United News of Bangladesh

Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for their pioneering work on nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. Kagan is associated with Université Paris-Sud in Orsay, France, while Soai, 95, is affiliated with the Tokyo University of Science. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the laureates in Stockholm. Last year, the chemistry Nobel was awarded to three scientists for developing innovative molecular structures capable of capturing large quantities of gas, research that could contribute to removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and collecting water from arid environments. The 2026 Nobel awards began with the medicine prize on Monday, which went to three scientists whose research contributed to the development of a light-based technique for studying the workings of the brain. On Tuesday, the physics Nobel recognised a scientist for research that helped shed light on a rare class of neutrinos. The Nobel Prize in Literature will be announced Thursday, followed by the Peace Prize on Friday. The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is scheduled to be announced on Monday. The Nobel prize carries a monetary award of 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to around $1.2 million, to be shared where there are multiple laureates or awarded to an individual or organisation.

Countries, both rich and poor, need to take faster steps to reduce debt and address widening inequality as their economies face a triple challenge from the artificial intelligence boom, heavy borrowing and shocks caused by wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Wednesday. "Some very tough political choices stare us in the face," Georgieva said in a speech in Singapore ahead of the IMF-World Bank autumn meetings in Bangkok next week. "My message to the world's economic policymakers next week will be this: we cannot keep delaying necessary policy action — you have the tools, now have the wisdom to use them," she said. At the Bangkok meetings, finance ministers and central bank governors from 191 IMF-World Bank member countries will review the global economy and discuss measures to maintain financial stability and support sustained growth. Georgieva said conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and elsewhere have so far delivered the most severe recent shocks to global well-being. However, excessive debt is increasingly weighing on wealthy economies such as the United States, Japan and Germany, while low-income countries face difficult choices between funding public welfare and servicing costly loans amid high interest rates, she said. Georgieva also highlighted risks stemming from the rapid expansion of data center capacity to support AI, which has helped drive stock markets to record highs in many countries and contributed to strong economic growth despite elevated energy costs caused by the Iran war. Investment in AI is expected to surpass, in relative scale, spending on the construction of railroads, electricity grids and telecommunications networks. "Love it, hate it or fear it, AI is here, rapidly becoming a key driver of countries' relative fortunes in the world economy," she said. The AI investment boom is supporting strong corporate earnings as well as higher inflation. But there is a time lag between the large investments being made and the realization of AI's economic benefits, Georgieva said. "Should earnings fall short," she warned, "hyperscaler leverage and large and growing global holdings of U.S. equities could turn a disappointment into a far-reaching shock." Seven of the world's top 10 countries in AI-related trade are in the Asia-Pacific region, whose share of global economic activity has increased to 43% from 25% in 1991, when the IMF-World Bank meetings were last held in Bangkok. China, India, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and other technology-intensive economies are benefiting from the AI boom, while most other countries are being left behind, widening economic inequality, Georgieva said. AI is also increasing energy demand, further pushing up prices of fuel, fertilizer, food and other essential commodities, she added. Georgieva called on countries to contain public spending and raise borrowing costs when necessary to curb inflation, while protecting their most vulnerable populations. She also stressed the need for policies to ensure proper regulation of AI, retrain workers, make labor markets more flexible, encourage entrepreneurship and strengthen energy security.

Russian forces struck Ukraine's Parkovyi, Ukrtelecom, Giga and Podolskyi data centers to reduce the country's communications capabilities and disrupt military logistics and troop control, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry said Russian forces also struck several targets in the Odesa region, including a missile and artillery weapons depot, a dry cargo vessel delivering military supplies, and berthing infrastructure facilities used for unloading and storing military cargo. Early Tuesday, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said that 650 drones were intercepted on the way to the Russian capital overnight. According to the TASS news agency, the attack was one of the largest Ukrainian drone strikes on the Moscow area in nearly two years. Moscow Region Governor Andrei Vorobyov said two people were killed and several others injured in the region.

Francis Halzen won the Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday for his contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and his discovery of high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award in Stockholm. The Nobel Prize comes with prize money of 12 million Swedish kronor (about $1.2 million) this year, whether awarded to an individual, a small group of laureates or an organization. Last year, three scientists received the Nobel Prize in physics for research into the unusual behavior of subatomic particles known as quantum tunneling. Their work enabled the ultra-sensitive measurements used by MRI machines and helped lay the groundwork for improved cellphones and faster computers. The announcement of this year's Nobel prizes began Monday, with the medicine prize going to three scientists whose work led to a tool that uses light to help unravel how the brain works. The awards continue Wednesday with the chemistry prize and Thursday with the literature prize. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday, followed by the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences on Monday.

Police in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City have arrested 12 men suspected of stealing and selling around 2,700 cats for meat, according to state media. Police identified 39-year-old Luu Thanh Binh as the alleged leader of the network. He and 11 others are being investigated on suspicion of theft, state media reported Monday. Investigators said Binh bought stolen cats, kept them at a facility in the northern part of the city and resold them for meat. He allegedly worked with suppliers who recruited others to ride motorcycles through residential neighbourhoods between 11pm and 4am, trapping four to 10 cats each night. Police raided the network on July 8 and recovered around 50 cats and dozens of traps, according to state media. The suspects told investigators they had stolen and sold about 2,700 cats, although police did not disclose how long the operation had been running. Authorities returned 13 rescued cats to their owners. The remaining animals were placed in the care of a nonprofit animal rights group while officials tried to identify their owners. Eating dog and cat meat has been practised in parts of Asia, although it is not widespread. In Vietnam, cat meat has traditionally been more popular in northern areas, particularly among older generations. The practice has declined as pet ownership and urbanisation have increased. Younger Vietnamese people are more likely to view cats and dogs as companion animals. In 2024, more than 250,000 people signed a petition calling for an end to Vietnam's dog and cat meat trade. The city of Hoi An also pledged in 2021 to stop the sale and consumption of the meat. Some people believe eating cat meat brings good luck, but there is no scientific evidence to support the belief. Under Vietnamese law, dogs and cats are considered private property, making their theft a criminal offence. Criminal prosecution generally applies when the value of stolen property exceeds 2 million dong, or about $77. In a separate raid in June, police rescued more than 400 cats. At least 40 were reunited with their owners, while dozens of dead cats were found packed in ice.

Students blockaded high schools across France on Tuesday as planned demonstrations tested the strength of a weeks-long nationwide movement demanding more resources for the country's education system. At Hélène Boucher High School in Paris' 20th district, protesters placed rubbish bins and bicycles on their sides to build a makeshift barricade at the entrance. The school was among hundreds closed across the country. Authorities began shutting schools last week in an effort to curb the demonstrations following widespread property damage and increasing injuries among school staff, students and police. French media reported protests in several other cities and towns on Tuesday morning. Labour unions also called on workers to demonstrate later in the day in support of the student movement, which has put pressure on President Emmanuel Macron's government. The government's response has been forceful. Police arrested more than 5,000 people last week, around 85% of them minors. However, the widespread use of arrests, tear gas and riot-control weapons against teenage protesters has fuelled anger and defiance, including among some parents and teachers. At Hélène Boucher High School, parents and other adults positioned themselves between the demonstrators and police officers monitoring the protest. The school blockades began in the Paris region in mid-September before spreading to other cities and towns. Students have raised a range of grievances, particularly the shortage of resources and opportunities for advancement in disadvantaged schools. Protesters say these conditions fall short of the promise embodied in France's national motto, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” Students have highlighted deteriorating classroom conditions, including shortages of basic furniture such as desks and chairs, inadequate cooling during summer heat and rat infestations. They have also complained about staff shortages and exhausting academic workloads. French high school students are required to spend among the highest numbers of compulsory school hours in Europe. The demonstrations and planned labour union action on Tuesday are expected to test the movement's ability to maintain momentum as pressure mounts on the government to address students' concerns.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi climbed a police barricade and waved the national flag during a protest by opposition parties in New Delhi on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in voter list revisions. Leaders and lawmakers of the opposition INDIA bloc gathered at Makar Dwar of Parliament and marched towards Nirvachan Sadan, the Election Commission of India's (ECI) headquarters, carrying banners reading “Save Democracy” and chanting slogans against Kumar. Gandhi, who moved through a large crowd of protesters, climbed a barricade after police stopped the march at multiple security barriers. His action drew loud cheers from opposition leaders and supporters. Gandhi and his sister, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were detained and taken onto a police bus. However, the two later got off the bus and continued towards the ECI headquarters. The protest centred on alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties have accused the commission of manipulating voter registrations to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The commission and the government have denied wrongdoing. The INDIA bloc has been developing a broader campaign against Kumar since a strategy meeting last week. The protest has also received support from some young activists associated with the satirical Cockroach Janata Party. Two alliance partners, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), did not participate in Tuesday's march. The Congress plans to continue its campaign through the winter session of Parliament, seeking to keep the election-related allegations in the public spotlight. The party and the Samajwadi Party also hope to sustain attention ahead of assembly elections in five states scheduled for February. At a meeting on Monday, the Congress discussed its next steps and began referring to the Election Commission as the “Cheating Commission”. Under its campaign plan, the party will organise a “Save Vote, Save Country” programme from October 10 to 20 at the block level, including bicycle and motorcycle rallies, the burning of an effigy of Kumar and leaflet distribution. Booth-level public meetings, known as chaupals, are scheduled from October 25 to November 25, with senior Congress leaders participating. A major rally will be held at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on November 1. The party also plans six marches from areas around Delhi on November 25 and 26 under its “Chalo Delhi” campaign. The marches will converge in the capital on November 26, Constitution Day. The Congress intends to raise the issue during Parliament's winter session, which begins after November 26, and pursue an impeachment motion against the chief election commissioner. The opposition is also monitoring a Supreme Court case concerning the Election Commission. The court has issued notices to Kumar and the commission and indicated that disputed election-related decisions could potentially be stayed if they were not reached unanimously. However, the Supreme Court has so far declined to take immediate action against Kumar, observing that newspaper reports are not necessarily entirely accurate. Hearings in the case will continue.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has declared three days of national mourning after a military aircraft crashed in the southern state of Ondo, killing all 32 people on board. The aircraft was on a routine flight from Benin City to Lagos when it crashed near a naval base in Igbokoda on Monday morning, according to authorities. A local resident told the BBC that the plane came down near a swamp, where clothes and shoes were found at the crash site. Smoke was also seen rising from the area. Tinubu expressed his deepest condolences over the deaths of 25 passengers and seven crew members and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the accident. He also directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country in honour of the victims. "This is a painful moment for our Armed Forces and for the entire nation," Tinubu said. "Our Air Force personnel put their lives on the line every day to secure Nigeria. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten," he added. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo earlier said he had been informed about the disappearance of military aircraft NGR 931 while it was travelling from Benin City to Lagos at 9:13am on Monday. He said attempts to contact the aircraft by radio were unsuccessful before authorities confirmed that it had crashed near the naval base in Igbokoda, Ondo State. Search and rescue operations were under way, he added. The aircraft was identified as an ATR-42, a model manufactured to carry between 30 and 50 passengers. Tinubu ordered the Nigerian Air Force to immediately investigate the cause of the crash and take steps to prevent similar incidents. The identities of the victims have not yet been released. Authorities said the names of the officers would be made public after their families were notified. The Nigerian Air Force plays a key role in military operations against armed groups and insecurity across several parts of the country. The crash is among Nigeria's deadliest aviation disasters in recent years. In May 2021, army chief Lt-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers died when their aircraft crashed in Kaduna State amid bad weather. In February 2021, seven people were killed when a military aircraft crashed short of a runway in the capital, Abuja. With inputs from BBC

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is set to announce the Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday in Stockholm. Last year, three scientists received the physics Nobel for their research into quantum tunneling, a phenomenon involving the unusual behavior of subatomic particles. Their work contributed to the highly sensitive measurements used in MRI machines and helped establish foundations for improved mobile phones and faster computers. The announcement of this year's Nobel prizes began Monday with the medicine prize, which was awarded to three scientists whose research contributed to the development of a technique that uses light to investigate how the brain functions. The Nobel announcements will continue Wednesday with the chemistry prize, followed by the literature prize on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday, while the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences is scheduled to be announced on Oct. 12. The prize money this year stands at 12 million Swedish kronor, equivalent to about $1.2 million. The amount will be awarded whether the prize goes to an individual, a small group of laureates or an organization.

Opposition parties staged protests in India's capital on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over controversial changes to voter lists, as hundreds of police personnel were deployed across central New Delhi. The demonstration was the latest in a series of almost daily protests that began last week involving student groups, opposition parties and India's "Cockroach" youth movement. Protesters accused the Election Commission of manipulating voter registrations to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The commission and the government have denied the allegations. Security personnel, some carrying batons, stood behind barricades outside the Election Commission's office near Parliament. Authorities issued travel advisories for areas surrounding the planned demonstration and closed several roads. India launched a Special Intensive Revision of voter lists in Bihar last year ahead of state elections. The exercise has since been expanded to most states and federally administered territories. Critics say the process requires documents that are confusing and difficult for many people to obtain, raising concerns that millions of eligible voters could be excluded. Election Commission data indicates voter rolls could decline by as much as 30% in some areas. The commission says the revision is intended to remove duplicate and ineligible entries while ensuring that eligible voters remain registered. Opposition parties and activists, however, argue that the process could disenfranchise legitimate voters. The campaign against the Election Commission has been partly led by the "Cockroach" movement, which began online and calls itself the Cockroach Janata Party. Earlier street protests organized by the group contributed to the resignation of India's education minister in July.