Lithium-ion battery fire in La Verne spurs neighborhood, school evacuations

Los Angeles Times - Sep 22, 2026

Evacuations orders have been issued in the city of La Verne after a hazardous lithium-ion battery fire was reported at the Metropolitan Water District facility.

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Watchdog chief calls for fairness, transparency in CEO selection process

Sep 23, 2026

Watchdog chief calls for fairness, transparency in CEO selection process

The chief of the country's financial watchdog said Wednesday that bank holding companies need to draw up measures to boost fairness and transparency in selecting chief executives of their affiliates. In a meeting with the heads of eight holding companies of banks, Lee Chan-jin, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), urged them to redouble their efforts to select chief executives of their affiliates in a fair and transparent manner. The watchdog has been racing to map out measures to boost the governance structure of financial holding companies that center around fair and transparent selections of chief executives of banks. Lee also stressed that banks need to enhance their internal control schemes as financial accidents have been on the steady rise. According to the FSS, a total of 171 billion won ($126 million) worth of financial accidents were reported in the banking sector in the first seven months of the year, sharply up from 69.6 billion won in 2023.

'There are gay people in schools, too': Teachers form 1st LGBTQ+ committee

Sep 23, 2026

'There are gay people in schools, too': Teachers form 1st LGBTQ+ committee

“Schools have gay people, too!” That was the message of support from a teacher in a booklet published ahead of the launch of the Sexual Minorities Committee of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU). On March 1, the committee became the union’s first-ever body dedicated to sexual minorities. It brings together LGBTQ+ teachers and teachers who support them. Their shared hope is that LGBTQ+ students will encounter at least one teacher who supports them during their years at school. On the evening of Sept. 14, The Hankook Ilbo spoke by phone with “Mo,” the committee’s inaugural chairperson, who uses a pseudonym as an activist. Schools ask about gender every day Mo is a 13-year veteran elementary school teacher. At the first staff meeting held at the school where Mo currently works, Mo proposed eliminating a numbering system that divides students by gender. Under the system, the 30 students in a class are divided into boys and girls, with boys assigned numbers starting with 1 and girls from 16, in alphabetical order. The students are then divided into “boys’ team

Saudi Arabia celebrates 96th National Day

Sep 23, 2026

Saudi Arabia celebrates 96th National Day

This year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its 96th National Day, observed annually on Sept. 23. The occasion commemorates the day in 1932 when the founding king, His Majesty King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, proclaimed the unification of the country under a single banner as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This followed a long journey of struggle and unification, culminating in the establishment of a strong and enduring state, uniting its people under the banner of Tawhid (the Oneness of God) and setting the kingdom on a path of nation-building and development for a more prosperous and stable future. On this cherished day, Saudis reflect on the journey of a nation founded on enduring values of pride in its faith, identity and sense of belonging. Passed down through successive generations, this journey has enabled the kingdom to become a model of development and transformation, firmly rooted in its historical legacy and authentic identity while advancing confidently toward new horizons of progress and innovation. The 96th National Day is celebrated under the slogan “Our Pride

Leaders of Korea, Australia agree to boost cooperation for stable energy supply

Sep 23, 2026

Leaders of Korea, Australia agree to boost cooperation for stable energy supply

NEW YORK — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday and agreed to cooperate closely to build stable regional energy supply chains. The two leaders reached the agreement during the meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Lee's senior secretary for public affairs Seong Ghi-hong said in a press release. The two leaders had a frank exchange of views on bilateral ties, energy supply chains, cooperation in the defense industry, as well as the international security situation, Seong said. They, in particular, reaffirmed that South Korea and Australia are key partners that rely on each other for energy resources such as liquefied natural gas and petroleum products as the countries jointly respond to the energy crisis stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. "Additionally, they resolved to cooperate closely to build stable and resilient regional supply chains," Seong said. Albanese described South Korea as a trustworthy partner in the critical minerals and clean energy sectors, say

N. Korea's vice FM leaves for New York to attend UN General Assembly

Sep 23, 2026

N. Korea's vice FM leaves for New York to attend UN General Assembly

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son-gyong has departed for New York to attend the 81st session of the U.N. General Assembly, state media reported Wednesday. A North Korean delegation, led by Kim, left Pyongyang on Tuesday, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, without disclosing details of his itinerary. Kim is set to take the floor Monday, the closing day of the General Debate, the annual high-level session where U.N. member states lay out their positions on major international issues. During last year's session, he used his address to reiterate Pyongyang's stance that it will never abandon its nuclear weapons. Following the failed 2019 Hanoi summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, Pyongyang had not sent any minister-level officials for six years. North Korean Ambassador to the U.N. Kim Song served as its representative instead. Previously, former North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong attended the U.N. General Assembly from 2014-2015 and his successor, Ri Yong-ho, participated from 2016 to 2018.

Lee, UN chief Guterres discuss Korean Peninsula issues, S. Korea-UN cooperation

Sep 23, 2026

Lee, UN chief Guterres discuss Korean Peninsula issues, S. Korea-UN cooperation

NEW YORK — President Lee Jae Myung met with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday and discussed cooperation between South Korea and the world body, as well as issues concerning the Korean Peninsula. The meeting took place on the sidelines of Lee's attendance at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, marking their third in-person meeting since Lee took office in June last year. During the meeting, Lee highlighted his administration's efforts to build peaceful and mutually developmental coexistence between the two Koreas under the vision that building peace without the need to fight is the path toward the most secure peace, Lee's senior secretary for public affairs Seong Ghi-hong said in a press release. Lee also said he expects close communication and cooperation with the United Nations in pursuing the vision. Guterres expressed "active support" for Seoul's overall diplomatic policy, including its policy of building peace on the peninsula, pledging to play a possible role in helping bring the vision to fruition, Seong said. The U.N. chief also hailed the constructive role Ko

Lee vows efforts to help swiftly resume US-N. Korea dialogue

Sep 23, 2026

Lee vows efforts to help swiftly resume US-N. Korea dialogue

NEW YORK — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday reaffirmed his envisioned role as a "pacemaker" in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula, pledging efforts to help swiftly resume dialogue between the United States and North Korea. The South Korean president made the pledge in his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to revive his diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while inter-Korean relations remain at a standstill. "I hope the long-suspended dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. can resume without delay," Lee said. "We will lay the groundwork for this (U.S.-North Korea dialogue) to develop into a dialogue between the related parties to end the war on the Korean Peninsula and transition into a peace regime." The two Koreas remain technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. "Fortunately, President Trump's resolve has recently created a hard-won opportunity for change," Lee said, referring to Trump's repeated expressions of interest in dialogue

Firm, BOC personnel charged over P17.5-M smuggled veggies

Sep 22, 2026

Firm, BOC personnel charged over P17.5-M smuggled veggies

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday sued 14 individuals, including its own personnel and a trading firm, over the illegal shipment of P17.5 million worth of onions and carrots that had been misdeclared as “chicken lollipops.” Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the filing of six criminal complaints before the Department of Justice against Berches

If Sara Duterte co-owns Gencorp, why is her name not in SEC docs?

Sep 22, 2026

If Sara Duterte co-owns Gencorp, why is her name not in SEC docs?

Could Duterte have made an 'honest mistake' in her sworn SALN? The prosecution team refuses to believe that's what happened.

LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial (September 23, 2026)

Sep 22, 2026

LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial (September 23, 2026)

The Senate impeachment court will continue on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Here are the latest news and updates.

Sara Duterte impeachment trial Day 29: What to expect

Sep 22, 2026

Sara Duterte impeachment trial Day 29: What to expect

On the 29th day of Vice President Sara Duterte"s impeachment trial, the House prosecution panel and Duterte"s defense team are expected to present their arguments on the voting threshold required to convict an impeached official.

Highlights: Day 28 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Sept. 22, 2026

Sep 22, 2026

Highlights: Day 28 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Sept. 22, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate impeachment court wrapped up Day 28 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s trial on Tuesday with presiding officer Senator-judge Francis Escudero announcing that Wednesday’s session would be devoted to oral arguments on the conviction-vote threshold, with no witness taking the stand.  Each party will be given 15 minutes to argue, after

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