TRENDING NEWS
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo began administering Ebola vaccinations in Kisangani on Thursday, launching a targeted campaign in the capital of Tshopo Province to protect frontline responders. The initiative prioritizes healthcare workers, emergency response teams, and individuals with direct contact with confirmed patients as the country confronts its deadliest recorded Ebola outbreak. Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba confirmed that the government deployed an initial supply of the Ervebo vaccine under a compassionate-use framework across impacted eastern provinces to safeguard essential personnel and help disrupt viral transmission chains.
International Youth Day 2026 highlighted the need for youth investment and inclusion, emphasizing the shared aspirations of young people across diverse backgrounds. Secretary-General António Guterres urged youth to have a louder voice in decision-making processes, addressing issues like economic instability and digital inclusion. The event focused on skills development, calling for access to critical competencies like critical thinking and digital literacy. The theme also shed light on the challenges faced by youth in different regions, linking disparities to common goals of opportunity, security, and meaningful contribution to their communities.
Over 3,000 consolidated federal cases alleging that major social media platforms have contributed to harmful and addictive behaviors among young users remain active in court. On Aug. 10, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an initial appeal by Meta Platforms and TikTok. This decision allows the ongoing proceedings to proceed before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. The plaintiffs claim that certain platform design elements foster compulsive usage and have led to mental health issues among children and teenagers.
The World Health Organization reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 5,021 confirmed cases with 2,378 fatalities as of August 16. This outbreak has affected six provinces and 55 health zones, with a case fatality rate of approximately 47%. It is now the deadliest Ebola outbreak ever documented in the country. WHO and Congo health teams strengthen surveillance amid the expanding Ebola outbreak. According to WHO incident manager Thierno Baldé, the timeline for containment hinges on sustaining adequate staffing, supplies, and operational support. The current response has secured roughly $69.3 million out of the $115 million needed. During a two-week span, health teams added more than 400 treatment beds and dispatched 100 additional epidemiologists along with over 500 community health workers. These teams are tasked with surveillance, contact tracing, case detection, and patient referrals. The effort also depends on ambulances, vehicles, medical supplies, and trained personnel across the affected regions. Transmission has now reached Bas-Uélé, marking it as the sixth province impacted by the outbreak. Ituri remained the primary hub of transmission in mid-August, accounting for most confirmed cases and fatalities. Officials highlighted that many newly identified infections lack any known connection to existing patients, emphasizing the need for faster case detection and contact monitoring. Surveillance efforts have been expanded to identify infections earlier and to facilitate the swift transfer of patients into treatment facilities.
Indonesia’s South Nias earthquake prompts monitoring after tremors spread across Sumatra. The BMKG pinpointed the epicenter at 0.65 degrees south latitude and 98.32 degrees east longitude. The strongest shaking, rated at intensity IV, was reported in North Tapanuli, with tremors also felt in several West Sumatra areas. Communities located farther from the epicenter reported lower-intensity tremors. No tsunami warning issued after the seismic event. Officials continue assessments across affected zones.
On Friday, global markets for precious metals showed a downward trend as spot gold prices dipped, setting the stage for an overall weekly decrease. Market data indicated that spot gold fell by 0.5 percent to trade at $4,326.75 per ounce, while United States gold futures for December delivery declined nearly 1.0 percent to $4,382.50 per ounce. The decline followed a sharp, temporary rally on Thursday, when bullion prices reached their highest levels in more than two months before retreating 1.3 percent amid sudden profit-taking.
Global health officials issued a warning on Friday that the emergency in Central Africa is expanding at a rapid rate. The World Health Organization stated that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is on a trajectory to become the deadliest in history if ongoing community transmission and logistical challenges in remote areas are not addressed. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned journalists that, at its current rate, this outbreak could surpass the 2014–2016 West Africa crisis, which resulted in over 11,000 fatalities across the region.
In July 2026, global electric vehicle sales rose by 9% compared to the previous year, totaling 1.85 million units worldwide. The cumulative sales for the first seven months reached 11.5 million vehicles, representing a 4% increase from the same period in 2025. Europe led major EV markets in July as global electric vehicle demand continued to grow. Among the world’s leading EV markets, Europe experienced the most significant growth during July. Sales in the region climbed 33% from the previous year to approximately 450,000 vehicles. During the January through July span, EV sales across Europe increased by 28%.
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck southeast of Atka in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands late Saturday. The Alaska Earthquake Center recorded the event at 7:36 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time on August 8. That corresponds to 03:36 UTC on August 9. The seismic event originated approximately 48 miles, or 77 kilometers, southeast of Atka. Seismologists estimated the depth at about 10.6 miles, or 17 kilometers.
Business
A five-year wheat supply arrangement valued at up to US$500 million has been officially implemented between the UAE and Egypt. Al Dahra Agriculture Trading will deliver imported wheat to Egypt’s General Authority for Supply Commodities as part of this deal. Funding for these purchases is provided through the Abu Dhabi Exports Office. The agreement formalizes a framework established in 2023, establishing the terms for wheat transactions between Al Dahra and GASC over the next five years.
News
A 5.1-magnitude quake shook Longchang City in China’s Sichuan Province on Friday, according to data released by the China Earthquake Networks Center. The tremor took place at 1:13 p.m. Beijing local time, with a depth of 13 kilometers, and its epicenter situated in Neijiang prefecture at 29.23 degrees north latitude and 105.22 degrees east longitude. Emergency agencies promptly launched initial field evaluations across the county territory, with early assessments indicating no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage.
Wildfires sweeping through northeastern Algeria have claimed at least 12 lives and left 54 people injured during a severe heatwave. Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported that five individuals died in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou. Among the injured, six remain in critical condition after suffering burns and requiring intensive medical attention. The fires have spread across several northern provinces, prompting emergency crews to continue operations around forested communities and nearby residential zones.
Official figures published by Pakistan’s federal government reveal that a total of 21,951 Pakistani nationals were sent back from Gulf nations between March 1 and July 13, 2026. As presented to the National Assembly, these deportations resulted from various violations, including overstaying visas, illegal entries, drug-related offenses, forged documents, and participation in organized begging networks. The nearly 22,000 Pakistanis expelled over four months for visa breaches and begging underscores a broader crackdown on immigration enforcement across the Middle East.
Indonesia’s South Nias earthquake prompts monitoring after tremors spread across Sumatra. The BMKG pinpointed the epicenter at 0.65 degrees south latitude and 98.32 degrees east longitude. The strongest shaking, rated at intensity IV, was reported in North Tapanuli, with tremors also felt in several West Sumatra areas. Communities located farther from the epicenter reported lower-intensity tremors. No tsunami warning issued after the seismic event. Officials continue assessments across affected zones.
A 5.1-magnitude quake shook Longchang City in China’s Sichuan Province on Friday, according to data released by the China Earthquake Networks Center. The tremor took place at 1:13 p.m. Beijing local time, with a depth of 13 kilometers, and its epicenter situated in Neijiang prefecture at 29.23 degrees north latitude and 105.22 degrees east longitude. Emergency agencies promptly launched initial field evaluations across the county territory, with early assessments indicating no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage.
Health
Technology
The United Nations is urging stronger protections for children and young people as digital platforms reshape how they receive information. A new UN issue brief highlights risks from disinformation, hate speech, harassment, artificial intelligence and attention-driven online systems. It also points to concerns involving personal data, behavioral advertising and algorithmic distribution. The report says younger users need stronger safeguards while keeping access to education, communication and public participation online.
Travel
In July 2026, South Korea welcomed a total of 2,093,223 international visitors, signaling a robust rebound in global tourism. This monthly figure reflects a 20.8% increase compared to the 1,733,199 arrivals recorded in July 2025. Additionally, it surpasses the July 2019 level by 44.6%, prior to the pandemic’s impact on international travel.
Nearly 2 million international visitors arrived in Republic of Korea in June alone, propelling the total number of foreign travelers entering the country in the first six months past a significant threshold. Data released by Emirates News Agency confirmed that Korea’s foreign tourist arrivals exceeded 10 million in H1, driven by consistent double-digit growth from key regional source markets. Statistics from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism indicate that 1.99 million foreigners visited Korea in June, representing a 23.1 percent rise compared to the same month last year. This strong monthly increase brought the cumulative first-half figure to 10.71 million visitors, a 21.3 percent growth from the 8.8 million recorded during the same period in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 26.9 percent.
South Korea’s travel account posts surplus for 3rd consecutive month in May as foreign visitor numbers increase nationwide The post South Korea travel account posts surplus for 3rd month in May appeared first on Gulf Daily Report: The Gulf’s daily news, fully reported..
Australians travel advice Middle East conflict alerts rise as federal authorities urge citizens to leave high-risk Gulf zones. The post Australians travel advice Middle East conflict raised by DFAT appeared first on Gulf Daily Report: The Gulf’s daily news, fully reported..