A report published by Amar Desh Online on July 31, 2026, lists 12 countries described as Muslim-friendly destinations for international students seeking higher education. The list includes the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Turkey, Qatar and Oman. It says international Muslim students seek opportunities to study, work and travel while being able to practise their religion freely.

The report cites access to halal food, prayer rooms, ablution facilities, religious infrastructure and anti-discrimination protections as factors supporting students. It says Malaysia offers halal food and separate prayer spaces, while Taiwan has prayer rooms in public transport and tourist sites. Singapore has halal food approved by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, and the United Kingdom has laws aimed at preventing religious discrimination and online harassment.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, 8,683 discrimination complaints against Muslims were documented in the United States in 2025, the highest figure in 30 years. The report also says Islamophobia has recently increased in the European Union and the United Kingdom. Citing various studies, it says racism and discrimination can adversely affect students' mental health, making safety and religious freedom strategic priorities when choosing a destination.

FIFA has denied that it plans to sell ownership of football or the World Cup as controversy grows over a proposed new structure for its commercial operations and events. In a statement issued Friday, FIFA responded after 55 UEFA members and 41 member associations from the CONCACAF region opposed the proposal. The governing body said its aim is to create more development funding and commercial opportunities for member countries.

FIFA said the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise would be a wholly owned FIFA subsidiary, intended to manage the organisation's commercial and event operations more efficiently. It argued that misleading media reports had caused misunderstandings about the plan and disrupted the scheduled consultation process. FIFA said the final decision would be made democratically after hearing the views of all member associations.

The body said none of football is being sold and that such an option would never be considered. It said each of its 211 member countries has the right to review and comment on the proposal, while no single confederation can represent the entire membership. Under the plan, each association would receive $20 million in development support from 2027 to 2030, alongside a proposed optional one-time $20 million fund. Implementation requires majority support.

Gianni Infantino’s plan to remain FIFA president for a third consecutive term may face a significant challenge, with influential officials in European football administration considering Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi as a possible candidate. FIFA’s next presidential election is scheduled for March 2027. Infantino, who has been elected unopposed since 2016, could face strong competition for the first time, according to the report.

The dispute centres on Infantino’s new commercial plan. FIFA has proposed creating a new affiliate to manage commercial operations for the World Cup and other tournaments, with outside investors taking minority stakes. Infantino says the proposal would secure more funding for FIFA’s 211 member countries and accelerate football development worldwide. European football circles, however, have strongly criticised the initiative.

Critics say no meaningful consultation was held with relevant parties before bringing a global asset such as football into commercial investment. Al-Khelaifi is also chairman of the European Club Association, a UEFA Executive Committee member and a FIFA Council member. His spokesperson said he has no ambition, desire or interest in running for FIFA president. Nevertheless, growing European dissatisfaction has made the election a major talking point.

The July 31, 2026 sports broadcast schedule features the ninth day of the Commonwealth Games, women’s and men’s matches in The Hundred, and two club football friendlies. The schedule, published by the sports desk, lists live coverage across television channels and online platforms.

The ninth day of the Commonwealth Games will be shown live on Sony Sports 2 from 1 pm. In cricket, Manchester Super Giants will face Trent Rockets in The Hundred women’s match at 8 pm. The same teams will meet in the men’s competition at 11:30 pm.

In football, Juventus and Nice will play a club friendly live on Star Sports at 10 pm. Birmingham City’s friendly against Barcelona is scheduled for live coverage at 12:45 am on YouTube and Barca Play.

Writer Josh Sheldon’s new book, “The Zionists Who Hate Jews,” makes contested claims about the history and aims of the Zionist movement. In a report published on July 30, 2026, Sheldon is described as arguing that leaders of a movement presented as protecting Jews historically held hostility toward Jews themselves. The book runs to more than 300 pages and is organized in 11 chapters.

The report says Sheldon draws on material from historians Tom Segev, Avi Shlaim and Ella Shohat. It attributes derogatory descriptions of Jews to Theodor Herzl, Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Moses Hess, and presents Sheldon’s view that Zionism and antisemitism are two sides of the same coin. It also says writer Karl Kraus warned in 1898 that Herzl’s movement represented Jews’ own antisemitism.

The book also addresses the Holocaust, including an alleged agreement involving Hungarian Zionist official Rudolf Kastner and Nazi officials. The report further cites statements attributed to David Ben-Gurion to support Sheldon’s claim that Zionist leaders prioritized state-building over saving Jews. According to the report, the book has prompted renewed discussion of Zionism’s historical foundations and underlying purpose.

The UN Security Council is holding an informal confidential vote on Thursday as part of the process to choose the next UN secretary-general. The straw poll will assess member states’ levels of support for seven candidates competing for the post. Current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will leave office at the end of this year after completing two consecutive five-year terms.

Guterres, a Portuguese national, is due to be succeeded under the established process when his term ends. The seven candidates in contention are from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Senegal and Uganda. The initial informal Security Council vote is known as a straw poll.

Representatives of the Council’s 15 member states will register one of three views on each candidate: encourage, discourage or no opinion. Several rounds of straw polls are usually conducted before a final decision is reached. The process could conclude by late September or early October, although it may take longer if broad consensus cannot be reached around a single acceptable candidate.

FIFA, led by president Gianni Infantino, is planning a new company to manage the commercial operations of the World Cup and Club World Cup. The proposed FIFA Forward Enterprises, or FFE, could sell up to a 21% ownership stake to raise $4.2 billion. FIFA would retain majority ownership and continue its role as world football’s governing body, but the proposal would open the commercial structure of its leading competitions to outside investors for the first time.

The plan is not final and requires majority backing from FIFA’s 211 member countries as well as approval from the 37-member FIFA Council. FIFA says the objective is football development rather than profit. Through a proposed FIFA Fast-Forward Programme, each member country could receive up to $20 million for special and emergency development projects. Regular Forward Programme funding is planned to rise from $8 million every four years to $20 million in 2027-30, $22 million in 2031-34 and $24 million in 2035-38.

JP Morgan is serving as financial adviser. Thrive Eternal and Apollo Sports Capital are listed as potential investors. UEFA, Concacaf and the Football Association of England raised concerns over consultation and information, while La Liga president Javier Tebas criticised the proposal. FIFA estimates World Cup and Club World Cup revenue will reach about $15 billion in 2023-26.

FIFA’s plan to bring private investment into the commercial operations of its major competitions has triggered sharp opposition across football. Published on July 29, 2026, the report says several European football federations could move toward boycotting future World Cups if the proposal is implemented. The dispute has created a major impasse around FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s new initiative.

FIFA recently announced it would create a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprises, to manage commercial activities for the World Cup, Club World Cup and other leading tournaments. It plans to sell up to 21 percent of the company to private investors and raise about $4.2 billion. FIFA says the money would be spent on development projects in its 211 member countries.

UEFA has opposed the plan, while several federations within its membership are preparing for an emergency meeting. They may discuss tougher measures, including a future World Cup boycott, if FIFA does not withdraw the proposal. CONCACAF, the English Football Association, the Asian Football Confederation, and authorities in Germany, Denmark and France have also voiced concern. La Liga president Javier Tebas called the proposal election campaigning, and former FIFA president Sepp Blatter criticized it.

Premier League champions Arsenal are assessing the possibility of signing Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, according to a report published on July 29, 2026. Any formal move would depend on progress in his contract talks with the Spanish club. Arsenal could act if Vinicius does not renew his deal with Real Madrid.

The Athletic journalists David Ornstein and James McNicholas reported that Arsenal have considered several players to strengthen their attack, with Vinicius among the biggest names on the list. The interest remains at an early stage, and there is no certainty that a transfer will materialise. No formal talks have taken place between Arsenal and Real Madrid, although the idea has received positive support across Arsenal.

Vinicius has one year remaining on his current contract, with no progress reported in renewal discussions despite eight consecutive seasons at Real Madrid. The club would not want to lose him without a transfer fee and would also owe him a significant loyalty bonus if his contract expires next season. He scored 22 goals in all competitions in 2025-26, and has recorded 128 goals and 100 assists in 375 Real Madrid appearances since joining from Flamengo in 2018.

Global oil prices resumed their decline on Tuesday as tensions in the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran eased. Both countries have refrained from launching new attacks, according to the report. Benchmark Brent crude fell 2.2 percent to $84.03 a barrel in international trading.

US crude, West Texas Intermediate, also declined, falling 1.7 percent to trade at $81.20 a barrel. Before the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel began in late February, Brent crude had been priced at about $72 a barrel.

Currency markets also showed movement on Tuesday. The Japanese yen weakened against the US dollar at the start of the day, with the dollar rising to 163.82 yen, while the euro also weakened somewhat. Regional Middle East officials said on Monday that mediators had made major progress and were seeking to bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table after attacks had been suspended for several days.

Ukraine struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea that was supplying drones and military equipment to Russia, according to the report published on July 28. William Courtney, a former US ambassador and senior fellow at RAND Corporation, told Al Jazeera that Washington would likely view the action positively. He said the move served Ukraine’s own interests while also advancing those of the United States.

Courtney said Ukraine appeared to be aligning itself with the US strategy on Iran. The United States has long been deeply concerned about Iran’s supply of Shahed drones to Russia, he said, adding that more advanced versions are now being produced at a Russian factory. An attack on Iranian supplies could therefore provide relief to the US administration, in his view.

Courtney said Ukraine has no desire to become directly involved in the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States and Israel. He warned that the war against Iran in the Middle East is unpopular among Western countries, meaning Ukraine would not want to become overly associated with it. The report also said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had arrived in Washington, DC, with possible talks with President Trump expected during their visits.

US President Donald Trump recalled his personal friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan immediately before meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a report published on July 28, 2026. Trump raised the relationship when asked about the possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.

Netanyahu has strongly opposed a decision to sell the advanced US aircraft to Turkey. Trump’s reference to his good relations with Erdoğan just before the Netanyahu meeting placed renewed attention on the issue, the report said. The source did not provide details of the meeting’s outcome or any decision on the aircraft sale.

Political analysts cited in the report said Trump’s emphasis on ties with Erdoğan, despite Netanyahu’s objection, returned the proposed fighter-jet sale to the center of discussion. No timetable, final US decision, or further steps regarding F-35 sales to Turkey were stated in the source.

The World Health Organization said addressing smoking, air pollution, physical inactivity and other modifiable risk factors could prevent or delay dementia by up to 45 percent. In a notice published on July 18, the agency also released updated guidance on dementia prevention for health workers and policymakers.

WHO described dementia as the seventh leading cause of death globally and a major cause of disability and dependence among older people. More than 57 million people worldwide currently live with dementia, while nearly 10 million new cases occur each year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form, accounting for about 60 to 70 percent of cases.

The agency said there is no permanent cure for dementia, but risks can often be reduced by tackling smoking, excessive alcohol use, social isolation, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. Cognitive stimulation activities and specialized training may help adults with mild mental and cognitive problems. WHO estimated dementia costs the global economy about $1.3 trillion annually, with nearly half linked to unpaid care provided by patients’ families and relatives.

Global crude oil prices fell by more than 10 percent in a day on Monday as prospects for a diplomatic solution between the United States and Iran strengthened. By 12:45 a.m. Bangladesh time, Brent crude was trading at about $88.6 per barrel, down 10.4 percent from $91.68 a day earlier. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude also fell 8 percent to $82.35 per barrel.

Investor concerns over the Middle East eased amid hopes that talks between Washington and Tehran were progressing positively. Last week, fears of disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab raised concern over reduced oil exports from the region, briefly pushing Brent to $100 per barrel. Prices began falling after US President Donald Trump suspended military strikes against Iran last Friday following nearly two weeks of conflict.

Trump said Monday that “good talks” were under way and that an agreement was possible, while warning that attacks could resume if negotiations failed. Iran said it had also suspended retaliatory military operations and was discussing normal maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. Crude shipments from the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal on Russia’s Black Sea coast also resumed, improving global supply conditions, though markets remained cautious after Houthi claims of attacks on Saudi Aramco-linked facilities.

US diplomats left the chamber when France’s delegation began speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Russia’s war in Ukraine on Monday. The walkout came two days after a virtual dispute between US and French officials over a vote to renew UN human rights chief Volker Türk’s four-year term.

On Saturday, France’s UN mission in Geneva said the United States was no longer a beacon of human rights and had isolated itself alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali and Russia. US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz responded on X that France had backed a human rights chief who lectures free, sovereign democracies including the United States, Britain and Israel while building ties with oppressors.

After the walkout, US alternate representative Dan Negrea told the Security Council that the US delegation would continue leaving while France did not withdraw what he called insulting and disrespectful remarks. French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont did not address the walkout, saying France was working to protect the UN’s independence and ability to function. Türk was reappointed by a 144-10 General Assembly vote, with 13 abstentions.