SpaceX has confirmed an agreement giving it the option to acquire the automated programming platform Cursor for $60 billion or pay a $10 billion fee instead. The arrangement, first reported by The New York Times and later confirmed by SpaceX on social media, comes as the company prepares for a potential IPO. SpaceX said it is working closely with Cursor to develop advanced AI systems for coding and knowledge work, combining Cursor’s software tools with SpaceX’s large-scale Colossus training supercomputer.

The deal could strengthen Elon Musk’s xAI ecosystem, which includes SpaceX, xAI, and X, by enhancing its competitiveness against AI leaders such as Anthropic. Reports cited in the source noted that Google and OpenAI are also intensifying their efforts in AI coding tools, with Google forming a “strike team” and OpenAI refocusing on its ChatGPT and Codex projects.

CNBC and Bloomberg have reported that Musk values his combined X companies at $1.25 trillion, while Cursor was recently raising $2 billion at a $50 billion valuation, underscoring the scale of the potential acquisition.

A local youth leader in Raipur municipality of Lakshmipur has been accused of extortion under the guise of lease collection. According to reports, a betel trader named Harun was assaulted and humiliated after refusing to pay the demanded amount. A video of the incident circulated on social media, sparking widespread concern among local traders.

Local sources said Mizan Sardar, who took lease of the municipal Murihata area, has been collecting money from traders while identifying himself as a youth leader. Harun alleged that he was asked to pay increasing sums, from a monthly fee to daily payments, and was beaten when he refused. The accused denied the allegations, claiming he was collecting fees according to the official lease schedule.

Members of the local traders’ association criticized the practice, noting that footpaths cannot legally be leased. The Raipur municipal administrator said he would review the matter before commenting. Traders have urged swift administrative action to stop such extortion practices.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced on Tuesday that the country needs €500 million over the next six months to address a worsening humanitarian crisis caused by ongoing conflict. The appeal came as a fragile ten-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah remains in effect. Salam made the statement in Paris after meeting French President Emmanuel Macron, who reaffirmed France’s support for Lebanon’s territorial integrity.

During their joint press conference, Macron urged Israel to abandon any territorial ambitions in Lebanon and called on Hezbollah to halt attacks on Israeli territory and disarm under Lebanese authority. He also emphasized the need for an agreement ensuring mutual security, preserving Lebanon’s sovereignty, and normalizing relations between the two countries. Lebanon reported that the conflict, which began on March 2, has killed 2,454 people and injured 7,658 in six weeks.

A U.S. State Department official said Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors will meet again in Washington on Thursday following their first direct talks in decades. Meanwhile, France blamed Hezbollah for a recent attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that killed one French soldier, an accusation Hezbollah denied.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the ceasefire with Iran would be extended to allow more time for peace negotiations, while maintaining a blockade on Iranian ports. The decision came hours before the truce was set to expire. Trump stated on social media that the ceasefire would continue until a proposal to end the conflict is reached, but U.S. forces would keep enforcing the blockade. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant confirmed that the restrictions would remain in place, warning that any entity aiding Iran’s maritime trade could face U.S. sanctions.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that if neighboring Gulf states allow attacks on Iran from their territories, oil production across the Middle East would be halted. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance delayed his departure to Pakistan, where he was expected to lead the U.S. delegation in upcoming talks. The United Nations maritime agency appealed for help for about 20,000 sailors stranded in the Gulf due to the conflict.

In Lebanon, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the country needs 500 million euros in six months to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which has left 2,454 people dead despite a fragile ceasefire.

An elderly woman was killed and three others were seriously injured in a stabbing attack in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar district on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The incident occurred around 1 p.m. in the Siddheshwarpur area under Rahimpur Union. According to reports, a man named Elim Mia allegedly entered the victims’ house and attacked them with a knife due to previous enmity.

The victims included 65-year-old Badrun Begum, wife of the late Ilias Mia, and three others. Locals rescued the injured and took them to Moulvibazar Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared Badrun Begum dead after examination. The remaining three victims are receiving treatment at the hospital.

Police visited the scene after receiving information and are attempting to arrest the accused. Kamalganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Awal confirmed the incident and said legal action is being taken.

The Department of Environment in Chandpur conducted a raid on an illegal polythene production factory equipped with modern machinery in the heart of Chandpur city. Acting on a tip-off, officials discovered the factory operating inside a tin-shed warehouse near the Harijan community housing on Swarnakhola Road. The operation took place on the night of April 21, and the department confirmed the action on April 22, 2026. Authorities seized a large quantity of polythene and raw materials before sealing the facility through a mobile court.

According to the Department of Environment, the warehouse had been rented and used for illegal polythene production for a long time, supplying products to Chandpur and other districts. During the raid, 1,774 kilograms of polythene and polypropylene granules were confiscated. The mobile court was led by Executive Magistrate Masud Rana from the district administration office.

Deputy Director Mizanur Rahman of the Department of Environment stated that the operation was carried out jointly with the magistrate and law enforcement agencies. Legal action will follow as part of the next steps.

Bangladesh have been fined by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow over rate during their One Day International match against New Zealand in Mirpur. Despite winning the match by six wickets on Monday and leveling the three-match series 1–1, the team failed to complete their bowling quota within the allotted time. As a result, the ICC imposed a fine equivalent to 10 percent of the players’ match fees.

According to an ICC statement, Bangladesh bowled two overs short of the required rate, prompting the penalty issued by elite panel match referee Andy Pycroft. Under ICC regulations, teams are fined a minimum of five percent of match fees for each over not completed in time. Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz accepted responsibility and the sanction, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.

The match officials included on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Gazi Sohel, third umpire Nitin Menon, and fourth umpire Masudur Rahman Mukul.

Bangladesh, the two-time defending champions, have been placed in Group B alongside India and the Maldives for the upcoming SAFF Women's Championship. The tournament is scheduled to begin on May 25 in Goa, India, with the group draw held in Dhaka. According to the latest FIFA women's rankings, Bangladesh ranks third among the six participating teams, which were divided into three pots for the draw.

The competition will feature six teams split into two groups, with each team playing two group-stage matches. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals. Group A includes Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan, with Nepal considered the strongest side in that group. If Bangladesh tops its group, it could avoid facing Nepal in the semifinals.

Despite recent security concerns that postponed the Bangladesh men's cricket tour to India, the Ministry of Sports has shown a positive stance toward the women's football team’s travel. Improved bilateral relations following national elections have reduced potential obstacles. Bangladesh will soon begin a training camp in Chattogram and is also planning overseas practice sessions.

Meta has begun installing tracking software on computers used by its US-based employees to record mouse movements, clicks, and keystrokes for use in training artificial intelligence models. Internal memos seen by Reuters indicate that the software will operate on selected work-related applications and websites, occasionally capturing screen snapshots to provide contextual information. The initiative is part of Meta’s broader effort to develop AI agents capable of autonomously performing workplace tasks.

According to the internal memo, the data collection aims to improve Meta’s AI systems in areas where they currently face challenges, such as navigating drop-down menus and using keyboard shortcuts. The memo encouraged employees to contribute to model improvement through their regular work activities. Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated that the collected data would not be used for employee performance evaluation and would be protected by safeguards to ensure sensitive content remains secure.

Stone added that the project is designed to help Meta’s AI models learn from real examples of human computer use, supporting the company’s goal of building more capable digital assistants.

Jubo Mohila League leader Shilpi Begum was granted bail on Wednesday morning and released from Kashimpur Central Women's Jail in Gazipur along with her one-and-a-half-month-old daughter. She had been arrested on Monday night from her home at Tejgaon Railway Colony Station Road in Dhaka in connection with an explosives and violence case filed at Tejgaon Police Station. The following night, she entered the prison with her infant daughter.

On humanitarian grounds, the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court granted her bail on Tuesday night, with Judge Mostafizur Rahman issuing the order. However, due to pending signatures, her release was delayed, forcing her and her child to spend the night in jail. The necessary paperwork was completed on Wednesday morning, and after verification, both mother and child were freed around 11:30 a.m.

Senior Jail Superintendent Mosha. Kawalin Nahar confirmed that the bail documents arrived at the prison on Wednesday morning and were processed before Shilpi Begum’s release later that day.

A deadly clash erupted in Kendua upazila of Netrakona on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, over a long-standing land dispute between two groups. The confrontation took place around 11:20 a.m. in Madhya Amtala village under Roailbari Union, resulting in the death of a woman named Soma Akter, 30, and injuries to at least 10 to 12 others. She was declared dead at Kendua Upazila Health Complex after being taken there with severe injuries.

Hospital sources reported that four to five of the injured were in critical condition and preparations were underway to transfer them for advanced treatment. Locals said the dispute had persisted for a long time and suddenly escalated into a violent confrontation involving traditional weapons. The area remained tense following the incident.

Law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene to bring the situation under control, and additional police forces were deployed. Attempts to contact the local police station for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

A woman named Bedena, aged 30, was killed when a bus hit an autorickshaw at Octroy Mor under Motihar Police Station in Rajshahi city on Wednesday around 11 a.m. The accident left two others injured, including Bedena’s husband, Md. Rezzak, 45, and another passenger, Nasir, 30, from Rajpara area. Local residents rescued the injured and took them to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital’s emergency department.

Doctors at the hospital declared Bedena dead at around 11:40 a.m. Nasir was admitted to ward number 31 for treatment, while Rezzak received primary medical care. Bedena’s body has been kept in the hospital morgue.

The report did not mention further details about the bus, its driver, or any subsequent legal action following the accident.

Students of the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Rajshahi University staged a protest on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, demanding justice after two of their classmates, Hasan and Azaharul Islam, were allegedly stabbed by a Chhatra Dal leader named Hasib. The demonstration took place near the Senate Building on Paris Road, where participants called for a safe campus and exemplary punishment for those responsible. Leaders of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RACSU) joined the protest, expressing solidarity with the victims.

According to the injured student Hasan, the attack followed a confrontation the previous evening when Hasib allegedly demanded money from a fellow student and later assaulted them near Paris Road. Protesters chanted slogans demanding justice and criticized the administration for failing to ensure campus safety. RACSU Vice President Mostakur Rahman Zahid condemned the incident as disgraceful and warned that no student would feel safe without proper accountability.

The protest drew around a hundred students from the department, who urged the university administration to guarantee security for all students and prevent future violence on campus.

At least five inmates were killed during a riot at Venezuela’s high-security Yare-3 prison, located about 70 kilometers from the capital Caracas. The country’s Penitentiary Services Ministry confirmed the incident, which occurred on Monday, stating that clashes among prisoners escalated into a violent riot. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into the deaths, though no details about injuries or further circumstances were released.

Venezuela’s prison system has long faced criticism for overcrowding, insecurity, and the influence of criminal gangs inside facilities. Following the ouster of former leader Nicolás Maduro in January, a U.S.-backed administration took power and recently released at least 46 political prisoners from the same Yare complex. The Yare prison complex consists of three separate facilities, with Yare-2 known for housing political detainees.

The riot underscores ongoing instability within Venezuela’s penal institutions despite previous military operations aimed at restoring state control over prisons.

Amnesty International has accused the leaders of Israel, Russia, and the United States of driving a global collapse of human rights. In its annual human rights report released on Tuesday, the organization described Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump as 'greedy predators' seeking economic and political dominance. Secretary General Agnès Callamard wrote that the world has entered an era where primitive violence is thriving and the international order built after World War II is weakening.

Speaking at a press conference in London, Callamard said most governments are appeasing these 'predators' rather than confronting them, and some even imitate their behavior. The report claims that authoritarianism has intensified worldwide, with growing attacks on basic civil liberties across most countries. It documents abuses from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe and highlights the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as the Iran-Israel conflict, as examples of international law violations.

Amnesty also criticized the United Kingdom for its crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism and warned that normalization of civilian killings amid ongoing wars poses a grave threat to the global human rights system.