United News of Bangladesh

Japan on Friday issued a tsunami advisory after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake shook the country’s northeast, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The quake occurred off the east coast of Aomori prefecture, in the north of Honshu, the main Japanese island, at a depth of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) at 11:44 a.m. local time, JMA said. The Pacific coast of Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi prefectures could see a tsunami of up to 1 meter (3.2 feet), the agency added. Damage and injuries weren’t immediately clear. An advisory is a lower level of caution than a warning. Friday’s quake followed a 7.5 magnitude earthquake earlier this week in the north that caused injuries, light damage and a tsunami in Pacific coastal communities. At least 34 people were injured in that quake on Monday off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island. A tsunami more than 2 feet (0.6 meters) above tide levels was measured in Kuji port in Iwate prefecture before all tsunami advisories were lifted. Power was knocked out for hundreds of homes but was mostly restored Tuesday morning. Authorities had warned of possible aftershocks. Officials said after Monday's quake there was also a slight increase in risk of a magnitude 8-level quake and possible tsunami occurring along Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido. The agency urged residents in 182 municipalities in the area to monitor their emergency preparedness in the coming week, reminding them that the caution is not a prediction of a big one. The quakes occurred in the coastal region, where a magnitude 9.0 quake and tsunami in 2011 killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

An airstrike by Myanmar ’s military destroyed a hospital in an area controlled by a leading rebel armed force, killing 34 patients and medical staff, according to a rescue worker and independent media reports Thursday. About 80 other people were injured in the attack Wednesday night on the general hospital in Mrauk-U township, an area controlled by the ethnic Arakan Army in the western state of Rakhine. The military, which took over Myanmar's government in 2021 and has been fighting ethnic militias and armed resistance forces since then, has not mentioned any attack in the area. Wai Hun Aung, a senior official for rescue services in Rakhine, told The Associated Press that a jet fighter dropped two bombs at 9:13 p.m. with one hitting the hospital’s recovery ward and the other landing near the hospital’s main building. He said he arrived at the hospital early Thursday to provide assistance and recorded the deaths of 17 women and 17 men. He said that most of the hospital building was destroyed by the bombs, and taxis and motorbikes near the hospital were also damaged. Rakhine-based online media posted photos and videos showing damaged buildings and debris including medical equipment. The hospital has been the main source of health care for people in Rakhine, where most hospitals have closed because of Myanmar’s civil war, said Wai Hun Aung. It was reopened after doctors gathered in Mrauk-U to provide much-needed medical services. Mrauk-U, located 530 kilometers (326 miles) northwest of Yangon, the country’s largest city, was captured by the Arakan Army in February 2024. The Arakan Army is the well-trained and well-armed military wing of the Rakhine ethnic minority movement, which seeks autonomy from Myanmar’s central government. It began its offensive in Rakhine in November 2023 and has seized a strategically important regional army headquarters and 14 of Rakhine’s 17 townships. Rakhine, formerly known as Arakan, was the site of a brutal army counterinsurgency operation in 2017 that drove about 740,000 minority Rohingya Muslims to seek safety across the border in Bangladesh. There is still ethnic tension between the Buddhist Rakhine and the Rohingya. Myanmar's shadow National Unity Government, established by elected lawmakers who were barred from taking their seats in 2021, condemned the airstrike. The organization urged the international community to pressure the military to end its actions, take action against perpetrators and provide humanitarian assistance as soon as possible. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the army took power in 2021, triggering widespread popular opposition. Many opponents of military rule have since taken up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. The military government has stepped up airstrikes ahead of planned Dec. 28 elections against the armed pro-democracy People’s Defense Force, which is closely associated with the National Unity Government. Opponents of military rule charge that the polls will be neither free not fair, and are mainly an effort to legitimize the army retaining power.

A Pakistan military court on Thursday sentenced former spy chief Lt. Gen. (retd.) Faiz Hameed to 14 years in prison over multiple charges, including political activities, misuse of authority, and violations of the Official Secrets Act, the military said. The Field General Court Martial tried Hameed under the Pakistan Army Act over a 15-month-long process, concluding he was guilty on all four counts. The military statement said Hameed was provided full legal rights, including counsel of his choice, and may appeal the verdict before the relevant forum. Hameed, former director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was widely known as a close associate of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has faced multiple graft and corruption cases since his 2023 arrest. Khan was removed from office in April 2022 through a no-confidence vote and has since criticized the military, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and the United States, allegations denied by all parties. Security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali told AP that the ruling followed a thorough investigation giving Hameed ample chance to defend himself. “The decision signals that no officer, retired or active, will be allowed to engage in politics,” he said, noting Hameed’s case serves as a warning to others. Hameed was detained in 2024 after a Supreme Court-ordered probe into the Top City project, a private housing development near Islamabad. Details of the charges were not publicly disclosed before the verdict. The arrest and conviction of such a high-profile retired military officer surprised many in Pakistan, where the army holds substantial influence and detentions of senior officials are uncommon.  

South Korea on Thursday indicted former acting president Choi Sang-mok on charges linked to the brief martial law declared by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024, widening the list of senior officials facing legal action over the crisis. Choi is among three top officials who temporarily led the government after Yoon was impeached and removed over the controversial martial law order, which triggered widespread political unrest. Yoon is currently in jail and standing trial on rebellion charges. Dozens of his officials and military commanders have been arrested, indicted or placed under investigation. An independent investigation team led by special counsel Cho Eun-suk charged Choi with dereliction of duty for failing to fully restore the nine-member Constitutional Court while it was reviewing Yoon’s impeachment. Prosecutors say Choi filled two vacant seats but left a third unfilled, citing political gridlock, even though restoring the court could have strengthened the case for Yoon’s removal. The court later unanimously dismissed Yoon in April. Assistant special prosecutor Park Ji-young said another former acting leader, Han Duck-soo, was also indicted Thursday on the same dereliction of duty charge. Han, who earlier faced accusations of helping legitimize Yoon’s martial law order by attempting to push it through a Cabinet Council meeting, has said he opposed the plan. Five others, including Yoon’s justice minister, were indicted on various charges connected to the martial law episode. Prosecutors also brought perjury charges against Choi for testimony given during Han’s trial. The probe into the martial law declaration is one of three independent investigations into Yoon, his wife and their associates. The inquiries were approved by current President Lee Jae Myung after he won a June snap election triggered by Yoon’s removal. In August, Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, was arrested and indicted on financial and political corruption charges. Hak Ja Han, the 82-year-old Unification Church leader, was also arrested for allegedly ordering church officials to bribe a lawmaker close to Yoon. The unfolding scandal has rattled the country’s political landscape, with local media reporting that other influential figures, including those aligned with the Lee administration, may have received money from the church. Amid the growing scrutiny, Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo on Thursday denied bribery allegations but submitted his resignation to avoid putting pressure on the administration. President Lee accepted his resignation later in the day. Earlier this week, Lee urged a full investigation into alleged ties between politicians and a religious group, though he did not mention the Unification Church by name.  

A Myanmar military air strike on a hospital in western Rakhine state killed at least 31 people, an on-site aid worker said Thursday, as the junta intensifies its offensive ahead of elections scheduled for this month. The military has escalated air strikes since seizing power in a 2021 coup that ended a decade of democratic governance, conflict monitors report. Polls are set to begin on December 28, which the junta presents as a path to peace, but rebel groups have vowed to prevent voting in areas under their control. Myanmar frees thousands of political prisoners ahead of election Wai Hun Aung, an aid worker at Mrauk-U General Hospital near the Bangladesh border, said the situation was “terrible,” with 31 confirmed dead and 68 injured, and casualties likely to rise. At least 20 shrouded bodies were seen outside the hospital overnight. A junta spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Source: Agencies 

Renewed clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border continued Wednesday, displacing hundreds of thousands as people sought refuge in overcrowded temporary shelters. On the Thai side, outgoing gunfire could still be heard. The violence, rooted in long-standing territorial disputes, followed a skirmish Sunday that injured two Thai soldiers and disrupted a ceasefire brokered in July. U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to call the two leaders Thursday and expressed confidence he could persuade them to halt the fighting. Thailand-Cambodia clashes displace 5 lakh; evacuees recount escape Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul vowed to press on, while Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen promised a strong response. The recent clashes have killed over a dozen people, with roughly 400,000 evacuated in Thailand and more than 127,000 in Cambodia. Casualties include five Thai soldiers and nine Cambodian civilians, including a baby. The violence also affected sports, as Cambodia withdrew its team from the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand over safety concerns. Both countries have deployed heavy artillery and airstrikes, including rockets and drones, while Thai authorities imposed curfews in border districts. Evacuees expressed deep concern for their families and livestock, hoping the conflict ends soon. Source: AP 

Opponents of Myanmar’s military administration on Wednesday carried out a coordinated silent strike, urging citizens to remain indoors as a symbolic rejection of national elections slated for later this month. The protest took place despite the risk of severe punishment for any action deemed to interfere with the polls. The junta has already filed legal cases against 10 prominent pro-democracy activists who last week held a rare flash-mob demonstration in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. Critics argue that the December 28 election lacks credibility, saying the process is designed to provide a veneer of legitimacy to the military, which toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. The General Strike Coordination Body, a leading non-violent resistance organization, called for citizens to observe a “silent strike” on Wednesday. People were asked to remain inside homes, offices or workplaces between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to mark International Human Rights Day. Similar silent protests have periodically taken place since the 2021 takeover. Photos circulating on social media showed unusually quiet streets in Yangon, the country’s commercial hub, and in several other cities. Meanwhile, the state-run Myanma Alinn newspaper reported that authorities were seeking the arrest of the 10 activists under provisions of a new election law that impose up to 10 years’ imprisonment for disrupting the electoral process. The activists are accused of distributing anti-election leaflets in a crowded Mandalay market on December 3. Their brief, spontaneous rally drew significant attention because public demonstrations in Mandalay have become nearly impossible under heavy security and routine crackdowns. Many participants made no attempt to conceal their identities as they chanted slogans and scattered flyers. Those charged include well-known activists Tayzar San, Nan Lin and Khant Wai Phyo. They had urged the public to reject the polls, oppose the military’s conscription law and demand the release of political detainees. Tayzar San — a doctor-turned-activist who organized the first major anti-military protest in Mandalay days after the 2021 coup — has been a key figure in the civil resistance. An arrest warrant has been pending against him for years. Speaking to AP following last week’s protest, he said the public’s participation demonstrates that “even after five years, people have not become passive nor surrendered under the repressive mechanisms of the military dictatorship.” Independent Myanmar media, including the Democratic Voice of Burma, reported earlier that authorities had warned shop owners of arrest if they participated in Wednesday’s silent shutdown.  

Renewed fighting along the Thailand-Cambodia border has forced hundreds of thousands of residents to flee their homes, with evacuees describing emotional and rushed escapes. Amnat Meephew, 73, had only moments to gather his clothes before leaving his home just a few kilometers from the border, marking the second mass displacement in four months. “Sometimes when I think about it, I tear up. Why are Thais and Cambodians, who are like siblings, fighting?” he said, his voice breaking. The clashes, which erupted Monday, disrupted a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump after July’s fighting, which left dozens dead on both sides. Thai officials reported around 400,000 evacuees, while Cambodia said more than 127,000 people were displaced. In Thailand’s northeastern Surin province, many residents left preemptively after local leaders issued warnings following a brief skirmish at the border on Sunday. Evacuees took shelter in university halls and tents, with music and volunteer-led activities helping children cope. Health teams monitored their wellbeing. Thidarat Homhual, who fled her home 15 kilometers from the border, recalled leaving her pets behind. “Although no one wants to adjust to living like this, I’ll just go with the flow, otherwise it would be too stressful,” she said from a gymnasium housing over 500 people. Across the border, Cambodian evacuees sought refuge in open fields, using tents or makeshift shelters anchored to trucks. Families huddled around small stoves to cook and keep warm amid dropping temperatures. Loueng Soth, who fled with her seven relatives, described sleeping on the ground and praying for an end to the fighting. Thai Chea, displaced just hundreds of meters from the fighting, said evacuees long for a swift return home. “I want the war to end so that I can go back to my home, do my farming work, and take care of my dogs and chickens,” he said. With no resolution in sight, thousands on both sides continue to endure harsh conditions as the conflict shows little sign of abating.  

Cambodia has pledged a strong fight against Thailand as renewed clashes along the two nations’ border forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes on Tuesday. The escalation follows a skirmish Sunday that injured two Thai soldiers and disrupted a U.S.-brokered ceasefire from July, which had ended territorial fighting that killed dozens and displaced more than 100,000 civilians. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Cambodia had yet to seek negotiations, adding that military operations would continue to protect sovereignty and public safety. Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen, who remains the de facto leader, said his country had refrained from retaliation Monday but began firing back overnight. “Cambodia wants peace, but is forced to defend its territory,” he said. Both militaries reported attacks on their positions, including artillery, rockets, and drone strikes. Cambodia said the new fighting killed seven civilians and wounded 20, while Thailand reported three soldier deaths. Thai airstrikes along the border continued as defensive operations. Evacuations are underway on both sides. In Thailand, shelters in Surin province host over 3,600 people, with nearly 500 temporary shelters across four provinces accommodating 125,838 individuals. Cambodia has evacuated almost 55,000 people, with numbers rising. The countries share a long history of border disputes, often over territory housing ancient temples. Cambodia accused Thai forces of damaging Ta Krabey temple, while Thailand claimed Cambodian rockets targeted its northeastern province. Independent verification was not possible. Cambodia and Thailand escalate border fighting, tens of thousands flee The July ceasefire, brokered by Malaysia under pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump, appears unheeded. Trump said Tuesday he would intervene to stop the renewed fighting. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for both nations to remove heavy weapons, coordinate landmine clearance, and uphold prior agreements. Disputes over prisoners and landmines continue to fuel tension. Thailand holds 18 Cambodian detainees taken when the July truce began, and accuses Cambodia of laying new mines that have injured soldiers. Cambodia counters that the mines are remnants from past conflicts. Source: AP 

Japan is assessing damage and warning residents of possible aftershocks after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck late Monday, causing injuries, minor damage, and a tsunami along the Pacific coast. At least 34 people were injured, one seriously, mostly by falling objects, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. The quake occurred around 11:15 p.m. about 80 kilometers off Aomori prefecture, with a depth of 44 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey said. A tsunami of up to 70 centimeters hit Kuji port in Iwate prefecture, while other areas experienced waves up to 50 centimeters. Most power outages affecting around 800 homes were restored by Tuesday morning, and Shinkansen trains resumed operation. About 480 residents took shelter at Hachinohe Air Base, and 18 defense helicopters were deployed for assessments. 7.5-magnitude earthquake in northern Japan injures 33 and generates 2-foot tsunami No abnormalities were reported at nuclear facilities, though 450 liters of water spilled at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant’s spent fuel cooling area. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of potential aftershocks and a slightly increased risk of a magnitude 8 quake along the northeast coast. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized prioritizing public safety and urged citizens to remain vigilant. Source: AP