United News of Bangladesh

Australian Senator Pauline Hanson was removed from Parliament for the remainder of the year after entering the Senate chamber wearing a burqa as part of her renewed push for a nationwide ban on the garment. Hanson, 71, who leads the anti-Muslim and anti-immigration One Nation party, walked into the chamber on Monday covered from head to toe to highlight her frustration over colleagues’ rejection of her bill seeking to outlaw burqas and other full-face coverings in public. Lawmakers deemed the act disrespectful and suspended her for the rest of the day. When she refused to apologize, senators on Tuesday approved a censure motion imposing one of the toughest penalties seen in decades—barring her from seven consecutive sitting days. As Parliament ends its yearly session on Thursday, the suspension will carry over when it reconvenes in February. Hanson later told reporters she would ultimately be accountable to voters in the 2028 elections, not to fellow legislators. She criticized the decision as hypocritical, arguing that Parliament has no specific dress code. Hanson sparked similar outrage in 2017 with a burqa protest but faced no sanctions at the time. Senate leader Penny Wong, who introduced the censure motion, said Hanson’s actions mocked nearly one million Australian Muslims and harmed social cohesion. Fellow Muslim senators Mehreen Faruqi and Fatima Payman also condemned her behavior. Hanson is currently appealing a ruling that found she violated racial discrimination laws in a previous post targeting Faruqi. Advocacy groups, including the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, said her latest act fits a long pattern of targeting minorities. Source: AP 

Afghan authorities say Pakistani forces carried out an airstrike in southeastern Khost province that killed at least nine children and one woman. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Tuesday that the strike occurred around midnight (19:30 GMT) in Khost’s Gurbuz district. In a post on X, Mujahid stated that “Pakistani invading forces bombed the home of a local civilian, Waliat Khan, son of Qazi Mir.” He said the attack destroyed the house and killed five boys, four girls, and a woman. Mujahid added that additional airstrikes in Kunar in the northeast and Paktika in the east injured at least four civilians. Source: Al Jazeera

Thousands of mourners joined Hezbollah on Monday for the funeral of one of its top commanders, a day after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a southern district of Beirut. Supporters of the group walked alongside the coffin of Haytham Tabtabai, which was wrapped in Hezbollah’s yellow flag, as it was carried through the crowd. Tabtabai and two other Hezbollah members were buried in a cemetery south of Beirut where the group traditionally inters its fighters. The strike on Sunday marked Israel’s first attack on the Lebanese capital since June. Israel said the operation targeted and killed Tabtabai, whom its military identified as Hezbollah’s chief of staff. Israel also cautioned the Iran-backed group against rebuilding its arsenal one year after their most recent conflict ended with a U.S.-mediated ceasefire. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, the attack killed five people and injured 28 others. “He (Israel) wants us to surrender so they can enter our homes? Look at Gaza—did they achieve anything?” said a supporter named Jaafar, expressing defiance. Another supporter, Fatima Shehadeh, vowed that “no matter the bloodshed, we will never surrender or give up the weapons of the resistance.” France’s Foreign Ministry voiced “deep concern” on Monday over the strike and the risk of further escalation, urging all sides to use the ceasefire monitoring system to report threats rather than take “unilateral actions.” Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon have intensified in recent weeks amid U.S. and Israeli pressure on Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. Israel insists the group is working to reconstitute its military capabilities. Lebanon, while supporting the goal of disarming Hezbollah, denies the claim and says its own troops have been deployed to the south but lack sufficient resources due to financial constraints. In December, Hezbollah launched several rockets into open areas near an Israeli military base, calling the move a “warning.” It was the group’s only attack since the ceasefire that ended last year’s Israel-Hezbollah war.

Russia carried out a series of strikes on Kyiv early Tuesday, targeting residential areas and energy facilities, according to local officials and video shared online. Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reported that a residential building in the central Pechersk neighborhood and another in the eastern Dniprovskyi district suffered serious damage. Footage posted on Telegram showed a major blaze engulfing several floors of a nine-story building in Dniprovskyi. At least four people were injured, said Tymor Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s city administration. Ukraine’s energy ministry confirmed that energy infrastructure was struck but did not provide details on the type of facilities hit or the scale of the damage. The attack came shortly after U.S. and Ukrainian representatives met in Geneva on Sunday to discuss a peace proposal mediated by the United States and Russia. Oleksandr Bevz, a member of Ukraine’s delegation, told The Associated Press on Monday that the discussions were “very constructive” and that most issues had been addressed. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Russia had not yet reviewed the revised plan.

The death toll from widespread flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rains across Southeast Asia rose on Monday, with one additional fatality reported in Vietnam and five more in Thailand, as tens of thousands remain displaced. In Vietnam, the confirmed death toll has climbed to 91, with 11 people still missing. A week of relentless rainfall has caused severe flooding and landslides across an 800-kilometre (500-mile) stretch of the central region, from Quang Tri to Lam Dong provinces, including the Central Highlands. Dak Lak remains the hardest-hit province, recording 63 deaths, most of them due to drowning. Additional fatalities were reported in Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Danang, Hue, and Quang Tri provinces. With roads washed out in multiple areas, authorities have deployed helicopters to deliver food and relief supplies and to help evacuate stranded residents. After a break in the rain on the weekend, Pham Thu Huyen was one of many hundreds of residents and visitors who helped clean up debris washed ashore in Nha Trang, a popular tourist destination in Khanh Hoa province, known for its white sand beaches. “We've never experienced that much rain and such bad flooding,” the 45-year-old said. Waters have also taken their toll on this year's crops, submerging coffee farms in Dak Lak, Vietnam’s major coffee growing region. Overall, damage so far is estimated to be around $500 million in this round of floods. Some of the waters have now receded but Vietnam's weather agency warned that with rains continuing in some places the risks remain, and said a new tropical depression was forming that could bring worse weather again later in the week. Vietnam is among the world’s most flood-prone countries, with nearly half its population living in high-risk areas. Scientists warn that a warming climate is intensifying storms and rainfall across Southeast Asia, making floods and landslides increasingly destructive and frequent. The current destruction has hit a region already battered earlier this month by floods from record rainfall and the powerful typhoon Kalmaegi. The country was also hit by typhoons in September and October, and the International Organization for Migration announced Monday that South Korea would contribute $1 million to help Vietnam assist displaced people, communities and migrants affected by those. The United Nations agency said that according to preliminary data, Vietnam estimates economic damage of some $1.2 billion from that period, with more than a half million homes damaged and hundreds of thousands of people evacuated and dozens killed. In Thailand, torrential rain in the south of the country caused severe flash flooding over the weekend, affecting nearly 2 million people, officials said. Five were killed and four were injured across six southern provinces, according to regional health officials. Ten southern provinces have been hit with heavy rainfall over the last week, and officials warned Monday that water levels are expected to rise further with the rain expected to continue through Tuesday. The city of Hat Yai, a major economic hub in Songkhla province, was hit with 335 millimeters (more than 13 inches) of rain on Friday, the highest 24-hour figure in 300 years, officials said. From Wednesday through Friday, the city saw 630 millimeters (nearly 25 inches) of rain, complicating evacuation efforts as hundreds of residents and tourists were trapped inside homes and hotels by rising water that forced emergency crews to use lifeboats to transport people along flooded streets. Thailand was already hit with widespread flooding in the north earlier in the year, followed by months of flooding in the central region, which killed more than two dozen people. That flooding also caused widespread damage to farmers fields and crops, and many thousands of homes. Malaysia is also grappling with flooding across several states that is expected to worsen as heavy, persistent rainfall continues. The Social Welfare Department reported Monday that more than 12,500 people across nine states have been evacuated. The worst-hit area is the northeastern state of Kelantan, which accounts for the majority of those displaced. Authorities have opened 86 temporary shelters and have warned that further rainfall is expected. Floods are common in parts of Malaysia during the annual monsoon season, which begins in November and can last until March.

Gambia said it was temporarily hosting Cameroonian opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary after a disputed election in his country saw longtime President Paul Biya win an eighth term, triggering deadly protests. Gambia's Ministry of Information said in a statement Sunday that Tchiroma arrived in the small West African country on Nov. 7 and is being hosted “purely on humanitarian grounds” and for “the purpose of ensuring his safety.” The statement added that Gambia was working with regional partners like Nigeria to “support a peaceful and negotiated outcome” to the post-election tensions in Cameroon. Tchiroma’s spokesperson, Alice Nkom, confirmed the opposition leader's presence in Gambia in a statement on Sunday. Cameroon's opposition has contested the result of the Oct. 12 election that secured the victory for Biya, the world’s oldest president at 92. His election rival Tchiroma claims to have won and has called on Cameroonians to reject the official result. Cameroon’s government has said it plans to initiate legal proceedings against Tchiroma for his “repeated calls for insurrection.” Deadly protests erupted in key opposition strongholds, including the economic hub Douala and in northern cities like Maroua and Garoua, after the election results were announced. While the Cameroonian government said 16 people were killed during the protests, opposition figures and human rights groups estimate the death toll at more than 55. Biya first came to power in 1982, following the resignation of Cameroon’s first president, and has ruled since then, later benefiting from a constitutional amendment that abolished term limits. He is rarely seen in public and his health has been a topic of speculation as he spends most of his time in Europe, leaving governance to key party officials and family members.  

Pressure is mounting on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly Prince Andrew — to cooperate with a U.S. congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested he should provide evidence if he has relevant information. Speaking to reporters en route to the G20 summit in Johannesburg, Starmer avoided commenting directly on the king’s younger brother but stressed a long-held principle. “I don’t comment on his particular case,” Starmer said. “But as a general principle, anybody with relevant information in cases like this should give that evidence to those who need it.” Members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee have asked Andrew for a “transcribed interview” regarding his past friendship with Epstein. The former prince, who lost his royal titles and military honors last month amid renewed scrutiny, has not responded to the request. Starmer’s remarks followed criticism from Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the committee’s ranking Democrat, and Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, who accused Andrew of avoiding accountability. They said the former royal “continues to hide” from serious questions related to Epstein, adding that their investigation will continue “with or without him.” “We will hold anyone involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status or political party,” they said, promising justice for survivors.  

President Donald Trump’s remarks about Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russia’s Vladimir Putin have shifted repeatedly since taking office in January, reflecting an uneven approach to the war he has long claimed he could end within “24 hours.” Over the past 10 months, Trump has alternated between admiration and criticism of both leaders, pausing military aid to Ukraine at key moments, promising new weapons, and later pushing a peace plan that many U.S. allies fear favors Moscow. On January 31, Trump said the conflict would never have started had he been president earlier and claimed his administration had already held serious discussions with Russia. On February 19, he attacked Zelenskyy online as “a Dictator without Elections,” prompting pushback from U.S. lawmakers. Zelenskyy accused Trump of echoing Russian disinformation, while Vice President JD Vance warned the Ukrainian leader against publicly challenging the president. Tensions escalated on February 28 during a heated Oval Office meeting where Trump and Vance accused Zelenskyy of lacking gratitude and warned that continued escalation risked a wider war. Trump cancelled the remainder of Zelenskyy’s visit and briefly froze military assistance to pressure Kyiv into negotiations. By March 30, Trump was signaling trust in Putin, saying he believed the Russian president would keep his word. But on April 24, after a series of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv, Trump urged Moscow to “STOP!” in one of his rare direct criticisms of Putin. Five days later, on April 29, he expressed sympathy for Ukrainians suffering casualties, a shift that came shortly after meeting Zelenskyy at Pope Francis’ funeral. On May 25, Trump said Putin had gone “absolutely CRAZY,” reacting to Russia’s intensified attacks. Following a meeting with Zelenskyy at a NATO gathering, Trump said on June 25 that the Ukrainian leader was “very nice,” suggesting possible Patriot missile support. On July 8, he said Putin often “talks beautifully” but breaks promises, while announcing new weapons for Ukraine after earlier suspending deliveries. Trump’s tone hardened again on July 13 and 14 when he expressed disappointment with Russia’s continued airstrikes and suggested imposing “secondary tariffs” on countries conducting trade with Moscow. On August 15, he met Putin in Alaska for highly publicized talks that ended without a deal. Critics said the meeting gave the Kremlin legitimacy without extracting meaningful concessions. On September 23, Trump said Russia’s war performance made the country look like “a paper tiger,” adding that Ukraine could ultimately reclaim all occupied territory. On October 17, after hosting Zelenskyy again, he proposed freezing the conflict along existing front lines and signaled that Moscow might retain seized areas. He also informed Zelenskyy that Ukraine would not receive long-range Tomahawk missiles. Five days later, on October 22, he said sanctions might encourage Putin to show “reasonableness” but added that Zelenskyy must also be “reasonable.” On November 21 and 22, Trump pressed the Ukrainian leader to accept a U.S. peace proposal requiring territorial concessions, major reductions in Ukrainian forces and a permanent pledge not to join NATO. He set a November 27 deadline but indicated it could be extended. Senators later said Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the plan as a Russian “wish list,” though Rubio and the State Department denied that characterization. On November 23, Trump accused Kyiv of showing “zero gratitude” and criticized European countries for continuing to buy Russian oil. He repeated his long-standing claim that the war would “have NEVER HAPPENED” had he been president earlier. Throughout the year, Trump’s fluctuating tone has underscored the unpredictable nature of Washington’s approach to the conflict as officials struggle to balance pressure for negotiations with support for Ukraine’s defense.  

Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials said on Sunday they made progress toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war during talks in Geneva, though both sides released few specifics about the U.S. peace proposal that has drawn unease among European allies for appearing too accommodating to Moscow. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the discussions as “very worthwhile” and the most productive in a long time, saying he was optimistic about possible breakthroughs. He declined, however, to detail what had been agreed and downplayed a Thursday deadline set by President Donald Trump for Ukraine to formally respond to the plan. Rubio said parts of the proposal still required decisions at higher political levels, while others involved sensitive wording or more time. “This is a very delicate moment,” he said. The 28-point U.S. outline, aimed at ending nearly four years of war, has raised concerns in Kyiv and major European capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that his country faces a difficult choice between defending its sovereignty and preserving crucial American support, insisting that Ukraine “will always defend” its homeland. The proposal includes concessions long rejected by Kyiv, including giving up substantial territory captured by Russia. In a late-night statement, the White House said the Ukrainian delegation confirmed its key concerns — from security guarantees to sovereignty — had been addressed in the latest revisions. The administration said Kyiv’s feedback had been incorporated into “each component” of the emerging framework, producing mechanisms it described as credible safeguards for Ukraine’s long-term security. The reassurances followed days of growing anxiety about the Trump-endorsed plan. U.S. senators revealed Saturday that Rubio had privately described the proposal as originating with Russia and resembling a “wish list” for Moscow — a claim that prompted swift pushback from European leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he pressed Trump on issues European partners could not accept, telling him that Ukraine’s sovereignty must not be compromised. Rubio said the U.S. proposal remains a “living, breathing document” and will continue to evolve. Any final version, he noted, must eventually be put before Moscow. Ukrainian presidential chief of staff Andrii Yermak, who led Kyiv’s team, also said the talks had produced “very good progress” toward a just and lasting peace. The upbeat tone contrasted with Trump’s own criticism hours earlier, when he accused Ukraine of showing insufficient gratitude for American support while avoiding criticism of Russia. Trump reiterated his Thursday deadline but suggested it could shift if meaningful progress continued. Zelenskyy, responding later, thanked the United States and Trump personally, while stressing that Russia alone had started the war and that stopping it — and preventing future aggression — remained the overriding goal. Ahead of the Geneva meeting, the Ukrainian delegation also consulted national security advisers from the U.K., France and Germany, who have urged revisions to the U.S. proposal. France’s deputy defense minister Alice Rufo said the plan’s restrictions on Ukraine’s military represented an unacceptable limit on sovereignty. Zelenskyy said early reports from his team suggested the U.S. was now considering several Ukrainian priorities, though he did not specify which ones. Confusion over the plan’s origins continued to reverberate. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Europe was ready to work with the U.S., Canada and Japan on the proposal but noted that allies still needed clarity on who drafted it. Some U.S. lawmakers said Rubio had portrayed it as a Russian-aligned document, a characterization the State Department called “blatantly false.” Rubio later suggested the senators had misunderstood him. Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said the proposal resembled a list of Russian talking points and had triggered “ferocious pushback” in Europe. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to push for the revival of a 2022 grain export deal that allowed Ukraine to ship food through the Black Sea. Putin withdrew from the agreement last year, claiming Russia’s own food and fertilizer exports continued to face barriers. Erdogan said he would ask Putin to revisit the initiative, which Ankara once hoped could serve as a stepping stone to broader peace efforts.  

A total of 2,102 Afghan families with 11,855 members returned to their homeland from neighboring Iran and Pakistan on Saturday, Afghanistan's High Commission for Addressing Returnees Problems said Sunday. The commission provides temporary shelters, nourishment, water, medical care, and transportation services for the returnees. Nearly six million Afghan refugees, most of whom are undocumented migrants, are currently living abroad, with most living in Iran and Pakistan.