Russia joins Chinese, Iran warships for drills off S.Africa
The exercises draw together several nations feuding with the US administration and come at a time of heightened tensions following Washington's raid on Venezuela. AFP journalists near the Simon's Town base saw the Russian-flagged corvette vessel pull into False Bay. - Global tensions -Washington this week seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker it said was part of a shadow fleet that carried oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran. The joint drills were initially scheduled for November 2025 but were postponed due to a clash with the G20 summit in Johannesburg. Washington boycotted the summit amid a row with Pretoria that includes anger over its ties with Russia and Iran.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 12:24 UTC
Stocks rise ahead of US jobs data and key tariffs ruling
Stocks rise ahead of US jobs data and key tariffs rulingLONDON, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Stock markets advanced Friday as traders awaited the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on US President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs. "Global markets await two key events in the US later today which could significantly impact volatility," said Emma Wall, chief investment strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown. The US Supreme Court's possible ruling on the legality of many of Trump's punishing tariffs is also keeping investors occupied. Wall Street ended Thursday on a mixed note, but Asia saw a more positive run ahead of the weekend. Stock markets in Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok and Manila rose, though there were losses in Wellington, Taipei, Mumbai and Jakarta.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 12:19 UTC
Trump says US oil pledged $100 bn for Venezuela ahead of White House meeting
Trump says US oil pledged $100 bn for Venezuela ahead of White House meetingWASHINGTON, United States, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US President Donald Trump said Friday the world's biggest oil companies pledged to invest $100 billion to revive Venezuela's oil sector as he prepared for a meeting with top industry executives. "It's just a meeting to discuss, obviously, the immense opportunity that is before these oil companies right now," Trump's spokesperson Leavitt told reporters Wednesday. Washington now says it is "selectively rolling back sanctions" to enable the sale and transport of Venezuelan crude oil on global markets. Wright said that the Trump administration would also help major US oil companies to establish a long-term presence. Venezuelan crude is known to be viscous and difficult to refine.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 12:19 UTC
Italy PM says does not believe US will attack Greenland
Italy PM says does not believe US will attack GreenlandROME, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni saidFriday she does not believe the United States will attack Greenland, but thatits "assertive methods" were intended to dissuade interference from othercountries. Meloni said NATO should focus more on the Arctic region and ensure a"significant presence" of allies to preserve security and keep out hostilecountries. "I still do not believe in the hypothesis that the United States will takemilitary action to take control of Greenland, an option that I clearly wouldnot agree with," Meloni told journalists in an annual New Year's pressconference. Such an option would not "be in anyone's interest, not even in the interestof the United States of America". It was up not just to Europe but to NATO to "initiate a serious debate" onthe Arctic as a priority.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 12:19 UTC
Fouzul: People to determine their fate for next 50 years thru Feb 12 polls
Fouzul Kabir Khan said that in the past, people were deprived of exercising their voting rights. Fouzul added that if people give their verdict in favour of the reform proposals through the referendum, the reform process will continue. He further said the upcoming national election will be held under a neutral, non-partisan government, ensuring that no one can obstruct anyone from voting. The government has instructed the local district administration and police to ensure that they can exercise their voting rights without hindrance. He sought cooperation from all to ensure a peaceful national election.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
January 09, 2026 12:09 UTC
EU countries approve long-stalled Mercosur trade deal: diplomats
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - EU countries approved Friday a huge but divisive trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur, diplomats said, giving Brussels the green light to sign an accord championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers. A majority of the European Union's 27 nations voted in favour of the pact at an ambassadors' meeting in Brussels, despite opposition from France, Ireland and others concerned about its impact on the agricultural sector, several European diplomats told AFP.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 12:07 UTC
Russia's Oreshnik missile strike on Ukraine 'clear escalation': EU's top diplomat
BRUSSELS, Belgium, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Friday Russia's reported strike on Ukraine using a new Oreshnik ballistic missile was meant to send a message to Europe and the United States. Russian President Vladimir Putin "doesn't want peace, Russia's reply to diplomacy is more missiles and destruction," Kallas wrote on X. "Russia's reported use of an Oreshnik missile is a clear escalation against Ukraine and meant as a warning to Europe and to the US," she wrote.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:55 UTC
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Pirates vanquish rival Charlotte in 2OT thriller
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Source:Daily Sun
January 09, 2026 11:54 UTC
EC publishes new Bangla version of RPO
File PhotoDHAKA, Jan 09, 2026 (BSS)- Election Commission (EC) Secretariat has published an updated and authentic full Bangla version of the “Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972”. The gazette of the Bangla version of the RPO has been published ahead of the upcoming 13th National Parliament election which is available in the website of the BG Press. With the publication of the new version of the RPO the previous Bengali text published in 2023 has been declared null and void. The EC Secretariat noted that the updated Bengali version has incorporated the provisions of the ordinance promulgated in 2025 aimed at bringing clarity, transparency and authenticity in the electoral laws. The Bangla version of the RPO has been published by virtue of the power conferred by Section 94A of the RPO, EC sources said.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:53 UTC
12-year jail, Tk 1.5m fine for tiger, elephant hunting kept in new ordinance
Under the new provisions, the ordinance ensures the strictest punishmentagainst wildlife hunting, cruelty to animals and destruction of forestresources. The hunting of iconic species such as tigers or elephants will nowcarry a maximum punishment of 12 years' imprisonment and a fine of Taka 1.5million. The ordinance also provides for up to five years' imprisonment forpossessing, without permission, any trophy, meat or body parts of a tiger orelephant. The ordinance introduces provisions to preserve ancient trees, heritagetrees, sacred trees, and traditional groves ('Kunjaban'), which serve ascritical habitats for wildlife. Violation of this provision carriesa maximum of six months' imprisonment or a fine of Taka 50,000.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:53 UTC
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to speak with media for 1st time since 2022
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti to speak with media for 1st time since 2022 Bisciotti will hold a news conference Tuesday at team headquarters following the firing of coach John Harbaugh
Source:Daily Sun
January 09, 2026 11:43 UTC
Russian attack damaged 20 Kyiv residential buildings, Qatar embassy: Zelensky
KYIV, Ukraine, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A "massive" Russian night-time attackon Ukraine damaged 20 residential buildings in Kyiv and its suburbs, as wellas Qatar's embassy, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday. "Twenty residential buildings alone were damaged," Zelensky said, adding that"a building of the Embassy of Qatar was damaged last night by a Russiandrone". "There was a second strike on one of the residential buildings -- preciselyat the moment when first responders were providing assistance after the firststrike," he said. He said the capital and the surrounding region "suffered the most" and that20 other non-residential buildings in Kyiv were also damaged. "Almost all districts in the Kyiv region were under enemy attack," Klymenkosaid.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:39 UTC
Rizwana for maintaining continuity of environmental protection works
DHAKA, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS) - Environment, Forest, Climate Change and Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said continuity of the works taken to protect the environment, forests, biodiversity and rivers must be maintained. She said the interim government has amended the laws and formulated new policies to resolve the long-standing environmental problems. Rizwana, also the information and broadcasting adviser, said although the use of polythene has been banned since 2002, it has not been effective. She urged all to come forward, out of their social responsibility, to preventing environmental and noise pollution. Rizwana said a project is being taken up in five rivers surrounding capital Dhaka (Buriganga, Shitalakshya, Balu, Turag, Dhaleshwari) and eight rivers of eight divisions.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:09 UTC
EC completes postal ballot dispatch to expatriate voters
EC sources said the process of dispatching postal ballots to expatriate voters began in phases on December 20 and was completed within nearly three weeks, covering all registered overseas voters. Assistant Postmaster General of the Airport Sorting Office Shamim Sohani told BSS that the Bangladesh Postal Department completed the dispatch of all postal ballots received from the EC to overseas destinations yesterday. Salim Ahmad Khan cautioned that maintaining the secrecy of postal ballots is the responsibility of the voters themselves and violation of ballot secrecy could result in the blocking of the voter's National Identity Card (NID). Country-wise statistics show that the highest number of ballots, 237,529, were sent to expatriate voters in Saudi Arabia. According to EC data, a total of 1,533,683 voters registered through the 'Postal Vote BD' app for the 13th national parliament election and the referendum, including 772,542 expatriate voters and 761,141 in-country voters.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:04 UTC
South Korea's Lee to visit Japan next week for talks with Takaichi
South Korea's Lee to visit Japan next week for talks with TakaichiSEOUL, Jan 9, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung willtravel to Japan next week for talks with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Seoulsaid Friday, days after meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Lee and Takaichi last met in October on the sidelines of the APEC summit inthe South Korean city of Gyeongju. South Korea's former conservative president Yoon Suk Yeol sought to improverelations with Japan. Lee met with Chinese President Xi this week, the first by a South Koreanleader in six years. "President Lee in fact did not discuss any sensitive issues with the Chineseside," she added.
Source:Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha
January 09, 2026 11:03 UTC