France 24

Dhaka, Bangladesh – A woman publicly confronted Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during an appearance in Bangladesh, accusing people associated with his political camp of responsibility for her husband’s death.

Video circulating on social media appears to show the woman standing near Rahman and shouting at him as people gathered around the area. In an emotional outburst, she demanded that he step down and alleged: “Your people killed my husband.”

The original statement contained abusive language, parts of which have been omitted. It was not immediately clear where or when the confrontation occurred, or whether the woman had previously filed a formal complaint concerning her husband’s death.

People nearby appeared surprised by the sudden protest as security personnel and organisers attempted to control the situation. The available footage does not clearly show how Rahman responded to the allegation or whether he spoke directly with the woman.

No evidence presented in the video establishes who was responsible for the reported death. The woman’s allegation has not been independently verified, and no detailed statement from the Prime Minister’s Office or law-enforcement authorities was immediately available.

The incident has nevertheless attracted attention online, with users sharing the footage as part of a wider debate over political violence, accountability and public security in Bangladesh.

Rahman’s government has faced calls to take firm action against violence involving members or supporters of political organisations. His Bangladesh Nationalist Party has said that individuals involved in criminal activity should face legal consequences regardless of their political affiliation.

A BNP spokesperson previously said Rahman had instructed the home and law ministries to remain neutral and ensure justice for victims. The party has also announced disciplinary measures against members accused of involvement in violence, according to a France 24 report.

Rights advocates have repeatedly called for transparent investigations into politically connected killings and attacks. They argue that victims’ families must be able to seek justice without intimidation and that criminal responsibility should be determined through credible investigations rather than political affiliation.

UK counter-terrorism officers investigating a spate of arson attacks on Jewish and other sites in London have made eight further arrests, bringing the total number to 23, police said Tuesday.

The capital's Metropolitan Police said seven of the arrests, made in the past 48 hours, were part of "a proactive investigation into alleged conspiracy to commit arson".

Six sites, all of them Jewish save a Persian media outlet that is critical of Iran, have been targeted by arson attacks in recent weeks. While no injuries have been reported, Jewish leaders have denounced rising anti-Semitism, and police say that Iranian proxies may have been involved.

"While it is believed that the intended target of this conspiracy is a venue related to the Jewish community, the specific target or venue is not known," the force added.

Detectives arrested three men – aged 24, 25 and 26 – late Sunday in Harpenden, north of London. They have since been released on bail.

Officers on Monday then detained a 25-year-old man in nearby Stevenage, as well as a 26-year-old man and two women aged 50 and 59 in a car near Birmingham, western England. They all remain in custody in London.

On Tuesday police arrested a 39-year-old man in west London under anti-terror laws, amid a probe into "the discovery of jars of a non-hazardous substance" Friday in Kensington Gardens, the Met said. The gardens are close to the Israeli embassy.

"As part of this investigation, a search is ongoing at a premises in east London," the force added.

Ukraine has repaired the damaged Druzhba pipeline that carries Russian oil to Europe and is ready to resume supplies – unblocking what Kyiv hopes was the last hurdle to securing tens of billions of euros in support from Brussels.

The pipeline has been at the centre of a standoff between Hungary and Slovakia, which still import Russian oil via the pipeline, Ukraine and the European Union.

Kyiv can restart pumping Russian oil to the two EU countries as soon as it gets a formal request, a source in Kyiv told AFP.

Hungary's outgoing nationalist leader Viktor Orban had held up a much-needed €90 billion ($106 billion) loan for Ukraine as leverage to pressure Kyiv to resume deliveries, accusing it of stalling repairs.

His defeat in elections earlier this month was seen as paving the way for the money to be unlocked.

"Ukraine has completed repair work on the section of the Druzhba oil pipeline that was damaged by a Russian strike," Zelensky wrote in a statement published on social media.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday to reaffirm support for the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as both sides accuse each other of violations.

The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect Friday, but remains fragile.

Macron said at a press conference with Salam following the talks that France will help Lebanese authorities prepare negotiations with ​Israel ‌even if ⁠Paris was not directly part ‌of the discussions.

Macron said ‌it was "secondary" for France to be sitting at ‌the table of negotiations, ​as it is in Lebanon's interest that everyone helps it ​in the negotiations.

Paris, ​which has ​deep historical ties with Beirut, ​has sought to play a role in the talks, but has met ⁠resistance from both Israel and ⁠the ​United States.

'Diplomacy is not a sign of weakness'

The meeting at the presidential palace came after the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, came under attack from small arms fire on Saturday, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously.

France’s far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella sat down for lunch Monday with the country’s leading employer federation, marking the latest step in a years-long campaign to woo business leaders in the lead-up to next year’s presidential election – and once again revealing the deep contradictions within the populist party's economic programme.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Faced with a centre that cannot hold and a left locked in a bitter struggle between its radical and reformist wings, a far-right movement surges through the breach. 

Scenting the chance for an uneasy – but effective – collaboration, the country’s traditional business elite extends an olive branch – an invitation to lunch, perhaps. They take their seats around the table, pick up their knives, and begin to carve. 

Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet, a candidate for UN secretary-general, said Tuesday she hoped the world is finally "ready" for a woman in the position.

Since the United Nations was founded after World War II, all nine UN chiefs have been men, although many countries have advocated for the appointment of a woman.

In 2016, despite several female candidates, Antonio Guterres of Portugal won the race.

"If I am polite, I would say the world was not prepared for it. Is it prepared now? I hope so," Bachelet, 74, told reporters after a three-hour hearing before member states.

"It will be a very good signal," she said. "It could get hope for many people."

In a world ravaged by wars, the candidate pleaded with member states to rebuild trust in the UN, particularly by continuing the organization's reform amid a political and financial crisis.

Israel's military chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir on Wednesday said he had ordered areas south of Lebanon's Litani River to be turned into a Hezbollah "kill zone" as troops pressed a major offensive there. Israeli strikes on Lebanon over the past six weeks have killed at least 2,167 people, including 172 children, the country's health ministry says. Read our blog to see how the day's events unfolded.

Back-to-back Israeli strikes kill 4 Lebanese medics as Israel-Hezbollah war grinds on

The Israeli military on Wednesday killed four Lebanese rescue workers and wounded six others in three consecutive, targeted strikes, paramedic groups said, a stark illustration of the human cost of the Israeli military campaign against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon a day after it the two countries held historic talks in Washington.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States would indefinitely extend its ceasefire with Iran, easing fears that a fragile pause in fighting could collapse as stalled peace talks remain in limbo. The move comes amid mounting diplomatic pressure, with Pakistan scrambling to bring both sides back to the negotiating table and warnings from Washington and Tehran that hostilities could quickly resume without a deal.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday the United States was indefinitely extending its ceasefire with Iran — a day before it was to expire — as a new round of peace talks was on hold. The announcement appeared to ease fears that the fighting, which had shaken energy markets and the global economy, would promptly resume.

Pakistan had planned to host a second round of talks, but the White House put on hold Vice President JD Vance’s planned trip to Islamabad as Iran rebuffed efforts to restart negotiations.

NEW YORK — A Russian daredevil couple known for their high-risk urban climbing exploits was arrested after illegally scaling the spire of the Empire State Building in what authorities say was an unauthorized stunt that ended with a marriage proposal hundreds of meters above Manhattan.

The pair, identified as Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov—better known online as Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus—reached the iconic skyscraper's antenna without safety equipment before unfurling a banner promoting peace and documenting the climb on social media. Witnesses and news helicopters captured the climbers standing atop the structure before emergency responders began moving in.

During their descent, Kuznetsov reportedly proposed to Nikolau, who accepted. Moments later, officers from the New York Police Department's Emergency Service Unit intercepted the couple and escorted them safely down. They were subsequently taken into custody and face multiple charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment, and criminal trespassing.

The couple has built an international following through "rooftopping"—the practice of climbing skyscrapers and other landmarks without permission or protective gear. Their relationship and previous adventures were featured in the 2024 Netflix documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, which chronicled their pursuit of extreme urban exploration.

Authorities said the incident prompted a temporary disruption around the Empire State Building while emergency crews secured the area. Although no injuries were reported and officials indicated the public was never in immediate danger, investigators are reviewing how the pair gained access to restricted sections of the landmark.

The stunt has sparked widespread debate online, with some social media users praising the couple's courage and others criticizing the act as reckless and irresponsible. Security experts noted that the incident is likely to prompt a review of access controls at one of New York City's most recognizable buildings.

তারেক রহমানের নিরাপত্তা ও প্রতিরক্ষা বিষয়ক প্রতিমন্ত্রী হলো ব্রিগেডিয়ার (অবঃ) শামসুল ইসলাম।তিনি সর্বত্র বলে বেড়ান জাতীয়তাবাদী রাজনীতি করার কারণে তাকে ২০১৮ সালে জোর করে অবসরে পাঠানো হয়।

সত্যটা হলো শামসুল যাকে স্টাইল করে শামস ডাকা হয় তার স্ত্রীর নাম হচ্ছে ইশরাত জাহান মলি। এই ইশরাত জাহান মলি'র স্বেচ্ছায় শ্যুট করা কিছু নগ্ন ছবি প্রকাশিত হলে সামরিক বাহিনীর নিয়ম অনুযায়ী তদন্ত করা হয় এবং তদন্তের পরে শামসুকে বলা হয় এই অবস্থায় তাকে হয় চাকুরী ছাড়তে হবে অথবা বউ। শামসু ইশরাত দম্পতির বাচ্চারা তখন ই যথেষ্ট বড়-পারিবারিক বিভিন্ন বিষয় আমলে নিয়ে শামুস ইশরাতকে না ছেড়ে বরং স্বেচ্ছা অবসরে চলে যান সামরিক বাহিনীর চাকুরী থেকে।

২০২৬ এর নির্বাচনে তারেক রহমান নির্বাচিত হয়ে ক্ষমতায় বসে শামসুকে বানান তার নিরাপত্তা ও প্রতিরক্ষা বিষয়ক প্রতিমন্ত্রী।

শামসু নিরাপত্তা প্রতিমন্ত্রী এবং শামসুর স্ত্রী ইশরাত তারেক রহমানের স্ত্রী জুবাইদার বডি গার্ড। জুবাইদা রহমান যেখানেই যান সাথে করে মলিকে নিয়ে যান।

এখানে উল্লেখ্য, এই শামসু যে ১৫ জন সামরিক কর্মকর্তার নামে এ মুহূর্তে আইসিটিতে কেইস চলছে আইসিটির প্রধান তাজুলের সাথে যোগসাজশে প্রত্যেকের বিরুদ্ধে ৩-৫ জন রাজসাক্ষী দাঁড়া করাচ্ছে:সাক্ষীদের বেশিরভাগ হচ্ছে রানার পদমর্যাদার।কাউকে ইউরোপে সেটল করে দেয়ার প্রলোভন দেয়া হচ্ছে বা কাউকে দেয়া হচ্ছে বেসুমার টাকা পয়সা।

As the US-Israeli war against Iran entered its second month on Saturday, US President Donald Trump had an urgent message for the American people: turn on Fox News.

Those who followed the president’s advice – delivered through his Truth Social media platform – would have tuned in to see ultraconservative pundit Mark Levin publicly calling on Trump to seize Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium by force.

“We’ve got to get the uranium,” he said. “If it cannot be destroyed, if it cannot be altered, we gotta get it.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Trump was seriously considering launching a military operation to seize Tehran’s most highly enriched uranium stockpiles.

And the president is not the only person in the US government flirting with the idea of an all-out ground offensive to capture the highly radioactive material.

“People are going to have to go and get it,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the US Congress in early March.

Out of reach

According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran held roughly 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent before the June 2025 US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is restricted to civilian use only.

A French court Monday issued an arrest warrant and a one-year jail sentence against the Chinese captain of a suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker over failing to comply with orders to stop his ship.

Chen Zhangjie, 39, was sentenced in absentia after the French navy boarded the Boracay tanker in September before releasing the vessel and its crew days later, in what Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned as "piracy".

The court in the western city of Brest also ordered Zhangjie to pay a 150,000-euro ($172,000) fine.

Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday, defeating Bolivia 2-1 in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico to seal their first appearance at the finals in 40 years.

Iraq, whose preparations for Tuesday's playoff had been disrupted by the war in the Middle East, will play in World Cup Group I against France, Senegal and Norway.

Goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured a famous win for Iraq, whose last appearance at the World Cup came at the 1986 finals in Mexico.

The win marked a triumph for Iraq's Australian coach Graham Arnold, who had initially sought to have Tuesday's fixture postponed due to the disruption caused by the regional conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Most of the Iraqi squad only reached Mexico after a gruelling three-day journey from Baghdad that began with an overland crossing into Jordan.

But there was little sign of weariness during a confident start by Iraq, who took the lead after nine minutes through Luton Town striker Al-Hamadi – the 24-year-old who moved to Liverpool as a toddler following the outbreak of the 2003 Iraq war.

Iraq midfielder Amir Al-Ammari won a corner after a superb free-kick that was saved at full stretch from Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra.

From the subsequent set piece Al-Ammari curled a pinpoint corner on to the head of Al-Hamadi who nodded home for 1-0.

Iraq were well worth the early goal and looked in control until Bolivia, who had gradually grown into the game, equalized after 38 minutes.

Ramiro Vaca's shot from the edge of the area was controlled with one touch by Moises Paniagua and the Morocco-based central midfielder swept into the roof of the net.

Lebanon denounced what it called Israel's plans for "a new occupation of Lebanese territory" on Tuesday, after Israel said it would establish a "security zone" in the country.

Defence Minister Major General Michel Menassa said the remarks by his counterpart Israel Katz were "no longer mere threats", but reflected "a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory, forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages and towns in the south".

Katz also said Israel would have "security control" up to the Litani river, an idea which Menassa denounced as "a deepening of the aggression against Lebanese land and national sovereignty".

Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the war by launching attacks on Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with broad strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney denounced Israel's deployment of troops against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as an "illegal invasion" that violates its "integrity and sovereignty".

Fresh Israeli strikes hit the country's south and near Beirut on Tuesday, the state-run National News Agency said.

One strike hit a building next to Beirut's main airport road after Israel's military warned it would strike a "Hezbollah facility" there.

The road is the main means of accessing the country's only international passenger facility.

An American journalist was kidnapped Tuesday in Baghdad by a suspected Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, the United States said, as regional security deteriorates following the US-Israeli attack on Iran.

The State Department said it had warned the journalist of security risks and was working to ensure the American's release "as soon as possible".

"An individual with ties to the Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hezballah believed to be involved in the kidnapping has been taken into custody by Iraqi authorities," Dylan Johnson, the assistant secretary of state for global public affairs, wrote on X.

Iraq said that authorities intercepted a vehicle that overturned as they tried to flee.

"Security forces were able to arrest one of the suspects and seize one of the vehicles used in the crime," the Iraqi interior ministry said in a statement.

"The Ministry affirms that efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining individuals involved, secure the release of the kidnapped journalist," it added.

An Iraqi security source told AFP the abduction occurred in Baghdad. Iraqi authorities did not identify the perpetrator or the victim.

The journalist was identified as Shelly Kittleson, a freelancer, by media advocacy groups as well as Al-Monitor, one of the news outlets for which she worked.

Al-Monitor in a statement said it was "deeply alarmed" by Kittleson's kidnapping and called for her "safe and immediate release".

"We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work," the news organisation said.

Kittleson is a "legitimate journalist" with experience in the Middle East and is based in Rome, according to the International Women's Media Foundation.

Baghdad was previously notorious for kidnappings and attempted abductions, but they decreased as the security situation in the country improved in recent years.

Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped in Baghdad in 2023. She was held for two years until her release last year.

The United States has warned Americans of rising risks in Iraq, where Iran has sway over several Shia armed groups, after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.

Johnson said that the State Department had "fulfilled our duty" to warn the journalist about threats and reiterated a warning for Americans to leave Iraq.

"The State Department strongly advise all Americans, including members of the press, to adhere to all travel advisories," he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he shared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's position on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking alongside her on the second day of his visit to Tokyo.

The two leaders were expected to discuss security and partnerships in the space sector, and planned to sign a roadmap on nuclear power in Japan, the Élysée Palace said ahead of Macron's Asia trip, which will also include a visit to South Korea.