United News of Bangladesh

Voters in Canada's oil-rich Alberta province have overwhelmingly backed remaining part of the country, dealing a setback to the separatist movement and a boost to Prime Minister Mark Carney's efforts to strengthen national unity amid US President Donald Trump's trade war and threats to annex Canada. With more than 1.4 million ballots counted, around 76 percent of voters supported staying in Canada, while nearly 24 percent backed initiating a process toward separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta. The referendum did not directly ask voters to declare independence. Instead, approval would have paved the way for a future vote on whether Alberta should leave Canada. Reacting to the results, Carney said Albertans had made a clear choice in favour of unity and cooperation. He said the outcome would help Canadians move forward together, diversify trade, accelerate major infrastructure projects and strengthen Canada's position as a global energy powerhouse, with Alberta playing a central role. Separatist leaders, however, argued that the result demonstrated significant support for their cause. Keith Wilson, a prominent figure in the independence movement, said at least a quarter of Albertans believed the province deserved better treatment from the federal government, although the final vote count was yet to be confirmed. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also welcomed the early results, saying voters had chosen a stronger province within a united Canada. Smith, who called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party (UCP) despite opposing independence, was expected to address the province later Tuesday on the outcome and Alberta's future. Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier who led the campaign against separation under the banner Forever Canadian, said the results demonstrated that Canada remained united from coast to coast. The announcement of results was delayed after the late opening of polling stations forced more than 100 voting centres to extend their hours on Monday. Alberta, which holds the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, is a conservative stronghold with a political culture often associated more closely with the American West than other parts of Canada. Although resentment toward the federal government in Ottawa has long been strong, it has not traditionally translated into widespread support for independence. Despite the apparent defeat, separatist leaders said their campaign had evolved from a fringe cause into a movement that would continue to influence provincial politics. Carney had earlier urged Albertans to deliver a decisive vote for unity during a rally in Edmonton on Friday, the city where he grew up. Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney said separatist parties had traditionally secured only one to two percent of the vote. Anger over COVID-19 restrictions later helped mobilise activists who joined the independence movement, he said. Trump's trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st US state have also helped Carney rally support in Alberta, where Liberal prime ministers have historically faced opposition. At a gathering of separatist supporters in an Edmonton restaurant, attendees fell silent as the results came in. Jeff Rath of the Alberta Prosperity Project said the movement would continue its campaign, arguing that it had dominated public discussion over the past year and educated voters about the potential benefits of independence. Rath had previously said he would consider it a strong result if 30 percent of voters supported beginning the separation process. He also called for Smith to be removed as UCP leader, suggesting the party could split and potentially give rise to a new pro-independence party. Some voters who supported separation said Alberta had long been treated unfairly by the federal government. Dustin Degenhardt, who voted in Wainwright on Monday, described the province as being treated like a colony, arguing that Ottawa took resources from Alberta without providing sufficient returns. Others questioned the timing and cost of the referendum. Dave Malka, 59, of Edmonton, criticised spending public money on a vote that would only determine whether another referendum should be held, saying the funds could have been directed toward healthcare. With Trump threatening Canada, Malka said the country should be strengthening national unity rather than becoming divided internally.    

The United States has urged its citizens in the Middle East to exercise heightened vigilance amid a complex security situation, warning of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions. In a security advisory on Monday, the Department of State said Iranian-supported Houthis have engaged in hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions. It warned that the hostilities could escalate rapidly beyond the immediate area. US citizens travelling to or from the Middle East have been advised to monitor airport and airline operations and make contingency plans in advance. The advisory also warned that Iran and groups aligned with it could target US interests overseas, including locations associated with the United States and its citizens, as well as US businesses and other institutions worldwide.

Six people died and 14 others were rescued after a speedboat carrying migrants capsized off the Greek island of Samos on Monday, hours after a separate collision between a migrant speedboat and a Greek coast guard patrol vessel off Lesvos left six people dead, Greek authorities said. The boat capsized during manoeuvres about 3.7 nautical miles north of Samos, according to local media reports. A search-and-rescue operation was underway, involving a navy vessel, a coast guard rescue boat and an air force helicopter. In a separate incident off Lesvos, another eastern Aegean Island, six people -- four men, a woman and an infant -- died when a speedboat carrying migrants collided with a Greek coast guard patrol vessel in the early hours of Monday. Authorities said the migrant boat had made dangerous manoeuvres to evade a coast guard inspection before the collision. Eight survivors -- four men, two women and two children -- were rescued and taken to hospital for treatment. The boat's 37-year-old Turkish operator was arrested on suspicion of people smuggling. Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Vassilis Kikilias expressed grief and anger over the deaths off Lesvos. He reiterated the government's zero-tolerance policy towards people smugglers, describing them as criminals who endanger the lives of desperate people for profit. Greece, located at the southeastern edge of Europe, remains a major entry point for migrants and refugees attempting to reach the European Union by sea.

The phone of Belgrade University Rector Vladan Djokic was infected with Israeli-made Pegasus spyware in 2026, a digital rights group said Monday, amid nearly two years of protests against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The disclosure comes ahead of a tense election this weekend, seen as a contest between the student movement and Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party, which has ruled for 14 years. Citizen Lab, working with Serbia’s SHARE Foundation, said it confirmed the infection with high confidence. In September, rights groups reported that at least 14 activists and students had been targeted, including with Pegasus. An investigation is also examining whether prosecutor Rade Bajic’s phone was hacked after he received an Apple threat notification in August. Authorities have denied involvement in spyware attacks. Pegasus can secretly access messages, locations, microphones and cameras. SHARE warned that failure to investigate could expand digital repression. Students alleged their meetings were monitored and colleagues faced planned detention before Thursday’s rally. Protests began after a railway station canopy collapse killed 16 people in Novi Sad in November 2024. Djokic supported the protests and resisted pressure to end student blockades. Police raided his office in March. Bajic was replaced after raising alleged corruption involving a proposed luxury complex linked to Jared Kushner. NSO says its technology targets serious crime and terrorism. The US blacklisted the company in 2021 over spyware misuse against journalists, activists and officials. Clarify the election timingCorrect the spyware timelineTighten the opening paragraph

Egypt’s National Defense Council has agreed to provide support to Saudi Arabia to help it defend against escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, as fighting between the two sides intensifies amid the wider regional conflict. The council, chaired by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, decided to extend “all possible forms of support” to Saudi Arabia to safeguard its security, according to a presidential statement issued on Sunday. The statement did not specify what form the assistance would take. Saudi Arabia has been seeking military support from its allies as Houthi rebels continue launching drones and missiles at airports and oil facilities across the kingdom. The attacks have reportedly killed at least 19 people, disrupted thousands of flights and unsettled global markets. The Egyptian announcement came about a month after a visit by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On Saturday, el-Sissi called on parliament to authorise him to deploy troops and military equipment abroad. Meanwhile, Saudi Defence Minister was meeting with the president of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, the UAE’s state news agency WAM reported. Relations between the two countries have been strained in recent months as they supported different factions within the coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen. Later on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had spoken by phone with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty about the latest regional developments. Civilians caught in escalating violenceThe intensifying conflict has raised concerns over civilian safety in both Saudi Arabia and Yemen, where fighting has reignited the civil war. In Yemen’s northern province of Saada, an airstrike killed at least nine people, including five children and two women, on Sunday, according to the Houthi-run Health Ministry. Ministry spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi said the strike hit a house in the Sahar district, injuring 19 others, including 11 children. Some of the wounded were in critical condition, he added. Al-Asbahi blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack, but there was no immediate comment from the kingdom. Houthi-run Al-Masirah television broadcast footage showing people removing debris by hand and rescuing two young people from the rubble. The rebels claimed that Saudi-led attacks had killed or injured more than 30 people over the previous 24 hours. Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen Yahya Saree said 110 missiles or airstrikes had targeted civilian locations in Sanaa and other cities. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims. In Saudi Arabia, a military helicopter crashed near the southwestern city of Najran, killing both crew members, a military spokesperson said, attributing the incident to a technical malfunction. The Houthis had earlier claimed responsibility for bringing down the aircraft. Saudi Civil Defense authorities later reported that a projectile fired by the rebels struck a residential area in Najran province, injuring six people. Both sides trade accusationsThe Houthis have renewed attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, citing the kingdom’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The rebels have also made territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Houthi chief negotiator Mohamed Abdulsalam accused Saudi Arabia of contributing to the escalation. In a social media post on Sunday, he said the rebels had warned Riyadh against attacking Sanaa airport in mid-July. The strike had prevented an Iranian aircraft carrying a Houthi delegation from landing after the group returned from the funeral of Iran’s supreme leader, who was killed in the opening strikes of the war in February. Angered by Saudi Arabia’s longstanding blockade, the Houthis subsequently announced their own blockade against the kingdom. Abdulsalam said Oman had proposed a five-day truce during which the two sides could meet to resolve their differences. According to him, the Houthis had agreed to suspend attacks if Saudi Arabia met their humanitarian demands, though he did not elaborate on those conditions. He alleged that Riyadh had shown no willingness to respond positively to the demands, after which the rebels launched an offensive along the Red Sea coast. A Saudi diplomat said last week that the kingdom had invited the Houthis to talks in Oman in July to settle outstanding disputes and end the escalation, but the rebels declined to attend. Meanwhile, Al-Azhar, Egypt’s leading Sunni Muslim religious institution, called on Sunday for the establishment of an urgent mediation committee to help end conflicts across the Arab region.  

Two people were killed after a light, single-engine aircraft crashed into a dry riverbed in the Pieria region of northern Greece on Sunday, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported. The two occupants, aged 55 and 60, were found unconscious outside the aircraft by firefighters and were later pronounced dead at a hospital in Katerini, according to ERT. The aircraft crashed near the airstrip of the Pieria Aeroclub in the community of Kontariotissa, the fire brigade said. Eight firefighters with four vehicles were dispatched to the scene after the fire brigade was alerted at around 1:50 p.m. (1050 GMT). The firefighters moved the two people to safety before they were transported by ambulances to the hospital. The identities of the two victims and the cause of the crash remain unclear.

Ukrainian drone attacks sparked fires at oil facilities in St Petersburg on Sunday, as Kyiv launched more than 1,000 drones across Russia in one of its largest aerial offensives of the war. The strikes came amid growing tensions between Ukraine and Washington, with US President Donald Trump criticizing Kyiv for targeting Russian oil infrastructure. One person was killed and five others injured in the attacks, which caused fires at the Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchi oil depot, according to local Governor Alexander Beglov. Russian retailer Ozon said its logistics centre was also targeted, while technology company VK confirmed an attack on its data centre. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had intercepted or destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 Russian regions, the annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Black Sea. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state news agency TASS that Ukraine was resisting Moscow’s invasion but could not alter the current course of events. Meanwhile, Russian attacks on the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia killed a woman and injured at least two others, including a six-year-old girl, local officials said. The strikes damaged two apartment buildings, 18 cars and an educational institution, according to Mykhailo Semikin, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration. Ukraine Accuses Russia of Continuing Energy StrikesOn October 11, US President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire” in the war, which has continued for more than four years. However, he provided few details about the arrangement, and Kyiv reported further Russian attacks on energy facilities after the announcement. Ukraine confirmed on Thursday that it had resumed strikes on Russian oil infrastructure following a three-day pause. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Russia for continuing to target his country's energy infrastructure, apparently disregarding Trump's call for both sides to halt such attacks. Kyiv had initially said it was observing the proposed ceasefire. In a post on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Russia had carried out 76 attacks on Ukraine's energy, oil and gas sectors in the week since Trump's announcement. He added that energy facilities in four Ukrainian regions had been attacked overnight, leaving tens of thousands of families without electricity. He accused Moscow of deliberately attempting to cause widespread power outages. “America should see that Russia is not taking any reciprocal steps in response to sanctions relief or agreements,” Zelenskyy wrote, arguing that Moscow viewed opportunities to earn money as evidence that continuing the war was worthwhile. He also stressed that the conflict was continuing because of Russia's invasion, not Ukraine's efforts to defend itself. “It is Russia that must face pressure for peace to have a chance,” he said, thanking those supporting efforts to achieve peace. Trump Yet to Decide on Further SanctionsTrump said on Saturday that he had not yet decided whether to impose further sanctions on Russia, despite signing an executive order on Friday night waiving planned restrictions on national-interest grounds. “We’ll figure it out, and you’ll figure it out,” Trump told reporters at a fundraising dinner at his Florida estate. He described the decision as beneficial for the United States and potentially for the wider world, without providing further details.

Global efforts to halt biodiversity loss face a common test: whether conservation commitments can withstand the pressures of poverty, conflict and competing economic priorities. At Friday's Leaders' Summit on Biodiversity in Yerevan, those pressures brought the challenge of implementation into focus ahead of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), scheduled to begin Monday in the Armenian capital. The discussions underscored how closely biodiversity protection is tied to security and development, how much shared ecosystems depend on cross-border cooperation, and how implementation hinges on accessible finance and broad participation. NATURE AS A SECURITY CONCERN Speakers at the summit underscored how environmental pressures can compound security risks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that pollution spreads beyond national borders, while Lebanese Environment Minister Tamara El-Zein cited World Bank estimates putting environmental damage from the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in 2023-2024 at more than 500 million U.S. dollars. The security argument also extended to economic resilience. Britain's representative described nature as critical infrastructure supporting prosperity, security and resilience. European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera said 55 percent of global GDP was highly dependent on nature. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres linked biodiversity loss to conflict, climate disruption, food insecurity and disease, arguing that these crises could not be addressed separately. With nature protection increasingly seen as essential to peace and security, Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu called for win-win cooperation and multi-stakeholder governance to strengthen biodiversity conservation and resilience for sustainable development. GLOBAL GOALS, REGIONAL REALITIES The summit's regional examples exposed another challenge: ecosystems cross borders, while policies and funding are largely organized nationally. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the Caspian seal population had fallen from 1 million to 270,000 over the past century, invoking the ecological disaster of the Aral Sea and urging action to prevent a similar fate for the Caspian. He reiterated Kazakhstan's proposal to establish an international water organization within the UN system, suggesting it could become a joint Central Asian initiative open to other countries. The pressures extend beyond the Caspian. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said his country had lost more than 1,300 glaciers in recent decades. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said only around 30 of the 101 rivers that historically flowed into Lake Issyk-Kul now flowed year-round. Such changes threaten water supplies, ecosystems and livelihoods simultaneously, underscoring the need for cooperation on shared waters and habitats. Proposals included a regional center to combat desertification in Central Asia and an Armenian initiative for a Yerevan platform on biodiversity, mountain and freshwater ecosystems. Yet regional cooperation must also deliver effective protection on the ground. International Union for Conservation of Nature President Razan Al Mubarak cautioned that simply meeting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's target of conserving at least 30 percent of terrestrial and inland water areas, and marine and coastal areas by 2030 would not guarantee lasting conservation outcomes. Protected areas also need effective management, equitable governance, ecological representation and connectivity. Huang, the Chinese environment minister, called for advancing national biodiversity strategies and action plans and translating global targets into national policies and practical measures. FINANCING DELIVERY Even well-designed plans face a financial obstacle: money continues to flow overwhelmingly toward activities that damage nature. Guterres said that for every dollar invested in protecting nature, 30 dollars were spent destroying it, with nature-negative financial flows reaching 7.3 trillion dollars in 2023. The challenge is therefore both to increase conservation funding and redirect investment and incentives that undermine it. Speakers outlined several funding commitments. Ribera, of the European Commission, said the European Union was on track to double its international biodiversity finance to 7 billion euros (7.86 billion dollars) over 2021-2027. Britain said it would allocate around 6 billion pounds (7.98 billion dollars) in international climate finance over the next three financial years, with roughly a quarter expected to support nature. For developing countries, however, the test is whether such commitments translate into predictable and accessible support. Indonesian Environment Minister Mohd Jumhur Hidayat stressed that other funding sources should complement, rather than replace, international public finance. Zimbabwean Environment Minister Evelyn Ndlovu highlighted the priority of delivering at least 30 billion dollars annually in international biodiversity finance by 2030. Beyond funding, Huang said, technological and capacity-building support was also needed, pointing to China's contribution of 1.5 billion yuan (about 224 million dollars) to establish the Kunming Biodiversity Fund. The summit's closing Yerevan Declaration called for political commitments to translate into measurable action and lasting results. As COP17 opens on Oct. 19, the challenge will be to turn that resolve into decisions that give countries the resources and support to deliver on their biodiversity promises.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has travelled to Uzbekistan and is scheduled to visit India to strengthen economic and security ties with Central and South Asia, amid criticism that he has kept his distance from major international crises. The trip is Rubio's 31st overseas journey as secretary of state. Critics say his recent travel schedule has focused on politically less risky destinations while key diplomatic challenges, including conflicts in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war, remain unresolved. Rubio, who also serves as President Donald Trump's national security adviser, defended the trip before leaving Washington on Saturday, saying the United States needed to build strategic relationships beyond countries facing immediate crises. “It's an important relationship,” Rubio told reporters, explaining that the visit was arranged when Central Asian leaders could meet. The State Department rejected suggestions that Rubio was avoiding difficult issues, saying he remained directly involved in discussions on Iran, Gaza, Lebanon, Russia-Ukraine and China, even when other Trump administration officials took the public lead. The department said Rubio's role was to help the president develop and implement policies that advance US interests, adding that diplomacy also required building partnerships and addressing emerging challenges before they escalated. Special envoys, including Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Tom Barrack, have taken prominent roles in several major diplomatic initiatives, while Rubio has focused on behind-the-scenes discussions, according to the department. Rubio has also prioritised Latin America, particularly Venezuela and Cuba, and worked to strengthen ties with conservative leaders aligned with Trump. He has also sought to reassure NATO allies concerned about the administration's intentions towards Europe and the Arctic. However, some former US diplomats have questioned his travel priorities. Ivo Daalder, a former US ambassador to NATO under President Barack Obama, said Rubio had largely avoided the capitals, crises and negotiations central to the secretary of state's role. Daalder argued that Rubio's dual responsibilities as secretary of state and national security adviser could leave him overextended. He also suggested that avoiding difficult negotiations could have political advantages for Rubio, who has declined to discuss speculation about his future political ambitions. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau rejected the criticism, arguing that it reflected an outdated foreign policy establishment that undervalued Latin America and other regions. The State Department maintained that Rubio's schedule was guided by Trump's foreign policy and national security priorities, rather than an attempt to favour certain regions over others. It said diplomatic travel could serve different purposes, from responding to immediate crises to strengthening economic and security partnerships.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday defended President Donald Trump's decision to temporarily waive sanctions on Russian oil for 60 days, citing the impact of global conflicts on oil prices. Rubio said conflicts around the world were increasingly overlapping and affecting global energy markets. He said Trump had to consider how the sanctions would affect other countries, including US ally India, which continues to import a substantial amount of Russian energy despite voluntarily diversifying its energy sources. “It's hard to pivot from one day to the next,” Rubio said, explaining India's continued reliance on Russian energy. He attributed the surge in oil prices to the war involving Iran, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine. Rubio said the administration had to weigh the effects of these developments against one another when making decisions on sanctions. He also argued that Russia would sell its diesel regardless of the sanctions, adding that the main difference was how much revenue the United States would receive from the sales. With inputs from Al Jazeera