United News of Bangladesh

Former US President Barack Obama on Saturday accused President Donald Trump and his Republican allies of promoting cruelty and indecency as he campaigned for Democratic candidates in two key Midwestern battleground states ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Speaking first in Ohio, Obama criticised Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over an advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, Dr Amy Acton. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended the advertisement, although several Ohio Republican leaders, including Governor Mike DeWine, have called for it to be withdrawn. “There is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to,” Obama said, referring to Ramaswamy and pointing to Acton’s accounts of childhood abuse, neglect and homelessness. Acton, a former state health director during the COVID-19 pandemic, accused Ramaswamy of exploiting her childhood to rescue his struggling campaign, saying that decency still mattered. The campaign video features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her a liar and suggesting she has mental health issues. Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband, Cledith Arthur, was indicted on a rape charge involving Acton. The alleged abuse occurred between December 1976 and April 1978. Cledith Arthur later failed to appear in court and became a fugitive. Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004. Trump, who cast his ballot in Florida on Saturday, defended the advertisement, saying Acton’s mother had criticised her. Later in Detroit, Michigan, Obama rallied behind Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, accusing critics of using his name and Muslim faith against him. “We have seen this movie before. I starred in it,” Obama told a packed high school gym, referring to the false claims about his birthplace that he faced during his political career. “I’ve got a long-form birth certificate to prove it.” “Abdul is as Michigan as it gets,” he added. Obama, 65, remains a prominent Democratic campaigner nearly a decade after leaving the White House. His appearances come as Democrats seek to strengthen their position in elections that will determine the balance of power in Washington. In Michigan, Obama rejected descriptions of El-Sayed as a radical, saying the candidate shared his values. He also acknowledged that El-Sayed had criticised him after his 2012 reelection for failing to fulfil all his progressive campaign promises. El-Sayed once wrote that Obama “was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one.” Responding to the criticism, Obama joked that even his wife, Michelle Obama, disagreed with him several times a day. Democrats hope Obama's appearance in Detroit, a city that is about three-quarters Black, will help El-Sayed attract more Black voters. In the primary, his rival Haley Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, by around six percentage points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian person to serve as vice president, campaigned for El-Sayed in September. Cheryl McWilliams, 67, said Obama's speech encouraged people to vote and expressed hope for strong turnout. “If Detroit doesn’t vote, whoever’s running is going to lose, period,” she said, urging efforts to reach people who believe their votes do not matter. Chunnika Hodges, a Detroit resident who canvassed for El-Sayed on Saturday, said some Black voters were backing Republican Mike Rogers because they felt little had changed after years of voting for Democrats. Others were concerned about El-Sayed’s progressive policies, she said, noting that conservative views also existed within the Black community. Obama also devoted much of his speech to criticising Trump, accusing the president and his family of widespread corruption and faulting him for failing to reduce living costs. He mocked Trump's focus on constructing a new White House ballroom and a helipad on the South Lawn while Americans faced economic pressures. “He should be on HGTV,” Obama quipped, adding that the White House looked as though “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” in a reference to Trump's extensive use of gold decorations. Acknowledging that Trump would remain president for another two years, Obama urged voters to hold Republicans accountable in the midterms. He criticised what he described as a spineless Congress and Republican governors who tolerated lawlessness, carelessness and indifference towards working people. “After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence … you get a chance to say enough is enough,” he said. Obama is scheduled to headline a rally in Georgia next week with Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms. Trump, who campaigned in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday evening alongside Republican candidates, referred several times to Obama's Detroit appearance and claimed that the venue had been empty.

US First Lady Melania Trump has helped broker a local ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine in the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky to facilitate humanitarian aid and civilian evacuations, the White House said Friday. The ceasefire is scheduled to begin on October 29. Melania Trump said the situation in the city was “on the brink of disaster.” The White House said she and a representative worked directly with Russian and Ukrainian leaders to establish the terms. Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets thanked her, saying the operation would be gradual and difficult to implement. Russian military chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov said forces would halt fire in the Kherson area from 4am Tuesday Moscow time to support the humanitarian operation and ensure safe passage for aid convoys. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov thanked Melania Trump, saying the evacuation could take several days, without specifying destinations. Melania Trump said civilian representatives would assess residents' needs and arrange transport to their preferred destinations. An unnamed American media organisation will document the process. Oleshky has faced severe shortages of food, medicine, electricity, heating and running water. Captured by Russian forces in February 2022, the city was later devastated by shelling and flooding following the 2023 Kakhovka Dam collapse. The initiative comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Kyiv over military support and efforts to end the war.

US President Donald Trump travelled to South Carolina on Wednesday to campaign for Senator Darline Graham, whose early struggles in her first election campaign since replacing her late brother have raised hopes among Democrats of challenging the Republicans’ long-standing dominance in the state. Trump, whose speech was repeatedly interrupted by protesters early on, sought to reassure voters that the late Senator Lindsey Graham had held his sister in high regard. “Everybody respects her. She's smart and incredible. She'll never let you down,” Trump said while making the case for her election. He also attacked Graham’s Democratic rival, paediatrician Annie Andrews, saying she would be “the most extreme and one of the most crazy people in the entire country. It would be a disaster.” The president initially focused on Republican attacks accusing Andrews of supporting gender-transition surgeries for transgender minors, a claim she denies. However, over the course of his hour-and-a-half speech, Trump moved between various topics, devoting relatively little time to South Carolina. He discussed renaming bodies of water, complained that he should have received the Nobel and Pulitzer prizes, and imitated a female bodybuilder. He also highlighted some of his achievements since returning to office, including efforts to lower drug prices, and outlined future goals, such as expanding the use of the death penalty. Although South Carolina is not usually considered a battleground in midterm elections, Trump has invested heavily in Graham’s campaign. He supported her appointment to replace Lindsey Graham following his death in July and backed her in a special Republican primary against several more experienced candidates. However, tensions emerged between the president and the senator over the weekend after Trump decided to waive sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine that were due to be imposed under a law named after Lindsey Graham. Republicans are determined to prevent Andrews from pulling off an upset. More than $34 million has been poured into the race, with Republican groups portraying the Democratic candidate as a “radical liberal.” Trump is campaigning daily for candidates across the country this week, including in traditionally conservative areas, and urging voters to “pretend I'm on the ballot” to prevent weak Republican turnout in the midterms. “Darline Graham knows that our campaign's momentum is so strong she called Donald Trump to come campaign for her in South Carolina,” Andrews said in a fundraising appeal email. Darline Graham seeks to establish her political credentials Lindsey Graham had been on course to win a fifth term when he died of an aortic tear. Darline Graham, a former director of the state agency for the blind, received bipartisan support when she was appointed to complete her brother’s term. However, her decision to contest the seat in the midterm elections raised questions about whether she had enough political experience for the job. Trump endorsed Darline Graham and campaigned for her before a runoff against US Representative Ralph Norman. Her response to a question about US policy toward Taiwan, during which she acknowledged that she was “not that informed on national security,” further fuelled concerns about her preparedness. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a South Carolina native who spoke before Trump at Wednesday’s rally, said Graham shared the same hopes for America that had motivated her brother. “As long as Donald Trump is in the White House, and Darline Graham is in the Senate, we can all hope for a better country,” he said. At a weekend event in Mount Pleasant, supporter Nanette Tumbleston said she strongly wanted Graham to win, expressing concern about the consequences of Democrats gaining the seat. “I hope that everybody's eyes will be open and we'll have a Republican win,” Tumbleston said, adding that she feared the growing influence of progressives within the Democratic Party. “I just can't see how they can see that the world's going to be a better place with those policies,” she said. Andrews shifts focus from Lindsey Graham to his sister Andrews launched her campaign more than a year before Lindsey Graham’s death but later shifted her focus to criticising Darline Graham as “Trump-endorsed and unqualified.” The paediatrician argues that Republican policies have weakened the broader US economy and worsened the financial situation of children and families. Her campaign has centred on the promise of “building a South Carolina that we can all afford,” as she said last week in Columbia. As Andrews appeared to gain momentum this autumn, Republican groups poured millions of dollars into the race, describing the spending as insurance to protect Graham’s seat. Trump also attacked Andrews on social media, saying she did not represent “the Values of the Great People of South Carolina.” Some Andrews supporters acknowledged that Democrats could eventually make a breakthrough in the state, although they suggested it might take more time. Paul Davis, of Aiken, said people were increasingly angry and frustrated because they could no longer afford many things. However, he believed a Democratic victory “may be a cycle or two away.” Candidates question each other's qualifications During their only debate, Graham and Andrews disagreed on issues including healthcare but focused largely on questioning each other’s qualifications and experience. “It is nothing personal, but she has shown time and time again that she is not up for the job,” Andrews said, describing Graham’s interim appointment as “a nice gesture.” Graham argued that continuing to serve while coping with her brother’s death demonstrated her resilience. “I'm just as qualified as you are,” she said. At a rally in Columbia, some Andrews supporters expressed hope despite the Democrats’ repeated Senate election defeats in South Carolina. In 2020, Lindsey Graham defeated Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison by 10 percentage points in a contest that became the most expensive election in the state’s history. “It's definitely frustrating,” said Emily Glenham, a copywriter from Columbia. “It's definitely been disappointing, but you can't not have hope.” Sandra Martin, of West Columbia, also said Andrews had “a good chance” but suggested Democrats might need more time to win. “Georgia did it,” she said. “If Georgia can do it, there's no reason we can't, someday.”

A Texas sheriff's deputy was killed and a police officer wounded during a gunfire exchange while serving felony warrants at a rural home near Canton late Tuesday. The officers were outside when shots were fired from inside, prompting them to return fire, according to Van Zandt County Sheriff Kevin Bridger. The suspect was later found dead inside from a gunshot wound. Deputies were assisting Canton police in serving warrants for aggravated assault and aggravated assault on a peace officer. The wounded Canton officer, shot in the right arm, underwent surgery and remains in stable condition at a hospital, police confirmed. Authorities have withheld the names of the deputy, the officer, and the suspect. The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident, which occurred near Canton, a city of 5,000 located 60 miles (100 kilometers) southeast of Dallas.

US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are set to announce a $25 million programme on Tuesday to encourage the public to report suspected fraud in the federal government, as the administration steps up efforts to prevent the misuse of government funds and programmes. Under the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program, known as WHIP, anyone who submits a tip through fraud.gov that leads to a fraud conviction or significant federal enforcement action will be eligible for a reward of up to $30,000, the White House said. The programme will be administered by the Justice Department. Trump has launched an aggressive campaign to eliminate fraud across the federal government. In March, he established a task force to address the issue and placed Vance in charge. The two are scheduled to announce the fund during a joint appearance in the Oval Office later Tuesday. “Every day, President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud is zeroing in on the rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars and giving Americans the accountability they deserve. This administration has zero tolerance for individuals who steal from Americans,” White House spokesperson Lauren Bis said. During the event, Trump is also expected to present a $10,000 cheque to Nick Shirley, a right-wing influencer who posted a video last year alleging that members of Minnesota’s Somali community were operating fake childcare centres to obtain federal subsidies. The video drew attention from the Trump administration and conservative activists, although inspectors said the centres were operating as expected. Investigations, searches and arrests followed. In July, Fahima Mahamud pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States after submitting inflated reimbursement claims for meals allegedly served to children at her childcare centre, according to the Justice Department. The White House said Mahamud had been featured in Shirley’s video.

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Pentagon will no longer livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan following widespread bipartisan backlash. Trump posted on social media that while a public execution might serve as a "strong deterrent", many well-meaning people preferred not to watch him die. He noted that victims' immediate families may view the December 3 execution in person if they choose. The reversal follows sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Catholic Church leaders, and Vice President JD Vance, who said he would not watch it. Opponents warned that broadcasting the event could fuel radicalization and promote a "culture of death". Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier confirmed the livestream plan for Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist who killed soldiers during a November 5, 2009 shooting at Fort Hood to stop their deployment to Afghanistan. Hasan, paralyzed after being shot by police, uses a wheelchair. This will mark the first US military firing squad execution since World War II, and the first military execution of any kind since 1961.

Former US Vice President Kamala Harris has expanded her late-October campaign schedule to support Democratic candidates in several states ahead of the midterm elections, as she weighs whether to make another bid for the White House in 2028. Harris’s campaign tour, running from Oct 21 to Oct 30, will now include New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Mississippi, along with a virtual event in Florida. She had previously announced campaign stops in Georgia and Nevada, according to a schedule shared by her office with The Associated Press. Harris has repeatedly said in recent interviews that her priority is helping Democrats win the November elections. However, she has not ruled out another presidential run after losing the 2024 election to Donald Trump. Her campaign appearances will focus on Democratic candidates for governor and the US Senate, including several who could make history if elected. Harris will begin the tour in Nevada on Oct 21, campaigning with Aaron Ford, the state's first Black attorney general, who is seeking to become its first Black governor. She will also meet members of the Culinary Workers Union. On Oct 22, Harris will visit Mississippi to campaign with Scott Colom, who could become the state's first Black US senator since the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. Colom is seeking to unseat Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith and has recently gained greater attention from national Democrats. Harris will travel to New Hampshire on Oct 24 to campaign with Senate nominee Chris Pappas and participate in a discussion on reproductive healthcare and abortion rights. As vice president, she was a leading advocate for abortion rights in the Biden administration, particularly during the 2022 midterm elections. On Oct 26, she will campaign with Wisconsin gubernatorial nominee David Crowley before beginning a three-day visit to Georgia on Oct 28. In Georgia, Harris will campaign with Senator Jon Ossoff, participate in voter protection events and address the Fulton County Democratic Party's annual gala in Atlanta on Oct 30. While in Georgia, she will also headline a virtual organising event with Florida Senate nominee Angie Nixon, who could become her state's first Black US senator. Nixon, a state lawmaker who identifies as a democratic socialist, has support from progressive activists who criticised Harris as too moderate during the 2024 campaign. The expanded schedule follows Harris's earlier campaign appearances, fundraisers and voter mobilisation efforts, including events organised with the Democratic National Committee. Most recently, she visited Michigan to campaign for Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, another progressive Democrat, and speak at an NAACP event. The tour will take Harris to several states that feature prominently in the Democratic Party's early presidential nominating calendar for 2028, even as she maintains that her immediate focus is on the midterm elections.

US President Donald Trump has announced plans for “massive” oil, gas and mineral exploration in Greenland, but it remains unclear which projects he was referring to, as the Arctic territory faces major obstacles to commercial resource extraction. In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump described Greenland as “our new and beautiful Greenland”. However, the self-governing territory belongs to the Kingdom of Denmark and is not part of the United States. Greenland has significant deposits of rare earth minerals and potential offshore oil and gas reserves. But harsh weather, limited infrastructure, difficult geology and Arctic ice have hindered exploration and commercial extraction for decades. Trump’s announcement came less than a month after he signed an agreement with Danish and Greenlandic leaders to strengthen Arctic and North Atlantic security. The deal allows for an expanded US military presence but does not grant Washington special rights to explore Greenland’s natural resources. The United States is seeking to reduce its dependence on China, which dominates global supplies of rare earth minerals used in electronics, batteries and renewable energy technologies. Trump also highlighted Greenland’s strategic importance for US and European defence. The island hosts the Pituffik Space Base, where roughly 200 US personnel support missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance operations for the United States and NATO. Last month, Trump said Washington would begin developing a larger military presence in Greenland, including two major military bases.

A federal judge on Tuesday extended an order blocking the Trump administration from banning reporters for three news outlets from the White House, as the extraordinary case pitting the president against the media makes its way through the legal system. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are likely to succeed on their constitutional free speech and due process claims. "Still," he added, "no one should interpret the Court's decision to suggest that President Trump's concerns about accuracy and fairness in the media's reporting are unfounded, or that the government is powerless when its true aim is to protect national security when classified information is unlawfully disclosed." Kelly, who was nominated to the bench by Republican President Donald Trump, previously ordered the White House to restore the reporters' "hard pass" press credentials while he weighed their claims. With that temporary order due to expire on Tuesday, the judge issued a preliminary injunction that preserves the status quo while the case is pending.

US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned from her post amid allegations of improper and potentially illegal conduct, vowing to vigorously defend herself against what she described as false accusations. The Trump administration had asked Guilfoyle to step down following mounting criticism over alleged misconduct before and during her tenure in Athens, the White House said on Tuesday. Guilfoyle addressed the allegations in a post on X, saying she intended to defend her name, reputation and integrity. “These allegations are false, and I intend to vigorously defend my name, my reputation, and my integrity,” she wrote. She said she had spent her professional life fighting for justice and defending American values, adding that she would not allow what she called false accusations to define her decades of public service. President Donald Trump told reporters that Guilfoyle had been doing a good job but that the administration was dissatisfied with reports about her conduct. “She was doing a good job, but we didn’t like what we were reading,” Trump said. Utah Senator John Curtis welcomed the decision to seek her resignation, describing it as an example of leadership and stressing that public service was a public trust and political connections should not shield anyone from accountability. Guilfoyle, who was previously engaged to Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., has faced allegations reported by The Wall Street Journal, including threatening a host-country official, accepting improper gifts and services, and offering to use her influence within the administration in exchange for payment of a substantial credit card bill. Her lawyers have denied wrongdoing. In a statement issued late Sunday, they said money she sought from a Trump donor was payment for previously unpaid public appearances and speaking engagements that predated her nomination as ambassador. They also rejected allegations of impropriety involving her use of private aircraft, saying she had sought and obtained State Department guidance before each trip and complied with the department’s travel regulations. The State Department has declined to comment on a possible investigation by its inspector general.