Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he secretly helped smuggle thousands of Starlink receivers into Iran to maintain internet access during anti-government protests. He made the statement on Tuesday at the annual policy conference organized by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) in Jerusalem. According to Bennett, the plan aimed to assist protesters as Iran’s authorities often cut internet connections during demonstrations.

Bennett explained that the initiative sought to ensure communication among demonstrators even when the government shut down the internet, enabling them to coordinate actions against the regime. He alleged that the program was halted after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government took office, which prevented the establishment of necessary infrastructure for later protests.

Reports indicate that the protests in Iran, which began late last year and intensified in January, resulted in numerous deaths. However, Bennett’s claim about smuggling Starlink receivers into Iran could not be independently verified.

Gulf countries are demanding clear security assurances from the United States in any future agreement with Iran. The issue has gained prominence during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s current visit to the United Arab Emirates, following recent conflicts in which Iranian counterattacks targeted several Gulf nations. During the war, the UAE faced around 2,800 missile and drone strikes, underscoring its vulnerability.

After his UAE visit, Rubio is scheduled to travel to Kuwait, where key infrastructure such as airports, commercial ports, and desalination plants were also attacked during the conflict. Kuwait considers these facilities critical, as nearly 90 percent of its drinking water comes from desalination plants. The Gulf states view the Strait of Hormuz as strategically vital for their oil and gas exports.

They are therefore seeking U.S. commitments that any future U.S.-Iran deal will include measures to secure the Strait of Hormuz and ensure regional stability, reflecting their heightened security concerns after recent hostilities.

The national task force formed to combat mosquito-borne diseases will carry out regular inspection and monitoring operations in residential and institutional areas of Dhaka to eliminate Aedes mosquitoes during the monsoon season. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam announced the initiative while visiting several establishments on roads 107 and 112 in Gulshan-2 as part of the task force’s anti-dengue campaign.

During the visit, the minister urged city residents to keep their balconies, flower pots, rooftop gardens, and surroundings clean to prevent mosquito breeding. Dhaka North City Corporation’s Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes said the corporation has launched a three-month program focusing on awareness and cleanliness in every household. He also requested public cooperation in removing stagnant water from homes and rooftops.

As part of the operation, Executive Magistrate Marufa Akter Neli fined the owner of Choice Restaurant on road 107 Tk 50,000 for finding mosquito larvae, with a two-month jail term in default. Awareness activities including loudspeaker announcements, leaflet distribution, and sticker campaigns were also conducted.

The Australian government has signed a humanitarian assistance agreement with UNICEF to improve the living standards of Rohingya refugees and local communities in Bangladesh. The signing ceremony took place on Wednesday at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Dhaka, where Australian High Commissioner Susan Ryle and UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, Sheldon Yett, signed the $16 million (approximately 1.37 billion taka) agreement. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed attended the event and expressed gratitude to Australia for its continued support.

According to the report, the agreement is part of Australia’s 2026–2028 humanitarian aid package worth 370 million Australian dollars (about 31.62 billion taka) for Rohingya and local populations in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Since 2017, Australia has provided a total of 1.26 billion Australian dollars (around 107.7 billion taka) in humanitarian assistance to address the regional crisis. UNICEF will use the new funds to support education, nutrition, child protection, and safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services for Rohingya and host communities.

The Home Minister expressed hope that such international cooperation would continue until the voluntary, safe, and dignified repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar becomes possible.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that a certain group is attempting to destabilize the country. Speaking to the media on Wednesday at the BNP central office in Naya Paltan, Dhaka, he said the government will counter such efforts with the support of the people. Rizvi also stated that those accusing others of new fascism are themselves exhibiting fascist tendencies through their actions.

He added that the judicial process concerning the July massacre is progressing at its own pace and that the government is committed to completing the trial. Referring to the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit to China, Rizvi highlighted the BNP’s historical ties with China and expressed optimism that the visit would help reduce the investment gap. He said the Prime Minister would make timely decisions prioritizing national interests in investment matters.

The remarks came amid ongoing political discussions on governance, justice, and foreign investment priorities, as reported from the BNP headquarters.

A record-breaking heatwave sweeping across Europe has caused a major power outage in northwestern France, leaving around 68,000 households without electricity. Authorities said it was the country’s first large-scale power disruption in recent times linked to the ongoing extreme heat. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. Tuesday near Ergué-Gabéric in the Brittany region’s Quimper area, when a transformer fault disrupted the power transmission system. No casualties were reported.

According to the Finistère department administration, the malfunction was related to unusually high temperatures. Power transmission and distribution companies RTE and Enedis worked overnight to restore supply, but full service was expected only by the end of Wednesday. At the peak of the outage, about 106,000 customers across France were without power as the country faced one of its hottest days of the year.

Finistère is among 58 French departments under a maximum “red alert” for extreme heat. Meteorological forecasts warned that temperatures could reach 39 to 41 degrees Celsius from Brittany to the Paris region, with experts linking the persistent heat to atmospheric conditions and global warming.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into major oil companies for allegedly failing to reduce gasoline prices in line with falling crude oil costs. The directive came Wednesday amid criticism over the impact of the Middle East war on fuel prices. According to AFP, global energy prices surged after Iran blocked oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S. and Israeli attacks in February.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that large oil companies were not lowering pump prices even though they were paying much less for crude, accusing them of overcharging consumers. Gasoline prices remain a sensitive political issue in the United States, where most people rely on fossil-fuel vehicles for transportation. The controversy comes as congressional elections approach in November.

Economists have disputed Trump’s repeated prediction that fuel prices would drop “like a rock” after the conflict ended, saying it could take months for prices to return to prewar levels. Although a preliminary U.S.-Iran deal has reopened oil transit through Hormuz, pump prices remain higher than before the war.

Mercantile Bank Limited held its 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually from its head office on Wednesday. The meeting approved the balance sheet for the year ending December 31, 2025. Chairman Md. Anwarul Haque presided over the session, while Managing Director Matiul Hasan delivered the welcome address. Senior directors, independent directors, deputy managing directors, and shareholders joined the meeting online.

In his remarks, the chairman credited the bank’s 2025 achievements to customer trust, regulatory support, and collective efforts. He highlighted progress in technology adoption, improved risk management, and a significant reduction in non-performing loans. He also emphasized strengthening financial foundations and adopting forward-looking policies to safeguard shareholder interests.

Managing Director Matiul Hasan presented the bank’s 2025 performance and 2026 plans, reaffirming a commitment to reduce default loans and expand cashless banking. The bank reported an earnings per share (EPS) of Tk 1.10, a net asset value per share (NAVPS) of Tk 24.35, and a net operating cash flow per share (NOCFPS) of Tk 5.95 for 2025.

The traditional Dashahara Ganga Bath festival of the Sanatan Hindu community was held on the banks of the Pagla River at Kansat in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. From early Wednesday morning, thousands of devotees from different districts gathered to take part in the ritual bath seeking purification and spiritual renewal. The daylong event featured worship of Goddess Ganga, prayers, recitation of the Gita, and devotional songs.

As in previous years, the festival took place at the end of the Bengali month of Jaishtha, drawing large crowds to the Ganga Ashram and Gujarghat areas. Alongside the bathing rituals, a rural fair was organized featuring stalls selling cosmetics, wooden furniture, clay items, religious materials, and food. The kirtan performances added a festive atmosphere to the occasion.

Organizers said the event has been celebrated at this site since ancestral times, maintaining religious tradition and community participation. Local authorities and police ensured maximum security, deploying volunteers, village police, and law enforcement teams to manage the crowd and maintain order throughout the festival.

New York City council member Zohran Mamdani achieved notable success in the Democratic Party’s primary elections held on Tuesday, as all three candidates he endorsed secured victories. Among them, Daryaliza Avila Chevalier won in the 13th congressional district, Claire Valdez triumphed in the 7th, and Brad Lander defeated incumbent Dan Goldman in the 10th district. Analysts said the results signal possible shifts within the Democratic Party and the rise of a new political current ahead of the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential race.

Mamdani joined the winners in celebration, emphasizing the need for new ideas and alternative leadership in the current political climate. The Israel–Palestine issue also influenced the primaries, with several candidates criticizing U.S. policy toward Israel. Brad Lander called for a clearer Democratic stance on the matter. However, not all progressive contenders succeeded, as mainstream-backed Micah Lasher won in New York’s 12th district, and a centrist candidate led in Utah.

The primaries also stirred debate within the Republican Party, where questions arose about Donald Trump’s influence after several of his endorsed candidates failed to secure nominations.

Omar Faruk, a 26-year-old from Ukhrashal village in Katiadi upazila of Kishoreganj, died in a gas cylinder explosion in Albania. His body arrived in Bangladesh on Wednesday morning and was buried in the family graveyard after funeral prayers. Faruk had gone to Albania about two years ago seeking better financial prospects and worked as a factory worker at NCP Company. The fatal explosion occurred on May 24 in the Sihadcity area of Albania.

Family sources said Faruk was the youngest of four brothers and two sisters and a key support for his family. His sudden death has cast deep sorrow over relatives and neighbors, with the entire village mourning his loss.

The incident highlights the risks faced by Bangladeshi migrant workers abroad and the emotional toll on families who depend on them for livelihood and hope.

Bangladesh’s State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Bobby Hajjaj, announced that the government has initiated extensive reforms to modernize the country’s primary education system. The plan aims to make education more skill-based and child-friendly by incorporating Japan’s successful experience in curriculum development, teacher training, and administrative efficiency. He made the remarks during a meeting in Dhaka with a high-level delegation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), led by Chief Representative Takahashi Junko.

The minister said a new curriculum is being developed with special emphasis on civic education, sports, cultural studies, mathematics, and science for grades four and five. He highlighted Japan’s globally praised civic education model as an inspiration for instilling responsibility, discipline, ethics, and civic values among Bangladeshi students. Plans were also revealed to gradually establish “Math Labs” in primary schools to make mathematics learning more engaging and technology-driven, with JICA’s technical support.

As part of broader structural reforms, Bangladesh is reviewing the education administration systems of Thailand and Turkey to enhance accountability, performance evaluation, and monitoring standards to international levels.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tareq Rahman met with Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s Summer Davos in China on Wednesday morning. The meeting took place at 10:15 a.m. local time, where both leaders discussed ways to deepen bilateral relations and agreed to establish permanent diplomatic missions in Dhaka and Astana.

During the discussion, the two prime ministers emphasized the importance of regular meetings to enhance political, business, and people-to-people connections. Prime Minister Bektenov expressed optimism about expanding trade and investment engagement between the two countries. The meeting also covered potential cooperation in skilled labor exchange, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, technology, agribusiness, and food processing.

Bektenov sought Bangladesh’s support for Kazakhstan’s proposal to establish a specialized United Nations agency on water diplomacy, which Rahman confirmed Bangladesh supports. Bangladesh’s foreign minister, foreign affairs adviser, and additional press secretary were present at the meeting.

A new survey by think tank More in Common, shared with The Guardian, shows that three out of every five Britons aged 18 to 28 would vote to rejoin the European Union if given the chance. The poll of 440 young people found that 60 percent support returning to the EU, while only 9 percent prefer staying outside. Among those likely to vote in a potential second referendum, support for rejoining rises to 81 percent. The survey also reveals that half of Generation Z respondents believe Brexit has failed, with only 16 percent calling it a success.

More in Common’s executive director Luke Tryl said Brexit was a formative political event for many young Britons who were too young to vote in 2016 but remember the campaigns and debates vividly. He noted that while most young people see Brexit as a failure, many blame political mismanagement rather than the idea itself. The survey indicates that young Britons’ main concerns now include living costs, affordable housing, jobs, and climate change.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that demographic changes since 2016, including the replacement of older pro-Brexit voters with younger pro-EU ones, may have reduced the Brexit majority.

The Bangladesh High Commission in the Maldives has launched several initiatives to ensure an easier, safer, and more affordable remittance system for Bangladeshi migrant workers. On June 23, a key meeting was held at the Bank of Maldives headquarters between Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Dr. Md. Nazmul Islam and the bank’s CEO and Managing Director Mohamed Shareef. Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on migrant welfare, legal remittance flows, and broader economic collaboration between the two countries.

Discussions focused on developing a direct financial transaction channel between the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) and the Bangladeshi taka (BDT) to enable faster and cheaper money transfers. The meeting also explored expanding financial inclusion for Bangladeshi workers, enhancing bilateral banking ties, and establishing potential credit facilities. Both parties emphasized that a sustainable financial cooperation framework could boost trade, investment, infrastructure, and food security.

The Bank of Maldives CEO praised the contributions of Bangladeshi workers and expressed a positive stance toward providing effective and user-friendly financial services for them.