By Franz Chávez Phuyuwasi, Bolivia, Jun 7 2017 (IPS) – In this remote highlands valley community in central Bolivia, a group of Quechua indigenous women have learned how to combat the intense frosts and the shortage of water in solar…
Category: Lead 2
‘Mobile phone subscribers in BD rose by 8om in 8yrs’
Dhaka, Jun 8 – The country’s mobile phone subscribers rose by nearly 8 crore in the last eight years since 2009 as per statistics placed by State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim in Parliament on Thursday.
Trump offers help; UAE tightens squeeze on Qatar
U.S. President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to help resolve a worsening diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab powers as the United Arab Emirates invoked the possibility of an economic embargo on Doha over its alleged support of terrorism.…
Polls open in UK election after campaign marred by attacks
London – Polling stations opened across Britain on Thursday for national elections, amid heightened security worries following a series of terror attacks in what one senior police official described as “unprecedented times.” – AP/UNB
Left leader, 2 ‘robbers’ killed in gunfights
Dhaka, June 8 – A regional leader of the outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) was killed in a ‘shootout’ between his cohorts and the members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at Khaskarra in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga district early…
Rajuk takes over house: Illegally evicted, says BNP’s Moudud
Dhaka – The Rajdhahi Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) on Wednesday took over former law minister and senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed’s Gulshan house following a court order. Talking to reporters Rajuk’s executive magistrate Khandaker Waliur Rahman said they took over the…
Three Bangladeshi women in spotlight in UK’s election
Three Bangladeshi-origin women candidates drew an extra focus in media, several of those dubbing them as ‘three daughters” or “tin kanya” of Bangladesh as Britain goes to snap general elections tomorrow. Fourteen candidates of Bangladeshi origin are contesting in the…
HC releases text of mobile court verdict, stayed till 2 July
Dhaka – The High Court Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday released the full text of its verdict declaring mobile court conducted by executive magistrates illegal and contradictory to the Constitution of the country.
Flynn turns over documents to probe panel
Washington, Jun 7 (AP/UNB) – Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn turned over about 600 pages of documents Tuesday to the Senate intelligence committee as part of its investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to a…
US contemplates to leave UNHRC
On June 6, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will appear for the first time at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. The United States is one of 47 members of the council — a hard…
Bangladesh upset at US decision to dump climate deal
Bangladesh has expressed its disappointment over the United States’ decision of withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. “It would be unfortunate to lose a leading partner like the United States in the global journey to secure a green and safe…
Kuwait trying to mediate, solve rift: Qatar
Dubai, Jun 6 (AP/UNB) – Kuwait is trying to mediate a diplomatic crisis in which Arab countries have cut diplomatic ties to Qatar and moved to isolate the energy-rich, travel-hub nation from the outside world, Qatar’s foreign minister said early…
Electronic voting unlikely in Bangladesh’s next polls
Muhammad Syfullah, UNB Staff Writer Dhaka, Jun 5 – The Election Commission (EC) is highly unlikely to go for digital voting in the next national election as the two major political parties — Awami League and BNP — are now…
Israel: 50 years of occupation abuses
Jerusalem – Fifty years after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza Strip, it controls these areas through repression, institutionalized discrimination, and systematic abuses of the Palestinian population’s rights, Human Rights Watch said today.
Bangladesh to increase speedy trial jail term to 7 years
Dhaka – The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of ‘The Law and Order Disruption (Speedy Trial) (Amendment) Act- 2017’ raising the jail term punishment to seven years from five years.
37 female activists of Jamaat held in Jessore
Dhaka, June 5 – Police in a drive detained 37 female activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, including two ‘Rokons’, from Basundia area in Sadar upazila of Jessore district on Sunday.
12 arrested in London’s night of terror; IS claims attack
London, Jun 5 (AP/UNB) — British police arrested a dozen people Sunday in a widening terrorism investigation after attackers using a van and large knives turned a balmy evening of nightlife into a bloodbath and killed seven people in the…
Concerns about some tax proposals will be adressed: PM
Amid concerns of the business community and the common people about some provisions of tax, and VAT and excise duty on the proposed budget for fiscal year (2017-18), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government will look into…
Review dismissed: Moudud asked to leave Gulshan home
Dhaka – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court yesterday dismissed two petitions seeking review against the Appellate Division verdict that scrapped BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed’s possession of a house worth Tk 300 crore at holding No 159 in…
Youth sued for violating schoolgirl; rapist held in Magura
Magura, June 04 – A case was filed against a young man for raping a schoolgirl in Ghoshpur village of Mohammadpur upazila in the district on Saturday.
Khaleda asks EC to take proper steps for fair polls
Dhaka – BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday called upon the Election Commission (EC) to take proper steps for holding a credible general election in consultation with political parties and people. UNB news reported
Fakhrul for national unity to ensure fair polls
Dhaka, Jun 2 – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday urged the political parties to forge a national unity for forcing the government to hold a fair and impartial election.
EU-China summit in Brussels
Brussels – European Union leaders should publicly and privately press China’s government to end its crackdown on human rights and immediately release all detained activists, Human Rights Watch said today in a joint letter with a dozen other nongovernmental organizations.…
Budget aimed at making political gain: BNP
Dhaka, June 1 – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said the national budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year will not be helpful for public welfare as the government has formulated it to make its ‘political gain’…
Mayors to fight climate change despite US withdrawal
President Trump has announced that he will withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on climate change. Paris Mayor and C40 Chair Anne Hidalgo and several other global C40 mayors have made statements reacting to the news, vowing to continue…
Mixed reactions to U.S. withdrawal from climate deal
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage UN, Jun 1 (IPS) – The United States is expected to withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement, prompting mixed reactions from civil society and political representatives.
UN chief urges Trump to retain Paris deal
The US has been urged to remain committed to the 2015 Paris climate agreement ahead of an announcement by President Donald Trump on the issue. Reports in the US suggest Mr Trump will withdraw the US from the deal. UN…
SC stays BNP leader Moudud’s Niko graft case
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the trial proceedings against BNP leader Barrister Moudud Ahmed in Niko graft case for three months. A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha…
Sunamganj flood-hit people passing Ramadan days in acute food crisis
Sunamganj – While Muslims around the world are celebrating the holy Ramadan with great significance, most low income people of the flood-hit Haor areas of the district are passing the days in acute food crisis. UNB news reported
Indian ship with relief materials heading towards Ctg
Dhaka – Indian Navy ship, INS Sumitra, an offshore patrol vessel, is carrying disaster relief materials and now 90nm south off Chittagong. UNB news reported