United News of Bangladesh

Pakistani security forces killed 24 militants during raids on multiple hideouts in the country's northwestern region, as authorities stepped up operations following recent militant attacks, the military and local officials said Friday. According to the military, intelligence-based operations carried out over the previous day targeted members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups, leaving 24 militants dead and resulting in the seizure of a cache of weapons. The military said the raids were launched in response to two militant attacks on Wednesday, including a suicide bombing in which an explosives-laden vehicle rammed police officers and civilians. Another attack by a little-known militant group targeted a police station in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, injuring several police officers. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for what they described as a swift and effective response to the recent attacks in Bannu. In separate statements, they said eliminating terrorism remains the government's top priority and vowed to bring those responsible to justice. The TTP, while separate from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, is allied with the group. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban government of allowing cross-border militant attacks, an allegation Kabul has consistently denied. The TTP and the Baloch separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have frequently claimed responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan. Since last year, Pakistan has carried out several military strikes that it says targeted TTP hideouts along the Afghan border. The government in Islamabad has also alleged that the militant groups receive support from India, a claim New Delhi has repeatedly rejected. President Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif reiterated the allegation in their statements. The military said security forces will continue the nationwide counterterrorism campaign, Azm-e-Istehkam ("Resolve for Stability"), launched last year under the National Action Plan to dismantle militant networks across the country.

A landslide struck southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Friday, burying several residential buildings and trapping an unknown number of people, according to state media. State broadcaster CCTV reported that at least eight people had been rescued from the debris, while search and rescue efforts were still underway. The landslide occurred at around 9:08 a.m. in Pengshui County of Chongqing, CCTV said. Footage aired by the broadcaster showed a section of a mountainside collapsing onto a residential area. Several buildings stood close to the site of the collapse as rescue workers searched through the rubble for survivors. Pengshui County is situated in the southeastern part of Chongqing and borders China's Hubei and Guizhou provinces.

At least one person was killed and dozens of others were hospitalized after a sudden crowd surge during the annual Rath Yatra festival in India's eastern Odisha state on Thursday, authorities said. The incident occurred in the coastal town of Puri, where tens of thousands of devotees had gathered for the centuries-old Hindu chariot festival, according to the Press Trust of India. The Rath Yatra is one of the world's oldest and largest religious processions, during which idols of Hindu deities are taken out of the Jagannath Temple and paraded through the streets on elaborately decorated chariots. Videos circulating on social media showed injured devotees being carried to hospitals while shoes, bags and other personal belongings lay scattered across the area after the crowd surge. Odisha Police said rescue teams provided first aid and oxygen support to 33 injured people before transferring them to nearby hospitals for further treatment. The latest incident comes a year after three people were killed and more than a dozen others were injured in a similar crowd surge during the same festival. Crowd crushes are relatively common during major religious gatherings in India, where millions of devotees often assemble in confined spaces with limited crowd-control measures. Last year in January, at least 30 people were killed during the Maha Kumbh festival when large numbers of pilgrims rushed to bathe in a sacred river. In another major tragedy in 2013, at least 115 pilgrims died after panic broke out over fears that a bridge would collapse during a Hindu festival in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, leading to a deadly stampede and drownings.

A fire at a state-run child welfare institution in Mohammadia, east of Algiers, killed 11 people, including children, and injured 19 early Thursday. The blaze broke out at around 3:30 am local time (02:30 GMT) at the Childhood Relief Institution, Algeria's Civil Protection agency said. The facility serves as a residential care centre, providing shelter, medical treatment and social support for orphans, abandoned children and minors with special needs. Factory warehouse gutted in Gazipur fire According to the agency, 10 people suffered burns of varying degrees, while two others sustained severe respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation. Another seven people were treated for severe psychological shock. Emergency teams also evacuated five residents with special needs to a safe location. Videos shared on social media showed large crowds gathered outside the institution as rescue efforts continued. Images released by the Civil Protection agency showed firefighters battling thick smoke inside the building while evacuating residents. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed condolences in a social media post, saying he had received the news of the deaths of children and injuries to others with deep sorrow. Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb later visited Mustapha Pacha University Hospital in Algiers to check on the condition of the injured and oversee their treatment, local media reported. Firefighting and search operations have been completed, while security and judicial authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. With inputs from Al Jazeera

More than 500 people are feared dead after two boats carrying mostly Rohingya refugees capsized off the coast of Myanmar, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday. According to preliminary information, the two vessels departed Myanmar’s Rakhine State in late June with mostly Rohingya passengers on board. One boat, carrying an estimated 250 people, lost contact shortly after leaving, while another, believed to have been carrying around 280 people, reportedly sank off Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady coast on July 8. “While the incidents and casualty figures have yet to be officially confirmed, UNHCR and IOM are gravely concerned by the potentially devastating loss of life,” the agencies said. Before these latest incidents, more than 300 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, had already been killed or reported missing this year while attempting dangerous crossings in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The UN agencies noted that Rohingya refugees, who have fled both Myanmar and camps in Bangladesh in recent years, usually avoid sea journeys during the monsoon season because of rough weather and hazardous condition. They said recent heavy rainfall and flooding across the region would have made the crossings even more dangerous. Around 1.2 million stateless Rohingya continue to live in refugee camps in Bangladesh after fleeing waves of violence by Myanmar’s security forces. Humanitarian conditions in the camps have worsened following significant cuts in foreign aid from the United States and other donors, leading to reduced food assistance. Unable to return safely to Myanmar, where the military remains in power and Rohingya continue to face severe restrictions, many have attempted dangerous sea voyages to countries such as Malaysia. Thousands have died on the route over the years, including children and pregnant women, while reports have accused some maritime authorities of leaving boats in distress without assistance. The IOM and UNHCR said the latest suspected tragedy underscores the absence of durable solutions for the Rohingya crisis and called for greater international support for refugees living in Bangladesh. “Stronger regional and international efforts are needed to prevent further loss of life along one of the world’s deadliest maritime routes, including through enhanced search and rescue efforts, access to asylum and protection, and actions against smuggling and trafficking networks,” the agencies said. According to the UNHCR, more than 6,500 Rohingya have fled by sea in 2025, with nearly 900 reported dead or missing, making it the deadliest year on record for Rohingya attempting such journeys and the world's highest mortality rate for a major refugee and migrant sea route. Source Al Jazeera

Philippine police are investigating the killing of an American marine biologist who was shot dead by three masked men who forced their way into his home in the central Philippines over the weekend, officials said Tuesday. Police said Kent Carpenter, 73, was at his house in the coastal town of Sibulan in Negros Oriental province with his Filipina companion on Sunday night when three men entered the home. According to police, citing Carpenter's companion, one of the intruders pulled out a gun and shot Carpenter in the head, killing him instantly. The attackers then fled with a laptop, an unspecified amount of cash and a backpack, national police spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co told reporters. Regional police spokesperson Lt. Col. Joem Malong said Carpenter's companion sustained unspecified injuries during the incident and was receiving treatment. Investigators are working to determine the motive behind the killing and identify the suspects. Malong said Carpenter, a marine biologist, had served as a lecturer at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. He added that the U.S. Embassy in Manila had been informed of the incident. The U.S. Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. "We assure the victim's family, the community and our foreign visitors that this case is being treated with utmost urgency and no effort will be spared until justice is served," regional police director Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño said. Several environmental and biodiversity organisations in the Philippines expressed grief over Carpenter's death. Silliman University described Carpenter as an outstanding scientist who had collaborated with the institution on marine research and studies since 1976. "Dr. Carpenter made groundbreaking contributions that transformed global understanding of Philippine marine biodiversity," the university said.

The death toll from a devastating fire at a music bar in Bangkok has risen to 30, while more than 70 people remain hospitalized, Thai authorities said on Tuesday. According to Bangkok city officials, 24 of the injured are in critical condition following the blaze, which broke out late Sunday at the Rong Beer Na Ladprao bar in the northern part of the Thai capital. Firefighters brought the fire under control after about 30 minutes, but the incident has become Bangkok's deadliest fire in nearly two decades. The venue, which describes itself as a brewery or beer hall, has a capacity of around 600 patrons, although authorities have not confirmed how many people were inside when the fire started. Police said many of the victims were found trapped inside windowless bathrooms, where they had apparently sought shelter from the flames. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire and whether the establishment complied with safety regulations. On Tuesday, former customers, relatives and other mourners gathered at the site to pay tribute to the victims, leaving flowers and handwritten condolence messages in Thai and several other languages, including Korean. Burned musical instruments, charred chairs and other debris from the bar remained scattered around the area after being removed by investigators examining the scene.

Syria's newly elected parliament convened its first session on Sunday following the ouster of former President Bashar Assad, marking a significant step in the country's political transition after years of civil war and authoritarian rule. The inaugural session of the 210-member People's Assembly signals the resumption of legislative activities as Syria seeks to rebuild its political institutions after decades under the Assad family's rule and a conflict that claimed an estimated half a million lives. Of the 210 lawmakers, two-thirds were elected through electoral colleges, while the remaining one-third were appointed by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The parliament is expected to serve for 30 months while laying the groundwork for future national elections. Addressing the opening session, al-Sharaa said the country was entering a new phase focused on strengthening state institutions following the restoration of what he described as Syria's freedom. Following the swearing-in ceremony, lawmakers elected Abdul Hamid al-Awak as speaker of parliament. According to Syria's state-run SANA news agency, al-Awak, who hails from the northeastern province of Hassakeh, served as a judge in the Justice Ministry for a decade. Reports said he was among the Syrian officials who defected from the Assad government during the early stages of the uprising and later moved to Turkey. The formation of the new parliament is seen as part of Syria's broader political transition as the country works toward drafting new legislation and preparing for future elections.

Chinese authorities on Sunday evening issued two separate red alerts, the highest level in its four-tier system, for flash floods and geological hazards, as heavy rains continue to lash multiple regions. The flash flood red alert, issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration, warns of very high risks of flash floods in parts of Liaoning, Jilin and Anhui provinces from 8 p.m. Sunday to 8 p.m. Monday. An orange alert has also been issued for some other areas. Separately, the geological hazard red alert, issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the China Meteorological Administration, highlights very high risks of landslides and ground collapses in parts of Liaoning and Anhui, with orange and yellow warnings covering some other areas. Local governments are urged to step up real-time monitoring, issue timely warnings and execute evacuation plans. The public is advised to stay alert and follow official guidance.   

Authorities in the Zhejiang province have evacuated more than 1.7 million people as of Saturday morning, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Shanghai, also on China’s eastern coast, relocated around 34,000 residents from high-risk areas by Saturday noon, according to Xinhua. In southeastern China, cities near the coast are preparing for the impacts of Bavi. In the city of Ningde in Fujian province, more than 3,700 people were relocated from high-risk onshore areas as of Friday evening, Xinhua said. Authorities in Fujian province have placed over 17,000 emergency rescue workers on standby. China’s National Meteorological Center issued an orange typhoon alert, the second-highest on a four-tier level, with many schools and ferry services suspended. Hundreds of flights have been canceled, and some high-speed railway services halted. The center on Saturday also issued the first red alert for rainstorms of the year, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Chinese authorities said Saturday they have allocated 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in central natural disaster relief funds to support Zhejiang and Fujian provinces’ typhoon prevention and emergency rescue and relief efforts.