United News of Bangladesh

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised Saturday the friendship and trust that his country and Japan have developed while attending a memorial service on Iwo Jima to honor those who died in battle during World War II. Japan is Hegseth's second stop after the Philippines on his first Asia trip. His visit comes as Beijing has been showing increasingly assertive actions in the disputed South China Sea and following threats by President Donald Trump to impose trade tariffs on the East Asian country, a key US ally. Hegseth landed on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, now known as Iwoto, where Japanese and American soldiers faced off in one of the war's fiercest battles. He joined several American veterans who survived the battle and Japanese bereaved families, as well as his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other officials at Saturdsay's Reunion of Honor event. “Iwo Jima embodies our shared warrior ethos, our shared devotion to the nation, and to duty and our shared reverence for the men of valor who preceded us,” Hegseth said in front of the cenotaph built in 1985 marking their first joint memorial. “The US-Japan alliance shows ... how yesterday’s enemy has become today’s friends,” Hegseth said. “Our alliance has been and remains the cornerstone of freedom, prosperity, security and peace in the Indo-Pacific.” Recent polls show the Japanese feel more affinity toward the US than any other country. Most Americans and Japanese alive today were born after Japan surrendered in August 1945. US grants initial approval for Qatar to acquire MQ-9 armed drones in a $2 billion deal Japan, which faces growing threats from China, North Korea and Russia, has been accelerating its military buildup and increasingly working closely with the US military. On Sunday, Hegseth will hold talks with Nakatani in Tokyo to discuss further strengthening the alliance. “We must not forget that the peace and prosperity we enjoy today have been built upon the noble sacrifices of those who died in the war and the tireless efforts of the people over the past 80 years since the end of the war,” said Japan's Ishiba, who became the first serving Japanese prime minister to attend the joint Iwo Jima memorial. Ishiba renewed his determination to peace and to further elevate the Japan-US alliance. “And we must continue to endeavour to humbly face the history and keep telling the harrowing experience of the war to the world so that we never repeat the tragedy of war," Ishiba said. The 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima is best known for the photo by The Associated Press’ Joe Rosenthal showing six Marines raising the US flag over Mount Suribachi.

The remote Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, which Vice President JD Vance is visiting on Friday, is the U.S. Department of Defense's northernmost installation. The base was built following a 1951 defense agreement between Denmark and the United States. It supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO. The Pituffik base is located on the northwestern coast of Greenland, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) north of the the Arctic Circle and 1,524 kilometers (947 miles) south of the North Pole. It is about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) north of Greenland's capital, Nuuk. It was known as the Thule Air Base until 2023, when it was renamed to recognize Greenlandic cultural heritage and reflect its role in the relatively new U.S. Space Force. Myanmar and Thailand hit by major earthquakes The base is locked in by ice for nine months of the year, but its airfield remains open all year round. It is in constant darkness from November to February and constant daylight from May to August. It is operated by the 821st Space Base Group and is also home to the world's northernmost deepwater sea port. The nearest town is Qaanaaq, around 120 kilometers (75 miles) to the northwest.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on auto imports, calling it a “direct attack” on Canada. He warned that the trade war is harming Americans, citing a decline in consumer confidence. Speaking on Wednesday, Carney vowed to protect Canadian workers and businesses, stating, “We will defend our workers. We will defend our companies. We will defend our country.” However, he said he would review the specifics of Trump's executive order before announcing any retaliatory measures. The prime minister, who is currently campaigning for Canada’s April 28 election, will return to Ottawa on Thursday to lead a special Cabinet committee on U.S. relations. To counter the economic impact of the tariffs, Carney previously announced a CA$2 billion ($1.4 billion) “strategic response fund” aimed at safeguarding auto industry jobs. He stressed the importance of the sector, which directly employs 125,000 Canadians and supports nearly 500,000 more in related industries. Trump, who declared the tariffs “permanent,” had earlier granted Mexico and Canada a one-month exemption for U.S. automakers. However, with the new tax hike set to take effect in April, car manufacturers could face increased costs and declining sales. The move is part of Trump’s broader trade war, which has contributed to economic uncertainty. The Conference Board reported on Tuesday that U.S. consumer confidence fell for the fourth consecutive month, dropping to its lowest level since January 2021. “His trade war is hurting American consumers and workers, and it will only get worse,” Carney said while campaigning in Windsor, Ontario, near the U.S. border. Trump places 25% tariff on imported autos, expecting to raise $100 billion in tax revenues In addition to auto tariffs, Trump has previously imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and is threatening widespread levies on all Canadian imports and other U.S. trading partners starting April 2. “He wants to break us so America can own us,” Carney said. “But that will never happen because we don’t just look out for ourselves—we look out for each other.” Carney, a former central banker in both Canada and the U.K., made these remarks near the Ambassador Bridge, which carries 25% of all trade between the two nations and plays a crucial role in auto manufacturing. He highlighted that the bridge facilitates CA$140 billion ($98 billion) in goods annually, amounting to CA$400 million ($281 million) per day. “Now those numbers—and the jobs and paychecks that rely on them—are at risk,” Carney said. “The relationship between Canada and the U.S. has changed. We did not change it.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned that the tariffs would disrupt the auto industry on both sides of the border, leading to simultaneous plant closures. “President Trump calls it Liberation Day. I call it Termination Day for American workers,” Ford said. “I know Trump likes to say, ‘You’re fired!’—I just didn’t think he meant U.S. auto workers when he said it.” Trump has escalated tensions with Canada, even suggesting it should become the 51st U.S. state—a stance that has angered many Canadians. At a campaign rally in Kitchener, Ontario, crowds repeatedly booed when Trump's name was mentioned. Despite taking office on March 14, Carney has yet to speak with Trump, an unusual delay in communication between the two nations’ leaders. “It would be appropriate for the president and me to have a conversation given these recent developments. I expect that will happen soon,” Carney said. Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre also criticized the tariffs, warning they would harm both American and Canadian workers. Vermont businesses feel impact of Trump's tariffs on Canada “The message to President Trump should be clear: knock it off,” Poilievre said. “He’s changed his mind before. He’s imposed tariffs, then removed them. It wouldn’t be surprising if he does it again.” Source: With input from agency 

The United States has preliminarily approved Qatar’s request to purchase eight MQ-9B Predator armed drones, a deal valued at nearly $2 billion. The State Department’s approval, announced early Thursday, follows Doha’s prolonged efforts to secure the drones under the Biden administration, which had not authorized the sale despite Qatar’s role as a key intermediary between Washington and the Taliban in Afghanistan, Iran’s leadership, and Hamas in Gaza. However, this immediate approval under President Donald Trump signals a shift in U.S. relations with Qatar, particularly considering his prior support for a four-nation boycott of Doha during his first term. "This proposed sale will advance U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by enhancing the defense capabilities of a key partner that plays a vital role in political stability and economic progress in the Middle East," the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated. Qatar's government has yet to comment on the decision. The Gulf nation ranks as the second-largest buyer of U.S. military equipment after Saudi Arabia, having spent over $26 billion on F-15 fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, missile defense systems, and other hardware. The deal now requires congressional approval, as U.S. lawmakers typically review such transactions and have the authority to block them. White House: Iran set to deliver armed drones to Russia Under the proposed agreement, Qatar would acquire eight drones equipped with hundreds of bombs and missiles, along with satellite-operated control systems. Manufactured by General Atomics, the MQ-9 Reaper drones cost approximately $30 million each. They can operate at altitudes above 40,000 feet (12,100 meters) and remain airborne for over 30 hours. The U.S. military and CIA have extensively used these drones in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen. A swarm of small drones may help artificial reefs attract sea life Notably, Qatar’s approval comes as the United Arab Emirates has been awaiting clearance since 2020 for a $23 billion arms deal that includes up to 18 MQ-9 drones and advanced F-35 fighter jets. Trump's administration had close ties with the UAE, which established diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords in 2020. Source: With input from agnecy 

FBI Director Kash Patel was not part of a Signal chat in which other Trump administration national security officials discussed detailed attack plans, but that didn't spare him from being questioned by lawmakers this week about whether the nation's premier law enforcement agency would investigate. Patel made no such commitments during the course of two days of Senate and House hearings. Instead, he testified that he had not personally reviewed the text messages that were inadvertently shared with the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic who was mistakenly included on an unclassified Signal chat. That Patel would be grilled on what the FBI might do was hardly surprising. Even as President Donald Trump insisted "it's not really an FBI thing,” the reality is that the FBI and Justice Department for decades have been responsible for enforcing Espionage Act statutes governing the mishandling — whether intentional or negligent — of national defense information like the kind shared on Signal, a publicly available app that provides encrypted communications but is not approved for classified information. The Justice Department has broad discretion to open an investigation, though it remains unclear whether Attorney General Pam Bondi, who introduced Trump at a Justice Department event this month, would authorize such an inquiry. Trump administration officials insist that the details shared were not classified, though the Espionage Act technically criminalizes the mishandling of any information deemed to be closely held national defense information even if not classified. Multiple high-profile figures have found themselves under investigation in recent years over their handling of government secrets, but the differences in the underlying facts and the outcomes make it impossible to prognosticate what might happen in this instance or whether any accountability can be expected. There's also precedent for public officials either to avoid criminal charges or be spared meaningful punishment. The Atlantic publishes US Defense Secy Hegseth’s full Signal chat on Houthi strike plans “In terms of prior investigations, there were set-out standards that the department always looked at and tried to follow when making determinations about which types of disclosures they were going to pursue,” said former Justice Department prosecutor Michael Zweiback, who has handled classified information investigations.

The Atlantic on Wednesday released the entire Signal chat among senior national security officials, showing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women flying those attacks against Yemen’s Houthis this month on behalf of the United States were airborne. The disclosure follows two intense days during which leaders of President Donald Trump’s intelligence and defense agencies have struggled to explain how details — that current and former US officials have said would have been classified — wound up on an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said no classified information was posted to the Signal chat. US intelligence officials to appear at House hearing Sen Roger Wicker, R-Miss, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he and Rhode Island Sen Jack Reed, the committee’s top Democrat, plan to send a letter to the Trump administration requesting an inspector general investigation into the use of Signal. They seek a classified briefing with a top administration official “who can speak to the facts” of the episode. Top military official was not included in the chat The chat was also notable for who it excluded: the only military attendee of the principals committee, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Adm Christopher Grady is currently serving in that position in an acting capacity because Trump fired former chairman Gen CQ Brown Jr in February. National security adviser Mike Waltz was authorized to decide whether to include the Joint Chiefs chairman in the principals committee discussion, “based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations,” the White House said in a Jan. 20 memo. The Pentagon said it would not comment on the issue, and it was not immediately clear why Grady, currently serving as the president’s top military adviser, would not be included in a discussion on military strikes. Hegseth has refused to say whether he posted classified information onto Signal. He is traveling in the Indo-Pacific and to date has only scoffed at questions, saying he did not reveal “war plans.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that it was up to Hegseth to determine whether the information he was posting was classified or not. Egypt offers new ceasefire proposal amid Israeli strikes killing scores Very specific texts were revealed What was revealed was jaw-dropping in its specificity and includes the type of information that is kept to a very close hold to protect the operational security of a military strike. But Hegseth’s spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement Wednesday that “there were no classified materials or war plans shared. The Secretary was merely updating the group on a plan that was underway.” The Pentagon and White House have tried to deflect criticism by attacking Goldberg and The Atlantic. The magazine and Goldberg, however, repeatedly reached out to the White House before and after publication to gain additional context on the Signal chat and ensure that publishing the full texts would not cause harm. In a response, Goldberg reported Wednesday, Leavitt described some of the information as sensitive and said the White House would prefer it not be published.

President Donald Trump's top intelligence officials will brief House lawmakers Wednesday on global threats facing the US — though they'll likely be questioned again over their use of a group text to discuss plans for military strikes in Yemen. CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Director Kash Patel are among those who were asked to testify before the House Intelligence Committee as part of its annual review of threats facing the US. At a similar hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard briefed lawmakers on her office's threat assessment, noting that China, Russia, Iran and North Korea continue to pose security challenges to the US, as do drug cartels and transnational criminal organisations. Usha Vance to visit Greenland amid Trump's US takeover talks The presentations from top Trump appointees reflect Trump's foreign policy priorities, including a focus on combating the flow of fentanyl, illegal immigration and human trafficking, and are taking place as Trump attempts to work out a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine three years after Russia's invasion. Tuesday's hearing was dominated by questions about Ratcliffe and Gabbard's participation in a group chat on Signal in which they discussed plans to strike Houthi rebels in Yemen. The group included a journalist, The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg. Gabbard and Ratcliffe have said no classified information was included in the messages, but Democrats have decried the use of the messaging app, saying that any release of information about timetables, weapons or military activities could have put US servicemembers at risk. At Tuesday's hearing they asked Patel, who was not a participant in the text chain, if he would investigate. It's likely House Democrats will press Patel on the same question Wednesday. The National Security Council has said it will investigate the matter, which Trump on Tuesday downplayed as a “glitch.” Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.

A Columbia University student filed a lawsuit on Monday, alleging that the Trump administration is targeting her for deportation due to her pro-Palestinian views. The lawsuit claims that immigration officials are using tactics similar to those used against Mahmoud Khalil and other college activists. US agents arrest Palestinian activist who led Columbia University protests Yunseo Chung, a 21-year-old lawful permanent resident who moved to the U.S. from South Korea at the age of 7, was arrested on March 5 during a protest against disciplinary actions taken against student demonstrators at Columbia University. She was one of several people detained after a sit-in at Barnard College's library. Shortly after her arrest, ICE officials issued an arrest warrant and visited her parents' home to detain her. Chung’s lawsuit asserts that on March 10, she was informed that her lawful permanent resident status was being revoked. Just three days later, federal agents executed search warrants at Columbia-owned residences, including her dormitory, in search of immigration documents and travel records. Seeking a court order to block her deportation, Chung's lawsuit argues that the administration's actions are part of a broader attempt to suppress free speech and protest activities. Chung claims that immigration enforcement is being used as a tool to silence constitutionally protected speech, including her own. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that Chung’s participation in a pro-Hamas protest at Barnard College was of concern, and that she would have the opportunity to present her case in immigration court. Chung’s case is part of a larger pattern in which other students have been targeted for their involvement in pro-Palestinian protests. These include Mahmoud Khalil and Momodou Taal, a Cornell University Ph.D. student, who is also facing deportation following his lawsuit against the administration's actions. Prosecutors drop most charges against student protesters who occupied Columbia University building The lawsuit highlights the administration’s crackdown on international students and scholars who have expressed support for Palestinians, with some facing visa revocations under a rarely used legal statute designed to protect U.S. foreign-policy interests.

The National Weather Service (NWS), facing significant job reductions, is scaling back or eliminating weather balloon launches at eight northern locations. Meteorologists and former agency leaders have expressed concern that this will diminish forecast accuracy, particularly as severe weather season approaches. USPS partners with DOGE for reforms, plans 10,000 job cuts Weather balloons, which are launched twice daily at around 100 locations, provide crucial data for forecasters and computer models, including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and barometric pressure. Cutting back on these launches is a poor decision, according to eight scientists, meteorologists, and former NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) officials. The balloons, which ascend to 100,000 feet with sensors measuring various atmospheric conditions, offer unique insights that can't be obtained in any other way, said D. James Baker, a former NOAA chief. Despite previous budget cuts, he maintained the importance of weather balloon observations. University of Oklahoma’s Renee McPherson called the decision "dangerous," while Ryan Maue, a former NOAA chief scientist, described it as “bad” and noted it would worsen weather forecasting in the US. Locations such as Omaha, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota, will stop balloon launches due to staffing shortages, while other cities like Aberdeen, South Dakota, and Grand Junction, Colorado, will reduce launches from twice daily to once. The Trump administration’s significant staffing cuts have contributed to this reduction, with hundreds of NOAA workers let go earlier this year. Additionally, earlier cuts were announced for Albany, New York, Gray, Maine, and Kotzebue, Alaska, bringing the total number of affected sites to 11. An Associated Press analysis revealed that, from 2021 to 2024, NOAA experienced only one balloon launch outage per day on average. Now, 17% of U.S. balloon sites are either reducing or halting launches, including those impacted by helium shortages and coastal erosion. Meteorologist Kristen Corbosiero expressed concern about the consequences of fewer balloon launches, particularly in light of the upcoming severe weather season. Weather balloons are critical in forecasting severe storms, especially during peak tornado season in the spring. Former NOAA Director Elbert "Joe" Friday emphasized the importance of weather balloons in capturing detailed atmospheric data, crucial for understanding storm development. While satellites offer broad views of weather patterns and ground measurements provide on-the-ground data, weather balloons give essential information from the middle layers of the atmosphere. The reduction in launches is particularly concerning in the northern U.S., where the jet stream, a key driver of weather systems, is located. Trump admin may exclude govt spending, obscuring DOGE cuts' impact Weather balloons have been an integral part of forecasting since the 1930s, with historical significance during World War II, where they aided in better weather predictions for air combat. Despite the work involved in preparing and launching a balloon, the data they provide is invaluable, with each launch involving around four to five hours of work for one person.

After sharing a nightly iftar meal with family during Ramadan, Nadine Daoud noticed that her grandmother’s refrigerator was often filled with full pots and trays of leftover food. She frequently felt that the food was quickly forgotten and wasted. Atif Aslam’s new naat elevates spirituality during Ramadan This observation led to the creation of The Helping Handzzz Foundation in 2017, which brings together volunteers during the Islamic holy month to collect excess food from families in Dearborn—a city with a large Arab population, nearly half of its 110,000 residents—and distribute it to homeless individuals in nearby Detroit. Daoud explained that the foundation’s work reflects Islam’s emphasis on valuing resources, like food, and aligns with Ramadan’s focus on “self-discipline and empathy towards those less fortunate.” “Every family prepares a lot of food to break the fast at the end of the day,” Daoud shared. “But a lot of food gets left over, stored in the fridge, and forgotten about the next day.” “What I decided to do was, instead of letting it go to waste or throwing it away, I thought, ‘Let me take it to those I see on the streets. I’ll give it to them with a drink and a nice treat on the side.’” On one recent night, Helping Handzzz board members Hussein Sareini, Daoud Wehbi, and four others had an iftar meal prepared by Sareini’s mother. After the meal, attendees prayed together, then Wehbi joined Sareini in his truck. They went around the area collecting untouched dishes from various homes, before heading to a mosque parking lot where Daoud and others organized the food. A caravan of cars then visited several locations in Detroit, where homeless people are regularly found. Board member Mariam Hachem approached a man lying on the sidewalk wrapped in blankets. “Hi, we have a meal for you,” she said. “We’re going to set it right here, OK?” “OK,” he replied. Other volunteers added bottled water and a sweet treat alongside the meal. The Helping Handzzz team carries out this routine six nights a week during Ramadan, taking Sundays off. This effort comes after a day of fasting from sunrise to sunset. Wehbi, a 27-year-old design engineer at Toyota, and Sareini, who works in residential remodeling, said they are happy to dedicate their evenings until 9 or 10 p.m. to making a positive impact. Govt reduces import duties on fruits for Ramadan “It’s all about appreciating what you have,” Sareini said. Wehbi, 27, noted that their work aligns with the spirit of Ramadan. “It’s not just a time of fasting from food and drink,” he explained. “It’s also about personal growth, coming together as a community, and improving ourselves and each other.”