United News of Bangladesh

At least seven people were killed and many others injured Monday morning after a stampede at a temple in India's eastern state of Bihar, officials said. The stampede reportedly broke out after an electric wire snapped, triggering panic among the crowd at the Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai district, about 125 km southeast of Patna, the capital city of Bihar, senior police official Shivam Kumar was quoted by local media as saying. Following the incident, local government officials and police rushed to the spot to oversee rescue efforts and crowd management. Officials said a large number of devotees gathered at the temple to offer prayers.

Authorities on Sunday searched for more bodies from an over loaded ferry that capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe last week as the death toll in the disaster rose to more than 80 people. The ferry capsized in strong waves on Tuesday. Police on Sunday said the death toll had risen to 84, from 72 the previous day as more bodies were recovered. Zimbabwe’s disaster management agency has said 77 people were rescued. Estimates had put the number of passengers as high as 153 on a ferry authorized to carry 90 people, but the latest official figures now suggest the number of passengers could be even higher. Police in the southern African country said “search efforts are still underway in a bid to recover victims identified as missing.” The aging ferry was traveling from the town of Kariba to rural and fishing communities in the country’s northwest, where roads are damaged and public transportation is scarce. Among the dead are 18 children, with the youngest just 1 year old. According to police, 16 of the victims were aged 10 or younger. Kariba is the world’s largest human-made lake by volume, created by damming the mighty Zambezi River in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It stretches more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) and is up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in places. Zimbabwe and Zambia share the lake, with their border running through its middle.  

  President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea, saying it declined to help denuclearize Iran and citing his good relationship with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Trump said in a social media post that the exercises slated to begin this week are not only costly but “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time in the White House. “Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!” Trump wrote. The president added that he recently asked South Korea’s president to join the U.S. in its efforts to denuclearize Iran, “and they said, ‘No thanks!’” The move is the latest example of the president appearing to side against an ally in favor of a leader that previous administrations have cast as an adversary. Trump and others in his administration have also railed against NATO allies over perceived lack of support for his war against Iran, even as they seek to confront an increasingly aggressive Russia in the Baltic region. It is also a sharp turnaround from how his administration has viewed South Korea in recent months.

Firefighters were battling a massive wildfire in eastern Belgium on Sunday after flames swept through about 30 square kilometers (12 square miles) of the High Fens nature reserve, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of residents. Authorities ordered around 600 people living in the nearby municipalities of Waimes and Bütgenbach, in Liège province near the German border, to leave their homes Saturday as shifting winds pushed smoke and flames closer to populated areas. Tourists were also advised to leave the region, while a local gymnasium was opened as an emergency shelter for evacuees. More than 250 emergency personnel, including over 100 Belgian and German firefighters, were deployed to tackle the blaze, according to Liège provincial governor Hervé Jamar. Police, military personnel and civil protection teams were also assisting the operation. Firefighting helicopters operated by Belgium's federal police and the Netherlands were supporting crews on the ground. René Dahmen, chief engineer at the Department of Nature and Forest, said the fire continued to spread Sunday in difficult terrain that was challenging for firefighters to access. He said a stretch of the fire line at least one kilometer long was slowly moving toward a municipal forest, making it a priority for firefighting teams. "The situation is extremely difficult," Dahmen said, stressing the need for continued helicopter support. No homes had been damaged as of Sunday morning, officials said. However, the fire remained near residential areas and thick smoke continued to blanket parts of the region. Authorities urged residents and visitors to stay away from the affected area, warning that unnecessary traffic could obstruct emergency vehicles and hamper firefighting efforts. European countries provide assistance Belgium activated the European Union's civil protection mechanism to seek international assistance as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze. EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib said Belgium was receiving support from other European countries. Sweden sent two water-bombing aircraft, while three helicopters — two from the Netherlands and one from the Czech Republic — were also being deployed to assist Belgian and German crews. The wildfire comes after weeks of unusually hot and dry weather in Belgium. The High Fens, which contains large areas of heathland and peat bogs, has proved particularly difficult to fight because of the terrain and dry vegetation. Another intense heat wave affected Belgium this week, with temperatures reaching around 37 C (98.6 F) in parts of the country on Friday.

Pakistani security forces killed seven terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the southwest Balochistan province, the security sources said Sunday. The operation was conducted in Lajay area of Kharan district following reports of terrorist presence, according to security sources. A cache of modern weapons, ammunition and military equipment, along with two vehicles and a motorcycle, was recovered, while terrorist hideouts were destroyed, the sources said. The killed terrorists were allegedly involved in robbery, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, targeted killings and planning suicide attacks in Kharan and surrounding areas. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stressed that the nation remains united and resolute in the fight against terrorism, saying intelligence-based operations will continue until the "last terrorist" is eliminated.

A five-day foreign media delegation visited China’s Shandong Province from August 10 to 14 under the theme “Opportunities in China, Innovation in Qingdao”, giving international journalists and friends a closer look at the province’s technological innovation, cultural heritage, ecological protection and high-quality development. The visit was organised by CRI Online of China Media Group, the Information Office of the Qingdao Municipal People’s Government and the Information Office of the Dongying Municipal People’s Government. During the visit, the participants travelled through Qingdao and Dongying, engaging with local communities, enterprises, cultural institutions and development projects. Through first-hand experiences and exchanges, they gained a broader understanding of Shandong’s efforts to promote innovation, preserve cultural heritage, improve people’s well-being and pursue green development. The programme covered a wide range of themes, including artificial intelligence, intelligent manufacturing, biotechnology, healthcare, marine industries, rural revitalisation, traditional culture, urban renewal and ecological conservation. In Qingdao, participants witnessed the city’s growing momentum in technological innovation and saw how emerging technologies are being applied to industry and everyday life. They also explored how traditional culture is being integrated with modern tourism and experienced the coastal city’s distinctive cultural atmosphere. The delegation also gained insights into rural revitalisation and the development of cultural tourism and wellness industries. Traditional food and tea culture, as well as historic neighbourhoods, gave international visitors opportunities to see how local heritage is being preserved while finding new life in contemporary society. Dongying offered another perspective on Shandong’s development. Located at the mouth of the Yellow River, the city gave participants an opportunity to explore the relationship between the river, local culture, industrial development and ecological protection. The Yellow River was a central theme of the Dongying leg of the visit. Participants learned about the river’s cultural significance and witnessed efforts to protect and make sustainable use of its ecological resources. They also gained an understanding of the region’s industrial heritage and its ongoing transition towards more innovative and sustainable development. The visit highlighted the close connection between economic development and environmental protection. From the innovative use of saline-alkaline land to the conservation of the Yellow River Delta wetlands, the delegation observed efforts to turn ecological challenges into opportunities for sustainable development. “This visit allowed me to see China at the local level and experience its development directly,” said a Bangladeshi media representative. “What impressed me most is the combination of modern technology, traditional culture and green development. I believe these experiences will help me tell a more vivid story about China to international audiences.” A participant from Pakistan also spoke positively about the journey, saying, “Shandong has shown us that development does not mean leaving tradition behind. Technology and innovation are creating new opportunities, while culture and the environment are being protected. The visit gave us a deeper understanding of how China is pursuing modernisation and improving people’s lives.” Representatives from overseas media outlets in Bangladesh, Canada, South Korea and Pakistan, as well as international friends from Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries, participated in the programme.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has called for the execution of Palestinian prisoners by hanging, pledging to do everything within his authority to ensure they are executed "one by one". Speaking with former Israeli captive Rom Braslavski, Ben-Gvir said that hanging would be the primary method of execution under the death penalty legislation he has been actively promoting. Israel claims to have killed senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon "I will do the impossible when the time comes," the minister remarked during the conversation. "I promise you that I will do everything in my power and turn the world upside down to make this happen". In addition to his comments on the death penalty, Ben-Gvir expressed satisfaction regarding the harsher conditions Palestinian prisoners are currently facing within the Israeli penal system. The statement follows legislative action taken by Israel’s parliament on March 30, 2026, which imposed the death penalty by hanging for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. The law applies in cases where a military court determines the act was "terrorism" or was driven by a "denial of the existence of the State of Israel". With inputs from Al Jazeera

Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on Russia since the start of the war on Sunday, killing at least six people and sending hundreds of drones toward Moscow and other areas, Russian officials said. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted and destroyed 822 Ukrainian drones overnight. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said around 600 drones were detected heading toward the Russian capital, with about one-third of them destroyed over the Moscow region. An 83-year-old man was killed when a Ukrainian drone struck a private home in the Moscow region, regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said. Vorobyov also said a Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire at a warehouse belonging to Russian retail giant Wildberries. Images circulated by Russian media showed thick columns of black smoke rising over the town of Podolsk, where the warehouse was located. Five other people were killed in Russia’s southern Rostov region, according to regional Governor Yury Slyusar. He said three towns in the region came under attack, though further details were not immediately available. The scale of Sunday’s attack highlighted Ukraine’s growing use of long-range drones against targets deep inside Russian territory as the war continues.

At least 12 people were killed and 10 others seriously injured when a passenger bus carrying Polish tourists overturned on a highway in Hungary early Sunday, police said. The accident occurred around 1am on the eastbound lanes of the M3 motorway near Mezokeresztes, about 140 kilometres (87 miles) east of Budapest. Police said the bus veered off the highway and plunged into a ditch before overturning. Preliminary investigations indicated that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel. The driver was taken into custody, authorities said. Hungary’s National Directorate for Disaster Management said 57 passengers and two drivers were on board when the crash occurred. Several passengers were trapped beneath the overturned vehicle and had to be rescued. Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewiór told Polish news agency PAP that everyone aboard the bus was a Polish citizen. The passengers were from Poland’s southeastern Podkarpackie region and were returning from a pilgrimage to Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to the regional government in Rzeszow. Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said at least 10 people sustained serious injuries in the crash. He expressed condolences to the families of those killed and thanked emergency responders for their efforts at the accident site. Polish President Karol Nawrocki also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and offered his sympathy to the victims’ families and loved ones.

Rescue teams in eastern Indonesia recovered four additional bodies on Sunday after a magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores the previous day, raising the death toll to 51. More than 100 people were injured, while thousands were forced to leave their homes. The earthquake struck the Flores region at a depth of about 10 kilometers early Saturday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents fled as tsunami warnings were issued and later canceled. Indonesia’s meteorological agency reported at least 235 aftershocks. Rescuers continued searching through collapsed structures and landslides across six regencies on Flores. Efforts were concentrated in Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo, where damaged roads and communication problems had made access difficult. Authorities said more than 900 houses were destroyed and another 450 were damaged, forcing around 5,000 residents into temporary shelters. Landslides also blocked parts of the Trans-Flores Highway, a major road connecting communities across the mountainous island. Relief teams have been supplying food, drinking water, blankets and medicine while emergency shelters are being established. Restoring electricity and communications and reaching isolated villages remain major challenges. Residents in Labuan Bajo, a popular tourist gateway to Komodo National Park, spent the night outside because they feared further tremors. Many described the earthquake as extremely frightening. Indonesia frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Flores has suffered major disasters before, including a 1992 earthquake and tsunami that killed about 2,500 people. Other devastating earthquakes and tsunamis struck Sulawesi in 2018 and off Sumatra in 2004, causing thousands of deaths.