United News of Bangladesh

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the destruction of 10 buildings in Beirut for every explosive drone launched by Hezbollah, saying Israel must “put an end to the threat of Hezbollah’s explosive drones.” Smotrich noted that a special budget of around 2 billion shekels (about $692 million) was approved earlier this week for developing technological solutions to counter the drone threat. Lapid calls emerging US-Iran deal ‘bad for region’ Referring to the killing of an Israeli soldier in a Hezbollah drone strike in southern Lebanon, the Religious Zionist Party leader said, “For every explosive drone, 10 buildings must fall in Beirut. The response to a significant threat must be significant.” He further said, “You don’t counter a strategic threat with shielding alone, but by changing the rules and the equation. We cannot shield ourselves forever. Only exacting a deterrent and disproportionate price from the enemy will reshape the equation against our foes on all fronts,” in a post on X. With inputs from Al Jazeera

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on Monday criticised the emerging US-Iran deal, calling it “bad for Israel, bad for the region, bad for the citizens of Iran” and accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to influence Washington on the negotiations. Lapid said the proposed agreement does not meet Israel’s objectives in the war launched by Israel and the United States on February 28. The two allies had vowed to dismantle Iran’s ballistic missile programme, curb its support for regional proxy groups and prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb. Emerging US-Iran deal may end war, reopen Strait of Hormuz According to regional officials, the deal under discussion would require Iran to surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for ending a US blockade on Iranian ports and lifting sanctions. Key issues regarding Iran’s nuclear programme would be negotiated during a 60-day period. While expressing gratitude to US President Donald Trump for backing Israel in the war, Lapid said Netanyahu had little influence over the negotiations. Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid party, has allied again with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett ahead of elections due by October. He also ruled out forming a coalition with Arab parties and said a two-state solution with the Palestinians was unlikely in the coming years following the October 7 Hamas attacks and subsequent wars.

The United States and Iran appear to be moving toward a possible agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with US President Donald Trump saying over the weekend that negotiations had been “largely completed.” However, uncertainty remains over when the agreement could be finalized and how its provisions would be implemented. Trump’s remarks followed discussions with Middle Eastern allies, including separate talks with Israel. Information about the negotiations has come from two regional officials and one US official who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the talks. War Could Come to an EndIran has consistently maintained that any agreement must include a halt to fighting across the region since the conflict began 12 weeks ago with US and Israeli attacks on Iran that killed several senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran’s demands also cover Lebanon, where the Iran-backed Hezbollah group has been engaged in clashes with Israel since the early stages of the war. A fragile ceasefire has remained in place since April 7. Ending the conflict would likely ease tensions across the Middle East, where Iranian missile and drone attacks previously targeted Gulf countries and major travel hubs such as the United Arab Emirates. It would also restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for around 20% of global oil and natural gas supplies. Regional officials said the draft agreement includes ending hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and a pledge not to interfere in the internal affairs of regional states, including Iran. The issue is closely tied to Iran’s support for allied armed groups such as the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza and Shiite militias in Iraq. One regional official said the US wants Israel to retain the right to respond to perceived threats in Lebanon, while Iran opposes that position. A US official said the agreement would preserve Israel’s right to act in self-defense against imminent threats. Gradual Reopening of Strait of HormuzIran’s nuclear activities, missile programme and regional proxy support were cited by the US and Israel as key reasons for launching attacks on Iran. But Iran’s subsequent restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz quickly became a major international concern, leaving hundreds of ships carrying oil, gas and other goods stranded. Under the proposed arrangement, the strait would gradually reopen as the US lifts the blockade on Iranian ports imposed on April 17, according to regional officials. The blockade has significantly affected Iran’s oil exports and economy. The US is also expected to permit limited Iranian oil sales through sanctions waivers. One official familiar with the talks said broader sanctions relief and the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets would be negotiated during a 60-day process. Iran May Surrender Highly Enriched UraniumIran’s nuclear programme remains at the center of the dispute, particularly concerns that Tehran could eventually develop nuclear weapons. According to regional officials, Iran may agree to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of the deal. One official directly involved in the talks said further discussions during the 60-day period would determine how the material would be handled. Some uranium could be diluted, while the remainder might be transferred to another country, possibly Russia, which has reportedly offered to take custody of it. A US official confirmed that sanctions relief would depend on Iran giving up the uranium stockpile. The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran currently possesses 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, which is technically close to weapons-grade level. Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and says it has the right to nuclear technology. President Masoud Pezeshkian said on state television Sunday that Iran was ready “to assure the world” it is not seeking nuclear weapons. Trump also said on social media that relations with Iran were becoming “more professional and productive,” while reiterating that Tehran must not obtain nuclear weapons. Key Issues Still UnclearSeveral major issues remain absent from current descriptions of the proposed agreement, including the future of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities and its missile programme, which Israel has long sought to curb. The possibility of regime change in Tehran — previously discussed by the US and Israel during anti-government protests earlier this year — also appears to be off the table. Likewise, there has been no indication that the agreement would involve the withdrawal of US troops from the region or compensation for war-related damage sought by Iran.

Ugandan health authorities on Monday confirmed two new Ebola infections, raising the total number of cases in the country to seven. Officials said all the infections are linked to the Ebola outbreak in neighboring Congo, which is believed to have begun days or even weeks before Congolese authorities officially announced it on May 15. The outbreak in Uganda was traced back to a 59-year-old Congolese man who was admitted to a hospital in Kampala on May 11. He died three days later before doctors confirmed he had Ebola. Later, two other Congolese nationals who sought treatment in Uganda also tested positive for the virus. On Saturday, Ugandan authorities confirmed the first locally transmitted cases involving a driver and a health worker who had contact with the Congolese patient who died earlier this month. The Ministry of Health said Monday that two additional health workers at a private hospital in Kampala have also tested positive. Meanwhile, health authorities in Congo said suspected Ebola infections have exceeded 900, mostly in the eastern Ituri province where the current outbreak is concentrated. Efforts to contain the disease have faced major challenges, including fear, public anger and attacks on treatment centers. Distrust of authorities remains high in the violence-hit region, which has long suffered from armed conflict. The current outbreak has been declared a global health emergency. Health experts say there is no approved vaccine or treatment yet for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus responsible for the outbreak.

Pope Leo XIV has called for strict global regulation of artificial intelligence, warning that the fast-growing technology must serve humanity and the common good rather than corporate profit. In a major new church document titled “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, the pontiff said AI is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today as it reshapes jobs, warfare, and human life. He strongly criticised what he called a “culture of power” driving the global AI race, especially in developing advanced systems used in remote warfare. He said it is “not permissible” to allow artificial intelligence to make irreversible or lethal decisions, warning that such choices must remain under human control. His comments are likely to deepen debate with the United States administration, which has pushed for lighter regulation of AI development. The pope also warned about the growing concentration of data and technological power in the hands of a few private companies, saying it poses serious risks for children, vulnerable groups and democratic accountability. He called for clear laws, independent oversight and stronger political responsibility to govern AI systems. “It is not enough to invoke ethics in the abstract,” he wrote, stressing that binding legal frameworks are needed and that moral standards cannot be set by a small group of tech leaders. The encyclical was released at a Vatican event attended by representatives from the tech world, including co-founder of Anthropic, as the Holy See continues long-running dialogue with Silicon Valley over the social impact of AI. Experts say the document is likely to become an important reference point in global discussions on AI ethics and regulation, especially as concerns grow about job losses and machines replacing human decision-making. Technology leaders and academics said the pope’s intervention raises deeper questions about humanity’s future in the age of artificial intelligence, as systems become more powerful and widespread. In the text, Pope Leo also warned that AI is contributing to the “normalisation of war” by making violence feel more distant and less human. He called for greater transparency in how AI is used in military operations and urged clearer accountability in decision-making chains for strikes involving automated systems. He further argued that traditional Catholic “just war” theory may no longer be adequate in the era of modern warfare technologies. The document also places AI within the broader tradition of Catholic social teaching, linking it to long-standing concerns about workers’ rights, economic justice and human dignity. The pope signed the encyclical on May 15, marking the anniversary of *Rerum Novarum*, a landmark church text that shaped modern Catholic views on labour and capitalism during the Industrial Revolution. He warned that the pursuit of profit must never come at the cost of jobs, arguing that people must always remain the purpose of economic systems, not their tools. The encyclical also touched on historical issues, including an unprecedented papal acknowledgment and apology for the Holy See’s past role in supporting slavery. Vatican officials did not disclose who contributed to the document, but said it reflects years of discussions between the church and technology leaders.

Rescuers pulled two workers from the rubble of a collapsed nine-story hotel under construction in the northern Philippines early Monday, as the death toll rose to three and 17 others remained missing, officials said. One of the rescued workers was found dead, while emergency workers tried for hours to revive the other inside an ambulance near the huge pile of broken concrete, twisted steel bars and collapsed scaffolding that once formed the building in Angeles City of Pampanga province. Doctors later declared him dead. The two workers had been trapped under heavy concrete slabs and metal bars for hours. Hundreds of rescuers, including firefighters and police, worked through the night to reach them. Regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jess Mendez said rescuers even provided water and intravenous medicine to one trapped worker in an effort to keep him alive in the intense summer heat. “He never made it despite all the efforts,” Mendez told AP. The third victim was a Malaysian tourist who was trapped inside a nearby budget hotel damaged by falling debris from the collapse. Another guest was injured but managed to escape, officials said. The unfinished building collapsed with a loud crash before dawn Sunday following a strong thunderstorm. Despite growing fears, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin said rescue operations would continue and authorities were still hoping to find survivors. “My best hope is that we can rescue more people alive,” Lazatin told AP. “We don’t want to give the families of the trapped workers any bad news.” Relatives of the missing workers have been waiting anxiously near the disaster site. Lea Mendoza Casilao, a 47-year-old sardine factory worker, said her boyfriend, a mason working at the site, was among those still trapped. “I’m losing hope because of what I see — slow rescue work,” she said. She had brought a week’s supply of rice and sardines for him at the construction site, but the couple never got the chance to meet over the weekend after the building collapsed. Officials said rescuers were moving carefully because unstable concrete slabs hanging on bent scaffolding could fall at any moment and endanger rescue teams. Authorities said 26 workers either escaped or were rescued from the building, where many workers slept on plywood sheets on the ground floor. Of the 17 still missing, rescuers have located one worker but have not yet been able to pull him out. Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse and possible violations of construction safety rules. Angeles City once hosted one of the largest US Air Force bases outside the United States, helping turn the area into a major commercial and entertainment hub in northern Luzon. The former Clark Air Base, about 80 kilometers north of Manila, closed in the early 1990s and has since been transformed into the Clark Freeport Zone, now a busy industrial and tourism area.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, officially began Monday. More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the country, Saleh bin Saad Al-Murabba, commander of the Hajj passport forces, said Friday. The faithful have been pouring into the country for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related regional tensions and uncertainty. Egyptian pilgrim Samya Abdul Moneim said she was grateful to God that she made it to the Hajj, which is required once in a lifetime of every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to make it. “I am in a state of blessing and happiness,” she said in Mecca on Sunday. “It’s an indescribable feeling, truly. I mean, thank God, I am in a blessing.” Typically on the first day, many pilgrims in Mecca converge on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert. Ahead of that, pilgrims have been circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in sweltering temperatures. For pilgrims, Hajj can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. Pilgrims perform the Hajj rituals over several days. Pilgrims brave intense heat Some spend many years hoping and praying to one day perform the Hajj or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip. As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade and carrying handheld fans. Volunteers hand out water bottles to help them stay hydrated and large fans spray fine mists of water. On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran on the war, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, has been “largely negotiated” after calls with Israel and other allies in the region. He described it as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still must be finalized by the United States, Iran and the other countries that participated in the calls. That capped a week in which the U.S. weighed a new round of attacks on Iran.

Asian shares mostly rose Monday and oil prices plunged after U.S. President Donald Trump said talks on ending the war with Iran are progressing. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 3.1% in morning trading to 65,321.56. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.4% to 8,692.70. The Shanghai Composite edged up 0.4% to 4,127.53. Trading was closed in South Korea and Hong Kong for holidays marking Buddha’s birthday. Trading will be closed in the U.S. on Monday for Memorial Day. Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner.” Meanwhile, regional officials told The Associated Press on Sunday that the United States is close to reaching a deal with Iran that would end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Reopening the Strait of Hormuz will help decide the direction of oil prices. The closure has prevented oil tankers from exiting the Persian Gulf and delivering crude to customers worldwide. Japan, for instance, imports almost all its oil, most of it through the strait. “Markets are rapidly transitioning from pricing geopolitical fear toward pricing a potential peace dividend as Hormuz reopening expectations pressure oil and the dollar lower,” analyst Stephen Innes said in a commentary. Early Monday, benchmark U.S. crude was down $4.35 at $92.25 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, sank $4.16 to $99.38 a barrel. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar declined to 158.80 Japanese yen from 159.16 yen. The euro cost $1.1641, up from $1.1605. Friday On Wall Street, stocks finished their eighth straight winning week, the best such streak since 2023. That’s even though a survey showed U.S. consumers are feeling even worse about the economy. The S&P 500 added 0.4% and pulled closer to its all-time high set in the middle of last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2%. Recent earnings reports from U.S. companies that topped analysts’ expectations also helped markets. But worries about inflation have pushed bond yields higher worldwide. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.56% Friday from 4.57% late Thursday, but it remains well above its 3.97% level from before the war.      

President Donald Trump said Saturday that a deal with Iran on the war, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, has been “largely negotiated” after calls with Israel and other allies in the region. “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly,” Trump said on social media, with no details. He said he had spoken with leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, and separately with Israel. He described it as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still must be finalized by the United States, Iran and the other countries that participated in the calls. It capped a week in which the U.S. weighed a new round of attacks on the Islamic Republic that would break a fragile ceasefire. There was no mention of Iran’s nuclear program and highly enriched uranium, which Iran has sought to discuss later. There was no immediate comment from Iran or Israel. Trump said speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had pressed the U.S. to go to war, went “very well.” There had been growing optimism among officialsEarlier on Saturday, a regional official with direct knowledge of the Pakistan-led mediation efforts said the U.S. and Iran were closing in on a deal to end the war. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door deliberations, cautioned that “last-minute disputes” could blow up the efforts. This is not the first time in recent weeks that a deal has been described as close. The official said the deal would include an official declaration of the war’s end, with two-month negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. The Strait of Hormuz would be reopened and the U.S. would end its blockade of Iran’s ports.  

Turkish riot police stormed the headquarters of the country’s main opposition Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP) on Sunday, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse supporters and party officials who had barricaded themselves inside for three days. The raid marked a dramatic escalation in a standoff triggered by an appeals court ruling that annulled the 2023 election of CHP leader Ozgur Ozel and reinstated his predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.  Clashes erupt in Serbia after mass anti-government rally in Belgrade Footage from local media showed police entering the building through clouds of tear gas as supporters attempted to resist using fire extinguishers. Doors, furniture and windows on the ground floor were damaged during the operation. Ozel, vowed to reclaim the headquarters and later marched with supporters toward Parliament in Ankara. The opposition claims the court decision is politically motivated and aimed at weakening the CHP ahead of future elections. Ozel accused the government of targeting the party after its success in the 2024 municipal elections, where it dealt a major blow to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party. The CHP has faced mounting legal pressure in recent months, while jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu remains Erdogan’s main political rival.