Business
– South Korea posted the second-largest current account surplus among major economies in the second quarter, exceeding the combined surpluses of Germany and Japan. The country’s surplus reached $116.63 billion in the April-June period, according to central bank data reported
– Trade between Russia and Oman grew 22-fold in the first seven months of 2026 to reach $1.5 billion, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said. He gave the figures on Tuesday, October 20, during a meeting in Moscow with
– Japan recorded a trade deficit of 536.6 billion yen in September as imports grew faster than exports, preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance showed. Exports rose 16.7% from a year earlier to 10.9723 trillion yen. Imports climbed 18.9%
– South Korea’s exports more than doubled from a year earlier in the first 20 days of October, reaching $61.6 billion on record semiconductor shipments. The Korea Customs Service released the data on Wednesday. Average daily exports, measured by working
Health
– Malaria has killed 22 people in Namibia’s Zambezi Region this year, as cases since January reached 33,944, health authorities said. Three clinics, Muyako, Choi and Sesheke, have emerged as the main hotspots. They accounted for 49% of the 706
– The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 9,765 Ebola cases and 4,727 deaths as new clusters emerge in remote parts of the country, the World Health Organization said. WHO called for stronger epidemiological surveillance to contain the spread
– More than one in five women diagnosed with breast cancer in five sub-Saharan African countries were younger than 40, according to a study highlighted by St. George’s University. The figure of 21.9% has prompted the university to call for
– The World Health Organization has set a target for countries to identify and understand new health threats within 24 hours by 2030. WHO placed the goal at the center of a new five-year strategy for its Hub for Pandemic
Strategic capital deployments aimed at international medical sovereignty are accelerating as European authorities commit targeted funding to African healthcare systems. Ahead of the World Health Summit, the EU announces investment in health of almost €170 million to secure regional supply
– Psyllium husk may help people improve blood sugar control when used regularly as part of their diet. The fiber comes from the Plantago ovata plant and absorbs water inside the digestive system. This creates a gel that can slow