Sunday, 05 May, 2024

International

Frost documentary - Bangabandhu

LONDON: The Qatar based Al Jazeera TV broadcast a documentary on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made by international eminent journalist late David Frost.The documentary titled “Bangabandhu, the hero of liberation” was aired at GMT 20:00 on September 20.This is the last documentary

Kerry pushes for urgent U.N. action

DHAKA: America`s top diplomat pressed hard Thursday for international action in Syria in the wake of last month`s chemical weapons attack, saying "the U.N. Security Council must be prepared to act next week" given a report he says shows Syria`s government is culpable.Speaking ahead of

Earth has 1.75 billion years to go

DHAKA: A team of British researchers has developed a model for determining how long a planet can expect to be within its sun’s habitable zone – the sweet spot just far enough to the sun so that the planet’s water doesn’t sizzle into vapor but just close enough to the sun so that

Philippines, Taiwan braced for super typhoon

DHAKA: The Philippines and Taiwan are braced for super typhoon Usagi, which meteorologists say could become the most powerful storm of 2013.The typhoon was 560km (350 miles) east-southeast of Taiwan and 360km (225 miles) from the northern Philippines on Friday morning, weather officials

Kennedy daughter set for US envoy to Japan

DHAKA: Former first daughter Caroline Kennedy has sailed through a confirmation hearing on her way to becoming the US ambassador to Japan.Ms Kennedy, 55, the only surviving child of former President John Kennedy, told a Senate panel she would focus on trade and military ties if

87 dead in Nigeria after Boko Haram `ambush`

DHAKA: At least 87 people have been killed in an attack by Boko Haram militants in Nigeria`s north-eastern Borno state, according to local officials.Disguised in military uniforms, the militants set up checkpoints outside the town of Benisheik and shot dead those trying to flee, witnesses

Mexico storm death toll rises to 97

DHAKA: Mexican authorities say 97 people have been killed by storms that hit the country earlier in the week.In the village of La Pintada, near the Pacific coast, a landslide partially engulfed the town.At least 15 bodies have been recovered and almost 70 residents are missing, the

5.3-magnitude earthquake hits Japan’s Fukushima

DHAKA: A 5.3-magnitude earthquake has hit the Japanese prefecture that is home to the nuclear power plant crippled in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.The US Geological Survey says the quake struck early Friday at a depth of about 13 miles (22 kilometers) under Fukushima Prefecture

Pope says Church ‘must heal wounds

DHAKA: Pope Francis has said the Catholic Church is too focused on preaching about abortion, gay people and contraception and needs to become more merciful.He warned that the Church’s moral structure could “fall like a house of cards” unless it changed.The Pope used the first major

JP Morgan fined $920m over risky trades

DHAKA: US bank JP Morgan Chase agreed to pay four regulators $920m relating to a $6.2bn loss incurred as a result of the “London Whale” trades.The settlement is the third biggest banking fine by US regulators, and the second largest by UK regulators.As part of the deal JP Morgan

French to criminalise paying for sex

DHAKA: Paying for sex in France may soon become a criminal offence, according to a forthcoming bill whose details were made public this week.The proposed legislation would also overturn a 2003 law that penalises prostitutes overtly offering their services, rules that were intended to

South African police ‘lied over mine shootings’

DHAKA: South African police lied about the Marikana shootings last year, in which 34 striking miners were killed, a commission of inquiry has found.Police falsified or withheld documents, and gave false accounts of events, the commission said, reports the BBC.The killings at the

No politicians arrested for India riots

DHAKA: A group of BJP politicians, who have been linked to the deadly communal riots in Muzaffarnagar in India’s Western Uttar Pradesh, were not present in the state legislature Thursday.Arrest warrants have been issued against two of them.Police sources tell India’s NDTV that to

Drunk Pakistani pilot arrested at British airport

DHAKA: A pilot believed to be working for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been arrested at a British airport on suspicion of being drunk while in charge of a plane.The police said on Thursday, reports The Jerusalem Post.Officers were called on Wednesday evening to the airport

Egypt returns $2 bln to Qatar

DHAKA: Egypt has returned to Qatar $2 billion that the Gulf state had deposited with Egypt’s central bank, after negotiations to convert the funds into three-year bonds broke down.Egypt’s central bank Governor Hisham Ramez said on Thursday, reports The Jerusalem Post.Qatar had sent

Former MP, district governor defects to the Taliban

DHAKA: A former Afghan lawmaker and district governor said on Thursday he had defected to the Taliban as the Islamist hardliners seek to strengthen their influence before United States-led combat troops withdraw next year.Government officials confirmed that Qazi Abdul Hai had joined the

‘Perfect’ white diamond unveiled

DHAKA: A ‘perfect’ white diamond which is expected to fetch a record price of up to US$35 million when it is auctioned in Hong Kong next month made its first appearance in the city on Thursday.The egg-shaped 118.28-carat ‘Magnificent Oval Diamond’, the largest of its kind, stunned

‘No plans yet to destroy Syrian chem arms on own soil’

DHAKA: Russia has no current plans to destroy Syrian chemical weapons on its own territory under a Russia-US deal to eliminate president Bashar Assad’s stockpiles.Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday, reports The Jerusalem Post.Asked whether Russia had plans to

14 Alawites killed by bomb in central Syria

DHAKA: A roadside bomb killed at least 14 members of president Bashar Assad’s minority Alawite on Thursday in the central Syrian province of Homs, an opposition monitoring group said.The blast targeted two buses near the Alawite village of Jabourin, 13 km north of Homs city, said Rami

Greece PM condemns ‘neo-Nazi killing

DHAKA: Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras has said he will not let neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn ‘undermine’ democracy.His remarks came after a Golden Dawn supporter allegedly admitted killing an anti-fascist activist.‘This government is determined not to let the descendants of the