For the fifth year running, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard topped Reuters’ ranking of the world’s most innovative universities, a list that identifies and ranks the educational institutions doing the most to advance science, invent new technologies and power new markets and industries. 　Stanford holds onto its top spot year after year because it produces a steady stream of innovations that are cited by other researchers in academia and private

　A third of South Koreans were given prescription narcotics in the past year, as more people received comprehensive medical checkups, government data showed.　More than 17.8 million people received drugs like propofol and zolpidem, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said, citing some 107 million pieces of data collected from July 2018 through June this year.　The drug safety agency said pain killers, sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs were the most common types prescribed by doctors, with women ma

　The number of website defacements in South Korea has increased in 2019 from a year earlier, an opposition lawmaker said.　Rep. Shin Yong-hyeon of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party said webpage-related hackings, including the stealing of confidential information and injection of malicious code, numbered 501 cases as of August, compared with 567 for the whole of 2018.　The lawmaker cited findings submitted by the Korea Internet & Security Agency for a parliamentary audit.　She said the numb

Nine in 10 K-pop fans would like to visit South Korea in the future, a survey showed, highlighting K-pop’s positive impact on the tourism sector.In a survey of 12,663 people from 111 countries who identified themselves as K-pop fans, 89.8 percent of the respondents said they would like to visit the country, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.The survey showed BTS was the most popular group followed by EXO, Super Junior and Big Bang. (Yonhap)

　Norway and Switzerland are the best countries for women and Yemen and Afghanistan the worst, according to research.　While women’s quality of life has improved in some 60 countries, it has deteriorated in Yemen and other war-torn nations, research organizations Georgetown University’s Institute for Women, Peace and Security and Peace Research Institute Oslo concluded. 　The researchers looked at 167 countries since 2017, when the first Women, Peace and Security Index was compiled, wei

　The number of rich Chinese has surpassed the count of wealthy Americans for the first time as both countries keep churning out millionaires, a study by Credit Suisse showed. 　The Swiss bank’s annual wealth survey found 100 million Chinese ranked in the global top 10 percent as of the middle of this year versus 99 million in the United States. 　The ranks of the world’s millionaires have risen by 1.1 million to an estimated 46.8 million, collectively owning $158.3 trillion in net asse

　Health insurance spending to cover smoking and drinking-related treatments reached 13 trillion won ($11 billion) from 2016 through 2018, data showed.　According to a report submitted to Rep. Jung Choun-sook by the National Health Insurance Service for the ongoing parliamentary audit, annual expenditures, including insurance coverage and costs paid by individuals, exceeded 4.6 trillion won last year, up 16 percent from 2016.　Costs to deal with treatment for smoking and drinking made up some 8 per

　South Korean soccer sensation Son Heung-min has been shortlisted for the 2019 Ballon d’Or award.　France Football announced the 30 candidates, which include Lionel Messi, Cristian Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk but not Neymar. The awards ceremony will take place on Dec. 2 in Paris.　Son is the third Korean to be named on the list, following Seol Ki-hyeon (2002) and Park Ji-sung (2005). Seol and Park were among lists of 50 nominees. The French magazine cut down the number to 30 in 2008.

　The United Nations’ food agency said around 14 percent of food produced globally is lost and has urged action to address the causes as part of efforts to protect the environment.　The UN Food and Agriculture Organization noted that a combination of causes - including harvesting and handling practices, lack of infrastructure, agricultural blights and climatic conditions - keep fueling large food losses around the world. 　FAO said its estimates focus on losses between harvest and sales. It s

　About 15 percent of the foreign residents in South Korea are undocumented immigrants, with Thais forming the biggest national group, a report showed.　A total of 370,889 foreigners were staying in South Korea without permission as of July, 15 percent of the entire population of foreign nationals residing in the country, according to a report by the Ministry of Justice, submitted to Rep. Lee Eun-jae of the Liberty Korea Party.　Of the undocumented foreigners, the number of Thai residents reached 1

　People aged 65 or older made up about 15 percent of South Korea’s population this year, a report showed, highlighting concerns that the fast demographic transition could have negative effects on the country’s economy.　According to the report from Statistics Korea, the number of people aged 65 or older stood at 7.68 million this year, accounting for 14.9 percent of the nation’s population. 　The Korean population is projected to peak in 2028, then go on a downward curve, the rep

　The South Korea passport has nearly topped the list as the world’s most powerful, offering citizens access to 188 countries without a visa in advance, tying it with Germany and Finland, according to the Henley Passport Index. 　Singapore and Japan shared the No. 1 spot with access to 190 countries.　Denmark, Italy and Luxembourg hold the next spot with 187 countries, while France, Sweden and Spain ranked one lower with 186 countries, according to the report.

　Hong Kong has been battered by more than four months of pro-democracy protests - and increasingly violent clashes with police - with Beijing-backed Chief Executive Carrie Lam unable to resolve the unprecedented crisis.　　Hong Kong officials have revealed that out of 2,379 protesters arrested since June, 750 were under 18 and 104 under 16.　The subway system - viewed as an enemy for ferrying police and shuttering stations - has been crippled, with some 2,400 ticketing machines and turnstiles vanda

　The number of elderly South Koreans with mental health issues has risen sharply in recent years, as the country scrambles to provide better health care for its people, a report showed.　In the report to the National Assembly, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service said that in the 2010-2018 period, the number of people over 80 afflicted with major depression surged 176.5 percent, with the figure for those in their 70s increasing 59.4 percent.　As of last year, roughly 40 percent of th

　New York has extended its lead as the world’s top financial center, with London barely holding on to second place ahead of Hong Kong, as uncertainty over Brexit takes its toll on the UK capital, a Z/Yen Group survey showed.　Singapore, Shanghai, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai, Shenzhen and Sydney make up the remainder of the top 10 centers, the Global Financial Centers Index said in a statement. 　South Korea’s two largest cities, Seoul and Busan, ranked Nos. 39 and 43, respectively.　The GFCI