United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) will operate additional metro rail services on the election day to facilitate voters and ensure smooth movement of passengers. DMTCL Managing Director Faruk Ahmed said extra trains will be operated on the election day to prevent inconvenience to voters and regular commuters. Metro rail services would remain normal on both February 11 and 12, he added. He said the services would run following the regular working day schedule. To ensure uninterrupted metro rail operations during the election period all leaves of DMTCL officials and employees concerned have been cancelled, he added.

Deadly flooding triggered by weeks of torrential rain has claimed more than 100 lives across southern Africa, prompting helicopter rescues, mass evacuations, and warnings of further destruction as more rain is forecast, officials said Friday. The fatalities span South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, where prolonged downpours have overwhelmed rivers, damaged infrastructure, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Meteorological agencies cautioned that continued rainfall could worsen the situation. Mozambique hardest hitMozambique has suffered the greatest impact, with flooding across large areas of its central and southern regions. The country’s disaster management agency reported 103 deaths during an unusually intense rainy season that began late last year. The fatalities include people killed by flooding, lightning strikes, collapsing buildings, and cholera outbreaks linked to the severe weather. According to the World Food Program, more than 200,000 people have been affected nationwide, thousands of homes have been damaged, and tens of thousands may need to be relocated. The crisis has stretched the capacity of one of the region’s poorest nations, already battered by multiple cyclones in recent years. Rising toll in neighboring countriesIn South Africa, authorities said at least 30 people have died in floods affecting two northern provinces, with search-and-rescue operations still underway. Zimbabwe’s disaster agency reported 70 deaths and the destruction of more than 1,000 homes since the start of the year, along with widespread damage to schools, roads, and bridges. Flooding has also been reported in Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia. The U.S. Famine Early Warning System said flood conditions were occurring or anticipated in at least seven countries in southern Africa, potentially linked to the La Niña weather pattern, which often brings heavier rainfall to the region. Military rescue operations in South AfricaSouth Africa deployed its military to assist in rescue efforts, using helicopters to reach people trapped on rooftops and in trees in Limpopo province. The army also evacuated police and border officials stranded at a checkpoint along the Zimbabwe border. President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood-hit areas on Thursday, saying some districts received nearly 400 millimeters (over 15 inches) of rain in less than a week. In one community, he said, dozens of homes were completely swept away. Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba reported that more than 1,000 houses were damaged across the province, many of them destroyed entirely. Significant destruction was also reported in neighboring Mpumalanga province, where roads and bridges collapsed. In Nkomazi Municipality near the Mozambican border, residents worked to salvage their homes while preparing for additional storms. The South African Weather Service issued its highest red-level warning for further severe rainfall and flooding in the area. “These were the worst rains I’ve ever seen here,” said resident Josephina Mashaba. “I’m still afraid they could come back.” Evacuations at Kruger National ParkSevere flooding also affected South Africa’s Kruger National Park, one of the world’s largest wildlife reserves. About 600 tourists and park staff were relocated from flooded camps to higher ground after rivers burst their banks. Park authorities closed the reserve to new visitors and said several areas were completely cut off. No injuries or deaths were reported, according to park officials. Growing climate pressuresSouthern Africa has endured a string of extreme weather events in recent years, including powerful cyclones and severe droughts that have intensified food insecurity across the region. The World Food Program said current flooding in Mozambique has submerged more than 70,000 hectares of farmland, including rice and maize crops, further threatening the livelihoods and food supplies of thousands of small-scale farmers.

Torrential rains and widespread flooding have claimed more than 100 lives across South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, with authorities warning of more severe weather in southern Africa. In South Africa, at least 19 people have died in the northern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces after heavy rains last month triggered severe floods. Helicopters evacuated tourists and staff from flooded camps in Kruger National Park, which remains closed due to submerged roads and bridges, the national parks agency said. Mozambique’s Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction reported 103 deaths during an unusually intense rainy season since late last year. Causes included lightning strikes, drowning, infrastructure collapse, and cholera. Central and southern regions have been hardest hit, with more than 200,000 people affected and thousands of homes damaged, the World Food Program said. Zimbabwe has recorded 70 deaths and destruction of over 1,000 homes due to heavy rains since early January, while roads, schools, and bridges have collapsed, the country’s disaster management agency reported. Floods have also affected Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia. In Madagascar, 11 people have died in floods since late November. The U.S. Famine Early Warning System noted that flooding is ongoing or expected in at least seven southern African countries, possibly linked to the La Niña phenomenon. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood-hit areas in Limpopo on Thursday, reporting that one district had received roughly 400 millimeters of rain in under a week. “There are 36 houses that have just been wiped away … everything is gone — roofs, walls, fences,” he said. The South African Weather Service issued a red-level 10 alert for parts of the country Friday, warning of life-threatening floods and infrastructure damage. Helicopters have rescued residents trapped on rooftops or in trees, including border and police officers stranded at a flooded South Africa-Zimbabwe checkpoint. Kruger National Park, covering around 22,000 square kilometers across Limpopo and Mpumalanga, has evacuated roughly 600 tourists and staff to higher ground. No deaths or injuries have been reported there, authorities said. Southern Africa has faced extreme weather in recent years, including cyclones and severe droughts, intensifying food insecurity. In Mozambique, over 70,000 hectares of crops, including rice and corn, have been submerged, affecting thousands of small-scale farmers, the World Food Program said.

Afghanistan’s first major rainfall and snowfall of the season ended weeks of dry weather but unleashed flash floods in several regions, leaving at least 17 people dead and 11 others injured, officials said Thursday. Among the victims were five members of a single family who died when the roof of their home collapsed in Kabkan district of western Herat province, said Mohammad Yousaf Saeedi, spokesman for the provincial governor. Two of the deceased were children. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), most casualties have been reported since Monday in flood-hit districts. The severe weather disrupted normal life across central, northern, southern and western parts of the country, NDMA spokesman Mohammad Yousaf Hammad said. The floods also caused widespread damage to infrastructure, killed livestock and affected around 1,800 families, deepening hardship for already fragile urban and rural communities, Hammad added. He said assessment teams have been dispatched to the hardest-hit areas, with damage evaluations still underway to identify further humanitarian needs. Afghanistan, like Pakistan and India, is particularly prone to extreme weather, especially sudden flooding following seasonal rains. Years of war, weak infrastructure, deforestation and the growing effects of climate change have worsened the impact of such disasters, particularly in remote areas where many homes are built from mud. The United Nations and aid agencies have warned that Afghanistan will remain among the world’s most severe humanitarian crises in 2026. This week, the UN launched a $1.7 billion appeal to support nearly 18 million people in urgent need of assistance. Source: AP 

Saudi Arabia on Thursday urged Emirati-backed separatists in southern Yemen to withdraw from Hadramout and Mahra governorates, warning that their presence threatens the stability of the fragile coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the north. The Southern Transitional Council, long supported by the UAE, moved into the two governorates earlier this month. Saudi authorities called for the council’s forces to return to previous positions and hand over camps to the National Shield Forces, aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The Saudi statement criticized the separatists’ actions as an “unjustified escalation” harming both the southern cause and coalition efforts. Local Hadramout officials backed the call for withdrawal. Demonstrators in Aden waved the flag of the former South Yemen, reflecting ongoing secessionist sentiments. The move strains Saudi-UAE relations, which, despite shared OPEC membership, have competed for regional influence. Yemen’s civil war, ongoing since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, has caused over 150,000 deaths and a humanitarian crisis. The Houthis have also disrupted Red Sea shipping amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. U.S. forces previously targeted Houthi leaders, including top missile and drone commander Maj. Gen. Zakaria Hajar. Escalation in southern Yemen risks further instability and could draw renewed international intervention.

Special trains will operate on ten routes on December 25 to facilitate travel to Dhaka for BNP leaders and supporters on the occasion of its Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s return to Bangladesh. The central and regional BNP offices requested the Railway Ministry for special trains and additional coaches, the ministry said in a press release on Monday. Special trains will run on 10 routes, and additional coaches will be added to several regular services. As a result, the short-distance Rajbari Commuter (Rajbari-Poradah), Dhalarchar Express (Pabna-Rajshahi), and Rohanpur Commuter (Rohanpur-Rajshahi) trains will be suspended for the day. The ministry expressed regret for any inconvenience to passengers. The special trains will operate on Cox’s Bazar–Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar, Jamalpur–Mymensingh–Dhaka–Jamalpur, Tangail–Dhaka–Tangail, Bhairab Bazar–Narsingdi–Dhaka–Narsingdi–Bhairab Bazar, Joydebpur–Dhaka Cantonment–Joydebpur, Panchagarh–Dhaka–Panchagarh, Khulna–Dhaka–Khulna, Chatmohar–Dhaka Cantonment–Chatmohar, Rajshahi–Dhaka–Rajshahi, and Jashore–Dhaka– Jashore routes. Additional coaches will also be attached to select regular trains based on demand. Bangladesh Railway expects to collect an estimated Tk 36 lakh from the special services. The ministry said all operations will comply with the Election Code of Conduct-2025.  

Western officials say Russia is waging a widespread campaign of sabotage across Europe, aiming to disrupt support for Ukraine, expose security weaknesses, and sow divisions among EU nations. In November, a train carrying nearly 500 passengers in eastern Poland was forced to stop after a broken overhead line shattered windows, while explosives detonated under a freight train on the same line. Poland blamed Russian intelligence and deployed 10,000 troops to protect critical infrastructure. These incidents are part of at least 145 documented sabotage acts since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to an Associated Press database and European officials. While most attacks have caused limited damage, ranging from vandalism to cyberattacks and warehouse fires, they consume significant resources from security services across Europe, officials say. European intelligence agencies report that the hybrid campaign costs Russia very little, often relying on foreigners with criminal backgrounds as proxies, while forcing EU nations to cooperate extensively on investigations. “It’s a 24/7 operation between all the services to stop it,” said a senior European intelligence official on condition of anonymity. Incidents have targeted countries bordering Russia, including Poland and Estonia, as well as Latvia, the U.K., Germany, and France. Officials note a temporary lull in late 2024, likely to align with the start of President Donald Trump’s new administration, but attacks have since resumed at full intensity. Many plots involve cross-border perpetrators, straining multiple authorities. For instance, a Moldovan man set fire to a Ukrainian restaurant in Estonia and fled through Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland before being caught in Italy. Russian intelligence frequently recruits individuals with criminal records, including former prisoners, to carry out operations, reducing risk to Russian operatives. Even foiled plots drain European resources while testing defenses. Last year, a Ukrainian recruited by Russian intelligence in Lithuania planted explosives inside drone components, which authorities later intercepted. Despite the pressure, Moscow’s campaign has prompted greater cooperation among European nations. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have formed joint investigative teams, while U.K. police receive specialized training to detect state-backed attacks. Officials caution that Russia continues experimenting with new tactics. In Belarus, smuggling networks have repeatedly sent hundreds of weather balloons carrying cigarettes into Lithuania and Poland, temporarily shutting down airports—a hybrid tactic authorities warn could evolve into more dangerous threats.  

Families across Gaza spent Tuesday bailing muddy water from their tents as winter storms compounded the misery that has persisted two years into the war. Heavy rain flooded makeshift encampments where more than 2 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, leaving many standing ankle-deep in water and expressing anger toward both Hamas and Israel despite the ceasefire. “All the tents collapsed,” said Assmaa Fayad of central Gaza, describing how her temporary shelter was destroyed in the downpour. “Where is Hamas? Who is seeing how our children are drowning?” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem blamed conditions on the Israeli blockade, saying on Telegram that global relief efforts “cannot succeed under siege.” Aid groups warn that the winter season will worsen humanitarian conditions already strained by shortages and the destruction of infrastructure. Most displaced people are living in tents or improvised shelters built over rubble, without sewage systems; latrines — often pits dug near tents — overflow when it rains. In Deir al-Balah, among the hardest-hit areas, Reham al-Hilu said her shelter of wood and metal collapsed overnight, injuring her. “The mattresses are flooded. Everything is soaked — the clothes, everything — and my children are soaked too,” she said. The U.N. humanitarian office reported last week that at least 13,000 tents had been damaged by recent storms, wiping out what little belongings many families had left. Aid groups had begun winter preparations in October after the ceasefire, transporting materials such as winter tents into Gaza, but distribution has been slowed by Israeli restrictions on the entry of shelter supplies, the U.N. said. Israel’s COGAT agency said it is working to increase deliveries but did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Despite the constraints, aid organizations distributed more than 3,600 tents, 129,000 tarpaulins and 87,000 blankets earlier this month, according to the U.N. Roads in Deir al-Balah turned into shallow streams, forcing residents to wade through icy water. Some tried to mop up the flooding with pieces of cloth. Although major fighting has paused, Israel continues limited strikes, saying Hamas is violating the ceasefire — accusations the group denies. Meanwhile, most displaced Palestinians remain packed into areas of Gaza not under Israeli control.

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.

Heavy winter rains struck Gaza’s Muwasi tent camp on Saturday, inundating makeshift shelters and worsening living conditions for displaced residents still reeling from two years of war. Families scrambled to dig trenches to divert water as tarpaulins leaked, soaking personal belongings. Strong winds toppled tents and hampered efforts to protect scarce food and supplies. Bassil Naggar, who recently bought a new tent for $712, said rainwater was still seeping through, leaving puddles inches high. Children played barefoot in the water while some residents sought shelter in partially collapsed buildings. The United Nations reported that Muwasi shelters housed up to 425,000 displaced Palestinians earlier this year, mostly in temporary tents, following Israel’s war with Hamas that displaced much of Gaza’s 2 million population. Aid agencies warned that the humanitarian response, including winter blankets and tarps, remains insufficient. The U.N. Security Council is set to vote Monday on a U.S. proposal for a stabilization force in Gaza, amid opposition from Russia, China, and some Arab countries. Since the war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed 69,100 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The conflict continues to complicate efforts to recover the remains of hostages held by Hamas, with 330 Palestinian remains returned so far, only 97 identified due to limited DNA testing capacity.