Iran has executed Shahram Sadeghi, who was convicted of driving a car into several police officers during anti-government protests in January. The judiciary’s online portal, Mizan, said the sentence was carried out on the morning of August 16.

Mizan said Sadeghi had received the death sentence for participating in what it described as an operation supported by the “Zionist regime” and the United States. According to the judiciary, he drove his vehicle into several police officers in Karaj, west of Tehran, on January 8.

Seven police officers were injured in the incident, Mizan reported. Iran saw widespread anti-government protests in December and January, driven by an economic crisis. The source did not provide further details about the judicial proceedings or any subsequent actions following the execution.

Severe river erosion in the Sandwip Channel in Chattogram has exposed two submarine cables that supply electricity from the national grid to Sandwip. A report published on August 16 said about 50 feet of the cables become visible at low tide. The affected site is about 1.5 kilometres from the landing station in Ward 5 of Bauria ইউনিয়ন, and the condition has persisted for three months. Failure of the cables could leave the island upazila's roughly 450,000 residents without power for an extended period.

The Water Development Board placed geobags in June to prevent erosion, but they did not hold, and stronger tides exposed more of the cables. Electricity has been supplied to Sandwip through the cables since 2018. The cables have a 50-megawatt capacity and a stated 50-year service life, while 10 megawatts are currently being supplied initially. The Bangladesh Power Development Board has not yet conducted a risk assessment and is awaiting specialists from Chinese contractor Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology Co. Ltd., or ZTT.

Chief Engineer Kamal Uddin Ahmed said work was being coordinated among three parties, including the Water Development Board and the foreign contractor, but the contractor had not yet visited. The Institute of Water Modelling said BPDB had not contacted it and that changing local conditions should be assessed. It recommended regular monitoring of the cable's entire length.

Iranian parliamentarian Ebrahim Azizi said US President Donald Trump should worry about his own security rather than make what he called endless threats over the Strait of Hormuz. Azizi, who heads Iran’s parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, made the remarks in a social media post on August 16, 2026, following Trump’s recent comments about the waterway.

Azizi wrote that Trump should stop the persistent threats and rhetoric concerning the Strait of Hormuz, warning that otherwise he might ultimately have to hide in a food truck. The article said the reference to a food truck pointed to a report in US media concerning Trump’s travel arrangements last month.

According to that report, Trump used a catering truck to transfer from Air Force One to a smaller aircraft while travelling to Ankara for a NATO summit, amid fears of an Iranian attack. Trump had said he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz to be US territory. The strategically important strait is currently under Iranian control, and Iran has said it would reopen it once US military intervention stops.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said an initiative has been taken to establish a modern drug treatment centre and hospital in Lalmonirhat at a cost of Tk150 crore. The facility is intended to provide treatment, rehabilitation and recovery support for people with drug addiction. Speaking on Sunday afternoon, August 16, 2026, at an event at Majida Khatun Government Women’s College in Lalmonirhat town, he said implementation work is expected to begin within the next year.

Dulu said Lalmonirhat faces a risk of drug inflows because of its border location. He said stronger operations by law-enforcement agencies alone would not be enough, calling for coordinated treatment, rehabilitation and public-awareness efforts. He also stressed that families of young people with drug addiction should receive necessary support alongside treatment for the individuals.

The minister called for families, educational institutions, social organisations and public representatives to work together against drugs and build a long-term social movement to protect young people. Referring to the “Alokito Lalmonirhat” initiative, he said public engagement was being expanded against drugs, child marriage, dowry, gambling, bribery and corruption. District officials, police representatives and college officials attended the programme.

Nine people, including former minister Dipu Moni and dismissed military officer Ziaul Ahsan, were produced before International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday in a crimes-against-humanity case over alleged killings at a Hefazat-e-Islam gathering at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel on May 5, 2013. Prosecutor Zahirul Amin presented an update on the case to the tribunal.

The prosecution said the case has 41 accused, with 11 in custody. Arrest warrants were issued on July 27 against 31 people, including Sheikh Hasina, who the report says has been sentenced to death. Of 30 fugitives, authorities did not find 20 at their listed addresses and received non-execution reports. Reports for the remaining 10 were still unavailable.

Hasanul Haq Inu and former minister Abdur Razzaq, both held in other cases, could not be produced because of procedural complications. The tribunal ordered that the 11 detained accused be produced on September 3 along with non-execution reports for the remaining 10. The prosecution brought two allegations, covering alleged killings of 32 people in Dhaka on May 5 and 20 in Siddhirganj on May 6, alongside incidents elsewhere.

Shishir Monir, a senior Supreme Court lawyer and Jamaat-e-Islami politician, has called for all sides to hold talks on Bangladesh’s gas and electricity crisis. In a Facebook post on August 16, he said the shortages should be treated as a national crisis rather than a problem only for the government, a political party or a group.

Monir said the crisis could have multiple causes and urged stakeholders to sit together, saying everyone wants a solution and there was no need for ego. His remarks stressed coordinated action by the government, opposition parties and other relevant sides instead of mutual accusations, with the aim of reducing public hardship.

The comments came as political pressure over the shortages increased. On Saturday, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman challenged opposition parties to submit any plan capable of resolving the crisis within six months and invited them to present it in parliament when the session begins on August 27. He acknowledged hardship in several areas, said a floating LNG terminal accident had disrupted gas supply, and stated that technical faults had been repaired. He expressed hope that the gas shortage would ease substantially within days.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck near the coast of the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Sunday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake was centred about 56 kilometres northeast of Port Olry, a small coastal village in Vanuatu, and originated at a depth of 188 kilometres below the surface.

No immediate damage or casualties were reported after the earthquake. Vanuatu’s natural disaster authorities also did not immediately issue a tsunami warning. The country is prone to earthquakes because it lies in the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire, an area stretching from Southeast Asia to the Pacific basin where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent.

The Vanuatu tremor followed powerful earthquakes in Colombia and Indonesia. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early Saturday and was followed by more than 100 aftershocks, killing 51 people. In western Colombia, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake on Monday caused extensive damage to buildings, roads and other infrastructure around Cali, Pereira and nearby areas. The reported death toll there has reached about 290, with 140 people missing and around 4,000 injured.

Japanese scientists are preparing the uncrewed Martian Moons eXploration, or MMX, mission to collect samples from a moon of Mars. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch from Tanegashima Space Center within the next few months. The mission could help investigate the formation of the solar system and the origins of life on Earth, while also potentially helping pave the way for future human travel to Mars.

The spacecraft was unveiled to media on Thursday and is expected to remain in Mars orbit for about three years. During that period, it will attempt to land on Phobos and collect at least 10 grams of material from its surface. A rover named Idefix, after the dog in the French comic character Asterix, will examine the moon's surface at the same time.

MMX will also observe Deimos, Mars's other moon, but will not land there. A return capsule is then expected to head for Earth and land in Australia around 2031. The report notes Japan's prior sample-return experience: JAXA's uncrewed Hayabusa-2 returned 5.4 grams of rock and dust collected from an asteroid in 2020.

Residents in Yemen’s government-controlled areas fear a return to full-scale war after renewed conflict with the Iran-backed Houthis, according to a report published on August 16, 2026. In the port city of Al-Makha, which has been hit by Houthi attacks, resident Nazem Hamoud al-Wahbani said people were living in fear and worried that conditions could again become severe.

Al-Wahbani told AFP that Houthi missiles and drones pass overhead daily and that residents hear artillery fire in the distance. He said people fear an attack could come much closer the following day. Mohammed Ali, who lives in Al-Khokha north of Al-Makha, is considering moving his family again as the fighting spreads. He had previously fled his home in Hodeidah province because of conflict and sought shelter in Al-Khokha.

Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 between the Houthis and the internationally recognized, Saudi Arabia-backed government. The conflict has killed several thousand people and pushed the country toward famine. A 2022 truce brought relative calm, but fighting resumed last month after Houthi attacks on a Saudi airport and an oil tanker. The Houthis said Saudi Arabia had attacked an airport under their control.

Despite the peak season, the Meghna River in Tajumuddin, Bhola, is not yielding the expected hilsa catch, leaving more than 5,000 fishers unemployed and over 300 boat owners frustrated. The report, published on August 16, said catches are so low that fishers cannot recover their boats’ fuel costs, making it difficult for them to support their households.

According to the upazila fisheries office, Tajumuddin has 19,500 registered fishers, including more than 7,000 directly involved in catching fish. Nearly 5,000 of them are currently without work. At Sluice Gate, Gurinda Bazar and Choumuhani landing points, traders and fishers were seen passing idle time at fish depots. Supplies of other fish have also fallen, prompting many people to close their businesses.

Teacher and fish trader Md Monir said he stopped sending his three boats out after low catches, despite investing about Tk 2 million in boats and nets. Upazila Fisheries Officer Md Amir Hossain said underwater sandbars are disrupting the normal movement of hilsa coming from the sea. He said higher authorities have given assurances about pursuing dredging to remove the sandbars.

Naila Islam, previously expelled from the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal’s central committee, has faced renewed controversy in Nabinganaj, Brahmanbaria, after allegations that she used abusive language during a phone call with a journalist. An audio recording of the alleged exchange spread on Facebook, prompting condemnation from local journalists and leaders of several organisations.

Dhaka South Mohila Dal general secretary Saleha Akter said Islam was expelled on January 22, 2025, from her primary membership and all party posts over alleged violations of party rules, principles and discipline. She said the expulsion remains in force. Upazila BNP general secretary Nazmul Karim also said he knew of the expulsion. Islam later joined the NCP and sought its nomination for the Brahmanbaria-5 seat, but did not receive it, according to NCP leader Md Ataullah.

Islam, an assistant professor of political science at Demra University College, has also received a show-cause notice over alleged negligence and conduct issues, while an inquiry committee has been formed. Principal Dr Nure Alam alleged irregular class attendance and shortcomings in teaching. Journalists said information may be declined, but personal attacks and abusive language are unacceptable.

Social media users alleged that a Middle East map published by US Central Command depicted the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank as part of Israel. The map accompanied a statement on CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper’s 10-day Middle East trip, according to an Al Jazeera report published on August 16, 2026.

Screenshots circulated online appeared to place Gaza and the occupied West Bank inside Israel’s borders. The issue quickly drew attention from users, with one accusing CENTCOM of doing so deliberately. Russia’s Sputnik also commented that CENTCOM appeared to have made another geographical error, saying the map showed the Gaza Strip and West Bank as Israeli territory.

CENTCOM later appeared to revise the map. When Al Jazeera viewed the statement, the occupied West Bank was shown separately from Israel, although Gaza was not marked as a separate territory. The report also said Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 157 of the United Nations’ 193 member states.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government would not act against the interests of the country and its people, and urged citizens to resist those who create disorder on the streets. He made the remarks on Sunday at about 11:30am during a fish fry release event in the Brahmaputra River in Pakundia, Kishoreganj.

He described the current gas and electricity crisis as the result of the immaturity of a fascist government. Rahman called on people to work together, overcoming obstacles, to repair the state. He said the government wants to establish Bangladesh as a welfare state.

Addressing farmers, Rahman said the government would stand beside them according to its capacity and continue support for agricultural development and the protection of farmers’ interests. He also said education for women would be free through graduation, high-performing female students would receive stipends, and 120,000 poor students nationwide would receive school uniforms and bags. He said improving living standards and changing people’s fortunes were the government’s goals.

Indonesia’s North Sumatra province was struck by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Saturday evening, 12 hours after a powerful magnitude 7.7 quake hit the country’s east. The new tremor occurred at 5:54 p.m. local time, with its epicentre 7 kilometres northwest of Pematangsiantar, one of North Sumatra’s largest cities. The US Geological Survey said it originated at a depth of 183.2 kilometres.

No major damage or casualties had been reported from the latest quake, and no tsunami warning was issued. Earlier on Saturday, at 5:58 a.m., the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck offshore, 68 kilometres northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. That quake originated just 10 kilometres below the surface and was followed by 341 aftershocks of comparatively lower magnitude.

Indonesia’s weather agency initially issued a tsunami warning after the earlier offshore earthquake but withdrew it after three hours when no tsunami signs were detected. The magnitude 7.7 quake caused reported deaths and damage across eastern Indonesia and other areas, with 47 people killed, at least 54 buildings completely collapsed, and several hundred homes partially damaged.

Local veterinary practitioner Mehedi Hasan Sakib, 34, died after an alleged attack by opponents in Matamuhuri upazila of Cox's Bazar, the report said. Sakib was attacked at his home in Satdaliyapara, Ward 7 of coastal Badarkhali union, on Saturday morning. He was first taken to Chakaria উপজেলা Health Complex and later admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital in critical condition, where he died at about 1am while receiving treatment.

Sakib's father, Waz Uddin, and his two brothers, Morsharaf and Arfat, were also injured and are receiving treatment at Chakaria উপজেলা Health Complex. Police and local sources said an argument over a trivial matter took place on Friday afternoon between Morsharaf and Tannu, Helal and Belal from the same area. The following morning, the three men and several others allegedly went to Sakib's home and carried out the attack.

Chakaria police station officer-in-charge Arifur Rahman said police conducted raids at the scene and nearby areas on Saturday night after receiving information, but no one was detained because the accused had fled. He said preparations were under way on Sunday morning to send the body to the Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination after an inquest report. The family had not yet filed a written complaint, and police said legal action would follow if a complaint was submitted.