United News of Bangladesh

The U.S. labor market showed unexpected weakness in February as employers cut 92,000 jobs, pushing the unemployment rate up to 4.4%, the Labor Department reported Friday. Economists had forecasted a gain of 60,000 jobs after January’s 126,000 increase. Payroll revisions also reduced December and January figures by 69,000 jobs. The February downturn comes amid uncertainty from the war with Iran, which has spiked oil prices and raised costs for businesses and consumers. Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, said companies are likely to hold off hiring until the conflict ends and consumer spending stabilizes. Job losses were broad-based. Healthcare shed 28,000 jobs following a four-week nurses’ strike at Kaiser Permanente in California and Hawaii. Restaurants and bars lost nearly 30,000 positions, administrative and support services 19,000, and courier services 17,000. Construction cut 11,000 jobs, and factories lost 12,000 positions, marking 14 of the last 15 months of declines. Financial firms added 10,000 jobs. Average hourly wages rose 0.4% from January and 3.8% year-on-year. Analysts note companies remain cautious due to geopolitical uncertainty, inflation, and investments in new technologies such as artificial intelligence, which allow higher productivity with fewer workers. Many firms are adopting a “no-hire, no-fire” approach, hesitant to expand staff until the economic and geopolitical outlook stabilizes, leaving the labor market under strain despite past hiring growth. This report highlights the fragility of the U.S. economy amid global shocks and rising costs.

The U.S. House Oversight Committee has voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the Justice Department’s handling of records linked to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The subpoena passed Wednesday in a rare bipartisan vote, 24-19, with five Republicans joining Democrats in support. The committee seeks clarity on how sensitive files were archived, handled, or potentially withheld during the long-running probe into Epstein’s illicit network. Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who introduced the motion, said on X, “AG Bondi will testify about missing Epstein evidence. The videos, the audio, the documents the DOJ is hiding. The American people deserve transparency. Survivors deserve justice. Accountability is coming.” The move comes over a year after Bondi faced criticism for releasing “no-reveal” binders containing little new information. A bipartisan congressional mandate in July 2025 required the full release of Epstein-related documents, but the administration has been criticized for over-redacting files. Justice officials say they are legally vetting millions of sensitive pages. Criticism has also come from within Trump’s party. Congressman Thomas Massie called for transparency on whether taxpayer money was used in private settlements involving Congress members. The committee’s actions follow news reports that some records, including uncorroborated accusations involving former President Trump, were not publicly released. Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently gave closed-door depositions before the committee regarding their connections to Epstein. Bondi has defended the Justice Department’s process, accusing Democrats of politicizing the documents.

US Senate Republicans on Thursday rejected a war powers resolution seeking to halt the President Donald Trump administration’s military campaign against Iran, signaling early GOP support for the expanding conflict. The resolution failed on a 47-53 vote, largely along party lines. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky broke with his party to vote in favor of the measure, while Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it. The legislation aimed to require congressional approval before any further U.S. military action against Iran could proceed. Supporters argued that Congress must assert its constitutional authority over war powers, particularly as hostilities intensify across the Middle East without a clearly defined U.S. exit strategy. The vote compelled lawmakers to publicly state their position on a conflict that is increasingly shaping the fate of American service members, affecting regional stability and carrying significant global consequences. A similar resolution in the Republican-controlled House faces long odds when it comes up for a vote Thursday morning. The Senate decision reflects growing political divisions in Washington as the war widens, with critics warning of prolonged military engagement and supporters defending the administration’s actions as necessary for national security.

The US Senate is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct further military action against Iran without congressional approval. Debate on the measure will begin at 11:00 a.m. local time (16:00 GMT), with the vote planned for 4:00 p.m. (21:00 GMT), reports Al Jazeera. The resolution comes amid growing criticism from lawmakers and public figures over Trump’s recent strikes on Iranian targets, which many say were carried out without proper legislative authorization. Proponents argue the vote is necessary to reassert Congress’s constitutional role in approving military action, while opponents, including most Republican lawmakers, have voiced support for the administration’s decision, citing national security concerns. The resolution would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override a presidential veto, making its passage challenging given the narrow Republican majorities. Lawmakers have pledged to use the vote to publicly state their positions on the ongoing conflict and US military engagement in the Middle East. The vote comes as the Trump administration faces scrutiny over its justifications for the strikes, with critics claiming the attacks served strategic interests aligned more with Israel than the United States. Meanwhile, US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper reported that nearly 2,000 targets across Iran have been struck since the start of joint US-Israeli operations. The campaign, described by Cooper as the largest US military buildup in the Middle East in a generation, involves more than 50,000 troops, around 200 fighter jets, two aircraft carriers, and bombers. The strikes have reportedly destroyed hundreds of Iran’s ballistic missiles, air defence systems, drones, and 17 naval vessels, including a submarine. Iran has responded with over 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones targeting US and allied forces, though Cooper said Tehran’s offensive capacity is diminishing. The escalating conflict, part of Operation Epic Fury, follows Iranian retaliation against US bases and diplomatic posts after the initial US-Israeli assault. The situation continues to evolve, with civilian casualties mounting and global markets reacting to rising Gulf tensions.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks suggesting Israel’s planned military action prompted Washington’s preemptive strike on Iran have triggered sharp reactions across the American political spectrum, including from supporters of President Donald Trump. Speaking on Monday, Rubio said the US knew Israel was preparing to strike Iran and believed such action would trigger Iranian retaliation against American forces, prompting Washington to act first, reports Al Jazeera. “We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces,” Rubio said, arguing preemptive strikes would reduce casualties. However, President Donald Trump later offered a different explanation, saying he ordered the strikes because he believed Iran was preparing broader attacks, including against Israel. Rubio’s comments have drawn criticism from analysts and lawmakers who argue the justification may not meet US or international legal standards. Critics say the US-Israel war appears to primarily serve the interests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a long-time advocate of confronting Iran militarily. Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders accused Trump of handing Netanyahu the war he sought, stressing that American foreign policy should be determined by US interests. Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who is pushing for a war powers resolution, warned of economic fallout, saying rising fuel and grocery prices could follow prolonged conflict. Even prominent voices within Trump’s “Make America Great Again” base criticised Rubio’s remarks, arguing they undermine the administration’s “America First” stance. Lawmakers are expected to introduce war powers resolutions in Congress this week, though passage remains uncertain amid Republican support for the administration’s actions.

President Donald Trump has announced that the United States plans to cut all trade with Spain, following Madrid’s refusal to allow US forces to use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran. “Spain has been terrible,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He said he instructed US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to “cut off all dealings” with Spain, reports Al Jazeera. “We’re going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don’t want anything to do with Spain,” the president added. Trump also criticized the United Kingdom for similar decisions regarding military cooperation. The dispute comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, where the US and Israel have carried out strikes on Iran. Spain, however, has taken a firm stance against such operations. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Spanish public television on Monday that, based on available information, US forces are not using—and will not use—Spanish military bases for operations against Iran. Albares highlighted that the Spanish government will not authorize the use of the Rota naval base or the Moron airbase beyond existing agreements or in ways inconsistent with United Nations mandates. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned the recent US and Israeli strikes on Iran, describing them as an “unjustified” and “dangerous military intervention” outside the realm of international law.

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the United States rose 11 cents overnight to around $3.11, the motor club AAA reported, as tensions in the Middle East drove crude oil prices higher. Gas prices were already climbing ahead of the summer driving season, as refiners transition to summer fuel blends. The recent surge comes after the U.S. launched military strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with attacks on American facilities, drones targeting the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia, and strikes on energy infrastructure in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The conflict also disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for about one-fifth of global oil trade. Benchmark U.S. crude futures jumped 8.6 percent to $77.36 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, rose 6.7 percent to $81.29 per barrel. “Crude oil prices are the single largest factor in what U.S. drivers pay at the pump,” AAA noted. Increases in crude typically translate into higher gas prices within two to three weeks. Research by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in 2019 indicates that a $10 per barrel rise in crude generally adds about 25 cents per gallon to pump prices. Experts warn that ongoing disruptions in global oil supply due to the Iran conflict could further increase gas prices, affecting consumers across the U.S. and contributing to broader inflationary pressures in energy-dependent sectors. With oil markets already sensitive to geopolitical tensions, analysts say drivers should brace for continued volatility at the pumps in the coming weeks if the situation in the Middle East escalates.  

The United States has cautioned about a potential Iranian attack targeting a major oil-producing city in Saudi Arabia, escalating tensions as President Donald Trump declared that negotiations with Tehran were no longer an option. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, expressed skepticism over the value of engaging in dialogue with Washington. “For the time being we are very doubtful about the usefulness of negotiation,” Bahreini told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, according to Reuters. Tehran makes new threat to Gulf shipping as US says ‘hardest hits’ on Iran yet to come His remarks came shortly after Trump said on his Truth Social platform that it was “too late” to hold talks with Iran, signaling a hardening stance amid rising hostilities. Source: BBC

Several US diplomatic missions across the Middle East have suspended operations and issued urgent security advisories following escalating regional tensions and security incidents. The US Embassy in Kuwait announced it has shut down operations “until further notice,” citing ongoing regional tensions. In a statement, the embassy said all regular and emergency consular appointments have been cancelled and that it would inform the public when normal operations resume. The closure follows days of mounting casualties and military incidents in the region. According to the US military, six American troops were killed and three US fighter jets crashed in Kuwait in what was described as an apparent friendly fire incident. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Iraq has ordered non-emergency US government employees to leave the country due to security reasons. The mission also updated its travel advisory, prohibiting US government personnel in Baghdad from using the city’s international airport over security risks. A US State Department official earlier urged American citizens to depart immediately from more than a dozen countries due to serious safety risks. The countries include Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. In Saudi Arabia, the US Embassy in Riyadh announced the cancellation of all routine and emergency services following an attack on the facility. The embassy said a shelter-in-place order was in effect at its missions in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran, and advised US citizens to avoid embassy premises until further notice. The embassy also urged all American citizens in the Kingdom to maintain a personal safety plan as security concerns continue across the region. #With Inputs from Al Jazeera

Crude oil prices surged sharply while global stocks fell, as investors reacted to the fallout from the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Brent crude climbed as much as 13 percent in Asia on Monday morning before easing slightly, with the international benchmark trading around $76.48 per barrel by midday Tokyo time, up about 5 percent. Asian equities opened lower, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index down roughly 2 percent and Japan’s Nikkei 225 falling about 1.5 percent. In the US, stock futures—which trade outside regular market hours—showed notable declines, pointing to a volatile session ahead on Wall Street. Futures tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both fell roughly 0.7 percent. Iran continues to strike US assets across the Gulf after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and up to 40 top Iranian officials. The attacks have killed one person in Bahrain, with Iraq and Kuwait reporting more Iranian raids. Israel says it is striking at the ‘heart of Tehran’ and is launching attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at northern Israel. Iranian state media says Israeli attacks have killed at least 20 people in Tehran’s Niloofar Square and caused damage to the Gandhi Hospital and a police building.” Iran’s retaliatory strikes on Israel have hit the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and killed at least nine people in the central city of Beit Shemesh. US President Donald Trump has warned that attacks on Iran will continue until all of Washington’s objectives are achieved, and has promised to avenge the deaths of three American soldiers. Source: Al jazeera