Wednesday, 25 Dec, 2024

International

Argentine head-on bus crash kills 17

DHAKA: At least 17 people have been killed in Argentina when a bus crashed into a lorry driving on the wrong side of the motorway. The crash happened as the bus approached the western city of Mendoza, reports BBC. Local reports say the truck, which had a Brazilian licence plate, was

Bosnia braces for more protests

DHAKA: Bosnia is bracing for another day of anti-government demonstrations over unemployment and political inertia, following Thursday`s violent riots which left more than 130 people injured.Authorities in the town of Tuzla, the hotspot of violence that began on Tuesday, ordered schools

Mass grave found in Michoacan state

DHAKA: Mexican police have found a mass grave containing at least 20 bodies in the small municipality of Tinguindin, in troubled western Michoacan state.In nearby Zacan, the severed heads of four men were discovered by residents early on Thursday.Vigilante groups began an offensive in the

UN poised for Homs aid deliveries

DHAKA: A pause in fighting to evacuate hundreds of civilians from besieged areas of the city of Homs in Syria is expected to begin on Friday.The ceasefire should also allow long-awaited aid into the worst hit areas, reports BBC.The UN welcomed reports that a "humanitarian pause" had been

‘Rival Syrian sides appear to have agreed over aid to Homs’

DHAKA: The Syrian government and rebels fighting to oust president Bashar Assad appear to have reached an agreement on allowing humanitarian aid to reach the besieged city of Homs.The Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday, reports The Jerusalem Post.‘The issue of humanitarian access

Iran may modify Arak reactor

DHAKA: Iran is prepared to modify its planned Arak heavy water reactor to help allay Western concerns, its nuclear energy chief said in published remarks that could be the first such suggestion by a senior Iranian official.Western powers, preparing for negotiations with Iran on a

N Korea issues warning over South reunions

DHAKA: North Korea has threatened to cancel family reunions with the South, a day after agreeing to hold them.Its top military body said in a statement that it would reconsider the deal if joint US-South Korea military exercises went ahead.‘Dialogue and exercises of war’ could not go

London commuters face 2nd day of Tube rail strike chaos

DHAKA: Millions of Londoners faced another morning of travel chaos on Thursday as a 48-hour strike by London Underground workers angry at ticket office closures and job cuts entered its second day.Staff from the two main rail unions began the first of two planned 48-hour tube strikes late

Pakistan-Taliban talks ‘under way’

DHAKA: The first formal meeting between Pakistan government and a Taliban-nominated team has begun in an undisclosed location, local media say.They are due to start charting a ‘roadmap’ for peace talks, reports the BBC.The talks were delayed earlier in the week after the government

Italy rescues more than 1,100 migrants in rafts

DHAKA: The Italian navy has rescued more than 1,100 migrants from nine large rafts in the waters south of Sicily, the latest arrivals from North Africa.Patrol helicopters identified the overcrowded rafts on Wednesday and four navy vessels participated in the rescue which ended early on

Egypt army chief to run for president

  DHAKA: Egypt’s army chief Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has said he will run for president. A Kuwaiti newspaper says, reports the BBC. Asked by the al-Seyassah newspaper if he would be standing, the army chief said he had to meet the wishes of the Egyptian people and run for

India visa-on-arrival scheme to be extended

  DHAKA: India’s government has decided to extend the country’s limited visa-on-arrival scheme to tourists from 180 countries in an attempt to boost tourism and business. The only exceptions to the scheme will be nationals from eight countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan.

8 bodies found in South Africa mine

  DHAKA: Rescue workers at a South African gold mine say they have recovered eight bodies after a fire and rock fall. One other miner remains missing at the Doornkop mine west of Johannesburg, the government said. Earlier, eight other miners were found in an underground refuge chamber

‘No peace until Pakistan embraces Islamic law’

DHAKA: Negotiators representing Taliban insurgents said on Wednesday there was no chance of peace in Pakistan until the government embraces Islamic sharia law and US-led forces withdraw completely from neighbouring Afghanistan.The tough conditions appear to deal a blow to hopes that talks

48-hour strike begins on London Underground

DHAKA: Workers on London’s Underground train system kicked off a 48-hour strike at 9:00pm (2100 GMT) on Tuesday, threatening chaos for commuters on Wednesday and Thursday. Dozens of ‘Tube’ stations will remain shut and lines will either be entirely closed or carry a limited service

400 dolphins dead on Peru beaches

  DHAKA: The bodies of around 400 dolphins washed up on beaches in northern Peru last month, baffling authorities who are so far mystified as to the cause. Officials said on Tuesday, The Straits Times publishes this report on Wednesday. The mammals’ remains were found on beaches

Rival Koreas agree to family reunions

DHAKA: North and South Korea have agreed to hold a reunion later this month for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. Officials from both sides meeting in the border truce village of Panmunjom, decided on Wednesday the reunion would be held on February 20-25 at the North`s Mount

UN decries child abuse in Syria

DHAKA: The United Nations has accused both sides to the Syria conflict of grave violations against children. Children caught in the Syrian war are being recruited as child soldiers, used as human shields, and tortured, according to a new UN report. The report, released on Tuesday, found

Myanmar holds journalists over ‘chemical weapons’ report

DHAKA: Myanmar has detained several journalists after they published allegations of a military facility producing chemical weapons, according to their newspaper editor, as a media watchdog raised fears over press freedom.Five journalists including the chief executive of the Unity Weekly

‘Iran nuclear deal possible in six months’

DHAKA: Sweden’s foreign minister, the latest high-level Western diplomat to visit Teheran, said on Tuesday that a comprehensive international nuclear agreement with Iran is possible within six months, media reported.‘If there is a good will on both sides a deal is possible within a