Iran has issued a strong warning to the United States, threatening a full-scale military operation if US bombings continue. Major General Mohsen Rezaei, a senior military adviser, declared that no political borders would remain safe should the attacks persist. He emphasized that Iran would no longer limit its response to proportional retaliation.

Rezaei stated that the era of negotiations during wartime has ended. He explained that until now, Iran’s focus had been on deterrence and ending conflict rather than expanding the war or pursuing aggression. According to him, Iran’s capture of Hormuz was aimed at bringing the conflict to an end.

The warning comes amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, with recent reports of Iranian attacks on key oil facilities in Kuwait and a US airbase in Jordan, as well as continued violence involving other regional actors.

An elderly man who had been missing for six days in Banshkhali, Chattogram, was found dead on Friday morning. Police recovered the body of 75-year-old Md. Nur Siddiq from a hilly stream in the Pairang Godarpara area of Saral Union around 10 a.m. He was a resident of West Chechuria Ghonapara in Bailchhari Union and the father of Mannan and Munaf Soudagar.

According to family members, Nur Siddiq went missing six days earlier after leaving home during continuous rainfall to visit his daughter’s house. It is believed that he was swept away by flash floodwaters. Despite informing the police and searching several areas, the family could not locate him until his body surfaced.

Officer-in-Charge Md. Robiul Haque of Banshkhali Police Station said locals spotted the body floating in the stream and alerted police, who later recovered it. After filing an unnatural death case, the body was handed over to relatives and buried at the family graveyard following funeral prayers at 3 p.m.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad said the government will always stand by the people in times of crisis, describing it as their ideal, purpose, and commitment. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon while visiting flood-affected areas in Pekua, Cox’s Bazar.

The minister noted that floods, tidal surges, and natural disasters are regular realities in riverine and coastal regions. He emphasized that the government’s main goal is to build sustainable and strong embankments to better protect coastal areas. Ahmad also said that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has introduced a policy prioritizing Bangladesh and its people before power.

He added that the government will assist those who lost their homes in the recent floods and urged wealthy citizens to support the poor. The visit and remarks came as part of the government’s ongoing disaster response efforts in affected regions.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a stern warning to Middle Eastern countries that host United States military bases, urging them to prepare for potential retaliation. According to a report by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC advised these nations to activate civil defense units and move civilians away from possible military targets, claiming their territories are being used for attacks against Iran.

The report further stated that the IRGC carried out drone and missile strikes on a US military logistics center at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, alleging casualties among American troops. It also claimed responsibility for an attack on the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, asserting that the base’s radar system was disabled and that a weapons maintenance hangar and drone facility were destroyed.

The report, citing Al Jazeera as its source, did not include independent confirmation of the IRGC’s claims or details of any US or Kuwaiti responses to the alleged attacks.

Sheikh Hasina, who has been in India for nearly two years, has expressed her intention to return to Bangladesh in December with her party members and surrender to court. Her remarks, made in a Reuters interview, have stirred reactions in both Bangladesh and India. Indian officials maintain that New Delhi neither invited Hasina to stay nor is forcing her to leave, saying she is free to decide based on circumstances.

Analysts and former diplomats in Delhi view Hasina’s statement as a strategic test rather than a firm declaration. They believe her return will depend on how Bangladesh’s political situation and international attitudes evolve in the coming months. Observers agree that Hasina’s comments likely carry India’s tacit approval, as her move could ease Delhi’s diplomatic discomfort whether she returns or not.

Former Indian envoy Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty suggested that Hasina’s return is crucial to preserve the Awami League, while discussions between Dhaka and Delhi on her security cannot be ruled out. Among Awami League members in India, reactions remain mixed, with uncertainty over how many will accompany her back.

Seven prison guards, including three matrons and four female warders, have been temporarily suspended after a convicted female inmate escaped from Kashimpur Central Women's Prison in Gazipur. The prison authorities confirmed that the disciplinary action was taken following preliminary evidence of negligence in duty. The suspended officials are identified as matrons Laila Anjuman Sumi, Merina, and Rehena, and warders Shayla, Sharmin, Jemi, and Asma Akter.

According to prison sources, the escape occurred on Thursday evening while 40 inmates were engaged in work inside the prison. Taking advantage of the supervising matron’s negligence, the inmate, Rimpa, aged 21, climbed over the boundary wall near the administrative building. CCTV footage later confirmed her escape. Rimpa, from Meherpur’s Gangni upazila, had been serving a three-month sentence in a Dhaka CR case.

Following the incident, a general diary was filed at Konabari Police Station, and law enforcement agencies have launched operations to recapture the fugitive. An investigation is underway to determine how the escape occurred despite strict security measures.

A US attack has damaged a water purification pump in Bunji village of Iran’s Jask County, completely halting clean water supply to 20 nearby villages. Around 10,000 residents are now facing severe water shortages as a result of the strike, according to local reports.

Hamzeh Pour, chief executive of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company, described the US strike as a “continuing crime and terrorist attack.” He said the pumping station that draws water from the sea and the transformer supplying electricity to the Bunji purification facility were both destroyed in the assault.

The incident has intensified hardship for residents in the affected coastal region, where water scarcity has become acute following the destruction of key infrastructure.

Lionel Messi has spoken publicly about a viral photograph taken in 2007 showing him bathing a five-month-old baby, who turned out to be Spain’s current football star Lamine Yamal. The image resurfaced ahead of the 2026 World Cup final between Argentina and Spain, drawing global attention to the remarkable coincidence. Speaking in New York during a conversation with Tom Brady, Messi described the photo as “crazy” and a symbol of life’s unpredictability.

Messi praised Yamal’s exceptional talent, noting that he has followed the young player closely because Yamal plays for a club Messi loves. He called Yamal one of the world’s best players at just 19 years old and said the youngster has a long career ahead with many chances to make history. However, Messi also reminded that Argentina will give their best effort in the final to prevent Yamal from writing that history against them.

The original photo was part of a UNICEF and Diario Sport charity calendar project in Barcelona. Yamal’s father shared it on social media in 2024, making it viral once again before the World Cup final.

A fire erupted at a power and water purification plant in Kuwait following Iran’s recent attack, according to the country’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy. The ministry stated that precautionary measures were immediately taken to protect the facility and its workers, including disconnecting several generating units to maintain grid stability.

In its statement, the ministry added that all operational and emergency plans were activated right after the fire. These actions helped ensure the continuity and stability of both electricity and water networks while limiting any potential impact on services. Continuous technical and operational monitoring remains in place to oversee the situation.

The ministry’s statement, cited by Al Jazeera, did not specify the extent of the damage or the exact cause of the fire, but emphasized that essential services were not significantly disrupted.

A BJP leader has reignited controversy over the Taj Mahal by filing a petition claiming the monument was originally a Hindu temple. After a district court dismissed the plea, the petitioner approached the Allahabad High Court, which has issued notices to India’s central government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) seeking their stance on conducting a survey inside the monument’s basement. The petitioner alleges that remnants of a temple remain hidden in 22 sealed rooms beneath the structure.

Historians cited in the report, including Dr. Ruchika Sharma, reject such claims, emphasizing that all historical and architectural evidence confirms the Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. They note that similar theories trace back to writer P.N. Oak, whose assertions that the Taj was once a Shiva temple were dismissed by the Supreme Court and contradicted by ASI findings.

Dr. Sharma questioned the court’s renewed interest, arguing that the issue had already been legally settled and that reopening it risks undermining established historical consensus.

Indian social activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to Safdarjung Hospital in South Delhi on Saturday morning, the 21st day of his hunger strike. Delhi Police escorted him under tight security from the protest site after his health reportedly deteriorated. Supporters attempted to block the police during the transfer, creating brief tension at the scene.

Police stated that the move followed court orders and medical advice due to Wangchuk’s worsening condition. His wife, Geetanjali J Angmo, urged that nothing be administered to him without his consent, emphasizing his wish to continue the fast. Wangchuk began his indefinite hunger strike on June 28 in solidarity with the youth group Cockroach Janata Party, demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) question paper leak scandal.

Earlier, a petition had been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking forced feeding of Wangchuk. The court directed authorities to closely monitor his health and intervene if necessary to protect his life.

After floodwaters receded in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram, snakes of various species have taken shelter in homes, courtyards, kitchens, cowsheds, and damp areas. Local residents reported that at least 35 people had been bitten by snakes as of Saturday. However, according to the Banshkhali Upazila Health Complex, 22 patients had been admitted for snake bites by 11 a.m. on Friday, all of whom recovered and returned home after treatment.

Local sources said the recent flood inundated about 40,000 households in the upazila, causing more than 13,000 mud houses to collapse and damaging thousands of tin and thatched houses. Many residents were bitten by venomous and nonvenomous snakes while cleaning their damaged homes.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Najma Akter stated that the health complex has sufficient antivenom in stock. None of the admitted patients required antivenom so far. She urged residents to seek immediate medical care at government hospitals instead of relying on traditional healing, noting that timely treatment usually ensures recovery.

As the second anniversary of the July mass uprising approaches, Dhaka University shows no visible preparations or commemorative activities. The campus, once the epicenter of the movement that reshaped national politics, remains quiet without banners, exhibitions, or cultural programs. Murals and graffiti from the uprising are fading due to neglect, and no memorial events such as the July Martyrs’ Day or Women Students’ Day have been organized this year.

Teachers, students, and former activists have expressed disappointment over the administration’s inaction. Sociology professor Samina Luthfa Nitra criticized the lack of initiatives, while former vice-chancellor Niaz Ahmed Khan recalled earlier research collaborations and called for renewed academic engagement. Injured students also complained that their tuition fees have not been waived despite official recognition.

Vice-Chancellor A.B.M. Obaidul Islam denied allegations of indifference, stating that preparations are underway to inaugurate a July memorial on August 5 and to establish a “July Memory Corner” at the central library. Plans also include discussions, prayers, and annual observance of Women’s Day on July 14.

The family of Wasim Akram, a student leader killed during the July 2024 quota reform protests in Chattogram, is slowly resuming normal life after a long period of mourning. Wasim, known as the second martyr of the July Revolution, was stabbed to death during clashes under the Muradpur flyover. His family in Pekua, Cox’s Bazar, has received financial and institutional support from the government and political groups, easing their economic hardship. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed recently visited Wasim’s grave and assured a government job for his elder brother.

The family has received around 3 million taka in aid, including a 2 million taka savings certificate from the prime minister. They also receive a monthly allowance of 20,000 taka as a martyr’s family. Local authorities have built a road and a small mosque near their home. However, Wasim’s father says the allowance is insufficient and has applied for a business permit at Cox’s Bazar beach. He also expressed disappointment that the BNP no longer checks on the family.

Wasim’s relatives continue to demand justice for his killing and welcomed the death sentence verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ex–Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for crimes committed during the July Revolution.

France and England will meet today in Miami for the FIFA World Cup third-place playoff, a match often seen as a formality but now charged with pride and redemption. The game, scheduled for 3 a.m., pits two European rivals who fell short in the semifinals—France losing 2–0 to Spain and England surrendering a 1–0 lead to Argentina to lose 2–1.

France’s captain Kylian Mbappé, who leads the Golden Boot race with eight goals, expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s defensive tactics after their semifinal defeat. Coach Didier Deschamps, facing criticism at home, is expected to end his long career with this match. England’s manager Thomas Tuchel is also under fire for his defensive approach, with British media questioning his future. A win would mark England’s second-best World Cup result after their 1966 title.

Both teams face injury concerns: France’s William Saliba is unlikely to play due to a back injury, while England’s Reece James is ruled out. Despite the disappointment, the match offers a chance for both sides to restore pride and finish their campaigns on a high note.