INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9292, 9292, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A seven-year space voyage came to its climactic end Sunday when a NASA capsule landed in the desert in the US state of Utah, carrying to Earth the largest asteroid samples ever collected.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scientists have high hopes for the sample, saying it will provide a better understanding of the formation of our solar system and how Earth became habitable.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When they learned that the capsule\'s main parachute had deployed, \"I literally broke into tears,\" the Osiris-Rex mission\'s principal investigator Dante Lauretta told a press conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That was the moment I knew we made it home... For me the real science is just beginning.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 3.86-billion-mile (6.21-billion-kilometer) journey marked the United States\' first sample return mission of its kind, the US space agency said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NASA chief Bill Nelson hailed the mission and said the asteroid dust \"will give scientists an extraordinary glimpse into the beginnings of our solar system.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Osiris-Rex probe\'s final, fiery descent through Earth\'s atmosphere was perilous, but NASA managed to engineer a soft landing at 8:52 am local time (1452 GMT), in the military\'s Utah Test and Training Range.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Four years after its 2016 launch, the probe had landed on the asteroid Bennu and collected what NASA estimated is roughly nine ounces (250 grams) of dust from its rocky surface.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even that small amount, NASA says, should \"help us better understand the types of asteroids that could threaten Earth.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The sample return \"is really historic,\" NASA scientist Amy Simon told AFP. \"This is going to be the biggest sample we\'ve brought back since the Apollo moon rocks\" were returned to Earth.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Osiris-Rex released its capsule early Sunday from an altitude of more than 67,000 miles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fiery passage through the atmosphere came only in the last 13 minutes, as the capsule hurtled downward at a speed of more than 27,000 miles per hour, with temperatures of up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NASA images showed the tire-sized capsule on the ground in a desert wash, with scientists approaching the device and taking readings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eventually they concluded the capsule was not breached, meaning its all-important air-tight seal remained intact, avoiding any contamination of the sample with desert sands.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The team then lifted the capsule by helicopter to a nearby \"clean room.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, the probe that made the space journey fired its engines and shifted course away from Earth, NASA said, \"on its way\" for a date with another asteroid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Japanese samples -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, the sample heads to Johnson Space Center in Houston for additional study, and NASA plans to announce its first results at a news conference October 11.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Roughly one-fourth of the sample will be immediately used in experiments, and a small amount will be sent to mission partners Japan and Canada.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But most of it will be saved for future generations -- a \"treasure for scientific analysis for years and years and years to come, to our kids and grandkids and people that haven\'t even been born yet,\" Lori Glaze, director of NASA\'s Planetary Sciences division, said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japan had earlier given NASA a few grains from asteroid Ryugu, after bringing 0.2 ounces of dust to Earth in 2020 during the Hayabusa-2 mission. Ten years before, it had brought back a microscopic quantity from another asteroid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the sample from Bennu is much larger, allowing for significantly more testing, Simon said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Earth\'s origin story -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asteroids are composed of the original materials of the solar system, dating back some 4.5 billion years, and have remained relatively intact.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They \"can give us clues about how the solar system formed and evolved,\" said Osiris-Rex program executive Melissa Morris.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s our own origin story.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By striking Earth\'s surface, \"we do believe asteroids and comets delivered organic material, potentially water, that helped life flourish here on Earth,\" Simon said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scientists believe Bennu, about 500 meters (1,640 feet) in diameter, is rich in carbon -- a building block of life on Earth -- and contains water molecules locked in minerals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bennu surprised scientists in 2020 when the probe, during its brief contact with the asteroid\'s surface, sank into the soil, revealing an unexpectedly low density, like a children\'s pool filled with plastic balls.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Understanding its composition could come in handy, for there is a slight -- but non-zero -- chance (one in 2,700) that Bennu could collide catastrophically with Earth, though not until 2182.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NASA last year successfully deviated the course of an asteroid by crashing a probe into it in a test, and it might at some point need to repeat that exercise -- but with much higher stakes. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 03:09:29', '2023-09-25 03:09:29'),
(9293, 9293, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A number of London police have stepped back from firearms duties after a fellow officer was charged with murder over the fatal shooting of a young black man, a force spokesman said Sunday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The highly unusual protest by officers prompted interior minister Suella Braverman to stress that firearms officers have to make \"split-second decisions\" and \"mustn\'t fear ending up in the dock for carrying out their duties\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police in Britain are not routinely armed and the small proportion who are authorised to carry guns are highly trained.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The specialist firearms officers who have stepped back, around 100 according to one report, handed in their tickets, accreditation that allows them to carry guns while on duty.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In London, in addition to incidents involving the public, they are deployed to protect sites such as parliament, diplomatic missions and airports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The officers\' stoppage follows the appearance in court last week of a London firearms officer, named only as NX121, who has been charged over the death of 24-year-old Chris Kaba in September 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kaba died hours after he was struck by a single gunshot fired into the vehicle he was driving in the Streatham area of south London.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Met Police spokesman said \"a number of officers have taken the decision to step back from armed duties while they consider their position\", with the number rising in the past 48 hours.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Many are worried about how the decision impacts on them, on their colleagues and on their families,\" the spokesman said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They are concerned that it signals a shift in the way the decisions they make in the most challenging circumstances will be judged,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Family seeks justice -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To help deal with the walkout, firearms officers from neighbouring forces stepped in to help patrol the capital on Saturday night, the PA news agency reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Met was supporting the officers and \"fully understand the genuinely held concerns that they have\", the Met spokesperson added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said the defence ministry had agreed to provide counter-terrorism support.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Armed forces personnel will not be used in a routine policing capacity,\" he added. \"We will keep the need for the support under constant review.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After Kaba\'s death, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Metropolitan Police\'s headquarters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The man\'s family welcomed the decision to charge the unnamed officer, saying they and the wider community needed to \"see justice for Chris\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">INQUEST, a charity that works on state-related deaths, said that since 1990 in the UK there had been 1,870 deaths in or following police custody or contact.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In that time there had been only one successful prosecution of a police officer -- for manslaughter in 2021 -- and none for murder.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Met, the UK\'s largest police force, has faced pressure in recent years over a string of scandals including the kidnap, rape and murder of a young woman by a serving officer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The force currently has around 1,000 officers suspended or on restricted duties while they are investigated for alleged wrongdoing and incompetence. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 03:40:09', '2023-09-25 03:40:09'),
(9294, 9294, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Armenia prepared Monday to welcome a new flood of Nagorno-Karabakh refugees while the leaders of Azerbaijan and ally Turkey were set to hold a celebratory summit marking Baku\'s victory over the rebel enclave.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And as Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan blamed Russia for last week\'s events, more protests were planned in Yerevan over his handling of the crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the Armenian government, by Sunday evening 377 \"forcefully displaced persons\" had crossed from Azerbaijan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most of the refugees seen by AFP were women and children, including some from Eghtsahogh, where people took shelter around a Russian peacekeeping base after their village allegedly came under Azerbaijani shelling.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Yesterday, we had to put down our rifles. So we left,\" a man in his thirties from the village of Mets Shen told AFP as a first group of a few dozen people crossed the border and registered with Armenian officials in Kornidzor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We had 15 minutes to pack everything up,\" he said, regretting having left behind his livestock and the grave of his three-year-old daughter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I didn\'t tell her goodbye. I hope to go back.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azerbaijan\'s President Ilham Aliyev intended to cement his victory by flying to his country\'s western exclave of Nakhichevan for talks Monday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his most important regional ally.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkey supplied Baku with a fleet of combat drones that helped Azerbaijan claw back a chunk of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory in a six-week war three years ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The two leaders are scheduled to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for a new natural gas pipeline and open a modernised Azerbaijani military complex, a show of Turkish force contrasting sharply with Russia\'s apparent withdrawal from the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Pashinyan blames Russia -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Armenia\'s premier c on Sunday sought to deflect blame onto long-standing ally Russia, signalling a breakdown in the countries\' security pact.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In nationally televised comments, the Armenian leader said the security agreements between the two countries had proved \"insufficient\" to protect the country, suggesting that he would seek new alliances.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) -- a Russian-dominated group comprising six post-Soviet states that had pledged to protect each other if attacked.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Russia, bogged down in its own war in Ukraine, refused to come to Armenia\'s assistance in the latest Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, arguing that Yerevan itself had recognised the disputed region as part of Azerbaijan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, Russian peacekeepers are helping Azerbaijan disarm the Karabakh rebels.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pashinyan also said Armenia should ratify the treaty which established the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he is under pressure at home from thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh supporters who have been rallying and blocking roads in Yerevan since Wednesday\'s ceasefire deal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They plan more disruptions over three days starting Monday, some voicing anger at Pashinyan\'s pivot away from Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Tension high -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The diplomatic manoeuvres come with tensions running high on the ground.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the Kornidzor crossing, five kilometres (three miles) from the Hakari bridge on the convoy\'s route, angry relatives had gathered to await news. One man was so frustrated he pulled out a knife in front of police.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"My son was in the army in Artsakh. He\'s alive, but I\'m worried for him,\" said Alik Blbuyan, 43, using the name Karabakh\'s ethnic Armenian population gave their breakaway statelet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the other side of the border in Azerbaijani settlements such as Terter and Beylagan, locals celebrated their government\'s victory over the rebels.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State television played music paying tribute to the nation and its army, and the roadsides were lined with flags and portraits of dozens of local \"martyrs\", fallen in the fighting during the previous 30 years. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 03:42:51', '2023-09-25 03:42:51'),
(9295, 9295, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Dhaka Elevated Expressway has been witnessing higher traffic than targeted, allowing the authorities to collect tolls more than Tk 5 crore in tolls since it was opened to the public on September 3.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Till 6am on Sunday (September 24), a total of 621,152 vehicles, mostly private cars, used the Dhaka Elevated Expressway and total revenue collection amounted to over Tk 5.03 crore, said project director of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway AHMS Akhtar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 2 inaugurated the Airport-Farmgate segment of Dhaka Elevated Expressway after paying a Tk 2,000 toll for 25 vehicles in her motorcade. Each vehicle is charged Tk 80.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities opened the section from the airport to Farmgate of Dhaka Elevated Expressway for vehicular movement at 6am on September 3. It takes only 10-12 minutes to reach Farmgate from the Airport via the expressway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We assumed earlier that on average around 20,000 vehicles would use the expressway daily but now the number has increased to around 30,000 vehicles,” said the project director AHMS Akhtar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When fully completed, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway will run from the capital’s Kawla to Kutubkhali area of Dhaka-Chattogram highway via Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We hope when it is completed, about 80,000 vehicles will be able to use Dhaka Elevated Expressway every day,” Akhtar told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Replying to a question, the Project Director said vehicles can run at a speed of up to 80 km/h according to the design of the expressway but they have limited it up to 60 km/h, and 40 km/h on the ramp.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They are yet to start enforcing law against violators of speed limit, although CCTV cameras and other equipment have already been installed on the expressways.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has been running buses on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway starting from September 18. Passengers are now crossing the Dhaka Elevated Expressway for just Tk35.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on September 15 , BRTC Chairman Tajul Islam announced the new bus route from Khejur Bagan to Jashimuddin Road on the Elevated Expressway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said initially a total of eight buses were supposed to operate from three depots. Commuters can board the buses from both ends of the expressway, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the number of BRTC buses, plying on the express highway, has raised to 12.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“A total of 12 buses are now running on the expressway route. Passengers are satisfied with the service, we are satisfied too that the number of passengers is increasing,” said Bishwajit, BRTC bus counter staff working at the Farmgate bus counter of Uttara-Farmgate BRTC bus route.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eight double-decker buses started plying the expressway initially from September 18, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bishwajit informed that a bus is running every 10 minutes from the farmgate bus counter to Uttara. Buses are sometimes late because of the traffic jams on either end of the expressway, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are working day and night to make the service better for the passengers. The number of buses has been increased on the route for increasing the number of passengers, soon the bus schedules can be maintained tightly,” he further said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tanjila Rahman, a commuter, was buying a ticket from the Farmgate BRTC expressway bus counter to go to Uttara on Sunday afternoon. When asked, she said that she had come for a job interview in the morning and that she had reached Indira Road from the airport in just 10-15 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I liked the service very much. It took much less time than usual to reach from airport to here. I am going back through the same route,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another commuter, Md Rayhan, said that previously he had to travel for at least 1.5 hours to reach his office in Karwanbazar from home. He stated that it is a fantastic experience for him that he is able to reach his office using the expressway in just 20 to 30 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another passenger Rafiujjaman Riyon opined that local buses have too many stoppages, take too much time and they often charge higher fares.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“BRTC expressway route uses e-ticketing system, so the fee stays fair. BRTC could make the bus seats more comfortable. Also, if the route had a few more stops, it would help a greater number of passengers,” he suggested.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNB correspondent Taufiq Hossain Mobin took a ride on an expressway bus. It set off at 1.10pm from Farmgate for Uttara. The bus was slow at first because of the traffic jam on Bijoy Sarani, taking 23 minutes to get on the expressway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After that, the bus took only 17 minutes to reach the end of the expressway but slowed down again due to the traffic jam at the other end and he got off from the bus at 1.51pm at the airport. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 04:03:00', '2023-09-25 04:03:00'),
(9296, 9296, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality was marked as ‘moderate’ this morning (September 25, 2023).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 94 at 9:15 am, Dhaka ranked 9th in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan’s Karachi, India’s Delhi and Jakarta of Indonesia occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 165, 161 and 146, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with an acceptable air quality. However, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 04:09:51', '2023-09-25 04:09:51'),
(9297, 9297, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least nine people were killed in a fire at a golf ball factory in southern Taiwan over the weekend, including four firefighters who died in an explosion, officials said Monday.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fire, which began Friday evening and raged all night, also injured more than 100 people, mostly workers in the factory in Pingtung county, according to the local government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One person was still listed as missing as further testing was required to verify the identity of some body fragments found at the scene, a county official told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Tsai Ing-wen and other top officials visited the scene Saturday to express condolences to the victims\' families and vowed to investigate the cause of the fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An official with the Pingtung Fire Department told local media that chemical peroxide stored inside the factory could have been the cause of the one large and several smaller explosions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several people were trapped inside due to the blasts, which caused a section of the factory roof to collapse. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 05:13:21', '2023-09-25 05:13:21'),
(9298, 9298, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Biden administration is poised to admit Israel this week into an exclusive club that will allow its citizens to travel to the United States without a U.S. visa despite Washington\'s ongoing concerns about the Israeli government’s treatment of Palestinian Americans.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. officials say an announcement of Israel’s entry into the Visa Waiver Program is planned for late in the week, just before the end of the federal budget year on Saturday, which is the deadline for Israel’s admission without having to requalify for eligibility next year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Department of Homeland Security administers the program, which currently allows citizens of 40 mostly European and Asian countries to travel to the U.S. for three months without visas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is set to make the announcement Thursday, shortly after receiving a recommendation from Secretary of State Antony Blinken that Israel be admitted, according to five officials familiar with the matter who spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity because the decision has not yet been publicly announced.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Blinken’s recommendation is expected to be delivered no later than Tuesday, the officials said, and the final announcement will come just eight days after President Joe Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The leaders did not raise the issue in their brief remarks to reporters at that meeting but it has been a subject of intense negotiation and debate for months as has been the Biden administration\'s effort to secure a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both State and the Homeland Security departments said they had “nothing to announce publicly at this time,” adding that the two agencies will make a “final determination in the coming days.” The U.S. is working with Israel toward “fulfilling the full range of law enforcement, national security, and immigration related requirements” of the program, according to the State Department.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Israel’s admission has been a priority for successive Israeli leaders and will be a major accomplishment for Netanyahu, who has sparred frequently with the Biden administration over Iran, the Palestinian conflict and most recently a proposed remake of Israel’s judicial system that critics say will make the country less democratic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Netanyahu’s far-right government has drawn repeated U.S. criticism over its treatment of Palestinians, including its aggressive construction of West Bank settlements, its opposition to Palestinian statehood and incendiary anti-Palestinian comments by senior Cabinet ministers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. move will give a welcome boost at home to Netanyahu. He has faced months of mass protests against his judicial plan and is likely to come under criticism from the Palestinians, who say the U.S. should not be rewarding the Israeli government at a time when peace efforts are at a standstill.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Israel met two of the three most critical criteria over the past two years — a low percentage of visa application rejections and a low visa overstay rate — to join the U.S. program. It had struggled to meet the third, which is a requirement for reciprocity that means all U.S. citizens, including Palestinian Americans, must be treated equally when traveling to or through Israel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Claiming national security reasons, Israel has long had separate entry requirements and screening processes for Palestinian Americans. Many complained that the procedures were onerous and discriminatory. Americans with Palestinian residency documents in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were largely barred from using Israel’s international airport. Instead, like other Palestinians, they were forced to travel through either Jordan or Egypt to reach their destinations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In recent months, Israel has moved to adjust its entry requirements for Palestinian Americans, including allowing them to fly in and out of Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and going directly to the West Bank and Israel proper, according to the officials. Israel also has pledged to ease movement for Palestinian Americans traveling in and out of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New regulations took effect earlier this month to codify the changes, although concerns remain and the Homeland Security Department intends to stress in its announcement that it will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that Israel complies, according to the officials. Failure to comply could result in Israel’s suspension from the program, the officials said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Palestinian American activists have been critical of the impending decision, which has been expected for some time due to the priority placed on it by both the Israeli and U.S. governments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“There are so many problems with this decision,\" said Yousef Munayyer, the head of the Palestine-Israel Program and senior fellow at Arab Center Washington. “The reciprocity requirement is clearly still not being met since Israeli policy continues to treat some Americans, specifically Palestinian Americans, differently. The administration however seems committed at the highest levels to overlooking this continued discrimination against American citizens to rush Israel into the program before the deadline.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Munayyer said it was “unclear why the Biden administration seems dead set on offering political victories for Benjamin Netanyahu at a time when his far-right government is outraging Palestinians and many Israelis with their extremist agenda.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the waiver program, Israelis will be able to travel to the U.S. for business or leisure purposes for up to 90 days without a visa simply by registering with the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 05:15:38', '2023-09-25 05:15:38'),
(9299, 9299, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A local leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League was dead and another youth sustained injuries after being run over by a truck in Natore\'s Singra upazila on Sunday night.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased was identified as Ovi Rahman, 19, deputy office secretary of Singra Gol-E-Afroz Govt. College unit Chhatra League.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Injured Milu, 19, is undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, said Rafiqul Islam, inspector (investigation) of Singra Police station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">OC Rafiqul said Ovi and his friend Milu were going to Sherkole from Singra town on a motorcycle around 9 pm on Sunday. When they reached Ninguin area of the Natore-Bogura highway, a goods-carrying truck coming from the opposite direction hit the motorcycle, leaving Ovi dead on the spot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Injured Milu was admitted to the Upazila Health Complex and later moved to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for better treatment, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Locals apprehended the truck but its driver and assistant managed to flee, added the OC. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 05:17:52', '2023-09-25 05:17:52'),
(9300, 9300, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has said it is not about the numbers but about the message that they are sending by imposing visa restrictions, and said members of the media might be included.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are applying the policy in a balanced way against anyone regardless of whether they are pro-government, whether they are in the opposition, or whether they are law enforcement, whether they are in the judiciary, whether it\'s the media. But it is based on behaviour. It\'s not based on anything else but their actions,\" US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas told Channel 24 during his visit to the private television station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s not about the numbers, it\'s about the message that we are sending,\" Haas said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ambassador\'s mention of the media raised eyebrows, since neither US Secretary of State Antony Blinken when he announced the policy in May nor State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller when he announced its implementation from Friday mentioned the media. Also Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu, when he has spoken about the policy, never mentioned members of the media might come under its purview.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Blinken\'s original statement mentioned \"current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of pro-government and opposition political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It remains to be seen whether this signals an expansion of the visa policy\'s potential net.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has said it will not release the names or numbers of people in Bangladesh subject to the visa restrictions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;\"Visa records are confidential under US law,\" US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB Friday while responding to a question.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;But, he said, the U.S. government has looked very closely at incidents since they announced this policy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;\"After a careful review of the evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition,” said Bryan Schiller.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In May this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the new visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) (“3C”) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under this policy, the United States will restrict the issuance of visas for any Bangladeshi individual, believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Department of State on Friday said they are taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Bangladeshi individuals responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These individuals include members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition, he said. These persons and members of their immediate family may be found ineligible for entry into the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Additional persons found to have been responsible for, or complicit in, undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh may also be found ineligible for U.S. visas under this policy in the future, according to the US Department of State.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of opposition and ruling political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services, Miller said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 06:33:51', '2023-09-25 06:33:51'),
(9301, 9301, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukraine\'s southern port of Odesa was hit by Russian missiles overnight, destroying grain stores, the Ukrainian military said Monday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia \"attacked the south of the country again\", the Defence Forces of the South of Ukraine said on the messaging platform Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since July when Moscow pulled out of a UN-brokered deal allowing safe grain shipments via the Black Sea, Russia has ramped up attacks on Ukraine\'s grain-exporting infrastructure in the southern Odesa and Mykolaiv regions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nataliya Gumenyuk, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian southern military command, said Russia was apparently \"trying to test out the density of the air defence\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They understand that port infrastructure is a priority for our region, and that it is reliably protected. However, that is why the attack that occurred tonight was both massive and by combined means,\" she said on Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Defence Forces of the South of Ukraine said Russia directed 19 drones and 2 Onyx supersonic missiles at Odesa, and fired 12 Kalibr missiles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They claimed all 19 Shaheds and 11 Kalibrs \"were shot down\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, Russia did \"hit the port infrastructure\" in Odesa, which \"suffered significant damage\", they said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Onyx missiles destroyed granaries. But people were not hurt,\" they said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Warehouses and a private house in the Odesa suburbs were damaged and caught fire, they added, \"as a result of falling debris\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gumenyuk said one of the grain stores hit was empty.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Nevertheless, hitting grain deal-related infrastructure\", she said, was a Russian \"priority\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Odesa regional governor Oleg Kiper said on Telegram that one woman in Odesa, a civilian, was injured by shrapnel \"in a blast wave\" and was being treated in hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Grain shipments get through -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine is testing a new Black Sea route that avoids international waters and uses those controlled by NATO members Bulgaria and Romania.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A first ship loaded with wheat reached Istanbul on Thursday despite Russian threats to attack boats heading to or from Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A second shipment reached Turkey on Sunday, according to maritime traffic monitoring sites.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia and Ukraine are two major agricultural powers whose supplies are crucial for global food security.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moscow\'s invasion of its neighbour in February last year -- and subsequent international sanctions -- have destabilised global supplies and markets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Russia: Ukrainian drones downed -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile Russia\'s defence ministry said its air defences had \"destroyed\" four unmanned aerial vehicles over the northwestern Black Sea, and the Crimean peninsula which Moscow annexed in 2014.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It said two drones each were intercepted in Kursk and Bryansk, two regions bordering Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kursk regional governor Roman Starovoyt said several homes and the roof of an administrative building were damaged \"due to an attack by Ukrainian UAVs\" in the Central district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No casualties were reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bryansk regional governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said there were \"no casualties or damage\" in the region. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 06:38:10', '2023-09-25 06:38:10');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9302, 9302, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin will leave here for his hometown Pabna on a three-day visit on Wednesday to attend several programmes, including a public meeting.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The President will leave for Pabna on Wednesday afternoon on a three-day visit . . . He will address several gatherings and hold view-exchange meetings with a cross section of people and different professional bodies there.\" President\'s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This will be his second visit to Pabna district after taking oath of the office on April 24 last as the 22nd President of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Head of the State will deliver his speech in a public gathering followed by a Boat Race at Sathiya upazila of the district and will also inaugurate the construction work of the 500-bed hospital in the Pabna Medical College, according to programme schedule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our Pabna correspondent added that a festive mood has been prevailing in and around the town centering the arrival of President Shahabuddin, a valiant Freedom Fighter and also a former student leader.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The district administration is set to ensure foolproof security on President\'s arrival.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Political leaders and workers and common people of the district are eagerly waiting to welcome the President at his ancestral home.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The President is scheduled to return to Dhaka on September 29.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 07:43:58', '2023-09-25 07:43:58'),
(9303, 9303, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Dhaka Elevated Expressway has been witnessing higher traffic than targeted, allowing the authorities to collect tolls more than Tk 5 crore in tolls since it was opened to the public on September 3.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Till 6am on Sunday (September 24), a total of 621,152 vehicles, mostly private cars, used the Dhaka Elevated Expressway and total revenue collection amounted to over Tk 5.03 crore, said project director of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway AHMS Akhtar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 2 inaugurated the Airport-Farmgate segment of Dhaka Elevated Expressway after paying a Tk 2,000 toll for 25 vehicles in her motorcade. Each vehicle is charged Tk 80.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities opened the section from the airport to Farmgate of Dhaka Elevated Expressway for vehicular movement at 6am on September 3. It takes only 10-12 minutes to reach Farmgate from the Airport via the expressway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We assumed earlier that on average around 20,000 vehicles would use the expressway daily but now the number has increased to around 30,000 vehicles,” said the project director AHMS Akhtar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When fully completed, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway will run from the capital’s Kawla to Kutubkhali area of Dhaka-Chattogram highway via Kuril-Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We hope when it is completed, about 80,000 vehicles will be able to use Dhaka Elevated Expressway every day,” Akhtar told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Replying to a question, the Project Director said vehicles can run at a speed of up to 80 km/h according to the design of the expressway but they have limited it up to 60 km/h, and 40 km/h on the ramp.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They are yet to start enforcing law against violators of speed limit, although CCTV cameras and other equipment have already been installed on the expressways.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) has been running buses on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway starting from September 18. Passengers are now crossing the Dhaka Elevated Expressway for just Tk35.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on September 15 , BRTC Chairman Tajul Islam announced the new bus route from Khejur Bagan to Jashimuddin Road on the Elevated Expressway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said initially a total of eight buses were supposed to operate from three depots. Commuters can board the buses from both ends of the expressway, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the number of BRTC buses, plying on the express highway, has raised to 12.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“A total of 12 buses are now running on the expressway route. Passengers are satisfied with the service, we are satisfied too that the number of passengers is increasing,” said Bishwajit, BRTC bus counter staff working at the Farmgate bus counter of Uttara-Farmgate BRTC bus route.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eight double-decker buses started plying the expressway initially from September 18, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bishwajit informed that a bus is running every 10 minutes from the farmgate bus counter to Uttara. Buses are sometimes late because of the traffic jams on either end of the expressway, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are working day and night to make the service better for the passengers. The number of buses has been increased on the route for increasing the number of passengers, soon the bus schedules can be maintained tightly,” he further said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tanjila Rahman, a commuter, was buying a ticket from the Farmgate BRTC expressway bus counter to go to Uttara on Sunday afternoon. When asked, she said that she had come for a job interview in the morning and that she had reached Indira Road from the airport in just 10-15 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I liked the service very much. It took much less time than usual to reach from airport to here. I am going back through the same route,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another commuter, Md Rayhan, said that previously he had to travel for at least 1.5 hours to reach his office in Karwanbazar from home. He stated that it is a fantastic experience for him that he is able to reach his office using the expressway in just 20 to 30 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another passenger Rafiujjaman Riyon opined that local buses have too many stoppages, take too much time and they often charge higher fares.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“BRTC expressway route uses e-ticketing system, so the fee stays fair. BRTC could make the bus seats more comfortable. Also, if the route had a few more stops, it would help a greater number of passengers,” he suggested.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNB correspondent Taufiq Hossain Mobin took a ride on an expressway bus. It set off at 1.10pm from Farmgate for Uttara. The bus was slow at first because of the traffic jam on Bijoy Sarani, taking 23 minutes to get on the expressway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After that, the bus took only 17 minutes to reach the end of the expressway but slowed down again due to the traffic jam at the other end and he got off from the bus at 1.51pm at the airport. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 08:09:26', '2023-09-25 08:09:26'),
(9304, 9304, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An all-round performance by Shorna Akhter helped Bangladesh women\'s cricket team to clinch the country\'s first medal, a bronze, in the ongoing 19th Asian Games Cricket in Hangzhou on Monday (September 25).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two-time Asian Games silver medalists Bangladesh women\'s cricket team won their games first medal beating Pakistan by five wickets in a 3rd place deciding play-off match at the Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket ground in Hangzhou Monday morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shorna, 16- year old all-rounder from Jamalpur district, grabbed three wickets for 16 runs in four overs to restrict Pakistan for a low total of 64 for 9 in allocated 20 overs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, she guided Bangladesh towards the victory scoring the match- winner 65 runs for the loss of five wickets in 18.2 overs, contributing the team highest unbeaten 14 runs off 33 balls.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sent into bat first in the match, Pakistan women\'s team folded their innings for only 64 runs for 9 in stipulated 20 overs with lower order Aliya Riaz (17), captain Nida Dar (14), Sadaf Shams (13) and Natalia Pervaiz (11) were the notable scorers reaching the double digit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from Shorna\'s three wickets haul, Sanjida Akter claimed two wickets for 11 runs in four overs while Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan and Nahida Akter took one Pakistani wicket each.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For Bangladesh, two openers Shamima Sultana and Shathi Rani made 27 runs in the first wicket stand scoring 13 runs each apart from Shorna Akter\'s 14 runs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nashra Sandhu captured three Bangladesh wickets giving 10 runs while Nida Dar and Sadia iqbal shared one wicket each.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, Bangladesh reached the semifinal as they declared winner against Hong Kong in a rain- marred quarter final in Hangzhou last Friday as their ICC ranking is higher than the Hong Kong.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But in the semifinal, Bangladesh lost to their giant neighbour India by eight wickets to join the bronze medal battle with Pakistan. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 08:34:55', '2023-09-25 08:34:55'),
(9305, 9305, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A 93-year-old man in the naxal-hit Kanker district of Chhattisgarh in India will exercise his voting right for the first time in his life during the assembly elections scheduled this year.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The name of the nonagenarian has been added to the voters’ list during a door-to-door campaign launched in the district under the leadership of District Collector Priyanka Shukla.</div><div><br></div><div>Sher Singh Hedko (93), a resident of village Bhainsakanhar (K) under Bhanupratappur assembly constituency, will vote for the first time during this assembly election. Even after the passing of several years, his name was not added to the list. Moreover, errors in documents could be a potential reason for it.</div><div><br></div><div>After his name was added to the voters’ list, the nonagenarian is excited to register his active participation in the democratic exercise and choose his representative, said Hedko’s relatives citing him as he is unable to speak properly.A voter awareness campaign is being carried out in the district and under this initiative, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are undertaking door-to-door campaigns to register names of eligible persons left out in the voters’ list.</div><div><br></div><div>As part of this initiative, BLO Rajendra Kosma, who went to enroll the name of Sher Singh’s grandchild, learned that the name of the nonagenarian is also not added to the list and he had not exercised his voting rights even once. Following this, Sher Singh\'s formalities were completed.</div><div><br></div><div>“This is a remarkable achievement of our BLOs that they approached those, who were left out in the voters’ list for certain reasons, by visiting people at their doorsteps and ensuring the adding of their names. By acting proactively, the BLOs added names of people by helping them arrange required documents and during this exercise, the name of Sher Singh Hedko was also added,” Kanker District Collector Priyanka Shukla said.</div><div><br></div><div>Moreover, the names of several senior citizens in the Antagarh and Bhanupratappur blocks were also added this time, she said attributing the credit for this development to BLOs, EROs (Electoral Registration Officers) and the team of SVEEP (Systematic Voter’s Education and Electoral Participation). Source: ANI</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 09:55:16', '2023-09-25 09:55:16'),
(9306, 9306, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh Bank decided not to bring major changes in the US dollar exchange rate before the upcoming national election. The central bank’s Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder informed of this decision at a meeting with managing directors and CEOs of banks recently.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>At that meeting, the governor said that Bangladesh Bank will not make any policy changes regarding the dollar market or the foreign currency market before the national election.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite this decision, the dollar rate has been raised by Tk .50 or 50 paisa in all cases. The price of the dollar has increased to Tk 110 in case of export and expatriates’ income, and to Tk 110.50 in case of import.</div><div><br></div><div>The dollar rate was hiked again yesterday, which is effective from today.</div><div><br></div><div>The dollar crisis in the country has become evident since March 2023, following the downturn caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>To deal with this crisis, Bangladesh Bank fixed the dollar price at the beginning. This worsened the crisis. Later, last September, Bangladesh Bank withdrew from determining the price of the dollar.</div><div><br></div><div>This responsibility has been given to the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB) and Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Dealers’ Association (BAFEDA).</div><div><br></div><div>Since then the two organizations have been jointly setting the dollar price for export, remittance earnings, and payment of import liabilities. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 11:21:43', '2023-09-25 11:21:43'),
(9307, 9307, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A total of 80,000 tonnes of potatoes are stored in 19 cold storages in the district. There is a demand of 40,000 tonnes of potato in the local consumer level. After meeting the demand, 40,000 tonnes of potato will be surplus in the district.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Rahela Parveen, Deputy Director of Department Agriculture Extension (DAE) of the district, said this season different varieties of potatoes have been cultivated in about 38,625 hectares of land in the district. A total of 9,23,200 tonnes of potato have been produced and 1,50,104 tonnes of potato stored at 19 cold storages in the district.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Of these, 25 percent are seed potato and 75 percent for consumption potato.</div><div><br></div><div>A lot of potatoes is stored in the cold storage, some unscrupulous potato traders are trying to increase potato price by creating an artificially shortage in the market.</div><div><br></div><div>The potato was bought from the farmers at a rate of Taka 10 to 15 per kg. The price of the potato will be rate at Taka 17 to 22 per kg including cost of cold storage and other costs, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Ministry of Commerce in the country has fixed the price of potato, wholesale price at Taka 26 to 27 per kg and maximum retail price of potato at Taka 35 to 36.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If the wholesale price fixed by the government is sold at the rate of Taka 26 to 27 per kg, the stockholder and retailers will have a profit of Taka 5 to 10 per kg,\" Rahela Parveen said.</div><div><br></div><div>On September 17, three potato traders of R B cold storage of Kalai upazila of the district were fined by the Directorate of Consumer Rights for selling potatoes at a higher price. After that operation, the potato traders reduced the supply of potato from the cold stores. As a result, an artificial crisis of potato in the market, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Recently visited Machua Bazar Notunhat and Purba Bazar areas of the district town have seen that potato are being sold at a higher price than the government\'s fixed retail price.</div><div><br></div><div>The variety of Jam potato is being sold at Taka 60 to 65 per kg, steak potato at Taka 40 to 45, Bhandarpur potato at Taka 55, Fata Pakri at Taka 45 to 50 per kg, Rahela Parveen, Deputy Director of the DAE said.</div><div><br></div><div>Abdur Jobbar, a retail vegetable trader in Machua Bazar in the district town, said \"Potato has been bought at higher price, so there is no chance to sell at low price\".</div><div><br></div><div>Biren Mahant, a vegetable trader in the Purba Bazar, said that the wholesale prices of the potato are Taka 38 to 45 per kg. We could not buy potato at the price fixed by the government. So, how we can sell potato at the rate of Taka 35 to 36 per kg?</div><div><br></div><div>Ratan Kumar Roy, department of agricultural marketing officer of the district, said traders are not taking potato out of the cold storage, as a result, shortage of potato in the market. Therefore, the price of potato cannot be reduced in the retail market.</div><div><br></div><div>Some unscrupulous traders who had stored potato intentionally reduced the release of their stocks to artificially hike the price, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The DAE said legal action will be taken under the Agricultural Marketing Act against those who do not following the government instructions. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 12:04:40', '2023-09-25 12:04:40'),
(9308, 9308, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A 52-year-old lawyer who sustained injuries during an indiscriminate firing by a group of terrorists on a road in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area, died on Monday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Bhuban Chandra Shil succumbed to his injuries at 10:35 am today while receiving treatment at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Dhanmondi Popular Hospital in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>His brother-in-law, Palash Chandra Shil, confirmed the news.</div><div><br></div><div>A group of terrorists opened fire indiscriminately at the private car of a top terrorist around 10 pm in Tejgaon industrial area of the capital on September 18.</div><div><br></div><div>A bullet struck Bhuban in the head while he was crossing the area on his motorcycle. He was returning to his residence at Arambagh in Motijheel from his office in Gulshan.</div><div><br></div><div>Bhuban was rescued and rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and subsequently transferred to Dhanmondi’s Popular Hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>He is survived by his wife and one daughter. He worked as a legal consultant for Gomti Textile Limited. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 13:00:37', '2023-09-25 13:00:37'),
(9309, 9309, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Law Minister Anisul Huq on Monday said the government has nothing to do about BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s treatment abroad considering the legal aspect.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“I have told it earlier that the BNP chief got the conditional release as per the section 401 (1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure which is a generosity of the Prime Minister. If any change is brought in this legal position then her conditional release has to be canceled first. Then other things may be considered in this regard,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The law minister said these while talking to reporters at the Secretariat on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir&nbsp; issued an ultimatum to the government to take necessary steps to send Khaleda Zia abroad for better treatment within 48 hours, or be held responsible if anything happens to her.</div><div><br></div><div>Replying to a question about Home Minister’s statement over Khaleda issue, Anisul said, “The application has to be sent to the Home Ministry first and the Home Ministry will send it to the Law Ministry and it depends on the opinion of the Law Ministry. I think that the government can’t do anything more as per the law.”</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on September 18, the Security Services Division under the Home Ministry issued a notification extending the suspension of Khaleda’s jail term by another six months.</div><div><br></div><div>Khaleda Zia has to receive treatment in Dhaka, and she will not be allowed to go abroad during this period, said the notification.</div><div><br></div><div>The 78-year-old former prime minister has been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, kidney, lung, heart, and eye problems.</div><div><br></div><div>Since her conditional release in 2020, the BNP chief has been receiving treatment at the hospital under a medical board headed by cardiologist Prof Shahabuddin Talukder.</div><div><br></div><div>Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years\' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018. Later, she was found guilty in another corruption case the same year.</div><div><br></div><div>Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government of Bangladesh temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with the condition that she will stay in her Gulshan house and not leave the country.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 13:42:08', '2023-09-25 13:42:08'),
(9310, 9310, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Raghav Chadha and Parineeti Chopra have officially tied the knot in a lavish wedding ceremony held at The Leela Palace in Udaipur.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The couple exchanged engagement rings earlier this year and celebrated their wedding with a spectacular destination wedding.</div><div><br></div><div>The ceremony included traditional rituals such as the Sehrabandi and jaimala, and concluded with a grand reception.</div><div><br></div><div>Many celebrity guests attended the wedding, including Sania Mirza and Harbhajan Singh.</div><div><br></div><div>The couple\'s pre-wedding festivities were marked by a 90s\' themed musical night. Now, everyone is eagerly waiting for the first pictures of the newlyweds. Source: The Times of India</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 14:45:38', '2023-09-25 14:45:38'),
(9311, 9311, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Outgoing Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique has said the country became independent at the cost of blood and not at the mercy of anyone.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Those who had opposed at the time of independence are also opposing now. So we are not bothered by this visa policy. I\'ve never been to America personally. I will never go in the future,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He made the remarks while replying to a question from reporters after observing his last working day at the Supreme Court on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I have worked tirelessly for the welfare of the judiciary during my tenure as chief justice. I never thought about myself or my family,” said the country\'s 23rd chief justice.</div><div><br></div><div>“I have encouraged and instructed judges across the country to resolve the backlog of cases. For the benefit of the litigants, we have set up naye kunjo in the court premises across the country,” he also said.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have set up mediation centres in the Supreme Court to reduce the backlog of cases through mediation,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>“The newly appointed chief justice is a dynamic personality. I hope he will handle the judiciary efficiently,” said Hasan Foez Sidduque.</div><div><br></div><div>Newly appointed Chief Justice Justice Obaidul Hassan and all the judges of the Appellate Division were present at the time. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 15:06:17', '2023-09-25 15:06:17'),
(9312, 9312, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said that the government has lost its sanity due to the US sanctions and restrictions.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Referring to a piece in a vernacular daily, he said, \"The sanction is being discussed in the secretariat. Those who helped the government in its illegal activities become scared... It is understood that the closing bell of this government has rung.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Mirza Fakhrul said this while addressing a rally organized by Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP at Dholaikhal in the capital on Monday afternoon demanding the release of Khaleda Zia.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Mentioning that Khaleda Zia is on the brink of death, the BNP leader said the doctors asked to take her abroad on an emergency basis.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Therefore, release the leader immediately, otherwise the government will have to take all responsibility,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Mirza Fakhrul said that not only the US sanction, the people of this country are now giving sanctions to this government. \"The people of this country are saying in clear terms; now enough has happened, many tortures have occurred, leaders are imprisoned. We will not allow that to happen again. That\'s why we\'re on the road.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"This government will not listen easily. We have to create waves on the waves and push them out from power through movements,\" he told the leaders.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>So we have to create a wave of movement. if it don\'t work in a peaceful movement, we have to go to a strong movement. Everyone should be ready to fight on the streets unitedly, Fakhrul added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Mirza Fakhrul said, \"Now the people of Bangladesh have woken up. No matter how hard you try, you can\'t bring the people of this country home.\"</div><div><br></div><div>BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, chairperson\'s special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, self-help affairs secretary Shirin Sultana and Jubo Dal president Sultan Salauddin Tuku, among others, spoke on the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, from 11 am on Monday, a large number of leaders and activists started gathering at the rally with the slogan.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The rally was supposed to be held at Dholaikhal intersection, but it extended to Rayer Shah Bazar, Tipu Sultan Road, and Laxmibazar.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Metropolitan South Convener Abdus Salam presided over the rally under the overall supervision of Engineer Ishraque Hossain. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-25 15:49:01', '2023-09-25 15:49:01'),
(9313, 9313, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A growing stream of ethnic Armenian refugees are fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh following Azerbaijan\'s seizure of the disputed region last week.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 6,500 people have so far crossed into Armenia from the enclave, which is home to a majority of some 120,000 ethnic Armenians.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They left after the government in Yerevan announced plans to move those made homeless by the fighting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Armenia\'s PM has warned that ethnic cleansing is \"under way\" in the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That\'s happening just now, and that is very unfortunate fact because we were trying to urge international community on that,\" Nikol Pashinyan told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azerbaijan has said it wants to re-integrate the ethnic Armenians as \"equal citizens\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Karabakh\'s main city, Stepanakert, an explosion at a petrol station is said to have badly injured more than 200 people, local human rights ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is not yet clear what caused the blast.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As people flee,there are large traffic tailbacks on the Armenian border.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BBC has spoken to some of the refugees who arrived in the city of Goris in Armenia on Sunday, close to the border to Karabakh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I gave my whole life to my homeland,\" said one man. \"It would be better if they killed me than this.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A woman, Veronica, told the BBC that this was the second time she had become a refugee. The first time was during the conflict in 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main square of Goris is crowded. The theatre nearby is turned into a base for the Red Cross.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tatiana Oganesyan, doctor and head of a foundation of doctors and volunteers that\'s now helping refugees in Goris, told the BBC that people who have come to the doctors are exhausted, malnourished and psychologically crushed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"People are shocked, they are telling us: I need pills, they are blue,\" she says. Doctors then need to figure out their medication and find it for them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have nothing,\" says an elderly woman who just arrived in Goris. She points at her jumper, saying it\'s all she could bring with her from home. Her son is on crutches near her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the nearby village of Kornidzor, refugees who were being processed said they did not believe they could be safe under Azerbaijani rule and did not expect ever to be able to return home.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Armenian government said in a statement on Sunday that hundreds of the refugees had already been provided with government-funded housing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it has not released a clear plan of how it could cope with an influx of people. Prime Minister Pashinyan announced last week that plans were in place to look after up to 40,000 refugees.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Armenians the BBC has spoken to have said they are prepared to take refugees into their homes. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 02:11:45', '2023-09-26 02:11:45'),
(9314, 9314, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The president of South Korea will pay a state visit to the UK in November after accepting an invitation from King Charles III.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The King and Queen Camilla will host Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee at Buckingham Palace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It will be the second incoming state visit of the King\'s reign, following South Africa\'s President Cyril Ramaphosa\'s stay last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The King and Queen have just returned from a three-day state visit to France.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Yoon, 62, visited the US in April when he sang a verse of Don McLean\'s American Pie - one of his favourite songs - at a White House dinner at the request of President Joe Biden.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He received rapturous applause from the audience before the US president presented him with a guitar signed by McLean.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The trip also saw Mr Yoon secure a landmark deal with the US to counter the North Korean nuclear threat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The details of his UK state visit have not been released, but the trip will most probably follow convention with a ceremonial welcome and carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, followed by a state banquet on the first evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Around 150 guests are usually invited to the formal affair in the ballroom. Before dinner is served, the King makes a speech and proposes a toast to the visiting head of state, who replies and in return proposes a toast to the monarch.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The King and the South Korean president met previously at the reception for heads of state and official overseas guests at the palace on the eve of Elizabeth II\'s funeral.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Mr Yoon was criticised across the South Korean political spectrum for not visiting the late queen\'s coffin lying in state - which he blamed on heavy traffic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The King expressed his condolences to the people of South Korea following the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush in 2022, when more than 150 people were killed in Seoul\'s party district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As Prince of Wales, King Charles was a key guest at a state banquet hosted by the late queen for the then-South Korean leader Roh Moo-hyun in 2004.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The King also visited South Korea in November 1992 with his then-wife, Diana, Princess of Wales.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign monarchs, presidents or prime ministers are invited to visit the UK by the King on the advice of the British government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State visits are not just ceremonial affairs - they are also diplomatic tools governments use to further what they see as the British national interests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Visitors to the UK normally meet with the British prime minister, government ministers and leaders of the main political parties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They may attend another banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation, where they will meet leaders of commerce and industry. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 02:14:59', '2023-09-26 02:14:59'),
(9315, 9315, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The US is \"in a space race with China to go back to the moon\", says Nasa chief Bill Nelson.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a BBC interview, Mr Nelson says he wants to make sure \"we get there first\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His comments revive memories of the 1960s and 1970s, when Nasa was in a space race with the Soviet Union. But half a century later, Nasa is employing private companies to do much more of the work.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Nelson says they are crucial because it allows for the huge costs to be shared, and for Nasa to draw on \"the creativity of entrepreneurs in the private sector\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He points to Elon Musk\'s SpaceX, which in 2021 was awarded a $3bn (£2.4bn) contact to build a lunar lander, and has also developed the most powerful rocket ever built.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other private firms are also feeling the benefit of the space race. Earlier this year the agency signed a $3.4bn deal with Jeff Bezos\' Blue Origin - also to build a lander, but for later moon landings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those are just two companies that are benefitting from billions of dollars of government funding. It\'s money that is being spent, in part at least, to try and keep ahead of China amid much broader tensions between the world\'s two biggest economies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In late August, India became the fourth nation to achieve a soft landing on the Moon and the first to reach the lunar south pole region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite that success, China\'s space program is the one most closely watched by Nasa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China is the only country to have its own space station, it has already brought moon samples back to earth, and it has plans to reach the polar regions of the lunar surface.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This worries Mr Nelson: \"What I\'m concerned about is that we find water on the south pole of the moon, China gets there, and China says this is our area. You can\'t come here, it\'s ours.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Nelson argues that China\'s actions to build artificial islands in order to claim sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea support his concern.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Nelson also points out that China has not signed up to the US-led Artemis Accords, intended as a framework for best practice in space and on the Moon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China says it is committed to the peaceful exploration of space, and has previously dismissed US concerns about its space programme as \"a smear campaign against China\'s normal and reasonable outer space endeavours\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The rivalry is spurring huge investment by Nasa. In the year to the end of September 2021 the agency says its spending was worth $71.2bn to the US economy - a 10.7% increase on the year before.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While big names like SpaceX might attract the headlines, Nasa\'s spending reaches much further into the economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A quarter of our spending is going to small businesses,\" says Mr Nelson.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That money can accelerate the growth of small firms, particularly start-ups, says Sinead O\'Sullivan, a former Nasa engineer and now space economist at Harvard Business School.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government often acts as a first customer to start-up firms and those contracts can allow them to approach private investors and raise even more money, she says.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A lot of the time we talk about venture capital and private equity, however, governments are equally if not more important,\" Ms O\'Sullivan says.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The race back to the moon might be high profile, but it has helped spur an explosion in other space activity that could be far more profitable.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1957 Russia became the first country to put a satellite in orbit as it fought the original space race with the US. Now there are just over 10,500 satellites orbiting earth, according to the European Space Agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over the last decade, Chad Andersen founder of investment firm Space Capital, credits SpaceX for spurring the industry on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The only reason that we\'re speaking about space as an investment category today is because of SpaceX,\" he says. \"A little over 10 years ago, before their first commercial flight, the entire market was really government dominated.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About half of the satellites now in orbit were launched in the last three years, according to analytics firm BryceTech.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That\'s mainly thanks to just two companies One Web and Elon Musk\'s Starlink.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The space economy is much broader than just rockets and satellite hardware. It is the invisible backbone that powers our global economy,\" explains Mr Anderson.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the growing number of satellites in orbit he says an increasing number of companies are finding new uses for the data they provide, including in the agriculture, insurance and maritime industries. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 02:18:23', '2023-09-26 02:18:23');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9316, 9316, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Joe Biden on Monday told leaders from the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum that he has heard their warnings about the impact of climate change on their region and that his administration is committed to helping them meet the challenge.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pacific islands leaders gathered Monday for the start of a two-day Washington summit. Many have been critical of rich countries for not doing enough to control climate change despite being responsible for much of the problem, and for profiting from loans provided to vulnerable nations to mitigate the effects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the summit’s start, Biden said his administration is requesting Congress approve $200 million in new assistance for the region, including financing to help the islands prepare for climate and natural hazards and improve infrastructure. Biden has put a premium on improving ties in the Pacific at a time of rising U.S. concern about China’s growing military and economic influence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I want you to know I hear you, the people in the United States and around the world hear you,” Biden told the leaders. “We hear your warnings of a rising sea and (that) they pose an existential threat to your nations. We hear your calls for reassurance that you never, never, never will lose your statehood, or membership of the U.N. as a result of a climate crisis. Today, the United States is making it clear that this is our position as well.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of the summit, the U.S. is formally establishing diplomatic relations with two South Pacific nations, the Cook Islands and Niue. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took part in separate signing ceremonies with Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown to mark the new elevated relations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Today, we celebrate shared history, common values and people-to-people ties between our two nations, Tagelagi said at the Niue ceremony. ”We have been looking forward to this day.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brown welcomed the elevation of U.S. relations with the Cook Islands and said the U.S.-Pacific islands partnership could be an important tool for helping the region achieve its aspirations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“These milestones celebrate areas of change and demonstrate that with unshakable resolve and leadership, remarkable achievements are possible,” Brown said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The forum includes Australia, the Cook Islands, Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kiribati signed onto a $29.1 million partnership with the U.S.-backed Millennium Corporation Challenge. The group will assist the island country with dozens of low-lying atolls and help boost its workforce.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some of the leaders attended an NFL game in Baltimore on Sunday and visited a U.S. Coast Guard cutter in the city’s harbor for a briefing on combating illegal fishing and other maritime issues. Biden announced Monday that later this year he would deploy a U.S. Coast Guard vessel to the region to collaborate and train with Pacific islands nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At last year’s summit, the White House unveiled its Pacific strategy, an outline of its plan to assist the region’s leaders on pressing issues like climate change, maritime security and protecting the region from overfishing. The administration pledged the U.S. would add $810 million in new aid for Pacific islands nations over the next decade, including $130 million on efforts to stymie the impacts of climate change.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The leaders also met Monday with Biden’s special envoy on climate, John Kerry, for closed-door talks focused on climate change. Blinken and U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield were hosting the leaders at the State Department for a dinner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kerry and Samantha Power, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, will host the leaders on Tuesday for climate talks with members of the philanthropic community. The leaders also plan to meet with members of Congress. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will host a roundtable with the leaders and members of the business community.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Power last month traveled to Fiji to open a new USAID mission that will manage agency programs in nine Pacific islands countries: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau. The U.S. this year has opened embassies in Solomon Islands and Tonga, and is on track to open an embassy in Vanuatu early next year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden earlier this year had to cut short a planned visit to the Indo-Pacific, scrapping what was to be a historic stop in Papua New Guinea, as well as a visit to Australia for a gathering with fellow leaders of the so-called Quad partnership so he could focus on debt limit talks in Washington. He would have been the first sitting U.S. president to visit Papua New Guinea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden is set to honor Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with a state visit next month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 03:30:16', '2023-09-26 03:30:16'),
(9317, 9317, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin will begin his&nbsp; three-day visit in his home district Pabna tomorrow.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President\'s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told UNB that the president will leave for Pabna on Wednesday afternoon on a three-day visit, address several gatherings and hold views-exchange meetings with a cross section of people and different professional bodies there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During his visit, he will also speak at a public gathering followed by a boat race at Sathiya upazila of the district and also inaugurate the construction work of the 500-bed hospital at Pabna Medical College.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president is scheduled to return to Dhaka on September 29. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 03:49:37', '2023-09-26 03:49:37'),
(9318, 9318, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two children and four adults were found dead Monday after a river swollen by heavy rains swept away shacks&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">built on its banks in the Guatemalan capital, authorities said.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thirteen people, including eight children, were still missing after the river tore through the Dios es Fiel (God is Faithful) informal settlement in the early morning hours, according to the Conred disaster relief agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hundreds of firemen, police, soldiers, and volunteers were taking part in the rescue efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Naranjo river washed away six homes, built mainly of zinc sheets, under a bridge in the center of Guatemala City, Conred spokesman Rodolfo Garcia told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hundreds of needy residents of the capital constructed their homes on the banks of the river despite a municipal prohibition due to it containing residential wastewater from the capital\'s sewage system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Water bearing stones, soil and human waste gushed through the settlement following heavy rains on Sunday, leaving mainly just debris in its wake, an AFP reporter observed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Resident Esau Gonzalez, a 42-year-old day worker, recalled how \"the river...took homes, neighbors\' belongings. Neighbors disappeared.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gonzalez told AFP the people of the community had nowhere else to go.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Rent is very high. Salaries are not enough to pay rent with,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The river took entire families,\" added Marvin Cabrera, 36, a motorcycle food delivery worker.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We knew the risk, (but) we are here out of necessity,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iris Lopez, 27, said she hoped the government would move the community to a safer place, adding \"nothing remained\" of the rickety house of her sister, who was away visiting their mother.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If she was here, she would have been taken by the river,\" said Lopez.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tens of thousands of Guatemala\'s 17.7 million inhabitants depend on precarious housing in often hazardous environments such as this one in a country with a 59-percent poverty rate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The country has a housing deficit of about two million units, according to the Guatemalan Chamber of Construction and the ANACOVI builders\' association.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Guatemala\'s President Alejandro Giammattei expressed his \"deep concern and solidarity with the affected families\", in a message on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The rainy season, which runs from May to November, has this year claimed 29 lives so far, affected some 2.1 million people of whom more than 10,000 lost their homes, and destroyed four roads and nine bridges. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 04:44:47', '2023-09-26 04:44:47'),
(9319, 9319, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Less than six months after knee surgery threatened to rule him out of next month\'s ODI World Cup, the goal of captaining New Zealand in India has been the key driver in getting Kane Williamson through his recovery.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 33-year-old tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee playing for Indian Premier League side Gujarat Titans in April, which looked to have scuppered his chances of making the showpiece tournament.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, intense rehab work has meant a speedy recovery.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Williamson hopes to be ready for the Black Caps opening game against defending champions England on October 5, a repeat of the 2019 final his side narrowly lost.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It would be great. Naturally, you want to be back playing when you are fit and ready, sooner rather than later,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You hope that ends up being around that World Cup time, but I\'m still being very focused on the rehab day-to-day and not wanting those targets to stretch it to a point where you take a backward step.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Williamson is already batting in the nets again, which the injured knee can handle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"For running, it\'s not quite 100 percent, but making good progress,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Black Caps coach Gary Stead said there was no fixed date for when Williamson will play again.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But his return will be a big boost. He was player of the 2019 tournament with centuries against South Africa and the West Indies in leading New Zealand to the cusp of lifting the trophy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Little steps forward\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Williamson, who has chalked up over 6,500 runs in ODI cricket, is desperate to appear in a fourth World Cup, admitting the prospect \"keeps you in the gym every day and working hard\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s been really pleasing to see the progress and keep taking those little steps forward,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While New Zealand have warmed-up for the World Cup with tours of England and Bangladesh, Williamson\'s injury has limited his preparations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he is not overly concerned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Naturally, it isn\'t ideal, but I didn\'t get too much of a say in it. It\'s the only option I have in front of me and the prospect of playing another World Cup is really, really exciting,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s something you always want to be a part of but I didn\'t want that to dictate my rehab. At the same time, having a carrot at the back of your mind is helpful.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite a burning desire to play, the New Zealand skipper said he would have no problem withdrawing from the squad if the injury flared up.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I only want to be there if I can add some value and I\'m fit and ready to go,\" he said,</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Williamson already knows about spending time on the sidelines after returning last year from a lengthy spell out with an elbow injury.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Working through injuries are part of the job, so being ready for whatever\'s next is the goal,\" he said. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 04:49:05', '2023-09-26 04:49:05'),
(9320, 9320, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Envoys from Baku and Yerevan prepared to meet in Brussels for talks on Tuesday as thousands of refugees fled Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan\'s lightning takeover of the majority ethnic Armenian enclave.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last week, an offensive by Baku\'s forces established Azerbaijani control over the breakaway region, forcing ethnic Armenian fighters to disarm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tuesday\'s meeting in Brussels will be the first such encounter since the offensive but the leaders of both countries are scheduled to meet next month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Simon Mordue, chief diplomatic adviser to European Council president Charles Michel, will chair the talks, Michel\'s spokeswoman said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azerbaijan and Armenia, along with EU heavyweights France and Germany, will be represented by their national security advisers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several days after the fighting, the first refugees arrived in Armenia on Sunday and 6,650 people have so far entered, Yerevan said on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AFP reporters saw the refugees crowding into a humanitarian hub set up in a local theatre in the city of Goris to register for transport and housing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We lived through terrible days,\" said Anabel Ghulasyan, 41, from the village of Rev, known as Shalva in Azeri.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She arrived in Goris with her family by minibus, carrying her belongings in bags.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Fuel depot blast -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An explosion at a fuel depot wounded more than 200 people, according to Armenian separatist authorities which have been supplying those seeking to leave the territory with petrol and diesel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As a result of the explosion in the fuel warehouse, the number of injured exceeds 200. The health condition of the majority is severe or extremely severe,\" the region\'s rights ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The medical capacities of (Nagorno-Karabakh) are not enough,\" he added, calling for air ambulances to be allowed to land.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An official had earlier indicated there were fatalities, without giving a toll.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars in the last three decades over Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority ethnic Armenian enclave within the internationally recognised border of Azerbaijan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azerbaijan\'s lightning operation on September 19 to seize control of the territory forced the separatists to lay down their arms under the terms of a ceasefire agreed the following day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It followed a nine-month blockade of the region by Baku that caused shortages of key supplies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The separatists have said 200 people were killed in last week\'s fighting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Baku announced two of its soldiers also died when a mine hit their vehicle on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azerbaijan\'s state media said officials held a second round of peace talks with Nagorno-Karabakh\'s ethnic Armenian community aimed at \"reintegrating\" them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But on the road heading to Armenia, more and more residents from the region appeared to be trying to get out as witnesses said cars were snarling up in traffic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the refugee centre in Goris, Valentina Asryan, a 54-year-old from the village of Vank who fled with her grandchildren, said her brother-in-law was killed and several other people were injured by Azerbaijani fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Who would have thought that the \'Turks\' would come to this historic Armenian village? It\'s incredible,\" she said, referring to the Azerbaijani forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She was being housed temporarily in a hotel in Goris and had \"nowhere to go\". AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 05:58:55', '2023-09-26 05:58:55'),
(9321, 9321, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia attacked Ukraine with 38 drones overnight, Ukraine\'s air force said Tuesday, saying it had destroyed 26 of them, but that the grain-exporting Danube river port of Izmail was hit again.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The launches of 38 Shahed-136/131 strike unmanned aerial vehicles\" were recorded, the air force said on the messaging platform Telegram, adding that Ukrainian defence forces \"destroyed 26\". AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 06:01:13', '2023-09-26 06:01:13'),
(9322, 9322, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Justice Obaidul Hasan took oath today as the 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president administered the oath at 11 am at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, witnessed by the president\'s wife Dr. Rebecca Sultana, Cabinet members, former chief justices, judges of both the Appellate and High Court divisions, heads of the three services, principal secretary to the prime minister, the attorney general, and Supreme Court lawyers, including SC Bar Association leaders.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain conducted the ceremony.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president made the appointment as per Article 95 (1) of the Constitution on Thursday as the outgoing chief justice retired on the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chief Justice rails against US visa policy on last working day</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hassan, a senior judge of the Appellate Division, was appointed the chief justice on September 12.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan was appointed as an additional judge of the Supreme Court’s High Court Division in 2009 while his appointment was confirmed as a permanent judge in 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was elevated as a judge in the Appellate Division on September 3, 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hassan was born on January 1, 1959, at Chayashi village under Mohanganj upazila in Netrokona district to Dr Akhlaqul Hossain Ahmed and Begum Hosne Ara Hossain.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hassan was appointed as the chairman of International Crimes Tribunal-2 on March 25, 2012 and in his capacity as the head of that court, also known as War Crimes Tribunal, until September 15, 2015, he pronounced 11 verdicts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan is married to Nafisa Banu, who currently serves as Member (Finance) of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority’s Board of Directors. The couple has a son, Barrister Ahmed Shafquat Hassan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan\'s younger brother Sajjadul Hassan is a parliament member (MP) from Netrokona-4 constituency while he previously served as a senior secretary at the Prime Minister\'s Office (PMO).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan initially obtained his graduate and postgraduate degrees in economics from Dhaka University prior to studying law and made his debut as a practitioner in the Dhaka District Court in 1986, and got his enrollment in the High Court in 1988.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He became an Appellate Division lawyer in 2005 and was appointed as an assistant attorney general and deputy attorney general for 5 years from 1996 to 2001.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As a Supreme Court judge Obaidul Hassan joined several international legal conferences in different countries including Hong Kong, Singapore, Netherlands and Argentina.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He led the Bangladesh delegation to an international crimes conference in Buenos Aires in 2015 and in the same year he attended a views exchange meeting with the International Crimes Court and the International Crimes Tribunal judges in The Hague.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan authored several books including \'Obornonio Nirmomotar Chittro Ekatturer Buddhijibi Hotyakando O Onnanya\', \'Bangabandhu Bangladesh Ekjon Juddho Shishur Golpo O Onnanya\' and \'Bangabandhu, Rabindranath O Oshamprodayeek Bangladesh\'. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 06:48:11', '2023-09-26 06:48:11'),
(9323, 9323, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen has launched \'e-Quality Centre for Inclusive Innovation\' during a event on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The side event titled \'Envisioning a world with Zero Digital Divide through e-Quality Centre for Inclusive Innovation\' has been organized jointly by Bangladesh foreign ministry and a2i project of the ICT Division, a foreign ministry press release said here today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ministers and high officials from Gambia, Uganda, Ghana, Somalia, São Tomé and Príncipe and United Nations Secretariat, senior officials from the Bangladesh Permanent Mission to the United Nations and a2i were present at the inaugural ceremony.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The goal of the e-Quality center is to eradicate the digital divide by leveraging South-South Cooperation. This flagship center proposed by Bangladesh will be working on the utilization of cutting-edge technology, research, and innovation to narrow this gap in Global South countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Its approach encompasses global technology transfer, policy research, and financial support, all aiming to create a digital future where no one is excluded.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his remarks Dr Momen highlighted Bangladesh\'s journey towards digital empowerment, inclusive growth, and evolution from \'Digital Bangladesh\' to \'Smart Bangladesh\'.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also emphasized the necessity of technology transfer, cooperation between the developing world, digital empowerment of all walks of society and the eradication of digital divide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister described the e-Quality center as an embodiment of Bangladesh\'s aspirations and a symbol of its commitment to a world where technology is an equalizer, and progress is a collective endeavor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also stated that the foreign ministry through its ICT and ITIT Wing has taken all measures necessary for fostering international collaborations, enabling the seamless integration of technology and innovation - so that the initiative becomes truly global in context and inclusive in nature.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This Centre will facilitate robust partnerships, ushered in investments, and championed the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, playing a crucial role in realizing the vision for a digitally inclusive Bangladesh and a digital divide free humankind.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Technical and operational aspects of e-Quality center were presented during the side event while ministers, high officials, and representatives of various UN organizations provided their observations on the endeavor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They emphasized the necessity of inclusive distribution of technology, cooperation between the developed and developing countries and the challenges of the new digital reality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They also expressed hope that e-quality center will be instrumental soon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The winning Projects of International ICT Innovation (i3) Facility was awarded by the foreign minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for ICT, Zunaid Ahmed Palak gave closing remarks at the program.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In line with the inaugural program held in the UN headquarters, a virtual session with the participants from the United Kingdom was also organized.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Director General (ITIT/ICT) of Foreign Ministry Dr. Syed Muntasir Mamun and other officers from the ITIT/ICT Wing attended the session. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 06:51:17', '2023-09-26 06:51:17'),
(9324, 9324, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin will leave here for his hometown Pabna on a three-day visit tomorrow afternoon.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The President will address several gatherings and hold view-exchange meetings with a cross section of people, local elected representatives and different professional bodies there.\" President\'s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This will be his second visit to Pabna district after taking oath of the office on April 24 last as the 22nd President of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Head of the State will deliver his speech at a public gathering and enjoy a Boat Race at Sathiya upazila and will also inaugurate the construction work of the 500-bed hospital in the Pabna Medical College, according to programme schedule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The President is scheduled to return to Dhaka on September 29. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 07:23:38', '2023-09-26 07:23:38'),
(9325, 9325, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin today administered the oath of office to Obaidul Hassan as the 24th Chief Justice of Bangladesh.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Head of the State administered the oath at a brief ceremony at the Durbar Hall of the Presidential palace at 11am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain conducted the oath taking ceremony.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, President\'s wife Dr. Rebecca Sultana, cabinet members, advisors, deputy leader of the House, former chief justices, judges of both Appellate and High Court Divisions, whips of the Parliament, chiefs of the three services, attorney general, editors and senior journalists, Supreme Court lawyers and Supreme Court Bar Association leaders were present.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on September 12, the President under Article 95 (1) of the Constitution appointed Supreme Court\'s Appellate Division judge Obaidul Hassan as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, the tenure of 23rd Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique ended on September 25 as he went on retirement on the day, an official source told BSS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A lawyer by background Obaidul Hassan was appointed as an additional judge of the Supreme Court\'s High Court Division in 2009 while his appointment was confirmed as a permanent judge in 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was elevated as a judge in the apex Appellate Division on September 3, 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Son of Dr Akhlaqul Hossain Ahmed and Begum Hosne Ara Hossain, Justice Obaidul Hassan was born on January 1 in a respected family at Chayashi village of Mohongonj upazila in Netrokona in 1959.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His father Dr Akhlaqul Hossain Ahmed was one of 1971 Liberation War organisers, who took part as well in formulating independent Bangladesh\'s first Constitution being a member of the erstwhile Pakistan\'s central Constituent Assembly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hassan was appointed as the chairman of International Crimes Tribunal-2 on March 25, 2012 and in his capacity as the head of that court, popularly known as war crimes tribunal, until September 15, 2015, he pronounced 11 verdicts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan is married to Nafisa Banu, who currently serves as Member (Finance) of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority Board of Directors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The couple was blessed with a son, Barrister Ahmed Shafkat Hassan, who obtained his LLM degree on International Law from the University of Durham in the UK.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Obaidul Hassan initially obtained his graduation and post graduation degree in Economics from Dhaka University ahead of studying law and made his debut as a practitioner in the Dhaka District Court in 1986 and got his enrolment in the High Court in 1988.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He authored several books including \'Obornonio Nirmomotar Chittro: Ekatturer Buddhijibi Hotyakando O Onnanya\' and \'Bangabandhu Bangladesh: Ekjon Juddho Shishur Golpo O Onnanya\' and \'Bangabandhu, Rabindranath O Oshamprodayeek Bangladesh\'. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 07:26:41', '2023-09-26 07:26:41'),
(9326, 9326, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat first in the third and final ODI against New Zealand on Tuesday in Dhaka.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh lost the last match and are now on the verge of a series defeat.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zakir Hasan, the left-handed top-order batter, is making his ODI debut in this match. He has played three Tests and one T20I. He has one hundred and two fifties in Tests.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dean Foxcroft is also making his debut for New Zealand. The right-handed allrounder has played a T20I before his ODI debut.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh XI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Zakir Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Khaled Ahmed, Shoriful Islam</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Will Young, Dean Foxcroft, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell, Rachin Ravindra, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 08:20:56', '2023-09-26 08:20:56'),
(9327, 9327, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Though US Ambassador Peter Haas mentioned inclusion of media in the visa restriction policy, the United States Department of State refrained from mentioning media.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I will say that, as we noted when we announced these new visa restrictions on Friday, they include – they include both members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said during a regular media briefing on September 25.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said when the US Secretary of State announced the new visa policy in May, the purpose was not to take a side, but to ensure or to support free, fair, and peaceful national election in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Responding to a question specifically on the inclusion of media in the visa restrictions, the State Department spokesperson said: “I think what we have said, and we – so we have not announced because visa records are confidential – we have not announced the specific members or the specific individuals to which this will apply, but it made clear that they will apply to members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Clarifying the issue after US Ambassador Peter Haas’ remarks, the US Embassy in a Facebook post on Monday said, “We are applying the [visa restriction] policy in a balanced way against anyone [undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh] – regardless of being pro-government, opposition party, members of law enforcement agencies, members of the judiciary, or media persons.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller said the visa restriction policy can be applied to anyone “found to be undermining” democratic elections in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This could include vote rigging, intimidating voters, use of violence to prevent people from exercising their rights to freedom of association and freedom of peaceful assembly, and the use of measures designed to prevent political parties, voters, civil society, or the media from participating in the electoral process or expressing their views,” he told UNB while responding to a question.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Responding to a question on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release and treatment abroad, US State Department Spokesperson Miller said, “I just don’t have any comment on that.” UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 08:30:01', '2023-09-26 08:30:01'),
(9328, 9328, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan paid a visit to the US Embassy in Dhaka and engaged in friendly cricket with US Ambassador Peter Haas.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Embassy shared a video on their social media platforms, showing Shakib bowling to Haas, who in turn faced Shakib\'s deliveries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The video captured the camaraderie between Shakib and the US Ambassador, along with others briefly participating in the friendly game of cricket.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Accompanied by his wife and children, Shakib also posed for a photo with the US ambassador.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shakib\'s wife, Umme Ahmed Shishir, lives in the US with their children, and Shakib frequently travels to the US whenever he finds breaks in his busy cricketing schedule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shakib is currently enjoying a break from cricket. He is expected to join the national team soon that will travel to India to take part in the World Cup. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 08:48:04', '2023-09-26 08:48:04'),
(9329, 9329, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Separatist authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh said Tuesday that at least 20 people were killed and nearly 300 others injured by an explosion at a gas station.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The breakaway region’s health department said that 13 bodies have been found and seven people have died of injuries after the explosion at the gas station outside the regional capital of Stepanakert late Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It said that 290 people have been hospitalized and scores of them remain in grave condition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The explosion occurred as thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh residents are fleeing the region for Armenia after Azerbaijan’s swift military operation last week to fully reclaim the region after a three-decade separatist rule. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 09:02:26', '2023-09-26 09:02:26'),
(9330, 9330, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Donald Trump pushed back at US prosecutors’ request to curb some of his public statements about people involved in the federal court case accusing him of attempting to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The former US president’s lawyers sharply opposed the request from special counsel Jack Smith for a court order limiting Trump’s out-of-court statements about potential witnesses in the case and barring disparaging or intimidating remarks about the judge, prosecutors and potential jurors.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump’s defence team said in a court filing late on Monday that such restrictions would violate his free speech rights as he runs for president as the clear frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump had already publicly attacked Smith’s request, arguing it was an attempt to limit his criticism of the President Joe Biden, his likely opponent in the 2024 election.</div><div><br></div><div>“At bottom, the Proposed Gag Order is nothing more than an obvious attempt by the Biden Administration to unlawfully silence its most prominent political opponent,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in the filing.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump was indicted in August on four felony counts for allegedly attempting to intervene in the counting of votes and block the certification of the 2020 election, one of four criminal cases he faces. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.</div><div><br></div><div>Smith’s office said in a court filing this month that Trump threatened to undermine public confidence in the case and influence potential jurors with “near daily” social media attacks on prosecutors, US Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the case, and residents of Washington, DC who will serve as jurors.</div><div><br></div><div>Prosecutors said Trump has a history of inspiring his supporters to harass and threaten people he singles out for public criticism.</div><div><br></div><div>Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, fighting with police and sending lawmakers fleeing for their lives, in a failed bid to overturn Trump’s election defeat. Trump continues to make the false claim that his loss was the result of fraud. According to Reuters reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 10:12:18', '2023-09-26 10:12:18'),
(9331, 9331, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Right-handed all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad has become the fourth Bangladeshi to achieve the milestone of scoring 5000 runs in ODIs.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the third ODI against New Zealand in Dhaka on Tuesday, Mahmudullah only needed one run to reach the 5000-run mark. He effortlessly secured that single run, thereby becoming the fourth Bangladeshi player to accomplish this feat.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite initial uncertainties about his participation in the New Zealand series, the 37-year-old batter ultimately made it onto the field. In the second ODI, he narrowly missed out on a 50 by just one run.</div><div><br></div><div>Prior to Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mushfiqur Rahim had all achieved the same milestone for Bangladesh. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 12:02:33', '2023-09-26 12:02:33');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9332, 9332, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur RoufTalukder has got D grade – behind even his Sri Lankan counterpart – in a global assessment of performance of the heads of the central banks, according to a report card by New York-based financial magazine Global Finance.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The magazine’s Central Banker Report Cards-2023 was published on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Bank’s poor performance was blamed on the high inflation and devaluation of the taka, said the report.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the central bank heads of India Shaktikanta Das, Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Hong, and Switzerland’s Thomas Jordan got topped the list with A+ grade. The Indian governor’s grade improved to A+ in 2023 from A in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankan Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinhe got A-, while the Pakistan’s Central Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad received C- grade in the ranking.</div><div><br></div><div>Since 1994, Global Finance Magazine has been evaluating the governors of different countries around the world. \'Central Banker Report Card\' is regularly published as an annual publication of the periodical. Based on the assessment of central bank governors of 101 important countries, this latest report for 2023 has been published.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Bank (BB) along with many other central banks in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), the mandate was reasonably met during the first half of the review period: Post-Covid GDP growth was solid at 5.6 percent, while inflation modestly overshot BB\'s 5 percent target by 0.6 percent and the taka was steady, Global Finance magazine said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"However, by mid-2022, the taka was devalued by 9.5 percent; importers struggled with foreign exchange; energy and food costs ballooned due to the Ukraine conflict; and inflation ran rampant.</div><div><br></div><div>Having burned through central bank foreign exchange reserves, a call went out for International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) support.</div><div><br></div><div>“But the structural weakness of the Bangladeshi economy and the government\'s 60 percent control of the central bank produces a vulnerability to externalities such as the inflation shock of 2022,\" the report mentioned.</div><div><br></div><div>Commenting on the report senior economist Ahsan H Mansur told UNB this is reflection of the state of Bangladesh economy more than the performance of the central bank’s governor.</div><div><br></div><div>“He (governor) should not be held personally responsible for this,” said Mansur, Chairman of think tank Policy Research Institute. “The central bank governors implement the government’s financial policies.”</div><div><br></div><div>Mansur, a former IMF economist, said “No central governor can alone perform better if the state policies are not supportive.” The report, he said, has reflected the country’s poor revenue collection, runaway inflation and high devaluation of taka. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 12:34:18', '2023-09-26 12:34:18'),
(9333, 9333, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A UK health expert has said that Disease X, the name given by World Health Organisation (WHO), can cause another pandemic deadlier than Covid-19. In an interview to Daily Mail, Kate Bingham, who served as the chair of the UK\'s Vaccine Taskforce from May to December 2020, said the new virus could have a similar impact to the devastating Spanish Flu of 1919-1920. According to WHO, Disease X could be a new agent - a virus, a bacterium or fungus - without any known treatments.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Expressing her concern, Ms Bingham said, \"Let me put it this way: the 1918-19 flu pandemic killed at least 50 million people worldwide, twice as many as were killed in World War I. Today, we could expect a similar death toll from one of the many viruses that already exist.\"</div><div><br></div><div>If the world has to tackle the threat from Disease X, \"the world will have to prepare for mass vaccination drives and deliver the doses in record time\", she told the Daily Mail.</div><div><br></div><div>The expert further said that scientists have identified 25 virus families, but there could be more than one million undiscovered variants, which may be able to jump from one species to another.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In a sense, we got lucky with Covid-19, despite the fact that it caused 20 million or more deaths across the world. The point is that the vast majority of people infected with the virus managed to recover... Imagine Disease X is as infectious as measles with the fatality rate of Ebola. Somewhere in the world, it\'s replicating, and sooner or later, somebody will start feeling sick,\" said Ms Bingham.</div><div><br></div><div>Ebola had a fatality rate of around 67 per cent, and she added that others like bird flu and MERS also killed a large number of people. \"So we certainly can\'t bank on the next pandemic being easily contained.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ms Bingham also explained why the number of pandemics are increasing. </div><div><br></div><div>\"The increase in outbreaks is the price we\'re having to pay for living in the modern world. First, it\'s increasingly connected through globalisation. Second, more and more people are cramming into cities, where they often come into close contact with others,\" said Ms Bingham.</div><div><br></div><div>And viruses are jumping from one species to another because of deforestation, modern agricultural methods and the destruction of wetlands.</div><div><br></div><div>WHO first mentioned about Disease X on its website in May.</div><div><br></div><div>It said that the term \"represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease\".</div><div><br></div><div>The WHO started using the term in 2018. And a year later, Covid-19 began to spread across the world. - Daily Mail</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 15:59:07', '2023-09-26 15:59:22'),
(9334, 9334, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP is very insignificant in the perspective of geopolitics.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"You (BNP) are thinking that you would go to power through movements. But, BNP is very insignificant in the perspective of geopolitics. So there is no benefit,\" he told the triennial conferences of Jubo League city and district units at Pathanpara in the city.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said Jubo League will go to the final game in the next month, not Awami League. \"We will send our second team not first one. If needed, Mohila Awami League will go. I would like to urge BNP to play with them at first. After that if necessary, Awami League will play with you (BNP),\" he continued.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Hasan said BNP should remain alert about their leaders as they can change their party before the final game.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the Rajshahi region was turned into a region of terror during the BNP regime. Bangla Bhai and Shyoikh Abdur Rahman had turned the country into a heaven of militancy, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>He said some are claiming that BNP and Tarique Rahman would return again and they would create \'Hawa Bhaban\' and \'Khoab Bhaban\'. Bombs will be blasted at 5,000 places and many militants like \'Bangla Bhai\' will be created if BNP come again, he said, adding, \"We could not allow this\".</div><div><br></div><div>About the US visa policy, the information minister said country\'s mass media employees think that the visa policy is tantamount to interference on the independent media.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the relations between Bangladesh and the US is very good. The visa policy is an isolated issue, he said, adding, \"But I am concerned about a statement of the US ambassador as he told that the media will also come under the visa policy\".</div><div><br></div><div>He said country\'s mass media is very independent, work freely and very strong. And an independent mass media always work as an associate of democracy, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said, \"I don\'t understand on which basis the visa policy will apply to the mass media. Journalists, columnists and others think that this is interference on our independent media. I think it is not appropriate to control the mass media of other countries\".</div><div><br></div><div>AL Presidium Member and Rajshahi city mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Litan addressed the conference as the chief guest while Jubo League President Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash inaugurated it.</div><div><br></div><div>JL general secretary Md Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil addressed it as the key speaker with JL city unit president Md Ramzan Ali in the chair.</div><div><br></div><div>AL Organising Secretary SM Kamal Hossain, State Minister of Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, AL Rajshahi city unit president Mohammad Ali Kamal and district unit president Anil Kumar Sarker, among others, addressed the conference.</div><div><br></div><div>JL city unit general secretary Md Mosharraf Hossain and district unit acting general secretary Ali Azam Sentu conducted the conference. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:02:49', '2023-09-26 16:02:49'),
(9335, 9335, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh lost the third and final ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand by seven wickets with 91 balls to spare on Tuesday in Dhaka.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>With this victory, New Zealand clinched the series 2-0, marking Bangladesh\'s first home series loss to the Blackcaps in over a decade and a half.</div><div><br></div><div>Opting to bat first, Bangladesh managed a below-par total of 171 runs in 34.4 overs, with Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scoring with 76 runs.</div><div>For New Zealand, Adam Milne claimed four wickets, conceding 34 runs.</div><div><br></div><div>In response, New Zealand chased down the target of 172 in 34.5 overs.</div><div><br></div><div>Shoriful Islam secured two early wickets, but it wasn\'t enough to halt the Blackcaps\' progress. Will Young contributed 70, while Henry Nicholls remained unbeaten with 50.</div><div><br></div><div>This series serves as Bangladesh\'s final preparation ahead of the World Cup, leaving the Tigers with the memory of a series defeat to overcome as they head into the tournament. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:06:00', '2023-09-26 16:06:00'),
(9336, 9336, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Following a series of dramatic events, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has unveiled the 15-member squad for the ICC World Cup 2023.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a social media video, the board introduced the squad while showcasing Bangladesh\'s World Cup jersey.</div><div><br></div><div>Shakib Al Hasan will lead the team in the World Cup, with Najmul Hossain Shanto as his deputy. Consequently, Litton Das has been relieved of his vice-captaincy.</div><div><br></div><div>Veteran Tamim Iqbal has not secured a spot in Bangladesh\'s World Cup squad, in a move that is certain to polarise opinions throughout the country. The left-handed opener, Bangladesh\'s highest run-scorer in international cricket across all three formats, has been grappling with a back injury, and didn\'t look fully convincing in the one complete outing he had in the just-concluded ODI series against New Zealand.</div><div><br></div><div>Ultimately it has ruled him out of the tournament set to commence early next month in India. Fans will recall his dramatic retirement from all forms of the game hardly three months ago, that he was forced to revoke in the space of 24 hours with the intervention of the prime minister herself - partly in view of the World Cup being so near.</div><div><br></div><div>Another veteran however, assuredly booked himself a ticket to India by presenting his calming presence in the middle during the New Zealand series, as batsmen kept committing harakiri all round him - Mahmudullah Riyad.</div><div><br></div><div>Riyad, whose career looked to be over at more than one point as selectors could never make their minds up on his role, will get another shot at glory as a mainstay of the middle-order alongside his brother in law Mushfiqur Rahim. Both however have shown indifferent form in the lead up to the big event.</div><div><br></div><div>Right-arm pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib has also been added to the squad. Along with him, Bangladesh announced a five-member pace-attack in this World Cup under the guidance of South African legend Alan Donald. Sakib is joined by Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud and the two left-armers - Mustafizur Rahman and Hasan Mahmud.</div><div><br></div><div>Who might open?</div><div><br></div><div>In the absence of Tamim, the obvious question would be who will take his place at the top of the batting order partnering Litton Das. From what has been tried till now, the two options would look to be trying youngster Tanzid Hasan Tamim, who opened in the 3rd ODI against the Kiwis, or promoting all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz up the order again, who has had some notable success in that position in limited overs cricket.</div><div><br></div><div>Although Tanzid was tried, he failed to impress batting in the top order during the NZ series, including today as opener, scoring just 5. As things stand, the Miraz option might be most attractive.</div><div><br></div><div>Vice captain Shanto, the team\'s in form batter, will hold down his favourite no.3 position in the order.</div><div><br></div><div>Key figures of the Bangladesh cricket team held a late-night meeting at the residence of Nazmul Hasan, the board president, to deliberate on Tamim\'s inclusion in the World Cup.</div><div><br></div><div>BCB sources confirmed that captain Shakib Al Hasan and head coach Chandika Hathurusingha were present in the meeting with Nazmul. They expressed reservations about including Tamim in the World Cup due to concerns regarding his injuries.</div><div><br></div><div>In a sudden turn of events, Tamim’s elder brother, Nafis Iqbal, who served as the operational manager even in the third ODI between Bangladesh and New Zealand, was abruptly removed from his position.</div><div><br></div><div>This year’s World Cup features a total of 10 teams. Aside from Bangladesh, only Sri Lanka had been awaiting the official squad announcement until Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh World Cup 2023 squad: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Vice Captain), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:11:22', '2023-09-26 16:11:22'),
(9337, 9337, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bollywood blockbuster “Jawan” director Atlee has disclosed that he was approached by Hollywood filmmakers following the film\'s premiere.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“People who worked on our film [Jawan] were from Hollywood. Action director Spiro Razatos worked with us. So, Spiro and other great directors and technicians from Hollywood were at the same screening of Jawan. And, Spiro said, ‘I have done action in this film,’” NDTV quoted Atlee.</div><div><br></div><div>Atlee also discussed a certain action scene admired by the \"great directors and technicians.\"</div><div><br></div><div>It was Shah Rukh Khan\'s introductory scene in “Jawan,” when his character, Vikram Rathore, eventually awakens and saves a village.</div><div><br></div><div>Atlee added, “So, they [directors and technicians] asked Spiro who has done that scene where SRK is engulfed in flames. He [Spiro] said, ‘It was the director\'s [Atlee] vision and he [Atlee] executed it.\'”</div><div><br></div><div>“So they immediately connected with me and told me, ‘If you want to work in Hollywood, let us know,\'” he continued.</div><div><br></div><div>Atlee commented on the film’s international success, saying, “So it [action sequences] isn\'t a taste which is very desi. It is something superheroic and it has a very basic rhythm. I thought this idea only works for us but it is working globally.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Jawan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, has received widespread acclaim.</div><div><br></div><div>The Atlee film is making all the right noises, whether it is because of the tunes or because of SRK\'s brilliant lines. “Jawan” is also the Hindi film to reach the Rs 500-crore mark the fastest. It is now aiming to cross the Rs 1,000 crore milestone at the global box office, said the report.</div><div><br></div><div>Apart from Shah Rukh Khan, “Jawan” also stars Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanjay Dutt, and Deepika Padukone (in a special appearance). The movie was released worldwide on September. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:17:14', '2023-09-26 16:17:14'),
(9338, 9338, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has turned the country into ‘Hirak Rajar Desh’ and it will meet the same fate as Hirak Raja, said BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas on Tuesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“Bangladesh did not become independent to establish anyone’s one-party rule. Bangladesh became independent to ensure democracy, freedom of speech and right to franchise. It’s not a kingdom of any king or queen and not to turn a ‘Hirak Rajar Desh’,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader came up with the remarks while addressing a road march programme of the party at Jhenaidah bus terminal.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP road march started at 11:45 am from Jhenaidah town and will end at Khulna via Jashore and Magura.</div><div><br></div><div>He also urged the leaders and activists of BNP to get prepared to topple the government.</div><div><br></div><div>Abbas also said that the health condition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is critical.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the government has made the country bankrupt through money laundering. “When we raise our voice, the law enforcement agencies arrest us and sent to jail. These will not be tolerated in an independent country,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Once the amount of Bangladesh’s defaulted loan Tk 21,000 crore and now it stands at Tk 109 thousand crore. “People want to know where this money has gone?” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on September 18, BNP announced a 15-day programme till October 3, including road marches, as part of their ongoing one point-movement demanding resignation of the government.</div><div><br></div><div>The programme was extended by two days till October 5 on Thursday. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:28:15', '2023-09-26 16:28:15'),
(9339, 9339, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Tuesday said that visa restrictions by the United States would not disrupt exports of garment products to the country, rather it may fall due to the financial crisis in the West, said the president of the sector’s apex body.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We are sharing the latest industry statistics with you regularly. You must have noticed that in the first seven months of this year, overall apparel imports by the US and the European Union have come down at an alarming rate,” BGMEA President Faruque Hassan told a press conference in its office in Uttara.</div><div><br></div><div>The US is the single largest importer of Bangladeshi garment products.</div><div><br></div><div>During the period, overall global apparel imports by the US fell by 22.28 percent in terms of value, while their imports from Bangladesh fell by nearly 20 percent, Faruque said.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, in terms of volume, global imports by the US decreased by 28 percent while import share in volume from Bangladesh decreased by 29 percent, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>It means, in terms of quantity, the import by the US from Bangladesh has decreased by one-third over the last seven months, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, global imports by Europe fell by 7.5 percent and from Bangladesh by about 12 percent. Also, imports by the European Union from exporting countries decreased by about 13 percent, and from Bangladesh by 14.50 percent, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our two main markets – North America and Europe account for about 80 percent of total exports. And if there is instability in these two markets for any reason, it will have an adverse effect on our industry,” Faruque said.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have always focused on market expansion and the creation of new markets to overcome this vulnerability. We have been doing this continuously since 2010. Recently, we held a daylong Bangladesh Apparel Summit in Australia. There we have highlighted the overall progress of our industry,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The BGMEA expects a new momentum in exports to Australia.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that the BGMEA is working with many more unconventional markets like South Korea, Japan, China, India, Saudi Arabia and even Iraq.</div><div><br></div><div>The growth of exports to new markets will help Bangladesh during this crucial time, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>In the press conference, the BGMEA also said that recent news coverage in Bangladesh’s media claiming that 10 companies laundered Tk300crore is not true.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Of the 10 companies, four are members of the BGMEA, two are members of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and four others are not associated with any of them.</div><div><br></div><div>It has been said that 3 crore 53 lakh 66 thousand 918 US dollars have been charged against 10 exporters of Dhaka and Gazipur in the name of exporting ready-made garments.</div><div><br></div><div>The media of the country also spread news about this. After that, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate got the initial confirmation.</div><div><br></div><div>“This information is false and fabricated,” Faruque said.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;He demanded that the government form a separate taskforce to investigate the allegation of money laundering by the garment factories.</div><div><br></div><div>The BGMEA leaders said that they took the responsibility for decreasing exports amid drop of retail sales of garment products impacting the country’s export&nbsp; severely due to inflationary pressure in the West.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;BGMEA’s Senior Vice-President SM Mannan Kochi, Vice-President Shahidullah Azim, former Presidents of the organisation Abdus Salam Murshedy and Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, and other factory owners attended the news conference. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:32:58', '2023-09-26 16:32:58'),
(9340, 9340, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A “mesmerizing” electric blue tarantula species has been discovered in Thailand, according to new research.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>A group of Thai researchers found the spider during an expedition to Phang-Nga province in southern Thailand to research the diversity and distribution of tarantulas in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“(We found) a new species of tarantula that exhibits a mesmerizing blue-violet hue, reminiscent of electric blue sparks,” Narin Chomphuphuang, a researcher at Khon Kaen University’s Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, told CNN Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>The study detailing the discovery was published in the research journal ZooKeys on September 18.</div><div><br></div><div>The team that found the species living in a mangrove forest also included Thai wildlife YouTuber JoCho Sippawat, who is also an author on the paper published last week. Some of the same team also discovered a previously unknown type of tarantula – now named Taksinus bambus – that lived in the hollowed stems of bamboo plants in Thailand last year.</div><div><br></div><div>The team auctioned off the right to name the new species to publicize the find and raise awareness and funds for the indigenous Lahu people of northern Thailand, a group that Sippawat is part of. Chilobrachys natanicharum is derived from the names of two executives from the company that won the naming campaign.</div><div><br></div><div>“Blue is one of the rarest colors to appear in nature, which makes blue coloration in animals particularly fascinating,” Chomphuphuang said.</div><div><br></div><div>The researchers said this coloring comes from the arrangement of “biological photonic nanostructures, rather than pigments.”</div><div><br></div><div>This means that the electric blue coloring does not come from the presence of blue pigmentation, but rather in “the unique structure of their hair, which incorporates nanostructures that manipulate light to create this striking blue appearance,” Chomphuphuang explained.</div><div><br></div><div>The scarcity of blue in nature can be attributed to difficulties in the absorption and reflection of specific wavelengths of light. “To appear blue, an object needs to absorb very small amounts of energy while reflecting high-energy blue light,” which is challenging, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the research paper, the tarantula’s unique coloring comes from two types of hairs, “metallic-blue and violet ones,” which are present on different parts of the body including the legs, the chelicera (pincer-like appendages in front of the mouth) and the carapace (upper shell).</div><div><br></div><div>The spiders’ coloring and other characteristics varied by sex and age. Females and young males have more violet colored hairs than metallic blue on parts of their body, the study added.</div><div><br></div><div>The newly discovered tarantula lives in tree hollows, making it difficult to capture, with the researchers having to climb trees to lure it out, Chomphuphuang said.</div><div><br></div><div>“During our expedition, we walked in the evening and at night during low tide, managing to collect only two of them,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the research paper, Chilobrachys natanicharum had previously been spotted in the commercial tarantula trade market, known only as “Chilobrachys sp. Electric Blue Tarantula,” but without any information on its characteristics or natural habitats.</div><div><br></div><div>Typically, tarantulas are either terrestrial or arboreal, but the Chilobrachys natanicharum can live in both enivronments, the researchers said, demonstrating its adaptability.</div><div><br></div><div>However, with the decline of mangrove forests – largely caused by deforestation – Chomphuphuang says the electric blue tarantula is also one of the world’s rarest tarantulas. - CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', '<p>blue tarantula<br></p>', 'International Desk', '[\"18\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:37:15', '2023-09-26 16:37:15'),
(9341, 9341, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is under close observation of the medical board formed for her in a cabin of the Critical Care Unit (CCU) of Evercare Hospital in the capital.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>BNP\'s media wing officer Shairul Kabir Khan said, \"I contacted Madam\'s (Khaleda Zia) medical board member Professor AZM Zahid Hossain at 5 pm. He said the chairperson is under close observation of the medical board. Dr Zahid asked everyone to pray for her.\"</div><div><br></div><div>BNP Health Affairs Secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam said, \"Madam\'s health condition has not improved. She\'s been the same for the last few days. She is under close observation by the medical board,\" reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Rafiqul Islam told, \"In the past, we have seen as ASM Abdur Rob or former health minister Nasim or Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or MP Haji Selim, they went abroad for treatment. If the government had given permission to Khaleda Zia for medical treatment abroad from the beginning, she would not have been in this situation.\"&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:40:44', '2023-09-26 16:40:44'),
(9342, 9342, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Iran has sentenced four people to death for selling contaminated bootleg alcohol that killed 17 people and sent dozens more to hospital in June, the judiciary said on Tuesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The sale and consumption of alcohol has been banned in Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution, giving rise to a huge illicit trade in smuggled or bootleg alcohol, some of it adulterated with poisonous methanol.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, at least 17 people died and 191 were admitted to hospital with symptoms of methanol poisoning after drinking adulterated alcohol.</div><div><br></div><div>Judiciary spokesman Massoud Setayeshi said 11 defendants had been charged with the capital offence of corruption on earth over the distribution of the toxic liquor in Alborz province, west of Tehran.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the 11, four were sentenced to death while the rest received prison sentences of one to five years, Setayeshi said, adding that the convicts could appeal to the Supreme Court.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, authorities said they had raided a cosmetics factory where they had seized more than 6,000 litres (1,585 gallons) of bootleg alcohol preventing its distribution.</div><div><br></div><div>In the year to March, 644 people died after consuming \"counterfeit alcoholic beverages\", Iran\'s forensics institute said, a 30 percent increase on the previous 12-month period.</div><div><br></div><div>At the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, at least 210 Iranians died after drinking bootleg alcohol, falsely believing it to be a remedy for the virus.</div><div><br></div><div>Only members of Iran\'s Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrian minorities are exempt from the alcohol ban. Foreigners are required to respect it. - AFP </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-26 16:43:04', '2023-09-26 16:43:52'),
(9343, 9343, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 113 people have died and 150 others injured after a fire broke out at a wedding in northern Iraq, state media has reported.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bride and the groom are reported to be among the victims, according to local media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fire happened in the district of Al-Hamdaniya in Iraq\'s northern Nineveh province late on Tuesday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is not yet clear what caused the blaze, but early reports say it broke out after fireworks were lit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A photo posted by Iraqi news agency Nina showed dozens of firefighters battling the fire, and pictures from local journalists on social media show the charred-out remains of the event hall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Flammable panels in the building may have helped the flames spread, causing parts of the ceiling to fall down.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of highly flammable, low-cost building materials that collapse within minutes when fire breaks out,\" Iraq\'s civil defence directorate said, quoted by a separate news agency Nina.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Firefighters could be seen climbing over the wreckage of the building in search of survivors in the early hours of Wednesday morning, in video filmed at the site by a correspondent for news agency Reuters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eyewitnesses said hundreds of people were there celebrating when the building caught fire at around 10:45 local time (19:45 GMT).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We saw the fire pulsating, coming out of the hall. Those who managed got out and those who didn\'t got stuck. Even those who made their way out were broken,\" Imad Yohana, a 34-year-old who escaped the inferno, told Reuters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ambulances and medical crews were sent to the site by Iraqi authorities, according to official statements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iraq\'s prime minister told officials to \"mobilise all efforts to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate incident,\" his office said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The injured have been transferred to hospitals across the Nineveh region, the region\'s governor told INA. He suggested that the number of deaths and injuries was not fixed and may rise.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the main hospital in Hamdaniya, a town east of the region\'s capital Mosul, dozens of people arrived to donate blood to help the injured.BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 02:12:02', '2023-09-27 08:25:51'),
(9344, 9344, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Donald Trump \"repeatedly\" misrepresented his wealth by hundreds of millions to banks and insurers, a New York judge has ruled.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The decision resolves the key claim made by New York\'s attorney general in her civil lawsuit against the former president.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The documents here clearly contain fraudulent valuations that defendants used in business,\" the judge wrote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is a major blow for Mr Trump before the case goes to trial next Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An attorney for Mr Trump called the judge\'s decision \"a miscarriage of justice\" in a statement on Tuesday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Attorney General Letitia James sued Mr Trump last September, accusing him, his two adult sons and the Trump Organization of lying about his net worth and asset values between 2011 and 2021.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ms James claimed the defendants issued false business records and financial statements in order to get better terms on bank loans and insurance deals, and to pay less tax.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a trial that will now resolve six remaining claims in her suit, she will seek $250m in penalties and a ban on Mr Trump doing business in his home state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The non-jury trial is scheduled to begin 2 October and last until at least December.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a pre-trial phase of the case known as summary judgement, Ms James had asked Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan to rule on her claims.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She argued that finding certain facts to be beyond dispute would speed up the trial.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Defence lawyers for Mr Trump, meanwhile, called for the suit to be thrown out, arguing the public had not been harmed by Mr Trump\'s actions and the loans in question occurred long ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing and on Tuesday dismissed the case in New York as another political \"witch hunt\" brought by a prosecutor biased against him. He accused the judge of being \"highly politicised\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement, his lawyers said the decision ignored \"basic legal, accounting and business principles\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of Tuesday\'s decision, the Trump Organization was ordered to cancel its New York business licenses and, within 10 days, recommend independent monitors who could oversee that process.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That is a legal loss for the New York native, who now lives in Florida.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The judge\'s ruling will not dissolve his company but could end his control over signature New York properties like the Trump Tower and the Trump Building at 40 Wall Street.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Judge Engoron on Tuesday also denied the Trump team\'s request to throw out the case, and separately fined five Trump attorneys $7,500 each for making arguments already rejected by the court.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During arguments in court on Friday, a lawyer with Ms James\' office said the former president had signed off on statements that overinflated the valuations offered by appraisers his company hired.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Trump attorney Christopher Kise argued doing so showed that Mr Trump was an \"investment genius\" and \"a master at finding value where others see nothing\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Judge Engoron did not buy it. Repeatedly lobbing questions at and interrupting Mr Kise, he at one point banged his fist on the bench and raised his voice.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You cannot make false statements and use them in business - that\'s what this statute prohibits,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His summary judgment went further, arguing that Mr Trump\'s behaviour amounted to more than simply bragging about his riches and that he and his company had repeatedly lied about his financial affairs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In defendants\' world, rent-regulated apartments are worth the same as unregulated apartments; restricted land is worth the same as unrestricted land; restrictions can evaporate into thin air,\" he wrote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That is a fantasy world, not the real world.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Trump is still seeking to delay the trial in New York and has sued the judge.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An appeals court is set to rule this week on that lawsuit. If it rules against him, Mr Trump will have to fight out the rest of the case in court.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is just one of several legal battles he is enmeshed in as he campaigns for a rematch with President Joe Biden next year and a return to the White House.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Far and away the frontrunner to win the Republican nomination, he is also facing 91 felony charges across four criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 02:15:02', '2023-09-27 02:15:02'),
(9345, 9345, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia\'s Defence Ministry has released a video showing the Black Sea Fleet\'s commander at a conference, despite Ukraine claiming to have killed him.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s not clear when the footage, where Viktor Sokolov appears on a video link with the defence minister, was filmed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ministry said the meeting with senior officials happened on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine special forces said on Monday Adm Sokolov and 33 other officers died in a missile strike on the fleet\'s HQ in Sevastopol, occupied Crimea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They did not name the admiral directly, nor did they offer any evidence that he had died. They now say they are \"clarifying\" the reports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As it is known, 34 officers were killed as a result of a missile attack on the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation,\" they said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Many [bodies] still have not been identified due to the condition of the body parts.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This suggests Ukraine is backtracking following the release of the Russian Defence Ministry\'s clip.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement, it now cites \"open sources\" for its claim that the commander was one of the 34.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is a definite change of tone following yesterday\'s confident claims. Ukraine\'s new Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, told CNN that if Adm Sukolov was dead \"it\'s good news for everybody\", but this is far from a confirmation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is a chance that Ukraine did act on intelligence and target a key meeting in the heart of occupied Crimea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The significance of last Friday\'s strike is not to be understated, but if Kyiv has overextended in its alleged achievements, it would be a careless mistake in this continued information war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The eight-minute video shows a Defence Ministry collegium, said to have taken place on Tuesday morning. Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu is seen talking to senior officials in a conference room in Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He is also briefly seen on several occasions on video link with the commanders of Russia\'s five fleets including the Black Sea Fleet, none of whom speak.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Facial recognition software shows a match between other images of Adm Sokolov and the man who appears in the latest video, suggesting it is him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the BBC has so far been unable to verify whether the meeting actually took place on Tuesday, or whether the image of Adm Sokolov on the video link is in real time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Friday, Ukraine said it had hit the headquarters of the fleet, seen as the best of the Russian navy and an important target for Kyiv.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Footage on social media showed plumes of smoke over the building. Russia said it had shot down five missiles, although one serviceman had gone missing in the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv\'s forces have recently been launching near-daily strikes against Russian forces based in Crimea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As well as being a platform from which to attack Ukraine, the Black Sea fleet is a major symbol of Russia\'s centuries-old military presence in the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was based in Crimea under a leasing deal even before Russia illegally annexed the peninsula in 2014. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 02:17:50', '2023-09-27 02:17:50');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9346, 9346, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lionel Messi has one of the largest collections of winners medals of any footballer and on Wednesday he could add an unexpected one to his panoply when Inter Miami host Houston Dynamo in the final of the U.S. Open Cup.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unlike the Leagues Cup, which Messi won with Miami last month, the title up for grabs at DRV PNK Stadium is one with a long and rich history, albeit one little known outside of American soccer circles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. Open Cup, which began in 1914, is the oldest tournament in the American soccer landscape having managed to survive while all manner of leagues and clubs have vanished around it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For decades, the competition was stuck in relative obscurity with semi-professional and amateur teams playing in front of a few hundred die-hard fans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the early years, the competition was dominated by Bethlehem Steel, backed by the factory in Pennsylvania, who won four of the first six editions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The club were typical of that early era of the game in the United States when factory teams from northern industrial cities came close to establishing the game as the country\'s working class sport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Attempts to create a stable professional league collapsed and often the clubs disappeared with them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But as internal disputes took hold and gridiron American football established itself, the sport and the Cup became the preserve of ethnic-based immigrant teams.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After World War Two, the champions included teams such as New York German-Hungarian, Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals, New York\'s Greek-American, Maccabee Los Angeles and Brooklyn Italians.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When during the Pele-inspired, short-lived soccer boom in the 1970s, his New York Cosmos and other NASL teams opted against playing in the cup.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Similar in format to England\'s FA Cup or Spain\'s Copa del Rey, the competition is organised by the U.S. Soccer Federation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Amateur clubs qualify for the main draw through regional qualifiers with Major League Soccer clubs joining from the third round.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With no promotion or relegation in American soccer, the Open Cup is the only chance for teams from lower division leagues such as USL and NPSL to face top flight clubs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As with other such competitions, upset wins by underdogs are part of the appeal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last season, Sacramento Republic from the second-tier USL Championship, went all the way to the final after beating three MLS opponents including the Los Angeles Galaxy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the final, Sacramento fell to Orlando City who maintained MLS teams\' record of winning every edition of the Cup since the now defunct Rochester Raging Rhinos, of the old A-League, won in 1999.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The sight of MLS teams battling against lower league opponents in small venues, far more rudimentary than the modern stadiums that are home to most top flight clubs, adds to the charm of the competition for many fans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Romance -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But MLS commissioner Don Garber is not one of those to get caught up in the \'romance\' of the Cup.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s just not the proper reflection of what soccer in America at the professional level needs to be,\" Garber said in May, when asked about the low television ratings for the competition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I would say that they\'re not games that we would want our product to be shown to a large audience. So frankly, I\'m not all that disappointed that the audience is small,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the audience for Wednesday\'s final will be anything but small.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thanks to Messi, the final will be broadcast around the world with CBS Sports and Telemundo in the United States promoting the match heavily.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi\'s involvement, however, remains in doubt with the Argentine facing a late fitness test before the game, having missed Miami\'s MLS game at Orlando on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Watching in the stands will be Houston\'s general manager Pat Onstad, who knows all about the history of the Cup, having been goalkeeper for the Raging Rhinos in their upset win in the 1999 final against MLS\'s Colorado Rapids.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That was a special run (but) it was a different time,\" Onstad told CBS Sports of the 1999 final, played in front of 4,555 fans in Columbus, Ohio.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"From a personal standpoint I thought I would get to a lot of these but I haven\'t been to a U.S. Open Cup final since 1999, it\'s been a long time,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whether Houston or Messi\'s Miami have their name engraved on the old Dewar Challenge Trophy on Wednesday, three days later, the second round of qualifying for next year\'s competition gets under way.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The history is never far away -- battling among the raft of new clubs trying to make their mark, is the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals, four-times champions in the 1960s. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 03:00:30', '2023-09-27 03:00:30'),
(9347, 9347, '<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality has been categorized as ‘unhealthy’ this morning.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 155 at 8:55 am, Dhaka ranked 5th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan’s Karachi, Kuwait’s Kuwait City and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 168, 158 and 157, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 150 and 200 is considered \'unhealthy\', AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 03:40:58', '2023-09-27 03:40:58'),
(9348, 9348, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">For half his life, 67-year-old Azerbaijani Azad Abbasov has dreamed of returning to his home in the beautiful mountains of Nagorno-Karabakh.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s my obsession,\" said the retired teacher, who will never forget the day in 1992 when his family was driven from the village of Umudulu by Armenian forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Baku\'s lightning victory last week over Armenian separatists in the disputed Caucasus enclave has rekindled his hope of returning to that lost idyll.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even though he said his home was burned down when the Armenians took over the village, Abbasov keeps an aerial photo of the spot on his phone. \"I look at it often,\" he said, clearly moved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the last 30 years he has lived in exile in Terter, an hour\'s drive away on the other side of what was the line of control.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the Soviet Union crumbled, conflict broke out in 1988 between Christian Armenia and the neighbouring republic of Azerbaijan, which is mostly Turkic-speaking and Shiite. More than 30,000 people died in the war that followed, with 700,000 Azerbaijanis forced to flee Armenia and Karabakh and 230,000 Armenians going the other way.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- From victors to refugees -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The modern roots of the conflict go back to 1921 when the Soviets attached Armenian-majority Nagorno-Karabakh to the Azerbaijan Soviet Republic. The territory has been disputed since, with civilians on both sides paying the price.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">War came to Abbasov\'s door on February 28, 1992. His brother was shot dead by the Armenian forces who took his village and he was wounded. He recalled how a rescue helicopter was shot down and the family were forced to flee Umudulu on foot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The memories have never left him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Sunday, several hundred Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh became refugees like him, going into exile in Armenia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The region\'s separatists, who are laying down their arms, said those who lost their homes in the latest fighting could leave for Armenia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We had to leave our home in a hurry in 1992, and we are ready to return just as quickly,\" said Abbasov, who is ready to quit Terter in his old Soviet-era Lada car.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Terter and its surrounding villages are covered with posters of fists or khari bulbul orchids, symbols of the 2020 reconquest of parts of Karabakh by Azerbaijan. The flower is associated with the city of Shusha, which was retaken then, and which Baku considers as the region\'s cultural capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some 100 signs dot Terter pointing to the damage it suffered during the 2020 war as if it was a vast open-air museum.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Javid Ismayilov\'s garden, the tail of the missile which destroyed his house is still sticking out of the ground. A blue teapot, a twisted fan and a leather jacket still lie among the rubble.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'We can live with each other\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Like Abbasov, all displaced Azeris there interviewed by AFP nurse the idea of returning to Nagorno-Karabakh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Of course I want to go back to Karabakh, we are tired of war and fear,\" said Nazakat Valiyeva, 49, whose husband was killed in shelling during the 2020 fighting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also reminisced about her childhood village of Boyahmadl and its beautiful mountains, springs and vineyards.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It has been retaken by Azerbaijani forces, but access is strictly controlled.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While Baku is building settlements in some recaptured areas, they are not yet inhabited.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We need peaceful conditions to return,\" said Abbasov. \"My village must be liberated properly, mines must be cleared, roads and houses rebuilt -- many things need to be done.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Living together again with Armenian neighbours will not be easy, he conceded.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We need to remove the seeds of animosity between us,\" said Abbasov, and settle the thorny issue of rehousing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He doesn\'t rule out going back to live in a house that was not his.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Let the Armenians return to their village,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Displaced Armenians fleeing the enclave on Sunday, however, categorically refused to return home if the \"Turks\", as many call Azerbaijanis, also return.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Everything needs time, it\'s a long process,\" said Javid Ismayilov. But the 30-year-old is convinced that \"we can live with each other\". AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 04:47:49', '2023-09-27 04:47:49'),
(9349, 9349, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">World Bank President Ajay Banga said Tuesday that he is working to reform \"dysfunctionality\" in the boardroom of the development lender, and pledged to refocus its mission to better address the challenges posed by climate change.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The former Mastercard chief executive told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York that the bank should alter its current twin mandate of poverty alleviation and boosting shared prosperity to include climate change.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think the twin goals have to change to being elimination of poverty, but on a livable planet, because of the intertwined nature of our crises,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He added that he was working to redefine the World Bank\'s business around what he called five key knowledge \"verticals\": people, prosperity, planet, infrastructure and digital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Fixing the plumbing -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Banga, an Indian-born naturalized US citizen, was nominated to lead the World Bank earlier this year by President Joe Biden, and began his new role in June.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bank has historically been led by an American, while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been run by a European -- a controversial arrangement that has existed since the two institutions were founded in the aftermath of the second World War.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Banga has already made a number of changes to the bank\'s management since taking over, setting up a new 15-person private sector advisory board, and pledging deeper cooperation with regional development banks to tackle shared challenges.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Tuesday, Banga vowed to \"fix the plumbing\" at the bank, which he said suffered from \"dysfunctionality\" in the boardroom.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The World Bank\'s board is made up of 25 executive directors appointed by its 189 member countries, who must balance the interests of the development lender with those of the states they represent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I want people to say when I\'m gone that I left the bank working much better than when I got it, because then my successor will not have to deal with what I\'m dealing with,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Climate change -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Proposals to reform the World Bank\'s balance sheet from countries including the US and Saudi Arabia could add as much as $125 billion in extra lending capacity if they come to pass, Banga told the audience in New York.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This would be a significant increase for the development lender, which mobilized just over $100 billion in financing last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Banga has previously called on the World Bank to collaborate more closely with the private sector to meet the enormous costs associated with climate change mitigation and adaptation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Tuesday, Banga said the bank should carefully target where it wants to encourage private investment to help cap carbon emissions in order to have the biggest impact.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We need to focus on 10 countries where the growth of emissions will be so high if we don\'t change to renewables that all the work we do in the developed world to reduce the use of emission-heavy energy will be lost,\" he said, without naming them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These middle-income countries are states \"where there is some hope for the private sector, both in terms of scalable models and the like, that renewable energy could make money,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In order to invite the private sector to participate, the World Bank should offer to manage some of the political risks associated with climate-related investments in these countries, along with the risk of currency fluctuations, Banga said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The World Bank group already has a political risk agency, but the foreign exchange risk is an issue that still needs to be resolved, he told the audience in New York.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That\'s the way to involve the private sector,\" he added. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 04:50:12', '2023-09-27 04:50:12'),
(9350, 9350, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has described Bangladesh\'s relationship with the United States as \"outstandingly warm and cordial,\" but noted that some quarters are trying to inject bitterness into this relationship through lies.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister said that the United States believes in democracy and human rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"So, there is similarity in our views and thoughts with the United States. In principle, the two countries have similarities. However, some individuals may not appreciate our development,\" Momen said, calling upon the Bangladeshi expatriates in the United States to be vigilant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He urged the Bangladeshi diaspora to take a stand, regardless of their political affiliation, to challenge those who lie about Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister was speaking at a views-exchange meeting organized by the Bangabandhu Foundation in New York\'s Bangladeshi-dominated Jackson Heights on September 26.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister said, \"We have remarkably friendly relations with the United States. America believes in the same principles and values we believe in. Bangladesh is the country where we have fought for democracy. Although we won the popular vote, we were not allowed to form the government in 1971. Rather, genocide was unleashed on us, and then Bangabandhu declared independence.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen said Bangladesh declared independence to establish democracy, justice, and human rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Because of this, we had to sacrifice three million lives during the Liberation War. Nowhere in the world have so many people sacrificed themselves for democracy and human rights in such a short period of time. We are the only nation in the world that has made such great sacrifices for democracy and human rights,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to the replacement of the Digital Security Act, he said, the government accepted the suggestions provided by the United States as a friendly country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The United States expects free and fair elections, and we are also committed to free and fair elections. But there are some people in our country who want to boycott the elections, they fear elections,\" the foreign minister said, referring to the opposition, that they are trying to thwart the election.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister said Bangladesh is now the 35th largest economy in the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If Bangladesh\'s current economic development continues, we will become the 26th largest economy in a few years. We have 17 crore people, so our own market is huge. That\'s why many people are interested in our country, because our per capita income has increased 5 times,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen said the poverty rate has been reduced by more than half. \"All these have become possible due to the implementation of goal-oriented measures of the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen also said, \"We are now self-sufficient in food. We are third in the world in fish and vegetable production. We are fourth in the world in rice production. Our agricultural land has shrunk, but food production has quadrupled. This has been possible due to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen said as Bangladesh is making progress, many people do not like the development activities of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are an independent, sovereign country. Our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has given us a beautiful foreign policy. And this principle is \'friendship to all, malice to none.\' We believe in this principle. We follow a balanced foreign policy,\" said the foreign minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu Foundation United States unit General Secretary Abdul Quader Mia was present at the event as a special guest. Other leaders including Moshiur Malek, Fakir Ilyas, Abdul Khalek Mia, New York Correspondent of Bangladesh Protidin Lovelu Ansar were present. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 06:46:25', '2023-09-27 06:46:25'),
(9351, 9351, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh has emphasized the urgent need for global efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons and ensure a safer world.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“No one is safe as long as nuclear weapons exist,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said while speaking at a high-level plenary meeting of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen urged the world to stop investing in nuclear weapons proliferation and instead redirect these resources to preventing climate change, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring peace and stability.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that death and destruction caused by nuclear weapons cut across borders, across generations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against this menace,” said the foreign minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Momen reiterated Bangladesh’s firm belief in the total elimination of nuclear weapons and its commitment to the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He welcomed the first State Parties\' meeting to the TPNW, its declaration, and a 50-point Action Plan, emphasizing the importance of full implementation by all nations, including nuclear-weapon states and nuclear-umbrella states.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Bangladeshi foreign minister also highlighted the risks of nuclear use, whether by intent or accident.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“There are no right hands to handle these wrong weapons,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen called upon the nuclear weapon states to take stringent measures to avoid the risk of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists or other unauthorized actors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He called for increased investment in research of nuclear technology and exploration of the potentials of the peaceful use of nuclear energy for the benefit of humankind.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister called for a global culture of peace, renewed efforts towards a nuclear-free world, and the resumption of disarmament negotiations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The high-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons was held on September 26 at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 06:49:42', '2023-09-27 06:49:42'),
(9352, 9352, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The 77th birthday of Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina will be celebrated across the country tomorrow.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, the eldest among the five children of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj on September 28 in 1947.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now abroad as she left country to join the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following the footprint of Bangabandhu, she also delivered speech in Bangla at the UNGA like the previous years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Awami League (AL) and its affiliated bodies and socio-cultural organizations will celebrate the day through various programmes highlighting the life and achievements of Sheikh Hasina, who is driving the nation towards prosperity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion, discussions, milad and doa mahfils and special prayers will be organised in the capital and across the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, who is leading the country as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, spent much of her childhood in the small hamlet where she was born. She started her schooling there. When Bangabandhu was elected a legislator, his family moved to Dhaka in 1954.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;She was admitted to what is now Sher-e-Bangla Girls\' School and College and later to Azimpur Girls\' High School from where she completed her secondary education in 1965. She was then admitted to Badrunnessa Government Girls\' College.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During her bachelor course, she was elected as the vice-president of the students\' union of Eden Girls\' College (Badrunnessa and Eden Girls\' College was a single entity during the period).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, she enrolled in her masters\' programme in Bangla at Dhaka University.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As a student leader, Sheikh Hasina actively participated in the historic six-point movement of 1966 and the student movement of 1969 which saw the abdication of General Ayub Khan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1968, with the blessings of her imprisoned father, Sheikh Hasina married to nuclear scientist Dr MA Wazed Miah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the Liberation War, Sheikh Hasina and her family were interned in a house in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On July 27 in 1971, her first child Sajeeb Wazed Joy was born. Her second child Saima Wazed was born on December 9, 1972.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the assassination of her parents in 1975, Sheikh Hasina and her family were offered political asylum in India, where she stayed till 1981 when she was elected as the president of the Awami League in her absence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina returned home on May 17, 1981 when she was greeted by a mammoth crowd that extended from the Airport to Farm Gate and Manik Miah Avenue and she addressed a public rally.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the 1986 parliamentary election, Sheikh Hasina was elected as parliament member from three different constituencies. After the overthrow of autocracy in 1990, she was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the House through 1991 general elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1996 general elections, 21 years after her father\'s assassination, she led the Awami League and helped the party assume power and became the prime minister for the first time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;On August 21, 2004, Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, barely escaped an assassination attempt as grenades were lobbed at an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although she survived the attack, at least 24 people were killed and over 500 others injured. Most of them were Awami League leaders and supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2008, she led the Grand Alliance to an overwhelming victory acquiring 90 percent of parliament seats in the general elections. She was elected the Prime Minister on January 5, 2014 for the second time in a row.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina assumed office of the Prime Minister for third consecutive term with a thumping victory in general elections in December 2018.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under her leadership, Bangladesh has become a role model for development, attaining steady economic growth, becoming self-sufficient in food and attaining a marked progress in the fields of women empowerment, agriculture, education, health, infrastructure, communication, energy and power, trade and commerce, ICT and the SME sectors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her most recent role in extending humanitarian support to over 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, who took shelter in Cox\'s Bazar, drew accolades from global leaders, international forums and institutions and eminent personalities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UK-based \'Channel 4\' called Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the \'Mother of Humanity\' in 2017 after she gave shelter to hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fleeing persecution in Myanmar\'s Rakhine State.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asiatic Society of Kolkata honoured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the prestigious \"Tagore Peace Award-2018\" in recognition of her contribution to maintaining regional peace and prosperity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President of Kolkata Asiatic Society Professor Isha Mohammed handed over the award to Sheikh Hasina at a function at Taj Mahal Hotel in the Indian capital on October 5, 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also received the prestigious \'Vaccine Hero\' award given in recognition of Bangladesh\'s outstanding success in vaccination.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisations (GAVI) handed over the award to the Premier at a ceremony at the Conference Room of the UN Headquarters in New York during the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Premier was conferred with the award \'Champion of Skill Development for Youth\' for Bangladesh\'s great success in youth skill development.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United Nations Children\'s Fund (UNICEF) conferred the award on the Premier at a ceremony at Labouisse Hall of UNICEF House in the UN Plaza on September 26 in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore handed over the award to the Prime Minister amid thunderous clapping of the audience.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina also received the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Awards-2019, introduced in memory of eminent scientist and former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The award was conferred upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in recognition of her commitment to a close and mutually satisfying India-Bangladesh relations, welfare of her people, particularly women and children, and international peace and cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chief Adviser of the Dr Kalam Smriti International Advisory Council Ambassador TP Sreenivasan handed over the accolade through a ceremony at the Prime Minister\'s Office here on September 16, 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina was also conferred with various honourary degrees, accolades and awards in recognition of her leadership excellence and intellectual flair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These include: honorary Doctor of Laws by the Waseda University of Japan, honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Liberal Arts by University of Abertay Dundee, UK, honorary Degree of Desikottama by Visva-Bharati University of West Bengal, India, honorary Doctor of Laws by the Australian National University, honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the Bridgeport University, USA, honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Dhaka, Paul Haris Fellowship by the Rotary International, UNESCO\'s Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize in 1998, M K Gandhi Award in 1998, Mother Teresa Award in 1998 and 2006, Pearl S. Buck Award by Randolph Macon Women\'s College of USA in 1999, CERES Medal in 1999, UN Award for MDG achievement (child mortality) in 2010, Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in 2009, South-South Award in 2011, UN Award for MDG Achievement in 2013, Rotary Peace Prize in 2013, Tree of Peace in 2014, ICT Sustainable Development Award in 2015, Champions of the Earth in 2015, Agent of Change Award in 2016 and Planet 50-50 Champion in 2016.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2018, Sheikh Hasina appeared in the title role in a docudrama \"Hasina: A Daughter\'s Tale\", directed by Rezaur Rahman Khan Piplu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She penned more than 25 books. Her notable books are \'Mujib Amar Pita\', \'Living in Tears\', \'Sada Kalo\', \'Amara Janaganer Kotha Bolte Esechhi\'. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 06:51:57', '2023-09-27 06:51:57'),
(9353, 9353, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Russian delegation participating in the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council called upon relevant bodies of the United Nations to react to the Kiev government\'s numerous abuses of human rights and freedoms.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We call upon the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, his office and relevant special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council to respond to lawlessness and abuse on the part of the Kiev authorities,\" a member of the Russian delegation, Ilya Barmin, said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He drew attention to Ukraine\'s \"laws on total Ukrainization, which affected education, science, culture, mass media, radio and television.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Persecution of all forms of dissent is becoming more and more severe. Neo-Nazi groups operate freely all over the country. Radicals are dealing with the undesirables openly and with impunity,\" he said, mentioning the Kiev government\'s persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, its clerics and parishioners.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The practice of forced disappearances and arbitrary arrest is widespread in the country, Barmin continued. The use of torture and violence against detainees by the country\'s law-enforcement and security officers is \"systemic.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It is absolutely unacceptable that, against this backdrop, the Baltic countries and the collective West in general are encouraging the neo-Nazism in Ukraine, while Waffen-SS veterans, war criminals and collaborationists are greeted by national parliaments,\" the member of the Russian delegation said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 54th session of the Human Rights Council is taking place in Geneva between September 11 and October 13. Although ussia is not a member of the council, it actively participates in its sessions. TASS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 06:54:48', '2023-09-27 06:54:48'),
(9354, 9354, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A flood protection embankment along the Atrai River in Manda upazila of Naogaon district collapsed following water level increase, rendering 1500 families of a number of villages stranded.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, 1000 bighas of Aush and Aman cropland were inundated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Atrai River was flowing 100 cm above the danger level due to the incessant rains for the last several days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local administration has started dumping sand bangs along the banks of the river to protect the embankment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Around 1500 families are affected as Nurullabad, Parnurullabad, Prasadpur, Baibulla and Bishnapur unions have been flooded due to collapse of the embankment in four points.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the local water development board, the river water started to swell from Sunday and was flowing 100 cm above the danger mark till Tuesday afternoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The river water will continue to increase today, it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jahangir Alam, member of Nurullabad union parishad, said 1000 families of seven villages under the union have been trapped due to the flood water.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Manda Upazila Nirbahi Officer, Laila Anjuman Banu, said the authorities concerned have visited the flood affected areas and the dumping of sand bags is going on in full swing. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 07:13:36', '2023-09-27 07:13:36'),
(9355, 9355, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Salman Khan, the OG spy of the YRF Spy Universe, is back. On Wednesday, the makers of Tiger 3 unveiled a new teaser and it gives the best glimpse yet into the world of the Maneesh Sharma directorial. Tiger 3, starring Salman, Katrina Kaif, and Emraan Hashmi is set to be released on Diwali 2023. The makers shared the teaser on legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra\'s birth anniversary.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Tiger 3 teaser</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Salman Khan\'s Tiger has played a crucial role in shaping how big the YRF Spy Universe franchise is today and all the eyes are now on his upcoming film to reveal the next series of events from the spy universe. Tiger 3 follows the events of (2017), War (2019), and Pathaan (2023).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">We\'re now on WhatsApp. Click to join.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Promising an edge-of-the-seat action entertainer, the teaser opens with Salman declaring that after 20 years of service to India does he need a character certificate? He says, \"Tiger gaddar hai (Tiger is a traitor). Tiger is enemy number 1.\" He appears to be recording a video even as gunshots were heard in the background.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Next, Salman was seen fighting with dozens of fully-armed soldiers, shooting them all. What followed was a lot of fighting scenes across what looked like Turkey and the Middle East, and jumping from buildings. At one point, Salman said, \"Jab tak Tiger mara nahi, tab tak Tiger hara nahi (As long as Tiger is not dead, he has not lost).\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>About Tiger 3</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tiger 3 will be released on November 10 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages. It is the third part of the Tiger franchise, and has been directed by Maneesh Sharma and stars Emraan Hashmi as the antagonist. In it, Salman and Katrina will reunite on screen after their 2019 film Bharat. Prior to it, the duo featured in hits like Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Partner. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 07:17:58', '2023-09-27 07:17:58');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9356, 9356, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sundarbans, world’s largest mangrove forest, is abuzz with footsteps of a large number of tourists – both local and foreign – due its scenic beauty and diverse wildlife.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After three months of closure, Sundarbans opened to tourists on September 1.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The mangrove forest was off-limits to tourists from June 1 to August 31 by the Forest Department to ensure the breeding of 375 species of wild animals and 291 species of fish, including the Bengal tiger and deer. According to the Forest Department, at present, 114 Royal Bengal tigers, 375 species of wildlife including 200,000 deer, 334 species of plants including Sundari, 165 species of algae, 13 species of orchids, and 300 species of birds call the Sundarbans home.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, forest officer of Sundarbans East zone, said a total of 4,908 local and 72 foreign tourists have visited the Sundarbans since it reopened till September 26.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, the number of local tourists was 2,332 and foreign tourists were seven in the 26 days of September.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Md Saiful Islam, director of Sundari Eco Resort, said an eco village has been set up in Dhangmari, and they are working on developing community-based tourism.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have provided employment to hundreds of locals, and the local stakeholders are also being benefited through this,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This month, we have provided services to 34 tourists from China, Germany, Japan, Poland and India and the visitors felt delighted to visit the village, wearing local attire,” he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abu Foysal Mohammad Sayem Babu, director of Holidays Tours and Travels, said, “The Sundarbans has become the biggest attraction for foreign travellers, and keeping that in mind we are providing services to tourists through modern and luxurious cruise ships.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also claimed that the number of tourists in the Sundarbans will see further increase if the government lowers the travel fee for foreign travellers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Japanese tourist, currently in the Sundarbans, said, “After hearing the story of the Sundarbans, I came here, at the Sundari Eco Resort. I did not expect to see such a charming village.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azad Kabir, in-charge of Karamjal Tourist and Wild Animal Breeding Center, said that hundreds of tourists have visited the main attractions in the Sundarbans, and were overwhelmed by the scenic beauty. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 07:20:58', '2023-09-27 07:20:58'),
(9357, 9357, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Masrafe Bin Mortaza, former Bangladesh captain and a current MP, contended that Tamim Iqbal\'s absence from the World Cup squad was a matter of choice rather than Bangladesh Cricket Board\'s decision.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) unveiled the World Cup squad on Tuesday, sans Tamim Iqbal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chief selector Minhajul Abedin attributed Tamim\'s omission to concerns about his injuries, but Masrafe put forth a different perspective.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"While many assert that Tamim was left out, the truth is that Tamim chose not to be part of the team,\" Mashrafe stated. \"There is a significant distinction between exclusion and a voluntary decision not to join.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Masrafe shared his take on his social media account after the team was announced. He was spotted at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, the same day the squad was unveiled. It remains uncertain whether he played a part in any deliberations regarding the team selection.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tamim\'s exclusion from the World Cup squad reverberated as a surprising development within Bangladesh\'s cricketing circles. The esteemed opener has grappled with a longstanding injury.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He sat out the Asia Cup due to the same reason, dedicating over a month to rehabilitation. He had to leave captaincy for the same as well. Tamim Iqbal made a return during the New Zealand series, batting in just one match before his injury resurfaced, leading to his absence from the final match. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 08:23:59', '2023-09-27 08:23:59'),
(9358, 9358, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A fire that raced through a hall hosting a Christian wedding in northern Iraq killed at least 100 people and injured 150 others, authorities said Wednesday, warning the death toll could rise higher.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The fire happened in Iraq\'s Nineveh province in its Hamdaniya area, authorities said. That\'s a predominantly Christian area just outside of the city of Mosul, some 335 kilometers (205 miles) northwest of the capital, Baghdad.</div><div><br></div><div>Television footage showed flames rushing over the wedding hall as the fire took hold. In the blaze\'s aftermath, only charred metal and debris could be seen as people walked through the scene of the fire, the only light coming from television cameras and the lights of onlookers\' mobile phones.</div><div><br></div><div>Survivors arrived at local hospitals, receiving oxygen and bandaged, as their families milled through hallways and outside as workers organized more oxygen cylinders.</div><div><br></div><div>The health department in Nineveh province raised the death toll to 114. Health Ministry spokesman Saif al-Badr earlier put the number of injured at 150 via the state-run Iraqi News Agency.</div><div><br></div><div>“All efforts are being made to provide relief to those affected by the unfortunate accident,” al-Badr said.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordered an investigation into the fire and asked the country\'s Interior and Health officials to provide relief, his office said in a statement online.</div><div><br></div><div>Najim al-Jubouri, the provincial governor of Nineveh, said some of the injured had been transferred to regional hospitals. He cautioned there were no final casualty figures yet from the blaze, which suggests the death toll still may rise.</div><div><br></div><div>There was no immediate official word on the cause of the blaze but initial reports by the Kurdish television news channel Rudaw suggested fireworks at the venue may have sparked the fire.</div><div><br></div><div>Civil defense officials quoted by the Iraqi News Agency described the wedding hall\'s exterior as being decorated with highly flammable cladding that were illegal in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of highly flammable, low-cost building materials that collapse within minutes when the fire breaks out,” civil defense said.</div><div><br></div><div>It wasn\'t immediately clear why authorities in Iraq allowed the cladding to be used on the hall, though corruption and mismanagement remains endemic two decades after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.</div><div><br></div><div>While some types of cladding can be made with fire-resistant material, experts say those that have caught fire at the wedding hall and elsewhere weren’t designed to meet stricter safety standards and often were put onto buildings without any breaks to slow or halt a possible blaze. That includes the 2017 Grenfell Fire in London that killed 72 people in the greatest loss of life in a fire on British soil since World War II, as well as multiple high-rise fires in the United Arab Emirates.</div><div><br></div><div>The fire was the latest disaster to strike Iraq’s shrinking Christian minority, which over the past two decades has been violently targeted by extremists first from al-Qaida and then the Islamic State militant group. Although the Nineveh plains, the historic homeland, was wrested back from the Islamic State group six years ago, some towns are still mostly rubble and lack basic services. Many Christians have left for Europe, Australia or the United States.</div><div><br></div><div>The number of Christians in Iraq today is estimated at 150,000, compared to 1.5 million in 2003. Iraq’s total population is more than 40 million. According to AP reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 09:25:20', '2023-09-27 09:25:20'),
(9359, 9359, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>North Korea has decided “to expel” US Army Private Travis King, who had crossed into the North from South Korea during a tour of the joint security area in July, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The relevant organ of the DPRK decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the U.S. Army who illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK, under the law of the Republic,” KCNA said.</div><div><br></div><div>The report said the investigation into King “has been finished.”</div><div>North Korea claimed that King has “confessed that he illegally intruded into the territory of the DPRK as he harbored ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. army and was disillusioned about the unequal U.S. society.”</div><div><br></div><div>CNN cannot verify whether these are King’s own words. It is unclear from KCNA’s report where, when and how King would be expelled. According to CNN reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 11:02:30', '2023-09-27 11:02:30'),
(9360, 9360, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, marking the anniversary of the birth and demise of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM), will be observed across the country tomorrow with due religious solemnity.</b></span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The decision was taken at the National Moon Sighting Committee\'s meeting held at the Islamic Foundation (IF) Conference Room at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on September 15 with Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Abdul Hamid Jamaddar in the chair, said a press release.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"As the moon of Rabiul Awal of 1445 Hijri was not sighted in the sky of Bangladesh today, the holy month of Rabiul Awal will begin on September 17 (Sunday),\" it said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>On this day in 570, the 12th of Rabiul Awal of the Hijri calendar, Prophet Muhammad (SM) was born in Makkah of Saudi Arabia with divine blessings and messages of peace for mankind. He also passed away on the same day.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The day is a public holiday.</div><div><br></div><div>On the occasion of the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Islamic Foundation has organized forth-night colorful programmes.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan will inaugurate it as the chief guest tomorrow at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, an official release said here.</div><div><br></div><div>Prior to this, the minister will inaugurate the month-long Islamic book fair in the south chattar of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Asr prayers.</div><div><br></div><div>Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Hamid Jamaddar will be present there as the special guest.</div><div><br></div><div>The other programmes organized by the Islamic Foundation are: offering the holy Qur\'an Khani and doa-mahfil, holding 15-day Waz, milad and doa-mahfil at the mausoleum of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara, Gopalganj, holding seminar co-produced with Bangladesh Betar, arranging Islamic cultural competition; arabic sermon writing competition, Qirat-mahfil, Hamd-Naat and poetry recitation, organizing islamic calligraphy exhibition, month-long Islamic book fair and publication of special memorabilia and special supplements.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, various programs have been organized in all divisional and district offices of Islamic Foundation, 50 Islamic Missions and seven Imam Training Academies on the occasion of the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi. According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 11:30:00', '2023-09-27 11:30:00'),
(9361, 9361, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">On Wednesday afternoon, the Bangladesh cricket team embarked on their journey to India for this year’s ICC World Cup, set to commence on October 5 with a face-off between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh\'s inaugural match against Afghanistan is slated for October 7 in Dharamshala. Prior to that, the Tigers are scheduled for two official warm-up encounters in Guwahati against Sri Lanka and England on September 23 and October 2, respectively.</div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) revealed the squad just a day before the team\'s departure to India.</div><div><br></div><div>Shakib Al Hasan will lead the team in this year’s World Cup, with Najmul Hossain Shanto serving as his deputy.</div><div><br></div><div>Star opener Tamim Iqbal did not make the cut due to injuries, as the selection panel opted to omit him. Tamim\'s exclusion sparked a minor controversy, as former captain Masrafe bin Mortaza asserted that Tamim made the decision not to be part of the team, rather than being left out.</div><div><br></div><div>With Tamim absent, Bangladesh must now fill the void he leaves at the top of the order.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Mahmudullah Riyad, who has been grappling with poor form for an extended period, secured a spot in the World Cup team.</div><div><br></div><div>Out of the 15 team members, Bangladesh selected five pace bowlers, including newcomer Tanzim Hasan Sakib. They also have one genuine spinner in Nasum Ahmed.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh’s success in this World Cup will hinge largely on senior players such as Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mustafizur Rahman, and Najmul Hossain Shanto, as others are yet to establish themselves as match-winners.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Squad for the World Cup 2023: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Litton Das, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto (Vice Captain), Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 13:01:07', '2023-09-27 13:01:07'),
(9362, 9362, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The storm over Bangladesh\'s squad selection for the ICC World Cup looks set to boil over, as the country\'s most accomplished batsman, Tamim Iqbal, revealed that he asked to be excluded after it was suggested he give up his position at the top of the order in the opening match against Afghanistan.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He, however, didn\'t disclose who was that ‘prominent figure’ who requested him to bat in the lower-order.</div><div><br></div><div>Prior to Tamim\'s decisive stance, former Bangladesh captain Masrafe Bin Mortaza contended that it was not accurate to say that Tamim was left out; rather, he chose to step aside.</div><div><br></div><div>In a video posted on his social media this afternoon, Tamim addressed recent developments regarding his World Cup participation and his fitness, emphasizing the need for his fans and the public to know the truth.</div><div><br></div><div>Following the announcement of the World Cup squad, Bangladesh\'s chief selector, Minhajul Abedin, stated that Tamim was excluded due to concerns about his fitness, mentioning that an old injury resurfaced, preventing him from playing the last ODI against New Zealand.</div><div><br></div><div>While acknowledging some discomfort, Tamim clarified, \"I\'m not injured yet. As I\'ve returned to cricket after a gap of four to five months, it\'s normal to have some pain.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Tamim disclosed that the physio had assessed his fitness before the last match of the New Zealand series and confirmed that while he experienced pain, he was available for selection. However, opting for rest would ensure better rehabilitation before Bangladesh\'s first World Cup match. Consequently, Tamim made the decision not to play the final match against New Zealand.</div><div><br></div><div>Challenging anyone to dispute the physio\'s report in a public forum, Tamim asserted, \"The physio report didn\'t state that I would be unable to play.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Tamim recounted receiving a call from an \"influential figure\" at BCB who advised him not to play the first match of the World Cup.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I told him we are still 12-13 days away from the first match, and I would be better by then,\" Tamim explained. \"Then he asked me to bat lower in the order if I wanted to play the first match. I couldn\'t accept it well. I got angry and reacted accordingly.\"</div><div><br></div><div>At this juncture, as Tamim clarified, he opted not to be part of the World Cup squad.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I informed him that if they wanted me to bat lower despite my 17-year history as an opener, they should exclude me from the World Cup squad,\" Tamim elucidated, revealing his rationale for skipping the tournament. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 14:48:41', '2023-09-27 14:48:41'),
(9363, 9363, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The visa policy imposed by the United States will not have any impact on the students going abroad for higher education, said Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni on Wednesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Many US universities are dependent on the fees of Bangladeshi students, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister was replying to questions from journalists after inaugurating the final of the 50th Summer National Sports Competition of School, Madrasa and Technical Education Sports Association in Sylhet city on Wednesday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>The US visa policy will also not affect the next elections, as there is no pressure on the government to do so. The government is committed to holding a fair and peaceful election, Dipu said.</div><div><br></div><div>She also said that all preparations are being made to hand over the new books to everyone on the first day of next year.</div><div><br></div><div>Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Senior Secretary of Technical and Madrasah Education Division Kamal Hossain and Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Solaiman Khan were present as special guests at the programme, according to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 15:04:33', '2023-09-27 15:04:33'),
(9364, 9364, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday blamed the Awami League government for the US visa restriction on Bangladesh and said is not a matter of joy, rather a shame.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"In this visa policy, our journalists will also be included…Why this nation has to go through this? We are in a very terrible situation. There are so many people who are very happy. It\'s not matter of joy, it\'s a shame,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP secretary general made the remarks while addressing a discussion meeting at the Abdus Salam Hall of the Jatiya Press Club on the occasion of the 7th death anniversary of the late brigadier general Asm Hannan Shah.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said, \"We are in a terrible situation, the state of the country is horrible. If we do not get out of that situation, the existence of the entire nation will be in danger,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Today, this danger, this crisis is not only for BNP, this crisis is for the entire nation, Mirza Fakhrul said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said, \"Everything depends on the next few days--whether we will remain independent in the future, whether we will have independence, whether we will have sovereignty, whether my country will become a vassal state, whether I will have democratic rights or whether I can elect my representative as per my choice”</div><div><br></div><div>\"People have made a decision. People want free and fair elections under a neutral government with the participation of all parties. They don\'t want any alternative to these,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said, \"We are fulfilling our responsibility as a political party. We have been on the streets for almost a year, in which 22 of our young leaders have been killed by police on the streets, we have had numerous cases, we have been jailed many times. Even then they could never suppress us, they will not be able to.”</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many of our intellectuals don\'t come to television talk shows anymore. What\'s the reason? They are threatened that if you go and speak against the government, you will be in danger…..We live in this state,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Presided over by Gazipur district BNP president Fazlul Haque Milon and moderated by member secretary Mujibur Rahman, the discussion was addressed, among others, by BNP vice-chairman Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokon, liberation war affairs secretary Joynal Abedin, assistant organizing secretary Benazir Ahmed Titu and labour affairs assistant secretary Humayun Kabir Khan. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 16:11:48', '2023-09-27 16:11:48'),
(9365, 9365, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Wednesday said the inclusion of media under the US visa restrictions does not seem to be “a right choice, or right thing to do or say.”</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"There, you have a say, too. We expect they will not take any steps that interfere in the freedom of the media or limit its freedom,\" he told reporters when a journalist raise the issue.</div><div><br></div><div>The State Minister hoped that the US Administration would look into why the US Ambassador in Dhaka, Peter Haas, mentioned the media when talking about the visa restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>He, however, said this is not an issue that should worry general people.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that Bangladesh expects the new US visa policy will not be applied arbitrarily or in a non-objective manner.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has said its visa restriction policy can be applied to anyone \"found to be undermining\" democratic elections in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>“This could include vote rigging, intimidating voters, use of violence to prevent people from exercising their rights to freedom of association and freedom of peaceful assembly, and the use of measures designed to prevent political parties, voters, civil society, or the media from participating in the electoral process or expressing their views,” US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB earlier while responding to a question.</div><div><br></div><div>He came up with the remark when asked whether journalists may also come under visa restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>Clarifying the issue further, the US Embassy in a Facebook post said, “We are applying the [visa restriction] policy in a balanced way against anyone [undermining the democratic election process in Bangladesh] - regardless of being pro-government, opposition party, members of law enforcement agencies, members of the judiciary, or media persons.”</div><div><br></div><div>The embassy spokesperson said the US Department of State relies on extensive, well-resourced, and fact-checked case-by-case review of credible information about those undermining the democratic process in Bangladesh to determine whether to apply visa restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has said it will not release the names or numbers of people in Bangladesh subjected to the visa restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Visa records are confidential under US law,\" US Embassy Spokesperson Bryan Schiller told UNB earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>But, he said, the US government has looked very closely at incidents since they announced this policy.</div><div><br></div><div>\"After a careful review of the evidence, we have imposed visa restrictions on members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition,” said Bryan Schiller.</div><div><br></div><div>In May this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the new visa policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) (“3C”) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to support Bangladesh’s goal of holding free, fair, and peaceful national elections. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-27 16:50:01', '2023-09-27 16:50:01'),
(9366, 9366, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Time is running out for Republican presidential hopefuls not named Donald Trump.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While this is only the second debate and voting for the party\'s nomination does not start for almost four months, the former president has maintained a formidable lead over his rivals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tonight\'s debate could be the last chance for these candidates to manufacture a dramatic moment that gets their supporters to open their wallets and keep them afloat long enough to have a shot at beating Mr Trump at the ballot box.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Here are some of the key moments so far - and follow our live coverage for the latest updates and analysis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Early in the Republican debate, Chris Christie took a swipe at Donald Trump for adding to the national debt while he was president. That was not surprising or new from this longtime Trump critic. What happened next, however, was.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr DeSantis quickly chimed in and said that the former president was \"missing in action\" because he skipped this debate and should have been on the stage to defend his deficit spending as president.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Florida governor\'s quick trigger on an attack indicates he may be pivoting from his past efforts to avoid taking the former president head-on. That strategy hinged on Mr DeSantis being a clear and attractive alternative for 2020 Trump voters who have grown tired of the former president.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Mr Trump\'s base has been sticking with him. So Mr DeSantis may have decided he has to take the former president down if he wants to have any hope of catching him - or even closing the gap - in the polls before voting starts in January.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The problem for Mr DeSantis, of course, is that it\'s a lot harder to land blows on a candidate who is more than a thousand miles away. So the governor\'s \"missing in action\" swipe could reveal a hint of frustration at his current predicament.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vivek the punching bag (again)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vivek Ramaswamy came into last month\'s debate riding an upswing in the polls. That put a target on the quick-tongued businessman for some of his rivals, including Mike Pence, Nikki Haley and Mr Christie.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New debate, same story. In fact, this time around even more of Mr Ramaswamy\'s opponents joined the fray. In what was clearly a planned attack, South Carolina\'s Tim Scott went after Mr Ramaswamy for doing business with China earlier in his career.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Ramaswamy noted that he had stopped his China dealings, but that opened him up for a swipe by Mr Pence, who said he must have pulled out of China in 2018 - at about the same time the 38-year-old candidate started voting in presidential elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Every time I hear you, I feel a little dumber,\" Ms Haley said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Ramaswamy\'s competitors view him as a threat. The personal nature of the attacks also suggest that some of them also just don\'t like the political newcomer, full stop.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Republican Party used to be the pro-business, anti-union party. As South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has pointed out, Ronald Reagan - in whose presidential library this debate is taking place - fired federal air traffic controllers when they went on strike in 1981.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Republican sensibilities on this matter seem to be changing, however. And like a lot of changes in the Republican Party, it\'s because of Donald Trump has shifted the party\'s base toward working-class voters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This new sensibility was well illustrated by Mr Ramaswamy\'s response to a question about the striking autoworkers in Michigan, saying he has \"a lot of sympathy\" for the striking workers who \"have gone through a lot of hardship.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There once was a time when every Republican on a debate stage would have condemned a striking union and sided wholeheartedly with businesses on the other side of a labour dispute. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 02:31:28', '2023-09-28 02:31:28'),
(9367, 9367, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is finalizing settlements with around two dozen Wall Street firms to resolve investigations into record-keeping lapses, said two people with knowledge of the matter.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The settlements with broker-dealers and investment advisers would mark the latest enforcement action in the SEC\'s two-year crackdown on Wall Street\'s use of WhatsApp and other unapproved messaging apps that has so far resulted in more than $2 billion in fines.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the deals being finalized with the SEC, the firms would pay fines, admit wrongdoing and commit to fixing the lapses, including by hiring independent consultants to overhaul their record-keeping programs, the two sources said. One said some firms could pay as much as $50 million.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The SEC is expected to announce some of the settlements in one group ahead of its fiscal year-end on Sept. 30, but the negotiations are fluid, said a third source familiar with the situation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because SEC investigations are confidential, said roughly two dozen firms are involved but Reuters could not immediately ascertain their names.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least 16 broker-dealers and investment advisers have disclosed in regulatory filings that the SEC is probing their communications, including Truist Financial Corp (TFC.N), US Bancorp (USB.N), Voya Financial Inc (VOYA.N), LPL Financial (LPLA.O), Interactive Brokers and Oppenheimer (OPY.N).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB.O) said in an Aug. 7 SEC filing that it is \"engaged in settlement negotiations\" on the matter and did not anticipate a material impact on its financials.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spokespeople for the SEC, Fifth Third, LPL, US Bancorp, Truist, Oppenheimer and Interactive Brokers all declined to comment. Voya did not respond to requests for comment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The SEC has previously negotiated two other large group settlements as part of its \"off-channel\" communications probe.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The agency has so far brought 30 related enforcement actions, including with separate entities of the same group.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In August, regulators fined nine Wall Street firms, including Wells Fargo (WFC.N) and Societe Generale (SOGN.PA), a combined $549 million over employees\' use of personal messaging apps. In September 2022, it fined 16 firms, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Bank of America, $1.8 billion for similar lapses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, Reuters reported that in the latest phase of the probe, the SEC has in recent month collected texts and other messages from more than a dozen investment advisers, including private equity and hedge funds, escalating its investigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Because companies do not keep a close watch on personal messaging channels, using them to discuss business puts SEC-regulated employers in breach of requirements to record all business communications.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The SEC began to home in on Wall Street\'s record-keeping problem when JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) failed to provide documents from at least 2018 pertaining to an unrelated probe, according to a 2021 settlement in which the bank agreed to pay the SEC $125 million to resolve charges over record-keeping lapses. Reuters</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 02:36:57', '2023-09-28 02:36:57'),
(9368, 9368, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Outgoing U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said on Wednesday he would take measures to protect his family after former President Donald Trump suggested he had colluded with China in an act he said would have once warranted death.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump last week criticized Milley\'s handling of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in 2020 and said, without providing evidence, that \"this guy turned out to be a Woke train wreck who, if the Fake News reporting is correct, was actually dealing with China to give them a heads up on the thinking of the President of the United States.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This is an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!\" Trump said on Sept. 22 on his Truth Social platform. Milley assumed the chairman role in October 2019 during Trump\'s presidency and is set to step down on Sept. 30.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about the comments during an interview on CBS\' 60 Minutes, Milley said in a clip released on Wednesday: \"I\'ve been faithful and loyal to the constitution of the United States for 44 and a half years.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He added: \"I\'ve got adequate safety precautions. I wish those comments had not been made, but they were. And I\'ll take appropriate measures to ensure my safety and the safety of my family.\" Reuters</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 02:40:19', '2023-09-28 02:40:19');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9369, 9369, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The 77th birthday of Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina will be celebrated across the country today.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, the eldest among the five children of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj on September 28 in 1947.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now abroad as she left country to join the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following the footprint of Bangabandhu, she also delivered speech in Bangla at the UNGA like the previous years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Awami League (AL) and its affiliated bodies and socio-cultural organizations will celebrate the day through various programmes highlighting the life and achievements of Sheikh Hasina, who is driving the nation towards prosperity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion, discussions, milad and doa mahfils and special prayers will be organised in the capital and across the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, who is leading the country as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term, spent much of her childhood in the small hamlet where she was born. She started her schooling there. When Bangabandhu was elected a legislator, his family moved to Dhaka in 1954.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;She was admitted to what is now Sher-e-Bangla Girls\' School and College and later to Azimpur Girls\' High School from where she completed her secondary education in 1965. She was then admitted to Badrunnessa Government Girls\' College.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During her bachelor course, she was elected as the vice-president of the students\' union of Eden Girls\' College (Badrunnessa and Eden Girls\' College was a single entity during the period).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, she enrolled in her masters\' programme in Bangla at Dhaka University.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As a student leader, Sheikh Hasina actively participated in the historic six-point movement of 1966 and the student movement of 1969 which saw the abdication of General Ayub Khan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1968, with the blessings of her imprisoned father, Sheikh Hasina married to nuclear scientist Dr MA Wazed Miah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the Liberation War, Sheikh Hasina and her family were interned in a house in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On July 27 in 1971, her first child Sajeeb Wazed Joy was born. Her second child Saima Wazed was born on December 9, 1972.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the assassination of her parents in 1975, Sheikh Hasina and her family were offered political asylum in India, where she stayed till 1981 when she was elected as the president of the Awami League in her absence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina returned home on May 17, 1981 when she was greeted by a mammoth crowd that extended from the Airport to Farm Gate and Manik Miah Avenue and she addressed a public rally.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the 1986 parliamentary election, Sheikh Hasina was elected as parliament member from three different constituencies. After the overthrow of autocracy in 1990, she was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the House through 1991 general elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1996 general elections, 21 years after her father\'s assassination, she led the Awami League and helped the party assume power and became the prime minister for the first time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;On August 21, 2004, Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, barely escaped an assassination attempt as grenades were lobbed at an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although she survived the attack, at least 24 people were killed and over 500 others injured. Most of them were Awami League leaders and supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2008, she led the Grand Alliance to an overwhelming victory acquiring 90 percent of parliament seats in the general elections. She was elected the Prime Minister on January 5, 2014 for the second time in a row.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina assumed office of the Prime Minister for third consecutive term with a thumping victory in general elections in December 2018.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under her leadership, Bangladesh has become a role model for development, attaining steady economic growth, becoming self-sufficient in food and attaining a marked progress in the fields of women empowerment, agriculture, education, health, infrastructure, communication, energy and power, trade and commerce, ICT and the SME sectors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her most recent role in extending humanitarian support to over 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, who took shelter in Cox\'s Bazar, drew accolades from global leaders, international forums and institutions and eminent personalities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UK-based \'Channel 4\' called Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the \'Mother of Humanity\' in 2017 after she gave shelter to hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas fleeing persecution in Myanmar\'s Rakhine State.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asiatic Society of Kolkata honoured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the prestigious \"Tagore Peace Award-2018\" in recognition of her contribution to maintaining regional peace and prosperity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President of Kolkata Asiatic Society Professor Isha Mohammed handed over the award to Sheikh Hasina at a function at Taj Mahal Hotel in the Indian capital on October 5, 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also received the prestigious \'Vaccine Hero\' award given in recognition of Bangladesh\'s outstanding success in vaccination.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisations (GAVI) handed over the award to the Premier at a ceremony at the Conference Room of the UN Headquarters in New York during the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Premier was conferred with the award \'Champion of Skill Development for Youth\' for Bangladesh\'s great success in youth skill development.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United Nations Children\'s Fund (UNICEF) conferred the award on the Premier at a ceremony at Labouisse Hall of UNICEF House in the UN Plaza on September 26 in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore handed over the award to the Prime Minister amid thunderous clapping of the audience.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina also received the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Awards-2019, introduced in memory of eminent scientist and former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The award was conferred upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in recognition of her commitment to a close and mutually satisfying India-Bangladesh relations, welfare of her people, particularly women and children, and international peace and cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chief Adviser of the Dr Kalam Smriti International Advisory Council Ambassador TP Sreenivasan handed over the accolade through a ceremony at the Prime Minister\'s Office here on September 16, 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina was also conferred with various honourary degrees, accolades and awards in recognition of her leadership excellence and intellectual flair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These include: honorary Doctor of Laws by the Waseda University of Japan, honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Liberal Arts by University of Abertay Dundee, UK, honorary Degree of Desikottama by Visva-Bharati University of West Bengal, India, honorary Doctor of Laws by the Australian National University, honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the Bridgeport University, USA, honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Dhaka, Paul Haris Fellowship by the Rotary International, UNESCO\'s Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize in 1998, M K Gandhi Award in 1998, Mother Teresa Award in 1998 and 2006, Pearl S. Buck Award by Randolph Macon Women\'s College of USA in 1999, CERES Medal in 1999, UN Award for MDG achievement (child mortality) in 2010, Indira Gandhi Peace Prize in 2009, South-South Award in 2011, UN Award for MDG Achievement in 2013, Rotary Peace Prize in 2013, Tree of Peace in 2014, ICT Sustainable Development Award in 2015, Champions of the Earth in 2015, Agent of Change Award in 2016 and Planet 50-50 Champion in 2016.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2018, Sheikh Hasina appeared in the title role in a docudrama \"Hasina: A Daughter\'s Tale\", directed by Rezaur Rahman Khan Piplu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She penned more than 25 books. Her notable books are \'Mujib Amar Pita\', \'Living in Tears\', \'Sada Kalo\', \'Amara Janaganer Kotha Bolte Esechhi\'. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 03:43:03', '2023-09-28 03:43:03'),
(9370, 9370, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, marking the anniversary of the birth and demise of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM), will be observed across the country today with due religious solemnity.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The decision was taken at the National Moon Sighting Committee\'s meeting held at the Islamic Foundation (IF) Conference Room at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on September 15 with Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Abdul Hamid Jamaddar in the chair, said a press release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As the moon of Rabiul Awal of 1445 Hijri was not sighted in the sky of Bangladesh today, the holy month of Rabiul Awal will begin on September 17 (Sunday),\" it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On this day in 570, the 12th of Rabiul Awal of the Hijri calendar, Prophet Muhammad (SM) was born in Makkah of Saudi Arabia with divine blessings and messages of peace for mankind. He also passed away on the same day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day is a public holiday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion of the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Islamic Foundation has organized four-night colorful programmes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan inaugurated it as the chief guest today at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, an official release said here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prior to this, the minister also inaugurated the month-long Islamic book fair in the south chattar of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Asr prayers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The other programmes organized by the Islamic Foundation are: offering the holy Qur\'an Khani and doa-mahfil, holding 15-day Waz, milad and doa-mahfil at the mausoleum of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara, Gopalganj, holding seminar co-produced with Bangladesh Betar, arranging Islamic cultural competition; arabic sermon writing competition, Qirat-mahfil, Hamd-Naat and poetry recitation, organizing islamic calligraphy exhibition, month-long Islamic book fair and publication of special memorabilia and special supplements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, various programs have been organized in all divisional and district offices of Islamic Foundation, 50 Islamic Missions and seven Imam Training Academies on the occasion of the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion of holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Cultural Centre, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Dhaka will organize a discussion on \'Prophet of Islam (SM) axis of Islamic Unity\' at Kabi Sufia Kamal Auditorium of Bangladesh National Museum here at 3.30 pm on Friday (September 29), a press release said today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Md Faridul Haque Khan, MP, State Minister for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, will be present at the discussion as the chief guest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mansour Chavoshi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bangladesh and Professor Dr Muhammad Abul Kalam Azad, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Islamic Arabic University, Dhaka will be present as special guests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hujjatul Islam wal Muslimeen Janab Shahabuddin Mashaekhi Raad, Bangladesh Representative of Al-Mustafa International University of Iran and Maulana Mufti Muhammad Saiful Kabir, Khatib, Bangabhaban Jame Mosque, President\'s Office, Dhaka will be present as guests of honor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seyed Reza Mirmohammadi, Cultural Counsellor, Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bangladesh will preside over the discussion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kendrio Bangabandhu Shishu Kishore Mela will organize Hamd-Naat and Qirat competition with students of schools and madrasahs at Tungipara upazila auditorium tomorrow marking the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tungipara Municipality Mayor Sheikh Tozammel Haque Tutul will attend the function as the chief guest. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"7\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 03:45:35', '2023-09-28 03:45:35'),
(9371, 9371, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The federal judge set to preside over Donald Trump\'s historic trial for conspiring to overturn the 2020 US election rejected a motion on Wednesday from the former president that she recuse herself from the case.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump\'s attorneys, in a court filing earlier this month, had argued that US District Judge Tanya Chutkan should step aside because of past statements she has made that allegedly demonstrated bias.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chutkan, in a 20-page opinion, flatly denied the motion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The court has never taken the position the defense ascribes to it: that former \'President Trump should be prosecuted and imprisoned,\'\" Chutkan said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"And the defense does not cite any instance of the court ever uttering those words or anything similar.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chutkan noted that the legal standard for a judge to recuse himself or herself from a case is if their \"impartiality might reasonably be questioned.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The record \'as a whole\' does not support a reasonable question as to the court\'s impartiality,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump\'s lawyers had sought Chutkan\'s recusal based on statements she made at the sentencing of participants in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Although Judge Chutkan may genuinely intend to give President Trump a fair trial -- and may believe that she can do so -- her public statements unavoidably taint these proceedings, regardless of outcome,\" they said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Chutkan said she had \"specifically withheld judgment on whether other people should be charged for conduct related to January 6\" and had not ever recommended that other individuals be investigated or charged.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Recusal is not warranted in this case,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chutkan has set March 4, 2024 for the start of Trump\'s trial on charges of conspiring to subvert the results of the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has pleaded not guilty.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 61-year-old Chutkan, who was appointed by former Democratic president Barack Obama, has handed down some of the stiffest sentences to participants in the Capitol attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump is also facing racketeering charges in Georgia for allegedly conspiring to upend the election results in the southern state and a trial in Florida in May 2024 on charges of mishandling top secret government documents. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 03:48:02', '2023-09-28 03:48:02'),
(9372, 9372, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lionel Messi was ruled out of Inter Miami\'s squad for their US Open Cup final clash Wednesday with Houston Dynamo, the team confirmed.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Argentine superstar had been an injury doubt leading up to the final in Florida after missing his team\'s 1-1 draw with Orlando City on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi\'s fitness has been shrouded in mystery since he returned from international duty with Argentina earlier this month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was substituted in the final minutes of Argentina\'s 1-0 win over Ecuador in their South American World Cup qualifier on September 7 and then skipped their match at Bolivia, five days later.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 36-year-old missed a game against Atlanta on September 16 with what was described as \"muscle fatigue.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He then returned to play against Toronto four days later, but was substituted after just 37 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inter Miami confirmed in their starting line-up released Wednesday that Messi\'s former Barcelona team-mate Jordi Alba would also play no part in the final.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Open Cup, a knockout tournament for amateur and professional teams, has been contested since 1914, making it by far the oldest soccer competition in the United States. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 03:49:55', '2023-09-28 03:49:55'),
(9373, 9373, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Next week\'s Nobel Prize announcements will celebrate a string of groundbreaking achievements, but with conflicts raging around the globe, experts solicited about possible Peace Prize winners are scratching their heads.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Peace Prize will be announced in Oslo on October 6, the highlight of the week of announcements running from October 2-9.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the war in Ukraine well into its second year, tensions flaring between superpowers and a slew of African coups in recent years, the global state of affairs is decidedly bleak, say experts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a reflection of the frictions, the Russian ambassador\'s invitation to the Nobel prize banquet in Stockholm in December was recently rescinded following angry protests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In many ways it would be appropriate for the committee not to hand out any prize this year,\" Swedish professor of international affairs Peter Wallensteen told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It would be a good way of marking the seriousness of the world situation.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The last time that happened was a half-century ago, in 1972 amid the Vietnam War.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To find no laudable candidate would these days be considered a failure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s very hard to think that this could be the result,\" the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Olav Njolstad told AFP, \"but I will not say it\'s impossible.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The world really needs something that may point in a good direction. There is every need for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded even this year.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The list of nominations is secret, but 351 individuals or organisations are known to be on it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Iranian women, Ukraine or climate? -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So who could get the nod?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some Nobel watchers have pointed to the Iranian women protesting since the death in custody a year ago of Mahsa Amini, arrested for allegedly violating Iran\'s strict dress code imposed on women.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Activists Masih Alinejad and Narges Mohammadi or the Alliance for Democracy and Freedom in Iran are seen as potential laureates in such case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other possibilities are organisations documenting war crimes in Ukraine, or the International Criminal Court, which could one day be called upon to judge them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Climate activists have also been mentioned, after the hottest summer on record and a year of extreme weather threatening mankind.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think that climate change is a really good focus for the Peace Prize this year,\" Dan Smith, the head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He singled out the Fridays for Future movement started by Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, and Brazilian tribal chief Raoni Metuktire, who campaigns against deforestation and for indigenous rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, the prize was shared by Russian human rights group Memorial, Ukraine\'s Center for Civil Liberties and jailed Belarusian rights advocate Ales Bialiatski, all three representing the nations at the centre of the war in Ukraine which they oppose.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Swedish Academy, meanwhile, is to announce its pick for the Literature Prize in Stockholm on October 5.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the names making the rounds in literary circles are Russian author and outspoken Putin critic Lyudmila Ulitskaya, Chinese avant-garde writer Can Xue, British author Salman Rushdie, Caribbean-American writer Jamaica Kincaid and Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Reflect the times\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Swedish Academy has often put the spotlight on little-known authors, though last year it went to French feminist icon Annie Ernaux.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She was just the 17th woman to win since the prize was first handed out in 1901.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Academy has undergone major reforms since a devastating #MeToo scandal in 2018, vowing a more global and gender-equal literature prize.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In recent years, there is more awareness that you can\'t remain in a eurocentric perspective, there has to be more equality and the prize has to reflect the times,\" Stockholm University literature professor Carin Franzen told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since the scandal, it has honoured three women -- Ernaux, US poet Louise Gluck and Poland\'s Olga Tokarczuk -- and two men -- Austrian author Peter Handke and Tanzanian writer Abdulrazak Gurnah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Medicine Prize opens the Nobel season on Monday, with research into cancer-fighting T-cell therapy, the human microbiome and narcolepsy making buzz.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Physics Prize will follow on Tuesday and Chemistry on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Economics Prize -- the only Nobel not created in Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel\'s 1895 will -- wraps up the announcements on October 9.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Criticism over the lack of gender and geographical diversity has also plagued the science prizes, something the award committees insist they are addressing. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 04:32:39', '2023-09-28 04:32:39'),
(9374, 9374, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A fire caused by a powerful explosion at a warehouse near Tashkent\'s airport had been contained and the situation was under control, Uzbekistan\'s Ministry of Emergency Situations (FVV) said on Thursday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shock wave from the early morning blast shattered dozens of windows in nearby apartment blocks and some people were being treated for injuries, according to Uzbekistan\'s Health Ministry, but none of those were serious.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cause of the explosion was unclear, with one report of \"strong lightning\". The ministry said a \"special laboratory\" had been set up at the scene to investigate the explosion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As a result of the quick actions of FVV employees, the area of the fire is being reduced,\" the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app. \"The situation is completely under control\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Flights at Tashkent International Airport were taking off and landing as normal, its administration said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to a post on social media from Uzbek media outlet Daryo, 16 fire and rescue crews were sent to fight the fire at one of the warehouses located in the city\'s Sergeli district near the airport. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 05:25:37', '2023-09-28 05:25:37'),
(9375, 9375, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pakistan\'s cricket squad arrived in India on Wednesday with tight security in place, as it prepares to take part in the upcoming seven-week-long World Cup. This visit marks Pakistan\'s first trip to India since 2016, and crowds of excited fans, held back by security personnel, cheered and chanted the name of team captain Babar Azam and other players as they arrived at the airport in Hyderabad. The ODI tournament is scheduled to commence on October 5, with Pakistan opening their campaign the next day.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India and Pakistan have a history of political tensions and international matches between the two nations are typically restricted to global and continental tournaments. On Wednesday, however, Pakistan received a grand welcome in India and the players took to their official social media account to express their delight over the same. The side\'s captain Babar Azam, star bowler Shaheen Afridi and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan were among players taking to social media to thank the Indian authorities, as well as the crowd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The World Cup will feature 48 matches spread across 46 days at 10 different venues, culminating in the final on November 19. Pakistan has two warm-up matches scheduled – one against New Zealand on September 29 and another against Australia on October 3, both to be held in Hyderabad. The game against New Zealand will be played behind closed doors following an assessment of security arrangements to a major festival on the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Will miss fans</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During his pre-departure press conference in Pakistan, Babar stated that the sid is not under pressure but will miss its fans when it plays the World Cup matches in India.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"All of us are proud of travelling for the World Cup. Although we have not played in India before, we are not taking too much pressure. We have done our research and we have heard the conditions are similar to how they play out in other Asian countries. It is quite an honour for me to travel as the captain this time around, I hope we come back with a trophy this time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Unfortunately, we will be missing the fans. However, as far as I know, the games are all sold out so we will be playing in jam-packed stadiums. Although our fans will not be there, I know they will make sure their love is heard on social media. I have heard that the fans in India also show their love, although I have not experienced that as of yet but I am excited to play in India as well,” Babar added. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 05:31:53', '2023-09-28 05:31:53'),
(9376, 9376, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh will plunge into an era of darkness if her party doesn\'t remain in power.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If the Awami League does not remain in power, the country will again return to the era of darkness. But, I know, the people of Bangladesh will not want to go back to the darkness,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She made the remarks while addressing a reception accorded to her by the US chapter of the Awami League in the Holiday Express Inn Hotel here on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Describing 29 years of the BNP-Jamaat governments as the era of darkness, the Prime Minister said they did nothing for the people during the period rather to make their own fortune.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The BNP-Jamaat clique has erased 29 years from the life of Bangladeshi people. Somehow, the Awami League has bridged the gap of the years by conducting massive development across the country from 2009 to till the date,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has attained recognition as a developing country during the period due to running the country with specific plans alongside having continued democratic process and stability in the country since 2009 in line with her government\'s Vision 2041 mentioned in 2008 election manifesto, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said her government has been preparing to start its journey as a developing nation from 2026 and for which they have formed a committee led by her Principal Secretary to find ways to smoothen the journey towards development and prosperity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I know, if the Awami League remains in power, Bangladesh\'s journey as a developing country will face no difficulty,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina said the next general election is vital for Bangladesh for this reason and they have already formed a committee to formulate the election manifesto as part of taking preparation for the next general polls.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I have trust and confidence in the people of Bangladesh. The masses still believe that the Awami League only can change the fate of them and make the country\'s development sustainable,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the people of the country are her near and dear ones as she lost everything including her father, mother and brothers on August 15 in 1975.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The people of Bangladesh are my strength. The countrymen are my family and I am running the state keeping that in my mind,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said they have been giving the landless and homeless home free of cost, reaching healthcare services to every doorstep through community clinics, giving stipends to 2.5 crore students to make sure the countrymen won\'t suffer anymore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have been doing everything in a planned way to ensure the country\'s march towards development and prosperity,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said none of the people of the country of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will remain homeless and ultra poor.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said they have built Digital Bangladesh and turned Bangladesh into a developing nation as per 2008 election manifesto and are now pursuing to transform the country into a \"Smart Bangladesh\" as the journey towards development will be continued.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Stay alert as none can play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of the country,\" she told the countrymen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Terming the BNP-Jamaat as the terrorist political parties, the premier said their character has yet been changed as they are hatching conspiracy at home and abroad to undermine the image of the country on the global stage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Their (BNP-Jamaat clique) character is yet to change. So, they are out to undermine the country through hatching conspiracies and spreading propaganda,\" she said, adding: \"We have to give them a good reply showcasing the huge development works conducted by the Awami League across the country at home and abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister asked leaders and workers of the US chapter of the Awami League to make their communication stronger with congressmen, senate members and local government representatives of their localities in America and apprise them of Bangladesh\'s development and the BNP-Jamaat clique\'s falsehood and conspiracy to undermine Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the Awami, said her party had started struggling for the rights of the people since its birth that included the Language Movement, Six-Point Demand and War of Liberation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The development of Bangladesh has been possible due to having the Awami League in power. Nobody else will work for the country\'s development with such devotion and love. We want the advancement to be continued and none can hinder it,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister arrived in Washington DC on September 23 from New York after attending the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session and other high-level side and bilateral meetings from September 17-22. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 06:35:39', '2023-09-28 06:35:39'),
(9377, 9377, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Ukrainian military claimed on Thursday that Russia had launched a \"massive\" drone attack overnight and that more than 30 Russian unmanned aerial vehicles had been destroyed.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nataliya Gumenyuk, spokeswoman for the Ukrainian southern military command, said UAVs were intercepted over Black Sea coastal regions and also further inland.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia \"does not stop the pressure and searching for new tactics: namely, with the use of mass attacks\", Gumenyuk said on the messaging platform Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Tonight, several groups of strike UAVs were launched... air defence worked along almost the entire southern direction -- in Odesa, Mykolaiv regions. Also, much higher north -- the enemy aimed its attacks on central Ukraine,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The consequences of the attack are being clarified now, because it was indeed a massive one.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"However, the air defence work was quite effective. Over 30 UAVs were destroyed.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since July, when Moscow pulled out of a UN-brokered deal allowing safe grain shipments via the Black Sea, Russia has ramped up attacks on Ukraine\'s grain-exporting infrastructure in the southern Odesa and Mykolaiv regions. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 06:40:51', '2023-09-28 06:40:51'),
(9378, 9378, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Macroeconomists and policy analysts have listed paying deferred dues, the tendency of FDI profits taken abroad by investors, declining inward remittance flow, capital flight, and money laundering as reasons behind Bangladesh\'s foreign exchange reserves slipping to US$ 21.15 billion.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh’s foreign exchange reserves stood at $21.15 billion on Tuesday in line with the IMF reserve calculation method, Bangladesh Bank shared the information on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the central bank, a week ago on September 21, the reserve was $21.45 billion. The forex reserves dipped by $300 million to $21.15 billion within a few days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, a macroeconomist and public policy analyst, told UNB that this happened due to deferred payments of fuel import and FDI profits of the western investors being taken abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said Bangladesh’s imports, particularly fuel, in some cases may close unless deferred dues are cleared. Foreign investors are also under pressure to take their profits abroad considering political uncertainty.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Economist Dr Ahsan H Mansur told UNB that the declining inward remittance flow and rise in money laundering are contributing to depleting reserves.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the situation would not improve before the next national election as there is uncertainty. If a stable government is formed through a credible election, then the economy will recover fast due to improved confidence level, he pointed out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the central bank, the gross reserves (which include EDF funds and loans from reserves) of the country at the beginning of September were $29.23 billion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the beginning of Wednesday (September 27), it decreased to $27.06 billion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Currently, the average monthly import expenditure is $6 billion. According to this, $18 billion will be required to meet three months of import demand. That is, with the current reserves, the import expenses of little over three months can be met under the Bangladesh Bank policy of a controlled spending system. A further reduction in imports will cover four months of import expenses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to sources, the inflow of dollars in the market has decreased due to a decrease in export earnings and remittance flow. Meanwhile, new LC has to be opened and the debt of the previous LC has to be paid. Apart from this, foreign loans and other debts also have to be paid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Asian Clearing Union (ACU) dues for the months of September and October have to be paid in early November. Then the reserves could fall further.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The second installment of the IMF loan could be waived by $480 million in November.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition, some loans from the World Bank and Asian Development Bank may also be exempted at that time. Then the foreign exchange reserve may increase slightly. By the end of the year, Bangladesh’s export earnings are expected to increase. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 07:28:35', '2023-09-28 07:28:35');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9379, 9379, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan hit back at his teammate Tamim Iqbal for putting himself ahead of the teams\' need and also described his behavior as childish after he refused to bat down the order.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a video posted on his official Facebook account yesterday, Tamim claimed a high up of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) offered him to bat down the order in Bangladesh\'s World Cup opening game against Afghanistan on October 7.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He though didn\'t reveal the name of the top guy of BCB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shakib said he saw nothing offensive in the proposal but denied his involvement in such request to Tamim.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I don\'t know from where the question is coming...I am not involved in such request. But is there something wrong with it if someone made such proposal. I am sure whoever thought it, he thought of the team. A player should bat at any position. It is totally childish. It\'s like, it is my bat, I will play. No one else can play,\" Shakib said in an interview with local television channel T Sports, aired on Wednesday night.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Drawing the example of India captain Rohit Sharma, Shakib criticized Tamim further.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Look at Rohit Sharma, he scored 10,000-plus runs. He even bats at No.9 position, sometimes bats at No. 3, 4 position, Is it big problem for him? He puts the team ahead always. If team loses, despite your 100 or 200, it matters little. What can you do with personal achievement? Do you want to make a name for yourself?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also put Mahmudullah Riyad as an example while questioning Tamim\'s dedication for the team.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Mahmudullah Riyad bhai suddenly he came to the World Cup team. I felt he couldn\'t do this unless he has the dedication, responsibility for the team and his urge to play for the team, those things were noticed by all. So there is a difference,\" Shakib said.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tamim said he was quite okay to play the World Cup after feeling fine following 44-run against New Zealand in the second match. He though has pain, he was on course of recovery ahead of Bangladesh\'s World Cup opener against Afghanistan on October 7.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 34-year-old batsman said he felt ready to take the plane to India for his fifth World Cup but said he was the victim of a dirty environment that created several obstacles for him in the last few months and he simply is not taking it anymore and so he had to opt out the World Cup.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shakib said he can\'t carry a player with fitness concern.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Kane Williamson won\'t play the first two matches and then he would play all matches. But the problem in Tamim\'s case is that there is uncertainty about him playing the seventh or the third game or the first game or even it is like that I will only know in the morning of the game. It will be difficult for me to select the team. I don\'t think we need such a player.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Someone like MS Dhoni once said that the player, who is playing despite being unfit, is cheating his team and country. I think every player should accept it, and not just Tamim only.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the half-hour long interview, the star allrounder also revealed his individual plans for future, saying he might retire from all format of cricket after 2025 Champions Trophy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I might give up playing tests even sooner, may be after the World Cup. These are not chalked out yet. May be 2024 T20 World Cup will be my last in that format and 2025 Champions Trophy which is ODI format, could be my last.\" BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 07:31:00', '2023-09-28 07:31:00'),
(9380, 9380, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Actor Alia Bhatt has wished husband-actor Ranbir Kapoor on his 41st birthday with a bunch of unseen photos and a sweet note. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Alia shared several pictures from their holidays as well as wedding.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the first photo, which is blurry, Alia closed her eyes and kissed Ranbir Kapoor on his cheek. He stuck out his tongue, while clicking the selfie. The picture was seemingly clicked at night in New York where the couple went for a vacation.</div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>We\'re now on WhatsApp. Click to join.</b></div><div>The next photo showed Alia and Ranbir holding each other as they watched a baseball match. Both of them wore matching caps. While Alia was in a white T-shirt, Ranbir wore a blue shirt. They had their backs towards the camera.</div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Alia also posted photos of herself</b></div><div>Alia, dressed in casuals, posed in front of the number 8 as she clicked a selfie, in the next picture. She also posted a closeup and monochrome photo of Ranbir from their wedding day. In the next black and white candid picture, Ranbir showed his palm to Alia who, smiled looking at it. The last photo was another closeup shot of Ranbir\'s face clicked during their vacation a few years ago.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Alia pens sweet note for Ranbir</b></div><div>Sharing the unseen photos, Alia wrote, \"My love.. my best friend.. my happiest place..as you read this caption from your secret account sitting right next to me... (grimacing face emojis) all I’d like to say is..happy birthday baby… you make it ALL magical (infinity symbol, sparkles and heart suit emojis).\" HT</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 08:38:35', '2023-09-28 08:38:35'),
(9381, 9381, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Numbers of the UK\'s most precious animals and plants are still falling, as a countrywide nature-loss crisis continues.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Loss of nature is outpacing investment and effort to tackle it, conservation organisations say.</div><div><br></div><div>Their State of the Nature report found 16% of 10,000 mammals, plants, insects, birds and amphibians assessed were threatened.</div><div><br></div><div>They include UK wildlife icons such as the turtle dove and hazel dormouse.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has said it is committed to \"increasing the amount of habitat for nature to thrive\".</div><div><br></div><div>But conservation organisations say more investment and a shift to much more wildlife-friendly farming and fishing are urgently needed.</div><div><br></div><div>The 203-page document was produced by more than 60 organisations, including wildlife conservation groups, government agencies and academics.</div><div><br></div><div>Its analysis of decades of research paints a grim picture - natural spaces and the wildlife that depends on them are in decline.</div><div><br></div><div>Nida al-Fulaij, from the People\'s Trust for Endangered Species, told BBC News: \"The main takeaways from this report are alarming.\"</div><div>And she explained how thousands of studies used in the report examined the abundance or distribution of UK wildlife.</div><div><br></div><div>\'Bleak outlook\'</div><div>\"Where we can, we count species year after year,\" Ms Fulaij said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Another way to measure how a plant or animal is faring is to repeatedly examine a site and ask, \'Is the species here or not?\'\"</div><div><br></div><div>Plants and animals monitored since the 1970s have declined in abundance by an average 19%.</div><div><br></div><div>And this trend suggests a bleak outlook for much of the country\'s native wildlife, conservation scientists say.</div><div><br></div><div>This should make everyone \"sit up and listen\", Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) chief executive Beccy Speight said.</div><div><br></div><div>Restoring nature would also help to tackle the climate crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We need to move far faster as a society towards nature-friendly land and sea use,\" Ms Speight said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Otherwise, the UK\'s nature and wider environment will continue to decline and degrade, with huge implications for our own way of life.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to these calls for action, the government said it was investing in its \"30-by-30\" pledge, to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030.</div><div><br></div><div>\"At the start of this year, I published our comprehensive Environmental Improvement Plan,\" Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said, \"setting out how we will create and restore at least 500,000 hectares [2,000 sq miles] of new wildlife habitats.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The government also highlighted investments including:</div><div><br></div><div>--a £40m Species Survival Fund</div><div><br></div><div>--£750m for woodland and peatland restoration</div><div><br></div><div>But RSPB conservation-science head Prof Richard Gregory told BBC News: \"We\'d need more to achieve the goal of 30 by 30.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The task ahead of us to recover nature in the UK is large and complex - we are really talking of billions of pounds and not millions to change systems and tackle the drives of decline.</div><div><br></div><div>\"That investment would return a huge amount for society in time and save huge future costs if we allow the environment to continue to decline and degrade.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Since 1970, the report says, of the 2,890 species in Britain\'s \"priority group\":</div><div><br></div><div>--58% fell in number</div><div><br></div><div>--19% increased</div><div><br></div><div>Also:</div><div>--Almost 1,500 UK native species of plants and animals are now threatened with extinction</div><div><br></div><div>--Most of the important habitats for UK nature - including woodland, wetlands and wildflower meadows - are in poor condition</div><div><br></div><div>--Only about 11% of UK land is within protected areas - and not all are well managed for nature and wildlife</div><div><br></div><div>--None of the seafloor around the UK is in \"good condition\", because of damage from fishing gear</div><div><br></div><div>--Most of the important habitats for UK nature - including woodland, wetlands and wildflower meadows - are in poor condition</div><div><br></div><div>In the North Pennines, Nic and Paul Renison have transformed the way they farm, to create more space for nature, dividing their 400 acres (160 hectares) into small pastures and moving their cows into a new field each day.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The idea is that it\'s like the buffalo on the plains - they move every day, then the pasture gets 60 days to recover,\" Nic said.</div><div><br></div><div>With the help of the Woodland Trust, they have also planted wildlife-friendly hedgerows to create wildlife \"corridors\" throughout their farm.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The more you do, the more nature you attract - it gets addictive,\" Paul said.</div><div><br></div><div>All five of the UK\'s resident owl species can now be found on the Renisons\' farm and 50 different bird species are breeding there, a recent survey revealed.</div><div><br></div><div>In England, an estimated 70% of land is farmed.</div><div><br></div><div>And studies suggest nature-friendly farming can boost production.</div><div><br></div><div>In one large-scale study in central England, turning over land from crops to wildlife habitat increased yields, probably by boosting the abundance of insects that pollinate those crops.</div><div><br></div><div>But the Nature Friendly Farming Network said more investment would be needed \"to support all farmers in restoring nature and acting on climate change\".</div><div><br></div><div>But the report also found \"targeted conservation\", concerted efforts to restore habitats and protect species, had worked well:</div><div><br></div><div>--The number of species in a marine protected area (MPA) in Lyme Bay, Devon, had significantly increased since trawling was banned, in 2008</div><div><br></div><div>--600 sq km (150,000 acres) of the Cairngorms, in the Highlands, had been restored for woodland-dependent wildlife</div><div><br></div><div>--The RSPB\'s Hope Farm, in Cambridgeshire, had provided a research and demonstration site, showing how crop yields could been increased along with bird numbers</div><div><br></div><div>Report author and University of Sussex environmental-biology professor Fiona Matthews said: \"We need a lot more investment [in nature].</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is a belief in government that things can just magically happen for free.\"</div><div><br></div><div>But while she acknowledged the great work from thousands of volunteers, funded work was needed too, reports BBC</div><div><br></div><div>\"I often see a press release for £1m for this or that - but it is a drop in the ocean for what is actually required to tackle this issue,\" Prof Matthews added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 11:02:15', '2023-09-28 11:02:15'),
(9382, 9382, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Thursday said that BNP leaders’ claim that foreigners do not want to see the current government in power in the future is nothing but gossip.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"Elections will be held in accordance with the constitution; if anyone refrains from participating, elections will not be postponed for them,” he said. “Most parties are prepared to take part in the upcoming election.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The PM’s advisor made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion and workshop with the members of the central election management committee at Nawabganj Pilot High School in Dhaka\'s Nawabganj on Thursday as the country gears up for the 12th parliamentary election.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The only thing foreigners want is for upcoming elections in Bangladesh to be free, fair and peaceful. Their demand aligns with the government\'s desire. The current government is also committed to conducting unrestricted and fair elections,” Salman said.</div><div><br></div><div>He called on the leaders and activists of Awami League to reach neutral people in order to shore up support for the upcoming election.</div><div><br></div><div>“For the upcoming election, Awami League workers should not only reach out to Awami League supporters but also extend their outreach to neutral voters. Even those who will not vote for Awami League should also be reached out to,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Highlighting the various development scenarios of the country, he directed the leaders and activists of the party to seek votes in favour of ‘boat’ – the election symbol of the ruling Awami League. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 13:44:42', '2023-09-28 13:44:42'),
(9383, 9383, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said that elections would be conducted in line with the constitution.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said that the focus should not be on who participates in the elections or who does not as the Awami League is committed to ensuring free and fair elections.</div><div><br></div><div>He made the statement during an inaugural meeting of the party’s election manifesto committee held at the central office at Bangabandhu Avenue on Thursday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We must follow the path of democracy in the light of reality. We have to overcome difficult challenges in the days ahead,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to Joe Biden\'s statement that he would contest the elections because the democracy in the United States would be in jeopardy if Trump returns to power, Quader said that age should not be a concern in such matters.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I say today that we must empower Sheikh Hasina to protect Bangladesh\'s democracy. If BNP comes to power democracy will be in danger. We must take action,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“By 2026, we need to uplift our underdeveloped country. Above all, we must set our sights on 2040. We\'ve achieved a Digital Bangladesh, now it\'s time to make it a Smart Bangladesh,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Awami League presidium member Dr Abdur Razzaque and its Information and Research Secretary Dr Selim Mahmud, among others, attended the meeting. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 15:55:52', '2023-09-28 15:55:52'),
(9384, 9384, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>ICDDR,B, and the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM), jointly conducted trial of dengue vaccine for the first time in Bangladesh.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>ICDDR,B, and the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM), are the first to study a promising tetravalent dengue vaccine in dengue-endemic Bangladesh, said a press release today.</div><div><br></div><div>Their work, evaluating the single-dose tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate TV005, demonstrated safety and immune responsiveness in children and adults, it said adding the accompanying study was recently published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior scientist of ICDDR\'B Rashidul Haque said \"The development of an effective and tetravalent dengue vaccine is a very high priority for the large population of Bangladesh, which is now having increasingly severe dengue outbreaks.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are proud to participate in the evaluation of the TV005 vaccine in the Bangladeshi population and hope that our work will accelerate the development of dengue vaccines for our country,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The TV005 vaccine is the only single dose tetravalent dengue vaccine, which is an important feature of this vaccine,\" another scientist Beth Kirkpatrick, who led The UVM team, said adding it also appears to prompt immune responses to all four of the dengue serotypes, which is important for any tetravalent dengue vaccine.\" Both investigators share the hope that the information is useful to Bangladesh and the large populations of South Asia, Kirkpatrick added.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the press release issued by the ICDDR\'B, Infection and illness from dengue, a mosquito-borne virus, is a growing risk throughout the world, especially in tropical regions. Mild cases of dengue cause fever and bone pain, and serious cases are associated with shock, bleeding, and sometimes death. Four distinct dengue viruses, or serotypes, can circulate alone or with other serotypes; all serotypes cause illness. The most severe manifestations of dengue are often associated with a second infection.</div><div><br></div><div>In Bangladesh, one of the world\'s most densely populated countries-housing a total population of about 170 million people, dengue outbreaks have occurred for over twenty years, but the outbreaks have grown exponentially in size and severity. The ongoing outbreak in 2023 represents the worst year on record, with dengue cases overwhelming the hospital system in the capital, Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>During the course of the most recent ongoing outbreak, 190,758 hospitalizations and more than 920 deaths have been recorded until 25 September 2023 throughout the country. Other countries in South Asia are also experiencing a significant rise in dengue outbreaks. Currently, fluid management and symptom control are the only available treatments for dengue. Vaccine development against all four serotypes (a tetravalent vaccine) is a high global priority.</div><div><br></div><div>As the first research team studying dengue vaccines in Bangladesh, investigators at the ICDDR,B and UVM\'s Vaccine Testing Center (VTC) began their \"Dengue in Dhaka Initiative (DIDI)\" in 2015. This collaborative effort aims to advance the development of dengue vaccines throughout Bangladesh. The clinical trials and laboratory assay infrastructure-as well as a preliminary dengue prevalence study-were established and performed at the ICDDR,B in 2015.</div><div><br></div><div>The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, was a subsequent phase II randomized and controlled clinical trial evaluating the safety, immunogenicity, and 3-year durability of the TV005 tetravalent live-attenuated dengue vaccine.</div><div><br></div><div>Investigators followed almost 200 volunteers in four age cohorts (ages 1-49 years) who received the TV005 vaccine or placebo over the course of three years, beginning in 2016. TV005 was shown to be well-tolerated.</div><div><br></div><div>Antibodies to all four dengue serotypes were found in most volunteers after vaccination; individuals who had been infected previously with dengue had higher antibody counts.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the study was not designed to evaluate efficacy, no cases of dengue were detected in vaccinated volunteers. This data moves the TV005 dengue vaccine closer to widespread use in endemic populations while garnering support for ongoing large, phase III efficacy trials.</div><div><br></div><div>All tetravalent dengue vaccines aspire to have a balanced immune response to all four serotypes. Pharmaceutical companies Sanofi and Takeda have had success with other tetravalent dengue vaccines; completing their own phase III trials. The 3-dose Sanofi vaccine is limited to children under nine years of age with known past exposure to dengue. The 2-dose Takeda vaccine has had the best response to dengue serotype 2.</div><div><br></div><div>Subsequent studies, including those by the DIDI team, of the efficacy, durability and immune responses of this tetravalent dengue vaccine are ongoing throughout the world. Accoridng to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 16:22:40', '2023-09-28 16:22:40'),
(9385, 9385, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan hit back at his teammate Tamim Iqbal for putting himself ahead of the teams\' need and also described his behavior as childish after he refused to bat down the order.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a video posted on his official Facebook account yesterday, Tamim claimed a high up of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) offered him to bat down the order in Bangladesh\'s World Cup opening game against Afghanistan on October 7.</div><div><br></div><div>He though didn\'t reveal the name of the top guy of BCB.</div><div>Shakib said he saw nothing offensive in the proposal but denied his involvement in such request to Tamim.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t know from where the question is coming...I am not involved in such request. But is there something wrong with it if someone made such proposal. I am sure whoever thought it, he thought of the team. A player should bat at any position. It is totally childish. It\'s like, it is my bat, I will play. No one else can play,\" Shakib said in an interview with local television channel T Sports, aired on Wednesday night.</div><div><br></div><div>Drawing the example of India captain Rohit Sharma, Shakib criticized Tamim further.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Look at Rohit Sharma, he scored 10,000-plus runs. He even bats at No.9 position, sometimes bats at No. 3, 4 position, Is it big problem for him? He puts the team ahead always. If team loses, despite your 100 or 200, it matters little. What can you do with personal achievement? Do you want to make a name for yourself?”</div><div><br></div><div>He also put Mahmudullah Riyad as an example while questioning Tamim\'s dedication for the team.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Mahmudullah Riyad bhai suddenly he came to the World Cup team. I felt he couldn\'t do this unless he has the dedication, responsibility for the team and his urge to play for the team, those things were noticed by all. So there is a difference,\" Shakib said.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Tamim said he was quite okay to play the World Cup after feeling fine following 44-run against New Zealand in the second match. He though has pain, he was on course of recovery ahead of Bangladesh\'s World Cup opener against Afghanistan on October 7.</div><div><br></div><div>The 34-year-old batsman said he felt ready to take the plane to India for his fifth World Cup but said he was the victim of a dirty environment that created several obstacles for him in the last few months and he simply is not taking it anymore and so he had to opt out the World Cup.</div><div><br></div><div>Shakib said he can\'t carry a player with fitness concern.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Kane Williamson won\'t play the first two matches and then he would play all matches. But the problem in Tamim\'s case is that there is uncertainty about him playing the seventh or the third game or the first game or even it is like that I will only know in the morning of the game. It will be difficult for me to select the team. I don\'t think we need such a player.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"Someone like MS Dhoni once said that the player, who is playing despite being unfit, is cheating his team and country. I think every player should accept it, and not just Tamim only.\"</div><div><br></div><div>During the half-hour long interview, the star allrounder also revealed his individual plans for future, saying he might retire from all format of cricket after 2025 Champions Trophy.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I might give up playing tests even sooner, may be after the World Cup. These are not chalked out yet. May be 2024 T20 World Cup will be my last in that format and 2025 Champions Trophy which is ODI format, could be my last.\" According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 16:37:06', '2023-09-28 16:37:06'),
(9386, 9386, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><b>The first batch of fresh uranium, the nuclear fuel of the first unit of Rooppur nuclear power plant, has arrived in Bangladesh.</b></div><div><br></div><div>According to official sources, the consignment of uranium arrived in Dhaka from Russia on Thursday afternoon through a special air cargo.</div><div><br></div><div>Project Director of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project Dr. M Shawkat Akbar confirmed the arrival of the nuclear fuel but would not provide details of the air shipment of the nuclear fuel on security grounds.</div><div><br></div><div>Sources said Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Aleksey Likhachev will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in Rooppur project on October 5.</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to virtually join the function.</div><div><br></div><div>The nuclear fuel was brought to Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by a special plane from a factory in Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>It will then be taken to the project site at Rooppur in Ishwardi, Pabna by road. Army and law enforcement personnel will be in charge of special security in this uranium transportation.</div><div><br></div><div>The fuel was produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) in Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom\'s fuel manufacturing company Tevel.</div><div><br></div><div>Rosatom as a Russian contractor has been engaged in building the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) having two units, each capacity 1200 MW.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr. M Shawkat Akbar said that the government is expecting to commission the first unit of the RNPP in September next year and second unit in mid of 2025. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 16:49:07', '2023-09-28 16:49:07'),
(9387, 9387, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Meta has announced a series of new chatbots to be used in its Messenger service.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The chatbots will have \"personality\" and specialise in certain subjects, like holidays or cooking advice.</div><div><br></div><div>It is the latest salvo in a chatbot arms race between tech companies desperate to produce more accurate and personalised artificial intelligence.</div><div><br></div><div>The chatbots are still a work in progress with \"limitations\", said boss Mark Zuckerberg.</div><div><br></div><div>In California, during Meta\'s first in-person event since before the pandemic, Mr Zuckerberg said that it had been an \"amazing year for AI\".</div><div><br></div><div>The company is calling its main chatbot \"Meta AI\" and can be used in messaging. For example, users can ask Meta AI questions in chat \"to settle arguments\" or ask other questions.</div><div><br></div><div>The BBC has not yet tested the chatbot which is based on Llama 2, the large language model that the company released for public commercial use in July.</div><div><br></div><div>Several celebrities have also signed up to lend their personalities to different types of chatbots, including Snoop Dogg and Kendall Jenner.</div><div><br></div><div>The idea is to create chatbots that are not just designed to answer questions.</div><div>\"This isn\'t just going to be about answering queries,\" Zuckerberg said. \"This is about entertainment\".</div><div><br></div><div>According to Meta, NFL star Tom Brady will play an AI character called \'Bru\', \"a wisecracking sports debater\" and YouTube star MrBeast will play \'Zach\', a big brother \"who will roast you\".</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Zuckerberg said there were still \"a lot of limitations\" around what the bots could answer.</div><div><br></div><div>The chatbots will be rolled out in the coming days and only in the US initially.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Zuckerberg also discussed the metaverse - a virtual world - which is a concept that Mr Zuckerberg has so far spent tens of billions of dollars on.</div><div><br></div><div>Although Meta had already announced its new virtual reality headset, Quest 3, the company gave further details at the event.</div><div><br></div><div>Meta\'s boss described the headset as the first \"mainstream\" mixed reality headset. Cameras facing forward will mean the headset will allow for augmented reality. It will be available from 10 October.</div><div><br></div><div>The firm\'s big, long-term bet on the metaverse still appears yet to pay off, with Meta\'s VR division suffering $21bn (£17bn) in losses since the start of 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The Quest 3 came after Apple entered the higher-priced mixed reality hardware market with the Vision Pro earlier this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Mat Day, global gaming strategy director for EssenceMediacom, said Mark Zuckerberg had \"reinvigorated\" the VR sector.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Meta\'s VR roadmap is now firmly positioned around hardware priced for the mass market. This is a stark contrast to Apple\'s approach which is aimed at the high end tech enthusiast,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Meta\'s announcement came on the same day as rival OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed creator of ChatGPT, confirmed its chatbot can now browse the internet to provide users with current information. The artificial intelligence-powered system was previously trained only using data up to September 2021. - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-28 16:58:17', '2023-09-28 16:58:17'),
(9388, 9388, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked officials of the Bangladesh embassy in the USA to work with sincerity and professionalism to brighten  the country\'s image further.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Discharge duties with utmost sincerity, professionalism, honesty and patriotism to enhance the country\'s image further,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister made the remarks during exchange of views with the officials while visiting the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Wednesday (September 27).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On her arrival at the embassy, the Prime Minister was received by Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran with a flower bouquet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister first paid deep homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his bust at the Bangabandhu Corner of the Embassy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She stood in solemn silence there for sometimes as a mark of profound respect to the Father of the Nation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1977, the prime minister laid the foundation stone of the Chancery Building, and later in 2000, she inaugurated the newly constructed building.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the visit, the PM was accompanied, among others, by Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 05:48:23', '2023-09-29 12:22:25'),
(9389, 9389, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United States has said it expects that the government of Bangladesh will take all necessary actions to maintain the safety and security of all foreign missions and personnel in the country, including those from the US.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The United States values its relationship with Bangladesh,\" US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at a regular briefing on Thursday, September 28.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He, however, said he is not going to discuss specific details around security at the U.S. embassy or the personnel that work in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I will say that of course the safety and security of our diplomatic personnel is of the utmost importance to us. And as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, every host country must uphold its obligations to ensure the protection of all diplomatic mission premises and take all diplomatic steps to prevent any attack on personnel,\" Miller said while responding to a question.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about US Embassy\'s remarks on visa restrictions on media, Miller again refrained from mentioning media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I’m not going to announce specific steps, preview steps that we might take from the podium,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Spokesperson said they have taken steps to impose restrictions under the Secretary’s authority against members of law enforcement, the ruling party, and the political opposition who we believe to be responsible for or complicit in undermining free and fair elections in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"And as we made clear when we announced this policy on May 24th – that’s when we announced the policy, not the imposition of sanctions on specific individuals – but when we announced that policy, that it could be applied to any Bangladeshi individual who we believe was responsible for or complicit in undermining the democratic process,\" Miller said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"So we retain the option to impose sanctions on other individuals if and when we believe it’s appropriate,\" he added. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 05:50:43', '2023-09-29 05:50:43'),
(9390, 9390, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality was marked as ‘moderate’ on Friday morning (September 29, 2023).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 97 at 8:40am, Dhaka ranked 21st in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan’s Lahore, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 176, 159 and 158, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 50 and 100 is considered ‘moderate’ with an acceptable air quality. However, there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A recent report by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) says air pollution in Dhaka is creating severe health concerns and increases the risk of stroke, heart diseases, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the report, air pollution in Dhaka has increased by 13 percent since 2020 which indicates that the respondents’ perception is in line with reality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Due to these diseases caused by air pollution, Dhaka residents spend more than Tk4,000 per person every year for the treatment of respiratory diseases.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to data from Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), residents in Bangladesh are expected to lose about 5 years off their lives on average if the current high levels of pollution persist. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bnbd24/kh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 06:58:03', '2023-09-29 06:58:03'),
(9391, 9391, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has visited Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister laid the foundation stone of the Chancery Building in 1997, and inaugurated it in 2000.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On her arrival at the embassy on Wednesday, the PM was received by Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran with a flower bouquet, said a message from the mission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She first paid deep homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his bust at the Bangabandhu Corner of the embassy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She stood in solemn silence there for sometimes as a mark of profound respect to the Father of the Nation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She later exchanged views with the officials of the embassy and asked them to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity, professionalism, honesty and patriotism to further enhance the image of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also went round different parts of the embassy, including Shaheed Minar and Bangabandhu Corner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister was accompanied by Foreign Minister&nbsp; AK Abdul Momen, Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and senior officials of the PMO. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 07:01:40', '2023-09-29 07:01:40'),
(9392, 9392, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">lone gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in an apartment and a hospital in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam on Thursday, killing three people, including a 14-year-old girl, police said.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shooting sent patients and medics fleeing the Erasmus Medical Center in downtown Rotterdam, including some who were wheeled out of the building in beds. Others barricaded themselves into rooms and stuck hand-written signs to windows to show their location.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police Chief Fred Westerbeke told reporters that the shooter was a 32-year-old student from Rotterdam. He was arrested at the hospital carrying a firearm. His identity was not released, and the motive for the shootings was still under investigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He first shot and killed a 39-year-old woman and seriously injured her 14-year-old daughter at an apartment close to where the suspect lived, Police Chief Fred Westerbeke said. Police said the girl later died of her injuries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shooter then went to the nearby Erasmus Medical Center where he shot and killed a 43-year-old man, a teacher at the academic hospital, police said. He also started fires at the scenes of both shootings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The identities of the victims were not released.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The suspect was cooperating with police, Westerbeke said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It was a black day,\" said Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima expressed their sympathy on social media. \"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victims of the violence this afternoon in Rotterdam,\" the royal pair wrote. \"We also think of everybody who lived in fear during these terrible actions,\" they added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Erasmus Medical Center appealed on social media for people not to go to the hospital, but later said it was reopening. It said that all appointments scheduled for Friday would go ahead as planned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There have been scores of small explosions and at homes and businesses across Rotterdam this year, blamed on rival drug gangs. There was no immediate suggestion that Thursday\'s shooting was linked to the feuding drug gangs. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 07:04:42', '2023-09-29 07:04:42');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(9393, 9393, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Joe Biden issued one of his most dire warnings yet that Donald Trump and his allies are a menace to American democracy, declaring Thursday that the former president is more interested in personal power than upholding the nation\'s core values and suggesting even mainstream Republicans are complicit.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The silence is deafening,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During a speech in Arizona celebrating a library to be built honoring his friend and fierce Trump critic, the late Republican Sen. John McCain, Biden repeated one of his key campaign themes, branding the \"Make America Great Again\" movement as an existential threat to the U.S. political system. He\'s reviving that idea ahead of next year\'s presidential race after it buoyed Democrats during last fall\'s midterm election, laying out the threat in especially stark terms: \"There\'s something dangerous happening in America right now.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We should all remember, democracies don\'t have to die at the end of a rifle,\" Biden said. \"They can die when people are silent, when they fail to stand up or condemn threats to democracy, when people are willing to give away that which is most precious to them because they feel frustrated, disillusioned, tired, alienated.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2024 election is still more than a year away, yet Biden\'s focus reflects Trump\'s status as the undisputed frontrunner for his party\'s nomination despite facing four indictments, two of them related to his attempts to overturn Biden\'s 2020 victory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president\'s speech was his fourth in a series of addresses on what he sees as challenges to democracy, a topic that is a touchstone for him as he tries to remain in office in the face of low approval ratings and widespread concern from voters about his age, 80.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He used this line of political attack frequently ahead of last year\'s midterms, when Democrats gained a Senate seat and only narrowly lost the House to the GOP. But shifting the narrative in Washington could be especially tricky given that Biden is facing mounting pressure on Capitol Hill, where House Republicans held the first hearing in their impeachment inquiry and where the prospect of a government shutdown looms — a prospect Trump has actively egged on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the first anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters staged an insurrection, Biden visited the Capitol and accused Trump of continuing to hold a \"dagger\" at democracy\'s throat. He closed out the summer that year in the shadow of Philadelphia\'s Independence Hall, decrying Trumpism as a menace to democratic institutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And in November, as voters were casting midterm ballots, Biden again sounded a clarion call to protect democratic institutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Advisers see the president\'s continued focus on democracy as both good policy and good politics. Campaign officials have pored over the election results from last November, when candidates who denied the 2020 election results did not fare well in competitive races, and point to polling that showed democracy was a highly motivating issue for voters in 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our task, our sacred task of our time, is to make sure that they change not for the worst but for the better, that democracy survives and thrives, not be smashed by a movement more interested in power than a principle,\" Biden said Thursday. \"It\'s up to us, the American people.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Like previous speeches the latest location was chosen for effect. It was near Arizona State University, which houses the McCain Institute, named after the late senator, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee who spent his public life denouncing autocrats around the globe.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden said that \"there is no question that today\'s Republican Party is driven and intimidated by MAGA extremists.\" He pointed to Trump\'s recent suggestion that Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is stepping down from his post on Friday, should be executed for allegedly treasonous betrayal of him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Although I don\'t believe even a majority of Republicans think that, the silence is deafening,\" Biden added. He also noted that Trump has previously questioned those who serve in the U.S. military calling \"service members suckers and losers. Was John a sucker?\" Biden asked, referring to McCain, who survived long imprisonment in Vietnam.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Then he got even more personal adding, \"Was my son, Beau — who lived next to a burn pit for a year and came home and died — was he a sucker for volunteering to serve his country?\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The late senator\'s wife, Cindy McCain, said the library, which is still to be built, grew out of bipartisan support from Biden, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and her predecessor, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. She called it \"a fitting legacy for my husband\" and recalled how the Bidens introduced her to her future husband decades ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I am so grateful for that,\" Cindy McCain said, her voice cracking.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later Thursday, the Treasury Department announced $83 million in federal funds to help construct the 83,000-square-foot library near Papago Park.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Republicans competing with Trump for their party\'s 2024 presidential nomination have largely avoided challenging his election falsehoods, and Biden said Thursday that voters can\'t let them get away with it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Democracy is not a partisan issue,\" he said. \"It\'s An American issue.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the speech, Biden spoke at an Arizona fundraiser for his reelection campaign. The attendees included Brittney Griner, the basketball star who was arrested last year at the airport in Moscow on drug-related charges and detained for nearly 10 months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A number of candidates who backed Trump\'s election lies and were running for statewide offices with some influence over elections — governor, secretary of state, attorney general — lost their midterm races in every presidential battleground state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Still, in few states does Biden\'s message of democracy resonate more than in Arizona, which became politically competitive during Trump\'s presidency after seven decades of Republican dominance. Biden\'s victory made the state a hotbed of efforts to overturn or cast doubt on the results, and some GOP candidates continue to deny basic facts on elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That\'s help reinforce other claims from Democrats about GOP extremism on other, separate issues, said Republican officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to candidly describe the party\'s election shortcomings last year. Though Trump-animated forces in the party dominate public attention, many Republican voters were concerned about other issues such as the economy and the border and did not want to focus on an election result that was two years old.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Republican state lawmakers used their subpoena power to obtain all the 2020 ballots and vote-counting machines from Maricopa County, then hired Trump supporters to conduct an unprecedented partisan review of the election. The widely mocked spectacleconfirmed Biden\'s victory but fueled unfounded conspiracy theories about the election and spurred an exodus of election workers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the midterms, voters up and down the ballot rejected Republican candidates who repeatedly denied the results of the 2020 election. But Kari Lake, the GOP gubernatorial candidate, has never conceded her loss to Hobbs and plans to launch a bid for the U.S. Senate. Last year, Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters and Mark Finchem, who ran for secretary of state, also repeated fraudulent election claims in their campaigns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., who defeated Masters, said the importance of defending democracy resonates not only with members of his own party but independents and moderate GOP voters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I met so many Republicans that were sick and tired of the lies about an election that was two years old,\" Kelly said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is seeking the Democratic nomination in next year\'s Senate race, said a democracy-focused message is particularly important to two critical blocs of voters in the state: Latinos and veterans, both of whom Gallego said are uniquely affected by election denialism and the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You know, we come from countries and experiences where democracy is very corrupt, and many of us are only one generation removed from that, but we\'re close enough to see how bad it can be,\" Gallego said. \"And so Jan. 6 actually was particularly jarring, I think, to Latinos.\" AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 07:08:18', '2023-09-29 07:08:18'),
(9394, 9394, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The first consignment of uranium, the nuclear fuel for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, is headed to Pabna’s Rooppur under special security arrangement.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The consignment crossed the Bangabandhu Bridge area at around 10am on Friday, said Superintendent of Tangail Police Sarker Mohammad Kaiser.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway remained suspended since early morning for security reasons, according to Tangail highway police.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite the inconvenience faced by regular commuters due to the traffic suspension, they did not endure any prolonged difficulties, as traffic swiftly resumed its normal flow following the passage of the convoy, said SP Kaiser.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The members of the security forces, including the police, were vigilant in ensuring the safety of the public, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first batch of fresh uranium, the nuclear fuel of the first unit of Rooppur nuclear power plant, has arrived at Dhaka airport yesterday in a special air cargo from Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to official sources said Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Aleksey Likhachev will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in Rooppur project on October 5.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to virtually join the function.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fuel was produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) in Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom\'s fuel manufacturing company Tevel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rosatom has been engaged in building the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) having two units, each capacity 1200 MW.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to project officials, the government is expecting to commission the first unit of the RNPP in September next year and second unit in mid of 2025. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 08:26:46', '2023-09-29 08:26:46'),
(9395, 9395, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s ICT Adviser and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy celebrated his mother\'s birthday by taking dinner in Virginia.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joy shared a photo on his verified facebook account where he wrote \"Ma\'s birthday dinner with the family at my golf club in Virginia\". Sheikh Hasina, Joy along with three other relatives are seen in the photo.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina is now in the USA as she attended the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York. After attending the UNGA, she went to Washington DC.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joy\'s photo showed the premier was in Virginia to allow her son to celebrate her birthday in a simple manner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, the eldest among the five children of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj on September 28 in 1947. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 08:34:53', '2023-09-29 08:34:53'),
(9396, 9396, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukrainian drone dropped explosives on a substation in a Russian village close to the border on Friday, cutting off the power supply to a hospital, the regional governor said.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Belaya, less than 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the border, \"a Ukrainian drone dropped two explosive devices on a substation\", Kursk regional governor Roman Starovoyt said on the messaging platform Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"One of the transformers caught fire. Five settlements and a hospital were cut off from power supply. Fire crews rushed to the scene,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Power will be restored as soon as it is safe to do so.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia earlier said it had destroyed two Ukrainian drones over the neighbouring Belgorod region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The defence ministry said the first drone was \"thwarted\" at about 5:00pm (1400 GMT) on Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A second drone was brought down around four hours later.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over Belgorod region by air defence systems on duty,\" the ministry said on Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Belgorod and Kursk, south of Moscow, border eastern Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since Ukraine launched its counter-offensive in early June, Russia has weathered waves of drone attacks that have sporadically damaged buildings, including in Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian officials have downplayed their significance. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 09:10:46', '2023-09-29 09:10:46'),
(9397, 9397, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Donald Trump never misses a chance to remind voters that he was the one to appoint three justices to the US Supreme Court who voted to ditch the federal right to an abortion.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But ask the 77-year-old what he thinks personally about abortion, and his position starts to shift, the self-declared \"most pro-life president in American history\" well aware of what a hardline stance might cost him at the polls.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump was evasive when asked repeatedly this month about introducing nationwide bans or limits on abortion -- as some of his Republican challengers have proposed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It could be state or it could be federal, I don\'t frankly care,\" the former president and current Republican front-runner said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few days later, he firmed up his position, saying he believed in exceptions for abortion bans including in cases of rape, incest or when the mother\'s life was in danger.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After all, he said, \"without exceptions, it is very difficult to win elections.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Not popular\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022 was the culmination of decades of Republican strategy, the gutting of federal abortion rights also kicked off a national backlash -- even among conservative voters who still wish for some access to abortion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two months after the Supreme Court decision, voters in Republican-dominated Kansas rejected a referendum that would have paved the way to ban the procedure in the state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Republicans have seen further electoral disappointments in New York, Wisconsin and Ohio.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And while Republicans won the House of Representatives in the 2022 midterms, their slim victory was blunted in part by women and young voters mobilized to protect abortion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think Trump understands that the (Supreme Court) decision is not popular, nor is the mainstream Republican position on abortion,\" political scientist Kyle Kondik told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"So Trump is looking ahead to the general election and trying to give himself some room to maneuver on the issue... But it\'s not going to be hard for Democrats to tie him to the unpopular (court) decision.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It wouldn\'t be the first time Trump held -- or at least professed -- a softer opinion on abortion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a 1999 interview, the real-estate magnate declared \"I\'m very pro-choice.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he now needs to win over the country\'s evangelical electorate, who delivered him to office in 2016 and remain a key part of his base, according to public opinion polling.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Explaining his comments\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While the end of Roe means that abortion regulation has returned to the state-level, most of Trump\'s Republican opponents have been pushing for federal restrictions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the number two in the Republican race, banned abortions after six weeks in his southern state -- before most women know they\'re pregnant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump called the Florida ban a \"terrible mistake.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I reject this idea that pro-lifers are to blame for midterm defeats,\" DeSantis declared at Wednesday\'s Republican debate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Instead, he argued that Trump -- who skipped the shouting match in light of his commanding lead in the polls -- \"should be here explaining his comments, to try to say that pro-life protections are somehow a terrible thing.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Trump versus Biden -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Democratic Party has not only enjoyed the Republican infighting, but also made abortion a central part of its campaigns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In conservative Kentucky, where the governorship is up for grabs this year, a striking ad puts pressure on Trump.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In it, a woman raped by her stepfather as a child blasts the state\'s abortion restrictions, saying that telling \"a 12-year-old girl she must have the baby of her stepfather, who raped her, is unthinkable.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kevin Munoz, a spokesman for Joe Biden\'s reelection campaign, is betting the Supreme Court decision will still be fresh in voters\' minds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Since Roe was overturned, Americans have rejected MAGA Republicans\' anti-abortion extremism,\" he said in a statement. \"And they\'ll do it again in 2024.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 09:49:08', '2023-09-29 09:49:08'),
(9398, 9398, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two people were killed and five others injured in a collision between a passenger bus and a battery-run easy bike on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Daserhat area under Muksudpur upazila of the district today.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Ranu Begum, 60, wife of Akmal Sheikh of Maheshpur village under Kashiani upazila and Hayat Sheikh,65, son of Abdul Haque of the same village.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident occurred when a Khulna-bound passenger bus of Dola Paribahan from Dhaka collided head-on with a battery-run easy bike coming from opposite direction, while overtaking another bus around 11:30am, leaving one passenger of the easy bike dead on the spot and six others injured, sub-inspector (SI) of Bhanga Highway Police Md. Abu Noman said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The injured were taken to Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex, where one of them succumbed to his injuries, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the condition of the injured is critical, they have been referred to different hospitals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Agitating locals set fire to the bus.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, police and fire service personnel reached the spot and brought the bus fire under control in 15 minutes. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 10:29:59', '2023-09-29 10:29:59'),
(9399, 9399, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Despite an ongoing diplomatic dispute, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that his country is committed to strengthening ties with India.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>His most recent comments come at a time when relations between the two countries are at an all-time low, reports BBC.</div><div><br></div><div>Tensions rose when Trudeau announced on September 19 that Canada was examining plausible accusations that India was involved in the death of a Sikh separatist leader.</div><div><br></div><div>The claim was rejected as “absurd” by Delhi.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, Hardeep Singh Nijjar was killed outside a temple in Canada.</div><div><br></div><div>Nijjar was vocal about the Khalistan movement.</div><div><br></div><div>On Thursday, Trudeau said it was essential to engage India \"constructively and seriously.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"India is a growing economic power and important geopolitical player. And as we presented our Indo-Pacific strategy just last year, we\'re very serious about building closer ties with India,\" the National Post quoted him as saying.</div><div><br></div><div>Tensions between the two countries became apparent during the G20 conference in Delhi on September 9 when Trudeau skipped an official leaders\' dinner, the BBC report said.</div><div><br></div><div>He had a brief meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but their body language was seen as \"frosty\" by experts, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>A few days later, Trudeau told the Canadian parliament that they were looking into possible allegations of Indian agents being involved in Nijjar\'s killing.</div><div><br></div><div>Both countries have since expelled a diplomat from each of the other. Last week, India also suspended visa services for Canadians, citing security concerns at its diplomatic missions in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Trudeau spoke about the significance of relations with India on Thursday, but emphasised that the murder inquiry would continue.</div><div><br></div><div>\"At the same time, obviously, as a rule of law country, we need to emphasise that India needs to work with Canada to ensure that we get the full facts of this matter,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>India has insisted that it had no role in the murder, adding that Nijjar had been designated a terrorist by Delhi in 2020 — an allegation his supporters vehemently deny, the report also said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian government has frequently reacted harshly to demands for Khalistan, or a separate Sikh nation, made by Sikh separatists in Western countries.</div><div>The US, UK, and Australia have urged Delhi to aid in the inquiry but have refrained from criticising India, which they consider as a bulwark against China\'s development in Asia. UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 10:58:44', '2023-09-29 10:58:44'),
(9400, 9400, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Shah Rukh Khan\'s Pathaan and Jawan are already blockbusters and the actor is now gearing up for the release of Rajkumar Hirani\'s Dunki. Amid speculation, it has now been confirmed that it\'s going to be Shah Rukh Khan vs Prabhas this Christmas as both their upcoming films will be released around the same time. Film trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan took to Twitter (X) to share the update about Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire\'s release date.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Salaar release date</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He tweeted, “BREAKING: Pan India Star Prabhas\' Salaar CONFIRMED to hit the BIG screens worldwide on 22 December 2023. Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire on December 22 (fire emoji). Clash with Shah Rukh Khan\'s Dunki. The date is so good that Prashanth Neel\'s Salaar will take historic opening of the year at the worldwide box office.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Due to some technical issues, Salaar\'s release date had been postponed. Earlier it was set to release on September 28. Now, it is releasing on December 22. Dunki has reportedly already booked its slot on Christmas on the same date, but the release date is yet to be announced.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">What Shar Rukh said about Dunki\'s release</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Recently, Shah Rukh held an \'Ask SRK\' session on X, and one of his fans asked him if Dunki will still hit the theatres on Christmas, despite clashing with Salaar. The X user had asked, \"Dunki ki realise date fix hai na (Dunki\'s release date is fixed)?\" To which the actor had replied, \"Dunki fixed hi hai. Aur kya karoon maathe pe gudwa loon (Yes it is fixed, should I get it tattooed on my head now?)\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, confirming the same, film trade analyst Taran Adarsh had tweeted, “Yes. It’s true… SRK Vs Prabhas, Dunki Vs Salaar this Christmas… The exhibitors have received a mail stating that #Salaar will arrive THIS CHRISTMAS [on 22 Dec 2023]… An official announcement by the producers, Hombale Films, will be made on Friday [29 Sept 2023].”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Touted to be an action thriller, the film marks the first collaboration between Prashanth Neel and Prabhas. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 11:19:43', '2023-09-29 11:19:43'),
(9401, 9401, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted more rains across the country, including in Dhaka, over 72 hours commencing from 9 am Friday amid a mild heat wave.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at most places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal and Chattogram divisions and at many places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy to very heavy falls at places over Southern part of the country” said a met office bulletin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, a mild heat wave is sweeping over Sylhet and Mymensingh divisions and the districts of Dhaka, Khulna, Kushtia, Faridpur, Tangail, Kishoregonj, Manikgong, Bogura, Sitakunda, Narayongong and Nilphamari and it may abate in some places, it read.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions and it may fall slightly elsewhere over the country and night temperature may fall slightly over the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the other hand, a low pressure area has formed over Northeast Bay an adjoining area. The axis of monsoon trough runs through Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Center of the low to Assam across southern part of Bangladesh. Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong elsewhere over North Bay, according to the bulletin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Highest rainfall in the country, 19 mm, was recorded in Rangamati in 24 hours till 6 am Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The highest temperature was recorded at 36 degrees Celsius in Nilphamari’s Syedpur while the lowest temperature was recorded at 23.5 degrees Celsius in Chattogram’s Sitakunda. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 12:17:03', '2023-09-29 12:17:03'),
(9402, 9402, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Speakers at a high-level panel discussion in London praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s leadership to encourage women in the maritime industry, including inducting women in the marine academy.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The event titled \'Empowering Women in Maritime and Oceans Diplomacy\' was organised by Bangladesh High Commission, London at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on Wednesday, said a press release received here today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">High Commissioner for Bangladesh to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, in her capacity of the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the IMO and the President of the Women in Diplomacy Network (WDN), London chaired the discussion participated and attended by over 100 delegates, including Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Permanent Representatives to the IMO, senior officials and experts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Highlighting the lower visibility of women in the global maritime industry, the High Commissioner said that among the 1.2 million certified seafarers worldwide, women represent only 1.28 percent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Similarly, women constitute only 2% of the crewing workforce in the cruise industry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Due to the Prime Minister\'s visionary leadership, over 100 female seafarers and mariners are recruited annually for a range of roles, including Navigation Officers, Marine Engineers, and even senior management positions such as Captain,\" Tasneem said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These transformative efforts have made a significant impact in promoting gender diversity in the traditionally male-dominated maritime industry, she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The envoy expressed the strong commitment of the WDN to working in close collaboration with the IMO Secretariat, fellow members of the IMO, the Women\'s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA International), Women in Maritime Associations (WIMAs), and leading shipping industry associations including BIMCO to promote gender equality and to amplify the voices of women in the maritime sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A documentary prepared by the Bangladesh High Commission, London on the contribution of women mariners and seafarers in Bangladesh as well as globally was shown at the event that drew special attention and praise from the participants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The panelists of the high level discussion included Dorota Lost Sieminska, Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, Dr. Farah Faizal, High Commissioner of Maldives to the UK, Sophie Kastrava, Ambassador and PR to the IMO for Georgia, Karen-Mae Hill OBE, High Commission for Antigua and Barbuda, Ambassador Nancy W Karigithu, Principal Secretary, State Department for Shipping and Maritime, Kenya, Ms Maryanne Adams, Technical Adviser of Marshall Island to IMO and Chair of IMO subcommittee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers, Fernanda Millicay, PR of Argentina to the IMO, Jared Banks, US PR to the IMO, Ms. Hayat Al Yabis, APR of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and Ms. Elizabeth Stewart, Editor of Embassy magazine London talked at the event. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'news desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-29 12:21:18', '2023-09-29 12:21:18'),
(9403, 9403, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail term suspension will have to be revoked first and she needs to go to jail again if she wants to go abroad for treatment.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She said this during an interview with the Bangla service of Voice of America (VoA) aired on Saturday (September 30, 2023).</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister, now on a visit to the US, responded to a number of questions on US Visa sanction, human rights, Khaleda’s treatment abroad, caretaker government, the constitution and other issues.</div><div><br></div><div>When asked about the possibility of reconsidering the decision to send Khaleda abroad for improved medical care, she said,&nbsp; “My question is, which country in the world can send a convicted criminal abroad for better treatment? Will any country allow it?”</div><div><br></div><div>“If they want to apply, they have to go to the court and take court permission. We have no authority over work of the judiciary,\" she stated, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“But yes, we have suspended her jail term, given permission to stay at home. And she is taking treatment now in the most expensive hospital in Bangladesh. If they need to go abroad, the permission to stay at home would first need to be revoked, she will need to return to prison again, and court. Only after obtaining court permission could she travel abroad,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-30 09:50:51', '2023-09-30 09:50:51'),
(9404, 9404, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A man in the US has been charged with leaking the tax returns of a \"high-ranking government official\" who is understood to be Donald Trump.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Prosecutors said Charles Littlejohn, a contractor for the IRS - the US-wide tax body - stole the information and passed it on to a news organisation.</div><div><br></div><div>He is also accused of stealing tax return information of \"thousands\" of the US\'s \"wealthiest individuals\".</div><div><br></div><div>The Department of Justice alleges this data was given to another outlet.</div><div><br></div><div>Court documents say the two news organisations published \"numerous articles\" based on this information.</div><div><br></div><div>Neither have been charged with any wrongdoing.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the court documents do not name the government official, a source has confirmed to the BBC\'s partner in the US, CBS News, that it is former president Donald Trump. According to BBC reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-30 10:15:21', '2023-09-30 10:15:21'),
(9405, 9405, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that residents of four regions illegally annexed by Russia in 2022 \"confirmed\" their will to join Russia in local elections.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine had saved people from nationalist leaders in Kyiv, who he claimed started a \"full-scale war.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Russia launched a full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022. Russian forces do not completely control any of the regions Putin claims were annexed and part of Russia. Western countries dismissed the outcomes as meaningless and illegal annexation, underpinned by mass coercion of voters.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Switzerland said it could fund demining efforts in Ukraine, despite its ban on arms exports to the country. Source: DW</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-30 10:40:50', '2023-09-30 10:40:50'),
(9406, 9406, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">After long research and trials at his nursery in Cumilla, some 100 km from Dhaka, Shamsul Alam started to bring tiny mango, jackfruit, and fig trees to the Gulf region. The efforts — and trees — have recently started to yield fruit, inspiring other Bangladeshi farmers to follow in his footsteps.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Alam began to export fruit saplings to Qatar in 2019, and soon also to the UAE and Oman.</div><div><br></div><div>“Since 2019, I have exported around 150,000 saplings to UAE, Qatar, and Oman,” he told Arab News. “All these plants are grown now and offer the taste of Bangladeshi fruits to Arabs. Bangladeshi fruit orchards are now seen in Qatar, Oman, and the UAE.”</div><div><br></div><div>He tapped into the market at the right moment, as in recent years afforestation programs have been gaining momentum in Gulf countries.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, Alam is focusing on mango trees and has already prepared several varieties at his Green World Nursery.</div><div><br></div><div>“Dubai ordered some Bangladeshi mango saplings from me. I have prepared 400 mango saplings with seven varieties of Bangladeshi mangoes, and these plants are ready now,” he said. “I hope to make the shipment in October.”</div><div><br></div><div>Dr. Reza Khan, principal wildlife specialist at Dubai Safari Park, who ordered the saplings from Alam, told Arab News that they will be planted in the Dubai desert as part of an “experimental” initiative.</div><div><br></div><div>“If rice can be grown in the desert, I hope that with proper care mangoes could be cultivated here as well,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>For Bangladeshi growers, the business has potential. While it costs them about $2 to prepare a tree sapling in nurseries in Bangladesh, they sell them in the Gulf market at a price about four times higher.</div><div><br></div><div>According to Bangladeshi government data, Qatar has been the largest export destination for Bangladeshi fruit saplings, but the UAE is quickly gaining pace.</div><div><br></div><div>“The UAE is a big potential ... Especially saplings of mangoes are very popular,” said Kamrul Hasan, commercial counselor at the Bangladeshi Consulate General of Bangladesh in Dubai.</div><div><br></div><div>He believes that the UAE could become a hub for Bangladeshi sapling trade, as exporters have already scored phytosanitary certificates and environmental clearances.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have been exporting saplings in larger volumes for the last four-five years,” Hasan told Arab News.</div><div><br></div><div>“A lot of nurseries are there in Bangladesh involved in this sapling business and they are very efficient in their work, supplying quality saplings to Middle Eastern countries.”</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammad Khadim, who has been exporting saplings to the UAE since last year, says the main competitors for Bangladeshi exporters are Pakistan and India, which have easier access to the Gulf.</div><div><br></div><div>“For us, it takes around one month to reach the ports in Gulf countries,” he said. “Our competitors require only one week.”</div><div><br></div><div>But he is not discouraged and already plans to expand business to Saudi Arabia, which under the Middle East Green Initiative targets the planting of 50 billion trees across the whole region.</div><div><br></div><div>“I am in discussion with some buyers from Saudi Arabia,” Khadim said. “I hope to get positive results in the near future.” According to Arab News reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-30 11:09:01', '2023-09-30 11:09:01'),
(9407, 9407, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has questioned the logic behind the visa sanction on Bangladesh by the United States even though&nbsp; her government has ensured all rights including the voting right of the people.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“We have ensured a proper environment for elections through movement, struggle. People are conscious about their right to franchise. We’ve done this. Now I don’t see any logic behind this sudden sanction,” she said in an interview with the Bangla service of Voice of America (VoA) aired on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today they (US) are imposing sanctions, may impose more sanctions in future…it is up to them. The rights of our country’s people---their voting right, fundamental rights and rights to live--we have ensured all those,” she said responding to a question on the US sanction and Bangladesh government’s efforts to strengthen friendly relations with the US.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>The prime minister, now on a visit to the US, responded to a number of questions on US Visa sanction, human rights, Khaleda’s treatment abroad, caretaker government, the constitution and other issues.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina said there is no problem if the US prevents the people\'s entry to the country as there are sufficient employment opportunities in Bangladesh now.</div><div><br></div><div>Pointing to human rights violation allegations she said members of law enforcement agencies whether it is RAB or police, are tried in Bangladesh according to the existing law if anyone does anything wrong.&nbsp; “No one is spared in the trial.”</div><div><br></div><div>“If they talk about human rights or voting rights, we, the Awami League has&nbsp; fought for the right to vote, the people of our country shed blood to establish their right to vote.&nbsp; We have taken all the necessary measures to ensure a fair and free election,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Narrating the development of the country, the prime minister said Bangladesh has now changed a lot in between 2099 and 2023.”It has not been in its previous state. There is no famine in Bangladesh. The unemployment rate has reduced, it now stands at 3 percent.”</div><div><br></div><div>“People now can eat whatever they want. Bangladesh is now digitalised. People have internet access. The country has been brought under wifi connection. Electricity is available at each house, roads and other infrastructures have been developed so that people can earn their livelihood, prioritizing vocational&nbsp; education. We have been working for the country,” she said, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“The people of our country are now more conscious about voting right. We had a demand for a fair and neutral election and we have established it through movements,” she added.</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-30 11:24:08', '2023-09-30 11:24:08');
