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China Restores Taiwan Ties
China announced a series of measures to restore ties with Taiwan following a rare visit by the island's opposition leader Cheng Li-wun of the Kuomintang.
The Taiwan Work Office said it would explore setting up a communication mechanism between the Communist Party and Taiwan's KMT.
China would facilitate the import of Taiwan's aquaculture products and resume direct flights between Taiwan and mainland cities like Xi'an and Urumqi.
China also said it would work toward construction of a bridge connecting the mainland to Matsu and Kinmen.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council responded that the measures were political transactions that circumvented the government of Taiwan.
Divergent Death Toll
Survivors described scenes of workers pounding on locked metal doors as smoke filled the stairwells.
Nasrin Begum escaped by jumping from a second-floor window and heard screams she could not reach.
The Bangladesh Garment Workers' Federation called a nationwide strike.
Federation president Kalpona Akter said Rahman Textile had been cited for fire safety violations in 2024.
Labour Minister Tahmina Akhter pledged an immediate government investigation.
Firefighter Mahmud Iqbal said 47 people had been injured, including 12 in critical condition.
Supply Chain Under Scrutiny
Rahman Textile produced clothing for several European fashion brands, including Hessen and BrandBox.
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Both companies said they were deeply saddened and would review their Bangladesh operations.
Hessen's compliance team had audited the factory in March.
Rahman Textile owner Faisal Rahman claimed the factory had passed its most recent safety inspection in January.
Clean Clothes Campaign said the audit system was fundamentally broken.
Rahman was being questioned about allegations that the factory's emergency exits had been welded shut.
