United News of Bangladesh

President Donald Trump on Friday said he intends to pardon former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted in the United States in 2024 on drug trafficking and weapons charges and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Trump announced the decision on social media, saying that “according to many people that I greatly respect,” Hernández had been “treated very harshly and unfairly.” Hernández, who served two terms leading the Central American nation of about 10 million people, was convicted in a U.S. court of conspiring to import cocaine into the country. He has been appealing his conviction while serving time at the U.S. Penitentiary, Hazelton, in West Virginia. Following Trump’s announcement, Hernández’s wife and children gathered outside their home in Tegucigalpa, kneeling in prayer and thanking God for his expected return. It was the same residence where he was taken into custody by Honduran authorities in 2022 before being extradited to the United States. His wife, Ana García, said the family had managed to speak with Hernández after the announcement. “He still didn’t know of this news and believe me, when we shared it his voice broke with emotion,” she said. She thanked Trump for what she called the correction of an injustice, claiming that Hernández had been targeted by drug traffickers and the “radical left.” Hernández’s lawyer Renato C. Stabile also praised the decision, saying “a great injustice has been righted.” Another attorney, Sabrina Shroff, declined to comment. Trump included the pardon announcement in a broader endorsement of Nasry “Tito” Asfura, the conservative National Party candidate in Sunday’s Honduran presidential election. Trump said the United States would be supportive if Asfura wins, but warned that “the United States will not be throwing good money after bad” if he loses. Asfura, a former mayor of Tegucigalpa, has campaigned on improving infrastructure while rejecting past accusations of embezzlement. His main rivals are Rixi Moncada of the ruling Libre party and Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party. Trump described the election as a test for Honduras’ democratic future and warned the country could follow Venezuela’s trajectory if Asfura is defeated. He has kept pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, ordering strikes on suspected drug-carrying vessels and deploying U.S. warships to the Caribbean. Trump has said he has not ruled out military or CIA action against Venezuela, though he has also suggested he is open to talks with Maduro. Outgoing Honduran president Xiomara Castro has maintained a pragmatic approach toward Washington, engaging with senior U.S. officials and backing away from threats to end Honduras’ extradition treaty and military cooperation. Her government has also facilitated the return of deported migrants, including Venezuelans. Argentine president Javier Milei, an ally of Trump, also voiced support for Asfura on Friday, calling him the candidate best positioned to oppose “leftist tyrants who have destroyed Honduras.”  

United States President Donald Trump has intensified his immigration crackdown, declaring a “permanent pause” on migration from what he called “all Third World Countries” following a deadly shooting involving two National Guard members in Washington, DC. The announcement came after an Afghan national was identified as the prime suspect in Wednesday’s attack, which left one Guard member dead and another injured. “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions,” Trump posted on Truth Social. He did not define which countries fall under “third world”, a phrase often used to describe economically disadvantaged nations in the Global South. Trump also said “anyone who is not a net asset to the United States, or is incapable of loving our Country”, will be removed. He pledged to end all federal benefits and subsidies for “noncitizens”, “denaturalise migrants who undermine domestic tranquillity”, and deport anyone deemed a public charge, security risk, or “non-compatible with Western civilisation”. Trump links shooting to broader immigration overhaul After the arrest of Rahmanaullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan national, Trump called the shooting “an act of terror”. He told reporters: “We must now re-examine every single alien who has entered our country from Afghanistan under Biden.” On Thursday, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) suspended “all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals” indefinitely. Its Director, Joseph Edlow, said on X that he had ordered “a full-scale, rigorous re-examination of every green card for every alien from every country of concern”, following instructions from the president. Edlow said the move was necessary because “the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies”. The review will apply to citizens of nations included in Trump’s June travel ban list, which imposed full bans on Afghanistan, Chad, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, and partial restrictions on Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. What does a ‘permanent pause’ mean? Experts say Trump’s new declaration lacks a legal definition. “In ordinary English, ‘permanent pause’ sounds final, but under immigration law, the term has no defined meaning,” said Indian Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Saxena. He said the term typically reflects an open-ended restriction that can still be challenged in court if it violates US laws. Migration analysts say the vague language is deliberate. Roberto Forin of the Mixed Migration Centre said the lack of clarity allows the administration to “indiscriminately intimidate migrant communities” while keeping flexibility for foreign policy bargaining. He warned the measure will likely hit poorer countries hardest while sparing states with strategic value to the US. “The objective of such announcements is to signal toughness, shift the narrative, instil fear and dehumanise migrants,” he said. Impact on people already in the US The consequences for migrants from affected countries remain unclear until the administration specifies which nations fall under the “pause”. A recent American Immigration Council report said the existing travel ban already prevents people in the US from visiting family abroad because their renewed visa applications may be denied. Saxena said restrictive policies will likely create delays, tougher background checks and extended processing times for nationals of affected countries. While existing residency cannot be revoked arbitrarily, past filings could come under audit. He added that the pause will likely halt the entry of spouses, children and parents waiting abroad, prolonging family separation and disrupting reunification programmes. With inputs from Al Jazeera          

President Donald Trump said Thursday that one of the two West Virginia National Guard members shot near the White House by an Afghan national has died, describing the suspect as a “savage monster.” Trump told U.S. troops during a Thanksgiving call that Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, had succumbed to her injuries, while Staff Sgt Andrew Wolfe, 24, remained in critical condition. “She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us,” Trump said, calling Beckstrom an “incredible person” and noting that he had spoken with her parents. The president labeled the incident a “terrorist attack” and blamed the previous administration for allowing Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan war to resettle in the United States. He held up a photo of Afghan evacuees from the 2021 Kabul airlift and suggested the shooter had suffered mental trauma after the war. Authorities identified the suspect as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a former member of a CIA-backed Afghan Army unit. He arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome and later applied for asylum, which was approved under Trump’s tenure, according to the advocacy group #AfghanEvac. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Lakanwal used a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver in what she described as an “ambush-style” attack. He initially faced charges of assault with intent to kill and weapons violations, which are expected to be upgraded following Beckstrom’s death. The suspect was also wounded but was not believed to be in life-threatening condition. The rare attack on National Guard members on American soil has sparked renewed debate over the administration’s deployment of troops in U.S. cities. Nearly 2,200 Guard members are currently stationed in Washington, where they have been patrolling streets, transit hubs and checkpoints. After the shooting, officials ordered an additional 500 troops to the capital. Details emerging from Afghanistan show Lakanwal previously served in the CIA-supported Zero Units, which played a frontline role in the war and the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. Sources said he had been a team leader and GPS specialist and had worked in the conflict-heavy province of Kandahar. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Lakanwal’s connection with the U.S. government ended shortly after the 2021 evacuation. Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children, according to his former landlord. Following the shooting, Trump called for a review of all Afghan refugees admitted under the previous administration. The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, said the agency would impose additional screening measures for people from 19 “high-risk” countries, though he did not specify which ones.  

US President Donald Trump has said he will “permanently pause migration” to the United States from all “third world countries.” In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the move would “allow the US system to fully recover” from what he described as immigration policies that had undermined the “gains and living conditions” of many Americans. He did not provide further details of the plan or specify which countries would be affected. The president also blamed refugees for contributing to “social dysfunction in America” and vowed to remove “anyone who is not a net asset” to the country, reports BBC. His comments follow the arrest of an Afghan national accused of shooting two members of the National Guard in Washington, DC, one of whom later died. Trump has said the incident highlights a major national security threat and pledged to expel “any foreigner from any country who does not belong here.” On Wednesday, the US suspended processing all immigration requests from Afghans, citing a review of “security and vetting protocols.” A day later, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it would re-examine green cards issued to individuals who immigrated from 19 countries.

An Afghan national has been taken into custody after shooting two West Virginia National Guard members near the White House Wednesday afternoon, leaving the troops hospitalized in critical condition. FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed the shooting, while West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey retracted earlier reports of deaths, citing “conflicting reports” about the guardsmen’s condition. The suspect was also shot and sustained injuries not considered life-threatening, officials said. Law enforcement identified the 29-year-old suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in 2021 under the Biden administration’s Operation Allies Welcome, a program that evacuated and resettled Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal. Lakanwal had been living in Bellingham, Washington, with his wife and five children. Authorities are still verifying his background. Police said the shooting occurred roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. Video footage reviewed by investigators suggested the gunman “came around the corner” and immediately opened fire. Mayor Bowser described the incident as a “targeted shooting.” At least one National Guard member exchanged fire with the suspect before other troops held him down. President Donald Trump, in a video message, called for a reinvestigation of all Afghan refugees admitted under the Biden administration, calling the attack “a crime against our entire nation.” U.S. officials have not yet determined a motive. Witnesses reported chaos at the scene, with people fleeing as first responders administered CPR and treated the wounded troops. Police and fire vehicles cordoned off the area, while Secret Service and ATF agents assisted at the site. Helicopters were deployed, including one that landed on the National Mall. Vice President JD Vance said the attack was “a somber reminder” of the risks faced by all soldiers, including active duty, reserve, and National Guard members. National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Steven Nordhaus canceled holiday plans to visit D.C. troops, and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visited the hospitalized guardsmen, describing their condition as heartbreaking. The shooting comes amid ongoing debates over the Trump administration’s use of National Guard troops in U.S. cities to address rising crime. Nearly 2,200 troops remain in Washington under a joint task force, with hundreds of West Virginia Guard members among them. The deployment, initially federalized in August, had been temporarily challenged by a federal judge last week but continues while the administration appeals.  

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is barring South Africa from participating in next year’s G20 summit near Miami and halting all U.S. payments and subsidies to the country over its treatment of a U.S. government representative at this year’s summit. Trump skipped sending a U.S. delegation to last weekend’s Johannesburg summit, claiming South Africa’s white Afrikaners were being violently persecuted, a claim the South African government has rejected. He said South Africa refused to hand over its G20 hosting duties to a U.S. embassy official after the summit. “Therefore, at my direction, South Africa will NOT be receiving an invitation to the 2026 G20,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We are going to stop all payments and subsidies to them, effective immediately.” South Africa called the U.S. decision an insult, noting the handover ceremony occurred at its Foreign Ministry because the U.S. was absent. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said Trump’s claims about Afrikaner farmers are “misinformation and distortions.” The 2026 summit will be held at Trump’s Doral golf club in Miami, a decision some see as personal. The U.S. had boycotted this year’s Johannesburg summit, declining to sign its declaration, which focused on issues affecting developing countries. Trump’s administration has also limited U.S. refugee admissions to 7,500 annually, mostly reserved for white South Africans, following his January suspension of the program. Since then, only a small number have arrived, largely Afrikaners, a minority group historically central to apartheid. Afrikaners, descended mainly from Dutch, French, and German settlers, number about 2.7 million in South Africa’s 62 million population. While historically associated with apartheid, the community is diverse, with some members opposing the former regime.

The United States’ top military officer, Gen. Dan Caine, visited American troops in Puerto Rico and aboard a Navy warship on Monday, as President Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela over alleged drug trafficking. Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was joined by his senior enlisted adviser, David L. Isom. According to Caine’s office, the visit aimed to “engage with service members and thank them for their outstanding support to regional missions.” This is Caine’s second visit since the U.S. military expanded its presence in the Caribbean, including deploying the nation’s most advanced aircraft carrier and hundreds of Marines earlier this year. Officials have described the forces as “on the front lines of defending the American homeland.” Trump has not ruled out military action against Venezuela as part of an escalating campaign targeting drug-smuggling operations. U.S. strikes on 21 suspected drug boats have killed over 80 people, and the administration recently designated Venezuela’s Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization, a move that provides additional options for pressuring President Nicolás Maduro. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the designation opens “a whole bunch of new options” for the U.S., but he did not clarify whether strikes inside Venezuela were planned. “Nothing is off the table, but nothing’s automatically on the table,” Hegseth told conservative media outlet OAN. The Trump administration has increasingly targeted Latin American criminal organizations with the terrorist label, previously reserved for groups like al-Qaida and ISIS, citing their involvement in drug and migrant trafficking.  

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani said he stands by his earlier remarks accusing President Donald Trump of behaving like a despot and a fascist, despite the two appearing unusually cordial after a White House meeting on Friday. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and the Republican president have long been political adversaries. Trump recently labeled the incoming mayor a “100% Communist Lunatic” on social media after his election win, while Mamdani has repeatedly warned that Trump threatens democratic norms. Still, both emerged from their meeting smiling and highlighting areas where they could work together. Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in an interview aired Sunday whether he still believed his past criticism, Mamdani said nothing had changed. “Everything that I’ve said in the past, I continue to believe,” he said. “We shouldn’t shy away from disagreements, but we also have to focus on why we sit at the table. I’m in the Oval Office to deliver for New Yorkers, not to make a point.” Trump, for his part, had brushed off Mamdani’s criticisms during their meeting and even stepped in to ease a tense moment. When a reporter asked Mamdani if he still thought Trump was a fascist, the president answered first, saying, “That’s OK. You can just say yes. OK? It’s easier. I don’t mind.” Pressed again on the program about whether he still supported the label, Mamdani replied, “That’s something that I’ve said in the past. I say it today.” Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Trump wants to work with “everybody who cares about the future of the American people.” He acknowledged policy differences but said improving lives is a shared goal across both parties. Despite their political distance, analysts said the meeting carried potential benefits for both men. Mamdani gained valuable one-on-one time with the president ahead of taking office, while Trump used the moment to highlight his focus on affordability — an issue increasingly central to voters.  

President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is “immediately” ending temporary legal protections for Somali migrants living in Minnesota, a move targeting a program designed to limit deportations. Minnesota hosts the largest Somali community in the United States, many of whom fled decades of civil war in Somalia and were drawn to the state’s social support programs. However, the number of Somalis affected by the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is relatively small, with a congressional report in August estimating just 705 individuals nationwide. TPS, established by Congress in 1990, protects people from deportation when their home countries face civil unrest, natural disasters, or other dangers. The designation is granted by the Homeland Security secretary in 18-month increments. Trump announced his decision on social media, claiming Minnesota is “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and alleging Somali gangs are terrorizing residents. “Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!” he wrote. The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the move, warning it “will tear families apart.” Executive Director Jaylani Hussein described the action as a “political attack on the Somali and Muslim community driven by Islamophobic and hateful rhetoric.” Trump, who campaigned on a promise to deport millions of immigrants, has previously sought to end TPS for 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians, as well as limit protections for migrants from Cuba, Syria, and other countries, in a broader effort to implement stricter immigration policies.  

President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met Friday in the Oval Office, marking their first face-to-face encounter after months of publicly criticizing each other. Trump has repeatedly called Mamdani a “100% Communist lunatic” and a “total nut job,” while Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has described Trump’s administration as “authoritarian” and himself as “Trump’s worst nightmare.” Despite the political friction, both signaled willingness to discuss shared priorities for the city. In a Fox News Radio interview Friday morning, Trump said he expected the meeting to be “quite civil,” noting that they share the goal of strengthening New York. Mamdani, who takes office in January, sought the meeting to explore ways to improve affordability in the city. The session comes after a contentious mayoral race in which Trump backed independent candidate Andrew Cuomo, questioned Mamdani’s citizenship, and warned he could face arrest over immigration-related policies. Mamdani won the election, portraying Cuomo as a “puppet” of Trump and emphasizing his progressive and immigrant identity. Observers noted that the meeting offers both men a high-profile platform. For Trump, it provides a chance to address voter concerns about the cost of living, while Mamdani can present his vision directly to the nation’s most powerful figure. The tone of the discussion remained uncertain, with both sides aware of the potential for political theatrics.