A hand grenade attack near a school in Kabul’s Dasht-e-Barchi area injured around 50 children, according to Afghan media reports. Kabul police confirmed that several children were wounded in Monday’s blast and said an investigation was underway. The area is mainly populated by the Hazara community, which has faced repeated attacks and discrimination in Afghanistan. UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett condemned the attack and called for an independent investigation to ensure those responsible are brought to justice. Dasht-e-Barchi has previously witnessed deadly attacks targeting Hazaras, including a 2021 school bombing that killed dozens, mostly young girls. (PC: HT)

Amit Malviya has been replaced as head of the BJP’s IT and social media department after 11 years, as party president Nitin Nabin announced his new national organisational team. Deepak Mhaskey from Chhattisgarh will take over the role. BJP sources have rejected speculation that Malviya’s removal was linked to recent social media challenges or the ‘Gen Z’ movement. Sources said Malviya had discussed stepping down with the leadership after the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections and had also discussed possible successors. His future role remains undecided. Malviya also served as the BJP’s West Bengal co-in-charge, where the party recently came to power. (PC: NDTV)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party have featured New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside Iranian and Hezbollah leaders in a campaign poster ahead of Israel’s elections. The poster shows Mamdani with Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem. The message says, “They want Netanyahu to lose, don’t let them win.” Netanyahu also reposted the image with the words, “Don’t let them win.” The move follows a public clash between Netanyahu and Mamdani, who has said the Israeli prime minister should face justice at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. (PC: The Independent)

Russia has warned the UK of “consequences” after confirming that British-made drones were used in recent Ukrainian strikes on military and industrial targets inside Russia. The Russian embassy in London accused Britain of escalating the Ukraine conflict and said the deeper its involvement, the “higher the price” it would pay. The UK Ministry of Defence said it remained “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine and was committed to providing equipment to defend against Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian forces have intensified long-range attacks on Moscow and other Russian regions, targeting oil, logistics and industrial sites. Moscow has not specified what action it may take against Britain. (PC: BBC)

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the immediate transfer of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Adiala Jail to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad for medical treatment. The 73-year-old former cricketer has been in prison since August 2023, while his family and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have repeatedly raised concerns about his health. The court directed authorities to shift Khan within 48 hours and keep him at the hospital until September 16, unless doctors consider him fit to leave. A medical board will assess his condition, with access for his personal doctor and sister. The order follows concerns over his eyesight and overall health. (PC: India Today)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani surprised viewers by speaking in Bengali while announcing a programme offering more than 2,000 free Broadway tickets to the city’s high school students. The tickets will be distributed through a lottery, giving students an opportunity to experience live theatre without paying for admission. The initiative has been launched in partnership with the Theater Development Fund (TDF), which is supporting the programme. Students selected through the lottery will be able to attend one of seven Broadway shows. Mamdani’s use of Bengali during the announcement drew attention, adding a cultural dimension to the initiative. The programme aims to expand access to Broadway performances for New York City high school students.

More than 100 Chinese nationals were detained in Pakistan during a crackdown on alleged illegal call centres, prompting Beijing to call for stronger international action against such operations. Chinese authorities have urged countries to step up cooperation against telecommunications and online fraud networks targeting victims across borders. The detentions highlight growing concerns over criminal networks operating from Pakistan and involving foreign nationals. Beijing’s response comes as authorities intensify efforts to combat scams and other forms of cross-border cyber-enabled fraud. The case has also drawn attention to the need for greater coordination between countries to identify, investigate and dismantle illegal call-centre operations and protect victims from increasingly organised international financial and telecommunications scams. (PC: WION)

China has called for global cooperation to fight telecom and online fraud after Pakistan detained more than 100 Chinese nationals. The suspects were reportedly held over alleged links to illegal call centres. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Chinese citizens abroad must follow local laws and avoid criminal activities. He said China is working with other countries to fight telecom fraud and plans to launch an international alliance against such crimes. Beijing has already stepped up action against Chinese fraud gangs operating overseas. China said thousands of people have been cheated by such groups in countries including Myanmar, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

Iran has given the United States a timeline to implement a memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Tehran warned that tensions could grow in the Strait of Hormuz if diplomacy fails. Iran said it will not accept the US naval blockade of its ports for long. It is also working with Oman on a plan to manage shipping through the strait. US President Donald Trump warned Oman against interfering with the blockade and said Iran must surrender its nuclear ambitions. Meanwhile, Iran-backed Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea. Washington said stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons remains its top goal.

Pakistan has issued a strict advisory to citizens travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah, warning them against begging, unauthorised money collection and violations of Saudi visa rules. The Pakistani Embassy in Saudi Arabia urged pilgrims and workers to follow local laws and visa conditions, warning that violations could lead to arrest, detention and deportation. The embassy also shared an AI-generated video depicting a man being arrested by Saudi authorities. Saudi Arabia has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards begging and unauthorised solicitation, particularly around Mecca and Medina. Pakistani visitors were advised to use only authorised services, conduct financial assistance through legal channels, avoid overstaying visas and follow permitted activities under their visa categories.