A Russian military transport aircraft crashed in Crimea, killing 29 people, according to the country’s defense ministry. The incident occurred on the evening of March 31 near a mountain peak close to the Black Sea. The ministry confirmed that the victims included six crew members and 23 civilian passengers. The aircraft, identified as an AN-26, disappeared from radar around 8 p.m. Moscow time while on a scheduled flight within Crimea.

Russian authorities have not clarified the total number of people on board, but no survivors have been reported. State news agencies TASS and RIA cited defense officials as saying that preliminary investigations suggest a technical malfunction caused the crash.

The AN-26 model has been in service since the 1960s and is primarily used for cargo transport. Several previous accidents involving this aircraft type have been recorded, according to the report.

A grocery shopkeeper named Dilshad Ali in Nawabganj upazila of Dinajpur has been fined Tk 50,000 for selling petrol at an inflated price. The fine was imposed on Tuesday night by Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate Md. Zillur Rahman during a drive in the Daudpur Bazar area. Dilshad, son of the late Yakub Ali from Laugari village in Daudpur Union, was reportedly selling petrol at Tk 350 per litre.

The action was part of a local administrative effort to curb overpricing of essential commodities and ensure compliance with government-set fuel prices. The inspection and penalty were carried out under the authority of the upazila administration.

The report did not mention whether further legal measures or follow-up monitoring would take place after the fine.

The government has appointed new deputy commissioners in four districts—Rajbari, Thakurgaon, Pabna, and Rangpur. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification on Wednesday announcing the appointments.

According to the notification, Afroza Parvin, Director of the Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority, has been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of Rajbari. Mohammad Rafiqul Haque, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, will serve as the Deputy Commissioner of Thakurgaon. Aminul Islam, also a Deputy Secretary of the same ministry, has been assigned to Pabna, while Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Secretary (Deputy Secretary) of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), has been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur.

The appointments reflect routine administrative reshuffling by the government to strengthen local governance and ensure effective district-level administration.

A new Reuters and Ipsos poll reveals that about two-thirds of Americans believe the United States should quickly end the Iran war, even if its stated goals have not yet been achieved. The survey, conducted from Friday to Sunday, found that 66 percent of respondents favored a rapid conclusion to the conflict, while 27 percent supported continuing the war until objectives are met. Six percent did not respond to the question.

The poll also highlights divisions among supporters of former President Donald Trump’s Republican Party. Around 40 percent of Republican respondents favored ending the war soon, whereas 57 percent believed the U.S. should remain engaged until its goals are fulfilled. The survey, which included 1,021 participants, indicates that public support for the war is steadily declining among the general population.

According to the report, the findings suggest growing war fatigue among Americans and increasing pressure on policymakers to reconsider the duration and objectives of U.S. involvement in the Iran conflict.

The district administration in Narayanganj seized 9,100 liters of illegally stored diesel in Siddhirganj on Tuesday night. The operation was led by Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Rashed Khan in the Godnail area. Following the seizure, a mobile court sentenced one individual to two months in jail for involvement in the illegal fuel storage.

According to district administration sources, the raid was conducted based on confidential information. The seized fuel was found stored without authorization, prompting immediate legal action. Executive Magistrate Rashed Khan stated that similar drives will continue to curb illegal fuel hoarding in the area.

The operation reflects ongoing enforcement efforts by local authorities to prevent unauthorized fuel trading and ensure compliance with energy regulations in Narayanganj.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that seven people were killed and at least twenty-one others were injured in Israeli airstrikes targeting southern Beirut and nearby areas. According to an official statement, five people died and twenty-one were wounded in an attack on the Jnah area of Beirut. Another strike on a car in Khaldeh, just south of the capital, killed two more people and injured three.

The ministry released two separate statements detailing the casualties from the attacks, which occurred in densely populated urban zones. The incidents mark another escalation in violence affecting Lebanon’s capital and its southern suburbs.

The report, citing The Guardian, did not provide further details about the targets or the timing of the strikes, leaving the broader context of the attacks unclear.

Police in Meherpur district seized 5,375 liters of diesel allegedly stored illegally during a late-night raid in Dakshin Shalika village, a border area under Meherpur Sadar upazila. The operation took place around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, led by Additional Superintendent of Police Zaminur Rahman, with teams from Sadar Police Station and the Detective Branch participating. The diesel was found in 25 barrels inside a warehouse belonging to Farabi Traders.

The owner of Farabi Traders, Abu Sufian, was taken into police custody for questioning following the seizure. According to Meherpur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Humayun Kabir, the confiscated fuel was discovered in a shop’s storage facility in the village’s western neighborhood. The operation was based on a tip-off received by law enforcement.

Authorities have not yet disclosed further details about the source of the diesel or whether additional arrests are expected as the investigation continues.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested a total of 54 individuals in separate special operations conducted in the Jatrabari and Hazaribagh areas of the capital. The operations took place on Tuesday and targeted people allegedly involved in various criminal activities. Police also recovered illegal drugs during the raids.

According to Jatrabari Police Station, 11 suspects were detained from different parts of the area, and officers seized 100 grams of cannabis, nine yaba tablets, and 44 packets of heroin. In Hazaribagh, police arrested 43 individuals and recovered 33 packets of cannabis and 27 yaba tablets. All detainees have been sent to court following the arrests.

Assistant Police Commissioner Arifa Akhter Preeti from DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division stated that such operations will continue to maintain law and order in the city.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman announced in parliament that the newly introduced Family Card program will enhance women’s control over household assets. The card will be issued in the name of the female head of each family, ensuring that assistance is directly spent on food, nutrition, emergency healthcare, and education. Rahman said this initiative will strengthen women’s decision-making power and social status within families, contributing to broader empowerment across society.

Responding to a question from BNP lawmaker A.B.M. Mosharraf Hossain during a parliamentary session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the Prime Minister explained that the program began on March 10 across 15 wards in 13 districts. So far, 37,814 female-headed families have received allowances under the scheme. An additional 30,000 families are expected to be included within the current fiscal year.

Rahman added that over the next four years, the Family Card program will gradually expand to cover 40 million families nationwide, aiming to institutionalize women’s economic participation and household leadership.

Japan has deployed long-range missiles in its southwestern region close to China, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Tuesday. The missiles have been stationed in Kumamoto, Kyushu, as part of Tokyo’s effort to strengthen its military capabilities in response to increased Chinese naval activity in the East China Sea. Koizumi said the deployment would enhance Japan’s deterrence against potential aggression and ensure the safety of its forces.

The land-to-ship guided missile system has a range of about 1,000 kilometers, bringing parts of China’s mainland, including Shanghai, within reach. Koizumi also confirmed the deployment of a “hyper velocity gliding projectile” in Shizuoka to protect remote islands. Japan, traditionally committed to a self-defense-only policy, has been expanding its defense posture amid growing military activity from China, Russia, and North Korea. In 2022, Tokyo approved plans to deploy counterstrike-capable missiles.

Local media reported that Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force moved missile launchers into Kumamoto without prior notice to residents, prompting small-scale protests near a military base. Critics warned that the deployment could make nearby areas potential targets.

U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver a national address on the ongoing war against Iran, according to White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt. In a post on the microblogging platform X, Levitt said Trump will speak to the nation at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday to share important information about Iran.

Earlier, Trump told reporters at the White House Oval Office that U.S. attacks in Iran would conclude within two to three weeks and suggested a possible agreement with Iranian authorities. However, the conflict has continued beyond that timeframe, with the situation becoming increasingly complex.

The war began after a joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran on February 28, which prompted retaliatory attacks from Tehran. The upcoming address is expected to clarify Washington’s current stance and next steps in the conflict.

Yemeni Houthi rebels have launched a missile attack targeting Israel, marking their third such strike during the ongoing Middle East conflict. The group claimed the operation was conducted jointly with Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, according to a video statement by Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sari. The statement said drones and ballistic missiles were fired at what were described as Israel’s sensitive and important military targets.

The Houthis’ announcement underscores their continued involvement in the regional conflict and their alignment with Iran and Hezbollah. The statement framed the attack as part of a broader joint effort among allied groups opposing Israel. No details were provided about the extent of the damage or Israel’s response.

The report, citing BSS, did not include independent confirmation of the attack or any official reaction from Israel. The incident adds to escalating tensions across the region amid multiple ongoing military confrontations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States will need to reconsider its relationship with NATO once the Iran war ends. Speaking on Fox News on Tuesday, Rubio questioned the value of decades of heavy spending and troop deployments if the US is denied access to allied bases when needed.

He argued that it is time to assess whether the alliance still serves American interests or has become one-sided. Rubio noted that while the US continues to defend Europe, some allies refuse to allow the use of their bases and airspace during critical moments. He described these as legitimate questions that Washington must now confront.

NATO, formed in 1949, currently has 32 member states and is tasked with ensuring the political and military security of its members, according to the report sourced from The Guardian.

The Australian government has cancelled the visa of Bangladeshi religious preacher Mizanur Rahman Azhari and ordered him to leave the country. According to a report published by the Daily Mail on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, Azhari was touring Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra as part of his ‘Legacy of Faith’ series when the decision was made. His visa was revoked on Tuesday, and he is currently awaiting departure from Australia.

The report noted that Azhari had previously faced restrictions on entering the United Kingdom and delivering public sermons in Bangladesh. Australian Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam told the Senate that several groups, including the Australia-based Federation for Ethnic and Religious Minorities, had warned lawmakers about Azhari’s visit. The Daily Mail also cited a 2023 event in the United States where Azhari allegedly made antisemitic remarks, praising Hitler and describing Jews in derogatory terms.

Duniam stated in the Senate that Azhari has been accused of spreading ethnic hatred globally, referencing the UK’s 2021 decision to bar his entry over alleged anti-Hindu rhetoric.

Iran’s Security Council has granted permission for six Bangladeshi ships, previously stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, to pass through the waterway. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, Iran’s ambassador to Bangladesh, during a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Dhaka. He said that both Iran and Bangladesh are working together to facilitate the return of the vessels.

The ambassador expressed hope that Iran and Bangladesh would continue to support each other. He also noted that Bangladesh had expressed concern over the ongoing war situation and emphasized the need to condemn it. According to Jahanabadi, Bangladesh’s foreign minister has sent a letter to his Iranian counterpart thanking Iran for assisting in the repatriation of Bangladeshi nationals.

The development comes amid heightened regional tensions, and the cooperation between the two countries signals ongoing diplomatic engagement to ensure the safety of Bangladeshi maritime interests.