Property Rights Push: Vice President Raquel Peña delivered 450 property titles in Guayacanal, Azua, out of 759 total, ending years of waiting for about 1,800 families and helping regularize 12.9 million square meters under the National Titling Plan. Border Security & Trade: The government broke ground on “Strong Border” works on the northern frontier, including the Tilorí National Market, repairs to the Guayajayuco ford, and new access controls and border detachments to boost security and organized commerce. Electricity Reliability: CUED chief Celso Marranzini blamed outages on extreme summer heat and maintenance needs, saying 169 substations are in place and more upgrades are planned by year-end, alongside measures like pruning to reduce tree-related faults. Health Warning: A cardiologist says sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death in the DR, even above cancer, driven by risk factors like smoking, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and heavy alcohol use. Visa Policy Shock: The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo says the DR is selected for a pilot requiring some immigrant visa applicants to post bonds up to $250,000 as part of consular security checks. Fuel Prices: Gasoline and diesel rose for Aug. 8–14 (premium +RD$3, regular +RD$2; optimal diesel +RD$3, regular +RD$2), while LPG and natural gas stayed unchanged. Tourism Infrastructure: Santiago’s tourist cluster backed the Amber Tourist Highway to better connect Santiago and Puerto Plata and attract investment. Education Supply Rollout: INABIE reported progress distributing 2026-2027 school kits, with 744,489 delivered across multiple provinces and more shipments scheduled next week. Hospital Autonomy Plan: SNS projects that within two years, 150 public hospitals will move toward greater administrative and financial autonomy through a decentralization pilot.