HONG KONG -- Hong Kong has once again been ranked as the world's freest economy, according to the Economic Freedom of the World 2026 Annual Report released on Tuesday by the Fraser Institute.
Among the five areas of assessment, Hong Kong maintained its top position in "freedom to trade internationally" and secured second place in "regulation." (Hong Kong-Top-Economy)
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TOKYO -- Several Japanese companies and a university have reported data breaches or cyberattacks since Monday, potentially affecting millions of customers, members, students and teachers in a series of separate incidents.
Osaka Metropolitan University said Monday that data on at least 130,000 students and teachers may have been leaked following a cyberattack that caused a system failure at the institution. (Japan-Cyberattack-Leak)
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BANGKOK -- Thailand received over 23.45 million inbound visitors from Jan. 1 to Oct. 3, down 3.88 percent from the same period a year earlier, preliminary data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports showed on Tuesday.
Receipts from foreign visitors fell 2.26 percent to 1.14 trillion baht (about 33.91 billion U.S. dollars), marking a smaller decline than the drop in arrivals. (Thailand-Tourism-Dip)
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ULAN BATOR -- Bear sightings in and around residential areas across Mongolia have continued in recent months, with authorities warning the public to remain vigilant and take precautions to reduce potential risks.
Videos showing bears entering or damaging traditional Mongolian round-shaped dwellings, known as gers, and houses, as well as attacking livestock in several provinces, have also gone viral on social media, highlighting the growing impact of human-bear encounters on local communities. (Mongolia-Bear-Sighting) ■
