2 held with local weapons at Jamaat candidate’s Dhaka rally
Two individuals were detained with locally made weapons during an election rally of Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for the Dhaka-7 constituency, Haji Md Enayetullah. They were detained around 9:30pm on Thursday from a rally held on the ground floor of Moulvibazar Tower in Chawkbazar. Confirming the matter to Dhaka Tribune, Chawkbazar Thana Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Md Anisur Rahman, said the individuals were standing at the rally with weapons in their hands. Meanwhile, Sub-Inspector Jalal Uddin, duty officer of Chawkbazar Police Station, told Dhaka Tribune that two individuals had been detained. He added that a meeting was ongoing inside and further details would be shared later.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 23, 2026 08:00 UTC
Press secretary: Public support for ‘Yes’ vote surging nationwide
Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government Shafiqul Alam, has said that a strong wave of public opinion in favor of the "Yes" vote is evident across the country in the upcoming referendum. He said: "People understand that a ‘Yes’ vote will ensure that autocracy, misrule, and oppression do not return to the country. Shafiqul Alam further said: “We believe that a nationwide momentum has developed in favor of the ‘Yes’ vote. Regarding the Buchai Pagla shrine, the press secretary noted: "This is not merely a religious site; it is also a symbol of communal harmony. On the issue of journalists’ safety, the press secretary said: “Any form of attack on journalists must be condemned.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 23, 2026 08:00 UTC
'Illegal gold miners' run residents out of South African settlement
Hundreds of other residents of the area just west of Johannesburg fled two weeks ago, terrorised by violence, extortion and threats they blame on increasingly brazen illegal gold miners. Taking refuge in a community hall 11 kilometres (seven miles) from their homes, the displaced people of Sporong are among several communities living in fear of the several thousand illegal miners estimated to be operating in South Africa. Sporong is an informal settlement about 50 kilometres from Johannesburg, South Africa's economic capital that was built on a gold rush 140 years ago. The illegal miners -- known as "zama zamas" -- are after the riches that lie in the ground beneath their humble homes, said Julian Mameng, one of the residents who opted to leave. Police said on Thursday they would step up operations to flush out illegal miners at Sporong, including deploying two armoured trucks.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 07:37 UTC
Fog and sun in Central Oregon
Weather AlertPeriods of light snow, freezing drizzle and and freezing fog are possible into the early afternoon hours. ...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST MONDAY... Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued an Air Quality Advisory until 10 AM PST Monday. For the Air Quality Advisory, stagnant air conditions will trap smoke and other air pollutants near the ground where people breathe. People can take the following precautions to protect their health: * Follow local burn restrictions to prevent deteriorating air quality. * Avoid using wood-burning stoves and other sources of indoor smoke if possible.
Source:Daily Sun
January 23, 2026 07:23 UTC
Date palm juice trade brings winter prosperity to Rajshahi
Every year from late October, the extraction of date palm sap and production of jaggery begin in the upazilas of Bagha, Charghat and Puthia. Local gachhis (sap extractors) tap date palm trees, collecting sap overnight in earthen pots hung beneath carefully made cuts on the trunks. Rajshahi's Barind tract, along with roadside and field-grown date palm trees, supports extensive production. Nasir Uddin, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said Rajshahi district has 1,108,018 date palm trees. Since ancient times, date palm juice and molasses have remained popular winter delicacies, prompting many farmers to cultivate date palm trees commercially alongside other cash crops.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 07:05 UTC
US seeks to be 'friends' with Jamaat-e-Islami: Washington Post
As the Jamaat-e-Islami readies for its strongest showing at the polls next month, US diplomats are quietly signalling a willingness to engage with the once-banned party, reports The Washington Post, citing audio recordings it says it obtained. “We want them to be our friends,” the official added, asking whether journalists could bring members of the party’s “influential student wing” -- Islami Chhatra Shibir -- onto their programmes. The diplomat, whom The Post said it is not naming for security reasons, downplayed worries that Jamaat-e-Islami would try to force its interpretation of Islamic law on Bangladesh, saying Washington had leverage it was prepared to use. The Jamaat-e-Islami, which once faced political bans, is now “mainstream”, according to Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladesh politics expert at Western Sydney University. Since Hasina’s removal, Jamaat has met with US officials in both Washington and Dhaka, including a virtual meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Source:bd News24
January 23, 2026 05:39 UTC
TikTok establishes joint venture to end US ban threat
WASHINGTON, United States, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - TikTok announced Thursday it has established a majority American-owned joint venture to operate its US business, allowing the company to avoid a ban over its Chinese ownership. The TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC will serve more than 200 million users and 7.5 million businesses while implementing strict safeguards for data protection, algorithm security and content moderation, the company said. ByteDance retains a 19.9 percent stake in the joint venture -- keeping its ownership below the 20 percent threshold stipulated by the law. The joint venture will be governed by a seven-member, majority-American board including TikTok CEO Shou Chew and executives from major investment firms. TikTok executive Adam Presser was appointed CEO of the new entity, with Will Farrell serving as chief security officer.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 05:26 UTC
Will Tk 2,000 cards cost a Tk 1,000 bribe: Nahid
NCP Convenor Nahid Islam has raised doubts over the promised "family cards" if the BNP forms the government, questioning whether benefits would actually reach ordinary citizens. "We are hearing about different cards -- family cards, farmer cards. We want these benefits to reach the people," he said at a Jamaat election rally in Mirpur, Dhaka. To get a Tk 2,000 card, will a Tk 1,000 bribe be needed? Those who promised flats so far have planned evictions and even set fires in slums.
Source:bd News24
January 23, 2026 05:03 UTC
Intel shares plunge on earnings expectations
Intel reported a loss of $600 million on revenue of $13.7 billion in the final three months of last year. That compares with a loss of $100 million on revenue of $14.3 billion in the same period a year earlier. While the depth of losses beat market expectations, Intel's revenue forecast for the current quarter fell far short of what Wall Street analysts were predicting amid recently raised expectations for the company. Shares in Intel soared late last year after AI giant Nvidia announced it would invest $5 billion in its lagging rival. Intel largely missed the smartphone boom and failed to develop competitive hardware for the AI era, allowing Asian manufacturers TSMC and Samsung to dominate the custom semiconductor market.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 04:24 UTC
Bank of Japan keeps key interest rate unchanged
TOKYO, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Japan's central bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 0.75 percent in a policy decision, it said in a statement Friday. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) began hiking rates from below zero in 2024, as figures signalled an end to the country's "lost decades" of stagnation. The monetary status quo was widely anticipated by analysts after a rate hike in mid-December. The bank's decision comes as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi prepares to dissolve parliament ahead of a snap election on February 8. Public discontent over rising prices largely contributed to the downfall of prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, whom Takaichi succeeded in October, vowing to address the issue and shore up the world's fourth-largest economy.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 04:11 UTC
Emotional Sabalenka comes through test to make last 16 at Australian Open
Emotional Sabalenka comes through test to make last 16 at Australian OpenMELBOURNE, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An emotional top seed Aryna Sabalenka survived a thorough examination from Anastasia Potapova before reaching the last 16 of the Australian Open on Friday to keep her on track for a third Melbourne title. The four-time Grand Slam champion needed 2hr 2min to see off the unseeded Russia-born Austrian Potapova 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (9/7) as the temperatures climbed on Rod Laver Arena. Little separated them until the 12th game when Sabalenka turned up the heat to work four set points on Potapova's serve. But the gritty Potapova saved them all and held on to take the set to a tiebreak, where Sabalenka finally took charge. It sparked her to life and she crunched winners to break Potapova twice and open a 3-0 lead in the second set with the Austrian seemingly out of ideas.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 04:09 UTC
Bangladesh face Pakistan today
DHAKA, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS) -Bangladesh women's futsal team, led by skipper Sabina Khatun, face Pakistan in their fifth match of the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, today (Friday). Bangladesh currently top the points table with 10 points from four matches, while Pakistan are placed fifth with seven points from five outings. Bangladesh made a winning start to the tournament, beating India by 3-1 goals in their opening match. Bangladesh will play their last match of the championship against Maldives on Sunday (January 25) at the same venue. The team finishing at the top of the table after all seven rounds of matches will be crowned champions of the SAFF Women's Futsal Championship.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 04:02 UTC
US stocks rally again after Trump backs off Greenland tariff threat
US stocks rally again after Trump backs off Greenland tariff threatNEW YORK, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Global stocks rallied Thursday, lifting US indices for a second straight day after President Donald Trump dialed back tariff threats on Europe over their opposition to a US takeover of Greenland. Wall Street indices, which jumped more than one percent Wednesday after Trump significantly softened his tone on Greenland, finished solidly higher again Thursday. But relief came Wednesday when Trump backed down on threats to seize the Arctic island by force from ally Denmark and retracted his tariff threat. - Trade wars 'biggest concern' -But analysts said there was no guarantee that Europe-US relations had improved durably, a concern that capped gains. "Trade wars are the biggest concern for markets."
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 03:57 UTC
Final death toll from Spain's rail disaster is 45
MADRID, Jan 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Spanish investigators on Thursday found two more bodies in the wreckage of a high-speed train involved in a devastating collision last weekend, later confirming the final death toll as 45. The CID, the official body handling data following Sunday's crash, confirmed the final toll in a statement on Thursday evening. The collision, which also injured over 120 people, was followed by more rail accidents just days later. Transport Minister Oscar Puente vowed to negotiate to have the strike called off and said the two tragedies were unrelated, defending the public transport system. The list of incidents grew on Thursday after a commuter train in the southeastern region of Murcia hit a crane mounted on a truck, causing six light injuries.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 23, 2026 03:55 UTC