Shibbir Ahmed, New York – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned Monday that the world is running out of time to establish safeguards for artificial intelligence, as a rapid race among companies and governments to develop increasingly powerful systems raises concerns about human rights, security and human safety.

Speaking at an AI and Human Rights Summit in Oxford, Türk said artificial intelligence could deliver major advances in science, health, education and human rights. But he warned that the technology is increasingly being developed and controlled by a small number of companies and governments, with limited public oversight.

He said AI systems are already capable of actions that their creators cannot fully predict or manage. Türk warned that artificial intelligence could undermine equality, freedom, privacy and public debate in ways that may initially go unnoticed. He said AI-driven systems could potentially affect people’s access to essential services, including communications, clean water, heating and financial services.

The UN rights chief called for urgent measures to prevent machines from making decisions over life and death, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly important in warfare.

He also raised concerns about the effect of AI on education, citing studies suggesting that students who rely heavily on the technology may retain less information and think less independently. Türk questioned whether society could reach a point where people are unable to understand, challenge or effectively guide increasingly sophisticated AI systems.

The warning came as officials in New York City were also examining the risks posed by artificial intelligence. The New York City Council held a Committee of the Whole hearing Monday as it considers 10 bills aimed at regulating AI. Representatives from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and Meta were among those providing testimony.

Türk called for mandatory human rights safeguards and due diligence in the development and use of AI. He said countries that host AI companies or have influence over their supply chains should require responsible practices and hold companies accountable when they fail to meet those standards.

He acknowledged that existing laws cannot address every emerging AI challenge, saying some areas may require new legal approaches. In the meantime, he urged governments to strengthen rules governing liability, cybersecurity and data protection.

Türk also called for greater international cooperation on AI security, independent monitoring of the industry and stronger participation by civil society and people whose rights are affected by AI systems.

He welcomed recent international initiatives, including the Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI. He also pointed to a joint call for tighter controls on frontier AI models supported by 29 countries and the European Union.

The UN official said recent voluntary commitments by AI companies on safeguards, self-regulation and risk assessment represented some progress, but warned that commitments must be followed by concrete action.

“Too few are walking the talk,” Türk said. He said the international community could no longer afford to wait for voluntary action or rely solely on goodwill.

“If we fail to move quickly,” Türk warned, “we risk unforeseeable consequences — for ourselves and future generations.”

WASHINGTON DC — The United States is heading into the November midterm elections with unemployment near historically low levels, but a weakening pace of hiring, persistent inflation and declining confidence in the economy are complicating the picture for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.

The unemployment rate stood at 4.2% in September, a level generally associated with a labor market close to full employment. But the latest employment figures show an economy that is no longer generating jobs at the pace seen during the post-pandemic recovery, with employers becoming more cautious about hiring and workers losing some of the bargaining power they previously enjoyed.

Employers added just 29,000 jobs in September, well below the 90,000 increase economists surveyed by Reuters had expected. Payroll growth for August was also revised downward. Despite the weak hiring figures, there has been little evidence of a broad increase in layoffs, with unemployment claims remaining near historically low levels.

The labor market’s changing dynamics are creating a more complicated economic environment ahead of the November 3 elections. While Americans who have jobs continue to support consumer spending, fewer workers are finding the rapidly rising wages and abundant employment opportunities that characterized the years immediately following the pandemic.

Inflation has further weakened the benefits of wage growth. Real disposable income growth has remained below 2%, meaning that after accounting for rising prices, many households have seen only modest increases in the amount of money available for spending and saving.

The labor supply is also facing structural pressures. An aging population and lower birth rates are limiting the growth of the workforce, while tighter immigration policies have further affected the number of workers available to employers. The labor force remains below the record level reached in late 2025, according to the Reuters analysis.

Manufacturing employment presents another challenge for the administration. Trump campaigned on expanding American manufacturing through tariffs and deregulation, but manufacturing employment has so far shown limited improvement. The sector employed about 12.6 million people, roughly 21,000 fewer than when Trump took office in January 2025, according to Reuters.

The broader economy is also facing renewed inflationary pressure. The U.S. services sector expanded in September, but activity slowed slightly and the prices paid by businesses for inputs rose to their highest level in more than four years, according to an Institute for Supply Management survey reported Monday. Higher fuel and commodity costs, along with supply-chain disruptions, are adding to concerns about inflation.

The Federal Reserve is closely watching the conflicting signals. A weaker September jobs report has reduced expectations of another interest-rate increase at the central bank’s October meeting, although persistent inflation could keep another increase on the table later in the year.

For the White House, the economic record presents both strengths and vulnerabilities. The low unemployment rate provides evidence of continued labor-market resilience, but slower hiring and elevated living costs are shaping how households experience the economy.

With voters preparing to choose members of Congress in November, the distinction between a technically strong labor market and the day-to-day economic experience of households could become increasingly important. The economy continues to expand and layoffs remain limited, but the post-pandemic period of rapid hiring and strong wage gains has clearly lost momentum.

The result is an economy entering the midterm campaign with low unemployment but fewer signs of the extraordinary labor-market strength that defined the earlier recovery. For voters and policymakers alike, the central question is increasingly whether the current stability can be maintained while inflation, energy costs and slower job creation continue to put pressure on American households.

GENEVA — The United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday unanimously called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to repeal policies restricting the fundamental rights and freedoms of women and girls, warning that the country’s institutionalized discrimination has reached an alarming level.

The 47-member council adopted the resolution without a vote, expressing serious concern over what it described as the “grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression” of women and girls under Taliban rule.

The resolution condemned what the council called the Taliban’s institutionalization of discrimination, segregation and exclusion of women and girls, as well as restrictions affecting their dignity and participation in public life.

The Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021 and subsequently introduced a series of measures based on its interpretation of Islamic law. The restrictions have particularly affected women and girls, including limits on employment, access to public spaces and education.

Girls have been barred from attending secondary schools beyond approximately the age of 12, while women have faced restrictions on employment and access to various public places, including parks.

The council said it was deeply concerned by what it described as the continuing and systematic erosion of women’s rights in Afghanistan. It said the Taliban had imposed an expanding network of decrees and institutional controls that had affected many aspects of both public and private life.

According to the resolution, the measures have contributed to a society marked by what the council described as “ideological conformity, fear and exclusion.”

The council called on the Taliban to repeal policies and practices restricting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls, including their rights to education, employment, peaceful assembly and political participation.

It also urged the international community to take human rights and fundamental freedoms into account in its engagement with authorities and other stakeholders in Afghanistan.

The resolution condemned discrimination against women and girls and expressed concern over other alleged human rights abuses in the country, including sexual slavery of boys, child marriage and forced marriage.

The council also voiced concern over what it described as deeply entrenched impunity in Afghanistan and expressed sympathy for the suffering of the Afghan population.

The resolution was introduced by a group of 37 European countries, together with Canada and Chile. The council also voted to extend the mandate of the United Nations independent special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan for another year.

The resolution adds to continuing international pressure on the Taliban over its treatment of women and girls. While the Taliban authorities have sought greater international engagement since returning to power, their restrictions on women’s rights remain a major obstacle in relations with much of the international community.

DHAKA- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said the government is working to make teaching a first-choice profession for meritorious people by reforming teacher recruitment and the education system.

“Teaching can never be a profession of last resort or merely another job. Rather, we are reshaping teacher recruitment and the education system to ensure that the most meritorious people choose teaching as their first choice of profession,” he said. The Prime Minister was addressing as the chief guest at a ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium here marking World Teachers’ Day 2026 and honouring selected teachers from primary to higher education levels with the national ‘Eminent Teacher Award’.

Tarique Rahman said, “We believe that the dignity of the state is linked to the honour and dignity of teachers in the state and society. If the dignity of teachers remains intact in society, the image of the state is enhanced.”

This year’s theme of World Teachers’ Day is: “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Enhancing Dignity and Shaping Our Future.”

The Prime Minister expressed his profound respect to teachers of all primary and secondary schools, colleges, madrasas, technical institutions and universities across the country, and congratulated those who received the ‘Eminent Teacher Award’ for their merit and competence.

He said if teachers could become the “need and loved ones” of their students, it would be easier for the students to face global challenges as responsible citizens through education.

Referring to teachers as “ideal role models” for every student after they move beyond the family school, Tarique Rahman said the government is formulating and implementing plans so that teachers can confidently present themselves as role models before their students.

In the era of rapid development of social media and artificial intelligence (AI), he said, there is no alternative to technical and practical education beyond conventional teaching methods.

“So, changing the strategies of learning and teaching and modernising the education curriculum is the demand of the time,” he said.

The government has formulated a new curriculum based on the realities of the time, and students will receive textbooks based on the new curriculum within this year, the Premier said, adding that the methods of learning and teaching are extremely important to ensure that students do not become alienated from books.

“Instead of mere memorisation, we have to raise the questions of ‘why’ and ‘how’ in the minds of students. If curiosity is created, a student can become his or her own teacher,” he continued.

Tarique Rahman said “joyful learning” has become popular across the world, particularly among school students.

For the first time in Bangladesh, he said, the Ministry of Education is providing sixth-grade students with a new book titled “Learning with Happiness”. Similar books will be introduced for other grades in phases.

The prime minister said the education system currently faces both immense opportunities and major challenges. Artificial intelligence has opened up vast opportunities for acquiring knowledge, while technical and practical knowledge has become indispensable instead of certificate-based knowledge, he added.

Referring to the new challenges created for teachers by rapid advances in information technology, Tarique Rahman said teachers’ training colleges need to be further modernised to meet the challenges of the time.

“We do not want to see technology as a substitute for teachers. Rather, technology will be the strength of teachers,” he said, adding that the government is advancing the “One Teacher, One Tab” programme to this end.

The prime minister said teachers would be able to use digital lesson plans, question banks, students’ learning progress data and necessary teaching materials through their tablets. Multimedia classrooms are also being
expanded at educational institutions across the country, while free Wi-Fi facilities are being increased, he added.

The Premier said the government wants to build an education system where no child is deprived of education.”It is also essential to ensure that even if someone drops out at any stage of their educational life for any reason, they do not remain unemployed,” he said.

Describing education as the biggest priority of the incumbent government, Tarique Rahman said the highest-ever allocation for education has been made in the national budget for the first time in the country’s history and the allocation will be increased gradually.

Highlighting the scale of secondary education, he said there are currently around 21,000 institutions at the secondary level, where more than 300,000 teachers are providing education to millions of students.

“Much of secondary education depends on private and MPO-listed institutions,” he said.

“There is still some disparity between urban and rural areas in terms of educational opportunities,” the Prime Minister said, adding that the government has various plans to ensure that students in both urban and rural
areas have access to skilled teachers and modern technology.

Describing the government’s approach to reforming the education system, he said its core foundations are equal opportunities, quality education and non-discriminatory access.

Tarique Rahman said employment-oriented education is necessary, but employment is not the sole purpose of education. “Moral and character development is also one of the key objectives of education. If knowledge is not linked with morality, it can become a cause of harm rather than benefit to society,” he continued.

Urging teachers to make truthfulness, a sense of responsibility, empathy, patriotism, humanity, discipline and respect for others integral parts of education, he said teachers play the most important role after families in
instilling moral values in students.

Highlighting various government measures to ensure teachers’ financial security and make teaching a more dignified and competitive profession, the Prime Minister said the government is working particularly for teachers at the primary, secondary and higher-secondary levels.

He further said the President and the Prime Minister invite people from different professions and sections of society to state functions at national occasions, including Independence Day and Victory Day.

“From this year, based on a policy, the concerned authorities are being instructed to make it mandatory to invite at least one teacher each from primary and secondary schools to such events,” he said.

Tarique Rahman said a teacher, whether serving or retired, remains worthy of the state’s respect throughout his or her life because of the noble profession.

Mentioning instructions to end harassment of teachers in receiving salaries and retirement benefits, he said a teacher should not have to visit offices and suffer hardship merely to receive salary or retirement benefits.

“The money due to a teacher must reach their bank account on time and in accordance with the rules,” he said. The Premier said the country’s teachers are one of the key instruments for building a knowledge-based state and society. World Teachers’ Day is observed globally on October 5 every year to highlight the importance of teachers’ dignity, rights, professional development and ensuring quality education.

Chaired by Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, it was also addressed, among others, by National Professor Dr Mahbub Ullah, Prime Minister’s Office Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education Md Selim Bhuiyan.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — The United Nations is approaching a critical leadership transition as it confronts mounting financial pressure, deep divisions among major powers and growing demands for reform. The organization’s next secretary-general will inherit a UN struggling to maintain its influence over some of the world’s most serious conflicts while facing questions about its ability to meet expanding humanitarian and development needs.

The transition comes as the United Nations prepares for a new secretary-general to take office on January 1, 2027. The incoming leader will succeed António Guterres, who has spent nearly a decade at the helm of the organization and has repeatedly warned that the international system is under severe strain.

In a recent assessment, The Associated Press described the UN as facing a combination of financial difficulties, geopolitical divisions and questions over its relevance. The organization continues to play a major role in humanitarian assistance and international cooperation, but its ability to resolve major conflicts has often been constrained by disagreements among powerful member states.

One of the most immediate challenges is the United Nations’ financial position. The United States, historically the organization’s largest financial contributor, has accumulated substantial unpaid assessments. According to Congressional Research Service data, U.S. unpaid assessments stood at approximately $2.04 billion for the UN regular budget and $2.25 billion for peacekeeping as of April 30, 2026.

Washington has indicated that it intends to make payments toward its outstanding obligations. Reuters reported in August that the Trump administration had notified Congress of plans for a payment of $725 million toward U.S. debt to the United Nations. The issue nevertheless remains part of a broader dispute over the cost, structure and effectiveness of the international organization.

The financial pressure has consequences beyond the UN’s headquarters in New York. United Nations agencies and programs provide assistance to millions of people affected by conflict, displacement, hunger and natural disasters. Reduced or delayed funding can force agencies to scale back operations at a time when humanitarian needs are increasing in several regions.

The organization is also under pressure to reform its internal structure. Guterres has promoted the UN80 Initiative, an effort intended to make the United Nations more efficient, reduce duplication and strengthen accountability. The initiative has included organizational restructuring and reductions in posts as the UN seeks to operate with fewer resources.

But the most difficult reforms are political rather than administrative. For years, countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America have demanded changes to the UN Security Council, arguing that its current structure does not adequately reflect the modern international system.

The Security Council’s five permanent members—the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom—retain veto power over substantive decisions. African countries in particular have called for permanent representation on the council, while other governments have pressed for broader changes to the composition of the body.

Reforming the Security Council, however, remains extremely difficult. Any major change would require agreement among member states, including the existing permanent members whose own political interests can conflict with calls for a broader distribution of power.

The UN’s difficulties have become particularly visible during major international conflicts. The organization has remained heavily involved in humanitarian operations related to wars in Gaza, Ukraine and other regions, but disagreements among major powers have frequently limited the Security Council’s ability to take decisive action.

That gap between the UN’s humanitarian responsibilities and its political limitations has become one of the central challenges facing the organization. UN agencies continue to deliver food, medical assistance and other essential services, even as political divisions make it difficult for the wider organization to establish unified responses to conflicts.

The financial challenge is being compounded by a wider decline in international assistance. The UN’s own reform reporting has warned that international assistance fell sharply between 2024 and 2025, increasing pressure on humanitarian programs and development efforts.

Despite those difficulties, the United Nations remains a central institution for international cooperation. Its agencies continue to coordinate humanitarian relief, support refugees, assist developing countries and address global issues ranging from climate change to poverty and public health.

The organization has also continued efforts to provide emergency assistance to underfunded crises. UN officials have warned that financial resources alone are not sufficient, however, and that humanitarian operations also depend on security, political access and cooperation from governments and armed groups.

For the next secretary-general, the challenge will be to balance competing demands while restoring confidence in an institution facing unprecedented political fragmentation. The new leader will have to work simultaneously with Washington, Beijing, Moscow and other major powers while maintaining relationships with the broader UN membership.

The transition therefore represents more than a change in leadership. It is a test of whether the United Nations can adapt to a rapidly changing international system while retaining the principles on which it was founded.

Guterres has argued that the world does not need a weaker United Nations. The next secretary-general will face the task of demonstrating how the organization can become more effective at a time when its members are increasingly divided over money, power and the future of international cooperation.

For an organization created after World War II to prevent conflict and promote cooperation among nations, the coming years could prove decisive. Whether the UN emerges from its current difficulties stronger or weaker will ultimately depend not only on its next leader, but on whether its member states are prepared to provide the political support and financial resources necessary for reform.

Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — President Donald Trump is intensifying his campaign activity ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, embarking on a 32-day political tour aimed at helping Republican candidates defend the party’s majorities in Congress. Trump’s campaign push took him to Ohio on Saturday, where he rallied Republican supporters in Vandalia and campaigned for Senator Jon Husted and other GOP candidates in one of the country’s closely watched Senate contests.

The Ohio appearance followed campaign stops in Republican-leaning states including Texas, Oklahoma and Alabama, as Trump seeks to mobilize Republican voters and use his national profile to support candidates across the country. Reuters reported that Trump has been using rallies in strongly Republican areas while also focusing attention on competitive races.

Ohio has become a significant focus of the Republican campaign because control of the Senate could depend on a small number of competitive races. At Saturday’s rally, Trump endorsed Husted, who is seeking election to the Senate seat he currently occupies after being appointed to fill the vacancy created when JD Vance became vice president. Former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown is seeking to return to the Senate and is challenging Husted.

Trump also campaigned for Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who is facing Democrat Amy Acton. The president used the rally to promote his administration’s economic policies and defend the expansion of large data centers in Ohio, which have become a contentious issue because of concerns over electricity costs, land use and the impact of artificial-intelligence infrastructure on local communities. Trump argued that data-center investment would bring economic benefits to Ohio and warned that restricting such projects could push investment toward China.

Trump began his latest midterm campaign offensive Thursday, traveling to Texas before continuing to Oklahoma and Alabama. The White House and Republican National Committee have described an intensive schedule of appearances designed to boost Republican candidates and turnout before Election Day.

Reuters reported that Trump is seeking to persuade voters to focus on his administration’s economic record while Republicans campaign on issues including manufacturing, energy costs, immigration and economic growth. Trump has also promoted a proposal to provide a $5,000 payment to adult Americans if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress. The proposal would require congressional action and has drawn questions about its potential cost.

The campaign comes as economic concerns remain a major issue for voters. An AP-NORC poll conducted September 24-28 found that only 26% of U.S. adults approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 17% approved of his handling of the cost of living. The poll found that 65% of respondents attributed persistent high costs more to Trump’s policies than to factors outside his control.

The economic environment has complicated the Republican campaign as candidates seek to defend their party’s record while addressing voter concerns over prices, energy costs and employment. Trump has responded by arguing that the administration’s policies are producing economic gains that are not adequately reflected in public perceptions.

The president’s intensified campaigning reflects the importance of the midterms to the remainder of his second term. Republicans currently control both the House and Senate, and the November elections will determine the balance of power in Congress for the next two years. Trump has urged Republican voters to treat the election as a referendum on his administration and has repeatedly asked supporters to vote as though he himself were on the ballot.

The president’s campaign schedule is expected to continue through the final weeks before Election Day, with appearances designed to support candidates in competitive races as well as strengthen Republican turnout in areas where the party traditionally performs strongly.

For Trump and Republican candidates, the campaign now enters its most intensive phase, with economic conditions, energy prices, immigration, artificial-intelligence infrastructure and the administration’s broader record all expected to remain central issues through November 3.

Shibbir Ahmed, Washington DC — U.S. intelligence agencies are monitoring efforts by Russia and other foreign adversaries to influence the 2026 midterm elections through disinformation and efforts to undermine public confidence in the electoral process, according to U.S. lawmakers and officials cited in a report published Sunday. The intelligence assessment comes as state election officials prepare for the November elections amid concerns about the ability of the federal government and states to respond to foreign interference and other election-related threats.

According to the Washington Post, U.S. intelligence agencies expect Russia to use digital disinformation and other influence operations to sow distrust in the 2026 election results and deepen political divisions in the United States.

However, U.S. intelligence agencies have not detected evidence that foreign adversaries are capable of directly manipulating voting machines or vote counts, the report said. The assessment places renewed attention on election security as Americans approach the November midterm elections, when all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are scheduled to be contested.

Foreign interference in U.S. elections has increasingly focused on information operations rather than direct manipulation of voting equipment. Officials say adversaries can use social media, fabricated material and coordinated online campaigns to spread false or misleading claims about candidates, voting procedures and election results. The objective can be to create confusion, increase distrust and deepen existing political divisions.

The latest intelligence assessment specifically identifies Russia as a continuing source of concern, while also referring to efforts by other foreign adversaries. The concerns come as election officials across the country work to protect voting infrastructure and maintain public confidence in the electoral process.

The Washington Post reported that state officials are concerned about changes to the federal government’s election-security infrastructure and its ability to coordinate effectively with states ahead of the midterms. Election administration in the United States is highly decentralized, with states and local jurisdictions responsible for conducting elections. That structure means cybersecurity, physical security, voter-registration systems and election-related communications involve federal, state and local authorities.

The federal government has nevertheless played a significant role in identifying and responding to foreign threats, particularly through intelligence and cybersecurity agencies. The Defense Department has also recently directed its personnel to strengthen efforts against foreign interference in U.S. elections. An Axios report published September 28 said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a directive instructing the department to use intelligence and cyber capabilities against foreign actors seeking to interfere in U.S. elections.

The foreign-interference threat is unfolding alongside intense domestic political disputes over election administration. Democrats in Congress have been conducting contingency planning for possible disruptions surrounding Election Day, including scenarios involving misinformation, federal involvement at polling locations and disputes over election results. CNN reported that Senate Democrats have held closed-door discussions with legal experts and former officials to prepare for a range of possible election-day scenarios.

Those scenarios are political contingency plans rather than evidence that the events described will occur. At the same time, federal officials have continued investigations into alleged election-related violations, including suspected illegal voting and registration offenses. The Associated Press reported last month that federal investigations since January 2025 had resulted in approximately 1,600 voter-fraud cases and 160 arrests, although election-law experts emphasized that such cases represent a very small share of the country’s more than 211 million active registered voters.

Despite the warnings about foreign influence operations, the distinction between influencing voters and manipulating votes remains critical. The latest intelligence assessment cited by the Washington Post found no evidence that foreign adversaries can directly interfere with voting machines or alter vote counts. The primary concern is therefore the integrity of the information environment surrounding the election: whether voters receive accurate information, whether false claims can spread rapidly online and whether foreign actors can exploit political divisions to undermine confidence in legitimate election results.

With the November midterms approaching, federal and state authorities face the challenge of countering foreign influence while maintaining public confidence in an election system administered largely at the state and local levels. The 2026 election-security debate is consequently developing on two separate fronts: protecting the technical process of voting and protecting public trust in the results.

TEHRAN – Iran’s top diplomat insisted on Sunday that there would be no military solution to the United States’ war against the Islamic republic, with talks on ending the conflict apparently at an impasse. A campaign of heavy bombardment failed to bring a decisive close to the war launched by the US and Israel in late February, and Washington in recent weeks has dialled back military operations in favour of economic pressure.

The main point of contention remains Iran’s attempt to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for Gulf oil and gas where a UK maritime agency reported on Sunday another tanker struck by an unknown projectile. “If our enemies again choose the path of military confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend ourselves with even more force,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said at a gathering of foreign ambassadors.

“There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new sanctions,” he continued, adding “only negotiations based on justice and fairness” could end the conflict. The two sides agreed a memorandum of understanding in June that spelled out a framework for a permanent resolution, but Iranian attacks on vessels in the Hormuz prompted a return to US military operations.

Iran has sought to impose its control over the vital shipping lane since the start of the war, striking vessels that attempt to transit without its authorisation. The US has imposed its own counterblockade of Iranian ports, and has also struck vessels it accuses of violating it.

On Sunday, the British maritime security agency UKMTO said a tanker in the Hormuz “reported being struck by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the engine room”, though the crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was recorded. The agency did not specify the date of the incident, the vessel’s origin or destination, or whether it was an oil tanker or LNG carrier.

Iranian and US officials last week held indirect talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with Tehran saying it presented seven conditions for reopening the strait. Iran has demanded, among other things, a ceasefire across the Middle East, the unfreezing of its assets abroad, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector and an end to the US naval blockade.

Trump, however, rejected the proposal, while leaving the door open both to further talks or renewed military operations. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei on Sunday characterised the latest US counterproposal as being “in line with their previous proposals concerning nuclear issues”.

“We have clearly indicated that we are focusing on the issue of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said, adding that reopening the waterway required “an end to the disruptions to Iranian commercial maritime traffic and the lifting of sanctions”.

The United States and Israel have characterised the war as being necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons — a goal it has long denied pursuing — though the focus soon shifted to reopening the Hormuz after its closure sent shockwaves through world energy markets. The United States has not struck Iran since September 1, but it has recently pursued a fresh military buildup in the region.

US media outlet Axios reported that Washington has deployed additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to help protect key energy facilities from possible Iranian retaliation. It also reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its strike group were heading to the Middle East, where they could join two other US carrier strike groups already in the region.

Axios reported that top Trump cabinet members met Friday to discuss the war in Iran, as well as the conflict in Yemen, where the Tehran-backed Houthis have been fighting government forces and attacking Saudi Arabia.

DHAKA – Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today asked the authorities concerned to expedite the construction of the inner circular road to ease traffic congestion in the capital. He gave the instruction while chairing a meeting at his Office at the Bangladesh Secretariat to review progress in the construction of the Inner Circular Road in the capital, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu.

The prime minister asked the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry and the Local Government Division to jointly review the existing project plan and take steps to expedite the construction work.

The deputy press secretary said Tarique Rahman stressed identifying and removing the existing obstacles to implementing the project at the earliest, ensuring effective coordination among the agencies concerned and setting a realistic timeframe for completing the work. He also asked the authorities to ensure visible progress in the project at the earliest.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, State Minister for Road Transport and Bridges and Railways Habibur Rashid, Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Md Abdus Salam and Dhaka North City Corporation Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan Milton, among senior officials concerned, attended the meeting.

DHAKA: A controversy has emerged after the Banglabazar sales outlet of University Press Limited (UPL) was locked and two of its employees were taken to a police outpost following a dispute over the sale of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s The Unfinished Memoirs. UPL says the book is not banned and that it has received no government or court order restricting its sale. A senior police official has also said there is no restriction on the sale of the book.

According to a statement issued by UPL, two men went to the publisher’s Banglabazar outlet at around 5:30pm on September 28, 2026, and asked to buy The Unfinished Memoirs. After the employees produced the book, the men objected to its sale and claimed that the book was banned.

According to UPL, the men were told that the book was not banned. They nevertheless created a disturbance and gathered people around the outlet. At one point, the shutter of the sales outlet was pulled down and locked. Two UPL employees, Aminul Islam and Humayun Kabir, were also taken to the Faridabad Police Outpost. They were later released. Faridabad Police Outpost in-charge Shuvo Baroi said the matter had been settled between the two sides and the sales outlet was subsequently reopened.

No government order or court directive banning the book has been publicly identified. UPL has also said that it is not aware of any government or court decision banning the book. The publisher said any decision to ban a book must follow a specific legal process and that it would comply if a competent authority formally imposed such a restriction.

A senior official of the Lalbagh division, speaking on condition of anonymity, said The Unfinished Memoirs is not banned and there is no restriction on its sale. The official also said that if the employees had been released on the condition that they would no longer sell the book, such a condition would not have been appropriate.

Sutrapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Matiur Rahman said the two UPL employees were not taken to the police station but to the Faridabad Police Outpost, from where they were later released. He also said that The Unfinished Memoirs had not been reprinted after 2024. According to him, the employees were released on the condition that the book would no longer be sold. He also said no complaint had been filed with the police station over the incident.

UPL said it has faced pressure over different books during different governments. The publisher, however, said it had not compromised its professional standards and publishing policies. It also said that expert assessment is taken into consideration when publishing or marketing books.

According to UPL, The Unfinished Memoirs is an important book for understanding Bangladesh’s history and the context of the Liberation War. The publisher said it would comply with the law if a competent government authority or court formally banned the book through due process.

Following the incident, the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) called for an investigation. The organisation said several individuals behaved aggressively at UPL’s Banglabazar showroom on September 28 while demanding that the sale of the book be stopped. They allegedly pulled down the shutter and harassed two sales employees. BLAST also called for an investigation into the role of police over allegations that the employees were taken to and detained at the police outpost. It also called for the safety of UPL employees, publishers and booksellers to be ensured.

BLAST said that anyone who disagrees with, objects to or criticises the content of a book has the right to express those views peacefully, reasonably and through lawful means. No individual or group should obstruct the publication, circulation or sale of a book through threats, pressure or force, it said. Any decision to ban, withdraw or restrict a publication should be based on a clear legal basis and follow due process, according to the organisation.

The incident has raised questions about what legal basis an individual or group would have to demand that the sale of a book be stopped if the book has not been formally banned. Questions have also been raised over why the two UPL employees were taken to the police outpost and whether any condition was imposed on their release preventing them from selling the book. It remains unclear whether those who claimed that the book was banned were acting on the basis of any government notification, court order or other legal document.

Writer Asif Bin Ali has analysed the incident in one of his articles as an example of how the circulation of a book can be obstructed without a formal ban. He argues that even when a book remains legally available, publishers or sellers may stop stocking or selling it because of pressure or fear of possible trouble, potentially creating a situation of self-censorship. This is the writer’s analysis and not the finding of any government investigation.

The Unfinished Memoirs is an autobiographical work by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. UPL was involved in publishing the Bengali edition, which was first published in 2012. Recent reports say the book was last reprinted in 2024. Based on publicly available information, no government order or court directive banning The Unfinished Memoirs has so far been identified.