News
Magnitude 5.4 earthquake shakes northeastern Pakistan and parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Heavy tremors impacted the districts of Hunza and Nagar, with Chipurson Valley in Upper Hunza among the most severely affected areas. Located near Pakistan’s borders with China and Afghanistan, this mountainous valley experienced strong shaking that prompted residents in several communities to evacuate their homes. Landslides and rockfalls followed in parts of the valley, including a blockage on the Chipurson Valley road near Ramanji, disrupting access to remote mountain settlements. Initial assessments by local authorities confirmed no casualties and no confirmed structural damage.
Business
Market data indicated that spot gold slipped 0.5 percent to trade at $4,326.75 per ounce, while United States gold futures for December delivery decreased nearly 1.0 percent to $4,382.50 per ounce. These declines followed a sharp but temporary surge on Thursday, when bullion prices reached their highest levels in over two months before retreating 1.3 percent amid sudden profit-taking.
Travel
Etihad’s Abu Dhabi-Gothenburg service will operate four times weekly this winter. This route will mark Gothenburg’s first direct air link with the United Arab Emirates and will establish its inaugural nonstop service to the Middle East and Asia. Travelers from western Sweden can connect via Abu Dhabi to numerous destinations across India and Asia. Additionally, the new flights will give Gothenburg region residents direct access to Abu Dhabi. Göteborg Landvetter Airport serves Gothenburg and the surrounding western Sweden area. Etihad will operate the route using an Airbus A321LR configured for 160 passengers, featuring two First Suites, 14 Business seats, and 144 Economy seats. The premium cabins convert into fully flat beds with direct aisle access, while Economy seats are equipped with 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen entertainment systems. High-speed Wi-Fi is available across all cabins. The A321LR, a long-range narrow-body aircraft, recently joined Etihad’s fleet to expand its route network. New Route Enhances Asia-Connecting Options Gothenburg flights will connect with numerous onward services via Abu Dhabi, including destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru, and Colombo. The airline schedules Gothenburg arrivals in Abu Dhabi for the evening, allowing passengers to access the airline’s broader network from its main hub. Eligible travelers can also take advantage of the Abu Dhabi Stopover program
Sports
Spain sent Portugal out of the FIFA World Cup with a late 1-0 win, ending Ronaldo’s sixth tournament and long pursuit of the title.
Norway reached the FIFA World Cup last eight after a 2-1 win over Brazil, with Haaland scoring twice and Neymar netting late.
Australia exited the FIFA World Cup 2026 after Egypt won 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 Round of 32 draw in Arlington at Dallas Stadium.
Spain kept a clean sheet and advanced from the World Cup Round of 32 after goals by Oyarzabal and Porro ended Austria’s run in Los Angeles.
Mexico reached the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 with a 2-0 victory over Ecuador, keeping its unbeaten run and clean-sheet record intact.
Brazil booked a Round of 16 place at World Cup 2026 after Casemiro and Martinelli erased Japan’s first-half lead in Houston from the Round of 32.
Portugal moved to four points in Group K after a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, whose first World Cup campaign remained difficult.
Norway’s 3-2 victory over Senegal put Haaland on four World Cup 2026 goals and sent the team into the Round of 32 from Group I after two wins.
Health
Global health authorities announced on Friday that the public health emergency in Central Africa is rapidly worsening at an unprecedented pace. The World Health Organization confirmed that unless community transmission is quickly contained and supply chain disruptions are addressed regionally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak will break all previous death toll records. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the current outbreak’s trajectory risks exceeding the devastating 2014–2016 West African epidemic, which caused over 11,000 deaths.
Technology
UN child safety push targets AI, disinformation and harmful online platform practices. Ahead of International Youth Day on Aug. 12, the Department of Global Communications published the report, noting that over 82% of individuals aged 15 to 24 are internet users globally. This access facilitates learning, civic engagement, and economic participation. Nevertheless, harmful online environments pose risks to the cognitive, emotional, and social growth of younger users, and the report underscores that children and adolescents are still developing the skills needed to critically evaluate online information.