An amateur metal detectorist in northern Poland has discovered a remarkably well-preserved bronze sword estimated to be 2,700 years old. The weapon was found standing upright beneath clay soil in the Gdańsk Forest District near the Baltic Sea coast. The Pomeranian Provincial Heritage Conservator confirmed the discovery in early June through a Facebook post, describing it as an exceptional Bronze Age find dating between 900 and 700 BCE.

Archaeologists and heritage officials retrieved the artifact following proper excavation procedures. Photos released by the conservator show the sword intact and in excellent condition. The discoverer, Marcin Wiśniewski, had previously found Bronze Age treasures in the same region and promptly reported this find to authorities. Officials noted that similar swords were last uncovered in the 1920s but were lost during World War II.

The sword will be transferred to a museum for laboratory analysis before experts release detailed findings. The specific museum has not yet been decided, according to the provincial heritage office.

The United States and Iran have both declared that their ceasefire extension and the memorandum of understanding signed in June are no longer valid, signaling a renewed escalation in hostilities. Pakistan, acting as the main mediator, has urged both nations to halt attacks and return to dialogue, emphasizing diplomacy as the only path to lasting peace. Public statements from leaders on both sides suggest no urgency to reach a new agreement.

Iran’s economy remains under severe strain from decades of US sanctions, which have sharply reduced oil exports and GDP. Its military infrastructure has also suffered heavy damage from US-Israeli strikes, depleting missile and drone stockpiles. Meanwhile, the US faces rising oil prices, domestic discontent, and concerns over weapons shortages ahead of midterm elections. Analysts note that both nations are struggling to sustain the conflict.

Experts cited in the report argue that Iran views the war as existential and will not compromise without security guarantees, while the US risks strategic fatigue. The prolonged conflict is proving costly and unsustainable for both sides.

Authorities have imposed a ban on prayers at the 136-year-old Gauripur Jama Masjid, located near the second runway of Kolkata Airport. The restriction led former state minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury to call for demonstrations on Friday. To maintain order, Section 163 was enforced in the airport area from Friday morning, with additional police and central forces deployed, along with water cannons.

The Bidhannagar Police announced through loudspeakers that gatherings of more than four people would not be allowed, warning of legal action for violations. Security forces have cordoned off the mosque’s entrance and surrounding areas, preventing any unauthorized assembly. The situation has created tension in nearby localities such as Birati and Bankra.

Airport authorities have claimed that the mosque’s location within the airport premises poses a risk to aircraft operations, which reportedly prompted the restriction on prayers.

A team of astronomers has discovered a rocky exoplanet named LHS 1140b that shows clear evidence of an atmosphere, marking the first confirmed detection of such a feature on a potentially habitable rocky planet. The finding, published in the journal Science, indicates that the planet, located several light-years from our solar system, possesses a helium-rich atmosphere. Although no direct evidence of life has been found, researchers say the planet contains essential conditions for life, including a rocky surface, suitable temperature for liquid water, and an atmosphere.

LHS 1140b, first discovered in 2017, orbits a relatively quiet red dwarf star within its habitable zone, allowing the possibility of liquid water on its surface. The planet is larger and colder than Earth and completes an orbit in less than 25 days, always showing the same face to its star. Observations made in 2024 at Chile’s Las Campanas Observatory revealed helium escaping from its upper atmosphere, but this was not observed in 2025.

Scientists believe this discovery is a major step toward understanding planetary atmospheres and the search for life beyond Earth.

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah began a three-day visit to West Bengal on July 17, 2026, to review security arrangements in the Siliguri corridor, a narrow stretch connecting mainland India to the northeastern states. His agenda includes meetings on border protection, prevention of illegal infiltration, and progress in constructing barbed-wire fencing along the India-Bangladesh border. Shah is also scheduled to visit the Jumagachh border outpost near Siliguri on Saturday.

The visit focuses on assessing security in the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ area, a 60-kilometer-long corridor located between Nepal and Bangladesh, with its narrowest section only 20 to 22 kilometers wide. The region holds strategic importance as it links India’s northeast to the rest of the country and lies close to the borders of China and Bhutan. During his stay, Shah will interact with Border Security Force personnel and inaugurate several development projects related to border safety.

High-level meetings will also address the current security situation along the India-Bangladesh border, underscoring the government’s emphasis on strengthening surveillance and infrastructure in this sensitive zone.

An international team of about 80 scientists and crew members is embarking this week on a research expedition to Greenland aboard the polar vessel RSS David Attenborough. The mission, led by the British Antarctic Survey, aims to determine whether the rapid melting of Greenland’s glaciers could disrupt the Atlantic Ocean’s major current systems and influence Europe’s climate. The five-to-six-week voyage is part of the £20 million Greenland Ice Sheet to Atlantic Tipping Point (GIANT) project.

The study follows record-breaking heat across the United Kingdom and Western Europe in June, which caused power disruptions, school closures, and excess deaths. Researchers warn that even small climate shifts are proving difficult for societies to adapt to. The expedition will deploy a high-tech submersible, nicknamed “Boaty McBoatface,” to collect data from depths of up to 1,500 meters where glaciers meet the sea.

The collected data will support the development of next-generation climate models and early warning systems for glacier collapse, according to the research team.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the revival and greater effectiveness of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). He made the appeal during a meeting with outgoing SAARC Secretary-General Ambassador Golam Sarwar at the Prime Minister’s residence in Islamabad, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The statement said Sharif praised Sarwar’s leadership in advancing regional cooperation during his tenure and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to the SAARC Charter. He emphasized the importance of revitalizing regional collaboration to promote connectivity, sustainable development, and shared prosperity among the people of South Asia. Sarwar expressed gratitude to Sharif for Pakistan’s support during his term.

The report also noted that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had made a similar call for SAARC’s revival a day earlier. Established in 1985 to promote socio-economic and cultural development across South Asia, SAARC has faced significant challenges in recent years, largely due to tensions between India and Pakistan, and has not held a summit since 2014.

Two young men died after being electrocuted during a boat trip on the Jhinai River in Mirzapur, Tangail, on Thursday evening. The victims were identified as Jikul, 18, from Sherpur, and Sajjad, 18, from Rangpur. The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. in the Tholpara area when their boat came into contact with an overhead electric wire.

According to eyewitnesses, about 40 youths from Gazipur’s Bhawal Mirzapur area had gone on a picnic to the Mahera Zamindar Bari spot by boat. On their return journey, six of them were electrocuted after the boat touched the hanging power line. Locals rescued the victims and took them to Kumudini Hospital, where doctors declared two dead, while four others remained under treatment.

Mirzapur police confirmed the incident, stating that the bodies were sent to Tangail General Hospital morgue for autopsy, and treatment for the injured continued.

A powerful twin earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24 has left at least 4,930 people dead and around 50,000 missing, according to the latest update announced by lawmaker Jorge Rodríguez on Thursday. The Al Jazeera report said about 17,000 people were injured, and more than 21,000 are currently living in temporary shelters. Rescue operations have continued in the affected areas, though locals have criticized the government’s slow response.

Displaced residents told Al Jazeera that volunteers and ordinary citizens began rescue efforts before the government’s presence was visible. International rescue teams that arrived earlier have now departed, with current efforts focused on delivering humanitarian aid to survivors. Many displaced families continue to struggle with limited assistance.

Experts cited in the report said U.S. economic sanctions imposed since 2015 have made Venezuela’s disaster response more difficult. Economist Mark Weisbrot noted that about $11 billion in Venezuelan assets remain frozen abroad. Fourteen U.S. Democratic lawmakers have urged the White House to ease sanctions, arguing they are obstructing relief and reconstruction efforts. The United Nations estimates rebuilding could cost around $37 billion.

Bangladesh’s position in the European Union’s apparel export market has weakened significantly in early 2026. According to Eurostat data, from January to May 2026, Bangladesh recorded the steepest decline among the EU’s top ten garment suppliers. The country’s apparel exports to the EU fell by 18.89 percent to 7.28 billion euros, with export volume down 10.46 percent and average unit price dropping 9.41 percent. In May alone, export earnings declined 17.12 percent, reflecting both lower demand and falling prices.

The overall EU apparel import market contracted by 9.96 percent year-on-year to 33.84 billion euros, driven by a 6.46 percent drop in import volume and a 3.74 percent fall in average prices. While Bangladesh suffered the most, competitors such as China and Vietnam showed more resilience. China’s export value fell only 4.20 percent while its shipment volume rose 1.96 percent, and Vietnam maintained higher income through increased unit prices.

Analysts cited in the report view Bangladesh’s simultaneous decline in both export volume and price as a sign of deeper structural challenges in competitiveness, product diversification, and market strategy. They warned that prolonged weakness in the EU market could negatively affect the country’s overall economy unless efficiency and product value are improved.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for an attack on a US command center located at the Al-Tanf military base in Syria. According to the IRGC, the strike was carried out in retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers in earlier US attacks.

In a statement, the IRGC asserted that Iran maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz and warned that no oil or gas exports would be allowed through the waterway as long as US strikes continue. The report also noted that Iran launched multiple missile and drone attacks on American military facilities across several Middle Eastern countries.

The attacks reportedly took place on Thursday night and early Friday in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, targeting various sites. The developments mark a sharp escalation in hostilities between Iran and the United States in the region.

Argentina faces a disciplinary investigation by FIFA after players displayed a politically charged banner following their 2–1 victory over England in the World Cup semifinal in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The banner read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” referring to Argentina’s claim over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory. FIFA confirmed that its independent disciplinary committee is reviewing the incident based on reports from match officials.

The Falklands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, have long been a source of dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina, including a 74-day war in 1982. FIFA regulations prohibit political or ideological messages in stadiums, and the committee will determine whether this rule was violated. A similar incident in 2014 led to a fine for the Argentine Football Association.

Although the investigation is ongoing, FIFA has not yet announced any sanctions. Argentina will still play the World Cup final against Spain as scheduled, but potential penalties could follow depending on the committee’s findings.

A young man jumped into the Yamuna River from a bridge in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, reportedly intending to die by suicide along with his female companion. Police and local divers rescued the man alive after an extensive search, while the woman left the scene immediately after he jumped. The incident occurred on July 17, 2026, according to local reports.

Eyewitnesses said the couple had gone to the bridge with the intention of ending their lives together. The rescued man, identified as Anu Gupta, was handed over to his family after completion of legal formalities. Police confirmed that he is now safe.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident and are working to identify and locate the woman who fled. Police stated that appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has distributed humanitarian aid to 2,000 families affected by recent floods and landslides in Lama upazila of Bandarban district. Acting under the directive of party leader Tarique Rahman, the relief effort covered seven unions and the municipal area. The distribution, organized by the upazila and municipal BNP units, took place on Thursday afternoon at the upazila parishad premises and was inaugurated by Javed Reza, member secretary of the Bandarban district BNP convening committee.

Several BNP leaders, including Jasim Uddin Tushar, Riton Biswas, and Abdur Rob, attended the event. Party representatives assured continued support for those impacted by the disaster while visiting affected communities. Recipients such as Ali Akbar, Banu Begum, and Luna Akter expressed gratitude, noting that many families had lost homes and livelihoods due to the disaster and were facing food shortages.

Former upazila BNP president Abdur Rob confirmed the initiative, describing it as a humanitarian duty and pledging that similar assistance efforts would continue in the future.

A commentary published on July 17, 2026, in the newspaper Amar Desh examines why certain groups seek to label the July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh as a failure. The author argues that the uprising, which led to the fall of Hasina Shahi’s rule and the end of Awami League governance, was inherently successful. The piece compares the event to a cyclone, describing its prelude, impact, and aftermath as stages of political transformation.

The analysis identifies three main groups attempting to depict the uprising as unsuccessful. The first group consists of supporters of Mujibist politics who must discredit the uprising to preserve the legitimacy of Awami League rule. The second includes participants whose unrealistic post-uprising expectations were unmet. The third group, described as the urban secular elite, is said to resent not leading the movement themselves. The author contrasts this with the 1990 anti-Ershad movement, which is widely celebrated because its leaders were visible in that struggle.

The article concludes that the emergence of a political party from the uprising demonstrates its success, calling the July 2024 movement the most successful mass uprising in Bangladesh’s 54-year history.