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Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated sharply in recent years, with leaders on both sides exchanging increasingly hostile accusations and warnings. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Israel as a ‘terror state’, compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hitler and even raised the possibility of Turkish military intervention in Israel. Netanyahu has responded by calling Erdogan an ‘antisemitic dictator’, while Israeli officials have accused Turkey of backing terrorism and behaving like ‘an enemy state’.&nbsp;The increasingly bitter rhetoric reflects a broader strategic rivalry that is spreading across the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Analysts and officials warn that the confrontation could add another layer of instability to a region already dealing with the consequences of wars in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Iran. Although Turkey and Israel are both closely connected to the United States, their regional ambitions are increasingly colliding. Both possess powerful militaries and have demonstrated a growing willingness to project their influence beyond their borders.<h2>Syria emerges as the main flashpoint</h2>The danger became more apparent recently when Israel carried out a strike against a defunct air base in northern Syria. Israeli officials said the operation was designed to prevent the possible deployment of Turkish forces to the facility. Both Turkey and Syria denied that such a troop deployment was planned. The strike did not result in any reported deaths. Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria and Iraq, criticised the Israeli operation on social media, describing it as an ‘unnecessary escalation’. He urged Turkey and Israel to 'prioritize logical discourse over further military incidents'.&nbsp;Syria has become particularly important to the rivalry because it sits between the two countries and is central to their competing security strategies. Turkey has sought to support Syria's new government following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. The new administration, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has received Turkish diplomatic and military backing as it attempts to stabilize the country. Israel, meanwhile, has taken a much more cautious approach toward the new Syrian leadership.&nbsp;&nbsp;Following Assad's removal, Israeli forces destroyed large quantities of Syria's military equipment, citing concerns about the country's future security. Israel has also maintained control over territory in southern Syria, saying the move is intended to prevent threats from Islamic militants. The two countries therefore have fundamentally different visions for Syria.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-and-uzbekistan-put-infrastructure-at-centre-of-modi-mirziyoyev-talks-1788070605582">India and Uzbekistan put infrastructure at centre of Modi-Mirziyoyev talks</a><h2>Gaza changed the relationship</h2>The war in Gaza has been another major source of tension. Israel launched its military campaign following the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel. Turkey strongly criticized Israel's military response and repeatedly accused Israeli forces of genocide. Erdogan also expressed support for Hamas, which Israel, the United States and several other governments classify as a terrorist organization. The increasingly hostile rhetoric has been accompanied by a fundamental shift in Israel's perception of Turkey. Israel now sees Turkey as an increasingly capable regional military power. Turkey has expanded its domestic defense industry, maintains troops or military operations in several countries and has increasingly used its armed forces outside its own borders.<h2>Competing regional ambitions</h2>The rivalry extends well beyond Syria and Gaza. In the Horn of Africa, Turkey maintains close relations with Somalia, including a significant diplomatic and military presence. Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland has therefore become another point of disagreement. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, although its independence has not been broadly recognized internationally. Israel's recognition made it the first country to formally take that step, prompting strong opposition from Erdogan.&nbsp;The Turkish president called Israel's recognition of Somaliland 'illegal and unacceptable'. The Eastern Mediterranean is another area where strategic competition is intensifying. Israel has strengthened military and energy cooperation with Greece and Cyprus, two countries that have longstanding disputes with Turkey. Erdogan sought to minimize the significance of the agreements between Israel, Greece and Cyprus, dismissing them as ‘a rattling tin can’. Turkey has also sought to strengthen its own regional partnerships. Its recent mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has been viewed by analysts as an effort to build greater strategic weight and counterbalance Israeli influence.<h2>A rivalry that may not become war</h2>Despite the increasingly aggressive rhetoric, analysts do not expect Turkey and Israel to enter a direct military conflict in the immediate future. The United States has strong relationships with both countries and has an interest in preventing their rivalry from escalating into an open confrontation.&nbsp;The recent Israeli strike on the Syrian air base in Abu al-Duhur, roughly 40 miles south of the Turkish border, represented a rare instance in which the rivalry moved beyond diplomatic statements and political pressure into direct military action affecting the other's strategic interests. The strike was followed by a renewed exchange of threats. On Aug. 19, the day after the attack, Netanyahu said Israel would not accept a Turkish military presence in Syria that descends south because it threatens us.&nbsp;Two days later, Turkey announced that it would seek Netanyahu's arrest through Interpol over allegations including genocide and torture in connection with a domestic Turkish case concerning Israel's treatment of pro-Palestinian activists intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Gaza. US officials have since attempted to restore communication between Ankara and Jerusalem.<h2>Political rhetoric adds to the risk</h2>Domestic politics may further complicate efforts to reduce tensions. Public opinion in both Turkey and Israel has become increasingly negative toward the other country, giving political leaders an opportunity to gain domestic support by taking a tougher position against their rival. Yet analysts caution against dismissing the rhetoric as merely political theater. The disagreements between Ankara and Jerusalem reflect genuine differences over Syria, Gaza, Iran, regional alliances and the future balance of power in the Middle East. At the same time, the presence of the United States as a powerful intermediary could help prevent the rivalry from turning into a direct war.&nbsp;For now, the central danger is therefore less the prospect of a deliberate Turkey-Israel war than the possibility of an unintended escalation. With both countries increasingly willing to use military force and defend competing visions of the region, even a limited action in Syria or elsewhere could trigger consequences neither side intended.

Turkey-Israel tensions are rising over Syria, Gaza and regional influence as Erdogan and Netanyahu clash, raising concerns about a wider Middle East crisis

Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated sharply in recent years, with leaders on both sides exchanging increasingly hostile accusations and warnings. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Israel as a ‘terror state’, compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Hitler and even raised the possibility of Turkish military intervention in Israel. Netanyahu has responded by calling Erdogan an ‘antisemitic dictator’, while Israeli officials have accused Turkey of backing terrorism and behaving like ‘an enemy state’. The increasingly bitter rhetoric reflects a broader strategic rivalry that is spreading across the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Analysts and officials warn that the confrontation could add another layer of instability to a region already dealing with the consequences of wars in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and Iran. Although Turkey and Israel are both closely connected to the United States, their regional ambitions are increasingly colliding. Both possess powerful militaries and have demonstrated a growing willingness to project their influence beyond their borders. Syria emerges as the main flashpoint The danger became more apparent recently when Israel carried out a strike against a defunct air base in northern Syria. Israeli officials said the operation was designed to prevent the possible deployment of Turkish forces to the facility. Both Turkey and Syria denied that such a troop deployment was planned. The strike did not result in any reported deaths. Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria and Iraq, criticised the Israeli operation on social media, describing it as an ‘unnecessary escalation’. He urged Turkey and Israel to 'prioritize logical discourse over further military incidents'. Syria has become particularly important to the rivalry because it sits between the two countries and is central to their competing security strategies. Turkey has sought to support Syria's new government following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. The new administration, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has received Turkish diplomatic and military backing as it attempts to stabilize the country. Israel, meanwhile, has taken a much more cautious approach toward the new Syrian leadership. Following Assad's removal, Israeli forces destroyed large quantities of Syria's military equipment, citing concerns about the country's future security. Israel has also maintained control over territory in southern Syria, saying the move is intended to prevent threats from Islamic militants. The two countries therefore have fundamentally different visions for Syria. Also Read: India and Uzbekistan put infrastructure at centre of Modi-Mirziyoyev talks Gaza changed the relationship The war in Gaza has been another major source of tension. Israel launched its military campaign following the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel. Turkey strongly criticized Israel's military response and repeatedly accused Israeli forces of genocide. Erdogan also expressed support for Hamas, which Israel, the United States and several other governments classify as a terrorist organization. The increasingly hostile rhetoric has been accompanied by a fundamental shift in Israel's perception of Turkey. Israel now sees Turkey as an increasingly capable regional military power. Turkey has expanded its domestic defense industry, maintains troops or military operations in several countries and has increasingly used its armed forces outside its own borders. Competing regional ambitions The rivalry extends well beyond Syria and Gaza. In the Horn of Africa, Turkey maintains close relations with Somalia, including a significant diplomatic and military presence. Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland has therefore become another point of disagreement. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, although its independence has not been broadly recognized internationally. Israel's recognition made it the first country to formally take that step, prompting strong opposition from Erdogan. The Turkish president called Israel's recognition of Somaliland 'illegal and unacceptable'. The Eastern Mediterranean is another area where strategic competition is intensifying. Israel has strengthened military and energy cooperation with Greece and Cyprus, two countries that have longstanding disputes with Turkey. Erdogan sought to minimize the significance of the agreements between Israel, Greece and Cyprus, dismissing them as ‘a rattling tin can’. Turkey has also sought to strengthen its own regional partnerships. Its recent mutual defense agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has been viewed by analysts as an effort to build greater strategic weight and counterbalance Israeli influence. A rivalry that may not become war Despite the increasingly aggressive rhetoric, analysts do not expect Turkey and Israel to enter a direct military conflict in the immediate future. The United States has strong relationships with both countries and has an interest in preventing their rivalry from escalating into an open confrontation. The recent Israeli strike on the Syrian air base in Abu al-Duhur, roughly 40 miles south of the Turkish border, represented a rare instance in which the rivalry moved beyond diplomatic statements and political pressure into direct military action affecting the other's strategic interests. The strike was followed by a renewed exchange of threats. On Aug. 19, the day after the attack, Netanyahu said Israel would not accept a Turkish military presence in Syria that descends south because it threatens us. Two days later, Turkey announced that it would seek Netanyahu's arrest through Interpol over allegations including genocide and torture in connection with a domestic Turkish case concerning Israel's treatment of pro-Palestinian activists intercepted at sea while attempting to reach Gaza. US officials have since attempted to restore communication between Ankara and Jerusalem. Political rhetoric adds to the risk Domestic politics may further complicate efforts to reduce tensions. Public opinion in both Turkey and Israel has become increasingly negative toward the other country, giving political leaders an opportunity to gain domestic support by taking a tougher position against their rival. Yet analysts caution against dismissing the rhetoric as merely political theater. The disagreements between Ankara and Jerusalem reflect genuine differences over Syria, Gaza, Iran, regional alliances and the future balance of power in the Middle East. At the same time, the presence of the United States as a powerful intermediary could help prevent the rivalry from turning into a direct war. For now, the central danger is therefore less the prospect of a deliberate Turkey-Israel war than the possibility of an unintended escalation. With both countries increasingly willing to use military force and defend competing visions of the region, even a limited action in Syria or elsewhere could trigger consequences neither side intended.

Turkey and Israel face growing strategic tensions over Gaza, Syria and regional influence, raising fears of miscalculation despite US ties

Turkey vs Israel: Are Erdogan and Netanyahu preparing for a bigger confrontation?

At least one person was killed, and five others were injured, some critically, in a shooting incident at a rave party in northern Switzerland, local police said on Sunday (Aug 30).&nbsp;In a post on X, the police said, “The search for the perpetrators, whose identities are currently unknown, is under way.”The motive and exact circumstances that led to the shooting are unclear at the moment.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">JUST IN: Shots heard at event in Aarau, Switzerland. Police confirm there are multiple victims. (Video: Blick) <a href="https://t.co/nZMKcGtMGD">pic.twitter.com/nZMKcGtMGD</a>&mdash; Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://x.com/Osint613/status/2093933258031390801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

(This is a breaking copy. More details to follow)

One person was killed and five injured, some critically, in a shooting at a rave party in northern Switzerland. Police are searching for unknown suspects as the motive remains unclear.

At least one person was killed, and five others were injured, some critically, in a shooting incident at a rave party in northern Switzerland, local police said on Sunday (Aug 30). In a post on X, the police said, “The search for the perpetrators, whose identities are currently unknown, is under way.” The motive and exact circumstances that led to the shooting are unclear at the moment.

One person was killed and five injured, some critically, in a shooting at a rave party in northern Switzerland. Police are searching for unknown suspects as the motive remains unclear.

One killed, 5 injured after shooting at Switzerland rave party; police launch manhunt for suspect

Aircraft carriers are easy to argue about because the visible parts are so large: tonnage, air wings, escorts and cost. What is harder to measure is the political choice they create. A carrier at sea is not merely an airfield that moves. It is a sovereign package of military power that can be positioned, reinforced, pulled back or left over the horizon. It can reassure without establishing a base, warn without firing, and create pressure without forcing political leadership immediately across the threshold of war.&nbsp;That is why the carrier has survived repeated predictions of its irrelevance. Anti-ship missiles have become faster and longer-ranged. Submarines remain a serious threat. Space-based surveillance has made large ships harder to hide. None of this makes the carrier invulnerable. It never was. But vulnerability is not the same as irrelevance.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/america-s-new-strategy-control-the-system-not-the-world-1788068534216">America’s new strategy: Control the system, not the world</a>&nbsp;For India, therefore, the debate should move beyond the familiar question of whether an aircraft carrier is too expensive or too exposed. The more useful question is, what political and military options does India want at sea over the next four decades, and what carrier force is required to create them?&nbsp;That leads directly to decisions we can no longer postpone, whether India needs a third carrier to generate reliable availability, whether the next hull should repeat Vikrant or move to a larger design, what its air wing should look like, and how unmanned systems, escorts, submarines, logistics and the wider information architecture will be built around it.&nbsp;“For in this modern world, the instruments of warfare are not solely for waging war. Far more importantly, they are the means for controlling peace.” — Admiral Arleigh Burke

Submarines remain a serious threat. Space-based surveillance has made large ships harder to hide. None of this makes the carrier invulnerable. It never was. But vulnerability is not the same as irrelevance.

Aircraft carriers are easy to argue about because the visible parts are so large: tonnage, air wings, escorts and cost. What is harder to measure is the political choice they create. A carrier at sea is not merely an airfield that moves. It is a sovereign package of military power that can be positioned, reinforced, pulled back or left over the horizon. It can reassure without establishing a base, warn without firing, and create pressure without forcing political leadership immediately across the threshold of war. That is why the carrier has survived repeated predictions of its irrelevance. Anti-ship missiles have become faster and longer-ranged. Submarines remain a serious threat. Space-based surveillance has made large ships harder to hide. None of this makes the carrier invulnerable. It never was. But vulnerability is not the same as irrelevance. Also Read: America’s new strategy: Control the system, not the world For India, therefore, the debate should move beyond the familiar question of whether an aircraft carrier is too expensive or too exposed. The more useful question is, what political and military options does India want at sea over the next four decades, and what carrier force is required to create them? That leads directly to decisions we can no longer postpone, whether India needs a third carrier to generate reliable availability, whether the next hull should repeat Vikrant or move to a larger design, what its air wing should look like, and how unmanned systems, escorts, submarines, logistics and the wider information architecture will be built around it. “For in this modern world, the instruments of warfare are not solely for waging war. Far more importantly, they are the means for controlling peace.” — Admiral Arleigh Burke

Submarines remain a serious threat. Space-based surveillance has made large ships harder to hide. None of this makes the carrier invulnerable. It never was. But vulnerability is not the same as irrelevance.

Steel diplomacy: What the carrier teaches about power, and what India must decide

As BRICS prepares to meet in New Delhi, it would do well to understand not only what the United States is doing, but why.The reported American move to gain majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves may appear to be another dramatic episode in Washington’s relationship with Caracas. But it may also offer a window into a much larger transformation in American strategy.The United States is becoming increasingly concerned about its dependence on resources, technologies and supply chains that it does not control. In a world of intensifying geopolitical competition, Washington appears determined to secure the foundations of its economic, technological and military power.Oil is only one part of the equation.Critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, electricity generation, shipping routes, data and financial infrastructure are becoming strategic assets. Venezuela’s oil, Greenland’s geography and mineral potential, the Middle East’s energy resources and the security of the Western Hemisphere may seem like separate issues. They are increasingly connected by a single concern: American vulnerability.Artificial intelligence makes this question even more important.The next technological revolution will require enormous quantities of electricity, computing capacity, data centres and advanced chips. Those chips depend on complex global supply chains and critical minerals. The competition over artificial intelligence is therefore also becoming a competition over energy, minerals, manufacturing capacity and technology.In this environment, dependence can become vulnerability.The same logic applies to finance.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-seeks-consensus-as-expanded-brics-prepares-for-new-delhi-summit-1787815256214">India seeks consensus as expanded BRICS prepares for New Delhi summit</a>After the Second World War, the United States did not simply inherit Britain’s position as the leading global power. It helped create an international system that embedded American economic strength within a wider architecture.Bretton Woods established the foundations of a monetary system centred on the dollar. The Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe. NATO institutionalised American security commitments. The United Nations provided a framework for international cooperation.The dollar subsequently became the principal currency of global trade and finance as British power and sterling declined.This was one of the great strategic achievements of the twentieth century. American power was multiplied because other countries had an interest in participating in the system.Today, however, that system is under pressure.China has emerged as an economic and technological competitor. Alternative payment mechanisms are developing. Countries are diversifying their reserves. Digital currencies, cryptocurrencies and stablecoins could eventually change the architecture of international payments.Washington therefore has a powerful incentive to ensure that the next generation of financial and technological infrastructure does not erode American influence.This brings us to the central strategic dilemma facing the United States.A great power that feels increasingly vulnerable naturally seeks greater control. It wants secure energy supplies, critical minerals, resilient supply chains, technological superiority and strategic access.Some of this is entirely rational.But there is a danger that the pursuit of security through ever greater control can create the insecurity it seeks to prevent.History provides some uncomfortable lessons.The British Empire possessed extraordinary naval, commercial and financial power. Yet the cost of maintaining a worldwide empire eventually became difficult to sustain.The Soviet Union possessed enormous military capabilities, but military power could not compensate indefinitely for economic and technological weaknesses.The United States after 1945 followed a different path. Rather than simply controlling territory and resources, it created institutions, alliances and markets through which American power could operate.That distinction matters today.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/from-xi-s-400-officials-to-putin-full-list-of-world-leaders-attending-brics-summit-2026-in-delhi-1787915779173">From Xi's 400 officials to Putin: Full list of world leaders attending BRICS Summit 2026 in Delhi</a>A great power that feels insecure naturally seeks greater control. It wants secure energy supplies, critical minerals, resilient supply chains, technological superiority and strategic access.But there is a danger in confusing security with possession.If every major power attempts to control the resources, technologies, markets and strategic routes on which its security depends, the world could fragment into competing economic and geopolitical fortresses.The emerging international environment already contains elements of several competing visions. Samuel Huntington’s “clash of civilizations” captures the cultural and political fragmentation of the world. Graham Allison’s “Thucydides Trap” describes the dangers inherent when a rising power challenges an established one. And the increasingly competitive struggle for resources and security can sometimes resemble the logic of Mad Max.The combination would be dangerous.This is where BRICS has an important role.As the grouping prepares to meet in Delhi, its members need to understand the American calculation before formulating their own response. It would be tempting to interpret Washington’s actions simply as an effort to contain China, preserve dollar dominance or prevent the emergence of a multipolar world.There is some truth in each interpretation.But the deeper concern is vulnerability.The United States fears dependence on foreign energy, minerals, technologies, supply chains and financial systems at precisely the moment when artificial intelligence and advanced technologies are transforming the meaning of national power.BRICS should therefore be careful not to respond by simply constructing another system of exclusive blocs.Its objective should be resilience rather than isolation: diversified supply chains, greater technological capability, secure energy networks and more efficient financial mechanisms, while preserving the channels of trade and dialogue that connect the major powers.India has a particularly important role to play.It has an interest in a genuinely multipolar international system, but it also has an interest in a stable relationship with the United States. India therefore has something that many other powers lack: the ability to understand both sides of the emerging strategic equation.Understanding American insecurity is as important as understanding American power.For Washington, meanwhile, there is an equally important lesson.America does not need to control everything to remain the world’s most important power. It possesses an extraordinary combination of military strength, financial depth, technological innovation, universities, entrepreneurial capacity, natural resources and alliances.Its greatest strategic asset may still be its ability to make other countries want to participate in a system shaped by American leadership.Washington should therefore distinguish between control and leadership.It should secure critical supply chains without necessarily monopolising them; maintain technological leadership while allowing allies to participate in innovation; strengthen energy security without turning every resource-rich country into a strategic possession; and preserve the dollar by maintaining the openness and credibility of American financial markets.Most importantly, it should invest in alliances and institutions.The United States does not need to retreat from the world. Nor should it ignore genuine vulnerabilities. The era in which economic interdependence was assumed automatically to overcome geopolitical rivalry is clearly over.But there is a fundamental difference between an empire that seeks to possess the world and a power that seeks to organise it.The United States will remain the world’s most important power for the foreseeable future. But its relative dominance is increasingly being challenged by the diffusion of economic, technological and military capabilities.Its answer should not be withdrawal.Nor should it be permanent expansion.The objective should be strategic primacy through an open system.That may also be the most important message for BRICS as it gathers in Delhi.The emerging international order will not be determined simply by who controls the most oil, minerals, technology or territory.It will ultimately be determined by who can build a system that others believe is worth participating in.The country that controls the system does not need to control everything within it.

As the grouping prepares to meet in Delhi, it would be tempting to interpret Washington’s actions simply as an effort to contain China, preserve dollar dominance or prevent the emergence of a multipolar world.

As BRICS prepares to meet in New Delhi, it would do well to understand not only what the United States is doing, but why. The reported American move to gain majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves may appear to be another dramatic episode in Washington’s relationship with Caracas. But it may also offer a window into a much larger transformation in American strategy. The United States is becoming increasingly concerned about its dependence on resources, technologies and supply chains that it does not control. In a world of intensifying geopolitical competition, Washington appears determined to secure the foundations of its economic, technological and military power. Oil is only one part of the equation. Critical minerals, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, electricity generation, shipping routes, data and financial infrastructure are becoming strategic assets. Venezuela’s oil, Greenland’s geography and mineral potential, the Middle East’s energy resources and the security of the Western Hemisphere may seem like separate issues. They are increasingly connected by a single concern: American vulnerability. Artificial intelligence makes this question even more important. The next technological revolution will require enormous quantities of electricity, computing capacity, data centres and advanced chips. Those chips depend on complex global supply chains and critical minerals. The competition over artificial intelligence is therefore also becoming a competition over energy, minerals, manufacturing capacity and technology. In this environment, dependence can become vulnerability. The same logic applies to finance. Also read | India seeks consensus as expanded BRICS prepares for New Delhi summit After the Second World War, the United States did not simply inherit Britain’s position as the leading global power. It helped create an international system that embedded American economic strength within a wider architecture. Bretton Woods established the foundations of a monetary system centred on the dollar. The Marshall Plan helped rebuild Europe. NATO institutionalised American security commitments. The United Nations provided a framework for international cooperation. The dollar subsequently became the principal currency of global trade and finance as British power and sterling declined. This was one of the great strategic achievements of the twentieth century. American power was multiplied because other countries had an interest in participating in the system. Today, however, that system is under pressure. China has emerged as an economic and technological competitor. Alternative payment mechanisms are developing. Countries are diversifying their reserves. Digital currencies, cryptocurrencies and stablecoins could eventually change the architecture of international payments. Washington therefore has a powerful incentive to ensure that the next generation of financial and technological infrastructure does not erode American influence. This brings us to the central strategic dilemma facing the United States. A great power that feels increasingly vulnerable naturally seeks greater control. It wants secure energy supplies, critical minerals, resilient supply chains, technological superiority and strategic access. Some of this is entirely rational. But there is a danger that the pursuit of security through ever greater control can create the insecurity it seeks to prevent. History provides some uncomfortable lessons. The British Empire possessed extraordinary naval, commercial and financial power. Yet the cost of maintaining a worldwide empire eventually became difficult to sustain. The Soviet Union possessed enormous military capabilities, but military power could not compensate indefinitely for economic and technological weaknesses. The United States after 1945 followed a different path. Rather than simply controlling territory and resources, it created institutions, alliances and markets through which American power could operate. That distinction matters today. Also read | From Xi's 400 officials to Putin: Full list of world leaders attending BRICS Summit 2026 in Delhi A great power that feels insecure naturally seeks greater control. It wants secure energy supplies, critical minerals, resilient supply chains, technological superiority and strategic access. But there is a danger in confusing security with possession. If every major power attempts to control the resources, technologies, markets and strategic routes on which its security depends, the world could fragment into competing economic and geopolitical fortresses. The emerging international environment already contains elements of several competing visions. Samuel Huntington’s “clash of civilizations” captures the cultural and political fragmentation of the world. Graham Allison’s “Thucydides Trap” describes the dangers inherent when a rising power challenges an established one. And the increasingly competitive struggle for resources and security can sometimes resemble the logic of Mad Max. The combination would be dangerous. This is where BRICS has an important role. As the grouping prepares to meet in Delhi, its members need to understand the American calculation before formulating their own response. It would be tempting to interpret Washington’s actions simply as an effort to contain China, preserve dollar dominance or prevent the emergence of a multipolar world. There is some truth in each interpretation. But the deeper concern is vulnerability. The United States fears dependence on foreign energy, minerals, technologies, supply chains and financial systems at precisely the moment when artificial intelligence and advanced technologies are transforming the meaning of national power. BRICS should therefore be careful not to respond by simply constructing another system of exclusive blocs. Its objective should be resilience rather than isolation: diversified supply chains, greater technological capability, secure energy networks and more efficient financial mechanisms, while preserving the channels of trade and dialogue that connect the major powers. India has a particularly important role to play. It has an interest in a genuinely multipolar international system, but it also has an interest in a stable relationship with the United States. India therefore has something that many other powers lack: the ability to understand both sides of the emerging strategic equation. Understanding American insecurity is as important as understanding American power. For Washington, meanwhile, there is an equally important lesson. America does not need to control everything to remain the world’s most important power. It possesses an extraordinary combination of military strength, financial depth, technological innovation, universities, entrepreneurial capacity, natural resources and alliances. Its greatest strategic asset may still be its ability to make other countries want to participate in a system shaped by American leadership. Washington should therefore distinguish between control and leadership. It should secure critical supply chains without necessarily monopolising them; maintain technological leadership while allowing allies to participate in innovation; strengthen energy security without turning every resource-rich country into a strategic possession; and preserve the dollar by maintaining the openness and credibility of American financial markets. Most importantly, it should invest in alliances and institutions. The United States does not need to retreat from the world. Nor should it ignore genuine vulnerabilities. The era in which economic interdependence was assumed automatically to overcome geopolitical rivalry is clearly over. But there is a fundamental difference between an empire that seeks to possess the world and a power that seeks to organise it. The United States will remain the world’s most important power for the foreseeable future. But its relative dominance is increasingly being challenged by the diffusion of economic, technological and military capabilities. Its answer should not be withdrawal. Nor should it be permanent expansion. The objective should be strategic primacy through an open system. That may also be the most important message for BRICS as it gathers in Delhi. The emerging international order will not be determined simply by who controls the most oil, minerals, technology or territory. It will ultimately be determined by who can build a system that others believe is worth participating in. The country that controls the system does not need to control everything within it.

As the grouping prepares to meet in Delhi, it would be tempting to interpret Washington’s actions simply as an effort to contain China, preserve dollar dominance or prevent the emergence of a multipolar world.

America’s new strategy: Control the system, not the world

Infrastructure, trade and investment are expected to dominate the agenda as PM Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev hold talks in Tashkent. Indian officials say New Delhi wants to convert existing political goodwill into concrete commercial opportunities, including construction and infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan. Sources familiar with the preparations said Indian firms would be well placed to bid for work as Tashkent modernises roads, energy networks, digital systems and urban facilities.&nbsp;&nbsp;Larsen &amp; Toubro, already active in the country on power transmission and other engineering contracts, is widely regarded locally as one of India’s most established infrastructure players. PM Modi arrived on Saturday and was received at the airport by &nbsp;Mirziyoyev, an unusual personal welcome that is seen as a mark of the closeness of the relationship. The two leaders later visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park, where Modi laid a wreath at the Independence Monument. A dinner hosted by the Uzbek president followed. Sunday’s formal talks are the centerpiece of the two-day state visit, Modi’s fourth to Uzbekistan.&nbsp;In a departure statement issued in New Delhi, the Indian prime minister said the strategic partnership had seen significant advancement in recent years. He said he looked forward to discussions on trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy, and on aligning India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 programme with Uzbekistan’s development plans through 2030. He is also due to visit the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. Bilateral trade remains modest by the standards of both economies, estimates put it at around $1-1.5 billion, but both sides have spoken of roughly doubling that figure over the next few years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Indian investment is already present in construction, renewables, pharmaceuticals, mining, IT and healthcare. Officials on both sides have identified critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, logistics and digital public infrastructure as areas for expansion. From Tashkent, Modi will fly to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on August 31 and September 1. The meeting marks 25 years of the grouping, which India joined as a full member in 2017.&nbsp;&nbsp;India’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Birender Singh Yadav, said that the visit would give 'fresh direction' to ties with Bishkek, pointing to expanded defence cooperation, counter-terrorism training and joint exercises. The tour reflects New Delhi’s effort to treat Central Asia as part of its extended neighbourhood, seeking energy and minerals, alternative trade routes that avoid Pakistan, and a stronger voice in a region where China and Russia remain dominant.

Indian officials say New Delhi wants to convert existing political goodwill into concrete commercial opportunities, including construction and infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan

Infrastructure, trade and investment are expected to dominate the agenda as PM Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev hold talks in Tashkent. Indian officials say New Delhi wants to convert existing political goodwill into concrete commercial opportunities, including construction and infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan. Sources familiar with the preparations said Indian firms would be well placed to bid for work as Tashkent modernises roads, energy networks, digital systems and urban facilities. Larsen & Toubro, already active in the country on power transmission and other engineering contracts, is widely regarded locally as one of India’s most established infrastructure players. PM Modi arrived on Saturday and was received at the airport by Mirziyoyev, an unusual personal welcome that is seen as a mark of the closeness of the relationship. The two leaders later visited Yangi Uzbekistan Park, where Modi laid a wreath at the Independence Monument. A dinner hosted by the Uzbek president followed. Sunday’s formal talks are the centerpiece of the two-day state visit, Modi’s fourth to Uzbekistan. In a departure statement issued in New Delhi, the Indian prime minister said the strategic partnership had seen significant advancement in recent years. He said he looked forward to discussions on trade and investment, digital connectivity, defence and energy, and on aligning India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 programme with Uzbekistan’s development plans through 2030. He is also due to visit the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi Centre at the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies. Bilateral trade remains modest by the standards of both economies, estimates put it at around $1-1.5 billion, but both sides have spoken of roughly doubling that figure over the next few years. Indian investment is already present in construction, renewables, pharmaceuticals, mining, IT and healthcare. Officials on both sides have identified critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, logistics and digital public infrastructure as areas for expansion. From Tashkent, Modi will fly to Bishkek at the invitation of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on August 31 and September 1. The meeting marks 25 years of the grouping, which India joined as a full member in 2017. India’s ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Birender Singh Yadav, said that the visit would give 'fresh direction' to ties with Bishkek, pointing to expanded defence cooperation, counter-terrorism training and joint exercises. The tour reflects New Delhi’s effort to treat Central Asia as part of its extended neighbourhood, seeking energy and minerals, alternative trade routes that avoid Pakistan, and a stronger voice in a region where China and Russia remain dominant.

&nbsp;Indian officials say New Delhi wants to convert existing political goodwill into concrete commercial opportunities, including construction and infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan

India and Uzbekistan put infrastructure at centre of Modi-Mirziyoyev talks

Latest News Today Live Updates:Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday (August 29), as part of his broader tour covering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks and participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, reflecting India's efforts to deepen strategic engagement with Central Asian nations.Meanwhile, according to reports from Greek and Israeli media, Greece and Israel are expected to formalise agreements in Tel Aviv on Monday for the development of the "Achilles' Shield", a layered air defence and missile protection system valued at $3.4 billion. The agreement had earlier received approval from Greece's Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) on July 23.RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday (August 29, 2026) said that Hindutva does not envisage a Bharat (the name he uses for India) without Muslims, asserting that a person who believes Muslims should have no place in the country would cease to be a Hindu. Addressing an event in New York City, he said, “I said, no, that is not Hindutva. If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslims in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu."Iran’s leaders have acknowledged the mounting economic damage of six months of war with the United States, with the president saying foreign trade has shrunk by more than a third under US sanctions and a naval blockade. Tehran signalled that it would not yield to US pressure, vowing to pursue diplomacy while maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz. The government identified tackling economic fallout as a key priority, focusing on curbing inflation, generating employment, and gradually reducing the country's dependence on the US dollar.Stay with us for more latest news, breaking updates and developments as they unfold.

&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="in" dir="ltr"&gt;Uzbekistan loves Yoga! &lt;a href="https://t.co/1AtlHCN0kF"&gt;pic.twitter.com/1AtlHCN0kF&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) &lt;a href="https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2093943755804209560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;August 30, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

'Uzbekistan loves Yoga!' PM Modi posts selfie video as he takes part in yoga event

Nepal’s death toll from this week’s devastating floods has risen to 734, the country’s disaster authority said Sunday, as rescue teams continue searching for thousands of people missing after a massive surge of water, ice and debris tore through Himalayan communities. China earlier reported 16 deaths, bringing the total death toll in the disaster to 750. Across Nepal and Tibet, more than 3,000 people remain unaccounted for.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-blog-nepal-tibet-live-updates-death-toll-rises-to-750-rescuers-race-to-save-trapped-over-100-workers-in-hydropower-tunnels-1788061649312">Follow Nepal floods live updates here.</a>

Nepal Tibet LIVE updates: Death toll rises to 750; rescuers race to save trapped over 100 workers in hydropower tunnels

The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods that tore through Nepal and parts of Tibet this week has climbed to nearly 700, as rescue teams battle worsening weather and treacherous terrain in a desperate search for more than 3,000 people still missing.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nepal-tibet-floods-death-toll-nears-700-over-3-000-remain-missing-as-rescuers-battle-weather-1788047819929">Read more.</a>

Nepal-Tibet floods: Death toll rises to 750, over 3,000 remain missing as rescuers battle poor weather

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed regional de-escalation and maritime security in a phone call on Saturday.

Qatar, Turkey discuss de-escalation and freedom of navigation 

Uganda will withdraw all its troops from Somalia by August 1, 2027, the country’s military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba said, setting a specific date for an exit after nearly two decades of involvement in the country’s security operations.

Uganda to withdraw all UPDF troops from Somalia by August 1, 2027 

A day after Ballari Rural MLA B Nagendra’s resignation from the Karnataka cabinet, the Opposition BJP has decided to go ahead with its 10-day padayatra against the State Government.

Karnataka BJP to go ahead with padayatra from Sept 1, a day after Nagendra’s resignation 

The GST Council is set to meet for the first time in a year in New Delhi on September 12, with industry and tax experts expecting the 57th meeting to address pressing issues around input tax credit (ITC), litigation and compliance that continue to add to costs and uncertainty for businesses. &nbsp;

Industries expect 57th GST Council meeting to fix ITC, cut litigation, compliance challenges

Iraq is seeking to “be a bridge” between Tehran and Washington, the Iraqi prime minister’s security adviser, Qasim al-Araji, said.

Iraq seeks to 'be a bridge' between Iran and US

Finland's President Alexander Stubb said he did not believe Russia would risk an attack against a NATO country, telling Germany's Bild newspaper it would "make ​no sense" to test the resolve of the alliance. Western officials have warned ‌of a growing risk of Russian hybrid operations, including cyber attacks, against European countries potentially leading to a direct confrontation with the NATO alliance. German officials have said they assess Russia ​would be in a position to attack a NATO country by 2029. &nbsp;

Finland's Stubb tells German newspaper Russia unlikely to risk attack on NATO

NASA is preparing to send its newest eye on the universe into space, with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope scheduled to launch as early as Sunday, August 30, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope set for launch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “A special welcome, wreath-laying at the Yangi Uzbekistan Monument and interaction with the Indian community”.

PM Modi on X amid his two-day Uzbekistan's visit 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a yoga programme organised by the Yoga Federation of Uzbekistan. PM Modi is on a two-day state visit to Uzbekistan. Later today, the Prime Minister will hold delegation-level talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev further to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries.&nbsp;

PM Modi participates in a yoga programme in Uzbekistan amid his two-day state visit

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and Tehran is in no hurry to reopen it. &nbsp;

Iran says Strait of Hormuz remains closed, no rush to reopen

Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including India's immediate neighbourhood, major developments in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, global security, and other breaking stories shaping the world.

Latest News Today Live Updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tashkent on Saturday (August 29), as part of his broader tour covering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. During the visit, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks and participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, reflecting India's efforts to deepen strategic engagement with Central Asian nations. Meanwhile, according to reports from Greek and Israeli media, Greece and Israel are expected to formalise agreements in Tel Aviv on Monday for the development of the "Achilles' Shield", a layered air defence and missile protection system valued at $3.4 billion. The agreement had earlier received approval from Greece's Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) on July 23. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday (August 29, 2026) said that Hindutva does not envisage a Bharat (the name he uses for India) without Muslims, asserting that a person who believes Muslims should have no place in the country would cease to be a Hindu. Addressing an event in New York City, he said, “I said, no, that is not Hindutva. If any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslims in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu." Iran’s leaders have acknowledged the mounting economic damage of six months of war with the United States, with the president saying foreign trade has shrunk by more than a third under US sanctions and a naval blockade. Tehran signalled that it would not yield to US pressure, vowing to pursue diplomacy while maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz. The government identified tackling economic fallout as a key priority, focusing on curbing inflation, generating employment, and gradually reducing the country's dependence on the US dollar. Stay with us for more latest news, breaking updates and developments as they unfold.

Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including India's immediate neighbourhood, major developments in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, global security, and other breaking stories shaping the world.

Latest India & World News Today LIVE: Iran says Strait of Hormuz remains closed, no rush to reopen

Nepal Tibet LIVE updates: Nepal’s death toll from this week’s devastating floods has risen to 734, the country’s disaster authority said Sunday, as rescue teams continue searching for thousands of people missing after a massive surge of water, ice and debris tore through Himalayan communities. China earlier reported 16 deaths, bringing the total death toll in the disaster to 750. Across Nepal and Tibet, more than 3,000 people remain unaccounted for.The disaster struck Wednesday along the China-Nepal border after a glacial collapse sent a powerful torrent through valleys, sweeping away settlements, bridges and roads. The US Geological Survey has attributed the flooding to a glacial collapse which sent a wall of water and debris downstream.<h2>Rescue teams race to trapped workers</h2>In Nepal, rescuers are focusing on hydropower project tunnels where more than 100 workers may still be alive and trapped. At the Trishuli 3A site, the Nepali Army successfully inserted a pipe into a tunnel and began sending air through the narrow opening, Home Minister Sudan Gurung said. Heavy rain and rising river levels, however, have complicated the operation.Nepal’s disaster authority lists 933 hydropower workers among the missing, along with 517 foreigners, including trekkers and pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash.The Isha Foundation said 80 members were on a pilgrimage in the region. It said there were no encouraging indications of survivors at the immigration office area.<h2>International aid pours in</h2>The scale of the destruction has triggered a major international relief effort. The United States and Canada have each pledged $3.6 million, while Britain has offered $6.8 million. The UN has released $2.5 million in emergency funding.Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal warned that rebuilding could cost “billions of dollars” and called for specialised equipment, including heavy-lift drones and technology to locate people trapped underground.<h2>Fresh flood threat</h2>The disaster has also raised fears of further flooding from lakes formed by the deluge.In Tibet, rescue operations were temporarily halted around Gyirong over concerns that a newly formed lake could overflow. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV later said the lake was “discharging naturally” and had been “essentially drained”.Meanwhile, Indian officials said seven bodies believed to be flood victims had been recovered from rivers flowing from Nepal.

The burial pits are being dug to a depth of 1.5 metres to ensure the bodies can be easily exhumed later. A 40-centimetre gap has been maintained between them to ensure that only the specific body identified via DNA matching can be retrieved.

Nepal Flash Floods Live Updates: 1.5-Metre Deep Burial Pits

At an army base in the Nepali town of Bidur, a key rescue hub, relatives crowded around lists of rescued people pasted on a wall."I have come here looking for my son," said Kalka Sharda, scanning the list in desperation. "He was a labourer at the hydropower plant, but I can't find his name, and the authorities are not saying anything."

Relatives crowd rescue hub

Devastating floods near the border with China killed at least 734 people in Nepal and 2,498 remain missing, its disaster authority said Sunday, as rescue efforts entered a fifth day.Chinese state media had earlier confirmed 16 dead in Tibet and 546 people missing following Wednesday's disaster.That takes the overall toll to 750 dead and 3,044 missing.

Nepal flood death toll rises to 734: disaster authority

Nepali rescuers seeking to reach hydropower workers believed trapped in tunnels swamped by flood debris were hampered Sunday by heavy overnight rain and rising river waters.Nepal's government says more than 100 workers may still be alive and trapped inside multiple tunnels at hydropower projects, with key rescue efforts focused on the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites.

Rain, rising rivers hamper Nepal tunnel rescue

Nepal warned Sunday of rising flood waters and urged rescue teams to exercise caution, as efforts to retrieve victims from areas devastated by a deadly torrent of icy debris and water entered a fifth day."We have received information that the flood flow in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa has increased further," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA)said in a warning issued at 7:20 am (0135 GMT)."Therefore, all personnel engaged in search, rescue, and relief operations, those in riverside areas, and everyone else in affected areas including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Chitwan are requested to exercise caution."

Nepal warns rescue teams of rising flood waters

China said the death toll from a mudslide that struck Tibet rose to 16 and 546 people were still missing, state media reported Sunday, citing local officials.A devastating, tsunami-like wall of water tore through the border region between Nepal and Tibet this week, sweeping away entire villages.Figures from Nepal and from Chinese authorities in charge of Tibet put the total number of missing close to 3,000, with 691 bodies recovered.

China says 16 dead, 546 missing in Tibet mudslide: state media

The United States said Saturday it was providing $3.6 million in humanitarian aid to Nepal following catastrophic flooding that killed hundreds and left close to 3,000 missing."The United States is standing with the people of Nepal by providing more than $3.6 million worth of life-saving humanitarian assistance, including up to three months of emergency food assistance to up to 10,000 flood-affected households," the State Department said in a post on X.

US announces $3.6 mn in humanitarian aid for Nepal

Nepali army rescuers broke through to a hydropower tunnel on Saturday and began pumping air and sending a camera inside, raising hopes of reaching workers trapped since devastating floods struck the site three days earlier.Nepal's government says more than 100 workers may still be alive and trapped inside tunnels at hydropower projects, with rescue efforts focused on the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites.Those trapped are among 933 hydropower workers missing since a wall of mud and debris swept down on Wednesday morning, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Nepal rescuers send air pipe into tunnel with trapped workers

Nepal Tibet LIVE updates: Nepal’s flood death toll has risen to 734, with nearly 3,000 still missing. Rescuers face rain and rising rivers while searching for trapped hydropower workers and survivors across the Himalayas.

Nepal Tibet LIVE updates: Nepal’s death toll from this week’s devastating floods has risen to 734, the country’s disaster authority said Sunday, as rescue teams continue searching for thousands of people missing after a massive surge of water, ice and debris tore through Himalayan communities. China earlier reported 16 deaths, bringing the total death toll in the disaster to 750. Across Nepal and Tibet, more than 3,000 people remain unaccounted for. The disaster struck Wednesday along the China-Nepal border after a glacial collapse sent a powerful torrent through valleys, sweeping away settlements, bridges and roads. The US Geological Survey has attributed the flooding to a glacial collapse which sent a wall of water and debris downstream. Rescue teams race to trapped workers In Nepal, rescuers are focusing on hydropower project tunnels where more than 100 workers may still be alive and trapped. At the Trishuli 3A site, the Nepali Army successfully inserted a pipe into a tunnel and began sending air through the narrow opening, Home Minister Sudan Gurung said. Heavy rain and rising river levels, however, have complicated the operation. Nepal’s disaster authority lists 933 hydropower workers among the missing, along with 517 foreigners, including trekkers and pilgrims travelling towards Mount Kailash. The Isha Foundation said 80 members were on a pilgrimage in the region. It said there were no encouraging indications of survivors at the immigration office area. International aid pours in The scale of the destruction has triggered a major international relief effort. The United States and Canada have each pledged $3.6 million, while Britain has offered $6.8 million. The UN has released $2.5 million in emergency funding. Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal warned that rebuilding could cost “billions of dollars” and called for specialised equipment, including heavy-lift drones and technology to locate people trapped underground. Fresh flood threat The disaster has also raised fears of further flooding from lakes formed by the deluge. In Tibet, rescue operations were temporarily halted around Gyirong over concerns that a newly formed lake could overflow. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV later said the lake was “discharging naturally” and had been “essentially drained”. Meanwhile, Indian officials said seven bodies believed to be flood victims had been recovered from rivers flowing from Nepal.

Nepal Tibet LIVE updates: Nepal’s flood death toll has risen to 734, with nearly 3,000 still missing. Rescuers face rain and rising rivers while searching for trapped hydropower workers and survivors across the Himalayas.

Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE updates: Death toll rises to 750; rescuers race to save trapped over 100 workers in hydropower tunnels

North Korea has removed Defence Minister No Kwang Chol from his post in a military leadership reshuffle overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported Sunday (Aug 30), in another shake-up of the nuclear-armed country’s top command. This comes shortly after the US and South Korea concluded their annual military drills in the region.The changes were approved during a meeting led by Kim on Saturday (Aug 29), according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). No Kwang Chol was not simply replaced as defence minister but also lost seniority within the ruling Workers’ Party, taking a lower-ranking role as “first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department.”Kim Song Gi, who heads the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, was appointed the new defence minister.The reshuffle also elevated defence adviser Pak Jong Chon, who was named vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and promoted to the ruling party’s Political Bureau. Several other military officials received new posts and promotions.<h2>North Korea highlights weapons advances</h2>The leadership changes came alongside North Korean claims of fresh progress in military technology.At a ceremony on Saturday (Aug 29), Kim praised scientists and officials involved in weapons development and awarded them top national honours. KCNA said the recipients had helped in “resolving scientific and technological problems of epochal significance in developing new combat weapon systems”.The report did not identify the systems involved but said North Korea’s weapons research centre had recently developed “exclusive technologies” that could strengthen the country’s ability to wage war.Kim has continued to personally oversee weapons development. In June, he watched tests of a new extended-range multiple rocket launcher and artillery system.<h2>Military tensions remain high</h2>The reshuffle follows annual military exercises between South Korea and the United States, drills that Pyongyang routinely condemns as rehearsals for invasion.The exercises were shortened this year after US President Donald Trump criticised them as provocative and criticised Seoul over its position on the Iran war. Trump has also expressed interest in meeting Kim again, having held two summits with him during his first term.North Korea, however, has shown little interest in renewed engagement, continuing missile launches and slamming US-South Korean military cooperation.Meanwhile, South Korea, the US and Japan are preparing for their next trilateral drills, Freedom Edge, scheduled for September 7-11. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff described the exercise as “a defensive drill conducted annually by the three countries to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and safeguard peace and stability in the region.”

North Korea has dismissed Defence Minister No Kwang Chol in a military reshuffle led by Kim Jong Un, days after US-South Korea drills ended amid persistent tensions and Pyongyang’s missile threats.

North Korea has removed Defence Minister No Kwang Chol from his post in a military leadership reshuffle overseen by leader Kim Jong Un, state media reported Sunday (Aug 30), in another shake-up of the nuclear-armed country’s top command. This comes shortly after the US and South Korea concluded their annual military drills in the region. The changes were approved during a meeting led by Kim on Saturday (Aug 29), according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). No Kwang Chol was not simply replaced as defence minister but also lost seniority within the ruling Workers’ Party, taking a lower-ranking role as “first vice-director of the Munitions Industry Department.” Kim Song Gi, who heads the General Political Bureau of the Korean People’s Army, was appointed the new defence minister. The reshuffle also elevated defence adviser Pak Jong Chon, who was named vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission and promoted to the ruling party’s Political Bureau. Several other military officials received new posts and promotions. North Korea highlights weapons advances The leadership changes came alongside North Korean claims of fresh progress in military technology. At a ceremony on Saturday (Aug 29), Kim praised scientists and officials involved in weapons development and awarded them top national honours. KCNA said the recipients had helped in “resolving scientific and technological problems of epochal significance in developing new combat weapon systems”. The report did not identify the systems involved but said North Korea’s weapons research centre had recently developed “exclusive technologies” that could strengthen the country’s ability to wage war. Kim has continued to personally oversee weapons development. In June, he watched tests of a new extended-range multiple rocket launcher and artillery system. Military tensions remain high The reshuffle follows annual military exercises between South Korea and the United States, drills that Pyongyang routinely condemns as rehearsals for invasion. The exercises were shortened this year after US President Donald Trump criticised them as provocative and criticised Seoul over its position on the Iran war. Trump has also expressed interest in meeting Kim again, having held two summits with him during his first term. North Korea, however, has shown little interest in renewed engagement, continuing missile launches and slamming US-South Korean military cooperation. Meanwhile, South Korea, the US and Japan are preparing for their next trilateral drills, Freedom Edge, scheduled for September 7-11. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff described the exercise as “a defensive drill conducted annually by the three countries to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and safeguard peace and stability in the region.”

North Korea has dismissed Defence Minister No Kwang Chol in a military reshuffle led by Kim Jong Un, days after US-South Korea drills ended amid persistent tensions and Pyongyang’s missile threats.

North Korea military shake-up: Kim Jong Un replaces defence minister amid tensions over US-South Korea drills

The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods that tore through Nepal and parts of Tibet this week has climbed to nearly 700, as rescue teams battle worsening weather and treacherous terrain in a desperate search for more than 3,000 people still missing.Four days after the disaster struck, the combined toll stood at 691, following fresh figures released by Chinese authorities on Sunday. Nepal has reported 675 deaths and 2,498 people missing, while authorities in Tibet confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing.<h2>Poor weather hampers rescue operations</h2>Poor weather has repeatedly disrupted helicopter missions, complicating efforts to reach remote Himalayan communities cut off by landslides, mud and destroyed roads. In hard-hit Nuwakot district, aircraft resumed operations after a weather delay, ferrying food and other emergency supplies into isolated areas and evacuating survivors.Nepal says more than 3,700 people have been rescued so far. But the search has taken on added urgency around hydropower projects, where officials fear more than 100 workers may still be trapped inside tunnels at the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites.<h2>Search intensifies for trapped hydropower workers</h2>Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said "rescue efforts are going on in multiple tunnel sites." Teams have managed to pump air into one tunnel after breaking through thick mud, while attempts are underway to send cameras inside.Specialist rescue teams from India and China have joined Nepalese forces, while mountain rescue experts are also being deployed.Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said finding those still missing was "currently our national priority."<h2>Fresh flood fears after glacier collapse</h2>The disaster has also triggered fears of further flooding after a new lake formed high in the Himalayas following the glacier collapse believed to have caused the initial devastation. Scientists say the collapse unleashed huge volumes of rock, ice and water into river valleys below.<h2>US announces $3.6 million in aid</h2>The United States has pledged more than $3.6 million in emergency assistance to Nepal as rescue efforts continue. The funding will support immediate humanitarian needs, including food aid expected to reach up to 10,000 households. Washington has also said it is coordinating with Nepalese authorities to ensure relief supplies reach communities affected by the devastating floods.

Nepal-Tibet floods have killed 691 people and left more than 3,000 missing. Rescuers face poor weather and treacherous terrain while searching for survivors and workers trapped in tunnels.



The death toll from the catastrophic flash floods that tore through Nepal and parts of Tibet this week has climbed to nearly 700, as rescue teams battle worsening weather and treacherous terrain in a desperate search for more than 3,000 people still missing. Four days after the disaster struck, the combined toll stood at 691, following fresh figures released by Chinese authorities on Sunday. Nepal has reported 675 deaths and 2,498 people missing, while authorities in Tibet confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing. Poor weather hampers rescue operations Poor weather has repeatedly disrupted helicopter missions, complicating efforts to reach remote Himalayan communities cut off by landslides, mud and destroyed roads. In hard-hit Nuwakot district, aircraft resumed operations after a weather delay, ferrying food and other emergency supplies into isolated areas and evacuating survivors. Nepal says more than 3,700 people have been rescued so far. But the search has taken on added urgency around hydropower projects, where officials fear more than 100 workers may still be trapped inside tunnels at the Trishuli 3A and 3B sites. Search intensifies for trapped hydropower workers Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha said "rescue efforts are going on in multiple tunnel sites." Teams have managed to pump air into one tunnel after breaking through thick mud, while attempts are underway to send cameras inside. Specialist rescue teams from India and China have joined Nepalese forces, while mountain rescue experts are also being deployed. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said finding those still missing was "currently our national priority." Fresh flood fears after glacier collapse The disaster has also triggered fears of further flooding after a new lake formed high in the Himalayas following the glacier collapse believed to have caused the initial devastation. Scientists say the collapse unleashed huge volumes of rock, ice and water into river valleys below. US announces $3.6 million in aid The United States has pledged more than $3.6 million in emergency assistance to Nepal as rescue efforts continue. The funding will support immediate humanitarian needs, including food aid expected to reach up to 10,000 households. Washington has also said it is coordinating with Nepalese authorities to ensure relief supplies reach communities affected by the devastating floods.

Nepal-Tibet floods have killed 691 people and left more than 3,000 missing. Rescuers face poor weather and treacherous terrain while searching for survivors and workers trapped in tunnels.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly condemned violence by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian villages of Qusra and Jalud in the occupied West Bank.&nbsp;In a rare criticism of Israeli settlers, Netanyahu called the attacks criminal acts and said they were harming Israel's image and interfering with the military.&nbsp;"I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Qusra and Jalud by a handful of rioters who are violating the law, causing a grave injustice to the law-abiding Jewish community, interfering with the IDF in carrying out its missions, and harming Israel's standing in the world," Netanyahu said in a statement.&nbsp;His statement came after dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra on Saturday following nearly three weeks of tension in the area.<h2>Settlers attack Palestinian villages</h2>Qusra residents and the Israeli military said dozens of settlers entered the village on Saturday. The settlers allegedly threw stones at residents and barricaded themselves inside a house while Palestinian residents were inside.&nbsp;The Israeli military said soldiers and border police were sent to the area after reports of violence involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians.&nbsp;"Following reports that Israeli rioters had arrived in the area and that violent clashes had occurred, including stone-hurling toward Palestinians and additional civilians".&nbsp;Security forces removed the settlers from the house and separated the two groups. They also confiscated vehicles that were suspected of being used to reach the area.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-strike-kills-27-in-kyiv-zelensky-says-military-weapons-stored-at-site-1788016021992">Russian strike kills 27 in Kyiv, Zelensky says military weapons stored at site</a><h2>Police investigation opened</h2>The Israeli military said the confiscated vehicles would be used as evidence in a police investigation that has been opened.&nbsp;It added that security forces were continuing to operate in the area to prevent further violence and restore order.&nbsp;"The security forces strongly condemn all forms of violence," it said.&nbsp;Tensions in Qusra had already been rising for several weeks. Earlier in August, a group of settlers began blocking supplies from reaching Palestinian homes on the outskirts of the village near Nablus.The move trapped residents inside their homes and drew unusually strong criticism from the US ambassador.&nbsp;Israeli forces continued to operate in the area in the following weeks, while settlers remained in the surrounding hills.&nbsp;Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has continued for years, often with little or no legal consequence. The attacks have increased in recent months.&nbsp;More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the Palestinian territory, alongside around three million Palestinians. The settlements are illegal under international law. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

Netanyahu has condemned settler violence in Qusra and Jalud, calling the attacks criminal acts that violate the law, interfere with the IDF and harm Israel’s standing in the world.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly condemned violence by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian villages of Qusra and Jalud in the occupied West Bank. In a rare criticism of Israeli settlers, Netanyahu called the attacks criminal acts and said they were harming Israel's image and interfering with the military. "I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Qusra and Jalud by a handful of rioters who are violating the law, causing a grave injustice to the law-abiding Jewish community, interfering with the IDF in carrying out its missions, and harming Israel's standing in the world," Netanyahu said in a statement. His statement came after dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra on Saturday following nearly three weeks of tension in the area. Settlers attack Palestinian villages Qusra residents and the Israeli military said dozens of settlers entered the village on Saturday. The settlers allegedly threw stones at residents and barricaded themselves inside a house while Palestinian residents were inside. The Israeli military said soldiers and border police were sent to the area after reports of violence involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians. "Following reports that Israeli rioters had arrived in the area and that violent clashes had occurred, including stone-hurling toward Palestinians and additional civilians". Security forces removed the settlers from the house and separated the two groups. They also confiscated vehicles that were suspected of being used to reach the area. Also Read: Russian strike kills 27 in Kyiv, Zelensky says military weapons stored at site Police investigation opened The Israeli military said the confiscated vehicles would be used as evidence in a police investigation that has been opened. It added that security forces were continuing to operate in the area to prevent further violence and restore order. "The security forces strongly condemn all forms of violence," it said. Tensions in Qusra had already been rising for several weeks. Earlier in August, a group of settlers began blocking supplies from reaching Palestinian homes on the outskirts of the village near Nablus. The move trapped residents inside their homes and drew unusually strong criticism from the US ambassador. Israeli forces continued to operate in the area in the following weeks, while settlers remained in the surrounding hills. Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank has continued for years, often with little or no legal consequence. The attacks have increased in recent months. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the Palestinian territory, alongside around three million Palestinians. The settlements are illegal under international law. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

Netanyahu has condemned settler violence in Qusra and Jalud, calling the attacks criminal acts that violate the law, interfere with the IDF and harm Israel’s standing in the world.

‘I strongly condemn’: Netanyahu slams Israeli settler violence in West Bank villages

Nepal is still trying to come to terms with the devastating floods that has killed 675 people left 2,500 missing. Rescue and search operations are still on at several places. In one such operation a 97-year-old woman has been rescued alive after remaining trapped beneath rubble for several hours.&nbsp;Guna Maya Bohara was trapped under debris of her care home after floodwaters and landslides damaged the building.&nbsp;Rescue personnel from the Nepal Police and Nepal Army launched an intensive operation after locating her beneath the wreckage. For four hours the team worked to carefully clear the debris and reached the elderly woman. She was eventually brought out alive with the help of an excavator.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/shuddhikaran-row-tharoor-calls-it-deeply-entrenched-discriminatory-mindset-of-bjp-1788020195885">Shuddhikaran row: Tharoor calls it 'deeply entrenched, discriminatory mindset of BJP</a>&nbsp;Photos of 97-year-old Bohara sitting in an excavator bucket after being rescued from the rubble spread rapidly across social media. Still conscious and covered in mud, Bohara was hailed by relatives as looking like a battle-hardened warrior who had defied the odds to survive.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨🇳🇵 MIRACLE IN NEPAL! A 105-YEAR-OLD WOMAN has reportedly been rescued alive after being trapped beneath the rubble of her home for around 24 HOURS. At 105, she survived what many would never survive. 🙏❤️ ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. A TRUE MIRACLE! 🙌🇳🇵 <a href="https://t.co/AOBVJGTH0v">pic.twitter.com/AOBVJGTH0v</a>&mdash; American Nightmare 🇺🇸 (@thewakeninq) <a href="https://x.com/thewakeninq/status/2093240542855299541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Bohara is now recovering in hospital. She is unable to explain how she survived.Death toll rises&nbsp;As rescuers continue to search through mud, debris and damaged infrastructure for survivors, the death toll has reached 675 which is a sharp rise from what was estimated earlier.The US Geological Survey said the event was the deadliest disaster to hit Nepal since the 2015 earthquake.<h2>Pilgrims among the missing</h2>&nbsp;The tragedy has also affected people travelling to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a major pilgrimage destination. Several Hindu pilgrims from different countries were caught while returning from the pilgrimage. Sivaranjani Muthunathan, who was travelling with 56 others, described seeing a sudden wall of water and debris before the group scrambled to higher ground.&nbsp;

Photos of 97-year-old Bohara sitting in an excavator bucket after being rescued from the rubble spread rapidly across social media.

Nepal is still trying to come to terms with the devastating floods that has killed 675 people left 2,500 missing. Rescue and search operations are still on at several places. In one such operation a 97-year-old woman has been rescued alive after remaining trapped beneath rubble for several hours. Guna Maya Bohara was trapped under debris of her care home after floodwaters and landslides damaged the building. Rescue personnel from the Nepal Police and Nepal Army launched an intensive operation after locating her beneath the wreckage. For four hours the team worked to carefully clear the debris and reached the elderly woman. She was eventually brought out alive with the help of an excavator. ALSO READ: Shuddhikaran row: Tharoor calls it 'deeply entrenched, discriminatory mindset of BJP Photos of 97-year-old Bohara sitting in an excavator bucket after being rescued from the rubble spread rapidly across social media. Still conscious and covered in mud, Bohara was hailed by relatives as looking like a battle-hardened warrior who had defied the odds to survive.

Photos of 97-year-old Bohara sitting in an excavator bucket after being rescued from the rubble spread rapidly across social media.

Face of Nepal floods: 97-year-old pulled alive from rubble after hours-long operation

At least 27 people were killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near the western suburbs of Kyiv overnight, Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday. The attack caused a huge fire and triggered several explosions. Zelensky later said it was used to store ammunition for the military.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ukrainian prosecutors said the warehouse appeared to contain "explosive objects". They have opened an investigation into possible criminal negligence. Authorities have not given details about the facility or the material stored there.&nbsp;The attack was the second to hit a munitions depot near Kyiv in less than two months, and prompted angry calls from Ukrainian officials to stop storing munitions near residential areas.&nbsp;The incident comes as Russia and Ukraine have increased long-range attacks against each other in recent months. The strikes have caused fires and pushed civilian casualties to their highest levels since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nepal-floods-reconstruction-bill-could-run-into-billions-of-dollars-says-foreign-minister-1788014337020">Nepal floods: Reconstruction bill could run into ‘billions of dollars’, says Foreign Minister</a><h3>Zelensky demands accountability</h3>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those responsible for allowing ammunition to be stored near residential areas must be held accountable.&nbsp;"Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions... ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas," Zelensky said in a post on X.&nbsp;Zelensky later said the warehouse belonged to the Ukrainian military and contained shells, drones and other ammunition.&nbsp;"The first impact was on a place where ammunition was being stored that absolutely should not have been there, a depot of the Defence Forces. Detonation of shells, mines, other munitions, and drones. On a significant scale," Zelensky said in a video address.&nbsp;He again stressed that ammunition must not be stored close to homes or residential areas."There are regulations in place -– ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas. Appropriate conclusions will certainly be drawn," Zelensky said in a post on X.

A Russian drone strike on a warehouse near Kyiv killed at least 27 people, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying the Ukrainian military had stored shells, drones and other ammunition at the site.

At least 27 people were killed after a Russian drone struck a warehouse near the western suburbs of Kyiv overnight, Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday. The attack caused a huge fire and triggered several explosions. Zelensky later said it was used to store ammunition for the military. Ukrainian prosecutors said the warehouse appeared to contain "explosive objects". They have opened an investigation into possible criminal negligence. Authorities have not given details about the facility or the material stored there. The attack was the second to hit a munitions depot near Kyiv in less than two months, and prompted angry calls from Ukrainian officials to stop storing munitions near residential areas. The incident comes as Russia and Ukraine have increased long-range attacks against each other in recent months. The strikes have caused fires and pushed civilian casualties to their highest levels since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Also Read: Nepal floods: Reconstruction bill could run into ‘billions of dollars’, says Foreign Minister Zelensky demands accountability Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said those responsible for allowing ammunition to be stored near residential areas must be held accountable. "Those who allowed this to happen must be held accountable for their decisions... ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas," Zelensky said in a post on X. Zelensky later said the warehouse belonged to the Ukrainian military and contained shells, drones and other ammunition. "The first impact was on a place where ammunition was being stored that absolutely should not have been there, a depot of the Defence Forces. Detonation of shells, mines, other munitions, and drones. On a significant scale," Zelensky said in a video address. He again stressed that ammunition must not be stored close to homes or residential areas. "There are regulations in place -– ammunition cannot be stored near homes or other residential areas. Appropriate conclusions will certainly be drawn," Zelensky said in a post on X.

A Russian drone strike on a warehouse near Kyiv killed at least 27 people, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying the Ukrainian military had stored shells, drones and other ammunition at the site.

Russian strike kills 27 in Kyiv, Zelensky says military weapons stored at site

Young adults between 18 and 21, who are generally too young to legally gamble at most US casinos and sportsbooks, have traded an estimated $5.4 billion on Kalshi this year, according to a new CNN analysis. The surge highlights growing concerns about prediction markets, which have rapidly expanded in popularity and allow users to trade contracts tied to events ranging from sports and elections to culture and weather.&nbsp;Unlike traditional casinos and sportsbooks, which are largely regulated by individual states and typically require customers to be at least 21, prediction markets operate under federal financial-market rules. That means users can generally participate once they turn 18. The difference has prompted lawmakers, consumer advocates and addiction specialists to question whether prediction markets have created a loophole that exposes younger adults to financial risks and potentially harmful trading behavior.<h2>Sports and parlays dominate trading</h2>Sports and parlays, all-or-nothing combinations of bets that have become particularly popular among sports bettors, account for roughly 80% of Kalshi's overall trading volume. CNN's analysis estimates that users between 18 and 21 have traded approximately $3.9 billion across those categories this year alone. That figure could increase substantially as major sporting events continue to attract users.&nbsp;“Normally you’d have a big summer lull, but the World Cup changed that completely,” said Jonathan Michaels, who runs a gaming industry consulting firm. “Prediction markets will also see record numbers this fall with the football season, and that’ll certainly trickle down into college-age students.” Kalshi has recorded more than $173 billion in total trading volume so far this year, based on publicly available figures from Paradigm, a major investor in the prediction-market company.&nbsp;According to a Kalshi spokesperson, users aged 18 to 21 currently account for 3.14% of the company's overall trading volume.CNN has a partnership with Kalshi and uses its data to report on major events. CNN editorial employees are prohibited from trading on prediction markets. Kalshi declined to provide CNN with detailed figures on the amount traded or spent specifically by users aged 18 to 21.&nbsp;The company has previously highlighted several safeguards aimed at younger and potentially vulnerable users. These measures include deposit limits and warnings for accounts showing patterns associated with risky behaviour. Kalshi has also contributed $2 million to the National Council for Problem Gambling to support efforts aimed at addressing unhealthy trading and addiction.<h2>Prediction markets dominate the US</h2>Financial analysts estimated earlier this year that Kalshi controlled approximately 90% of the US prediction-market volume, making it by far the largest player in the sector. Polymarket, considered the second-largest US prediction market, declined to comment and has not publicly released trading or spending figures for users aged 18 to 21. The rapid growth of these platforms has also intensified a broader legal battle over whether sports-related prediction contracts should be treated as financial products or gambling.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-president-nitin-nabin-reprimands-three-delhi-mps-over-condoling-sajjan-kumar-s-death-1788008745797">BJP President Nitin Nabin reprimands three Delhi MPs over condoling Sajjan Kumar's death</a><h2>Legal battle over prediction markets continues</h2>Prediction platforms currently operate as federally regulated financial exchanges and, under their current regulatory framework, are generally outside state gaming laws and taxes. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversees these markets at the federal level. That regulatory structure is facing a major legal challenge, however. The effort has received support from 44 state attorneys general, dozens of Indian tribes and the casino industry.&nbsp;The American Gaming Association, which represents the casino industry, has long argued that sports contracts offered by prediction markets effectively function as unlicensed sportsbooks. The organization has pointed to Kalshi's trading figures among younger users as evidence of the concerns surrounding sports prediction contracts. “Most parents and grandparents don’t realize that the ‘prediction markets’ are offering a backdoor into sports-betting in jurisdictions where the legal betting age is 21,” AGA president Bill Miller told CNN. “This means their freshman son or daughter is prohibited from entering legal sportsbooks, but now they can just pull out their phone and use Kalshi to bet on football.”&nbsp;Supporters of prediction markets counter that the platforms are financial exchanges rather than traditional gambling operators. They also note that Americans can legally open brokerage accounts at 18 and trade stocks and other financial products that can involve significant financial risk.<h2>Calls grow for a 21+ trading age</h2>The debate has prompted some prediction-market operators to voluntarily impose a minimum age of 21, despite federal rules generally allowing participation from users aged 18 and older. Fanatics, the sports merchandising giant, launched a prediction platform last year with a 21+ requirement.&nbsp;A company spokesman previously told CNN, “We believe 21+ is the right age for any type of real-money activities.” Major sports organizations have also urged regulators to reconsider the current age requirement. The NCAA, NFL, NBA, PGA Tour and other sports leagues have called on the CFTC to increase the minimum age for prediction-market trading to 21. The agency rejected those calls and is moving toward federal regulations that would maintain the current 18+ eligibility standard.

Young adults aged 18-21 have traded an estimated $5.4 billion on Kalshi this year, raising concerns over sports betting, addiction and regulation

Young adults between 18 and 21, who are generally too young to legally gamble at most US casinos and sportsbooks, have traded an estimated $5.4 billion on Kalshi this year, according to a new CNN analysis. The surge highlights growing concerns about prediction markets, which have rapidly expanded in popularity and allow users to trade contracts tied to events ranging from sports and elections to culture and weather. Unlike traditional casinos and sportsbooks, which are largely regulated by individual states and typically require customers to be at least 21, prediction markets operate under federal financial-market rules. That means users can generally participate once they turn 18. The difference has prompted lawmakers, consumer advocates and addiction specialists to question whether prediction markets have created a loophole that exposes younger adults to financial risks and potentially harmful trading behavior. Sports and parlays dominate trading Sports and parlays, all-or-nothing combinations of bets that have become particularly popular among sports bettors, account for roughly 80% of Kalshi's overall trading volume. CNN's analysis estimates that users between 18 and 21 have traded approximately $3.9 billion across those categories this year alone. That figure could increase substantially as major sporting events continue to attract users. “Normally you’d have a big summer lull, but the World Cup changed that completely,” said Jonathan Michaels, who runs a gaming industry consulting firm. “Prediction markets will also see record numbers this fall with the football season, and that’ll certainly trickle down into college-age students.” Kalshi has recorded more than $173 billion in total trading volume so far this year, based on publicly available figures from Paradigm, a major investor in the prediction-market company. According to a Kalshi spokesperson, users aged 18 to 21 currently account for 3.14% of the company's overall trading volume. CNN has a partnership with Kalshi and uses its data to report on major events. CNN editorial employees are prohibited from trading on prediction markets. Kalshi declined to provide CNN with detailed figures on the amount traded or spent specifically by users aged 18 to 21. The company has previously highlighted several safeguards aimed at younger and potentially vulnerable users. These measures include deposit limits and warnings for accounts showing patterns associated with risky behaviour. Kalshi has also contributed $2 million to the National Council for Problem Gambling to support efforts aimed at addressing unhealthy trading and addiction. Prediction markets dominate the US Financial analysts estimated earlier this year that Kalshi controlled approximately 90% of the US prediction-market volume, making it by far the largest player in the sector. Polymarket, considered the second-largest US prediction market, declined to comment and has not publicly released trading or spending figures for users aged 18 to 21. The rapid growth of these platforms has also intensified a broader legal battle over whether sports-related prediction contracts should be treated as financial products or gambling. Also Read: BJP President Nitin Nabin reprimands three Delhi MPs over condoling Sajjan Kumar's death Legal battle over prediction markets continues Prediction platforms currently operate as federally regulated financial exchanges and, under their current regulatory framework, are generally outside state gaming laws and taxes. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversees these markets at the federal level. That regulatory structure is facing a major legal challenge, however. The effort has received support from 44 state attorneys general, dozens of Indian tribes and the casino industry. The American Gaming Association, which represents the casino industry, has long argued that sports contracts offered by prediction markets effectively function as unlicensed sportsbooks. The organization has pointed to Kalshi's trading figures among younger users as evidence of the concerns surrounding sports prediction contracts. “Most parents and grandparents don’t realize that the ‘prediction markets’ are offering a backdoor into sports-betting in jurisdictions where the legal betting age is 21,” AGA president Bill Miller told CNN. “This means their freshman son or daughter is prohibited from entering legal sportsbooks, but now they can just pull out their phone and use Kalshi to bet on football.” Supporters of prediction markets counter that the platforms are financial exchanges rather than traditional gambling operators. They also note that Americans can legally open brokerage accounts at 18 and trade stocks and other financial products that can involve significant financial risk. Calls grow for a 21+ trading age The debate has prompted some prediction-market operators to voluntarily impose a minimum age of 21, despite federal rules generally allowing participation from users aged 18 and older. Fanatics, the sports merchandising giant, launched a prediction platform last year with a 21+ requirement. A company spokesman previously told CNN, “We believe 21+ is the right age for any type of real-money activities.” Major sports organizations have also urged regulators to reconsider the current age requirement. The NCAA, NFL, NBA, PGA Tour and other sports leagues have called on the CFTC to increase the minimum age for prediction-market trading to 21. The agency rejected those calls and is moving toward federal regulations that would maintain the current 18+ eligibility standard.

Young adults aged 18-21 have traded billions on Kalshi this year, intensifying concerns over sports betting, addiction and prediction-market rules

Young adults under 21 trade billions on Kalshi amid explosive prediction market growth

Nepal may need billions of dollars to rebuild after the devastating floods that have caused widespread destruction, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Saturday (August 29). "The reconstruction and rehabilitation would entail perhaps billions of dollars," he told reporters in Kathmandu.&nbsp;Khanal said the government would first assess the damage before planning the reconstruction work. He also appealed to the international community for help.&nbsp;"We will do loss and damage research and then we plan, but I am reaching out to our international community for support".&nbsp;Three days after the disaster, the government was still focused on rescuing people and saving lives. Khanal said the scale of the destruction was already putting pressure on the government's resources."The urgency is on rescue and saving lives as much as we can", he said.&nbsp;Rescue teams have so far recovered 626 bodies, while more than 2,426 people remain missing across Nepal.<h2>Nepal seeks help to preserve bodies</h2>The government has also sought specialised support to identify and preserve the bodies recovered from the flood-hit areas.&nbsp;"We have reached out to our friends who can provide specific requirements, not only in the rescue," Khanal said.&nbsp;Many bodies have been recovered downstream after remaining in water for a long time. Officials are concerned that they could decompose quickly, making identification more difficult.&nbsp;"Hundreds of bodies have been found downstream, and there is a risk of fast decomposition because these bodies have been in water for a long time," Khanal said.&nbsp;Nepal does not have enough facilities to preserve a large number of bodies for a long period."Our own healthcare capacity is very limited to put these bodies in a frozen state for a long time," Khanal said.&nbsp;The government has therefore asked for refrigerators to preserve the bodies until families can identify and claim their loved ones.&nbsp;"So we've been asking to provide fridges until... we can locate the loved ones of these people who passed away in this disaster."&nbsp;Khanal said Nepal was also considering the use of freezer trucks to help preserve the bodies."The government was also considering bringing in "freezer trucks, like those where you can put perishable goods", he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-poster-in-tashkent-as-his-state-visit-to-uzbekistan-begins-1788012907824">PM Modi poster in Tashkent as his state visit to Uzbekistan begins</a><h2>DNA testing becomes major challenge</h2>Identifying the recovered bodies is another major challenge for the authorities. Nepal has limited forensic facilities for DNA testing and reporting.&nbsp;"We need forensic capability," he said. "DNA sampling, DNA testing and reporting -- we have very limited forensic capability in Nepal."&nbsp;The latest figures from the Nepal Police showed that the death toll from the Rasuwa Bhote Koshi flash floods had reached 669 by 4 PM on Saturday.&nbsp;Emergency teams working downstream have recovered bodies from several districts. Chitwan has reported the highest number, with 248 bodies recovered.&nbsp;Nawalparasi East has recorded 158 bodies, followed by Nawalparasi West with 75. Gorkha has reported 54 bodies, Dhading 49, Nuwakot 41, Tanahun 31 and Rasuwa 13.

Nepal's flood reconstruction could cost billions of dollars as the government seeks international help for rescue operations, body preservation and identification amid a rising death toll and thousands of missing people.

Nepal may need billions of dollars to rebuild after the devastating floods that have caused widespread destruction, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Saturday (August 29). "The reconstruction and rehabilitation would entail perhaps billions of dollars," he told reporters in Kathmandu. Khanal said the government would first assess the damage before planning the reconstruction work. He also appealed to the international community for help. "We will do loss and damage research and then we plan, but I am reaching out to our international community for support". Three days after the disaster, the government was still focused on rescuing people and saving lives. Khanal said the scale of the destruction was already putting pressure on the government's resources. "The urgency is on rescue and saving lives as much as we can", he said. Rescue teams have so far recovered 626 bodies, while more than 2,426 people remain missing across Nepal. Nepal seeks help to preserve bodies The government has also sought specialised support to identify and preserve the bodies recovered from the flood-hit areas. "We have reached out to our friends who can provide specific requirements, not only in the rescue," Khanal said. Many bodies have been recovered downstream after remaining in water for a long time. Officials are concerned that they could decompose quickly, making identification more difficult. "Hundreds of bodies have been found downstream, and there is a risk of fast decomposition because these bodies have been in water for a long time," Khanal said. Nepal does not have enough facilities to preserve a large number of bodies for a long period. "Our own healthcare capacity is very limited to put these bodies in a frozen state for a long time," Khanal said. The government has therefore asked for refrigerators to preserve the bodies until families can identify and claim their loved ones. "So we've been asking to provide fridges until... we can locate the loved ones of these people who passed away in this disaster." Khanal said Nepal was also considering the use of freezer trucks to help preserve the bodies. "The government was also considering bringing in "freezer trucks, like those where you can put perishable goods", he added. Also Read: PM Modi poster in Tashkent as his state visit to Uzbekistan begins DNA testing becomes major challenge Identifying the recovered bodies is another major challenge for the authorities. Nepal has limited forensic facilities for DNA testing and reporting. "We need forensic capability," he said. "DNA sampling, DNA testing and reporting -- we have very limited forensic capability in Nepal." The latest figures from the Nepal Police showed that the death toll from the Rasuwa Bhote Koshi flash floods had reached 669 by 4 PM on Saturday. Emergency teams working downstream have recovered bodies from several districts. Chitwan has reported the highest number, with 248 bodies recovered. Nawalparasi East has recorded 158 bodies, followed by Nawalparasi West with 75. Gorkha has reported 54 bodies, Dhading 49, Nuwakot 41, Tanahun 31 and Rasuwa 13.

Nepal's flood reconstruction could cost billions of dollars as the government seeks international help for rescue operations, body preservation and identification amid a rising death toll and thousands of missing people.

Nepal floods: Reconstruction bill could run into ‘billions of dollars’, says Foreign Minister

Oyo Nyimba, world's youngest reigning monarch of Uganda, died aged 34, his prime minster Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced on Friday (Aug 28). &nbsp;"I call upon all the people of Tooro to remain united, calm and prayerful during this profoundly difficult time. May His Majesty the King rest in eternal peace," said Akiiki while making the announcement.&nbsp;&nbsp;The monarch was reportedly on medical treatment abroad for an undisclosed condition.&nbsp;Uganda is a republic, ruled by a parliament and a nominally-elected head of state. Yoweri Museveni is the President since he took oath in 1986 but the country retains several traditional monarchies that still preside over their kingdoms. Though, their power is largely symbolic they wield considerable cultural and social influence.&nbsp;<h2>Who was Oyo Nyimba?</h2>&nbsp;<ul><li>Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was the Uganda king of the traditional pre-colonial kingdom of Tooro</li><li>As one of Uganda's traditional monarchs, he was made the king of Tooro kingdom at the age of 3 in 1995</li><li>Oyo, who held Guinness World Record for the world's youngest reigning monarch, ruled over more than two million people</li><li>He was the 13th monarch of a kingdom that was founded in the early 19th Century</li></ul>&nbsp;The Tooro Kingdom follows a hereditary system in selecting its monarch. Oyo was not officially married, which immediately raised questions about the succession. But his prime minster Akiiki said "His Majesty leaves behind a Prince as his heir, whose identity will be formally revealed at the appropriate time, in accordance with the traditions and customs of Tooro Kingdom."&nbsp;Oyo was popular and loved by is people. He is said to have promoted causes such as youth empowerment, education and climate conservation, as well as HIV/Aids awareness.&nbsp;

Oyo Nyimba who held Guinness World Record for the world's youngest reigning monarch, ruled over more than two million people.

Oyo Nyimba, world's youngest reigning monarch of Uganda, died aged 34, his prime minster Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced on Friday (Aug 28). "I call upon all the people of Tooro to remain united, calm and prayerful during this profoundly difficult time. May His Majesty the King rest in eternal peace," said Akiiki while making the announcement. The monarch was reportedly on medical treatment abroad for an undisclosed condition. Uganda is a republic, ruled by a parliament and a nominally-elected head of state. Yoweri Museveni is the President since he took oath in 1986 but the country retains several traditional monarchies that still preside over their kingdoms. Though, their power is largely symbolic they wield considerable cultural and social influence. Who was Oyo Nyimba? Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was the Uganda king of the traditional pre-colonial kingdom of Tooro As one of Uganda's traditional monarchs, he was made the king of Tooro kingdom at the age of 3 in 1995 Oyo, who held Guinness World Record for the world's youngest reigning monarch, ruled over more than two million people He was the 13th monarch of a kingdom that was founded in the early 19th Century The Tooro Kingdom follows a hereditary system in selecting its monarch. Oyo was not officially married, which immediately raised questions about the succession. But his prime minster Akiiki said "His Majesty leaves behind a Prince as his heir, whose identity will be formally revealed at the appropriate time, in accordance with the traditions and customs of Tooro Kingdom." Oyo was popular and loved by is people. He is said to have promoted causes such as youth empowerment, education and climate conservation, as well as HIV/Aids awareness.

Oyo Nyimba who held Guinness World Record for the world's youngest reigning monarch, ruled over more than two million people.

About Oyo Nyimba, world's youngest monarch who died aged 34

Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE updates: The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal has risen to 616 after a tsunami-like surge of water, ice and debris swept through the Himalayan region. Nearly 2,000 people are still unaccounted for, including 517 foreigners. The missing count rose sharply after Nepal’s disaster authority added 933 hydropower workers to the list.Across the border in Tibet, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported seven deaths and 554 people missing. Indian authorities have also recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing out of Nepal, believed to be flood victims.<h2>Death toll feared to rise</h2>The number of casualties could increase as rescue teams continue searching through areas cut off by widespread destruction. The Red Cross said as many as 93,000 people may have been affected by Wednesday's disaster.Rescue efforts have been complicated by the threat of further flooding. The massive deluge of ice and mud created temporary lakes in the region, raising fears that another sudden release of water could endanger emergency teams.Nepali police ordered rescuers to move to safety after receiving information that "a water dam has burst again on the Tibetan side". In Tibet, authorities temporarily suspended rescue operations in the hardest-hit area of Gyirong over fears of renewed flooding before later saying the threat had eased.<h2>Hydropower workers among missing</h2>The disaster has hit an area containing major hydropower projects, with hundreds of workers among those missing or trapped.At the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, around 350 workers and residents were brought to safety, while efforts continued to reach more than 100 people trapped in the area.

Guna Maya Bohara was trapped under debris of her care home after floodwaters and landslides damaged the building.

97-year-old pulled alive from rubble after hours-long operation

Nepal may need billions of dollars to rebuild after the devastating floods that have caused widespread destruction, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Saturday. "The reconstruction and rehabilitation would entail perhaps billions of dollars," he told reporters in Kathmandu.

# 669 bodies recovered so far in flood-affected areas of Nepal, 2,371 people rescued# 4,854 police personnel deployed for rescue and search operations in flood-affected areas# According to police, the number of people injured and rescued in the floods has reached 2,371# As of 4 p.m. Saturday, 669 bodies have been recovered so far# 158 bodies recovered in Nawalparasi, 75 in Nawalparasi West, 54 in Gorkha, 49 in Dhading, 41 in Nuwakot, 31 in Tanhum, 248 in Chitwan, and 13 in Rasuwa# 27 police officers are still missing from flood-affected areas# The number of injured being treated in various hospitals in the Kathmandu Valley is 140.

Nepal Flood Update

Nepal Police have confirmed 616 bodies recovered so far from recent floods, with Chitwan reporting the highest toll at 233, followed by Nepal Police East region (158), Gorkha (48), Dhading (45), Nuwakot (41), Tanahun (31), and Rasuwa (13). On the injured and rescued front, Nuwakot recorded 1,622 people, Rasuwa 676, and Dhading 3. Additionally, 140 injured individuals have been treated and discharged from various hospitals across the Kathmandu Valley, according to updated police data.

Nepal Flood Death Toll Hits 616

114 Indians, 27 Chinese citizens, and 20 South Koreans were successfully evacuated by rescue teams after the devastating flood in Nepal that claimed over 500 lives.

Total rescued nationals from India, China and South Koreans

NTB is also coordinating with diplomatic missions seeking information and assistance regarding their nationals affected by the disaster. On 28 August, Abraham Tan, First Secretary (Political) at the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore, New Delhi, and Jenny Du Toit, Counsellor (Management) and Consul at the New Zealand High Commission, New Delhi, visited NTB to seek support in tracing Singaporean and New Zealand citizens whose whereabouts remain unconfirmed. NTB assured both representatives of its full cooperation and briefed them on the ongoing efforts by the Government of Nepal and relevant agencies to locate, rescue and evacuate affected travellers. The Board is facilitating information-sharing and coordination with concerned authorities and tourism stakeholders and will extend all possible assistance as verified information becomes available. NTB, Tourist Police and tourism stakeholders continue to monitor developments and support the government-led response, with priority given to establishing the safety and whereabouts of affected travellers and facilitating timely assistance and rescue operations. It is informed that the Kathmandu-Mugling road section is now fully operational, allowing normal movement along the route. Except for a few road sections affected by the floods in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha, road networks across the rest of the country are generally operational. Tourists and travellers are advised to check the latest road and weather conditions before starting their journey, particularly when travelling through or towards the affected districts, and to follow the guidance of local authorities and security agencies.

184 Tourists have been rescued, 3 in Contact with Authorities and 420 are still out of communication. 

A group of 21 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu who were stranded by severe floods in Nepal arrived in Chennai, where state ministers Narayanasamy Anand and D Sarathkumar personally received them upon their safe arrival. Tamil Nadu minister Anand said the state government is making all the arrangements to rescue missing pilgrims.

Nepal floods: 21 Tamil Nadu rescued pilgrims arrive in Chennai

Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Saturday (August 29, 2026) expressed gratitude towards India for support and solidarity following a devastating flash flood on August 26, which killed 626 people. In an X post, Mr Paudel also condoled the demise of Indian nationals in Nepal.

Nepal President express gratitude to India for 'generous support, solidarity' after flash floods

India is stepping up monitoring of its Himalayan regions bordering China and Nepal, days after deadly floods apparently triggered by a glacial collapse, authorities said on Saturday (August 29, 2026). “Since we share a border with Nepal, as a neighbour, and also have a similar geographic situation... we have asked our department to monitor all the glaciers and known glacial lakes in the region,” said Madan Kaushik, Uttarakhand’s State Disaster Management Minister. “We have asked our teams to be vigilant and monitor if a similar situation is emerging anywhere in the state,” he said.

India steps up glacier monitoring after Nepal flash floods

On the Nepal floods, Bihar Disaster Management Minister Ratnesh Sada said, "The government is looking into this. They are assessing the situation to identify exactly who is missing and from which districts. Arrangements are being made to locate and bring them back. The government is in contact with the Nepalese authorities regarding those stranded, urging that they be moved to safe locations."

Bihar Disaster Management Minister on Nepal floods

Nepal's disaster authority raised sharply the number of missing to 2,426 on Saturday and increased the death toll in the country to 626, three days after devastating floods struck.The list includes a large rise in Nepalis listed as missing, up from a total of 1,924 the previous night. The number of missing foreigners remains at 517, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Number of missing in Nepal after flood rises to 2,426: disaster authority

Devastating floods in the Nepal-Tibet border region have killed at least 616 people, Nepali police said Saturday, three days after the disaster.Chinese state media had earlier confirmed seven dead, taking the total killed to at least 623 dead.

Nepal flood death toll rises to 616: police

The European Union on Friday promised two million euros ($2.3 mn) in aid for Nepal after devastating floods on the country's border with Tibet swept away entire villages, killing hundreds of people.European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X that the "immediate humanitarian aid" would help "deliver life-saving assistance to families and communities hit hardest."

EU pledges two million euros in Nepal flood aid

Canada said Friday it would provide CAN$5 million (US$ 3.6 million) in funding to help relief operations after devastating flooding in Nepal left hundreds dead and thousands missing."We are announcing that Canada is providing $5 million in humanitarian assistance to support emergency relief efforts in Nepal," Randeep Sarai, Canada's secretary of state for international development, told reporters.

Canada announces CAN$5 million in aid after Nepal flood

Nepal's disaster authority raised sharply the number of missing to 1,924 on Friday, two days after devastating floods that killed at least 579 in the country.The number of missing includes 517 foreigners, as well as 933 workers on hydropower projects on the rivers where a wall of water powered down on Wednesday morning, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Number of missing in Nepal after flood rises to 1,924: disaster authority

Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE updates: Death toll from devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet rises to 616, around 2,000 remain missing as rescue teams battle difficult conditions and the threat of further flooding.

Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE updates: The death toll from devastating floods in Nepal has risen to 616 after a tsunami-like surge of water, ice and debris swept through the Himalayan region. Nearly 2,000 people are still unaccounted for, including 517 foreigners. The missing count rose sharply after Nepal’s disaster authority added 933 hydropower workers to the list. Across the border in Tibet, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported seven deaths and 554 people missing. Indian authorities have also recovered seven bodies from rivers flowing out of Nepal, believed to be flood victims. Death toll feared to rise The number of casualties could increase as rescue teams continue searching through areas cut off by widespread destruction. The Red Cross said as many as 93,000 people may have been affected by Wednesday's disaster. Rescue efforts have been complicated by the threat of further flooding. The massive deluge of ice and mud created temporary lakes in the region, raising fears that another sudden release of water could endanger emergency teams. Nepali police ordered rescuers to move to safety after receiving information that "a water dam has burst again on the Tibetan side". In Tibet, authorities temporarily suspended rescue operations in the hardest-hit area of Gyirong over fears of renewed flooding before later saying the threat had eased. Hydropower workers among missing The disaster has hit an area containing major hydropower projects, with hundreds of workers among those missing or trapped. At the Trishuli 3A hydropower project, around 350 workers and residents were brought to safety, while efforts continued to reach more than 100 people trapped in the area.

Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE updates: Death toll from devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet rises to 616, around 2,000 remain missing as rescue teams battle difficult conditions and the threat of further flooding.

Nepal-Tibet floods LIVE updates: Nepal death toll crosses 600, nearly 2,500 remain missing

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged that US sanctions are putting significant pressure on the country’s economy, days after saying the latest measures from Washington would not achieve their intended goal. In an interview with Iranian state television late on Friday, Pezeshkian addressed claims that sanctions have little or no impact on Iran’s economy.&nbsp;"Some say sanctions have no effect at all; to those people, I really don't know what to say," Pezeshkian said. "We are in a war situation, and we must accept these wartime conditions," he added. The comments came days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans aimed at intensifying economic pressure on Tehran. On Monday, Bessent described the strategy as ‘economic asphyxiation’ and warned that countries failing to cooperate with the US campaign could face serious consequences.&nbsp;The latest measures add to a sanctions framework imposed by the US and its allies since 2018. That year, then-US President Donald Trump withdrew from the international nuclear agreement with Tehran and subsequently restored sweeping sanctions against Iran.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-plays-mine-games-over-hormuz-iranian-mines-gone-but-is-the-strait-safe-1788002525970">US plays ‘mine games’ over Hormuz: Iranian mines gone, but is the strait safe?</a><h2>Iran trade hit by sanctions</h2>Pezeshkian said Iran’s imports and exports have declined by between 25% and 35% in recent months, which he attributed to the growing pressure on the country’s trade and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. The economic strain has also raised concerns about fuel supplies and domestic petrol prices. Pezeshkian said petrol prices should be adjusted to reflect the decline in trade and proposed increasing the price of fuel under Iran’s highest consumption quota.&nbsp;"We should raise the price of the third-tier quota... For example, from 5,000 tomans to 10,000 tomans," he said. Iran uses multiple fuel-pricing tiers to determine how much consumers pay for petrol. The issue is politically sensitive because the country is a major oil producer and has traditionally provided heavily subsidised fuel, keeping petrol prices among the lowest in the world. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said on Wednesday that the US blockade had made it difficult for Tehran to import enough petrol to compensate for a shortfall in domestic production.<h2>Pezeshkian changes tone on sanctions</h2>Pezeshkian’s latest remarks appear to mark a shift from his position earlier in the week. On Wednesday, the Iranian president had dismissed the impact of the latest US sanctions, saying they would not succeed in changing Iran’s position. "We will stand firm against economic pressures, as we have done so far and will continue to do," Pezeshkian told state media. His latest comments, however, highlight the mounting economic challenges facing Iran as sanctions, restrictions on trade and fuel-supply concerns put additional pressure on the country’s economy.

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian admits US sanctions are hurting the economy as Iran faces falling trade, fuel shortages and pressure on petrol prices

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged that US sanctions are putting significant pressure on the country’s economy, days after saying the latest measures from Washington would not achieve their intended goal. In an interview with Iranian state television late on Friday, Pezeshkian addressed claims that sanctions have little or no impact on Iran’s economy. "Some say sanctions have no effect at all; to those people, I really don't know what to say," Pezeshkian said. "We are in a war situation, and we must accept these wartime conditions," he added. The comments came days after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans aimed at intensifying economic pressure on Tehran. On Monday, Bessent described the strategy as ‘economic asphyxiation’ and warned that countries failing to cooperate with the US campaign could face serious consequences. The latest measures add to a sanctions framework imposed by the US and its allies since 2018. That year, then-US President Donald Trump withdrew from the international nuclear agreement with Tehran and subsequently restored sweeping sanctions against Iran. Also Read: US plays ‘mine games’ over Hormuz: Iranian mines gone, but is the strait safe? Iran trade hit by sanctions Pezeshkian said Iran’s imports and exports have declined by between 25% and 35% in recent months, which he attributed to the growing pressure on the country’s trade and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. The economic strain has also raised concerns about fuel supplies and domestic petrol prices. Pezeshkian said petrol prices should be adjusted to reflect the decline in trade and proposed increasing the price of fuel under Iran’s highest consumption quota. "We should raise the price of the third-tier quota... For example, from 5,000 tomans to 10,000 tomans," he said. Iran uses multiple fuel-pricing tiers to determine how much consumers pay for petrol. The issue is politically sensitive because the country is a major oil producer and has traditionally provided heavily subsidised fuel, keeping petrol prices among the lowest in the world. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said on Wednesday that the US blockade had made it difficult for Tehran to import enough petrol to compensate for a shortfall in domestic production. Pezeshkian changes tone on sanctions Pezeshkian’s latest remarks appear to mark a shift from his position earlier in the week. On Wednesday, the Iranian president had dismissed the impact of the latest US sanctions, saying they would not succeed in changing Iran’s position. "We will stand firm against economic pressures, as we have done so far and will continue to do," Pezeshkian told state media. His latest comments, however, highlight the mounting economic challenges facing Iran as sanctions, restrictions on trade and fuel-supply concerns put additional pressure on the country’s economy.

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian admits US sanctions are hurting Iran’s economy as trade falls and fuel shortages raise concerns over petrol prices

Did Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian admit that US sanctions affecting Tehran's economy? Here's what he said

The United States says it has achieved a major breakthrough in the Strait of Hormuz. But the bigger question is whether Washington’s declaration that the crucial waterway is now free of Iranian sea mines matches the reality faced by commercial ships.US Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Thursday (Aug 27) claimed that American forces had cleared Iranian mines from internationally recognised shipping routes. “We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” he said.<h2>Did US really clear mines from Hormuz?</h2>The Pentagon’s confidence rests on an operation in which more than 200 mine-like objects were removed from the main shipping lane. However, according to an Axios report citing US officials, 11 of them were actually mines, with just a few properly deployed. That distinction matters when assessing how serious the threat was – and how much the operation has truly changed conditions.President Donald Trump offered an emphatic assessment: “That sucker is open. The Iranian response is very mild. They don’t want us to go back at them. That’s the whole ball game. The rest doesn’t matter,” he told Axios.<h2>Are US shipping claims overstated?</h2>But oil experts and tanker trackers remain sceptical of US claims that traffic has recovered as strongly as officials suggest. Washington says 20 to 30 tankers are now crossing the southern channel each night, carrying around 9 to 10 million barrels of oil. That is still only about half the pre-war volume.<h2>Iran rejects US control</h2>Iran, meanwhile, has rejected the idea that US military control guarantees lasting security. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned: “In a region where we don’t sell oil, no one else will sell oil either.”He has also argued that the security of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the “absence” of US troops.The dispute exposes the larger problem. Clearing mines may reopen a physical passage, but does it make the Strait of Hormuz genuinely secure?With tankers still reportedly coming under attack and oil flows below normal levels, Washington’s declaration of victory may be premature. The real test will not be what US officials say has been cleared – but how many ships are willing to sail through the strait.

The US says it cleared Iranian sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz, but tanker trackers and experts question Washington’s claims, raising doubts over whether the key waterway is truly safe.

The United States says it has achieved a major breakthrough in the Strait of Hormuz. But the bigger question is whether Washington’s declaration that the crucial waterway is now free of Iranian sea mines matches the reality faced by commercial ships. US Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Thursday (Aug 27) claimed that American forces had cleared Iranian mines from internationally recognised shipping routes. “We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes that were laid months ago by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” he said. Did US really clear mines from Hormuz? The Pentagon’s confidence rests on an operation in which more than 200 mine-like objects were removed from the main shipping lane. However, according to an Axios report citing US officials, 11 of them were actually mines, with just a few properly deployed. That distinction matters when assessing how serious the threat was – and how much the operation has truly changed conditions. President Donald Trump offered an emphatic assessment: “That sucker is open. The Iranian response is very mild. They don’t want us to go back at them. That’s the whole ball game. The rest doesn’t matter,” he told Axios. Are US shipping claims overstated? But oil experts and tanker trackers remain sceptical of US claims that traffic has recovered as strongly as officials suggest. Washington says 20 to 30 tankers are now crossing the southern channel each night, carrying around 9 to 10 million barrels of oil. That is still only about half the pre-war volume. Iran rejects US control Iran, meanwhile, has rejected the idea that US military control guarantees lasting security. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned: “In a region where we don’t sell oil, no one else will sell oil either.” He has also argued that the security of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the “absence” of US troops. The dispute exposes the larger problem. Clearing mines may reopen a physical passage, but does it make the Strait of Hormuz genuinely secure? With tankers still reportedly coming under attack and oil flows below normal levels, Washington’s declaration of victory may be premature. The real test will not be what US officials say has been cleared – but how many ships are willing to sail through the strait.

The US says it cleared Iranian sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz, but tanker trackers and experts question Washington’s claims, raising doubts over whether the key waterway is truly safe.

US plays ‘mine games’ over Hormuz: Iranian mines gone, but is the strait safe?

A minibus carrying churchgoers collided head-on with a truck in central Zimbabwe, killing at least 27 people, police said Saturday, in the latest deadly road crash to hit the country.The crash occurred at around 1830 GMT on Friday near Chivhu, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of the capital Harare, police said.The foreign-registered haulage truck was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with the minibus, which was carrying worshippers to a conference.Both vehicles were carrying an "unknown" number of passengers, police said. Seven people were injured in the crash.Footage shared on social media by public broadcaster ZBC showed the mangled minibus charred to a shell, with the truck coming to rest on the opposite side of the road.The crash occurred in a flat, remote stretch of road, with low vegetation lining the roadside and open terrain beyond.Traffic accidents are common in Zimbabwe, where roads are riddled with potholes due to years of underfunding and neglect, and driving standards can be poor.For everyday transport, many Zimbabweans rely on the privately run minibus taxis, known locally as kombi, but they are often criticised for overloading.In April, at least 18 people were killed when a minibus burst into flames on a highway in the south, while earlier that month a woman and her five children died when their vehicle collided with a haulage truck on another highway linking Zimbabwe and South Africa.Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Footage shared on social media showed the mangled minibus charred to a shell, with the truck coming to rest on the opposite side of the road.

A minibus carrying churchgoers collided head-on with a truck in central Zimbabwe, killing at least 27 people, police said Saturday, in the latest deadly road crash to hit the country. The crash occurred at around 1830 GMT on Friday near Chivhu, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of the capital Harare, police said. The foreign-registered haulage truck was overtaking another vehicle when it collided with the minibus, which was carrying worshippers to a conference. Both vehicles were carrying an "unknown" number of passengers, police said. Seven people were injured in the crash. Footage shared on social media by public broadcaster ZBC showed the mangled minibus charred to a shell, with the truck coming to rest on the opposite side of the road. The crash occurred in a flat, remote stretch of road, with low vegetation lining the roadside and open terrain beyond. Traffic accidents are common in Zimbabwe, where roads are riddled with potholes due to years of underfunding and neglect, and driving standards can be poor. For everyday transport, many Zimbabweans rely on the privately run minibus taxis, known locally as kombi, but they are often criticised for overloading. In April, at least 18 people were killed when a minibus burst into flames on a highway in the south, while earlier that month a woman and her five children died when their vehicle collided with a haulage truck on another highway linking Zimbabwe and South Africa. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Footage shared on social media showed the mangled minibus charred to a shell, with the truck coming to rest on the opposite side of the road.

Zimbabwe crash: 27 churchgoers killed after minibus collides with truck

A leading Dutch drug and mental health institute has issued a “Red Alert” over ecstasy pills shaped like the head of US President Donald Trump, warning that the tablets could be potentially lethal. The Trimbos Institute said on Friday (Aug 28) that several of the pills had recently been submitted to a network of drug-testing centres in the Netherlands, where users can have substances checked before taking them.“Absolutely do not use these pills,” the institute warned.Images released by Trimbos showed tablets featuring a depiction of Trump’s head on one side. The other side carried the markings “NL” and “Trump”, separated by a vertical line. The pills were found in at least green and yellow colours.Warning over dangerous chemicalAccording to the institute, the tablets contain a high concentration of para-methoxymethamphetamine, or PMMA, a substance chemically similar to MDMA, the main active ingredient in ecstasy.Trimbos warned that PMMA can take longer to produce an effect than MDMA. That delay could prompt users to take additional pills, believing the first dose had not worked, increasing the risk of a potentially fatal overdose.The institute said use of the tablets “can lead to overheating with possibly deadly consequences.”Despite the warning, Trimbos spokesperson Anniek Groothuis said there had been no confirmed reports so far of serious illness or deaths linked to the Trump-shaped pills.“We do not know of any victims where PMMA was found in their blood,” she told The Associated Press.Ecstasy remains illegal in the Netherlands, although its use is widespread, particularly in clubs and at music festivals. A Dutch government report published in 2024 estimated that around 550,000 people had used the drug during the year.The pills are also not appearing for the first time. In 2017, German police seized thousands of orange ecstasy tablets moulded in the shape of Trump’s head.

Dutch health institute Trimbos has issued a “Red Alert” over Trump-shaped ecstasy pills containing high levels of PMMA, warning they could cause overheating and potentially deadly consequences.

A leading Dutch drug and mental health institute has issued a “Red Alert” over ecstasy pills shaped like the head of US President Donald Trump, warning that the tablets could be potentially lethal. The Trimbos Institute said on Friday (Aug 28) that several of the pills had recently been submitted to a network of drug-testing centres in the Netherlands, where users can have substances checked before taking them. “Absolutely do not use these pills,” the institute warned. Images released by Trimbos showed tablets featuring a depiction of Trump’s head on one side. The other side carried the markings “NL” and “Trump”, separated by a vertical line. The pills were found in at least green and yellow colours. Warning over dangerous chemical According to the institute, the tablets contain a high concentration of para-methoxymethamphetamine, or PMMA, a substance chemically similar to MDMA, the main active ingredient in ecstasy. Trimbos warned that PMMA can take longer to produce an effect than MDMA. That delay could prompt users to take additional pills, believing the first dose had not worked, increasing the risk of a potentially fatal overdose. The institute said use of the tablets “can lead to overheating with possibly deadly consequences.” Despite the warning, Trimbos spokesperson Anniek Groothuis said there had been no confirmed reports so far of serious illness or deaths linked to the Trump-shaped pills. “We do not know of any victims where PMMA was found in their blood,” she told The Associated Press. Ecstasy remains illegal in the Netherlands, although its use is widespread, particularly in clubs and at music festivals. A Dutch government report published in 2024 estimated that around 550,000 people had used the drug during the year. The pills are also not appearing for the first time. In 2017, German police seized thousands of orange ecstasy tablets moulded in the shape of Trump’s head.

Dutch health institute Trimbos has issued a “Red Alert” over Trump-shaped ecstasy pills containing high levels of PMMA, warning they could cause overheating and potentially deadly consequences.

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