Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said rapid Himalayan glacier melt is threatening water security not only in Nepal but across South Asia. Speaking recently to the media, he said China, the United States and India, described as major greenhouse-gas emitters, have a historical responsibility to compensate climate-vulnerable countries such as Nepal.

Nepal has requested emergency financial assistance from the UN-led Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. The country is seeking money for immediate relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction after floods hit Rasuwa, Nuwakot and nearby areas particularly hard. Several hydropower projects have been disrupted, workers remain missing, and rescue operations have been complicated by rugged terrain, debris and damaged roads.

The government’s preliminary assessment indicates rebuilding damaged infrastructure could require several billion dollars, while the finance minister had previously put reconstruction costs at $4 billion to $5 billion. USGS said the August 26 disaster began with a rapid slope collapse that triggered a destructive debris flow and flooding. Nepal plans to raise its case more strongly at international climate conferences and UN forums, calling for equitable financing for climate-related losses.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called for a review and simplification of the existing US visa bond system for Bangladeshi businesspeople and genuine tourists. He made the request on Wednesday at Bangabhaban during a courtesy meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen.

The president sought increased US investment and cooperation in agriculture, recalling past support for the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute and Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute. He also requested greater American investment in energy, noting Chevron’s investment and important role, and highlighted opportunities in information technology, infrastructure, health and high-technology industries, with emphasis on technology and skills transfer.

On the Rohingya crisis, the president said continued US support was needed to ensure safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation to their home country. The ambassador assured continued support and stressed stronger cooperation among ASEAN countries. They also discussed a bilateral trade agreement, which the president described as progress while saying it could be made more balanced and mutually beneficial. The ambassador reaffirmed US interest in deepening relations with Bangladesh.

A residence belonging to former founding BNP member of parliament Nazrul Islam was burglarized again in Patiya, Chattogram, early Wednesday. The incident occurred at the house beside Makbul Shah Mazar in Ward No. 5 of Patiya municipality, only about two weeks after a similar theft at the same property.

Family and local sources said Nazrul Islam’s family members live in Chattogram city. Caretaker Md Liton was ill, while the former MP’s nephew Azad had been staying at the house. The theft took place Tuesday night when Azad was away, according to the family.

Nephew Saiful Islam said thieves entered the home, ransacked rooms and broke an almirah. He said they took about two and a half bhori of gold jewellery, an IPS battery, costly brass items, clothes and other valuables, including old family memorabilia. Family member Borhan Uddin confirmed the theft and expressed concern. Patiya police station Officer-in-Charge Ziaul Haque said he had learned of the incident and that it would be investigated and necessary action taken.

The United Nations has warned that the Himalayan region faces a growing risk of more severe glacier-related floods in coming years as climate change accelerates glacier melt. Rising water pressure in mountain lakes and ice dams could cause glacier lakes to burst suddenly, sending destructive floods downstream. Senior UN official Kanni Wignaraja described conditions in the Himalayas as deeply concerning.

The warning follows a major glacier and mountainside collapse in the Nepal-China border area of the Himalayas on August 26. Flows of ice, rocks, mud and water destroyed homes, roads, bridges and power plants across wide areas of Nepal. The reported death toll in Nepal has exceeded 1,000, while about 4,000 people remain missing; Tibet also suffered deaths and extensive damage.

UN officials said 47 dangerous glacier lakes were identified across Nepal, China and India in 2020, and the number is believed to have risen. At least 15 large hydropower projects under construction in Nepal were damaged. Experts urge improved forecasting, glacier-lake monitoring and cross-border information sharing, while noting that further scientific research is needed to conclusively attribute any specific disaster directly to climate change.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman said artificial intelligence is creating new challenges for the judiciary and urged judges to become aware of the technology’s risks. He made the remarks on Wednesday afternoon as chief guest at the closing ceremony of a training programme organized by the University of Dhaka at the Asiatic Society Bangladesh auditorium in the capital.

The minister said AI can imitate voices, alter or superimpose images, and make misleading information appear credible. It can also affect human thinking and decision-making, he said. Judges should carefully assess whether information or materials used in analysing evidence are AI-dependent, because attempts to influence or mislead judges through AI could affect judicial decisions.

He said Bangladesh and the wider world have entered the AI era, while appropriate risk controls remain insufficient. The government has no plan to ban AI, he said, but will seek to ensure its positive use and prevent misuse. He also referred to efforts to enact AI-related laws, calling for updated laws and policies and input from experts, teachers, researchers and professionals.

Apple changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in its Maps app for users in the United States after direct intervention by President Donald Trump, according to the report. The change was made on Tuesday, 1 September, the same day John Ternus assumed office as Apple’s new chief executive officer.

Apple is described as the second US technology giant to comply with Trump’s controversial executive order on the name change. Google had previously announced on Saturday that Google Maps would display Lake Ontario as Lake America for users in the United States.

The report does not provide further details about the executive order, Apple’s rationale for the change, or whether the revised name will appear for users outside the United States. It also does not state whether Apple or Google issued comments on the matter.

The Department of Narcotics Control arrested a 47-year-old man, Samrajul Islam Sohel, during a raid in Chhoto Mirzapur village of Pirganj, Rangpur. The operation was conducted on Tuesday night by a team from the department’s Mithapukur Circle. Authorities said they recovered 50 yaba tablets and 5,400 tablets resembling yaba.

Department of Narcotics Control Sub-Inspector Md Matiar Rahman said 50 yaba tablets were recovered from the detainee’s pocket. A subsequent search of a wooden box at his home led to the recovery of the 5,400 yaba-like tablets, according to the official.

Sohel was arrested after the operation, and a regular case has been filed against him at Pirganj police station. Pirganj police station Officer-in-Charge Nazmul Haque said the accused is being sent to court. Further investigation will be conducted by the Department of Narcotics Control.

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission has begun an inquiry into former adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and three other officials over allegations of irregularities and corruption during his time overseeing the Ministry of Youth and Sports. A senior ACC official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the development to the media on Wednesday.

The commission has already formed a four-member inquiry team to examine the allegations. The special team is headed by ACC Deputy Director Md Zahid Kalam, according to the information provided.

Others named in connection with the allegations are former Youth and Sports Ministry Secretary Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, Joint Secretary Dr Sheikh Mohammad Zubaid Hossain, and Deputy Secretary Md Masum Ahmed. The source did not provide details of the specific alleged irregularities or any findings from the inquiry.

Police have obtained a two-day remand for Tamal Sarkar, the main suspect in an attack and vandalism case involving the vehicle of Sirajganj-3 MP VP Ainul Haque. Police presented him before the Raiganj Amli Court at about 11:30am on Wednesday and sought five days of remand for questioning. Judge Omar Faruk granted a two-day remand.

Court Additional Public Prosecutor Rafiqul Islam, also known as Rafik Akand, confirmed the order. He said the attack had been carried out with the intention of killing MP Ainul Haque and that questioning Tamal could reveal the actual motive. The incident occurred on the evening of August 15 at Dhangara Bazar in Raiganj upazila, as the MP’s convoy was returning after a meeting.

The MP was unharmed, although the rear portion of his vehicle was damaged. Former Chandai Kona Union BNP vice-president Shamimul Hasan filed the case, naming Tamal as the main accused along with 15 named and 30 to 40 unidentified accused. Police arrested Tamal during an operation in Dhangara Bazar on August 24. Two other accused were previously remanded for one day and released on bail Tuesday.

Families in Nepal are conducting symbolic funeral rites for relatives missing after a devastating flash flood in the Himalayan region a week earlier. On August 26, a glacier collapse in the high mountains near the China-Nepal border unleashed icy water, rocks and debris, causing extensive loss of life. Rescue teams have recovered more than 1,000 bodies, while about 4,500 people remain missing.

After days of searching shelters and morgues, many families have begun religious rites for their missing relatives. Dolma Noyar Tamang said the ceremony for her husband was intended to free his soul; he had been travelling toward China during the disaster. She said she repeatedly called him after seeing news of the incident, but he did not answer.

Rescuers have not abandoned hope of finding survivors, particularly people believed trapped in tunnels at hydropower plants in the affected area. Bodies alone have been recovered from mud-blocked tunnels so far, while teams clear debris through excavation, drilling and blasting. Prime Minister Balendra Shah called the disaster a serious warning of mounting climate risks in the Himalayas.

The US State Department has proposed requiring parents to submit proof of citizenship or immigration status when applying for passports for children born in the United States. The draft guidance, reviewed by Reuters, is described as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to limit birthright citizenship. It would use parental documents to determine whether a child qualifies for citizenship under an executive order.

Parents could be asked to provide documents such as US passports, birth certificates, I-94 forms or green cards. The initiative is aimed largely at stopping “birth tourism,” or travel to the United States to give birth in pursuit of citizenship for a child. The guidance says citizenship would be denied to children of people working for foreign governments, those involved in fraud or commercial arrangements to obtain citizenship, and people classified as “foreign enemies.”

Under Trump’s earlier executive order, automatic citizenship at birth would have applied only where at least one parent was a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident with a green card. The Supreme Court ruled that order unconstitutional by a 6-3 vote. The latest order is also facing a court challenge, and Maryland federal judge Deborah Boardman has expressed doubts and allowed the case to be amended. Currently, separate proof of parental status is generally not required for such passport applications.

Police in Daulatkhan, Bhola, detained a young man identified as Md. Nahid Hossain after allegedly recovering a foreign-made pistol during an operation early Wednesday. Police said the weapon was a China-made 7.62mm pistol.

Nahid Hossain is the son of Abdul Mannan of Patowari Bari in the Kazirhat area of Charpata Union under Daulatkhan upazila. The detention was carried out by Daulatkhan police, according to police sources.

Daulatkhan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Fakhrul Islam confirmed the incident. He said a press briefing would be held at the Bhola superintendent of police’s office in the afternoon to provide journalists with further details.

Iran has welcomed Dhaka’s position on the Mecca defense agreement, known as the Mecca Pact, Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr. Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi said on Wednesday. Speaking after a meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir at the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka, he said Tehran would view the prospect of joining the pact positively if it received a formal invitation.

The ambassador said the meeting covered various matters of mutual interest between Bangladesh and Iran. He argued that the Mecca Pact demonstrated that the United States had failed to provide security to Muslim countries, and said Muslim nations needed to establish their own security arrangements.

Addressing the recent conflict in the Middle East, Jahanabadi said Iran had targeted only United States military bases. He said Iran had not attacked any Islamic or Arab country. The source did not provide further details about Dhaka’s stated position, the terms of the pact, or any formal invitation to Iran.

At least 16 people were killed and 28 others injured after a passenger bus overturned in Egypt’s South Sinai province, the Health Ministry confirmed on Wednesday, September 2. The crash occurred near the Al-Sada area on the Dahab-Nuweiba road while the bus was heading toward Nuweiba.

The ministry said 20 ambulances were dispatched to the scene after the accident was reported. Preliminary information indicated that all 16 victims died at the scene, while the 28 injured passengers were admitted to different hospitals for treatment.

Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar instructed medical facilities to remain prepared and ordered that necessary treatment and medicines be provided to the injured. The ministry also said multiple teams of doctors were working to monitor the situation.

An unidentified woman aged over 40 was killed after being struck by a speeding ambulance on the Faridpur-Barishal highway in Bhanga upazila. The crash occurred around 8:30pm on Tuesday in front of the Sardardi Fire Service office, according to Bhanga Fire Service Station Officer Md Abu Jafar.

Fire service sources said the ambulance hit the woman in the darkness and fled the scene. After receiving the report, fire service personnel informed Bhanga Highway Police, who recovered the body and took it to the police station for investigation.

Police visited the site and attempted to establish the victim’s identity, but she had not been identified. Bhanga Highway Police Sergeant Azad Rahman asked anyone who recognizes the woman to contact Bhanga Highway Police Station promptly.