United News of Bangladesh

European leaders on Thursday emphasized that Ukraine and European countries must be consulted on any efforts to end Russia’s invasion, amid reports of a proposed U.S.-Russia peace plan that could require major concessions from Kyiv. The plan, first reported by Axios, reportedly includes granting Russia control over parts of eastern Ukraine, rolling back some U.S. military assistance, and other territorial concessions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly rejected ceding territory. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said, “For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board.” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed the stance, stressing that all ceasefire and peace negotiations must involve Ukraine and Europe. U.S. officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, visited Kyiv Thursday to advance diplomatic efforts, while White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller highlighted President Trump’s goal to achieve peace in Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no formal consultations with the U.S. are currently underway. European diplomats have expressed concern over being excluded from peace talks and criticized Russia for continuing attacks on civilian infrastructure. Kallas condemned the recent strike on Ternopil that killed 26 people, saying Moscow could have agreed to an unconditional ceasefire earlier. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski underscored Europe’s role, stating that as the main supporter of Ukraine, it expects to be fully consulted on any peace efforts.  

Pakistani troops stormed two Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country’s northwest near the Afghan frontier, sparking heavy gun battles that resulted in the deaths of 23 militants, the military announced Thursday. The statement provided no information regarding any military casualties. The operations were carried out Wednesday in the Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and followed earlier raids this week across the northwest that the army says left 38 militants dead. The military referred to the militants killed as “Khawarij,” a term used by Pakistani authorities for fighters they claim receive support from Afghanistan and India — including members of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul and New Delhi reject these allegations. The TTP, while distinct from Afghanistan’s Taliban, maintains close ties with the group and has grown more assertive since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021. Many of the group’s leaders and members are believed to be based in safe havens across the Afghan border, contributing to rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly called on Kabul to curb TTP activities. A ceasefire between the two countries has been mostly intact since October 19, when Qatar mediated a truce after both sides exchanged fire at border checkpoints. The flare-up began when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of launching drone strikes in Kabul on October 9 that killed several people. Border crossings between the two nations have remained closed since last month.  

Haiti spent nearly two tense hours in collective anticipation as the nation’s hardships momentarily slipped from view with the prospect of returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974. For a brief moment, the ongoing violence, hunger, and displacement were overshadowed when Louicius Deedson struck in the ninth minute against Nicaragua on Tuesday, followed by a Ruben Providence header just before the break. The 2-0 victory secured Haiti only its second World Cup appearance in history. Shouts in Haitian Creole of “Grenadye, alaso!” filled the country's streets, homes and makeshift shelters as fans urged their team, the Grenadiers, to attack. Haiti didn’t just need a win over Nicaragua; it wanted to prove that despite the multiple crises weighing the country down, it could still pull through and hold its head high like it has throughout its troubled history. “It means more than just a win. It is hope, it is unity at a time when the country faces so many challenges,” said Pierre Jean-Jacques, a 25-year-old mechanic who watched the game at home. “I was fully focused. My heart was racing.” After the match, he joined thousands of fans who bounced late into the night through streets normally empty at that hour out of fear of being killed or kidnapped. “This victory brings a moment of joy,” he said. “I’m proud. I believe we can rise together.” Tuesday night's win coincided with the 222nd anniversary of the historic Battle of Vertières, which helped Haiti become the world’s first Black republic. “They couldn’t have chosen a better date for our warriors to go to the World Cup,” said Vladimir Dorvale, 18, who had a small Haitian flag tied around his neck and was walking briskly to a friend's house to talk about the game. But the odds were against Haiti, where euphoria remained high on Wednesday. The team played all their home games in the tiny Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao because it was too dangerous to do so in Haiti, where armed gangs control up to 90% of its capital, Port-au-Prince. Their coach, Sébastien Migné, told France Football magazine that he remotely managed certain players who were in Haiti. He couldn't fly to the country where gang violence has shut down the main international airport several times. When Deedson knocked the first ball in, gunfire erupted in André Michaud's neighborhood, startling the 23-year-old student who watched the game at a bar near his house because it had a generator and the power was out again. “I didn’t know if the gangs had invaded,” he said, adding that he settled down after realizing it was celebratory. “All my life, I’ve been supporting other teams in the World Cup: Brazil, Argentina,” he said. “Now, I can finally support my country. I'm hopeful that Haiti can go far." Shortly after the victory, a joyful crowd marched through the narrow streets of one neighborhood under the rain, playing music and chanting, “Haiti has qualified! We don’t have a state!” in reference to the deep political instability rocking Haiti. Thousands of other fans danced through the streets of Pétionville late into the night. When gunfire erupted briefly during the celebration, the crowd raised its hands and cheered. Such noise normally scatters people in a country where more than 4,300 were killed from January to September. “I hope you guys are going to enjoy it. It’s not finished. It’s just the start,” forward Duckens Nazon said after the game in a video posted online. “There are many people who didn’t believe in us, but us, we believe in us.”

A 12-year-old diagnosed with lupus found himself soaring through the air on a high-ropes course at a New York sleepaway camp — something his family once thought he could never safely experience. Dylan Aristy Mota took part in the camp after doctors assured his mother that medical staff would be present throughout the program. The setup gave him a rare chance to enjoy a normal childhood experience without fear. “It’s really fun,” Dylan said. He added that knowing doctors were nearby gave him peace of mind: “If anything else pops up, they can catch it faster than if we had to wait til we got home.” Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, myositis and certain forms of arthritis — in which the immune system attacks the body instead of protecting it — are typically associated with adults. But specialists say children can develop them too, though cases are less common than Type 1 diabetes. “People often ask, ‘Can kids have arthritis? Can kids have lupus?’” said Dr Natalia Vasquez-Canizares, a pediatric rheumatologist at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, which partnered with Frost Valley YMCA to help young patients attend a traditional summer camp despite strict medication schedules and parents’ anxieties. “Imagine for an adult, it’s difficult. If you have that disease since you’re young, it’s very difficult to, you know, cope with,” she said. The illnesses can be especially severe when they strike before puberty, and strong genetic factors are often involved. While environmental stresses like infections can trigger autoimmune disorders at any age, genes play a larger role when the disease begins early in life, said Dr Laura Lewandowski of the National Institutes of Health. In children, symptoms can be subtle. Some may limp or return to crawling rather than complain about joint pain, Vasquez-Canizares said. Dylan said he had looked “normal” before his symptoms appeared. Then, “my face turned like the bright pink, and it started to like get more and more red,” he said. His family initially thought it was allergies, and he went through multiple appointments before being diagnosed with lupus in January. Treatment is complicated for young patients. Drugs that control inflammation weaken developing immune systems that are still learning to fight infections. Some medicines can also affect bone growth. Researchers are working on better options. Seattle Children’s Hospital recently launched the first clinical trial of CAR-T therapy for pediatric lupus. The treatment reprograms a patient’s own immune cells to destroy harmful B cells. Trials in adults with lupus and other autoimmune diseases have shown early signs of long-term, drug-free remission. Another promising area of study involves preventing a rare but serious fetal heart defect caused by specific antibodies found in lupus, Sjögren’s and other autoimmune diseases. Dr Jill Buyon at NYU Langone Health is testing whether a drug used for another condition can protect babies at risk. The antibody can cross the placenta at a critical stage of heart development and disrupt normal rhythm. Some existing treatments reduce the risk but cannot fully prevent it. Buyon’s team recently reported the healthy birth of a girl to a mother with mild lupus. “This is a rare example where we know the exact point in time at which this is going to happen,” said Dr Philip Carlucci, an NYU rheumatology fellow and study co-author. Kelsey Kim, who previously lost a baby to the condition and had another child who needed a pacemaker, chose the experimental treatment during her latest pregnancy. Her third daughter was born healthy in June after she made weekly trips from northern Virginia to NYU for about three months. Buyon’s team plans a clinical trial to expand access to other high-risk mothers. At the New York camp, the main goal for doctors was to help children feel like kids again after months or years of strict medication routines. “I do kind of get to forget about it,” said 11-year-old Ethan Blanchfield-Killeen, who lives with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a childhood version of rheumatoid arthritis that causes stiff and painful joints. During camp, a doctor checked his hands one day. On another, he ran across the grass covered in paint during a spirited game of paint tag. “Just seeing them in a different perspective almost brings tears to my eyes,” said Vasquez-Canizares.  

A Lebanese government agency says an Israeli airstrike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed 13 people and injured several others, marking the deadliest attack in Lebanon since the ceasefire that ended last year’s Israel-Hezbollah conflict. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the strike—carried out by a drone—hit a vehicle parked near a mosque in the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp outside the coastal city of Sidon. The Health Ministry confirmed the death toll but did not release additional information. Hamas members in the camp blocked journalists from accessing the site, while emergency crews worked to transport the injured and the dead. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas training site used to plan attacks on Israel, adding it would continue operating against Hamas wherever the group is active. Hamas rejected this claim, stating the strike hit a recreational field rather than a training facility. Over the past two years, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed numerous leaders from Hezbollah and Palestinian groups, including Hamas. Among those killed was Saleh Arouri, Hamas’ deputy political chief and a founder of its military wing, who died in a drone strike near Beirut on January 2, 2024. Several other Hamas figures have been targeted since. Hamas carried out the October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, triggering Israel’s massive offensive in Gaza, which the Gaza Health Ministry says resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths. One day after the war between Israel and Hamas began, Hezbollah launched rockets at Israeli positions along the border, prompting Israeli shelling and airstrikes in Lebanon. The exchanges escalated into a full-scale war by late September 2024. That conflict—one of several involving Hezbollah in the last 40 years—left more than 4,000 people dead in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians, and caused an estimated $11 billion in damage, according to the World Bank. Israel reported 127 deaths, including 80 soldiers. The war concluded in late November 2024 with a ceasefire brokered by the United States. Since then, Israel has conducted multiple airstrikes in Lebanon, saying Hezbollah is attempting to rebuild its military strength. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says more than 270 people have been killed and roughly 850 wounded in Israeli operations since the ceasefire.

Britain’s domestic intelligence agency has issued a fresh warning that Chinese spies are approaching lawmakers and other influential figures through LinkedIn and professional recruiters to build long-term influence networks. House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle informed MPs on Tuesday about a new MI5 “espionage alert” that says Chinese nationals linked to the Ministry of State Security are conducting large-scale outreach using LinkedIn profiles, headhunters and cover firms. Their objective is to gather information and cultivate relationships that could later be exploited, Hoyle said. MI5 raised the alert because the activity is both “targeted and widespread.” The notice identified two women — Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen — as among those allegedly fronting for Chinese intelligence. Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis told MPs that not only parliamentary staff but also economists, think tank researchers and government officials have been targeted. He described the outreach as “a covert and calculated attempt by a foreign power to interfere with our sovereign affairs.” U.K. intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned in recent years about espionage risks linked to China, one of Britain’s biggest trading partners. Jarvis said the government is taking new steps, including a £170 million investment to upgrade encrypted systems used by civil servants. Opposition parties argue the response remains too cautious due to concerns over damaging economic ties with Beijing. Spy case collapse draws scrutiny The warning follows widespread criticism over the collapse of a high-profile prosecution involving two men accused of spying for China. Academic Christopher Berry and parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash had been charged with providing sensitive information between 2021 and 2023 but saw their case dropped in September. Prosecutors said the trial could not proceed because the government declined to testify under oath about whether China constituted a national security threat at the time. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rejected accusations that ministers interfered. MI5 previously raised an alert in 2022 accusing London-based lawyer Christine Lee of engaging in political interference activities in coordination with the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, including facilitating covert donations to British politicians. MI5 Director-General Ken McCallum recently warned that Chinese state-linked actors pose a daily threat to U.K. security through cyberespionage, technology theft and “covert efforts to interfere in public life.”  

Artificial intelligence has become one of the most divisive topics at the U.N. climate talks in Brazil, with tech companies praising its potential to tackle global warming while climate groups warn that its growing energy use is adding new environmental risks. At COP30, several countries and major firms highlighted how AI could improve electric grid efficiency, forecast weather for farmers, track deep-sea species and help design infrastructure able to withstand extreme climate impacts. They argue the technology can accelerate climate solutions at a critical moment. Environmental advocates, however, say the rapid growth of AI — and the electricity and water demands of its data centers — could undermine global emission targets. “AI right now is a completely unregulated beast,” said Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity, warning that the world risks drifting further from the 2015 Paris Agreement goals. Tech officials maintain that AI is already delivering climate benefits. Adam Elman, Google’s sustainability director, called AI “a real enabler,” while acknowledging the need for responsible use. Demand for AI tools has surged at the summit, with Michal Nachmany of Climate Policy Radar saying interest is “unbelievable” but accompanied by widespread concern. AI’s prominence at COP30 marks a shift from previous summits. Nitin Arora of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change said the body’s Global Innovation Hub, launched at COP26, has been flooded with AI-focused proposals. The Associated Press counted at least 24 AI-related events during the first week, ranging from tools to help cities exchange energy to forest crime prediction systems. The summit also presented its first AI for Climate Action Award to a project addressing water scarcity in Laos. Delegates from several countries are testing AI systems to navigate the complexities of climate negotiations. German data scientist Johannes Jacob introduced an app prototype, NegotiateCOP, designed to help small delegations process hundreds of official documents and “level the playing field.” Tech-sector representatives at COP30 insist AI can speed up solutions in energy and sustainability. Nvidia’s head of sustainability, Josh Parker, described AI as “the best resource any of us can have,” arguing that nearly every climate challenge could be solved faster with more intelligence. Leaders from Burkina Faso and the European Commission said AI is a powerful but risky tool that requires careful oversight. The environmental impact of AI continues to fuel concerns. According to the International Energy Agency, data centers accounted for about 1.5% of global electricity consumption in 2024, with demand growing around 12% per year since 2017 — far outpacing overall electricity use. Su warned that water-intensive data centers in drought-prone regions and increasing emissions linked to AI operations could threaten national climate commitments. Environmental groups at COP30 are pushing for regulations such as mandatory public-interest reviews for new data centers and requirements for full on-site renewable energy. “COP can’t treat AI as just a techno solution,” Su said. “It has to understand the deep climate consequences.”    

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he intends to move forward with selling F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, despite internal administration worries that the deal could allow China to gain access to sensitive U.S. military technology. The announcement comes just before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s much-anticipated visit to Washington — his first in over seven years. When asked about the potential sale, Trump confirmed, “We’ll be selling F-35s.” The jet purchase is one of several major agreements expected to be unveiled during the crown prince’s trip. Saudi Arabia is also set to roll out a large investment in U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure and announce new civil nuclear cooperation with Washington, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The crown prince is arriving with key priorities, including formal U.S. security guarantees for the kingdom and approval to buy the advanced F-35 aircraft. However, the administration has been cautious about jeopardizing Israel’s military advantage in the region, especially as Trump leans on Israeli support for his Gaza peace initiative. Another concern — the same one that halted a similar proposed F-35 sale to the United Arab Emirates — is the risk that the aircraft’s technology could be compromised or passed to China, given Beijing’s strong ties with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Recent joint Saudi-Chinese naval exercises and China’s role in mediating Saudi-Iranian rapprochement have heightened these worries. China also overtook the U.S. last year as Saudi Arabia’s top trading partner, though the U.S. remains Riyadh’s preferred arms supplier. Bradley Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said Congress will likely seek assurances that Riyadh is limiting sensitive cooperation with Beijing, and that Israel’s qualitative military edge is protected. Broader diplomatic contextTrump’s announcement comes as he attempts to broker normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He has promoted the expansion of his Abraham Accords — which established ties between Israel and several Arab states — as central to securing long-term Middle East stability amid a delicate Gaza ceasefire. “I hope that Saudi Arabia will be going into the Abraham Accords very shortly,” Trump said Friday aboard Air Force One. But U.S. officials acknowledge privately that progress is slow. Saudi Arabia insists that a clear path to Palestinian statehood must be part of any normalization deal — a position Israel strongly opposes. The U.N. Security Council on Monday approved a U.S. plan for Gaza that authorizes an international stabilization force and outlines a possible route toward Palestinian statehood. While Saudi leaders are unlikely to join the accords immediately, officials say an agreement later in Trump’s second term remains possible. Bowman argued that Trump should condition F-35 delivery on Saudi-Israeli normalization to preserve leverage. The Trump administration had previously notified Congress in late 2020 of a plan to sell F-35 jets to the UAE as part of a $23 billion package following the signing of the Abraham Accords. But President Biden paused the sale shortly after taking office. Human rights concernsTrump’s new arms deal is expected to draw criticism from human rights advocates. Prince Mohammed’s visit is his first since 2018, when he embarked on a lengthy U.S. tour seeking to soften Saudi Arabia’s image amid concerns about conservative laws, women’s rights issues, and lingering stigma tied to the fact that most 9/11 hijackers were Saudi citizens. Saudi Arabia’s global reputation suffered further after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul later that year, an operation U.S. intelligence agencies concluded the crown prince likely authorized — a claim he denies. But seven years later, Trump has restored close ties with the 40-year-old crown prince, whom he sees as central to shaping the region’s future. “They have been a great ally,” Trump said.

The United Nations on Monday gave strong backing to the Trump administration’s strategy for stabilizing and administering Gaza, offering crucial international support for U.S. efforts to guide the war-torn region toward peace after two years of conflict. The U.S.-sponsored resolution, approved by the U.N. Security Council, authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security in Gaza, establishes a transitional governing body to be overseen by President Donald Trump, and outlines a possible future path toward an independent Palestinian state. Trump celebrated the vote on social media, calling it one of the UN’s most significant approvals and a milestone for global peace. The resolution formally supports Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan and builds on the fragile truce he helped negotiate with U.S. allies. It represents a major step in defining Gaza’s future following the Israel-Hamas war, which left widespread destruction and tens of thousands dead. First major winter rains flood Gaza tent camp, worsen crisis Under the proposal, a new “Board of Peace” would act as a temporary governing authority led by Trump. The stabilization force would receive broad authority, including border control, security operations, and disarmament efforts. Its mandate, along with the board’s, would expire at the end of 2027. Arab and Muslim nations that had indicated willingness to contribute troops had made clear that UN authorization was a necessary condition for their participation. Russia, which had introduced a competing proposal, abstained along with China in the final 13–0 vote, avoiding use of its veto power. Hamas rejected the resolution, saying it fails to meet the political and humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people. Stronger language on Palestinian statehood helped secure supportU.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said the resolution “marks another significant step toward a stable and prosperous Gaza” and toward ensuring Israel’s security. The measure came after nearly two weeks of negotiations in which Arab nations and Palestinian representatives pushed the U.S. to take a firmer stance on Palestinian self-determination. US pushes for support on Gaza resolution as Russia puts forward competing draft While the resolution acknowledges the possibility of eventual Palestinian statehood, it gives no specific timeline or guarantees. It states that such progress could come after substantial reconstruction in Gaza and reforms within the Palestinian Authority. The revised text says these developments could create “conditions for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” It also promises the U.S. will facilitate talks between Israel and the Palestinians on a long-term political framework. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to Palestinian statehood, even as his coalition expressed concern about the resolution’s endorsement of a “pathway” to independence. Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon praised Trump for advancing peace efforts. Algeria’s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama thanked Trump for helping secure the ceasefire but emphasized that lasting peace in the Middle East requires justice for Palestinians. A coalition of Arab and Muslim nations—including Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey—had issued a joint statement encouraging quick adoption of the proposal. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow abstained because the resolution gives too little power to the Security Council and stops short of firmly supporting Palestinian statehood. The vote bolsters hopes that the fragile ceasefire will hold. The war began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people; Israel’s response has killed over 69,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, who say most victims are women and children. Additional elements of the U.S. proposalTrump said the members of the new Board of Peace would be announced in the coming weeks, along with other planned initiatives. The resolution directs the stabilization force to oversee Gaza’s demilitarization and ensure weapons held by non-state groups are permanently removed. Hamas criticized this aspect, saying it compromises the force’s neutrality and aligns it with Israel. The force is authorized to use military measures as needed to fulfill its mandate. Troops will help secure Gaza’s borders alongside a Palestinian police force they will train and vet, and will work with other nations to ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians. They will coordinate closely with Egypt and Israel. As the force takes control on the ground, Israeli troops are expected to withdraw from Gaza according to benchmarks and timelines tied to the demilitarization process—terms that must be agreed upon by the stabilization force, Israel, the U.S., and ceasefire guarantors.

Several thousand people marched through Mexico City on Saturday denouncing rising crime, corruption and widespread impunity, in a rally initially called by Generation Z activists but later bolstered by strong turnout from older opposition supporters. The march remained largely peaceful until its final stretch, when a group of young protesters clashed with police. They hurled stones, fireworks, sticks and chains, seizing shields and other police gear. Capital Security Secretary Pablo Vázquez said 120 people were injured — 100 of them police officers — and that 20 demonstrators were detained. Members of Gen Z — those born from the late 1990s to early 2010s — have staged protests in several countries this year, targeting inequality, corruption and democratic setbacks. The largest demonstrations unfolded in Nepal in September after a social media ban, ultimately forcing the prime minister to resign. In Mexico, many young people say entrenched corruption and rampant violent crime have left them feeling powerless. “We need more security,” said 29-year-old business consultant Andres Massa, waving the pirate-skull flag that has become an international symbol of Gen Z activism. Others joined with their own demands. Arizbeth Garcia, a 43-year-old physician, said she marched for better public health funding and because doctors “are also exposed to the insecurity gripping the country.” President Claudia Sheinbaum remains broadly popular despite a string of high-profile killings, including the recent assassination of a widely known mayor in Michoacan state. Ahead of the rally, she accused right-wing parties of trying to insert themselves into the Gen Z movement and using social media bots to inflate turnout. Some influencers distanced themselves from the protest during the week, but older figures — including former President Vicente Fox and billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego — publicly endorsed it. People of several generations joined Saturday’s march, including supporters of slain Michoacan Mayor Carlos Manzo, who wore the straw hats associated with his movement. “The state is dying,” said 65-year-old real estate agent Rosa Maria Avila, who traveled from Patzcuaro. Manzo “was killed because he sent officers into the mountains to confront criminals. He had the courage to face them,” she said.