Asia Brunei The Basic Haj and Umrah Course 1448H/2026M has began at selected mosques nationwide to equip prospective haj and umrah pilgrims with essential knowledge on the rites and provide physical, spiritual and mental guidance
Asia Bhutan A new water supply project in Doksum was launched to end chronic drinking water shortages: a gravity-fed pipeline and an upgraded storage and distribution network was installed for a reliable year-round water supply for local households
Africa Mozambique Cardinal Júlio Duarte Langa, Bishop Emeritus of Xai-Xai, the Mozambican diocese he led for 28 years, died on 3 August at the age of 98; prayers from the faithful and from Pope Leo came as a tribute to his devotion to peace
Europe Montenegro Tourism and business sectors prepare for a possible decline in income as Montenegro adopts EU's policies on visas as requested by the final phase of its accession process, introducing visas for citizens of Russia, Belarus, Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia
Africa Malawi Agriculture Minister has responded to claims swirling around her reform of Malawi’s fertiliser procurement system and her team suggested that trading cartels are orchestrating a smear campaign to discredit her
Asia South Korea Major local-based global technology companies have agreed on US$700 million worth of cooperation projects; The initiatives involve collaboration in advanced technologies, including AI and semiconductors to expand South Korea’s global tech leadership
Europe Ireland The first person extradited from UAE to the Republic under the new, permanent treaty, which came into force last year has landed in Dublin, carried by an Air Corps flight following years of investigations by Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau
America Colombia A magnitude 7,4 earthquake hit the west of the country at a depth of approximately 110 kilometres, primarily due to two blocks of Earth’s crust sliding horizontally past one another, rather than moving up or down; search and rescue operations are ongoing
Europe Denmark Around one million students in primary and secondary education started their school year across Denmark; Most are primary and lower secondary school students 6-16 years old and the exact starting date can vary town by town
Asia Mongolia A 40-metre replica of Japan’s historic Illustrated Account of the Mongol Invasions was donated to Mongolia by a Japanese collector; The replica, depicting the Yuan dynasty’s invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281, will be housed at the Kharakhorum Museum
Asia Oman An oil spill in Hallaniyat archipelago, off southern coast, affected roughly 390 sq km after a tanker ran aground inside a protected marine area established last year to protect sensitive ecosystems home to diverse marine life, including rare sea turtles
Africa Uganda Taifa Group has announced the resumption of Nation Media Group’s operations in Uganda following Presidential authorisation; the move is described as a boost to regional investment, media development and East African integration
Asia Sri Lanka 81% of Sri Lanka internet users use AI to search information and a quarter abandon traditional search engines entirely, Digital Outlook 2026 reports; experts warn that algorithmically generated confidence is dangerously outpacing basic digital literacy
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