Former Bangladesh Cricket Captain Shakib Al Hasan's Home Hit By Petrol Bomb After Hasina Press Conference

<p>The Bangladesh Awami League has claimed that the residence of former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan was targeted in a petrol bomb attack just hours after he appeared alongside former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her first press conference since being forced out of the country. In a post on X, the party alleged the attack was linked to Shakib's participation in the press conference and accused political opponents of threatening media organisations ahead of the event.&nbsp;</p> <h2>Awami League's Allegations</h2> <p>The party further claimed that, before the event, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) had publicly threatened national media outlets with legal action if they reported on the press conference.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Torching residences : the cost of attending Awami League press conference <br />Neo fascism engulfs Bangladesh <br /><br />A grisly petrol bomb attack took place at the residence of Bangladesh&rsquo;s celebrated cricket icon Sakib Al hasan, hours after the world famous star cricketer appeared at a&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/Uqmwwih3XG">pic.twitter.com/Uqmwwih3XG</a></p> &mdash; Bangladesh Awami League (@albd1971) <a href="https://ift.tt/7JISMm4 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <p> <script src="https://ift.tt/w2nI1Lb" async="" charset="utf-8"></script> </p> <p>The Awami League described the attack as part of what it called an ongoing campaign against its activists.</p> <p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/sheikh-hasina-breaks-down-during-first-press-conference-since-ouster-1860560">'This Is Not Bangladesh We Fought For': Sheikh Hasina Breaks Down In First Press Conference Since Ouster</a></p> <h2>Hasina's First Press Conference</h2> <p>Earlier on Wednesday, Sheikh Hasina held her first press conference since being forced out of Bangladesh, addressing the media via video link from New Delhi.</p> <p>During the briefing, Hasina became emotional while remembering members of her family and said Bangladesh had moved away from the ideals for which millions had sacrificed their lives.</p> <p>She alleged that organised groups had transformed students' demands into a violent political movement aimed at bringing about a change in government.</p> <h2>'This Is Not Bangladesh'</h2> <p>Hasina said she was speaking not only as a former prime minister but also as the daughter of Bangladesh's founding leader.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gjg71FIxAto?si=iNWKsuHq_5m4uW0r" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>She claimed that fear had spread across Bangladesh over the past few years and asserted that the country was no longer the Bangladesh for which millions had made sacrifices.</p> <p>Defending her government's handling of the unrest, Hasina said her administration had attempted to resolve the situation through dialogue, legal processes and patience.</p> <p>She alleged that certain organised groups had instead used the protests as a political weapon.</p> <p><strong>Also Read:</strong> <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/elections-held-at-gunpoint-pok-protesters-reject-poll-outcome-issue-fresh-warning-to-pakistan-1860570">'Elections Held At Gunpoint': PoK Protesters Reject Poll Outcome, Issue Fresh Warning To Pakistan</a></p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/former-bangladesh-cricket-captain-sakib-al-hasan-s-home-hit-by-petrol-bomb-after-hasina-press-conference-1860571

Israel-Hamas Standoff Continues Despite Trump's 'Historic' Gaza Peace Plan

<p>US President Donald Trump touted it as a "historic breakthrough."</p> <p>But so far the new Gaza peace deal, announced last week and meant to help end the fighting and ease the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the coastal enclave, only seems to have resulted in another standoff between the key belligerents.</p> <p>However, experts point out, there are some differences between this <span class="editable placeholder" data-id="78183794" data-size="NORMAL" data-type="LIVEBLOG">new peace deal</span> and previous arrangements that could be positive.</p> <p>For one thing, it is much more detailed and substantive. For another, statements by Trump indicate he might be more willing to push Israel towards accepting the deal. And finally, after resisting the idea for years, this month the Gaza-based group Hamas has agreed to disarm.</p> <p>It was Hamas that sent fighters into Israel on October 7, 2023, an attack that resulted in over 1,000 deaths and sparked nearly three years of an ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza. The Israeli military has since killed over 73,000 people there, causing a UN independent commission of inquiry to classify its behavior as a genocide.</p> <p>One of the main sticking points of any peace plan for Gaza has been the sequencing of events. Israel has demanded that Hamas disarm before it withdraws its troops from Gaza. But up until last month, Hamas had refused to disarm until Israel withdrew its troops. This led to an ongoing stalemate.</p> <p>Early in July, Hamas agreed to hand over power to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, a group of independent technocrats set up to govern Gaza. Later in July, the group also agreed to hand over their weapons to the NCAG.</p> <h2><strong>Why Did Hamas Do This?</strong></h2> <p>Hamas agreeing to disarm after years of promoting armed resistance against Israel should be taken seriously, says Muhammad Shehada, a visiting fellow with the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council of Foreign Affairs, who is originally from Gaza.</p> <p>Hamas has been under pressure from negotiators from other countries like Egypt and Qatar and this could also be something of a political tactic "to expose that Israel is the party that is obstructing any progress in Gaza under [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's government," Shehada concedes.</p> <p>But, he added, "they would not have made such a major, historic concession unless their backs were totally against the wall and they fully understood that this is the only way forward."</p> <p>Should Israel agree to the new peace plan, there would also be no way Hamas could renege.</p> <p>"They would be locked in," Shehada told DW. "Because if they renege or violate the decommissioning arrangements, they would give Israel the ultimate pretext to resume military operations in Gaza and collapse the whole Trump deal. Hamas would then be blamed by the entire Palestinian public."</p> <p>On the other hand, Hamas probably also understands that Israel is unlikely to agree, so there's no fear disarmament is going to happen immediately, he added.</p> <h2><strong>Israel's Political Problem With Peace Plan</strong></h2> <p>Israel expressed its displeasure with the new 15-point deal almost immediately.</p> <p>"The version that has been made public does not reflect Israel's positions," a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister's office told news agency AFP.</p> <p>Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir dismissed the deal as "unacceptable" on social media, adding that "assassinations in Gaza must continue."</p> <p>Israel will hold elections in October and Netanyahu faces tough competition. If he makes any concessions on Gaza, he would likely face a public outcry and a lack of potential coalition partners from the far right.</p> <p>"Netanyahu faces a critical election in less than 90 days from now and although there may be some flexibility on other issues like Lebanon or <span class="editable placeholder" data-id="77552154" data-size="NORMAL" data-type="LIVEBLOG">Iran</span>, he cannot appear flexible on Hamas," explains Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "The shadow of October 7 hangs heavy and dark on Israel, and will for a very long time."</p> <p>Until elections happen, <span class="editable placeholder" data-id="78137927" data-size="NORMAL" data-type="LIVEBLOG">Netanyahu</span> will try to sabotage any kind of Gaza peace deal because it would be "political suicide" for him, Shehada adds.</p> <p>After a Monday meeting between Netanyahu and the US-led Board of Peace, it was announced that Hamas' disarming and an Israeli withdrawal would now not happen in phases, as the new 15-point plan had detailed. Gradual progress would have given each side time to build trust, observers argued.</p> <p>But after the Israeli complaints, the plan seemed to revert back to absolutes: Israel would only be asked to withdraw once Hamas was completely disarmed.</p> <h2><strong>Would US Pressure Israel?</strong></h2> <p>There is really only one way to change this and that would be via pressure from the US, Shehada and other experts say.</p> <p>"Israel &hellip; will be under enormous pressure from Trump to go along or risk his ire by sabotaging what he is touting as a historic success," Alan Pino, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Middle East programs wrote in an op-ed for the US think tank last week.</p> <p>There has been some evidence of pressure from Trump. For example, when the US President released the 15-point plan, reports suggest he did so without showing it to Israel first.</p> <p>Following the plan's release, a senior US official gave reporters an off-the-record briefing and suggested Trump would be "very, very disappointed" if Israel did not go along with the new plan.</p> <p>And, as Miller points out, "Donald Trump has said things and done things to Israel, and to an Israeli prime minister, that none of his predecessors have ever done. Nobody talked to an Israeli prime minister the way that Trump has talked to Netanyahu. Nobody opened a dialogue with Hamas without checking with the Israelis."</p> <p>All of that is unprecedented, Miller told DW. "But whether Donald Trump would be willing to impose significant and serious costs on the US-Israeli relationship is another matter altogether," he told DW.</p> <p>That could include things like cutting or restricting US assistance or intelligence cooperation and not defending Israel at the UN and other forums. But, Miller and Shehada both point out, none of that has happened.</p> <p>"When you get between Donald Trump and something he really cares about, that's a very bad and dangerous place to be," Miller continued. "So you have to ask, what is it that that Donald Trump cares so much about that he'd be prepared to really pressure Israel? Maybe an Israel-Saudi relationship down the road, if we were on the cusp of a real breakthrough in Gaza."</p> <p>But the current reality is so far removed from that, that it's unlikely Trump will move beyond words, Miller concluded. He's also more likely to be more focused on using any leverage to extricate himself from the Iran war, the former adviser to the US State Department noted.</p> <p><em><strong>(Disclaimer:</strong> This report first appeared on <strong>Deutsche Welle</strong>, and has been republished on <strong>ABP Live</strong> as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by <strong>ABP Live</strong>.)</em></p>

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Explosions Rock Dubai's Jebel Ali Industrial Area; Thick Smoke Seen Amid Iran War: WATCH

<p>Multiple explosions were reported in Dubai's Jebel Ali industrial area on Tuesday night, with videos shared on social media showing thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky.</p> <p>Iran's Mehr news agency, citing Emirati officials, reported that at least seven explosions occurred within a span of 20 minutes. The report also claimed that two people had been arrested for filming the incident, although the cause of the blasts remained unknown.</p> <p>No official explanation had been issued by Emirati authorities at the time of reporting, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or the extent of any damage.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/fcra-amendment-bill-us-congressman-riley-moore-criticises-attack-against-christians-warns-of-bilateral-fallout-1860396">'Attack Against Christians': US Congressman Criticises FCRA Bill, Warns Of Bilateral Fallout</a></strong></p> <h2>Conflicting Reports Emerge Over Cause of Blasts</h2> <p>Iraqi media outlets claimed that the explosions were triggered by a missile attack launched from Yemen amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict.</p> <p>However, Emirati media had not confirmed those claims or identified the cause of the incident.</p> <p>NASA thermal imagery indicated that a fire had broken out at a warehouse adjacent to Jebel Ali Port that was used for fuel storage and transfer.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Yemen's Houthis have struck the industrial area of Jebel Ali in Dubai, UAE, per initial reports. Widespread fires and plumes of smoke over the area and multiple explosions in Dubai in the past few minutes. <a href="https://t.co/eMH9ASsNeT">pic.twitter.com/eMH9ASsNeT</a></p> &mdash; The Hormuz Letter (@HormuzLetter) <a href="https://ift.tt/esvuVfX 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <p> <script src="https://ift.tt/w2nI1Lb" async="" charset="utf-8"></script> </p> <h2>Videos Show Thick Smoke Over Jebel Ali</h2> <p>Videos circulating on social media showed large clouds of black smoke billowing over the Jebel Ali industrial area near residential neighbourhoods.</p> <p>Residents in the nearby Al Furjan area also reported hearing multiple loud blasts around the same time, according to local media reports and eyewitness accounts.</p> <p>Authorities had not released official figures on injuries or property damage.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://ift.tt/Dd1wZHV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Eyes Higher Costs For H-1B Extensions; Indian Professionals Could Be Hit Hard</a></strong></p> <h2>Strategic Port on High Alert Amid Regional Tensions</h2> <p>Located around 25 miles southwest of Dubai city centre, Jebel Ali is one of the UAE's most important industrial and logistics hubs. It is home to the Palm Jebel Ali development, a major free trade zone and one of the world's largest man-made harbours.</p> <p>The UAE has remained on heightened alert during the ongoing regional conflict because of concerns over retaliatory attacks targeting US allies in the Gulf. However, there has been no official confirmation linking Tuesday's explosions to any military action.</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/dubai-explosion-rocks-jebel-ali-industrial-area-thick-smoke-seen-amid-iran-war-watch-video-1860463

'Attack Against Christians': US Congressman Criticises FCRA Bill, Warns Of Bilateral Fallout

<p>A proposed amendment to India's Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) has drawn criticism from US Congressman Riley Moore, who described it as "a clear attack against Christians" and warned that it could become a point of concern in relations between India and the United States.</p> <p>Moore alleged that the proposed changes could allow the government to take control of churches and religious charities. His remarks come as the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, continues to spark intense debate during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.</p> <p>The proposed legislation has generated strong reactions from political parties, civil society groups and religious organisations, with supporters and critics divided over its potential impact on institutions that rely on foreign funding.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-cancels-28-000-commercial-trucker-licences-indian-drivers-could-be-affected-1860382">US Cancels 28,000 Commercial Trucker Licences; Indian Drivers Could Be Affected</a></strong></p> <h2>US Congressman Raises Objections</h2> <p>In a post on X, Moore referred to the long history of Christianity in India before expressing concern over the proposed amendments.</p> <p>"Christians have been in India since St. Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ," the US Congressman wrote.</p> <p>He then criticised the proposed legislation, saying, "But despite this long Christian history, India's Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities."</p> <p>Calling the Bill "a clear attack against Christians", Moore added, "If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bnaC7hZ67pc?si=Y0EnNo2yyZgVtayy" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <h2>What Proposed FCRA Amendment Bill Seeks to Change</h2> <p>The Bill seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, which regulates how non-governmental organisations, charitable trusts, educational institutions, religious bodies and associations receive and use foreign contributions.</p> <p>Under the existing law, organisations must obtain registration from the Ministry of Home Affairs before accepting foreign donations. That registration must be renewed every five years.</p> <p>According to the background note accompanying the Bill, India had 14,449 active FCRA registrations as of July 15, 2026. It also stated that 22,498 registrations had been cancelled, while 15,212 had expired. Between 2019 and 2022, organisations registered under the Act received foreign contributions worth Rs 55,741 crore.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/is-pakistan-on-verge-of-govt-change-shehbaz-sharif-s-minister-makes-explosive-claims-asim-munir-1860367">Is Pakistan On Verge Of Govt Change? Shehbaz Sharif's Minister Makes Explosive Claims</a></strong></p> <h2>Why the Bill Has Become a Flashpoint</h2> <p>One of the Bill's key proposals is the creation of a Designated Authority, appointed by the Central Government, with the power to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using those funds if an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or not renewed.</p> <p>The proposed powers of the Designated Authority have emerged as the central point of contention. Opposition parties, NGOs and several civil society organisations argue that the amendments would give the Centre sweeping control over institutions dependent on foreign funding.</p> <p>Churches and religious organisations have expressed particular concern that schools, hospitals, welfare institutions and other assets developed over decades with overseas donations could come under government control if their FCRA registrations lapse or are cancelled.</p> <p>These concerns have been especially pronounced in Kerala, where many Christian organisations run large educational and healthcare institutions that have historically relied on foreign contributions.</p> <p>The government, however, has defended the proposed amendments, saying they are intended to strengthen transparency, improve oversight and ensure greater accountability in the use of foreign funds.</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/fcra-amendment-bill-us-congressman-riley-moore-criticises-attack-against-christians-warns-of-bilateral-fallout-1860396

US lawmaker voices concern on FCRA amendments; could hit bilateral ties

<p> Washington, Aug 4 (PTI): A US lawmaker on Tuesday voiced concern over the amendments proposed by India to its laws governing foreign donations received by NGOs, trusts, educational institutions and religious organisations, and said the move could affect bilateral relations.</p><p> US Congressman Riley Moore said the amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) would permit the Indian government to takeover churches and religious charities and would amount to “clear attack against Christians”.</p><p> “Christians have been in India since St Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. But despite this long Christian history, India’s Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities,” Moore, a Republican from West Virginia, said in a post on X.</p><p> “This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India,” said Moore, a first term Congressman.</p><p> The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to empower the government to create a "Designated Authority" to take over the management of foreign contributions and assets created using foreign contributions when an organisation's FCRA registration is cancelled, surrendered or ceases because it is not renewed.</p><p> The bill also states that in case of assets that are a place of worship, the Authority must ensure that its religious character is maintained.</p><p> The proposed legislation also reduces the maximum penalty for violation of the Act from imprisonment of five years to one year.</p><p> As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, 13,520 organisations received Rs 55,741 crore of foreign contribution between 2019 and 2022. The FCRA portal indicates that, as of July 15, 2026, there are 14,449 active FCRA certificates, 22,498 cancelled and 15,212 deemed as expired. PTI SKU SCY SCY</p><p><i>(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)</i></p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-lawmaker-voices-concern-on-fcra-amendments-could-hit-bilateral-ties-1860392

US Cancels 28,000 Commercial Trucker Licences; Indian Drivers Could Be Affected

<div class="qMYqUG_convSearchResultHighlightRoot"> <div class="" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:4f9ce0a0-18d6-4490-9302-6c01553c64f5-118" data-is-intersecting="true"> <section class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:4f9ce0a0-18d6-4490-9302-6c01553c64f5-118" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:4f9ce0a0-18d6-4490-9302-6c01553c64f5-118" data-testid="conversation-turn-26" data-turn="assistant"> <div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-15 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)"> <div class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn" data-conversation-screenshot-content=""> <div class="flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow"> <div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1" dir="auto" tabindex="0" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="782fda4c-78c2-4d12-bfef-0ee4ac5b5749" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-5" data-turn-start-message="true"> <div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden"> <div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling"> <p class="PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer" data-start="1024" data-end="1300">The administration of US President Donald Trump has cancelled the commercial driver's licences (CDLs) of more than 28,000 immigrants while launching a new initiative to replace them with military veterans, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Tuesday.</p> <p data-start="1302" data-end="1470">According to a press release issued by the administration, the licences of 24,000 non-citizens who could not speak or read English proficiently have been cancelled.</p> <p data-start="1472" data-end="1640">The administration also said it worked with states to shut down 9,500 driving schools that had helped these truckers obtain licences and drive in the United States.</p> <h2 data-section-id="xn9zob" data-start="1642" data-end="1678">Indian Truckers Could Be Affected</h2> <p data-start="1680" data-end="1765">The move is expected to affect Indian immigrants working in the US trucking industry.</p> <p data-start="1767" data-end="1977">According to data from the North American Punjabi Truckers Association, cited by The Indian Express, nearly 130,000 to 150,000 truck drivers in the United States come directly from Punjab and Haryana.</p> <p data-start="1979" data-end="2135">The cancellation of licences is expected to create a shortage of nearly 30,000 truck drivers who were involved in transporting goods across the country.</p> <h2 data-section-id="xpkk50" data-start="2137" data-end="2175">Part Of Wider Immigration Crackdown</h2> <p data-start="2177" data-end="2270">The action forms part of a broader crackdown on immigrant truck drivers in the United States.</p> <p data-start="2272" data-end="2442">According to the report, enforcement intensified after an August 2025 crash in Florida in which a truck driver allegedly made an illegal U-turn, killing three people.</p> <p data-start="2444" data-end="2600">Following the incident, the US Department of Transportation began enforcing existing English-language proficiency requirements for commercial truck drivers.</p> <p data-start="2602" data-end="2760">US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the driver involved in the crash, who was from India, should never have been issued a commercial driver's licence.</p> <p data-start="2762" data-end="2894">Since then, 26,000 drivers have reportedly been removed from the road for failing to adequately demonstrate English proficiency.</p> <p data-start="2762" data-end="2894"><strong>ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/trump-eyes-higher-costs-for-h-1b-extensions-indian-professionals-could-be-hit-hard-1860361">Trump Eyes Higher Costs For H-1B Extensions; Indian Professionals Could Be Hit Hard</a></strong></p> <p data-start="2896" data-end="3142">The federal government has also attempted to withhold millions of dollars in highway funding from California and New York, alleging that the states failed to revoke thousands of additional licences. The matter is currently before a court.</p> <p data-start="3144" data-end="3291">Several other states, including Pennsylvania, Minnesota and North Carolina, have also been warned that they could lose federal funding.</p> <h2 data-section-id="s0byi3" data-start="3293" data-end="3335">What Is The 'Freedom Haulers' Campaign?</h2> <p data-start="3337" data-end="3495">Alongside the crackdown, the Trump administration has launched the Freedom Haulers campaign to encourage military veterans to enter the trucking industry.</p> <p data-start="3497" data-end="3719">According to the Associated Press, the initiative promotes programmes that allow veterans who have recently operated large military vehicles to skip the required skills test for obtaining a commercial driver's licence.</p> <p data-start="3721" data-end="3926">US President Donald Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Douglas A Collins and Acting Labour Secretary Keith Sonderling launched the campaign at the White House last week.</p> <h2 data-section-id="1ha1xsw" data-start="3928" data-end="3974">'Veterans Are The Right People For The Job'</h2> <p data-start="3976" data-end="4051">According to a press release issued by the US Department of Transportation, "The initiative builds on President Trump's efforts to clean up America's roadways, crack down on dangerous foreign drivers, and support American truckers."</p> <p data-start="3976" data-end="4051"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TZtBEtZEs3k?si=Bm7wu0cDMk8xkDEd" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p data-start="4215" data-end="4256">Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, "Illegal immigrants who can't speak our language have no business getting behind the wheel of a big rig. Veterans &ndash; who have already demonstrated the grit, discipline, and skills to take on this vital task &ndash; are the right people for the job."</p> <p data-start="4506" data-end="4660" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">He added that the campaign would help US military veterans obtain their commercial licences more quickly and "start making real money in record time."</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start"><strong>ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/is-pakistan-on-verge-of-govt-change-shehbaz-sharif-s-minister-makes-explosive-claims-asim-munir-1860367">Is Pakistan On Verge Of Govt Change? Shehbaz Sharif's Minister Makes Explosive Claims</a></strong></div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div>

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Trump Warns Iran Of 'Last Chance' Deal As Tehran Denies Any Negotiations

<p>US President Donald Trump said on Monday that negotiations with Iran were underway, describing the current moment as Tehran&rsquo;s "last chance" to secure a favourable agreement to end the five-month-old war. Iran, however, swiftly rejected the claim, insisting that no talks with Washington were taking place or planned.</p> <p>The sharply conflicting statements from the two sides highlight the widening gap between Washington and Tehran and suggest that a diplomatic breakthrough remains unlikely in the immediate future.</p> <p>Speaking to reporters during an event in the Oval Office, Trump said discussions were already taking place. According to the U.S. president, the talks had begun at the request of Iran, as well as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, among others.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-war-news-live-news-update-no-plans-to-receive-us-delegation-or-send-one-to-washington-1860160">'No Plans To Receive US Delegation Or Send One To Washington': Iran Pours Cold Water On Fresh Talks</a></strong></p> <h2>Trump Repeats Call for Iran to Reach a Deal</h2> <p>"They are going on right now," Trump said when asked about the status of negotiations.</p> <p>Calling the current moment a critical opportunity, he warned that it was Iran's "last chance" to sign what he described as "a good document" that could bring the conflict to an end.</p> <p>Trump's remarks came shortly after his decision over the weekend to cancel what he said would have been "massive attacks" on Iran. He said the strikes were called off because talks were expected to take place, continuing a pattern in which he has announced major military action before later withdrawing it.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-uM_owNU4PU?si=OlZnBfu7QCQbjRFn" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <h2>Iran Rejects Claims of Ongoing Negotiations</h2> <p>Earlier on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei dismissed Trump's claims, saying no negotiations with the United States were underway and that no meetings had been scheduled.</p> <p>Baghaei also said Iran had no plans to receive foreign delegations or send negotiators overseas in the coming days. He added that all Iranian negotiators remained inside the country, with the exception of Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was on a religious pilgrimage in Iraq.</p> <p>According to Baghaei, the only discussions currently taking place involved Oman and focused on the management of the Strait of Hormuz.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/iran-us-war-live-no-deal-without-total-surrender-trump-claims-iranian-leadership-begged-for-talks-1860164">'No Deal Without Total Surrender': Trump Claims Iranian Leadership 'Begged' For Talks</a></strong></p> <h2>Fresh Claims Add to Diplomatic Uncertainty</h2> <p>A senior Iranian source also told Reuters that no talks with the United States were planned. The source added that Araghchi would remain unavailable at least until the end of the week.</p> <p>Later on Monday, Trump renewed his claims in a post on Truth Social, describing Iran's leadership as "unbelievably duplicitous". He said Tehran had requested a meeting and claimed that additional talks were scheduled for the "immediate future."</p> <p>The U.S. president also reiterated his assertion that the U.S. Navy had complete control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas passed before the conflict. In the post, Trump wrote that nothing would reach Iran unless the United States allowed it and said that would remain the case until either "a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished."</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-talks-trump-warns-iran-of-last-chance-deal-tehran-says-no-negotiations-underway-1860185