Friday, May 01
Delegations from Ukraine and Russia met in Istanbul for peace talks amidst escalating conflict, following Ukraine's surprise attack on Russian airbases and Russia's intensified drone strikes. Despite cautious optimism, the talks occurred as fighting persisted along the front line, with both sides reporting casualties and drone attacks. Zelenskyy warned of stronger sanctions if the talks fail to yield results.
In anticipation of Eid-ul-Adha, the Bangladesh central bank has released new currency notes of Taka 1,000, Taka 50, and Taka 20. These notes replace the image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with depictions of nationally significant establishments and scenic locations. The new notes are available in limited quantities at the Motijheel office and will be distributed more widely soon.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), which claimed responsibility for the operation, said the drones were covertly transported across Russian territory and launched from makeshift enclosures hidden in civilian-looking trucks. Once in proximity to the target airfields, the drone swarms were deployed and flown directly at parked aircraft. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the operation a “brilliant” achievement and said it had been in planning for 18 months.
Donald Trump has withdrawn Jared Isaacman's nomination for Nasa administrator just before the senate confirmation vote. Isaacman, the CEO of Shift4 and a SpaceX mission participant, was nominated in December. He distanced himself from Elon Musk's views on lunar landings during his confirmation hearing, pledging to prioritize them if confirmed.
Devarjaye 'DJ' Daniel, a 13-year-old battling terminal brain cancer and an honorary police officer, faces a new challenge with the discovery of three new tumors. Despite a grim prognosis years ago, DJ's resilience inspired many, leading to his swearing-in by over 1,300 law enforcement agencies. His family remains hopeful, spreading a message of unity and compassion amidst the difficult news.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned that China is actively preparing to use military force to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, posing a real and imminent threat. He highlighted concerns about a potential invasion of Taiwan by 2027 and China's growing presence in Latin America, urging allies to increase defence spending and be wary of Chinese economic entanglements.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned India's decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, calling it a "weaponisation of water." Addressing an international conference in Dushanbe, Sharif warned that Pakistan would not permit India to endanger millions of lives for political purposes by violating the treaty.
The US Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to proceed with ending temporary legal protections for over 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, potentially impacting nearly a million migrants. This decision lifts a lower-court order blocking the termination of the humanitarian parole program.
