Heavy rains in northern China have caused devastating floods, resulting in at least 30 deaths in Beijing. Authorities evacuated 80,000 people as more rain was forecasted. Nearly 130 villages lost power, and many roads were damaged, isolating residents. Rescue teams are using helicopters and wading through chest-deep waters to save stranded individuals. The Miyun district suffered the most damage. President Xi Jinping has ordered comprehensive search and rescue efforts amid ongoing infrastructure repairs and support for displaced residents.

Bangladesh plans to present a comprehensive trade package to the United States to seek relief from the additional tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on Bangladeshi goods. A delegation led by the Trade Advisor departed for Washington to negotiate and explore opportunities for increased purchases, including wheat, soybean oil, and aircraft from Boeing. The government has also announced tariff exemptions on 626 products to ease trade tensions and aims to reduce the US trade deficit through strategic imports.

Dhaka University is set to announce the schedule for the long-awaited DUCSU election today, July 29, along with election schedules for 18 hall student councils. Professor Mohammad Jasim Uddin has been appointed as Chief Returning Officer, leading a 10-member team to oversee the process. For the first time, six polling centers will be set up outside residential halls. Students from the 2019–20 session through the current academic year are eligible to participate. The last DUCSU election took place in 2019.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against former MP and cultural icon Asaduzzaman Noor for amassing illegal wealth worth over BDT 5.37 crore and engaging in suspicious financial transactions amounting to BDT 159 crore. According to the case documents, Noor acquired assets that significantly exceed his known sources of income. He allegedly maintained 19 bank accounts through which BDT 85.72 crore was deposited and BDT 73.05 crore withdrawn, resulting in transactions totaling over BDT 158.78 crore deemed suspicious. Following the fall of the Awami League government, Noor — a five-time elected MP — was arrested on September 15.

Bangladesh's law enforcement has issued a nationwide alert amid fears that banned Awami League activists may incite violence from July 29 to August 8. The Special Branch warns of potential attacks, sabotage, or chaos through coordinated online and offline campaigns. Police units have been instructed to monitor political activities, enhance security at key sites, and intensify cyber surveillance. Special operations, including vehicle searches and increased patrolling at transport hubs, will be conducted to prevent unrest during this politically sensitive period.

Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) has reopened after 160 days of closure due to violent clashes over demands to ban student politics. Over 100 students were injured during the February incident. The previous Vice-Chancellor was removed following student protests and hunger strikes. Although a new acting VC was appointed, faculty members refused to resume classes until justice was ensured for assaulted teachers. With the appointment of Dr. Md. Maksud Helali as the new VC, academic activities resumed on July 29.

At a rally in Mymensingh, NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah warned that the party will not tolerate extortion under its name. He criticized so-called activists who exploit the party for personal gain, calling for a cleansing campaign within the organization. Convener Nahid Islam stressed the need for institutional reforms and adoption of the July Charter by August 5. NCP also condemned BNP’s walkout from a national meeting and highlighted environmental and infrastructural issues in Mymensingh.

NCP leader Sarzis Alam has denounced the role of certain media outlets, accusing them of blindly serving political interests during the 2024 elections. “We do not want a media that acts as a broker for any political party in the future. Several outlets, before the 2024 elections, shamelessly acted as mouthpieces for one particular party. Journalists from those platforms are now ashamed to even name their workplace,” Alam said. He also criticized the lack of urgency in bringing justice for the murder of Maruf in Tangail, noting continued obstruction in addressing the killings that occurred in July and August in the region. Alam further added, “During the popular uprising, Hasina fled quickly — a fact that forced us to make swift decisions at the time. Today, we closely observe which media outlets and administrative branches are serving the people, and which are serving political interests.” He also called out the selective recognition of national leaders, stating, “While Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is honored, Maulana Bhashani and Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq remain unrecognized.”

The Netherlands has included Israel in its 2025 State Threat Report, identifying it as a foreign threat to national security. Following Iran, Russia, and Turkey, Israel was flagged for restricting freedom of expression to influence political decisions, posing risks to democratic values and increasing chances of foreign interference. The report also warns of potential economic pressure, espionage, and military threats from Israel, highlighting concerns over its impact on the country’s security landscape.

Residents of Gaza have condemned the international community’s practice of airdropping aid, calling it humiliating and dehumanizing. Ahmed Fayez Fayad, a local resident, said, “We are not dogs waiting for food from the sky. We deserve to live with dignity.” A mother struggling to feed her children added, “My child cries from hunger, and I have to endure this humiliation? We don’t want aid—we want our rights.” A local teacher summed up the sentiment: “We are not beggars. We just want the right to live safely and with dignity.” Meanwhile, the UN continues to pressure for an end to the blockade on Gaza.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged world leaders to take “urgent, concrete, and irreversible” steps toward a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict. “Statehood is a right for Palestinians, not a reward,” he said, warning that denying this right only fuels extremism. Guterres welcomed recent measures to ease humanitarian restrictions but stressed the need for a “permanent ceasefire, immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access.” He also reaffirmed the UN’s stance that Israeli occupation remains illegal.

Javed Rasin, a leader of the National Consensus Party (NCP), has criticized the Election Commission for publishing the draft of the July Charter without prior discussion or consensus on its decision-making framework. He stated, “The Commission outlined six methods of decision-making but released the draft unilaterally, without any discussion. This is not the correct way to proceed. Imposing something without mutual agreement is unacceptable.” Rasin emphasized that any reform proposals or recommendations that have received consensus must be legally endorsed before the next parliamentary elections. He also mentioned a new proposal to form a seven-member caretaker committee, including two additional members from the judiciary to oversee the voting process — a proposal accepted by all parties except the BNP and some of its allies.

Legal adviser Asif Nazrul has made strong allegations against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates, stating that the crimes committed under her regime surpass those committed by the Pakistani military during the Liberation War in 1971. Speaking at a recent event, Nazrul said, “Burning corpses, executing wounded civilians, and shooting unarmed, injured individuals — these are acts of war crimes. You may say similar things happened during the ‘Black Night’ of March 25, and yes, it was horrific. But that was a foreign army attacking before our formal declaration of independence. Even then, I have never seen any footage of bodies being burned or wounded men being executed in that way. No freedom fighter ever described such cruelty.” Nazrul also highlighted the relentless efforts of their movement, asserting that such brutalities must be acknowledged and condemned regardless of who commits them.

Islami Chhatra Shibir President Zahidul Islam has warned that the July Declaration and Charter must not replicate the agenda of any political party. In a Facebook post, he wrote: “July is not about placing someone in power. It is about resisting all forms of injustice and structural inequality. If needed, July will rise again.” He further stated, “The declaration must reflect the blood and sacrifice of martyrs and fighters. Their legacy cannot be hijacked by any group. Mind it.”

NCP Convener Nahid Islam has urged the nation to follow the legacy of Maulana Bhashani in resisting neo-colonial dominance from Britain, Delhi, and Pindi (Pakistan's military establishment). Speaking in Tangail, he described Bhashani as “a champion of farmers, workers, and the oppressed.” He added, “Students played a key role in past uprisings and must also lead the way in building a future Bangladesh free of inequality. We fought fascist Hasina together, and we will stand united against all forms of injustice moving forward.”