The government has appointed Professor Dr Md Akhtar Hossain of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology’s Civil Engineering Department as pro-vice chancellor, filling the post after nearly 12 years. The appointment was announced in a notification signed on Monday by Deputy Secretary Dr Saiful Islam of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry, according to a report published on July 28, 2026.

The appointment was made with the approval of the President and university chancellor under Section 21(1) of the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology Act, 2003. Professor Hossain will serve from the date of joining for four years or until his scheduled retirement date, whichever comes first. He will receive salary, allowances and other benefits set by rules.

The notification says he will exercise the powers and perform the duties assigned to the pro-vice chancellor under university laws, rules and statutory provisions. It also states that the President and chancellor may cancel the appointment at any time if required in the public interest. The previous pro-vice chancellor, Professor Dr Murtuza Ali, completed his four-year term on October 11, 2014.

A shooting near Mexico City’s presidential palace and the historic Zocalo public square left one person dead and at least two others injured on Monday. The Mexico City security secretariat described the incident as a “direct attack.”

The victim was a 42-year-old man, while the two injured people were both 39-year-old men. Local police said the attack occurred at the historic Santo Domingo square in Mexico City, an area surrounded by colonial-era buildings and known as a hub for producing and selling forged documents.

Police said the suspected attacker fled quickly on a motorcycle after opening fire, and an investigation is under way. Violence involving drug-trafficking groups is frequent in several parts of Mexico, but such attacks are rare in the capital. A direct attack near a highly sensitive site such as the presidential palace is particularly uncommon, although organized gangs including Union Tepito and Fuerza Anti Union are active in Mexico City.

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has issued arrest warrants against 31 defendants, including Sheikh Hasina, in a crimes against humanity case over alleged killings at a Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Square in Motijheel, Dhaka, on May 5, 2013. The order was issued on Monday by a three-member Tribunal-2 panel led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, according to a report published July 28. The case names 41 accused in total.

Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam presented two allegations at the hearing. The first concerned the killing of 32 people at Shapla Square on May 5, 2013. The second concerned killings on May 6 in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, including 20 people, and in other parts of the country. Prosecutors alleged that the then government directed security forces to remove unarmed Hefazat leaders and activists from Shapla Square and that police, RAB and Border Guard Bangladesh conducted a joint operation.

The report said the prosecution alleged the operation involved grenades, tear gas, shotguns and lethal weapons. It cited evidence of 32 Hefazat activists killed or missing around Shapla Square, 20 killed in Siddhirganj, five in Chattogram and one in Cumilla. The tribunal granted the prosecution’s applications and set August 16 for the next hearing.

Australia is considering building a new oil refinery for the first time in more than six decades as global fuel supplies tighten amid the US and Israeli war against Iran. The plan was reported on July 28, 2026, with Canberra seeking to assess whether such a project could strengthen domestic fuel security.

Australia’s federal government and the Western Australian state government will jointly conduct a preliminary study to examine the proposal’s feasibility, according to a government statement. The report said Canberra has faced difficulty obtaining fuel as the Middle East war has continued and disrupted global supply conditions.

Australia relies on imports for about 80 percent of its total fuel needs, increasing pressure on energy security when international supplies are disrupted. Only two oil refineries are currently operating in the country, compared with eight active facilities in 2004. Analysts said a new refinery could play a significant role in addressing domestic fuel shortages and reducing reliance on imports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in the United States for a planned meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington on the Iran crisis and the broader Middle East situation. The report, published on July 28, says the two leaders are expected to hold an important meeting. Netanyahu’s office said discussions will cover Iran, regional security and initiatives to expand peace across the Middle East.

Before departing for the United States, Netanyahu said all items on the agenda would be discussed, but that Iran was the most important issue. He said ensuring Israel’s overall security and broadening peace in the surrounding region would be central goals. Netanyahu also said complex circumstances require moving forward with both firmness and wisdom, and described his objective as securing Israel’s safety and future.

Netanyahu called the trip highly significant and said it would be his eighth meeting with Trump since Trump was elected president for a second time. He said he had met Trump more often during the second term than any other national leader. Alongside the bilateral meeting, Netanyahu will attend the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 12 after a brief illness.

After 13 consecutive days of military attacks, major strikes between the United States and Iran have been paused for the past three nights. Washington and Tehran have returned to diplomatic talks, with both sides seeking to move beyond a memorandum of understanding toward a comprehensive and permanent peace agreement. The report says taking the first step toward a final deal has emerged as the biggest challenge.

Washington wants the strategically important Strait of Hormuz opened quickly and fully for commercial traffic. Tehran views the issue as one of its strongest bargaining tools at the negotiating table. US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States would return to severe military operations if diplomacy fails and no agreement is reached, creating uncertainty and pressure around the talks.

The memorandum of understanding was intended to create a 60-day mediation period, which could be extended if necessary, for drafting a final agreement through negotiations. However, the clock for that period has not yet begun. Analysts say more discussion and time will be needed to establish long-term and lasting peace between the United States and Iran.

Bangladesh’s government is considering abolishing the Rapid Action Battalion, or RAB, and the Home Ministry has drafted a proposal to repeal the 2003 law linked to its formation. The report, published on July 28, 2026, says the proposal would amend the Armed Police Battalions Ordinance, 1979, to create a separate unit under Bangladesh Police called the Special Response Forces or Special Response Battalion. The bill has been prepared for the next parliamentary session.

A senior Home Ministry official said the proposal considered reports from the United Nations, the Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and the Commission for the Prevention of Enforced Disappearances, as well as US sanctions and recommendations from political parties. The report cites allegations involving disappearances, killings, torture and human rights violations. A UN fact-finding mission recommended abolishing RAB on February 12, 2025, while Human Rights Watch made a similar recommendation on January 28 that year.

Under the draft, RAB’s assets, funds, records, liabilities and property would transfer to the proposed police unit. Existing personnel would be attached to the new unit until new rules are made. Investigations and trials involving members accused of murder, enforced disappearance or crimes against humanity would continue under applicable laws.

US military forces have struck Iran every day for 13 consecutive nights, targeting civilian infrastructure including bridges, airports, electricity substations and drinking-water treatment facilities, according to Al Jazeera. Iran has responded by attacking civilian infrastructure in Middle Eastern countries allied with the United States, escalating an exchange that has raised concern about a wider conflict.

US President Donald Trump has warned that the conflict could be intensified further. The report says the US threat has created the risk of a large-scale Iranian retaliation, potentially pushing the entire region toward a full-scale and all-out war.

The developments have raised questions over whether the United States and Iran are heading toward another prolonged war and how their historical conflict is shaping the current situation. Boston College associate professor of sociology and international affairs Ali Kadivar discussed those issues on Al Jazeera’s UpFront program, hosted by journalist Mark Lamont Hill.

More than 600 US troops have been wounded since the Iran war began in February this year, according to newly released Defense Department figures reported on July 28. The updated tally puts the number of injured US service members at 624 and the number killed at 18.

The Pentagon introduced a new reporting system last Sunday to record casualties, dividing the overall total into “Operation Epic Fury” and “Overseas Operations.” The change has prompted allegations of opacity and concealment of information. Democratic senators criticized the separation of deaths and injuries, while former US forces commander in Europe Lieutenant General Ben Hodges questioned the integrity of the official count. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie called the division a “ridiculous trick.”

Since July 7, 207 US military personnel have been injured, including 182 service members, the figures show. Officials said at least 96 percent of personnel injured after that date had recovered and returned to duty. Administration officials described the controversy as a temporary information-related disruption and said they were working to address the procedural problem. US forces have also paused military strikes in Iran for the past three days amid concern over shortages of weapons and ammunition.

China has deployed at least 11 fifth-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighters at two air bases near India’s northern border, according to an NDTV report based on satellite-image analysis. The aircraft were seen between June and mid-July this year at Hotan air base in Xinjiang and Damshung air base in Tibet. The report also said Beijing had increased the number of advanced aircraft and military exercises along areas adjoining India.

Vantor imagery dated July 9 showed seven J-20s lined up on the runway at Hotan, a dual-use civilian and military facility 245 kilometres from India’s Daulat Beg Oldi air base north of Ladakh. A second image showed four J-20s at Damshung, 344 kilometres from Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. The report described this as the first time such a large number of stealth aircraft had been seen simultaneously at Chinese bases near the border.

New Space co-founder and former fighter pilot Sameer Joshi called the deployment a permanent threat to the Indian Air Force. India has no indigenous stealth fighter, while its AMCA project may not enter final service before 2035, the report said. India operates 36 Rafales at Ambala and Hasimara. The Indian Air Force did not comment when asked by NDTV.

A drone strike hit the Khor Mor gas field, the largest in northern Iraq’s Kurdish-controlled region, late Monday night, according to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB. The field is located in Sulaymaniyah and supplies gas to most power plants in the region. Loud explosions were also reported in Erbil, the Kurdistan capital, about 200 kilometres from the gas field.

Iraqi media and Iran’s Fars news agency reported at least seven explosions in several locations in Erbil, including near the US consulate. Local police told Al Jazeera that at least four Iranian drone strikes targeted locations in Khalifan and Soran, northeast of Erbil. Police said severe fires broke out in and around the targeted areas, while two drones crashed after approaching their targets.

Police said more than 10 US warplanes and drones were seen flying over Erbil, which they believed was a response to the Iranian drone attacks. The report said the United States had suspended military attacks on Iran since Friday after 13 nights of reciprocal strikes. President Donald Trump rejected reports citing weapons shortages and said the pause followed requests from mediating countries.

Abu Hossain, the elder brother of Abu Sayeed, described as the first martyr killed by police gunfire during the 2024 movement, has issued an open letter to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. In a Facebook post reported on July 28, 2026, he urged the prime minister to address obstacles affecting ordinary people’s daily lives and to ensure their basic rights.

Hossain called for controls on essential commodity prices, fair prices for crops, and adequate supplies of fertilizer used in agriculture. He also urged reductions in fuel and electricity prices, saying higher energy costs have affected daily life and raised agricultural production expenses. He said government-set crop prices had not been implemented, and farmers were unable to sell raw and dry paddy at the expected prices.

The post also raised concerns that excess vehicles, especially battery-powered rickshaws, have reduced the income of low-income people in Dhaka while contributing to congestion. Hossain proposed reducing imports of luxury goods and cancelling non-urgent projects to provide subsidies for electricity and fuel. He said the government’s success would be evident when ordinary citizens could say they are better off than under Sheikh Hasina’s rule.

Allegations of illegal sand extraction have emerged in erosion-prone areas of Nikli উপজেলার Singpur Union in Kishoreganj, including the Ghoradigha, Barulia, Dhanua and Ghorautra rivers. The report alleges that an influential BNP-linked syndicate, working with Awami Jubo League activists, is operating dredgers at night. Extraction is said to run from 7 p.m. until dawn, with more than 250,000 cubic feet of sand reportedly removed each night and sold at three taka per cubic foot.

The report says the extracted sand is used to fill haor farmland, ponds, pits and low-lying land. Although Nikli has no government-designated sand quarry, influential syndicates are accused of operating illegally with administrative protection. Unplanned extraction from the Ghorautra and Dhanua riverbeds has reportedly intensified erosion, with homes in several Singpur Union localities said to have been lost to the rivers.

On July 19, BNP leader Kachum Ali was killed and two others were injured in clashes between two BNP groups over illegal extraction from the Ghorautra River. BNP leaders said offenders would not be recognized and could face organizational action. Local officials denied allegations against the administration, said no extraction is permitted, and stated that raids would be conducted upon receiving complaints.

BNP worker Raju Ahmed was beaten and stabbed to death in an attack in Charhogla, Shambhupura Union of Sonargaon, Narayanganj, on Sunday night. Raju, son of Ainal Haque of Charhogla village, was taken to Munshiganj General Hospital after the assault, where the duty doctor declared him dead. His family said the attack followed political rivalry and prior enmity.

Raju’s younger sister alleged that he had left BNP politics about three months earlier, leading to a dispute with local BNP leader Shahadat Pradhan. She claimed he was deliberately killed over that political conflict. Before the attack, Raju’s cousin had an argument and fight with Nurul and Jakir. Raju brought both sides together and settled the dispute, according to the family.

The family alleged that later Nurul and Jakir led 15 to 20 people armed with local weapons to Raju’s home after failing to find his cousin. Relatives who tried to save him were also beaten. Sonargaon police inspector Anwar Hossain said investigators would determine whether the killing stemmed from political rivalry or a family dispute. The body was sent for autopsy and a case is being processed.

Days of heavy rainfall have extensively damaged earthen and paved roads across municipal areas and several unions in Sarishabari upazila of Jamalpur, disrupting public movement. Without waiting for government allocations, several local political and social figures have used personal funds to carry out temporary repairs aimed at easing residents’ hardship.

In Doail union, BNP leader Morshed Alam placed brick chips and debris on damaged roads in several localities. In Kamrabad, Jahangir Kabir repaired the damaged earthen road from Barabaria Bottola intersection to Kandarpara, while Ujjwal Sarkar continued work on roads, mosques, madrasas and homes. Palash Mia Faruk repaired rain-damaged roads in Pogaldigha. A damaged HBB road beside a community clinic in Gendarpara was repaired again on the initiative of Montu Doctor.

In Bhatara union, Achimul Islam filled a broken section of the Gabtali Bazar–Char Haripur road with soil to restore vehicle movement temporarily. Residents have sought permanent repairs to a repeatedly damaged road in Shimalapalli. Upazila Project Implementation Officer Shawkat Jamil said applications regarding several damaged roads have been received, but no allocation has yet been provided.