United News of Bangladesh

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the District Court in Tel Aviv for the 88th time on Tuesday in connection with ongoing corruption proceedings against him. According to Israel’s  madia, the judges agreed to shorten the hearing due to Netanyahu’s “security and political schedule,” without elaborating further. Netanyahu is facing charges of corruption, bribery and breach of trust across three separate cases, with indictments filed in November 2019. Since the trial began in 2020, he has consistently denied any wrongdoing, characterising the allegations as a “political campaign aimed at overthrowing him.” Under Israeli law, a presidential pardon cannot be granted unless the accused admits guilt. Separately, Netanyahu has also been wanted by the International Criminal Court since 2024 over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, where more than 72,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed during Israel’s ongoing military campaign.

US President Donald Trump has said he is not willing to offer any concessions to Iran at this stage, expressing dissatisfaction over Tehran’s latest response to Washington on ending the conflict. In an interview with the media, Trump said Iran is aware of “what’s going to be happening soon,” indicating potential developments ahead. When asked about his earlier remarks on Friday suggesting openness to a 20-year pause in Iran’s nuclear programme, Trump said, “I’m not open to anything right now.” Irish president’s sister also detained after Israeli action on flotilla Meanwhile, former US special envoy to Iran Rob Malley criticised the approach taken by Trump, warning that it risks repeating mistakes similar to the Vietnam War. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Malley said measuring success by the number of Iranian leaders killed or military assets destroyed reflects the “wrong metric.” He stressed that the only viable way to end the conflict is through a negotiated settlement that takes into account the interests of both the United States and Iran. With inputs from Al Jazeera

Iran has warned it is prepared to return to direct military confrontation with the United States if ongoing negotiations fail to yield outcomes it deems acceptable, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. In a series of state-backed messages aimed at audiences at home and abroad, Araghchi also highlighted the economic repercussions of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, saying the fallout is extending into American households. Israel begins fresh strikes on Lebanon after ceasefire extension He noted that US energy prices and inflation have risen markedly since the conflict began on February 28, a development he linked to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz - a key maritime route that typically carries around one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies. “Americans are told that they must absorb rocketing costs of war of choice on Iran,” Araghchi wrote on X, alongside an image showing rising yields on US Treasury bonds. “Beyond the surge in gas prices and stock market volatility, the real strain will be felt as US debt and mortgage rates climb. Auto loan delinquencies are already at a more than 30-year high,” he added. With inputs from Al Jazeera

The Gaza Health Ministry said hospitals across the territory received 13 bodies, including one person who died from earlier injuries, and 57 wounded individuals over the past 24 hours, according to a report published by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. Since the ceasefire began on October 11 last year, the death toll from Israeli attacks has reached 870, while the number of injured has risen to 2,543, the ministry added. During the same period, 771 bodies have also been recovered. Israel begins fresh strikes on Lebanon after ceasefire extension Medical officials said several victims are still trapped under rubble and on roads, as ambulance and rescue teams continue to face challenges in reaching affected areas. Officials further reported that one Palestinian died in a building collapse, bringing the total number of fatalities from building collapses to 30. With inputs from Al Jazeera.

The Israeli army has announced a fresh wave of attacks targeting alleged positions of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, just hours after a so-called ceasefire was extended for another 45 days. The development follows the army’s issuance of forced evacuation orders for nine towns in southern Lebanon. Israeli air strikes have hit the towns of Kaouthariyet al-Saiyad and al-Ghassaniya, according to reports from journalists on the ground. Iraq exported 10m barrels of oil via Hormuz in April   Earlier, the Israeli military had ordered residents to leave nine towns in the region, including the two targeted locations. With inputs from Al Jazeera

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday said Tehran has no trust in the United States, citing what he described as Washington’s tendency to change its position frequently. “We have no trust in Americans. This is the main obstacle to any diplomatic effort,” he told a group of journalists after the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi. He said Iran has sufficient reasons for its lack of trust, while the United States, in his view, has no grounds to distrust Iran. Vessel seized off UAE coast, believed to be heading toward Iran Araghchi further claimed that after about 40 days of conflict, when the United States became “hopeless” of achieving its objectives in what he termed aggression against Iran, Washington proposed negotiations. Referring to regional tensions, he said certain “warmongers” are seeking to draw the United States into another conflict, expressing hope that “wisdom and diplomacy will prevail” and lead to a negotiated solution. On the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian foreign minister said Tehran wants it to remain fully open. “As far as we are concerned, the Strait of Hormuz is open and all vessels can pass, except those of countries that are fighting with us,” he said. Blaming US actions for instability in the region, Araghchi noted that the strategic waterway lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman, and stressed that its management should be handled by the two countries. He added that consultations are underway to ensure effective administration of the Strait of Hormuz in the future, guaranteeing safe passage for all vessels.

US President Donald Trump has said that the United States is closely monitoring Iranian enriched uranium reportedly buried under rubble, adding that the US Space Force is handling the issue. In an interview with independent journalist Sharyl Attkisson, recorded last week and aired on Sunday, Trump warned that if anyone attempts to approach the material, the United States would detect it and “blow them up.” He also claimed that US forces would need only two more weeks to strike “every single target” in Iran, which he described as already “militarily defeated.” Netanyahu says Iran war is ‘not over’; Trump rejects Tehran proposal “We could go in for two more weeks and do every single target. We have certain targets that we wanted to… And we’ve done probably 70 percent of them, but we have other targets that we could conceivably hit,” Trump said. Meanwhile, Iran’s latest response to a US-proposed text aimed at ending the war was sent on Sunday to mediator Pakistan, according to Iran’s official news agency IRNA. The report said the proposed framework suggests that negotiations at this stage would focus on ending the regional conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Iran must “make it clear” that it does not seek nuclear weapons, a condition Washington considers essential for any peace agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war with Iran is “not over,” stressing that key objectives remain unmet, including the dismantling of uranium enrichment sites and addressing Tehran’s support for regional proxy groups. “There is work to be done,” Netanyahu said, indicating that Israel will continue its efforts until those targets are achieved. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has outright rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the conflict, though he has not specified the exact reasons behind the decision. Iran responds to US ceasefire proposal as drones hit Gulf nations According to the proposal, Iran has sought an end to the naval blockade, the lifting of sanctions imposed by the United States and international organisations, and the right to retain control over its nuclear programme and foreign policy. These demands directly relate to issues Washington had cited as justification for launching the war. Observers suggest that each of Iran’s key demands conflicts with longstanding US positions. In particular, Washington has opposed Tehran’s ambitions to become the 12th or 13th nuclear power in the world and has repeatedly warned against Iran’s capacity to conduct offensive operations against neighbouring countries, especially Israel. The US has also been seeking to cut Iran’s support for groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, while aiming to significantly reduce its regional influence. It remains unclear whether Trump’s rejection of the proposal will push negotiations in a new direction or further complicate efforts to bring the war to an end. Source: Al Jazeera

The Israeli military has claimed that its forces killed 220 Hezbollah fighters since a Washington-brokered “ceasefire” between Israeli and Lebanese officials took effect in mid-April. In a statement, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said Israeli forces killed 85 Hezbollah members over the past week and struck more than 180 military facilities belonging to the group. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks have killed more than 2,700 people since March 2, including dozens since the supposed truce began. Trump says US held “very good” talks with Iran in last 24 hours Source: Al Jazeera

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to travel to Beijing today for talks with his Chinese counterpart. In a brief statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Araghchi will meet Wang Yi to discuss bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments. The visit comes amid a continued stalemate between the United States and Iran in negotiations aimed at ending the devastating war launched against Iran by Israel and the US on February 28. Israel warns of strikes on 12 Lebanon towns, tells residents to flee China has positioned itself as an active diplomatic player in the crisis, leveraging its longstanding policy of noninterference in internal affairs and maintaining working relations with all parties involved in the conflict. Source: Al Jazeera