United News of Bangladesh

One of Hungary’s most historic institutions is racing against time to protect its priceless collection of books from a destructive beetle infestation. At the 1,000-year-old Pannonhalma Archabbey — a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Hungary’s oldest centers of learning — around 100,000 centuries-old, handbound books are being removed from the library shelves. The goal is to halt the spread of the drugstore beetle, a tiny insect known to feed not only on dried foods but also on the gelatin and starch adhesives used in bookbinding. The infestation, discovered during routine cleaning, has affected nearly a quarter of the abbey’s 400,000 volumes. Library staff found layers of dust and boreholes in book spines and pages — telltale signs of beetle damage. “We’ve never seen an infestation of this scale,” said Zsófia Edit Hajdu, the project’s lead conservator. “The entire collection must be treated simultaneously.” The library holds an irreplaceable trove of treasures: Hungary’s first book catalog, a complete 13th-century Bible, 19 codices, and hundreds of pre-printing press manuscripts. While the most fragile items are stored separately and remain safe, any loss is deeply felt. “Even if a book is replaceable, its cultural essence is not,” said library director Ilona Ásványi. Pope Leo XIV celebrates mass at church tied to his Augustinian roots To combat the insects, the books are being placed in sealed, oxygen-free bags filled with nitrogen for six weeks, a method designed to kill the beetles. Each book will then be inspected, cleaned, and, if necessary, restored. Abbey officials suspect that rising temperatures linked to climate change may have worsened the infestation. “Insects are thriving in warmer climates, and this allows them to reproduce faster,” said Hajdu. For the monks and librarians at Pannonhalma, preserving the collection is more than a duty — it’s a sacred obligation. “According to the Rule of Saint Benedict, monastery property is to be treated as sacred,” Ásványi said. “We take that responsibility seriously.”

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for “merciful compassion” toward the world’s poor and victims of tyranny and war as he celebrated Mass at St. Thomas of Villanova church in Castel Gandolfo, which holds special spiritual significance for his Augustinian religious order. While on summer vacation at the papal estate south of Rome, Leo resumed the tradition of papal visits to Castel Gandolfo and marked the occasion with a Mass at the local parish. St. Thomas of Villanova, a 16th-century Spanish Augustinian friar, educator, and regional superior of the order, is also the patron saint of Villanova University near Philadelphia—Leo’s alma mater. Known for his commitment to the poor, Thomas gave away his wealth to those in need. In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on the parable of the Good Samaritan, urging Catholics to embrace empathy and to act “with the same merciful compassion as God.” Danish military using robotic sailboats for surveillance in Baltic and North seas “How we look at others is what counts, because it shows what is in our hearts,” he said. “We can look and walk by, or we can look and be moved with compassion.” He emphasized this in the context of those “stripped, robbed and pillaged, victims of tyrannical political systems, of an economy that forces them into poverty, and of wars that kill their dreams and their very lives.” From the beginning of his papacy, Leo has identified strongly as an Augustinian and regularly incorporates the teachings of St. Augustine into his addresses. Rev. Tadeusz Rozmus, the parish priest, said Leo’s return “filled the town with joy,” and highlighted the pope’s spiritual connection to St. Thomas of Villanova.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country would be willing to restart nuclear negotiations with the United States, provided there are firm guarantees that no further attacks will take place, according to Iranian state media. Speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran on Saturday, Araghchi emphasized that Iran has always been open to dialogue over its nuclear program. However, he stressed that any future talks must come with assurances that they won't escalate into conflict. “There must be a guarantee that resuming talks will not result in war,” he said. He referenced recent hostilities, including a 12-day Israeli bombardment targeting Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure, as well as a U.S. airstrike on June 22. These events, he said, have significantly complicated any path forward through negotiation. “If the U.S. and others truly want to return to talks, they must first guarantee that such attacks will not happen again,” Araghchi stated. In the wake of the attacks, Iran halted its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, prompting international inspectors to leave the country. Araghchi clarified that Iran would now respond to inspection requests on a “case-by-case” basis, aligned with national interests. He also cited safety concerns, noting the danger of radioactive material leaks and leftover ammunition at damaged sites. He reiterated Iran’s commitment to uranium enrichment within its borders, a point of contention with the U.S. President Donald Trump, who has demanded that Iran stop enrichment entirely. Israel justified its actions by claiming Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon. However, both U.S. intelligence and the International Atomic Energy Agency have stated that Iran has not had an active nuclear weapons program since 2003. Still, Tehran’s uranium enrichment has reached 60%—just below the 90% needed for weapons-grade material. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian revealed in an interview on Monday that the recent U.S. strikes caused extensive damage to Iran’s nuclear sites—so much so that officials have not yet been able to fully assess the destruction.  

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has begun a visit to China aimed at strengthening bilateral trade ties, marking a renewed phase of engagement between the two countries. On Sunday, Albanese met with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining, the first in a series of high-level meetings scheduled during the visit. He is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People’s Congress. Speaking to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN upon arrival in Shanghai on Saturday, Albanese said he was leading “a very large business delegation” to China, reflecting the significance of economic relations between the two nations. During his weeklong trip, Albanese is expected to engage with business, tourism, and sports representatives in Shanghai and Chengdu. His itinerary also includes a CEO roundtable in Beijing on Tuesday, according to his office. This marks Albanese’s second visit to China since his center-left Labor Party came to power in 2022. The party was reelected in May with an increased majority. Ex-South Korean leader Yoon held again over martial law declaration Since taking office, Albanese has successfully lobbied Beijing to lift a range of official and unofficial trade barriers imposed during the previous conservative administration. Those restrictions had cost Australian exporters more than 20 billion Australian dollars (approximately US$13 billion) annually. Diplomatic tensions under the former government arose from Australia’s calls for an independent investigation into the origins and response to COVID-19. Although Albanese has prioritized repairing ties, he also emphasized the need to reduce Australia’s economic reliance on China, a key free trade partner. “My government has worked very hard to diversify trade … and to increase our relationships with other countries in the region, including India and Indonesia and the ASEAN countries,” Albanese said ahead of the visit, referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. “But the relationship with China is an important one, as is our relationships when it comes to exports with the north Asian economies of South Korea and Japan,” he added. In an editorial published Sunday, China’s official Xinhua News Agency described the bilateral relationship as “steadily improving” and gaining “fresh momentum.” The editorial stated, “There are no fundamental conflicts of interest between China and Australia. By managing differences through mutual respect and focusing on shared interests, the two sides can achieve common prosperity and benefit.”

At least 59 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Saturday, including 31 who were shot dead while heading to an aid distribution site and 28 others in Israeli airstrikes, according to hospital officials and witnesses. The shootings occurred near Rafah as people approached a site run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The Red Cross reported its largest influx of casualties in over a year, with most injuries caused by gunfire. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people behaving suspiciously but claimed it was unaware of any casualties. The GHF denied any incident occurred near its locations. Among the victims was 17-year-old Nasir al-Sha’er, whose mother said he went to get flour for his family. Witnesses said Israeli forces had ordered them to proceed to the site before opening fire. 28 Palestinians including children killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza Israeli airstrikes killed 13 people, including four children, in Deir al-Balah and 15 in Khan Younis, officials said. Strikes also hit Beit Hanoun in the north. Gaza’s 21-month war has left much of the population dependent on aid. Israel restricted aid after ending the latest ceasefire in March. The UN said only 150,000 liters of fuel entered Gaza this week after 130 days—far below needs. Since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack that killed 1,200 in Israel, over 57,800 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. In the West Bank, Palestinian-American Seifeddin Musalat was reportedly beaten to death by Israeli settlers. His family has urged a U.S. investigation.

Fuel control switches for the engines of an Air India flight that crashed last month were moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position moments before impact, starving both engines of fuel, a preliminary investigation report said early Saturday. The report, issued by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, also indicated that both pilots were confused over the change to the switch setting, which caused a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff. The Air India flight — a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, which is one of India’s worst aviation disasters. The plane was carrying 230 passengers — 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian — along with 12 crew members. According to the report, the flight lasted around 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. It said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, “the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another" within a second. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped to the cutoff position during the flight. The movement of the fuel control switches allows and cuts fuel flow to the plane’s engines. The switches were flipped back into the run position, the report said, but the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent after the aircraft had begun to lose altitude. The report stated: “One of the pilots transmitted ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY’.” Aviation expert and former airline pilot Terry Tozer said the engine cutoff switches being switched to off only seconds after takeoff was “absolutely bizarre.” “Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines were only beginning to recover and they didn’t have enough time,” Tozer told Sky News. The report also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash. In the flight’s final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said. The preliminary report did not recommend any actions for Boeing, which said in a statement that it “stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.” “Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” the statement added. India’s civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, said the report’s findings were preliminary and one should not “jump into any conclusions on this.” “Let us wait for the final report,” Naidu told reporters. Air India, in a statement, said it is fully cooperating with authorities investigating the crash. “Air India is working closely with stakeholders, including regulators. We continue to fully cooperate with the AAIB and other authorities as their investigation progresses,” it said. The plane’s black boxes — combined cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders — were recovered in the days following the crash and later downloaded in India. Indian authorities had also ordered deeper checks of Air India’s entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet to prevent future incidents. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Tehran is open to resuming nuclear talks with the United States — but only if firm assurances are given that no further attacks will be carried out against the country. Speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, Araghchi stated, “Iran has always been ready and will be ready in the future for talks about its nuclear program,” but emphasized that “assurance should be provided that in case of a resumption of talks; the trend will not lead to war.” The comments come amid heightened tensions following a 12-day Israeli bombardment of Iran’s nuclear and military sites, and a U.S. airstrike on June 22. Referring to these incidents, Araghchi warned that “if the U.S. and others wish to resume talks with Iran, first of all, there should be a firm guarantee that such actions will not be repeated. The attack on Iran's nuclear facilities has made it more difficult and complicated to achieve a solution based on negotiations.” In response to the strikes, Iran suspended its cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, prompting inspectors to leave the country. Araghchi noted that under Iranian law, future cooperation would be considered “case by case,” based on national interests. Iran’s missile strike in Qatar damaged US communications dome, satellite images show He added that inspections must respect Iran's “security” concerns and the safety of international inspectors, citing risks from radioactive materials and unexploded ordnance at bombed sites. Araghchi also reaffirmed Iran’s stance on enriching uranium within its own territory — a position rejected by U.S. President Donald Trump. Israel has justified its actions by claiming Iran was nearing the capability to produce a nuclear weapon. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency assess that Iran halted an organized nuclear weapons program in 2003, though the country has been enriching uranium to 60% — close to the 90% weapons-grade level. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview published Monday that the U.S. airstrikes caused such extensive damage that Iranian authorities have still been unable to access the impacted nuclear sites to fully assess the destruction.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday announced 30% tariffs on imports from the European Union and Mexico, effective August 1, targeting two of the country's largest trade partners. The announcement came through letters Trump posted on his social media account, where he outlined the reasoning behind the move. In his message to Mexico’s president, Trump acknowledged the country’s efforts in helping to curb undocumented migration and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. However, he criticized Mexico for not doing enough to prevent the region from becoming what he called a “Narco-Trafficking Playground.” In a separate letter addressed to European Union leaders, Trump described the U.S. trade deficit as a threat to national security. “We have had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies, and Trade Barriers,” Trump wrote. “Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from Reciprocal.” Judge blocks Trump administration from random immigration raids, arrests in California The move is part of a broader campaign effort by Trump, who has been ramping up announcements of new tariffs as a central theme of his 2024 re-election bid. He claims these measures will restore fairness to the U.S. economy, which he says has been exploited by foreign powers for decades. By introducing these reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively challenging the global trade framework established under the Uruguay Round of negotiations, which set tariff rates under a “most favored nation” principle — ensuring no country was treated less favorably than others. With Saturday’s letters, Trump has now imposed tariff conditions on 24 countries and the 27-member European Union.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on people working in the country's film industry to create more fine cinematic works that reflect the spirit of the times and express the people's aspirations. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent reply letter to eight veteran Chinese film artists, including 97-year-old famed actress Tian Hua. In his reply, Xi said that reading the letter from the artists reminded him of the classic films they had participated, which are widely known and cherished by the public. Xi expressed the hope that the artists would continue to set an example in upholding virtue and pursuing artistic excellence. He encouraged them to inspire the broader film community to strengthen cultural confidence, stay rooted in real life, and make new contributions to the prosperity of arts and the building of a culturally strong nation. 

At least 28 Palestinians, including four children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, hospital officials reported Saturday. Thirteen of the victims, including the children and two women, died in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza after heavy bombardment began late Friday, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Four more were killed in an attack near a fuel station, while another 15 people lost their lives in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Nasser Hospital said. The Israeli military said its forces had struck around 250 targets across Gaza in the past 48 hours, targeting militants, weapons depots, tunnels, booby-trapped structures, and other Hamas infrastructure. The military did not comment on civilian casualties despite requests from the Associated Press. The ongoing conflict began after Hamas-led fighters killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages during their October 7, 2023, assault. Around 50 hostages remain in captivity, fewer than half of whom are believed to be alive. 5 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza while strikes kill 51 Palestinians Israel’s military campaign has since claimed the lives of over 57,000 Palestinians, with more than half reported to be women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, its figures are widely regarded by the U.N. and other international agencies as the most reliable. U.S. President Donald Trump has said efforts are underway to secure a new ceasefire that could lead to more hostage releases and potentially bring the war to an end. However, his recent meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ended without significant progress.