Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck several air bases in Jordan used by US forces after the United States attacked Iranian launchers and related facilities on Larak Island. The US military said its operation targeted equipment allegedly being prepared to lay sea mines, amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. Immediate casualty details were not available.

Washington said it acted over concerns that Iranian forces were preparing underwater mine deployments that could further endanger commercial shipping in the strait. Larak Island is located near a significant section of the Strait of Hormuz and close to strategically important Iranian naval bases and military facilities.

Analysts said the exchange could broaden the ongoing US-Iran confrontation in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for oil and gas shipments from the Persian Gulf, and military disruption to commercial vessel traffic could affect international energy supplies and global markets. Iran has cited control and security interests in the strait, while the United States has said it seeks to protect safe international navigation.

A Bogura court on Monday sentenced two defendants to death and three others to life imprisonment for the murder of businessman Ragibul Hasan Hridoy, who was attacked after refusing to pay extortion money. Additional District and Sessions Judge-5 Kausik Ahmed Khondkar announced the verdict at about 11:30am. The death-row convicts are Saddam Hossain Swadhin and Md Rabbi, while Ashik, Shakil and Matin received life terms.

The court also fined each of the five convicts Tk50,000. It ordered that half of the fine money be given to Hridoy’s child and the remaining half deposited in the state treasury. According to the case details, the accused went to Hridoy’s business establishment in Bogura city’s Kaipara Pukurpar area on the evening of July 20, 2021, and demanded extortion money.

After Hridoy refused, the accused entered the shop and seriously injured him with sharp weapons, the case account said. His father, Mamunur Rashid, was also injured when he tried to protect his son. Hridoy later died while receiving treatment, and his mother, Ayesha Siddika, filed the murder case. His parents expressed satisfaction with the verdict and called for its swift execution.

Indonesia, the United States and allied countries began their annual joint military exercise on Monday, aimed at strengthening defence capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region and deterring aggression. The exercise, known as Super Garuda Shield, will run until September 11 at various locations across Indonesia, including Sumatra and Borneo islands.

Indonesia follows a neutral foreign policy, which it describes as “free and active,” while seeking to maintain diplomatic balance and good relations with both the United States and China. Earlier this month, the Southeast Asian country joined a naval exercise with China that Taiwan criticised as a provocative activity.

Indonesia, the United States and several allied nations have participated in the annual Super Garuda Shield exercise for nearly two decades. About 4,700 military personnel from several countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Japan, are taking part this year. East Timor, Italy and Thailand are among countries that have sent observers to the exercise.

Fisheries and Livestock State Minister Sultan Salahuddin Tuku called for coordinated efforts to improve law and order, control narcotics and build a healthy society. He made the remarks on Monday at a special meeting and exchange session of the Dhaka District Law and Order Committee at the Dhaka deputy commissioner’s conference room.

Tuku said public expectations of a democratic government can be met only if the administration, law-enforcement agencies, elected representatives and civil society fulfil their duties with sincerity. Describing drugs as one of the country’s major social crises, he said their spread is increasing crime and urged strict law-enforcement action alongside public awareness and a social movement.

He also called on relevant stakeholders to act against the spread of juvenile gangs, saying families, educational institutions, local administration and society must work together to keep young people away from crime. Stressing public welfare and good governance, he urged officials to work with honesty, efficiency and dedication. He also highlighted environmental protection, including action on river pollution, industrial waste management and urban environmental balance.

Dhaka University has appointed Professor Al-Amin of its Accounting Department as acting dean of the Faculty of Business Studies. He will assume the role on September 3, 2026, according to a university announcement signed by Public Relations Office Director Mohammad Rafiqul Islam.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A B M Obaidul Islam made the appointment on August 30 under Section 17(2) of the First Statutes of the Dhaka University Order, 1973. Professor Al-Amin is currently serving as a teacher in the university’s Accounting Department.

His appointment will remain effective for no more than 90 days or until an elected dean takes office, whichever occurs first. As acting dean, Professor Al-Amin will oversee the academic and administrative activities of the Faculty of Business Studies.

The Election Commission has published the final voter list ahead of upcoming local government elections, with the total number of voters reaching 128.777 million. The list was released on Monday afternoon, according to the announcement.

A draft voter list had previously been published on August 9. At that time, Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said that 309,315 new voters had been added through the voter list update process.

Under the commission’s plan, elections at different levels of local government are scheduled to begin from November. The commission is making final preparations for voting, giving priority to elections for union parishads and municipalities.

At least 15 people are missing and one person has died after a flash flood struck Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, United States. Heavy rain on Saturday afternoon sent floodwaters through the park, with Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch among the hardest-hit areas.

National park authorities and the Arizona Department of Public Safety launched a joint rescue operation. By Sunday morning, more than 60 people had been airlifted from deep areas of the canyon. Nearly all pedestrian bridges over Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, while boating on the Colorado River was suspended until further notice because of metal structures and large amounts of debris.

Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch canteen and cabins, and a major section of the North Kaibab Trail have been closed. Authorities are checking whether hikers, backpackers and people with campground reservations who were in the area on Saturday are among those missing. Officials said further rain and thunderstorms were possible through Monday, raising concerns of additional flooding as search efforts continue.

Western countries need long-term action to secure rare-earth minerals essential to modern technology and military equipment, according to a Guardian editorial. Heavy dependence on China for mining and processing has created a strategic risk, making alternative supply systems increasingly urgent. China currently controls about 70 percent of global rare-earth mining and roughly 90 percent of separation and processing.

China halted exports of certain rare-earth minerals during tensions with Japan over disputed islands in 2010, triggering global concern, yet the supply structure changed little afterward. These materials are used in advanced weapons, smartphones, electric-vehicle batteries and wind turbines. Their low concentration in soil makes extraction and processing costly, complex and environmentally harmful, contributing to earlier reductions in Western production.

The United States announced a $12 billion plan in February to build critical-mineral stockpiles and formed an alliance with 54 partners including Australia, the European Commission and the United Kingdom. Europe aims to reduce import dependence by 2030 under its 2025 Critical Raw Materials Act. Recycling, recovering minerals from mine waste, investment and stronger partnerships are presented as parts of a long-term response.

A Guardian editorial has called for a cap on donations to political parties in the United Kingdom, arguing that unlimited contributions allow a small number of wealthy individuals to exert excessive influence over policymaking. It says this concentration of financial power is harmful to democracy and supports a £500,000 annual limit per person, with scope to reduce it gradually.

The editorial says Prime Minister Andy Burnham backed such a limit before entering government but that the government no longer supports a similar proposal. It cites £164,000 of Burnham’s £345,000 in donations over the past year as coming from billionaire Lord Sainsbury. Cryptocurrency businessman Christopher Harborne gave Reform UK £9 million in August 2025, exceeding the £8 million in trade-union donations Labour is expected to receive this year.

Labour figures have raised concerns about effects on progressive donors and trade-union funding. Stella Creasy’s proposed amendment would initially impose a £500,000 limit while exempting political funds collected from union members. Former minister Anneliese Dodds questioned high election-spending limits, while this year’s Rycroft review recommended considering donation and spending caps to restore public trust.

A fire broke out at a food shop in a food court outside Sealdah station in Kolkata, West Bengal, on Monday morning. Thick black smoke covered the area outside one of the city’s busiest stations, causing alarm among passengers. Fire service personnel, Kolkata Police and railway police officials quickly reached the scene.

The food court is located in front of the entrance leading toward Sealdah’s southern branch. Many passengers were present in the station area on the first working day of the week when the incident occurred. The cause of the fire at the food shop was not immediately clear.

According to fire service sources cited by Anandabazar Online, the blaze had not been fully extinguished but was under control. Authorities were examining how the fire started at the food outlet. The source did not report casualties, damage estimates, service disruptions or evacuation measures.

Iran has denied US attacks on Kharg Island, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s claim that the key energy hub was being “blown up.” Trump made the assertion in a one-line social media post on Sunday and shared a video of an explosion. Hamid Bovard, head of the National Iranian Oil Company, said oil production activities on the island had not stopped.

Reuters, citing Nour News, reported that Bovard denied the destruction of the important oil facility. Reuters also said the video clip posted with Trump’s claim was likely generated using artificial intelligence. Bovard described Trump’s posts as laughable and said the situation on Kharg remained calm.

Kharg Island accounts for 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports, according to Bovard. He said US and Israeli forces had previously bombed the site, but oil workers had not allowed operations to stop even momentarily. Contractors are currently rebuilding and modernising oil storage tanks and jetties, he added.

Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator and freedom fighter Md Abdus Salam said meat sold without a health officer’s inspection seal will be seized, while shops selling meat from illegally slaughtered animals will be closed. He announced the measures on Monday, August 31, after inaugurating a modern slaughterhouse in Hazaribagh, Dhaka.

Salam said meat may be sold only at designated shops and must be inspected before sale. Every piece of meat must carry the city corporation health officer’s seal so buyers can identify whether it has been inspected. Animals may not be slaughtered in markets or other locations outside designated slaughterhouses, and unauthorized slaughter will result in fines.

He said meat brought from other places cannot reliably be checked to determine whether the animal was slaughtered properly, was healthy, or had a disease. It is also not possible to verify whether buffalo meat is being sold as beef. Health officers and staff will be required to be present during slaughter at modern facilities, and absent personnel will face disciplinary action.

Karwan Bazar traders held a press conference at the kitchen market at 11am on Monday, opposing announcements to evict the market and relocate it to Gabtali. They said the move was made without discussion and described it as a deep conspiracy by a particular group. The traders urged that they be rehabilitated within Karwan Bazar in a modern market while retaining their current allocated space.

The relocation decision was made at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon on Saturday, August 29, according to the report. The meeting focused on easing Dhaka traffic congestion, modernising traffic management and restoring discipline in transport. Relevant authorities were instructed to take necessary action, and media reports of the decision prompted concern among traders.

In a written statement, Alhaj Mohammad Shahjahan Bhuiyan said Karwan Bazar’s trading history spans about 150 years. He said roughly 2,500 shops with permanent allocations support the livelihoods of about one million traders, workers and wholesale vendors. Traders also demanded a direct meeting with the prime minister, removal of illegal road encroachments, and submission of a memorandum.

At least one person has died and about 15 others are missing after a flash flood struck Arizona’s Grand Canyon in the United States, the National Park Service said. The flooding hit the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch areas on Saturday afternoon, prompting the evacuation of at least 62 people. The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered from the Colorado River near Crystal Rapids on Sunday evening.

Floodwaters carried large rocks, metal structures and other debris into the Colorado River. Authorities have closed the Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and parts of the North Kaibab Trail, all important areas for visitors. Rafting operations on the Colorado River have also been temporarily suspended.

The flood damaged the park’s only main water pipeline. As a result, overnight stays for tourists at lodges and hotels in Grand Canyon National Park will be halted from Monday. More rain and thunderstorms are forecast for the area through next Monday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is also due to participate. A bilateral meeting between Pezeshkian and Putin may take place on the sidelines of the gathering.

The two-day summit is set to begin on Monday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also expected to join the event, bringing together leaders connected to the regional organisation in the Kyrgyz capital.

Iran joined the SCO in 2023. The country has maintained close military relations with Russia and an energy partnership with China. Iranian and Russian foreign ministers previously met during an SCO foreign ministers' meeting in July.