The government has reduced customs duty on the import of dates by 40% ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, aiming to ensure adequate supply and keep prices within the purchasing capacity of general consumers. In a press release issued on Wednesday, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said the existing customs duty on date imports has been lowered from 25% to 15%. In addition to the duty reduction, the NBR highlighted that amendments were made in the last budget to the provisions related to advance income tax (AIT) at the import stage. Under the revised rules, the AIT applicable to the import of all fruits, including dates, has been reduced from 10% to 5%. Moreover, the 50% concession on advance income tax for date and fruit imports, which was introduced last year, has been retained for the current year as well, the revenue authority said.

Railway coaches have also been booked. Metropolitan BNP President Mamunur Rashid Mamun said two additional railway coaches have been allocated for city activists. Rajshahi District BNP Convener Abu Sayeed Chand said the highest turnout is expected from Rajshahi-6 constituency (Bagha–Charghat), with around 4,000 to 5,000 activists travelling to Dhaka. Four pairs of special trains will operate on Thursday from other locations in the West Zone: Panchagarh–Dhaka, Chatmohar–Dhaka, Jessore–Dhaka, and Khulna–Dhaka. Approval has been sought for a Natore–Dhaka special train, but permission has not yet been granted.

MELBOURNE, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Off-spinner Nathan Lyon is determined to fight his way back into the Australian team after undergoing surgery for a torn hamstring, coach Andrew McDonald said. The 38-year-old faces an extended period on the sidelines after damaging his right hamstring saving a boundary on day five of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide. McDonald said Lyon remained a key part of their plans as reports speculated that his 141-Test career could be over. It is the second serious injury Lyon has sustained in two years after being ruled out of the previous Ashes series against England with a calf injury picked up at Lord's in 2023. He had surgery on Tuesday, but was expected to be with the team during the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne starting Friday.

MELBOURNE, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Emotional captain Ben Stokes Wednesday said protecting England players' welfare was his top concern amid claims of excessive drinking on a mid-Ashes beach break, without directly addressing the allegations. Stokes, whose team have already lost the Ashes, said his main concern was the players' mental welfare and to ensure they were ready for the Melbourne Test starting Friday. "I'm obviously aware of the reports and everything circulating around right now," Stokes said. "My main concern right now is my players, and how I handle this moment right now is the most important thing to me. Asked directly whether his teammates had "done anything wrong in Noosa", Stokes replied: "I've just answered everything there."

DHAKA, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS) - The World Bank has approved $150.75 million to help Bangladesh scale up support to create employment opportunities for the low-income youth and microentrepreneurs with a focus on women and those living in climate-vulnerable areas. The additional financing to the Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment (RAISE) Project will create employment and income opportunities for about another 176,000 youth across Bangladesh, in addition to the earlier 233,000 project beneficiaries. The country also faces challenges in job quality, skills shortages and mismatches,” said Gayle Martin, World Bank Acting Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. The financing will help the project expand its coverage beyond urban centers to rural communities, ensuring that marginalized youth and microentrepreneurs across the country can benefit from targeted support. With this additional financing, the World Bank’s total support to the RAISE project now stands at $350.75 million.

For weeks I’ve been querying friends about their family traditions around Christmas Eve and Day. Family food traditions around the holiday season are remarkably enduring, with many families carrying on traditions started by great-great grandparents. “My daughter-in-law is Portuguese, and has brought great seafood dishes and a custard tart that the Chinese side of the family shares as well. But on Christmas Eve, the tradition is creamed chicken, a dish “I grew up with at my grandmother’s annual Christmas Eve parties , and she is still the one making it even though it’s just her and my family now. I knew then and there I had to figure out how to weasel my way into being invited for Christmas Eve.

MOSCOW, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two police officers were injured in an "incident" in Moscow near where a senior Russian general was killed this week, authorities said on Wednesday, with local media reporting that an explosion occurred. Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it was "establishing the circumstances of an incident in southern Moscow that injured two traffic police officers". The statement on Telegram added that investigators were inspecting the scene and carrying out forensic analysis including "medical and explosive examinations". Sarvarov had been the head of the Russian General Staff's training department. Kyiv has claimed responsibility for some of the attacks but has not commented on Monday's incident.

SEOUL, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Two North Korean prisoners of war held by Ukraine have expressed their desire to start a "new life" in South Korea, according to a letter seen by AFP on Wednesday. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russia's nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies. Previous reports have indicated that the two men, held captive by Kyiv since January after sustaining injuries on the battlefield, were seeking to defect to the South. "We firmly believe that we are never alone, and we think of those in South Korea as our own parents and siblings and have decided to go into their embrace," they wrote. The letter is signed by the two soldiers, whose names AFP has been asked to withhold to protect their safety.

DHAKA, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS) - The government has reduced the existing import duty on the import of dates by 40 percent to ensure adequate supply and keep prices affordable for consumers during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan. The NBR also noted that advance income tax at the import stage on all fruits, including dates, was reduced from 10 percent to 5 percent in the last national budget through amendments to relevant regulations. Moreover, the existing 50 percent rebate on advance income tax on dates and other fruit imports has been extended for this year as well. Officials said the combined reduction in customs duty and advance income tax is expected to significantly lower import costs, ensuring steady supply and preventing any unusual price hikes in the domestic market during Ramadan. The NBR expressed optimism that these measures will help keep the market price of dates within the purchasing capacity of general consumers throughout the holy month.

Asian markets mostly up after US growth fuels Wall St recordHONG KONG, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Most Asian stocks rose Wednesday and gold topped $4,500 for the first time as investors tracked a record on Wall Street following forecast-beating US economic growth data. Markets looked set to go into the Christmas break on a broadly positive note amid optimism for 2026, which has offset recent worries about stretched tech valuations and rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela. Asian markets swung between gains and losses as traders wound down before Christmas. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Wellington and Taipei all rose though Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore and Jakarta edged down. The yen extended its recent rebound against the dollar after Japan's Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama suggested authorities were prepared to step in to finance markets to support the currency, citing speculative moves in markets.

DHAKA, Dec 24, 2025 (BSS) - The government has extended the Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption on Metro Rail services until June 30, 2026, aiming to promote the use of the country's modern, environmentally friendly mass transit system. The VAT exemption on Metro Rail services was previously scheduled to remain effective until December 31, 2025. The extension follows a recommendation from the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, which emphasized the role of Metro Rail in ensuring sustainable and affordable public transportation. In this regard, the government issued a gazette notification on December 23, 2025, formally extending the VAT exemption period up to June 30, 2026, the NBR release said. The move is expected to keep Metro Rail fares affordable for commuters and further enhance the popularity of the service as a modern solution to Dhaka's growing transportation challenges.

By Stephen BeechThe perfect travel partners are not your dearest and dearest, according to new research. As millions gear up for the festive season, an Australian study suggests what really makes for the perfect travel companion. Professor Huang noted that compared with solo travel, traveling with a companion was more likely to foster high-quality and memorable experiences, while also offering a measure of safety. "More and more young travelers tend to establish temporary travel partner relationships with strangers who share common travel goals through online travel communities." The research found that travel partners with extensive travel experience and a strong sense of conscientiousness are better equipped to overcome obstacles on the road and work effectively together to achieve shared goals.

How the One Big Beautiful Bill affects your healthcareOn July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed into law the budget reconciliation package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Key takeaways:The One Big Beautiful Bill Act makes major changes to Medicaid. The OBBBA makes major changes to how people get and keep health insurance, especially through Medicaid and ACA marketplace coverage. When do the Big Beautiful Bill healthcare changes go into effect? The timeline below highlights when major healthcare changes discussed in this article take effect, along with a few health-related provisions in the OBBBA:GoodRxThe bottom lineThe One Big Beautiful Bill brings many changes to healthcare, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

This year, we scooted off to Barcelona, Athens, London, Tokyo, Fiji, Paris, Sydney, Milan, Montblanc and wine country in Bordeaux. Oh, it’s just absolutely stunning (From what I can remember, LOL — I may have had a little too much vintage Chateau Haut-Brion…). For the first time, we also privated to a private (“P2P”) — that’s when you take a private jet to a private island. We bought our little slice of the Caribbean in March — come visit! When he’s not doing his business deals (it’s always work, work, work with that one!)

After assuming office on August 8, 2024, following the July mass uprising, the interim government first formed five reform commissions through a gazette on October 3, namely – the Election System Reform Commission, the Judicial Reform Commission, the Public Administration Reform Commission, the Police Reform Commission, and the Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission, and thereafter, through another gazette on October 7, formed the Constitution Reform Commission. Professor Dr. Ali Riaz, head of the Constitution Reform Commission, was made the Vice-Chairman of the Consensus Commission. On this issue, the Constitution Reform Commission recommended that a person cannot become Prime Minister more than twice. There will be a separate secretariat for the judiciary under the control of the Supreme Court. However, the Public Administration Reform Commission thinks that the post of vice chairman of upazila parishads may be abolished.