BSF and Meghalaya state police have arrested four Bangladeshi nationals from Rongdangai village, across the Tahirpur border in Sunamganj. Locals assaulted the men before handing them over.
The detainees include Jahangir Alam, ex-police constable Marfur Rahman, Sayem Hossain, and Mehfuz Rahman. They are accused of attacking and attempting to abduct a local resident, Balsang A. Marak, who was seriously injured.
One suspect claimed he was hunting tokay geckos, while the others said they fled to India seeking refuge from political cases due to their involvement with the Awami League.

Two Bangladeshi nationals—Hafez Nurul Amin of Noakhali and Abu Nayeem of Manikganj—were killed in a road accident in South Africa after entering the country via Mozambique through illegal channels on July 29.
Seventeen others were injured, including Ekramul Haque, who is in critical condition. The group had entered South Africa early Sunday and boarded a minibus towards Johannesburg. The crash occurred at around 6:30 am on the Delmas–Witbank Old Road, killing the two instantly. Most injured survivors have since left for relatives’ homes after receiving primary treatment.

Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, demanding an immediate halt to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, in a powerful show of dissent against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to capture Gaza City.

Protesters chanted for peace and carried signs urging an end to the conflict, warning that continued fighting could endanger the lives of those held captive by Hamas.

“This is not just a military decision — it could be a death sentence for our loved ones,” said Lishai Miran Lavi, whose husband, Omri Miran, is among the hostages. She called on former U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene immediately to help broker a ceasefire.

Recent polls suggest a majority of Israelis now believe the war should end as soon as possible to secure the safe return of nearly 50 hostages still in Hamas custody. Opposition to Netanyahu’s plan is also growing among Western allies, not just within Israel.

Rami Dar, a 69-year-old retired resident attending the protest, accused the government of pursuing extremist policies. “The government is acting against the country’s best interests,” he said.

Kolkata witnessed a massive rally organized by Bangla Pokkho in protest against the alleged harassment, detention, and confinement of Bengalis in detention camps in several BJP-ruled Indian states for speaking in Bengali and being branded as “Bangladeshi.” The rally, held on the occasion of Rakhi Purnima, began at College Street and concluded at the foot of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue in Shyambazar.
The organization accused state administrations of systematically targeting Bengali migrant workers, while jobs in Bengal’s industrial and urban areas are largely occupied by outsiders. Echoing Rabindranath Tagore’s 1905 Rakhi Bandhan unity movement against the Partition of Bengal, leaders called for united resistance. Bangla Pokkho’s General Secretary, Garga Chatterjee, alleged that the “Hindi imperialist, anti-Bengali BJP” seeks to strip Bengalis of their language, culture, and citizenship, but vowed that the movement would not allow it.

India’s Air Force Chief A.P. Singh has claimed that during a military clash with Pakistan in May this year, Indian forces downed five Pakistani fighter jets and one large military aircraft. Singh said most of the aircraft were destroyed using Russian-made S-400 missile systems, and presented electronic tracking data to support the claim. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has outright rejected the statement.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed that Ukraine will not surrender even an inch of its land to occupying forces. His remarks came after Donald Trump suggested that ending the war might involve territorial concessions as part of a peace deal with Russia.
Trump indicated that he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska next Friday to discuss the conflict.
Zelensky stressed, “Any negotiation or settlement without Ukraine’s involvement will be contrary to peace.”
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, it has occupied about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, though neither side has made significant territorial gains in recent months.

During a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, US Vice President JD Vance stated that Washington has no plans to recognize Palestine as a state. Instead, the US sees the destruction of Hamas as a top priority.
Vance said, “Recognition is an issue we need to discuss. Naturally, the UK will make its own decision. But as President Trump has made clear, given the current situation in Israel and Gaza, we have two clear objectives: first, to ensure Hamas can never again attack innocent Israeli civilians, which is only possible through its complete destruction; and second, to address the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has deeply concerned the President.”
Earlier, the UK had indicated it might recognize Palestine in September if relief efforts were obstructed and the war continued.

Indian immigration authorities at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport detained a Bangladeshi man attempting to travel to Germany on a fake Indian passport. The passport bore the name “Paresh Roy,” but officers, suspicious of discrepancies, discovered a Bangladeshi passport under the name “Shramik Barua.” The man was arrested for possessing documents under two different names and nationalities. He is set to appear before the Barrackpore court on Saturday. Police say he had planned to travel to Germany using the forged Indian passport. Several similar arrests have been made recently.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss resolving the Ukraine crisis. According to Beijing, Putin briefed Xi on the recent visit to Moscow by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and developments in the “Ukraine crisis.” Xi said he welcomed dialogue between Moscow and Washington, encouraged improved relations, and supported political solutions to the conflict. Beijing will continue to promote peace and dialogue, he added. The Kremlin confirmed both leaders discussed Witkoff’s visit, preparations for Putin’s upcoming trip to China, participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, and commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat and the end of World War II.

Authorities in Pakistan’s Balochistan province have suspended mobile internet services for three weeks in an effort to disrupt communications among insurgents accused of recent attacks. A provincial government order stated that the measure will remain in place until the end of this month due to the deteriorating law and order situation. Balochistan is home to several key projects under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. A government spokesperson said Friday that militants were using mobile data to coordinate and exchange information. Last month, Pakistan had also restricted road travel to Iran citing security threats.

The Pakistan Army says it has killed 33 militants, described as “Khawarij,” while they attempted to cross into Balochistan from Afghanistan. The overnight operation in Zhob district targeted the fighters with “precision fire,” seizing weapons, ammunition, and explosives. Authorities described the militants as “India-sponsored separatists.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the operation as a success. Baloch separatists have recently intensified attacks, demanding greater shares of the province’s mineral wealth. Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of tolerating militants along the border, an allegation Kabul denies.

Malaysian airport police (AKPS) have arrested four Bangladeshi nationals at Kuala Lumpur International Airport for allegedly smuggling gold and smartphones worth around 187,000 ringgit. The seized items included gold jewelry valued at 160,000 ringgit, 12 smartphones worth 22,700 ringgit, 5,042 ringgit in cash, and five passports. The suspects are under investigation under immigration laws and have been handed over to the Selangor Immigration Enforcement Division. AKPS said the bust underscores the effectiveness of security cooperation in combating smuggling at entry points.

India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval confirmed in Moscow that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India later this year. While he did not disclose an exact date, Reuters reported that the visit is scheduled for the end of the year.

Following discussions with Russian NSA Sergei Shoigu, Doval said Delhi is pleased and enthusiastic about Putin’s upcoming visit, noting that it will be a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

This will be President Putin’s first visit to India since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. Last year, Prime Minister Modi visited Moscow to attend the 22nd India-Russia summit, where Russia awarded him its highest civilian honor. Sources also revealed that Doval discussed arms and energy procurement during his Moscow visit.

Pakistan’s security forces have claimed that India sent a surveillance drone into the airspace over Lahore's Manawan area. Upon detection, the drone was shot down and recovered.

Authorities believe the drone was intended for surveillance purposes, as no explosives were found. The incident comes amid heightened military tensions between the two neighboring countries.

The United States has doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50 million, up from the previous $25 million.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Maduro of collaborating with criminal organizations such as the Tren de Aragua and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. In response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil dismissed the move as a “laughable attempt to divert attention from real issues” and reiterated Venezuela’s stance: “We will not sell our nation's honor.”

Maduro and several top Venezuelan officials were indicted in 2020 during the Trump administration for alleged involvement in “narco-terrorism” and other criminal conspiracies.