Saturday, 10 May, 2025

International

GCC looking to set up Gulf police

DHAKA: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) could set up a unified police force to protect the member countries from organised crime and terrorism, the GCC secretary-general has said.‘The GCC countries are looking into a project to set up a Gulf police similar to Europol, the European

Two killed, 7 injured in Manipur bomb blast

DHAKA: Two persons were killed and seven others got seriously injured when a powerful bomb, allegedly planted by militants, exploded at Yaiskul area in Imphal West district of Manipur, police said.The bomb (improvised explosive device), planted near the roadside at Yaiskul bus stand here

Brahimi to meet Assad

DHAKA: UN envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi is expected to meet Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Wednesday, according to a Syrian government official.‘There is an initial appointment, but I`m not sure when exactly the two will meet,’ said Elia Samman, an adviser to the

Japan govt panel ‘suggests Tepco break-up’

DHAKA: The operator of Japan’s stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant should be broken up, a committee is set to propose according to unnamed sources.The ruling party panel wants part of the Tokyo Electric Power Company in charge of cleaning to be separated.Fukushima has been beset by

7.3 million teen births in developing world

DHAKA: Teen pregnancies in the developing world are declining, but more than 7 million girls under the age of 18 are still giving birth each year, according to a United Nations report.The UN Population Fund expressed particular alarm about the dangers facing girls 14 or younger, who

‘Border accord with China bid to avoid tensions’

DHAKA: India defence minister AK Antony on Wednesday said the inking of a new border accord with China was a ‘sincere attempt’ by both countries to avoid tensions on the border and would help to quickly solve any face to face situations that may arise.The border defence cooperation

US lawmakers criticise Egypt aid cuts, consider changing law

DHAKA: Some US lawmakers said they were unhappy about cuts in Washington’s aid to Egypt announced earlier this month after authorities in Cairo used violence to put down protests.They also said they were considering changes to a US law that bars sending assistance to governments that

Egypt detains Brotherhood leader Essam el-Erian

DHAKA: A fugitive senior Muslim Brotherhood leader, Essam el-Erian, has been detained by the Egyptian authorities.Prosecutors ordered his arrest in July, after the ousting of president Mohammed Mursi.The arrest is the latest move in a government crackdown against the Islamist movement

Afghan peace team to visit Taliban commander

DHAKA: Afghan negotiators seeking peace with the Taliban will soon travel to Pakistan for their first meeting with key militant commander Mullah Baradar.Officials said Wednesday, reports The Straits Times.Afghan president Hamid Karzai said in a statement that a deal had been reached after

Israel to build 1,500 illegal settler homes

DHAKA: Israel has announced the construction of 1,500 new settler homes in the occupied East Jerusalem illegal settlement of Ramat Shlomo, Israeli army radio said.The early-morning report, credited to prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his interior minister, Gideon Saar, came hours

23 killed in India train fire

DHAKA: At least 23 people have died after a fire broke out in an air conditioned bogie of the Nanded Express in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh in India early Saturday.Nine others have been injured; they`ve been shifted to the Dharmavaram Hospital in the district, reports NDTV.The

China formally eases one-child policy

DHAKA: China`s top legislature has formally adopted a resolution easing the country`s one-child policy, the state news agency Xinhua reports.The Standing Committee of the National People`s Congress passed a resolution allowing couples to have two children if either parent is an only

South Sudan rebels wary of truce offer

DHAKA: South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar has said there must be proper negotiations before the rebels can agree to a truce with the government.He was speaking after the government said it had agreed to an immediate end to fighting, in a declaration welcomed by East African leaders in

Judge rules NSA program legal

DHAKA: The National Security Agency notched a much-needed win in court Friday after a series of setbacks over the legality and even the usefulness of its massive data collection program.A federal judge in New York ruled the NSA`s bulk collection of data on nearly every phone call made in

6 charged in India gang rape

DHAKA: Police arrested 12 people and charged six of them for allegedly gang-raping a 21-year-old woman on Christmas Eve in southern India, in another case of sexual assault of women in the country.Law enforcing agencies said that the arrests were made Thursday after the woman complained

‘We’re still friends’

DHAKA: India wants to ensure the furore over the arrest and strip-search of a female diplomat in New York does not do lasting harm to its ‘valuable relationship’ with the US.India foreign minister Salman Khurshid said on Thursday.‘I can’t believe that either side wants to put at

Pope drawing crowds 4 times larger than predecessor

DHAKA: More than two million people have flocked to Pope Francis’ general audiences in St Peter’s Square since his election in March, four times the number that Pope Benedict drew in all of 2012.The Vatican said on Wednesday it had issued 1,548,500 tickets for the 30 general audiences

Jade Rabbit rover rolls on to Moon

DHAKA: China`s Jade Rabbit robot rover has driven off its landing module and on to the Moon`s surface.The robotic vehicle rolled down a ramp lowered by the lander and on to the volcanic plain known as Sinus Iridum.Earlier on Saturday, the landing module containing the rover fired its

Mandela to be buried in Qunu home

DHAKA: Nelson Mandela is to be buried in his ancestral home in Qunu in the Eastern Cape, ending a week of commemorations for South Africa`s first black leader.Some 4,500 people - including foreign dignitaries - will be attending the funeral, which will blend state ceremonial with

Syrian Islamist rebels to meet US officials

DHAKA: Syrian rebel commanders from the Islamic Front which seized control of bases belonging to Western-backed rebels last week are due to hold talks with US officials in Turkey in coming days.Syria rebel and opposition sources said on Saturday, reports TDS.The expected contacts between