United News of Bangladesh

US federal prosecutors on Wednesday announced criminal charges against former Cuban President Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian planes operated by a Miami-based exile group, in a move that further increases pressure on Cuba’s socialist government under President Donald Trump. The indictment accuses Castro of ordering the destruction of two small aircraft flown by the exile organization Brothers to the Rescue. Castro, who will turn 95 next month, was Cuba’s defense minister at the time. The charges, filed secretly by a grand jury in April, include murder and destruction of an aircraft. Five Cuban military pilots were also charged. “For nearly 30 years, the families of four murdered Americans have waited for justice,” acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a ceremony in Miami marking Cuban Independence Day. “They were unarmed civilians and were flying humanitarian missions for the rescue and protection of people fleeing oppression across the Florida Straits,” he said. Asked how far US authorities would go to bring Castro to the United States, Blanche said: “There was a warrant issued for his arrest. So we expect that he will show up here, by his own will or by another way.” Asked what could happen next in Cuba, Trump said: “We’re going to see.” He added that the United States is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to what he described as a “failing nation.” Analysts said the charges could pose a serious threat, especially after US forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January to face drug charges in New York. “He’s going to have to keep his head pretty low from now on,” said Peter Kornbluh, a specialist on US-Cuba relations at the National Security Archive. Although it remains uncertain whether Castro will ever appear in a US courtroom, the murder and conspiracy charges carry the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty if he is convicted. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the indictment, calling it a political stunt intended to “justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba.” In a social media post, Díaz-Canel accused the United States of distorting the events surrounding the shootdown and ignoring repeated warnings from Cuban officials that they would respond to what he called “dangerous violations” of Cuban airspace by “notorious terrorists.” Among those attending the Miami ceremony was Marlene Alejandre-Triana, whose father, Armando Alejandre Jr., was killed in the incident. She said she had spoken with several federal investigators over the years and considered Castro “one of the main architects of the crime.” “It has been long overdue,” she said while standing before a large photograph of her father. Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Cuba since Maduro’s capture. Following that operation, the White House imposed a blockade that sharply reduced fuel shipments to Cuba, contributing to widespread blackouts, food shortages and a worsening economic crisis. Trump has also intensified calls for regime change after saying earlier this year that he would pursue a “friendly takeover” of Cuba unless its leaders opened the economy to American investment and expelled US adversaries. During Trump’s first term, the United States indicted Maduro on drug trafficking charges and later used those allegations to justify removing him from power and bringing him to New York for trial. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday urged Cubans to demand a free-market economy and new leadership. “In the U.S., we are ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our people,” Rubio said in a video message in Spanish. “Currently, the only thing standing in the way of a better future are those who control your country.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller has warned Iran of possible military action on an unprecedented scale if Tehran does not agree to a deal acceptable to the United States. Speaking to Fox News, Miller said Iran’s current leadership faces a clear choice as negotiations remain stalled. “This new team in Iran has a choice to make,” Miller said. “They can either agree to a piece of paper that is satisfactory to the United States, or they can face a punishment from our military, the likes of which has not been seen in modern history. That’s the choice that they face,” he said.  #From Al Jazeera

Two teenage gunmen opened fire at a mosque in San Diego on Monday, killing three men before later taking their own lives, in what police are investigating as a possible hate crime. According to police, the attackers — aged 17 and 18 — targeted the Islamic Center of San Diego. Authorities said there had been no specific prior threat against the mosque, but evidence suggests the suspects were influenced by “generalized hate rhetoric.” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said more details about the motive would emerge as the investigation progresses. Police had already been searching for one of the teens after his mother reported him missing and expressed concerns that he was suicidal. Authorities said weapons were missing from the home and the teen had taken his mother’s vehicle. The search intensified when police learned the teen was armed, dressed in camouflage and accompanied by another individual. Officers were tracking the suspects using available technology when reports of gunfire at the mosque came in. Police arrived within minutes, Wahl said. Among the victims was a security guard at the mosque, whom police credited with preventing the attack from becoming more deadly. “It’s fair to say his actions were heroic. Undoubtedly he saved lives,” Wahl told reporters. Shortly after the mosque shooting, additional gunshots were reported a few blocks away. Police later found the two suspects dead inside a vehicle on a nearby road, in what appeared to be a suicide. The mosque, the largest in the county, also houses the Al Rashid School, which provides Islamic and Arabic education for children. Witness footage showed children being safely escorted out of the premises as police secured the area. Imam Taha Hassane condemned the attack, calling it “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.” “All the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected,” he said. The Council on American-Islamic Relations, one of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups in the U.S., condemned the shooting. “No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school,” said CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam in a statement. “We are working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers.” Authorities said the investigation is ongoing, including efforts to determine the full motive behind the attack.  

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that "the clock is ticking" for Iran, threatening again that the country would be left with nothing if its leadership failed to act quickly. "For Iran, the clock is ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won't be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Earlier Sunday, Trump spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran as the White House weighs options for renewed military action against Tehran, according to multiple media reports. Trump is expected to meet with his national security team at the White House on Tuesday to discuss military options, U.S. news outlet Axios reported Sunday, citing two U.S. officials. 

Thousands gathered Saturday in Montgomery, a historic centre of the Civil Rights Movement, to oppose efforts by conservative states to redraw congressional districts seen as key to Black political representation. The rally followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act, prompting southern states to revise electoral maps. Speakers said the struggle rooted in Montgomery - site of the Bus Boycott and Selma march - continues today. Bernice King, speaking near where her father Martin Luther King Jr. addressed marchers in 1965, called the ruling a “moral disgrace” undermining sacrifices made for equal rights. Civil rights leaders, lawmakers and clergy addressed the “All Roads Lead to the South” rally outside the Alabama Capitol. Cory Booker termed Montgomery “sacred soil,” while Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged voters to respond at the ballot box. The court decision, linked to a Louisiana case, further weakened protections already limited since 2013, enabling stricter voting laws. Affected districts include Alabama’s 2nd, now under legal dispute. Veteran activists warned that hard-won civil rights gains are being eroded, vowing continued resistance.

US President Donald Trump said American and Nigerian forces have killed a senior leader of the Islamic State group in Nigeria during a joint mission carried out Friday. In a late-night social media post, Trump said Abu Bakr al-Mainuki, whom he described as the group’s second-in-command globally, was killed while hiding in Africa. He claimed al-Mainuki was closely tracked through intelligence sources. An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said al-Mainuki played a key role in IS operations and financing and had been plotting attacks against the United States and its interests. Trump’s trip to China: Taiwan, a new framework for relationship and flattery for Xi Nigerian President Bola Tinubu confirmed the strike, saying al-Mainuki and several lieutenants were killed at a compound in the Lake Chad Basin. Military spokesperson Sani Uba described the raid as a complex air-land operation conducted over three hours without casualties. He called it the most significant counterterrorism success in the region since 2015. Born in Borno in 1982, al-Mainuki later led IS’s West Africa branch. Analysts say his global rank remains unverified, though some believe he rose within IS leadership this year. But He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2023. The operation follows a US-Nigeria security partnership launched last year to tackle militancy in the region.

  US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are going to have more talks on Friday. They’re set to spend time together at Xi’s official residence in Beijing before Trump flies back to Washington. Trump has taken a decidedly rosy outlook on the U.S.-China relationship during this trip. But that is colliding with some difficult truths about the thorniest issues between the two superpowers — including Taiwan, the Iran war, and trade issues.

US President Donald Trump is set to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday for a highly anticipated summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at a time when global tensions over war, trade and artificial intelligence are shaping the international agenda. Speaking to reporters before departing the White House, Trump described the United States and China as the world’s two dominant powers, saying both are the strongest militarily. The visit comes at a politically sensitive moment for Trump, whose domestic standing has been affected by rising inflation linked to the US and Israel’s conflict with Iran. The war has also disrupted global energy flows after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, driving up oil and gas prices. Trump is expected to focus heavily on trade during the talks, with Washington seeking agreements for increased Chinese purchases of US agricultural products and aircraft. His administration also hopes to begin discussions on creating a new “Board of Trade” mechanism to manage economic disputes and reduce tensions that escalated after tariff increases last year. That earlier trade dispute triggered Chinese retaliation involving restrictions on rare earth exports, leading to a temporary truce last October. Despite this, Iran remains a major backdrop to the visit, though Trump suggested it would not be a central topic in his discussions with Xi, saying the situation was already “under control.” Taiwan is also expected to be a key point of discussion. The US has approved an $11 billion weapons package for the island, which China claims as part of its territory, although delivery has not yet begun. Beijing has strongly opposed the move, calling Taiwan a core “red line” in US-China relations. At the same time, Taiwan’s importance in global semiconductor production — critical for artificial intelligence development — continues to shape US strategy. Washington has been pushing to expand domestic chip manufacturing while increasing imports from Taiwan this year. Trump has signalled a generally positive tone ahead of the meeting, saying he expects a strong long-term relationship with Xi and suggesting a future reciprocal visit by the Chinese leader to the United States. He also indicated he would ask Xi to open China further to US businesses, arguing that greater market access would benefit both sides. Analysts, however, say China enters the talks from a relatively stronger position, with expectations that Beijing will seek relief from US tech restrictions and tariffs. Beyond trade and Taiwan, Trump is also expected to raise the idea of a trilateral nuclear arms control agreement involving the US, China and Russia. However, China has previously shown little interest in such a deal, citing the significant gap between its nuclear arsenal and those of the two larger powers. The last major nuclear arms treaty between Washington and Moscow expired in February, ending formal limits on the world’s two largest nuclear stockpiles for the first time in decades, while efforts to expand future agreements to include China have yet to gain traction.

Grocery prices in the United States rose by 0.7 pc in April, the sharpest month-to-month increase in almost four years, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. US media reports said the rise supports concerns that the ongoing war involving Iran is contributing to higher food costs for American consumers. Fresh vegetable prices have surged by more than 44 pc on an annualized basis over the past three months. During the same period, prices of other essential items, including bread and milk, increased by 8 pc and 5 pc respectively. Coffee and beef prices have also risen sharply due to the impact of the conflict and other global market pressures. Higher shipping costs and strong international demand are adding to the pressure. Over the past three months, retail coffee prices in the US have climbed at an annualized rate of more than 22 pc. #From Al Jazeera

An international advocacy group Saturday condemned Niger 's suspension of nine French media outlets accused of “threatening public order and national security.” Reporters Without Borders called the charges “fabricated” in a post on X. It condemned a “coordinated strategy to repress press freedom” and called for the decision’s reversal. The National Observatory of Communication, the West African nation's media regulatory authority, said in a statement late Friday that the suspension of France 24, RFI, France Afrique Média, LSI Africa, AFP, TV5 Monde, TF1 Info, Jeune Afrique and Mediapart was necessary to “preserve peace, social cohesion and the stability of institutions.” It accused the affected outlets of “repeatedly broadcasting content likely to seriously endanger public order” and undermine the morale of defense and security forces operating in the region. Niger, alongside neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, are ruled by military leaders who took power by force, pledging to provide more security to citizens. Since seizing power, the juntas have cut ties with France and other Western powers, created their own security alliance and turned to Russia for military support to fight extremist insurgencies. The security situation in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso has worsened in recent times, analysts say, with a record number of attacks by Islamic extremists. In January, Islamic militants attacked an air force base in Niger’s capital, killing four soldiers. Niger’s military ruler Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani accused the presidents of France, Benin and Ivory Coast of supporting the armed group behind the attack, without providing any evidence to support the claim. Military leaders in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have also cracked down on political dissent and journalists. Niger’s media regulatory authority did not specify the duration of the suspensions or provide detailed examples of the content that prompted the action.