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…
Category: Lifestyle
‘Mona Lisa nude sketch’ found in France
A charcoal drawing housed in another art collection for more than 150 years may have been a sketch for the Mona Lisa, a French art expert says. The charcoal portrait of a nude woman, known as the Monna Vanna, was…
Public-private partnerships as the answer . . . what was the question?
By Manuel F. Montes New York, Sep 26 (IPS) – In discussions at the UN about achieving Agenda 2030, it has become de rigueur to highlight the role of the private sector. It is often introduced as the discovery of…
Gandhi’s truth: Ending human violence one at a time
Robert J. Burrowes Gandhi Jayanti – 2 October, the date of Mohandas K. Gandhi’s birth in 1869 and the International Day of Nonviolence – offers an opportunity to reflect on human violence and to ponder ways to end it. There…
A Wife’s hillariously extra grocery list husband
Some people prefer to bring a detailed list when they go grocery shopping. Era Golwalkar’s husband Gaurav gets one with diagrams and bullet points. The couple, who live in Pune, India, takes turns grocery shopping every other week, Era told…
Saudi ban on women driging to be lifted soon
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…
Milan fashion meets global crises with lightness
Milan, Sep 22 (AP/UNB) — The Milan fashion world is responding to global crises with transparency and lightness. Designers are choosing diaphanous textiles to create airy looks, often layering sheer trench coats and anoraks over form-fitting knit dresses or jumpsuits…
Macron defends globalist approach at UN General Assembly
By Roshni Majumdar UN, Sep 20 (IPS) – French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a sombre speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 19, denouncing Myanmar’s “ethnic cleansing,” and calling for better protection of refugees around the world.
Balanced approach to food security underscored
GreenWatch Report September 19, Dhaka: Speakers at a training workshop in Dhaka on Tuesday underscored the need for a balanced approach to meet the food security needs of Bangladesh.
‘We are a world in pieces’ – UN chief
By António Guterres We are a world in pieces. We need to be a world at peace. And I strongly believe that, together, we can build peace. We can restore trust and create a better world for all. I will…
Take kids to the supermarket for them to enjoy eating vegetables
As any parent will verify, coaxing a child into eating their greens is not a pleasant experience. But researchers now claim to have found the secret to getting them to eat vegetables… and enjoy them. It seems children who help…
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…
16th Amendment Verdict: AG yet to have instruction
Dhaka – The Office of the Attorney General till Sunday did not receive any instruction from the government to lodge an appeal on the verdict of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court that upheld the High Court verdict scrapping…
Ministerial meet in Italy to scale-up geothermal energy
Government and private sector leaders assemble to unlock geothermal’s 200GW of potential Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. — Leaders and ministers from more than 25 governments will meet in Florence, Italy on 11 September, to accelerate the global adoption of geothermal energy.…
Rohingyas — Jihadists ?
By Chandra Muzaffar The Rohingyas — or at least some Rohingyas — are now being projected as terrorists, as “Jihadists” out to kill Myanmar soldiers and civilians. Myanmar leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi have spoken along these lines. This…
US$60m villa could be most expensive sold on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah
With 11 bedrooms, a vast expanse of private beach, as well as its own cinema and nightclub, “Tip Villa” on Palm Jumeirah is at the tip of Dubai’s luxury housing market – quite literally. The 46,000-square-foot property is set to…
Instagram hack targets celebrities
Instagram has revealed a flaw in its systems revealed “a number of” stars’ phone numbers and email addresses to cyber-attackers. The Facebook-owned social network has emailed verified members, usually prominent figures, to let them know. It said it believed “one…
New drug to treat drug-resistant gonorrhoea
The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) is a non-profit R&D body launched jointly by the WHO and DNDi in partnership with Entasis Therapeutics to develop a novel first-in-class antibiotic zoliflodacin to address drug-resistant gonorrhoea.
Syria: Talks should address ‘Disappeared’- HRW
Create Independent Body to Investigate Missing Persons Beirut, August 30 – International backers of negotiations to end the conflict in Syria should ensure that any transitional process includes a robust independent body to investigate thousands of “disappeared,” Human Rights Watch…
Nazrul’s 41st death anniversary observed
Dhaka, Aug 27 – The 41st death anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, popularly known as Bidrohi Kobi, was observed on Sunday with due respect.
Jordan abolishes law allowing rapists to avoid prosecution
By IPS World Desk Romw, Aug 22 (IPS) – In just three weeks time, two Arab countries adopted major steps to combat violence against women, with Jordan abolishing a law allowing rapists to avoid prosecution by marrying their victims, while…
President mourns Razzak’s death
Dhaka – President Abdul Hamid on Monday expressed deep shock at the death of iconic film actor Abdur Razzak, popularly known as Nayak Raj Razzak.In a condolence message, Abdul Hamid said Razzak will ever be remembered for his outstanding contributions…
The all-women morning kitchen market ‘Bou Bazaar’ of Chandpur
Dhaka, Aug 20 – If anyone visits Chandpur municipality, a district down on the bank of the mighty Meghna in the mid-eastern part of Bangladesh, one should not miss a unique kitchen market on its Mayor Road where all the…
Population aging hallmark of 21st century
While rapid population growth may be the defining feature of the 20th century, with world population nearly quadrupling from 1.6 to 6.1 billion, the hallmark of the 21st century is likely to be population aging.The consequences of the population aging…
How safe is your makeup?
Have you ever wondered if your makeup is safe? It’s worth thinking about because surprisingly few of the ingredients have been properly tested. The safety of ingredients in cosmetics is an unknown quantity. It seems that many ingredients haven’t been…
Virginia governor tells white supremacists: ‘Go home’
The governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, has said that his only message for the white supremacists who brought chaos to the city of Charlottesville is “Go home”.
Jordan makes strides toward inclusive green economy
By Safa Khasawneh Amman, Aug 10 (IPS) – Jordan may be one of the smallest economies in the Middle East, but it has high ambitions for inclusive green growth and sustainable development despite the fact that it lies in the…
Conservation agriculture sprouts in Cuban fields
By Ivet González Los Palacios, Cuba, Aug 10 (IPS) – At the entrance, the Tierra Brava farm looks like any other family farm in the rural municipality of Los Palacios, in the westernmost province of Cuba. But as you drive…
Gender equality? It’s still a man’s world
By Anna Shen San Francisco, California, Aug 3 (IPS) – Gender inequality is the greatest moral and social issue of our time — and the world’s most critical economic challenge. If half of the global population cannot fulfil their human…
UK airlines warn of delays at EU airports
British Airways and Easyjet have sent text alerts to customers warning of delays at EU border controls. BA said it is asking travellers to arrive early as it is expecting longer queues due to “enhanced immigration checks” across Europe. The…