United News of Bangladesh

Iran’s ambassador to Russia has confirmed that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit Moscow on Monday for discussions on the latest developments surrounding negotiations, the ceasefire and related regional issues. Kazem Jalali made the remarks to Iran’s state-linked ISNA news agency, highlighting what he described as close ties between Tehran and Moscow, reports Al Jazeera. He said Araghchi’s visit will focus on “the latest status of negotiations, the ceasefire and surrounding developments.” Jalali also noted ongoing high-level contacts between the two countries since the start of what he referred to as the “Ramadan War,” the term used by Iranian officials for the US-Israeli conflict involving Iran. He added that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has spoken three times with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the escalation of hostilities began, underscoring continued diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Moscow. Separately, Russia’s Foreign Ministry also confirmed Araghchi’s planned visit to Moscow in a statement carried by the state news agency RIA Novosti. The visit comes amid continuing regional tensions following months of conflict and ceasefire efforts involving Iran, the United States and Israel, as diplomatic channels remain active but inconclusive.

The acting head of the US Justice Department has said that officials believe the gunman involved in the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting was targeting members of the Trump administration, including possibly President Donald Trump himself. Authorities are still assessing how specific the suspect’s alleged targets were, with investigators examining whether his grievances were directed personally at Trump and Vice President JD Vance or reflected broader hostility toward the administration, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said. Allen is believed to have travelled by train from California to Chicago and then to Washington, where he checked into the hotel hosting the gala dinner days earlier, officials said. He is suspected of acting alone and is expected to face criminal charges on Monday. Law enforcement officials, who have reviewed electronic devices, writings and interviewed relatives, said preliminary findings suggest he intended to target administration officials attending the dinner. He attempted to enter the ballroom at the Washington Hilton but was tackled, leading to a chaotic scene in which shots were fired, Trump was escorted offstage unharmed and guests took cover. “It does appear that he did in fact set out to target folks who work in the administration, likely including the president,” Blanche told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” According to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation, the suspect—identified as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen—sent writings to family members minutes before the attack, referring to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin” and expressing hostility toward Trump administration policies. The writings reportedly included repeated references to Trump and grievances over various government actions, including recent US operations against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the eastern Pacific. Investigators are also examining a series of anti-Trump social media posts and other digital material believed to be linked to Allen. Authorities said Allen legally purchased multiple firearms in California, including a .38-caliber semiautomatic pistol in 2023 and a 12-gauge shotgun in 2025. His sister told investigators he had previously made radical statements, according to officials.

Loyalists of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have won most municipal races in Palestinian elections, including seats in a rare vote held in the Gaza Strip, election officials said on Sunday. The elections took place at what Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa described as a “highly sensitive moment amid complex challenges and exceptional circumstances,” as results were announced, reports Al Jazeera. Saturday’s vote marked the first elections in Gaza since 2006 and the first Palestinian polls since Israel’s war in the territory began in October 2023. In central Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, turnout remained low, with only about 23 percent of voters participating, according to the Central Elections Commission. In the occupied West Bank, turnout was reported at 56 percent. The Gaza vote was largely symbolic and described by Palestinian Authority officials as a “pilot” election aimed at reinforcing the territory’s place in a future Palestinian state. Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, did not field candidates and boycotted the West Bank polls. However, some Gaza-based lists were seen as informally aligned with the group. Preliminary results showed that the Abbas-backed Fatah list secured six of the 15 seats in Deir el-Balah, while another list linked to Hamas sympathisers won two seats. The remaining seats went to independent local groups. In the West Bank, Fatah-affiliated lists reportedly dominated many races, often running unopposed. Officials said voter participation in Gaza was affected by ongoing conflict, displacement and damage to electoral infrastructure, with some ballot materials unable to enter the enclave due to restrictions. Despite the difficulties, some residents said they voted to exercise their democratic rights amid the ongoing crisis.

Mali’s Defence Minister General Sadio Camara has been killed during coordinated attacks on military installations across the country, according to Al Jazeera report on Sunday. The attack came a day after his residence in the garrison town of Kati came under assault amid simultaneous strikes by an al-Qaeda-linked group and Tuareg rebels. Camara, a key figure in Mali’s military leadership following coups in 2020 and 2021, was seen as one of the most influential members of the ruling junta. Analysts say his death marks a significant blow to the country’s armed forces. According to reports, attackers carried out a suicide car bombing targeting his residence in Kati, a heavily fortified military town about 15 kilometres northwest of the capital Bamako, where Interim President Assimi Goita also resides. Despite the scale of the assault, Goita was safely evacuated and remains in a secure location, according to Al Jazeera reports. The attacks also targeted several other locations, including Bamako, and northern and central regions such as Gao, Kidal and Sevare. Witnesses reported heavy gunfire and explosions continuing in some areas hours after the initial assault. Armed groups, including Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Tuareg fighters from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), are believed to have coordinated the attacks. Analysts warn that the situation remains volatile, with further clashes expected as rival armed groups intensify operations against state forces. The African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the United States Bureau of African Affairs have condemned the attacks.

In an interview Sunday on Fox News Channel, US President Donald Trump said he made that decision rather than send a delegation on a 17-hour flight. “We have all the cards. If they want to talk, they can come to us, or they can call us,” Trump said, not indicating when the call would take place. Talks appeared to fall apart on Saturday, with Tehran’s top diplomat leaving Pakistan, and Trump soon afterward saying he had told envoys not to travel to Islamabad. Asked about NATO, Trump said he was “very, very disappointed” in the military alliance, which he has suggested the U.S. may consider leaving after member countries ignored his call to help as Iran effectively shut the the Strait of Hormuz. “We’ve been serving them for many years, spending trillions of dollars, and when we wanted to help they were not there, so we have to remember that,” Trump said.

Iran-backed group Hezbollah on Sunday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ceasefire remarks, in which he said Hezbollah’s actions are threatening the truce between Israel and Lebanon. Hezbollah said its shelling of Israeli targets is “a legitimate response” to what it described as Israel’s violations of the ceasefire. The group also criticized Lebanese authorities, saying they “have placed themselves in a dangerous predicament when they chose to be photographed in a disgraceful image alongside representatives of a usurping and illegitimate entity that violates its land and sovereignty and continues killing its people.” The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon was extended for three weeks, with U.S. President Donald Trump hosting talks flanked by Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said US pressure and hostile actions are eroding trust and making efforts to resume talks more difficult. During a phone call on Saturday with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian discussed recent political and military developments, efforts to uphold a ceasefire and ongoing diplomatic initiatives, according to a statement from his office on Sunday. He said resolving disputes requires “common understanding” and conducive conditions for dialogue, noting that recent US sanctions, naval restrictions and military pressure are major obstacles to rebuilding trust. Pezeshkian said Washington cannot pursue negotiations while intensifying pressure on Tehran, warning that such actions disrupt the environment needed for diplomacy. Reaffirming Iran’s position, he said the country did not initiate the conflict and has no interest in regional instability. He added that Iran is ready to engage in talks only on the basis of mutual respect, rejecting negotiations under threats or coercion, and insisting on its rights under international law. He also called for guarantees to ensure commitments are honoured and criticised US military deployments in the region as contradicting its stated support for a political solution. Sharif said Pakistan would use its influence to support a “lasting and honourable” resolution, emphasising regional stability while respecting Iran’s sovereignty. He added that Pakistan remains committed to acting as a facilitator for peace amid ongoing tensions and stalled negotiations.

Iranian state media on Sunday reported that civilians accounted for around 45 percent of those killed during a 40-day conflict involving Israel and the United States. The official news agency IRNA, citing Iranian authorities, said the overall death toll reached 3,468, of whom 1,460 were civilians. Jamshid Nazmi, senior adviser to the head of Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, disclosed the figures at a press briefing in Tehran, according to IRNA. He said the civilian casualties included women, men, children and elderly people, adding that nationals from Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and Pakistan were also among the dead. At the same briefing, Farideh Oladqobad, a deputy head of the foundation, said 499 of the victims were women and 2,969 were men, while the military death toll stood at 2,008. The report did not provide details on how the figures were verified or whether they had been independently confirmed. Iranian officials said the fighting began on February 28 when Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, reportedly killing senior military figures in the initial attacks. Iran responded with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US military bases and assets across the Middle East, according to officials from both sides. A ceasefire was reached on April 8, while follow-up talks held in Pakistan on April 11 and 12 ended without an agreement, previous reports said.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has warned that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global humanitarian crisis due to severe disruptions in fertiliser supplies. UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva said prolonged maritime disruptions risk pushing millions of people into a cycle of hunger and famine. He noted that prices of key raw materials used in fertiliser production have surged to record levels, underscoring the urgency of restoring supply chains. The UN agency stressed the need for immediate diplomatic efforts to address the situation and ensure the flow of essential goods.

Iran’s near-total internet shutdown has continued for a 58th consecutive day, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks, marking its ninth week and surpassing the 1,368-hour mark. NetBlocks said the widespread disruption began following renewed anti-government protests in early January and intensified after the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran at the end of February. The prolonged restrictions have severely impacted connectivity across the country, limiting access to online services and communication platforms. Tehran FM in Islamabad as US envoys prepare for talks amid dispute The heavily curtailed internet access has also taken a toll on jobs and businesses, with many sectors struggling due to the disruption. Source: Al Jazeera