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The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide parliamentary election on Friday, local TV stations showed, securing a resounding mandate in a pivotal vote that is expected to restore political stability in the South Asian nation.

The parliamentary election held on Thursday was Bangladesh’s first vote since the 2024 Gen Z-driven uprising that toppled long‑time premier Sheikh Hasina.

A clear outcome had been seen as crucial for stability in the Muslim-majority country of 175 million after months of deadly anti-Hasina unrest disrupted everyday life and hit major industries, including the apparel sector in the world’s second-largest garment exporter.

It was also the first national election to follow recent revolts led by the under-30s that have cropped up through the wider region. Nepal is set to hold a vote next month.

BNP SAILS TO VICTORY

Opinion polls had given BNP an edge and the party lived up to the forecasts, with the coalition it dominates winning 209 seats to secure an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad, or House of the Nation, Jamuna TV showed.

Soon after it won a majority in the overnight vote-count, the party thanked and congratulated the people and called for special prayers on Friday for the welfare of the country and its people.

“Despite winning the national parliamentary election by a large margin of votes, no celebratory procession or rally shall be organised by BNP,” the party said in a statement and urged people to pray at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas across the country.

The BNP is led by top prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, the 60-year-old son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman.

Its campaign promises included financial aid for poor families, a 10-year limit for an individual to remain prime minister, boosting the economy by measures including foreign investments, and anti-corruption policies.

JAMAAT PROMISES POSITIVE OPPOSITION

Shafiqur Rahman, the head of BNP’s main rival, the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, conceded defeat, with his party-led alliance on just 68 seats. Rahman said Jamaat would not engage in the “politics of opposition” for the sake of it. “We will do positive politics,” he told reporters.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), led by youth activists who were instrumental in toppling Hasina and was a part of the Jamaat-led alliance, won just five of 30 seats it contested.

Despite the landslide result, the election had been seen as Bangladesh’s first truly competitive vote in years. Hasina’s Awami League party, which ruled the country for more than 15 years until her ousting, was barred from contesting.

Turnout appeared on track on Thursday to exceed the 42% recorded in the last election in 2024. Local media reported that more than 60% of registered voters were expected to have cast ballots.

More than 2,000 candidates - including many independents - were on the ballot, and at least 50 parties contested seats, a national record. Voting in one constituency was postponed after a candidate died.

Alongside the election, a referendum was held on a set of constitutional reforms, including establishing a neutral interim government for election periods, restructuring parliament into a bicameral legislature, increasing women’s representation, strengthening judicial independence and introducing a two-term limit for the prime minister.

There was no official word on the outcome of the referendum. Leading local newspaper the Daily Star reported that 73% of the nearly 296,000 votes cast in the referendum said ‘Yes’ and the rest said ‘No’.

HASINA CALLS VOTE A FARCE

Hasina is in self-imposed exile in long-term ally India, which has frayed ties between Dhaka and New Delhi and opened the window for China to expand its influence in Bangladesh.

In a statement sent after polling stations closed, Hasina denounced the election as a “carefully planned farce”, held without her party and without real voter participation. She said Awami League supporters had rejected the process.

“We demand the cancellation of this voterless, illegal and unconstitutional election ... the removal of the suspension imposed on the activities of the Awami League, and the restoration of the people’s voting rights through the arrangement of a free, fair, and inclusive election under a neutral caretaker government,” she said.

Opponents of Hasina say that elections under her rule were frequently marred by boycotts and intimidation.

Source:Adaderana.lk

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday has called for a two percent tax increase for New Yorkers making over a million dollars a year, along with a hike in the state’s corporate tax rate, proposals he originally championed during his campaign.

During testimony before the New York State Senate’s 2026 budget hearing, Mamdani, a Democrat, said the city’s budget gap has decreased from $12 billion to $7 billion by “assuming an aggressive posture on savings without compromising city services, incorporating updated revenue and bonus estimates, and using in-year reserves.”

Despite a narrowing of the budget shortfall, Mamdani said, New York is “placed on a ledge.”

“I believe the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations should contribute a little more so that everyone can live lives of dignity,” said Mamdani, who will release the city’s preliminary budget on Tuesday.

“That’s why—along with raising the corporate tax—I’m asking for a 2% personal income tax increase on the most affluent New Yorkers.”

Mamdani said a two percent tax increase would resolve nearly half of the city’s budget deficit. He campaigned to increase the New York’s corporate rate from 7.25% to 11.5%.

Democratic New York Governor Kathy Hochul would have to approve any tax increases proposed by Mamdani.

A spokesperson for Hochul did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The governor, who presented her budget last month, has reiterated her opposition to any tax hikes in the state.

“We’re able to make transformative investments in our future. Without raising taxes.

Without saddling the next generation with mounds of debt,” Hochul said last month.

Source:Adaderana.lk

Norway has been rocked by the release of millions of files that allegedly show politicians and top diplomats had extensive contact with convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The files indicate that Norway’s former prime minister, Thorbjoern Jagland, and Epstein’s assistants made detailed plans in 2014 to visit the American in Palm Beach, Florida.

The Norwegian police unit — Oekokrim — searched the homes of Mr Jagland a day after the Council of Europe lifted his diplomatic immunity.

“Oekokrim is currently conducting searches of Thorbjoern Jagland’s residence and recreational properties. This was expected and is a standard part of an investigation of this nature,” Mr Jagland’s lawyer, Anders Brosveet, said in a statement.

Mr Jagland is now accused of aggravated corruption, his lawyer added, under Norway’s legal code that precedes formal charging and allows a suspect to get a lawyer and the police to arrest a suspect at some point.

In Norway, formal charges are brought against someone much later in the legal process, sometimes only weeks before a court case begins.

“This does not represent any real change in the substance of the case, but is a legal consequence of the investigative methods used by the police,” said Mr Brosveet.

“I am very glad that the matter is being clarified,” Mr Jagland was quoted as saying by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten on Thursday, local time.

Investigators plan to question Jagland
Oekokrim said that in addition to Jagland’s Oslo home, it had searched a property in a town on Norway’s southern coast and another in the nearby mountainous county of Telemark.

It was planning to question Mr Jagland as well.

“As a consequence of the search, Jagland is now accused of aggravated corruption. Jagland will be questioned by Oekokrim,” the police unit’s chief, Paal Loenseth, told Reuters.

Mr Jagland is also a former foreign minister and ex-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize committee.

Jagland wants case ‘thoroughly clarified’
“Jagland wishes to contribute to ensuring that the case is thoroughly clarified, and the next step is that he will appear for questioning by Oekokrim — as he himself has stated he wants,” Mr Brosveet said.

“We will adhere to the process and continue to fully cooperate with the authorities.”

The decision to investigate was based on information revealed by newly released files related to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

The files indicate that Mr Jagland’s wife, two children and his son’s girlfriend were to join him on the visit to Palm Beach.

Mr Jagland has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.

The former prime minister has not been charged with any crime, but the investigation will seek to uncover whether gifts, travel and loans were received in connection with his official position, police have said.

In a 2014 email, Mr Jagland sought Epstein’s help in financing an apartment in Oslo.

Emails from 2018 show Epstein asking Mr Jagland to arrange for him to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and saying he had insights to offer President Vladimir Putin.

Mr Jagland promised to bring it up with Mr Lavrov’s assistant.

The US Department of Justice’s release of millions of internal documents related to Epstein has exposed his ties to a range of European figures in business, academia, government and royalty.

Diplomat couple suspected of gross corruption
Mona Juul, Norway’s former ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, and her husband — former government minister Terje Roed-Larsen — are also under investigation.

She is suspected of gross corruption, while Mr Roed-Larsen is suspected of complicity in gross corruption.

The pair have said through their lawyers that they believe there is no basis for the cases against them.

Mr Roed-Larsen has apologised several times for the relationship, and in 2020 stepped down as CEO of the New York-based International Peace Institute, a think tank.

However, the latest release of files indicated a deeper friendship between Mr Roed-Larsen and Epstein.

Among other references to Ms Juul and Mr Roed-Larsen, the files showed that the couple made plans to visit Epstein’s private island with their two children in 2011, though it was unclear if the visit took place.

Source:Adaderana.lk

Passport and visa processing has been temporarily put on hold following a technical fault in the system operated by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

In a statement, the Department said the disruption has affected the issuance of travel documents and visas, and services will recommence as soon as the system is fully restored. Officials are currently working to resolve the issue at the earliest.

Members of the public seeking further clarification have been advised to contact the Department via 011 210 1540 or 011 210 1545, or to visit its official website for updates.

The Department of Meteorology has forecast periodic rainfall in parts of the country today (13), particularly in the Central, Uva and Eastern provinces, as well as in the Polonnaruwa and Hambantota districts.

According to the advisory, fairly heavy showers exceeding 50 mm are likely in isolated areas of the Uva Province and in the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Polonnaruwa.

The Northern Province and Anuradhapura district are also expected to experience several spells of rain during the day. Meanwhile, showers or thundershowers are predicted in many other areas after 2.00 p.m., with the possibility of rainfall above 50 mm in parts of the Sabaragamuwa Province and in the Kalutara, Galle and Matara districts.

Misty conditions are likely during the early morning hours in portions of the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces, along with the Galle and Matara districts.

The public has been urged to take necessary precautions to reduce the risk of damage from localized strong winds and lightning that may accompany thundershowers.

The JVP delegation, led by its General Secretary Tilvin Silva, which is currently in India met Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday to discuss measures to boost tourism and strengthen cultural ties.

The JVP delegation also visited ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Vizhinjam Port, where they gained exposure to India’s advancements in science and technology and the blue economy.

In an official X post of ‘India in Sri Lanka’, the High Commission said, “JVP General Secretary Mr. Tilvin Silva and the delegation met Hon’ble Chief Minister of Kerala Shri Pinarayi Vijayan @pinarayivijayan. Discussions were focused on boosting tourism and cultural connect.”

It added, “The delegation also visited @isro Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and @PortOfVizhinjam, gaining exposure to India’s advancements in Science & Tech and blue economy.”

Earlier, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva and his delegation paid a courtesy visit to Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar.

Welcoming the delegation to Gujarat CM expressed confidence that India-Sri Lanka relations have strengthened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He noted that the meeting would be productive in renewing momentum for the long-standing historical and cultural ties between the two nations.

Tilvin Silva emphasised that Gujarat, a policy-driven state, offers a range of sector-specific policies that Sri Lanka could benefit from. He also advocated mutual coordination between the State Government and Sri Lanka in areas of shared interest.

According to an official release, the meeting discussed strategies to encourage more people from Gujarat to visit Sri Lanka for tourism. Tilvin Silva had expressed appreciation for India’s consistent support to Sri Lanka during times of need, including assistance in infrastructure development. He had also expressed keen enthusiasm for an industrial partnership between Gujarat and Sri Lanka.

(Source:Adaderana.lk)

Russia pounded Ukraine with drones and ballistic missiles overnight on Thursday, targeting energy systems and injuring at least seven people in the capital Kyiv, and the cities of Dnipro and Odesa, officials said.

“Hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles targeted energy systems, depriving people of power, heating, and water,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X.

Two people were hurt in a “massive” attack on Kyiv, which also hit various buildings, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Klitschko said on Telegram there had been hits on both residential and non-residential buildings on both sides of the Dnipro River bisecting the city.

Fragments had fallen near two residential buildings in one district, but no fire had broken out.

Reuters witnesses heard explosions resound in the city.

Four people, including a baby boy and a four-year-old girl, were hurt in a missile and drone attack on the southeastern city of Dnipro and surrounding district, regional governor Oleksandr Ganzha said on Telegram.

One person was hurt in a drone attack on the southern city of Odesa on the Black Sea, which also damaged an infrastructure facility and an apartment building where a fire broke out at an upper floor, head of the city’s military administration, Serhiy Lysak said.

Lysak also said that a fire engulfed pavilions at one of the city’s markets and damaged a supermarket building.

Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said that energy infrastructure was damaged in Odesa district.

‘BLOW TO PEACE EFFORTS’

“Each such strike is a blow to peace efforts aimed at ending the war. Russia must be forced to take diplomacy seriously and de-escalate,” Sybiha said.

Ukrainian officials have met Russian officials under U.S. mediation in Abu Dhabi in the latest U.S. push to end the war.

But the talks so far have failed to resolve differences over Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, sources say, and Russia has pressed on with attacks often focused on Ukrainian energy facilities in the depths of a harsh winter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday the U.S. needed to put more pressure on Russia if it wanted the war to end by summer.

Source: adaderana.lk

Indonesia has officially banned elephant rides, bringing an end to the decades-long tourist activity that’s become synonymous with the tropical destination.

The historic move comes just three months after an explosive investigation by PETA Asia into Bali’s top elephant parks uncovered deeply unsettling claims of animal abuse. The claims were vigorously denied by the park, who said they were “ridiculous and untrue.”

At the time, news.com.au published PETA’s findings on Mason Elephant Park in Ubud and Baka’s Adventure Elephant Safari in Klungkung Regency, that alleged the popular parks were engaging in archaic punishment and treatment of the animals.

“These attractions market themselves to tourists as ‘rescues’, yet the footage tells a different story: elephants swaying from stress, left wounded from repeated strikes and chained up for most of the day,” PETA claimed in November last year.

The facilities were accused of using bullhooks, chaining elephants up, breaking their spirits for the purpose of entertainment and leaving them in isolation.

Online, World Animal Protection Org also noted that while Mason Elephant Park claimed to be Bali’s only dedicated rescue facility, they hadn’t rescued an elephant since 2004.

In a thirty-minute clip sent to news.com.au on December 31, owner of Mason Elephant Nigel Mason branded the allegations as “ridiculous and untrue.”

“It’s obvious that you have never been to this park, and it’s quite obvious that your quotations from using PETA as an example of a story, they’ve never been here either. I’ve never met anyone from your company. I’ve never met anyone from PETA,” he said.

Mr Mason also claimed that the elephant rides offered by the park were actually a form of “exercise” for the animals, that were “not cruel in any way.”

Mr Mason further claimed that a “bullhook was certainly not something used in his park.”

Instead, he said the object was a gancho, a small tool consisting of a long stick with a curved point.

He claimed elephants are tethered at night and during feeding for safety and nutrition, adding that chains are less harmful than ropes.

“A rope does far more damage than a chain,” he said.

On footage used by activists, Mr Mason claimed much of it was not even from Bali and accused PETA of relying on “misinformation.”

Despite this, Mr Mason’s park announced it would no longer be offering the rides just two weeks later.

The facility said it would cease elephant rides after Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry imposed a nationwide ban on the act due to cruelty concerns.

Elephant riding has been criticised for many years by animal welfare experts, who claim the activity causes severe physical strain, psychological stress, and long-term harm for animals involved.

In a statement posted to social media, Mason Elephant Park and Lodge said from January 25 they would be “beginning a new chapter.”

“For 30 years, we have rescued and provided lifelong care to elephants displaced by deforestation and poaching in Sumatra,” they wrote.

“Guided by elephant health and welfare above all else, we are evolving towards a more natural experience without elephant rides.

“As Indonesia’s only internationally certified elephant park, our commitment remains unchanged: to protect the world’s only critically endangered elephant species while building a sustainable future together with the Balinese community.”

Other facilities such as Bali Zoo took to their social media, saying the ban was a “step forward for elephant welfare.”

Bali Zoo has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

“Bali Zoo has discontinued elephant riding. This decision supports our ongoing commitment to animal welfare, giving our elephants more time for natural behaviours, social interaction, and enrichment,” they wrote.

The move has drawn attention from Aussies and locals alike, who say the ban is “long overdue.”

“This is great news in principle and definitely a step in the right direction,” wrote one.

“At last – it’s a start,” said another.

“About time! They are not on this planet to serve lazy humans or provide entertainment,” wrote a third.

Jason Baker, President of PETA Asia also praised the decision by Indonesian officials.

“Elephants are too often on the losing end of the tourism industry. PETA investigations have found elephants routinely chained and beaten with sharp bullhooks to force them to obey for tourist rides, while babies are frequently subjected to brutal training methods designed to break their spirits.

“The move by the Indonesian government — and specifically the Ministry of Forestry — puts Indonesia at the forefront of elephant welfare. While more work remains, this makes Indonesia the first country in Asia to ban elephant rides nationwide. History will look back on this as a precedent-setting decision.

“We now urge Nepal, Thailand, India, and other countries to follow Indonesia’s lead, and we call on travel agencies worldwide to stop selling packages that include elephant rides anywhere in the world.”

(Source:Adaderana.lk)

US House lawmakers voted on Wednesday (Feb 12) to reject Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, sweeping aside the president’s last-gasp threat of election consequences for Republicans to deliver a rare rebuke on his signature economic policy.

The measure brought by Democrats was approved 219-211, with six Republicans joining the effort.

It remains largely a symbolic move.

The House can consider measures to end the national emergencies Trump declared last year to impose sweeping tariffs on imports from various countries.

But any action aimed at undoing Trump’s tariffs on Canada and other trading partners will still need US Senate passage and the president’s signature.

Even if it clears the Senate, it would face a certain veto by Trump, and Congress would unlikely muster the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

Trump sought to inject himself into the action at the last minute, issuing a direct political threat to lawmakers from his own Republican Party as the vote was taking place on the House floor.

“Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

“TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege,” he added.

Wednesday’s rebuke comes after the expiration of a measure barring any vote on the issue of tariffs in the chamber - a move that has stifled opposition to Trump’s trade policy. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Trump ally in Congress, sought to renew this prohibition on Tuesday but was unsuccessful, as three House Republicans voted alongside Democrats to block the move.

Earlier on Wednesday, House Republican Don Bacon posted on social media that lawmakers “cannot & should not outsource our responsibilities”.

“As an old-fashioned Conservative I know tariffs are a tax on American consumers,” he added, noting that debates and votes on the issue should occur in the House.

Canada - like other US trading partners - has been hit by various waves of Trump’s tariffs since he returned to office early last year, tapping emergency economic powers to justify the duties.

Broad exemptions for Canadian goods however have softened the blow.

Trump may have imposed a 35 per cent tariff on many Canadian products last year, but he provided lower rates for energy imports and created sweeping exclusions for goods entering under the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).

Trump’s separate sector-specific tariffs - especially on autos, steel and aluminium - have hit Canada hard. 

But overall, more than 85 per cent of all bilateral trade has remained tariff-free under USMCA terms.

Trump’s country-specific tariffs, justified by emergency economic powers, have faced legal challenges too and the Supreme Court is due to rule on their legality in the near future.

While Trump has repeatedly touted tariffs as a positive development for the country, a Pew Research Center survey released this month indicated that 60 per cent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s higher tariffs.

BILL PASSED TO REQUIRE US CITIZENSHIP PROOF FOR VOTERS

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives also voted on Wednesday to require proof of US citizenship in the November midterm elections, which Democrats said would impose unnecessary burdens on American voters and concentrate electoral power in the hands of President Donald Trump.  

Lawmakers voted 218-213 to approve the SAVE America Act, with only one Democrat joining Republicans to back the measure. The action sends the legislation on to the Republican-led Senate, where it is expected to receive a vote but unlikely to garner the 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority needed for passage.

The bill is the latest version of election legislation that first emerged during the 2024 presidential campaign, driven by Trump’s false claims that large numbers of people in the country illegally have been voting in federal elections. A similar measure passed the House twice - last April and in 2024 - only to die in the Senate.

The House vote came barely a week after Trump called for Republicans to “take over” elections in more than a dozen locations. The bill would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote in the midterms and would impose criminal penalties on election officials who register anyone without the required documentation.

Republicans also added a photo ID requirement for people casting ballots at the polls or via mail-in ballots in subsequent federal elections. They cited polls including a Pew Research Center survey showing that 83 per cent of voters, including 71 per cent of Democrats, back photo ID for voters.

REPUBLICANS WORRY OVER SPECIAL ELECTION LOSSES

House Speaker Mike Johnson described the bill as “common sense legislation to just ensure that American citizens decide American elections”.

But Democratic Party leaders say the legislation attempts to suppress the vote and undermine their electoral chances at a time when they are favoured by independent analysts to take control of the House. Republicans have been jarred by a string of Democratic special election wins, including one for the Texas state Senate viewed as a wake-up call.

“The SAVE America Act is part of a comprehensive Republican strategy to cement power this year. Speaker Johnson wants to make it harder for Americans to vote, easier for Washington Republicans to control how elections are run,” said Representative Joe Morelle, the top Democrat on the House committee that oversees elections.

It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Independent groups on the left and the right, as well as state election officials, have found such voting to be extremely rare.

The left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law has warned that the SAVE America Act could deny the vote to millions of US citizens who lack ready access to passports, birth certificates and other documents that prove their citizenship.

Democracy advocates say the legislation is also part of a larger struggle between the Trump administration and state governments that has included the withholding of federal funds, the deployment of National Guard troops and the FBI search of a county election office in Georgia.

“We have checks and balances in place that include state and local officials acting as a check against federal overreach,” said Mai Ratakonda, program director of election protection at States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan group that works to safeguard free and fair elections. “That’s what the federal government is trying to undermine.”

Republicans are also readying a second, broader election bill, called the Make Elections Great Again Act, which would mandate the use of paper ballots, restrict mail-in ballots and prohibit ranked-choice voting in federal general elections. It was examined at a hearing before the House Administration Committee on Tuesday.

(Source: Adaderana.lk)

A key parliamentary oversight committee has given its unanimous approval to a Bill aimed at scrapping pension entitlements for Members of Parliament.

Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, MP Najith Indika, confirmed that the proposal received full backing during a recent committee meeting.

Addressing the decision, MP Indika said the move aligns with a major commitment outlined in the current government’s policy statement. He noted that one of the pledges made ahead of the election was to eliminate the pension granted to MPs after serving only a limited period in Parliament.

The proposed legislation will repeal the Parliamentary Pensions Act No. 1 of 1977. If passed when it is presented in Parliament next week, MPs will no longer qualify for a pension following their parliamentary service.

MP Indika further stated that the reform is intended to reinforce the principle of public service in politics and contribute to a shift in political culture. He added that the measure reflects the government’s commitment to delivering on its promises and signals the direction it intends to take in the future.