United News of Bangladesh

Israel announced plans to escalate its 22-month war against Hamas by gradually taking control of Gaza City, raising serious concerns for Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages still trapped in the region. The announcement has also renewed international calls to end the ongoing conflict. The war, marked by heavy Israeli airstrikes and ground assaults, has left tens of thousands dead, displaced the majority of Gaza's population, and brought the area close to famine. While no start date has been confirmed for this new ground offensive, it is expected to involve tens of thousands of troops and could worsen Gaza’s dire humanitarian situation. An official familiar with the plan, speaking anonymously, described the takeover as “gradual.” In response, the U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting on Sunday morning to address Israel’s intentions, after postponing an earlier session originally set for Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, mediators from Egypt and Qatar are working on a new deal to end the war. Their proposal reportedly includes the release of all hostages — both alive and dead — in exchange for a ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Before approving the Gaza City plan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel aims to fully control the entire Gaza Strip. Currently, Israeli forces already hold about 75% of the territory. Hamas rejected Israel’s expansion plans, warning that any increased aggression would not be met passively. International criticism of Israel’s war strategy is growing. Countries such as France, Britain, Canada, and now Germany — which announced it would suspend arms exports that could be used in Gaza — are voicing concerns over the humanitarian toll, especially in light of recent media coverage highlighting starvation. Military analysts suggest that Israel’s plan could be aimed at pressuring Hamas into accepting a ceasefire under Israeli terms. However, Israel’s own military leadership has expressed concerns that expanding operations could endanger the roughly 20 remaining hostages believed to still be alive and overextend the army, which has been active in regional conflicts for nearly two years. Following a Security Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu’s office confirmed the military would prepare to take Gaza City while attempting to provide humanitarian aid outside active combat zones. Retired Brigadier General Amir Avivi estimates it would take up to three months to mobilize around 30,000 troops, evacuate civilians, and seize control of Gaza City. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people and abducting 251. Most hostages have since been released, but 50 remain in Gaza. Israel believes roughly 20 are still alive. Gaza’s Health Ministry — which is run by Hamas but staffed by medical professionals — says over 61,000 Palestinians have died. While Israel disputes these figures, it has not provided its own casualty count. Fresh Push for Ceasefire Arab Gulf nations are backing the latest mediation effort, fearing further regional instability if Israel reoccupies Gaza. Two officials involved in the talks said the proposal includes Hamas disarming or at least not using its weapons, as well as the group ceding control of Gaza. A temporary Palestinian-Arab committee would oversee Gaza and begin reconstruction until a new Palestinian governing body and police force — trained by U.S. allies — could take over. The role of the Western-backed Palestinian Authority remains uncertain. The U.S. has been briefed on the proposal, although a Hamas official said the group has not yet received the latest details. Public Pressure for Peace Grows U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff recently told hostage families that Israel is now pursuing an “all-or-nothing” deal aimed at both ending the war and bringing all hostages home. While Israelis were initially united behind the war effort, public frustration has grown, especially among hostage families who have staged large protests demanding a ceasefire. “All of Israel wants a comprehensive deal and an end to the war,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is still held hostage. “To ensure our safety, this injustice must end.” Gaza City in Ruins Despite repeated Israeli strikes and raids, Gaza City remains one of the few areas not fully evacuated or turned into a buffer zone. Residents like Umm Youssef, who recently returned after 16 months, describe total devastation: “The area is all rubble — actually, just sand. There’s nothing left to occupy. No life.” A renewed ground offensive could displace tens of thousands more people and further hinder aid delivery. On Friday, at least six Palestinians were reportedly killed and over 140 wounded by Israeli gunfire at the Zikim Crossing in northern Gaza, where U.N. aid enters. Israel has not yet commented on the incident. It's unclear how many people still remain in Gaza City. While many fled earlier in the war, some returned during a ceasefire earlier this year.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Friday at a stately home south of London, with the two leaders saying the agenda includes global economics and the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Taking questions from reporters before their talks, Vance addressed the U.K. decision to recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza, saying he wasn’t sure what such recognition would even mean, “given the lack of a functional government there.” Asked whether Trump had been given a heads up on Israel’s announced intent to occupy Gaza City, Vance said he wouldn't go into such conversations. “If it was easy to bring peace to that region of the world, it would have been done already,” he said. The meeting comes amid debates between Washington and London about the best way to end the wars between Russia and Ukraine, as well as Israel and Hamas. It’s also taking place as the United Kingdom tries to come to favorable terms for steel and aluminum exports to the U.S., and the two sides work out details of a broader trade deal announced at the end of June. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he hoped to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump next week, comments that came a day before Trump’s deadline for Moscow to show progress in ending the nearly 3½-year war in Ukraine. While Trump has focused on bilateral talks with Putin, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders have stressed that Ukraine must be part of any negotiations on ending the war. The U.S. and Britain, which have historically close ties known as “the special relationship,” have also disagreed on their approach to ending the war in Gaza. The meeting took place at Chevening, an almost 400-year-old mansion surrounded by 3,000 acres (about 1,200 hectares) of gardens that serves as the foreign secretary’s official country residence. About two dozen protesters were spotted on the road before the turnoff to the stately home. A few were wearing keffiyeh scarves and another held up a round sign that had a meme making fun of Vance printed on it. Vance and Lammy come from opposite ends of the political spectrum, but have made a personal connection through their hardscrabble childhoods and Christian faith, While Lammy is a member of the left-leaning Labour Party and Vance is a conservative Republican who supports Trump’s “America First” agenda, the two men have bonded in recent months. Lammy told the Guardian newspaper that the two men can relate over their “dysfunctional” working class childhoods and that he considers Vance a “friend.” Lammy attended a Catholic Mass at the Vance home in Washington earlier this year, and the two men met again at the U.S. Embassy in Rome when he and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner attended the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in May. “I had this great sense that JD completely relates to me and he completely relates to Angela,” Lammy told the Guardian. “So it was a wonderful hour and a half.” After spending a few days at Chevening, Vance and his family will head to the Cotswolds, an area that has become popular with wealthy American tourists because of its quaint villages, stone cottages and rural countryside that hark back to old England. The Vance family’s trip will include official engagements, fundraising, visits to cultural sites and museums and meeting with U.S. troops, according to a person familiar with Vance’s trip who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. A host of celebrities descended on the area two weeks ago for the wedding of Eve Jobs, the daughter of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, and Harry Charles, a member of the British equestrian team at last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. The Cotswolds cover about 800 square miles (2,000 square kilometers) and parts of five counties in the west of England. Vance and his family have reportedly rented a house in the village of Charlbury, 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of Oxford, according to British media outlets. “That area is very fashionable,” Plum Sykes, a socialite and journalist, told London-based newspaper The Times. “If you wanted to be in the super-hot, super-social Cotswolds, that’s where you’d go,” she said. “There’s been this mass exodus from America to the Cotswolds. Americans just cannot get over the charm. Then power and money attract power and money.”   

Pakistani security forces killed 33 militants who attempted to enter the insurgency-hit southwest from neighboring Afghanistan, the military said Friday. The military said in a statement that an overnight operation took place in the Zhob district of Balochistan province, where troops spotted " Khwarij,” a phrase the government uses for Pakistani Taliban. A search operation was underway to find and eliminate any remaining insurgents, the military said. Pakistan often accuses the Taliban government in Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to militants operating near the frontier. Kabul denies the charge. The Pakistani military said the militants who were killed had the backing of India, though it offered no evidence to back up the allegation. Pakistan has long accused New Delhi of supporting the Pakistani Taliban and separatists in Baluchistan. There was no immediate comment from New Delhi. In a statement, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for what he called a successful operation. Also on Friday, the government in Balochistan said it suspended mobile phone internet service until August 31 for security reasons. The measure comes ahead of the Aug. 14 Independence Day holiday, which celebrates Pakistan gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947. In recent years, insurgents in Balochistan have targeted people selling national flags ahead of the holiday. Baluchistan has for years been the scene of an insurgency by separatist groups, along with attacks by the Pakistani Taliban and the outlawed Baluch Liberation Army. The separatists demand independence from Pakistan’s central government in Islamabad. Officials say the insurgency has been largely quelled, but violence continues. Currently, Pakistan’s security forces are also carrying out intelligence-based operations in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where troops in April killed 54 Pakistani Taliban in what authorities described as the deadliest single-day clash for militants this year. Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks, most claimed by Pakistani Taliban who are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and are allies of the Afghan Taliban. TTP is a separate group and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary in Afghanistan since then.

Global stock markets showed mixed results Friday, with most Asian shares falling while Tokyo’s benchmark surged over 2% after Japanese officials resolved issues related to U.S. tariffs on exports. In early European trading, Germany’s DAX dropped 0.3% to 24,131.01. France’s CAC 40 rose 0.3% to 7,730.40, while Britain’s FTSE 100 slipped less than 0.1% to 9,094.65. Futures for the S&P 500 were up 0.3%, and Dow Jones futures gained 0.1%. New U.S. tariffs on Japanese goods that took effect Thursday did not initially match the agreed 15% level, but Japan’s chief trade negotiator said the U.S. agreed to correct the discrepancy. Following the news, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 climbed 2.2%, later settling at a 1.9% gain at 41,820.48. Shares of Toyota Motor rose 3.5%, and Honda Motor gained 4%, with automakers among the most affected by U.S. export tariffs. Elsewhere in Asia, most markets declined after Wall Street losses. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.9% to 24,858.82, Shanghai Composite lost 0.1% to 3,635.13, South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.6% to 3,210.01, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.3% to 8,807.10. Taiwan’s Taiex increased 0.1%, while India’s Sensex fell 0.8%. Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management commented, “Markets will punish certainty. Momentum can shift quickly, with gains one day turning into losses the next.” On Thursday, the S&P 500 dipped 0.1%, Dow industrials dropped 0.5%, while the Nasdaq rose 0.3% to a record, boosted by strong performances from Apple and semiconductor firms. Wall Street Looks Set for Small Gains as Trump’s Tariffs Start Intel shares fell 3.1% after President Donald Trump called for the resignation of its CEO, citing conflicts of interest without providing evidence. Meanwhile, Apple shares jumped 3.2% following CEO Tim Cook’s announcement at the White House of a $100 billion investment increase in U.S. manufacturing over four years. Semiconductor companies with large U.S. operations surged after Trump announced 100% tariffs on imported chips but exempted companies with substantial domestic investments. Shares of Advanced Micro Devices rose 5.7%, and Nvidia gained 0.8%. Concerns over Trump’s tariffs impacting the economy grew after weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data last week. However, optimism about potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and strong earnings from major U.S. firms helped ease worries. Lower interest rates could stimulate the economy and boost asset prices but also risk higher inflation amid rising tariffs. The Bank of England cut its main rate Thursday to support the slowing U.K. economy. In commodities, U.S. crude oil rose 16 cents to $64.04 per barrel, while Brent crude increased 19 cents to $66.61 per barrel. The U.S. dollar strengthened to 147.66 Japanese yen from 147.13 yen, and the euro fell slightly to $1.1639 from $1.1667.

President Donald Trump will host a peace summit at the White House on Friday with the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan aimed at ending decades of conflict and reopening vital transportation routes in the South Caucasus region. The two countries are set to sign an agreement establishing a major transit corridor, named the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity,” which will connect mainland Azerbaijan with its autonomous Nakhchivan region. This connection, demanded by Baku, had previously stalled peace negotiations. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the roadmap will promote a cooperative future benefiting both nations, the South Caucasus region, and beyond. The transit corridor will ensure seamless connectivity between Armenia and Azerbaijan while respecting Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Armenia’s territory separates Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan by a 32-kilometer (20-mile) stretch. In addition to the joint agreement, both countries will sign separate deals with the U.S. to enhance cooperation in energy, technology, and economic sectors, the White House added. Trump previewed the summit in a social media post on Thursday, saying the leaders will participate in a peace ceremony and sign economic agreements aimed at unlocking the South Caucasus region’s full potential. “Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to ‘TRUMP,’” Trump said on his Truth Social platform. The president will first meet with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, followed by a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The three leaders will then take part in a joint signing ceremony in the State Dining Room. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been in conflict for nearly 40 years over the Karabakh region, internationally known as Nagorno-Karabakh, which was predominantly Armenian-populated during the Soviet era but lies within Azerbaijan’s borders. Multiple violent clashes over the years left tens of thousands dead, despite numerous international mediation efforts. In 2023, Azerbaijan regained full control of Karabakh and has since engaged in talks to normalize relations with Armenia. Trump signs tax and spending cut bill at White House The agreement represents a geopolitical setback for Russia, which had long acted as mediator to extend its influence in the strategically important South Caucasus. Russia’s influence weakened after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.   Russia refrained from intervening when Azerbaijan swiftly reclaimed Karabakh in a September 2023 offensive, angering Armenia. Since then, Armenia has sought to reduce Russian influence and pivot westward, while Azerbaijan, emboldened by its victory, has taken a more defiant stance toward Moscow.

Ukrainian soldiers on the frontlines expressed little hope for a diplomatic resolution to the war with Russia as U.S. President Donald Trump’s Friday deadline for Moscow to seek peace arrived, amid talks of a possible summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Frustrated by Putin’s refusal to halt attacks on Ukrainian cities, Trump had earlier moved up his ultimatum to impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs on countries importing Russian oil if no progress toward peace was made. However, his next steps remained unclear. The Diplomatic Path Leading to the Upcoming Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Despite pressure, Russia’s larger forces continue to advance into Ukraine at heavy cost, relentlessly bombing cities. The two sides remain far apart on terms for peace. Intense fighting continues along the 1,000-kilometer frontline stretching across northeast to southeast Ukraine. The eastern Donetsk region around Pokrovsk faces the heaviest attacks as Russia aims to push into neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk. Ukrainian forces are also engaged in fierce clashes in the northern Sumy region to block Russian reinforcements. A Ukrainian commander in Donetsk, using the call sign Buda, said Moscow shows no interest in negotiations. “It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them,” he told The Associated Press. In southern Zaporizhzhia, another commander known as Warsaw reaffirmed the troops’ resolve to defend their homeland. “We are on our land, we have no way out. So we stand our ground, we have no choice.” Trump recently said he would meet Putin even if the Russian leader refuses talks with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, raising concerns in Europe about Ukraine potentially being excluded from peace efforts. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Putin remains uninterested in ending the conflict and aims to extract concessions from the U.S. without engaging sincerely in peace talks. “Putin believes time is on Russia’s side and that Russia can outlast Ukraine and the West,” the institute said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán urged European leaders to take the lead in resolving the war, calling on Germany and France to negotiate directly with Moscow. He warned Europe risks being sidelined in managing its own security if it does not act. “This war cannot be ended on the frontline; it must be resolved through diplomacy and negotiations,” Orbán said.

Germany will halt all exports of military equipment that could be used in Gaza “until further notice,” Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Friday, in a swift response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet decision to take control of Gaza City. The move marks a rare departure for one of Israel’s staunchest allies, coming amid mounting global criticism of Israel’s plan from the UN, aid groups, human rights organizations, and families of hostages still held in Gaza. Merz reaffirmed Germany’s support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas but stressed that freeing hostages and advancing purposeful ceasefire talks in the 22-month conflict remain top priorities. He said Hamas must have no role in Gaza’s future and warned that Israel’s intensified military action makes these goals harder to achieve. UK, France, Germany urge Israel to open Gaza to aid after Macron backs Palestinian statehood Merz urged Israel to ensure full access for humanitarian aid deliveries and to address Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Germany’s position carries particular weight, given its decades-long pro-Israel stance rooted in historical responsibility for the Holocaust. The chancellor also called on Israel not to take further steps toward annexing the West Bank. The decision came as other European nations voiced concern. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp called Israel’s move “a wrong decision” that would not help free hostages, while Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen warned it would only increase civilian suffering. Slovenia last week became the first EU country to ban all arms trade with Israel over its Gaza actions. Israel’s air and ground campaign, launched after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 abducted, has killed tens of thousands in Gaza, displaced most of its population, devastated large areas, and pushed the territory to the brink of famine. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, around 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The timing of Israel’s planned offensive is unclear, but it is expected to involve mass troop mobilization and further civilian displacement, deepening the humanitarian crisis.

A helicopter with an unknown number of people on board crashed into a residential area just outside Nairobi on Thursday, according to the Kenya Red Cross. Rescue teams were en route to the scene in Kiambu County, which borders Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, the nongovernmental organization said. Ministers among 8 killed in Ghana helicopter crash The local Star newspaper reported that the crash prompted “a swift response from authorities.” Military and police personnel “quickly arrived at the scene and secured the area,” the paper reported. There were no more immediate details from officials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said the United Arab Emirates might be the location for his upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Putin made the announcement after meeting UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in the Kremlin. A Kremlin official had earlier indicated the Trump-Putin summit could happen as soon as next week, but no specific date has been set yet. The announcement comes just before a White House deadline demanding progress from Moscow to end the three-year-old war in Ukraine. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said the summit venue has been decided “in principle” but stressed the need to focus on preparing a successful bilateral meeting with Trump. He also dismissed the idea of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attending the summit, despite the White House saying Trump was open to it. Putin has previously rejected Zelenskyy’s offers to meet. The summit would be the first U.S.-Russia meeting since 2021, when then-President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva. While it marks a key step in Trump’s efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, there is no guarantee the meeting will lead to peace, as Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on key issues. The Diplomatic Path Leading to the Upcoming Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Ushakov said organizing the meeting takes time and the exact date and venue will be announced later. Months of negotiations led by the U.S. have failed to stop Russia’s invasion, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers and over 12,000 civilians, according to the United Nations. Western officials accuse Putin of delaying peace talks to buy time for military gains. Putin insists any settlement must be on Russia’s terms. The planned Trump-Putin summit marks a shift from the Biden administration’s policy of excluding Ukraine from major negotiations, a stance strongly supported by Kyiv. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said he planned talks with European leaders to discuss the conflict and stressed Europe’s role in ending the war. He reiterated Ukraine’s readiness for bold negotiations but said Russia’s attacks on civilians continue despite Trump’s calls for peace. Trump says he, Putin agree ‘war in Israel-Iran should end’ A recent Gallup poll showed that most Ukrainians now favor negotiating an end to the war, a sharp change from 2022 when most wanted to keep fighting until victory. About 70% now support seeking a settlement soon, though only a quarter believe fighting will end within a year. The war front stretches over 1,000 kilometers with heavy casualties on both sides as Russia slowly captures more territory.

Wall Street was expected to open higher Thursday as markets showed little reaction to the new U.S. tariffs on imports that started early Thursday. Futures for major indexes were up: S&P 500 rose 0.6%, Dow Jones gained 0.5%, and Nasdaq climbed 0.7%. Though the U.S. trade policies have caused some uncertainty and slowed economic growth, investors are hopeful that interest rate cuts will help balance the impact. Strong earnings reports from several companies also helped stabilize the market. Food delivery app DoorDash jumped 9% after beating profit expectations and raising revenue guidance. Its shares have gained 66% this year. Meanwhile, drugmaker Eli Lilly’s shares fell 7% despite strong earnings due to concerns over side effects from a weight-loss drug study. Airbnb’s stock dropped 6% after reporting better-than-expected sales but lowered profit forecasts for the rest of the year. Language app Duolingo surged 25% after beating profit targets, with subscription revenue rising 46% year-over-year. Later Thursday, new government data on jobless claims will be released, which gives insight into layoffs following a disappointing July jobs report. Asian shares mostly rise as Wall Street stocks continue to decline In Europe, Germany’s DAX rose 1.7%, Paris’s CAC 40 gained 1.3%, while Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.8% after the Bank of England cut interest rates to 4% to support the slowing economy. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei added 0.7%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.7%, and China’s Shanghai Composite increased 0.2%, helped by stronger exports in July. South Korea’s Kospi was up 0.9%, but Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.1%. India’s Sensex dropped 0.8% after Trump raised tariffs on Indian imports to 50%, citing its purchases of Russian oil. Global shares edge higher after Wall Street slide on weak US jobs data Trump also announced 100% tariffs on computer chips but exempted companies investing in U.S. production. This helped boost shares of Apple, which said it will increase U.S. investments by $100 billion. Taiwan’s stock market jumped 2.4%, led by chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor, which is expanding its U.S. factories and benefiting from the tariff exemption. South Korean chipmakers also gained, with Samsung rising 2.5%. In energy markets, U.S. crude oil rose slightly to $64.58 per barrel, and Brent crude increased to $67.17 per barrel. The U.S. dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen, while the euro weakened slightly against the dollar.