PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur — Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. (RTMI) will implement higher bus fares starting Monday, Sept. 28, with commuters paying an additional P50 per ride on a particular route. The fare hike followed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) approval of a nationwide fare adjustment due to soaring fuel prices,

The Chinese Embassy on Sunday once again hit out at Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., accusing him of attacking China at a forum on Saturday.

A male named Ping Ping and a female named Fu Shuang landed on Sunday, days after China’s leader said he would dispatch “envoys of friendship” to the United States.

MANILA, Philippines — Prosecutors may drop the bribery charge in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial if they cannot present evidence before the Senate turns to the 2027 national budget, prosecution spokesperson Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said Sunday. He said prosecutors aim to finish presenting evidence against Duterte by mid-October, when the Senate is expected to

MANILA, Philippines — Consumer advocacy group CitizenWatch Philippines supports the proposal to establish national rules for shared underground conduits but said the policy must result in more reliable connectivity for Filipinos. The Private Sector Advisory Council’s Digital Infrastructure Sector recently presented to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the “One Canal Policy,” which would require telecommunications and

ILIGAN CITY — Several performers collapsed due to extreme heat during the Diyandi Festival here on Sunday, held in celebration of the city’s patronal fiesta in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel. Six contingents joined the Kasadya Street Dancing and Showdown Competition at the Anahaw Amphitheater. READ: Diyandi Festival toasts cultural harmony in Iligan Rio

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Queenie exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Sunday afternoon, according to the state weather bureau. In its latest update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Queenie, with the international name Surigae, was monitored outside the PAR as of 2 p.m. READ: Typhoon Queenie intensifies while

In China, A.I. doomsday warnings can feel distinctly Western or like a ploy to stop Chinese A.I. companies from trying to overtake their U.S. rivals.

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte will receive no special arrangements for his expected appearance as a witness in the impeachment trial of his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, according to Senate Impeachment Court spokesperson Reginald Tongol. “There are no special arrangements like that because the holding room reserved by the Senate

MANILA, Philippines — Some 337,476 private sector workers in Central Visayas are set to benefit from the PHP42 wage increase approved by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) said Sunday. The Dole said the wage adjustment will take effect Oct. 14. Under the new wage rates, the

The Philippine Coast Guard has deployed on Sunday an aircraft and a multi-response vessel to locate and challenge a vessel of the China Coast Guard that was monitored to be within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), said the PCG in a statement.

TACLOBAN CITY — A government-run kitchen that will provide free meals to people experiencing involuntary hunger in Eastern Visayas is set to open in Catbalogan City, Samar, in the first week of October, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said. DSWD Eastern Visayas Regional Director Grace Subong said the “Walang Gutom Kitchen” will

The Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan have scattered rain and thunderstorms due to the intertropical convergence zone

Hong Kong police have arrested a 34-year-old gym user in connection with the installation of three suspected pinhole cameras found in changing rooms at a 24/7 Fitness branch in Sha Tin. The arrest on Sunday came a day after police launched an investigation into the suspected voyeurism case at the outlet on Lek Yuen Street. A police spokesman said officers arrested the suspect, a local man, in Sha Tin and he remained in custody as investigations continued. In a statement on Sunday night, 24/7...

LEGAZPI CITY — Eighteen people have died of dengue in Camarines Sur, where 1,233 confirmed cases were recorded from January to Sept. 24, Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte said on Sunday, Sept. 27. Villafuerte said the provincial government was strengthening dengue prevention, surveillance and medical response, particularly in areas where cases were increasing. READ: Dengue

Afghanistan’s defence ministry said on Sunday its forces had killed 28 fighters and wounded 32 in the eastern province of Nuristan after a group it said included Islamic State militants travelled from Pakistan. The ministry alleged Pakistani militias ‌had supported the fighters and that most of them were former Afghan government security personnel. Pakistan’s information ministry rejected the allegations, describing them as “frivolous, baseless and devoid of any truth” in a post on social...

Several road rage incidents in Rizal and Cebu City recently involved physical violence, one even involving an eight-year-old girl who was injured after an object was thrown into the tricycle she was riding.

MANILA, Philippines — Face-to-face classes were suspended in Albay province for Tuesday, Sept. 29, and Wednesday, Sept. 30, due to a transport strike by groups protesting soaring fuel prices. In an advisory issued on Sunday, Albay Gov. Noel Rosal said classes at all levels in both private and public schools in the province would shift

Click here for more articles by Kormedi.com. While many people look forward to the Chuseok holiday, some worry about what they will see on the scale, with generous servings of "jeon," or pan-fried battered dishes, braised short ribs, "japchae," or stir-fried glass noodles, and "songpyeon," or half-moon-shaped rice cakes, at every meal having long been a usual sight during family gatherings. But an expert advised against extreme approaches to weight management. “There is no need to repeatedly adjust your weight by fasting before and after the holiday, either to avoid Chuseok food staples altogether or out of guilt over eating too much,” Kwon Young-geun, a professor at the Obesity and Metabolism Center at Korea University Anam Hospital, said in an interview on Wednesday, ahead of the Chuseok holiday. “The priority is to naturally return to your usual eating and activity patterns after the holiday.” During the holiday, people tend to eat more carbohydrates and salty food than usual. When carbohydrate intake is high, excess glucose is stored in the liver and muscles in the form of gly

ULSAN — “Okay, this time, pretend you’ve hit a ground ball and run all the way to first base! I’ll roll the ball, and Team B will play defense!” “Which one is Team A?” “Why are you wearing someone else’s glove? You’re supposed to step on the base! Is that how you do it or not?” “Nooo!” “Everyone, focus! Focus! Keep your eyes forward and run!” It is supposed to be a practice session, but the coach seems to be getting the most exercise. The players’ faces are full of smiles, and as soon as their turn is over, they quickly find something else to do. Every now and then, even a coach joins in the mischief before getting a scolding from the head coach. They are still learning to tell a strike from a ball. But when someone manages a rare hit, everyone knows exactly what to do. “Good job!” “Nice!” In one corner of the field, meanwhile, one batter practices swinging with surprising seriousness, as if determined to make every attempt count. “Still, this year’s new members are pretty good at baseball. And since it’s the second semester, they’re less awkward

Some of the world's oldest extant movable metal type is on display at a new museum in central Seoul, and entry is free of charge for anyone who wants to see it. However, Insa Historic Sites Museum comes across as surprisingly modest in how it displays these remarkable pieces of typographic history. The museum's collection includes 441 examples of movable metal type, selected from approximately 1,700 replicas of the originals found at the site. This includes "gabinja," originally cast in 1434, predating Johannes Gutenberg's own movable metal type by almost two decades. There are also replicas of "eulyuja" type, cast originally in 1465, representing the oldest known surviving metal types bearing examples of Hangeul, or Korean characters. Hundreds of the little metal pieces were unearthed during a 2020-21 archaeological survey and subsequent excavation. Such surveys are a mandatory part of the redevelopment process, which wiped out the southeastern corner of downtown Seoul's historic Insa-dong neighborhood to make way for G1 Seoul, a new office building that houses the museum in its basem

Planning to visit Osaka with your family this fall? That could mean hours spent booking flights and accommodations and putting together a list of destinations in advance. A new travel app aims to make that process easier. Oh Hyuk, CEO of local tour company Les Vacances and the pioneer who founded Auction, Korea's first e-commerce platform in 1998, has taken on a new challenge in the travel industry with Vacance, an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted travel platform. The app generates an itinerary based on travelers' schedules. Users can also review flight and accommodation recommendations within the same app. Unveiled this month, the app aims to revolutionize how people explore the world. It combines proprietary technology with human verified travel data accumulated over two decades by Les Vacances, allowing it to move far beyond simple itinerary generation. In a recent interview with The Korea Times, the veteran developer explained how his app stands out by keeping inaccurate travel information out. "General AI attempts to answer every question, but we dive deep into the single problem

The number of South Koreans with family members in North Korea following their separation during the 1950-53 Korean War continues to drop, with less than 33,000 now remaining and the majority of them already aged over 80 years, data showed Sunday. As of late August, a total of 134,848 people have registered as having separated family members in the North, but only 32,948 of them were still living, according to the data from the unification ministry submitted to Rep. Woo Won-shik of the ruling Democratic Party. Of the survivors, two-thirds were aged 80 and older -- 10,945 aged 80 to 89 and 11,007 aged 90 and older. Around 3,000 people with family in the North die every year, the data showed. "As not much time remains for separated families, the unification ministry must start preparing now so that inter-Korean dialogue can be discussed as a priority agenda item in the event talks resume between North Korea and the United States," said Woo, who himself has family in the North. The war left many people separated from their families, but ongoing inter-Korean tensions have made reunions diffi

MEXICO CITY — President Lee Jae Myung headed home Saturday, wrapping up his two-nation trip that earlier took him to New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly. Lee addressed the 81st U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, reaffirming his envisioned role as a "pacemaker" to help the U.S. resume dialogue with North Korea. The president also presented his phased approach to denuclearizing North Korea, beginning with a halt and reduction of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The same day, Lee held a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in New York, during which Trump reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue with North Korea, according to South Korean officials. On a state visit to Mexico that began Wednesday, Lee held summit talks with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum the following day and adopted a joint action plan calling for efforts to deepen economic cooperation and expand bilateral collaboration into artificial intelligence (AI), the defense industry and other sectors. Lee is scheduled to return home on Sunday.

Welcome to one of the most compelling coming-of-age books I have ever sampled. A Korean American girl in New York is one of a dozen high schoolers selected from around the U.S. to demonstrate their culinary skills on the first season of reality TV cooking show “Burn Off! High School Edition!” Garnish this competition with Gen Z dialogue and you have Patricia Park’s compulsively readable "What’s Eating Jackie Oh?" The eponymous Jackie lets us know right off the bat that she’s no longer “one of those AP-everything kids with the turtle backpacks” who attend a hagwon, “the school you go to after school because regular school is not enough.” But she hasn’t told her Ivy League-educated workaholic parents yet. Force-fed their great expectations as well as reminders of the disgrace of having an older brother in jail, Jackie retreats to her “mental happy place” — recipe-making. Her physical happy place is Melty’s, a deli in midtown Manhattan operated by her grandparents, first-generation immigrants from Korea. She can be found there as early as 5 a.m. on weekends and

President Lee Jae Myung held a coffee meeting with reporters in Anchorage, Alaska, Saturday on his way home from a weeklong two-nation trip. The meeting came as Lee's presidential plane briefly stopped for refueling in Alaska en route to Seoul. Since Monday, Lee had been visiting the United States and Mexico, which included an address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and a summit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City. Lee left Mexico on Saturday.

Sungkyunkwan University researchers have developed a biochip technology that enables real-time monitoring of Parkinson’s disease treatment responses. The university said Tuesday that the “organoid-on-a-chip” technology combines stem cell-derived “mini-brains” with a nanoplasmonic sensor that maximizes light-matter interactions, enabling real-time monitoring of treatment responses. The findings were published in ACS Nano, a leading international journal in nanoscience. The study was conducted by two research teams at the university, each led by Kim In-ki and Park Jong-chan, professors in the Department of Biophysics. The teams included Ph.D. candidates Cho Han-jun and Kim Young-jun and master’s candidate Yoon Na-hyun, who were both first authors of the paper. “This study is significant in that it opens a path to continuously monitoring drug responses in living human tissue over time using an ultra-precision optical sensor,” professor Kim said. “We will further develop the technology into a key platform for patient-specific drug development and disease treatment,” he adde

Locally grown long-grain rice is gaining attention after U.S. restaurant chain Chipotle selected it for use at its first location in Asia. The long-grain variety used in Chipotle’s burritos and burrito bowls in its restaurant in Seoul is less sticky and has longer, more slender grains than the short-grain rice commonly consumed in Korea. The variety remains unfamiliar to many Korean consumers. However, efforts to cultivate and commercialize the rice have been underway in Haenam, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, since 2021. The new rice is called IPS and is an indica variety developed by Chin Joong-hyoun, a professor in the Department of Integrative Biological Sciences and Industry at Sejong University. The university said the development of IPS was aimed at addressing the challenges posed by climate change and increasingly unstable agricultural production conditions. Key concerns included flooding associated with climate change and fertilizer shortages stemming from disruptions to global supply chains. To address these challenges, Chin developed IPS, which can withstand flood c

The number of undercover investigations conducted by the police has more than tripled this year from a year earlier, data showed Sunday, as Korea continues to grapple with digital sex crimes, often involving deepfake technology. The National Office of Investigation under the Korean National Police Agency said it carried out 598 undercover investigations from January to August this year, compared with 179 cases during the same period last year. The police first introduced such undercover investigations in 2021 following the "Nth room" case, in which underage girls were coerced into obscene acts in front of cameras and the footage was shared in paid online chatrooms. Since adopting the measure, the police have conducted 1,503 undercover investigations through the end of August, apprehended 2,873 suspects and formally arrested 164 of them. In the first eight months of this year, police apprehended 338 suspects through undercover investigations for engaging in conversations with children and adolescents for the purpose of sexual exploitation, six of whom were formally arrested. Police said th

South Korea's military has conducted a joint on-site investigation with the U.N. Command (UNC) into the cause of a suspected mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last week, with further probes planned, officials said Sunday. A survey team comprising some 40 personnel reached the vicinity of the suspected explosion site inside the DMZ but failed to reach the actual site of the incident, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a text message sent to reporters. The joint probe comes just six days after the explosion occurred south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) separating the two Koreas, leaving two officers seriously injured. The survey team — comprising South Korean troops, the UNC's Military Armistice Commission and relevant investigative agencies — inspected the area using mine detectors and conducted route-clearance operations in the DMZ from around 9 a.m. until sundown, according to the JCS. However, the team decided to resume the operation at a later date, citing the high risk posed by the possibility of unidentified land mines in the area and the extreme fatigu