SCO Summit Diplomacy: Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif heads to Bishkek for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, with talks expected on regional security and economic cooperation, and leaders including Xi, Erdogan, Iran’s Pezeshkian and Putin in attendance. Regional Security Architecture: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye kick off the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with a Strategic Political and Defence Committee meeting in Istanbul, bringing foreign and defence ministers plus military chiefs to operationalize the new trilateral mechanism. Iran War Pressure on Shipping: The IMO warns that the Strait of Hormuz crisis is still trapping up to 400 vessels and about 6,000 seafarers, disrupting fuel and fertilizer flows and raising risks for global supply chains. Sanctions and Energy Markets: A new US sanctions push on Iran—framed as “Economic D-Day”—signals tougher financial and shipping restrictions, while policymakers weigh knock-on effects for major trading partners. Humanitarian Response: Nepal’s flood toll rises amid fears of more flooding after a glacier collapse in China’s Tibet region, as rescue teams struggle to reach devastated areas and foreign nationals remain missing. Government Relief Deadline: South Korea’s unspent high-oil-price relief payments expire at midnight on Aug. 31, with remaining balances automatically canceled. AI Governance in Saudi Arabia: Saudi regulators are shifting from “data stays in-country” to tougher expectations on how AI systems behave in production, including permissions and accountability.