Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed that China will remain a steadfast friend, neighbor, and partner of Bangladesh regardless of global changes. During a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi declared China’s support for Bangladesh’s efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, while rejecting any form of foreign interference. The two nations announced the formation of a new-era community with a shared future and agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level.

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, both sides committed to strengthening strategic dialogue, political trust, and cooperation across multiple sectors, including green and low-carbon development, digital economy, information technology, and artificial intelligence. Xi also emphasized advancing the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor and enhancing exchanges in health, culture, and education. He expressed China’s readiness to coordinate with Bangladesh in multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman congratulated the Communist Party of China on its 105th anniversary and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s adherence to the One-China policy. He praised China’s modernization as a model and expressed Bangladesh’s intent to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and other development areas.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has departed for Bangladesh after completing a six-day state visit to Malaysia and China. He and his delegation left Beijing’s Tasing Airport on a China Southern Airlines commercial flight at 5:15 p.m. local time on Friday, with their arrival in Dhaka expected around 8:15 p.m. Bangladesh time. The prime minister and his wife, Zubaida Rahman, walked the red carpet before boarding, while a ceremonial guard of honor was presented by the Chinese military. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy, Yu Xiaoyong, saw them off at the airport.

Earlier in the day, Rahman held a 50-minute bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall in Beijing, followed by a one-on-one discussion between the two leaders. This trip marked Rahman’s first foreign visit since forming a new government following the BNP’s decisive victory in the 13th parliamentary election. He began the journey on June 21 with a four-day visit to Malaysia before proceeding to China.

The completion of this visit signals the beginning of the new administration’s diplomatic engagements following the recent election.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a one-on-one meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, following a bilateral discussion at the Great Hall of the People. The meeting was confirmed by the Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, who described it as unprecedented. The bilateral meeting, led by both leaders, lasted about 50 minutes before the private session took place.

According to Humayun Kabir, the exclusive meeting reflected the importance China places on Bangladesh and its leadership. He noted that such a separate, private discussion following a formal bilateral meeting was highly unusual, underscoring the significance of the engagement.

The meeting occurred on the final day of the Prime Minister’s visit to Beijing, highlighting the growing diplomatic engagement between Bangladesh and China. No further details about the topics discussed or outcomes of the meeting were disclosed in the report.

Cumilla-6 Member of Parliament Monirul Haque Chowdhury has warned of a long march if the administration fails to control drug trafficking and terrorism in the Golabari area. Speaking as the chief guest at a discussion marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, 2026, he said he would resign from parliament if the government did not take effective action. The event was held at the Cumilla Deputy Commissioner’s conference room.

Haque criticized local authorities for their inability to bring Golabari under control, contrasting it with the administration’s success in managing Jungle Salimpur. He urged the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to prepare a list of key offenders and take immediate action, warning that he would mobilize 10,000 people for a long march if necessary. He also called on the district public prosecutor to be stricter about bail in murder and drug cases.

The meeting was chaired by Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md. Reza Hasan and attended by officials from law enforcement and local administration.

Bangladesh and China have taken their bilateral relationship to a new level following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit to Beijing. At a press conference held at the Diaoyutai Hotel on Thursday evening, Prime Minister’s Adviser and Spokesperson Mahdi Amin announced that 13 memorandums of understanding were signed after a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People. The agreements cover investment cooperation, green development, export capacity enhancement, education, vocational training, and media collaboration.

Discussions also focused on concessional loans, infrastructure development, and expanding Chinese investment in Bangladesh’s economic zones, industrial parks, and technology sectors. China expressed interest in supporting Bangladesh’s Teesta project through technical assistance and a joint feasibility study. Both sides discussed trade diversification, human resource development, and cultural exchange, including introducing Mandarin as a third language in Bangladesh’s education system.

China reaffirmed its willingness to work closely with Bangladesh’s elected government under Prime Minister Rahman, offering cooperation in trade, education, healthcare, and disaster management. The visit marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which both governments described as entering a new phase of strategic partnership.

A wave of pro-Palestinian victories in New York City has marked a dramatic shift in U.S. politics. In the latest elections, candidates supporting Palestinian rights won across all five boroughs, defeating long-standing incumbents known for their strong backing of Israel. Among the most notable losses were Representative Dan Goldman, who was defeated by former city comptroller Brad Lander, and Adriano Espaillat, who lost to activist Daryaliza Avila Chevalier despite heavy financial support from pro-Israel groups.

The results reflect growing voter frustration with continued U.S. funding for Israel’s military and its actions in Gaza. Polls cited in the report show that majorities of Democratic voters in states like Texas, Arizona, and New York believe Israel is committing genocide. The shift has also exposed divisions within the Democratic Party, as leaders face pressure to align with changing public sentiment.

The article suggests that unless Democratic leaders adjust their stance on Israel, they risk losing key voter support in future national elections, while Republicans may seize the opportunity to redefine their position on the issue.

The National Citizens Party (NCP) has announced plans for a month-long nationwide march in July to mark the second anniversary of the 2024 student and people's uprising. The program aims to press for implementation of the July Charter on state reform, justice for perpetrators of mass killings, and the establishment of a fascism-free political order. The marches will be led by NCP’s southern region organizer and Member of Parliament Hasnat Abdullah, with participation from senior party leaders.

According to party sources, the NCP intends to hold rallies in 50 locations across the country as part of the campaign. The initiative is designed to strengthen the party’s reorganization process and mobilize young citizens. The party is also considering a “Border March” to protest killings of Bangladeshis and alleged push-in attempts along the India-Bangladesh border. NCP leaders have accused the current government of betraying democratic reform promises and allowing banned political groups to regain influence.

A final decision on the program is expected within days, after which the NCP will formally announce the schedule and details of the July marches.

Iraq’s new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has launched a wide-ranging anticorruption campaign that has led to multiple arrests of senior officials and the seizure of tens of millions of dollars. The Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council reported that about $86 million in cash, 70 properties, 21 vehicles, and three kilograms of gold were confiscated in a probe involving detained Oil Ministry Undersecretary Adnan al-Jumaili. Al-Jumaili, also head of the Iraqi North Refineries Company, was arrested on May 30 in al-Ishaqi, north of Baghdad. The arrests followed al-Zaidi’s order to review government contracts for evidence of corruption, and the cancellation of a $764 million airport project over suspected irregularities.

The prime minister has also created the Supreme Sovereign Council for Integrity, Oversight and Recovery of Public Funds to monitor ministries and recover state assets. Iraq ranks 136th out of 182 countries in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, reflecting persistent structural issues. Activists and experts say corruption remains deeply embedded in Iraq’s political system, with outdated laws hindering accountability.

Observers have welcomed the initiative but remain cautious, noting that older and politically sensitive corruption cases have yet to be addressed.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was fully prepared to enter a war in support of Iran. Trump made the statement on Thursday during a conversation with journalists at the White House, according to a report by Middle East Monitor. He said Erdogan did not like Israel and was therefore the top candidate to side with Iran in the conflict. However, Trump asserted that Turkey eventually agreed to stay out of the confrontation following his personal intervention and request.

The report also noted that Trump gave a positive signal regarding Turkey’s request for U.S. F-35 fighter jets and engines to support its domestically produced warplane. He said he would likely do something to make Turkey happy. Additionally, Trump reaffirmed his intention to attend the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara as a gesture of respect toward Erdogan.

The statements highlight ongoing U.S.-Turkey diplomatic engagement amid regional tensions involving Iran and Israel, as reported by Middle East Monitor.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed stated that the government is working to build a country free from drugs and gambling. He made the remarks on Friday morning at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka during an event marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The minister said that old laws are no longer sufficient to control drugs, emphasizing the need for new legislation. He noted that prevention, along with enforcement, is the most effective approach to combating drug abuse. Salahuddin Ahmed also announced that an amendment to the drug prevention law will be presented in parliament within the next few days.

He urged the youth to stay away from drugs to help drive national development and called on the administration to take a stronger stance in eradicating drug abuse across the country.

Iran has dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington plans to use Iran’s unfrozen funds to purchase American agricultural products. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator, denied the claim, calling it completely false. In a post on social media platform X, Ghalibaf said the United States only exports genetically modified soybeans, broken promises, and nonsense.

Iran has emphasized that, under the terms of the ongoing agreement, it alone will decide how to spend its released assets, not the United States. The dispute follows reports from Iranian state media that Washington has agreed to release 12 billion dollars of Iran’s frozen funds and temporarily suspend sanctions on Tehran’s oil exports as part of the negotiations.

The exchange highlights continuing tensions between Tehran and Washington over financial assets and trade conditions, even as both sides discuss limited economic relief measures.

Three politicians critical of Israel won New York City’s Democratic Party primaries on Tuesday, signaling a shift in the party’s stance toward the Jewish state. The winners—Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darieliza Avila Chevalier—were backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose activism began in the Palestinian rights movement. At Avila Chevalier’s victory rally in Harlem, supporters chanted “Free Palestine,” and she declared that the era of old politics was over.

The results reflect a broader transformation within the Democratic Party, where voters are increasingly critical of Israel’s actions. While many senior Democrats remain supportive of Israel, grassroots backing has declined. A recent New York Times/Siena poll found that 60 percent of Democrats sympathize more with Palestinians, compared to only 15 percent with Israel. Senator Chris Van Hollen noted that more Democrats now oppose unconditional U.S. aid to Israel.

Despite heavy spending by pro-Israel groups like AIPAC to influence upcoming elections, the organization appears to be operating defensively as Democratic sentiment continues to shift.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces will remain stationed in southern Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. Speaking at an event in southern Israel, he stated that the military would stay in those areas as long as necessary to ensure Israel’s security.

Netanyahu rejected calls for troop withdrawal under a U.S.-Iran agreement, asserting that Israel’s recent operations against Iran had significantly strengthened its strategic position. He emphasized that Israel had no intention of leaving the buffer zone in southern Lebanon and would maintain control over strategically important positions.

According to Netanyahu, the continued presence of Israeli forces in these regions is essential for national security, and the government will not compromise on that stance.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of migrants from Haiti and Syria. In a 6–3 ruling issued on Thursday, conservative justices upheld the administration’s authority to revoke the humanitarian protection, overturning lower court decisions that had blocked the move. The decision removes the legal right of affected migrants to remain in the United States and opens the door for their deportation.

The ruling affects more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians who received TPS after the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the 2012 Syrian civil war. Justice Samuel Alito wrote that courts lack authority to review administrative decisions on TPS, rejecting claims that the policy was racially motivated. Liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan dissented, arguing that the court should review whether proper procedures were followed and citing evidence of racial bias in Trump’s earlier remarks.

The decision could impact 1.3 million TPS holders from 17 countries. Haitian and Syrian advocates warned of severe humanitarian consequences, while Trump officials welcomed the ruling as a reaffirmation of immigration control.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has condemned what it called false and unverified reports by foreign media alleging that food supply vehicles were being blocked in Azad Jammu and Kashmir amid ongoing protests. The ministry lodged a formal complaint, stating that the reports were based on unverified claims and ignored official data and records.

According to the ministry’s statement, the spread of unverified news has become a recurring issue that requires corrective measures. The controversy follows violent demonstrations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) began protests on June 5 demanding the abolition of reserved assembly seats and increased employment opportunities. Following the unrest, the JAAC was declared a banned organization under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Several media outlets, including AFP, had reported that authorities restricted supplies of food, fuel, and medicine to control the protests, a claim Pakistan’s government has strongly denied.