Photo: CollectedMUMBAI, India, Dec 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Indian selectors dropped Test and ODIcaptain Shubman Gill on Saturday from the T20 squad for the World Cup inFebruary after a prolonged form slump. However, batter Suryakumar Yadav was retained as captain despite similarconcerns over his form. A T20 specialist, Suryakumar has managed just 244 runs across his last 22innings in the format, without a single fifty. All-rounder Axar Patel was named as Suryakumar's deputy. World T20 squad:Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Axar Patel (vice-capt) Abhishek Sharma, SanjuSamson, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah,Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, WashingtonSundar, Ishan Kishan.

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Seven elephants killed by train accident in IndiaNEW DELHI, Dec 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A passenger train smashed into a herd of elephants in India's northeast, killing seven animals on the spot, officials said Saturday. No travellers were injured in the accident in Assam state, home to more than 4,000 of the roughly 22,000 wild elephants in India. Rakesh Reddy told AFP that seven jumbos were killed, and one elephant sustained an injury. Five coaches of the train, which was headed to New Delhi from remote Mizoram state, were derailed. According to parliamentary figures, 629 people were killed by elephants across India in 2023-2024.

Trump says will ask health insurers to cut pricesWASHINGTON, United States, Dec 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Donald Trump on Friday said he will urge US health insurance executives to voluntarily lower costs, as millions of Americans brace for a surge in premiums that could prove politically damaging for Republicans. The Republican posited that the approach could work to bring health costs down, too. The announcement reflects growing concern within Trump's own party over how soaring health care costs could haunt Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. Cash-strapped families will no longer receive health care financial assistance and could see their premiums soar -- or be priced out of medical care entirely. Companies have been making these voluntary deals after Trump sent a letter to 17 major companies over the summer demanding lower drug prices.

Why hangovers happen (and what to do about them)If you party a bit too hard over the holidays, there are still things you can do to mitigate the hangover and replenish key nutrients and minerals. The symptoms of dehydration — headaches, lethargy, dry mouth and dizziness — align nicely with our list of hangover symptoms. The sodium problem: Hyponatremia and hangoversElectrolytes are charged minerals that conduct nerve impulses and balance your body water. Now you have inflammation, which in turn creates digestive symptoms that exacerbate hangover symptoms. You can reduce severity by staying hydrated with electrolytes before, during, and after drinking — and most importantly, by drinking alcohol in moderation.

Yet, despite this progress, a sobering truth remains: Bangladesh’s next phase of growth and dignity will depend not on politics-as-usual, but on genuine statesmanship. Each of these examples underscores a timeless truth: Nations rise when leaders evolve into statesmen. Building unity and national consensusSustainable progress demands that Bangladesh rise above political polarization. They listen, collaborate, and create a shared vision for the nation’s future. When statesmen lead, nations rise.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for calm and urged all concerned in Bangladesh to refrain from violence, reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint in order to preserve a peaceful electoral environment as the country heads to elections in February. The UN secretary-general condemned the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi and extended his condolences to his family. The UN chief called on the authorities to conduct a prompt, impartial investigation, in line with international human rights standards. "I have been asked about the current situation in Bangladesh, and I can tell you that the secretary-general condemns the killing of a youth protest leader, Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, and extends his condolences to his family," said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, during a regular briefing at the UN Headquarters on December 19.

Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandaker, Bir Uttam, deputy chief of staff of the Liberation War and former chief of the Bangladesh Air Force, passed away on Saturday morning. He later became the first chief of the Bangladesh Air Force, leading efforts to rebuild and reorganise the force after independence. Role in the Liberation WarDuring the war, AK Khandaker joined India after defecting from the Pakistan Air Force and was entrusted with overseeing training and operations. For his outstanding contribution to the Liberation War, he was awarded the gallantry title Bir Uttam. Post-war career and recognitionAfter independence, Khandaker took charge as the first chief of the Bangladesh Air Force and led its post-war reorganisation.

A large number of mourners thronged the Metro Rail on Saturday to attend the namaz-e-janaza of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. People from different parts of the capital were seen using the Metro Rail from early morning to reach the janaza venue, resulting in heavy passenger pressure at key stations. Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. He initially underwent surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and was later admitted to Evercare Hospital. For advanced treatment, he was airlifted to Singapore, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

A day of state mourning will be observed on Saturday following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Manch. The announcement was made by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus in an address to the nation on Thursday night. At the request of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, special prayers were held in mosques across the country on Friday seeking forgiveness for the deceased. Similar prayers were also organised at other religious institutions. Osman Hadi died at Singapore General Hospital at around 9:30pm on Thursday while undergoing treatment.

Additional police personnel and members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at key points in the capital on Saturday to maintain law and order during namaz-e-janaza of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Osman Hadi. Besides, 20 platoons of BGB have been deployed in and around important areas of the capital including the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban to strengthen security, said Shariful Islam, public relations officer of BGB. The namaz-e-janaza of Hadi will be held at 2:30pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The government has requested those wishing to attend the janaza not to carry any bags or heavy objects. For advanced treatment, he was airlifted to Singapore, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

Amnesty International has said the interim government must take immediate steps to hold perpetrators of acts of violence and killings accountable in a fair trial without recourse to the death penalty. It called on the interim government of Bangladesh to ensure prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, and the subsequent mob violence which led to the burning of the offices Prothom Alo and Daily Star and Chhayanaut, and the harassment of New Age editor Nurul Kabir. "Furthermore, we are alarmed by the lynching of Hindu garment worker Dipu Chandra Das following allegations of blasphemy," said the rights body in a statement. The Amnesty International condemned the mob violence which has resulted in injuries, destruction of property, and even death.

The autopsy of Inqilab Manch convener Sharif Osman Hadi was completed at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue on Saturday. Earlier in the morning, Hadi’s body was taken from the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute morgue to Suhrawardy Hospital by ambulance under tight security. Preparations were then made to transport the body back to the National Heart Institute morgue. The body will later be bathed there before being taken to the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, where Hadi’s funeral is scheduled to be held at 2pm. Sharif Osman Hadi’s body was brought back to Bangladesh from Singapore on Friday.

People have started gathering at Manik Mia Avenue adjacent to the Jatiya Sangsad to attend the namaz-e-janaza of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. People have been arriving on Manik Mia Avenue in small processions to attend the janaza. The namaz-e-janaza of Hadi will be held at 2pm at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The government has requested those wishing to attend the janaza not to carry any bags or heavy objects. For advanced treatment, he was airlifted to Singapore, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

Preparations are underway for the burial of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University. Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed told reporters shortly after midnight on Friday that Osman Hadi would be buried next to Nazrul’s grave. He said the decision was taken during an emergency online meeting of the Dhaka University Syndicate held at 10:30pm. A note identifying vacant spaces was prepared following the visit, and the final decision was approved at the syndicate meeting. He added that security arrangements in and around the university in connection with the burial were also discussed during the meeting.