Bangladesh’s SMW-5, one of the country’s main international submarine internet cables, resumed operation after being disconnected for about two and a half hours. Both eastern and western connections of the cable were fully cut at around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 15, and service was restored at around 2 p.m. The restoration eased immediate fears of a major nationwide internet disruption.

During the outage, many customers experienced slower internet speeds, delays accessing foreign websites and servers, and temporary difficulties using online platforms. International server-based work, online meetings, gaming and file downloads were affected. Internet service providers had to divert traffic through alternative routes, while customers of providers able to move connections quickly to backup lines faced comparatively fewer problems.

Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC said it could not immediately provide an estimated repair time because it was awaiting information from the main consortium. An initial assessment suggested a possible problem with power supply or equipment at the landing station in Matara, Sri Lanka, but the final cause has not been confirmed. Bangladesh also has SMW-4 and multiple international terrestrial cable connections with India, which served as backup capacity. BSCPCL is awaiting the consortium’s final fault report.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said ensuring access to justice is part of guaranteeing human rights, and the state must enable citizens to exercise their inherent and universal rights. He made the remarks on Saturday morning at the opening of a two-day coordination meeting in Rajendrapur, Gazipur, for the “Accelerating Digital Legal Aid Services in Bangladesh” project, attended by judges, legal aid officers and other stakeholders.

The meeting discussed how to effectively deliver digital legal assistance to disadvantaged and marginalised communities. Participants focused on strengthening and coordinating 57 upazila legal aid committees and 413 union legal aid committees across nine districts. The effort aims to help poor people, women, persons with disabilities and other underserved groups obtain legal advice and assistance, including opportunities to resolve disputes through mediation before going to court.

The minister directed steps to recognise eight outstanding legal aid officers, one from each division, and 20 judicial officers nationwide. He said Bangladesh has about 4.5 million pending cases and aims to reduce the number significantly within a year through combined use of legal aid, mediation, digital technology and judicial work. The second day on August 16 will discuss training, records, reporting and areas for improving digital services.

France’s Constitutional Council on Friday blocked a bill that would have restricted social media use by children under 15. The court said the proposal interfered excessively with freedom of expression and communication and did not provide sufficient legal safeguards for personal privacy. The decision was seen as a political setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who had previously instructed the government to redraft the measure.

Under the parliamentary-approved bill, children under 15 would have been barred from opening new social media accounts from September 1. Platforms would also have been required to close existing accounts within four months. The proposal required age verification through methods approved by France’s data protection regulator.

The court said the bill did not clearly define the conditions or limits for collecting and storing information used to prove users’ ages. The Elysee Palace said the Macron government remains determined to introduce revised legislation on social media regulation ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok gave no immediate comment after the ruling.

Hackers breached computer systems used by France’s tax administration and land registry in two separate cyberattacks in June and July, authorities said Friday. The Directorate General of Public Finances, or DGFiP, said the first attack compromised data from at least 678,000 individual and professional accounts. A second attack in July stole information from 200,000 land registry accounts.

The stolen tax-related data included names, income-related information and tax rates paid. A hacking group called Zerobytes had previously claimed responsibility in a dark-web forum. The group said it gained access through a virtual private network used by tax officials. Zerobytes claimed it took data from 250,000 land registry accounts linked to about 2 million people who own land and property.

The authority’s figure for affected land registry accounts is lower than the group’s claim. Zerobytes has also been linked to several previous cyberattacks on French government computer systems. In April, a major attack on ANTS, the agency responsible for identity-document applications and management, affected data of about 12 million individuals and professionals. France’s Finance Ministry also reported in February that information from 1.2 million bank accounts had been stolen in a major security breach.

Social media platform X plans to end its current Creator Earnings program and introduce a replacement called Original Content Rewards for content creators. Creators can continue earning under the existing system until September 7, while eligible users will be able to apply for the new program from September 8.

Applicants must have an X Premium subscription, at least 500 verified followers, and a minimum of 500,000 views from verified users during the previous 90 days. The program will prioritize original material, including creators’ own photos, videos, reports, analysis, comments, memes, and graphics.

Content that makes only minor changes to others’ material will not be treated as original. Users who copy posts from other accounts or download and repost content will not qualify for earnings. X said some incentives in the old system had become less effective than expected. Allegra Zakia said creators should focus on producing new, valuable content rather than only earning more money. X may revise the program’s rules later based on user experience and circumstances.

Rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war are increasing demand for electric trucks across Asia and driving a sharp rise in Chinese exports, according to a report published on August 14, 2026. Use of electric trucks, from light vehicles to heavy trailers, is also growing rapidly in China, while domestic sales have increased in the world’s largest car market.

Pakistan-based outlet Dawn reported that in the four months after the United States and Israel began war against Iran in February, China’s exports of heavy electric trucks more than doubled year on year to 16,823 units. Nearly half of those shipments went to countries in South and Southeast Asia. Exports to South Asia rose more than fivefold, while shipments to Southeast Asia increased nearly threefold.

Higher fuel costs are offsetting the disadvantage of electric trucks’ relatively higher upfront purchase prices. The report said rising energy expenses are pushing countries across Asia toward electric transport more quickly. Chinese manufacturers are therefore focusing not only on their domestic market but also on selling electric trucks in newer markets across Asia, Africa and Latin America.

National University has launched an effort to make its second-year undergraduate Applied ICT course more current, student-friendly and employment-oriented through improved resource materials and online content. Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Amanullah highlighted the initiative on 14 August 2026 at BRAC CDM in Savar, during the opening of a three-day “Resource Materials Finalization” workshop organized with technical support from UNICEF Bangladesh.

Amanullah said information and communication technology is closely connected to education, employment, research, innovation and daily life. He said students should receive learning they can use beyond the classroom. He called for final materials to reflect students’ diverse educational and technological capacities and realities across regions, using simple, fluent and accessible language to support inclusive learning opportunities.

On the workshop’s first day, participants reviewed the accuracy and student suitability of each resource-book chapter and topic, pedagogical approaches, practical application, and alignment with online content. Experts recommended revisions and refinements to make the material clearer and more practical. The resource book and online content are scheduled to be finalized over the following two days based on those views.

US Central Command, or CENTCOM, has announced the formation of its first multinational, multi-domain attack-drone task force, named Task Force Falcon Strike. The announcement was reported on August 14, 2026, and concerns a new unit involving US forces and military personnel from regional partner countries.

CENTCOM said the task force will deploy one-way attack drones across several operational environments: on the sea surface, underwater and on land. The command described the unit as multinational and multi-domain, with participation by military members from the United States alongside regional partners.

The announcement comes nine months after the establishment of Task Force Scorpion Strike, described as the first specialized US one-way attack-drone squadron in the Middle East. CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said Falcon Strike would expand on Scorpion Strike’s success amid innovation among regional allies and partners. He added that integrating and deploying new capabilities would allow emerging possibilities to be implemented rapidly.

Bangladesh has launched its online e-bail bond system in 12 additional districts, bringing the total number of covered districts to 28. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman announced the expansion at a ceremony at the ministry's conference room on Thursday morning, August 13, 2026. The stated aim is to modernise the justice system, reduce hardship for court users and speed the release process for accused persons granted bail.

The newly added districts are Tangail, Kishoreganj, Munshiganj, Cox's Bazar, Chandpur, Rangamati, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Habiganj, Thakurgaon and Jamalpur. The system had already operated in 16 districts, where about 120,000 e-bail bonds were filed online over recent months, according to the minister.

Under the new process, filing and completing a bail bond requires two steps instead of 12 under the conventional method. Lawyers can submit bonds online from their chambers or elsewhere using smartphones, while acceptance will be confirmed immediately through OTP. The minister also called for contact with district legal aid offices regarding detainees in compoundable cases and said mediation, legal aid and efforts to reduce cases and raise disposal rates were being prioritised.

Apple is reportedly working on a special glass-focused design for its 2027 iPhone Pro models, marking 20 years since the first iPhone was introduced in 2007. Bloomberg technology journalist Mark Gurman said the company is not foregoing a major anniversary surprise, countering speculation that Apple would not make a significant change. Apple has not officially commented on the reported design plans.

Jefferies analyst Edison Lee had previously said Apple cancelled plans for an entirely glass iPhone for the 20th anniversary. Gurman’s information indicates that the idea has not been fully abandoned, but has shifted toward a design that gives glass greater prominence rather than using it throughout. Gurman said the more ambitious all-glass iPhone concept was dropped at an early stage of the design process.

The reported iPhone Pro models would have glass layers on the front and back extending to the device’s side edges, with a narrow metal ring or band between them. The devices are said to carry the internal codenames V73 and V74. If implemented, the plan could reduce the use of conventional metal frames and increase the use of curved glass, potentially creating a major exterior redesign.

Online shopping startup Fia, co-founded by Bill Gates’ daughter Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, faces allegations of fraud involving “cookie stuffing,” an online advertising and commission scheme. A report published on August 13, 2026 said Fia allegedly used affiliate tracking codes in ways that could direct sales commissions to the company even when users did not buy products directly through it. Launched in 2025, Fia compares product prices across websites and finds discount codes.

According to the allegations, Fia’s browser extension activated affiliate links connected to online stores without users’ knowledge. This could allow Fia to claim commission credit even where another person or company had played the actual role in making a sale. Fia initially described the issue as a technical error, but questions later arose over published information and internal communications. Reports also said there is scrutiny over whether Gates and Kianni knew about the matter for months.

Fia said it removed the disputed feature on July 7. The company said it is reviewing transactions in which commissions were incorrectly attributed to it and is seeking to return money to relevant brands and partners. It also said it plans to hire a compliance officer to prevent similar incidents. The report said no formal criminal charge or sentence against Phoebe Gates has been identified.

Bangladesh’s government is preparing to introduce a cashless system for land-acquisition compensation, aiming to reduce alleged harassment, irregularities and bribery linked to compensation cheques at district commissioner offices. Land Ministry officials said the Land Acquisition and Requisition Management System, or LRMS, could be fully launched by December this year. Under the government-funded initiative, landowners would no longer need to visit district offices in person to collect cheques.

Applicants and relevant administrative officials will be able to log into the system online using designated IDs and passwords. After applications are reviewed, compensation will be transferred directly to recipients’ bank accounts through electronic fund transfer, using the government’s integrated financial management platform, iBAS. Additional Secretary Emdadul Haque Chowdhury said the cashless service is intended to stop bribery allegations surrounding cheque handovers and limit the role of intermediaries.

The LRMS project is on the priority list under the prime minister’s 180-day work plan. Its core structure and business logic are nearing completion, while coordination with the Finance Division, iBAS integration and e-challan-related technical work continue. Development Design Consultants Limited is building the software at an estimated cost of about Tk 3.44 crore. Where there are no ownership disputes or court stays, the law requires compensation within 120 days of notice issuance.

Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC held a consultation with prominent Islamic scholars to expand the use of Bangla QR payments at religious institutions as part of efforts toward a cashless Bangladesh. The meeting was held on Saturday at a hotel in the capital. Islamic Foundation Bangladesh Director General Mufti Muhammad Muhibbullahil Baqi attended as chief guest.

The bank’s Additional Managing Director Engineer Mohammad Jamal Uddin Majumdar presented the keynote paper on Bangla QR. Mufti Baqi said financial transactions have changed alongside technological progress and that religious institutions need to be connected with this change. He said the simple digital payment system could help such institutions manage transactions more transparently, securely and systematically.

Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Mohammad Zahir Hossain said expanding digital transactions is important to make the financial system more modern, simple and inclusive. Bringing religious institutions under Bangla QR could create an opportunity to involve a large segment of the population in digital transactions, he said. Acting Managing Director Md Altaf Hossain chaired the meeting and said the bank was working to ensure easy, secure and modern banking services for customers.

Most teenagers in the United Kingdom do not want the government’s proposed overnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds, according to a Censuswide survey published Friday. The plan, announced in mid-July under former prime minister Keir Starmer’s government, would introduce default overnight limits on teenagers’ social media accounts. Among respondents aged 16 to 18, 85% said the restriction should be scrapped.

Under the proposal, users aged 16 and 17 would be unable to use social media platforms between midnight and 6 a.m., although they could turn off the setting. Nearly half of surveyed teenagers said they would disable the feature to communicate with friends and family, while 37% said they would opt out to watch online content. The measure is intended to complement a ban announced in June for users under 16 on platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Liane Proctor, head of regulation at the Online Responsibility Network, said a curfew alone was unlikely to prevent online harms. Of 1,000 teenagers surveyed, 2% said they avoid social media or short videos at night during school periods, while more than 18% said they watch content until 1 a.m. or later. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said changes to the voluntary approach would be considered if many teenagers disable the default setting.

Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) has received international recognition for using space technology to address climate change. The company has gained membership in the Space for Climate Observatory (SCO) and formal recognition for imaging and space-based data as Bangladesh’s national focal point. BSCL announced the development in a press release on Monday.

BSCL applied to join the international alliance on December 8, 2025, with approval from the Department of Posts and Telecommunications. The SCO Steering Committee subsequently approved Bangladesh as an associate country and national focal point. The alliance is led by the French space agency CNES and was established in 2019 at the initiative of the French government.

SCO uses satellite and local socioeconomic data to support observation, forecasting and decision-making on local climate-change impacts. In Bangladesh, its funded BanD-SOS project provides real-time forecasts for cyclones and storm surges. BSCL said the membership will create opportunities for space technology use in disaster-risk reduction, environmental monitoring and SDG implementation. A formal signing ceremony is planned at the Space Summit in Paris on September 9, 2026.