RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Asian Winter Games, due tobe held in Saudi Arabia in 2029, have been postponed, the Olympic Council ofAsia (OCA) and the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee said in a joint statementon Saturday. "The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the (OCA) have agreed on anupdated framework for future hosting of the Asian Winter Games, confirmingthe postponement of the 2029 edition to a later date to be announced in duecourse," the bodies said. These competitions are designed topromote winter sports... while providing additional preparation time tosupport wider regional representation at future Asian winter events," thestatement added. South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that the OCA asked Korean Sport &Olympic Committee (KSOC) president Ryu Seung-min if the country would bewilling to replace Saudi Arabia. China also staged the Asian Winter Games in its northern city of Harbin inFebruary.

WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - President Donald Trump said a US "armada" was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was watching Iran closely, even after downplaying the prospect of imminent military action and saying Tehran appeared interested in talks. Addressing the WEF on Thursday, Trump said the United States attacked Iranian uranium enrichment sites last year to prevent Tehran from making a nuclear weapon. The commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards had also warned Washington Thursday that the force had its "finger on the trigger." The group is sanctioned as a terrorist entity by countries including Australia, Canada and the United States, and campaigners have long urged similar moves from the EU and Britain. -Giving their first official toll from the protests, Iranian authorities on Wednesday said 3,117 people were killed.

Once the RO logs in the software developed for voting through postal ballots, they will be able to view and know the overall picture of the number of voters registered for voting by postal ballot and the votes cast through postal ballots for the respective parliamentary constituency, the circular said. Based on the number of voters registered for postal voting, the ROs of each constituency will use one box for every 400 ballots (ballot envelopes). Receipt and Preservation of Returned Postal Ballot Envelopes Received by Post:The RO will assign one officer to receive and preserve postal ballots received from the postal department. Postal Ballot counting activities:For counting postal ballots, a constituency-wise counting room must be prepared at the office of the RO or at another convenient location. Regarding expatriate voter registration, Salim Ahmad Khan, Team Leader of the ‘OCV-SDI’ project, told BSS that most postal ballots have already reached to expatriate voters, and expatriates are casting their votes and submitting postal ballots at post offices.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam today spoke to journalists while campaigning in the Shahjadpur area of the capital. Photo: BSSDHAKA, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS) - National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam today said voters have become more aware and no longer believe political promises that lack practical feasibility and accountability. Nahid, also Dhaka-11 constituency candidate, said people are increasingly skeptical of such claims because they have heard similar promises in the past that were never fulfilled. Referring to the upcoming election and the simultaneous referendum, Nahid described the vote as a historic opportunity to change the country's course. Nahid said if they elected to parliament, the alliance would implement reforms and address long-standing local problems.

NEW YORK, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Americans stripped supermarket shelves Friday ahead of potentially "catastrophic" winter weather that threatened at least 160 million people across the country with transportation chaos, blackouts and life-threatening cold. The massive storm system was set to drop a mix of freezing rain and heavy snow starting Friday evening on its days-long march across the continental US. State officials there vow the grid is in better shape than it was five years ago, when it failed during a deadly winter storm and left millions without power. The southern state's Republican Governor Greg Abbott told journalists the grid "has never been stronger, never been more prepared and is fully capable of handling this winter storm." New York's Zohran Mamdani was set to face his first major test as mayor -- the city famously makes early judgments of newly elected leaders based on winter storm response.

"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan," Trump told the US outlet, referring to NATO allies. Trump also repeated his suggestion that NATO would not come to the aid of the US if asked to do so. UK defence minister John Healey posted on X that the British troops who died were "heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation". UK Armed forces minister Al Carns, who served five tours in Afghanistan, said Trump's comments were "utterly ridiculous". Mark Atkinson, Director General of the veterans' charity, The Royal British Legion, said the service and sacrifice of British troops in Afghanistan "cannot be called into question".

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday called on voters to support the party in the upcoming parliamentary elections and the national referendum, promising to establish a corruption-free, terrorism-free, extortion-free, and just Bangladesh if given the opportunity. Speaking at a election rally at Altafunnesha Playground in Bogura city, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said Jamaat does not work alone but aims to unite all stakeholders to build a secure nation. The Jamaat leader also highlighted development plans for Bogura, including establishing a university, organizing international-level events at Chandu Stadium, and improving civic infrastructure. Central and local leaders, including members of Islami Chhatra Shibir, NCP, LDP, and BDP, also addressed the gathering. At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Shafiqur handed over party election symbols to candidates from seven constituencies and urged voters to cast their ballots for them.

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a controversial plan to rebuild Gaza, promising coastal tourism, high-rise buildings, industrial zones, and 500,000 new jobs, without consulting Palestinians, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The so-called “Board of Peace,” chaired by Trump and including Jared Kushner, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, is set to oversee the reconstruction. The plan claims to create $25 billion in investment and raise Gaza’s GDP to $10 billion by 2035. Gaza, devastated by Israeli bombardments since October 2023, has seen over 80% of its infrastructure destroyed, leaving 2.3 million residents displaced and basic services in collapse. Hamas rejected the plan, stating that Palestinians would not accept it, while Trump described it as a business-like and entrepreneurial approach to reconstruction.

A pedestrian was killed when a bus struck him in Khilgaon on Saturday morning. The deceased, Mohammad Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, 60, a real estate businessman, lived with his family in a house on Donia Graveyard Road in Jatrabari. Relatives said he was crossing the road in front of the Khilgaon Police Outpost around 11:30 am when he was hit by a Sakura bus. Khilgaon police rescued him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s emergency department around 2:45 pm, where doctors declared him dead. Inspector Mohammad Faruk, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, said the body was kept in the hospital morgue.

Snow and heavy rain have killed 61 people in Afghanistan in the past three days, disaster officials said on Saturday, with a major road and power also cut in several provinces. The emergency department in the southern province of Kandahar said six children were killed when the roof of their home collapsed in strong wind and heavy rain on Wednesday. The Salang highway, one of Afghanistan’s main roads, has been closed, authorities in Parwan province north of Kabul said. The heavy snow and rain also destroyed shops and killed livestock in different parts of the predominantly rural country. “Snow and rain, when managed properly, contribute positively to Afghanistan’s environment and livelihoods,” the Kabul Times daily wrote in an editorial.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney hit back Thursday at President Donald Trump’s inflammatory claim at the World Economic Forum that “Canada lives because of the United States.”“Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian,” Carney responded in a national address in Quebec City ahead of a new legislative session, even as he acknowledged the “remarkable partnership” between the two nations. A government source told AFP Monday that Canada will not pay to be on the board, although Carney had indicated he would accept an invitation to join. “Canada lives because of the United States. On Thursday, Carney said Canada was not under any “illusions” about the precarious state of global relations.

The ICC has announced that Scotland will replace Bangladesh at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. 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. Scotland has been called up to take Bangladesh’s place in Group C, joining England, Italy, Nepal and the West Indies. "The ICC’s assessments concluded that there was no credible or verifiable security threat to the Bangladesh national team, officials or supporters in India. Scotland are the next-highest ranked T20I team that had originally missed T20 World Cup qualification.

DHAKA, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS)- Motivated Bangladesh women's team take on Maldives in their last match of the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship scheduled to be held at Nonthaburi Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand tomorrow (Sunday). The match kicks off at 1 pm (BST). Earlier, Bangladesh made a winning start in the tournament beating India by 3-1 goals in their opening match. On the other hand, Maldives suffered 11-1 defeat to India, 5-0 defeat to Nepal, 3-1 defeat to Pakistan, 4-2 defeat to Bhutan and conceded 7-6 defeat to Sri Lanka. The table toppers at the end of all seven rounds of matches will be crowned the SAFF Women's Futsal champions.

Ukraine says second round of talks in Abu Dhabi endsPhoto: CollectedABU DHABI, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A second round of trilateral talksbetween Ukraine, Russia and the US to halt the war, ended in Abu Dhabi onSaturday, a Ukrainian negotiator's spokeswoman told journalists. "Yes," responded Diana Davitian, a spokeswoman for Rustem Umerov, Ukraine'stop negotiator, to a question whether the meeting had ended. Russian state news agencies had reported that the Russian delegation returnedto its hotel.

Mendonca Filho spoke with AFP from Recife, his hometown in northeasternBrazil, where he received the news of the Oscar nominations. Mendonca Filho lavished Moura with praise, saying "he's a great actor, agreat artist and a great person. -"Brazilian cinema reconnected with the current with Lula's election in 2022,after four years in which culture, practically speaking, was extinguished inBrazil," Mendonca Filho said. I think the reaction is largely due to thehistorical moment the United States is going through," Mendonca Filho said. -"I don't see any obligation to make political films," Mendonca Filho said.