Consumers in Lahore are paying sharply above government-notified prices for essential foods as Pakistan faces renewed inflation pressure. Official rate reductions have failed to produce matching prices across many retail markets. Chicken, vegetables and fruit all showed large gaps between notified and market rates this week. The increases are hitting households as national consumer inflation reaches double digits and fuel costs add further pressure to everyday spending.
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The visit marks the first state visit to Germany by a UAE president. Sheikh Mohamed is in Germany for meetings with the country’s senior political leadership. The UAE president traveled with a senior delegation covering foreign affairs, trade, industry, defence, national security and advanced technology. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will receive Sheikh Mohamed at Villa Borsig on Thursday as the official program continues. The two presidents will hold talks with their delegations after the ceremonial welcome. Germany’s government says their talks will cover economic relations, the strategic partnership and regional peace and stability.
The international measure focuses directly on the widely utilized Mercator map projection, which was originally developed in the 16th century by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator for maritime navigation purposes. While effective for nautical direction, the mathematical scaling of the Mercator model progressively exaggerates landmass sizes farther from the equator while compressing regions near it. According to documentation published by the United Nations General Assembly, these technical distortions continue to permeate modern educational textbooks, news media broadcasts, digital mapping platforms, and official government publications worldwide.
The initiative introduces a formal registration and assessment process for breeders seeking to participate. Applicants must complete an evaluation before the program grants final acceptance. Registration does not guarantee entry, and participants must meet the initiative’s requirements before receiving support. The process allows specialists to review each applicant’s readiness and identify areas where further training or technical assistance may be required.
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 Egyptian Presidency said the visit will include talks on strengthening bilateral relations across several sectors. The agenda also covers the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that Egypt and China established in 2014. Both sides plan consultations on regional and international issues of common interest. El-Sisi and Xi have maintained regular high-level contact since the partnership began. Egypt has also expanded its participation in China-linked economic initiatives during that period, including projects connected with infrastructure, manufacturing and transport.
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.
The Nepal authority said rescue teams have brought 10,451 people to safety, including 252 foreign nationals. It listed 592 foreigners among those still missing, alongside 933 workers from hydropower projects along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli corridors. Officials recorded 267 injured people, while 156 had left medical care after treatment. Nepal has deployed more than 20,000 security personnel for search, rescue and relief work across affected districts. Helicopters are also moving survivors and emergency supplies between isolated communities.
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.