NEW YORK ― Presumed 2016 presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton stormed back onto America’s political stage Tuesday, seeking to quell concerns she used private email while secretary of state but acknowledging it was not the “smarter” option. In her first public comments since the controversy erupted last week, Clinton said she exclusively used a personal email account as a “matter of convenience,”...

SAN FRANCISCO ― Apple launched an assault on the fledgling wearable tech market Monday, unveiling a high-end smartwatch that offers new ways to stay connected and to track health and fitness. The Apple Watch will be available in several major markets around the world from April 24, at a starting price of $349. “Apple Watch begins a new chapter in the way we relate to technology,” said chief exe...

Japan will honor its dead this week from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the coastline north of Tokyo on March 11 four years ago. For those who have spent those years helping survivors in the northeast region known as Tohoku, the experience has thrown up the challenge of how to knit back together communities built over centuries, then shattered in the space of minutes on that Friday a...

A documentary film investigating China’s poor air quality was pulled from major Chinese online video sites on Friday by order of the government after it drew millions of views, the Wall Street Journal reported. “Under the Dome” was withdrawn from Internet services including Youku Tudou Inc. and Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s v.qq.com, the Journal said, citing unidentified people familiar with the gover...

When U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert began his term here last October, local reports expressed hope that Lippert’s friendship with U.S. President Barack Obama would help strengthen the alliance between the two nations. Lippert, the youngest-ever Washington ambassador to Seoul at 42, lived up to the expectations of boosting ties, not through his relationship with Obama, but through wh...

RALEIGH, North Carolina ― Former CIA Director David Petraeus, whose once-bright political future was all but destroyed over an affair with his biographer, has agreed to plead guilty to charges he shared classified material with her for her book. The plea agreement ― which carries a possible sentence of up to a year in prison ― represents another blow to the reputation of the retired four-star Ar...

SEOUL/BARCELONA, Spain ― Samsung Electronics has fired its greatest shot against archrival Apple, with its new flagship smartphone the Galaxy S6 and its Edge variant being touted as the “most beautiful Samsung phone ever” during the unveiling event in Barcelona. The new phones use metal instead of plastic, are equipped with wireless charging and advanced camera technology, and feature Samsung’s ...

WASHINGTON ― Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ramps up his mission to foil an emerging White House-backed nuclear deal with Iran with a speech on Monday to the powerful pro-Israel AIPAC lobby. Netanyahu has infuriated the White House and Democratic lawmakers by accepting an invitation by President Barack Obama’s Republican foes to speak on Capitol Hill Tuesday. Also addressing the 16,0...

Park Geun-hye on Sunday embarked on her strategic trip to four wealthy Muslim countries in a bid to attract “oil money” in her efforts to reinvigorate the economy, in particular the construction sector, which has been in the doldrums since the 2008-09 global financial crisis. Right before her departure for the Middle East, she replaced her chief of staff. The administration is seeking a turnarou...

The reclaimed region of Saemangeum, North Jeolla Province, is in the limelight after the government announced plans to create a Korea-China free trade agreement industrial complex in the area. The government announced the plan to attract investments from the world’s second-largest economy, following the preliminary signing of the Korea-China FTA on Wednesday. “The Korea-China FTA Industrial Com...

Samsung Electronics vice chairman Lee Jay-young is making a big push to absorb young tech firms around the world as part of efforts to create new software and service offerings and finally secure new revenue sources. Since chairman Lee Kun-hee was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack in May, the Korean tech giant, led by the son, has acquired or invested in 11 international start-ups. Thi...

Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo on Tuesday stopped by the National Assembly for the first time since assuming office last week, to carry out what is often considered a ceremonial visit. His visit was an emotional one though, as he shed tears with his former counterpart Rep. Woo Yoon-keun of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy. The two met for the first time since Lee’s tough confi...

HOLLYWOOD ― “Birdman,” which won the best picture Oscar on Sunday, is a quirky black comedy about the dark side of fame in the entertainment industry, starring Michael Keaton in the performance of his career. The film directed by Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu was the big winner of the night, taking four Oscars out of nine nominations ― including best director and best original screenplay....

Yim Jong-ryong, the nominee for chairman of South Korea’s top financial regulator, is expected to face stiff criticism during his parliamentary confirmation hearing, as the Assembly is divided over his suitability. The opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy likened Yim to previous heads of the Financial Services Commission, calling the former vice finance minister a member of the “mofia”...

When new Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo takes office Tuesday, he will face the herculean task of winning back the public trust he lost through reports of conscription evasion, property speculation and intimidation of journalists. In South Korea, prime ministers are often limited to nominal roles, with executive power centered in the presidential office. But Lee faces daunting challenges as he is ta...