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Leaked audio verified by the BBC reveals that former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina authorised the use of lethal force against student-led protests last year. In the recording, Hasina is heard instructing security forces to “shoot wherever they find protesters.”

The protests, initially sparked by opposition to civil service job quotas, escalated into a mass movement that led to Hasina’s ousting after 15 years in power. UN investigators estimate up to 1,400 people were killed in the unrest, marking the worst violence in Bangladesh since the 1971 war.

Hasina, now in India, is being tried in absentia at a special tribunal for crimes against humanity. Prosecutors plan to use the leaked 18 July phone call as key evidence. Independent forensic analysis by the BBC and experts confirmed the recording’s authenticity and ruled out manipulation.

Despite denials from Hasina’s Awami League party, legal experts say the recording clearly establishes her direct role in the violent crackdown, BBC reported.

The United States has officially scrapped the long-standing requirement for airline passengers to remove their shoes during TSA security screenings. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the policy change Tuesday, stating it is effective immediately at all US airports, BBC reported.

Noem cited advancements in security technology and a “multi-layered” screening approach as key reasons for the decision. Passengers must still remove belts and coats and take out laptops and liquids, though those rules are also under review.

The shoe removal rule was introduced nationwide in 2006 following a 2001 attempted bombing by Richard Reid, who hid explosives in his footwear on a flight to Miami.

Some airports had already begun implementing the change ahead of the official announcement. The move has been welcomed by Airlines for America, which called it a step toward more efficient and secure travel, according to BBC.

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, accusing them of crimes against humanity for persecuting women and girls since 2021.

The court cited restrictions on education, employment, movement, and public presence of women as evidence of gender-based oppression, according to BBC.

The Taliban rejected the warrants, claiming they do not accept the ICC and that the move is an affront to Islamic values.

Human Rights Watch praised the decision and urged broader accountability for abuses by all groups in Afghanistan.urged broader accountability for abuses by all groups in Afghanistan, BBC reported.

A fire at telecom Egypt’s main building in downtown Cairo left four employees dead and over two dozen injured. The blaze, which broke out Monday and took hours to contain, caused widespread service outages, including internet, mobile networks, and air traffic delays.

National connectivity dropped to 62 percent, and the stock exchange halted trading. Authorities say services are gradually being restored, with full recovery expected within 24 hours, Firstpost reported.

Five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 injured in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoon after Palestinian fighters set off explosive devices. Israeli raids that followed killed at least 54 Palestinians, according to Al Jazeera.

Hamas’s Qassam Brigades claimed the attack, calling it a strike in what Israel thought was a secure area. The deaths add to pressure on Isareli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is in Washington for ceasefire talks with US President Donald Trump.

Israeli opposition leaders urged an end to the war, saying soldiers are dying to keep Netanyahu in power, Al Jazeera reported.

Poland has reintroduced temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania due to a rise in undocumented migrants, mainly from Venezuela and Colombia.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the move aims to redirect migration routes bypassing the Belarusian border and entering via Latvia and Lithuania, BBC reported.

The decision comes as several EU countries, including Germany, have tightened border checks. Warsaw argues Germany’s tougher stance has shifted the burden onto Poland.

Recent violent incidents involving foreign nationals have heightened public tension, prompting far-right groups to patrol borders. Rights groups warn such actions fuel xenophobia and call for fact-based migration policy, according to BBC.

US President Donald Trump has reversed a pause on US military aid to Ukraine, pledging more defensive weapons following intensified Russian strikes on Kyiv and other cities.

Speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Trump said Ukraine was “getting hit very hard” and needed support. The Pentagon confirmed the renewed shipments, including key air defence systems, at Trump’s direction, according to Firstpost.

The reversal comes after Ukraine warned the halt would weaken its defences. Ukrainian President Zelensky welcomed the decision, noting recent talks with Trump on strengthening air protection.

The war, now in its fourth year, continues with no breakthrough in ceasefire talks, Firstpost reported.

A malaria treatment specifically for newborns and infants under 4.5kg has been approved, addressing a long-standing treatment gap. Developed by Novartis with the Medicines for Malaria Venture, the drug—Coartem Baby—will be rolled out in African countries within weeks, according to BBC.

Previously, babies were treated with adjusted doses meant for older children, risking overdose. In 2023, malaria caused nearly 600,000 deaths, mostly in Africa, with children under five accounting for the majority.

Experts call the approval a vital step in reducing child mortality. Novartis plans to offer the drug on a not-for-profit basis in high-risk regions, BBC reported.