"Three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering "therapies that have revolutionized the treatment of some of the most devastating parasitic diseases," the Nobel committee announced on Monday. William C. Campbell and Satoshi Omurawon for developing a new drug, Avermectin. A derivative of that drug, Ivermectin, has nearly eradicated river blindness and radically reduced the incidence of filariasis, which causes the disfiguring swelling of the lymph system in the legs and lower body known as elephantiasis. They shared the $900,000 award with Youyou Tu, who discovered Artemisinin, a drug that has significantly reduced death rates from malaria," The New York Times reports.
The Wall Street Journal writes, "A sweeping trade deal concluded on Monday marks a victory for Japan and other U.S. allies in the battle with China over shaping the future of global commerce. The 12-member Trans-Pacific Partnership, which doesn't include China, highlights the price that Beijing is paying for delaying overhauls as other countries write a new rule book for trade across 40% of the global economy, experts say. Japan's leadership views the agreement as key to its economic and security goals as China expands its influence in the region, especially in Southeast Asia, where Japan has long been a major investor and aid donor."
"Have you been pining for a "teacup" pig but worried that the supposedly petite porcine pet might grow as big as your bathtub? A Chinese biotech firm says it now has the answer: a genetically modified swine that tops out around 33 pounds. BGI, a company based in the southern city of Shenzhen that is known for its work sequencing human, plant and animal DNA, recently announced that it intends to start selling $1,600 miniature pigs that it initially created as laboratory models for studying human ailments. The pigs created a splash late last month when BGI showed them at the Shenzhen International Biotech Leaders Summit. The pint-size porkers were created through a process known as gene editing," The Los Angeles Times writes.