DHAKA, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has dispatched postal ballots to 293,147 expatriate voters in different countries over the last eight days to enable them to cast their votes in the 13th National Parliament election and referendum. He said the number of in-country postal voter registrations is expected to increase further. "We hope the number of registered in-country postal voters, including government employees, election duty personnel and voters in legal custody, may reach 10 lakh," he added, noting that expatriate voter registration could exceed six lakh. According to EC sources, postal ballots were sent to 57,360 expatriate voters in various countries on Friday alone, with the highest number-22,000-dispatched to Saudi Arabia. EC officials said Saudi Arabia has received the highest number of postal ballots so far, with 57,343 ballots sent out of the total 293,147 dispatched worldwide.

England 77-2 at tea, need 98 more to win chaotic 4th Ashes TestMELBOURNE, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - England raced to within 98 runs of winning a chaotic fourth Ashes Test Saturday for the loss of Ben Duckett and Brydon Carse as they aggressively chased 175 to clinch a seesawing contest. But they lived dangerously -- Duckett was dropped by Starc off his own bowling on eight and Crawley survived an lbw review on 15. It was the most wickets to tumble on the first day of an Ashes Test since 1909, and eclipsed the 19 on day one of the series opener in Perth. Head was joined by Marnus Labuschagne but he only made eight, caught by Joe Root in the slips off Tongue. Australia have already retained the Ashes after crushing eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane and an 82-run win in Adelaide.

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA). File photoDHAKA, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS) - Eight inbound flights to Dhaka were diverted to alternate airports today as dense fog sharply reduced visibility at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, airport authorities said. Airport officials said safety considerations prompted the diversions after visibility dropped due to heavy fog at the capital's main airport. Of the diverted flights, three were redirected to Shah Amanat International Airport, four landed at Kalkata in India and one was rerouted to Bangkok International Airport, officials confirmed. They said normal flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will resume once weather conditions improve.

US used drone-launched missiles on militants: Nigeria info ministerLAGOS, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Nigerian information minister said the US strikes targeting militants' bases in northwest Nigeria used guided missiles launched from large, medium-altitude drones. "A total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms, successfully neutralising the targeted ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria from the Sahel corridor," the minister, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement. He added that the attack came after "extensive intelligence gathering, operational planning, and reconnaissance", with the participation of Nigeria.

DAKAR, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - More than 1,100 people fleeing insecurity in Mali have crossed into Mauritania this week, the UN refugee agency reported Friday, saying conditions were "difficult" for the newcomers. UNHCR said 7,310 refugees had now fled to Mauritania in the two months since a jihadist blockade upended daily life in Mali's capital Bamako and other regions. Since late October there has been a steady influx of refugees into Mauritania from Mali where the security situation remains "very unstable", according to UNHCR. The agency counted 188 families entering Mauritania this week and 1,161 families since October 24, but added that the actual numbers were probably higher. Most of the newcomers are women and children, with rising numbers of elderly people among the refugees.

LONDON, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - British number one Jack Draper will miss the Australian Open next month as he continues to recover from an arm injury. The world number 10 has not played since withdrawing at the US Open due to bone bruising in his left arm. "It's a really, really tough decision, obviously (with) Australia being a grand slam, it's one of the biggest tournaments in our sport," Draper, 24, said in a video posted on social media. "However, I've had this injury for a long time, I'm at the very, very end stages of the process and to step back on court into best-of-five-set tennis so soon just doesn't seem like a smart decision right now for me and my tennis." Prior to the injury, Draper had enjoyed the best year of his career as he won his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells and broke into the world's top 10 for the first time.

LONDON, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The Cure guitarist and keyboard player Perry Bamonte has died aged 65, the legendary British dark rock band announced on Friday. "It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte," it said. In its statement, The Cure noted he had helped create numerous albums, including "Wish" (1992), "Wild Mood Swings" (1996), "Bloodflowers" (2000), "Acoustic Hits" (2001), and "The Cure" (2004). Led by Smith's plaintive, wailing voice and rich guitar textures, The Cure helped shape Goth rock with albums including 1982's "Pornography", which was full of suicidal imagery. Bamonte was also the bass player in supergroup Love Amongst Ruin, which has released two studio albums.

PORT SUDAN, Sudan, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two soldiers from Chad were killed Friday in an attack by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on a town that sits on the countries' shared border, a Chadian military source told AFP. Since April 2023, Sudan's army and the RSF have been locked in a conflict which has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced nearly 12 million and created the world's largest displacement and hunger crisis. The military source said an RSF drone bombed the Chadian side of the town, killing two soldiers. In the face of RSF attacks against Zaghawa areas, Darfur governor Minni Minawi, who is allied to Sudan's army, called on North Darfur residents to defend themselves. "Do not let your lands be pillaged... or your homes given over to the invaders," he said on social media.

Karatoya Express narrowly avoids disaster after hitting a brick-laden trolley at Shalmarahault station, halting rail traffi. Officer in charge of Bonarpara Railway Thana Kamal Uddin said a brick-loaded trolley got stuck in the middle of two rail tracks while the trolley was crossing the rail lines. At one stage, the train dragged the trolley 300-400 meters along the rail lines, leaving it twisted. Due to the incident, the rail movement on the route was suspended for an hour. Then, the rail staff removed the twisted trolley from the lines in cooperation with the locals and the train movement became normal, said Nazrul Islam, Mohimaganj rail station master.

In 2007, when I left the Edmonton Sun to move to Brandon, there were more than 20 staff photographers between the two daily papers in that city alone. The Brandon Sun had a team of three staff photographers. There are now roughly 50 staff photographers left at newspapers in all of Canada. We try to provide connection between readers within the communities we serve and the stories from those same communities. So that we can all find areas of connection and common ground across vastly different lives.

RANGPUR, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS) - The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) arrested 3,152 people and seized a huge quantity of drugs during 9,910 anti-drug drives conducted across Rangpur division over the last 11 and a half months. Additional Director of the DNC's Rangpur divisional office Md Masud Hossain said the operations were carried out from January to December 15 this year in all eight districts of the division - Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh. Vehicles and cash used in drug trafficking were also seized. He said the DNC is conducting continuous and coordinated operations to curb drug trafficking and prevent the spread of narcotics across the division. Md Masud Hossain said the anti-drug campaign will be further strengthened in future through enhanced coordination with law enforcement agencies and the local administration.

× Expand Photo from Vecchia Gelato & Cafe Facebook page. Vecchia Cafe gelato Vecchia Cafe offers a variety of gelato flavors. Vecchia Gelato & Cafe opened Nov. 10, just a few doors down from their original Vecchia Pizzeria & Mercato. Expand Kelli S. Hewett Vecchia Gelato & Cafe owners Bernie and Brianna Tamburello Benard “Bernie” and Brianna Tamburello, husband and wife restauranteurs. Vecchia Gelato & Cafe, located at 616 Preserve Parkway, Suite 112, is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2.] Volume 2 of Stranger Things Season 5 made way for an epic battle as most of the characters fighting against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) embarked for a do-or-die mission in the Upside Down. The stakes feel higher than ever, and the Duffer Brothers are teasing as much to TV Insider. Let us know your predictions for the Stranger Things series finale in the comments section, and stay tuned for more ahead. Stranger Things, Season 5 Finale, Premiere, December 31, NetflixMore Headlines:

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Lebanon's government on Friday approved a draft law to distribute financial losses from the 2019 economic crisis that deprived many Lebanese of their deposits despite strong opposition from political and banking officials. The draft law is a key demand from the international community, which has conditioned economic aid to Lebanon on financial reforms. It stipulates that each of the state, the central bank, commercial banks and depositors will share the losses accrued as a result of the financial crisis. France, which has repeatedly pledged support for Lebanon's efforts on economic reform, welcomed the passing of the law by the cabinet, calling it "an essential first step towards restoring the confidence of the Lebanese people in Lebanon's banking system". Parliament passed a banking secrecy reform law in April, followed by a banking sector restructuring law in June, one of several key pieces of legislation aimed at reforming the financial system.