world

Tel Aviv: Israel has delivered a setback to Pakistan’s ambitions in Gaza, announcing that Islamabad will not be allowed to play any executive role in the peace process despite being invited to participate in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative. India-based Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar, in an exclusive interview with TOI, emphasized that “although Pakistan was invited to join the Board of Peace, it will have no on-ground role in Gaza.” Pakistan’s Involvement in the Peace ProcessPakistan is among several Islamic countries that have expressed interest in Trump’s initiative to end the conflict in Gaza. However, Pakistan does not formally recognize Israel, which has consistently opposed its involvement. Islamabad has also expressed interest in contributing to an Interna...

Dhaka: Following the results of Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally called BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman to congratulate him on his party’s historic victory. Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also spoken to Rahman over the phone to extend his felicitations. Sharif shared the news on social media platform X, describing the call as warm and friendly. He addressed Rahman as “my brother” and highlighted that this was the first conversation between the two leaders since the elections. Rahman’s BNP secured a landslide victory, winning 211 out of 299 seats, virtually paving the way for him to become Bangladesh’s next Prime Minister. Strengthening Bilateral TiesIn his post, Shehbaz Sharif wrote:"This evening, I had a warm and ...

Dhaka: Following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) decisive win in the recent parliamentary elections, party leader Tarique Rahman is poised to assume control of the country. This marks BNP’s return to power after two decades, and the outcome is expected to have significant implications for India. A Balanced ApproachUpon returning to Bangladesh after 17 years, Tarique Rahman’s first public statement was, “I have a plan.” Now preparing to lead a country that has faced 18 months of political instability and severe security challenges, Rahman’s strategy will be closely watched. His party’s majority signals the high expectations of the Bangladeshi electorate. Rahman emphasized two key points in his speech. First, he underscored that religion is a personal matter and expressed his ...

Dhaka: In Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary elections, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a landslide victory, winning 211 out of 299 seats. The main opposition, Jamaat-e-Islami, managed 68 seats. Amid this sweeping win, only three Hindu candidates emerged victorious, all representing the BNP—a notable development at a time when minority rights and safety remain a major concern in Bangladesh. Victorious Hindu Leaders Goyeshwar Chandra RoySenior BNP leader Goyeshwar Chandra Roy won the Dhaka-3 constituency. A member of the party’s standing committee and a former state minister, Roy received 99,163 votes, defeating Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Mohammad Shaheenur Islam, who secured 83,264 votes. Nitai Roy ChowdhuryNitai Roy Chowdhury clinched the Magura-2 seat with ease, defea...

Washington: Nikhil Gupta has admitted in a U.S. court to conspiring to assassinate Khalistani leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York City. The accused, who plotted the failed attempt on Pannun’s life, pleaded guilty on Friday to three criminal charges at the Manhattan Federal Court. Gupta’s attorney has not commented on the case. During the hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sara Netburn heard Gupta’s plea. According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, the 54-year-old Gupta admitted to paying for the murder plot and money laundering. He now faces a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison. Background on Gupta’s DetentionGupta has been in a Brooklyn prison since June 2024, following his extradition from the Czech Republic, where he had been arrested a ...

The immigration policies of former President Donald Trump have remained a topic of intense debate. Last year, his administration launched large-scale operations to apprehend and deport undocumented migrants. Washington: A recent report by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has revealed that the Trump administration spent nearly $40 million to deport 300 migrants to third countries. According to the report, immigration officials conducted accelerated deportation campaigns last year to meet Trump’s targets for quickly removing immigrants from the United States—substantially driving up costs. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, leading the panel of Democrats on the Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the practice of deporting migrants to third countries, calling it e...

Dhaka, February 13, 2026: Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is all set to become Bangladesh’s next Prime Minister following a decisive victory in the national elections. Winning both Dhaka-17 and Bogra-6 constituencies, Rahman secured 72,699 votes in Dhaka-17, narrowly defeating his closest rival Dr. Khaliduzzaman of Jamaat-e-Islami, who received 68,300 votes. From Exile to Leadership The 60-year-old Rahman returned to Bangladesh from London on December 25, 2025, after 17 years in exile. During the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he had been convicted in absentia for involvement in terrorism charges following a bomb attack in Dhaka and sentenced to life imprisonment. After Hasina’s government fell during the 2024 student-led revolt, th...

Islamabad / Dhaka, February 13, 2026: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari found himself at the center of a social media storm after a blunder in a Bengali-language congratulatory message to Bangladesh’s incoming Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. While Zardari’s original English message correctly praised Rahman for his “landslide victory” in Thursday’s national elections, the Bengali translation contained a significant error. The AI-generated translation, reportedly done using a tool such as ChatGPT or a similar platform, mistakenly converted “landslide victory” into “landslip,” a word that means “disaster” or “landslide” in the literal sense—turning a congratulatory note into an unintended faux pas. AI Misstep Sparks Criticism The message, released by Zardari’s office, attempted to...

Dhaka, February 13, 2026: Following the sweeping victory of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the national elections, political dynamics in Bangladesh are shifting rapidly. The Awami League, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, may soon open dialogue with BNP, according to remarks by her son, Sajeeb Wazed. Awami League Eyes Engagement In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, Sajeeb Wazed described BNP as “Bangladesh’s largest party” and indicated that Awami League could initiate contact with them soon. “BNP is the major party in Bangladesh. We will reach out to them shortly,” he said. His comments come in the aftermath of the BNP’s decisive electoral triumph under Tarique Rahman, which followed the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus barring Awami League from co...

Dhaka, February 13, 2026: With Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) poised for a commanding return to power, attention now turns to the future of Bangladesh-India relations. Following BNP’s landslide victory, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Rahman, signaling an early diplomatic acknowledgment of the new government’s mandate. Restoring Stability and Institutional Strength Senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told the BBC that the party’s first priority upon forming government will be to restore Bangladesh’s democratic and financial institutions, which, according to him, have suffered significant erosion over the past decade. “Bangladesh needs stability and peace first,” Chowdhury emphasized, highlighting the BNP’s focus on domestic consolidat...