New York, Feb 17 (AP/UNB)- Mark Zuckerberg’s long-term vision for Facebook, laid out in a sweeping manifesto , sometimes sounds more like a utopian social guide than a business plan. Are we, he asks, “building the world we all want?”
Category: Op-Ed
How warming could turn many plants, animals into climate refugees
Finding the optimum environment and avoiding uninhabitable conditions has been a challenge faced by species throughout the history of life on Earth. But as the climate changes, many plants and animals are likely to find their favoured home much less…
Queen Elizabeth II celebrates sapphire anniversary of reign
February of this year is notable for the fact that the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, is celebrating her sapphire anniversary, marking 65 years on the British throne. She has reigned as queen of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the…
The political assassination of Michael Flynn
By Eli Lake If we are to believe the Trump White House, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn just resigned because he lied about his conversations with Russia’s ambassador to the vice president. As White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway told…
Peacempire forms coalition to fight child marriages
Rakibul Hasan Peacempire, an initiative to scale down Early Marriage, undertook major activities among 2805 adolescents, youths and adults, mostly aged 13 to 25 years, who represent over 32 villages in the district of Narayanganj, Bangladesh. We have surpassed the…
Playboy brings back nudity, saying its removal was a mistake
Playboy magazine has announced it is bringing back nudity, reversing a decision made last year. The move was announced by Playboy’s new chief creative officer Cooper Hefner, who said the decision to remove nudity entirely “was a mistake”. “Today we’re…
An existential threat to South Africa¹s food system
In December 2016 Monsanto shareholders voted in favour of the sale of the company to Bayer for US$66 billion, making it the largest-ever foreign corporate takeover by a German company.
LDC graduation the ‘first milestone’, not the ‘winning post’
Geneva, (Kanaga Raja) — The Trade and Development Board of UNCTAD on Monday held a discussion on the Least Developed Countries Report 2016 which amongst others had argued that graduation of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is “not the winning…
Male contraceptive gel passes monkey test
An experimental new type of male contraceptive that blocks sperm flow with a gel has been successful in monkey trials. Vasalgel acts as a physical barrier once injected into the tubes that sperm would swim down to the penis.
UK has sullied its proud history of helping child refugees
A statue of five young children, gathered around their suitcases and looking a little lost, sits outside London’s Liverpool Street Station. It’s a gift to the people of Britain on behalf of the children of Kindertransport, the rescue effort that…
Rohingyas: Refugee Camp narrative of hope, despair
Abu Raihan MuammedKhalid This is a story of the most unfortunate people of our time. Their own country rejects them. The country they came in denies them. This is a story of the Rohingya refugees living in Kutupalong Refugee Camp…
Worsening inequalities: The courage to face the challenge
By Chandra Muzaffar It is not surprising that the Davos Forum held in the middle of January 2017 chose not to examine the obscene, grotesque, ever widening economic inequalities in the world brought to its attention by Oxfam, the global…
Queen Elizabeth II marks sapphire jubilee
Queen Elizabeth II, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, set a new record Monday as the first British sovereign to reach their sapphire jubilee, marking 65 years on the throne. The head of state, now 90, became queen aged 25 upon the…
Saudi diplomat to be caned for molesting hotel intern
Bander Yahya A Alzahrani, who works for the Saudi Arabia Embassy in Beijing, was sentenced to a caning by a judge in Singapore after being found guilty of groping the 20-year-old woman in an en-suite bathroom. The court heard the…
Only one democratic state is possible in Palestine and Israel
By Dr Ramzy Baroud Long before December 28, when Secretary of State, John Kerry took the podium at the Dean Acheson Auditorium in Washington DC to pontificate on the uncertain future of the two-state solution and the need to save…
Don’t accept child marriage in Britain either
But child marriage is legal in the UK—so why shouldn’t it be allowed here?” Those were the words of a Bangladesh government official who I met to discuss the terrible harm child marriage causes in Bangladesh, like depriving girls of…
Top Nazi propagandist Goebbels’ secretary dies at 106
Brunhilde Pomsel, the former secretary to Nazi Germany’s propaganda boss Joseph Goebbels, has died aged 106. Her job brought her into close contact with Goebbels – one of the worst war criminals of the 20th century.
Pop culture and young love in North Korea
“If a CD or DVD is found stuck in your player, you’re in deep trouble” Ji-Min Kang This week’s Ask a North Korean deviates somewhat from our usual formula. Instead of publishing answers to reader’s questions, we’re publishing the second…
Bangladeshi origin scientist wins Prince Sultan Award
Bangladeshi-origin American scientist Dr Shafiqul Islam has jointly won the prestigious Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW). The Creativity prize was awarded to the team of Dr Shafiqul Islam (Tufts University, USA) and Dr Rita Colwell (University…
Nonviolent action: Why and how it works
Robert J. Burrowes Nonviolent action is extremely powerful. Unfortunately, however, activists do not always understand why nonviolence is so powerful and they design ‘direct actions’ that are virtually powerless. I would like to start by posing two questions. Why is…
Walton to bring latest electronic devices in 2017
Dhaka – The country’s largest electronics giant Wanton is going to introduce latest technology based fridges, LED televisions, laptops and air conditioners this year.
HC rejects plea against holding office by AG
Dhaka – The High Court (HC) on Tuesday rejected a writ petition that challenged the legality of holding the office of attorney general by Advocate Mahbubey Alam. The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur…
Burma: Release or Charge Kachin Christians
Burmese authorities should immediately release or appropriately charge two ethnic Kachin Baptist leaders arbitrarily detained by the military since December 24, 2016, Human Rights Watch and Fortify Rights said today. The military in Northern Shan State should urgently transfer Langjaw…
Cambridge scientists consider fake news ‘vaccine’
The appearance of fake news on websites and social media has inspired scientists to develop a “vaccine” to immunise people against the problem. A University of Cambridge study devised psychological tools to target fact distortion.
No immunity deal agreed for Gambia’s Jammeh, Senegal
West African leaders did not agree to immunity for Yahya Jammeh during negotiations that convinced Gambia’s longtime ruler to flee into exile, Senegal’s foreign minister said on Sunday.Jammeh, who is accused of serious rights violations, led his country for 22…
Golam Sarwar gets Lifetime Achievement Award
Dhaka- Daily Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar received ‘Ataus Samad Memorial Trust Lifetime Achievement Award’ at a program held at Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury auditorium, at the University of Dhaka on Sunday noon.
Jallikattu bullfighting set to resume in Tamil Nadu
The Indian federal government has cleared the way for bullfighting events to resume in southern Tamil Nadu state, bypassing a Supreme Court ban.Subduing angry bulls has long been practised in the state as a sport and a ritual that forms…
Moudud for commission to try ‘1/11 power usurpers’
Dhaka – Describing the 1/11 government as illegal and unconstitutional one, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed on Saturday demanded formation of an ‘inquiry commission’ to put on trial those who unconstitutionally grabbed power in 2007.
SAU Rover Scouts marching forward
-Prof. M Zahidul Haque SINCE establishment in 1980, the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) Rover Scout Group upholding the rover scout motto “SERVICE” has been performing various scouting activities ranging from community services to agriculture, health and sanitation, child welfare tasks.…
Trump’s inauguration – full speech: Rolling US back
Here’s a full transcript of his speech: “We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people. Together, we will determine the course of…