United News of Bangladesh

President Donald Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, signaling hesitation over approving Kyiv’s request for long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. The meeting follows Trump’s extended phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, during which the two discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Although Trump had recently shown openness to the missile sale, he appeared to retreat from the idea after Putin’s warning against such a move. Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser John Bolton is expected to surrender to authorities and appear in a Maryland federal court Friday over allegations of mishandling classified materials. Bolton’s attorney insists he committed no wrongdoing. The case is the third in a month involving figures critical of Trump, fueling debate over political bias in the Justice Department. In Europe, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hailed his country’s selection as the venue for an upcoming Trump-Putin meeting aimed at discussing a potential peace deal in Ukraine. Orbán said Hungary’s opposition to arming Kyiv influenced the choice. Separately, an AP-NORC poll found Trump’s approval on foreign policy has risen following his role in brokering a Gaza ceasefire, though his overall domestic approval remains stagnant at around 40 percent.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday warned Hamas that “we will have no choice but to go in and kill them” if internal bloodshed persists in Gaza, amid rising tensions following last week’s ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. Trump’s stark warning contrasts with his earlier comments downplaying the violence in Gaza. On Tuesday, he had noted that Hamas had eliminated “a couple of gangs that were very bad” and killed some gang members, adding, “That didn’t bother me much, to be honest with you.” The president did not provide details on how the U.S. might act on his threat, and the White House did not immediately clarify. Nonetheless, Trump stressed his limited patience with killings carried out by Hamas against rival factions within the territory. “They will disarm, and if they don’t do so, we will disarm them, and it’ll happen quickly and perhaps violently,” Trump said. Following Israel’s military advances in Gaza, Hamas-run police, which have maintained security since the militants seized power 18 years ago, largely withdrew. Armed gangs and influential local families, including some anti-Hamas factions reportedly backed by Israel, have filled the security vacuum. Many have been accused of hijacking humanitarian aid and selling it, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the territory. Trump’s ceasefire plan had called for all hostages — living and dead — to be returned by a deadline that expired Monday. Hamas was required to provide information about deceased hostages and return them as soon as possible. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday demanded that Hamas fully comply with the ceasefire requirements regarding hostages’ bodies. Hamas’ armed wing said in a statement that it had handed over all the remains it could access and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire terms.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he will soon meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine, following a “productive” phone call between the two leaders. Trump, who is set to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, wrote on social media that “great progress” had been made during his latest conversation with Putin. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán welcomed the announcement, saying, “We are ready!” Before the Trump-Putin meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead U.S. officials in talks with Russian representatives next week. Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump — their fourth this year — is expected to focus on Kyiv’s request to buy Tomahawk cruise missiles, which would allow Ukrainian forces to strike deep into Russian territory. The Ukrainian president argues such weapons could pressure Moscow to take peace talks seriously. Trump has said he’s weighing the sale but acknowledged the move would be “as much political as military.” Russian officials have warned that supplying Tomahawks would cross a “red line” and worsen relations. Analysts say Ukraine may benefit more immediately from Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles and ATACMS systems already approved for sale by Washington. The Tomahawk, with a range of about 1,600 kilometers, would dramatically expand Ukraine’s strike capacity. Trump’s renewed diplomatic push comes as he seeks to end both the Ukraine and Gaza wars — key promises from his 2024 campaign. Fresh off the Gaza ceasefire, Trump has expressed new optimism that Moscow could now be pressured to negotiate. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is also expected to urge Trump to impose tougher sanctions on Russia. While Congress is considering legislation to target countries that buy Russian oil and gas, the White House has yet to fully endorse the proposal. Officials say Trump’s team has reviewed the draft sanctions bill, signaling growing interest in economic measures aligned with the president’s foreign policy goals. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is waiting for stronger European participation before moving ahead. “We will respond,” Bessent said, “if our European partners join us.”

Fresh from brokering a fragile Gaza ceasefire, President Donald Trump said Thursday his next priority is to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, signaling readiness to pressure Moscow, and even provide long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, if Vladimir Putin refuses to negotiate. Ending both the Gaza and Ukraine wars was central to Trump’s 2024 campaign promise. But despite repeated efforts, he has struggled to convince Putin to hold direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the war nears its fourth year. Now, buoyed by progress in the Middle East, Trump says he’s determined to “get Russia done first.” Trump will host Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, their fourth meeting this year. Ahead of the talks, Trump said he’s weighing the sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles — a system capable of striking nearly 1,000 miles inside Russia — if Putin doesn’t agree to peace talks soon. The move would mark a sharp escalation and test Moscow’s “red line.” Analysts say supplying Tomahawks would be more symbolic than immediate, given the time needed for training. Instead, experts recommend bolstering Ukraine’s arsenal with ERAM and ATACMS missiles already approved for sale. Zelenskyy is also expected to push Trump for tougher sanctions on Russia. While Congress debates a bipartisan bill to impose steep tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, Trump has focused on pressuring NATO allies and India to curb Russian crude imports. Behind the scenes, the White House is quietly engaging with senators to refine the sanctions bill, signaling growing openness to stronger economic measures. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. seeks “greater buy-in from Europe,” stressing that “Putin threatens Warsaw, not Boston.”

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday confirmed that he has authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and said his administration is also weighing possible land operations there. The rare public acknowledgement of a CIA operation follows a series of recent US military strikes targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. Since early September, US forces have destroyed at least five vessels — four of them reportedly originating from Venezuela — killing 27 people. Asked at the Oval Office why he had authorized the CIA to take action, Trump said he did so for two main reasons. “I authorized for two reasons, really,” he said. “No. 1, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America. And the other thing, the drugs — we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela, and a lot of the Venezuelan drugs come in through the sea.” Trump added that his administration is “looking at land” as it considers further strikes in the region. However, he declined to say whether the CIA has been given authority to act against President Nicolás Maduro directly. His comments came shortly after The New York Times reported that the CIA had been authorized to carry out covert operations in Venezuela. Maduro hits back In response, President Nicolás Maduro criticized the record of the US spy agency in various global conflicts, though he did not directly address Trump’s remarks. “No to regime change that reminds us so much of the overthrows in the failed eternal wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and so on,” Maduro said during a televised meeting of the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace, which includes representatives from political, economic, academic, and cultural sectors. He accused the CIA of being behind numerous coups and human rights abuses in Latin America, referencing Argentina’s “30,000 disappeared” during its military dictatorship (1976–1983) and the 1973 coup in Chile. “How long will the CIA continue to carry on with its coups? Latin America doesn’t want them, doesn’t need them, and repudiates them,” Maduro declared. Calling for peace, he said: “The objective is to say no to war in the Caribbean, no to war in South America, yes to peace.” Switching to English, he added, “Not war, yes peace. The people of the United States, please, please, please.” Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement rejecting Trump’s “bellicose and extravagant statements,” calling them a “serious violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.” “This unprecedented statement obliges the international community to denounce these clearly immoderate and inconceivable remarks,” the ministry said in a statement posted by Foreign Minister Yván Gil on Telegram. Pushback in Congress Earlier this month, the Trump administration declared drug cartels to be “unlawful combatants” and said the United States is now in an “armed conflict” with them — a move that has drawn bipartisan criticism in Congress. Lawmakers from both parties accused the administration of effectively committing acts of war without congressional approval. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said while she supports efforts to curb trafficking, the administration’s actions have gone too far. “The Trump administration’s authorization of covert CIA action, conducting lethal strikes on boats and hinting at land operations in Venezuela, slides the United States closer to outright conflict with no transparency, oversight or apparent guardrails,” Shaheen said. “The American people deserve to know if the administration is leading the U.S. into another conflict, putting servicemembers at risk or pursuing a regime-change operation.” Two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the administration has yet to present lawmakers with concrete evidence proving that the targeted boats were carrying narcotics. Instead, officials have pointed to unclassified video clips of the strikes shared on social media by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Lawmakers have expressed frustration at the lack of clarity about how the administration determined that the United States is engaged in armed conflict with cartels, or which groups it considers “unlawful combatants.” While the US military continues to launch missile strikes, the Coast Guard has maintained its regular interdiction operations to seize drugs from suspect vessels. Defending the shift in strategy, Trump said the traditional approach has failed. “Because we’ve been doing that for 30 years, and it has been totally ineffective,” he said. “They have faster boats — world-class speedboats — but they’re not faster than missiles.” Human rights organizations have expressed alarm, warning that the strikes could violate international law and amount to extrajudicial killings.   Source: AP

Former President Joe Biden is receiving radiation and hormone therapy as part of a new phase of treating the aggressive form of prostate cancer he was diagnosed with after leaving office, a spokesperson said Saturday. “As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” said Biden aide Kelly Scully. The 82-year-old Democrat left office in January after he had dropped his bid for reelection six months earlier following a disastrous debate against Republican Donald Trump amid concerns about Biden's age, health and mental fitness. Trump defeated Democrat Kamala Harris, who was Biden's vice president. In May, Biden's postpresidential office announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and that it had spread to his bone. The discovery came after he reported urinary symptoms. Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what is known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively. Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive. Last month, Biden had surgery to remove skin cancer lesions from his forehead.  

President Donald Trump is in “exceptional health,” his physician said Friday following a checkup at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center that included lab tests and preventive assessments. Trump spent about three hours at the Bethesda, Maryland, hospital for a “scheduled follow-up evaluation” as part of his ongoing health maintenance, according to Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella. During the visit, Trump also received his annual flu shot and a COVID-19 booster. In a one-page memo released by the White House, Barbabella said Trump shows strong cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, and physical performance. The evaluation, which included advanced imaging and lab testing, was partly in preparation for the president’s upcoming trips to the Middle East this weekend and Asia later this month. The physician noted that Trump’s cardiac age was approximately 14 years younger than his chronological age of 79. Trump, the oldest U.S. president at his inauguration, previously had his annual physical in April, which found him “fully fit” to serve and documented a 20-pound weight loss since 2020. Earlier in July, Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common in older adults where blood pools in the veins, after noticing mild swelling in his lower legs. Trump also passed a cognitive screening test at his April physical. White House officials said they are releasing details of the checkup to dispel rumors about Trump’s health, which he has frequently highlighted politically while questioning the fitness of his predecessor, President Joe Biden.

President Donald Trump visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday for a medical checkup ahead of a planned trip to the Middle East, the White House said. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described it as a “routine yearly checkup,” though Trump had his annual physical in April. White House aides have not explained why he is having another exam. Trump told reporters he feels “in great shape” and plans to return to the White House after the visit. Separately, the White House criticized the Nobel Committee after Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize. A spokesman said the committee “placed politics over peace,” noting Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado received the award for promoting democratic rights. Trump has previously claimed credit for ending global conflicts and sought the prize, though many of his nominations arrived after the deadline. Meanwhile, National Guard troops are expected to patrol Memphis following a federal judge’s decision to block deployments in the Chicago area for at least two weeks. The Trump administration cites rising crime as justification, with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee supporting the deployments.

President Donald Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday despite jockeying from his fellow Republicans, various world leaders and — most vocally — himself. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it was honoring her “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” Trump, who has long coveted the prestigious prize, has been outspoken about his desire for the honor during both of his presidential terms, particularly lately as he takes credit for ending conflicts around the world. He has expressed doubts that the Nobel committee would ever grant him the award. “They’ll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine. I know this: I didn’t do it for that. I did it because I saved a lot of lives,” Trump said Thursday. The Hostages Families Forum in Israel issued a statement Friday continuing to support Trump. “President Trump’s unprecedented achievements in peacemaking this past year speak for themselves, and no award or lack thereof can diminish the profound impact he has had on our families and on global peace,” they said. Although Trump received a number of nominations for the prize, many of them occurred after the Feb. 1 deadline for the 2025 award, which fell just a week and a half into his second term. His name was, however, put forward in December by Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of New York, her office said in a statement, for his brokering of the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states in 2020. Nevertheless, Trump and his supporters are likely to view the decision to pass him over for the award as a deliberate affront to the U.S. leader, particularly after the president's involvement in getting Israel and Hamas to initiate the first phase of ending their devastating two-year-old war. A long history of lobbying for the prize Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee, said the committee has seen various campaigns in its long history of awarding the peace prize. “We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people wanting to say what for them leads to peace,” he said. “This committee sits in a room filled with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So we base only our decision on the work and the will of Alfred Nobel.” The peace prize, first awarded in 1901, was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts. Alfred Nobel stipulated in his will that the prize should go to someone “who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Three sitting U.S. presidents have won the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1919 and Barack Obama in 2009. Jimmy Carter won the prize in 2002, a full two decades after leaving office. Former Vice President Al Gore received the prize in 2007. Obama, who was a focus of Trump's attacks well before the Republican was elected, won the prize early in his tenure as president. “He got the prize for doing nothing,” Trump said of Obama on Thursday. “They gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country.” Wars in Gaza and elsewhere As one of his reasons for deserving the award, Trump often says he has ended seven wars, though some of the conflicts the president claims to have resolved were merely tensions and his role in easing them is disputed. But while there is hope for the end to Israel and Hamas’ war, with Israel saying a ceasefire agreement with Hamas came into effect Friday, much remains uncertain about the aspects of the broader plan, including whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. And little progress seems to have been made on the war between Russia and Ukraine, a conflict Trump claimed during the 2024 campaign that he could end in one day — he later said he made that remark in jest. Trump invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Alaska in August — but not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — for a summit aimed at reaching peace, but he left empty-handed, and the war started by Russia's invasion in 2022 has since raged on. As Trump pushes for peaceful resolutions to conflicts abroad, the country he governs remains deeply divided and politically fraught. Trump has kicked off what he hopes to be the largest deportation program in American history to remove immigrants in the U.S. illegally. He is using the levers of government, including the Justice Department, to go after his perceived political enemies. He has sent the military into U.S. cities over local opposition to stop crime and crack down on immigration enforcement. He withdrew the United States from the landmark Paris climate agreement, dealing a blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming. He touched off global trade wars with his on-again, off-again tariffs, which he wields as a threat to bend other countries and companies to his will. He asserted presidential war powers by declaring cartels to be unlawful combatants and launching lethal strikes on boats in the Caribbean that he alleged were carrying drugs. The full list of people nominated is secret, but anyone who submits a nomination is free to talk about it. Trump's detractors say supporters, foreign leaders and others are submitting Trump's name for nomination for the prize — and, specifically, announcing it publicly — not because he deserves it but because they see it as a way to manipulate him and stay in his good graces. Others who formally submitted a nomination for Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize — but after this year's deadline — include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Pakistan's government, all citing his work in helping end conflicts in their regions.  

The United States has imposed sanctions on Serbia’s main oil supplier, which is majority-owned by Russia, prompting concerns of possible energy shortages as winter approaches. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic warned the move could have “unforeseeable” consequences for the Balkan nation. Serbia remains heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas, which are primarily transported through pipelines crossing Croatia and neighboring countries. The Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), which distributes the energy supplies domestically, is largely owned by Russia’s state oil giant Gazprom Neft. Vucic said the sanctions could bring “extremely dire consequences” across multiple sectors and affect “every citizen.” Despite the challenges, he urged calm, assuring that the government is taking steps to manage the situation. “Trust your state. We will go through this together,” he said. Gazprom Neft also controls Serbia’s only oil refinery. NIS confirmed on Thursday that it had been unable to secure another extension of a U.S. Treasury license allowing its continued operations. Without it, long-term oil and gas imports could be disrupted. “The special license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which enables unhindered operational business, has not yet been extended,” NIS said in a statement. The company added it has sufficient reserves to sustain customers for some time. However, it warned that payment issues might arise at its gasoline stations for those using foreign bank cards, while cash transactions would continue without interruption. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control first sanctioned Russia’s oil sector on January 10, setting a deadline for Gazprom Neft to divest from NIS — a condition that has not been met. American officials have yet to comment on the latest developments. Although Serbia has been formally pursuing membership in the European Union, it has resisted aligning with Western sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, largely due to its reliance on Russian energy supplies. Vucic, seen as a pro-Russian populist, now faces one of the most serious challenges to his more than decade-long rule, amid months of anti-government protests. Demonstrations led by students and civil groups have continued since last year’s collapse of a railway station canopy in northern Serbia, which killed 16 people. Many Serbians blame corruption and negligence linked to state officials and Chinese contractors for the deadly incident.