United News of Bangladesh

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to North Korea from Monday to Tuesday, marking his first trip to the country since June 2019, Chinese and North Korean state media announced on Friday. The visit comes as China seeks to strengthen ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor amid Pyongyang’s growing cooperation with Russia, including military support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Analysts say Beijing aims to reaffirm its influence over North Korea and protect its strategic interests in Northeast Asia. US journalist pleads guilty to acting as an illegal agent for China Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the visit would promote bilateral relations and contribute to regional peace and stability, noting that cooperation between the two countries has continued to develop steadily. The announcement follows North Korea’s unveiling of a new facility believed to be a uranium enrichment plant. During a visit to the site, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pledged to expand the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate.” Experts believe the disclosure was intended to reinforce North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state ahead of Xi’s arrival. Analysts will closely watch whether China reiterates calls for denuclearization during the visit. The trip also follows Xi’s recent meetings in Beijing with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A complaint has been filed against former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that her recent public remarks critical of constitutional institutions and “linking the Union government to a political killing in Bangladesh” were “prejudicial to the nation’s sovereignty and public order”. The complaint was filed on Wednesday by advocate Rinki Chatterjee Singh of the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Siliguri, West Bengal, an official said. Rinki Singh said that the former West Bengal Chief Minister had, through “various public speeches, political platforms and media interactions”, allegedly made “provocative and inflammatory statements” against Constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission and the armed forces deployed during the recently-held Assembly elections, reports PTI. In her complaint, the advocate also claimed that Mamata Banerjee had “publicly questioned the integrity, neutrality and credibility” of such institutions, thereby “attempting to create public distrust and disaffection against the State machinery”. “Such allegations were allegedly made openly before the public and media with the apparent intention of lowering the image and credibility of the Union government before the international community and creating hostility between two sovereign nations,” the advocate said in the complaint. Rinki Singh also referred to a Trinamool event held at Rani Rashmoni Sarani in Kolkata on June 2, and claimed that Ms. Banerjee had stated that “she was privy to confidential discussions with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and had linked the Government of India and the Union Home Minister to a political killing in neighbouring Bangladesh”. The complainant contended that the statements were made for “achieving political mileage and personal political advantage”, and prima facie amounted to “acts prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and international standing of India”. Advocte Singh said the remarks were capable of “inciting public disorder, communal unrest and disharmony among different groups”, and could adversely affect diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh. The Trinamool Congress is yet to respond to the allegations in the complaint.      

North Korea has revealed a new facility believed to be used for producing nuclear bomb fuel, with leader Kim Jong Un announcing plans to expand the country’s nuclear capabilities “at an exponential rate.” The development signals Pyongyang’s continued push to strengthen its nuclear programme, despite ongoing international sanctions and calls for denuclearisation. According to North Korea’s state media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim visited the site on Wednesday and reviewed what officials described as an “ambitious future plan” to significantly boost nuclear forces. Experts believe the newly disclosed site is a uranium enrichment plant, although its exact location was not revealed. South Korea’s military also assessed it as such and said it is working closely with the United States to monitor North Korean nuclear activity. KCNA released images showing Kim walking through what appeared to be a centrifuge hall lined with metal pipes and equipment. Another photo showed him in a meeting room with officials, with a blurred diagram of a cone-shaped object placed on a table. This is the third time North Korea has publicly shown a uranium enrichment facility, after similar disclosures in 2010 and 2024. Analysts say the country is believed to operate multiple such sites, including at its Yongbyon nuclear complex. During the visit, Kim said rising tensions with what he called “the most ferocious enemies,” widely understood as the United States and South Korea, have made it necessary to expand nuclear deterrence both in scale and capability. He also claimed that North Korea’s production of nuclear materials has more than doubled in the past five years, a statement that cannot be independently verified. Pyongyang has long insisted it must be recognised as a nuclear weapons state and has shown little interest in returning to denuclearisation talks unless sanctions are lifted. The United States has repeatedly called for dialogue, with President Donald Trump expressing willingness to restart negotiations. However, North Korea has demanded recognition of its nuclear status as a precondition for talks. Since the collapse of nuclear diplomacy in 2019, Kim has overseen a series of weapons tests while pledging to rapidly expand the country’s arsenal. Experts estimate North Korea may now possess more than 100 nuclear warheads, though exact figures remain uncertain. Questions also remain over whether the country has fully mastered the technology needed for long-range nuclear missiles, including warhead re-entry and multiple warhead deployment systems. North Korea last conducted a nuclear test in September 2017.

At least five people were killed and two others injured after an explosion followed by a fire broke out at a defense company facility in South Korea on Monday. The incident occurred at a worksite operated by Hanwha Aerospace in the city of Daejeon, one of the company’s key facilities involved in the development of large-scale propellants and surface-to-surface weapons systems. Authorities said the cause of the explosion was not immediately known and an investigation was underway. Emergency official Yoon Seong-su said the site is designated as a government security facility. Medical official Kim Ju-yeon said one of the two injured victims was in critical condition. The identities of those killed had not yet been confirmed. Hanwha Aerospace is a major South Korean defense manufacturer, and the Daejeon facility plays a significant role in the country’s weapons development programs.

Philippine Senator Jinggoy Estrada said he would surrender to authorities after the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan ordered his arrest on a non-bailable plunder charge linked to alleged kickbacks from flood-control projects. The court had earlier issued a bailable graft warrant against Estrada on Friday. He surrendered, posted bail and was released while denying any wrongdoing. Estrada, 63, is accused of receiving more than 570 million pesos ($9.3 million) in kickbacks, based largely on allegations by a former government public works engineer. He has strongly rejected the claims. Before leaving the Senate, Estrada suggested the cases against him were politically motivated due to his alignment with former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte, a rival of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.. “I will not yield to threats. I will not be intimidated,” he said. The senator, a former actor and son of former President Joseph Estrada, has previously faced corruption-related detention. The case adds to legal troubles in the Senate. Senator Ronald dela Rosa remains in hiding after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity linked to the anti-drug campaign under Duterte. Duterte, arrested last year and transferred to the Netherlands, is set to face trial in November over alleged crimes against humanity. Both Duterte and dela Rosa deny wrongdoing.

The death toll from an explosion at a South Korean aerospace manufacturing plant has risen to five, according to media reports citing fire authorities on Monday. The blast occurred at a Hanwha Aerospace facility in Daejeon, located about 150 kilometres south of Seoul. Emergency services received the first report of the explosion at 10:59 a.m. local time (0159 GMT). Fire authorities confirmed that five people were killed and two others injured in the accident at the plant operated by Hanwha Aerospace, South Korea’s leading aerospace and defence company. Authorities said around 30 emergency calls were received from residents reporting a loud explosion and smoke rising from the site. A level-1 emergency response was issued at approximately 11:17 a.m. local time, and firefighters brought the blaze under control by 11:49 a.m. The plant has a history of similar incidents, having experienced rocket propellant explosions in 2018 and 2019 that left a total of eight people dead or injured. Police and fire officials believe the latest explosion occurred on the first floor of the facility for reasons that remain unclear. An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.

More than 45 people were killed and scores injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a building reportedly used to store mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar on Sunday, according to rescue workers and local media reports. The blast occurred around midday in Kaungtup village of Namhkam township, near the Chinese border. The area is controlled by the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), an ethnic armed group that has been involved in intermittent conflict with Myanmar’s military government. A rescue worker involved in the operation said 46 bodies, including those of six children, had been recovered by Sunday evening and taken for cremation. He added that 74 injured people were transported to a local hospital, while rescue efforts continued. Another rescuer reported that more than 100 houses near the blast site were damaged. Independent media outlets in Myanmar estimated the death toll at between 50 and 55, publishing images and videos showing extensive destruction, smoke and debris. China’s state broadcaster CCTV also reported multiple casualties and severe damage to residential buildings, citing preliminary findings that large quantities of mining explosives had been stored at the site. In a statement on Telegram, the TNLA said gelignite explosives kept by its economic department for mining and stone quarrying operations were stored at the facility. The group said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the explosion. Gelignite is commonly used in mining and blasting activities but can become unstable if improperly stored or kept for long periods. The TNLA, a member of the Three Brotherhood Alliance, has controlled the Namhkam area since a major offensive against Myanmar’s military in late 2023. Although the group signed a China-brokered ceasefire with the military in October last year, tensions remain high. Myanmar has been mired in conflict since the military seized power in February 2021, triggering widespread resistance and armed insurgencies across the country.  

  At least five people were killed and another injured after a collapse at an illegal mining site in southwest China's Yunnan province early Sunday, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. in Baiwu village of Huize County. Authorities did not specify the type of mine involved in the accident. Rescue teams recovered all six workers trapped at the site and rushed them to hospital. However, five later died from their injuries, while the surviving worker remains in stable condition, the report said. Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse. The accident comes just over a week after one of China’s deadliest mining disasters in recent years. A coal mine explosion in northern Shanxi province killed at least 82 people, prompting scrutiny of safety standards in the sector. Officials investigating that incident said the mine operator had committed “serious violations” of regulations. Mining accidents, though less frequent than in previous decades, continue to occur in China, where authorities have repeatedly pledged to strengthen workplace safety and crack down on illegal mining operations.   

At least 18 Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan were killed and 35 others injured when a truck overturned on a highway in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday. The accident took place in Laghman Province along the main road connecting Kabul and Nangarhar Province, according to provincial governor’s spokesperson Abdul Malik Niazai. Officials said the victims included 10 children and five women. The injured, most of them women and children, were transported to hospitals in Nangarhar for treatment. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid expressed condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the crash. Road accidents remain a frequent occurrence in Afghanistan due to poor road conditions and widespread disregard for traffic regulations. The passengers were among the large number of Afghans returning from Pakistan amid an ongoing campaign against undocumented migrants launched by the Pakistani authorities in 2023. Similar expulsions have also taken place in Iran. Since then, millions of Afghans have returned from the two neighboring countries, including many who were born and raised in Pakistan and had lived there for decades.

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday began an official visit to India, marking his first trip to the neighboring country since assuming the presidency in April after an election widely criticized by opponents as a move to preserve military rule. According to Myanmar’s state-run MRTV, Min Aung Hlaing departed from Naypyitaw and arrived at Gaya International Airport in Bihar state. During the visit, he is scheduled to meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior government officials, and business representatives. Discussions are expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in economic, cultural, religious, and social sectors. The Myanmar leader, accompanied by cabinet members, will also tour key infrastructure projects in India. India has maintained engagement with Myanmar’s military-led administration despite sanctions imposed by Western nations following the military takeover in 2021 that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The coup triggered widespread unrest, armed conflict, and a prolonged humanitarian crisis. Sharing a 1,643-kilometer border and a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal, India regards Myanmar as strategically important for regional security. The two countries have worked together on border management and intelligence cooperation to address insurgent activities in frontier areas. India also hosts thousands of refugees who have fled violence in Myanmar, particularly from conflict-affected regions such as Chin state. The visit has drawn criticism from pro-democracy activists. Justice For Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung said hosting Min Aung Hlaing risks legitimizing a government accused of serious human rights violations. In a statement issued Friday, she urged India to reconsider its support for Myanmar’s military authorities, including military cooperation and business relations, and instead back the people of Myanmar in their pursuit of federal democracy.