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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek during the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. The August 31 meeting covered political ties, trade, defence, energy, space, mobility and contacts between people. Modi and Putin also discussed regional conflicts and cooperation through major multilateral forums. The talks marked their first in-person meeting of 2026 and continued a series of high-level exchanges between India and Russia.

The visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of formal Egypt-China diplomatic relations. Egypt and China established diplomatic ties in 1956, making Egypt the first Arab and African country to recognize the People’s Republic of China. El-Sisi highlighted the anniversary in remarks released before Xi’s arrival. Xi also addressed the milestone ahead of the visit. Both presidents pointed to seven decades of bilateral cooperation and the expansion of relations since the comprehensive strategic partnership began.

The report says almost 19% of the world’s children now live in conflict zones. That compares with about 10% during the 1990s. By the end of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced 48.8 million children worldwide. The total was nearly triple the roughly 17 million recorded in 2010. It includes refugee and asylum-seeking children, along with millions uprooted within their own countries by conflict and violence. Climate hazards are adding another layer of risk for children around the world. Nearly half of all children, or 1.1 billion, face at least three overlapping climate hazards. Almost every child faces at least one such hazard, according to UNICEF’s 2026 climate risk assessment. More than 4 million children face as many as six overlapping threats. The hazards include drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, fires, tropical storms and sand and dust storms.

Flooding across Nepal and Tibet has killed at least 919 people, while 4,793 remain missing after the August 26 disaster. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the country’s toll reached 903 dead and 4,247 missing on Monday. Tibetan officials reported 16 deaths and 546 missing in Gyirong County. The combined figures rose sharply from weekend counts as search teams reached more flood-hit areas and updated missing-person records.

India and Uzbekistan elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on Sunday, expanding cooperation across major economic and security sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the upgrade after talks at the Kuksaroy Residence in Tashkent. The leaders reviewed trade, investment, transport, digital technology, energy, critical minerals, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and education. Modi visited Uzbekistan from August 29 to 30 at Mirziyoyev’s invitation. Economic cooperation formed a major part of the talks. Bilateral trade reached $1.3 billion in 2025, up 33%, according to the Uzbek government. Both countries set a target of raising annual trade to $5 billion by 2030. The number of joint ventures has increased sevenfold in recent years. India and Uzbekistan also have 14 direct flights each week, while four Indian universities currently operate in Uzbekistan. The leaders called for broader industrial and business links.

A moderate 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck Longchang City in southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Friday afternoon, according to seismic data released by the China Earthquake Networks Center. The seismic event occurred at 1:13 p.m. Beijing time at a focal depth of 13 kilometers. Seismologists monitored the epicenter at 29.23 degrees north latitude and 105.22 degrees east longitude within Neijiang prefecture. Magnitude 5.1 earthquake strikes Longchang City in China Sichuan province as local emergency management agencies initiate preliminary impact assessments across the county level territory.

Algeria wildfires kill 12 and injure 54 amid severe heat ALGERIA / RankWire.AI / – Wildfires across northeastern Algeria have killed at least 12 people and injured 54, authorities said Wednesday night. Five deaths occurred in Jijel, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou, Interior Minister Said Sayoud said. Six injured people remained in critical condition and were receiving intensive care after suffering burns. The fires spread across several provinces during a severe heatwave affecting Algeria and other parts of North Africa.

Nearly 22,000 Pakistanis Deported from Gulf Countries Following Immigration Crackdowns
The legal updates come amidst heightened scrutiny from Gulf Cooperation Council states regarding immigration compliance and visa integrity. Ministry records indicated that 1,924 individuals were deported from Saudi Arabia for overstaying or illegal entry, while the UAE and Oman repatriated 347 and 295 individuals respectively for similar offenses. Additionally, 968 Pakistanis were officially blacklisted, 1,155 cases involved lost passports, and 689 cases pertained to direct administrative visa violations.

Residents across other parts of Sumatra also reported shaking after the magnitude 6.1 earthquake. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, said the earthquake had no potential to generate a tsunami. Residents in South Nias felt weak shaking for about three to five seconds. Local disaster offices began monitoring affected areas after the tremor, while the initial national bulletin provided no confirmed casualty or damage figures.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history. Government data showed 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths as of Aug. 16. Health officials recorded 101 new confirmed cases during the previous 24 hours. The death toll has now surpassed the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the country’s 2018 to 2020 Ebola outbreak.