CNA

Iran's currency reached a record low of 2.02 million rials per U.S. dollar on informal markets Monday, compared with the official Central Bank rate of approximately 1.5 million rials. The decline follows U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28 and precedes a scheduled U.S. Treasury announcement of new sanctions. Iran maintains control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global oil trade previously moved freely.

On August 24, Ukraine marked the 35th anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union with a speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in central Kyiv. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and European Council President Antonio Costa arrived for meetings, while Zelenskiy rejected Russian demands regarding Donbas territory. The events occurred against the backdrop of the full-scale invasion that began in 2022.

New Zealand overcame an 18-point second-half deficit to defeat the Lions 41-35 at Ellis Park on August 25. The All Blacks scored seven tries to the Lions' five and completed a clean sweep of South African franchise sides. The result extended New Zealand's unbeaten tour record to five wins from five.

Brydon Carse was photographed in handcuffs outside a nightclub early Sunday and has been dropped from England's second Test against Pakistan, which begins Thursday. The England Cricket Board and regulator are investigating the incident amid prior player conduct issues. Joe Root and Alastair Cook publicly expressed disappointment.

Britain and Ukraine signed an agreement on August 24 granting the UK first access to Ukraine's Avengers AI Labs for joint development of defence AI tools. The pact covers collaboration on automated target detection, fibre-optic sensors, and low-power AI chips, alongside release of SCALP missile component data. Sources include CNA, Straits Times, Euronews, and Washington Times.

The United States cancelled the biennial Ssangyong joint amphibious landing exercise scheduled for next month. South Korean officials attributed the decision to U.S. force constraints linked to Middle East operations. Consultations between Seoul and Washington continue on possible resumption.

Graeme Dott, 49, was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of sexually abusing a girl between 1993 and 1996 and a boy between 2006 and 2010. He was suspended by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association in April 2025 while ranked No. 56 and ordered held in custody pending sentencing on September 29. Dott won the world snooker championship in 2006.

Popular committees in Gaza, coordinated with Hamas authorities, warned parents on August 24 to prevent children from flying kites after several non-incendiary kites drifted into Israel. The directive followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that those responsible would face consequences. Reports cite prior 2018 incendiary kite incidents and the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israeli border communities.

Lando Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix on August 23, 2026, at Zandvoort after starting from pole and recovering from an early lead change. Max Verstappen crashed on the opening lap, triggering a red flag, while Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, and Lewis Hamilton finished second through fourth. McLaren secured its third consecutive victory at the event.

Alibaba announced and finalized an HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion) primary share placement in Hong Kong, priced at HK$112.70 per share with an 8.4% discount to the prior close. The company stated proceeds will fund AI development and infrastructure. Hong Kong-listed shares fell as much as 10% in early Monday trading following the Sunday announcement.

SpaceX announced plans to develop a Starship launch complex on a 125,000-acre former Exxon property in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, with the first launch targeted for 2029. The project is described as a $100 billion effort that would use a small portion of the marshland site while targeting thousands of annual launches. Construction timelines remain disputed across sources, with initial operations projected around 2030.

Chelsea secured a 3-2 victory over Fulham on August 24 at Craven Cottage in Xabi Alonso's debut as head coach. Goals came from Joao Pedro after 31 seconds, Morgan Rogers in the 41st minute, and Cole Palmer four minutes into the second half, with Fulham replying through Josh King. The result featured the fastest opening goal in Premier League history for the opening round of fixtures.

Liverpool and Newcastle United played to a 2-2 draw on August 23, with Dominik Szoboszlai converting a 99th-minute penalty after Cody Gakpo had equalized. New managers Andoni Iraola of Liverpool and Matthias Jaissle of Newcastle each oversaw their first Premier League match. Newcastle had led twice before the late equalizer and penalty.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix took place on August 23, 2026, with Kyle Kirkwood securing victory after leading 128 of 147 laps. President Donald Trump waved the green flag to start the race, and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser served as grand marshal. The event followed a 402 km route through central Washington landmarks and drew an expected 200,000 spectators with free general admission.

Singapore core inflation reached 2 percent year-on-year in July, up from 1.6 percent in June, while overall inflation stood at 2.2 percent year-on-year compared with 1.9 percent the prior month. Electricity and gas prices rose 8.7 percent year-on-year after a 2.9 percent decline in June. The Monetary Authority of Singapore implemented a policy tightening in July alongside two support packages totaling approximately 2 billion Singapore dollars.

Brent crude futures declined to $92.84 a barrel and WTI crude to $85.02 a barrel on Monday, with both benchmarks posting drops exceeding 1.6 percent. The declines occurred ahead of a scheduled US Treasury announcement on sanctions targeting Iran and its trading partners. Both contracts had risen more than 5 percent the previous week.

The Hawk Fire, a human-caused wildfire that began on August 22, 2026, grew to 15,051 acres five miles northwest of Reno by August 24. It led to the evacuation of 42,000 people, with another 45,000 under preparation orders, while schools closed due to smoke and six injuries were reported with no fatalities. More than 700 firefighters responded using engines, helicopters, and bulldozers.

Serena Williams, 44, and Carlos Alcaraz defeated Erin Routliffe and Lloyd Glasspool 5-3, 4-1 in the first round of US Open mixed doubles and advanced to the quarterfinals. Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka lost their opening match 1-4, 4-2, 10-2 to Henry Patten and Katerina Siniakova. The mixed doubles event is held the week before the singles main draw begins August 30.

Oil prices fell more than 2% on Monday before steadying on Tuesday, August 25, following the announcement of expanded US sanctions on Iran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent outlined measures to restrict Iran's economic ties, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not rule out military options. An oil tanker was disabled near Oman on Tuesday amid the developments.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, is scheduled to take the witness stand on Tuesday in a lawsuit brought by 29 U.S. states against Meta Platforms. The California Attorney General's office confirmed the testimony on Tuesday, with reporting dated August 25. The case centers on claims regarding Instagram's impact on young users.

Tokio Marine has identified Suncorp as its preferred takeover target among several reviewed insurers, according to a Financial Times report citing unnamed sources. Berkshire Hathaway holds a stake in Tokio Marine, and share prices of Suncorp and Insurance Australia Group rose following the report. Discussions remain ongoing with no deal assured.

The second World Humanoid Robot Games began August 22, 2026, at Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval as a five-day event with 51 competitions. Supported reports confirm that more than 40 percent of events required full robot autonomy and that two humanoids completed the 100-meter dash faster than Usain Bolt's 9.58-second record, with one robot catching fire afterward. Multiple performance claims remain unverified by the two available sources.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory 50% tariffs on US steel and aluminum effective September 8, matching President Trump's prior 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. Both sets of measures target approximately $20 billion in annual bilateral trade. Canada also announced a C$7.5 billion aid package for affected firms and workers.

Police in Bihar used water cannons and detained dozens of protesters attempting to march on the governor's residence in Patna on Tuesday. Demonstrators demanded cancellation of the Bihar Public Service Commission exam amid allegations of question paper leaks. Officials later stated that most demands had been addressed and the situation had become peaceful.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held a call on August 24 to address US-ROK alliance matters. President Trump separately announced a scaling back of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises, a move accepted by the Lee administration but rejected by North Korea. The State Department described the discussion as covering a broad range of alliance topics.

High-level delegations from Syria and Israel met in Jordan on August 23 for US-mediated talks focused on de-escalation after Israeli strikes on Syrian targets. The Syrian side was led by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and included intelligence chiefs; discussions also addressed insulation of Syrian territory from Israel-Turkey tensions. Syria's SANA agency reported the meeting citing a foreign ministry source.

Negotiations between the United States and Canada broke down on Friday, after which the US applied new 50 percent tariffs covering approximately $20 billion of Canadian exports. Canada announced matching tariffs on US steel and dairy products effective September 8. The United States accounts for roughly 70 percent of Canadian exports.

As of 9am on August 26, 2026, 16 Malaysian areas recorded unhealthy API readings according to CNA, with three in Sarawak. Indonesia approved joint cloud-seeding operations following a ministerial phone call. Malaysia's National Day and Malaysia Day events remain scheduled for late August and mid-September 2026.