Special event held in Manchester to mark Kashmir Exploitation Day

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Wednesday that she is stepping down from the Trump administration by the end of the month. She cited wanting more time with her family as the reason behind the decision. In a social media post, the 28-year-old explained that returning to the White House after having her daughter left her struggling to balance the demands of the role with being present for her two young children. She called it a bittersweet decision to move into a new chapter of her life. President Trump responded publicly, saying he understood and respected her choice. He added that Leavitt would remain part of his inner circle, describing her as one of his top outside advisors and an influential voice within the Republican Party going forward. The sudden announcement caught many off guard, sparking a wave of speculation online about what actually prompted her exit. No official replacement has been named yet, but multiple reports have pointed to Natalie Harp as a likely contender for the role. The 34-year-old serves as Trump’s executive assistant and is frequently seen by his side at public events. She reportedly manages much of his digital presence, including posting pre-approved content to his social media accounts after hours, according to a Wall Street Journal report from May 2026. Given her closeness to the president, Harp has emerged as one of the more plausible names being floated to take over the press secretary role. Alongside the succession talk, unverified theories have also surfaced online suggesting Harp may have played a role in Leavitt’s exit. Some reports, including one from the Irish Star, claim Harp accompanied Trump during a security-related jet switch amid threat concerns, while Leavitt was left behind, though this remains unconfirmed. A source told the Daily Mail that Harp holds an unusually close position within Trump’s team, describing her as closer to the president than anyone else on his staff. Separately, a widely circulated video appeared to show Leavitt seemingly sidelined during a tense exchange involving Trump and another woster believed to be Harp, shortly before her resignation announcement. None of these claims have been independently verified so far.

An Australian court has rejected far-right politician Pauline Hanson’s appeal against a racial vilification ruling. The case relates to comments Hanson made about Pakistan-born Australian Senator Mehreen Faruqi in 2022. Faruqi had criticised the British Empire after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. She said she could not mourn the former monarch because of the empire’s history of colonisation. Hanson responded with a social media post directed at Faruqi. She criticised Faruqi for living in Australia and told her to return to Pakistan. Faruqi later filed a complaint over the remarks. The Federal Court ruled in 2024 that Hanson’s comments amounted to racial vilification. The court said the remarks were reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate Faruqi. The court also said the comments could affect Muslim Australians and other people from migrant backgrounds. Hanson challenged the ruling. She argued that her comments did not violate Australia’s racial discrimination laws. She also argued that the relevant legislation was constitutionally invalid. The court rejected her appeal on Monday. The earlier finding against Hanson therefore remains in place. Hanson defended her position after the decision. She said she was angry about Faruqi’s comments concerning the late queen. She maintained that she had wanted to criticise what she considered disrespectful remarks. The case has renewed debate over political speech and racial discrimination in Australia. It also highlights the legal restrictions surrounding comments about race, religion and migrant backgrounds. Faruqi is a senator representing the Greens. She has been active on issues including human rights, immigration and racial equality. Hanson leads One Nation. The party has built its political support around strict immigration policies and stronger measures against illegal migration. Hanson has also called for major reductions in government spending. She has promoted proposals aimed at cutting public expenditure. The politician has further urged Australia to reconsider its membership of some international organisations. The court decision comes as One Nation continues to attract significant political support. Hanson remains one of Australia’s most recognisable figures on the political right. The ruling could add to the wider national discussion over the balance between freedom of expression and protection against racial discrimination. It also reinforces the legal risks politicians can face when public statements target people based on their race, religion or migrant background.

A controversy has erupted in Bangladesh after a member of parliament from Jamaat-e-Islami, Ghazi Nazrul Islam, became the center of public debate over his alleged second marriage following the circulation of a viral video on social media. According to Bangladeshi media reports, the video showed Ghazi Nazrul Islam with a young woman whom he later identified as his second wife. The footage quickly spread online, prompting widespread discussion and speculation. A fact-checking organization examined the video and stated that it found no evidence suggesting it had been generated using artificial intelligence or digitally manipulated. Following that assessment, public attention shifted from the authenticity of the video to the identity of the woman and the nature of her relationship with the lawmaker. In a statement, Ghazi Nazrul Islam confirmed that the woman is his second wife. He said the marriage took place on June 17 with the consent of both families and the approval of his first wife. The lawmaker alleged that the viral video had been secretly recorded and later released as part of an extortion attempt and a politically motivated campaign to damage his reputation. His first wife also released a video supporting his account. She confirmed that her husband had married Maryam Begum as his second wife and said the marriage had taken place with her knowledge and consent. Maryam Begum also appeared in a separate video, identifying herself as Ghazi Nazrul Islam’s wife. She said the marriage ceremony was held on June 17 in the presence of both families and the lawmaker’s first wife. Despite these public statements, Bangladeshi media reported that documents related to Maryam Begum later surfaced on social media. The authenticity of those documents has not been independently verified, and neither the lawmaker nor Maryam Begum or her family has publicly addressed the apparent inconsistencies contained in them. According to the documents, Maryam Begum’s marital status was listed as “unmarried.” The papers also reportedly included a recommendation signed by Ghazi Nazrul Islam on June 22—five days after the claimed marriage—in support of her application for a government job. Reports said Maryam Begum had applied for public sector employment and that the MP had endorsed her application. Ghazi Nazrul Islam rejected all allegations arising from the documents. He claimed that on July 13 he visited an office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar area, where both of his wives were present. He alleged that his driver, his second wife’s uncle and several unidentified individuals held him captive, extorted 100,000 taka, demanded additional money and secretly recorded a private video, which was later circulated on social media. Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh said it is gathering information about the incident and will decide on any organizational action once all facts have been established. Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Haque Mahbub Zubair said the party is reviewing media reports as well as statements from the member of parliament, his two wives and the woman’s father before reaching any conclusion.