[Graphic News] S. Korea ranks 31st in corruption index

South Korea came in 31st in a key international transparency index assessing corruption levels of countries in 2022, up a notch from a year earlier, a nongovernmental organization said. South Korea scored 63 in the 2022 Corruption Perception Index, ranking No. 31 among the 180 nations assessed, according to Transparency International, who compiled the index. The annual index ranks countries on a 100-point scale by levels of public sector corruption, as defined by the abuse of entrusted power for

World NewsFeb. 27, 2023

[Graphic News] Ukraine aid support softens in US: poll

　Support among the American public for providing Ukraine weaponry and direct economic assistance has softened as the Russian invasion nears a grim one-year milestone, according to a new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. 　Forty-eight percent say they favor the US providing weapons to Ukraine, with 29 percent opposed and 22 percent saying they’re neither in favor nor opposed. In May 2022, less than three months into the war, 60 percent of US adults sai

World NewsFeb. 23, 2023

Japan aborts launch of new rocket carrying missile sensor

Japan's space agency aborted the inaugural launch of its next-generation H3 rocket on Friday after the auxiliary booster engines failed to ignite, officials said. The main engine of the rocket, which is carrying an observation satellite and an experimental sensor to detect missile launches, had already ignited when the launch was halted, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. “I know many people were waiting for and looking forward to this day. I'm so sorry. We also feel ex

World NewsFeb. 17, 2023

[Graphic News] Most Americans think Biden should not run for reelection in 2024

The public continues to be largely opposed to President Joe Biden seeking reelection, including most Democrats. Few adults have a great deal of confidence in Biden’s ability to handle various aspects of his job, including managing government spending, accomplishing policy goals, or working effectively with either Congressional Republicans or Democrats. In January 2022, 48 percent of Democrats wanted the president to run for a second term, and in October, 52 percent of them said Biden shoul

World NewsFeb. 17, 2023

[Newsmaker] 'Someone else' could be running Twitter this year, says Musk

DUBAI--Twitter boss Elon Musk said Wednesday that a new CEO might be running the online platform by the end of 2023, after a "rollercoaster" since he took full ownership last year. "I'm guessing probably towards the end of this year should be good timing to find someone else to run the company," he told the World Government Summit conference in Dubai via video. "I need to stabilise the organisation and make sure it's in a healthy place and that the product roadmap is cle

World NewsFeb. 15, 2023

[Newsmaker] Turkey, Syria quake toll rises, cold compounds misery

ANTAKYA, Turkey -- Freezing temperatures deepened the misery Thursday for survivors of a massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria that killed at least 15,000 people, as rescuers raced to save countless people still trapped under rubble. The death toll from Monday's 7.8 magnitude quake is expected to rise sharply as rescue efforts near the 72-hour mark that disaster experts consider the most likely period to save lives. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday conceded "shortco

World NewsFeb. 9, 2023

[Graphic News] World’s deadliest earthquakes since 2000

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake shook Turkey and Syria on Monday, killing more than 8,000 people. Here is a list of some of the world’s deadliest earthquakes since 2000:

World NewsFeb. 9, 2023

[Newsmaker] Fears grow for untold numbers buried by Turkey earthquake

NURDAGI, Turkey -- Rescuers raced against time early Wednesday to pull survivors from the rubble before they succumbed to cold weather two days after an earthquake tore through southern Turkey and war-ravaged northern Syria. The death toll climbed above 7,700 and was expected to rise further. The last two days have brought dramatic rescues, including small children emerging from mounds of debris more than 30 hours after Monday’s pre-dawn quake. But there was also widespread despair and gro

World NewsFeb. 8, 2023

[Graphic News] Global smartphone shipments plunge to lowest level in a decade

Global smartphone shipments suffered their worst quarterly drop on record in a clear sign of cooling consumer demand that signals more pain for manufacturing hubs like South Korea and Vietnam. Shipments declined 18.3 percent in the December quarter compared to a year earlier, to a little over 300 million units, Needham, a Massachusetts-based IDC said. For the year, shipments fell 11.3 percent and marked the lowest total for a decade, the researchers said. Turmoil in Apple’s main Chinese pr

World BusinessFeb. 8, 2023

[Newsmaker] Powerful quake topples homes in Turkey and Syria; toll rises

ANKARA, Turkey — A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeast Turkey and Syria early Monday, toppling buildings and sending panicked residents pouring outside in a cold winter night. At least 207 people were killed in both countries, hundreds were injured and the toll was expected to rise. Rescue workers and residents frantically searched for survivors under the rubble of crushed buildings in multiple cities on both sides of the border. In one quake-struck Turkish city, dozens pulled

World NewsFeb. 6, 2023

[Graphic News] S. Koreans become world’s biggest spenders on luxury goods

South Koreans consumed the most luxury goods in the world last year, according to a report. Morgan Stanley estimated that total spending on luxury goods by Koreans on-year grew around 24 percent to $16.8 billion, or $325 per capita, which is much more than the $55 and $280 on luxury goods spent per capita by Chinese and Americans, respectively. Moncler said sales in Korea more than doubled in the second quarter of last year compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Cartier owner Richemont Group

World BusinessFeb. 2, 2023

Suicide bomber kills 28, wounds 150 at mosque in NW Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide bomber struck Monday inside a mosque within a police compound in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least 28 people and wounding as many as 150 worshippers, most of them policemen, officials said. The bombing drew nationwide condemnation from opposition political parties and government officials. Ghulam Ali, the provincial governor in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Peshawar is the capital, said there were fears the death toll could rise

World NewsJan. 30, 2023

[Graphic News] Global chip revenue up only 1.1% in 2022: report

Global semiconductor revenue grew only around 1 percent on-year last year, a recent report showed, with the memory chip sector suffering the most. According to tech research firm Gartner, worldwide chip revenue is estimated to have risen 1.1 percent to $601.7 billion in 2022, a significant drop from a 26.3 percent annual growth seen the previous year. While 2022 got off to a relatively good start due to lingering chip shortages, Gartner said “by the second half of 2022, the global economy

World BusinessJan. 30, 2023

[Graphic News] UN decries ‘intolerable’ loss of 5 million children in 2021

An estimated 5 million children under the age of 5 died in 2021, the United Nations said, urging health care investment in underserved communities around the globe to avoid this “immense, intolerable and mostly preventable loss of life.” Some 2.3 million deaths in 2021 occurred in the children’s first month, mostly due to being premature or from complications related to childbirth. After a child’s first month, infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria

World NewsJan. 26, 2023

[Graphic News] Portugal rated best country to retire to in 2023

The combination of an inexpensive cost of living, beautiful scenery and traveler-friendly visa options make Portugal the best country to move to in 2023. International Living's Annual Global Retirement Index lists the 10 countries that are the best retirement destinations for the year, but they are not just for retirees. As remote work becomes more common and people seek a simpler way of life, the countries on the list may be appealing to younger generations as well. In 2022, Portugal was r

World NewsJan. 25, 2023

[Newsmaker] Jealousy possible motive in Lunar New Year shooting

MONTEREY PARK, California -- Detectives probing why an elderly Asian immigrant shot dead 11 people as they celebrated Lunar New Year at a dance hall in California are examining whether jealousy or a personal dispute was behind the tragedy, a report said Monday. Huu Can Tran, 72, used a semiautomatic pistol in a rampage in the Los Angeles suburb of Monterey Park on Saturday night, killing men and women in their 50s, 60s and 70s. One person was shot in the parking lot. He then drove to another dan

World NewsJan. 24, 2023

Korea's place in a multipolar world

By Jeffrey D. Sachs BELEM, Brazil – I write today from Brazil to inaugurate a new series of columns for The Korea Herald. My columns will discuss the dramatic changes underway in the world economy, and how these changes affect Korea. Most importantly, I will analyze how new forms of global cooperation, including Korea, China, the US, and the rest of the world, can be implemented to face the world’s growing crises. Brazil is in fact an excellent place to launch the new column. At th

World NewsJan. 18, 2023

[Graphic News] Canada’s polar bear population plummets

Canada’s Western Hudson Bay polar bear population has fallen 27 percent in just five years, according to a government report, suggesting climate change is impacting the animals. Every fall, bears living along the western edge of Hudson Bay pass through the sub-Arctic tourist town of Churchill, Manitoba, as they return to the sea ice. This has made the population not only the best studied group in the world, but also the most famous, with the local bear-viewing economy valued at $5.3 millio

World NewsJan. 17, 2023

Widespread flight delays in US after FAA computer outage

NEW YORK (AP) -- A computer outage at the Federal Aviation Administration brought flights to a standstill across the US on Wednesday, with hundreds of delays quickly cascading through the system at airports nationwide. The FAA ordered all US flights to delay departures until 9 a.m. Eastern, though airlines said they were aware of the situation and had already begun grounding flights. At 7:30 a.m. Eastern, there were more than 1,200 delayed flights within, into or out of the United States, accord

World NewsJan. 11, 2023

[Graphic News] Iran pushes global list of imprisoned journalists to record high

Iran’s protest crackdown has helped push the number of journalists imprisoned worldwide to a record high of 533 in 2022, according to a report by Reporters Without Borders. The figure is up from 488 in 2021, already a record, according to the France-based NGO. More than half are detained in just five countries: China, which remains “the world’s biggest jailer of journalists” with 110, followed by Myanmar (62), Iran (47), Vietnam (39) and Belarus (31). Iran is the only cou

World NewsJan. 11, 2023