Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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A Hong Kong protester on why he won't surrender to police
Pale and thin, a teenager wandered the nearly deserted campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University at about 1 a.m. Wednesday. He hugged his body with his arms, whether because of the chill in the air or gnawing worry he felt was unclear.Only a handful of protesters remain at "Poly U," which hundreds occupied for several days, fighting pitched battles with police in the surrounding streets. Now, authorities have cut off the campus and are arresting anyone who comes out.The teen, who woul
Nov. 20, 2019
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[Graphic News] Over half of Americans favor Trump impeachment: poll
A slim majority of Americans believe President Donald Trump should be impeached and removed from office for his controversial Ukraine actions, according to the first poll after the launch of public hearings in the US Congress. Fifty-one percent of those asked said they think Trump should be tried and convicted in the US Senate, while another 6 percent favor impeachment but not removal, according to the ABC News-Ipsos poll released. That appeared to represent an increase from before the hearings
Nov. 20, 2019
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US Senate passes Hong Kong rights bill, angering China
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The US Senate unanimously adopted legislation Tuesday supporting "human rights and democracy" in Hong Kong and threatening to revoke its special economic status, angering China which promptly summoned a US diplomat and threatened countermeasures.The lawmakers also approved a measure that would ban the sale of tear gas, rubber bullets and other equipment that have been used by security forces to suppress pro-democracy protests for nearly six months.Chinese vice forei
Nov. 20, 2019
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Baby Shark run continues with new tour dates
NEW YORK (AP) -- Most viral videos have a finite shelf life, but the "doo doo doo" of "Baby Shark" shows no sign of abating.The little ditty and dance about a family of sharks that captivated the toddler set and beyond will still be with us as we go into the next decade, with a "Baby Shark Live!" tour launching a new set of concert dates after recently wrapping up dozens of performances in its first run in North America. The second leg of the tour kicks off in Indep
Nov. 20, 2019
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In new pro-Israel shift, US no longer calls settlements illegal
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States no longer believes that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories are illegal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday in the latest pro-Israel shift by Washington.The statement puts the United States at odds with virtually all countries as well as UN Security Council resolutions and was hailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of President Donald Trump who is days away from potentially losing office."After caref
Nov. 19, 2019
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[Newsmaker] China says only it can rule on Hong Kong constitution
BEIJING (AFP) -- China insisted Tuesday it held the sole authority to rule on constitutional matters in Hong Kong, as it condemned a decision by the city's high court to overturn a ban on face masks worn by pro-democracy protesters.The statement could further fan the flames in Hong Kong after months of violent protests over concerns that Beijing is chipping away at the autonomy of the financial hub.The ban on face-covering came into force in October, when the city's unelected pro-Beijing leader
Nov. 19, 2019
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Trump says will 'strongly consider' testifying in impeachment probe
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- President Donald Trump said Monday he is "strongly" considering accepting a challenge from opposition Democrats to testify in his own impeachment investigation.After the speaker of the lower house, Nancy Pelosi, upped the ante by suggesting that Trump come forward to tell the "truth," the Republican president said he was keen.Pelosi suggested "that I testify about the phony Impeachment Witch Hunt. She also said I could do it in writing," Trump tw
Nov. 19, 2019
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China will not sit back if Hong Kong situation gets 'uncontrollable': UK envoy
China will not simply sit back and watch if months of protests in Hong Kong develop into an "uncontrollable" situation, the country's ambassador to Britain said Monday."I think the Hong Kong government is trying very hard to put the situation under control," Liu Xiaoming told a London press conference, as fresh violence erupts after months of protests."But if the situation becomes uncontrollable, the central government would certainly not sit on our hands and watch. We h
Nov. 18, 2019
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South Korea lowers travel advisory for Catalonia
South Korea lowered its travel alert for Catalonia, in northeastern Spain, on Monday as the unrest stemming from a pro-independence movement has eased, the foreign ministry said. A "navy" travel warning, which calls for caution, now applies to the region, including Barcelona, adjusted from the "yellow" alert, meaning travel restraint, that had been in effect since mid-October, the ministry said. South Korea raised the travel alert last month as riots led by separat
Nov. 18, 2019
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'Kawaii!' Olympic robot mascots thrill Tokyo students
TOKYO (AFP) -- Robot versions of Japan's Olympic and Paralympic mascots thrilled hundreds of school children in Tokyo on Monday, striking sporting poses and displaying hearts in their electronic eyes.The event at a local elementary school was billed as a chance to showcase some of the technology Japan hopes will wow visitors at the Tokyo 2020 Games.Some 600 pupils clapped and shouted "kawaii (cute)!" as the toddler-sized versions of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic mascots were un
Nov. 18, 2019
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Hong Kong anti-mask law 'unconstitutional': High court
HONG KONG (AFP) -- A government ban on demonstrators wearing face masks, aimed at helping to quell months of pro-democracy unrest in Hong Kong, is unconstitutional, the territory's high court ruled Monday."The restrictions it imposes on fundamental rights... go further than is reasonably necessary... and therefore fail to meet the proportionality test," the court said, according to a press summary. The ban on face-covering came into force in October, when the city's unelected pro-Beiji
Nov. 18, 2019
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[Newsmaker] Hong Kong police storm university held by protesters
HONG KONG (AP) -- Police breached a Hong Kong university campus held by protesters early Monday after an all-night siege that included firing repeated barrages of tear gas and water cannons.Anti-government protesters have barricaded themselves inside Hong Kong Polytechnic University for days. Police surrounded the area Sunday night and began moving in after issuing an ultimatum for people to leave the area. The crowd wore raincoats and carried umbrellas to shield themselves.Riot officers broke i
Nov. 18, 2019
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China's Xi warns Hong Kong protesters jeopardise 'one country, two systems'
HONG KONG (AFP) -- China's President Xi Jinping warned Thursday that protests in Hong Kong threaten the "one country, two systems" principle governing the semi-autonomous city that has tipped into worsening violence with two dead in a week.Hong Kong has been ruled by a unique system guaranteeing greater freedoms than on the mainland since its handover from British rule to China in 1997.But protests, which began against a now-shelved extradition bill to China, have spiralled into
Nov. 15, 2019
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Two killed in California school shooting, teen in custody
SANTA CLARITA (AFP) -- A teenage boy gunned down fellow students at a California high school on his 16th birthday Thursday, killing two and wounding another three before turning the pistol on himself.The gunman was taken into custody in "grave" condition, police said, as officers stormed Saugus High School in Santa Clarita -- the latest in a relentless cycle of classroom shootings in the United States that have left around 300 youngsters dead over two decades. The chilling scene played
Nov. 15, 2019
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Trump asks Supreme Court to protect his tax returns
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Donald Trump on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to bar a prosecutor from obtaining his tax returns, arguing that as president he has blanket immunity.Trump, a former New York businessman, is the first American president since Richard Nixon not to make his tax returns public, arguing they're under audit by the Internal Revenue Service.Opposition Democrats have turned to the courts to force their release in a case that's considered a crucial test of the separation of powers. A
Nov. 15, 2019
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Pressure builds as Trump impeachment probe hears new claims
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- Two top US diplomats delivered gripping testimony Wednesday about Donald Trump's efforts to get Ukraine to investigate his potential 2020 rival Joe Biden, as the impeachment inquiry into the president shifted into a new phase of high-stakes televised hearings.Trump dismissed the probe in the Democratic-led House of Representatives as a "witch hunt" and said he was "too busy" to watch the first public hearings, during which he received staunch backing from
Nov. 14, 2019
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[Graphic News] Shenzhen, Beijing lose out to Chengdu as China’s best performing city
Chengdu, the capital of China’s southwestern province Sichuan, overtook technology hub Shenzhen to top the Milken Institute’s 2019 index of the nation’s best-performing cities. This is the third time that Chengdu, best known internationally for its pandas, has been ranked first since the list began in 2015. The index incorporated nine indicators for the period up to 2017, including employment and wage growth, the growth in gross regional product per-capita, and foreign direct
Nov. 13, 2019
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Hong Kong clashes rage on university campus and business district
HONG KONG (AFP) -- Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters fought intense battles with riot police on a university campus and paralysed the city's upmarket business district Tuesday, extending one of the most violent stretches of unrest seen in more than five months of political chaos.The confrontations followed a particularly brutal day on Monday, when police shot a protester and a man was set on fire, prompting calls from western powers for compromise but further fury in China against any challenge
Nov. 13, 2019
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Democrats, GOP to vie for impeachment narrative: on TV
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Impeachable or not?Both Democrats and Republicans see the televised impeachment hearings starting this week as their first and best opportunity to shape public opinion about President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.Democrats believe the testimony will paint a vivid picture of presidential misconduct. Republicans say it will demonstrate just how lacking the evidence is for impeachment.They agree on one thing: The stakes are very high.Democrats plan a narrow foc
Nov. 12, 2019
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What slowdown? Chinese spend big in 'Singles' Day' shopping spree
SHANGHAI (AFP) -- Chinese consumers closed in on a new spending record Monday during the annual "Singles' Day" frenzy, the world's biggest 24-hour shopping event, which kicked off this year with a glitzy show by US megastar Taylor Swift.E-commerce leader Alibaba said that within the first 12 hours, nearly 192 billion yuan ($27.4 billion) had been spent -- apparently on pace to shatter last year's full 24-hour record of $30.7 billion.China's economy is in the midst of an extended slowdo
Nov. 11, 2019