Iran is holding an unprecedented six-day mourning program across five cities in Iran and Iraq for former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed four months ago in a joint U.S.-Israel attack. Tehran expects between 10 and 20 million people to participate in the funeral and burial ceremonies. During this period, discussions have intensified about various aspects of Khamenei’s life and teachings.

In his autobiography ‘Cell Number 14,’ Khamenei wrote extensively about his wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, praising her courage and resilience. He described how she remained steadfast during repeated raids by SAVAK agents and his multiple arrests, showing no fear or weakness. Khamenei noted her patience during his imprisonment, her modest lifestyle before and after the revolution, and her refusal to seek luxury or jewelry, instead donating valuables to charity.

The publication of these reflections has drawn renewed attention to Khamenei’s personal values of simplicity, endurance, and devotion, which continue to shape public remembrance during the national mourning period.

A case has been filed in Feni against local Jubo Dal leader Jahangir Alam and four others for allegedly hijacking a truck loaded with fish. The complaint was lodged on Saturday morning by fish farm owner Nurul Amin at Sonagazi Model Police Station. According to the case statement, the incident occurred at midnight on Friday when the truck, carrying fish from Char Khondkar fish enclosure, was intercepted in the Kechidia area. The driver was reportedly held hostage, and the truck was taken away.

After Nurul Amin reported the incident to the national emergency service 999, police conducted a raid early Saturday and recovered the truck from the health complex area. Police said the suspects fled before officers arrived. Nurul Amin claimed the attack stemmed from an ongoing dispute with Jahangir Alam over the fish farm. Jahangir Alam, a Sonagazi municipal Jubo Dal leader, denied the allegations, saying the case was fabricated due to a land dispute. Police confirmed receiving the written complaint and said efforts were underway to identify and arrest those involved.

The headteacher of Nukali Bahuporshik High School in Shahjadpur, Sirajganj, Md. Ruhul Amin, has been temporarily suspended after an objectionable video of him spread across various media and social platforms. The video reportedly showed him in an intoxicated state engaging in indecent behavior and incoherent speech. The Ministry of Education confirmed the authenticity of the incident and announced his suspension along with the suspension of his MPO benefits. The decision was communicated on Saturday by the ministry’s Public Relations Office.

According to the ministry, the Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister, Ehchanul Haque Milon, instructed officials to take appropriate action as soon as the matter came to his attention. The ministry stated that such behavior is unethical, unlawful, and damaging to the dignity of the teaching profession. The suspension was made under the 1979 employment regulations for recognized private secondary school teachers.

On the same day, Shahjadpur Upazila Executive Officer and school president Sabrina Sharmin appointed Assistant Headteacher Md. Abdur Rashid as acting headteacher to ensure smooth administrative, financial, and academic operations. The order took immediate effect.

Iran is holding a state funeral for its longest-serving Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death marks the end of a significant chapter in the country’s political history. Khamenei assumed leadership in 1989, following the Iran-Iraq war, and consolidated authority over the armed forces, judiciary, state media, and key strategic appointments.

Under his rule, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) became a dominant force in Iran’s security, politics, and economy. Khamenei oversaw the expansion of Iran’s ballistic missile program, citing the need to strengthen resistance against the United States, Israel, and regional rivals. His tenure was also defined by persistent disputes with Western powers over Iran’s nuclear program. While denying any pursuit of nuclear weapons, he maintained Iran’s right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.

Khamenei’s regional strategy deepened Iran’s influence through alliances with friendly governments and armed groups, heightening tensions with Gulf Arab states, Israel, and the United States. His death has sparked both national mourning and renewed debate over Iran’s future leadership and political direction.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul declared that any official involved in corruption or irregularities will face dismissal rather than transfer. Speaking as chief guest at the annual general meeting of Narsingdi Diabetic Hospital on Saturday, he emphasized that no recommendation for wrongdoing will be accepted and such opportunities will no longer exist.

The minister announced plans to upgrade every 50-bed upazila hospital to 101 beds and to build 20 modern hospitals across the country with Chinese assistance, including two of advanced standard. One of these will be established in Narsingdi. He also said each upazila hospital will receive 10 kidney dialysis machines to improve rural healthcare access.

Bakul directed the civil surgeon to report within a week on whether all private hospitals in Narsingdi have 10-bed labor wards, warning that any violation of regulations could lead to license cancellation. He stressed the need to eliminate brokers from hospitals and urged the administration to work sincerely to make Narsingdi free from corruption and drugs.

Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations has accused the United States of fostering a “culture of impunity” by refusing to accept responsibility for the 1988 downing of Iran Air Flight 655. In a post on social media platform X, the mission recalled that on July 3, 1988, a US Navy vessel shot down the civilian airliner over the Persian Gulf, killing 290 passengers, including 66 children. The mission said that instead of accountability, the US president at the time awarded medals to the naval personnel involved.

The post further alleged that this pattern of impunity continues, citing the US refusal to take responsibility for a Tomahawk missile strike on a school in Minab that killed 168 children. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also marked July 3 as a day of remembrance for what he called a crime that claimed innocent lives and was compounded by the US failure to apologize or hold anyone accountable.

The United States has not issued any immediate response to these latest accusations.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has launched a monthly 'Cleaning Day' program to implement Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s directive for a cleaner city. The initiative, held on the first Saturday of every month, aims to make the weekly cleanliness day more effective by directly involving citizens in urban cleaning activities. The latest event took place on July 4 in the Shantinagar area, covering DSCC regions 1 and 2, with Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md. Abdus Salam attending as chief guest.

Under the program, residents, institutions, and businesses are encouraged to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings, dispose of waste at designated spots, and remain alert against dengue. The day-long activities included cleaning drives, awareness rallies, leaflet distribution, and calls for stronger social partnerships to ensure sustainable waste management.

Abdus Salam emphasized that building a clean and dengue-free city requires joint efforts from both citizens and the city corporation. He noted that behavioral change among residents is vital, and DSCC will intensify awareness campaigns to make cleanliness a daily habit.

BNP National Executive Committee member Abu Naser Muhammad Rahmatullah said that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is working tirelessly to make women economically self-reliant and turn them into skilled human resources. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon at a sewing machine distribution event organized by the Udyomi Nari Foundation in front of Government Syed Hatem Ali College in Barishal city. The event aimed to train women entrepreneurs and promote self-employment.

Rahmatullah stated that sustainable national development requires women’s participation in economic activities. He emphasized that women are now contributing as entrepreneurs and job creators, becoming a driving force in the country’s economic progress. To strengthen this trend, he called for expanding skill development and self-employment opportunities. He added that various practical programs, including the Family Card initiative, are being implemented to support women’s empowerment.

Praising the foundation’s initiative, Rahmatullah said that distributing sewing machines will help women become more self-reliant and improve their families’ financial stability. The event was attended by local dignitaries, social and political figures, and women entrepreneurs.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 73,090 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel’s military campaign began in October 2023. Another 173,550 people have been injured during the same period. The ministry’s latest report states that since the ceasefire in October 2025, 1,031 people have been killed and 3,309 injured.

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces and settlers have killed 1,179 Palestinians since October 2023, while at least 12,532 others have been injured. Over 24,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israeli forces during this time, with 9,299 currently held in Israeli prisons. Among them, 3,244 are under administrative detention without formal charges.

Israeli authorities have confirmed the deaths of at least 90 Palestinian prisoners in custody. International human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over ongoing operations, mass arrests, and prisoner deaths in the West Bank.

The Sammilito Khatme Nabuwwat Parishad has announced a conference to be held on July 14 at Gopalpur Union School Field in Rangpur’s Badarganj upazila. The decision came after the organization condemned police obstruction during a faith-based discussion on Khatme Nabuwwat held at a local mosque following Friday prayers. The announcement was made at an emergency consultation meeting chaired by convenor Allama Abdul Hamid Pir Saheb Madhupuri at the group’s temporary office in Jurain.

According to the organization, some Muslims in Gopalpur Union have faced harassment and persecution by members of the Qadiani community, including alleged land grabbing and attempts at religious conversion. The group also claimed that the presence of the Qadiani National Amir in the area has worsened tensions. Leaders accused the police of hurting religious sentiments by preventing the mosque event and demanded a neutral investigation and legal action against those responsible.

The Parishad stated that the upcoming July 14 conference aims to raise awareness among local Muslims and warned that any obstruction or delay in granting permission would be the responsibility of the administration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia and the United States, as the world’s two largest nuclear powers, bear a special responsibility for ensuring global security and stability. The statement was reported by Turkey-based Anadolu Agency on Saturday. According to information released by the Kremlin, Putin made the remarks in a congratulatory message to U.S. President Donald Trump on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

In his message, Putin said that the signing of the Declaration of Independence marked not only the birth of the United States but also a significant milestone in world history. He recalled that Russia had unconditionally supported the North American colonies in their struggle against British rule and noted that Moscow and Washington had been allies during both World Wars.

Putin expressed hope that constructive, equal, and mutually beneficial relations between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both nations and the broader international community.

On July 4, 2026, the United States marked the 250th anniversary of its independence while Iran began the funeral ceremonies for its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His death, caused by a joint U.S.-Israeli attack, had triggered a war that Washington hoped would alter the Middle East’s balance of power in its favor. Instead, Iran’s institutions remained intact, and the conflict failed to achieve U.S. strategic goals.

The coincidence of the U.S. Independence Day and Khamenei’s funeral date was not officially planned, as Iran’s religious and national calendars determine such events. Yet, the timing carried symbolic political significance. Millions in Iran and Iraq gathered to bid farewell to a leader viewed as a lifelong opponent of U.S. dominance.

The report also cited historian John Glubb’s theory that empires pass through stages of expansion and decline, though it cautioned against treating this as inevitable. As the U.S. enters its 250th year, it faces pressures linked to imperial overstretch, debt, waning global influence, and a political class still acting as if the unipolar era never ended.

Maulana Jamil Siddiqi, president of the Bangladesh Qawmi Student Forum, has called for official state recognition of Qawmi madrasa students’ role in the July 2024 mass uprising. He made the demand on Saturday at the ‘July National Conference 2026’ held at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Siddiqi said Qawmi students were directly involved in the mid-July uprising and provided shelter in mosques and madrasas to many protesters during the unrest. He added that their organization arranged food and medical care for the injured, noting that at least 79 madrasa students were listed as martyrs in a record published by the ‘Young Scholars Generation’ in September 2024. He urged the prime minister to ensure equal recognition for Qawmi students’ contributions in building an inclusive Bangladesh.

Several cabinet members, including the ministers for home, liberation war affairs, law, and housing, also spoke at the event, which highlighted calls for broader acknowledgment of Qawmi students’ participation in national movements.

A 25-year-old man named Mohammad Islam died after consuming poison in front of his girlfriend’s house in Sondra village under Ichapur Union of Ramganj upazila, Lakshmipur. The incident occurred on Thursday, and he passed away on Saturday morning while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Islam, son of Motaleb Hossain, reportedly took the step after his marriage proposal was rejected by the girl’s family.

According to locals, Islam had been in a long-term relationship with 16-year-old Juthi Akter, daughter of expatriate Alamgir Hossain. When Islam’s family sent a marriage proposal, Juthi’s family refused it outright, leading to emotional distress for Islam. Overwhelmed by rejection, he drank poison in front of their house. Despite being taken to local and later Dhaka hospitals, he succumbed to his injuries.

Police confirmed that officers were sent to the scene. The Ramganj police chief stated that legal action would follow if a written complaint is filed.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sent a congratulatory letter to US President Donald Trump on the occasion of the United States’ 250th Independence Day. The letter, dispatched from the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday, conveyed warm greetings on behalf of the government and people of Bangladesh, expressing admiration for the milestone celebration.

In his message, Rahman emphasized the enduring friendship between Bangladesh and the United States since Bangladesh’s independence. He noted that bilateral relations have evolved into a strong and multifaceted partnership encompassing trade, investment, education, defense, and people-to-people ties. The prime minister highlighted recent progress in trade, energy cooperation, and investment, and expressed gratitude for continued US support in addressing the Rohingya crisis.

Rahman reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the United States in areas of mutual interest and extended best wishes for President Trump’s health and success, as well as peace and prosperity for the American people.