[NEWSMAKER] Russia & Turkey: Historic foes facing future

ISTANBUL, (AFP) -- Turkey's downing of a Russian war plane on the Syrian border risks inflicting significant damage on relations between Moscow and Ankara, even if they both have an interest in avoiding a permanent rupture.Modern Turkey and Russia are the successor states of empires that fought over three centuries of war from the late 16th century for the Black Sea and Caucasus but in recent years forged a sometimes uneasy but pragmatic alliance.Energy-poor Turkey relies on Russia for over half

Social AffairsNov. 26, 2015

[Newsmaker] Bezos’ firm claims rocket breakthrough

Jeff Bezos. BloombergThe private space firm founded by Internet entrepreneur Jeff Bezos claimed a breakthrough for its space travel efforts Tuesday with the launch of a reusable rocket.Bezos announced the milestone with his first Twitter message following the launch and return of the rocket by his firm, Blue Origin.“The rarest of beasts ― a used rocket. Controlled landing not easy, but done right, can look easy. Check out video,” said the tweet, with a link to a YouTube video.The unmanned New Sh

World BusinessNov. 25, 2015

[Newsmaker] Bright future on LPGA Tour

NAPLES, Florida (AP) -- Lydia Ko had just been handed a $1 million bonus for the second consecutive year, and the first thing she thought about buying with those newfound additional riches was a new phone.She’s had a bunch. She keeps dropping them.“My mom doesn’t like it,” Ko said. “Phones are expensive.”It’s moments like those that serve as the reminder that the New Zealander is only 18. The way she plays, no one believes she’s just a teenager. The LPGA’s rookie of the year from 2014 was the LP

More SportsNov. 24, 2015

[Newsmaker] Macri vows new era as Argentine president

Argentina’s conservative president-elect Mauricio Macri promised a “marvelous” new era was starting for the country after he won a runoff election on Sunday.The former football executive, favored candidate of big businesses and foreign investors, is expected to be Argentina’s most economically liberal leader since the 1990s.“This is a historic day, a change of era which is going to be marvelous,” a beaming Macri told cheering supporters after his leftist rival Daniel Scioli conceded defeat.“We c

World NewsNov. 23, 2015

[Newsmaker] Korean team wins Premier 12 baseball title

South Korea became the inaugural champion of the Premier 12 baseball tournament in Tokyo on Saturday.With its offense clicking from the start, South Korea pounded the U.S. 8-0 in the final at Tokyo Dome to take the championship. A would-be major leaguer Park Byung-ho blasted a three-run home run in the five-run fourth inning, and starter Kim Kwang-hyun threw five shutout innings for the breezy victory.South Korea opened the scoring in the top first. Leadoff Jeong Keun-woo hit a single to start t

More SportsNov. 22, 2015

[Newsmaker] Hyundai to commemorate 100th anniversary of founder

Hyundai Motor Group and other Hyundai family companies kicked off a weeklong commemoration of the 100th birth anniversary of its founder Chung Ju-yung at the Seoul Arts Center on Wednesday night, with a performance of the world-famous orchestra Staatskapelle Dresden on Beethoven’s second and third symphonies, better known in Korea as “Hero Symphonies.” The family members of the Hyundai empire, who attended the first memorial event, included Hyundai Heavy Industries owner Chung Mong-joon, the six

IndustryNov. 19, 2015

[Newsmaker] Hyundai gears up to push Genesis in U.S.

The Genesis G90, introduced as EQ900 in Korea (Hyundai Motor) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, California -- For quite a long time, Hyundai cars have been perceived as decently-priced high-quality vehicles in the U.S. But many things are about to change now as the company is gearing up to launch its premium brand Genesis in the world’s largest upscale automobile market. "We will present the first flagship sedan Genesis G90 (to be released as EQ900 in Korea) at the Detroit Motor Show in January. The market is qu

MobilityNov. 18, 2015

[Newsmaker] Belgian probed as Paris attacks mastermind

A leading Belgian jihadist in Syria who has boasted in videos about planning attacks in Europe and evaded police in his home country is being investigated as a possible mastermind of the Paris attacks, a French source said Monday.Abdelhamid Abaaoud (AP-Yonhap)Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 28-year-old Belgian of Moroccan descent, has fought along the Islamic State group in Syria and has been on the run since police stormed a jihadist cell in eastern Belgium’s Verviers in January.Investigators now see a l

World NewsNov. 17, 2015

[Newsmaker] Yuan’s rise means greater stability

With China’s yuan taking the biggest step yet toward joining the dollar and euro as a top-rank reserve currency, the global economy may be approaching an era of greater stability.So say economists who highlight the dollar’s role in the biggest financial crises in recent decades. Drawn to the liquidity and security of the unit of the world’s biggest economy, investors and governments relied on the dollar and produced dislocations including historically low borrowing costs in the 2000s even as the

World BusinessNov. 16, 2015

[Newsmaker] Deadly Paris attacks reveal next stage of IS: experts

The Islamic State group’s ability to carry out the deadly Paris attacks that it has claimed reveals the growing sophistication and reach of the global jihadist network, analysts said Saturday.People lie on the pavement at the tarrasse of the Cafe Bonne Biere in Paris, on Friday. (AFP) At least 128 people were killed in gun and bomb attacks in the French capital Friday, in what President Francois Hollande called “an act of war.”IS’ online claim of responsibility boasted that “eight brothers weari

World NewsNov. 15, 2015

[Newsmaker] N.K. leader’s key aide said to be sent to re-education

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent his key confidant to the country’s top school for reeducation, South Korea’s intelligence officials said Thursday, in an apparent lenient punishment that could set the stage of his political comeback in the coming months, if not years.“Choe Ryong-hae is receiving education at Kim Il Sung Higher Party School,” an official said, referring to the top institution named after the country’s founder, Kim’s late grandfather.Choe Ryong-hae, a secretary of the Work

North KoreaNov. 13, 2015

[Newsmaker] Architect of realpolitik, Europe integration

Helmut Schmidt, the chancellor who guided West Germany through economic turbulence and Cold War tensions, died Tuesday. He was 96.German weekly Die Zeit, of which Schmidt was a copublisher, confirmed in a statement that he died at his house in Hamburg. Schmidt’s office confirmed the former chancellor’s death to NBC News.Former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt smokes a cigarette as he takes part in a debate at the Foreign Ministry in Berlin. AFP-YonhapSchmidt, a center-left Social Democrat, led W

World NewsNov. 11, 2015

[Newsmaker] Myanmar vote gives hopes of ending sanctions

The United States on Monday welcomed Myanmar's election as a victory for the people, and the vote appeared to raise prospects of a further lifting of U.S. sanctions - provided the military accepts the results.While highlighting encouraging signs from Sunday's poll, Washington remained cautious and said it would watch for the democratic process to move forward before lifting more sanctions, which still target more than 100 individuals and businesses and limit U.S. investment in Myanmar.The ruling

World NewsNov. 10, 2015

[Newsmaker] Shipping merger rumors resurface

Market rumors are rampant that the government is seeking to force the merger of Korea’s two largest shipping companies as part of its push for corporate restructuring to overcome the deteriorating market conditions.Container ships sit under construction at the Hanjin Heavy Industry shipyard in Busan. (Bloomberg)A local news agency reported Monday that the government will officially discuss a possible merger of the country’s No. 1 shipping line Hanjin Shipping and its rival Hyundai Merchant Marin

IndustryNov. 9, 2015

[Newsmaker] Hanmi emerges as darling of investors

After concluding a mega licensing deal with global pharma giant Sanofi, leading South Korean drugmaker Hanmi Pharmaceutical is emerging as a rising star in the local stock market. Hanmi shares soared by around 30 percent Friday to reach 711,000 won ($624.3), lifted by a 4.9 trillion won licensing deal with Sanofi. Some stock market analysts raised the drugmaker’s target stock price to 1 million won, based on the rosy outlook for growth in profits.The Hanmi Pharmaceutical headquarters in Seoul. (

IndustryNov. 6, 2015

[Newsmaker] Presidents of China, Taiwan to hold historic meeting

 The presidents of China and Taiwan will meet this weekend in Singapore, the two sides said Wednesday, in the first such talks between the rivals since they split at the end of a civil war in 1949.Seen as an attempt to boost the pro-Beijing Kuomintang's chances in Taiwan's presidential elections in January, the surprise meeting is likely to rattle voters already concerned about Beijing's growing influence on the island. (Yonhap)It follows a swift warming of relations with Beijing since Taiwan's

InternationalNov. 4, 2015

[Newsmaker] Mystery surround Russian plane crash

Rescue workers investigate at the crash site of the Russian passenger airplane which crashed at the Hassana area in Arish city, north Egypt, on November 1, 2015. Egyptian and international investigators on Sunday have begun probing the reasons of the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt`s Sinai peninsula on Saturday which killed all 224 on board. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)/YonhapST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) ― Mystery and confusion surrounded the final moments of a Russian jetliner that plummeted suddenl

World NewsNov. 3, 2015

[Newsmaker] Turkey's ruling party sweeps election

Turks woke on Monday to a country once again under the sole control of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, which swept back into power in a surprise election win seen as a crucial test for the troubled nation.The AKP party founded by the divisive strongman, who has dominated Turkish politics for more than a decade, won 49.4 percent of the vote to secure 316 seats in the 550-member parliament with nearly all votes counted, easily enough to form a government on its own.

World NewsNov. 2, 2015