United News of Bangladesh

Nepal's prime minister on Monday appointed three new ministers to her interim administration, tasked with overseeing fresh elections in March following last week's violent street protests that led to the previous government's collapse. Sushila Karki, the Himalayan country's first female prime minster, appointed Kalman Gurung as energy minister, Rameshore Khanal as finance minister and Om Prakash Aryal as home minister. Karki, 73, was named prime minister on Sept. 12. She was a popular figure while serving as the Supreme Court’s chief justice in 2016 and 2017, and was known for standing against corruption in the government. Last week's massive demonstrations — called the protest of Gen Z — ended with at least 72 people killed and hundreds wounded. The army stepped in to impose a curfew and finally agreed to make Karki the head of an interim government that will hold elections in six months. “I did not come to this position because I had sought it but because there were voices from the streets demanding that Sushila Karki should be given the responsibility," Karki said Sunday. “We are here for only six months to complete the task given to us and transfer the responsibility to the upcoming government and ministers.” Karki faces challenges as she seeks to balance the expectations of the young generation of protesters and older political leaders, and rebuild government structures that were destroyed in the violent protests. “What we need now is to work to end corruption, bring good governance and economic equality,” Karki said. Chandra Lal Mehta, a student, said she believes voters will choose a younger leader when elections are held in March but pointed to Karki's expertise in legal matters as a qualification for her current role as prime minister. Businessperson Shrawan Dahl said Karki is the right person to lead the interim government because she has the support of the army and the people. “Her purpose is to hold the election and our hope is that she will complete the task successfully," Dahl said. In April 2017, lawmakers tried to impeach Karki when she was chief justice of the Supreme Court, accusing her of bias, but the move was unsuccessful and criticized as an attack on the judiciary. The massive demonstrations began on Sept. 8 over a short-lived social media ban. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets, particularly young people, angry about widespread corruption and poverty, while the children of political leaders, known as “nepo kids,” seemed to enjoy luxurious lifestyles. The protests turned violent, with demonstrators attacking the Parliament building and police opening fire. Protesters attacked and set on fire the offices of the president, Supreme Court, key government ministries and several police stations on Sept. 9, a day after police shot at protesters. The businesses and houses of key families were also attacked, including several stores of a popular supermarket chain in Nepal. Calm was restored after the army took control of the streets that night, and negotiations between protesters, the army and the president began over an interim government.

Ukrainian drones struck one of Russia’s largest oil refineries overnight, sparking a fire at the facility in the Leningrad region, officials from both countries confirmed Sunday. The attack targeted the Kirishi refinery, operated by energy giant Surgutneftegas, which processes nearly 17.7 million metric tons of crude annually (about 355,000 barrels per day), making it one of Russia’s top three refineries by output. The strike follows weeks of Ukrainian drone assaults on Russian energy infrastructure that Kyiv says fuels Moscow’s war effort. Ukraine’s General Staff reported explosions and a fire at the site, posting an image showing flames and smoke against the night sky. Regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko said three drones were shot down in the Kirishi area, with falling debris igniting the blaze. He confirmed no casualties and said the fire had been extinguished. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces intercepted at least 80 Ukrainian drones overnight across Russia, Crimea and the Sea of Azov. The same refinery was previously targeted in March, sustaining minor damage. The strikes come amid growing gasoline shortages in Russia, worsened by sustained Ukrainian attacks and a seasonal rise in demand. Fuel stations in several regions have run dry, forcing rationing and sales restrictions. To curb the crisis, Moscow has temporarily banned gasoline exports, with a full suspension until Sept. 30 and partial restrictions through Oct. 31. Meanwhile, in the Leningrad region, a diesel locomotive derailed near Gatchina, south of St. Petersburg, killing its driver, who later succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Authorities are investigating possible sabotage. In a separate incident, three people were killed by a bomb planted along railway tracks in the Oryol region, around 200 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Governor Andrey Klychkov said one victim was a member of Russia’s National Guard. As Russians voted in local elections Sunday, the Central Election Commission reported facing a massive wave of cyberattacks, calling it “unprecedented.” Although its website was offline for much of the day, officials assured that voting across 21 regions to elect governors and assembly members was not affected. Almost 100 denial-of-service attacks were recorded on election-related platforms, Russia’s media watchdog Roskomnadzor said. Despite the disruption, President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party was widely expected to maintain its dominance, with political opposition largely suppressed since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Israel on Sunday as its military intensified attacks on northern Gaza, flattening multiple high-rise building and killing at least 13 Palestinians. Rubio said before the trip that he would seek answers from Israeli officials about their view of a path forward in Gaza, following Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar last week that upended efforts to broker an end to the conflict. His two-day visit is also a show of support for the increasingly isolated Israel as the United Nations holds what is expected to be a contentious debate next week on commitment to the creation of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly opposes the recognition of a Palestinian state. Rubio visits Israel despite anger over Qatar attack Rubio's visit proceeded despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s anger at Netanyahu over the Israeli strike in Doha, which he said the United States wasn't notified of beforehand. On Sunday, Netanyahu, Rubio and their wives, along with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and his wife, toured the Western Wall and the excavated tunnels near it. “I think his (Rubio’s) visit here is a testament to the durability, the strength of the Israeli-American alliance. It’s as strong and as durable as the stones of the Western Wall we just touched," Netanyahu said. On Friday, Rubio and Trump met with Qatar’s prime minister about the fallout from the Israeli operation. The back-to-back meetings with Israel and Qatar illustrate how the Trump administration is trying to balance relations between key Middle East allies despite widespread international condemnation of the attack. The Doha attack, which killed at least six people, also appears to have ended attempts to secure an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and the release of hostages before the upcoming U.N. General Assembly session, at which the war in Gaza is expected to be a primary focus. Meanwhile, Qatar’s prime minister denounced Israel as foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim nations met Sunday to discuss a possible unified response. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, said Qatar remained committed to working with Egypt and the U.S. to reach a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, but that Israel's strike represented “an attack on the principle of mediation itself.” Deadly airstrikes mount On Sunday, at least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to local hospitals. One strike on a tent in the city of Deir al-Balah killed at least six members of the same family. Two parents, their three children and the children’s aunt were killed, according to Al-Aqsa Hospital. The family was from the northern town of Beit Hanoun, and arrived in Deir al-Balah last week after fleeing a Gaza City shelter. The Israeli military didn't immediately comment. As part of its expanding operation in Gaza City, the military destroyed multiple high-rise buildings Sunday after warning residents to evacuate. Some were destroyed less than an hour after an evacuation order was posted online by military spokesman Avichay Adraee. Without providing evidence, Israel has accused Hamas of building militant infrastructure inside civilian areas. On Sunday, the military said Hamas had positioned observation points to gather intelligence about troop movement and that militants were poised to strike Israeli troops, though it offered no evidence to support those claims. Residents said the Kauther tower in the Rimal neighborhood was flattened. There were no immediate reports of casualties. “This is part of the genocidal measures the (Israeli) occupation is carrying out in Gaza City,” said Abed Ismail, a Gaza City resident. “They want to turn the whole city into rubble, and force the transfer and another Nakba.” The word Nakba is Arabic for catastrophe and refers to when around 700,000 Palestinians were expelled by Israeli forces or fled their homes in what is now Israel, before and during the 1948 war that surrounded its creation. Israeli strongly denies accusations of genocide in Gaza. “The skyline of Gaza is changing,” Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X along with footage of the strikes that destroyed one of the buildings. Starvation in Gaza Separately, two Palestinian adults died of causes related to malnutrition and starvation in the Gaza Strip over the last 24 hours, the territory’s Health Ministry reported Sunday. That has brought the death toll from malnutrition-related causes to 277 since late June, when the ministry started to count fatalities among this age category, while another 145 children died of malnutrition-related causes since the start of the war in October 2023, the ministry said. The Israeli defense body overseeing humanitarian aid in Gaza said more than 1,200 trucks carrying aid, primarily food, entered into Gaza over the past week. Aid workers say the aid that does reach Gaza is too little and insufficient for the territory's enormous needs. Much of it is also looted before it can reach the Palestinians in desperate need. International teams also finished repair work on a water line from Israel to Gaza, one of three water lines from Israel to Gaza, increasing the daily amount of water coming into Gaza from Israel to 14,000 cubic meters (3.7 million gallons). Over the nearly two years since Israel launched its offensive, Gaza’s water access has been progressively limited and the Palestinian territory is now enduring a second scorching summer in wartime. Parents and children often chase down water trucks that come every two or three days, filling bottles, canisters and buckets and then hauling them home. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. There are still 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, of whom Israel believes that 20 are still alive. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,871 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn't say how many were civilians or combatants. It says around half of those killed were women and children. Large parts of major cities have been completely destroyed and around 90% of some 2 million Palestinians have been displaced.  

Israeli airstrikes across Gaza City on Saturday killed at least 32 people, including 12 children, as Israel expanded its military campaign and called on civilians to evacuate, according to medical officials. The bodies were taken to Shifa Hospital, where staff confirmed the toll. The Israeli military has recently escalated its attacks on Gaza City, demolishing high-rise buildings and accusing Hamas of using them for surveillance purposes. On Saturday, Israeli forces reported targeting another tower used by Hamas in Gaza City. This strike is part of Israel’s wider offensive to seize control of the city, considered Hamas’ final major stronghold. Despite evacuation orders, hundreds of thousands of residents remain trapped amid severe food shortages. One airstrike overnight in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood killed a family of 10, including a mother and her three children, health officials said. Mohammed Ramez Sultan, a footballer for the Al-Helal Sporting Club, was also killed along with 14 members of his family, the Palestinian Football Association reported. Footage showed explosions followed by thick smoke clouds. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the recent attacks. Families of Israeli Hostages Protest In Tel Aviv, families of Israelis held hostage by Hamas protested on Saturday, demanding the government do more to secure their release. They criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategy, particularly a failed Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar earlier this week. Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is among the hostages, condemned the operation as a "spectacular failure." She quoted former U.S. President Trump, saying Netanyahu’s actions sabotage progress in negotiations: “Instead of targeting Hamas leaders, he destroyed our hopes of bringing our loved ones home,” she said. Evacuation Challenges Amid Worsening Crisis While some Palestinians are attempting to leave Gaza City in response to Israel’s evacuation orders, many remain due to lack of transportation, financial means, or fear that no place in Gaza is truly safe. Some have already been displaced multiple times and are unwilling to move again. On Saturday, the Israeli military reiterated its call for civilians to relocate south to designated "humanitarian zones." Spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed over 250,000 people have left Gaza City, though U.N. figures estimate only about 100,000 people have relocated between mid-August and mid-September. Humanitarian agencies warn that the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands will only worsen the already catastrophic conditions. Shelters in southern Gaza are overcrowded, and many displaced people cannot afford the cost of relocation. A U.N.-led initiative to bring temporary shelters into Gaza remains stalled, with over 86,000 tents and essential supplies still awaiting entry clearance. Hunger-Related Deaths Mount Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that seven more people, including children, died from hunger-related causes in the past day. The total number of malnutrition-related deaths has risen to 420 since the war began, including 145 children. The latest wave of bombings comes days after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar, a move that escalated tensions and risked derailing negotiations to end the war. Hostage families continue to plead with the Israeli government to pause its offensive, fearing it could lead to the deaths of the remaining captives. Of the 48 hostages still believed to be in Gaza, about 20 are thought to be alive. War Background and Casualties The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led fighters stormed southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 251. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has since killed at least 64,803 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Nearly half of those killed were women and children. Major cities have been devastated, and roughly 90% of Gaza’s 2 million residents have been displaced.

Nepal's newly appointed Prime Minister took office on Sunday and called for peace and unity to help rebuild the country following a wave of violent protests last week that claimed at least 72 lives and caused widespread destruction to government buildings and homes of political leaders. Sushila Karki, the first woman to hold the prime ministerial post in Nepal, addressed senior officials at her temporary office, stating that each family of those killed in the protests would receive financial compensation of 1 million rupees (approximately $11,330). She also promised that the injured would receive appropriate care, according to state television reports. “We must all come together to rebuild the nation,” Karki said, emphasizing her commitment to guiding the country back on a stable path. The large-scale protests, dubbed the “Gen Z uprising,” began on September 8 in response to a short-lived social media ban. The movement, led mostly by young people, expressed deep frustration with systemic corruption and poverty, contrasting it with the affluent lifestyles of politicians’ children, often referred to as “nepo kids.” Violence escalated rapidly as demonstrators stormed the parliament, prompting police to open fire. The unrest ultimately led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who fled his official residence amid the chaos. On September 9, the day after police opened fire, protesters set fire to the prime minister’s official office — a converted white palace in Kathmandu — as well as the buildings housing the president’s office, the supreme court, key ministries, and police stations. Businesses linked to influential families, including several outlets of a major supermarket chain, were also targeted. Stability returned after the army took control of the streets that night, and discussions began between the protesters, the military, and the president regarding the formation of an interim government. Karki, 73, was officially appointed on September 12. She previously served as Nepal’s only female chief justice (2016–2017), earning public respect for her anti-corruption efforts. New parliamentary elections have been scheduled for March 5.

The United States has agreed to a prisoner exchange following rare talks with Taliban authorities in Kabul, the group’s Foreign Ministry said Saturday. According to the ministry, Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s special envoy for hostage response, and former US envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. “Adam Boehler, referring to the issue of detained citizens between Afghanistan and the United States, said that both countries will exchange prisoners,” said a statement from the office of Taliban deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani Baradar. Washington has not issued an immediate comment, and Khalilzad did not respond to requests from Reuters. Among those detained is Mahmood Habibi, a naturalised US citizen and businessman who previously worked in Afghanistan’s telecommunications sector. The US has offered a $5 million reward for information on Habibi’s whereabouts, though Taliban officials deny involvement in his 2022 disappearance. The Taliban has reportedly sought the release of Muhammad Rahim, the last Afghan held at Guantanamo Bay since 2008 without charge. The deal, mediated by Qatar, was described by the Taliban as a “humanitarian” step and a “gesture of goodwill.” In January this year, the two sides also carried out a prisoner swap in which US citizens Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty were freed in exchange for Afghan national Khan Mohammad, who had been serving two life terms in the United States. Both sides have agreed to continue discussions over their nationals held in each other’s custody, the Taliban statement added. Source: Al Zazeera

Venezuela on Saturday accused the United States of illegally boarding one of its fishing vessels, in the latest sign of escalating tensions between the two countries. Foreign Minister Yván Gil said personnel from a U.S. Navy destroyer intercepted a Venezuelan tuna boat carrying nine fishermen while it was operating in Venezuelan waters. Eighteen armed U.S. servicemen allegedly remained on board for eight hours, preventing communication and normal fishing activities, before the vessel was released under Venezuelan naval escort. Speaking at a press conference, Gil described the action as “illegal and hostile,” stressing that the boat had authorization from the Ministry of Fisheries. He presented photographs of the incident and said a video filmed by the fishermen also showed U.S. personnel on the vessel alongside the warship. “Those who give the order to carry out such provocations are seeking an incident to justify a military escalation in the Caribbean,” Gil warned, vowing that Venezuela would defend its sovereignty against any provocation. The U.S. government has not yet commented on the allegation. The incident comes weeks after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of warships in the Caribbean, citing operations against Latin American drug cartels. On Wednesday, Trump claimed U.S. forces had attacked a drug-laden vessel that had departed Venezuela, killing 11 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang. Washington has provided no evidence for the claim. Venezuela denounced the killings as extrajudicial, with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello calling the U.S. account “a tremendous lie” and suggesting the incident may be tied to the disappearance of civilians in a coastal region unconnected to drug trafficking. The Trump administration has accused President Nicolás Maduro of running a cartel to flood the U.S. with drugs and recently doubled the bounty for his capture from $25 million to $50 million. Although Washington has given no indication of planning a ground incursion with the more than 4,000 troops stationed in the region, Caracas has called on citizens to enlist in militias to support its armed forces. On Saturday, the government urged volunteers to report to military barracks for training.  

President Donald Trump on Saturday called on NATO countries to stop buying Russian oil and warned of imposing tariffs of 50% to 100% on China over its continued purchases of Russian petroleum. In a post on his social media platform, Trump said NATO’s commitment to the Ukraine war has been “far less than 100%,” describing the purchase of Russian oil by some alliance members as “shocking.” Addressing NATO members, he wrote: “It greatly weakens your negotiating position and bargaining power over Russia.” Since 2023, Turkey has been the third-largest buyer of Russian oil, after China and India, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Other NATO members, including Hungary and Slovakia, also continue to import Russian oil. It remains unclear whether Trump intends to confront Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán directly. Trump’s comments came after multiple Russian drones entered Polish airspace on Wednesday, a NATO ally. Poland shot down the drones, but Trump downplayed the incursion, suggesting it “could have been a mistake.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, called the drone incident “unacceptable and dangerous,” though he said it was still unclear whether Russia deliberately targeted Poland. Trump calls 50% India tariffs a big deal, says it caused a rift with India While Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war swiftly, critics say he has avoided pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin. His recent meeting with Putin in Alaska produced little progress toward peace. Meanwhile, Congress is pressing him to support a bill toughening sanctions against Moscow. The U.S. and its allies are moving to show firmer resolve. At an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting on Friday, acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea reaffirmed that Washington “will defend every inch of NATO territory,” calling the drone incursion “a sign of immense disrespect” for U.S.-led peace efforts. Britain on Friday also banned 70 vessels linked to Russian oil trade and sanctioned 30 individuals and companies, including Chinese and Turkish businesses accused of supplying Russia with weapons components. Trump argued that a NATO-wide ban on Russian oil, combined with heavy tariffs on China, would be a decisive step. “China has a strong grip over Russia, and powerful tariffs will break that grip,” he wrote, adding that tariffs could be withdrawn once the war ends. The U.S. president has already imposed a 25% import tax on Indian goods tied to Russian energy purchases, raising the overall tariff to 50%. Still, Trump has indicated a willingness to negotiate with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tensions with China remain high. Earlier this year, Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods prompted Beijing to retaliate with 125% tariffs on U.S. exports, effectively freezing trade between the world’s two largest economies. Subsequent negotiations lowered U.S. tariffs to 30% and China’s to 10%. In his latest post, Trump blamed the war on his predecessor Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while notably excluding Putin. His remarks followed a call with Group of Seven finance ministers on Friday, during which U.S. officials urged their counterparts to cut off revenues funding Russia’s war effort.

On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, urging Israel to recognize a future Palestinian state — a move staunchly opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The 193-member body passed a nonbinding resolution backing the “New York Declaration,” which outlines a gradual plan to resolve the decades-long conflict. The vote was 142 in favor, 10 against, and 12 abstentions. Just hours before the vote, Netanyahu declared that a Palestinian state would never be established, speaking during the signing of an agreement to expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank — territory Palestinians claim for their future state. “This place belongs to us,” Netanyahu said. The resolution was introduced by France and Saudi Arabia, who led a high-level conference in July to promote the two-state solution, where the declaration was originally endorsed. The ongoing war in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict are expected to be key issues at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly session, beginning September 22. The Palestinian delegation hopes more countries — at least 10 — will formally recognize Palestine, adding to over 145 that already have. Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour described the vote as a sign of global support for peace. Without directly naming Israel, he criticized those “still pushing for war and destruction,” urging them to listen to reason and the international call for a peaceful solution. Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon rejected the resolution, calling it “theater” that benefits Hamas and undermines the Assembly’s credibility. The United States, a close ally of Israel, also criticized the resolution. U.S. representative Morgan Ortagus labeled it “misguided” and “ill-timed,” calling it a propaganda gift for Hamas that undercuts genuine diplomatic efforts. The New York Declaration notably condemns Hamas for its October 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel — a rare instance of Arab states publicly denouncing the militant group. The assault killed around 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 hostages, with roughly 20 still believed alive. The declaration also denounces Israeli military actions in Gaza, citing the severe humanitarian crisis caused by airstrikes, blockades, and shortages of food and supplies. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 64,000 Palestinians have been killed, though the numbers do not separate civilians from militants. The document calls for the Palestinian Authority to take control of all Palestinian territories, including Gaza, through a transitional committee once a ceasefire is in place. It also demands that Hamas relinquish control of Gaza and disarm. Additionally, the declaration supports a temporary U.N.-backed international mission to help protect civilians, oversee the ceasefire, assist the Palestinian Authority with security, and monitor future peace agreements. Finally, the declaration urges global recognition of the Palestinian state, describing it as vital for realizing the two-state solution. Without directly naming Israel, it warns that “illegal unilateral actions” are threatening the viability of a Palestinian state.