United News of Bangladesh

Japan's unemployment rate climbed to 2.5 percent in August from 2.4 percent in July, marking the first deterioration in five months, government data showed Friday. The number of people with jobs rose by 30,000 from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted 68.34 million, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Of those out of work, 810,000 quit their jobs voluntarily, typically in pursuit of better working conditions, up 8.0 percent from July, while 400,000 were let go by their employers, an increase of 5.3 percent. Meanwhile, the number of people newly looking for work grew 2.2 percent to 460,000, according to the ministry. Separate data from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare showed the job availability ratio in August stood at 1.18, unchanged from the previous month, meaning there were 118 job opportunities for every 100 job seekers. By industry, job openings fell from a year earlier in eight of the 11 sectors, led by an 11.1 percent drop in accommodation and restaurant services, followed by a 10.2 percent decline in wholesale and retail, the labor ministry said. Of the three sectors that posted increases, manufacturing rose 3.9 percent, and information and communications gained 3.3 percent.   

Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s Helmand and Kunar provinces killed at least 10 civilians, mostly children, and wounded nine, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan said Thursday, as cross-border tensions continued. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes targeted militant hideouts at two locations and initial reports indicated 22 militants were killed, though the claim could not be independently verified. It did not immediately comment on civilian casualties. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes destroyed three civilian homes and condemned them as aggression and a violation of international principles. Kunar resident Mohammad Hashim, 30, said the strike occurred around 3am and that he helped rescue an injured woman from rubble, where he also found the bodies of two men and four children. Resident Mohammad Habib, 32, said a killed shepherd had no links to militant or government groups. Pakistan said the strikes were precisely planned against militant hubs, with weapons and ammunition destroyed. It accuses Kabul of sheltering TTP militants, a charge Afghanistan denies.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said its forces killed 41 fighters and captured 62 others over three days after they crossed into the country from neighboring Pakistan. The ministry said the fighters, including members of the Islamic State group, entered Afghanistan with Pakistan’s support and were targeted in Kamdesh district of northeastern Nuristan province between Sunday and Tuesday. Pakistan’s government did not immediately comment on the claim. Its Ministry of Information has rejected similar allegations in the past. The claims by both sides about casualties among fighters in recent weeks could not be independently verified. Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated in recent weeks, with cross-border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan adding to longstanding disputes over militant activity along their shared frontier. The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said last week that it had documented more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan resulting from cross-border violence so far this year. Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said its security forces would not allow anyone to undermine security in the country and warned that any further attempts would face a stronger response. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said it summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires on Tuesday and handed him a letter of protest over what it described as the crossing of “disruptive armed elements” into Afghanistan. Kabul accused Islamabad of hosting recruitment and training camps for fighters and sending them across the border. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The TTP is separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban but is allied with it. Kabul denies providing the group a safe haven and has rejected Pakistan’s accusations. Afghanistan has also accused Pakistan of encouraging unrest inside the country. The Afghan Defense Ministry recently alleged that Pakistan was training and sending across the border fighters who were former members of Afghanistan’s military under the previous government, which was ousted after the Taliban seized power in 2021. Afghanistan does not recognize its frontier with Pakistan as an international border. The two countries share a more than 2,600-kilometre (1,620-mile) boundary known as the Durand Line.

Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister Kim Yo Jong on Wednesday rejected South Korean findings that North Korea planted land mines that injured three South Korean soldiers last week, warning that Pyongyang would retaliate if the South fires at North Korean troops carrying out border fortification work. Three South Korean military officers were injured in two successive explosions on Sept. 21 near the military demarcation line in the western section of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the heavily fortified buffer zone separating the two Koreas. Kim Yo Jong’s statement came after South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) on Monday announced a preliminary assessment that North Korean mines caused the explosions following a joint inspection of the site with the U.S.-led United Nations Command. The South Korean military said its investigators and U.N. personnel found another North Korean mine during a follow-up inspection Tuesday. The U.N. Command said Wednesday that North Korea had violated the armistice agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. It said the violation was being addressed through established mechanisms but provided no further details. South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul has said Seoul would consider unspecified “corresponding measures” if a full investigation confirms North Korea was responsible for the blasts. Kim Yo Jong, a senior foreign policy official for her brother and possibly the second-most powerful figure in Pyongyang, described South Korea’s assessment as a “conspiratorial farce.” She accused Seoul of making groundless allegations to create a pretext for military provocation against North Korea. North Korea has in recent years installed mines, anti-tank barriers and other fortifications along its front line as relations between the two Koreas have sharply deteriorated. The developments have raised concerns in South Korea over the growing presence of North Korean troops near the border. Reading a statement on television, Kang Hyunwoo, chief director of operations at South Korea’s JCS, said the military “strongly urges” North Korea to apologize for the explosions and take “responsible measures” to prevent similar incidents. He also called on Pyongyang to immediately stop its border fortification work and other actions that increase tensions. “We clearly state that North Korea bears full responsibility for any future developments,” he said. Kim, however, defended North Korea’s border fortification activities as a legitimate exercise of its sovereignty. She accused South Korea of escalating tensions by issuing warnings and firing warning shots at North Korean troops engaged in the work, while insisting that “our soldiers have never crossed the border.” “When a single bullet is hit on our land, they must be prepared for a lot,” she said. “If the (South Korean) military gangsters fire at our soldiers carrying on the permanent project for the southern border, not warning shots, our border units will take immediate and merciless retaliatory action.” The explosions occurred about 10 meters south of the military demarcation line during an operation to establish a patrol route through a densely vegetated area that had rarely been visited for decades. The route was intended to facilitate future inspections with the U.N. Command after South Korea detected “terrain changes” since last year that it believed could have resulted from North Korean mine-laying. Kwon Dae-won, vice chairman of South Korea’s JCS, said there was a “very high possibility” that North Korean mines caused the explosions, noting that there was no record of South Korean or allied forces laying mines in the area. He said blast marks, forensic analysis of explosive substances and what appeared to be a third North Korean mine found at the scene also pointed to the North. Kang said South Korean and U.N. investigators found a possible fourth mine during Tuesday’s follow-up inspection. The DMZ stretches 248 kilometers (155 miles) and is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) wide, making it one of the world’s most heavily fortified borders. An estimated 2 million mines are buried in and around the zone, which is also protected by barbed-wire fences, tank traps and combat troops on both sides. The zone is a legacy of the Korean War, which ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty. The latest explosions came more than a decade after South Korea blamed North Korea for land mine blasts that maimed two South Korean soldiers and sharply heightened tensions between the countries in August 2015. The two Koreas subsequently exchanged threats, conducted weapons demonstrations and resumed border propaganda broadcasts. Days of marathon negotiations eventually pulled the countries back from the brink. North Korea issued a vague expression of regret over the soldiers’ injuries but never explicitly accepted responsibility. Last week’s explosions came as South Korea’s liberal government sought to revive diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington as part of broader efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Since early 2024, North Korea has adopted an increasingly hard-line position toward South Korea, declaring it a permanent enemy and abandoning the concept of shared statehood in favor of a hostile “two-state” system. Pyongyang has so far rejected U.S. calls to resume diplomacy, which collapsed in 2019, insisting that Washington must first abandon its demand for North Korean denuclearization as a condition for talks.

Pakistan on Sunday rejected allegations by Afghan authorities linking Islamabad to alleged violence in Afghanistan's eastern Nuristan province, describing the claims as "baseless" and lacking evidence, said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Pakistan categorically denied any involvement by its security forces or intelligence agencies in internal clashes in Nuristan or elsewhere in Afghanistan, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry also rejected allegations that Pakistan had recruited or trained former Afghan security personnel or facilitated the activities of the Islamic State militant group or any other terrorist organization operating in Afghanistan.

The death toll from the capsizing of a passenger ferry in Indonesia’s Java Sea has risen to 64 after rescuers recovered more bodies, while 71 people remain missing and are presumed dead. The National Search and Rescue Agency has extended the search operation for another seven days, said Yudhi Bramantyo, the agency’s operation director. The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 213 passengers and 30 crew members when it lost contact with its operator after leaving Surabaya for Borneo island. So far, 108 people have been rescued, according to authorities. Rescue teams recovered four bodies from inside the submerged ferry on Friday and found seven more along nearby shorelines, Bramantyo said. The search operation will be reviewed every three days to determine whether it should continue, he said. Under Indonesian regulations, search-and-rescue operations generally continue for seven days but can be extended when authorities believe more victims may still be located. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries for transportation between its islands. Ferry accidents and other maritime disasters occur regularly in the country, with weak enforcement of safety regulations often cited as a contributing factor.

At least 12 people were killed and around 35 injured in a suicide bombing at a police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, after gunmen opened fire on an ambulance responding to the attack, officials said. The blast, involving an explosives-laden vehicle, occurred in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the provincial emergency service. Local police chief Safdar Baloch said most of those killed and injured were security personnel and people passing by the checkpoint. The explosion destroyed the large roadside checkpoint, while witnesses reported hearing gunfire following the blast. Faizi said attackers fired at an ambulance as emergency workers were taking victims to a nearby hospital. A rescue worker was killed and two others were wounded. Two women and a child were among those killed in the bombing, he said. The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan has witnessed increased militant violence in recent years, with the TTP and the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group mainly active in neighboring Balochistan province, claiming many of the attacks. The TTP is a separate organization from Afghanistan’s Taliban but maintains close ties with it. The Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Zardari called attacks targeting civilians and law enforcement personnel “highly condemnable” and urged stronger action against the TTP, accusing it of carrying out “heinous and brutal acts” with foreign backing. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of allowing TTP militants to operate from Afghan soil and has called on Kabul to prevent cross-border attacks. Afghan authorities deny allowing their territory to be used for attacks against other countries. The bombing came two days after fighting along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border reportedly killed at least 13 Afghan Taliban fighters, according to Pakistan’s government. The clash followed Pakistani strikes earlier in the week against what Islamabad described as suspected militant hideouts inside Afghanistan. The renewed tensions have complicated mediation efforts by China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to establish lasting peace between the neighboring countries. Dera Ismail Khan lies near South Waziristan, a former militant stronghold where Pakistan’s military has carried out several operations. Militants have frequently targeted security forces in the area. In December 2023, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-filled vehicle at the entrance of a police station in Dera Ismail Khan, killing at least 23 security personnel. Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a small militant group believed to be linked to the TTP, claimed responsibility for that attack.

Persistent heavy rain has flooded large parts of Bangkok, disrupting traffic and forcing thousands of residents to move to shelters as authorities declared all 50 districts of the Thai capital disaster areas. The rain, which began Thursday afternoon, has dumped more than 30 centimeters (11.8 inches) of water in many parts of Bangkok, particularly in central and eastern areas, according to officials. Thailand’s Meteorological Department forecast that heavy rainfall would continue across much of the country through Sunday. Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said more than 200 shelters had been established across the city, with around 4,200 people already taking refuge there. The government said flooding had affected more than 84,000 people in 21 provinces nationwide as of Saturday, with the central region among the hardest hit. Authorities also sent emergency flood warnings to residents through mobile phones. Floodwaters brought traffic in several areas to a standstill, with cars moving slowly through submerged roads and motorcyclists pushing their bikes through the water. Some bus services from Bangkok to eastern provinces were suspended, while Phetchaburi Road, one of the capital’s major thoroughfares, was unusually quiet as floodwaters forced vehicles to turn back. Some cars were partly submerged. Residents waded through muddy water carrying food and drinking water. Some went barefoot, while others used rubber boots or wrapped plastic bags around their feet to protect them from the water. Many businesses also remained closed Saturday because of the flooding. South Korean visitor Hwang Hwan-chung, who has traveled to Bangkok around a dozen times, said he had never experienced such “crazy” weather and was unable to find a taxi. Local resident Sukanya Tongsuk said the flooding reminded her of the severe inundation that struck Bangkok in 2011. Dutch resident Bjorn Franken, who has lived in Bangkok for two years, said he was managing despite the flooding, although an event he planned to attend had been canceled. Air traffic control authorities said flights were operating normally, though some delays were possible. Chadchart said the flooding was expected to ease after the rain stops, while city authorities were working to drain the accumulated water as quickly as possible.

The “Dialogue between Youth Leaders from Jiangxi and International Friendship Partners at Different Levels 2026” was held in China’s Jiangxi Province from September 21 to 25. The event brought together young voices from Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Latin America, highlighting the role of youth in fostering international cooperation, driving innovation and strengthening people-to-people ties across borders. Under the theme “Energy of Youth for a Better World,” the Dialogue combined high-level discussions with industrial visits, business matchmaking and cultural exchanges, creating a platform for practical cooperation in green development, economic and trade collaboration, vocational education and youth development. The event was hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), and jointly organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the China Friendship Foundation for Peace and Development, the Jiangxi Provincial Youth Federation, the Jiangxi Branch of the China Vocational Education Association and the Jiangxi Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce. Xia Wenyong, vice governor of Jiangxi Province, Sun Xueqing, vice president of the CPAFFC, Anoop Ranjan Bhattarai, chairman of the Nepal-China Executives Council, and Lopez, second deputy mayor of Alcorcón, Spain, attended the opening ceremony. They also delivered speeches.

At least 19 people have died across two separate locations in India's northeastern state of Nagaland over the past two days after consuming a suspected spurious alcoholic drink, police confirmed on Saturday. The fatalities were reported from two areas, with 11 deaths in the Tuensang area and eight in Mokokchung. Nagaland has been a dry state for over three and a half decades, with the sale and consumption of all alcoholic beverages completely banned under state law. Following the tragedy, the Nagaland state government constituted a special task force to trace the origin and distribution source of the toxic liquor. Local police said several individuals have already been arrested in connection with the case.