Three members of a Bangladeshi family were killed in a road accident in Saudi Arabia on Thursday while traveling from Riyadh to Mecca for Umrah. The crash occurred about 300 kilometres after leaving Riyadh at around 3:00pm Bangladesh time on July 23, 2026, when a private car was struck from behind by a larger vehicle. The deceased are a mother and two of her children.

Two other family members were seriously injured and taken to hospital, according to relatives. The victims were identified as Tania Tahmina Rina (45), her son Tasbik (20) and daughter Zara (15); the injured are her husband Shafiqul Islam Khokon and eldest son Nabil. Relatives said the group of five had set out from Riyadh for Umrah when the rear collision killed three at the scene.

Authorities or further investigation details were not provided in the report and the injured remain hospitalized for treatment.

Yemeni Houthi sources said on Thursday that unless the blockade on Yemen imposed by Saudi Arabia is lifted, state oil company Aramco’s facilities could become future targets. The Houthi statement said two Saudi ships were struck in the attack, one hit by a drone and the other by a cruise missile, and one vessel’s deck caught fire though its hull was not breached. The two ships were bound for India and China and at least ten other vessels diverted toward the Suez Canal for security reasons.

According to the Houthis and British maritime security agencies, one ship was struck on its upper deck and burned but did not sink because its hull remained intact, while the second tanker altered course and returned toward the Suez Canal. The Houthis described the operation as a “blockade in response to the blockade” and warned of harsher measures if the blockade continues. They said future targets could include ships transiting Bab al-Mandeb, Saudi oil tankers and other vessels using alternative routes.

The Houthis also claimed that if the blockade persists, Saudi Aramco’s installations could be targeted in the future; there was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia reported in the source.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the possibility of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords, saying such a move would be a "historic advance" for peace in the Middle East. The comments followed a post by former U.S. President Donald Trump on Truth Social announcing a transformative deal with Saudi Arabia that would permit Riyadh to develop a civilian nuclear program in exchange for joining the Accords.

The Saudi government has not yet issued an official response to Trump’s post. Saudi Arabia has long maintained it will not recognize Israel until an effective and acceptable path to an independent Palestinian state is established. Trump did not say when announcing the deal that the nuclear program understanding was contingent on Saudi entry to the Abraham Accords.

Currently the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and Kazakhstan are signatories of the Abraham Accords, and Saudi accession could significantly alter the diplomatic balance in the region.

France strongly condemned an attack by Yemen's Houthi group on Saudi oil tankers, calling the action irresponsible and urging an immediate end to strikes in the Red Sea. The French foreign ministry spokesman said the Houthi attack on Saudi tankers was irresponsible and that it seriously escalates the situation. The report cited the group's claim of attacking two Saudi oil tankers and its prior declaration of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday.

The source says the Houthis framed the maritime blockade and attacks as a response to what they called Riyadh's unjust and oppressive blockade of Yemen. United Nations agencies are cited as saying the Houthis currently control large parts of Yemen where a significant portion of the population lives. The piece also notes that Saudi Arabia recently struck Sanaa airport and has long supported the internationally recognized Yemeni government against the Houthis.

France urged the Houthis to stop attacks on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, a demand framed as necessary to prevent further escalation and maritime disruption.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh Amir Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari called for special prayers for Religious Affairs Minister Shah Mufazzal Hossain Kaykobad’s speedy recovery during a prayer gathering in Chattogram on Thursday. The event was held at Jamia Azizul Uloom Babunagor Madrasa mosque after Asr and included ulema, students and teachers; the minister is currently receiving treatment in Singapore.

Prominent ulema including the madrasa’s naib-e muhtamim Maulana Ayub Babunagari attended the prayer mahfil where Babunagari described the minister as devout, patriotic and humane, and said he had been severely persecuted by the Awami fascist group. Separate special prayers for the minister’s rapid and full recovery were also organised at multiple madrasas including Darul Uloom Hathazari, Jamia Obaidia Nagpur and Jamia Arabia Zirri, with various leading clerics conducting the supplications.

Hefazat’s amir and secretary urged scholars, the towhidi public and the nation to pray earnestly for the minister’s cure, and a press release from Hefazat-e-Islam issued these details on Thursday.

Mahmoodur Rahman, editor of Amar Desh, said on Thursday that several revolutionaries joining the government after the July mass uprising was the biggest mistake. Speaking at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Dhaka organized by the National Engineers Alliance of Bangladesh to remember the martyrs of the July uprising, he argued that after a successful revolution revolutionaries should have stayed out of government and established the ‘July vision’ from outside.

He compared the July uprising to successful revolutions like Cuba’s and said some local revolutionaries erred by becoming part of the existing state apparatus. He called the choice of Dr. Muhammad Yunus as interim government head “perfect” for that moment, while noting he did not fully agree with all Yunus’s actions. He urged revolutionaries to form a revolutionary political force, create an ideological basis for state change, and maintain unity under the July revolution’s umbrella.

He said the July uprising’s three distinct features were that it was unarmed, wholly domestic, and had no single leader, and he urged fighters to remain united to keep the martyrs’ memory alive.

India began their three-match T20I series in Harare with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe, led by Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record 18-ball half-century on July 23, 2026. Chasing 126, the 15-year-old opener exploded from the start, reaching fifty in 18 balls and scoring 50 off 19 before departing with India well placed at 68 for 2.

Suryavanshi attacked Zimbabwe’s pace bowlers Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani early, including a ramp and a sequence of boundaries that put India in control. Ishan Kishan and captain Shreyas Iyer added an important 46-run third-wicket stand, with Kishan scoring 35 off 24. India’s bowlers, led by Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav, restricted Zimbabwe to 125 for 7 in 20 overs with all bowlers conceding under eight runs per over.

India secured the win with 40 balls remaining, moving 1-0 up in the series; Zimbabwe, wearing retro 1992 World Cup jerseys, must change approach in the remaining two matches to level the series.

Spain defeated Argentina in the 2026 World Cup final to win the tournament for the second time, and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario praised their style of play as the world’s best. The match ended 1-0 after extra time with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal in the 106th minute, securing La Roja’s title and prompting widespread acclaim.

In a pre-final interview with Spanish outlet Diario AS, Ronaldo had declared Spain the clear favorite and predicted they would win, a forecast that proved correct despite a hard-fought match. He credited Spain’s footballing philosophy, ball control and organization, saying their style surpasses even Brazil’s traditional jogo bonito. Spain captain Rodri echoed this view, noting the team’s control across pressing, possession, counterattacks and set pieces.

Ronaldo also praised Argentina’s fighting spirit, while the final highlighted Spain’s dominance in possession and chance creation and Ferran Torres’s extra-time goal ended their long wait for a second world title.

A rare parrotfish was caught by fishermen off the Kuakata coast in the Bay of Bengal and brought to Mohipur fish market on Thursday afternoon. The fish, locally called 'tota' or 'tia' fish, weighed about 700 grams and drew a crowd at Faisal Fish auction due to its bird-like mouth and beak. The manager Mo. Jahangir bought it at auction for three thousand taka.

The catch was made by the trawler FB Vai Vai under skipper Babul Matubber, who went fishing with 17 crew near Payra port's last buoy two days earlier. The parrotfish was hauled up alongside hilsa, poa and other species during net retrieval. Manager Jahangir said the fish was purchased and preserved on ice and will be sent to Chattogram for sale.

Experts and officials noted the species' beak-like teeth and bright coloration; its scientific name is Scarus ghobbani and it is occasionally caught in deep Bay of Bengal waters near Cox's Bazar and Kuakata.

A young woman named Riya Ahir single-handedly stopped a moving police van near Shivaji Park in Dadar, Mumbai, during heavy rain on Wednesday, a moment captured in viral photos and videos. The incident occurred amid ongoing student protests and quickly became a powerful symbol of the movement after the crowd applauded and chanted in support of her action.

Indian broadcaster NDTV reported that Riya’s intervention compelled police to release detained protesters, and the crowd’s reaction highlighted the scene’s impact. According to her Instagram profile, Riya Ahir is an actor, model and entrepreneur who runs a handcrafted fashion brand called “Riyasat” and has nearly 100,000 followers on social media.

The report linked the incident to wider student unrest and noted related political developments and restrictions elsewhere, while providing no further operational details about the protest’s next steps.

Protests demanding education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over exam paper leaks in New Delhi have intensified, with students staging peaceful marches and sit-ins in recent days. Demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and other sites have been met by police action, and multiple public interest litigations have been filed in the Delhi High Court alleging use of tear gas, baton charges and widespread physical abuse of protestors.

Petitioners say the police response was not isolated but a deliberate suppression by forces under the Home Ministry, and social media circulated videos purportedly show tear gas and officers in plain clothes assaulting demonstrators. Authorities have filed ten FIRs against unidentified individuals connected to the protests; journalists report Prime Minister Narendra Modi later ordered a fast-track court for those implicated in the paper leak scandal.

The protests continue with students pressing for accountability over the exam leak and broader reforms to an education system they say excludes many; courts will now consider the allegations of police misconduct in pending petitions.

ATM Azharul Islam, deputy emir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and MP for Rangpur-2, said in Rangpur on Thursday that President Shahabuddin Chuppu should have been removed long ago and that keeping him in office is a grave mistake by BNP. Speaking at his home in Badraganj, he demanded swift removal and legal action, arguing the presidency cannot remain above accountability if constitutional duties and public expectations are unmet.

Azhar warned the government cannot sidestep the implementation of the July referendum result and said ignoring the popular verdict will carry political consequences for the government. He threatened constitutional measures inside parliament and democratic movements outside if the result is not implemented swiftly. He also criticized BNP for following patterns of authoritarian governance he attributes to the current ruling party and called for strengthening democratic institutions.

Azhar said he will raise people's demands strongly in parliament and continue peaceful political programs to secure democratic rights and enforce the referendum's outcome.

A Cumilla court sentenced Mofizul Islam Mofu to death in the rape and murder case of nine-year-old Tajrin Sultana Jhumur. Judge Md Yasin Arafa of Cumilla’s Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 delivered the verdict on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Mofizul, 50, is a resident of Khilpara in Cumilla Sadar South upazila. State prosecutor Badiul Alam Sujan said the judge handed down the sentence after hearing testimony from 13 witnesses, with the court delivering its decision in 19 working days.

According to the case allegations, Jhumur was abducted in 2024 while returning home from school at 10am. The complaint said Mofizul took her to Sujan Mia’s paddy field on the western bank of the Kheyaish Thakurbari pond, raped her and then killed her. Jhumur was a third-grade student at Sonali Shishu Bidyaniketan and also lived in Khilpara. Plaintiff’s lawyer Md Mahbubul Haque described the speedy sentence as an example of establishing justice. Jhumur’s mother, Razia Akter, expressed satisfaction with the verdict and demanded its swift implementation.

Aftab Mozumdar Joy, a leader of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and member of its Chittagong metropolitan convening committee, was arrested on rape allegations and has been permanently expelled from the party. The arrest followed a case filed at Chandgaon police station after a college student accused him of assault at a hotel room on the night of July 14; RAB-7 carried out the operation and handed him to police.

According to the complaint, Joy established a relationship with the woman via Facebook and allegedly had physical relations in room 208 of ‘Sweet Palace’ hotel after promising marriage. When the woman later pressed for marriage, she alleges Joy refused and cut off contact; she later learned he was already married. The victim filed a case on July 19 under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act and relevant sections of the Penal Code; after legal processing Joy was sent to jail through the court.

The NCP’s Chittagong metropolitan committee issued a written order signed by acting office secretary Ridwaan Hridoy declaring Joy permanently expelled effective July 23 and barring him from any party activities or identification.

Protesters in India demanding the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan have adopted an internet trend centering on Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland during demonstrations in July 2026. Gen-Z activists and social media users have turned the 25-year-old striker into a humorous focal point, dubbing him the "people's prince" and linking his online presence to pressure on political leaders amid the ongoing net question leak controversy.

The trend grew after a parody Instagram post using Narendra Modi's name invited Haaland to reply, joking that Modi would accept Pradhan's resignation if Haaland responded; the post drew thousands of comments. Comedians and users contributed memes and jokes, and protesters in Mumbai even mimicked Haaland's "Viking roar" celebration during street demonstrations, showing how internet culture is being used alongside slogans and speeches.

Observers note that frustrated young people are using memes and viral content to express anger and mobilize; the source attributes the reporting to The Telegraph India and links the phenomenon to the broader Gen-Z movement in India.