News
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.
Floodwaters across Nepal and Tibet have resulted in at least 919 fatalities, with 4,793 individuals still missing following the disaster on August 26. Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported on Monday that the death toll in Nepal reached 903, with 4,247 people unaccounted for. Tibetan officials disclosed 16 deaths and 546 missing persons in Gyirong County. The numbers increased significantly from weekend figures as rescue teams expanded their search efforts and updated missing persons records in flood-affected zones. Rescue operations continue after deadly floods across Nepal and Tibet. (AI-generated image) Rescue teams in Nepal have evacuated 10,451 individuals to safety, including 252 foreign nationals. Among those still unaccounted for are 592 foreigners and 933 workers involved in hydropower projects along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. Authorities also recorded 267 injured persons, with 156 having been discharged after treatment. Over 20,000 security personnel have been deployed across affected districts to conduct search, rescue, and relief operations. Helicopters are actively transporting survivors and emergency supplies to isolated communities. The flood struck the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa District early on August 26. It surged through riverbank settlements, damaging homes, roads, bridges, hydropower infrastructure, and other vital facilities. Officials confirmed that Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha experienced severe impacts as floodwaters moved
Business
Indonesia expands sports investment coordination through a new business licensing framework. The accord unites the Ministry of Investment and Downstreaming with the Ministry of Youth and Sports on issues related to business licensing. It also promotes investment and provides services for enterprises operating within the sports sector. The ministries will work together through Indonesia’s Online Single Submission system, known as OSS, to ensure streamlined coordination. Their collaboration extends to monitoring compliance, coordinating regulations, and sharing data. The framework aims to support investment development within Indonesia’s sports industry rather than targeting the creation of a US$521 billion domestic market.
Al Dahra Agriculture Trading and Egypt’s General Authority for Supply Commodities have activated a five-year agreement for wheat supply valued at up to US$500 million. This pact transitions a 2023 financing structure into a functional import arrangement for Egypt. Al Dahra will provide imported wheat to GASC, financed through the Abu Dhabi Exports Office. The agreement sets out the process for purchases under that existing program.
Oil prices saw a slight rebound on Tuesday following declines of over 2% in the previous session for both Brent crude and WTI. Brent futures increased by 27 cents, or 0.3%, reaching $92.44 a barrel at 0330 GMT. Meanwhile, U.S. West Texas Intermediate moved up by 37 cents, or 0.4%, to $85.38. This upward movement came after Monday’s sharp decline, which marked the end of six consecutive days of gains across the two main crude benchmarks.
Alibaba Group has announced an HK$80 billion share placement aimed at funding its artificial intelligence expansion and enhancing its AI infrastructure. The Chinese tech giant will issue 710 million new ordinary shares at HK$112.70 each, valuing the deal at approximately US$10.2 billion based on current exchange rates. The company anticipates completing the transaction by Aug. 26, pending standard conditions.
South Korea has launched its inaugural container ship trial navigating through the Arctic to reach Europe. The 2,758-TEU PanStar Acro departed from Busan New Port around 9 p.m. on August 22. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries verified the departure and issued the schedule for the voyage. The vessel will travel via the Northern Sea Route before docking at three European ports. The entire round trip, lasting 45 days, is set to conclude in Busan on October 5.
The Central Bank of Egypt kept its key interest rates unchanged on August 20, extending its policy pause for a fourth consecutive meeting. The Monetary Policy Committee maintained the overnight deposit rate at 19% and the overnight lending rate at 20%. It also kept the main operation and discount rates at 19.5%. The CBE said the decision reflected its assessment of current inflation conditions and the economic outlook since its July meeting. The rates have remained at these levels since February.
Technology
UN child safety push targets AI, disinformation and harmful online platform practices. Ahead of International Youth Day on Aug. 12, the Department of Global Communications released the brief. It highlights that over 82% of individuals aged 15 to 24 are internet users globally. This access facilitates learning, civic participation, and economic inclusion. Nonetheless, harmful online environments can negatively influence the cognitive, emotional, and social growth of younger audiences. The report also emphasizes that children and adolescents are still acquiring the skills needed to evaluate the information they encounter online.
On Tuesday, Japan successfully launched its H3 rocket carrying the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite. The launch of H3 Flight No. 9 occurred at 4:23:31 a.m. Japan time from the Tanegashima Space Center. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, confirmed that the satellite separated approximately 29 minutes and four seconds after liftoff. JAXA stated that the rocket adhered to its planned trajectory and successfully placed QZS-7 into its designated orbit. Part of Japan’s Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, Michibiki No. 7 plays a key role in QZSS. The satellite network delivers positioning, navigation, and timing services that complement the U.S. Global Positioning System.
A state court in New Mexico mandated Meta to allocate $567 million into a fund dedicated to youth mental health and child safety, after determining that its platforms created a public nuisance. Judge Bryan Biedscheid of the First Judicial District Court delivered this verdict in Santa Fe following a three-week bench trial. The court found that Facebook and Instagram played a significant role in fueling a youth mental health crisis and failed to protect minors from online exploitation.
OpenAI expands ChatGPT Free and Go access with GPT-5.6 Luna and unlimited text chats. During this week’s rollout, GPT-5.6 Luna will serve as the default for Free and Go accounts. Next week, unlimited text conversations and the Think button will also be introduced. The Think feature allows Luna more processing time for tackling complex questions before providing a response. OpenAI clarified that unlimited text access remains protected by abuse prevention measures. The change impacts only text interactions, so separate restrictions will continue for tools that involve additional processing, such as image generation.
