United News of Bangladesh

U.S. stocks dipped on Friday, pulling the S&P 500 back from its all-time high as the Trump administration ramped up tariff threats against Canada. The S&P 500 was down 0.3% in midday trading, a day after reaching a record. The benchmark index is on track for its first weekly loss in three weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 331 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%, both also poised to end the week lower. Bond yields rose, with the 10-year Treasury yield increasing to 4.41% from 4.34% late Thursday. In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday, President Donald Trump announced a sharp increase in tariffs on Canadian imports, raising rates to 35%, up from the previous 25%. The move further strained trade relations with Canada, a historically close ally. The White House’s strategy aims to pressure countries into trade deals through tariff threats. Although Wednesday was set as the original deadline, the negotiation window has been extended to August 1. So far, only the UK and Vietnam have reached deals with the U.S. Trump also floated the possibility of 200% tariffs on pharmaceutical imports and imposed a 50% tariff on copper, aligning it with steel and aluminum duties. Despite earlier market disruptions caused by tariff policies, recent market reactions have been relatively calm. “Markets appear to believe that Trump will again back down,” said Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Capital Economics. “We are not so sure.” Asian markets mixed as Trump administration pushes new tariff deadlines Attention is now shifting to corporate earnings. Levi Strauss rose 9.2% after strong earnings and an improved outlook. PriceSmart climbed 4.6% following solid Q3 results and potential expansion plans in Chile. Next week, major banks including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup will report earnings, with S&P 500 companies expected to post 5% earnings growth for Q2— the slowest pace since Q4 of 2023. Financials, health care, and communication services weighed on markets Friday. Visa fell 2.4%, Gilead Sciences lost 3.7%, and Meta declined 1%. Nvidia, however, gained 1.2%. Airline stocks dipped despite strong earnings from Delta Air Lines: Delta dropped 1.9%, United 4.2%, and American 4.2%. T-Mobile shares slipped 0.7% after the U.S. Justice Department allowed its $4.4 billion acquisition of U.S. Cellular to proceed. U.S. Cellular gained 3.2%. Red Cat Holdings surged 19.8% following orders from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ramp up drone production. European markets also traded lower after mostly down sessions in Asia. Meanwhile, bitcoin hit a new all-time high Friday, briefly surpassing $118,000 before settling near $116,683. The rally coincides with Nvidia reaching a $4 trillion valuation and anticipation ahead of U.S. Congress’ Crypto Week beginning July 14.

Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal on Friday expelled two of its leaders for life following the murder of a scrap trader in front of the main gate of Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital in the old part of the capital. The expelled leaders are Jubo Dal’s former Climate Affairs Assistant Secretary Razzab Ali Pintu and its Dhaka South City unit Joint Convener Sabah Karim Lucky. In a statement, Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna and General Secretary Nurul Islam Nayan said the two have been expelled from all posts, including primary membership, for life. They said the decision has come into effect immediately. Explosion in old Dhaka leaves five family members critically injured The statement said trader Mohammed Sohag, 39, was hacked and beaten to death in broad daylight at the hospital gate. Shohag’s family later filed a case, naming several accused, including the two Jubo Dal leaders. Jubo Dal said it will not take responsibility for any criminal acts committed by the expelled leaders. It instructed all party activists and members to sever organisational ties with them. The party also urged law enforcement agencies to take immediate legal action without any leniency.

Premier League side Nottingham Forest on Friday announced the signing of Brazilian centre-back Jair Cunha from Botafogo. Cunha becomes the second Botafogo player to join Forest this week, following striker Igor Jesus, who signed with the club on Saturday after impressing in the ongoing Club World Cup. The 20-year-old defender has signed a five-year contract with Forest, though financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Tottenham signs Ghana’s Kudus from West Ham, eyes Forest’s Gibbs-White Both Cunha and Jesus helped Botafogo reach the round of 16 at the tournament in the United States. Cunha netted one goal, while Jesus scored twice, including the decisive strike against Paris Saint-Germain. Cunha began his senior career at Santos, where he had played since the age of 10, making 24 appearances before joining Botafogo in February. “Jair has flourished in Brazil and now has new ambitions as he moves to the Premier League," said Ross Wilson, Nottingham Forest’s Chief Football Officer. Nottingham Forest is set to return to European competition for the first time since 1996, having secured a seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, now in Kuala Lumpur, on Friday expressed concerns over the arrests of Bangladeshi nationals on charges of terrorism. He said the government of Bangladesh will work with Malaysia to investigate allegations of militancy against Bangladeshi nationals who were arrested recently by the Malaysian Police. The issues were discussed during a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan held in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) ministerial meeting.  Adviser Hossain reiterated the firm stand of the government against terrorism and sought Malaysia's cooperation in its own investigation into the allegations through exchange of information and findings.  The Malaysian Foreign Minister assured Dhaka of facilitating access and cooperation to Bangladesh authorities. Photographs taken by two Mt. Everest summiteers on display in Dhaka Earlier, the Foreign Advisor met UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy where the two held discussions on diverse bilateral, regional and multilateral issues.  Both sides discussed, among others, the ongoing reforms in Bangladesh, Rohingya crisis, post-LDC graduation support, according to the Bangladesh Mission in Kuala Lumpur.  The Foreign Adviser also called on Winston Peters, the Foreign Minister of New Zealand, Hon Vijitha Herath, the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, and Park Yoonjoo, the Vice Minister and Head of Delegation of the Republic of Korea where a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues came for discussions.  Bangladesh became a member of ARF in 2006, a forum established in early nineties to promote confidence and trust among its 27 members that include countries in the broader Asia-Pacific.  At present, Bangladesh is co-chairing two of the ARF priority areas, “Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime” and “Disaster Relief.”  The next session of the ARF ministerial meeting is scheduled to take place in Manila in 2026. In the afternoon, the Foreign Adviser delivered the national statement at the Ministerial Meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum where he called for greater attention to the Rohingya crisis, in consideration of its national and regional security implications.  China, Canada foresee ‘renewed collaboration’ in trade, investment with Bangladesh The Foriegn Adviser also urged the ASEAN members to positively consider Bangladesh’s bid to become Sectoral Dialogue Partner.  The Foreign Adviser was accompanied by Md Shameem Ahsan, the High Commissioner of Bangaldesh to Malaysia, Md Forhadul Islam, Director General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other senior officials of the Bangladesh government.    

The US State Department has begun dismissing more than 1,300 employees as part of a sweeping reorganization under the Trump administration’s plan to downsize the federal government. According to CNN said the layoffs include 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service officers. Employees are being notified via email, with many placed on administrative leave—foreign service staff for 120 days and most civil servants for 60 days—before termination. “Nearly 3,000 members of the workforce will depart as part of the reorganization,” the notice said, including both involuntary and voluntary departures. “In connection with the Departmental reorganization first announced by the Secretary of State on April 22, 2025, the Department is streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” the notice read. It said reductions target “non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices,” and those where “considerable efficiencies” can be gained through consolidation.   Trump plans to hike tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently returning from Malaysia, said the overhaul was being carried out “probably in the most deliberate way of anyone that’s done one.” A senior official said the changes are “personnel agnostic,” focusing on functions no longer aligned with department goals. While overseas posts remain unaffected, many in Washington, DC, will be impacted. Thomas Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association, called the timing troubling. “There are horrible things that are happening in the world that require a tried-and-true diplomatic workforce,” he said, pointing to crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. Yazdgerdi warned the cuts could damage morale, recruitment, and retention. “We’re like the military,” he said. “If you’re going to RIF an office, we’re not tied to that office.”

President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States is selling weapons to NATO allies, who are then supplying them to Ukraine as it faces intensifying Russian missile and drone attacks. “We’re sending weapons to NATO, and NATO is paying for those weapons, 100%,” Trump told NBC on Thursday. “The weapons that are going out are going to NATO, and then NATO is going to be giving those weapons (to Ukraine), and NATO is paying for those weapons." Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Kuala Lumpur on Friday, explained that deploying existing U.S.-made weapons from NATO allies in Europe is faster than sending them directly from U.S. factories. “It’s a lot faster to move something, for example, from Germany to Ukraine,” he said. Ukraine urgently needs more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukraine is seeking 10 additional Patriot systems. Germany has pledged two, and Norway one. Russia launches record drone attack on Ukraine Meanwhile, Russia launched a drone attack on Kharkiv early Friday, injuring nine and damaging a maternity hospital. Another drone strike in Odesa also injured nine. “There is no silence in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. In response, Kyiv is launching the “Clear Sky” project—an interceptor drone system with a $6.2 million investment to counter Russian Shahed drones. Zelenskyy said his recent talks with Trump have been “very constructive,” as Ukraine pushes its allies to speed up promised military support.

President Donald Trump is set to visit flood-ravaged areas of Texas on Friday, even as questions grow over his administration’s pledge to shutter the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The trip comes after catastrophic flooding left at least 120 people dead and over 170 missing. Despite earlier promises to shift disaster response to states, Trump has focused on the tragedy’s human toll. “It's a horrible thing,” he said Friday. Speaking to NBC News, he described it as “a once-in-every-200-year deal.” Trump approved Texas’ request to expand the federal disaster declaration to eight additional counties, enabling direct financial assistance. He will tour the damage by air and meet with first responders and victims’ families, joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Governor Greg Abbott, and Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Trump administration sanctions UN investigator probing Gaza abuses Trump has used past disaster tours to attack political opponents but has stayed silent this time on FEMA’s future. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Whether that assistance comes from states or the federal government, that is a policy discussion that will continue.” OMB Director Russell Vought also avoided clarifying FEMA’s fate but said the agency has “billions” in reserves. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem noted, “We’re cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA. Streamlining it, much like your vision.” Local officials in Texas face criticism over preparedness, but some residents, like Darrin Potter of Kerr County, urged understanding, saying evacuation could have been more dangerous.

One hundred and thirty eight more new dengue cases were reported in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning, bringing the total number of cases to 14, 069 this year. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), new cases were reported as follows: 60 in Barishal Division (Out of CC), 28 in Chattogram Division (Out of CC), three in Khulna Division (Out of CC), 19 in Dhaka Division (Out of CC), one in Dhaka North City Corporation and 24 in Dhaka South City Corporation. Dengue: 317 more dengue cases reported in 24hrs The number of deaths remained at 54, with no new fatalities reported during this period, the DGHS added. Currently, 1, 271 dengue patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. According to the DGHS, there were 101,214 dengue cases and 100,040 recoveries in the same year.

Nepal's Deputy Chief of Mission Lalita Silwal on Friday inaugurated the three-day photography exhibition ‘Sea to Summit’, which is showcasing the photographs by two inspiring Mt. Everest summiteers — Ikramul Hasan Shakil from Bangladesh and Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa from Nepal. Speaking on the occasion, Silwal congratulated Shakil and Sherpa and stressed that their joint ascent was reflective of the enduring values of courage, determination and resilience shared by both Nepali and Bangladeshi peoples. Shakil made history by trekking 1,372 kilometers from the Bay of Bengal in Cox’s Bazar to the summit of Mt. Everest in just 84 days. MoU inked to promote Dhaka-Bangkok trade Meanwhile, Sherpa achieved a milestone by scaling Mount Everest four times within a span of just 15 days. The exhibition is being organized by the Bangladeshi Mountaineering Trekking Club, from July 11 to 13 at the Bangladesh National Museum in Dhaka.

A brilliant hattrick by striker Sagorika guided defending champions Bangladesh to make a flying start  will start in the four-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U-20 Women’s Championship’2025 crushing Sri Lanka by 9-1 goals in the opening match at the Bashundhara Kings Arena Friday afternoon Favorite Bangladesh clearly dominated the first by 3-0 goals in a comparatively water soaked ground. In the day's opener, Sagorika made the first hattrick of the tournament scoring three goals, Munki Akter struck twice while Sapna Rani, Rupa Akhter, Shikha Akhter and Shanti Mardi scored one each for Bangladesh   Sri Lankan team scored a consolation goal in the added time of the match . Sapna Rani put Bangladesh ahead in the very 2nd minute (2-0), Munki Akhter doubled the Bangladesh margin in the 5th minute while Sagorika scored the 3rd goal in the 37th minute to lead the first half by 3-0 goals. SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship’2025 begins here on Friday Munki Akter scored her 2nd and team's 4th goal in the 48th minute, Sinha Jahan Shikha scored the 5th goal in the 50th minute , Sagorika scored her 2nd and the Bangladesh 6th goal in the 53rd minute. Sagorika completed the first hattrick of the tournament scoring her 3rd and team's 7th goal in the 58th minute, Ripa Akter scored the 8th goal in the 86th minute and Shanti Mardi sealed the fate of the match in the added time (90+4) of the match In the day's other opening day's fixture, Nepal will encounter Bhutan at  7 pm local time at the same venue. Four South Asian nations –Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and hosts Bangladesh-- are taking part  in the 11-day meet on double league basis, organised by South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) under the auspices of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). Afeida Khondakar, who captained Bangladesh Women’s team to qualify for the first-ever final round berth of the AFC Women’s Asia Cup recently, also leading the Bangladesh team in the ensuing SAFF U-20 Women’s championship and made a flying start in the opener. In the other double league basis matches, Bangladesh will play Nepal on July 13, Bhutan on July 15, again Bhutan on July 17, Sri Lanka on July 19 and Nepal on July 21. After the league basis matches, top team will be the champions Bangladesh and India emerged joint champions in the last version of the meet in Dhaka in 2024 after playing 1-1 draw in the schedule time and 11-11 goals draw in penalty shootout in the final. But, India did not compete this time as they withdrew their team in last moment.