LONDON, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A record release of oil from strategic reserves by IEA nations failed to ease concerns about the impact from the Middle East war, with crude prices pushing further higher and stocks sliding on Wednesday. The move to release oil stocks came as Iran said it was ready for a long war of attrition that would "destroy" the world economy, after firing on two commercial ships and threatening any vessels from the US or its allies. Despite the IEA announcement oil prices added to gains. While it may be a record reserves release, it still only replaces part of the lost supplies, noted analyst Helge Andre Martinsen at DNB Carnegie. He estimated that releases from strategic reserves could total 1.75 million barrels per day, while lost supply is approximately 11 million barrels per day of crude and around four million barrels per day of oil products.

In his response, Kotlikoff thanked the Assembly and wrote to “provide clarification” on the Student Code of Conduct’s history and revision process. In 2021, the Student Code of Conduct replaced the Campus Code. Should Cornell University return to a community-wide Campus Code of Conduct?”In 2021, the Campus Code of Conduct — which applied to all members of Cornell’s community — was replaced with the Student Code of Conduct. In August, Lombardi initiated a formal review of the Student Code of Conduct, establishing a Codes and Procedures Revision Committee. “We appreciate the continued engagement of the Student Assembly in matters of student conduct and campus climate,” Kotlikoff wrote.

US warns of possible strikes on Iran's civilian portsWASHINGTON, United States, Mar 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States on Wednesday warned Iranians that it considers civilian ports in the Strait of Hormuz to be legitimate targets, alleging the Tehran government was using the facilities for military operations. "The Iranian regime is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations that threaten international shipping," the US military said in a statement. "Civilian ports used for military purposes lose protected status and become legitimate military targets under international law." "Iranian dockworkers, administrative personnel, and commercial vessel crews should avoid Iranian naval vessels and military equipment." On Tuesday, the United States said it had carried out strikes that destroyed 16 mine-laying vessels that could have been used to block the strait, a vital sea lane for Gulf oil and gas exports.

DRESDEN, Germany, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An unexploded World War II bomb was successfully defused in the German city of Dresden on Wednesday, police said, after it caused a huge evacuation operation. The 250-kilogramme (550-pound) British bomb was found on Tuesday during work in the city centre to rebuild a bridge over the river Elbe that collapsed in 2024. The discovery caused officials to evacuate 18,000 people on Wednesday, the largest such operation ever in the eastern German city, emergency services said. It said in a statement that bomb disposal specialists "removed the detonator of the bomb at 3:10 pm before exploding it", while the bomb itself was also removed from the site. World War II bombs were previously found and defused at the bridge site in January and August 2025, with thousands of people affected each time.

VATICAN CITY, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of a bishop from the Chaldean Catholic community in the United States after he was charged with embezzlement of church funds. The Vatican gave no reason for the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta from the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St Peter the Apostle in California, which it announced in a statement on Tuesday. The Chaldean Church is an Eastern Catholic Church historically rooted in Iraq and Iran, with its base in Baghdad. Shaleta was born in Iraq in 1956, according to his church's website, and has been in the United States since 1987. The Vatican also said Tuesday that the pope had accepted the resignation of the patriarch of the Chaldean Church, Louis-Raphael Sako.

KYIV, Ukraine, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Ukrainian anti-drone experts have begun working in three Gulf states targeted by Iranian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday. "Three of our teams have gone -- strong teams of experts, military personnel, engineers, different people. Today the military are already communicating and already working," Zelensky told reporters, including journalists from AFP. His spokesman confirmed separately that the three countries were Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An Iran-linked hacking group claimed responsibility Wednesday for a sweeping cyberattack on US medical technology giant Stryker, saying it had wiped more than 200,000 systems and extracted 50 terabytes of data in retaliation for military strikes on Iran. "Our major cyber operation has been executed with complete success," Handala said in a statement, describing the attack as retaliation for what it called "the brutal attack on the Minab school" and for "ongoing cyber assaults against the infrastructure of the Axis of Resistance." The outages began shortly after 0400GMT on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Remote Windows devices -- including laptops and mobile phones connected to Stryker's networks -- were remotely wiped.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States was responsible for a Tomahawk missile strike on an Iranian school because of a targeting mistake, The New York Times reported on Wednesday. The newspaper, citing US officials, said the investigation into the February 28 strike was ongoing but preliminary findings were that the United States was responsible. The US military was conducting strikes on an adjacent Iranian base of which the school building was formerly a part and target coordinates were set using outdated data, it said. President Donald Trump suggested earlier this week that Iran itself may have been responsible but later said he could "live with" whatever the investigation reveals. Iran has said the strike on the elementary school in the southern city of Minab killed more than 150 people.

BAKU, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Europe's energy cooperation with Azerbaijan is more important than ever as the Middle East war rattles global markets, European Council President Antonio Costa said Wednesday during a visit to the country. "With the war in Iran shaking global energy markets, our energy partnership is more important than ever," Costa told a press conference alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the capital Baku. Azerbaijan has already been "central" to Europe's effort to diversify energy supply sources, he added. Aliyev said "Azerbaijan continues to play an important role in ensuring Europe's energy security." Costa also thanked Azerbaijan for helping facilitate the safe repatriation of European citizens from Iran amid the war.

PARIS, France, Mar 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday he has "no confirmation" that Iran is using sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz. "I have no confirmation of this, either from partner services or from our own services," Macron said, after the United States said it had destroyed Iranian mine-laying boats near the strategic waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil passes.

PARIS, France, March 11, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Group of Seven nations Wednesday rejected easing punitive measures against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine as the Middle East war wreaks havoc on global oil markets, France's President Emmanuel Macron said. "We also stated at this G7 meeting that this situation in no way justifies lifting the sanctions that exist against Russia," he said after a video call with other G7 leaders to discuss economic fallout from the US-Israeli war with Iran. The conflict has brought shipping traffic in the key Strait of Hormuz to a standstill.

The current Student Code of Conduct replaced a Campus Code of Conduct that applied to all community members in 2021. There are two categories of proposed revisions: revisions to the Student Code of Conduct, which establishes, and revisions to the Student Code of Conduct Procedures. The Student Code of Conduct establishes expectations for students and student organizations while the procedures are utilized when there is an alleged violation. The Student Code of Conduct Procedures face revisions of 13 different sections in the document. The majority of proposed revisions seek to clarify the language and process involved with various Student Code of Conduct procedures.

Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni. File PhotoDHAKA, March 11, 2026 (BSS) - Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni today said the government wants to build an effective and lively parliament. He said today's national parliament is a continuous reflection of the long political struggle and sacrifices made by the prime minister to establish the people's right to vote and consolidate democracy. He said the first session of the national parliament is going to begin tomorrow, reflecting the hopes, aspirations, trust and expectations of the country's people. "Our main goal is to turn the hopes and aspirations of the people into reality through an effective parliament," he added.

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Govt to plant 25cr trees in next 5 years: Environment MinisterEnvironment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo today addressed a discussion marking World Wildlife Day 2026 as the chief guest at the Ban Bhabhan in Agargaon in the capital. Photo:PIDDHAKA, Mar 11, 2026 (BSS) - Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo today said the government will plant 25 crore trees across the country on a priority basis over the next five years. The minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has announced a five-point plan titled "National Green Mission" to protect forests, wildlife and biodiversity. He also urged people to plant forest, fruit and medicinal trees around their homes. Speaking as special guest, State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shaikh Faridul Islam said there will be no compromise in protecting the resources of the Sundarbans.