New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he does not support an August 29 event at Madison Square Garden featuring Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat. Bhagwat is scheduled to address Indian-origin American citizens at the private gathering, which is expected to draw about 5,000 people. Mamdani said he was unsure whether the city administration has authority to cancel the event because it is privately organized.

Speaking at a Tuesday news conference, Mamdani described himself as New York City’s first Indian-American mayor and said members of his mother’s family still live in India. He said he grew up with an idea of India as a pluralistic society and secular republic, where equal rights and participation for all people were important. He called the rise of a movement based on an exclusionary outlook deeply troubling and said he strongly opposed that view.

Hindus for Human Rights, the Indian American Muslim Council and the Interfaith Center of New York are among groups opposing Bhagwat’s appearance and calling for cancellation. AHEAD Forum is organizing the event, titled “Universal Oneness Celebration,” saying its message is that the whole world is one family and urging unity beyond artificial divisions. Bhagwat arrived in the United States on Tuesday as part of a global campaign marking the RSS centenary and is also due to visit Canada and the United Kingdom.

A US-registered Boeing C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft landed at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Tuesday, prompting questions over the purpose of the flight. The Kremlin said it had no information about the aircraft, while details about its cargo, passengers or reason for arriving in Moscow were not known.

Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the aircraft, tail number 07-7181, landed in Moscow at about 7 a.m. local time after flying directly from Riga, Latvia. Reuters said it could not independently verify whether the plane was carrying passengers or cargo. Flightradar24 data also showed that the aircraft arrived in Riga from Camp Springs air base near Washington, DC, on August 23.

The report said the most recent direct flight by a US-registered aircraft from Europe to Russia was in January. At that time, US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Moscow for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Ukraine war. US-Russia discussions on the war have since effectively stalled, and no official explanation for Tuesday’s flight has been provided.

Australia’s recording industry body, the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), has barred fully artificial intelligence-generated songs from its official music charts. Under the updated policy, a track must be substantially human-created to qualify. Artists may use AI tools, but the song’s core creative elements must remain the work of people.

The change followed controversy over Australian DJ Josh Fawaz’s cover of Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” The track reached number one on the ARIA Dance Singles Chart and number two on the main chart, while receiving more than 48 million Spotify plays. Fawaz later acknowledged using generative AI after criticism. ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd said the decision protects the foundation of artists’ creativity, and local performers including Peking Duk welcomed it.

The rules require songs to be written by humans, with lead vocals and principal instruments performed by humans. AI remains permitted for mastering, drum machines and Auto-Tune. Applicants must disclose AI use, and ARIA may revise chart positions or reclaim awards if a song is later shown to be mainly AI-generated. The code also targets artificial streaming and chart manipulation.

Artists from several countries gathered in San Francisco, United States, to express solidarity with Palestinians through art. The event aimed to bring Palestinian voices to a global audience and spread messages of peace and unity. Palestinian-origin rapper MC Abdul, comedian Anwar Jibawi and singer Anis took part in the programme.

The participants discussed their experiences as artists and the role of creative work in supporting Palestine. Organised by Mohammad Usman Hassam, the gathering was supported by Kubra Bayrambey and Buse Plan from Turkey in bringing internationally known artists together. Speakers stressed peace, solidarity and the power of creativity.

The event also included discussion of artificial intelligence and changing technology. Participants considered how rapid technological shifts are changing artistic forms and helping artists reach people across different parts of the world. Organisers said the programme sought to increase global awareness of Palestine by combining art, technology and public awareness, while encouraging dialogue, peace and solidarity through creative work.

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.

United States elections are among the world’s most expensive, with candidates, political parties and interest groups spending heavily during each campaign season. Forecasts indicate that spending in the 2026 midterm elections could set a new record, reaching about $11.6 billion, according to AdImpact.

Analysts attribute the high costs to extensive spending on television advertising, social media, digital outreach, opinion polls and field campaigning. Business figures, wealthy individuals, political organizations and interest-based groups also contribute large sums. Organizations operating outside official candidate campaigns can promote preferred candidates or positions under comparatively less regulation.

Political spending expanded after the US Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling, which increased opportunities for corporations and organizations to make independent political expenditures. The projected 2026 total would exceed the roughly $8.9 billion spent in the 2022 midterms and could surpass the $11.2 billion spent during the 2024 presidential election cycle. Critics warn that major donors may gain greater influence over policymaking, intensifying debate over whether heavy spending broadens democratic participation or concentrates political power.

The Trump administration plans to revoke temporary visas held by nearly 200,000 foreign nationals who entered the United States for short stays and later applied for asylum. The measure, part of a broader immigration crackdown, could affect B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas, according to an Associated Press report cited in the source. A State Department spokesperson said on Monday that the department has begun working jointly with the Department of Homeland Security to identify the affected applicants.

The State Department did not provide an exact number of visas expected to be cancelled. However, AP, citing State Department records and two US officials, reported that B-1 and B-2 visas issued between 2016 and 2026 would fall under the process. If nearly 200,000 visas are revoked, it would be the largest simultaneous visa cancellation in US history, the report said.

Visa cancellation would not immediately require affected people to leave the United States. Most people with pending asylum cases could have their status shifted to a new category, but would lose their temporary business or tourist visa status. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the immigration system had long been filled with “baseless or fraudulent asylum claims.” Human rights groups criticized the broader campaign, alleging harm to free expression, legal rights, and ethnic minorities.

Bangladesh’s Test cricket team secured its first Test victory over Australia on Australian soil in Darwin, before losing the second match in Mackay to finish the two-Test series level at 1-1. Former Bangladesh batter and current chief selector Habibul Bashar said he saw a markedly different level of respect for Bangladesh during the tour compared with his first visit to Australia as a player 23 years earlier.

Bangladesh won the Darwin Test by nine wickets in 11 sessions. Hasan Mahmud took nine wickets, Tanzid Hasan scored a century, captain Shanto made 84, and Mehedi Hasan Miraz claimed five wickets in Australia’s second innings. The result followed a preparatory-match collapse in which Bangladesh were bowled out for 54, underlining the team’s recovery.

The source highlights Bangladesh’s pace bowling as a central feature of the tour, saying the fast bowlers created pressure throughout the series. In Mackay, Bangladesh lost by an innings and 51 runs as their batting struggled against Mitchell Starc and Australia’s pace attack. Despite that defeat, the drawn series and Darwin win were presented as major achievements.

US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy sharply criticized Washington’s newly announced “D-Day” sanctions on Iran, describing them as a desperate and performative attempt by the Trump administration to conceal what he called America’s severe failure in the military conflict with Tehran. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Murphy said Iran was winning the war while Trump was losing, with ordinary Americans paying the price.

Murphy said Iran did not have complete control of the Strait of Hormuz before the war, but now holds full control over the strategically important waterway. He also said Tehran had kept 30 of 33 missile bases near the strait intact, while the United States had used up nearly all of its weapons stockpile.

According to Murphy, Iran now holds the main bargaining advantage on the battlefield, meaning the new sanctions would not alter Tehran’s policy position. He questioned the scope for further US restrictions, saying Washington had already sanctioned virtually everything possible in Iran. Murphy said the conflict was largely nearing its end and characterized current US policy as a show intended to hide failure.

The US military said Monday that it carried out a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people. US Southern Command said the Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere conducted the lethal operation on Sunday against a low-profile vessel travelling along a known drug-trafficking route.

The announcement marked the first reported strike of this kind after a pause of more than two months. Before that break, the US military had destroyed at least 67 vessels and killed at least 221 people since Operation Southern Spear began in September 2025.

Southcom commander General Francis L. Donovan reaffirmed the US military commitment against drug trafficking. He said the United States aims to apply comprehensive pressure on what he called narco-terrorists, disrupt their operations, dismantle their leadership and eliminate cartel terrorism across the region. Donovan described the operation as a demonstration of lethal precision, sustained capability and determination to protect the US homeland.

The Trump administration is moving to sharply raise fees for US H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, with a proposed charge of $103,265. The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to publish the proposed rules, which appeared in the Federal Register on Monday. The plans also include a new fee for Optional Practical Training, or OPT, for F-1 students.

Immigration consulting firm Fragomen said the proposals would significantly increase the cost of employing foreign workers in the United States. Indian nationals could face the largest impact because they account for more than 70 percent of H-1B beneficiaries. USCIS data show that 399,402 H-1B applications were approved in 2024, with people of Indian origin comprising about 71 percent of beneficiaries.

Fragomen said an approximately $100,000 fee could also be proposed for OPT applicants. The OPT proposal was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review on August 20, while a proposal covering certain H-1B applications reached the office on August 19. DHS has also proposed ending the existing 60-day grace period for H-1B workers who lose their jobs.

Two children were killed after debris from a Ukrainian drone struck a private child care centre in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region early Monday, regional authorities said. Nine people, including seven children, were injured in the incident, according to Governor Veniamin Kondratyev. The report was published on August 24, 2026.

Kondratyev said in a Telegram post that debris from one drone fell on the care centre. He also said another drone fell on a warehouse, causing a fire. Russian e-commerce company Ozon said a major fire broke out at one of its logistics centres in Krasnodar following the drone attack, but reported no casualties there.

Ukraine’s military said on Saturday that it had launched new operations targeting Ozon, one of Russia’s largest online retailers. Ozon said its facilities in the Orenburg region, near St Petersburg and in the Samara region had also been attacked in recent days. Ukraine is preparing to mark the 35th anniversary of its independence and plans a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing with European allied leaders.

A Bangladeshi man, Yusuf Raju, 44, was killed in a shooting at a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, police said. The shooting occurred after midnight on Sunday night in the Brownsville area, at American Best Wings and Pizza on Rockaway Avenue. Raju was an employee of the restaurant, and another employee was injured.

Police found a 44-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head and a 39-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the leg at the scene. Both were taken to a local hospital, where doctors pronounced the older man dead. Police said the injured 39-year-old man was in stable condition.

Restaurant owner Sheikh Russell and Raju’s friend Abdul Jalil confirmed the victim’s identity. Police have not determined whether the gunman was inside the restaurant or fired from outside. The motive for the attack remains unknown, and police are searching for the person involved. Authorities had not publicly released the identities of the deceased and injured people.

A rapidly spreading wildfire in western Nevada prompted officials on Sunday to order residents to leave homes near Reno as the Hawk Fire moved toward the city. Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve told CNN that about 42,000 people had already moved to safety, while another 45,000 were told to prepare for rapid evacuation. Governor Joe Lombardo declared an emergency in Washoe County.

Within a day of igniting, the fire had burned about 15,040 acres, or 6,087 hectares. By Sunday afternoon, it was burning about 5 miles, or 8 kilometers, northwest of Reno. Local media reported that several homes on hilltops had burned. Six people were injured, including three emergency workers, while the federal InciWeb wildfire monitoring website described conditions as very severe.

Fire service chief Richard Edwards urged residents to be ready to leave as soon as evacuation instructions were issued, or earlier if possible. He said the fire was highly changeable and that wind was driving its rapid spread, potentially allowing flames to reach residential areas quickly. Images posted by the local fire service showed flames on hills near Reno and thick smoke across the sky.

Researchers at Stanford University and the Arc Institute have used generative artificial intelligence to design new viral genomes that functioned as bacteriophages in laboratory tests, according to the report published on August 24, 2026. The AI-designed viruses were able to infect and reduce Escherichia coli, or E. coli, bacteria. The work moves generative AI beyond producing text, images and software into designing biological systems.

The research used the Evo genome-language model series and employed bacteriophage ΦX174 as a biological reference. Researchers asked the AI to generate new genomes with functional structures rather than copies of a natural virus. About 300 designs were selected for synthesis and testing, and 16 became functional bacteriophages. Training data excluded genomes of viruses capable of infecting humans, while the designed viruses were intended to target bacteria rather than cause disease in people.

The findings remain a proof of concept because only a small share of proposed designs worked. The report identifies potential applications in phage therapy against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but notes unresolved questions over effectiveness, safety, patient-specific phage selection and regulatory approval. Biosafety experts say security, oversight and controls must advance alongside genome-design capabilities.