Business
– Microsoft said on Monday it is offering voluntary buyouts to a wide range of employees as it balances a costly artificial intelligence infrastructure build-out with capital efficiency. The new voluntary exit offer covers certain workers in the United States,
– 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
Health
– Namibia’s Zambezi Region has recorded 33,944 malaria cases since January, according to health authorities. The region has also recorded 22 deaths from the disease this year. Muyako, Choi and Sesheke clinics are the main hotspots. Together, they accounted for
– The World Health Organization has called for stronger epidemiological surveillance after new Ebola clusters were detected in remote areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The agency warned that security and logistical challenges are limiting access to some
– St. George’s University has called for risk-based breast cancer screening across Africa after a study found that 21.9% of women diagnosed with the disease in five sub-Saharan African countries were under the age of 40. The university urged healthcare
Sports
Automotive
Japan’s new car sales rose 1.8% in the first half of 2026, marking a second straight first-half gain for the domestic auto market. Automakers sold 2,387,189 new vehicles from January through June, including minivehicles. The increase followed a stronger second
Porsche has presented a one-off 911 GT3 RS created through its Sonderwunsch programme, combining the track-focused sports car with a bespoke design treatment inspired by haute couture. The vehicle is finished in Macadamiametallic from the Paint to Sample range and
SEOUL: Mercedes-Benz on Monday unveiled the all-new electric C-Class at a world premiere in Seoul, introducing the first battery-electric version of one of its best-known sedan nameplates and placing one of the brand’s core products into the premium EV market. The launch