Japan

Three scientists from Japan, China and Ireland whose discoveries led to the development of potent new drugs against parasitic diseases such as malaria and elephantiasis won the Nobel Prize for Medicine on Oct.5.

The United States and 11 other Pacific Rim countries have agreed to an ambitious trade pact that cuts trade barriers, sets labor and environmental standards and protects multinational corporations' intellectual property.

The agreement on the Trans Pacific Partnership was reached on Oct. 5 after marathon negotiating sessions in Atlanta through the weekend.

Some 92 percent of the world's population lives in areas where a connection service of 2G or better is accessible, but four billion people still remain offline, according to a recent report.

Negotiations on the ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnership were to go into overtime on Oct.2 as top trade officials from 12 countries strained to craft a deal that would create the world's largest free trade zone.

Otto Penzler, President and Publisher of MysteriousPress.com, has announced a contest for the Mysterious Press Award, which will be given for the best e-book original mystery novel. The winning entry will receive a prize of $25,000 and guaranteed world-wide publication. The winner will be announced at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair.

China hopes the United States can scale back activities that run the risk of misunderstandings, and respect China's core interests, the Defence Ministry on Oct.1 cited a senior Chinese naval commander as saying. 

Toshiba executives on Sept. 30 faced the wrath of shareholders who demanded an explanation after one of Japan's best-known companies was hammered by a billion-dollar accounting scandal.

The government of Japan adopted a decision to donate USD 2 million worth of aid to Serbia and Macedonia for tackling problems caused by the migrant crisis.

This was announced by Japanese Ambassador in Belgrade Juichi Takahara.

The G7 group of leading economies, European countries and Gulf states pledged $1.8 billion in funding on Sept.29 for UN aid agencies struggling with the worst refugee crisis in 70 years.

Turkey needs a permanent and coherent public policy for nuclear energy, according to the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA).