United News of Bangladesh

A locked terrace door and lack of emergency exits trapped residents inside a residential building in Delhi, leaving at least nine people dead in a devastating fire early Sunday. The blaze broke out around 3:30am at a building in Vivek Vihar when most residents were asleep, making escape difficult as flames spread quickly. Residents said iron grills on one side of the building and a locked staircase leading to the roof left them with no way out. The building, with a basement and four floors, had only one staircase and no emergency exit, which slowed evacuation efforts. Each floor had two flats, one at the front and one at the back. As the fire spread from the rear, people living there could not jump out because of the iron grills. Reaching the front side was also difficult as the flames had already spread there. Some residents tried to move through smoke-filled corridors to reach the terrace, but found the door locked, leaving them trapped inside. Many victims died from suffocation as thick smoke and heat filled the building. The fire also spread to a nearby building, reportedly due to little or no gap between the two structures. Witnesses described scenes of panic, with people and children crying out for help from inside their homes. Eyewitnesses said two children even attempted to jump from the front side of the building to escape the fire. Source: NDTV

Israel has issued fresh warnings of attacks on 12 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, directing residents to immediately evacuate their homes. The Israeli military said it could strike the targeted areas and ordered civilians to move at least 1,000 metres away into open spaces for their safety. The towns and villages named in the warning include al-Duwayr, Arab Salim, al-Sharqiya (Nabatieh), Jibshit, Braashit, Sarafand, Dounin, Briqa, Qaaqaiya al-Jisr, al-Qasiba (Nabatieh) and Kfar Sir. Trump warns of possible strikes on Iran if it “misbehaves” The military stated that its operations are directed against Hezbollah, amid ongoing cross-border tensions in the region. Source: Al Jazeera

Germany’s defence minister said the United States’ decision to withdraw about 5,000 troops from the country was “foreseeable,” as NATO seeks more details from Washington amid concerns over the alliance’s future. Speaking to DPA news agency, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the presence of US forces in Europe  especially in Germany  remains important for both sides. He added that Berlin still values close military cooperation with Washington. NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said the alliance is in talks with the US to better understand the scope and impact of the decision. President Donald Trump indicated that more cuts could follow. Asked about the troop withdrawal, he said the US would reduce its forces “way down,” suggesting the number could be far higher than 5,000, though he gave no specifics. The move comes after tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently criticised the US over its handling of negotiations with Iran, saying Washington had been “humiliated.” The US currently has more than 36,000 troops stationed in Germany — its largest military presence in Europe compared to about 12,000 in Italy and 10,000 in the United Kingdom. Trump has also floated the idea of reducing troop levels in Italy and Spain. The decision follows earlier steps to scale back US forces in Romania, part of a broader strategy to shift military focus toward the Indo-Pacific region. The latest move has raised concerns within the 32-member NATO alliance that reduced US presence could weaken collective security. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that internal divisions, rather than external threats, pose the greatest risk to the transatlantic alliance and urged members to act to reverse the trend. In Washington, senior Republican lawmakers also voiced concern. Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers said maintaining a strong US military presence in Europe is vital for deterrence. Pistorius said Europe must take on greater responsibility for its own security, noting that Germany has significantly increased defence spending in recent years. Under the current government, Germany’s defence budget is expected to rise to €105.8 billion by 2027, pushing total defence-related spending to about 3.1% of GDP, including support for Ukraine. Trump has long criticised NATO allies, including Germany, for not meeting defence spending targets, though Berlin has recently moved closer to those goals. NATO officials say the US decision highlights the need for European countries to further boost defence investment and share more of the security burden. The troop withdrawal is expected to be completed within six to twelve months, according to the Pentagon. Tensions between Trump and allies have also grown over disagreements on military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has restricted shipping following US and Israeli strikes earlier this year. With inputs from BBC

US President Donald Trump has warned that military strikes on Iran could resume if Tehran “misbehaves” or engages in what he described as “something bad”. Speaking to reporters in Florida, Trump said there remains a possibility of renewed conflict, noting that “it could happen” under such circumstances, though he added, “we’ll see” for now. He claimed the United States is “doing very well” in its dealings with Iran and asserted that Tehran is seeking a deal because it has been “decimated”. Not satisfied with Iran deal, says Trump Trump also said Iran is facing internal uncertainty, claiming its leadership is unclear. He added that the country’s former leader Ali Khamenei “is gone”. Referring to a proposed 14-point plan submitted by Iran, Trump said US officials have been briefed on the concept of the deal and are awaiting the exact wording. Source: Al Jazeera

Iraq has begun exporting crude oil to Syria through the al-Yarubiyah border crossing, with a convoy of 70 tankers entering Syrian territory in the first such shipment along this route in 14 years. According to Syria’s SANA news agency, the convoy is heading to the Baniyas refinery located on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. Feras Rustum, a Syrian official stationed at the crossing, described the reopening after 14 years as a strategic step aimed at strengthening economic relations between Iraq and Syria. He said the move would improve the efficiency of commercial and energy shipments and pave the way for a long-term partnership between the two nations. Over 2,600 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon in two months: Ministry The development comes as Iraq looks for alternative export routes for its oil amid the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. The crossing, referred to as Rabia on the Iraqi side, had been closed since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. It was later taken over by ISIL in 2014 before being recaptured by Iraqi Kurdish forces. Source: Al Jazeera

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday announced a comprehensive 10-year national strategy aimed at protecting family structures and reversing declining birth rates. Speaking at the "Family and Population Vision 2026-2035" program in Istanbul, Erdogan emphasized that preserving the family structure and promoting marriage are at the forefront of the government's agenda for the coming decade. The roadmap also focuses on increasing fertility rates, ensuring youth development alongside elderly welfare, and fostering rural development to achieve a balanced population distribution. "The family is also transforming in the age of digital techno-culture and faces significant challenges," Erdogan noted. The president added that the government is striving to prepare the country and the nation for the future during this period, and the initiative aims to strengthen the social fabric and ensure long-term demographic stability. Erdogan also announced that the last week of May will be celebrated as "National Family Week" to bolster social awareness.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health has said that Israeli attacks across the country have killed 2,659 people and injured 8,183 over the past two months. In its latest update, the ministry said the casualties were recorded between March 2 and May 2, marking exactly two months since the escalation of Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory. It further reported that in the latest 24-hour period alone, 41 people were killed and 11 others wounded in Israeli raids. Israeli airstrikes kill 7 in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire Meanwhile, Israeli media has reported growing internal debate over Hezbollah’s use of new-generation drones, which are being described as a strategic advantage for the group. Israeli news programmes and commentators are increasingly discussing concerns that the military is becoming stuck in a war of attrition, with troops facing risks from fibre-optic drones, sniper fire and explosive devices allegedly planted in villages where Israeli forces are operating. The discussions have been described as heated, with analysts warning that Israeli forces could become vulnerable in prolonged operations. Observers also noted that the situation recalls Israel’s past 20-year occupation of Lebanon, during which significant military losses were reported. There is growing concern in Israel that the current conflict could resemble that period if forces do not withdraw or if the situation escalates further and a ceasefire is broken. Source: Al Jazeera

A Russian drone strike on a minibus in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed two people and injured seven others, local officials said Saturday, as civilian areas continue to come under attack in Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Regional head Oleksandr Prokudin, said another Russian strike later hit a second minibus in Kherson, injuring the driver. He added that the earlier attack wounded seven people in total. Israeli airstrikes kill 7 in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said “rather unusual” activity was observed Friday along Ukraine’s northern border with Belarus. In a Telegram post Saturday, he said Ukraine was closely monitoring the situation and would respond if it escalates, though he gave no further details. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has previously allowed its territory to be used for Russian troop movements into Ukraine and hosts some of Moscow’s tactical nuclear weapons. In Odesa on the Black Sea coast, Russian strikes damaged port infrastructure, with no casualties reported. Ukraine has faced continuous air assaults since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than four years ago. Despite U.S.-brokered talks, no ceasefire has been reached, and recent global attention has shifted due to the Iran conflict. Russia also claimed control of Myropillia in Ukraine’s Sumy region, a claim not independently verified. Ukraine did not comment. In Russia’s Krasnodar region, a fire at an oil terminal in Tuapse after a Ukrainian strike was extinguished Saturday. Ukrainian drone attacks on the facility have occurred multiple times in recent weeks.

Iran on Saturday said it hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel. The Iranian judiciary’s news outlet, Mizanonline, identified the men as Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh. It said they were hanged after the Supreme Court upheld death sentences. The news outlet said Karimpour was accused of sending “sensitive information” to an officer in Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, while Bekrzadeh was alleged to have sent details about government and religious leaders as well as information about Natanz. The central Iranian city is home to a nuclear enrichment facility bombed by Israel and the U.S. last year. Iran has hanged more than a dozen people over alleged espionage and terrorist activities in recent weeks. Rights groups say Iran routinely holds closed-door trials in which defendants are unable to challenge the accusations they face.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday, discussing freedom of navigation and issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme, according to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a statement, the ministry said the two ministers continued a detailed exchange of views on the prospects for a full cessation of hostilities and efforts to stabilise the military and political situation in the Middle East. US warns shipping firms of sanctions over Iran toll payments in Hormuz Russia reaffirmed its support for ongoing mediation initiatives and expressed readiness to fully back political and diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching sustainable agreements to ensure long-term peace in the region. The ministers also discussed matters related to the passage of Russian vessels and cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, the statement added.