Six candidates vying to become the next United Nations Secretary-General will participate in a televised debate on Thursday at the historic General Assembly Hall, one week before the formal selection process begins to choose a successor to outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres. The 90-minute event, broadcast by Bloomberg, will feature questions from diplomats, UN staff, and civil society representatives. The candidates include Michelle Bachelet of Chile, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana, and Macky Sall of Senegal.

UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the debate offers a rare opportunity to understand the candidates’ priorities and leadership visions for one of the world’s most important positions. The UN currently faces financial and credibility challenges, with the United States urging a focus on peace and security, while many other nations emphasize human rights and development as equally vital pillars.

The Security Council will hold its first secret ballot on July 30 to rank the candidates. The new Secretary-General is scheduled to take office on January 1, 2027.

A Mumbai police officer has been accused of threatening protesters with false drug charges, according to a video shared by the Mumbai Congress. The video allegedly shows the officer warning a group of students that if they join protests again, they will be framed in narcotics cases. The incident reportedly occurred in several protest sites across the city, including Shivaji Park, Chembur, and Azad Maidan.

Mumbai Police has taken the matter seriously and initiated an investigation to verify the authenticity and context of the video. Pending the outcome of the inquiry, the officer seen in the footage has been removed from his current duties. The police stated that further action will depend on the investigation’s findings.

The Congress post accompanying the video described the alleged threat as an attack on democratic rights and urged that students’ questions be met with accountability rather than intimidation. The report also noted growing concerns about police tactics, including digital surveillance and home visits to warn protesters.

Austria has officially opened a police station in Adolf Hitler’s birthplace in Braunau am Inn to prevent neo-Nazi gatherings and unwanted glorification of the Nazi past. The decision follows years of debate over how to handle the site’s dark legacy. The building, where Hitler was born on April 20, 1889, has been renovated at a cost of about 20 million euros and now hosts a special anti-drug police unit.

Authorities said the location near the German border is a key route for drug trafficking, and a permanent police presence will help curb illegal Nazi displays. Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner described the move as a “new chapter,” symbolizing democracy, rule of law, and security while acknowledging that history will not be erased.

Experts had advised against demolishing the building, arguing it would erase part of Austria’s history, while turning it into a museum could attract extremists. Public opinion surveys also favored using the site for administrative or educational purposes. The initiative comes amid political tension following the far-right Freedom Party’s recent electoral gains.

A feature published on July 23, 2026, in Amar Desh highlights students’ reflections on the 2024 July Uprising, describing it as a defining moment of protest against injustice, inequality, and authoritarianism. The article, written by Eden Mohila College student Umme Zobaida, portrays the uprising as a collective struggle for rights, democracy, and human dignity that reshaped the nation’s conscience.

Students quoted in the piece view the July movement as a lesson in courage, unity, and sacrifice. Afia Sultana Akhi from Eden College’s economics department emphasizes that the spirit of July inspires youth to build a just, corruption-free Bangladesh where equality, accountability, and freedom of expression prevail. The uprising, which began as a quota reform movement, evolved into a nationwide protest against oppressive governance, marked by casualties and widespread participation.

The article concludes that the July Uprising remains a lasting emblem of resistance and hope, motivating future generations to pursue a fair, humane, and democratic Bangladesh.

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 has shown Mozzafar Hossain as arrested in connection with alleged crimes against humanity committed between 2009 and 2024 alongside retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury. The tribunal, chaired by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury with judges Manjurul Basid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, issued the order on Thursday. It also granted permission for two days of interrogation at a convenient time.

Mozzafar Hossain was produced before the tribunal from the military prison earlier in the day following a prosecution request for his formal arrest and interrogation. The court approved the request and scheduled September 23 for submission of the investigation report and the next hearing. During this period, Mozzafar will remain in military custody but may be brought to the tribunal’s safe house for questioning.

The tribunal had earlier set July 23 for his appearance after the prosecution sought a production warrant on July 21.

An eleven-party alliance, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, held a human chain in front of the International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday morning, demanding a fair investigation and speedy trial of the July genocide. The alliance later submitted a memorandum to the tribunal’s chairman and chief prosecutor, calling for immediate action against those accused of genocide and fascism. Alliance coordinator and Jamaat assistant secretary general Hamidur Rahman Azad urged that Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League be brought to justice, warning of mass protests if justice is delayed.

Speakers at the event alleged that the current BNP government has slowed down the judicial process and accused it of election engineering. They criticized the appointment of partisan prosecutors and warned that any attempt to obstruct justice would face public resistance. The memorandum submitted by the alliance outlined seven demands, including completion of investigations at all crime scenes, arrest of accused law enforcement officials, and protection for witnesses and victims.

The alliance also called for urgent measures to ensure justice for enforced disappearances and to strengthen the rule of law, emphasizing that justice for victims is essential to prevent future atrocities.

Tensions in the Red Sea have escalated sharply after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group announced a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia. Ship tracking data shows that at least seven oil tankers and commercial vessels have reversed course near Yemeni waters following the threat. The crude carrier ‘Rodos,’ bound for India with Saudi oil, turned north near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, while another tanker, ‘Maika,’ also changed direction after leaving Saudi Arabia’s Jazan port. Several vessels from China to Saudi ports have similarly diverted routes through the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

The Houthis warned shipping companies via email that loading or unloading at Saudi ports is banned and violators could face attacks. They said the move responds to Saudi blockades on Yemeni ports and airports. Saudi Arabia denied the allegations and pledged to protect its shipping under international law. The European Union’s naval mission Aspides advised vessels linked to Israel, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until risks subside.

Analysts warned that the disruption could raise global oil prices and force Saudi Arabia to reroute exports via longer, costlier paths around Africa, threatening global energy stability.

A tunnel under construction for a hydropower project in Namchi district of Sikkim, India, collapsed on Monday, leaving 22 workers dead. The incident occurred after an explosion inside the tunnel, reportedly caused by the ignition of flammable gas trapped within rock layers. At the time of the collapse, 25 workers were inside and became trapped deep within the tunnel.

Officials said that rescue operations have been extremely dangerous due to the presence of toxic gas, fallen rocks, and unstable conditions inside the tunnel. Despite these challenges, efforts to locate the remaining missing workers are ongoing. Authorities are also working to support the affected families and ensure all necessary assistance for the rescue mission.

The administration has pledged to continue search and recovery operations while providing aid to those impacted by the disaster.

Between July 14 and 19, 2024, Bangladesh witnessed a wave of student-led protests demanding reform of the government job quota system. The movement began with a memorandum to the president and quickly escalated after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s remarks defending the freedom fighters’ quota. Violent clashes erupted at Dhaka University and other campuses as student groups, including the ruling party’s student wing, were accused of attacking demonstrators.

On July 16, Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed was shot dead by police, becoming the first martyr of what became known as the July Movement. The following days saw universities declaring campuses “politics-free” and the prime minister ordering a judicial inquiry while urging patience for a Supreme Court verdict. By July 18–19, nationwide shutdowns and protests turned deadly, leaving at least 116 people killed over two days.

The government imposed a curfew and deployed the army as an internet blackout severed Bangladesh’s digital links with the world, marking one of the most violent episodes in the country’s recent student activism.

A severe gas shortage has gripped Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh since Thursday, July 23, 2026, disrupting household cooking and industrial production. Many CNG filling stations in the capital displayed 'no gas' signs, forcing drivers of CNG-run vehicles to wait for hours in long queues. Even where gas was available, pressure remained too low to meet demand, causing widespread inconvenience.

According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, a technical fault at one of the country’s floating LNG terminals (FSRU) has reduced national gas supply by about 450 million cubic feet per day. This has lowered gas pressure across industrial zones, power plants, CNG stations, and residential areas. The gas authority noted that Bangladesh already faces a supply deficit, with daily demand exceeding 3,800 million cubic feet while only 2,700 million cubic feet can be supplied.

The disruption has forced many factories to cut production and left households without cooking gas for much of the day. Drivers and CNG station managers reported severe operational difficulties and financial uncertainty due to the ongoing shortage.

Leaders of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have again declined an invitation from Indian Union Minister J. P. Nadda to hold discussions at his residence regarding the ongoing protest over the NEET question paper leak. The party stated that any dialogue with the government must take place at a neutral location rather than a minister’s home or office. CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the protest site at Jantar Mantar represents the people’s court and that ministers should come there if they wish to talk.

The CJP emphasized that it remains open to discussions and is willing to consider a neutral venue near Jantar Mantar if there are security concerns. The refusal marks the second consecutive day the group has rejected the government’s proposal for talks at Nadda’s residence.

The protest continues at Jantar Mantar as the CJP maintains its demand for transparency and accountability in the NEET paper leak issue, while the government seeks to initiate dialogue under controlled conditions.

Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has achieved record-breaking performance in both revenue collection and water production, according to a report published on July 23, 2026. The agency’s monthly revenue, which had long remained between Tk 18 crore and Tk 20 crore, rose to Tk 26.8 crore from last month’s water bills—an increase of nearly Tk 7 crore. At the same time, daily water production reached an average of 496 million liters, the highest in the organization’s history.

Managing Director Engineer Selim Mohammad Jahan Alam said that after noticing low revenue figures in a news report, he held meetings with revenue officials to identify causes and strengthen collection efforts. The coordinated actions of the revenue department led to the significant rise in monthly revenue. WASA sources stated that the agency typically aims to collect 80–90 percent of billed amounts from residential and commercial customers.

Currently, Chattogram WASA serves 86,309 connections through about 1,200 kilometers of pipelines, with residential users paying Tk 18 and commercial users Tk 37 per 1,000 liters of water.

The 11-party alliance has announced that its Sylhet divisional rally will be held on Saturday at the historic Alia Madrasa field in Sylhet. The event is part of the alliance’s previously declared program demanding implementation of the referendum verdict and trial of those accused in the July killings. Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman MP will address the rally as chief guest.

The rally will be presided over by Liberal Democratic Party Chairman and former minister Dr. Col. (Retd.) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, with top leaders of the 11-party alliance attending as special guests. Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar issued a statement on Thursday calling on all branches of Sylhet Division Jamaat and people from all walks of life to make the rally a success.

The alliance has also reiterated its demand for swift trial of those involved in the July killings and acts of fascism, emphasizing the urgency of justice through proper legal processes.

An eleven-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Md. Aminul Islam, demanding the speedy trial of all crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution. The memorandum was handed over on Thursday afternoon, with senior leaders including Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad and AB Party’s General Secretary Barrister Fuad present, alongside families of victims.

The seven-point memorandum stated that investigations into most major sites of the killings that occurred in July–August 2024 remain incomplete. It urged authorities to finish the investigations promptly and bring those responsible to justice. The alliance alleged that many accused members of law enforcement, including police officers, have not been arrested and some remain in official positions. It also claimed that crimes occurred in 61 of the country’s 64 districts, yet investigations outside Dhaka, Rangpur, and Kushtia are still pending.

The memorandum further called for swift investigations into enforced disappearances, killings, and destruction of bodies, noting that delays have raised concerns among victims’ families about justice and accountability.

Ozgur Ozel, the ousted leader of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), has announced the formation of a new political party after resigning from the CHP. The announcement was made on Tuesday in the presence of more than 80 CHP lawmakers. Ozel told the assembled legislators that the move marked a painful but inevitable farewell and expressed hope for a new beginning with the public. He is expected to soon submit an application to the Interior Ministry to register the new party, which may be named the ‘Yeni Parti’ (New Party).

Ozel was removed from his position as CHP chairman by a court order in May, which reinstated former leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu as interim head. The leadership dispute between Ozel and Kilicdaroglu had intensified internal divisions within the party. Supporters of Ozel claim the court’s decision was politically motivated and part of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strategy to weaken the opposition, a charge the government denies, insisting on judicial independence.

Ozel’s move comes amid government investigations into several CHP-run municipalities and the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Analysts expect the new party to reshape Turkey’s opposition landscape.