Technology contest aims to make life easier

Disabled from a car accident in 1992, Richard Hanbury was told he had only five years to live. Instead of being depressed, he was inspired to invent an electronic "painkiller" to stay alive.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Chinese medics filling gaps in Africa

As debate rages on whether it is immoral for high-income countries to recruit medical doctors from Africa, China continues to send doctors to boost public healthcare to underserved communities in Africa.

Anime studio hit by arson is known for skill, fan base

TOKYO - It may not be as famous as Japanese anime legend Studio Ghibli, but Kyoto Animation has many core fans and is known as a team of skilled animators that provides top-quality work for others and can produce its own hits, such as Lucky Star, K-On! and the Haruhi Suzumiya series.

Swiss raise a glass to winegrowers

RIVAZ, Switzerland - When foreigners think of Swiss specialties that might excite their taste buds, world-renowned chocolate and cheese likely come to mind.

NZ wants to link China and South America

New Zealand is positioning itself to become a major, strategic link between China and South America under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Gulf tensions rise as Iranian drone 'downed'

TEHERAN - Iran on Friday denied US President Donald Trump's statement that a US warship destroyed an Iranian drone near the Persian Gulf after it threatened the ship - an incident that marked a new escalation of tensions between the countries less than a month after Iran downed a US drone in the same waterway and Trump came close to retaliating with a military strike.

S. Africans mark Mandela Day with focus on poverty

On Thursday, South Africans marked the International Nelson Mandela Day with commitments to fight poverty.

Japan, S. Korea trade words over forced labor

TOKYO/SEOUL - Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono summoned South Korea's ambassador to Tokyo on Friday, in a deepening diplomatic row over compensation for Korean wartime forced labor that threatens global supply of memory chips and display screens.

Boeing will compensate on groundings

Boeing has said it will take a $5 billion charge to compensate airlines for lost revenue stemming from the extended grounding of its 737 Max jets.

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DRC's Ebola outbreak an 'emergency'

The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the deadly Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a public health emergency of international concern.