The Bike fire grew to 230 acres by 3 p.m. Sunday, prompting evacuations as both L.A. County Fire and the U.S. Forest Service responded to the blaze.
Oct 11, 2026
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
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
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 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
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
Kurt Campbell is a veteran US diplomat and strategist who has played a leading role in shaping Washington’s approach to China and the Indo-Pacific for more than a decade. He served as the White House coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs from 2021 to 2024 and as US deputy secretary of state from 2024 to 2025. Previously, he served as assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs from 2009 to 2013 and was a key architect of the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia”. Often...
Chinese President Xi Jinping has met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi three times in the past three years. Indian pilgrims are back at Kailash, the Tibetan mountain sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Air China has restarted flights to New Delhi. But can trust grow between two armies that meet only in a crisis? And why does the Pentagon now talk to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) more easily than India’s army does? In September, Xi made his first visit to India in nearly seven years; Beijing...
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...
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
The esports industry continues to expand, drawing large audiences across game titles and appealing to an increasingly diverse range of people. The Business Research Company expects the global market to grow at an average annual rate of about 20 percent, from $3.02 billion in 2025 to $7.71 billion in 2030. However, few esports team operators have managed to turn that popularity into profits, as player salaries continue to rise while revenues from competition, such as prize money and league revenue sharing, remain volatile. DRX has remained profitable since 2024, helped by a diversified portfolio across multiple esports titles and a stable revenue base built through its advertising agency subsidiary. During an interview with The Korea Times, CEO Yang “Can” Sun-il said he is seeking to transform DRX into a broader digital entertainment company, expanding beyond esports through intellectual property (IP) and its esports academy, particularly in Southeast Asia. “K-culture has certainly become much more sophisticated and valuable than it was 10 years ago,” Yang said. “If you go to co