Australia plans to remove 24 technical staff, scientists and support personnel from its research station on remote Macquarie Island because of psychosocial risks linked to a possible H5N1 bird flu outbreak. The island lies between Tasmania and Antarctica and is home to thousands of elephant seals. The evacuation is scheduled for September or early October aboard the RSV Nuyina icebreaker.

No H5N1 infections have yet been detected on Macquarie Island. However, officials say many elephant seals could die during the breeding season from September to November, as the mammals are highly vulnerable to the virus. Sean Sullivan, deputy secretary at Canberra’s climate change, energy, environment and water department, said the human risk from H5 bird flu is considered low.

Sullivan said authorities could not ignore the psychosocial effects of living near potentially large numbers of infected animals, particularly for expedition members working in an isolated and difficult environment. In June, officials reported that thousands of elephant seal pups had died from bird flu on the remote Heard and McDonald Islands. Authorities have reported 341 confirmed or probable H5 positive infections in Australia, with none detected in poultry or the agricultural production sector.

A large barrier lake has formed in Nepal’s mountainous region after the natural flow of a river was obstructed. The lake’s dam could break at any time, potentially releasing a sudden, large volume of water downstream and placing nearby settlements and infrastructure at renewed severe risk.

On Thursday morning, the lake held about 2 million cubic metres of water. A further 3 million cubic metres could enter the lake over the next three days, bringing its total volume to an estimated 5 million cubic metres.

The expected increase in water is reported to have greatly raised concerns that the lake’s natural dam may fail. If a breach occurs, water could move rapidly along the river corridor, threatening communities and infrastructure around the river.

Global crude oil prices fell again early Friday in Bangladesh time as prospects emerged for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude declined by 25 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $89.45 a barrel, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell 22 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $83.31, according to Al Jazeera.

So far this week, Brent has dropped about 5.3 percent and WTI has declined 4.3 percent. Prices had recovered somewhat in international trading the previous day, but fell again Friday. Possible diplomatic progress over the Strait of Hormuz was cited as a key reason for the renewed decline.

Iran has begun talks with Qatar on reopening the waterway following requests from mediators. Tehran has set several conditions for the United States, including lifting sanctions and economic pressure. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Washington must take practical steps before Iran decides on reopening. He also cited ending the Middle East war, lifting a US naval blockade and providing compensation. No decision has yet been made on when the strait will reopen.

Residents of Longkar Char Nichupara in Ghoshpur ইউনিয়ন of Boalmari upazila, Faridpur, say continuing erosion by the Madhumati River has left them close to destitution. Nearly two acres of homesteads and cropland have already been swallowed by the river, while about one acre remains at risk. Fresh, though comparatively limited, erosion has begun in the area this year, leaving riverside families fearful of losing their remaining land and homes.

Affected resident Arati Goali said erosion has taken houses and farmland since her marriage around 30 years ago, forcing her family to buy a small roadside plot for a home. Residents allege that unplanned sand extraction from the river worsens erosion during the monsoon. Locals said homes and farmland belonging to an estimated 50 to 60 families have been lost, including plots used for chilli, grass, rice and jute cultivation.

Residents have called for an embankment or permanent river-protection measures to save their remaining assets. Ghoshpur Union Parishad chairman Imran Hossain Nawab said proper rules for sand extraction could prevent such damage. Boalmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer SM Rakibul Hasan said the Water Development Board has undertaken river-management work in parts of Madhukhali and Alfadanga, and relevant authorities would be informed if erosion appears in Boalmari.

Salt workers at several jetties in Kutubdia say they are being denied fair wages despite carrying heavy salt sacks for long hours. Workers at Satruddin Peyara Kata New Jetty Ghat said they carry sacks described as 40 kilograms but weighing about 50 kilograms, earning Tk7.50 per sack. Working from 6am to 5pm, they carry 80 to 90 sacks and receive Tk600 to Tk650 daily.

Worker Manik said the wage has remained unchanged for four years and no meal is provided during the workday. He said food, tea and snacks consume about half their earnings. Workers average 20 working days a month, while work stops during storms and rain. They demand Tk10 per sack. At Darbar Ghat, workers receive Tk7 per maund, up from Tk6 six months ago, though rainy-season work is irregular.

Salt trader Akhtar Company said mill owners are not buying salt at increased prices, prompting many traders to avoid transporting it. Another trader, Ibrahim, said workers receive Tk23 per maund for moving salt from fields to roads and trawlers. Union acting chairman Shafiul Alam said more workers join jetty work during the rainy season, reducing available work and contributing to wage disparities.

Nepalese authorities and experts have warned of renewed landslides and flash flooding in the coming days, citing unstable gorge walls and a partially collapsed glacier. The alert follows recent flooding and an earthquake, with the Lende Khola gorge, Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river lower reaches designated high-risk areas. Wednesday’s devastating flash flood death toll has risen to 475, police confirmed, while many people remain missing.

Glacier specialists and emergency service team members from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development identified two principal threats after the recent disasters. Floodwaters rose as high as 10 metres and severely eroded the base of steep rocky and moraine slopes in the Lende Khola gorge. Satellite imagery later showed signs of small landslides, raising concern that larger rockfalls could block river channels and create dangerous downstream conditions.

Experts also expressed concern over the remaining section of the Gangbu glacier, whose unstable remnant could collapse into the gorge following aftershocks or a strong earthquake tremor. Chinese and Nepalese specialists are monitoring nearby glacier-fed lakes by radar satellite amid concerns that moraine dams may have weakened. Residents and rescue teams have been strictly barred from approaching riverbanks.

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) plans to introduce a data-driven integrated profile for every taxpayer to identify inconsistencies between declared income, actual spending and accumulated assets. The plan was presented by income tax, VAT and customs officials at a recent parliamentary committee meeting on the Finance Ministry. The system would automatically compare tax returns with credit-card use, education and health spending, foreign travel, bank transactions, vehicle purchases, stock-market investments, and property dealings.

Taxpayers with major discrepancies between income, expenditure and assets would be placed in a high-risk category. NBR aims to complete the integrated profiles and establish a strong income-tax data warehouse within two to three years. It also plans separate profiles for high-net-worth individuals to assess whether their tax payments match their economic capacity. Bangladesh’s tax-to-GDP ratio is currently 6.8 percent, with targets of raising it by two percentage points in the short term, to 10 percent in the medium term and 15 percent by 2035.

Within three months, NBR plans to clean and classify its TIN database, list top income-tax arrears, and identify high-risk companies and wealthy individuals. It also outlined phased measures including centralized data links, pilot automated profiling, risk-based audits, faceless assessments, pre-filled returns and automated refunds.

Marginal poultry farmers in Pabna are facing mounting losses as prolonged power cuts during intense heat kill chickens through heatstroke and sharply reduce egg production. Farmers say outages now last six to 10 hours a day and are particularly severe in areas served by rural electricity networks. The disruption has affected ventilation, temperature control, lighting, feed and water supply at layer and broiler farms, forcing some owners to sell birds early at low prices or close operations.

The sector expanded rapidly in Pabna after 2000, but farmers say rising prices of chicks, feed, medicine and vaccines have already eroded profitability. More than 7,000 marginal farmers have reportedly left the business, while the district now has 3,043 registered and unregistered farms, down from about 10,000 five years ago. Feed priced at Tk2,400 per sack now sells for Tk3,400, while some vaccine and medicine imports have stopped after the dollar’s value rose.

The Pabna Poultry Farm Association says generator use adds Tk800 to Tk1,000 daily. Officials say gas shortages have reduced power generation nationwide, while livestock authorities are advising saline and betaine use and pursuing proposed electricity, feed and medicine subsidies.

China has warned of a high risk that a lake formed by a landslide near the China-Nepal border could overflow and send floodwaters downstream. State media, citing water resources authorities, said the lake was created after a large flow of mud and debris struck the Gyirong area bordering Tibet on Wednesday. Reports said hundreds of people remain missing after the incident.

CCTV said water levels could rise over the next three days and may reach their highest level around September 1. Xinhua, citing water authorities on Thursday night, reported that continued rainfall could bring about 3 million cubic metres of water into the lake during that period.

Authorities said the increased inflow would raise the danger of the lake’s barrier breaking, potentially causing further damage in downstream areas, including Gyirong port. Rain is forecast in the area for the next three days. By Friday morning, 499 local residents and 555 tourists had been moved to safer locations, CCTV reported. The nationalities of the tourists were not disclosed.

Bangladesh’s Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority (IDRA) has given insurance companies six weeks to remove hidden or duplicate servers and consolidate their data systems. IDRA Chairman Mir Nadia Nivin announced the deadline on Friday, August 28, at an Insurance Reporters Forum workshop at Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development in Cumilla. She said companies that fail to comply will face legal action.

Nivin said data submitted by many life and non-life insurers does not always reflect their actual operations, premium income or financial condition. Multiple servers can prevent the regulator from obtaining a complete picture, she said. IDRA has written to the Bangladesh Insurance Association and Bangladesh Insurance Forum on the matter and plans technological audits to identify undisclosed systems.

The chairman said IDRA aims to fully introduce risk-based supervision by December and launch a sector-wide unique policy ID within three to four months. She also outlined coordination plans with Bangladesh Bank, the National Board of Revenue and the securities regulator. Separately, she said payments of overdue insurance claims from monetised assets of seven to eight troubled companies would begin next week.

Bangladesh’s government has launched an initiative to expand rooftop solar nationwide, create local entrepreneurs and build an effective solar service network. The move is part of the National Renewable Energy Development Strategy 2026–30, according to a Thursday press release from the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

All electricity distribution agencies have simultaneously issued notices to enlist qualified service providers by district and geographic area. Selected providers will offer technical support for rooftop solar and other renewable-energy installations, investment and business packages, customer service, and operation and maintenance facilities. Local businesses, small and medium enterprises, young people, women entrepreneurs and technology-based firms will be able to participate.

Providers will be selected through a transparent and competitive process, with applications allowed from individual firms and joint ventures. The government is also working on incentives, tax and duty benefits, easier low-interest financing and startup funding, with emphasis on rural and remote areas. The strategy targets a 20% renewable share in power generation by 2030, including 5,500 megawatts from rooftop solar.

Bangladesh’s Agriculture Ministry has dismissed reports of a nationwide fertilizer shortage as “completely rumour” and said authorities are conducting field-level operations against traders accused of creating artificial scarcity. From Monday through Thursday, dealers and businesses in Manikganj, Chapainawabganj, Rangpur and Jashore faced fines and fertilizer seizures over allegations including adulteration, overcharging and illegal stockpiling.

Additional Agriculture Secretary Ahmed Faisal Imam said 64 ministry officials, one for each district, are monitoring the situation. He said mobile courts are regularly deployed following allegations of overpricing or black-market sales, while dealerships can be suspended or cancelled according to the severity of offences. Rangpur agricultural official Sirajul Islam said some dealers were fined for failing to store fertilizer in warehouses according to government rules and for procedural violations.

Authorities fined a dealer in Saturia Tk200,000 and seized five sacks of allegedly adulterated DAP fertilizer. In Chapainawabganj, a trader was fined Tk100,000 over overpricing and illegal stocks, while Jashore authorities fined another trader over unlicensed storage. The source also reported shortfalls in stated safety-stock targets for urea, TSP, DAP and MOP, citing gas shortages as a factor.

At least 389 people have died and nearly 1,500, including foreign nationals, remain missing after sudden flooding and landslides in Nepal near the Tibetan border. The disaster struck around 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, with water, mud and rocks surging through the Lende Khola valley and inundating villages. Authorities fear the casualty and missing-person totals could rise; across the border in Tibet, at least 558 people were reported missing and three dead.

The flooding is preliminarily linked to a glacier collapse in the Bhote Koshi River valley of Nepal’s border district of Rasuwa. The torrent destroyed homes, power towers and other infrastructure, washing away at least 19 bridges and about 40 kilometres of road. More than 500 tourists from several countries are among those missing, including 177 Indians, 100 Chinese and 63 Americans. Nepal’s embassy in Bangladesh said no Bangladeshi citizen had been reported killed, injured or missing.

A new lake formed by the collapse about 40 miles north of Kathmandu holds about 2 million cubic metres of water, with another 3 million cubic metres potentially entering within three days. Nepal has divided rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations into 12 teams, while military personnel use helicopters, drones and search dogs despite blocked roads, high water and deep mud.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said nearly 93,000 people may have been affected by severe flooding in Nepal on Wednesday. The organization warned that the flood situation in the country could deteriorate again and said it was closely monitoring the risk of further flooding.

David Fisher, head of the IFRC delegation in Nepal, issued the warning over the possibility of renewed flooding. The Red Cross said it had activated its global network to deliver necessary assistance to people affected by the disaster.

To strengthen emergency assistance operations in Nepal, the IFRC has appealed for 25 million Swiss francs in funding. According to the organization, the requested amount is equivalent to about £23 million or $31 million. The funds are intended to support the response to the emergency and help provide assistance to flood-affected people.

A Chinese company is set to begin generating electricity from waste at Dhaka’s Aminbazar landfill within the next year and a half, according to State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam. The government plans to buy the electricity at Tk25 per unit. The project is expected to generate 42 megawatts and feed it into the national grid.

Shahe Alam disclosed the plans after Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen met Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moin Khan at the Secretariat on Thursday. A formal tripartite agreement is scheduled to be signed in Beijing on September 2, while a final financing agreement will involve the investor bank, the company and relevant Bangladeshi parties.

The state minister said the price appears high compared with other generation sources, but argued that waste disposal and organic fertiliser production would provide additional benefits. He said the Chinese company would pay monthly rent to the city corporation for use of the landfill, with no government investment required. China also expressed interest in Chattogram’s economic zone and Mongla port development.