United News of Bangladesh

The White House announced that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to visit Islamabad on Saturday for discussions related to Iran. However, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson denied any direct talks, stating that no meeting between Tehran and Washington is planned and that Iran’s position will instead be communicated through Pakistan. According to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Islamabad, Pakistani mediators remain “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of Iran-US engagement, following the arrival of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in the capital during a regional tour. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces retain “full freedom of action” in Lebanon, despite a three-week extension of the ceasefire, which Hezbollah has dismissed as meaningless due to ongoing Israeli strikes. The Israeli military reported killing six Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon. The Lebanese Health Ministry, however, said Israeli attacks since March 2 have left 2,491 people dead and 7,719 others injured. Readers are advised to follow the live tracker for updated casualty figures across the region.

Ambassadors of Australia, Japan, European Union (EU) and the United States (US) have visited St Martin’s Island and witnessed the impact of climate change on the Island which is considered as a piece of heaven on earth. “The stark impact of climate change is a reality on St Martin’s Island, including coastal erosion, bleaching of corals and depletion of sea life,” Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the EU to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley tweeted on Monday afternoon. READ: Mohib's murder: US, UK envoys express deep shock