Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has canceled his planned visit to the United States following remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Tajani described Trump’s comments as insulting and withdrew from a scheduled meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting was intended to strengthen cooperation on economic security and critical minerals. Meloni also rejected Trump’s claims, calling them completely fabricated and expressing surprise at his behavior toward allies.

The diplomatic tension arose after Trump told Italy’s La7 TV that Meloni had pleaded with him for a photo during the recent G7 summit in France. Meloni responded in a video message posted on social media, saying that neither she nor Italy ever begs anyone. She criticized Trump for showing leniency toward adversaries while being harsh on Western allies.

This dispute follows earlier public disagreements between the two right-wing leaders over international issues, including the Iran conflict, which had already strained their once-close relationship.

Norwegian football star Erling Braut Haaland was spotted roaming the streets of New York in disguise after his team’s emphatic 4–1 win over Iraq in their first World Cup match. The 25-year-old striker, known for his trademark long blond hair, hid his identity with a light-colored baseball cap and dark sunglasses while visiting Times Square and Katz’s Deli with his girlfriend, Isabel Haugseng Johansen. Few recognized the Manchester City forward as he blended in among tourists and locals.

Following Norway’s return to the World Cup after 28 years, coach Ståle Solbakken granted players two days off to relieve mental pressure before their next match against Senegal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Haaland shared photos of his disguised outing on Snapchat, joking that hiding his hair worked best. Solbakken viewed the relaxed mood of his players positively, emphasizing the importance of short breaks for mental refreshment.

Fans have responded with delight to Haaland’s playful adventure, which added a lighthearted moment to Norway’s promising World Cup campaign.

ATM Azharul Islam, central committee member and Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, alleged that government ministers are spreading false information in the national parliament. Speaking on Friday night at a gathering organized by the Lohani Para Union Jamaat in Badarganj, Rangpur, he said ministers often present untrue statements and defend them with misleading arguments. He warned that such actions could erode public trust in elected representatives and urged all lawmakers to speak truthfully both inside and outside parliament.

Azharul Islam also criticized the government’s handling of Islami Bank, claiming that previous and current administrations attempted to take control of the bank and misuse its funds. He accused a minister of presenting false information in parliament regarding the bank’s loans. Additionally, he alleged election manipulation by the Election Commission, failure to meet promises made to the July Movement, and widespread extortion by ruling party activists that he said was driving up commodity prices.

He further urged parents to monitor their children’s activities and called for stronger action against drug syndicates allegedly linked to ruling party figures.

Police in Jhenaidah arrested three individuals, including the headteacher of AJ International School and a local BNP leader, with 300 yaba pills during a raid on Friday afternoon. The operation took place in the Dakbangla Bazar area of Jhenaidah Sadar upazila following a tip-off about drug trading activities.

The detainees were identified as Abdul Malek, 45, headteacher of AJ International School and joint secretary of Saghanna Union BNP; Ayub Hossain, 46, from the same village; and Tanvir Ahmed alias Rupom, 35, son of Saduhati Union BNP vice-president Abdur Rahman Kamal. Police said they observed the suspects’ movements before conducting the raid and apprehending them with the yaba tablets.

According to local sources, Abdul Malek is also a former leader of the Jhenaidah Government KC College unit of the BNP’s student wing. The arrests link local political figures to alleged drug trading activities in the district.

Maulana Abdul Halim, Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and regional director for Rangpur-Dinajpur, has called on the government to quickly implement the promises made to the public regarding the referendum held before the national election. Speaking on Friday afternoon at the closing session of a two-day workers’ training camp in Syedpur, Nilphamari, he warned that failure to act could lead to renewed public movements demanding enforcement of the people’s verdict.

Halim stated that both the national election and the referendum were conducted under the same presidential order, and ignoring the 70 percent public mandate for reform would amount to deception and insult to the people. He added that government ministers and lawmakers were becoming disconnected from citizens due to disregard for public opinion. Addressing party workers, he urged them to verify information before reacting and to remain vigilant against misinformation.

The event was presided over by Syedpur city Jamaat chief Sharafuddin Khan and attended by several regional and national Jamaat leaders, including MPs and organizational secretaries from Nilphamari.

Dr. Abdul Moin Khan, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Planning Ministry, said that former president Ziaur Rahman initiated the continuity of agricultural production in Bangladesh. Speaking on Friday morning at the Farmers’ Partner Congress organized by the Department of Agriculture in Palash, Narsingdi, he stated that Ziaur Rahman made the country self-sufficient in food and created the capacity to export after meeting domestic demand.

Moin Khan added that the modernization of agriculture, the increase in high-yield rice production, and the achievement of food self-sufficiency were possible due to initiatives started by Ziaur Rahman. He also mentioned that the current generation of leadership is advancing the country following Ziaur Rahman’s development philosophy. To improve farmers’ livelihoods, a canal excavation program has been relaunched to boost agricultural output.

He further noted that the obstruction of river and canal flows has affected agricultural production, and efforts are underway to restore these flows to enrich agriculture. The event concluded with certificate distribution, seed and fertilizer handouts, and financial aid for farmers’ medical support.

Football fans in Mongla, Bagerhat, have launched festive celebrations ahead of the World Cup. On Friday afternoon, supporters of Brazil organized a colorful rally in the Mongla Port Municipality area to express their love and support for their favorite team. The rally, which began at 5 p.m., paraded through key streets of the town, creating a lively and joyous atmosphere.

Participants carried Brazil’s national flags, jerseys, and colorful banners while chanting slogans and singing in support of the team. Fans of all ages joined the event, turning the town into a vibrant sea of yellow and green. Several supporters said Brazil represents beauty, creativity, and joy in football, and they expressed hope for the team’s strong performance in the tournament.

The rally concluded with fans wishing success for Brazil in the World Cup and expressing optimism that the festive spirit would continue throughout the tournament.

At least 47 people were killed and 97 others injured in a series of Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The attacks took place from midnight until Friday afternoon, with the deadliest strike reported in the Harouf area, where nine people, including three women, were killed and 14 others wounded.

Additional casualties were reported in several other areas. Six people, including a woman and a child, were killed in Al-Duweire, seven in Habboush, and three, including a child, in Arab Salim. Three more deaths occurred near Baalbek in Tal Abyad. Other affected locations included Al-Sharkiyah, Kfarsir, Al-Qatrani, Nabatieh, Deir Al-Zahrani, Kfar Roummane, Kfar Jawz, Jebchit, Kakaiyat Al-Jisr, Adshit, Al-Raihan, Abba, Al-Abbasiya, and Ain Bourday.

The Health Ministry further reported that since Israeli attacks began on March 2, a total of 3,980 people have been killed and 12,001 injured across Lebanon.

A public meeting on anti-drug awareness and eradication was held in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah, on Friday afternoon at the Soaibnagar Kamil Madrasa premises. The event, organized by local civil society, called for stronger social resistance against drug dealers and users, urging law enforcement to take strict legal action. Jhenaidah-4 Member of Parliament Maulana Abu Talib attended as the chief guest, alongside Kaliganj Police Officer-in-Charge Jellal Hossain and several local leaders.

During his speech, MP Abu Talib expressed concern over an attack on a retired police officer allegedly by drug traders, describing it as a result of standing against narcotics. He stated that a group had long operated under political protection but warned that such impunity would no longer continue. He declared that drug dealers must either abandon their trade or leave the area, emphasizing that the public is now aware and will not tolerate drug activities.

OC Jellal Hossain reaffirmed that anti-drug operations would continue despite obstacles or criticism, urging citizens to assist police with information.

A Saudi Arabia-based expatriate named Al Amin, aged 40, died suddenly at a residential hotel in Gulistan, Dhaka, on Friday, June 19, 2026. He had returned to Bangladesh on June 13 and went to meet a woman he befriended on Facebook about six months earlier. According to police, the incident occurred at Hotel Ramna under Paltan Police Station. Al Amin was found unconscious in the hotel washroom and was later declared dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Police confirmed that the body has been sent for autopsy to determine the cause of death. The woman who accompanied him said Al Amin had brought gifts for her and suddenly collapsed after entering the washroom. His family stated that he had traveled to Dhaka to deliver some items to an acquaintance. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements to clarify the circumstances.

Authorities have cautioned against speculation until the post-mortem report is available. The investigation is ongoing under the supervision of Paltan Police Station.

Cumilla University (CuU) unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s student wing, Chhatra Dal, has received a new 12-member convening committee after five years. The central Chhatra Dal leadership, through a notice signed by President Md Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir on June 18, 2026, approved the new committee. Mostafizur Rahman Shuvo, a student of the English Department (2008–09 session), was named convener, while Md Abul Bashar from the Anthropology Department (2012–13 session) was appointed member secretary.

The central committee instructed the new leadership to form a full convening committee within ten days and to hold a council within one month to elect new leadership. However, members expressed doubts about meeting the timeline, as similar directives in the past were not implemented. The previous 31-member committee, formed in June 2021 for three months, had continued for nearly five years without renewal.

Mostafizur Rahman Shuvo stated that the new committee would expand through discussions with active members and include those who had long contributed to the organization. He emphasized unity and inclusion of both experienced and new activists in future organizational activities.

Dinajpur City Jamaat-e-Islami organized a daylong training camp for its advanced activists on Friday at a city auditorium. The program ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and aimed to enhance ideological, organizational, and moral development among participants. Professor Dr. Md. Shoaibur Rahman delivered a session on the importance of Islamic ideals in personal and social development, while central and local Jamaat leaders addressed various aspects of organizational improvement.

Former district Ameer Md. Anwarul Islam emphasized ideological and ethical advancement, and current district Ameer Principal Anisur Rahman discussed record-keeping, self-assessment, and personal skill development. The event was presided over by city Ameer Md. Sirajul Salehin and conducted by city secretary Kamrul Hasan Russel. Group discussions were led by several city Jamaat officials focusing on strengthening organizational activities and community engagement.

More than fifty advanced activists from twelve wards of Dinajpur Municipality attended the camp. The program concluded with a special prayer for the welfare of the nation and the Muslim Ummah.

Police have arrested Awami League leader and former union parishad chairman Babul Sheikh in connection with a case filed over an attack on a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) election rally and motorcade in Sirajganj. The arrest took place early Thursday night at his home in Tarash municipal area, and he was later sent to jail through the court on Friday. According to Tarash police, Babul Sheikh was named in the case as an accused in the attack and attempted murder of former BNP lawmaker Abdul Mannan Talukder.

Police sources said the incident occurred on December 12, 2018, during the campaign for the 11th national parliamentary election, when BNP candidate Abdul Mannan Talukder attended a rally at Binodpur Bazar in Baruhas Union. It was alleged that Babul Sheikh and other Awami League activists carried out an armed attack, vandalized vehicles, and detonated explosives. The case was filed much later, on September 11, 2024, by Baruhas Union BNP president Asaduzzaman, naming 99 accused including former Awami League MP Abdul Aziz.

The arrest marks a significant development in a politically sensitive case that had remained pending for several years.

A businessman named Jamal Hossain was seriously injured in Comilla’s Racecourse area after being attacked and shot at allegedly by a local youth gang leader, Akibur Rahman Akib, and 12 others. The incident occurred early Thursday morning when Jamal was on his way to prayers. His wife, Taslima Akhter, filed a written complaint at Kotwali Model Police Station, accusing the group of attempting to kill her husband for refusing to pay Tk 2 million in extortion.

According to the complaint, the dispute began a year earlier over a land purchase by Jamal Hossain. The accused allegedly tried to build a boundary wall on the property and later demanded money to allow its sale. When Jamal refused, they threatened him with death. On the day of the attack, the assailants reportedly abducted him, assaulted him with sharp weapons, and fired a gunshot that missed.

Police confirmed receiving the complaint and said an investigation is underway. The accused denied involvement, while local BNP officials stated that Akib is not affiliated with the party. The victim’s family has demanded swift legal action against all suspects.

The Sylhet district administration has installed a donation box at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran (R.A.) following a similar initiative at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R.A.). On Friday, before the Jumma prayer, Deputy Commissioner Md. Sarwar Alam visited the Shah Paran shrine, delivered a speech at the mosque, and issued directives to ensure transparency in income and expenditure as well as to prevent gatherings involving alcohol or drugs at the shrine premises.

The Deputy Commissioner emphasized the need for a master plan for shrine development, including a medical center, prayer facilities for women, and enhanced security. He stated that donors expect transparency and accountability in the use of their contributions and warned that any misuse of funds or illegal activities would face strict action. He also clarified that the government would not take any share of the shrine’s income, but donations must be collected only through the official boxes.

Earlier, on Thursday, a new donation box was installed at the Shahjalal shrine, and three traditional donation pots were sealed. The administration said the move aims to make the donation process more organized and secure, though some devotees expressed dissatisfaction with the initiative.