Mertens and Zhang win Australian Open women's doubles title
MELBOURNE, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Belgium's Elise Mertens and Chinese partner Zhang Shuai clinched their first Grand Slam women's doubles title as a team Saturday when they downed Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic at the Australian Open. The fourth seeds, in only their seventh event together, were too good for the seventh-seeded Kazakh and Serbian pair on Rod Laver Arena, winning 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. Currently ranked sixth, Mertens will reclaim the women's doubles world number one ranking with the victory. It was a third Australian Open doubles crown for the experienced Belgian, who won in 2021 alongside Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka and again in 2024 playing with Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei. Zhang won the tournament with Australian Samantha Stosur in 2019.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:53 UTC
Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump's Fed pick
LONDON, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with investors reassured by US President Donald Trump's pick to take over as head of the Federal Reserve. Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB trading group, said the "interesting pick... may give the market some hope that Fed independence will be preserved". - A rollercoaster week -Precious metals prices tumbled on Friday after surging in recent days when investors sought a safe haven over doubts about Trump's policies. "The building tensions between Iran and the US have driven Brent crude prices to a six-month high," said Megan Fisher, assistant economist at Capital Economics. "That said, we think that the historical example of last year's 12-day war (between Iran and Israel with US involvement), and a well-supplied oil market, will still bear down on Brent crude prices by end-2026."
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:43 UTC
Trump picks former US Fed official as next central bank chief
Trump picks former US Fed official as next central bank chiefWASHINGTON, United States, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - President Donald Trump said Friday he would nominate former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to be the next US central bank chief, a move that has sparked cautious optimism among observers. Warsh, 55, was the youngest person to serve as a Fed governor, a role he held from 2006 to 2011. Trump considered Warsh for the top Fed job too during his first presidency, but eventually chose Powell -- a decision he quickly soured on. "He cares about the history of the Fed, the process of the Fed, central bank independence, he's talked about this before." Trump's selection ends a race that narrowed to four contenders -- Warsh; Fed governor Christopher Waller; Rick Rieder of BlackRock; and Trump's top economic adviser Kevin Hassett.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:43 UTC
US says all American prisoners released from Venezuela jails
US says all American prisoners released from Venezuela jailsCARACAS, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US authorities said Friday that all Americans known to be held prisoner in Venezuela had been released, a major diplomatic concession from the new leadership in Caracas. "We are pleased to confirm the release by the interim authorities of all known US citizens held in Venezuela," the embassy in Caracas posted on social media. The announcement came hours after the release of Peruvian-American political prisoner Arturo Gallino Rullier. For years, Venezuela has routinely arrested foreigners on a range of charges from spying to plotting attacks. Foreign governments have long alleged the charges were trumped up and the arrests amounted to little more than hostage-taking.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:34 UTC
Kremlin says agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv until Sunday
Kremlin says agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv until SundayKYIV, Ukraine, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Kremlin on Friday said President Vladimir Putin had agreed to stop striking Kyiv for a week -- ending Sunday -- following a request by his US counterpart Donald Trump. Trump had said he asked Putin to halt strikes on the Ukrainian capital and the surrounding area due to extreme cold weather. Russia's battering of Ukraine's energy grid has left whole districts without heating, with temperatures expected to plunge to around -30C in Kyiv in the coming days, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis. This week, Ukraine has not reported the usual large-scale barrage of drones and missiles that Russia has launched at Kyiv throughout the war. "There were no strikes on energy facilities last night," Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media Friday.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:15 UTC
From revolution to repression: Silencing women’s political participation through disinformation campaigns
A recent research, “Disinformation Targeting Female Political Figures in Bangladesh,” investigates how gendered disinformation is produced, circulated, and weaponized against female leaders and student activists in Bangladesh. It reviewed 40 distinct fact-checked reports concerning 12 female student activists, constituting 22.7% of the overall sample. This analysis reveals systematic patterns in gendered disinformation -- several core strategies that work in combination to silence women’s political participation. Disinformation campaigns against female student activists in Bangladesh constitutes deliberate political warfare. Research on gendered disinformation in South Asian contexts demonstrates how attacks often layer gender with ethnicity, religion, and class through digital tools.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 31, 2026 03:08 UTC
Matching skills and talent with labour market needs
International education and cooperation will play an important role. For decades, the European Union has partnered with Bangladesh to strengthen human capital through education and skills development. A central pillar of this cooperation is Erasmus+, the EU’s flagship program for education, training, youth and sport. In this way, Erasmus+ supports systemic reform, helping education institutions become more responsive to labour-market needs, technological change and global challenges such as climate transition. Supporting labour mobility, international skills recognition, and cooperation between education and training systems.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 31, 2026 03:08 UTC
Inclusivity is not charity
Such an initiative offers a glimpse of what Bangladesh can achieve if inclusivity becomes the cornerstone of governance, an area we have struggled with for far too long. With simple arrangements -- ramps, sign language interpretation, clear visual instructions, and seating for senior citizens -- voting can be transformed into an experience of independence and respect for all. It is imperative, however, that such initiatives scale up, not only for inclusive polling, but overall inclusive public service delivery. Such measures would not only empower persons with disabilities but also benefit senior citizens, pregnant women, and others who often struggle with access. Inclusivity is not charity but justice -- ensuring it will only strengthen our society.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 31, 2026 03:08 UTC
France rescues over 6,000 UK-bound Channel migrants in 2025
LILLE, France, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French authorities rescued more than 6,000 migrants attempting to reach Britain in small boats last year, while 25 people died and two remain missing, the maritime prefecture said Friday in its annual report. Despite the dangers, attempts to make the perilous journey in flimsy craft have "not slowed down", said France's maritime prefecture for the Channel and the North Sea (PREMAR). Nearly 50,000 people aboard 795 boats attempted to cross the Channel from France to the United Kingdom in 2025, according to the report. French authorities rescued 6,177 people, while 25 died, it said. The British authorities recorded 41,472 small-boat arrivals in 2025, the second-highest total after a record 45,774 in 2022.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:03 UTC
'Standing up for freedom': Minneapolis proud of peaceful ICE protests
MINNEAPOLIS, United States, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Marchers braving arctic cold to join thousands of others appalled by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis lauded how peaceful the protests have remained despite fury over masked federal agents' arrests and killings. There have been daily noisy protests at the Whipple federal building where ICE agents stage ahead of raids. She added that she was "100 percent" sure federal officers were seeking to provoke local people. There were protest actions and marches in cities across the United States including New York, Boston and Los Angeles. Retiree Lisa Schmid told AFP that Minneapolis would become known as "the city that stood up for freedom."
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 03:03 UTC
Putin meets Iran's top security official as Trump ratchets up tension
Putin meets Iran's top security official as Trump ratchets up tensionMOSCOW, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin met the head of Iran's top security body in Moscow on Friday, the Kremlin said, as Donald Trump sought to force Tehran to make a deal on its nuclear programme. Earlier on Friday, US President Trump said he believed Iran -- a close ally of Russia -- wanted to make a deal on its nuclear programme to avoid military action. Trump also renewed his threat to launch strikes against Iran, which recently imposed a crackdown on protesters that observers said killed thousands. The visit had not been previously announced, according to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. While Iran emerged as one of Russia's main allies during the war in Ukraine, Russia gives Tehran crucial international backing.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 02:53 UTC
US approves nearly $4 bn in Apache war helicopter sales to Israel
US approves nearly $4 bn in Apache war helicopter sales to IsraelWASHINGTON, United States, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The United States said Friday it had approved a $3.8 billion sale to Israel of 30 Apache attack helicopters and related equipment, as a fragile ceasefire is in place in Gaza. The sale was within a new package of nearly $6.7 billion in weapons to Israel, for which President Donald Trump has vowed strong support. Also in the package was a $1.8 billion sale of joint light tactical vehicles. The United States sends billions of dollars worth of military supplies per year to Israel, largely in aid rather than sales. Israel and Hamas reached a US-backed ceasefire in October that largely paused two years of war.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 02:48 UTC
US Senate passes deal expected to shorten shutdown
Senate leaders say the legislation will nonetheless greatly increase the chances that the shutdown ends quickly, potentially within days. Trump publicly endorsed the deal and urged both parties to support it, signaling his desire to avoid a second shutdown of his second term, following a record 43-day stoppage last summer. And a weekend-long stoppage, with a quick resolution in the House on Monday, would have a negligible impact on federal operations. The broader funding fight has left both parties bracing for at least a brief shutdown. The remaining bills fund large swaths of the government, meaning funding for roughly 78 percent of federal operations is set to lapse.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 02:48 UTC
Trump expects Iran to seek deal to avoid US strikes
WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 31, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - President Donald Trump predicted on Friday that Iran would seek to negotiate a deal rather than face American military action, despite Tehran warning that its arsenal of missiles would never be up for discussion. "I can say this, they do want to make a deal," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "We have a large armada, flotilla, call it whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now," Trump said, referring to a US naval carrier group in waters off Iran. One senior Gulf official in touch with the Trump administration said that the United States was closely guarded on what it has planned. - 'Reducing' tensions -Iran has warned that it would respond instantly with missile strikes against US bases, ships and allies, notably Israel.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 02:38 UTC
US approves approves major arms deals to Israel, Saudi Arabia
WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 31, 2026 (AFP) - The United States on Friday approved multibillion-dollar weapons sales to both Israel and Saudi Arabia, at a point of high tensions with Iran. The State Department said it green-lighted a $3.8-billion sale of 30 Apache attack helicopters to Israel, which has agreed to a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. The United States sends billions of dollars worth of military supplies per year to Israel, largely in aid rather than sales. Tensions are high elsewhere in the region as the United States deploys a major military contingent in waters near Iran. The State Department also approved a $9-billion sale to Saudi Arabia for 730 Patriot missiles, which are used to defend against incoming attacks.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 31, 2026 02:28 UTC