Prime Minister Tarique Rahman -File PhotoDHAKA, Mar 18, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has taken responsibility for the treatment of a critically injured child who survived a tragic road accident at Sherpur in Bogura district, in which four members of the same family were killed, this morning. He said the child was being transferred to the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital in the city’s Agargaon area for advanced treatment. The Prime Minister has also taken full responsibility for all kinds of treatment costs. The accident occurred in the Sherpur area of Bogura when a microbus carrying 12 passengers was heading to Rangpur from Dhaka. Bogura Deputy Commissioner said the bodies have been taken to Kaunia in Rangpur, where the victims will be laid to eternal rest.

PM directs to take measures to minimise loss, sufferings from Bogura train accidentPrime Minister Tarique Rahman -File PhotoDHAKA, Mar 18, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the local administration to take necessary measures to minimise damage and reduce public suffering following a train accident at Santahar in Bogura, carrying homebound holidaymakers. The Prime Minister spoke this evening with the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) of Bogura and inquired about the overall situation in the accident-hit area. Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman confirmed the matter, stating that the Prime Minister talked to the DC and the SP immediately over phone after learning about the train accident in Bogura. The Prime Minister is closely monitoring the situation, particularly as Bogura has been his former electoral constituency. Later, Tarique Rahman gave up Bogura-6 parliamentary seat after taking oath as the Prime Minister.

Beating national competitors in the bidding process, Cornell and the Technion won the opportunity to create Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island. Nearly 15 years later, Cornell Tech has educated more than 2,700 students and undertaken groundbreaking research on AI and other new technologies. The Jacobs Institute is also home to the Runway Startups program, which attracts postdoctoral founders from around the world to build new companies at Cornell Tech. Cornell Tech is deeply grateful for the successful academic partnership we have built with our Technion colleagues, and proud of what the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute has achieved. Greg Morrisett is the Jack and Rilla Neafsey Dean and Vice Provost of Cornell Tech.

Brocreative // ShutterstockHighest-rated Class of 2026 men's basketball recruits from New HampshireFrom the roaring crowd to squeaking sneakers on the hardwood, high school basketball is a beloved American pastime. The concept of a state championship for high school basketball soon followed. Other states with early high school basketball championships include Indiana (first championship in 1911) and Wisconsin (1916). Almost 900,000 student athletes play on their high school basketball team, according to 2024-25 school year data compiled by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 basketball recruits from New Hampshire using data from 247Sports.

LONDON, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Shipping fuel prices have reached "truly unprecedented" levels, having nearly doubled from the cargo crunch driven by the Middle East war, an industry leader told AFP Wednesday. You need to plan ahead as much as possible," Capetanakis told AFP, calling for "calmness and realism" from the shipping industry. Prices for marine or "bunker" fuel are at their highest since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, researchers at HSBC bank said in a report. The IBIA is the global trade association for the marine fuel industry. Shipping companies and freight firms chartering vessels are reportedly adapting to the high fuel prices by ordering ships to slow down to save on fuel, or finding alternative routes and ports to bunker.

NATO allies in talks on 'best way' to re-open Hormuz straitOSLO, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - NATO chief Mark Rutte said Wednesday that the military alliance's members were discussing the "best way" to open the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large chunk of the world's oil supply normally passes. And what I know is that allies are working together, discussing how to do that, what is the best way to do it," Rutte told a news conference during a visit to a NATO exercise in northern Norway. "They are working on that collectively, to find a way forward," Rutte added. US President Donald Trump has urged other global powers to send warships to escort convoys of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. On Tuesday, Trump said "NATO is making a very foolish mistake" by not sending aid.

WASHINGTON, United States, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US intelligence concluded Wednesday that Iran was not rebuilding nuclear enrichment capacities that were destroyed in a June 2025 US-Israeli attack, contradicting President Donald Trump's justifications for his ongoing war. "As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran's nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. There has been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability," Gabbard said in the testimony to the Senate intelligence committee. Trump has repeatedly said that he ordered the attack on Iran alongside Israel on February 28 due to an "imminent threat." The US intelligence community "assesses the regime in Iran to be intact but largely degraded due to attacks on its leadership and military capabilities," Gabbard said.

"Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms," he wrote on X. Pakistan accuses Kabul of harbouring extremists behind cross-border attacks on its territory. - Identification -Obtaining immediate independent confirmation of exact death tolls is difficult in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with attacks often in hard-to-reach places and conflicting information. - Mediation stalled -Afghanistan and Pakistan have faced calls for an immediate end to the conflict, with the overall civilian death toll mounting and concern about those displaced. Russia's special representative for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said Moscow "will be ready" to help broker talks if both sides request it.

CANTERBURY, United Kingdom, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Hundreds of masked-up students queued Wednesday to get vaccinated at the UK university campus at the heart of a deadly meningitis outbreak, as the number of cases rose to 20. At least 200 students formed a long queue at the grassy campus near the medieval city of Canterbury, as the university rolled-out a targeted vaccination programme for meningitis B -- a deadly bacterial strain. The number of cases being probed by UK authorities has risen since Tuesday from 15 to 20. - 'Halt the spread' -Six of the confirmed cases are of group B meningococcal disease, according to the UKHSA. Children in Britain are usually routinely vaccinated against meningitis B with three doses given at eight and 12 weeks and one year.

LAGOS, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Nigerian soldiers Wednesday killed 60 jihadists who planned to attack a military position in conflict-battered Borno state, two days after multiple suicide bomber attacks in the state capital, the military said. The military said it had "successfully" repelled a coordinated overnight attack by insurgents of unclear affiliation, who tried to "breach the 68 Battalion Main Defensive Area" in Mallam Fatori, near the Niger border. Troops and "supporting air components engaged the attackers decisively, neutralizing over 60 terrorist fighters, including some notorious commanders," it said. The military shared images of dozens of bodies lined up on the ground with its statement posted on X. Last month, the United States began deploying 200 troops to Nigeria to provide technical and training support to soldiers in fighting jihadist groups.

We’ve reimagined the Takes app from the ground up, around what today’s consumers actually want: faster updates, deeper insights, more interactivity, and content that feels personal and immediate,” said Michael Iams, CEO and Co-Founder, Takes. By pairing quick-hit content with competitive gameplay, the platform turns real-time moments into opportunities for participation. Introducing All-New Takes Interactive March Madness BracketTakes is transforming how fans learn about their teams and build smarter March Madness brackets. “Built on deep focus research with Gen Z, our new Interactive Takes Bracket IQ reflects how the next generation of fans wants to engage. Think Duolingo but for sports: every game, storyline, and stat becomes a playable moment: predicting outcomes, reacting instantly, and climbing the leaderboard with your “Takes.” Takes turns sports from something you watch into something you do — every day.

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Initiatives to be taken to develop city markets with modern facilities: ManjuKHULNA, March 18, 2026 (BSS) - Khulna City Corporation Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju today said initiatives will be taken to develop all city markets with modern facilities in phases. He made the remarks after conducting daylong visits to several markets across Khulna. Senior KCC officials and market leaders were present during the inspections. He said all markets would be brought under a phased inspection programme and necessary steps would be taken to transform them into modern markets. During the visit, the KCC administrator inspected Sheikhpara Market, Mistripara Market, Chandmari Market and Moylapota Meat Market.

State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Mohammad Nurul Haque. File PhotoDHAKA, Mar 18, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Mohammad Nurul Haque and Senior Secretary of the ministry Dr. Neyamat Ullah Bhuiyan today expressed profound shock and sorrow over the death of a Bangladeshi expatriate in Saudi Arabia. Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, an expatriate, has died after sustaining severe injuries from a recent missile strike in Saudi Arabia amid the Iran-Israel conflict. According to a statement, Al Mamun was seriously burned when a missile, launched from Iran, struck the Al-Kharj area in Saudi Arabia on March 8. Al Mamun hailed from Rasulpur village under Gafargaon Upazila in Mymensingh district.