Iran has reportedly received a formal invitation to join the newly formed Mecca Mutual Defense Pact, a security alliance initiated by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen reported the development on Saturday, citing a senior Iranian official, while Iran and the foreign ministries of the three member states had not officially confirmed the invitation as of August 24, 2026.

Mehdi Rahimi, head of Iran’s parliamentary news agency Khane Mellat, told Al Mayadeen that Tehran had received an invitation letter and was reviewing it. He described the regional movement toward a collective security arrangement as a strategic success for Iran, which he said had long called for an integrated regional security framework.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the pact on August 7. It treats an attack on one member as an attack on all three and includes plans for regular ministerial and military meetings, joint exercises and defense-industry cooperation. Turkey has said the alliance may be open to other countries in future.

Traditional bamboo chhai fish-trap making is declining in several villages of Nesarabad upazila in Pirojpur as modern fishing equipment gains use. Despite the pressure, residents of at least 18 villages, including Korfa, China-Bunia and Baldia, continue the century-old craft. About 15,000 men and women are directly or indirectly involved in making and selling the traps, which are linked to local aquatic culture, family tradition and livelihoods.

Artisans use thin strips from muli and moral bamboo along with thread. Bamboo is cut, soaked in water for several days, dried in the sun and turned into flexible strips. Men generally cut bamboo, prepare strips and make the framework, while women weave the strips into the finished traps using thread and specified designs.

Different chhai are made according to the type and size of fish, selling for about Tk300 to Tk400 depending on size and quality. Demand rises during the monsoon, when water increases in canals, wetlands and low-lying land. Craftspeople say use of current nets and other modern gear has reduced chhai use, while bamboo, thread and labour costs have risen without a comparable increase in trap prices.

A breach in the Khowai River embankment in Kaliganj, Habiganj Sadar, flooded at least 20 villages after heavy upstream rain and hill runoff raised water levels overnight. The breach began on Sunday morning at a repair site that the Water Development Board had not fully restored for about one and a half months. Water entered residential areas, submerging cropland and sweeping through ponds and fisheries.

The same embankment failed around 9pm on July 9, flooding at least 30 villages, with residents saying the damage then amounted to hundreds of crores of taka. Local people had alleged slow work and irregularities in the repair project, arguing that timely restoration and permanent protection measures could have prevented another breach. Resident Ershad Ali said people were still struggling after the previous flooding when the embankment broke again.

Residents, including children, elderly people, women and livestock owners, were seen seeking safer places as homes went underwater. Water reached the Dhuliakhal-Mirpur road at about 3pm, and traffic could stop if levels rise further. Water Development Board Executive Engineer Saidur Rahman said the Khowai at Balla point was flowing 130 centimetres above the danger level.

Thousands of people have converged on Cheporor village in Kenya’s West Pokot County after reports of gold found in river sand triggered a two-week rush. The surge followed a discovery by 33-year-old goat herder Manase Lomacha, who found a three-gram piece of gold while searching for lost goats and later sold it for 36,000 Kenyan shillings. The report was published on 24 August 2026.

Local authorities said the village’s population of prospectors peaked at about 10,000, including people from other parts of Kenya and neighbouring Uganda. Deputy Commissioner Samuel Kiari said a group of young people first found a significant amount of gold, followed by another large discovery by women the next day. Small gold traders reportedly receive about 100 sellers daily.

Authorities have not confirmed that the shiny material being recovered is gold, nor has the existence of a specific or large gold deposit in the area been proven. More than 200 temporary shops selling food, water and basic goods have opened, creating income opportunities. However, the influx has strained local infrastructure, causing severe drinking-water shortages and growing health risks due to inadequate sanitation.

Election experts and critics fear President Donald Trump could declare a national security emergency before the November midterm elections, potentially seeking greater federal control over voting. The concern follows administration document releases, claims involving non-citizen voting and foreign interference, and Trump’s refusal to rule out an emergency declaration. Former strategist Steve Bannon said preparations should be made for the final week of August and argued an emergency declaration was needed.

Experts say an emergency declaration would not override constitutional limits on presidential authority over election administration, and no US president has previously tried to directly control voting through such a declaration. Lawyer Aria Branch said the administration appeared to be seeking a legal basis for centralized election control, while voter-rights leader Santiago Mayer urged preparation for possible actions. Democratic lawmakers and civic groups are also considering risks including AI-generated fake videos and ICE personnel at polling places.

The administration has released records about voting systems and alleged foreign interference while promoting claims about non-citizen voters. The White House declined to discuss hypothetical emergency scenarios and backed the proposed Save America Act, which would expand federal access to voter rolls and tighten voting rules. Branch said legal challenges could block measures that exceed executive authority.

Debate over the practical application of Bangladesh’s dual citizenship rules has intensified after Humayun Kabir was sworn in as state minister for foreign affairs in a cabinet reshuffle last Friday. The report says questions arose because he had been a British citizen, while differences between the eligibility and responsibilities of advisers and ministers have renewed uncertainty over whether dual nationals can hold senior state posts.

Article 66(2)(c) of the constitution says a person who acquires foreign citizenship or declares allegiance to a foreign state is disqualified from becoming or being elected a member of parliament. However, the 15th constitutional amendment added an interpretation that a person regarded as a Bangladeshi citizen under law may contest elections, creating questions about dual citizens who also retain Bangladeshi citizenship.

The issue has repeatedly surfaced during parliamentary elections, with returning officers applying differing standards to candidates seeking to renounce foreign citizenship. Some accepted nomination papers based on evidence that renunciation applications had been submitted, while others required formal approval from the relevant foreign authority. Governance analysts cited in the report call for clearer rules and equal enforcement across all cases.

Six months after taking office, Bangladesh’s BNP government has yet to show visible progress toward its election pledge of creating 10 million jobs over five years, according to the report published on August 24, 2026. Government plans prioritize jobs in Chinese and Japanese economic zones, reopening jute mills, and a proposed nationwide Employment Exchange, but officials said these initiatives remain at discussion and planning stages.

No ministry could provide reliable, consolidated data on how many new jobs have been created during the government’s first six months. The report cites at least 20,000 garment-sector workers losing jobs in the first half of the year, while industrial police data show about 457 factories closed between June 2024 and June this year. The textile industry group BTMA said more than 900 textile mills had fully shut because of gas shortages.

Private-sector credit growth fell to 4.47 percent at the end of June, the lowest level in records maintained since 2003, Bangladesh Bank data showed. Officials said an Employment Exchange committee has held four stakeholder meetings and will initially launch the system on a small scale after preparing a concept paper.

Greece is strengthening air defences after threats of possible Iranian attacks on US bases in Europe, moving a Patriot missile defence system from Karpathos to the Souda naval base on Crete. Kathimerini reported that the move came about 24 hours after senior Iranian officials issued the threats. The system, its equipment and personnel left Karpathos at dawn and were expected to become operational in the wider Souda area within hours.

Greece’s Defence Ministry and armed forces general staff have been on alert since last week. They are assessing the level of potential threats and considering measures to reinforce security at critical infrastructure. Athens is also concerned about Iran’s missile stockpile; allied assessments cited by the report say Iran retains a significant number of ballistic missiles, some with ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometres.

The Patriot system had been deployed to Karpathos in March as part of a broader plan to protect the entire Athens Flight Information Region against potential ballistic missile attacks. Greece is also considering the future of another Patriot unit stationed in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, since September 2021. Kathimerini said the unit is more likely to return to Greece soon than have its deployment extended.

At least 30 people were killed and 22 injured after a massive garbage dump collapsed in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, following heavy rain. Authorities confirmed the incident on Sunday, saying it occurred before dawn at the Dar-Es-Salam waste disposal site in the Gbessia area. Six of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

Authorities said rain fell throughout the night before the huge pile of waste gave way and crashed onto nearby homes and settlements. Many people were trapped beneath the debris. Rescue teams reached the site and began search and recovery operations soon after the collapse.

Searches were continuing for anyone still trapped under the rubble, and authorities said the death toll could rise. Residents had previously been instructed to leave the risk-prone area, but many families had not moved. Remaining residents were relocated to safer places after the incident. Dar-Es-Salam is one of Conakry’s largest open waste disposal sites, where safety concerns had persisted and heavy rain had increased the risk of a collapse.

Former Bhairab municipality Ward 1 councillor and municipal Jubo League general secretary Md Al-Amin Saikat was killed after an attack by unidentified assailants in Tinpotti area of Bhairab Bazar, Kishoreganj. The incident occurred late Sunday night, according to the report published on August 24, 2026. Bhairab police station officer-in-charge Md Mahbubur Rahman confirmed the matter.

Local and police sources said the attackers repeatedly struck Saikat with sharp weapons at around 12:30am, leaving him seriously injured. Local residents rescued him and took him first to Bhairab উপজেলা Health Complex. As his condition deteriorated, he was being taken to Dhaka in critical condition when he died on the way.

Saikat was the son of late businessman Jasim Mia of Arai Bepari Bari in Bhairabpur Uttarpara. He had served as councillor of Ward 1 in Bhairab municipality. He was also general secretary of Bhairab municipal Jubo League and a former director of the Bhairab Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Bangladesh drew their Test series in Australia 1-1 after defeating Australia in Darwin and then losing the following Test in Mackay, according to a commentary published on August 24, 2026. The writer says the Darwin result was Bangladesh’s first Test victory after returning to Australia 23 years later, while the Mackay loss exposed shortcomings rather than erasing the significance of the earlier win.

The article argues that Bangladesh’s Darwin victory was earned through planning and a strong collective performance, not a fluke. It highlights the team’s pace bowling as the series’ biggest gain and notes former fast bowler Shaun Tait’s view that pace bowling is now Bangladesh’s strength. Taking 20 wickets, the author says, is fundamental to winning a Test, and Bangladesh demonstrated that ability in Darwin.

Mackay raised questions about Bangladesh’s batting against sustained high-quality pace bowling in difficult conditions. The writer says batters lacked sufficient patience, application and resistance, and calls for preparation on demanding wickets at home. The series, the article concludes, gave Bangladesh greater belief that it can take 20 wickets away from home, while underlining the need for batting capable of supporting that progress.

Oil prices fell in Asian trading on Monday morning as investors awaited details of possible new US sanctions on Iran. Brent crude futures dropped by more than 1% to $93.45 a barrel, while US crude futures also declined by more than 1% to $86.14 a barrel. The report was published on August 24, 2026.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had previously said an “economic D-Day” was coming for Iran. He was scheduled to hold a news conference on Monday afternoon regarding the announcement of new sanctions against Iran. Investors were watching Washington’s expected announcement closely.

The scope and nature of the potential sanctions had not yet been fully clarified. Their possible effect on Iran’s oil exports and supplies to international markets has become an important issue for the oil market. Market participants were awaiting further information on whether the measures would affect Iranian crude flows and global supply.

An Israeli airstrike hit a tent sheltering displaced people near Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, killing two Palestinian brothers and injuring several others, medical officials said. The report was published on August 24, 2026. Further details about the casualties were not immediately available.

Medical officials said the tent had been set up as a shelter for people displaced by the war and was located near the hospital. The strike targeted the shelter area, according to the reported account, while the number and condition of those injured were not specified.

Shelling was also reported earlier south of the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. Deir al-Balah is described as an important area of central Gaza where many people displaced by the war have sought refuge, including around hospitals and nearby areas.

International relations researcher Mohsen Farhani said China and Russia are unlikely to participate in new United States sanctions against Iran. In an interview with Al Jazeera from Tehran, published on August 24, 2026, he said Washington may struggle to win sufficient support from allies and other important countries for the measures.

Farhani attributed China and Russia’s expected non-participation to their already tense relations with the United States. He also pointed to Iran’s economic ties with China, saying large volumes of Iranian oil are exported there and that Iran is an important economic partner for Beijing.

The researcher said Iran retains influence over global trade routes and has significant leverage through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab. He also said regional countries increasingly doubt the credibility and capacity of US security guarantees. According to Farhani, this loss of confidence could discourage countries from joining the sanctions, leaving the measures largely unilateral.

The United States is preparing new sanctions against Iran, though the Treasury Department has not formally announced the measures or specified what they will cover. The report, published on August 24, 2026, says Washington is seeking to increase pressure on countries and entities that maintain trade or other economic ties with Iran.

The US treasury secretary warned that countries maintaining economic relations with Iran could also face US economic isolation. The secretary said last week that allies and other parties with ties to Iran would have to choose a position either with or against the United States. Other US officials said Central Command was working to strictly enforce a blockade at Iranian ports.

The treasury secretary also said Iran's current governing system was moving toward collapse, indicating that maximum economic pressure may aim at changing the country's governing system as well as its policies. This contrasts with the US administration's earlier statement when the war against Iran began that regime change was not among its main objectives. With sanction details still unpublished, their scope and practical enforcement remain unclear.