A major leak has developed in a Titas Gas main transmission pipeline beneath the Arial Khan River in Kazirchar village of Masua union, Katiadi upazila, Kishoreganj. The report, published on August 1, said gas bubbles were continuously surfacing on the river while a strong gas smell spread through the air, alarming local residents.

Residents alleged that the pipeline was damaged during an attempt to obtain an illegal gas connection for a lime-making factory beside the river, though the allegation has not been confirmed by an investigation. Local residents, representatives and Titas Gas sources said the pipeline was installed nearly three decades ago to supply gas from Narsingdi to Kishoreganj. Gas began escaping at high pressure after a hole formed at a welding joint.

Repair supervisor Noman Mia said the large hole has made the work difficult, with 20 to 25 workers operating continuously for several weeks. Upazila Executive Officer Shamima Afroz Marliz inspected the site and said the factory’s legal documents would be checked. An investigation will determine whether an attempted illegal connection caused the leak.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dinajpur district branch held a large rally and procession in Dinajpur demanding implementation of the July Charter and the referendum verdict. The gathering was held at the local Institute field at 11am on Saturday, August 1. After the meeting, a procession left the field, travelled through several city streets and returned to the same venue.

Aftab Uddin Molla, former amir of Dinajpur district Jamaat and a member of the central Majlis-e-Shura, attended as chief guest. District amir Principal Anisur Rahman chaired the event. District secretary Muhaddis Dr Enamul Haque, assistant secretaries Rajibur Rahman Palash and Maulana Saidul Islam Soikat, and other party leaders addressed the gathering.

Speakers alleged that the current government did not want to implement the July Charter because doing so would prevent the laundering of thousands of crores of taka from the country. They said 70 percent of people had voted in the referendum and that reform proposals had still not been implemented despite time spent on them. They urged the government to respect the referendum mandate and implement the July Charter. A large number of Jamaat leaders and activists joined the rally and procession.

Lyricist, composer and music director Prince Mahmud sharply criticised National Citizens Committee chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary after Patwary’s recent comments about BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. In a Facebook post from his verified account, reported on August 1, 2026, Mahmud said Patwary needed treatment and condemned his manner of political commentary.

Mahmud wrote that Mirza Fakhrul’s qualifications need not be judged through remarks from Patwary. He described Patwary’s statements as habitually beginning with personal attacks and stressed the importance of courtesy in politics. Mahmud also made strongly personal comments about Patwary’s behaviour and physical condition in the post.

The post spread rapidly on social media and prompted broad discussion, the report said. Patwary’s various recent remarks about Mirza Fakhrul and several other BNP leaders had already generated intense controversy in political circles. No direct response to Mahmud’s post had yet been received from Patwary or the relevant organisation, according to the report.

The Board of Peace has released a detailed 15-point roadmap for implementing the final stage of a ceasefire plan in the besieged Gaza Strip. The proposal, put forward by US President Donald Trump, includes conditions for a phased Israeli troop withdrawal from Palestinian territory and the disarmament of Hamas. Published on August 1, 2026, the report said Hamas announced on Friday that it accepted the agreement’s terms, while Israel had not issued an official response.

The plan requires Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups to completely halt military operations. A timetable and implementation procedures are to be finalized within 14 days of approval, with an extension possible if needed. The National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, would then begin taking over administrative responsibilities in the territory. A newly formed International Verification Committee would monitor compliance before progress to subsequent stages.

The roadmap calls for vetting police personnel, placing police weapons under NCAG control, and disabling and storing Hamas heavy weapons, weapons-production facilities, warehouses and tunnels. A social peace agreement would commit parties to halt internal violence and retaliatory actions. It also proposes deploying a temporary International Stabilization Force to monitor the ceasefire, train Palestinian police and secure humanitarian aid deliveries without carrying out direct policing duties.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque visited Alif at the National Institute of Ophthalmology and Hospital in Dhaka at 11pm on July 31. Alif was injured in an attack on the National Citizen Party’s July march in Habiganj, according to the report.

During the visit, Mamunul Haque inquired about Alif’s physical condition and wished for his swift recovery. He also discussed necessary matters with doctors treating Alif. The Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis leader consoled the injured person and prayed to Allah for his early recovery.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Joint Secretary General Maulana Ataullah Amin was present during the hospital visit. Maulana Murshid Siddiqui, general secretary of the party’s Dhaka Metropolitan North branch, also attended. Mufti Sanaullah, general secretary of the National Ulama Alliance, was among those present.

Argentina and South Korea have announced a partnership to deepen cooperation in the critical minerals industry, Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said Friday. The announcement followed a meeting in Buenos Aires between Argentine President Javier Milei and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during Lee’s South American visit. It came one day after South Korea announced a similar critical minerals partnership with Chile.

Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno said the agreement aims to encourage investment and joint projects in the exploration, extraction, processing and refining of critical minerals. Argentina’s presidential office said the leaders discussed strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade and investment, cooperation in critical minerals and energy, and developing joint projects in strategic sectors. The visit was the first by a South Korean leader to Argentina in 22 years.

On Friday, the Milei administration also authorized South Korean company Posco to expand lithium extraction operations in Salta province in northwestern Argentina. The Economy Ministry said the $547 million project could produce 23,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate annually and generate more than $300 million in yearly export revenue. Argentina is the world’s fifth-largest lithium producer.

Three judges of International Crimes Tribunal-1, accompanied by a prosecution team, inspected the Rapid Action Battalion’s Taskforce for Interrogation cell, known as “Aynaghar.” The visit took place after 11am on Saturday at the RAB-1 headquarters in Uttara, Dhaka, where the facility is located.

The visiting judges were Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, member Justice Md Shafiul Alam Mahmud, and judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury. Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam also joined the inspection.

Other participants included prosecutors Mizanul Islam, Gazi MH Tamim, Faruk Ahmad, Shaikh Mahdi, Shahidul Islam Sardar and Tasmirol Islam. Lawyers representing the accused also took part in the visit to the detention facility.

A Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, killed nine people and injured at least 23, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service said on Saturday. The agency said the attack caused extensive destruction and fires in five districts of the capital. Ukrainian authorities said ballistic missiles were used in the strike, according to an AFP report.

Kyiv Mayor Klitschko said in a Telegram message at the start of the attack that explosions could be heard in the city and that Russia was launching a ballistic missile attack on Kyiv. He urged residents to remain in safe shelters. Rescue workers were continuing operations in the affected areas, authorities said.

The strike came as a United Nations report said June this year was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022. The report attributed the worsening civilian toll to Moscow’s increased long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities and populated areas. The source did not provide further details about the locations of the casualties or the scale of damage in each district.

Iranian Parliament Speaker and senior nuclear negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has claimed that Iran won a recent war, according to a report by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. He made the remarks during a meeting of the Iranian Parliament Coordination Council, as reported on August 1, 2026.

Ghalibaf said the claimed victory must now be preserved and consolidated over the long term. He also said the entire nation should remain hopeful in pursuit of a bright and prosperous future. The report did not specify the conflict, its opponent, its duration, or evidence supporting his assertion of victory.

Addressing Iranian officials, Ghalibaf called for strengthening the supreme leader's executive authority and capacity before taking any action. He stressed that all efforts to build a strong Iran should begin from that point. The report provided no additional details on war-related measures or immediate plans beyond his comments.

Yemen's armed Houthi group said it had forced at least eight Saudi Arabian oil tankers to change course, according to its military spokesperson Yahya Saree. Saree confirmed the claim but did not specify when the reported diversion occurred or provide further details about the tankers.

In a statement, Saree said the group’s blockade operations against what he called Saudi enemies were continuing. He said the armed forces would reach Saudi vessels wherever possible. The Houthis had previously announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on July 20.

The group has also formally rejected recent media reports that it would collect fees or taxes from commercial ships passing through the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait. No additional information was provided on the claimed tanker course changes or the alleged blockade operation.

A report cited by Amar Desh said the United States is preparing to strike Iran’s energy infrastructure, with Israel expected to join a possible joint operation. CBS News reported that US forces hoped to complete an initial round before financial markets opened on August 3, though the specific timetable had not been finalized.

According to Pentagon sources cited by CBS, Israel had been informed and was interested in fully coordinating with Washington on timing. However, an unnamed Israeli official told CBS that Israeli officials knew nothing about a renewed joint operation and had not been contacted by Washington. CBS said President Donald Trump had not yet granted final approval.

Potential targets identified by Pentagon sources include major power plants and oil refineries, with cutting off electricity across Tehran described as a strategic priority. The Wall Street Journal, however, reported that Trump gave policy and final approval at a Camp David meeting, while noting he could delay strikes if significant diplomatic progress emerged. Iran said it was fully prepared for an immediate, large-scale retaliation against any potential surprise US attack.

A government multipurpose rescue boat is lying in mud beside the Teesta River near Kolkond Union Parishad in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur, as erosion continues to consume homesteads and farmland. The report, published on August 1, 2026, identifies the vessel as “Teesta-Rangpur-2.” Its markings say it was intended for flood-affected districts and name the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

Local residents said the boat was operated only on its inauguration day after arriving in Gangachara and has not been seen on the river since. Residents Manik Mia and Mokhlesur Rahman said water transport is needed to quickly evacuate people during floods or river erosion, particularly when road links to char areas are cut off.

Gangachara Project Implementation Officer Maidhul Islam said he was newly posted and had learned that the boat was supplied by the ministry, but the project had ended and his office had no information about it. Rangpur District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Golam Kibria said the boat was provided in fiscal year 2020-21, with no further activity after the project closed. Locals called for clarity on responsibility, storage and emergency use, and for the boat to be made operational.

A recent Imperial College London study has found a rapid increase in type 2 diabetes among women aged 20 to 29 in England. Researchers analysed National Health Service data and said rising obesity after the Covid-19 pandemic has played an important role in the disease’s spread. Rates among older adults were stable or, in some cases, slightly lower.

Lead researcher Dr Shivani Misra said severe obesity has significantly lowered the average age at which people develop type 2 diabetes. The condition was once more common in certain ethnic minority communities, but its prevalence is now also rising quickly among white people, creating a new public health challenge. Diabetes UK said diagnosis at a younger age can have a more aggressive effect on the body and raise risks of organ damage and premature death.

About 6 million people in the United Kingdom currently have diabetes, with roughly 90 percent living with type 2 diabetes. Nearly 12,000 people under 30 have the condition, many of them young women. NHS figures from 2019 to 2025 show obesity rose 16 percent among people aged 20 to 29 and nearly 20 percent among those aged 30 to 39. Experts urged medical advice for fatigue, frequent urination or excessive thirst.

Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Amin Ur Rashid Yasin alleged that sports were politicised during the “fascist Awami League government.” He made the remarks on Friday night while attending a reception for the Cumilla district cricket team, champions of a national cricket competition, at the Cumilla District Shilpakala Academy. Yasin said sports are a source of joy and that the BNP government is trying to change the situation.

The minister praised the Cumilla players for winning the national cricket title and bringing honour to the district. He said he believed many of them would go on to play internationally and bring honour to the country.

Cumilla City Corporation Administrator and metropolitan BNP general secretary Yusuf Molla Tipu chaired the event. District Commissioner Rozi Akhtar, Additional Superintendent of Police AKM Kamruzzaman, Bangladesh Cricket Board councillor Md Kabir Khan and other sports, political and social representatives attended. Tipu said the city corporation is working continuously to develop sports and promised more successful events in the future.

US presidential special envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor said a group of American investors will visit Bangladesh next week to explore investment opportunities. He made the announcement to journalists on Saturday morning after meeting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Gor described the meeting with the prime minister as productive and said the investors would assess which sectors in Bangladesh could be suitable for investment. He praised Rahman’s leadership, saying stability is returning to Bangladesh under his leadership. Gor also called for a swift, sustainable and political resolution to the Rohingya crisis.

Diplomatic sources said the meeting included exchanges on strengthening existing Bangladesh-US bilateral relations, expanding mutual cooperation, and contemporary regional and international issues. Economic cooperation, trade, investment, security cooperation and matters of shared interest received emphasis in the discussions. Gor stressed the need for coordinated efforts by ASEAN neighbouring countries and all relevant parties to address the Rohingya crisis. The meeting was viewed as one of the important engagements between Rahman and a high-level US representative since the formation of the government.