Last night, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) kicked off with the screening of Ben Stiller’s "Nutcrackers," but not without a brief interruption from pro-Palestinian protesters who were soon escorted out. Despite this, the event returned to a sense of normality after last year's actor and writer strikes, showcasing 278 films from stars like Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie, and Elton John.

Shifting to East Africa, tragedy struck at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County, Kenya, where a devastating fire killed at least 17 children and injured several others. President William Ruto has demanded a thorough investigation into the blaze, while the Kenyan Red Cross is providing essential support to the affected families.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia’s real estate loans skyrocketed to nearly $218 billion in Q2 2024, driven by urban development and Vision 2030 initiatives. Major contributors to this boom include key players like Al Saedan Real Estate and Kingdom Holding Company, with retail and corporate loans showing significant growth.

Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, former Philippines mayor Alice Guo returned to Manila after being deported from Indonesia, where she faced immigration violations. Guo, accused of laundering over 100 million pesos and having connections to Chinese criminal syndicates, now faces multiple charges in Manila alongside a Senate investigation into her past activities.

Over in China, the government has announced a halt on international adoptions, a policy shift affecting more than 160,000 adoptions since 1992. This move, aimed at addressing declining birth rates and ethical concerns, follows similar decisions by the Netherlands and Denmark.

And finally, in Shanghai, the world’s largest indoor ski resort has opened amid record August heat. The 100,000-square-meter Shanghai L*SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort boasts innovative energy-saving features and reflects China's booming interest in winter sports, inspired by the 2022 Winter Olympics.