United News of Bangladesh

Amid the stalled negotiations with Iran, US President Donald Trump said the Iranians sent over a new peace proposal, but that it “could have been better,” and rejected it. “They gave us a paper that could have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I canceled it, within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump said to reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida. The President wouldn’t offer specifics about what was in the latest proposal other than saying “they offered a lot.” But he stressed that one of his conditions is that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon.” Trump said he cancelled the latest rounds of negotiations with Iran because it was “a lot of traveling” and because his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, “weren’t meeting with the leader of the country.” Trump said the U.S. will “deal by telephone and they can call us anytime they want” before adding that “we have all the cards.”

Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, vowed Saturday to react if the United States continues its "blockade, banditry and piracy" in the West Asia region. It made the announcement in a statement carried by Iranian media while pointing to the U.S. naval blockade imposed on the Strait of Hormuz, which prevents vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports from transiting the waterway, and actions against Iran-bound ships over the past few days. It called on the United States to know that Iran's armed forces are more powerful and prepared than before to defend the country's national sovereignty and interests as well as territorial integrity, adding the U.S. army experienced part of Iran's power and offensive capabilities during the recent war. It said Iran's armed forces are ready and determined to, while monitoring the "enemies' behavior and movements" in the region and continuing their management and control over the Strait of Hormuz, inflict more severe damage on the U.S. and Israeli "enemies" if they repeat their "aggression." Also on Saturday, Saudi state-linked Al Arabiya News, citing a source, reported that Iran will not acquiesce to negotiations involving red lines set by the United States. The developments came as Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Saturday conveyed Iran's considerations and views regarding the end of the war in a meeting with Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Araghchi, who arrived in Pakistan's capital Islamabad Friday night at the head of a diplomatic delegation, also exchanged views with Munir on the latest developments pertaining to a ceasefire with the United States and Israel, and the end of the war, as well as the expansion of bilateral cooperation to strengthen peace and stability in the West Asia region, the report said. Iran had tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz since Feb. 28, when it barred passage to vessels belonging to or affiliated with Israel and the United States after the two countries' joint strikes on Iranian territory. A ceasefire was achieved between Iran, the United States and Israel on April 8 after 40 days of fighting, followed by lengthy talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations in Islamabad on April 11-12, which failed to yield an agreement. The United States later imposed its own blockade on the waterway. Iranian and U.S. delegations were reportedly expected to hold another round of peace talks in Pakistan this week, but Iran refrained from attending negotiations, citing the U.S. continued naval blockade and "excessive" demands as the main reasons.   

The White House announced that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to visit Islamabad on Saturday for discussions related to Iran. However, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson denied any direct talks, stating that no meeting between Tehran and Washington is planned and that Iran’s position will instead be communicated through Pakistan. According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Islamabad, Pakistani mediators remain “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of Iran-US engagement, following the arrival of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the capital during a regional tour. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces retain “full freedom of action” in Lebanon, despite a three-week extension of the ceasefire, which Hezbollah has dismissed as meaningless due to ongoing Israeli strikes. The Israeli military reported killing six Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese Health Ministry, however, said Israeli attacks since March 2 have left 2,491 people dead and 7,719 others injured. Readers are advised to follow the live tracker for updated casualty figures across the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday said he had undergone treatment for prostate cancer and is now in good health. In his first public disclosure of the illness, the 76-year-old leader said he had prostate surgery around a year and a half ago. He added that doctors later found a small tumour about two and a half months ago, which was treated with radiation therapy at Hadassah Hospital. Netanyahu said he chose to delay announcing the treatment. “I requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war” against Iran, he said, adding that he wanted to avoid “more false propaganda against Israel.” He described the tumour as a minor issue and said he is now healthy. His health had been widely speculated about earlier during the conflict with Iran, especially after fake, AI-generated images circulated online falsely claiming he had died. Aharon Popovtser, head of the oncology unit at Hadassah Hospital, said the cancer was detected early and noted that prostate cancer is common among men of Netanyahu’s age. “Based on the test results, we can say the disease has disappeared,” he said, referring to medical imaging and blood tests. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is currently leading the country through conflicts in Iran, Gaza and Lebanon. He has faced criticism in the past for not sharing details about his health. Earlier, he revealed that he had a pacemaker fitted to treat a heart condition about a week after he fainted at a public event.

India on Thursday termed certain remarks about Indians as “obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” hours after the US Embassy issued a clarification following a controversy involving US President Donald Trump. Trump had shared a derogatory social media post by a podcaster describing India as a “hell-hole,” triggering criticism. Without directly naming Trump, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the comments did not reflect the reality of India-US relations, which it said are based on mutual respect and shared interests. India to send veteran politician Dinesh Trivedi as next envoy to Bangladesh: Report “We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy. The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. Trump had reposted a transcript of a podcast containing derogatory remarks about Indians. In a subsequent statement, the US Embassy said Trump considers India a “great” country led by a “good friend of mine at the top.” The clarification followed queries from Indian media after Trump shared comments by radio host Michael Savage referring to India, China and others as “hell-holes.” The post drew criticism from the Hindu American Foundation, which said it was “deeply disturbed,” warning such rhetoric could fuel racism and endanger communities. BJP leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also criticised the remarks during a public appearance. Source: NDTV

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire with Hezbollah by three weeks after White House talks on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said. The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries since last week. The initial 10-day ceasefire, which took effect last Friday, had been due to expire Monday. He, however, has ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” Iranian small boats that deploy mines to choke traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. In a social media post Thursday morning, he said the military is intensifying its mine-clearing efforts in the critical waterway. The move escalates the U.S.-Iran standoff in the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. military seized another tanker Thursday associated with smuggling Iranian oil. The U.S. Defense Department said it seized the oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean. “We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Defense Department said. The seizure comes after Iran attacked three cargo ships Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two of them. The Defense Department released footage of the seizure of the vessel, showing U.S. troops on the deck of the vessel. Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, roughly the same location as the oil tanker Tifani, earlier seized by American forces. It had been bound for Zhoushan, China. The Majestic X is a Guyana-flagged oil tanker. It previously had been named Phonix and had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in contravention of American sanctions on the Islamic Republic. “Iran relies upon a sprawling network of tankers and ship management firms in multiple jurisdictions to transport its petroleum to overseas customers — using tactics such as false documentation, manipulation of vessel tracking systems, and constant changes to the names and flags of vessels,” the Treasury said at the time. There was no immediate response from Iran on the news of the seizure. Since the start of the war between Iran, Israel and the United States, over 30 ships have come under attack in the waters of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The threat of attack, rising insurance premiums and other fears have stopped traffic from moving through the strait, through which 20% of all crude oil and natural gas traded passes. Iran’s ability to restrict traffic through the strait, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, has proved a major strategic advantage. After the attacks Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Channel that American officials that Iran’s seizure of the ships didn’t violate truce terms because “these were not U.S. or Israeli ships, these were two international vessels.” However, the ceasefire has been strained by dueling American attacks on Iranian ships and those by Iran on commercial vessels. It also remains unclear when, or if, the two sides will meet again in Islamabad, where Pakistani officials say they are still trying to bring the countries together to reach a diplomatic deal. END/UNB/AP/SIS

Lebanon and Israel are set to begin a second round of rare direct talks in Washington on Thursday, focusing on extending the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah group and exploring future negotiations. The meeting will bring together Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad and her Israeli counterpart Yechiel Leiter. It follows their first direct engagement held just days ago, marking the first such contact between the two countries in nearly 30 years. Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said discussions are underway to prolong the current 10-day ceasefire that started last Friday. According to his office, Hamadeh will propose extending the truce and call for an end to Israeli demolitions of homes in areas occupied after fighting broke out on March 2. Aoun said broader negotiations are also being prepared, aiming to fully stop Israeli attacks, secure the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, ensure the release of Lebanese detainees held in Israel, deploy Lebanese forces along the border and begin reconstruction efforts. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged Lebanon to cooperate in disarming Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, ahead of the Washington talks. “We don't have any serious disagreements with Lebanon. There are a few minor border disputes that can be solved,” Saar said during remarks marking Israel’s Independence Day, where he described Lebanon as a “failed state.” “The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah,” he added, saying Lebanon could achieve sovereignty and independence free from Iranian influence. The latest conflict began when Hezbollah launched rockets into northern Israel, shortly after Israel and the United States carried out strikes on Iran. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and a ground operation, capturing several towns and villages along the border. Israeli forces now control a buffer zone extending up to 10 kilometers inside southern Lebanon, saying it is meant to prevent attacks on northern Israel. Despite Hezbollah’s strong opposition, the talks are seen as a significant step between the two countries, which have no formal diplomatic ties and have technically been at war since 1948. The Lebanese government hopes the discussions will lead to a lasting end to the conflict. While Iran has linked regional ceasefires to any future talks with Washington, Lebanon has stressed it is negotiating independently. Wafiq Safa, a senior figure in Hezbollah’s political council, told AP that the group would not accept any outcome from the direct talks. Since the ceasefire began last week, both sides have reported several violations. The recent fighting has killed around 2,300 people in Lebanon, including many women and children, and forced more than 1 million people from their homes. Last week’s meeting marked the first direct talks between Lebanon and Israel since 1993, with previous communication largely handled through mediators such as the United States or the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s leadership, which criticised Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on March 2, had pushed for direct talks early on in hopes of preventing further escalation and avoiding a ground invasion.

Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday upheld crimes against humanity charges against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte over the deadly anti-drug campaign carried out during his tenure. A three-judge panel unanimously concluded that there are “substantial grounds” to believe the former leader was responsible for multiple killings, both during his time as mayor of Davao City and later as president. Duterte, 80, was arrested in the Philippines last year, though legal proceedings have been delayed due to concerns about his health.  

Nuclear energy is making a strong global comeback about 40 years after the Chernobyl disaster, as countries look for reliable and low-carbon electricity amid rising energy demand and geopolitical tensions. The 1986 Chernobyl accident in then Soviet Ukraine triggered widespread fear about nuclear power and slowed its expansion across Europe and other regions. Later, Japan’s Fukushima disaster in 2011 further weakened public support. But experts say the trend is now reversing. Today, more than 400 nuclear reactors are operating in 31 countries, while around 70 new reactors are under construction. Nuclear power now generates about 10% of global electricity and roughly a quarter of low-carbon energy worldwide. The industry has also improved over time with stronger safety systems and lower construction and operating costs. Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said nuclear power is regaining momentum globally. He linked the renewed interest partly to recent wars and energy security concerns. “I am 100% sure nuclear is coming back,” Birol said, adding that the technology is increasingly seen as a secure source of electricity across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The United States is the world’s largest producer of nuclear power with 94 operating reactors, contributing about 30% of global nuclear electricity output. Washington is now aiming to quadruple its nuclear capacity by 2050. A senior US official recently said nuclear power is essential for industry growth, artificial intelligence demand and long-term energy security. China operates 61 reactors and is building nearly 40 more, positioning itself to become the global leader in nuclear capacity. Russia is also expanding rapidly, both at home and abroad, building 20 reactors in different regions including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. In Europe, the European Commission now considers nuclear power part of its clean energy mix alongside wind and solar. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called Europe’s earlier reduction of nuclear power a “strategic mistake” and said the bloc is now rethinking its approach to energy security and climate goals. France remains Europe’s nuclear leader, generating nearly 70% of its electricity from 57 reactors. President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans for new reactors to strengthen energy independence and cut emissions. Other European countries remain divided. Germany shut down its last nuclear reactors in 2023 after decades of opposition, while Belgium has extended the life of its plants. Spain still plans a gradual phase-out of nuclear power. Japan has restarted 15 reactors after safety reviews following Fukushima, with more expected to resume operations. In Africa, South Africa remains the only country with a nuclear plant, while Egypt is building one with Russian support and several others are exploring the technology. Russia, the pioneer of several nuclear projects, is also modernizing its domestic fleet and expanding exports. It continues to build reactors in multiple countries and has strengthened older Soviet-era designs with new safety upgrades. The renewed global interest reflects a broader shift in energy thinking. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said countries now recognize that stable and low-carbon electricity will be essential to meet rising demand. From Chernobyl’s legacy to today’s energy challenges, nuclear power is once again becoming a key part of global energy strategies.