Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement is open to all regional countries. He said the signed pact has launched a process to build a new regional security and cooperation architecture, with an attack on one member defined as aggression against all members.

Mecca PactTurkeySaudi ArabiaPakistan

Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are meeting in Istanbul for the first time since signing the Mecca Defence Agreement. The pact aims to strengthen collective deterrence against aggression and treats an armed attack on any one of the three countries as an attack on all three.

TürkiyeSaudi ArabiaPakistandefence pact

Iraq does not want US-led international coalition forces to remain in the country after September 30, government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi rejected proposals to retain some coalition troops, though the spokesman did not identify the country behind them.

Iraqinternational coalitionforeign troop withdrawal

Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted and destroyed 239 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over Russian regions and the Black Sea overnight. Drones and debris damaged residential buildings and a logistics center in Yekaterinburg, with no deaths reported. A civilian was injured in a separate drone detonation in Belgorod Region.

Russia-Ukraine wardrone attacksYekaterinburg

Nepal’s prime minister described the deadly floods as an “unimaginable” disaster. Houses in Devghat, Nuwakot district, were shown submerged in sludge after flash floods.

Nepalfloodsflash floods

Survivors of Nepal’s deadly floods face a new ordeal: securing shelter, food and the basic means to stay alive. Families in devastated villages lost everything within minutes, while rescuers continue searching for possible survivors and those who escaped try to rebuild under threat of further flooding. FRANCE 24 visited Sinchaur in Nuwako district.

Nepalfloodsdisaster recovery

The combined death toll from the flooding in Nepal and China has exceeded 900, while more than 4,700 people remain missing, including 933 workers at hydropower projects along the river hit by the torrent. With morgues full, Nepal has begun burying unclaimed bodies.

Nepal floodsflood death tollmissing people

Five days after floods struck Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot regions, more than 4,700 people remain unaccounted for as authorities struggle with the growing number of recovered bodies. The disaster highlights urgent needs for glacier and flood early-warning systems, hazard monitoring, evacuation shelters and climate-resilient infrastructure. The article also calls on wealthy nations to provide new, grant-based Loss and Damage funding for recovery and rebuilding, amid the risk of a second flood.

Nepal floodsearly warning systemsclimate adaptationLoss and Damage Fund

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Xi said strategic guidance and joint efforts would make China-Russia ties stronger, steadier and brighter, and said China was ready to work with Russia and others to advance the SCO, regional stability and reform of global governance.

China-Russia relationsXi JinpingVladimir PutinShanghai Cooperation Organization

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit is opening in Kyrgyzstan with the Chinese and Russian leaders attending. Meanwhile, the United States is hosting G20 finance ministers, while its huge debt could leave the country’s new central-bank chief in a difficult position.

Shanghai Cooperation OrganisationXi JinpingVladimir PutinUS influence

Rescuers are still searching for 18 passengers after a ferry carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members took on water and capsized while travelling from Kyrenia to Turkey. Eight people died and 19 are in hospital. The vessel sank to 514m, and authorities are trying to recover its black box. The captain, seven crew members and another man were arrested.

Northern Cyprusferry accidentsearch and rescue

A double-hulled ferry carrying 267 people capsized after taking on water off Kyrenia in northern Cyprus, leaving at least eight dead and nearly 20 missing. Turkish divers joined the search for survivors as the vessel lay more than 500 metres below the surface. The captain and crew were detained for questioning.

Northern Cyprusferry capsizingsearch and rescuemissing people

A ferry capsized off northern Cyprus, leaving at least eight people dead and nearly 20 missing on Monday. Divers joined search teams combing deep waters for survivors.

Northern Cyprusferry capsizesearch and rescue

The UN racial discrimination committee has issued a legal document supporting broad slavery reparations. Approved last week but published on Monday, it is expected to give reparations claims a powerful new tool.

United Nationsracial discriminationslavery reparations

Italy’s Interior Ministry has announced that its suspension of Schengen arrangements with Spain will continue for another 15 days. Matteo Piantedosi previously said tensions in Ceuta remained high and were “far from improved”.

ItalySpainSchengenCeuta