Friday, 23 May, 2025

International

KSA forms Muslim ‘anti-terrorism’ coalition

DHAKA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has formed a coalition of 34 mainly Muslim countries - including powers such as Egypt and Turkey - to coordinate a fight against ‘terrorist organizations’.The alliance was announced by KSA defense minister and deputy crown prince, Mohammed bin

CBI ‘seals’ Kejriwal's office

DHAKA: Chief Minister of Delhi in India Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that his office was sealed in a CBI raid on Tuesday morning, reports NDTV.The CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) of India searched the Delhi Secretariat and the headquarters of the state government in the morning.The AAP

41 police killed in Argentina bus crash

DHAKA: At least 41 Argentine police members were killed Monday after a bus they were traveling in flipped and fell off a bridge in the northern part of the South American nation.Authorities say the crash happened early Monday while a convoy of three buses with gendarmes officers was

Russian warship fires warning shots at Turkish fishing boat

DHAKA: Russia says one of its warships fired warning shots at a Turkish fishing boat in the Aegean Sea to avoid a collision.A Russian defense ministry statement said the Turkish vessel approached to 600m (1,800ft) before turning away in response to Russian small arms fire.The captain of

SA gets 3rd Finance Minister in a week

DHAKA: South African President Jacob Zuma has replaced newly appointed Finance Minister David van Rooyen with the more experienced Pravin Gordhan in a surprise Sunday night announcement.On Wednesday, the president sacked Nhlanhla Nene in a move that sent the rand to record lows and

20 women win seats in Saudi municipal poll

DHAKA: Twenty women have won seats in municipal councils in Saudi Arabia as the ultraconservative Muslim kingdom allowed females to vote and run as candidates for the first time in history in an election on Saturday.The 20 elected females represent just under one percent of the roughly

45 civilians killed in Damascus rocket fire

DHAKA: At least 45 civilians were killed on Sunday in heavy bombardment of a besieged Syrian rebel stronghold east of Damascus that also struck a school.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said rockets fired by regime forces rained down on the towns of Douma, Harasta, Saqba and Arbin

First woman councilor elected in Saudi Arabia

DHAKA: A woman has won a seat on a municipal council for the first time in Saudi Arabia, after the kingdom lifted its bar on women taking part in elections.Salma bint Hizab al-Oteibi won a seat in Mecca province in Saturday’s vote, the electoral commission said, BBC reports on

Low turnout in KSA first poll open to women

DHAKA: Election workers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) were counting votes after the country’s first-ever election open to both female voters and candidates, in a tentative step towards easing restrictions on women.Saturday’s municipal poll, which was hailed by many as historic, saw

21 killed in central Russia hospital fire

DHAKA: At least 21 people have been killed and about two dozens injured in a fire at a neurological hospital in Russia’s central Voronezh region. Two remain unaccounted for as authorities scour the rubble of the wooden structure which was destroyed by the blaze, reports the

Key Points of the Paris Climate Pact

DHAKA:  The 31-page document that details a landmark agreement reached on Saturday could be a turning point in the struggle to contain global warming, according to several experts who have been scrutinizing the small but momentous changes to the document’s wording.Here are some

COP21 climate summit reaches deal

DHAKA: A deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C has been agreed at the climate change summit in Paris after two weeks of intense negotiations.The pact is the first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions, reports the BBC.The agreement is partly

Climate deal ‘to keep temperature rise under 2C’

DHAKA: France has submitted a draft climate deal to delegates at the UN climate change conference aimed at curbing emissions of the heat-trapping gases that threaten to wreak havoc on Earth's climate system.Describing it as ‘a historic accord’, French foreign minister Laurent Fabius

34 bodies found in Burundi

DHAKA: At least 34 bodies have been found lying in the streets of Burundi’s capital as unrest worsens.A BBC reporter saw 21 in one district of Bujumbura and local officials spoke of 13 in another. Most appear to be young men killed by gunfire, some with their hands tied behind their

Gaddafi’s son freed after kidnap in Lebanon

DHAKA: Late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s son Hannibal has been freed after being briefly kidnapped by an armed group in Lebanon.Security sources say, reports the BBC.In a video shown on Lebanese TV, the captive businessman was seen appealing for more information concerning the 1978

Climate deal text 'agreed' in Paris

DHAKA: Organisers of the climate talks in Paris say a final text has been agreed after nearly two weeks of intensive negotiations.An official in the office of French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the AFP news agency the draft would be presented to ministers at 10:30 GMT.No details

Abe in India, focus on Bullet Train, Nuclear Deal

DHAKA: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in New Delhi on a three-day visit amid expectations that a pact will be firmed up on India's first bullet train and over progress in the talks on a civil nuclear deal.Abe will hold the annual summit meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Zealand chooses new flag as preliminary winner

DHAKA: New Zealanders have picked a blue and black design with the silver fern as the preliminary winner in a referendum on a possible new national flag.The runner-up is a similar-looking red, white and blue design, reports the BBC.The final result will be announced on Tuesday after late

Spanish policeman killed in Kabul attack

DHAKA:  A Spanish policeman was killed in an attack near the country's embassy in Kabul on Friday, prime minister Mariano Rajoy said in a statement on his party's Twitter account.Rajoy had said earlier the policeman had been wounded in the attack and had been transferred to a nearby

Saudi women to vote for first time

DHAKA: Saudi Arabia will go to the polls on Saturday in unprecedented municipal elections in which women will cast a ballot for the first time.Women are able to stand as candidates, despite the fiercely conservative kingdom being the only nation where women are not allowed to drive,