United News of Bangladesh

Myanmar has begun voting in an election that has been broadly rejected as illegitimate, with most major political parties dissolved, many senior politicians imprisoned and up to half of the country unlikely to take part because of the ongoing civil war. The military authorities are conducting the vote in stages, almost five years after seizing power in a coup that triggered mass protests and later escalated into nationwide armed conflict. Analysts say the junta, backed by China, is trying to secure domestic and international legitimacy and cement its grip on power as it looks for an exit from a prolonged and destructive stalemate, reports BBC. More than 200 people have been charged under a new law for disrupting or opposing the election. The legislation carries harsh penalties, including the death sentence. Voting started on Sunday amid reports of explosions and airstrikes in several parts of the country. In the Mandalay region, three people were hospitalised after a rocket struck an uninhabited house early Sunday, the regional chief minister told the BBC, adding that one victim was seriously injured. In a separate incident, over ten houses were damaged in Myawaddy township near the Thai border following multiple explosions late on Saturday. A local resident told the BBC that a child was killed and three others were taken to hospital in critical condition. Additional reports of casualties have since emerged from other blasts. Some voters told the BBC the process felt more “disciplined and systematic” than previous elections. “The experience of voting has changed a lot,” said Ma Su ZarChi from the Mandalay region.“Before I voted, I was afraid. Now that I have voted, I feel relieved. I cast my ballot as someone who has tried their best for the country.” Ei Pyay Phyo Maung, 22, voting for the first time, said she participated because she believed voting is “the responsibility of every citizen”. “My hope is for the lower classes - right now, the prices of goods are skyrocketing, and I want to support someone who can bring them down for those struggling the most,” she said.“I want a president who provides equally for all people.” The junta has brushed aside criticism, insisting the vote is meant to “return [the country] to a multi-party democratic system”. After voting at a heavily guarded polling station in the capital, junta leader Min Aung Hlaing told the BBC the election would be free and fair. “I am the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, a civil servant. I can't just say that I want to be president,” he said, noting that the election is being held in three phases. Earlier, he warned that refusing to vote amounted to rejecting “progress toward democracy”. Several well-known figures, including film director Mike Tee, actor Kyaw Win Htut and comedian Ohn Daing, have been convicted under the election disruption law introduced in July. State media reported they were each sentenced to seven years in prison for criticising a film that promoted the vote. UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews urged the international community on Sunday to reject the election, saying “nothing legitimate” can result from it. “An election organised by a junta that continues to bomb civilians, jail political leaders, and criminalise all forms of dissent is not an election - it is a theatre of the absurd performed at gunpoint,” he said. The military continues to fight on multiple fronts against armed groups opposing the coup as well as ethnic armies with their own militias. While it suffered major territorial losses earlier, it has regained ground this year through sustained airstrikes, aided by support from China and Russia. The conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, devastated the economy and created a severe humanitarian crisis. A powerful earthquake in March and cuts to international aid have further worsened conditions. These factors, along with the fact that large areas remain under opposition control, pose serious logistical obstacles to holding the election. Voting is scheduled in three phases over the next month in 265 of Myanmar’s 330 townships, with the remainder deemed too unstable. Results are expected by late January. Up to half of the country is not expected to vote. Even in areas where polling is taking place, not all constituencies will participate, making turnout difficult to predict. Six parties, including the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, are contesting nationwide, while 51 other parties and independent candidates are running only at regional or state level. About 40 parties have been banned, among them Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League of Democracy, which won landslides in 2015 and 2020. Suu Kyi and many senior party figures remain in prison on charges widely viewed as politically motivated, while others have fled abroad. “By splitting the vote into phases, the authorities can adjust tactics if the results in the first phase do not go their way,” said Htin Kyaw Aye of the election monitoring group Spring Sprouts, speaking to Myanmar Now. Ral Uk Thang, a resident of western Chin state, said civilians “don't want the election”. “The military does not know how to govern our country. They only work for the benefit of their high-ranking leaders.“When Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's party was in power, we experienced a bit of democracy. But now all we do is cry and shed tears,” the 80-year-old told the BBC. Western governments, including the UK and the European Parliament, have rejected the vote as a sham, while the regional bloc Asean has said political dialogue should come before any election.  

Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine’s capital early Saturday, firing ballistic missiles and drones that killed at least one person and injured 27 others, according to Ukrainian officials. The strike came just one day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump. Loud explosions echoed across Kyiv as the assault began before dawn and continued for several hours. Zelenskyy is scheduled to hold talks with Trump in Florida on Sunday as part of ongoing efforts to end the nearly four-year conflict. He said the discussions would focus on security guarantees and territorial questions involving the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Calling the attack a clear response to Ukraine’s peace initiatives, Zelenskyy said it demonstrated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has no genuine interest in ending the war. He made the comments while traveling in Canada, where he met Prime Minister Mark Carney in Halifax. Carney announced $1.8 billion in economic support for Ukraine, aimed at unlocking funding from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for rebuilding efforts. Carney condemned the strike on Kyiv, saying it underscored the importance of continued international support for Ukraine. Homes struck despite Russia’s claims Russia’s Defense Ministry said it carried out a large-scale overnight strike using long-range precision weapons, including hypersonic missiles and drones, targeting energy facilities and military-industrial sites. The ministry said the attack was retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on civilian targets in Russia. However, Ukrainian officials reported that multiple apartment buildings were hit. Earlier on Saturday, Russia said its air defenses intercepted Ukrainian drones over several regions, including Krasnodar and Adygeya, with more drones shot down later in the day across other areas. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said more than 20 drones headed toward the capital were intercepted, reporting no damage or casualties. Russia claims battlefield advances In a move seen as increasing pressure ahead of the Zelenskyy–Trump meeting, the Kremlin released footage late Saturday showing President Putin receiving military briefings at a command post. Russia’s top military official, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, told Putin that Russian forces had taken full control of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region, along with other settlements. Putin said Russia would pursue its objectives by military force if Ukraine refused a peaceful resolution. Ukraine’s General Staff rejected the claims, saying they were unfounded. It stated that fighting continues in both cities and described the situation as difficult but ongoing. Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of spreading misinformation about battlefield successes. Poland increases security measures During the Russian attack, Poland scrambled fighter jets and temporarily closed airports in Lublin and Rzeszow near the Ukrainian border as a precaution, according to Poland’s armed forces. Authorities later said airspace had not been violated and airport operations resumed. It remained unclear why the alert was triggered, as the strikes were focused on Kyiv, far from Poland. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 519 drones and 40 missiles, primarily targeting energy and civilian infrastructure in the capital. Zelenskyy said parts of Kyiv were left without electricity or heating. Civilian impact Ukraine’s interior minister said more than 10 residential buildings were damaged. Two children were among the wounded, and seven locations across Kyiv were hit. Emergency crews recovered a body from the rubble of a damaged building, though details were still being clarified. Fires broke out in several high-rise buildings across different districts of Kyiv, prompting large-scale emergency responses. In the surrounding Kyiv region, industrial and residential structures were also damaged, and one person was rescued from beneath debris in the Vyshhorod area. Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, reported widespread power outages in the capital, leaving hundreds of thousands of customers without electricity. Focus on security guarantees Zelenskyy said he aims to resolve as many outstanding issues as possible during his talks with Trump while maintaining Ukraine’s core positions. He emphasized that security guarantees would be his top priority. He said a draft peace plan includes U.S. commitments similar to NATO’s Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all, though key details still need to be finalized in a separate agreement. Territorial concessions are expected to be among the most sensitive and challenging topics discussed during the meeting.

Thailand and Cambodia on Saturday signed a new ceasefire deal aimed at ending weeks of armed confrontations along their disputed border. The ceasefire came into force at noon and requires both sides to stop troop movements and prevent the use of airspace for military operations. Cambodian officials said Thailand was the only country to have launched air attacks, including strikes carried out earlier on Saturday. Under the agreement, Thailand will return 18 Cambodian soldiers it captured during fighting in July once the ceasefire has remained intact for 72 hours. Their release has been a key demand from Cambodia. Soon after the agreement was signed, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry lodged a protest, claiming a Thai soldier suffered permanent injuries after stepping on an anti-personnel land mine allegedly planted by Cambodian forces. The ceasefire was formally signed at a border checkpoint by Cambodia’s Defense Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand’s Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit, following three days of discussions among military officials. The deal reaffirms earlier ceasefire arrangements reached in July after five days of clashes, as well as subsequent agreements. The July truce was mediated by Malaysia and supported by pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to suspend trade benefits unless both sides agreed. A more detailed agreement was finalized in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia attended by Trump. Despite those earlier efforts, tensions continued through hostile rhetoric and sporadic border violence, which escalated into intense fighting in early December. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the new ceasefire and called on both countries to fully comply with it and previous peace commitments. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the ceasefire as an important move toward reducing civilian suffering, stopping hostilities, and creating conditions for long-term peace. He also praised Malaysia, China, and the United States for their mediation efforts, adding that the United Nations is ready to support peace and stability in the region. China’s Foreign Ministry also praised the agreement and announced it would host trilateral talks with Thai and Cambodian foreign ministers in Yunnan province on Sunday and Monday. Beijing said it would play a constructive role in strengthening the ceasefire, rebuilding trust, improving relations, and maintaining regional peace. Civilians have suffered heavily during the conflict. Thai officials reported that since Dec. 7, 26 soldiers and one civilian were killed directly in combat, while total civilian deaths reached 44. Cambodia has not released official military casualty figures but reported 30 civilian deaths and 90 injuries. Hundreds of thousands of residents on both sides of the border have been displaced. Cambodia’s defense minister said the ceasefire would allow displaced residents to return home, resume farming, and enable children to go back to school. Both countries accused each other of starting the violence and insisted their actions were defensive. The agreement also commits both sides to respecting international bans on land mines, a major concern for Thailand. Thai officials say soldiers have been injured in at least 10 incidents this year by newly laid mines, while Cambodia claims the explosives are remnants from its civil war that ended in the late 1990s. Following Saturday’s injury, Thailand noted that the agreement includes provisions for joint humanitarian demining operations to protect both soldiers and civilians. Another clause requires both sides to avoid spreading misinformation. The deal also calls for renewed efforts to demarcate the border and for cooperation against transnational crimes, particularly online scam networks that have caused massive financial losses worldwide and are often linked to Cambodia. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised the agreement, saying it shows a shared understanding that restraint is essential, especially to protect civilians. However, concerns remain over the durability of the ceasefire. Thailand’s Defense Ministry spokesperson said the return of displaced civilians would signal enough stability to proceed with releasing the Cambodian prisoners. He stressed that the 72-hour ceasefire period is meant to test Cambodia’s commitment to halting violence, warning that failure to do so would raise doubts about its sincerity in pursuing lasting peace.

Italian authorities on Saturday arrested nine individuals connected to three charitable organizations on suspicion of raising millions of euros for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, anti-terrorism prosecutors said. The suspects are accused of transferring around 7 million euros ($8.2 million) to “associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas,” according to the prosecutors’ statement. Among those detained was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, described as the “head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization.” Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union. Italian prosecutors said the investigation, conducted in coordination with other EU countries, revealed that funds were sent through “triangulation operations” via bank transfers or foreign organizations to associations in Gaza that Israel has declared illegal due to their links to Hamas. Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi tweeted that the operation “exposed activities that, while presented as initiatives supporting the Palestinian population, concealed support for and involvement with terrorist organizations.” There was no immediate response from the suspects or the charitable organizations. In January 2025, the European Council extended restrictive measures against 12 individuals and three entities accused of financing Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Source: AP

A growing number of nations on Saturday denounced Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state, following the first such recognition by any country in over three decades. Israel made the announcement Friday, though the reasons behind the move and whether any benefits were expected remain unclear. Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid ongoing conflict that has left the East African country fragile. Despite maintaining its own government and currency, Somaliland had not been recognized internationally until Israel’s decision. On Saturday, more than 20 countries—primarily from the Middle East and Africa—along with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, issued a joint statement rejecting Israel’s recognition, citing serious repercussions for peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and beyond. Syria also separately rejected the move. Somaliland lies along the Gulf of Aden, near Djibouti, which hosts military bases of the U.S., China, France, and other nations. Earlier this year, U.S. and Israeli officials reportedly discussed resettling Palestinians from Gaza in Somaliland under former President Donald Trump’s plan, which has since been abandoned. The U.S. State Department reaffirmed its recognition of Somalia’s territorial integrity, including Somaliland. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi signed a joint declaration citing the Abraham Accords, the 2020 initiative that established diplomatic and commercial ties between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority nations. Somalia’s federal government condemned the move as illegal, reaffirming Somaliland as part of its sovereign territory. Regional bodies, including the African Union and IGAD, also rejected the recognition, warning that undermining Somalia’s sovereignty threatens peace and stability in Africa. Source: AP 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday said Iran is engaged in what he described as a comprehensive war with the United States, Israel and European countries, comments made ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. In an interview published on the website of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Pezeshkian said the current confrontation is more severe than Iran’s eight-year war with Iraq in the 1980s, which resulted in more than one million casualties on both sides. “We are facing a full-scale war with the U.S., Israel and Europe,” Pezeshkian said, adding that Western powers are seeking to destabilize Iran. He described the present conflict as more complex and challenging than the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq war. Iran seizes foreign oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz His remarks came just days before Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, where discussions with Trump are expected to focus heavily on Iran. Tensions have escalated following Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran during a 12-day aerial conflict in June, which Iranian authorities said killed nearly 1,100 people, including senior military officials and nuclear scientists. Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks reportedly killed 28 people in Israel.

At least 15 people were killed and another 15 injured after an intermunicipal bus plunged into a ravine in Guatemala, authorities said on Saturday, as the government announced a three-day period of national mourning. The crash occurred late Friday near the town of Totonicapán along the Interamerican Highway, a major route linking several regions of the country. Rescue teams worked for more than two hours to retrieve bodies from the ravine and evacuate injured passengers. Those hurt in the accident were taken to nearby hospitals, where they remain under treatment. President Bernardo Arévalo expressed his condolences over the incident, saying the government was mobilizing resources to support victims and their families. “I deeply regret this tragic event on the Interamerican Route,” he said in a message posted on social media. Deadly traffic accidents are frequent in Guatemala, particularly in mountainous areas where roads are often narrow and safety regulations are weakly enforced. Many communities rely on public transport operating on two-lane highways that can be hazardous, especially at night. In October, the government’s National Transportation Safety Observatory reported that 446 public transport vehicles were involved in traffic accidents across the country in 2025. Those incidents left 111 people dead and more than 600 others injured by October. Source: AP 

Myanmar on Sunday began the first phase of its first general election in five years, organized by the military authorities amid an ongoing nationwide civil conflict. The poll comes nearly four years after the army removed the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. Critics say the election is intended to give an appearance of legitimacy to continued military rule, noting that Suu Kyi’s party had won a decisive mandate in the 2020 polls before being barred from forming a government. Voting took place at schools, government offices and religious institutions in Yangon, the capital Naypyitaw and other areas. Security was tight, with armed personnel deployed outside polling stations and military patrols visible across major roads. Electronic voting machines were introduced for the first time. Opposition groups argue the election lacks credibility due to restrictions on free expression, widespread repression and the exclusion of key political parties. Many parties declined to participate, while others were dissolved after refusing to comply with new military registration rules. Suu Kyi, now 80, remains imprisoned under sentences totaling 27 years. Myanmar military election faces fear, boycott calls Analysts note that most voters in 2020 supported parties that no longer exist, leaving little real choice. Despite calls by resistance groups to disrupt the process, no major incidents were reported. Western countries continue to impose sanctions on Myanmar’s military leaders, while regional neighbors may view the election as a means to justify ongoing engagement. Voting will be held in three stages, starting Sunday in 102 townships, with later rounds on Jan. 11 and Jan. 25. Results are expected by late January. Source: AP 

A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the waters off Yilan County, Taiwan, at 11:05 p.m. Saturday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter was monitored at 24.67 degrees north latitude and 122.06 degrees east longitude. The earthquake struck at a depth of 60 km, the center said. The earthquake was felt across Taiwan, with noticeable building shaking. No casualties or property damage reports have been released on the island so far.  

Myanmar is set to hold its first election in nearly five years under military rule on Sunday, but the vote is being widely criticised as a sham amid fear, intimidation and ongoing civil war. The election comes after the military seized power in a 2021 coup, dissolving the National League for Democracy and imprisoning its leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Voting will be held in phases over a month, but large parts of the country will not take part due to fighting. In Mandalay, campaigning by the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party drew small, unenthusiastic crowds. Many people attended rallies hoping for aid rather than political change, while others avoided speaking to journalists out of fear of repercussions. Authorities have imposed strict laws criminalising criticism of the election, including calls for boycotts. Several activists have already been arrested or given long prison sentences for opposing the vote or sharing protest materials. Residents say fear dominates daily life, with military intelligence officers visibly present at public events. Many voters said they would cast ballots only to avoid trouble, not out of genuine support for the process. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has promoted the election as a step toward legitimacy, despite continued violence and air strikes. The military has regained some territory with support from China and Russia, while China has also backed the election process diplomatically. Casualties from the conflict continue to rise, with tens of thousands killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since the coup. Voting will not take place in many conflict-hit areas, further limiting participation. Despite public disillusionment, many citizens say they will still go to polling stations out of fear or exhaustion from years of violence. “We will vote,” one woman said, “but not with our hearts.”   With inputs from BBC