United News of Bangladesh

Samia Suluhu Hassan was officially sworn in as Tanzania’s president on Monday following a contentious election that triggered deadly protests across the country. Hassan took the oath of office at a military base in the capital, Dodoma, in a ceremony closed to the public due to the violence surrounding the October 29 vote. The election barred the two main opposition candidates from running, leaving Hassan to face only minor opposition contenders. She secured nearly 98% of the vote, cementing her hold on power. State television showed officials and foreign dignitaries attending the ceremony at the State House parade grounds rather than a stadium, reflecting heightened security concerns. Meanwhile, tensions remained high in Tanzania’s commercial hub, Dar-es-Salaam, where shops remained closed and streets were largely empty. A total internet blackout has been in effect since the protests began on election day. Chadema, the country’s main opposition party, rejected the results, calling the vote a “sham” and demanding fresh elections. The party reported that hundreds of protesters were killed during clashes with police, who allegedly used tear gas and live ammunition while government buildings were set on fire. Chadema suggested that as many as 800 people may have died nationwide, although these figures could not be independently verified. The United Nations human rights office confirmed credible reports of at least 10 deaths in three cities, while Tanzania’s Foreign Minister Mahmoud Thabit Kombo denied the use of “excessive force” and said the government has no official data on casualties. Hassan, who became vice president in 2015 and assumed office in 2021 following the death of President John Magufuli, has faced criticism for a pattern of crackdowns, disappearances, and harassment of critics ahead of the election. Analysts say the exclusion of her major challengers and the sweeping victory reflect her intent to consolidate power and suppress opposition. The Independent National Electoral Commission disqualified Chadema in April for refusing to sign an electoral code of conduct. The final results showed Hassan winning 97.66% of the vote, dominating all constituencies.   With inputs from AL Zazeera

Peru has announced it is severing diplomatic relations with Mexico over the asylum granted to former Peruvian Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, who is under investigation for rebellion, officials said Monday. Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela described Mexico’s decision to provide asylum to Chávez at its embassy in Lima as an “unfriendly act” that exacerbates tensions between the two nations. A statement from President José Jerí’s office accused Mexico of “repeated” interference in Peru’s internal affairs. Chávez is accused of participating in former President Pedro Castillo’s failed attempt in 2022 to declare a state of emergency and dissolve Congress ahead of an impeachment vote. Castillo’s plan collapsed when the military refused to support him, leading to his swift removal by Congress and subsequent arrest on charges of attempting a coup. The Peruvian Attorney General’s Office has charged Chávez with being an accomplice in the rebellion against state authorities and is seeking a prison sentence of up to 25 years. She served as Castillo’s prime minister at the time. “Today we learned with surprise and deep regret that former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, the alleged co-author of the attempted coup, is being granted asylum at the Mexican Embassy in Peru,” de Zela told reporters. Mexico expressed regret over Peru’s move, stating the asylum was granted in accordance with international law. “Mexico rejects Peru’s unilateral decision as excessive and disproportionate in response to a legitimate act by Mexico consistent with international law, which in no way constitutes intervention in Peru’s internal affairs,” said Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry. Castillo’s family currently resides in Mexico, where authorities have expressed sympathy for the former president, who rose to power on a leftist platform before being ousted in December 2022. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has previously described Castillo as a victim of a coup and called for his release and a fair trial. The Peruvian Foreign Ministry said Mexico “has interfered in an inadmissible and systematic manner” in Peru’s domestic matters since December 2022, adding that repeated calls for respect of Peru’s sovereignty were ignored.   Source: AP

Canada’s tightening of international student permits has affected applicants from India government data shows. In early 2025, Canada reduced the number of international student permits for the second consecutive year, aiming to curb temporary migration and combat student visa fraud. About 74 per cent of Indian applications for Canadian post-secondary study permits in August were rejected, compared to roughly 32 per cent in August 2023, according to immigration department data shared with Reuters. Overall, 40 per cent of study permit applications were refused in both periods, while 24 per cent of Chinese applicants faced rejection in August 2025. The number of Indian applicants also fell sharply, from 20,900 in August 2023—just over one-quarter of all applicants—to 4,515 in August 2025. India has remained Canada’s top source of international students for the past decade and recorded the highest refusal rate among countries with more than 1,000 approved applicants in August. The spike in rejections comes as Canada and India work to restore relations following tensions over a 2023 murder in Surrey, British Columbia, which former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged involved the Indian government—a claim India denies. Canada’s immigration department said in 2023 it found nearly 1,550 study permit applications linked to fraudulent acceptance letters, most from India. Enhanced verification measures and stricter financial requirements have since been introduced. The Indian embassy in Ottawa said, “However, we would like to emphasise that some of the best quality students available in the world are from India, and Canadian institutions have in the past greatly benefited from the talent and academic excellence of these students.” Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand noted that the country wants to maintain Indian students while safeguarding immigration integrity. Universities, including Waterloo, Regina, and Saskatchewan, report significant drops in Indian enrollment.   With inputs from NDTV

From Coney Island to the Bronx, candidates in New York City’s mayoral race spent Monday racing across all five boroughs in a last-ditch effort to win over voters before Election Day. As the campaigns entered their final stretch, President Donald Trump unexpectedly urged New Yorkers to back former Governor Andrew Cuomo over Republican contender Curtis Sliwa in order to block Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, declaring on Truth Social that voters “really have no choice.” More than 735,000 people had already cast ballots during nine days of early voting — more than quadruple the turnout in the 2021 mayoral race, though still below the nearly 1.1 million early votes cast in last year’s presidential election. Lines at several polling sites, including one in downtown Brooklyn, stretched for blocks on Sunday, the final day of early voting. Cuomo’s Comeback Tour Cuomo’s Monday schedule was packed with campaign stops across the city. At one event, he attacked Mamdani, comparing his policies to failed socialist governments. “Socialism didn’t work in Venezuela. Socialism didn’t work in Cuba. It’s not going to work in New York City,” Cuomo said. At 67, Cuomo is seeking a political revival four years after resigning as governor amid sexual harassment allegations he denies. Running as an independent, he has sought to attract Republican and centrist voters, presenting himself as the only candidate capable of defeating Mamdani. Mamdani’s Grassroots Push Mamdani, a state assemblymember who would become New York’s first Muslim mayor, began his day walking across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise and ended it rallying volunteers in Queens. “With just 24 hours left, let’s give it everything we’ve got,” he told cheering supporters. “Let’s work so hard tonight and tomorrow that we never have to ask ourselves, ‘What if?’” Over the weekend, Mamdani made high-energy campaign appearances at nightclubs, watched a Buffalo Bills game with Governor Kathy Hochul, and attended a Knicks game from the upper seats — a symbolic contrast to Cuomo’s courtside presence weeks earlier. Sliwa Stays in the Race Republican Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels patrol group, began his day at a Brooklyn subway station where he laid a wreath for a woman killed there last year before holding evening rallies in the outer boroughs. “This time, the billionaires and insiders won’t pick New York’s next mayor,” he told supporters. “The people will.” Trump’s Influence Looms Large Trump, a former New Yorker, has loomed over the race for months — at one point threatening to arrest or deport Mamdani if he wins. On Monday, he threw his support behind Cuomo, again warning that he would withhold federal funds from the city under a Mamdani administration. “Whether you personally like Andrew Cuomo or not, you really have no choice,” Trump wrote. “A vote for Curtis Sliwa (who looks much better without the beret!) is a vote for Mamdani.” Cuomo, during an interview with WABC Radio, agreed: “The president is right. A vote for Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani. This election now depends on Republicans.” Sliwa, however, insisted he was staying in the race. Mamdani criticized what he called “the MAGA movement’s embrace of Andrew Cuomo,” saying Trump supports Cuomo “because he believes Cuomo will serve his administration, not New Yorkers.” Digital Duel Cuomo’s campaign continued to rely heavily on AI-generated ads, including a Halloween-themed video featuring a fake Mamdani trick-or-treating. The ad carried a disclaimer noting it was “AI generated.” The former governor faced backlash earlier for a fabricated ad showing Mamdani eating rice with his hands and labeling his supporters as criminals — a video the campaign later removed, claiming it was posted by mistake. Mamdani countered with multilingual social media posts, including a video of him speaking Arabic — which he jokingly admitted “needs some work.” He has previously shared messages in Spanish and Bengali to connect with New York’s diverse electorate.

With one short post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump may have signaled a major shift in his approach to China — one that delights Beijing but unnerves many U.S. allies. “The G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!” Trump wrote before his Oct. 30 summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, reviving a term — “G2,” or Group of Two — that Washington had long abandoned. Originally coined in 2005 by economist C. Fred Bergsten, “G2” referred to cooperation between the world’s two largest economies. Over time, it came to suggest a balance of power between the U.S. and China — an idea Beijing welcomes as recognition of its global stature but one that deeply worries American allies who fear being sidelined. “The G2 concept implies the U.S. and China are equals on the world stage,” said Neil Thomas of the Asia Society Policy Institute. Trump’s use of the term has sparked intense speculation about his administration’s China policy, which remains undefined as Beijing grows increasingly assertive. A Term with Historical WeightTo grasp the significance of “G2,” analysts note China’s century-long sensitivity to Western “containment.” Since the early 2000s, Chinese diplomacy has sought to overturn that perception — a mission embodied in initiatives like the Belt and Road program, aimed at expanding China’s influence abroad. Trump later praised his “G2 meeting with President Xi,” calling it “a great one for both countries” that would lead to “everlasting peace and success.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also echoed the phrase online after speaking with China’s defense minister. Former Biden administration official Mira Rapp-Hooper warned that Trump’s remarks likely “provoked significant anxiety in allied capitals,” where governments fear Washington could make bilateral deals with Beijing at their expense. Beijing’s ReactionChinese commentators celebrated Trump’s adoption of the term. One nationalist blogger wrote that “Trump’s G2 means the U.S. has accepted it no longer holds a unipolar position,” implying a new bipolar world order with China as a peer — and diminishing Europe, Japan, and India. At a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the two countries “can jointly shoulder our responsibilities as major countries,” while still committing to “true multilateralism” and “an equal and orderly multipolar world.” Scholar Zhao Minghao stressed that G2 “does not mean China and the U.S. co-ruling the world,” but rather a willingness to “re-examine the importance of their relationship” and boost communication. A Controversial RevivalBergsten, who first proposed the G2 concept, said he welcomed its renewed use, emphasizing that it was never meant to exclude other powers like the G7 or G20, but to foster necessary cooperation between the two economic giants. “It’s not about the U.S. and China dictating to the world,” Bergsten said. “It’s about them talking through global economic issues.” The term briefly gained traction during the Obama administration before being dropped due to backlash from allies such as Japan, Australia, and India, who saw it as Washington deferring to Beijing’s interests. “It plays very poorly in those countries,” Rapp-Hooper said. “They fear being left out of decisions that affect their region.” Former Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell added that China often used the G2 concept to make neighboring nations “feel insecure,” which ultimately “powerfully delegitimized” the idea.

Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, once the Israeli army’s chief legal officer, has become the focus of a national scandal following her sudden resignation, brief disappearance, and eventual arrest. The saga began last week when Tomer-Yerushalmi admitted that she had authorized the leak of a surveillance video at the heart of a politically explosive investigation into the abuse of a Palestinian detainee at Israel’s Sde Teiman military prison. The footage, which shows soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner, was meant to highlight the gravity of the allegations. Instead, it provoked fierce backlash from Israel’s right-wing leadership. Under intense political pressure, Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned. Soon after, she vanished, leaving behind a note and her car near a Tel Aviv beach. Fears for her safety sparked a large-scale search using military drones. She was found alive on Sunday night — a discovery that only intensified public attacks against her. Right-wing commentator Yinon Magal, a supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, posted on X: “We can resume the lynch,” adding a winking emoji. When reports surfaced that one of her phones was missing, critics accused her of faking a suicide attempt to destroy evidence. Tomer-Yerushalmi now faces charges of fraud, breach of trust, and obstruction of justice, and will remain in custody until at least Wednesday. Former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomesh has also been arrested in connection with the leak. The prime minister’s office has declined to comment. The uproar over the leaked video has shifted public focus away from the underlying issue — the alleged abuse itself. The July 2024 incident at Sde Teiman involved Israeli soldiers who, according to court documents, assaulted and sodomized a Palestinian prisoner with a knife, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. A hospital staffer familiar with the case described the detainee’s condition as “the most extreme” he had seen, citing blunt trauma, fractured ribs, and a perforated rectum. The man was later returned to the prison after surgery and released to Gaza in a recent hostage-prisoner exchange. Tomer-Yerushalmi’s resignation letter said she leaked the video to counter claims that the military’s internal investigators were persecuting soldiers. She argued that ignoring evidence of violence against detainees endangered the rule of law within the army. “There are actions which must never be taken, even against the vilest detainees,” she wrote. The case highlights Israel’s deep internal divisions. According to Yohanan Plesner of the Israel Democracy Institute, investigators must now untangle three legal threads: the alleged abuse, efforts by right-wing civilians and lawmakers to obstruct the probe, and Tomer-Yerushalmi’s possible role in undermining the investigation through the leak. Plesner said the public vitriol surrounding the case recalls the climate before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack — and even the tensions that led to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination 30 years ago. “The debate over our differences must not turn into personal destruction,” he warned. “The events of this weekend should be a wake-up call for Israeli society.”

Belgium’s defense minister voiced alarm Monday over a series of unidentified drone flights near a military base believed to house U.S. nuclear weapons, suggesting the activity may be linked to espionage. Defense Minister Theo Francken said the drones were detected over two nights, Saturday and Sunday, near the Kleine Brogel air base in northeastern Belgium. The first wave involved smaller drones “testing the radio frequencies” of Belgian security services, followed later by larger ones “to destabilize the area and people,” he told public broadcaster RTBF. “It resembles a spy operation. By whom, I don’t know,” Francken said, noting he had “a few ideas” but declined to speculate publicly. The incidents follow similar unexplained drone sightings over another Belgian military base near the German border last month. Recent months have also seen drone-related airspace violations across Europe, with Russia suspected in cases involving Estonia and Poland, though flights over Denmark and Germany remain unsolved. Last Friday, flights at Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport were suspended for nearly two hours due to a drone sighting. Francken dismissed the possibility that the Belgian incidents were a prank, saying the drones’ operators demonstrated advanced knowledge by evading jamming systems. “An amateur doesn’t know how to do that,” he said. He added that shooting down drones near populated areas poses legal and safety risks: “When they’re over a military base, we can shoot them down. But nearby, they could fall on a house, a car, or a person.” Francken admitted Belgium is “chasing after the threat,” adding that the country should have invested in modern air defense systems “five or 10 years ago” to better counter drone incursions.  

At least 20 people were killed and around two dozen others injured early Monday when a truck loaded with concrete stone chips crashed into a passenger bus in southern India, officials said. The state-run transport bus, carrying about 70 passengers to Hyderabad in Telangana state, was struck head-on by the truck near the town of Chevalla, district official K. Chandrakala told The Associated Press. The impact left the front portion of the bus severely damaged, trapping several passengers inside. Rajendra Prasad, superintendent of Chevalla Hospital, said 20 bodies had been sent to the morgue and would be handed over to families after identification. The incident occurred a day after another fatal road crash in the western state of Rajasthan, where a minibus collided with a parked truck late Sunday, killing at least 15 people and injuring two others. Authorities said the passengers were returning to Jodhpur from the pilgrimage town of Kolayat after offering prayers to a Hindu deity. Among the victims were 10 women, four children, and the driver, according to senior official Shweta Chauhan. The injured were admitted to a local hospital. Chauhan said the victims were trapped in the twisted wreckage of the minibus following the impact. Senior police officer Kundan Kanwaria said the driver was attempting to overtake another vehicle when he rammed into the stationary truck. “It appears the driver couldn’t brake before hitting the truck,” Kanwaria said. In India, trucks and trailers are often parked carelessly along highways without warning signs or reflectors, posing serious hazards for night-time drivers and causing numerous deadly accidents in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, expressed condolences to the victims’ families. The Rajasthan crash occurred less than three weeks after a suspected short circuit triggered a fire on a passenger bus in the same state, killing at least 20 people.

United States President Donald Trump has claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping assured him Beijing would not attempt to take any military action against Taiwan while he remains in office. Trump made the remarks during an interview aired Sunday on CBS’s 60 Minutes, following his first in-person meeting with Xi in six years. The two leaders met Thursday in South Korea, where discussions focused largely on US-China trade relations. According to Trump, the Taiwan issue “never even came up as a subject” during the meeting. “He has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” he told CBS. Asked whether he would order U.S. forces to respond if China moved militarily on Taiwan, Trump declined to give a direct answer. “You’ll find out if it happens, and he understands the answer to that,” he said, adding, “I can’t give away my secrets. The other side knows.” Strategic ambiguity on Taiwan Successive U.S. administrations — both Republican and Democratic — have upheld a policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan, avoiding a clear commitment to military intervention while maintaining support for the island’s defense. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. is not legally bound to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack but is required to provide it with sufficient means to protect itself and to oppose any unilateral attempts by Beijing to alter the island’s status. Beijing reiterates sovereignty claim Responding to queries from The Associated Press, Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, did not confirm whether any assurances were given to Trump. However, he reaffirmed China’s firm stance that Taiwan remains an inseparable part of its territory. “The Taiwan question is China’s internal affair and the core of China’s core interests. How to resolve it is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, and only the Chinese people can decide it,” Liu said in a statement, adding that “China will never allow any person or force to separate Taiwan from China in any way.” No comment from White House The White House did not provide details on when Xi or other Chinese officials may have conveyed the assurance Trump referred to. The CBS interview also marked Trump’s first appearance on 60 Minutes since settling a lawsuit earlier this year against the network over its 2024 election coverage. Trump had accused CBS of editing an interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris in a way that unfairly favored Democrats. He initially sought $10 billion in damages before later raising the claim to $20 billion. Source: Al Zazeera

Nigeria has firmly rejected any potential U.S. military intervention following President Donald Trump’s recent warning over alleged persecution of Christians in the West African nation. A spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu said Sunday that the United States cannot unilaterally conduct military operations in Nigeria, describing Trump’s comments as being based on misleading reports. Daniel Bwala, Tinubu’s spokesman, told The Associated Press that Trump’s warning appeared to reflect his typical “forceful approach” aimed at compelling dialogue. Trump on Saturday claimed he had instructed the Pentagon to begin planning for possible action in Nigeria, alleging widespread attacks on Christians. Trump’s ‘guns blazing’ threat Reiterating his stance, Trump accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians, warning that Washington would halt aid and could even “go in guns-a-blazing” to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists” responsible for the violence. He also announced Nigeria’s designation as a “country of particular concern” — a formal U.S. classification for nations accused of violating religious freedom — following calls from Senator Ted Cruz and several U.S. celebrities who alleged, without evidence, that a “Christian genocide” was underway. However, The Associated Press reported that both Christians and Muslims are victims of Nigeria’s long-running security crises, with attacks often driven by geography and local conflicts rather than religion. Nigeria denies Christian persecution Bwala dismissed the U.S. claims as outdated, saying they rely on reports from more than a decade ago when Boko Haram began its insurgency to impose its version of Shariah law. “Military operations in Nigeria can only happen through mutual agreement between two sovereign leaders. It cannot be a unilateral decision,” he said. President Tinubu has also rejected Trump’s designation, reaffirming his commitment to work with Washington and other partners to protect communities of all faiths. Joseph Hayab, a former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna state, likewise dismissed allegations of systematic persecution, though he urged the government to strengthen security in violence-prone areas. Shared suffering across faiths Nigeria has for years battled widespread insecurity that affects both Christians and Muslims, who make up roughly equal parts of its 220 million population. Much of the violence in the north has been driven by Boko Haram insurgents and by armed groups — often former herders — who have taken up weapons against farming communities after years of land disputes. “The crisis is far more complex than a simple religious framing suggests. Geography largely determines who becomes the victim,” said Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies. Nigeria’s military continues to launch air strikes and special operations targeting armed gangs, while Tinubu has recently overhauled the nation’s security leadership to strengthen counterinsurgency efforts. Massive state failure Analysts say that while the religious persecution narrative is exaggerated, the Nigerian state has failed to act decisively against armed groups. “In too many cases, perpetrators have escaped punishment. The impunity is a clear sign of massive state failure,” said Cheta Nwanze, a partner at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence. Adebayo warned that Nigeria must address its security challenges more effectively to avoid external interference. “The criticism from Washington did not emerge in a vacuum,” he said. “It stems from years of inaction.” Source: AP