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 Malaysia Up to $150 billion over the next five years will be spent for equipment from U.S. multinationals for semiconductor, aerospace and data center industries in an articulated plan that reduces threatened U.S. tariff on Malaysian goods from 25% to 19%
Asia Pakistan Over 200 supporters of former PM Imran Khan were detained during countrywide rallies marking his arrest anniversary; Clashes in Lahore and Karachi saw police using force to disperse crowds
Asia Mongolia “Ebarimt” the VAT receipt system that issues lottery-based tax receipts to encourage compliance will be fully digitalized; Led by the Digital Development Ministry with the central bank, it will replace paper receipts with mobile and card-based tracking
Africa Gabon Full membership of Gabon within the Commonwealth has been restored: it had been partially suspended in 2023 out of violation of the democratic principles of the Charter; progress towards fulfilling obligations remains in the agenda of upcoming meetings
Africa Niger Meteorite NWA16788, with 24,7kg the largest Martian rock ever found on Earth, discovered in the Agadez Region in 2023, was auctioned in New York for $4,3m; Niger’s government has launched an investigation into eventual illicit trafficking
America Haiti A press release on key contract involving Haiti's biggest port and two elite members was allegedly published without the consent of council's leader, deepening fracture government-private sector as a wealthy businessman is taking over presidency on 15 Aug
Europe France A wildfire in the Corbières region has become the worst blaze France has seen since 1949, with over 16.000 hectares of forest and scrubland have been burnt; though subsiding, officials say the fire remains active and dangerously unpredictable
Africa Morocco Forsa entrepreneurship program, launched in 2022 with a budget above MAD 1.25 billion ($138.300 million) to support business creation through interest-free loans, faces implementation challenges and structural problems, beneficiaries lament
Africa Nigeria Intelligence has spotted hideouts used by criminals in Abuja; in the interest of public safety, Federal Capital Territory Administration has started targeted cleanups with the demolition of a section of Jazz and Blues Entertainment at Panorama Park
Europe North Macedonia State postal service is declining, service and business wise; experts say to revers the trend money and political will would be needed, and both are lacking
America Jamaica At a flag-raising ceremony marking 63rd Independence Day, Mayor of Black River Richard Solomon urged citizens to take more responsibility in valuing and protecting Jamaica’s independence, inviting to more civic involvement, dropping among young people
Europe Spain Firefighters have saved Córdoba’s historic 8th century mosque-turned-cathedral as electric fire broke out at around 9pm on Friday; known as La Mezquita, it's a jewel of Islamic medieval architecture and a UN heritage site with 2 million visitors per year
America Saint Kitts and Nevis Culturama 51, a distinctive and heartfelt Nevis cultural festival, closed; authorities expressed appreciation to all who contributed to what has been described an overwhelmingly successful edition, praising the quality of the program