United News of Bangladesh

Rescue teams continue to search for more than 150 people still missing in northwestern Pakistan following devastating flash floods triggered by a cloudburst in the mountainous Buner district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Emergency services spokesman Mohammad Suhail said search operations have been extended to hard-to-reach areas as many residents were swept away by the sudden deluge on Friday. The military has deployed engineers and heavy machinery to aid in clearing debris. The official death toll in Buner climbed to 277 on Monday after three more bodies were recovered. Local residents have criticized authorities for failing to issue timely evacuation alerts, claiming no warnings were broadcast through mosque loudspeakers — a traditional emergency alert system in rural regions. However, government officials said that despite having an early warning system, the intensity of the rainfall and speed of the flooding left little time to inform residents. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Sunday blamed unsafe construction near waterways for many of the deaths. He said the government would help relocate affected families to safer areas and support them in rebuilding. Pakistan has experienced unusually heavy monsoon rains since June 26, with more than 645 fatalities nationwide — including over 400 in the northwest alone. The National Disaster Management Authority has issued further warnings as new rainfall continues across various regions of the country. The UN’s humanitarian agency said it has mobilized response teams in flood-hit areas, where damaged roads and broken communication lines have isolated many communities. Relief organizations are providing essential supplies and preparing for long-term recovery efforts. Meanwhile, in India-administered Kashmir, at least 67 people have died and many more remain missing after flash floods struck during an annual Hindu pilgrimage. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Pope Leo XIV expressed condolences over the loss of life in both countries. Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters. In 2022, extreme flooding—attributed to climate change—killed nearly 1,700 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Myanmar’s military-appointed Union Election Commission announced on Monday that long-delayed national elections will begin on December 28, despite widespread armed conflict and strong criticism that the polls are designed to legitimize the military’s 2021 coup. In a statement shared with the media, the commission said the election will be held in multiple phases, with a complete schedule to be released soon. A separate notice published earlier in the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper confirmed that all 330 townships have been designated as constituencies. Nearly 60 political parties, including the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, have registered to participate, according to the commission’s website. However, questions remain over the feasibility of holding elections in areas currently controlled by anti-junta resistance groups and ethnic armed organizations. Much of the country is embroiled in civil war, and the military is believed to control less than half the territory. Several opposition groups have already vowed to disrupt the planned vote. The regime recently enacted a controversial election law, which includes harsh penalties—up to the death sentence—for anyone attempting to oppose or obstruct the elections. Observers and critics have dismissed the upcoming polls as neither free nor fair, citing a lack of independent media, mass arrests of political opponents, and the dissolution of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD)—the party that won the 2020 election in a landslide. The military seized power in February 2021, just as the NLD was preparing to begin a second term. Suu Kyi, now 80, is serving a combined 27-year prison sentence following a series of trials widely condemned as politically motivated. The military claimed electoral fraud in the 2020 vote to justify its coup, though international observers found no evidence of significant irregularities. While the junta has repeatedly claimed that holding elections is a priority, it has continued to postpone the date due to the worsening security situation. The elections are now expected to take place only in areas under firm military control. Ahead of the polls, the regime has intensified military operations—including ground assaults and airstrikes—in an effort to retake territory held by opposition forces. Human rights groups report a sharp rise in civilian casualties. On Sunday, at least 24 people were reportedly killed in an airstrike on a hospital in Mawchi, a town in Kayah (Karenni) State known for its wolfram and tungsten mines. Separately, at least 21 people—including a pregnant woman—died in an airstrike on Mogok, the center of Myanmar’s gem-mining industry, last Thursday, according to multiple sources. The military has not confirmed the incidents but typically claims that its operations only target insurgents, labeling resistance fighters as terrorists.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, joined by top European leaders in a rare show of unity aimed at pushing for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The high-level delegation includes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The coordinated move comes after European leaders were excluded from Trump’s recent summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Concerned about Moscow’s potential aggression, they are determined to ensure Ukraine’s security remains a priority. This show of diplomatic solidarity follows a tense February meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, where the U.S. president criticized the Ukrainian leader over military aid. The European leaders now seek to avoid a repeat of that episode and present a united front. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine that would benefit all of Europe. “We all equally want to end this war quickly and reliably,” he said in a social media post upon arrival in Washington. However, Trump, in a post on Sunday night, appeared to shift the pressure onto Zelenskyy, suggesting that Ukraine could end the war immediately if it chose to and hinted that Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, is off the table. He also reiterated his opposition to Ukraine joining NATO. Zelenskyy responded by stressing that peace must be lasting and not temporary, as was the case after the 2014 Crimea annexation, which he said only encouraged further Russian aggression. The Alaska summit outlined potential frameworks for peace, though it remains unclear whether either Zelenskyy or Putin will accept them. Trump’s camp floated the idea of NATO-like security assurances for Ukraine, a stance favored by many European leaders but opposed by Putin in the context of Ukraine joining NATO outright. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that while a ceasefire is still possible, a broader peace deal is the ultimate goal. Trump, meanwhile, declared on social media that “big progress” had been made with Russia, despite backlash over the lack of clarity from the Alaska summit. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, indicated that allies are discussing a formal security commitment to defend Ukraine in case of future attacks. The format of such an agreement is still under negotiation. Monday’s meeting could be especially challenging for Zelenskyy, who is under pressure to avoid appearing as an obstacle to peace. Ukrainian officials say Zelenskyy will continue to reject any peace deal that involves conceding the entire Donbas region, citing constitutional limits and long-term security risks. Ukraine has proposed a trilateral summit involving Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy to directly address the most sensitive issues, including territorial disputes. In the months leading up to this meeting, Zelenskyy has worked to rebuild ties with Trump, especially after a strained encounter in February. A brief meeting in April at the Vatican helped ease tensions, and Trump has since shown signs of softening toward Ukraine’s peace terms. European allies have also maintained cooperation with Trump, including a recent agreement for NATO countries to purchase U.S. arms for Ukraine. Ahead of the talks, France’s Macron warned that yielding to Russia would embolden further conflict. “If we are weak with Russia today, we’ll be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow,” he said. Meanwhile, Russia continues its assaults on Ukraine. A drone strike on Kharkiv Sunday night killed six civilians, including a toddler and a teenager. Twenty others were injured, according to local officials. Missile and drone attacks were also reported in Sumy, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia, where 17 people were wounded. Ukraine's Air Force said it intercepted or jammed 88 of the 140 drones launched overnight.

The U.S. special envoy to Lebanon, Tom Barrack, said Monday his team will discuss a long-term cessation of hostilities with Israel, following Beirut’s endorsement of a U.S.-backed plan for Hezbollah to disarm. After meeting President Joseph Aoun, Barrack also said Washington would push for an economic plan for post-war reconstruction, following months of shuttle diplomacy between the two countries. He is expected to meet Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who often negotiates for Hezbollah with Washington. Israeli airstrike kills senior Palestinian leader and bodyguard in eastern Lebanon “The Lebanese government has done their part. They’ve taken the first step. Now we need Israel to comply with that equal handshake,” Barrack said. Lebanon’s support for the disarmament plan has angered Hezbollah, which demands Israel withdraw from five hilltops in southern Lebanon and halt near-daily airstrikes. Hezbollah’s deputy secretary-general Naim Kassem has vowed to resist disarmament, raising fears of civil unrest. Barrack warned the group it would “miss an opportunity” if it refuses to cooperate. Aoun and Salam back disarming Hezbollah and other non-state armed groups while calling on Israel to stop attacks and withdraw. Aoun also seeks to increase funding for Lebanon’s military and raise international support for reconstruction. The World Bank estimates the 2024 Hezbollah-Israel war caused $11.1 billion in damages and economic losses, compounding Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis.   Source: Agency

Russian President Vladimir Putin ended the Alaska summit with a rare show of his English-speaking ability, smiling as he told US President Donald Trump: “And next time in Moscow.” The offhand remark, delivered without a translator, followed Trump’s comment that the two leaders would meet again soon. Putin also closed the summit by saying “thank you so much” in English, though the talks ended without an agreement on the war in Ukraine. Although the Kremlin acknowledges that Putin speaks English well, the Russian leader usually relies on interpreters during formal diplomatic engagements. A former KGB officer, Putin is fluent in German, a language he often used with former German chancellor Angela Merkel. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has previously said Putin understands English almost completely and sometimes corrects interpreters. In May, when Putin spoke with Trump by phone, Peskov noted that the Russian leader could grasp what Trump was saying even before translation. Trump leaves Alaska summit with Putin without a Ukraine peace deal Still, Putin often avoids responding directly to uncomfortable English-language questions from the press, such as those about civilian casualties in Ukraine. He has also used his English more freely outside of negotiations, including delivering a two-minute statement in 2013 to promote Russia’s World Expo bid, and famously singing “Blueberry Hill” in 2010 at a St. Petersburg charity gala attended by Hollywood stars. Earlier this year, he switched seamlessly into German during a video call with a man seeking Russian citizenship, reminiscing about his years in East Germany. At Friday’s summit, Trump appeared intrigued by Putin’s parting invitation. “Ooh, that’s an interesting one,” he replied. “I don’t know, I’ll get a little heat on that one, but I could see it possibly happening. Thank you very much, Vladimir.” Source: Agency

Israel announced on Saturday that it is preparing to relocate Palestinian civilians from active combat zones to southern Gaza, ahead of a planned military operation targeting some of the most densely populated areas in the territory. COGAT, the Israeli agency managing humanitarian operations in Gaza, said that the delivery of tents would resume on Sunday. While the military has not specified when the relocation will begin, Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that planning is in its final stages for what he called the “defeat of Hamas in Gaza.” At the same time, frustration is growing among Israelis whose relatives are still held hostage. Families of the roughly 50 remaining hostages — only about 20 believed to be alive — are calling for a nationwide protest on Sunday, demanding action from the government. The outcry follows disturbing videos showing emaciated hostages pleading for food and help under clear duress. The families, supported by some former military and intelligence officials, are urging the Israeli government to reach a deal to end the war. A statement from a representative group called on Israelis to join protests across the country in solidarity with what they called “the most just and moral struggle” — securing the release of all hostages. Dana Silberman Sitton, who lost multiple family members in captivity, said at a rally in Tel Aviv, “Hope won’t come from the top — it will come from us.” Pushpa Joshi, sister of kidnapped Nepali student Bipin Joshi, added: “I miss my best friend.” Airstrike Kills Infant and Parents in "Safe" Zone On Saturday, an Israeli airstrike killed a baby girl and her parents in the Muwasi area of southern Gaza, according to hospital officials and witnesses. The family was living in a tent in what had been designated a safe zone. “She was just two and a half months old. What did she do?” a neighbor asked, as temperatures soared past 90°F (32°C). The Israeli military did not comment on the specific strike but reiterated that it targets Hamas infrastructure while trying to avoid civilian casualties. Muwasi is among several densely populated areas — along with Gaza City and central refugee camps like Nuseirat and Bureij — where Israel plans to expand its operations. Some analysts believe this threat may be a strategy to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages taken during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Elsewhere, six bodies were brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City from the Zikim area, and four more people were reported killed in shelling. Malnutrition Crisis Deepens The Gaza Health Ministry reported 11 more malnutrition-related deaths within 24 hours, including one child, bringing the total to 251 since the war began. The UN warns that starvation and disease levels are the worst seen since the start of the conflict. A 20-year-old Palestinian woman died in Italy after being transferred from Gaza for emergency medical treatment in a “severely deteriorated” condition, officials said. Aid delivery remains a major challenge due to Israeli restrictions and desperate crowds. The UN says 1,760 people have been killed while trying to access aid since late May — 766 along aid routes and 994 near “non-UN militarized sites,” a reference to the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by Israel and the U.S. U.S. Suspends Gaza Visitor Visas The U.S. State Department announced Saturday that all visitor visas for Gaza residents have been temporarily halted while it investigates the recent issuance of several medical-humanitarian visas. The war began after Hamas' October 2023 attack, which killed about 1,200 people in Israel. Israel’s response has killed approximately 61,897 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While it doesn’t separate combatants from civilians, it reports that about half of the casualties are women and children. Although Israel disputes these figures, the UN and independent experts consider the ministry — staffed by medical professionals — the most credible source of casualty data from Gaza.

Rescue teams in northwest Pakistan ramped up relief efforts on Sunday after devastating flash floods killed more than 220 people in a single district, officials confirmed. The district of Buner, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was hit by intense monsoon rains and sudden cloudbursts on Friday, triggering severe flooding and landslides. According to emergency services spokesman Mohammad Sohail, over half of the district’s damaged roads have now been reopened, enabling emergency crews and equipment to reach cut-off communities. Efforts are ongoing to clear debris left by the flooding. On Sunday, heavy machinery was being used to remove rubble from destroyed homes, as residents continued to report missing family members. One of the most tragic incidents occurred in Qadar Nagar village, where floodwaters swept away a house on the night before a wedding, killing 24 members of a single family. Umar Khan, the family’s patriarch, survived only because he was away at the time. Four relatives remain unaccounted for. Provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur visited Buner on Saturday and announced compensation of 2 million rupees (approximately $7,200) for the families of those killed. He also confirmed the provision of tents, food, and clean water to prevent disease outbreaks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is overseeing the relief efforts and has instructed officials to accelerate aid delivery, evacuate stranded people, and intensify the search for the missing, according to a government statement. The national disaster authority has warned of further flooding and landslides between August 17 and 19 and has urged local governments to remain vigilant. Since June 26, unusually heavy monsoon rains have killed over 600 people across Pakistan. The country remains highly susceptible to climate-related disasters. In 2022, record monsoon rains resulted in nearly 1,700 deaths and widespread destruction. Monsoon season, which spans from June to September, regularly brings flash floods and landslides, especially in Pakistan’s mountainous northwest, where many villages are located on steep terrain and near rivers. Experts say climate change is contributing to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather in South Asia. Meanwhile, in Indian-administered Kashmir, torrential rains caused flash floods in two villages in Kathua district, killing at least seven people and injuring five. Rescue operations are ongoing. In Kishtwar district, search efforts continue in the remote village of Chositi, where flash floods struck three days ago. At least 60 people died, around 150 were injured — 50 critically — and many remain missing. The disaster occurred during an annual Hindu pilgrimage. Authorities rescued over 300 people and safely evacuated around 4,000 pilgrims.

Ukrainians in Kyiv, enduring near-daily Russian bombardment, reacted with shock as their strongest ally rolled out a red carpet in Alaska for the man they blame for more than three years of war, bloodshed and devastation. For 66-year-old Kyiv resident Natalya Lypei, the scene on her phone seemed surreal: U.S. President Donald Trump warmly welcoming Russian President Vladimir Putin, applauding as the Kremlin leader arrived under escort by four American fighter jets. Trump brushed aside the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant that has largely kept Putin confined to Russia or allied states. “How can you welcome a tyrant like that?” Lypei asked, echoing widespread outrage in Kyiv. Many Ukrainians saw the red carpet treatment, the lack of firm commitments on Ukraine, and the absence of new sanctions as a deep betrayal after years of sacrifice. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops have been killed or wounded, thousands of civilians have died, and a fifth of the country remains occupied. On Ukrainian social media, memes depicted Trump and Putin walking on a red carpet laid over dead Ukrainian bodies. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had warned beforehand that the meeting would hand Putin a public relations victory — and it did. For the first time in a decade, Putin set foot on U.S. soil, breaking his international isolation. Trump leaves Alaska summit with Putin without a Ukraine peace deal For Lypei, who lost her 34-year-old son, a soldier in Ukraine’s 79th Brigade killed in Donetsk last year, the moment felt like reliving a funeral. “It hurts me a lot that my child died in this war, and today we saw a new funeral — the burial of our hopes,” she said. Sixty-year-old Kyiv resident Natalya Cucil said she was disheartened that Trump’s summit produced no results. “There are no results and we don’t know if there will be, though we always hope,” she said. Pensioner Anatolii Kovalenko, 72, was blunt: “Putin won this meeting 100%.”   Source: Agency

The death toll from relentless monsoon rains in Pakistan continues to rise, with at least 220 people confirmed dead after flash floods and landslides swept away homes in the northwest, officials said Saturday. Rescue teams recovered 63 additional bodies overnight in Buner district, one of the hardest-hit areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Mohammad Suhail said. Torrential rains and sudden cloudbursts triggered powerful floods on Friday, destroying dozens of homes and leaving many trapped. Since June 2, approximately 541 people have died in rain-related incidents across Pakistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority, which attributed the above-average rainfall to climate change. Efforts to find survivors continued in the worst-affected villages of Pir Baba and Malik Pura. Kashif Qayyum, the deputy commissioner of Buner, said most of Friday’s casualties occurred in these two areas. Residents described the floods as sudden and overwhelming. “We had no warning. The water came so fast, many didn’t even have time to step out of their homes,” said Mohammad Khan, 53, a resident of Pir Baba. At a local government hospital in Buner, Dr. Mohammad Tariq said most of the deceased were already dead upon arrival. “Among the victims were mostly men and children, while many women were away in the hills collecting firewood and grazing livestock,” he noted. The provincial disaster management authority reported that 351 people have died this week alone in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan due to weather-related disasters. Meanwhile, across the border in Indian-administered Kashmir, flash floods have also claimed dozens of lives and forced hundreds to flee. Cloudbursts and intense rainfall are becoming increasingly frequent in the Himalayan regions of both Pakistan and India — a phenomenon experts attribute to climate change. Over 200 dead as flash floods hit India, Pakistan Since Thursday, Pakistani rescue teams have evacuated more than 3,500 tourists from flood-stricken areas. Authorities have repeatedly urged people to avoid travel to northern and northwestern regions due to the risk of further landslides and flooding, but many have ignored the warnings. Pakistan is still recovering from the devastating 2022 monsoon season, which left over 1,700 dead and caused an estimated $40 billion in damages.  

President Donald Trump failed to secure a peace agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, ending their high-profile summit in Alaska without a breakthrough in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Despite offering Putin a warm welcome, Trump left empty-handed in what was seen as his biggest diplomatic test to date. Speaking after the summit, Trump said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal,” while Putin suggested the two had reached a vague “understanding” and warned Europe not to derail what he described as early progress. Trump said he would soon brief Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies on the outcome. Trump, who had promised a swift end to the war when he returned to office, couldn’t even convince Putin to agree to a temporary halt in fighting. This, despite earlier moves to pressure Ukraine’s leadership and limit military aid. While Trump threatened new sanctions and greeted Putin with ceremony at the military base in Anchorage, no substantial progress was made. Instead, the meeting served to boost Putin’s international image after years of isolation by the West over his war in Ukraine and domestic crackdowns. The summit also delayed the threat of new U.S. sanctions. In a sign of disappointment, a planned joint press conference ended without taking questions from the media. Later, in a Fox News interview, Trump shifted focus, suggesting that it might now be Zelenskyy’s responsibility to move peace efforts forward—despite not being invited to the summit. Trump had hoped to showcase his negotiating abilities, while Putin sought concessions that would solidify Russia’s battlefield gains, block Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, and bring the country back under Moscow’s influence. “We made significant progress,” Trump said alongside Putin. “There are just a few points left, one very serious. But we didn’t reach an agreement.” Putin: Trump Understands Russia’s Priorities For Putin, stepping onto U.S. soil for the first time in over a decade marked a symbolic victory. He framed the summit as a chance to rebuild pragmatic ties with Washington and praised Trump as someone who respects that Russia has its own national interests. Putin expressed hope that the talks would serve as a turning point in U.S.–Russia relations and possibly lay the foundation for resolving the Ukraine conflict. Although no concrete agreement was reached, Trump closed the meeting by thanking Putin and hinting at a future encounter. When Putin suggested meeting “next time in Moscow,” Trump replied that it was “an interesting one,” acknowledging that such a visit could draw criticism but might still happen. Trump later told Fox News that Putin echoed many of his own views—including grievances about the 2020 U.S. election—raising concerns that the Russian leader may have successfully flattered Trump into viewing the summit as a personal win, despite its lack of results. The two leaders greeted each other warmly upon arrival, shaking hands at length and chatting while military jets soared overhead. Putin even rode in Trump’s presidential limo to the meeting venue. The red-carpet treatment stood in stark contrast to Putin’s role in launching the ongoing war in Ukraine and may have unsettled European allies watching from afar. Summit Format Altered, Zelenskyy Left Out White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed just before Trump’s arrival that the meeting format had changed: instead of a one-on-one talk, it would include three officials from each side. Trump was joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, while Putin brought Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and adviser Yuri Ushakov. The format change appeared to be a more cautious approach compared to Trump’s controversial 2018 summit with Putin in Helsinki, where the two met privately and Trump publicly questioned U.S. intelligence on Russian election interference. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s absence from the Alaska talks marked a clear departure from the West’s longstanding policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” further fueling concerns in Kyiv and Europe. Peace Still Out of Reach Russia and Ukraine remain at odds on key conditions for peace. Putin has rejected any temporary ceasefire unless the West halts arms shipments to Ukraine and Kyiv stops mobilizing troops—terms flatly rejected by Ukrainian and Western leaders. Now in its fourth year, the war continues to claim lives and drain resources on both sides. Ukraine, though far smaller than Russia, has managed to hold out since the invasion began in early 2022. Still, it faces relentless attacks across a sprawling 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. Trump-Putin Talks in Alaska Could Redefine Moscow-Washington Relations   Alaska’s proximity to Russia—just 3 miles (5 kilometers) across the Bering Strait—gave the summit additional symbolic weight. The Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a key Cold War outpost, remains a hub for intercepting Russian aircraft entering U.S. airspace.