United News of Bangladesh

A minibus carrying Chinese tourists crashed on the Indonesian resort island of Bali Friday morning, killing five passengers and injuring eight others. The vehicle was traveling from the southern to northern side of the island on a winding downhill road when the driver lost control. The minibus veered off the road, entered a garden, and struck a tree, said Ida Bagus Widwan Sutadi, police chief of Buleleng regency. “Due to the driver’s carelessness while turning and descending, the vehicle left the asphalt road and entered a community garden, causing the accident,” Sutadi said. The road in Padangbulia village was dry at the time of the crash. The eight injured passengers were treated at two local hospitals. The Indonesian driver, who was unharmed, has been arrested. Road accidents are frequent in Indonesia due to poor safety standards and inadequate infrastructure. Source: AP

Cambodia on Thursday evacuated hundreds of residents from Prey Chan village along its disputed border with Thailand, a day after a villager was killed in cross-border shooting. The incident follows a land mine blast two days earlier that injured a Thai soldier, prompting Thailand to blame Cambodia and suspend parts of a ceasefire partly brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Ly Sovannarith, vice governor of Banteay Meanchey province, said about 250 families were relocated to a Buddhist temple 30 kilometers from the border. Three others were also wounded in Wednesday’s shooting. The same village witnessed a tense but non-lethal confrontation between Thai forces and Cambodian villagers in September. Cambodia’s Defense Ministry deployed a monitoring team, including ASEAN officials, to oversee the ceasefire. Prime Minister Hun Manet called for an independent investigation into the shooting and accused Thai forces of repeated provocative actions aimed at instigating conflict. “Cambodia will still honor the ceasefire terms,” he said. Thailand’s army claimed Cambodian soldiers fired into its Sa Kaeo district and described the use of civilians as cover as a violation of humanitarian principles. Border tensions between Cambodia and Thailand date back centuries and involve disputes over territory and historical sites, including the Preah Vihear temple. An October truce has yet to resolve these longstanding issues.  

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday vowed that many of the at least 37 powerful lawmakers and wealthy businesspeople implicated in a massive flood control corruption scandal would be behind bars by Christmas, as public anger and street protests mount. Marcos said an independent commission investigating the scandal has filed criminal complaints for graft, corruption, and plunder—a non-bailable offense—against the 37 suspects. Cases have also been lodged against 86 construction executives and nine government officials for allegedly evading taxes worth nearly 9 billion pesos ($152 million). Corruption in flood control projects has been blamed for substandard or incomplete infrastructure, leaving the country vulnerable to deadly typhoons and floods. Last week, Typhoon Kalmaegi killed at least 232 people, while Super Typhoon Fung-wong claimed 27 lives and left millions affected by flash floods and landslides. “I know that before Christmas, many of those named will end up in jail,” Marcos said, adding that further anomalies are expected to surface. “We don’t file cases for optics. We file cases to put people in jail.” Vice President Sara Duterte, critical of Marcos, said the president should also be held accountable for approving the 2025 national budget, which funded questionable infrastructure projects. The government has frozen assets of the suspects, including 1,671 bank accounts, 144 properties, and 244 vehicles valued at 6.3 billion pesos ($107 million). Some luxury vehicles have already been seized and are being auctioned. A new detention facility in Quezon City, capable of holding 800 corruption suspects, has been opened, with officials pledging no VIP treatment for powerful detainees. Among those under investigation are lawmakers both allied with and opposed to Marcos, including his cousin and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who has denied wrongdoing. “Nobody’s immune. Nobody would be exempted in these investigations,” Marcos said.  

Cambodia’s prime minister said Wednesday that a villager was killed when gunfire broke out along the country’s border with Thailand, signaling a possible collapse of a fragile ceasefire partly brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year. The reported death in Banteay Meanchey province came two days after a Thai soldier lost a foot to a land mine in another border area. Thailand accused Cambodia of planting the explosive and said it was suspending compliance with the July 28 ceasefire that ended five days of deadly fighting. In a post on Telegram, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said Thai troops “opened fire on civilians,” killing one and wounding three others in Prey Chan village. He accused Thai forces of “provocative actions” aimed at reigniting conflict but said Cambodia remains committed to the truce. Thailand’s military denied the claim, saying Cambodian soldiers had fired first into Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, prompting Thai troops to return warning shots. The exchange lasted about 10 minutes, with no Thai casualties reported. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said earlier this week that Cambodia had “delayed progress” on the ceasefire terms, declaring the peace deal “over,” though officials later clarified that Thailand had only paused its implementation. The two Southeast Asian neighbors have long disputed parts of their shared border, stemming from a 1907 colonial-era map drawn when Cambodia was under French rule. The International Court of Justice awarded Cambodia sovereignty over the area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple in 1962 — a ruling that still fuels resentment among Thais.

Taiwan intends to strengthen its relations with Israel despite global criticism of the country’s war in Gaza, as Israel has extended rare support for the self-ruled island among Middle Eastern nations, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-Lung said on Wednesday. “We will be friendly to countries that are friendly to us,” Lin told reporters, noting that a declaration by 72 Israeli lawmakers earlier this year supporting Taiwan’s participation in major international organizations demonstrates Israel’s goodwill. Lin criticized Palestine for siding with Beijing’s “One-China” principle, which claims Taiwan as part of China, saying, “Palestine is very bad to Taiwan.” He said human rights and national interests must go hand in hand, speaking at an event organized by the Taiwan Foreign Correspondents’ Club. Taipei faced backlash earlier this year over its plan to donate to a medical center in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank — an area the International Court of Justice ruled as illegally occupied by Israel. Asked if the government had scrapped that donation, Lin avoided a direct answer, saying Taiwan’s priority was humanitarian aid amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. “We provide a lot of humanitarian assistance to both sides, including Gaza and Palestine,” he said. Lin added that other nations could learn from Taiwan’s experience in dealing with China, particularly in areas such as gray-zone tactics, telecommunications, and data security. Last week, Lin joined Vice President Bi-Khim Hsiao on a rare visit to Brussels, where Hsiao called on the European Union to deepen security and trade engagement with Taiwan.  

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have reportedly ordered female patients, caregivers, and staff to wear a burka — a full-body Islamic veil — to enter public health facilities in the western city of Herat, medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said. The restriction came into effect on November 5. “These restrictions further impede women’s lives and limit access to healthcare,” Sarah Chateau, MSF’s programme manager in Afghanistan, told the BBC. She said even women requiring urgent medical care were affected. MSF, which supports paediatric services at Herat Regional Hospital, reported a 28 percent drop in admissions of patients with urgent conditions during the first few days of enforcement. MSF said Taliban personnel stationed at facility entrances were preventing women without burkas from entering. A burka is a one-piece veil covering the entire body and face, leaving only a mesh screen for vision. A Taliban spokesperson denied MSF’s claims, saying the report was “totally false” and that their vice and virtue ministry generally advocates wearing a hijab, not the full burka. The official, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, added that hijab interpretation varies across Afghanistan and most practices are consistent with Sharia law. Activists, however, alleged that Taliban guards have been enforcing the burka dress code in hospitals, schools, and government offices over the past week. Social media reports show some women protesting by burning burkas, though the BBC has not independently verified the footage. During their first rule in the 1990s, the Taliban strictly enforced the burka. Since returning to power in August 2021, they have imposed multiple restrictions on women, including barring them from most workplaces, universities, and secondary schools. The UN has repeatedly urged the Taliban to end what it describes as “gender apartheid.” Last week, the UN suspended operations at the Islam Qala border crossing with Iran in Herat province, citing restrictions on Afghan women staff. The crossing has been a key route for hundreds of thousands of Afghans returning from Iran in the past year.   With inputs from BBC

Taiwan evacuated more than 3,000 residents from high-risk areas and shut down schools and offices on Tuesday as tropical storm Fung-wong approached, after leaving at least 25 people dead and displacing over 1.4 million in the Philippines. Once classified as a typhoon, Fung-wong has weakened as it heads toward Taiwan and is expected to make landfall Wednesday afternoon or evening near the southwestern port city of Kaohsiung. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 108 kilometers (67 miles) per hour and gusts reaching 137 kph (85 mph) as of Tuesday morning. It is forecast to sweep across the island and move out from the northeastern coast by late Wednesday or early Thursday. Authorities have evacuated more than 3,300 people from four counties and cities, including the eastern township of Guangfu, where a typhoon-triggered barrier lake overflowed in September, killing 18 people. Schools and offices were closed on Tuesday in Hualien and Yilan counties, while land warnings were issued for southern and southwestern regions, including Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Tainan, and Taitung. Meanwhile, China activated emergency typhoon measures for its southeastern provinces—Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Hainan—as the storm continues to move northward. Fung-wong first struck the northeastern coast of the Philippines on Sunday as a super typhoon, packing winds of up to 185 kph (115 mph) and gusts reaching 230 kph (143 mph). The massive storm, spanning about 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles), triggered flash floods and landslides that killed at least 18 people across northern provinces. More than a million people remain displaced in the Philippines, including some 803,000 sheltering in over 11,000 evacuation centers in northern Luzon, said Office of Civil Defense deputy director Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV. Typhoon Fung-wong exits Philippines, leaving 8 dead and 1.4 million displaced The fatalities included 19 who died in landslides across the mountainous Cordillera region, known for its vulnerability to mudslides during the rainy season. Two people remain missing there, officials said. Other victims were killed in flash floods, by exposed electrical wires, or in a house collapse, while at least 29 people were reported injured. Among the dead were three children whose homes were buried in separate landslides in Nueva Vizcaya province, and two villagers killed in Kalinga province, officials added. “It’s not a mass casualty in one place,” Alejandro said Tuesday. “Several people were killed in separate landslides.” Both Taiwan and the Philippines are hit by multiple typhoons and storms each year and lie in one of the world’s most disaster-prone regions, frequently exposed to earthquakes and extreme weather. Source: AP

Pakistan has accused India of orchestrating a deadly suicide blast that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 30 outside a district court in Islamabad on Tuesday, intensifying regional tensions as officials also pointed fingers at Afghan-based militants. According to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the explosion occurred at 12:39pm near the District Judicial Complex when the attacker detonated explosives beside a police vehicle after failing to enter the premises. He confirmed the blast was a suicide attack. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and linked it to another assault earlier in the day on an army-run cadet college near the Afghan border. “Both attacks are the worst examples of Indian state terrorism in the region,” Sharif said, accusing New Delhi of backing militants operating from Afghan territory. President Asif Ali Zardari also denounced the attack, calling it a “suicide blast” and offering condolences to victims’ families. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan was “in a state of war,” describing the explosion as a “wake-up call” and warning that any hope of peace talks with Kabul’s rulers would be futile. Witnesses described scenes of chaos following the explosion, which struck during a busy court session. “Everyone started running in panic. I saw several cars on fire and bodies near the entrance,” said lawyer Mohammed Shahzad Butt. Hospitals in the capital declared an emergency, and security forces sealed off the blast site while forensic teams collected remains for identification. The attack occurred amid heightened security in Islamabad, which is hosting several international conferences, and a day after a car bombing in India’s capital, Delhi, killed 13 people. No group has claimed responsibility for the Islamabad blast, but officials suspect the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) or allied groups operating from Afghan territory. Kabul has denied providing them safe haven. Analysts said the attacks underscore Pakistan’s growing internal insecurity and strained ties with its neighbors. “These are no coincidences,” said Iftikhar Firdous, cofounder of The Khorasan Diary, noting that “the new proxy war dynamics” in South Asia are increasingly visible. The United States, the United Kingdom, China, and the European Union have all issued statements condemning the attack and expressing solidarity with Pakistan.   Source: ALJAZEERA

Thailand has indefinitely suspended a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Cambodia following a land mine explosion on Monday that injured four Thai soldiers along the shared border, officials said Tuesday. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the injured troops in Sisaket province, where one soldier lost his right foot and three others sustained minor injuries. The Thai army accused Cambodia of planting new mines in violation of the truce signed last month, though Cambodia denied responsibility. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura described the incident as showing “Cambodia’s utter lack of sincerity” and demanded an apology, a full investigation, and measures to prevent further explosions. Thailand also announced it would indefinitely postpone the return of 18 Cambodian soldiers held since the July conflict. Nikorndej said tensions could be de-escalated if Cambodia sincerely meets these conditions. Cambodia’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said the explosion was caused by “remnants of past conflicts” and advised Thai forces to avoid patrolling old minefields. She emphasized that Cambodia remains committed to working with Thailand to ensure peace, stability, and civilian safety along the border. The ceasefire agreement, initially mediated by Malaysia and later signed under U.S. pressure at the ASEAN summit in October, required both countries to release prisoners and begin removing heavy weapons and land mines. Some progress on arms removal has been reported. Matthew Wheeler, a Southeast Asia senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the truce was “predictably fragile,” noting it was largely concluded to appease former U.S. President Donald Trump on trade and diplomatic optics rather than resolve the underlying conflict. He added that strong nationalist sentiment in Thailand has complicated efforts to adopt a conciliatory approach. The incident underscores ongoing tensions in the region, as Thailand and Cambodia continue to navigate disputes over border security and the legacy of past conflicts.  

The death toll from a capsized boat carrying Rohingya migrants from Myanmar has climbed to 26 after rescuers in Malaysia and Thailand recovered more bodies from the sea, authorities said on Tuesday. Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency reported that eight additional bodies were found and one more survivor was rescued near northern Langkawi island, close to the Thai border. The total number of deaths in Malaysian waters now stands at 20 — including seven men, nine women, and four children — while 14 others have been rescued alive. In Thailand, the Romsai Rescue Foundation said on its Facebook page that six bodies were discovered in Thai waters between Sunday and Monday in Satun province. Identification documents found on some of the victims confirmed that they were Muslim Rohingya refugees who had been on the same ill-fated boat. Officials estimate that about 70 people were on board when the vessel capsized. According to survivors, the group had originally departed from Buthidaung in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on a larger boat carrying some 300 people. The passengers were reportedly divided into three smaller boats upon approaching Malaysian waters, with one believed to have sunk near Tarutao island in southern Thailand last Thursday. Authorities said the exact location and timing of the sinking remain unclear, as does the fate of the other two boats. In a joint statement, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) expressed deep concern over the potential scale of loss of life. They urged regional governments to strengthen search-and-rescue operations and ensure safe access to asylum to prevent similar tragedies in the future. According to UN figures, at least 5,300 Rohingya refugees have attempted perilous sea crossings from Bangladesh and Myanmar so far this year, with more than 600 people reported missing or dead. The worsening conditions in Bangladesh’s refugee camps and the intensifying conflict in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup have driven many — particularly women and children — to risk their lives at sea. Malaysia remains a preferred destination for many Rohingya refugees because of its majority Muslim population. While the country has previously accepted Rohingya on humanitarian grounds, it has increasingly sought to restrict arrivals. Earlier this year, Malaysian authorities turned away two boats carrying nearly 300 suspected Rohingya refugees. Currently, around 117,670 Rohingya are registered with the UNHCR in Malaysia, representing about 59 percent of the country’s total refugee population.