The carrier’s seasonal performance highlights expanding passenger capacity and higher load factors across primary long-haul routes connecting North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Operational updates released through international aviation channels indicate that forward bookings for the upcoming holiday travel window remain elevated across both premium cabins and economy class. Industry observers note that the sustained passenger volume underscores structural resilience across international long-haul aviation markets.
News
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.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for a state visit to Germany. German military aircraft escorted his plane after it entered German airspace. An official reception followed, including a 21-gun salute and a guard of honour. 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 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.
Structured training supports breeding standards
Accepted breeders and their teams will receive specialist instruction through Abu Dhabi Nature Academy. Courses and workshops will cover responsible houbara breeding, animal welfare, biosecurity and the management of breeding facilities. The training will also address operational practices used in managed breeding programs. Participants who complete the required courses can receive certificates, while specialists will continue providing technical guidance during their involvement in the initiative.
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.
Technology
Health
The World Health Organization has urged a wider Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as transmission continues across several provinces. Congo had recorded 6,250 confirmed cases and 3,039 deaths by Sept. 1, according to the latest government figures. The outbreak has affected 60 health zones in six provinces. Authorities have also recorded 1,439 recoveries, while the case fatality rate stands at 48.6%.
Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed that the government initiated the immunization campaign utilizing doses of the Ervebo vaccine to safeguard frontline personnel operating across impacted eastern provinces.
The European Commission has expanded its Ebola response with a €2.1 million purchase of PCR tests for the Bundibugyo virus outbreak. The agreement covers open-platform tests that laboratories can use with existing systems. Shipments are due to start in August as health teams confront a large outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and affecting parts of the wider region.
Australian researchers from Adelaide University and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute have identified a novel molecular switch that drives the spread of aggressive tumors. Published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, the breakthrough study reveals that Australian researchers uncover a promising new way to tackle triple-negative breast cancer by restoring a critical regulatory molecule known as miR-342. The discovery opens new avenues to prevent life-threatening secondary cancers in organs such as the lungs and bones. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for 10% to 15% of Australia’s approximately 21,000 annual breast cancer diagnoses but causes a disproportionate number of deaths. Lead investigators demonstrated that when miR-342 levels fall, a cancer-driving pathway called E2F becomes overactive, allowing dormant cancer cells to spread throughout the body and form dangerous secondary tumors.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo will receive 70,000 Ervebo Ebola vaccine doses as the Bundibugyo outbreak expands. Congolese authorities reported 5,208 confirmed cases and 2,476 deaths as of Aug. 18. The outbreak now affects 56 health zones across six provinces in the east and northeast. Authorities also listed 1,115 recoveries, while 730 patients remained in isolation or hospital care.
WHO incident manager Thierno Baldé said the three-month timeline depends on securing the resources required for the response. The agency has received about $69.3 million of the $115 million it says it needs, or roughly 60%. Teams added more than 400 treatment beds during the past two weeks. They also deployed 100 additional epidemiologists and more than 500 community health workers for surveillance and contact tracing. The response requires vehicles, ambulances, medical supplies and personnel across a growing affected area.
Sports
The shortlist includes players from leading clubs across Europe and other major competitions. Paris Saint-Germain has one of the strongest contingents in the men’s field. Its nominees include Dembélé, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice, Michael Olise, Lautaro Martínez and Sadio Mané also earned places. France Football administers the Ballon d’Or and applies a season-based assessment period to each edition.