Workplace romance: Nestlé’s CEO just got fired for a “romantic relationship,” while Coldplay kiss-cam moment is still buzzing. These people never learn.
Totally unrelated — but did you know you can now file for divorce online in Bangladesh?

Whatever, Happy Friday, people — stay safe. ✌️

EC Finalizes 300 Constituency Boundaries | Indonesian Students Protest

🗺️ EC Finalizes 300 Constituency Boundaries

In a major step toward the 13th national election, the Election Commission has finalized the boundaries for all 300 parliamentary constituencies. The big takeaways: a new seat for Gazipur, increasing its count to six, and one less for Bagerhat, which now has three. The EC also redrew the maps for 46 constituencies across 16 districts based on population changes from the latest census, with the new boundaries set to be used for the upcoming polls.

This isn't a new concept for Bangladesh. The Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance of 1976 and subsequent laws have always mandated redrawing electoral maps based on population data to ensure balanced representation. However, this process often sparks debate and objections from politicians and the public. This time, the EC received nearly 1,900 claims and objections, which it reviewed during a four-day hearing before publishing the final list.

💸 Finance ministry is fast-tracking the top 100 bad loan cases, worth Tk38,363cr, stuck in courts for years. Janata, Sonali, Agrani, and Rupali banks top the list, while Mahin Enterprise (Tk1,251cr) leads the defaulter pack. To speed things up, banks must now assign case officers, managing directors will hold monthly reviews, and police may finally be pushed to enforce summons and evictions.

🙌 Supreme Court has upheld the acquittal of Tarique Rahman, Lutfozzaman Babar, and 47 others in the August 21 grenade attack cases. The apex court, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, dismissed the state’s appeal, citing “serious doubts” over how confessional statements were obtained. The verdict clears the way for Tarique’s possible return home though, as the foreign affairs adviser put it, that decision rests with him.

🚩 Four Shariah-compliant banks—First Security Islami, Global Islami, Union Bank, and Social Islami Bank—have agreed to a merger plan proposed by Bangladesh Bank to save them from a crisis driven by massive loan defaults tied to S Alam Group. The central bank estimates a whopping Tk35,000 crore is needed to stabilize the new, consolidated entity. EXIM Bank, however, is holding out, requesting time to present its own recovery plan before committing.

📊Data Point

40%
Coinbase code is written by AI

✊ Indonesian Students Protest

Indonesia's students are back in action, staging fiery protests across cities like Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Makassar under the #IndonesiaGelap (Dark Indonesia) banner. Kicked off on February 17, 2025, by the All-Indonesian Students’ Union (BEM SI), these demonstrations target President Prabowo Subianto’s policies like massive budget cuts, a controversial free meals program, and a new law expanding military roles in civilian jobs. The protests turned deadly after a police vehicle killed a motorbike driver, sparking outrage over police brutality, with over 3,000 arrests and at least 10 deaths reported. Students are also fed up with corruption, lawmakers’ perks, and economic woes like unemployment and high taxes.

This isn’t new for Indonesia—student activism toppled Suharto’s regime in 1998 and has since been a political "moral force". The 2025 protests echo that legacy, fueled by anger over Prabowo’s austerity measures, like a 306.7 trillion rupiah ($25.4 billion) budget slash, and a free meals program costing 71 trillion rupiah this year alone. Clashes with police, tear gas, and burning tires have marked these rallies, with some groups delaying protests to avoid crackdowns. Social media, especially X, has amplified the movement, with #IndonesiaGelap hitting 14 million posts in a day.

Govt's response has been mixed, where President Prabowo Subianto stated that the military and police will remain firm against what he described as violent mobs, linking the unrest to terrorism and treason,with officials condemning violence while also promising to investigate police actions and listen to the protesters' demands.

🚨 Israel’s far-right leader Bezalel Smotrich has unveiled a plan to extend Israeli sovereignty over 82% of the West Bank, a move that could redraw the map and intensify tensions in the region. This proposal, which he says is a "preventative step" against a two-state solution, aims for "maximum territory and minimum Arab population," essentially isolating Palestinian population centers.

🤖 OpenAI is developing the OpenAI Jobs Platform, an AI-powered hiring service set to launch by mid-2026 that will connect businesses and employees by matching skills with company needs. The platform will feature a special track for small businesses and local governments to access top "AI-fluent" talent, directly competing with LinkedIn, which is also increasingly incorporating AI features.

🚨 Afghanistan has been hit by a third earthquake, a magnitude 6.2 tremor in the southeastern region near the Pakistan border, following two earlier quakes since Sunday that devastated the area. These earthquakes have killed over 2,200 people and injured around 3,640, with extensive damage in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, where rescue efforts face major challenges due to landslides and blocked roads.

“Boktobbo

Our patience has run out — from now on, there is no fear. We are not afraid of Israel. We are not afraid of the occupier's army
Aycin Kantoglu

📺 Watch: The Night Of (2016): A gripping crime drama where one night of bad decisions lands a college student in a nightmare of murder, prison, and prejudice with justice hanging by a thread.

👉 Read: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: A profound memoir and psychological guide by Viktor Frankl, revealing how finding purpose in suffering can empower us to survive even the darkest moments.

🎧 Listen: Saladin-The Righteousness of the Faith: Saladin, one of the best known generals of the Middle Ages, led the Muslim military’s campaign during the Third Crusade. And won. In hindsight, he was renowned in both the Muslim and Christian worlds, he was a fierce protector of Islam who helped shape the modern Middle East.

We’re still learning. Any thoughts on us?👂

| 👉 Drop your feedback here. |

If your brand vibes with smart, curious young minds — let’s talk.
📬 Email us