Iran has announced that the Strait of Hormuz will remain fully open to all commercial vessels during the ongoing ceasefire in Lebanon. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed the decision in a post on social media platform X, stating that the move aligns with Iran’s support for the ceasefire and aims to maintain regional peace. The permission for cargo and trade ships to pass through the vital waterway will remain effective for the duration of the ceasefire.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical routes for global energy and trade, carrying nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas. The decision is being viewed internationally as a positive step toward stability. Iran had previously indicated that it would ensure safe passage through the strait if attacks against it ceased and regional stability was maintained.

Following weeks of conflict and tension that raised global concerns about maritime security, Iran’s latest announcement is expected to ease fears over energy supply and trade safety in international markets.

Thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun returning to their homes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and towns across southern Lebanon after a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect. The return started early Friday amid cautious celebrations, with heavy traffic reported on northern roads leading back to the capital’s southern districts. Many returnees expressed joy by flashing victory signs as they made their way home after being forced to flee during the conflict.

Despite the ceasefire, the situation remains tense and far from normal. People are still cautious, and the country faces significant challenges in recovering from the damage caused by the fighting. The ceasefire has temporarily halted hostilities, but rebuilding lives and restoring normalcy will take time for Lebanon’s affected communities.

The 25th anniversary of the Barai Bari border clash between Bangladesh’s then BDR and India’s BSF will be observed tomorrow in Roumari upazila of Kurigram. On April 18, 2001, Indian border guards entered Barai Bari village and launched an attack that triggered a 42-hour-long confrontation. The fighting left three BDR members dead and six civilians injured, while 16 BSF soldiers were killed and two captured by locals. The violence destroyed 179 houses near the border.

Since then, local residents and the administration have commemorated the day as Barai Bari Day, but it has yet to receive official state recognition even after 25 years. Former lawmaker Ruhul Amin and local defense volunteers had joined the BDR in resisting the attack. A memorial now stands at the site honoring the three fallen BDR soldiers.

Residents continue to demand that Barai Bari be declared a “heroic village” and that Barai Bari Day be granted national recognition, reflecting the community’s long-standing call for official acknowledgment of their sacrifice.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has started interviewing candidates seeking nomination for reserved women’s seats in the upcoming 13th National Parliament. The two-day interview process began on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the party’s Gulshan office at 3 p.m. On the first day, aspirants from Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, and Faridpur divisions were interviewed. Candidates from five other divisions are scheduled to appear the following day.

The interviews are being conducted by the BNP nomination board, which includes party chairperson and prime minister Tarique Rahman, secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and senior leaders Nazrul Islam Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Salahuddin Ahmed, and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Before the interviews began, Rizvi emphasized that women have played a crucial role in the party’s democratic struggle over the past 15–17 years and that their sacrifices would be duly recognized.

He added that the board would also consider candidates’ ability to speak effectively in parliament, contribute to lawmaking, and their educational qualifications before making final selections.

Pakistan has intensified security measures in Islamabad ahead of a possible high-level second-round meeting expected to address nuclear issues. Around 10,000 police officers have been deployed across the capital, with an additional 10,000 personnel being mobilized from nearby provinces. Special search and combing operations have begun under the Inspector General’s directive, while checkpoints and patrols have been increased at city entry and exit points. Movement at major bus terminals has also been restricted.

The country’s prime minister, army chief, and armed forces leaders are preparing to welcome world leaders to what has been described as a historic event. The Foreign Ministry indicated potential progress on nuclear matters, with diplomats from Tehran to Washington maintaining close contact. Islamabad aims to ensure a secure and respectful environment for all participants.

The preparations follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s remark suggesting that the second round of talks could take place in Islamabad by the end of the week. The first round was held on April 11, but no final decisions were reached on Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, or U.S. sanctions.

Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah has warned that its fighters will be ready to respond if Israel violates the newly declared ceasefire. The warning was issued through Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar TV, where the group stated that its fighters would keep their fingers on the trigger to counter any perceived betrayal or deception by Israel.

The ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel was announced earlier by US President Donald Trump, who said that Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to begin a formal 10-day truce aimed at achieving peace. The statement from Hezbollah came shortly after this announcement, signaling the group’s distrust of Israel’s intentions.

The development follows months of tension along the Lebanon-Israel border, and the warning underscores Hezbollah’s readiness to resume hostilities if the ceasefire terms are breached.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has declared that Israel will not withdraw from areas it currently occupies in Lebanon, even if a formal agreement is reached between the two countries. He stated that Israeli forces will maintain their positions in those territories, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Katz emphasized that the main objective of the Israeli military is to disarm Hezbollah, whether through military or diplomatic means. He described the direct involvement of the United States and Washington’s pressure on the Lebanese government as major diplomatic tools to achieve this goal. The minister made it clear that the territories under Israeli control will remain so, and hinted that the army will not retreat until the threat from Hezbollah is completely eliminated.

The report cited Al Jazeera as its source for the statements and developments surrounding the issue.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated in a televised address that Israel was forced to declare a ceasefire through strong diplomacy. He emphasized that Israel has no right to attack Hezbollah or any other front in Lebanon. Pezeshkian credited Pakistan’s dedicated efforts in helping achieve the ceasefire while maintaining Iran’s dignity and pride.

The president reiterated that Iran has never sought nuclear weapons and does not want instability or terrorism in the region. He said Tehran always follows the path of peace but remains uncompromising in defending its territorial integrity. Pezeshkian affirmed that Iran will stay firm in its policies and that other parties must understand this stance.

He also criticized the United States and Israel, accusing them of pushing Iran and the broader region toward chaos and war through the killing of military commanders, politicians, scientists, and students.

A visiting delegation of Bangladesh’s BNP, including Chattogram-10 MP Saeed Al Noman, shared their experiences from a recent trip to China, highlighting the country’s extensive grassroots development model. After visiting Fangxing Community in Anhui Province and other areas, the delegation praised the Chinese Communist Party’s (CPC) people-centered approach, noting that around 700,000 neighborhood service centers have been established across the country to serve citizens.

According to Noman, these centers act as community hubs where people of all ages gather for education, exercise, cultural activities, and social interaction. They also provide employment assistance and administrative services, making them vital to daily life. He described the CPC’s integration into citizens’ lives as a key factor behind China’s success.

Following the community visits, the BNP delegation attended a dinner hosted by the Anhui vice governor and senior officials, where discussions focused on strengthening Bangladesh-China bilateral ties, development cooperation, and fostering long-term party-to-party relations.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj stated that there is no discrimination against private school students in the primary scholarship examination. He made the remarks on Friday morning after visiting the examination center at Badshah Faisal Institute in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. The minister explained that opportunities are allocated proportionally, with one in eight government school students and one in five private school students eligible to sit for the exam, ensuring equal access.

According to the Directorate of Primary Education, a total of 640,000 students participated in this year’s exam, including about 550,000 from government schools and 90,000 from private institutions. A total of 82,500 scholarships will be awarded, with 66,000 going to government school students and 16,500 to private school students. The scholarship ratio stands at 8:1 for government schools and 5.5:1 for private schools.

The minister added that the exams were being conducted smoothly nationwide and that the scholarship process encourages students and parents to stay engaged in the curriculum. He also mentioned plans to update the scholarship policy and review the number of beneficiaries and stipend amounts to ensure maximum equity.

Pakistan is mediating peace talks between the United States and Iran, with Field Marshal Asim Munir at the center of the effort. Both Washington and Tehran reportedly view Munir as a trusted intermediary as they consider extending a two-week ceasefire set to expire next week. US President Donald Trump said he might visit Pakistan to sign a potential peace deal with Iran, praising Munir and Pakistan’s leadership for their role.

According to Iranian media, Munir met in Tehran with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He also hosted Ghalibaf and US Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad during earlier talks that ended without an agreement but paved the way for further discussions. Munir’s growing influence has been reinforced by Pakistan’s strengthened ties with both the US and Iran, as well as with Saudi Arabia and China.

Analysts note that Munir’s personal rapport with Trump and his expanded authority within Pakistan’s military have elevated his status domestically and internationally. Islamabad is reportedly preparing to host another round of negotiations soon.

Iran has welcomed the recently declared ceasefire in Lebanon, though significant disagreements with the United States remain. During a meeting with a Pakistani delegation, Iran’s president said that despite past experiences of distrust and broken agreements with Washington, Tehran is willing to continue discussions, emphasizing that national interests remain its top priority. The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson also described the ceasefire as a positive step and linked it to previous understandings between Iran and the United States.

Analysts cited in the report noted that while these statements signal a positive tone, major differences persist between the two countries. Key areas of contention include Iran’s nuclear program, uranium stockpiles, the Strait of Hormuz, ballistic missile development, and regional relations. Despite signs of progress, the overall picture shows that the rift between Tehran and Washington remains evident.

The report suggests that further detailed discussions will be necessary to address these unresolved issues before any substantial improvement in relations can occur.

Bus and minibus operations under the Kushtia District Bus-Minibus Owners’ Group have been suspended indefinitely following a strike by transport workers. The suspension began early Friday, April 17, 2026, halting all passenger services on major routes including Kushtia-Meherpur, Kushtia-Pragpur, Kushtia-Khulna-Jashore, and others. Only long-distance buses to Dhaka and vehicles from other districts continue to operate, leaving passengers on local routes stranded. The strike was announced Thursday evening by the district motor workers’ union.

Union president Mahabul Alam said the dispute arose because one of the union’s two buses, affiliated with the owners’ group, was denied the same facilities as other owners’ vehicles. After two meetings failed to resolve the issue, workers set an April 15 deadline for their demands, which went unmet. The union, supported by the owners’ association workers, then enforced the indefinite suspension.

Owners’ group secretary Rafiqul Islam confirmed that workers had demanded equal benefits with owners and permission for a union-owned bus to operate on the Kushtia-Khulna route. As these demands were not met, the strike was launched, affecting all local routes.

Canva has announced a new integration with Anthropic Labs’ Claude Design, combining the Canva Design Engine and Visual Suite with Claude’s AI drafting capabilities. The collaboration allows users to transform AI-generated drafts and ideas from Claude into fully editable designs within Canva. These designs can then be customized, branded, and shared collaboratively, streamlining the process from concept to publication.

The update also introduces HTML importing and artifact editing, expanding Canva’s drag-and-drop editor to support interactive code and AI-generated content. This makes Canva the first platform to unify visual, document, and interactive content in one collaborative environment. Users can now edit coded creations from Claude directly in Canva, adjust layouts, and embed them into presentations or websites without regenerating code.

The announcement follows the launch of Canva AI 2.0 and builds on two years of collaboration between Canva and Anthropic. It reflects Canva’s broader goal of becoming the design layer of the internet, enabling users to refine and scale AI-generated content efficiently.

A large-scale citizenship and voter registration crisis has emerged in India’s West Bengal, where many Muslim residents report being excluded from the electoral rolls following the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Families such as that of Aminul Islam in Murshidabad have lost voting rights despite presenting valid documents, leading to fears of statelessness and social exclusion. Reports indicate that around 9.2 million people have been removed or placed under adjudication, with Muslims disproportionately affected.

Data from the Shabar Institute and Alt News suggest that 60 percent of those excluded are Muslim, far exceeding their population share. In constituencies like Nandigram and Bhabanipur, Muslim voters have been disproportionately disenfranchised. Human rights concerns are rising as residents in border districts such as Malda and Murshidabad face harassment, surveillance, and intimidation by security agencies, drawing comparisons to Kashmir.

Observers warn that the exclusion could trigger forced displacement toward Bangladesh, with both BSF and BGB reporting incidents of attempted pushbacks. Rights groups fear the situation may escalate into a regional humanitarian and security crisis affecting South Asia’s stability.