Author: araboutlook.com

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – Foreign tourist arrivals in South Korea exceeded 2 million in July 2026 as inbound travel continued above pre-pandemic levels. The country received 2,093,223 foreign visitors during the month, according to the Korea Tourism Organization. That total rose 20.8% from 1,733,199 visitors in July 2025. It also reached 144.6% of the number recorded in July 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel. The July total also marked a 48.6% increase from the 1,408,499 foreign visitors recorded in July 2024. The latest figures showed broad gains among South Korea’s major inbound tourism markets. China…

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – The European Commission has expanded its Ebola response with a €2.1 million purchase of PCR tests for the Bundibugyo virus outbreak. The agreement covers open-platform tests that laboratories can use with existing systems. The European Health and Digital Executive Agency supported the procurement process. Shipments are due to start in August as health teams confront a large outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and affecting parts of the wider region. The World Health Organization will receive the tests through its Hub for Global Health Emergencies Logistics in Dubai. WHO will then…

SINGAPORE / RankWire.AI / – Oil prices recovered modestly on Tuesday after Brent crude and WTI fell more than 2% in the previous session. Brent futures rose 27 cents, or 0.3%, to $92.44 a barrel by 0330 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate gained 37 cents, or 0.4%, to $85.38. The rebound followed Monday’s sharp pullback, which ended six consecutive sessions of gains across the two benchmark crude contracts. Brent crude settled $2.22 lower on Monday at $92.17 a barrel, a decline of 2.35%. WTI dropped $2.05, also 2.35%, to close at $85.01 a barrel. The U.S. benchmark reached a one-week…

BUSAN, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea has begun its first container ship trial through the Arctic to Europe. The 2,758-TEU PanStar Acro left Busan New Port at about 9 p.m. on August 22. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries confirmed the departure and published the voyage schedule. The ship will use the Northern Sea Route before calling at three European ports. The 45-day round trip is scheduled to end in Busan on October 5. PanStar Line Dot Com operates the vessel, which is carrying 837 TEU during the Arctic shipping trial. About 737 TEU consists of commercial…

HONG KONG / RankWire.AI / – Alibaba Group has priced an HK$80 billion share placement to fund artificial intelligence investment and expand its AI infrastructure. The Chinese technology group will issue 710 million new ordinary shares at HK$112.70 each. The deal is worth about US$10.2 billion at current exchange rates. Alibaba expects the transaction to close on Aug. 26, subject to customary conditions. Alibaba said it will direct 100% of the net proceeds toward its full-stack AI capabilities. The spending will include expansion and upgrades across its artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company has built an AI ecosystem spanning cloud computing,…

ADELAIDE, Australia / RankWire.AI / – Australian researchers from Adelaide University and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute have identified a novel molecular switch that drives the spread of aggressive tumors. Published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, the breakthrough study reveals that Australian researchers uncover a promising new way to tackle triple-negative breast cancer by restoring a critical regulatory molecule known as miR-342. The discovery opens new avenues to prevent life-threatening secondary cancers in organs such as the lungs and bones. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for 10% to 15% of Australia’s approximately 21,000 annual breast cancer diagnoses but causes a disproportionate number of deaths. This subtype…

ISLAMABAD / RankWire.AI / – Official data released by Pakistan’s federal government confirmed that 21,951 Pakistani nationals were deported from Gulf countries between March 1 and July 13, 2026. According to official figures presented to the National Assembly, the deportations occurred due to various infractions including overstaying visas, illegal entries, drug offenses, forged documentation, and involvement in organized begging networks. Nearly 22,000 Pakistanis deported from Gulf over four months for visa violations and begging highlights tightening immigration enforcement across the Middle East. The written statement submitted by the Ministry for Narcotics Control detailed that Saudi Arabia accounted for the vast…

KINSHASA, DR CONGO / RankWire.AI / – The Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive 70,000 Ervebo Ebola vaccine doses as the Bundibugyo outbreak expands. Congolese authorities reported 5,208 confirmed cases and 2,476 deaths as of Aug. 18. The outbreak now affects 56 health zones across six provinces in the east and northeast. Authorities also listed 1,115 recoveries, while 730 patients remained in isolation or hospital care. The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision approved the release after the government requested doses from the global Ebola stockpile. WHO said 20,000 doses will support a Phase 3 clinical trial focused on…

TOKYO, JAPAN / RankWire.AI / – Japan’s imports and exports both reached record monthly highs in July 2026, as energy costs and semiconductor demand lifted the value of trade. Imports rose 27.8% from a year earlier to about 12.15 trillion yen. Exports increased 23.2% to roughly 11.51 trillion yen. The Ministry of Finance figures showed imports grew faster than exports, leaving Japan with a trade deficit of 634.5 billion yen for the month. July marked the second consecutive monthly record for imports by value. Crude oil played a major role in the increase as Japan faced higher energy costs. Crude…

NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – U.S. stocks ended modestly higher Wednesday as long-term Treasury yields fell sharply. The S&P 500 rose 16.22 points, or 0.21%, to 7,707.98, ending a three-session losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 119.65 points, or 0.22%, to close at 53,463.05. The Nasdaq Composite added 41.38 points, or 0.16%, finishing at 26,331.09. Falling government bond yields helped major indexes recover after several sessions of pressure from rising borrowing costs. Bond prices climbed after the U.S. Treasury Department announced larger liquidity support buybacks for longer-dated government debt. Starting September 9, the maximum purchase size will…