DHAKA: The Japanese government has vowed to restart its controversial whaling programme in the Antarctic next year, BBC reports.  The move comes despite the International Whaling Commission's vote on Thursday that the programme is illegal because it is not for research purposes and

DHAKA: French jets have carried out their first strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq, BBC reports. A statement said planes had attacked an IS logistics depot in north-east Iraq. France was already carrying out reconnaissance flights over Iraq and providing weapons to

FROM NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi might come to visit Bangladesh in January of 2015 though the date is yet to be fixed, said diplomatic sources from New Delhi. One of the diplomatic sources, who will participate in the 3rd BD-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC)

DHAKA: Scotland has voted to stay in the United Kingdom after voters decisively rejected independence. With 31 out of the country's 32 council areas having declared after Thursday's vote, the 'No' side has an unassailable lead of 1,914,187 votes to 1,539,920. Scotland's First Minister

DHAKA: A grandfather shot dead his daughter and her six children before taking his own life at a home in Bell, Florida, police have said. The children range in age from three months to 10 years old, said Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz. The authorities have identified the gunman

DHAKA: Security is being upgraded at the Australian parliament following "chatter" suggesting extremists could target it for attack. PM Tony Abbot said Australian Federal Police would assume responsibility for security at the site in Canberra. The move came a day after major

DHAKA: Three suicide car bombs were detonated in the Shia Baghdad neighbourhood of Kadhimiya followed by 12 mortar rounds fired from outside the district, killing at least 22 people and wounding 56 people, security sources said. Interior Ministry spokesman, Saad Maan, said on state

DHAKA: The UN Security Council has declared the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa a "threat to international peace and security". The council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on states to provide more resources to combat the outbreak. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

DHAKA: Those in favour of staying with the UK are ahead in the vote count in Scotland's independence referendum, opening up a steady lead over the Yes campaigners. Clackmannanshire was the first region to declare results with the No campaign securing 54 percent against 46 percent for the

DHAKA: As he engaged in talks with India prime minister Narendra Modi, Chinese president Xi Jinping came in for praise from an unlikely quarter, exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who described him as ‘open-minded’ and ‘realistic’. The Dalai Lama also said good

DHAKA: India and China have signed 12 agreements in Delhi, one of which will see China investing $20bn in India’s infrastructure over five years. At a news conference with Chinese president Xi Jinping, India’s PM Narendra Modi said ‘peace on the border’ was important for

DHAKA: An unknown person or organisation is offering US$30 million for information and evidence on those responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine on July 17. The offer is being made through German fraud investigation company Wifka and has been

DHAKA: Thailand’s junta chief apologised Thursday for suggesting tourists in bikinis could be more vulnerable to attack, comments which caused an international outcry following the brutal murder of two British holidaymakers. Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is also prime minister, on Wednesday

FROM NEW DELHI: Foreign ministries of Bangladesh and India have been working to strengthen the relations between the two neighbouring countries.They are discussing on several bilateral issues including Teesta water sharing and land boundary agreements.Enamul Haque Chowdhury, Bangladesh

DHAKA: Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko is to begin a key visit to the US to seek further support to tackle what he describes as Russian aggression.Poroshenko will hold talks with US president Barack Obama before addressing a joint session of Congress.Poroshenko is flying to the

DHAKA: People in Scotland will vote later on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.Voters will answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the referendum question, ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’With 4,285,323 people - 97% of the electorate -

DHAKA: A healthy British volunteer has become the first person to receive a new vaccine for the Ebola virus in a trial at the University of Oxford.The testing began on Wednesday as Britain announced it would increase aid to Sierra Leone to provide 700 treatment beds over the coming

DHAKA: The US House of Representatives has approved President Barack Obama's plan to train and arm the moderate Syrian opposition taking on Islamic State.The vote passed by a large majority in the Republican-controlled House and is expected to be adopted in the Senate.The endorsement

DHAKA: Australian police have carried out major anti-terror raids triggered by a call from a senior Islamic State militant for "demonstration killings", Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.The raids, involving at least 800 heavily-armed officers, took place in Brisbane and Sydney.Fifteen

RIYADH: Two Bangladeshis were killed in a fire at Solai area in Riyadh of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday midnight.The deceased were identified as Rabiul Ilsma, 33 and Iqbal Hoosain, 32, hailed from Comilla.Confirming the matter to banglanews, second secretary of Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh