Current and former Palestinian students and workers have sued Columbia University in a New York court, alleging discrimination against members of the Palestinian community since late 2023. The lawsuit says the university failed to protect Palestinian students and employees from harassment and imposed biased and unfair disciplinary measures against them.

The plaintiffs say students and workers who spoke for Palestinian rights or protested Israeli attacks in Gaza were subjected to particular surveillance and discipline. Columbia has previously denied discrimination allegations and condemned all forms of hatred, but did not immediately comment on the new lawsuit. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations spread across US universities, including Columbia, after the Gaza war began in October 2023.

Protesters had called for an end to US support for Israel and for universities to divest from Israel-linked companies. Columbia suspended more than 65 students after a pro-Palestinian protest last May that shut down its main library. The Trump administration halted federal funding over allegations that Columbia had not adequately addressed antisemitism during the protests. The university later reached a settlement involving more than $200 million to resolve the investigation and restore most federal funding.

The Rural Electrification Society in Netrokona has asked the district commissioner for stronger security at its offices and substations, citing customer anger over severe load shedding and fears of blockades and vandalism. The request was made in a letter signed by acting general manager Md Akram Hossain and sent to the district administration on August 10.

According to the letter, electricity from the Netrokona 132/33 kV grid substation is supplied through nine 33 kV feeders to 10 upazilas in Netrokona and two upazilas in Sunamganj. The society said total demand across those areas is 157 megawatts.

The society said that at 11 pm on August 8, it received only 60 megawatts against demand of 126 megawatts, putting actual load shedding at 79 percent. It said demand rises further when electricity returns after long outages, as refrigerators, water pumps, IPS units and other appliances are switched on simultaneously. The letter also cited abusive phone calls and threats to surround or vandalise offices, requesting administrative assistance until power supply becomes normal.

China plans to hold a navigation exercise with an Indonesian naval vessel at an undisclosed location east of Taiwan in mid-August, China’s defence ministry said. Taiwan condemned the plan as dangerous and a military provocation. Its Mainland Affairs Council said on Tuesday night that Beijing should immediately stop conduct that could undermine the regional status quo.

Taipei said China was trying to create a false impression internationally that it controls waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast. Taiwan has accused China of increasing its presence there through what it describes as regular law-enforcement patrols, and said exercises involving other countries could reinforce that claim. A senior Taiwanese military intelligence official told parliament the Indonesian warship was not coming specifically to exercise with China.

The official said the vessel was east of Taiwan while returning from Japan, about 70 to 80 nautical miles from the island’s eastern coast. The event was not expected to have a direct military impact on Taiwan, but carried geopolitical significance. Taiwan’s foreign ministry sought clarification from Indonesia on whether it would participate. Indonesia’s navy and defence ministry made no immediate comment.

A Saudi Arabia-led initiative to form a 14-country multinational maritime defence alliance around the Red Sea is signalling a possible shift in the Middle East’s US-dependent security system. The alliance’s founding declaration was signed in Riyadh on July 30. Plans call for its permanent headquarters, integrated command structure, joint command and control centre, maritime operations centre and permanent secretariat to be based in Saudi Arabia.

The alliance is not yet fully operational, and key issues remain unclear, including members’ military contributions, how operations would be conducted if needed, and whether the United States would formally participate. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are founding members, despite not joining the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian launched in December 2023 to protect Red Sea security. Analysts say regional states want a greater role in making their own security decisions.

Houthi activity around the Red Sea is seen as a major reason for the initiative, particularly after attacks on Israel-linked and Western commercial vessels in 2023 and 2024. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have increased the need for Saudi oil exports through Yanbu port. Concerns also include potential Houthi control or fees in the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The alliance’s effectiveness will depend on military commitments, joint decision-making and crisis cooperation.

Venezuela and Israel have agreed to resume consular services in each other’s countries after 17 years, both governments announced on Tuesday. The move is seen as a major shift in Venezuelan foreign policy after Caracas severed diplomatic relations with Israel in 2009.

Venezuela broke ties in protest over Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip. The source says circumstances changed after President Nicolas Maduro was taken to the United States in January, and Venezuela strengthened relations with Washington, which it describes as close to Israel.

The interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez said an Israeli humanitarian assistance delegation visited Venezuela after a deadly earthquake in June. Senior officials from the two countries then held talks, leading to the agreement on restoring consular services. Venezuela’s government said both sides recognized the importance of ties between the State of Israel and Venezuela’s Jewish community, describing that community as an important historical bridge of friendship. Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued the same statement.

Afghanistan's intelligence agency has detained two Afghan male employees of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA said Tuesday. The General Directorate of Intelligence detained the staff members in western Herat province on Sunday, August 9, according to UNAMA. The UN said it had been unable to contact or visit the two employees for two days.

The office of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the detainees' special status and privileges to be respected. Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the UN had not been informed of any allegations against them and had not been granted permission to see them. The Afghan government did not immediately comment to AFP.

The detentions occurred days before the fifth anniversary of the Taliban's return to power after taking Kabul on August 15, 2021. UNAMA this week recommended that authorities clarify security agencies' use of force, arrests and detentions, while increasing accountability. Several UN agencies operate across Afghanistan in areas including health and humanitarian assistance.

Qatar has welcomed a new trilateral defense agreement signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. At a weekly press conference in Doha on August 12, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said Qatar views positively any initiative that strengthens regional security, stability and defense cooperation.

Al-Ansari said Qatar welcomes initiatives that can ensure security and stability through greater regional cooperation. He said Qatar has strategic relations and fraternal bonds with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, built on shared interests and common concerns. He also described regional security as a collective responsibility requiring coordination and cooperation among the countries concerned.

The agreement was signed last Friday in Mecca by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It covers stronger mutual security cooperation, expanded defense-industrial cooperation, and greater coordination and joint capabilities among their armed forces. Under the agreement, an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be considered an attack on all three. The parties said the arrangement is not directed against any specific country.

India’s relationship with Israel has gained a new dimension over the past decade under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the report says, extending beyond diplomacy and defence. Amnesty International’s recent investigation says India has become an important contributor to Israel’s arms production through joint ventures and manufacturing partnerships, rather than remaining primarily a major buyer of Israeli weapons.

According to Amnesty, Indian factories sent millions of weapons components to Israeli military suppliers between October 7, 2023, and November 30, 2025. The shipments included about 390,000 small-arms components and 565,000 parts for explosive weapons. The organisation said Indian state-owned enterprises were also involved in the supplies.

India has continued to buy substantial quantities of Israeli arms. From 2021 to 2025, India accounted for 29 percent of Israel’s total arms exports, making it Israel’s largest defence customer. India also sent more than 20,000 workers to Israel after the Gaza war. Foreign policy specialist Stanley Johny said India should restore greater balance to its West Asia policy while maintaining ties with Israel and more strongly advancing its national interests.

Saudi Arabia opposed including Egypt in the Mecca Joint Defense Pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, according to the report. Turkey made significant efforts to bring Egypt into the new defense alliance, but those efforts did not succeed. The leaders of the three countries signed the agreement in Mecca on August 7.

Egypt also had reservations about joining, the report said. An Ankara source claimed that Cairo’s sensitive relationship with Israel played an important role, with concern that Egypt could face Israeli pressure if it entered the alliance. The issue has emerged as discussions continue on strengthening regional cooperation through an R-4 framework involving Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The three countries said the defense pact does not target any specific country and is intended to strengthen mutual security, defense cooperation and regional stability. Its core principle is that an attack on any one of the three members would be treated as an attack on all. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had previously raised the possibility of adding countries, while Egypt’s absence has renewed questions over whether the alliance will expand.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the proposed Uniform Civil Code would be implemented in the state very soon, followed by strict legislation to prevent forced religious conversion. He made the announcement at a meeting in Bankura on Tuesday. The chief minister also indicated that new legal restrictions could be imposed on land purchases and sales among different communities.

Adhikari said the Uniform Civil Code would be introduced to advance the goal of “one country, one law.” Laws would then be drafted to regulate conversion and land transactions. He did not specify what restrictions the proposed land sale and purchase law would contain. The report said his comments on conversion and land were consistent with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s longstanding political position.

The proposed Uniform Civil Code envisages a common civil framework for marriage, divorce, inheritance, transfer of inherited property and adoption. Under the proposal, a general law would replace religion-based personal laws in these matters. Exemptions or special protections provided under the constitution for certain classes would remain in place, according to the report.

Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department has instructed four seaports to display local warning signal No. 3 after a low-pressure area formed over the northern Bay of Bengal and the adjoining West Bengal-Bangladesh coast. The information was issued in a notice signed by meteorologist Dr Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik at about 10:15am on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

The notice said the low-pressure system may intensify. Gusty winds could sweep across the northern Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh’s coastal areas as a result. The warning was issued because of the risk of such winds affecting maritime and coastal conditions.

The directive applies to the seaports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra. Fishing boats and trawlers operating in the northern Bay of Bengal have also been asked to remain close to the coast and move carefully until further instructions are issued. The notice reiterated the possibility that the low-pressure area could become more concentrated and bring gusty winds over coastal areas.

US President Donald Trump has not publicly responded after Israel rejected his proposed peace plan for Gaza, while the White House has also declined to comment. The report, published on August 12, 2026, says the silence has raised questions about Trump’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and possible strain between the two leaders.

At a White House briefing the previous day, Trump was asked about Gaza and Netanyahu. He told reporters to look at his Truth Social post, but no post on the matter was found on his account. The episode prompted questions over whether there had been a communication problem and added to speculation that the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu has become more tense.

Netanyahu visited Washington two weeks earlier to attend the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham and met Trump at the White House during that trip. Media cameras were not allowed into the meeting, and no detailed account of their discussion was released. The report says there are rumors that Trump has grown irritated by some of Netanyahu’s actions and statements. Analysts cited in the report say the two may now be becoming electoral liabilities for each other.

Concerns are growing over US military weapons stockpiles after extensive use of ammunition and missiles in the months-long war with Iran, according to a report published on August 12. Long-range precision missile inventories are declining quickly, raising questions about Washington’s readiness for another potential conflict. The longer the war continues, the greater the pressure on US production capacity and efforts to replenish reserves.

US officials have declined to disclose precise stockpile levels, saying such information could pose a military security risk. The issue has nevertheless prompted discussion among members of Congress and defense experts. The Congressional Research Service previously said the United States had struck thousands of targets in the Iran war and used large numbers of missiles and other munitions. Officials say supplies are currently available for necessary operations, but the status of inventories for future conflicts remains unclear.

US forces have used various precision weapons against Iranian military bases, missile launch sites, drone bases and other military facilities. Iran’s ballistic missile and drone attacks have also required the United States and its allies to use many interceptor missiles. President Donald Trump has indicated that military pressure on Iran could continue if talks do not advance.

Business leaders and entrepreneurs in Chattogram have welcomed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s plans for industrialisation, investment and employment during his visit to the city. Speaking on Sunday at a rehabilitation programme for flood-affected people in Banshkhali, he said the government planned to establish industries from Mirsarai to Matarbari and attract Chinese investment to develop Chattogram as an economic hub. They said implementation could benefit both Chattogram and the national economy.

Chattogram Chamber President Amirul Haque described the plan around maritime resources as a potential source of new investment and expanded trade. Entrepreneurs, however, stressed the need for uninterrupted gas and electricity supplies, citing low gas pressure, fluctuating power and fuel shortages that disrupt production. On July 8, the Chattogram Chamber sent separate letters to two ministers seeking special concessions for industrial owners over gas and electricity issues.

Business representatives also called for local entrepreneurs to participate alongside foreign investors. They raised concerns about delayed customs assessments, demurrage charges, cargo clearance costs and time, port capacity, and road and rail links. They emphasised policy continuity, faster approvals, land and utility facilities, and law-and-order assurances to strengthen investor confidence.

Bangladesh education boards have begun a process to take action against institutions where no student passed this year’s SSC and equivalent examinations. Results published on Monday showed 226 zero-pass institutions under the Madrasah Education Board, 57 across nine general boards and 29 under the Technical Education Board. The number rose by 178 from the previous year. Education Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon said action would be taken against the institutions.

Boards are initially issuing show-cause notices to the authorities concerned. Madrasah Education Board Chairman Professor Khondkar Mohammad Sadekur Rahman said the zero-pass madrasahs had already received notices and would be called to the board in groups over five days. Their explanations would be heard before recommendations are sent to the Education Ministry or the Madrasah Directorate, as the board lacks authority to impose punishment directly.

Dhaka Education Board Chairman Professor Syed Akhtaruzzaman said reports and measures would follow institutions’ responses. Institutions are warned to avoid repeating the result, while a third occurrence can lead to punitive measures including cancellation of MPO status. Sylhet and Cumilla boards had no zero-pass schools this year.