Bangladesh police hope new uniform repairs broken image

Bangladesh’s police have unveiled new uniforms in a symbolic bid to signal reform and rebuild deeply eroded public trust, just weeks ahead of the first elections since a mass uprising.The police force was cast into turmoil after the 2024 overthrow of the autocratic government of now-convicted fugitive Sheikh Hasina, which left at least 1,400 dead and thousands maimed — many by police gunfire.”Bangladesh Police have been facing an unprecedented crisis,” police spokesman Sahadat Hossaine told AFP. “The policymakers suggested… that a new uniform may bring a positive change.”Police are now trading the familiar turquoise-and-blue uniforms for iron-grey shirts and chocolate-brown trousers.Whether a new colour scheme can mend a shattered reputation remains doubtful.”Whenever I see a policeman, I feel like biting his flesh off. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over this hatred,” said Nazma Akhtar, 48, whose 17-year-old son Golam Nafeez was killed during the uprising.Akhtar’s son was shot, denied entry to a hospital, and died from blood loss on August 4, 2024.”How can a new uniform change their attitude?” Akhtar added. “I saw them beating teachers just for demanding a pay rise.”The nation of 170 million people is expected to hold elections in February 2026, with the security forces critical to ensuring they are peaceful.- ‘Struggling’ -Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death by a Dhaka court on Monday, for charges that included ordering the security forces to use deadly force against protesters.Hasina’s bid to cling to power failed after she ordered the army to crush the protests and they refused. Vandalism and arson attacks in the chaotic aftermath of her fall targeted roughly 450 of the country’s 600 police stations, according to officials.”They left the police stations immediately after the previous government stepped down, and now they are struggling to get back on their feet”, Hossaine said.Researchers have documented widespread brutality by police during the uprising.That included the killing of unarmed teenage student Ashiqur Rahman Hridoy, who was “sandwiched between two groups of police and shot from point-blank range,” Fawzia Afroz of Tech Global Institute policy group told AFP.Around 1,500 police personnel now face criminal charges, mostly for murder, with dozens in detention. The former police chief, who pleaded guilty in the same trial as Hasina, was sentenced to five years.Police say an estimated 55 senior officers, also wanted for murder, have fled to India.But serving officers express their own frustrations: 44 officers were also killed during the unrest, yet the interim government has agreed “legal immunity” for protesters.Sultana Razia watched as her husband, a police inspector, was beaten to death by a mob in the chaos after Hasina fled. “He wasn’t supposed to die this way,” Razia said.A mid-ranking officer speaking on the condition of anonymity told AFP that “police are also human beings”.- ‘Political tools’ – The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, formed a police reform commission, but progress has been slow.Allegations of excessive force persist and public trust has fallen so sharply that in many areas mobs now routinely take justice into their own hands, often times abducting suspects and killing them.”I don’t see many changes,” said Abu Ahmed Faijul Kabir of the human rights organisation Ain o Salish Kendra, noting that “around 28 people died in custody in the last 10 months”.Nearly 300 people were killed in political violence in Bangladesh in the year since the uprising, human rights group Odhikar said in November.”Police were used as political tools by successive governments,” said Alamgir Hossain, 60, a motor rickshaw driver.  “They never bothered about the law of the land,” he added.

“C’est possible”: Lula remet les énergies fossiles au centre de la COP amazonienne

Le président brésilien Lula a remis mercredi la très sensible question de la sortie des énergies fossiles à l’agenda de la conférence de l’ONU sur le climat, prônant un consensus mais insistant pour en faire l’un des acquis de la première COP en Amazonie.”Il faut montrer à la société que nous voulons” sortir de la …

“C’est possible”: Lula remet les énergies fossiles au centre de la COP amazonienne Read More »

Ukraine: un plan américain prévoit la cession de territoires à Moscou

L’Ukraine a reçu mercredi une nouvelle proposition de paix de la part des Etats-Unis qui requiert notamment qu’elle cède des territoires à la Russie et réduise son armée de moitié, au moment où elle subissait l’une des frappes russes les plus meurtrières de l’année.Les bombardements de la nuit de mardi à mercredi, qui ont ciblé …

Ukraine: un plan américain prévoit la cession de territoires à Moscou Read More »

Stocks rally as bumber Nvidia report offsets Fed rate concern

Asian markets rallied Thursday after blowout earnings from chip powerhouse Nvidia cooled worries over an AI bubble and overshadowed a Federal Reserve report that dealt a blow to hopes for a December interest rate cut.Global equities have struggled of late owing to warnings that valuations — particularly in the tech sector — have been overdone and are due a pullback, and possibly a sharp correction, following a record-breaking rally this year.Some market-watchers have warned that the hundreds of billions of dollars pumped into artificial intelligence will not likely realise any profits for some time, while others point out that infrastructure to meet demand is not yet in place.Wednesday’s report from Nvidia — one of the torchbearers of the AI revolution — was therefore seen as a bellwether on the industry.And it topped expectations on fierce demand for its sophisticated chips, with chief executive Jensen Huang brushing off the recent concerns.”There’s been a lot of talk about an AI bubble,” he told an earnings call. “From our vantage point, we see something very different.”Shares in the firm — which last month became the world’s first $5 trillion stock — rose more than five percent in post-market trade, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures also soared. In Asia, tech firms led the gains. South Korea’s Samsung and SK hynix, Taiwan’s TSMC and Japanese investment giant SoftBank all enjoyed a strong day. Among broader markets, Tokyo briefly jumped more than four percent, while Seoul and Taipei were more than two percent higher.Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington and Jakarta were also well up.However, SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes said: “Nvidia’s latest forecast has, for now, dulled the sharpest edges of the AI-bubble anxiety that had gripped global markets.”But make no mistake: this is still a market balancing on a wire stretched between AI euphoria and debt-filled reality. “Nvidia’s results may have bought the tape a reprieve, but they haven’t rewritten the script — they’ve simply reminded traders why they still cling to the idea that one last Santa-rally can be extracted from the AI supercycle.”The reading helped offset minutes from the Fed’s October policy meeting suggesting officials are against cutting rates for the third time in a row next month.Bets on a string of reductions going into 2026 have been part of the driver of this year’s stocks rally — helped by a softening labour market — but the persistence of big price gains has started to take a toll.”Many participants suggested that, under their economic outlooks, it would likely be appropriate to keep the target range unchanged for the rest of the year,” the minutes said.Fed boss Jerome Powell said shortly after last month’s decision that another move in December was “not a foregone conclusion”.Meanwhile, investors are awaiting the release Thursday of US jobs data for September, which was delayed by the government shutdown. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics said it would not publish its October figures, instead rolling them into November’s full report on December 16.But Rodrigo Catril at National Australia Bank said: “The question that follows is whether there will be enough information in December for Fed officials to make a decision.”He said the removal of the October report “leaves policymakers without a key piece of evidence for the December (policy meeting), prompting traders to sharply scale back expectations for a rate cut next month” to just 28 percent.The pullback in US rate cut expectations saw the dollar rally, hitting 157.47 yen, its strongest since January.The yen was already under pressure from concerns about Japan’s fiscal outlook ahead of the expected release of a stimulus package by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Worries that she will push for more borrowing have hit the currency and sent bond yields to record highs.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 3.1 percent at 50,025.10 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 25,886.11Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 3,956.42Dollar/yen: UP at 157.10 yen from 157.01 yen on WednesdayEuro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1516 from $1.1526Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3038 from $1.3048Euro/pound: DOWN at 88.31 from 88.33 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $59.71 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.3 percent at $63.72 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 46,138.77 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 9,507.41 (close)

Nigeria searches for abducted schoolgirls as gunmen attack churchThu, 20 Nov 2025 02:53:34 GMT

Security forces were scouring western Nigeria for two dozen kidnapped schoolgirls on Wednesday, a day after gunmen stormed a church service, killing two people in an attack captured on video.Nigerian security forces have been placed on high alert, the information minister said, as the country faces an uncomfortable spotlight on its security situation.The armed forces …

Nigeria searches for abducted schoolgirls as gunmen attack churchThu, 20 Nov 2025 02:53:34 GMT Read More »

South Africa chase history in India as Gambhir feels the heat

Temba Bavuma’s South Africa are aiming for their first Test series victory in India in 25 years when the second match starts on Saturday in Guwahati.The visitors stunned India in a low-scoring first Test at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens to extend their fine run after being crowned World Test champions in June.The victory was South Africa’s first in India since they won the opener of a two-match series in 2010.South Africa, who recently drew 1-1 in Pakistan, are now chasing a first series win on Indian soil since Hansie Cronje’s team triumphed there in 2000.”We won a World Test Championship final earlier in the year against Australia at Lord’s, but this was right up there for us,” coach Shukri Conrad said of the Kolkata win.”Coming to India, playing at Eden Gardens, doing something we haven’t done for 15 years, this is right up there.”What we lack in (ability) we certainly make up in the ability to play as a unit and the resilience that we show. We never give up.”Led by skipper Bavuma, South Africa defied the odds on a turning pitch with inconsistent bounce at Eden Gardens to beat India at their own game of spin.Bavuma’s gritty 55 not out in South Africa’s second innings paved the way for a thrilling win inside three days after the tourists bundled out India for 93 in their chase of 124.Bavuma’s half-century was the only fifty between the two teams on a track where bowlers dominated.South Africa have added Lungi Ngidi to their squad after fellow quick Kagiso Rabada missed the opener with a rib injury and is doubtful for the final match.Rabada watched his fellow bowlers rattle the Indian batting with spinner Simon Harmer taking a match haul of eight wickets.- Gill to miss out? -India are sweating on the fitness of skipper Shubman Gill as they look to rescue the two-match series.Gill suffered neck spasms in the first innings and pulled out of the remainder of the first Test, spending a night in hospital.The top-order batsman travelled with the team to the northeastern city of Guwahati but Indian media said he will not play the second match, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant to lead.India’s ploy to have a turning pitch at Eden Gardens has met with severe criticism from pundits after the hosts faltered badly in their chase.The defeat was India’s fourth at home in six Tests having been whitewashed by New Zealand 3-0 last year.”I completely believe that (coach) Gautam Gambhir and his team in India must play on much better wickets than what they played at Eden Gardens,” former captain Sourav Ganguly told TV channel India Today.Gambhir is under pressure after replacing Rahul Dravid following the T20 World Cup triumph last year.The going has been tough for the former opener, losing nine out of 18 Tests since being appointed coach of a team in transition.Stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma quit T20 cricket after the World Cup win in Barbados and earlier this year called time on their Test careers.Gill was appointed Test captain and drew a tough Test series in England 2-2 before leading India’s 2-0 whitewash of the West Indies at home.Play in Guwahati at India’s newest Test venue will start at 9:00 am (0330 GMT) because of early sunsets, with the order of the session breaks reversed — meaning tea will be before lunch.

South Africa chase history in India as Gambhir feels the heatThu, 20 Nov 2025 02:20:18 GMT

Temba Bavuma’s South Africa are aiming for their first Test series victory in India in 25 years when the second match starts on Saturday in Guwahati.The visitors stunned India in a low-scoring first Test at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens to extend their fine run after being crowned World Test champions in June.The victory was South Africa’s …

South Africa chase history in India as Gambhir feels the heatThu, 20 Nov 2025 02:20:18 GMT Read More »

Lula pushes fossil fuel ‘roadmap’ back to center of COP30

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva put his “roadmap” from fossil fuels back at the top of UN climate talks in Belem on Wednesday, despite the failure of a bold bid to seal an early deal.Lula flew into the Amazonian city to bring the weight of the presidency to the summit, in a rare late-stage visit by a head of state or government at the annual gathering.COP30 host Brazil released a draft pact on Tuesday and pushed negotiators to work through the night, hoping to get nations to agree on the most disputed points as soon as Wednesday — two days before the conference is scheduled to end.Lula, who has invested political capital into making what he dubbed the “COP of truth” a success, shuttled between rooms to meet with ministers of various negotiating groups.He burst jovially into the evening’s press conference two hours late, singing the praises of Belem and the state of Para, boasting: “From the beginning, I had no doubt that we were going to organize the best COP of all those held so far.”He then returned to his “roadmap” away from oil, coal and gas that he first floated earlier this month, lighting the fuse for the summit’s ambitious tone.”We need to show society that we want this without imposing anything on anyone, without setting deadlines for each country to decide what it can do within its own time, within its own possibilities,” he said. “But we are serious — we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We need to start thinking about how to live without fossil fuels.”- No more money -Lula “said clearly the roadmap is what he wants to see coming out of the conference,” Marcio Astrini of Brazil’s Climate Observatory told AFP.”We need to see all this optimism reflected in the final text,” added Greenpeace Brazil.Still, much work remains to reach consensus, not only on the roadmap away from fossil fuels — supported by a coalition of more than 80 countries but opposed by the oil-producing bloc — but also on trade measures and other divisive topics.Negotiators are notably at odds over pressure from the developing world for developed countries to provide more financing to help vulnerable nations adapt to climate change and deploy renewable energy.The COP29 summit in Baku last year concluded with developed nations agreeing to provide $300 billion a year in climate finance, a figure criticized by developing countries as woefully insufficient.The EU, where many countries are facing economic headwinds and soaring debt, has led the opposition to demands for more money.”We’re not looking at any increases in adaptation finance,” Irish climate minister Darragh O’Brien said.The EU is also fighting attempts led by China and major developing economies to have language against its tax on imports of carbon-intensive goods such as steel, aluminum, cement and fertilizers.- Grants, not loans -“There should be at least a mention (of trade measures), because they become a disabler instead of an enabler. So, I think they will be mentioned in some way,” Mexican environment minister Alicia Barcena told AFP.Aisha Humera Moriani, Pakistan’s head of delegation, told AFP that “it’s extremely important that we find something on the operationalization of that $300 billion.” She added that most of the funding should boost climate-vulnerable countries’ resilience to extreme weather and a larger share needs to come as grants, rather than loans that further burden poor nations with debt.A new text is expected to be published on Wednesday.COP30 is due to end on Friday, but climate summits regularly run into overtime.In a sign that Brazil wants to stay on schedule, delegates sleeping on two cruise ships serving as floating hotels have been told to vacate their cabins on Saturday morning.