Exports of semiconductors, which serve as the key component of the nation’s trade success, surged 209% year-on-year to an all-time high of $46.65 billion. The growth was fueled by ongoing capital investment initiatives among major global technology firms expanding data center infrastructure and enterprise AI hardware. This achievement represents the third straight month in which semiconductor exports exceeded $40 billion. Additional details from Yonhap News Agency revealed that computer product exports jumped 419.5% to $6.24 billion amid rising global NAND memory prices.
At the midway point of 2026, China’s digital industry achieved a total revenue of 20.71 trillion yuan, marking a 13.6% increase compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the sector’s overall profit rose by 19.3% to reach 1.79 trillion yuan. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reported an industry profit margin of 8.6%, which is 0.7 percentage points higher than the previous year. These figures encompass key segments of China’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Business
India Achieves 7.8% Growth in First Quarter, Marking a Significant Economic Milestone Praised by Modi. India opened FY27 with 7.8% GDP growth backed by gains across major economic sectors. During the first quarter, India’s real gross domestic product reached ₹81.36 lakh crore, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This compared to ₹75.46 lakh crore in the same period last year. Nominal GDP experienced a 10.3% rise to ₹88.27 lakh crore from ₹80 lakh crore. Manufacturing experienced a 9.2% growth from a year earlier, making it one of the key drivers of quarterly expansion.
Health
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.
This initiative involves open-platform testing kits that laboratories can integrate with their current systems. The procurement process received support from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Shipments are scheduled to commence in August, as health teams respond to a significant outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and impacting neighboring regions. PCR testing support strengthens the international response to Ebola in DR Congo. By August, the World Health Organization will facilitate the distribution of these tests through its Hub for Global Health Emergencies Logistics located in Dubai. WHO will oversee the distribution to various sites involved in the Ebola response. PCR testing enables laboratories to verify infections and enhance surveillance efforts around known cases. Confirmed test results inform patient treatment, isolation procedures, and contact tracing efforts. This latest supply package expands laboratory capabilities at a critical time when authorities continue to track the virus’s transmission across multiple provinces and health zones in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As the Ebola crisis expands, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has obtained an allocation of 70,000 Ebola vaccine doses. The country’s health authorities reported 5,208 confirmed cases and 2,476 deaths by Aug. 18. Currently, the epidemic affects 56 health zones across six provinces. Additionally, 1,115 recoveries have been documented, while 730 patients remain hospitalized or isolated as response teams continue their efforts in eastern and northeastern regions of DR Congo.
World Health Organization reports that the Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could be brought under control within three months if adequate resources are mobilized. As of August 16, official data indicated 5,021 confirmed cases and 2,378 fatalities. The virus has impacted six provinces and 55 health zones, with a case fatality rate roughly at 47%. This has made it the most lethal Ebola outbreak ever documented in the nation. WHO and Congo health teams strengthen surveillance amid the expanding Ebola outbreak. In late August, WHO incident coordinator Thierno Baldé highlighted that the timeline for containment hinges on maintaining sufficient staffing, supplies, and operational capacity. To date, the response has secured approximately $69.3 million of the $115 million needed. Over a two-week span, health teams added more than 400 treatment beds and deployed 100 additional epidemiologists alongside over 500 community health workers. These personnel support activities such as surveillance, contact tracing, case detection, and patient referrals. The effort also necessitates ambulances, vehicles, medical supplies, and trained staff across the affected regions. Transmission has now extended to Bas-Uélé, marking it as the sixth province impacted by the outbreak. While Ituri remained the main transmission hub in mid-August, accounting for the majority of confirmed cases and deaths, officials noted that many new infections had no apparent link to known patients. This gap underscores the urgency for faster case identification and contact monitoring. Consequently, teams have expanded surveillance measures to
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Exports of semiconductors, which serve as the key component of the nation’s trade success, surged 209% year-on-year to an all-time high of $46.65 billion. The growth was fueled by ongoing capital investment initiatives among major global technology firms expanding data center infrastructure and enterprise AI hardware. This achievement represents the third straight month in which semiconductor exports exceeded $40 billion. Additional details from Yonhap News Agency revealed that computer product exports jumped 419.5% to $6.24 billion amid rising global NAND memory prices.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Their talks focused on relations between the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, especially cooperation with the Kurdistan Region. The leaders reviewed opportunities to deepen ties across several sectors and support development. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, attended the meeting.
India Achieves 7.8% Growth in First Quarter, Marking a Significant Economic Milestone Praised by Modi. India opened FY27 with 7.8% GDP growth backed by gains across major economic sectors. During the first quarter, India’s real gross domestic product reached ₹81.36 lakh crore, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This compared to ₹75.46 lakh crore in the same period last year. Nominal GDP experienced a 10.3% rise to ₹88.27 lakh crore from ₹80 lakh crore. Manufacturing experienced a 9.2% growth from a year earlier, making it one of the key drivers of quarterly expansion.
Chinese President Xi Jinping made a formal visit to Cairo as Egypt and China commemorated 70 years of diplomatic ties. Upon arrival on Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed Xi at Cairo International Airport. The airport ceremony was also attended by First Lady Entissar El-Sisi and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan. This marks Xi’s first visit to Egypt in ten years, emphasizing high-level discussions focused on strengthening bilateral political, economic, and developmental relations in Cairo.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin convened during the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit held in Bishkek. Their discussions on August 31 covered a broad spectrum, including political relations, trade, defence, energy, space exploration, mobility, and people-to-people exchanges. Additionally, the leaders examined regional conflicts and international cooperation efforts. This meeting marked a continuation of ongoing high-level interactions between India and Russia, following their previous dialogue at the India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi in December 2025.