United News of Bangladesh

North Korea on Thursday threatened unspecified retaliation after the U.S. flew long-range bombers over South Korea during training with South Korean warplanes, which North Korea views as practice for an attack against it. The U.S. flew the B-1B bombers Tuesday to train with other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets. South Korea’s Defense Ministry had said the drill was meant to show the two countries’ combined deterrence capability against North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. The U.S. and South Korea routinely hold joint military exercises that they describe as defensive in nature. But North Korea regards them as an invasion rehearsal and is particularly sensitive to the U.S. mobilization of strategic assets such as long-range bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines. “The recent military move of the U.S. and the ROK is an open threat to the security of our state and a grave provocation that raises the military tension in the region to an extreme dangerous level,” an unidentified spokesperson for North Korea's Defense Ministry said in a statement carried in state media. North Korea deployed 3,000 troops to Russia, says South Korea ROK stands for the Republic of Korea, South Korea’s formal name. The statement warned that North Korea “will deter by dint of powerful force the U.S. aggressive attempt to permanently fix the malignant instability element in the security environment of the region.” North Korea often test-launches missiles in response to the U.S. flyovers of B-1B bombers, which is capable of carrying a huge payload of conventional weapons. In a development that could further anger North Korea, South Korea's air force announced later Thursday that it was beginning its large-scale biannual aerial exercise with U.S. forces from Thursday. The air force said the two-week “Freedom Flag” exercise would involve 90 aircraft and other aerial assets from South Korea and the U.S. Animosities on the Korean Peninsula are running high as North Korea continues weapons tests designed to modernize his nuclear arsenal and supports Russia’s war against Ukraine by supplying weapons and troops. Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has repeatedly boasted of his personal ties with Kim and expressed his willingness to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. North Korea fires several ballistic missiles after the US and South Korea began military drills On March 31, Trump called Kim “a very smart guy” and North Korea “a big nuclear nation.” Trump said he and Kim “have a great relationship” and that “there is communication,” though there are no known public negotiations and North Korea hasn’t publicly responded to Trump’s outreach.

The head of Myanmar’s military government granted amnesty to around 4,900 prisoners to mark the country's traditional new year, state-run media reported Thursday, but it wasn’t immediately clear how many were political detainees locked up for opposing army rule. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the ruling military council, pardoned 4,893 prisoners, MRTV reported. Thirteen foreigners will also be released and deported from Myanmar, it said in a separate statement. Other prisoners received reduced sentences, except for those convicted of serious charges such as murder and rape, or those jailed on charges under various other security acts. If the freed detainees violate the law again they will have to serve the remainder of their original sentences in addition to any new sentence, according to the terms of their release. Mass amnesties on the holiday are not unusual in Myanmar. The releases will occur at prisons nationwide. Dozens of relatives and friends of prisoners waited early Thursday outside the main gate of Insein Prison, on the northern outskirts of Yangon, the country’s largest city. No details were available about the number of prisoners released from Insein as part of the amnesty. Myanmar has been under military rule since Feb. 1, 2021, when its army ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. The takeover was met with massive nonviolent resistance, which has since become a widespread armed struggle. The country is now in civil war. UN special envoy Julie Bishop makes trip to war-torn Myanmar after devastating earthquake Some 22,197 political detainees, including Suu Kyi, were in detention as of last Friday, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an independent organization that keeps detailed tallies of arrests and casualties linked to the nation’s political conflicts. Many political detainees had been held on a charge of incitement, a catch-all offense widely used to arrest critics of the government or military, and punishable by up to three years in prison. This year’s celebrations of Thingyan, the New Year’s holiday, were more reserved than usual due to a nationwide grieving period following a devastating earthquake last month. The country is struggling to recover from the 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 that hit its central heartland, killing about 3,725 people and leveling structures from new condos to ancient pagodas. In a New Year’s speech broadcast Thursday, Min Aung Hlaing said his government will carry out reconstruction and rehabilitation measures in the quake-affected areas as quickly as possible. Southeast Asian foreign ministers seek breakthrough in Myanmar conflict and South China Sea disputes He also reaffirmed plans to hold a general election by the end of the year and called on opposition groups fighting the army to resolve the conflicts in political ways. During the holiday, the violent struggle between the army and pro-democracy forces continued. There were armed clashes in the countryside but the number of casualties was unclear.

Afghan children will die because of US funding cuts, an aid agency official said Tuesday. The warning follows the cancellation of foreign aid contracts by President Donald Trump’s administration, including to Afghanistan where more than half of the population needs humanitarian assistance to survive. Action Against Hunger initially stopped all U.S.-funded activities in March after the money dried up suddenly. But it kept the most critical services going in northeastern Badakhshan province and the capital Kabul through its own budget, a measure that stopped this month. Its therapeutic feeding unit in Kabul is empty and closing this week. There are no patients, and staff contracts are ending because of the U.S. funding cuts. “If we don’t treat children with acute malnutrition there is a very high risk of (them) dying,” Action Against Hunger’s country director, Cobi Rietveld, told The Associated Press. “No child should die because of malnutrition. If we don’t fight hunger, people will die of hunger. If they don’t get medical care, there is a high risk of dying. They don’t get medical care, they die.” Pakistan urges host countries to resettle Afghan nationals by April 30 More than 3.5 million children in Afghanistan will suffer from acute malnutrition this year, an increase of 20% from 2024. Decades of conflict — including the 20-year U.S. war with the Taliban — as well as entrenched poverty and climate shocks have contributed to the country’s humanitarian crisis. Last year, the United States provided 43% of all international humanitarian funding to Afghanistan. Rietveld said there were other nongovernmental organizations dealing with funding cuts to Afghanistan. “So when we cut the funding, there will be more children who are going to die of malnutrition.” The children who came to the feeding unit often could not walk or even crawl. Sometimes they were unable to eat because they didn't have the energy. All the services were provided free of charge, including three meals a day. Rietveld said children would need to be referred to other places, where there was less capacity and technical knowledge. Pakistan intensifies pressure on afghan refugees, risking persecution in Afghanistan Dr. Abdul Hamid Salehi said Afghan mothers were facing a crisis. Poverty levels among families meant it was impossible to treat severely malnourished children in private clinics. “People used to come to us in large numbers, and they are still hoping and waiting for this funding to be found again or for someone to sponsor us so that we can resume our work and start serving patients once more.”

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has ratified an act prohibiting Israeli passport holders from entering the territory of the Republic of Maldives, the President's Office said on Tuesday. The  Third Amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act was passed by the People's Majlis during the 20th sitting of the first session of the year on April 15, the President's Office said in a statement. The Maldivian government reaffirms its strong solidarity with the Palestinian cause and its ongoing commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of the Palestinian people, according to the President's Office. Jordan, Indonesia condemn Israeli Actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque The Maldives continues to advocate for accountability for violations of international law and remains vocal across various international platforms in its condemnation of Israel's actions, the President's Office said. President Muizzu has consistently reiterated the Maldives' principled support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, the President's Office said.

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Monday jointly condemned Israel’s actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque, denouncing attempts to alter its status both "temporally and spatially," according to a statement from Jordan’s Royal Court. During their meeting in Amman, the two leaders cautioned against any moves to change the historical and legal status of Jerusalem’s holy sites. King Abdullah reiterated Jordan’s custodianship over both Islamic and Christian holy places in the city. Earlier on Monday, hundreds of Israelis entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem—sacred to both Muslims and Jews—conducting rituals as part of Passover observances. While current regulations permit non-Muslims to visit the site, they are not allowed to perform religious rites there. The incident is the latest in a string of tensions surrounding access and worship at the site. The leaders also discussed efforts to end the conflict in Gaza, reinstate the ceasefire, ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need, and support the resilience of Palestinians in their homeland. Both underscored the need for a viable political path toward a just and lasting peace, based on a two-state solution. President Subianto affirmed the deep-rooted ties between Indonesia and Jordan and expressed his country's support for Jordan’s stance on Palestinian rights and statehood. The two leaders further explored strengthening bilateral cooperation in defense, education, agriculture, and religious affairs. Subianto arrived in Jordan on Sunday for a two-day visit following his stop in Qatar.    

  TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP/UNB) — China announced Tuesday that it is taking legal action against three individuals it accuses of being U.S. operatives involved in cyberattacks on Chinese infrastructure during the Asian Games held in Harbin in February. According to a statement from Harbin police, the suspects — identified as Katheryn A. Wilson, Robert J. Snelling, and Stephen W. Johnson — allegedly carried out the attacks while working under the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA). Authorities did not disclose how they obtained this information or the current whereabouts of the individuals. The cyberattacks reportedly targeted core systems of the Games, including platforms used for registration, event participation, and travel logistics, which contained large amounts of sensitive personal data, police said. The attacks persisted throughout the Games with the alleged intent to disrupt operations and undermine the event’s success, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Xinhua also claimed the NSA's hacking extended beyond the Games, targeting vital infrastructure in Heilongjiang province — home to Harbin — including energy, transport, water, telecom services, and defense research institutions. Additionally, Chinese tech giant Huawei was said to have been among the targets. The report further alleged that NSA operatives sent encrypted data packets to specific Microsoft Windows-based devices in the province. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing has not yet responded to requests for comment. The motive behind targeting the Asian Games remains unclear, although observers speculate it could relate to a potential relaxation of China’s stringent internet controls during the international event. Cyber tensions between the U.S. and China have persisted for years, with both nations accusing each other of cyber espionage. Washington has previously identified Chinese military-linked hackers and even issued wanted notices for some. Just last month, the U.S. Justice Department announced joint efforts with other agencies to counter cyber threats posed by 12 Chinese nationals, including two law enforcement officials. Meanwhile, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently labeled China as “the most active and persistent cyber threat” to American government systems, private enterprises, and critical infrastructure.  

Intense winds and the risk of sandstorms led Beijing to cancel hundreds of flights and shut down public parks on Saturday, as powerful gusts toppled trees, damaged older homes, and crushed vehicles throughout the capital. By 2:00 p.m., 693 flights had been cancelled at Beijing’s two major international airports—Beijing Capital and Daxing—with authorities warning of further severe weather, particularly in northern and coastal regions. Hajj flights to start from April 29 Additional flight and train services were cancelled elsewhere across China. Some areas experienced their strongest winds in over 75 years, with gusts reaching up to 148 kilometres per hour (92 mph). In Beijing, Universal Studios theme park was shut down through at least Sunday. Prominent landmarks such as the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven were also closed. Football matches and other outdoor activities have been suspended. Chinese airlines to launch Ctg-Kunming flights for Bangladeshi medical travel The strong winds and sandstorms stem from China’s arid north, where the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts are surrounded by grasslands, mountains, and forests. For decades, China has attempted to mitigate the effects of sandstorms, especially in Beijing, which lies on the edge of this dry region. These storms can drastically reduce visibility, fill buildings and clothing with sand, and cause significant irritation to the eyes, nose, and ears.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has firmly said that her government will not implement the Narendra Modi-led central government’s newly-enacted Waqf law in the state. Pointing at the violence-hit areas of Murshidabad district on Saturday, Banerjee appealed for calm and urged all communities to refrain from being provoked by political interests. “We have made our position clear on this matter — we do not support this law. This law will not be implemented in our state. So what is the riot about?” Banerjee wrote on social media platform X. She appealed to the public, saying, “My sincere appeal to all people of all religions: please remain calm, remain restrained. Do not engage in any unrighteous behaviour in the name of religion. Every human life is precious. Do not incite riots for the sake of politics. Those who are inciting riots are harming society.” The statement came a day after violent protests erupted in parts of Murshidabad following Friday prayers, reportedly triggered by rumours regarding the central government's Waqf legislation. India’s Parliament approves controversial Waqf Bill amid opposition protests According to Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar, misinformation led to large-scale unrest, resulting in clashes between protesters and police. At least 15 police officials were injured during the violence, which saw government buildings, police outposts, railway offices and shops vandalised and set on fire. Residents described the chaos as a “night of horror,” recounting how law enforcement was initially absent from the scene. “There were no police officials. They were just scared. Sitting inside their houses like us,” said a shopkeeper in Dhulian, whose business was torched during the violence. Banerjee reminded the public that the Waqf law in question was not brought forward by her party, the Trinamool Congress, but by the BJP-led central government. “The law was made by the central government. So the answer you want should be sought from the central government,” she said, adding that the state would take strict action against those responsible for the violence. The chief minister also accused certain political factions of misusing religion for political gain. “Some political parties are trying to misuse religion for political gain. Do not give in to their persuasion,” she warned. Source: With inputs from India Today 

Three suspected militants and an army officer have been killed in two separate gunbattles in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the Indian army said Saturday. Army soldiers laid a cordon in a forested area in southern Kishtwar district on Wednesday following a tip that a group of insurgents was operating there, an army statement said, AP reports. A search in the area by soldiers led to a firefight with militants, initially leaving one militant dead late Wednesday, the statement said. It added that despite inclement weather, troops maintained their cordon in the area, triggering more exchanges of gunfire that resulted in the killing of two more militants on Saturday. The army did not report any casualties on its side. However, in another incident, the Indian army said its soldiers in southern Akhnoor area intercepted a group of militants close to the heavily militarized Line of Control dividing the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan late Friday. Fighting ensued during which one army officer was killed, it said. The statement said militants were trying to infiltrate into the Indian side from the Pakistan-controlled area. China, ASEAN media and think tanks urged to embrace AI, address its challenges There was no independent confirmation of either of the incidents. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. The territory has simmered in anger since 2019 when New Delhi ended the region’s semiautonomy and drastically curbed dissent, civil liberties and media freedoms while intensifying counterinsurgency operations.

Leading figures from prominent media outlets and think tanks across China and the 10 ASEAN member states engaged in extensive discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) and other key topics during the China-ASEAN Media and Think Tank Forum held in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. The forum, centered on the theme “Strengthening ASEAN-China Cooperation,” concluded with a joint consensus acknowledging that while the rapid growth of AI presents transformative opportunities, it also introduces uncertain risks and challenges. The consensus emphasized that media and think tanks should proactively adapt to the ongoing technological revolution, leverage AI’s advantages, and contribute to building a smart future where innovation is coupled with a strong foundation of security. Pamela Samia, acting executive news editor at the Philippine News Agency, noted that media and think tanks from ASEAN and China must embrace AI, as it greatly improves research capabilities, decision-making processes, and communication efficiency.Despite this, she stressed the irreplaceable value of human expertise: “AI is merely a tool and can never replace human judgment and critical thinking.” Veronika S. Saraswati, executive director of the Indonesia China Partnership Studies, said it is vital for ASEAN and Chinese media and think tanks to foster public critical thinking and promote AI systems rooted in local data and Eastern cultural values.“Through these initiatives, countries in the Global South are expected to regain their voice in the digital realm, ensuring that AI becomes a tool for promoting equity rather than a means of Western dominance,” she said. Sivanxay Siphankham, deputy director of the Lao News Agency, remarked that AI is instrumental in enhancing information exchange and cooperation between ASEAN and Chinese media. However, he emphasized the need for joint efforts to tackle challenges like misinformation, ensuring AI use remains transparent and human-centered. Lee Chean Chung, chairman of Malaysia’s Center of Regional Strategic Studies, highlighted that ethical principles, data privacy, and algorithm transparency must form the foundation of AI-related policies. He said, “The mission of AI is to empower humans, not to replace them.” Thida Tin, director general of the Media Development Department under Myanmar’s Ministry of Information, pointed out that every invention carries both benefits and drawbacks. She said achieving a balance between innovation and ethics is key, and that technological progress should serve all sectors of society while minimizing harm to the environment and vulnerable groups. The forum, co-hosted by China’s Xinhua News Agency and Malaysia’s Bernama, drew around 260 participants from more than 160 media organizations, think tanks, government bodies, and businesses across China and the ASEAN region.