Asia United Arab Emirates Emirates customers made over one million connections to Starlink Wi-Fi in seven months, using more than one petabyte of data through the satellite internet service accessible free onboard aircraft in the fleet
Asia India The 'Jharkhand Agitation' is going on, with students protesting in Ranchi over recruitment irregularities and the JPSC exams, prompting talks with authorities and bringing Education Minister to step down over national exam paper leaks
Asia Japan The US and Japan made a coordinated intervention in the currency markets to stabilize the weakening yen, a rare move that last occurred more than ten years ago
America Jamaica Over 1.000 of 1.500 nights of emergency housing provided for families displaced by natural disasters by non-profit Airbnb.org since 2020 have been used in Jamaica; the independent organization was founded by Airbnb to provide relief in crisis
Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo 42 years after last census in 1984, when DRC still went under the name of Zaire, authorities are preparing to count the population to gather reliable data for planning public services; millions of people with no official ID will be recorded by the state
Oceania Fiji The Land Transport Authority is introducing a mandatory Learner Driver Course for all Class 2 Learner Permit applicants from today; The new requirement is aimed at standardizing driver education and improving road safety outcomes in Fiji
Europe Switzerland Several cantons have cancelled the traditional firework displays for the national holiday on 1 August due to fire risk, including Basel, that reinforced ban on any fire in the city except the beloved lantern parade, involving several hundred children
Europe Finland Helsinki Region Transport will introduce its winter timetable today, with more frequent services across the capital region as commuters return after the summer break; several routes suspended for the summer will return to operation
Africa Sao Tome and Principe São Tomé and Príncipe, the first country whose entire territory has been classified by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, had its plantations inscribed in the World Heritage List: one of its most valuable assets, they cover almost 100% of the territory
America Cuba The wooden planks of the iconic benches in Plaza de Marte, Santiago de Cuba's most emblematic public space, were ripped out most probably to be used as firewood for cooking; images in a local newspaper are yet another sign of the dramatic crisis
America Costa Rica Thousands of Costa Ricans responded to the call to defend the Judiciary, overflowing San José in a demonstration under the slogan ‘democracy is not negotiable’; a budget cut for the Judiciary is among the elements that sparked protests
Asia Uzbekistan Six residential blocks at Newport housing complex in Tashkent's Yakkasaray district were constructed without proper registration with the regional oversight body, while three blocks received required approvals from Architectural and Urban Planning Council
Oceania Tonga Middle East tensions are expected to cause a 4% GDP contraction and cost national budget between up to TOP50 million (€18million): higher fuel prices, possible supply disruptions put, temporary fuel management measures will affect activity in many sectors
Europe Slovakia Spending by Slovaks on trips abroad has returned to around its pre-pandemic level of 2,7% of GDP, but Slovakia generates less income from foreign tourism than neighbouring Czechia and Hungary, despite comparable tourism potential, new analysis shows