Global leaders have extended early congratulations to Donald Trump on what many are calling a “historic comeback” to the White House. Despite the official results not yet being declared, the election has drawn considerable international response. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán were among the first to issue congratulatory statements, followed by leaders from France, the UK, and India. Writing on X, Zelenskyy expressed a warm message to Trump, recalling their recent discussions. "I had a great meeting with President Trump back in September, when we discussed in detail the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership, the Victory Plan, and ways to put an end to Russian aggression against Ukraine," he shared. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also posted a celebratory message on X, noting his excitement about Trump’s projected victory: "Dear Donald and Melania Trump, Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory!” Hungary's Viktor Orbán, known for his right-wing stance, called it "the biggest comeback in US political history!" Orbán added, "Congratulations to President @realDonaldTrump on his enormous win. A much-needed victory for the World!" Read: "Have to put country first for at least a period of time": Trump in election night speech French President Emmanuel Macron extended his message of congratulations in both French and English, underscoring a willingness to work together again: "Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump,” he posted on X. "Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.” In the UK, newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour government recently took office, offered his best wishes to Trump, posting, "Congratulations President-elect @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead." Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined in, congratulating Trump on his return to the presidency. “Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory," Modi wrote on X, adding, "As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership. Together, let's work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity."

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Saturday said the results of the US election will not pose any challenge for the relations that the two countries maintain as Prof Muhammad Yunus as a global leader has very good ties with senior leaders of the both parties.  "He (CA Prof Yunus) has friends in both parties. The relationship depends a lot on personal attachment. Prof Yunus is a global leader. So, whether Kamala Harris or Donald Trump wins the US election, there will be no challenge for our relationship," Alam said while speaking as the chief at a debate competition in Dhaka. “End impunity for crimes against journalists, protect media workers”: UN Rights Chief The electoral system in the US is called a two-party system. That means that two parties dominate the political field in all three levels of government.  In the US, these two parties are the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.  Other parties, often generally termed “third parties”, in the US include The Green Party, Libertarians, Constitution Party and Natural Law Party. The Press Secretary said Donald Trump's statement on minorities in Bangladesh is a completely domestic political issue and lobbyists may have influenced this issue.  Trump, on Thursday, strongly condemned the “barbaric violence” against Hindus, Christians and other minorities who are “getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos.” Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Friday said what Republican Donald Trump, who is running again for the White House, thinks about the events in Bangladesh “does obviously matter”, but stressed that their task in the government is to tell the truth. Trump condemns “attacks on minorities” in Bangladesh “He (Trump) may soon become the leader of the free world. But our task is to tell our truth in the most transparent and compelling way possible,” he said. Alam said Bangladesh's relations with India are good and Bangladesh wants to continue this good relationship with them. "We received support from all over the world in the unprecedented mass uprising that took place in Bangladesh. No evil force can survive when the people wake up," he said.  Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held duelling rallies within miles of each other in swing state Wisconsin’s largest city, Milwaukee, on Friday night.  Milwaukee is home to the most Democratic votes in Wisconsin, but its conservative Republican suburbs are a critical area for Trump as he tries to reclaim the state he narrowly won in 2016 but lost in 2020. The shadow parliament was organised by Debate for Democracy on the impact of the US elections at the FDC in the capital. Debate for Democracy Chairman Hassan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron presided over the event. Kiron said that since Donald Trump mentioned his friendly relations with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi just before the US elections, the "fallen" government thinks it will be easy for them to return to Bangladeshi politics.  "If Trump is elected, they can try to rehabilitate themselves in politics by capitalising on Modi's relationship with him. But the students and people of this country will no longer accept the fallen dictatorship accused of genocide in Bangladeshi politics," he said.  A few days before the US election, some are trying to find a mystery about Donald Trump's sudden condemnation of attacks on Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minorities in Bangladesh, Kiron said. He also said that no matter who wins the US election, their foreign policy does not change much.  State University of Bangladesh emerged victorious in the debate competition against the Green University of Bangladesh.  The judges of the competition were Professor Dr Tajul Islam Chowdhury Tuhin, Professor Dr AKM Mazharul Islam, DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib, DCAB General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu and Journalist Md. Atiqur Rahman. 

Elon Musk held his first solo event in support of Donald Trump for president on Thursday, encouraging voters in the Philadelphia suburbs to register to cast their ballots and vote early, though some attendees shouted back, “Why?” The America PAC event at Ridley High School's auditorium in Folsom featured the world's richest man speaking onstage in front of a large U.S. flag for roughly 15 minutes before taking questions from the crowd, many of whom wore “Make America Great Again” hats. The event was billed as a call to action to vote early in the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania, where Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris are fiercely contesting the election. Some in the crowd questioned Musk's entreaties to vote early, reflecting the possibility that Republicans are still persuading their supporters to embrace early voting after Trump spent years demonizing the method. The crowd rose to its feet and took cellphone videos as Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla and Space X and owner of the social media platform X, walked onstage. They remained standing during his remarks and cheered loudly after he said the U.S. Constitution needs to be upheld. “This is literally the fundamental values that made America what it is today. And anyone who is against those things is fundamentally anti-American and to hell with them,” said Musk, who was born in South Africa. The crowd erupted. He exhorted the crowd to make sure they and their friends and family were registered to vote and to “pester” those who weren't. Toward the end of the question period, which included more than a dozen from those in the audience, he was asked to explain whether people should vote early in Pennsylvania. Musk was momentarily distracted by a fan waving a hat, which he appeared to sign, and then by a child whom he brought onstage for a photo. Redirected to the question, he said people should vote immediately. Read: Elon Musk commits $70 million to boost Donald Trump Some in the crowd cupped their hands and shouted, “Why?” He did not answer. A spokesperson said after the event that he didn't have additional comment. Trump for years has sowed doubt about mail and early voting by claiming it was rife with fraud, though voter fraud is rare in the United States. This year, Republicans are making a renewed push to encourage their supporters to vote early and lock in their ballots, though they acknowledge skepticism from those conditioned by Trump’s false claims. John and Linda Bird, a couple who attended the event, said they had concerns about the integrity of the voting system and worried about voting early. John Bird said he planned to vote on Election Day. Linda pointed to a sign given out at the event that said Trump called for early voting and worried about the possibility of not getting to the polls on Nov. 5. Still, she said she'd cast her ballot on Election Day, too. “Anything can happen, you know, you wake up that morning, some catastrophe happens or whatever,” she said. “But, you know, we’re planning on voting on Nov. 5.” One of the questioners asked about fraud in elections — something Trump has falsely insisted cost him the 2020 race. An Associated Press review of every potential case of voter fraud in the six battleground states disputed by Trump found fewer than 475, a number that would have made no difference in the outcome. Musk said sarcastically that it must be a coincidence that Dominion voting machines, which had been at the center of conspiracy theories in the 2020 election, were used in Philadelphia and Maricopa County, Arizona, located in two battleground states won by Democrat Joe Biden. In 2023, Fox News agreed to pay Dominion Voting Systems $787 million to avoid a trial in a defamation lawsuit the voting machine company brought against the network for lies told about their company switching ballots. In an emailed statement Thursday, Dominion said its machines are not used in Philadelphia, as Musk said. The statement also said its systems are based on “verified paper ballots.” "These are not matters of opinion. They are verifiable facts.” Dominion said. Musk has become a major booster of Trump this campaign season. On Thursday evening, he cast the election in dire terms. Read more: Trump's economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say “I haven’t been politically active before. I’m politically active now because I think the future of America and the future of civilization is at stake,” he said. People were lined up to attend before 3 p.m. as school was letting out. A few people began to leave early when it became clear that not everyone who had lined up to ask a question would have a chance to ask one. The event was livestreamed on X, formerly Twitter, and was at times glitchy and difficult to follow, even as it drew hundreds of thousands of viewers. Musk is undertaking much of the get-out-the-vote effort for Trump through his America PAC, a super PAC that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money. He has committed more than $70 million to the super PAC to help Trump and other Republicans win in November. Trump and the Republican National Committee he controls opted for an unorthodox strategy of sharing canvassing duties in key regions with groups like Musk’s. They’ve also focused their efforts not on independent or moderate voters, but on those who already support Trump but usually don’t vote. Republican activists in swing states said in September that they had seen little activity from the PAC’s get-out-the-vote efforts.

OpenAI has disclosed alarming instances of its artificial intelligence models, including ChatGPT, being misused by cybercriminals to create fake content aimed at influencing US elections. The findings underscore the growing challenge AI poses to cybersecurity and election integrity, raising fresh concerns about the role of emerging technologies in shaping democratic processes. The report, revealed on Wednesday, details how AI tools like ChatGPT have been exploited to generate persuasive, coherent text at an unprecedented scale. Cybercriminals have used the technology to craft fake news articles, social media posts, and even fraudulent campaign materials intended to mislead voters. These AI-generated messages are often sophisticated enough to mimic the style of legitimate news outlets, making it increasingly difficult for the average citizen to discern truth from fabrication. Google loses final EU court appeal against 2.4 billion euro fine in antitrust shopping case One of the most concerning trends highlighted in the report is the ability of malicious actors to tailor disinformation campaigns to specific demographics. By leveraging data mining techniques, cybercriminals can analyse voter behaviour and preferences, creating targeted messages that resonate with particular audiences. This level of personalisation enhances the impact of disinformation, allowing bad actors to exploit existing political divisions and amplify societal discord. AI-Driven ‘Disinformation’ The US Department of Homeland Security has also raised concerns about the potential for foreign interference in the upcoming November elections. According to US authorities, Russia, Iran, and China are reportedly using AI to spread divisive and fake information, posing a significant threat to election integrity. These countries have allegedly employed artificial intelligence to generate disinformation aimed at manipulating public opinion and undermining trust in the democratic process. The report from OpenAI indicates that the company has thwarted over 20 attempts to misuse ChatGPT for influence operations this year alone. In August, several accounts were blocked for generating election-related articles, while in July, accounts from Rwanda were banned for producing social media comments intended to influence that country's elections. Although these attempts have so far failed to gain significant traction or achieve viral spread, OpenAI emphasises the need for vigilance, as the technology continues to evolve. Challenges The speed at which AI can produce content poses significant challenges for traditional fact-checking and response mechanisms, which struggle to keep pace with the flood of false information. Family outraged as AI Chatbot mimics murdered daughter This dynamic creates an environment where voters are bombarded with conflicting narratives, complicating their decision-making processes and potentially eroding trust in democratic institutions. OpenAI’s findings also highlight the potential for AI to be used in automated social media campaigns. The ability to rapidly generate content allows bad actors to skew public perception and influence voter sentiment in real time, particularly during critical moments in the run-up to elections. Despite the limited success of these operations to date, the potential for AI-driven disinformation to disrupt elections remains a serious concern. Greater Vigilance In response to these developments, OpenAI has called for increased collaboration between technology companies, governments, and civil society to address the misuse of AI in influence operations. The company is also enhancing its own monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to detect and prevent the misuse of its models for generating fake or harmful content. As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the information landscape, OpenAI’s report serves as a stark reminder of the need to balance technological innovation with robust safeguards. The stakes are high, and the ability to maintain the integrity of democratic processes in the age of AI will require coordinated efforts and proactive strategies from all stakeholders involved.