By Peter Koenig After the new coup attempt – or propaganda coup – Venezuela lives in a state of foreign imposed insecurity. The failed coup was executed on 30 April by Juan Guaidó, the self-proclaimed and Washington-trained and endorsed “interim…
Category: Int’l relations
Rohingya: Cox’s Bazar ecological balance at stake: Hasina
PM seeks global solution to climate change Dhaka, July 10 – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the environmental balance of Cox’s Bazar is under threat as settlements are being established there for Rohingyas clearing hills and forests. “For…
The challenge ahead: a safer and more dynamic Europe
by Gustav Horn In the latest in our ‘Europe2025’ series, Gustav Horn focuses on macroeconomic institutional reforms for crisis-proofing and a programme of investment to engender vital public goods. After the European Parliament elections, it is time to decide how…
UK’s Labour shifts policy, now backs new Brexit referendum
London, Jul 9 (AP/UNB) — In a significant shift, Britain’s main opposition Labour Party said Tuesday that Britain’s next prime minister should hold a referendum on whether to leave the European Union or remain in the bloc. Labour leader Jeremy…
Queen Maxima in Dhaka to promote financial services access
Dhaka, July 9 (UNB) – UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) Queen Maxima arrived here on Tuesday evening to promote people’s access to financial services in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is currently developing a national strategy to improve…
Rights group calls Duterte’s drug war crime against humanity
Manila, Jul 9 (AP/UNB) — Amnesty International urgently called for international pressure and an immediate U.N. investigation to help end what it says are possible crimes against humanity in the Philippine president’s bloody anti-drug crackdown. The London-based rights watchdog said…
Far-right Greek party crashes out of Parliament
Greece, July 8 (AP/UNB) — Golden Dawn, the far-right, anti-immigrant party that had shocked Greek politics by evolving from a marginal, violent neo-Nazi group into Greece’s third-largest party during the country’s economic crisis, was knocked out of Parliament in Sunday’s…
Amend labour code to benefit workers: Bahrain Trade Union
The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions has in a statement called upon the Government of Bahrain to ratify the new convention of ILO No 190, and thus realize a precedence in the workers’ legislation, compatible with its precedence in…
Syria: At least seven children killed in yet another airstrike
Humanitarian Aid, 7 July 2019 – According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), at least seven children were killed in an airstrike against displaced civilians on Saturday on the village of Mhambel, in the outskirts of Idlib, in northwest Syria.…
450 fishermen with 32 Indian trawlers taken into Paira custody
Dhaka, July 07 – At least 450 fishermen with 32 Indian fishing trawlers have been taken in safe custody by Paira Sea Port coastguard in Kalapara under Patuakhali district on Sunday afternoon. As the sea was clogged due to hostile…
Trump administration is ‘inept and insecure’, says UK envoy
The Trump administration has been labelled “inept”, insecure and incompetent in leaked emails from the UK ambassador to Washington. Sir Kim Darroch said that the White House was “uniquely dysfunctional” and “divided” under Donald Trump. But he also warned that…
Macron, Rouhani agree to look at conditions for nuke talks
France and Iran have agreed to look at conditions for resuming talks to try to save Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, President Emmanuel Macron says. During a phone call with President Hassan Rouhani, Mr Macron expressed his “strong concern”…
India’s Pink City Jaipur gets UNESCO World Heritage tag
Dhaka, July 7 (UNB) – A day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the government’s plan to turn 17 ‘iconic’ tourist sites into world-class destinations, UNESCO announced Jaipur City in Rajasthan as a World Heritage Site in India, reports The Indian Express. …
The danger of ‘profit-only’ motive: Prof Yunus
6th ISBD celebrated in Russia; Three Zeros’ Russian edition launched Dhaka, July 6 – Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus has said the world will soon face extinction if businesses and industries continue to pursue the single-minded pursuit of only profit.…
No law enactment undermining HR concept: Dhaka tells EU
Dhaka, July 6 (UNB) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has assured the European Union (EU) that Bangladesh will never enact or implement any law that may contravene the concept of human rights. He explained that the government of Bangladesh…
Southern California reels from 7.1 quake
Los Angeles, Jul 6 (AP/UNB) — Small communities in the Mojave Desert are reeling from a magnitude 7.1 earthquake — the second major temblor in as many days to rock Southern California. Authorities say Friday night’s shaker was centered near…
Dhaka-Beijing strategic ties helpful for prosperity in Asia
Dhaka, July 6 (UNB) – China has conveyed Bangladesh that the strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries will be ‘helpful in a big way’ towards the prosperity and stability in Asia and beyond apart from serving the mutual…
World is off track in its education commitments for 2030
Almost a third of the way to the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, new UNESCO projections prepared for the UN High-level Political Forum show that the world will fail its education commitments without a rapid acceleration of progress.…
California towns survey quake damage amid more aftershocks
Los Angeles, Jul 6 (AP/UNB) — Communities in the Mojave Desert tallied damage and made emergency repairs to cracked roads and broken pipes Friday as aftershocks from Southern California’s largest earthquake in 20 years kept rumbling. The town of Ridgecrest,…
US to pursue citizenship question on census but path unclear
Washington, Jul 6 (AP/UNB) — The Justice Department said Friday it will press its search for legal grounds to force the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, hours after President Donald Trump said he is “very seriously”…
Libya tragedy: Why lock up migrants in the first place?
By James Reinl UN, Jul 4 2019 (IPS) – A military strike on a detention centre for migrants in Libya that claimed dozens of lives on Tuesday, Jul. 2 has reignited a debate over the poor treatment of the mainly…
Chinese President agrees on quick end to Rohingya crisis
Beijing, July 5 – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday agreed that there should be a quick solution to Rohingya crisis so that the displaced people can go back to their homeland soon. “The two leaders agreed that the Rohingya…
PM Hasina pays tribute to Chinese heroes
Beijing, Jul 5 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently visiting China, paid tribute to Chinese heroes by placing a wreath at the Heroes Memorial in Tiananmen Square on Friday afternoon. After placing the wreath at 4pm (local time), the…
Communist Party of China to help resolve Rohingya crisis
Beijing, Jul 5 (UNB) – The Communist Party of China (CPC) on Friday said it will contact the top leaders of Myanmar to amicably solve the Rohingya crisis and start the repatriation process as soon as possible. CPC Minister for…
Strongest earthquake in 20 years rattles Southern California
Los Angeles, July 5 (AP/UNB) — The strongest earthquake in 20 years shook a large swath of Southern California and parts of Nevada on Thursday, rattling nerves on the July 4th holiday and causing injuries and damage in a town…
Three-year-old girl latest Philippines ‘drug war’ victim
UN Human Rights Council Should Adopt Resolution to Stop Carnage On Sunday, a 3-year-old girl became the latest casualty of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs,” which has killed thousands over the past three years. Myka Ulpina died after…
Libya: Deadly attack highlights disregard for civilians
EU Containment Policy Helps Keep Migrants in Harm’s Way Tunis –The deaths of at least 44 migrants and asylum seekers in an airstrike on July 3, 2019, on a compound that includes a detention center in Tajoura, near Tripoli, Libya,…
Turning the tide on violence and harassment at work
by Rothna Begum The #MeToo movement raised global awareness about the experience of harassment at work—now we have a potentially far-reaching ILO convention to combat the phenomenon. ‘This is a historic day.’ The words sent a shiver down my spine,…
ICC for judicial backing to probe crimes against Rohingyas
Dhaka, July 4 – The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday requested its Judges to authorise an investigation into alleged crimes like deportation, other inhumane acts and persecution committed against Rohingyas from Myanmar. As Myanmar is not…
Dhaka, Beijing sign nine instruments – five on power development
Beijing, Jul 4 – Bangladesh and China on Thursday signed nine instruments for further strengthening cooperation on power, water resources, culture and tourism sectors as well as providing 2,500 metric tonnes of rice for the displaced Rohingyas. The instruments, including…