A group of activists from the banned Chhatra League staged a flash procession on the Ramganj-Dhaka highway in Lakshmipur’s Ramganj on Friday night. The participants demanded the unconditional release of Awami League leaders and activists. Police later arrested one participant, identified as Nazmul Islam Mohon, from Udaypur village in Bholakot Union the same night. Ramganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Firoz Uddin Chowdhury confirmed the arrest on Saturday afternoon. The report did not mention any further details about the procession’s duration, the number of participants, or whether additional arrests were made. Authorities have not disclosed what actions will follow the arrest or whether further investigations are underway.

According to a CNN report citing multiple intelligence sources, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is playing a key role in shaping the country’s war strategy alongside senior officials. The report, based on U.S. intelligence assessments, indicates that Khamenei may also be guiding how Iran conducts discussions with the United States to end the conflict. The exact distribution of power within Iran’s divided administration remains unclear. The report notes that Khamenei was seriously injured in an early attack that killed his father and several top military leaders, sparking speculation about his health and leadership role. He was declared Iran’s new Supreme Leader shortly after the attack, but U.S. intelligence agencies have not confirmed his current status. Sources suggest Khamenei avoids electronic communication, relying instead on direct meetings or messengers. Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol in the Supreme Leader’s office, stated on Friday that Khamenei is recovering from his injuries and is in good health, urging the public to remain patient amid circulating rumors.

Iran’s Central Insurance Authority reported that nearly 30,000 vehicles were damaged across the country during the recent conflict involving the United States and Israel. The assessment was confirmed by both the authority’s officials and Iran Insurance, which conducted parallel evaluations. According to the report, compensation procedures for most of the affected vehicles have already begun. Officials stated that vehicles with damage valued below 30 million tomans, approximately 387 US dollars, have received compensation in recent weeks. For cases involving higher losses, the relevant authorities said that claims are being reviewed and payments will be made soon. The information was cited from Al Jazeera, and the report indicates that the compensation process is ongoing as Iran continues to address the financial impact of the conflict on its citizens.

In Tangail’s Basail upazila, cracks have developed on the approach road of a bridge costing Tk 4.55 crore before its inauguration. The bridge, located at Saidampur Bazar in Kanchanpur Union, was built under the supervision of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). On-site observation showed that the cracks are worsening with rainfall, raising fears that the road could collapse if heavy rain continues. According to LGED sources, contractor firm Bashed Engineering was assigned to construct the 70-meter RCC girder bridge on the Saidampur Bazar–Kuratali via Primary School road. Construction began on April 13, 2021, and was initially scheduled for completion by April 12, 2022, but the deadline was extended. Local residents blamed poor soil compaction and weak carpeting for the damage, while the contractor’s manager attributed the cracks to heavy rainfall and traffic load. The upazila engineer confirmed that some blocks were not installed and that the contractor has been asked to repair the damaged sections. Officials stated that payment for the approach road work has not yet been made and that the contractor will fix the affected areas before final handover.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that one battle has ended and another has begun, referring to the effort to fulfill promises made to the people. He made the remarks on Saturday, May 9, at a meeting with grassroots leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organizations at the Krishibid Institute auditorium in Dhaka. Rahman emphasized that the government cannot succeed without the support and coordination of the party. He called on party members to engage in a “new struggle” to implement all commitments made before the election. Referring to the February 12 election, he said that 52 percent of voters supported the BNP’s manifesto, which has now become the manifesto of the government and the people of Bangladesh. He reiterated the government’s pledge to ensure good governance, quality education, and public safety. The meeting was attended by senior BNP leaders, including Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other members of the party’s standing committee.

A court in Chapainawabganj has ordered BNP leader Abdullah Al Raihan to be sent to jail in connection with a case over assaulting a police officer. He was produced before the court on Saturday afternoon, where the judge denied his bail and issued the jail order. Raihan had been arrested the previous night from Dhaka’s Uttara area based on a tip-off while he was in hiding. According to Gomostapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nure Alam, the incident occurred on April 26 at Raihan Filling Station in Khairabad area of Gomostapur upazila. Constable Shawkat Hossain from Nachol Police Station had gone there to collect engine oil for a vehicle under repair when Raihan, the station owner, allegedly assaulted him. Following the incident, Shawkat filed a case with Gomostapur Police Station, after which Raihan went into hiding. Raihan is the former president of Gomostapur Union BNP and the son of former Gomostapur Upazila Parishad chairman Ashraf Hossain.

The Trump administration has completed the removal of 13.5 kilograms of highly enriched uranium from Venezuela, according to a report by The Guardian citing the U.S. Department of Energy. The material was extracted from an old research reactor located about 15 kilometers from Caracas and transported to a secure facility in South Carolina. The operation was conducted jointly by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela, with the International Atomic Energy Agency describing it as a highly sensitive and complex mission. Venezuelan authorities stated that the uranium was removed due to increased security risks following a U.S. military operation in January. Brandon Williams, head of the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration, said the action sent an important message about global security and nuclear risk control. The report also noted that the Trump administration has been seeking to rebuild relations with Venezuela, reopening diplomatic channels, trade flights, and embassy operations. Analysts cited in the report said the administration’s broader strategy remains focused on pressuring Iran to relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium, though no lasting agreement has yet been reached.

The United States and Iran are moving toward a possible agreement to end their ten-week war, but President Donald Trump’s recent actions have intensified strains with long-standing allies. His decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, threats to reduce forces elsewhere in Europe, and his downplaying of Iran’s recent attack on a Gulf partner have raised doubts about Washington’s reliability in future crises. European governments, alarmed by Trump’s unpredictable behavior and his questioning of NATO’s value, are strengthening defense cooperation and exploring ways to reduce dependence on the United States. Analysts say Trump’s approach has weakened alliances and eroded trust, particularly after his trade tariffs, pressure on Denmark over Greenland, and reduced military aid to Ukraine. The Pentagon has even hinted at punitive measures against NATO members that failed to support the Iran campaign. The conflict has also unsettled Asian partners such as Japan and South Korea, who fear diminished U.S. commitment in any future confrontation with China. Meanwhile, Russia and China are watching closely, seeking to exploit the strategic vacuum and present themselves as more stable global partners.

Authorities in Chatmohar upazila of Pabna recovered 600 liters of adulterated milk from the residence of Abdul Momin, the organizational secretary of the Bilchalon Union Krishak Dal. The operation was conducted around 9 a.m. on Saturday under the leadership of Lutfor Kabir, deputy director of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) in Pabna. Law enforcement also seized equipment used for milk production and detained a man named Azizul Pramanik, while Abdul Momin and another suspect, Al Amin, fled before the raid began. Chatmohar police officer-in-charge Golam Mostafa confirmed that a case has been filed and further legal action is underway. According to Liton Biswas, president of the upazila Krishak Dal, Momin had previously been served a show-cause notice over a similar adulteration incident. The organization now plans to permanently expel him for violating party discipline. The seizure highlights ongoing efforts by local authorities to curb food adulteration and enforce accountability among political figures involved in such illegal activities.

At least ten people were killed and five others seriously injured when a gas tanker collided with a private car in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The accident occurred late on Friday night, May 8, near Dalbandin in Chagai district, according to Geo News. The car was reportedly carrying around fifteen passengers, exceeding its capacity, and several people died on the spot due to the impact. Rescue workers and local authorities quickly arrived and transported the injured to Prince Fahad Hospital in Dalbandin. Chagai’s Deputy Superintendent of Police Abid Sherzai said five injured individuals are under treatment, with some in critical condition. Police have detained the gas tanker driver and launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Among the deceased are four women and two children. The collision took place on a remote section of the RCD Highway, which connects Pakistan and Iran and has seen multiple fatal accidents in the past. Earlier in January, a separate crash on the same highway in Chagai’s Yakmach area killed seven people and injured three others, highlighting ongoing safety concerns on this route.

An international survey released on Friday by the Denmark-based Alliance of Democracies Foundation found that the United States’ global image has deteriorated for the second consecutive year under President Donald Trump. The report indicates that global perceptions of the US are now more negative than those of Russia. The annual Democracy Perception Index, conducted by polling firm Nera Data between March 19 and April 21 across 98 countries, gathered responses from over 94,000 people. According to the foundation, the survey asked which country is seen as the greatest threat to the world, with the US ranking third after Russia and Israel. The organization’s founder and former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the rapid decline in America’s image is regrettable but unsurprising, citing US policies that strained transatlantic relations, imposed broad tariffs, and threatened to seize NATO ally Greenland. The report also noted reduced US support for Ukraine and rising oil prices linked to US-Israel actions against Iran. The index shows US favorability dropping from plus 22 percent two years ago to minus 16 percent, compared with Russia’s minus 11 percent and China’s plus 7 percent. The findings were published ahead of the Copenhagen Democracy Summit scheduled for May 12.

Satellite imagery has revealed signs of an oil spill off the coast of Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub. The images show a visible oil slick spreading across the sea near the island’s western shore. The exact cause of the spill remains unconfirmed, according to reports from AFP. Monitoring organization Orbital EOS told The New York Times that as of Thursday, the slick covered about 20 square miles (52 square kilometers). The nonprofit Conflict and Environment Observatory stated on social media that the source of the spill is still unclear, noting that the slick is drifting southward and that effective containment measures appear unlikely. Kharg Island hosts Iran’s largest oil terminal, pipelines, storage tanks, and related infrastructure. The island lies several hundred kilometers northwest of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran nearly closed after conflict with the United States and Israel began on February 28. Subsequent U.S. blockades of Iranian ports have left many oil tankers stranded in the area.

India has initiated efforts to normalize relations with Turkey after nearly a year of diplomatic stagnation. The move follows a period of heightened tension triggered by Turkey’s verbal support for Pakistan during the April Kashmir conflict, which led to media hostility, tourism boycotts, and trade disruptions. India recently invited Turkey to the 12th round of bilateral talks, attended by Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Beris Ekinci and Indian Foreign Ministry Secretary C.B. George. Both sides expressed interest in maintaining constructive dialogue. The thaw comes after strained ties caused by India’s cancellation of security clearance for Turkish firm Celebi Airport Services and Air India’s decision to reduce reliance on Turkish Technic. Despite political friction, bilateral trade remained relatively strong, totaling $7.5 billion in 2025, mostly in India’s favor. Turkey’s decision to avoid retaliatory measures helped reopen diplomatic channels. Officials from both countries now see potential cooperation in new connectivity projects, including the Middle Corridor linking Asia and Europe. However, differences remain over Kashmir, where Turkey continues to support Pakistan’s stance, though recent diplomatic gestures suggest a cautious softening of tone.

Four passengers were killed and 15 others injured in a head-on collision between two buses in Lohagara upazila of Chattogram on Saturday morning. The accident occurred around 11:30 a.m. in front of Four Season Restaurant and Resort on the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar highway. One passenger, Rehena Begum, 66, from Patiya upazila, died on the spot, while three others succumbed to their injuries later at Lohagara Trauma Centre. According to a passenger, the driver of a Chattogram-bound Marsa Paribahan bus lost his temper after an argument with another driver in Harbang area of Cox’s Bazar, leading to the collision with another Marsa Paribahan bus heading toward Cox’s Bazar. Fire service leader Firoz Khan said one body was recovered from the scene and the injured were taken to local hospitals, with several in critical condition. Officer-in-Charge Salah Uddin Chowdhury of Dohazari Highway Police Station said a team was sent to the site, and the bodies and damaged buses were brought to the station for legal procedures before handing over to families.

Eleven fishermen returned home on Friday evening after being held hostage for seven days by forest bandits in the Sundarbans and released upon payment of a ransom totaling 700,000 taka. The group had been abducted on the night of May 3 from the Alorkol area of the eastern Sundarbans by the Jahangir gang. Three days later, another bandit group, the Sharif gang, took control of the captives after an armed clash and held them in an undisclosed location. According to Rubel Hawlader, one of the freed fishermen from Uttar Rajapur village in Sharankhola, the Jahangir gang initially chained them and subjected them to abuse. After receiving the ransom, the Sharif gang released the fishermen early Friday morning near the Aruar River estuary in the Dhansagar area, from where they walked several kilometers to reach home. A local fish trader, requesting anonymity, said the bandits initially demanded 100,000 taka per person but later settled for 70,000 each, totaling 700,000 taka. Sharankhola Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Shaminul Haque stated that the police had not received any formal complaint regarding the ransom payment but would take legal action if one is filed.