Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, said on Wednesday that Pakistan continues to mediate in maintaining indirect, behind-the-scenes communication between the United States and Iran. In an interview with Russia’s state news agency TASS, he described Pakistan as a channel of communication between the two countries.

Tirmizi said Pakistan believes in diplomacy and wants to work with all regional stakeholders involved in establishing peace in the region. He stressed the importance of involving regional powers in conflict resolution, saying those with direct interests or who are part of the region must remain engaged. He added that Pakistan has consistently supported resolving conflicts through dialogue.

According to the report, Pakistan has been among the main mediators in efforts to resolve the US-Iran conflict since February 28 this year. A ceasefire agreement took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding in June. Both agreements were described as fragile from the outset, and conflict and hostilities between the two sides intensified again in July.

Detective Branch police arrested Mushfiqur Rahman Milton, an accused in the murder case over the killing of Chittagong University student Farhad Hossain during the July uprising. Police detained Milton in an operation in Jaria village of Sreepur upazila, Magura, on Monday. A court ordered him sent to jail after he was produced before it on Tuesday afternoon.

Milton, 45, is the general secretary of the Awami League’s Sabdalpur union unit. He is the son of late Siddik Molla of Mokordomkhola village in Sabdalpur union, Sreepur. Police said he is named as the 13th accused in the first information report filed in the Farhad Hossain murder case.

Farhad Hossain, 22, was the son of Golam Mostafa of Raynagar village in Sreepur upazila. He was shot dead near Parnanduali Bridge in Magura town on August 4 during the anti-discrimination student movement. Magura District Detective Branch Sub-Inspector Mehedi Hasan said Milton had been arrested and sent to jail through the court.

A major fire broke out at a British American Tobacco cigarette warehouse in the Nalam area of Ashulia, Savar, on Wednesday morning. The blaze began around 7:30 a.m., according to the report. Fire Service personnel deployed six units to the site and fully brought the fire under control by about 1 p.m.

Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Hafizur Rahman said four units from the Zirabo Fire Station initially began firefighting operations. Two additional units from the DEPZ Fire Station later joined them after the situation was assessed. The teams worked to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the warehouse.

The Fire Service said the presence of combustible materials in the warehouse made the operation take some time. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage were not immediately known. Authorities said an investigation would be conducted to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Yemen’s Houthi group said it has attacked eight Saudi oil tankers since the start of a maritime blockade, according to a statement by its military spokesperson reported on August 5. The spokesperson said the latest attack targeted a Saudi oil tanker named Wafa, with several ballistic missiles launched at the vessel.

The spokesperson claimed the strike hit its target “accurately.” The report did not provide information on damage, casualties, the tanker’s condition, or any response from Saudi Arabia. The claim was presented as part of the group’s account of operations following the blockade.

According to the spokesperson, the attack was part of efforts to enforce a declared maritime blockade by Yemen’s armed forces. He said the blockade began on July 22 and that eight Saudi oil tankers had been attacked since then. He also claimed that 29 Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea had been prevented from reaching their destinations and forced to turn back during the same period.

Iranian parliament national security committee member Esmail Kowsari described US President Donald Trump’s position on talks involving Iran as contradictory and unreliable. He made the remarks in an interview with Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera.

Kowsari said Trump had claimed 75 times that the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened, while it remained closed in practice. He also said Trump had made 106 comments about Iran’s defeat while separately asserting 88 times that an agreement with Tehran was imminent.

On Tuesday night, Trump said an understanding with Iran could be reached within hours. Tehran, however, has repeatedly said that no direct talks are underway with Washington. The source did not provide further details about any proposed agreement or the status of indirect contacts.

Four more Palestinians died in Gaza over the past 24 hours amid Israel’s continuing attacks, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday. Two people were killed directly in attacks, while two others who had been receiving treatment for injuries from earlier attacks later died. One person was reported injured during the same 24-hour period.

The ministry said violence has continued in Gaza despite a ceasefire that took effect on October 11. Since that ceasefire began, 1,254 people have been killed and 4,121 injured, according to the ministry’s figures. The report did not provide further details on the locations or circumstances of the latest attacks.

Since the war began on October 7, 2023, the total number of people killed in Gaza has reached 73,381, the Health Ministry said. It reported that 174,231 people have been injured over the same period. The ministry separately recorded the latest direct deaths and the deaths of people who had been wounded in previous attacks.

Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said a possible agreement with Oman would not mean the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately. Citing an informed source on August 5, IRIB said talks on future shipping arrangements in the strait are taking place only between Tehran and Muscat, with no US involvement.

The source said any potential Iran-Oman arrangement over vessel traffic should not be interpreted as an immediate reopening of the waterway. According to Tehran's position, the strait will remain closed even if an agreement is reached with Oman while alleged US violations continue.

IRIB said reopening would depend on a change in US behavior and correction of the alleged violations. Earlier Iranian media reports said Tehran was close to an understanding with Oman on a new maritime transit corridor if the United States stopped interfering in the talks. Iranian officials have repeatedly accused Washington of seeking to influence the negotiations through military threats and of delaying an agreement.

Iran says it is strengthening, rebuilding and modernizing its military capabilities despite a ceasefire with the United States, according to a report published on August 5. Iranian military authorities said Tehran is prepared for renewed conflict with Washington if negotiations fail. Iran also said military expansion has continued while talks proceed through Oman and other mediators.

Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said every moment of the ceasefire under a memorandum of understanding signed in June, now suspended, had been used fully. He said Iran is adding existing and new equipment, repairing damaged weapons systems and developing new defenses. Acting Defense Minister Majid Ebne Reza said missile and drone production had not stopped and claimed drone output had tripled, without providing figures.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said missile production and targeting accuracy had improved during the ceasefire but released no information on stockpiles, losses or production capacity. Some U.S. media reports in June said about 70 percent of Iran's missile stockpile and 40 percent of its drone inventory remained intact. The United States has indicated a possible Oman-mediated arrangement over the Strait of Hormuz, while regional tensions remain high.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said an investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal is examining the Awami League’s responsibility for genocide and crimes against humanity. He said the party could face trial as a political organization once the investigation is completed. Ahmed made the remarks on August 5 at a reception and discussion programme for July martyrs’ families and July fighters at the China Friendship Conference Center in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka.

He said the July mass uprising was the result of a collective struggle by millions of people, not the achievement of any individual, party or group. Ahmed urged people not to turn July into a partisan issue and instead focus on fulfilling its aspirations. He described the uprising as the culmination of democratic movements, disappearances, killings, attacks, cases and repression from 2009 to 2024, and called for unity against fascism despite political differences.

Ahmed said amendments to the International Crimes Tribunal law allow for the trial of organizations as well as individuals. He opposed banning a political party by executive order, saying the court should determine the Awami League’s future after the investigation. He also reaffirmed commitments to constitutional amendments and said a draft law on preventing and remedying enforced disappearance had been published online for public opinion and would soon be placed before parliament.

At least seven explosions were reported within 20 minutes in Dubai’s Jebel Ali industrial area in the United Arab Emirates, according to an NDTV report published on August 5. The blasts sent smoke across the night sky, with footage circulating on social media showing large black plumes near a residential area. NASA satellite imagery also showed a fire at a facility used for fuel storage and transfer beside Jebel Ali port.

Iran’s semi-official Mehr News, citing Emirati officials, reported that at least seven explosions occurred in the area. Two people were arrested on allegations of filming the incident, according to the report. The actual cause of the explosions has not been confirmed.

Some Iraqi media outlets claimed missiles were launched from Yemen at the UAE amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, but Emirati authorities had not released official information on the cause. No immediate information was available on casualties or damage. The report said the UAE was on high alert because of the continuing conflict between the United States and Iran.

Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said a production without an image of martyr Abu Sayeed cannot be considered a documentary. He made the remarks on Wednesday at a reception and discussion for martyrs’ families and July fighters, organized by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the capital. He described the absence of any image of Abu Sayeed, whom he called a symbol of the revolution, as deeply regrettable.

Ahmed said the documentary shown at the event contained inconsistencies. He called the commotion at a national event regrettable and shameful, saying an apology had been offered but disorder over the matter was still undesirable. He also said he had fought in the Liberation War at age 27 and would fight again if necessary, at age 82, to make the people’s rule and democracy in Bangladesh permanent.

The acting president said ensuring the rights of July fighters is among the government’s responsibilities. He said it would be shameful if they had to visit different ministries to secure those rights. According to him, the government’s main duty is to embrace the aspirations of July fighters and work for them.

India deployed a National Response Team on Wednesday after a Chandipura virus outbreak killed 22 children, according to the country’s health ministry. The special team will assist health authorities following outbreaks in the western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. The report was published on August 5, 2026.

According to the World Health Organization, Chandipura virus spreads during the monsoon season through sandflies, mosquitoes and ticks. The virus can cause encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, and is particularly fatal for children. Several child deaths linked to the virus have been reported in Gujarat.

Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said blood samples from 184 patients were tested, with Chandipura virus detected in 35 people. Rajasthan also reported the deaths of two children from the virus last month. Health authorities have stepped up surveillance, testing and preventive measures to control the infection.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) boycotted a July Uprising Day discussion meeting organized by the upazila administration in Satkania, Chattogram. The meeting began at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Satkania Upazila Parishad hallroom. NCP Satkania upazila coordinator Touhidul Islam Masum left the venue, alleging that students, members of the public and people injured during the uprising were absent.

The meeting was chaired by Satkania Upazila Nirbahi Officer Khondkar Mahmudul Hasan. Officials from various government departments, political leaders and print and electronic media journalists attended. Those present included the assistant commissioner for land, agriculture and health officials, the police station officer-in-charge, the upazila engineer, and local leaders from Jamaat and BNP.

Masum said an event excluding injured people did not embody the spirit of the uprising. The UNO said the main observance was being held in Chattogram under the district administration, and injured people and family members of those killed had been sent there under district instructions. He said Satkania received instructions on Tuesday afternoon to observe the day, requiring the event to be arranged quickly. The incident prompted discussion and criticism in local political circles.

July Uprising Day 2026 was observed in Sarail, Brahmanbaria, with remembrance for those killed and respect for those injured in the July uprising, alongside pledges to restore democracy. The discussion and honor-giving ceremony was held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in the Sarail উপজেলা administration hall. Guest of honor Rumin Farhana, member of parliament for Brahmanbaria-2, questioned whether Bangladesh had fully removed the inequalities that had driven people onto the streets.

The meeting, chaired by উপজেলা নির্বাহী কর্মকর্তা Mohammad Saiful Islam, awarded crests in honor of those killed and injured in the uprising. Local political leaders and activists, supporters, people from different professions and administration officials attended. Farhana said inequality remained between rich and poor, minorities and majorities, indigenous people, and women and men in Bangladesh’s population of 180 million.

She said several thousand people were killed during the movement and many others were permanently disabled or lost limbs. Farhana called for self-criticism over whether the aspiration for an equal, democratic and participatory Bangladesh had been fulfilled. Addressing journalists, she said mobile phones and technology make it impossible to completely block the spread of statements, and emphasized media freedom and people’s right to information.

Upazila Parishad and upazila administration officials in Kishoreganj, Nilphamari, visited the grave of July Uprising 24 martyr Nayeem Babu and paid their respects on Wednesday morning, August 5. The observance was held for July Uprising Day at his family home in Sonakuri village of Ranchandi Union. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arifur Rahman led the grave visit and tribute.

The programme began at 10am with the visit to Nayeem Babu’s grave, marking the formal start of July Uprising Day observances in the upazila. Those present included Officer-in-Charge Abdul Gafur, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Neel Ratan Deb, and Upazila Agriculture Officer Lokman Alam.

NCP convener Jahedul Islam Labu and July fighter Rafiq Shah also attended the event. Other participants included government officials, political figures, July fighters and students. The report did not mention any additional programmes or subsequent plans linked to the observance beyond the grave visit and tribute.