Democrats in the United States Senate have announced a forced vote this week on the War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made the announcement on social media platform X, stating that this will be the eighth such vote by Senate Democrats. He urged Republican senators to support the resolution, end the conflict, and withdraw American troops from hostilities with Iran.

The War Powers Resolution seeks to ensure that only Congress, not the president, can declare war, as stipulated by the U.S. Constitution. The renewed push reflects ongoing Democratic efforts to reassert congressional control over military engagements and prevent unilateral executive action in foreign conflicts.

The outcome of the upcoming vote will determine whether bipartisan support exists to limit presidential war powers and potentially shift U.S. military policy toward Iran.

NCP’s South Region chief organizer and Cumilla-4 Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah cautioned police officers against aligning with any political party, saying such actions would lead to negative consequences. Speaking as the chief guest at a roadside rally in Brahmanpara Sadar, Cumilla, on Monday, May 18, he urged law enforcement to serve as the people’s police rather than as enforcers for any political group.

In his speech, Abdullah criticized the Chattogram mayor and condemned recent police actions against students, recalling their role in the July Movement. He accused the mayor of hypocrisy for labeling past elections under Hasina as illegal while defending his own, and denounced the use of police against students. Referring to attempts to erase July Movement graffiti, he questioned the authorities’ fear of such symbols.

Abdullah emphasized ensuring police professionalism and independence, warning against repeating past abuses of power. He also dismissed the relevance of a former ruling party that fled the country, asserting that its return would endanger students’ safety.

A new analysis by the Brookings Institution has found that more than 100,000 children were separated from their parents during the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement in the United States. The report estimates that around 205,000 children experienced some form of separation, with about 145,000 of them being U.S.-born citizens. Researchers said official figures understate the scale of the issue because authorities often fail to record data about detainees’ children or families conceal information out of fear.

Analysts noted that the current situation surpasses the 2018 “zero tolerance” policy, when about 5,500 children were separated at the southern border. The report includes personal accounts, such as that of a detained mother in Texas who has been separated from her two-year-old U.S.-born son since last year. The Department of Homeland Security stated that detained parents can either leave the country with their children or assign guardianship, but researchers found many children remain in uncertain care arrangements.

Child welfare experts warned that most separated children live with relatives or acquaintances lacking legal authority or financial stability. Advocacy groups reported rising requests for custody planning assistance, while experts cautioned that intensified immigration raids could further increase family separations and harm children’s mental and social well-being.

The United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Bangladesh, Abdullah Ali Al Hamoudi, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) A K M Shamsul Islam on Monday at the Defense Adviser’s Office in Dhaka Cantonment. The meeting focused on enhancing existing bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the UAE, particularly in the field of defense cooperation.

During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on expanding defense and security collaboration, training, capacity building, professional skill development, and mutual communication. They emphasized the importance of deepening the long-standing friendly ties between the two nations and identified opportunities to broaden cooperation based on mutual trust and shared interests.

The meeting also addressed regional and global security contexts, with both parties stressing the need for constructive engagement to maintain peace, stability, and security. The Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) confirmed the meeting in a press release issued on Monday.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has cancelled scheduled meetings with several senior foreign diplomats, including India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and the US Special Representative, sparking new discussions in South Asian diplomatic circles. Misri’s planned visit to Kathmandu on May 11–12, intended to discuss bilateral relations and the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route, was called off at the last moment by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Indian media reported that Shah prefers to meet counterparts of equal rank, such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rather than senior officials. Analysts suggest the cancellations reflect both a nationalist stance and pressure from ongoing border disputes, particularly over the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani regions. Nepal’s 2020 map revision claiming these areas as its own intensified tensions with India.

Kathmandu stated that Shah is currently focused on administrative reforms and will meet only heads of state or foreign ministers. The government also emphasized a “balanced diplomacy” approach among India, the United States, and China, though observers are debating whether China’s growing influence in Nepal is shaping this policy direction.

Maulana Muhammad Mamunul Haque stated that the people of Bangladesh have been freed from a severe form of fascism through the sacrifices made during the July uprising. He made the remarks while addressing families of martyrs and the injured at a cash distribution event organized by the Taghlibe Deen Foundation in Mohammadpur, Dhaka, on Monday.

As the chief guest and main patron of the foundation, Mamunul Haque expressed gratitude to the victims’ families, acknowledging their sacrifices. He said that as a nation, Bangladesh has failed to provide the respect, dignity, and assistance that the families of martyrs and the injured deserve, and that the state has also not fulfilled its responsibilities. The foundation arranged the event as a modest effort to fill that gap.

During the program, which was chaired by Maulana Abul Hasanat Jalali, the foundation distributed over seven lakh taka among twelve families of martyrs and injured individuals from the July uprising who were deprived of government grants and recognition.

Nasiruddin Patwari, the chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party (NCP), is set to visit the Lalmonirhat border area in protest against the killing of a Bangladeshi national. According to the NCP, Patwari will lead a party delegation to Hatibandha on Tuesday to meet affected families and review the current border situation.

The delegation will include party organizers Miyaz Mehrab Talukdar, M M Shoaib, Mostak Ahmed Shishir, and Russell Ahmed, along with other central and local leaders. Their schedule includes arriving in Hatibandha at 10 a.m., visiting the home of the deceased, identified as border martyr Md Khadimul Islam, meeting injured and bereaved family members at 11:30 a.m., offering prayers at the victim’s grave at noon, and holding a press conference at the Hatibandha Press Club at 1 p.m.

The NCP stated that the visit aims to express solidarity with the victims’ families and to assess the situation following the reported shooting by India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

India, the world’s most populous country with about 1.42 billion people, is witnessing a new campaign by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s political allies and Hindu nationalist organizations encouraging citizens to have more children. They argue that declining birth rates could lead to demographic imbalance and future economic strain. According to UN projections, India’s population may continue to grow for nearly four decades, reaching around 1.7 billion.

India’s total fertility rate fell to 2.0 during 2019–21 from 3.4 in 1992–93, largely due to women’s education and wider use of contraception. The government considers a rate of 2.1 necessary for population stability. In this context, the Andhra Pradesh government, run by a coalition including Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, announced incentives of 30,000 rupees for a third child and 40,000 rupees for a fourth, though implementation details remain unclear. Sikkim has also introduced benefits such as extended parental leave and IVF support.

RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP, has voiced concern over falling fertility, warning of demographic imbalance. Meanwhile, official data show youth unemployment at 9.9 percent in 2025, highlighting economic challenges amid calls for larger families.

The new West Bengal government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has decided to discontinue all religion-based allowances in the state. The decision was taken during the second cabinet meeting held on Monday at Nabanna. Minister Agnimitra Paul announced that allowances and aid programs under the Information and Culture Department and the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department, which were based on religious identity, will be stopped. Beneficiaries will receive payments for the current month, but the scheme will cease from next month.

The government clarified that scholarships and educational grants for students will continue unaffected. Only financial assistance provided on the basis of religious identity is being withdrawn. Paul added that a detailed government notification on the matter will be issued soon.

The cabinet also approved several other measures, including the formation of a Seventh Pay Commission to review government employees’ pay structure, the launch of the Annapurna Yojana, and free travel for women on all state-run buses starting June 1.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir and Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim said his party is waiting for the Prime Minister to fulfill her commitment to implement the July Charter and the referendum verdict. Speaking to journalists at the party’s central office in Purana Paltan on Monday, he noted that the Prime Minister had promised to implement the charter fully, and the party trusts her assurance.

He added that the referendum resulted in a ‘yes’ victory, which is part of the July Charter, and therefore his party expects the government to act accordingly. Addressing concerns about political appointments in the administration, he reminded the government of the Prime Minister’s earlier call for inclusive governance and urged an end to partisan recruitment, emphasizing merit-based appointments instead.

Rezaul Karim also discussed the breakdown of electoral alliances with Jamaat and other parties before the February 12 election, citing unilateral decisions and foreign meetings by Jamaat as reasons. He criticized the US trade deal as a “slavery agreement” and condemned the BJP’s actions in West Bengal, calling them uncivilized.

Former Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam has called on the revolutionaries of the July uprising to stay vocal. In a Facebook post on Monday afternoon, he warned that fascist forces are preparing to return and are attempting to discredit all activities of Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s government. He urged the revolutionaries to remain active in response.

The report states that the banned Awami League is trying to reorganize through various strategies, forming new committees at different levels of the main party and its affiliated organizations. The group is reportedly seeking to regain political influence by focusing on issues that resonate with the public and by taking legal steps to undermine Dr. Yunus and his former interim government.

Political analysts cited in the report believe that the ongoing campaign against Dr. Yunus may expand further and that issue-based programs could gradually evolve into a broader anti-government movement against the current BNP administration.

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of income tax records belonging to former State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak and his wife Arifa Jesmin Konika. The order was issued on Monday afternoon by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz, following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC’s Assistant Director Minhaj Bin Islam sought the seizure, citing allegations that Palak abused his power and amassed illegal wealth through irregularities and corruption.

According to the petition, preliminary investigations found assets worth about Tk 9.98 crore inconsistent with their known income sources. The couple allegedly maintained 31 bank accounts showing deposits of Tk 22.94 crore and withdrawals of Tk 17.58 crore, which the ACC suspects fall under money laundering activities. The commission argued that collecting original tax documents from the 2008–2009 to 2024–2025 fiscal years was essential to prevent concealment or transfer of assets.

The ACC stated that the investigation is being conducted under sections of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. The court approved the seizure to ensure a fair investigation.

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer for the southern region of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and a member of parliament, urged that every wall in Chattogram display July-themed graffiti by the end of the day. He made the statement in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon.

Following his call, tensions reportedly rose between activists of the BNP and NCP over the July graffiti issue in Chattogram. In response, the local administration issued a public notice on Monday morning prohibiting all types of gatherings and rallies from GEC Mor to Dewanhat. The restriction aims to prevent potential unrest linked to the dispute.

The situation underscores growing political friction in the city, with authorities moving quickly to maintain order in key areas.

A student-led graffiti painting campaign linked to the July Movement was disrupted by police in Chattogram on May 18, 2026. Around 15 to 20 students gathered at Tigerpass intersection after 1 p.m. to paint graffiti but were stopped by police. The students expressed frustration, claiming that the city corporation’s removal of July Movement graffiti was an attempt to erase the movement from public memory.

Tensions had been rising in Chattogram since Sunday evening after earlier graffiti was removed, leading to confrontations between BNP and NCP activists. Both groups had announced separate graffiti programs from Lalkhan Bazar to Tigerpass. To prevent unrest, authorities imposed Section 144 from GEC intersection to Dewanhat and deployed additional police. BNP and NCP leaders later suspended their programs in compliance with the order.

Deputy Police Commissioner (South) Hossain Mohammad Kabir Bhuiyan stated that no gatherings were allowed under Section 144 and that no untoward incidents occurred, though some verbal exchanges took place when students resisted police inquiries.

Iran will not engage in any discussion or compromise over its right to enrich uranium, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on May 18, 2026. He stated that the right to uranium enrichment is recognized under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which allows countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes but not for weapons development.

Responding to a question about conditions exchanged between the United States and Iran, Baghaei said Iran’s demands are clear. He noted that while the U.S. considers lifting sanctions on Iran’s frozen assets as a condition, Tehran views it as a legitimate demand. He also remarked that the United States is no longer credible in the international arena.

Baghaei further urged regional countries, including the United Arab Emirates, to learn from recent events, adding that U.S. presence in the region has made the situation more unstable rather than bringing peace.