Wednesday, 25 Dec, 2024

International

Japan launches ‘affordable’ space rocket

DHAKA: Japan has launched the first in a new generation of space rockets, hoping the design will make missions more affordable.The Epsilon rocket is about half the size of Japan’s previous generation of space vehicles, and uses artificial intelligence to perform safety checks.Japan’s

Filipino troops attack to end six-day standoff

DHAKA: Philippine officials say government troops have started to battle their way into coastal villages in the south held by Muslim rebels with scores of hostages to end a six-day standoff that has left 56 people dead.Philippines interior secretary Mar Roxas said on Saturday government

Mubarak back in Egyptian court

DHAKA: An Egyptian court on Saturday resumed the trial of toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak, who is accused of complicity in the deaths of protesters during the 2011 uprising against his rule.State television broadcast footage of Mubarak appearing in the court in a wheelchair. He was dressed

‘US ready for military action, if’

DHAKA: United States president Barack Obama said on Saturday he was willing to give a chance to diplomacy to help resolve the Syrian crisis, but warned the military option was still on the table.‘We need to see concrete actions to demonstrate that (Syrian president Bashar al-) Assad is

US, Russia agree Syria arms deal in Geneva

DHAKA: Syria must give inspectors access to all chemical weapons ahead of their complete destruction, US and Russia agree.US state secretary John Kerry outlined a six-point framework under which Syria must hand over a full list of its stockpile within a week.He said the deal could be

‘Obama visit will boost US alliance’

DHAKA: United States president Barack Obama’s visit to the Philippines next month will help expand security ties with its longtime Asian ally.The Filipino government said on Saturday, reports The Straits Times.The White House announced on Friday that Obama will make a four-nation Asia

‘Water is the best energy drink’

DHAKA: United States First Lady Michelle Obama, known for urging US children to be more active and eat their vegetables, began a new health push this week by touting the benefits of drinking water.But exactly how much water to drink remains murky, and some consumer advocates question

Powerful bomb blast in India’s north-east kills 9

DHAKA: A powerful bomb blast in India’s restive north-east - plagued for decades by separatist violence - has killed nine labourers and injured about 21 other people.The police said on Saturday, reports The Straits Times.The explosion took place late on Friday in a busy area on the

Zawahri condemns crackdown on Brotherhood

DHAKA: Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri has described the army-installed government’s crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt as a ‘brutal crime’ and urged Egyptians to resist what he called a campaign against Islam in their country.Security forces have killed hundreds of

Iran says date be set for nuclear talks at UN meeting

DHAKA: A date for the next talks between Iran and six global powers seeking to ensure Tehran does not develop nuclear arms could be set during meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this month.Iran’s president Hassan Rohani said on Friday, The Jerusalem Post

Bolbfish world’s ugliest animal

DHAKA: With the grandiloquence befitting such an occasion, Simon Watt, the British biologist, television personality and "president for life" of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, made the long-anticipated announcement Thursday night."The votes have been counted and verified," said

Obama travels to Asia next month

DHAKA: US President Barack Obama travels to four Asian nations for three economic summits between Oct. 6-12, the White House announced Friday.The stops are in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines.From the White House:"In Indonesia, he will attend the Asia Pacific Economic

US-Russia extend talks another day

DHAKA: Even as they trade barbs publicly -- and even as artillery shells and accusations continue to fly in Syria -- the United States and Russia could take solace Friday in at least one respect: They are still talking.Discussions between the two in Geneva -- centered around Moscow`s

India extends curfew in BD border by 2-month

DHAKA: India extended night curfew along the 32-km India-Bangladesh border in Assam`s Cachar district for another two months from Wednesday night in view of continuous infiltration and smuggling attempts.The porous land and riverine border that the district shares with Bangladesh has been

Kerry calls Syria chemical weapons talks ‘constructive’

DHAKA: US Secretary of State John Kerry has described as “constructive” talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on securing Syria’s chemical weapons.The two men began a second day of talks in Geneva by meeting UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to discuss the wider issue

First human-made object leaves solar system

DHAKA: At the edge of the heliosphere, you would just see unfathomably empty space, no matter which side of the invisible line you were on.But scientists now have strong evidence that NASA’s Voyager 1 probe has crossed this important border, making history as the first human-made object

Narendra Modi BJP’s PM candidate

DHAKA: Narendra Modi, a staunch proponent of Hinduvta, was on Friday announced as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, amid stiff opposition by party patriarch L K Advani.The announcement was made by BJP chief Rajnath Singh after a meeting of the party’s

CA student hacks Anil Ambani’s I-T account

DHAKA: A young chartered accountant student from Hyderabad has allegedly hacked into the e-filing of income tax returns account of leading industrialist Anil Ambani, with an intention to know his income and tax amount paid over a period of time, police said on Friday.The 21-year-old

Life ban on Sreesanth for spot fixing

DHAKA: Cricketers S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan have been handed a life ban, Amit Singh has been banned for 5 years while Siddharth Trivedi has been banned for 1 year for spot-fixing in the 2013 T20 league by the BCCI disciplinary panel.The disciplinary panel decided their fate after

30 killed in Iraq bomb attack

DHAKA: At least 30 people have been killed and 24 others wounded in a bomb attack on a Sunni mosque in the central Iraqi city of Baquba.Police said Sunni and Shia worshippers were targeted after joining each other for Friday prayers.There have recently been several deadly bombings in