On Friday, global markets for precious metals faced downward momentum as spot gold prices decreased, signaling an overall weekly decline. Data from financial markets revealed that the spot gold price 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. These market corrections followed a sharp, temporary surge on Thursday, when bullion prices hit their highest levels in over two months before settling 1.3 percent lower amid sudden profit-taking.
In recent legal developments, thousands of lawsuits accusing prominent social media platforms of fostering harmful and addictive behaviors among young users will continue to be heard in federal courts. On Aug. 10, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed an initial appeal filed by Meta Platforms and TikTok. This decision leaves over 3,000 consolidated federal cases pending before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. The plaintiffs argue that certain design choices made by these platforms encouraged compulsive usage and contributed to mental health issues among children and teenagers.
Business
In July 2026, global electric vehicle sales experienced a 9% increase from the previous year, totaling 1.85 million units worldwide. Europe led major EV markets in July as global electric vehicle demand continued to grow. During July, Europe stood out as the top performer among major electric vehicle markets, with regional sales increasing by 33% from a year earlier to approximately 450,000 units. From January through July, EV sales across Europe grew by 28%. Spain launched its Auto+ electric vehicle subsidy program on Aug. 4, offering up to 4,500 euros for eligible new electric passenger cars.
Health
In recent days, global health authorities have issued warnings about the rapid expansion of the health emergency in Central Africa. The World Health Organization stated that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could become the deadliest in history if active community transmission persists and logistical challenges in remote areas remain unresolved. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned journalists that, at its current rate, this outbreak could surpass the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which resulted in over 11,000 fatalities across the region.
As of August 7, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has resulted in 1,916 deaths, according to official data. The authorities have reported a total of 4,209 confirmed infections since the outbreak began. This latest figure indicates an increase of 29 deaths compared to the previous total of 1,887. Additionally, 595 patients are under treatment in isolation, and 828 individuals have recovered.
In recent weeks, health authorities in Chad have confirmed that an urgent waterborne health crisis has resulted in 13 deaths since public health alerts were issued late last month. As per the latest data released by the Ministry of Public Health of Chad, epidemiological monitoring indicates that a cholera outbreak has claimed 13 lives nationwide, with confirmed and suspected cases rising to 239. The official statistics show a case fatality rate of 5.4 percent, which is notably higher than international standards for emergency response situations.
In 2022, Belgian public health institute Sciensano reported that obesity was associated with 9,509 fatalities, accounting for 8.2 percent of all deaths recorded nationally that year. This marks the first comprehensive effort by public health researchers in Belgium to systematically quantify mortality directly linked to an excessively high body mass index across the population. According to statistical analysis, weight-related health issues led to over one death every hour in the country, resulting in more than 150,000 years of life lost across all age groups.
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On Friday, global markets for precious metals faced downward momentum as spot gold prices decreased, signaling an overall weekly decline. Data from financial markets revealed that the spot gold price 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. These market corrections followed a sharp, temporary surge on Thursday, when bullion prices hit their highest levels in over two months before settling 1.3 percent lower amid sudden profit-taking.
In recent days, global health authorities have issued warnings about the rapid expansion of the health emergency in Central Africa. The World Health Organization stated that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could become the deadliest in history if active community transmission persists and logistical challenges in remote areas remain unresolved. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned journalists that, at its current rate, this outbreak could surpass the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which resulted in over 11,000 fatalities across the region.
In July 2026, global electric vehicle sales experienced a 9% increase from the previous year, totaling 1.85 million units worldwide. Europe led major EV markets in July as global electric vehicle demand continued to grow. During July, Europe stood out as the top performer among major electric vehicle markets, with regional sales increasing by 33% from a year earlier to approximately 450,000 units. From January through July, EV sales across Europe grew by 28%. Spain launched its Auto+ electric vehicle subsidy program on Aug. 4, offering up to 4,500 euros for eligible new electric passenger cars.
In July 2026, South Korea’s vehicle exports hit a new high of US$6.24 billion, marking a 7.0% increase compared to the same month last year. This figure not only set a new record for July but also surpassed the previous July record of US$5.90 billion set in 2023. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported positive results across exports, manufacturing, and domestic sales. Vehicle production grew by 11.3% to approximately 352,000 units, while domestic sales experienced a slight rise of 0.5%, reaching 139,000 vehicles.
Residents in various northern communities experienced the shaking early in the morning. Parts of the valley experienced landslides and falling rocks. A rockfall blocked the Chipurson Valley road near Ramanji, disrupting local access. Initial assessments by authorities found no casualties or injuries resulting from the primary earthquake. The main documented impact on infrastructure was due to rockfalls and landslides. The Gilgit-Baltistan administration monitored affected zones and road conditions following the tremors.