Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam has decided not to attend today’s high-voltage T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan in Colombo, reportedly because the Bangladesh national team is not participating in the tournament. According to BCB sources, Aminul returned to Dhaka yesterday morning following an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Kuwait and has decided to remain in the country. Despite attempts to reach him, he did not respond to queries regarding his travel plans. The decision comes despite Aminul’s pivotal role in the recent diplomatic efforts to save the fixture. While PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and ICC Chairman Jay Shah will be in attendance alongside the Sri Lankan board chief, Aminul’s seat will remain empty.

The West Indies became the first team to qualify for the Super Eights phase of the T20 World Cup when they cruised to victory against Nepal by nine wickets on Sunday. After restricting Nepal to 133-8 in their 20 overs, captain Shai Hope’s 61 not out helped his team romp to 134-1 in 15.2 overs in the Group C clash at Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium. Hope reached his fifty off 38 balls and scored three sixes and five fours in all. After Haope won the toss and chose to field, Matthew Forde bowled a magnificent spell of 1-10 from his four overs and removed Nepal captain Rohit Paudel for five. The result eliminates Nepal, which cannot progress further in this year’s T20 World Cup.

Ukraine says ex-minister named in corruption scandal arrested as tried to leave countryKYIV, Ukraine, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Ukraine's NABU anti-corruption force said Sunday it arrested the country's former energy minister German Galushchenko -- who resigned last year during a massive corruption scandal -- as he tried to cross Ukraine's border. "Today, while crossing the state border, NABU detectives have detained the former Minister of Energy as part of the 'Midas' case," NABU said in a statement, referring to a giant corruption scandal in the country's energy sector that rocked Ukraine last year. It did not name Galushchenko in its statement, but he served as the country's energy minister last year and resigned in November.

File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) - The High Court (HC) today directed the authorities to keep all government and non-government lower secondary and secondary schools closed from February 18 in observance of the holy month of Ramadan. However, the court ordered that any scheduled examinations during Ramadan must be held on time. Advocate Mondal along with Advocate Tanjina Boby Liza, moved the plea before the court. Earlier, on January 20, Supreme Court lawyer Md Elias Ali Mondal filed the writ seeking directives to close lower secondary and secondary schools during Ramadan. Prior to filing the petition, legal notices were served on the secretaries of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education on the same issue.

BRATISLAVA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Slovakia on Sunday, continuing his European tour with visits to countries led by right-wing allies of President Donald Trump, with the next stop Hungary. During a visit of several hours in Bratislava, Rubio is scheduled to meet Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, a nationalist leader who has positioned himself as an ally to Trump. Orban's rhetoric and politics often echo those of Trump, and he has cast himself as a European friend of Trump's MAGA movement. Orban has also announced plans to travel to Washington next week to attend the inaugural meeting of Trump's "Board of Peace". US officials said Washington intends to strengthen energy ties with its two right-wing European allies.

“The kid definitely made contact with his glove on the first goal,” Jones said. It was “the same” as Friday night, Jones said. “We definitely couldn't sustain the crispness of our first period,” Jones said. “We just couldn't get out of the second period,” Jones said, who also noted that tonight was “the best” he had seen Union play this year. “We didn't get rewarded for our first period,” Jones said.

GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Gaza's civil defence agency reported that Israeli strikes killed at least 11 people since dawn on Sunday, while a military official said the attacks were carried out in response to violations of the ceasefire. The agency, which operates as a rescue force under Hamas authorities, said one strike hit a tent of displaced people in northern Gaza and another targeted an area in southern Gaza.

26 out of 38 candidates lose deposits in six Khulna constituenciesKHULNA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) - A total of 26 candidates out of 38 contestants in six parliamentary constituencies of Khulna lost their security deposits as they failed to secure the required one-eighth of the total valid votes cast in the election. Six candidates were elected securing the highest number of votes in their respective constituencies, while six others emerged as nearest rivals. According to the results, in Khulna -1, out of 307,103 voters in 120 polling centres, 210,899 votes were cast. Ten candidates in the constituency failed to obtain the required one-eighth of the total votes and consequently lost their deposits. In Khulna-3, out of 254,409 voters in 116 centres, 152,245 votes were cast, marking a turnout of 59.84 percent.

China FM wants to work with Canadian counterpart to 'eliminate interference'MUNICH, Germany, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - China's foreign minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand their two countries should work to "eliminate interference", as they met on the sidelines of a security conference on Saturday. Under a preliminary trade deal announced, Beijing is expected to reduce tariffs on Canadian canola imports and grant Canadians visa-free travel to China. Beijing's top diplomat Wang told his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand on Saturday that their countries should jointly counter "interference", without naming the United States. "China is willing to work with Canada to eliminate interference, restart exchanges and cooperation in various fields," Wang told Anand, according to a readout from Beijing's foreign ministry. China has overturned the death sentence of Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was detained on drug charges in 2014, a Canadian official told AFP in February.

A lifelong resident of Colorado raised in Boulder, he lives in Steamboat Springs, where he and his wife, Denise, raised their two daughters along the Yampa River. Eugene Buchanan: It’s an ode to northwest Colorado’s Yampa River, the last remaining free-flowing tributary to the entire Colorado River Basin that still retains its natural hydrograph. UNDERWRITTEN BY Each week, The Colorado Sun and Colorado Humanities & Center For The Book feature an excerpt from a Colorado book and an interview with the author. The river supports all these uses and more, so I wanted to get a feel for how they all work. SunLit: What did the process of writing this book add to your knowledge and understanding of your craft and/or the subject matter?

We stumbled upon him after rounding a corner below Mantle Ranch during a high-water float trip down Colorado’s Yampa Canyon. We spent the next three hours trying to herd his cattle back across the river, using our kayaks as our caballos. The Yampa is the last remaining free-flowing tributary to the Colorado River that still retains its natural hydrograph. You become especially attuned to it on longer trips, like floating the seventy-one-mile Yampa Canyon run through Dinosaur National Monument, the one stranding our cowboy. Like our hitchhiking cowboy, the Yampa has seen its share of jams over the years—log, cattle, political, and more.

New MPs to take oath Tuesday 10 am; cabinet swearing-in at 4 pm: Asif NazrulLaw, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul. File PhotoDHAKA, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS) – Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul today said the newly elected members of parliament (MPs) will take oath at 10 am on Tuesday. “Most probably — I repeat, most probably — under the current circumstances, the oath will be administered by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC),” he said while briefing reporters at the ministry this afternoon. The law adviser, quoting the BNP party sources, said right after the oath-taking of the MPs, they will elect their leader of the parliamentary team at the same place, adding, “It would probably take place from 11:30 am to 12 noon.”“The oath-taking of the cabinet members will take place on the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building at 4 pm,” he added.

MOSCOW, Feb 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russia's army chief Valery Gerasimov visited Moscow's troops in Ukraine and said the Kremlin's forces seized a dozen eastern villages in February, the defence ministry said Sunday. The pace of Moscow's advance picked up in Autumn, but Russia has not reached its goal to seize the Donetsk region in four years of war. Russia demands that Kyiv withdraw from the Donetsk region for any deal to end the conflict -- terms unacceptable to Ukraine. Moscow's forces are around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from the city. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said Moscow is intent on seizing the whole of the Donetsk region by force if diplomacy fails.

On Sunday morning, Asif Mahmud wrote on Facebook, “We are preparing to form a shadow cabinet. The shadow cabinet will act as a watchdog to ensure transparency and accountability and to oversee overall activities.”What is a shadow cabinet? A shadow cabinet typically consists of opposition members assigned to “shadow” each government ministry. In the United Kingdom, the shadow cabinet regularly monitors government activities and ensures accountability by questioning ministers in Parliament. Analysts note that a shadow cabinet serves as a vital mechanism for ensuring accountability within the democratic process.

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman will visit the residences of Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and NCP Convener Nahid Islam Sunday evening. Tarique Rahman will first visit the residence of the Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer at 7pm and Nahid Islam’s residence at 8pm, BNP Chairman's press wing member Shamsuddin Dider told BSS on Saturday. The visits are intended as post-election courtesy calls following the 13th national parliamentary election held on Thursday. Earlier, during a press conference at a city hotel on Saturday, Tarique Rahman called upon all political forces to remain united for building a democratic Bangladesh. However, I urge everyone to remain vigilant so that such disputes do not transform into revenge or political vengeance," the BNP chairman said.