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.

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.

The Supreme Court Chamber Judge of Bangladesh has suspended a High Court order that had halted the recruitment examination for head and assistant head teachers under the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA). As a result, the examination, scheduled for April 18, can now proceed. The Chamber Court order was issued on April 16 by Justice Md Rezaul Haque.

Earlier the same day, a High Court bench comprising Justice Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice A F M Saiful Karim had ordered a two-month suspension of the exam and the NTRCA’s revised circular issued on March 25. The High Court also asked the education secretary and NTRCA to explain within four weeks why the revised circular should not be declared illegal.

The dispute arose after NTRCA increased the required teaching experience for applicants from 10–15 years to 18 years, disqualifying many who had already applied under the original January 29 circular. A total of 114 applicants filed the petition challenging the revised circular’s legality.

Myanmar’s government has reduced the prison sentence of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as part of a New Year general amnesty. Her lawyer told Reuters on Friday that the reduction amounts to one-sixth of her total sentence. It remains unclear whether the Nobel laureate will be allowed to serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.

Suu Kyi has been serving a 27-year prison term on multiple charges, including incitement, corruption, electoral fraud, and violation of state secrets laws. She was ousted from power in a 2021 military coup that overthrew her elected government.

The partial reduction of her sentence comes amid continued political repression in Myanmar, though the government has not clarified whether the amnesty signals any broader policy shift toward detained political figures.

Pakistan has indicated positive signals surrounding a possible second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Islamabad is actively working to bring both sides to face-to-face discussions, while security measures in the Pakistani capital have been strengthened amid heightened diplomatic activity.

According to related sources, the dialogue process remains fragile but is being tightly managed. Pakistan continues to facilitate message exchanges between Tehran and Washington and maintains an optimistic stance about advancing the second round of negotiations.

Officials in Pakistan stated that they have communicated with both parties and are receiving encouraging indications from each side. They expressed hope that the ongoing discussions could eventually lead to a significant agreement.

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority has granted a commissioning license for the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi, Pabna, marking a key step toward initiating fuel production. The license was approved after all required inspections were completed. Project Director Kabir Hossain confirmed that the government will now set the official date for uranium fuel loading, expected to begin by the end of April.

Authority Chairman Mahmudul Hasan stated that an earlier plan to inaugurate the process on April 7 was postponed due to technical complications, which have since been resolved to ensure maximum safety. Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited Managing Director Dr. Zahedul Hasan said essential preparatory work, including fire safety clearance, has been completed, and the project is ready for safe fuel loading.

According to experts cited in the report, the plant will undergo at least six months of trial production after fuel insertion, with commercial generation unlikely before September. The project aims to start gradually supplying electricity to the national grid by December.

Spain has begun implementing a mass legalization program for undocumented migrants under its leftist government, sparking both optimism and anxiety among applicants. Many migrants are rushing to complete the required paperwork before the June 30 deadline, with authorities promising to deliver decisions within 15 days of submission. The process officially began on Thursday, according to reports from Madrid.

Applicants must prove continuous residence in Spain for at least five months and have no criminal record in Spain or their home country. Supporting documents such as transport cards, supermarket loyalty cards, remittance receipts, or hospital appointment records are being accepted as proof of residence. The government expects around 500,000 people, mostly from Latin America, to benefit from the program.

To handle the administrative workload, Spain’s immigration minister Elma Saiz said that about 450 offices are operating extended hours and 550 additional staff have been hired. Legal aid organizations report a surge in requests for assistance, warning that the large volume of applications could strain the system and slow processing times.

An Israeli analyst has suggested that Turkey and Pakistan may emerge as Israel’s primary rivals in the future, replacing Iran. Writing in the Israeli daily Maariv, analyst Boaz Golani argued that Iran’s prolonged economic crisis and the toll of ongoing conflicts have weakened its military capacity, potentially shifting the regional balance of power. He described this as part of a broader transformation in the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape.

Golani noted that both Turkey and Pakistan are large, Sunni-majority nations with strong militaries and established ties with the United States, factors that make them significant players from Israel’s perspective. Recent tensions between Israel and Turkey have intensified over the Gaza war and influence in Syria, with leaders from both sides exchanging sharp remarks. Pakistan, meanwhile, has maintained a critical stance toward Israel, with its defense minister recently labeling Israel as a threat to humanity before deleting the statement.

Golani cautioned that once Israel’s conflict with Iran subsides, it must prepare for potential direct confrontations with new adversaries, warning that either alternative would pose serious challenges.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that no date has been set for the second round of talks between the United States and Iran. Speaking at a weekly briefing on Thursday, he said discussions between the two countries are ongoing on nuclear and other issues. Andrabi emphasized that Pakistan would not comment on the positions of Tehran or other parties involved and that maintaining confidentiality about the talks is essential.

He urged the media to refrain from speculation about the discussions. Andrabi added that decisions regarding participants and the size of delegations for the next round would be made by the parties themselves, and the schedule would be announced once finalized.

The statement comes as a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which began on April 8 following more than a month of conflict, is set to expire on April 22.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed the recently declared ceasefire in Lebanon, expressing hope that it will contribute to lasting peace in the region. In a post on social media platform X, he described the ceasefire as the result of ‘courageous’ diplomatic efforts led by Donald Trump.

Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that Islamabad will continue to back all initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable peace in the region. The statement came as Sharif is on a regional tour, having arrived in Qatar on Thursday for meetings with regional leaders. He previously visited Saudi Arabia and plans to travel to Turkey next.

According to the report, Pakistan has already hosted the first round of talks between the United States and Iran as part of a potential new phase of dialogue, with a second round expected in the coming days.

US President Donald Trump announced that Washington and Tehran are close to reaching an agreement, claiming that Iran has agreed to hand over its uranium. This development addresses one of the main obstacles in the ongoing negotiations between the two countries. Earlier, the United States had warned of renewed airstrikes and maintained naval blockades on Iranian ports if no agreement was reached.

At the same time, a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect. The Israeli military reported retaliatory strikes following rocket fire from Lebanon just before the truce began. Both countries’ prime ministers welcomed the ceasefire. Separately, the United States and Iran had also agreed to a different ceasefire arrangement.

Pakistan continues diplomatic efforts to facilitate dialogue between Washington and Tehran. On Thursday, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir met Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, who led Iran’s delegation in the first round of talks last week that ended without agreement.

Gaza’s Civil Defense agency reported that four Palestinians, including a nine-year-old child, were killed in Israeli attacks across several areas of the enclave. The incidents occurred despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since October 10. According to the agency’s spokesperson, the child, Saleh Badawi, died after being shot in Gaza City’s Zeitoun area. Two brothers were killed in a drone strike near a school in Beit Lahia, and another man, Mohsin Oda al-Dabbari, was shot dead near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The Israeli military confirmed that it had killed two “terrorists” in Beit Lahia, claiming they crossed the “Yellow Line” and posed a threat to soldiers. It said it was still verifying reports about the deaths of the child and another person in southern Gaza. The ceasefire was implemented more than two years after the war began in October 2023, following Hamas’s cross-border attack.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, at least 766 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, a figure the United Nations considers reliable. The Israeli military reported five soldiers killed during the same period, though AFP said it could not independently verify the casualty numbers due to restricted media access.

The White House has confirmed that it is reviewing reports concerning the mysterious disappearances and deaths of at least ten American scientists. Many of these individuals had access to classified information related to nuclear or space research. Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt stated at a Wednesday briefing that she had not yet spoken with relevant agencies but indicated that the administration believes a formal investigation may be necessary.

The list of missing persons includes senior researchers and contractors from some of the country’s most sensitive scientific institutions. Among them are Monica Jacinto Reza, a senior aerospace engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory who disappeared in June 2025 while hiking in California, and Steven Garcia, a government contractor from the Kansas City National Security Campus who went missing in August 2025. Former Los Alamos National Laboratory employee Anthony Chavez and retired Air Force Major General William ‘Neil’ McCasland also vanished between 2025 and early 2026.

Reports also mention the unexplained deaths of several prominent scientists, including NASA’s Frank Maiwald in 2024 and Michael David Hicks in 2023, both from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, with causes of death not publicly disclosed.

Bangladesh’s domestic borrowing has increased significantly over the past year, reaching Tk 10.94 trillion by the end of January 2026, up from Tk 9.42 trillion a year earlier. According to a Bangladesh Bank report released on Thursday, the government borrowed Tk 726.47 billion from domestic sources between July and January of the current fiscal year, compared with Tk 401.44 billion during the same period of the previous year.

The report shows that Tk 649.23 billion was borrowed from the banking sector and Tk 77.23 billion from non-bank sources during the first seven months of the fiscal year. Sector insiders said the borrowing occurred under the interim government to cover election expenses, new bank investments, and operational costs, as revenue collection fell short of targets. The government’s budget deficit for the fiscal year was set at Tk 2.21 trillion, or 3.5% of GDP, with plans to borrow Tk 1.25 trillion domestically.

By March 30, 2026, the government had already borrowed Tk 1.06 trillion, surpassing its full-year domestic borrowing target, with most loans sourced from the banking system.

YouTube has introduced a new update allowing users to completely turn off the Shorts feed on its mobile app. The platform now lets users set the 'Shorts Feed Limit' to zero minutes, effectively removing short-form videos from their feed. This change expands on a feature first launched in October of the previous year, when the minimum limit was 15 minutes and users were prompted to take breaks after reaching that duration.

According to YouTube, the feature was initially part of parental controls but is now available to all users. When the setting is changed, some users may still see individual Shorts even if scrolling is paused. To activate the feature, users must go to Settings > Time Management > Daily Limit > Shorts Feed Limit and select zero minutes. The update also allows users to set a maximum viewing limit of up to two hours.

The new option aims to give users more control over their viewing habits and time management within the YouTube app.