World - The Daily Ittefaq

Europe's tallest Virgin Mary statue unveiled in Polish village

UNB — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:32:08 +0600

A 55.6-metre statue of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the tallest of its kind in Europe, was inaugurated Saturday in a small Polish village in the presence of former Polish President and anti-communist icon Lech Walesa. Hundreds of people attended the consecration ceremony in Konotopie, a central Polish village with fewer than 150 residents. Priests in white robes celebrated Mass as... Details

Magnitude 7.7 earthquake kills at least 47 in Indonesia

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 23:24:19 +0600

At least 47 people have been killed after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia early on Saturday, the nation's disaster mitigation agency has said. The official death toll has been rising as a search and rescue operation gets under way. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said several people had been injured to varying degrees, BBC reports. Hundreds of buildings in the... Details

Trump dismisses concerns over conditions on US aircraft carrier

BSS — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:02:30 +0600

President Donald Trump dismissed concerns Friday over living conditions and the mental health of service members on a US aircraft carrier deployed against Iran, while confirming the ship would soon rotate out. Asked by reporters whether family members were worried about the situation on the USS Abraham Lincoln, Trump said "no, they're not." Trump also rejected the idea that the ship -- now at... Details

Europe wildfires: latest developments

BSS — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 19:17:56 +0600

Countries across Europe were battling a wave of new wildfires Friday as blistering temperatures and tinder-dry landscapes made for dangerous conditions, with thousands evacuated and even some medieval sites threatened. A historically hot summer on the planet's fastest-warming continent has contributed to the deaths of thousands of people -- and increased the risk of wildfires, with blazes... Details

Four dead, thousands stranded amid record rain in Japan

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 11:09:03 +0600

At least four people have died in eastern Japan as heavy rain flooded roads, cut power and left thousands of travelers stranded overnight at Tokyo's Narita airport, authorities said Friday. More than 36 centimeters (14 inches) of rain fell in 24 hours in parts of Chiba prefecture, which borders Tokyo, triggering landslide warnings and power outages for nearly 25,000 households, reports the... Details

Colombia quake death toll hits 281, hundreds still missing

UNB — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:54:18 +0600

The death toll from Monday's 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia has risen to 281, with 3,971 people injured and 379 missing, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said Thursday. The quake now affects 44,936 families and 102,105 people in 15 departments and 426 municipalities, the agency said. It added that 10,677 homes had been destroyed and 65,841 others damaged. According to the... Details

South Korea's Incheon airport world's busiest for global traffic

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 22:46:08 +0600

South Korea's Incheon has become the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic for the first time, new figures show. Incheon International Airport, the main gateway to South Korea, served 38.4 million international passengers for the first six months of this year, according to preliminary data from the Airports Council International, BBC reports. London Heathrow Airport... Details

UK economy slows amid political unrest, Mideast war

BSS — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 14:45:11 +0600

Britain's economic growth slowed in the second quarter compared with the first three months of the year, official data showed Thursday, as the country faced political unrest at home and fallout from the Middle East war. Gross domestic product increased 0.4 percent in the April-June period after an expansion of 0.6 percent in the first quarter, the Office for National Statistics said in a... Details

Lebanon condemns 'systematic' Israeli destruction in south

BSS — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:19:47 +0600

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday condemned Israel's "systematic destruction" in the country's south as a violation of international law, as Israel's defence minister said its military was "destroying all the houses" there. Salam said Israeli "attacks, incursions, demolitions and the systematic destruction of homes", infrastructure, government buildings and places of worship... Details

Trump's secret plane swap triggers questions and confusion

BSS — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 09:24:59 +0600

Donald Trump confirmed Tuesday that he secretly switched planes because of a threat to his life, after the Washington Post revealed the US president was smuggled out of Air Force One to a different aircraft on a catering truck. "They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane -- equal safety, but they wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say," Trump told reporters... Details

Ex Syrian president Assad sentenced to death in absentia

UNB — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 18:54:57 +0600

A Syrian court on Tuesday sentenced ousted President Bashar Assad and his younger brother to death in absentia over crimes against humanity and war crimes committed during the country’s 14-year conflict, which claimed around half a million lives. Assad’s maternal cousin Atef Najib was also handed a death sentence in the same case for his role in leading a crackdown in the southern... Details

Colombia scrambles to find survivors as quake kills 111

BSS — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:28:27 +0600

Colombian volunteers and rescuers sifted through rubble with bare hands and buckets Monday, hunting for survivors following a massive 7.4-magnitude quake that has claimed the lives of at least 111 people. The quake struck several cities across Colombia's picturesque coffee region and Pacific shortly after 7:30 am (1230 GMT), sending panicked residents onto the streets and damaging at least... Details

7.4 magnitude quake jolts Colombia

UNB — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 22:37:46 +0600

At least 20 people were killed and dozens of buildings collapsed across western Colombia on Monday after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the South American country, trapping people beneath debris, injuring others and forcing residents to leave their homes as far away as the capital, Bogota. The epicenter was located in San Jose del Palmar, a community of around 4,800 people in the... Details

China evacuates one million from homes as massive storm arrives

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 12:51:54 +0600

Chinese authorities have evacuated more than a million people from their homes in eastern China including the financial capital Shanghai, as Typhoon Dolphin made landfall. The typhoon brought heavy rain and halted transportation across the region. Nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled in Shanghai alone on Monday, BBC reports. While authorities have downgraded Dolphin to a tropical storm, they... Details

Trump says US 'low-keying it' with Iran

BSS — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 09:28:22 +0600

US President Donald Trump signaled Sunday he is prepared to let economic pressure mount against Iran, apparently backing away from ordering more military strikes even as Tehran issues tough demands. "We are low-keying it," Trump said, according to the news outlet Axios, which said it spoke to him in a brief phone call. Only a week ago Trump made the latest of his series of threats to hit Iran... Details

China braces for Typhoon Dolphin

UNB — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:56:35 +0600

Shanghai’s two major airports canceled more than 1,300 flights Sunday as authorities across parts of eastern China evacuated hundreds of thousands of people ahead of Typhoon Dolphin, which brought heavy rain to northern Taiwan. The storm’s outer bands affected northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei, on Saturday. Several Taiwanese airlines also canceled flights to China... Details

Iran sets new conditions for Strait of Hormuz reopening

UNB — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 09:37:24 +0600

Iran has set new conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said a vessel owned by its state-run oil company was targeted by an Iranian missile as tensions continued to rise across the Middle East. Meanwhile, Yemen's military carried out attacks against the country's Iran-backed Houthi rebels, while Turkey's parliament took a step forward on legislation aimed... Details

Spain deploys 275 firefighters to tackle Andalusia forest blaze

BSS — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 20:24:45 +0600

More than 275 firefighters were on Saturday battling a challenging wildfire in Spain's southern Andalusia region, though authorities said no residential zone was currently at threat. The blaze, happening north of the town of Niebla, halfway between Seville and the Portuguese border, was active in an area of around 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres), an adviser to Andalusia's emergency service,... Details

Thai PM vows to introduce stricter gun laws

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:33:28 +0600

Thailand's prime minister has vowed to introduce new gun control laws in the wake of a shooting by a teenager on the outskirts of Bangkok that left eight people dead and 22 injured. The 14-year-old killed his grandparents at the home they shared, before travelling to Debsirin School in Nonthaburi, where he was a student. There, he killed five teachers before taking his own life. Later, Thai... Details

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign defence pact

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:03:34 +0600

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a joint defence agreement, saying an attack on one of them would be seen as an attack on all three. The pact was announced at a meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the Saudi city of Mecca, BBC reports. The three countries have been looking to... Details

Thailand school shooting leaves at least six dead, 15 injured

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:36:28 +0600

At least six people have died in a school shooting on the outskirts of Thailand's capital Bangkok, according to reports citing police. The suspected shooter, a 14-year-old male student in the ninth grade, has also been found dead, reports the BBC. Emergency responders have been dispatched to the scene where students and school staff have been seen running for safety. Authorities have asked... Details

Iran, US both face difficult compromises over Strait of Hormuz

UNB — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:25:39 +0600

Iran and the United States said Wednesday that an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be close, raising hopes of easing pressure on the global economy and helping end the war. Iran said it was in the “final stage” of drafting an agreement with Oman over the strategic waterway, while US President Donald Trump said a deal could be announced within days. However, any... Details

Fuego volcano activity decreases in Guatemala, but risks remain

UNB — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:22:31 +0600

Activity at Guatemala’s Fuego volcano, which began Monday morning and prompted widespread evacuations, is gradually declining, authorities said Wednesday. However, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction, or CONRED, urged people to remain cautious as rainfall from a tropical wave moving from the east could trigger potentially deadly volcanic mudflows known as lahars. CONRED also... Details

Pakistan restricts international media reporting

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 18:46:34 +0600

Pakistani authorities have imposed new restrictions on international media reporting in the country in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from journalist organisations. Anyone working for foreign media, including Pakistani nationals, must now seek permission to report from anywhere except the cities of Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore, BBC reports. The restrictions would leave on-the-ground... Details

EU calls for stronger borders after Ceuta migrant crossings

Click Ittefaq Desk — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:50:47 +0600

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for "united action" on border security after the chaotic influx of tens of thousands of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta last week. Spain ⁠estimates that about 69,500 migrants have now returned to Morocco, exceeding initial estimates of 50,000. The official death toll on the Spanish side of the border stands... Details

5 dead, dozens missing in Indonesia ferry fire

UNB — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:40:45 +0600

An Indonesian ferry carrying 271 people caught fire in waters off the main island of Java on Sunday, leaving at least five people dead and dozens missing as rescuers and passing vessels evacuated hundreds from the burning ship, officials said. The Mutiara Sentosa 2 ferry was traveling from Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya in East Java to the city of Makassar in South Sulawesi, with... Details

Trump announces Iran talks on Monday

UNB — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:21:12 +0600

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that negotiations with Iran will begin Monday afternoon, noting that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar had asked the United States to call off planned strikes because "they think there's a deal." "There's a deal on (the Strait of) Hormuz, and then there will be a deal on the nuclear, or you might call it the denuclearization of... Details

US embassies urge citizens to consider departing Middle East

BSS — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 10:49:51 +0600

US embassies in capitals across the Middle East on Saturday warned their citizens to beware of "unforeseen escalation" in the regional conflict and urged them to be ready to leave. The warning, posted online by US embassies in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, came a day after US President Donald Trump threatened to... Details

Gaza authorities say found 112 bodies in rubble

BSS — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 09:30:58 +0600

Authorities in Gaza said Saturday that they had recovered the remains of another 112 people in rubble, part of daunting operations after more than two years of Israeli strikes. Gaza's civil defence agency said it found the remains or body parts following 136 hours of digging, largely with bare hands, in Sabra, a neighbourhood in the south of Gaza City. The remains included those of 40... Details

Trump threatens to revive $1.8bn 'anti-weaponisation' fund

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 23:23:25 +0600

US President Donald Trump has threatened to revive a controversial fund to compensate his allies amid a standoff with two Republican senators who are holding out on confirming his pick for attorney general. Todd Blanche, who has been acting in the role since April, needs the support of all Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee to get the job permanently, BBC reports. But Senators John... Details

Trump threatens to hit Iran 'very hard'

BSS — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:08:21 +0600

President Donald Trump threatened Friday to hit Iran "very hard," as US media reported he was considering renewed heavy attacks as soon as this weekend, including against energy infrastructure targets. After more than five months of war, which began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, there is seemingly no end to the conflict, with resumed tit-for-tat... Details

Hamas agrees to disarm under Gaza ceasefire roadmap

UNB — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 23:44:33 +0600

Hamas said Friday it has agreed to a phased roadmap to disarm, a significant step that could help end the war in Gaza if Israel also fulfills key conditions, including ending hostilities and withdrawing its forces from the Palestinian territory. Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim confirmed the agreement on X, while a Hamas official and a regional official told media the group's commitment is... Details

Trump announces agreement for disarmament of Hamas

BSS — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:09:20 +0600

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas, calling it a critical step toward a new Palestinian government in Gaza. Senior Hamas officials told AFP that the agreement reached with Israel includes provisions addressing the group's weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. "An agreement has been reached... Details

Raid on Pakistani police post kills 11 officers, 15 attackers

UNB — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:52:50 +0600

The death toll from an overnight deadly militant attack on a police post in northwestern Pakistan rose to 11 early Thursday, police and a government official said. Security forces killed 15 militants in an hourlong gunbattle after they targeted the Khazina police post in Hangu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, police official Irfan Khan said. No group... Details

US military launches 'powerful' retaliatory strikes on Iran

BSS — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:24:32 +0600

The United States military launched "powerful" strikes on Iran on Thursday, in retaliation for Tehran's attacks targeting US bases in Jordan as the Middle East war reignited and again drew in the Islamic republic's proxies. The first strikes after a nearly week-long lull in fighting dashed hopes of a return to negotiations. "The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian... Details

Saudi Arabia joins US in strikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:47:41 +0600

Saudi Arabia and the US have carried out strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, in a potential escalation of the Middle East conflict. US Central Command (Centcom) said the strikes were against "Iran-aligned terrorists that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) directed to attack US forces and Saudi energy infrastructure", BBC reports. Iraq's paramilitary Popular Mobilisation... Details

Japan quake toll rises to 13, rescuers haul people from collapsed mall

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:37:13 +0600

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake killed at least 13 people near the southern Japanese city of Kumamoto and rescuers are frantically searching for survivors trapped beneath the rubble, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday. "Even now, there are people waiting to be rescued, and this is a race ‌against time. We will marshal all available resources on the ground to save and... Details

Iran Guards say halted 3 oil tankers in Hormuz: media

BSS — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:33:06 +0600

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they struck and halted three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported Wednesday, despite a lull in fighting between the Washington and Tehran. The Guards' navy said "three violating oil tankers, which ignored our warnings and continued sailing an unsafe and illegal route, were struck and brought to a halt", the Tasnim News agency reported. Details

Magnitude 7.1 quake hits southern Japan

UNB — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:00:48 +0600

A preliminary magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami advisory, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The advisory was issued for nearby Ariake Bay along the western coast of Kumamoto, located about 900 kilometres (560 miles) southwest of Tokyo. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said... Details

Trump says 'good chance' of progress in Iran talks

BSS — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:39:48 +0600

US President Donald Trump on Monday voiced optimism at the prospects for a negotiated peace deal with Iran, as the two sides held their fire for a third consecutive day. Fighting between the longtime foes has been paused since Friday after 13 nights of renewed US strikes on the Islamic republic sparked by a breakdown in diplomacy over Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. But the US leader... Details

Pakistan monsoon death toll exceeds 100 in a month

UNB — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:26:50 +0600

The death toll from monsoon rains and flash floods in Pakistan over the past month has crossed 100, while weather forecasters warned that more heavy rain is expected across the country later this week. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority said 109 people have died nationwide since June 26. Many of the deaths were caused by collapsing houses and roofs, with nearly half of the... Details

US plans raising anti-China spending worldwide

UNB — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:24:51 +0600

The Trump administration is preparing to increase funding by hundreds of millions of dollars for programmes aimed at countering China's growing global influence, after many such initiatives were halted last year amid sweeping budget and personnel cuts. The administration informed Congress late last week that it plans to spend $175.8 million to replace outdated undersea telecommunications... Details

Gunfire at Seattle food festival leaves 2 dead, 5 injured

UNB — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:16:56 +0600

A shooting killed two people and wounded five including a child on Sunday evening during a popular food festival near the Space Needle in Seattle, a city fire department spokesperson said. The gunfire erupted around 6 p.m. in the waning hours of the Bite of Seattle, an annual festival that draws hundreds of food and retail vendors and performers. Police were investigating the shooting and... Details

China issues orange typhoon alert after Noul hits Guangdong coast

UNB — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 10:34:55 +0600

China’s National Meteorological Center issued an orange typhoon alert on Sunday after Typhoon Noul made landfall in southern Guangdong Province, bringing strong winds near its center. The typhoon struck the province with maximum winds reaching Force 14 near its eye, according to the meteorological authority. Later on Sunday morning, Noul weakened from a severe typhoon to a typhoon, the... Details

Fires in Europe: latest developments

BSS — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 09:31:29 +0600

Here are the main developments related to the wildfires raging in Spain and France on Sunday: 55,000 more evacuated near France's Bordeaux Authorities in France's Gironde region ordered the evacuation of 55,000 more people on Saturday because of a resurgence of the wildfire that has been ravaging the area since Wednesday. The latest operation brings the number of people evacuated in Gironde... Details

Indian Education Minister steps down

UNB — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 15:55:34 +0600

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down on Saturday following weeks of intense nationwide protests demanding his removal over alleged paper leaks in key competitive entrance examinations and wider irregularities in the country's education system. The minister’s departure represents the first major concession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in the face of... Details

Over 220,000 evacuated in France and Spain due to wildfires

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:24:06 +0600

French authorities have ordered the evacuation of almost 60,000 people near Bordeaux, taking the total number of people told to flee wildfires in France and Spain to more than 220,000. Around 200,000 people have been evacuated in south-west France in the Gironde and Landes regions. French President Emmanuel Macron has mobilised the military to assist the response, BBC reports. Meanwhile, a... Details

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ends hunger strike

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:40:26 +0600

Sonam Wangchuk has ended his hunger strike after 26 days, the Indian activist said Thursday on his X account. The 59-year-old had been on a hunger strike since June 28 in solidarity with India's youth-led Cockroach movement, reports the Deutsche Welle. For over a month, the student-led "Cockroach" protests have been calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign over a leaked... Details

France orders evacuation of tourist spot as hundreds flee wildfires by boat

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:12:09 +0600

French authorities have ordered the evacuation of the entirety of the Cap Ferret peninsula on the south-west coast, with hundreds of people escaping the area by boat. Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated from the tourism destination west of Bordeaux, as firefighters continue to battle wildfires that have raged in the Gironde region for days, BBC reports. The fires, which began on... Details

US announces civilian nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

BSS — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:27:21 +0600

The United States on Wednesday announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear program in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes non-proliferation safeguards. The move comes as the United States under President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in large part over concerns with Tehran's nuclear program -- an issue that... Details

Iran says stopped three oil tankers transiting Hormuz

BSS — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 09:21:49 +0600

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Thursday they stopped three oil tankers from passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States and Iran vie for control over the vital waterway. In recent weeks, Iran has hit tankers using a route hugging the Omani coast to traverse the strait, in a bid to strongarm vessels into using its own waters and pay for safe passage. "Three oil tankers,... Details

Trump threatens to target Iran's infrastructure

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:19:03 +0600

President Donald Trump has threatened that the US would destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant any time its forces attack a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Potential targets would include ones "located next to, or in," the capital Tehran, he said in a post on Truth Social, BBC reports. The military response would follow any form of attack on shipping in the vital waterway, "whether it be by... Details

US renews strikes on Iran

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:27:13 +0600

The United States launched strikes on Iran for the 11th consecutive night late on Tuesday, as Tehran warned the US against targeting its nuclear facilities. US Central Command (Centcom) said the wave of strikes were "designed to continue degrading Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping" in the Strait of Hormuz, BBC reports. Iranian state media reported that air defences were activated... Details

Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi detained during protest outside Modi's residence

UNB — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 23:32:53 +0600

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday during a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi, according to NDTV. ExecutiveBranch Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was also detained and removed from the protest site. The Congress intensified its campaign against the Centre by marching towards... Details

Andy Burnham holds first cabinet meeting as UK premier

Click Ittefaq Desk — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:23:01 +0600

Andy Burnham tells ministers "we need to be a cost of living government" as he holds his first cabinet meeting as prime minister. Members of his top team are in No 10, including Chancellor John Healey, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, BBC reports. Earlier, Burnham announced that he was scrapping VAT on household electricity bills in October, saving a typical... Details

US launches fresh strikes on Iran

UNB — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:13:17 +0600

The United States has carried out another wave of military strikes against Iran, with President Donald Trump pledging retaliation following the deaths of three American service members in recent attacks blamed on Tehran. The latest operation marked the 10th consecutive night of US strikes targeting what the military described as Iranian capabilities that could threaten shipping in the... Details

Andy Burnham made new UK premier

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:13:10 +0600

Andy Burnham has said his arrival in power will be a “circuit breaker” moment for Britain, pledging that his government will restore hope to millions of people. Addressing the country for the first time from outside No 10 Downing Street after taking over from Kier Starmer, the new prime minister said he would set out a 10-year plan for the country later this year to transform the... Details

Police stop 'Cockroach Party' protesters marching to parliament

UNB — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:10:56 +0600

Police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse thousands of supporters of India’s youth-led Cockroach movement on Monday as they attempted to march to Parliament, demanding the resignation of the country’s education minister. The confrontation erupted after protesters tried to break through police barricades near the demonstration site in central New Delhi, leading to one of the... Details

Survivors of Indonesia boat sinking rescued after days at sea

BSS — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:59:30 +0600

Five survivors from a passenger boat that sank off eastern Indonesia, including a seven-year-old girl, have been rescued after floating at sea for three days, a rescue official said on Sunday. The vessel, which was carrying more than 70 people, sank on Wednesday as it sailed near Selayar, a small island south of the larger Sulawesi. Survivors told rescuers they had been part of a group of 25... Details

US military launching new airstrikes against Iran

BSS — Sun, 19 Jul 2026 09:47:25 +0600

The United States announced Saturday it was launching new airstrikes to punish Iran for attacks against US forces in Jordan after its first military deaths since renewing its hostilities with Tehran. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X that the strikes began at 2200 GMT and "are designed to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and swiftly... Details

Russian online retail warehouses hit by Ukrainian strikes

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 21:55:58 +0600

Eight people have been killed and 62 injured after Ukrainian drones struck two warehouses belonging to Russia's biggest online retailer, Wildberries, according to Russian officials. Seven deaths and 25 injuries occurred at a warehouse in the city of Tambov, roughly 295 miles (475km) south-east of Moscow. One death and 37 injuries occurred at another Wildberries warehouse in Elektrostal in the... Details

Iranian army says struck US targets in Kuwait, Jordan: state TV

BSS — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 10:06:48 +0600

Iran's army said it struck US military targets in Kuwait and Jordan in response to American attacks, according to a statement carried by the Iranian state broadcaster on Saturday. In Kuwait, Iranian forces targeted an ammunition depot at the Al-Adiri camp, the headquarters buildings and ammunition depots at the Ali Al-Salem base and several communication bridges. In Jordan, fuel tanks at the... Details

Over 500 Rohingya vanished at sea - what happened?

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 22:21:58 +0600

Two boats carrying an estimated 530 Rohingya asylum seekers left Myanmar's Rakhine state on 29 June, and have not been heard from since. The equivalent of a jumbo jet full of people has vanished. It is very likely that they both capsized. The monsoon has started, the seas are rough, and the boats - usually old fishing trawlers converted to carry as many people as possible - are barely... Details

US launches fresh wave of strikes against Iran

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:16:40 +0600

The US launched a wave of strikes against Iran for the sixth night in a row, its military said, as the two sides battled for control of the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command (Centcom) said the attacks were intended to "further degrade Iranian military capabilities", before saying it had boarded a vessel as part of its blockade of the strait, BBC reports. In an apparent escalation, Iran's... Details

France's parliament passes assisted dying law

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:57:42 +0600

France's parliament on Wednesday approved a bill to allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults. The law would allow an adult who is terminally ill to request a lethal substance that could be either self-administered or administered by a doctor, according to a Deutsche Welle report. It applies to French citizens or legal residents who have an illness that is life-threatening and in an... Details

US launches fresh strikes on Iran

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:26:21 +0600

The US said it had launched a fresh wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday as President Donald Trump warned Tehran it "better behave". The US military said "Iranian military capabilities used to threaten vessels" moving through the Strait of Hormuz had been targeted, and that it had also fired on a ship attempting to violate its renewed blockade of Iran's ports, BBC reports. It came after... Details

Iran threatens to halt regional energy exports

UNB — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:56:35 +0600

Iran on Wednesday threatened to stop all oil and gas exports from the Middle East after the United States reinstated its naval blockade and intensified airstrikes against the country, further escalating tensions that have pushed the region closer to a wider conflict. The latest exchange of attacks follows the collapse of an interim agreement aimed at ending hostilities between Washington and... Details

1,000 evacuated as wildfire spreads near Paris

UNB — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:24:35 +0600

Hundreds of firefighters continued battling two wildfires in the Fontainebleau forest south of Paris on Tuesday after the blazes burned nearly 2,000 hectares (about 4,900 acres) and forced around 1,000 people to evacuate, local authorities said. Although larger wildfires have been affecting southern France, the Fontainebleau blaze is unusual because of its proximity to the densely populated... Details

Japan tightens social media rules for elections

BSS — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:50:39 +0600

AI-generated images and videos will have to be marked as such under new rules on the use of social media during elections in Japan, the internal affairs minister said Tuesday. The new rules, approved by parliament on Monday and which will take effect in March, also forbid internet users and platforms from spreading fake or distorted information about candidates. "We believe that this is... Details

Houthis launch missiles, drones at Saudi airport

UNB — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:31:58 +0600

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they launched missiles and drones targeting Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport on Monday, hours after blaming Saudi airstrikes for hitting Sanaa International Airport in a sharp escalation of tensions. No casualties were immediately reported from either attack. Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the group carried out the... Details

Trump says deal with Iran still 'possible'

BSS — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:30:18 +0600

US President Donald Trump said Monday that a deal with Tehran to end the Middle East war was still possible, despite launching fresh strikes on Iran and reimposing a blockade of Iranian ports. "Yeah, I think a deal is possible. Sure, I do," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "We had a deal with them two days ago and then they said 'Oh we can't make that deal. We have to negotiate it... Details

EU countries weigh trade ban on Israeli settlements

BSS — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:27:14 +0600

EU foreign ministers on Monday discussed imposing an import ban on products from Israeli settlements, after pressure from a raft of member states. "Everybody agrees that the situation in the West Bank is really intolerable," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said at the start of a meeting in Brussels. "What is happening in the West Bank is actually making it more and more impossible that... Details

Fresh US strikes raise stakes in Hormuz crisis

UNB — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:35:48 +0600

The United States launched several waves of strikes on Iran into Monday morning over an Iranian attack on a container ship in the Strait of Hormuz that set it ablaze and left a crew member missing over the weekend. Iran retaliated by targeting countries across the Middle East. Missile alert sirens sounded at dawn Monday in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. There was no immediate word... Details

27 killed in Bangkok bar fire

UNB — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:04:23 +0600

A huge fire engulfed a pub in Bangkok early Monday morning, killing at least 27 people and injuring dozens before firefighters brought the blaze under control, officials said. Footage shared online by first responders shows a huge blaze raging and plumes coming out of the front door of the Na Ladprao pub in the northern part of the Thai capital. People are seen trying to flee as thick black... Details

Iran says Hormuz is shut: What happens next?

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 22:27:43 +0600

The Middle East entered a new and uncertain phase on Sunday after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed once again following fresh US air strikes. While Tehran has announced the closure before, this time the declaration comes after attacks on commercial shipping, the largest US military response since the ceasefire collapsed and missile and drone strikes across several Gulf countries,... Details

Trump administration subpoenas NYT journos over coverage

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:12:02 +0600

Several New York Times (NYT) journalists were summoned to testify under oath after they reported alleged security concerns involving President Donald Trump's new Air Force One plane, the US newspaper said. Federal agents delivered subpoenas to some reporters' homes demanding they appear before a federal grand jury investigating a potential crime, the Times said, reports the BBC. The paper had... Details

US launches third round of strikes on Iran

UNB — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 09:49:01 +0600

he US military has launched a third round of strikes on Iran after accusing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of carrying out an attack on a Cyprus-flagged container ship in the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. According to CENTCOM, the vessel caught fire and suffered engine damage during the alleged attack, leaving it unable to continue its voyage. It also said... Details

China's second typhoon in a week makes landfall

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:23:26 +0600

A powerful typhoon has made landfall in China, the second to hit the country in a week, with nearly two million people evacuated from areas in the path of the storm. Typhoon Bavi, which spans 1,000km (620 miles) at its widest point - roughly the width of France - first came ashore in the coastal city of Taizhou on Saturday evening before making a second landfall in Wenzhou around midnight... Details

Venezuela earthquake death toll rises above 3,500

UNB — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:39:57 +0600

The death toll from last week's twin earthquakes in Venezuela has climbed to more than 3,500, while nearly 18,000 people remain homeless, raising fears of a worsening public health crisis. Lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday that the official death toll had reached 3,535. The earthquakes also injured 16,740 people and left 17,854 without homes. At least 12,800 displaced people are now... Details

US seeks public Iranian commitment on Strait of Hormuz security

UNB — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:52:48 +0600

The United States is urging Iran to publicly declare that the Strait of Hormuz is open to international shipping and that it will no longer target vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to senior U.S. officials, internal political divisions within Iran have complicated efforts to maintain a ceasefire and advance negotiations. U.S. officials said recent attacks on ships were... Details

Israel to join in future US strikes on Iran

UNB — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 22:28:22 +0600

Israel is ready to participate in potential future US military actions against Iran if requested by Washington, but is currently awaiting approval from US President Donald Trump, media says on Friday. The report, without citing any sources, noted that Israeli officials expect the military exchanges between the United States and Iran to persist over the coming days. In a separate report... Details

11 dead in Spain wildfires

UNB — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:12:32 +0600

A wildfire in southern Spain has killed at least 11 people, making it one of the country's deadliest on record, as soaring temperatures grip much of the country, authorities said early Friday. Several victims of the fire in Almeria were found inside burnt-out vehicles, local media reported. Eight others have been injured in the blaze, which 150 firefighters and 220 soldiers from Spain's... Details

Iran buries Khamenei after new fighting with US erupts

BSS — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:37:55 +0600

Iran on Friday laid to rest its former supreme leader Ali Khamenei over four months after his killing in an airstrike, as two days of US and Iranian attacks raised fears of a return to all-out war. Khamenei's flag-covered coffin was carried aloft into the shrine of Imam Reza in his home city of Mashhad in eastern Iran as a sea of people waited outside and listened to prayers, with no sign of a... Details

US Democrats furious after Trump strikes Iran again

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:04:53 +0600

Renewed US military strikes on Iran have largely been met by silence from members of the Republican Party, with public comments few and far between. On the other side of the political spectrum, however, Democrats have reacted with fury, with many calling on the White House to seek congressional authorisation for renewed hostilities, BBC reports. Last month, the Republican-controlled US Senate... Details

India adding biofuels to petrol, many drivers unhappy

Click Ittefaq Desk — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:34:51 +0600

India's decision to increase the share of biofuels blended with petrol is facing ire from motorists who question its viability in a market where a majority of vehicles are not yet designed for it. The world's largest two-wheeler market and third-largest car market, is trying to reduce its dependence on imported oil and cut carbon emissions, BBC reports. It began blending ethanol - made from... Details

US launches fresh airstrikes on Iran, Tehran retaliates

UNB — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:31:46 +0600

The United States launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Iran early Thursday, prompting Tehran to retaliate by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, further straining an interim agreement aimed at ending the war in the Persian Gulf. The latest attacks came hours after US President Donald Trump declared that recent Iranian strikes on ships in the Strait of Hormuz had effectively ended the... Details

German doctor jailed for killing 15 of his patients

Click Ittefaq Desk — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:05:20 +0600

A German palliative care doctor has been sentenced to life imprisonment for killing 15 of his patients. A court in Berlin on Wednesday found the 41-year-old man, named only as Johannes M. in line with German privacy rules, guilty of murdering 12 women and three men between September 2021 and July 2024, BBC reports. The authorities believe these killings could be just the tip of the iceberg.... Details

Trump, NATO allies to begin key talks at Turkey summit

BSS — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:19:07 +0600

After a pomp-filled welcome in Ankara where his NATO allies were at pains to keep him onside, US President Donald Trump was to get down to the hard business of the summit on Wednesday. As he landed in the Turkish capital, Trump was effusive in his praise for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, highlighting their "chemistry" in remarks that contrasted sharply with his lingering bitterness with... Details

US launches fresh strikes on Iran

UNB — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 09:44:14 +0600

The United States launched fresh military strikes on Iran early Wednesday, saying Tehran was responsible for attacks on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington also revoked Iran's permission to openly sell crude oil on the global market, escalating pressure on the Islamic Republic. Iran quickly warned that it would "take whatever measures it deems necessary," raising fears that the... Details

Trump lands in Ankara for NATO summit

BSS — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 17:43:58 +0600

US President Donald Trump landed in Ankara on Tuesday for a NATO summit in the Turkish capital, an AFP correspondent said. The US leader is due to hold talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his sprawling presidential palace before joining an official leaders dinner ahead of the main session of the summit on Wednesday. Details

Wildfire in southern France forces evacuation of 10,000 people

Click Ittefaq Desk — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 22:39:39 +0600

A wildfire has forced the evacuation of thousands of people in southern France as the country grapples with the impacts of an early summer heatwave that scorched much of Europe. More than 10,000 people have been ordered to leave more than a dozen small towns and villages in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, near the border with Spain, BBC reports. The fire, located in Trévillach... Details

25 dead in Sri Lanka prison clashes, over 100 injured

UNB — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:30:05 +0600

At least 25 people were killed and more than 100 others injured after deadly clashes erupted at a prison on the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital on Monday. The violence began on Sunday at the prison in Negombo, around 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Colombo, and continued into Monday, according to local media and police. Media reported that those killed included both inmates and prison... Details

China preparing to test-fire ICBM in Pacific Ocean

BSS — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 11:13:16 +0600

China is preparing to test-fire a nuclear-capable missile into the Pacific Ocean, Papua New Guinea's foreign minister and a New Zealand government source told AFP on Monday. "Yes, China has briefed me. I was personally called by the Chinese ambassador," Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told AFP when asked if he had been warned. A New Zealand government source told AFP China... Details

Huge crowds expected at Iran leader's funeral procession

BSS — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:30:13 +0600

Massive crowds are expected on Monday for the funeral procession of late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, with authorities hoping to avoid a repeat of the chaos that accompanied his predecessor's funeral. After lying in state in Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex for two days, Khamenei will be processed through the city for 10 to 12 hours starting at 6:00 am (0230 GMT),... Details

US marks 250th birthday

Click Ittefaq Desk — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 17:54:07 +0600

The US has marked its 250th birthday with fireworks and flyovers - but celebrations across the country were complicated by extreme weather. "The American dream is back," US President Donald Trump told a cheering crowd during a delayed rally in Washington's National Mall, before what he described as the world's largest firework display, BBC reports. The 4 July federal holiday commemorates the... Details

Venezuela quake death toll rises to nearly 3,000

BSS — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 09:31:39 +0600

Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes killed nearly 3,000, updated official figures showed on Saturday, as international rescue teams began winding down search operations for survivors in the rubble of the disaster. Fatalities jumped by more than 300 from Friday to 2,954, following the June 24 disaster that has left thousands homeless in the streets and sheltering in camps. Tens of... Details

Huge crowds throng Tehran for Khamenei funeral

BSS — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 19:46:43 +0600

Vast crowds of Iranians loyal to the Islamic republic massed in Tehran on Saturday to begin almost a week of funeral ceremonies for slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, which authorities want to send a message of defiance to the West after the war with the United States and Israel. Clad in black and waving blood-red flags seen as a call for vengeance and justice under Shia Islam, mourners... Details

US marks 250th Independence anniversary

UNB — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 13:46:59 +0600

Americans are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country's independence on Saturday with fireworks, concerts and public events, as political tensions and a severe heat wave shape this year's historic celebrations. The anniversary marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of the world's most influential documents on democracy. President Donald Trump is expected to play a... Details

France records 2,025 excess deaths at peak of heatwave

Click Ittefaq Desk — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 23:51:40 +0600

France has said it recorded an increase of more than 2,000 deaths during the last week of a record-breaking European heatwave in June as forecasters warn of further extreme temperatures on the continent in the next few days. Deaths rose 29% in the last week of June compared to the week before, with French health minister Stéphanie Rist adding there had been a "clear increase" in deaths... Details

40 killed as overcrowded bus plunges into ravine in Pakistan

UNB — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:23:29 +0600

At least 40 people were killed and eight others injured after an overcrowded passenger bus plunged into a rocky ravine in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province early Friday, officials said. The accident occurred in the Dana Sar area, near the border between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, when the speeding bus went out of control and fell into a deep ravine, according to... Details