TRENDING NEWS
The World Health Organization says Ebola transmission is declining in some of the hardest-hit areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The improvement is most visible in parts of Ituri province, the main center of the outbreak. However, the epidemic continues to expand in other areas. Official data through Sept. 13 showed 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 deaths across seven provinces, with the national case fatality ratio at 48.4%.
Regional emergency services dispatchers confirmed that no immediate reports of casualties, injuries, or structural property destruction were filed in the hours following the tremor. Local civil defense departments mobilized inspection units to evaluate public infrastructure, including municipal water supplies, power grids, gas pipelines, and transport corridors across Neijiang. State media reporting relayed by Xinhua News Agency verified that rural townships nearest to the epicenter reported minor ground shaking without disruptions to local utilities.
Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed that the government initiated the immunization campaign utilizing doses of the Ervebo vaccine to safeguard frontline personnel operating across impacted eastern provinces.
ALGERIA / RankWire.AI / – Wildfires across northeastern Algeria have killed at least 12 people and injured 54, authorities said Wednesday night. Five deaths occurred in Jijel, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou, Interior Minister Said Sayoud said. Six injured people remained in critical condition and were receiving intensive care after suffering burns. The fires spread across several provinces during a severe heatwave affecting Algeria and other parts of North Africa.
On Mondays and Saturdays, flight G9 0628 will leave Sharjah at 4 p.m. and arrive in Gdansk at 8 p.m. The return flight, G9 0629, will depart Gdansk at 8:50 p.m. It will reach Sharjah at 6:10 a.m. the following day. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, Sharjah departures are scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Return flights will leave Gdansk at 1:05 p.m. and arrive in Sharjah at 10:25 p.m. All published times are local.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
The written statement submitted by the Ministry for Narcotics Control detailed that Saudi Arabia accounted for the vast majority of repatriations, expelling 15,500 Pakistani nationals during the four-month window. The United Arab Emirates deported 3,803 individuals, followed by Oman with 1,606 deportations, Bahrain with 521, Qatar with 429, and Kuwait with 97. A significant subset of the repatriated individuals involved 4,628 absconders, 1,294 individuals who served prison sentences, and 472 individuals specifically identified as beggars.
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 import volumes rose 5.5% from July 2025, ending three months of year-on-year declines. The value of those crude shipments jumped 87.8% over the same period. Japan remains heavily dependent on imported energy, making changes in oil prices and exchange rates important factors in its merchandise trade figures.
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 Bundibugyo virus disease. The other 50,000 doses will go to frontline and health workers under current vaccination recommendations. WHO and Africa CDC welcomed the allocation, which officials announced on Aug. 20.
News
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has raised the number of people missing after the Aug. 26 floods to 6,150. The revised total is 971 higher than the previous figure of 5,179. Authorities have also recovered 1,403 bodies since the disaster struck. The floods and debris flows caused extensive damage across northern Nepal, particularly near the border with China. Authorities have identified 105 of the recovered bodies and continue forensic work on the others. The latest government data lists 3,175 DNA samples collected during the identification process.
Health
The World Health Organization says Ebola transmission is declining in some of the hardest-hit areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The improvement is most visible in parts of Ituri province, the main center of the outbreak. However, the epidemic continues to expand in other areas. Official data through Sept. 13 showed 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 deaths across seven provinces, with the national case fatality ratio at 48.4%.
New York City health officials detected Legionella DNA in a Yankee Stadium cooling tower during an investigation into a South Bronx outbreak. The city had confirmed 11 Legionnaires’ disease cases by Tuesday night. One person died, while three patients remained hospitalized. The New York City Health Department found preliminary positive PCR results in 10 of 24 cooling towers sampled across ZIP codes 10451 and 10456.
The World Health Organization has urged a wider Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as transmission continues across several provinces. Congo had recorded 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 deaths by Sept. 1, according to the latest government figures. The outbreak has affected 60 health zones in six provinces. Authorities have also recorded 1,439 recoveries, while the case fatality rate stands at 48.6%.
Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed that the government initiated the immunization campaign utilizing doses of the Ervebo vaccine to safeguard frontline personnel operating across impacted eastern provinces.
Obesity was linked to 9,509 deaths in Belgium during 2022, representing 8.2 percent of total national mortality, according to new data from the Belgian public health institute Sciensano. Marking the first time public health researchers in the country have systematically quantified mortality directly attributable to an elevated body mass index (BMI), the report reveals that weight-related complications caused more than one death per hour nationwide. The statistical findings also show that high BMI resulted in over 150,000 lost years of life across all demographic groups in a single year.
Lifestyle
Travel
The carrier’s seasonal performance highlights expanding passenger capacity and higher load factors across primary long-haul routes connecting North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Operational updates released through international aviation channels indicate that forward bookings for the upcoming holiday travel window remain elevated across both premium cabins and economy class. Industry observers note that the sustained passenger volume underscores structural resilience across international long-haul aviation markets.
Business
The interest rate adjustment by the U.S. central bank triggered immediate policy realignments across several regional monetary authorities seeking to maintain currency stability and mitigate inflationary pressures. Central banks in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain promptly raised their key benchmark interest rates in step with the Federal Reserve’s policy action. Conversely, the Central Bank of Kuwait opted to leave its key interest rate unchanged, maintaining its current monetary policy framework following a comprehensive review of domestic economic indicators.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation put real gross domestic product at ₹81.36 lakh crore for the quarter. That compared with ₹75.46 lakh crore in the same period a year earlier. Nominal GDP reached ₹88.27 lakh crore, up 10.3% from ₹80 lakh crore. Real gross value added, another measure of economic activity, increased 8.2% to ₹73.82 lakh crore. Nominal GVA rose 11.5% to ₹80.53 lakh crore.
Japanese stocks came under sharp pressure Monday as the Nikkei 225 dropped nearly 2% in early trading. The benchmark fell 1.97% to 65,096.63 and later touched an intraday low of 64,832.10. Technology shares led much of the decline as investors reacted to higher bond yields and tighter interest rate expectations. The broader Topix also weakened early, falling 0.84% to 4,111.71. Japanese government bond yields rose at the same time, adding pressure to rate sensitive parts of the equity market.
The agreement brings the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming together with the Ministry of Youth and Sports on business licensing. It also covers investment promotion and services for companies operating in sports-related fields. The ministries will coordinate through Indonesia’s Online Single Submission system, known as OSS. Their cooperation also includes compliance monitoring, regulatory coordination and data sharing. The framework applies to investment development across Indonesia’s sports sector rather than establishing a US$521 billion domestic industry target.
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.
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.
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.
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 import volumes rose 5.5% from July 2025, ending three months of year-on-year declines. The value of those crude shipments jumped 87.8% over the same period. Japan remains heavily dependent on imported energy, making changes in oil prices and exchange rates important factors in its merchandise trade figures.
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 increase from $2 billion to at least $4 billion per operation. The change covers nominal coupon securities in the 10-to-20-year and 20-to-30-year maturity sectors. The increased amounts will remain in effect through November 4. The department said strong volumes of high-quality offers supported the decision to increase liquidity operations in those sectors.
Eco-friendly vehicles lead July export gains
The ministry linked the July export increase to more operating days and continued overseas demand for eco-friendly vehicles and SUVs. Major automakers shifted summer vacation schedules from July in 2025 to August in 2026. That change increased the number of working days during the month. Higher production followed the same calendar effect, with output rising 11.3% year on year to 352,000 vehicles. June production had reached 394,000 vehicles, an increase of 11.6% from a year earlier.
South Korea’s domestic auto market posted a smaller increase than exports and production. Vehicle sales rose 0.5% from July 2025 to 139,000 units. Eco-friendly vehicles accounted for 84,000 domestic sales, or about 60% of the market. Electric vehicle sales increased 47.5% to 36,000 units. Eco-friendly models therefore represented about three of every five vehicles sold domestically during July. Total domestic vehicle sales remained close to their level in the same month a year earlier.
North America and Europe post strong increases
The auto results formed part of a broader increase in South Korean exports during July. Total goods exports reached US$98.89 billion, the second-highest monthly value on record and up 62.8% from a year earlier. Automobiles c
U.S. retail diesel averaged $5.257 a gallon on August 10, compared with $5.348 a week earlier. Prices remained well above the $4.578 average recorded on July 6. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that distillate inventories fell 3.5 million barrels during the week ended July 31. Stocks reached 107.2 million barrels, compared with 110.6 million a week earlier. The total was 5.1% below a year earlier and 16.1% below the comparable level two years ago.
The estimated loss equals roughly €180 billion and is close to the European Commission’s current growth forecast for the bloc. In May, the Commission projected EU gross domestic product would rise 1.1% this year. The comparison shows the scale of the weather-related damage estimated in the bank’s analysis. Triodos Bank assessed four main channels: labour productivity, agriculture, energy production, and transport and logistics. It estimated lower labour productivity could reduce EU GDP by about 0.6%, making it the largest single factor. The bank also expects EU agricultural output to fall 3% to 7% because of heat and drought. Reduced power generation, higher electricity prices and transport disruptions add to the estimated economic damage across Europe.
Denmark’s annual consumer price inflation eased to 1.7% in July from 1.9% in June, with core inflation remaining steady at 2.3%. Restaurants and hotels were the main contributors to July inflation, with higher holiday home rental prices driving the increase. Goods prices were lower by 0.7% compared to a year earlier, while services prices rose by 3.8%. The EU harmonised inflation fell to 1.6% in July, down from 1.8% in June. Denmark’s net price index rose 2.6% year over year in July, easing from 2.7% in June.
Technology
The iPhone Duo uses Super Retina XDR displays on both sides, with ProMotion and Always-On support. Apple rates peak outdoor brightness at 3,000 nits for both screens. A nano-texture finish on the inner panel reduces glare and makes the fold crease less visible, according to Apple. Grade 5 titanium forms the enclosure, while the precision hinge uses more than 100 components. Apple also gives the iPhone Duo an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Apple designed iOS 27.1 to work across the phone’s open and closed configurations. Split View lets users run two apps side by side, a first for the iPhone. Users can also open two windows of the same app and save app pairs for later use. The inner screen can show two Home Screen pages and a vertically scrolling Today View. Touch ID sits in the side button and works whether the device is open or folded.
Sports
The shortlist includes players from leading clubs across Europe and other major competitions. Paris Saint-Germain has one of the strongest contingents in the men’s field. Its nominees include Dembélé, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice, Michael Olise, Lautaro Martínez and Sadio Mané also earned places. France Football administers the Ballon d’Or and applies a season-based assessment period to each edition.
Automotive
Company leadership confirmed that Porsche to cut 5,000 more jobs under restructuring plan negotiations following months of talks between management and labor councils. The initiative aims to bolster operational efficiency as the vehicle producer confronts declining market share in Asia, elevated global tariffs, and sluggish demand for electric vehicles.