New York — Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, 28, a resident of Ontario, Canada, has been sentenced to an additional 50 years in federal prison for attacking two correctional officers at a Pennsylvania prison in 2020 while serving a separate sentence for plotting a mass-casualty terrorist attack in New York City on behalf of ISIS. According to a U.S. Department of Justice announcement dated Monday, October 19, 2026, the new sentence will run consecutively to the 40-year prison term Bahnasawy is already serving for his role in the 2016 New York City terror plot.

According to court records, Bahnasawy attacked two correctional officers at U.S. Penitentiary Allenwood on December 7, 2020, using a weapon made from part of a steel desk in his cell. He stabbed one officer in the head and face. When a second officer intervened to help, he stabbed her in the hand. The first officer eventually lost his right eye as a result of the attack.

After Bahnasawy was restrained, authorities discovered a note inside his sock stating, “This is a terrorist attack for the Islamic State.” Investigators also found a pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, commonly known as ISIS, taped inside a locker door in his prison cell.

In November 2025, Bahnasawy pleaded guilty to multiple offenses, including assault, assault with intent to commit murder, possessing contraband inside a prison, and providing material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the additional sentence would help ensure that Bahnasawy remains in prison for a long time after carrying out another violent attack in the name of ISIS.

U.S. Attorney Brian D. Miller for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said the sentence reflects the government’s commitment to prosecuting people who commit violence in the name of ISIS, including those who carry out attacks behind prison walls.

Bahnasawy was arrested in May 2016 after traveling from Canada to the New York City area in preparation for a planned terrorist attack. At the time, he was 20 years old and had conspired with Talha Haroon and Russell Salic to plan bombings and shootings in heavily populated areas of New York City during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The alleged plot was intended to cause mass casualties on behalf of ISIS.

An undercover FBI agent infiltrated the group by posing as an ISIS supporter willing to participate in the planned attacks. Bahnasawy has remained in custody since his arrest. The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office investigated the prison attack case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey MacArthur and Deputy Chief Larry Schneider of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York – Nearly 200 countries are gathering in Armenia on Monday for crucial discussions on how to accelerate progress toward global nature protection targets, as governments face mounting pressure to deliver on a historic commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The United Nations conference, known as COP17, comes amid growing concerns that countries are falling behind on the goals agreed upon four years ago to protect and restore nature by the end of the decade.

Often described as the “Paris Agreement for nature,” the global biodiversity deal includes a landmark commitment to conserve 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030. However, progress toward many of its targets remains slow, with limited advances on some of the most challenging commitments, including reducing subsidies for fossil fuels and other environmentally harmful industries.

Speaking ahead of the formal negotiations, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Friday that countries needed to acknowledge the gap between their commitments and actual progress.

“We must honestly acknowledge that, collectively, we have not moved forward at the necessary pace,” he said.

The summit is taking place at a time when public funding is under pressure and political attention is increasingly focused on conflicts, geopolitical tensions and the global energy crisis. Only a small number of world leaders, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, attended a high-level session before the formal negotiations began. Most of the participating leaders were heads of state from neighboring Central Asian countries.

Despite the limited high-level attendance, Guterres stressed the importance of the conference, warning that humanity’s continuing “war” against nature threatens the planet’s habitability for future generations.

“We need more action, more speed and more goodwill,” he said. With the world halfway through the period leading to the 2030 targets, Guterres described the gathering in Yerevan as a critical moment for accountability.

“We must ask ourselves: Are we doing enough?” he said.

A United Nations assessment released ahead of COP17 found that progress was being made toward the 23 global biodiversity targets. However, the report warned that progress remained uneven and insufficient to achieve the goals by the 2030 deadline.

Financing is expected to emerge as one of the most contentious issues during the negotiations. The assessment highlighted a substantial funding gap for biodiversity conservation, with efforts to mobilize the necessary resources lagging far behind requirements.

Developed countries, including European nations and other wealthy economies, have financial responsibilities under international biodiversity commitments. However, they have also called on major emerging economies, including China, to contribute more toward conservation financing.

Discussions may increasingly focus on how private-sector investment can help bridge the funding gap as governments struggle to provide sufficient public resources. One of the summit’s priorities is expected to be encouraging corporations to contribute a portion of their profits to a United Nations fund intended to support nature conservation in developing countries, which currently has very limited resources.

Reforming government subsidies for extractive industries is another major issue expected to feature prominently at the summit. Guterres criticized governments for continuing to direct public money toward environmentally damaging activities despite their commitments to reform harmful subsidies. Referring to fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, he said: “Subsidizing fossil fuels is subsidizing suicide.”

He warned that fossil fuels are heating the planet and posing a serious threat to biodiversity. Environmental advocates argue that redirecting public funds away from harmful industries and toward conservation could help countries make faster progress toward their international commitments.

For Armenia, the mountainous country in the Caucasus region, COP17 represents one of the largest international events it has hosted. Thousands of delegates and visitors are expected to arrive over the next two weeks for discussions on biodiversity protection, conservation financing and implementation of global environmental commitments. Organizers have emphasized that the success of COP17 will depend not on announcing new promises, but on delivering concrete action to fulfill existing commitments.

Speaking on Friday, Adil Najam, Global President of WWF International, said the world already had the necessary vision for protecting nature.

“The world does not need a new vision. We have one. What we need now is to implement it,” he said. As negotiations begin, countries face growing pressure to translate their biodiversity commitments into measurable results before the 2030 deadline, with financing, accountability and the reform of harmful subsidies likely to remain central to the discussions.

DHAKA – Dhaka-6 lawmaker Ishraque Hossain today resigned from his position as the State Minister for Liberation War Affairs. At a press conference held at the National Press Club this afternoon, Ishraque said he chose to step down voluntarily to avoid putting the Prime Minister or the BNP in an uncomfortable position.

Ishraque said he spoke to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and expressed his will to resign from the post of State Minister for Liberation War Affairs. Despite stepping down from his ministerial portfolio, he reaffirmed his intent to continue his anti-drug drives as a BNP activist.

DHAKA: The office of State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraq Hossain has strongly rejected reports circulating in various media outlets and on social media claiming that he has resigned or been instructed to resign, describing the reports as “completely false, baseless, and politically motivated.”

In a press statement issued on Sunday and signed by the minister’s press officer, Mahfuz Kabir Mukta, the office condemned the reports and urged the public not to be misled by what it described as deliberate misinformation.

The statement said that Minister Ishraq Hossain has been performing his duties with dedication and integrity. It also clarified that no instructions had been issued by the government’s senior leadership for him to step down and that there was no basis for such rumors. According to the statement, an interest-driven group is allegedly spreading fabricated information to achieve political objectives and create confusion among the public.

The statement also addressed an incident that took place on October 17 in Gandaria, within the minister’s parliamentary constituency, during a social resistance campaign against drugs. According to the minister’s office, he displayed his personal firearm in a lawful act of self-defense amid the situation that arose during the program. The statement noted that the minister had already explained his position regarding the incident. It further criticized reports linking the incident to his alleged resignation, calling such coverage misleading and contrary to journalistic ethics.

The press statement called on all media outlets and members of the public not to be influenced by what it described as misinformation. It also demanded that media outlets that had published the alleged resignation news withdraw their reports immediately. Otherwise, the statement warned, appropriate legal action could be taken against those responsible for spreading the misinformation. The minister’s office reiterated that reports of Ishraq Hossain’s resignation or an order directing him to resign are unfounded, according to the official statement.

Dhaka: A political controversy has emerged in Bangladesh following reports that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed State Minister Ishraque Hossain to resign from the cabinet. According to media reports, the reported directive came after controversy surrounding Ishraque Hossain’s participation in an anti-drug operation in Dhaka while carrying a firearm.

The issue reportedly came into focus following a cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Sunday. However, an official government confirmation and confirmation that a formal resignation has been submitted are necessary to establish the latest status of the matter. The reports have sparked discussion in Bangladesh’s political circles. Further clarification is expected if the government or the individuals concerned issue an official statement.

DHAKA – Bangladesh and Italy have expressed interest in strengthening defence cooperation, particularly in military modernisation, training, technical assistance and collaboration in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations. The interest was expressed at a courtesy meeting between Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam and Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro at the adviser’s office at the Armed Forces Division (AFD) in Dhaka Cantonment today.

During the meeting, they held fruitful discussions on various aspects of the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries, according to an ISPR press release issued this evening. Both sides expressed interest in further strengthening and expanding cooperation between the armed forces of Bangladesh and Italy.

The discussion covered potential areas of cooperation, including defence capacity-building, military training and exchange of experience, technical and technological assistance, and the procurement of modern military equipment and defence materials.

They also held detailed discussion on the contributions of both countries to UN peacekeeping operations and explored opportunities for future cooperation and joint training in this field, the ISPR release said.

Highlighting the historic friendly relations between Bangladesh and Italy, the defence adviser stressed the importance of continued support from the Italian government for the development of the defence industry and enhancement of defence capabilities.

The Italian ambassador, meanwhile, reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to maintaining its partnership with Bangladesh and continuing cooperation in modernising the Bangladesh Armed Forces. Both sides expressed hope that high-level dialogue and continued engagement would further strengthen military ties and elevate the broader bilateral partnership between the two countries, the release added.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York – The United Nations’ 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) is set to begin on Monday, October 19, in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, bringing global attention to efforts to halt biodiversity loss and protect nature by 2030.

Running through October 30, the conference is expected to serve as a critical milestone in assessing global progress toward the ambitious targets set under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. World leaders will face growing pressure to demonstrate how far their countries have progressed in translating environmental commitments into concrete action.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly warned against humanity’s destructive impact on nature and called for urgent action to reverse biodiversity loss. The Yerevan conference is expected to place accountability, implementation and international cooperation at the centre of discussions.

Adopted in 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides a global roadmap for protecting and restoring nature. One of its most prominent goals is to conserve at least 30 percent of the world’s land, inland waters and marine areas by 2030, an objective widely known as the “30 by 30” target. The framework also calls for restoring degraded ecosystems, reducing pollution, reforming environmentally harmful subsidies and increasing financial resources for biodiversity conservation.

Under the agreement, countries have committed to mobilising at least $200 billion annually from public and private sources for biodiversity-related initiatives by 2030. It also sets a target of increasing international biodiversity finance for developing countries, which often face significant funding and technical constraints.

Despite growing international commitments, progress towards the 2030 biodiversity targets remains uneven, raising concerns about whether countries can meet their obligations within the remaining timeframe.

Assessments of conservation efforts indicate that current progress is insufficient to achieve the 30 by 30 target. Funding shortages, limited technical capacity, gaps in monitoring and data collection, and economic incentives that contribute to environmental damage continue to undermine conservation efforts.

According to a Reuters report, existing commitments and current progress could bring approximately 27 percent of the world’s land and inland waters under conservation by 2030. For marine areas, the projected figure is around 12 percent.

The gap between global commitments and implementation is expected to be a major focus of discussions in Yerevan, with delegates examining how governments can accelerate action and strengthen accountability.

Securing adequate funding for biodiversity protection is expected to be a key issue at COP17. The global target of mobilising $200 billion annually by 2030 will require stronger international cooperation, increased financial flows to developing countries and reforms to subsidies that harm nature.

Another important issue is the implementation of the Cali Fund, established to support the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the commercial use of digital sequence information on genetic resources.

The initiative aims to ensure that a portion of the benefits generated through the use of such information contributes to biodiversity conservation, including in countries and communities that play an important role in protecting natural resources. Developing effective mechanisms to distribute these benefits fairly will be important in building trust and ensuring that conservation efforts receive sustainable financial support.

Turning Commitments into ActionCOP17 is expected to provide an opportunity for countries to assess progress, identify implementation gaps and determine what additional measures are needed to achieve the 2030 targets.

Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, has stressed the importance of coordinated international action to address existing shortcomings and accelerate implementation.

The conference will also test the willingness of governments to move beyond declarations and establish practical measures that can deliver measurable results. The outcome of COP17 could help shape international cooperation, biodiversity financing and accountability in the years leading up to 2030.

Ultimately, however, achieving the global biodiversity targets will depend on political commitment, adequate funding, effective monitoring and the ability of governments to translate promises into action before the deadline.

Washington DC — Democrats are seeking to capitalize on shifting campaign strategies as Republican-aligned groups scale back spending in several competitive U.S. House races ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. According to an Associated Press report published this week, the leading Republican House super PAC, Congressional Leadership Fund, has canceled planned spending in four congressional races while increasing investments in 16 others. A separate super PAC aligned with President Donald Trump has also reduced spending in a competitive district in the Las Vegas area.

The changes suggest that Republican campaign organizations are concentrating their resources on races they consider more winnable as they work to preserve the party’s narrow House majority. The spending changes cover several competitive districts across the country, including contests in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Republican campaign officials familiar with the plans told the AP that the decisions reflect shifting priorities during the final weeks of the campaign.

Meanwhile, Democrats are expanding their efforts to challenge Republican-held seats. Their House campaign committee is looking to raise additional money for advertising and has identified more districts as potential targets. Democratic strategists believe that forcing Republicans to defend a wider range of seats could stretch the opposition’s financial resources and create opportunities for unexpected victories.

The political environment has become challenging for Republicans amid voter dissatisfaction with economic conditions and President Trump’s approval ratings. Issues including household expenses, fuel prices and federal spending have become important themes in competitive races.

Republican strategists, however, argue that Democrats may be spreading their resources too widely by targeting districts where Trump won comfortably in the 2024 presidential election. The campaign spending decisions illustrate a familiar feature of U.S. elections: parties and outside political groups frequently move money between districts as polling, fundraising and assessments of candidates change.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are being contested in the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans are seeking to retain control, while Democrats need to win a net gain of seats to take the chamber. The outcome will determine how easily the White House can advance its legislative agenda during the remainder of Trump’s term. A change in control could also bring greater congressional scrutiny of the administration and alter negotiations over federal spending and domestic policy.

With Election Day approaching, campaign spending decisions are offering clues about which races political organizations consider most competitive. However, changes in advertising budgets alone do not determine the outcome, and the results will ultimately depend on voter turnout and support in individual districts.

Washington DC — Political tensions are growing within President Donald Trump’s team as Republicans struggle to strengthen their position ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with disagreements emerging over campaign spending, electoral strategy and candidate selection.

According to a Reuters report published Saturday, Trump has increasingly questioned the performance of senior aides and political operatives as Republicans seek to retain control of Congress. The president has reportedly scrutinized campaign expenditures, criticized redistricting efforts and reconsidered decisions about which candidates to support.

Although Trump is not personally on the ballot, he has urged supporters to treat the election as if he were running, seeking to increase turnout among Republican voters. He has also stepped up his campaign appearances as the party confronts a challenging political environment.

Campaign spending under scrutiny

One source of tension involves James Blair, who runs the Trump-aligned super political action committee MAGA Inc., and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. Reuters reported that Trump has expressed concerns about the handling of campaign funds, while disagreements have surfaced among members of the president’s political circle over responsibility for the party’s difficulties.

MAGA Inc. has spent approximately $200 million, according to public records cited by Reuters. However, the spending has not eliminated concerns about Republican performance in competitive races.

Economy and voter concerns weigh on Republicans

Economic pressures, particularly concerns about high prices and the cost of living, are creating additional challenges for Republican candidates. Dissatisfaction with the administration’s policies and the ongoing conflict with Iran has also contributed to a difficult political climate, Reuters reported.

Trump has backed several key campaign strategies, including redistricting initiatives and candidate choices. His reported criticism of those efforts has highlighted divisions over how the party should approach the final weeks of the campaign.

A crucial election for control of Congress

The November 3 midterm elections will determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. The results will shape the administration’s ability to advance its legislative agenda during the remainder of Trump’s term.

Democrats are seeking to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction and competitive races, while Republicans are working to mobilize their supporters and defend vulnerable seats. The outcome remains uncertain, and the final weeks of campaigning are expected to be critical.

The growing tensions within the Republican operation underscore the stakes of the midterms, as party leaders face pressure to address economic concerns, improve campaign strategy and maintain unity ahead of Election Day.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — Bangladesh has reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their inalienable right to self-determination, urging urgent international action to end Israeli occupation, illegal settlement expansion and human rights violations.

Addressing the UN Security Council’s open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, on Friday, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Irene Khan, strongly condemned the devastation in Gaza and expressed deep concern over land confiscation, violence and illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

“The deadlock in the Security Council has enabled Israel to operate with impunity,” Ambassador Khan said, calling for decisive action to stop annexation, forced displacement and human rights violations and to ensure accountability.

She stressed the importance of respecting the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and maintaining humanitarian assistance for Palestinians.

Ambassador Khan also condemned Israeli attacks and occupation in Syria and Lebanon, underscoring the need for an adequate UN presence in Lebanon and reaffirming Bangladesh’s support. She further condemned deadly Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian airports that caused civilian casualties, including among Bangladeshi migrant workers.

Reiterating Bangladesh’s commitment to a Culture of Peace, Ambassador Khan urged all parties to protect civilians, exercise maximum restraint and uphold international humanitarian law.