United News of Bangladesh

East Timor, officially known as Timor Leste, became the newest member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday, a milestone Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao described as a “dream realized” for the nation and a significant step toward boosting its struggling economy. The formal ceremony in Kuala Lumpur saw East Timor’s flag added to the stage alongside the other 10 member states, marking ASEAN’s first expansion since the 1990s after more than a decade of deliberations. “For the people of Timor Leste, this is not only a dream realized, but a powerful affirmation of our journey—one defined by resilience, determination and hope,” Gusmao said. ASEAN membership provides East Timor, a nation with a GDP of around $2 billion and a population of 1.4 million, access to a regional economic community of 680 million people with a combined GDP of $3.8 trillion. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whose country currently chairs the bloc, said East Timor’s accession “completes the ASEAN family” and reflects the bloc’s shared destiny and regional kinship. Analysts highlighted the significance of integrating Southeast Asia’s youngest and poorest nation. “The expansion demonstrates ASEAN’s commitment to inclusivity, openness, and equal participation, especially amid rising protectionism,” said Angeline Tan of Malaysia’s Institute of Strategic & International Studies. East Timor, located between Indonesia and Australia, endured a prolonged struggle for independence. A former Portuguese colony for over four centuries, it declared independence in 1975 but was invaded by Indonesia nine days later, triggering a 24-year occupation that claimed tens of thousands of lives. A U.N.-supervised referendum in 1999 paved the way for full independence, restored in 2002. Led today by independence heroes Prime Minister Gusmao and President Jose Ramos-Horta, a 1996 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, East Timor faces challenges including high unemployment, widespread poverty, and malnutrition. About 42% of the population lives below the national poverty line, and nearly two-thirds are under 30, making youth employment a key priority. ASEAN membership opens doors for trade, investment, education, and digital economy initiatives. Gusmao said, “This is not the end of a journey; this is the beginning of an inspiring new chapter,” emphasizing the country’s readiness to innovate, learn, and strengthen good governance.   Source: AP

Thailand and Cambodia on Sunday signed an expanded ceasefire agreement during a ceremony attended by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose threats of economic pressure earlier this year helped end deadly clashes along their disputed border. Under the agreement, Thailand will release Cambodian prisoners while Cambodia will begin withdrawing heavy artillery. Regional observers will monitor compliance to prevent a resumption of fighting. Trump, who witnessed the signing with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, called the accord a major achievement. “We did something that a lot of people said couldn’t be done,” he said. Hun Manet described it as a “historic day,” and Anutin said the deal lays “the building blocks for a lasting peace.” The signing took place on the sidelines of the annual ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, marking Trump’s first event at the summit. His visit, which will continue to Japan and South Korea and may include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, is seen as an effort to strengthen U.S. influence in the region amid ongoing trade tensions and domestic political disputes at home. Trump also participated in cultural events upon arrival, performing a campaign-style dance with local performers while waving both American and Malaysian flags. He is expected to sign trade agreements with Malaysia and maintain focus on expanding U.S. supply chains to reduce reliance on China. The July border clashes, which lasted five days, killed dozens and displaced hundreds of thousands. Trump had warned both nations that trade agreements could be withheld if fighting continued—a move analysts say was pivotal in prompting negotiations. Following Sunday’s ceremony, Trump also signed separate economic deals with Thailand and Cambodia. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the ceasefire, emphasizing that reconciliation “is not concession, but an act of courage.” Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura called the agreement a “joint declaration” signaling both countries’ commitment to renewing relations, adding that “work has just begun.” Trump’s visit has also highlighted trade disputes, including ongoing tensions with China and recent friction with Canada over tariffs. He expressed optimism about negotiating comprehensive deals with Japan, South Korea, and China during the trip, emphasizing support for U.S. farmers and broader economic cooperation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was close with Trump during his first term, is absent from this year’s summit, reflecting more strained relations after recent disputes over tariffs and regional conflicts. Source: AP

For a week every October, people organizing international catch-ups and meetings on both sides of the Atlantic may be briefly confused: Did I just miss that conference call? Why is my grandmother calling me so early? Most people quickly remember: It’s that strange time each fall when Europe and the United States are out of sync as they switch from daylight saving time to standard time. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. And for those that do — mostly in Europe and North America — the date of the clock change varies, partly because of how time-related laws were developed in difference places. In countries that observe the practice, clocks are set forward one hour from standard time in March to make the most of increased summer daylight hours in the northern hemisphere. Clocks “fall back” again in the autumn to standard time. In the U.K. and Europe, this takes place at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in October. But in the U.S. and Canada, clocks go back one hour at 2 a.m on the first Sunday in November. That in-between week means that the time difference between the two sides of the Atlantic — for example between London and New York — is one hour shorter than usual, potentially causing chaos for coordinating Zoom calls or other meetings. The idea of daylight saving time had been floated for several hundred years, but didn’t become a standardized common practice written into law in many countries until the early 20th century. Europe first adopted it during World War I as a wartime measure to conserve energy. Germany and Austria began moving their clocks by an hour in the summer of 1916. The U.K. and other countries involved in the war followed soon after, as did the United States and Canada. Efforts were made over the years to coordinate time settings in Europe, and from 2002 all European Union member states adjusted their clocks twice yearly on the same days in March and October. However, there has been no success in coordinating the time change more widely. In the U.S., a 1966 law mandated a uniform daylight saving time nationwide, though the dates marking the twice yearly transitions have changed over the years. In 2022 the Senate unanimously approved a measure that would make daylight saving time permanent across the United States, but it did not advance. The current dates were established by Congress in 2005. Many do not agree on the benefits of the seasonal time changes, and lawmakers in the U.S. and Europe have previously proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. So far no changes have been finalized.  

The Shorbasi family was sitting in their severely damaged house in Gaza City, enjoying the relative calm of the ceasefire. Then they heard an explosion and rushed outside to find their 6-year-old twins bleeding on the ground. The boy, Yahya, and his sister, Nabila, had discovered a round object while playing. One touch, and it went off. “It was like a toy,” their grandfather, Tawfiq Shorbasi, said of the unexploded ordnance, after the children were rushed to Shifa hospital on Friday. “It was extremely difficult.” Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are seizing the chance to return to what’s left of their homes under the ceasefire that began on Oct. 10. But the dangers are far from over as people, including children, sift through the rubble for what remains of their belongings, and for bodies unreachable until now. Shorbasi said the family had returned home after the ceasefire took hold. Gaza City had been the focus of the final Israeli military offensive before the deal was reached between Israel and Hamas. “We’ve just returned last week,” the grandfather said at Shifa hospital, fighting back tears. “Their lives have been ruined forever.” The boy, Yahya, lay on a hospital bed with his right arm and leg wrapped in bandages. Nabila, now being treated at Patient’s Friends hospital, had a bandaged forehead. Both children’s faces were freckled with tiny shrapnel wounds. A British emergency physician and pediatrician working at one of the hospitals told The Associated Press the twins had life-threatening injuries including a lost hand, a hole in the bowel, broken bones and potential loss of a leg. The children underwent emergency surgery and their conditions have relatively stabilized, the doctor said. But concerns remain about their recovery because of Gaza’s vast lack of medicine and medical supplies, said Dr. Harriet, who declined to give her last name because her employer hadn’t authorized her to speak to the media. “Now it’s just a waiting game so I hope that they both survive, but at this point in time I can’t say, and this is a common recurrence,” she said. Health workers call unexploded ordnance a major threat to Palestinians. Two other children, Yazan and Jude Nour, were wounded on Thursday while their family was inspecting their home in Gaza City, according to Shifa hospital. Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, said five children were wounded by unexploded ordnance over the past week, including one in the southern city of Khan Younis. “This is the death trap,” Dr. Harriet said. “We’re talking about a ceasefire, but the killing hasn’t stopped.” Already over 68,500 Palestinians have died in the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Israel has disputed them without providing its own toll. Luke Irving, head of the U.N. Mine Action Service, UNMAS, in the Palestinian territories, has warned that “explosive risk is incredibly high” as both aid workers and displaced Palestinians return to areas vacated by the Israeli military in Gaza. As of Oct. 7, UNMAS had documented at least 52 Palestinians killed and 267 others wounded by unexploded ordnance in Gaza since the war began. UNMAS, however, said the toll could be much higher. Irving told a United Nations briefing last week 560 unexploded ordnance items have been found during the current ceasefire with many more under the rubble. Two years of war have left up to 60 million tons of debris across Gaza, he added. In the coming weeks, additional international de-mining experts are expected to join efforts to collect unexploded ordnance in Gaza, he said. “As expected, we’re now finding more items because we’re getting out more; the teams have more access,” he said.

Russian air defense systems shot down 281 Ukrainian drones during the past day, including nine over the Moscow region, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday. "Two guided aerial bombs and 281 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been shot down by air defense systems," the ministry said in a statement. The defense ministry said Friday that Russian air defense systems have shot down 1,441 Ukrainian UAVs over the past week. Air defense systems have downed a Ukrainian Su-27 aircraft, four cruise missiles, 18 guided aerial bombs, 15 rocket projectiles of the U.S.-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system, as well as 1,441 fixed-wing UAVs, the ministry said in a statement. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 62 drones and nine missiles during the overnight strike on Ukraine. Air defense units shot down 50 drones and four missiles. Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that the city was targeted by ballistic missiles. The attack sparked fires in several areas, shattered windows in residential buildings, and damaged a kindergarten in the eastern part of the city, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kiev City Military Administration, said on social media.  

State-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) resumed flights to the United Kingdom on Saturday, marking its return after a five-year suspension following a fake pilot license scandal. PIA had been banned by both the UK and the European Union in June 2020, following a deadly Karachi crash that killed nearly 100 people and revelations that several pilots held counterfeit licenses. The EU lifted its ban in November 2024 after rigorous safety audits, allowing the airline to restore its suspended routes earlier this year. The first Boeing 777 flight from Islamabad to Manchester on Saturday symbolized PIA’s return to the UK, following months of inspections and reforms that restored confidence in Pakistan’s aviation system. “The flight to Manchester is a remarkable beginning, but we are firmly determined to start flights to London and Birmingham next,” Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said at a ceremony at Islamabad International Airport. Asif emphasized that direct flights are vital for the more than 1.4 million Pakistanis residing in Britain and Europe, whose remittances remain a key pillar of Pakistan’s economy. “Providing them with direct flights is both a moral and national duty. These services will save time, offer reasonable fares, and strengthen air links to their homeland,” he said. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mohammad Faisal, described the relaunch as a significant step for economic and cultural ties between the two countries. “This milestone will generate substantial revenue, boost trade and tourism, and enhance the movement of people and goods,” he said at a recent event in London.  

Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit, renowned for her decades of work uplifting rural communities, supporting traditional crafts, and promoting environmental conservation, passed away on Friday at the age of 93. The Royal Household Bureau announced that Sirikit died at a Bangkok hospital after battling a blood infection since October 17. Despite intensive medical care, her condition deteriorated. She had suffered a debilitating stroke in 2012 and had since largely withdrawn from public life. Her husband, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed away in October 2016. Mourners gathered outside Chulalongkorn Hospital early Saturday, expressing grief over her death. “It’s another great loss for the whole nation. When I heard the news, it felt like the world stopped,” said 67-year-old Maneerat Laowalert. Though often overshadowed by her late husband and her son, the current King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Sirikit commanded immense respect and affection in her own right. Her portrait adorned homes, offices, and public spaces nationwide, and her birthday, August 12, was celebrated as Mother’s Day. Her humanitarian work ranged from helping Cambodian refugees to spearheading forest conservation projects. Life and LegacyBorn Sirikit Kitiyakara in Bangkok on August 12, 1932, into an aristocratic family with royal lineage, she was educated in wartime Bangkok before moving to France, where her father served as ambassador. At age 16, she met the young King Bhumibol in Paris, where she was studying music and languages. Their friendship deepened after he suffered a serious car accident, and she later moved to Switzerland to assist in his recovery. The king courted her with poetry and a waltz titled “I Dream of You.” They married in 1950, and during the king’s coronation that same year, both vowed to “reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Thai people.” The couple had four children — King Vajiralongkorn and princesses Ubolratana, Sirindhorn, and Chulabhorn. Champion of Rural DevelopmentFrom the 1970s onward, the royal couple devoted their time to domestic development, focusing on rural poverty, drug addiction, and insurgencies. Traveling extensively, they presided over hundreds of royal, religious, and state events annually. Sirikit was known for her elegance but also for her hands-on approach. She often trekked to remote villages, where locals affectionately called her “daughter,” and personally listened to their struggles — from family disputes to serious illnesses. To support rural livelihoods, she founded the SUPPORT Foundation in 1976, which trained thousands in silk weaving, jewelry-making, pottery, and other crafts. She also championed wildlife preservation and forest conservation through initiatives like “Forest Loves Water” and “Little House in the Forest.” Despite occasional rumors about her lavish lifestyle or palace politics, her popularity among rural Thais remained strong. “People in rural Thailand feel neglected, and we try to bridge that gap by living with them in remote areas,” she told the Associated Press in 1979. Sirikit believed the monarchy was essential to Thailand’s unity. “Some think the monarchy is outdated, but I believe Thailand needs a compassionate monarch,” she said. “At the words ‘The King is coming,’ thousands will gather. The very word ‘king’ carries something magical.” Condolences poured in from across the region, including Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, who extended his “heartfelt condolences” during a meeting of Southeast Asian leaders in Kuala Lumpur.

 Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, vowed Friday to more openly embrace his Muslim identity after facing what he called “racist and baseless” attacks from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his allies. Surrounded by interfaith leaders outside a Bronx mosque, Mamdani delivered an emotional speech reflecting on the “indignities” endured by Muslim New Yorkers. Fighting back tears, he recalled how his aunt stopped riding the subway after the Sept. 11 attacks out of fear of being targeted for wearing a hijab. He also recounted advice from a relative early in his political career who urged him to hide his religion — guidance he said many Muslims have heard. “These are lessons that so many Muslim New Yorkers have been taught,” Mamdani said. “And in recent days, those lessons have become the campaign messages of Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa, and Eric Adams.” Later, Cuomo accused Mamdani of “playing the victim” and dismissed claims of widespread Islamophobia in New York. A democratic socialist, Mamdani has faced consistent criticism from Cuomo and others over his denunciation of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he described as genocide. But those attacks have recently taken on a more overtly Islamophobic tone, prompting backlash from within the Democratic Party. During a conservative radio appearance, Cuomo laughed as host Sid Rosenberg suggested Mamdani would “cheer another 9/11.” Cuomo later said he didn’t take the remark seriously but called it “offensive.” A Cuomo campaign account also briefly posted a video mocking Mamdani for eating rice with his hands and labeling his supporters criminals before deleting it, calling it an “error.” At a separate rally, Mayor Eric Adams appeared to imply New York would face more terrorist threats under Mamdani, saying, “You see what’s playing out in other countries because of Islamic extremism.” Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa also falsely accused Mamdani of supporting “global jihad” during a debate. Speaking to supporters, Mamdani said his remarks were directed not at his opponents but at Muslim New Yorkers who feel unseen. “Every Muslim dreams of being treated like any other New Yorker,” he said. “For too long, we’ve been told to ask for less. No more.” He admitted he initially downplayed his faith, believing restraint would deflect prejudice. “I thought that if I kept quiet and focused on my message, I could be seen as more than my faith,” he said. “I was wrong. No amount of silence is ever enough.” Mamdani declared he would now embrace his identity fully: “I will not change who I am, how I eat, or the faith I’m proud of. But I will no longer live in the shadows — I will find myself in the light.” Despite skepticism from some Democratic leaders, particularly over his criticism of Israel, Mamdani gained momentum Friday with an endorsement from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Cuomo, meanwhile, claimed Mamdani’s stance on Israel has made Jewish New Yorkers fearful and rejected the notion that Muslims face discrimination in the city. “New Yorkers are not Islamophobic,” he said. “What he’s doing is the oldest trick in politics — dividing people.”

President Donald Trump departs for Asia late Friday on his first trip to the region since returning to office, aiming to secure investment deals and advance peace efforts before holding a critical meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to ease escalating trade tensions. Trump is expected to leave Washington late Friday and arrive in Malaysia on Sunday morning — the first stop in a three-country sprint that also includes Japan and South Korea. His trip comes as the U.S. government shutdown continues to strain the country. Federal employees are missing paychecks, flight delays are increasing as air traffic controllers work without pay, and some states are bracing for cuts to federal food assistance. Despite the deadlock in Congress — with Republicans and Democrats still divided over healthcare funding — Trump is pressing ahead with his foreign travel. “America is shut down and the President is skipping town,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday night. Malaysia: Ceasefire and Trade Talks Trump’s first engagement will be at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, marking only his second appearance at the annual meeting. This year’s summit comes as Malaysia and the U.S. work to settle recent border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. Trump will meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and then join the prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia for a joint signing ceremony to formalize an expanded ceasefire — an agreement Trump helped broker earlier this year after threatening to suspend trade deals if fighting continued. He may also meet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is pressing the U.S. to lift a 40% tariff on Brazilian imports. The Trump administration has defended the tariff, citing Brazil’s prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. Lula has also criticized recent U.S. military operations off South America’s coast, which Washington says target drug trafficking. He plans to raise those concerns with Trump during their potential meeting in Malaysia, though the White House has not confirmed it. Japan: Investment Deals and Diplomacy From Malaysia, Trump will travel to Japan, where he aims to finalize more than $900 billion in investment commitments for U.S. factories and infrastructure projects. In exchange, Trump is expected to lower proposed tariffs on Japanese imports from 25% to 15%. The visit coincides with the election of Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, a protégé of the late former leader Shinzo Abe, with whom Trump had a close relationship. In Tokyo, he will meet Takaichi, visit Emperor Naruhito, and address U.S. troops stationed in Japan, according to a senior U.S. official. South Korea: Summit with Xi Trump’s final stop will be South Korea, where he will meet President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, held in Gyeongju. The Trump–Xi talks are expected to take place separately in Busan, focusing on easing tensions in the ongoing U.S.-China trade war, which has shaken global markets. Relations have soured after Beijing introduced new export restrictions on rare earth minerals and threatened steep retaliatory tariffs. Despite earlier anger over those moves, Trump has recently expressed optimism, saying he expects a “fantastic deal” with Xi. There is also speculation about a possible surprise meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, after South Korean officials hinted it might occur in the Demilitarized Zone — a repeat of their 2019 encounter. However, U.S. officials have said no such meeting is currently planned.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers opened preliminary talks Saturday ahead of a landmark ASEAN summit that will officially admit East Timor as the bloc’s 11th member and mark U.S. President Donald Trump’s first visit to Asia since returning to the White House. The meeting precedes the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, which begins Sunday in Kuala Lumpur and will be followed by two days of high-level discussions with partners including China, Japan, India, Australia, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. Key topics include regional security, maritime disputes, and economic resilience — with U.S. tariffs and shifting trade dynamics expected to dominate debate. A separate leaders’ meeting of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) — the world’s largest trade bloc linking ASEAN with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand — will also take place for the first time since 2020, as regional economies seek to steady trade amid Washington’s tariff disruptions. Among the high-profile attendees are Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, who will join as new ASEAN dialogue partners. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hopes their participation will strengthen ASEAN’s economic ties with Africa and Latin America. Trump’s Return to AsiaTrump’s attendance marks his first ASEAN appearance since 2017 and his first trip to Asia in his second term — the first by a U.S. president since Joe Biden in 2022. He is expected to announce new trade agreements with Malaysia and witness the signing of an expanded ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, which follows border clashes earlier this year. The deal, brokered in Kuala Lumpur with ASEAN’s backing, came after Trump threatened to suspend trade talks unless both sides reached peace. “Trump’s presence reflects a rare instance of direct U.S. presidential engagement in Southeast Asia,” said Joanne Lin of Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. She noted that while his visit underscores Washington’s continued Indo-Pacific interests, it also aims to project Trump as a “global dealmaker” amid growing unease over his trade policies. Heightened Security in MalaysiaSecurity has been tightened throughout Kuala Lumpur amid planned protests against Trump’s visit, particularly over U.S. policies on Palestine. Anwar said peaceful demonstrations would be permitted but assured that summit proceedings would not be disrupted. He praised Trump for helping broker a Gaza ceasefire — calling it “nearly impossible under normal circumstances” — though he reiterated Malaysia’s stance that the truce has yet to resolve the Palestinian issue, which he intends to raise directly with Trump. East Timor Joins ASEANThis year’s summit marks ASEAN’s first expansion in 26 years, welcoming East Timor (Timor-Leste) as its newest member. The young nation, which applied for membership in 2011, becomes the first to join since Cambodia in 1999. With just 1.4 million citizens, East Timor’s entry symbolizes greater regional inclusivity. Formerly a Portuguese colony, it was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 and endured a violent 24-year occupation that claimed tens of thousands of lives before gaining independence in 2002. ASEAN membership offers East Timor access to regional trade pacts, investment, and broader markets — crucial for diversifying its oil- and gas-dependent economy. “They may be poor, but they have potential. It’s our duty as a community to support them,” Anwar said. Regional Flashpoints: South China Sea and MyanmarThe summit will also tackle ongoing crises, including the South China Sea dispute, Myanmar’s civil conflict, and cross-border crime networks. ASEAN leaders plan to finalize an upgraded trade deal with China and continue negotiations on a long-delayed code of conduct for the contested sea. Myanmar’s situation remains a major challenge. The military junta, which seized power in 2021, is still barred from ASEAN summits after failing to implement the bloc’s peace roadmap. Its proposed December elections — widely dismissed as neither free nor fair — have deepened tensions. The junta has invited ASEAN nations to send election observers, but doing so could be seen as legitimizing the regime, while refusal risks further isolating Myanmar and weakening ASEAN’s influence. “The key question is what comes after the vote — whether ASEAN will continue excluding Myanmar’s representatives if the junta claims legitimacy through the election,” Lin said.