United News of Bangladesh

Workers and activists across the world marked May Day with rallies and protests on Friday, demanding higher wages, better working conditions and peace, as many face rising energy costs and declining purchasing power linked to the Iran war. International Workers’ Day, observed on May 1 in many countries, traditionally sees trade unions mobilising around labour rights, wages, pensions and inequality. This year, demonstrations were held in cities ranging from Seoul, Sydney and Jakarta to European capitals and across the United States. "Working people refuse to pay the price for Donald Trump's war in the Middle East," the European Trade Union Confederation said. "Today's rallies show working people will not stand by and see their jobs and living standards destroyed." Rising fuel prices and inflation emerged as key concerns during the protests. In Manila, thousands marched demanding higher wages and lower taxes while criticising the United States’ role in the Iran conflict. Some protesters clashed with police near the US Embassy. "Every Filipino worker now is aware that the situation here is deeply connected to the global crisis," said Josua Mata, leader of the SENTRO labour group. In Indonesia, President Prabowo Subianto joined a major rally in Jakarta, where workers called for stronger government support amid rising prices and shortages of industrial raw materials. In Pakistan, although May Day is a public holiday, many daily wage earners continued working due to financial pressures. "How will I bring vegetables and other necessities home if I don't work?" said Mohammad Maskeen, a construction worker near Islamabad. Inflation, driven partly by rising oil prices, has reached around 16 percent in Pakistan, according to government estimates. Elsewhere, protests took place across Europe. In Istanbul, police detained around 15 people attempting to reach Taksim Square in defiance of a ban. In France, unions organised marches under the slogan “bread, peace and freedom,” linking domestic concerns with global conflicts. In Italy, the government recently approved nearly 1 billion euros in job incentives aimed at boosting employment and addressing labour abuses, though opposition parties criticised the measures as ineffective. In Portugal, labour tensions remain high over proposed changes to employment laws, with unions warning the reforms could weaken workers’ rights. In France, May Day also sparked debate over whether more businesses should be allowed to operate on the public holiday, which is traditionally a mandatory paid day off for most workers. "Don't touch May Day," unions said in a joint statement opposing proposed changes. Activists in the United States also organised protests and boycotts, targeting policies of President Donald Trump. Demonstrators called for taxing the wealthy and ending strict immigration measures, with organisers urging people to observe a “no work, no school, no shopping” protest. May Day traces its origins to the US labour movement of the 1880s, when workers campaigned for an eight-hour workday. A protest in Chicago in 1886 turned violent, leading to deaths and the execution of several labour activists, events that later inspired the global observance of International Workers’ Day.

Two employees of a bank in Kentucky were shot dead during a robbery, prompting a large-scale manhunt for the suspect, authorities said. The incident occurred at a U.S. Bank branch in Berea, where a man wearing a gray-white hoodie, gloves and a mask entered the bank and shot a male and a female employee, said Trooper Scottie Pennington, a spokesperson for the Kentucky State Police. "They're our people that work in our community, and they're no longer with us," Pennington told reporters. "At this time we do have some leads, and we're trying our best to bring this evil person to justice." Law enforcement officials have been going door to door to gather information and check surveillance footage, while helicopters, drones and dogs are being used in the search, Pennington said. Local and state police are working alongside the FBI and other federal agencies. It was not immediately clear whether the suspect fled in a vehicle, on foot or was picked up, the spokesperson said. He also declined to say whether the suspect left the bank with anything. State police have released a photo of the suspect on social media and urged people to come forward if they recognize him or have any information. "If you see something strange and you don't feel right about it — you know, your dogs are acting weird — call us," Pennington said. He urged residents to remain alert and take precautions such as keeping porch lights on and phones charged. Nearby schools were placed under temporary lockdown following the incident. Students were not allowed to return home on buses and had to be picked up by their parents, Pennington said. U.S. Bank said it is working closely with law enforcement and expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of its employees. "We're deeply saddened by the tragic event that took the lives of two of our employees at our Berea, Kentucky branch earlier today," the company said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community." Berea is about 36 miles (58 kilometers) south of Lexington.

The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval. The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony in the Senate earlier Thursday, when he said the ceasefire effectively paused the war. Under that rationale, the administration has not yet met the requirement mandated by a 1973 law to seek formal approval from Congress for military action that extends beyond 60 days. A senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the administration’s position, said for purposes of that law, “the hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated.” The official said the U.S. military and Iran have not exchanged fire since the two-week ceasefire that began April 7. While the ceasefire has since been extended, Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea. Under the War Powers Resolution, the law that sought to constrain a president’s military powers, President Donald Trump had until Friday to seek congressional authorization or cease fighting. The law also allows an administration to extend that deadline by 30 days. Democrats have pushed the administration for formal approval of the Iran war, and the 60-day mark would likely have been a turning point for a swath of Republican lawmakers who backed temporary action against Tehran but insisted on congressional input for something longer. “That deadline is not a suggestion; it is a requirement,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who voted Thursday in favor of a measure that would end military action in Iran since Congress hadn’t given its approval. She added that “further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close.” Richard Goldberg, who served as director for countering Iranian weapons of mass destruction for the National Security Council during Trump’s first term, said he has recommended to administration officials that they simply transition to a new operation, which he suggested could be called “Epic Passage,” a sequel to Operation Epic Fury. That new mission, he said, “would inherently be a mission of self-defense focused on reopening the strait while reserving the right to offensive action in support of restoring freedom of navigation.” “That to me solves it all,” added Goldberg, who is now a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington think tank. During testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Hegseth said it was the administration’s “understanding” that the 60-day clock was on pause while the two countries were in a ceasefire. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who had asked Hegseth about the timeline, later told reporters that the defense secretary “advanced a very novel argument that I’ve never heard before” and “certainly has no legal support.” Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Center’s Liberty and National Security Program and an expert on war powers, said that interpretation would be a “sizeable extension of previous legal gamesmanship” related to the 1973 law. “To be very, very clear and unambiguous, nothing in the text or design of the War Powers Resolution suggests that the 60-day clock can be paused or terminated,” she said. Other presidents have argued that the military action they’ve taken was not intense enough or was too intermittent to qualify under the War Powers Resolution. But Trump’s war in Iran would certainly not be such a case, Ebright said, adding that lawmakers need to push back against the administration on that kind of argument.

Iran’s supreme leader defiantly vowed Thursday to protect the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and missile capabilities, which U.S. President Donald Trump has sought to curtail through airstrikes and as part of a wider deal to cement the war’s shaky ceasefire. In a statement read by a state television anchor, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said the only place Americans belonged in the Persian Gulf is “at the bottom of its waters” and that a “new chapter” was being written in the region’s history. Khamenei has not been seen in public since taking over as supreme leader following the killing of his father in the war’s opening airstrikes. His remarks come as Iran’s economy is reeling and its oil industry is being squeezed by a U.S. Navy blockade halting its tankers from getting out to sea. The world economy is also under pressure as Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of all crude oil is transported. On Thursday, the global benchmark for oil, Brent crude, traded as high as $126 a barrel. That shock to oil supplies and prices is putting pressure on Trump, who is floating a new plan to reopen the critical passageway used by the U.S.'s Gulf allies to export their oil and gas. Under the plan, the U.S. would continue its blockade on Iranian ports, while coordinating with allies to impose higher costs on Iran’s attempts to subvert the free flow of energy, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly. In a cable sent Tuesday, the U.S. State Department instructed American diplomats around the world — except those in Belarus, China, Cuba and Russia — to seek their host government’s support for the Trump administration’s call for assistance in establishing a “maritime freedom construct” that would ensure free and unimpeded access to shipping through the strait.

Activists worldwide will march in May Day rallies Friday, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. The day is a public holiday in many countries, and demonstrations, some of which have turned violent in the past, are expected in many of the world’s major cities. “Working people refuse to pay the price for Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East,” the European Trade Union Confederation, which represents 93 trade union organizations in 41 European countries, said. “Today’s rallies show working people will not stand by and see their jobs and living standards destroyed.” In the United States, activists opposing U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies are planning marches and boycotts. Here’s what to know about May Day. Rising energy prices and living costsRising living costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East is expected to be a key theme in Friday’s rallies. In the Philippines’ capital of Manila, protest organizers said they expect big crowds of workers. “There will be a louder call for higher wages and economic relief because of the unprecedented spikes in fuel prices,” Renato Reyes, a leader of the left-wing political group Bayan, told The Associated Press. “Every Filipino worker now is aware that the situation here is deeply connected to the global crisis,” said Josua Mata, leader of SENTRO umbrella group of labor federations.

US Senator Tim Kaine has expressed “serious constitutional concerns” that the White House may exceed the 60-day limit for military action in Iran without Congressional authorisation. Speaking at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was questioned on whether the Trump administration intends to seek formal approval from Congress for continued military operations, reports Al Jazeera. Under the US War Powers Resolution of 1973, a president can deploy military forces without Congressional approval for up to 60 days — a deadline in the ongoing Iran conflict that is set to expire on Friday. Hegseth, however, argued that the timeline may be affected by the current ceasefire. “We are in a ceasefire right now, which our understanding means the 60-day clock pauses or stops in a ceasefire,” he told the committee. Senator Kaine rejected that interpretation, saying, “I do not believe the statute would support that,” and reiterated his constitutional concerns over the administration’s legal basis for continued military action.

West Bengal has recorded a historic voter turnout of 92.47 per cent in the two-phase Assembly elections, the highest in the state since Independence. In Phase II, polling stood at 91.66 per cent as of 7:45 pm, while Phase I, held on April 23, recorded a turnout of 93.19 per cent. The combined participation across both phases was calculated at 92.47 per cent. “The combined poll percentage over the two phases stands at 92.47%. Previously, the highest poll participation in West Bengal was 84.72% (2011 GELA),” the Press Information Bureau of India said, referring to the Election Commission. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr. S.S. Sandhu and Dr. Vivek Joshi, kept a close watch on the polling through live webcasting, which was ensured at 100% of the polling stations in West Bengal (Phase II), according to the PIB. The state has a voter base of 6.81 crore. The Election Commission said women voters slightly outnumbered men in participation, with 92.28 per cent compared to 91.07 per cent for male voters. Previously, West Bengal’s highest turnout was in the 2011 Assembly elections at 84.72 per cent. Tripura holds the national record for the highest poll participation, with 93.61 per cent in the 2013 Assembly elections. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar praised the turnout, saying the Election Commission salutes every voter in West Bengal for the record participation. The Commission also noted high turnout in other states, including Assam and Puducherry, which recorded their highest-ever participation. Counting of votes for West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry will be held on the 4th of next month. Simultaneously, counting for several Assembly by-elections across Karnataka, Nagaland, Tripura, Maharashtra, and Gujarat will also take place.    

Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said Iran will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities as “national assets,” signalling a hardening stance amid tensions with the United States over the ongoing conflict and fragile ceasefire. In a written statement aired on state television, Khamenei struck a defiant tone, warning that foreign powers—particularly the US—have no place in the Persian Gulf, and declaring that a “new chapter” is unfolding in the region. His remarks come as Donald Trump pushes for a broader agreement with Tehran, while a US naval blockade continues to restrict Iran’s oil exports, intensifying economic pressure. Global energy markets have reacted sharply, with Brent crude prices surging as Iran maintains control over the Strait of Hormuz—a vital route through which a significant portion of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass. Khamenei indicated that Iran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile capabilities are non-negotiable, describing them as integral to national sovereignty and security. He also suggested that Tehran would continue asserting control over the strategic waterway, arguing that its management would enhance regional security—claims strongly rejected by Gulf nations, who view such actions as a threat to international shipping. The developments add to mounting global concerns over energy security and the risk of further escalation in the region, even as ceasefire efforts remain in place.

Donald Trump has again threatened to reduce the United States’ military presence in Germany, reviving long-standing concerns among European allies about Washington’s commitment to regional security. The warning came in a social media post on Wednesday after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised the US approach to diplomacy with Iran, saying Washington risked being “humiliated” by Tehran amid the ongoing US-Israel conflict. Trump has repeatedly questioned the role of NATO and criticised allies for what he sees as insufficient support, particularly during the current conflict. He has long floated the idea of scaling back US troop deployments in Germany, a key NATO member and Europe’s largest economy. The latest remarks have reignited concerns across Europe, where officials have been bracing for a potential shift in US military strategy since Trump returned to office. Analysts say any reduction in American forces could have significant implications for European security, including support for Ukraine and broader deterrence efforts in the region. European allies have increasingly warned that they may need to assume greater responsibility for their own defence if US commitments weaken further.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to face a second day of intense questioning from Democrats on Capitol Hill, as senators prepare to examine his handling of the Iran war. The hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday will give lawmakers their first chance to directly confront or support Hegseth following a nearly six-hour session a day earlier with the House panel. During Wednesday’s hearing, Hegseth faced sharp criticism from Democrats—and some Republicans—over the financial cost of the war, casualties and the depletion of key US weapons stockpiles. At Thursday’s session, Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine are expected to present the Trump administration’s proposed 2027 military budget, which would raise defense spending to a record $1.5 trillion. They are likely to emphasise the need for increased investment in drones, missile defence systems and naval capabilities. Lawmakers are also expected to press Hegseth on US troop deployments in Europe after Donald Trump signalled a possible reduction of American forces in Germany amid tensions with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran conflict. The developments add further political pressure as the administration navigates both the war and broader alliance dynamics.