The Bangladesh national team has achieved remarkable success at the 27th International Robot Olympiad (IRO), securing a total of 11 medals, including one Gold, six Bronze, and four Technical medals. This achievement underscores the country’s growing prowess in robotics and technological innovation. The 27th edition of the global competition was held from December 17 to 20 at the Mantra Southport Sharks Convention Centre in Gold Coast, Australia. Medals were formally presented to the winners during the closing ceremony on Sunday (December 21). The Golden Achievement Mohammad Abdullah Al Titu, a student of Ananda Mohan College, clinched the prestigious Gold Medal for Bangladesh in the "Creative Category (Senior Group)." Recognition of Excellence Fayeze Ahmed Twayab, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology; Shish Haider Chowdhury, NDC, Secretary of the ICT Division; and Md. Abu Sayeed, Director General of the Department of ICT, extended their heartfelt congratulations to the team for their outstanding performance. Bronze Medalists: Nusaiba Tajrin Tanisha (YWCA Higher Secondary Girls' School): Creative Movie (Senior) and Physical Computing (Senior). Zubaidah Zafrin (Mohammadpur Preparatory School & College): Physical Computing (Junior Low). Ridwan Rabbani (Ideal School & College): Physical Computing (Junior High). Khondokar Mushfiqul Islam (Dhaka Residential Model College): Creative Category (Senior). Priyanti Das (Scholastica School): Creative Category (Senior). Technical Medalists: Mohammad Jarif Bin Salek (Dhaka Residential Model College): Physical Computing (Senior). Nafia Bashar Suhani (Mohammadpur Preparatory School & College): Physical Computing (Senior). Zaima Zahin Wara (William Carey Academy): Creative Category (Senior). Priyanti Das (Scholastica School): Creative Movie (Senior). Selection and Support The participation of the 10-member Bangladeshi contingent was sponsored by the ICT Division and the Department of ICT. The team was selected through a rigorous process organized by the Bangladesh Open Source Network (BdOSN), which included an online preliminary round in August and a national round held at the University of Asia Pacific in September. Finalists were chosen based on performance criteria evaluated during an international team selection camp. A Legacy of Success Bangladesh has been a consistent participant in the International Robot Olympiad since 2018. Over the past eight years, the country has amassed an impressive tally of 94 medals, including 15 Gold medals, cementing its position as a rising competitor in the field of international robotics.

The United Kingdom is set to rejoin the European Union's Erasmus program in 2027, following its Brexit departure in 2021, a joint UK-EU statement confirmed on Wednesday. The exchange program has long been popular among university students, allowing them to study for a semester or year abroad in another European country. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had pledged to rejoin the program as part of his government's reset deal with Brussels. Some 9 million people have participated in the Erasmus scheme since its launch in 1987. It is credited for having created a generation of pro-EU Brits. Why did the UK leave the Erasmus program? "The UK has successfully agreed terms to join the Erasmus+ programme in 2027, widening opportunities for young people from all backgrounds, learners, educational, youth and sport staff to study and train abroad," a UK government statement said. Erasmus+ would allow people in further education and apprenticeships to also take advantage of the arrangement. The UK government said some 100,000 people could benefit in just the first year. It added that the cost for the UK would be around 570 million pounds (€650 million, $760 million). Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who presided over the finalization of Brexit at the beginning of 2021, had rejected the option of staying in the Erasmus program, saying the costs were too high. UK and EU welcome return to Erasmus scheme The UK's EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said the deal to return marked a "huge win for our young people." "This is about more than just travel: it's about future skills, academic success, and giving the next generation access to the best possible opportunities," he added. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic also welcomed the agreement as a "big step forward" for UK ties. The EU would like the two sides to go further, allowing for 18-to-30-year-olds to study and work in the UK and EU. UK universities also expressed "delight" at the news. "With an even greater scope than previous programs, Erasmus+ opens up fantastic opportunities for students, adult learners and young people to all benefit from new experiences and learning," Tim Bradshaw, head of the Russel Group of leading UK universities, said. "It will also renew the huge contributions that EU students and staff make to life on our university campuses," he added.

US publisher Merriam-Webster has picked out the word "slop" as its 2025 Word of the Year amid an online proliferation of low-quality content generated by artificial intelligence. While the potential of AI can dazzle and terrify, the growing use of the term slop reflects a recognition that — at least for now — the technology has its limitations. What does slop mean? Merriam-Webster says the original sense of the word, from the 1700s, was "soft mud." By the 1800s, the meaning shifted more to that of food waste, as in "pig slop," and then more generally, "rubbish" or "a product of little or no value." That sense is now widely applied to AI computer-generated content. "We define slop as 'digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence,'" said Merriam Webster, the leading US producer of language reference works. Among the examples of AI slop given by the publisher were: "absurd" videos "off-kilter" advertising images "cheesy" propaganda "junky" AI-written books fake news "that looks pretty real" lots of talking cats "People found it annoying, and people ate it up," Merriam Webster said. Why did Merriam-Webster choose 'slop' as its Word of the Year? The publisher highlighted the word as a celebration of the fact that, at present, the power of AI is not unlimited. "In 2025, amid all the talk about AI threats, slop set a tone that's less fearful, more mocking. The word sends a little message to AI: when it comes to replacing human creativity, sometimes you don't seem too superintelligent," it said. "All that stuff dumped on our screens, captured in just four letters: the English language came through again." Merriam-Webster's president, Greg Barlow, told the AP news agency that slop was chosen because it's "such an illustrative word." "It's part of a transformative technology, AI, and it's something that people have found fascinating, annoying and a little bit ridiculous," he said. What other words were chosen? Other lexicographical high-flyers of 2025 reflected the year's political and cultural scene. They were: Gerrymander — Manipulate voting district boundaries to give one political party an unfair electoral advantage Touch grass — Slang urging someone to disengage from excessive online life and reconnect with real-world activities Performative — Actions done mainly for show or image-boosting, especially common in social media politics, activism, and culture Tariff — A government-imposed tax or duty on imported (and sometimes exported) goods Six seven — Gen Alpha slang with no real meaning, popularized by a viral song and memes, used as a playful chant or interjection Conclave — A secret, closed-door meeting of Catholic cardinals to elect a new pope Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg — A famously long Massachusetts lake name that surged in searches due to an online spelling game

The Bangla Academy observed Martyred Intellectuals Day 2025 on its premises on Sunday, commemorating the intellectuals brutally killed by the then Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War. The authorities hosted a special seminar titled 'Buddhijibir Joban O Jibon (The Voice and Life of the Intellectual)' as the centerpiece of their commemoration efforts at the Academy's Kabi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room. Academy Director General Professor Dr Muhammad Azam presided over the seminar while Secretary Dr Mohammad Selim Reza delivered the welcome address. Professor Dr Muhammad Azam said that the martyred intellectuals were killed because of their "potential importance." He outlined three major challenges currently facing intellectual discourse in Bangladesh as: public alienation, the difficulty of recognizing local history without comparing it against idealized foreign models and the new perspectives and risks introduced by social media. Dr Selim Reza said the ruthless murder of the country's intellectual community by the Pakistani military and their domestic collaborators was a consequence of the immense contribution the intellectuals made in mobilizing the masses for the Liberation War.  Read More From Dhaka to Nasdaq: How InveStar is Rewriting Financial Education with AI He emphasized that the intellectuals' aspiration was for an independent, sovereign and egalitarian state where equality and rights for all would be established.  Researcher Tahmid Al Jami presented the keynote paper. He focused on the relationship between intellectual expression and power, linking historical events like the 1969 uprising and the 1971 war to the recent 2024 mass uprising. Professor Dr Navine Murshid, artist and writer Arup Rahi, Rashtra Sanskar Andolan president Hasnat Kayum also spoke at the event among others. The seminar concluded with paying gratitude and respect to the martyred intellectuals. Earlier this day, Bangla Academy placed floral tributes at the Rayer Bazar Intellectuals Graveyard.

Today’s Bangladeshi youth are earning money earlier than any generation before them. From freelancing on Upwork and Fiverr to remote jobs and overseas remittances, income is growing fast — but clear financial education hasn’t kept pace. Financial literacy in Bangladesh stands at a low 28%.  That gap is what InveStar, a global AI-powered financial literacy and wealth-tech platform, is trying to close. Founded in Silicon Valley by Bangladeshi entrepreneur Farihan F. Rahman, InveStar recently gained international recognition after being selected for the Fall 2025 Milestone Makers cohort at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. The milestone was marked by a surreal moment: Farihan & InveStar lighting up the Nasdaq Times Square billboard, a powerful reminder that a founder from Dhaka can build for the world. But for the InveStar team, the story is not about billboards — it’s about access. “Being featured on the Nasdaq billboard is epic but we didn’t build this just to be featured in New York,” Farihan says. “We’re building it so a student in Dhaka or a freelancer in Rangpur can understand money with confidence.” Why Nasdaq Recognition Matters Nasdaq is one of the world’s most influential stock exchanges, best known for listing technology and innovation leaders such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google (Alphabet), Meta, Tesla, and Nvidia. For decades, it has been a symbol of high-growth companies shaping the global economy. Beyond public markets, Nasdaq also supports early-stage innovation through the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center in Silicon Valley. The Center works with a curated group of founders worldwide, offering mentorship, strategic support, and access to global networks. InveStar’s inclusion in the Milestone Makers program places the Bangladeshi-founded startup among a select group of globally recognized ventures — a rare achievement for a platform focused on youth financial empowerment from South Asia. Read More 32,000 Assistant Teachers Can't be Promoted Due to Lawsuits: Education Adviser A Bangladeshi Team, Building for a Global Generation InveStar began as a small group of friends with a shared frustration: young Bangladeshis were earning more than ever, yet relied on risky rumors, fake social media hype, or silence when it came to managing money. They were never taught the basics of investing & wealth building.  CEO Farihan F. Rahman, along with longtime friends & co-founders Dipro K. Chowdhury, Shafkat Alam, and Hasanul B. Khan, set out to change that. While InveStar is incorporated in Silicon Valley, its core mission remains deeply tied to Bangladesh and its global diaspora. Reflecting on the journey, Farihan credits his team not just as co-founders, but as close friends who believed early and built together through uncertainty and ambition. “Young people don’t lack hustle,” he says. “They lack simple, honest financial guidance that respects their reality. We need to democratize financial literacy.” Meet Your AI Wealth Copilot At the heart of InveStar is an AI-first learning experience designed to feel approachable and practical — more like a financially smart older sibling than a textbook. Whether it’s a university student in Chattogram or a remote worker living abroad, users can ask real questions and receive clear, contextual answers in Bangla or English. Key Features Include: AI Wealth Copilot: A conversational guide that explains saving, investing, risk, and long-term planning in simple language, via chat or voice. Learn before you invest: Structured lessons, quizzes, and real-world scenarios that help users practice decisions safely. A virtual trading feature is currently in development, allowing users to test strategies without risking real money.  Global mentor insights: Curated content from experts connected to Nasdaq, Microsoft, Stanford University, and other leading institutions — insights rarely accessible to young learners. AI-powered financial reels: Short, swipe-friendly videos that explain topics like budgeting, compounding, remittances, and scam awareness in a format built for modern attention spans.Short reels are available on InveStar's social media. Why this Moment Matters for Bangladeshi Youth Bangladesh’s under-35 population is already driving growth in freelancing, technology, and entrepreneurship. Yet many young earners face a difficult choice: avoid investing out of fear, or jump into risky trends without understanding the basics. InveStar offers a third path — one focused on learning first, investing gradually, and thinking long-term. By combining AI, global mentorship, and culturally relevant Bangla-first content, the platform hopes to make concepts like emergency funds, disciplined investing, and long-term wealth planning feel natural — not intimidating.The goal is not to turn every user into a day trader, but to help a generation become builders — of careers, portfolios, and financial resilience. How Students and Young Professionals Can Get Started InveStar’s web platform is already live in early-access mode, and a mobile app is currently under development. Young users can,  Visit www.investarbd.com to explore AI-powered financial learning tools Join the waitlist for upcoming virtual trading and investment features Follow InveStar BD on social media for regular tips, AI reels, and updates from the founding team For a generation often told it’s “too early” to think about money — or pressured into not taking enough risks — InveStar delivers a more grounded message: Start learning early, start small, and let smart habits compound over time for long term wealth building. About InveStar InveStar is Bangladesh’s first AI-driven wealth-tech and financial literacy platform built for students, Gen Z, millennials, and diaspora youth. By blending AI guidance, interactive learning, and globally sourced mentorship, InveStar aims to make financial freedom more accessible, intelligent, and borderless — starting from Bangladesh and reaching the world. Learn more at www.investarbd.com