Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Friday said a complete level playing field exists in Bangladesh’s ongoing election process, asserting that the overall environment remains favorable. “We believe there is a completely level playing field in the election. Candidates are going door to door seeking votes, and the election mood is visible everywhere,” he told reporters during a visit to the Shibbari Temple on AB Guha Road in Mymensingh city. Addressing concerns raised by certain quarters, Shafiqul Alam said there was no visible evidence to support claims of an uneven playing field. During his visit, Shafiqul Alam also visited several shrines in the city, including Bura Pir’s Mazar and the shrine of Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Kalu Shah (R), and condemned attacks on religious sites.

BERLIN, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Bayern Munich vice-captain Joshua Kimmich is expected to miss his side's clash with Wolfsburg on Sunday due to injury, as the Bundesliga resumes amid icy conditions across Germany. "We don't want to take any risks, he should make a complete recovery," Bayern sporting director Max Eberl told German media this week. While Kimmich may miss out, Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is hoping to return to action on Sunday after missing the last game of 2025 due to a thigh injury. 36 - A total of 36 goals have been scored in injury time in the Bundesliga season so far, the most ever after 15 games. Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)FridayEintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund (1930)SaturdayFreiburg v Hamburg, Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim, Union Berlin v Mainz, St. Pauli v RB Leipzig, Heidenheim v Cologne, Bayer Leverkusen v Stuttgart (1730)SundayBorussia Moenchengladbach v Augsburg (1430), Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg (1630)

Instead Stanciu smashed his effort over the bar and second-placed Milan extended their unbeaten league run to 17 matches, although Inter are further away after beating Parma 2-0 on Wednesday. "We should have created a couple of opportunities without exposing ourselves to a counter-attack which almost cost us the match." "We showed that we can have a say, that we have character, and we came very close to winning. Jamie Vardy's goal and assist wasn't enough for Cremonese who threw away a two-goal lead at half-time to draw 2-2 with Cagliari. Promoted Cremonese haven't won in five matches but are nine points above the relegation zone in 13th place.

Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan today spoke while inspecting specially designed 'Voter Gari' at Gor-E-Shahid Boro Maidan in Dinajpur. Fouzul Kabir Khan said that in the past, people were deprived of exercising their voting rights. Fouzul added that if people give their verdict in favour of the reform proposals through the referendum, the reform process will continue. He further said the upcoming national election will be held under a neutral, non-partisan government, ensuring that no one can obstruct anyone from voting. He sought cooperation from all to ensure a peaceful national election.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Paris Saint-Germain beat Marseille on penalties to win a topsy turvy French Champions Trophy in Kuwait on Thursday. With the match only three minutes away from penalties, centre-back Willian Pacho's ill-advised clearance flummoxed his 'keeper as Marseille suddenly seemed set to seal their first silverware since their 2012 French League Cup title. The fixture traditionally between the Ligue 1 champions and French Cup winners has led a nomadic existence over the years as the French Football Federation seeks to promote Ligue 1 beyond its borders. And in Europe, PSG will also be keen to wrap up automatic qualification to the Champions League last 16. With PSG winning both the league and French Cup last season, Marseille owed their presence in Kuwait to being league runners-up in 2024/25, albeit a yawning 19 points behind their arch rivals.

SYDNEY, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - World number two Iga Swiatek defied apartisan crowd to thrash Australian Maya Joint in Sydney on Friday and givePoland the lead in their United Cup quarter-final. Joint is a talent at age 19 but she was blown away by the six-time Grand Slamchampion, Swiatek teaching her a lesson in a 6-1, 6-1 victory in 58 minutes. The 24-year-old Swiatek will be among the favourites when the Australian Openstarts on January 18 and this showed why as she won a third match in a row. Hubert Hurkacz faces home hope Alex de Minaur in the men's singles as Polandand Australia battle for the right to meet reigning champions the UnitedStates in the last four. The United Cup is a mixed-teams competition featuring 18 countries and servesas build-up to the Australian Open.

Iranian protesters on Thursday stepped up their challenge to the clerical leadership with the biggest protests yet of nearly two weeks of rallies, as authorities cut internet access and the death toll from a crackdown mounted. Iranian media and official statements have reported at least 21 people, including security forces, killed since the unrest began, according to an AFP tally. On Wednesday an Iranian police officer was killed west of Tehran trying “to control unrest,” the Fars news agency said. Rights groups have also accused authorities of resorting to tactics including raiding hospitals to detain wounded protesters. “Iran’s security forces have injured and killed both protesters and bystanders,” said Amnesty International, accusing authorities of using “unlawful force.”

During the final hours, from 10am to 12pm, 40 candidates filed appeals with the Election Commission (EC) to challenge the rejection decisions issued by the returning officers. The 13th national parliamentary election is scheduled to be held on February 12, coinciding with a national referendum. In anticipation, prospective candidates submitted their nomination papers for scrutiny. After verification, the EC announced that out of all submissions, 1,842 nomination papers across the country’s 300 parliamentary constituencies were deemed valid, while 723 papers were rejected. Officials at the central booth confirmed that, as of midday on the last day, 40 nomination candidates had filed appeals.

Gunfire was reported from across the Myanmar border in Teknaf, Cox’s Bazar, on Friday morning at the North Para border area of Whykong. The incident follows Thursday evening, when a fisherman named Alamgir, 31, was shot while fishing in the Naf River. He added that Alamgir had been injured by gunfire in the Naf River on Thursday and that the border forces remain on alert. While reaching Bilashi Island in the middle of the river, gunfire suddenly came from the Myanmar side, hitting Alamgir in his left hand. SI Khokon Kanti Rudra of Whykong Police Outpost confirmed that local residents reported gunfire from the Myanmar border on Friday morning.

For millions of Bangladeshis, the United States’ newly announced visa bond requirement represents a significant new obstacle to short-term travel, one that critics say places financial pressure on ordinary citizens while doing little to address the underlying causes of visa overstays. US officials say the measure is intended to discourage overstays by creating a financial incentive to comply with visa rules. Although the bond is refundable, applicants must pay it upfront, often months before travel, and reimbursement can take time even after a timely departure. A tightening travel environmentThe visa bond is part of a broader immigration push under President Donald Trump’s renewed administration, which has included expanded deportations, stricter visa screening, revocations of legal status and increased scrutiny of applicants’ public activity. While US officials insist the bond does not deny entry, analysts say it adds yet another layer of deterrence in an already complex visa system.

The lowest temperature in Bangladesh has been recorded in Panchagarh, as a cold wave driven by icy winds and dense fog from the Himalayas has disrupted public life in the northern district. Motiar, a day labourer from the Mannapara area of Boda Upazila, said working in such weather has become extremely difficult. Mainul, a van driver from the Collegepara area, said dense fog has made driving risky and reduced his income. Nur Nabi, from Naya Dighi in Boda Upazila, said blankets were no longer sufficient to keep people warm. He warned that the intensity of the cold may persist for the next few days due to continued northern winds and dense fog.

SYDNEY, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Swiss resources giant Glencore said Friday it is in merger talks with British-Australian rival Rio Tinto, potentially creating the world's biggest mining group. Glencore said it was in preliminary discussions with Rio Tinto "about a possible combination of some or all of their businesses". The "current expectation" is that Rio Tinto would acquire Glencore by a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement, the Swiss firm said. Shares in Rio Tinto, which confirmed the merger talks in a separate statement, fell 5.1 percent in afternoon trade in Sydney. Rio Tinto said it had until February 5 to announce whether or not it is going ahead with the Glencore merger.

Abul Hashem, Professor of the Department of Zoology at Government Women’s College, said migratory birds coming from the coldest parts of Central Asia stay in marshlands, forests and plains near rivers in Bangladesh. During a visit to Dumuria upazila on Thursday, it was found that large numbers of migratory birds were roaming in paddy fields and wetlands. Meanwhile, indiscriminate hunting of migratory birds has reportedly intensified in Dumuria upazila and several adjoining areas of Khulna, raising serious concern among environmentalists. Environmental organisations have demanded increased public awareness and stronger administrative action to protect migratory birds from poachers, stressing that community-level awareness is crucial to stopping the illegal practice. Dumuria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sabita Sarkar said migratory birds are friends of the environment and protecting them is a collective responsibility.

The information was disclosed on Friday by Professor Dr. Md. Each researcher listed in Scopus is assigned a unique Scopus ID, which stores verified information on their publications and research activities for specific periods. According to the Scopus database, the top 10 researchers of BAU for 2025 are: Prof Dr. Mohammad Mahfuzul Haque, Department of Aquaculture, Prof Dr. Mohammad Jahangir Alam, Department of Agribusiness and Marketing, Prof Dr. Md. Golzar Hossain, Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Prof Dr. Ismat Ara Begum, Department of Agricultural Economics, Prof Dr. Md. Expressing his reaction, Prof Dr. Md.

BREST, France, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The world's oceans absorbed a record amount of heat in 2025, an international team of scientists said Friday, further priming conditions for sea level rise, violent storms, and coral death. The heat that has accumulated in the oceans last year increased by approximately 23 zettajoules -- an amount equivalent to nearly four decades of global primary energy consumption. "As long as the Earth continues to accumulate heat, ocean heat content will keep rising, sea level will rise and new records will be set," said von Schuckmann. - Humanity's choice -Ocean warming is not uniform, with some areas warming faster than others. The tropical oceans, the South Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the northern Indian Ocean, and the Southern Ocean were among waters that absorbed record amounts of heat in 2025.