United News of Bangladesh

Norway will continue its multibillion-dollar military and civilian support for Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion into next year, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Monday during a visit to Kyiv, as U.S.-led peace efforts remain uncertain. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Store, whose country shares a border with Russia, said Ukraine is “defending a critical principle on the European level” by refusing to accept Russia’s occupation of its territory. Kyiv has seen a series of high-level visits in recent days, reflecting global concern over the U.S.-led peace initiative, which has yet to yield a breakthrough. U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg attended Ukraine’s Independence Day celebrations on Sunday, with Zelenskyy scheduled to meet him later Monday and hold further discussions with senior U.S. officials by week’s end. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Kyiv on Sunday, pledging 2 billion Canadian dollars in aid. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited last Friday, and Germany’s Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil arrived Monday to discuss how Berlin can support Ukraine in a potential peace process. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced preparations for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Russian officials have indicated no summit will take place soon. Trump said he will decide on next steps within two weeks if talks do not materialize. Analysts suggest Putin is relying on his larger army to gain territory while peace negotiations are ongoing. On the military front, Norway pledged about 7 billion kroner ($695 million) for Ukraine’s air defense systems, jointly funding two U.S.-made Patriot anti-missile systems with Germany, and assisting with radar procurement, Store said. Ukraine reported that Russia launched 104 strike and decoy drones overnight targeting northern and eastern regions, with no immediate reports of damage. Ukraine has also carried out long-range drone attacks inside Russia, disrupting oil refineries, military depots, and transport hubs, causing temporary closures at airports. On Sunday, an Egyptian flight carrying Russian tourists from Sharm El Sheikh to St. Petersburg was diverted to Tallinn after a drone attack temporarily closed the Russian airport, according to Estonian daily Postimees. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said 23 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight and Monday morning across seven Russian regions.

At least 799 people died and 1,080 others were injured in rain-related incidents and floods across Pakistan since June 26 this year, said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Monday. NDMA said in a statement that 11 more people lost their lives during the last 24 hours, increasing the toll to 799, fearing that the spells of torrential rains and flash floods would continue to hit the country this week. The NDMA said that the deceased include 477 males, 119 females and 203 children. The country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province appeared as the most affected region with 479 deaths, followed by eastern Punjab province where 165 people lost lives. According to the NDMA, rains and flash floods also damaged 7,175 houses and killed 5,552 livestock across the country. Different state-level rescue departments have conducted 592 operations so far by rescuing 106,078 people across the country, said the NDMA, adding that 658 relief and medical camps were established to facilitate the affected people.

An Israeli airstrike on Monday struck Nasser Hospital, the main medical facility in southern Gaza, killing 19 people, according to Zaher al-Waheid, head of the Gaza Health Ministry’s records department. Among the dead were four journalists. The Health Ministry said the attack hit the fourth floor of the hospital with one missile, followed moments later by a second strike in the same location, just as rescue teams were arriving. Nasser Hospital, located in Khan Younis, has remained operational despite nearly two years of bombardment and military raids, though officials have repeatedly warned of severe shortages in staff and medical supplies. One of the journalists killed was 33-year-old Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist who had contributed to The Associated Press since the conflict began. She frequently reported from inside the hospital, highlighting the struggles of doctors treating malnourished children. Al Jazeera and Reuters also confirmed that some of their affiliated journalists were among the victims. The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has been especially deadly for journalists, with 192 media workers killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The Israeli military and Prime Minister’s office have not yet responded to inquiries about Monday’s strike. Elsewhere in Gaza, more casualties were reported in other Israeli attacks. Shifa Hospital said three people, including a child, were killed in Gaza City in anticipation of an expanded Israeli ground offensive. Al-Awda Hospital said Israeli gunfire killed six people attempting to reach aid distribution sites in central Gaza, wounding another 15. The Israeli military did not comment on the incident. Strikes on medical facilities have become common throughout the war. Israel has claimed that such attacks are aimed at militants allegedly operating within hospitals, though it has not presented evidence to support these claims. Earlier attacks on Nasser Hospital included a June strike that killed three and injured 10, and a March strike on its surgical unit that killed two people, both following similar accusations by the Israeli military of militant activity at the site. As of Sunday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that 62,686 Palestinians have died since the war began. While it does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, it states that roughly half of those killed are women and children. The U.N. and independent observers recognize the ministry as the most reliable source for casualty figures. Israel disputes the numbers but has not provided alternate data.

Israeli airstrikes hit Yemen ’s capital on Sunday, days after Houthi rebels fired a missile toward Israel that its military described as the first cluster bomb the rebels had fired at it since 2023. The Iranian-backed Houthis said the strikes hit multiple areas across Sanaa. The Houthi-run health ministry said at least two people were killed and 35 others were wounded. The rebels’ Al-Masirah satellite television reported a strike on an oil company, and video on social media showed a fireball erupting there. Israel’s military said it struck the Asar and Hizaz power plants, calling them “a significant electricity supply facility for military activities,” along with a military site where the presidential palace is located. Sanaa residents told The Associated Press they heard loud explosions close to a closed military academy and the presidential palace. They said they could see plumes of smoke near Sabeen Square, a central gathering place in the capital. “The sounds of explosions were very strong,” said Hussein Mohamed, who lives close to the presidential palace. Ahmed al-Mekhlafy said he felt the sheer force of the strikes. “The house was rocked, and the windows were shattered,” he told the AP by phone. The Houthis have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea for over 22 months, saying they are attacking in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. Nasruddin Amer, deputy head of the Houthi media office, claimed the latest airstrikes won’t deter the rebels, and vowed to continue attacks on Israel. “Our military operations supporting Gaza won’t stop, God willing, unless the aggression is stopped, and the siege is lifted,” he wrote on social media. The Israeli strikes were the first to hit Yemen since a week ago, when Israel said it targeted energy infrastructure it believed was used by the rebels. The latest strikes follow the Houthis’ claim of launching a newly equipped missile toward Israel on Friday, including targeting the country’s largest airport, Ben Gurion. There was no reported damage or injuries. Israel’s military said it fragmented mid-air after several interception attempts. An Israeli Air Force official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, called the projectile fired on Friday a new threat. It was a cluster munition, he said, meant to detonate into multiple explosives on impact. The use of cluster bombs makes Israeli interception more difficult and represents additional technology provided to the Houthis by Iran, the official asserted. The official said over 10 Israeli fighter jets carried out Sunday’s strikes. Houthi attacks over the past two years have upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which about $1 trillion of goods passes each year. From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthis targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones. The rebels stopped their attacks during a brief ceasefire in Gaza and later became the target of a weekslong airstrike campaign ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. In May, the United States announced a deal with the Houthis to end the airstrikes in return for an end to shipping attacks, although the rebel group said the agreement did not include halting attacks on targets it believed were aligned with Israel. In May, Israeli airstrikes hit the Sanaa airport in a rare daytime attack that destroyed the terminal and left craters in its runway. At least six passenger planes were hit, including three belonging to Yemenia Airways, according to airport authorities.

Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed at least 33 Palestinians across Gaza on Saturday, including civilians seeking food or shelter, as famine deepens in Gaza City amid growing international pressure over Israel’s nearly two-year military offensive. Gaza City, now the epicenter of hunger and humanitarian collapse, may soon face a new large-scale Israeli ground assault, Israel's defense minister warned. Humanitarian agencies have long blamed the war — triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack — along with prolonged Israeli restrictions on aid, for pushing Gaza to the brink of starvation. Israel has dismissed recent famine warnings as “false,” while ceasefire talks remain stalled pending Israel’s next move. Women and Children Among the Dead in Tent Strikes At least 17 people, more than half of them women and children, were killed in Israeli strikes on tents sheltering displaced families in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, according to health officials and morgue records at Nasser Hospital. "Awad, why did you leave me?" cried a small boy over his brother's body, wrapped in plastic. Another grieving woman, Hekmat Foujo, tearfully called for a ceasefire, saying, “We want to rest. Show us some mercy.” In the north, at least five people were reportedly shot dead near the Zikim crossing — a key aid entry point — while trying to access food, according to medical staff at Sheikh Radwan field hospital. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said journalist Khaled al-Madhoun was killed while covering the incident and accused Israeli forces of targeting him. Palestine TV later confirmed his death. Eleven more fatalities were reported across various locations by hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent. Israel's military said it was unaware of any strike at the reported Khan Younis site and was reviewing the other incidents. Aid Lines Marred by Chaos and Danger AP journalists observed chaotic scenes along Gaza’s aid routes, with Israeli troops regularly firing near desperate civilians. The Israeli army claims it only fires warning shots when approached or threatened. Thousands gathered near the Zikim crossing seeking food, but many — like Mohamed Saada — left empty-handed, citing massive crowds, violence, and vehicles running over people. While some carried small sacks of food, others transported the wounded through rubble-strewn roads and stagnant water under sweltering heat exceeding 33°C (92°F). A report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification on Friday warned that nearly 500,000 Gazans — a quarter of the population — are facing catastrophic hunger. The alert follows a months-long Israeli blockade, later eased slightly through U.S.-backed private aid efforts and airdrops. However, the UN says the aid is still insufficient. Israel claims it has facilitated enough aid, blaming Hamas for failing to care for the hostages it holds. Renewed Offensive in Gaza City Imminent With ground forces already on the city’s edge, Israel is preparing for another major operation in Gaza City, where it claims Hamas still maintains tunnels and strongholds. The offensive could begin within days, despite the presence of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported a sharp rise in airstrikes and an influx of patients at clinics. Project coordinator Caroline Willemen said many residents are hesitant to flee again after repeated displacements, but fear staying could become deadly. Hostage Concerns Cloud Military Plans Families of Israeli hostages warned that any new ground invasion could jeopardize the lives of the 20 believed to still be alive. Another 30 are presumed dead. At a rally in Tel Aviv, Yotam Cohen, brother of hostage Nimrod Cohen, said: “Anyone serious about bringing hostages home does not launch a ground assault on Gaza.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently said he had ordered officials to pursue hostage negotiations aligned with Israel’s terms. It remains unclear whether Israel will rejoin talks brokered by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar after Hamas accepted a revised proposal from Arab mediators. Hamas has stated it will only release hostages in exchange for ending the war and the establishment of a Palestinian state — a condition Israel rejects. Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Hamas’ position on Friday, arguing that military action may be the only way to rescue any remaining hostages. “In some ways, they’re safer if you just go in hard and fast,” he said. Rising Death Toll and Starvation Gaza’s Health Ministry said the overall Palestinian death toll has reached at least 62,622, including those previously listed as missing but now confirmed dead by a judicial panel. The number of deaths linked to malnutrition has risen to 281. Protests Against Israeli Minister Meanwhile, a small group of Israeli protesters confronted far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in Kfar Malal, north of Tel Aviv, demanding a resolution to the hostage crisis. “We don’t want him in our village. Our message is to bring back the hostages,” said protester Boaz Levinstein. Ben-Gvir, a key figure in Netanyahu’s coalition, strongly opposes any deal with Hamas — a stance many hostage families say blocks progress toward their loved ones' release.

A drone attack on a 16-truck U.N. convoy carrying desperately needed food to Sudan’s famine-hit North Darfur region destroyed three vehicles that had caught fire, the World Food Program said. All drivers and personnel were safe. "Our drivers survived, but 3 trucks carrying life-saving aid were DESTROYED. Attacks must stop. Safe, sustained access must be guaranteed,” said Cindy McCain, chief of the U.N. food agency, said in a post on X. U.N. associate spokesperson Daniela Gross had initially told reporters Thursday that all 16 trucks were set on fire and destroyed. Gross said it was not yet clear who was responsibility for Wednesday’s attack, the second in the past three months to prevent a U.N. convoy from delivering to North Dafur. In early June, a convoy from the World Food Program and UNICEF was attacked while awaiting clearance to proceed to North Darfur’s besieged capital, el-Fasher, killing five people and injuring several others. Sudan plunged into conflict in April 2023, when violence sparked by long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders erupted in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions, including western Darfur. Some 40,000 people have been killed and nearly 13 million displaced, U.N. agencies say. Nearly 25 million people are experiencing acute hunger, Gross said. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and their allies announced in late June that they had formed a parallel government in areas they control, mainly in the vast Darfur region where allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity are being investigated. The RSF has encircled el-Fasher, where the U.N. says people are facing starvation. It is the only capital the paramilitary forces don't hold in Darfur, which is comprised of five states. Over a year ago, famine was declared in the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur. The risk of famine has since spread to 17 areas in Darfur and the Kordofan region, which is adjacent to North Darfur and west of Khartoum, the U.N. says.  

A Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed overnight between Friday and Saturday, killing one pilot, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement. The aircraft went down while approaching to land after a combat mission, according to the statement on Facebook. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The incident follows the loss of a Mirage-2000 fighter jet last month, when the pilot ejected safely.

More than 1.9 million Afghans have returned from Iran to Afghanistan since the beginning of 2025, the local media Tolonews reported on Saturday. According to the report, about 85 percent of the returnees, or over 1.6 million people, came back between March 20 and Aug. 20. The report also said that the daily return flow of Afghan migrants from Iran has seen a decline in recent weeks. Afghanistan has witnessed a continuous influx of returnees from neighboring countries. 

Iran said Friday its foreign minister spoke with counterparts from France, Germany and the UK in a bid to prevent the reimposition of UN sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program, just days before a European deadline. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s call came as the three European nations warned they could invoke the “snapback” clause of the 2015 nuclear deal by the end of the month. The provision allows sanctions to be restored if Iran is found in violation of the agreement, including blocking international inspections. Concerns have deepened since Iran halted cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) following the June Iran-Israel war, which damaged some of its atomic sites. Without IAEA access, the global community cannot verify the size of Iran’s stockpile, including uranium enriched up to 60% purity — close to weapons-grade. Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, though the U.S. and the IAEA say Tehran had a weapons program until 2003. In a statement, Araghchi criticized the European stance but stressed Iran remains open to diplomacy. “Iran has never abandoned the path of diplomacy and is ready for any solution that guarantees the rights and interests of its people,” he said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed the talks and said another round will take place next week, warning that “time is running out.” Similar concerns were echoed by Britain’s David Lammy, Germany’s Johann Wadephul and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The three countries had already warned Iran in an Aug. 8 letter that they would trigger “snapback” if a solution was not reached by Aug. 31. Restoring IAEA access remains a key demand. Meanwhile, IAEA officials held separate closed-door talks with Iranian representatives in Vienna, continuing discussions from an Aug. 11 visit by senior agency official Massimo Aparo. Araghchi downplayed the “snapback” threat, saying Iran would consult with its allies, likely China and Russia. The snapback mechanism, however, expires in October — after which any sanctions move could face vetoes from Beijing or Moscow.