USA
US will allow Ukraine to use antipersonnel land mines against Russian forces
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that the Biden administration will allow Ukraine to use American-supplied antipersonnel land mines to help fight off Russian forces.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Laos, he said the shift in policy follows changing tactics by the Russians.
Austin said Russian ground troops are leading the movement on the battlefield, rather than forces more protected in armored carriers, so Ukraine has “a need for things that can help slow down that effort on the part of the Russians.”
“The land mines that we would look to provide them would be land mines that are not persistent, you know, we can control when they would self-activate, self-detonate and that makes it, you know, far more, safer eventually than the things that they are creating on their own,” Austin said.
21 hours ago
US for upholding freedom of expression, assembly in Bangladesh
The United States has laid emphasis on exercising fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression and freedom of assembly in Bangladesh.
"We believe that the people of Bangladesh should be able to exercise their fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression, the freedom of assembly," said US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller while responding to a question at a regular media briefing in Washington on October 28.
He said they believe that no matter who the ruling party is in Bangladesh, and they have made that clear a number of times from this podium as well in their bilateral engagements.
Special cell formed for preserving history of July-August revolution
Miller made the remarks when a journalist wanted to know how the US views the impact of the actions on democratic freedom and political expression in Bangladesh in light of a recent report that the Bangladesh police are using the Anti-Terrorism Act to arrest people associated with the Chhatra League, for participating in demonstration.
Reports suggest that 252 police sub-inspectors were dismissed from the final recruitment in Bangladesh, allegedly excluding all Hindu officers.
Rohingya Crisis: Prof Yunus seeks urgent int’l conf to find solution
The journalist wanted to know whether the US State Department has any response regarding the religious discrimination in the Bangladesh law enforcement hiring process.
In reply, Miller said he has not seen that report, but obviously, they would oppose any religious discrimination in any process in Bangladesh or anywhere in the world.
3 weeks ago
Death toll from Hurricane Helene rises to 227 as grim task of recovering bodies continues
The death toll from Hurricane Helene inched up to 227 on Saturday as the grim task of recovering bodies continued more than a week after the monster storm ravaged the Southeast and killed people in six states.
Helene came ashore Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane and carved a wide swath of destruction as it moved northward from Florida, washing away homes, destroying roads and knocking out electricity and cellphone service for millions.
The number of deaths stood at 225 on Friday; two more were recorded in South Carolina the following day. It was still unclear how many people were unaccounted for or missing, and the toll could rise even higher.
Helene is the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. About half the victims were in North Carolina, while dozens more were killed in Georgia and South Carolina.
The city of Asheville, in the western mountains of North Carolina, was particularly battered. A week later workers used brooms and heavy machinery to clean mud and dirt outside of New Belgium Brewing Company, which lies next to the French Broad River and is among thousands of city businesses and households affected.
So far North Carolinians have received more than $27 million in individual assistance approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said MaryAnn Tierney, a regional administrator for the agency. More than 83,000 people have registered for individual assistance, according to the office of Gov. Roy Cooper.
In Buncombe County, where Asheville is located, FEMA-approved assistance has surpassed $12 million for survivors, Tierney said Saturday during a news briefing.
“This is critical assistance that will help people with their immediate needs, as well as displacement assistance that helps them if they can’t stay in their home,” she said.
She encouraged residents impacted by the storm to register for disaster assistance.
Read: At least 64 dead and millions without power after Helene's deadly march across the Southeast
“It is the first step in the recovery process,” she said. “We can provide immediate relief in terms of serious needs assistance to replace food, water, medicines, other life safety, critical items, as well as displacement assistance if you cannot stay in your home.”
Helene’s raging floodwaters shocked mountain towns hundreds of miles inland and far from where the storm made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast, including in the Tennessee mountains that Dolly Parton calls home.
The country music star has announced a $1 million donation to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing immediate assistance to Hurricane Helene flood victims.
In addition, her East Tennessee businesses as well as the Dollywood Foundation are combining efforts, pledging to match her donation to Mountain Ways with a $1 million contribution.
Parton said she feels a close connection to the storm victims because so many of them “grew up in the mountains just like I did.”
“I can’t stand to see anyone hurting, so I wanted to do what I could to help after these terrible floods,” she said. “I hope we can all be a little bit of light in the world for our friends, our neighbors — even strangers — during this dark time they are experiencing.”
Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner said the company, including Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation, would increase its commitment and donate a total of $10 million to hurricane relief efforts.
In Newport, an eastern Tennessee town of about 7,000, residents continued cleaning up Saturday from the destruction caused by Helene's floodwaters.
Mud still clung to the basement walls of one Main Street funeral home. The ground-floor chapel of another nearby was being dried out, a painting of Jesus still hanging on the wall in an otherwise barren room.
Newport City Hall and its police department also took on water from the swollen Pigeon River. Some of the modest, one-story homes along its banks were destroyed, their walls crumbled and rooms exposed.
Read more: Tropical Storm Helene moves toward western coast of Africa
Farther east in unincorporated Del Rio, along a bend in the French Broad River, residents and volunteers toiled to clean up. The smell of wood hung in the air as people used chainsaws to cut through downed trees, and Bobcats beeped as they moved mangled sheet metal and other debris. Many homes sustained damage, including one that slid off its foundation.
1 month ago
Thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies around the globe as Oct. 7 anniversary nears
Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Rome as tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets in major European cities and around the globe Saturday to call for a cease-fire as the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel approached.
Huge rallies were held in several European cities, with gatherings expected to continue over the weekend and peak on Monday, the date of the anniversary.
In Rome, several thousands demonstrated peacefully Saturday afternoon until a smaller group tried to push the rally toward the center of the city, in spite of a ban by local authorities who refused to authorize protests, citing security concerns.
Some protesters, dressed in black and with their faces covered threw stones, bottles and paper bombs at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons, eventually dispersing the crowd. At least 30 law enforcement officers and three demonstrators were injured in the clashes, local media reported.
The rally in Rome had been calm earlier, with people chanting “Free Palestine, Free Lebanon,” waving Palestinian flags and holding banners calling for an immediate stop to the conflict.
In London, thousands marched through the capital to Downing Street amid a heavy police presence. The atmosphere was tense as pro-Palestinian protesters and counterdemonstrators, some holding Israeli flags, passed one another. Scuffles broke out as police officers pushed back activists trying to get past a cordon. At least 17 people were arrested on suspicion of public order offenses, supporting a proscribed organization and assault, London's Metropolitan Police said.
In the northern German city of Hamburg, about 950 people staged a peaceful demonstration with many waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags or chanting “Stop the Genocide,” the DPA news agency reported, citing a count by police. Two smaller pro-Israeli counterdemonstrations took place without incident, it said.
Several thousands protesters gathered peacefully at Paris’ Republique Plaza in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian and Lebanese people. Many were waving Palestinian flags while holding posters reading ”stop the genocide,” “free Palestine,” and “hands off Lebanon.”
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators also gathered at New York’s Times Square to call for a cease-fire, chanting “Gaza!" to a drumbeat. Some wore keffiyeh scarfs, waved Palestinian and Lebanese flags and held a large cardboard image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with red paint symbolizing blood across his face.
Rallies were also planned in several other cities in the United States as well as in other parts of the world, including Denmark, Switzerland, South Africa and India. In the Philippines, dozens of left-wing activists protested near the U.S. Embassy in Manila, where police prevented them from getting closer to the seaside compound.
Read: Tens of thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies in Europe amid high alert as Oct. 7 anniversary nears
Pro-Israeli demonstrations are expected to be held Sunday because Jews across the world are still observing Rosh Hashana, or the Jewish new year.
This year, emotions will be high for many given that the midpoint of the 10 days spanning Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is Oct. 7 — the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.
High security alerts
Security forces in several countries warned of heightened levels of alert in major cities, amid concerns that the escalating conflict in the Middle East could inspire new terror attacks in Europe or that the protests could turn violent.
Pro-Palestinian protests calling for an immediate cease-fire have repeatedly taken place across Europe and around the globe in the past year and have often turned violent, with confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers.
Italian authorities believed that the timing of Saturday's rally in Rome risked the Oct. 7 attack being “glorified,” local media reported.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi also stressed that, ahead of the key anniversary, Europe is on high alert for potential terror attacks.
“This is not a normal situation. … We are already in a condition of maximum prevention,” he said.
Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in Britain, said he and others will keep organizing marches until action against Israel is taken.
“We need to be out on the streets in even bigger numbers to stop this carnage and stop Britain being drawn into it,” Jamal said.
In Berlin, a march is scheduled from the Brandenburg Gate to Bebelplatz on Sunday. Local media reported that security forces have warned of potential overload because of the scale of protests. German authorities pointed to increasing antisemitic and violent incidents in recent days.
Read more:Dozens arrested in new pro-Palestinian protests at UCLA
Earlier this week in France, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau warned the country’s regional prefects, expressing concern about possible tensions and saying that the terrorist threat was high.
Thousands rally in DC for Gaza and Lebanon
About 3,000 people demonstrated within sight of the White House, protesting the year-old Israeli siege of Gaza and the widening attacks on Lebanon.
Amid a heavy police presence, the protesters gathered at Lafayette Park, the same site as the summer 2020 protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd in police custody.
The crowds chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied!”
One speaker on stage commemorated Oct. 7, 2023, as “the day that Gazans finally broke out of their prison.”
The crowds then marched through downtown D.C., with police closing the streets ahead of them.
Dozens of protesters carried signs criticizing the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the issue. One sign read: “Abandon Harris ’24.”
Law student Annette Tunstall said she had a brief moment when she considered voting Democrat after Biden stepped down and Harris assumed the candidacy. But she lost faith when she said pro-Palestinian voices were muzzled at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Read more:Police clear Pro-Palestinian tent encampment at George Washington University, dozens arrested
“I really wanted to feel like I could vote for her in good conscience,” Tunstall said. “I don’t think it would have taken a lot for thousands of pro-Palestinian people to hold their nose and vote for Harris.”
A tense and bloody year
On Oct. 7 last year, Hamas launched a surprise attack into Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis, taking 250 people hostage and setting off a war with Israel that has shattered much of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since then in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and civilians.
Nearly 100 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with fewer than 70 believed to be alive. Israelis have experienced attacks — missiles from Iran and Hezbollah, explosive drones from Yemen, fatal shootings and stabbings — as the region braces for further escalation.
In late September, Israel shifted some of its focus to Hezbollah, which it seeks to push back from its border in parts of south Lebanon where the group is entrenched.
1 month ago
USA vs BAN T20I Series 2024: Analysis of Bangladesh’s Series Defeat Against USA
Bangladesh finished arguably the most mortifying series on Saturday night when they won by 10 wickets against the USA but lost the 3-match series by 2-1. USA, who are currently 19th in the ICC T20I ranking, have registered their only 2nd and 3rd wins against a test-playing side in the 2024 US vs BAN T20I series. Let’s take a look at the possible reasons for the miserable performance of the Tigers.
How the Series Went
The 3-match series was won by the USA by 2-1. They wrapped up the series in the first two games after winning by 5 wickets and 6 runs. The stats table suggests that the best performers of the series are from Bangladesh. Yet the US team got a better outcome than the Bangladesh team in this series.
The first game saw Bangladesh batting first and registering a score of 153. It was a good recovery considering Bangladesh were 65/2 after 10 overs. Tawhid Hridoy’s 58(47) and Mahmudullah Riyad’s 31(22) gave Bangladesh a fighting total. Steven Taylor picked 2 wickets for 9 runs in his 3 overs. In response, the USA were 99/5 after the 16th over needing 55 off 24 deliveries. From here, Harmeet Singh scored a blistering 33 off 13 and made a partnership of 62(31) with Corey Anderson (34 off 25) to ensure the victory of the USA and bagged the man of the match award. Mustafizur Rahman picked up a couple of wickets but gave away 41 runs.
Read more: Third T20I v USA: Bangladesh break records in consolation win that fails to console
The 2nd game saw an even poorer Bangladesh side. The bowlers might have done a good job restricting the USA for 144. But the batters didn’t complement them. Bangladesh needed 26 runs from 24 balls at one stage with 5 wickets in hand. But a brilliant 9-ball spell from Ali Khan which saw him grabbing 3 wickets for only 9 runs was enough to hand USA the victory. He picked the man of the match in this game.
The 3rd game was a mere formality but saw the best of Bangladesh in the series. Thanks to Mustafizur Rahman’s career-best figure of 4-1-10-6, Bangladesh restricted the USA to 104/9. The small target was chased down by the opening partnership of Soumya Sarkar (43* off 28) and Tanzid Tamim (58* off 42) with 50 balls and 10 wickets to spare. The latter scored his 3rd half-century in a career of seven games.
5 months ago
Copa America 2024: Teams, Groups, Venues, and Match Fixtures
The Copa America 2024 is scheduled to take place from 20th June to 14th July. Ahead of it, CONMEBOL has published the fixture of the tournament which will take place in the USA. It is the 48th edition of the oldest, still-running international football competition in the world. Argentina are the defending champions of COPA America.
Host and Venues the Copa America 2024
CONMEBOL has a unique way of choosing the hosts for the Copa America. Usually, the responsibility of organizing the tournament is allotted by alphabetical rotational order. In that system, the Copa America 2024 was originally supposed to be hosted by Ecuador. However, Ecuador declined the opportunity. Then Peru and the USA showed interest, and the USA was selected as part of the new strategic partnership of CONMEBOL and CONCACAF.
Table: List of Stadiums
Stadium Name
Location (States)
AT&T Stadium
Texas
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Georgia
Q2 Stadium
Texas
Bank of America Stadium
North Carolina
MetLife Stadium
New Jersey
NRG Stadium
Texas
SoFi Stadium
California
Levi's Stadium
California
State Farm Stadium
Arizona
Allegiant Stadium
Nevada
Arrowhead Stadium
Missouri
Children's Mercy Park
Kansas
Hard Rock Stadium
Florida
Inter&Co Stadium
Florida
.
Read more: 19-year-old Utshob taking Bangladesh to the global boxing ring
Groups and Fixtures of the 2024 Copa America Tournament
The Copa America 2024 will be contested by 16 teams. The teams are divided into 4 groups of four. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-final rounds. From there, single knock-out games in quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals will decide the champions.
Table: Groups
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Argentina
Mexica
USA
Brazil
Peru
Ecuador
Uruguay
Colombia
Chile
Venezuela
Panama
Paraguay
Canada
Jamaica
Bolivia
Costa Rica
.
Read more: Bangladesh v USA: Freak storm in Houston puts 3-match pre-World Cup series in doubt
Table: Match Dates and Times adjusted in Bangladesh Standard-Times
Date
Team 1
vs
Team 2
Time (BST)
Stadium
Group Stage
21-Jun-24
Argentina
vs
Canada
6:00 AM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Georgia
22-Jun-24
Peru
vs
Chile
6:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Texas
23-Jun-24
Ecuador
vs
Venezuela
4:00 AM
Levi's Stadium, California
23-Jun-24
Mexico
vs
Jamaica
7:00 AM
NRG Stadium, Texas
24-Jun-24
USA
vs
Bolivia
4:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Texas
24-Jun-24
Uruguay
vs
Panama
7:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Florida
25-Jun-24
Colombia
vs
Paraguay
4:00 AM
NRG Stadium, Texas
25-Jun-24
Brazil
vs
Costa Rica
7:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, California
26-Jun-24
Peru
vs
Canada
4:00 AM
Children's Mercy Park, Kansas
26-Jun-24
Chile
vs
Argentina
7:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
27-Jun-24
Ecuador
vs
Jamaica
4:00 AM
Allegiant Stadium, Nevada
27-Jun-24
Venezuela
vs
Mexico
7:00 AM
SoFi Stadium, California
28-Jun-24
Panama
vs
USA
4:00 AM
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Georgia
28-Jun-24
Uruguay
vs
Bolivia
7:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
29-Jun-24
Colombia
vs
Costa Rica
4:00 AM
State Farm Stadium, Arizona
29-Jun-24
Paraguay
vs
Brazil
7:00 AM
Allegiant Stadium, Nevada
30-Jun-24
Argentina
vs
Peru
6:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Florida
30-Jun-24
Chile
vs
Canada
6:00 AM
Inter&Co Stadium, Florida
1-Jul-24
Mexico
vs
Ecuador
6:00 AM
State Farm Stadium, Arizona
1-Jul-24
Jamaica
vs
Venezuela
6:00 AM
Q2 Stadium, Texas
2-Jul-24
Bolivia
vs
Panama
7:00 AM
Inter&Co Stadium, Florida
2-Jul-24
USA
vs
Uruguay
7:00 AM
Arrowhead Stadium, Missouri
3-Jul-24
Brazil
vs
Colombia
7:00 AM
Levi's Stadium, California
3-Jul-24
Costa Rica
vs
Paraguay
7:00 AM
Q2 Stadium, Texas
Quarter-Finals
5-Jul-24
A1
vs
B2
7:00 AM
NRG Stadium, Texas
6-Jul-24
B1
vs
A2
7:00 AM
AT&T Stadium, Texas
7-Jul-24
C1
vs
D2
4:00 AM
Allegiant Stadium, Nevada
7-Jul-24
D1
vs
C2
7:00 AM
State Farm Stadium, Arizona
Semi-Finals
10-Jul-24
Winner of Quarter-Final 1
vs
Winner of Quarter-Final 2
6:00 AM
MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
11-Jul-24
Winner of Quarter-Final 3
vs
Winner of Quarter-Final 4
6:00 AM
Bank of America Stadium, North Carolina
Third Place
14-Jul-24
Defeated Team of Semi-Final 1
vs
Defeated Team of Semi-Final 2
6:00 AM
Bank of America Stadium, North Carolina
Grand Finale
15-Jul-24
Winner of Semi-Final 1
vs
Winner of Semi-Final 2
6:00 AM
Hard Rock Stadium, Florida
Conclusion
The Copa America 2024 will kick off on the 20th of June with defending champion Argentina taking on Canada at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Runner-ups Brazil will begin their journey on 24th June against Costa Rica at SoFi Stadium. Host USA will play their first match at AT&T Stadium against Bolivia. The tournament will close its curtains on the 14th of July at the Hard Rock Stadium.
Read more: Copa America 2024: Brazil Squad Analysis
6 months ago
Don’t care about US sanctions, visa policies: Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and General Secretary of the Awami League, Obaidul Quader, has said that the government is indifferent to US sanctions and visa policies. His comments came during a discussion today (May 14, 2024) with journalists at the Secretariat addressing contemporary issues.
Quader remarked that US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu has come to Bangladesh with his own agenda, emphasizing that the government did not extend an invitation to him. “I do not want to discuss this matter. They come and go as part of their routine,” Quader mentioned.
BNP rally means arson, havoc and bloodshed: Obaidul Quader
Regarding Lu’s visit, Quader commented, “He is not even a Foreign Minister! Why all this fuss about him! He has come here out of necessity, they have their agenda. When relationships exist, discussions on various issues related to those relationships will happen.”
Quader also referenced previous discussions related to visa policies and sanctions before the elections, highlighting that the stance remains unchanged. “We do not care about any kind of sanctions or visa policies,” Quader declared when asked about the political implications of Lu’s visit.
Read more: Donald Lu in Dhaka to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" with Bangladesh
6 months ago
Donald Lu in Dhaka to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" with Bangladesh
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu arrived here on Tuesday (May 14, 2024) to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" and to demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
In Bangladesh, he will meet with government officials, civil society leaders, and other Bangladeshis to talk about deepening Bangladesh-US cooperation, including deepening the economic ties in ways that the two countries can collaborate further to address climate issues, said Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State Vedant Patel.
Lu is here as part of his tri-nation tour of the region. He earlier visited India and Sri Lanka.
This is also his first visit to Bangladesh after Awami League won the January 7 elections to form government for the third straight term.
UK's BII supports MSMEs, women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh with $50m debt commitment to BRAC Bank
"He is there to strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and to demonstrate U.S. support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," Patel said from Washington.
6 months ago
Former President Donald Trump walks out of court during closing arguments of defamation trial
Donald Trump stormed out of closing arguments at his defamation trial Friday as a lawyer for writer E. Jean Carroll urged a jury to award at least $24 million in damages for the "storm of hate" caused by the former president.
Just minutes after attorney Roberta Kaplan began her closing argument in Manhattan federal court, Trump suddenly rose from his seat at the defense table and walked toward the exit, pausing to scan the packed courtroom as members of the Secret Service leaped up to follow him out.
The unexpected departure prompted Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to speak up, briefly interrupting the closing argument to note: "The record will reflect that Mr. Trump just rose and walked out of the courtroom." He did not return for the reminder of the closing argument.
The walkout came only minutes after the judge, without the jury present, threatened to send Trump attorney Alina Habba to jail for continuing to talk when he told her she was finished.
Republican National Committee pulls resolution declaring Trump as the 'presumptive 2024 nominee'
"You are on the verge of spending some time in the lockup. Now sit down," the judge told Habba, who immediately complied.
Roberta Kaplan and the judge are unrelated.
Trump, who was not required to attend the civil lawsuit proceedings, had appeared agitated all morning, vigorously shaking his head as Carroll's attorney branded him a liar who had incited a "social media mob" to attack her client.
"This case is about punishing Donald Trump for what he's done and what he continues to do," Roberta Kaplan continued. "This trial is about getting him to stop."
Nine jurors will start deliberating later in the day whether Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, is entitled to more than the $5 million she was awarded in a separate trial last year.
The final remarks from the lawyers come a day after Trump managed to sneak past a federal judge's rules severely limiting what he could say during his turn on the witness stand, which wound up lasting just 3 minutes. He left fuming that he hadn't been given an opportunity to refute Carroll's sexual abuse accusations.
"She said something that I considered to be a false accusation," Trump said, later adding: "I just wanted to defend myself, my family and, frankly, the presidency." The jury was told by the judge to disregard both remarks.
Trump celebrates DeSantis' decision to drop out, ending a bitter feud that defined the 2024 campaign
A different jury last May concluded that Trump sexually abused Carroll in the spring of 1996 in the changing room of a luxury Manhattan department store. It also found that he defamed her in 2022 by claiming she made up the allegation to sell a memoir.
Trump, the Republican frontrunner in this year's presidential election, has long regretted his decision not to testify at that trial, blaming his lawyers for bad advice.
During her closing, Roberta Kaplan told jurors that the current case was not about a sexual assault.
"We had that case," she said, referencing the first trial. "That's why Donald Trump's testimony was so short yesterday. He doesn't get a do-over this time."
As she finished her argument, the lawyer urged jurors to support "the principle that the rule of law stands for all of us" by sending an unmistakable message to a man who "time and time again has shown contempt for the law."
She said the jury should award $12 million to repair Carroll's reputation and another $12 million for the suffering she has endured because of Trump's attacks. Then, she said an "unusually high punitive award" was also necessary against a man worth billions of dollars "to have any hope of stopping Donald Trump."
The jury in this new trial has been told that it is there for the limited purpose and jurors must accept the verdict reached last year. The current jury will only determine whether additional damages are owed for statements Trump made in June 2019 while he was president. The claims had been delayed for years by court appeals.
Carroll's lawyers seek over $10 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Habba has argued against damages, saying Carroll's association with Trump had given her the fame she craved and that death threats she received cannot be blamed on Trump's remarks.
Vivek Ramaswamy endorses Trump, suspends 2024 Republican presidential bid
Carroll, 80, testified at last year's trial that she had a chance encounter with Trump at a Bergdorf Goodman store that was flirtatious and lighthearted until Trump cornered her in a changing room. Her claim that Trump raped her was rejected by last year's jury, though it agreed she was sexually abused.
Last week, Carroll testified that her career was shattered by Trump's statements about her claims over the last five years, most recently on the campaign trail for president. She said she bought bullets for a gun she inherited from her father and installed an electronic fence around her home.
On Thursday, Trump testified that he stood "100%" behind comments he made in an October 2002 deposition in which he denied Carroll's accusations, calling her "sick" and a "whack job."
Kaplan intends to instruct jurors Friday that the jury last year concluded that Trump had digitally penetrated Carroll in the department store, but the same jury did not find that he had raped her, according to how rape is defined under New York state law.
The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll has done.
9 months ago
Peter Haas says he looks forward to working closely with Bangladesh
US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Wednesday (January 17, 2024) said he looks forward to working closely with Bangladesh in the coming months on issues of mutual importance.
He mentioned climate change, expanding business opportunities, and other areas of cooperation to advance the relations.
Read more: Blinken meets labor union leaders at Davos Summit
"I look forward to working very closely in the coming months to advance our mutual interest," he told reporters after his meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said it was an opportunity to talk about the future of the US-Bangladesh relationship.
Later, the Foreign Minister met EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley.
Read more: Lavrov to Hasan Mahmud: Russia-Bangladesh ties based on solid foundation of friendship
10 months ago