United News of Bangladesh

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the funeral ceremony of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday. Sharif, whose country has played a key mediating role between the United States and Iran, said in a post on social media that Khamenei's "wisdom, leadership and profound influence on Iran and the wider region will be remembered for generations." The Pakistani prime minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir. Source: Al Jazeera

Iran's ambassador to China has said Beijing and other countries friendly to Tehran will receive special treatment under a new arrangement in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the World Peace Forum in Beijing on Saturday, Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said the new mechanism would be implemented in coordination with Oman to facilitate the passage of China and other friendly countries through the strategic waterway. Iran begins dayslong funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after his death in war He said the arrangement would include the imposition of fees on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. According to the ambassador, the proposed fees would not violate international maritime law. No further details about the proposed arrangement were immediately provided. Source: Al Jazeera

Four security personnel were killed and 16 others injured in a suicide vehicle-borne bomb attack targeting a Pakistan Coast Guards check post in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, official sources said on Saturday. The attack occurred at around 6:40 pm local time on Friday when a truck loaded with explosives rammed into the Pakistan Coast Guards check post in Jiwani city of Gwadar district. The powerful blast demolished the check post building, killing three Pakistan Coast Guards personnel and one Pakistan Army soldier at the scene. The injured included eight Pakistan Army soldiers and eight Coast Guards personnel. Several of them were reported to be in critical condition. According to the sources, a group of militants positioned near the check post opened fire immediately after the explosion before fleeing the area. Police, security forces and rescue teams rushed to the scene, sealed off the area and took the injured to a nearby hospital for treatment. Security forces launched a search operation while investigators began collecting evidence from the site. The outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, the sources said. No further details were immediately available as the investigation and rescue operation continued.

A Ukrainian drone strike hit an oil terminal in Russia's St. Petersburg on Saturday, Russian officials said, as Kyiv continued its long-range attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure. Ukraine has been targeting Russian oil facilities almost daily in recent months, a campaign aimed at disrupting fuel supplies and increasing pressure on the Kremlin as the war enters its fifth year. St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said the attack struck the Kirovsky district on the Baltic Sea. He also said Russian air defenses intercepted 72 Ukrainian drones over the city and surrounding areas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation was part of Ukraine's "long-range sanctions" against Russia. In a post on Telegram, he said Ukrainian forces struck oil facilities at the port and also hit a military target on Kronstadt Island, located off the coast of St. Petersburg. "The Ukrainian defense forces hit the port's oil infrastructure, which helps finance Russia's war, and also struck Kronstadt, an important military target," Zelenskyy said. The Kirovsky district was also targeted in June, shortly before Russia hosted the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Ukraine also continued attacks on Crimea, the peninsula Russia annexed in 2014. Moscow-installed Governor Sergei Aksyonov said a Ukrainian strike on Saturday killed one person and injured two others, including a 10-year-old child. Repeated attacks have forced local authorities to suspend gasoline sales to civilians. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Ukraine's strikes on Russia's energy facilities as "not critical" and has insisted Moscow will continue the war until its objectives are achieved. He has argued that the attacks are intended to shift attention away from Ukraine's battlefield losses. However, military analysts say Russia's advances have slowed in recent months. On Friday, Putin visited Russia's military headquarters overseeing the war in Ukraine, where he received a report claiming Russian forces had captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka after weeks of heavy fighting. He described the development as an important step toward advancing on the nearby cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, two of Ukraine's remaining strongholds in the Donetsk region. Putin called the capture of Kostyantynivka, a major transport and industrial center, a development of "major strategic importance." Ukraine denied the claim. General Staff spokesperson Maj. Andriy Kovalev told local media that Russian forces had not taken control of the city and accused Moscow of spreading "outright disinformation." The ongoing drone campaign has increasingly brought the war into Russian territory. Local media reported that the border city of Belgorod was left almost entirely without electricity on Saturday following overnight Ukrainian drone attacks. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities said eight people, including two children, were injured after Russian strikes hit residential buildings in the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region on Saturday.  

China's military has promoted two senior officers to the rank of general, a move that could signal a broader leadership reshuffle after years of anti-corruption investigations removed several top commanders. The latest promotions are widely seen as part of efforts to strengthen the military's loyalty to the ruling Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping. Xi, who also heads the armed forces, awarded the promotions to Zhang Shuguang and Air Force Commander Wang Gang during a ceremony on Friday. Zhang was also appointed to lead the anti-corruption investigation department under the Central Military Commission (CMC), the military's highest decision-making body. The appointments could position both officers to fill vacant seats on the seven-member CMC, which has been left with only two active members following the removal of several senior officials in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign. Xi serves as chairman of the commission, while Vice Chair Zhang Shengmin is currently its only other active member. The campaign has led to the removal or sidelining of two former vice chairmen, including the military's highest-ranking general. A new Central Military Commission is expected to be announced in the autumn of next year when the current five-year term ends.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Saturday as Iran began a dayslong funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, beating their chests in grief before his flag-draped coffin and chanting calls for revenge against Israel and the United States. Khamenei, who led Iran for decades, was killed at the age of 86 in a Feb. 28 airstrike during the opening phase of the Iran war. The funeral is expected to strengthen support for Iran's ruling establishment and its new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son. The ceremonies come at a critical time as Iran seeks to use its influence over the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations with the United States on a permanent end to the war, while concerns remain over the possibility of another Israeli attack. During Saturday's ceremony, Iran's chief negotiator warned France and the United Kingdom against comments about launching joint naval patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf through which about one-fifth of the world's oil and natural gas once passed during peacetime. Many mourners cried as they viewed Khamenei's coffin alongside those of family members who were also killed in the airstrike. Crowds repeatedly chanted, "Our word is one! Revenge! Revenge!" while carrying flags and banners bearing Khamenei's image. Groups of men beat their chests in a traditional Shiite mourning ritual. "Imam Khamenei was our heart, our father, our everything," mourner Masoumeh Mohammadi said. "I still can't believe they martyred him. We will not rest until we avenge his death." An outdoor stage at Tehran's Grand Mosalla was designed to resemble the setting where Khamenei had often delivered speeches. It featured a chair similar to the one he used, along with a microphone and a small table. Above the stage hung a portrait of Iran's first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who died in 1989. Khomeini's funeral drew millions of mourners and was marked by chaotic scenes. Khamenei's death, only the second time Iran has lost a supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, allowed authorities several months to prepare for the ceremonies. Volunteers sprayed water on mourners to help them cope with the summer heat, while food and drinks were distributed outside the venue. Men and women gathered separately inside the Grand Mosalla after passing through metal detectors and security checks. Armed police guarded nearby streets, while many people remained outside under the shade of trees after much of the city was shut down for the funeral. The coffins of Khamenei's family members were placed beneath his own coffin, which was topped with his black turban, signifying his descent from the Prophet Muhammad. Among those killed was the wife of Mojtaba Khamenei. It remained unclear whether Mojtaba would appear at the funeral. Reports said he was wounded in the same airstrike that killed his father. "We attended the funeral to show that we are all committed to defend our country and religion," said Ali Kazemi, who travelled from the northwestern city of Tabriz, about 530 kilometres (330 miles) from Tehran. Iran began the funeral on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Although authorities did not mention the timing, crowds at the ceremony chanted, "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!" The anti-American slogan has been common in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis. At about the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking in South Dakota near Mount Rushmore, said: "We knocked the hell out of Iran. They want to settle so badly. We gave them a week off for a funeral." Some mourners at the Grand Mosalla also carried a large flag displaying the message "#KillTrump." Meanwhile, Iran's chief negotiator Kazem Gharibabadi criticised a joint statement issued overnight by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting their militaries were prepared to help patrol the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has sought to use control over the strategic waterway as leverage and has suggested charging ships that pass through it, challenging its long-standing status as an international waterway. "The security of Hormuz lies with the coastal states. The crisis-makers will be held accountable for the consequences of their adventurism," Gharibabadi wrote on X. "This is a serious warning." Khamenei's body will be taken to several cities in Iran and neighbouring Iraq before he is buried on Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, his birthplace. Authorities have closed roads, restricted airspace and suspended many daily activities during the mourning period. No official estimate of Saturday's attendance was released, although large crowds continued to move through the Grand Mosalla and surrounding streets. Mourning ceremonies were also held in other cities across Iran. A prayer for the dead is scheduled at the Grand Mosalla on Sunday. On Monday, Khamenei's body and those of his family members will be carried through the streets of Tehran in a procession expected to draw even larger crowds. "I am here to say goodbye to my beloved leader Ali Khamenei," said 27-year-old Hananeh Mousavi, who attended the funeral with her mother. "I never expected to see such a day. I wish I had died before this tragedy."

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Saturday held its national convention in the eastern city of Erfurt to elect its leadership, while thousands of protesters gathered outside and some clashed with riot police. The convention, held every two years, is expected to extend the leadership terms of co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who have jointly led the party for the past four years. Large demonstrations outside the venue underscored the deep political divisions surrounding the AfD, which has emerged as Germany's largest opposition party at the national level. The gathering has also drawn criticism for coinciding with the 100th anniversary of a Nazi Party meeting held nearby that helped consolidate Adolf Hitler's leadership of the fascist movement. Historians and political opponents have argued that the timing carries symbolic significance, an allegation rejected by the AfD. Weidel recently described 2026 as a "year of destiny" for the party. Germany's mainstream political parties have maintained their long-standing refusal to cooperate with the AfD, a policy commonly referred to as the "firewall." Despite its political isolation, the AfD has continued to gain support by capitalizing on public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of economic challenges, while broadening its appeal beyond its traditional anti-immigration platform. The party is aiming for a strong performance in the Sept. 6 state election in Saxony-Anhalt, where it hopes to secure more than 40% of the vote. Such a result could put it within reach of an outright majority or strengthen its position to attract lawmakers from other parties, potentially paving the way for the AfD's first state governor.

Americans are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country's independence on Saturday with fireworks, concerts and public events, as political tensions and a severe heat wave shape this year's historic celebrations. The anniversary marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of the world's most influential documents on democracy. President Donald Trump is expected to play a central role in the celebrations, delivering a speech on the National Mall in Washington before a major fireworks display over the U.S. capital. On Friday, Trump spoke at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, where he warned about what he described as the growing threat of communism in the United States. Across the country, cities are hosting a wide range of events to mark the milestone. Fireworks displays are planned over Navy Pier in Chicago and New York City's skyline. New York also welcomed the anniversary with a midnight ball drop similar to its New Year's Eve celebration. Bristol, Rhode Island, which says it has hosted the nation's oldest Independence Day celebration since 1785, is also holding special events. In Los Angeles, a concert hosted by Queen Latifah will feature performances by The Smashing Pumpkins and Chris Stapleton, with Chaka Khan appearing as a special guest. Many celebrations, however, have been disrupted by extreme heat affecting large parts of the eastern United States. In Washington, the Great American State Fair was temporarily closed on Friday during the hottest part of the day, while the city's Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday was canceled because of the weather. Conditions were much cooler in the Pacific Northwest, where temperatures stayed in the 60s Fahrenheit with occasional light rain. In Issaquah, near Seattle, resident Megan Kurowski said people in her community were excited to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary and that she planned to watch the fireworks from a paddleboard. The holiday weekend also features several major sporting and entertainment events. More than a dozen Major League Baseball games are scheduled, while the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues with Round of 16 matches in Houston and Philadelphia. The celebrations come at a time of deep political polarization in the United States, with debates over politics, race, immigration and social issues continuing to divide the country. Speaking at Mount Rushmore, Trump described communism as the greatest threat to American freedom. Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, without mentioning Trump by name, urged Americans to uphold the country's democratic values and resist authoritarianism. In Topeka, Kansas, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano said the country's greatest strength was its resilience rather than its politics. While selling fireworks, he expressed hope that Americans could find greater unity despite their differences. Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he planned to spend the holiday quietly at home with his wife and dogs instead of watching fireworks. While calling America "a great place," he acknowledged that the country still faces significant challenges.

Despite growing fuel shortages across Russia, President Vladimir Putin has downplayed the impact of Ukraine’s escalating strikes on Russian oil refineries. Calling the situation “not critical,” he has rejected ceasefire proposals and maintained that Russia’s military campaign will continue until its objectives are achieved. Putin has argued that Ukraine’s attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure are intended to divert attention from setbacks on the battlefield. However, military analysts say Russia’s offensive has slowed considerably in recent months, suggesting the fighting has reached a more difficult phase. Even so, Putin appears confident that the fuel shortages will not significantly weaken public support for his leadership or the war. Meanwhile, Russia launched one of its deadliest attacks on Kyiv since the full-scale invasion began, carrying out an 11-hour overnight assault into Thursday that killed at least 30 people. Fuel Crisis DeepensSince March, Ukraine has reportedly carried out more than 50 strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities, including sites in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukrainian officials say the campaign is designed to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war. The attacks have also brought the conflict closer to ordinary Russians, challenging the Kremlin’s long-standing narrative that the war has little impact on everyday life inside the country. According to consultancy Macro-Advisory, roughly one-third of Russia’s oil refining capacity has been disrupted, with many facilities suffering damage that will take months and significant investment to repair. One of Moscow’s main refineries has been struck twice despite strong air defenses. A second attack on June 18 caused a major fire that damaged critical equipment, with repairs expected to last until the end of the year. Government figures show gasoline production has fallen by about 17% to around 850,000 barrels per day. Fuel rationing has been introduced in several regions, while motorists have faced long queues at filling stations. To ease the shortage, authorities have temporarily allowed the production of lower-grade gasoline containing higher sulfur levels through the end of the year. The most severe shortages have been reported in Crimea, where fuel sales to private consumers have occasionally been suspended altogether. Putin Seeks to Reassure the PublicDuring a government meeting last weekend, Putin acknowledged that Russia was experiencing a “difficult period” but described the shortages as temporary. He promised faster repairs to damaged energy facilities and said Russia could import gasoline if necessary. He also pledged to increase production of air defense systems to protect critical infrastructure from future attacks. Putin accused Ukraine of trying to divide Russian society, undermine Moscow’s military campaign, and pressure the Kremlin into negotiations on terms favorable to Kyiv. “We will not give them that chance,” he said. Although Putin insisted the strikes on oil facilities have had no impact on the battlefield, Western analysts believe Ukrainian attacks on Russian supply lines and logistics have slowed Russia’s advance and contributed to a prolonged military stalemate. On Friday, Putin visited Russia’s military headquarters overseeing operations in Ukraine, where commanders reported the capture of Kostyantynivka after weeks of intense fighting. Putin described the city’s capture as strategically important because it could pave the way toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, two major Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately confirm Russia’s claim. Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s General Staff said its forces had repelled 24 Russian assaults around Kostyantynivka and nearby settlements. Putin also warned that continued Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory could force Moscow to expand the security buffer zone inside Ukraine. He further cautioned Ukraine’s Western allies that Russia would closely assess their involvement in the conflict before making future decisions. Ceasefire Proposals RejectedPutin has dismissed repeated calls for a ceasefire from Ukraine and its Western partners, arguing that any pause in fighting would allow Ukrainian forces to regroup and strengthen their defenses. He responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer for direct talks by suggesting the Ukrainian leader come to Moscow, a proposal Kyiv has rejected. The Russian president has made any ceasefire dependent on Ukraine withdrawing from the parts of the Donetsk region it still controls. He has also insisted that any final peace agreement must require Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions, reduce its military capabilities, and guarantee protections for Russian language and culture. In a recent interview, Putin claimed Ukraine had proposed limiting combat to the four regions Russia claims to have annexed—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. He said he rejected the idea because it would allow Ukrainian forces to shift troops from other fronts and reinforce their defenses in the southeast. “Faced with a catastrophic shortage of personnel, the armed forces of Ukraine apparently believe this could be their salvation,” Putin said. “Saving the Kyiv regime is not part of our plans.” The Kremlin said the proposal had been conveyed through confidential channels, though Ukrainian officials have not publicly acknowledged making such an offer. Putin also rejected Ukraine’s suggestion that both sides stop carrying out long-range strikes inside each other’s territory, arguing that Russia’s attacks have far greater military impact. While Moscow says it targets military infrastructure, Thursday’s large-scale attack on Kyiv again struck residential neighborhoods. In contrast, most Ukrainian long-range strikes inside Russia have focused on oil refineries, weapons factories, and other military-related facilities. According to the United Nations, the war has claimed the lives of more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians.

Iran on Saturday began a dayslong state funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike at the start of the recent war. He was 86. Thousands of mourners gathered at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, where Khamenei's casket was displayed in a glass case. Many people were seen crying, chanting slogans calling for revenge, and beating their chests in a traditional Shiite mourning ritual. Large banners and billboards featuring Khamenei's image were displayed across the capital as crowds paid their final respects. "I came to say goodbye to my beloved leader," said 27-year-old mourner Hananeh Mousavi, who attended the ceremony with her mother. She said she never imagined witnessing such a day. Khamenei's casket was placed above those of several family members who were also killed in the strike. His black turban, symbolizing his claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad, rested on top of the coffin. The funeral stage at the Grand Mosalla was designed to resemble the venue where Khamenei often delivered speeches at his Tehran compound, which was destroyed in the Israeli airstrike on Feb. 28. Iranian authorities expect millions of people to join the funeral processions, drawing comparisons with the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. Organizers distributed cold drinks and sprayed water on mourners to help them cope with the summer heat. Ali Kazemi, who traveled from the northwestern city of Tabriz, said he attended the funeral to demonstrate support for his country and religion. A large turnout is expected to strengthen the government's position as it seeks to negotiate a permanent end to the conflict with the United States while tensions with Israel remain high. The funeral began on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Although Iranian authorities did not comment on the timing, crowds at the ceremony chanted anti-American slogans. At the same time, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, said Iran wanted to reach a settlement after the conflict and remarked that the United States had given the country "a week off for a funeral." Some mourners at the ceremony also displayed banners directed at Trump. Khamenei's body will later be taken to several cities in Iran as well as neighboring Iraq as part of the funeral ceremonies. Authorities have closed roads, restricted airspace and disrupted normal activities in Tehran during the mourning period. It remains unclear whether Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, will make a public appearance during the funeral. His wife was among the family members killed in the attack. On Thursday, Iran's joint military command warned Israel and the United States against any actions that could further escalate tensions during the funeral period, following reported Israeli threats against Mojtaba Khamenei.