United News of Bangladesh

Congo's Ebola outbreak has surpassed 2,000 confirmed cases, with 2,011 infections and 754 deaths, according to government data released overnight, marking what authorities describe as the fastest-growing outbreak on record. Health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region's largest medical facility, went on strike Wednesday over unpaid wages, joining other frontline workers protesting compensation despite working under difficult conditions. Staff barricaded the hospital entrance, while the World Health Organization (WHO) said more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the outbreak began on May 15. Ebola treatment workers strike in DR Congo over unpaid wages amid worsening outbreak The Health Ministry said 753 patients remain in isolation or hospital care, while 366 have recovered. Contact tracing remains limited, reaching only 67% of exposed individuals. WHO said about 80% of new infections are linked to unknown transmission chains, while authorities have yet to identify the outbreak's first patient. Conflict-driven displacement and mining-related movement have further complicated efforts to trace contacts. WHO emergencies chief Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said many recent deaths occurred in communities before patients could reach health facilities. The response has also been hindered by funding shortages, attacks on health centres, insecurity, community mistrust and the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain. A clinical trial of two potential Ebola treatments has recently begun in Ituri province.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv on Wednesday to mark Ukraine's Statehood Day, reaffirming the European Union's continued military and financial backing for the country as it continues to resist Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its fourth year. Ukraine has faced ongoing threats to its sovereignty since Russia occupied and illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Eight years later, Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Statehood Day, observed as a national holiday, celebrates Ukraine's independence and self-determination. The war has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives, displaced millions, devastated cities and heightened concerns that the conflict could escalate into a broader confrontation between Russia and NATO, whose members have continued to support Kyiv. Despite diplomatic efforts, there is still no sign of a peace agreement. Senior officials from several southeastern European countries were also expected in Kyiv on Wednesday for a regional summit focused on Black Sea and broader security issues. A similar meeting held in the southern city of Odesa last year reaffirmed support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In recent weeks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has secured renewed commitments of assistance from the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations and the Coalition of the Willing. Von der Leyen, making her 11th wartime visit to Ukraine, said Europe remains alert to Russia's wider ambitions and has already provided Ukraine with billions of euros in financial aid, military assistance and diplomatic support. She said the EU would announce new measures to strengthen cooperation between European and Ukrainian defense industries and provide additional assistance to improve Ukraine's air defense systems ahead of winter, when Russia has repeatedly targeted the country's energy infrastructure. Her visit comes as Western officials and analysts say Ukraine has stepped up long-range drone and missile strikes deep inside Russian territory, hitting strategic targets, disrupting military supply routes and contributing to fuel shortages in some areas. "It's a special moment," von der Leyen wrote on social media. "Ukraine has built a strong military momentum. The tide is turning." Also attending the Southeast Europe Summit in Kyiv was Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, whose country maintains close ties with Moscow. Although Serbia officially supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, it has declined to join Western sanctions against Russia following the invasion, largely because of its heavy dependence on Russian energy supplies. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities said Russian aerial attacks killed at least eight civilians and injured 11 others on Wednesday. In the northern Sumy region, Russian forces dropped six glide bombs, mainly targeting infrastructure, killing three people and injuring seven, according to regional military administration chief Oleh Hryhorov. Another Russian strike on the southern city of Odesa killed three people and wounded three others, local military administration head Serhii Lysak said. In the northern Chernihiv region, Russian drone attacks killed two people and seriously injured an 18-year-old, according to regional military administration chief Viacheslav Chaus. Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defense systems intercepted 93 Ukrainian drones overnight over several Russian regions, as well as over Crimea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.  

President Donald Trump is set to speak at a defense technology summit at the U.S. Army War College on Wednesday, where he is expected to highlight major investments in military technology as the recent conflict with Iran has significantly reduced U.S. stockpiles of key missiles. The summit, held in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, is being organized by Republican Senator David McCormick. It has brought together top military, intelligence and business leaders, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz. The White House said the event aims to bring together senior defense officials and leading global investors to discuss national security priorities and explore investment opportunities in the defense sector. Among those attending are JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Blackstone President Jon Gray, Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet, General Dynamics CEO Phebe Novakovic, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, SpaceX director Antonio Gracias and Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar. Trump has made frequent visits to Pennsylvania, a key political battleground, including a trip last month to a Mack Trucks factory near Allentown to support Republican Congressman Ryan Mackenzie's reelection campaign. Although McCormick is not facing reelection this year, Republicans are increasingly concerned about the political impact of the Iran conflict, the continuing high cost of living and Trump's low approval ratings as they seek to retain control of Congress in November's midterm elections. Trump spoke at a similar summit hosted by McCormick in Pittsburgh last year, where the senator announced $90 billion in pledged investments for energy technology and robotics projects across Pennsylvania. This year's summit began on Tuesday. Ahead of Trump's address, Pennsylvania-based artificial intelligence company ZeroEyes announced plans to invest $10 million in AI and machine learning research and development. Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics also announced plans to open a new 10,000-square-foot manufacturing facility to expand the use of robotics in defense production and strengthen the country's defense industrial base. The summit comes as concerns grow over U.S. weapons supplies. A report released in May found that defense contractors may need at least three years to rebuild stockpiles of Tomahawk cruise missiles, Patriot air defense missiles and THAAD interceptors, which have been heavily used in military operations, including recent strikes on Iran. The shrinking inventory has raised concerns that the U.S. could face shortages if a future conflict breaks out with China. China has said it wants its military to be capable of taking Taiwan by force, if necessary, by 2027, although experts view that timeline as an ambition rather than a fixed deadline. During Trump's recent visit to Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that poor handling of U.S.-Taiwan relations could increase tensions and potentially lead to direct conflict between the two countries. Trump has also pledged to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot air defense systems under license, although experts say it could take years before such production becomes operational. To strengthen U.S. military capabilities, Trump has proposed a record $1.5 trillion defense budget for 2027. However, the spending package remains stalled in Congress, and even if approved, expanding production capacity for advanced weapons would take considerable time. Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, said U.S. defense manufacturers need to significantly strengthen supply chains to speed up production of advanced military technologies. "President Trump uniquely understands the importance of pragmatic impact today," Loosararian said. "He also understands big, beautiful things for tomorrow."

A joint U.S.-Russian crew arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, hours after launching from the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina lifted off as scheduled aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft at 7:47 pm local time (10:47 am EDT, 1447 GMT) for an eight-month mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. The Soyuz spacecraft docked automatically with the ISS about three hours after launch. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended the launch, marking the first visit by a NASA chief to Baikonur in eight years. The visit underscored continued cooperation between Washington and Moscow in space despite tensions over Russia's military action in Ukraine. Ahead of the launch, Isaacman met Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov. During a meeting with the crew on Monday, he thanked the Russian space agency for its efforts in preparing the mission, saying the work carried out over the past several months reflected the professionalism and dedication of everyone involved. Isaacman also met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. According to Manturov's office, the two discussed future cooperation on the International Space Station and other space projects. The mission marks Menon's first journey into space, while Dubrov and Kikina are each making their second spaceflight. The three newcomers will join NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev and Andrei Fedyaev aboard the station. Although the United States and Russia were fierce rivals during the Cold War space race, they have continued to cooperate on the ISS and other space projects. That partnership has come under strain since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in 2022, but both countries have maintained crew exchange missions using each other's spacecraft. However, broader cooperation has stalled. Plans for possible Russian participation in NASA's Artemis lunar exploration programme have been shelved, while Roscosmos has expanded cooperation with China on a planned lunar mission as Russia has become increasingly dependent on Beijing for technology imports and energy exports amid Western sanctions.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman attended Tuesday's scheduled launch of a joint U.S.-Russian crew to the International Space Station (ISS), highlighting continued space cooperation between Washington and Moscow despite ongoing tensions over Russia's war in Ukraine. Isaacman's visit to the Russia-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan marked the first trip by a NASA chief to the facility in eight years. During a meeting with the crew on Monday, Isaacman thanked Russia's state space agency, Roscosmos, for its efforts in preparing the mission, saying the work carried out over the past several months demonstrated the professionalism and dedication of everyone involved. Ahead of the launch, Isaacman also met Roscosmos chief Dmitry Bakanov. NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Russian cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina were set to lift off aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for an eight-month mission aboard the ISS. The mission will be Menon's first journey to space, while it marks the second spaceflight for both Dubrov and Kikina. Once aboard the station, the three will join NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev and Andrei Fedyaev. Former Cold War rivals, the United States and Russia have continued to cooperate on the ISS and other space activities despite strained relations following Russia's military action in Ukraine in 2022. The two countries have maintained crew exchange missions, with American and Russian astronauts flying aboard each other's spacecraft. However, broader space cooperation has stalled. Plans for possible Russian participation in NASA's Artemis lunar exploration programme have been abandoned, while Roscosmos has expanded cooperation with China on a planned lunar mission as Russia deepens economic and technological ties with Beijing amid Western sanctions.

Spain's famous San Fermin festival ended on Tuesday with two Spanish runners being gored during the eighth and final bull run. An 18-year-old man from Pamplona was gored in the thigh at the first bend of the route after a bull charged into a small group of runners. The animal knocked two men onto the cobblestone street and tossed another over its horns. A 46-year-old man from central Spain was gored in the chest near the end of the route, where the path narrows before entering the bullring. The bulls are later killed there by matadors during the day's bullfights. Both injured men were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Eight other runners, including an 86-year-old British man, received medical care for minor injuries. The six fighting bulls, accompanied by steers, completed the 875-metre route from the holding pen to the bullring in about two and a half minutes. Their speed often catches runners off guard, especially with more than a thousand people packed into the narrow streets. The last death during the San Fermin bull runs occurred in 2009. However, serious injuries, including gorings and broken bones, remain common as many first-time participants and foreign tourists join experienced local runners. Many injuries also happen when frightened runners fall. This year's San Fermin festival marked the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, which helped bring the festival worldwide recognition.

At least 11 people, most of them women and children, were killed overnight after heavy rain caused the roof of a mud-brick house to collapse in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police and rescue officials said Tuesday. The incident took place in Kohat district, said Bilal Faizi, spokesperson for the provincial emergency service. Rescue teams recovered the bodies from the debris and handed them over to their families for burial, Faizi said. Meanwhile, heavy monsoon rain also battered the Gilgit-Baltistan region on Monday, triggering landslides that blocked several roads and damaged homes, according to regional emergency services. Authorities have advised tourists to avoid travelling to northern Pakistan because of the increased risk of landslides and flash floods. Pakistan experiences heavy monsoon rainfall every year, and the seasonal downpours often cause floods and landslides, leading to deaths and widespread destruction. In 2022, record monsoon rains and devastating floods submerged nearly one-third of the country, killing 1,739 people and causing an estimated $30 billion in losses.

The United States carried out fresh airstrikes on Iran early Tuesday, hours after President Donald Trump announced that Washington was "reinstating" a blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and suggested that other countries' ships could be charged for safe passage through the strategic waterway. Iran responded by launching attacks on Bahrain and Jordan and targeting two United Arab Emirates-linked oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks killed one sailor and injured eight others, while the UAE warned it could retaliate against Tehran, raising fears of a wider regional conflict. The latest escalation comes as the US and Iran struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route that has carried about one-fifth of the world's traded crude oil and natural gas during peacetime. Oil prices reacted quickly, with Brent crude rising above $84 a barrel in early Tuesday trading, its highest level in a month. Although still below the nearly $120 seen during the height of the conflict, the increase could push up energy costs worldwide. The renewed fighting has also further weakened a temporary ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The two sides were nearly halfway through a 60-day period meant to produce a permanent agreement addressing Iran's disputed nuclear programme and other issues. According to the US military's Central Command, the strikes targeted Iranian coastal defence systems, missile and drone sites, and maritime facilities around Abu Musa, Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chahbahar, Jask and Konarak. Iran confirmed that the areas had come under attack but did not immediately report casualties or damage. The US military said the operation was intended to reduce Iran's ability to attack civilians and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the White House shortly after the strikes, Trump described the operation as "another major attack." "We're hitting them very hard. And it'll continue, and we'll see what happens," he told reporters. He also claimed the US was taking control of the strait and restoring the blockade. Trump also expanded on his earlier proposal to charge ships for using the Strait of Hormuz, marking a major shift from longstanding US policy supporting free navigation through international waterways without tolls. Such a move would challenge long-established international maritime practices and could further disrupt global trade and increase tensions in the region. Meanwhile, the UAE's Defence Ministry said Iran fired two cruise missiles at the oil tankers Mombasa and Al Bahiyah in the Strait of Hormuz. Both vessels caught fire, but the blazes were later brought under control. The UAE said one Indian sailor was killed while six Indian and two Ukrainian crew members were injured. Abu Dhabi warned that it reserved the right to respond. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the ships had ignored repeated warnings and entered what it described as a minefield. Bahrain also reported fresh Iranian missile attacks early Tuesday, sounding air raid sirens three times and urging residents to seek shelter. Jordan's military said it intercepted four Iranian missiles. The country hosts US military forces and has been targeted by Iran several times in recent days. Earlier Monday, Trump said the interim agreement reached with Iran last month had been designed to test Tehran's intentions, accusing the Iranian government of failing to honour its commitments. Iran, however, maintains that it has the right to regulate shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and potentially impose fees under the interim agreement, a claim rejected by Washington. The US military and the International Maritime Organization have tried to establish an alternative shipping route along Oman's coast outside Iranian control, but Iran has also attacked vessels using that route, prompting repeated US military responses and further exchanges of fire. On social media, Trump said the US was restoring the Iranian blockade while insisting that other countries would continue to have open access to the strait. He also proposed that the US recover security costs by collecting 20% of cargo values from commercial shipping, although no details were provided. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is visiting the region, said there would be no fees for ships using the waterway. The US military said its blockade of Iranian ports would resume from midnight Wednesday local time in Dubai. Separately, Israeli and Lebanese delegations were scheduled to meet in Rome on Tuesday for US-mediated talks aimed at advancing a framework agreement announced last month. The deal calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon in exchange for the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, although implementation has stalled. A ceasefire remains in place in Lebanon, but uncertainty persists over whether it can survive if the conflict between the United States and Iran expands into a full-scale war.

Iran on Tuesday executed two members of the Islamic State (IS) group after they were convicted of armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic, according to state television. The executed men were identified as Mohieddin Abdollahi and Hossein Palani. State media said they were part of an IS cell established after the group's territorial collapse in Iraq and Syria and were allegedly plotting attacks inside Iran. Authorities said security forces uncovered the group's hideout in the Bamo mountain region near the Iraqi border before the planned attacks could be carried out. The operation left several militants dead, while others were arrested. Three members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard were also killed during the raid. Officials said security forces recovered weapons, ammunition and other military equipment from the hideout. The two men were sentenced to death after being found guilty of armed rebellion. Their executions were carried out by hanging after Iran's Supreme Court upheld the verdicts. The judiciary did not specify where the executions took place.

A South Korean court on Monday sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to two years in prison for illegally receiving manipulated opinion polls free of charge from a political broker in exchange for political favors that may have helped him secure his party's nomination ahead of the 2022 presidential election. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon guilty of violating the country's political funding law. Political broker Myung Tae-kyun was also sentenced to 18 months in prison on the same charge. Wife of South Korea's ex-President Yoon sentenced to 7 years for corruption According to the court, Myung conducted 14 opinion polls using manipulated data for Yoon between June and October 2021 without payment. In return, Yoon allegedly used his influence to help former lawmaker Kim Young-sun become the conservative People Power Party's candidate in the 2022 legislative by-election. The case is one of seven criminal trials involving the former conservative president, who was impeached after briefly imposing martial law in December 2024, triggering South Korea's biggest political crisis in decades. Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a seven-year prison sentence against Yoon in another case, the first of his convictions to be reviewed by the country's highest court. Yoon has appealed several convictions, including a February life sentence on rebellion charges linked to his failed power grab. His lawyers also said they would appeal Monday's verdict, arguing it was based on insufficient evidence. Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration on Dec. 3, 2024, ended within hours after lawmakers forced their way into the National Assembly despite a security blockade and voted to revoke the order. He was later impeached by parliament and formally removed from office by the Constitutional Court. After being released from custody earlier this year, Yoon was re-arrested in July and remains in detention while facing multiple criminal trials.