North Korea at Japan’s Asian Games: sports diplomacy or propaganda stunt?

South China Morning Post - Sep 17, 2026

North Korea’s decision to send a record delegation to the 2026 Asian Games in Japan could serve as a calculated opening for limited diplomacy with Washington and Tokyo, even as major obstacles to formal talks remain. State media reported on Wednesday that a delegation led by Kim Il-guk, North Korea’s sports minister, had left for Japan to attend the Games. The 20th Asian Games are being held in Nagoya and surrounding Aichi prefecture and run from Saturday to October 4. North Korea’s 180-strong...

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Sungkyunkwan University research offers design guidelines for organic solar cells

Sep 17, 2026

Sungkyunkwan University research offers design guidelines for organic solar cells

A Sungkyunkwan University research team has analyzed an ultrafast process through which electricity is generated in organic solar cells, offering design guidelines for developing more efficient materials. The university said Monday that the team, led by chemistry professors Kim Tae-yeon and Ko Doo-hyun, conducted the analysis, providing insights for the development of higher-performance solar cell materials. Organic solar cells are a next-generation clean energy technology prized for their flexibility and transparency. The silicon solar panels commonly seen on rooftops are heavy and rigid. Organic solar cells, by contrast, use lightweight, thin films that can be bent and shaped, making them a promising technology that could be integrated into windows or even clothing. More recently, non-fullerene acceptors have emerged as a new class of materials that can significantly improve the efficiency of converting sunlight into electricity. However, exactly how electricity is generated in these materials at the moment they absorb sunlight has remained uncertain. To unravel this mystery, the researc

9 sent to prosecution for alleged extortion targeting foreigners in Yangsan, Gimhae

Sep 17, 2026

9 sent to prosecution for alleged extortion targeting foreigners in Yangsan, Gimhae

Police have referred nine individuals to the prosecution on suspicion of intimidating and extorting money from foreign nationals operating unregistered motorcycles in the southeastern cities of Yangsan and Gimhae, local authorities said Thursday. According to the Yangsan Police Station, two suspects in their 20s allegedly extorted about 2 million won ($1,450) from foreign riders on 24 occasions between June and July in the city located some 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul by threatening to report them to police. They actually did so when victims claimed they had no money. The suspects apparently targeted foreigners knowing they would not be reported to the police as the victims feared their own undocumented status or operation of unregistered motorcycles would be exposed. Similarly, seven teenagers in Gimhae, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, were transferred to the prosecution on suspicion of intimidating foreign motorcyclists without license plates, such as by kicking their vehicles, in September 2025 and June 2026, according to the Gimhae Seobu Police Station. Police noted, h

Illegal imports of weight-loss drugs top 5,000 through Aug.: customs agency

Sep 17, 2026

Illegal imports of weight-loss drugs top 5,000 through Aug.: customs agency

Korea's customs agency said Thursday the number of attempted illegal imports of weight-loss medications, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, surged from a year earlier to exceed 5,000. A total of 5,030 cases involving the illegal import of weight-loss drugs through overseas direct purchases and other illicit channels were detected in the January-August period, far exceeding the 1,189 cases tallied for all of last year, according to data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. The customs agency has been working closely with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to inspect imported medications as part of efforts to protect public health from unauthorized products. While Wegovy and Mounjaro are prohibited from being brought into the country in travelers' hand luggage, a growing number of Koreans have attempted to purchase the medications from neighboring countries due to price differences. "The customs agency conducts X-ray scans and baggage inspections and returns or discards products that do not meet import requirements," the agency said. "If violations go beyond a failure to meet import requireme

Gov't supports bill easing restrictions on civilian contact with N. Koreans: lawmaker

Sep 17, 2026

Gov't supports bill easing restrictions on civilian contact with N. Koreans: lawmaker

The government has expressed support for a bill that would ease restrictions on South Koreans seeking to contact North Korean residents by removing its authority to block such contacts, officials said Thursday. Under the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, South Korean nationals planning to make contact with North Koreans are required to file a report in advance with the unification ministry. The ministry may reject such requests if there are clear concerns that the contact may undermine inter-Korean cooperation or pose a threat to national security, public order or public welfare. A revision proposed by Rep. Kim Joon-hyung of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party seeks to remove the government's authority to reject such requests, and the government has decided to support the move, Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo of the main opposition People Power Party said, citing a report from the unification ministry. The ministry confirmed its position, saying, "The government supports the proposed revision, considering the law's purpose of promoting inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, operating a system

President Lee set to meet IEA chief to discuss energy security

Sep 17, 2026

President Lee set to meet IEA chief to discuss energy security

President Lee Jae Myung will meet with International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol on Thursday to discuss energy security and other global issues, his office said. The meeting at Cheong Wa Dae was arranged as a follow-up to Lee's proposal during the Group of Seven summit in June to discuss ways to cooperate to strengthen the resilience of Asia-Pacific nations' energy supply chain, it said in a press release. Lee and Birol plan to share views on ways to strengthen global energy security amid the intensifying energy and climate crises seen in the recent war in the Middle East and devastating flood in Nepal. Birol has been at the forefront of efforts to overcome the global energy crisis, such as by getting IEA member countries to release 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves in response to the Middle East conflict in March, the presidential office said.

Special counsel team raids election watchdog in probe into ballot shortages

Sep 17, 2026

Special counsel team raids election watchdog in probe into ballot shortages

A special counsel team on Thursday raided the national election watchdog and other local election commissions as part of its probe into shortages of ballots during the June 3 local elections. It marked the first raid by special counsel Lee Tae-han's team after its launch on Sept. 7 to investigate the shortages that sparked major public outcry after some voters were forced to turn back without casting their votes. Lee's team sent investigators to nine locations, including the National Election Commission (NEC) based in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, and the local election commissions of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, Busan and Daegu. Investigators seek to seize internal records in connection with the ballot shortages. During the elections, the shortages led to voting disruptions at some polling stations in Gyeonggi that surrounds the capital, the western city of Incheon, and the southeastern cities of Busan and Daegu. The special counsel team is tasked with investigating the election watchdog's management of ballot papers and suspected tampering of voter turnout data during the local election

Korean Catholic Church voices 'deep concerns' over abortion bill plan

Sep 17, 2026

Korean Catholic Church voices 'deep concerns' over abortion bill plan

The Korean Catholic Church has expressed "deep concerns" over government plans to formally introduce abortion pills and urged for a reconsideration. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK) made the call in a statement issued Wednesday after the government announced plans to allow the use of abortion pills by women up to nine weeks pregnant. "The CBCK voices deep concerns as this measure would only institutionalize abortion in an 'orderly' manner, without changing its fundamental nature, while allowing a disregard for life to be more deeply rooted in our society," the organization said. The Korean Catholic Church said the phased introduction of abortion pills is merely a "road map" to expand them, stressing that regardless of how well the process is built, it does not change the fact that the pill kills a human life in the womb. The CBCK said a society that truly respects humans is not one that gets rid of the most vulnerable life to ease the difficulties of women but one that takes the responsibility so that women would not have to give up on new life. In such a regard, it asked

The Hidden Human Cost of Kim Jong-un’s New Power

Sep 17, 2026

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The North Korean leader’s financial and diplomatic leverage rests on the brutal exploitation of his own people, from coal miners to diplomats, at home and abroad.

Martin Romualdez co-accused Joselyn Serenio has left PH --BI

Sep 17, 2026

Martin Romualdez co-accused Joselyn Serenio has left PH --BI

The co-accused and personal assistant of Leyte Representative and former House Speaker Martin Romauldez in his plunder case has left the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Thursday.

Hyrox Beijing refunds participants affected by defecation incident

Sep 17, 2026

Hyrox Beijing refunds participants affected by defecation incident

Hyrox Beijing has refunded participants who competed on the same schedule as the athlete who defecated mid-competition on September 12.

Indian transgender patients left in limbo following legal amendments

Sep 17, 2026

Indian transgender patients left in limbo following legal amendments

When transgender woman Kali Sidharth Medepalli began hormone replacement therapy in India, she expected to complete her medical transition and undergo surgery within a year. But just months after she began treatment earlier this year, India’s parliament amended the country’s transgender law, and the clinic where she was receiving care stopped her medicines. “Everything shut down,” the 23-year-old communications specialist and LGBTQ rights activist said in the southern city of Hyderabad. Kali...

LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

Sep 17, 2026

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Sep 17, 2026

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For retired Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, only 21 senator-judges are qualified to vote in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

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Sep 17, 2026

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Sep 17, 2026

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Part of the donor's tax for the P75 million worth of funds donated to Senator Rodante Marcoleta was paid by his employee, a witness told the Sandiganbayan on Thursday.

Is Japan’s Okinawa finally moving past anti-base politics?

Sep 17, 2026

Is Japan’s Okinawa finally moving past anti-base politics?

Okinawa has handed a landslide victory to a conservative who accepts Tokyo’s plans for relocating a controversial US airbase – delivering a blow to 12 years of anti-base politics in Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Genta Koja’s victory on Sunday over two-term governor Denny Tamaki raised a question cutting to the heart of Okinawa’s post-war politics: is it finally starting to move on from the US military base issue? Koja, a 42-year-old conservative backed by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae...

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Seizing the Luding Bridge

Sep 17, 2026

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Held up on the banks of the Dadu River by a lack of ferries to carry its soldiers and equipment across, the Central Red Army was under imminent threat from a vast, rapidly-approaching enemy force. To open up an alternative route across the river, the Red Army's 4th Regiment was ordered to capture the Luding Bridge, 120 kilometers away.

Alex Eala pays a visit to alma mater Colegio San Agustin Makati

Sep 17, 2026

Alex Eala pays a visit to alma mater Colegio San Agustin Makati

Alex Eala is back home, and she paid a visit to her alma mater, Colegio San Agustin Makati (CSA).

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Sep 17, 2026

The Long March History | Capturing Luding Bridge

In late May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the banks of the Dadu River in Sichuan Province. However, their attempts to cross were severely hampered by the limited number of boats available and the river's swift, turbulent current.

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Held Up at the Dadu River

Sep 17, 2026

The Red Ribbon on the Earth | Held Up at the Dadu River

In late May 1935, the Central Red Army reached the banks of the Dadu River in Sichuan. However, the possibility of crossing it was complicated by a severe shortage of available ferries.

OpenAI’s rogue agents probed Hugging Face for weaknesses 2 months before major hack

Sep 17, 2026

OpenAI’s rogue agents probed Hugging Face for weaknesses 2 months before major hack

The newly uncovered malicious activity shows that the rogue agents' efforts to find a way into Hugging Face began earlier than was publicly known

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

Sep 17, 2026

Intl. media outlets highlight China's role in BRICS cooperation

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Risk of unrest in Asia as Iran war, El Nino threaten food supplies

Sep 17, 2026

Risk of unrest in Asia as Iran war, El Nino threaten food supplies

Severe weather disruptions will amplify food security risks in Asia, potentially triggering civil unrest and political instability in vulnerable countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, according to consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. The warning comes as the war in Iran has already disrupted fuel and fertiliser supplies, both of which are key agricultural inputs. Now, weather extremes linked to a powerful El Nino are further threatening crops across the region. Indonesia, the world’s...

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