2 killed in oil products tanker fire off Incheon

Two people were killed after a ship carrying oil products caught fire in waters off Incheon late Thursday, west of Seoul, the Coast Guard said. The fire has been extinguished. The fire broke out aboard the 7,000-ton vessel at around 10:38 p.m. Thursday, according to the Coast Guard. Of the 18 crew members aboard, a man in his 60s and another man in his 20s were found in cardiac arrest and were transported to a nearby port but died. The remaining 16 crew members were all rescued and are in stable

2026-08-28 08:39:43:00

IAEA chief backs potential Trump-Kim meeting, calls it 'very important': report

The chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has expressed his support for a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, saying it is "very important" that the leaders meet, according to a report. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, made the remarks in an interview with The Washington Post on Wednesday, as Trump recently expressed his intention to meet Kim later this year. "It's very important that they meet," Grossi was

2026-08-28 08:26:49:00

Samsung’s $700 Galaxy 26 FE gets a price hike even with many tradeoffs

Samsung Electronics Co. introduced the Galaxy S26 FE, its latest smartphone aimed at consumers who want a device that’s priced well below high-end models but still offers at least a few premium features. The $700 device, announced Thursday, is $50 more expensive than its predecessor, marking another cost increase at a time when consumers have grown accustomed to routine price hikes amid an industry-wide memory chip shortage. The handset will be available from select carrier partners on Sept. 3,

2026-08-27 21:33:52:00

US scholar suggests S. Korea refrain from 'bad-mouthing' N. Korea for peace coexistence

Jared Diamond, a renowned US scholar, suggested Thursday that South Korea refrain from publicly "bad-mouthing" North Korea if it wants to achieve peaceful coexistence with Pyongyang. Diamond, author of the best-selling "Guns, Germs and Steel," made the remarks during a forum in Seoul, referring to the approach taken by the Finnish government to retain a peaceful relationship with Russia for over 80 years. "So, Finland avoids criticizing Russia ... because they realize that that's necessary for t

2026-08-27 21:17:34:00

9 of 10 isolated South Koreans moved to safety after devastating Nepal floods

Nine of 10 South Koreans who had been isolated following massive flooding in Nepal were moved to safety Thursday, while one remains at the affected site, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The 10 South Koreans affiliated with plant builder Doosan Enerbility Co. had been staying at a temporary shelter after evacuating the area, along with about 200 foreign employees working on a hydropower plant construction project in Nepal's Rasuwa district, according to the ministry. Nine of the 10 were transporte

2026-08-27 20:09:58:00

Seoul stocks end higher for 3rd day on Nvidia earnings

Seoul stocks closed over 1 percent higher Thursday, boosted by better-than-expected earnings results from Nvidia, despite a back-to-back rate hike by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The Korean won rose against the US dollar. After opening over 2 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) closed up 104.16 points, or 1.53 percent, at 6,912.37. Trade volume was light at 265.5 million shares worth 22.5 trillion won ($16.3 billion). Losers outnumbered winners 537 to 316. Retail

2026-08-27 16:08:09:00

Chinese man admits to scattering murder victim's remains: police

A Chinese man accused of murdering a female Chinese graduate student has admitted to discarding parts of her remains not only in the southeastern city of Gyeongsan where her body was first found but also in northwestern Gyeonggi Province, police said Thursday. The 25-year-old victim was found dead at the suspect's residence in Gyeongsan on Tuesday after going missing for five days. Police apprehended the 30-something man, surnamed Jeong, the same day. During police questioning, the suspect admit

2026-08-27 13:09:50:00

US says Chinese hackers broke into Justice Department, NASA, Federal Reserve, Senate

The US saidWednesday it had disrupted a Chinese hacking operation responsible for breakins and attempts on the Justice Department, NASA, the Federal Reserve, the Senate, and other sensitive government agencies. In ‌a statement, the Justice Department said it had seized domains used by two hacking platforms, dubbed QScan and QTRouter, which it said had been used as part of the campaign. An affidavit identified the US Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, the National Inst

2026-08-27 13:02:37:00

World's soils deteriorating while solutions go unused: UN

More than half of the world's soils are in poor condition, threatening global food supplies and biodiversity, while proven measures to improve soil health are not being implemented, said a UN report released on Thursday. "Globally, we must shift from a mindset of soil exploitation to one of soil stewardship," the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization warned. Soils "support 95 percent of our food production, host 59 percent of global biodiversity, and serve as the planet's second-largest carbon

2026-08-27 12:59:45:00

Meta reaches landmark $18b settlement

Meta agreed Wednesday to pay up to $18 billion and add stronger child-safety measures to its Facebook and Instagram platforms as part of a landmark legal settlement that ended a trial over teen social media addiction and settled claims filed by nearly every state. The settlement resolved a pivotal case years in the making that sought to hold the tech giant accountable for the role its platforms played in undermining children’s mental health. The effort targeted features designed to hook young pe

2026-08-27 12:57:20:00