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.

Kaptai উপজেলা authorities in Rangamati have decided to install warning signboards for tourists near the high Sitar Hill after four visitors from Chattogram became stranded there on August 28. The decision was made at the monthly law-and-order committee meeting on Monday morning at the Kinnori meeting room of the Upazila Parishad building, chaired by UNO Md Rayhanul Islam.

The representatives of Kaptai and Chandraghona police stations said the overall law-and-order situation in the upazila was good, though drug-related problems had emerged in Kaptai and Chandraghona unions. They said police were making maximum efforts to control the issue. Upazila BNP president Md Lokman Ahmed said drugs must be brought under control quickly regardless of political affiliation.

Upazila Press Club president Kabir Hossain said the four tourists had climbed the hilltop without informing anyone and sought help through the national emergency service 999. Kaptai Fire Service rescued them and brought them to safety. He cited a possible risk of wild-elephant attacks, after which the UNO instructed the Wagga Union Parishad chairman to install signboards and asked committee members to alert local boat and sampan operators.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have returned to the United Kingdom for an extended period, entering through Birmingham Airport this week with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The children have enrolled in schools in the UK. It is their first long-term stay in Britain since they stepped back from working royal duties and moved to California in 2020, although they are not resuming official royal roles.

Former Guardian royal correspondent Stephen Bates said the couple face challenges stemming from their distance from the royal family, tensions with British media and questions among the public. He advised them to hire experienced advisers, rebuild trust with the royal family, particularly Prince William and Catherine, and take part consistently in charitable and public activities.

Bates also urged a more open and pragmatic approach toward British media and warned against presenting themselves as continually wronged. Questions have also arisen over security costs because they are no longer working royals, with arrangements reportedly decided according to circumstances. They plan to retain their Montecito home, live in a non-royal residence outside the UK, and allow Meghan to continue business activities while travelling to the United States when needed.

The United Arab Emirates’ Defence Ministry said it intercepted a drone approaching UAE airspace from Iran over the country’s territorial waters. The ministry said the UAE Air Force responded as the drone advanced, but did not provide details on whether it was shot down or whether it reached its intended target.

In a statement, the ministry said the armed forces were at “maximum readiness” to address any potential threat. It said air-defence systems were continuously monitoring the country’s airspace and working to keep it secure.

The statement came amid military tensions between Iran and the United States. Iran’s military had earlier claimed it launched a drone attack targeting US military facilities at Al Minhad air base in the UAE, saying the action responded to a US attack on Larak Island. The developments have renewed security concerns over UAE airspace and territorial waters, while the UAE said its air-defence systems remain active around the clock.

Iran said it launched missile strikes at a US military base in Jordan after a US attack on Iran’s Larak Island. The exchange has raised fears that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East. No date was provided in the source for either attack.

US Central Command said its operation on Larak Island was limited and precise, citing an imminent threat from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ ability to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran described the US attack as aggression and claimed it responded by targeting the American base in Jordan.

Sina Azodi, director of George Washington University’s Middle East Studies Program, told Al Jazeera that whether the confrontation escalates now largely depends on the United States. He said that if Washington attacks Iran again, Tehran would have little option but to respond, potentially returning the situation to full-scale military conflict. Analysts similarly said the next US move will be crucial in determining the conflict’s direction.

The Puthia upazila administration conducted an overnight operation against the illegal cutting of fertile topsoil from cropland in Kaiharia, Shilmaria and Baropakhia areas of Rajshahi. The operation ran from 10pm Sunday until 1:10am Monday. Officials detained two people allegedly involved and handed them to police custody for further legal action.

During the operation, authorities found two excavators being used to cut soil at two separate locations. As transport was not available, both machines were rendered completely inoperable on site. Four batteries were seized from the locations and two additional batteries were destroyed.

The drive followed allegations that topsoil was being removed from various agricultural fields under cover of darkness, reducing land fertility and damaging its natural structure. Puthia Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Shibu Das led the operation. The administration said such operations would continue and that legal action would be taken against people involved in illegal soil cutting from cropland.

Libya’s rival political factions agreed on a two-year roadmap aimed at clearing the way for national elections, following UN-mediated talks in Tripoli on Sunday. Representatives of the Government of National Unity, High Council of State, House of Representatives and Libyan National Army signed the agreement at the UN Support Mission in Libya office.

The deal sets a target of holding presidential and parliamentary elections within a maximum of 24 months. It also calls for resolving disputes over election laws and reforming the national election authority. The elections are intended to take place under a single executive authority and unified national institutions.

State Minister for Political Affairs and Communication Walid El Lafi said the legislative and presidential polls should not take more than 24 months. Libyan National Army representative Shibani Abu Hamoud said the four sides would work with the UN on implementation and seek to establish a framework within one month. If the House of Representatives and High Council of State fail to approve the agreement within a month, parties will seek to adopt it as a constitutional document through a broader national process, with possible international backing from the UN Security Council.