Founded in Switzerland in 1911, Ebel was the brainchild of a husband-and-wife team that brought complementary skills to their working partnership. Indeed, the revolutionary quartz watch movement that followed a decade later was a direct outgrowth of that era. At the dawn of World War II a few years later, Ebel was contracted by the British military to produce watches for its service members, and it did so throughout the war. Today, Ebel watches are sold online and through Movado stores and other watch outlets, mostly in the low four-figure range. There are certainly more prominent watch lines out there, but not many are as immediately recognizable as Ebel.

WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Over 600,000 customers in the United States were without power early Sunday as a massive winter storm surged from Texas to the northeast of the country, the PowerOutage.com tracking site showed. The southern states of Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana had the most residential and commercial customers without electricity, each with over 100,000, after the storm dumped snow and freezing rain across the region.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin. File PhotoDHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS) - Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin today said foreign diplomats in Bangladesh have expressed full confidence in the Election Commission's ability to hold a free, fair, neutral, and credible 13th national parliamentary election. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after meeting diplomats from various embassies and missions at the Westin in the capital's Gulshan area at 12:15 pm. Nasir Uddin added, "They also conveyed their full confidence in the commission regarding a free and fair election. Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) briefed foreign diplomats stationed in Bangladesh on preparations for the upcoming national parliamentary election and referendum in a meeting that began at 10:00 am at the Westin Hotel's Ballroom in Gulshan.

It was formally announced on Saturday that Bangladesh will no longer compete in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refused to participate in the tournament per the published match schedule. According to estimates, Bangladesh stands to lose between $300,000 and $500,000 (approximately 3.6 to 6.7 crore BDT) in participation fees for the group stages alone. The BCB could lose as much as $27 million (approximately 325–330 crore BDT), which amounts to nearly 60% of its annual income. With deadlines approaching and tensions rising, the situation places Bangladesh cricket at a critical crossroads — balancing principle, player welfare, and financial sustainability. The final outcome could have long-lasting implications not just for Bangladesh, but for the broader dynamics of international cricket governance.

DHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS) - The Advisers Council Committee on Social Safety Net Programmes today finalized the number of beneficiaries and allowance rates for 15 social safety net programmes for the fiscal year 2026–27. Of them, 5.995 million elderly persons will receive Taka 700 per month, up from Taka 650, while 205,000 persons aged above 90 years will receive Taka 1,000 per month. The disability allowance and education stipend programme will cover 3.6 million persons with disabilities in the 2026–27 fiscal year. Of them, 3,581,900 beneficiaries will receive Taka 900 per month and 18,100 beneficiaries will receive Taka 1,000 per month. It was further recommended to include the VGF programme under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock as a social safety net programme.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: CollectedVILNIUS, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskysought more air defence support from allies on Sunday as hundreds ofbuildings in Kyiv were without heating in freezing temperatures for a secondday after Russian strikes. "There are currently 1,676 high-rise apartment buildings in Kyiv withoutheating following the enemy's attack on Kyiv city on January 24," said mayorVitali Klitschko. In Vilnius, Zelensky was taking part in a ceremony to commemorate the 1863uprising in Poland and Lithuania against Tsarist Russia. Still, Zelensky said the negotiations were "constructive", and both sideshave agreed to meet in Abu Dhabi again next week.

Photo: CollectedLAHORE, Pakistan, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Pakistan left out express pacerHaris Rauf from the 15-man squad named Sunday for next month's Twenty20 WorldCup jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Rauf is also the highest wicket-taker for Pakistan in T20I cricket with 133in 94 matches. Another pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was declared fit and included in the squadwith Naseem Shah and relatively inexperienced Salman Mirza the other fastbowlers in the squad. In the final build-up for the World Cup, Pakistan will face Australia in athree-match T20I series in Lahore on January 29, 31 and February 1. Squad: Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, FakharZaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, SahibzadaFarhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq

Photo: CollectedPERTH, Australia, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Josh Inglis blasted a six to seala crushing six-wicket victory for the Perth Scorchers and their record sixthBig Bash League T20 title over the Sydney Sixers in Perth on Sunday. It was a final between the two most successful clubs in BBL history, with theSixers chasing their fourth title. The Sixers were making their return transcontinental trip to Perth in thespace of six days, having stumbled in the qualifier. Steve Smith, Josh Philippe and Moises Henriques were all dismissed for 24,and the Sydney Sixers were bundled out for a below-par score on the finalball of their 20 overs. Jhye Richardson supported Payne with three wickets for 32 as the Scorcherskept a tight rein on the Sixers' scoring.

With support from UNESCO’s Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF), Somosti established the support desk under the project titled “Enhancing Legal Support System to Strengthen Media Protection”, in partnership with journalists and legal aid organizations. Mir Masruruzzaman, executive director of Somosti, spoke on the background and structure of the support desk. Dr Susan Vize said the Journalist Support Desk is a timely and highly important initiative that will help journalists carry out their duties safely and professionally. “In the context of Bangladesh, this initiative will ensure timely legal support for journalists, and UNESCO and GMDF will continue to support this effort moving forward,” she said. Through the support desk, journalists will receive prompt advice and necessary referral support if they face cases, legal complications, or harassment.

Mark Tully. Photo: CollectedNEW DELHI, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Veteran BBC correspondent Mark Tully, known to millions as the broadcaster's "voice of India" for covering defining moments across the subcontinent, died on Sunday aged 90, the BBC said. Tully, who died in New Delhi, covered the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war and the demolition of the Mughal-era Babri mosque in Uttar Pradesh in 1992. Tully was awarded the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, among India's highest civilian honours, and rarely bestowed on foreigners. Britain also knighted him for his services to broadcasting and journalism in 2002 - a recognition Tully would later describe as "an honour to India".

DHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh's 2026 economic outlook balancespotential growth (around 5 percent) with structural challenges with inflationexpected to ease gradually, according to the Economic Update and Outlook(January) published by the General Economics Division (GED) of the PlanningCommission. General inflation rose further in December 2025 to 8.49 percent from 8.29percent in November, driven by accelerating food prices amid persistentlyhigh non-food inflation. Food inflation increased from 7.36 percent to 7.71 percent during the period,while non-food inflation remained elevated at 9.13 percent. Overall rice inflation declined from 12.26 percent in November to 11.92percent in December, with medium rice inflation easing from 10.96 percent to10.48 percent, fine rice from 15.43 percent to 14.84 percent, and coarse ricefrom 11.04 percent to 10.92 percent. While price inflation rose by 0.20 percentage points, wage inflationincreased marginally from 8.04 percent to 8.07 percent.

Officially election campaign began on January 22 and will continue till 12 midnight on February 10 as all types of polls campaigns must be terminated 48 hours before polling. Written permission shall be obtained from the appropriate authority regarding the schedule and venue of the public meeting, but a written copy of the permission of the public meeting shall be submitted to the local EC office. No procession, public meeting or any showdown shall be held with any bus, truck, boat, motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle during the poll campaign. No election campaign shall be conducted in mosques, temples, pagodas, churches or any other religious places of worship and in any government office or educational institutions. No one shall use any force or spend money to influence voters for or against any rival candidate, according to the election code.

After 34 years, Bangladesh is returning to a political instrument that has historically carried both promise and controversy — the referendum. The interim government has described the referendum as a decisive step toward political reform and democratic renewal. The last referendum in Bangladesh was held in 1991, when voters overwhelmingly supported a return to parliamentary democracy following a mass uprising. That vote is often cited as a rare example of a referendum emerging from popular pressure rather than executive initiative. Rather than voting on these issues individually, voters must approve or reject the entire reform agenda through a single “Yes” or “No” choice.

With talk of Bangladesh’s turnaround as a nation, we cannot afford to treat our railway system as an afterthought. However, for our railway network to thrive, it also requires maintenance and giving it the importance it deserves. Railways are also central to our climate commitments as they consume far less energy than road transport and can significantly reduce emissions. Bangladesh’s future itself depends on how seriously we treat our railway system. With an election looming, we expect the next government to prioritize our railway network to truly thrive and reach its full potential to serve the nation.

Bangladesh is approaching a historic crossroads as it prepares to hold a long-awaited parliamentary election, alongside a national referendum, scheduled for February 12, 2026. It represents a critical test of democratic renewal, institutional credibility, and national reconciliation, not only for the people of Bangladesh, but also for the global community closely watching its trajectory. Any compromise on neutrality, however minor, would risk eroding public confidence and reigniting political tensions. The inclusion of a national referendum alongside the parliamentary election further elevates the stakes. The maturity shown by political actors in 2026 will determine whether this election becomes a moment of national healing or another chapter of division.