United News of Bangladesh

Japan has started releasing another portion of its strategic oil reserves in an effort to cushion the impact of rising global prices triggered by the war involving Iran, an official said. Kaname Morimoto of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said the release of national stockpiles to oil refiners began at 10:59am (01:59 GMT). The move follows Tokyo’s earlier decision to release government reserves equivalent to one month of supply, alongside an additional 15 days’ worth of petroleum from private-sector reserves. Japan, the world’s fifth-largest oil importer, relies on the Middle East for over 90 percent of its crude supply. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the transfer of oil from part of the reserve facilities to four refining companies was scheduled to begin on Thursday. #From Al Jazeera

An Indian man whose life support was withdrawn following approval from the Supreme Court has died, marking the country’s first case of court-approved passive euthanasia. Harish Rana, 31, died on Tuesday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where he was receiving palliative care after life-sustaining treatment was withdrawn. Rana had been in a coma since 2013 after falling from a fourth-floor balcony while he was an engineering student, suffering severe head injuries. He had no “living will”, a legal document that allows individuals to state their medical treatment preferences in case they become unable to make decisions. In India, passive euthanasia was legalized by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, allowing withdrawal of life support under strict conditions, while active euthanasia remains illegal. As Rana could not consent and had no prior directive, his parents sought court permission to withdraw treatment. Their plea was initially rejected by the Delhi High Court in 2024 and later declined by the Supreme Court. They approached the apex court again in 2025, saying their son’s condition had worsened and that he was being kept alive through artificial support. Two medical boards later examined Rana and found he had almost no chance of recovery, with permanent brain damage and dependence on external support for basic functions. On March 11, the court allowed doctors to use their clinical judgment, leading to the withdrawal of life support. Rana was then shifted to a palliative care unit, where he died. Lawyers said the case could set a precedent, as many similar patients across India remain on prolonged life support.   With inputs from BBC

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Tuesday released American academic Dennis Coyle after holding him for more than a year, saying the move was made on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. In a statement, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said Coyle was freed in Kabul following an appeal from his family and after the country’s Supreme Court deemed his previous detention sufficient. Coyle had been detained in January 2025 over alleged legal violations, though authorities did not specify the charges. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the development, saying the release reflects President Donald Trump’s commitment to securing the freedom of Americans held abroad. “Dennis joins over 100 Americans who have been freed in the past 15 months under his second term,” Rubio said, while adding that further efforts are needed. Earlier this month, the US State Department designated Afghanistan as a country involved in wrongful detention, accusing it of engaging in “hostage diplomacy” alongside Iran. Kabul rejected the allegation, insisting that foreigners are detained only for legal violations, not for political leverage. The State Department believes at least four US nationals remain in Taliban custody, including Mahmood Habibi, who was reportedly taken in 2022. Afghan authorities, however, deny holding him. Habibi’s brother, Ahmad Habibi, welcomed Coyle’s release but expressed hope for his brother’s safe return. Rubio also referred to Paul Overby, who disappeared in eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province in 2014 while working on a book, and called for the immediate release of all detained Americans. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi reiterated that Afghanistan does not detain foreign nationals for political purposes, saying Coyle was released after completing legal procedures. Both sides acknowledged the role of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in facilitating the release. The ministry said Muttaqi had met former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Kabul prior to the development. The Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces after nearly two decades, said the release was carried out on humanitarian grounds and expressed hope for improved trust and dialogue between the two countries.

At least 55 people were injured after a fire broke out at an auto parts factory in South Korea’s central city of Daejeon on Friday, with authorities warning the number could rise. The National Fire Agency said 24 of the injured were in serious condition. Officials could not immediately confirm if any were in life-threatening danger. Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of Daejeon’s Daedeok district, said rescue teams were searching for at least 14 people believed to have been inside the facility when the blaze erupted. Footage from the scene showed thick gray smoke rising from the complex, with some workers seen jumping from the building to escape. The fire was reported at around 1:18 pm. While the exact cause remains unclear, officials said it likely spread quickly following an explosion reported by witnesses. Nam said one factory building was destroyed, and firefighters were unable to enter due to fears of collapse. Efforts focused on stopping the flames from reaching nearby structures and removing hazardous materials from the site. Authorities said about 200 kilograms of highly reactive chemicals were stored at the facility. Some of the injuries occurred when workers jumped to safety, while others suffered from smoke inhalation. Police were using mobile phone signals to trace the missing individuals. More than 500 firefighters, police, and emergency responders were deployed, supported by around 120 vehicles, evacuation aircraft, and specialized equipment, including an unmanned water cannon and firefighting robots for hard-to-reach areas. President Lee Jae Myung ordered full mobilization of resources to bring the fire under control and assist rescue efforts.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has appeared to avoid directly committing to US President Donald Trump’s call for allied warships to be deployed to the Strait of Hormuz, media reports said. Trump has repeatedly shifted his stance over the past week on whether NATO members and allies, including Australia, South Korea and Japan, should provide maritime support in the strategic waterway. According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, Trump raised the issue during a meeting with Takaichi at the White House on Thursday. In response, the Japanese leader outlined “in detail what Japan can do and cannot do” under its legal framework. Although Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force is among the world’s largest naval forces, its operations are limited by the country’s pacifist constitution. Takaichi is believed to have indicated willingness to assist in other ways. Trump later told reporters that Japan was fulfilling its responsibilities, in contrast to some NATO countries, the report said. “I expect Japan to step up, because we have that kind of relationship,” Trump said. “We have 45,000 soldiers in Japan… we spend a lot of money on Japan… so I expect, I’m not surprised that they would step up.”  #From Al Jazeera

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reaffirmed that his country is maintaining a neutral stance in the ongoing Israeli-US conflict with Iran, rejecting allegations of favouring any side. Addressing parliament following a meeting with Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India, the president responded to criticism surrounding recent government decisions. Dissanayake said some groups had claimed that Sri Lanka delayed allowing an Iranian vessel due to alleged defence agreements with the United States. “Certain parties are saying that we have signed defence agreements with the US, and that’s why we delayed to entertain the Iranian vessel,” he said. “They are saying we are partial,” he added, stressing, “We are impartial.” The president also revealed that both Iran and the United States had recently requested permission for their militaries to make port calls in Sri Lanka. “As a neutral nation, we declined both requests. That is impartiality,” he said. #From Al Jazeera

Long queues have formed at petrol stations across Sri Lanka as drivers rush to secure fuel, highlighting growing shortages in the region. Several Asian countries are rolling out strict conservation measures amid concerns over supply disruptions following the US and Israel’s conflict with Iran. Asia, the world’s largest oil-importing region, received nearly 90 percent of oil and gas shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz last year. In Sri Lanka, authorities have declared Wednesdays as public holidays to cut fuel consumption. A National Fuel Pass system has also been introduced to limit how much fuel individuals can purchase. Myanmar has imposed restrictions on private vehicles, allowing them to operate on alternate days based on licence plate numbers. In Bangladesh, the government has advanced Ramadan holidays for universities and implemented scheduled power outages to reduce energy use. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, some government offices have instructed employees to work remotely at least once a week to help ease fuel demand. #From BBC

Dozens of people were killed or injured in an air strike on a drug treatment hospital in Kabul on Monday evening, with the Taliban government blaming Pakistan for the attack. Officials said the hospital was treating around 2,000 patients for drug addiction at the time. Witnesses reported hearing loud explosions followed by aircraft sounds and air defence activity. The BBC observed more than 30 bodies being carried out from the partially burning hospital. Afghanistan’s health ministry confirmed there are no military facilities near the hospital. Pakistan’s information ministry denied targeting the centre, stating its strikes were aimed at military installations and “terrorist support infrastructure” in Kabul and Nangarhar province. The incident comes amid escalating cross-border clashes between the two countries since late February, despite a fragile ceasefire agreed in October. According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), at least 75 people have been killed and 193 injured in Afghanistan as a result of ongoing fighting since February 26. Family members of patients gathered outside the hospital, desperately seeking information on their loved ones. The strike has raised fears of hundreds of casualties and heightened tensions in the region.   With inputs from BBC

Oil prices rose sharply in early Asian trading on Tuesday as investors monitored tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route. Brent crude climbed 2.8% to $103.08 per barrel, while US-traded crude increased nearly 3% to $96.25. Traders remain alert for signs that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz will continue without disruption and for indications of easing regional tensions. Prices had eased slightly on Monday after reports that several ships safely navigated the strategic waterway, which has been targeted by Iran in response to US and Israeli attacks. Meanwhile, stock markets across Asia opened slightly higher, including key indexes in Japan and South Korea, both heavily dependent on oil supplies from the Gulf region. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose by 0.25%, while South Korea’s Kospi index gained more than 2.5%. Technology shares helped lift the Kospi after chipmaker Nvidia projected trillion-dollar sales by 2027 and announced several major deals with large companies.   With inputs from BBC

At least eight people were killed and more than 50 injured when the roof of a shop collapsed in a village in eastern Pakistan on Monday as women gathered to receive government welfare payments, police and rescue officials said. Rescue worker Ashiq Mahmood said the roof caved in due to the pressure of a large crowd. According to him, the shopkeeper had asked some of the more than 100 women present to move onto the roof while others stayed inside the shop, which caused the structure to give way. Six killed as militants attack house in southwest Pakistan    The incident occurred in Rahim Yar Khan district of Punjab province, where women had assembled to collect financial assistance ahead of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The payments were being distributed under the Benazir Income Support Program, a government initiative named after former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in a gun and bomb attack in 2007. The programme provides cash support to millions of low-income families across the country, many of them headed by women. Eligible families receive quarterly payments of 13,000 Pakistani rupees, equivalent to about $45. Crowding and stampedes are not uncommon in Pakistan during Ramadan when government bodies, charities and businesses distribute food and cash among poor families. In 2023, at least 11 women and children died in a stampede at a Ramadan aid distribution centre in Karachi after hundreds of people rushed to collect assistance outside a factory.