The Trump administration has announced stricter rules for student visas and stay regulations in the United States, creating concern among international students, including those from Bangladesh. According to the US Department of Homeland Security, the new policy will take effect in September to prevent visa misuse and strengthen national security. Key changes include reducing visa validity from five to four years, requiring federal approval for extensions, limiting institutional transfers, and shortening the post-study grace period from 60 to 30 days. Existing five-year visa holders will also fall under the new rules.

Bangladeshi-origin US lawyer Raju Mahajan said genuine students following the rules should not face major issues, but those misusing visas may encounter difficulties. Bangladeshi students studying in the US, such as Shahriar Nobel and Barnana Bhowmik, noted that the stricter policy mainly targets irregularities. The Optional Practical Training (OPT) work opportunity remains unchanged, allowing STEM graduates three years and non-STEM graduates one year of post-study employment.

Mahajan added that these measures align with the Republican Party’s efforts ahead of the November 2026 US election, following earlier restrictions such as social media checks and visa bonds for certain countries.

Dominic Tierney, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and professor of political science, said the ongoing Iran war highlights another example of the United States’ inability to conduct wars with clear strategy and success. Speaking on NPR’s ‘Weekend Edition Saturday,’ he described the conflict’s uncertain future and linked it to a decades-long pattern of U.S. military stalemates since World War II.

Tierney argued that Washington and its military leadership have overestimated their capacity to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability or trigger regime change through internal uprising. Instead, he said, such efforts have strengthened Iran’s current government. He noted similarities between the present situation and his 2018 article in The Atlantic, which discussed how U.S. policies often unintentionally bolster Iran’s position.

Discussing the conflict’s possible end, Tierney warned that any diplomatic resolution could take years, citing Vietnam and Afghanistan as examples of prolonged U.S. withdrawals. He said the United States remains in the middle of this crisis and must prepare for a difficult and extended process to find a way out.

The United States has resumed airstrikes against Iran less than a month after announcing a ceasefire, a move ordered by President Donald Trump that analysts warn could trigger a long-term conflict. The decision follows the collapse of a memorandum of understanding signed in Versailles on June 17 aimed at ensuring lasting peace and addressing economic challenges. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks on US allies in the Persian Gulf, escalating tensions in the region.

Critics argue the agreement was a temporary tactic by Washington to stabilize oil prices while maintaining pressure on Tehran. With midterm elections approaching in November, experts say the renewed conflict could damage the Republican Party’s prospects as rising fuel and living costs anger voters. Commentators, including American Conservative editor Curt Mills, have described Trump’s actions as driven by personal motives that could lead to electoral defeat.

Former US military and diplomatic officials warn that the strikes could evolve into a ground operation, drawing the country into another protracted war. They also highlight the administration’s lack of experienced Iran specialists and urge renewed diplomatic coordination with NATO allies.

Since the onset of the war between Iran and the United States, the number of American soldiers killed has risen to sixteen. The latest incident occurred on Saturday in Jordan, where an Iranian attack claimed the lives of two US troops. More than 430 soldiers have been injured, and one remains missing.

The first fatalities were reported on March 1, when six US soldiers were killed in a drone strike by Iran at a civilian port in Kuwait. On the same day, another soldier wounded in an Iranian attack on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base later died. Subsequently, on March 12, six more soldiers were killed when a fuel supply aircraft supporting a US military operation in Iraq crashed.

Additionally, on July 1, a US Navy pilot died when a helicopter went down in the Arabian Sea. The Navy stated there was no indication that the crash resulted from enemy action.

The US government has approved the launch of a mirror satellite named Earendel-1, designed to reflect sunlight onto specific areas of Earth at night, according to a report by Petapixel. The satellite, roughly the size of a bedside table, will orbit about 400 miles above Earth and deploy a 60-foot-wide square mirror. It will direct sunlight to illuminate a circular patch about three miles wide, effectively turning night into day for limited zones.

Ben Nowak, co-founder of Reflective Orbit, said customers committing to at least 1,000 hours of annual use would pay $5,000 per hour for the service. While the cost—totaling $5 million per year—places it beyond most photographers’ budgets, authorities noted potential use in emergency situations. The US government also plans to launch up to 1,000 larger satellites in the future, each capable of reflecting light equivalent to 100 full moons.

Astronomers and biologists have voiced strong opposition, warning that such artificial illumination could disrupt natural light-dark cycles, harm wildlife, and alter human sleep patterns.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has reiterated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested on war crimes charges if he visits New York in September to attend the United Nations General Assembly. In an interview published Saturday by The New York Times, Mamdani said he believes Netanyahu belongs in The Hague, describing him as a war criminal indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). However, he clarified that he will not pursue any changes to existing laws to achieve this.

Mamdani emphasized that as mayor he must uphold the rule of law and will act only within the limits of current city regulations. He confirmed that discussions are ongoing with the city’s legal department to determine what the law permits. During his election campaign, Mamdani had pledged to direct the New York Police Department to enforce ICC arrest warrants, naming both Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The report notes that the United States does not recognize ICC jurisdiction, and federal law restricts local governments from cooperating with the court or detaining foreign heads of state.

The United States is preparing to send several dozen additional refueling aircraft to Israel as part of an expanded military plan against Iran, according to US and Israeli officials cited by Axios. The report states that President Donald Trump has been presented with new military options targeting Iran’s power plants, key infrastructure, nuclear facilities, and an underground site at Pickaxe Mountain. However, Trump has not yet made a final decision on the matter.

US officials said the plan aims to increase pressure on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and comply with Washington’s conditions regarding its nuclear program. American strikes have continued for the fifth consecutive day in the Strait of Hormuz and southern Iran, including attacks on at least seven bridges near Bandar Abbas. Iran, in turn, claimed to have launched retaliatory strikes on US bases in Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait.

Israeli officials noted that about 60 US refueling aircraft are currently stationed at Ben Gurion International Airport and Ramon Airbase, with more expected soon. Concerns have arisen in Israel that the large military deployment could disrupt civilian air traffic.

The United States is facing a simultaneous onslaught of wildfires, floods, and smoke pollution, affecting multiple regions at once. According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 68 large wildfires are burning across 15 states, with 17 new fires ignited by lightning in the Pacific Northwest. Thick smoke has spread from the Great Lakes to Washington, D.C., while Texas’ Hill Country remains submerged under floodwaters for a third consecutive day. More than 17,400 firefighters, 140 helicopters, and four military C-130 air tankers have been deployed nationwide to combat the crises.

So far this year, about 3.72 million acres of forest have burned—over one million acres more than during the same period last year. Experts from several U.S. universities warn that overlapping disasters amplify overall damage. They link the extreme weather to abnormal jet stream patterns and human-driven climate change, which have tripled stagnant jet stream events since the 1950s.

Researchers also note that global warming intensifies both drought and heavy rainfall, creating conditions where wildfires and floods increasingly occur at the same time.

At least seven warehouse workers were killed and dozens injured in a series of Ukrainian drone strikes across several Russian regions, according to local governors on July 18, 2026. The attacks also triggered a fire at an oil depot in the wider Moscow area. In Tambov region’s Kotovsk city, about 475 kilometers southeast of Moscow, a drone hit a warehouse of Russia’s largest online retailer Wildberries, injuring 25 people. Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov said seven night-shift workers died at the scene and that 28 drones had been shot down before impact.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukrainian forces targeted two Russian logistics facilities used for supplying drone components and navigation equipment, as well as an oil installation. In Moscow’s Elektrostal city, another Wildberries warehouse was struck, injuring 24 people, according to regional governor Andrei Vorobyov. Wildberries CEO Tatyana Kim described it as a “terrible night” for Russia and the company, expressing condolences to victims’ families.

Vorobyov added that debris from a downed drone caused a fire at an oil depot in Noginsk, injuring two and prompting the evacuation of a nearby maternity hospital.

Seven people were killed and at least 24 others injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on a logistics center in Russia’s western Tambov region, according to Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov on Saturday. The strike targeted a Wildberries logistics facility located in the city of Kotovsk during the night shift, resulting in casualties among workers on duty.

Rescue operations and damage assessments were underway following the attack, the governor said. Ukraine has not issued any immediate comment regarding the incident. The report was carried by AFP and published by Amader Desh Online on July 18, 2026.

The attack comes amid a surge in drone strikes across border and interior regions of both Russia and Ukraine, reflecting an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two countries.

The United States has decided not to extend the national emergency declared over Hong Kong’s autonomy under China’s national security law. U.S. officials confirmed the decision on Friday, noting that the emergency order, first imposed in 2020, will expire. However, Washington has not yet decided whether to restore Hong Kong’s previous special trade privileges.

China’s Ministry of Commerce welcomed the move, calling it an important step toward implementing recent economic and trade understandings between the two countries. The emergency was originally declared during Donald Trump’s presidency after Beijing enacted the national security law, which Washington said undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy and posed an extraordinary threat to U.S. national security. The order had been renewed annually until now.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said that while the emergency order will lapse, other provisions of the 2020 executive order remain in effect. The Treasury Department added that sanctions on 39 of 48 individuals will continue under a separate law to avoid duplication. Hong Kong’s government also welcomed the policy shift, expressing hope for renewed normal trade relations.

The United States Department of State has issued a travel advisory urging American citizens to reconsider any plans to visit or transit through the Middle East. The warning, released on social media platform X on July 18, 2026, comes amid escalating tensions across the region. The department stated that the overall security situation has become highly complex and could deteriorate unexpectedly at any time.

According to the statement, Americans currently in the Middle East are advised to exercise maximum caution and stay informed by regularly monitoring news updates. Travelers passing through the region are also urged to contact their airlines to confirm flight schedules and ensure operations are proceeding as planned.

The advisory reflects growing concern over instability in the Middle East, where recent incidents have heightened security risks for foreign nationals, including Americans.

U.S. President Donald Trump remains firm in his belief that heavy military strikes will force Iran’s leaders to negotiate on his terms, despite nearly five months of conflict. In a Fox News interview, Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran refuses talks. The campaign, which began in late February, saw the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top commanders in an Israeli strike, followed by extensive U.S. attacks on Iranian military targets. A ceasefire in April collapsed this month, reigniting hostilities.

The conflict has revived debates within the Pentagon and the White House over the limits of American military power and lessons from past wars. Officials note that Iran has rebuilt much of its missile and drone infrastructure, while Trump’s threats to hit civilian infrastructure have raised internal legal concerns about potential war crimes. Retired generals remain divided: some argue for intensified strikes on Iran’s power grid, while others warn that excessive force rarely secures lasting victory.

Analysts suggest the U.S. faces a hardened Iranian leadership unwilling to compromise, echoing past failures to turn battlefield success into political resolution.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose additional tariffs on Canada, blaming the country for smoke from its wildfires spreading into North American cities. On Friday, Trump complained on social media about poor air quality, accusing Canada of failing to properly maintain its forests and vegetation. He described the air entering the United States as dirty, polluted, and unhealthy, calling it dangerous and unacceptable.

Trump said he plans to speak with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney about the issue and indicated that the resulting damages would be added to existing tariffs. According to the report, Canada currently has 896 active wildfires, with about 200 in Ontario, where 81 remain out of control. Since returning to office in January 2025 for his second term, Trump has increased tariff pressure on Canada over various issues, including border security and trade policy, and has even made remarks about making Canada the 51st U.S. state.

The statement marks another escalation in trade tensions between the two neighboring countries amid ongoing environmental challenges.

Apple has reclaimed its position as the world’s most valuable company, overtaking Nvidia after more than a year. According to the latest figures, Apple’s market capitalization reached 4.88 trillion dollars, while Nvidia’s fell to 4.86 trillion dollars following a 3.5 percent drop in its share price. The shift comes as investor interest in the artificial intelligence sector changes direction, affecting market dynamics.

Apple recently introduced a new version of its AI-powered digital assistant Siri, which can better understand user context, access real-time online information, and perform more complex tasks. Michael Monaghan, founder of investment firm Founder ETFs, noted that investors are now focusing more on companies that can translate AI technology into practical services and commercial benefits rather than solely on AI model developers and chipmakers.

Analysts believe Apple’s vast user data could become a key competitive advantage in the AI race. The company is set to release its third-quarter financial results on July 30, forecasting 14 to 17 percent sales growth, while CEO Tim Cook is expected to hand over leadership to hardware chief John Ternus in September.