GILGIT-BALTISTAN / RankWire.AI / – A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Pakistan early Thursday, sending strong tremors through parts of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan’s official seismic record measured the earthquake at magnitude 5.3. The tremor occurred at 5:35 a.m. local time on August 13. Its epicenter lay about 27 kilometers northwest of Sost, near the Khunjerab area. The Pakistan Meteorological Department placed the depth at 15 kilometers. Residents across several northern communities felt the shaking during the early morning hours. The earthquake affected Hunza and Nagar districts, with Chipurson Valley in Upper Hunza reporting some of the clearest ground effects. Residents left…
Author: menewscast.com
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – South Korea’s automobile exports climbed 7.0% from a year earlier to US$6.24 billion in July 2026. The figure set a record for the month of July and exceeded the previous July high of US$5.90 billion in 2023. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources reported gains across exports, production and domestic sales. Vehicle production increased 11.3% to about 352,000 units, while local sales edged up 0.5% to 139,000 vehicles. Eco-friendly vehicles accounted for much of the export growth during the month. Their overseas sales value rose 25.5% year on year to US$2.59 billion.…
ABU DHABI / RankWire.AI / – Etihad Airways will open a seasonal nonstop route between Abu Dhabi and Gothenburg on December 17, 2026. The service will run four times each week until March 21, 2027. Flights will connect Zayed International Airport with Göteborg Landvetter Airport during the winter travel season. The new service adds a direct link between the UAE capital and Sweden’s second largest city. Tickets are already available through the airline’s booking channels. The Gothenburg service will give western Sweden its first direct air connection with the United Arab Emirates. Etihad also describes the route as Gothenburg’s first…
NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – International Youth Day 2026 focused global attention on the opportunities and challenges facing young people. The United Nations marked the annual observance on Aug. 12 under the theme “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.” The theme reflects how young people live under varied economic and social conditions while sharing goals for dignity, opportunity and participation. This year’s message also stressed investment in youth and stronger inclusion in decisions that shape communities and public life. Secretary-General António Guterres called for young people to gain a stronger voice in decisions at local, national and international levels. He highlighted…
MOSCOW / RankWire.AI / – A total solar eclipse crossed the Russian Arctic on August 12, 2026, before moving toward Europe. The event began over remote northern areas of Russia at about 17:00 GMT. Roscosmos reported the start as the Moon’s shadow entered the high Arctic. The path then continued across the Arctic Ocean, eastern Greenland and western Iceland. It later reached northern Spain and a small part of northeastern Portugal near sunset. The eclipse reached its greatest phase over the North Atlantic at 17:45:53.8 UTC. NASA calculations showed maximum totality lasting about two minutes and 18 seconds. The central…
NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Diesel prices stayed elevated across the United States and Europe as tight inventories and refinery disruptions limited supplies of finished fuel. U.S. ultra-low sulfur diesel futures rose 7.4% on Monday to $4.19 a gallon. The move was the largest daily gain since July 13. The contract traded near $4.28 a gallon early Wednesday. European diesel refining margins also remained historically strong after gaining almost 10% at the start of the week. U.S. diesel inventories have fallen to levels rarely seen during the summer season. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported 107.2 million barrels of…
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA / RankWire.AI / – A U.S. appeals court has allowed more than 3,000 federal lawsuits over alleged social media addiction to proceed. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected appeals from Meta Platforms and TikTok on Aug. 10. The companies challenged lower court orders that kept the litigation moving. The appeals court said they sought review too early. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers oversees the consolidated federal proceedings in Oakland. The dispute centers partly on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996. Meta and TikTok argued the law shielded them from claims tied to…
TANEGASHIMA, JAPAN / RankWire.AI / – Japan launched its H3 rocket successfully on Tuesday, carrying the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into space. H3 Flight No. 9 lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 4:23:31 a.m. Japan time. JAXA said the launch vehicle followed its planned trajectory throughout the mission. The satellite separated about 29 minutes after liftoff and entered its predetermined orbit. Michibiki No. 7, also known as QZS-7, joins Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System. The network works alongside the U.S. Global Positioning System to improve positioning, navigation and timing services. Japan began operational QZSS services in November 2018.…
NETHERLANDS / RankWire.AI / – Extreme heat and drought across Europe could remove about 1% from European Union economic output in 2026, according to an assessment by Triodos Bank. The estimated loss equals roughly €180 billion and comes during an already weak growth year. The European Commission forecast in May that EU gross domestic product would expand 1.1% in 2026. That baseline leaves little distance between projected growth and the economic damage estimated from this summer’s severe weather. The largest part of the estimated damage comes from lower worker productivity during periods of intense heat. The analysis puts that effect…
DENMARK / RankWire.AI / – Denmark’s annual inflation rate slowed to 1.7% in July from 1.9% in June, official figures showed. Statistics Denmark said consumer prices rose 1.3% from the previous month. Core inflation held at 2.3%, matching the June reading. Price increases in restaurants and hotels remained a major influence on the index. Holiday home rentals also made a strong contribution during the summer travel period. The consumer price index stood at 102.92 in July, using 2025 as the base year of 100. Holiday home rentals and package holidays together added 1.24 percentage points to the monthly increase. Food…