United News of Bangladesh

Authorities in South Korea's port city of Busan are exploring new ways to guide a large female dusky shark back to open water after it returned to a canal just hours after being led out. The 3-metre-long shark, nicknamed Bukangi, was moved out of the canal on Wednesday following weeks of rescue efforts. However, it swam back into the waterway later that night, prompting officials to plan another operation. Busan authorities and the country's Oceans and Fisheries Ministry say returning the shark to open water is essential for its health and safety. During Wednesday's operation, dozens of workers used a floating platform to guide the shark out of the canal. After remaining in nearby waters for several hours, it passed beneath a protective net attached to the platform and re-entered the waterway. Officials said Bukangi is now trapped between that net and another barrier about 50 metres inside the canal entrance. Rescuers and inspectors are discussing how to guide it out as it continues swimming around the confined area. Lee Gwang-seok, an official with the Oceans and Fisheries Ministry, said the shark was unlikely to move farther into the canal because of the dense nets and the narrow passage. Officials are also concerned about its health, saying there have been no clear signs that the shark has been feeding regularly during its month-long stay. Falling water temperatures could pose further risks. Authorities have yet to announce when the next rescue attempt will take place. Named after Busan's North Port, where it was first spotted in mid-September, Bukangi has become a popular attraction as it swims slowly through the canal with its fins visible above the water. Busan authorities have even adopted the shark as a city mascot, saying it has drawn more than 1.7 million visitors to the area. Hundreds of people gathered along the canal on Wednesday to watch the rescue operation. Wednesday's effort was the third attempt to free the shark. Previous operations on September 29 and October 2 failed after the shark avoided boats spraying water and swam over nets placed across the narrow waterway.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed in principle to resume trilateral negotiations with the United States and Ukraine after November 10, Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday, following a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg. The talks would focus on postwar security arrangements, Ushakov said. Representatives of the three countries held three rounds of negotiations in Abu Dhabi and Geneva earlier this year but made little progress beyond prisoner exchanges. The three-hour meeting came a day after Witkoff met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in Oslo. Ushakov said the proposals discussed there offered little of real value, though he later described them as a step in the right direction. Zelenskyy said freezing the conflict was the minimum requirement for ending the war, while US President Donald Trump urged Kyiv to reach a deal with Moscow. Witkoff said peace efforts had gained some momentum. He and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also discussed postwar economic cooperation, European security and a possible technical-level trilateral meeting, a US official said. Putin expressed willingness to explore renewed US-Russia economic ties and discuss the US-led conflict with Iran. Russia and the US also discussed major joint economic projects, some reportedly nearing implementation. Meanwhile, Russian attacks killed five people and wounded at least 23 in Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials said. Three died in Kyiv and two near Kharkiv, while energy facilities and residential buildings were hit. Russia said it intercepted 373 Ukrainian drones overnight.

Nine undocumented foreign nationals were killed when a sedan collided with a tractor unit on an intercity road in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan early Wednesday. The collision occurred around 1:30am local time (2200 GMT Tuesday), said Mehdi Khamar, traffic police chief of northern Sistan and Baluchestan. Khamar said all nine victims were traveling in the sedan. Eight died at the scene, while the ninth succumbed to injuries after being rushed to a hospital. Sistan and Baluchestan, which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan, serves as a major entry point for undocumented migrants entering Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reach a deal with Russia to end the conflict, warning that "if they don't make a deal, it's just gonna get worse."   Speaking to White House reporters, Trump said American taxpayers are tired of giving "tremendous amounts" to Ukraine with nothing back "other than high diesel," adding, "It's time to make a deal; Russia would like to get it done."   The appeal came after US special envoy Steve Witkoff held what Zelensky called "constructive" talks with European officials and Zelensky in Oslo on Tuesday. US media outlet Axios reported Witkoff is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to present an updated proposal creating a "pathway toward direct trilateral and broader multilateral negotiations."   Trump, who recently accused Zelensky of hindering peace, suggested Monday that Zelensky should have settled long ago and proposed replacing him as Ukraine's chief negotiator.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Wednesday to discuss the war in Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump steps up pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement to end the fighting. Speaking at the beginning of the meeting, Witkoff said he hoped to discuss the resumption of trilateral negotiations involving the United States, Russia and Ukraine, allowing technical teams to consider the next steps towards a peace settlement. Putin thanked Trump and Witkoff for their efforts to end the conflict. The meeting came a day after Witkoff held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders in Oslo, the Norwegian capital. The back-to-back meetings signalled renewed efforts to advance US-led diplomatic initiatives to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four and a half years ago. However, the Trump administration’s efforts to broker a settlement since early last year have yet to produce significant progress, and there was no immediate indication of a breakthrough. Russia and Ukraine remain divided over the terms of a possible settlement, while their forces continue fighting on the battlefield and carrying out daily long-range strikes against each other. Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who attended the Oslo meeting, said late Tuesday that the discussions had made “genuine progress.” Witkoff sees momentum in peace efforts Witkoff and Putin met at Constantine Palace in St Petersburg, with Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov also attending. Witkoff said Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner would participate in the discussions through a video link. Witkoff described the previous day’s talks in Oslo as productive and said there was “some degree of momentum” in the peace efforts. He said he would brief Putin on the discussions. He also thanked Putin for lifting Russia’s ban on diesel exports, saying the move would help lower costs for US farmers and truckers. The decision had drawn criticism from some US lawmakers. Putin said Moscow was prepared to discuss restoring economic ties with Washington. He also expressed readiness to discuss the US-led conflict with Iran, saying Russia could use its special relationship with Tehran to help bring about peace. Meanwhile, Putin was scheduled to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday. Li was in St Petersburg for meetings with senior Russian officials, according to the Kremlin. Russia has strengthened its ties with China in recent years. Last month, the two countries vetoed a US proposal at the United Nations to allow experts to continue monitoring sanctions on Iran.

At least 153 people were killed in a drone strike on a market in Abyei, a disputed border region between Sudan and South Sudan, after the attack hit a nearby fuel depot and sparked a fire that continued to burn on Tuesday, a local official said. Yohanna Akol Ngor, caretaker information minister of the Abyei administration, accused Sudan’s military of carrying out Monday’s strike on Amiet Market, located north of Abyei town. Speaking to The Associated Press by phone on Tuesday, Ngor said the death toll was rising as the fire continued to rage. A senior Sudanese military officer confirmed that the army conducted a drone attack on Monday, saying it targeted fuel tankers arriving from South Sudan that were allegedly supplying fuel to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The officer spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to comment publicly. He claimed those killed were RSF members and people involved in fuel smuggling, adding that the military did not target civilians. However, the AP could not independently verify the intended targets or the identities of the victims. The officer also said the strike occurred outside the demilitarized zone along the Sudan-South Sudan border. In a statement on Tuesday, the UN secretary-general condemned drone attacks near Amiet Market and Todach, reporting that dozens of civilians, including women and children, had been killed and many others wounded. The statement did not name those responsible for the attacks. The United Nations said many people were still missing and the casualty count was likely to increase as the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) continued to verify the toll. According to the statement, UNISFA deployed medical teams, firefighting equipment and quick reaction forces to provide emergency care, evacuate the injured and contain the fire. Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, said more than 20 injured people had been admitted to Ameth Bek Hospital, where its medical teams were working with personnel from South Sudan’s Health Ministry. “So far we received over 20 patients, including several critical cases. Patients with burns were also admitted,” said Dr Christian Lindauer, MSF’s medical activities manager at the hospital. South Sudan’s Foreign Ministry also blamed Sudan’s military for the attack, saying strikes on several locations inside the market caused civilian casualties and extensive damage to property. The ministry said it had summoned Sudan’s ambassador to lodge a protest and called on Khartoum to “refrain from any actions that endanger civilian lives and property.” It also urged both sides to resolve disputes over Abyei through diplomatic means. Sudan’s military and the RSF have been engaged in a devastating conflict since April 2023, causing widespread destruction across the country and threatening stability in neighbouring areas. Ngor said the strike took place at around 11am on Monday and hit a fuel depot that supplied local businesses. “It is a horrible and shocking situation,” he said. MSF urged all parties to halt attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, warning that such violence threatens people's safe access to healthcare and other essential services. Amiet Market serves as a major trading centre for the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities. The status of oil-rich Abyei remained unresolved under a 2005 peace agreement that ended decades of civil war in Sudan. The dispute continued after South Sudan gained independence in 2011, as a proposed referendum on the region’s future stalled over disagreements about voter eligibility. The Ngok Dinka, who form the majority of Abyei’s population, favour joining South Sudan, while Misseriya nomads, who depend on the region’s grazing lands, support remaining part of Sudan. Abyei has also witnessed deadly communal clashes, including disputes over land between the Ngok Dinka and neighbouring Twic Dinka communities.

South Korean officials on Wednesday failed to guide a large shark back to the open sea after spending hours trying to rescue it from a canal in the port city of Busan, where it has been stranded for more than a month. Rescue workers used a floating platform to steer the 3-metre-long female dusky shark, nicknamed Bukangi after the Korean name for Busan’s North Port, through the narrow waterway. However, by evening, the shark remained near the canal’s mouth instead of swimming out to sea. The shark was first spotted in mid-September and soon became a popular attraction, drawing visitors as it swam in circles with its fins visible above the water. According to city officials, Bukangi attracted more than 1.6 million visitors to the canal. The city also adopted the shark as a mascot. However, authorities struggled for weeks to find an effective way to guide it back to the open sea. Wednesday’s rescue operation was the third attempt to free the shark. Earlier efforts on Sept 29 and Oct 2 failed despite the use of boats spraying water and nets stretched across the narrow canal. The shark evaded the boats and swam over the nets. Experts have expressed concern over the animal’s health, noting that it had shown no signs of feeding during its 34-day stay in the canal. The declining water temperature has also raised concerns about its condition. During Wednesday’s operation, workers carefully manoeuvred a large floating platform through the canal to push the shark towards the sea. Those on the platform used oars to turn it back whenever it approached, while dozens of workers on both banks pulled ropes to move the structure forward. Hundreds of spectators gathered along the canal to watch the unusual rescue effort. The team managed to move the platform about one kilometre towards the canal’s mouth and installed additional nets to prevent the shark from swimming back into the waterway. However, camera and drone footage showed Bukangi swimming near the platform and nets for hours without heading out to sea. “During Bukangi’s 34 days in North Port, the shark became a friend to the entire country and a symbol of Busan, the nation’s maritime capital. It’s heartbreaking to say goodbye,” Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo wrote in a Facebook post. He said authorities would continue doing everything possible to ensure the shark’s safe return to its natural habitat.

Hungarian police on Wednesday arrested former central bank governor György Matolcsy on suspicion of economic fraud and other financial offences, marking a major development in the new government’s efforts to investigate alleged abuses during the rule of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced Matolcsy’s detention in a Facebook post but did not provide further details. Since taking office earlier this year, Magyar’s government has made investigating suspected financial misconduct by officials from the previous administration a priority. Earlier on Wednesday, Hungary’s Central Prosecutor’s Office said it was conducting coordinated investigative operations at several locations as part of a probe into the suspected criminal misappropriation of funds linked to the central bank. The office did not name Matolcsy but said further information would be released later. Matolcsy headed Hungary’s central bank from 2013 to 2025, after serving as Orbán’s economy minister from 2010 to 2013. He was considered one of Orbán’s closest economic allies and has denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Pál Bátki, told Hungarian news outlet Telex that Matolcsy had been detained on suspicion of economic fraud causing significant financial damage and the use of a forged private document. Much of Matolcsy’s tenure at the central bank was overshadowed by allegations of corruption involving foundations established by the bank and endowed with hundreds of billions of forints in public funds, equivalent to hundreds of millions of dollars. A criminal complaint was filed last month alleging embezzlement, negligence, fraud and abuse of office during Matolcsy’s tenure as governor. The complaint followed an audit of the central bank’s past real estate investments, which reportedly found that some properties had been purchased at inflated prices, resulting in significant financial losses for the bank. It remained unclear whether Matolcsy’s detention was linked to the real estate transactions or the funding provided to the central bank’s foundations. In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Magyar said members of the previous government, along with oligarchs, businesspeople and their relatives, had committed serious crimes, particularly corruption involving both national and European Union funds. His administration launched the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office in July, granting it investigative and prosecutorial powers to pursue cases involving the alleged misuse of public money. Magyar described the office as a “superauthority” capable of coordinating with police, prosecutors and the national tax authority to investigate complex corruption cases more quickly.

China's renewable energy supply chains, engineering expertise and operational experience are creating new opportunities for developing countries seeking to transition to cleaner energy sources. From solar farms in Southeast Asia to off-grid systems in rural Africa, Chinese clean energy projects are helping expand electricity access, generate employment and develop local skills. In 2021, China pledged to stop building new coal-fired power plants overseas. Since then, green energy has become a major focus of cooperation with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative, with Chinese companies involved in solar, wind and hydropower projects supporting local energy transitions. Solar partnerships promote low-carbon growth Across Southeast Asia, renewable energy projects built by Chinese companies are helping meet growing electricity demand while reducing emissions. In Indonesia's West Java province, the 100-megawatt Karawang photovoltaic project, constructed by China Electric Power Construction Group Hubei Engineering Co Ltd, began operations in 2024. The project supplies clean electricity to the industrial park in Karawang, reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by 19,800 tonnes and saving around 8,800 tonnes of standard coal. It has also contributed to developing local expertise. During construction, the Chinese team trained more than 300 Indonesian workers, helping establish a local workforce capable of independently installing solar systems. In Vietnam, PowerChina Jiangxi Electric Power Engineering Co Ltd constructed the 330-megawatt Phu My Solar Power Plant in Gia Lai province. Engineers adapted equipment and mounting structures to withstand coastal salt corrosion, high temperatures and typhoons. The plant generates approximately 520 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by around 400,000 tonnes a year. Its construction created more than 2,000 local jobs, while training programmes helped workers develop skills in renewable energy operations and maintenance. Beyond solar power, energy cooperation between China and Vietnam now covers wind, hydropower and waste-to-energy projects, further expanding their clean energy partnership. Clean energy helps reduce electricity costs In Pakistan, Chinese solar products and technologies are helping diversify an energy mix that has long depended heavily on thermal power. As the South Asian country faces high electricity costs and unreliable supply, the expansion of solar power has brought clean electricity to millions of households. Chinese companies have also introduced flexible instalment payment schemes to make solar systems more affordable, enabling families to reduce their electricity bills. Meanwhile, the China-built Mohmand Hydropower Project, which is under construction in Pakistan, is expected to generate 2.86 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The project has created more than 5,000 local jobs and is helping strengthen the country's construction capabilities. Chinese green energy projects are also contributing to economic development in partner countries. Construction generates employment and provides training for skilled workers, while solar panels and energy storage systems support the development of supply chains in infrastructure, logistics and maintenance. With no fuel costs, wind and solar power offer more predictable long-term generation expenses than fossil fuels. This can help lower electricity bills for households and businesses while providing affordable power for local industries. Off-grid solar expands electricity access Across Africa, dispersed populations and challenging terrain have made the expansion of conventional electricity grids expensive and difficult. Many rural and pastoral communities continue to lack reliable electricity. China has responded by supplying lightweight, easy-to-install off-grid solar and energy storage systems. Operating independently of main electricity grids, these systems provide stable power and help extend access to remote communities. In Kenya's pastoral areas, remote villages and refugee camps, Chinese solar equipment has replaced costly and polluting diesel generators. The systems now support everyday activities, local festivals and small businesses. Solar lighting has enabled rural schools to extend their operating hours, while photovoltaic irrigation pumps have reduced farming costs and increased crop yields by around 30 percent in some cases. Reliable, clean and affordable electricity is doing more than providing lighting for homes. It is supporting education, agriculture and small-scale businesses while helping local communities secure more stable incomes. China's overseas energy cooperation has shifted from coal-fired power projects towards green energy partnerships. By combining project construction with technology transfer and workforce training, the country is helping its partners develop sustainable energy systems that can operate independently over time. As high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative deepens, China is helping developing countries harness their wind, solar and water resources to drive economic growth, improve livelihoods and advance a shared low-carbon future.

A weekend attack by militants affiliated to the Islamic State group killed 48 people in the Ménaka region of eastern Mali, a lawmaker told the Associated Press Tuesday. Fighters from Islamic State in Sahel Province, or ISSP, attacked on Sunday night into Monday morning and casualties included children and elderly, Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, a Tuareg leader and member of the National Transitional Council, said. According to Moussa Ag Acharatoumane, the armed group attacked civilians, accusing them of revealing ISSP positions to the Malian army who had been conducting a drone strike on the group. ISSP operates mostly in the Ménaka region of Mali, where it faces stiff competition from another militant group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and in the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Niger. On Monday, the Malian army announced it had located a major base housing “several terrorist elements as well as military equipment and logistical supplies” 65 kilometers (40 miles) southwest of the town of Ménaka. “After confirming the intelligence gathered and assessing the situation, the site was targeted and successfully struck,” an army statement said. West Africa’s vast Sahel region has become the deadliest place in the world for extremism. The military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in recent years have struggled to turn the tide of armed attacks in the region despite seizing power and turning to Russia for help.