Iran has presented a 14-point peace proposal to the United States aimed at achieving a permanent end to the ongoing war, according to a report by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency published on Sunday. The report stated that the U.S. had earlier sent a nine-point proposal to Iran. Al Jazeera also reported on the exchange of proposals between the two countries.

Tasnim’s report said the U.S. had requested a two-month ceasefire period, while Iran insisted that all issues be resolved within 30 days. Iran emphasized that its focus was not merely on extending a ceasefire but on ending the war completely. The Iranian plan includes guarantees of non-aggression, withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas near Iran, lifting of naval blockades, release of Iran’s frozen assets, removal of sanctions, and cessation of fighting on all fronts, including Lebanon.

According to the report, Iran is now awaiting the U.S. response to its 14-point proposal.

An April 23 report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz stated that dozens of children are disappearing weekly in Gaza amid post-war chaos. The article cited the Palestinian Center for the Missing and Forcibly Disappeared, which estimated that 2,900 children went missing during the war, with 2,700 believed trapped under rubble and 200 still unaccounted for. The report linked these disappearances to Israel’s military operations, which have reportedly killed over 72,500 Palestinians since 2023, with thousands more missing.

Al Jazeera Arabic’s February investigation found at least 2,842 Palestinians had vanished since the war began, with Gaza’s civil defense blaming U.S.-made thermal and thermobaric weapons for vaporizing bodies. The Israeli military rejected these claims, asserting it uses only lawful weapons and targets military sites in compliance with international law. UN experts have previously condemned reports of enforced disappearances from aid centers in Gaza.

The article connected these disappearances to a broader global pattern of state-backed abductions, citing U.S. involvement in similar cases in Latin America and Mexico. It concluded that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to an attempt to erase the Palestinian population’s very existence.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has formed a new affiliated body named the National Tribal Alliance to represent Dalit, Harijan, and other marginalized communities. Bhimpalli David Raju has been appointed as convener, while Kailash Chandra Rabidas will serve as member secretary. The 11-member convening committee was announced by NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain at an event held at the CRAB auditorium in Segunbagicha, Dhaka. Other key positions include Rajendra Kumar Das as senior joint convener, Manik Barail as joint convener, and Aruna Rani Das as senior joint member secretary.

Community leaders presented a 14-point demand at the event, calling for constitutional recognition of Dalit, Harijan, and scheduled communities, enactment of an anti-discrimination law, proportional representation in state structures, and reforms to land and health policies to ensure inclusivity. They also urged the government to preserve their languages and culture, conduct ethnographic surveys, and establish a dedicated commission for community rights.

NCP leaders expressed full support for the demands, emphasizing equality and inclusion. They stated that the party aims to bring marginalized groups into mainstream politics and ensure equal citizenship rights for all communities in Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Tareq Rahman paused his motorcade on Saturday, May 2, 2026, while returning from Sylhet to Dhaka to fulfill a child’s emotional request for a photo. The child, identified as Abdullah Al Mamun, began crying to take a picture with the prime minister. Seeing this, Rahman stopped his convoy, brought the boy into his car, comforted him, and took selfies together. The moment quickly went viral on social media.

According to the report, Abdullah handed the prime minister a paddy sheaf and a note bearing the names of Major Ziaur Rahman, Begum Khaleda Zia, and Tareq Rahman, each marked with a heart symbol. Abdullah is a fifth-grade student at Sylhet Shahjalal Pre-Cadet School and lives with his family in Sylhet City Corporation’s Ward 6 area. His father, Borhan Uddin, is a contractor and involved in BNP politics.

Borhan Uddin expressed gratitude to the prime minister for stopping the motorcade and embracing his son with affection, describing the gesture as heartfelt and beyond protocol.

After an eight-year gap, the Lakshmipur District Chhatra Dal has announced a new convening committee. The 18-member body was approved late Saturday, May 2, 2026, with Abul Barakat Sourav appointed as convener and Hasibur Rahman Abhi as member secretary. The approval came from the central Chhatra Dal president Md. Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.

The last district committee was also formed after an eight-year hiatus in 2018, when Hasan Mahmud Ibrahim served as president and Abdullah Al Mamun as general secretary. The newly approved committee has been instructed to form a full convening committee within the next 30 days.

Other members of the committee include senior joint convener Abdullah Al Khaled and several joint conveners such as M A Majid, Delwar Hossain Bhuiyan Babu, Ismail Hossain, Jamal Hossain, Akbar Hossain Munna, Musa Abdullah Russell, Nasiruzzaman Rahat, Shahbaz Mahmud Zidan Chowdhury, and others.

Kuwait exported no crude oil in April 2026, marking the first such occurrence in more than 30 years, according to a report by TankerTrackers.com cited by Al Jazeera. The last time Kuwait experienced zero crude exports was in 1991 during the aftermath of the Gulf War.

Despite the halt in crude exports, Kuwait continues oil production. Part of the produced oil is being stored, while the rest is refined into various petroleum products for export. The report attributes the suspension of crude exports to a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transport routes.

Analysts warn that if the blockade persists, it could have significant repercussions for the global energy market, given Kuwait’s role as a major oil producer in the Gulf region.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to discuss rising tensions in the Middle East. According to a statement shared on social media, both sides expressed deep concern over the current situation and reviewed ongoing conflicts in Iran and the broader region. Tajani emphasized the urgent need to strengthen diplomatic efforts to prevent further deterioration.

During the discussion, Tajani highlighted the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and warned that the current deadlock could negatively affect food security and stability, particularly in Africa. He reiterated that for Italy, any military development of Iran’s nuclear program is a red line that could trigger a dangerous regional arms race.

Tajani also urged Iran to use its influence over Hezbollah to stop attacks against Israel and to support peace efforts in Lebanon. He reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to backing all international initiatives for peace and maintaining open dialogue with all partners to enhance stability in the Middle East.

The Mongla Port Authority Officers Association held its annual general meeting and reunion on Saturday at the Port Auditorium in Khalishpur, Khulna, which was established in 1993. The event took place in a festive environment with spontaneous participation from officers of various levels within the authority. The meeting discussed the association’s future plans, strengthening organizational activities, and addressing officers’ demands.

Speakers at the meeting emphasized that unity and mutual cooperation within the association could enhance professional skills and welfare among officers. They called for collective efforts to make the organization stronger and more effective in the future.

Following the formal session, a joyful reunion and cultural program were organized, attended by officers and their family members. Organizers noted that such events play a vital role in improving relationships, fostering harmony, and strengthening fraternity and family bonds among members.

The Israeli military has acknowledged damaging a Christian religious site in southern Lebanon, according to a statement released on Saturday. The incident occurred in the village of Yaroun, where Israeli forces said they were targeting what they described as terrorist infrastructure. The army confirmed that a building within a religious compound was hit during the operation.

A French Catholic charity, L’Oeuvre d’Orient, strongly condemned the attack, claiming that Israeli troops destroyed a convent belonging to the Greek-Catholic Salvatorian Sisters. The organization described the strike as a deliberate assault on a place of worship. In response, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that the damaged building bore no clear religious markings at the time, and that once religious symbols were identified on another structure in the same complex, steps were taken to prevent further harm.

Adraee also justified the military presence in the area, citing multiple rocket attacks launched from the compound toward Israeli territory by Hezbollah, despite an existing ceasefire.

An eleven-party alliance organized a mass procession and rally in Noakhali on Saturday afternoon demanding the immediate implementation of the referendum verdict and the 'July Charter'. The procession began at the district model mosque premises around 5:30 p.m., marched through the main streets of the town, and concluded with a brief rally at the municipal market. The event was presided over by Jamaat-e-Islami central Majlish-e-Shura member and Noakhali district Ameer Ishaq Khondaker, with district secretary Maulana Borhan Uddin conducting the session.

Leaders from several parties, including Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, the Labour Party, and the NCP, addressed the gathering. They accused the government of disregarding the referendum verdict, which they claimed reflected the will of 70 percent of the people. According to the speakers, the government had pledged to form a constitutional reform council and implement reforms within 180 days but failed to take the required oath or act on the commitments.

Speakers warned that the alliance would continue street protests until the referendum verdict and the July Charter were fully implemented.

A severe nor'wester storm struck Bhola Sadar upazila on Saturday afternoon, uprooting several large trees and causing widespread disruption to road and power connections. The storm toppled six to seven trees around the upazila administration campus, cutting off communication and electricity for thousands of residents in the surrounding areas.

Witnesses said continuous rain had softened the soil around large rain trees, which collapsed when the storm hit. The incident blocked major roads linking Bhola town with eastern parts of the district, while fallen electric poles and snapped wires plunged the area into darkness. One house in Bapta union was damaged after a tree fell on it, and the roof of Bapta temple was blown away.

Local authorities managed to partially clear the roads after three to four hours of effort, though vehicle movement remains limited. According to the Bhola Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer, losses amount to several lakh taka, and full restoration of normal conditions may take two to three more days as recovery work continues.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stated that the country is fully prepared to counter any form of aggression. He made the remarks at a gathering of ambassadors and heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Tehran, according to Al Jazeera. Gharibabadi emphasized that Iran believes in interest-based diplomacy and continues to play a role in resolving ongoing crises accordingly.

He added that Iran has presented its plan to Pakistan as a mediator to achieve a permanent end to the imposed war, noting that the decision to pursue diplomacy or continue conflict now rests with the United States. Gharibabadi also said Iran remains ready for both paths to safeguard its national interests and security, while maintaining skepticism toward the United States but upholding honesty in diplomacy.

The report noted that the war, jointly conducted by the United States and Israel, began in late February and has been suspended since April 8.

A fire broke out late at night at the Primary Education Directorate’s store room in Mirpur-2, Dhaka, where individuals wearing burqas allegedly set the blaze. Police have arrested three employees of the directorate—cleaners Asmaul Islam, Md. Jinnat Ali Biswas, and Humayun Kabir Khan—in connection with the incident. The arrests were announced by Mirpur Division Deputy Police Commissioner Mostak Sarkar at a press briefing held at the DMP Media Center on Saturday evening.

According to police, the fire occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on Friday, damaging a large number of laptops stored on the second floor. Of 735 laptops, 450 remained intact, 33 were partially damaged, 29 severely damaged, and 140 completely burned, while 83 were missing. A regular case has been filed at Mirpur Model Police Station. Police said Asmaul Islam admitted to setting the fire during initial questioning, leading to the arrest of the other two suspects.

Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milan and State Minister Bobby Hajjaj visited the site and expressed concern. The minister directed the secretary to form a three-member investigation committee immediately.

Iranian human rights activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi has been transferred from prison to a hospital after her health deteriorated sharply. According to a foundation run by her family, she lost consciousness twice in one day and suffered serious heart-related complications. The statement, released Friday, said doctors at Zanjan Prison in northwestern Iran determined that her condition required urgent hospital care, as proper treatment was not possible inside the facility.

Lawyers reported that Mohammadi suffered a heart attack in late March, and her health had been worsening since then. Her family alleged that she was physically assaulted during her arrest in Mashhad last December, sustaining injuries to her head, neck, and body, which they believe worsened her condition. The 53-year-old was detained on December 12 and sentenced in February to more than seven years in prison for alleged involvement in “anti-state conspiracy.” She had previously served long sentences for similar charges and was temporarily released for medical reasons in late 2024.

The Nobel Committee condemned ongoing “life-threatening abuse” against Mohammadi in February, while the Iranian government has not issued any official response to the allegations.

An Ansar member named Md. Forhad, aged 26, died from electrocution on Saturday afternoon in Mahalchhari upazila of Khagrachhari district. The incident occurred at his home while he was charging an autorickshaw and a short circuit caused severe injuries. Family members immediately took him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

According to family sources, Forhad had returned home on leave four days earlier. He was the son of Azibur Rahman from the Lemuchhari area and served in the Bangladesh Ansar force. Mahalchhari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mirza Zahid confirmed the incident, stating that the body remains at the hospital and will be handed over to the family after legal procedures.

The death has cast a shadow of grief over the local community. Residents have called for greater awareness and safety measures regarding electrical hazards in the area.