Photo: CollectedPERTH, Australia, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Stan Wawrinka launched the final season of his career with a marathon 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5) win to give Switzerland an unassailable 2-0 lead over France at the United Cup on Saturday. The 40-year-old held off Arthur Rinderknech to join team-mate Belinda Bencic as a winner after she began the tie 6-2, 6-4 over Leolia Jeanjean. The three-time Grand Slam champion sealed victory on his first match point and said: "It's amazing to have such support on my first time here. The United Cup has 18 nations and is a mixed-team event that serves as build-up to the Australian Open this month. Also Saturday, in Sydney, Zhang Zhizhen led China to a 2-1 win over Belgium to begin their tournament.

Collected photoCARACAS, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Venezuela accused the United States of an "extremely serious military aggression" after explosions rocked the capital Caracas in the early hours of Saturday following a months-long pressure campaign by President Donald Trump. US media outlets including Fox News and CBS News reported that the United States was conducting military strikes on the Caribbean country, in a dramatic escalation that Venezuelans had feared for weeks. Explosions were also heard in La Guaira, north of the capital, where Caracas's airport and port are located. The Venezuelan leader also declared a state of emergency. "Alerting the whole world that they have attacked Venezuela," leftist leader Gustavo Petro wrote on social media platform X.

BRISBANE, Australia, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Madison Keys said Saturday that she was trying to embrace the extra pressure that comes with starting the year's first Grand Slam as defending champion. The world number seven said that while she felt the weight of expectation heading into her title defence in Melbourne this month, she is determined to enjoy it. Brisbane, which acts as build-up for the Australian Open, features seven of the world's top 10 women. If the draw goes according to the seedings Keys will meet world number one Sabalenka in the quarter-finals. Keys has a first-round bye and will play either compatriot McCartney Kessler or Colombian Emiliana Arango in the second round.

The workshop took place at the conference room of the office of the Department of Fisheries, Khulna Division. In many cases, he noted, the gap between income and expenditure after harvest remains very small, making shrimp farming less profitable. He expressed the view that adopting environment-friendly and sustainable farming practices could effectively address this problem. Deputy Director of the Department of Fisheries, Khulna, Bipul Kumar Basak, delivered the welcome address. Discussants said that several practical challenges hinder the expansion of environment-friendly shrimp farming in coastal regions.

Swiatek says women's tennis does not need 'Battle of the Sexes'SYDNEY, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek on Saturday said she saw little point to the "Battle of the Sexes" match and that women's tennis has nothing more to prove. It bore little resemblance to the era-defining 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" encounter between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. "I think the name was just the same as the one from the Billie Jean King match in '73. There were no more similarities because I feel like women's tennis stands on its own right now. "We have so many great athletes and great stories to present, we don't necessarily need to compare to men's tennis.

The nomination paper of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman for the Bogura-6 constituency was declared valid on Saturday. Returning Officer Md Toufiqul Rahman announced the decision on Saturday morning after scrutinising nomination papers at his office. The nomination of Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidate Principal Abidur Rahman Sohel was also declared valid for the seat. Tarique Rahman’s nomination papers for the Dhaka-17 and Bogura-6 constituencies were submitted on Monday to contest the upcoming national election from the two seats. Earlier, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said Tarique would contest the parliamentary election from Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 as part of the party’s election strategy.

The Muslin fabric trade flourished, and thus started the interwoven history of the Buriganga and fashion. The popularity of Muslin started to decline, however, as British textiles and machine-made clothes became commonplace. Garments’ and other factories started to pop up on the banks of Buriganga and release massive amounts of waste into the river. Hazaribagh, a neighbourhood built on the banks, accounts for 95% of the country’s tanneries which release about 22,000 cubic litres of toxic waste into the Buriganga everyday. Despite turning into a toxic cesspool, the one thing that remains constant is its service to locals.

The nomination of Tasnim Jara, an independent candidate for the Dhaka-9 constituency and a former leader of the National Citizen Party, has been declared invalid. Tasnim Jara said she would appeal the decision to the Election Commission (EC). After the rejection, Jara told reporters that she had collected more than the required 1% of voter signatures to qualify for nomination. However, while verifying ten signatures, the Election Commission found issues with two, leading to the cancellation of her nomination. It may be noted that on Monday, Tasnim Jara submitted her nomination papers as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-9 constituency.

In the video, Mahdi Hasan, district member secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Habiganj, is seen arguing with OC Abul Kalam inside the police station. In the footage, Mahdi Hasan is heard saying: “We reformed the government through our movement. Responding to the allegations, Mahdi Hasan said his remarks were made “in the heat of the moment” and described them as a slip of the tongue. She said that, according to the OC, Nayan had been brought to the police station for questioning. Student movement leaders later presented photographs and videos claiming that Nayan had supported the student movement, during which the exchange seen in the video took place.

Eight of those 10 will come at Lynah Rink, all consecutively, beginning Friday night against the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Walsh represented the United States Collegiate Selects at the 2025 Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, a group that made a deep (and surprising to many) run to the championship game. He also played a large role on the Selects’ top penalty kill unit, and added a goal and an assist in the Spengler Cup final. But an unfortunate instance of scheduling will result in Cornell hosting three straight home weekends while Cornell students are away for winter break. Sophomore Marc Lajoie is another imposing figure on the blueline for Omaha, standing a towering 6-foot-6, matching Cornell sophomore defenseman Luke Ashton as one of the tallest active.

TEHRAN, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A member of an Iranian paramilitary force was killed during a demonstration in the country's west, the Mehr news agency reported on Saturday, the seventh day of economic protests that have expanded to include political demands. "Ali Azizi, a member of the Basij, was martyred after being stabbed and shot in the city of Harsin during a gathering of armed rioters," Mehr said, citing a statement from the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the military that oversees the Basij.

CARACAS, Jan 3, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday declared a state of an emergency over what his goverment called an "extremely serious military aggression" by the United States on the capital Caracas. Multiple explosions, accompanied by sounds resembling aircraft flyovers, were heard around the city, an AFP journalist reported. "Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people," Maduro's government said.

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