A rare soldierfish was caught in a fishing net in the deep Bay of Bengal off Kuakata in Patuakhali. Idris, skipper of the Mayar Doa trawler, found the fish while catching hilsa, poa and other fish three to four days earlier. It was brought to the Sifat Fish market at Alipur fishing port on Thursday, where people gathered to view its bright red-pink appearance. The fish has been kept on ice because it is unfamiliar locally and its suitability for consumption has not been confirmed.

Experts said soldierfish have bright red or pink bodies, comparatively large eyes and hard, rough scales that can make them resemble an armored soldier. They generally move in groups and live around deep-sea coral reefs or rocky areas. Research assistant Bakhtiar Rahman said the fish belongs to the Holocentridae family and occurs in the Indo-Pacific and deep Bay of Bengal. Senior fisheries officer Apu Saha said such catches provide important information about marine biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal.

A rare parrotfish was caught by fishermen off the Kuakata coast in the Bay of Bengal and brought to Mohipur fish market on Thursday afternoon. The fish, locally called 'tota' or 'tia' fish, weighed about 700 grams and drew a crowd at Faisal Fish auction due to its bird-like mouth and beak. The manager Mo. Jahangir bought it at auction for three thousand taka.

The catch was made by the trawler FB Vai Vai under skipper Babul Matubber, who went fishing with 17 crew near Payra port's last buoy two days earlier. The parrotfish was hauled up alongside hilsa, poa and other species during net retrieval. Manager Jahangir said the fish was purchased and preserved on ice and will be sent to Chattogram for sale.

Experts and officials noted the species' beak-like teeth and bright coloration; its scientific name is Scarus ghobbani and it is occasionally caught in deep Bay of Bengal waters near Cox's Bazar and Kuakata.

A delegation from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), led by Chief of Mission Laura Tom Bonde, visited flood-affected areas in Katharia Union of Banshkhali upazila, Chattogram, on Wednesday afternoon. The team met with residents impacted by the severe flooding, listened to their experiences, and distributed tarpaulins provided through IOM’s partner organization, the Sustainable Development Organization (IPSA).

During the visit, Laura Tom Bonde said the IOM had been closely monitoring the flood situation caused by heavy rainfall and hill torrents. She expressed sympathy for those who lost homes and shelter, emphasizing that the visit aimed to understand their problems firsthand. Bonde stated that the current assistance was an initial step and that IOM intended to continue working on larger-scale support for flood victims in the future.

Local officials, including the Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Ruhul Amin, IPSA Director Mohammad Shahjahan, and other representatives from IOM and IPSA, were present during the visit.

Continuous heavy rainfall and mountain runoff have caused severe flooding in Satkania upazila of Chattogram, collapsing large portions of 61 roads under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). About 47 kilometers of roads, six culverts, and one drainage structure have been damaged. LGED’s initial estimate suggests that at least 30 crore taka will be required to rebuild and restore transport connectivity.

Engineers reported that key roads across unions such as Keochia, Eochia, Charati, Chadaha, Bajalia, Kaliaish, Kanchana, Dhemsha, Sonakania, and Nolua were severely damaged by strong flood currents. Road surfaces have eroded, embankments have broken, and large holes have formed, making travel risky. Residents described severe hardship as transport routes became impassable, affecting farmers, students, and patients.

Local officials said detailed damage reports have been sent to higher authorities. Emergency funds will be used to reopen major roads first, followed by permanent reconstruction. The upazila administration and local lawmaker have visited affected areas and assured that repair work will be prioritized to ease public suffering.

At least 37 people have died across Pakistan following flash floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall. The worst-affected areas include Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab. The disaster has caused extensive damage to homes, farmland, livestock, roads, and bridges. In Gujranwala and Sialkot, severe rainfall has worsened the situation, while water levels in border rivers rose rapidly after India reportedly released excess water without formal notice.

According to the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the Marala and Khanki headworks are facing moderate flood risks, while Qadirabad is under a low-level flood warning. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 20 deaths from rain-related incidents, and Punjab has recorded 17 fatalities. Landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir have damaged roads, homes, and agricultural land.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department stated that the ongoing rainfall, which began on July 19, may continue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa until July 23, raising concerns about further flooding and damage.

A mobile court in Sylhet fined 11 drivers and vehicle owners a total of 13,500 taka for using banned hydraulic horns and failing to present valid documents. The operation was conducted jointly by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-9 and the Department of Environment in the Shah Paran (R.) police station area on Tuesday, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

The press release stated that several vehicles were found using horns producing noise levels above the permissible limit set by the Noise Pollution (Control) Rules, 2025. Some vehicles were also found violating the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act, 1995, by using prohibited hydraulic horns. Additionally, several drivers and owners could not show the required legal documents for their vehicles.

RAB-9 said that such drives will continue in the future to control noise pollution and protect the environment in the public interest.

At least 26 people, including women and children, have died in flash floods triggered by continuous rainfall and cloudbursts across several districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Rajouri, Poonch, Kathua, Doda, Budgam, and Kulgam. Authorities have evacuated hundreds of residents to safer locations and issued renewed warnings to avoid riverbank areas as the situation remains critical.

The disaster began on Saturday night when torrential rain caused rivers and streams in the Pir Panjal mountain region to overflow. In Rajouri, the Darhali River breached protective embankments, flooding residential areas and causing severe damage. Landslides and infrastructure losses were also reported in remote areas such as Thana Mandi, Darhal, and Manjakote. In Budgam’s Beerwah, a shopping complex collapsed, but prior evacuation prevented major casualties.

Heavy rainfall has also forced the closure of the main highway linking Kashmir with mainland India. Local authorities have extended summer vacations in all educational institutions by one week, while the meteorological department has maintained forecasts of heavy rain and flooding for the next three days, keeping the region on high alert.

In a special operation on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, the fisheries department in Uzirpur upazila of Barishal seized and destroyed a large quantity of illegal fishing nets valued at approximately Tk 5 million. The operation took place at Harta Bazar, where the confiscated nets were burned in the presence of local administration officials. The drive was led by Upazila Fisheries Officer Prasen Majumdar with the support of Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Ali Suza and local police.

According to the fisheries department, the raid was conducted based on secret information and resulted in the seizure of 192 banned China duari nets, 110,000 meters of current nets, and 89 boda nets. Local sources reported that illegal net trading had been ongoing in Harta Bazar and nearby areas for a long time, threatening native fish breeding and aquatic biodiversity. Following public complaints and media reports, the department intensified its enforcement actions.

Officials stated that the zero-tolerance policy against illegal nets will continue, and regular mobile court operations will be conducted to protect local fish resources and biodiversity.

Venezuela’s National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced that the death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck the country last month has risen to 5,346. In a post on social media platform X on Tuesday, Rodríguez said a total of 16,740 people were injured in the disasters. The quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit the South American nation on June 24.

According to Rodríguez, authorities have provided assistance to 128,324 affected families and established 107 temporary camps to shelter displaced residents. Currently, 17,907 people are living in these camps. He added that 856 buildings were damaged, including 190 that completely collapsed.

The updated figures highlight the extensive human and structural toll of the twin earthquakes, as emergency support and recovery operations continue across the affected regions.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Department has issued a landslide warning for hilly areas in the Chattogram Division following forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall. The alert, announced on July 22, 2026, identifies Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban as moderately vulnerable to landslides. The forecast predicts rainfall between 150 and 300 millimeters over the next 48 hours in many districts of the Chattogram and Barishal divisions.

Light to very heavy rain is also expected across most districts in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barishal, and Sylhet divisions under the influence of the monsoon. The weather office further noted that rainfall is likely to persist across much of the country for the next five days.

The advisory comes alongside warnings of gusty winds and thunderstorms in several regions, with river ports instructed to hoist cautionary signal number one. The extended rainfall period raises concerns about potential flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.

Heavy rainfall and mountain runoff from India have caused the Teesta River to swell, flooding large parts of Rangpur’s Gangachara upazila. Although the river is now flowing six centimeters below the danger level, many low-lying areas remain waterlogged. Students are forced to wade through knee-deep water to reach schools, disrupting education and raising health concerns. Roads remain submerged, and farmers fear crop losses as agricultural lands stay underwater.

In Noheli Union, severe river erosion has already swallowed at least eight houses and hundreds of bighas of farmland. The erosion has also damaged about 200 meters of the embankment protecting the Gangachara-Mahipur Second Teesta Bridge, threatening road connectivity between Rangpur and Lalmonirhat. Around 50,000 residents are living in fear as the river continues to erode its banks.

Local officials said the situation is alarming. The union chairman reported the losses to authorities, while the upazila administration and Water Development Board are preparing damage lists and planning urgent measures to prevent further erosion and assist affected families.

Six people have died in wildfires sweeping across several provinces of Algeria amid an ongoing heatwave, according to the country's Interior Ministry. The ministry confirmed that fires are still burning in some areas, and emergency teams have been deployed with necessary personnel and equipment to bring the situation under control.

In a statement cited by AFP from Algiers, the ministry said that a comprehensive operation has been launched across all provinces to survey and list damages, ensuring proper compensation for affected residents. The fires have spread widely in northern Algeria, where extreme heat has triggered hundreds of blazes in recent days.

The Interior Ministry’s announcement reflects growing concern over recurring wildfires in the region, which have caused multiple deaths in recent years. Authorities are focusing on damage assessment and relief coordination as firefighting efforts continue.

The water level of the Jamuneswari River flowing through Taraganj and Badarganj upazilas of Rangpur suddenly rose above the danger mark on Wednesday morning. Continuous rainfall over several days caused the river to swell unusually, creating erosion fears among residents on both banks. At 9 a.m. at the Barati point in Taraganj, the river was flowing 15 centimeters above the danger level, measuring 34.68 meters where the danger mark is 34.53 meters.

According to the Water Development Board, the Jamuneswari originates in Dimla upazila of Nilphamari and flows through several areas before joining the Karatoa River in Pirganj. Officials said heavy rainfall in upstream areas such as Domar and Dimla caused the rapid rise in water level. Local residents expressed concern, noting that the river rarely crosses the danger level. The Rangpur weather office reported rainfall of 22 millimeters in Dalia, 18 millimeters in Kaunia, and 10 millimeters in Rangpur between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

Water Development Board officials assured that there is no reason for panic and that the water level is expected to recede once the rainfall decreases.

Flood conditions in India’s Assam state have deteriorated further, with 21 more people dying in flood-related incidents over the past 24 hours. This brings the total death toll from this year’s floods to 31, according to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). The agency reported that around 564,600 people across 16 districts have been affected by the rising waters.

ASDMA’s late-night bulletin stated that the highest number of deaths occurred in Sivasagar district, where 13 people died, followed by five in Charaideo, two in Golaghat, and one in Jorhat. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced plans to visit the affected districts from Wednesday to review relief and rescue operations. He said the floods, triggered by heavy upstream rainfall, have caused severe hardship for residents.

The ASDMA added that 872 villages under 44 revenue circles remain submerged, with Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Charaideo among the worst-hit areas. Currently, 12,284 people are taking shelter in 71 relief camps, while 202 distribution centers are operating across the state.

Continuous erosion of the Jamuna River has caused about 60 feet of the Tarakandi-Bhuapur regional highway in Shakharia-Nolin area of Hemnagar Union, Gopalpur upazila, Tangail, to collapse into the river. Due to new cracks appearing along several parts of the road, all vehicular movement has remained suspended for the third consecutive day, severely affecting thousands of passengers and local residents.

According to local observations, rising water levels and strong currents have damaged the flood control embankment and nearby sections of the highway near the Shakharia sluice gate. Residents are moving belongings to safer places amid fears that a complete breach of the embankment could flood large parts of Gopalpur and neighboring upazilas, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of people and cutting off key road links. Local officials and the Bangladesh Water Development Board have inspected the site.

Authorities have begun dumping geo-bags along about 100 feet of the damaged area to control the situation. Officials said sufficient geo-bags have been supplied and emergency dumping is underway while the river’s flow is being continuously monitored.