MELBOURNE, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A clinical Jessica Pegula dumped defending champion and good friend Madison Keys out of the Australian Open on Monday to surge into the quarter-finals. Pegula, who is chasing an elusive Grand Slam title after reaching the US Open final in 2024, made three consecutive Melbourne quarters between 2021-2023. But it was well-deserved with Keys, who stunned heavy favourite Aryna Sabalenka in last year's final for her maiden Slam title, tense and out-of-sorts. She consolidated by holding to take a firm grip on the set with Keys winning just three points in three games. Despite mustering some late fight there was no way back for the deflated defending champion as Pegula emphatically sent her packing.

EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed spoke at a briefing held at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon area. DHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has asked that complaints over violations of the electoral code of conduct against any candidate be filed directly with the concerned returning officers or Election Enquiry Committees (EEC) for quicker resolution. EC Secretariat Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said this today while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon area. He said if the same complaint is submitted directly to the EEC or the returning officers, it can be resolved more quickly. "The counting of postal ballots may take a little longer," he added.

Special holiday for workers in industrial areas on Feb 10DHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - The government has declared a special holiday for workers and employees in industrial areas on February 10 next. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notification to this end today. The notification said the special holiday has been declared for workers and employees of industrial areas so that they can exercise their voting rights. Earlier, the government also announced holidays on February 11 and 12 (Wednesday and Thursday) on the occasion of the 13th national election and referendum.

Many char people have achieved self-reliance by raising cows, goats, sheep and poultry in the sandy char areas. According to local people and experts, the livestock sector has been a boon for improving the living standards of char people since the implementation of the 12-year (2004-2016) Comprehensive Char Livelihood Programme (CLP) in 10 northern districts. Under the programme, extremely poor households of Kurigram, Bogura, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Pabna and Tangail districts received assistance to successfully boost the livestock sector at the family level. The comprehensive CLP activities eradicate extreme poverty of the have-nots group households through animal husbandry and various IGAs to improve their livelihoods, life standard and change socioeconomic conditions. Md Mamunur Rashid, a PhD Fellow in the Department of Agricultural Extension at Haji Mohammad Danesh University of Science and Technology, said the animal husbandry sector continues expanding fast on char areas bringing fortune to char people.

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against 41 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in two separate murder cases over the killings of truck driver Md Hossain and CNG autorickshaw driver Sabuj in Mohammadpur of the capital during the July uprising. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jamsed Alam passed the order on Monday, after taking cognisance of the charge sheets submitted in the two cases. Court sources said police charge sheets were accepted against a total of 64 accused in the murder cases filed with the Mohammadpur police station. As 41 of the accused, including Sheikh Hasina, are absconding, the court issued arrest warrants for them following an application by the prosecution. Arrest warrants were issued against Sheikh Hasina in both cases, as she remains absconding.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus addressed senior army officers at the army headquarters on Monday morning. Photo : CA's Press WingDHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus addressed senior officials of the Armed Forces at the Army Headquarters here this morning. The Chief Adviser's Press Wing said.

DHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has directed presiding officers and other responsible officials to arrange adequate lighting at polling and counting centers to facilitate smooth voting in the upcoming National Parliamentary Elections and the Referendum. It has also asked to ensure alternative lighting arrangements in advance in case of power outages. To guarantee voters' right to vote freely and confidentially, the EC directed that designated secret rooms (marking places) be set up in each polling center. No candidates, their election agents, polling agents or supporters will be allowed to use any type of vehicle to transport voters to the polling centre. The EC emphasized that all instructions must be strictly followed on polling day.

Through this, people of the northern region will be able to receive advanced medical services within their own area," he said. Alongside general medical services, the hospital will provide specialised treatment in departments such as nephrology, cardiology, oncology, and neurology. As a result, a large segment of the district's population is being deprived of timely access to specialized and emergency healthcare services. Currently, healthcare services in the district mainly depend on the 250-bed Nilphamari General Hospital and primary healthcare centres at the upazila level. Consequently, patients suffering from serious and complex illnesses have to be referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) or Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

MELBOURNE, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - United States players are dominating the women's draw at the Australian Open after Amanda Anisimova on Monday made it four Americans in the singles quarter-finals for the first time in 25 years. Anisimova defeated China's Wang Xinyu in straight sets and plays fellow United States title contender Jessica Pegula in the last eight in Melbourne. Half of the women left in the draw are from the United States, and one is guaranteed to reach the last four. The last time four or more American women made the singles quarter-finals of the Australian Open was in 2001 with Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles and Lindsay Davenport. Jovic has the stiffest task of the United States quartet, coming up against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

File photoDHAKA, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS) - The Election Commission (EC) has asked the authorities concerned to count votes at the polling centres and send reports to the Returning Officers, according to a circular issued by the EC on Saturday. The Returning Officer will consolidate the results of each constituency in line with the Representation of the People Order (RPO). To this end, an ‘Election Results Collection and Presentation Centre’ will be set up at the EC Secretariat. These centers will be open from the morning of the polling day until the final results reach the EC Secretariat, the circular said. In addition, reports on the conditions of the polling centres and constituencies will be collected and reported to the Commission.

Musetti vows to push Djokovic 'to his maximum' in Melbourne quartersMELBOURNE, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Lorenzo Musetti vowed Monday to push Novak Djokovic "to his maximum" after setting up an Australian Open quarter-final against the 24-time major champion. Djokovic, a 10-time winner in Melbourne, will have the benefit of an extra day's rest. I feel ready to try to push him to his maximum." Beating Fritz propelled Musetti, 23, into the last eight at Melbourne for the first time, with clay and grass his usual forte. Musetti will face Djokovic without his coach and physio who have had to leave Melbourne for family reasons.

LONDON, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Irish no-frills airline Ryanair on Monday announced a sharp drop in net profit for its third quarter, weighed down by a hefty fine from Italy's competition authority. Profit after tax stood at 30 million euros ($36 million) in the three months to the end of December compared with 149 million euros one year earlier, the Dublin-based carrier said in a statement.

MEXICO CITY, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - At least 11 people were killed and 12 more wounded Sunday in an armed attack at a soccer field in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, local authorities reported. The attack occurred in a neighborhood in the town of Salamanca, with officials in the mayor's office saying in a statement that they had launched an operation to find those responsible for the assault.

YANGON, Myanmar, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Myanmar's dominant pro-military party has won junta-run elections, a party source told AFP on Monday, after a month-long vote that democracy watchdogs dismissed as a rebranding of army rule. "We won a majority already," a senior official from the Union Solidarity and Development Party said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to share preliminary results. "We are in the position to form a new government."

JERUSALEM, Jan 26, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United Nations' agency for Palestinian refugees said Sunday that its partially demolished headquarters in east Jerusalem was set on fire. The agency, UNRWA, did not offer details on the cause of the incident at their premises, which Israeli authorities seized and began dismantling last week after banning the organisation from operating in the country in 2025. "After having been stormed and demolished by the Israeli authorities, the UNRWA Headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem has now been set on fire," the agency said in a statement. Its compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem has been empty of staff since January 2025, when the law banning its operations took effect. Israel accuses UNRWA of providing cover for Hamas militants, and a series of investigations found "neutrality-related issues" at the agency but held that Israel had not provided conclusive evidence.