The US State Department’s key diplomat Donald Lu has arrived in Dhaka to hold discussions with the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.

Lu, the assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, landed in Dhaka on Saturday noon after concluding his visit to Delhi, bdnews24 reported.

Upon his arrival at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport, he was greeted by Samia Israt Ronee, director of the North America division of the Foreign Ministry.

In a statement released on Saturday evening, the Ministry said Brandon Lynch, the assistant US trade representative for South and Central Asia, is accompanying Lu.

To lead the delegation, Brent Neiman, assistant Treasury secretary for international finance, had already arrived in Dhaka on Saturday morning.

The US Embassy in Dhaka reported that Neiman had a meeting with a delegation from the American Chamber of Commerce, bdnews24 reported.

The delegation will meet Chief Advisor Yunus and discuss bilateral issues. They will also meet Finance and Commerce Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed.

Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain said US Treasury and National Security Council officials will stay in Bangladesh longer than Lu.

He added the discussions will primarily focus on financial and trade matters, bdnews 24 reported.

Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin told reporters on Thursday, “I can only say that the arrival of the US delegation after the formation of the interim government reflects the importance the US places on its relationship with Bangladesh.”

He mentioned that the composition of the US delegation suggests a broad and multi-dimensional dialogue.

“It will not be limited to just a specific issue. In line with this, we are also preparing on our end. Our team will be similarly aligned,” he added.

The five-member US delegation was received on Saturday morning at Shahjalal International Airport by Khandaker Masudul Alam, Director General (North America) of the Foreign Ministry.

This high-level delegation marks the first such visit to Bangladesh since the formation of the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on August 8.

The delegation includes officials from the US Department of State, the Treasury, the US Agency for International Development, and the Department of Commerce.

The Chief Advisor’s press wing confirmed that the delegation will meet Yunus at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday at the state guest house Jamuna.

A US State Department statement said Lu will be part of a US delegation holding meetings with the Bangladeshi interim government.

Lu will also visit India during the September 10-16 trip.

“US and Bangladeshi officials will discuss how the US can support Bangladesh’s economic growth, financial stability and development needs,” the statement said.

AGENCIES

From a military perspective, Ukrainians should not be restricted in using delivered weapons, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Military Committee Chair Rob Bauer said.

Speaking after a meeting of the NATO Military Committee in Prague, Bauer said lifting the restrictions on the use of supplied weapons to Ukraine would be logical from a military point of view, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, he noted that countries providing these weapons to Ukraine have the right to limit individual weapons, adding that there is a political discussion.

According to the Czech News Agency, debates on restrictions on the use of weapons supplied to Ukraine are taking place at various levels. Italy introduced them, while countries such as the Czech Republic, Sweden and the Netherlands do not set any conditions for the use of weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Thursday that by providing Ukraine with long-range weapons, Western countries risk involving directly in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In such circumstances, Russia would be forced to make “appropriate decisions” based on the new threats, Putin was quoted by Russian media as saying.

According to Western media reports, Ukraine has been pleading with its Western allies for it to use their missiles, including long-range ones, to fire deep into Russian territory. AGENCIES

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) does not expect to resume talks with the US regarding a multi-billion dollar deal to acquire F-35 fighter jets, irrespective of who wins the upcoming US presidential election in November, a senior UAE government official said.

A leading media outlet reported on Friday that the UAE was planning to resume negotiations to purchase F-35s and armed drones if Donald Trump wins a second presidential term, according to several people familiar with the matter.

Trump had signed off on a deal to allow the purchase to go ahead in the final days of his presidency in 2021, but the UAE suspended talks at the end of that year, unable to agree terms with the current Biden administration.

The UAE has long sought the most advanced fighter jet, built with stealth technology allowing it to evade enemy detection.

If the US did approve the transfer, the UAE would be only the second Middle East state, after Israel, to operate F-35s.

The UAE official said on Saturday the same factors that caused it to suspend the talks in 2021 have not changed and the government does not plan to re-open negotiations.

“Technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions and cost/benefit analysis led to the reassessment at that time, and those considerations underpin our ongoing position.”

The official did not comment on the possibility of fresh talks to purchase armed drones. AGENCIES

Two Jordanian citizens kidnapped in Syria have been safely returned to Jordan after more than two weeks in captivity, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Ministry said on Saturday in a statement that Syrian authorities secured the release and transfer of the two individuals, who are in good health.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sufian Qudah expressed gratitude for Syria’s cooperation in freeing the captives and facilitating their return through official channels.

Qudah said the Ministry, through its Directorate of Operations and Consular Affairs and the Jordanian Embassy in Damascus, had been in constant contact with Syrian authorities since the kidnapping was reported.

The Ministry did not provide details about the circumstances of the kidnapping or the identities of the victims.

Jordan and Syria have been working to improve relations in recent years after a decade of tension due to Syria’s civil war.

The Jordanian citizens are Maher al-Soufi and Mohammad Owaida, both drivers, who went missing after delivering goods from Amman to Damascus and were on their way back, according to the Jordanian website Roya News.

Cases of kidnapping, disappearance, and arrest of Jordanians in Syria have been active since the opening of the border crossing between Syria and Jordan and the resumption of relations between the two parties in October 2018, followed by the entry of Jordanians into Syria for various reasons, including tourism and shopping.

The Jordanian and Syrian sides officially reopened the Nassib border crossing on October 15, 2018, after three years of closure due to military events, allowing Jordanian citizens to visit Syria.

In July 2023, young Ali al-Fityani and his friend disappeared in Damascus, and his father pleaded with the concerned authorities in Syria and Jordan to provide assistance and find out his son’s fate.

Jordan retrieved one of its citizens kidnapped by unknown individuals in As-Suwayda province in southern Syria in August 2019.

In May of the same year, Jordan retrieved two kidnapped citizens after the security services of the regime released them.

The Syrian regime released seven detained Jordanians in April 2020, after a request from the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The release came months after the Syrian Embassy in Jordan received a list of the names of Jordanian detainees in the regime’s prisons, from which some were later released.

Some Jordanians detained by the regime’s apparatuses are wanted by the Syrian intelligence on various charges, which the Jordanian authorities have repeatedly confirmed, calling for the disclosure of their citizens’ fate and their release. AGENCIES

Turkish Police have apprehended a suspect believed to have orchestrated a January attack on a church in Istanbul, local media reported.

The Ihlas News Agency said on Saturday that the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) and the General Directorate of Security conducted a joint operation in Istanbul to capture Viskhan Soltamatov, a suspected member of the Islamic State (IS).

According to the agency, Soltamatov was involved in planning the assault on the Santa Maria Italian Church and was responsible for supplying the weapon used.

The attack, which occurred on January 28 during prayer in the Sariyer district, resulted in the death of a Turkish citizen, Xinhua news agency reported.

Intelligence and risk analyses by MIT revealed that Soltamatov was operating in Turkey under the IS — Khorasan Province, an IS affiliate based in Afghanistan. His nationality remains unclear.

Turkish Police had previously arrested 31 suspects linked to the attack, and the investigation continues.

One Turkish citizen was killed by two IS gunmen at the Italian Santa Maria Catholic Church in Istanbul in January 2024.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had previously charged 42 suspects, including Tajik national Amirjon Kholiqov and Russian citizen David Tanduev, with planning the attack. However, initial indictments were returned due to procedural deficiencies. The prosecution has appealed the decision, urging the court to approve the charges after addressing the procedural issues.

Turkey has designated IS as a terrorist group since 2013, and the organisation has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks in the country, prompting frequent operations against its members.

AGENCIES

The electoral campaign for the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for October 6, officially began on Tunisian soil, two days after it began abroad.

According to Tunisia’s Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), the campaign which started on Saturday will continue until midnight on October 4, Xinhua news agency reported.

On September 2, the ISIE announced the final list of three candidates: incumbent President Kais Saied, who is running for a second five-year term; Secretary-General of the People’s Movement party, Zouhair Maghzaoui; and Secretary-General of the Azimoun Movement, Ayachi Zammel, who is still in detention for election-related irregularities.

In the case of a second round, the presidential campaign will resume the day after the publication of the final results of the first round.

The final results of the presidential election will be announced by November 9 at the latest.

The ISIE has already published the model of the ballot paper and established rules of transparency and neutrality during the campaign, with specific prohibitions to ensure a fair trial.

Among these measures, it is forbidden to publish political polls until the official announcement of the results.

The Central Bank of Tunisia has also issued a circular regarding the electoral accounts of the candidates, specifying the methods of financing and prohibiting any contribution from foreign entities or individuals.

Despite the start of the campaign, the climate in the country appears marked by a certain disinterest and concern for possible reactions from the opposition or attempts at sabotage.

Earlier on Friday, demonstrations in Tunis saw hundreds of people, including activists and members of civil society, protesting for the defence of rights and freedoms, demanding the cancellation of decrees considered repressive, such as Article 54 that regulates crimes in the media.

In recent days, moreover, the Tunisian authorities have arrested dozens of activists, including members of the Islamist movement Ennahda, generating further political tensions in the country.

Tunisia holds a presidential election every five years, with Saied having served as President since his election in 2019.

AGENCIES

Tropical storm Bebinca left the Philippines with six dead and at least two missing, the Philippine government said on Sunday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said four died in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and two in Zamboanga Peninsula in the southern Philippines.

It added that one is missing in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the other in the Western Visayas region in the central Philippines, reports Xinhua news agency.

The agency said that Bebinca, the sixth tropical cyclone to lash the Philippines since January this year, has affected over 200,000 people in nearly 300 villages. Almost 14,000 displaced villagers are in government-run temporary shelters.

Bebinca damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and houses.

Bebinca exited the Philippines on Saturday afternoon. However, it continued to bring rain after enhancing the Southwest monsoon.

An average of 20 typhoons pound the Philippines yearly, triggering severe flooding, landslides, and other extreme natural disasters and resulting in heavy casualties to human life and destruction of crops and properties.

AGENCIES

At least three people were killed and 49 others injured in a two-train collision in Sharqiya Province north of the Egyptian capital Cairo, according to Egypt’s Ministry of Health.

The health conditions of 44 injured individuals were stable, and were anticipated to be discharged from the hospitals in the coming hours, said the ministry in a statement on Saturday, noting that five other individuals with unstable conditions required further monitoring, reports Xinhua news agency.

The ministry said earlier that 39 ambulances were dispatched to the scene of the accident in Zagazig City of Sharqiya to evacuate the injured.

Meanwhile, Hazem al-Ashmouny, Governor of Sharqiya Province, told Egypt’s local Extra News TV channel that all passengers were evacuated from the two trains, and efforts are underway to restore train traffic on the railway line.

Egypt’s National Railway Authority said in a statement that a committee of railway specialists was formed to determine the technical causes that led to the accident.

AGENCIES

Russia and Ukraine have exchanged 206 prisoners of war, said the Russian Defence Ministry.

“A total of 103 Russian servicemen who were taken prisoner in Kursk region have been released. In exchange, 103 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been transferred,” Russian Defence Ministry said on Saturday in a statement.

All the exchanged Russian soldiers are in Belarus where they are provided necessary assistance, Xinhua news agency reported.

The UAE made humanitarian mediation efforts for the exchange, it said.

The exchange was the second one in two days, Ukrainian authorities said on Saturday.

A total of 103 Ukrainian military troops, including 21 officers, were released, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote in a post on Telegram.

“Our people are home. We have successfully brought back another 103 warriors from Russian captivity to Ukraine. Eighty-two privates and sergeants. 21 officers. Defenders of the Kyiv and Donetsk regions, Mariupol and Azovstal, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kharkiv regions. Warriors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, border guards, and police officers,” Zelensky wrote on social media platform X.

“I thank our exchange team for delivering such good news for Ukraine,” he added.

Despite ongoing hostilities, Russia and Ukraine have managed to swap hundreds of prisoners throughout the two-and-half-year conflict, often in deals brokered by the UAE, Saudi Arabia or Turkey.

The announcement came just three weeks after Russia and Ukraine swapped 115 prisoners of war each in an exchange deal also mediated by the UAE.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry hailed the deal as a “success” and thanked both sides for their cooperation on Saturday.

The prisoner swap came as Russia on Saturday pushed ahead in eastern Ukraine, where it claims to have captured a string of villages in recent weeks.

The Russian Defence Ministry said in a daily briefing it had “liberated” the village of Zhelanne Pershe, less than 30 km (19 miles) from the key Ukrainian-held logistics hub of Pokrovsk.

Pokrovsk lies on the intersection of a key road that supplies Ukrainian troops and towns across the eastern front and has long been a target for Moscow’s army.

More than half of the city’s 60,000 residents have fled since the invasion began in February 2022, with evacuations ramping up in recent weeks as Moscow’s army closes in.

Ukraine had hoped its major cross-border incursion into the Kursk region last month would slow down Russia’s advances in the east.

But Zelensky has conceded that while the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine had slowed down, the situation on the eastern front was “very difficult”.

Ukraine made a new call on Saturday on the West to allow it to strike deeper into Russia after a meeting between US and British leaders on Friday produced no visible shift in their policy on the use of long-range weapons.

“Russian terror begins at weapons depots, airfields, and military bases inside the Russian Federation,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Andriy Yermak said on Saturday.

“Permission to strike deep into Russia will speed up the solution.”

The call came a day after US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met in Washington, D.C., but no decision on allowing Ukraine to fire long-range missiles into Russian territory was taken.

Zelensky has been pressing the US and other allies to allow his forces to use Western weapons to target air bases and launch sites deep inside Russia.

On Saturday morning, the Ukrainian President did not directly comment on the Biden-Starmer meeting.

But he said Ukraine needed to boost its long-range capabilities.

“We need to boost our air defence and long-range capabilities to protect our people,” Zelensky wrote on social media.

“We are working on this with all of Ukraine’s partners.” AGENCIES

Russia’s patience regarding a nuclear response to Western actions in Ukraine is wearing thin, warned Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s security council, in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Medvedev said that while “a nuclear conflict is in no one’s interest,” Russia has thus far exercised restraint in utilising its nuclear capabilities in response to Western involvement, particularly concerning high-precision strikes deep into Russian territory. However, he cautioned that “even the greatest patience has its limits.”

This warning came following recent US discussions regarding the provision of Army Tactical Missile Systems to Ukraine, which could enable strikes deeper into Russian territory, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov claimed that Western leaders had already decided whether to allow Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles and had informed Kyiv — forcing Moscow to respond with its own actions.

“The decision has been made, the carte blanche and all indulgences have been given (to Kyiv), so we are ready for everything,” Ryabkov said, state-owned RIA news agency reported.

The Kremlin has also signalled its awareness of the escalating threat, with the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noting that Russia is preparing countermeasures. AGENCIES