United News of Bangladesh

A fast-moving wildfire broke out near the outskirts of Greece's second-largest city, Thessaloniki, on Saturday evening, forcing the evacuation of several communities and a care facility for people with special needs, authorities said. The blaze erupted around 8:30 pm in a mountainous ravine north of the city before rapidly spreading across nearby plains, fueled by strong winds, according to the Hellenic Fire Service. Residents of the settlements of Anthoupoli, Filothei and Galini were ordered to evacuate via emergency text alerts as thick smoke blanketed several western suburbs of Thessaloniki. Although homes were largely spared, a number of businesses sustained damage. Authorities also evacuated a facility housing 157 people with special needs. Around 120 residents who were able to walk were moved to a local gymnasium, while the remaining residents were transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Police arrested a 76-year-old man overnight on suspicion of starting the fire. The fire service said the suspect appeared to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. More than 115 firefighters, supported by 38 fire engines and volunteers, were deployed to contain the blaze. Firefighting aircraft joined the operation briefly before being grounded after nightfall. Officials said there was no immediate threat of the fire reaching Thessaloniki, but firefighters remained on high alert as strong winds continued to hamper containment efforts. Additional firefighting personnel were expected to reinforce operations. Several other wildfires were also reported on Saturday, including in the popular tourist destination of the Halkidiki Peninsula and near the northern city of Kilkis. The latest wildfire comes days after a major blaze in central Greece killed a man and his 12-year-old son and forced evacuations. While much of Europe has been affected by extreme heat in recent weeks, Greece has so far avoided the worst of the heatwave.

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on Saturday held its national convention in the eastern city of Erfurt to elect its leadership, while thousands of protesters gathered outside and some clashed with riot police. The convention, held every two years, is expected to extend the leadership terms of co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, who have jointly led the party for the past four years. Large demonstrations outside the venue underscored the deep political divisions surrounding the AfD, which has emerged as Germany's largest opposition party at the national level. The gathering has also drawn criticism for coinciding with the 100th anniversary of a Nazi Party meeting held nearby that helped consolidate Adolf Hitler's leadership of the fascist movement. Historians and political opponents have argued that the timing carries symbolic significance, an allegation rejected by the AfD. Weidel recently described 2026 as a "year of destiny" for the party. Germany's mainstream political parties have maintained their long-standing refusal to cooperate with the AfD, a policy commonly referred to as the "firewall." Despite its political isolation, the AfD has continued to gain support by capitalizing on public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of economic challenges, while broadening its appeal beyond its traditional anti-immigration platform. The party is aiming for a strong performance in the Sept. 6 state election in Saxony-Anhalt, where it hopes to secure more than 40% of the vote. Such a result could put it within reach of an outright majority or strengthen its position to attract lawmakers from other parties, potentially paving the way for the AfD's first state governor.

Russia launched a massive overnight missile and drone assault on Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, killing at least 20 civilians and injuring more than 90 others, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday, as Moscow described the attack as retaliation for recent Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities. The bombardment lasted about 11 hours, with repeated explosions rocking the capital overnight. Air raid sirens forced many residents to seek shelter in subway stations while emergency crews worked through the night to rescue people trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Kyiv City Military Administration chief Tymur Tkachenko said the attack damaged about 30 sites across the city, most of them residential buildings and civilian infrastructure. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said around 20 apartment buildings sustained damage. In one of the hardest-hit areas, people were trapped inside a damaged nine-storey residential building in the Desnianskyi district, while six floors of another apartment block collapsed in the Darnytskyi district. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said more than 90 people were injured in the strikes. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the bombardment as a "night of horror" for the capital. Russia's Defence Ministry said the attack was carried out in response to Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities, which Moscow said had disrupted fuel supplies and increased pressure on the country's energy sector. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the military operation targeted only military or military-related facilities. However, Ukrainian authorities said the strikes heavily affected civilian neighbourhoods. The latest attack came amid intensified Ukrainian long-range drone strikes targeting Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials say the campaign is intended to weaken Russia's war effort and increase pressure on President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace negotiations. Despite diplomatic efforts, including initiatives backed by the administration of US President Donald Trump, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the war. According to the United Nations, more than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Elsewhere in Ukraine, a Russian guided bomb struck the central Dnipropetrovsk region, killing a seven-year-old girl and injuring four members of her family, including an 11-year-old girl, regional authorities said.

The Portuguese government said on Thursday that a nationwide state of alert will take effect from Friday as extreme heat are expected to last till next Monday. Exceptional emergency measures will also be taken to reduce wildfire risks. Portugal's Interior Minister Luis Neves made the announcement following a meeting of the Integrated Prevention and Operations Command (CIPO) at the Leiria Fire Brigade, warning of a "very significant deterioration in weather conditions." "For major emergencies, the government will issue a state of alert, which involves exceptional measures for extraordinary and difficult circumstances and also triggers emergency legislation," Neves said, calling on all citizens to cooperate. Under the emergency measures, work in forest areas involving any type of machinery will be prohibited, except for operations directly related to combating rural wildfires. Brush-cutting equipment with metal blades or discs will be banned to be used in other rural areas. Setting off fireworks are also prohibited. According to the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), 12 of the 18 districts on Portugal's mainland will be under red alert -- the highest level on a three-tier scale -- from Thursday till at least Saturday due to forecast of "extremely high temperature". The remaining six districts are also under elevated warning levels, meaning that virtually the entire mainland area faces maximum or very high wildfire risk.

English communication skills have become as essential as technical expertise for career success in today's rapidly evolving job market, speakers have said at a round-table discussion as Cambridge University Press & Assessment Bangladesh Ltd has launched Linguaskill, the globally recognised AI-enabled online English proficiency test. The event titled, "From Curriculum to Career: Aligning English Communication Skills with Hiring and Workplace Success," brought together vice chancellors, academics, corporate leaders, human resource professionals and policymakers to discuss how closer collaboration between universities and industry can better prepare graduates for the evolving job market. Speaking as the keynote speaker, Arun Rajamani, managing director for South Asia at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, said industries worldwide are increasingly prioritising practical English proficiency over traditional assessment methods. “Internationally, we are witnessing a shift where industries are prioritising practical, real-world English proficiency assessment. Cambridge has developed a modern, market-aligned solution that helps organisations evaluate English skills in a way that truly reflects the demands of today’s global environment,” he said. The programme marked the official launch of Linguaskill, Cambridge’s AI-enabled, online and on-demand English assessment designed to provide fast, flexible and internationally benchmarked evaluations of English language skills for educational institutions, employers and government organisations. Participants agreed that English communication skills have become essential for employability, alongside technical expertise. They emphasised that graduates also need critical thinking, interpersonal and presentation skills, adaptability, teamwork and a positive attitude to succeed in today’s workplace. The organisers said the event reaffirmed Cambridge University Press & Assessment’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s education sector by helping learners develop internationally benchmarked English communication skills to enhance employability and competitiveness in the global workforce.

At least six people were killed and many others injured after a fire ripped through a high-rise apartment building in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Wednesday, authorities said. Police said the blaze was triggered by a technical malfunction on the ground floor of the 10-storey residential building in the Linkeroever district. The building contains about 80 apartments and houses more than 200 residents. The fire spread rapidly, sending thick smoke into the air, with the upper floors appearing to suffer the heaviest damage. Emergency crews evacuated the building, while residents in the surrounding area were advised to keep their windows and doors closed and switch off ventilation systems because of the smoke. Those forced to leave the building were taken to a temporary shelter. Firefighters battled the blaze under difficult conditions due to its intensity, with multiple firefighting, police and emergency medical teams deployed to the scene. A specialized drone unit also assisted the operation. A medical emergency plan was activated to ensure nearby hospitals could cope with the large number of casualties. Television footage showed one resident leaning over a balcony amid dense smoke in an apparent attempt to breathe before moving to a nearby window. By early afternoon, the fire had largely been brought under control, although emergency personnel remained at the scene. Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed sympathy for the victims and displaced residents, while thanking firefighters and other emergency responders for their efforts to rescue those affected and contain the blaze. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident. Linkeroever, located on the western bank of the Scheldt River opposite central Antwerp, is a densely populated residential district known for its high-rise apartment buildings and large public park.

Venezuelan top-flight club Deportivo La Guaira has confirmed that Argentine defender Lucas Trejo's wife and two children were killed in the devastating earthquakes that recently struck Venezuela's Yaracuy region. Trejo's wife, Yanina Maranella, and their children, Aaron and Ainhoa Trejo, had been reported missing after the apartment building where they lived in Playa Grande, one of the worst-hit coastal areas, collapsed during the twin earthquakes. Rescue teams later confirmed their deaths. Death toll rises to 1450, over 3000 injured in Venezuela earthquakes Trejo was in Caracas with his club, Maritimo, preparing for an upcoming match when the disaster occurred. In a statement, Deportivo La Guaira expressed condolences, saying the club shared the grief overwhelming Trejo following the deaths of his wife and children and wished peace for the victims and strength for the player and his loved ones. Before the tragedy was confirmed, Trejo had launched an urgent search for his family with the help of relatives, volunteers and rescue teams. He also appealed publicly through Instagram, writing that their building had collapsed and urging people to pray and share information, while expressing hope that they had survived. The United Nations estimated on Saturday that up to 6.76 million people could have been affected by the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. The disaster has claimed nearly 1,000 lives and left tens of thousands of people missing, according to the UN migration agency, based on available population and damage assessments. With inputs from NDTV

“Right now 150 million people are living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Sunday on X. “Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average,” he added. Driven by climate change and global warming, the “once-in-a-generation” heat wave is now occurring nearly every year, Tedros said, adding that more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since June 21 linked to high temperatures in Europe. “Heat stress is often called the ‘silent killer’ — and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures,” Tedros warned as he called on European countries to implement action plans. He said they should focus on preparedness, prevention and stronger health system responses.

A skydiving plane crashed shortly after takeoff in northeastern France on Sunday, killing all 11 people on board, authorities said. The aircraft suffered a malfunction and plunged "almost vertically" moments after departing from the Nancy-Essey airfield on the outskirts of Nancy, according to Yves Séguy, prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region. The plane came down near a residential area close to the airfield. Officials said a disaster was narrowly averted as the crash occurred just metres away from homes. According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, the aircraft banked to the left after takeoff and crashed less than a minute later. Local newspaper L'Est Républicain reported that the victims included five skydiving instructors, five clients and the pilot. The aircraft was identified as a single-engine Pilatus PC-6, commonly used to transport freight, passengers and parachutists. Nancy Mayor Mathieu Klein said the passengers had been preparing for tandem skydives, in which an instructor and a first-time jumper descend together. He added that several family members and friends had gathered to watch the jump and witnessed the plane fall from the sky, leaving many in psychological shock. Emergency services, including medical teams, firefighters, police and mental health specialists, were immediately deployed to the scene. Authorities also began collecting witness statements and providing psychological support to relatives of the victims. A local resident told broadcaster BFM-TV that he heard what sounded like the aircraft's engine cutting out, followed by a loud crash. When he reached the site, he said there were no signs of life and that two bodies had been thrown several metres from the wreckage. Police cordoned off the crash site as investigators sought to determine the cause of the accident.

A powerful heat wave sweeping across Europe set new temperature records in Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Denmark on Saturday, as extreme heat shifted from western Europe toward central and eastern parts of the continent. Even Nordic countries, which are not typically associated with scorching summers, experienced record-breaking temperatures. Denmark recorded its hottest day since weather records began in 1874, with the temperature reaching 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit) in Ødum, north of Aarhus. Switzerland also registered a new national high for the current heat wave, with temperatures climbing to 38.8 C (101.8 F) in Basel. In Germany, temperatures were expected to reach 40 C (104 F), causing widespread disruption. Sections of the A2 Autobahn outside Berlin were closed after the concrete road surface buckled under the intense heat. German newspaper Bild also reported damage to highways in several other parts of the country. Rail operator Deutsche Bahn and other train companies advised people to avoid nonessential travel over the weekend. "Germany's transportation infrastructure is being severely affected by the record-breaking heat this weekend," Deutsche Bahn said. The Czech Republic also experienced its hottest day on record, with temperatures reaching 40.6 C (105 F) in the northern town of Doksany. Forecasters said temperatures could climb even higher. In the western German city of Dormagen, dozens of residents were evacuated from a nursing home after indoor temperatures reached 35 C (95 F), creating dangerous conditions. Air conditioning remains uncommon in Germany and many other European countries because such extreme heat has historically been rare. A resident at the nursing home died overnight, although authorities said it was not yet known whether the death was heat-related. In France, temperatures began easing in some areas as the worst of the heat wave passed, but hospitals continued to face heavy pressure from heat-related emergencies, including dehydration, heatstroke and heart attacks. The Paris public hospital authority activated emergency measures across its 38 hospitals to cope with rising patient numbers. According to the AP-HP hospital authority, emergency departments treated nearly 3,000 patients over the previous 24 hours, more than one-third above normal levels. Many of the patients were over 75 years old and required hospitalization. Calls to emergency medical dispatch centers also rose by nearly 80% compared with the same period in 2025. Three-quarters of France, affecting tens of millions of people, remained under a red alert for extreme heat on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures exceeding 40 C (104 F) in some places, including Paris. Fears that hospitals could become overwhelmed led to the postponement of the Paris Pride march and the cancellation of a three-day music festival. The current temperatures have surpassed those recorded during the devastating 2003 European heat wave, which claimed around 15,000 lives in France, many of them elderly people. AP-HP Director Nicolas Revel said he did not expect fatalities to reach that level this time because treatment for heat-related illnesses has improved. However, he warned that deaths were still likely. France's public health authority attributed more than 5,700 deaths to extreme heat during last summer. "I think we'll be situated clearly between 2025 and without necessarily reaching the catastrophic level of 2003. But we have to expect that there will still be many deaths," Revel said. In the United Kingdom, temperatures were expected to gradually decline over the weekend, although an amber heat warning remained in effect until Saturday night. Britain experienced three consecutive days of record June temperatures, with Friday officially becoming the hottest June day ever recorded. A provisional temperature of 37.3 C (99 F) was measured in eastern England, surpassing the previous June record set in 1976 by more than one degree. Police on Saturday said the body of a 22-year-old man had been recovered from a river after he reportedly got into difficulty while swimming during the heat wave. Authorities have urged people to be cautious when swimming in unsupervised rivers and lakes following about 40 drowning deaths reported in France over the past week. In Rome, which remained under a red heat alert, tourists sought relief by resting in the shade, cooling off at public fountains and buying bottled water, hats and umbrellas from street vendors. "Italian classics" also proved popular for coping with the heat. "Gelato, pasta, because it's tradition, but also fresh fruit, and ice-cold drinks. That's the best for this temperature," said Isabella Dold, a tourist from Kempten, Germany. Italy's Health Ministry said 18 cities, including Venice, Florence, Bologna and Milan, remained under red alerts because of dangerously high temperatures. The heat wave has also renewed attention on climate change. A study released Friday by World Weather Attribution, a Europe-based group of scientists, concluded that the record-breaking heat and humidity across Europe this week would have been virtually impossible without climate change. The researchers said such conditions would have been almost impossible 50 years ago and are now around 200 times more likely than they were two decades ago. André Corrêa do Lago, president of the U.N. climate conference COP30, said the heat wave had reinforced the urgency of tackling climate change. "The fact that we are living with this amazing heat in London is a strong argument... that we have to take action as soon as possible," he told The Associated Press.