RAMALLAH -- The Israeli army withdrew from the central West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday following a large-scale raid on Tuesday morning, according to Palestinian sources.
Palestinian security forces said that heavy Israeli forces stormed central Ramallah, raiding several shops and money exchange companies.
Local sources reported that several Palestinians were arrested during raids on money exchange shops in Ramallah and al-Bireh. (Gaza Strip-Hamas-Israel)
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VIENTIANE -- Laos will launch a pilot program for its new digital arrival registration system, replacing traditional paper-based immigration forms for foreign travelers.
Starting from Sept. 1, the Immigration Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security will launch a pilot implementation of its new online entry and exit registration system, according to the local news website Lao Phattana News on Tuesday. (Laos-Registration)
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SOFIA -- Bulgaria's state postal service is set to suspend all types of shipment to the United States from Aug. 26, due to planned changes by the U.S. administration to its rules on customs clearance of imports valued less than 800 U.S. dollars.
Bulgarian Posts said it would inform its customers if there were any changes to the situation. According to an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, the long-standing "de minimis" exemption rule, which allowed goods worth less 800 dollars to enter duty-free, is to end Aug. 29. (Bulgaria-US-Parcel Shipments)
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DAR ES SALAAM -- Tanzania has launched the construction of a state-of-the-art mineral sample testing laboratory in the national capital of Dodoma, set to become the largest of its kind in Eastern and Central Africa.
The facility, expected to cost 14.3 billion Tanzanian shillings (about 5.6 million U.S. dollars), will provide high-quality and timely laboratory services to stakeholders in the mining sector across the country and the wider region. (Tanzania-Mineral testing-Laboratory) ■
