United News of Bangladesh

North Korea on Monday fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, South Korea’s military said, adding to a recent streak of weapons demonstrations that has heightened tensions during a prolonged freeze in diplomacy. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from an area around the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, where the country has used its airport as a major launch site in recent years. The joint chiefs did not immediately specify how many missiles they detected or how far they flew. Japan’s Defense Ministry said it detected at least two missiles and assessed that the weapons landed in waters outside the country’s exclusive economic zone. The launch came days after South Korea on Friday flight-tested its first domestically developed hypersonic weapon, designed to fly at least five times the speed of sound and evade missile defense systems, which President Lee Jae Myung described as an important step in strengthening the South’s conventional defense capabilities. While maintaining a hard line toward Seoul, North Korea has been ramping up weapons testing as it seeks to expand its arsenal of nuclear-capable systems, including an Oct. 3 test of what the North described as a hypersonic intermediate-range missile designed to evade missile defenses in South Korea and Japan. North Korea has also conducted other missile tests and live-fire drills and commissioned a new warship as leader Kim Jong Un continues to flaunt his nuclear weapons program while rejecting U.S. and South Korean offers to resume long-stalled diplomacy. Tensions were further worsened after three South Korean soldiers were injured in land mine explosions last month near the heavily armed inter-Korean border. The South’s military and the U.S.-led United Nations Command concluded the blasts were caused by devices planted by North Korea, which has denied responsibility and ridiculed the South’s demands for an apology. Kim in recent years has halted all diplomacy and cooperation with South Korea and described the neighbor as a permanent enemy during a prolonged stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with Washington. He has so far rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s calls to revive their diplomacy, which broke down in 2019, with his government demanding that Washington abandon its “hostile” policy toward Pyongyang and drop demands for North Korea’s denuclearization as a precondition for talks. The tensions have been a setback for Lee, who favors engagement with North Korea and has tempered his rhetoric toward the North even as public anger grows over the mine blasts. Lee has also called for strengthening South Korea’s conventional defense capabilities while reducing its reliance on the United States. Washington unilaterally decided to scale back a major military exercise with South Korea in August, with Trump citing his “very good relationship” with Kim.

U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham says it is clear that Russia interfered with Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, adding it was important to put Moscow’s tampering on the record because countries across Europe are facing the same threat. In excerpts from “The Rest is Politics’’ podcast released Sunday, Burnham said that when he became prime minister in July he asked his advisers whether Russia had interfered with the 2016 referendum. The full podcast is scheduled to drop on Monday. “I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,’’ Burnham said. “These things are important now to put clearly on the record and I believe help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia.” Russia has long said it does not meddle in other countries’ elections or referendums. Burnham’s comments come as U.K. intelligence agencies warn about the increasing threat of Russian interference in Britain’s democratic institutions. The intervention is believed to be the first time a British prime minister has publicly acknowledged Russian interference in the Brexit vote. Burnham said he spoke to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about possible links between Russia and the far-right Alternative for Germany party when the two leaders met last week in Berlin. “You know he was saying to me that the AfD are clearly linked to Russia, funded I believe,” Burnham said. “There is certainly misinformation, disinformation that is emanating from Russia into German politics,” he added. Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the government failed to fully assess the impact Russian state-run media and “troll” accounts could have had on the EU referendum.

The Saudi-led coalition said Sunday a projectile had struck a passenger terminal at the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. An assault with an unknown projectile struck Terminal 4 at King Khalid International Airport, coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Malki said on social media platform X. Air defenses intercepted and destroyed a missile near the airport, and a fire resulting from the attack is being handled at the site, he said. Blasts were heard Sunday afternoon near the airport, with smoke briefly seen rising, according to a Xinhua correspondent. The strikes came a day after an attack targeting the same airport killed 12 people and injured 309 others, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.

Saudi Arabia on Sunday extended the closure of its main international airport and shifted schools in Riyadh to online classes as Yemen’s Houthi rebels threatened further attacks across the kingdom, a day after a missile strike killed 12 people and injured more than 300. Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh marked a significant escalation in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis. It also added complications to stalled efforts to end the wider war between the United States and Iran. US President Donald Trump said he was considering whether Washington would join Saudi military strikes against the rebels. Such involvement could prompt the Houthis to disrupt shipping through a vital regional waterway, further threatening oil exports from the Persian Gulf. The Houthis said on Sunday that two airstrikes had hit Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, blaming Saudi Arabia for the attacks. Saudi authorities had not immediately commented, and no casualties were reported. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said 91 people had been killed and 168 injured in five weeks of Saudi-led coalition strikes in Yemen, claiming that women and children accounted for 60 percent of those killed. Houthis threaten further attacksSaudi authorities announced that schools in Riyadh would continue online classes until the end of the week. The closure of King Khalid International Airport was extended until at least 9:00pm Sunday, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Although the Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for Saturday’s airport attack, the group has previously acknowledged strikes on Saudi airports and oil facilities and threatened further attacks. Houthi military spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree urged people to take the group’s warnings seriously. The attack drew condemnation from several Arab countries, including Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Attacks by Iran’s proxies are pushing the region into a spiral of violence,” von der Leyen wrote on X on Sunday, warning that the attacks were disrupting vital global transport and energy infrastructure. Victims from several countriesThe missile struck an airport complex housing terminals 3 and 4, which serve domestic flights, a regional official said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly. Saudi authorities said the 12 people killed included four Saudi citizens, two Bangladeshi nationals, and one citizen each from Palestine, the United States, Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Sudan. Several hospitals were treating the injured. Egyptian state-run Al-Qahera News reported that the Egyptian victim was Azza Ramzy, a 28-year-old flight attendant employed by Saudi airline Flynas. Trump weighs military involvementThe attack is expected to intensify Saudi Arabia’s efforts to secure military assistance from allies, including the United States. Trump said shortly after the strike that Washington was assessing whether to join Saudi operations against the Houthis, adding that a decision would be made quickly. He later said he planned to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Direct US involvement would deepen Washington’s role in a regional conflict that has become politically sensitive ahead of the US midterm elections. Trump and Iran have maintained that the election timetable would not determine their decisions on ending the seven-month-old war. The Houthis had earlier claimed attacks on King Khalid International Airport that killed three Saudis, including a pilot. The airport does not have military facilities, according to the report. The latest escalation follows a major offensive launched by a Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis a week earlier. The rebels have also targeted other Saudi airports, military installations and oil infrastructure. Conflict threatens regional oil shipmentsThe renewed fighting comes as negotiations between Washington and Tehran to end their war appear stalled. The Houthis, who had largely remained on the sidelines of the conflict until recently, are now increasing pressure on a key US ally. Their attacks and control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait threaten additional disruptions to regional oil shipments. Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government, beginning its conflict with the Houthis. A period of relative calm following a 2022 ceasefire ended in July, when the Houthis resumed attacks, accusing Saudi Arabia of firing on Sanaa airport as an Iranian aircraft attempted to land. The incident revived anger over the Saudi-led blockade, which has largely isolated areas controlled by the rebels. Fighting has since intensified, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support to Yemeni government forces seeking to reverse recent Houthi advances along the Red Sea. Those gains have strengthened the rebels’ ability to monitor shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic corridor that serves as an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has attacked vessels. Saudi Arabia is also facing shortages of missile interceptors and has sought air defence assistance from France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt, regional officials told The Associated Press last month. One official said US stocks had also dwindled during the war with Iran. However, Ahmed Nagi, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Yemen, warned that the Houthi strategy could have the opposite effect. Rather than persuading Riyadh to scale back its campaign, attacks on critical Saudi infrastructure could strengthen the kingdom’s determination to continue its military operations, he said.

At least 109 migrants, including 15 children, have died after a boat with 305 on board capsized off the coast of Djibouti in east Africa, the International Organization for Migration said on Sunday. The boat was traveling from Djibouti to Yemen when it capsized on Thursday night or Friday morning, according to the IOM. 52 men, 42 women and 15 children died. More than 80 people survived the accident, while at least 116 others remain missing. Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa travel through Djibouti and across the Bab el-Mandeb Strait towards the Gulf countries, in search of safety and economic opportunities, said the IOM in its statement. That movement has continued despite violence in Yemen. “This is a devastating loss of life,” said Alexandre Coissac, IOM Chief of Mission in Djibouti. “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by migrants along this migration corridor as they seek economic opportunities.

Residents living along Nepal’s Budhi Gandaki River in the north-central region fled their homes on Sunday after flash floods swept through the area, destroying houses and other structures. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority evacuated villagers and urged people in nearby areas to move to safer locations, warning them to remain vigilant until late Sunday. No casualties had been reported immediately after the incident. Authorities are investigating the cause of the sudden flooding in the Budhi Gandaki River, which flows into the Trishuli River, an important waterway near the capital, Kathmandu. Videos circulating on social media showed floodwaters rushing through steep mountain valleys, carrying away houses and sheds. The extent of the damage and the number of villages affected remained unclear. Social media posts suggested that a government warning had prompted evacuations in Arughat, a riverside town situated along a highway linking Kathmandu with other parts of the country. Nepal is still reeling from devastating floods in August along its mountainous border with China, which left more than 1,400 people dead and thousands missing. Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s office announced on Monday that search and rescue operations for additional victims had ended. Authorities will now focus on recovery efforts, including rebuilding roads and bridges damaged by the floods, particularly in remote areas where disrupted infrastructure has hampered the delivery of relief supplies. The government estimates that reconstruction will cost $4.77 billion. Nearly 33,000 people have been affected, while around 7,500 houses have been damaged or destroyed.    

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday imposed emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a northwestern province bordering Afghanistan, and suspended its provincial government, led by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, ahead of a planned march to Islamabad demanding his release. According to a statement from the president’s office, Zardari took the decision on the recommendation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Cabinet. Under the measure, the province will come under the authority of the governor, who represents the federal government. The announcement followed a statement from Sharif’s office that the federal Cabinet had recommended emergency rule, accusing the provincial administration of deliberately failing to cooperate in counterterrorism efforts. Provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday called on supporters to prepare for a march to the capital. He launched the protest campaign last week, leading rallies through several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sharif’s government has repeatedly urged Afridi to defer the march since last month, citing a recent increase in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban in the country’s northwest. The federal government has also accused Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of sympathising with the militant group, formally known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant attacks in recent years, many of which authorities attribute to the TTP. The group is separate from, but closely allied with, the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of providing shelter to TTP militants. Kabul has denied the allegation.

A man died on Saturday after entering a tiger enclosure at a wildlife park in northern England and being attacked by one of the big cats, police said. Emergency medical teams rushed to Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster after receiving a report of the incident at around 1:35pm. However, the man died at the scene, South Yorkshire Police said in a statement. The tiger was unharmed and remained inside the enclosure throughout the incident, police said. The wildlife park was evacuated following the attack, while police officers remained at the scene on Saturday night as investigations continued. “We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened,” the park said in a statement published on its website. Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, with its “Land of the Tigers” attraction launching in 2011. The attraction features a purpose-built, two-acre reserve for endangered Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers. According to the park’s website, the enclosure has a 300-metre raised walkway that allows visitors to observe the animals roaming through woodland and grassland or playing in a pool beneath a waterfall.

A missile attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people, including two Bangladeshis, and injured more than 300 others, Saudi civil aviation authorities said Sunday, with several victims in critical condition. The Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, calling the strike a “fully-fledged war crime” and vowing a firm response. The airport has no military facilities. The fatalities also included four Saudi citizens, a Palestinian, a US citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese national. The injured were receiving treatment at several hospitals. US President Donald Trump said Saturday that Washington was considering joining Saudi strikes against the rebels, adding that he would discuss the attack with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the death of an American citizen and condemned the attack, saying it showed disregard for civilian lives. Airport operations were suspended following the strike, with flights diverted elsewhere, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. Several countries, including the US, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada, advised their citizens to avoid the airport. The attack came amid escalating fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, raising concerns about regional security and disruptions to aviation and shipping.

The airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, was attacked again Saturday and evacuated, two regional officials said, just days after three Saudi citizens, including a pilot, were killed as the kingdom faces an extraordinary series of assaults in the new front in the Iran war. President Donald Trump told reporters he was evaluating whether the U.S. should join Saudi strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen who have claimed this week's attacks on King Khalid International Airport as well as other Saudi airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure. “We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump said. “We just found out about the recent attack. So we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly.” In the latest attack, a missile struck a complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights at the Riyadh airport and many people were wounded, one of the regional officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media. Ambulances were seen rushing there. The surge in attacks has come in the week since a Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive against the Houthis. There was no immediate Houthi statement Saturday. A resident said he heard explosions in Riyadh Saudi civil aviation authorities said operations at the airport had been suspended and the number of wounded and damage were being assessed. The airport had a heavy police presence, with all entrances blocked, and lights around the complex were dimmed. Flights diverted elsewhere, the Flightradar24 tracker said. Countries including the United States, Britain, Germany, Australia and Canada warned citizens to avoid the airport. The attacks on airports, military facilities and oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, has rattled markets and the region. Fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces has escalated, with the Saudi-led coalition providing air support for government forces in an attempt to reverse recent Houthi gains along the Red Sea. The rebels' gains gave them better surveillance of shipping on a corridor that's a crucial alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has been attacking ships. Though the Houthis have told the AP and others they are only targeting Saudi shipping as part of a blockade in retaliation for one imposed on them, concerns about wider attacks persist. The Houthis previously attacked other ships after the war in Gaza began, calling it solidarity with Palestinians. A U.S. bombing campaign ended that. Saudi Arabia has run low on interceptors, officials say Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air defense support to the region, regional officials told the AP last month, with one noting that the U.S. has seen its own stock dwindle during the war with Iran. Officials said U.S. assistance has included intelligence sharing, target identification and planning for the latest offensive. The Saudi and Omani foreign ministers spoke by phone about the importance of “supporting diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions” in the region, the kingdom said Saturday. Oman, which lies across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran, has played a mediator role at times in the region. Meanwhile, Saudi authorities warned the public this week that "filming, publishing or sharing information related to countering missiles and drones and their impact sites exposes you to legal liability.” Flight disruptions are growing This week, the Houthis warned global airlines “for the last time” about the potential consequences of operating in Saudi airspace, which they described as a theater for their military operations. At least 225 flights at the Riyadh airport had been canceled over the past 24 hours, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Air India, FlyDubai, Lufthansa Group and Pakistan International Airlines have been among the airlines suspending flights to and from Riyadh and other Saudi airports for the next few days. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has expanded its guidance on Saudi airspace, noting the Houthis’ ability to strike targets deeper inside the kingdom, including Riyadh, and a “greater focus on aviation infrastructure.” The missile and drone attacks and interception efforts “create an increased risk of misidentification of civil aircraft,” it said. In Thursday’s attack, the Saudi national carrier said one of its aircraft was damaged while it was on the ground, with no passengers on board.