United News of Bangladesh

North Korea said on Monday it test-fired long-range strategic cruise missiles into the sea to assess its nuclear deterrence capabilities, days after it revealed apparent progress in building its first nuclear-powered submarine. The missile launches, carried out on Sunday, were the latest in a series of weapons tests ahead of the ruling Workers’ Party congress scheduled for early next year, the first such meeting in five years. The congress is expected to draw close international attention over whether leader Kim Jong Un sets new directions in relations with the United States. The Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim expressed “great satisfaction” with the launches, which took place off the country’s west coast. It said Kim described the test as a responsible exercise of North Korea’s right to self-defense and a demonstration of war deterrence against external security threats. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected multiple cruise missile launches from the North’s capital region on Sunday morning and stressed that Seoul remains ready to counter any potential provocation through its alliance with the United States. While United Nations Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from conducting ballistic missile launches, cruise missile tests are not prohibited. However, analysts say such weapons still pose serious threats because they can fly at low altitudes and maneuver to evade radar, making them difficult to intercept. North Korea is believed to view cruise missiles as potential tools to strike US warships and aircraft carriers in a conflict. The launches followed recent tests of new anti-air missiles and the release of images showing a largely completed hull of a nuclear-powered submarine, which Pyongyang has suggested could be armed with nuclear weapons. A nuclear-powered submarine is among several advanced weapons systems Kim has pledged to develop, citing what he calls US-led security threats. Some experts say North Korea’s closer ties with Russia, including providing troops and equipment to support Moscow’s war in Ukraine, may have helped it obtain critical technologies. North Korea has intensified weapons testing since nuclear talks with then US President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. However, Kim signaled in September that he could return to dialogue if Washington abandons what he called its fixation on denuclearization, with analysts suggesting Pyongyang sees its expanded nuclear arsenal as leverage in any future negotiations.

Sixteen elderly residents were killed Sunday evening in a fire that broke out at a retirement home in Manado, North Sulawesi Province, police said. Authorities said the blaze, which engulfed the single-story facility while residents were asleep, left 15 survivors who received treatment at two local hospitals. “The on-site team has confirmed 16 fatalities so far,” North Sulawesi police spokesperson Alamsyah Hasibuan said. “Fifteen victims were burned, while one passed away without fire injuries.” Officials said the victims’ bodies were taken to a hospital for identification with family assistance. Firefighters, deploying six trucks, battled the flames for over two hours after neighbors alerted emergency services. Television footage showed bright flames and smoke rising into the night sky, with body bags lined up outside the home. Neighbors reportedly helped evacuate some residents. Initial reports pointed to an electrical fault as the cause, but authorities later confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. The tragic fire highlights concerns over safety standards in elderly care facilities in the region. Source: AP 

The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia began two days of discussions in China on Sunday as Beijing moves to bolster its role in easing tensions between the two neighbors following the signing of a new ceasefire agreement. The ceasefire aims to end weeks of clashes along the disputed border that have left more than 100 people dead and forced over 500,000 residents in both countries to flee their homes. Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and his Cambodian counterpart, Prak Sokhonn, traveled to China’s southwestern Yunnan province for talks facilitated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. China, alongside the United States and Malaysia, has been seeking to mediate the conflict. US President Donald Trump also weighed in on the situation, claiming the fighting would soon come to an end. Writing on social media from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, Trump said both sides would return to peace and praised the leaders involved, while repeating earlier claims that US efforts helped broker the ceasefire, which has faced challenges in holding. According to Thailand’s foreign ministry, the discussions in China are intended to secure the ceasefire’s durability and advance long-term peace. Wang Yi is scheduled to take part in separate bilateral meetings with each delegation as well as a joint trilateral session on Monday. China welcomed the ceasefire, noting that it stabilizes front lines and enables displaced civilians to return home. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing is prepared to continue offering a platform for deeper and more detailed dialogue between Thailand and Cambodia. The agreement includes a 72-hour monitoring period, after which Thailand will return 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during clashes earlier in July — a key demand from Phnom Penh. Thailand and Cambodia agree to ceasefire to stop border clashes Following talks with Wang, Prak Sokhonn expressed strong appreciation for China’s significant role in helping sustain the ceasefire. Beijing also pledged 20 million yuan ($2.8 million) in emergency humanitarian assistance to Cambodia, with the first shipment of food, tents and blankets arriving on Sunday. Sihasak said he hoped the talks would encourage China to support a lasting ceasefire and discourage any renewed hostilities, stressing that Thailand views China as a constructive partner in ensuring long-term stability. Source: AP 

China’s military on Monday announced it would deploy air, naval and missile forces for joint exercises around Taiwan, describing the move as a strong warning to separatist elements and what it termed “external interference.” The announcement followed Beijing’s sharp criticism of recent US arms sales to Taiwan and comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested Japan’s military could become involved if China takes action against the self-governing island. However, the Chinese military statement released on Monday did not directly reference Japan. Relations between China and Taiwan have remained strained since 1949, when the Chinese civil war ended with the Communist Party taking control of the mainland, while Nationalist forces retreated to Taiwan. Since then, Taiwan has operated under its own government, although Beijing continues to claim sovereignty over the island. Senior Colonel Shi Yi, spokesperson for the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, said the exercises—named “Justice Mission 2025”—would take place in the Taiwan Strait and in surrounding areas to the island’s north, southwest, southeast and east. He said the drills would emphasize joint sea and air patrols, gaining overall control, blockading key ports and conducting deterrence operations beyond the island chain. Japan approves record defense budget amid rising China tensions In a statement posted on the social media platform WeChat, the Eastern Theater Command said the drills were aimed at countering “Taiwan independence” forces and safeguarding China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Last week, Beijing also announced sanctions on 20 US defense companies and 10 executives, following Washington’s approval of major arms sales to Taiwan valued at over $10 billion. If endorsed by the US Congress, the package would mark the largest American weapons deal with Taiwan to date. 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 

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

Thailand and Cambodia on Saturday signed a new ceasefire agreement to end weeks of armed clashes along their disputed border, with the truce taking effect at noon local time. Under the agreement, both sides committed to immediately stop fighting, avoid further military movements, and refrain from violating each other’s airspace for military purposes. During the recent fighting, Thailand carried out airstrikes on Cambodian targets, including attacks reported earlier Saturday, according to Cambodia’s defense ministry. The deal also states that Thailand will repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers it has held since clashes in July, once the ceasefire holds for 72 hours. Their release had been a key demand from Cambodia. The agreement was signed by Cambodia’s Defense Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand’s Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit at a border checkpoint. It followed three days of talks by military officials under the framework of the General Border Committee. The document reaffirms commitments made under a July ceasefire that ended five days of fighting and includes 16 measures aimed at de-escalation. That earlier truce was brokered by Malaysia following pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and later formalized in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia. Despite previous agreements, tensions persisted, with propaganda exchanges and sporadic violence escalating into heavy fighting in early December. Thai officials say 26 soldiers and one civilian have been killed since Dec. 7, while 44 civilians died due to indirect impacts of the conflict. Cambodia has reported 30 civilian deaths and 90 injuries but has not released military casualty figures. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides of the border. Both countries accused each other of starting the fighting and said they acted in self-defense. The agreement also urges adherence to international bans on land mines, an issue raised by Thailand after several soldiers were wounded this year by explosions near the border. Cambodia said the mines were remnants of past conflicts. The deal further commits both sides to avoid spreading false information, resume border demarcation efforts, and cooperate in combating transnational crimes, including large-scale online scam networks operating in the region.  

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay 13.5 billion ringgit ($3.3 billion) in fines and asset recovery after being found guilty in his largest corruption trial linked to the 1MDB state investment fund. The High Court convicted the 72-year-old Najib on four counts of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering involving over $700 million channeled into his personal accounts from 1MDB. Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah ruled that the sentences would run concurrently, meaning Najib will face another 15 years after completing his current term for an earlier 1MDB conviction. Najib’s lawyer, Mohamed Shafee Abdullah, said the court “made so many blunders” and indicated plans to appeal. Najib, dressed in a blue suit, remained calm as the verdict was read. Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing, claiming the funds were a political donation from Saudi Arabia and that he was misled by financiers led by Low Taek Jho, who remains at large. The judge dismissed these claims, stating the evidence proved the money originated from 1MDB and letters from Saudi donors were forged. The ruling highlighted Najib’s failure to verify the funds’ origins or act against Low, and noted he used the money while taking steps to protect his position, including removing investigators. Though most of the funds were returned to offshore accounts, the judge said this was a deliberate effort to conceal their illicit origin. Najib, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, is already serving a prison term for an earlier 1MDB-linked case involving $10.3 million from SRC International. He became Malaysia’s first former leader to be imprisoned after losing a final appeal in 2022. The 1MDB scandal, which saw over $4.5 billion looted through multiple countries, financed luxury purchases and Hollywood films, and triggered global investigations, including in the United States. Goldman Sachs faced billions in fines for its role in raising funds for 1MDB. Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined in a separate graft case in 2022 but is currently out on bail pending appeal. Najib’s failed bid earlier this week to serve his sentence under house arrest was also rejected by the High Court.

Pakistan on Friday summoned Britain’s deputy high commissioner, Matt Cannell, following a viral video in which a woman at a rally in Bradford, England, threatened the country’s army chief, General Asim Munir, with a possible car-bomb attack. The Foreign Ministry demanded that the U.K. investigate the woman’s remarks. The rally, organized in support of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, took place days after a Pakistani court sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison over allegations of illegally retaining and selling state gifts, including jewelry from Saudi Arabia. Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry told Geo Television that while Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has frequently incited supporters against the military, the “car bomb threat” crossed all limits and did not fall under freedom of speech. The U.K. High Commission in Islamabad responded that any material appearing to violate U.K. law would be reviewed by police, and appropriate legal action could follow. Tensions between Khan and the military have intensified recently. Army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry labeled Khan “mentally ill” after posts on Khan’s X account described Munir as “mentally unstable.” Many PTI supporters accuse Munir of orchestrating their leader’s imprisonment. Munir, who gained prominence earlier this year after Pakistan repelled Indian strikes during a four-day border conflict, remains a central figure in the nation’s security apparatus. Khan has repeatedly claimed his ouster in 2022 was part of a U.S.-backed conspiracy supported by the military, a charge denied by Washington, the military, and domestic political rivals.

China on Friday imposed sanctions on 20 U.S. defense-related companies and 10 executives, following last week’s announcement by Washington of a major arms sale to Taiwan. The measures freeze the companies’ assets in China and prohibit the sanctioned individuals and organizations from conducting any business in the country, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The companies targeted include Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, L3Harris Maritime Services, and Boeing’s St. Louis operations. Executives such as Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, are also barred from entering China and have their assets frozen. The U.S. arms package, valued at over $10 billion, would be the largest ever to Taiwan if approved by Congress. Beijing, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, condemned the sale as a violation of diplomatic agreements and warned that the Taiwan issue is “the first red line” in China–U.S. relations. The ministry urged the U.S. to halt “dangerous moves of arming Taiwan” and warned that violators will “pay the price for the wrongdoing.” Taiwan has become a major flashpoint between the two powers, with China increasing its military presence near the island, including frequent air and naval drills. U.S. federal law obliges Washington to assist Taiwan in its self-defense, a point of growing tension amid broader trade, technology, and human rights disputes between Beijing and Washington. Source: AP