ORLANDO, Flordia: The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) opened its road toward the 2030 FIFA World Cup with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Peru on Saturday at a sold-out Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. The victory marked Mauricio Pochettino’s first match since signing a new contract that keeps him as U.S. head coach through 2030. The match also featured a strong showing from a new generation of American players, with 11 players earning their first senior international cap, including eight teenagers.

Justin Ellis and Julian Hall both scored on their international debuts, while Malik Tillman converted a second-half penalty and Sebastian Berhalter capped the victory with a spectacular long-range goal.

The United States made a fast start when 19-year-old Justin Ellis scored less than four minutes into his senior international debut. Ellis drew a foul on the left side of the field, earning the U.S. a free kick. Gio Reyna delivered the set piece, and Ellis rose inside the penalty area to head the ball toward the far post and give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

The goal was the fastest scored by a U.S. player on his senior debut in the modern era. Ellis also became the first player to score on his USMNT debut in his home state since Brandon Vazquez in 2023.

Peru responded in the 15th minute through veteran striker Gianluca Lapadula. Captain Yoshimar Yotún sent a cross toward the far post, where Lapadula rose above the defense and headed the ball into the opposite corner to make it 1-1. The U.S. continued to create opportunities before halftime, but Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made an important save to deny Malik Tillman from close range.

The match remained level until the 66th minute, when the United States regained the advantage from the penalty spot. Two minutes after entering the match for his international debut, Mathis Albert made a dangerous run into the penalty area and was brought down by a Peruvian defender. The referee awarded a penalty, and Tillman stepped forward to take it.

Tillman calmly sent his right-footed shot into the net to make it 2-1. It was Tillman’s third goal in three consecutive matches for the United States.

The U.S. extended its lead six minutes later. In the 72nd minute, Sebastian Berhalter delivered a dangerous cross toward the far post, and 18-year-old Julian Hall threw himself at the ball and redirected it into the net. Hall, who plays for New York Red Bulls, scored in his first appearance for the senior national team. He also became the first U.S. player since Matko Miljevic in January 2025 to score and record an assist in his senior international debut.

Sebastian Berhalter put the result beyond doubt in the 90th minute with a spectacular strike from outside the penalty area. After receiving the ball from Hall, Berhalter took his chance from roughly 25 yards and fired a powerful shot beyond Gallese’s reach to make it 4-1. It was Berhalter’s third international goal in 19 appearances for the United States.

The statistics reflected the United States’ control of the match. The USMNT enjoyed 70 percent possession, completed 94 percent of its passes and outshot Peru 16-5. The victory also extended the U.S. team’s unbeaten run at its Orlando home venue to eight matches. The game was played before a sellout crowd of 24,228.

The match marked the beginning of a new phase for the U.S. national team following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Eleven players made their senior international debuts: Mathis Albert, Justin Ellis, Zavier Gozo, Julian Hall, Diego Kochen, Adri Mehmeti, Peyton Miller, Neil Pierre, Brooklyn Raines, Cavan Sullivan and Frankie Westfield. Cavan Sullivan, at 16 years and 363 days, became the fourth-youngest player to make his senior debut for the United States. The youthful lineup included three teenagers from the start: Ellis, Sullivan and defender Peyton Miller.

Pochettino used the Peru match to introduce a number of young players while also giving several established internationals important minutes. The U.S. coach has a new contract extending through 2030, and the Peru match was the first step toward building the squad for the next World Cup cycle.

The United States will play three more matches during the current international window, beginning with Chile on September 29 in St. Louis. The team will then face Mexico on October 3 in Glendale, Arizona, before closing the window against Canada on October 6 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Final Score:
United States 4-1 Peru

Goals:
4′ — Justin Ellis (USA)
15′ — Gianluca Lapadula (Peru)
66′ — Malik Tillman (USA, penalty)
72′ — Julian Hall (USA)
90′ — Sebastian Berhalter (USA)

DHAKA — U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Christensen and Chief of Army Staff General Waqar-Uz-Zaman have reaffirmed the enduring strength of the defense relationship between the United States and Bangladesh. In a statement following the meeting, Ambassador Christensen said he and General Waqar-Uz-Zaman reaffirmed their commitment to the longstanding defense partnership between the two countries.

The ambassador also expressed appreciation for Bangladesh’s substantial contribution to the Haiti Gang Suppression Force, highlighting the country’s role in international security efforts.

“Chief of Army Staff General Waqar-Uz-Zaman and I reaffirmed the enduring strength of the U.S.-Bangladesh defense relationship,” Christensen said.

“I also expressed my appreciation for Bangladesh’s substantial contribution to the Haiti Gang Suppression Force—an example of Bangladesh’s important role as a global security partner,” he added.

Bangladesh has a long-standing record of participation in international peace and security operations. Its contribution to the Haiti mission underscores the country’s continued engagement in multinational efforts to address security challenges. The meeting comes as Washington and Dhaka continue to strengthen cooperation in defense and security, alongside broader bilateral engagement between the two countries.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in New York on Monday to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), beginning a packed diplomatic visit that will include his address to the General Assembly, meetings with world leaders and engagements on climate change, the Rohingya crisis, global business and development.

The Prime Minister arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport aboard a Turkish Airlines flight following a stopover in Istanbul. His wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and members of his delegation accompanied him.

Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony said the flight landed at JFK International Airport at around 6:20 p.m. New York time. Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Irene Zubaida Khan, and Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Tareq Md Ariful Islam received the Prime Minister at the airport. Following his arrival, a motorcade escorted the Prime Minister to Hyatt Grand Central New York, where he is scheduled to stay during his visit.

Bangladeshi community welcomes Prime Minister

BNP leaders and activists, along with members of the Bangladeshi expatriate community, gathered in New York to welcome the Prime Minister. Supporters carrying banners, posters and festoons assembled near the airport and along parts of the route leading toward Manhattan. As the Prime Minister’s motorcade passed, members of the crowd waved and chanted slogans, while the Prime Minister responded by waving to them. Jackson Heights, home to one of the largest Bangladeshi communities in New York, was also decorated with banners, posters and festoons marking his visit.

UNGA address scheduled for September 24

The centerpiece of the Prime Minister’s New York visit will be his address to the 81st UN General Assembly on September 24. His official engagements are scheduled to begin on September 22, when he will attend a welcome breakfast hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for heads of state and government and their spouses at UN Headquarters.

He will subsequently attend the opening of the UNGA general debate and hold a series of bilateral and courtesy meetings with foreign leaders and senior officials of international organizations.

Among his scheduled engagements are meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

The Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop, European Council President António Costa, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan. In the evening, the Prime Minister and Dr Zubaida Rahman are scheduled to attend a reception hosted by the US President for visiting heads of state and government and their spouses.

Rohingya crisis and climate action on agenda

On September 23, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting with representatives of international charitable and humanitarian organizations at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations. He will also participate in a high-level event focusing on the Rohingya crisis and efforts to achieve a durable solution to the prolonged displacement through justice and accountability.

Climate change will feature prominently on the Prime Minister’s agenda. He is scheduled to participate in the UN high-level meeting on “Climate Action and the Just Transition” and hold a bilateral meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Boeing Global President Dr Brendan Nelson is also scheduled to call on the Prime Minister at his hotel, where a signing ceremony involving Bangladesh government representatives is expected to take place.

Sea-level rise, maternal health and bilateral meetings

On September 24, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to deliver opening remarks at a high-level meeting addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise. He will also attend an event titled “From Commitment to Action: Integrating Midwifery into Primary Health Care to End Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths,” where he is expected to deliver opening remarks.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and meet UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Later in the day, he is expected to address the General Assembly. His speech is tentatively scheduled for around 5:30 p.m. New York time, although the timing may change depending on the progress of the general debate. Following his UNGA address, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted in his honor by Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Wall Street engagement before departure

On September 25, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a breakfast meeting with Wall Street representatives hosted by JPMorgan at its Manhattan headquarters. He will also hold a bilateral meeting with Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and attend a lunch meeting with Prince Zeid Al Hussein, President of the International Peace Institute.

Before concluding his New York visit, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to meet BNP leaders in the United States. He is expected to depart New York for Dhaka at 11 p.m. on September 25 aboard Emirates flight EK202 via Dubai and arrive in Bangladesh on September 27.

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is seeking additional air-defense support from regional and Western allies as its stocks of missile interceptors come under pressure amid intensifying attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, according to two regional officials. The officials told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defense capabilities to the region to help counter missiles and drones launched by the Houthis and other Iran-backed groups. Saudi officials had not immediately confirmed the requests.

The reported requests come as Saudi Arabia faces increasing attacks against its territory, military facilities and energy infrastructure. The kingdom has also been seeking to protect vital oil facilities and shipping routes amid the wider regional conflict. The officials said Saudi Arabia’s need for additional support is partly linked to pressure on U.S. stocks of missile interceptors after more than six months of war with Iran. The United States has been Saudi Arabia’s principal military ally and arms supplier.

The escalation has opened another front in the broader regional conflict. Houthi forces have intensified their attacks while Saudi Arabia has carried out airstrikes against targets in Yemen. Reuters reported Thursday that fighting between the two sides had intensified, with missiles and drones launched toward Saudi territory.

Saudi Arabia said earlier this week that it intercepted a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the holy city. The Houthis denied targeting Mecca. The Saudi Civil Defense said Thursday that debris from an intercepted Houthi drone killed one person and injured two others in Taif province. The incident was reported amid a wider increase in drone attacks targeting Saudi territory and energy infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia is also facing pressure on its energy infrastructure. A key East-West oil pipeline has been shut following an attack linked to Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, while attacks and disruptions around the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz have affected regional energy and shipping routes.

Britain has acknowledged its close defense partnership with Saudi Arabia but has not confirmed whether Riyadh formally requested British military assistance. Officials from Turkey and Pakistan have also said they had not received a Saudi request for military support under their recently established defense arrangement.

The United States has maintained contact with Saudi authorities and is providing intelligence-sharing and planning support, but Washington has so far stopped short of directly entering the fighting against the Houthis.

Saudi Arabia’s reported search for additional air-defense assistance comes as the regional conflict places growing demands on missile-defense systems and raises concerns over the security of energy infrastructure and major maritime trade routes.

New York: The Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN hosted a luncheon in honor of the Heads of Military Components and Force Commanders serving in United Nations peacekeeping missions at the Mission today hosted by the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury. The event was attended by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare, Acting Military Adviser of the Office of Military Affairs Lieutenant General Cheryl Pearce along with distinguished Force Commanders, senior UN officials and diplomats.

In his welcoming remarks, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh Ambassador Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury expressed deep appreciation for the leadership of Force Commanders and Heads of Military Components serving in challenging UN peacekeeping missions. Paying rich tribute to the peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, Ambassador Chowdhury underscored Bangladesh’s readiness to further strengthen its contributions in partnership with the United Nations and the international community.

The programme was moderated by Brigadier General Mohammad Golam Rabbani the Defence Attaché of the Mission who concluded the event by expressing his sincere gratitude to all distinguished guests for their presence.

Bangladesh has emerged as one of the most climate-vulnerable yet climate-indebted nations, according to the newly released Climate Debt Risk Index (CDRI-2025) by Change Initiative. With a national risk score of 65.37 out of 100, projected to rise to 65.63 by 2031, Bangladesh now falls under the ‘High Risk’ category—signaling a dangerous trajectory if immediate action is not taken.

Despite contributing less than 0.5% to global greenhouse gas emissions, Bangladesh now bears one of the highest per capita climate debts at $79.6, with a debt-to-grant ratio of 2.7—almost four times higher than the LDC benchmark of 0.7. The burden is exacerbated by an alarming multilateral climate loan ratio of 0.94, nearly five times the LDC average of 0.19.

The report highlights a deeper crisis: the adaptation-to-mitigation ratio stands at just 0.42, severely underfunding life-saving resilience work. The Index warns that the current international climate finance system—originally envisioned as reparations under the Paris Agreement—has morphed into a climate debt trap, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable nations.

“Protecting biodiversity can reduce climate impacts, yet global forums like COP often fail to deliver results,” said Dr Farhina Ahmed, secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

“Bangladesh must respond by addressing unequal carbon emissions, as highlighted by the ICJ judgment, while prioritizing national adaptation plans and NDC implementation.”

Key Findings for Bangladesh:

• • Per Capita Climate Debt: $79.6—among the highest in LDCs
  • Debt-to-Grant Ratio: 2.7—nearly 4x the LDC average of 0.7
  • Multilateral Climate Loan Ratio: 0.94 vs. 0.19 LDC average
  • Adaptation-to-Mitigation Ratio: 0.42—less than half of LDC average (0.88)
  • Loan Burden per Ton of CO₂e: $29.52—contradicts Polluter Pays Principle
  • Misattributed Fossil Finance: 18.84% of “climate finance” went to fossil fuel projects with a staggering loan-to-grant ratio of 28.8:1.

Sectoral Analysis:

• Energy Sector: Loan-to-grant ratio of 11.99:1
• Transport & Storage: Virtually all debt-financed (1123:1)
• Water Supply: 7.78:1, despite being adaptation-critical

Sectors like agriculture, health, and disaster preparedness remain critically underfunded.

“Grants are limited, loans risky, and overreliance on the private sector heightens financial strain,” said Dr AK Enamul Haque, director general, BIDS.

“True resilience demands local knowledge, technology, and systemic change—incremental fixes are not enough.”

“Without firm pledges and clear governance, the $1B Climate Finance Action Fund, launched in COP29, risks remaining an ambition, not a lifeline for vulnerable nations,” added M Zakir Hossain Khan, chief executive of Change Initiative.

Household Burden Rising

The report reveals that between 2000 and 2023, over 130 million Bangladeshis were displaced or affected by climate hazards, causing $13.6 billion in losses. In the absence of sufficient public adaptation support, households now spend an average of Tk10,700 (~$88) annually on self-financed climate protection—totaling $1.7 billion a year.

“Adaptation finance must be grant-based and equitable, or the world risks a climate debt crisis where survival becomes unaffordable,” said Dr Fazle Rabbi Sadeque Ahmed, deputy managing director, PKSF.

The Call for a Just Climate Finance System

Change Initiative outlines a new roadmap grounded in Natural Rights Led Governance (NRLG)—a people-and-nature-centric approach that treats climate finance as a legal obligation, not charity.

Key policy asks include:

• A grant-first approach for adaptation, loss, and damage
• Debt-for-nature swaps and immediate climate debt relief
• Transparent classification systems to prevent misattribution
• A bottom-up Earth Solidarity Fund for direct, unconditional community grants
• Reforms to MDBs to end fossil fuel and unproven energy support

“Unless Bangladesh ensures accountability, transparency, and good governance, access to global finance will remain limited,” warned Shirin Lira, cooperation officer, Embassy of Switzerland.

“During disasters, local communities are the first responders—and without building their capacity, pledges won’t translate into real action.”

“Bangladesh contributes little to global emissions yet suffers the greatest impacts,” added Dr Saimun Parvez, special assistant to chairperson, BNP.

“We must move from loans to justice—this is the time to end climate debt and usher in climate equity.”

YouTube has announced it will shut down its Trending Page on July 21, nearly 10 years after its launch in 2015, citing a significant drop in user engagement. In a blog post on the YouTube Help page, the company revealed that visits to the Trending Page have decreased sharply over the past five years as users increasingly discover popular content through other features like recommendations, search suggestions, Shorts, comments, and Communities.

“YouTube’s Trending Page Help Center has revealed that the Trending Page will be shut down on July 21,” the company stated.

Going forward, YouTube will highlight trending content through YouTube Charts. While currently limited to music, users can explore Trending Music Videos, Weekly Top Podcast Shows, and Trending Movie Trailers, reports says.

More content categories will be added over time. Gaming videos will continue to appear on the Gaming Explore page. In addition to Charts, YouTube said it will offer personalised video recommendations, allowing a “wider range of popular content” to be shown to users based on individual preferences.

Non-personalised trending content will still be available via the Explore Page, creator channels, and subscription feeds. Content creators have long used the Trending Page to promote videos and monitor viral trends. For them, YouTube said the Inspiration tab in YouTube Studio will continue to offer personalised content ideas.

The platform also announced an update to its monetisation policy, aimed at curbing inauthentic, mass-produced content. The new rules take effect on July 15.

Alphabet’s Google has hired several key staff members from AI code generation startup Windsurf, the companies announced on Friday, in a surprise move following an attempt by its rival OpenAI to acquire the startup. Google is paying $2.4 billion in license fees as part of the deal to use some of Windsurf’s technology under non-exclusive terms, according to a person familiar with the arrangement. Google will not take a stake or any controlling interest in Windsurf, the person added.

Windsurf CEO Varun Mohan, co-founder Douglas Chen, and some members of the coding tool’s research and development team will join Google’s DeepMind AI division. The deal followed months of discussions Windsurf was having with OpenAI to sell itself in a deal that could value it at $3 billion, highlighting the interest in the code-generation space which has emerged as one of the fastest-growing AI applications, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters in June.

OpenAI could not be immediately reached for a comment. The former Windsurf team will focus on agentic coding initiatives at Google DeepMind, primarily working on the Gemini project.

“We’re excited to welcome some top AI coding talent from Windsurf’s team to Google DeepMind to advance our work in agentic coding,” Google said in a statement.

The unusual deal structure marks a win for backers for Windsurf, which has raised $243 million from investors including Kleiner Perkins, Greenoaks and General Catalyst, and was last valued at $1.25 billion one year ago, according to PitchBook.

Windsurf investors will receive liquidity through the license fee and retain their stakes in the company, sources told Reuters. Google’s surprise swoop mirrors its deal in August 2024 to hire key employees from chatbot startup Character.AI.

Big Tech peers, including Microsoft, Amazon and Meta, have similarly taken to these so-called acquihire deals, which some have criticized as an attempt to evade regulatory scrutiny. Microsoft struck a $650 million deal with Inflection AI in March 2024, to use the AI startup’s models and hire its staff, while Amazon hired AI firm Adept’s co-founders and some of its team last June. Meta took a 49% stake in Scale AI in June in the biggest test yet of this increasing form of business partnerships.

Unlike acquisitions that would give the buyer a controlling stake, these deals do not require a review by US antitrust regulators. However, they could probe the deal if they believe it was structured to avoid those requirements or harm competition. Many of the deals have since become the subject of regulatory probes.

The development comes as tech giants, including Alphabet and Meta, aggressively chase high-profile acquisitions and offer multi-million-dollar pay packages to attract top talent in the race to lead the next wave of AI.

Windsurf’s head of business, Jeff Wang, has been appointed its interim CEO, and Graham Moreno, vice president of global sales, will be president, effective immediately. The majority of Windsurf’s roughly 250 employees will remain with the company, which has announced plans to prioritize innovation for its enterprise clients.