United News of Bangladesh

A series of drone attacks on at least seven cargo ships in the Black Sea this month has raised concerns among some NATO members that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be escalating the conflict to test the alliance’s support for Ukraine. The attacks occurred in the exclusive economic zones of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria, threatening an important international shipping route. At least two people have been killed and 25 others remain missing, raising fears that more countries could be drawn directly into the war. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea and Danube River, forcing Kyiv to rely increasingly on alternative routes to export grain to Africa and the Middle East. Russian drones have also repeatedly entered Romanian airspace near Ukrainian ports along the Danube. In the latest incidents, two ships caught fire after drone strikes on Wednesday and Thursday, with one attack occurring in Romanian territorial waters. Romanian President Nicusor Dan said in Brussels on Thursday that two drones had hit the vessels but did not identify their origin. He warned that Romania would respond. Suspicion has increasingly focused on Russia. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told parliament that Ukraine had no reason to attack its own ships and crews, arguing that Russia benefited from the incidents. However, he acknowledged that there was no proof establishing responsibility. Several ships hit in October The San Marino-flagged chemical tanker Wine Trader, travelling from Tunisia to Romania, was struck by a drone on Thursday and caught fire. Five crew members were rescued, while seven remained missing. On Wednesday, the Comoros-flagged oil and chemical tanker Yara J, travelling from Turkey to Romania, was also hit by a drone and caught fire. Romania's acting Defence Minister Radu Miruta said an investigation was underway. Two more ships were hit off Bulgaria's coast on Tuesday. Rescuers evacuated all 15 crew members from the Ukraine-operated Chelsea 3, which sails under the Maltese flag. However, 11 crew members from the Guinea-Bissau-flagged HS Dignity remained missing. The Chelsea 3 crew reported that three aerial drones had struck the vessel's deck and hull. Earlier this month, sea and aerial drones attacked two other commercial ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. A Togo-flagged vessel sank, with all 12 sailors reported aboard still missing. A Bulgarian ferry evacuated 18 crew members from a damaged Palau-flagged ship. A day earlier, a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn caught fire following a drone attack and later sank off Romania's coast. Two people were killed and 11 crew members rescued. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the incident as a “horrific strike by two Russian drones on a civilian vessel” in neutral waters. Russia's ambassador to Bulgaria said she had received no information from the Russian Defence Ministry about the incidents. NATO's defence commitment under scrutiny NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on X on Thursday that he had met Radev and Dan to discuss Black Sea security and the latest attacks on commercial shipping. He said NATO had strengthened its eastern flank, including by expanding its ability to counter drones, and would continue working with its Black Sea allies to adjust its deterrence and defence measures as necessary. Article 5 of NATO's founding treaty states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all. However, Romanian defence analyst Radu Tudor said it remained unclear whether the provision applied to many of the recent incidents because they occurred in the exclusive economic zones of member countries. He said the issue had raised serious questions about how NATO would respond, arguing that the alliance had been too slow to act in the Black Sea. “Words are not enough,” Tudor said, warning that repeated incidents were bringing Russia closer to NATO's borders. Growing security concerns The latest attacks are part of a broader series of drone incursions affecting Romania and other NATO members since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Most have been attributed to Russian drones, although Ukrainian drones have also crossed national borders. In August, Romania deployed two F-16 fighter jets to destroy a naval drone reportedly carrying explosives near a major Black Sea gas project. Miruta said the decision was made to protect the lives of hundreds of people working on the gas platform. A Romanian defence sector source, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, said the attacks appeared aimed at damaging Ukraine's economy rather than targeting Romania directly. The source said Romanian authorities had spent the summer recovering various types of drone debris from the sea and beaches, adding that the situation required action if it continued. The source also said Turkey might seek to bring together countries bordering the Black Sea to discuss escorting commercial convoys through a protected maritime corridor. However, the source warned that such an operation would be risky because Romanian naval vessels lacked air-defence systems capable of protecting ships against drones. In July, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey expanded their Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Force agreement to include the protection of critical underwater infrastructure. Romania's Defence Ministry said the arrangement would include a permanent naval presence in the country's exclusive economic zone. Organising escorts would also be complicated because commercial vessels often fly one country's flag while being owned by companies based elsewhere, the source said. Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on Wednesday that his country planned to join NATO's Drone Edge project by the end of October. Launched in July, the initiative, which Romania has also joined, aims to invest more than $40 billion in counter-drone capabilities over the next five years. Shipping insurance costs rise Cezar Gheorghe, founder of grain consultancy Agricolumn, told the AP that the drone attacks had not yet negatively affected trade at Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta. However, he warned that insurance costs were rising across the wider Black Sea region, increasing expenses for ships travelling through the Bosphorus Strait and towards Constanta. Gheorghe said his main concern was the possibility of a serious incident at or near the port. In June, a Ukrainian maritime drone exploded at the port, with three others exploding nearby. “It's a matter of time,” he said, expressing concern about the risk of another serious incident.

Three people were killed and 19 injured Thursday in a fiery, mid-day chain reaction crash on a busy street in Calgary that left two transit buses on fire, authorities said. Police Staff Sgt. Andy Woodward said the tragedy appears to have begun after a transit bus slammed into a car that then hit other vehicles. He said the bus then bounced from that crash, through the intersection and hit a transit bus parked at a bus stop, setting off a fire and sending the second bus across the road to collide with three more vehicles. He said the second bus was powered by natural gas, which is believed to have caused the fire. Video and photos circulating online showed the second bus with its roof completely on fire as thick smoke billowed skyward. The front end of the bus that set off the chain reaction crash appeared crumpled and smashed, its steering wheel hanging out below a tuft of flames. “I’ve been a police officer for 36 years and I think this is probably the biggest scene I’ve worked on in relation to the collision we’ve got here,” Woodward said. Nineteen people were injured in all, including 10 who were taken to hospital via ambulance, as well as the three deceased. A police officer was also injured and sent to hospital. “It was a very busy scene,” Loria said. Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said on social media that there will be a full investigation. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith shared condolences online. “My sincere thoughts are with the families of those who died and with everyone injured,” she said.

A UN report released on Thursday called for greater social inclusion as rapid economic, digital and energy transformations risk leaving billions of people behind. The World Social Report 2026, launched by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, warned that billions of people still lack access to the jobs, skills, services and protections needed to benefit from these changes. Despite progress in income, education, health and access to services, significant gaps persist. In 2025, 58 percent of workers worldwide were informally employed, 27 percent of young women aged 15 to 24 were neither employed nor in education or training, and 26 percent of the global population lacked internet access. Income inequality also rose in more than 50 countries between 2000 and 2024, including 23 high-income countries, according to the report. The report warned that these disparities undermine productivity and resilience, while unequal access to digital technologies and artificial intelligence skills could further widen gaps in education, income and economic opportunity. It estimated that delaying investment in social protection by 10 years could cost countries 12 percent of their economic output compared with those that invest early. To ensure that the benefits of transformation are widely shared, the report outlined four priorities: building people's capacity to adapt, connecting everyone to the new economy, making labor markets work for people, and promoting shared prosperity. In a video message marking the report's launch, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said social inclusion was not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity, stressing that inclusive societies are more productive, resilient and prosperous. "Transformations are inevitable. Inequality and exclusion are not," he said. "Let's work together to ensure that the profound transformations reshaping our world help build societies rooted in justice, dignity and opportunity for all."  

Five missiles targeted Al-Ma'ashiq Presidential Palace housing Yemen's Saudi-backed government in Aden's Crater district on Thursday, an anonymous local security official told media, blaming the Houthi group. Casualties and damage remain unclear, but explosions rocked the southern port city as smoke rose near the palace and nearby houses shook. Meanwhile, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea posted on X renewing warnings to international airlines that Saudi airspace and airports are "unsafe", excluding airspace over holy cities Mecca and Medina. Earlier, Sarea denied any Thursday attacks on Saudi territory, rejecting Saudi allegations of a strike toward Medina amid escalating hostilities. Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when Houthis seized capital Sanaa and northern regions, forcing the internationally recognized government to relocate to Aden with Saudi-led coalition support.

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Pentagon will no longer livestream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan following widespread bipartisan backlash. Trump posted on social media that while a public execution might serve as a "strong deterrent", many well-meaning people preferred not to watch him die. He noted that victims' immediate families may view the December 3 execution in person if they choose. The reversal follows sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Catholic Church leaders, and Vice President JD Vance, who said he would not watch it. Opponents warned that broadcasting the event could fuel radicalization and promote a "culture of death". Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had earlier confirmed the livestream plan for Hasan, a former Army major and psychiatrist who killed soldiers during a November 5, 2009 shooting at Fort Hood to stop their deployment to Afghanistan. Hasan, paralyzed after being shot by police, uses a wheelchair. This will mark the first US military firing squad execution since World War II, and the first military execution of any kind since 1961.

At least six explosions were heard on Thursday near a palace used by Yemen’s internationally recognised government in the southern port city of Aden, triggering panic among residents, witnesses said. Iran-backed Houthi rebels based in northern Yemen quickly claimed responsibility for the attack. A security official said at least two explosions occurred on a hill near Maashiq Palace, while two others were heard near its security gate. The blasts prompted residents to flee the area. A government official said members of the country's leadership who were in Aden were safe, while many senior officials were living in exile. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to comment publicly. The attack came as fighting between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition intensified amid the wider Iran war. It was a rare attack targeting the area around the palace. The Houthis said they had struck a military operations headquarters associated with what they called the “Saudi enemy”, as part of their campaign against Saudi targets, including airports and oil infrastructure. Earlier on Thursday, the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted a cruise missile over Saudi Arabia’s Medina province. Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 reported that dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed at Jeddah airport following the incident. The coalition did not identify those responsible for the missile attack. Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen Yahya Saree denied that the rebels had carried it out. The group had previously pledged not to target airports in the Saudi holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia also announced that it had destroyed a drone over its Eastern Province, a major oil-producing region.

Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are set to appear in a New York federal court on Thursday to face revised charges accusing them of overseeing a state-sponsored campaign of repression involving the torture of dozens of people, including three Americans. Maduro and Flores are expected to plead not guilty to the new charges added to an earlier drug trafficking indictment against them in Manhattan federal court. The couple were seized from their home in Caracas during a nighttime US military raid in January. Maduro's lawyer, Barry Pollack, said last week that his client, 63, denies the allegations and “looks forward to his day in court.” According to the revised indictment, Maduro oversaw a system of violent torture in which victims were beaten, asphyxiated and subjected to electric shocks. He is also accused of personally recommending torture techniques, receiving updates on the treatment of individual victims and threatening to kill a prisoner's child as a means of psychological torture. The indictment further alleges that Flores, 69, a former attorney general, helped develop the repressive system and ordered the torture of specific individuals. Maduro served as Venezuela's president from 2013 until his capture in January. He has also been under investigation for years by the International Criminal Court over alleged crimes against humanity linked to his government's crackdown on political opponents. He has consistently denied wrongdoing. Earlier this year, Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty to separate US drug trafficking charges alleging that they conspired to bring large quantities of cocaine into the United States. Their lawyers have argued that the case should be dismissed on immunity grounds, maintaining that Maduro and Flores were the leader and first lady of a foreign country. The revised indictment covers alleged torture dating back to 2013, when Maduro succeeded his political mentor, Hugo Chávez, who died of cancer that year.

India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has seized on student leader Neha Bora’s remark that Bangladesh inspired the Gen Z movement in India, with party national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari describing it as an “open admission of regime change”. Bora, 29, studied at Delhi University before pursuing a doctorate at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of Arts and Aesthetics. In an undated interview, she said the Gen Z movement currently unfolding across India had first emerged in Bangladesh, a strategic partner of New Delhi and a key ally in securing its borders, particularly in the northeastern states. "The Gen Z movement we are seeing everywhere in this country first started in Bangladesh and congratulations to you for showing us the way and extending solidarity to the young people of this country," she is heard saying in the clip shared by the BJP leader. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted on August 5, 2024, following weeks of student-led protests that escalated into deadly nationwide unrest. Drawing parallels between the two countries, Bora said both movements were fighting for the restoration of “democratic and voter rights”. In India, protests have been taking place against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral malpractices. "We know that the movement that began in Bangladesh was for democratic and voter rights. Today the movement that the young people are participating in and leading is also a movement for democratic and voting rights," she said. "We know that the fight that you fight against religious fundamentalism in your country is also the fight that Gen Z and the young people of this country are fighting today," she added. Bhandari cited the video to support his allegation that the Congress-led opposition was seeking to replicate the events in Bangladesh. "Rahul Gandhi and his entire ecosystem do not wish to offer mere political resistance; they aim for regime change. In an interview, Neha Bora stated that she is inspired by the Gen Z-led movement in Bangladesh, and they intend to replicate in India what took place in Bangladesh," Bhandari, who is aggressively shouting in the video, claimed. "This proves that Rahul Gandhi's objective is not political resistance; rather, his goal is to destroy the Constitution and democracy within India. It demonstrates that the entire Congress ecosystem is solely focused on dismantling Indian democracy and orchestrating a regime change, similar to what happened in Bangladesh. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress ecosystem pose a danger to Indian democracy, and everyone who believes in Indian democracy should oppose him," Bhandari, a former journalist, added. In the same interview, Bora expressed hope that the two South Asian countries could work together for a better future for the region and the world. "And we hope that together you in Bangladesh and we in India can fight together for a better south Asia for a better world," she said. Earlier this week, Bora joined leaders of the Rahul Gandhi-led Opposition INDIA bloc in a march to the Supreme Court against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. At a subsequent press conference, Gandhi rejected the suggestion that the protests should be treated as separate demonstrations, describing them as “one protest”. "All the protests are one protest. There are no parallel protests and the idea is India is marching. We do not care who you are, which formation you come from, if you are protecting the constitution, as we are, we are with you, we will help you, we will support you, we will protect you and expect the same from you. This is an expression of our love for Indian people," Gandhi had said. Known for her soft-spoken manner in conversation and forceful speeches at public gatherings, Bora has attracted a following through addresses in Hindi and English. She frequently invokes constitutional rights and connects student grievances with broader concerns over inequality and government accountability. She drew wider attention during protests in July over alleged examination paper leaks, joining other activists in demanding the education minister’s resignation. Her speeches at Jantar Mantar, a historic protest site, criticising the government and police response to demonstrators, subsequently circulated widely online. Since then, Bora has become a regular presence at demonstrations in the Indian capital. During protests seeking the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, she was repeatedly detained and returned to the streets after being released. Bora has said that ideology alone does not drive the current mobilisation, arguing that hope is an even more powerful force. "Fear is infectious, of course. But hope is also infectious," she told news agency Reuters. "People have courage now because they think that they can have courage." She said the demonstrations reflected years of accumulated grievances. Source: NDTV

Dozens of protesters marched in Bangkok on Thursday, urging global financial leaders to address growing inequality, poverty, pollution and other social and environmental concerns as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank held their annual meetings. Some demonstrators wore masks depicting US President Donald Trump, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and other leaders, while pulling a float shaped like a large pink pig with dollar signs for eyes towards the heavily guarded convention centre. The march briefly disrupted traffic near the venue, where more than 15,000 officials and experts had gathered for the IMF's autumn meeting. The protesters also criticised international financial institutions and what they described as “vile abuses” by the Thai government and financial institutions. In a written declaration, the People’s Network Against the World Bank and IMF said Thailand was grappling with a household debt crisis, declining living standards, environmental degradation and increasingly severe climate disasters. Thailand has used the meetings to promote its capital as a host city, although Bangkok's luxury hotels and displays of wealth stand in stark contrast to its slums, polluted canals and people sleeping on the streets. Recent severe flooding has destroyed crops and damaged millions of homes and businesses, further worsening the difficulties faced by many people across the country. The demonstration remained largely peaceful, apart from a minor scuffle with police on a pedestrian bridge. The protesters marched from the nearby Khlong Toei slum towards the convention centre before dispersing. Rising inequality, climate-related disasters and conflicts are among the major issues being discussed by global leaders during the weeklong meetings. Thailand, like many low- and middle-income countries, particularly those dependent on imported energy, has faced economic pressure as the Iran war has kept oil prices above $100 a barrel for much of this year. The World Bank identifies Thailand as the region's most income-unequal country. In its latest economic outlook, the IMF warned that rising prices and mounting debt were aggravating inequality across many of its 191 member economies. Economic growth in Asia is projected to slow to 4.8 percent this year, down from 5 percent in 2025, before declining further to 4.4 percent in 2027, according to IMF economists. The slowdown reflects successive shocks from the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the Iran war, higher tariffs and other trade barriers. IMF chief Georgieva and other senior economic officials have stressed the importance of managing public debt, urging countries, including Thailand, to direct government spending towards targeted and temporary assistance for their most vulnerable populations.

Actor Imran Khan has been directed by Mumbai Police to leave India by October 28, days after he took part in a protest organised by the satirical political group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) in Mumbai. In a notice, police said action had been taken against Khan, nephew of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, under relevant provisions of the Immigration Act because he participated in the protest despite not being an Indian citizen. Imran Khan is believed to hold US citizenship and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card rather than full Indian citizenship. The notice was issued under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. Section 7 of the law empowers India's central government to issue orders and directions regulating or restricting the entry, departure, presence or movement of foreign nationals in the country. Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya approached Mumbai Police, alleging that the actor should face charges for participating in an “illegal political agitation” and violating OCI provisions and visa conditions. Khan joined the protest at Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan on October 10 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. His partner, actor Lekha Washington, and cousin Zayne Marie Khan also attended the demonstration. Police detained all three during the protest and released them later. Khan subsequently shared a photograph of himself inside a police van on social media with the caption, “Apparently I'm going for a drive.” A video also went viral showing the actor saying “Jai Hind” to police officers. In another clip, he said he did not know why he had been taken into custody. “They picked all of us from the streets and asked us to sit in the vans,” he said, adding that the detainees were driven around in a police van for about two hours before being released. Speaking to the media, Khan said he had attended the protest as a Mumbai resident and was not there to press any specific demands. “I don't have demands. I am here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city. I am here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted. Why are people's voices being suppressed? That is why I am here,” he said. Mumbai Police detained around 400 people during the CJP protest, including members of the organisation Hum Bharat Ke Log, led by Tushar Gandhi, and activists of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Source: NDTV