The United States removed Syria from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, ending a designation that had been in place since 1979, a decision that took effect after a 45-day congressional review period and followed Washington's efforts to strengthen ties with Syria's new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa; the move removes a major obstacle to foreign investment and economic reconstruction, since although the United States had already ended its comprehensive sanctions program against Syria, the terrorism designation had continued to discourage banks, companies and investors because of the legal and financial risks of doing business there, and its removal is expected to help Syria reconnect with the international financial system and attract the billions of dollars in investment needed to rebuild after nearly 14 years of war, even as targeted U.S. sanctions remain in place against Bashar al-Assad and his associates, human-rights abusers, drug traffickers, Islamic State and al-Qaeda affiliates, and Iranian proxies. Alongside this, Sharaa's Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as the al-Nusra Front and al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria until Sharaa severed ties with the jihadist network in 2016, was also removed from the US list of global terrorist organizations, notable given that HTS led the rebel offensive that overthrew Assad in late 2024 and now dominates Sharaa's transitional administration.

The confirmed toll rose to 273 dead in Nepal and 3 in Tibet. In Nepal, more than 1300 remain people missing. According to Nepal's Tourism Board said about 600 of the missing were foreigners, including 178 Indian nationals, more than 60 Americans, 34 Australians, 33 British nationals, 25 Canadians and citizens of some 30 other countries. It's unclear how many were en route to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a Hindu pilgrimage site. Nepal deployed more than 5,000 army and police personnel with helicopters for search and rescue and requested assistance from India and China. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered all possible humanitarian assistance and sent rescue aircraft with supplies. Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered large scale search and rescue operations in Gyirong. The International Federation of Red Cross released US$1.2 million in emergency funding. United Nations personnel were deployed and the European Union activated satellite mapping services. South Korea set up a government task force, and the United States pledged US$500,000. Scientists linked the disaster to accelerating glacier melt in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, where ice loss ran 65% faster from 2011 to 2020 than the previous decade and has roughly doubled since 2000. Nepal's glaciers have lost about one third of their ice volume over three decades. Satellite data showed unusually warm conditions before the collapse, though direct climate change attribution remained under investigation.

At around 9 am local time, an ice rock avalanche broke loose from a glacier at about 5,200 meters elevation. It fell roughly 1,200 meters and temporarily dammed the Lhende Khola, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River. The blockage then failed and unleashed a flash flood. The flood also surged into the Trishuli and Narayani rivers, raising the Trishuli's level by about 27 feet, roughly 9 meters, within 30 minutes. It struck Nepal's Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, with Nuwakot hardest hit, before crossing into Tibet's Gyirong County. The US Geological Survey initially recorded a magnitude 4.4 earthquake about 100Km/ 62 miles  north of Kathmandu around the same time. It later clarified that the seismic signal came from the landslide itself, registering magnitude 5.2. This was the second time the Lhende Khola had flooded in 14 months, after a glacial lake overflow in August 2025 killed 9 people. The disaster destroyed multiple villages, at least 19 bridges including one already damaged in the 2025 floods, about 40 kilometers of roads, and hydropower projects, and buried buildings and vehicles in mud. An early tally that day counted 22 confirmed deaths and 384 missing tourists, mostly Indian nationals on pilgrimage to Mount Kailash along with Americans, Britons and Malaysians.

At least 19 soldiers from Mali's army (FAMa) and Russia's Africa Corps were reportedly killed in an ambush by the militant group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)  near Erintedjeft, east of Ber, in Mali's Timbuktu region. According to JNIM's own media channel, the joint Mali-Russia patrol was hit around midday. Two roadside bombs struck two military vehicles first, then fighters opened fire with rocket-propelled grenades and guns on the rest of the convoy. JNIM says 8 Africa Corps fighters and 11 Malian soldiers were killed, including a Malian commander named Salif Doumbia. Another 23 were wounded: 14 Russians and 9 Malians. Helicopters made several trips to fly out the dead and wounded. The attackers also destroyed several vehicles, including three pickup trucks, one truck, two armored vehicles, and nine motorcycles. A backup unit sent from Bourem turned around partway because they worried they might be walking into a second ambush.

At least 47 people were killed and more than 50 kidnapped after armed men attacked the once-peaceful community of Kenscoff, outside Port-au-Prince. The attack marked the largest of several attacks in the area since January 2025. A gang leader identifying himself as "Izo 2" (tied to major gang figure Johnson André, or "Izo") threatened in a video to kill the hostages if police used drones or killed gang members while attempting to secure the area. According to Kenscoff Mayor Jean Massillon, among the dead were at least five children and two government employees, including his cousin, who was part of his security detail. The attack and mass kidnapping is a test for the government, police and the international mission, aimed at stretching security resources ahead of the 13 December elections. The gang coalition Viv Ansanm, a US-designated foreign terrorist organization, also burned 25 homes, with gang members remaining on the periphery afterward. Some survivors accused the government of inadequate protection beforehand; police rejected this, and Le Cour questioned how the gangs got through if forces were already stationed there. Armed groups control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and parts of central Haiti. Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people nationwide, with UN statistics (released 25 August 2026) reporting over 3,050 killed and 1,400 injured from January to June 2026. (theguardian.com, 25 August 2026 & jamaica-gleaner.com, 25 August 2026)

A coordinated wave of at least 51 bombings and arson attacks hit Thailand's insurgency-hit southern border provinces from around 8pm to midnight. Narathiwat bore the brunt with 22 incidents, followed by Yala (18) and Pattani (11). Three civilians, two women and a young man, were injured in a roadside bombing and hospitalized in stable condition. Attackers torched government offices, a 7-Eleven, power poles, vehicles, and a backhoe, scattered caltrops on roads, and bombed rail tracks in Narathiwat, suspending train service. A stolen government pickup was later found burnt out. Attackers avoided direct engagement with security forces. Narathiwat imposed an overnight curfew. No group claimed responsibility, though such attacks are typically attributed to the BRN, the main separatist group, amid stalled peace talks. On 23 August, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul convened an urgent security meeting before flying north to inspect flood damage in Nan province. Charnvirakul and his cabinet are due to visit Hat Yai, Songkhla province for a previously scheduled visit on investment, flooding, and security, and the timing fits a pattern of insurgents striking ahead of official visits to the region.