United News of Bangladesh

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will remain in International Criminal Court custody after appeals judges on Friday dismissed a request to free him on medical grounds. Duterte, now in his 80s, is charged with crimes against humanity for allegedly directing or enabling dozens of extrajudicial killings linked to his violent anti-drug campaign — both during his years as mayor of Davao City and later as president. Judge Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza said Duterte’s legal team did not demonstrate that an earlier ruling refusing his release was flawed. Duterte was not present in court for the decision. Defense lawyer Nick Kaufman said the team intends to renew its request after a medical evaluation expected next month. Attorneys argue Duterte is physically weak and cognitively impaired to the point that he cannot effectively assist in his own defense. A pretrial hearing was delayed in September pending a full medical assessment. Judges previously ruled that Duterte must stay in custody, concluding he might not return for trial and could potentially intimidate witnesses if released. Court documents allege he authorized or condoned “violent acts including murder” against suspected drug offenders from November 2011 to March 2019, when the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC took effect. Estimates of fatalities during Duterte’s presidency vary widely: national police cite more than 6,000 deaths, while rights groups claim as many as 30,000. His arrest in March was welcomed by families of victims. The defense sought his transfer to another ICC member state during proceedings, but appeals judges upheld the lower chamber’s finding that risks posed by his release could not be reduced through such arrangements. Judges noted earlier that a country cannot use withdrawal from the Rome Statute to shield individuals from accountability for crimes already under review. Duterte’s legal team is also challenging that ruling. The Philippine government acknowledged Friday’s decision, with presidential Communications Secretary Claire Castro saying the administration respects the court’s judgment. The Duterte family said they accepted the ruling “with peaceful hearts” and would continue to support the former leader. Source: AP 

At least 145 people have died in severe flooding across southern Thailand, authorities said Friday, as water levels continue to fall and the scale of destruction becomes clearer. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that more than 1.2 million households — involving roughly 3.6 million residents — have been affected by heavy monsoon rains inundating 12 southern provinces. Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters in Bangkok that the majority of casualties were in Songkhla, where at least 110 people have been confirmed dead. He said receding water is allowing search and rescue teams greater access to hard-hit communities. Songkhla’s toll surged in recent days as rescue workers reached neighborhoods previously cut off by deep flooding. Local media footage showed teams navigating newly accessible areas around Hat Yai — the region’s largest urban center — and recovering additional bodies. Officials noted that floodwaters have dropped significantly in most districts, though pockets of high water remain. The Meteorological Department said rainfall has eased but warned that thunderstorms may still develop in some southern areas. The flooding caused widespread disruptions, stranding thousands, blocking roads and submerging homes, shops and vehicles. Images from the region on Friday showed washed-out roads, toppled utility poles, and piles of debris — including damaged appliances and uprooted belongings — lining muddy streets. Numerous abandoned cars lay overturned or stacked together after being swept away by strong currents. Source: AP 

Sri Lanka shut government offices and schools Friday as severe floods and landslides across the country left at least 56 dead and damaged more than 600 homes. The country has faced heavy rains since last week, with conditions worsening Thursday. Torrential downpours flooded homes, fields, and roads, while triggering deadly landslides, particularly in the central mountainous tea-growing regions of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of Colombo. Officials reported more than 25 deaths in those areas, with 21 people missing and 14 injured. Additional fatalities occurred elsewhere across the nation. Rivers and reservoirs overflowed, blocking roads and prompting authorities to suspend passenger train services and close major routes. Fallen rocks, mud, and trees further disrupted travel, and some railway tracks were submerged. Rescue operations involved Sri Lanka’s air force, navy, and police, who used helicopters and boats to evacuate stranded residents. Local media footage showed three people rescued from a flooded rooftop and a car swept away near Ampara, killing all three passengers inside. The government’s decision to close schools and offices aims to ensure public safety as the country continues to cope with widespread flooding and landslide damage.  

Rescue operations were severely hindered Friday after flash floods and landslides on Sumatra Island killed at least 79 people and left dozens missing, with damaged roads, bridges, and limited heavy equipment slowing relief efforts. Tropical Cyclone Senyar, forming in the Strait of Malacca, has driven heavy rains and strong winds across North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces. Monsoon downpours caused rivers to overflow, sweeping away mountainside villages and submerging thousands of homes. In North Sumatra alone, more than 3,200 houses were flooded, and around 3,000 families were displaced to government shelters. Authorities reported 48 dead and 88 missing in 12 cities and districts of North Sumatra, where mudslides, power outages, and disrupted communications made reaching victims difficult. West Sumatra province saw at least 22 deaths and 10 missing, with more than 17,000 homes submerged and tens of thousands evacuated. Rice fields, livestock, and public infrastructure were also damaged. In Aceh, mud and rocks blocked roads, delaying the transport of excavators and other heavy machinery. Three villages in Central Aceh district reported nine fatalities and two missing residents. Officials warned that continued heavy rainfall and unstable atmospheric conditions could prolong extreme weather. “We have extended its extreme weather warning due to strong water vapor supply and shifting atmospheric dynamics,” said Achadi Subarkah Raharjo, Director of Aviation Meteorology at Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency. Seasonal rains frequently trigger floods and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions live in mountainous regions or flood-prone plains. Authorities continue urgent search and rescue efforts as communities assess the widespread damage and cope with the human toll.  

Japan’s refusal to legalize same-sex marriage was ruled constitutional Friday by the Tokyo High Court, marking the last of six similar cases expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court for a final decision, possibly next year. The high court reversed a lower court ruling from last year, concluding that under current law, marriage is generally understood as a union between a man and a woman. Judge Ayumi Higashi stated that defining a family as a couple with children is reasonable and upheld the exclusion of same-sex couples. The court also denied claims for damages of 1 million yen ($6,400) sought by eight plaintiffs advocating for marriage equality. Plaintiffs expressed disappointment but pledged to continue their fight at the Supreme Court. “I’m so disappointed,” said Hiromi Hatogai outside the court. “We only want to be able to marry and be happy, just like anyone else,” added plaintiff Rie Fukuda. With all six high court rulings concluded, the Supreme Court is expected to consolidate the appeals and issue a definitive ruling. Public support for same-sex marriage in Japan has grown, especially in the business sector, despite ongoing discrimination in schools and workplaces. Japan remains the only Group of Seven country that does not recognize same-sex marriage or offer legally binding protections for LGBTQ+ couples. The conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, opposes same-sex marriage, emphasizing civil law’s focus on heterosexual unions and natural reproduction. Since 2019, more than 30 plaintiffs nationwide have challenged the law, citing constitutional rights to equality and freedom of marriage. Friday’s ruling was only the second high court decision upholding the government’s policy, following the 2022 Osaka District Court judgment. The Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision is expected to set the country’s legal precedent on marriage equality.

Flooding in southern Thailand has claimed at least 145 lives, officials reported Friday, as receding waters reveal widespread devastation across the region. Heavy rains triggered the floods, affecting more than 1.2 million households and around 3.6 million people in 12 southern provinces, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said eight provinces have reported fatalities, with Songkhla province hardest hit, recording at least 110 deaths. Search and rescue operations have improved as water levels have dropped, allowing teams to reach areas previously submerged. In Hat Yai, Songkhla’s largest city, rescuers recovered more bodies as access increased, contributing to a sharp rise in the province’s death toll. While most affected areas have seen floodwaters recede, some locations remain partially submerged. The Meteorological Department noted that rainfall has decreased in the south but warned of ongoing thunderstorms in certain areas. The disaster has caused widespread disruption, stranding thousands of residents, flooding streets, and submerging low-rise buildings and vehicles. Media from the region show extensive damage, including washed-away debris, overturned or stacked vehicles, fallen power poles, and ruined household appliances. Authorities continue to coordinate relief and recovery efforts while urging residents to exercise caution in areas still affected by high water and strong currents. The floods are among the deadliest in southern Thailand in recent years, highlighting the vulnerability of the region to extreme weather events and underscoring the ongoing challenges for emergency response teams.  

Hong Kong firefighters searched through a high-rise tower complex apartment-by-apartment Friday for more victims after a massive fire engulfed seven of its eight buildings, killing at least 128 people in one of the city's deadliest blazes. Crews were prioritizing apartments from which they received more than two dozen calls for assistance during the blaze but were unable to reach, Derek Armstrong Chan, a deputy director of Hong Kong Fire Services told reporters. The toll rose Friday afternoon to 128 after more bodies were found in the blackened towers, and Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters at the scene that the search for victims was continuing and the numbers could still rise. The fire started midafternoon Wednesday in one of the Wang Fuk Court complex's eight towers, jumping rapidly from one to the next as bamboo scaffolding covered in netting in place for renovations caught ablaze until seven buildings were engulfed. It took more than 1,000 firefighters some 24 hours to bring the blaze under control, and even nearly two days later, smoke continued to drift out of the charred skeletons of the buildings from the occasional flare-up. The final search of the buildings was expected to be completed later Friday at which point officials have said they will officially end the rescue phase of their operation at the complex in Tai Po district, a northern suburb near Hong Kong’s border with mainland China. It was unclear how many people could possibly be inside the buildings, which had almost 2,000 apartments and some 4,800 residents. “We will endeavor to force entry into all the units of the seven blocks concerned so as to ensure that there is no other possible casualties,” Chan said.  

Families in Myanmar welcomed relatives released from Insein Prison on Thursday as part of a mass amnesty announced by the country’s military rulers ahead of next month’s elections. At least eight buses carrying freed prisoners arrived at the Yangon facility around 11:30 a.m., greeted by relatives and friends who had waited since early morning. State-run MRTV reported that the military administration granted amnesty to over 3,000 prisoners jailed for opposing army rule and dropped charges against more than 5,500 others. The measure was intended to allow eligible voters to participate in the December 28 elections. An Insein Prison official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the releases began Thursday but did not specify the exact number of prisoners. Previous amnesties in Myanmar have taken several days to complete. There was no indication that former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been held in near-total isolation since the 2021 military takeover, would be among those released. Among the freed were Kyi Toe, a member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) central information committee, and freelance journalist Zaw Lin Htut, also known as Phoe Thar, both arrested in 2021. Kyi Toe said he remains committed to supporting Suu Kyi, whom NLD members respectfully call “Aunty.” He noted that many senior NLD figures remain behind bars. Critics continue to argue that Myanmar’s upcoming election will neither be free nor fair, pointing to the lack of independent media and the detention of most NLD leaders. MRTV reported that the National Defense and Security Council, a military-controlled body, approved amnesties for 3,085 prisoners convicted under the incitement law, which criminalizes spreading statements that could cause public unrest or fear. Conditional release was granted to 724 prisoners, who could serve the remainder of their sentence if they commit a new offense, while 5,580 people facing prosecution or in hiding had their incitement cases closed. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent monitoring group, 22,708 political detainees, including Suu Kyi, remain in detention. Suu Kyi, 80, is serving a 27-year sentence from convictions widely regarded by supporters as politically motivated. The 2021 army takeover sparked massive nonviolent resistance, which has since evolved into a widespread armed struggle across the country.    

Firefighters in Hong Kong struggled for a second straight day on Thursday to put out a massive blaze at a high-rise housing complex, where at least 83 people have died in one of the city’s worst fires in decades. Thick smoke continued to rise from the Wang Fuk Court complex in the Tai Po district, a crowded cluster of buildings near the mainland border. Rescuers with flashlights moved from flat to flat as parts of the towers still burned. Authorities said it was still unclear how many people were missing. Earlier on Thursday, the city’s leader John Lee said contact had been lost with 279 residents. Officials did not provide an updated figure during a press briefing. Video from the scene showed responders searching inside dark apartments. Orange flames were still visible through several windows, and much of the complex was blackened. The fire began on Wednesday afternoon, spreading rapidly through bamboo scaffolding and construction netting before moving across seven of the eight towers. Officials said fires in four buildings had been extinguished, while three others were mostly under control by Thursday afternoon. Wong Ka-wing, deputy director of fire services, said rescuers were working floor to floor in very high temperatures. “We are trying our best to find survivors and do not rule out rescuing more injured people,” he said. More than 70 people were injured, including 11 firefighters. Around 900 residents were moved to temporary shelters. Pope Leo XIV sent a message to Hong Kong’s bishop, expressing sorrow and offering prayers for victims, their families and emergency workers. Many residents remained desperate for news. Lawrence Lee waited overnight at a shelter, hoping his wife would be found. “I told her to escape when the fire started, but the corridor and stairs were full of smoke. She had to go back inside,” he said. Winter and Sandy Chung, who lived in one of the towers, said sparks flew around them as they fled. “I could not sleep all night,” said 75-year-old Winter Chung. Three held on manslaughter suspicion Police arrested three men, identified as directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company linked to renovation work at the complex. They are suspected of manslaughter. Senior police superintendent Eileen Chung said investigators believed the company had shown “gross negligence.” Officers searched the office of Prestige Construction & Engineering Company and took away boxes of documents, according to local media. Authorities suspect that some exterior materials did not meet fire-resistance standards, allowing the blaze to spread unusually fast. Police also found highly flammable plastic foam panels fixed to windows near the elevator lobby of one tower. Security Secretary Chris Tang said further testing was underway. Buildings covered in scaffolding The eight-building complex, constructed in the 1980s, has nearly 2,000 units and houses about 4,800 people, including many elderly residents. It has been undergoing major renovation. Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency has opened an inquiry into possible irregularities linked to the renovation contract. Officials said the fire began on the external scaffolding of a 32-story block, then moved inside the building and spread to others, helped by strong winds. Bamboo scaffolding is widely used in Hong Kong, but officials said they will review safety concerns and consider shifting to metal scaffolding. Chief Secretary Eric Chan said bamboo is less fire-resistant than metal. “For safety, the government believes a full switch to metal scaffolding should be made where suitable,” he said. Authorities will inspect all renovation sites across public housing estates to ensure that scaffolding and other materials meet safety rules. This is Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in many years. In 1996, a blaze in a Kowloon commercial building killed 41 people over nearly 20 hours.    

The party of Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday urged authorities to allow a meeting with him, expressing deep concern over his health after more than three weeks without contact from family or lawyers. Khan, imprisoned since August 2023 and serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case, has long claimed the charges were fabricated to sideline him from politics — an allegation the military denies. PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari told Reuters that no one has been allowed to see Khan since November 4, and authorities have given no explanation for the ongoing restrictions. He said Khan was being denied both visits and medical attention despite being a former head of government. “His health is our concern. We are worried about his illegal isolation,” Bukhari said, urging the government to grant immediate access to Khan’s family. Khan’s party and relatives have staged protests outside the Rawalpindi prison in recent days, demanding a meeting.  They planned another visit on Thursday to press their demand, Bukhari added. Although prison rules permit weekly meetings, PTI says such access has often been suspended for weeks at a time. Local media have reported the 73-year-old former cricket star could be moved to a high-security facility, potentially making access even more difficult. His situation has triggered widespread debate online, with #WHEREISIMRANKHAN trending on X on Thursday. Pakistan’s interior ministry did not comment. A jail official, speaking anonymously, told Reuters that Khan was in good health and said he was unaware of any plans to transfer him. Khan, who became prime minister in 2018, was ousted in 2022 after a parliamentary vote following a fallout with the country’s powerful military. His arrest last year sparked widespread protests and a sweeping crackdown on PTI. PTI emerged as the largest party in the 2024 election but says widespread rigging reduced its seat tally, allowing other parties to form a coalition government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The government rejects the allegations. With inputs from Arab News, Dawn