Crews gain ground on fast-moving Bike fire in Santa Clarita; evacuations remain in place

Los Angeles Times - Oct 11, 2026

The Bike fire grew to 170 acres by 4 p.m. Sunday, prompting evacuations as both L.A. County Fire and the U.S. Forest Service responded to the blaze.

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3 telecoms' Q3 profits to jump 84% to $1.04 bil.

Oct 12, 2026

3 telecoms' Q3 profits to jump 84% to $1.04 bil.

Three major telecom companies — SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus — are expected to report an 83.56 percent year-on-year jump in combined third-quarter operating profits to 1.37 trillion won ($1.04 billion), as one-off costs from last year’s hacking incident and voluntary retirement program fade. Their combined revenue is also forecast to rise 1.54 percent to about 15.35 trillion won. According to financial data provider FnGuide, the increase largely reflects a low base from last year, when SK Telecom incurred expenses related to a SIM card data breach and LG Uplus recorded costs for a voluntary retirement program. The combined figure would also be 10.47 percent higher than the 1.24 trillion won recorded in the third quarter of 2024, putting earnings above pre-incident levels. SK Telecom is expected to lead the recovery, with an operating profit soaring 981.5 percent year-on-year to 523.9 billion won and revenue rising 11.87 percent to about 4.45 trillion won. The company’s operating profit slumped to 48.4 billion won in the third quarter last year after the breach in April led to costl

Best spots for autumn stroll: 4 destinations in South Gyeongsang Province

Oct 12, 2026

Best spots for autumn stroll: 4 destinations in South Gyeongsang Province

October, when autumn colors grow richer, is an ideal time to slow down and take in the seasonal scenery on foot. With every step, the changing hues of autumn leaves, the breeze, ancient trees and forest paths offer a chance to escape the daily routine and fully immerse oneself in the spirit of the season. To mark the arrival of October, South Gyeongsang Province and the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation have recommended four destinations under the theme “Autumn Foliage Tours on Foot,” where visitors can experience the beauty of fall up close. The routes each offer a distinct appeal, from the ridgelines of Mount Jiri and urban walking trails to historic paths shaded by ancient trees and scenic valley trails. As autumn deepens, the area around Odojae Pass in Hamyang is blanketed in red and yellow foliage, creating a striking contrast with the majestic ridgelines of Mount Jiri. Jiri Mountain Observatory Park offers sweeping views of the mountain range, while visitors can savor the autumn atmosphere on a leisurely walk along the path leading to Jiri Mountain Jeilmun Gate. One of the area's

Seoul Grand Park to unveil twin baby red pandas

Oct 12, 2026

Seoul Grand Park to unveil twin baby red pandas

Maru and Marong, twin red pandas born at Seoul Grand Park in the first successful breeding of the species in Korea, will make their public debut on Oct. 14. The park said Wednesday that the cubs, born on June 19, have grown healthily and recently begun exploring outside their den. It decided to introduce them to the public earlier than originally planned. The twins are the first red pandas to be born through successful breeding in Korea. Their mother, Rian, arrived from Tama Zoological Park in Japan in 2023, while their father, Ravi, came from the Calgary Zoo in Canada the same year. The cubs were named through a public contest on social media. The female was named Marong and the male Maru. Marong's name evokes a chestnut that is full and abundant, symbolizing the hope that she will grow into a bright-natured animal that embraces the world with warmth and generosity. Maru's name expresses the wish that he will be a precious and outstanding presence who brings comfort and love to many people. The cubs are learning various behaviors by following Rian, including walking, climbing trees and

Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam

Oct 12, 2026

Why some Koreans look beyond their culture to Islam

An estimated 45,000 ethnic Koreans born and raised in South Korea have changed their faith to Islam. Among them is Yusuf, an ethnic Korean in his 30s who converted to Islam in 2014. “Most of the men do it to find wives," Yusuf said. Disillusioned with Korea's competitive dating culture, especially in Seoul, many of the men seeking out Islam are also seeking a return to what Yusuf described as a simpler path to marriage. At Seoul Central Masjid in Itaewon, between five and 25 new converts arrive every month for the training course in basic Islamic tenets. Students may choose to recite the Shahada — the Muslim declaration of faith and the first of the five pillars of the religion — and officially convert to Islam at the end. Most of them are men. Female converts, while not explicitly motivated by marriage, also cited “simplicity” when asked about why they became Muslim. Two interviewees said they found the basic premise of Islam — one God — appealing. Areum, a Korean follower in her 30s, said Islam’s respect for elders also aligned well with her native Korean culture, makin

Chungbuk Nat'l University's AI, business programs draw 1,800 int'l students

Oct 12, 2026

Chungbuk Nat'l University's AI, business programs draw 1,800 int'l students

Chungbuk National University is seeing tangible results from its efforts to attract international students, with its School of International Studies playing a central role and the expansion of degree programs in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), software and global business. The university enrolled more than 1,800 international students from approximately 40 countries this year, reflecting its efforts to expand its global student population. The university introduced a master’s program in global business in September 2024, followed by graduate programs in convergence software and global education in September last year. It also broadened its offerings in March this year with the introduction of two undergraduate majors in convergence software and global education. Following the expansion, the university enrolled 385 new students across five undergraduate and graduate programs for the fall 2026 semester, including 109 in the master's program in convergence software, which has drawn growing interest amid rising demand for AI-related education. Students at the School of Interna

FTC head vows stern action against unfair practices burdening people

Oct 12, 2026

FTC head vows stern action against unfair practices burdening people

The head of Korea's antitrust watchdog said Monday his agency will take stern action against unfair market practices, such as price fixing, that add to people's financial burdens. Ju Biung-ghi, head of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), made the remarks during a parliamentary audit at the National Assembly, noting the watchdog will work to revamp policies to root out such abuses. "To fundamentally address deep-rooted price fixing in the market, the FTC will develop more effective policy measures, such as revoking the registrations of businesses repeatedly engaging in price fixing, seeking business suspensions or ordering companies to reset their prices," Ju said. The chairperson added the commission will proactively address unfair practices in sectors closely linked to people's daily lives, including the wedding, leisure and funeral industries. Ju said the FTC's policy goals include giving vulnerable groups, including small businesses and the self-employed, a stronger voice. "To ease the imbalance of power among market players, we aim to establish an environment where they can compete fairl

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

Oct 12, 2026

Lee's approval rating falls for 2nd straight week: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell for the second consecutive week to 35.2 percent, a poll showed Monday, amid controversies over judicial independence and last month's mine blast near the border. In the poll conducted on 1,504 adults nationwide from last Tuesday to Thursday by Realmeter, positive assessments of Lee's job performance fell by 2.2 percentage points from the previous week. Negative assessments rose 1.6 percentage points to 61.4 percent. "Controversies surrounding judicial independence involving Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, disputes between rival parties over mine explosions in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), as well as rising rental and housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area, all came under the spotlight during parliamentary audits, leading to the decline in approval ratings," the pollster said. In a separate survey of 1,004 adults conducted last Wednesday and Thursday, support for the ruling Democratic Party fell 7 percentage points to 35.5 percent, while that of the main opposition People Power Party rose 2.9 percentage points to 41.3 percent.

Cheong Wa Dae urges N. Korea to immediately halt illegal missile launches

Oct 12, 2026

Cheong Wa Dae urges N. Korea to immediately halt illegal missile launches

The presidential National Security Office (NSO) demanded Monday that North Korea immediately stop its ballistic missile tests, calling them a grave violation of international sanctions. The NSO issued the call during an emergency meeting to discuss the missiles launched from the Pyongyang area over the East Sea, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

Russian delegation visits Pyongyang to discuss cooperation on disaster management

Oct 12, 2026

Russian delegation visits Pyongyang to discuss cooperation on disaster management

A delegation from Russia's emergency ministry visited Pyongyang to discuss ways to expand cooperation in disaster management, the North's state media reported Monday. The delegation, led by Aleksandr Kurenkov, minister of extraordinary situation, arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The delegation was greeted by Kim Chol-nam, the North's minister of disaster management, and Vladimir Topekha, charge d'affaires ad interim of the Russian Embassy in North Korea. The same delegation visited Pyongyang in July last year, inspected the North's disaster prevention and response sites and held discussions on cooperation in science and technology. Pyongyang and Moscow have stepped up cooperation in a number of fields, including military and economy, following back-to-back summits between their leaders in September 2023 and June 2024. The ongoing visit by the Russian delegation comes after the Russian ministry and the North's corresponding ministry signed an agreement on specialist training and scientific and technical cooperation in December. North Korea,

North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles, adding to streak of weapons tests

Oct 12, 2026

North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles, adding to streak of weapons tests

North Korea on Monday fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, South Korea’s military said, adding to a recent streak of weapons demonstrations that has heightened tensions during a prolonged freeze in diplomacy. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from an area around the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, where the country has used its airport as a major launch site in recent years. The joint chiefs did not immediately specify how many missiles they detected or how far they flew. Japan’s Defense Ministry said it detected at least two missiles and assessed that the weapons landed in waters outside the country’s exclusive economic zone. The launch came days after South Korea on Friday flight-tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon, designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defense systems, which President Lee Jae Myung described as an important step in strengthening the South’s conventional defense capabilities. While maintaining a hard line toward Seoul, North Korea has been rampi

As AI and the Iran war loom, China’s energy technocrats are on the fast track

Oct 12, 2026

As AI and the Iran war loom, China’s energy technocrats are on the fast track

This is a special contribution from the Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong. Read the full report at the end of the article. It will be available on the institute website cccw.hku.hk from October 13. With the rising strategic significance of energy, especially due to the need to support China’s artificial intelligence (AI) development, members of the Communist Party’s 20th Central Committee with energy backgrounds – the country’s “movers and shakers” in this...

LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

Oct 12, 2026

LIVE UPDATES: Impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte

Bookmark this page for Rappler's comprehensive coverage of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial at the Senate

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