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24 dead after bus falls into river while boarding ferry in Bangladesh

At least 24 people died after a passenger bus carrying around ​40 passengers plunged into the Padma ‌River while attempting to board a ferry in Bangladesh, officials said on Thursday. The accident occurred ​on Wednesday when the bus lost ​control approaching a ferry at Daulatdia ⁠in Rajbari district, about 100 kilometres from Dhaka. The bus overturned and sank ​nearly nine metres into the river, according to police and the Fire Service and Civil ​Defence. Read More: Five teenage cousins killed in road crash Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside ​the submerged bus, including six men, 11 women ‌and ⁠five children, Fire Service official Talha Bin Zasim said. Twenty-four people have been confirmed dead so far, including two women who ​died after ​being rescued, ⁠he said. Four fire service units and 10 divers were leading ​the search and rescue efforts, supported ​by ⁠the army, police, coast guard and local authorities. Officials fear more passengers may still be ⁠missing. ​Hund...

Ex-Google executive Brittin named new BBC boss, to steer reform

The BBC named former Google executive Matt Brittin as its ‌new director general on Wednesday, replacing Tim Davie who quit last year after a misleading edit of a speech by US President Donald Trump. BBC Chair Samir Shah said it was "clear there is need for radical reform" at the publicly funded broadcaster, and he and the board ​believed Brittin to be the right person to steer the change. "The stakes for the BBC, and the future ​of public service broadcasting, have never been higher," he added. Also Read: OpenAI drops AI video tool Sora, startling Disney, sources say Aside from a $10 billion lawsuit from ⁠Trump, the BBC is facing a battle to stay relevant as viewers, particularly younger audiences, shift to streamers and ​other digital platforms. Trump accuses it of defamation over how the BBC spliced together footage of parts of a speech he ​gave on January 6, 2021, before his supporters stormed the US Capitol. The broadcaster has argued the lawsuit should be dismissed, saying Trump's subsequent reelection showed the alleged defamation did not harm his reputation. Former Google executive Matt Brittin announced as BBC director general, promising to "confront challenges with courage" https://t.co/jUOb4p3drx — BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 25, 2026 Moment of risk and opportunity Brittin, 57, joined Google in 2007 as head of UK and ​Ireland before rising through the ranks to become EMEA president in 2014. He announced in 2024 that he would ​step down the following year. "This is a moment of real risk, yet also real opportunity. The BBC needs the pace and energy ‌to be ⁠both where stories are, and where audiences are," Brittin, who will take on the new role from May 18, said in a statement. "To build on the reach, trust and creative strengths today, confront challenges with courage, and thrive as a public service fit for the future. I can’t wait to start this work," he added. Brittin's role combines chief executive and ​editor-in-chief, giving him responsibility for ​creative, editorial and operational leadership. ⁠The BBC said he would appoint a deputy director general. Read More: Currencies pause amid uncertainty over US efforts to end Iran war The job comes with intense political scrutiny, with the BBC subject to criticism from across the spectrum about its impartiality, putting ​pressure on an institution long regarded as one of Britain's most trusted and enduring cultural ​fixtures. The Department ⁠for Culture, Media and Sport said the BBC played a vital role "in delivering trusted news and high-quality programming for audiences across the UK." "The appointment of a new director general is an important moment for the future of the organisation and it ⁠is right ​that this decision is made by the board independently," it said. Brittin will ​also have to negotiate a new funding settlement after the broadcaster's Royal Charter expires at the end of 2027. Options include retaining the licence fee ​paid by TV-watching households or moving to subscriptions or ad-funding.

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