A series of Ukrainian drone attacks on an oil refinery and terminal in Tuapse, a coastal city on Russia’s Black Sea, has triggered a severe environmental crisis. The refinery, hit four times in two weeks, caught fire again last Friday, releasing toxic smoke that led to ‘black rain’ falling over the area. Around 30 miles of coastline have been contaminated by spilled oil. Environmentalists have described the incident as one of Russia’s worst ecological disasters since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Thick, acrid smoke has blanketed Tuapse’s skies, and residents report oily, poisonous droplets falling from the air. Vladimir Slivyak, head of the environmental group Ecodefense, warned that carcinogenic substances such as benzene are present, posing serious health risks. Dead fish and dolphins have washed ashore, while local anger grows over what residents see as government indifference. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged the attacks but dismissed them as “no major threat.”

Authorities have reportedly restricted internet and Telegram use to control information. The Kyiv School of Economics estimates Russia’s revenue losses at about $2.2 billion, with refinery reconstruction possibly costing $5 billion. Schools in Tuapse remain closed, and residents are advised to stay indoors and avoid tap water.

A newly built approach road to a bridge on the Safipur–Boroibari regional road in Kaliakoir, Gazipur, collapsed just one month after its inauguration. The incident occurred in the Kaliadah Mokosh Beel area, prompting allegations of substandard construction work against the contractor. The 55-meter bridge was built under the Program for Supporting Rural Bridges project, jointly funded by the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank, at a cost of Tk 5.14 crore. The project was implemented by Messrs Mostafa Kamal & Sons Enterprise, with a scheduled completion date of December 15 last year.

Local residents expressed frustration, saying the road appeared fine initially but failed within weeks. Attempts to contact the contractor’s owner, Mohammad Abdul Kader, were unsuccessful. Abdul Al Mamun, the upazila sub-assistant engineer, stated that heavy rainfall caused the collapse and that the contractor would be instructed to repair the damaged section promptly. He also noted that the project’s official work period had not yet expired.

The collapse has raised questions about construction quality and oversight in publicly funded infrastructure projects in the region.

Elon Musk has agreed to pay a $1.5 million fine to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle a lawsuit accusing him of failing to disclose his Twitter (now X) share purchases on time. The case, filed in January 2025 just before President Donald Trump took office, alleged that Musk misled investors by delaying disclosure of acquiring more than 5% of Twitter’s shares in 2022, before taking ownership of the social media platform. A filing on Monday revealed that a Musk trust will pay the fine, though Musk has not admitted any wrongdoing. The settlement will be finalized once approved by the court.

The SEC had initially sought more than $200 million in penalties, claiming that Musk’s delay deprived ordinary investors of over $150 million in potential gains. Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, described the fine as minor and said it resolves all issues related to filing delays during the Twitter acquisition. An SEC spokesperson noted that if approved, this would mark the largest penalty ever imposed by the agency for failure to disclose share ownership on time.

Despite the settlement, Musk still faces a separate class-action lawsuit from investors over the same issue.

Thailand’s cabinet has approved an emergency loan package worth 12.2 billion US dollars to address the economic fallout from the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. The decision, announced on May 5, 2026, marks one of the country’s largest borrowing plans in decades, aimed at stabilizing the economy amid external shocks.

According to Thai lawmakers, the funds will be used to boost domestic spending and ease financial hardship among citizens. The Ministry of Finance recently revised its GDP growth forecast downward from 2.4 percent to 1.6 percent, reflecting the strain on the economy. The government stated that the emergency loan will be utilized between June and September under the “Thais Help Thais” program, which will provide direct support to over 20 million low-income residents.

Officials expect the initiative to help reduce living costs and sustain household consumption during the period of global economic uncertainty triggered by the Middle East crisis.

Seven additional witnesses were cross-examined in a corruption case involving former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and 35 others, accused of embezzling around Tk 25 crore from United Commercial Bank. The cross-examinations took place on Tuesday at the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge Court, presided over by Judge Mizanur Rahman, where defense lawyers questioned the witnesses.

Earlier, on April 21, ten witnesses testified on behalf of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), bringing the total number of witnesses examined so far to eighteen, including the complainant, according to ACC public prosecutor Mokarram Hossain. The court has scheduled the next hearing for May 20.

The ACC filed the charge sheet on January 7 against Javed, his wife Rukmila Zaman, and 34 others for alleged embezzlement and money laundering. Court sources said Javed is currently in London with his family and remains absconding. Legal procedures are ongoing to take action against the fugitives.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that Europe will not submit to a transactional, inward-looking, and rigid global system. Speaking at the opening session of the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on Monday, Carney said he believes a renewed international order could emerge from Europe itself. He became the first non-European leader to attend the EPC summit, which was seen as a strategic move to highlight Armenia’s independence from Russian influence.

The meeting took place amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed doubts about the United States’ commitment to NATO following President Donald Trump’s announcement to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that many alliances are under strain, while French President Emmanuel Macron said European nations are increasing defense spending and developing their own solutions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Europe must be part of any future negotiations with Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte both emphasized the need to strengthen Europe’s defense pillar within NATO, acknowledging shifting dynamics in transatlantic relations.

Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher has called on district commissioners (DCs) to assist in evicting illegal land occupations, maintaining canals to prevent waterlogging, managing parks and playgrounds, and supporting tree plantation programs. He made the request during the DC Conference held at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka, according to the ministry’s public relations office.

The minister noted that agencies under his ministry have long worked as key partners with district administrations in implementing various government initiatives related to infrastructure, housing, and urban management. He thanked the DCs for their cooperation and highlighted ongoing projects such as dormitory and studio apartment construction for government employees, integrated office buildings, and renovation of old structures. He also urged collective efforts to implement the new government procurement policy.

Taher emphasized that DCs play a vital role in resolving ownership of abandoned properties, ensuring availability of khas land for housing, and supporting the operations of RAJUK and other urban development authorities. He called for patriotic and coordinated work to strengthen field administration and overcome institutional inefficiencies.

Chief Prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal Aminul Islam announced that the identities of 58 people killed during the May 5, 2013, Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel have been confirmed. He stated on Tuesday that information suggests involvement of 30 individuals, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with the killings that occurred across Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Chattogram.

Earlier, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, claimed on social media that at least 58 people, including seven security personnel, were killed during the two days of violence surrounding the Hefazat rally. He recounted his participation in an investigation with former BBC correspondent Mark Dummett, which involved reviewing hospital records, meeting victims’ families, and collecting burial evidence.

Majumder said he had long avoided taking credit for the investigation due to security concerns but expressed satisfaction that his work continues to be referenced by fellow journalists.

The Spanish government has announced a major initiative under its 2026 Regularization Project to grant legal residency and work rights to eligible irregular migrants living in the country. The program aims to integrate undocumented workers into Spain’s formal economy, allowing them to live and work legally. Participants will gain access to employment opportunities, social security registration, and the national healthcare system on par with regular citizens.

Under the plan, legalized migrants will also be able to travel visa-free within the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, the permit will remain a national authorization, meaning it will not allow permanent residence, employment, or free healthcare in other EU member states. Migrants wishing to stay long-term elsewhere in the EU must apply under that country’s immigration laws.

Similar policy shifts are emerging across Europe. Italy plans to issue work permits to 500,000 non-EU citizens between 2026 and 2028 to address labor shortages, while Germany is focusing on recruiting skilled workers and caregivers.

A pedestrian named Akkas Ali Khalifa, aged 50, was killed on Tuesday morning when a speeding dump truck ran him over near the Biraldah shrine area in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi. The accident occurred around 7 a.m. on the highway, and the victim was from Charghat Thanapara. Witnesses said two dump trucks were racing side by side when one lost control and struck the pedestrian, killing him instantly.

Following the incident, enraged locals blocked the highway and set fire to the two trucks involved. The situation escalated as journalists covering the event were attacked, and several mobile phones were damaged. Police from Poba Highway Station faced resistance when they tried to reach the scene, and their vehicle was vandalized. Later, Puthia police and a fire service team arrived to control the blaze and restore order.

Authorities said additional police were deployed to calm the situation, and traffic gradually resumed. Locals alleged that reckless truck driving has long been a problem on this road due to poor monitoring.

Farmers in Katiadi upazila of Kishoreganj are struggling to find laborers even by offering the equivalent of two maunds of paddy, while harvesters provided under government subsidy are reportedly charging higher-than-approved rents. The situation has left local farmers in severe difficulty during the ongoing Boro season. According to the agriculture office, paddy was cultivated on 12,850 hectares in the upazila, but about 585 hectares have been affected by heavy rainfall.

Previously, a worker could be hired for one maund or less of paddy, but now even two maunds are not enough. The current market price of raw paddy is between Tk 650 and Tk 700 per maund, while daily labor wages have risen to around Tk 1,300. Farmers are spending about Tk 22,000 per bigha to produce paddy but earning only Tk 17,500 from sales, resulting in a loss of Tk 4,000–5,000 per bigha.

The upazila agriculture officer said 27 harvesters are ready to address the labor shortage, with additional machines being brought from nearby districts. The maximum approved rent per bigha is Tk 2,500, and authorities will take action if higher rates are charged.

Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman stated that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman may visit either India or China in June, with discussions on the Teesta mega project expected during the China trip. He made the remarks on Tuesday, May 5, while speaking to journalists at the state guesthouse Padma in Dhaka.

Addressing concerns about possible push-in incidents from India, the minister said that if any such event occurs following a change of power in West Bengal, Bangladesh will take countermeasures. He also mentioned that China’s foreign minister has invited him to visit Beijing for extensive talks on strengthening bilateral relations. On trade matters, he noted that discussions on a trade agreement with the United States are positive and that Bangladesh is ahead of some other countries in this regard.

The foreign minister added that the prime minister has special commitments to friendly nations such as China and India, and officials are currently coordinating schedules to finalize the details of the upcoming visits.

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’s Baridhara zone organized a memorial discussion and prayer session on Monday night in Dhaka’s Baridhara madrasa to honor those killed in the May 5, 2013 Shapla Chattar incident. The event was marked by solemnity and emotion, drawing a large number of scholars, students, and devout Muslims. The prayer was led by the organization’s central Naib-e-Ameer Allama Abdul Hamid Madhupuri, who prayed for the souls of the deceased and for national peace and unity in serving Islam.

Speakers at the discussion included central leaders such as Joint Secretary General Mufti Monir Hossain Kasemi, International Affairs Secretary Maulana Dr. Shoaib Ahmed, Assistant Organizational Secretary Mufti Jaber Kasemi, and Finance Secretary Mufti Zakir Hossain Kasemi. They described the 2013 Shapla Chattar event as a tragic chapter in the nation’s history and demanded a fair and impartial investigation to bring those responsible to justice.

Presided over by Baridhara zone president Mufti Amjad Hossain Helali, the program concluded with special prayers for the welfare of the country, unity of the Muslim community, and forgiveness for all martyrs.

Israeli forces carried out multiple overnight raids across several areas of the occupied West Bank, according to a report by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The operations took place late Monday night, targeting villages including Zorat al-Shama, Wadi al-Nis, and Umm Salmuna, where soldiers searched several Palestinian homes.

A separate Wafa report stated that Israeli military units also conducted raids in several villages and towns in the western part of Ramallah. Local sources reported the use of tear gas and stun grenades during the operations, though no casualties or arrests were confirmed.

The report added that such raids are a regular occurrence in the West Bank, often carried out without prior warrants under the pretext of searching for wanted individuals. These actions frequently lead to confrontations with local residents.

Prime Minister Tarek Rahman has sent a gift for Muslima, the two-year-old daughter of truck driver Hannan, who was killed in a mob attack triggered by a rumor in Faridpur’s Boalmari upazila. On Tuesday around 11:30 a.m., local officials delivered the Prime Minister’s gift to Hannan’s home in Satair village. Upazila Nirbahi Officer S M Rokibul Hasan Roki handed over cash and dry food to Hannan’s father, Shahid Sheikh, on behalf of the Prime Minister. The chairman of Satair Union Parishad, Rafiul Alam Mintu, also provided assistance and promised monthly support.

Officials including the upazila social services officer and the project implementation officer were present during the handover. The incident that led to Hannan’s death occurred on May 1 in Bilnalia village of Nagarkanda upazila, where he was beaten to death following a rumor. The Upazila Nirbahi Officer said the Prime Minister took notice of the matter and directed the district administration to provide immediate help. Discussions have been held with the family regarding Muslima’s upbringing, and government support will continue in the future.