United News of Bangladesh

President Donald Trump will meet Wednesday in Saudi Arabia with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the onetime insurgent who last year led the overthrow of former leader Bashar Assad. “The President agreed to say hello to the Syrian President while in Saudi Arabia tomorrow," the White House said, reports AP. The US has been weighing how to handle al-Sharaa since he took power in December. Gulf leaders, have rallied behind the new government in Damascus and will want Trump to follow, believing it is a bulwark against Iran's return to influence in Syria, where it had helped prop up Assad's government during a decade-long civil war. Then-President Joe Biden left the decision to Trump, whose administration has yet to formally recognize the new Syrian government. Sanctions imposed on Damascus under Assad also remain in place. In remarks Tuesday evening in Riyadh, Trump is expected to say that “we must all hope” the al-Sharaa government “will succeed in stabilizing the country and keeping peace,” according to excerpts released by the White House. UN agencies warn Israel’s new Gaza aid plan could endanger lives As he prepared to leave Washington, Trump said he’s weighing removing sanctions on the Syrian government. “We may want to take them off of Syria, because we want to give them a fresh start,” said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to do so. The comments marked a striking change in tone from Trump, who has been deeply skeptical of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa. Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. Al-Sharaa, whom the US once offered $10 million for information about his whereabouts because of his links to al-Qaida, came back to his home country after the conflict began in 2011 where he led al-Qaida’s branch that used to be known as the Nusra Front. He later changed the name of his group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and cut links with al-Qaida.

The global number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) climbed to an all-time high of 83.4 million by the end of 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre's newly published Global Report on Internal Displacement 2025 highlights that persistent conflict and violence continue to be the primary causes of displacement. By the close of 2024, 73.5 million people were uprooted by conflict and violence — an increase of 80 percent compared to six years ago. Sudan recorded the highest number of IDPs worldwide, with 11.6 million people displaced due to conflict. In the Gaza Strip, nearly the entire population was displaced by year’s end. The report further reveals that disasters were responsible for 45.8 million displacement events in 2024 — nearly twice the average annual figure of the past ten years. Japan, IOM sign $3.2mn deal for Bangladesh’s flood recovery Although many of those affected managed to return home within the year, approximately 9.8 million people remained displaced by disasters at the end of 2024. "These figures are a clear warning: without bold and coordinated action, the number of people displaced within their own countries will continue to grow rapidly," said IOM Director General Amy Pope.  

UN Secretary-General António Guterres told countries that the world body's peacekeeping operation is “only as strong as member states’ commitment to it” as he pleaded with them Tuesday to pay their share. The United Nations' peackeeping department currently leads 11 operations, in countries including Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Lebanon, Cyprus and Kosovo, reports AP. The budget for nine of those operations during the fiscal year that ends on June 30 totals $5.6 billion, 8.2% lower than a year earlier. Each of the UN's 193 member countries is legally obliged to pay its share toward peacekeeping. Guterres argued that, with a budget “representing a tiny fraction of global military spending — around one half of one per cent — UN Peacekeeping remains one of the most effective and cost-effective tools to build international peace and security.” “But it’s only as strong as member states’ commitment to it,” he added at the opening of a two-day, German-hosted conference of ministers to discuss the future of peacekeeping. UK’s Starmer  announces stricter immigration plan; pledges sharp drop in migration numbers “Unfortunately, peacekeeping operations have been facing serious liquidity problems. It is absolutely essential that all member states respect their financial obligations, paying their contributions in full and on time.” Guterres didn't offer details of the problems, but acknowledged that "these are tough times for the financing of our work across the board." More broadly, the UN has been scrambling to respond to funding cuts for aid operations from its biggest donor, the United States, under President Donald Trump’s administration. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that his country, like many others, “is prepared to pledge additional resources” for peacekeeping. But he said there should also be an effort to make missions “more efficient and more focused” through clearer mandates, cutting back on bureaucracy and avoiding duplication.

Three suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the Indian military said Tuesday. It is the first reported gunbattle between Indian troops and militants in the region since last month's massacre that left 26 tourists dead, and which India has blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied the charge. India’s military said in a statement soldiers acting on a tip carried out a “search and destroy” operation in the Keller area of the southern Shopian district early Tuesday, during which militants “opened heavy fire and a fierce firefight ensued,” it said. The army hasn't provided further details or casualties among soldiers, but stated that soldiers continued their search operation. The Himalayan territory is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan. Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Russia launches smallest nighttime attack on Ukraine in months in run-up to possible peace talks Many Muslim Kashmiris support the rebels’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. Before the April 22 gun massacre in the Kashmiri resort town of Pahalgam, the fighting had largely ebbed in the region’s Kashmir Valley, the heartland of anti-India rebellion and mainly shifted to mountainous areas of Jammu in the last few years. The massacre spiked tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals last week, leading to the worst military confrontation in decades and the death of dozens of people until a ceasefire was reached on May 10 after US mediation. Since 2019, the territory has simmered in anger when New Delhi ended the region’s semi-autonomy and drastically curbed dissent, civil liberties and media freedoms while intensifying counterinsurgency operations.

Russia launched 10 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, the Ukrainian air force said Tuesday, in its smallest drone bombardment this year as the warring countries prepare for possible peace talks in Turkey. The Kremlin hasn’t directly responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s challenge for Russian leader Vladimir Putin to meet him in person at the negotiations in Istanbul on Thursday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused for the second straight day Tuesday to tell reporters whether Putin will travel to Istanbul and who else will represent Russia at the potential talks. “As soon as the president considers it necessary, we will make an announcement,” Peskov said. Russia declares a 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine marking Victory Day in World War II Russia has said it will send a delegation to Istanbul without preconditions. The U.S. has been applying stiff pressure on both sides to come to the table since President Donald Trump came to power in January with a promise to end the war. Military analysts say both sides are preparing a spring-summer campaign on the battlefield, where a war of attrition has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said Monday that Russia is “quickly replenishing front-line units with new recruits to maintain the battlefield initiative.”  Russia launches nearly 150 drones against Ukraine Zelenskyy will not be meeting with any Russian officials in Istanbul other than Putin, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelenskyy, said Tuesday on a YouTube show run by prominent Russian journalists in exile. Lower-level talks would amount to simply “dragging out” any peace process, Podolyak said. European leaders have recently accused Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts while he attempts to press his bigger army’s battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. Russia effectively rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire demanded by Ukraine and Western European leaders from Monday, when it fired more than 100 drones at Ukraine. Putin instead offered direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday. Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the U.S. and European leaders but offered direct talks with Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government, especially Zelenskyy himself, saying his term expired last year. Under Ukraine’s constitution, it is illegal for the country to hold national elections while it’s under martial law, as it now is. In a further complication, a Ukrainian decree from 2022 rules out negotiations with Putin. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Monday with the top diplomats from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Poland, who were meeting in London, to assess “the way forward for a ceasefire and path to peace in Ukraine,” spokesperson Tammy Bruce said. Those European countries had pledged further sanctions on Russia if it didn’t comply with a full ceasefire that Ukraine had accepted from Monday, but they made no announcement of additional punitive measures.  Trump says Zelenskyy is prolonging war in Ukraine by resisting calls to cede Crimea to Russia

In a High Court hearing starting Tuesday, the U.K. government will defend its decision to continue supplying parts for F-35 fighter jets that may be used by Israel in Gaza, The legal challenge was brought by human rights groups, which argue that the government is breaking domestic and international law and is complicit in atrocities against Palestinians by allowing essential components for the warplanes to be supplied to Israel. UK’s Starmer  announces stricter immigration plan; pledges sharp drop in migration numbers  The government said in September that it was suspending about 30 of 350 existing export licenses for equipment deemed to be for use in the conflict in Gaza because of a “clear risk” that the items could be used to “commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.” Those equipment included parts for helicopters and drones. But an exemption was made for some licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets, which have been linked to Israel’s bombardment campaign in the Gaza Strip. Rights groups argue that the United Kingdom shouldn't continue the export of the parts through what they call a “deliberate loophole” given the government's own assessment of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law. Palestinian human rights organization Al-Haq and the U.K.-based Global Legal Action Network, which brought the legal challenge, say the components are indirectly supplied to Israel through the global spare parts supply chain. U.K. officials have argued that stopping the export of F-35 fighter jet components would negatively impact international peace and security. Compared to major arms suppliers such as the U.S. and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade nonprofit group estimates that the U.K. supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system. “British-made F-35s are dropping multi-ton bombs on the people of Gaza, which the U.N. secretary-general has described as a ‘killing field,’” said Charlotte Andrews-Briscoe, a lawyer for the Global Legal Action Network. “The U.K. government has expressly departed from its own domestic law in order to keep arming Israel. This decision is of continuing and catastrophic effect," she added. The hearing is expected to last four days and a decision is expected at a later date. Israel resumed its bombardment in Gaza in March, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. More than 52,800 people, more than half of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory's health ministry. The ministry’s count doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants. Israel says it has killed thousands of militants, without giving evidence. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas’ military chief, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.  UK urges India-Pakistan to show restraint, engage in dialogue

A mother elephant’s heartbreaking vigil beside her calf, killed in a road accident, has drawn widespread sorrow and outrage online. The tragic incident took place on May 11 — Mother’s Day — along the Gerik-Jeli East-West Highway in Malaysia’s Perak state, when a baby elephant was fatally struck by a truck while crossing the road. A viral video posted by Instagram user @jklamlam shows the gut-wrenching scene: the calf lies motionless beneath the truck while the mother stands guard, refusing to leave. The footage, recorded on a poorly lit road at night, later shows traffic building up as vehicles wait for rescuers to respond. Even after dawn, the grieving elephant remained by her baby’s side, unmoved by attempts to lead her away, reports the Indian Express. “This tragedy shows the serious danger wildlife face from growing road networks. Since 2020, eight elephants have been killed on Malaysian roads, including three in 2025 alone. The Gerik-Jeli Highway cuts through key habitats like Royal Belum State Park and Temengor Forest, making it a frequent site for animal crossings,” the Instagram post stated. “Conservationists, including WWF-Malaysia, are urging immediate action — like speed bumps and dedicated wildlife crossings — to prevent more tragedies,” it added. The video, which has garnered nearly 400,000 views, sparked an emotional response on social media. One user wrote, “My heart breaks with hers. I am so sorry we failed you and your baby, sweet mama. We do not deserve to share this earth with such noble beings.” Another commented, “Wow they did this! There is absolutely no way you don’t see a baby elephant crossing the road!! And what did they do to this poor mom?”    

At least 14 people died and six were hospitalized in critical condition after consuming toxic liquor overnight in northern India, police said Tuesday. Seven people were arrested on allegations they supplied the toxic liquor in five villages around 19 kilometers (12 miles) from the city of Amritsar in northern Punjab, senior police officer Maninder Singh said. The police have launched a crackdown to destroy the network of spurious liquor supplies in the area following the incident, Singh said. The local administration deployed medics to the villages to check on people who drank the contaminated liquor, said Sakshi Sawhney, a senior government official in Amritsar. Those showing symptoms are being shifted to hospitals to ensure the death toll doesn’t rise, said Sawhney. Detained Philippines ex-President Duterte poised to win mayoral race in his home city Investigators have not said what ingredients were suspected of causing the deaths and sickness. In India, deaths from consumption of contaminated liquor manufactured locally is rampant, mainly in rural areas, as people lap them up for cheaper prices.    

International aid organizations warned on Friday that Israeli efforts to take control of humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza—backed by a new U.S.-proposed system—risk worsening the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave. The agencies urged Israel to end its three-month blockade of vital supplies, including food and medicine. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said a new American-designed aid framework would launch soon and encouraged U.N. and other relief agencies to join. However, the U.N. has rejected the plan, saying it “weaponizes aid,” could result in mass displacement, and lacks the capacity to deliver adequate assistance while violating neutrality principles. Gaza at critical risk of famine if Israel doesn't end its blockade: Food security experts As aid dwindles, scenes of desperation grow more frequent. In Khan Younis, thousands crowded around a charity kitchen, waving empty pots in hopes of receiving pasta—one of the few food sources left for Gaza’s 2.3 million people. Dozens of such kitchens have already shut due to supply shortages. Raed al-Zaharna, who left without food for his children, said, “I’m thinking now, ‘What will I feed them?’ I can’t find anything.” Since March 2, Israel has blocked food, fuel, medicine, and other supplies from entering Gaza. Officials say the move is meant to pressure Hamas to release hostages and disarm. The blockade resumed alongside renewed bombardments and troop advances following a collapsed ceasefire. Human rights groups have described the blockade as a form of “starvation tactic” and warned it could amount to a war crime. Israel has made clear it will not permit the current U.N.-led aid system to resume, accusing Hamas of diverting supplies—though no evidence has been presented. The U.N. counters that it strictly monitors aid and denies significant diversion. “Humanitarian aid should never be used as a bargaining chip,” said UNICEF spokesperson James Elder. “There is a simple alternative. Lift the blockade, let humanitarian aid in, save lives.” U.S.-Backed Plan Sparks Pushback Huckabee said details of the new system would be unveiled in the coming days, with deliveries expected to begin “very soon.” He emphasized the plan’s independence from Israel, noting that private contractors would manage distribution and perimeter security would be handled by Israeli forces from a distance. “I will be the first to admit it will not be perfect, especially in the early days,” Huckabee said. The system is to be operated by the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group comprising former U.S. officials, ex-military personnel, private security contractors, and humanitarian specialists. Documents obtained by the Associated Press indicate the plan involves four secure distribution hubs, each serving 300,000 people—covering only about half of Gaza’s population initially. Joseph Belliveau, executive director of Medglobal, said that during a Geneva briefing led by U.S. envoy team member Aryeh Lightstone, aid groups objected to replacing the U.N.-led system with the new model. Belliveau said humanitarian groups have long followed rigorous protocols to prevent aid diversion. “What we need is to be just allowed (to work). We need that blockade lifted,” he said. U.N. Rejects Israeli Control Over Aid While Israel has yet to publicly disclose details of its intended aid mechanism, the U.N. has said that what has been communicated privately undermines core humanitarian principles. “As the Secretary-General has made clear, the U.N. will not engage in any arrangement that fails to uphold the humanitarian principles: humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality,” the U.N. emergency aid office said Friday. Elder said the GHF plan appears “designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic.” Aid groups fear the hub system will force Palestinians to relocate or travel long distances, potentially causing further displacement. None of the hubs appear set to be located in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands still reside. Israel has repeatedly urged civilians to leave the north due to ongoing combat with Hamas. Elder warned that this could solidify forced displacement “for political and military purposes.” Vulnerable populations—children, the elderly, and the ill—might be unable to access the hubs. Last month, 20 aid organizations warned the proposed plan would push people into “de facto internment conditions” clustered around the distribution hubs. Some aid officials also expressed concern over Israel's apparent intent to vet aid recipients, which could politicize distribution. GHF has said its plan is need-based. “More children are likely to suffer and risk death and injury as a consequence of this plan,” Elder said. Concerns Over Scale and Effectiveness Humanitarian officials argue that the new system won't come close to meeting Gaza’s immense needs. Hundreds of distribution sites, medical centers, shelters, and support services are currently coordinated by UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel barred UNRWA’s operations last year, claiming some staff were linked to Hamas. The agency maintains that it takes swift action against any staff with suspected ties and notes that Israel has not provided evidence of its allegations. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma emphasized, “It is very, very difficult to imagine any humanitarian operation without UNRWA.” Ruth James, Oxfam’s regional humanitarian coordinator, said extensive networks are essential for delivering aid effectively. “That takes time and expertise,” she said. “Any new system that comes in this quickly and without humanitarian expertise and trust from communities will not be able to do that.” Huckabee urged U.N. agencies to support the new mechanism, but concerns remain unaddressed. Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian office, said meetings with Israeli officials have failed to resolve those concerns. He dismissed the claim that aid theft is widespread. “The problem is the blockage of hundreds of aid trucks that should go into the Gaza Strip every single day. That is the root cause of the humanitarian crisis,” Laerke said.  

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the beginning of his first significant overseas visit since starting his second term in office. Air Force One touched down at 2:49 am. ET (9:49 a.m. local time), where Trump received a ceremonial welcome at the Royal Terminal. A royal purple carpet was laid out for his arrival, and he was greeted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders participated in a traditional coffee ceremony inside the terminal before the president departed for his hotel. The visit has been marked by high-level pageantry, with Riyadh’s streets lined with American and Saudi flags along the route from the airport. In a display of diplomatic flair, Saudi F-15 fighter jets escorted Air Force One as it approached the city — a detail highlighted by Trump’s deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and reporters traveling with the delegation. Trump visiting Gulf Arab states while crises flare in Gaza and Iran Trump's schedule for Tuesday includes a formal welcoming ceremony with the crown prince, a meeting of U.S. and Saudi delegations, a business lunch with corporate leaders, bilateral discussions, and a signing ceremony at the Royal Court. He is also set to speak at a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum, tour the historic Dir’iyah and At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage sites, and conclude the day with a state dinner hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Source: With inputs from agency