United News of Bangladesh

Severe flooding in Istanbul has killed four people and caused widespread damage, with Turkey's interior minister describing it as the city's worst flood disaster in more than 80 years. Istanbul, home to 16 million people, received more rainfall in the 48 hours leading up to Thursday morning than the combined historical average for September and October, state-run media said. “We are trying our best to help our citizens, but we are also experiencing the biggest flood disaster since 1942,” Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said Friday.   The body of a 66-year-old man was recovered Friday from beneath a bridge in Istanbul's Sariyer district. Three other deaths had been reported earlier, including a teenager who was electrocuted during the storm. Floodwater inundated homes, businesses, streets and parks, while vehicles were swept away and piled up at the bottom of hills. Before the body was discovered, Ciftci said four people were still missing in Sariyer's Ayazaga neighbourhood. He reported 9,850 complaints concerning flood damage and related problems, adding that 46,000 personnel were working to clear debris and assist residents. The meteorological authority warned of heavy rainfall in Istanbul and four neighbouring provinces over the weekend. Environment Minister Murat Kurum, who accompanied Ciftci, said addressing risks linked to urban development near waterways was essential. He also linked the disaster to climate change, saying combating it was a necessity. Kurum will chair COP31 in Antalya next month.

Indian authorities tightened security across the capital and shut a park in central New Delhi on Friday ahead of a flag-waving rally organised by the youth-led “Cockroach” movement, which is demanding the resignation of the country’s election chief. Protests by young people and opposition parties have intensified over a revision of voter lists that has removed more than 130 million names since last year. Critics allege the process is politically motivated, risks disenfranchising millions more voters and disproportionately affects minorities, particularly Muslims. They have called for Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar to step down. The Election Commission and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government have rejected the allegations, saying the exercise aims to eliminate duplicate and ineligible entries from voter lists. Friday’s rally is part of an expanding protest campaign that has increased pressure on Modi’s government. It comes a week after police cracked down on demonstrators in New Delhi. Modi has yet to publicly address the protests. Some leaders from his party have labelled the demonstrators “anarchists” and claimed, without providing evidence, that foreign powers are supporting them. “Waving the tricolor (Indian flag) is not a crime,” Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the “Cockroach” movement, said Thursday. He called on supporters unable to reach the capital to wave the national flag and hold demonstrations in their local communities. Police urged people to stay away from the rally but said a small group could be permitted to wave the national flag and sing the national anthem at an authorised venue. The movement emerged this summer as an online satirical campaign after India’s chief justice compared unemployed young people to parasites. Many young Indians adopted the cockroach as a symbol of resilience. The campaign has since evolved into a nationwide youth protest movement. Demonstrations organised by the group forced Modi’s education minister to resign in July, marking a rare setback for the prime minister, who has been in power for more than 12 years.

Russian attacks on nine Ukrainian regions triggered emergency power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of households, damaged homes and injured at least 15 people, officials said Friday, as civilian casualties continue to rise. The strikes came amid growing concerns that deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Washington could leave Ukraine more vulnerable to Russian attacks ahead of winter. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure before winter, seeking to weaken public support by disrupting heating and water supplies. Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow is stockpiling ballistic missiles for further attacks. Ukraine abandoned a brief truce on energy targets on Thursday, accusing Russia of violating the arrangement despite US President Donald Trump's call for a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a European Union summit in Brussels on Friday, where leaders pledged continued support and urged Washington to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tensions escalated after Trump and Zelenskyy exchanged sharp remarks this week. Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed by Trump, who openly expressed his dislike for the Ukrainian leader. Zelenskyy also criticised disruptions in Western intelligence sharing and restrictions on Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade satellite internet service used in Ukraine's drone operations and military communications. Ukraine faces a shortage of US-made Patriot missiles needed to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks. Zelenskyy also criticised Trump's diesel deal with Russia, while Ukrainian officials accused the US president of pressuring Kyiv to surrender territory. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said European leaders were trying to persuade Washington to maintain its support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, a UN human rights report said 328 civilians were killed and 2,105 injured in Ukraine in September, an 85% increase from the same month last year. UN official Danielle Bell said the first two weeks of October were among the deadliest periods for civilians in years. Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 644 Ukrainian drones overnight. Nearly 160 flights were delayed or cancelled at Moscow's four airports, while another 46 were disrupted at St Petersburg airport, local media reported.

Authorities in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have ordered safety inspections of all private schools after a roof collapse killed 34 children and a teacher, as relatives of victims said they had previously warned about the building’s poor condition. The provincial government has launched an investigation into Thursday’s collapse at Al-Khair School, while grieving families are demanding justice. At least one relative said he had warned the school owner about repeated water leaks. Police arrested the school’s owner, Mohammad Khan, on Thursday. Peshawar Police Chief Saeed Ahmed said the building was structurally weak and Khan told officers that recent rainfall had weakened one of its roofs. An order reviewed by The Associated Press directs the provincial education department to form district committees to inspect private school buildings and submit findings and recommendations within three days. The inspections will cover both owned and rented premises, examining roofs, ceilings, walls, columns, beams, foundations and staircases. District authorities must arrange urgent technical assessments and classify buildings as safe, requiring repairs or improvements, or potentially unsafe. On Friday, government spokesperson Samar Haroon Bilour expressed grief over the deaths and injuries. In a video message, she urged parents to report schools operating in structurally weak buildings, saying the government was also conducting inspections to prevent similar tragedies. Survivors and families recount the tragedy Emergency teams arrived within five minutes of receiving the alert, and all those trapped beneath the rubble had been recovered by the end of Thursday’s rescue operation. At least 40 children were pulled alive from the debris, said Bilal Faizi, a spokesperson for Peshawar’s emergency services. The collapsed roof was a traditional structure made of mud and bricks. Some children trapped underneath died from suffocation, Faizi said. Injured teacher Mahwish Zaman, speaking from her hospital bed, said the collapse happened so suddenly that nobody had time to escape. She was teaching when she heard a loud crash from the floor above. Before she could tell her students to run to safety, the ceiling collapsed. She lost consciousness and later learned that many of her students had died. Residents visited grieving families, many of whom lived in Dir Colony, the Peshawar neighbourhood where the school is located. Mohammad Zaman, 36, whose two nephews died, said he and other relatives had repeatedly complained to the owner about rainwater leaking into classrooms. He said he had warned that the building’s condition could result in a tragedy. His nine-year-old nephew, Abdul, was in second grade, while 10-year-old Abuzar was in third grade. Their sister, Samiya, a nursery student at the school, survived because she had gone outside to buy sweets. Another relative, Zakir Ullah, lost both his sons, Abu Bakr and Mohammad, who were in the same classroom. His daughter, who was in another class, ran home after the collapse to tell the family that the school had fallen. They rushed back with her and found the boys’ classroom buried beneath the rubble, he said. Ullah said nothing was visible beneath the debris. Describing the building as weak, he demanded punishment for any officials who had authorised its use as a school. “How could I have known this would take both my sons away from me,” he said.

A 16-year-old gunman killed three children and a teacher at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon, on Thursday after forcing his way through locked doors. He was later shot by a person at the scene who followed him inside, authorities said. The suspect was found dead inside the school within minutes of the first report of the shooting, Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said. The children killed were aged 5, 8 and 11. Another child, 7, and a 54-year-old teacher were injured and taken to hospital in critical condition, Krantz said. The first emergency call came shortly before 1pm from a person in a vehicle outside Silver Rail Elementary School who reported being fired at by someone carrying a long gun, Krantz told reporters. Additional 911 calls came from inside the school, and officers arrived within minutes, police spokesperson Sheila Miller said. The attacker, identified by police as a Bend resident, was shot and fell inside the school shortly after officers arrived. Authorities said they did not know whether he knew anyone at the school or had previously attended it. The children were transported by bus to a nearby church designated as a reunification centre for families. Parents embraced their children and held their hands as they walked to their vehicles. Some children carried favourite stuffed animals and other comforting items brought from home. Silver Rail Elementary serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade. It had 459 enrolled students as of last year, according to the Oregon Department of Education. Bend, located about 125 miles (200 kilometres) southeast of Portland, is a high-desert city that has experienced substantial population growth over the past three decades. It is also a popular destination for tourism and outdoor recreation near Mount Bachelor. Classes, sports and extracurricular activities were cancelled on Friday at all 32 schools in the Bend-La Pine School District. The shooting was the 28th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said the attacker used a pump-action shotgun purchased by his mother. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said at a news conference that her heart was “absolutely broken” and thanked the civilian who pursued the gunman. “To the community member who heroically intervened to stop further loss of life: Your actions carry a heavy emotional burden, and I just want you to know that my thoughts are with you as well,” she said.

Organizers of the Asian Cup have reaffirmed that preparations for the continental football tournament in Saudi Arabia are proceeding as scheduled, despite growing concerns over the safety of players and fans amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Saudi organizing committee said in a statement on Friday that it was maintaining close coordination with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ahead of the championship, scheduled for Jan. 7 to Feb. 5. “Preparations across all organizational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities and supporting services,” the organizers said. They added that their priority was to provide a world-class tournament experience for teams, supporters and media from across Asia while bringing the continent together through football. The confirmation came after South Korea’s Professional Footballers’ Association raised concerns over security following a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. “The continued military tensions and security instability in the Middle East are issues that can never be taken lightly,” Lee Keun-ho, head of the South Korean players’ union, said in a statement. He described the safety of South Korea’s national team and all players participating in the tournament as a serious concern. At least 19 people, including foreign nationals, have been killed in more than a week of Houthi attacks targeting Riyadh’s international airport, the headquarters of Saudi oil giant Aramco and other aviation, oil and military facilities across the kingdom. South Korea, which reached the World Cup semifinals in 2002, is scheduled to begin its Asian Cup campaign against Yemen on Jan. 10. However, Lee said the team should play only if conditions are considered safe. “No competition’s value can take precedence over the lives and safety of players and football fans,” he said, adding that all options, including whether the tournament should proceed, must be carefully considered if safety cannot be adequately ensured. Security concerns have also affected club football. An AFC Champions League match between Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and Uzbekistan’s Neftchi Fergana was delayed in Riyadh on Monday after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued a security alert. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa told media in Zurich this week that the Asian Cup could be postponed by a year if necessary. “We can wait until the end of November” to make a decision, Salman said, noting that the regional situation could change quickly for better or worse. “If we need to make a decision, then we will, but we could move it back a year to 2028 if we need to,” he added.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said it intercepted a missile over Medina province in Saudi Arabia, thwarting a potential attack on the holy city. Meanwhile, the Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack near a site used by Yemen's internationally recognised government in the port city of Aden, where at least two people were killed, according to an official. In Israel, a former head of the domestic security agency filed a defamation lawsuit against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Here are the latest developments in the Middle East on Thursday. Houthis deny attacking holy city The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile over Medina province but did not identify who launched it. Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen Yahya Saree denied responsibility for the attack. The rebels had previously pledged not to target airports in the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The latest fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis began last month after the rebels seized key areas near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital shipping route for oil supplies. The Saudi-led coalition, which supports forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government, has been trying to recapture those areas. Houthis claim attack near government palace Houthi-launched missiles and drones struck near a palace used by Yemen's recognised government in Aden on Thursday, killing at least two people, an official said. Six others were wounded, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. The Iran-backed rebels, based in northern Yemen, quickly claimed responsibility. Many members of Yemen's government live in exile, while officials based in Aden were safe, another government official said. UN Security Council condemns Houthi attacks The UN Security Council strongly condemned continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, describing strikes against civilian airports and other facilities as reckless. The 15-member council expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and affirmed the kingdom's right to self-defence under international law. Former Israeli security chief sues Netanyahu Ronen Bar, the former head of Israel's domestic security agency Shin Bet, filed a defamation lawsuit against Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of making false claims that he failed to pass on warnings about Hamas threats before the Oct 7, 2023, attack. Bar is seeking 3 million shekels ($965,000) in damages in the lawsuit filed on Wednesday. In a post on X last month, Netanyahu accused Bar of “failures and crimes” in the hours before the Hamas-led attack, in which militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. The attack triggered a massive Israeli bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Netanyahu alleged that Bar knew about the threat from Hamas but failed to inform him, the military or civilian security agencies. Bar described the accusations as “blood libel”, saying he had taken steps to update the prime minister's senior military advisers and the army before the attack. He also said his agency had issued warnings and recommendations in the months leading up to the assault that Netanyahu had repeatedly ignored. Following the resignations of several senior security officials, including Bar, Netanyahu remains the only senior figure from the time of the Oct 7 attack still in office. Israeli strike kills man in Gaza An Israeli strike north of Gaza City killed a man, officials at Shifa Hospital said. Israel's military said it had targeted a “terrorist” in the area but provided no further details. The strike came more than a year after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement, although Israeli attacks in Gaza have continued. More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire began in October last year, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. UN agencies and independent experts generally consider the ministry's figures reliable, although they do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Syria sentences five over coastal violence A Syrian court sentenced two people to death and three others to prison terms over their involvement in sectarian violence in the country's coastal region last year. In March 2025, supporters of ousted President Bashar Assad attacked security forces belonging to Syria's new government in areas where a large part of the country's Alawite religious minority lives. The government's subsequent counterinsurgency operation escalated into widespread violence, killing hundreds of civilians, most of them Alawites. Two members of pro-Assad groups received death sentences, while a third was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Two members of the security forces were also given prison terms.

Student-led protesters clashed with police in Albania's capital Tirana for a third consecutive day on Thursday as demonstrations against the government grew over corruption allegations and a major tourism project linked to US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Young demonstrators threw rocks at a police cordon outside the Education Ministry, prompting riot police to fire tear gas and use water cannons. Several protesters were detained. Masked youths also fired fireworks at government offices and set fire to rubbish bins, filling the streets with thick smoke. Television reporters struggled to breathe during live broadcasts as smoke and tear gas spread through the area. The clashes followed hours of unrest on Wednesday, when protesters attacked government buildings, banks and businesses, leaving dozens injured. The protests began with student groups demanding education reforms but later joined the so-called Flamingo Movement, which is calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over alleged widespread corruption. The movement also opposes a luxury tourism development planned for Albania's southern coast by an investment firm founded by Kushner. The movement takes its name from images of pink flamingos used by protesters. Thousands of the birds live in a nature reserve on the island where the project is planned. On Thursday, high school students joined thousands of demonstrators marching through central Tirana, chanting “Rama Resign!” and bringing traffic to a standstill. “We will be in the square every day,” prominent protest organiser Mateo Yskollari wrote online, warning that any attempt to silence the demonstrators would lead to wider protests and civil disobedience. Although the rallies initially remained peaceful, some groups later clashed with police and attacked government buildings and shops. Police focused on protecting government facilities, while officials urged parents to keep their teenage children away from the unrest. National Police Chief Skender Hita said 71 police officers had been injured. He called on officers to act professionally and with restraint, stressing that the right to peaceful protest could not be used to justify violence, arson or vandalism. As smaller clashes spread to at least three other cities, Education Minister Mirela Kumbaro appealed to parents in a video message to keep children away from the violence and destruction of public and private property. Rama visited cleanup workers on Thursday and released a video message from a fire-damaged college building. He accused political opponents of encouraging the violence and vowed to remain in office to advance Albania's bid to join the European Union. “We will all get through these difficult hours together because Albania will continue to climb, because Albania will continue on its path to Europe,” he said, adding that nobody could place the country above the law. Rama's Socialist Party won a fourth consecutive election victory last year, and the next parliamentary election is not scheduled until 2029. The opposition Democratic Party backed the student-led demonstrations and called on Rama to form a caretaker government ahead of early elections. It also arranged legal assistance for detained protesters. The party described the movement as a broader revolt against a system it accused of undermining young people's hopes, breaking public trust and moving Albania further away from its European aspirations. An European Union delegation in Albania called late Wednesday for a proportionate response from the authorities, expressing concern over the escalation of violence during the protests in Tirana.

A series of drone attacks on at least seven cargo ships in the Black Sea this month has raised concerns among some NATO members that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be escalating the conflict to test the alliance’s support for Ukraine. The attacks occurred in the exclusive economic zones of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, threatening an important international shipping route. At least two people have been killed and 25 others remain missing, raising fears that more countries could be drawn directly into the war. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea and Danube River, forcing Kyiv to rely increasingly on alternative routes to export grain to Africa and the Middle East. Russian drones have also repeatedly entered Romanian airspace near Ukrainian ports along the Danube. In the latest incidents, two ships caught fire after drone strikes on Wednesday and Thursday, with one attack occurring in Romanian territorial waters. Romanian President Nicusor Dan said in Brussels on Thursday that two drones had hit the vessels but did not identify their origin. He warned that Romania would respond. Suspicion has increasingly focused on Russia. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told parliament that Ukraine had no reason to attack its own ships and crews, arguing that Russia benefited from the incidents. However, he acknowledged that there was no proof establishing responsibility. Several ships hit in October The San Marino-flagged chemical tanker Wine Trader, travelling from Tunisia to Romania, was struck by a drone on Thursday and caught fire. Five crew members were rescued, while seven remained missing. On Wednesday, the Comoros-flagged oil and chemical tanker Yara J, travelling from Turkey to Romania, was also hit by a drone and caught fire. Romania's acting Defence Minister Radu Miruta said an investigation was underway. Two more ships were hit off Bulgaria's coast on Tuesday. Rescuers evacuated all 15 crew members from the Ukraine-operated Chelsea 3, which sails under the Maltese flag. However, 11 crew members from the Guinea-Bissau-flagged HS Dignity remained missing. The Chelsea 3 crew reported that three aerial drones had struck the vessel's deck and hull. Earlier this month, sea and aerial drones attacked two other commercial ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. A Togo-flagged vessel sank, with all 12 sailors reported aboard still missing. A Bulgarian ferry evacuated 18 crew members from a damaged Palau-flagged ship. A day earlier, a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn caught fire following a drone attack and later sank off Romania's coast. Two people were killed and 11 crew members rescued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the incident as a “horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel” in neutral waters. Russia's ambassador to Bulgaria said she had received no information from the Russian Defence Ministry about the incidents. NATO's defence commitment under scrutiny NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on X on Thursday that he had met Radev and Dan to discuss Black Sea security and the latest attacks on commercial shipping. He said NATO had strengthened its eastern flank, including by expanding its ability to counter drones, and would continue working with its Black Sea allies to adjust its deterrence and defence measures as necessary. Article 5 of NATO's founding treaty states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all. However, Romanian defence analyst Radu Tudor said it remained unclear whether the provision applied to many of the recent incidents because they occurred in the exclusive economic zones of member countries. He said the issue had raised serious questions about how NATO would respond, arguing that the alliance had been too slow to act in the Black Sea. “Words are not enough,” Tudor said, warning that repeated incidents were bringing Russia closer to NATO's borders. Growing security concerns The latest attacks are part of a broader series of drone incursions affecting Romania and other NATO members since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Most have been attributed to Russian drones, although Ukrainian drones have also crossed national borders. In August, Romania deployed two F-16 fighter jets to destroy a naval drone reportedly carrying explosives near a major Black Sea gas project. Miruta said the decision was made to protect the lives of hundreds of people working on the gas platform. A Romanian defence sector source, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, said the attacks appeared aimed at damaging Ukraine's economy rather than targeting Romania directly. The source said Romanian authorities had spent the summer recovering various types of drone debris from the sea and beaches, adding that the situation required action if it continued. The source also said Turkey might seek to bring together countries bordering the Black Sea to discuss escorting commercial convoys through a protected maritime corridor. However, the source warned that such an operation would be risky because Romanian naval vessels lacked air-defence systems capable of protecting ships against drones. In July, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey expanded their Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Force agreement to include the protection of critical underwater infrastructure. Romania's Defence Ministry said the arrangement would include a permanent naval presence in the country's exclusive economic zone. Organising escorts would also be complicated because commercial vessels often fly one country's flag while being owned by companies based elsewhere, the source said. Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on Wednesday that his country planned to join NATO's Drone Edge project by the end of October. Launched in July, the initiative, which Romania has also joined, aims to invest more than $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over the next five years. Shipping insurance costs rise Cezar Gheorghe, founder of grain consultancy Agricolumn, told the AP that the drone attacks had not yet negatively affected trade at Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta. However, he warned that insurance costs were rising across the wider Black Sea region, increasing expenses for ships travelling through the Bosphorus Strait and towards Constanta. Gheorghe said his main concern was the possibility of a serious incident at or near the port. In June, a Ukrainian maritime drone exploded at the port, with three others exploding nearby. “It's a matter of time,” he said, expressing concern about the risk of another serious incident.

A UN report released on Thursday called for greater social inclusion as rapid economic, digital and energy transformations risk leaving billions of people behind. The World Social Report 2026, launched by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, warned that billions of people still lack access to the jobs, skills, services and protections needed to benefit from these changes. Despite progress in income, education, health and access to services, significant gaps persist. In 2025, 58 percent of workers worldwide were informally employed, 27 percent of young women aged 15 to 24 were neither employed nor in education or training, and 26 percent of the global population lacked internet access. Income inequality also rose in more than 50 countries between 2000 and 2024, including 23 high-income countries, according to the report. The report warned that these disparities undermine productivity and resilience, while unequal access to digital technologies and artificial intelligence skills could further widen gaps in education, income and economic opportunity. It estimated that delaying investment in social protection by 10 years could cost countries 12 percent of their economic output compared with those that invest early. To ensure that the benefits of transformation are widely shared, the report outlined four priorities: building people's capacity to adapt, connecting everyone to the new economy, making labor markets work for people, and promoting shared prosperity. In a video message marking the report's launch, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said social inclusion was not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity, stressing that inclusive societies are more productive, resilient and prosperous. "Transformations are inevitable. Inequality and exclusion are not," he said. "Let's work together to ensure that the profound transformations reshaping our world help build societies rooted in justice, dignity and opportunity for all."