Bangladesh's parliament elected Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Secretary General of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as the new president, securing the largely ceremonial post due to the BNP's more than two-thirds majority in parliament. Alamgir's election follows the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin and comes after the BNP's victory in the first election since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ousting in February 2024. During his tenure under Hasina's government, Alamgir faced multiple politically motivated arrests but has been recognized for maintaining the BNP's organization and political presence amidst adversity.
Eleni Petinos, former New South Wales fair trading minister, testified at a corruption inquiry that her sacking in July 2022 by Premier Dominic Perrottet may have been influenced by her unwillingness to support the dismissal of building commissioner David Chandler, who had made allegations of undue influence by developers. Petinos noted that within two days of supportive communication from Perrottet, she was abruptly dismissed, coinciding with Chandler's resignation due to tensions regarding alleged government interference. The inquiry is currently examining serious allegations involving multiple Liberal party operatives, including payments of $2 million to party members connected to fugitive developer Jean Nassif.
Iran's parliament has approved a bill that restricts contact with foreign media, universities, and organizations, which could lead to criminal penalties and bans on such interactions. The bill allows for penalties of six months to two years in prison for engaging with media deemed hostile to the Iranian government, further tightening the already oppressive media environment, where Iran ranks 177 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index. Critics argue that the legislation creates a climate of fear, as the boundary between legitimate contact and foreign influence remains vague, ultimately hindering independent media and free expression in the country.
More than two years after the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab, the Israeli military has officially admitted to firing on the civilian vehicle she was in, which was shot at with over 300 bullets, resulting in the deaths of six of her relatives, including her cousin, and her eventual death hours later from her injuries. An investigation by Avaaz revealed that Israeli forces used a "double-tap" tactic, with a 120mm tank round striking a marked ambulance sent to rescue Rajab after she had begged for help, killing two medics instantly. The investigation implicated the “Vampire Empire” company, led by Israeli Major Sean Glass, and identified the overall commander of the tanks as Lieutenant Colonel Beni Aharon, revealing that Israeli forces were present and there was no exchange of fire as previously claimed.
The mayor of Como, Alessandro Rapinese, has announced a ban on bikes in the historical centre of the city, affecting about 30 streets, which will take effect in September. The decision follows Rapinese being hit by an e-bike in June and has faced significant backlash from residents and political groups, with activists organizing a protest and petition against the ban. Critics argue that the ban restricts a low-cost, environmentally-friendly mode of transportation and suggest that the mayor should focus on addressing reckless cycling behavior instead of penalizing all cyclists.
The article discusses the increasing Islamophobia within the United States, particularly among members of the Republican Party, citing the formation of the "Sharia-Free America Caucus" which openly discriminates against Muslims and other minority groups. It highlights a spike in anti-Muslim attacks, referencing a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in May that resulted in the deaths of two worshippers and a security guard. The piece also connects this trend to the rhetoric surrounding former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's collaboration with far-right groups in Europe, warning of an "invasion of radical Islam."
Hui Ka Yan, the founder of Evergrande, has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to eight charges related to financial fraud, including fundraising fraud and misusing funds, with his company facing fines totaling 15.8 billion yuan (£1.9 billion). Once the richest man in China with a net worth of $42.5 billion in 2017, Hui's actions contributed to a debt crisis where Evergrande defaulted on most of its $300 billion in liabilities, impacting the real estate sector that constitutes a significant portion of China's GDP. Additionally, over 50 individuals associated with Evergrande received prison terms ranging from 20 months to 18 years due to the fallout from the company’s financial practices and the subsequent regulatory crackdown that resulted in approximately $347 billion in sunk costs across the Chinese economy.
The U.S. federal debt has surpassed $40 trillion, with more than $2 trillion added to the deficit this year alone, and government spending is expected to exceed tax revenues by over $2 trillion. Moreover, the government is projected to spend over $1 trillion just on interest payments this year, reflecting a 15% increase from the previous year. In related news, U.S. oil companies have initiated agreements with Venezuela for oil production expansion and exploration, marking the first such deals in nearly two decades.
The US gross national debt has surpassed $40 trillion for the first time, a significant increase attributed to government spending under both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, with Trump approving $8.4 trillion and Biden $4.3 trillion in debt. In fiscal year 2026, which started in October 2025, an additional $1.8 trillion has been added to the national debt, leading to bipartisan outrage over fiscal irresponsibility. Notably, Republican congressman Thomas Massie highlighted that the annual interest on the debt costs American families approximately $4,000 each, totaling $16,000 for a family of four.
Paris Saint-Germain's opening match of the French league against Rennes has been moved to Rennes due to significant damage to their pitch from a summer heatwave. The club stated that the pitch at Parc des Princes deteriorated to the point where it was unsafe for players, and they have arranged for a replacement pitch in time for their next home game against Monaco on September 4. PSG expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to fans and thanked Rennes for accommodating the venue change.
Munich's Public Prosecutor's Office has identified a deceased suspect in a 1970 antisemitic arson attack that killed seven Holocaust survivors, but the case cannot be prosecuted due to his death. The fire, which was ignited using a gasoline mixture, injured 15 others and caused significant damage to the Jewish community center. Investigators reopened the case in 2025 after a witness provided credible information on the suspect, who was 25 years old at the time of the attack and linked to far-right extremism, but have not found evidence of accomplices.
South Africa is facing significant social issues such as impassable roads, high unemployment, escalating crime, and increasing anti-foreigner violence, which has forced over 176,000 people, primarily from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique, to flee since April. Concerns over the African National Congress (ANC) performance are rising as it struggles with declining support, predicted to worsen in the upcoming local elections, while citizens express frustration over public service failures, inadequate infrastructure, and persistent poverty. In response, opposition parties, notably the Democratic Alliance, are expected to gain traction, particularly with notable candidates like former Cape Town mayor Helen Zille entering the race.
Al Jazeera reports on the ongoing atrocities faced by the Rohingya ethnic minority in Myanmar, highlighting that over 150,000 Rohingya have fled their homes since the civil war escalated after the 2021 coup, adding to the approximately one million already in refugee camps in Bangladesh. Witnesses allege brutal violence and oppression by the Arakan Army, which they claim is parallel to the ethnic cleansing earlier perpetrated by the military, while both the military and the Arakan Army deny the allegations. The documentary also discusses human trafficking issues involving Rohingya refugees and the difficulties surrounding their potential repatriation to Myanmar amid rising armed group activity.
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North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles towards its eastern waters from Pyongyang, following a US decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea. The launches prompted South Korea’s presidential national security council to hold an emergency meeting and urge North Korea to cease its missile activities, which are banned under UN Security Council resolutions. Despite Trump’s overture to North Korea and claims of a good relationship with Kim Jong-un, North Korean officials dismissed the recent military drill reductions as insufficient, indicating a desire for more significant concessions before engaging in further talks.
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani stated that there are no plans for a Turkish military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase, despite Turkish military visits for training, and emphasized that the facility is largely empty. This statement follows Israel's airstrike earlier in the week, which included eight attacks on the airbase's runway and storage facilities, marking Israel’s first action against Syrian government assets since March, although no casualties were reported. Al-Shaibani maintained that Israel had no justification for the attack, calling for negotiations to address security concerns, while Turkey rejected Israel's claims regarding its military position in Syria and urged international action against Israel's actions in the region.
Belgium's Prince Laurent has legally recognized 26-year-old Clément Vandenkerckhove as his son and heir, a relationship resulting from his past with singer Wendy Van Wanten. Vandenkerckhove, who will not receive a royal allowance or be part of the royal succession line, underwent a DNA test confirming a 99.5% match with Prince Laurent after learning of his father's identity at age 16. He is already known to the public through a Flemish TV documentary and expressed pride in his birth name, Vandenkerckhove, highlighting the impact of his mother in his life.
Five years after regaining power, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has expanded its diplomatic ties, managing over 40 diplomatic missions globally, although formal international recognition remains limited. China has emerged as a key partner, particularly with significant investments like the nearly $3.4 billion Logar copper mine project, while Afghanistan has diversified trade routes to reduce reliance on Pakistan, with Uzbekistan signing trade agreements worth approximately $520 million in 2026. The Taliban's ability to maintain security and stability has led to cooperation with Russia and Central Asian states, who view it as a buffer against threats from groups like ISIS.
A former Zambian minister, Mutotwe Kafwaya, was killed by police during a raid on a house linked to opposition leader Brian Mundubile a day after the presidential election, with the authorities citing "exchange of fire" in Lusaka. Incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema won re-election with 60% of the vote, while Mundubile received 38% and plans to challenge the outcome legally, alleging electoral tampering. The EU election observation mission expressed concerns about the election process, highlighting significant issues in the results tabulation and calling for greater transparency regarding the poll outcome.
The Israeli military admitted its soldiers opened fire on a car in Gaza, killing five-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members, and has ordered a criminal investigation into the incident, which sparked international outrage. Hind was killed during a three-hour plea for rescue on January 29, 2024, as her family attempted to escape an Israeli offensive; their bodies were recovered 12 days later. A recent UN report claimed Israel is responsible for tens of thousands of civilian deaths and highlighted a pervasive climate of impunity regarding investigations of Israeli troops for civilian deaths.
Eighteen-year-old Lily Hooper, missing since August 12 after leaving for a hike in Nattai National Park, was found dead on August 20, following a search involving nearly 1,000 people. Initial reports mistakenly indicated she had been found alive, but confusion due to dense bushland and communication challenges led to a rapid retraction of this information, resulting in significant emotional distress for her family and authorities. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who initially announced the news of her being found alive, later expressed deep condolences and apologized for the traumatic miscommunication.
Patients in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, are facing difficulties with an AI GP receptionist named Emma, who struggles to understand local accents, leading to frustration and some calls being abandoned. Healthwatch Rotherham reported that many users, particularly older individuals and those less comfortable with technology, are finding it challenging to navigate the system, sometimes opting to visit GP surgeries in person instead. QuantumLoopAI, the company behind Emma, claims the system supports 17 languages and can transfer calls to human staff if unable to understand a patient's request.
On August 20, 2026, North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile toward the sea, according to Japan's prime minister's office, following a U.S. decision to scale back military drills with South Korea. South Korean media reported that the unidentified projectile was fired off North Korea's east coast, while Kim Yo Jong criticized the U.S. for perceiving the reduced exercises as a sign of goodwill. The context surrounds ongoing tensions, with North Korea previously dismissing the notion that the drills' scale affected their aggressive nature.
A report by the National Preventive Mechanism highlights severe issues at Villawood detention centre, where drug dealing occurs openly among the 428 detainees, including children, who are facing a "culture of fear" due to violence and intimidation. Significant safety concerns are raised, with 78 beds offline from damage that has not been repaired since a fire three years ago, and some detainees have been held for more than a decade, including three exceeding ten years. The report also notes inadequate staffing levels and warns that continued detention of children without access to schooling poses a significant risk to their mental health and overall development.
A driver struck members of the Milligan University cycling team in Tennessee on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of two cyclists and injuries to seven others. The driver is facing multiple charges, including homicide and assault. Specific details on the numbers of cyclists affected highlight the tragic impact of the incident on the team and the community.
Dozens of Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank face the risk of erasure due to increasing attacks by Israeli settlers, as reported by Human Rights Watch. Between January 2023 and early 2026, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented that 107 communities, with 5,900 Palestinians, have been partially or completely displaced, while the Israeli military has expelled an additional 32,000 Palestinians from their homes since January 2025. The report calls for targeted sanctions against those responsible for abuses and emphasizes the complicity of Israeli authorities in enabling settler violence, contributing to a coercive environment for Palestinians.
JD Sports has reduced its profit forecasts to between £700m and £800m for the year, down from a previous expectation of £750m to £850m, due to decreased consumer spending driven by inflation and cost-of-living pressures. Their like-for-like sales declined by 3.1% in the second quarter, with North American operations experiencing a significant drop of 6.8%, while sales in Europe fell by 2.7%, although the UK saw an uptick in sales related to football kits and outdoor gear. The company's shares fell 12% to their lowest level since July, highlighting growing concerns about consumer confidence amidst rising inflation and a weakening jobs market.
A study projects that wildfires in Europe will increase by 39% by the end of the century under a best-case climate scenario, with a potential tripling of burnt areas if global heating reaches 3.6°C above preindustrial levels. Currently, over 600,000 hectares have burned in Europe this fire season, marking it as the third-worst on record, with extreme fire weather exacerbating the situation. Improved fire management could mitigate these increases by more than 70%, but researchers emphasize that it cannot substitute for climate action and effective mitigation efforts.
Cody and Kaleigh Brendle, two blind siblings who grew up under the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, emphasize the importance of community integration for individuals with disabilities, which supports their education, employment, and overall quality of life. However, the integration mandate is now being threatened by a lawsuit from several Republican-led states and a recent Department of Justice memo suggesting the federal government cannot require states to provide community-based services rather than institutionalization, contradicting the Olmstead decision. This integration mandate currently supports more than 8 million Americans with disabilities, highlighting the potential impact of the lawsuit and policy changes on services they rely on to thrive in their communities.
Maryland privacy advocates are urging an investigation into data brokers for allegedly violating state privacy laws by selling residents' geolocation data, including to federal immigration authorities. A consumer complaint filed by a coalition of groups names companies like Penlink and Thomson Reuters, which reportedly provide data services to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), amid concerns over increased surveillance and civil rights violations. The complaint calls for Maryland's Attorney General to enforce the state's privacy laws and address the unchecked use of commercially acquired personal data for mass surveillance.