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Wildfires across northeastern Algeria have killed at least 12 people and injured 54, authorities said Wednesday night. Five deaths occurred in Jijel, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou, Interior Minister Said Sayoud said. Six injured people remained in critical condition and were receiving intensive care after suffering burns. The fires spread across several provinces during a severe heatwave affecting Algeria and other parts of North Africa.

Nearly 22,000 Pakistanis deported from Gulf over four months for visa violations and begging highlights tightening immigration enforcement across the Middle East. The written statement submitted by the Ministry for Narcotics Control detailed that Saudi Arabia accounted for the vast majority of repatriations, expelling 15,500 Pakistani nationals during the four-month window. The United Arab Emirates deported 3,803 individuals, followed by Oman with 1,606 deportations, Bahrain with 521, Qatar with 429, and Kuwait with 97. A significant subset of the repatriated individuals involved 4,628 absconders, 1,294 individuals who served prison sentences, and 472 individuals specifically identified as beggars.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s North Sumatra province on Tuesday, shaking communities across parts of Sumatra. The earthquake occurred at 1:02:23 p.m. western Indonesian time, or 06:02:23 UTC. Official data placed the epicenter in the sea, 147 kilometers southeast of South Nias Regency. The earthquake had a depth of 29 kilometers, with its source beneath waters west of Sumatra. Residents across other parts of Sumatra also reported shaking after the magnitude 6.1 earthquake. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, said the earthquake had no potential to generate a tsunami. Residents in South Nias felt weak shaking for about three to five seconds. Local disaster offices began monitoring affected areas after the tremor, while the initial national bulletin provided no confirmed casualty or damage figures.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has become the deadliest in the country’s history. Government data showed 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths as of Aug. 16. Health officials recorded 101 new confirmed cases during the previous 24 hours. The death toll has now surpassed the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the country’s 2018 to 2020 Ebola outbreak.

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse crossed the Russian Arctic. It then swept into the North Atlantic and continued toward Europe. State Space Corporation Roscosmos said the eclipse began over Russia’s remote northern regions at about 17:00 GMT. The Moon’s shadow moved across Greenland and Iceland before reaching Spain and northeastern Portugal near sunset. Totality appeared only inside a narrow corridor. Surrounding regions across Europe, North America and Africa experienced a partial solar eclipse.

The UN said economic uncertainty, digital inclusion and climate change rank among major challenges facing younger generations across borders. These pressures often reach beyond national boundaries and require coordinated responses, according to the Secretary-General’s message. Guterres also pointed to the creativity, dynamism and leadership of young people. He described youth as organizers and innovators who already contribute to communities and public life. The message linked youth participation with wider efforts to advance sustainable development. Skills were another focus of the 2026 message. Guterres called for young people to gain stronger access to critical thinking, problem-solving and digital literacy. He said those capabilities will help shape the future and support wider participation in society. The Secretary-General also urged institutions to work with young people as equal partners. He called for greater youth involvement in decisions at local, national and international levels. The UN said investment and inclusion remain central demands for young people around the world.

Meta and TikTok sought immediate appellate review of lower court decisions involving Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The appeals court said Section 230 operates as a defense against liability, not as immunity from facing a lawsuit. As a result, the court found that the companies could not pursue the appeal at this stage. The decision did not determine whether Section 230 will ultimately block any claims. It instead allowed the federal proceedings to continue under the existing trial court orders.

Fujian authorities suspended 686 road passenger routes and 658 train services during the storm response. They also closed 234 major tourist attractions and canceled dozens of cultural and tourism events. In Shanghai, airlines canceled more than 900 flights at the city’s two main airports on Monday. Heavy rainfall caused flooding in parts of the financial center and disrupted public transportation. The measures followed widespread weather warnings across coastal areas exposed to Dolphin’s winds and rain.

More than 20,000 people fled communities around Okanagan Lake after the Bald Range wildfire surged through southern British Columbia over the weekend. Provincial authorities declared a state of emergency Saturday as flames advanced toward Summerland and areas near Peachland. The fire grew beyond 10,300 hectares by Saturday night. It destroyed homes and damaged other property along its path. Emergency crews used helicopters to reach dozens of residents cut off by the fire. Evacuation orders remained in force across several communities and rural areas Sunday.

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck southeast of Atka in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands late Saturday. The Alaska Earthquake Center recorded the quake at 7:36 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time on August 8. That corresponded to 03:36 UTC on August 9. The epicenter was about 48 miles, or 77 kilometers, southeast of Atka. Seismologists placed the earthquake at a depth of about 10.6 miles, or 17 kilometers.