At least 30 people have died in Ghana and Ivory Coast following several days of continuous heavy rainfall that triggered floods and landslides. Hundreds of people trapped by rising waters have been rescued, according to local emergency services. In Ghana, a spokesperson for the national fire department confirmed that at least 12 people had died after heavy rain began a day earlier, warning that the toll could rise further.

In the capital city of Accra, torrential rain on Monday submerged homes and roads, prompting overnight rescue operations. Fire service commander Rashid Kwame Nissau said more than 400 people had been rescued by Tuesday, while teams continued pumping water from flooded houses and assisting affected residents. In Ivory Coast, heavy rain since Saturday also caused fatalities, though the government has not yet released an official death toll. A source close to the fire service and the interior ministry reported around 20 deaths.

Authorities in both countries are continuing rescue and relief operations as rainfall persists, raising concerns about further flooding and damage.

Rainfall began in Dhaka and surrounding areas around noon on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, following a cloudy morning. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department reported that the temperature in the capital dropped after the rain, with 27.2 degrees Celsius recorded at 6 a.m. and humidity at 93 percent. The city received 3 millimeters of rain in the previous 24 hours.

According to the department’s forecast, partial to heavy cloud cover and intermittent rain or thundershowers are expected across Dhaka and nearby regions. Winds from the south and southeast may blow at 10 to 15 kilometers per hour. Light to moderate rain with gusty winds and lightning is likely in several divisions, including Chattogram, Sylhet, Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Khulna, and Barishal. Some areas could experience moderate to heavy rainfall.

The forecast indicates that rainfall may intensify across the country through Saturday, July 4, particularly in Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions, while temperatures are expected to slightly decrease during the day and remain nearly unchanged at night.

A strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck parts of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula on Tuesday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake occurred at 12:45 p.m. local time in the Gulf of California, with its epicenter located south and southwest of El Progreso. The tremor originated about six miles below the surface. No immediate reports of casualties or major damage were received. Light shaking was felt in the cities of Los Mochis and Culiacán in Sinaloa state.

The report noted that earthquake activity has recently increased worldwide. In Venezuela, two powerful quakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck within 39 seconds of each other, a phenomenon known as a “doublet.” The U.S. Geological Survey also recorded 93 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or higher globally between June 19 and June 26, suggesting heightened seismic activity.

During the same period, a moderate 5.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded near Redwood Valley in Northern California, with its epicenter in Mendocino County about five miles underground.

State Minister for Planning Zunaid Saki emphasized strengthening the institutional capacity of the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), modernizing the electronic government procurement (e-GP) system, and updating procurement laws and regulations to make public procurement more transparent, competitive, and technology-driven. He made these remarks on Tuesday at a stakeholder consultation workshop titled “e-GP System Development, Mandatory Implementation of e-GP, and Capacity Building of BPPA,” held at the BPPA conference room in the Planning Commission premises.

The workshop was chaired by BPPA Chief Executive Officer S. M. Moin Uddin Ahmed, with IMED Secretary Sirajun Noor Chowdhury as special guest. Participants included representatives from government agencies, business organizations, academia, and the media. Presentations highlighted BPPA’s progress, challenges, and future plans for procurement reform. Discussions also covered the proposed 110-member staffing structure, which participants deemed insufficient for BPPA’s expanding regulatory and training responsibilities.

Officials underscored the need for effective integration of the e-GP platform with other government digital systems and for expanding training to enhance officials’ skills in procurement laws and procedures.

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has expressed concern that Bangladesh’s newly announced contractionary monetary policy could undermine the positive effects of the national budget’s tax and tariff incentives aimed at boosting investment, industrialization, and private sector growth. The business body issued its reaction shortly after Bangladesh Bank unveiled the monetary policy for the next six months.

According to DCCI, private sector credit growth has already slowed to 5 percent, while the policy interest rate remains unchanged at 10 percent, discouraging new investment. Despite four years of tight monetary policy, inflation rose to 9.42 percent in May, the highest in South Asia. The organization also noted that government borrowing from banks has surged by about 26 percent, squeezing liquidity and making credit access harder for private entrepreneurs.

DCCI welcomed the central bank’s Tk 60,000 crore stimulus fund as a positive step but stressed the need for transparent and efficient implementation. It urged better coordination between fiscal and monetary policies to ensure sustainable, private sector–driven growth and effective delivery of incentives to struggling entrepreneurs.

The Premier Bank PLC held its 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday morning at Golf Garden in Dhaka through a hybrid format. The meeting was chaired by the bank’s founder shareholder and chairman, Dr. Arifur Rahman, and attended by directors, senior executives, shareholders, and officials. Company Secretary Mohammad Akram Hossain presented the meeting notice, while the chairman welcomed shareholders and outlined the bank’s overall performance, achievements, and future plans.

Dr. Arifur Rahman stated that the bank is moving forward with honesty and transparency after overcoming past irregularities, aiming to position Premier Bank among the country’s top five banks through restructuring and good governance. Managing Director Md. Monzur Mofiz emphasized that the institution is advancing toward a strong and sustainable future by maintaining depositor confidence and protecting long-term shareholder interests.

The meeting also presented the audited financial statements, the board of directors’ report, and other agenda items for approval. Shareholders shared their opinions and participated in a question-and-answer session.

Across Europe, rising temperatures have intensified demand for air conditioning, yet most German households still lack such systems. Data show that while nearly 90 percent of U.S. homes have air conditioning, the European average is only 20 percent, and in Germany just 6 percent of homes have central cooling. The shift is driven by climate change, with June 2026 temperatures in Europe recorded as 2 to 4 degrees Celsius higher than late 20th-century averages, sharply increasing electricity demand for cooling.

Experts attribute Germany’s slow adoption to housing design optimized for heat retention, high installation costs, and strict architectural preservation rules in historic cities. Many residents live in rented apartments where installing air conditioners requires landlord approval. High electricity prices also discourage use, with 38 percent of Europeans reporting they cannot afford adequate cooling during heatwaves.

Environmental concerns are prompting interest in sustainable alternatives such as natural ventilation, heat-resistant materials, green roofs, district cooling, and AI-powered air conditioning systems that operate up to 40 percent more efficiently. Analysts note that as summers grow hotter, northern European countries are gradually adapting to this new climate reality.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has announced an extension for expatriate workers facing work permit issues. The ministry said the deadline to regularize their status has been extended until the end of the current year, according to a report published on Tuesday by Gulf News.

The decision applies to expatriates whose work permits expired more than a year ago or who have not received a permit within six months of joining a company. The ministry stated that the move aims to ensure strict enforcement of labor laws, protect the rights of all contractual parties, and allow both employers and employees additional time to complete necessary legal and regulatory procedures.

Authorities have warned that failure to issue or renew work permits within the extended period will result in strict legal action. Additionally, the government has limited the number of immediate work visas available to new companies to a maximum of five.

Local residents of Merurchar Union in Bakshiganj upazila, Jamalpur, held a human chain on Tuesday afternoon along the Brahmaputra River at Bhati Kolkihara area. The demonstration called for urgent and effective measures to stop severe river erosion that has been destroying homes, farmland, and trees across nearly four kilometers of riverbank.

Speakers including Delwar Hossain, Aminul Islam, and Lepu Mia said continuous erosion has already engulfed parts of Fakirpara, Shantinagar, Baghadoba, and Bhati Kolkihara villages, leaving hundreds of families destitute. They warned that five villages risk disappearing from the map as new areas are being swallowed daily. Despite the growing threat, no permanent or effective steps have yet been taken to prevent further damage.

Participants demanded immediate construction of sustainable embankments and implementation of protective projects. They also urged government intervention, particularly from State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP, and announced plans for larger protests if no prompt action follows.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Mostakur Rahman announced that Islami Bank has so far received Tk 13,000 crore in liquidity support. He disclosed this information on Tuesday during the presentation of the monetary policy for the first half of the 2026–27 fiscal year.

According to the governor, banks received Tk 17,000 crore in liquidity support during the Awami League government and Tk 51,000 crore during the interim government. He added that no funds were provided in the first four months after the current administration took office, but the liquidity assistance was extended to Islami Bank due to its financial crisis.

The announcement highlights the central bank’s intervention to stabilize Islami Bank’s liquidity position as part of broader monetary management efforts for the new fiscal year.

Bangladesh Bank has announced the monetary policy for the first half of the 2026–27 fiscal year, setting the private sector credit growth target at 6.8 percent through December. The policy was published on the central bank’s website on Tuesday afternoon, outlining the revised target as part of its updated monetary framework.

According to the information released, private sector credit growth stood at 5 percent in May of the previous fiscal year, while the full-year target for 2025–26 had been set at 8.5 percent. The new target represents a reduction compared to that earlier goal. Meanwhile, the target for domestic credit growth has been fixed at 10.5 percent.

The announcement reflects Bangladesh Bank’s continued efforts to manage credit expansion and align monetary policy with current economic conditions for the upcoming fiscal period.

Bangladesh Bank has announced the monetary policy for the first half of the next fiscal year (July–December 2026), keeping the policy interest rates unchanged due to inflation not yet reaching the desired level. The announcement was made on Tuesday at the central bank’s headquarters by Deputy Governor Habibur Rahman, in the presence of Governor Mostakur Rahman, Deputy Governor Nurun Nahar, and other senior officials.

According to the new policy, the central bank has maintained the repo rate at 10 percent, which is the rate at which banks borrow short-term funds from the central bank against government securities. The Standing Lending Facility (SLF) rate remains at 11.50 percent, while the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate stays at 7.50 percent, applicable when banks deposit funds with the central bank.

The monetary policy statement projects that inflation will decline to 7.5 percent in the upcoming fiscal year, reflecting the central bank’s expectation of gradual price stabilization.

In Madaripur’s Kalkini upazila, large-scale illegal sand extraction from farmland is being used to fill a government canal, according to local reports on June 30, 2026. The activity is taking place in Uttar Shikarmangal village under Shikarmangal Union, allegedly led by local influential figures Jalil Sardar, Alamgir Khan, and Jahangir Khan, with dredging operations managed by a known sand trader named Biman Munshi. Sand is being pumped directly into the canal without any administrative approval, and a major section has already been filled, putting nearby agricultural land at risk of collapse.

Local farmers claim their protests have been ignored and that they are facing threats from those involved. Residents allege that the filled canal area is being prepared for housing construction, undermining the government’s canal excavation program and raising fears of long-term waterlogging during the monsoon. They have urged immediate administrative and legal action to stop the illegal activity and protect public property.

Kalkini Upazila Nirbahi Officer Saif Ul Arefin stated that legal measures will be taken against anyone found filling government canals with sand.

More than 58,000 buildings in Venezuela were damaged or destroyed after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, according to preliminary satellite data released by NASA. The quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, killed about 1,700 people and left thousands missing. The events mark the strongest earthquakes to hit the South American nation in over a century.

Researchers Cory Sherr and Jamon van den Hecke from Oregon State University analyzed radar data collected on June 25 from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellite. Their assessment estimated around 58,870 buildings were likely damaged or collapsed. They emphasized that the findings are an early, rapid assessment reflecting surface changes consistent with destruction and have not yet been verified on the ground.

NASA stated that its satellites are providing critical imagery and data to assist field teams in assessing damage and coordinating rescue operations.

Bogura City, recently upgraded to a city corporation, is facing severe waterlogging due to its outdated and poorly maintained drainage system. On Monday morning, continuous rain from 9:30 a.m. to noon submerged major roads, including Satmatha, Sherpur Road, and Station Road, causing traffic disruptions and widespread public suffering.

Residents allege that no significant development plan has been implemented in the area for 19 years, leaving narrow and clogged drains unable to handle rainwater. The city corporation acknowledged partial drain repairs and promised swift action in problem areas. However, locals argue that temporary cleaning is insufficient without a comprehensive drainage plan.

According to city sources, Bogura has 991 kilometers of roads but only 900 kilometers of drains, 400 of which are unpaved. The administrator, M.R. Islam Swadhin, said drainage improvement work is ongoing and expected to be completed by next year, though rain is currently hindering progress.