United News of Bangladesh

Flash floods inundated several areas of Thailand’s southern island province of Phuket on Monday following heavy overnight rainfall, affecting all three districts, including Phuket City, officials said. Water levels began to recede by late morning, but some low-lying areas remained flooded, prompting authorities to advise small vehicles to avoid the affected roads, provincial Deputy Governor Romdon Hayiawae said. Some areas were also hit by mudslides, and officials were clearing debris to prevent it from entering canals and blocking waterways, he said. Photos and videos shared on social media showed floodwaters flowing into residential neighbourhoods and submerging roads, leaving several routes impassable. Some vehicles were partially buried under mud and rocks carried by the floodwaters. Around 100 households were affected, but no casualties had been reported, Romdon said. The Thai Meteorological Department warned that heavy and persistent rainfall could continue across the southern region until Wednesday, raising the risk of further flash floods and landslides. Flooding has affected several parts of Thailand since mid-September, killing at least 83 people as of Monday, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Bangkok was also inundated in late September after days of torrential rain, forcing thousands of people to evacuate and disrupting daily activities.

Senior delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey arrived in Tehran on Monday to meet Iranian officials in an effort to prevent renewed fighting involving Iran, Israel and the United States, regional officials said. The meetings come amid growing fears of another full-scale conflict, as Israeli and American leaders intensify their warnings ahead of upcoming elections while Iranian authorities maintain a defiant stance. Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and the head of Turkey's intelligence service were scheduled to meet Iranian security officials and negotiators to pursue an agreement between Tehran and Washington. The discussions were also expected to cover Yemen's conflict and attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia, the officials said, speaking anonymously because they were not authorised to brief the media. Saudi Arabia said the delegations aimed to explore ways to reduce tensions, strengthen regional security and promote stability. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran remained open to diplomacy and that messages were being exchanged with Washington through intermediaries. However, he accused the United States of maintaining unilateral demands, particularly calls for Iran's “complete surrender”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that Iran or its allies could attempt attacks to disrupt Israel's election on Tuesday. He said the military was prepared to defend the country and launch strikes, threatening a disproportionate response. Israel's Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu had clashed with the military chief over a proposed operation that could reignite fighting with Iran. Netanyahu dismissed the report as nonsense, while the military did not immediately comment. Meanwhile, Yemen has emerged as another front in the conflict that began in February. Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia have increased as Riyadh supports Yemen's internationally recognised government. The conflict escalated after Saudi-led coalition forces and government troops struck Sanaa International Airport in July, ending a ceasefire that had largely halted Yemen's civil war since 2022. Early Monday, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed the group had fired ballistic missiles at Saudi-backed government forces in Aden and Lahj provinces. He alleged military personnel and equipment were lost, but provided no evidence. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims.

Serbian President-turned-premier hopeful Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat on Sunday after a parliamentary election in which his right-wing party faced a broad student-led opposition movement that had protested against his government for two years. The result marked a major political shift in Serbia, where Vucic had held near-absolute power for 14 years. Despite endorsements from Russian President Vladimir Putin, he blamed independent media and alleged foreign interference for his party’s defeat. Vucic said preliminary projections showed the student-backed Students’ List winning 135 to 140 seats in the 250-member Parliament, while his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) would secure around 105 seats. The country has 6.4 million voters. “It is now clear that we have lost and the Students’ List has won,” Vucic told supporters. Celebrations erupted in Belgrade and other cities, with crowds chanting slogans and dismantling tents at a park where Vucic loyalists had camped for more than a year. Some young people threw rocks at departing police vehicles. The election followed widespread protests triggered by the 2024 collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. Demonstrators blamed corruption and cronyism for the disaster. The Students’ List, organised by university students, fielded professionals, athletes, farmers and artists rather than students themselves. Its campaign focused on restoring democracy, fighting corruption and rebuilding the economy. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated the movement, pledging EU support for reforms on the rule of law, media freedom and anti-corruption. Independent monitors reported suspected electoral irregularities, including ballot photographing and attempted vote buying. Observers had also raised concerns over media control, detentions, surveillance and cyberattacks against activists. Turnout was projected at around 70%, the highest since 2000, as the EU closely monitored the vote in Serbia, an EU membership candidate.

Jordanian security forces arrested three men on Monday over an attack on a Greek Orthodox church that killed nine people and injured more than two dozen others. The Public Security Directorate said the suspects were detained following a shootout at dawn in Karak, south of the capital, Amman. All three men were wounded during the operation, while no security personnel were injured. Karak has a minority Christian population. The attack occurred on Friday during a funeral at the Greek Orthodox Church, with three men reportedly involved. No group has claimed responsibility for the assault, and authorities have not accused any armed organisation of carrying it out. Jordanian Interior Minister Mazen Al-Faraya identified the three arrested men as those responsible for the attack. “The security services have fulfilled their duties, resulting in the capture of those who carried out this terrorist act,” he said in a telephone interview with state broadcaster Al-Mamlaka. He said the suspects resisted security forces fiercely but were eventually subdued and taken into custody with serious injuries. The minister added that authorities had identified the three individuals shortly after the attack and used all available means to track them down. King Abdullah II ordered authorities to take a firm stance against those responsible, calling for an “iron fist” response against what he described as outlaws of Islam and anyone seeking to undermine the unity of the Jordanian people.

China's top political leaders began a four-day meeting on Monday to discuss stricter discipline within the ruling Communist Party as President Xi Jinping seeks greater loyalty and accountability from officials while continuing his long-running anti-corruption campaign. The closed-door gathering, known as the fifth plenum of the Communist Party's Central Committee, comes about a year before Xi is widely expected to secure an unprecedented fourth five-year term as party leader. The meeting may also influence personnel changes within key leadership bodies. Xi opened the meeting with a work report and discussed a draft policy decision aimed at advancing “full and rigorous party self-governance”, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. The proposed measures seek to make party officials more disciplined, efficient and less corrupt. Although Xi has strengthened his hold on power, analysts say the meeting provides an opportunity to ensure that officials' actions more closely reflect Beijing's priorities. “The plenum is a chance to ensure the new generations rising the ranks share Xi's assessment of the opportunities and risks China faces,” said Ruby Osman, a senior policy adviser at London's Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Xi targets corruption and poor-performing officialsXi's anti-corruption drive has been a central feature of his leadership since he took power in 2012. Numerous officials, including some considered political rivals, have been removed or punished, prompting critics to argue that the campaign has also helped consolidate his authority. However, the crackdown has increasingly targeted officials accused of poor performance and misconduct. In recent years, punishments for “formalism” and “bureaucratism” have risen sharply. These offences include neglecting responsibilities, failing to act and taking reckless decisions that obstruct development. Analysts say Xi's latest proposals reflect his emphasis on the party's “self-revolution”, a concept involving internal reform through anti-corruption measures and stronger ideological commitment. Osman said the disciplinary campaign was increasingly focused on maintaining the party's institutional strength over the long term. “It's less about purging elite rivals and more about building a disciplined system that can sustain Xi's political priorities across leadership cycles,” she said. She added that record numbers of disciplinary actions did not necessarily indicate rising corruption but could reflect increasingly demanding standards imposed on officials. Mingda Qiu, a senior analyst with Eurasia Group's China practice, said Beijing had been preparing its agenda for months. “The message is clear: the anti-corruption campaign is not winding down. Officials are not only tested for loyalty, but also for compliance and action,” he said. According to an October article in Qiushi Journal, a Communist Party publication, Xi said in January that top-level decisions were generally being implemented smoothly. However, inspections and audits had identified failures to follow instructions and improper execution. Xi also warned against “two-faced people” who publicly profess loyalty but privately ignore orders and act according to their own interests. “During leadership transitions, we must keep our eyes sharp, elevate good cadres who are truly loyal and reliable, consistent in word and deed, and willing to take responsibility, and never allow 'two-faced people' or those driven by self-interest to slip through,” Xi was quoted as saying. Military purges draw attentionThe number of vacant seats at this week's meeting could provide an indication of the extent of Xi's purge of officials. Neil Thomas, a senior fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and his colleagues Lobsang Tsering and Shengyu Wang noted that 42 of the 44 military-affiliated officials elected as full members of the Central Committee in 2022 had been purged or disappeared from public view. The Central Committee began its term in 2022 with more than 370 full and alternate members. Thomas and his colleagues estimated that attendance at the meeting could fall below 80%, potentially marking the lowest turnout at a plenum since the end of former leader Mao Zedong's rule in 1976. Observers will also examine whether the remaining officials face stricter requirements. Thomas expects tighter monitoring of public expenditure and major projects, greater use of technology to detect corruption, and harsher penalties for officials who fail to implement Xi's priorities. New appointments to leadership positions are possible, but Xi may postpone major decisions until next year's Communist Party Congress, which is held every five years, said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute in London. If vacancies are filled before then, Tsang expects the appointments to favour loyalists. No clear indication of Xi's successor expectedThe fifth plenum also provides another opportunity for Xi to prepare for a possible fourth term as China's leader. Xi, who abolished presidential term limits in 2018, is regarded by some observers as China's most powerful leader since Mao. He is widely expected to be confirmed as party leader for another term in autumn 2027. Thomas said the meeting could introduce new ideological language further reinforcing Xi's authority. He added that the plenum was expected to lay the groundwork for another term under Xi and strengthen expectations of continuity in politics and policymaking. “After Xi has purged so many of the people that he promoted at the last congress, watch for tougher scrutiny of the officials competing to join his next leadership team,” he said.

Tehran is dotted with bombed-out buildings from U.S. and Israeli strikes during the height of the war in March and April. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed. Hashem Vajdani, 45, a gym trainer, said he plans to leave the city as anxiety grows. “I have already packed my belongings to go to a safer town in the north of the country,” he said. “Today I bought more canned food, crackers and extra blankets.” There are concerns that new fighting could bring a higher toll for Iranian civilians. Thousands have been killed in the war. Trump has repeated threats to take out power plants and other infrastructure. Anger at the U.S. president has found expression in a billboard set up days ago at a major Tehran square. Passersby have gawked at a Trump impersonator languishing behind bars as footage airing behind him shows a deadly strike on a wedding party in southern Iran that was blamed on the U.S. Staring up at the cage, Farzaneh Arabzadeh, 30, said she hoped the scene would happen in reality. Trump said he launched the war to help Iranians, she said, but he “put our people in a worse situation.” The elections in Israel and the U.S. are expected to reflect voters' anger over the war and other issues. Trump’s political support could be weakened, while Netanyahu is in a tight race at a time of anger over Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, and a series of inconclusive wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Israel's elections are especially important, Tehran-based analyst Rahman Ghahremanpour said. If Netanyahu stays, there is a higher chance of all-out war resuming because of his willingness to take major risks, he added. Tehran residents said neither election is likely to improve relations. “It makes no difference. Their hostility toward us remains unchanged,” said Rasool Ghanbari, 50.  

Opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado reappeared in Venezuela Sunday for the first time since December, returning from exile at a time when doubts about the country's democratic future — and the role of the U.S. — are growing. It was her first appearance since the U.S. military deposed the country’s then-President Nicolás Maduro in January, replacing him with an interim president who has exceeded the time she was authorized to serve, with no election scheduled. Machado announced her arrival on social media, writing, “I am here. With you.” Another leading figure in the Venezuelan opposition, Edmundo González, wrote on X that he would be at her side “very soon.” “Today is a very important day for Venezuelans," he wrote. "Our sovereign voice returns with her to lead and guide this process!” Venezuela run by Maduro ally backed by the Trump administration On Sunday afternoon, Machado strode into a church in the state of Lara, west of Caracas, shocking dozens who began to applaud as they shook her hand and hugged her, with cellphones aloft to record her return. “María! María!” one person cried, as another shouted, “Welcome to Venezuela!” One woman wiped away tears and called it “a miracle” while another woman’s hands flew to her face as she saw Machado enter the church. “Long live freedom, damn it!” a man yelled. Machado arrived in Caracas late Sunday as thousands of people joined the hours-long caravan or awaited it. “The future of my children is in your hands. Please!” said a man who teared up as he ran alongside her car. Asked by reporters Sunday about Machado’s return to Venezuela, U.S. President Donald Trump said, “I don’t know anything about it, but I think she’s a very nice woman. She gave me her Nobel Prize. So how can I say anything else? And I hope she’s safe. She’s a very nice woman. But we’re doing really well in Venezuela.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X Sunday that the conditions allowing for Machado’s safe return “is the direct result of the U.S. supported reconciliation talks." “The United States expects the freedoms of all sectors of Venezuelan politics to continue to be respected. Likewise, we expect all political actors to support these talks which represent the best chance Venezuela has had in thirty years to peacefully achieve not just a free and fair election but an enduring democracy,” he wrote. Rubio has argued that before holding new elections, Venezuela must stabilize its economy and rebuild its institutions, including its courts and electoral council. Brian Fonseca, a Venezuela expert and professor at Florida International University, said he thought her arrival was politically motivated when he first heard the news. “But at the same time, it’s very symbolic,” he said. “Until there’s institutional change, or institutional space for the democratic opposition, this is a symbolic gesture.” Fonseca said Machado’s arrival could complicate Washington’s strategy and might be a sign of talks about elections in Venezuela. He said it remains to be seen how much latitude Machado is given and what steps she’ll take, adding that it could have consequences for the U.S. midterms. Since Maduro’s ouster, Venezuela has been run by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro ally who received the Trump administration’s blessing to succeed him. Rodríguez was initially supposed to serve only 90 days as acting president, but has remained in office and has made no move to call an election. Machado was briefly detained in January 2025, following a protest against Maduro’s planned swearing-in ceremony, and went into hiding in Venezuela for 11 months. After making a clandestine escape from the country, she reappeared that December in Norway, where she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful challenge to Maduro’s authoritarian government. Machado and her allies have been demanding a date for a presidential election in Venezuela, but U.S. officials have emphasized economic stabilization first. Credible evidence shows the opposition won the last election In October 2023, Machado won an opposition primary and intended to challenge Maduro in the 2024 presidential election, but the government barred her from running for office. González took her place on the ballot, and ample credible evidence showed that he defeated Maduro by more than a 2-to-1 margin. But the National Electoral Council, which is stacked with ruling-party loyalists, declared Maduro the winner. The lead-up and aftermath of the election were marked by widespread government repression, including forced disappearances, torture and other human rights violations. More than 2,000 people, including poll workers, were detained in the days after the vote. In January, the U.S. military captured Maduro in Caracas and whisked him to New York to face drug-related charges, which he has denied. Many Venezuelans were stunned by the Trump administration’s decision to work with Rodríguez, instead of Machado, to try to revitalize the crisis-racked country. Machado has demanded a date for a presidential election Machado had repeatedly vowed to return to Venezuela and, according to her party, she made seven unsuccessful attempts. One of the efforts would have seen her take a charter boat, but the operator canceled the trip, alleging the vessel was unfit for navigation. In another attempt, her team said, Machado tried to fly to the Caribbean island of Curacao, from where she could take a speedboat to Venezuela, but her plane was denied landing permits. Opposition activists have accused Venezuela’s government of blocking Machado’s return, a claim denied by Venezuelan authorities. Others have also questioned whether the Trump administration has also been involved in the efforts to stop her from returning. Trump administration officials deny they are holding Machado back but have said that, on some occasions, they have advised her against returning due to safety concerns. After Maduro was deposed, Venezuela’s highest court said Rodríguez could serve as acting president for up to 90 days — an interim appointment that could be extended by the National Assembly for an additional 90 days. But the ruling party-controlled assembly never voted to extend her term. Machado and her allies have demanded that the Rodríguez government set a date for a presidential election. Rodríguez told the U.N. General Assembly in September that Venezuelans will determine the “right moment” for the next election. Supporters of Machado have held demonstrations in Caracas demanding her return.  

Severe winds and heavy rains battered parts of New Zealand on Monday as an active weather front moved up the country, disrupting travel and prompting road closures. A wind gust of about 200 km/h was recorded at Mount Hutt in Canterbury on the South Island at around 8 a.m. local time, according to MetService. On the North Island, police closed part of Oriental Parade and Evans Bay Parade, and coastal roads in Wellington, the national capital, following reports of multiple cyclists falling and car wing mirrors being blown off, Radio New Zealand reported. Fire and Emergency crews had responded to five wind-related callouts, including falling building materials and downed power lines, the report said. Orange warnings for heavy rain were in place for parts of the South Island, with up to 250 mm of rain expected around the ranges of Westland. Strong wind warnings covered Wellington, parts of the South Island and other areas, with gusts of up to 120 km/h possible in exposed locations, according to MetService. Most warnings were expected to expire by Tuesday morning, and there was a low to minimal chance of the orange wind and rain warnings being upgraded to red, MetService said.

The Nepali government has unveiled plans to expand flood early warning systems across six major river basins and lower water levels in four high-risk glacial lakes as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness amid growing climate-related risks in the Himalayan region. The initiatives are part of a broader strategy to improve flood forecasting, reduce the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and modernize weather forecasting through advanced technologies, according to separate documents issued by the Center for Hydrology and Water Resources Research and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the secretariat of Nepal's Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said in a press statement on Sunday. The plans come in the wake of devastating floods on Aug. 26 that claimed around 1,500 lives, while more than 5,000 people remain missing. The floods also caused 1.81 billion U.S. dollars in physical damage, according to the Nepali government's preliminary Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA). Rising temperatures have accelerated glacier melting in the Himalayas, increasing concerns over glacial lake instability, avalanches and potentially destructive floods downstream. Under the proposed Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) Sanjeevani Project, the government plans to lower water levels in four high-risk glacial lakes: Thulagi in Manang district, Lower Barun in Sankhuwasabha district, and Lumding Tsho and Hongu-2 in Solukhumbu district. The project is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2033, with an estimated budget of 49.9 million dollars. The initiative builds on previous efforts to reduce risks at Tsho Rolpa in Dolakha district and Imja Lake in Solukhumbu district, where water levels were successfully lowered to mitigate the threat of glacial lake outburst floods. Meanwhile, the Center for Hydrology and Water Resources Research plans to install flood early warning systems across six river basins under the Priority River Basins Flood Risk Management Project, which runs from 2022 to 2028, with an investment of 7.54 million dollars. The center will also provide round-the-clock flood forecasting and early warning services from mid-May to mid-October, covering the country's main monsoon season. In a separate initiative to improve weather forecasting, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology plans to prioritize artificial intelligence, machine learning and high-performance computing systems to enhance the accuracy and reliability of forecasts.

Brazilian incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, candidate of the ruling Workers' Party, won Sunday's presidential runoff, according to results released by Brazil's Superior Electoral Court on Sunday night. With 99.96 percent of the votes counted, Lula received 51.78 percent of the valid votes, compared with 48.22 percent for Flavio Bolsonaro, the Liberal Party's presidential candidate and son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, according to the official tally. Lula will be sworn in on Jan. 5, 2027, for a four-year term, marking his fourth election as Brazil's president. Brazil's presidential election follows a two-round majoritarian system. To win in the first round, held on Oct. 4, a candidate must secure more than half of the valid votes. Flavio Bolsonaro finished ahead of incumbent Lula, winning about 47 percent of the valid votes against Lula's roughly 45 percent. As neither candidate crossed the 50-percent threshold, the two advanced to a runoff, which Lula won.