Dropping witnesses not bluff, but part of case assessment – prosecution

Inquirer.net - Oct 2, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial said its decision to repeatedly drop witnesses is not a bluff or an attempt to confuse the defense, but part of its continuing assessment of evidence presented to the court. The panel regularly reviews its list of witnesses and checkS if their testimonies

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Sari-sari stores help bridge gaps in medicine access — study

MANILA, Philippines — For some Filipinos, buying medicine can be as simple as walking to the neighborhood sari-sari store and purchasing only a few tablets they can afford, a qualitative study by researchers from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and Bulacan State University found. The study, “Sari-sari Stores as Community Pharmacies?

Body found floating off Honda bay

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PUERTO Princesa City – An unidentified body in an advanced state of decomposition was found floating in the waters off Honda Bay on Thursday morning, police said. Police Station 2 said the body was spotted at around 11 a.m., about 1.2 nautical miles from the Honda Bay Wharf in Purok Honda Bay, Barangay Sta. Lourdes.

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MANILA, Philippines — The trough of Severe Tropical Storm Choi-Wan, which remains outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), is expected to bring rain showers over parts of the Visayas and Mindanao on Friday, according to the state weather bureau. In its morning weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said

Dropping witnesses not bluff, but part of case assessment – prosecution

Oct 2, 2026

Dropping witnesses not bluff, but part of case assessment – prosecution

MANILA, Philippines — The prosecution panel in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial said its decision to repeatedly drop witnesses is not a bluff or an attempt to confuse the defense, but part of its continuing assessment of evidence presented to the court. The panel regularly reviews its list of witnesses and checkS if their testimonies

'It's not that we like Seoul': Young Koreans explain why they leave their hometowns

Oct 2, 2026

'It's not that we like Seoul': Young Koreans explain why they leave their hometowns

"Why do you insist on living in Seoul? You could just live in your own region." Young people from outside the capital hear that question often, and they say it misses the point. About 30,000 of them move to Seoul each year in net terms for university or work, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The regional antagonism that split their parents' generation between the Jeolla provinces in Korea's southwest and the Gyeongsang provinces in the southeast has faded. In its place, the concentration of opportunity in Seoul alone has deepened their marginalization. Eight participants in a roundtable discussion described what that gap looks like from the other end of the country. Regional prejudice survives as mockery Participant 7: "The regional rivalry between Gyeongsang and Jeolla doesn't seem that strong among people in their 20s these days." Participant 6: "There isn't the same level of it as among people in their 50s and 60s. But I have encountered some anti-Jeolla sentiment. Some friends whose parents are from Jeolla make such comments even more openly." Participant 1: "I've har

Korea abolishes Prosecutors' Office after 78 years, putting new criminal justice system to test

Oct 2, 2026

Korea abolishes Prosecutors' Office after 78 years, putting new criminal justice system to test

Korea on Friday abolished the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office after 78 years and launched two new state agencies dividing its investigative and prosecutorial powers, ushering in one of the most sweeping changes to the country’s criminal justice system in decades. Under the new framework taking effect Friday, investigations will be divided among the newly established Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). The new Prosecution Service will review cases, decide whether to indict suspects, request warrants from courts based on applications from investigative agencies and conduct prosecutions in court. But the launch of the new system leaves several unanswered questions: How agencies will handle cases when their jurisdictions overlap, whether prosecutors can exercise sufficient oversight without investigative authority of their own and whether the new agencies are adequately staffed and equipped to take over complex major-crime investigations. In the days leading up to the overhaul, prosecutor’s office

President requests confirmation hearing for nominee to head new investigation agency

Oct 2, 2026

President requests confirmation hearing for nominee to head new investigation agency

President Lee Jae Myung has approved a request for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for his nominee to become the inaugural chief of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency (SCIA), a presidential spokesperson said Friday. The announcement came as the SCIA was set to launch later in the day to take over prosecutors' functions of investigating serious crimes as part of the Lee administration's prosecution reform. Lee's approval of a document requesting a parliamentary hearing for SCIA chief nominee Kim Ji-yong indicates the president might be taking steps to officially appoint him. The president nominated Kim early last month at the recommendation of the interior minister, but suspicions have since been raised within the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, including over claims that Kim had once opposed prosecution reform. The presidential office said the previous day that Cheong Wa Dae will soon submit a request to the National Assembly for a parliamentary confirmation hearing for Kim. It said it had carried out an additional verification process on Kim but found that his nomination shou

N. Korea's FM calls for stronger ties with China in letter to Wang Yi

Oct 2, 2026

N. Korea's FM calls for stronger ties with China in letter to Wang Yi

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has called for efforts to further strengthen bilateral ties and traditional friendship with China in a congratulatory message to her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, Pyongyang's state media reported Friday. Choe sent the message to Wang on Thursday marking the 77th anniversary of China's founding, praising the country's achievements over the past seven decades, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Choe said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their "steadfast will" to build a better future for their peoples together during their summit talks in Pyongyang in June. The minister also expressed a commitment to working together to fully implement important agreements reached by the leaders and further develop bilateral friendly relations to a "higher stage." Earlier, Kim sent a congratulatory message to Xi on the anniversary and expressed his willingness to further develop relations and safeguard their common interests, the KCNA reported Thursday.

Hyundai, Kia post record US sales in September

Oct 2, 2026

Hyundai, Kia post record US sales in September

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp. posted record U.S. sales for September, driven by strong demand for sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and hybrid models, the Hyundai Motor Group affiliates said Friday. Hyundai Motor America sold 77,439 vehicles last month, up 9 percent from a year earlier, marking its highest-ever September sales. Sales of the Palisade SUV surged 52 percent on-year, while the Sonata, Tucson and Santa Fe also posted double-digit growth. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) accounted for 28 percent of Hyundai's total U.S. sales during the month. Kia America also reported its best-ever September sales, with deliveries jumping 18 percent on-year to 77,009 units. The Seltos, Niro, K4, Telluride, Sorento, Carnival, K5 and Sportage were among the models that contributed to the strong monthly performance.

Busan to launch 2nd rescue attempt for shark Bukangi

Oct 2, 2026

Busan to launch 2nd rescue attempt for shark Bukangi

A second rescue operation will be carried out Friday afternoon to return “Bukangi,” a shark that has been stranded in an artificial waterway at Busan North Port Waterfront Park for 15 days, to the open sea. A joint rescue team of Busan city officials and other relevant agencies is slated to begin the second rescue attempt at 3:30 p.m. The operation will involve pulling a custom-made 50-meter-long, 6.8-meter-high net to draw the shark toward the open sea from the fourth pedestrian bridge spanning the waterfront park’s waterway. Two boats and 10 personnel will be deployed for the operation. The net will be stretched from one end of the waterway to the other to block any gaps through which Bukang could escape, before the team slowly moves toward the open sea. One boat will tow the center of the net, while five people will be positioned at each end of the waterway to hold the net and keep pace with the shark. Behind the net, another boat equipped with a water pump will create foam on the water to guide Bukangi toward the open sea. Once the shark passes through the fifth and sixth pedes

Seoul looks to foreign entrepreneurs to fuel its next economic engine

Oct 2, 2026

Seoul looks to foreign entrepreneurs to fuel its next economic engine

Armed with an artificial intelligence (AI) platform designed to predict fall risks for the elderly, a Ukrainian entrepreneur walked away from a Seoul pitch competition this week with something far more valuable than cash: a golden ticket toward permanent residency in Korea. The winning startup, NeuroDetectYO, was named top entry at Seoul’s second annual "Jump Up, Start Up" foreign entrepreneurship competition. Founder Oleksandr Yuhai received a 2 million won ($1,500) cash reward, but the most crucial prize was 30 points toward Korea’s notoriously difficult D-8-4 technology startup visa — a vital bridge allowing foreign founders to convert ambitious ideas into permanent Korean businesses. As domestic birth rates plummet and economic growth slows, Seoul is aggressively pivoting outward, attempting to transform itself into Asia's premier hub for global tech talent. City officials are actively rolling out the red carpet for foreign founders, believing that international perspectives can ignite the capital’s next wave of growth. "Foreign entrepreneurs are creating new business opportu

Lee warns of 'additional measures' if Ukraine refuses to apologize for NK POW transfer disclosure

Oct 2, 2026

Lee warns of 'additional measures' if Ukraine refuses to apologize for NK POW transfer disclosure

President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that South Korea will take "additional measures" should Ukraine continue to refuse to officially apologize for denying its agreement to keep the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) secret. The South Korean president issued the warning on his X account amid a diplomatic wrangle with Ukraine over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's surprise disclosure last week of the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea. Seoul has since accused Ukraine of breaching a bilateral agreement to keep the transfer secret, but Ukraine has denied the existence of the confidentiality agreement. "If (Ukraine) continues to deny the fact and refuse to offer an official apology, (Seoul) will take additional measures," Lee said. Lee affirmed that Ukraine unilaterally disclosed the transfer despite having previously demanded confidentiality from South Korea, and then made the head of state of the counterpart country a "liar" by saying the nondisclosure agreement did not exist. "In response to a demand to acknowledge the agreement and apologize, it has in

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