French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 European allies have formally pledged to send troops to Ukraine—by land, sea, or air—once a ceasefire agreement takes hold.

Speaking after a “Coalition of the Willing” summit of 35 nations, Macron said U.S. support is expected soon, possibly in the form of air defense aid, as suggested by Donald Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged for “maximum protection of Ukraine’s skies.”

Meanwhile, the EU declared it will end all Russian oil and gas imports by 2027, as Moscow warned that Western troop deployments in Ukraine would be unacceptable.

Thailand’s parliament has elected Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul as the country’s new prime minister, succeeding ousted Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Backed by the liberal People’s Party, Anutin defeated Pheu Thai’s Chaikasem Nitisiri with over 247 votes, securing a parliamentary majority. He pledged to call general elections within four months, a move that helped win smaller parties’ support. Paetongtarn, Thailand’s youngest-ever premier, was dismissed last month after a court ruled she prioritized personal interests in a leaked call with Hun Sen.

An elderly woman in West Khujihura village of Durgapur, Netrokona, has been handed the keys to a newly built semi-pucca house, gifted on behalf of BNP leader Tarique Rahman.

The house was constructed under the direction of Barrister Kaiser Kamal after Rahman learned of Sukuri Begum’s plight of living without shelter. The project was completed and formally handed over by local BNP leaders.

The CID has filed a money laundering case against former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, alleging that he laundered Tk 1,200 crore to the UAE, purchasing 226 flats in Dubai.

Investigators revealed the flats are worth over 335 million dirhams, alongside two properties under his wife Rukmila Zaman’s name worth 2.25 million dirhams. Authorities also traced four bank accounts linked to the couple, with transactions totaling over Tk 311 crore.

According to CID, the funds were funneled through various business ventures, in violation of Bangladesh’s Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (Amendment 2015).

The Johor Immigration Department in Malaysia conducted a large-scale operation on Wednesday, detaining a total of 94 undocumented immigrants, including 34 Bangladeshis.

Director Datuk Mohammad confirmed that officials from the Enforcement Division Action Unit and EKPAS participated in the raid. Among those arrested were 38 Bangladeshi men, 15 Indonesian men, 12 Myanmar men, six Pakistani men, four Indian men, two Vietnamese men, one Nepali man, one Thai man, 10 Myanmar women, and five Indonesian women, aged between 18 and 61.

The detainees have been sent to the Setia Tropicana Immigration Depot for further investigation. Employers have been sternly warned against providing shelter or employment to illegal immigrants.

As Syria tries to return to normalcy after 14 years of civil war, the country is facing the worst drought in decades, severely affecting its agricultural sector and threatening food security. Rivers and lakes have dried up, crops have failed, and water supply is disrupted in major cities. Wheat production this season is less than half of the usual yield. Farmers, already economically weakened by the war, are struggling to survive. The government may need to import more wheat to feed 23 million people.

The UK government is set to ban the sale of energy drinks to anyone under 16, covering purchases in shops, restaurants, cafés, vending machines, and online. About one-third of British children currently consume these beverages, though most supermarkets have already restricted sales. Health and Social Care Minister Wes Streeting said parents, teachers, and children had urged the government to act, prompting this legislation aimed at protecting young people from potential health risks linked to energy drinks.

The United Wa State Army (UWSA), one of Myanmar’s largest ethnic armed groups, has announced it will stop providing military and financial support to anti-junta forces. Analysts say the decision follows nearly two years of Chinese financial pressure, including frozen assets and threats to cut off essential supplies. The move may weaken northern resistance groups and shift the balance of power in Myanmar’s civil conflict, strengthening Beijing’s strategic influence while highlighting the UWSA’s reluctant compliance under economic coercion.

Honda is introducing the Fastport E-Quad, a four-wheeled pedal-powered vehicle with electric assistance, designed for urban delivery in congested cities like New York and Los Angeles. The lightweight quadracycle carries more cargo than bicycles or scooters, navigates traffic easily, and comes in two sizes, with the larger model carrying up to 295 kg. Developed by Honda’s U.S. startup lab, the E-Quad aims to support logistics and delivery services, with small-batch production starting in Ohio and full-scale rollout planned next summer.

Nine export-oriented industrial organizations, led by the Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF), have raised concerns over a proposed labor law amendment allowing unions with just 20 workers. They argue the measure ignores industrial realities, risks workplace stability, and could undermine investor confidence. The organizations warn that it may empower external interest groups and create disorder in factories, ultimately harming both workers and employers. They urge the government and international partners to ensure reforms are realistic, balanced, and consultative.

The Election Commission has made it easier for citizens to replace lost National Identity Cards (NID). Previously, filing a General Diary (GD) at a police station was mandatory to obtain a new card, causing delays and inconvenience. Now, the process has been simplified, and citizens can reissue their NID without visiting the police. ASM Humayun Kabir Banik, DG of the National Identity Registration Subdivision, confirmed the decision, emphasizing that it will significantly reduce hardship and save time and effort for citizens.

Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar announced that false and fabricated cases filed by police and factory management against 48,000 workers and trade union leaders have been officially withdrawn. “If this government is not worker- and poor-friendly, then who will be?” Majumdar questioned.

He emphasized his long-term observation of Bangladesh’s labor issues, particularly in the ready-made garment sector. Highlighting the harsh realities in many factories, he described how workers were often treated like modern-day slaves. Although structural improvements were introduced following the Rana Plaza tragedy due to Western-backed platforms like the Accord and Alliance, the working conditions for laborers remained largely unchanged.

Majumdar criticized the prevalence of minimal wages, extended working hours, and lack of legal protections, which continue to make life extremely difficult for workers. In many factories, pseudo “PC Committees” influenced by owners have replaced genuine trade unions, undermining workers’ rights. While these committees helped owners present their factories as “compliant” to buyers, they also opened doors to labor exploitation.

As a result, workers’ demands for fair wages were brutally suppressed, with thousands facing dismissals, intimidation, and legal harassment. Majumdar noted that the government has prioritized ending these practices and advancing comprehensive labor sector reforms.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, presenting four major demands: a separate All India Service cadre for the state, inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Constitution’s Eighth Schedule, implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), and naming a Delhi road after late leader P.A. Sangma. Analysts view the meeting as reflecting both Meghalaya’s cultural-political aspirations and the BJP’s strategic vigilance in the Northeast. Sangma expressed optimism about quick central action.

A BJP leader has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Police against Anirban Bhattacharya and members of his Bengali rock band Hooliganism, accusing them of hurting religious sentiments through a recent satirical song.

The nine-minute political satire, which went viral on social media, pokes fun at voter list revisions ahead of elections, temple–mosque disputes, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh’s temper, and BJP figures Rudranil Ghosh and Dilip Ghosh. BJP leader Tarunjoyti claimed the band sought publicity by offending people’s faith, warning that legal action would follow in court if the police fail to act.

Interestingly, TMC’s Kunal Ghosh praised the song, while BJP leaders faced online mockery for their lawsuit announcement.

Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman criticized the tendency of politicians to seek medical treatment abroad, saying it erodes public trust in Bangladesh’s healthcare system. Speaking at a free medical camp at Manipur School and College ground, he stressed that ordinary citizens, who cannot afford treatment overseas, rely on domestic healthcare.

“Where ordinary people cannot go abroad for treatment, how can I?” he said, emphasizing his confidence in Bangladesh’s medical facilities. Dr. Rahman urged politicians to receive care domestically to strengthen public faith in national healthcare and called on citizens to make informed decisions for a fearless, humane, independent, and sovereign nation.