Wildfires burning for several days in France and Spain have forced more than 250,000 people to move to safety, according to a report published on July 25. In southwestern France, strong winds are rapidly spreading flames toward Bordeaux, where officials said the fire remained out of control. Residents of seven towns west of Bordeaux were ordered to evacuate urgently on Saturday night.

Nearly 200,000 people have been evacuated from France's Gironde and Landes regions. The French government deployed the military to help contain the crisis, with troops clearing brush and building firebreaks to limit the flames' spread. By Saturday morning, the wildfire was about 40 to 50 kilometres from Bordeaux, while wind carried smoke toward the city and residents reported a strong burning smell.

A state of emergency remains in force in Spain. Improved weather outside Madrid brought some relief to firefighters, but an elderly man in his seventies died in a Valencia-region wildfire and was found inside his car, local media reported. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said difficult times lay ahead. Tourist Spencer Randall, who fled with his family from the fire near Bordeaux, described it as terrifying.

Police recovered the hanging body of a 19-year-old man, identified as Md Shakil, from the abandoned Sudha Sadan on Road No. 5 in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The body was recovered at about 11am on Saturday after local people saw him hanging with a noose around his neck and informed police.

Dhanmondi police sub-inspector Ahidur Rahman said police initially believe that Shakil died by suicide. He said whether any other factor was involved in the death would be confirmed after the post-mortem report and completion of the investigation. Hospital sources identified Shakil’s father as Sekendar Ali Matubbar.

Shakil lived at a residence in the Shibpur Tali Office area of Jighatola, Mohammadpur, according to hospital sources. The report said Sudha Sadan has remained abandoned since Hasina left for India after the July revolution. It also said angry people set fire to the building on August 5, 2024.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and opposition leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman called for implementation of the referendum verdict and acceptance of the July Charter at an 11-party alliance divisional rally in Sylhet on July 25. Speaking as chief guest at Sylhet Government Alia Madrasah field, he said disregarding the views of about 70 percent of people who backed change and reform would disrespect public aspirations.

The Sylhet event was the concluding gathering in the alliance’s divisional rally programme, which began in Rajshahi. The programme also demanded constitutional reform and trials for fugitive fascist Sheikh Hasina and her associates in connection with the July Revolution. Rahman accused the government of expanding politicisation and corruption across different sectors of the state.

He urged Sylhet residents to prepare for a future movement, saying it would continue until fascism, extortion and corruption were removed. He also called for upgrading Osmani International Airport to full international standards and completing work on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway quickly. JAGPA spokesperson Rashed Pradhan warned that another revolution would be inevitable if the July Charter was not implemented in line with the referendum verdict.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has not made a final decision on becoming a full-fledged political party after India’s central government accepted the main demands of its 37-day protest over an exam-paper leak issue. In an interview with NDTV, spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said he wanted to return home, rest and spend time with his family after being away for several months. The report was published on July 25.

Asked whether he was ruling out joining full-time politics, Ranka said one should never say “no” to anything in India. Another spokesperson, Saurav Das, said the group’s current goal was not to enter politics but to build a strong grassroots movement focused on young people. He said India already had 750 to 800 political parties that had failed to meet youth expectations.

The protest began on June 20 with an indefinite sit-in at Jantar Mantar in Delhi under former Aam Aadmi Party leader Abhijit Dipak, and later gained momentum after activist Sonam Wangchuk joined. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid the movement. Ranka said the settlement included withdrawing FIRs against protesters and organisers and not filing new cases against them.

State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Lion Dr Sheikh Faridul Islam warned that strict legal action will be taken against those involved in destroying the Sundarbans, looting forest resources, fishing with poison or carrying out environmentally damaging activities. He made the remarks on July 25 at a daylong citizens’ dialogue in Mongla, Bagerhat, on protecting the Sundarbans and coastal livelihoods for sustainable development.

He said the forest is vital to the livelihoods of millions in southwestern Bangladesh, disaster protection and environmental balance. The minister said action would also be taken if specific evidence links any Forest Department officer or employee to poison fishing. Speakers at the dialogue called for stronger public awareness, strict enforcement of environmental laws and alternative jobs for forest-dependent people.

The minister said wood will not be allowed as fuel in brick kilns and that there are no plans for new coal-based power plants. He said future power generation would prioritize renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. He also said 661 metric tons of rice have been allocated for 8,271 coastal fishing families for the first time.

The Centre for Bengal Studies held a discussion titled “Aspirations of the July Uprising: Justice, Reform and Reconstruction” at Dhaka University’s R. C. Majumdar Auditorium on July 25. The 4pm event featured former Jahangirnagar University department chair Professor Dilara Chowdhury, former International Crimes Tribunal chief prosecutor Advocate Mohammad Tajul Islam, academic Shahnewaz Khan Chandan, and constitutional reform commission member Barrister Imran Abdullah Siddiq.

In his welcome remarks, CBS executive director Rashidul Haque Timur called for accountability for genocide and crimes by what he described as Awami fascists before pursuing reform and reconstruction. Chowdhury stressed transitional justice, arguing that denial of justice can foster a culture of impunity and mob violence. She also criticised the 1972 constitution and referred to dissent over proposals on balancing state power in the July Charter.

Tajul Islam urged acceptance of the July Charter’s reform proposals and said any consideration of Awami League rehabilitation should follow accountability through a truth commission. Chandan raised allegations from his investigation into the BDR killings and called for justice. Siddiq said constitutional reform sought decentralisation of power so that it would not remain concentrated in one person or group.

Liberal Democratic Party President Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad addressed an 11-party alliance divisional rally in Sylhet on Saturday afternoon, speaking about the trial of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the current situation. He said he sometimes hears that “Apa” will return and questioned whether “Dulabhai” would come with her. He told attendees to be prepared with hanging ropes.

Ahmad said the execution should not take place at Dhaka jail but at Suhrawardy Udyan. At the rally, he referred to current prime minister Tarique Rahman as Sylhet’s son-in-law. He said a beautiful and accountable Bangladesh would be possible only through establishment of justice and an end to corruption, terrorism and extortion.

Addressing Tarique Rahman, Ahmad said he must become prime minister of Bangladesh rather than of the BNP, and should pursue reforms guided by his conscience rather than flatterers. He said an 11-party alliance proposal barring one person from simultaneously serving as prime minister, parliamentary leader and party chief had not been accepted. He also praised Jamaat-e-Islami’s organizational discipline and internal unity.

Students and environmental advocates at Jagannath University have raised concerns after concrete was poured up to the bases of several old trees during modernization and beautification work at the university’s TSC area. The report, published on July 25, 2026, said the construction has prompted fears over the trees’ normal growth and long-term survival.

On-site observations found that concrete had been laid around several trees with almost no exposed soil remaining near their roots. This could obstruct rainwater from entering the soil, limit air circulation, and disrupt the supply of oxygen and nutrients to roots. Students said the campus has only a small number of large trees, which provide shade, comfort and a natural environment, and argued that development should protect them.

Dr. Md. Moniruzzaman of the Geography and Environment Department said trees may be unable to absorb water and mineral salts if soil is absent around their bases, hindering growth and potentially causing death over time. Proctor Professor Dr. Mohammad Nasir Uddin said workers had poured the concrete by mistake and that it would be corrected the following day.

Comilla University allowed Islami Andolan Bangladesh Nayeb-e-Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim to enter campus but barred accompanying party leaders and activists, triggering tension at the main gate on Saturday around 5pm. University administrators, security personnel and activists were involved in arguments and scuffles after the group attempted to enter together.

Faizul Karim had arrived to attend a prayer and Islahi Ijtema organized in memory of July martyrs. The university had already prohibited entry by outsiders, according to the report. While several activists managed to enter the campus, most remained outside the main gate. Those denied entry later held Asr prayers in congregation in front of the gate after they could not access the university’s central mosque.

Faizul Karim performed Asr prayers at the central mosque, attended the event and later inaugurated a first-aid box at Bijoy-24 Hall. Proctor Professor Dr Abdul Hakim said permission had been granted only to Faizul Karim. He said outsiders with no connection to the university were not allowed in because of concerns over possible disorder.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be welcome in London, according to an interview cited in a report published on July 25, 2026. Khan told Channel 4 News that he believes genocide has taken place in Gaza, held Netanyahu responsible, and described him as a “genocide criminal.”

Khan said Netanyahu had broken the law and should face trial. He said Netanyahu should be brought under the law and held accountable. The London mayor also said that people who commit genocide are not welcomed in London.

Addressing a possible London visit by Netanyahu, Khan said the “good news” was that Netanyahu was not coming to the city. If he received information about such a visit, Khan said he would ask the prime minister to enforce the law. He added that Netanyahu would face a strong public reaction if he came to London. The report said the remarks followed a similar position expressed by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expressed deep concern after a powerful improvised explosive device, or IED, was recovered from inside an umbrella beneath Motijheel Metro Rail Station in the capital on Friday night. In a press release sent to the media on July 25, the party’s secretary general, Mia Golam Parwar, described the incident as highly alarming because it occurred in one of Dhaka’s busiest and most densely populated areas.

Parwar said the recovery of such a lethal explosive had raised questions about public safety. He said such activities were intended to create fear among people and push the country’s law-and-order situation toward a serious crisis. He called on law-enforcement agencies to remain alert and active in preventing any anti-country conspiracy or activity aimed at disrupting peace, order and stability.

Calling public safety a fundamental responsibility of the government, he demanded stronger security at metro rail stations and other important crowded locations nationwide. He also expressed sympathy for a passerby injured by shrapnel during bomb disposal and urged proper, advanced treatment. Parwar called for an immediate impartial investigation committee, identification of planners and implementers, swift arrests and exemplary punishment. He also urged people to remain united and vigilant against provocation and sabotage.

The International Olympic Committee has rejected a complaint accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of breaching political neutrality, saying the case falls outside the jurisdiction of its ethics commission. An IOC spokesperson said on Friday that the commission had reviewed FairSquare’s complaint in detail but could not accept it because its central issues concerned FIFA’s internal administration, relations with governments and decision-making as an international football body.

FairSquare filed the formal complaint on July 13. It alleged that Infantino, an IOC member since 2020, had repeatedly expressed public political support for US President Donald Trump, contrary to the Olympic Charter’s principle of political neutrality. The complaint also called for an investigation into allegations of Trump’s influence in the lifting of a red-card suspension for United States forward Folarin Balogun at the 2026 World Cup.

The IOC said international federations have their own administrative independence, preventing it from investigating FIFA’s internal decisions or its relationships with governments. FairSquare had submitted complaints to both the IOC and FIFA following controversies involving Infantino and Trump during the World Cup. A separate complaint filed with FIFA’s ethics committee remains unresolved, with FIFA yet to announce a final decision.

Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, or BFIU, has submitted a High Court report alleging the involvement of former president Md. Sahabuddin Chuppu, his company JMC Builders, and S Alam-owned firms in alleged loan and share fraud involving Islami Bank. The report was filed on October 29, 2025, according to the source, following directions issued in an Islami Bank writ case. The article refers to alleged fraud involving Tk80,000 crore.

On March 11, 2025, a High Court bench issued three directions and a rule after the writ. Former Islami Bank board directors serving before the board was dissolved after August 5 were barred from leaving the country without court permission, their bank accounts were ordered frozen, and JMC Builders was barred from transferring shares. BFIU was also directed to submit a report on the matter.

Lawyer Shishir Monir said JMC Builders transferred 81.92 percent of shares through 24 companies and alleged Chuppu approved the transactions while serving as its representative director at Islami Bank from 2017 until becoming president in 2023. He said the petition seeks the return of S Alam-held shares to original entrepreneur shareholders or rightful owners. A hearing on the rule report is scheduled for Wednesday before a bench of Justices Mujibur Rahman Miah and Rezaul Karim.

Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department issued local warning signal No. 3 for the seaports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra after a low-pressure area formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal-north Odisha coast. The forecast, published on July 25, said rough seas could bring heavy rain to coastal areas from Sunday night.

The monsoon trough extends from Rajasthan through Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to the low-pressure centre, southern Bangladesh and Assam. The system may move slowly westward and cross the coast. Light to moderate rain is forecast for central areas, including the capital, while northern areas may remain dry initially before rainfall increases after the system crosses the coast.

Meteorologist Tariful Newaz Kabir said the system was unlikely to intensify into a depression and its effects could remain largely confined to coastal districts. Fishing boats and trawlers in the northern Bay of Bengal were advised to stay near the coast and move cautiously. Reduced rainfall has significantly improved the overall flood situation, though the Kushiyara River remains above danger level at two points.

Two icddr,b studies have reported the spread of drug-resistant bacteria in hospital intensive care units and a mortality rate above 90 percent among patients whose infection was confirmed by culture tests. The findings were released in a news statement on July 25, 2026. Researchers analysed 373 critically ill adults admitted to an ICU at a specialised government hospital in Dhaka between July 2023 and February 2024.

The study found difficult-to-treat resistant gram-negative bacteria in the intestines of 48.5 percent of ICU patients. Of 198 patients who did not carry the bacteria at admission, 105, or 53 percent, became infected while in the ICU. Researchers said this indicates in-hospital spread of drug-resistant organisms. Limited ICU facilities, patient overcrowding and risks of hospital-associated infections may have contributed to the unusually high mortality.

A second study by the same team found improved results after infection-control measures were strengthened in a Dhaka neonatal ICU. Staff training, hand hygiene, environmental cleaning and waste management reduced bloodstream infections by 86 percent over seven months. Deaths per 100 admitted newborns fell from 26 to four. The researchers urged stronger infection prevention, cleanliness, surveillance and responsible antibiotic use.