Almost the entire cohort of chicks from an Adelie penguin colony in the eastern Antarctic was wiped out by starvation last summer in what scientists say is only the second such incident in over 40 years. Researchers said Sunday the…
Category: Life
Notre Dame College Ex-principal Benjamin Costa no more
Dhaka, Oct 13 – First acting Vice-chancellor of Notre Dame University Bangladesh and former Notre Dame College Principal Father Benjamin Costa CSC passed away at a city hospital here on Friday. He was 75.
The world running out of much needed new antibiotics
By Baher Kamal Rome, Oct 4 (IPS) – The world is running out of new antibiotics to combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, a new specialised report warns ahead of this year’s World Antibiotic Awareness Week, adding that most…
HIV patients ‘getting old before their time’
Neena Bhandari Melbourne – While combination antiretroviral therapy has meant that people with HIV can live longer lives, research shows that the virus makes fundamental changes to the immune system by increasing the risk of developing age-related conditions.
Biological clock discoveries give 3 Americans Nobel prize
New York, Oct 3 (AP/UNB) — Three Americans won a Nobel Prize on Monday for discovering key genetic “gears” of the body’s 24-hour biological clock, the mechanism best known for causing jet lag when it falls out of sync.
World Habitat Day Monday: Spotlight on affordability
Dhaka, Oct 1 – World Habitat Day is being observed in the country, as elsewhere across the globe, on Monday to remind the world of its collective responsibility towards the habitat of future generations.
‘Yarn Bank’ helping BD’s ethnic women to earn more
GreenWatch Dhaka with Rafiqul Islam, UNB Staff Writer Dhaka, Sept 29 – A community-based ‘Yarn Bank’ has been helping ethnic women of Bangladesh’s hill district of Bandarban improve their livelihood as loans from the bank help the invest more and…
Hugh Hefner bought crypt next to Marilyn Monroe
In life, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner cavorted with a harem of young women in the infamous Playboy Mansion – a byword for hedonism and sexual excess.
Bali volcano triggers memories of deadly 1963 eruption
Kagangasem, Indonesia, Sept 28 (BSS/AFP) – The last time Bali’s Mount Agung volcano erupted, a stream of molten lava flattened teenage Gusti Nyoman Dauh’s home, while cascading ash, rocks and hot gas killed 1,600 of his neighbours.
Sound pollution turns alarming in Dhaka City
Dhaka, Sept 28 – Sound pollution has turned acute in the capital city as the sound frequency always goes far beyond the permissible level, putting the public health at risk, at public places, says a new survey of the Department…
Saudi Arabia to lift driving ban on women
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has issued a decree allowing women to drive for the first time, to the joy of activists. The Gulf kingdom is the only country in the world that bans women from driving. Until now, only men…
6000 Rohingya orphans to get smart cards
State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed today said the ministry will issue smart cards to around 6,000 orphan Rohingya children for taking responsibilities to provide their food, shelter and other basic needs. “Orphan Rohingya children up to 18-year will…
Land for refugees not yet habitable – report
470,000 in need of shelters; 13,418 take part in biometric registration AKM Moinuddin, UNB Staff Writer Dhaka, Sept 25 – The land that has been allocated for the new site for providing shelter to Rohingyas is ‘not suitable’ for habitation…
Solo painting show of artist Anupan open at AF Dhaka on Friday
GreenWatch Report A solo painting exhibition titled “Chronicle of Existence” of artist Reza Asad Al Huda Anupam will be inaugurated at La Galerie, Alliance Française Dhaka on Friday, 22 September at 5.30 pm.
‘Asia will be home to 60% of world’s over 65s by 2030’
Demography — the fundamental driver of all economies — is shifting the balance of power in Asia, according to Deloitte’s Voice of Asia report: By 2042 there will be more over-65s in Asia than the populations of the Eurozone and…
China morns the death of oldest Panda
China is mourning the death of the world’s oldest panda, Basi, who passed away at the age of 37. Caretakers in the eastern city of Fuzhou said Basi was suffering from a number of ailments, including liver and kidney problems,…
Alert: Nature is on the verge of bankruptcy
By Baher Kamal Rome, Sep 12 (IPS) – Pressures on global land resources are now greater than ever, as a rapidly increasing population coupled with rising levels of consumption is placing ever-larger demands on the world’s land-based natural capital, warns…
Report on antibiotic resistance identifies new challenges
A comprehensive Australian national report on the spread of antimicrobial resistance in Australia has highlighted a number of specific types of bacteria as major emerging healthcare problems, with one type, in particular, causing resistance to last-resort antibiotics in just over…
Rohingya crisis: Insurgents declare temporary ceasefire
Rohingya Muslim insurgents in Myanmar have declared a one-month unilateral ceasefire to ease the humanitarian crisis in northern Rakhine state.
Refugee camps ‘bursting at the seams’ in Bangladesh
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage UN, Sep 9 (IPS) – A dramatic increase in the number of refugees fleeing Myanmar is placing a huge strain on already very limited resources in Bangladesh, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said.
Egypt announces 3500-year-old tomb discovery
Egypt has announced the discovery in the southern city of Luxor of a pharaonic tomb belonging to a royal goldsmith who lived more than 3,500 years ago during the reign of the 18th dynasty. The tomb is located on the…
Satellite images show massive fire destruction on Rakhine
New satellite imagery shows several hundred buildings burned in Burma’s Rakhine State, Human Rights Watch said today. Imagery from the Rohingya Muslim village of Chein Khar Li in Rathedaung township shows 700 buildings burned, a near total destruction of the…
Japan’s Princess Mako engaged to commoner
Japan’s Princess Mako has formally announced her engagement to a commoner after receiving the emperor’s approval.
Obama’s Myanmar legacy in trouble for no fault of Trump
Washington, Sep 2 (AP/UNB) — One of former President Barack Obama’s greatest foreign policy achievements is at risk — and it has nothing to do with his successor.
Noted singer Abdul Jabbar passes away
Dhaka, Aug 30 – Eminent singer Abdul Jabbar passed away at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) on Wednesday morning. He was 80.
Drug-resistant gonorrhea threat
Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is a global public health issue. Data from 77 countries show that the problem has become harder and even impossible to treat.
6th death anniversary of Tateque-Munier Sunday
The 6th death anniversary of renowned filmmaker Tareque Masud and cinematographer and broadcast journalist Mishuk Munier will be observed on Sunday. Different organizations will arrange elaborate programmes while various television channels will screen special programmes on them and their works…
Rain disrupts life in Capital Dhaka
Monsoon rain continued for the second consecutive day on Saturday across the country, including capital Dhaka, leaving the normal life in disarray. Low-income people, especially the day labourers, suffered much in the city as rain disrupted their normal pace of…
South Asia could become uninhabitable
It asserts that Beijing will “resolutely protect” the country’s territorial sovereignty and security interests. China’s defence ministry on Thursday stepped up calls for immediate withdrawal of Indian troops from the Doklam plateau. It asserted that Beijing will “resolutely protect” the…
Large fire rips through Dubai’s Torch Tower
A large fire has ripped through a residential skyscraper in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates – for the second time in two years.