Turkmen-Bangladesh ties: Political consultations in Ashgabat on Aug. 15 saw both sides pledge to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy security and more, with Turkmenistan offering support for Bangladesh’s energy needs and fertilizers, while Dhaka asked for imports including jute, ceramics, light engineering items and semiconductors. Caspian Sea legal push: Iran says the bill on the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea has been submitted to parliament for ratification, aiming to clarify the legal framework among the five littoral states and close gaps that could be exploited by outsiders. Iran sanctions watch: The US says it will hit Iran “hard” economically, with new measures expected next week; one focus is potential secondary sanctions targeting Chinese “teapot” refiners that process Iranian oil. Ashgabat diplomacy: Turkmenistan’s foreign minister met the outgoing Turkish ambassador, reaffirming plans to expand political, trade-economic and cultural ties and boost bilateral trade turnover. Kids Expo chess: Two former world junior champions are set to arrive in Ashgabat for KIDS EXPO (Aug. 19–22), hosting masterclasses for Turkmenistan’s top players ahead of the Kids Expo Chess Cup. Aviation travel note: A review highlights Turkmenistan Airlines’ business-class experience on Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER routes via Ashgabat. Sports (youth): Bahrain named its 3x3 youth teams for a six-stop FIBA Youth Nations League in Singapore, with Turkmenistan among the participating nations.