United News of Bangladesh

A strong earthquake measuring a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 struck off northern Japan on Monday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami alert for the region. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake hit off the Sanriku coast at around 4:53 pm (0753 GMT), at a depth of about 10 kilometers beneath the seabed. Public broadcaster NHK reported that tsunami waves of up to 3 meters could reach coastal areas shortly.

Pakistani authorities on Monday prepared to host a second round of talks between Iran and the United States, despite questions about whether the negotiations will take place. Pakistan has intensified diplomatic contacts since Sunday with Washington and Tehran to ensure the talks proceed as soon as Tuesday, officials said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone late Sunday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif’s office said in a statement that did not mention the planned talks. Authorities began closing key roads and stepping up security in the capital Islamabad over the weekend, particularly around a luxury hotel where the delegations are expected to meet. Authorities deployed troops at checkpoints, closed tourist sites and instructed major hotels to limit bookings to ensure availability.

Pakistan is preparing to host a second round of talks between the United States and Iran aimed at ending their ongoing conflict, but uncertainty remains as Tehran has not yet confirmed whether it will join the negotiations. The proposed talks come as a two-week ceasefire between the two sides is set to expire on Wednesday. Unlike the first round held in Islamabad on April 11, the upcoming discussions could continue for several days, with mediators hoping to reach a temporary agreement to extend the ceasefire and allow more time for a broader peace deal. However, rising tensions over the past 24 hours have cast doubt on Iran’s participation. US President Donald Trump said American representatives were heading to Pakistan for the talks, but also warned of possible strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure if no agreement is reached. He accused Iran of violating the ceasefire following recent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. In a separate development, Trump said a US naval vessel intercepted an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman after it failed to respond to warnings. Iran has condemned the move, calling it piracy. Amid these developments, Pakistan has stepped up security and logistical preparations in Islamabad. Key hotels were cleared of guests, roads leading to the high-security Red Zone were sealed, and additional security personnel were deployed across the capital. Despite Pakistan’s efforts as a mediator, Iranian officials have expressed reservations about joining the talks. Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan cited ongoing tensions, including the US naval blockade and threats of further attacks, as obstacles to meaningful negotiations. Iranian state media also dismissed reports of a confirmed second round of talks, blaming the lack of progress on what it described as shifting US positions and unrealistic demands. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, discussing the need to continue dialogue to resolve the crisis. US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner, are expected to be part of the delegation, although it remains unclear who will ultimately attend. Diplomatic sources say the immediate goal of the talks would be to extend the ceasefire rather than reach a final agreement. Officials noted that while progress has been made, a comprehensive deal would require more time and continued engagement from both sides. Source: Al jazeera  

Iran’s top diplomat told his Pakistani counterpart that Washington’s demands in negotiations and its threats to Iranian ships and ports mark “clear signs” of America’s disingenuousness. Abbas Aragchi made the remarks to Pakistan’s foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, according to Iranian state media. It’s another indication of how the Washington-Tehran standoff is sharpening as the ceasefire is to expire on Wednesday. It could also shake up plans for a new U.S.-Iran round of talks in Islamabad this week.

Oil prices rose in early trading Sunday as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. prevented tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies. The price of U.S. crude oil increased 6.4% to $87.90 per barrel an hour after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 5.8% to $95.64 per barrel. The market reaction followed more than two days of lifted hopes and dashed expectations involving the strait. Crude prices plunged more than 9% Friday after Iran said it would fully reopen the strait, which it effectively controls, to commercial traffic. Tehran reversed that decision and fired on several vessels Saturday after President Donald Trump said a U.S. Navy blockade of Iranian ports would remain in effect. On Sunday, Trump said the U.S. attacked and forcibly seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that allegedly tried to get around the blockade. Iran’s joint military command vowed to respond. Sunday’s higher prices wiped out much of the declines seen Friday, signaling renewed doubts about how soon ships will again transport the vast amounts oil the world gets from the Middle East. The US-Israeli war against Iran, now in its eighth week, has created one of the worst global energy crises in decades. Countries in Asia and Europe that import much of their oil from the Gulf have felt the most impact of halted supplies and production cuts, although rapidly rising gasoline, diesel and jet fuel prices are affecting businesses and consumers worldwide

Six hours have passed since U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiators would head to Pakistan on Monday for more talks with Iran, but neither Iran nor host Pakistan have confirmed it. Pakistan has kept up the diplomacy today, with its prime minister holding a 45-minute call with Iran’s president and Pakistan’s foreign minister speaking with his Iranian counterpart. But while authorities have begun tightening security in Islamabad, the only player that has openly committed to another round of talks is the Trump administration.

The British military has declared the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf to be “critical,” its highest risk level. The military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, UKMTO, cited “a high level of activity by naval forces in the region.” It said there is a “risk of attack or miscalculation” in the waterway. The Iranian navy reimposed tight restrictions on transit through the strait as the U.S. military implements a blockade on Iranian ports and waters. The UKMTO also cited multiple attacks on Saturday by Iranian forces on vessels passing through the strait.  

Eight children, aged from one to 14 years old, were killed in a shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, which police are describing as a "domestic disturbance". Officers said the shootings occurred about 05:00 local time (10:00 BST), when a single gunman shot 10 people. Police chased and killed the suspected shooter as he was fleeing, reports BBC. "We have hurting families, we have hurting police officers, coroners' personnel," Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said. "This affects the entire community, so we all mourn with these families." Police did not identify the gunman or the victims, but said some of the children were related to the deceased man. "This is a tragic situation - maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had in Shreveport," the mayor added. He asked for prayers for the families and the city. Police said the shooting took place at two homes on the same block and a third residence in the neighbourhood. Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon said officers attended a home shortly before 06:00 local time and found the children. "All of the deceased in this case are juveniles," Bordelon said.    

US President Donald Trump has said American negotiators will travel to Islamabad on Monday to resume high-stakes talks with Iran, as efforts intensify to salvage a fragile ceasefire and ease tensions in the Gulf. The upcoming round of negotiations comes amid deep disagreements over Tehran’s nuclear programme and recent flare-ups in the Strait of Hormuz. The president’s post on social media Sunday did not detail which official the U.S. would sending to a second round of in-person talks with Iran. The White House and the office of Vice President JD Vance, who led the first round of talks, did not immediately respond to messages Sunday morning. Trump in his post accused Iran of violating the ceasefire agreement by firing bullets Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz, and threatened to destroy civilian infrastructure in Iran if it does not take the deal the U.S. is offering. “If they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran,” Trump wrote.

Pakistani authorities have begun tightening security in the capital, Islamabad, ahead of a possible second round of ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran. Authorities on Sunday deployed troops at roadside checkpoints, closed tourist sites and ordered major hotels to cancel bookings and keep facilities available. Islamabad’s streets are largely deserted, as residents stayed home to avoid road closures seen earlier this month during the first round of talks. While there were no formal announcements, Pakistani officials said arrangements are in place for talks in the coming days. A regional official involved in the mediation efforts said mediators were finalizing the preparations. He said U.S. advance security teams are already on the ground. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the preparations. Pakistan has led mediation efforts to end the war. Its military chief visited Tehran last week, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with regional leaders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.