United News of Bangladesh

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.  

Germany said Monday it will lift its temporary restrictions on military equipment exports to Israel later this month, citing the stabilization of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in August that Berlin would halt approvals for any exports that could be used in Gaza after Israel’s Cabinet decided to take control of Gaza City. Government spokesperson Sebastian Hille said the suspension will end on November 24. “Since Oct. 10, we have had a ceasefire in Gaza and it has fundamentally stabilized,” Hille told reporters, calling it the basis for resuming normal export procedures. He said Germany expects all parties to uphold the agreements reached, including maintaining the ceasefire and ensuring large-scale humanitarian aid continues. Hille declined to say whether Israel had submitted any requests for equipment during the suspension period or whether Berlin withheld any items. Once the restrictions are lifted, Germany will review military export applications on a case-by-case basis, following its standard policy, he added. Merz’s decision to impose the restrictions in August had been viewed as a significant step by a government known for its strong support for Israel. The reversal was welcomed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who urged other countries to follow Germany’s lead in a post on X.  

President Donald Trump said Sunday that he intends to meet with New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, and suggested the two would “work something out,” hinting at a possible easing of tensions between them. For months, Trump has attacked Mamdani—incorrectly calling him a “communist” and warning that New York would be ruined if the democratic socialist won. He even threatened to revoke federal funding for the city and suggested Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and later became a U.S. citizen, could be deported. Mamdani, once a little-known state legislator, gained national attention on social media and became a prominent figure opposing Trump during his mayoral run. He promoted a series of progressive proposals and campaigned in direct contrast to Trump’s hard-line immigration policies in his second term. At 34, Mamdani won support from a wide range of New Yorkers and beat former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly nine points. In his victory speech, he said New York should lead the way in countering the president. Still, the next day he emphasized that he was open to cooperating with anyone—including Trump—if it would benefit the city once he takes office in January. Mamdani’s team did not immediately respond to Trump’s comments, but a spokesperson referred back to earlier remarks in which the mayor-elect said he planned to contact the White House because maintaining that relationship would be essential for New York’s success. Trump echoed that tone on Sunday, telling reporters before returning to Washington from Florida that the mayor-elect wanted to meet and that they would figure something out. The White House press secretary later confirmed Trump was referring to Mamdani, though no meeting date has been scheduled. Trump added that his administration also might soon speak with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro after recent military activity near Venezuela, saying he was willing to talk to anyone.

India’s anti-terror investigating agency said Sunday it arrested a man from Indian-controlled Kashmir on suspicion of conspiring with a suicide bomber to carry out a deadly car blast in the capital New Delhi. The National Investigating Agency said in a statement that the car that exploded on Monday was registered to Amir Rashid Ali, who it alleged had traveled to New Delhi from Indian-controlled Kashmir to facilitate the purchase of the vehicle. It said Ali's arrest was a “major breakthrough” in the case. The explosion killed 10 people and injured 32 others near the city’s historic Red Fort. Indian officials called it a “heinous terror incident” carried out by “anti-national forces.” The car blast happened hours after police in Kashmir said they had dismantled a suspected militant cell operating from the disputed region, arresting at least seven people, including two Kashmiri doctors from Indian cities, and seizing a large quantity of bomb-making material. The investigating agency identified the car’s driver and suspected suicide bomber as Umar Un Nabi, also a Kashmiri, a doctor teaching at a medical college in the city of Faridabad, near New Delhi. Government forces blew up his family home in the southern district of Pulwama on Thursday night, officials said, as a reprisal for the attack. Indian security agencies also have carried out a series of raids across Kashmir as part of their investigation, questioning thousands and detaining hundreds of people. On Friday night, some of the explosives confiscated from Faridabad and brought to Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar by the police detonated inside a police station, killing at least nine people and injuring 32 others.

Lebanon’s president asked the country’s foreign minister Saturday to work on filing a complaint against Israel for building a wall inside Lebanese territory. A statement released by President Joseph Aoun’s office said he has asked the foreign minister to include in the complaint statement issued by the United Nations peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL that is deployed along the border with Israel. On Friday, UNIFIL said in a statement that the Israeli army erected a wall southwest of the Lebanese village of Yaroun. UNIFIL said the wall crossed the border line, rendering more than 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) of Lebanese territory “inaccessible to the Lebanese people.” UNIFIL said it has informed the Israeli army of its findings and requested that they remove the wall. It said that construction of the wall violates the U.N. Security Council resolution that ended that 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire reached in November last year. UNIFIL added that the wall violates “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The Israeli military said the wall, whose construction began in 2022, is part of a broader plan for reinforcements along the border. It said that since the start of the war the Israeli army has been advancing a series of measures, including reinforcing the physical barrier along the northern border. The Israeli army said it should be emphasized that the wall does not cross the Blue Line, the boundary between Lebanon and Israel drawn up by the U.N. which UNIFIL monitors and patrols. The Israel-Hezbollah war started when Hezbollah began firing rockets across the border on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after a deadly Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel sparked the war in Gaza. Israel responded with shelling and airstrikes in Lebanon, and the two sides became locked in an escalating conflict that became a full-blown war in late September 2024.

At least seven people were killed and 27 others injured when a cache of seized explosives blew up inside a police station in Srinagar, the main city of Indian-administered Kashmir. The explosion occurred late Friday (November 14) at the Nowgam police station in southern Srinagar. Most of the victims were police personnel and forensic experts who were examining the materials when they detonated, according to unnamed sources cited by Indian broadcaster NDTV. Two officials from the Srinagar administration were also among the dead. With five of the injured in critical condition, the death toll may rise, NDTV reported. “This was not a terror attack. Police say it was a tragic accident,” NDTV senior executive editor Aditya Raj Kaul wrote on social media. He added that the blast occurred while officers and forensic teams were inspecting the stored explosives. The incident comes just days after a deadly car explosion in New Delhi on Monday that killed at least 12 people near the historic Red Fort. Authorities have labelled that explosion a “terror” attack. Read more: Bangladesh stands by India at this distressful hour Hours before the New Delhi blast, police had arrested several suspects and seized explosives and assault rifles. Officials said the suspects were linked to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), a Pakistan-based group fighting Indian rule in Kashmir, and its local affiliate Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. In connection with the New Delhi incident, authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have detained more than 650 people. Reports say the Nowgam police station had been investigating JeM posters displayed in the area warning of attacks on security forces and non-locals. Police said the probe exposed a “white-collar terror network” involving radicalised professionals and students connected to handlers in Pakistan and elsewhere. Investigators also seized nearly 3,000kg of ammonium nitrate—commonly used in bomb-making—believing the armed group was amassing materials for a major attack. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since 1947, with both countries claiming the region. The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars over Kashmir, and tensions over the contested territory continue to run high. Read more: Touhid dismisses Indian media reports Source: AL Jazeera

Haitian police engaged in a prolonged firefight with gangs from Thursday night into Friday, killing seven gang members and deliberately destroying a helicopter that was forced to land during the operation, authorities said. The incident took place in Croix des Bouquets, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. According to a Haitian National Police (PNH) statement on Facebook, the helicopter experienced a “suspected malfunction” and had to make an emergency landing. Police officers were unharmed, but set the aircraft on fire to prevent gangs from seizing it. Videos posted online Friday appeared to show gang members celebrating next to the burned helicopter. PNH spokesperson Garry Desrosiers confirmed that seven gang members were killed. Police also recovered a Barrett semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle used in the confrontation — a powerful, high-capacity weapon authorities say gangs frequently use to intimidate civilians. Croix des Bouquets is dominated by Viv Ansanm (“Living Together”), a major gang alliance designated by the U.S. as a foreign terrorist organization. Gang influence in Haiti has surged in recent years, with criminal groups now controlling roughly 90% of the capital. Violence has displaced a record 1.4 million people, according to the U.N. International Organization for Migration. The U.N. is supporting a Kenya-led mission to counter Haiti’s gangs, though critics say the effort suffers from inadequate staffing and funding.

The United States intensified efforts Friday to rally support for its Gaza proposal at the U.N., while Russia introduced an alternative resolution that removes language about a transitional authority to be led by President Donald Trump and instead calls on the U.N. to outline options for an international stabilization force. The U.S. and eight nations involved in brokering the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — Qatar, Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan, and Turkey — issued a joint statement urging the 15-member Security Council to quickly approve the latest U.S. draft. Of the eight, only Pakistan currently sits on the council. The American proposal underwent revisions this week after some council members objected, prompting the U.S. to add more explicit references to Palestinian self-determination. A U.N. diplomat familiar with the talks, speaking anonymously, said both the U.S. and Russian drafts are expected to go to a vote early next week. The U.S. resolution is seen as likely to secure the nine votes needed to pass, with Russia and China expected to abstain rather than veto. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump’s ceasefire framework “is the best path to peace in the Middle East,” and argued that the U.S. resolution is key to advancing it. The American draft backs Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan, which includes the creation of a Board of Peace — a transitional authority Trump would lead — and authorizes a broad international stabilization force in Gaza responsible for border oversight, security, and demilitarization. Countries open to contributing troops have said such authority is essential. After concerns were raised that the draft did not sufficiently address a future Palestinian state, the U.S. updated the text. It now states that once reforms to the Palestinian Authority are implemented and Gaza reconstruction advances, conditions could emerge for a “credible pathway” to Palestinian statehood and self-determination. Russia’s competing draft, obtained by the Associated Press, contains stronger endorsements of a two-state solution and stresses that the West Bank and Gaza must form a unified state under the Palestinian Authority. Russia said its proposal aims to ensure the Security Council has the proper authority and tools to uphold international peace and insists that any resolution must reaffirm core principles — especially the two-state solution. Moscow argued that the U.S. draft lacked these elements, prompting it to circulate its own text to “bring it into conformity” with previous council positions. The Russian mission emphasized that its version does not oppose the U.S. initiative and acknowledges the crucial mediation efforts by the U.S., Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey that helped secure the ceasefire and hostage releases. Russia added that it supports parts of Trump’s plan that led to renewed humanitarian access, the exchange of bodies, and the freeing of detainees. On Thursday, the U.S. mission warned that attempts to create division could have “grave and entirely avoidable consequences” for Palestinians in Gaza and urged the council to unite behind the American resolution.