Authorities have identified 105 of the recovered bodies and continue forensic work on the others. The latest government data lists 3,175 DNA samples collected during the identification process. That total includes 1,286 samples from the deceased and 1,889 from relatives of missing people. Officials have rescued 13,742 people since the disaster began. Another 587 foreign nationals remain among those listed as missing, adding an international dimension to the continuing search and identification effort.
Latest News
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. Regional and international developments also form part of the visit’s official agenda.
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.
Travel
Etihad Airways will launch year-round flights from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast on Oct. 4, 2026. The service will connect Zayed International Airport with Red Sea International Airport in Tabuk Province. Etihad will start with one weekly flight, then increase the route to two flights a week from Oct. 25. The journey will take just over three hours, adding a sixth Saudi destination to Etihad’s network.
Indonesia reopened Jakarta’s main airport and several regional airports Tuesday after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau disrupted air travel. More than 340,000 travelers faced delays, cancellations or diversions during the disruption. Nearly 3,000 flights across Indonesia felt the impact. Authorities reopened Soekarno-Hatta International Airport after winds cleared ash from critical aviation areas. Anak Krakatau remained active Tuesday, with monitors recording three smaller eruptions during the morning.
Business
Gold prices decline on Federal Reserve rate decision in trading NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Bullion faced renewed selling pressure across international trading desks as global commodity markets digested a quarter-point interest rate hike by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Spot gold declined 1 percent to $4,249 per ounce, hitting multi-session lows under the weight of higher sovereign yields and restrictive monetary policy. Higher interest rates have increased the opportunity cost of holding physical bullion, prompting institutional portfolios to reallocate capital into fixed-income assets.
Gold prices edged higher on Thursday as a softer U.S. dollar supported bullion before fresh U.S. inflation data. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $4,414.28 an ounce by 0419 GMT. U.S. gold futures for December delivery slipped 0.1% to $4,457.20. The early gain kept spot gold above $4,400 after a sharp reversal during Wednesday’s trading. Gold had initially moved lower before finishing that session more than 1% higher.
Egypt’s net international reserves rose to a record $57.2145 billion at the end of August 2026. The Central Bank of Egypt released the provisional figure on September 7. Reserves stood at $56.2939 billion at the end of July. That means the total increased by about $920.6 million during August, or roughly 1.6%. The latest reading extends a series of monthly gains in 2026 and takes Egypt’s official foreign reserves above $57 billion for the first time.
The Panama Canal may reduce daily ship traffic to about 29 vessels in February or March 2027 if drought conditions continue, its new administrator said. Ilya Espino de Marotta took office on Sept. 7 and raised the possibility as El Niño pressures reservoir levels. The canal needs freshwater from rainfall-fed lakes to operate its locks. The Panama Canal Authority has already begun staged capacity cuts after below-expected precipitation across the watershed.
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.
Health
The World Health Organization says Ebola transmission is declining in some of the hardest-hit areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The improvement is most visible in parts of Ituri province, the main center of the outbreak. However, the epidemic continues to expand in other areas. Official data through Sept. 13 showed 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 deaths across seven provinces, with the national case fatality ratio at 48.4%.