United News of Bangladesh

In his first Christmas Day homily, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the suffering of Gaza’s residents, exposed for weeks to harsh weather, and stressed that global conflicts can only be resolved through dialogue. Celebrating Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, adorned with floral garlands and red poinsettias, the pope reflected on Jesus’ birth in a Bethlehem manger, describing God’s word as “a fragile tent among us.” He drew parallels to the tents of Gaza, the plight of refugees worldwide, and the struggles of the homeless. Leo also noted the vulnerability of populations affected by war and the youth forced into combat, criticizing the falsehoods and pomp in speeches of those sending them to the front lines. “Peace will come when our monologues end and, through listening, we recognize the humanity of others,” he said. Thousands attended the Mass, capturing the ceremony on smartphones. Later, the pope is scheduled to deliver the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing from a loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square, summarizing the world’s challenges over the past year. This Christmas concludes the Holy Year celebrations, which will formally end on Jan. 6, the Epiphany.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is open to withdrawing Ukrainian troops from the country’s eastern industrial heartland as part of a possible deal to end the war, if Russia also pulls back and the area is turned into a demilitarized zone overseen by international forces. The proposal offers a potential compromise over the Donbas region, one of the most contentious issues in peace efforts with Moscow. Zelenskyy said the idea, discussed with the United States, includes creating a demilitarized free economic zone, though key questions about governance and development remain unresolved. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Zelenskyy outlined a broader 20-point draft plan developed in recent talks between Ukrainian and US negotiators in Florida. He said many elements are still under discussion and any final agreement would need approval through a national referendum. Zelenskyy said a similar demilitarized arrangement could be considered for the area around the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The United States has suggested a joint consortium involving Ukraine and Russia, but Zelenskyy countered with a proposal for a US-Ukraine venture, allowing Washington to decide how to distribute its share, potentially including Russia. Russia has shown no sign it would accept troop withdrawals. Moscow continues to demand that Ukraine give up remaining territory in the Donbas, most of which is already under Russian control. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would assess the proposals after receiving information from talks between Russian and US envoys, without giving details. Zelenskyy described control of Donbas as the hardest issue to resolve, noting that any demilitarized zone would require complex discussions on troop pullbacks and the placement of international monitors. He said international forces could be stationed at selected points along the contact line to oversee compliance. The draft plan also calls for Russian forces to withdraw from several other Ukrainian regions and includes provisions for strong security guarantees for Ukraine, similar in principle to NATO’s collective defense commitments. Zelenskyy said these guarantees would be detailed in a separate agreement with the United States, to be signed alongside any peace deal. Other elements of the proposal include keeping Ukraine’s peacetime army at 800,000 troops, fast-tracking European Union membership, expanding trade ties with the United States, and launching a massive reconstruction effort aimed at attracting up to $800 billion in investment. The plan also envisions elections after an agreement is signed and the release of all prisoners held since 2014. Zelenskyy acknowledged that Washington has not accepted all of Ukraine’s counterproposals but said positions have moved closer, adding that most areas of consensus have already been reached.  

The European Union has warned it may take action against what it called “unjustified measures” after the United States barred five European nationals accused of pressuring US technology companies to censor American viewpoints. The warning came Wednesday from the European Commission after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced travel restrictions against the five, whom he described as “radical” activists linked to “weaponized” nongovernmental organisations. Among them is former EU commissioner Thierry Breton, who previously oversaw Europe’s digital and social media regulations. Breton, a former French finance minister, clashed publicly last year with tech billionaire Elon Musk over content moderation and an online interview with Donald Trump ahead of the US election. In a statement, the European Commission strongly condemned the US decision, said it had sought clarification, and stressed it would act “swiftly and decisively” if necessary to protect the EU’s regulatory independence. French President Emmanuel Macron also criticised the move, calling it an attempt to intimidate Europe and undermine its digital sovereignty. Rubio said on social media that European ideologues had long tried to coerce American platforms into suppressing views they oppose, adding that the Trump administration would no longer tolerate what it called “extraterritorial censorship.” The Commission countered that the EU has the sovereign right to regulate its digital market in line with democratic values, insisting its rules ensure fair competition and user safety without discrimination or targeting any country. The visa bans fall under a policy announced in May to restrict entry for foreigners accused of censoring protected speech in the US. The other barred individuals include Imran Ahmed of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, German activists Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg of HateAid, and Clare Melford of the Global Disinformation Index. Breton responded by noting that the EU’s Digital Services Act was approved democratically by all 27 member states, saying censorship “isn’t where you think it is.”

Three people, including two police officers, were killed Wednesday in an explosion in Moscow, Russian investigators said, just days after a car bomb killed a senior general nearby. The two traffic police officers were approaching a “suspicious individual” when an explosive device detonated, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said. The officers and a bystander standing nearby died from their injuries. Investigators and forensic teams are working at the scene, Petrenko added. The incident occurred in the same area where Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, was killed by a car bomb on Monday morning. Russian investigators have suggested that Ukraine may have been behind Sarvarov’s killing, marking the third targeted death of a senior Russian military officer in just over a year.

At least three people, including a four-year-old child, were killed after Russia launched a large overnight attack on several Ukrainian cities, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday. President Volodymyr Zelensky described the assault as “massive” and said energy facilities were among the targets, causing power outages in several regions just days before Christmas. Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired 635 drones and 38 missiles, claiming that 621 of them were intercepted. Local authorities said a child died in the Zhytomyr region despite efforts by doctors to save the victim. Five others were injured in the same strike. In the Kyiv region, a 76-year-old woman was killed and three people were injured when a house was hit, according to emergency services. Another person, aged 72, was killed in an attack in the western Khmelnytskyy region. Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to the missiles and drones targeting western Ukraine, officials said. Ukraine’s energy operator warned of emergency power cuts across the country as temperatures are expected to drop below freezing. Acting Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said it was the ninth major attack on the power system this year, with electricity supply almost completely lost in parts of Rivne, Ternopil and Khmelnytskyy regions. Russia’s defence ministry said it struck military-industrial sites and supporting energy facilities in Ukraine and claimed all targets were hit. Meanwhile, Russian officials said a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at a petrochemical plant in southern Russia’s Stavropol region, though no casualties were reported. The latest attacks came amid continued fighting and diplomatic efforts to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.   With inputs from BBC

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained by police in central London on Tuesday while showing solidarity with pro-Palestinian activists who are on a hunger strike to protest their continued detention as they await trial over earlier demonstrations. The group Prisoners for Palestine released footage showing the 22-year-old Swedish activist holding a placard in support of the hunger strikers and Palestine Action, an organisation that was designated a terrorist group by the British government earlier this year. The arrests occurred during a broader protest in the City of London, the country’s financial district, where two activists sprayed red paint outside the premises of an insurance company. Prisoners for Palestine said the firm was targeted over its alleged links to Elbit Systems, an Israeli defence manufacturer. City of London Police said officers arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of criminal damage. A third woman was later detained on suspicion of expressing support for a proscribed organisation. Police in Britain typically do not identify individuals before charges are formally filed. According to Prisoners for Palestine, eight members of Palestine Action have launched a hunger strike to challenge their detention without bail while facing charges related to protests held across the UK. The group said the first two participants have been refusing food for 52 days and are now in a critical condition, warning that their lives are at serious risk. The UK government has declined to interfere in the matter, maintaining that decisions regarding bail and detention fall under the jurisdiction of the courts. Thunberg was previously acquitted in February 2024 of failing to comply with a police order to leave a protest blocking access to a major oil and gas conference in London. She has also faced fines in Sweden and the UK in connection with acts of civil disobedience linked to various protest movements. Source: AP 

France’s divided parliament on Tuesday debated an emergency bill aimed at preventing a US-style government shutdown next week, after negotiations on the 2026 budget broke down. President Emmanuel Macron and his Cabinet met Monday night to present the short draft law, intended “to ensure the continuity of national life and the functioning of public services,” including tax collection and transfers to local authorities based on the 2025 budget, the Cabinet said. Lawmakers in the National Assembly made several amendments to the bill and are expected to vote late Tuesday, followed by the Senate. Despite deep divisions among Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, left-wing forces, and Macron’s centrist minority government, the bill is likely to pass. The next challenge is creating a full 2026 budget and avoiding a new political crisis. Macron is keen to reduce France’s large deficit to 5% and restore investor confidence after political deadlock worsened by last year’s snap elections. Finance Minister Roland Lescure told BFM television Tuesday, “We need a budget as fast as possible so that we can move on. The longer the temporary budget lasts, the more it costs.” France’s high public spending on welfare, healthcare, and education, combined with a heavy tax burden, leaves revenues insufficient to cover costs. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, who resigned and was reappointed this fall, is expected to address the nation Tuesday on the budget situation. Earlier this month, Lecornu’s minority government secured parliamentary approval for a key healthcare budget bill, but suspended Macron’s signature pension reform, which aimed to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.    

A Russian general was killed Monday morning when a bomb exploded beneath his vehicle in southern Moscow, authorities said. Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, who led the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces’ General Staff, succumbed to his injuries, according to Svetlana Petrenko, spokesperson for Russia’s Investigative Committee. “Investigators are exploring multiple leads concerning the assassination. One possibility is involvement by Ukrainian intelligence services,” Petrenko added. Russian media reported that the explosion occurred around 7 a.m. in a parking area on Yaseneva Street, with Sarvarov inside the car. Ukraine’s security service had previously claimed responsibility for a similar attack in December 2024 targeting a senior Russian officer. Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, head of the military’s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces, was killed when a bomb concealed on an electric scooter exploded near his apartment. His aide, Ilya Polikarpov, also died in the attack. The investigation into Sarvarov’s death is ongoing. Source: AP 

At least eight people were killed and 27 others injured after Russian ballistic missiles struck port facilities in Odesa, southern Ukraine, late Friday, according to the country’s emergency services. The attack came as a Kremlin representative prepared to travel to the United States for discussions on a Washington-backed proposal aimed at ending the nearly four-year conflict. Ukrainian officials said some of the injured were passengers on a bus caught near the blast site. Several trucks were set ablaze and nearby vehicles were damaged. Odesa regional governor Oleh Kiper confirmed the port infrastructure was hit. The talks are part of the Trump administration’s sustained diplomatic effort to broker peace, following meetings earlier this week in Berlin with Ukrainian and European officials. Ukraine’s chief negotiator said Friday that Kyiv had also concluded separate consultations in the United States with American and European partners. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the outcome would largely depend on Washington’s response after engaging with Moscow. Speaking alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said it remained unclear how the U.S. would proceed following discussions with Russian officials. Ukraine and Portugal also signed an agreement to jointly produce maritime drones, which Zelenskyy described as a key area of defense cooperation. EU approves €90bn loan for Ukraine as Putin calls West 'enemy' Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military said its drones struck a Russian oil and gas platform at the Filanovsky field, a patrol ship in the Caspian Sea, and a radar system in Crimea. Russia has not confirmed the claims, while its Defense Ministry said it targeted Ukrainian military-linked transport, storage, and energy facilities. As diplomatic efforts continue, Russia has maintained firm conditions for peace, while the European Union has pledged €90 billion in financial and military assistance to Ukraine over the next two years. Talks between U.S. envoys and Kremlin representative Kirill Dmitriev were expected to take place in Miami on Saturday, according to U.S. officials. Source: AP 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said there would be no further wars after Ukraine if Western countries treat Russia with respect and acknowledge its security interests, dismissing claims that Moscow plans to attack Europe as “nonsense”. Speaking during his annual televised “Direct Line” question-and-answer marathon on Friday, Putin told the BBC that Russia would not launch any new military operations if the West respected Russian interests and stopped what he described as deception over Nato’s eastward expansion. He again accused Western leaders of breaking promises made to the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s, a claim previously denied by the late Mikhail Gorbachev. Putin said Russia was ready to work with Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom as equals and expressed willingness to end the war in Ukraine, provided Russia’s long-term security was guaranteed. However, he reiterated demands previously outlined in June, including Ukraine withdrawing forces from four partially occupied regions and abandoning its bid to join Nato. The nearly four-and-a-half-hour event, broadcast live from Moscow, combined questions from the public and journalists, with organisers claiming more than three million submissions. While the programme was largely choreographed, some critical comments about rising prices, internet outages and public services were shown on screen. Putin also addressed economic challenges, including inflation and a VAT increase set to take effect in January, as Russia’s central bank announced a cut in interest rates to 16%. Hours after the broadcast, Ukrainian officials reported that a Russian missile strike in the southern Odesa region killed seven people and injured 15 others. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Putin maintained that Russian forces were advancing on the battlefield and rejected Western intelligence warnings that Moscow could attack Nato countries in the coming years. He insisted that responsibility for prolonging the conflict lay with Kyiv and its Western backers, while praising US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker peace.   With inputs from BBC