Now that the bill has cleared the upper chamber, it’s up to lawmakers in the House to determine its fate when they return in September. President Donald Trump has already signaled he would sign the bill if it lands on his desk.

The bill, which championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and cosponsors including Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have worked to advance for more than a year, would issue mandatory sanctions not only on Russia’s leadership and energy sector, but also on abetters of Russia’s defense industry and so-called shadow fleet in an effort to curb the flow of cash to Moscow’s war chest.

Ukraine’s supporters on the Hill and officials in Kyiv have been urging its passage, arguing that it would deal a timely blow to Russia’s war efforts as Kyiv seeks to capitalize on a series of recent favorable turns in the war to end it altogether.

In comments on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and vocal backer of the bill Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) stressed the “urgency” of the moment.

“The momentum is on Ukraine’s side,” Shaheen said. “Now is the time to put more pressure on Putin.” She added that the situation on the ground could turn back in Moscow’s favor within months — especially with assistance from foreign foes like China.

It has already been a long road for the sanctions measure, which Graham and Blumenthal first introduced in April 2025. The lawmakers negotiated for months with the White House, which wanted more control over what entities it could sanction, and by how much. In July, Graham announced — from Kyiv — that the White House had agreed to a revised version of the bill.

Following a last-minute demand from Trump, lawmakers also added language to the bill to extend certain sanctions on Iran.

Graham’s sudden death just days after winning Trump’s green light spurred his fellow senators to support the legislation, which cleared a procedural hurdle at the end of the month by a wide margin.

But a provision in the bill that would grant the White House authority to issue 100 percent tariffs on top buyers of Russian oil, and countries facilitating sanctions evasion, nearly derailed the measure’s passage in the upper chamber before lawmakers left town for August recess.

An amendment pushed by Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) that would have stripped the tariff language from the bill entirely failed in a 64 to 32 floor vote Friday.

Still, nearly one-third of the upper chamber voted in favor of striking the tariff language, highlighting Democrats’ worries about handing more tariff powers to a White House already eager to use that tool against Washington’s global allies and enemies. That Democratic discontent is likely a foreshadowing of a similar sticking point for lawmakers on the House side when they return from recess in September.

As Senate leadership tried to reach an agreement to fast-track consideration of the bill before the chamber adjourned for the summer, lawmakers opposed to the tariff provisions threatened to derail that effort over squabbles about what amendments should get a floor vote.

One of those amendments was an effort from Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), to add language curbing the tariff powers afforded to Trump in the bill. Warnock — who voted to advance the bill in July — had threatened to thwart Senate leadership’s effort to fast-track consideration of the legislation this week if his amendment didn’t get a floor vote.

But Warnock pulled the amendment at the eleventh hour Thursday evening after securing the Trump administration’s commitment to enact a clear off-ramp for countries hit with tariffs, according to a person familiar with the senator’s plans granted anonymity to speak about internal conversations.

That move may not go far enough to quell the concerns of Democrats in the House — some of whom have already expressed frustration over the provision.

House Foreign Affairs ranking member Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) issued a joint statement following the Senate vote slamming the current bill text as “unacceptable” and citing the broad waiver authority and tariff powers granted to the White House.

But the lawmakers vowed to “continue to seek a path forward that remedies this bill’s flaws.”

The post US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill appeared first on NEWSMAN.

The ruling, filed Thursday in Santa Fe County District Court, found Meta intentionally used features such as endless scrolling, auto play, notifications and content recommendations to keep users, especially teenagers, on its platforms longer.

The judge ruled that Meta helped fuel the state’s youth mental health crisis through the design of Facebook and Instagram, finding the company created a public nuisance and ordering it to pay $567 million for treatment and prevention programs.

The judge said those features contributed to higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and suicide risk among young people. The court also found the platforms contributed to child sexual exploitation and put added pressure on schools, law enforcement and New Mexico’s mental health system.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez applauded the ruling, calling it a “historic moment.”

The judgment not only helps New Mexico protect online safety but also changes the “narrative in this country and all over the world about whether or not companies of this size and scale can actually be held accountable,” Torrez said.

“[Meta] knew about these harms, they weren’t forthcoming about the danger, they weren’t honest with policymakers, parents and families,” Torrez added. “Now they must pay the price for the choice they made to put profits over children’s safety.”

The judge later ruled the company’s conduct also amounted to a public nuisance and ordered Meta to reduce the harm caused by its platforms rather than shut them down.

Under the order, Meta must pay $567 million into an abatement fund. The money includes $33 million for prevention and awareness, $90 million for screening and assessment, $15 million for referrals and care coordination, $420 million for treatment, and $9 million for program oversight and evaluation.

In a statement to ABC News, a Meta spokesperson voiced disagreement with the ruling and vowed to appeal.

“We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content. We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts,” the spokesperson said.

Torrez, of New Mexico, said he expects the appeals process to play out over a period of months or years, but said his office would “be pressing the court to order the payment of these funds as quickly as possible.”

“The longer we wait, the more harm is done to our kids,” Torrez added.

In its statement to the AP at the time, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”

“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” it added.

The lawsuit was filed in December 2023 by Attorney General Torrez, who alleged Meta’s platforms harmed children and violated state law. Earlier this year, a jury found Meta committed 75,000 violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act and imposed the maximum civil penalty of $375 million.

In March, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and the Google-owned YouTube negligent for designing apps that harmed kids and teens and failed to warn them about the dangers. The jury awarded total damages of $6 million to the plaintiff Kaley.

Meta is also preparing for a trial later this month in federal court in Oakland, California, The Associated Press reported. The company will face the first four of 29 states that sued it in a federal multi-district lawsuit filed in 2023 for allegedly contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children, according to the suit.

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The initiative comes after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer questions at a hearing last week about his role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee’s party-line vote of 8-5 came after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions at a hearing last week about his role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and its origins.

A contempt resolution would normally now head to the full Senate, where it would require 60 votes. It is unlikely the Fauci resolution would receive enough support in the full Senate to pass.

But committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul told reporters he is opting instead to immediately send it to the Department of Justice in the hopes they’ll take action.

Paul said Fauci could not plead the Fifth Amendment given he was preemptively pardoned by President Joe Biden out of fear of political prosecution.

“We are voting on whether a witness who has received the benefit of a sweeping federal pardon can be ordered by this committee to answer questions and then defy that order without consequence,” Paul said ahead of the vote.

David Schertler, legal counsel for Fauci, called Thursday’s vote “a crude political stunt intended to punish Dr. Fauci for exercising his constitutional rights.”

“The Senate should reject Senator Paul’s meritless and politically-motivated contempt resolution,” Schertler said in a statement. “For years, Senator Paul has proclaimed to anyone who would listen that Dr. Fauci should be prosecuted and put in prison. Dr. Fauci has committed no crime — and Senator Paul knows it.”

Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee attempted several times to table the contempt resolution but were unsuccessful.

Fauci invokes 5th Amendment during Senate testimony, refrains from answering lawmakers’ questions

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, the committee’s ranking member, criticized the vote and the “damaging precedent” it sets, saying this “could harm our ability to conduct future investigations and disregards constitutional protections long recognized by the U.S. Senate.”

“This resolution will not provide the committee with any additional information, or compel Dr. Fauci to provide answers to our inquiries. Criminal contempt is punitive; it does not compel a witness to answer questions or produce the documents we’d all like to see,” Peters said.

Peters also condemned Paul’s suggestion of referring the contempt resolution directly to the Department of Justice after the vote, saying “that would be even more dangerous and widely unprecedented move.”

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President Trump said that “hundreds of thousands” of people are taking advantage of birth tourism. However, his own Solicitor General John Sauer had a very different response to that question in April, when Supreme Court Justice John Roberts pressed him about the practice during oral arguments around Trump’s Day 1 executive order, saying that “No one knows for sure.”

The first order aims to exclude babies born to members of foreign terrorist groups or employees working for foreign governments, such as ambassadors.

The second order removes automatic citizenship for babies whose parents engaged in “birth tourism.” This is an issue that Trump has raised for years, and the term refers to when pregnant foreigners visit the U.S. in order to give birth, so that their newborn can obtain American citizenship.

Trump again criticized the Supreme Court’s June decision to uphold birthright citizenship, saying Thursday’s actions are “adjustments” because of the high court’s refusal to greenlight his executive order.

“We had a very unfortunate decision in the Supreme Court concerning birthright. It was close, but a very, very unfortunate decision. So we’re making adjustments because it’s very unfair,” Trump said.

The birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court just five weeks ago.

Asked what makes him confident this will hold up to constitutional law, Trump deferred to White House Secretary Will Scharf, but said, “I think it will.”

The orders come as an attempt by Trump to do away with birthright citizenship altogether in an executive order he signed on the first day of his second term last year.

Senior White House adviser Stephen Miller was at the Oval Office when the executive orders were announced, calling the crackdown on the practice one of the most important actions that Trump has taken when it comes to immigration.

“It ends what has been one of the gravest and most egregious abuses of the American system, and it keeps American citizenship sacred,” he said.

Asked how the government would distinguish between a “a tourist and a birth tourist,” Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, said, “The Immigration and Nationality Act gives the president this authority, citing section 215(a) of the law which, in part, makes it unlawful for any noncitizen to enter or leave the U.S. “except under such reasonable rules, regulations, and order. … The President may prescribe.”

“If you’re telling a consular officer you’re here as a tourist, but your true purpose and intent is to go to a baby mill, give birth and try to mint an American citizen while you’re here and you’re committing a fraud against the American government,” Miller said.

“So that practice of birth tourism is, as of the signing of this order, hereby banned. And what that means is that no one in the world is any more allowed to obtain a visa for this fraudulent purpose,” Miller said.

Sauer cited “media reports” that said estimates are more than 1.1 million, “or 1.5 million from the People’s Republic of China alone.”

“The congressional report that we cite in our brief talks about certain hotspots, like Russian elites coming to Miami through these birth tourism companies,” Sauer said.

In the other order, Miller said people who would be ineligible to obtain citizenship by birthright, would include “alien enemies of the United States, members of foreign terrorist organizations and large categories of people who lobby and act on behalf of foreign governments.”

“This is a situation where you would hope that the Supreme Court would step in very quickly to enforce its prior decision,” he said.

The Center for Immigration Studies — a group that supports restricting immigration — estimates that temporary visitors gave birth to about 70,000 babies in 2023.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in 2024, fewer than 10,000 babies were born in the U.S. to foreign residents.

Both estimates suggest that tourist births make up a small fraction of the 3.6 million babies born in the U.S. every year.

Over the years, there have been some crackdowns on covert, lucrative businesses coaching travelers on how to conceal their pregnancies from immigration authorities. But the actual scale of the practice is unclear.

The post Trump signs new executive orders on birthright citizenship appeared first on NEWSMAN.

Participants explored the interactive experience by scanning Freedom 250 QR codes placed at designated locations across Dhaka, including specially branded American flag-themed rickshaws and partner locations. By visiting these locations and engaging with the platform, participants earned points to climb the leaderboard, with the top 120 scorers qualifying for the final in-person trivia competition.

The U.S. Embassy Dhaka’s Public Diplomacy team commended the CodersTrust team for its technical expertise, professionalism, and timely delivery of the project. CodersTrust’s developers designed and implemented key features of the platform, including the QR code system, user login functions, and leaderboard.

“[It’s] an amazing project!” said Monica Shie, Counselor for Press and Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy Dhaka, reflecting on the launch.

The game attracted more than 1,400 registered users who recorded over 15,000 QR code scans during the campaign, demonstrating strong public engagement with the interactive experience.

“It was great for our team to work with CodersTrust on this project that connected history, technology, and community engagement in such a fun way” said Richard Bruner, U.S. Embassy Dhaka. “We’re proud of what this partnership produced. The turnout and energy the program received far exceeded our expectations.”

Co-Founder and Global Chairman of CodersTrust  Aziz Ahmad reaffirmed the commitment to empowering young people through digital innovation, AI, and workforce development.

“This project exemplifies what CodersTrust set out to do from day one — using digital skills to build real, meaningful platforms for our partners,” said Aziz Ahmad..

Seeing the turnout and enthusiasm at the launch was incredibly rewarding. Partnering with the US Embassy on America’s 250th anniversary celebration is a proud moment for our entire Bangladesh team, and we look forward to deepening this relationship,” he added.

CodersTrust, the global digital skills and workforce development platform, served as the embassy’s technology development partner for the project, building the web application live at freedom250treasurehunt.com. On the CodersTrust side, the project was led by the organization’s Dhaka based technical and leadership team, who were on hand at the launch to see the platform come to life for the public.

The website also served as the initial qualifying stage, generating a leaderboard that determined which participants advanced to a final in-person trivia contest where winners received great prizes.

By visiting these locations and engaging with the platform, participants earned points to climb the leaderboard, with the top 120 scorers qualifying for the final in-person trivia competition.

The campaign concluded with the final trivia contest on July 9 at the Edward M. Kennedy (EMK) Center in Dhaka.

In 2026, CodersTrust was recognized by the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka as an application development partner supporting youth engagement initiatives as part of the United States’ 250th Anniversary (America250) celebration in Bangladesh. The collaboration reflects CodersTrust’s commitment to empowering young people through digital innovation, AI, and workforce development.

CodersTrust is a mission-driven global EdTech organization headquartered in New York City, dedicated to equipping people with digital, AI, and employability skills for the future of work. Founded in 2014, CodersTrust has trained over 1.5 million learners across more than 15 countries through industry-led, technology-enabled learning. With major operations in Bangladesh and a growing global presence, CodersTrust empowers youth, women, and underserved communities to build sustainable careers and economic opportunity.

The post ‘Great American Treasure Hunt’:   U.S. Embassy Dhaka and Coders Trust Celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary appeared first on NEWSMAN.

While addressing the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia via an audio-only connection from India on August 5, 2026, Sheikh Hasina stressed that a “stable Bangladesh matters for South Asia.” She also said that It is time for “reconciliation and Unity” for Bangladesh to get back on the right track and be resilient.

Expressing that she is prepared to face the courts and is not afraid of death, Hasina said,

“My People are suffering, I can’t take it anymore. I have to be back for them” while answering question from foreign journalists describing the situation since after the August 5^th, 2024. 

“ I will return in December , Because we earn victory in this month Sheikh Hasina told.  Statues and symbols of the country’s liberation war victory are demolished, glorious history of the liberation is being contempt, she added.

“I also believe Bangladesh needs national reconciliation. The country needs healing,” She told.  But reconciliation cannot mean impunity. Those who conspired against the country, committed crimes and caused suffering must face justice through proper legal process. Victims must receive legal protection and proper compensation, she added.

“Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people. I cannot stay away while my beloved countrymen are suffering. I know I may be detained. I may be sent to prison. They may try to enforce verdicts issued in fabricated cases. But fear cannot decide my duty to the people,” Sheikh Hasina said in her briefing.

Her intention to return to Bangladesh  is not about the power Hasina said.

“My return, and the return of the Awami League to the democratic process, is not about power. It is about putting Bangladesh back on the right track.”

“I want to return because the people deserve security, development, prosperity and peace. They deserve a state that protects them, an economy that gives them opportunity, and a democracy that gives them rights,” She added.

She said She is not worried about her own future but worried about the future of Bangladesh.

This is the first time of her direct organized interaction with international media since her ouster marking two years.

Earlier, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club South Asia (FCC South Asia) in New Delhi said in a press release  that the Foreign Correspondents’ Club South Asia (FCC South Asia) is hosting a special event entitled “Sheikh Hasina’s Homecoming”, featuring an exclusive audio address by H.E. Sheikh Hasina, ahead of her planned return to Bangladesh.

The event will take place at the Sir Mark Tully Hall from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, with the participation of distinguished political and media figures, including: Sajeeb Wazed Joy – Former ICT Advisor to the Prime Minister (Keynote Speaker – online),Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel – Former Education Minister of Bangladesh,Eng. Mohammad Ali Siddiqui – Secretary General, Bangladesh Human Rights Monitor, Shakib Al Hasan – Cricketer and former Member of Parliament (online ),Aminul Haque Polash – Former diplomat and security analyst (online),Abu Obaida Areen – Writer, political analyst, and counter-terrorism expert and Adv. Shah Mohammad Bokhtiar – Director, Bangladesh Human Rights Monitor – USA.

The virtual briefing generated significant international attention and diplomatic friction between India and Bangladesh. 

 The Indian Ministry of External Affairs clarified that it had no involvement in the briefing and did not endorse any views expressed, categorizing the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia as a private media entity. In response, the Bangladeshi government expressed outrage, summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner to formally request that India stop providing Hasina with access to mainstream media platforms, and banned domestic media from broadcasting her comments.

Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina’s virtual full speech to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia on 5 August is readout as follows:

Statement by H.E. Sheikh Hasina (Virtual Address to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia Ahead of Her Homecoming | 5 August 2026)

Distinguished journalists, members of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South

Asia, respected guests, friends of Bangladesh, ladies and gentlemen, Assalamu

Alaikum.

I thank the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia for giving me this opportunity to speak to you. I also thank the journalists who continue to follow events in Bangladesh with seriousness and courage. Journalism has a duty to seek truth, especially when power tries to hide it. In difficult moments of history, that duty becomes even more important.

Today, I speak not only as someone who had the honour of serving Bangladesh five times as Prime Minister, but also as the daughter of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I speak as someone who has spent her life with the people of Bangladesh. I was forced away from my country, but I was never separated from my people.

Before I speak about the present crisis, I pay my deepest homage to the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to the slain national leaders, and to the three million martyrs of our War of Liberation. I also remember with profound grief the members of my own family whom I lost on 15 August 1975.

Today is also the birthday of my beloved brother Sheikh Kamal. He was a valiant freedom fighter, a youth leader, a sports organiser and a cultural activist. His life represented the courage, creativity and patriotism of the young generation of Bangladesh. I remember him today with deep love, pain and pride.

For the last two years, I have watched my beloved Bangladesh suffer. I have spoken to mothers who lost their sons, workers who lost their jobs, families struggling to buy essential goods, women living with humiliation and fear, and young people who no longer see a future in their own country. Leaders and activists of Awami League have been forced into hiding. Fear has entered homes, workplaces and campuses.

This is not the Bangladesh we built. This is not the Bangladesh for which three million people sacrificed their lives in 1971.

Let me begin with the truth about July and August 2024. A great falsehood has been repeated before the world: that the movement was only a peaceful student movement. That is not the truth. From the beginning, my government tried to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue, legal process and patience. But behind the language of reform, organised groups were working to turn student’s demand into a violent political instrument.

In 2018, responding to student demands, we abolished the quota system. In 2024, when the High Court annulled that decision, the government appealed because we wanted to uphold the abolition. I personally took the initiative for dialogue with the students and invited them to Ganabhaban. Three ministers also held discussions with them. Their reasonable demands were accepted. We said that, if necessary, a permanent solution could be made through legislation. We chose dialogue. We chose patience. We chose a peaceful path. But the movement had no visible or responsible leadership. Whenever talks moved forward, new instructions came from invisible places. Demands changed. A quota reform movement was turnedinto a one-point demand for my resignation. False propaganda was spread in a planned way. Genuine students were emotionally manipulated, while organized groups used their movement as cover for violence and regime change.

Later, Muhammad Yunus himself said this was a “meticulously designed” movement led by a “mastermind.” His own words exposed the truth. It was not simply a spontaneous student protest. It was organised, directed and used to create a path to power outside the ballot box.

From 15 July, the character of the movement changed. Killings, arson, attacks and looting began. State property was destroyed. Bangladesh Television was attacked and set on fire. Setu Bhaban, the Directorate General of Health Services, the EPI vaccination programme building, Farmgate Metro Rail station, Hanif Flyover, Mohakhali Elevated Expressway, science research facilities, the disaster management office, a national database centre, a Covid-19 special hospital, Dhaka Medical University, residential hotels, industrial facilities, businesses and prisons, including Narsingdi District Jail, were attacked, vandalised or burned.

Awami League offices were vandalised across the country. Leaders and workers were attacked and killed. Homes of ministers and senior figures associated with my government were looted and burned. The media was also targeted. Nearly 50 media centres, private television stations and newspaper offices were attacked or set on fire.

Journalists were killed, including Md Shakil Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Tahir Zaman Priyo, ATM Turab, Pradip Kumar Bhowmik and Sohel Akanji. Law enforcement agencies came under organised attack. Officers were killed. Bodies were hung from flyovers. Around 460 police stations and outposts were set on fire. Personnel were trapped inside buildings. Weapons were looted. Officers were beaten to death.

According to persecuted police members, at least 3,000 personnel were killed, attacked, tortured or subjected to serious violence.

So, I ask a simple question. In such a situation, what is the duty of law enforcement? When police stations are burned, government buildings are attacked, public infrastructure is destroyed, officers are killed and weapons are looted, does the state have no duty to protect lives and property? In every country, law enforcement has a responsibility to protect citizens, state institutions and their own lives. That is not a crime. That is the duty entrusted to them by law.

At the same time, I wanted the truth to be known. That is why I formed a Judicial Inquiry Commission on 18 July. Its purpose was clear: every casualty had to be investigated, every incident of violence had to be examined, and every family deserved to know the truth. I met victims’ families, visited the injured and instructedthe authorities to provide the highest level of medical treatment. On 1 August, I strengthened the inquiry into a three-member commission so that the investigation could be broader, more credible and more complete.

But after seizing power, the illegal interim government led by Muhammad Yunus stopped that investigation. They did not allow the truth to come out. They gave indemnity to those involved in the killings. If they truly wanted justice, why did they stop the inquiry? If they had nothing to hide, why protect the killers? That one decision tells the truth. They did not want justice. They wanted power. They did not want investigation. They wanted the evidence buried.

Their own words exposed the truth. An NCP leader said the “revolution” would not have succeeded if police had not been killed and the metro rail had not been set on fire. A BNP leader in Sirajganj also said publicly that Enayetpur Police Station was burned and police were killed to make the movement succeed. These statements show that the July-August movement was not merely a quota reform movement. It became a coordinated assault on constitutional order, driven by hidden instructions, organised violence and propaganda.

The conspiracy did not end on 5 August. After 5 August, violence became a campaign of political persecution. The killing that began on 16 July with the murder of Sabuj Ali, a Dhaka College student and Chhatra League activist, has not stopped.

Awami League leaders and workers are being killed, disappeared, arrested, driven from their homes and buried under false cases. At least 10,000 have been killed or disappeared. Around 650,000 have been arrested over the last two years. Around 3,500 cases have been filed, naming nearly 450,000 leaders, workers and supporters as accused. More than 1,000,000 others have been listed as unnamed accused.

Women activists of Chhatra League, Youth League and other affiliated organisations are facing abuse, humiliation and torture in custody. Many leaders and workers have also died in prison amid documented accounts of torture, denial of medical treatment, deprivation of food, negligence and denial of basic rights.

This persecution is not limited to the Awami League. Members of minority communities, judges, lawyers, intellectuals, cultural figures, journalists, professionals, workers, farmers and ordinary citizens have been attacked, arrested or accused in murder cases. No one who stands for the spirit of the Liberation War is safe.

Symbols and memorials of our Liberation War have been destroyed. Freedom fighters have been humiliated with garlands of shoes. The historic residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi 32 has been attacked and demolished in phases.

This is not random violence. This is an attempt to erase the spirit of the Liberation War from Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus himself spoke of pressing a “reset button” to wipe away the country’s previous history. They want to erase the Liberation War. They want to erase Bangabandhu. They want to rewrite Bangladesh against the foundation on which it was born. Convicted war criminals have been released. Militants and top terrorists have been freed. Even after a staged election brought the BNP to power, the situation did not change. Bangladesh remains gripped by fear, terror, repression, economic hardship and deep insecurity.

Now look at the condition of the country. The progress we built is being destroyed, and ordinary people are paying the price. GDP growth has fallen to 2.22 percent, compared with 6.80 percent during the Awami League period. Industrial production has fallen sharply. For the first time in 54 years, the industrial sector has faced negative growth. Defaulted loans in the banking sector have reportedly risen from 13 percent to 47 percent. Poverty has increased from 18.60 percent to 46.8 percent. Investment has turned negative. Job creation has collapsed. More than two crore people have newly fallen into unemployment. Over 500 industrial factories have closed. More than half of industrialists and business owners are either in prison or forced into hiding. The government is running by borrowing 700 to 900 crore taka from banks every day. Project costs have been increased by 50 percent to 250 percent. At the same time, militancy is rising, women and children are facing torture, rape and humiliation, and ordinary people no longer feel secure in their own lives. Extortion, murder and kidnapping have become regular features of daily life. These are not just numbers or isolated incidents. Behind them there is a family, a worker, a farmer, a small business owner, a mother who cannot buy food for her child, and a young person who no longer sees hope.

But let me also remind you what Bangladesh had achieved. The welfare of the people has always been the purpose of my politics. The Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, gave his life for that ideal, and I have carried that ideal with full commitment. Our development projects were not vanity projects. They were part of building national capacity. Our social programmes were not charity. They were investments in human dignity. We made Bangladesh stand tall. We made it known as the rising tiger of Asia.

During my five terms as Prime Minister, we used long-term planning, sound financial management and disciplined implementation to place Bangladesh on a strong foundation. After 2008, across 16 years and four consecutive terms, we implemented major projects such as the Padma Bridge, Metro Rail, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Karnaphuli Tunnel and Bangabandhu Satellite. We maintained GDP growth between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent. We raised the economy from 70 billion dollars to 450 billion dollars. Per capita income rose from 482 dollars to 2,784 dollars, the highest in South Asia.

Poverty fell from 41 percent to 18.7 percent. Extreme poverty fell from 25.1 percent to 5.6 percent. We brought electricity to every citizen and increased power generation capacity from 3,782 megawatts to 28,563 megawatts.

We established about 14,000 community clinics so rural and marginalised people could receive free healthcare and 30 types of medicine. Maternal mortality fell from 370 to 184 per lakh live births. Child mortality fell from 84 to 21. Access to safe drinking water rose to 98 percent. Sanitary latrine use reached 97 percent. Average life expectancy rose from 59 years to 73 years. We gave two kathas of land, a semipermanent house and livelihood support to 8.45 lakh landless families. At least 45 lakh people received a place to live. Through 145 social safety net programmes, nearly ten crore people received different forms of allowance and support.

And when more than one million Rohingya fled persecution and violence in Myanmar, Bangladesh opened its doors on humanitarian grounds. We gave them shelter, food, medical care and safety, even though Bangladesh itself is a densely populated developing country. We did it because humanity demanded it.

So today I ask those who celebrated my departure: what did you actually get? Did you get democracy? Did you get security? Did you get freedom of expression?

Have prices come down? Can ordinary families afford daily essentials? Are people getting uninterrupted fuel and electricity? Has the economy become stronger? Have you seen even a little development in the last two years? Are women safe? Are children safe? Are minorities safe? Are journalists, teachers, artists and intellectuals safe? Bangladesh was moving towards prosperity, dignity and confidence. After August 2024, it has been pushed into fear, revenge, hardship and uncertainty.

I also want to speak directly to the young people of Bangladesh. Do not allow anyone to turn your strength into an instrument of destruction. Ask questions. Raise demands. Protest when you see injustice. That is your right. But see the truth with your own eyes. Understand who wants to build your future, and who wants to use your anger as a ladder to power. Do not become tools of extremism or revenge politics.

Bangladesh must be built with knowledge, technology, skills and humanity. A state is not built through destruction. It is built through hard work, discipline and responsibility. Look beyond personal likes and dislikes. Look at the reality of the country. To save Bangladesh, democracy, rule of law and the rights of the people must be restored. The young people of Bangladesh must take part in this struggle with unity and responsibility. You are the future of our country.

I also believe Bangladesh needs national reconciliation. The country needs healing. But reconciliation cannot mean impunity. Those who conspired against the country, committed crimes and caused suffering must face justice through proper legal process. Victims must receive legal protection and proper compensation.

Bangladesh’s crisis is not only a domestic crisis. It affects regional peace, security, trade, development and human dignity. That is why I call upon the international community and all friends of Bangladesh to stand with the people of Bangladesh in their struggle for democracy, justice and peace. A stable Bangladesh matters for South Asia, for the Bay of Bengal, for development partners, and for all countries that believe in democracy, rule of law and justice. The next decade can be a decade of recovery and renewal, but only if democracy is restored and the people are allowed to decide their own future.

That is why I make these demands clearly. The ban on the Awami League must be withdrawn. Political prisoners must be released. False cases must be dropped.

Freedom of speech must be restored. Media freedom must be protected. Judicial independence must be guaranteed. Law enforcement agencies must serve the people, not those who use power for revenge. These are not demands for one party.

These are necessary steps to save Bangladesh.

Whatever fate awaits me, I will return to my people. I cannot stay away while my beloved countrymen are suffering. I know I may be detained. I may be sent to prison. They may try to enforce verdicts issued in fabricated cases. But fear cannot decide my duty to the people. My life moved beyond calculations of personal safety long ago. In 1975, I lost my family. I spent six years in exile. After returning home, I fought against military rule, dictatorship, assassination attempts and political conspiracies. Even the grenade attack of 21 August 2004 could not stop me.

I am not worried about my own future. I am worried about the future of Bangladesh. I want to return because the people deserve security, development, prosperity and peace. They deserve a state that protects them, an economy that gives them opportunity, and a democracy that gives them rights. My return, and the return of the Awami League to the democratic process, is not about power. It is about putting Bangladesh back on the right track. It is about reviving the country’s path of development, progress, secularism and stability. I want to return to Bangladesh for one purpose: to stand beside the people and help improve their lives. The people are the source of all power. I believe in them. I trust them. And I will return to them.

Joy Bangla.Joy Bangabandhu.May Bangladesh live forever.

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“If you do not know of your rights, you cannot use those rights,” Mamdani said Monday. “Small businesses deserve a partner in city government.”

Every sector will benefit from Monday’s reforms, from bodegas to child care providers, Mamdani said. He noted reforms like streamlining barbers’ licenses and removing caps on bingo prizes.

Standing outside La Bodega Studio in the Bronx, the mayor signed an executive order creating the government body to execute small business reforms, dubbed OPEN, and expanding NYC BEST, a city program that helps business owners navigate permits and violations. The executive order expands education through the “business owner bill of rights.”

Mayor Mamdani on Monday, announced over 50 reforms to simplify small business regulations, including removing the city’s additional permits to sell frozen treats like ice cream. Together, the reforms will “cut red tape, eliminate redundant fees, and streamline the permitting process,” Mamdani said.

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 Choe’s visit to Moscow came shortly after North Korea and China exchanged high-level visits, with North Korean Cabinet premier, Pak Thae Song, Kim’s top economic official, meeting Xi in Beijing and Wang Huning, a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee, visiting Kim in Pyongyang this month.

North Korean state media said Choe departed for Russia on Saturday at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov but has yet to comment on the purpose of her visit.

The visit by North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui comes without an obvious occasion, such as a multilateral diplomatic event or state anniversary, and has raised speculation that she may be coordinating a possible visit to Russia by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Russia’s Tass news agency said Putin during his meeting with Choe at the Kremlin on Sunday praised the countries’ bilateral relations and reiterated his “gratitude to the North Korean leadership and people” for supporting his military operations against Ukraine. Choe told Putin that Kim remains committed to the “comprehensive development” of relations with Russia, Tass said.

Kim traveled to Russia’s Far East for summits with Putin in 2019 and 2023. Putin invited Kim to visit Russia again during their summit in Pyongyang in June 2024, where the leaders signed a strategic partnership agreement pledging mutual aid if either country faces aggression.

Kim in recent years has made Russia the priority of his foreign policy, sending thousands of troops and huge supplies of weapons to support Putin’s war in Ukraine, possibly in exchange for economic aid and technology transfers that some experts say are helping advance North Korea’s military capabilities.

Kim has suspended all meaningful dialogue with the United States and South Korea since the collapse of his nuclear diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump in 2019. He has used Russia’s war on Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the advancement of his nuclear weapons and missile program, while demanding that Washington abandon its calls for North Korea’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for talks.

Yoon Min Ho, spokesperson for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles affairs related to North Korea, said Monday that Seoul was closely monitoring the meetings but declined to assess whether Moscow and Pyongyang were discussing another summit between their leaders.

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“It is with great sadness that I report a third person has died in connection with the Legionnaires’ disease community cluster on the Upper East Side,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said in a statement on Sunday. “Our hearts are with their family and friends as they mourn their loss.”

Health officials advised that anyone who has spent time in the affected zip codes 10028, 10075, 10128, including Carnegie Hill and Yorkville, should seek medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms.

Legionnaires’ disease symptoms can appear up to 14 days after exposure, the NYC Dept. of Health said.

The department said it believes the source of the bacteria has likely been eliminated and that it will continue inspecting every cooling tower that tested positive for the bacteria.

Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria in small droplets of water mixed in the air or contaminated water accidentally going into the lungs.

The bacteria are found naturally in freshwater, but amounts generally don’t lead to disease. The bacteria typically grow best in warm water and in warm to hot temperatures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The disease does not generally spread from person to person, but infections can occur if the bacteria get into a building’s water supply, including in shower heads, sink faucets, hot water tanks, heaters, cooling towers and other plumbing systems.

Legionnaires’ disease has increased in prevalence over the last decade, reaching a peak of 2.71 cases per 100,000 in 2018, the CDC said. Cases dropped during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and then rebounded in 2021.

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On Monday, Burnham made the was invited by the king to form a new government shortly before the outgoing Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to King Charles III.  

The new prime minister said his government would be “a circuit breaker for Britain, bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years.”

Returning from Buckingham Palace to Downing Street, where he delivered his first remarks as prime minister, “I can do something to give people some breathing space now, some help with the cost of living,” Burnham said.

Standing outside Downing Street, Burnham said he will announce measures to help with the cost of living on Tuesday, promising immediate support for households while setting out plans for longer-term change.

“I will soon go through that door behind me and issue my first instruction: to end rough sleeping in our country.” Burnham also said he would unveil a 10-year plan for Britain later this year.

Burnham said, “It requires my generation of politicians to raise our game.” He said politicians are “acknowledging that many voters have grown frustrated with politics.”

“I want to be honest with you: We have not been good enough, and we need to be better,” Burnham said. “We will be.”

Speaking outside the prime minister’s official residence — 10 Downing Street — on Monday morning, Starmer said, “Today I am here to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as prime minister. My work is done.”

“I thank the British people for the opportunity to serve. I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved. Thank you very much,” Starmer added.

Andy Burnham, a Member of Parliament for Makerfield, England, ran unopposed to succeed Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation in June, setting Burnham on course to become the United Kingdom’s new prime minister.

Burnham becomes the U.K.’s seventh prime minister in a little over a decade since Britons voted in June 2016 to leave the European Union. That decision ultimately shrank the British economy, triggered anger at the governing class and contributed to a revolving door of prime ministers. Burnham is likely to face some of the same challenges that stymied Starmer: rising costs of living, slow growth and a volatile

Keir Starmer delivered his final speech outside No. 10 Downing St. earlier on Monday before heading to Buckingham Palace to formally resign as prime minister, declaring: “My work is done.”

“In 6 1/2 years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country, and won a landslide general election victory in 2024,” Starmer said. He described serving as prime minister as “the privilege of my life” and said he was leaving office confident Britain was “stronger and fairer” than it was two years ago.

Of his successor, the outgoing prime minister said, “I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham, I wish him every success. He has my full support.”

Closing his final address outside Downing Street, Starmer said, “I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything we have achieved.”

Starmer led the U.K.’s center-left Labour Party to a landslide victory two years ago. But his personal approval ratings sank. Polls show voters believe he failed to deliver palpable change. He was also criticized for appointing Peter Mandelson, a close friend of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as British ambassador to Washington. Starmer later fired Mandelson.

After Labour lost seats to a populist anti-immigration party in May’s local elections, more of Starmer’s own lawmakers joined calls for his removal.

Starmer resigned as Labour leader on June 22, and Burnham assumed that role on Friday. Under Britain’s parliamentary system, the ruling party can replace its leader — and therefore the prime minister — without a general election. The next election is not expected for another three years.

Andy Burnham previously served as a member of Parliament for 16 years, holding several Cabinet roles in the Labour governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He ran twice for the Labour leadership, receiving a nomination from Starmer during the 2015 contest, before leaving Parliament to become mayor of Greater Manchester.

As mayor, Burnham championed investment and devolution in the post-industrial region and has pledged to bring a similar approach to the U.K. nationally. He returned to Parliament in a special election last month.

Born and raised in the grittier north of England, the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham 56, has cultivated a working-class hero vibe, often wearing T-shirts rather than suits and advocating for blue-collar workers. He moonlights as a DJ on Manchester’s indie music scene. His social media videos have been compared to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s.

In terms of policy, Burnham has said he’ll scrap plans for digital ID cards, reverse the privatization of public transit and utilities and devolve power away from London toward municipal and regional authorities.

In recent days, there have been reports that Burnham might ease a ban on new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea — which won him immediate praise from President Trump on social media on Sunday. Trump wrote that with North Sea drilling, Burnham would transform the U.K. from “a Poverty Stricken Disaster, to one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World!”

Andy Burnham spoke with Trump

Andy Burnham spoke with Trump soon after taking office on Monday afternoon, a statement from his office said.

The new prime minister “underlined his commitment to defense and security and said ensuring the security of the U.K. and its Allies was at the top of his agenda,” the statement said. The two leaders talked about the Middle East, and Burnham outlined Britain’s “commitment to securing the movement of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to support global supply chains and drive down costs for businesses and families across the country.”

Burnham also spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he invited to visit the U.K., a Downing Street statement said. Burnham expressed “resolute commitment to the people of Ukraine and underscored that there would be absolutely no change in the U.K.’s approach, including when it came to bearing down on Russia,” according to the statement.

In a conversation with European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, Burnham also vowed an “ironclad” commitment to Ukraine, according to another statement from his office.

Congratulations from European leaders

European leaders congratulated Burnham on becoming the U.K.’s new prime minister, with an invitation for his first foreign trip arriving from Berlin.

Through the rest of Monday, Burnham is expected to begin appointing cabinet ministers from Number 10.

The incoming prime minister said he would also make British politics “less toxic, adding, “I will work to build a new politics. The country is crying out for it.”

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