United States elections are among the world’s most expensive, with candidates, political parties and interest groups spending heavily during each campaign season. Forecasts indicate that spending in the 2026 midterm elections could set a new record, reaching about $11.6 billion, according to AdImpact.

Analysts attribute the high costs to extensive spending on television advertising, social media, digital outreach, opinion polls and field campaigning. Business figures, wealthy individuals, political organizations and interest-based groups also contribute large sums. Organizations operating outside official candidate campaigns can promote preferred candidates or positions under comparatively less regulation.

Political spending expanded after the US Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling, which increased opportunities for corporations and organizations to make independent political expenditures. The projected 2026 total would exceed the roughly $8.9 billion spent in the 2022 midterms and could surpass the $11.2 billion spent during the 2024 presidential election cycle. Critics warn that major donors may gain greater influence over policymaking, intensifying debate over whether heavy spending broadens democratic participation or concentrates political power.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit India after seven years to attend the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12 and 13. India and China have begun preparations for the visit, with Chinese officials working on finalising hotel arrangements and security protocols, according to an official linked to the summit’s organising committee.

Xi last visited New Delhi in 2019, also for a BRICS summit, accompanied by about 200 officials. This time, his delegation is expected to include about 400 officials. Relations between India and China deteriorated significantly after a severe border clash between their soldiers in Ladakh in June 2020.

The source says ties have shown some renewed warmth in recent times. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Beijing last year, his first China trip since 2018, and diplomatic contacts between New Delhi and Beijing have increased since then. Xi’s planned India visit is being viewed as an important next step in the recent progress in bilateral relations.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized 138,000 Burmese yaba pills concealed inside a truck chassis compartment at the Morichya joint checkpoint in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar. One person was detained during the operation, which took place at about 4am on Tuesday following intelligence information.

The seizure was led by Major Md Ashikur Rahman, deputy commander of the Ramu Battalion, also known as 30 BGB. According to the report, the pills had been hidden using a special method within the truck’s chassis storage area.

Legal action against the detained person and in connection with the recovered yaba is under process in accordance with regulations. Ramu Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Imrul Kayes Mehdi said BGB regularly conducts operations to prevent drug trafficking, smuggling, illegal entry and other cross-border crimes alongside its border-security duties. He said such activities would continue to ensure border security.

US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Iran, which he described as economically devastated, cannot regularly pay a large portion of its military personnel. He also alleged that Iranian security forces are carrying out abuse at an unprecedented level, including violence against people who did not take part in protests.

Trump said the situation in Iran has become a serious humanitarian crisis and needs to stop immediately. The claims were presented in his social media post, while the source does not include a response from Iranian authorities or independent verification of the allegations.

The Trump administration has announced plans to impose what Trump described as the toughest economic sanctions ever on Iran. In a separate post published on Monday, Trump also claimed that Iran was on the verge of complete destruction or collapse.

Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu said work on the Teesta master plan has advanced significantly and that the prime minister will formally lay its foundation stone in 2027. He made the remarks on Tuesday, August 25, at a 2026 freshers’ reception and farewell event organised by the Lalmonirhat District Student Welfare Association at Jagannath University’s central auditorium.

Dulu said the project had faced negative campaigning, while discussion of its progress had previously been based on speculation. He said experts are now examining the matter and, after they submit reports, work would begin soon, expressing hope that the project alone would transform Lalmonirhat’s overall outlook.

At the event, Dulu announced a Tk 500,000 donation to the association’s fund to help poor students with admission. Lalmonirhat-2 MP Rokon Uddin Babul said the district’s three MPs had sent DO letters to the prime minister seeking the full operation of the Burimari Express and were continuing efforts to extend a four-lane road through Lalmonirhat to Burimari.

Professor Dr. Md. Ilyas Mollah, described as a Jamaat MP, spoke with students about their career ambitions and told them that their dreams were also the dreams of his group. Students said they wanted to become doctors, lawyers, software engineers, programmers, teachers, university teachers, psychologists, police officers, fashion designers, pilots and army chief. The location and date of the interaction were not provided.

Mollah asked students why they wanted to pursue their chosen careers, including a student who said they wanted to become army chief to serve the country. He said working for the country required protecting it and safeguarding its sovereignty. His light-hearted question to a student aspiring to join the administration cadre drew laughter, while he praised another student’s ambition to become a psychologist.

Addressing the students, Mollah said they must remain honest, love the country and work for people regardless of their profession. He urged them not to loot national resources or oppress people, saying public administration should serve rather than persecute citizens. He said Bangladesh’s future was connected to their ambitions and wished them success in fulfilling their dreams.

The United States formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism on Monday, a decision implemented by the Trump administration nearly 47 years after Syria was added in 1979. The move opens new prospects for international investment and trade for Syria, which has faced long-standing US sanctions and financial restrictions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Syria’s new government had taken positive steps to distance itself from international terrorism, and that these measures were considered in removing the designation. President Donald Trump had already moved in July to lift broad economic sanctions on Syria.

The United States also withdrew its terrorist designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former rebel group once linked to al-Qaeda and led by current Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa welcomed the decision as historic, while Damascus hopes it will accelerate reconstruction and economic recovery. Iran, North Korea and Cuba remain on the US list.

Bangladesh registered 934 murder cases nationwide between May and July this year, averaging more than 10 cases a day, according to Police Headquarters data. Concern has intensified following the killing of four members of a teacher’s family at their home in Rangpur, while murders have also been reported in Dhaka and other parts of the country. From January through July, police recorded 2,076 murder cases.

Political and mob violence have added to concerns over public security. Ain o Salish Kendra said 134 people were killed in mob violence and at least 77 in political violence during the first seven months of the year. It recorded 400 political violence incidents, leaving 2,974 people injured. Analysts cited struggles for power, political conflict, drugs, family disputes and the spread of illegal weapons as factors behind violence.

Police said robberies, dacoities and thefts have declined, but murders have not fallen significantly, and operations to arrest suspects continue. Police recorded 1,789 murder cases from February to July, nine more than in the preceding six months. Rights advocate Elina Khan called on the government and law-enforcement agencies to restore security, while police said they were working independently without government pressure.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has announced a broad sanctions programme called “Operation Economic Outcast,” aimed at fully isolating Iran from the global economy and cutting off its main revenue sources. The US Treasury Department formally announced the measure on Monday, August 24. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the initiative as an “economic D-Day.”

Bessent said the operation seeks to halt all Iranian sources of income, including the oil sector, and deter other countries and companies from doing business with Tehran. He said Washington’s global objective is to sever every economic lifeline sustaining Iran’s ruling authorities and leave Tehran isolated.

The US warned countries and entities continuing oil trade or other commerce with Iran that they would be targeted if they facilitate such transactions. Bessent said countries would have to choose between the United States and Iran, adding that no one was beyond the reach of US sanctions. The announcement came amid heightened Middle East tensions, while shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, raising concern in international markets.

Dhaka University professor Tariq Manzur said employment opportunities for young people in Bangladesh are likely to expand in technology-related fields over the next five to 10 years. He also identified medical, agriculture, energy and defence as specialized sectors where demand for young workers could increase. The comments came in an interview on career preparation, unemployment and future job-market prospects.

Manzur said unemployment is linked not only to academic education but also to applicants’ skills, government planning and global market conditions. He said skill-based education has not yet been effectively implemented and urged students to strengthen analytical ability, decision-making, leadership, computer use, language skills, research knowledge and practical experience.

He described lack of experience as a major barrier for young job seekers, particularly in private-sector recruitment. He called for university-industry collaboration and advised students to pursue internships or supporting roles in relevant fields. He also said recruitment processes should be transparent, application fees should not exceed 200 taka, and aspiring entrepreneurs need access to banking support.

Canada is considering several ways to pressure the United States as their trade dispute intensifies, including dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs proposed by Prime Minister Mark Carney. The preliminary list could cover steel, dairy products, household appliances, farm machinery, electronics, pulp and paper, although it has not been finalized. Canada sends about 70 percent of its goods to the United States, while Canada is a major market for products from 26 US states and among the top three buyers for 45 states.

Carney said Canada supplies a large share of US imported natural gas and electricity, as well as about 60 percent of US crude-oil imports. Energy is not currently on Canada’s retaliation list, but political leaders say the option remains open. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has raised a possible energy surcharge and also cited Canada’s importance as a supplier of potash and critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and graphite.

Canadian provinces have already removed US alcohol from many store shelves, with official data showing US wine exports to Canada fell 78 percent annually. Carney said a threatened 50 percent US tariff on Canadian vehicles and parts after January 1 would hurt American workers dependent on Canadian buyers.

Sadikur Rahman Khan, a young photographer from Rayer Bakai village in Melandaha, Jamalpur, has developed a photographic career from early experiments with rented film cameras and a basic button phone. After completing studies in agricultural economics and rural sociology at Bangladesh Agricultural University, he continued pursuing photography alongside academic life. In 2015, he and friends formed the Bangladesh Agricultural University Photographic Society, helping turn his hobby into a profession.

Khan’s images have gained attention on social media and in international media. His photograph titled “Narir Tane, Barir Pane,” showing Eid travellers crowded on a train roof, was published as a lead photograph on the front page of India’s The Telegraph. He has also taken photographs in risky conditions, including during the Bangabazar fire. Mentorship from photographers Latif Hossain and Majed Chowdhury helped him develop technical skills.

Since 2019, Khan has pursued thematic book photography, creating backgrounds and scenes aligned with a book’s content. He also sells photographs to support people affected by floods and cares for injured birds before releasing them. Working as a graphic designer, he aims to travel through every upazila in Bangladesh’s 64 districts and present the country’s natural beauty to global audiences.

At least seven people were injured in a clash between two groups over the installation of a rural electricity transformer in Durgapur village of Barakashi-Birampur Union, Mohanganj upazila, Netrokona. The incident began around 1:30pm on Monday when Rural Electrification Office workers went to install the transformer in Ward No. 9.

Local and complaint sources said Azizul, 30, and Iman, 25, opposed the installation work and obstructed it. An argument and alleged misconduct involving the electricity office workers followed. When Ibrahim and Jahangir Alam intervened, they were allegedly attacked with locally made weapons.

The injured include Manjura Akhtar, 75, Jahangir Alam, 45, Ibrahim, and Madina Akhtar, 71. Ibrahim suffered a serious head injury and Madina sustained a serious injury to her hand; the injured were admitted to Mohanganj উপজেলা Health Complex. Khodeja Akhtar filed a written complaint at Mohanganj police station on Monday. Officer-in-Charge Hafizul Islam Harun said a case was registered that night and police would take legal action. Residents reported tension and fear in the area and sought swift administrative intervention.

Shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz fell sharply on Monday, when only one cargo vessel was recorded crossing the narrow waterway. The figure was the lowest daily level since May 7, according to preliminary data from shipping-monitoring firm Kpler. A large gas carrier entered the strait from the Gulf of Oman, while six vessels had moved through the route on Sunday.

Traffic has declined substantially in recent weeks amid worsening security conditions around the strait, one of the world’s most important energy transport routes. Vessel movements had already fallen into single digits on several occasions this month. Before the war began, nearly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz, raising concern over international energy supplies.

Kpler said its data remains preliminary because some ships travel with their transponders, or Automatic Identification System signals, switched off for security reasons. Actual traffic may therefore be higher than the published figure. Iran has also recently blacklisted 45 tankers and threatened them with fines, detention or cargo seizure, increasing risks for commercial shipping.

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) helped create more than 430 job opportunities for students at 31 Chinese companies through the Sino-Bangla Day 2026: Chinese Enterprise Job Fair. The daylong event was held on August 17 at the Teacher-Student Centre premises of Dhaka University, with the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh and the university jointly involved, and DUCSU and the Confucius Institute organizing it. Thousands of job seekers attended and submitted CVs at company booths.

The fair ran from 10:30am to 5pm and featured Chinese firms from technology and other sectors. Organizers said they initially received more than 400 CVs. Participating companies will conduct preliminary screening, followed by interviews and other recruitment procedures for qualified candidates. Organizers said the initiative sought to build longer-term links among students, universities and institutions in Bangladesh and China, beyond a single job fair.

DUCSU Vice President Sadiq Kayem said the plan followed a recent DUCSU delegation visit to China and subsequent contact with the Chinese Embassy. During the event, the Confucius Institute and Huawei Technologies Limited signed a memorandum of understanding, while the Huawei AI Training Program was formally launched, offering year-round free AI training for students.