Culture & entertainment, Policy & regulation, Health
530 storiesChina’s 2026 National Day holiday box office passes 600 million
The total box office for China’s 2026 National Day holiday period (1–7 October) passed 600 million, including presales, according to platform data cited by Chinese outlets. 《神探之痕迹》, 《什么意思夫妇》, 《欢迎来龙餐馆》, 《小猪佩奇·完美假期》 and 《八仙！》 were the top fiv…
Eva Marie Saint, Oscar Winner for ‘On the Waterfront,’ Dies at 102
Eva Marie Saint, an Oscar-winning actor known for “On the Waterfront” and “North by Northwest,” died Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles at 102. Her publicist, Jeff Sanderson, said the cause was natural causes and that she was surrounded by …
Russian anti-plague lab researcher dies; US and EU say they are monitoring
A 28-year-old female researcher at the Irkutsk anti-plague research institute in Shelekhov, Russia, died after being diagnosed with pneumonia of unknown cause, the state agency Rospotrebnadzor said. About 200 people who may have had contact…
Defense minister: arts, sports military service exemption to be cut and abolished
South Korea's defense minister said on Oct 7 that the goal is to gradually reduce the arts and sports military service exemption and ultimately abolish it, after controversy over remarks by Asian Games football gold medallists about the exe…
Korea culture minister urges strict law enforcement over threats to 'Assassin(s)' cast
Culture minister Choi Hwi-young said on Oct 5 that criticism of the film “Assassin(s)” is free but that threatening its creators destroys democracy, and that he has asked police to protect the cast and crew and strictly enforce the law agai…
Police begin protection for actor Yoo Hae-jin amid ‘Assassin(s)’ controversy
Seongbuk Police Station in Seoul began safety measures for actor Yoo Hae-jin on Oct 6 after his agency requested protection, issuing him a smartwatch, registering him in the 112 emergency system and strengthening patrols near his home. The …
South Korea re-designates 92 population decline regions, adding Busan Geumjeong, Dongducheon and Tongyeong
South Korea's Ministry of the Interior and Safety re-designated 92 cities, counties and districts as population decline regions on Oct. 7, up from 89 in the first designation five years ago. Busan's Geumjeong-gu, Gyeonggi's Dongducheon and …
Trump signs order allowing tax-free red-dyed diesel on highways
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday temporarily allowing off-road red-dyed diesel to be used for highway driving and deferring the federal excise tax on that fuel through the end of 2026 without interest or penalties.…
Russia quarantines hospital as lab worker’s death puts nearly 200 under observation
A female employee of the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute of Siberia and the Far East died last week of pneumonia of unknown cause, Russian authorities said, and a hospital in the town of Shelekhov was placed under quarantine. Officia…
South Korea culture ministry issues director-level personnel notice
South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released a personnel appointment notice on 5 October 2026, carried by Newsis, Yonhap, Seoul Economic Daily, Asia Economy, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankook Ilbo. Yonhap's summary described …
China medical insurance pooled funds take in 2.07 trillion yuan in Jan-Aug
China's National Healthcare Security Administration released data showing that in January to August 2026 the basic medical insurance (including maternity insurance) pooled funds took in 2.072772 trillion yuan and spent 1.550414 trillion yua…
Korea to draw up guidelines for medical accident investigations after ER search
Police searched the pediatric emergency medical center and pediatrics department at Ajou University Hospital on September 30 as part of an investigation into the July death of an infant. After medical groups and lawmakers from both main par…
Celltrion's Avtozma wins FDA nod for pediatric COVID-19 use in US
Celltrion said the US Food and Drug Administration granted an additional approval for its Avtozma (tocilizumab) intravenous formulation to treat COVID-19 in patients aged 2 and older. The approval widens the drug's COVID-19 indication from …
Busan International Film Festival opens 31st edition with 247 invited films
The 31st Busan International Film Festival opened on the evening of Oct. 6 at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae district and runs through Oct. 15. Organisers invited 247 films from 59 countries, with 316 screenings in all including the co…
Land minister says Gangnam, Yongsan home prices have turned negative
Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Hong Ji-seon told a National Assembly audit on Oct 7 that home prices in Seoul's Gangnam three districts and Yongsan have turned negative, and said price growth should ease with the market stabili…
Asian Games gold row widens as parties in South Korea seek exemption review
South Korea beat Japan 1-0 on October 3 to win a fourth consecutive Asian Games men's football gold, a result that exempts most of the squad from military service. A locker-room photo of Park Seung-su in a discharge hat, captain Lee Ki-hyuk…
South Korea study links severe gestational diabetes to higher diabetes risk in children
South Korea's National Institute of Health said children of mothers who had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes, with the risk rising to 4.3 times for type 2 diabetes among children of mothers who needed insulin during …
American actress Eva Marie Saint dies at 102
American actress Eva Marie Saint, an Oscar winner for her role in Elia Kazan's 1954 film “On the Waterfront,” died at the age of 102. Kommersant, citing Deadline, reported she died on 6 October at her home in Los Angeles surrounded by her f…
Mezzo-soprano Kim Cheong-ja, first Korean to debut in European opera, dies at 82
Mezzo-soprano Kim Cheong-ja, a former professor at Korea National University of Arts who became the first Korean to debut on a European opera stage in 1970, died on Oct. 5 at age 82, her students said. She died at St. Luke’s Hospital in Yon…
BIFF jury head Zhang Yimou says “creation is creation” amid “Assassins” controversy
Zhang Yimou, jury president of the 31st Busan International Film Festival competition section, told a press conference in Busan that he had not seen “Assassins” but had heard about its content, and said creation is creation and need not be …