Telecom & Digital Infrastructure: Google says the Dominican Republic will be the centerpiece of “Americas Connect,” with three new subsea cable systems (Alisios, Canoa, OlaLuz) plus a Firmina branch to boost redundant connectivity for cloud regions across the Caribbean, Latin America, the U.S. and Europe. Aviation & MRO: FL Technics has started operations at its Punta Cana heavy-maintenance hub, with the first A320ceo arriving; the five-bay, FAA- and IDAC-approved facility is a US$70M investment aimed at bringing certified narrowbody maintenance closer to regional airlines. Tourism & Jobs: Asonahores reports over 90% of hotel workers in the DR are Dominican, with tourism generating 800,000 jobs and about RD$220B in local purchases in 2025. Construction Permits Modernization: MIVHED unveiled progress on the Permitting Modernization Plan and a new state platform to improve traceability, transparency, and the digital permitting experience. Agriculture Oversight: A Controller audit found major documentation gaps at the Ministry of Agriculture, with only RD$4.34B accounted for of RD$7.51B in payments reviewed. Energy & Renewables: MPC Caribbean Clean Energy says Q2 generation hit 48 GWh, while Monte Plata faced curtailment; shareholders also approved selling El Salvador’s San Isidro solar park for US$3.27M. Seismic Safety: An engineer warns it’s inaccurate to claim the DR’s entire building stock is earthquake-ready, stressing that compliance at the time of construction matters. Agro-Industry Event: The DR will host DominiCoco 2026 (Aug. 13) to connect coconut producers, investors and industry on production, irrigation, processing and market opportunities. Sports Incentives: President Abinader announced expanded PARNI incentives and higher funding for Santo Domingo 2026 medalists starting in 2027 after the delegation’s record 150-medal haul.