United News of Bangladesh

An engineering company said Friday it has agreed to pay $53 million to settle all remaining lawsuits that alleged some blame for lead-contaminated water in Flint, Michigan, a decade ago. The deal by Veolia North America and Flint residents comes on top of $26.3 million in previous settlements with the company, and $626 million from the state of Michigan and other parties. Veolia has denied responsibility for the contamination and repeatedly noted that it was briefly hired by Flint as a consultant months after the city began pulling water from the Flint River in 2014. The water was not treated to reduce corrosion, causing lead to leach from old pipes. Critics claimed Veolia could have done much more before then-Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint switched the city's water source back to a regional supplier in fall 2015. By that time, tests showed elevated lead levels in children. Winter-weary East Coast hit with another storm as temperatures plunge elsewhere “This final settlement is in no way an admission of responsibility, but the best resolution to avoid decades of costly, unproductive, and time-consuming litigation, and to bring closure for all parties involved,” Veolia said. The company said the Flint water crisis was “caused by government officials.” Veolia said it had no role in the water switch or running the Flint water plant and was told that the water was meeting standards. The $53 million settlement will be distributed to approximately 26,000 people represented by law firms, the Michigan attorney general's office said. As part of the deal, the state will dismiss its own separate lawsuit against Veolia. “After years of drawn-out legal battles, this settlement finally closes a chapter for Flint residents,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

The Senate was poised to vote on Thursday on whether to confirm Kash Patel as the director of the FBI, a decision that could install him at the helm of the country’s leading federal law enforcement agency despite Democratic concerns over his qualifications and the likelihood that he would follow President Donald Trump’s directives. Patel secured approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee last week with a 12-10 party-line vote and is scheduled for consideration by the Republican-controlled Senate on Thursday afternoon, reports AP. Trump's FBI director to face skeptical Democrats at Senate confirmation hearing Barring defections from more than three Republican senators—an unlikely scenario—he is expected to be confirmed. Trump has already managed to get most of his nominees approved despite initial skepticism from some Republicans. A staunch Trump ally who has strongly criticised the agency he is set to lead, Patel would take over an FBI embroiled in turmoil. The Justice Department has, in the past month, forced out several senior FBI officials and made the unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents involved in investigations related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump has indicated that he expects some of those agents to be dismissed. Republicans, frustrated by what they perceive as law enforcement bias against conservatives under the Biden administration and ongoing criminal investigations into Trump, have rallied behind Patel as the right choice. Meanwhile, Democrats have raised concerns over his lack of management experience compared to previous FBI directors and pointed to controversial past remarks that, they argue, call his judgment into question. “My prediction is if you vote for Kash Patel, more than any other confirmation vote you make, you will come to regret this one to your grave,” said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut this week. Patel’s past statements, made in hundreds of podcasts over the past four years, have included calling law enforcement officials who investigated Trump “criminal gangsters,” referring to some January 6 rioters as “political prisoners,” and vowing to pursue anti-Trump “conspirators” within the government and media. FBI Chief Wray plans to resign before Trump takes office in January At his confirmation hearing last month, Patel argued that Democrats were misrepresenting some of his remarks or failing to grasp the broader context. He also defended his past proposal to shut down the FBI headquarters in Washington and convert it into a museum dedicated to the so-called deep state. Additionally, Patel rejected the notion that a list of government officials in his book, whom he identified as part of a “deep state,” was an “enemies list,” calling that claim a “total mischaracterization.” FBI directors are appointed for 10-year terms to shield them from political pressures and prevent them from becoming too aligned with any single president or administration. Patel was nominated in November to succeed Christopher Wray, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 and served for more than seven years but repeatedly clashed with the president and was perceived as insufficiently loyal. Wray resigned before Trump’s return to office. A former federal defender and Justice Department counterterrorism prosecutor, Patel first gained Trump’s attention during his initial term when, as a staffer on the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee, he helped draft a memo sharply criticising the FBI’s investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign. Patel later joined Trump’s administration, serving as a counterterrorism official at the National Security Council and later as chief of staff to the defense secretary.

US President Donald Trump has said he supports the idea of distributing some of the savings from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to US citizens as a form of dividend, reports AP. Speaking at an investment conference in Miami on Wednesday, the President revealed that the administration is considering a proposal in which 20% of the savings generated by DOGE's cost-reduction initiatives would be returned to the public, while another 20% would go towards reducing the national debt. Trump calls Tesla’s India expansion ‘unfair’ amid tariff concerns Trump also suggested that these potential dividend payments would encourage citizens to report wasteful government spending. “They’ll report it themselves,” Trump remarked. “They’ll be part of the process of saving us money.” On his way back to Washington aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked by a reporter about Musk's proposal. “I love it," he responded. Trump faces backlash for calling himself ‘King’ The day before, Musk had posted on his social media platform that he would “check with the President” regarding a suggestion to launch a “DOGE Dividend” to refund taxpayers with part of the savings from DOGE. The initiative has already resulted in thousands of federal government employees being fired or laid off.

US President Donald Trump has criticised Tesla’s decision to establish a factory in India, calling it “very unfair” as he continues to push for higher tariffs.  During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, featuring Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with India’s trade policies. His remarks follow Musk’s recent meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US.  Trump has long accused various countries of imposing tariffs that disadvantage American businesses, citing India’s policies as an example. Addressing Musk directly, Trump said, “It’s practically impossible for him to sell a car in India.” Musk promptly interjected, saying that India imposes an import duty of 100 per cent on automobiles.  However, India currently levies a 15 per cent import duty on electric vehicles (EVs) priced above $35,000 under specific conditions. Additionally, the country recently reduced customs duty on high-end vehicles costing over $40,000 from 110 per cent to 70 per cent.  Trump faces backlash for calling himself ‘King’ Despite this, Trump maintained that allowing Tesla to set up a factory in India was unjust to the US. “If he wants to build a factory there, that’s fine. But it’s unfair to us,” he said. He also claimed to have discussed the issue with Modi, suggesting the need for a “fair” approach to trade.  As the discussion continued, Hannity asked Trump whether India’s tariff rate was 36 per cent. Trump responded that it was “much, much higher.” Musk reaffirmed his stance, repeating that auto import tariffs in India stood at 100 per cent. He also supported Trump’s demand for a “level playing field” in trade.  Trump concluded by asserting that the US would benefit from upcoming policy changes, predicting significant business growth.  Meanwhile, Tesla has already started preparing for its entry into the Indian market. The company has identified showroom locations in New Delhi and Mumbai and has begun hiring for 13 mid-level positions, according to a report by Reuters.  With inputs from Indian media

US President Donald Trump is facing widespread criticism after referring to himself as a “king” on social media following his administration’s decision to block New York City’s congestion pricing plan.  On Wednesday, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, announcing the termination of the federal agreement that supported Manhattan’s congestion pricing program. Shortly after, Trump took to Truth Social, declaring:  “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”  The White House amplified Trump’s statement by sharing it on social media along with an edited image. The post featured a mock Time magazine cover depicting Trump wearing a golden crown, smiling against the backdrop of the New York City skyline, reports The Guardian.  Governor Hochul swiftly responded, rejecting Trump’s characterisation. In a statement, she emphasised, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.” She added, “Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City and critical to our economic future – as a New Yorker, like President Trump, knows very well.”  Addressing reporters later on Wednesday, Hochul reinforced her stance: “New York hasn’t laboured under a king in over 250 years. We sure as hell are not going to start now … In case you don’t know New Yorkers, we’re going to fight. We do not back down, not now, not ever.”  Trump says he's considering buying used planes to serve as Air Force One amid Boeing delays New York City Council Member Justin Brannan also condemned Trump’s statement, referencing the Justice Department’s decision—under Trump-appointed officials—to drop a federal corruption case against Mayor Eric Adams.  “Doesn’t matter what you think of congestion pricing, federal government doesn’t get to make this decision. NY State passed a law, USDOT approved it. No matter what corrupt deal Donald Trump made with the Mayor, he isn’t king. Only fools concede to false power. It’s an illusion,” Brannan wrote.  Democratic Representative Don Beyer of Virginia echoed the criticism, writing on X: “We don’t have kings in the USA.”  David Hogg, vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee, also weighed in, posting: “Republicans: Stop overreacting and calling Trump a king. Literally the White House Twitter account,” while resharing the image of Trump with the crown.

The Trump administration is formally designating eight Latin American crime organizations as “foreign terrorist organizations,” upping its pressure on cartels operating in the U.S. and on anyone aiding them. The move, carrying out a Jan. 20 executive order by President Donald Trump, names Tren de Aragua in Venezuela, MS-13 in El Salvador and others. The designation will be published in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register, according to a notice Wednesday. The Republican president has made securing the U.S.-Mexico border among his top priorities, vowing to carry out mass deportations, sending active duty troops to the border and reaching deals with some countries to take in more migrants. The notification is due for formal publication in the federal register Thursday. Trump labels Zelenskyy a 'dictator' amid rising tensions over Russia-Ukraine war The “foreign terrorist organization” label is unusual because it deploys a terrorist designation normally reserved for groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State group that use violence for political ends — not for money-focused crime rings such as the Latin American cartels. The Trump administration argues that the international connections and operations of the groups — including drug trafficking, migrant smuggling and violent pushes to extend their territory — warrant the designation. Critics of the move call it an unnecessarily broad and harsh one that could damage relations and paralyze trade with Latin America. Businesses, banks and buyers could fear possible U.S. prosecution if they knowingly or unknowingly have any transactions that touch the world of the cartels. Such cartels permeate Mexico's economy, dealing not only in drug trafficking and migrant smuggling but fighting for control of the multibillion-dollar avocado business. Aid groups say some past U.S. designations of groups as foreign terrorist organizations have threatened overall food imports into countries, for example, by making shipping companies fearful that U.S. prosecutors may accuse them of directly or indirectly supporting the targeted groups. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to Trump's order last month that set up the new formal designation by saying Mexico would defend its sovereignty and independence while seeking coordination. “We all want to fight the drug cartels,” Sheinbaum said. The U.S. “in their territory, us in our territory.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that US President Donald Trump is living in a Russian-made “disinformation space” as a result of his administration’s discussions with Kremlin officials. Zelenskyy said he “would like Trump’s team to be more truthful.” He made the comments shortly before he was expected to meet with Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, who arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday, AP reports. Kellogg will meet Zelenskyy and military commanders as the US shifts its policy away from years of efforts to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Tuesday that Kyiv was to blame for the war, which enters its fourth year next week, as talks between top American and Russian diplomats in Saudi Arabia sidelined Ukraine and its European supporters. French President Emmanuel Macron was to hold a videoconference on Ukraine later Wednesday with leaders of over 15 countries, mostly European nations, “with the aim of gathering all partners interested in peace and security” on the continent, his office said. Key European leaders held an emergency meeting in Paris on Monday after they felt they had been sidelined by the Trump administration. Trump’s comments are likely to vex Ukrainian officials, who have urged the world to help them fight Russia’s full-scale invasion that began Feb. 24, 2022. US policy on Russia shifts as Trump’s envoy arrives in Kyiv Trump also said at Mar-a-Lago that Zelenskyy’s rating stood at 4 percent. Zelenskyy replied in a news conference in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv that “we have seen this disinformation. We understand that it is coming from Russia.” He said that Trump “lives in this disinformation space.” Trump also suggested Ukraine ought to hold elections, which have been postponed due to the war and the consequent imposition of martial law, in accordance with the Ukrainian Constitution. Zelenskyy questioned claims, which he didn't specify, that 90 percent of all aid received by Ukraine comes from the United States. He said that, for instance, about 34 percent of all weapons in Ukraine are domestically produced, over 30 percent of support comes from Europe, and up to 40 percent from the US. The battlefield has also brought grim news for Ukraine in recent months. A relentless onslaught in eastern areas by Russia's bigger army is grinding down Ukrainian forces, which are slowly but steadily being pushed backward at some points on the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. Trump told reporters at his Florida residence Tuesday that Ukraine “should have never started” the war and “could have made a deal” to prevent it. Kellogg said his visit to Kyiv was “a chance to have some good, substantial talks.” Zelenskyy was due to travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday but cancelled his trip in what some analysts saw as an attempt to deny legitimacy to the US-Russia talks about the future of his country. American officials have signalled that Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO in order to ward off Russian aggression after reaching a possible peace agreement won’t happen. Zelenskyy says any settlement will require US security commitments to keep Russia at bay. “We understand the need for security guarantees,” Kellogg said in comments carried by Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Novyny on his arrival at Kyiv train station. “It’s very clear to us the importance of the sovereignty of this nation and the independence of this nation as well. ... Part of my mission is to sit and listen,” the retired three-star general said. Kellogg said he would convey what he learns on his visit to Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “and ensure that we get this one right.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday fully endorsed Israel's war aims in the Gaza Strip, saying Hamas “must be eradicated” and throwing the shaky ceasefire into further doubt. Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem at the start of a regional tour, where he is likely to face pushback from Arab leaders over President Donald Trump's proposal to transfer the Palestinian population out of Gaza and redevelop it under US ownership. Netanyahu has welcomed the plan, and said he and Trump have a “common strategy” for Gaza's future. Echoing Trump, he said "the gates of hell would be open” if Hamas does not release dozens of remaining hostages abducted in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the 16-month war. Their remarks came two weeks before the ceasefire's first phase is set to end. The second phase, in which Hamas is to release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, has yet to be negotiated. Ceasefire deal should be canceled if Hamas doesn’t release all hostages by Saturday: Trump Rubio said Hamas cannot continue as a military or government force. “As long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible,” he said. "It must be eradicated.” Such language could complicate continued talks with Hamas, which remains in control of Gaza despite suffering heavy losses in the war. Rubio is also set to visit regional heavyweights the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The Israeli military meanwhile said it carried out an airstrike Sunday on people who approached its forces in southern Gaza. The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said the strike killed three of its policemen while they were securing the entry of aid trucks near Rafah, on the Egyptian border. Hamas called the attack a “serious violation” of the ceasefire and accused Netanyahu of trying to sabotage the deal.

Workers across the US responded with anger and confusion Friday as they grappled with the Trump administration ‘s aggressive effort to shrink the size of the federal workforce by ordering agencies to lay off probationary employees who have yet to qualify for civil service protections. While much of the administration’s attention was focused on disrupting bureaucracy in Washington, the broad-based effort to slash the government workforce was impacting a far wider swath of workers. As layoff notices were sent out agency by agency, federal employees from Michigan to Florida were left reeling from being told that their services were no longer needed. In a sign of how chaotic the firings have been, some who received layoff notices had already accepted the administration’s deferred resignation offer, under which they were supposed to be paid until Sept. 30 if they agreed to quit, raising questions about whether others who signed the deal would nonetheless be fired. On Friday evening, the Office of Personnel Management, which serves as a human resources department for the federal government, acknowledged that some employees may have received termination notices in error and said the buyouts agreements would be honored.  “This has been slash and burn,” said Nicholas Detter, who had been working in Kansas as a natural resource specialist, helping farmers reduce soil and water erosion, until he was fired by email late Thursday night. He said there seemed to be little thought about how employees and the farmers and ranchers he helped would be impacted. “None of this has been done thoughtfully or carefully,” he said. Guarded optimism in India as Trump, Modi outline plans to deepen defense partnership The White House and OPM declined to say Friday how many probationary workers, who generally have less than a year on the job, have so far been dismissed. According to government data maintained by OPM, 220,000 workers had less than a year on the job as of March 2024. OMP has given agencies until 8 p.m. Tuesday to issue layoff notices, according to a person familiar with the plan who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The probationary layoffs are the latest salvo in the new administration’s sweeping efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce, which are being led by billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency. Trump, in an executive order Tuesday, told agency leaders to plan for “large-scale reductions” after their Andrew Lennox, a 10-year Marine veteran, was part of a new supervisor training program at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He said he received an email “out of the blue” Thursday evening informing him that he was being terminated. “In order to help veterans, you just fired a veteran,” said Lennox, 35, a former USMC infantryman who was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Lennox had been working as an administrative officer at the VA since mid-December and said he “would love nothing more” than to keep working. “This is my family, and I would like to do this forever,” he said. In a post on its website, the VA announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees, saying the personnel moves “will save the department more than $98 million per year” and be better equipped to help vets. “I was like: ‘What about this one?’” Lennox said David Rice, a disabled Army paratrooper who has been on probation since joining the U.S. Department of Energy in September, also learned Thursday night that he had lost his job. Rice, who has been working as a foreign affairs specialist on health matters relating to radiation exposure, said he’d been led to believe that his job would likely be safe. But on Thursday night, when he logged into his computer for a meeting with Japanese representatives, he saw an email saying he’d been fired. Iinitial attempt to downsize the workforce — the voluntary buyout - was accepted by only 75,000 workers. The layoffs begin On Thursday night, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees who had served for less than two years. That included researchers working on cancer treatment, opioid addiction, prosthetics and burn pit exposure, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat, said Thursday. Dozens were fired from the Education Department, including special education specialists and student aid officials, according to a union that represents agency workers. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 1,300 probationary employees — roughly one-tenth of the agency’s total workforce — are being forced out. The Atlanta-based agency’s leadership was notified of the decision Friday morning, according to a federal official who was at the meeting and was not authorized to discuss the orders and requested anonymity. The new Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Friday that her agency had invited Musk’s DOGE team with “open arms” and that layoffs “will be forthcoming.” “Clearly, it’s a new day,” Rollins said at the White House. “I think the American people spoke on November 5th, that they believe that government was too big.”

Egg prices hit a record high as the U.S. contends with an ongoing bird flu outbreak, but consumers didn't need government figures released Wednesday to tell them eggs are terribly expensive and hard to find at times. The latest monthly consumer price index showed that the average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in U.S. cities reached $4.95 in January, eclipsing the previous record of $4.82 set two years earlier and more than double the low of $2.04 that was recorded in August 2023. The spike in egg prices was the biggest since the nation's last bird flu outbreak in 2015 and accounted for roughly two-thirds of the total increase in food costs last month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of course, that is only the nationwide average. A carton of eggs can cost $10 or more in some places. And specialized varieties, such as organic and cage-free eggs, are even more expensive. “We do use eggs a little less often now. You know, because of the price,” said Jon Florey as he surveyed his options in the egg case at Encinal Market in Alameda, California. “I was going to make a quiche that I like to make and it’s about six eggs, so I figured I’d do something else.” When are egg prices expected to go down? Relief is not expected any time soon. Egg prices typically spike around Easter due to high holiday demand. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted last month that egg prices were likely to go up 20% this year. Even if shoppers can afford eggs, they may have difficulty finding them at times. Some grocers are having trouble keeping their shelves stocked, and customers are encountering surcharges and limits on how many cartons they can buy at a time. Encinal Market owner Joe Trimble said he has a hard time getting all the eggs he orders from his suppliers, so most of the time his shelves are only about 25% full. “It’s something you don’t think about until you look at the shelf and it’s nearly empty," Trimble said. Eggs are “just expected to be there in the same way you expect there to be milk. It’s a key item to have in a grocery store because people don’t go out looking for something else to eat on a Saturday morning. They want it. They want to have some scrambled eggs or over-easy eggs on a Saturday morning.” How bad is the bird flu outbreak? The main reason that eggs are more expensive is the bird flu outbreak. When the virus is found on a farm, the entire flock is killed to limit the spread of disease. Because massive egg farms may have millions of birds, just one outbreak may put a dent in the egg supply. Nearly 158 million birds have been slaughtered overall since the outbreak began. The Agriculture Department says more than 23 million birds were slaughtered last month and more than 18 million were killed in December to limit the spread of the bird flu virus. Those numbers include turkeys and chickens raised for meat, but the vast majority of them were egg-laying chickens. And when there is an outbreak on a farm, it often takes several months to dispose of the carcasses, sanitize the barns and raise new birds until they are old enough to start producing eggs, so the effects linger. Bird flu cases often spike in the spring and fall when wild birds are migrating because they are the main source of the virus, but cases can pop up any time of year. The virus has also spread to cattle and other species, and dozens of people — mostly farmworkers taking care of ill animals — have been sickened. But health officials say the threat to human health remains low and eggs and poultry are safe to eat because sick animals aren't allowed into the food supply. Plus, properly cooking meat and eggs to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit kills any virus, and pasteurization neutralizes bird flu in milk. What else is driving egg prices up? Egg farmers also face higher feed, fuel and labor costs these days because of inflation. Plus, farmers are investing more in biosecurity measures to try to protect their birds. Ten states have passed laws allowing the sale of eggs only from cage-free environments. The supply of those eggs is tighter and focused in certain regions, so the effect on prices can be magnified when outbreaks hit cage-free egg farms. Many of the egg farms with recent outbreaks were cage-free farms in California. Cage-free egg laws have already gone into effect in California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Michigan. Total demand for eggs is also up significantly in recent years. Consumers are buying more eggs, and the growth of all-day breakfast restaurants is adding to demand. CoBank analyst Brian Earnest said the current cost of eggs could discourage some buying, which would ease the demand pressure but might not have a noticeable effect. It will likely take months for egg producers to fill the gaps in supply. “As consumers continue to stock up on eggs, supplies at the store level will remain tight, and with Easter right around the corner, that could prolong the tighter supplies,” Earnest said. While prices remain elevated, producers of baked goods and other food items that rely on eggs as a main ingredient will have to decide how much to increase prices or reduce production, he said.