The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, or CERD, has urged India to strengthen protections for indigenous peoples, Dalits, other marginalised caste groups and Bengali-speaking Muslims. In a statement released Tuesday, the committee said it was deeply concerned by reports of serious rights violations by law-enforcement agencies against Muslims, ethnic and ethno-religious groups, tribal communities, Scheduled Castes, particularly Dalits, and non-citizens.

CERD cited allegations including racially motivated violence, excessive force, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary and prolonged detention without due process, torture, ill-treatment and sexual violence. It called on India to investigate every allegation and bring those responsible to justice. The committee also raised concern over increased operations targeting Rohingya, Bengali-speaking Muslims, migrants and asylum seekers, including alleged ethnic profiling during police searches and identity checks.

India took part in CERD’s review earlier this month, its first before the committee since 2007. India’s delegation highlighted the country’s pluralism, diversity, constitution and legal framework, while India’s mission said it was working to ensure equality, dignity and opportunity for all. CERD’s recommendations are not legally binding, though the source says they carry international and diplomatic significance.

Israeli media outlets have criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for escalating tensions with Turkey over Syria, warning that Israel could face another war front. The criticism followed an Israeli attack on the Abu al-Duhur military base in northern Syria on August 18, which the reports said heightened friction between the two countries.

Haaretz said Netanyahu’s policies risk drawing Israel into another “unnecessary conflict” and argued that military action cannot be the only means of ensuring security. It warned that a possible confrontation with Turkey could carry a heavy cost, noting Turkey’s NATO membership and close ties with the United States. Ynet said the tension could create a new, or “eighth,” front in Israel’s ongoing regional conflicts, while Maariv reported concerns among senior officials about another war front.

Israel said its attack was driven by concerns over an expanded Turkish military presence in Syria, a claim criticized by Turkey and the United States. Syria suspended contacts with Israel after the attack and said it would continue defense cooperation with Turkey. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said there was no reason for direct conflict, accusing Netanyahu of portraying Turkey as a political rival.

Sixteen diplomatic missions in Dhaka, including the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada and Japan, pledged to keep the Rohingya issue on the global agenda. The joint statement marked the ninth anniversary of the large-scale Rohingya influx from Myanmar into Bangladesh, as the crisis enters its tenth year. The missions committed to supporting justice, accountability and continued international assistance.

The statement said nearly 1.2 million Rohingya remain in Bangladesh nine years after their arrival. It praised the community’s resilience, courage and dignity, while expressing gratitude to Bangladesh’s government and people for hosting them for almost a decade. The missions reaffirmed Rohingya rights to return to their homeland in Myanmar but said conditions in Rakhine State are currently unsuitable for repatriation.

They cited escalating conflict, growing humanitarian needs, air strikes on civilian infrastructure, and restrictions on aid and trade as worsening conditions. The missions said they would work with Bangladesh to create conditions for voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return, while continuing support for Rohingya refugees and host communities. They also backed stronger local leadership and greater roles for Bangladeshi and refugee-led organizations in humanitarian planning.

The United States has imposed sanctions on four Indian companies, alleging their involvement in dealings with Iran and purchases of Iranian energy products. The US State Department announced the measures on Monday, naming Portis Partner LLP, Sadashiv Overseas Limited, PR Softtech Private Limited and Prakrutis Infra Impex India Private Limited.

According to the State Department, the companies were involved in importing, storing, transferring and selling Iranian oil, while also helping Iran export oil. The measures are part of Washington’s continuing economic campaign against Iran, called “Operation Economic Outcast.” The policy targets people and entities worldwide linked to Iran’s military and energy sectors.

US authorities said Portage Partners directly helped supply large quantities of Iranian petrochemical products to India, and sanctions also cover its partners Idrismia Ashrafmia Sheikh and Harish Ramchandra Rangi. Sadashiv Overseas imported about $69 million in Iranian oil products between February 2024 and June 2025, while PR Softtech imported about $25 million in petrochemicals during that period. Prakrutis Infra Impex imported $25 million in Iranian goods between May 2023 and February 2026. US-held property is to be blocked and transactions generally prohibited.

Singapore has called on Israel to stop its planned expansion of settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying such settlements violate international law. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated Monday that plans for new construction in the E1 area would further fragment the territory and seriously damage prospects for a two-state solution.

The ministry also voiced deep concern over increased violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. It said Israel must take firm action to end violence against Palestinian civilians and hold those responsible for attacks accountable. Singapore described a negotiated two-state solution, based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions, as the only effective path to a just and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On August 18, the Israeli government invited tenders for more than 1,200 housing units in E1, an area of about 12 square kilometres near East Jerusalem. Around 3,700 Palestinians, mostly Bedouin residents from 18 villages, live there. The plan could make connections between East Jerusalem and the West Bank more difficult. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada have also raised concerns.

The United States has imposed sanctions on Singapore-based commodities trading company Wellbred Capital over alleged ties to Iran, according to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. OFAC announced the action on its website Monday, Reuters reported. Washington also alleged that the company is linked to Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, son of the late Iranian senior security official Ali Shamkhani.

The Treasury Department said Wellbred Capital is effectively controlled by Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani, who operates a large fleet of tankers and cargo ships. It said the vessels transport Iranian and Russian oil to buyers around the world. The department said Shamkhani built Wellbred Capital outside Iran’s core business network while retaining control over its operations.

The sanctions also cover Wellbred Capital branches in Dubai and Geneva, as well as a biofuel refinery in France. The Treasury Department said the measure forms part of a wider US campaign targeting companies and governments accused of helping move Iranian oil and money abroad. The source said Ali Shamkhani was killed in air strikes launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

The United States has sought information on five senior officials of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, offering a reward of up to $10 million and possible relocation assistance. The appeal was issued by the US State Department’s Rewards for Justice programme in a notice posted on X yesterday.

The officials named are IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi, Ali Abdollahi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and Saeed Aghajani, commander of the Aerospace Force drone unit. The list also includes Hamidreza Lashgarian, head of the Cyber Electronic Command, and Majid Khademi, commander of the intelligence division.

The State Department said submitted information must be capable of helping authorities take action against the five officials. It said people providing qualifying information may be considered eligible for both the reward, capped at $10 million, and relocation benefits.

At least 20 sailors and port workers have been killed in the Strait of Hormuz since fighting between Iran and the United States-Israel began in late February this year, according to the International Maritime Organization. The deaths occurred in 68 incidents on the strategic waterway, the IMO said.

The organization reported that a further 35 people were injured in the incidents, while one person remains missing. It said most of the events were classified directly as “attacks.”

Based on IMO calculations, one incident has occurred on average every 2.6 days since the conflict began. The source did not provide further details on the individual incidents, the identities of those killed or injured, or the vessels and ports involved.

Yemen’s Houthi deputy foreign minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras described newly announced United States sanctions on Iran as part of a “psychological war.” In an interview with the Saba News Agency, he said Washington had turned to economic sanctions after military action had failed, aiming to create pressure on the Iranian people.

Abu Ras said the sanctions were directed against Iran’s population and characterized them as part of a US campaign of psychological warfare. The comments were issued by the Houthis following the announcement of the new US sanctions on Iran.

According to the Saba News Agency report, the Houthi official also warned countries in the region. He urged them not to allow themselves to be used as instruments in implementing what he described as unjust US measures against the Iranian people.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has strongly rejected a new threat of sanctions made by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, describing it as empty rhetoric. In a social media post, Ghalibaf said Americans know that no one takes such threats seriously and argued that the United States lacks the economic capacity to further restrict trade relations with other countries.

Ghalibaf also said Iran’s trading partners had already clarified their positions to Tehran. According to him, through media outlets and direct messages, they said they were not taking the US treasury secretary’s statements or threats seriously. His remarks signal that Iran does not intend to yield to Washington’s recent hardline stance.

The source says the situation has nevertheless placed Tehran before both diplomatic and military challenges. A slim hope for talks with the United States and normalization of bilateral relations remains, while Iran also faces continuing military threats. It says concerns have emerged about a prolonged war extending beyond regional boundaries or a renewed spread of conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that Iran attempted to kill one of his sons. In an interview with Israel’s Channel 14 on Monday, Netanyahu described the alleged incident as extraordinary and said Iran had targeted one of his children.

Netanyahu did not provide details on when or where the alleged attempt occurred, or identify which of his sons was targeted. He has two sons and a daughter. The report cites Al Jazeera and The Jerusalem Post as sources.

Israeli authorities decided in July to provide additional personal security to Netanyahu’s wife and two sons. His elder son, 35-year-old Yair Netanyahu, has been living in Miami, United States, since early 2024. The use of Israeli taxpayers’ money for Yair Netanyahu’s security has been a subject of controversy.

Afghan national Imal Mohammadi has travelled to Jhenaidah to seek the return of his brother Hasmat Mohammadi’s body, more than four and a half months after it was buried as unclaimed. Although the Home Ministry has issued a no-objection letter, the exhumation and handover remain stalled pending formal instructions from the Foreign Ministry. Imal arrived in Jhenaidah on Monday, August 24, 2026, with DNA documents, ministry correspondence and identification papers.

Police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel recovered an unidentified floating body from the Ichamati River near Polianpur border in Maheshpur on April 13. The PBI could not match the fingerprints with Bangladesh’s national identity card database, and Anjuman Mufidul Islam buried the body at Jhenaidah municipal cemetery on April 14. An unnatural death case, numbered 20, was filed at Maheshpur police station that day.

Family members identified the body through photographs on social media, according to a reliable source. Imal said the autopsy report cited heart disease and that the family wants to bury Hasmat in Afghanistan under religious rites. Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner Noman Hossain said the administration is ready to assist once it receives the Foreign Ministry’s formal letter.

Pakistan has begun fresh discussions with Tehran to revive the previously signed Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran, aiming for a long-term and lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said he and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir held a constructive and productive meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran.

In a post on X, Naqvi said the high-level meeting focused on the Iran-US conflict, rising tensions in the Middle East, and ways to emerge from the continuing crisis. He said both sides placed special emphasis on reactivating the Islamabad memorandum through their respective measures to pursue a comprehensive and sustainable settlement.

Naqvi said the Iranian president openly presented his government’s position, principal perspective and concerns, followed by sincere and meaningful exchanges between the two sides. He described the talks as having made notable progress and said they concluded with a highly positive message. Naqvi expressed hope that continued discussions would help resolve the conflict and support lasting peace in the region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India after seven years to attend the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12 and 13. India and China have begun preparations for the visit, with Chinese officials working on finalising hotel arrangements and security protocols, according to an official linked to the summit’s organising committee.

Xi last visited New Delhi in 2019, also for a BRICS summit, accompanied by about 200 officials. This time, his delegation is expected to include about 400 officials. Relations between India and China deteriorated significantly after a severe border clash between their soldiers in Ladakh in June 2020.

The source says ties have shown some renewed warmth in recent times. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Beijing last year, his first China trip since 2018, and diplomatic contacts between New Delhi and Beijing have increased since then. Xi’s planned India visit is being viewed as an important next step in the recent progress in bilateral relations.

US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Iran, which he described as economically devastated, cannot regularly pay a large portion of its military personnel. He also alleged that Iranian security forces are carrying out abuse at an unprecedented level, including violence against people who did not take part in protests.

Trump said the situation in Iran has become a serious humanitarian crisis and needs to stop immediately. The claims were presented in his social media post, while the source does not include a response from Iranian authorities or independent verification of the allegations.

The Trump administration has announced plans to impose what Trump described as the toughest economic sanctions ever on Iran. In a separate post published on Monday, Trump also claimed that Iran was on the verge of complete destruction or collapse.