A Bangladeshi expatriate named Zahed Hossain, aged 30, died in an explosion in Kuwait’s Salmi desert area on Thursday around 11 a.m. local time. He was the son of Kamal Uddin from Ward 9 of Sandwip Municipality in Chattogram. The incident was confirmed by his colleague Lutfur Rahman, who said the explosion occurred while Zahed was working in the desert region.

According to relatives, Zahed had gone to Kuwait about two years ago on a camel-herding visa and was planning to return home soon for vacation. Kuwaiti authorities have not yet issued any official statement or details about the cause of the explosion. His death has cast a shadow of grief over his family, relatives, and the Bangladeshi expatriate community.

The lack of official information from Kuwaiti authorities leaves uncertainty about the circumstances surrounding the explosion and any potential investigation.

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that the United States is not currently considering sending ground troops to Iran. In a telephone interview with NBC, Trump described the idea of deploying ground forces as a “waste of time,” asserting that Iran has already lost much of its military capacity, including its navy.

Trump dismissed remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who had warned that any foreign troop deployment in Iran would bring disaster for the attackers. The exchange comes amid heightened tensions following reports of U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran’s Shiraz region that killed 20 people and damaged over 3,000 civilian structures, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.

The situation underscores the ongoing volatility in the region, with both military and diplomatic fronts remaining tense as the conflict’s financial and humanitarian toll continues to rise.

In Haimchar upazila of Chandpur, cultivation of black cumin on previously fallow char lands has opened new opportunities for local farmers. Due to low production costs and high profitability within a short period, black cumin is now being called the 'black diamond' by farmers. According to the upazila agriculture office, cultivation has expanded from just one hectare last year to 18 hectares this year.

Farmers are growing the crop on sandy-loam soils after the rice harvest, supported by two government projects: the Modern Agricultural Technology Expansion Project in Bangladesh’s Char Areas and the Sustainable Agricultural Technology Expansion Project in the Cumilla region. These initiatives provide materials and technical assistance to farmers.

Officials noted that the soil’s pH level of 6.5 to 7.0 is ideal for black cumin cultivation. The Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Chandpur expressed optimism that with proper marketing systems, Haimchar could become a major production hub for black cumin in the future.

US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper stated that American bomber forces have carried out strikes on nearly 200 Iranian targets over the past 72 hours. He claimed that more than 30 Iranian ships were sunk during this phase of operations. Cooper added that a large Iranian drone carrier, comparable in size to a World War II aircraft carrier, was recently attacked and is currently on fire.

US President Donald Trump also asserted that Iran’s air force has been completely destroyed. Speaking at an event with Major League Soccer champions Inter Miami on Thursday, Trump said Iran is being destroyed ahead of schedule in a way never seen before.

The report, citing BBC, comes amid ongoing hostilities that have caused significant damage in Iran, including civilian infrastructure losses and casualties from US and Israeli strikes.

President Md. Shahabuddin stated that Bangladesh has returned to the path of democracy through the sacrifice of thousands of lives. He emphasized that to fulfill the aspirations of the martyrs, the nation must advance in knowledge, science, and technology while achieving economic self-reliance to build a self-sufficient Bangladesh.

Speaking on Friday morning at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka during the National Jute Day 2026 event, the President called on farmers to adopt advanced, high-yield cultivation methods for jute production. He urged entrepreneurs to innovate modern, quality, and user-friendly health products based on market demand and to take initiatives for producing and marketing affordable jute bags.

Addressing the young generation, the President encouraged them to strengthen the 'Made in Bangladesh' brand through startups and innovation, connecting with global e-commerce platforms to open new opportunities for the country.

Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a major missile strike on Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial hub, on Friday, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. The report described the assault as a coordinated attack involving both missiles and drones aimed at the city center, with projectiles reportedly heading toward Tel Aviv at the time of reporting.

In addition to the strike on Israel, Iranian media reported that Iran carried out an attack on the Israeli embassy in Manama, Bahrain. The assault targeted the Financial Harbour Tower commercial complex in the Bahraini capital during the night. Air raid sirens were also heard across Kuwait, accompanied by sounds of powerful explosions, while Tehran reportedly launched attacks across much of the region, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Most of the attacks were reportedly intercepted, though the full extent of damage or casualties was not detailed in the reports.

US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran’s air force has been completely destroyed, asserting that the country is being devastated ahead of schedule. He stated that Iran now has no air force or air defense system. Trump also claimed that the American public supports the war against Iran, though recent polling data suggests otherwise.

A joint Reuters-Ipsos survey conducted after US and Israeli forces began attacks in Iran found that 43 percent of respondents opposed the strikes, while 27 percent supported them and 29 percent were uncertain. The poll included 1,282 participants. The results indicate a divided American public opinion regarding the ongoing military operations.

The conflict has already caused significant damage in Iran, with reports of 20 deaths in Shiraz, over 3,000 civilian structures damaged, and six missile launchers destroyed according to Israeli claims.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a protest rally in Dhaka on Friday after the Juma prayers, demanding the arrest and interrogation of former advisers Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Dr. Khalilur Rahman. The party accuses them of manipulating the people's mandate through alleged election engineering. The demonstration will take place at the north gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, organized by Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka Metropolitan South.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar will attend the rally as the chief guest, alongside other central and metropolitan leaders. The information was confirmed by Ashraful Alam Imon, Assistant Media Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan South Jamaat-e-Islami.

The protest is part of Jamaat’s ongoing political activities in the capital, reflecting its continued opposition stance and calls for accountability regarding alleged election irregularities.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has denied claims that the United States used Indian ports to launch attacks against Iran. The allegation was made by retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor in an interview with One America News Network, where he said US forces were relying on Indian ports amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The ministry’s fact-check division dismissed the statement as false and warned against spreading fabricated information.

The claim came amid domestic criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for its silence following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Opposition parties have used the issue to question India’s stance on the Iran conflict. Experts noted that while India and the US signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, it does not automatically grant access to Indian facilities without India’s consent.

Defense analysts said India has maintained a neutral position in the Iran-US conflict. They emphasized that rejecting the claim was diplomatically significant, as India seeks to balance relations amid global tensions over the war.

The United States Department of the Treasury has granted India a temporary exemption from sanctions to purchase Russian oil that remains stranded at sea. The special waiver, valid for 30 days, was announced to help maintain stability in global oil supplies. The decision was confirmed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Basent in a post on social media platform X.

According to Basent, the move aims to keep global oil flows steady and counter Iran’s attempts to create pressure in the international energy market. He emphasized that the measure is short-term and will not provide significant financial benefits to the Russian government, as it applies only to stranded energy shipments.

Following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, US President Donald Trump had imposed sanctions on Russian oil, forcing buyers to seek alternative sources. India remains one of the largest purchasers of Russian energy, and this waiver allows limited continuation of those transactions under strict conditions.

Iran carried out an attack on the Israeli embassy located in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, according to Iranian media reports. The strike targeted the Financial Harbor Tower commercial complex, where the embassy was situated. Semi-official Fars News Agency confirmed the location, while Reuters reported that an Iranian drone was shot down near the complex.

The incident occurred as Tehran launched multiple attacks across the region, including in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Most of these assaults were reportedly intercepted. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense stated that its air defense systems intercepted three ballistic missiles heading toward Prince Sultan Air Base, marking the second such attack in recent days.

The attacks follow escalating hostilities in the region, with reports of previous strikes in Iran’s Shiraz and significant damage to civilian infrastructure. The situation underscores rising tensions involving Iran, Israel, and allied states across the Middle East.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed that three Australian citizens were aboard a US nuclear-powered submarine involved in an attack on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka. Speaking to Sky News, Albanese said that while Australia typically does not confirm such matters, the decision was made in the public interest following a meeting of the national security committee. He emphasized that no Australian personnel took part in offensive actions against Iran.

According to Albanese, the three Australians were present on the submarine as part of the AUKUS trilateral defense partnership to gain operational experience with allied forces. The Iranian warship was struck by torpedoes fired from the US submarine, resulting in the deaths of at least 87 Iranian sailors, according to the report.

The incident adds tension to ongoing regional hostilities, with reports of further attacks and damage to Iranian infrastructure in recent days.

A French chartered aircraft en route to the United Arab Emirates to evacuate French citizens was forced to turn back after encountering a missile threat in the region, according to France’s Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro. The Air France flight had been scheduled to bring French nationals home from the UAE, but the incident underscored the growing instability in the Middle East and the increasing difficulty of ensuring safe repatriation operations.

The development followed a missile and drone alert issued to Dubai residents last Thursday night, warning of potential Iranian attacks. Although the alert was later withdrawn, UAE authorities confirmed intercepting six missiles and more than one hundred drones launched by Iran. No casualties or serious injuries were reported, according to official statements.

The incident highlights the heightened regional tensions and the operational risks faced by evacuation missions amid ongoing hostilities involving Iran and other regional actors.

The United States Senate on Wednesday rejected a proposal to halt President Donald Trump’s military offensive in Iran. The motion, introduced by Democratic Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Chuck Schumer, received 47 votes in favor and 52 against, effectively allowing the ongoing military campaign to continue. The proposal also sought to reaffirm Congress’s constitutional authority to approve any act of war by the United States.

During the debate, Democrats accused Trump of bypassing Congress and offering inconsistent justifications for the conflict, while most Republican senators defended the president’s actions. Supporters of the motion argued that Trump exceeded his constitutional powers by joining Israel in the war against Iran, noting that only Congress can declare war except in cases of imminent threat. Republican Senator Rand Paul broke ranks with his party to support the proposal, emphasizing that no war should proceed without debate and a formal vote.

A similar vote was scheduled in the House of Representatives the following day. The Senate decision came days after the United States and Israel launched a joint assault on Iran, citing Tehran’s renewed nuclear and missile activities.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that addressing the situation in Cuba is only a matter of time, following the completion of current operations related to Iran. He made the remarks while discussing future U.S. policy directions, indicating that the administration’s immediate focus remains on Iran before turning attention to Cuba.

Trump also commented on the possibility of exiled Cubans returning to their homeland, saying that some may wish to stay because of their affection for Cuba. However, he added that the United States does not intend to make the situation so favorable that everyone would remain there permanently. His comments were reported by Al Jazeera.

The statement comes amid ongoing U.S. involvement in Iran, where recent attacks have caused significant damage and casualties, suggesting that Washington’s foreign policy priorities remain centered on the Middle East before shifting toward the Caribbean.