Bangladesh’s government has launched a seed incentive programme to encourage flood-affected marginal farmers to resume cultivation in seven of the hardest-hit districts: Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Habiganj and Moulvibazar. The programme is set to cover 61,747 farmers, with an allocation of Tk 22.383 million and distribution of 3.87 tonnes of seed. Each listed farmer will receive up to five kilograms of seed for one bigha of land, regardless of total landholding.

Union- and upazila-level agricultural rehabilitation committees assessed losses and finalised beneficiary lists, prioritising the most marginal farmers. Farmers considered able to recover with their own resources were excluded from the initial list. Agricultural officials said those left out would receive priority in a future incentive programme.

According to the Department of Agricultural Extension, crops on 66,231 hectares were damaged in the seven districts. Farmers said the assistance was too limited compared with their losses and that many were seeking high-interest loans from non-governmental organisations to restart cultivation. The programme aims to rehabilitate affected farmers, sustain aman cultivation, raise production and support food security.

Israeli forces intensified attacks in Lebanon’s southern Tyre district, injuring at least four people, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. The agency said three drone strikes were first carried out on the town of Burj Shemali, followed by another strike from a warplane at the same location. The injured were taken to hospital.

Many residents left their homes and headed toward Tyre city after the attacks because of security concerns. NNA also reported that Israeli warplanes carried out three rounds of strikes on the town of al-Mansouri and open areas between al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun.

The agency said artillery and tank fire also targeted the area. Shelling continued from Wednesday evening through Thursday morning across al-Mansouri, Majdal Zoun and nearby valleys. By dawn, the scope of the attacks had extended to the outskirts of Haddatha. Israeli forces also fired machine guns toward the coastal al-Hamra area of Bayt al-Sayyad.

The Parliament Secretariat has sent the voter list to Bangladesh’s Election Commission for the 23rd presidential election, according to Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed. Speaking on Thursday afternoon, he said discussions on the list would take place that day. The commission is expected to discuss the election date and schedule after receiving the voter list.

On August 3, Ahmed said at the Election Building that the Election Commission had requested the voter list from the Parliament Secretariat. He said the secretariat had been asked to provide the list. Only members of parliament vote in a presidential election, and the commission will publish a voter list comprising those lawmakers.

Preparations for the 23rd presidential election began after the country’s 22nd president, Md Shahabuddin, resigned on July 24. The chief election commissioner, A M M Nasir Uddin, has already met the speaker of parliament in accordance with the rules. With the voter list now received, the commission will discuss the election timetable and formal schedule.

At least 14 people were killed by lightning in India’s Jharkhand state on Tuesday, August 4, amid ongoing monsoon rains. Local police said at least 10 of those killed were farmers in Giridih district who were working in crop fields in the open when lightning struck. Seven other people were injured in the incident.

The Indian Meteorological Department said heavy rainfall is likely in Jharkhand over the next several days, meaning the risk of lightning and adverse weather may continue. According to the department, more than 200 people died in Jharkhand alone in 2025, with most of those deaths caused by lightning.

Heavy seasonal rain has also increased casualties elsewhere in India this year. Severe flooding in the northeastern state of Assam has killed about 90 people so far. In the southern state of Kerala, at least 15 people have died in heavy rain, while thousands have been forced to leave their homes and move to safer shelters.

US President Donald Trump is growing frustrated after repeatedly failing to reach an agreement with Iran, according to a report published on August 6, 2026. The report says he has used hard-line pressure, maximum pressure and offers of talks without achieving the desired result. On Monday, Trump accused Tehran of showing “incredible duplicity” in its dealings with Washington, a remark analysts view as reflecting limits in his understanding of Iran’s leadership and power structure.

Trump administration officials have expressed hope that an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz could be reached at any time. Iran, however, remains firm on its position of collecting tolls from vessels using the waterway, which Trump has called unacceptable. Former CIA analyst Kenneth Pollack, who has studied Iran for decades, said Trump may be the US president who has understood Iran’s leaders the least.

The report says failure to secure a meaningful agreement could disappoint Trump’s anti-war voters and contribute to higher oil prices if energy transport through Hormuz remains disrupted. After Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on February 28, Trump urged Iranians to remove their government, but no popular uprising occurred and Iran’s existing power structure remained intact.

Active monsoon conditions kept rain falling in Dhaka from early Thursday and brought varying rainfall across Bangladesh, according to the Meteorological Department. In the 24 hours ending around 6am, Dhaka received 50 millimetres of rain, while Hatiya in Noakhali recorded the highest total at 198 millimetres. The agency said rain could continue nationwide through Thursday.

The department said a new low-pressure area may form over the central Bay of Bengal on August 10 and develop into a depression. Its effects could bring heavy to very heavy rain across the country from August 14. Meteorologist Dr Omar Faruk said rainfall may ease from Friday, with a possible break lasting until August 9, before increasing again from August 10 or 11.

Rain or thunderstorms with gusty winds are forecast in parts of all eight divisions on Thursday, with isolated heavy to very heavy falls possible. At 9am, the Teesta at Tarapur in Gaibandha and the Kushiyara at Fenchuganj in Sylhet were above danger levels. Water rose at 88 of 127 monitored stations.

Road Safety Foundation said 458 road crashes in Bangladesh killed 416 people and injured 629 during July. The monthly report, released Wednesday, recorded 57 women and 48 children among those killed. Motorcycle crashes caused the highest number of deaths, with 138 fatalities, representing 33.17 percent of all road deaths reported for the month.

The report said 106 pedestrians were among the dead, along with 51 drivers and transport assistants. During the same period, 13 waterway accidents killed nine people and injured 11, while 29 railway accidents killed 24 people and injured another 18. Of the road crashes, 169 occurred on national highways, 155 on regional roads, 61 on rural roads and 66 on urban roads.

Dhaka division recorded the highest toll, with 125 deaths in 133 crashes. In Dhaka city, 34 crashes killed 18 people and injured 47. The foundation cited defective vehicles, speeding, unskilled drivers, weak infrastructure, slow-moving highway vehicles, reckless motorcycle use and poor traffic management as key causes. It issued 12 recommendations, including reforms to road safety governance, vehicle controls, driver training and safety technology.

China has launched two artificial intelligence-powered remote-sensing satellites and successfully placed them into orbit from a coastal sea area off Shandong province in eastern China. The satellites were launched Wednesday aboard a Smart Dragon-3 rocket, state news agency Xinhua reported Thursday. They are intended to provide intelligent remote-sensing services to Uzbekistan and Indonesia.

The satellites were developed by Star.AI Spatio-Temporal Intelligence Technology Co. Ltd. The company said the AI-enabled systems can conduct data analysis and computing in space. It said this could provide disaster early-warning and decision-support information within minutes, compared with several hours required for data analysis by conventional satellites.

One satellite will continuously monitor the production cycle of Uzbekistan's cotton industry. The other will monitor crop growth and assess disaster-related risks to help protect agricultural production in Indonesia, according to Xinhua. China said the mission would advance the integrated use of AI and space technology, with applications for Global South countries in agriculture, weather, mineral exploration and disaster management.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has acknowledged mistakes and issued a formal apology over a disputed proposal to sell part of football’s commercial rights to private investors. Despite strong criticism and calls for his resignation, he said he has no intention of leaving office. Infantino secured support from senior FIFA officials during an emergency meeting in Rabat, Morocco, according to a report published on August 6, 2026.

FIFA had proposed selling part of World Cup commercial rights through a new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprises. Infantino sought support for private investment in exchange for grants of $40 million to each member association. UEFA strongly opposed the proposal, expressing no confidence in Infantino and describing the process as an opaque, secretive and unethical backdoor deal.

After the Rabat meeting, FIFA secretary general Matthias Grafstrom and the management committee issued a joint statement expressing full support for Infantino’s leadership. Infantino and Grafstrom also wrote to FIFA vice-presidents, council members and its 211 member associations, apologizing for errors in handling the proposal and pledging that such mistakes would not recur. FIFA rejected reports alleging political support was sought from Morocco over the 2030 World Cup final.

An 11-party alliance began a sit-in programme at Muktangan in the capital on August 6, 2026. The programme started at 11am with a recitation from the Holy Quran. The alliance said it organised the protest over shortages of fuel oil and gas, what it described as ghost electricity bills, and price increases.

The organisers also cited a severe deterioration in law and order and unchecked increases in prices of essential goods as reasons for the programme. Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman is scheduled to speak as the chief guest. Senior leaders of the 11-party alliance are also expected to address the gathering.

After the speeches, the alliance said it plans to go to the Secretariat to discuss its various demands with the relevant ministries. The report does not provide a detailed list of the demands or specify the timing of the planned discussions.

Pakistan and Iran have agreed to introduce round-the-clock border operations to increase bilateral trade. The decision was made on Wednesday during a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and an Iranian delegation led by Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Atabak. The two sides also agreed to improve border infrastructure and logistics and strengthen coordination in customs procedures.

The countries decided to expand cooperation in mining, particularly in processing and adding value to precious gemstones. Sharif said Pakistan would continue diplomatic efforts for regional peace and stability. He expressed hope that joint efforts by both countries could achieve their set target of $10 billion in bilateral trade. He also emphasized expanding trade in food and agricultural products.

Atabak praised Pakistan's hospitality and reiterated Iran's interest in further strengthening economic and commercial ties between the two countries. He said technical-level discussions on a Pakistan-Iran free trade agreement, or FTA, are under way. The reported measures focus on facilitating cross-border commerce through longer operating hours, infrastructure and logistics improvements, and greater customs coordination.

Iran has warned that major energy infrastructure in Gulf countries could face retaliatory attacks if the United States launches new strikes, Reuters reported, citing five sources. The message was conveyed through high-level diplomatic contacts after US President Donald Trump threatened on July 28 to attack Iran’s energy sector and infrastructure.

Two Iranian sources, two Gulf sources and a senior regional diplomat said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, as well as Pakistan’s army chief. He urged Gulf states to use their influence with Trump to prevent further attacks. Araghchi also warned that US military facilities and energy infrastructure in the Gulf would be targets if Washington attacked Iran.

A senior regional diplomat said Iran’s message in every discussion was that it was ready to retaliate, while diplomatic solutions offered the best way to avoid wider conflict and destruction. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly urged Trump to pause military action, maintain a ceasefire and return to talks. Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia also called for renewed negotiations, while Trump said on August 2 he would cancel attack plans if a rapid agreement were possible.

Prime Minister’s political adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that India dishonored the July martyrs by allowing deposed and convicted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to speak. He made the remarks on Thursday morning after paying tribute at the graves of Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia for the anniversary of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh, known as DAB.

Rizvi said that despite the existence of laws, not returning a fugitive accused person and instead giving that person political space was an insult to national sovereignty. He described Hasina as a deposed and convicted former prime minister while criticizing India’s role.

He also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was working to resolve crises including gas, measles and dengue in the country. According to Rizvi, Tarique Rahman was prioritizing the public in line with his commitment. Rizvi further alleged that one group was conspiring against the country in an effort to make the government fail.

US President Donald Trump has denied reports that the United States’ weapons stockpiles have declined because of the Iran war, saying the country still has large quantities of arms. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump also pledged to identify sources cited in media reports on the issue and bring them under the law. The report was published on August 6, 2026.

Trump said the United States has substantial “weaponry,” particularly of certain types. He stressed that the military is maintaining extensive stockpiles while increasing production rapidly. According to his statement, large quantities of weapons are being manufactured and sent to the United States as needed.

He also said defence agencies are building the greatest number of plants and factories in the country’s history. Trump described the statements behind the reports as “treasonous” and said those responsible for leaking the information were being sought. He added that long-term prison sentences would be requested for the alleged leakers.

An analysis published by Amar Desh, drawing on Middle East Eye, questions the credibility of a July New York Times investigative report alleging that Israel’s Mossad sought to cultivate former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an intelligence asset. The report allegedly described secret meetings in Budapest, payments, and Ahmadinejad’s removal from his Tehran residence after a February 28 bombing, with the aim of installing him in a post-Islamic Republic Iran.

The analysis argues that Ahmadinejad would be an implausible choice because Iran’s supreme leader and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps hold the country’s central power and sensitive knowledge. Former Unit 8200 commander Hanan Gefen reportedly challenged the alleged sequence of events, saying a Mossad chief personally meeting an unreliable, high-risk target would violate normal operational practice. The article also questions using a climate conference in Budapest as cover.

Ahmadinejad’s office rejected the account as a “Hollywood-like claim” and accused the New York Times of publishing fabricated information. The analysis says the report relies on unnamed US and Iranian officials, while Mossad did not respond and no documents or identifiable intelligence sources were presented. It urges readers and policy analysts to treat the allegations as a contested narrative rather than established fact.