United News of Bangladesh

An oil tanker was hit by a projectile and disabled near Oman's coast in the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the risks facing ships using the key waterway as tensions remain high between Iran and the United States. The incident happened Monday night, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMsTO). The projectile struck the ship's engine several miles off Oman's eastern coast, leaving it unable to move. All crew members were reported safe. There were no immediate reports of an oil spill or other environmental damage. The attack came as a senior Pakistani delegation was completing talks in Tehran aimed at helping find a negotiated end to the nearly six-month-old conflict between Iran and the United States. Tanker attack raises shipping concerns Before the war began, about one-fifth of the world's traded oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb 28, shipping through the strategic waterway has faced major disruptions. Iran has tightened control over traffic through the strait and has occasionally fired at vessels trying to pass through, although no group immediately claimed responsibility for Monday's attack. The United States is also enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports and has attacked vessels. Pakistan says Iran talks were positive A Pakistani delegation led by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir left Tehran on Tuesday after meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials. The talks focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restarting negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, according to Pakistan's military. Pakistan has been trying to mediate between Iran and the US and has maintained contacts with both sides. Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who accompanied Munir, described the meeting with Pezeshkian as “very positive and productive.” He said the talks made “significant progress” and expressed hope that they could lead to further negotiations and lasting peace in the region. The discussions also covered the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Oman are working on a proposal for managing the waterway, but it remains unclear whether the plan would be acceptable to Washington. Oman's foreign minister was scheduled to meet Iranian officials Tuesday. No accountability a year after Gaza hospital killings Tuesday also marked one year since Israeli soldiers killed 22 Palestinians, including journalists and rescue workers, in a double strike at a hospital in Gaza. The attack on Nasser Hospital drew international condemnation, but no one has been held accountable. Israeli officials said the target was a suspected Hamas camera on the hospital's roof. Among those killed were Reuters cameraman Hussam al-Masri and Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist who worked for The Associated Press and other media organisations. The Israeli military has not provided details about its investigation or said when it might be completed despite repeated requests from AP. Human rights groups say Israeli soldiers are rarely prosecuted over the deaths of Palestinians and that investigations often take a long time without leading to charges. China objects to possible Iran-related sanctions China said Tuesday that it was closely monitoring plans by the US to expand sanctions against people and organisations linked to Iran, including some in China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said cooperation between China and Iran should not be disrupted and was being carried out in line with international law. China is one of Iran's biggest trading partners and buys most of Iran's oil exports. The US Treasury Department said Monday it was imposing sanctions on nearly 60 Iran-linked entities, including several based in China. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stopped short of imposing secondary sanctions on countries doing business with Iran. He said countries should first have an opportunity to reduce their ties with Iran. Bessent did not identify any countries that could face future penalties, saying they “know who they are.” Lin criticised unilateral sanctions, saying they have no basis in international law and that economic pressure would only increase tensions

Asian shares mostly fell on Wednesday after a sharp sell-off in technology stocks on Wall Street, while global oil prices climbed following fresh U.S. airstrikes linked to escalating tensions with Iran. The U.S. military carried out attacks early Wednesday after the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz, an incident President Donald Trump blamed on Iran. Tehran rejected the accusation and warned it would respond, saying it “will leave no attack or threat unanswered.” The renewed escalation has raised concerns over prospects for a lasting ceasefire in a conflict that has already dragged on for more than three months. The uncertainty has further unsettled global markets, which were already under pressure from heavy selling in technology firms tied to the artificial intelligence boom. Oil prices resumed their upward trend amid fears over disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route. Brent crude rose 0.9 percent to 92.30 dollars per barrel after earlier fluctuations, having traded near 70 dollars before the conflict escalated in late February. U.S. benchmark crude gained 1 percent to 89.04 dollars per barrel. ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said the situation remains “highly volatile,” noting that efforts by Iran and the United States to secure a stable ceasefire and ensure free movement through the Strait remain uncertain. They also pointed out that seasonal demand typically supports higher oil prices at this time of year. In equities, U.S. futures edged lower after losses in major chipmakers including Micron Technology, Advanced Micro Devices and Marvell Technology. In Asia, South Korea’s Kospi dropped 4.7 percent to 7,720.59 after a strong rally in the previous session. Samsung Electronics fell 5.8 percent, while SK Hynix slid 6.3 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.4 percent to 64,524.84 after data showed producer prices rose 6.3 percent in May, the fastest increase in more than three years. SoftBank Group shares fell 8.9 percent, while Tokyo Electron rose 5.3 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 1.1 percent to 24,296.62 and the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.7 percent to 3,980.24. Official figures showed China’s producer prices climbed 3.9 percent in May, close to a four-year high. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.2 percent to 8,624.50. Taiwan’s Taiex was down 1.6 percent in early trade, while India’s Sensex rose 0.6 percent. On Wall Street on Tuesday, the S&P 500 fell 0.3 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2 percent, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 1 percent as technology stocks led losses. Micron, Marvell Technology and AMD all declined sharply during trading. Investors are also watching upcoming U.S. inflation data, with energy prices rising due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. In currency markets, the U.S. dollar was steady at 160.36 yen, while the euro traded at 1.1550 dollars.

The United States is reducing the number of people deemed nonessential to operations in the Middle East, the State Department has announced. The U.S. is also authorizing nonessential personnel and family members to leave Bahrain and Kuwait, which will give them a choice on whether to leave those countries. The State Department said it made the orders after evaluating recent tensions, which are on the rise in the region as high-stakes nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran appear to have hit an impasse. Danish Parliament approves U.S. military base deal amid Greenland concerns Meanwhile President Donald Trump announced that China will make it easier for American industry to obtain magnets and rare earth minerals, clearing the way for trade talks to continue between the world’s two biggest economies. Trump also said Wednesday that the U.S. will stop efforts to revoke the visas of Chinese nationals on U.S. college campuses.