling to Victoria, western Canada in May. The trans-Pacific journey marks a milestone in Korean submarine history and the first for a vessel designed and built with domestic technology, the Navy said in a release. "It is an accomplishment that demonstrates the operational endurance, equipment reliability and crew habitability of Korea's advanced, indigenous warship to the international community," it said. During RIMPAC, the vessel boasted its superior combat and stealth capabilities by successfully executing 28 simulated attacks without being detected by enemy vessels. Its participation in combined drills with

A Korean disaster relief team was set to leave for Nepal late Tuesday to support search, rescue and other relief efforts following the recent devastating floods, the foreign ministry said. The Korea Disaster Relief Team (KDRT), consisting of 44 personnel from the foreign ministry, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), fire authorities and other agencies, is scheduled to depart for Nepal at midnight aboard a KC-330 Cygnus multirole tanker transport aircraft, according to the ministry. The team is expected to arrive in Nepal at 5:55 a.m. Wednesday (local time), bringing 700 pieces of equipment and five search-and-rescue dogs. The team will stay in Nepal for about 10 days, conducting search and rescue operations for victims, including the nine Koreans who remain unaccounted for. "We plan to conduct rescue operations in consultation with the Nepali government and our rapid response team already on the ground," a ministry official said. "The deployment may be extended beyond 10 days if necessary." The KDRT is a statutory emergency response unit deployed to provide disaster relief

Seven military officers have been disciplined over lax management of firearms and ammunition since July last year, data showed Tuesday, amid continued gun-related incidents in the military. Seven officers from the Army, the Air Force and the Navy received disciplinary actions over firearm-related violations in the second half of last year and the first half of 2026, according to data submitted to Rep. Kim Byung-ju of the Democratic Party of Korea and obtained by Yonhap News Agency. Of them, two military officers were slapped with heavy disciplinary action. A Navy officer was given a one-month suspension, while an Air Force officer was demoted by one rank in the cited period. The disciplinary measures come after the defense ministry launched an extensive inspection of all branches of the military in October last year in response to a string of firearm-related deaths and cases of missing ammunition. Last month, a noncommissioned Marine officer was found dead with a gunshot wound at an off-base housing unit in Pohang, located some 270 kilometers southeast of Seoul. "Given heightened public c

UNITED NATIONS — With the U.S., Russia, China and other countries that have nuclear weapons refusing to ratify the treaty that bans atomic testing, the United Nations warned on Monday that any new test could trigger another arms race. U.N. disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu told the U.N. General Assembly that it was meeting to mark International Day against Nuclear Tests at a time of “deep geopolitical tension, growing division and diminishing trust,” as well as concern about the possible resumption of testing. Late last year, the United States and Russia, which have the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, threatened to resume nuclear testing, setting off global alarm bells. President Donald Trump accused Russia and China of conducting tests, which they deny. “Even contemplating such a course is dangerous,” Nakamitsu warned. “Any resumption would erode decades of restraint, deepen mistrust and risk triggering reciprocal tests and an arms race. This must never become reality.” When the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was adopted in 1996, it had a very high bar to enter

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is meeting with finance ministers of the world’s largest economies this week at a time when the United States has disrupted the international order with aggressive tariffs on major allies and an unpopular war on Iran that is keeping gas prices high for consumers. As Bessent opened meetings of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Asheville on Monday, he said he wants to focus on ways to grow the global economy and rein in mounting debt. But the event comes after hostilities renewed between the U.S. and Iran , and as trade friction with Canada spiked following a breakdown in negotiations that led to escalating tariffs. Bessent told The Associated Press in an interview on Sunday that he plans to turn up pressure on Iran by sanctioning another bank, part of what he is calling “Operation Economic Outcast." The administration earlier this month took steps to limit an Egyptian bank’s operations in the United Arab Emirates. He said the administration is prepared to exact “financial violence if we have to.” Asked by reporters Monday

Korean stocks traded lower late Tuesday morning as investor sentiment was dampened due to renewed military tensions in the Middle East. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was trading down 10.98 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,809.04 as of 11:20 a.m. Overnight, major U.S. stocks closed lower weighed down by a resumption of military clashes between the United States and Iran, while investors bet on a rate hike at the Federal Reserve's rate-setting meeting later this month after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's hawkish speech at the Jackson Hole Symposium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.7 percent and the S&P 500 lost 0.33 percent, while the Nasdaq composite declined 0.12 percent. In Seoul, major shares traded in mixed territory. Top-cap Samsung Electronics fell 0.1 percent, while SK hynix rose 1.19 percent. Auto giant Hyundai Motor declined 1.36 percent, and major defense firm LIG D&A dropped 2.31 percent. However, leading battery maker LG Energy Solution added 0.26 percent, and steel giant POSCO Holdings rose 2.07 percent. The Korean won was quoted at 1,369.85 won against th

Actor Ha Young, who had come under fire over allegations surrounding her great-grandfather's pro-Japanese activities during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea, will not appear in the next season of the Netflix series "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call," the streaming platform said Tuesday. The move comes after the actor issued an apology about the controversy last month, saying she had only partially known about her great-grandfather's life and is ashamed of speaking about him as a source of family pride. "Respecting the actor's position, Ha Young will not appear in the next season of 'The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call,'" Netflix said. The actor, whose legal name is Ahn Ha-young, appeared as nurse Cheon Jang-mi in the first season of the popular medical drama and was set to shoot the second season with fellow actors Ju Ji-hoon and Choo Young-woo. While appearing on an episode of the KBS talk show "Problem Child in House" last month, Ahn mentioned how her great-grandfather studied Western medicine in Japan as she explained that medical practice spans across four generations in her family.

Korea's exports surged 68.7 percent in August from a year earlier, buoyed by strong semiconductor shipments, data showed Tuesday. Outbound shipments came to $98.25 billion in August, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. Imports climbed 22.6 percent on-year to $63.51 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $34.75 billion. By sector, semiconductor exports, a key pillar of Asia's fourth-largest economy, soared 209 percent during the period to $46.65 billion, as major technology companies known as hyperscalers, including Google and Amazon, stepped up spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Semiconductor exports topped $40 billion for a third consecutive month. Exports of petroleum products jumped 65.3 percent to $6.84 billion, while those of petrochemical products rose 12.2 percent to $3.86 billion. Automobile exports, however, fell 29.8 percent to $3.85 billion, hit by fewer working days during the summer holiday season and production disruptions caused by partial strikes over wage increases. By destination, exports to China shot up 119.3 percent to $24

Kim Yong-beom resigned from his post as presidential chief of staff for policy as calls continue for him to take responsibility for controversial economic policies concerning the stock market and taxation. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Kim tendered his resignation on Monday and that President Lee Jae Myung accepted it Tuesday. Kim stepped down about 15 months after being appointed as the first presidential policy chief of the Lee administration. A Cheong Wa Dae official said that presidential aides typically serve for about six to 14 months, describing Kim’s resignation as “part of a routine personnel change aimed at maintaining momentum in policy implementation.” Kim's departure, however, was widely viewed as a move to ease the political burden on Lee as criticism of the administration's economic policies continues. Kim, a career bureaucrat, served as the control tower for the Lee administration's economic policy. With experience in both the public and private sectors, he oversaw economic, industrial and fiscal affairs, as the government grappled with sluggish domesti

ULSAN — Unionized workers of Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest automaker, have voted to accept a wage deal for this year, including a 100,000 won ($73) increase in monthly base pay, the union said Tuesday. In a vote held Monday, 61.55 percent of 31,166 union members who cast a ballot approved this year's wage agreement between the labor union and the company, the union said. Under the agreement ironed out earlier, workers will also receive performance bonuses equivalent to 400 percent of their monthly wages and an additional 12.7 million won in cash. The two sides also reached an understanding to extend the retirement age from the current 60 to 65 if related laws and regulations are revised. This year's deal came after the union staged multiple strikes, resulting in about 120 hours of production disruptions. The labor action included a full-day strike on Aug. 21, the union's first such walkout in 10 years. The strikes are estimated to have caused cumulative production losses of around 55,200 vehicles, with lost sales exceeding 2.3 trillion won, according to industry sources.

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for bipartisan support for the government's 2027 budget bill, stressing that next year's budget will be important in bolstering the country's global industrial competitiveness. The president issued the call at a Cabinet meeting to review and approve the government's 2027 budget proposal. Earlier in the day, the government proposed a record 820.9 trillion-won ($599 billion) budget for next year, up more than 10 percent from this year, amid expectations of increased tax revenue stemming from a semiconductor boom. "I expect broad political cooperation so that next year's budget bill can become one that gives all people hope of creating a future that is better than today," Lee said. The president said, with the new budget, the government seeks to make a breakthrough in national growth that will, in turn, help expand the country's fiscal capabilities, creating what he called a "productive virtuous circle." He argued the country stood at a critical crossroad between prolonged low growth and a rebound in the potential growth rate. "We definitely need a fi

WASHINGTON — The White House has asked a Pentagon agency what it could do should U.S. President Donald Trump be able to reach a deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the agency's director said Monday, another sign that Trump is looking to resume summitry with Kim. Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), made the remarks during an online forum, noting that the DPAA has told the White House and the Defense Department that it is "ready" for engagement with Pyongyang for recovering the remains of U.S. troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. POW and MIA stand for prisoner of war and missing in action. His remarks came as Trump has expressed his intention to meet Kim later this year, fueling speculation that he could rekindle his personal diplomacy that led to three meetings with Kim during his first term: the first in Singapore in June 2018, the second in Hanoi in February 2019 and the third at the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019. "I would say that it's no different than the lead-up to the Singapore summit in 2018. We were a

German-born artist Friedrich Kunath has made a life out of movement, going from East Germany to Los Angeles and, more recently, bouncing between Berlin, Austria and other temporary homes. In his first solo exhibition with Pace Gallery in Seoul, that restlessness becomes a landscape of its own, with distant horizons, cinematic sunsets and an unresolved longing for home. “The Nearest Faraway Place,” running through Oct. 24 at Pace Gallery in Itaewon, brings together new paintings and drawings that dwell on longing, melancholy and the search for home. The exhibition is Kunath’s second with Pace since joining the gallery’s program in 2025 and his first solo presentation in Seoul. The title comes from an instrumental song by the Beach Boys, whose lush harmonies Kunath cited as a model for balancing beauty with darker emotional undercurrent. But it also names the contradiction at the center of his practice: feeling close while remaining irretrievably distant. “I think it’s an inner condition,” Kunath said during an interview with The Korea Times, Saturday. “Right now, I feel I

For modern travelers, a photo is no longer just a souvenir after the end of a trip but rather the very reason to begin one. To capture their own distinct vision of Korea’s capital, visitors are increasingly venturing beyond traditional tourist sites and venturing into new neighborhoods, often hiring professional photographers to frame their journey. To mark the arrival of September's crisp breezes and autumn tints, the Seoul Tourism Foundation has released a curated guide to the city's most beautiful spots, mapped out by the best hour to visit for photography. By following the shifting daylight across the metropolis, visitors can capture Seoul’s unique aesthetic in its best light. Morning at Gyeongbok Palace The primary royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty in Jongno District in central Seoul, Gyeongbok Palace offers its most tranquil and beautiful side immediately after opening. Stepping into the quiet grounds before crowds arrive allows soft morning light to illuminate the intricate "dancheong" paintwork under the eaves while casting a warm glow over traditional hanbok attire. Renting

The leadership of Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Munoz is facing a critical test, as the automaker struggles to turn its outward sales growth into sustainable profitability. Munoz joined the carmaker in 2019 as president and global chief operating officer in charge of Hyundai Motor and Genesis in North America. His performance in the region, where he oversaw consecutive sales records and improved profitability and market share, helped pave the way for his promotion to serve as the carmaker’s global CEO in January 2025 — the first non-Korean to lead the Korean automaker. His appointment reflected Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun's push to bring in global talent and move Hyundai toward a more internationally oriented management structure, but the honeymoon period appears to be over. Under his leadership, Hyundai Motor’s second-quarter sales reached a record 49.22 trillion won ($35.64 billion), up 1.9 percent from a year earlier. Yet the headline growth masks a more troubling trend. Operating profit fell 20.8 percent to 2.85 trillion won, leaving the operating profit-to-sales r

It's that time of year again, when live music and other performing arts take over spots throughout central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan neighborhoods. This year marks Block Party's fifth run, lasting from Sept. 11-13, and returning at the helm is Jamie Finn, who exudes equal parts confidence and flop sweat every time he organizes the festival. This year's festival will take place across over eight local venues, including Uplift, Boogie Woogie, Casa Amigo, Pet Sounds, Sub Riot, Togul, Dialogue and Dankyard. Every year, the list changes as new venues open and others close down, a sign of the area's changing character. "It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?" Finn said as he described the state of Haebangchon. "Like it’s still Haebangchon, but it feels a bit uncanny. There’s loads of fun new fancy-pants restaurants, but where’s the dank? Block Party is a pro-dank festival, and we would like to see the dank return to Haebangchon." The lineup for this year's Block Party combines a selection of favorites from past festivals, including Leenalchi, Cadejo and Drinking Boys and

BIDUR, Nepal — Rajendra Dawadi was inside his classroom when a colleague rushed in with a warning: Floodwaters were racing through Nepal’s Trishuli Valley, tearing apart homes, bridges and entire villages. Then a teacher received another warning by phone. Moments later, a parent arrived to take her child home. The danger had not yet been confirmed, but Dawadi, the principal, had little time to act. He rang the school bell and ordered his students and staff out of the building and toward higher ground. “I immediately decided to stop ... school" and get the children out, he told The Associated Press. As he followed them to a nearby hill, the floodwaters rose behind him. From the safety of the hillside, he turned to watch the school where he had once been a student — and where he had spent years teaching — disappear beneath a torrent of water, mud, boulders and debris. Two staff members could not make it and remain missing. Dawadi’s decision to evacuate the school saved at least 900 students from last week’s devastating flash floods in Nepal, unleashed after a glacial collapse

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again singled out South Korea for not helping with his war on Iran, reiterating criticism he has voiced several times in recent months. “We got very little help from other countries,” Trump said in a primetime interview with Fox News that aired Sunday, as he complained that the United States spends billions of dollars helping other countries without receiving enough support in return. Trump then pointed specifically to South Korea. “We helped them, but when it came to helping us, I didn't put on a heavy sell, but I just said, ‘Would you like to participate?’ and they all said, ‘No, thank you,’” he said. “And I said, ‘I'm going to remember that to myself.’” Trump went on to suggest the United States should reconsider spending money to help countries unwilling to reciprocate. “When they're not willing to go for you, you just can't be a stupid person and help them,” he said. Later in the interview, Trump returned to South Korea, pointing to the U.S. military presence there while again criticizing Seoul's response to his request

Google Maps has changed the name of "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America" for U.S. users to reflect President Donald Trump's executive order renaming the lake, according to a Google statement. Trump announced on Thursday that he was changing the name of the smallest of the five Great Lakes, part of an escalating trade feud with Canada that has prompted the two countries to impose reciprocal tariffs on billions of dollars in goods. The president's order affects the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which sets the standards for official U.S. maps. It does not have any impact on Canadian naming conventions or how the rest of the world refers to the lake. "Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S., people using Maps in the U.S. will see 'Lake America,' those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario,' and those outside of the U.S. and Canada will see both names," Google said in a blog post issued on Saturday. The White House, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's office and Ontario Premier Doug Ford's office di

The main U.S. stock indexes slipped on Monday after military clashes between the United States and Iran drove up oil prices, stoking inflation fears after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's hawkish remarks in his maiden Jackson Hole address the previous week. The losses could set the tone for September, typically a weak month for equities, and are likely to up the ante at the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting next month. Traders see more than a 60 percent chance of a rate hike at the Fed's September meeting, according to CME's FedWatch, a sharp increase from 41.4 percent a week ago, after Warsh said policymakers may need to increase borrowing costs if inflation does not ease to the central bank's 2 percent target. "Absent a material downside surprise, the onus is now on Warsh to deliver a September hike. Otherwise, he risks undermining some of the credibility he gained on Friday," analysts at BofA Global Research said in a note. Warsh's comments, delivered on Friday at the Fed's Jackson Hole symposium in Wyoming, followed mixed data in recent weeks. A consumer inflation report this month showed price p

MIAMI — Lionel Messi said on Monday he is retiring from international football after leading Argentina to a second successive World Cup final in July. "It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul but I understand that it is the right time," Messi, 39, wrote on Instagram. "I swear I always gave everything, not just in the last few years when we won everything but before that too, and I always fought and gave my all for this shirt," he added. Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory by winning the 2022 final against France in a penalty shootout in Doha, but his side lost 1-0 to Spain in the 2026 final. Following the death of his father Jorge in August, Messi had said he had "serious doubts" about continuing to play football of any sort for "much longer." Messi's contract with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season.

Malid Manyuon, 37, a South Sudanese medical graduate currently completing his internship, recalled the late Father Lee Tae-seok as he spoke about his journey. He came to Korea in early June to carry on Lee’s dream of training doctors in South Sudan. At Wonkwang University, he attended medical classes and spent three months honing emergency and clinical skills, taking a major step toward fulfilling his lifelong dream. Nine South Sudanese doctors who were inspired to pursue medicine after encountering Lee recently came to the home country of their mentor. While some of Lee’s former medical students have visited Korea individually, this was the first time a group had come through a scholarship program run by the Lee Tae-seok Foundation. Near the end of their training, the Hankook Ilbo met the nine doctors on Aug. 27 at Namyangju Hanyang Hospital in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, where they were immersed in hands-on clinical training. Their experience with Korea’s advanced medical system only made them think more deeply about the harsh realities of health care in South Sudan. South Sud

Paris Jackson has recalled some of her favourite childhood memories in Ireland, describing the time she spent here with her brothers and father Michael Jackson as "magical".

The move will trigger a by-election to replace the former prime minister in his London constituency.

Police say the double stabbing, which injured another person, was random and the suspect had a mental health history with police.

Most migrants have returned to neighbouring Morocco, but as many as 5,000 remain in the Spanish exclave.

Pope Leo XIV invites everyone to pray for “the care of water” during September as Christians celebrate the Season of Creation.

Read all

Reports say the Israeli military carried out strikes after a raid by Israeli special forces and Israel-backed Palestinian militiamen was discovered.

Christians around the world mark the 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, launching a month-long ecumenical season of prayer and action for the environment.

Read all

The UK says Falkland islanders "are British with a right to determine their own future".

Juan Carlos Dávila reports from Puerto Rico as the island grapples with a severe water crisis. A record-breaking drought has led to severe shortages and a system of water rationing that residents say could have been prevented by better infrastructure maintenance. Climate scientists have warned for years that changing weather conditions in the Caribbean are likely to exacerbate existing infrastructure failings, but rather than address the root cause of the water shortage, explains Dávila, a pattern of government inaction and failed public services is used to justify increasing privatization.

Puerto Rico’s water woes come 10 years after the United States passed the bankruptcy law PROMESA to restructure the U.S. territory’s debt, installing an unelected board colloquially known as “La Junta” that continues to hold sweeping authority to determine fiscal and public policy. “This water crisis taking place right now in Puerto Rico, also La Junta bears some responsibility on it,” says Puerto Rican investigative reporter Luis Valentín. “It did not reduce the debt, and [so] pretty much crowds out resources that could be used for infrastructure work.”

Thailand will halve the length of visa-free stays for tourists from more than 60 countries and territories to 30 days from 15 September, the country's foreign ministry said.

Dogs, cats and other pets are expected to be allowed greater access to bus, trains and trams after the NTA announced proposals to relax existing rules on the carriage of pets on public transport.

As part of its mass deportation campaign, the Trump administration is secretly deporting immigrants to countries that they have no ties to. CNN correspondent Isobel Yeung recently traveled to the Central African Republic, which in recent months has accepted dozens of immigrants who had previously been granted deportation protections because they risk facing torture in their home countries. Despite the fact that the State Department warns U.S. citizens not to travel to the Central African Republic “under any circumstances,” the Department of Homeland Security has now deported dozens of immigrants from countries including Afghanistan, Cuba, Russia and Iran to a legal limbo in a country wracked by civil war between Muslim and Christian militias and officially ruled by a Russia-backed authoritarian dictator.

We play excerpts of Yeung’s report, which features interviews with immigrants who now live precarious lives in the Central African Republic capital of Bangui, without family, friends or even a common language, and at risk of malaria, extortion and violence. “Many of them did not know where they were going to until they stepped foot on the flight,” Yeung tells Democracy Now! They have been placed in temporary lodgings for three months, but after that, continues Yeung, “I don’t think anyone knows where they’re supposed to go.”

According to Third Country Deportation Watch, the United States has signed so-called third-country deportation agreements with as many as 35 governments around the world. Most of the over 20,000 people deported under these agreements have been turned back at ports of entry to Mexico, but an increasing number are being placed on deportation flights and sent to countries like Costa Rica and Ghana, far from their countries of birth. By carrying out this scheme and by threatening other immigrants with the possibility of third-country deportation to coerce them into choosing to “self-deport,” the Trump administration “is really attacking and undermining the entire architecture of refugee protection,” says Yael Schacher, a co-lead of Third Country Deportation Watch.

A new academic year began across the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday despite concerns by parents and teachers that the country's Ebola outbreak still poses risks to children in the epicentre.

Kyla's 2008 track Do You Mind gained worldwide recognition in 2016 when rapper Drake sampled it on One Dance.

The Swedish retailer has seen revenue decline as the rising cost of living reduces people's ability to buy new furniture.

Met Office figures show that the previous record, set in 2025, has been broken after an unprecedented summer of persistent heat.

More than 100 criminal defence solicitors walked out of the district courts in Dublin this morning as part of their continued protest against a new legal aid scheme introduced earlier this year.

The U.S. has struck a deal to take majority control of more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s oil reserves, nine months after the U.S. military abducted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in a raid on Caracas and two months after The New York Times revealed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has become the de facto viceroy of Venezuela, effectively controlling Venezuela’s finances, the distribution of its natural resources and its government. The new oil deal gives the Department of Defense a 35% stake in a joint U.S.-Venezuelan private company that now holds 100-year leases to 17 oil fields. It also gives the U.S. the right to buy some of the oil produced at cost — a major triumph for the Trump administration as the war on Iran depletes the United States’ strategic oil reserves. Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez claims U.S. investment in Venezuela’s oil industry will jumpstart the country’s floundering economy, but critics, including Venezuelan economist Francisco Rodríguez, say the deal is not only “unfavorable to Venezuela” but also appears to violate the Venezuelan Constitution.

“The whole history around this is extremely shady,” adds Rodríguez, who previously led Venezuela’s Congressional Budget Office and now teaches at the University of Denver. “It’s clear that this is not a deal that any Venezuelan government would have entered into unless this country had been subject to an invasion, and unless its authorities had been held at gunpoint. So, I think we’ve replaced gunboat diplomacy now for gunpoint diplomacy.”

The government says £110m has been fast-tracked from existing budgets to speed up the building of new cells.

Moscow called the deployment of the powerful weapon on Japanese territory "absolutely unacceptable" and warned of "compensatory countermeasures."

The Osaka Municipal Government said that it will lease a land plot adjacent to the northern side of the theme park to the company.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday urged leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to help reshape global governance for a changing world, arguing that a more multipolar international order can strengthen multilateralism, advance fairness and better serve developing countries.

As rescue efforts continue in Nepal, humanitarians are focused on how the recent deadly flash floods have impacted women and girls, as well as access to healthcare.

The world must move faster to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that is growing exponentially, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator warned on Tuesday.

Victims of Afghanistan’s decades-long armed conflict continue to suffer profound physical, psychological, social and economic consequences, often without access to justice, reparation or formal acknowledgement of the harm done to them, according to a new UN report.

Lack of funding has forced the World Food Programme (WFP) to slash aid to families in the West Bank by half even though needs have more than doubled over the past two years.

Trump Reportedly Weighing More Strikes Against Iran, WaPo: Conservative Veterans Given Secret Pentagon Jobs, Army Civilian Chief Daniel Driscoll Resigns After Clashing with Hegseth, Israeli Attacks Kill at Least Four People, Including Three Children, in Gaza, School Principal in Nepal Evacuates 900 Students to Safety from Floods, Second Person Confirmed Dead After Flash Floods Sweep Grand Canyon National Park, Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Trump’s Ballroom, Third Eyewitness in Fatal Shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo Released from ICE Jail, U.S. Citizen Deported to Mexico Granted Permission to Return to the U.S., Federal Judge Extends Order Temporarily Pausing Border Wall Construction at Big Bend National Park, EEOC Finds Cisco Violated Civil Rights of Middle Eastern and Muslim Employees, 12 People Killed in Russian Attacks in Ukraine, Primary Elections Held Today in Massachusetts, Activist, Writer and Farmer Wendell Berry Dies at 92

BBC correspondents in Delhi and Moscow look at why the Indian PM made a very public peace plea to his Russian ally.

The Central Bank is being urged to clarify whether responsibility for the approval of Israeli state bonds has reverted to Ireland after Luxembourg relinquished the role.

A ruling by the Superior Court of Quebec in Canada finds that Cardinal Marc Ouellet was “falsely accused” of sexual assault in connection with a class action against the Archdiocese of Quebec, and he will receive $100,000 in damages, which he will donate to organizations combating the sexual abuse of Indigenous peoples.

Read all

Record August temperatures are expected to be reported in a number of countries globally after a summer of intense heat, while the impact of strengthening El Niño conditions are beginning to be felt.

The National Women's Council is calling for the Government to honour its promise of reducing the price of childcare for families to €200 per child per month in the upcoming Budget.

Canada has an infanticide provision in the Criminal Code that applies exclusively to a mother who kills her newly born child while her mind is "disturbed."

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to "stick 100% to the Good Friday Agreement" after he received criticism last week when he said a referendum on a united Ireland was "off the table".

Former British prime minister Keir Starmer is to step down as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras, a move that will trigger a by-election in the London seat.

One seat was taken from the Conservatives, indicating public support for the PM after a confrontation with Donald Trump.

Japan's Public Prosecutor's Office has recently been rocked by a series of scandals involving misconduct by elite prosecutors.

A program has been credited with prompting both a recovery in bear numbers — although the animals are hard to count — and fewer encounters with humans.

A specialist team from Turkey equipped to search deep waters started work to pinpoint the wreckage of a ferry that capsized off northern Cyprus on Sunday, with 20 people still missing.

Objects can hold a lot of personal meaning so the act of getting rid of them can be an emotional experience.

The Iranian Red Crescent has said that five people, including a child, were killed and over 50 people were wounded by a US attack while attending a wedding in the south of Iran.

Over the weekend, the Archdiocese of Beira in Mozambique hosted catechists of the diocese for Catechist Day. The Mass was presided over by Bishop Antonio Manuel Bogaio Constantino, M.C.C.I. He is the Bishop of Caia Diocese and the Apostolic Administrator of Beira. Several priests concelebrated.

Read all

A seven-year-old girl and her aunt died in the fire in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, on 26 August.

Ireland's newest world champions, Zoe Hyde and Margaret Cremen, arrived home to a rousing welcome in Cork last night after they won gold in the women's double sculls at the World Rowing Championships.

The murder of Notorious B.I.G. came months after the killing of his rival Tupac Shakur, both drive-by shootings.

Maddalena Boschetti, a fidei donum missionary in Haiti since 2002, tells Vatican News how remaining in the violence-stricken country and supporting those in need when all hope seems lost is a way to respond to the violence itself.

Read all

The family of slain First Nations mother Barbara Kentner is calling for a review of the parole board's decision to release her killer, Brayden Bushby. The board granted Bushby full parole with conditions despite finding he got a Confederate flag tattooed on his chest, cut a swastika into the institutional lawn, and did not express remorse for Kentner specifically.

The body of a fisherman has been recovered from the sea in west Cork, following a search this morning.

A judge has ordered a mental health assessment of a teenage boy charged with the murder of a 61-year-old man and the attempted murder of the man's wife and daughter in Co Tyrone.

The Ford government is going ahead with bike lane removal and reconfiguration on some of Toronto's busiest roads, the province announced Tuesday.

Poland's President Karol Nawrocki has called on Germany to settle the issue of World War II reparations at a ceremony marking 87 years since Nazi Germany invaded Poland.

Police say the man teamed up with two different women on separate occasions and killed dozens of hamsters in a violation of animal protection laws.

In a case marked by reluctant witnesses some of the most damaging evidence against the only man ever charged came from the man himself.

This year's jab has a few tweaks, including changes to better combat last year's Super-K strain.

The poll by the Children and Families Agency found that 35.1% of those surveyed said they had "no intention" of getting married.

Swedish budget furniture retailer Ikea announced a new wave of price cuts as it tries to boost demand in Europe, at a time when the surging cost of housing in many countries has dented people's ability to move and curbed spending on furniture and homeware.

Chelsea McGillivray, from Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, fell into cardiac arrest during labour after what was believed to be a textbook pregnancy.

Fresh from his Main Stage set at Electric Picnic, sombr has announced outdoor shows in Dublin and Belfast for next summer.

The Foreign Ministry determined that a dedicated division to cyber security is needed amid increasing cyber threats driven by advances in artificial intelligence.

The U.S. launched new air strikes on Iranian targets on ‌Tuesday, in a move that threatened to reignite the six-month-old conflict that has driven global energy prices higher and weighed heavily on U.S. President Donald Trump's popularity at home.

The Supreme Court has announced its budget request for fiscal 2027, which included some ¥60 million for expenses related to the use of AI.

More questions than answers have emerged over the fate of the Centrist Reform Alliance following the collapse of its plan to merge with two other opposition parties.

The Consumer Affairs Agency plans to use the technology to find schemes with similar patterns to past fraud cases and malicious business operators to enable quicker intervention.

Christchurch Methodist Mission says New Zealand could be in "serious trouble" if it doesn't act to address the shortage of social housing for older people - with the population of renters over 65 set to triple by 2050.

A crowd gathers constantly in front of the gallery, with some people filming the rows of printed faces.

Russian air attacks killed 12 people and injured several more in Kyiv and the surrounding region early on Tuesday, authorities said, in the sixth consecutive day of strikes on the Ukrainian capital.

This season 90 chicks have passed the 150 days old milestone bring the critically endangered parrot numbers from 235 to 325.

Inflation and fiscal concerns weigh on the market even after intervention and verbal support from officials.

Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers has said that that any form of strike action in the public sector is completely unnecessary.

Health Minister Simeon Brown says all eligible women aged 25 to 69 will be able to get free screening for cervical cancer from 1 March.

Palau, host of this year's Pacific Islands Forum, invited Taiwan's foreign minister to attend, one of Taipei's few remaining avenues for international exposure.

When Aisling Dekker's HAP tenancy fell through, she found herself entering homeless accommodation with her two children.

A reporter-turned-farmer, Akiyama had hopes for a younger generation able to think freely.

The United States' move to welcome Russia back to a meeting of G20 countries while denying some journalists access to the gathering dismayed some finance leaders present.

A total of 119 people have been rescued in Nepal nearly a week after flash floods killed more than 1,000 people in the country, an official has said.

This year's annual drill simulated a scenario in which a 8.3-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Tokachi in Hokkaido at around 7 a.m.

The shares fell to as low as HK$43.72 in early trading, compared with the IPO price of HK$48.56, before recovering some of the losses.

The Ukraine conflict is a top priority for Poland as the country shares a border with Ukraine and sees Russia as an existential threat, officials said.

Someone rode off on a bike with the 1.4 metre tall outdoor sculpture under their arm.

The government released stockpiles of rice last year to lower prices, a move that significantly depleted reserves of the grain.

Hundreds of Māori tertiary students have descended on Tāmaki Makaurau for Te Huinga Tauira, a national hui centred on culture, connection and the voices of tauira Māori. The annual conference...

The grants risk deepening tensions between the Trump administration and European governments, some of which have already accused Washington of interfering.

The Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton said the Leaving Certificate draft maths curriculum is "not final" and that there could be "significant changes" to the finished document.

France has started imposing penalties on the extreme end of fast fashion to try to curb a surge in sales of cheap clothing sold by e-commerce sites including Shein and Temu.

Rescue teams with search dogs on Tuesday continued to look through mud, rocks and debris along the border between Nepal and China for thousands of people still missing following the catastrophic floods that tore through communities across the Himalayas, leaving more than 1,000 dead.

More than 100 Indians are missing at a vital Nepal-China trade crossing after devastating Himalayan floods.

From protein-maxxing to tracking sleep scores and step counts, what's behind the drive for a quantified and optimized self?

Paul Davison KC's report found the risk was known decades before six people died in the landslide.

Even when operations to disrupt illegal gold mines go according to plan, it's only a matter of days before miners return, said a federal prosecutor involved in the operations.

In a statement to Rosmini College, Health NZ said there was also one prior suspected case - notified in July.

A court brief has been filed in support of Apple's motion for expedited pretrial fact-finding in the lawsuit, which accuses the ChatGPT-maker of stealing trade secrets.

Vonn, 41, tore her ACL in ​a World Cup race in Switzerland on Jan. 30, just a week ​before the start of the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Just after Jo Hooper landed her dream role at 30, she struggled with burnout and had to take time off work.