United News of Bangladesh

An Iranian Foreign Ministry official on Sunday said Iran is fully united and at the highest level of alert against any potential US-Israeli attack, urging European nations to distance themselves from Washington and Tel Aviv. Speaking to reporters, Foreign Ministry official Saeed Khatibzadeh said Europe has made a series of "wrong choices" in recent months and is now facing the "consequences of its own decisions." He said European powers have been sidelined from major global issues due to their "misguided policies," adding that they must distance themselves from Israel’s "crimes and repeated violations of international and humanitarian law." Khatibzadeh emphasized that it remains difficult to trust European countries unless they stop making military bases available to the United States and demonstrate sincere efforts to uphold international law.

The Israeli military conducted a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, displacing hundreds of Palestinian families and imposing strict movement restrictions following a gun attack in Hebron that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others on Friday. The operation comes just days before Israel's closely contested election, widely viewed as a test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership and security policies during three years of war. The Israeli military said most Palestinian workers holding permits would be barred from entering Israeli communities in the occupied West Bank for work on Sunday and Monday. Crossings into Israel will remain closed until after Tuesday's election. The military said its forces conducted operations at more than 400 locations over the weekend and arrested 40 Palestinians allegedly affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The crackdown displaced hundreds of families, forcing some to cross military checkpoints on foot after roads were closed to traffic. Residents passed sacks of flour and gas canisters through gaps in military gates, while an elderly man pushed his wife in a wheelchair through an opening. Another family attempted to reach medical appointments. Following Friday's attack, the military said weapons were found in the suspected attackers' vehicle and that they had likely planned to target Israeli civilians before being stopped at a checkpoint. Troops were conducting targeted searches in the area where the attackers operated, the military said, while urging residents of Deir Bahha, the suspected gunmen's neighbourhood, to evacuate. Hebron municipal officials said 200 to 300 families had fled Deir Bahha and four neighbouring areas overnight, with most relocating elsewhere in the city. Six Israelis have been killed in West Bank attacks this year amid escalating violence. During the same period, 112 Palestinians, including the suspected attackers, have been killed, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah. The attack triggered widespread anger in Israel. Netanyahu and three members of his right-wing government visited the scene on Friday and vowed a strong response. “We warned a few weeks ago about attempts by our enemies to harm us, our citizens and our soldiers ahead of the election,” Netanyahu said. “We will act to destroy this place.” Netanyahu faces pressure to demonstrate a forceful response to Palestinian attacks and strengthen his standing among security-conscious Israeli voters. Around 3 million Palestinians and 540,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, which Israel occupied during the 1967 Middle East war. Hebron is among the territory's most volatile cities and the only place where Jewish settlers live in the heart of a densely populated Palestinian area under Israeli military protection.

Saudi Arabia has reopened its main international airport more than two weeks after deadly strikes by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced the facility to suspend operations. The kingdom's military said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone launched by the Houthis early Sunday. Meanwhile, a large-scale Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend has displaced hundreds of Palestinians and imposed severe restrictions on their movement. The operation followed an attack in Hebron on Friday that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. The developments come days before Israel's election on Tuesday, widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of regional wars and his government's right-wing policies at home and abroad. Riyadh airport resumes international flights King Khalid International Airport announced that terminals 1 and 2 reopened for domestic and international flights on Sunday as Houthi rebels continued launching missiles and drones towards the Saudi capital. Saudi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the military intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone fired by the Houthis early Sunday. Houthi strikes in early October hit a complex housing two other airport terminals, killing 17 people and injuring more than 330. The airport resumed limited domestic operations last week. Israeli military expands West Bank operation The Israeli military launched a major operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, displacing hundreds of Palestinians and significantly restricting movement in the area. The operation followed Friday's attack in Hebron, which killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. Israel is approaching its first election since the Hamas-led attacks in 2023 and the subsequent regional wars. The vote is widely regarded as a test of Netanyahu's leadership and security policies during three years of conflict. The military announced early Sunday that most Palestinian workers holding permits would be barred from entering Israeli communities in the occupied West Bank for work on Sunday and Monday. Several crossings will also remain closed until after Tuesday's election. Israelis living abroad prepare to return for election The AID Coalition, a US-based nonprofit working to strengthen Israeli democracy, said tens of thousands of Israelis living overseas were expected to return home to vote. Israeli law generally requires citizens to cast their ballots in person inside the country, with limited exceptions for diplomats and certain official representatives serving abroad. Israel has more than 7.3 million registered voters, but opinion polls indicate a closely contested election. Previous elections have also been decided by narrow margins. The potential impact of voters returning from abroad remains uncertain. However, many liberal Israelis who oppose Netanyahu have left the country in recent years, raising the possibility that some returning voters could favour his opponents.

Bulgarians went to the polls on Sunday to elect their next president, with the campaign dominated by economic hardship, rising prices and security concerns over drone attacks in Black Sea. The election is also the first major test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party since its victory in the parliamentary elections in April. Despite a record 27 candidates in the race, the election is expected to go to a runoff between incumbent President Iliana Yotova, backed by Radev’s party, and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, who has the support of pro-Western opposition parties. Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing tensions in the Black Sea have been major campaign issues. Recent drone attacks on commercial vessels off Bulgaria’s coast have raised security concerns in the European Union and NATO member country. The attacks have fuelled fears that Russia could escalate the conflict, prompting the Bulgarian government to seek assistance from its partners to strengthen maritime security. Candidates have also addressed public concerns over rising energy prices and inflation, which have made it increasingly difficult for many families, particularly in rural areas, to cover their daily expenses. Polling stations opened at 7am and are scheduled to close at 8pm. Initial exit polls will be released after voting ends, while preliminary results are expected on Monday. A runoff is likely, as none of the 27 candidates is expected to secure an outright victory in Sunday's vote. More than 50% of the country's 6.6 million registered voters must turn out for a first-round victory to be possible, and a candidate must win a majority of votes. Turnout is projected to remain below 40%, making a second round on Nov 1 likely.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China on Saturday to inaugurate a new bridge connecting the two countries, pledging to strengthen cooperation with his powerful neighbour. The visit is part of Kim’s efforts to strengthen ties with China and Russia as he seeks to build a united front against the United States. It was his first visit to China in a year. Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong after crossing the newly opened bridge, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry and China’s Xinhua News Agency. In Dandong, Kim visited a memorial honouring Chinese support for North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War and met Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of China’s Communist Party. Kim pledged to maintain the long-standing friendship between the two countries, while Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings and described the memorial visit as significant for strengthening bilateral ties, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The two leaders also toured a car factory before Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge for his departure. Bridge expected to boost trade The New Yalu River Bridge, which opened this month after more than a decade of delays, is expected to boost trade between the two countries. It can handle traffic in both directions around the clock, including container shipments and heavy trucks. Kim said the bridge would fulfil its historic role of connecting the two countries and strengthening friendship between their peoples, KCNA reported. The inauguration highlights efforts by both countries to strengthen relations. China has traditionally been North Korea’s main ally and a vital source of economic support, although Kim has prioritised relations with Russia in recent years. North Korea has sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, reportedly in exchange for military and economic assistance. Visit marks Korean War anniversary Kim’s visit, his sixth to China since taking power in late 2011, came ahead of the Oct 25 anniversary of China’s first major victory in the Korean War. Chinese troops entered North Korea in October 1950, days after the conflict began with Pyongyang’s attack on South Korea in June that year. A US-led United Nations coalition intervened to support South Korea, while China backed North Korea with military assistance from the then-Soviet Union. Fighting ended with a 1953 armistice, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically at war. Xi visited Pyongyang in June and expressed Beijing’s willingness to expand cooperation with North Korea in trade, agriculture, construction and technology. Kim described relations with China as a top strategic priority. Kim last visited Beijing in September 2025, when he met Xi and attended a military parade alongside Putin and other foreign leaders. Diplomatic efforts remain uncertain Kim has maintained a hard line towards South Korea and rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal to revive talks that collapsed in 2019 during Trump’s first term. Pyongyang has demanded that Washington abandon its “hostile policy” and drop its demand for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons as a condition for renewed negotiations. South Korea’s liberal government supports engagement with the North and hopes renewed talks between Washington and Pyongyang could improve relations between the two Koreas. Seoul has also urged Beijing to play a “constructive” role in resolving tensions. South Korea’s intelligence agency told lawmakers last month that there was a 50% possibility of a meeting between Trump and Kim on the sidelines of next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China. “If North Korea focuses more on economic development than military buildup and threats, that would be positive for diplomacy and security,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. However, he said it remained unclear what South Korea could offer Pyongyang if Kim continued to secure greater benefits from China and Russia, given the political risks North Korea associates with engagement with its more prosperous and democratic neighbour.

Thousands of young people took to the streets of several Italian cities, including Milan, Rome and Turin, on Saturday as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers to prevent a repeat of the violence and looting that marred similar protests last week. The demonstrations remained largely peaceful in Milan, while brief clashes broke out between protesters and police in Rome and Turin. In Milan, thousands marched through the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury shops boarded up their windows. By late afternoon, however, most stores had reopened, Italian media reported. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced several measures to strengthen security, including deploying an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and imposing tougher penalties on minors. Police said young people made up a large part of the protesters involved in last week's violence. Authorities in Milan also detained several minors as a preventive measure, according to media reports. Although protests in France have drawn much international attention, large demonstrations also took place on Saturday in several European cities, including Milan, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana. The protests covered a wide range of issues, including education, corruption, anti-war demands, pensions and housing affordability. Soldiers deployed as Milan braces for unrestAs night fell, large crowds of mostly young people gathered in Milan, chanting slogans against Meloni and holding banners reading, "No to lies of the state." Some protesters dumped manure outside Italy's energy regulator and burned an oversized electricity bill as a symbolic protest, according to footage broadcast on local television. The additional 500 soldiers deployed to Milan joined hundreds already stationed in the city. They supported around 5,000 police officers and other security personnel. Authorities also introduced drone surveillance, railway station checks, rapid-response units and online monitoring to identify potential calls for violence. Pierfrancesco Majorino, a mayoral hopeful who announced his candidacy on Thursday, joined the march and noted how peaceful the demonstration had been, Italian media reported. He plans to contest a centre-left primary in early 2027. Milan's centre-left Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who has held office since 2016, will not seek another term. Many shops, particularly luxury boutiques in the city's fashion district, boarded up their windows ahead of the demonstrations. The affected stores included Omega, Tiffany and Gucci. The Apple store also closed and remained shut even after other businesses reopened. Last weekend, rioters broke into shops and looted goods, particularly sneakers, sportswear and sporting equipment, along streets leading off the city's central Duomo square. Security measures were extended beyond the city centre amid concerns that unrest could spread to other neighbourhoods. The protesters ended their march peacefully on Saturday evening outside Milan Polytechnic, more than three kilometres from the city centre. Authorities said they were investigating a 30-year-old freelance journalist suspected of being the "mastermind" behind the newly formed Oct. 17 movement, which has played a leading role in the recent protests in Italy. Milan police said around 2,000 very young protesters were involved in last week's violence and looting. Many were described as "naturalized, second-generation Italians", alongside foreign nationals. Police arrested 45 people over two days, including 34 minors. A group of around 30 far-right activists, described as hooligans linked to Inter Milan football club, briefly appeared at the demonstrations, chanting anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim slogans. Police kept the group isolated from the other protesters. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said soldiers deployed on Saturday had only recently been authorised to use plastic restraint ties, and only in areas around railway stations rather than throughout the city. They are not permitted to carry pepper spray or tasers, he added. Protesters attempt to enter Rome's ColosseumAuthorities also tightened security in Rome, closing off luxury shopping streets and increasing patrols around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo. A small group of protesters attempted to force their way into the Colosseum but were escorted out by guards. Elsewhere, several hundred students demonstrated peacefully, stressing that they should not be associated with those responsible for the violence. "The images from last week were truly something terrible, especially for the young people, for the students, for the vast majority of the younger generations who want to study ... and do not accept being represented by those who use issues and needs to devastate entire cities," said Riccardo Ponzio, national president of an Italian far-right student association. A separate anti-war march took place in central Rome. Organisers sought to distance their demonstration from potential unrest, urging participants to keep their faces uncovered and their hands visible. However, the anti-war protesters were involved in brief clashes with police near Piazza della Repubblica. Organisers tried to hold back the crowd using batons and tear gas, but tensions escalated. The protesters eventually retreated after police deployed a water cannon, moving to a location about half a kilometre away. Clashes and fires in AlbaniaIn Tirana, the capital of Albania, riot police used water cannons against large groups of protesters on Saturday. Some demonstrators set government buildings on fire and threw objects at police. Authorities deployed 2,500 officers across the city to maintain order. For more than a week, protesters have thrown rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police, who have responded with batons and tear gas during clashes in the city centre. High school and university students are demanding lower tuition fees, increased government investment in education and action against corruption in the education system. Some have also joined a broader anti-government movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. Earlier, a separate opposition-organised protest outside the prime minister's office turned violent, with some activists setting fires in the street. Rama said on Saturday that his government was preparing a response to the students' demands and invited them to talks. He warned that those involved in violence would face penalties. Pension concerns and housing costs fuel protestsIn Madrid, thousands of retirees and other demonstrators marched peacefully on Saturday, demanding that public pensions be protected from changes. "They are threatening us with privatizing pensions. It's just another thing they want to profit from," said Maria José Benito, 68. The demonstration came ahead of next month's snap election, as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party criticised the conservative Popular Party for making proposals that it said could lead to the privatisation of public pensions. Spain has also experienced protests over housing affordability this autumn, as rental and property prices have risen beyond the reach of many residents in recent years. Inspired by the demonstrations in Spain, protesters demanding affordable housing marched through Lisbon on Saturday. They also criticised recent measures announced by the government of Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, including plans to ease restrictions on annual rent increases and make it easier to evict tenants who fail to pay rent. Montenegro has defended the measures, saying they are intended to strengthen trust between landlords and tenants and encourage growth in the rental market. Protesters, however, argue that the changes are unfair and leave tenants more vulnerable.

A fire badly damaged the Eagle’s Nest, a mountaintop retreat built for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in Germany, as firefighters struggled to control the blaze amid snow and strong winds. Police arrested a man on suspicion of arson, authorities said Saturday. Emergency services in the Berchtesgaden district of the Bavarian Alps in southeastern Germany received an alarm at around 9:15pm Friday. Firefighters and police rushed to the site, which lies at the end of a narrow mountain road that passes through several tunnels. They spotted the flames as they approached. On their way, they stopped and arrested a man riding a motorcycle down the mountain road in the opposite direction. Prosecutors said the 33-year-old German suspect has ties to the Berchtesgaden area but does not currently live there. He was questioned and showed signs of mental illness before being sent to a psychiatric facility, they said. However, investigators will also examine whether the fire had a political motive because of the building’s historical significance. Police said there was no current evidence suggesting that anyone else was involved. Rain followed by the season’s first significant snowfall, along with strong winds, made firefighting particularly difficult. After several hours of work, firefighters had to withdraw overnight, officials said. No one was injured in the fire. Firefighters hoped to complete their work on Saturday but could not enter the building because of the risk of falling debris. Known in German as the Kehlsteinhaus, the building stands on a cliff 1,834 metres (6,017 feet) above sea level. Visitors can reach it by taking an elevator built inside the rock at the end of the mountain road. The road is closed to public traffic but is used by tourist buses during the day. The site has operated as a cafe and restaurant since 1952 and also houses an exhibition on its history. Hitler rarely used the Kehlsteinhaus, unlike his Berghof residence in the same area, whose ruins were blown up in 1952. The Obersalzberg Documentation Center, located farther down the mountain and home to the area's main historical exhibition, was not affected by the fire. Officials indicated that the Eagle’s Nest would be restored, although they have yet to decide how the work would be carried out. “We’re not going to leave a ruin there,” Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters in Berchtesgaden. He said the site's future appearance would be discussed with local officials, historians, preservation experts and others. “I think we will be able to find a sensible solution,” Herrmann added. The Bavarian state government owns the building. The minister stressed the importance of preserving historical memory, saying, “It is important that we continue to do the work of remembrance.”

Iran remains open to negotiations with the United States under a Pakistan-brokered interim agreement reached in June to end the conflict, Tehran’s ambassador to Islamabad said Saturday, accusing Washington of undermining diplomacy over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran had conveyed through Pakistan its willingness to reopen the strategic waterway if Washington lifted its naval blockade, ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam said. He accused President Donald Trump of rejecting the proposal by insisting the blockade of Iranian ports would remain. Pakistan and Qatar helped broker the June agreement, which aimed to restore shipping through the strait, lift the US blockade and launch broader negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, Moghadam said Iran conveyed its position during visits to Tehran by Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. He also said Tehran would review the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey before deciding whether to support it, describing it as a potential tool for unity. “We will study the Mecca Agreement, and if it is good, we will support it,” he said. The agreement followed renewed attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Saudi Arabia. The signatories said it would strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation. Turkey has submitted the agreement to parliament for ratification. Turkish and Pakistani officials say it is defensive and targets no country. Turkey has ruled out sending troops to Yemen to attack the Houthis, while Pakistan says its role would remain strictly defensive.

Ukraine and Russia have expressed willingness to resume US-mediated peace negotiations and supported a humanitarian initiative led by US First Lady Melania Trump, but unresolved disputes over territory and security guarantees continue to hinder efforts to end the war. The diplomatic push comes after more than four and a half years of fighting. On Friday, Kyiv and Moscow announced a local ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach a stranded town in Ukraine’s divided southern Kherson region next week, following secret consultations involving Melania Trump and civilian negotiators from both countries. The move raised hopes for further humanitarian efforts, but there were few signs of a shift in the two sides’ positions. Russia continues to demand territory it does not fully control, while Ukraine insists on firm guarantees against another invasion. Within hours of Russian President Vladimir Putin agreeing “in principle” to restart talks, Russia launched deadly ballistic missile and drone attacks on Kyiv. Moscow also claimed to have destroyed more than 800 Ukrainian drones heading towards Russian cities. US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff secured the latest commitment after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin during visits to Oslo and St Petersburg. The next round of talks, the fourth under the Trump administration, is expected to take place in Abu Dhabi around mid-November, according to the Kremlin. The previous round was held in Geneva in February. Relations between US President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy have deteriorated, while Moscow has benefited from a US deal to buy Russian diesel and Trump’s rejection of new sanctions against Russia. Kyiv has also faced disruptions to satellite support for its drones after rejecting Trump’s call to halt attacks on Russian oil infrastructure. Meanwhile, Witkoff secured the release of an American imprisoned in Russia for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. His description of Putin as a “humanitarian” drew criticism in Ukraine. Territory remains a major obstacleRussia demands control of four Ukrainian regions it annexed in 2022 Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson as well as Crimea, seized in 2014. Moscow occupies about 20% of Ukraine but has not captured all the territory it claims. The Kremlin also wants Ukraine to withdraw from the four regions, abandon its NATO ambitions, reduce its military and lift restrictions on the Russian language and a Moscow-linked Orthodox Church branch. Putin said Thursday that Russia remained ready to negotiate but insisted that all objectives of what Moscow calls its “special military operation” would be achieved. Zelenskyy argues that surrendering territory would leave Ukraine exposed to future attacks. He supports a ceasefire freezing current front-line positions, followed by negotiations, while Moscow rejects a halt to fighting before a comprehensive settlement is reached. Security guarantees unresolvedPrevious discussions have failed to resolve how Ukraine would be protected after a peace deal. Kyiv considers Western-backed security guarantees essential and wants to maintain a strong military supported by its allies. NATO membership remains its preferred option, but Putin opposes it and the US administration has ruled it out for now. Other proposals include direct US guarantees in an “Article 5-like format” and support from the European-led 30-country Coalition of the Willing. NATO’s Article 5 treats an attack on one member as an attack on all. “All of these guarantees are possible on the basis of a strong Ukrainian army — in terms of both numbers and quality with clear funding, and not a small amount. Our colleagues in Europe and America know this,” Zelenskyy told reporters Thursday. Following this week’s attacks on Kyiv and other cities, Zelenskyy called for greater Western pressure on Moscow to change its approach to negotiations. “It is important to keep trying to find the right solutions to end this war,” he wrote online. “But when Russia responds to negotiations with ballistic missiles, real pressure on Russia is needed to bring about different steps steps toward ending the killing.”

A fire severely damaged Adolf Hitler’s former mountain retreat, known as the Eagle’s Nest, in the Bavarian Alps, with firefighting operations continuing on Saturday, German authorities said. A person has been detained in connection with the blaze. The local tourism authority said the building had sustained extensive damage and it remained uncertain whether parts of the structure could be preserved. Police said a fire alarm at the building in Germany’s southeastern Berchtesgaden district was triggered at around 9:15pm on Friday. Firefighters approaching the site, located on a cliff 1,834 metres (6,017 feet) above sea level, could see flames, according to a police statement. The site’s difficult location made it challenging to bring fire engines to the scene. Efforts to extinguish the blaze continued on Saturday morning, police said, adding that respiratory protection equipment was required to access the building and its immediate surroundings. Firefighters found no one inside the building, and authorities currently believe there were no injuries. Police said a person had been detained as a possible suspect, although investigators had yet to establish whether the individual was connected to the fire. The building, officially known as the Kehlsteinhaus, was completed in 1938. It can be reached by an elevator from the end of a winding mountain road that passes through several tunnels. The road is closed to public traffic but is used by buses transporting visitors. Since 1952, the building has operated as a cafe and restaurant and houses an exhibition documenting its history. It was closed to visitors on Friday before the fire broke out.