Nepalese rescuers are racing to locate more than 4,000 people missing after flash floods devastated the country’s north on August 26. Teams are also trying to save hundreds believed trapped inside a blocked hydropower project, while authorities have begun burying unclaimed bodies.

Nepal floodsrescue operationmissing people

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

Authorities in Manhattan shot a woman near Times Square on Monday afternoon after she allegedly slashed at least two people, city officials told NBC News.

Times SquareNYPDknife attack

The US Federal Trade Commission and 22 states accuse Amazon of manipulating online advertising auctions, allegedly overcharging more than a million advertisers and making about $20bn since 2019. Amazon strongly rejects the claim and says the FTC misunderstands its advertising market.

Amazonad auctionsantitrust lawsuit

The US Federal Trade Commission is preparing to sue Amazon over allegations that the e-commerce giant misled advertisers about prices, according to a person familiar with the matter.

AmazonFTCadvertising prices

The Federal Trade Commission alleges that Amazon manipulated advertising prices and overcharged about 1.2mn businesses seeking to promote their products.

AmazonFTCadvertising priceslawsuit

The Federal Trade Commission sued Amazon, alleging that the ecommerce giant misled advertisers through a deceptive auction system.

AmazonFTCadvertisinglawsuit

Polish prosecutors say a fire at WB Electronics’ drone factory, 150 kilometers south of Warsaw, was deliberately started. Authorities are investigating suspected participation in a foreign intelligence service’s activities against Poland and a terrorist offense; the Internal Security Agency is assisting police. No one was injured.

Polanddrone factorysabotageinvestigation

Polish prosecutors have opened a terrorism investigation after a fire destroyed warehouse facilities at a drone maker’s factory. They said the damage was valued at at least 15 million PLN.

Polandfactory fireterrorism investigation

A fire broke out overnight in the assembly shop of a WB Electronics drone-component plant in Skarżysko-Kamienna, Poland, while the facility was empty. Firefighters contained it in under two hours. Police and the Internal Security Agency said the cause remained under investigation and had not ruled out arson, while officials cautioned against unverified claims.

Polandfactory firedronesUkraine

A fire at the WB Electronics plant in Skarzysko-Kamienna, Poland, was brought under control in less than two hours on Aug. 31, with no injuries reported. Police and the Internal Security Agency are investigating and have not ruled out arson, while urging caution over unverified claims. Polish media said surveillance footage showed an unidentified person entering through a fence.

Polandfactory firedronesarson investigation

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks ahead of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are also attending, with the two holding bilateral talks. As it marks its 25th anniversary, the SCO is strengthening trade ties and seeking to present an alternative to the US-led world order.

Xi JinpingVladimir PutinShanghai Cooperation Organizationdiplomacy

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, during the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. Xi said China-Russia ties would grow stronger and steadier under their strategic guidance, and called for cooperation with Russia and other parties to advance the SCO, global governance reform and an equal, orderly multipolar world.

China-Russia relationsXi JinpingVladimir PutinShanghai Cooperation Organization

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 US Supreme Court has temporarily cleared the Trump administration to continue its $400 million White House ballroom project. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued after the East Wing was demolished and construction began, while lower courts had ruled that congressional approval was required.

Donald TrumpUS Supreme CourtWhite House ballroomconstruction project

The US Supreme Court has allowed President Donald Trump to continue construction of a new White House ballroom for now, setting aside two lower courts’ conclusions that he is likely violating the law.

Donald TrumpUS Supreme CourtWhite House ballroom

The Supreme Court says Donald Trump may proceed with construction of a White House ballroom while the lawsuit continues. Chief Justice John Roberts joined three liberal justices in dissent, arguing that the construction is likely unlawful.

Donald TrumpSupreme CourtWhite House ballroom

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court rejected a preservation group’s challenge and allowed President Donald Trump to continue building the White House ballroom. The group had sought to stop the controversial project indefinitely.

Supreme CourtDonald TrumpWhite House ballroomlegal ruling

The Supreme Court is allowing the White House to keep building President Donald Trump’s $400 million ballroom project while his administration appeals a judge’s order that halted the work.

Donald TrumpUS Supreme CourtWhite House ballroom

As deadly floods strike the Nepal-China border, fake and misleading footage is spreading across social media. Viral posts include AI-generated material and recycled videos from India, Chile and Alaska. Some have drawn millions of views, exploiting the tragedy for engagement and clicks or helping spread conspiracy theories.

Nepal floodsmisinformationAI-generated images

Nepalese principal Rajendra Dawadi recalls evacuating more than 900 students to safety as devastating floods swept through the area, before seeing his school vanish beneath the water. The floods have killed over 900 people and left nearly 5,000 missing.

Nepalfloodsmissing people

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from Argentina’s national soccer team. He played in six World Cups, won the 2022 tournament and appeared in the 2014 and 2026 finals. He will continue playing for MLS club Inter Miami.

Lionel MessiArgentinaWorld CupInter Miami

Lionel Messi has called time on his Argentina career following the heartbreak of a World Cup final defeat.

Lionel MessiArgentinaWorld Cupretirement

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39.

Lionel MessiArgentinainternational football

Soccer legend Lionel Messi announced on Monday that he is retiring from international soccer and will no longer play for Argentina’s national team.

Lionel MessiArgentinainternational soccer

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi has announced that he is retiring from Argentina’s national team.

Lionel MessiArgentina national teamsoccer

Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after leading Argentina to a second successive World Cup final. The 39-year-old said the painful decision was the right one, following Argentina’s 1-0 defeat by Spain in the 2026 final. Messi had captained the team to the 2022 World Cup title.

Lionel MessiArgentinainternational footballWorld Cup

Tributes have followed the death of former French Prime Minister Édouard Balladur at the age of 97. President Emmanuel Macron described him as a demanding, level-headed and devoted public servant who had dedicated his life to the Fifth Republic.

FranceÉdouard Balladurobituary

Édouard Balladur, who served as France’s prime minister from 1993 to 1995, has died at the age of 97, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on X.

FranceÉdouard BalladurObituary

Former French prime minister Édouard Balladur has died at the age of 97.

Édouard BalladurFrancedeath

Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine assured Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin that federal troops or federalized National Guard members will not be deployed to polling places during the November 3, 2026 elections or used to seize ballots, voting machines or other election materials. The assurance follows Democratic concerns that the Trump administration could interfere in the midterms.

US politicsmidterm electionsmilitarypolling places

The foreign and defence ministers and chiefs of general staff of Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia met in Istanbul on August 31, 2026, agreeing to establish a secretariat under the Mecca defence pact.

TürkiyePakistanSaudi Arabiadefence pact

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan said in a joint statement on Monday that they had agreed to create a secretariat in Saudi Arabia under their Mecca joint defence agreement. A Pakistani secretary-general will initially lead it for three years.

Saudi ArabiaTurkeyPakistanjoint defence pact

A Saudi minister says the kingdom is committed to activating the mechanisms of the Mecca pact. The pact’s Strategic Political and Defence Committee held its first meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye, on August 31, 2026.

Saudi ArabiaMecca Pactdefence cooperation

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says the Mecca defence alliance could bolster stability across the region and make the security environment less uncertain.

Mecca defence pactregional securityTürkiye

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have named their new mutual-defence arrangement the Mecca Defence Alliance and established a strategic political and defence committee. The group will work on military interoperability, joint exercises, defence-industrial cooperation and counterterrorism, while its structure and the circumstances for invoking mutual defence remain unclear.

PakistanSaudi ArabiaTürkiyeMecca Defence Alliance

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

Jury deliberations in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial entered a third day. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington told reporters at Plymouth Superior Court that he was nervous while awaiting the verdict.

Lindsay Clancymurder trialjury deliberations

The Massachusetts jury resumed deliberations Monday in Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial, weighing questions involving reasonable doubt, criminal responsibility and mental illness.

murder trialjury deliberationsMassachusetts

Deliberations in the closely watched murder trial of Lindsay Clancy have entered a second week. Jurors are asking to review physical evidence including a bag of pills, the knife used in Clancy’s apparent suicide attempt and empty pill bottles cited by the defense in closing arguments.

Lindsay Clancymurder trialjuryevidence

Jurors are continuing to weigh five possible verdicts in Lindsay Clancy’s Massachusetts murder trial. The former nurse does not dispute killing her three children, but her defence says postpartum psychosis left her unable to understand or control her actions. Prosecutors argue she knew right from wrong and deliberately committed the killings.

Lindsay Clancymurder trialpostpartum psychosisMassachusetts