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  • Bangladesh Elections Set for Early April 2026, Says Interim PM Yunus

    Bangladesh Elections Set for Early April 2026, Says Interim PM Yunus

    Muhammad Yunus, the interim prime minister of Bangladesh, gestures during a Ramadan Solidarity Iftar with Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, on March 14, 2025. — Reuters

    • Yunus is not affiliated with any political party and has ruled out running for office.
    • The government is facing protests over wage issues and the dismissal of public servants.
    • The BNP is calling for early elections, warning of rising public anger.

    Bangladesh is set to conduct a national election in the first half of April 2026, as announced by its acting prime minister on Friday. This announcement follows a period of an interim, unelected government that began after student-led unrest led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.

    Since August, former Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been at the helm of the South Asian nation, which is home to 173 million people, after Hasina fled to India amidst violent protests against her administration.

    However, Yunus’ government has also encountered significant unrest, with protests erupting last month over wage disputes and the dismissal of civil servants without extensive procedures.

    “After assessing the ongoing reform initiatives, I am informing the public today that the next national election will take place at any moment during the first half of April 2026,” Yunus stated during a national address on Friday.

    The election commission is expected to release a comprehensive plan for the election at a suitable time. Yunus, who is not aligned with any political party, has expressed disinterest in running for office.

    Opposition groups, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have been advocating for early elections, warning of escalating turmoil and “increasing dissatisfaction among the populace” if elections are not held by December.

    The BNP leader and former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, was acquitted in January of corruption charges from 2008, clearing a path for her to participate in the upcoming elections.

    Additionally, Hasina’s Awami League party was effectively barred from participating in the elections after the election commission suspended its registration last month.

    Previously, Yunus’ government prohibited all Awami League activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act, citing threats to national security after several days of protests.

    Hasina, credited with significant economic progress but criticized for human rights infringements and cracking down on dissent, secured a fourth consecutive term in 2024, although the vote was boycotted by major opposition leaders, many of whom were either imprisoned or in exile.

  • Trump and Xi Speak Amid Tense Trade Relations

    An undated photo of US President Donald Trump waving while walking with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
    An undated photo of US President Donald Trump waving while walking with Chinese President Xi Jinping. — Reuters/File

    • Trump initiated a phone call amid tense trade relations.
    • The conversation takes place as accusations arise over essential minerals.
    • The fragile 90-day tariff rollback agreement faces challenges with ongoing accusations.

    On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, according to China’s state news agency, Xinhua. This discussion comes as trade tensions between the two nations continue to mount.

    The call was made at Trump’s request, but Xinhua did not disclose any specifics about their discussion.

    The White House has yet to provide a comment on the matter.

    This highly awaited conversation occurs against a backdrop of blame traded between Washington and Beijing regarding essential minerals in a conflict that threatens to unravel a delicate ceasefire in their ongoing trade war.

    On May 12, the two nations agreed to a 90-day deal that would reduce some of the retaliatory tariffs imposed against one another since Trump took office in January.

    While the stock market reacted positively, the provisional agreement failed to address broader issues that have strained their relationship, including the illegal fentanyl trade, the status of Taiwan, and US grievances about China’s state-controlled, export-oriented economic model.

    Since his return to the White House in January, Trump has consistently threatened various punitive measures against trading partners but has often walked back those threats at the last moment. This erratic behavior has left global leaders and business executives bewildered, with many stating that the unpredictability complicates market forecasting.

    In April, China halted exports of several critical minerals and magnets, causing disruptions for automakers, chip manufacturers, and military contractors across the globe.

    Beijing views mineral exports as leverage; curtailing them could generate domestic political pressure on the Republican president if economic growth slows due to production delays for mineral-dependent products.

    The 90-day tariff rollback agreement remains precarious. Trump has accused China of violating the terms and has imposed restrictions on chip design software and other shipments destined for China, while Beijing has refuted these claims and threatened to retaliate.

    Trump has long sought a call or a meeting with Xi, but China has resisted, adhering to its traditional practice of resolving details before involving the leaders.

    The US president and his advisors believe that direct conversations between leaders are essential to overcoming the deadlock that has hindered lower-level negotiators.

    The last known contact between the two leaders remains unclear.

    Investors are closely monitoring the situation, concerned that a chaotic trade war could impact corporate profits and disturb supply chains in the crucial months leading up to the holiday shopping season. Trump’s tariffs are also currently under dispute in US courts.

  • Iran to Hold US Accountable for Israel Attack Ahead of Nuclear Talks

    Iran to Hold US Accountable for Israel Attack Ahead of Nuclear Talks

    Tehran Issues Warning to the U.S. Over Potential Israeli Strike on Nuclear Facilities

    TEHRAN: Iran has issued a warning, holding the United States accountable for any attacks on its nuclear facilities by Israel, just before new discussions on nuclear agreements between Washington and Tehran.

    This assertion follows a report from CNN, which referenced anonymous U.S. officials indicating that Israel was preparing to target Iranian nuclear sites while U.S.-Iran negotiations are ongoing.

    Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in a letter to the United Nations, released on Thursday, "We believe that should the Zionist regime attack the nuclear facilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the U.S. government will also be implicated and held legally responsible."

    He further added, "Iran firmly cautions against any reckless actions by the Zionist regime and will respond decisively to any threats or unlawful acts from this regime."

    The nuclear discussions, which began on April 12, represent the highest-level engagement between the two long-time adversaries since the U.S. withdrew from a significant agreement with Iran and world powers in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s administration.

    Oman, acting as a mediator, announced that the fifth round of talks is scheduled for Friday in Rome. The U.S. delegation is expected to include Steve Witkoff, a negotiator and associate of Trump, as well as Michael Anton, who leads policy planning at the State Department and has been involved in technical aspects of the discussions.

    A major hurdle in the negotiations pertains to uranium enrichment. The 2015 agreement, brokered by former President Barack Obama, permitted Iran to enrich uranium at low levels strictly for civilian energy use.

    Currently, Iran has been enriching uranium up to 60%, significantly higher than the 3.67% limit outlined in the 2015 agreement, but still below the 90% threshold necessary for nuclear weapons.

    Sanctions Relating to Missile Development

    Trump, who has pledged to improve upon the Obama-era agreement, stated last week during a visit to Qatar that he believes Iran has accepted key conditions and that his diplomatic approach would sidestep military conflict.

    U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated before Congress on Wednesday that the Trump administration would enforce a ban on any form of enrichment. "Iran cannot possess an enrichment capability, as that would make them a threshold nuclear power," Rubio declared.

    Iran seeks relief from the extensive sanctions imposed by Trump in 2018, which penalize all nations for purchasing Iran’s crucial oil exports.

    Rubio, when questioned by lawmakers, hinted that the United States would maintain sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile development, an issue not explicitly addressed in the 2015 agreement. "There are sanctions connected to terrorism and their ballistic missile program. Those sanctions will remain in effect unless explicitly included in any new deal," he explained.

    Although Rubio did not address the CNN report directly, he acknowledged that it’s no secret Israel has been exploring military options.

    Devastating Consequences Expected

    Israel, known as Iran’s arch-nemesis, has consistently threatened to take military action against Iranian nuclear installations but has faced resistance from Trump.

    On Thursday, Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned of a "devastating" response should Israel attack. "If the delusional Zionist regime makes a reckless move, it will undoubtedly face a devastating and decisive response within its small and vulnerable territory," Naini stated, as reported by the ISNA news agency.

    That same day, Iran’s army unveiled new drone technology, including two reconnaissance drones and one kamikaze drone.

    Earlier, a group of supporters rallied near the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility south of Tehran, displaying Iranian flags and chanting slogans advocating for the nation’s nuclear rights, such as "Nuclear energy is our inalienable right" and "No compromise, no surrender, only confrontation with America."

    Iran does not recognize Israel, often referring to it as the "Zionist regime," and the two nations have engaged in a persistent shadow conflict for years. The previous year marked the first time the two adversaries exchanged direct assaults amid escalating regional tensions triggered by the Gaza conflict.