United News of Bangladesh

Hong Kong will form an independent committee led by a judge to investigate last week’s deadly high-rise fire, Chief Executive John Lee said Tuesday, promising full transparency and major reforms in the city’s construction sector. Lee said the probe must determine what caused the fire and identify failures that allowed it to spread so quickly. Police said more bodies were recovered on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to at least 156. Around 30 people remain missing one week after the blaze. Lee told reporters the investigation must “uncover the truth” and ensure justice for the victims. He said the government is committed to preventing similar tragedies and will push through reforms despite resistance from vested interests. The fire began last Wednesday around scaffolding at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex. It rapidly engulfed seven of the estate’s eight towers, home to over 4,600 residents. Many families have been left homeless, and 40 injured people are still in hospital. Survivors welcomed the decision to set up an independent committee. May Liang, who lost all her belongings, said residents deserve to know exactly what went wrong. At least 15 people have been arrested by police and anti-corruption investigators. Those detained include scaffolding contractors, company executives and an engineering consultant, as authorities examine suspected corruption and negligence tied to a renovation project at the site. Early findings show the fire spread unusually fast because of strong winds and substandard materials used during maintenance work. Authorities said Monday that contractors used low-quality safety netting. Investigators collected 20 samples from the complex, and seven failed safety standards. Lee said some contractors mixed approved materials with substandard ones to deceive inspectors. He pledged a full overhaul of Hong Kong’s building renovation system. Lee declined to comment on media reports that recent arrests were aimed at suppressing criticism of the government. One person was reportedly detained for a petition demanding accountability. Lee said he would not tolerate crimes that try to “exploit the tragedy.” John Burns, an honorary professor at the University of Hong Kong, said the public will expect credible findings. He added that transparency is essential to restore trust in the government. Authorities have moved 2,500 residents into temporary housing, including government flats, hostels and hotels. About 20 people remain in emergency shelters, down from hundreds on the first night.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India this week for a summit aimed at strengthening economic, defense and energy cooperation, a trip that will also test New Delhi’s balancing act between Moscow and Washington as the Ukraine war continues. Putin is expected to arrive Thursday and hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. Both sides said they will review progress in bilateral ties, discuss major issues and sign government and business agreements. India has kept buying discounted Russian oil despite U.S. pressure, arguing that the imports are vital for its 1.4 billion people. Washington says the purchases are helping Moscow fund the war, and U.S. President Donald Trump recently raised tariffs on Indian imports to 50% in response. Putin last visited India in 2021, while Modi traveled to Moscow last year. They also briefly met in China in September during a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting. The visit comes as the U.S. pushes a new peace plan for Ukraine. Critics say the proposal initially leaned toward Moscow and was adjusted after talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials. Modi has avoided directly criticizing Russia, instead calling for a peaceful resolution. Analysts say India is unlikely to take on a public mediating role but may work quietly behind the scenes. They believe Modi could urge Putin to consider concerns raised by Ukraine and European nations. Indian officials say the summit is expected to produce agreements focused on trade, maritime cooperation, healthcare, media exchanges and economic facilitation. India wants to increase exports of pharmaceuticals, farm goods and textiles to Russia and is seeking the removal of non-tariff barriers. It is also pushing for long-term fertilizer supplies. Another key area under discussion is a plan to ensure safe and regulated migration of Indian skilled workers to Russia. The United States has intensified pressure on India to scale back Russian oil imports. New sanctions on Russian majors Rosneft and Lukoil add to India’s challenges. Indian officials say the country will avoid buying from companies under sanctions but may continue purchases from others. Analyst Harsh Pant said India will stress that it cannot completely cut off Russian energy supplies, and future imports will depend on market conditions and how sanctions affect Indian buyers. Energy cooperation will be a major theme of the summit. India has invested in Russia’s Far East, and the two nations continue to expand civil nuclear cooperation. Talks are ongoing about local manufacturing linked to the Russia-backed Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu, along with possible joint projects in other countries. On defense, India is expected to push Moscow for faster delivery of two remaining S-400 missile squadrons under a 2018 deal worth about 5.4 billion dollars. Deliveries have been delayed due to supply chain issues linked to the war. India may also explore additional or upgraded S-400 systems, though no announcement is expected. India is also expected to discuss upgrades for its Russian-made Su-30MKI fighter jets, faster delivery of key military hardware and improved coordination in joint exercises and disaster response. Despite India diversifying its defense imports, Russia remains its biggest arms supplier. Moscow is also trying to promote its Su-57 stealth fighter jet to India, though New Delhi continues to evaluate options from multiple foreign partners.  

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in China on Wednesday for a three-day state visit focused on trade, investment and diplomatic efforts to push for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Macron aims to seek China’s support in urging Russia toward ending the war. His office said he will push for balanced economic cooperation that promotes sustainable growth for both countries. France wants more Chinese investment and better access for French exports. Officials from both sides are expected to sign agreements in sectors such as energy, food production and aviation. Macron’s office said he will defend fair and reciprocal market access. Macron and his wife Brigitte arrived in Beijing after nightfall and were welcomed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The couple is scheduled to visit the Qianlong Garden in the Forbidden City later on Wednesday. The visit comes as France prepares to host the G7 summit in 2026. China will chair next year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, which includes major economies including the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Russia. The European Union’s trade deficit with China exceeded 300 billion euros last year. China accounts for nearly half of France’s total trade deficit. Both France and the EU see China as a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival. Recent years have seen several trade disputes, including the EU probe into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies and China’s counter-investigations into European brandy, pork and dairy imports. In July, Macron welcomed China’s decision to exempt most cognac makers from its anti-dumping measures. France remains China’s top supplier of wine and spirits. Macron will also raise the Ukraine war in his meeting with President Xi Jinping. This follows Macron’s talks in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week on possible terms for a ceasefire. A senior French diplomat said Paris wants China to use its influence on Russia to push for a ceasefire and support negotiations that could lead to security guarantees for Ukraine. France also expects China to avoid providing any support that could help Russia continue the conflict. China has said it supports dialogue and negotiation to end the war. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China has played a constructive role since the conflict began. Macron will meet Xi at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday before attending a France-China business forum. He will also meet Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The French presidential couple will travel to Chengdu in Sichuan province later in the visit. On Friday, Macron and Xi will hold talks in Dujiangyan, one of the world’s oldest irrigation sites. Macron will also meet students at Sichuan University. Chengdu is home to China’s giant panda conservation center, where Yuan Meng, the first panda born in France, now lives. France last month returned a pair of giant pandas that had lived in the country for 13 years and produced three cubs.  

The Trump administration has temporarily halted immigration applications, including green card requests, for individuals from 19 countries previously targeted by travel restrictions. The move follows recent policy changes prompted by the shooting of two National Guard troops. According to a policy memo posted Tuesday by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the pause affects decisions such as green card approvals and naturalizations for people from countries deemed high-risk. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow will determine when the suspension ends. Migrants brace for uncertainty under Trump’s new immigration restrictions Earlier this year, the administration banned travel from 12 countries and restricted access for seven more, citing security concerns. While earlier restrictions did not affect immigrants already in the U.S., the new directive subjects them to additional review, including potential interviews and referrals to law enforcement. USCIS plans to prioritize cases for review within 90 days, reflecting heightened scrutiny following the Thanksgiving week attack near the White House by an Afghan national. Critics argue the policy penalizes immigrants collectively. Source: AP 

US President Donald Trump appeared visibly fatigued during a marathon three-hour Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, with several moments suggesting he was on the verge of nodding off. Throughout the session, the 79-year-old president was seen narrowing his eyes and, at times, shutting them completely as senior officials spoke about their accomplishments and offered praise. At one point, cameras caught Trump seemingly drifting off while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was speaking, though he leaned forward shortly after to engage. Trump says he will release MRI results and calls them perfect The drowsy moments came after an intense late-night posting spree on Truth Social. Between 7 pm and midnight on Monday, Trump shared more than 160 posts, and he was active on the platform again by 5:48 am the following morning. With input from Indian media

China and Japan reported differing accounts of a confrontation between their coast guard vessels near the disputed islands in the East China Sea on Tuesday. China’s Coast Guard said a Japanese fishing boat had entered waters near the Diaoyu Islands, which Beijing claims as its territory. Japan calls them the Senkaku Islands and administers them. A China Coast Guard spokesperson, Liu Dejun, said Chinese ships approached the vessel, warned it off, and took necessary law enforcement measures, urging Japan to stop what it called infringements and provocations. Japan’s Coast Guard said it intercepted two Chinese ships that approached the fishing boat and ordered them to leave Japanese waters. The JCG patrol ship stayed with the fishing vessel until the Chinese ships left. The incident comes amid rising tensions following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments last month suggesting Tokyo could take military action if China attacked Taiwan. China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to “reunite” with it. The Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, uninhabited and located about 160 kilometers northeast of Taiwan, have been a longstanding source of friction. Both countries agreed in principle in 2008 to jointly develop resources in the East China Sea, but tensions have grown in recent years. China has increased patrols near the islands, testing Japan’s readiness to defend them. Last year marked the third consecutive record year for Chinese government ship activity in the area. Prior to Tuesday, the China Coast Guard last entered the waters on November 16, calling it a lawful patrol to protect its rights and interests. Analysts say the confrontation reflects the broader deterioration in China-Japan relations, with hostile rhetoric affecting both governments and citizens.   With inputs from BBC

A top US Navy admiral ordered a second strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat on September 2, the White House confirmed on Monday. The “double tap” strike has drawn attention from lawmakers and raised questions about its legality. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorised the strikes but did not order the killing of everyone on the boat. “Admiral Bradley acted well within his authority and the law,” she said. Reports said two people survived the first blast and were still clinging to the burning vessel when the second strike killed them. Leavitt did not confirm these details. The Trump administration says its operations target narco-terrorist groups and aim to stop drug trafficking to the United States. Since early September, more than 80 people have been killed in similar strikes in the Caribbean Sea. US officials usually release grainy videos with limited evidence of drug activity or details about those on board. US military operations in the Caribbean have expanded recently. Trump warned that anti-drug efforts “by land” in Venezuela would begin soon. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern about the September 2 strike and plan congressional reviews. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker said the committee will interview the admiral in charge and collect audio and video to understand the orders. The House Armed Services Committee said it will lead a bipartisan investigation into the operation. Experts have raised doubts over the legality of the second strike under international law. Survivors may have been protected as shipwrecked people or incapacitated fighters. Geneva Conventions prohibit targeting those unable to fight and require their capture and care. Venezuela condemned the strikes. Its National Assembly said it would investigate the September 2 attack. Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab called for direct dialogue with the US to ease tensions, blaming Trump’s allegations on envy of Venezuela’s natural resources. Trump confirmed he spoke briefly with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, pressing him to resign and leave the country with his family. Maduro refused and requested amnesty for top aides and control of the military, both denied by Trump. US officials have accused Maduro of being part of the “Cartel of the Suns,” a group allegedly including high-ranking military and security officials involved in drug trafficking. Maduro denies the claims.   With inputs from BBC

Israel on Tuesday said it had received “findings” handed over by Palestinian militants in Gaza to the Red Cross, believed to include the remains of one of the two hostages still held in the territory — an Israeli and a Thai national. Officials said the remains would be sent for forensic testing. Palestinian media reported they were recovered in Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza. The remains of 26 hostages taken during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack have been returned since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire began on Oct. 10. Israeli fire killed two Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday. Hospital officials at Nasser Hospital said a drone strike in Khan Younis killed videographer Momahed Wadi, who owned a drone photography company that previously filmed weddings and more recently documented the destruction in Gaza. Separately, Al-Awda Hospital said a man was shot dead near the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Israel’s military did not comment but has said such shootings often occur when militants approach or fire at its troops. Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 350 Palestinians have been killed across the territory since the ceasefire took effect, as both Hamas and Israel accuse each other of violating the truce. The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in 2023 killed about 1,200 people, and more than 250 others were taken hostage. Almost all of them or their remains have been returned in various agreements. The ministry says Gaza’s death toll has surpassed 70,100. It is staffed by medical professionals and is considered broadly reliable by the international community. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed two Palestinians on Tuesday. The military said one suspect stabbed and lightly wounded two soldiers near a settlement in the central West Bank before being shot. Another was fatally shot in the southern West Bank after allegedly carrying out a car-ramming attack that wounded a soldier. The army said the man tried to flee when troops attempted to arrest him. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the two as an 18-year-old from north of Ramallah and a 17-year-old from Hebron. Israel has intensified operations in the West Bank since the Gaza war began, saying it aims to dismantle militant networks. Palestinians say many of those killed have been stone-throwers, protesters or civilians. Israeli settler violence against Palestinians has also risen in recent weeks. Israeli forces on Tuesday demolished the Nablus-area family home of Abdul Karim Sanoubar, a detained Palestinian accused of planting bombs on buses in central Israel in February. Thirteen surrounding homes were evacuated. Israel says such demolitions deter attacks, while critics call them collective punishment that inflames tensions. The military said the explosives in that planned attack never detonated and that the demolition was approved by legal authorities. Troops later moved to Aqabah town to demolish the home of another man accused of carrying out a shooting that killed one person. Israel also launched more strikes in southern Lebanon on Tuesday amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed calls for a demilitarized buffer zone along the Israel-Syria border while visiting soldiers wounded in Syria. Syrian officials said 13 people were killed Friday when Israeli forces opened fire during a raid on a village as residents confronted them. Israel says its operations in Lebanon and Syria target militants, but critics say civilians — including women and children — are frequently among the dead. Pope Leo XIV, departing Lebanon on a visit to the Middle East, briefly urged peace and noted the continued violence in southern Lebanon.  

Bulgaria’s government on Tuesday withdrew its controversial draft budget after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in nationwide protests that later turned violent. The budget plan, which proposed higher taxes, increased social security contributions and expanded public spending, drew strong criticism from opposition parties, business groups and economists. Critics warned that the measures would stifle investment, push more economic activity underground and jeopardize the country’s preparations to join the eurozone early next year. Authorities initially pledged last week to revise the draft after early demonstrations but later walked back the promise, triggering even larger protests in Sofia and several major cities on Monday night. Organizers said about 50,000 people joined the rally in the capital. The demonstration, largely driven by young people, began peacefully, with crowds chanting “We will not allow ourselves to be lied to” and “Resignation.” Protesters displayed banners reading “Generation Z is Coming” and “Young Bulgaria Without the Mafia,” demanding that the government either overhaul the draft or step down. Organizers urged participants to avoid violence and record any provocations. Tensions escalated later in the night as smaller groups moved toward the offices of ruling parties and threw plastic and glass bottles, stones and firecrackers at buildings and police officers. Clashes broke out between riot police and groups of masked youths wearing black hoodies. Garbage bins were set on fire, police vehicles were vandalized, and officers used pepper spray to disperse crowds. Emergency services said several injured people were taken to hospitals, while many others received on-site treatment. Police reported detaining 10 individuals. Opponents of the budget argued that the spending increases would be financed mainly through heavier tax burdens on workers and businesses, along with a steep rise in public debt, which they said would fuel inflation without improving public services. The government, however, maintained that the draft budget was essential for meeting eurozone rules, including keeping the deficit below 3% of GDP.  

Russia has introduced visa-free entry for Chinese citizens for stays of up to 30 days, following a decree signed Monday by President Vladimir Putin on the basis of reciprocity with Beijing. The measure took effect immediately. Under the decree, valid through Sept 14, 2026, holders of regular Chinese passports may enter Russia for short stays of no more than 30 days for purposes such as tourism, business travel, family visits, participation in cultural, scientific, economic, socio-political or sports events, or for transit. No visa will be required for these categories. The exemption, however, does not apply to Chinese citizens seeking to work, study or reside in Russia, nor to those involved in international road transport as drivers, crew members, freight forwarders or interpreters. Tourism industry representatives in Moscow said the policy is expected to significantly boost arrivals from China. Alexander Musikhin, vice president for inbound tourism at the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, predicted a 30–40 percent rise in Chinese tourists during the summer season. The decree will also spur independent travel and business visits, said Alexander Bragin of the Russian Association of Travel Aggregators, who estimated that individual arrivals could increase by up to twofold. He noted that the policy is likely to improve hotel occupancy even during off-peak months. Nikita Kondratyev of Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development said China already accounts for the highest number of inbound tourist trips to Russia. With the new visa-free system in place, he expects the number of Chinese visitors to exceed 2 million next year. China, for its part, began a one-year trial of a similar 30-day visa-free scheme for Russian citizens on Sept 15, covering travel for business, tourism, family visits, exchanges and transit.