Did your favorite local Starbucks just close? These 36 SoCal locations are likely shuttered

Los Angeles Times - Sep 28, 2026

Starbucks said it would close 250 locations in North America as the chain battles increased competition. Thirty-six of those locations appear to be in Southern California.

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Palace dares Sara Duterte: Prove claims Marcos admin plots to oust her

Sep 28, 2026

Palace dares Sara Duterte: Prove claims Marcos admin plots to oust her

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte should answer allegations of corruption with evidence instead of pointing fingers at the administration, Malacañang said on Sunday. Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said claims raised by whistleblower, dismissed policeman Rodulfo Gracioso Jr., should be investigated, but the government should first establish the truth before making any judgment.

Korean Air faces maintenance capacity crunch from Asiana acquisition

Sep 28, 2026

Korean Air faces maintenance capacity crunch from Asiana acquisition

Korean Air faces a growing maintenance capacity challenge, as its acquisition of Asiana Airlines creates a fleet of more than 230 aircraft at a time when heavy-maintenance slots remain increasingly difficult to secure across Asia. The integrated carrier, scheduled to launch in December, will operate the larger fleet and employ more than 4,000 maintenance workers. It will require more airframe, engine and component maintenance that must be handled internally or secured through outside maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) providers. However, constrained global MRO capacity and a shortage of international heavy-maintenance slots have become a material operational risk to Korean Air. Securing wide-body base-maintenance slots has become particularly difficult across Southeast Asia. Korean Air is responding by expanding its own capabilities. In November last year, the airline and Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) agreed to invest 176 billion won ($130 million) to build a next-generation maintenance hangar at the airport's High-Tech Aviation Complex. The facility will be able to ac

Korea's AI adoption rate over 40%, ranks 12th place globally: report

Sep 28, 2026

Korea's AI adoption rate over 40%, ranks 12th place globally: report

Korea was ranked 12th place in the global artificial intelligence (AI) diffusion scale, with more than 40 percent of the population using the technology in the second quarter, a report from Microsoft Corp. showed Monday. Generative AI usage rate among Koreans aged 15 to 64 rose 3.5 percentage points from the previous quarter, bringing the country up by four ranks as of end-June, according to the global AI diffusion report published by the U.S. software developer. Global usage rate of generative AI was up 1 percentage point from 17.8 percent in the January-March period to 18.8 percent in the April-June period, the report showed. United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the highest in AI adoption, with a usage rate of 73.3 percent. Followed by Singapore at 64.3 percent, Ireland at 49.9 percent and France estimated at 49.6 percent. The AI usage rate was 28.8 percent in the Global North and 16.2 percent in the Global South, widening the adoption gap to 12.6 percentage points. Global North is a term referring to wealthy, industrialized countries, such as the United States, Korea, Japan, Israel and New Z

KAI, POSCO International team up for aerospace cooperation in Mexico

Sep 28, 2026

KAI, POSCO International team up for aerospace cooperation in Mexico

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) said Monday it will work with POSCO International Corp. and a Mexican aerospace industry group to strengthen aerospace cooperation in Mexico and explore opportunities in the broader Latin American market. KAI, POSCO International and the Mexican Federation of Aerospace Industry (FEMIA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on aerospace industry cooperation on the occasion of President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to Mexico last week. Under the agreement, KAI plans to develop business models involving supply chain cooperation and explore new business opportunities in Latin America. POSCO International will support efforts to integrate selected Mexican companies into KAI's aerospace manufacturing supply chain. FEMIA, which represents more than 100 member companies, will facilitate exchanges with Mexico's aerospace ecosystem, help identify potential local partners and provide information on relevant government policies. "Building on our cooperation with Mexico, we will accelerate efforts to expand the FA-50 light combat aircraft into Central America

Excessive questions from relatives top list of Chuseok irritations

Sep 28, 2026

Excessive questions from relatives top list of Chuseok irritations

Excessive personal questions and interference from relatives have been named the most unwanted aspect of the Chuseok holiday this year. Comparisons with siblings and other people were also cited as the most uncomfortable topic of conversation. According to a 2026 Chuseok holiday survey conducted by research firm PMI, 48.5 percent of 1,000 adults aged 20 to 69 nationwide said “excessive interference and personal questions from relatives” was the holiday tradition they most wanted to see changed. The survey was conducted from Sept. 11 to 14, ahead of the Chuseok holiday. The next most frequently cited practices were “excessive preparation for ancestral ritual tables” at 40.8 percent, “unequal distribution of holiday chores” at 29.8 percent, “holiday cash gifts” at 25.5 percent and “excessive holiday gift giving” at 23.7 percent. Intrusive questions from relatives also topped the list of holiday customs considered most urgently in need of change, cited by 30.6 percent of respondents. When asked which topics they would rather avoid discussing with family members and relat

Plan to serve airline meals to deportees divides immigration officials

Sep 28, 2026

Plan to serve airline meals to deportees divides immigration officials

A proposal to upgrade meals for foreigners awaiting deportation at Incheon International Airport has divided immigration officials, with front-line officers raising safety concerns and some questioning whether better food is appropriate for those ordered to leave Korea for violating the law. According to immigration authorities, Sunday, the Incheon Airport Immigration Office under the Ministry of Justice is considering providing in-flight meal boxes to foreign nationals awaiting deportation through the airport. Foreign nationals ordered to leave the country are generally transferred to Incheon International Airport after local immigration offices confirm their illegal stay and complete the necessary procedures. After that, they remain in a designated departure waiting area until their flights. Those awaiting deportation are currently provided with bread and drinks supplied by local immigration offices. The Incheon Airport Immigration Office is now seeking to provide meals directly, replacing the basic food with airline-style meals, considering them the most practical option. The office v

S. Korea voices 'strong regret' over Ukraine's denial of nondisclosure pact on NK POWs

Sep 28, 2026

S. Korea voices 'strong regret' over Ukraine's denial of nondisclosure pact on NK POWs

The South Korean presidential office on Sunday voiced "strong regret" over what it called Ukraine's denial of an agreement with Seoul not to disclose the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea. The presidential office "expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure (of the transfer) and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a nondisclosure agreement," Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations, said in a released statement. The Cheong Wa Dae official added the country is considering taking additional measures regarding the issue, if necessary. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during a United Nations address last week that Ukraine has sent the two North Korean soldiers captured last year to South Korea. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and his office have since said Ukraine breached a nondisclosure agreement aimed at keeping the transfer a secret to safeguard the soldiers from dangers they could face if their transfer were to be disclosed, citing international law and humanitarian p

Sculptures honoring N. Korean soldiers to be erected in Vietnam

Sep 28, 2026

Sculptures honoring N. Korean soldiers to be erected in Vietnam

Sculptures honoring North Korean soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War are set to be installed in Hanoi, Pyongyang's state media reported Monday. A ceremony unveiling the monument's foundation plaque was held Friday at the Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. North Korea is believed to have sent close to 400 soldiers to Vietnam during the war, including 90 pilots between 1966 and 1969. The plaque, inscribed "Feelings of Friendship between Vietnam and DPRK," notes that the two countries established diplomatic relations in January 1950 and that North Korea "rendered material and moral assistance" during Vietnam's "anti-U.S. resistance to national salvation." DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name, the Democratic Republic of Korea. "The combat spirit and self-sacrificing spirit displayed by Korean soldiers are a noble and beautiful symbol of the good international unity and contributed to the consolidation of the friendly relations between Vietnam and the DPRK," the accompanying text read, according to the KCNA. The unveiling cere

Gov't, ruling party vow harsher sanctions on companies over collusive practices

Sep 28, 2026

Gov't, ruling party vow harsher sanctions on companies over collusive practices

The government and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) agreed Monday to pursue legal amendments to strengthen sanctions against companies that repeatedly engage in collusive practices. The ruling party and the government will introduce a system to revoke business registrations or suspend operations of companies found guilty of price fixing or bid rigging in 17 industrial sectors, Min Byoung-dug, deputy chair of the party's policy committee, told reporters after a DPK-government policy consultation meeting. The 17 sectors include safety, energy and transportation, and the party and the government plan to amend the Fair Trade Act, as well as 17 relevant sector-specific laws, to implement the new system, Min said. They will extend the statute of limitations for sanctions against collusive practices, while linking information on large-scale public tenders commissioned by offices of education with the Fair Trade Commission's Bid-Rigging Indicator Analysis System. In addition, they will strictly enforce previously revised laws that allow punitive fines to be imposed for repeated collusi

Supreme Court chief says will clarify stance over justice recommendation at parliamentary audit

Sep 28, 2026

Supreme Court chief says will clarify stance over justice recommendation at parliamentary audit

Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae said Monday he plans to clear up his position over his refusal to newly recommend a candidate to the top court during the upcoming annual parliamentary audit. The chief justice has been embroiled in a dispute with the presidential office over the recommendation after the presidential office last month asked Cho to recommend a new justice candidate to President Lee Jae Myung. Cho refused to comply with the request last week, citing a lack of specific reasons or constitutional grounds to do so. When asked about the issue Monday, Cho told reporters he would state his position through the parliamentary audit of the court, scheduled to begin Oct. 6. Cho's refusal last week sparked swift rebuke from Cheong Wa Dae, which accused him of harboring a view in violation of the Constitution. Under the Constitution, Supreme Court justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chief justice and with the consent of the National Assembly.

Lee's approval rating rises for 2nd straight week to 37.9%: poll

Sep 28, 2026

Lee's approval rating rises for 2nd straight week to 37.9%: poll

President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating rose for the second consecutive week last week to 37.9 percent, a pollster said Monday. In a poll conducted on 1,508 adults nationwide from last Monday to Wednesday, positive assessments of Lee's job performance rose by 3.1 percentage points from the previous week, while negative assessments fell 3.3 percentage points to 60.1 percent, Realmeter said. Lee's approval rating fell for 10 weeks before turning upward in the previous poll, helped by his clarification of key political issues during a press conference Sept. 18. "His communication through the press conference and his overseas diplomacy at the U.N. General Assembly and the Korea-U.S. summit worked in his favor," the pollster said, noting the withdrawal of Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won and resignation offer of presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik were also seen as a demonstration of his commitment to personnel reform. In a separate poll conducted on 1,005 adults last Tuesday and Wednesday, support for the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) surpassed that for the ruling De

Unification minister to visit Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany from this week

Sep 28, 2026

Unification minister to visit Ireland, Northern Ireland, Germany from this week

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young will visit Northern Ireland, Ireland and Germany starting this week in an effort to explain South Korea's approach to peaceful coexistence with North Korea, the ministry said Monday. The minister was set to leave for Europe on Monday for an eight-day trip in a bid to see how each moved past deep divisions and muster support for Seoul's North Korea policy, according to the ministry. His first stop is Northern Ireland, where he will meet officials involved in the country's peace process and discuss how it worked through decades of conflict. The trip will be followed by his visit to Ireland to meet experts in international conflict resolution and learn about the country's long struggle for independence and the eventual settlement of the conflict in Northern Ireland, according to the ministry. While in Ireland, Chung is scheduled to give a special lecture on peaceful coexistence with North Korea at Trinity College Dublin at the invitation of the Society for International Affairs (SOFIA), a student organization at the school interested in international po

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