South Korea's import prices declined for the 14th straight month in October as oil prices fell and the local currency strengthened against the U.S. dollar, the central bank said Tuesday.In local currency terms, the country's import prices declined 7.3 percent in October from a year earlier, smaller than an 8.1 percent on-year fall in September, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).It marked the 14th straight month of on-year declines in import prices since September last year when such prices di

Apple and Samsung return to a California court this week for another round in the blockbuster patent trial between the two biggest smartphone makers.A jury trial opens Tuesday to reconsider damages awarded last year in the case stemming from Apple's allegation that its South Korean rival illegally copied technology from the iPhone and iPad.The new trial became necessary after a judge cut some $450 million from a damage award of more than $1 billion to be paid by Samsung.Judge Lucy Koh, in her ru

More than 70,000 South Koreans studied at U.S. universities and colleges last year, representing the third-largest number of international students here, according to a formal report issued Monday.The total number of foreign students in U.S. higher education increased 7 percent to a record high of 819,644 in the 2012/13 academic year from the previous season, said the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the U.S. Department of State's annual "Open Doors" report."Students from the top t

Thailand's Senate defeated an amnesty bill on Monday that could have led to the return from exile of deposed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, but opponents of the bill vowed to continue their protests against the government.The main opposition Democrat Party called for civil disobedience and a three-day nationwide strike beginning Wednesday in what has turned into a campaign to bring down the government led by Thaksin's sister, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.Critics say the amnesty

Defending champion Novak Djokovic beat top-ranked Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-4 to win the ATP World Tour Finals on Monday, extending his winning streak to 22 matches and claiming the elite season-ending title for the third time.Djokovic, who has not lost a match since his defeat to Nadal in the U.S. Open final, returned superbly from the start to move his Spanish rival around the court and prevent him from dictating the points. Nadal hit only nine winners and was broken three times in a match between t

An expected peace deal between Congo's government and M23 rebels was postponed after Congolese officials asked for more time to study the document, a Ugandan government spokesman said Monday, the day Western diplomats and Ugandan officials believed a final accord would be signed after nearly a year of negotiations. The Congolese government delegation was not ready to agree to the document, according to Ugandan government spokesman Ofwono Opondo, who said the accord would have to wait until Congo

Hard-line Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman, one of Israel's most powerful and polarizing figures, was reappointed as the country's foreign minister Monday after being cleared of all charges in a long-running corruption case.He re-emerges as a player at a critical time in U.S.-backed peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Known for his outspoken and critical views of the Palestinians, he is likely to further complicate an already troubled negotiating climate with the Palestini

Syria's main Western-backed opposition group has approved a partial cabinet charged with administering rebel-held territories inside Syria. The move by the Syrian National Coalition late Monday follows its announcement earlier in the day that it plans to attend proposed peace talks with the Syrian government, if certain conditions are met. The coalition has struggled for months to cobble together an interim government, in part because of infighting among the various exile groups involved. In vot

Foreign governments and agencies have announced a major relief effort to help victims of the Philippine typhoon. Here are some of the pledges they have made:UNITED STATESU.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he assured Philippine Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario ``of our full commitment to providing all necessary assistance.''He said the U.S. government is organizing emergency shipments of critically needed material to provide shelter to the hundreds of thousands of displaced Filipinos and

South Korean stocks closed 0.38 percent lower Monday, as investors remained cautious to make bets amid lingering uncertainties about the U.S. monetary policy, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) retreated 7.57 points to finish at 1,977.30. Trading volume was light at 282.3 million shares worth 3.28 trillion won ($3.07 billion) with losers far outpacing gainers 637 to 188. After starting higher at the opening bell