RABAT, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Elias Achouri's double helped Tunisia ease to a 3-1 win over Uganda in their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday. Ellyes Skhiri headed in an early opener and FC Copenhagen winger Achouri then scored twice either side of half-time in a game played in relentless rain in Rabat. We got three goals and we wanted to start the competition in the best possible way," Achouri said. Achouri then took centre stage, doubling the lead with a lovely cushioned finish from an Ali Abdi cross as the interval approached. Uganda were well beaten but salvaged some pride when Omedi scored in stoppage time, his shot finding the net via a big deflection off Tunisian defender Yan Valery.

Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said Tuesday Bangladesh manages its ties with India by keeping economic interests distinct from political rhetoric, with trade-related decisions driven by competitiveness and national interest rather than diplomacy. Dr Salehuddin stressed that Bangladesh has never pursued punitive trade measures against India for political reasons. On the broader state of Bangladesh–India relations, Dr Salehuddin acknowledged that political rhetoric, particularly during periods of heightened political activity, can sometimes appear strained. “Political rhetoric is common, especially in public discourse. Highlighting Bangladesh’s regional outlook, Dr Salehuddin said the country believes strongly in regionalism and constructive engagement with all neighbours.

There are no words that can truly describe the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das. Mob violence has been arguably the biggest issue over the past year and a half in our country, yet the latest incidents have defied all belief. That a young man’s life could be extinguished in such a frenzy is truly the worst of humanity, an act of barbarism. There is no other way of saying this: The state has failed to protect its people and its institutions from the scourge that is mob violence with astonishing frequency. We simply cannot continue to live in a society where mob violence is the norm.

The Election Commission (EC) has banned the approval, announcement, foundation stone-laying and inauguration of development projects ahead of voting, aiming to ensure a free, fair and influence-free national parliamentary election and referendum. The directive was issued in a letter signed by EC Deputy Secretary Mohammad Monir Hossain on Wednesday. According to the letter, voting for the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum is scheduled for February 12. Officials and employees of local government institutions are also barred from being engaged in election activities under any circumstances. The EC warned that any violation of the Rules of Conduct of Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections, 2025 will invite punishment under Rule 27 of the code.

For years, “Indo-Pacific” sounded like a distant diplomatic riddle -- a slogan crafted in polished conference rooms, drifting over maps and PowerPoints but never quite touching the ground beneath our feet. Strategic ambiguity is not indecision, it is careful maneuvering, a deliberate balance between competing forces. Above all, strategic ambiguity anchors Bangladesh in long-term economic logic rather than the fleeting allure of diplomatic flattery. In an era where influence is currency, ambiguity is power -- and power is the tool that will allow Bangladesh to stay upright in the squeeze of the Indo-Pacific. The squeeze is real, and the pressure will only intensify.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has appointed Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury of the Appellate Division as the 26th chief justice of Bangladesh. Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury was born on May 18, 1961. Justice Chowdhury enrolled as a lawyer in the judges’ court in 1985 and in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court in 1987. The newly appointed chief justice is scheduled to take oath at Bangabhaban on December 28. Under the constitution, the incumbent 25th chief justice, Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed, will retire on December 27 upon attaining the age of 67.

The government has reduced customs duty on the import of dates by 40% ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, aiming to ensure adequate supply and keep prices within the purchasing capacity of general consumers. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said the existing customs duty on date imports has been lowered from 25% to 15%. In addition to the duty reduction, the NBR highlighted that amendments were made in the last budget to the provisions related to advance income tax (AIT) at the import stage. Under the revised rules, the AIT applicable to the import of all fruits, including dates, has been reduced from 10% to 5%. Moreover, the 50% concession on advance income tax for date and fruit imports, which was introduced last year, has been retained for the current year as well, the revenue authority said.

Railway coaches have also been booked. Metropolitan BNP President Mamunur Rashid Mamun said two additional railway coaches have been allocated for city activists. Rajshahi District BNP Convener Abu Sayeed Chand said the highest turnout is expected from Rajshahi-6 constituency (Bagha–Charghat), with around 4,000 to 5,000 activists travelling to Dhaka. Four pairs of special trains will operate on Thursday from other locations in the West Zone: Panchagarh–Dhaka, Chatmohar–Dhaka, Jessore–Dhaka, and Khulna–Dhaka. Approval has been sought for a Natore–Dhaka special train, but permission has not yet been granted.

MELBOURNE, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Off-spinner Nathan Lyon is determined to fight his way back into the Australian team after undergoing surgery for a torn hamstring, coach Andrew McDonald said. The 38-year-old faces an extended period on the sidelines after damaging his right hamstring saving a boundary on day five of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide. McDonald said Lyon remained a key part of their plans as reports speculated that his 141-Test career could be over. It is the second serious injury Lyon has sustained in two years after being ruled out of the previous Ashes series against England with a calf injury picked up at Lord's in 2023. He had surgery on Tuesday, but was expected to be with the team during the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne starting Friday.

MELBOURNE, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Emotional captain Ben Stokes Wednesday said protecting England players' welfare was his top concern amid claims of excessive drinking on a mid-Ashes beach break, without directly addressing the allegations. Stokes, whose team have already lost the Ashes, said his main concern was the players' mental welfare and to ensure they were ready for the Melbourne Test starting Friday. "I'm obviously aware of the reports and everything circulating around right now," Stokes said. "My main concern right now is my players, and how I handle this moment right now is the most important thing to me. Asked directly whether his teammates had "done anything wrong in Noosa", Stokes replied: "I've just answered everything there."

DHAKA, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS) - The World Bank has approved $150.75 million to help Bangladesh scale up support to create employment opportunities for the low-income youth and microentrepreneurs with a focus on women and those living in climate-vulnerable areas. The additional financing to the Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) Project will create employment and income opportunities for about another 176,000 youth across Bangladesh, in addition to the earlier 233,000 project beneficiaries. The country also faces challenges in job quality, skills shortages and mismatches,” said Gayle Martin, World Bank Acting Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. The financing will help the project expand its coverage beyond urban centers to rural communities, ensuring that marginalized youth and microentrepreneurs across the country can benefit from targeted support. With this additional financing, the World Bank’s total support to the RAISE project now stands at $350.75 million.

For weeks I’ve been querying friends about their family traditions around Christmas Eve and Day. Family food traditions around the holiday season are remarkably enduring, with many families carrying on traditions started by great-great grandparents. “My daughter-in-law is Portuguese, and has brought great seafood dishes and a custard tart that the Chinese side of the family shares as well. But on Christmas Eve, the tradition is creamed chicken, a dish “I grew up with at my grandmother’s annual Christmas Eve parties , and she is still the one making it even though it’s just her and my family now. I knew then and there I had to figure out how to weasel my way into being invited for Christmas Eve.

MOSCOW, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two police officers were injured in an "incident" in Moscow near where a senior Russian general was killed this week, authorities said on Wednesday, with local media reporting that an explosion occurred. Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was "establishing the circumstances of an incident in southern Moscow that injured two traffic police officers". The statement on Telegram added that investigators were inspecting the scene and carrying out forensic analysis including "medical and explosive examinations". Sarvarov had been the head of the Russian General Staff's training department. Kyiv has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks but has not commented on Monday's incident.

SEOUL, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two North Korean prisoners of war held by Ukraine have expressed their desire to start a "new life" in South Korea, according to a letter seen by AFP on Wednesday. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. Previous reports have indicated that the two men, held captive by Kyiv since January after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, were seeking to defect to the South. "We firmly believe that we are never alone, and we think of those in South Korea as our own parents and siblings and have decided to go into their embrace," they wrote. The letter is signed by the two soldiers, whose names AFP has been asked to withhold to protect their safety.

DHAKA, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS) - The government has reduced the existing import duty on the import of dates by 40 percent to ensure adequate supply and keep prices affordable for consumers during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. The NBR also noted that advance income tax at the import stage on all fruits, including dates, was reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent in the last national budget through amendments to relevant regulations. Moreover, the existing 50 percent rebate on advance income tax on dates and other fruit imports has been extended for this year as well. Officials said the combined reduction in customs duty and advance income tax is expected to significantly lower import costs, ensuring steady supply and preventing any unusual price hikes in the domestic market during Ramadan. The NBR expressed optimism that these measures will help keep the market price of dates within the purchasing capacity of general consumers throughout the holy month.