UN maritime body holds emergency talks on Mideast shipping
LONDON, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The International Maritime Organization will begin an "extraordinary session" on Wednesday to discuss shipping amid the Middle East war, as fears grow over the fate of thousands of stranded ships and seafarers. The London-based UN agency -- responsible for regulating international shipping safety -- is set to consider adopting possible resolutions during the two-day gathering at its London headquarters. The IMO's 40-member council could vote Thursday on several proposed resolutions, including one to "establish a safe maritime corridor to allow the safe evacuation of seafarers and ships stranded in the Persian Gulf". It has also left around 20,000 seafarers stranded on approximately 3,200 vessels west of the strait, according to the IMO. Noting Iran had "threatened and attacked commercial vessels and seafarers, as well as civilian maritime infrastructure" it said the attacks were "unjustifiable and must cease".
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 11:40 UTC
Russia slams Oscar-winning anti-Putin documentary
MOSCOW, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russia on Wednesday condemned the Oscar-winning documentary "Mr Nobody Against Putin", saying it had featuredchildren filmed without their parents' consent, in Moscow's first officialreaction to the film scooping the prestigious award. Small-town Russian school videographer Pavel Talankin, 35, won the AcademyAward together with US filmmaker David Borenstein for the documentary, whichchronicles pro-war patriotic lessons introduced in Russia's schools underPresident Vladimir Putin amid Moscow's Ukraine offensive. Russia's human rights council, a government body, said that "images of minorswere used without obtaining the consent of their parents" in the documentary. The documentary has proved polarising even among anti?Kremlin Russians, andsome argued that children were filmed without parental consent. Since sending troops against neighbouring Ukraine four years ago, the Kremlinhas suppressed opposition to the war.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 11:08 UTC
Sri Lanka growth slows after deadly cyclone
COLOMBO, March 18, 2026 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's economy expanded 4.8 percent in the final quarter of 2025, slowing sharply after a devastating cyclone that killed 641 people, official data showed Wednesday. Cyclone Ditwah, which struck in late November, caused an estimated $4.1 billion in damage, according to the World Bank -- the worst natural disaster to hit the island since the 2004 Asian tsunami. However, the World Bank warned late last year that Sri Lanka's recovery remained "uneven and incomplete", with many households yet to regain livelihoods lost during the 2022 crisis. The World Bank had forecast Sri Lanka's economy to grow 4.6 percent last year, but the country performed slightly better according to the statistics department's figure. Sri Lanka's economy suffered its worst recession in 2022, contracting 7.3 percent, when then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to resign following months of street protests.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 11:05 UTC
Iran women's football team arrive in Turkey on way home
Iran women's football team arrive in Turkey on way homeISTANBUL, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Iranian women's national footballteam landed at Istanbul Airport on Tuesday after several members of thedelegation withdrew their asylum bids in Australia and decided to returnhome. Footage from Turkish news agency DHA showed the players, wearing Iraniannational team tracksuits, walking through the arrivals area at IstanbulAirport. The players arrived in Turkey via Oman and Kuala Lumpur, having leftAustralia where they were competing in the Asian Cup. "The female football players and technical teams are children of thehomeland, and the people of Iran embrace them," Iranian parliament speakerMohammad Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X on Wednesday. Iranian authorities had previously accused Australia of pressuring theplayers to stay.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 10:30 UTC
FF Shamsuzzohah laid to rest with state honours in Rajshahi
Photo : BSSRAJSHAHI, March 18, 2026 (BSS)- Freedom fighter (FF) Shamsuzzohah of Paba Upazila in Rajshahi was laid to eternal rest with state honour. His funeral prayer (janaza) and the state tribute ceremony were held at 11:00 am on Wednesday (March 18) at the Darusha High School playground in Paba. Earlier, he passed away around 7:30 pm on Tuesday (March 17) while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. During the state honour ceremony, a smartly turned-out squad from Karnahar Police Station presented a guard of honour in the presence of Acting Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Mehedi Hasan. His contribution to the Liberation War will be remembered with deep respect by the country's people.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 10:25 UTC
Japan, US to discuss joint rare earths development: Takaichi
TOKYO, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday she would discuss joint development with the United States of deep sea rare earths off a remote Pacific island when she meets President Donald Trump this week. "We discussed resources development when President Trump visited Japan in October last year, and since February Japan and the United States have begun concrete discussions on cooperating regarding development of marine mineral resources," Takaichi told parliament. "The rare earths in waters around Minamitorishima are one of the targets of this effort... It blocked exports to Japan of "dual-use" items with potential military uses, fuelling worries in Japan that Beijing could choke supplies of rare earths. China has long used its dominance in rare earths for geopolitical leverage, including in its trade war with Trump.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 10:10 UTC
Boro rice farming target exceeds in Rangpur agricultural region
Photo : BSSRANGPUR, March 18, 2026 (BSS) - The set Boro rice cultivation target hasexceeded in the Rangpur agricultural region, where farmers are expecting abumper harvest of the staple food grain in the current Rabi season. "Currently, enthusiastic farmers are very busy in taking care of theirexcellently growing tender Boro rice plants in all five districts of theregion," Deputy Director of the DAE's Rangpur region Krishibid Md ShirajulIslam told BSS. Earlier, the DAE has set an all-time record target of producing 23,08,715tonnes of clean Boro rice (34,63,0672 tonnes of paddy) from 5,09,094 hectaresof land for Rangpur agricultural region this season. Under the special programmes, a target has been fixed to bring 1,01,839hectares of Boro rice croplands under the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD)irrigation method. About 9.36 percent tender Boro rice seedlings are now under recovery, 85.80percent in tillering and 4.84 percent in panicle initiation stage, growingbeautifully in the crop fields, which predicts a bumper crop yield.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 10:07 UTC
UN warns progress on countering child mortality slowing
UNITED NATIONS, United States, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Progress in reducing child mortality is slowing, the UN said in a report Tuesday, with an estimated 4.9 million children worldwide dying in 2024 before reaching the age of five. "Most of these deaths are preventable with proven, low-cost interventions and access to quality health care," said the joint report by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. The organizations noted that the number of deaths among children under five has fallen by more than half since 2000. Child deaths remain heavily concentrated in a few regions: in 2024, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 58 percent of all these deaths and South Asia for one-quarter. "Evidence shows that investments in child health remain among the most cost-effective development measures," the report said.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 10:00 UTC
PM doing urgent official work from Gulshan residence during Eid holiday
PM doing urgent official work from Gulshan residence during Eid holidayPrime Minister Tarique Rahman. File PhotoDHAKA, March 18, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is carrying out urgent official duties from his residence in Gulshan during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. Ruman said Tarique Rahman has spoken with the mayor and administrators of city corporations, urging them to maintain cleanliness. He said the prime minister has discussed the situation of Eid travel with the relevant ministers and state ministers. Although it was a public holiday on Tuesday, the Prime Minister attended office at the Secretariat.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 09:56 UTC
US military says hit Iran missile sites near strait with 'bunker buster' bombs
US military says hit Iran missile sites near strait with 'bunker buster' bombsWASHINGTON, United States, March 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The US military said Tuesday it had hit Iranian missile sites near the strategic Strait of Hormuz with some of the most powerful bombs in the US arsenal. "US forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz," Central Command said in a statement on X. "The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait." The bombing raid comes after Iran closed off the strategic waterway, through which one-fifth of the world's oil flows, in retaliation for the war on the country by the United States and Israel. The bomb -- which according to an Air Force Times report in 2022 cost an estimated $288,000 each -- are still less powerful than the 30,000-pound (13,600-kg) bombs dropped by the United States against Iranian nuclear sites last year.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 09:55 UTC
China coach says team on right track despite Asian Cup heartache
PERTH, Australia, March 18, 2026 (AFP) - China coach Ante Milicic said his "brave" team was tracking in the right direction despite their crushing loss to Australia in the Women's Asian Cup semi-finals. They bowed out in the group stage of the 2023 Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, failed to reach the Paris Olympics and were hammered 8-0 by England last November. Australian Milicic, who has been in charge since May 2024, said they were on the right trajectory heading into the World Cup in Brazil next year. "But at the same time you have to understand that the next step for this team is the World Cup, so that's another step up again. "So you have got to keep evolving, picking the right players in the right training environment, getting the mix, the balance right."
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
March 18, 2026 09:50 UTC
Boyfriend's behavior swings from one extreme to another
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Source:Daily Sun
March 18, 2026 07:12 UTC
BrioHealth Celebrates 100th BrioVAD® System Implant Milestone
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Source:Daily Sun
March 18, 2026 07:07 UTC