SpaceX reached a new peak last Friday with a record-setting debut on the global stock market, marking a major milestone in its two-decade journey. The AFP highlighted five defining moments in the company’s history, from its early struggles to its latest technological breakthroughs.

In 2008, SpaceX achieved its first successful orbital launch after several failures, saving the company from collapse. By 2012, its Dragon spacecraft became the first privately built vehicle to dock with the International Space Station. The 2018 Falcon Heavy test flight famously carried a Tesla car into space, though some promised missions, such as a lunar trip for a Japanese billionaire, never materialized. Between 2020 and 2023, the company focused on developing the Starship megaproject at its Texas facility, enduring multiple explosive tests that founder Elon Musk described as part of the learning process.

In October 2024, SpaceX successfully caught its Super Heavy booster midair using giant mechanical arms, marking a major step toward fully reusable rockets. The company continues to refine Starship technology for future lunar and Mars missions.

Meta-owned social media platform Facebook faced a widespread outage starting Friday evening, leaving users unable to access their accounts or load content properly. Many users reported login failures, slow app and website performance, and news feeds not updating. The issue was reflected on monitoring platforms such as Down Detector, which recorded numerous reports of disruptions.

As of the latest update, Meta had not issued any official statement explaining the cause of the outage. The exact reason behind the disruption remains unclear. The temporary service failure has caused confusion and frustration among users worldwide.

The situation highlights the global reliance on Facebook for communication and information sharing, with users awaiting clarification and restoration of normal service.

Chittagong University has launched a pilot phase of the JoBike service to ease student transportation on campus. The service was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Al-Forkan on Thursday morning in front of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (ChakSU) building. Initially, 10 pedal-assist JoBikes will operate across five designated zones for 40 days, with a per-minute fare of 1.5 taka. Students can unlock and lock the bikes using a mobile app by scanning a QR code.

According to university officials, after the trial period, around 100 pedal-assist JoBikes will be introduced permanently, with the fare reduced to 0.8 taka per minute. The Vice-Chancellor said the relaunch marks a new convenience for students and expressed hope for its long-term success through responsible use. ChakSU’s communication and accommodation secretary Ishaq Bhuiyan noted that the service resumed after nearly five years, following student demand and discussions with JoBike CEO Mehedi Reza in 2025.

JoBike founder and CEO Mehedi Reza stated that within the 40-day trial, 50 additional e-bikes will be added, along with 20 parking points and a modern Jo Café for students.

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. M A Muhit, announced that the government will introduce an ‘e-health card’ system to digitally connect all levels of healthcare, from primary centers to specialized hospitals. The initiative aims to create a national referral network where each citizen will have a unique health ID. When patients visit hospitals, their medical records will automatically appear in the system, ensuring continuity of care and improved coordination across facilities.

Dr. Muhit explained that the e-health card will allow patients to access their complete medical history and prescriptions electronically. It will also help reduce unnecessary medication by maintaining transparent electronic records. The system is part of the government’s broader plan to digitalize the healthcare sector, improve efficiency, and ensure timely treatment through a structured referral process.

According to the minister, the e-health card will modernize patient management, enhance transparency, and strengthen Bangladesh’s overall health infrastructure by integrating digital tools into everyday medical services.

Bangladesh inaugurated its first ocean satellite ground station at the University of Chittagong, marking a new phase in the nation’s capacity to collect and analyze satellite-based data from the Bay of Bengal and coastal regions. The inauguration took place on Tuesday morning, led by State Minister for Land and Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin. The ceremony was attended by the university’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Al-Forkan, UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmad, and representatives from China, including Cultural Counsellor Li Xuepeng and Professor Dr. Fu Bin of the Second Institute of Oceanography.

During the event, the state minister emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring necessary infrastructure such as electricity and high-speed internet to achieve the project’s goals. He noted that the satellite would play a vital role in marine resource management, fisheries, maritime transport, and coastal development. The vice-chancellor described the day as historic for the university, highlighting that the China-funded facility would benefit students and researchers nationwide by providing real-time ocean and fisheries data.

The project is expected to enhance Bangladesh’s research and operational capabilities in oceanography and coastal resource management.

A report from the technology desk of Amar Desh, published on June 5, 2026, highlights key precautions users should take before selling their old phones. It warns that negligence can expose personal data such as photos, videos, banking details, and documents to others. Users are advised to back up all important data to cloud storage or computers before proceeding.

The article emphasizes logging out of all linked accounts, including Google and Apple IDs, before performing a factory reset. It also instructs users to delete banking and financial apps, remove saved passwords, and take out SIM and memory cards to prevent data leaks. After completing a factory reset, users should restart the phone to verify that no personal information remains.

According to the report, following these simple steps ensures that personal data remains secure even after the device changes hands, making the phone resale process safer and more responsible.

The Bangladesh Navy has officially received a 70-ton capacity floating crane named ‘BNFC Boliyan’, built by Dockyard and Engineering Works Limited (DEW) to enhance its logistics, repair, and maintenance capabilities. The handover ceremony took place on Thursday with Admiral M Nazmul Hasan attending as the chief guest, alongside senior officials from the Navy Headquarters and DEW Limited.

Construction of the crane began with a keel-laying ceremony on June 30. The vessel measures 45 meters in length, 15 meters in width, and 3 meters in depth, and can travel at a maximum speed of 10.5 miles per hour. The floating crane is designed to support the repair and maintenance of naval ships both at jetties and at sea.

According to the source, the BNFC Boliyan will also play a crucial role in lifting, transferring, and replacing heavy machinery, mechanical equipment, and various naval components with improved efficiency and safety.

Egypt has inaugurated the East Nile route of the Cairo Monorail, Africa’s first fully driverless monorail system, on May 6, 2026. The 56.5-kilometer line connects Cairo’s Nasr City International Stadium area with the new administrative capital being built in the desert to ease congestion in the capital. A second 43.8-kilometer West Nile route is under construction to link 6th of October City with Giza. Once both routes are operational, the network will exceed 100 kilometers, surpassing China’s Chongqing Monorail as the world’s longest.

The Cairo Monorail project, valued at about 2.3 billion pounds, was launched in 2019 to expand the city’s transport capacity beyond its three metro lines, which already carry around 500 million passengers annually. The system, built and operated by a consortium led by French rail manufacturer Alstom, includes 68 trains made up of 272 coaches built in Derby, England. Each train can carry up to 45,000 passengers per hour in each direction at speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

Alstom describes the monorail as environmentally friendly, with low noise levels and the ability to recover up to 99 percent of braking energy, reducing fuel use. The Egyptian government expects the new capital to eventually house 6.5 million people and create 2 million jobs.

Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton and Executive Engineer (Electricity) A.B.M. Asaduzzaman Sweet are scheduled to visit France from June 20 to 30, 2026, for an 11-day study tour on street and lighting technology. The visit aims to enhance their knowledge of energy-efficient outdoor lighting systems. RCC’s Chief Executive Officer Rezaul Karim sought approval for the trip from the Local Government Division on May 12, citing an invitation from Signify Bangladesh Limited.

According to the letter sent to the ministry, the officials will visit Signify France’s Outdoor Lighting Application Center to learn about new electricity-saving technologies for streetlights. Signify Bangladesh Limited will cover all expenses of the trip. The company’s manager, Mehedi Hasan, said they import French-made streetlights and sometimes take clients to observe production processes when purchase orders are placed.

However, Hasan could not confirm which dealer supplied streetlights to RCC. Attempts to contact Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton for comment were unsuccessful.

The United States Department of Defense has initiated an 18-month competition titled 'Drone Dominance' to accelerate the expansion of its drone fleet. According to a Washington Post report, the Pentagon aims to identify the most promising manufacturers capable of producing low-cost combat drones. The initiative follows growing recognition of drones’ effectiveness in recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, prompting the U.S. military to seek rapid enhancement of its drone capabilities.

The competition invites both established defense firms and emerging startups, including companies founded by drone racers and hobbyists. The winning firms could receive contracts worth up to $1.1 billion to produce as many as three million drones. The drones being tested cost around $5,000 each and are designed for single-use missions. Early rounds of the contest, such as one held at Fort Benning, Georgia, saw 26 companies participate, with British firm Skycutter emerging as a top performer.

Pentagon officials stated that future warfare will likely depend heavily on affordable swarms of drones, and the program aims to bypass lengthy procurement processes to foster faster innovation.

The Bangladesh government has approved the purchase of new surveillance equipment worth about Tk 950 million for the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) to enhance content blocking and filtering capabilities. The decision was made on May 20 at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury. The equipment includes next-generation firewalls, hybrid packet brokers, switch management cards, and accessories for six partially connected data centers. Dhaka-based Global Brand PLC was selected as the lowest bidder.

The NTMC, originally formed in 2008 and renamed in 2013, has faced longstanding allegations of privacy violations and unauthorized surveillance. Following a UN fact-finding report and public criticism, the previous interim government dissolved the NTMC in December 2025 and created a new structure called the Center for Information Support under the Home Ministry. The current administration later amended laws to align surveillance practices with international standards.

Officials stated that the new system aims to strengthen internet security and enforce the Cyber Security Ordinance 2025, though public debate over surveillance practices continues.

Malaysia has begun enforcing a new regulation that bans children under 16 from opening social media accounts, effective Monday. The rule requires platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to implement age verification systems and block underage accounts. Companies failing to comply could face fines of up to 10 million ringgit. Parents will not be penalized if children bypass the restriction. Authorities said the move aims to protect minors from harmful content, cyberbullying, and addiction risks.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission stated that the policy seeks to make service providers more accountable and ensure age-appropriate safeguards, not to restrict children’s access to digital technology. Platforms must introduce “safety-by-design” features and curb manipulative designs that encourage excessive use. A grace period will be provided for implementing age verification systems.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Meta’s regional policy director warned the blanket ban could push teens toward unsafe online spaces, while academics raised privacy concerns over ID-based verification. Critics also questioned the law’s effectiveness, noting parents could still help children bypass the restrictions.

The government is taking steps to increase internet speed and make Teletalk services more accessible to customers, according to ICT Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam Swapon. He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the new Madhupur Press Club building in Tangail on Sunday afternoon. The minister said that delivering Teletalk services to customers’ doorsteps is only a matter of time, with some procedural issues still being addressed.

During the event, Swapon also highlighted the growing drug problem in Madhupur and Dhanbari, urging journalists and the administration to work together to eliminate it. He stated that the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward drug abuse. The inauguration ceremony was chaired by senior journalist Zainal Abedin and attended by local officials, political leaders, and journalists.

Before the discussion, the minister unveiled the nameplate of the new press club building and participated in a special prayer.

Around 100 drones fell from the sky during a light festival in Australia, startling spectators near Sydney Harbour. The incident occurred during the 'Star-Bound Drone Show', part of the annual 'Vivid Sydney' festival. The drones crashed into the water and onto the wharf, breaking apart upon impact.

According to the UK-based operator Skymagic, an unexpected change in the radio frequency environment caused 89 drones to lose positional accuracy, triggering their automatic emergency landing systems. Witnesses reported hearing loud crashing sounds as the drones hit the concrete marina. Skymagic stated that none of the drones fell outside the designated safety zone. Festival organizers apologized to attendees for the disruption and inconvenience.

Subsequent shows have been canceled pending a full investigation by Skymagic and government agencies. The 'Star-Bound Show' featured 1,000 specially designed drones scheduled for 22 performances over 11 nights and had launched just one day earlier.

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft, developed by U.S. entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company, crashed into the Indian Ocean after a test flight and subsequently exploded. The launch took place at 5:30 p.m. local time on Friday, marking the first major test of the third-generation version of Starship. Live footage showed the spacecraft reaching space and completing several planned maneuvers before catching fire and exploding during a controlled descent over the ocean.

According to the source, SpaceX considered the test a success despite the explosion, as the main objective was to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new design. During the flight, Starship executed a maneuver to flip from an inverted position and reignite its engines to regain control. Although one engine failed, the remaining engines allowed the spacecraft to maintain stability.

The test provided SpaceX with data on the performance of its redesigned systems, which the company views as a step forward in its ongoing development program.