Tuesday, 29 Apr, 2025

International

Malaysia to seek justice for MH17 victims at UNGA

DHAKA: Malaysia said on Saturday that the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week is the ‘right platform’ to seek justice for victims of flight MH17 which was shot down in Ukraine. Malaysia prime minister Najib Tun Razak, who will address the assembly, would raise the

Australia to introduce tougher anti-terror laws

DHAKA: The Australian government will introduce tough new legislation in Parliament next week to tackle terrorism, reports said on Saturday, in the aftermath of the biggest crackdown in the country’s history. Australia prime minister Tony Abbott will seek sweeping counter-terror powers

‘Turkish nationals kidnapped by ISIS have been freed’

DHAKA: Dozens of Turkish nationals held hostage by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) jihadists in northern Iraq for more than three months have been released and brought to Turkey. Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday, reports The Straits Times. ‘Early in the

Queen urges referendum ‘respect’

DHAKA: The Queen has said she believes Scotland will unite in a "spirit of mutual respect and support" following the independence referendum. She said she understood there would be "strong feelings and contrasting emotions".But she had "no doubt" this would be tempered by "an

Russian jets intercepted off Alaska

DHAKA: Six Russian fighter jets were intercepted by American and Canadian planes off the coast of Alaska on Wednesday, BBC reports. They entered what is known as the Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), but did not enter US air space.The planes, two of which were MiG 31 jets, left

Iran can help tackle ISIL threat: Kerry

DHAKA: Iran can play a role in confronting and destroying the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said.Addressing a session of the UN Security Council on Iraq on Friday, Kerry said there was a role for nearly every country in the

Ukraine deal with eastern rebels

DHAKA: Ukraine's government and pro-Russia rebels have agreed a memorandum on a peace plan for the eastern conflict.The deal includes setting up a 30km (19-mile) buffer zone, a ban on overflights of part of eastern Ukraine by military aircraft and the withdrawal of "foreign

Alex Salmond to quit as first minister

DHAKA: Alex Salmond is to step down as first minister of Scotland after voters decisively rejected independence.He will also resign as leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) after the ‘No’ side won Thursday’s referendum by 2,001,926 to 1,617,989 for ‘Yes’.The national

Pak court acquits Nawaz Sharif, brother

DHAKA: A Pakistani court on Friday cleared Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif of all charges pertaining to a money laundering case filed 14 years ago. During a hearing presided over by Justice Anwar Ahmed at the National Accountability

Japan to restart whaling programme

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

France launches first air strike on IS

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

Modi may visit Dhaka in January

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)

Scotland rejects independence

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

US man kills daughter, 6 grandchildren

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

Australia boosts parliament security

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

22 dead in Iraq bomb blasts

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

Ebola 'threat to world security': UNSC

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

No campaign leads Scotland vote count

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

‘Xi open-minded and realistic

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

India, China sign landmark deals

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