Notorious Graffiti Towers wiped clean in downtown Los Angeles

Los Angeles Times - Nov 12, 2026

City officials joined the buyers of Oceanwide Plaza on Thursday to celebrate the removal of spray-painted graffiti splashed as high as 54 stories that threatened to become an unwelcome icon for the city during the 2028 Olympics as the bankruptcy sale of the hotel, residential and retail complex dragged on for almost two years.

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Road reblocking, repairs on southbound Edsa start Nov. 13 to 15

Nov 12, 2026

Road reblocking, repairs on southbound Edsa start Nov. 13 to 15

MANILA, Philippines — Road reblocking and repairs will be conducted over the southbound portion of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or Edsa from Nov. 13 to 15, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Thursday, ahead of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit. According to the DPWH in an advisory,

PDEA destroys P162.5-M illegal drugs, expired medicines in Zamboanga Sur

Nov 12, 2026

PDEA destroys P162.5-M illegal drugs, expired medicines in Zamboanga Sur

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR, Philippines — Anti-narcotics operatives on Thursday destroyed P162.52 million worth of confiscated illegal drugs and regulated medicines in Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, in a bid to prevent the seized contraband from being recycled back into the streets. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Zamboanga Peninsula (PDEA-9) led the thermal destruction of

Two weather systems to bring rain in parts of PH on Friday, Nov. 13

Nov 12, 2026

Two weather systems to bring rain in parts of PH on Friday, Nov. 13

MANILA, Philippines — Two different weather systems are forecast to bring rain over various parts of the country on Friday, the state weather bureau said. According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its latest weather forecast, the northeast monsoon or “amihan” will continue to affect and bring rain over parts

China's memory makers are catching up. What happens when they do?

Nov 12, 2026

China's memory makers are catching up. What happens when they do?

The memory business has rarely had it this good, thanks to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Korea’s chipmakers are reporting extraordinary earnings and unusual confidence that the good times will last. SK hynix’s third-quarter operating profit rose more than sevenfold to 83.3 trillion won ($62 billion), an operating margin of almost 80 percent. Samsung Electronics’ rose nearly ninefold to 107.4 trillion won, with its memory business setting records of its own. Across the West Sea, China’s challengers are sharing in the windfall. ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) remains far smaller, but its quarterly revenue rose more than sevenfold to 118.7 billion yuan ($17.8 billion), with a net profit attributable to shareholders of 54.4 billion yuan, reversing years of losses. CXMT and Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) are the twin pillars of China’s drive for memory self-sufficiency, part of Beijing’s broader pursuit of technological independence facing U.S. export restrictions. Fresh capital, new factories and increasingly sophisticated technology are helping them challenge th

How a close friend of labor activist Jeon Tae-il keeps his legacy alive

Nov 12, 2026

How a close friend of labor activist Jeon Tae-il keeps his legacy alive

Choi Jong-in, 78, still aches for his friend Jeon Tae-il, who was just 22. When Jeon set himself on fire in the middle of Pyeonghwa Market in Seoul's Jung District on Nov. 13, 1970, Choi was the first to rush to his side, taking off his jacket to smother the flames. “His hair was burning and curling like nylon fabric, his lips were turning inside out, but he sprang back to his feet and shouted, ‘We are not machines!” More than half a century has passed, and one might expect Choi to recount the incident with the composure of an elderly man who has come to terms with life. But for a while, he cannot bring himself to continue. He has never really given an interview about Jeon. While Jeon's mother, the late Lee So-sun (who died in 2011), was alive, Choi says he held back because he did not want to cause her further grief. Even after she passed away and was reunited with her son, he found it too painful to speak. The trauma never entirely left him, but it did not break him. Instead, he turned his guilt over losing Jeon, chairman of the Samdong Friendship Association (Samdonghoe), into a

'I'd rather stay an intern': Why some Gen Z workers in Korea are choosing less responsibility

Nov 12, 2026

'I'd rather stay an intern': Why some Gen Z workers in Korea are choosing less responsibility

For some young Korean workers, leaving the office on time matters more than finishing every task, and avoiding the responsibilities of a permanent position can be more appealing than climbing the corporate ladder. These attitudes are emerging among members of Generation Z, who are challenging workplace expectations long shaped by loyalty, overtime and deference to senior colleagues. In a roundtable discussion organized by the Hankook Ilbo, young participants shared their views on work, career advancement and workplace relationships, revealing both generational differences and contradictions in their own approaches to professional life. Their experiences suggest that while younger employees increasingly demand clearer boundaries and more explicit instructions, they sometimes struggle to meet those same expectations when they become responsible for guiding others. Leaving work on time, even with tasks unfinished For Korea's Generation X, now largely in their 50s, staying late at the office was once considered a badge of dedication. In her 2000 novel "A Very Old Joke," acclaimed Korean author

[WEEKENDER] Samsung Guide Dog School marks 33 years of changing lives

Nov 12, 2026

[WEEKENDER] Samsung Guide Dog School marks 33 years of changing lives

Samsung Guide Dog School, which marks its 33rd anniversary this year, is Korea’s first guide dog training institution and the world’s only guide dog school operated by a single corporation, with its operations fully funded by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. The school was established in September 1993 by late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee as part of efforts to foster greater understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities. At the time, corporate involvement in guide dog training was unprecedented worldwide. The school became a full member of the International Guide Dog Federation in 1999 and went on to host the organization's general assembly in Korea in 2002. Lee was also honored by the federation that year for his efforts to raise awareness of people with disabilities. Since its first guide dog, Bada, was paired with a visually impaired person in 1994, the school has provided more than 320 guide dogs to visually impaired partners free of charge. Its responsibilities extend beyond raising and training guide dogs. The school also teaches visually impaired partners how

[WEEKENDER] How guide dogs and humans become partners

Nov 12, 2026

[WEEKENDER] How guide dogs and humans become partners

Completing professional training does not mean a guide dog is immediately ready to accompany a visually impaired person. The dog must first be matched with a suitable partner, and the two must learn to walk and live together. Few understand this process better than Yoo Seok-jong of Samsung Guide Dog School. Born with a visual impairment, Yoo now lives with his fifth guide dog. Drawing on his own experience, he helps visually impaired people find dogs suited to their needs and lifestyles. During an interview at the school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 2, Yoo was accompanied by Gori, a 5-year-old demonstration dog. Yoo's own guide dog was at a veterinary clinic after falling ill that morning. Friendly and sociable, Gori normally helps introduce visitors to guide dogs and accompanies visually impaired people on trial walks. Yoo said one of the most important factors in matching a guide dog with a prospective partner is walking speed. "The person's walking speed needs to match the dog's natural pace," he said. "Trying to force either one to adjust can be difficult." Temperament is equa

[WEEKENDER] A day with Jerry, guide dog in training

Nov 12, 2026

[WEEKENDER] A day with Jerry, guide dog in training

As Jerry, a Labrador retriever, approached a crosswalk, he came to a stop at the curb. His trainer, Keum Jung-hun, had given no command. Jerry simply recognized the boundary between the sidewalk and the road and stopped on his own. Keum pressed a small device, producing a sharp click. Known as a clicker, the tool signals that Jerry has performed a task correctly. "It means he did a good job," Keum explained. "Verbal praise takes time, but a clicker lets us mark the exact moment he does something right." Jerry is an almost 2-year old guide dog in training. The Korea Times met him during a training session at Samsung Guide Dog School on Nov. 2. The school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is fully funded by Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance. After six to seven months of professional training, he has passed his final walking assessment and is now completing the remaining steps before being paired with a visually impaired partner. Accompanying Jerry and Keum on their morning training walk outside the school grounds near Bundang Central Park in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, revealed that guide dog tr

Garcia: Poll converting Naga into HUC ‘will not be a walk in the park’

Nov 12, 2026

Garcia: Poll converting Naga into HUC ‘will not be a walk in the park’

MANILA, Philippines — The outcome of Naga City’s upcoming plebiscite on its proposed conversion into a highly urbanized city (HUC) remains uncertain, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia said on Thursday. Garcia said the plebiscite “will not be a walk in the park,” as either the “Yes” or “No” vote could prevail. He

As Japan looks to strengthen defences and security strategy, analysts warn of escalation

Nov 12, 2026

As Japan looks to strengthen defences and security strategy, analysts warn of escalation

Japan aims to become harder to defeat militarily and less vulnerable to economic pressure from China under plans to overhaul its three key security documents by the end of the year. Analysts said the proposed revisions could make it more difficult for China to achieve its military objectives or use financial leverage on Japan, but that their impact would depend on Tokyo’s ability to translate its plans into practical capabilities. Some also said that stronger Japanese defences could prompt...

Highlights: Day 43 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Nov. 12, 2026

Nov 12, 2026

Highlights: Day 43 of Sara Duterte impeachment trial | Nov. 12, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The 43rd day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s Senate impeachment trial ended with the defense having dropped all of its originally scheduled bank witnesses and the court adjourning until after the ASEAN Summit. Presiding officer Sen. Francis Escudero granted lead defense counsel Sheila Sison’s request to cancel Friday’s session, with Sison noting

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