News Updates
A landmark federal trial opened August 18 in Oakland as 29 US states accused Meta of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children for profit. California prosecutors cited an internal Meta document titled "The Young Ones are the Best Ones." Meta denied all claims. Zuckerberg is expected to testify in the trial, which carries up to $1.4 trillion in potential penalties.
Read Full ArticleThe UAE suspended all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran on August 18 after its air defences detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran targeting maritime shipping. Dubai's role as Iran's financial lifeline makes the suspension potentially more damaging than US sanctions, according to former US officials. Iran denied launching any missiles.
Niger, Senegal, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Indonesia tightened anti-LGBTQ laws in 2026, while over 60 nations still criminalise same-sex conduct. India, where homosexuality was decriminalised in 2018 but same-sex marriage remains unrecognised, passed a controversial transgender rights amendment in March 2026 that replaced self-identification with mandatory medical board examination.
Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry on August 17 announced that PM Tarique Rahman's proposed India visit cannot proceed until New Delhi extradites convicted former PM Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives. India has maintained the extradition request is "under examination." The demand follows Hasina's August 5 virtual press address from New Delhi, which Dhaka said disrupted the diplomatic atmosphere.
President Trump on August 18 invoked India's 2024 general election, 646 million voters, all with photo ID, less than 1% mail-in to push Congress to pass the SAVE America Act. He cited Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's question about how US elections can function without mandatory photo identification.
US Ninth Circuit upholds US courts' jurisdiction to enforce Devas Multimedia's $562.5 million arbitral award against India's Antrix, rejecting forum non conveniens.
President Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercises with South Korea on August 16, citing his relationship with Kim Jong Un and Seoul'...
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari sparked controversy on Independence Day by saying Muslims "tolerate" the country's 3-4% Hindu population. Pakistan's 2023 census places the Hindu population at 2.17...
Iranian Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami announced a $30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers on August 16, doubled to $60,000 for Iranian women, citing citizen requests for financial pa...
The White House's "Great Transshipment Scam" report released August 13 accused India and 40+ nations of enabling Chinese exporters to evade US tariffs through third-country routing and relabelling. In...
President Trump signed a proclamation August 13 imposing 100% tariffs on large security-capable drones, 25% on smaller models, and 15% on allied-nation imports, taking effect September 3. Citing natio...
ITAT Delhi partly allows six appeals by BBC Global News, reducing profit attribution to its Indian DAPE from 15% to 12% of advertisement revenue and directing tax-credit verification.
Lebanon's parliament voted on August 11 to abolish the death penalty, making it the first Arab country to formally end capital punishment. Death sentences will be replaced with life imprisonment and h...
Syria's Fourth Criminal Court in Damascus sentenced former President Bashar al-Assad, his brother Maher, and cousin Atef Najib to death on August 11, 2026, for murder, torture and crimes against human...
US court partly dismisses criminal charges against Gautam Adani, dropping securities and wire fraud counts while seeking further justification for dismissing bribery and obstruction charges.
The Senior Citizen Rights Handbook is a comprehensive guide designed to empower elderly citizens with clear and accessible knowledge of their legal and social rights in India.
![ITAT Cuts BBC Global News India PE Profit Attribution From 15% To 12% Of Ad Revenue [Read Order]](/secure/uploads/2026/08/lj_9489_ITAT_Cuts_BBC_Global_News.webp)
