Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promised to “deal firmly” with North Korea after exit polls suggested he won a clear victory in Sunday’s election.
Category: Lead 1
Indonesia asks ‘why’ as US refuses entry to its military chief
Jakarta: Indonesia is demanding an explanation after it said its military chief Gatot Nurmantyo was refused entry into the United States, moments before his plane departed from Jakarta on Saturday. General Gatot – who earlier this year suspended military ties…
US former presidents gather for hurricanes fundraiser
The five living former US presidents have gathered for a concert in aid of victims of the hurricanes which ravaged the US this year. Barack Obama, George W Bush, Bill Clinton, George HW Bush and Jimmy Carter appeared in Texas…
54 Egypt policemen killed in gun battle at hideout
At least 54 policemen, including 20 officers and 34 conscripts, were killed when a raid on a militant hideout outside of Cairo escalated into an all-out firefight, authorities said Saturday. It was one of the largest losses of life for…
‘Heinous crime – enforced disappearance – must not exist’
Dhaka, Oct 20 – Enforced disappearances should not exist in the 21st century, but reports of the “heinous” crime continue to be received in unacceptably high numbers, two UN experts told UN General Assembly on Friday.
Iraqi court issues arrest warrant for Kurdish vice president
Kirkuk, Oct 20 (AP/UNB) — A Baghdad court issued an arrest warrant for the vice president of Iraq’s autonomous northern Kurdish region on Thursday for saying that Iraqi forces had “occupied” the disputed province of Kirkuk this week.
Monument of love – the Taj Mahal – at heart of political storm
Lucknow, Oct 19 (AP/UNB) — India’s famed monument of love, the white marble Taj Mahal, is finding itself at the heart of a political storm, with some members of the country’s ruling Hindu right-wing party claiming that the mausoleum built…
Xi Jinping: ‘Time for China to take centre stage’
China has entered a “new era” where it should “take centre stage in the world”, President Xi Jinping says. The country’s rapid progress under “socialism with Chinese characteristics” shows there is “a new choice for other countries”, he told the…
China’s Communist Party congress begins in Beijing
China’s biggest political event, the Communist Party Congress, has begun in Beijing under tight security. Chinese president Xi Jinping has been addressing more than 2,000 delegates in the capital for about three hours now.
India’s draft groundwater guidelines to ‘destroy’ the resource
The Ministry of Water Resources of the Union Government of India has on Oct 11, 2017 (see notice: http://www.wrmin.nic.in/forms/List.aspx?lid=1180&Id=6) put up draft guidelines on Groundwater management in India (see draft Guidelines: http://www.wrmin.nic.in/writereaddata/guideline-NOC-CGWA.pdf), with comments period of 60 days. The comments…
Combination therapy for ‘Super malaria’ : WHO
A recent report by the BBC shows a dangerous increase of resistance to the drug artemisinin. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of malaria and the spread of resistance to this drug,…
Finding a permanent trustee of Green Climate Fund
Delhi, 16 October (Indrajit Bose) — The Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) faced a conundrum over the selection process for the permanent trustee of the Fund at its most recent 18th meeting, held in Cairo, Egypt, from 30…
AL to place 11-point demand to Election Commission
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said his party would place 11-point proposals during dialogue with the Election Commission. “EC will hold talks with Awami League on Wednesday. AL will give 11 specific…
Conflicting press conferences at SC Bar on Justice Sinha
Dhaka – Leaders of Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association on Saturday held two conflicting press conferences over Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha’s statement that he made before leaving for Australia.
Malaysia’s Dy PM due Sunday to discuss Rohingya issue
Dhaka, Oct 13 – Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrives here on Sunday on a two-day visit to discuss bilateral and Rohingya issues. ‘It reflects Malaysia’s concern, seriousness on the issue.’
Hackers still targetting SWIFT
Hackers continue to target the SWIFT bank messaging system, though security controls instituted after last year’s $81 million heist at Bangladesh’s central bank have helped thwart many of those attempts, a senior SWIFT official told Reuters. “Attempts continue,” said Stephen…
First evidence: online dating changing nature of society
Dating websites have changed the way couples meet. Now evidence is emerging that this change is influencing levels of interracial marriage and even the stability of marriage itself. Not so long ago, nobody met a partner online. Then, in the…
Rohingya: UN recalls top official Lok-Dessallien
The United Nations has announced that its top official in Myanmar is being recalled to headquarters in New York. Renata Lok-Dessallien was the focus of a BBC investigation last month in which she was accused of suppressing internal discussion on…
Yangon’s first step to ease Buddhist-Muslim tension
Myanmar on Tuesday launched its first bid to improve relations between Buddhists and Muslims since an eruption of deadly violence in August inflamed communal tension and triggered an exodus of some 520,000 Muslims to Bangladesh, Reuters news agency has reported.
Revelations point to a rigged 2016 US election result
By Joe Rothstein Donald Trump spent much of the 2016 campaign warning us that the result of the presidential election would be rigged. Events of the last few weeks suggest he may have been right and that his presidency is…
Nobel for Richard Thaler who made economics human again
Washington, Oct 10 (AP/UNB) — People make poor economic choices. They don’t save enough for retirement. They refuse to cut their losses on plummeting investments because they won’t own up to mistakes. They buy houses and stocks when prices are…
Sex attacks make Rohingya children fearful in camps
Reuters Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Adjida kicked and screamed when the rough and dirty hands of the masked soldier moved up her legs and ripped off her clothes. The 13-year-old pleaded with him to stop when he climbed on top of…
Depression in the Bay: Signal 3 continues for seaports
Dhaka, Oct 9 – The well-marked low over coastal areas of Bangladesh, West Bengal and adjoining northwest bay moved slightly north-northwestwards and intensified into a land depression.
EU leads way to better governance of the oceans
Malta: More than six billion euros committed by public and private actors to better manage our oceans at European Union-hosted conference in Malta. The European Commission has announced over €550 million of EU-funded initiatives to tackle global oceans challenges, at…
Gunman killed after deadly attack at Jeddah palace gate
Two security guards at Al-Salam Palace killed as gunman opens fire at them before being shot dead, Saudi officials say.
Rouhani says: 10 Trumps cannot roll back nuke deal benefits
Iran’s president defended the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers on Saturday, saying not even 10 Donald Trumps can roll back its benefits to his country, state TV reported. Hassan Rouhani’s comments came as President Donald Trump appears to be…
Al-Qaida-linked fighters launch missile attack in central Syria
Beirut, Oct 6 (AP/UNB) – Al-Qaida-linked fighters on Friday attacked a key central Syrian village at the crossroads between areas under government control and those controlled by insurgent groups, opposition activists said. In eastern Syria, meanwhile, 15 civilians, including children,…
Anti Nuclear campaign wins Nobel Prize for Peace
Nuclear disarmament group ICAN won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for its decade-long campaign to rid the world of the atomic bomb as nuclear-fuelled crises swirl over North Korea and Iran. More than 70 years since atomic bombs were…
Carving out forest land to shelter desperate Rohingya
Dhaka (Reuters) – Hard-pressed to find space for a massive influx of Rohingya Muslim refugees, Bangladesh plans to chop down forest trees to extend a tent city sheltering destitute families fleeing ethnic violence in neighbouring Myanmar.
Putin opens talk with Saudi King at the Kremlin
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman have opened talks at the Kremlin in the first official visit of a Saudi monarch to Russia. The king’s talks with Putin on Thursday are expected to focus on the global…