Former US President Donald Trump has alleged that China interfered in the 2020 US presidential election. On Thursday, he released several classified government documents, claiming they show that China collected US election data and attempted to weaken the electoral system. Trump reiterated his claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him and warned that future elections could face similar risks unless voting rules are significantly changed.

According to Trump, China illegally gathered data on about 220 million American voters over several years surrounding the 2020 election, calling it possibly the largest data theft in election history. He also stated that the current US voting system is insecure and announced plans to release intelligence information that he says will prove the system is vulnerable to hacking.

China has rejected Trump’s allegations. Liu Chang, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said Beijing adheres to a policy of non-interference in other nations’ internal affairs and has never and will never interfere in US elections.

The United States carried out attacks on several civilian facilities in Iran, including airports and bridges, according to Iranian media reports on Friday. The strikes targeted the Iranshahr airport in southeastern Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province, injuring one person and damaging electrical equipment and a fuel tank. Iranian state television reported that the missile attack caused a power outage in the area.

Additional reports indicated that several bridges near Bandar Khamir were hit, while explosions and damage were also reported in Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Qeshm Island, Sirik, and Ahvaz. The incidents mark a continuation of escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran.

Tensions have been rising since February, when the United States and Israel jointly launched a military operation against Iran. In response, Tehran has targeted U.S. military facilities in Gulf countries with missile and drone attacks, further intensifying instability across the region.

Iran-backed Houthi forces have threatened to launch missile and drone attacks on all Saudi oil fields and key installations if Saudi Arabia becomes further involved in Yemen’s ongoing conflict. The warning came from Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi in a televised speech on Thursday, following renewed hostilities between the two sides.

Earlier in the week, Saudi Arabia carried out an airstrike on a Houthi-controlled airport in Yemen. The Houthis responded with missile attacks on Saudi targets, effectively ending a four-year ceasefire. The group has previously targeted Saudi energy infrastructure, including major oil facilities in 2019 and 2022, which caused temporary disruptions in crude production and fires at distribution centers.

The renewed threats mark a sharp escalation in a conflict that has persisted for over a decade. Yemen remains divided between the Saudi-backed government based in Aden and the Houthi administration controlling the capital, Sanaa, amid one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Colombia’s newly elected president, Abelardo de la Espriella, has announced plans to strengthen relations with Israel. In a statement released by his office, he confirmed that Colombia will open an embassy in Jerusalem and withdraw its participation from the ongoing genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The move is described as part of efforts to reestablish a 'historic alliance' with Israel.

The ICJ case, initiated by South Africa, accuses Israel of committing genocide during the ongoing war in Gaza. De la Espriella’s decision marks a sharp policy reversal from outgoing leftist president Gustavo Petro, who had been a vocal critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and an open supporter of Palestine.

The announcement signals a major shift in Colombia’s foreign policy direction, aligning the country more closely with Israel and distancing it from the previous administration’s stance on the Gaza conflict.

Major (retired) Mohammad Mozzaffar Hossain, one of the convicted killers of Bangladesh’s late President Ziaur Rahman, was arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) police from a flat in Banani DOHS, Dhaka, late Wednesday night. The flat reportedly belonged to his father-in-law. Following legal procedures, Mozzaffar was handed over to the Bangladesh Army’s Military Police on Thursday evening, according to a Dhaka Metropolitan Police statement.

Mozzaffar had been sentenced to death in absentia for his involvement in the 1981 assassination of President Ziaur Rahman in Chittagong. Law enforcement sources said he had long been under surveillance before being captured through a planned operation. Investigators revealed that he had fled to India after the killing, lived there under a false identity, and later returned to Bangladesh during a previous government, living quietly in Dhaka.

The arrest has sparked widespread reaction on social media, with many users describing it as a historic step toward justice and closure for one of Bangladesh’s most controversial political assassinations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that the United States is achieving a major victory in its war against Iran. In a national address, he stated that the U.S., in coordination with Israel, holds a favorable position in the ongoing conflict. Trump added that the results of these efforts would become visible very soon.

He also claimed that the U.S. had already secured victory over Venezuela, which is now cooperating with Washington in producing millions of barrels of fuel. Referring to the continuing military offensive and airstrikes against Iran, Trump expressed optimism about achieving significant success on Iranian soil. He suggested that sustained U.S. operations in the Persian Gulf would ultimately compel Tehran to surrender.

The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera, come amid escalating military actions and heightened tensions in the region, with Iran issuing warnings to the United States and neighboring Middle Eastern countries.

Former army officer Major (retired) Mohammad Mozzafar Hossain, accused in the 1981 assassination of Bangladesh’s President Ziaur Rahman, was arrested by the Detective Branch from Dhaka’s DOHS area on Wednesday night after 45 years on the run. He was later handed over to the army. Mozzafar, one of 18 officers convicted by a military tribunal for the killing, had fled to India and lived under a changed name, occasionally returning to Bangladesh.

Investigations and eyewitness accounts cited in the report describe Mozzafar’s role in the operation at Chittagong Circuit House, where Zia was shot dead by mutinous soldiers on 30 May 1981. Mozzafar reportedly informed Major General Abul Manzoor of the president’s death and helped bury Zia and two other officers in a remote hill area. The bodies were later recovered and flown to Dhaka.

Researcher Mohiuddin Ahmed told the newspaper that Mozzafar’s arrest could allow the government to enforce his pending sentence and shed new light on the conspiracy behind Zia’s killing, depending on the outcome of his interrogation.

Iran carried out a series of missile and drone strikes on US military installations across Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar late Thursday night and early Friday. The Iranian army confirmed targeting a US aircraft at a Bahraini military base. Kuwait’s military reported responding to the attacks, while Qatari authorities said debris from a missile injured a child. Explosions were heard in several parts of Qatar, prompting a security alert urging residents to stay in safe shelters.

Qatar’s defense ministry later announced that its armed forces successfully intercepted a missile aimed at the country, and the interior ministry declared that the security situation had returned to normal. In Kuwait, the defense ministry said 32 hostile drones were detected and shot down, with debris damaging some residential buildings but causing no casualties. Reuters reported that several key facilities in Kuwait were damaged, though details were not disclosed. Bahrain’s interior ministry issued air raid warnings and instructed citizens to remain calm and seek shelter.

Authorities across the affected countries have heightened security measures and urged the public to follow official guidance as assessments of the attacks continue.

The United States has introduced new restrictions on visas for foreign students, cultural exchange participants, and journalists under the administration of President Donald Trump. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the final regulation on Thursday, setting fixed validity periods for F (student), J (exchange), and I (journalist) visas. The rule will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, pending congressional review. The new policy limits student and exchange visas to a maximum of four years, while journalist visas will be capped at 240 days, and only 90 days for Chinese journalists.

The DHS stated that the changes were necessary due to the rising number of non-immigrant visa holders, which has made monitoring more difficult. In 2024, over 1.8 million student visas were issued, an 11 percent increase from the previous year. The new rule also restricts graduate students from changing study programs or institutions without approval and shortens the post-study departure period from 60 to 30 days.

Critics, including former DHS officials and immigration experts, argue that the policy lacks legal basis and could discourage international students from studying in the United States.

Prime Minister Tareque Rahman has decided not to visit India for now, according to senior officials of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic sources. The decision comes amid internal political considerations, national interests, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. Sources described the planned Delhi trip as highly sensitive and challenging, especially given unresolved bilateral issues such as water sharing. The current Ganges water-sharing treaty expires in December, and India has yet to respond to Dhaka’s request to extend it. Officials said the trust necessary for a high-level visit is currently absent.

Analysts and diplomats cited India’s negative reaction to Rahman’s recent China visit, border tensions, and the reemergence of Sheikh Hasina in political discourse as key reasons for the postponement. They argued that India’s actions have created an uncomfortable environment for dialogue. Instead, Rahman is preparing to attend the UN General Assembly in New York in late September and may visit Japan and Saudi Arabia beforehand. Both Tokyo and Riyadh have expressed interest in hosting him soon.

Foreign ministry officials said Rahman’s upcoming trips to Japan and Saudi Arabia will help maintain strategic balance following his China visit, while the India visit remains unlikely this year.

Global crude oil prices increased following continued retaliatory attacks between the United States and Iran. On Friday, the international benchmark Brent crude rose by more than one percent, surpassing 85 dollars per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed to nearly 80 dollars. The gains erased the previous day's losses in the oil market.

Throughout the week, both Brent and WTI prices rose by about 12 percent. Brent marked its third consecutive week of price increases, and WTI recorded its second straight week of gains. The rise in oil prices also affected stock markets in Asia, where trading turned downward on Friday morning. Japan’s main stock index, the Nikkei 225, fell by more than three percent at the start of the day’s trading.

The report links the oil price surge directly to geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, which have intensified through ongoing reciprocal attacks.

Local authorities in the New York–New Jersey region have issued an air pollution warning ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. Smoke from ongoing wildfires across parts of Canada has significantly worsened air quality in the northeastern United States, including around MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the championship match is scheduled to take place.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the smoke has made the city’s air unhealthy for everyone, not just those with asthma or heart conditions. He urged residents to avoid outdoor activities. Pollution expert Michael Petroni told Globo, cited by the New York Post, that breathing New York’s current air could pose health risks comparable to smoking ten cigarettes a day. Authorities have advised people to stay indoors and wear masks if they must go outside.

Canadian and U.S. health agencies have both warned against unnecessary outdoor exposure as hundreds of wildfires continue to burn in Canada. Despite the health alerts, FIFA and local organizers have not announced any changes to the final’s schedule or arrangements.

Modern historians and sociologists challenge the traditional belief that Islam entered India through military conquest in 712 CE under Muhammad bin Qasim. They argue that Islam’s arrival was instead a gradual process shaped by centuries of trade, cultural exchange, and social interaction, particularly through Arab merchants who frequented India’s western coast for the pepper trade.

According to historian Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Arab control of major trade routes after Islam’s emergence facilitated contact with southern India, leading to the rise of the Mappila Muslim community. Politician and writer Shashi Tharoor has also noted that Islam reached Kerala through trusted Arab traders, not by the sword. The Cheraman Juma Mosque, said to have been built in 629 CE under Malik bin Dinar, is cited as early evidence of Islam’s presence in Kerala.

Scholars further emphasize the role of Sufi orders such as the Chishti and Suhrawardi in spreading Islam’s spiritual and social values across India. Researchers like Richard Eaton link the religion’s expansion in Bengal and Punjab to agricultural development and state policies that encouraged new settlements around Sufi institutions.

NCP member secretary and MP Akhtar Hossain warned that those producing statements in favor of Sheikh Hasina in the media will not survive in Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Thursday night at the NCP’s northern rally held at Palichara Government Primary School field in Pirgacha, Rangpur. Hossain claimed that Hasina’s 17 years of rule were marked by oppression and that those supporting her narrative would not endure in the current political climate.

During his speech, Akhtar Hossain described the day as the beginning of a new life for Bangladesh, recalling that two years earlier Abu Sayeed had sacrificed his life, which he said led to the creation of a new Bangladesh. He criticized individuals in the media and cultural sectors who oppose the “July movement” and favor what he called the fascist rule of the Awami League. Hossain emphasized that the country after August 5 is a new Bangladesh where Hasina’s supporters cannot persist.

The rally was chaired by NCP’s Pirgacha upazila convener Krishna Ranjan Barman, with several central and local leaders addressing the gathering. The event also announced Barman as a candidate for upazila chairman.

Ukraine’s parliament has approved Serhii Koretskyi, a top energy executive, as the country’s new prime minister. The appointment, announced on July 17, 2026, is part of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s major government reshuffle. Koretskyi becomes Ukraine’s third head of government since the start of the ongoing war.

Koretskyi, aged 48, is an engineer and economist with over two decades of experience in international finance, energy retail and wholesale management, and oil production and refining. Before this appointment, he served as CEO of Naftogaz, Ukraine’s largest state-owned oil and gas company, since May 2015. He previously led Ukrnafta and worked with Continuum Group and the WOG fuel chain. Analysts note that his lack of political affiliation and reputation as a capable manager may aid his performance in office.

With Russia’s continued missile and drone attacks damaging Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, Koretskyi’s main task will be to prepare the country’s power and energy systems for the coming winter, which President Zelensky has identified as the government’s top priority.