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🇧🇩 Hasina death verdict shakes Bangladesh’s reset. Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced ousted leader Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death for crimes against humanity during the 2024 student uprising. Security forces were found responsible for assaults that killed hundreds and injured thousands. Interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus welcomed the ruling as a sign of accountability. Hasina, in exile, calls the court biased and urges supporters to mobilize. Business groups fear renewed unrest. Rights advocates warn justice must not become revenge. The verdict turns a campus revolt into a generational test for the state.

🇺🇦 Ukraine turns to Rafales to rebuild its air force. Ukraine signed a deal in Paris to buy up to 100 French Rafale fighter jets plus SAMP/T air defenses, drones, and precision weapons over roughly a decade. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the package anchors long-term security as the war with Russia grinds on. France stresses deliveries will not undercut other export customers. Each Rafale can cost more than 100 million dollars. The jets will fly alongside American-made F-16s and inherited Soviet era aircraft. Kyiv wants frozen Russian assets to help fund the deal. The contract doubles as a signal that Europe is betting on a long conflict.

⚖️ Judge scolds Justice Department over Comey leak probe. A federal judge in Virginia blasted the Department of Justice for “profound investigative missteps” in a leak case that secretly scrutinized former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey. Prosecutors relied on aggressive grand jury subpoenas and blurred protections for attorney–client communications. The judge ordered broad disclosure of grand jury materials to defense lawyers. Civil liberties advocates say the opinion exposes how leak investigations can drift toward politicized fishing expeditions. Former prosecutors predict stricter oversight of sensitive cases. Comey was never charged but calls the ruling vindication. The Justice Department promises better training while critics demand deeper reforms.

🏛️ Trump reverses, urges House to release Epstein files. President Donald Trump now says Republicans in the American House of Representatives should vote to unseal government files on Jeffrey Epstein. A bipartisan bill would force the Department of Justice to release investigative documents, with redactions to protect victims and ongoing cases. Sponsors frame transparency as a test of whether powerful enablers face exposure. Many Republicans see blocking the vote as politically toxic. Trump casts his pivot as confidence that disclosure will clear him. Survivors’ advocates want names and decisions, not just pages. The vote will show how far Congress is willing to trace the network around Epstein.

💊 Wegovy price cuts help at the margins, doctors say. Novo Nordisk ($NVO) will cut the list price of higher-dose Wegovy to 349 dollars a month and offer starter deals as low as 199 dollars, aiming to broaden access. Rival Eli Lilly ($LLY) trimmed some Zepbound prices, too. Clinical trials show these glucagon-like peptide 1 drugs can produce 15 to 22 percent weight loss. Many patients still face annual costs in the thousands. Insurance coverage remains patchy, especially in public programs. Doctors welcome lower prices but say long-term affordability is unresolved. Obesity is chronic, they note, and so are the pharmacy bills.

🎄 America250 ornament turns history into holiday merch. A new America250 ornament commemorates the country’s 250th birthday in 2026 with designs built around the Declaration of Independence and the White House. The nonprofit America250 partnered with the White House Historical Association, which already sells more than one million ornaments a year. The glass piece features the founding document on linen on one side and flags, dates, and a logo on the other. Trimmed in 24 karat gold, it is marketed as a limited-edition item. Proceeds will fund events in all 50 states. Organizers pitch it as civic education that actually fits in a stocking.

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