Oct 11, 2026
Russia is looking to expand shipbuilding cooperation with China through technology partnerships and joint investment, visiting presidential aide and Maritime Board chairman Nikolai Patrushev said. Patrushev held talks in Beijing with Ke Jixin, Chinese vice-minister of industry and information technology, the Russian Maritime Board said in a statement on Saturday. It said the two sides discussed the possibility of Chinese shipbuilders becoming technology partners and equipment suppliers for new...
Hong Kong’s Asia+ Festival, the annual celebration of the cultural diversity of the region, particularly those countries linked by the Belt and Road Initiative – China’s plan to develop a global trading network – is back for its fourth edition under the theme “Traditions Recast”. Two headline shows at this year’s festival – organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department – which runs until the end of November, perfectly capture that spirit by fusing ancient music with visual art and...
MANILA, Philippines — Constituents of Caloocan City can avail themselves of free mental health screening and consultation and other services to take care of their well-being. According to the Caloocan City Public Information Office (PIO), the Caloocan City Calm Space is located on the 5th floor of Caloocan City Hall – South and is operational
MANILA, Philippines — After Sen. Mark Villar’s transfer to the Senate majority last week, no other senator has yet informed the minority bloc of planning to cross over the political fence, according to Sen. Robinhood Padilla. But if any of his colleagues in the minority should decide to follow Villar’s move, he said the group
VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon — Manases “Mans” Carpio has felt exasperated over being dragged into the political controversies surrounding his wife, Vice President Sara Duterte, describing himself as a “collateral damage” in the impeachment case she is facing. “Pati ako, gidamay. Pastilan. Murag ako man gi-impeach da. Wala silay makita kang Sara ba, kaya murag collateral
MUNGYEONG, North Gyeongsang Province —Every step along the country road reveals another pale purple flower emerging through the mist. Any visitor soon finds themselves surrounded by thousands upon thousands of blossoms. A wave of flowers winds along the ridges of the wooded hillside, revealing here and there a statue of the Buddha or stately pine trees. It is a truly dreamlike and otherworldly scene. Bongcheon Temple, a small Buddhist temple halfway up Mount Wolbang in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, is blanketed in purple aster flowers every autumn. The sight is spectacular every year, but the flowers are particularly abundant this year. Seven asters grow into a field of flowers The flowers cover an area of 23,100 square meters, but began with just seven aster flowers. When the abbot first came to the temple 12 years ago, the surrounding hillside was barren. It was covered with kudzu vines, with only a few small vegetable plots cultivated by local residents scattered here and there. Looking for a wildflower that could thrive on the rocky, weed-covered hillside, the monk chose aste
Tucked inside the bustling Seocho District in southern Seoul, the Seoripul Musical Instrument Street has long served as the heart of Korea’s classical music scene. Situated near the Seoul Arts Center and the prestigious Korea National University of Arts, this designated cultural zone is home to scores of instrument workshops, rehearsal spaces and specialized repair shops. It is a neighborhood where the delicate scent of wood varnish drifts into the alleyways and the world’s finest string instruments find their voice. Starting Oct. 17, the district will showcase this centuries-old craft during the 2026 Seoripul K-String Fair at the Rhode Art Center. Running through Oct. 23, the event stands as Korea’s premier modern string instrument festival, bringing together 13 master instrument makers based in Korea and Italy to display 28 handcrafted masterpieces, including 21 violins, five violas and two cellos. Crafting a violin is a painstaking pursuit of acoustic perfection. Artisans spend hundreds of hours carving maple and spruce, shaping the instrument’s delicate arching to control so
BUSAN — “Take a slow, deep breath. Let the aroma of neroli, sandalwood and lavender release every bit of tension held in your body.” As dusk settled at 6 p.m. on Oct. 2, Paradise Hotel Busan unveiled a sanctuary of quiet renewal. Against the dramatic sweep of the autumn sea and a fading horizon, the hotel introduced a specialized wellness experience designed to blend thermal spa immersion with deep meditation. Held as an intimate gathering for 10 members, the "Ocean Healing Ritual with the Autumn Sea" began with a simple act: An instructor gently placed a few drops of aromatic oil onto each participant's open palms. In the crisp evening air, participants rubbed the fragrant oils into their hands, smoothing away the knots in their necks and shoulders. Through a series of gentle yoga postures, they began to release the weight of the day, restoring physical and mental equilibrium. The initiative is part of Paradise Hotel Busan’s ongoing effort to design wellness experiences grounded in the season and its coastal setting. In collaboration with Amorepacific’s ultra-luxury skin care
Among domestic travelers in Korea, a popular catchphrase has taken root to describe the post-vacation blues: Busan fever. The term captures the lingering nostalgia visitors feel for the southern port city's coastal views, vibrant night markets and laid-back atmosphere long after their trips have ended. Starting this week, the Busan Metropolitan Government is offering a digital remedy for that homesickness. City officials launched Busan Kku, a dedicated online platform distributing free downloadable digital merchandise — ranging from smartphone wallpapers to tablet stickers — designed to help domestic and international travelers bring a piece of Busan into their daily lives. The initiative taps directly into a popular youth culture trend in Korea known as "ponkku" (decorating smartphones) and "keomkku" (customizing computers and tablets). Moving away from traditional, text-heavy public relations, municipal planners collaborated with local Busan illustrators to craft high-quality digital goods that appeal to Gen Z and digital natives. Downloads include aesthetic illustrations of iconi
Four papers co-authored by Lee Jun-hyun, a professor in the Division of Computer Engineering at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), have been accepted at three of the world’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) conferences this year, the university said Wednesday. The three conferences are the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR), the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) and the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS). Together, they are known as the “Big Three” AI conferences. Researchers from academia and industry worldwide present their latest findings at the conferences, where papers undergo rigorous peer review, the university said. Lee was the corresponding author of all four papers: one accepted at ICLR 2026, one at ICML 2026 and two at NeurIPS 2026. This marks the first time Lee has had papers accepted at all three conferences in a single year, highlighting the breadth of his research in AI system evaluation and collaboration, efficient information exchange and model compression. The studies were conducted
Sungkyunkwan University hosted the Southeast Asia regional round of the 2026 Sungkyun Hangeul Essay Contest at Thuongmai University and the Grand Plaza Hanoi Hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Oct. 1. The university said the contest brought together 47 outstanding students selected from leading universities in five Southeast Asian countries — Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos — to demonstrate their Korean-language writing skills. Launched in 2007, the Sungkyun Hangeul Essay Contest is one of the university’s flagship international exchange programs, encouraging young people to express their thoughts and dreams in Korean and deepen their understanding of Korean culture. Participants spent two hours writing personal essays on the topic “Two Paths,” which was announced on the day of the competition. Drawing on moments of choice they had faced in life and their personal experiences, the students crafted thoughtful essays in Korean that deeply moved the judges. The grand prize, known as the Jangwon Prize, went to Ta Thi Bich, a student at the University of Languages and Intern
The University of Seoul held a showcase Wednesday to highlight the experiences and achievements of students who took part in its 2026 GO (Global Odyssey)-UOS overseas study tour program. The university said the event, held for the first time this year, gave the 25 participating teams an opportunity to present their projects and exchange ideas after completing their overseas trips during the summer break. This year’s GO-UOS program involved 100 students divided into 25 teams, which visited 33 cities in 12 countries, including the United States, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Japan and China. Each team carried out a range of activities tailored to its specific theme and objectives. All 25 teams presented the results of their overseas projects at the showcase. Ten teams were selected for awards based on a combination of peer evaluations of promotional materials submitted in advance and on-site assessments. Through their presentations, students shared what they had learned during their overseas trips and how the experiences had contributed to their personal growth. “This trip went beyond a sim
