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Conservative activist Laura Loomer has claimed that negative stories about Natalie Harp, an executive assistant to US President Donald Trump, are being leaked from within the White House. Loomer, a vocal supporter of Trump, made the claim in a post on X, suggesting that some White House staff members were unhappy with Harp and jealous of her position.&nbsp;“Make no mistake, the nasty stories you’re seeing about Natalie Harp that are being posted are coming from inside the West Wing,” Loomer wrote. She alleged that some people working for Trump were driven by “professional jealousy” and were “very bothered by loyalty”.&nbsp;Loomer also questioned how details about Harp’s work and her conversations with Trump could have reached the media unless people working with her were speaking about her.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Make no mistake, the nasty stories you’re seeing about Natalie Harp that are being posted are coming from inside the West Wing. A lot of the people who work for President Trump suffer from major professional jealousy and they are very bothered by loyalty. How would anyone in…&mdash; Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) <a href="https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/2090101841488986291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-pardoned-bank-robber-jon-ponder-in-2020-now-he-is-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-inmates-1787302088988">Trump pardoned bank robber Jon Ponder in 2020; now he is accused of sexually assaulting inmates</a><h2>‘Someone who works with her must want her job’</h2>&nbsp;“How would anyone in the media know about Natalie’s work performance or have detailed accounts of her conversations with POTUS unless her colleagues are speaking badly about her?” she wrote. “Someone who works with her must want her job.” Harp has attracted increased media attention in recent months amid scrutiny of her role around Trump.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/she-has-no-official-role-questions-mount-after-hegseth-s-wife-attended-sensitive-pentagon-meeting-on-ukraine-1787299038864">‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine</a>&nbsp;Loomer, who has previously been criticised for promoting conspiracy theories online, also claimed that Trump’s administration has too many internal leakers. “There are way too many leakers in the WH,” she wrote, adding, “This is why vetting matters.” Loomer did not provide evidence to support her claims that White House staff members were behind the reports about Harp or that anyone was seeking to replace her.

Laura Loomer claimed White House staff are leaking negative stories about Donald Trump’s assistant, Natalie Harp, due to professional jealousy, though she provided no evidence for the accusations.

Conservative activist Laura Loomer has claimed that negative stories about Natalie Harp, an executive assistant to US President Donald Trump, are being leaked from within the White House. Loomer, a vocal supporter of Trump, made the claim in a post on X, suggesting that some White House staff members were unhappy with Harp and jealous of her position. “Make no mistake, the nasty stories you’re seeing about Natalie Harp that are being posted are coming from inside the West Wing,” Loomer wrote. She alleged that some people working for Trump were driven by “professional jealousy” and were “very bothered by loyalty”. Loomer also questioned how details about Harp’s work and her conversations with Trump could have reached the media unless people working with her were speaking about her.

Laura Loomer claimed White House staff are leaking negative stories about Donald Trump’s assistant, Natalie Harp, due to professional jealousy, though she provided no evidence for the accusations.

‘Someone must want her job’: Laura Loomer claims WH staff are behind ‘nasty stories’ about Trump and Natalie Harp

A Denpasar court in Bali sentenced Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, to one year in prison on Thursday after finding him guilty of insulting the island's sacred Hindu observance, Nyepi.&nbsp;The case centred on Instagram posts in which Zgraggen showed himself violating restrictions imposed during the Day of Silence. The Denpasar District Court found that he continued to publish the content after villa staff had explained the rules to him.&nbsp;Nyepi requires people across Bali to remain indoors, maintain silence and meditate. The annual observance usually takes place in March, with streets and beaches empty except for patrols enforcing the restrictions. Bali's airport closes, and internet access is switched off for the day.&nbsp;The rules cover residents and visitors regardless of their religion or nationality. People can leave their accommodation only in emergencies.&nbsp;Zgraggen shared video clips showing him walking towards a beach during the observance. In one post, he described the tradition as “crazy” and used an expletive.&nbsp;The content spread widely online and angered Balinese residents, who viewed it as disrespectful. Authorities located him after receiving public complaints and arrested him at a villa in Legian near Kuta Beach.&nbsp;Presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said the conduct had caused offence and public anger.“What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage,” said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima. “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/goons-of-bjp-after-blood-of-ashutosh-dipke-slams-bjp-criticises-rajasthan-police-1787310582399">'Will hold protest in Jaipur if arrests not made within 48 hours', threatens Dipke</a><h3>Tourist says he did not intend to offend</h3>&nbsp;Zgraggen appeared before the court when his trial began in June. He denied intending to insult either the religious observance or local residents.&nbsp;He told the court that he became frustrated after being unable to obtain food during the shutdown and said he did not fully understand how extensive the restrictions were.&nbsp;Indonesia's new criminal code allows a sentence of up to five years for the offence. The court reduced the punishment after considering his age and conduct during proceedings.&nbsp;“I deeply regret what I did; I apologise to the Balinese people,” Zgraggen said in his defence plea.Authorities have previously detained tourists for leaving their accommodation during Nyepi, but those incidents generally did not result in prosecution.

A Swiss tourist was sentenced to one year in prison by an Indonesian court for insulting the sacred Hindu observance of Nyepi through social media posts.

A Denpasar court in Bali sentenced Swiss tourist Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, to one year in prison on Thursday after finding him guilty of insulting the island's sacred Hindu observance, Nyepi. The case centred on Instagram posts in which Zgraggen showed himself violating restrictions imposed during the Day of Silence. The Denpasar District Court found that he continued to publish the content after villa staff had explained the rules to him. Nyepi requires people across Bali to remain indoors, maintain silence and meditate. The annual observance usually takes place in March, with streets and beaches empty except for patrols enforcing the restrictions. Bali's airport closes, and internet access is switched off for the day. The rules cover residents and visitors regardless of their religion or nationality. People can leave their accommodation only in emergencies. Zgraggen shared video clips showing him walking towards a beach during the observance. In one post, he described the tradition as “crazy” and used an expletive. The content spread widely online and angered Balinese residents, who viewed it as disrespectful. Authorities located him after receiving public complaints and arrested him at a villa in Legian near Kuta Beach. Presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima said the conduct had caused offence and public anger. “What the defendant did offended the Balinese people, hurt their faith and provoked public outrage,” said presiding judge Tjokorda Putra Budi Pastima. “The defendant must be held accountable for his actions.” Also Read: 'Will hold protest in Jaipur if arrests not made within 48 hours', threatens Dipke Tourist says he did not intend to offend Zgraggen appeared before the court when his trial began in June. He denied intending to insult either the religious observance or local residents. He told the court that he became frustrated after being unable to obtain food during the shutdown and said he did not fully understand how extensive the restrictions were. Indonesia's new criminal code allows a sentence of up to five years for the offence. The court reduced the punishment after considering his age and conduct during proceedings. “I deeply regret what I did; I apologise to the Balinese people,” Zgraggen said in his defence plea. Authorities have previously detained tourists for leaving their accommodation during Nyepi, but those incidents generally did not result in prosecution.

A Swiss tourist was sentenced to one year in prison by an Indonesian court for insulting the sacred Hindu observance of Nyepi through social media posts.

Swiss tourist gets 1 year in Indonesia prison for insulting Hindu holiday Nyepi

A 38-year-old woman appeared in court for duping several people by posing as a 12-year-old and getting them to take care of her. Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira was arrested in Brazil in June for the fraud. She managed to convince a couple that she was a child who then adopted her. She lived in a room full of toys and children's furnishings, got them to shell out money for her expenses and even had a 12th birthday party. She spoke like a child too, and no one suspected that she was an adult.&nbsp;When the police entered her room, she panicked and started speaking in her regular voice. Amanda has been charged with fraud and false identity. It was later revealed that she had done the same thing to many others by claiming that she had run away from her home because her father physically and sexually abused her. She used the lie to get other people to take care of her.&nbsp;A hearing happened in Joinville, in northern Santa Catarina, Brazil, where the family with whom Amanda was last living also appeared. Prosecutors told the court that Amanda met people with a fake identity, that of Gabriele Ferreira dos Santos, and claimed to be 11. She later changed her age to 12.&nbsp;&nbsp;To make her claim more convincing, Amanda used props like a baby bottle, an infantilised voice, and toys. Since she was a full-grown woman, she had to come up with a reason for her appearance. Amanda told the family that she was autistic and was forcibly given hormones. She told the police that she did not intend to defraud anyone. "It is clear that I deceived people; I lied. But I did not intend to scam anyone," she said.<h2>Amanda's lawyers argued no one suffered financial losses</h2>Her defence lawyer, Lucio Sousa, also presented the same argument, arguing she did not cheat anyone out of money and that what she did was merely a survival strategy. He added that she did not commit robbery or theft, and there were no grounds to prove fraud in the case. Amanda’s lawyer Sarita de Paiva told the media that she was simply seeking love and affection that she did not get as a child.<h2>Amanda told people she was sexually abused</h2>But the police presented others who had been deceived by Amanda over 10 years. Social worker Delma Soares said she lived with her under the name of Karolina in 2017, claiming she was being sexually preyed on. She asked Delma if she helped people affected by prostitution and child abuse. "She had the posture and behaviour of a teenager. She liked to wear children’s clothes with childish designs," the social worker said. While living with her, she started noticing signs that she was not a teenager but an adult, but had no way to prove it. People did not believe her.&nbsp;In 2023, Amanda presented herself as an autistic teenager who had suffered abuse to nutritionist Renata Magalhaes. She acted like a child and used drawings and emotional episodes to convince her into believing that she was a child. Amanda's phone search history was on "how an autistic person behaves and how to make drawings to move evangelical people," Renata said.<h2>Amanda inserted nails and wires into her own body</h2>She was once taken to the hospital with injuries caused by needles and pieces of wire. Renata said that she inserted needles into herself and later vomited them in front of her. Renata said that while people are making jokes about it, Amanda is a "fraudster, a narcissist, and a dangerous woman." Amanda duped her during the COVID-19 pandemic by telling her she was 13 years old and suffering from terminal leukaemia. Another woman even had her name tattooed on her hand after becoming close to her.&nbsp;Amanda's lawyers have requested her release, and the verdict is expected in five days.&nbsp;

The Brazilian woman who duped a family by posing as a 12-year-old has done the same to several other people in the last decade. Many others told their story about Amanda, who told them she was a child who was sexually abused.

A 38-year-old woman appeared in court for duping several people by posing as a 12-year-old and getting them to take care of her. Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira was arrested in Brazil in June for the fraud. She managed to convince a couple that she was a child who then adopted her. She lived in a room full of toys and children's furnishings, got them to shell out money for her expenses and even had a 12th birthday party. She spoke like a child too, and no one suspected that she was an adult. When the police entered her room, she panicked and started speaking in her regular voice. Amanda has been charged with fraud and false identity. It was later revealed that she had done the same thing to many others by claiming that she had run away from her home because her father physically and sexually abused her. She used the lie to get other people to take care of her. A hearing happened in Joinville, in northern Santa Catarina, Brazil, where the family with whom Amanda was last living also appeared. Prosecutors told the court that Amanda met people with a fake identity, that of Gabriele Ferreira dos Santos, and claimed to be 11. She later changed her age to 12. To make her claim more convincing, Amanda used props like a baby bottle, an infantilised voice, and toys. Since she was a full-grown woman, she had to come up with a reason for her appearance. Amanda told the family that she was autistic and was forcibly given hormones. She told the police that she did not intend to defraud anyone. "It is clear that I deceived people; I lied. But I did not intend to scam anyone," she said. Amanda's lawyers argued no one suffered financial losses Her defence lawyer, Lucio Sousa, also presented the same argument, arguing she did not cheat anyone out of money and that what she did was merely a survival strategy. He added that she did not commit robbery or theft, and there were no grounds to prove fraud in the case. Amanda’s lawyer Sarita de Paiva told the media that she was simply seeking love and affection that she did not get as a child. Amanda told people she was sexually abused But the police presented others who had been deceived by Amanda over 10 years. Social worker Delma Soares said she lived with her under the name of Karolina in 2017, claiming she was being sexually preyed on. She asked Delma if she helped people affected by prostitution and child abuse. "She had the posture and behaviour of a teenager. She liked to wear children’s clothes with childish designs," the social worker said. While living with her, she started noticing signs that she was not a teenager but an adult, but had no way to prove it. People did not believe her. In 2023, Amanda presented herself as an autistic teenager who had suffered abuse to nutritionist Renata Magalhaes. She acted like a child and used drawings and emotional episodes to convince her into believing that she was a child. Amanda's phone search history was on "how an autistic person behaves and how to make drawings to move evangelical people," Renata said. Amanda inserted nails and wires into her own body She was once taken to the hospital with injuries caused by needles and pieces of wire. Renata said that she inserted needles into herself and later vomited them in front of her. Renata said that while people are making jokes about it, Amanda is a "fraudster, a narcissist, and a dangerous woman." Amanda duped her during the COVID-19 pandemic by telling her she was 13 years old and suffering from terminal leukaemia. Another woman even had her name tattooed on her hand after becoming close to her. Amanda's lawyers have requested her release, and the verdict is expected in five days.

The Brazilian woman who duped a family by posing as a 12-year-old has done the same to several other people in the last decade. Many others told their story about Amanda, who told them she was a child who was sexually abused.

38-year-old posed as 12, played sexual victim, to dupe multiple people into taking her in

Two supercars, a Ferrari and a McLaren, were set ablaze in a suspected firebomb attack during a Pakistani wedding in Birmingham. The incident took place outside the Royal Shalimar in Sparkbrook, where around 500 guests had gathered inside for the marriage function. The two supercars were targeted on Wednesday evening after a hooded assailant allegedly threw at least three petrol bombs at the vehicles parked outside the venue.CCTV footage showed several figures dressed in black standing opposite Royal Shalimar before what appeared to be petrol bombs were thrown at the cars. The vehicles were soon engulfed in flames, while smaller fires also broke out nearby, including near the front of the venue. The footage also showed the suspected attackers fleeing after several men ran out from the venue and confronted them. Staff members rushed to tackle the flames with fire extinguishers as emergency services were called to the scene.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨🇬🇧 PETROL BOMBS TORCH SUPERCARS AT BIRMINGHAM WEDDING At least 5 incendiary devices thrown outside the Royal Shalimar in <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Birmingham?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Birmingham</a> during a wedding with ~500 guests 3 thrown at the venue &amp; 2 at luxury cars 3 men fled in a white Volkswagen Golf<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/%E3%82%B6%E3%83%8A%E3%83%AB%E3%82%AB%E3%83%B3%E3%83%89?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ザナルカンド</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/BombAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BombAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/3ZWSa6BRtw">pic.twitter.com/3ZWSa6BRtw</a>&mdash; GlobeUpdate (@Globupdate) <a href="https://x.com/Globupdate/status/2090397715553300870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Wedding guest Fahim Kayani said he was inside having his meal when he became aware of the disturbance.“I was aware of a disturbance outside. The restaurant staff responded very quickly and put the flames out using fire extinguishers before the emergency services arrived,” Kayani told the Birmingham Mail.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imran-khan-back-in-jail-after-court-ordered-hospital-visit-amid-health-concerns-1787281243352">Imran Khan back in jail after court ordered hospital visit amid health concerns</a>He said the large number of guests, including children, made the incident particularly concerning.“Everyone stayed very calm but it could have been a lot worse. There was a big wedding and lots of people around,” he said.“Young people were standing not far from the cars that were firebombed; one kicked one of the missiles away before it could roll under one of the cars. One young child was just a few metres away.”West Midlands Police said officers were called to Royal Shalimar on Highgate Road at around 8.30 pm. Three men were seen running down Mole Street before getting into a white Volkswagen Golf and driving away. No injuries were reported.A fire engine from Highgate station attended, and firefighters made one vehicle safe. Police have launched an investigation into the suspected attack.According to its website, Royal Shalimar has a capacity of more than 1,000 guests and describes itself as contributing to Birmingham being the “hub of multiculturalism”.&nbsp;

A Ferrari and McLaren were firebombed outside a Pakistani wedding in Birmingham, where around 500 guests were inside. CCTV showed hooded men fleeing after petrol bombs were thrown at the cars.

Two supercars, a Ferrari and a McLaren, were set ablaze in a suspected firebomb attack during a Pakistani wedding in Birmingham. The incident took place outside the Royal Shalimar in Sparkbrook, where around 500 guests had gathered inside for the marriage function. The two supercars were targeted on Wednesday evening after a hooded assailant allegedly threw at least three petrol bombs at the vehicles parked outside the venue. CCTV footage showed several figures dressed in black standing opposite Royal Shalimar before what appeared to be petrol bombs were thrown at the cars. The vehicles were soon engulfed in flames, while smaller fires also broke out nearby, including near the front of the venue. The footage also showed the suspected attackers fleeing after several men ran out from the venue and confronted them. Staff members rushed to tackle the flames with fire extinguishers as emergency services were called to the scene.

A Ferrari and McLaren were firebombed outside a Pakistani wedding in Birmingham, where around 500 guests were inside. CCTV showed hooded men fleeing after petrol bombs were thrown at the cars.

WATCH | Ferrari, McLaren petrol-bombed at Pakistani wedding in Birmingham, CCTV footage captures scary visuals

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has stirred controversy after sharing a video showing the construction of a facility intended to carry out death sentences against Palestinians convicted of terrorism. In the video, Ben-Gvir visits the unidentified site, believed to be near a prison, and points to construction work while saying it is where “terrorists will be executed”. He also said the complex would include viewing areas where victims’ families could watch executions.“I promised to worsen the conditions of terrorists in prisons – we kept it,” Ben-Gvir said. “I promised to pass the Death Penalty for Terrorists law – we did. And now the death row and hanging facility are also starting to take shape.”The facility follows legislation passed by Israel’s Knesset earlier this year that makes the death penalty mandatory in military courts for certain offences, unless judges determine that special circumstances warrant life imprisonment.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-denies-military-presence-at-syrian-base-struck-by-israel-what-we-know-1787222281891">Turkey denies military presence at Syrian base struck by Israel – What we know</a>Critics have accused the legislation of discriminating against Palestinians because it applies to Palestinians tried in military courts but does not operate in the same way for Jewish Israelis. The law applies to murder committed with the “intent to deny the existence of the state of Israel”.The legislation has faced international criticism, with Amnesty International describing it as a measure that undermines safeguards protecting the right to life and a fair trial.Ben-Gvir has long been a controversial figure, with past convictions linked to incitement to racism and support for the banned Kach movement. He has also faced sanctions from several European countries.His latest post comes amid renewed international criticism over his remarks advocating targeted killings in Gaza. France, Germany and the United Nations have condemned his comments.The controversy also coincides with growing criticism of Israel over settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including plans for development in the E1 area near Jerusalem.

Israel’s far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video showing a new gallows facility for Palestinians convicted of terror offences, sparking fresh international condemnation.

Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has stirred controversy after sharing a video showing the construction of a facility intended to carry out death sentences against Palestinians convicted of terrorism. In the video, Ben-Gvir visits the unidentified site, believed to be near a prison, and points to construction work while saying it is where “terrorists will be executed”. He also said the complex would include viewing areas where victims’ families could watch executions. “I promised to worsen the conditions of terrorists in prisons – we kept it,” Ben-Gvir said. “I promised to pass the Death Penalty for Terrorists law – we did. And now the death row and hanging facility are also starting to take shape.” The facility follows legislation passed by Israel’s Knesset earlier this year that makes the death penalty mandatory in military courts for certain offences, unless judges determine that special circumstances warrant life imprisonment. Also read | Turkey denies military presence at Syrian base struck by Israel – What we know Critics have accused the legislation of discriminating against Palestinians because it applies to Palestinians tried in military courts but does not operate in the same way for Jewish Israelis. The law applies to murder committed with the “intent to deny the existence of the state of Israel”. The legislation has faced international criticism, with Amnesty International describing it as a measure that undermines safeguards protecting the right to life and a fair trial. Ben-Gvir has long been a controversial figure, with past convictions linked to incitement to racism and support for the banned Kach movement. He has also faced sanctions from several European countries. His latest post comes amid renewed international criticism over his remarks advocating targeted killings in Gaza. France, Germany and the United Nations have condemned his comments. The controversy also coincides with growing criticism of Israel over settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including plans for development in the E1 area near Jerusalem.

Israel’s far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shared a video showing a new gallows facility for Palestinians convicted of terror offences, sparking fresh international condemnation.

Gallows for Palestinians? Israel’s Ben-Gvir faces backlash for sharing video of ‘hanging facility’

Bangladesh is open to joining a Saudi Arabia-led economic or defence framework involving Pakistan and Turkiye, while weighing its own national interests and changes in global trade and the economy, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir said on Thursday (Aug 20).&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/treachery-of-puppet-rulers-iran-s-hardline-newspaper-rails-against-mecca-defence-pact-accuses-muslim-leaders-of-abandoning-palestinians-1786429230978">‘Treachery of puppet rulers’: Iran’s hardline newspaper rails against Mecca defence pact, accuses Muslim leaders of abandoning Palestinians</a>&nbsp;“Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade,” Kabir said in an interview.&nbsp;Also read <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fake-news-mea-rejects-report-claiming-india-sought-defence-pact-with-israel-after-pakistan-saudi-arabia-turkey-deal-1786126942881">‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal</a>&nbsp;Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed a joint defence pact in Mecca earlier this month, committing to consider an armed attack against any one of the three countries as an attack against all three. Bangladesh’s position comes as Dhaka seeks to expand its diplomatic and economic engagement with several countries, including Pakistan and China.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/security-can-t-be-bought-with-pakistan-turkey-deal-iran-tells-saudi-arabia-1786115733935">'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;Kabir said Bangladesh was strengthening relations with Islamabad, particularly through trade and people-to-people connectivity, describing the move as part of normal diplomatic engagement.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-why-did-saudi-arabia-pakistan-and-t-rkiye-decide-to-strengthen-their-defence-partnership-now-1786273153202">EXPLAINED: Why did Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye decide to strengthen their defence partnership now?</a>&nbsp;He also said relations between Bangladesh and China had reached “a new height”, with Dhaka seeking deeper engagement with Beijing while avoiding geopolitical pressure. He pointed to the two countries’ “Two Plus Two” mechanism and comprehensive partnership as part of the growing relationship.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/don-t-trust-israel-syria-challenges-israeli-claims-after-airstrikes-hit-military-airbase-over-alleged-turkish-presence-1787235011676">‘Don’t trust Israel’: Syria challenges Israeli claims after airstrikes hit military airbase over alleged Turkish presence</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bangladesh is open to joining a Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye defence and economic pact, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir announced, citing national interests alongside deepening diplomatic ties with China and Pakistan.  

Bangladesh is open to joining a Saudi Arabia-led economic or defence framework involving Pakistan and Turkiye, while weighing its own national interests and changes in global trade and the economy, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir said on Thursday (Aug 20). Also read: ‘Treachery of puppet rulers’: Iran’s hardline newspaper rails against Mecca defence pact, accuses Muslim leaders of abandoning Palestinians “Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade,” Kabir said in an interview. Also read ‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed a joint defence pact in Mecca earlier this month, committing to consider an armed attack against any one of the three countries as an attack against all three. Bangladesh’s position comes as Dhaka seeks to expand its diplomatic and economic engagement with several countries, including Pakistan and China. Also read: 'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia Kabir said Bangladesh was strengthening relations with Islamabad, particularly through trade and people-to-people connectivity, describing the move as part of normal diplomatic engagement. Also read: EXPLAINED: Why did Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye decide to strengthen their defence partnership now? He also said relations between Bangladesh and China had reached “a new height”, with Dhaka seeking deeper engagement with Beijing while avoiding geopolitical pressure. He pointed to the two countries’ “Two Plus Two” mechanism and comprehensive partnership as part of the growing relationship. Also read: ‘Don’t trust Israel’: Syria challenges Israeli claims after airstrikes hit military airbase over alleged Turkish presence

Bangladesh is open to joining a Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkiye defence and economic pact, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir announced, citing national interests alongside deepening diplomatic ties with China and Pakistan. &nbsp;

Bangladesh may join Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye defence pact, citing ‘national interest’

US First Lady Melania Trump made a rare joke about her long absence from the public eye on Thursday (Aug 20), opening a White House event with a line that immediately drew attention to the speculation surrounding her low public profile. "Good afternoon. I heard you missed me. Here I am," Melania said with a chuckle as she addressed guests in the White House Rose Garden.The 56-year-old first lady had not been seen publicly since the FIFA World Cup final on July 19. She had also skipped several other high-profile appearances, including the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner on July 24.Her latest appearance came as the White House was also facing questions over President Donald Trump's close aide Natalie Harp, who was among the people involved in Trump's secret aircraft switch during his Turkey trip.Melania's public persona has generally been marked by a reserved, formal style, making moments when she uses humour or reacts spontaneously particularly noticeable.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-want-to-destroy-fbi-charges-35-year-old-jessica-bowie-with-isis-inspired-plot-to-bomb-new-york-capitol-kill-the-senators-1787272657507">'I want to destroy...': FBI charges 35-year-old woman with ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York Capitol, 'kill the senators'</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">&#39;I heard you missed me&#39;: Melania Trump ends month- long public absence, announces a $2 million Fox Corporation-IndyCar partnership for a scholarship initiative for foster children <a href="https://x.com/kripatistic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kripatistic</a> gets you more <a href="https://t.co/aqxgpLhkkI">pic.twitter.com/aqxgpLhkkI</a>&mdash; WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://x.com/WIONews/status/2090712881264562277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>'Empathy' moment that left White House crowd laughing</h2>One of the most widely discussed examples came in May, when Melania praised her husband during an event honouring military mothers."Most know my husband as the strong Commander in Chief, but his empathy transcends the role and shapes a caring leader," she said.The room broke into laughter as she delivered the line, while Trump himself smiled. The moment quickly spread online and became one of the more unusual lighthearted moments of her second term.<h2>'The robots are here'</h2>Another memorable appearance came during a White House technology event in June, when Melania spoke about robotics and artificial intelligence alongside a humanoid robot.Her highly formal delivery, followed by the line "The robots are here", became a viral moment and was picked up by late-night comedy programmes.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-rejects-us-call-to-isolate-iran-says-sanctions-and-pressure-will-not-resolve-conflict-1787299284181">China rejects US call to isolate Iran, says 'sanctions and pressure' will not resolve conflict</a><h2>Taking the joke in 2016</h2>Melania has also shown that she can play along with political humour. At the 2016 Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, Trump joked about the controversy surrounding her Republican National Convention speech and its similarity to Michelle Obama's earlier remarks.Trump said the media had praised Michelle Obama while criticising Melania for delivering "the exact same speech". Melania, seated behind him, smiled and laughed as the joke landed.&nbsp;

Melania Trump has returned to the White House spotlight after weeks away, opening an event with an unusually playful remark about her absence. Her "I heard you missed me" line immediately drew attention.

US First Lady Melania Trump made a rare joke about her long absence from the public eye on Thursday (Aug 20), opening a White House event with a line that immediately drew attention to the speculation surrounding her low public profile. "Good afternoon. I heard you missed me. Here I am," Melania said with a chuckle as she addressed guests in the White House Rose Garden. The 56-year-old first lady had not been seen publicly since the FIFA World Cup final on July 19. She had also skipped several other high-profile appearances, including the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner on July 24. Her latest appearance came as the White House was also facing questions over President Donald Trump's close aide Natalie Harp, who was among the people involved in Trump's secret aircraft switch during his Turkey trip. Melania's public persona has generally been marked by a reserved, formal style, making moments when she uses humour or reacts spontaneously particularly noticeable. Also read | 'I want to destroy...': FBI charges 35-year-old woman with ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York Capitol, 'kill the senators'

Melania Trump has returned to the White House spotlight after weeks away, opening an event with an unusually playful remark about her absence. Her "I heard you missed me" line immediately drew attention.

Where was Melania? Trump’s wife returns after weeks with cheeky 'missed me' joke: Her rare moments of humour in public

Donald Trump’s 2020 pardon of former bank robber Jon Ponder described him as “a source of inspiration” for inmates seeking to rebuild their lives after prison. But four years later, Ponder, 60, has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting inmates, becoming the latest recipient of a Trump pardon to face new criminal charges.&nbsp;Ponder faces 20 charges, including one count of sexual assault, seven counts of unauthorised custodial contact, one count of attempted coercion and 11 gross misdemeanour charges. Several incarcerated women have accused him of using his position at his non-profit organisation, HOPE for Prisoners, to solicit sex and make inappropriate advances.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/she-has-no-official-role-questions-mount-after-hegseth-s-wife-attended-sensitive-pentagon-meeting-on-ukraine-1787299038864">‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine</a>&nbsp;According to arrest reports, at least four women accused Ponder of soliciting oral sex and phone sex while they were incarcerated. Police said they called Ponder seven times on Tuesday, but he did not answer and refused to leave his home as investigators attempted to search the property. Officers reportedly found 1.3 grams of methamphetamine at the residence.&nbsp;Ponder was later arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Centre. He was due to make his first court appearance on Thursday (Aug 20). Ponder pleaded guilty to bank robbery in 2005 and served a 63-month prison sentence, according to the White House. Trump pardoned him in 2020 during the second night of the Republican National Convention.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-are-all-that-matters-to-me-natalie-harp-s-letter-to-trump-fuels-affair-rumours-this-is-what-she-wrote-1787209687067">‘You are all that matters to me’: Natalie Harp’s letter to Trump fuels affair rumours. This is what she wrote</a>&nbsp;His case is among a growing list of Trump pardon recipients who have subsequently been arrested or charged with new offences. The list includes nearly 100 people pardoned over crimes connected to the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, with some later facing sex-related charges, including allegations involving sexual assault and possession of child pornography.&nbsp;

Former bank robber Jon Ponder, pardoned by Donald Trump in 2020, was arrested in Clark County on 20 charges, including sexual assault involving incarcerated women and drug possession.

Donald Trump’s 2020 pardon of former bank robber Jon Ponder described him as “a source of inspiration” for inmates seeking to rebuild their lives after prison. But four years later, Ponder, 60, has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting inmates, becoming the latest recipient of a Trump pardon to face new criminal charges. Ponder faces 20 charges, including one count of sexual assault, seven counts of unauthorised custodial contact, one count of attempted coercion and 11 gross misdemeanour charges. Several incarcerated women have accused him of using his position at his non-profit organisation, HOPE for Prisoners, to solicit sex and make inappropriate advances. Also read: ‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine According to arrest reports, at least four women accused Ponder of soliciting oral sex and phone sex while they were incarcerated. Police said they called Ponder seven times on Tuesday, but he did not answer and refused to leave his home as investigators attempted to search the property. Officers reportedly found 1.3 grams of methamphetamine at the residence. Ponder was later arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Centre. He was due to make his first court appearance on Thursday (Aug 20). Ponder pleaded guilty to bank robbery in 2005 and served a 63-month prison sentence, according to the White House. Trump pardoned him in 2020 during the second night of the Republican National Convention. Also read: ‘You are all that matters to me’: Natalie Harp’s letter to Trump fuels affair rumours. This is what she wrote His case is among a growing list of Trump pardon recipients who have subsequently been arrested or charged with new offences. The list includes nearly 100 people pardoned over crimes connected to the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, with some later facing sex-related charges, including allegations involving sexual assault and possession of child pornography.

Former bank robber Jon Ponder, pardoned by Donald Trump in 2020, was arrested in Clark County on 20 charges, including sexual assault involving incarcerated women and drug possession.

Trump pardoned bank robber Jon Ponder in 2020; now he is accused of sexually assaulting inmates

China on Friday (Aug 21) rejected the United States' push for countries, including Beijing, to help isolate Iran's economy, saying "sanctions and pressure" would not resolve the conflict in the Middle East. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called for a political and diplomatic solution as Washington steps up economic pressure on Tehran. "Sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue," Lin told reporters at a briefing. He urged "all relevant parties to take responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means".Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit the White House on September 24.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-crushing-economic-campaign-against-iran-threatens-allies-with-tremendous-penalties-1787186991774">Trump announces ‘crushing’ economic campaign against Iran, threatens allies with ‘tremendous’ penalties</a><h2>US pressuring allies to support Iran economic pressure campaign</h2>The response came a day after the United States called on its allies and China to join President Donald Trump's campaign to isolate Iran economically.Trump had announced what he described as the "MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY", promising unprecedented economic warfare and isolation against Tehran.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has since reinforced the message, warning countries that continue economic ties with Iran could face consequences. "Any remaining tie to Tehran will hasten a nation's economic oblivion, whether that tie be purposefully constructed or willfully ignored," Bessent said on X.Washington has not yet detailed the full scope of the measures. Bessent said further details would be provided during a press conference on Monday. Asked about pressure on China, Bessent said some discussions were better conducted privately, while urging Beijing to "get with the program".Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uae-suspends-trade-with-iran-accuses-it-of-targeting-gulf-shipping-tehran-calls-claim-baseless-1787100695124">UAE suspends trade with Iran, accuses it of targeting Gulf shipping; Tehran calls claim baseless</a><h2>Iran calls US sanctions 'economic terrorism'</h2>Tehran has rejected the US campaign, accusing Washington of using economic pressure to divert attention from its own problems. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the proposed campaign as a diversion from what he called America's "unprecedented debt &amp; surging interest costs".Iran's Foreign Ministry went further, describing US sanctions as "economic terrorism" and "crimes against humanity".

Washington is pressing China to join its campaign against Iran, but Beijing is pushing back. China's latest response comes just weeks before Xi Jinping is due to meet Donald Trump at the White House.

China on Friday (Aug 21) rejected the United States' push for countries, including Beijing, to help isolate Iran's economy, saying "sanctions and pressure" would not resolve the conflict in the Middle East. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian called for a political and diplomatic solution as Washington steps up economic pressure on Tehran. "Sanctions and pressure will not help resolve the issue," Lin told reporters at a briefing. He urged "all relevant parties to take responsible measures and resolve the problem through political and diplomatic means". Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit the White House on September 24. Also read | Trump announces ‘crushing’ economic campaign against Iran, threatens allies with ‘tremendous’ penalties US pressuring allies to support Iran economic pressure campaign The response came a day after the United States called on its allies and China to join President Donald Trump's campaign to isolate Iran economically. Trump had announced what he described as the "MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY", promising unprecedented economic warfare and isolation against Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has since reinforced the message, warning countries that continue economic ties with Iran could face consequences. "Any remaining tie to Tehran will hasten a nation's economic oblivion, whether that tie be purposefully constructed or willfully ignored," Bessent said on X. Washington has not yet detailed the full scope of the measures. Bessent said further details would be provided during a press conference on Monday. Asked about pressure on China, Bessent said some discussions were better conducted privately, while urging Beijing to "get with the program". Also read | UAE suspends trade with Iran, accuses it of targeting Gulf shipping; Tehran calls claim baseless Iran calls US sanctions 'economic terrorism' Tehran has rejected the US campaign, accusing Washington of using economic pressure to divert attention from its own problems. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the proposed campaign as a diversion from what he called America's "unprecedented debt & surging interest costs". Iran's Foreign Ministry went further, describing US sanctions as "economic terrorism" and "crimes against humanity".

Washington is pressing China to join its campaign against Iran, but Beijing is pushing back. China's latest response comes just weeks before Xi Jinping is due to meet Donald Trump at the White House.

China rejects US call to isolate Iran, says 'sanctions and pressure' will not resolve conflict

The US Army has decided to phase out a drone unit that was studying and incorporating lessons from foreign wars. The move also includes the use of uncrewed systems in the Russia-Ukraine war. The infantry battalion, known as the Unmanned Assault Battalion, is set to participate in the Joint Multinational Readiness Centre in the coming days in Germany. In response, the official confirmed that the battalion will “refocus on its core warfighting tasks as an airborne infantry battalion assigned to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne),” after the exercises. It also said that the US Army Europe and Africa, with the Army and U.S. European Command's backup, tasked the infantry battalion to prototype an employment concept for a tactical unmanned systems battalion. The unit had also been backed by Gen. Chris Donahue, former commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, whose ouster by Hegseth in July split opinion among Republican lawmakers in Congress. The Army declined to respond to The Hill's request for comment. Military experts criticised the move to phase out the unit, noting that Ukraine serves as a live "battle lab" for understanding how drone warfare is reshaping modern combat, home to some of the world's most seasoned drone operators, who continue refining their tactics under constant Russian assault.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/she-has-no-official-role-questions-mount-after-hegseth-s-wife-attended-sensitive-pentagon-meeting-on-ukraine-1787299038864">‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine</a> “The U.S. is behind in adopting and fielding small drones. While the Pentagon is planning a massive investment in small drones, procurement is not enough to close this gap. There is a risk that the U.S. Army invests in the wrong types of drones or obsolete technology and doesn’t learn how to employ them effectively on a highly contested battlefield,” Stacie Pettyjohn, a senior fellow and director of the defence program at the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS), said on Thursday. “The experience of a recent exercise in Europe … in which the Ukrainians beat U.S. Army forces, shows that the U.S. has a lot to learn,” added Pettyjohn, a US defence strategy expert. “The Pentagon should be taking every opportunity to learn from the Ukraine war. The Russians, Chinese and North Koreans certainly are.”<h3>‘Confusing moves’&nbsp;</h3>Cameron McMillan, who previously served as a counter-rocket, artillery and mortar battle captain in Iraq, described the phaseout as one of several confusing moves by the Army in recent months, also citing the relocation or withdrawal of units and commands built for large-scale ground combat in Europe to regions where such capabilities are less critical. “As the Iran war has demonstrated, the U.S. Army has a significant gap in drone defence capability, capacity and doctrine. In the Middle East, that challenge is largely defending static bases against long-range one-way-attack … drones. But in Europe, the counterdrone challenge is much greater,” and includes defending against smaller first-person view drones, McMillan, now a senior research analyst at the Centre on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, said on Thursday. “This drone unit was designed to incorporate and apply desperately needed lessons learned from Ukraine to help the U.S. Army adapt to this challenge, "McMillan added. After the war between the US and Iran started in late February, the importance of drone warfare in modern conflicts was noted as Iran was launching scores of one-way attack drones, striking US bases in the Persian Gulf region.

 The official confirmed that the battalion will “refocus on its core warfighting tasks as an airborne infantry battalion assigned to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne),” after the exercises.

The US Army has decided to phase out a drone unit that was studying and incorporating lessons from foreign wars. The move also includes the use of uncrewed systems in the Russia-Ukraine war. The infantry battalion, known as the Unmanned Assault Battalion, is set to participate in the Joint Multinational Readiness Centre in the coming days in Germany. In response, the official confirmed that the battalion will “refocus on its core warfighting tasks as an airborne infantry battalion assigned to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne),” after the exercises. It also said that the US Army Europe and Africa, with the Army and U.S. European Command's backup, tasked the infantry battalion to prototype an employment concept for a tactical unmanned systems battalion. The unit had also been backed by Gen. Chris Donahue, former commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, whose ouster by Hegseth in July split opinion among Republican lawmakers in Congress. The Army declined to respond to The Hill's request for comment. Military experts criticised the move to phase out the unit, noting that Ukraine serves as a live "battle lab" for understanding how drone warfare is reshaping modern combat, home to some of the world's most seasoned drone operators, who continue refining their tactics under constant Russian assault. Also read: ‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine “The U.S. is behind in adopting and fielding small drones. While the Pentagon is planning a massive investment in small drones, procurement is not enough to close this gap. There is a risk that the U.S. Army invests in the wrong types of drones or obsolete technology and doesn’t learn how to employ them effectively on a highly contested battlefield,” Stacie Pettyjohn, a senior fellow and director of the defence program at the Centre for a New American Security (CNAS), said on Thursday. “The experience of a recent exercise in Europe … in which the Ukrainians beat U.S. Army forces, shows that the U.S. has a lot to learn,” added Pettyjohn, a US defence strategy expert. “The Pentagon should be taking every opportunity to learn from the Ukraine war. The Russians, Chinese and North Koreans certainly are.” ‘Confusing moves’ Cameron McMillan, who previously served as a counter-rocket, artillery and mortar battle captain in Iraq, described the phaseout as one of several confusing moves by the Army in recent months, also citing the relocation or withdrawal of units and commands built for large-scale ground combat in Europe to regions where such capabilities are less critical. “As the Iran war has demonstrated, the U.S. Army has a significant gap in drone defence capability, capacity and doctrine. In the Middle East, that challenge is largely defending static bases against long-range one-way-attack … drones. But in Europe, the counterdrone challenge is much greater,” and includes defending against smaller first-person view drones, McMillan, now a senior research analyst at the Centre on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, said on Thursday. “This drone unit was designed to incorporate and apply desperately needed lessons learned from Ukraine to help the U.S. Army adapt to this challenge, "McMillan added. After the war between the US and Iran started in late February, the importance of drone warfare in modern conflicts was noted as Iran was launching scores of one-way attack drones, striking US bases in the Persian Gulf region.

&nbsp;The official confirmed that the battalion will “refocus on its core warfighting tasks as an airborne infantry battalion assigned to a Mobile Brigade Combat Team (Airborne),” after the exercises.

US Army to phase out unit tasked with adapting drone lessons from Russia-Ukraine war: Here's why

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting involving British officials and discussions about the risks facing UK personnel in Ukraine. Her presence at the high-level gathering has raised questions.&nbsp;Jennifer Rauchet, who had no official role in the Trump administration at the time, attended the meeting only for introductions, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told The Times in response to its report published on Wednesday (Aug 19). British officials reportedly waited for Rauchet to leave before discussing their officers stationed in Ukraine in greater detail, according to the newspaper.&nbsp;The meeting included senior British officials, including the then-head of the UK armed forces. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on Rauchet’s attendance in March 2025, but The Times reported that the gathering also involved discussions about British personnel operating on the ground in Ukraine amid the war with Russia.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/never-thought-they-were-going-to-betray-me-like-this-ex-cia-informant-who-helped-in-intel-on-osama-bin-laden-faces-deportation-1787211814870">‘Never thought they were going to betray me like this’: Ex-CIA informant who helped in intel on Osama bin Laden faces deportation</a>&nbsp;The episode has drawn criticism from former Pentagon officials. John Ullyot, who previously served as the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, told The Times that it was “bonkers” for a defence secretary to involve his wife in sensitive official duties.&nbsp;Ullyot also argued that US President Donald Trump “deserves better judgment from his national security leaders” and questioned why Hegseth had faced no apparent consequences over Rauchet’s presence at sensitive meetings.&nbsp;He also referred to other controversies involving Hegseth, including the Signal group chat incident last year in which senior Trump administration officials discussed planned US strikes on Yemen in a group that accidentally included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-natalie-harp-trump-s-human-printer-is-making-headlines-again-here-s-why-1787024735322">Who is Natalie Harp? Trump’s ‘human printer’ is making headlines again. Here’s why</a>&nbsp;The Pentagon pushed back against Ullyot’s criticism. Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez accused him of attacking Hegseth after leaving the administration, calling his comments embarrassing. Valdez also shared a post by Donald Trump J., who had previously said Ullyot was “officially exiled from our movement” after he left the Pentagon in April 2025.&nbsp;

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faces criticism after his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting with British officials regarding UK personnel in Ukraine despite lacking an official role.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s wife attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting involving British officials and discussions about the risks facing UK personnel in Ukraine. Her presence at the high-level gathering has raised questions. Jennifer Rauchet, who had no official role in the Trump administration at the time, attended the meeting only for introductions, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told The Times in response to its report published on Wednesday (Aug 19). British officials reportedly waited for Rauchet to leave before discussing their officers stationed in Ukraine in greater detail, according to the newspaper. The meeting included senior British officials, including the then-head of the UK armed forces. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported on Rauchet’s attendance in March 2025, but The Times reported that the gathering also involved discussions about British personnel operating on the ground in Ukraine amid the war with Russia. Also read: ‘Never thought they were going to betray me like this’: Ex-CIA informant who helped in intel on Osama bin Laden faces deportation The episode has drawn criticism from former Pentagon officials. John Ullyot, who previously served as the Pentagon’s chief spokesperson, told The Times that it was “bonkers” for a defence secretary to involve his wife in sensitive official duties. Ullyot also argued that US President Donald Trump “deserves better judgment from his national security leaders” and questioned why Hegseth had faced no apparent consequences over Rauchet’s presence at sensitive meetings. He also referred to other controversies involving Hegseth, including the Signal group chat incident last year in which senior Trump administration officials discussed planned US strikes on Yemen in a group that accidentally included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief. Also read: Who is Natalie Harp? Trump’s ‘human printer’ is making headlines again. Here’s why The Pentagon pushed back against Ullyot’s criticism. Acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez accused him of attacking Hegseth after leaving the administration, calling his comments embarrassing. Valdez also shared a post by Donald Trump J., who had previously said Ullyot was “officially exiled from our movement” after he left the Pentagon in April 2025.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth faces criticism after his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, attended a sensitive Pentagon meeting with British officials regarding UK personnel in Ukraine despite lacking an official role.

‘She has no official role’: Questions mount after Hegseth’s wife attended sensitive Pentagon meeting on Ukraine

Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.According to the report, the Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker MT Sibu-1 was seized in the Gulf of Aden on August 20, around 30 nautical miles off Yemen. The vessel was carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians. Six armed pirates are now believed to be onboard and have taken control of the tanker, according to a senior shipping ministry official.The crew also includes nationals from Syria, Sudan and Iraq, while the nationality of one seafarer remains unconfirmed.The shipping ministry said the vessel’s recruitment agency, S K S Krishi Marine Services, has been directed to file an incident report and provide regular updates through the e-Navik marine casualty reporting system.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-denies-military-presence-at-syrian-base-struck-by-israel-what-we-know-1787222281891">Turkey denies military presence at Syrian base struck by Israel – What we know</a>A separate incident took place on August 17 off Somalia’s Puntland coast when the Cameroon-flagged M/V LUTUF was boarded by eight armed pirates. Six Indians are among its 10 crew members.“The vessel is reported to have been boarded by eight pirates, armed with AK-47 type weapons and operating from two skiffs,” the official said.The crew initially took shelter in the vessel’s citadel, but the pirates later gained entry and moved them to the bridge. No injuries have been reported.The ship was seized near Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district before being taken towards Somalia’s Nugaal coast. It was reportedly carrying Turkish weapons, communications and satellite equipment destined for a military training facility in Mogadishu.The hijackings come amid renewed piracy concerns in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia and the wider Indian Ocean. Indian seafarers are particularly exposed, with the 2026 BIMCO-ICS report estimating that India supplies 311,936 seafarers globally, making it the world’s second-largest supplier after the Philippines.

Two commercial vessels carrying 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates off Yemen and Somalia. Authorities said all Indian crew members are safe.

Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe. According to the report, the Eritrea-flagged oil products tanker MT Sibu-1 was seized in the Gulf of Aden on August 20, around 30 nautical miles off Yemen. The vessel was carrying 20 crew members, including 16 Indians. Six armed pirates are now believed to be onboard and have taken control of the tanker, according to a senior shipping ministry official. The crew also includes nationals from Syria, Sudan and Iraq, while the nationality of one seafarer remains unconfirmed. The shipping ministry said the vessel’s recruitment agency, S K S Krishi Marine Services, has been directed to file an incident report and provide regular updates through the e-Navik marine casualty reporting system. Also read | Turkey denies military presence at Syrian base struck by Israel – What we know A separate incident took place on August 17 off Somalia’s Puntland coast when the Cameroon-flagged M/V LUTUF was boarded by eight armed pirates. Six Indians are among its 10 crew members. “The vessel is reported to have been boarded by eight pirates, armed with AK-47 type weapons and operating from two skiffs,” the official said. The crew initially took shelter in the vessel’s citadel, but the pirates later gained entry and moved them to the bridge. No injuries have been reported. The ship was seized near Marraya in Puntland’s Eyl district before being taken towards Somalia’s Nugaal coast. It was reportedly carrying Turkish weapons, communications and satellite equipment destined for a military training facility in Mogadishu. The hijackings come amid renewed piracy concerns in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia and the wider Indian Ocean. Indian seafarers are particularly exposed, with the 2026 BIMCO-ICS report estimating that India supplies 311,936 seafarers globally, making it the world’s second-largest supplier after the Philippines.

Two commercial vessels carrying 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates off Yemen and Somalia. Authorities said all Indian crew members are safe.

Two vessels with 22 Indian crew members hijacked by pirates off Yemen, Somalia

A historic beach club in Italy that faced criticism this year over its policy of separating male and female bathers has recorded a sharp rise in visitors, with the controversy appearing to have brought more people to its shores. La Lanterna beach in Trieste, northeastern Italy, has operated since 1903 and is one of the last beaches in Europe to maintain separate bathing areas for men and women.&nbsp;The council-run beach is divided by a 74-metre wall that extends into the sea, separating the male and female sections. The arrangement also allows women to sunbathe topless without being seen by men, if they choose. Bathers who want to communicate with someone on the other side can walk through the shallow water to the end of the wall.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/woman-fined-for-being-overparked-after-her-heart-stopped-outside-supermarket-1787283785538">Woman fined for being overparked after her heart stopped outside supermarket</a>&nbsp;The unusual arrangement came under scrutiny in June when a man and a woman visiting from Milan entered the men’s section together. When the woman was asked to move to the women’s area, she initially refused and criticised the policy.&nbsp;“You’re a bunch of sexist oafs … This is a form of discrimination. Shame on you,” she was reported as saying, describing the segregation as “medieval”.&nbsp;The couple eventually left, but the incident quickly sparked a wider debate online and across Italian news sites over whether the traditional arrangement should continue. Many Trieste residents defended the beach, arguing that the separation is part of the city’s history and culture.&nbsp;One social media user described La Lanterna as “part of Trieste’s traditions” and said it had become a victim of “cancel culture”. Another wrote: “It’s not from the Middle Ages! It’s part of the history of Trieste. No Triestino wants to remove that wall!”&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/magical-plant-used-for-birth-control-by-romans-and-greeks-found-again-2-000-years-after-going-extinct-1787148634340">Magical plant used for birth control by Romans &amp; Greeks found after 2,000 years</a>&nbsp;Rather than driving visitors away, the controversy appears to have had the opposite effect. According to local newspaper Il Piccolo, La Lanterna sold 53,610 tickets in July, compared with 34,885 during the same month last year. The increase of more than 18,700 tickets represented a significant jump in visitor numbers, with women making up most of the additional customers, the newspaper reported.&nbsp;

Trieste’s historic La Lanterna beach saw July ticket sales surge to over 53,000 following public debate over its traditional 1903 gender-segregated bathing wall, with female visitors driving most of the growth.

A historic beach club in Italy that faced criticism this year over its policy of separating male and female bathers has recorded a sharp rise in visitors, with the controversy appearing to have brought more people to its shores. La Lanterna beach in Trieste, northeastern Italy, has operated since 1903 and is one of the last beaches in Europe to maintain separate bathing areas for men and women. The council-run beach is divided by a 74-metre wall that extends into the sea, separating the male and female sections. The arrangement also allows women to sunbathe topless without being seen by men, if they choose. Bathers who want to communicate with someone on the other side can walk through the shallow water to the end of the wall. Also read: Woman fined for being overparked after her heart stopped outside supermarket The unusual arrangement came under scrutiny in June when a man and a woman visiting from Milan entered the men’s section together. When the woman was asked to move to the women’s area, she initially refused and criticised the policy. “You’re a bunch of sexist oafs … This is a form of discrimination. Shame on you,” she was reported as saying, describing the segregation as “medieval”. The couple eventually left, but the incident quickly sparked a wider debate online and across Italian news sites over whether the traditional arrangement should continue. Many Trieste residents defended the beach, arguing that the separation is part of the city’s history and culture. One social media user described La Lanterna as “part of Trieste’s traditions” and said it had become a victim of “cancel culture”. Another wrote: “It’s not from the Middle Ages! It’s part of the history of Trieste. No Triestino wants to remove that wall!” Also read: Magical plant used for birth control by Romans & Greeks found after 2,000 years Rather than driving visitors away, the controversy appears to have had the opposite effect. According to local newspaper Il Piccolo, La Lanterna sold 53,610 tickets in July, compared with 34,885 during the same month last year. The increase of more than 18,700 tickets represented a significant jump in visitor numbers, with women making up most of the additional customers, the newspaper reported.

Trieste’s historic La Lanterna beach saw July ticket sales surge to over 53,000 following public debate over its traditional 1903 gender-segregated bathing wall, with female visitors driving most of the growth.

‘Sexist’ or historic? Italy’s 123-year-old beach sees visitors surge after ‘men here, women there’ controversy

Bangladesh’s parliament on Thursday (Aug 20) elected veteran Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s 23rd President, in the first contested presidential election in 35 years.The 78-year-old BNP Secretary General (who stepped down from the post upon his nomination) secured 255 votes, defeating retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance, who received 88 votes. Of the 349 eligible lawmakers, 343 cast ballots in an open vote held in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; six MPs did not vote. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, serving as returning officer, announced the results after the count and declared Alamgir duly elected. The Election Commission is to publish the official gazette.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bangladesh-holds-first-voted-presidential-poll-in-35-years-today-who-is-set-to-win-1787193958239">Bangladesh holds first voted presidential poll in 35 years today: Who is set to win?</a>Voting began with Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal casting the first ballots, followed shortly by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Alamgir himself. The last contested presidential poll took place in 1991, when BNP’s Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated an Awami League candidate; subsequent elections were uncontested with a single nominee.Alamgir, born January 26, 1948, in Thakurgaon, is a long-time opposition figure who served as BNP Secretary General from 2016 (and acting from 2011), making him the party’s longest-serving holder of that office. He entered politics as a student activist, worked as an economics lecturer, and later held roles including Thakurgaon municipality chairman, state minister for agriculture and for civil aviation and tourism (2001–2006), and, after BNP’s return to power in the February 2026 general election, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and MP from Thakurgaon-1. He resigned from party posts after his presidential nomination on August 13.The election followed the resignation last month of President Mohammed Shahabuddin on health grounds. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad had been serving as acting president. Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of a vacancy.Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/dhaka-says-propitious-environment-needed-for-bangladesh-pm-rahman-s-india-visit-restates-hasina-extradition-demand-1786866065947">Dhaka says ‘propitious environment’ needed for Bangladesh PM Rahman’s India visit; restates Hasina extradition demand</a>Bangladesh operates a parliamentary system in which executive power rests primarily with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The President is the constitutional head of state, takes precedence over all others, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and formally appoints the Prime Minister (based on parliamentary confidence) and the Chief Justice. In most other functions, the President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. The office is largely ceremonial but carries constitutional significance, including the power of mercy (pardons and remissions).Alamgir is scheduled to take the oath of office at Bangabhaban on Friday, August 21 (reported as 7:30 p.m.), with Acting Speaker Kayser Kamal administering it. Preparations are underway at the presidential palace. His elevation comes as Bangladesh continues to navigate the political transition and challenges following the 2024 uprising that ended the previous government and the BNP’s subsequent return to power under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.China’s embassy in Dhaka was among those offering congratulations, expressing readiness to deepen bilateral ties.

Lawmakers elected BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as Bangladesh’s 23rd president with 255 parliamentary votes. He defeated Oli Ahmed following the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Bangladesh’s parliament on Thursday (Aug 20) elected veteran Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s 23rd President, in the first contested presidential election in 35 years. The 78-year-old BNP Secretary General (who stepped down from the post upon his nomination) secured 255 votes, defeating retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance, who received 88 votes. Of the 349 eligible lawmakers, 343 cast ballots in an open vote held in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; six MPs did not vote. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, serving as returning officer, announced the results after the count and declared Alamgir duly elected. The Election Commission is to publish the official gazette. Also read: Bangladesh holds first voted presidential poll in 35 years today: Who is set to win? Voting began with Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal casting the first ballots, followed shortly by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Alamgir himself. The last contested presidential poll took place in 1991, when BNP’s Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated an Awami League candidate; subsequent elections were uncontested with a single nominee. Alamgir, born January 26, 1948, in Thakurgaon, is a long-time opposition figure who served as BNP Secretary General from 2016 (and acting from 2011), making him the party’s longest-serving holder of that office. He entered politics as a student activist, worked as an economics lecturer, and later held roles including Thakurgaon municipality chairman, state minister for agriculture and for civil aviation and tourism (2001–2006), and, after BNP’s return to power in the February 2026 general election, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and MP from Thakurgaon-1. He resigned from party posts after his presidential nomination on August 13. The election followed the resignation last month of President Mohammed Shahabuddin on health grounds. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad had been serving as acting president. Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of a vacancy. Also read: Dhaka says ‘propitious environment’ needed for Bangladesh PM Rahman’s India visit; restates Hasina extradition demand Bangladesh operates a parliamentary system in which executive power rests primarily with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The President is the constitutional head of state, takes precedence over all others, serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and formally appoints the Prime Minister (based on parliamentary confidence) and the Chief Justice. In most other functions, the President acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. The office is largely ceremonial but carries constitutional significance, including the power of mercy (pardons and remissions). Alamgir is scheduled to take the oath of office at Bangabhaban on Friday, August 21 (reported as 7:30 p.m.), with Acting Speaker Kayser Kamal administering it. Preparations are underway at the presidential palace. His elevation comes as Bangladesh continues to navigate the political transition and challenges following the 2024 uprising that ended the previous government and the BNP’s subsequent return to power under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. China’s embassy in Dhaka was among those offering congratulations, expressing readiness to deepen bilateral ties.

Lawmakers elected BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as Bangladesh’s 23rd president with 255 parliamentary votes. He defeated Oli Ahmed following the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir elected Bangladesh’s 23rd president

A charter aircraft carrying eight people crashed while approaching a remote radar facility in western Alaska on Thursday (Aug 20), killing everyone on board, the US military said.The crash occurred at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 450 miles (725 km) west of Anchorage. The aircraft was described by the military as a civilian-contracted plane.<h2>Who was on board?</h2>The National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, Clint Johnson, said the aircraft was carrying two pilots and six passengers. It had departed from Anchorage and was believed to have crashed early Thursday afternoon while approaching Cape Newenham.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/if-you-want-peace-prepare-for-war-naravane-warns-china-not-pakistan-is-india-s-main-competitor-1787283477651">'If you want peace, prepare for war': Ex-Army chief Manoj Naravane warns China, not Pakistan, is India's main competitor</a><h2>Aircraft was supporting remote radar site</h2>The radar facility is operated by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and forms part of a network of remote radar installations across Alaska. These sites are used to monitor aircraft operating in the state's airspace and along its borders.The US military did not provide details about the specific mission being carried out by those aboard the aircraft.US Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, and Eleventh Air Force, described the crash as a major loss for the military community."This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," Davis said in a statement.He described those on board as "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment".Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-wants-us-astronauts-back-on-the-lunar-surface-by-2028-signs-commercial-first-executive-order-on-space-launches-1787274681496">Trump wants US astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2028; signs 'commercial-first' executive order on space launches</a><h2>Search and recovery operation</h2>Davis said the immediate focus was on supporting the victims' families, friends, and colleagues, while also thanking the teams involved in the response. "Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time," he said."We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals."Authorities have not yet released further details about what caused the crash or identified the people who were on board.&nbsp;

A charter aircraft carrying eight people has crashed while approaching a remote radar facility in western Alaska, killing everyone on board. Investigators are now working to determine what caused the crash.

A charter aircraft carrying eight people crashed while approaching a remote radar facility in western Alaska on Thursday (Aug 20), killing everyone on board, the US military said. The crash occurred at the Cape Newenham Long Range Radar Site Airport, about 450 miles (725 km) west of Anchorage. The aircraft was described by the military as a civilian-contracted plane. Who was on board? The National Transportation Safety Board's Alaska region chief, Clint Johnson, said the aircraft was carrying two pilots and six passengers. It had departed from Anchorage and was believed to have crashed early Thursday afternoon while approaching Cape Newenham. Also read | 'If you want peace, prepare for war': Ex-Army chief Manoj Naravane warns China, not Pakistan, is India's main competitor Aircraft was supporting remote radar site The radar facility is operated by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center and forms part of a network of remote radar installations across Alaska. These sites are used to monitor aircraft operating in the state's airspace and along its borders. The US military did not provide details about the specific mission being carried out by those aboard the aircraft. US Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Davis, commander of Alaskan Command, the Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, and Eleventh Air Force, described the crash as a major loss for the military community. "This is a devastating loss for our military family and the communities we serve," Davis said in a statement. He described those on board as "dedicated professionals carrying out a vital mission in a demanding environment". Also read | Trump wants US astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2028; signs 'commercial-first' executive order on space launches Search and recovery operation Davis said the immediate focus was on supporting the victims' families, friends, and colleagues, while also thanking the teams involved in the response. "Our absolute priority right now is providing unwavering support to their families, friends and teammates during this devastating time," he said. "We are profoundly grateful for the swift and tireless response of our search and recovery professionals." Authorities have not yet released further details about what caused the crash or identified the people who were on board.

A charter aircraft carrying eight people has crashed while approaching a remote radar facility in western Alaska, killing everyone on board. Investigators are now working to determine what caused the crash.

'Devastating loss': 8 dead after charter aircraft crashes near remote Alaska radar facility

The US State Department on Thursday (August 20) stated that China's detention of American scholar U Min Zin is unjust and confirmed that securing his release has become a key priority for President Donald Trump's administration as the leaders of the two countries prepare for a Washington meeting next month.&nbsp;According to media reports, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to review Min Zin’s case following his detention on 3 June in China's Yunnan province in southwestern China, where he had travelled at the government's own invitation to take part in an academic conference. Min Zin's brother stated that he had journeyed to Yunnan this summer to attend a conference at Kunming University, invited by a professor he'd known since 2018. He had made previous trips to China without incident, including one for a conference in 2025. This time, however, he was taken into custody almost as soon as he landed in Beijing, with Chinese authorities alleging he is "suspected of spying and endangering Chinese national [security]."<h3>Who is Min Zin?</h3>Min Zin is a Myanmar native and also an expert on his country. He was a student activist during the pro-democracy movement in his youth. Before migrating to the United States, he was compelled to hide for seven years, during which he enrolled in a PhD programme at UC Berkeley. He later became a US citizen after marrying, and then the couple went on to have a teenage daughter. In 2016, Min Zin returned to Myanmar, where he founded a think tank, the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar (ISP). Following the 2021 coup, he and his family relocated to Thailand, where they have remained ever since. His brother, Aung Maw Zin, recalled that the year 2012 was incredibly important in Min Zin’s life, adding that he became both a naturalised US citizen and a father. America gave him asylum when there was no safe space for him in his home country, Burma.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/if-you-want-peace-prepare-for-war-naravane-warns-china-not-pakistan-is-india-s-main-competitor-1787283477651">'If you want peace, prepare for war': Ex-Army chief Manoj Naravane warns China, not Pakistan, is India's main competitor</a><h3>US State Dept issues statement</h3>State Department Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson said that "the safety and security of US citizens is the State Department's top priority," adding, "We will continue to advocate for Mr Zin and call for the release of all US citizens who are arbitrarily detained or exit-banned in China." Beijing has yet to respond publicly to Rubio's review, though China's Foreign Ministry stated in June that Min Zin was being held on suspicion of espionage and endangering national security, and that the US consulate in Guangzhou had been informed. &nbsp;

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to review Min Zin’s case following his detention on 3 June in China's Yunnan province in southwestern China, where he had travelled at the government's own invitation to take part in an academic conference.

The US State Department on Thursday (August 20) stated that China's detention of American scholar U Min Zin is unjust and confirmed that securing his release has become a key priority for President Donald Trump's administration as the leaders of the two countries prepare for a Washington meeting next month. According to media reports, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to review Min Zin’s case following his detention on 3 June in China's Yunnan province in southwestern China, where he had travelled at the government's own invitation to take part in an academic conference. Min Zin's brother stated that he had journeyed to Yunnan this summer to attend a conference at Kunming University, invited by a professor he'd known since 2018. He had made previous trips to China without incident, including one for a conference in 2025. This time, however, he was taken into custody almost as soon as he landed in Beijing, with Chinese authorities alleging he is "suspected of spying and endangering Chinese national [security]." Who is Min Zin? Min Zin is a Myanmar native and also an expert on his country. He was a student activist during the pro-democracy movement in his youth. Before migrating to the United States, he was compelled to hide for seven years, during which he enrolled in a PhD programme at UC Berkeley. He later became a US citizen after marrying, and then the couple went on to have a teenage daughter. In 2016, Min Zin returned to Myanmar, where he founded a think tank, the Institute for Strategy and Policy-Myanmar (ISP). Following the 2021 coup, he and his family relocated to Thailand, where they have remained ever since. His brother, Aung Maw Zin, recalled that the year 2012 was incredibly important in Min Zin’s life, adding that he became both a naturalised US citizen and a father. America gave him asylum when there was no safe space for him in his home country, Burma. Also read: 'If you want peace, prepare for war': Ex-Army chief Manoj Naravane warns China, not Pakistan, is India's main competitor US State Dept issues statement State Department Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson said that "the safety and security of US citizens is the State Department's top priority," adding, "We will continue to advocate for Mr Zin and call for the release of all US citizens who are arbitrarily detained or exit-banned in China." Beijing has yet to respond publicly to Rubio's review, though China's Foreign Ministry stated in June that Min Zin was being held on suspicion of espionage and endangering national security, and that the US consulate in Guangzhou had been informed.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved to review Min Zin’s case following his detention on 3 June in China's Yunnan province in southwestern China, where he had travelled at the government's own invitation to take part in an academic conference.

Who is U Min Zin? US scholar ‘wrongfully detained’ in China on spying charges

Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are set to operate under significantly higher campaign spending limits, with presidential and governorship candidates collectively allowed to spend as much as N571 billion if every candidate reaches the maximum permitted by law.The figure is based on the campaign finance provisions contained in the Electoral Act 2026. Under Section 92 of the legislation, a presidential candidate can spend up to N10 billion during the election campaign, while a governorship candidate has a maximum spending limit of N3 billion.Also read |&nbsp;With 19 presidential candidates currently listed for the 2027 contest, their combined statutory spending ceiling stands at N190 billion. At the governorship level, election data currently tracks 127 candidates across the 28 states where governorship elections are scheduled to take place. If all of them spend up to the legal limit, their combined expenditure could reach N381 billion.Together, the two categories produce the N571 billion ceiling. However, the figure does not mean that the candidates will actually spend that amount. It represents the highest total expenditure that would be legally possible if every presidential and governorship candidate exhausted their individual limits.The new law also establishes spending limits for other elective positions. Candidates contesting senatorial seats are permitted to spend up to N500 million, while House of Representatives candidates have a ceiling of N250 million. State House of Assembly and Area Council chairmanship candidates can spend a maximum of N100 million, while candidates for Area Council councillorship positions are limited to N10 million.Another important provision concerns campaign donations. An individual is prohibited from contributing more than N500 million to a single candidate. Consequently, although a presidential candidate may lawfully spend N10 billion, no single donor can provide more than N500 million toward that campaign.The legislation provides penalties for candidates who knowingly exceed the prescribed spending thresholds. A violator may face a fine equivalent to one per cent of the applicable spending limit, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.The effectiveness of the rules, however, is expected to depend heavily on enforcement. Civil society organisations have expressed concerns about the ability of electoral authorities to accurately monitor campaign expenditure, particularly across traditional media, social media, billboards, events, logistics and other campaign activities.Advocates of stricter monitoring argue that effective enforcement is necessary to prevent wealthy politicians and financiers from gaining an unfair advantage. They have called for stronger penalties and greater cooperation among the Independent National Electoral Commission, anti-corruption agencies, media organisations and civil society groups.INEC has said monitoring campaign finance falls within its statutory responsibilities, while campaign observers have urged the media and civil society to help identify and document potential violations.The debate comes as campaigning for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections has commenced. INEC has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are fixed for February 6, 2027.As political activities intensify, the N571 billion aggregate ceiling is likely to keep campaign financing at the centre of discussions about transparency, equal opportunity and accountability ahead of the 2027 polls.

Nigeria's 2027 election could see presidential and governorship candidates collectively spend up to N571 billion under new legal limits. But who gets how much?

Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are set to operate under significantly higher campaign spending limits, with presidential and governorship candidates collectively allowed to spend as much as N571 billion if every candidate reaches the maximum permitted by law. The figure is based on the campaign finance provisions contained in the Electoral Act 2026. Under Section 92 of the legislation, a presidential candidate can spend up to N10 billion during the election campaign, while a governorship candidate has a maximum spending limit of N3 billion. Also read | With 19 presidential candidates currently listed for the 2027 contest, their combined statutory spending ceiling stands at N190 billion. At the governorship level, election data currently tracks 127 candidates across the 28 states where governorship elections are scheduled to take place. If all of them spend up to the legal limit, their combined expenditure could reach N381 billion. Together, the two categories produce the N571 billion ceiling. However, the figure does not mean that the candidates will actually spend that amount. It represents the highest total expenditure that would be legally possible if every presidential and governorship candidate exhausted their individual limits. The new law also establishes spending limits for other elective positions. Candidates contesting senatorial seats are permitted to spend up to N500 million, while House of Representatives candidates have a ceiling of N250 million. State House of Assembly and Area Council chairmanship candidates can spend a maximum of N100 million, while candidates for Area Council councillorship positions are limited to N10 million. Another important provision concerns campaign donations. An individual is prohibited from contributing more than N500 million to a single candidate. Consequently, although a presidential candidate may lawfully spend N10 billion, no single donor can provide more than N500 million toward that campaign. The legislation provides penalties for candidates who knowingly exceed the prescribed spending thresholds. A violator may face a fine equivalent to one per cent of the applicable spending limit, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both. The effectiveness of the rules, however, is expected to depend heavily on enforcement. Civil society organisations have expressed concerns about the ability of electoral authorities to accurately monitor campaign expenditure, particularly across traditional media, social media, billboards, events, logistics and other campaign activities. Advocates of stricter monitoring argue that effective enforcement is necessary to prevent wealthy politicians and financiers from gaining an unfair advantage. They have called for stronger penalties and greater cooperation among the Independent National Electoral Commission, anti-corruption agencies, media organisations and civil society groups. INEC has said monitoring campaign finance falls within its statutory responsibilities, while campaign observers have urged the media and civil society to help identify and document potential violations. The debate comes as campaigning for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections has commenced. INEC has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are fixed for February 6, 2027. As political activities intensify, the N571 billion aggregate ceiling is likely to keep campaign financing at the centre of discussions about transparency, equal opportunity and accountability ahead of the 2027 polls.

Nigeria's 2027 election could see presidential and governorship candidates collectively spend up to N571 billion under new legal limits. But who gets how much?

Nigeria 2027 elections: Presidential, governorship candidates face N571bn campaign spending ceiling

Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.According to a Dawn report, tight security measures were undertaken outside the hospital during Khan’s move. Pitras Bukhari Road and Service Road South had been cordoned off while hundreds of law enforcement personnel were also deployed in and around the hospital premises.Confirming his arrival at the hospital, Zulfi Bukhari, a spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told AFP, “It’s confirmed that he has arrived at Shifa International Hospital.”“The Supreme Court’s order has been complied with,” he added.Arif Alvi, Pakistan’s former president and a PTI member, also confirmed the development on social media. In a post on X, he wrote, “Tonight, Pakistan is dancing with joy. Imran Khan has been transferred to Shaukat Khanum Hospital.”<h2>Supreme Court order</h2>This came after the country’s Supreme Court on Tuesday (Aug 18) directed the government to move the cricketer-turned-politician to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within the next two days.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/nine-killed-six-injured-in-massive-fire-at-kolkata-hotel-1787107135582">Kolkata hotel fire: Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment among killed</a>“We are mindful of the constitutional and legal obligation of the state, and consequently of the Supreme Court, to safeguard the life, health, dignity and security of persons in custody,” the court ordered. “A prisoner does not, by reason of his incarceration, cease to be entitled to humane treatment and necessary medical care.”The 73-year-old has been serving a 14-year prison sentence since August 2023 after he was charged with corruption and other crimes. Khan, who was found guilty of concealing details of Toshakhana gifts, has insisted that the charges were politically motivated. He was also found guilty in a $259 million corruption case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case. However, while being held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, reports have emerged about his health concerns, with his party members, family and supporters expressing outrage.Khan served as the prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He was ousted in a no-confidence vote when the country was facing a political crisis fuelled by tensions between his government and the military establishment. He was arrested in May 2023, triggering a nationwide protest.

Imran Khan was briefly taken to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for a medical check-up amid health concerns, before being returned to jail under tight security.

Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment. According to a Dawn report, tight security measures were undertaken outside the hospital during Khan’s move. Pitras Bukhari Road and Service Road South had been cordoned off while hundreds of law enforcement personnel were also deployed in and around the hospital premises. Confirming his arrival at the hospital, Zulfi Bukhari, a spokesman for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told AFP, “It’s confirmed that he has arrived at Shifa International Hospital.” “The Supreme Court’s order has been complied with,” he added. Arif Alvi, Pakistan’s former president and a PTI member, also confirmed the development on social media. In a post on X, he wrote, “Tonight, Pakistan is dancing with joy. Imran Khan has been transferred to Shaukat Khanum Hospital.” Supreme Court order This came after the country’s Supreme Court on Tuesday (Aug 18) directed the government to move the cricketer-turned-politician to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad within the next two days. Also read | Kolkata hotel fire: Bangladeshi nationals seeking medical treatment among killed “We are mindful of the constitutional and legal obligation of the state, and consequently of the Supreme Court, to safeguard the life, health, dignity and security of persons in custody,” the court ordered. “A prisoner does not, by reason of his incarceration, cease to be entitled to humane treatment and necessary medical care.” The 73-year-old has been serving a 14-year prison sentence since August 2023 after he was charged with corruption and other crimes. Khan, who was found guilty of concealing details of Toshakhana gifts, has insisted that the charges were politically motivated. He was also found guilty in a $259 million corruption case, also known as the Al-Qadir Trust case. However, while being held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, reports have emerged about his health concerns, with his party members, family and supporters expressing outrage. Khan served as the prime minister from 2018 to 2022. He was ousted in a no-confidence vote when the country was facing a political crisis fuelled by tensions between his government and the military establishment. He was arrested in May 2023, triggering a nationwide protest.

Imran Khan was briefly taken to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for a medical check-up amid health concerns, before being returned to jail under tight security.

Imran Khan back in jail after court ordered hospital visit amid health concerns

Former Army Chief General Manoj Naravane has said China, rather than Pakistan, will be India's main strategic competitor in the years ahead, while stressing that Islamabad continues to pose an immediate security challenge because of terrorism.Naravane made the remarks on Thursday (Aug 20) at the launch of his book, 'The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries,' published by Rupa Publications.<h2>'China is going to be our main competitor'</h2>Speaking about India's security challenges, Naravane said Pakistan and China remain important concerns but represent very different challenges. "Pakistan and China are a totally different ballgame. We have fought wars with both of them. We have unsettled borders. So they will always remain on our radar as a threat, as a challenge," he said, according to PTI.He said India's immediate attention remains focused on Pakistan because of its alleged continued support for terrorism and the resulting threat along the western border. "But I think we are very clear that in the long term and in the years to come, China is going to be our main competitor," Naravane said.He deliberately used the word "competitor" rather than "enemy", saying China's challenge would extend beyond the military sphere. "They are going to be our main competitor in all fields. Political, economic, trade, and of course military also," he said.<h2>Dialogue first, military force as last resort</h2>Naravane also called for differences with China to be managed through talks and diplomacy, arguing that military action should remain a last resort."It is up to us to try to resolve those conflicts, those differences, through the mechanisms of talks, dialogues. And taking recourse to the use of force should always be the last resort," he said.At the same time, he stressed that diplomacy needs to be supported by credible military strength."There comes a moment when you realise that this is not going to happen. And therefore, you have to have a strong deterrence," Naravane said.'You can't choose your neighbours'Naravane also highlighted the importance of maintaining stable relations with India's neighbours, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar."You can't choose your neighbours, in real life also, and in geopolitics also. You have to make the best of what you have," he said.He argued that instability in neighbouring countries can have direct consequences for India, including refugee movements."If your neighbouring country is burning, that should not make you happy," he said, citing the movement of refugees from Myanmar into India.Naravane summed up his approach to national security with a familiar principle: "If you want peace, prepare for war."

Former Army chief General Manoj Naravane says China will be India's main long-term competitor, while Pakistan remains an immediate security challenge due to terrorism.

Former Army Chief General Manoj Naravane has said China, rather than Pakistan, will be India's main strategic competitor in the years ahead, while stressing that Islamabad continues to pose an immediate security challenge because of terrorism. Naravane made the remarks on Thursday (Aug 20) at the launch of his book, 'The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries,' published by Rupa Publications. 'China is going to be our main competitor' Speaking about India's security challenges, Naravane said Pakistan and China remain important concerns but represent very different challenges. "Pakistan and China are a totally different ballgame. We have fought wars with both of them. We have unsettled borders. So they will always remain on our radar as a threat, as a challenge," he said, according to PTI. He said India's immediate attention remains focused on Pakistan because of its alleged continued support for terrorism and the resulting threat along the western border. "But I think we are very clear that in the long term and in the years to come, China is going to be our main competitor," Naravane said. He deliberately used the word "competitor" rather than "enemy", saying China's challenge would extend beyond the military sphere. "They are going to be our main competitor in all fields. Political, economic, trade, and of course military also," he said. Dialogue first, military force as last resort Naravane also called for differences with China to be managed through talks and diplomacy, arguing that military action should remain a last resort. "It is up to us to try to resolve those conflicts, those differences, through the mechanisms of talks, dialogues. And taking recourse to the use of force should always be the last resort," he said. At the same time, he stressed that diplomacy needs to be supported by credible military strength. "There comes a moment when you realise that this is not going to happen. And therefore, you have to have a strong deterrence," Naravane said. 'You can't choose your neighbours' Naravane also highlighted the importance of maintaining stable relations with India's neighbours, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. "You can't choose your neighbours, in real life also, and in geopolitics also. You have to make the best of what you have," he said. He argued that instability in neighbouring countries can have direct consequences for India, including refugee movements. "If your neighbouring country is burning, that should not make you happy," he said, citing the movement of refugees from Myanmar into India. Naravane summed up his approach to national security with a familiar principle: "If you want peace, prepare for war."

Former Army chief General Manoj Naravane has drawn a clear distinction between India's two biggest security challenges, calling Pakistan an immediate threat and China the country's main long-term competitor across military, economic, trade and political spheres. Here's what he said.

'If you want peace, prepare for war': Ex-Army chief Manoj Naravane warns China, not Pakistan, is India's main competitor

Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year.US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel.The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1.Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody.Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.

A Swiss tourist has been sentenced to one year in prison in Indonesia for insulting Bali’s sacred Hindu holiday of Nyepi, also known as the Day of Silence. Luzian Andrin Zgraggen, 26, was arrested in March after posting a video of himself walking towards an empty beach during Nyepi. In the now-deleted video, he described the deserted scene as “crazy”. The post, which reportedly included expletives, triggered widespread anger among Balinese social media users.Nyepi is an annual Hindu holiday during which Bali comes to a standstill. Residents and visitors are required to stay indoors and refrain from making noise or engaging in entertainment. The restrictions apply to everyone on the island, regardless of religion, including tourists. Bali’s airport shuts down for the day, internet access is cut in many areas, and the use of electricity and entertainment is heavily restricted. Residents typically stock up on essential supplies before the holiday so they can remain at home. This year, Nyepi fell on March 19. Zgraggen was accused of violating the restrictions by going outside and filming himself during the observance, local media reported.

Swiss tourist jailed in Bali for insulting sacred Day of Silence

Finland’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday evening that it suspected a Russian aircraft had violated Finnish airspace earlier in the day.“Every suspected violation of air space is taken seriously,” Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said in a statement, adding that an investigation was underway.Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia, has reported several suspected airspace violations in recent months. The country previously accused two Russian military aircraft of entering its airspace in May and June, prompting Helsinki to summon Russia’s chargé d’affaires on both occasions.Finland has remained on heightened alert since Russia launched its war in Ukraine in February 2022. The conflict prompted Finland to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join NATO in April 2023.

Finland suspects Russian aircraft violated its airspace

Karnataka government on Thursday (Aug 20) formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged inter-state fake medicine racket uncovered in Bengaluru, with four people now held in connection with the case. The SIT will be headed by Bengaluru (West) Joint Commissioner of Police C Vamsi Krishna. The move comes a day after the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the police, seized spurious medicines worth more than Rs 4.91 crore during raids in Bengaluru South.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/fake-pfizer-drugs-in-bengaluru-4-held-as-sit-probes-rs-4-91-crore-racket-1787292818681">Read more.</a>

Fake Pfizer drugs in Bengaluru? 4 held as SIT probes Rs 4.91 crore racket

Two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked by pirates, PTI reported, citing a senior shipping ministry official on Friday (Aug 21). While one of the ships was hijacked off Yemen, the other was seized near Somalia. According to authorities, the Indian crew members are safe.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/two-vessels-with-22-indian-crew-members-hijiacked-by-pirates-off-yemen-somalia-1787298192165">Read more.</a>

Eleven years after the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, a Maharashtra government committee has recommended amending the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to specifically address defamatory social media posts.According to Indian Express, tThe committee, formed in May to examine legal options for dealing with defamatory online content, has submitted its recommendations to the state Law and Judiciary Department.The panel has proposed a state amendment to the BNS, which is on the Concurrent List. The amendment would need to be passed by the Maharashtra legislature before being sent to the Centre and then the President for assent.The committee has also recommended safeguards to prevent the provision from being misused. Amendments to the Maharashtra Police Act and the IT Act were considered but ultimately dropped. &nbsp;

Maharashtra panel proposes BNS amendment to tackle defamatory social media posts

Vietnam's government has proposed abolishing the death penalty for six offences, including drug trafficking and rape of minors, as part of revisions to the country's criminal code.What would changeThe draft law would retain capital punishment for only four crimes: treason, murder, terrorism and the illegal production of narcotics. Other offences that could be removed from the death penalty list include rioting, crimes against humanity and war crimes.Next stepsThe National Assembly is expected to debate the bill in the coming weeks before voting at its next session in October. If approved, the revised criminal code would take effect in March 2027.Human Rights Watch has raised concerns over separate provisions that could increase penalties for offences deemed to harm state interests or oppose the Communist Party. &nbsp;

Vietnam proposes scrapping death penalty for drug trafficking, child rape

The leaders of seven countries, including four EU member states, condemned a major settlement project in the West Bank and called on Israel to end expansion in the occupied Palestinian territory after authorities opened bidding for more than 1,200 homes in the area.

Key European leaders demand Israel halt West Bank settlement project

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Dhaka said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that officials of India and Bangladesh have been in talks for “several weeks” for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and stated that the atmosphere of bilateral relations was “vitiated” by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s August 5, 2026, press conference held in Delhi’s Foreign Correspondents Club. &nbsp;

Bangladesh sets extradition of Hasina, Hadi’s killers as conditions for Tarique Rahman’s India visit

Seeking financial assistance from the Centre to revive and complete the Kaleshwaram and Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation schemes, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka also urged the Union government to settle the long-pending bifurcation issues between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana deputy CM: We want nothing but our rightful share of Krishna waters

Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan, who had been serving his jail sentence, was briefly taken to a hospital for a medical check-up early Friday (Aug 21) before being taken back to prison. This came amid uproar over health concerns of the incarcerated founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that led to the Supreme Court issuing an order earlier this week, directing Khan to be moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital for treatment.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/imran-khan-back-in-jail-after-court-ordered-hospital-visit-amid-health-concerns-1787281243352">Read more.</a>

US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-want-to-destroy-fbi-charges-35-year-old-jessica-bowie-with-isis-inspired-plot-to-bomb-new-york-capitol-kill-the-senators-1787272657507">Read more.</a>

'I want to destroy...': FBI charges 35-year-old woman with ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York Capitol, 'kill the senators'

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-wants-us-astronauts-back-on-the-lunar-surface-by-2028-signs-commercial-first-executive-order-on-space-launches-1787274681496">Read more.</a>

Trump wants US astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2028; signs 'commercial-first' executive order

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fbi-adds-indian-national-kamal-to-most-wanted-list-over-alleged-lawrence-bishnoi-gang-links-all-we-know-1787276426842">Read more.</a>

FBI adds Indian national Kamal to Most Wanted list over alleged Lawrence Bishnoi gang links

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

Latest News Today Live Updates: The US is set to significantly expand its commercial space activity, with President Donald Trump signing an order targeting at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries annually by 2030. Trump also wants American astronauts back on the Moon by 2028, underscoring his administration’s push for a more commercially driven space programme. The target would be a sharp increase from the 178 launches recorded last year. US authorities have arrested a 35-year-old woman, Jessica Bowie, over an alleged ISIS-inspired plot targeting New York’s State Capitol in Albany. Investigators said Bowie discussed plans to attack the Capitol and kill lawmakers with an FBI informant, and had obtained materials including nails that could have been used as bomb shrapnel. The FBI has added Indian national Kamal to its Most Wanted list over alleged links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. US authorities accuse him of involvement in a conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. A federal arrest warrant was issued in California on July 1. Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan was moved to Islamabad’s Shifa International Hospital on Friday amid tight security, following a Supreme Court order. His transfer comes amid growing concern and political uproar over his health while in custody. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Washington will impose its “toughest” sanctions yet on Iran and urged China to cooperate. Bessent said further details of the measures would be announced on Monday, while Beijing argued that sanctions would not resolve the issue.

Latest News Today Live Updates: Stay connected to WION News for the latest updates from India and around the globe, including major developments in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, global security, diplomacy, energy markets, and other breaking stories shaping the world.&nbsp;

LIVE Updates | Latest India & World News Today: 2 vessels carrying Indian sailors hijacked by pirates, SIT probes Bangaluru fake drugs racket

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation.According to the FBI, the group originated in Punjab and allegedly operated in the Central District of California and elsewhere. Kamal is wanted in connection with an alleged conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion.<h2>Arrest warrant issued in California: Charges against Kamal</h2>The FBI said a federal arrest warrant was issued for Kamal on July 1, 2026, in the US District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles. He has been charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.The FBI's wanted notice identifies Kamal as being sought for his alleged role in the organisation. The agency has not provided further details in the material on his current whereabouts.<h2>US expands Operation Hard Ball</h2>The action comes as US authorities intensify their crackdown on transnational organised crime networks linked to India under Operation Hard Ball.The FBI has previously placed Indian nationals Major Singh and Nitish Kaushal on its Most Wanted list over their alleged connections to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group.According to the FBI, that group also originated in Punjab and operated in California and elsewhere. US authorities have accused it of involvement in crimes including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling.<h2>Other Indians wanted over alleged gang links</h2>On July 30, the FBI added Indian national Amritpal Singh to its Most Wanted list over his alleged involvement in the Ravinder Dhanda Organised Crime Group, which the agency describes as a transnational network based in Vancouver, Canada.The FBI alleges that the Dhanda group trafficked large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine for drug trafficking organisations operating across the US, Canada and Mexico.Earlier, on July 23, Indian national Harmanveer Singh was arrested in Stockton, California, over alleged drug trafficking activities linked to the Ravinder Dhanda gang.<h2>What is Operation Hard Ball?</h2>Operation Hard Ball is a joint international crackdown targeting organised crime networks associated with Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ravinder Dhanda.The US Department of Justice has charged 37 people in connection with the operation, while 24 individuals linked to the three alleged transnational crime syndicates were arrested during a coordinated operation earlier this month, including 11 in California.&nbsp;

The FBI has placed an Indian national identified as Kamal on its Most Wanted list, alleging links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. The move comes as US authorities expand a crackdown on transnational crime networks allegedly operating across India, Canada and the US.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed an Indian national, identified only as Kamal on its Most Wanted list. Kamal has been added to the list over his alleged involvement in the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group, which US authorities describe as a transnational criminal organisation. According to the FBI, the group originated in Punjab and allegedly operated in the Central District of California and elsewhere. Kamal is wanted in connection with an alleged conspiracy to interfere with commerce through extortion. Arrest warrant issued in California: Charges against Kamal The FBI said a federal arrest warrant was issued for Kamal on July 1, 2026, in the US District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles. He has been charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion. The FBI's wanted notice identifies Kamal as being sought for his alleged role in the organisation. The agency has not provided further details in the material on his current whereabouts. US expands Operation Hard Ball The action comes as US authorities intensify their crackdown on transnational organised crime networks linked to India under Operation Hard Ball. The FBI has previously placed Indian nationals Major Singh and Nitish Kaushal on its Most Wanted list over their alleged connections to the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria Organised Crime Group. According to the FBI, that group also originated in Punjab and operated in California and elsewhere. US authorities have accused it of involvement in crimes including murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, extortion, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling. Other Indians wanted over alleged gang links On July 30, the FBI added Indian national Amritpal Singh to its Most Wanted list over his alleged involvement in the Ravinder Dhanda Organised Crime Group, which the agency describes as a transnational network based in Vancouver, Canada. The FBI alleges that the Dhanda group trafficked large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine for drug trafficking organisations operating across the US, Canada and Mexico. Earlier, on July 23, Indian national Harmanveer Singh was arrested in Stockton, California, over alleged drug trafficking activities linked to the Ravinder Dhanda gang. What is Operation Hard Ball? Operation Hard Ball is a joint international crackdown targeting organised crime networks associated with Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and Ravinder Dhanda. The US Department of Justice has charged 37 people in connection with the operation, while 24 individuals linked to the three alleged transnational crime syndicates were arrested during a coordinated operation earlier this month, including 11 in California.

The FBI has placed an Indian national identified as Kamal on its Most Wanted list, alleging links to the Lawrence Bishnoi Organised Crime Group. The move comes as US authorities expand a crackdown on transnational crime networks allegedly operating across India, Canada and the US.

FBI adds Indian national Kamal to Most Wanted list over alleged Lawrence Bishnoi gang links: All we know

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030.The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-crushing-economic-campaign-against-iran-threatens-allies-with-tremendous-penalties-1787186991774">Trump announces ‘crushing’ economic campaign against Iran, threatens allies with ‘tremendous’ penalties</a><h2>Government land eyed for new launch sites</h2>The memorandum directs federal agencies to identify government-owned land that could be used for future commercial launch and re-entry sites.Trump has given officials 90 days to identify a new federal re-entry site. Agencies have also been instructed to designate priority airspace for key launch corridors and incorporate space transportation into broader air traffic control modernisation efforts.The administration wants government agencies to work more closely with private companies on space transportation infrastructure while speeding up permitting and environmental reviews.Officials have also been asked to ensure sufficient wireless spectrum is available for launch operations.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/america-s-debt-hits-a-staggering-40-trillion-is-the-us-heading-for-a-crisis-1787187559842">America's debt hits a staggering $40 trillion for the first time. Is the US heading for a crisis?</a><h2>Moon missions remain a priority</h2>The new policy also puts America's return to the Moon at the centre of the administration's space ambitions.Trump wants US astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2028, while directing NASA to support commercial transportation to the Moon and robotic missions to Mars.The administration also wants NASA to explore commercial options for eventually sending humans to Mars.Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, described the policy as a "commercial-first approach".He said it would support having Americans on the Moon by 2028 and initial elements of a Moon base by 2030, alongside stronger launch capabilities for national security.Trump's latest space push comes after lawmakers put renewed emphasis on NASA's Artemis Moon programme, despite the president's earlier focus on Mars missions. The memorandum also directs federal agencies to consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests to launch commercial foreign space vehicles from US territory.

Trump has set an extraordinary new target for America's space industry: 1,000 launches and re-entries every year by 2030. With the US recording just 178 launches last year, the White House is betting heavily on private companies to transform the country's space ambitions.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Aug 20) signed a memorandum aimed at dramatically expanding America's commercial space industry, setting a target of at least 1,000 space launches and re-entries every year by 2030. The proposed expansion would mark a major jump from the 178 launches recorded last year. That figure was already around 10 times higher than the number recorded in 2013, with Elon Musk's SpaceX accounting for much of the recent growth. Also read | Trump announces ‘crushing’ economic campaign against Iran, threatens allies with ‘tremendous’ penalties Government land eyed for new launch sites The memorandum directs federal agencies to identify government-owned land that could be used for future commercial launch and re-entry sites. Trump has given officials 90 days to identify a new federal re-entry site. Agencies have also been instructed to designate priority airspace for key launch corridors and incorporate space transportation into broader air traffic control modernisation efforts. The administration wants government agencies to work more closely with private companies on space transportation infrastructure while speeding up permitting and environmental reviews. Officials have also been asked to ensure sufficient wireless spectrum is available for launch operations. Also read | America's debt hits a staggering $40 trillion for the first time. Is the US heading for a crisis? Moon missions remain a priority The new policy also puts America's return to the Moon at the centre of the administration's space ambitions. Trump wants US astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2028, while directing NASA to support commercial transportation to the Moon and robotic missions to Mars. The administration also wants NASA to explore commercial options for eventually sending humans to Mars. Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, described the policy as a "commercial-first approach". He said it would support having Americans on the Moon by 2028 and initial elements of a Moon base by 2030, alongside stronger launch capabilities for national security. Trump's latest space push comes after lawmakers put renewed emphasis on NASA's Artemis Moon programme, despite the president's earlier focus on Mars missions. The memorandum also directs federal agencies to consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests to launch commercial foreign space vehicles from US territory.

Trump has set an extraordinary new target for America's space industry: 1,000 launches and re-entries every year by 2030. With the US recording just 178 launches last year, the White House is betting heavily on private companies to transform the country's space ambitions.

Trump wants US astronauts back on the lunar surface by 2028; signs 'commercial-first' executive order on space launches

US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers.The woman identified as Jessica Bowie was arrested on August 19 after investigators said she had acquired materials that could be used to make a bomb, including nails intended as shrapnel. She is accused of supporting the Islamic State group and discussing plans for an attack on the state Capitol in Albany.The New York State Capitol in Albany houses the state's legislature and is a major centre of government.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/america-s-debt-hits-a-staggering-40-trillion-is-the-us-heading-for-a-crisis-1787187559842">America's debt hits a staggering $40 trillion for the first time. Is the US heading for a crisis?</a><h2>Alleged plan to bomb the Capitol</h2>According to court filings, Bowie allegedly became a vocal online supporter of the Islamic State after converting to Islam. Investigators say she posted anti-American messages online, including expressions of support for the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 attacks.The criminal complaint says Bowie told an FBI informant that she wanted to "destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting. I want them to lose a lot of important documents as well."She allegedly discussed ways to study security at the Capitol, including visiting the area for picnics. Bowie, as per an AFP report, told the informant that she would "make it a point to have picnics by the capital to observe". In encrypted messages, she also mentioned that she had "picked up some anarchist literature at the social justice center" which "could have some good tips."Bowie allegedly considered disguising herself as a food delivery worker to gain access to the building and plant a bomb. She also discussed fleeing to Syria after the attack, according to the complaint.<h2>Investigators say she sought bomb-making guidance</h2>Authorities allege Bowie asked the FBI informant for advice on making explosives. She reportedly acquired a DoorDash bag as part of the alleged plan and obtained components that could be used in an explosive device.The complaint also says she discussed potentially carrying out further attacks if she managed to escape to Syria. Times Square in New York City was among the locations she allegedly mentioned.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-announces-crushing-economic-campaign-against-iran-threatens-allies-with-tremendous-penalties-1787186991774">Trump announces ‘crushing’ economic campaign against Iran, threatens allies with ‘tremendous’ penalties</a><h2>Arrest followed FBI investigation</h2>Bowie was taken into custody by FBI agents on August 19 after investigators said they had gathered evidence of the alleged plot. "There's no helping me, you guys know enough," she allegedly told agents following her arrest. She was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday (Aug 20).

A 35-year-old woman has been charged in the US after allegedly telling an FBI informant that she wanted to attack New York's State Capitol and kill lawmakers. Investigators say she also sought guidance on making explosives and discussed using a food-delivery disguise.

US authorities have charged a 35-year-old woman with attempting to provide material support to a designated "foreign terrorist organisation" after she allegedly told an FBI informant that she "wanted to destroy" the New York State Capitol and kill lawmakers. The woman identified as Jessica Bowie was arrested on August 19 after investigators said she had acquired materials that could be used to make a bomb, including nails intended as shrapnel. She is accused of supporting the Islamic State group and discussing plans for an attack on the state Capitol in Albany. The New York State Capitol in Albany houses the state's legislature and is a major centre of government. Also read | America's debt hits a staggering $40 trillion for the first time. Is the US heading for a crisis? Alleged plan to bomb the Capitol According to court filings, Bowie allegedly became a vocal online supporter of the Islamic State after converting to Islam. Investigators say she posted anti-American messages online, including expressions of support for the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The criminal complaint says Bowie told an FBI informant that she wanted to "destroy as much of the building as possible and kill the senators while they are meeting. I want them to lose a lot of important documents as well." She allegedly discussed ways to study security at the Capitol, including visiting the area for picnics. Bowie, as per an AFP report, told the informant that she would "make it a point to have picnics by the capital to observe". In encrypted messages, she also mentioned that she had "picked up some anarchist literature at the social justice center" which "could have some good tips." Bowie allegedly considered disguising herself as a food delivery worker to gain access to the building and plant a bomb. She also discussed fleeing to Syria after the attack, according to the complaint. Investigators say she sought bomb-making guidance Authorities allege Bowie asked the FBI informant for advice on making explosives. She reportedly acquired a DoorDash bag as part of the alleged plan and obtained components that could be used in an explosive device. The complaint also says she discussed potentially carrying out further attacks if she managed to escape to Syria. Times Square in New York City was among the locations she allegedly mentioned. Also read | Trump announces ‘crushing’ economic campaign against Iran, threatens allies with ‘tremendous’ penalties Arrest followed FBI investigation Bowie was taken into custody by FBI agents on August 19 after investigators said they had gathered evidence of the alleged plot. "There's no helping me, you guys know enough," she allegedly told agents following her arrest. She was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday (Aug 20).

A 35-year-old woman has been charged in the US after allegedly telling an FBI informant that she wanted to attack New York's State Capitol and kill lawmakers. Investigators say she also sought guidance on making explosives and discussed using a food-delivery disguise.

The trial in Oakland is not really one case. It is the first of 3,137.&nbsp;The proceedings before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers are a bellwether drawn from a multidistrict litigation over social media and adolescent addiction — the first state attorney general case from that pool to be tried, and the first to reach a jury. Behind it sit school districts and individual families whose claims have been waiting for exactly this.&nbsp;What A Bellwether Actually Does&nbsp;When thousands of similar claims are filed against the same defendant, trying each one separately is impossible. American federal courts consolidate them for pre-trial purposes, and then try a small number of representative cases first.&nbsp;The purpose is price discovery. A bellwether verdict tells both sides what a jury and a judge, presented with this evidence, actually do with it. That answer converts thousands of theoretical claims into a number, and the number is what settlement negotiations run on.&nbsp;This is how mass tort litigation has resolved for decades — opioids, asbestos, talc, defective medical devices. Very few of those cases were ever tried. They were priced by the handful that were.&nbsp;Why This Particular One Went First&nbsp;The state attorney general claims were a sensible choice to lead, and the reasons are worth understanding.&nbsp;Government plaintiffs bring resources and investigative powers that individual families do not have. They can pursue documents at a scale a single litigant cannot fund, and their claims run on consumer protection statutes rather than on personal injury, which sidesteps the hardest problem in the entire litigation: proving that a specific platform caused a specific young person's specific harm.&nbsp;That causation question — whether social media use causes adolescent depression, or whether depressed adolescents use more social media — is genuinely contested in the research literature, and it is Meta's strongest ground. A consumer protection case largely avoids it. The states need to establish that the design was unfair or deceptive and that Meta knew, not that any individual child was injured in a medically demonstrable way.&nbsp;So the first case tried is the one framed to avoid the defendant's best argument. The cases behind it are not all built that way.&nbsp;Who Is In The Queue&nbsp;Two groups are waiting, and they want different things.&nbsp;School districts have sued on the theory that platform design created a public nuisance they have had to pay to manage — counsellors hired, phone policies enforced, disciplinary time absorbed. Their claims are institutional and quantifiable, which makes them easier to value and harder to dismiss as speculative.&nbsp;Individual families are the harder and more consequential group. Their claims involve identifiable young people and, in some cases, deaths. They carry the evidentiary problem the state claims avoid, and they carry the emotional weight that state claims do not.&nbsp;A verdict for the states establishes that the conduct was unlawful. It does not establish that the conduct killed anyone. Those are separate findings, and the second is the one the families still have to win.&nbsp;What A Loss Would Mean&nbsp;Bellwethers cut both ways, and this is the part least discussed.&nbsp;If Judge Gonzalez Rogers finds for Meta, or finds liability but imposes modest relief, the price of every case behind this one falls immediately. Plaintiff firms funding this litigation on contingency would have to reassess whether the remaining cases justify the expense, and Meta's settlement leverage would increase across the entire pool.&nbsp;That is a real possibility. Meta has already forced the states to narrow their theory, has a genuine causation defence in reserve, and is arguing that the documentary case is built from cherrypicked internal material. It also enters with a judge who has previously rejected a plaintiff's broad theory while imposing a narrow structural remedy — an outcome that would satisfy nobody cleanly.&nbsp;The Part That Reaches Beyond Meta&nbsp;Meta is the defendant here, but the design features at issue are not Meta's alone.&nbsp;Infinite scroll, autoplay, ephemeral content, engagement-optimised recommendation and beauty filters exist across every major platform used by teenagers. A ruling that any of them constitutes an unfair or deceptive practice when deployed to minors would apply, in reasoning if not in binding effect, to every company that ships them.&nbsp;That is why this trial is being watched by companies that are not parties to it. A bellwether prices the cases behind it. This one may also price a set of product decisions that the entire industry has treated as settled for a decade.&nbsp;A verdict is expected around October.

The states' case is the first bellwether from 3,137 consolidated cases in the social media addiction multidistrict litigation, and the first to reach a jury. School districts and families are queued behind it, and a bellwether verdict prices them all.

The trial in Oakland is not really one case. It is the first of 3,137. The proceedings before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers are a bellwether drawn from a multidistrict litigation over social media and adolescent addiction — the first state attorney general case from that pool to be tried, and the first to reach a jury. Behind it sit school districts and individual families whose claims have been waiting for exactly this. What A Bellwether Actually Does When thousands of similar claims are filed against the same defendant, trying each one separately is impossible. American federal courts consolidate them for pre-trial purposes, and then try a small number of representative cases first. The purpose is price discovery. A bellwether verdict tells both sides what a jury and a judge, presented with this evidence, actually do with it. That answer converts thousands of theoretical claims into a number, and the number is what settlement negotiations run on. This is how mass tort litigation has resolved for decades — opioids, asbestos, talc, defective medical devices. Very few of those cases were ever tried. They were priced by the handful that were. Why This Particular One Went First The state attorney general claims were a sensible choice to lead, and the reasons are worth understanding. Government plaintiffs bring resources and investigative powers that individual families do not have. They can pursue documents at a scale a single litigant cannot fund, and their claims run on consumer protection statutes rather than on personal injury, which sidesteps the hardest problem in the entire litigation: proving that a specific platform caused a specific young person's specific harm. That causation question — whether social media use causes adolescent depression, or whether depressed adolescents use more social media — is genuinely contested in the research literature, and it is Meta's strongest ground. A consumer protection case largely avoids it. The states need to establish that the design was unfair or deceptive and that Meta knew, not that any individual child was injured in a medically demonstrable way. So the first case tried is the one framed to avoid the defendant's best argument. The cases behind it are not all built that way. Who Is In The Queue Two groups are waiting, and they want different things. School districts have sued on the theory that platform design created a public nuisance they have had to pay to manage — counsellors hired, phone policies enforced, disciplinary time absorbed. Their claims are institutional and quantifiable, which makes them easier to value and harder to dismiss as speculative. Individual families are the harder and more consequential group. Their claims involve identifiable young people and, in some cases, deaths. They carry the evidentiary problem the state claims avoid, and they carry the emotional weight that state claims do not. A verdict for the states establishes that the conduct was unlawful. It does not establish that the conduct killed anyone. Those are separate findings, and the second is the one the families still have to win. What A Loss Would Mean Bellwethers cut both ways, and this is the part least discussed. If Judge Gonzalez Rogers finds for Meta, or finds liability but imposes modest relief, the price of every case behind this one falls immediately. Plaintiff firms funding this litigation on contingency would have to reassess whether the remaining cases justify the expense, and Meta's settlement leverage would increase across the entire pool. That is a real possibility. Meta has already forced the states to narrow their theory, has a genuine causation defence in reserve, and is arguing that the documentary case is built from cherrypicked internal material. It also enters with a judge who has previously rejected a plaintiff's broad theory while imposing a narrow structural remedy — an outcome that would satisfy nobody cleanly. The Part That Reaches Beyond Meta Meta is the defendant here, but the design features at issue are not Meta's alone. Infinite scroll, autoplay, ephemeral content, engagement-optimised recommendation and beauty filters exist across every major platform used by teenagers. A ruling that any of them constitutes an unfair or deceptive practice when deployed to minors would apply, in reasoning if not in binding effect, to every company that ships them. That is why this trial is being watched by companies that are not parties to it. A bellwether prices the cases behind it. This one may also price a set of product decisions that the entire industry has treated as settled for a decade. A verdict is expected around October.

The states' case against Meta is the first bellwether trial drawn from 3,137 consolidated cases in the multidistrict litigation over social media and adolescent addiction, and the first to reach a jury. Bellwethers exist to establish what the rest are worth. School districts and individual families are behind it in the queue.

3,137 cases are waiting behind the Meta trial! This one sets the price

Bilibili relaunched its international app this week, and disclosed plans for an English-language website and a global creator push. The Chinese platform, long described as China's answer to YouTube, has 376 million monthly active users.&nbsp;It is hiring community managers in Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Istanbul and Tokyo.&nbsp;There is no Indian city on that list, and that absence is the most informative thing about the launch.&nbsp;What Has Actually Launched&nbsp;The revamped international app is live on Google Play, with an iOS version expected to follow and an English-language website described as coming soon.&nbsp;The most consequential change is not the app itself but the sign-up. The international version has dropped identity verification. Overseas users previously had to supply passport or identity documents to register on the main Chinese platform, a requirement that made casual international use effectively impossible.&nbsp;Removing it converts Bilibili from a walled Chinese service that foreigners could visit into a platform anyone can join in under a minute. That is the difference between a curiosity and a competitor.&nbsp;The company is also building AI-powered content moderation, according to a Singapore-based job listing — a necessary step for a platform about to operate across jurisdictions with incompatible rules on speech. Bilibili declined to comment on its plans.&nbsp;Why This Is Not Another TikTok, Exactly&nbsp;The comparison is natural but imprecise, and the imprecision matters.&nbsp;TikTok's international product was built separately from Douyin, its Chinese sibling, specifically for foreign markets. Bilibili is extending its existing platform outward rather than building a new one, which means the content library, the creator base and the culture arriving in these markets are the ones that grew up inside China.&nbsp;The format is different too. Douyin and Kuaishou are short-form. Bilibili is long-form — closer to YouTube than to TikTok in what it actually does, built around extended video, animation, gaming content and a dense community culture that includes on-screen scrolling comments.&nbsp;That makes it a more direct threat to YouTube than TikTok ever was, and a harder product to regulate by analogy. The concerns raised about TikTok concerned recommendation algorithms shaping a short-form feed. A long-form platform raises the older and less settled questions about hosted content, moderation standards and which jurisdiction's rules apply.&nbsp;The Market That Is Missing&nbsp;India is the largest video-consuming market on earth by users, and the largest one where YouTube's position has never been seriously contested.&nbsp;It is also the market that has already answered this question.&nbsp;On June 29, 2020, India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese-owned applications, days after a clash on the Himalayan border in which twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers were killed. The stated ground was data security. More than 500 Chinese apps have been blocked since.&nbsp;The ban has not softened on the app that mattered. The government has confirmed that the 2020 orders were neither interim nor time-bound, that they remain in force, and that no unblocking order has been issued for TikTok. A handful of other applications, including Xender, TanTan and Shein, have returned. TikTok has not.&nbsp;Bilibili's hiring list reads as an acknowledgement of that. A company assembling regional operations across six continents' worth of cities, which omits the second-largest internet population in the world, has not overlooked it.&nbsp;What India Gave Up And Got Back&nbsp;The Indian ban is often discussed as a loss for Indian creators, and in the short term it was. Roughly 200 million users lost a platform overnight, and the creators among them lost their audiences with it.&nbsp;What followed is the part worth remembering as Bilibili arrives. The vacuum was filled almost immediately by Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, both of which built their short-form products around the gap India's ban created. Domestic attempts largely failed. The beneficiaries were American.&nbsp;That is the trade India made: a Chinese platform removed on security grounds, replaced by American platforms operating under the same commercial logic and subject to their own foreign jurisdiction. It is a real choice with real costs, not a straightforward win, and the Meta trial currently running in a California federal court is a reminder that the replacement platforms carry their own unresolved questions about what they do to young users.&nbsp;The Question Bilibili Raises&nbsp;For every other market on that hiring list, the calculation is live rather than settled.&nbsp;Britain, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil and the United States are about to host a Chinese long-form video platform with 376 million users, no identity verification at sign-up, moderation being built by AI, and a content culture formed under Chinese rules. The questions that consumed four years of argument about TikTok — where data sits, who can compel access to it, whose speech rules govern moderation — arrive again, with a different product and no established answer.&nbsp;India will watch that argument from outside, having pre-empted it in 2020.&nbsp;Whether that looks like foresight or like an overcorrection depends on what the rest of the world concludes over the next few years. What is not in dispute is that Bilibili has drawn its own map, and India is not on it.

Bilibili, with 376 million monthly users, relaunched its international app and is hiring in Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Istanbul and Tokyo. India, the biggest video market left, is absent — and the reason dates to 2020.

Bilibili relaunched its international app this week, and disclosed plans for an English-language website and a global creator push. The Chinese platform, long described as China's answer to YouTube, has 376 million monthly active users. It is hiring community managers in Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Istanbul and Tokyo. There is no Indian city on that list, and that absence is the most informative thing about the launch. What Has Actually Launched The revamped international app is live on Google Play, with an iOS version expected to follow and an English-language website described as coming soon. The most consequential change is not the app itself but the sign-up. The international version has dropped identity verification. Overseas users previously had to supply passport or identity documents to register on the main Chinese platform, a requirement that made casual international use effectively impossible. Removing it converts Bilibili from a walled Chinese service that foreigners could visit into a platform anyone can join in under a minute. That is the difference between a curiosity and a competitor. The company is also building AI-powered content moderation, according to a Singapore-based job listing — a necessary step for a platform about to operate across jurisdictions with incompatible rules on speech. Bilibili declined to comment on its plans. Why This Is Not Another TikTok, Exactly The comparison is natural but imprecise, and the imprecision matters. TikTok's international product was built separately from Douyin, its Chinese sibling, specifically for foreign markets. Bilibili is extending its existing platform outward rather than building a new one, which means the content library, the creator base and the culture arriving in these markets are the ones that grew up inside China. The format is different too. Douyin and Kuaishou are short-form. Bilibili is long-form — closer to YouTube than to TikTok in what it actually does, built around extended video, animation, gaming content and a dense community culture that includes on-screen scrolling comments. That makes it a more direct threat to YouTube than TikTok ever was, and a harder product to regulate by analogy. The concerns raised about TikTok concerned recommendation algorithms shaping a short-form feed. A long-form platform raises the older and less settled questions about hosted content, moderation standards and which jurisdiction's rules apply. The Market That Is Missing India is the largest video-consuming market on earth by users, and the largest one where YouTube's position has never been seriously contested. It is also the market that has already answered this question. On June 29, 2020, India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese-owned applications, days after a clash on the Himalayan border in which twenty Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers were killed. The stated ground was data security. More than 500 Chinese apps have been blocked since. The ban has not softened on the app that mattered. The government has confirmed that the 2020 orders were neither interim nor time-bound, that they remain in force, and that no unblocking order has been issued for TikTok. A handful of other applications, including Xender, TanTan and Shein, have returned. TikTok has not. Bilibili's hiring list reads as an acknowledgement of that. A company assembling regional operations across six continents' worth of cities, which omits the second-largest internet population in the world, has not overlooked it. What India Gave Up And Got Back The Indian ban is often discussed as a loss for Indian creators, and in the short term it was. Roughly 200 million users lost a platform overnight, and the creators among them lost their audiences with it. What followed is the part worth remembering as Bilibili arrives. The vacuum was filled almost immediately by Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, both of which built their short-form products around the gap India's ban created. Domestic attempts largely failed. The beneficiaries were American. That is the trade India made: a Chinese platform removed on security grounds, replaced by American platforms operating under the same commercial logic and subject to their own foreign jurisdiction. It is a real choice with real costs, not a straightforward win, and the Meta trial currently running in a California federal court is a reminder that the replacement platforms carry their own unresolved questions about what they do to young users. The Question Bilibili Raises For every other market on that hiring list, the calculation is live rather than settled. Britain, Japan, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil and the United States are about to host a Chinese long-form video platform with 376 million users, no identity verification at sign-up, moderation being built by AI, and a content culture formed under Chinese rules. The questions that consumed four years of argument about TikTok — where data sits, who can compel access to it, whose speech rules govern moderation — arrive again, with a different product and no established answer. India will watch that argument from outside, having pre-empted it in 2020. Whether that looks like foresight or like an overcorrection depends on what the rest of the world concludes over the next few years. What is not in dispute is that Bilibili has drawn its own map, and India is not on it.

Bilibili, the Chinese platform with 376 million monthly users often called China's YouTube, relaunched its international app this week and is building an English-language site. It is recruiting community managers in Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Istanbul and Tokyo. India, the largest video market left on earth, is not on the list — and the reason is six years old.

'Another TikTok?': China's answer to YouTube goes global

Almost every account of the trial that opened in Oakland this week has carried the same number: $1.4 trillion, a sum just short of Meta's entire market capitalisation.&nbsp;It is not what the states are asking for. It is a figure Meta's own lawyers put into the record.&nbsp;Where The Number Came From&nbsp;The $1.4 trillion is a theoretical maximum. It is what you get by taking the statutory penalty available per violation — $20,000 — and multiplying it across every alleged violation in every claim.&nbsp;Meta's legal team performed that calculation and presented it to argue that the potential exposure is vastly disproportionate to the conduct alleged. That is an ordinary and entirely legitimate defence move. Showing a court the absurd upper bound of a penalty formula is a standard way of arguing that the formula should not be applied mechanically.&nbsp;What is less ordinary is that the number then detached from its context and became the reported size of the states' demand.&nbsp;What The States Actually Want&nbsp;California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill has put the figure at roughly $193 billion. The attorneys general have indicated to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that $200 billion is the more realistic number.&nbsp;That is between a seventh and a fifth of the figure in circulation.&nbsp;It is still an enormous sum — larger than the annual GDP of most countries, and larger than any corporate penalty in American history by a wide margin. Nobody should mistake $193 billion for a modest ask. But the difference between $193 billion and $1.4 trillion is the difference between a penalty a company survives and one that ends it, and those are not the same story.&nbsp;Restitution Is Not Damages&nbsp;There is a further distinction that the headline figure obscures entirely.&nbsp;California Attorney General Rob Bonta has framed the case as being about restitution rather than damages. Those are different legal instruments with different logic.&nbsp;Damages compensate a victim for a loss suffered. Restitution strips a defendant of a gain wrongfully obtained. The measure is not what the children lost — which is unquantifiable and would be fiercely contested — but what Meta earned from the conduct alleged.&nbsp;That framing is strategically deliberate. It sidesteps the hardest evidentiary problem in the case, which is proving that a particular product feature caused a particular harm to a particular young person. Restitution asks a narrower question: did the company profit from practices that were unlawful.&nbsp;It also explains why the number is large. Meta's revenue from the relevant period, attributable to the relevant users, is not a small figure regardless of how conservatively it is calculated.&nbsp;Why An Inflated Number Helps The Defendant&nbsp;It is worth asking who benefits from the $1.4 trillion figure travelling as far as it has.&nbsp;A penalty large enough to destroy a company invites a court to flinch. Judges are conscious of proportionality, of the consequences of their orders, and of appellate review. A remedy that reads as annihilation is more likely to be reduced on appeal than one that reads as painful but survivable.&nbsp;There is a real argument, made by several observers of the case, that a claim framed at extinction scale is harder to win precisely because of its scale. If that is right, then a number originating with the defence and amplified in coverage is doing work for the defence.&nbsp;None of which requires anyone to have acted improperly. Meta's lawyers made a legitimate proportionality argument. Reporters picked up the largest number in the room, which is what reporting tends to do. The result is simply that the most-quoted fact about this trial is a defence exhibit.&nbsp;What To Watch Instead&nbsp;The money is not the part of this case most likely to change anything.&nbsp;The states are also seeking nationwide injunctive relief: orders requiring Meta to remove specific design features from Instagram and Facebook, and to delete algorithms trained on data collected from children under 13. Those remedies do not scale with a penalty formula and cannot be reduced to a headline figure.&nbsp;A fine, however large, is paid once and absorbed. An order to rebuild the recommendation systems and strip out the features that drive engagement changes what the product is.&nbsp;If this trial ends up mattering in five years, it will be because of what Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordered Meta to do, not because of what she ordered it to pay.

The $1.4 trillion sum reported everywhere in the Meta trial was produced by Meta's own lawyers as a theoretical maximum to argue disproportionality. The states have told the court they are seeking roughly $193 billion.

Almost every account of the trial that opened in Oakland this week has carried the same number: $1.4 trillion, a sum just short of Meta's entire market capitalisation. It is not what the states are asking for. It is a figure Meta's own lawyers put into the record. Where The Number Came From The $1.4 trillion is a theoretical maximum. It is what you get by taking the statutory penalty available per violation — $20,000 — and multiplying it across every alleged violation in every claim. Meta's legal team performed that calculation and presented it to argue that the potential exposure is vastly disproportionate to the conduct alleged. That is an ordinary and entirely legitimate defence move. Showing a court the absurd upper bound of a penalty formula is a standard way of arguing that the formula should not be applied mechanically. What is less ordinary is that the number then detached from its context and became the reported size of the states' demand. What The States Actually Want California Deputy Attorney General Megan O'Neill has put the figure at roughly $193 billion. The attorneys general have indicated to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that $200 billion is the more realistic number. That is between a seventh and a fifth of the figure in circulation. It is still an enormous sum — larger than the annual GDP of most countries, and larger than any corporate penalty in American history by a wide margin. Nobody should mistake $193 billion for a modest ask. But the difference between $193 billion and $1.4 trillion is the difference between a penalty a company survives and one that ends it, and those are not the same story. Restitution Is Not Damages There is a further distinction that the headline figure obscures entirely. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has framed the case as being about restitution rather than damages. Those are different legal instruments with different logic. Damages compensate a victim for a loss suffered. Restitution strips a defendant of a gain wrongfully obtained. The measure is not what the children lost — which is unquantifiable and would be fiercely contested — but what Meta earned from the conduct alleged. That framing is strategically deliberate. It sidesteps the hardest evidentiary problem in the case, which is proving that a particular product feature caused a particular harm to a particular young person. Restitution asks a narrower question: did the company profit from practices that were unlawful. It also explains why the number is large. Meta's revenue from the relevant period, attributable to the relevant users, is not a small figure regardless of how conservatively it is calculated. Why An Inflated Number Helps The Defendant It is worth asking who benefits from the $1.4 trillion figure travelling as far as it has. A penalty large enough to destroy a company invites a court to flinch. Judges are conscious of proportionality, of the consequences of their orders, and of appellate review. A remedy that reads as annihilation is more likely to be reduced on appeal than one that reads as painful but survivable. There is a real argument, made by several observers of the case, that a claim framed at extinction scale is harder to win precisely because of its scale. If that is right, then a number originating with the defence and amplified in coverage is doing work for the defence. None of which requires anyone to have acted improperly. Meta's lawyers made a legitimate proportionality argument. Reporters picked up the largest number in the room, which is what reporting tends to do. The result is simply that the most-quoted fact about this trial is a defence exhibit. What To Watch Instead The money is not the part of this case most likely to change anything. The states are also seeking nationwide injunctive relief: orders requiring Meta to remove specific design features from Instagram and Facebook, and to delete algorithms trained on data collected from children under 13. Those remedies do not scale with a penalty formula and cannot be reduced to a headline figure. A fine, however large, is paid once and absorbed. An order to rebuild the recommendation systems and strip out the features that drive engagement changes what the product is. If this trial ends up mattering in five years, it will be because of what Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordered Meta to do, not because of what she ordered it to pay.

Coverage of the Meta trial has settled on $1.4 trillion, a sum just below the company's market capitalisation. That figure was produced by Meta's own lawyers as a theoretical maximum, to argue the exposure is disproportionate. What the states have told the court they are seeking is roughly $193 billion.

The $1.4 trillion figure in the Meta trial is Meta's own number, not the states'

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3,137 cases are waiting behind the Meta trial! This one sets the price