The symbolic one-minute internet blackout planned to mark the anniversary of the July coup has been canceled by the interim government. Cultural advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki shared the update in a verified Facebook post on Thursday, stating there had been reservations about the initiative from the outset, and after further discussions, it was decided to cancel it. The blackout was part of the broader "July Remembrance" campaign running from July 1 to August 5. All other planned programs will continue as scheduled.

At the beginning of the current fiscal year, Bangladesh’s warehouses hold a combined reserve of 1.764 million metric tons of rice and wheat—an increase of nearly 300,000 tons compared to the same period last year. According to the Press Wing of the Chief Advisor, the reserve stood at 1.473 million tons at the start of the previous fiscal year. Rice stocks have risen to 1.541 million tons, while wheat reserves have decreased to 223,000 tons due to higher distribution than procurement.

Saudi Arabia has deployed the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system to enhance its air defense capabilities and secure strategic zones. The system, stationed after training in Jeddah, is capable of intercepting short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. However, questions have been raised about its effectiveness, especially in countering missile threats from Iran and Yemen.

The interim government has decided to officially recognize Rohingya youth Noor Mostafa, who was killed during a popular uprising, as a martyr. Media and Information Advisor Mahfuz Alam confirmed that the proposal was presented during the June 22 Cabinet meeting and that a formal gazette notification is in process. Noor Mostafa was shot dead in front of Eidgaon Police Station in Cox’s Bazar on August 5, 2023. Despite being born and educated in Bangladesh, he had not previously been recognized as a martyr due to his parents' lack of official identity documents. The family has yet to receive any state support.

India has taken a firm stance against China’s claim that it must approve the Dalai Lama's successor. Speaking at an event in Dharamshala, Indian Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju asserted that the Dalai Lama alone holds the right to determine his spiritual successor. “It is a purely religious matter, and any political interference is unacceptable,” Rijiju said. India reaffirmed that the decision would be made either by the Dalai Lama himself or the Gaden Phodrang Trust, his designated institution.

The Advisory Council has approved the draft of the Public Service (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The proposal was tabled by the Ministry of Public Administration during a meeting chaired by Chief Advisor Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus on Thursday. According to a Cabinet Division statement, the ordinance received final approval following vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.

Recent U.S. airstrikes have reportedly damaged several Iranian nuclear facilities, delaying Tehran's nuclear program by nearly two years, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. The strikes involved heavy use of bombs and missiles on three key sites. However, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned that Iran could still produce weapons-grade uranium in the coming months, casting doubt on the long-term impact of the strikes. Analysts believe Iran may have hidden enriched uranium before the attacks.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s remarks suggesting the JCPOA talks aim to end Iran’s nuclear program. Araghchi argued such statements violate both the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, undermining future negotiations with the EU and UK. He emphasized Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program and criticized calls for one-sided cooperation with the IAEA, while ignoring threats from Israel and the U.S.

At least five people were killed and 18 injured in a bomb blast targeting a government vehicle in Pakistan’s Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Victims include an Assistant Commissioner, a Tehsildar (revenue officer), a sub-inspector, and a constable. The vehicle belonged to Assistant Commissioner Faisal Ismail. Police suspect it was a suicide attack. No group has claimed responsibility. According to think tank PICSS, Pakistan experienced its highest level of militant violence in June 2025, with 502 attacks killing at least 737 people in the first half of the year.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a report accusing Powell of providing false information during hearings related to renovation expenses at the Fed’s headquarters. Despite having appointed Powell during his first term, Trump has frequently criticized him for not lowering interest rates. Powell, however, has rejected the resignation calls, stating he will not step down under political pressure.

Two members of the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), including a commander, were killed in a military operation in the remote hills of Ruma Upazila in Bandarban, Bangladesh. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the news on Thursday, stating that troops recovered three submachine guns, one rifle, and a cache of ammunition. The operation is still ongoing, according to the ISPR.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed that Tehran dealt a devastating blow to both the aerial and ground forces of Israel during a 12-day conflict. Speaking at a memorial in Tehran on Wednesday, Ghalibaf said Iranian forces began surrounding and dismantling Israel’s military capabilities by the second and third days of the war. He asserted that Iranian ballistic missiles even struck fortified Israeli defense systems—evidence, he said, of Iran’s growing military power. Ghalibaf further claimed that Israel's aggression, backed by the United States, was met with a powerful Iranian response. "Without U.S. support, Israel wouldn’t last a single day," he added.

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to lay off approximately 9,100 employees — about 4% of its global workforce — in what would be its largest job cut since 2023. The layoffs are expected to mainly affect the sales division. This follows a prior round of 6,000 job cuts earlier this year. Once a booming employment sector, the global tech industry has seen repeated layoffs since the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft currently employs about 224,000 people. An official announcement is yet to be made.

The government has initiated the process of withdrawing 27 legal cases filed against Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and activists during the Awami League's tenure. Eleven of these were filed at Chattogram’s Hathazari police station, with others spread across Khulshi, EPZ, Rangunia, Cox’s Bazar, Comilla, and Dhaka. Thousands were accused in these cases, which Hefazat leaders claim were politically motivated. The Chattogram Deputy Commissioner has received the withdrawal list from the Home Ministry, and further steps will be taken pending court approval.

A ferry carrying 65 people, including 53 passengers and 12 crew members, sank off the coast of Bali, Indonesia. The ferry, named KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, also had 22 vehicles on board. As of the latest update, two bodies have been recovered and 20 passengers rescued, with at least 43 still missing. The vessel sank roughly 30 minutes after departing East Java’s Ketapang Port. Rescue operations with nine boats continued overnight amid rough seas, a recurring factor in Indonesia’s frequent maritime accidents.