In its manifesto for the upcoming elections, the Awami League has pledged to strengthen the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), mass media and the judiciary.

Since November 17, protesters who have since become known as the “Gillets Jaunes” (Yellow Vests) have been pouring onto the streets of France in huge numbers.

On November 18, the finance minister surprised almost everyone (not for the first time) by saying that those who highlight the sorry state of the banking sector are all “uninformed”.

As one of the most talked about and, perhaps, controversial US Midterm Elections comes to an end, the US, as a nation, remains where it was before the election started.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the UN recognising November 2 as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. Incidentally, data shows that this year has been one of the deadliest for journalists out of the last five years, if not longer.

Much has been made of the death of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi. And rightfully so. The story of his alleged gruesome murder at the hands of a Saudi hit-team inside the country's consulate in Istanbul is not something the average person has to hear and replay in their heads every day—with the help of some imagination.

The 21st century has broadly been characterised as the Information Age.

The United Nations International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons falls on the anniversary of an incident that happened in 1983, when the world was just inches away from accidentally entering what would most likely have been a nuclear holocaust.

While the US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, warned the Syrian and Russian governments to stand down from attacking Idlib—the last stronghold of the armed Syrian opposition—as that may lead to a possible “bloodbath”, the term itself brought to mind chapter 10 of the book The WikiLeaks Files: The World According to US Empire.

At 11am on September 11, 2001 the Bush administration had already declared that al-Qaeda was responsible for the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

According to the Financial Times (US), the USD 3.7 billion Padma Rail link, for which Beijing has provided more than USD 3 billion, will serve as “a physical reminder of China's growing presence” in Bangladesh.

These words were written into the US Declaration of Independence in Congress on July 4, 1776.

No matter who you ask, the student movement for safe roads we witnessed across our country recently is something completely unprecedented.

Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall victim to traffickers in their own countries and abroad. Despite seldom making the headlines, trafficking in persons also remains one of the biggest challenges for national security and law enforcement agencies throughout world—as the United Nations explained, “every country in the world is affected by human trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit, or destination for victims.”

With the “world watching” Bangladesh in appreciation for its brave choice to defend the rights of the Rohingya refugees and stand up for the more honourable human values, a most disgraceful display of inhumanity had to bring our nation back down to earth.

The trade war started by Trump could be seen as him keeping his election promise of renegotiating US trade relations with the world.

What-ever may be the details of the deal signed between President Trump and Chairman Kim, both the two leaders (along with Moon Jae-in of South Korea and others) must be congratulated for what can only be a deal that is good for peace. The deal provides great relief for the people of Asia, and as Bangladeshis, we too sincerely welcome this encouraging development.

When it comes to Palestine and the plight of Palestinians, everything is generally inverted.

Over the last 10-15 years, increase in the use of methamphetamine, globally, has outpaced that of any other drug. In its World Drug

OVER the last two decades, if not more, the global press, if taken as a whole, has largely failed to live up to the lofty ideas and ideals talked about by former US President John F Kennedy and countless other visionaries who understood that “a critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy,” as Nelson Mandela said. That is why journalism and journalists around the world today face