International
Nobel Peace Prize in Bangladesh to lead the interim government after the protests
Nobel Peace Prize holder Muhammad Yunus arrived in Dhaka this Thursday to take office as the new leader of the interim Government of Bangladesh, which will put an end to four days of power vacuum after the resignation and flight from the country of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, pressured by anti-government student protests.
The plane carrying Yunus, 84, landed around 2:10 p.m. (8:10 GMT) at the capital’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, coming from Dubai, according to the flight monitoring platform, Flightradar24.
“The coming government will protect the people and earn their trust,” said this economist by profession in his first public statement to the media, in which he added that one of the priorities of the interim government will be to regain the trust of the people.
The head of the Army, Waker-Uz-Zaman, as well as other high members of civil society and some of the main student leaders went to the airport to receive him, according to images from Channel 24 television, among strict security measures.
The winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize will take office at the head of the new interim government in a ceremony in Dhaca scheduled today around 8:00 p.m. (14:00 GMT) this Thursday.
Yunus was in Paris to undergo a minor medical procedure, when he was proposed by the leaders of the protests to lead the Government.
The new temporary cabinet will be made up of about fifteen members, Zaman said yesterday at a press conference, in which he assured that he will have the full support of the Army.
Among the main priorities of the Government will be the restoration of normality in Bangladesh, after the chaos unleashed by student protests and the violence with which they were repressed by the authorities.
In this sense, Yunus affirmed that his first task will be to “reestablish law and order,” so he asked the population to stop the attacks and eliminate their differences, and indicated that the wave of violence “is part of a conspiracy.”
“Indiscipline and violence are great enemies of progress and the path we have begun. We have to make them understand them, or deliver them to the law, but not by blows,” he said.
Yunus, known as the “banker of the poor”, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for having founded and designed the Grameen Bank to fight poverty in Bangladesh by developing the concept of microcredit, by which loans are granted to low-income people who would normally be rejected by the financial system.
The economist by profession had a tense relationship with the authorities since Hasina came to power in 2009.
If the enmity with Hasina led Yunus to face dozens of cases in the courts, the fall of the already former prime minister after weeks of demonstrations that left more than 400 dead have catapulted the Nobel laureate to the front line of politics.
Bangladesh is experiencing its fourth day of power vacuum today, after the resignation and departure from the country of Hasina, pressured by the student protests that began on July 1 peacefully but became violent and ended up demanding the resignation of Hasina, after the brutal repression of the demonstrations.
Amnesty International (AI) asked the next interim Government of Bangladesh on Thursday to repeal the controversial cybersecurity law, valid in the Asian country since 2023, and “restore freedom of expression.”
“It is a continuation of successive repressive legislations that have repeatedly facilitated the state repression of the civic space and human rights, including during the protests led by students for quota reform,” the London-based non-governmental organization said in a statement, on the occasion of the publication of a specific report on Bangladesh.
Amnesty International cited several cases of arrests and accusations that occurred in the context of the protests that took place since last July 1 in Bangladesh, which culminated in the resignation and flight of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
International
Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.
Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.
“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”
The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.
He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.
“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.
So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.
Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.
Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.
International
Russia Accuses Ukraine of Violating Victory Day Truce
Russia accused Ukraine on Saturday of violating a Victory Day truce that was reportedly agreed with mediation from the United States, claiming that Ukrainian forces carried out attacks on Russian territory as well as on the annexed Crimean peninsula.
Despite the declared ceasefire, the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian military positions using attack drones and artillery.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces made twelve attempts to advance toward Russian-held positions across several sectors of the front line.
It also alleged that Ukrainian strikes targeted civilian infrastructure in Crimea, several border regions, the Caucasus, and other areas including Moscow and Perm in the Ural region.
The Defense Ministry estimated around 8,900 violations of the ceasefire in total, including more than 7,000 drone attacks and over 1,000 strikes involving tanks, artillery, multiple rocket launch systems, and mortars since the truce came into effect at midnight.
Russia said its forces responded “symmetrically” to what it described as violations by Ukrainian troops.
Earlier, the Kremlin denied claims that Ukraine attempted to sabotage a military parade in Red Square marking the 81st anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
“No attempts were made. Everything went well,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told local media.
International
Trump Says U.S.-Iran Talks Progressing, Signals Possible Deal on Strait of Hormuz
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Washington is holding “very good” talks with Iran and stated that there is a strong possibility of reaching an agreement to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve had very good conversations over the last 44 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll reach an agreement,” Trump said during an event held in the Oval Office at the White House.
The president’s remarks came just hours after he announced a temporary suspension of the military operation aimed at escorting vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Trump explained that the pause in operations is intended to facilitate diplomatic negotiations between both sides and prevent further military escalation in the region.
“We’re in good shape, and right now things are going well. Now we have to achieve what we need to achieve. If we don’t, we’ll have to go much further,” the Republican president warned.
In a post published on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump reiterated that if Iran accepts Washington’s proposed conditions, military operations and the naval blockade affecting the Islamic republic would come to an end.
However, he also issued a new warning to the Iranian government, stating that the United States would respond with attacks “of greater intensity” if Tehran rejects the agreement promoted by the White House.

























