United News of Bangladesh

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he is willing to release the results of an MRI he took in October, although he said he does not know what part of his body was scanned. Speaking to reporters while returning to Washington from Florida, Trump said the MRI results were “perfect” and that he would make them public if people wanted to see them. The White House has not explained why Trump underwent the MRI during his physical last month or what area was examined. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously said the president received advanced imaging at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as part of a routine checkup and that the results showed he remains in exceptional health. Trump said Sunday he had “no idea” which part of his body the MRI covered. He added that it was not a brain scan, saying he recently took a cognitive test and “aced it.”  

U.S. and Ukrainian officials held nearly four hours of talks in Florida on Sunday as both sides worked to shape a possible end to the Russia Ukraine war, days before a U.S. envoy is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the discussions were productive, but he noted that substantial work is still needed before any peace agreement can be reached. He said the aim is not only to stop the fighting but to ensure Ukraine’s long term stability and economic future. Rubio said progress was made, although more negotiations will be required. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is preparing for talks with Putin in Moscow in the coming days. Rubio, Witkoff and Trump adviser Jared Kushner represented the U.S. side in the Florida meeting, held at a sensitive moment as Ukraine continues resisting Russian forces while dealing with a corruption scandal at home. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had been briefed on the meeting and described Ukraine’s corruption problems as “not helpful.” He added that there is “a good chance” for a deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government is facing strong pressure after revelations that $100 million was embezzled from the energy sector through contractor kickbacks. The scandal has added to political strains for Zelenskyy. Diplomats are working on changes to a U.S. drafted peace plan that came out of earlier contacts between Washington and Moscow. Critics say the proposal favors Russian demands. At the start of Sunday’s meeting at the Shell Bay Club, a resort developed by Witkoff, Rubio said any agreement must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and set it on a path to long term prosperity. Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s security council, expressed gratitude for U.S. support and said Ukraine values Washington’s efforts. After the talks, he again thanked the United States for its backing during the nearly four year conflict, though he did not provide details about any progress. Rubio said the talks covered issues beyond ending the fighting. Trump has argued that deeper commercial ties between the U.S. and Ukraine could help deter Russian aggression in the future. The two countries signed an agreement earlier this year that gives the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. Trump’s draft plan includes creating a Ukraine Development Fund to support industries such as technology, data centers and artificial intelligence. It also calls for joint work on rebuilding and operating Ukraine’s natural gas pipelines and storage systems, which Russia has repeatedly targeted. Rubio said the United States wants Ukraine to be secure from future invasions and to enter a period of lasting prosperity. He said the aim is to help Ukraine rebuild in ways that make the country stronger than before the war. Umerov has been involved in recent negotiations. Until now, Ukraine’s main negotiator had been Andrii Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, who resigned Friday after anti corruption investigators searched his home. Rubio had met Yermak in Geneva one week earlier. The Ukrainian delegation in Florida also included Andrii Hnatov, head of Ukraine’s armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz. An earlier 28 point U.S. framework, which Trump later described as only a draft concept, would have limited the size of Ukraine’s military, blocked NATO membership and required elections within 100 days. It also proposed that Ukraine cede the entire Donbas region to Russia. Negotiators say the framework has changed, though details remain unclear. Trump said last week that Witkoff and possibly Kushner would go to Moscow to meet Putin about the plan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would meet Witkoff before Thursday, when he leaves for India. Witkoff and Kushner both come from the real estate world and were involved in a proposal that led to a ceasefire in Gaza. In his nightly address Saturday, Zelenskyy said the U.S. team was taking a constructive approach and that steps could be outlined in the coming days for what he called a “dignified end” to the war. Russian drone and missile strikes continued over the weekend despite diplomatic efforts. Attacks around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded dozens, authorities said. More overnight strikes into Sunday killed one person and injured 19, including four children, when a drone hit a nine story apartment building in Vyshhorod near Kyiv. Zelenskyy said Russia launched 122 strike drones and ballistic missiles on Sunday alone. He said Russia had used nearly 1,400 drones, 1,100 guided bombs and 66 missiles in the past week. He called for stronger air defense and continued cooperation with partners to achieve peace. Tensions rose further after Ukraine claimed responsibility for damaging a major oil terminal near the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Saturday. Kazakhstan, whose oil exports move through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, urged Ukraine to stop such attacks. The Kazakh Foreign Ministry said the strike harmed bilateral relations and asked Ukraine to take steps to prevent similar incidents.  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday asked the country’s president to grant him a pardon from corruption charges, seeking to end a long-running trial that has bitterly divided the nation. Netanyahu, who has been at war against Israel’s legal system over the charges, said the request would help unify the country at a time of momentous change in the region. But it immediately triggered denunciations from opponents, who said a pardon would weaken democratic institutions and send a dangerous message that he's above the rule of law. Netanyahu had submitted a request for a pardon to the legal department of the Office of the President, the prime minister’s office said in a statement. The president's office called it an “extraordinary request,” carrying with it “significant implications.” Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial, after being charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters. He hasn't been convicted of anything. Netanyahu rejects the allegations and has described the case as a witch hunt orchestrated by the media, police and judiciary. Trump's request His request comes weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel to pardon Netanyahu, turning to President Isaac Herzog during his speech to Israel's parliament last month. Earlier this month, Trump also sent a letter to Herzog calling the corruption case "political, unjustified prosecution.” Herzog is a former political rival of Netanyahu, but the men have a good working relationship. Later Sunday, Israeli media reported a small protest outside Herzog’s home, including a pile of bananas with a sign saying a pardon equals a banana republic. In a videotaped statement, Netanyahu said the trial has divided the country. He also said the requirement that he appear in court three times a week is a distraction that makes it difficult for him to lead. “The continuation of the trial tears us apart from within, stirs up this division, and deepens rifts. I am sure, like many others in the nation, that an immediate conclusion of the trial would greatly help to lower the flames and promote the broad reconciliation that our country so desperately needs," he said. Case delays Netanyahu has taken the stand multiple times over the past year. But the case has been repeatedly delayed as he has dealt with wars and unrest stemming from the Hamas-led militant attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Netanyahu's pardon request consisted of two documents: a detailed letter signed by his lawyer and a letter signed by Netanyahu. They'll be sent to the Justice Ministry for opinions and will then be transferred to the legal adviser at the president's office, which will formulate additional opinions for the president. Legal experts say the pardon request isn't able to stop the trial. “It’s impossible,” said Emi Palmor, former director-general of the Justice Ministry. “You cannot claim that you’re innocent while the trial is going on and come to the president and ask him to intervene,” she said. The only way to stop the trial is to ask the attorney general to withhold the proceedings, she said. In rare cases, the system could pardon Netanyahu. Experts say the president has broad discretion to grant one, and oversight is limited. However, "as a rule, the president reviews a pardon request only after all legal proceedings have ended. The possibility of a preconviction pardon ... is extremely rare,” the Israel Democracy Institute wrote earlier this month. “A pardon before conviction, while legal proceedings are ongoing, threatens the rule of law and seriously undermines the principle of equality before the law.” Netanyahu portrays himself as victimIn 2008, as opposition leader, Netanyahu called on then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to step down as he faced a growing corruption scandal. At the time, Netanyahu said that a prime minister “up to his neck” in scandal did not have a mandate to lead the country, and there was a risk that Olmert would make decisions that served his personal interests and not those of the nation. Olmert resigned even before he was indicted that year and would later serve 16 months in prison. Netanyahu has struck a different, defiant tone since his own legal problems began. He has portrayed himself as the victim of a “deep state” conspiracy trying to oust him from office. Shortly after forming his current government in late 2022, Netanyahu launched a plan to overhaul Israel’s justice system. Netanyahu presented the plan as a much-needed reform. But his opponents accused him of trying to weaken the justice system, damaging the country’s system of checks and balances and having a conflict of interest at a time when he was on trial. The plan triggered large street protests against the government, and critics have said the deep divisions sent a message of weakness to Israel’s enemies that encouraged Hamas to launch its 2023 attacks. Netanyahu's request also sparked backlash on Sunday, with an immediate response from the opposition and advocacy groups urging the president not to give in to his request. “You cannot grant him a pardon without an admission of guilt, an expression of remorse and an immediate retirement from political life," opposition leader Yair Lapid said. The Movement for Quality Government in Israel said that granting a pardon to a prime minister accused of serious offenses of fraud and breach of trust would send a clear message that there are citizens who are above the law. But some Israelis expressed support for Netanyahu's request. “Bibi Netanyahu did totally the right thing requesting the pardon," said Lior Gal, a Jerusalem resident, referring to the prime minister by his nickname. "He deserves to be pardoned. This chapter should be over and to remain united people and carry on.”

Five people were killed when a fire swept through a home in a small eastern French town, local officials said Sunday. The Nancy prosecutor’s office has launched an inquiry into the incident. About 70 firefighters and 40 emergency vehicles were mobilized overnight to bring the blaze under control in Neuves-Maisons, the Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefecture told The Associated Press. A sixth person was treated for smoke inhalation but is not in critical condition. Local outlet Ici Lorraine, citing police sources, reported that the victims included a couple and three youths aged between 17 and 20 — identified as the couple’s son and two of his friends. The Prefecture said the town hall will set up an emergency medical and psychological support unit for affected residents.

Authorities in Indonesia said Sunday that some residents on the flood-ravaged island of Sumatra have begun taking food and water to survive, as Sri Lankan officials confirmed that the death toll from floods and mudslides there has climbed to 193. Nearly a week after the Indonesian floods began, at least 303 people have been killed — a figure expected to grow as more victims are found — and thousands have been forced from their homes. The flooding triggered landslides, washed out roads, isolated communities and disrupted communications across parts of the island. Rescue efforts have been slowed by harsh weather and a shortage of heavy machinery. Aid has struggled to reach the worst-affected areas, including Sibolga city and Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra. Social media clips showed people rushing through damaged barriers, shattered glass and inundated streets in search of food, fuel and medicine, with some wading through waist-high water to reach wrecked convenience stores. Police spokesperson Ferry Walintukan said incidents of looting were first reported Saturday evening, noting that local police had been deployed to restore order. “The looting happened before relief supplies arrived,” he said. “Residents didn’t realise aid was coming and feared they would go hungry.” Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said that 11 helicopters were dispatched from Jakarta the day after the disaster to deliver relief supplies, particularly to communities cut off by road, but unpredictable weather continues to disrupt the operations. Government footage showed military aircraft airdropping supplies, with survivors in North Tapanuli waving urgently toward the helicopters. Four navy vessels have also arrived at a nearby port to support the distribution of aid. Meanwhile in Sri Lanka, officials said 193 people have died in floods and landslides, while 228 remain missing. Close to 148,000 people have been driven from their homes and are currently staying in temporary shelters. Sri Lanka has faced relentless severe weather since last week, with conditions worsening on Thursday when heavy rain inundated homes, farmlands and roads and triggered landslides, particularly in the central tea-growing highlands. Meteorologists say Cyclone Ditwah, which formed in waters east of Sri Lanka, is expected to move toward India’s southern coast on Sunday.

Ukrainian naval drones have targeted two Russian oil tankers in the Black Sea, signaling an escalation in Kyiv’s efforts to disrupt Moscow’s war funding. The tankers, identified by Turkish authorities as the Kairos and Virat—both Gambian-flagged—were struck off the Turkish coast on Friday, with the Virat reportedly hit again on Saturday. No casualties were reported. BBC-verified footage shows waterborne drones speeding toward the vessels before detonating, sending flames and thick black smoke into the air. Both ships are part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of aging tankers used to bypass Western sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The targeted vessels are on lists of sanctioned ships according to London Stock Exchange data. Sources told BBC Ukrainian that Ukraine deployed Sea Baby naval drones, produced by its security services (SBU). Turkish authorities assisted the vessels, releasing footage of boats attempting to extinguish the fire on the Kairos. The attacks are widely seen as a warning to any ship transporting Russian oil in the Black Sea, suggesting they may face direct strikes in addition to sanctions. Separately, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium halted oil loading in Novorossiysk after an overnight unmanned boat attack caused significant damage to a mooring point. Russia, Kazakhstan, and Western firms including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Shell are stakeholders in the consortium. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a delegation led by security official Rustem Umerov is en route to the United States to continue negotiations aimed at ending the war. Umerov succeeds chief of staff Andriy Yermak, who resigned following an anti-corruption investigation. The Ukrainian delegation is expected to meet U.S. officials in Florida, while former U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, will conduct talks in Moscow next week. Source: BBC

US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared that the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” sparking sharp criticism from the Venezuelan government. Caracas denounced the statement as a “colonial threat” aimed at undermining the country’s sovereignty. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, addressing it to “Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers” rather than directly to President Nicolás Maduro. It remains unclear whether the statement represents a formal U.S. policy or is part of Trump’s ongoing campaign rhetoric against Maduro. Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry said the declaration constitutes a “hostile, unilateral and arbitrary act,” threatening the nation’s territorial integrity and aeronautical security. The statement also cited U.S. immigration authorities’ suspension of biweekly deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants—a program that had returned over 13,000 people to Venezuela this year. International airlines have recently canceled flights to Venezuela following Federal Aviation Administration warnings about the heightened military activity in the region. While the FAA’s authority is primarily domestic, it regularly issues global advisories to protect pilots from conflict zones. Trump’s administration has previously increased pressure on Maduro, whom the U.S. does not recognize as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. U.S. forces have conducted bomber flights near Venezuelan waters, and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is currently stationed in the region, marking the largest U.S. military buildup there in decades. Concerns over the use of force have prompted bipartisan calls for oversight. Senate Armed Services Committee leaders, Republican Roger Wicker and Democrat Jack Reed, said they will investigate U.S. military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, particularly following reports of verbal orders to kill all crew members in a September attack on suspected drug smugglers. Trump has reportedly explored both military and diplomatic channels, including a conversation with Maduro, though details of the discussion remain undisclosed.

Former military officers from Argentina’s 1976-1983 dictatorship era and their families held an unusual public rally on Saturday, calling for the release of officers jailed for abuses committed during the junta’s rule — a move that critics say challenges the country’s long-standing promise of “Nunca Más,” or never again. The demonstration took place in Buenos Aires’ Plaza de Mayo, where the grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo have marched for decades demanding justice for thousands of people abducted and disappeared during the dictatorship. Their presence sparked anger among human rights activists and counter-protesters, who view the gathering as an alarming attempt to revise the nation’s history of state terrorism. The rally comes amid a political shift under President Javier Milei, who has repeatedly framed the dictatorship’s crimes as part of a broader conflict with leftist guerrilla groups. His vice president, Victoria Villarruel—long known for defending military personnel—has also pushed for recognition of what she calls “other victims” of the era. Human rights organizations accuse the government of legitimizing the junta’s widespread killings and disappearances, estimated at up to 30,000 people. Tensions rose further after Milei appointed Army chief Lt. Gen. Carlos Alberto Presti as defense minister, making him the first military official since Argentina’s return to democracy to hold that post. Supporters at the rally argued that the armed forces have been unfairly vilified and demanded “moral restoration” for imprisoned officers. But relatives of dictatorship victims condemned the event as deeply offensive, especially given its location. Their outrage followed a U.N. report warning that Milei’s government is rolling back programs dedicated to truth and justice while boosting military spending. Milei officials deny undermining human rights protections, insisting they are committed to an “unbiased historical memory.”

Improved weather on Saturday helped rescuers on Indonesia's Sumatra island recover more bodies as they struggled to reach several areas that were hit by landslides and flash floods that left more than 300 dead and scores missing. Parts of Sumatra, known for its lush rainforests, volcanoes and mountain ranges, were cut off by damaged roads and downed communications lines, and relied on transport aircraft to deliver aid supplies. Rescue efforts were also hampered by a lack of heavy equipment. Monsoon rains over the past week caused rivers to burst their banks. The deluge tore through mountainside village, swept away people and submerged thousands of houses and buildings in the three provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh. The death toll in North Sumatra rose to 166, while 90 people died in West Sumatra. Rescuers also retrieved 47 bodies in Aceh, said Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Management Agency. About 59,660 displaced families fled to temporary government shelters. Authorities used cloud seeding, which involves dispersing particles into clouds to create precipitation, to redirect rainfall away from the areas where search and rescue efforts were ongoing, said Suharyanto, who goes by a single name like many Indonesians. In the Agam district in West Sumatra province, nearly 80 people were missing in three village, buried under tons of mud and rocks. There was a desperate need for heavy equipment to reach possible survivors. Relatives wailed as they watched rescuers pull bodies from a buried house in Salareh Aia village. Images also showed massive piles of logs washed ashore on West Sumatra’s Air Tawar Beach, sparking public concern over possible illegal logging that may have contributed to the disaster. In Aceh province, on the northern tip of Sumatra, authorities had difficulty deploying tractors and other heavy equipment. Hundreds of police, soldiers and residents dug through the debris with bare hands, shovels and hoes as heavy rain pounded the region. “The death toll is believed to be increasing, since many bodies are still missing, while many have not been reached,” said Suharyanto, the head of the government's disaster relief agency, who like many Indonesians only uses one name. TV reports showed two rescuers battling strong currents in a small rubber boat, moving toward a man clinging to a coconut tree. “There are many challenges,” Aceh Gov. Muzakir Manaf said after declaring a state of emergency until Dec. 11 to address the disaster. “We have to do many things soon, but conditions do not allow us to do so.” Local media said that flash floods in Bireuen district in Aceh collapsed ine bridges, paralyze two-way transportation from North Sumatra’s Medan city to Banda Aceh, and forced residents to cross the river from village to village by boat. It was the latest natural disaster to hit Indonesia, which is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. Seasonal rains frequently cause flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains.

Two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli fire in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, hospital officials said, highlighting tensions under a fragile ceasefire with Hamas. The brothers, aged 11 and 8, died when an Israeli drone struck near a school sheltering displaced people in Beni Suhaila, according to staff at Nasser Hospital, which received their bodies. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, at least 352 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but maintains detailed records widely regarded as reliable. Israel has said its strikes target militants violating the truce, but the deaths of civilians have strained the fragile agreement. Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of ceasefire violations. Hamas called on mediators Saturday to pressure Israel following the killing of the children. Israeli operations have also intensified on other fronts. Syrian officials said Israeli forces raided a village on Friday, killing at least 13 people after residents confronted troops. Israel said the operation targeted militants planning attacks and that troops were fired upon, injuring six. Strikes in Lebanon have increased, with Israel targeting Hezbollah sites to prevent rearmament. In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians accused Israeli soldiers of killing two men after apparent surrender on Thursday. Israel said it is investigating the incident. Settler violence has also risen in the West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 10 Palestinians were injured in attacks by settlers using live ammunition and beatings in Khallet al-Louza near Bethlehem. Meanwhile, a U.S. plan for Gaza’s future remains in early stages. The proposal calls for an international stabilization force, a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump, and envisions a potential path toward an independent Palestinian state.