London – Much of the world seems to be on edge. The West’s relationship with Russia, the future of NATO, the Syrian civil war and refugees, rising right-wing populism, the impact of automation, and the United Kingdom’s impending departure from…
Category: Int’l relations
Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador
Kuala Lumpur, Mar 04 (AP/UNB) — Malaysia’s foreign minister says the government has expelled North Korea’s ambassador for criticizing the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader’s estranged half brother.
‘Britain always wants to see fair polls in Bangladesh’
Dhaka -The United Kingdom always wants to see free and fair general elections in Bangladesh. The visiting UK minister for Asia Pacific Alok Sharma said this during his meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at letter’s Gulshan office in the…
BNP will join election after having poll-time neutral govt: Kh Mosharraf
Dhaka – The BNP will take part in the next general polls only after establishing a neutral election-time government, says BNP standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.
NATO general warns Russia may have unleashed ‘ACT OF WAR’
General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, the deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said “blatant aggression” by Russia could triggered a call to arms across NATO. Vladimir Putin’s alleged manipulation of the US Election and accusations he is plotting to interfere with upcoming…
Dhaka seeks over $ 8.93bn Chinese assistance for 2017
Golam Moin Uddin & AKM Moinuddin, UNB Staff Writers Dhaka, Mar 4 – Bangladesh has sought over $ 8.93 billion Chinese assistance to help implement eight priority projects in Bangladesh for the year 2017 which is seen as a follow-up…
Why urgent review of Farakka Barrage necessary
GreenWatch Dhaka NewsDesk The demand recently made by the Indian state of Bihar to decommission the Farakka Barrage on the Ganges was positively scrutinised and some urgent steps were recommended to save Bihar from the recurrent flood problem attributed to…
BNP has no choice but to join polls, says Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said BNP will have join the next general election since the party is at the risk of losing its registration if it boycotts the polls again. “As the January-5 election didn’t wait…
Drug trafficking outfits in BD have links to Burma, India: US
Transnational drug trafficking organisations operate within Bangladesh with connections to Burma and India, says a new report released by the US Department of State. Narcotics enforcement agencies have reported increased trafficking of synthetic drugs such as “yaba” (a mixture of…
Legalising child marriage threatens girls’ safety: HRW
Bangladesh government should move quickly to adopt regulations to limit the harms of a new law that “legalises” child marriage, said the Human Rights Watch (HRW). “The focus now must be on containing the damage caused by Bangladesh legalising child…
Human Rights Violations in Rakhine State
To: Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council Geneva, 3 March 2017 Re: UN-mandated international Commission of Inquiry or similar international mechanism to investigate serious human rights violations in Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Oscar blunder duo given bodyguards after ‘death threats’
The two accountants who muddled up the main award envelopes at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony have been given bodyguards following reports they have received death threats on social media. Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said security has been beefed up at the…
Philippines: Police deceit in ‘Drug War’ killings
Manila – Philippine police are falsifying evidence to justify unlawful killings in a “war on drugs” that has caused more than 7,000 deaths, Human Rights Watch said today in a new report. President Rodrigo Duterte and other senior officials have…
New Election Commission should get back people’s confidence
Dhaka – Country’s eminent citizens yesterday said that the major challenge of the newly appointed Election Commission (EC) is to bring back people’s trust on them that they would not be adherent to any political party.
20-Party lends support to BNP candidate in Comilla mayoral poll
Dhaka – The BNP-led 20-party alliance yesterday extended all out support to BNP mayoral candidate Monirul Haque Sakku in the upcoming Comilla City Corporation election.
Nigerian engineer handed written test at New York airport
A Nigerian software engineer claims he was handed a written test by a US border officer at New York’s JFK airport to prove his tech credentials, and Filipinos on social media criticise a proposed death penalty bill. Tech test for…
Row over US AG mJeff Sessions meeting Russian ambassador
Attorney General Jeff Sessions met Russia’s ambassador twice during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign last year, the US government has confirmed. Mr Sessions, a senator at the time, did not disclose the contacts at his January confirmation hearing.
Will democracy survive big data, artificial intelligence?
We are in the middle of a technological upheaval that will transform the way society is organized. We must make the right decisions now By Dirk Helbing, Bruno S. Frey, Gerd Gigerenzer, Ernst Hafen, Michael Hagner, Yvonne Hofstetter, Jeroen van…
Governments Step Up for Reproductive Rights
Governments should pledge political and financial support for sexual and reproductive health to counter the United States’ “Global Gag Rule,” Human Rights Watch said today. The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden are hosting a summit in Brussels on March 2,…
Kim Jong-nam death: Two women charged with murder
Two women accused of killing Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korea’s leader, have been charged with his murder. The women, Doan Thi Huong from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah from Indonesia, allegedly smeared deadly VX nerve agent on Mr…
Barack, Michelle Obama agree Penguin book deal
Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have agreed a book deal with Penguin Random House. “The company has acquired world publication rights for two books, to be written by President and Mrs Obama respectively,” the publisher said.
Month of independence begins Wednesday
March, the historical month of independence, begins tomorrow when the nation will be observing the 46th anniversary of independence on the 26th March paying the highest homage to the war heroes who made Bangladesh a sovereign state. The nation engaged…
Russia: Don’t Veto Sanctions for Syria Chemical Attacks
Russia and other United Nations Security Council members should support a proposed resolution that would impose sanctions on Syrian government officials responsible for chemical attacks, Human Rights Watch said today. The Security Council is expected to vote on the resolution…
Violence against Rohingyas more extensive than speculated: UN
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee on Monday said the magnitude of violence that Rohingya families have witnessed and experienced is far more extensive than she had originally speculated. Speaking at the end…
3 languishing in jail without trial get HC bail
The High Court on Monday asked the trial court to dispose of cases filed against three prisoners, who have been languishing in jails without trial for long, within three months. An HC bench of Justice AKM Abdul Hakim and Justice…
Mexico will retaliate with tariffs if Trump imposes border tax
A day after U.S. President Donald Trump’s team met with top Mexican officials, Mexico has threatened to retaliate if the United States imposed a border tax. On Friday, Trump vowed to start building the border wall “soon, way ahead of…
Woman deported to Singapore despite 27-year marriage
A woman who has been married to a British man for 27 years has been deported to Singapore. Irene Clennel was being held in a Scottish detention centre, but has now told the BBC she has been sent back to…
Take two: ‘Moonlight’ wins best picture at Academy Awards
Los Angeles, Feb 27 (AP/UNB) — Oscar winner, take two. Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” — not, as it turned out, “La La Land” — won best picture at the Academy Awards in a historic Oscar upset and an unprecedented fiasco that…
Govt planning another controversial election: Khaleda
Dhaka – BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday alleged that the government is planning to hold another farce poll by using what she said the controversial Election Commission (EC).
Pro-BNP lawyers sweep Dhaka Bar election
Dhaka – BNP-Jamaat’s Blue panel won landslide victory in Dhaka Bar Election 2017-2018 defeating the pro-Awami League White panel.