Saturday, 21 Dec, 2024

International

Nigerian Islamists attack barracks in volatile northeast

DHAKA: Fighters from Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamist sect armed with anti-aircraft guns and grenade launchers attacked a barracks in the volatile northeast and battled soldiers for several hours.The military said, reports TDS.The army said it used troops and planes to repel Friday’s

Body of British doctor arrives in Lebanon from Syria

DHAKA: The body of a British doctor who died in Syrian custody earlier in the week arrived in Lebanon Saturday ahead of repatriation to the United Kingdom.The body of Dr Abbas Khan crossed the eastern Masnaa border into Lebanon at around 3:00pm, a security source told TDS.An official from

Top-ranking officers killed in Iraq ambush

DHAKA: At least 15 military servicemen were killed in an ambush in western Iraq, including several top-ranking officers.Security sources told Al Jazeera.The killings took place on Saturday in the Huran valley of the Sunni Muslim-dominated province of Anbar, when a convoy of the 7th army

US astronauts begin spacewalk for station repairs

DHAKA: Two United States astronauts on Saturday stepped outside the International Space Station for the first of three spacewalks to fix a broken equipment cooling system.Nasa said, reports The Straits Times.‘Today’s spacewalk has officially begun,’ said a Nasa commentator as the

Cities in Yemen paralysed in protest over tribal chief death

DHAKA: Several cities in south Yemen were virtually paralysed on Saturday as an armed clash between southern militants and security forces wounded six people, witnesses and police said.Schools and public offices were closed and shops shuttered on the second day of a protest movement over

Army commander in S Sudan oil-state ‘joins rebels’

DHAKA: A top South Sudan army commander based in the key oil-producing Unity state appears to have defected to rebel forces.The country’s army spokesman said on Friday, The Straits Times publishes this report on Saturday.‘We have lost contact with the commander... and there are

China slams Japan’s plan to ramp up defence spending

DHAKA: China has denounced Japan’s plans to boost military purchases, accusing it of playing up regional tensions as an ‘excuse’ to ramp up defence spending.The cabinet of hawkish Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe agreed Tuesday to spend 24.7 trillion yen between 2014 and 2019 , a

Saudi announces 56th death from MERS

DHAKA: The Saudi health ministry announced on Saturday a new MERS death, raising to 56 the number of people killed by the coronavirus in the country with the most fatalities.The victim was a 73-year-old Saudi man, who suffered from chronic illnesses, the ministry said on its website,

Thai opposition announces to boycott elections

DHAKA: Thailand’s main opposition Democrat Party has announced it will boycott snap elections set for 2 February.Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva told a news conference it would not be fielding candidates, saying, ‘Thai politics is at a failed stage’, reports the BBC.Thai prime

Turkey brings charges against 16 involved in govt corruption

DHAKA: Sixteen people, including the sons of two ministers, were charged on Saturday in connection with a Turkish corruption investigation that prime minister Tayyip Erdogan has called a ‘dirty operation’ aimed at undermining his rule.Suleyman Aslan, the general manager of state-owned

‘World is behind you’

DHAKA: UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon urged Philippine typhoon survivors to ‘never despair’ as he pledged on Saturday to rally global backing to help them recover from one of their country’s deadliest disasters.‘Never despair. The UN is behind you. The world is behind you,’

‘India, US don’t want ties to be spoilt by one incident’

DHAKA: India external affairs minister Salman Khurshid said Saturday that India and the US are in talks to resolve the stand-off over the alleged mistreatment of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade and both sides would not want their close ties to be hurt by this ‘one

Bolivia’s first telecoms satellite launched from China

DHAKA: A Chinese rocket launched Bolivia’s first telecommunications satellite early on Saturday with the president of the South American country declaring it a success.The Long March-3B carrier rocket blasted off from the Xichang satellite launch centre in China’s south-western

Mursi faces trial for prison break, murder

DHAKA: Egypt’s deposed president Mohamed Mursi and 132 others, including members of Hamas, will stand trial for a prison break and the murder of officers during the 2011 uprising, prosecution sources said.The other defendants include leaders of Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, who also

Syria rebel chief rejects Geneva peace talks

DHAKA: The leader of the most powerful rebel group in Syria, Ahrar al-Sham, says he will not recognise any agreement reached in the Geneva peace conference planned for January.Hassan Aboud, speaking to Al Jazeera from an undisclosed location inside Syria, said the group would

British PM pays tribute to Lockerbie dead

DHAKA: British prime minister David Cameron on Saturday expressed Britain’s ‘unconditional admiration’ for the families of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing on the attack’s 25th anniversary.Pan Am Flight 103 blew up over the Scottish town of Lockerbie on December 21, 1988,

Thai opposition meets to weigh poll boycott

DHAKA: Thailand’s opposition is meeting on Saturday to mull a possible boycott of snap elections in a crunch weekend for the crisis-gripped kingdom as protesters prepare to ramp up rallies aimed at toppling the government.The opposition Democrat Party, whose MPs resigned en masse to

BD kid dies in NY accident

DHAKA: An 8-year-old boy walking to school with his elder sister was fatally struck on Friday by a tractor trailer driven by a Newark man with a suspended license, police said. Little Noshat Hassan Nahian, who was supposed to perform in a school play that morning, ran ahead of his

North Korea threatens to strike South

DHAKA: North Korea sent a fax to South Korea on Thursday, threatening to "strike mercilessly without notice" after protests against the secretive regime this week in Seoul.The message warned that North Korea would strike if "the provocation against our highest dignity is to be repeated in

S Sudan on precipice of civil war, Obama warns

DHAKA: US President Barack Obama has warned that South Sudan is on the "precipice" of a civil war, after clashes in the capital Juba spread around the country.He said 45 military personnel had been deployed to South Sudan on Wednesday to protect American citizens and property.At least 500