The United Arab Emirates has firmly denied claims that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the country amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. The denial came after Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office reportedly stated that Netanyahu had secretly traveled to the UAE and met with its president, sparking renewed debate over regional diplomacy and security.

In an official statement released through the state news agency WAM, the UAE dismissed the reports as completely baseless, clarifying that no visit by Netanyahu or any Israeli military delegation had taken place. The statement emphasized that the UAE’s relations with Israel are transparent and based on the Abraham Accords, not on any secret communications or undisclosed agreements. It further urged international and regional media to refrain from spreading unverified or politically motivated information.

The episode highlights the growing importance of information management and diplomatic messaging in the tense Middle Eastern environment, where misinformation can quickly influence regional perceptions and political narratives.

Talks between the United States and China may take on new dimensions as the Iran conflict becomes a key topic. A potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leaders is expected to include the Iran crisis among the long list of mutual interests and disagreements. US officials have suggested that China should play a more active role in pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts believe that in exchange for helping to resolve the crisis, Beijing may seek significant diplomatic concessions from Washington. Experts suggest that China could bring the Taiwan issue to the center of the discussions, pressing the US to take a clearer stance against Taiwan’s independence. According to Inderjeet Parmar, professor of international politics at City, University of London, China may use its influence over Iran as leverage in this negotiation.

Observers note that the Middle East’s instability has evolved beyond a regional issue, becoming a new arena for US–China geopolitical bargaining. The future of the Iran conflict and the Strait of Hormuz may thus depend not only on Tehran and Washington but also on Beijing’s strategic calculations.

Iran officially bid farewell to its national football team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A large public ceremony took place at Enghelab Square in Tehran, where thousands of supporters gathered to wish the team success. The event featured enthusiastic fans waving national flags, chanting slogans, and applauding as players appeared on stage wearing red and black tracksuits.

During the ceremony, Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said that the national team players would represent the people, the nation’s warriors, and leaders on the world stage. Some attendees carried placards commemorating former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed during wartime. The gathering was seen as a symbol of national unity and patriotism ahead of the global tournament.

The farewell event underscored the strong public support for Iran’s football team as it prepares to compete in the 2026 World Cup, reflecting both sporting enthusiasm and national pride.

Police in Satkania upazila of Chattogram arrested four young men on Wednesday night over allegations of gang-raping two teenage schoolgirls. The victims were rescued from a hilly area during an operation conducted around 7:30 p.m. with the help of local residents. The arrests were made by 11 p.m., according to police sources.

Authorities identified the detainees as Md. Saiyad (15), Md. Rakib (20), Md. Manik Islam (20), and Abdur Rahim (18), all residents of different areas within Satkania. Police said one of the victims is a ninth-grade student and the other is in eighth grade. The incident caused widespread concern in the area, prompting an operation led by Additional Superintendent of Police Ariful Islam Siddiqui.

Police took the four suspects to the station around midnight and are preparing to file a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. Officials stated that efforts are underway to identify any additional suspects and to ensure necessary support and protection for the victims.

Former law adviser and Dhaka University law professor Dr. Asif Nazrul has claimed that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman was a student of the university’s law department. In a recent Facebook post, he stated that Rahman enrolled in the 1985–86 academic session and attended classes for about two months. Nazrul said he personally knew of this as he was a senior student in the department at that time.

According to Nazrul, several of Rahman’s classmates later became prominent figures, including former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, environmental activist and former adviser Rizwana Hasan, and Supreme Court Justice Farah Mahbub. He added that Rahman’s studies were discontinued, possibly due to security concerns during the strict rule of then-President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, amid allegations linking Ershad to the assassination of former President Ziaur Rahman.

Nazrul’s post comes amid ongoing public debate over whether Tarique Rahman was ever a student of Dhaka University’s law department.

Former cultural affairs adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki has criticized what he calls 'selective inclusion' and biased historical narratives in Bangladesh’s cultural sphere. In a verified Facebook post, he said the country’s arts, literature, and cinema have long been shaped around a specific political narrative, leaving many significant political and historical events underrepresented. He questioned why major figures and episodes such as General Osmani’s absence at the surrender ceremony, Maulana Bhashani’s political role, or the actions of the Rakkhi Bahini have not been adequately portrayed in mainstream creative works.

Farooki argued that issues like enforced disappearances, political violence, and oppression have not inspired strong fictional works in Bangladesh, unlike in Latin America. He attributed this to a cultural framing that deems certain topics as unacceptable or unprogressive, discouraging artists through social labeling and funding barriers. He also claimed that a division between 'high' and 'low' culture has portrayed one political group as progressive and others as regressive, allowing 'fascism' to persist socially.

Farooki described the political changes of 2024 as the beginning of a cultural shift and said he left a detailed 'note to successor' outlining recommendations for reforming the cultural ecosystem.

Local authorities in Bordeaux, France, have ordered more than 1,700 passengers and crew aboard the cruise ship 'Ambition' to remain on board following concerns of a possible norovirus outbreak. The vessel arrived at the port on Tuesday, with French health officials reporting that at least 50 people showed symptoms of the virus. Operator Ambassador Cruise Line confirmed that 48 passengers and one crew member were suffering from gastrointestinal illness during the 14-night voyage.

The cruise began its journey from Belfast on Friday and Liverpool on Saturday, with illness cases reportedly increasing after the Liverpool boarding. A 92-year-old passenger died on Sunday, though the company stated the individual showed no signs of gastrointestinal illness, and the cause of death awaits a coroner’s report. In response, the operator has implemented enhanced sanitation measures, including frequent disinfection, modified dining services, and hygiene awareness campaigns.

A medical team and sanitation consultants have been dispatched by Bordeaux authorities to collect samples for testing at Bordeaux University Hospital. Results are expected within six hours, and passengers will remain confined until investigations conclude and clearance is granted.

Reports published Wednesday revealed that during the ongoing war with Iran, the heads of Israel’s two main intelligence agencies secretly visited the United Arab Emirates in recent months. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to the UAE at least twice in March and April, meeting senior Abu Dhabi officials to discuss wartime coordination. Israeli sources confirmed Barnea’s visits, though they were not officially announced. Around the same period, Shin Bet chief David Zinio also visited the UAE to strengthen cooperation between Israeli and Emirati security agencies.

The reports said the coordination covered intelligence sharing, missile and drone interception, and target selection against Iran. Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE had secretly carried out strikes inside Iran, including on an oil refinery on Lavan Island, though Abu Dhabi did not claim responsibility. Iran later retaliated with missile and drone attacks on the UAE and Kuwait.

According to the UAE Defense Ministry, Iran launched about 550 ballistic and cruise missiles and over 2,200 drones at the UAE, making it the most targeted Gulf state during the conflict.

Jahangirnagar University witnessed widespread protests after an alleged attempted rape of a student from the 51st batch by an outsider on campus. On Wednesday night, more than two thousand students gathered in front of the proctor’s office demanding the resignation of Professor A K M Rashidul Alam. The protest began around 10:10 p.m. near the female dormitory area under the banner of general female students and later drew participation from students across all departments. The torch procession moved through key campus roads before ending with a large rally at the proctor’s office.

During the demonstration, students chanted slogans condemning sexual violence and accusing the current proctorial administration of failing to ensure safety for female students. Protesters claimed that several serious incidents had occurred during the current administration’s tenure without effective action. They declared that they no longer wanted the proctor to remain in office.

After a brief rally in front of the old registrar building, students surrounded the facility and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the university administration to ensure visible justice for the accused, vowing to continue their movement until their demands are met.

Ariful Islam Adib, senior joint convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), said the government has failed to ensure the safety and livelihood security of citizens as killings, robberies, extortion, and terrorist activities have sharply increased across the country. He made the remarks on Wednesday afternoon at a citizens’ human chain organized by NCP’s Tejgaon zone in front of Ananda Cinema Hall in Farmgate, Dhaka, protesting the rising child mortality rate, weak vaccination system, and deteriorating law and order.

Ariful described the current child mortality rate as alarming and called for immediate and effective measures to control it. He urged accountability from the interim government, the Ministry of Health, and related authorities through departmental investigations. Expressing concern over recent killings in Gazipur and rising crimes in Dhaka and other regions, he appealed to the Home Minister to prioritize law and order improvements. He also demanded diplomatic action to stop border killings of Bangladeshi citizens.

Representatives from social organizations, including the Disappearance Prevention Commission, expressed solidarity with the protest, urging the government to strengthen healthcare, vaccination, and citizen security measures.

Dr. Atiq Mujahid, joint convener of the NCP and Member of Parliament for Kurigram-2, stated that the entire government rice procurement system is controlled by syndicates. Speaking at a seminar titled “Farmers’ Outcry During Rice Procurement Season: Crisis and Way Forward” held at the NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka, he said middlemen benefit while farmers suffer under current policies. He warned that the issue has become one of sovereignty rather than just food security.

Other speakers at the event, including NCP joint convener Sarowar Tushar, criticized the government for failing to support farmers affected by untimely rains and poor procurement policies. They urged the introduction of agricultural insurance, direct rice purchases from millers, and early price announcements to help farmers negotiate better. National Labour Force convener Mazharul Islam Fakir blamed government officials for delays in seed distribution, while National Health Alliance convener Dr. Shadrul Alam emphasized ensuring transparent and accessible agricultural loans.

Speakers collectively accused the government of negligence and called for accountability and policy reform to protect farmers’ livelihoods.

Israel has been identified as the most negatively viewed country in the 2026 Global Country Perception Ranking, according to a new international survey. The study, conducted by research organization Nira Data, analyzed opinions from 46,667 respondents across 129 countries and three international organizations. North Korea, Afghanistan, and Iran followed Israel on the list of least positively perceived nations.

The survey attributes Israel’s declining global image to the ongoing war in Gaza, large-scale displacement of Palestinians, food shortages, and rising violence in the occupied West Bank. Allegations of international law violations by human rights groups, UN experts, and international courts have further worsened perceptions of the country. In contrast, Switzerland topped the list of most positively viewed nations, followed by Canada, Japan, Sweden, and Italy.

The United States also saw a sharp drop in its global standing, now ranking among the five most negatively viewed countries. Analysts linked this decline to President Donald Trump’s foreign policies, strained NATO relations, trade disputes, and Washington’s role in the Iran-Israel conflict.

Police in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar, arrested Nazem Uddin, the recently expelled joint secretary of Kakara Union BNP and former general secretary of Ward No. 2 BNP. The arrest took place around noon on Wednesday in the Pulerchhara area of Kakara Union. Law enforcement officials stated that the arrest was made based on a court-issued warrant and carried out following a tip-off.

According to Chakaria Police Station sources, a team led by Sub-Inspector Sujon Barua conducted the operation that resulted in Nazem Uddin’s detention. The officer-in-charge confirmed that the arrest was executed strictly under the court’s directive, and the accused has since been sent to court after completing necessary legal procedures.

Although Nazem Uddin had already been expelled from the BNP, his arrest has sparked discussions and criticism within the local political sphere. However, no immediate reaction from local BNP leaders was available at the time of reporting.

Stakeholders have recommended holding the next Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in January and the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination in June instead of December. The opinion was shared during a meeting at the Ministry of Education in Dhaka on Wednesday, attended by Education Minister Ehchanul Haque Milan. The ministry is expected to announce a final decision soon.

Earlier, the minister had proposed conducting both public exams by December 2026, which drew widespread reactions. To address the concerns, the ministry held the meeting with education experts, parents, and school heads from various districts who joined virtually. Many participants warned that advancing the exams by four months could cause severe mental pressure on students and suggested a gradual adjustment of the academic calendar.

The education minister later told reporters that most stakeholders wanted the SSC exams to begin at the end of January and the HSC exams around June. He emphasized that the ministry aims to align the academic year to end in December while avoiding disruption to students’ progress and reducing session backlogs.

The Bangladesh women's football team is conducting a 15-day training camp in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of their preparation for the upcoming SAFF Women's Championship. The tournament will begin on May 25 in Goa, India, where Bangladesh aims to win the title for the third consecutive time. On May 11, Bangladesh played their first preparatory match against Kasem Bundit, a club from the Thailand Women's Football League, and secured a 2–0 victory.

The team is scheduled to play their second warm-up match on May 17 against Bangkok Sports School Club, a second-division Thai side. Under coach Butler, the players are undergoing intensive training sessions before the match. Following the conditioning camp, the squad will depart for India on May 21 to participate in the championship.

Bangladesh has been placed in Group B alongside host India and the Maldives. The defending champions will start their campaign on May 29 against the Maldives and face India on May 31 in the group stage.