INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(406, 406, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka\'s parliamentary speaker said Friday that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa\'s resignation had been accepted after the leader fled the country earlier this week.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Gotabaya has legally resigned\" with effect from Thursday, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana told reporters, after Rajapaksa notified the speaker from Singapore he was stepping down. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 16:00:22', '2022-07-15 16:00:22'),
(408, 408, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s interim president Friday until Parliament elects a successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned after mass protests over the country’s economic collapse forced him from office.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament said Rajapaksa resigned as president effective Thursday and lawmakers will convene Saturday to choose a new leader. Their choice would serve out the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term ending in 2024, said Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana. He expects the process to be done in seven days.</div><div><br></div><div>That person could potentially appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament. With Rajapaksa done, pressure on Wickremesinghe was rising.</div><div><br></div><div>Opponents had viewed his appointment as prime minister in May as alleviating pressure on Rajapaksa to resign. He became the acting president when Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Rajapaksa arrived in Singapore on Thursday and his resignation became official on that date. The prime minister’s office said Wickremesinghe was sworn in Friday as interim president before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka has run short of money to pay for imports of basic necessities such as food, fertilizer, medicine and fuel, to the despair of its 22 million people. Its rapid economic decline has been all the more shocking because, before this crisis, the economy had been expanding, with a growing, comfortable middle class.</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters cooked and distributed milk rice — a food Sri Lankans enjoy to celebrate victories — after Rajapaksa’s resignation. At the main protest site in front of the president’s office in Colombo, people welcomed his resignation but insisted Wickremesinghe also should step aside.</div><div><br></div><div>“I am happy that Gotabaya has finally left. He should have resigned earlier, without causing much problems,” Velauynatha Pillai, 73, a retired bank employee, said as patriotic songs were blaring from loudspeakers.</div><div><br></div><div>But he added that “Ranil is a supporter of Gotabaya and other Rajapaksas. He was helping them. He also must go.”</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters who had occupied government buildings retreated Thursday, restoring a tenuous calm in the capital, Colombo. But with the political opposition in Parliament fractured, a solution to Sri Lanka’s many woes seemed no closer.</div><div><br></div><div>The nation is seeking help from the International Monetary Fund and other creditors, but its finances are so poor that even obtaining a bailout has proven difficult, Wickremesinghe recently said.</div><div><br></div><div>The country remains a powder keg, and the military warned Thursday that it had powers to respond in case of chaos — a message some found concerning.</div><div><br></div><div>Abeywardana promised a swift and transparent process for electing a new president.</div><div><br></div><div>“I request the honorable and loving citizens of this country to create a peaceful atmosphere in order to implement the proper Parliamentary democratic process and enable all members of Parliament to participate in the meetings and function freely and conscientiously,” he said Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful political family of siphoning money from government coffers for years and of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowledged that some of his policies contributed to Sri Lanka’s meltdown.</div><div><br></div><div>Maduka Iroshan, 26, a university student and protester, said he was “thrilled” that Rajapaksa had quit, because he “ruined the dreams of the young generation.”</div><div><br></div><div>Months of protests reached a frenzied peak over the weekend when demonstrators stormed the president’s home and office and Wickremesinghe’s official residence. On Wednesday, they seized his office.</div><div><br></div><div>Images of protesters inside the buildings — lounging on elegant sofas and beds, posing at officials’ desks and touring the opulent settings — captured the world’s attention.</div><div><br></div><div>The demonstrators initially vowed to stay until a new government was in place, but they shifted tactics Thursday, apparently concerned that an escalation in violence could undermine their message following clashes outside the Parliament that left dozens injured.</div><div><br></div><div>“The fear was that there could be a crack in the trust they held for the struggle,” said Nuzly, a protest leader who goes by one name. “We’ve shown what power of the people can do, but it doesn’t mean we have to occupy these places.”</div><div><br></div><div>Closing the gate to the presidential palace after the crowds cleared out was bittersweet, said Visaka Jayaweer, a performing artist.</div><div><br></div><div>“Taking over his residence was a great moment. It showed just how much we wanted him to step down. But it is also a great relief” to leave, she said. “We were worried if people would act out — many were angry to see the luxury he had been living in when they were outside, struggling to buy milk for their children.”</div><div><br></div><div>Rajapaksa and his wife slipped away in the night aboard a military plane early Wednesday. On Thursday, he went to Singapore, according to the city-state’s Foreign Ministry. It said he had not requested asylum.</div><div><br></div><div>Since Sri Lankan presidents are protected from arrest while in power, Rajapaksa likely wanted to leave while he still had constitutional immunity and access to the plane.</div><div><br></div><div>The protests underscored the dramatic fall of the Rajapaksa political clan that has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades.</div><div><br></div><div>A military strategist whose brutal campaign helped end the country’s 26-year civil war, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, who was president at the time, were hailed by the island’s Buddhist Sinhalese majority. Despite accusations of wartime atrocities, including ordering military attacks on ethnic Tamil civilians and abducting journalists, Rajapaksa remained popular among many Sri Lankans. He has continually denied the allegations.</div><div><br></div><div>It was not immediately clear if Singapore would be Rajapaksa’s final destination, but he has previously sought medical care there, including undergoing heart surgery. -ap</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 20:36:54', '2022-07-15 20:36:54'),
(409, 409, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ivana Trump, Donald Trump\'s first wife and the mother of three of his children, has died aged 73.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life,\" Mr Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social.</div><div><br></div><div>Ms Trump, who was born in what is now the Czech Republic, married the former president in 1977. They divorced 15 years later in 1992.</div><div><br></div><div>They had three children together - Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric Trump.</div><div><br></div><div>Police believe the cause of death may be accidental, according to the Associated Press.</div><div><br></div><div>Sources told the news agency Ms Trump was found unconscious near a staircase at her New York City home, and it is believed she may have fallen.</div><div><br></div><div>Ivana Trump: Immigrant who became a US institution</div><div>Donald and Ivana Trump were notable public figures in New York in the 1980s and 1990s, and their split was the subject of intense public interest.</div><div><br></div><div>After their separation, Ms Trump went on to launch her own lines of beauty products, clothing and jewellery.</div><div><br></div><div>She took credit for bringing up their children in her 2017 memoir Raising Trump, saying she \"made the decisions about their education, activities, travel, child care, and allowances\" until college.</div><div><br></div><div>In the book, she added that her relationship with Mr Trump had improved since their divorce, and said she spoke to him about once a week.</div><div><br></div><div>The Trump family lauded her in a statement as \"a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Ivana Trump was a survivor. She fled from communism and embraced this country,\" the statement added. \"She taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ivanka Trump, who was said to be very close to her mother, said in an Instagram post she was \"heartbroken\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Mom was brilliant, charming, passionate and wickedly funny. She modelled strength, tenacity and determination in her every action. She lived life to the fullest - never forgoing an opportunity to laugh and dance,\" she wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Trump was Ivana\'s second husband. Her first, Alfred Winklmayr, was an Austrian ski instructor and friend who she reportedly married in order to obtain Austrian citizenship.</div><div><br></div><div>That marriage allowed her to leave her communist home country - which was then Czechoslovakia - without defecting.</div><div><br></div><div>A long-time skier, Ms Trump is said to have skied competitively in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>But Mr Trump\'s claims that she was an alternate on the 1972 Winter Olympics team were refuted in 1989 by a local Olympic official.</div><div><br></div><div>While living in Canada in the 1970s, she worked as a ski instructor and model.</div><div><br></div><div>On a work trip to New York City in 1976, she met Mr Trump while with a group of models. They were married the following year and quickly became a tabloid fixture.</div><div><br></div><div>Over the course of their marriage, Ms Trump held several roles within the Trump Organization, including as manager of the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan.</div><div><br></div><div>But Mr Trump reportedly locked her out of her office at the hotel in 1990 as they sparred over four pre-nuptial agreements.</div><div><br></div><div>When the divorce settlement was finalised in 1992, Ms Trump had signed a non-disclosure agreement but also received $14m (£11.8m) and a mansion in Connecticut among other things.</div><div><br></div><div>She was also married twice more: to Italian businessman Riccardo Mazzucchelli, from 1995-97; and to Italian actor Rossano Rubicondi, from 2008-09.</div><div><br></div><div>Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani wrote on Twitter that Ms Trump was \"a truly talented, creative and beautiful person\", who had \"contributed greatly\" to his city.</div><div><br></div><div>\"She lived the American Dream,\" said Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a top Trump ally.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2017, Ms Trump told ABC\'s Good Morning America that she didn\'t want to make Mr Trump\'s current wife Melania jealous by calling him at the White House. \"I\'m basically first Trump wife. OK? I\'m first lady,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>It was one of many memorable quotes from the former model. In a cameo role in the 1996 movie The First Wives Club, she told disgruntled divorcees: \"Ladies, you have to be strong and independent. And remember, don\'t get mad, get everything.\" -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 20:43:03', '2022-07-15 20:43:03'),
(410, 410, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A man discharged over the bombing of a 1985 Air India flight has been killed in a suspected targeted shooting in Canada, police say.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Ripudaman Singh Malik was shot dead in his car in Surrey, British Columbia, and police found a burnt-out vehicle nearby.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Malik denied involvement in the terror attack that killed 329 people.</div><div><br></div><div>He was acquitted in 2005 but police were accused of having bungled the investigation.</div><div><br></div><div>The bombings - widely believed to have been carried out by Canadian-based Sikhs in retaliation for India\'s deadly 1984 storming of the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion - remain Canada\'s deadliest terror attack.</div><div><br></div><div>Following a two-year trial, Mr Malik, a Sikh businessman and co-accused Ajaib Singh Bagri were acquitted of mass murder and conspiracy charges related to the two bombings.</div><div><br></div><div>Canadian police have said they are still working to determine the motive behind the targeted killing of Mr Malik.</div><div><br></div><div>Air India flight 182 from Canada to India blew up off the Irish coast, killing all 329 people on board - most of them Canadian citizens visiting relatives in India - on 23 June 1985.</div><div><br></div><div>About the same time, a second bomb exploded prematurely in Japan, killing two baggage handlers.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Bagri and Mr Malik were accused of planting the bombs on board the plane.</div><div><br></div><div>But the prosecution case turned on the reliability of key prosecution witnesses, who claimed the accused had privately confessed to involvement in the bombing. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 20:51:37', '2022-07-15 20:51:37'),
(411, 411, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three people were killed while several others, including a child, were injured in a head-on collision between a motorcycle and a car on Konabari Flyover in Gazipur on Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The deceased are Raju Mia, 30, who was in the car, motorcyclist Shaheen, 32, and his friend Shamim, 31. Both Shaheen and Shamim were garment workers.</div><div><br></div><div>Konabari police station OC Abu Bakar Siddique said Shaheen and Shamim had died on the spot, while some people in the car, including Raju and his two-year-old daughter Raisa, had sustained injuries.</div><div><br></div><div>Locals took them to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, where the doctor on duty declared Raju dead.</div><div><br></div><div>Raisa, who had been critically injured, was given first aid and taken to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor) in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 20:57:29', '2022-07-15 20:57:29'),
(412, 412, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A pricier US dollar jeopardises the government\'s plan to cool off the local rice market through imports as traders are not showing any interest in bringing in the food staple from the international market.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Rice traders say imported rice would cost at least Tk5 more per kg than the local produce thanks to a strong greenback and high import duty.</div><div><br></div><div>Neighbouring India accounts for 80% of Bangladesh\'s rice imports through private channels. According to importers, the price of the crop has not gone up in the Indian market though the Russia-Ukraine war triggered a record price surge in the global food market.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Rice prices in India did not spiral, but rather dropped slightly as the dollar went up. This will not hurt exporters, but it appears to be an issue for those who import,\" Shahidur Rahman Patwari, an importer and vice-president of the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association, told The Business Standard.</div><div><br></div><div>In the first week of July, Shahidur obtained government approval to import 7,000 tonnes of rice. But he is yet to open a letter of credit for it.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The dollar is now at Tk98 – it was Tk84-85 last year – causing rice import to cost around Tk6 more per kg,\" the importer said on 6 July.</div><div><br></div><div>According to importers, the price of BR-28, a medium-fine rice variety, is at $430-435 or Tk42,630 per tonne in India. There is a 25% import duty plus additional import processing charges. Ultimately, the price of the rice in the local market will stand at Tk54 per kg, while the locally produced variety is now selling for Tk48-Tk49 at mill gates.</div><div><br></div><div>Similarly, imported coarse rice costs Tk48 per kg while locally produced varieties are at Tk43 a kg.</div><div><br></div><div>Traders say besides India they can source rice from Vietnam, Thailand and Pakistan. But these alternatives cost even more.</div><div><br></div><div>Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman, senior assistant secretary (External Procurement) at the Ministry of Food, told TBS that some 218 private importers have been permitted to import 6.55 lakh tonnes of rice as of 6 July.</div><div><br></div><div>Millers say many of them obtained the permission, and rice can be imported from India within a week. But no one is stepping up for fear of losses.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the food stock report of the food ministry, no rice was imported from 1 July 2022 to 5 July 2022. However, import permissions have been issued since the last week of June.</div><div><br></div><div>The authorities issued permissions to 415 importers to bring in around 17 lakh tonnes of rice in late 2021. But only 3.31 lakh tonnes of the crop were imported as costs had been ticking up.</div><div><br></div><div>Food Secretary Md Ismiel Hossain said the government would allow 10 lakh tonnes of rice import initially. After verifying the impact on the local market, another 7 lakh tonnes might be allowed to be imported later.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Our main objective is to increase supply. That is why we have to import,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder expressed concern that rice production may decline this year due to natural calamities. However, the agriculture ministry claims that production will surpass the previous year\'s 1.98 lakh tonne rice yield.</div><div><br></div><div>The government is now purchasing paddy and rice at the grassroots level to boost its food stock. However, procurement of paddy, parboiled and sun-dried rice is still far below the annual target.</div><div><br></div><div>At a food ministry meeting around a month ago, worries that procurement might miss the targets this year were voiced.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 21:58:56', '2022-07-15 21:58:56'),
(413, 413, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Manchester United have agreed a £63.5m deal with Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong but there is still no guarantee the move will go ahead.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Senior club figures have travelled to Barcelona to try to push through a deal for the Netherlands midfielder, 25.</div><div><br></div><div>They now know what they have to pay for manager Erik ten Hag\'s key target, with the agreed deal equating to a bigger up-front payment and £8.5m in add-ons.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the player\'s dispute with Barcelona is threatening the move.</div><div><br></div><div>The contractual disagreement centres on deferred payments that were included in the playmaker\'s new four-year deal that only became active on 1 July.</div><div><br></div><div>There have been widespread reports in Spain that Barcelona have told De Jong he needs to leave for financial reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the former Ajax player knows the Catalan must honour his contract if he chooses to remain at the Nou Camp and he is understood to be reluctant to leave without an agreement over his exit terms, which would take into account the deferred payments.</div><div><br></div><div>United have alternatives should De Jong not join but are willing to give the situation more time to resolve itself before taking an alternative course.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile the club are also still unsure if Cristiano Ronaldo will return to pre-season training.</div><div><br></div><div>Confirmation that Chelsea are no longer interested in signing the 37-year-old has reduced his options away from Old Trafford. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 22:09:37', '2022-07-15 22:09:37'),
(414, 414, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Thirty-one more dengue patients were hospitalized in 24 hours till Friday morning amid a rise in the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Among them, 30 patients were hospitalized in Dhaka, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>As many as 186 dengue patients, including 145 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The dengue cases are rising in the capital allegedly due to insufficient measures taken by the two Dhaka city corporations to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.</div><div><br></div><div>On June 21, the DGHS reported the first death of the season from the mosquito-borne viral disease.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, the DGHS has recorded 1,610 dengue cases and 1,423 recoveries so far.</div><div><br></div><div>Although dengue – a leading cause of severe illness and death in some Asian and Latin American countries – was first reported in Bangladesh in 1964, the first epidemic occurred in 2000, claiming 93 lives that year. It has since become endemic in the country, with outbreaks recorded every year since.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Although the number of deaths from the virus fell almost near zero for a three-year period at one point, its most fatal year yet was in 2019, when 179 died experiencing the severe form of the disease.</div><div><br></div><div>When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it seemed to take a backseat, as only three deaths were reported from dengue that year.</div><div><br></div><div>However, 105 dengue patients, including 95 in Dhaka division, died in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.</div><div><br></div><div>About four billion people, almost half of the world\'s population, live in areas with a risk of dengue, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</div><div><br></div><div>Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue while approximately 100 million get sick from infection, and 40,000 die from severe dengue, it says.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue. Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1%,\" according to the World Health Organization.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 23:16:44', '2022-07-15 23:16:44'),
(415, 415, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Seven more Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims died in Saudi Arabia during this year\'s pilgrimage. Of them, six were male and one female.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With the seven, a total of 19 Bangladeshi pilgrims died so far in Saudi Arabia during this year\'s hajj, Hajj Management Portal, Religious Affairs Ministry said in its website.</div><div><br></div><div>For all latest news, follow The Daily Star\'s Google News channel.</div><div>In between July 4 to July 14, seven Bangladeshi hajjis have died. Nothing was mentioned on the website about the cause of their death.</div><div><br></div><div>Mustafigur Rahman, 61, (Pilgrim ID No 1295098 and Passport No. A03491229) from Tangail and Md Azizul Haque, 65, (Pilgrim ID No 1055075 and Passport No EE0567425) hailing from Daulatpur, Kushtia passed away yesterday.</div><div><br></div><div>Shahjahan Siraj, 58, (Pilgrim ID No 0122052 and Passport No EG0802182, from Nachole, Chapainawabganj and Foyzur Rahman, 50, (Pilgrim ID No 0576033 and Passport No BY0547889) from Sylhet expired on July 13.</div><div><br></div><div>Sirina Akhter, 60, (Pilgrim ID No 0512006 and Passport No EF0852839), from Brahmanbaria Sadar, died on July 7, Abdul Mottalib, 58, (Pilgrim ID No 1088246 and Passport No BT0686710) hailing from Sapahar, Naogaon died on July 4 and Rafiqul Islam, 52, (Pilgrim ID No 0142070 and Passport No EF0420040) from Naogaon, died on July 3.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 23:51:07', '2022-07-15 23:51:07'),
(416, 416, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Julianne Moore will preside over the main jury of the Venice Film Festival’s upcoming 79th edition.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Oscar-winning U.S. actor, who most recently starred in A24’s “When You Finish Saving the World,” directed by Jesse Eisenberg, and will next appear in Benjamin Caron-directed “Sharper,” alongside Sebastian Stan and John Lithgow, also from A24, is a longtime Venice regular.</div><div><br></div><div>Moore was last on the Lido with George Clooney-directed “Suburbicon” in 2017. She won the Venice Coppa Volpi acting award in 2002 for “Far From Heaven,” directed by Todd Haynes.</div><div><br></div><div>Moore, who won an Oscar for “Still Alice,” is the first American woman to be awarded top acting prizes in all of Europe’s top fests. In addition to Venice, the actor was awarded in Berlin for Stephen Daldry’s “The Hours” in 2003, and in Cannes for David Cronenberg’s “Map to the Stars.”</div><div><br></div><div>Moore will head a seven-member jury panel with three women and four men that also comprises French director Audrey Diwan, winner of last year’s Venice Golden Lion for abortion drama “Happening,” and Iranian actor Leila Hatami who broke out globally with Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation.”</div><div><br></div><div>British author and screenwriter Kazuo Ishiguro (“Never Let Me Go”); Italian director Leonardo di Costanzo, who was in Venice last year with prison drama “The Inner Cage”; Argentina’s Mariano Cohn, also in Venice last year with comedy “Official Competition” starring Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas; and Spanish director and producer Rodrigo Sorogoyen, whose film “Mother” screened in Venice’s Horizons section in 2019, round off the Venice jury panel.</div><div><br></div><div>Venice’s 79th edition will run Aug. 31-Sept. 10. The lineup will be announced on July 26. -variety</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"3\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 23:58:45', '2022-07-15 23:58:45'),
(417, 417, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pop star Ferdous Wahid is undergoing treatment in a hospital, after suffering from a heart attack. The artiste suffered from a cardiac arrest, late last night.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The news was affirmed by his cousin, Tayeba Nabi Tannu.</div><div><br></div><div>He is now undergoing treatment at the capital\'s BIRDEM hospital. He is now in the observation of the doctors, and is said to be doing better at the moment.</div><div><br></div><div>The renowned artiste had previously suffered from Covid-19, in the year 2020.</div><div><br></div><div>The 69-year-old musician also suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes for years.</div><div><br></div><div>Ferdous Wahid is a legend in Bangladesh\'s pop music industry, with a career that spans five decades. He is one of the voices responsible for the popularisation of Pop in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>He sang timeless classics like \"Mamonia\", \"Age Jodi Jantam\", \"Neel Jochona\" and \"Bhalo Lage\".</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 01:18:20', '2022-07-16 01:18:20'),
(418, 418, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said work on installing rail tracks on Padma Bridge would begin next month.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He made the statements while inspecting progress of the “Padma Bridge Rail Link Project” at Munshiganj’s Mawa on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Padma Bridge Rail Link is scheduled to be completed by June 2024. To complete the project as quickly as possible, it has been divided into three sections - Dhaka to Mawa, Mawa to Bhanga and Bhanga to Jessore.\"</div><div><br></div><div>So far, 61% of the rail link project has been completed, according to the minister, reports Bangla Tribune.</div><div><br></div><div>“It will be possible to complete the work up to Bhanga by June 2023. The Padma Bridge rail link project is among the 10 priority projects of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Director General of Bangladesh Railway Dhirendra Nath Majumder, Chief Coordinator of the project Major General FM Zahid Hossain, Project Director Mohammad Afzal Hossain and others were present at the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 01:22:29', '2022-07-16 01:22:29'),
(419, 419, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has become a fallen political party after being repeatedly rejected by the country’s people.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Avoiding the path of politics, BNP leaders are trying to capture the state power through conspiracy,” he said in a statement issued to condemn and protest the misleading remarks of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the people have never responded to the call of the BNP’s movement but the BNP leaders are still daydreaming to wage a movement against the government.</div><div><br></div><div>“The BNP never considers the people as the source of power. But they continue their ill-efforts to implement intrigues by misleading the people aiming to gain their political interest,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to the allegation of Fakhrul that the fascist ruling is now prevailing in the country, the Awami League general secretary said the BNP is the founder of fascist reign and politics in this country.</div><div><br></div><div>He said military dictator Ziaur Rahman, who grabbed the state power through killing-coup-plot, violating the country’s constitution, had introduced fascism in the country’s politics.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader said following the footsteps of Ziaur Rahman, his successor Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman tried to annihilate the Awami League through a terrible grenade attack on August 21 in 2004.</div><div><br></div><div>The Awami League is firmly committed to establishing the rule of law in the country as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ensured the culture of justice, overcoming the country’s long culture of impunity, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>At the same time, the road transport and bridges minister said, multidimensional measures were implemented to establish an independent judiciary here. -bss</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 01:27:44', '2022-07-16 01:27:44'),
(420, 420, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Manchester United have signed Christian Eriksen on a free transfer with the Danish playmaker signing a three-year deal, the Premier League club announced Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Eriksen, who needed life-saving treatment on the pitch last year when he suffered a near-fatal cardiac arrest in a European Championship match against Finland in June, returned to action with Brentford after signing a short-term deal in January.</div><div><br></div><div>Eriksen is United\'s second recruit in the close season under new Dutch manager Erik ten Hag after the club signed Dutch left back Tyrell Malacia.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"United are a special club and I cannot wait to get started. I have had the privilege of playing at Old Trafford many times but to do it in the red shirt of United will be an amazing feeling,\" Eriksen said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I have seen Erik\'s work at Ajax and know the level of detail and preparation that he and his staff put into every day. It is clear that he is a fantastic coach.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Having spoken with him and learned more about his vision and the way he wants the team to play, I am even more excited for the future.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Eriksen was an Inter Milan player when he collapsed and underwent surgery to be fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator device - which is not permitted in the Italian Serie A - leading to the termination of his contract.</div><div><br></div><div>After signing for Brentford, he made 11 league appearances under Danish coach Thomas Frank, scoring a goal and providing four assists as Brentford finished 13th in their first season in the Premier League.</div><div><br></div><div>He is no stranger to the Premier League, however, having spent nearly seven seasons with Tottenham Hotspur, making more than 300 appearances in all competitions for the London side.</div><div><br></div><div>He also resumed his Denmark career, scoring against Serbia on his return to the Parken Stadium where he had collapsed.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I still have major ambitions in the game, there is a huge amount that I know I can achieve, and this is the perfect place to continue my journey,\" Eriksen added.</div><div><br></div><div>United, who finished sixth last season and failed to qualify for the Champions League, kick off the new Premier League season with a home game against Brighton and Hove Albion on Aug. 7. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"16\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 01:33:21', '2022-07-16 01:33:21'),
(421, 421, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">U.S. President Joe Biden promised on Friday not to give up efforts to end the decades-long Israeli Palestinian conflict, though he offered no new proposals to restart the stalled political dialogue between the two sides.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>As he wrapped up the first leg of a Middle Eastern trip before departing for Saudi Arabia, Biden visited a hospital in East Jerusalem and pledged a multi-year $100 million package of financial and technical help.</div><div><br></div><div>But after a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank town of Bethlehem, he acknowledged that the creation of an independent Palestinian state remained a distant prospect.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Even if the ground is not ripe at this moment to restart negotiations, the United States and my administration will not give up on trying to bring the Palestinians and Israelis and both sides closer together,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Abbas said prospects for a two-state solution to the conflict, the model favoured by the United States and world bodies including the United Nations, were receding and the opportunity \"may not remain for a long time\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Is it not time for this occupation to end?\" Abbas said.</div><div><br></div><div>He reiterated demands that the United States open a consulate in East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the capital of a future independent state, remove the Palestine Liberation Organization from a list of terrorist groups and allow it to re-open an office in Washington.</div><div><br></div><div>He also asked for U.S. support to bring to justice the killers of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American citizen who was killed during an Israeli raid on the West Bank city of Jenin.</div><div><br></div><div>Abbas repeated the Palestinian demand for East Jerusalem to become their capital, although a White House statement said the U.S. had not changed its position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and that its specific boundaries would have to be negotiated by the two sides.</div><div><br></div><div>U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the two leaders discussed the consulate issue and said the administration did want to re-open the consulate closed by former President Donald Trump, which is located in the west of the city. But no public announcements were made on the trip.</div><div><br></div><div>Before his visit, Palestinian leaders had accused Biden of prioritizing Israel\'s integration into a regional security arrangement with Arab countries above their concerns, including self-determination and continued Israeli settlement building in the West Bank, occupied after a war in 1967.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Palestinians are hurting\"</div><div><br></div><div>Biden acknowledged that after years of failed attempts to resolve the conflict, Palestinians living under onerous restrictions in the occupied West Bank and Gaza were suffering.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The Palestinian people are hurting now, you can just feel it,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>As well as the money for East Jerusalem hospitals, he will announce measures to upgrade telecoms networks in the West Bank and Gaza to 4G standards by the end of 2023, and other measures to ease travel between the West Bank and neighbouring Jordan.</div><div><br></div><div>There will be a separate $201 million funding package provided through UN relief agency UNRWA to help Palestinian refugees.</div><div><br></div><div>Before departing, Biden visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to show support for Christians \"who face challenges across the region,\" the White house said.</div><div><br></div><div>But the atmosphere that greeted Biden in the occupied West Bank was very different from the warm reception he received in Israel, where he was greeted as an old friend and awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor.</div><div><br></div><div>As he was driven to the presidential palace in Bethlehem, signs saying \"Mr President, this is apartheid\" could be seen along the route, a reference to the accusation by local and international rights groups that Israel\'s West Bank occupation has created an apartheid system.</div><div><br></div><div>In Bethlehem, a large banner reading \"Justice for Shireen\" was spread out, and a seat symbolically left empty for the Al Jazaeera journalist by former colleagues covering the meeting with Abbas.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden said the United States would continue to seek accountability for her death. U.S. authorities have concluded that she was probably killed by an Israeli soldier though they say they have no reason to believe the killing was intentional.</div><div><br></div><div>Many Palestinians accuse Israel of assassinating Abu Akleh, a charge Israel rejects. Israel says it is still investigating her killing. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 02:10:10', '2022-07-16 02:10:10'),
(422, 422, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">NASA and Russia\'s space agency Roscosmos have signed a long-sought agreement to integrate flights to the International Space Station, allowing Russian cosmonauts to fly on U.S.-made spacecraft in exchange for American astronauts being able to ride on Russia\'s Soyuz, the agencies said Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The agreement is in the interests of Russia and the United States and will promote the development of cooperation within the framework of the ISS program,\" Roscosmos said in a statement, adding it will facilitate the \"exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes.\"</div><div><br></div><div>NASA and Roscosmos, the two-decade-old space station\'s core partners, have sought for years to renew routine integrated crewed flights as part of the agencies\' long-standing civil alliance, now one of the last links of cooperation between the United States and Russia as tensions flare over the war in Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>The first integrated flights under the new agreement will come in September, NASA said, with U.S. astronaut Frank Rubio launching to the space station from the Moscow-leased Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan alongside two cosmonauts, Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin.</div><div><br></div><div>In exchange, cosmonaut Anna Kikina will join two U.S. astronauts and a Japanese astronaut on a SpaceX Crew Dragon flight to the orbital laboratory, launching from NASA\'s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.</div><div><br></div><div>The two agencies had previously shared astronaut seats on the U.S. shuttle and the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.</div><div><br></div><div>After the shuttle\'s retirement in 2011, the U.S. relied on Russia\'s Soyuz for sending American astronauts to the space station until 2020, when SpaceX\'s Crew Dragon capsule revived NASA\'s human spaceflight capability and began routine ISS flights from Florida.</div><div><br></div><div>Kikina, an engineer and the only woman in Russia\'s active cosmonaut corps, is set to be the first Russian to fly SpaceX\'s Crew Dragon capsule. She has been training for the mission at NASA\'s astronaut headquarters in Houston while the agreement was under negotiation.</div><div><br></div><div>The U.S. space agency has said having at least one Russian and one American aboard the space station is crucial to keeping the laboratory running.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Flying integrated crews ensures there are appropriately trained crew members on board the station for essential maintenance and spacewalks,\" NASA said in a statement on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Shortly before the agreement was announced, President Vladimir Putin replaced the head of Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, with Yuri Borisov, a former deputy prime minister and deputy defense minister. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"18\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 02:15:44', '2022-07-16 02:15:44');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(423, 423, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lankan lawmakers met Saturday to begin choosing a new leader to serve the rest of the term abandoned by the president who fled abroad and resigned after mass protests over the country\'s economic collapse.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A day earlier, Sri Lanka\'s prime minister was sworn in as interim president until Parliament elects a successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, whose term ends in 2024.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana promised a swift and transparent political process that should be done within a week.</div><div><br></div><div>The new president could appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>Parliament\'s secretary general, Dhammika Dasanayake, said during a brief session on Saturday that nominations for the election of the new president will be heard on Tuesday and if there is more than one candidate, the lawmakers will vote on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Dasanayake also read Gotabaya\'s resignation letter out loud in Parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>In the letter, Rajapaksa says he was stepping down following requests by the people of Sri Lanka and political party leaders. He notes that the economic crisis was looming even when he took office in 2019 and was aggravated by frequent lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>Security around the Parliament building in the capital, Colombo, was heightened on Saturday with armed masked soldiers on guard and roads near the building closed to the public.</div><div><br></div><div>In a televised statement on Friday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he would initiate steps to change the constitution to curb presidential powers and strengthen Parliament, restore law and order and take legal action against \"insurgents.\"</div><div><br></div><div>It was unclear to whom he was referring, although he said true protesters would not have gotten involved in clashes Wednesday night near Parliament, where many soldiers reportedly were injured.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is a big difference between protesters and insurgents. We will take legal action against insurgents,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe became acting president after Rajapaksa fled Sri Lanka on Wednesday and flew first to the Maldives and then to Singapore. Many protesters insisted that Wickremesinghe too should step aside.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Sri Lanka\'s opposition leader, who is seeking the presidency, vowed to \"listen to the people\" and to hold Rajapaksa accountable.</div><div><br></div><div>In an interview with The Associated Press from his office, Sajith Premadasa said that if he wins the election in Parliament, he would ensure that \"an elective dictatorship never, ever occurs\" in Sri Lanka.</div><div><br></div><div>\"That\'s what we should do. That is our function — catching those who looted Sri Lanka. That should be done through proper constitutional, legal, democratic procedures,\" Premadasa said.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka has run short of money to pay for imports of basic necessities such as food, fertilizer, medicine and fuel for its 22 million people. Its rapid economic decline has been all the more shocking because, before this crisis, the economy had been expanding, with a growing, comfortable middle class.</div><div><br></div><div>The protests underscored the dramatic fall of the Rajapaksa political clan that has ruled Sri Lanka for most of the past two decades.</div><div><br></div><div>The Rev. Jeewantha Peiris, a Catholic priest and protest leader, said the country had \"come through a hard journey.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are happy as a collective effort because this struggle of Sri Lanka was participated by all the citizens of Sri Lanka, even diaspora of Sri Lanka,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka remains a powder keg, and the military warned Thursday that it had powers to respond in case of chaos — a message some found ominous.</div><div><br></div><div>The speaker urged the public to \"create a peaceful atmosphere\" for the democratic process and for Parliament to \"function freely and conscientiously.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka is seeking help from the International Monetary Fund and other creditors, but its finances are so poor that even obtaining a bailout has proven difficult, Wickremesinghe recently said.</div><div><br></div><div>The protesters accuse Rajapaksa and his powerful political family of siphoning money from government coffers and of hastening the country\'s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowledged that some of his policies contributed to Sri Lanka\'s meltdown.</div><div><br></div><div>Maduka Iroshan, 26, a university student and protester, said he was \"thrilled\" that Rajapaksa had quit, because he \"ruined the dreams of the young generation.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Months of protests reached a frenzied peak last weekend when demonstrators stormed the president\'s home and office and Wickremesinghe\'s official residence. On Wednesday, they seized his office.</div><div><br></div><div>The demonstrators initially vowed to stay until a new government was in place, but they shifted tactics Thursday, apparently concerned that an escalation in violence could undermine their message following clashes outside Parliament that left dozens injured.</div><div><br></div><div>Protester Mirak Raheem noted the lack of violence and said the work was far from over.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is really something amazing, the fact that it happened on the back of largely peaceful protest. But obviously this is just a beginning,\" Raheem said, citing work to rebuild the economy and restore public confidence in the political system.</div><div><br></div><div>Rajapaksa and his wife slipped away in the night aboard a military plane early Wednesday. On Thursday, he went to Singapore, according to the city-state\'s Foreign Ministry. It said he had not requested asylum, and it was unclear if he would stay or move on. He previously has obtained medical services there, including undergoing heart surgery.</div><div><br></div><div>Since Sri Lankan presidents are protected from arrest while in power, Rajapaksa likely wanted to leave while he still had constitutional immunity and access to the plane.</div><div><br></div><div>As a military strategist whose brutal campaign helped end the country\'s 26-year civil war, Rajapaksa and his brother, who was president at the time, were once hailed by the island\'s Buddhist Sinhalese majority.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Despite accusations of wartime atrocities, including ordering military attacks on ethnic Tamil civilians and abducting journalists, Rajapaksa remained popular among many Sri Lankans. He has continually denied the allegations. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 17:54:03', '2022-07-16 17:54:03'),
(424, 424, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United States said Friday it would resume flights to the International Space Station with Russia, despite its attempts to isolate Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"To ensure continued safe operations of the International Space Station, protect the lives of astronauts and ensure continuous US presence in space, NASA will resume integrated crews on US crew spacecraft and the Russian Soyuz,\" US space agency NASA said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>NASA said that astronaut Frank Rubio would fly with two Russian cosmonauts on a Soyuz rocket scheduled to launch on September 21 from Kazakhstan.</div><div><br></div><div>The announcement came hours after President Vladimir Putin fired the head of Russia\'s space agency, Dmitry Rogozin, a firebrand nationalist and ardent backer of the Ukraine invasion who once quipped that US astronauts should get to the space station on trampolines rather than Russian rockets.</div><div><br></div><div>NASA said that the International Space Station was always designed to be operated jointly with participation from the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan and Canada.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The station was designed to be interdependent and relies on contributions from each space agency to function. No one agency has the capability to function independent of the others,\" it said. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 18:24:31', '2022-07-16 18:24:31'),
(425, 425, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Commuters returning to Dhaka after Eid holidays had to endure a 20km-long tailback on the Dhaka-Tangail-Bangbandhu Bridge Highway in the district on Saturday morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Vehicles began piling up on the high-speed corridor on Friday night. By this morning, traffic on the highway almost came to a standstill, triggering the long tailback.</div><div><br></div><div>Ataur Rahman, in-charge of Elenga highway Police, attributed the tailback stretching from Bangabandhu Bridge point to Jolfoi point on the highway to heavy pressure of Dhaka-bound vehicles.</div><div><br></div><div>Our correspondent reports that the desperation to return to Dhaka prompted many to get off public transport vehicles, walk a few kilometres and then hitchhike on passing bikes to reach the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>The highway police and the district police are working together to bring the traffic situation under control, said Ataur. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 19:10:49', '2022-07-16 19:10:49'),
(426, 426, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A mild to moderate heatwave sweeping through Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, and Tangail, Sylhet and Chuadanga districts may not abate in the next 24 hours, the weather office has said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>However, light to moderate rains or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty winds are likely to occur at some places over Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at few places over Rajshahi, Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the rainfall activity may increase at the end of next 72 hours.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country during the next 24 hours.</div><div><br></div><div>The highest temperature in the country was recorded at 39 degrees Celsius in Sayedpur upazila of Nilphamari till 6am on Saturday. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 19:41:01', '2022-07-16 19:41:01'),
(427, 427, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The World Bank on Friday approved a loan of $500 million to help Bangladesh improve disaster preparedness against inland flooding in 14 flood-prone districts, benefiting over 1.25 million people.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Resilient Infrastructure for Adaptation and Vulnerability Reduction (RIVER) project will help Bangladesh reduce vulnerability to riverine and flash floods by constructing over 500 multipurpose flood shelters, access roads, and climate-resilient community infrastructure, the World Bank said in a release.</div><div><br></div><div>In normal times, the flood shelters will operate as primary schools and they will be equipped with solar energy systems, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities that cater to the needs of women and vulnerable populations.</div><div><br></div><div>The project will also help strengthen the capacity of communities and government agencies to prepare and respond to floods and undertake behavioural change interventions.</div><div><br></div><div>Mercy Tembon, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, said that the heart-wrenching flood situation in Sylhet region is a stark reminder of the increasing risks of climate change to development -- more frequent, unpredictable and intense natural disasters.</div><div><br></div><div>“Building on our five-decade long partnership of improving disaster risk management in the coastal region, this project will help Bangladesh improve disaster preparedness in the non-coastal flood-prone areas. It will also support the country’s transition from a disaster response to a disaster risk management approach.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Every year, floods and riverbank erosion in By affect about one million people but in some years, the numbers can be substantially higher.</div><div><br></div><div>The project will help save lives and properties in the highly flood-prone districts in the Teesta-Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Padma, and the Surma-Meghna river basins -- Nilpamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Rajbari, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, and Sunamganj, Habiganj.</div><div><br></div><div>Ignacio Urrutia, World Bank team leader for the project, said that Inadequate evacuation facilities for people and their livestock in the highly flood-prone areas not only leads to the loss of lives and livelihoods, but it also hampers the ability to provide adequate relief.</div><div><br></div><div>“This project will contribute to developing evacuation facilities that provide WASH, apply gender-sensitive design, and provide sufficient space for community members and livestock, while at the same time benefiting the community in regular times.”</div><div><br></div><div>The project will also develop a database on the availability and condition of flood shelters, which will be critical for disaster preparedness and future investment planning.</div><div><br></div><div>The project will support the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100, a long-term plan to achieve a safe, climate-resilient, and prosperous delta, as well as the World Bank Group’s Climate Change Action Plan 2021-2025. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 20:37:22', '2022-07-16 20:37:22'),
(428, 428, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Eighty-four people are known to have died from the heatwave that has struck Spain since July 10, the Carlos III Health Institute, which reports to the Spanish Ministry of Health, said on Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>All the deaths, which were reported on July 10-12, could be attributed to the scorching heat exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in large parts of the country. Temperatures even rose above 45 degrees Centigrade in the south and southwest of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The heatwave is predicted to continue into next week, and the death toll is feared to rise.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the second major heatwave of the year in Spain. The first one lasted from June 11 until June 20 and claimed the lives of 829 people nationwide, the Ministry of Health said. Back then, temperatures peaked at 44.5 degrees Celsius.</div><div><br></div><div>The authorities recommend that people drink plenty of water, refrain from excessive exercise and stay indoors as much as possible. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 21:00:41', '2022-07-16 21:00:41'),
(429, 429, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Rail communications between Dhaka and northern districts were restored Saturday morning after five hours of suspension following derailment of a bogie of a  train in Joypurhat.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A bogie of Dhaka-bound ‘Ekota Express’ train from Joypurhat veered off the tracks at Tilakpur railway station in Akkelpur upazila around 5am onn Saturday, halting rail communications between the capital and the northern Bangladesh,\" said station master Tofazzal Hossain.</div><div><br></div><div>The rail communications resumed around 10:45 am after a relief train from Ishwardi removed the bogies from the track.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka-bound ‘Nilsagar Express’, Panchagarh-bound ‘Drutojan Express’ and Chilahati-bound ‘Simanto Express’ got stranded at Akkelpur and Santahar railway stations respectively following the derailment. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 21:08:20', '2022-07-16 21:12:31'),
(430, 430, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Import and export activities resumed from today through Hili Land Port (HLP) in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur after an eight-day vacation on the Eid-ul-Azha festivity and weekly holiday.</span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>General Secretary of the Customs, Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association of HLP Jamil Hossain Cholonto said import-export activities remained suspended from July 9 to July 14 marking the Eid festivity and on July 15 (weekly holiday Friday).&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Imports, exports, customs clearance, loading and unloading of imported goods resumed again this morning through the land port.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“After unloading the Indian freight trucks, local trucks started loading and leaving the land port for different parts of the country with imported goods from this noon,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Officer-in-Charge of the immigration check post (ICP) at HLP Md. Bodiuzzaman said movement of passport-visa holder citizens remained normal through the ICP during the period despite closure of import and export activities.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 21:32:00', '2022-07-16 21:32:00'),
(431, 431, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ivana Trump, Donald Trump\'s first wife, died of \"blunt impact injuries\" to the torso, the New York City medical examiner\'s office has said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It added that the death of the 73-year-old on Thursday was accidental.</div><div><br></div><div>Reports in US media say she died after falling down stairs in her New York City apartment.</div><div><br></div><div>Ivana Trump, who was born in what was then Czechoslovakia, married the former president in 1977. They divorced 15 years later in 1992.</div><div><br></div><div>\"She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman, who led a great and inspirational life,\" Mr Trump said.</div><div><br></div><div>They had three children together - Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric Trump.</div><div><br></div><div>Donald and Ivana Trump were notable public figures in New York in the 1980s and 1990s, and their split was the subject of intense public interest.</div><div><br></div><div>After their separation, Trump went on to launch her own lines of beauty products, clothing and jewellery.</div><div><br></div><div>She took credit for bringing up their children in her 2017 memoir Raising Trump, saying she \"made the decisions about their education, activities, travel, child care, and allowances\" until college.</div><div><br></div><div>In the book, she added that her relationship with Mr Trump had improved since their divorce, and said she spoke to him about once a week.</div><div><br></div><div>The Trump family lauded her in a statement as \"a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend\".</div><div><br></div><div>Ivanka Trump, who was said to be very close to her mother, said in an Instagram post she was \"heartbroken\".</div><div><br></div><div>Donald Trump was Ivana\'s second husband. Her first, Alfred Winklmayr, was an Austrian ski instructor and friend who she reportedly married in order to obtain Austrian citizenship.</div><div><br></div><div>That marriage allowed her to leave Czechoslovakia, her communist home country, without defecting. - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 21:41:58', '2022-07-16 21:41:58'),
(432, 432, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A separatist group on Saturday attacked civilians in Nduga district of Papua province in eastern Indonesia, killing 10 people and seriously injuring two others, provincial police spokesman Ahmad Mustafa Kamal told Xinhua via phone. - Xinhua</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 22:04:28', '2022-07-16 22:04:28'),
(433, 433, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Police prayed to a Dhaka court for placing 15 friends of BUET student Tariquzzaman Sunny in a case involving his mysterious death in the Padma River.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He went missing while taking selfie in the Padma River at Moinot Ghat area of Dohar Thursday noon, according to the statement of friends.</div><div><br></div><div>Fire service divers recovered his floating body on Friday nearly 24 hours after the incident. A case of unnatural death was filed with the police station.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior Judicial Magistrate Kazi Ashrafuzzaman is set to hear the remand plea of the police.</div><div><br></div><div>Sunny along with 15-18 students allegedly went on an outing on Thursday. He died while taking selfie in the Padma River, accoridng to media reports.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 22:26:39', '2022-07-16 22:26:39'),
(434, 434, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India batter Virat Kohli is going through a rough patch over the past few months. Since making his return to international cricket earlier this month, Kohli has failed to cross the 20-run mark in any of his five innings across all formats. </span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In his last appearance for the side in the 2nd ODI of the series against England, Kohli fell on 16 off 25 deliveries, as he nicked a length delivery outside off for a simple catch to Jos Buttler.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Kohli\'s frustrating performances have led to many fans and former cricketers analysing the former India skipper\'s outings. Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has now spoken on Kohli\'s struggles, backing the former India star to come good. The Pakistan pace legend insisted that Kohli needs to switch off his mind from critics and social media and work on his game.</div><div><br></div><div>“As a Pakistani, I\'m supporting Virat Kohli because 70 centuries... it\'s not Candy Crush. Only a great player can score these many centuries, a normal player can\'t do that. When Virat Kohli comes out of this phase, it will be a different Virat Kohli. There are some things that he needs to work on,” Akhtar said on his official YouTube channel.</div><div><br></div><div>“You need to forget your stint as captain now. Move on from that. Just focus on yourself as a batter. You can\'t get runs? No problem. People are criticising you? No problem. All of this will only make you stronger. You have to score 30 more hundreds. I have predicted 110 for you. You\'re still young, you\'re quite fit.”</div><div><br></div><div>Talking directly to Virat Kohli through his video, Akhtar further said that the Indian batter is making mistakes in the middle because he is desperate for runs.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Don\'t be scared. Bowlers should know that they are going up against a strong guy. And you have been that person. Focus on yourself. Stay composed.</div><div><br></div><div>“You won\'t get runs by hitting. You need to stay in the middle. There are some things which you might not be able to implement right now. But then, you\'re not giving yourself time. You\'re showing frustration. You can\'t move past your rough patch this way. Stay calm, go off social media for a few days, forget the criticism,\" said Akhtar further. - NDTV</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 22:48:23', '2022-07-16 22:48:23'),
(435, 435, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sixty more dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till Saturday morning amid a rise in the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Among them, 54 patients were hospitalised in Dhaka, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>As many as 220 dengue patients, including 176 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The dengue cases are rising in the capital allegedly due to insufficient measures taken by the two Dhaka city corporations for preventing mosquito-borne diseases like dengue.</div><div><br></div><div>On June 21, the DGHS reported the first death of the season from the mosquito-borne viral disease.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, the DGHS has recorded 1,670 dengue cases and 1,449 recoveries so far.</div><div><br></div><div>Although dengue – a leading cause of serious illness and death in some Asian and Latin American countries – was first reported in Bangladesh in 1964, the first epidemic occurred in 2000, claiming 93 lives that year.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It has since become endemic in the country, with outbreaks recorded every year since. Although for a three-year period at one point, the number of deaths from the virus fell almost near zero, its most fatal year yet was in 2019, when 179 died experiencing the severe form of the disease.</div><div><br></div><div>When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it seemed to take a backseat, as only three deaths were reported from dengue that year.</div><div><br></div><div>However, 105 dengue patients, including 95 in Dhaka division, died in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.</div><div><br></div><div>About 4 billion people, almost half of the world\'s population, live in areas with a risk of dengue, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</div><div><br></div><div>Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue while approximately 100 million get sick from infection, and 40,000 die from severe dengue, it says.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue. Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1 per cent,\" according to the World Health Organization. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 23:16:48', '2022-07-16 23:16:48'),
(436, 436, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The death toll from the devastating floods in the country rose to 121 with two more deaths in Sylhet district in 24 hours till Saturday morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The latest victims drowned in floodwater, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>Of the total deceased, 94 people drowned in floodwater, 15 were killed by lightning, two died from snake bites, one from diarrhoea, and nine others due to other reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the deceased, 67 people died in Sylhet, 41 in Mymensingh, 12 in Rangpur and one in Dhaka division, the DGHS said.</div><div><br></div><div>Of a total of 70 flood-hit upazilas, 33 are in Sylhet division, 16 in Rangpur division, 20 in Mymensingh division and one in Chattogram division.</div><div><br></div><div>Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Kurigram are the worst-hit districts, with 13, 11, 10 and nine upazilas affected by floods, respectively. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-16 23:34:47', '2022-07-16 23:34:47'),
(437, 437, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today urged the leaders of BNP to participate in the fields of elections and politics.</span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;“The game will be played in the political field. It (game) will be played especially in the field of elections. So, I urge BNP to come to the fields of politics and elections,” he said.</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Quader, also the Awami League (AL) general secretary, came up with the call at a discussion organised by Dhaka North and South City units of AL, marking the Imprisonment Day of Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue here.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>He also called upon the BNP leaders not to play with the fire as their fireplay will be thwarted by AL with the support of the people of the country.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Responding to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s statement that the siren of the government’s collapse is ringing, he said he (Fakhrul) might hear the siren of cars running in the streets.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>“If any siren is heard, it will be your (BNP leaders) farewell siren as negative politics has made BNP irrelevant in the political arena,” he added.</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Urging the party leaders and workers to be careful to counter the conspiracy of BNP and perpetrators of the then one-eleven political changeover, he said, they are once again conspiring against the country with the help of foreigners.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>Highlighting the turmoil situation across the world such as wars, conflicts, price hikes in energy as well as fuel, and inflation, the minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the worthy daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is currently facing big challenges and her government is working relentlessly to deal with these situations.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>“The Premier (in such situation) now stays awake all night so that the people of the country can sleep,” he continued.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>Lauding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her endeavors in coping with the dire situation prevailing across the globe, Quader said she is successfully dealing with the adverse effects of the country’s floods, COVID-19, and war and maintaining the development trend of the country.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>Referring to the imprisonment day of Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, it is not only the Imprisonment Day of Sheikh Hasina, but this day is the imprisonment day of the democracy of Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>On this day, Sheikh Hasina was imprisoned, which also confined the country’s democracy, he added.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>Many people went behind the bars after coming to politics, he said, adding that before the then one-eleven political changeover, BNP was in power but the then caretaker government did not detain the BNP leader rather they detained the opposition leader Sheikh Hasina first.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>“Dr Wazed faced misbehavior (during that time). The same scene happened in front of the court in Dhaka. They did not show any respect to Bangabandhu\'s daughter,” he said.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>He said that if a part of the politicians of this country had not cooperated with the then caretaker government during that time, the situation of one-eleven would not have been created.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>Many politicians of that day colluded with the caretaker government and supported the politics of the minus formula.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>“Today I want to say that we have to know our enemies and friends as a traitor is always a traitor,” Quader continued. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 00:49:51', '2022-07-17 00:49:51'),
(438, 438, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Unidentified armed men killed six people at a checkpoint 70 km (44 miles) east of Mali\'s capital Bamako, the security ministry said on Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It did not say who was responsible for the attack, which took place overnight on Thursday in an area in southwestern Mali that has been relatively untouched by the Islamist insurgency ravaging central and northern regions.</div><div><br></div><div>Three of the people killed were members of the security forces and three were civilians, the ministry said in an online post, without giving further details.</div><div><br></div><div>Mali is struggling to stem the insurgency that took root after a 2012 coup and has since spread from the West African country\'s arid north into neighbouring countries. Thousands have died and millions have been displaced across the Sahel region. Source: Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 01:04:09', '2022-07-17 01:04:09'),
(439, 439, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has acclaimed Bangladesh for its enormous progress in various sectors saying that ‘the way the country is achieving progressing in all sectors, it will rise to new heights of advancement in future’.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said India as a neighbour was very happy that Bangladesh was moving fast on the path of development by shunning religious fanaticism and taking the path to modernisation, moderation, and secularism.</div><div><br></div><div>“The kind of socio-economic development ushered in Bangladesh is an example for several countries in the world,” he said while launching a new warship in Kolkata on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Without mentioning the name of any particular country, Rajnath Singh said that one of neighbouring countries of India, which is struggling with religious fanaticism, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, should learn a lot from Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>“The country itself is struggling with poverty, unemployment, and terrorism and sometimes it tries to harass India also,” he said adding that on contrary, Bangladesh had shunned religious fanaticism and taken the path to modernisation, moderation, and secularism.</div><div><br></div><div>“India has stood by Bangladesh in sectors like health, education, economy, connectivity, and security and will continue to do so in the future,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>While launching the ‘Dunagiri’, a Project 17A frigate at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited, he also said “If India is increasing its strength it is not only for itself but also for its friends.”</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said that India wanted friendly ties with all its neighbours. “Our Navy should be response-ready in the Indian Ocean region, and in times of domestic and international contingency, it must try to become the first responder”.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>In this connection, he said, “The Navy should also be ready to support our friends and partners in their times of need.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Indigenously built warship INS Dunagiri is named after a peak in Uttarakhand.&nbsp; It is the fourth warship of Project 17A which was launched in the river Hooghly on Friday. A total of seven Shivalik class frigates will be built for the Indian Navy under this project. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 01:22:06', '2022-07-17 01:22:06'),
(441, 441, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia has ordered its forces in Ukraine to step up operations, its defence ministry said on Saturday, as rockets and missiles pounded the country in the latest of a series of bombardments that Kyiv says have killed dozens of people in recent days.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the latest strikes, missiles hit the northeastern town of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv region, killing three people including a 70-year-old woman, and wounding three more, the regional governor Oleh Synehubov said.</div><div><br></div><div>To the south, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko said more than 50 Russian Grad rockets fell on the city of Nikopol, on the Dnipro River. Two people were killed, emergency services said.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine says around 40 people have been killed in such attacks on urban areas in the last three days.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia\'s defence ministry said in a statement on its website that Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had ordered military units to step up their operations to prevent strikes on eastern Ukraine and other territories controlled by Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>It said Shoigu \"gave the necessary instructions to further increase the actions of groups in all operational areas in order to exclude the possibility of the Kyiv regime launching massive rocket and artillery strikes on civilian infrastructure and residents of settlements in Donbas and other regions\".</div><div><br></div><div>The ministry said Shoigu had issued his order after listening to reports at a command centre from generals leading the \"South\" and \"Centre\" command groups of Russian forces operating in Ukraine, as well as other commanders.</div><div><br></div><div>It was not clear from the statement, or the silent footage provided, exactly when the meeting took place or whether Shoigu and the commanders were in Ukraine at the time.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian rocket strikes using Western-supplied systems have destroyed more than 30 Russian military logistics centres in recent weeks and significantly reduced Russia\'s attacking potential, Ukraine said on Friday. Source: Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 01:30:00', '2022-07-17 01:30:00'),
(442, 442, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia is adapting for the next stage of its invasion in Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said, after Moscow said its forces would step up military operations in \"all operational areas\".</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Russian rockets and missiles have pounded cities in strikes that Kyiv says have killed dozens in recent days.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is not only missile strikes from the air and sea,\" Vadym Skibitskyi, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, said on Saturday. \"We can see shelling along the entire line of contact, along the entire front line. There is an active use of tactical aviation and attack helicopters.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is indeed a certain activation of the enemy along the entire front line... Clearly preparations are now underway for the next stage of the offensive.”</div><div><br></div><div>The Ukrainian military said Russia appeared to be regrouping units for an offensive towards Sloviansk, a symbolically important city held by Ukraine in the eastern region of Donetsk.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine says at least 40 people have been killed in Russian shelling of urban areas in the last three days, as the war launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 24 intensifies.</div><div><br></div><div>Rockets hit the northeastern town of Chuhuiv in Kharkiv region on Friday night, killing three people including a 70-year-old woman and wounding three others, said regional Governor Oleh Synehubov. </div><div><br></div><div>\"Three people lost their lives, why? What for? Because Putin went mad?\" said Raisa Shapoval, 83, a distraught resident sitting in the ruins of her home.</div><div><br></div><div>To the south, more than 50 Russian Grad rockets pounded the city of Nikopol on the Dnipro River, killing two people who were found in the rubble, said Governor Valentyn Reznichenko.</div><div><br></div><div>Moscow, which calls the invasion a \"special military operation\" to demilitarise and \"denazify\" its neighbour, says it uses high-precision weapons to degrade Ukraine\'s military infrastructure and protect its own security. It has repeatedly denied targeting civilians.</div><div><br></div><div>Kyiv and the West say the conflict is an unprovoked attempt to reconquer a country that broke free of Moscow\'s rule with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered military units to intensify operations to prevent Ukrainian strikes on eastern Ukraine and other areas held by Russia, where he said Kyiv could hit civilian infrastructure or residents, according to a statement from the ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>His remarks appeared to be a direct response to what Kyiv says is a string of successful strikes carried out on 30 Russian logistics and ammunitions hubs, using several multiple launch rocket systems recently supplied by the West.</div><div><br></div><div>The strikes are causing havoc with Russian supply lines and have significantly reduced Russia\'s offensive capability, Ukraine\'s defence ministry spokesperson said on Friday. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 13:43:23', '2022-07-17 20:00:57'),
(443, 443, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 appeared early evening on Saturday, July 16th, 2022, at 7:05 pm local time near San Salvador, El Salvador, as reported by the United States Geological Survey.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a moderately shallow depth of 61.8 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.</div><div><br></div><div>Our monitoring service identified a second report from the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake which listed the quake at magnitude 4.2 as well. A third agency, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), reported the same quake at magnitude 4.2.</div><div><br></div><div>Towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include La Libertad (pop. 16,900) located 33 km from the epicenter, Antiguo Cuscatlan (pop. 33,800) 52 km away, San Marcos (pop. 54,600) 53 km away, San Salvador (pop. 526,000) 56 km away, Soyapango (pop. 329,700) 59 km away, Mexicanos (pop. 160,300) 59 km away, Delgado (pop. 71,600) 60 km away, Cuscatancingo (pop. 44,400) 60 km away, Apopa (pop. 112,200) 69 km away, and Sensuntepeque (pop. 20,400) 102 km away.&nbsp; -volcanodiscovery</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 13:51:20', '2022-07-17 13:51:20'),
(444, 444, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Iran has imposed sanctions on 61 more Americans, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, for backing an Iranian dissident group, Tehran said on Saturday as months of talks to revive a 2015 nuclear deal remained at an impasse.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Others blacklisted by Iran\'s Foreign Ministry for voicing support for the exiled dissident group Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK) included Republican former President Donald Trump\'s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and former White House national security adviser John Bolton, Iranian state media reported.</div><div><br></div><div>The sanctions, issued against dozens of Americans in the past on various grounds, let Iranian authorities seize any assets they hold in Iran. The steps, announced as Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden wrapped up his trip to the Middle East, appear largely symbolic given the likely absence of such assets.</div><div><br></div><div>Giuliani, Pompeo and Bolton, all Republicans,have been widely reported to have taken part in MEK events and voiced support for the group. Both Pompeo and Bolton served under Trump.</div><div><br></div><div>Iran imposed sanctions on 51 Americans in January and another 24 in April.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Iran\'s indirect talks with the United States on reviving the 2015 nuclear pact began in November in Vienna and continued in Qatar in June. But the negotiations have faced a months-long impasse.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2018, Trump abandoned the deal, calling it too soft on Iran, and reimposed harsh U.S. sanctions, spurring Tehran to breach nuclear limits in the pact.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden\'s administration pledged to support all Americans despite any disagreements over politics or policy.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The United States will protect and defend its citizens. This includes those serving the United States now and those who formerly served,\" a State Department spokesperson said on Saturday. \"We are united in our resolve against threats and provocations, and we will work with our allies and partners to deter and respond to any attacks carried out by Iran.\" -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd241/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 13:56:17', '2022-07-17 13:56:17');
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(445, 445, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US President Joe Biden told Arab leaders on Saturday that the United States would endure an active ally in the Middle East, but he failed to secure commitments to a regional security axis that would include Israel or an immediate oil output rise.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The United States is invested in building a positive future of the region, in partnership with all of you—and the United States is not going anywhere,\" he said, according to a transcript of his speech.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden, who began his first trip to the Middle East as president with a visit to Israel, presented his vision and strategy for America\'s engagement in the Middle East at an Arab summit in Jeddah.</div><div><br></div><div>The summit communique was vague, however, and Saudi Arabia, Washington\'s most important Arab ally, poured cold water on U.S. hopes the summit could help lay the groundwork for a regional security alliance - including Israel - to combat Iranian threats.</div><div><br></div><div>During a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Biden raised the highly sensitive issue of human rights, drawing countercriticism from the crown prince, also known as MbS.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We believe there\'s great value in including as many of the capabilities in this region as possible and certainly Israel has significant air and missile defence capabilities, as they need to. But we\'re having these discussions bilaterally with these nations,\" a senior administration official told reporters.</div><div><br></div><div>A plan to connect air defence systems could be a hard sell for Arab states that have no ties with Israel and balk at being part of an alliance seen as against Iran, which has a strong regional network of proxies including Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.</div><div><br></div><div>Saudi Arabia\'s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said he was not aware of any discussions on a Gulf-Israeli defence alliance and that the kingdom was not involved in such talks.</div><div><br></div><div>He told reporters after the U.S.-Arab summit that Riyadh\'s decision to open its airspace to all air carriers had nothing to do with establishing diplomatic ties with Israel and was not a precursor to further steps.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Biden has focused on the summit with six Gulf states and Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, while downplaying the meeting with MbS which drew criticism in the United States over human rights concerns.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden had said he would make regional power Saudi Arabia a \"pariah\" on the global stage over the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents, but ultimately decided U.S. interests dictated a recalibration, not a rupture, in relations with the world\'s top oil exporter.</div><div><br></div><div>The crown prince told Biden that Saudi Arabia had acted to prevent a repeat of mistakes like the killing of Khashoggi and that the United States had also made mistakes, including in Iraq, a Saudi minister said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fist bump</div><div><br></div><div>Biden exchanged a fist bump with MbS on Friday but said he told him he held him responsible for Khashoggi\'s murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The President raised the issue ... And the crown prince responded that this was a painful episode for Saudi Arabia and that it was a terrible mistake,\" said Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir.</div><div><br></div><div>The accused were brought to trial were and being punished with prison terms, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>U.S. intelligence agencies believe the crown prince ordered Khashoggi\'s killing, which he denies.</div><div><br></div><div>Jubeir, talking to Reuters about Friday\'s conversation, said MbS had made the case that trying to impose values on other countries by force could backfire.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It has not worked when the U.S. tried to impose values on Afghanistan and Iraq. In fact, it backfired,\" Jubeir quoted the crown prince as telling Biden. \"Countries have different values and those values should be respected!\"</div><div><br></div><div>The exchange highlighted tensions that have weighed on relations between Washington and Riyadh, its closest Arab ally, over issues including Khashoggi, oil prices and the Yemen war.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden needs the help of OPEC giant Saudi Arabia at a time of high crude prices and other problems related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Washington also wants to curb Iran\'s sway in the region and China\'s global influence.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden came to Saudi Arabia hoping to reach a deal on oil production to help drive down gasoline prices that are driving inflation above 40-year highs and threatening his approval ratings.</div><div><br></div><div>He leaves the region empty-handed but hoping the OPEC+ group, comprising Saudi Arabia, Russia and other producers, will boost production at a meeting on Aug. 3.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I look forward to seeing what\'s coming in the coming months,\" Biden said.</div><div><br></div><div>Food security</div><div><br></div><div>A second senior administration official said Biden would announce that Washington has committed $1 billion in new near- and long-term food security assistance for the Middle East and North Africa, and that Gulf states would commit $3 billion over the next two years in projects that align with U.S. partnerships in global infrastructure and investment.</div><div><br></div><div>Gulf states, which have refused to side with the West against Russia over Ukraine, are seeking a concrete commitment from the United States to strategic ties that have been strained over perceived U.S. disengagement from the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have been frustrated by U.S. conditions on arms sales and at their exclusion from indirect U.S.-Iran talks on reviving a 2015 nuclear pact they see as flawed for not tackling concerns about Iran\'s missile programme and behaviour.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel had encouraged Biden\'s trip to Saudi Arabia, hoping it would lead to warmer ties between it and Riyadh as part of a wider Arab rapprochement. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 14:04:17', '2022-07-17 14:04:17'),
(446, 446, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The most successful opener in Bangladesh cricket and One-Day International captain Tamim Iqbal has declared his retirement from Twenty20 Internationals as the Tigers and fans are celebrating their clean ODI series sweep over West Indies.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Consider me retired in T20 Internationals from today. Thank you all,” he wrote in a Facebook post around 4am Bangladesh Standard Time on Sunday, just after the victory against the Carribbeans at Guayana’s Providence Stadium.</div><div><br></div><div>He was the player of the series for the sixth time in his ODI career.</div><div><br></div><div>Although Tamim has long been saying he is not keen to play T20Is, the announcement at this hour of the day and amid a celebration came as a shock to his fans.</div><div><br></div><div>“Why such a status at midnight? You deserve to leave the field with your head high and love from thousands of people. We would consider it [retirement] then. Why now? Sorry captain. We don’t accept it. No one in the cricket world would accept such a departure, because cricket-loving people want to bid you goodbye with honour,” wrote Md Shahud Un Nabi, a fan.</div><div><br></div><div>Tamim had announced his decision to shelve the plans to play T20Is for at least six months by the end of January.</div><div><br></div><div>“The [BCB officials] obviously want me to continue playing until the [T20] World Cup. But my issue was different. I’ve taken a decision which will fare well for all. I\'m not thinking about T20 Internationals for the next six months. I\'ll put all my focus on Tests and ODIs in these months,” Tamim had said.</div><div><br></div><div>The 33-year-old pulled out of a T20 series against New Zealand and returned home after the One-Day Internationals in March last year citing “personal reasons”.</div><div><br></div><div>In September, he dropped out of the T20 World Cup, saying he took the decision because he had been away from the T20 format for a long time.</div><div><br></div><div>Injury then ruled him out of the squad for a T20 series against Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>In a career spanning 78 T20Is, Tamim scored 1,758 runs at an average of 24.08 with 7 half-centuries and the only century by a Bangladeshi in the format.</div><div><br></div><div>Only Mahmudullah and Shakib Al Hasan have scored more runs in the format than Tamim but have lower averages. -bdnews24</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"9\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 14:11:10', '2022-07-17 14:11:10'),
(447, 447, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Nurul Hasan have held their nerve after Taijul Islam’s first five-for as Bangladesh completed a 3-0 ODI series whitewash over West Indies with a four-wicket victory.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Miraz (16 off 35) compensated for his poor bowling and scored the final run for the win with just nine balls remaining after Taijul helped the tourists restrict West Indies to a meagre 178, stepping up their odds of a victory at Guayana’s Providence Stadium on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>Nurul (32 off 38) partnered with Miraz after another steady stand with Mahmudullah, who held one end, scoring only 26 off 61, as Gudakesh Motie ran through Bangladesh’s top and middle orders with four wickets in exchange for just 23 runs in his 10 overs.</div><div><br></div><div>After opener Najmul Hossain Shanto was gone in the seventh over, Litton Das scored 50 of 65 in much-needed partnerships with captain Tamim Iqbal (34 off 52) and Mahmudullah.</div><div><br></div><div>Moti triggered fears of another Bangladesh batting collapse with the wickets of Tamim, Litton, Afif Hossain and Mosaddek Hossain, slowing down the tourists’ run rate.</div><div><br></div><div>Finally, Nurul and Miraz secured the victory in a show of composure that the Tigers lacked in the Test series they had lost. Bangladesh also lost the T20 series during the tour.</div><div><br></div><div>With an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series, Bangladesh chose to field for a third straight time.</div><div><br></div><div>The bowlers put the hosts on the back foot right from the start once again and the spinners were once again the stars of the show. Nasum Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with two wickets each.</div><div><br></div><div>Skipper Tamim introduced Taijul (5 for 28) in the third over. He struck with his first ball to castle Brandon King for 8 and again in his next over for the scalp of Shai Hope (2), beating the batsmen with flight both the time.</div><div><br></div><div>Mustafizur then trapped Shamarh Brooks (4) as the hosts teetered on 16 for three.</div><div><br></div><div>The West Indies innings was held together by Nicholas Pooran (73) as he paired in a recovery stand of 67 with Keacy Carty (33). The duo smashed six boundaries and three sixes between them.</div><div><br></div><div>As Carty grew bolder, Nasum snared his wicket with a length ball before the West Indies could reach 100. Pooran stitched up another 34 runs with Rovman Powell (18).</div><div><br></div><div>But Taijul struck again to remove Powell and reduce the Caribbeans to 117 for five. Keemo Paul (6) was lured in by the southpaw for a stumping.</div><div><br></div><div>As Pooran ploughed on, Tamim moved around his fielders to retain the attacking intent. But it came down to Taijul who tossed it up and went through Pooran’s gates for his fifth as the West Indies collapsed to 150 for eight.</div><div><br></div><div>Romario Shepherd (19) then put up some late resistance before Nasum and Mustafizur cleaned up the tail with eight balls to spare.</div><div><br></div><div>Mosaddek also picked up a wicket while Miraz could not make the best of the conditions and went wicketless conceding 61 runs. </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"9\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 15:03:39', '2022-07-17 15:03:47'),
(448, 448, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Election Commission (EC) starts its dialogue with the registered political parties today as part of its move to seek opinions from the stakeholders about holding the next general election in a free, fair and credible manner.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The dialogue starts through talks with four tiny parties -- National Democratic Movement, Bangladesh Nationalist Front, Bangladesh Congress and Bangladesh Muslim League.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the schedule, the EC sits with National Democratic Movement at 11:00am while Bangladesh Nationalist Front at 12:00pm, Bangladesh Congress at 2:30pm and Bangladesh Muslim League at 4:00pm.</div><div>On completion of the talks with the registered political parties, the EC will finalise the road map to the parliamentary elections with focus on nine issues, including the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), reforms of the laws, updating the electoral roll, demarcating the constituencies and registration of new political parties.</div><div><br></div><div>It has already formulated a draft road map with a target to hold the polls by January 2024, said EC sources. The guidelines will be finalised after the 15-day dialogue that ends on July 31.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the earlier decision, the commission will hold discussion separately with four parties each day. But it will hold talks with three parties on the day it sits with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and two parties on the day it sits with Awami League (AL).</div><div><br></div><div>Each party will be able to take part in the meeting with 10 members each. The EC has allotted two hours for talks with Awami League, BNP and Jatiya Party while other parties will get one hour each.</div><div><br></div><div>The commission has fixed July 20 for holding talks with BNP and July 31 for main opposition Jatiya Party and ruling Awami League.</div><div><br></div><div>Terming the move of dialogue ‘farcical’, BNP, which has a poor representation in current parliament, has already announced that it would not join the talks.</div><div>It wants the next election to be held under a neutral administration instead of the election-time government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>The EC will sit with Bangladesh Islami Front, Bangladesh Sanskritik Muktijot, Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Biplobi Workers Party tomorrow.</div><div><br></div><div>Discussion with Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal will be held on July 19 while that with Ganatantri Party, Bangladesh National Awami Party and BNP on July 20, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Gano Front on July 21.</div><div><br></div><div>Dialogue with Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Jatiay Party (JP), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Islami Front will be held on July 24 while with Bangladesh Muslim League, Bangladesh Workers Party, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on July 25.</div><div><br></div><div>The EC has set July 26 for talks with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and National Peoples Party while July 27 for Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Jaker Party and Krishak Sramik Janata League, July 28 for Gano Forum, Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP) and Bangladesh Communist Party (CPB) and July 31 for Jatiya Party and Awami League.</div><div><br></div><div>The current EC, led by Kazi Habibul Awal, held dialogue with educationalists and intellectuals on March 13, civil society members on March 22, editors and journalists on April 6, editors and senior journalists of electronic media on April 18, representatives of election observer organisations on June 9 and election experts on June 12.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, it sat with the registered political parties in three phases on June 19, 21 and 26 on the use of EVMs.</div><div><br></div><div>However, BNP and some other parties did not join the talks. </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 15:39:22', '2022-07-17 15:50:08'),
(449, 449, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A cargo plane with eight people on board crashed near the city of Kavala in northern Greece late on Saturday, the fire brigade and state TV said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>State TV ERT reported that the aircraft was an Antonov An-12 owned by a Ukrainian company, which was flying from Serbia to Jordan. The pilot had requested an emergency landing due to an engine problem but the aircraft\'s signal was lost.</div><div><br></div><div>Video footage uploaded on ertnews.gr showed the aircraft in flames descending fast before hitting the ground in what appeared to be an explosion. The fire brigade could not confirm the type of aircraft but said there were initial reports that eight people were on board.</div><div><br></div><div>In a statement it said it had deployed 15 firefighters and seven engines to put out the blaze that broke out after the crash. More rescuers were on their way.</div><div><br></div><div>It was not clear what the aircraft\'s cargo was but the special disaster response unit was also investigating the scene.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are treating the cargo as dangerous material,\" said a fire brigade official. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 15:48:57', '2022-07-17 15:48:57'),
(450, 450, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">“Thor: Love and Thunder” looks to rule the box office again in its second weekend, fending off more modest openers “Where the Crawdads Sing” and “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.”</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>While Marvel’s Thor fourquel has an easy path to remaining the weekend’s top release, the superhero film is taking a sizable tumble from its opening. “Love and Thunder” added $13.8 million in its second Friday, roughly 80% down from its opening day numbers (which includes Thursday previews).</div><div><br></div><div>That’s a hair stronger than Marvel’s most recent releases “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (an 81% drop on its second Friday) and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (an 84% fall), but it’s on the steeper side for the studio, particularly compared to the film’s predecessor “Thor: Ragnarok,” which fell 60% in its second Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Box Office: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Lands Mighty $143 Million Debut</div><div>Some industry projections have “Love and Thunder” netting $45 million from 4,375 locations in its second weekend, falling below initial estimates for a sophomore haul north of $55 million. The film should expand its domestic gross beyond $230 million through the weekend, already marking it as the sixth highest grossing domestic release of 2022 so far. Even considering the slight underperformance, those numbers are nothing to sneeze at.</div><div><br></div><div>Directed by “Ragnarok” helmer Taika Waititi, the fourth solo installment in Thor’s Marvel journey stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Tessa Thompson, Jaimie Alexander and Russell Crowe.</div><div><br></div><div>Sony’s “Where the Crawdads Sing,” the feature adaptation of the popular murder mystery novel, is projected to pull $15 million to $16 million from 3,650 locations in its opening weekend. It’s a sizable debut for a female-skewing drama with a modest $24 million production budget. What’s more, “Crawdads” is outperforming its original industry projections, which had pegged the adaptation for a $10 million opening heading into the weekend. The film looks to open in third on domestic charts.</div><div><br></div><div>Produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, “Where the Crawdads Sing” follows Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones), an outcast living in the marshes of North Carolina, who finds herself at the center of a murder investigation.</div><div><br></div><div>Critics have been largely dismissive of the film, which has netted a Rotten Tomatoes score of 38% from top critics. However, Variety‘s chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised “Crawdads,” saying it is “at once a mystery, a romance, a back-to-nature reverie full of gnarled trees and hanging moss, and a parable of women’s power and independence in a world crushed under by masculine will.” Audiences have also been receptive, with the film scoring an “A-” grade from research firm Cinema Score, indicating solid approval among general moviegoers.</div><div><br></div><div>Paramount’s “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” isn’t making much of a splash. The animated release is debuting outside of the top five with a projected $6.2 million opening from 3,475 locations. The film faces stiff competition for family audiences from Universal’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” and Marvel’s “Thor,” both of which remain hot releases for multiplexes.</div><div><br></div><div>The family-friendly film “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank” is loosely drawn from Mel Brooks’ landmark 1974 comedy “Blazing Saddles,” trading cowboys for samurai and racial tensions for dog-vs.-cat antics. The story follows a beagle, voiced by Michael Cera, who becomes the sword-wielding protector of a town of felines. The film also includes the voices of Samuel L. Jackson, Ricky Gervais, Michelle Yeoh and Brooks.</div><div><br></div><div>The original release date for “Paws of Fury” was all the way back in April 2017. Needless to say, it’s been a long road for the film, which was conceived as a Sony production before moving to Open Road. Now, “Paws of Fury” is being released by Paramount. It’s easy to imagine many parties involved are relieved to put the troubled production in the rearview mirror. And with an “A-” grade from Cinema Score, it seems that they have at least left some smiles on people’s faces along the way.</div><div><br></div><div>Universal’s “Minions: The Rise of Gru” looks to repeat in second place. The animated spinoff looks to add $25.3 million in its third weekend, dropping only 45% from its sophomore outing. “The Rise of Gru” currently stands as the fifth highest grossing film of 2022. It should expand its domestic gross beyond $260 million through the weekend.</div><div><br></div><div>Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” is putting up yet another impressive hold at the box office. The Tom Cruise sequel looks to fall a slim 24% in its eighth weekend, adding $11.7 million to its domestic haul. With $609 million in domestic ticket sales to its name, “Maverick” is now closing in on the all-time top 10 at the North American box office. The film could potentially surpass Disney’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (a $620 million gross) and Marvel’s “The Avengers” (a $623 million gross) in the near future.</div><div><br></div><div>“Elvis” should round out the box office’s top five. The Warner Bros. release added $2.3 million on Friday, only 32% down from one week ago. The Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic surpassed a $100 million domestic gross this week — an impressive result for a drama aimed squarely at older audiences.</div><div><br></div><div>Focus Features’ “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” also hit theaters this weekend with a semi-wide release. The feature adaptation of Paul Gallico’s 1958 novel looks to earn a modest $1.74 million from 980 theaters in its opening, roughly amounting to $1,776 per location. The Lesley Manville vehicle looks to land in tenth on domestic charts. -variety</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 16:40:44', '2022-07-17 16:40:44'),
(451, 451, '<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The U.S. telecoms regulator needs an additional $3 billion dollars to fund the removal from U.S. networks of equipment made by Chinese telecoms giants Huawei and ZTE (000063.SZ), bringing the total cost to $4.9 billion, the agency told Congress on Friday.</span><br></p><p>\"To fund all reasonable and supported cost estimates..., the</p><p>Reimbursement Program will require $4.98 billion, reflecting a current shortfall of $3.08 billion,\" Jessica Rosenworcel, the chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission, said Friday in a letter to Senator Maria Cantwell, who heads the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.</p><p>Since Congress only appropriated $1.9 billion to fund the removal process, companies would be reimbursed for only about 40% of the costs, she added.</p><p>In 2019, Congress passed a law tasking the FCC with compelling U.S. telecoms carriers that receive federal subsidies to purge their networks of telecoms equipment that poses a national security risk, with promises of reimbursement.</p><p>The FCC designated Huawei and ZTE as threats, compelling U.S. companies to remove their gear or be frozen out of an $8.3 billion government fund to purchase new equipment. However, to fund the so-called \"rip and replace\" effort, Congress only appropriated $1.9 billion, raising questions about how effectively the removal program would be implemented.</p><p>\"Absent an additional appropriation, the Commission will apply the prioritization scheme Congress specified,\" Rosenworcel said in the letter, adding that the Commission would begin processing reimbursement claims \"as allocations are issued in the coming days.\"</p><p>Companies are not required to complete the work until after they receive reimbursement. -Reuters</p><p>bnbd24/TR</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 17:12:23', '2022-07-17 17:12:23'),
(452, 452, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Deepali Rani Saha can never forget this Friday night when she watched her house burn down.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"After one group looted all our valuables, another group came and found our door open. As there was nothing left to loot, they set our home on fire.\"</div><div><br></div><div>While the looters attacked, the 62-year-old was hiding under the bed in a shed adjacent to the house with her son Gobinda.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They could not break in [where we were hiding] as it was locked. They then attacked the temple next door and vandalised the idol.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Deepali\'s was among the three homes and dozens of shops that were vandalised or burnt down in Sahapara village in Dighalia union of Narail\'s Lohagara upazila. </div><div><br></div><div>The attacks were carried out by mobs protesting a Facebook post that reportedly hurt religious sentiments.</div><div><br></div><div>Locals alleged the post was made by Akash Saha, an 18-year-old college student of the village.</div><div><br></div><div>They gathered after Juma prayers and protested in front of the student\'s house, demanding his arrest.</div><div><br></div><div>As he was missing, the mobs spread to neighbouring Hindu homes -- homes of people who had nothing to do with the Facebook post.</div><div><br></div><div>In the evening, the police detained Akash\'s father Ashoke Saha to \"bring the situation under control\", while they prepared to file a case under the Digital Security Act against Akash.</div><div><br></div><div>None of the attackers, however, have been arrested yet.</div><div><br></div><div>Yesterday morning, Deepali stood embracing her eight-month-old granddaughter Rai Saha in front of the charred remains of their home.</div><div><br></div><div>She pointed out how even little Rai\'s possessions were not spared.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Only because the student is Hindu and I [too] am Hindu, my house was burnt down.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t know how long this threat of violence will haunt us. Who will give us justice? Who will give us security? ... If I were in the house while they set it on fire, I would have died. God saved me. But is this any way to survive? All I have now is the sari on my body.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Many people from the administration have been coming since yesterday morning and giving assurances of safety, but she is unconvinced.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I am not asking for money; I am not asking for help. I am seeking answers -- why was my house set on fire?\"</div><div><br></div><div>Her son Gobinda, a betel leaf trader, sat on yard sobbing on the phone, with relatives calling from abroad, as he listed all they had lost.</div><div><br></div><div>His wife Chandra Saha was not home the night of the attack. When she returned yesterday, she stood shell-shocked in front of the carnage.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t want to stay here with my children. I don\'t want to be a victim,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Police have deployed additional forces to ensure security, but locals still feel unsafe.</div><div><br></div><div>After the attack, an eerie and empty silence took over after the 108 Hindu homes in Sahapara village.</div><div><br></div><div>Beauty Rani, a former female member of the reserved seat in Dighalia Union Parishad, said most of the able-bodied people have left the village after the attack.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Almost all houses are locked. Only the elders of some families are home. They too are scared.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Visiting the village, this correspondent came across only two old men in a small house. One was 65-year-old Shibnath Saha, president of the village\'s Radha-Govinda temple.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Police are on guard in the village, but we cannot trust them. After detaining Ashoke on Friday, the officer-in-charge and upazila nirbahi officer told everyone that they were deploying additional forces and that our community would be safe. The attack took place within a few hours.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Beauty Rani echoed the same. \"When we were being attacked, the police were there. They were watching from a distance and no one came to our rescue. The police can no longer be trusted and that is why people are leaving the village.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Gopal Saha, a fertiliser dealer at Dighalia Bazar, described how he was assaulted by the mobs.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I have been doing business in the market for 22 years. The only reason they beat me up was that I was Hindu. The accused boy\'s house is far away from mine. How is this my fault? … As a Hindu, I don\'t feel safe in this village anymore.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Azgar Ali, union parishad member at Dighalia, said, \"I went to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. Police are examining the evidence to see if a case under the Digital Security Act can be filed against the student.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In addition, the government is giving Tk 26,000 to the affected families, with the promise that the houses that were vandalised will be repaired.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Haran Chandra Pal, inspector (Investigation) of Lohagara Police Station, said legal action will be taken against the attackers, adding that none of them has yet been identified for arrest.</div><div><br></div><div>Protests everywhere</div><div><br></div><div>Rights bodies across the country condemned the communal attack.</div><div><br></div><div>Mashrafe Bin Mortoza, parliamentarian and ex-captain of the Bangladesh cricket team, who represents Narail, in a Facebook post said, \"The Narail I know, the Narail I grew up in -- this is not that Narail.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Ain o Salish Kendra in a statement, said, \"This is not a new incident. We have seen such attacks before -- these keep repeating because there is no independent investigation and no probe [is done] in due time.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi also issued a statement saying the impunity given to perpetrators of communal violence paves the way for more such attacks.</div><div><br></div><div>Chandra Nath Podder, general secretary of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and a mathematics professor at Dhaka University, had visited the spot.</div><div><br></div><div>\"What kind of people do this? Are we living in a civilised society? I demand a prompt investigation.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, 21 eminent citizens, including artistes Ramendu Majumdar, Mamunur Rashid, Ferdousi Majumdar, Sara Zaker, M Hamid, and Shimul Yousuf; historians Shahriar Kabir and Muntasir Mamoon; and writers Selina Hossain and Abed Khan, among others, condemned the attack in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Within a month, Narail has seen two communal attacks. The local administration and political elites in the area can barely criticise these attacks, let alone prevent them,\" they said. - daily star</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 17:37:37', '2022-07-17 21:44:38'),
(453, 453, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police has arrested Jabiullah Khan Jaber, chief executive officer (CEO) of e-commerce site Jeka Bazar Ltd, for allegedly embezzling customers\' money.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He was arrested from the Alipur area in ​​Faridpur on Saturday (16 July) afternoon, confirmed Inspector Zillur Rahman , Rajbari CID, to The Business Standard.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Jaber, son of Shukur Ali of Ganganandpur village under Kalukhali upazila in Rajbari, has been accused of embezzling some Tk60 crore from 20,000 of his customers located across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Recently, Jaber\'s father Shukur Ali held a press conference protesting his son\'s reported illegal activities using the e-commerce site Jeka Bazar Ltd.</div><div><br></div><div>On 2 November, 2021, The Directorate of National Consumers\' Rights Protection (DNCRP) conducted an operation and fined Jeka Bazar Limited Tk2 lakh for selling counterfeit and adulterated products.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Then on 22 November, all activities of the fraudulent e-commerce platform were permanently seized by the concerned authorities. Then a case was filed in this regard with the Rajbari Sadar police station.</div><div><br></div><div>Since then Jaber went underground to avoid arrest.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Staff Correspondent', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 18:55:26', '2022-07-17 18:55:26'),
(454, 454, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Numerous factors have been found to increase the risk of experiencing panic attacks and developing panic disorder and agoraphobia. Though studies have found that certain risk factors are linked to the development of panic disorder, these findings do not mean that they are the causes of panic disorder.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Rather, risk factors for panic disorder describe specific characteristics that are commonly associated with developing the condition. Here are some of the frequently observed risk factors associated with panic disorder.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Age</b></div><div><br></div><div>The age of onset for panic disorder is frequently between late adolescence and early adulthood. Even though panic disorder typically develops between the ages of 18 and 35, it is still possible to occur any time throughout the lifespan.2</div><div><br></div><div>Although far less common, panic disorder can develop in childhood or late adulthood. It is also possible to experience panic disorder on and off across one’s life. For example, a person can have recurring and unexpected panic attacks for several months, followed by several years in which they do not experience any symptoms.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Gender</b></div><div><br></div><div>Women are more prone to developing anxiety disorders than men. Panic disorder, in particular, is more prevalent in women. In fact, women are more than twice the risk for panic disorder than men.3 Because of this, experts recommend anxiety screening during routine exams for women and girls over the age of 13.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Personality</b></div><div><br></div><div>Research has shown that there is some correlation between children with more fearful, anxious, or nervous personality types and later development of panic disorder. As a result, there are some ways that parents can help decrease the risk of their children developing an anxiety disorder.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the cause of panic disorder is unknown and many mental health specialists agree that it is most likely caused by a complex combination of environmental, biological, and psychological factors.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Family environment</b></div><div><br></div><div>There are certain family traits that have shown a relationship with panic disorder. In particular, parents who model anxiety, are overly demanding, and expect perfectionism may be at some risk of having children who develop anxiety disorders later in life.6﻿ However, adults with panic disorder have been raised in various types of homes and family dynamics.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Genetics</b></div><div><br></div><div>There is a strong link between panic disorder and familial patterns. People with a close biological family member with panic disorder are up to 8 times more likely to develop the condition themselves. These numbers can increase depending on the age of onset of the disorder.</div><div><br></div><div>If a family member developed panic disorder before the age of 20 years old, first-degree biological relatives are up to 20 times more likely to have panic disorder.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite these overwhelming statistics, research has indicated that up to a half or more of people with panic disorder do not have close relatives that have also developed this condition.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Life event</b></div><div><br></div><div>It has been suggested that stressful life events can contribute to the onset of panic disorder.8 Stressful life events can include difficult life experiences, such as the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or divorce.</div><div><br></div><div>Some life transitions that bring a great deal of change to our lives can also cause a lot of stress, such as getting married, moving, having a baby, or retiring.</div><div><br></div><div>Research has also indicated that experiencing a traumatic event, such as being the victim of physical or sexual abuse, has a higher correlation with panic disorder.</div><div><br></div><div>It is also possible to experience panic attacks during a stressful life event, but then never experience them again. For example, a person who is a victim of a crime or experiences a natural disaster may have a panic attack during that event.</div><div><br></div><div>To be diagnosed with panic disorder, however, a person would need to have recurrent and unexpected panic attacks.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Co-occurring conditions</b></div><div><br></div><div>Many people with panic disorder also struggle with feelings of overall worry, anxiety, and sadness, and may live with another mental health condition. Other typical co-occurring conditions include:</div><div><br></div><ul><li>Depression</li><li>Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)</li><li>Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)</li><li>Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)</li><li>Specific phobia</li><li>Social anxiety disorder (SAD)</li></ul><div><br></div><div>A person with panic disorder is also at risk of developing agoraphobia, a condition involves a fear of having a panic attack in a place or situation in which escape would be potentially challenging or humiliating.</div><div><br></div><div>Agoraphobia can occur at any time following persistent panic attacks. However, a person with panic disorder typically develops agoraphobia within the first year of repeated panic attacks. -verywellmind</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Lifestyle Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 19:03:45', '2022-07-17 19:03:45'),
(455, 455, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Saudi Arabia\'s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, hit back at Joe Biden after the US President confronted him about the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a meeting between the two leaders on Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the meeting, Bin Salman, also known as MBS, denied responsibility for the killing of Khashoggi at the kingdom\'s Istanbul consulate. Biden said he indicated that he disagreed with MBS, based on US intelligence assessments, according to the source.</div><div><br></div><div>In response to Biden bringing up Khashoggi, MBS cited the sexual and physical abuse of prisoners at Iraq\'s Abu Ghraib prison by US military personnel and the May killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the occupied West Bank as incidents that reflected poorly on the US, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi foreign minister, told reporters on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The Crown Prince responded to President Biden\'s remarks on ... Khashoggi after quite clearly -- that this crime, while very unfortunate and abhorrent, is something that the kingdom took very seriously (and) acted upon in a way commiserate with its position as a responsible country,\" bin Farhan said. \"These are issues, mistakes that happen in any country, including the US. The Crown Prince pointed out that the US has made its own mistakes and has taken the necessary action to hold those responsible accountable and address these mistakes just as the kingdom has.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"We investigated, punished and ensure that this doesn\'t happen again,\" Jubeir said when asked about the Khashoggi murder. \"This is what countries do. This is what the US did when the mistake of Abu Ghraib was committed.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps U.S. President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. </div><div><br></div><div>Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman fist bumps U.S. President Joe Biden upon his arrival at Al Salman Palace, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The Abu Ghraib prison was a US Army detention center for captured Iraqis from the start of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 until the prison\'s closure in 2006. In 2004, a trove of graphic images from the prison was leaked, depicting the torture and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US military personnel. Eleven US soldiers were convicted of crimes relating to the scandal.</div><div><br></div><div>Renowned Al Jazeera journalist Abu Akleh was lethally gunned down during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.</div><div><br></div><div>Abu Akleh was a household name in the Arab world, having spent decades reporting on the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation. Footage obtained by CNN -- corroborated by testimony from eight eyewitnesses, an audio forensic analyst and an explosive weapons expert -- suggested that Abu Akleh, who was wearing a helmet and blue protective vest marked \"Press\" at the time of her killing, was shot dead in a targeted attack by Israeli forces.</div><div><br></div><div>In the West Bank on Friday, Biden said the US insists on a \"full and transparent accounting\" of the killing of the journalist.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden called Abu Akleh\'s death an \"enormous loss\" as he stood alongside Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I hope that her legacy ... will inspire more young people to carry on her work of reporting the truth and telling stories that are too often overlooked. The United States will continue to insist on a full and transparent accounting of her death and will continue to stand up for media freedom everywhere in the world,\" Biden said.</div><div>Palestinian officials and members of Abu Akleh\'s family have criticized the US probe and are urging the US to do more to hold Israel accountable for the killing.</div><div><br></div><div>An image of slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is placed on a chair at a news conference by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Joe Biden in Bethlehem, in the West Bank, on July 15, 2022. </div><div><br></div><div>An image of slain Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh is placed on a chair at a news conference by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Joe Biden in Bethlehem, in the West Bank, on July 15, 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>In a quickly arranged speech after Biden\'s bilateral talks with MBS, the President said he raised Khashoggi\'s murder at the start of the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>\"With respect to the murder of Khashoggi, I raised it at the top of the meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at the time and what I think of it now,\" Biden told reporters. \"I was straightforward and direct in discussing it. I made my view crystal clear.\"</div><div><br></div><div>There was also a larger discussion about values, bin Farhan said.</div><div>\"The Crown Prince pointed out to President Biden that we the kingdom, the respect for human rights is a core value for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia based on our Islamic beliefs and our Arab heritage. And that it\'s absolutely important that values be spread through dialogue,\" he said. \"Trying to impose your values on others is not going to be effective. It will get you a negative reaction. ... The right way to try and put your values forward is to show the world that you adhere first of all to those values, that you are respecting your own values.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"In the endm you cannot impose your values by force. ... The Crown Prince was quite clear with President Biden, and we have our own values and those are not going to align 100% with US values ever because we are very, very proud of our own traditions, our own values, our own faith,\" bin Farhan added.</div><div><br></div><div>But the discussion about human rights appears to have been dwarfed by broader talks about energy security, regional stability, trade and investment, according to multiple officials. Iran\'s nuclear ambitions and the war in Yemen are also believed to have been key parts of the discussions.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Those responsible (for Khashoggi\'s murder) have been investigated and faced the law and are paying the price for their crime,\" Jubeir said on CNN of the discussion. \"The conversation moved on in terms of the official discussion.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Senior administration officials on Saturday defended Biden\'s decision to meet with MBS face-to-face, despite the fierce pushback and criticism, saying it would have been \"backsliding if the president didn\'t come to the region and it would be backsliding if he didn\'t and wasn\'t willing to sit and raise human rights concerns with foreign leaders around the world.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s difficult to say that values are gonna be a key part of your foreign policy and human rights matters significantly to us as a nation and certainly as an administration and then not go overseas and not talk to (leaders) in candid, forthright ways about that concerns,\" a senior administration official said.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden came to Jeddah seeking solutions to one of his top political problems at home -- sky-high gas prices -- as diplomacy with Saudi Arabia in the Middle East was seen as one of the few routes he could take to bring down prices that are putting strain on millions of Americans.</div><div><br></div><div>But White House officials say the President won\'t be returning to Washington on Saturday with explicit oil production increases. The expectation is that there will be increases in the months ahead -- done within the context of increased output levels in the OPEC+ cartel laid out at its August meeting. -CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 19:54:14', '2022-07-17 20:00:17');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(457, 457, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has set September 15 as new date for starting this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations. Education Minister Dipu Moni announced the new date at a press conference in this regard on Sunday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>HSC exams will start in the first week of November of this year, she added. </div><div><br></div><div>On June 17, authorities postponed SSC and its equivalent exams for an indefinite period, as the floods in the country\'s north-east worsened.</div><div><br></div><div>The exams were scheduled to be held from June 19 to July 6.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, it was deferred by about four months because of the pandemic. Usually, the SSC exam takes place in February.</div><div><br></div><div>Dipu Moni said the students of the flood-hit areas who lost their textbooks will be given new books on July 6.</div><div><br></div><div>Once the distribution of books is completed, the students need a little time to prepare themselves for the exams, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 20:36:51', '2022-07-17 20:37:56'),
(458, 458, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The residents of Sylhet city woke up to waterlogged streets on Sunday morning after one hour monsoon showers.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, a heavy bout of rainfall brought much-awaited relief in the district after a week of a heatwave that scorched parts of the country. The rains started around 11 pm and it continued for one hour.</div><div><br></div><div>Roads, houses, shops and low-lying areas in the city went under knee-deep water in the one-hour rains, causing immense sufferings to the city dwellers.</div><div><br></div><div>The waterlogged areas include suburb areas of Sylhet city, Zindabazar, Barutkhana, Hawapara, Ambarkhana, Loharpara, Borobazar, Lamabazar, Madina Market, Charadhighirpar, Saudagortula, Sobhanighat, Jatarpur, Shibganj, Tilagarh, Shaplabagh, Taltola, Subidbazar, Ghasitula, Shamimabad, Jallarpara, Bhatalia, Kanishile, Majumdarpara, Mendibagh, Dargamoholla, Laldighirpar and Kuarpar of the city.</div><div><br></div><div>Rainwaters entered the ground floor of many building in these areas.</div><div><br></div><div>Many people took to social media to criticize the role of Sylhet City Corporation Mayor and raised question about the development projects of the city involving Tk 1200 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Kalim Uddin, a book trader, said rainwaters entered his shop and books worth Tk several crore were damaged.</div><div><br></div><div>Joyonto Kumar Das, a resident of Sobhanighat, said “Sylhet city went under water after one hour rains. How long the residents of the city will suffer?” Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 21:04:55', '2022-07-17 21:04:55'),
(459, 459, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Despite an improvement in payment the government still owes $1.5 billion to the private power plant operators for purchase of electricity, according to official sources.  </span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The sources confirmed this week that the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the single buyer on behalf of the government, partially cleared the payment until February last. </div><div><br></div><div>“We have not received any payment against the electricity purchase bills of March till the current month”, said Imran Karim, president of the Bangladesh Independent Power Producers Association (Bippa), the representative body of the private power producers in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“Some of us received the highest 60 per cent of the payments against the bills of February while many have not”, he told UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He hoped that there would be a major breakthrough in the bill settlements soon as their persuasion continued at the highest policy making level.</div><div><br></div><div>Normally, the BPDB purchases electricity worth Tk 4,000 crore per month. </div><div><br></div><div>Now, the payments against the bills of four months— March, April, May and June— are pending to be cleared. In addition, some partial bills of February have also not been cleared. </div><div><br></div><div>By this calculation, the total amount of the pending bills will be over $1.5 billion, said Imran, also the director of the Confidence Group, which owns a number of private plants.</div><div><br></div><div>BPDB has been in a cash crunch for the last several months which forced the organization to move a proposal to the energy regulator to raise the electricity price at retail level. </div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is yet to make any decision though it recently held a public hearing on the issue. </div><div><br></div><div>The BPDB, however, disagreed with the calculation saying that it normally gets 45 days to clear a bill after submission.  </div><div><br></div><div>“If the due payment is calculated this way the amount will be equivalent for 2 and a half months”, said Saiful Hasan Chowdhury, director, public relation of the BPDB. </div><div><br></div><div>He said BPDB has cleared most of the payments against the bills of February.     </div><div><br></div><div>The BPDB official data shows the country’s total generation capacity is 25,235 MW of which grid-connected generation is 22,348 MW up to April this year while the remaining 2887 is captive generation, mainly produced by industry owners, exclusively for running their own industries.</div><div><br></div><div>The country’s highest generation was recorded 14,782 MW on April 16 meaning that the surplus capacity is 10,453 MW (about 41 per cent). </div><div><br></div><div>Of the 22,348 MW, some 50.3 per cent (11,240 MW) is being generated by public sector entities while the remaining 49.7 per cent (11,108) MW is coming from the private sector.  </div><div><br></div><div>The BPDB documents reveal the government has to spend a total of Tk 71,878 crore in the FY2021-22 for total power production, of which Tk 44,434 crore will be spent for purchasing electricity from the private sector.</div><div><br></div><div>Of this amount, Tk 37,963 crore will be required to purchase electricity from the independent power producer (IPP) and small IPP plants in the private sector which produce 38 per cent (8,807 MW) of the total generation.          </div><div><br></div><div>Bippa officials said the delay in payment is not the only problem that the private power producers are facing. </div><div><br></div><div>“The shooting trend in dollar price, unavailability of the green backs with banks and counting penalties for delayed payment to foreign lenders and equipment suppliers have been the major problems”, said Bippa president.</div><div><br></div><div>He noted that some of the letters of credits (LCs) were opened with the banks a few months back, calculating the US dollar at a lower rate like Tk 86. </div><div><br></div><div>“But after a huge spiral in dollar rates, we have to now calculate the dollar rate at over Tk 95” in settlements of the LCs, he said, adding that some banks do not even sell dollars at the government’s fixed rates.</div><div><br></div><div>He also mentioned that many foreign banks charge IPP operators for delay in their repayments while equipment suppliers are also doing the same practice. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 21:43:21', '2022-07-18 01:46:17'),
(460, 460, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A summer heatwave that has triggered devastating forest fires across southwest Europe showed no signs of abating Sunday, as parts of the continent readied for new temperature records early next week.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Firefighters in France, Portugal, Spain and Greece are battling forest blazes that have ravaged thousands of hectares of land and killed several personnel since the start of the week.</div><div><br></div><div>It is the second heatwave engulfing parts of southwest Europe in weeks as scientists blame climate change and predict more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather.</div><div><br></div><div>Firefighters in the coastal town of Arcachon in France\'s southwestern Gironde region were fighting to control two forest blazes that have devoured more than 10,000 hectares (24,700 acres) since Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s a Herculean job,\" said Lieutenant-Colonel Olivier Chavatte from the fire and rescue service, which has 1,200 firefighters and five planes in action.</div><div><br></div><div>Further evacuation orders were given on Saturday for a few hundred residents, firefighter spokesman Arnaud Mendousse told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Several fires are still active in France,\" interior minister Gerald Darmanin said in a tweet.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Our firefighters are fighting the flames with remarkable courage,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Since Tuesday, more than 14,000 people -- residents and tourists combined -- have been forced to decamp with seven emergency shelters set up in order to receive evacuees.</div><div><br></div><div>Meteo France forecast temperatures of up to 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of southern France on Sunday, as well as up to 35 in the northwest, with new heat records expected on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>France late on Saturday placed 22 more departments, mainly down its Atlantic seaboard, on high orange alert, taking the current total to 38.</div><div><br></div><div>- \'Extreme vigilance\' -</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities in the French Alps urged climbers bound for Mont Blanc, Europe\'s highest mountain, to postpone their trip due to repeated rock falls caused by \"exceptional climatic conditions\" and \"drought\".</div><div><br></div><div>The call comes after a section of Italy\'s biggest Alpine glacier gave way at the start of the month, killing 11 people, in a disaster officials blamed on climate change.</div><div><br></div><div>In Portugal, the meteorological institute forecast temperatures of up to 42C with no respite before next week.</div><div><br></div><div>The civil defence, however, took advantage of a slight drop in temperatures after a July record of 47C on Thursday to try to stamp out one remaining major fire in Portugal\'s north.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The risk of fires remains very high,\" civil defence chief Andre Fernandes warned, although media reports said mainland fires still active were down to 11 from 20 earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is a weekend of extreme vigilance,\" he added after a week which saw two people killed and more than 60 injured, and up to 15,000 hectares of forest and brushwood incinerated.</div><div><br></div><div>The Lisbon government was to decide on Sunday whether to extend a week-long state of contingency.</div><div><br></div><div>In Spain, the national meteorological agency maintained various levels of alert across the nation, warning of up to 44C in some regions.</div><div><br></div><div>Dozens of forest fires were raging on Saturday in different parts of the country from the sweltering south to Galicia in the far northwest, which saw blazes lay waste to some 3,500 hectares, the regional government said.</div><div><br></div><div>The fight against the flames has claimed the lives of a number of personnel, from a pilot killed when his plane crashed in northern Portugal to two who died in Greece when their helicopter fell into the sea.</div><div><br></div><div>- \'So sad\' -</div><div><br></div><div>\"So sad to see part of our natural heritage ablaze,\" tweeted Spain\'s Economy Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Nadia Calvino.</div><div><br></div><div>One blaze in the south caused the authorities to cordon off for more than 12 hours a section of a key highway connecting Madrid to the Portuguese capital Lisbon, before the road reopened.</div><div><br></div><div>The fires have scorched thousands of hectares in the Spanish region of Extremadura, while one near the southern city of Malaga forced the preventive evacuation of more than 3,000 people, rescue services said.</div><div><br></div><div>In Greece, the civil defence rushed to douse flames raging on the Mediterranean island of Crete, while Morocco was battling a forest fire in its northern mountains that killed at least one person and forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 families.</div><div><br></div><div>In the United Kingdom, government ministers were to hold crisis talks after the state meteorological agency issued a first-ever \"red\" warning for extreme heat, cautioning there is a \"risk to life\".</div><div><br></div><div>The Met Office said in southern England temperatures could exceed 40C on Monday or Tuesday for the first time, leading some schools to say they will stay closed next week.</div><div><br></div><div>Mayor Sadiq Khan advised Londoners to use public transport only if \"absolutely necessary\". National train operators also warned passengers to avoid travel. - AFP </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 22:03:32', '2022-07-17 22:38:13'),
(461, 461, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A mild heat wave is sweeping over Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet divisions and&nbsp; Tangail, Jashore and Chuadanga&nbsp; districts and it may continue, Met office said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“However, light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at a few places over Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, Rangpur and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Dhaka, Rajshahi and Mymensingh divisions with moderately heavy falls at isolated places over the country, “it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The low pressure area over Northwest Bay and adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coast persists.</div><div><br></div><div>Monsoon trough runs through Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, the centre of the low and thence Northeastwards to Assam across southern part of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh &amp; moderate elsewhere over North Bay.</div><div><br></div><div>The highest temperature was recorded 38.0 in Syedpur while lowest temperature was recorded 25.1 in Sylhet. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-17 22:37:02', '2022-07-17 22:37:02'),
(462, 462, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has reduced the price of per litre bottled soybean oil by Taka 14 to stand at Taka 185.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Talking to BSS, Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh said that the government has taken the decision to reduce price in domestic market in line with the reduction of price in the international market.</div><div><br></div><div>“Keeping this in view , the new price has been fixed in consultation with the business community today. The newly rescheduled price will be effective from tomorrow,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Apart from this, the government has also decided to reduce the price of palm oil by Taka 6 per litre to stand at Taka 148 from the existing Taka 154.</div><div><br></div><div>The Senior Commerce Secretary also said that the new price of per litre loose soybean has been fixed at Taka 166, per litre bottled soybean oil at Taka 185, while the price of five  litter soybean jar has been fixed at Taka 910.</div><div><br></div><div>Tapan also informed that the consumers would continue to get the benefit in future if the price of edible oil continues   to fall in international market. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 01:45:49', '2022-07-18 02:45:41'),
(463, 463, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Bank has allowed authorized dealers (ADs) to open interest-bearing non-resident foreign currency deposit (NFCD) accounts in order to increase foreign currency flow.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The non-resident Bangladeshi nationals and persons of Bangladesh origin, including those having dual nationality and ordinarily residing abroad, will be eligible for opening such deposit account, said a circular of BB.</div><div><br></div><div>The BB\'s Foreign Exchange Policy Department (FEPD) issued a circular on Sunday and sent it to all ADs in foreign exchange in Bangladesh to effect the notification immediately.</div><div><br></div><div>The circular stated, “.....ADS have been permitted temporarily to raise deposits under NFCD accounts without reference to the interest rate mentioned in the BB’s foreign exchange guidelines.”</div><div><br></div><div>These relaxations will also be applicable for NFCD accounts to be mentioned by foreign nationals and companies/ firms registered or incorporated abroad, banks, and other financial institutions, including institutional investors, and 100 per cent foreign-owned industrial units in the export processing zones and Economic Zones in the country. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 01:52:14', '2022-07-18 01:52:14'),
(464, 464, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the AL does not want uncontested elections, it wants competitive ones instead with participation of all political parties.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The Awami League never wants to score goals on an empty field. We want all political parties to join elections,” he told reporters after joining a view-exchange meeting with the staff of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) at its head office in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader said the Election Commission (EC) started holding dialogues with the registered political parties from today, which will continue till July 31 next.</div><div><br></div><div>A 10-member delegation of the ruling Awami League will join the EC’s dialogue on July 31, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The AL general secretary said responding to the EC’s call, it is the patriotic duty of all the registered political parties to join the dialogues, hoping that the parties would play a responsible role in the dialogues.</div><div><br></div><div>Those who want to change the government through elections should join the polls, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Expecting that every registered political party would participate in the dialogues, Quader said: “We want to see this election as a competitive one. That’s why a free, impartial and credible election will be held with the participation of all registered parties.”</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already strengthened the country’s electoral system, he said the system will be modernised further.</div><div><br></div><div>The existing electoral system will also be conducive to holding a fair, free and impartial election, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Reiterating that the elections would be held under the EC, the AL general secretary said if the EC remains neutral, free and fair elections will be held.</div><div><br></div><div>There will be no involvement of the government in elections while it will cooperate with the EC only, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said no agency or office involved in the elections will run under the government during the election period but those will be under the EC’s jurisdiction.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the road transport and bridges minister exchanged views with the officials and employees of the BRTC.</div><div><br></div><div>Road Transport and Highways Division secretary ABM Amin Ullah Nuri and BRTC chairman Md Tazul Islam were, among others, present at the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking on the occasion, Quader said the BRTC is back on the track of profit but it must continue, proving that the state-owned agency is a burden for the government. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 02:00:19', '2022-07-18 02:00:19'),
(465, 465, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) T20 tournament, the most popular domestic tournament of the country is all set to back in old format as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) will sell the franchise rights for the coming three years.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The BCB will float the tender for the franchise rights for 2023-2025 within a week, its president Nazmul Hassan Papon said after the Board\'s of Directors meeting on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>The BCB also fixed the date of the BPL for the coming three years with the 2023 BPL running from January-February 16, 2024 BPL from January 6-Febraury 17 and 2025 BPL from January 1-Febaury 11.</div><div><br></div><div>Nazmul Hassan Papon informed that they are willing to make the BPL a seven-team tournament in the next year and will also increase the number of the team if there is any opportunity.</div><div><br></div><div>The last two year\'s BPL was not held in traditional format due to Covid-19 situation. In 2020-2021 BPL was held with just local players as the Covid-19 created mayhem around the world. The BCB sold the franchise rights for just one year in this year to mark the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman</div><div><br></div><div>\"In the meeting, it has been decided when the BPL will be held in the next three years.\" Because, we\'ll give the franchisees team for three years, that means they have to buy the rights of the teams for next three years from 2023-2025. Now that the date has been fixed, the rest will be decided within a week,\" BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon said.</div><div><br></div><div>Explaining the reasons for selling franchise rights for a long period of time, the BCB boss said, \"Giving the team for a long period of time gives the franchisees time to fix their own plans. But that doesn\'t mean that everything will be as before. Some changes may come. We will advertise everything clearly. The terms and conditions will be decided in a few days.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Dynamites, Rangpur Riders, Khulna Tigers and Comilla Victorians have been the regular franchisees of BPL for some years now. Comilla Victorians played the last special BPL but none came.</div><div><br></div><div>BCB president however believes that the old franchisees will come back and re-energize the BPL. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 02:25:30', '2022-07-18 02:25:30'),
(466, 466, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Experts were investigating the site of a plane crash in northern Greece Sunday to determine whether any dangerous chemicals or explosive cargo remains.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>When they finish their job later in the day, they will clear a path for forensics experts to collect the bodies of the crew, authorities said.</div><div><br></div><div>The An-12 cargo plane smashed into fields between two villages late Saturday. Its fuselage dragged on the ground for some 170 meters before it disintegrated, authorities said.</div><div><br></div><div>Local residents reported seeing a fireball and hearing explosions for two hours after the crash. A plume of white smoke was still rising from the front end of the plane on Sunday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Serbian Defense Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic told a news conference Sunday that all eight crew members were killed. </div><div><br></div><div>He said the plane was carrying 11.5 tons of Serbian-made mortar ammunition to Bangladesh, which was the buyer. It had taken off from the Serbian city of Nis and had been due to make a stopover in Amman, Jordan.</div><div><br></div><div>The plane was operated by Ukrainian cargo carrier Meridian, and the Ukrainian consul in Thessaloniki, who has arrived at the crash site, told local officials that the crew were all Ukrainian.</div><div><br></div><div>“These were illuminating mortar mines and training (mines). ... This flight had all necessary permissions in accordance with international regulations,” Stefanovic said.</div><div><br></div><div>The plane crashed shortly before 11 p.m., about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Kavala International Airport.</div><div><br></div><div>Minutes before, the pilot of the plane had told air traffic controllers that there was a problem with one of his engines and that he had to make an emergency landing. He was directed to Kavala but never made it there.</div><div><br></div><div>The plane is a Soviet-era four-engine turboprop cargo carrier.</div><div><br></div><div>Drone footage shows that small fragments are all that is left from the plane. Firefighters who rushed to the scene in the night were prevented from reaching the crash site by smoke and an intense smell which they feared might be toxic.</div><div><br></div><div>Nearby residents were told to keep their windows shut all night, not to leave their homes and to wear masks. </div><div><br></div><div>Authorities said they did not know if there were dangerous chemicals on the plane, including those contained in batteries.</div><div><br></div><div>The fire service has cordoned off the area at a radius of about 400 meters.</div><div><br></div><div>The mayor of the municipality of Paggaio, to which the two villages close to the crash belong, has banned vehicle movement on nearby roads. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 02:44:45', '2022-07-18 16:48:17'),
(467, 467, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With the partial launch of the country\'s first ever metro rail only five months away, the project cost is set to increase by more than half, and the deadline is also going to be extended by a year and half.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The project -- formally known as Mass Rapid Transit Line-6 or MRT Line-6 -- is to go through a major revision mainly due to changes in the design of metro stations and expansion of the elevated rail line up to Kamalapur from Motijheel.</div><div><br></div><div>In accordance with the revision proposal that the Road Transport and Highways Division sent to the Planning Commission, the project cost will rise by 52.25 percent or Tk 11,487 crore to Tk 33,472 crore. The original cost was Tk 21, 985 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>The deadline for completion of the MRT Line-6 -- one of the eight fast-track government projects -- will be December 2025 instead of June 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>The proposal is likely to be placed at the next meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) tomorrow, said MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd.</div><div><br></div><div>If the proposal is approved, the MRT Line-6 will be the seventh fast-track project to have gone through revision at least once. Only the Rooppur nuclear power plant project has not gone through any revision.</div><div><br></div><div>Uncertainty over funding; complexity over design, planning and land acquisition; lack of capability and accountability of implementing agencies; and the Covid pandemic are to blame for the time and cost overruns.</div><div><br></div><div>The development comes at a time when deadline extension and cost escalation of development projects have become a major concern with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing discontent over it on several occasions.</div><div><br></div><div>Approved in December 2012, the project, funded with soft loans from Japan, didn\'t take off until 2016.</div><div><br></div><div>Overall progress of the project was 81.19 percent till June this year, while that of the Uttara-Agargaon section, scheduled to be opened to the public on December 16 this year, is 93.76 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>Once completed, the metro rail will be able to carry 60,000 people per hour, bringing down the commute time between Uttara and Motijheel to around 40 minutes from the existing two hours.</div><div><br></div><div>It will save around Tk 3,500 crore annually in terms of travel time and vehicle operation costs, according to the metro rail authorities.</div><div><br></div><div>The government is implementing a time-bound action plan to build a 130km metro rail network with six lines in the capital and adjacent areas by 2030 to reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution.</div><div><br></div><div>Reasons for revision </div><div><br></div><div>MAN Siddique said a large portion of the additional Tk 11,487 crore has been sought for acquiring land around the metro stations.</div><div><br></div><div>According to DMTCL officials, if the existing design is followed, commuters may face difficulties in getting in and out of the stations due to space constraints.</div><div><br></div><div>Taking this into account, the authorities have decided to build spacious exits and entry points as well as footpaths outside the stations, they said.</div><div><br></div><div>The DMTCL will have to buy land for footpaths, and most of the land around the stations is private property, they added.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the PM\'s directive, the authorities are going to extend the metro rail line up to Kamalapur from Motijheel, and preparatory works for the extension are going on.</div><div><br></div><div>The length of the line will be 21.26 kilometres instead of the original 20.10 km.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the original plan, a walkway was supposed to connect Kamalapur -- the country\'s biggest railway station -- to Motijheel, Dhaka\'s commercial hub.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the proposal, a full-fledged station will be built at Kamalapur for the commuters\' convenience, taking the total number of stops to 17.</div><div><br></div><div>MAN Siddique pointed out that the extension of the line is another major reason behind the revision.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the higher exchange rate of the dollar and the increase in the value-added tax and customs duty are among other reasons for the cost escalation, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Staff Correspondent', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 16:45:37', '2022-07-18 18:29:38'),
(470, 470, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Rice import from India restart at Benapole land port after 10 months, following a ban from Bangladesh government to ensure fair prices at domestic markets.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A total of two consignments, consisting of 512 metric tonnes of Rice entered Bangladesh on Thursday and Sunday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Each tonne of rice is being imported at Tk30,650 ($340). For every kilogram of rice, Importers are paying Tk9.90 at 27.5% import duty.</div><div><br></div><div>Imported parboiled Swarna rice is said to be sold at Tk47-48 per kg in the domestic market.</div><div><br></div><div>Md Matiar Rahman, director of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce said on August 31 last year, Bangladesh barred rice imports from India to ensure better market price for locally produced products.</div><div><br></div><div>“Nevertheless, as domestic crops were drastically damaged by the floods in the country\'s northern regions, the food ministry allowed 95 importers to import 4,09,000 tonnes of rice from India on June 30,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>He further mentioned that 379,000 metric tonnes of boiled rice and 30,000 metric tonnes of Atap rice are among the imported products. “The ministry also has directed to complete marketing of the imported rice by August 11.”</div><div><br></div><div>Mamun Kabir Tarafdar, deputy director (Traffic) of Benapole Port, said rice would be released within 24 hours so traders can clear the rice quickly from the port.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, a request has also been made to ensure that the trucks are not stuck at the Indian border for a long time, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, buyers have complained that the price of imported rice is high.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Mintu Mia told the Bangla Tribune: “Swarna coarse rice is being sold at Tk45 per kg. I was hoping that when Indian rice imports start, the prices will drop in the domestic market.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 17:02:43', '2022-07-18 17:02:43'),
(471, 471, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">No decent, proper Muslim can set fire to someone\'s house. Having just a Muslim name does not make one a true Muslim, says Gonoshasthaya Kendra (GK) Founder and Trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury. </span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said, \"Having a Muslim name does not make you a servant of Allah. If a Muslim is not a decent Muslim, then they shouldn\'t be considered as human beings.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Zafrullah made the remarks while visiting the vandalised Hindu houses, shops and temples in the Digholia village under Lohagara upazila of Narail on Sunday (17 July) afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Condemning the incidents of communal violence, he said, \"The poor are being oppressed because of the minority label. We all have to work together against poverty. Our dream was to build a secular country.\" </div><div><br></div><div>Dr Zafrullah was accompanied by Ganasamhati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, Bhasani Anusari Parishad Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu, Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal president Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, and GK Press Adviser Jahangir Alam Mintu.</div><div><br></div><div>Echoing the GK founder, Zonayed Saki said, \"I condemn the attack on the Hindu community, the vandalism of houses and shops, and the looting. We are shocked. We demand stern punishment for those involved in this heinous incident.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is important to have a speedy trial of such cases,\" Saki added.</div><div><br></div><div>Digholia UP Chairman Syed Borhan Uddin, Awami League leader Boni and members of the local administration were also present during the visit.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier yesterday (17 July), a Narail court granted 3-day remand of Akash Saha, a college student from Digholia village of Lohagara Upazila of Narail who was arrested for allegedly making derogatory comments on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on Facebook.</div><div><br></div><div>Lohagara Cognizance Court Judge Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Morshedul Alam granted the remand Sunday (17 July) after the investigating officer of the case filed on Makfur Rahman applied for a seven-day remand.</div><div><br></div><div>Police arrested Akash from Khulna on Saturday night after a case was with Lohagara Police Station filed by Salah Uddin of Digholia village against him for hurting religious sentiments.   </div><div><br></div><div>No case was registered till Sunday afternoon regarding the vandalism of houses and attacks on two temples in Sahapara.</div><div><br></div><div>Centring the Facebook post, some agitated people started protesting in front of his house in Sahapara on Friday after the Jumma prayer. At one stage, they set fire to a room in Akash Saha\'s house.</div><div><br></div><div>The attackers also vandalised more than ten houses and shops. At the same time, some houses were set on fire. The protesters threw brickbats and vandalised idols at Sahapara temple.</div><div><br></div><div>Police at one stage fired blank rounds and brought the situation under control at around 9:30pm on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Several police units and RAB were deployed at the spot to control the situation. Akash\'s father was taken into police custody after the incident.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the upazila administration, the situation of the village is now \"normal.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking with The Business Standard, Lohagara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Azgar Ali said, \"Additional members of different law enforcement agencies have been deployed in the area to maintain law order.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on 18 June, a Hindu college principal in Narail was forced to wear a garland of shoes after some students and locals accused him of supporting a student, who posted a picture of controversial former BJP leader Nupur Sharma on Facebook.</div><div><br></div><div>The incident took place in the presence of local police.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 17:09:47', '2022-07-18 17:10:15'),
(472, 472, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka\'s acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced a state of emergency, according to a government notice released late on Sunday, as his administration seeks to quell social unrest and tackle an economic crisis gripping the island nation.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"It is expedient, so to do, in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community,\" the notification stated.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka’s ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled overseas this week to escape a popular uprising against his government, has said he took \"all possible steps\" to avert the economic crisis that has engulfed the island nation.</div><div><br></div><div>Gotabaya Rajapaksa\'s resignation was accepted by parliament on Friday. He flew to the Maldives and then Singapore after hundreds of thousands of anti-government protesters came out onto the streets of Colombo a week ago and occupied his official residence and offices.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka\'s parliament met on Saturday to begin the process of electing a new president, and a shipment of fuel arrived to provide some relief to the crisis-hit nation.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe, an ally of Rajapaksa, is one of the top contenders to take on the presidency full-time but protesters also want him gone, leading to the prospect of further unrest should he be elected.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 17:31:21', '2022-07-18 17:31:21'),
(473, 473, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With the war in Ukraine still raging, Russian President Vladimir Putin travels Tuesday to Tehran for talks with his Iranian and Turkish counterparts on the Syria conflict.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Russia, Turkey and Iran have in recent years met to discuss Syria as part of the so-called \"Astana peace process\" to end more than 11 years of conflict in the Arab country.</div><div><br></div><div>All three are involved in Syria, with Russia and Iran supporting the Damascus regime against its opponents, and Turkey backing rebels.</div><div><br></div><div>Tuesday\'s summit comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch a new offensive in northern Syria against Kurdish militants.</div><div><br></div><div>Iran, whose President Ebrahim Raisi is hosting the meeting, has already warned that any Turkish military action in Syria could \"destabilise the region\".</div><div><br></div><div>The Tehran summit will also enable Erdogan to hold his first meeting with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.</div><div><br></div><div>The Turkish president has for months been offering to meet the Russian leader in a bid to help resolve heightened global tensions since the war began.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The timing of this summit is not a coincidence,\" Russian analyst Vladimir Sotnikov told to the media.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Turkey wants to conduct a \'special operation\' in Syria just as Russia is implementing a \'special operation\' in Ukraine,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Turkey has launched waves of attacks on Syria since 2016, targeting Kurdish militias as well as Islamic State group jihadists and forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.</div><div><br></div><div>Green light?</div><div>Erdogan\'s planned military offensive targets Kurdish fighters which Ankara regards as \"terrorists\".</div><div><br></div><div>They include the US-backed Kurdish People\'s Protection Units (YPG), which formed a crucial part of an international coalition against the Islamic State group in Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Ankara fears a strong Kurdish presence along its border with Syria will embolden the banned Kurdistan Workers\' Party, which for decades has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.</div><div><br></div><div>Syria\'s government has repeatedly condemned Turkish threats to mount a new incursion.</div><div><br></div><div>Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe who specialises in Turkish foreign policy, said Ankara wants the blessing of Moscow and Iran before launching its operation. </div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s particularly important because the two potential target regions are under the control of Russia, and Turkey wants to be able to use the airspace... so as to minimise the risks,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Iran \"also has an indirect presence in the region through Shiite militias that it controls\", said Ulgen.</div><div><br></div><div>Ultimately, Erdogan is hoping to get \"the green light\" from Putin and Raisi, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia has already expressed the hope tt Turkey would \"refrain\" from launching an attack on Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Iran, whose foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visited both Ankara and Damascus in recent weeks, has also urged caution.</div><div><br></div><div>Destabilising</div><div><br></div><div>Late last month, Iran\'s top diplomat said in Ankara that \"we understand that... maybe a special operation might be needed\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Turkey\'s security concerns must be tackled fully and permanently.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Days later, Amir-Abdollahian said in Damascus that Turkish military action in Syria \"would be a destabilising element in the region\".</div><div><br></div><div>Mazloum Abdi, chief commander of the YPG-linked Syrian Democratic Forces, has urged Russia and Iran to restrain Turkey.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We hope (the attacks) will not take place and that the Kurds... will not be forsaken during the talks between the big powers,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The SDF has warned that an invasion by Ankara would undermine efforts to combat Islamic State group jihadists in Syria\'s northeast.</div><div><br></div><div>Nicholas Heras of the Newlines Institute said Iran and Russia \"want to prevent another Turkish military campaign in Syria\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Iran is building a presence in and around Aleppo that concerns Turkey, and Russia is for all intents and purposes ceding ground to Iran throughout Syria,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>For Iranian political analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi, \"new differences\" have emerged between Russia, Iran and Turkey following the Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>This and an \"uncertain future\", he said, means the three leaders will try to \"coordinate\" their views on Syria to avoid further tensions. -AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 18:28:30', '2022-07-18 20:29:43'),
(474, 474, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has decided to halt production of all the diesel-run power plants -- which provide some 2.79% of the country\'s electricity -- currently in operation across the country until further notice.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It has also decided to keep fuel stations closed for a day every week in a bid to tackle the ongoing power and energy crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Energy Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid jointly made the announcement following a meeting at the PMO on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has also directed to close shops and markets at 8pm daily as part of its measures to save electricity amid the global fuel crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Punitive actions will be taken if anyone keeps their shops open after the time, according to decisions taken by the PMO.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, mosques have been asked not to use air conditioning.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the data provided by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), about 51.49% of the country\'s electricity comes from gas, while 18.90% comes from furnace oil, 14.98% from coal, 0.56% from hydro sources, 0.37% from renewables, and 10% is imported.</div><div><br></div><div>Addressing the media, Energy Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, said, \"The moves come aiming to reduce the government\'s expenditure in power generation. Plants using diesel to produce electricity will suspend operations from today (18 July).&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"This will create a shortage of 1,000-1,500MW of electricity. Area-wise load-shedding will be in place for 1-2 hours every day.\"&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Comparing the current crisis with a \"war-like situation\" he said, \"Shops will have to close down at 8pm.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Stern action will be taken against dose defying these directives. The use of ACs in mosques has been barred. Government office hours will be shortened and meetings will be held online.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Echoing the same, State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, said, \"Customers will be notified in advance about the load shedding schedule. Steps will be taken so that vehicles use less fuel.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"These measures, forced by the Russia-Ukraine War, are not long-term. We have to be cost-effective. Industries and businesses are priorities when it comes to electricity supply. The decisions will come into effect from tomorrow.\"&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka, along with the rest of the country, is now bracing for more frequent power cuts. Power generation has decreased by an average of 2,000MW per day.</div><div><br></div><div>Most of the gas-fired power plants have to be shut down, while private power plants are also on the brink due to rising global oil prices.</div><div><br></div><div>The situation is even bleaker outside the capital. The most affected districts are in Mymensingh division, while load shedding has also increased in Chattogram, Sylhet, Rangpur, Thakurgaon, Rajshahi, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Dinajpur, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Noakhali, Feni and Chandpur.</div><div><br></div><div>Power disruptions are not rare in countries around the world that have all been hit by the gas crisis following the Russia-Ukraine war. Most are turning to proper load management.</div><div><br></div><div>Energy experts said a proper and planned load management of the current energy supply could lessen the suffering of the people. Proper load management is the only way to deal with the current gas and power supply cuts as no other visible initiatives are being taken.</div><div><br></div><div>Gas prices in Europe and Asia surged more than 60% in the weeks since an important liquified natural gas facility in Texas temporarily shut down. Gas prices have soared since the start of last year, jumping as high as 700% in Europe.</div><div><br></div><div>Germany said the gas shortfalls could trigger a Lehman Brothers-like collapse, as Europe\'s economic powerhouse faces the unprecedented prospect of businesses and consumers running out of power, Bloomberg reported.</div><div><br></div><div>The main Nord Stream pipeline that carries Russian gas to Germany is due to shut down on July 11 for ten days of maintenance, and there is a growing fear that Moscow may not reopen it.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) said there was a maximum of 1,400MW load shedding at 9pm on Monday in different parts of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Officials at Petrobangla said that the only remedy is meeting demand when fuel price falls in the global market.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 18:35:36', '2022-07-18 18:35:36');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(475, 475, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladeshi popular singer SI Tutul has tied the knot to television presenter Sharmina Siraj Sonia. The couple got married on July 4, in the United States of America.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Tutul has remarried a year after&nbsp; his divorce from renowned acterss Tania Ahmed.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Tania and I were separated for five years. Our official divorce was last year\", said Tutul to The Daily Star. \"Since then, I\'ve been&nbsp; working in New York for concerts. I met Sonia through the reality show \"Bangla Gayen\" on RTV.</div><div><br></div><div>Sharmina Siraj Sonia has worked as a&nbsp; presenter in several Bangladeshi media outlets.&nbsp; After that, she went to America permanently,&nbsp; being involved in various&nbsp; social organizations.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 18:57:31', '2022-07-18 18:57:31'),
(476, 476, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">General Manoj Pande, India’s chief of military staff, reached in Dhaka on Monday morning on a four-day visit at the invitation of General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, chief of Army Staff of Bangladesh Army.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>This is the first foreign visit by General Manoj Pande since his assumption, said a press release of Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian Army Chief is accompanied by his spouse Archana Pande and a three-member delegation.</div><div><br></div><div>He is scheduled to pay courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Security Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, Service Chiefs of Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, PSO Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh and meet other senior officers of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>He will also be visiting various military stations.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian army chief will pay tribute to the members of the Bangladesh Armed Forces who made the supreme sacrifices during Bangladesh’s Liberation War of 1971 by laying wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban at Dhaka Cantonment.</div><div><br></div><div>On the second day of his visit, the army chief will address the students and faculty of Defence Services Command and Staff College, Mirpur.</div><div><br></div><div>He will also visit Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training.</div><div><br></div><div>Visit of Manoj Pande will further strengthen the close and fraternal ties existing between the armed forces of the two countries, it added. -UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 19:41:13', '2022-07-18 19:41:13'),
(477, 477, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With nationwide area-based power cuts for a specific time set to start on Tuesday, the power distribution companies have prepared a list of possible time of the load shedding.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) published a list on their website on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>DPDC Managing Director Bikash Dewan said: \"Area-wise list of possible load shedding is being uploaded on the website. Customers will get a link on the website, click on it to know the possible load shedding time in their area.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also said all power distribution companies of the country have been ordered to make such a list.</div><div><br></div><div>People can go to the DPDC website and check the load shedding schedule in their area. Or they can click the link: https://dpdc.org.bd/site/nocs/load_shedding</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 20:03:03', '2022-07-18 20:03:03'),
(479, 479, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky sacked the head of the country’s domestic security service and state prosecutor, citing hundreds of cases of alleged treason and collaboration with Russia, as Moscow appeared set to step up military operations.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Zelensky said more than 60 officials from the SBU security service and prosecutor’s office were working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied territories, and 651 treason and collaboration cases had been opened against law enforcement officials.</div><div><br></div><div>The sackings on Sunday of Ivan Bakanov, head of the security service, and prosecutor-general Iryna Venediktova, who led efforts to prosecute Russian war crimes, and the sheer number of treason cases reveals the huge challenge of Russian infiltration as Kyiv battles Moscow in what it says is a fight for survival.</div><div><br></div><div>“Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the national security of the state … pose very serious questions to the relevant leaders,” Zelensky said. “Each of these questions will receive a proper answer.</div><div><br></div><div>In his nightly speech to the nation, Zelensky noted the recent arrest on suspicion of treason of the SBU’s former head overseeing the region of Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 that Kyiv and the West still view as Ukrainian land.</div><div><br></div><div>Zelensky said he had fired the top security official at the start of the invasion, a decision he said had now been shown to be justified.</div><div><br></div><div>“Sufficient evidence has been collected to report this person on suspicion of treason. All his criminal activities are documented,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>3,000 cruise missiles</div><div><br></div><div>After failing to capture the capital Kyiv early in the invasion, Russian forces using a campaign of devastating bombing now control large swaths of Ukraine’s south and east, where pro-Russian separatists already control territory.</div><div><br></div><div>Zelensky said Russia had used more than 3,000 cruise missiles to date and it was “impossible to count” the number of artillery and other strikes so far.</div><div><br></div><div>Dozens of relatives and local residents on Sunday attended the funeral of 4-year-old Liza Dmytrieva, one of 24 people killed in a Russian missile strike in the city of Vinnytsia last week.</div><div><br></div><div>Western deliveries of long-range arms are beginning to help Ukraine on the battlefield, with Kyiv citing a string of successful strikes carried out on 30 Russian logistics and ammunitions hubs, using several multiple launch rocket systems recently supplied by the West.</div><div><br></div><div>The strikes are causing havoc with Russian supply lines and have significantly reduced Russia’s offensive capability, according to Ukraine’s defence ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s southern Operational Command reported that in the Kherson region, it had destroyed two Russian Pantsir missile systems, three strategic communication systems, one radar station, two ammunition depots, and 11 armoured and military vehicles on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian military are also using radio-electronic warfare to suppress satellite communication channels, the Ukrainian General Staff said in a statement early on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia intensifies operations</div><div><br></div><div>Russia has ordered military units to intensify operations to prevent Ukrainian strikes on areas held by Russia, according to Ukraine which on the weekend reported shelling along the frontline in what it said was preparation for a fresh assault.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s general staff said its forces had repelled Russian attacks in several towns in the Donetsk region.</div><div><br></div><div>“Fighting is currently ongoing near Hryhorivka near the administrative between Luhansk and Donetsk regions,” it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Overnight at least 10 explosions were reported in the southern city of Mykolaiv, but there was no information on casualties, while two people were killed and 10 wounded in Avdiivka and Novy Donbas, said Ukraine’s general staff, citing local officials.</div><div><br></div><div>Reuters could not immediately verify the reports.</div><div><br></div><div>The British defence ministry said on Sunday that Russia was reinforcing defences across areas it occupies in southern Ukraine after pressure from Ukrainian forces and pledges from Ukrainian leaders to drive Russia out.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian president Vladimir Putin launched his invasion on Feb 24 calling it a “special military operation” to demilitarise its neighbour and rid it of dangerous nationalists.</div><div><br></div><div>Kyiv and the West say it was an imperialist land grab and attempt reconquer a country that broke free of Moscow’s rule with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991.</div><div><br></div><div>The biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two has killed more than 5,000 people, forced more than 6 million to flee Ukraine and left 8 million internally displaced, says the United Nations.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine and the West say Russian forces are targeting civilians and been involved in war crimes, charges Moscow rejects. Source: Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 20:38:56', '2022-07-18 20:38:56'),
(480, 480, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Britain and France went on high alert today, bracing for record temperatures from a punishing heatwave as deadly wildfires raging in parts of southwest Europe showed no sign of abating.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Forecasters have put 15 French departments on the highest state of alert for extreme temperatures while in Britain the government was accused of failing to take seriously the impending heat emergency as forecasters warned that lives were at risk.</div><div><br></div><div>The heatwave, spreading north, began as the second to engulf parts of southwest Europe in weeks, and blazes burning in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain have destroyed thousands of hectares of land and forced thousands of residents and holidaymakers to flee.</div><div><br></div><div>Scientists blame climate change and predict more frequent and intense episodes of extreme weather such as heatwaves and drought.</div><div><br></div><div>In France’s Landes forest, in the southwest Aquitaine region, temperatures “will be above 42 degrees Celsius” (107 Fahrenheit) on Monday forecaster Olivier Proust said.</div><div><br></div><div>And Brittany, which until recently has escaped the worst of the heat, could register temperatures as high as 40C, say experts, which would be a record for the region.</div><div><br></div><div>In the southwestern Gironde region, firefighters over the weekend continued to battle to control forest blazes that have devoured nearly 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) since Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>In Spain, authorities announced that a member of the fire service died on Sunday while working to extinguish forest fires at Losacio in the northwestern Zamora region. The fires have already killed several civilians and emergency personnel since last week.</div><div><br></div><div>‘A heat apocalypse’</div><div><br></div><div>Spanish authorities have reported around 20 wildfires still raging out of control in different parts of the country from the south to Galicia in the far northwest, where blazes have destroyed around 4,500 hectares of land.</div><div><br></div><div>The wildfires in France forced more than 16,000 people – residents and tourists combined – to decamp. Seven emergency shelters have been set up for evacuees.</div><div><br></div><div>France’s interior ministry announced it would send an extra three firefighting planes, 200 firefighters and more trucks.</div><div><br></div><div>“In some southwestern areas, it will be a heat apocalypse,” meteorologist Francois Gourand told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>The chapel of a historic hospital in the southeastern city of Lyon, Grand Hotel Dieu, offered refuge to tourists on Sunday including Jean-Marc, 51, who was visiting from Alsace.</div><div><br></div><div>“We came back to admire the place, but we can’t leave, it’s too hot outside. We say a prayer before the fire!” he quipped.</div><div><br></div><div>French cyclist Mikael Cherel, taking part in the Tour de France’s 15th stage between Rodez and Carcassonne in southern France on Sunday, described “very, very difficult conditions”.</div><div><br></div><div>“I’ve never known such a hot day on a bike. It really was no picnic.”</div><div><br></div><div>In Portugal, almost the entire country remained on high alert for wildfires despite a slight drop in temperatures, after hitting 47C – a record for the month of July – on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>‘Risk to life’ in UK</div><div>Only one major fire was burning on Sunday in the north.</div><div><br></div><div>The fires have killed two, injured around 60 and destroyed between 12,000 and 15,000 hectares of land in Portugal.</div><div><br></div><div>In Britain, the weather office issued a first-ever “red” warning for extreme heat, cautioning there was a “risk to life”.</div><div><br></div><div>The Met Office said temperatures in southern England could exceed 40C on Monday or Tuesday for the first time, leading some schools to say they would stay closed next week.</div><div><br></div><div>Eyebrows were raised, however, by comments from Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab appearing to welcome the likelihood of temperatures topping 40C and Prime Minister Boris Johnson missing a meeting about the government’s response to the heatwave.</div><div><br></div><div>“This isn’t like a lovely hot day where we can put a bit of sunscreen on, go out and enjoy a swim and a meal outside,” College of Paramedics chief executive Tracy Nicholls told Sky News.</div><div><br></div><div>“This is serious heat that could actually, ultimately, end in people’s deaths because it is so ferocious,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The UK capital is expected to see the highest temperatures and mayor Sadiq Khan advised Londoners only to use public transport if “absolutely necessary”.</div><div><br></div><div>Ambulance services are on crisis footing, and some schools in southern England have already said they will stay shut.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Netherlands, the mercury is set to reach 38C in parts of the country on Tuesday. Source: AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 20:46:45', '2022-07-18 20:46:45'),
(481, 481, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Argentina international forward Paulo Dybala has agreed a deal in principle to sign for Serie A side AS Roma on a free transfer following his departure from Juventus, a source close to the club told Reuters on Monday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dybala, who was linked with a transfer to Inter Milan after his deal with Juventus expired, will sign a three-year contract with Roma worth 6 million euros ($6.09 million), Italian news agency ANSA said.</div><div><br></div><div>The 28-year-old won five league titles and four Coppa Italia trophies with Juventus after joining the Turin-based club from Palermo in 2015, scoring 115 goals in 293 appearances across all competitions.</div><div><br></div><div>Dybala will become Roma\'s fourth signing of the transfer window after the arrivals of midfielder Nemanja Matic, goalkeeper Mile Svilar and defender Zeki Celik.</div><div><br></div><div>Roma finished sixth in Serie A last season and won the Europa Conference League under Jose Mourinho. Source: Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 21:10:18', '2022-07-18 21:10:18'),
(482, 482, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As many as 13 people were killed and several others injured when a Maharashtra government bus plunged into the river Narmada in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Monday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Of the total, 15 passengers have been rescued, local media reported.</div><div><br></div><div>The Pune-bound bus from Indore, skidded off a slippery road and fell into the river after breaking the railing of a bridge in Khalghat area of Madhya Pradesh\'s Dhar district on the Agra-Mumbai Highway.</div><div><br></div><div>The bus departed from Indore city around 7.30 am and was going to Amalner, NDTV reported quoting officials.</div><div><br></div><div>Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 21:14:03', '2022-07-18 21:14:03'),
(483, 483, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan called again Monday for an early national election after his party seized control of the state assembly in Punjab, the country\'s most populous province.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Twenty seats were up for grabs in the Punjab by-election, which was seen as a popularity test for the former international cricket star dismissed by a no-confidence vote in April.</div><div><br></div><div>His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won 15, with the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif taking four, and one going to an independent.</div><div><br></div><div>Sunday\'s vote was also seen as a bellwether for national elections that must be held by October next year, although Khan has campaigned across the country for an earlier poll since being dismissed.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The only way forward from here is to hold free and transparent elections,\" Khan tweeted early Monday after the Punjab votes were tallied.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Any other way will only lead to increased political uncertainty and further economic chaos.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Khan has drawn thousands to rallies since being ousted, giving lengthy speeches claiming the government was imposed on Pakistan by a US-led conspiracy.</div><div><br></div><div>He also blames the current government for soaring inflation, although most analysts agree Sharif inherited the country\'s economic woes -- which were given some relief last week by an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to resume a rescue package.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan newspapers suggested the Punjab result was a consequence of the economic hardships currently felt by the country, which is spending nearly half its income to service dire foreign debt.</div><div><br></div><div>To meet IMF conditions for a resumption of a $7.2 billion aid package, Sharif had to remove subsidies on fuel -- effectively raising prices by more than 50 percent in less than two months.</div><div><br></div><div>\"A bitter taste of unpopular decisions,\" read a headline in the influential Dawn newspaper over a front-page analysis.</div><div><br></div><div>The Punjab assembly vote was called after the election commission disqualified 20 members of the PTI for switching party loyalties.</div><div><br></div><div>The result means the likely end of a short reign as Punjab Chief Minister by Hamza Sharif, the prime minister\'s son. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 21:19:43', '2022-07-18 21:19:43'),
(484, 484, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The mild heat wave which is sweeping Rajshahi, Rangpur and Nilphamari districts may abate following showers in parts of country in the next 24 hours, Met office said Monday morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Chattogram and Sylhet divisions; at a few places over Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal and Mymensingh divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi &amp; Dhaka divisions with moderately heavy falls at isolated places over the country,” it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Day temperatures may fall slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The highest temperature was recorded 37.5 degrees Celsius in Syedpur while lowest temperature 25.8 degrees Celsius in Kutubdia, Teknaf and Sylhet.</div><div><br></div><div>The Met office recorded the highest 48mm rainfall in Sylhet in 24 hours till 6am today (Monday).</div><div><br></div><div>The low pressure area over Northwest Bay and adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coast moved northwestwards and merged with the monsoon axis.</div><div><br></div><div>The axis of monsoon trough runs through Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal to Assam across central part of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Monsoon is less active over Bangladesh and moderate elsewhere over the North Bay, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, another flood may hit the low-lying areas of the northern districts in the last week of July. And the flood situation may worsen in the first week of August, according to Bangladesh Weather Observatory Team (BWOT), an independent weather research group. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 21:24:43', '2022-07-18 21:24:43'),
(485, 485, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Police arrested five people in connection with vandalising Hindu houses and shops in Narail over a Facebook post.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The arrestees are Masum Billah,32, son of Sadekur Rahman, Sayed Sheikh, 25, son of Aminuddin, Rezaul Sheikh, 40, son of Barik Sheikh, Rasel Mridha, 38, son of Eshak Sheikh, and Kabir Gazi, 40, son of Azizul Gazi.</div><div><br></div><div>“They were arrested Sunday night after a case was filed against 250 anonymous people in connection with the vandalism of houses and shops and attacks on two temples at Sahapara village in Lohagara upazila,” said Abu Hena Milon, Officer-in-Charge of Lohagara police station.</div><div><br></div><div>“The arrestees will be produced before a court today and drive is being conducted to arrest the other accused,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, an angry mob went on a rampage in Lohagara upazila of Narail district damaging at least two houses of the Hindu community and several shops at Digholia Bazar following the Facebook post by a youth named Akash Saha.</div><div><br></div><div>According to police, the college student belonging to the Hindu community posted a remark on Facebook hurting religious sentiments of Muslims on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>As the news spread like wildfire, a group of local people thronged Digholia Bazar and vandalised two houses and six shops that night.</div><div><br></div><div>They also vandalised chairs and sound boxes of Shahapara temple and tin roof of Akhrabari temple during the mayhem. Later police rushed to the spot and took control of the situation.</div><div><br></div><div>Akash Shaha was arrested from Khulna on Saturday night and was placed on a three-day remand by a Narail court. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 22:52:00', '2022-07-18 22:52:00'),
(486, 486, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh recorded seven more Covid-linked deaths with 1,072 cases in 24 hours till Monday morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With the latest figures, the country\'s total fatalities reached 29,241 while the caseload was 1,997,412, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>Of the deceased, four were men and three were women. The deceased were from Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna and Sylhet divisions.</div><div><br></div><div>The daily case positivity rate declined to 9.77% from Sunday\'s 11.12% as 10,974 samples were tested.</div><div><br></div><div>The mortality rate remained unchanged at 1.46%. The recovery rate rose to 96.47% from Sunday\'s 96.42%.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, the country reported 18 Covid-linked deaths and 20,201 new cases, according to the DGHS.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh reported its first zero Covid death on November 20 last year since the pandemic broke out here in March 2020.</div><div><br></div><div>The country registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 in the same year. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 22:56:50', '2022-07-18 22:56:50'),
(487, 487, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Monday said that the flood-affected SSC candidates in Sylhet and other areas will be provided with books by July 24.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The minister also said that necessary measures will be taken through the respective educational institutions to meet any kinds of needs of the students in Sylhet and other regions affected by recuring floods.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister made the remarks in a view exchange meeting with the officials of the education department at the Sylhet Circuit House, on Monday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked about the new curriculum Dr Dipu Moni said: “In addition to theoretical religious education, practical religious education has been included in the new curriculum, thus the issue of religious practice has become more important.”</div><div><br></div><div>\"A malicious circle is spreading communal frenzy and harassing teachers in various educational institutions,\" the minister said while replying to the queries of the journalists present there.</div><div><br></div><div>Commenting that the propagandists are harming the religion by coming out of the religious spirit and using the religion itself, Dr Dipu Moni urged everyone to be careful about this and to come forward to prevent the propaganda from spreading further.</div><div><br></div><div>The Ministry of Education organized the meeting following the initiative to provide books and other educational equipment to the students of different areas of Sylhet due to the recent flood, which washed away and damaged their books and other educational equipment.</div><div><br></div><div>Other relevant issues like- the damage and recovery of the education sector because of the flood, educational activities in Sylhet district after the flood, damaged educational institutions, new textbooks and curriculum of SSC and educational institutions under MPO, were discussed at the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Md Mujibur Rahman, education department officials of the four districts of the division were present at the meeting. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 23:12:04', '2022-07-18 23:12:04'),
(488, 488, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As part of the government\'s target to ensure housing for the landless and homeless people, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hand over 26,229 more houses to landless and homeless families under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project on Thursday (July 21).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will virtually hand over deeds and keys of houses to the landless and homeless people on Thursday,\" Prime Minister\'s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus told reporters at a press briefing here on Monday at the Prime Minister\'s Office (PMO).</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier will be connected virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence with five places in five districts, he mentioned.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The places are Charkalakopa Ashrayan Project under Ramgati Upazila in Lakshmipur District,&nbsp; Gaurambha Ashrayan Project under Rampal Upazila in Bagerhat district, Char Velamari Ashrayan Project under Nandail Upazila in Mymensingh District, Mahan Para Ashrayan Project under Panchagarh Sadar Upazila in Panchagarh District and Jangalia Ashrayan Project under Mohammadpur Upazila in Magura district.</div><div><br></div><div>Ahmad Kaikaus informed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also announce 52 upazilas, including all upazilas of Panchagarh and Magura districts, as homeless and landless free upazilas.</div><div><br></div><div>He said a total of 67,800 more single houses are being handed over across the country under the third phase of Ashrayan-2 Project.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the 67,800 houses, he mentioned, 32, 904 single houses were handed over on April 26, 2022 while rest of 8,667 houses are being constructed.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>According to the project details, a total of 1,17,329 single houses were constructed under first and second phases of the project while 1,85,129 houses were allotted till 2021-2022.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>On January 23 in 2021, 63,999 homeless and landless families received houses under the first phase and 53,330 families got a roof over their heads under second phase of the Ashrayan-2 Project on June 20 last year.</div><div><br></div><div>At the third phase of Ashrayan-2, the government has raised the cost and brought changes in design to make the houses more sustainable and climate-resilient.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Now the landless and homeless people will get better quality tin-shed semi-pucca houses on two decimals of land.</div><div><br></div><div>The cost against each house has been increased to Taka 2,59,500 from Taka 1,91,000 to make the houses more sustainable.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The government is constructing the houses having strong great-beam, lintel and Reinforced Concrete Column (RCC) pillar for making the houses more sustainable.</div><div><br></div><div>Ahmad Kaikaus informed that Taka 4,028.96 crore was allocated for construction of single houses till the fiscal year 2021-22.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Some 1,242 specially designed houses have been allotted for char region under the third phase, he mentioned.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Special design for portable houses has been made so that the houses can be shifted to other places in view of any natural disaster like cyclone or flood, he added.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Apart from khas land, he said, the government has purchased 191.79 acres of land for rehabilitating homeless and landless people.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"Purchasing lands by government is a unique example in the world,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to project details, Taka 134.49 crore has been allocated for purchasing lands.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>A total of 8,462 landless and homeless families will be rehabilitated on the houses to be built on the purchased lands.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The government recovered 5,512.04 acres of khas land from illegal occupation across the country for constructing houses for the project on the occasion of Mujib Barsho. Approximate market price of the recovered khas land is Taka 2,967.09 crore.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 5,09,370 families have been rehabilitated till fiscal year 2020-21 from 1997.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Under the project, rehabilitated families are brought under VGF programs for 3 months.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>According to the government policy, the benefits of freedom fighters, the elderly, widows and the disabled are considered with priority under the social benefits program.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Rehabilitated family members are provided with practical and technical training to engage in various productive and income-generating activities.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Micro-credit for their socio-economic development is disbursed from various government agencies (such as Bangladesh Rural Development Board, Cooperatives, Department of Women and Children, Department of Social Services).</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Other social organizations and NGOs are also involved in these programs.</div><div><br></div><div>Free electricity connection is provided for the rehabilitated families and tube-wells are being installed for safe water at the project site.</div><div><br></div><div>Community centres, prayer houses and graveyards, ponds and roads for internal communication are also being facilitated.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Different types of fruits, forest and medicinal trees are being planted in the project area. Homeless people are also being encouraged to be involved in agricultural work.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The unique feature of the Ashrayan Project perceived by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is that there is a special connection of housing activities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Building houses alone can have major footprints in the attainment of various sustainable development goals.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Housing is related to positive changes in the areas of education, health, security, empowerment, women\'s empowerment as well as inclusive development.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior Secretary of the PMO Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Prime Minister’s&nbsp; Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, among others, attended the briefing. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-18 23:20:45', '2022-07-18 23:20:45'),
(489, 489, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Every year on July 17, World Emoji Day is commemorated. The credit belongs to Jeremy Burge, the inventor of Emojipedia, an emoji reference website that lists the meaning and use of all emojis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The use of emoticons in this digital era has become a crucial part of our lives as individuals choose to communicate their thoughts through charming digital characters known as emoticons or emojis. When words fail us, emojis not only let us convey our feelings to our loved ones but also make them happy, Hindustan Times reported.</div><div><br></div><div>Pictograms, logograms, ideograms, and smileys are other names for emojis. This graphic method of text communication dates back to 1982 when computer scientist Scott Fahlmamn proposed that symbols like:-) and:-(could replace language.</div><div><br></div><div>Given the growing popularity of emojis, iOS, Android, and WhatsApp have started releasing new characters and making changes to their current emojis. Sometimes a simple emoji is all we need to get out of a sticky situation or terminate an unneeded debate. In fact, we all utilise emojis at some time in our lives, so why not celebrate the day for these endearing digital icons?</div><div><br></div><div>Every year on July 17, World Emoji Day is commemorated. The credit belongs to Jeremy Burge, the inventor of Emojipedia, an emoji reference website that lists the meaning and use of all emojis.</div><div><br></div><div>Shigetaka Kurita, a Japanese programmer, invented emojis in 1999 so that pagers in his nation could transmit and receive heart-shaped emoticons. Since then, the Unicode Consortium has developed universal standards for characters, including emoji, across all software systems, with frequency being one of the determining criteria in whether emoticon makes the cut.</div><div><br></div><div>Listed below are the most used emojis:</div><div><br></div><div>Loudly crying face 😭</div><div><br></div><div>A yellow face with an open mouth crying and streams of heavy tears can mislead an unprepared user for a split second, but worry not: while can be used to indicate grief, this emoji has largely been used to share positivity.</div><div><br></div><div>Face with tears of joy 😂</div><div><br></div><div>The emoji \"face with tears of joy\" represents someone who is so happy that tears are rolling down their cheeks. When someone says or does something amusing or humiliating, it can be used as an emotional-tone marker to convey joy and merriment.</div><div><br></div><div>Red heart ❤️</div><div><br></div><div>It is one of the most popular emojis. It is used to express feelings of love and enthusiasm. The keyboard includes two red heart emojis: a regular red heart and a heart suit.</div><div><br></div><div>Rolling on floor laughing emoji 🤣</div><div><br></div><div>It\'s a yellow face, squished and tilted on its side, as if rolling on the floor laughing. When contrasted to Face with Tears of Joy, this emoji usually portrays bursts of unrestrained laughing It can also be used as a common response for “when somebody says something dumb”.</div><div><br></div><div>Pleading face 🥺</div><div><br></div><div>The \"big puppy-dog eyes\" emoji has multiple applications. Some people use it to show others that they are unhappy or worried, while others use it to show that they care. The begging face emoji is a fantastic option for social media, whether you want to convey sympathy, love and admiration for someone else.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 00:08:07', '2022-07-19 00:08:07'),
(490, 490, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The death toll from tribal clashes triggered by land disputes in southeastern Sudan’s Blue Nile State has risen to at least 64, medical sources said today, with the long-festering tensions spreading into some other states.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A curfew was imposed in two major towns of Blue Nile State and security forces deployed following fighting between the Hausa and Funj tribes that began last week.</div><div><br></div><div>Medical sources in the state capital Damazine said that at least 64 people had been killed and hundreds injured, amid a severe shortage in emergency medical supplies.</div><div><br></div><div>In the city of Roseires, also in Blue Nile, clashes continued on Monday with several houses burned, witnesses told Reuters. Others said that large groups of people had begun moving in cars and on foot to neighbouring Sennar state.</div><div><br></div><div>Members of the Hausa tribe, whose members inhabit farming areas across the country, staged protests that turned violent in two other states, witnesses said.</div><div><br></div><div>The witnesses said protesters in Kassala set fire to several government buildings, and security forces fired in the air to break up the crowd.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile in Madani, capital of Gezira state, protesters blocked a main road and bridge and also clashed with other protesters, a witness said.</div><div><br></div><div>Funj-Hausa tensions boiled over following accusations from the Funj, who have long inhabited Blue Nile State, that the Hausa were trying to lay claim to parts of their land.</div><div><br></div><div>There has also been sporadic violence in eastern coastal regions and western Darfur despite a nationwide peace deal signed by some rebel groups in Juba in 2020.</div><div><br></div><div>Military leaders, who seized power in Oct 2021 saying they wanted to preserve the country’s stability, have said they are working to shore up the peace deal.</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters have accused military rulers of failing to protect civilians and stoking tribal conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>Ruling Sovereign Council member Malik Agar said on Sunday the priority was to restore stability and security in strife-torn areas and there was no wish to alter the demographic makeup or “deprive…original residents of their historical rights”. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 00:36:09', '2022-07-19 00:36:09'),
(491, 491, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukraine\'s Interior Ministry says a two-story building in the town of Toretsk was hit early Monday, as Russian forces intensify the shelling of Ukrainian defenses in Donetsk region.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The rescue service found and recovered the bodies of 5 dead people,\" the ministry said. \"Three people were rescued from the rubble, 1 of whom died in the hospital.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Toretsk and surrounding towns have frequently come under fire from Russian lines to the south.</div><div><br></div><div>Some context: Ukraine\'s military said on Monday that it had repulsed Russian attempts to advance in Donetsk.</div><div><br></div><div>The General Staff said that north of the city of Sloviansk more than ten settlements had come under fire.</div><div><br></div><div>Russians continue to shell areas along the border of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions and to persist with a ground assault to the east of the city of Lysychansk, which they took last month.</div><div><br></div><div>Little territory has changed hands in Donbas since the fall of Lysychansk as Ukrainian forces have adopted new defensive positions. - CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 01:03:16', '2022-07-19 01:03:16'),
(492, 492, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Coming across this unexpected shape on the seabed is enough to take your breath away -- so it\'s a good job you\'d probably have a tankful of breaths strapped to your back.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The venerable old Lockheed Martin L1011 Tristar airplane, with its three engines, mounted on wings and tail fin, would be a sight to behold in the air or on the ground, let alone deep beneath the surface of the Red Sea, among the fish and coral.</div><div><br></div><div>The abandoned jet, sunk in 2019 to create an artificial reef to encourage marine life, has been photographed by American underwater photographer Brett Holzer in a series of images that capture the eerie spectacle created by this aquatic airliner.</div><div><br></div><div>According to Holzer, the jet has now become a haven for wreck explorers and underwater photographers.</div><div><br></div><div>First registered in the 1980s and seeing service for several airlines including, according to Planespotters.net, Royal Jordanian, Portugal\'s TAP Air and Sweden\'s Novair before, after a final stint with Luzair, another Portuguese carrier, it was abandoned in the early 2000s.</div><div><br></div><div>After being parked and apparently forgotten for years at King Hussein International Airport near the shores of the Red Sea, the plane was sunk into Jordan\'s Gulf of Aqaba with the aim of encouraging dive tourism and coral growth, according to Jordan News Agency Petra.</div><div><br></div><div>Holzer says it lies at a depth of 15 to 28 meters (50-92 feet), with the plane\'s tail at the deepest end.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The cockpit is the shallowest part of the wreck and faces the beach at about 13 meters,\" Holzer told CNN Arabic.</div><div><br></div><div>Professional divers can enter the wreck through two doors behind the cockpit.</div><div><br></div><div>Inside the fuselage of the Tristar, middle row seats have been removed to permit better access for divers, but otherwise the jet is surprisingly well preserved.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Scuba divers can go to the back to the last two exit doors, which are at a depth of 28 meters,\" Holzer says. \"Or they can exit from the middle doors, which are at a depth of about 20 meters.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The cockpit, seat rows on both sides, toilets and galleys are still in place, allowing divers to float around a mostly intact commercial airliner, says the photographer. - CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 02:44:06', '2022-07-19 02:44:06'),
(493, 493, '<div><br></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has decided to cut the import of fuel, particularly diesel, by 20 percent as an austerity measure to save dollars and keep its foreign reserves stable, according to reports.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid told this at a press conference on Monday after the review meeting on the power and energy supply situation at Prime Minister’s Office.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Bangladesh’s foreign reserves now stand at around $39 billion.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Energy and Mineral Resources Division’s senior secretary Md Mahabubur Rahman, Power Secretary Md Habibur Rahman, BPC chairman ABM Azad and senior officials attended the meeting chaired by Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus.</div><div><br></div><div>As part of the austerity measures, the government will cut diesel consumption by 10 percent by shutting 1100MW diesel-based plants. Besides, another 10 percent will be cut from the transport sector.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have already asked Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) to calculate the actual figure to save dollars by reducing diesel consumption,” Nasrul said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the public and autonomous organizations’ meetings will also be held via virtual platforms to save transportation costs, according to him.</div><div><br></div><div>Public servants will also be asked to share their vehicles during office hours, he said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We would start area-based load shedding tomorrow (Tuesday) on an experimental basis for a week,” he said.&nbsp; Then, it may be extended another one hour.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has also decided to shut the shopping malls at 8:00 PM. “We may cut electricity connections if any mall fails to follow this directive.”</div><div><br></div><div>Local natural gas output dropped to 2300mmcfd from 2700mmcfd and LNG import also declined to 500mmcfd from 850mmcfd due to unprecedented tariff hike, Nasrul Hamid said.</div><div><br></div><div>The natural gas and fuel shortfall will cause 1500MW of electricity deficit, according to him.</div><div><br></div><div>Nasrul also urged the mosques and other religious establishments to conserve electricity. “Please shut your AC after the prayers at the mosques.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BPC will also sit with petrol pump owners to keep the pumps closed one day a week, he informed.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the industrial units will get priority for electricity supply.</div><div><br></div><div>According to meeting sources, the government will introduce load shedding mostly at 11kv feeders whereas 33kv feeders may get uninterrupted electricity as most of the industrial connections are there.</div><div><br></div><div>So, villagers will get half of the load shedding against the total supply of electricity, meeting sources said.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, Petrobangla will intensify drives against illegal gas connections.</div><div><br></div><div>The government may also cut office time by two hours and introduce work-from practice for government staff in a week, sources said.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the government may also propose to introduce two days of school holiday.</div><div><br></div><div>► Area-based power cut starts Tuesday</div><div>► Diesel-based power plants to be shut</div><div>► Power supply to industries to be prioritised&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>► Shopping malls to shut at 8 PM</div><div>►Working time at govt offices may be cut by 2 hours</div><div>► Petrol pumps may remain shut a day per week.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 03:07:44', '2022-07-19 03:07:44');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(494, 494, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Western Europe faces more sweltering temperatures on Tuesday as a fierce heatwave heads north.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In France and the UK extreme heat warnings were issued while northern Spain recorded temperatures of 43C (109F) on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Wildfires in France, Portugal, Spain and Greece have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.</div><div><br></div><div>The UK is expected to see its hottest day ever and experts say parts of France face a \"heat apocalypse\".</div><div><br></div><div>Several parts of France saw their hottest-ever days with the western city of Nantes recording 42C, the national weather office said.</div><div><br></div><div>Wildfires in recent days have forced more than 30,000 people to flee, with emergency shelters set up for evacuees.</div><div><br></div><div>Gironde, a popular tourist region in the south-west, has been hit particularly badly, with firefighters battling to control blazes which have destroyed nearly 17,000 hectares (42,000 acres) of land since last Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The idea that comes into my head is, it\'s a monster,\" Jean-Luc Gleyze, the president of the Gironde region said of the fires.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s a monster like an octopus, and it\'s growing and growing and growing in the front, in the back, on both sides. Because of the temperature, because of the wind, because of the lack of water in the air... it\'s a monster and it\'s very difficult to fight against it.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Temperatures that hovered around 40C on Monday are predicted to drop on Tuesday - but that may not bring immediate relief, as long as dry conditions and changeable winds persist, the BBC\'s Lucy Williamson in the Gironde region reports.</div><div><br></div><div>The UK had one of its hottest days on record on Monday, with a high of 38.1C recorded in Suffolk, in eastern England. Forecasters say Tuesday could see a top of 40C, which would be the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>There were severe travel disruptions with trains cancelled and flights at London\'s Luton Airport suspended when part of the runway buckled under the searing heat.</div><div><br></div><div>On Monday, the Netherlands recorded its hottest day of the year so far. In the south-western town of Westdorpe, temperatures reached 33.6C.</div><div><br></div><div>And it is expected to be hotter on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to top 39C in southern and central regions of the Netherlands.</div><div><br></div><div>Forecasters say the heatwave is heading north, with Belgium and Germany expected to see temperatures around 40C in the coming days.</div><div><br></div><div>In Spain and Portugal, more than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the heat in recent days.</div><div><br></div><div>Temperatures in Portugal hit 47C on Thursday - a record for July. Most of the country has been placed under high fire danger by the national meteorological office IPMA.</div><div><br></div><div>Local media reports that 300 people from the northern Murça municipality have been evacuated due to the fire danger - authorities are anxious to avoid a repeat of 2017, when 66 people were killed in wildfires.</div><div><br></div><div>In Spain, at least 20 fires are burning out of control. A passenger filmed the moment the train he was travelling on came to a temporary halt - as fires raged on both sides of the carriage near the northern border with Portugal.</div><div><br></div><div>Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 14:30:46', '2022-07-19 14:30:46'),
(495, 495, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">From his small office in Singapore, Kelvin Pang is ready to wager a $23 million payday that the worst of the chip shortage is not over for automakers – at least in China.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Pang has bought 62,000 microcontrollers, chips that help control a range of functions from car engines and transmissions to electric vehicle power systems and charging, which cost the original buyer $23.80 each in Germany.</div><div><br></div><div>He\'s now looking to sell them to auto suppliers in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen for $375 apiece. He says he has turned down offers for $100 each, or $6.2 million for the whole bundle, which is small enough to fit in the back seat of a car and is packed for now in a warehouse in Hong Kong.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The automakers have to eat,\" Pang told Reuters. \"We can afford to wait.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The 58-year-old, who declined to say what he himself had paid for the microcontrollers (MCUs), makes a living trading excess electronics inventory that would otherwise be scrapped, connecting buyers in China with sellers abroad.</div><div><br></div><div>The global chip shortage over the past two years - caused by pandemic supply chaos combined with booming demand - has transformed what had been a high-volume, low-margin trade into one with the potential for wealth-spinning deals, he says.</div><div><br></div><div>Automotive chip order times remain long around the world, but brokers like Pang and thousands like him are focusing on China, which has become ground zero for a crunch that the rest of the industry is gradually moving beyond.</div><div><br></div><div>Globally, new orders are backed up by an average of about a year, according to a Reuters survey of 100 automotive chips produced by the five leading manufacturers.</div><div><br></div><div>To counter the supply squeeze, global automakers like General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co have moved to secure better access through a playbook that has included negotiating directly with chipmakers, paying more per part and accepting more inventory.</div><div><br></div><div>For China though, the outlook is bleaker, according to interviews with more than 20 people involved in the trade from automakers, suppliers and brokers to experts at China\'s government-affiliated auto research institute CATARC.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite being the world\'s largest producer of cars, and leader in electric vehicles (EVs), China relies almost entirely on chips imported from Europe, the United States and Taiwan. Supply strains have been compounded by a zero-COVID lockdown in auto hub Shanghai that ended last month.</div><div><br></div><div>As a result, the shortage is more acute than elsewhere and threatens to curb the nation\'s EV momentum, according to CATARC, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center. A fledgling domestic chipmaking industry is unlikely to be in a position to cope with demand within the next two to three years, it says.</div><div><br></div><div>Pang, for his part, sees China\'s shortage continuing through 2023 and deems it dangerous to hold inventory after that. The one risk to that view, he says: a sharper economic slowdown that could depress demand earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>Forcasts \'hardly possible\'</div><div><br></div><div>Computer chips, or semiconductors, are used in the thousands in every conventional and electric vehicle. They help control everything from deploying airbags and automating emergency braking to entertainment systems and navigation.</div><div><br></div><div>The Reuters survey conducted in June took a sample of chips, produced by Infineon, Texas Instruments, NXP, STMicroelectronics and Renesas, which perform a diverse range of functions in cars.</div><div><br></div><div>New orders via distributors are on hold for an average lead time of 49 weeks – deep into 2023, according to the analysis, which provides a snapshot of the global shortage though not a regional breakdown. Lead times range from 6 to 198 weeks, with an average of 52 weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>German chipmaker Infineon told Reuters it is \"rigorously investing and expanding manufacturing capacities worldwide\" but said shortages may last until 2023 for chips outsourced to foundries.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Since the geopolitical and macroeconomic situation has deteriorated in recent months, reliable assessments regarding the end of the present shortages are hardly possible right now,\" Infineon said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Taiwan chipmaker United Microelectronics Corp told Reuters it has been able to reallocate some capacity to auto chips due to weaker demand in other segments. \"On the whole, it is still challenging for us to meet the aggregate demand from customers,\" the company said.</div><div><br></div><div>TrendForce analyst Galen Tseng told Reuters that if auto suppliers needed 100 PMIC chips - which regulate voltage from the battery to more than 100 applications in an average car - they were currently only getting around 80.</div><div><br></div><div>Urgency seeking chips</div><div><br></div><div>The tight supply conditions in China contrast with the improved supply outlook for global automakers. Volkswagen, for example, said in late June it expected chip shortages to ease in the second half of the year. read more</div><div><br></div><div>The chairman of Chinese EV maker Nio , William Li, said last month it was hard to predict which chips would be in short supply. Nio regularly updates its \"risky chip list\" to avoid shortages of any of the more than 1,000 chips needed to run production.</div><div><br></div><div>In late May, Chinese EV maker Xpeng Motors (9868.HK) pleaded for chips with an online video featuring a Pokemon toy that had also sold out in China. The bobbing duck-like character waves two signs: \"urgently seeking\" and \"chips.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"As the car supply chain gradually recovers, this video captures our supply-chain team\'s current condition,\" Xpeng CEO He Xiaopeng posted on Weibo, saying his company was struggling to secure \"cheap chips\" needed to build cars.</div><div><br></div><div>All roads lead to Shenzhen</div><div><br></div><div>The scramble for workarounds has led automakers and suppliers to China\'s main chip trading hub of Shenzhen and the \"gray market\", brokered supplies legally sold but not authorized by the original manufacturer, according to two people familiar with the trade at a Chinese EV maker and an auto supplier.</div><div><br></div><div>The gray market carries risks because chips are sometimes recycled, improperly labeled, or stored in conditions that leave them damaged.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Brokers are very dangerous,\" said Masatsune Yamaji, research director at Gartner, adding that their prices were 10 to 20 times higher. \"But in the current situation, many chip buyers need to depend on the brokers because the authorized supply chain cannot support the customers, especially the small customers in automotive or industrial electronics.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Pang said many Shenzhen brokers were newcomers drawn by the spike in prices but unfamiliar with the technology they were buying and selling. \"They only know the part number. I ask them: Do you know what this does in the car? They have no idea.\"</div><div><br></div><div>While the volume held by brokers is hard to quantify, analysts say it is far from enough to meet demand.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s not like all the chips are somewhere hidden and you just need to bring them to the market,\" said Ondrej Burkacky, senior partner at McKinsey.</div><div><br></div><div>When supply normalizes, there may be an asset bubble in the inventories of unsold chips sitting in Shenzhen, analysts and brokers cautioned.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We can\'t hold on for too long, but the automakers can\'t hold on either,\" Pang said.</div><div><br></div><div>Chinese self-sufficiency&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>China, where advanced chip design and manufacturing still lag overseas rivals, is investing to decrease its reliance on foreign chips. But that will not be easy, especially given the stringent requirements for auto-grade chips.</div><div><br></div><div>MCUs make up about 30% of the total chip costs in a car, but they are also the hardest category for China to achieve self-sufficiency in, said Li Xudong, senior manager at CATARC, adding that domestic players had only entered the lower end of the market with chips used in air conditioning and seating controls.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t think the problem can be solved in two to three years,\" CATARC chief engineer Huang Yonghe said in May. \"We are relying on other countries, with 95% of the wafers imported.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Chinese EV maker BYD, which has started to design and manufacture IGBT transistor chips, is emerging as a domestic alternative, CATARC\'s Li said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"For a long time, China has seen its inability to be totally independent on chip production as a major security weakness,\" said Victor Shih, professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego.</div><div><br></div><div>With time, China could build a strong domestic industry as it did when it identified battery production as a national priority, Shih added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It led to a lot of waste, a lot of failures, but then it also led to two or three giants that now dominate the global market.\" -reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 14:46:51', '2022-07-19 14:46:51'),
(496, 496, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Bank yesterday substantially relaxed the policy for adjourn defaulted loans, allowing defaulters to repay term loans over a utmost period of eight years whereas it was previously two years.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Defaulters will also be allowed to reschedule their non-performing loans (NPLs) four times whereas previously they could do so three times, according to a Bangladesh Bank notice.</div><div><br></div><div>The BB said the new rules have been issued to keep the financial sector stable from the adverse impacts stemming from the long-lasting effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the prolonging Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>Analysts said the relaxation of the rescheduling policy would weaken the health of the country\'s banking sector, which has already been struggling to reduce its NPLs in recent years amidst a lack of corporate governance.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>As per the new rules, defaulters who took term loans would be allowed to repay funds over a period of six years to eight years. In contrast, it was previously nine months to two years.</div><div><br></div><div>Term loans, which have tenures of more than one year, are usually given out to businesses to set up new industrial units and expand existing ones.</div><div><br></div><div>Defaulters who avail working capital and demand loans would be permitted to pay back their loans over a period of five years to seven years. In contrast, it was previously six months to 18 months.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Clients usually avail working capital and demand loans, which have tenures below one year, to run their ongoing businesses.</div><div><br></div><div>Clients will also enjoy a grace period between six months and one year before they need to start repaying the rescheduled loans. Such grace periods were absent in the previous central bank policy.</div><div><br></div><div>The BB has also declared a big relaxation of rules on down payments which are required to be made by defaulters.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the rules, defaulters who took term loans would have to give only 2.5 per cent to 6.5 per cent of their total NPLs instead of the previous 10 per cent to 30 per cent.</div><div><br></div><div>They will have to provide down payments of 2.5 per cent to 5 per cent of their total NPLs if they have taken working capital or demand loans. The earlier range of the down payment was from five per cent to 15 per cent.</div><div><br></div><div>After rescheduling the NPLs, exporters will have to repay 2 per cent of the rescheduled loans in order to get new funds from banks. Previously it was 7.5 per cent.</div><div><br></div><div>Common borrowers will have to pay 3 per cent of their defaulted loans to enjoy new loans in contrast to a previous 15 per cent.</div><div><br></div><div>Regular borrowers, who have not entered the default zone, will also be permitted to restructure their loans.</div><div><br></div><div>Under the process, banks can extend the repayment tenure by up to 50 per cent whereas it was previously 25 per cent.</div><div><br></div><div>The defaulters, who earlier rescheduled their NPLs more than four times, will be allowed to reschedule their default loans for one more time.</div><div><br></div><div>The BB in the notice said defaulters would not be allowed to reschedule their defaulted loans for a fourth time after December 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>Habitual defaulters will not be allowed to enjoy any policy support from the relaxed rules, according to the BB.</div><div><br></div><div>Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue, said the new instructions would not bring any good for the banking sector, rather it would deal a blow to credit discipline in lenders.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has set a high GDP growth and low inflation target, thinking that volatility in the global market will end in the quickest possible time, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>But the central bank extended the repayment tenure up to eight years when both the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing war might not last long, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are now struggling to survive from the existing default culture. The latest relaxation will intensify NPLs in the long run,\" Khatun said.</div><div><br></div><div>The NPLs totalled Tk 113,441 crore in March this year, just behind the highest-ever of Tk 116,288 crore recorded in September 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>Default loans increased 9.84 per cent in March from that three months ago when it stood at Tk 103,274 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the BB in its circular stated that the policy would not be applicable for habitual defaulters, the central bank earlier failed to stick with such commitments, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, the central bank had earlier relaxed many policies to give support to influential borrowers in many cases, Khatun said.</div><div><br></div><div>Anis A Khan, a former chairman of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh, said banks would face difficulties in recovering their funds as the repayment tenure of the rescheduled loans were much higher than what was previously.</div><div><br></div><div>Many good borrowers may feel discouraged to pay back their loans due to the relaxed policy for loan rescheduling, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He feared that some borrowers might divert their funds to unproductive zones, violating their commitment to invest those in sectors mentioned in their respective credit proposals.</div><div><br></div><div>The borrowers will get a long time to repay their loans even after rescheduling their defaulted loans, which might encourage the thought that they will get a hefty time to repay the funds, Khan said.</div><div><br></div><div>Banks usually mobilise short-term deposits from clients, which is why a large amount of their funds will be stuck due to the relaxed policy, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Against the backdrop, lenders may face an asset-liability mismanagement, Khan said.</div><div><br></div><div>For this reason, new entrepreneurs may be deprived of loans from lenders, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Salehuddin Ahmed, a former governor of the central bank, said many countries were now facing several crises due to the ongoing war and pandemic but none had relaxed their credit and rescheduling policies.</div><div><br></div><div>Habitual borrowers may take advantage of this relaxation, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Such relaxed polices should have been taken only for the small and medium enterprise and agriculture sectors, Ahmed said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:08:09', '2022-07-19 15:08:09'),
(497, 497, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The U.S. Navy’s famed Blue Angels aerial demonstration team on Monday named the first female pilot in the squadron’s history, the organization said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Lieutenant Amanda Lee is one of six new core members selected for the team, founded 76 years ago, the Navy said. It said women from the Navy and Marine Corps have served with the Blue Angels for 55 years, but never before as a pilot.</div><div><br></div><div>The Blue Angels were created in 1946 to generate public support and boost Navy morale by performing aerial moves at air shows, sporting events and other flight demonstrations.</div><div><br></div><div>Lee, of Mounds View, Minnesota, is currently assigned to the Strike Fighter Squadron 106 demonstration team, known as the Gladiators, stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She and the other new members will report to the Blue Angels in September.</div><div><br></div><div>After the current season concludes in the winter, the members will undergo five months of training in a California facility before starting the 2023 show season.</div><div><br></div><div>There are 17 officers currently on the Blue Angels. They typically serve two years with the team.</div><div><br></div><div>“The mission of the Blue Angels is to showcase the teamwork and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps through flight demonstrations and community outreach while inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country,” the Navy wrote in a statement. -reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:12:41', '2022-07-19 15:12:41'),
(498, 498, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As Russia kept up its harsh shelling across the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expanded the shakeup of his security services on Monday by suspending 28 more officials, a day after he dismissed two senior officials over allegations that their agencies harbored “collaborators and traitors.”</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said a “personnel audit” of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was underway, and the dismissal of the 28 officials was being decided.</div><div><br></div><div>“Different levels, different areas of focus. But the reasons are similar — unsatisfactory results of work,” Zelenskyy said.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday, he had fired SBU chief Ivan Bakanov and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova. Zelenskyy, citing hundreds of criminal proceedings into treason and collaboration by people within their departments and other law enforcement agencies.</div><div><br></div><div>“Six months into the war, we continue to uncover loads of these people in each of these agencies,” said Andriy Smirnov, deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office.</div><div><br></div><div>Analysts said the moves are designed to strengthen Zelenskyy’s control over the army and security agencies, which have been led by people appointed before the Russian invasion began on Feb. 24.</div><div><br></div><div>“In the conditions of a war, Zelenskyy needs leaders that are capable of tackling several tasks at the same time -- to resist Russia’s intrigues within the country to create a fifth column, to be in contact and coordination with international experts, to do their actual job effectively,” Volodymyr Fesenko, a political analyst with the Penta Center think tank, told The Associated Press.</div><div><br></div><div>Bakanov is a childhood friend and former business partner of Zelenskyy, who appointed him to head the SBU. Bakanov had come under growing criticism over security breaches since the war began.</div><div><br></div><div>Venediktova won international praise for her drive to gather war-crimes evidence against Russian military commanders and officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, over the destruction of Ukrainian cities and the killing of civilians.</div><div><br></div><div>U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, speaking to reporters in Washington, said when asked about the personnel changes that the two governments were in close contact.</div><div><br></div><div>“The fact is that in all of our relationships, and including in this relationship, we invest not in personalities. We invest in institutions and, of course, President Zelenskyy has spoken to his rationale for making these personnel shifts,” Price said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said Washington would continue to work with Kyiv on war-crimes investigations and information sharing. Intelligence, he said, is “an important element of the assistance that we are providing to our Ukrainian partners in an effort to help them defend themselves.”</div><div><br></div><div>Zelensky appointed the first deputy head of the SBU, Vasyl Maliuk, to be acting head. Maliuk, 39, is known for efforts to fight corruption in the security agencies; his appointment was seen as part of Zelenskyy’s efforts to get rid of pro-Russian staffers in the SBU.</div><div><br></div><div>Fesenko said discontent with Bakanov and Venediktova had been brewing for a while, and it was possible that Ukraine’s Western partners pointed out the underperformance of the SBU and the prosecutor general’s office to Zelenskyy.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Russia pressed forward with its missile and shelling attacks, which Ukrainian officials said were designed to intimidate the civilian population and create panic.</div><div><br></div><div>The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces, however, said his troops had “stabilized the situation” on the front, largely thanks to Western deliveries of technically advanced rocket systems.</div><div><br></div><div>“It is complex, tense, but completely controllable,” Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny wrote on Telegram after a phone call with the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley.</div><div><br></div><div>“An important factor contributing to our holding our defensive lines and positions is the timely arrival of the M142 HIMARS, delivering targeted strikes against enemy command posts, ammunition and fuel depots,” Zaluzhnyy said, referring to the light multiple-rocket launchers recently delivered from the U.S.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s Emergency Service said at least six people were killed by Russian shelling Monday targeting the city of Toretsk in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Toretsk was taken briefly in the Russian invasion of 2014, but Ukrainian forces ended up taking the city back.</div><div><br></div><div>Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said Russian shelling there is incessant. Four Russian strikes had been carried out on the city of Kramatorsk, he said, and he urged civilians to evacuate.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re seeing that the Russians want to sow fear and panic,” Kyrylenko said in televised remarks. “The front line is moving, so civilians must leave the region and evacuate.”</div><div><br></div><div>Nearly 1,000 civilians were evacuated to Ukraine on Monday from Russian-held territories in the northern Kharkiv region, Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said. About a third of the region remains in Russian hands after Moscow’s troops overran it in April.</div><div><br></div><div>In Kyiv on Monday, a funeral was held at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery for a Ukrainian solider killed when his car hit a land mine near Izium last week. His family couldn’t bury him in their hometown in eastern Ukraine because it remains under Russian occupation.</div><div><br></div><div>The cathedral was packed with mourners paying their last respects to Fanat, as the soldier was known. Whenever the priest paused, the voice of the soldier’s mother echoed in the church.</div><div><br></div><div>“We will love you forever and ever. We will miss you so much!” she cried, caressing the closed coffin. “Why do we need to live in this cursed war?”</div><div><br></div><div>In other developments Monday:</div><div><br></div><div>Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected troops involved in the fighting in Ukraine and ordered the military to prioritize destruction of Ukraine’s long-range missiles and artillery, according to a ministry statement. It was not immediately clear when or where the inspection took place.</div><div><br></div><div>U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ spokesman said that “incrementally, there’s been a little bit more progress” on a proposed U.N. package deal that would enable millions of tons of Ukraine’s grain to be shipped from the Black Sea, and Russian grain and fertilizer to be sent to world markets without restrictions. Spokesman Farhan Haq said the U.N. chief spoke to Zelenskyy about the negotiations. A new round of talks could take place in Turkey later this week, said Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. Some 22 million tons of grain are stuck in Ukraine because of the war.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine says some Russian forces have been using topographical maps from 1969 as they fight in the country’s east. The Ukrainian military’s general staff, citing the country’s internal security service, said the maps were used by Russian troops fighting around the Kharkiv but did not have buildings built since the early 1970s.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken as she began a series of high-profile appearances in Washington. She is to meet with her U.S. counterpart, Jill Biden, on Tuesday. Price said Blinken assured Zelenska of the United States’ commitment to Ukraine, and commended her for her work with civilians dealing with trauma and other damage from the war. -AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:20:12', '2022-07-19 15:20:12'),
(499, 499, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A fine second-half strike from Tine De Caigny was enough to take Belgium into the last eight, where they meet Sweden on Friday evening. Italy fought hard after going behind, but cannot consider themselves unlucky to be eliminated, given how they performed in their three games.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Belgium started the better in a first half, the poverty of which can only be partially explained by the heat. Both sides lacked conviction, intensity and devil, allowing things to happen rather than taking command of them, with few serious chances created – both when Belgium were in the ascendancy and when Italy took over.</div><div><br></div><div>On 49 minutes, though, Tessa Wullaert’s free-kick – a rare decent ball into the box, – eventually dropped to De Caigny on the edge and her first touch was excellent, her second even better, drilling a finish into the corner.</div><div><br></div><div>Italy improved thereafter, building momentum, but ultimately were undone, as they have been in all three matches here, but a lack of quality, intensity and imagination.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Talking point&nbsp;</b></div><div><br></div><div>There were seven minutes of injury-time, which sounds like a lot but wasn’t in the context of a half featuring a cooling break and many substitutions. The former, of course, is necessary, but with five now allowed in Premier League fixtures, this is something to which we’ll have to get used.</div><div><br></div><div>It will not be for the better. The promise of playing will help the richest clubs build even more powerful squads with ever more varied options to change a match, while their opponents deploy their changes to best thwart momentum and waste time. Add to that the potential for increasing VAR checks and the usual dissent, playacting and dithering, and fans will leave some second halves wondering if they’ve even seen one.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Player of the match:&nbsp;</b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Tessa Wullaert (Belgium) </b></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">She played in flashes but was still the best player on the pitch and her fine cross helped create the goal.</span></div><div><br></div><div><b>Player ratings</b>&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Italy: Giuliani 6, Di Guglielmo 6, Bartoli 6, Linari 5, Boattin 6, Bergamaschi 6, Simonetti 6, Rosucci 5, Giugliano 5; Bonansea 7, Girelli 6. Subs: Bonfantini 7, Caruso 6, Giacinti 6, Cernoia 6, Sabatino 6.</div><div><br></div><div>Belgium: Evrard 7, Vangheluwe 7, Kees 7, Biesmans 6, Philtjens 6, Cayman 6, Vanhaevermaet 6, De Caigny 7, Dhony 6, Eurlings 5, Wullaert 7. Subs: Minnaert 6, Deloose 6, Delacauw 7, Missipo 6. -Eurosport</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"16\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:29:58', '2022-07-19 15:29:58'),
(500, 500, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Arsenal are on the verge of signing Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City, according to widespread reports including the Evening Standard. </span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Gunners are set to pay £30m up front with a potential £2m in add-ons, while according to the Mail, City will turn their attentions to bringing Brighton’s Marc Cucurella to the Etihad for around £50m once Zinchenko is off their books.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>City’s strengthening of the clubs below them continues, but so do their own squad enhancements. A team willing to sell Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling and now Zinchenko evidently do not fear the clubs they are selling to, but this approach could be to Arsenal’s gain – a club intent on returning to the Champions League and making to smart moves in their bid to do so. -Eurosport</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"16\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:35:27', '2022-07-19 15:35:27'),
(501, 501, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A day after Sri Lanka’s president fled, Mohamed Ishad waited outside an immigration office near the capital, clutching a file of documents that he hopes will get his passport renewed so he can leave, too.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With the nation in the throes of its worst economic crisis, Ishad has no job, relies on relatives for financial help and sells vegetables to feed his wife and three children. He wants to go to Japan and find work there so he can send money back home.</div><div><br></div><div>Ishad is devastated to leave his family behind, but feels there is no choice — and no opportunity — in his country. “Living in Sri Lanka right now is not good — if you want a good life, you need to leave,” he said. Not only has the economy collapsed, but “there’s hardly a government functioning right now.”</div><div><br></div><div>Bankruptcy has forced the island nation’s government to a near standstill. Its once-beloved and now reviled former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to Singapore before resigning last week. The acting president and prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, is seen as his proxy and opposed by angry crowds.</div><div><br></div><div>Parliament is expected to elect a new leader Wednesday, paving the way for a fresh government, but it is unclear if that’s enough to fix a shattered economy and placate a furious nation of 22 million that has grown disillusioned with politicians of all stripes.</div><div><br></div><div>The political ruckus has deepened worries that solutions to the crisis, including a crucial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, may be delayed.</div><div><br></div><div>“Right now, the eye is off the ball,” said Dayan Jayatilleka, a former diplomat and political analyst. “It’s like in the middle of a serious surgery, everybody from the top surgeon to the anesthesiologist, ran out of the operation room to start a revolution — but they need to come back and finish the surgery before the patient is dead.”</div><div><br></div><div>The IMF is monitoring the situation closely, but any bailout package will be contingent on Sri Lanka’s debt-restructuring strategy and political stability. “People are probably thinking, who do we talk to? Don’t you guys care about the economy? Will the real president please stand up?” Jayatilleka said.</div><div><br></div><div>For months, the country has been on edge, triggered by a foreign exchange crisis that has crippled imports of essentials like fuel, food and medicine. Doctors are warning people to not get sick while families are struggling to eat three meals a day in a country that was once an inspiration across South Asia for its expanding middle class and high per capita income.</div><div><br></div><div>Now, the government owes $51 billion in debt and is unable to make payments on its loans. Its currency has collapsed by 80%, making imports more expensive and worsening inflation. Sri Lanka has only $25 million in usable foreign reserves and needs $6 billion to stay afloat over the next few months.</div><div><br></div><div>“Gotabaya resigning is one problem solved -- there are so many more. They will continue if we don’t make the right choice in choosing our leaders,” said Bhasura Wickremesinghe, a 24-year-old maritime engineering student.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the candidates that Parliament will choose as president are Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the main opposition party; Dullas Alahapperuma, a former minister under Rajapaksa who is likely to be backed by a section of the ruling coalition; and Anura Dissanayake, a Marxist leader whose public support has grown during the crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Another rumored candidate — and the most contentious — would be Wickremesinghe, who could likely count on support of the governing party if he decided to seek nomination. Protesters have rallied for weeks to kick him out of office, accusing him of protecting the Rajapaksa dynasty. If he is nominated and chosen, it will be a “powder keg,” said Jayatilleka.</div><div><br></div><div>The six-time prime minister, who is also the current finance minister, was appointed by Rajapaksa in May to begin difficult negotiations with lenders and financial institutions. He has also promised to overhaul the political system to clip presidential powers. But his unpopularity grew as lines for fuel got longer, food prices surged and power cuts continued.</div><div><br></div><div>He recently called the protesters “fascists” and imposed a state of emergency after his office was seized and his private residence torched.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe is the only lawmaker from his party to hold a seat in Parliament after it suffered a humiliating defeat in 2020, limiting his public support and political heft. Many don’t see him as a legitimate leader despite his seasoned political career and expertise, said Bhavani Fonseka, a senior researcher at Colombo-based Center for Policy Alternatives.</div><div><br></div><div>“This political uncertainty is a killer of the economy -- that has to be resolved fast and in a way that satisfies the people of the country,” said W.A. Wijewardena, a former deputy governor of the Sri Lankan central bank. An immediate roadmap is needed, focused on boosting exports, increasing revenue through new taxes and slashing expenditure, but none of this can be achieved if there is no stable government in place, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Many people are aching for a tangible change in their lives right now, Fonseka said, and don’t care about the complex negotiations. “For them, it’s the basics of fuel and food — are they getting it or not?”</div><div><br></div><div>She said that whoever forms the government “cannot rule the way it was before, they will need to engage better with the public and protesters to show they are different.”</div><div><br></div><div>“But if it is someone who does not have the confidence or trust of the people, then the tumultuous protests will continue, and there won’t be any stability or solutions in near sight.” -AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:42:20', '2022-07-19 15:42:20'),
(502, 502, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The nationwide daylong Covid-19 vaccination campaign began this morning to expedite the vaccination programme to combat the outbreak of the deadly virus.</span><br></div><div> </div><div>\"The government has decided to observe the nationwide vaccination for expanding booster dose coverage across the country to prevent the spread of coronavirus,\" Health Minister Zahid Maleque told a press conference virtually at Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) here on Monday(July 18).</div><div> </div><div>Secretary of Health Service Division Dr Md Anwar Hossain Hawlader, DGHS Director General Prof Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam and senior officials of different relevant organizations, among others, attended the press conference.</div><div> </div><div>\"The people aged 18 and above will be eligible for receiving Covid-19 booster dose during the daylong campaign ...They (eligible people) will be inoculated booster dose after completing four months,\" he added.</div><div> </div><div>The government has set a target to inoculate 75 lakh people under booster and second dose during the daylong drive, the minister added.</div><div> </div><div>Maleque said as part of controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has brought 76.05 percent people under first dose of vaccination coverage, 70.3percent under second dose while 17.9 percent people were brought under the booster dose coverage.</div><div> </div><div>Bangladesh has been lauded globally for expansion of vaccination coverage which eventually has helped the countrymen to protect from the lethal virus,he said, adding:</div><div> </div><div>\"Five types of vaccines</div><div> </div><div>-- Astrazeneca, Pfizer, Sinopharm, Sinovac and Janssen-- are now available in the country. We have 2.76 crore vaccines in stock.\"</div><div> </div><div>The government has set up 16,181 vaccination centres across the country, the health minister said, adding, \"As many as 623 are permanent vaccination centres while 15,558 are temporarily to conduct the nationwide campaign.\" He said in order to inoculate targeted people, a total of 33,246 health workers will perform their duties during the campaign while some 49,869 volunteers will extend their services to make the vaccination drive a success.</div><div> </div><div>Vaccination centres have been set at all public hospitals, specialized hospitals, health complexes, city corporations, pouroshovas, upazila and unions parishads. As of July 18, a total of 27,97,68,106 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including booster doses, were administered while the countrywide vaccination campaign was launched on February 7, last year.</div><div> </div><div>\"A total of 12,94,38,055 people were administered the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine till yesterday (Monday) while 11,97,86,233 received the second doseacross the country during the period,\" according to a data issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div> </div><div>As many as 3,0,5,43,818 people received the booster doses of the vaccine to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, it added.</div><div> </div><div>\"A total of 3,37,88,634 students aged 12-17 years were vaccinated with first and second doses of the Covid-19 vaccines. Of them, 1,73,48,250 students received the first dose while 1,60,67,252 were immunized with the second dose of the jabs,\" the DGHS sources said.</div><div> </div><div>Some 3,73,132 floating people have so far been inoculated across the country,the sources added.</div><div> </div><div>\"Till date, Bangladesh received over 30 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines... Either the country got the vaccine doses under COVAX facilities or through purchase,\" the DGHS continued.</div><div> </div><div>\"The government has taken the decision to inoculate children aged between five and 12 years with Covid-19 vaccines after approval of the World Health Organization (WHO)... The country has sufficient number of vaccines, which are eligible for the children,\" the health ministry sources said.</div><div> </div><div>There are 2.20 crore children aged between five and 12 in the country, the ministry said, adding: \"Registration is mandatory for them through \"Surokkha App\" for receiving the vaccine.\"</div><div> </div><div>On November 1, 2021, the vaccination campaign for students, aged between 12and 17, began at eight centers in Dhaka city. Afterwards, the campaign has been expanded across the country. -BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 15:46:04', '2022-07-19 15:46:34'),
(503, 503, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Monday detained the truck driver who ran over three members of a family, including a pregnant woman on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Raju Ahmed Shipon was held from Dhaka\'s Savar, RAB spokesperson Khandaker Al Moin told Bangla Tribune on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The truck that has crushed three people of the same family Bangla Tribune</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, the girl child was born during a road accident that left three of her family members including her parents dead on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.</div><div><br></div><div>The tragic accident occurred around 2:30pm near the Court Building area in Trishal upazila, said Md Moinuddin, officer-in-charge of Trishal police station.</div><div><br></div><div>While crossing the highway, a speeding Mymenshingh-bound truck knocked them down, leaving all three family members dead on the spot.</div><div><br></div><div>The baby is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital, where women who recently gave birth are taking turns to feed her.</div><div><br></div><div>She has fractures in her hand and shoulder.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 16:04:43', '2022-07-19 16:04:43'),
(504, 504, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In light of government orders to close markets and shops at 8pm to save energy, Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) on Monday snapped power connections from several areas.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A DPDC team raided places under their zones in Dhaka, including Baitul Mukarram, Naya Paltan, and Fakirapool at around 8am, reports Bangla Tribune.</div><div><br></div><div>Announcements via microphones were made before the teams disconnected the power connections, said DPDC Managing Director Bikash Dewan&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We had informed every zone that DPDC teams will patrol the areas after 8pm. If they find markets or shops still open, they were asked to request the owners to stop operations. If they refused to do so, they were ordered to snap the power connections,” he told Bangla Tribune.</div><div><br></div><div>In order to save electricity and fuel, area-based power cuts for a specific time are set to start on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Production at diesel-run power plants was also stopped on Monday. Hence, 1,000MW less electricity generated, in a bid to tackle the ongoing power and energy crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>The government also decided to keep fuel stations closed for a day every week from Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Energy Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid made the decisions at PMO on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 16:54:43', '2022-07-19 16:54:43'),
(505, 505, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bollywood is all set to make a Hindi remake of Jason Statham starrer \"The Transporter\". The noted filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar will be directing the action thriller film.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The \"Tiger Zinda Hai\" director bought the rights to \"The Transporter\" for a hefty sum. Ali Abbas plans on hiring A-list actors from Bollywood to star in the film. He will begin casting for the film once he is done with his current project, \"Bade Miyan Chote Miyan\".</div><div><br></div><div>Ali currently has a shortlist of actors who he wants to cast in the film, but ultimately the final casting will depend on whether the actors will be available when the film starts its production. </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 17:41:06', '2022-07-19 17:42:13');
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(506, 506, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">When Netflix reports second-quarter results Tuesday, the key barometer for Wall Street will be whether the streamer will overdeliver on already low expectations — or, like the Indiana town that’s the centerpiece of “Stranger Things,” it will get sucked deeper into a pit of despair.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Netflix projected a net loss of 2 million streaming subscribers for the second quarter, following a surprise decline of 200,000 in Q1 (which included the loss of 700,000 Russian customers after exiting the country over the invasion of Ukraine). The company is scheduled to report Q2 2022 results after market close July 19.</div><div><br></div><div>At least one analyst thinks Netflix will beat sub guidance for Q2 — driven by “Stranger Things 4,” which has seen significant viewership, to become the most-watched English-language original series in its first month of release (according to Netflix’s proprietary measurement).</div><div><br></div><div>Emilia Clarke Opens Up About Surviving Two Brain Aneurysms: ‘It’s Remarkable That I Am Able to Speak’</div><div>Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, once notably bearish on Netflix, projects a narrower Q2 net loss of 1.5 million subscribers and that company will forecast a gain globally of at least 1 million.</div><div><br></div><div>What made the difference? Pachter was encouraged by Netflix’s deviation from its binge-release practice with the highly Season 4 of “Stranger Things”: The first seven eps were released May 27 (to spur signups and reduce churn in Q2) with the two concluding segments dropping July 1 (so they would fall in Q3).</div><div><br></div><div>“While it is possible that the company will once again issue downbeat guidance for Q3, we think that the staggered release dates [of ‘Stranger Things 4’] limited churn at quarter end and once again, Netflix is likely positioned to grow,” Pachter wrote, adding that “we think that the sooner the company shows its commitment to reducing churn by releasing its new content over several weeks, investors will see an uptick in net new subscribers and investor confidence in the Netflix business model will be restored.”</div><div><br></div><div>However, Pachter doesn’t believe Netflix’s share price will approach 2021 levels “for many years,” although he thinks a 12-month target of $280/share is “achievable.” The stock closed last Friday at $189.11/share.</div><div><br></div><div>Click here to sign up for Variety’s free Strictly Business newsletter covering earnings, financial news, and more.</div><div><br></div><div>To be sure, in 2022, the financial markets have given their verdict on Netflix. The honeymoon is over for its status as a high-flying “growth” stock: Shares are down 68% year to date, with investors souring on the company’s slowing growth amid competition from a raft of powerful rivals — and soaring inflation rates.</div><div><br></div><div>Netflix could suffer from near-term “stream-cutting” as inflation continues to tear a hole in households budgets. “Streaming video revenues may prove more vulnerable than expected to a global recession and lower consumer spending levels,” Morgan Stanley’s Ben Swinburne wrote in note last week. “While Netflix’s leading engagement should help it retain customers, its relative price premium is likely an offset as consumers look to trim their streaming bill.”</div><div><br></div><div>While subscriber-growth trends are still a focus for investors, as Netflix’s business matures, revenue-per-subscriber (ARPU) is shifting “from a secondary to a primary driver,” according to Swinburne. He expects Netflix to continue raising prices in the years ahead but cautioned that it’s possible the market “sees greater elasticity of demand in the future than it has historically, as there are many more streaming options worldwide for consumers to choose from… and Netflix carries a premium price.”</div><div><br></div><div>A major strategic imperative given Netflix’s slowdown is its embrace — at long last — of advertising. Last week, Netflix announced that it had selected Microsoft as its partner for the new ad-supported tier, which the company has been aiming to launch in the fourth quarter. Microsoft beat out NBCUniversal and Google for the Netflix deal. Investors viewed the development positively, but numerous questions remain — including what Netflix will charge for the plan with ads, and what kind of ad load it will go out with.</div><div><br></div><div>Netflix could charge $10/month in the U.S. for the ad-based plan, which could generate $7/month/subscriber in advertising revenue, according to numbers crunched by Swinburne’s team: “Netflix can ultimately use high ad ARPUs to meaningfully lower its price point to consumers.”</div><div><br></div><div>Netflix’s ad-based plan could result in Netflix adding 4.3 million incremental U.S./Canada subs in 2023 and generating “significant upside” to revenue, Cowen analyst John Blackledge wrote in a July 8 research note. Cowen’s latest model projects Netflix hitting 239.7 million subs (gaining 10.1 million) in ’23, up from 229.5 million (+7.7 million) at the end of ’22.</div><div><br></div><div>The stock’s year-to-date decline “has led to more attractive valuation” ahead of Netflix’s ad-supported tier rollout, Blackledge told clients.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Netflix’s spending on content is expected to be flat or slightly down for full-year 2022. The streamer spent $17.5 billion in cash content cost last year; Cowen’s analyst estimate Netflix will spend $17.4 billion this year — noting that the figure is still up sharply from $12.5 billion in 2020 when productions were halted globally because of the COVID pandemic. -variety</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 17:51:27', '2022-07-19 17:51:27'),
(507, 507, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Australia has lost more mammal species than any other continent and has one of the worst rates of species decline among the world\'s richest countries, a five-yearly environmental report card released by the government on Tuesday said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Some animals such as the blue-tailed skink are now only known to exist in captivity, while the central rock-rat and Christmas Island flying fox are among mammals considered most at risk of extinction in the next 20 years, largely due to introduced predator species.</div><div><br></div><div>The report, which comes after drought, bushfires and floods ravaged Australia over the past five years, said increasing temperatures, changing fire and rainfall trends, rising sea levels and ocean acidification were all having significant impacts that would persist.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The State of the Environment Report is a shocking document - it tells a story of crisis and decline in Australia\'s environment,\" Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said in a statement, adding that the new Labor government would make the environment a priority.</div><div><br></div><div>New national parks and protected marine areas would be created, she said, to meet a target to protect 30% of Australia\'s land and ocean waters by 2030.</div><div><br></div><div>The number of species added to the list of threatened species or in a higher category of risk grew on average by 8% from the previous report in 2016, with 533 animals and 1,385 plant species now listed. More than half of those are assessed as endangered or critically endangered.</div><div><br></div><div>The numbers would rise sharply as a result of the bushfires that hit in 2019-2020.</div><div><br></div><div>The \"Black Summer\" bushfires killed or displaced an estimated 1 billion to 3 billion animals and razed 9% of koala habitat.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Those bushfires were an ecological bomb ripping through southeastern Australia,\" Plibersek said in a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra.</div><div><br></div><div>Spending of around A$1.7 billion ($1.2 billion) a year is required to revive threatened species, the report said. The new government has committed to spend A$250 million on threatened species, Plibersek said.</div><div><br></div><div>The environmental report card painted a dire picture of \"poor\" and \"deteriorating\" conditions.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia\'s average land temperatures have increased by 1.4 degrees Centigrade since the early 20th century.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Sea levels continue to rise faster than the global average and threaten coastal communities,\" the report said.</div><div><br></div><div>Many of the country\'s most prized ecosystems, such as the Great Barrier Reef which has been hit by mass coral bleaching, are threatened by climate change and environmental extremes, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>While coral reef health is declining due to marine heatwaves, the report also highlighted the threat of ocean acidification, caused by absorption of carbon dioxide from the air, which it said was nearing a tipping point that would cause the decline of coral juveniles that are key to reef recovery.</div><div><br></div><div>Warming oceans have hit kelp beds off the southeast coast, hurting the abalone and lobster industries, Plibersek said.</div><div><br></div><div>Scientists and environmental groups said the report was a wake-up call for the government to step up carbon emissions reductions to curb climate change, overhaul laws to protect habitat and invest more money to protect species.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no more time to waste,\" said Jim Radford, a research fellow at La Trobe University.</div><div><br></div><div>Plibersek said the government would develop new environmental legislation for 2023 after studying recommendations made by an independent review completed in January of the existing law.</div><div><br></div><div>There have been calls by Greens politicians to include a climate trigger in environmental legislation, which could apply when new coal mines or gas projects come up for approval, but Plibersek said the independent review said there were other laws to deal with climate change.</div><div><br></div><div>She said \"no\" when asked whether the fastest way to cut carbon emissions was to block new coal mines.</div><div><br></div><div>Keen to protect votes in coal mining regions, Labor has said every new project would be evaluated on its merits. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 18:18:48', '2022-07-19 18:18:48'),
(508, 508, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Dhaka court today, July 19, sentenced eight people, including JKG Health Care Chairman Dr Sabrina Arif Chowdhury, to 11 years of rigorous imprisonment each in a case filed over issuing fake Covid-19 certificates.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The other convicts are Sabrina\'s husband and JKG Chief Executive Officer Ariful Chowdhury, Executive Officer Shafiqul Islam, graphic designer Humayun Kabir Himu and four other employees – Himu\'s wife Tanzina Patwary, Jebunnesa Rima, Sayeed Chowdhury and Biplob Das.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka\'s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain handed down the sentence in presence of the convicts at a packed courtroom.</div><div><br></div><div>In the judgment, the magistrate said the prosecution was able to prove the charges brought against all the accused of issuing fake Covid-19 certificates to the complainant beyond doubt and thus were given the punishment.</div><div><br></div><div>The magistrate also fined them Tk 11,000 each, in default of which they will have to suffer 11 months more in jail.</div><div><br></div><div>In the judgment, the magistrate said the time that the convicts have already spent in jail will be deducted from their sentence.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 19:14:05', '2022-07-19 19:14:05'),
(509, 509, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Twitter Inc on Monday accused Elon Musk of trying to \"slow walk\" the company\'s lawsuit to hold him to his $44 billion takeover and urged a September trial to ensure deal financing remains in place, according to a court filing.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Millions of Twitter shares trade daily under a cloud of Musk-created doubt,\" the company wrote. \"No public company of this size and scale has ever had to bear these uncertainties.</div><div><br></div><div>Twitter has sued Musk and asked a Delaware judge to order him to complete the merger at the agreed price of $54.20 per share.</div><div><br></div><div>The company said if Musk is ordered to close the deal it could still take months of additional litigation to close the debt financing, which expires in April. For that reason, Twitter asked the judge to reject Musk\'s proposal to hold the trial in February.</div><div><br></div><div>Musk, who is the world\'s richest person and chief executive of electric carmaker Telsa Inc (TSLA.O), accused San Francisco-based Twitter of rushing the trial to obscure the truth about spam accounts and to \"railroad\" him into buying the company. read more</div><div><br></div><div>The two sides will make their arguments about the trial\'s proposed start date to a Delaware Court of Chancery judge on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The New York Post reported on Monday that Musk\'s lawyers are planning to countersue Twitter to gather more information about spam accounts.</div><div><br></div><div>Shares of Twitter have fallen from more than $50 per share when the deal was announced in April to below $33 a share last week. Twitter\'s stock closed on Monday at $38.41, up 1.8%. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 19:58:08', '2022-07-19 19:58:08'),
(510, 510, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian forces are making renewed efforts to break through Ukrainian defenses in the northeastern Kharkiv region as they try to resume their offensive toward the city of Sloviansk in the neighboring Donetsk region, according to the Ukrainian military.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Following an airstrike, Russian forces tried to attack the village of Husarivka about 30 kilometers northwest of Sloviansk but the Ukrainian military said they \"answered with heavy fire and pushed the invaders back.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Elsewhere, along the three-sided front in Donetsk, the Ukrainian military\'s General Staff said many areas had come under fire. The Russians had also carried out assaults near the village of Spirne, but \"had no success and retreated,\" it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Spirne is deep inside the pocket of territory in Donetsk that Ukrainian forces are defending and has been under almost constant attack since the Russians took the city of Lysychansk in neighboring Luhansk.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian troops had also repelled efforts by Russian forces to launch assaults south of the city of Bakhmut, the General Staff added.</div><div><br></div><div>Serhiy Hayday, head of the Luhansk regional military administration, said the Russians had \"attacked from four directions, almost everywhere the attack has already been repulsed.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Further south in the region of Dnipropetrovsk, Valentyn Reznichenko, head of the Civil Military Administration, said Russian forces had fired at Nikopol — located across the Dnipro River from Russian-held Enerhodar — and Kryvyi Rih districts.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Up to 40 rockets were fired at Nikopol,\" Reznichenko said, adding the city had come under fire for three consecutive nights. Source: CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 20:29:36', '2022-07-19 20:29:36'),
(511, 511, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three candidates were nominated Tuesday to replace former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country and resigned last week over the island\'s worsening economic crisis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The winner will take charge of a bankrupt country that is in talks with the IMF for a bailout as its 22 million people endure severe shortages of food, fuel and medicines.</div><div><br></div><div>The parliament announced that acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe will face former education minister Dullas Alahapperuma -- who has the backing of the main opposition -- and leftist leader Anura Dissanayake in a secret ballot on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The three were formally nominated by legislators in a session that lasted under 10 minutes at the tightly guarded parliament building.</div><div><br></div><div>Moments earlier, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa announced on Twitter that he was withdrawing from the race in favour of the 63-year-old Alahapperuma, a dissident member of Rajapaksa\'s SLPP party.</div><div><br></div><div>\"For the greater good of my country that I love and the people I cherish, I hereby withdraw my candidacy for the position of President,\" Premadasa said.</div><div><br></div><div>Political sources said the two had struck a deal overnight for one to be president and the other prime minister and to work to form a unity government to navigate the country\'s worsening economic crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>But Wickremesinghe, 73, a veteran political operator and six times prime minister, has the formal backing of the leadership of the SLPP, which remains the largest party in the 225-member parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>The third candidate is Anura Dissanayake, 53, leader of the leftist JVP, or People\'s Liberation Front, which has three parliamentary seats.</div><div><br></div><div>A possible fourth candidate, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, failed to get support from legislators to enter the presidential race.</div><div><br></div><div>The new leader will be in office for the balance of Rajapaksa\'s term, which runs until November 2024. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 21:37:57', '2022-07-19 21:37:57'),
(512, 512, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday denounced any kind of war saying it always causes sufferings to the mass people.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She said this while visiting Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>PM\'s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the call on.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM was quoted as saying that even the US government is sending messages to American people asking them to save electricity and energy.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Due to the war all, including the USA, are facing sufferings,\" she said referring the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div> Hasina recalled the crucial role of Indian government, armed forces and the people of India during the 1971 Liberation War Bengalis fought under the leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div><br></div><div>She expressed gratefulness to Indian armed forces who laid down their lives and who got wounded in the battlefield in 1971 in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring the current flood situation in Bangladesh the prime minister said it was caused by recent flash flood in Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that Bangladesh stands ready to work together with India to overcome any sort of natural disaster.</div><div><br></div><div> Hasina described the relation between Bangladesh and India as wonderful.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that main aim of the countries in South Asia should be to end poverty and work together to alleviate the condition of the people.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian Army chief talked about the ongoing military cooperation between the two countries.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that tomorrow he would visit Ramu Cantonment in Cox\'s Bazar.</div><div><br></div><div>He said he was deeply moved during his visit to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Museum.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This museum remains as a symbol of sacrifice and will inspire the new generation to love their country,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Gen. Pande said that regular top level visit of the two countries\' armed forces officials will strengthen their relation.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to the Victory Day celebration in India, Gen. Pande said that representatives from Bangladesh also joined the events which play significant role in consolidating friendly relations between Bangladesh and India</div><div><br></div><div>He also praised the ‘Proyash’ – a specialised institute run by Bangladesh Army which provides services for holistic development of the children with special educational needs through multidimensional programmes.</div><div><br></div><div>PM\'s Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus was present at the meeting. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 21:54:37', '2022-07-20 01:47:50'),
(513, 513, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 22 people were killed and 33 injured in a car crash on Tuesday near Egypt’s southern province of Minya, authorities said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The crash took place in the early morning when a passenger bus hit a stopped truck on a highway linking the capital of Cairo to the country’s south, local authorities in Minya said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities said in a statement the truck was changing tires on the roadside when the bus hit it in the city of Malawi in Minya province, about 220 kilometers (137 miles) south of Cairo.</div><div><br></div><div>Ambulances rushed to the scene to transfer the injured to hospitals in Minya.</div><div><br></div><div>Traffic accidents kill thousands every year in Egypt, which has a poor transportation safety record. Crashes are mostly caused by speeding, bad roads or poor enforcement of traffic laws. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 23:06:02', '2022-07-19 23:06:02'),
(514, 514, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Indian rupee fell below 80 per US dollar for the first time on record Tuesday, as the greenback extended its rally and foreign capital outflows intensified.</span><br></div><div> </div><div>The rupee sank to 80.0600 against the dollar soon after trading started, Bloomberg data showed. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 23:12:34', '2022-07-19 23:13:33'),
(515, 515, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said that the government will now find it very difficult to overcome the crisis and prevent its fall.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The economists are saying problems are being created in every sector. The government will now be at a loss for what to do.&nbsp; People are fuming and they’ll burst with anger, hastening the fall of the government,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Mirza Fakhrul speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also said the government has given around $7.5 to the Export Development Fund from the reserves to abet those who are doing business in different countries.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“They siphoned off the money abroad and built houses there. So, that money is not coming to the country anymore. This is the beginning of the crisis.”</div><div><br></div><div>He feared that the country’s economy will be hit hard by the frequent power outages as production in RMG and other sectors will be hampered by it.</div><div><br></div><div>“The economy of Bangladesh mainly depends on the garment industry. When there is a shortfall in power and energy supply in that sector, problems will arise regarding the production and transportation,” the BNP leader observed.</div><div><br></div><div>Mentioning that fuel oil and electricity are deeply intertwined with the economy, he said when the rationing system is introduced in power distribution, there will be a considerable possibility of reduction in production.</div><div><br></div><div>The economists are saying that this (load-shedding) is a temporary measure. They (govt) have to take steps toward a permanent solution to the problem. But they’re not going in that direction. He said, they are not raising prices (of power) further in fear of facing public wrath as the prices have already been increased. But the economy is suffering tremendously.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 23:30:21', '2022-07-19 23:30:21'),
(516, 516, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Subscription boxes are taking some of the stress out of life for Japanese parents by delivering the essentials at a time when moms and dads are struggling to keep their heads above water.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Companies have created baby subscription boxes for everything from ready-to-eat baby food and diapers to educational toys and books so busy parents can save time and hassle.</div><div><br></div><div>A major upside of baby box subscriptions is that one purchase online can stock the cupboards with exactly what is required via regular deliveries that land on the doorstep.</div><div><br></div><div>A Toysub toy rental subscription with a monthly fee of 3,674 yen (about $27) lets members borrow toys from a collection of 95,000 items in 1,800 categories from different countries around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>Each box contains five to six educational toys that members can use for about two months, offering kids a variety of no-screen toys and parents a chance to save money by renting rather than buying.</div><div><br></div><div>Toysub\'s contents are tailored to children\'s ages and developmental stages, and they are thoroughly sanitized upon return by specialists with caregiving experience. Members can decide to buy the toys their children have become attached to or extend the rental period.</div><div><br></div><div>Having reached 12,000 subscribers, Toysub is giving its customers a value-for-money option, and its subscription box model -- one that requires low effort and offers unique rewards -- is growing rapidly.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s great because we can reduce toy clutter in our home and try toys that I would never pick myself,\" said a Toysub subscriber who is a mother to two children, one aged three and the other a newborn.</div><div><br></div><div>Norimitsu Shida, the head of Torana, the operator of the business, says toy renting and sharing is a way for eco-conscious parents to get their kids the latest toys without cluttering up the house or the planet\'s landfills.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If we can encourage children to have a recycling mindset as adults by teaching them the importance of reusing goods instead of buying and throwing away, maybe we can help modern society become less wasteful,\" Shida said.</div><div><br></div><div>Another service that takes a considerable burden off parents is diaper subscription.</div><div><br></div><div>As more daycare centers in Japan ask parents to bring a day\'s supply of diapers, Osaka-based Baby Job offers a service that allows centers to store diapers and wipes, and parents to access them for a monthly fee of either 2,508 yen or 3,278 yen, depending on the diaper style. More than 2,000 daycare centers are Baby Job subscribers.</div><div><br></div><div>A daycare worker that uses the service said she no longer has to worry about running out of diapers, while a mother whose child attends the facility said \"Packing my child\'s bag is a whole lot easier now.\"</div><div><br></div><div>For parents looking to take the stress out of mealtime, a baby food pouch subscription called \"The Kindest\" provides 20 fresh, super-healthy meals for babies and toddlers every four weeks for 10,000 yen a month.</div><div><br></div><div>The food offerings are tailored to the age and nutritional needs of the customer\'s children, contain no preservatives and chemicals, use Japan-grown vegetables and are developed with the help of pediatricians and nutritionists.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We want to make mealtimes as easy as possible through our service and expose babies to a variety of ingredients,\" said Yuya Sugioka, the president of the operating company.</div><div><br></div><div>Masami Ohinata, who is an expert in developmental psychology and dean of Keisen University in Tokyo, does not deny that automation and curation make parents\' lives easier, but she says there can be some downsides, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Monthly delivery boxes are convenient for busy parents. As for toys, the thoughtfulness that goes into choosing them is clear. I hope parents nurture their child\'s spirit of giving too,\" Ohinata said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-19 23:52:34', '2022-07-19 23:52:34'),
(517, 517, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Tehran on Tuesday for talks with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Kremlin leader\'s first trip outside the former Soviet Union since Moscow\'s Feb 24 invasion of Ukraine.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In Tehran, Putin will also hold his first face-to-face meeting since the invasion with a NATO leader, Turkey\'s Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss a deal aimed at allowing the resumption of Ukraine\'s Black Sea grain exports as well as peace in Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin\'s trip, which comes just days after US President Joe Biden visited Israel and Saudi Arabia, sends a strong message to the West about Moscow\'s plans to forge closer strategic ties with Iran, China and India in the face of the Western sanctions.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The contact with Khamenei is very important,\" Yuri Ushakov, Putin\'s foreign policy adviser, told reporters in Moscow. \"A trusting dialogue has developed between them on the most important issues on the bilateral and international agenda.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"On most issues, our positions are close or identical.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Putin will also meet Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who was elected last year.</div><div><br></div><div>For Iran, also chafing under Western economic sanctions and at loggerheads with the United States over Tehran\'s nuclear programme and a range of other issues, Putin\'s visit is timely.</div><div><br></div><div>Its clerical leaders are keen to strengthen strategic relations with Russia in the face of an emerging US-backed Gulf Arab-Israeli bloc that could tilt the Middle East balance of power further away from Iran.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Considering the evolving geopolitical ties after the Ukraine war, the (clerical) establishment tries to secure Moscow\'s support in Tehran\'s confrontation with Washington and its regional allies,\" said a senior Iranian official, who asked not to be named.</div><div><br></div><div>Emboldened by high oil prices since the Ukraine war, Iran is betting that with Russia\'s support it could pressure Washington to offer concessions for the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We need a strong ally and Moscow is a superpower,\" said a senior Iranian official, who asked not to be identified.</div><div><br></div><div>Still, Russia\'s increased tilt towards Beijing in recent months has significantly reduced Iran\'s crude exports to China - a key source of income for Tehran since US President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>In May, Reuters reported that Iran\'s crude exports to China have fallen sharply as Beijing favoured heavily discounted Russian barrels, leaving almost 40 million barrels of Iranian oil stored on tankers at sea in Asia and seeking buyers.</div><div><br></div><div>Ahead of Putin\'s arrival, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Russian gas producer Gazprom GAZP.MM signed a memorandum of understanding worth around $40 billion. Source: Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 00:56:58', '2022-07-20 00:56:58'),
(518, 518, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Australia\'s environment is in a shocking state and faces further decline from amplifying threats, according to an anticipated report.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The survey of Australia\'s ecological systems - conducted every five years - found widespread abrupt changes.</div><div><br></div><div>These can be blamed on climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, pollution and mining, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>The threats are not being adequately managed - meaning they are on track to cause more problems.</div><div><br></div><div>Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the document paints a \"shocking\" and \"sometimes depressing\" story, vowing to implement new policies and laws.</div><div><br></div><div>The 2,000-page State of the Environment report, commissioned by the government, found or reiterated:</div><div><br></div><div>\"If we continue on the trajectory that we are on, the precious places, landscapes, animals and plants that we think of when we think of home may not be here for our kids and grandkids,\" Ms Plibersek said.</div><div><br></div><div>The koala and gang-gang cockatoo are among more than 200 animal and plant species with upgraded threats since 2016. Many of those species are unique to Australia.</div><div><br></div><div>In recent years, Australia has suffered severe drought, historic bushfires, successive years of record-breaking floods, and six mass bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In previous reports, we\'ve been largely talking about the impacts of climate in the future tense,\" Professor Emma Johnston, another report chief author, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In this report there\'s a stark contrast, because we are now documenting widespread impacts of climate change.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The report found Australia lacks an adequate framework to manage its environment, instead relying on confusing systems that straddle different tiers of government.</div><div><br></div><div>Federal government spending on sustaining biodiversity has dropped at the same time risks have been increasing, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>The report was handed to the previous government last year, but its release was delayed until after the election in May.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It tells a story of crisis and decline in Australia\'s environment, and of a decade of government inaction and wilful ignorance,\" Ms Plibersek said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>A spokesperson for the Liberal opposition said it had a \"strong\" environment record while in government.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia has vowed to cut carbon emissions by 43% on 2005 levels by 2030. Under its previous government, the target was 26-28%. Source: BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 01:31:15', '2022-07-20 01:31:15'),
(519, 519, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The area-wise load shedding in the country started on one-hour basis aiming to deal with the power shortage.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury made this announcement on Monday.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>In continuation of that, Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), a Public Limited Company under the Power Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, started the load shedding from 10 am today.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>At the same time, Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (DESCO) also started load shedding.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The two organisations have already given a list of where and when the load shedding will take place.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"Area-wise load shedding started from 10 am and it will continue till 10 pm,\" said DPDC Chief Engineer Kamrul Azam.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The DPDC official added that load shedding will not take place at the same time in one region every day.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>He said the time of the load shedding would be reshuffled in the areas.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The government informed about the decision of area-wise load shedding across the country to deal with the power crisis at the electricity and energy coordination meeting held at the Prime Minister\'s Office (PMO) on Monday.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The load shedding can be increased to two hours and from now on, petrol pumps will remain close one day in a week.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The government also decided to suspend the production of diesel-based power plants to save costs on a temporary basis. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 01:46:34', '2022-07-20 01:46:34'),
(520, 520, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Price of edible oil has reduced by Taka 53 per liter in Chaktai-Khatunganj wholesale market here in line with the reduction of price in the international market.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The price of palm oil has reduced by Taka 2,000 and soybean oil by over Taka 1,000 for every 37.32 liters in Chaktai-Khatunganj wholesale within 15 to 20 days,\" Alamgir Parvez, a leading wholesaler in Khatunganj, told BSS today.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said the edible oil price would reduce more as the international market is witnessing a gradual price fall and added that Taka 500 to Taka 600 would cut for every 37.32 liters of oil within a week after importing the essential commodity under new LC.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>General Secretary of Chaktai-Khatunganj Wholesale General Traders Welfare Association Mohammad Mohiuddin said the wholesale market has witnessed a huge price fall of edible oil as the price of palm oil has reduced Taka 4,300 to Taka 4,350 from Taka 6,300 within one month.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that the imported products are sold at the Chaktai-Khatunganj market in line with the international market, he said, \"But it is a matter of sorrow that the oil is still being sold at higher price in retail market\".</div><div><br></div><div>The government on Sunday, however, reduced the price of per liter bottled soybean oil by Taka 14 in domestic market in line with the reduction of price in the international market.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the government has also decided to reduce the price of palm oil by Taka 6 per liter to stand at Taka 148 from the existing Taka 154.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>After the price cut, price of per liter bottled soybean oil stood at Taka 185 and per litre loose soybean oil at Taka 166 while the price of five liter soybean jar has been fixed at Taka 910. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 02:08:24', '2022-07-20 02:08:24'),
(521, 521, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged all concerned, including the stakeholders in public and private sector, to maintain austerity in all fields, including in power consumption, in the wake of global inflationary situation.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>If all concerned could pursue austerity, then the country would be benefitted, said the premier while chairing the first meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in the current fiscal year today.</div><div><br></div><div>She joined the meeting virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence while Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and Secretaries concerned attended the meeting from the NEC Conference Room in the city\'s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.</div><div><br></div><div>Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that the head of the government has urged everyone to maintain austerity in all spheres.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Let us all maintain austerity, the Prime Minister has asked the government machinery including bureaucracy and the common citizens to maintain austerity,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The Planning Minister said Bangladesh is being affected by the impact of current global situation while the country is also being affected by the price hike of fuel oil.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;\"We\'ll have to remain alert to face the impact of that product which we do not produce. The Prime Minister has mainly suggested the countrymen to maintain austerity for such reason,\" he said</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has suggested all to maintain austerity and stop misuse of utilities as like as she had suggested earlier for not wearing suites at offices in summer and&nbsp; operating air conditioners in government offices at a certain temperature.</div><div><br></div><div>Revealing some of the directives from the premier, Dr Alam said that while giving approval to a gas supply project to Mymensingh Combined Cycle Power Plant she said that if any project gains profit, then that amount should have to be deposited to the state coffer.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister also suggested installing sound breaker in front of establishments like hospitals to minimize sound pollution during the plying of metro rail side by side ensuring adequate car parkings in the landing stations of metro rail.</div><div><br></div><div>The Planning Minister said the Prime Minister has asked the Local Government Division to remain alert so that due standard is maintained in the construction of rural roads, culverts and bridges. He informed that more projects would be taken for the development of flood-affect areas.</div><div><br></div><div>Mannan said the government has noticed that prices of some items like rice and edible oil are on the downtrend which indicates that the inflation would decline in the coming days.</div><div><br></div><div>He informed that the ECNEC meeting also discussed in details about distributing seeds, fertilizer, pesticides free of cost among the marginal farmers so that they could yield a good harvest in future.</div><div><br></div><div>The Planning Minister also informed that the implementation rate of Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the last fiscal year (FY22) was 10.68 percent or Taka 31,929 crore higher compared to the previous fiscal year (FY21).</div><div><br></div><div>The ADP implementation rate in the last fiscal year was 92.79 percent with an expenditure of Taka 2,03,764.94 crore. The ADP implementation rate during the previous fiscal year (FY21) was 82.11 percent with an expenditure of Taka 1,71,835.77 crore. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 02:58:49', '2022-07-20 02:58:49'),
(522, 522, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on Tuesday apologised for his rifle against sword comment during his ongoing dialogue with political parties.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Sometimes we make mistakes. Sorry for that. I went for humour. I didn\'t mean it. Please forgive and excuse me for that,\" he said after his meetimg with Islami Oikya Jote.</div><div><br></div><div>The CEC came under fire after his controversial comment he made on Sunday during talks with National Democratic Party.</div><div><br></div><div>Habibul repeatedly said that his comment about responding to swords with rifles during elections was a joke.</div><div><br></div><div>\"You must understand that a Chief Election Commissioner can never say this seriously. I may be undereducated. Even a less educated person cannot say such things. I said it as a joke.\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"A Chief Election Commissioner can never mean it. And if I did, I would have told everyone to collect weapons from day one. You collect weapons and strengthen yourself. But I never said this. We often say that there is a word in English, humor, which means joke,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesfay he advised the political parties to come to the field with strong morale and strength.</div><div><br></div><div>The CEC asked the political parties to hold inter-party dialogue and try to reach a consensus on some questions as it is a big problem. .</div><div><br></div><div>He also said it becomes difficult for the Election Commission alone to solve it without concerted efforts of all.</div><div><br></div><div>An 11-member delegation led by Chairman of Islami Oikya Jote Maulana Abul Hasanat Amini, participated in the dialogue where four election commissioners and senior officials also were present.</div><div><br></div><div>A meeting with Bangladesh Kalyan Party was scheduled in the morning. But the party did not join the dialogue. .</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Bangladesh Muslim League also did not participate in the dialogue.</div><div><br></div><div>EC has completed dialogue with eight parties so far and it is scheduled to sit with other 29 parties until July 31. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 03:14:38', '2022-07-20 03:14:38'),
(523, 523, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the 2nd revision of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development (Line-6) project with an additional cost of Tk 11,486.92 crore.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With the latest revision, the length of the metro rail (Line-6) will increase by 1.16 km while the total cost will reach Tk 33,471.99 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>The approval came from the 1st Ecnec meeting in the current fiscal year with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.</div><div><br></div><div>She joined the meeting virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while Ministers, State Ministers, Planning Commission members and Secretaries concerned attended the meeting from the NEC conference room in the city\'s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.</div><div><br></div><div>Planning Minister MA Mannan briefed reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that a total of 8 projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 15,856.80 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the approved eight projects, four are new while four others are revised ones.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the total project cost, Tk 12,444.25 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh, Tk 134.57 crore from the concerned organization\'s own fund while the rest of Tk 3,277.98 crore as project assistance.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the 2nd revision of the metro rail project, there will be civil works, rolling stocks modification, E &amp; M system and station plaza construction from Motijheel to Kamalapur Line.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said that the Ecnec meeting discussed the launching of the much- hyped metro rail (Line-6) likely on December 16 this year with an aim to ease the traffic congestion in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>Initially, he said, the metro rail will operate from Uttara to Agargaon as the work on the 11.73 km Diabari-Agargaon portion is nearing completion.</div><div><br></div><div>The other projects approved in the meeting are upgrading Hathazari to Raozan portion of Chattogram-Rangamati national highway into four-lane with Tk 104.69 crore, upgrading Itakhola-Mothkhola-Katiadi Road and Noyapara-Araihazar-Narsingdi-Raipura regional highway with Tk 984.85 crore, Construction of Pipeline from Dhonua to Mymensingh for ensuring gas supply to Mymensingh Combined Cycle Power Plant with Tk 553.16 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>The remaining projects approved in the meeting are Population-based uterine and breast cancer screening Programme (EPCBCSP) including electronic data tracking, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Tk 129.67 crore, Protecting Khagrachhari town and adjacent infrastructures from river erosion with Tk 586.01 crore, Upazila Governance and Development Project( 2nd revised) with an additional cost of Tk 211.50 crore and Greater Dinajpur rural infrastructures development project with Tk 1,800 crore. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 03:27:51', '2022-07-20 03:27:51');
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(524, 524, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin had talks with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran on Tuesday, the Kremlin leader\'s first trip outside the former Soviet Union since Moscow\'s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In Tehran, Putin also held his first face-to-face meeting since the invasion with a NATO leader, Turkey\'s Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss a deal that would resume Ukraine\'s Black Sea grain exports as well as the conflict in northern Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin\'s trip, coming just days after U.S. President Joe Biden visited Israel and Saudi Arabia, sends a strong message to the West about Moscow\'s plans to forge closer strategic ties with Iran, China and India in the face of Western sanctions.</div><div><br></div><div>Khamenei called for long-term cooperation between Iran and Russia, telling Putin that the two countries needed to stay vigilant against \"Western deception\", Iran\'s state TV reported.</div><div><br></div><div>He said Putin had ensured Russia \"maintained its independence\" from the United States and that countries should start using their own national currencies when trading goods.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The U.S. dollar should be gradually taken off global trade, and this can be done gradually,\" Khamenei said during the meeting, in a spartan white room with an Iranian flag and a portrait of late revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite the suffering endured by ordinary people in war, Khamenei said Moscow had little alternative in Ukraine. \"If you had not taken the initiative, the other side (West) would have caused a war on its own initiative,\" he told Putin.</div><div><br></div><div>Washington said Putin\'s trip to Tehran showed how isolated Russia had become in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. read more</div><div><br></div><div>Under sanctions </div><div><br></div><div>For Iran, also chafing under Western economic sanctions and at loggerheads with the United States over Tehran\'s nuclear programme and a range of other issues, Putin\'s visit is timely.</div><div><br></div><div>The Islamic Republic\'s clerical leaders are keen to strengthen strategic relations with Russia against an emerging, U.S.-backed Gulf Arab-Israeli bloc that could shift the Middle East balance of power further away from Iran.</div><div><br></div><div>Emboldened by high oil prices since the Ukraine war, Iran is betting that with Russia\'s support it could pressure Washington to offer concessions for the revival of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Russia\'s increased tilt towards Beijing in recent months has significantly reduced Iranian crude exports to China - a key source of income for Tehran since then-U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>In May, Reuters reported that Iran\'s crude exports to China had fallen sharply as Beijing favoured heavily discounted Russian barrels, leaving almost 40 million barrels of Iranian oil stored on tankers at sea in Asia and seeking buyers.</div><div><br></div><div>Ahead of Putin\'s arrival, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and Russian gas producer Gazprom signed a memorandum of understanding worth around $40 billion. </div><div><br></div><div>Syria, Ukraine </div><div><br></div><div>Putin, Erdogan and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also weighed efforts to reduce violence in Syria, where Turkey has threatened to launch more military operations to extend 30-km (20-mile) deep \"safe zones\" along the border. Moscow and Tehran oppose any such action by Turkey.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Maintaining the territorial integrity of Syria is very important, and any military attack in northern Syria will definitely harm Turkey, Syria and the entire region, and benefit terrorists,\" Khamenei told Erdogan before the three-way meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia and Iran are Syrian President Bashar al-Assad\'s strongest backers, while Turkey supports anti-Assad insurgents.</div><div><br></div><div>Any Turkish operation in Syria would attack the Kurdish YPG militia, a key part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that controls large parts of north Syria and is regarded by Washington as an important ally against Islamic State militants.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is impossible to expect Turkey to remain inactive, unresponsive, as this terrorist organisation continues its separatist agenda,\" Erdogan said, referring to the YPG.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I hear from you, my dear friends, that you understand Turkey\'s legitimate security concerns. I am thankful for this, but words alone are not a cure for wounds.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at the end of the talks, Putin said the three presidents agreed to continue consultation on Syria and were committed to maintain efforts to \"normalise\" the situation there after a decade of conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin, who turns 70 this year, has made few foreign trips in recent years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then the Ukraine crisis. His last trip beyond the former Soviet Union was to China in February.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations are expected to sign a deal later this week aimed at resuming the shipping of grain from Ukraine across the Black Sea. read more</div><div><br></div><div>\"With your mediation we have moved forward,\" Putin told Erdogan after their bilateral meeting. \"Not all the issues have been resolved yet, but the fact that there is movement is already good.\" -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 14:49:27', '2022-07-20 14:49:52'),
(525, 525, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Records have tumbled and firefighters faced new blazes as much of Western Europe baked in a gruelling heatwave.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The UK, normally used to milder climates, saw temperatures of more than 40C (104F) for the first time.</div><div><br></div><div>Germany saw its hottest day of the year so far while Portugal raised its death toll after days of excess heat.</div><div><br></div><div>Deadly wildfires have swept the continent. The UN\'s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned there was worse to come.</div><div><br></div><div>Heatwaves have become more frequent and more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In the future these kinds of heatwaves are going to be normal, and we will see even stronger extremes,\" WMO chief Peterri Taalas said.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition to record temperatures in the UK, several fire services declared major incidents after a surge in fires.</div><div><br></div><div>A major blaze in Wennington, east London, set homes alight. Residents who had to be evacuated told the BBC that some eight homes and possibly a local church had been destroyed in the fire, while a firefighter at the scene described it as \"absolute hell\".</div><div><br></div><div>In France, 64 different areas registered record-high temperatures on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the all-time high for mainland France has not been topped, the south-west of the country has experienced its biggest wildfires in more than 30 years. Since 12 July, fires have engulfed more than 19,300 hectares (47,700 acres) of the wine-growing Gironde region.</div><div><br></div><div>Some 34,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes.</div><div><br></div><div>In Belgium, a fire broke out in dunes at the Belgian resort of De Haan, setting several vehicles alight. But following the ferocious heat, the country is now bracing itself for thunderstorms that could lead to 20-30mm of rain in some region, Le Soir newspaper reports.</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesday, Germany experienced its hottest day of 2022. The national weather service recorded 39.3C at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) in the western city of Duisburg.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the Netherlands saw one of its hottest days on record on Tuesday with 39.5C in Maastricht, forecasters said.</div><div><br></div><div>Temperatures in Portugal have decreased significantly. However, more than 1,000 heatwave-related deaths have been recorded since last week.</div><div><br></div><div>Wildfires have become a common consequence of these extreme temperatures across Europe.</div><div><br></div><div>Central and north-western Spain has also been ravaged by wildfires.</div><div><br></div><div>The Copernicus monitoring service - part of the EU\'s Earth observation programme - said total carbon emissions from wildfires between June and July are the highest seen in Spain for the period since 2003.</div><div><br></div><div>In Greece, a wildfire fuelled by gale-force winds raged on the mountainous region of Penteli, near Athens. It has damaged homes and and prompted local authorities to evacuate at least four areas and a hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>Forecasters in Italy are warning of temperatures as high as 40-42C between Wednesday and Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Several wildfires have already been reported in the country, and blazes that broke out on Monday evening in Tuscany were still raging on Tuesday afternoon. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 14:57:20', '2022-07-20 14:57:20'),
(526, 526, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Barcelona have signed Poland striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich on a four-year contract worth 50m euros (£42.6m).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The 33-year-old had one year left on his contract with the German champions but in May said: \"My story with Bayern is over.\".</div><div><br></div><div>He has joined his new team-mates in Miami as part of Barcelona\'s four-match tour in the United States.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'m finally here. I\'m delighted to be at Barca,\" Lewandowski said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The last few days have been very long, but the deal is done and now I can focus on a new chapter and challenge in my life.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'ve always wanted to play in La Liga and for the big clubs.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'m here to help Barca get back to the top and win as many titles as possible.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Lewandowski, who had a buyout clause of 500m euros (£425.9m), joined Bayern on a free transfer in 2014 after his departure from Borussia Dortmund.</div><div><br></div><div>Robert Lewandowski: Has Barcelona move tarnished striker\'s Bayern Munich legacy?</div><div>He scored 50 goals in 46 games last season as he helped Bayern win a 10th straight Bundesliga title.</div><div><br></div><div>Lewandowski has scored 344 times in 374 games for the club and is their second-highest scorer of all time behind Gerd Muller.</div><div><br></div><div>He has won the league in all eight of his seasons at Bayern and also won the Champions League in 2019-20.</div><div><br></div><div>Lewandowski is Barcelona\'s fourth signing of the summer following Brazil winger Raphinha joining from Leeds United in a deal worth up to £55m, while Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie and Denmark defender Andreas Christensen have arrived on free transfers after their respective contracts with AC Milan and Chelsea came to an end.</div><div><br></div><div>France winger Ousmane Dembele has also signed a contract extension with Barcelona this summer.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Bayern have signed the Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus on a five-year contract in a deal worth 77m euros (£65.6m). -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"10\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 15:03:17', '2022-07-20 15:03:17'),
(527, 527, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A US judge has ordered that Twitter\'s lawsuit against Elon Musk go to trial in October, a blow to the world\'s richest man who had asked for a delay.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Mr Musk walked away from his $44bn (£36bn) bid to buy Twitter earlier in July, prompting the company to sue him.</div><div><br></div><div>Twitter hopes that the court will order Mr Musk to complete the takeover at the agreed price of $54.20 per share.</div><div><br></div><div>The tech billionaire has accused Twitter of withholding information about fake accounts.</div><div><br></div><div>His legal team has called for the trial to be held early next year due to its complexities, but Twitter asked for a September date.</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesday, a judge in the state of Delaware agreed with the company and said a delay to the trial would cast a \"cloud of uncertainty\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Delay threatens irreparable harm,\" Chancellor Kathaleen St Jude McCormick said. \"The longer the delay, the greater the risk.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The lawsuit accused Mr Musk of a \"long list\" of violations ahead of the potential merger and argued that he had \"cast a pall\" over the company.</div><div><br></div><div>At the hearing on Tuesday, Twitter\'s lead counsel William Savitt said the ongoing uncertainty about whether the takeover would go forward or not \"inflicts harm on Twitter everyday\".</div><div><br></div><div>To buy or not to buy?</div><div><br></div><div>Analysis box by James Clayton, North America technology reporter</div><div>There is a theory that Musk still wants to buy Twitter, he\'s just trying to knock down the price.</div><div><br></div><div>If that\'s the case, his lawyers are spectacularly good poker players.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Musk\'s legal team wanted this trial to happen next year.</div><div><br></div><div>They claimed they needed more time to dig through data on spam accounts. Clearly though this is also a stalling strategy.</div><div><br></div><div>They repeated Mr Musk\'s assertion that Twitter may have more fake accounts than it claims.</div><div><br></div><div>That is a hugely damaging accusation - and a strange thing to say if Mr Musk were still interested in purchasing the company at a lower price.</div><div><br></div><div>Twitter\'s reputation has already taken a huge hit. Twitter\'s revenues are almost entirely based on ads. The fewer real people on the platform, the less money it can make. Bots don\'t have wallets.</div><div><br></div><div>That\'s why Twitter wants this process sorted quickly. By far the best case scenario for the company is that Mr Musk buys it for $54.20 a share - and that it happens as soon as possible.</div><div><br></div><div>That\'s why this judgement is good news for Twitter. The judge sided with Twitter\'s lawyers - that a ruling needed to be reached quickly.</div><div><br></div><div>It heaps more pressure on Mr Musk, who is faced with the bizarre prospect of having to buy a company he no longer wishes to acquire.</div><div><br></div><div>However, in practice this will likely put more pressure on Mr Musk to settle, pay Twitter some money, and move on.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Musk has been and remains contractually obligated to use his best efforts to close the deal,\" Mr Savitt said. \"What he\'s doing is exactly the opposite. It\'s sabotage.\"</div><div><br></div><div>A lawyer for Mr Musk, Andrew Rossman, argued that he remains one of Twitter\'s most significant shareholders. He said the case should go to trial next year on a \"sensible\" schedule that would give both sides time to prepare.</div><div><br></div><div>Since Mr Musk began questioning the number of fake and spam accounts on Twitter\'s platform in May, the company has seen its share prices fall from highs of $50 per share.</div><div><br></div><div>The company\'s shares currently stand at about $39.45 - well below the $54.20 per share at which it hopes to close the merger.</div><div><br></div><div>A self-described \"free speech absolutist\", Mr Musk has vowed to ease restrictions on content if the company were under his ownership.</div><div><br></div><div>He has also called for the company to be more open about how it presents tweets to users and how tweets are promoted to larger audiences. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Science Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 15:07:19', '2022-07-20 15:07:19'),
(528, 528, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">After enjoying a long reign as the king of streaming, Netflix faces a tough fight to keep its crown.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It lost almost 1m subscribers between April and July, as the number of people quitting the service accelerated.</div><div><br></div><div>But that was not as many as the streaming giant had feared.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked what may have stopped subscriptions sliding further, the firm\'s chief executive, Reed Hastings, said: \"If there was a single thing, we might say \'Stranger Things.\'\"</div><div><br></div><div>The new season of the hit drama has been a phenomenal success, and may have helped stem the exodus of Netflix customers.</div><div><br></div><div>The company reported its first subscriber loss since 2011 in April, news that was followed by hundreds of job cuts.</div><div><br></div><div>Rivals are challenging its dominance, while price hikes have taken a toll.</div><div><br></div><div>The subscriber losses reported on Tuesday were the biggest in the firm\'s history, with the US and Canada home to the highest number of cancellations in the quarter, followed by Europe.</div><div><br></div><div>Guy Bisson, executive director at Ampere Analysis, said it was \"inevitable\" that Netflix would start to see its grip on the market loosen.</div><div><br></div><div>\"When you\'re the leader, there\'s only one direction to go, especially when a large amount of competition launches, which is what Netflix has seen in the last couple of years,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>It is a stark change for Netflix, which enjoyed years of seemingly unstoppable growth, as it revolutionised the way people around the world consumed entertainment.</div><div><br></div><div>Its position as a global behemoth was cemented when the pandemic hit in 2020 and people, stuck at home with few other options for entertainment, flocked to monster hits like Squid Game and The Crown.</div><div><br></div><div>But as pre-pandemic habits return, Netflix has struggled to attract new sign-ups - and maintain the loyalty of existing members, especially as the cost of living crisis leads to belt tightening.</div><div><br></div><div>The company also faces fierce competition from the likes of Apple TV, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and Disney+. Netflix was once the disruptor, making video rental stores like Blockbuster redundant. But the disruptor is fast becoming the disrupted.</div><div><br></div><div>Nteflix\'s move to make its service more expensive has also put off some customers.</div><div><br></div><div>Price hikes more \'risky\'</div><div><br></div><div>A \"standard\" plan in the US - which allows people in the same home to watch on two devices simultaneously - now costs $15.49, up from $14 in January and just $11 in 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>In the UK, basic and standard plans have both increased since January by £1 a month to £6.99 and £10.99 respectively.</div><div><br></div><div>\"At some point, yes, they\'re going to reach a threshold where a significant number of people say enough is enough,\" Mr Bisson said. \"Because of the additional choice... price hikes are a more risky strategy.\"</div><div><br></div><div>For now, surveys suggest that Netflix is managing to lure back a higher share of deserters than its rivals. Many households also continue to identify it as the streaming option they would retain if forced to have only one.</div><div><br></div><div>In all, the company had roughly 220 million subscribers at the end of June - still well north of its closest competition.</div><div><br></div><div>But the company, long accustomed to posting double digit growth, is grappling with its most serious slowdown in years, with revenue in the April-June quarter of $7.9bn, up just 8.6% year-on-year.</div><div><br></div><div>The value of the firm\'s shares has dropped more than 60% so far this year, as investors sour on its prospects.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Netflix\'s subscriber loss was expected but it remains a sore point for a company that is wholly dependent on subscription revenue from consumers,\" said Insider Intelligence analyst Ross Benes.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Netflix is still the leader in video streaming but unless it finds more franchises that resonate widely, it will eventually struggle to stay ahead of competitors that are after its crown.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Shares climbed more than 7% in after-hours trade on relief that the losses were not larger.</div><div><br></div><div>The firm has said it will jumpstart growth with a new ads-supported service and by clamping down on password sharing - which one study estimated was costing Netflix $6bn a year.</div><div><br></div><div>It is already charging more for sharing accounts in some countries in central and South America. It hopes to replicate this model around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the company has known about problems with passwords sharing for years, and has so far failed to find a solution.</div><div><br></div><div>In its shareholder update, the company said it was \"encouraged by our early learnings and ability to convert consumers to paid sharing in Latin America\".</div><div><br></div><div>It said it expected its less expensive, ad-supported option to launch in early 2023, starting in \"a handful of markets where advertising spend is significant\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"Like most of our new initiatives, our intention is to roll it out, listen and learn, and iterate quickly to improve the offering,\" the company said.</div><div><br></div><div>The ad service has the potential to attract both existing customers inclined to cancel over price hikes, as well as new households hesitant to commit to a subscription without watching, Mr Bisson said.</div><div><br></div><div>It should be possible for Netflix to make the same amount of money - or more - per user than it did by relying on subscriptions, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Assuming they get it right - and by getting it right I mean the price ... and the amount of advertising on it - then it\'s potentially a strong strategic move for them,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>But he said its most critical task is ensuring it has strong material for people to watch - a job that has grown harder as it pushes to reach an increasingly broad audience.</div><div><br></div><div>New sign-ups in the US, for example, are coming from an increasingly older crowd, with different tastes than the younger viewers who were early streaming converts.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They\'re increasingly competing for that generalist audience, so the breadth of content that is needed becomes much wider and that\'s why I think people are saying \'There\'s now a lot of stuff I don\'t like\'\", Mr Bisson said. \"It\'s a very big challenge.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Netflix needs \"more frequent hits,\" said Eric Steinberg of Whip Media, adding that Netflix also has room to experiment staggering its releases to keep a hold on its subscribers.</div><div><br></div><div>The company has already taken steps in that direction by releasing episodes of the fourth season of Stranger Things in two batches this year, but the \"pressure is on\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They don\'t have the sandbox to themselves anymore,\" he said. \"In an inflationary environment like the one we\'re in and also great programming [at the competition], people are going to re-evaluate how much they\'re willing to pay.\" -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"8\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 15:17:17', '2022-07-20 15:17:17'),
(529, 529, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Australians admitted to hospitals from COVID-19 neared record levels on Wednesday as authorities urged businesses to let staff work from home and recommended people wear masks indoors and get booster shots urgently amid a major outbreak.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Australia is in the grip of a third Omicron wave driven by the highly transmissible new subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, with more than 300,000 cases recorded over the past seven days, even as authorities flagged the actual numbers could be double. Tuesday\'s 50,000 cases was the highest in two months.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We need to do some things differently at least for a short period of time,\" Australia\'s Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly told ABC Radio on Wednesday, as he predicted the number of people ending up in hospitals will soon hit an all-time high.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We know that working from home is a very key component of stopping what we call macro spreading.\"</div><div><br></div><div>About 5,300 Australians are currently in hospital with COVID-19, not far off the record 5,390 recorded in January during the BA.1 outbreak, official data showed. Numbers in the states of Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia are already at their highest since the pandemic began.</div><div><br></div><div>But Kelly said he had not recommended the reintroduction of mask mandates or any other restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>Last week, Australia reinstated support payments for casual workers who have to quarantine due to COVID-19 after more workers began calling in sick. Several frontline health workers are also sick or in isolation, further straining the health system. read more</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities have also warned of a lag in people taking their booster shots worsening the health crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>So far, 95% of people above 16 have had two doses, helping keep Australia\'s total COVID-19 cases just under 9 million and deaths at 10,845, far lower than many countries. But only about 71% have received three or more doses. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 15:56:17', '2022-07-20 15:56:17'),
(530, 530, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka\'s parliament will choose between three candidates for president on Wednesday, hoping the new leader will be able to pull the island out of its worst economic and political crisis since independence in 1948.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>But a win for acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe, one of the main two contenders but opposed by many ordinary Sri Lankans, could lead to more demonstrations by people furious with the ruling elite after months of crippling shortages of fuel, food and medicines.</div><div><br></div><div>Ruling-party lawmaker Dullas Alahapperuma, a former journalist, is more acceptable to the protesters and the opposition but does not have any top-level governance experience in a country with barely any dollars for imports and desperately in need of an IMF bailout.</div><div><br></div><div>The third candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, the leader of the leftist Janatha Vimukti Peramuna party, commands only three seats in parliament and has no realistic chance of winning.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe, a six-time prime minister, became acting president last week after the then incumbent, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fled to Singapore when protesters seized his official residence and office, roaming the corridors, using his gym and swimming in his pool.</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters also burned down Wickremesinghe\'s private home and stormed his office, but failed to oust him. Wickremesinghe said this week that by the time he joined the current government as prime minister in May, the economy had already collapsed.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankans have blamed the Rajapaksas - seven from the family were in the government as of April - for the meltdown. Their decisions to cut taxes and ban chemical fertilisers, which damaged crops, decimated the debt-laden economy that was badly exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>It was not immediately clear how much support 73-year-old Wickremesinghe, seen as an ally of the Rajapaksa clan, and 63-year-old Alahapperuma have in the 225-seat parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe is backed by a section of the ruling party that had a total of 145 seats as of the last parliamentary election in 2020. Alahapperuma has the support of the other section as well as the main opposition party that won 54 seats last time round.</div><div><br></div><div>Latest numbers are not clear because some lawmakers have become independents.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Earlier Ranil Wickremesinghe was the front-runner but now the outcome is much more uncertain,\" said political scientist Jayadeva Uyangoda.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The balance of parliament power has shifted away from him. The outcome is dependent on how much control the Rajapaksas have ... over their party members.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka\'s parliament in 1993 unanimously chose D.B. Wijetunga to finish the tenure of assassinated President Ranasinghe Premadasa. This time three candidates are in the fray to complete Rajapaksa\'s term, scheduled to end in 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It will be marked as a new experience in the parliamentary history of this country,\" a statement from the communication chief of parliament said, laying out the procedure.</div><div><br></div><div>A candidate receiving more than one-third of the valid votes cast will be declared elected. If no candidate reaches the mark, the one with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated from the competition and preferences of lawmakers taken into account to eventually arrive at a winner.</div><div><br></div><div>Whatever the process, protesters are clear they want Wickremesinghe gone. Wickremesinghe, for his part, imposed a state of emergency on Monday, giving him more powers to launch a crackdown should he feel the need.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are protesting again Ranil. He is a corrupted man,\" said Duminda Nagamuwa, who organised protests in Colombo after the nominations were finalised.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If Ranil comes (into power), we cannot have stability.\" -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 16:02:01', '2022-07-20 16:02:01'),
(531, 531, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh still stands at \"Tier 2\" in the US State Department\'s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for the third year, as the government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>However, the report, titled \"2022 Trafficking in Persons Report\" praised the government, noting that Bangladesh is making significant efforts.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"The government demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period, considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity. Therefore, Bangladesh remains on Tier 2,\" said the 2022 TIP report released on Tuesday (19 July).&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"These efforts included increasing investigations, prosecutions, and convictions against human traffickers, including upholding the dismissal of a member of parliament involved in a labour trafficking case,\" said the report that covers 188 countries including the US. The annual report ranks governments based on their perceived efforts to acknowledge and combat human trafficking.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It ranks countries in three tiers. Countries assessed as meeting the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 or TVPA\'s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking are placed on Tier 1.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The countries which are not meeting minimum TVPA standards but making efforts are placed on Tier 2. Bangladesh has been on the Tier 2 Watch List from 2017 to 2019.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>In 2020, 2021 and this year, Bangladesh has been ranked among the countries on Tier 2.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The countries which are not meeting minimum TVPA standards and not making significant efforts to meet them are placed on Tier 3.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>About Bangladesh, the report mentioned that in August 2021, the seven Anti-Trafficking Tribunals resumed operations and the Rangpur and Rajshahi tribunals became the third and fourth courts to record trafficking convictions.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"The government also ratified the protocol to the ILO\'s forced labour convention as part of efforts against forced labour. However, the government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas,\" read the report.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It said that Bangladesh identified fewer potential trafficking victims compared with the previous reporting period and victim care remains insufficient.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The government continued to allow recruitment agencies to charge high recruitment fees to migrant workers and did not consistently address sub-agents conducting illegal recruitment operations, leaving workers vulnerable to trafficking, the report noted.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"The government did not uniformly employ standard operating procedures (SOPs) to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, resulting in the penalisation of some returning migrant workers and potential sex trafficking victims. In addition, the government pursued policy changes that would force potential labour trafficking victims to go through civil arbitration prior to initiating criminal investigations,\" it further read.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>A country remaining on the watch list for three consecutive years automatically downgrades to Tier 3 unless the government makes significant efforts to combat human trafficking.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the consequences for a country moving down from Tier 2 to Tier 3, a US Embassy official in Dhaka said last week, \"A country that moves downward faces automatic cut-off in millions of dollars of assistance. It does not impact humanitarian assistance and certain trade-related assistance, but very dramatically cuts the amount of money the US can provide.\"</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 16:11:21', '2022-07-20 16:11:21'),
(532, 532, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh and Brazil have signed a visa exemption deal to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, MP who is on a 4-day maiden official visit to Brazil signed the\"Agreement on the Exemption of Visa for Diplomatic and Official Passports\" on the 50 years of Bangladesh-Brazil diplomatic relations, said a press release.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franco França signed the agreement on behalf of his government.</div><div><br></div><div>A high-profile business delegation led by Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce &amp; Industries&nbsp; (FBCCI) President Jashim Uddin and the representatives of the Bangladesh-Brazil Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) accompanied the state minister during the visit.</div><div><br></div><div>On 18 July, the state minister delivered a lecture for the trainee diplomats at the Rio Branco Institute (Foreign Services Academy of Brazil) in Brasília. More than 100 guests comprising high officials from the host government, ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society, trainee diplomats, journalists along with members of FUNAG (Research Institute for International Relations) attended the event.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Giving an overview of Bagladesh\'s struggle for independence, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, MP highlighted how Father of the Nation Bangabandhu led the nation to have the right to speak in its mother tongue and later the war for independence in 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>Stressing the geo-strategic importance of Bangladesh, he explained how Bangladesh is connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia for a greater economic feat.</div><div><br></div><div>He also highlighted the unprecedented socio-economic growth in Bangladesh under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister Alam explained to the trainee diplomats of Rio Branco- how continuity of the government, investment in the rural economy and women empowerment led the country to sustainable and steady socio-economic strides.</div><div><br></div><div>At the Itamaraty Palace (Foreign Office of Brazil), the State Minister was received with a state Guard of Honour. Acting Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Brazil Ambassador Paulino Franco de Carvalho Neto hosted a lunch in honour of the State Minister. Minister Alam and Ambassador Neto discussed the gamut of existing bilateral relations and both renewed their commitment for further strengthening it.</div><div><br></div><div>They agreed to accelerate cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, agriculture, agro-business, food, energy, pharmaceuticals and sports cooperation. Both the sides agreed to make efforts for enhancing the bilateral trade, which is currently much below the potential. They also discussed multilateral issues of mutual interests including contemporary political issues.</div><div><br></div><div>The humanitarian efforts shown by Bangladesh under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) was highly appreciated by Ambassador Paulino.</div><div><br></div><div>Later in the evening State Minister Alam had a meeting with the Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franco França followed by the signing of the agreement on visa exemptions.</div><div><br></div><div>Minister Carlos França congratulated the State Minister on the completion of the Padma bridge- a huge stride achieved due to the steadfast commitment of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Agricultural cooperation, agro-processing, energy cooperation were the key areas of the discussion.</div><div><br></div><div>Expressing the Bangladesh Government\'s interest in concluding the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, MP sought Foreign Minister Carlos França\'s meaningful support in Bangladesh\'s bid for Mercosur PTA and FTA.</div><div><br></div><div>While Brazil is the current UN Security Council President, State Minister Alam urged that -amid the Ukraine crisis, issues like humanitarian assistance for the Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMNs) in Bangladesh and their immediate safe return and situation in Afghanistan should not be forgotten.</div><div><br></div><div>Appreciating the tremendous socio-economic growth in Bangladesh in the last decade, Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos França explicitly showed his strong willingness to strengthen trade and investment ties with Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Both the Ministers discussed the possibility of a head of government level visit between the two countries. Appreciating the increasing size of the bilateral trade both agreed to find ways for trade diversification. They talked about the rationales and plausible resolution of conflict situations around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Ambassador to Brazil Sadia Faizunnesa and Director General for Americas Nayem Uddin Ahmed accompanied the state minister during the meetings.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister Md Shahriar Alam, MP., later in the evening attended the \"Celebration of 50th Anniversary of Bangladesh-Brazil Diplomatic Relations\" as Guest of Honour hosted by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Brazil Sadia Faizunnesa.</div><div><br></div><div>In his remark, the state minister thanked and congratulated the Brazilians on the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-Brazil diplomatic relations and congratulated Brazilians as they are celebrating the 200th year of independence of their country.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 100 guests comprising members of the diplomatic corps, academics, journalists, businessmen and high-level Brazilian government officials attended the reception.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 16:17:19', '2022-07-20 16:17:19'),
(533, 533, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Train activities from Dhaka to other destinations across the country, except Narayanganj, have been hanged after some students blocked the rail line at Airport Station in the capital from around 9am today (July 20, 2022).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>However, trains are returning to Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Khairul Kabir, divisional transport officer (Dhaka) of Bangladesh Railway, confirmed the development.</div><div><br></div><div>He said some students, who are supposed to sit for Rajshahi University admission test, halted the operation of Nilsagar Express at Dhaka\'s Airport Station after not getting tickets.</div><div><br></div><div>As a result, no train can go from Kamalapur Station to destinations across the country, except for Narayanganj, he told The Daily Star at 10:45am.</div><div><br></div><div>However, trains are returning to Dhaka, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Mazharul Haque, officer-in-charge of Dhaka Railway Police Station said outbound train communication from Dhaka was suspended due to the blockade by the students.</div><div><br></div><div>A team of police are on the way, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 17:10:22', '2022-07-20 17:10:22');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(534, 534, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Meditation has grown in recent years, with everyone from Paul McCartney to LeBron James to Oprah Winfrey reporting having a meditation practice, but yet, there are still more women than men who report meditating regularly.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Between 2012 and 2017, the number of people who reported meditating in the National Health Information Survey more than tripled. In this large sample size of nearly 100,000 people, more women than men (16% of women versus 11 % of men) also report meditating regularly.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>This article explains the benefits, some different styles of meditation, and how to get started.</div><div><br></div><div>What is meditation?</div><div><br></div><div>Ask someone what meditation is, and you will get as many answers as there are many different types of meditations. However, most people would likely agree that meditation is a practice that helps them feel more grounded and centered in themselves.</div><div><br></div><div>Meditation</div><div><br></div><div>The term meditation means \"to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one\'s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Where did the practice of meditation come from?</div><div><br></div><div>The practice of meditation originated in India in ancient Vedic times. The goal of meditation is to connect with the inner Self.</div><div><br></div><div>In Buddhist texts, the closest translation of the word \"meditation\" is the word \"Dhyana,\" which is meant to be the training of the mind to slow down automatic responses in order to achieve greater awareness and a sense of calmness.</div><div><br></div><div>Benefits of meditation</div><div><br></div><div>Meditation is known to help myriad conditions both mental and physical. It also increases overall feelings of well-being and quality of life. Some conditions that mindfulness may help6 (in conjunction with other interventions) include:</div><div><br></div><div>Chronic pain</div><div>High blood pressure</div><div>Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)</div><div>Ulcerative colitis</div><div>Anxiety</div><div>Depression&nbsp;</div><div>Insomnia</div><div>Smoking cessation</div><div>Substance use disorders</div><div><br></div><div>Benefits of meditation for men</div><div><br></div><div>While meditation can help anyone with the above health concerns, there are some specific areas where men will benefit from meditation.</div><div><br></div><div>May help with male infertility</div><div><br></div><div>Meditation may even help with male infertility, which is a man’s inability to impregnate someone due to a variety of problems in the male reproductive system as well as lifestyle factors.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Stress can lead to damage to sperm DNA. In a study, lifestyle changes such as meditation, led to reversing some of the oxidative stress that may contribute to male infertility.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>May lower blood pressure</div><div><br></div><div>Another study that specifically looked at Black men (and women) found that a transcendental meditation practice was associated with lowering systolic blood pressure among those with high normal blood pressure.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>May regulate hormones</div><div><br></div><div>A different study of men practicing transcendental meditation showed positively altered hormones, including testosterone, cortisol, thyroid stimulating hormone, and growth hormone.</div><div><br></div><div>Meditation for men at work</div><div><br></div><div>Taking time to meditate is also being normalized in the business world, with executives such as former LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner talking about meditating regularly. Knowing that meditation may help at work is a reason that some men get into it.</div><div><br></div><div>NYC-based therapist Jor-El Caraballo, LMHC, says he likes to think of meditation as “the equivalent of those computer defragmenters, but for your brain. The puzzle pieces come together more clearly, and it’s easier to see what’s supposed to happen next.”</div><div><br></div><div>And meditation can improve performance at work, both on personal levels and on organizational levels. A cohort of workers at an Italian company practiced meditation together daily for three months. By the end of this period, not only had productivity increased and mistakes decreased, but the workers also reported increased happiness.</div><div><br></div><div>Men and women may respond to meditation differently</div><div><br></div><div>Considering the ways that men and women are socialized differently to fulfill certain gender roles, it shouldn’t be surprising that men and women respond to meditation differently.</div><div><br></div><div>The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire measures how people score on five different facets of mindfulness—observing, acting with awareness, describing, non-judging and non-reactivity. Results from administering this questionnaire before and after a 12-week meditation training showed that meditation is more likely to help women improve their emotional regulation by increasing their acceptance of their experience and gaining attentional clarity.</div><div><br></div><div>Men, on the other hand, improved their emotional reactivity, non-judgment, and self-compassion through mindfulness involving increasing their ability to identify, describe, and differentiate their emotions.</div><div><br></div><div>Research has also shown that men are more likely to express psychological distress through externalizing behaviors such as substance use or violent behavior, for example. Many men will direct their emotional activity outwards such as through sports or video games, whereas women may be more likely to journal or ruminate.</div><div><br></div><div>Meditation may feel actionable for men</div><div><br></div><div>Because of this externalizing of dealing with psychological distress, Caraballo says that he sees a fair amount of his male clients trying meditation since it\'s an action they feel like they can take. “I think a lot of men think it’s this thing that will fix everything,” he says. “Some see it almost as a status symbol, something they can brag about.”</div><div><br></div><div>How to meditate for men</div><div><br></div><div>Meditation represents a broad range of techniques, so men may want to look at some gender-specific approaches to mindfulness. They may gravitate towards more active forms of meditation, whether this means being more physically active, such as a mindfulness walk, or more psychologically active and less passive, such as learning to label one’s emotions.</div><div><br></div><div>Two types of mindfulness-based activities that may be particularly helpful to men are:</div><div><br></div><div>Open monitoring meditation involves tuning into everything—that is, observing all of the five senses as well as looking inside yourself to see what you are feeling both physically through bodily sensations as well as feelings. That may sound overwhelming, but this type of meditation involves observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment.</div><div><br></div><div>Affect labeling, sometimes described as “name it to tame it” involves noting to yourself—either aloud, in your head, or on paper, what you are feeling. It is thought that this way of externalizing your feelings begins to create some space from it. Doing so may diminish its power, particularly in men. Neurobiologically, this has been found to actually decrease emotional reactivity in your brain.</div><div><br></div><div>What if I don\'t like just \"sitting there?\"</div><div><br></div><div>Caraballo says he has had clients that feel like meditation “isn’t enough. Just sitting is a hard sell—it’s hard for them to quantify, and they don’t know what they’ll get out of it.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>For them, he recommends things like a mindfulness walk. His suggestions to make the most of a mindfulness walk are using the five senses to tune into what’s around you by asking yourself questions like these:</div><div><br></div><div>What are you seeing?</div><div>Are there smells you notice?</div><div>What are the sounds around you?</div><div><br></div><div>Tip: Caraballo recommends leaving headphones at home to be able to really absorb the experience around you.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Caraballo also notes that some beginners prefer guided meditations. “Sometimes people just like being told what to do,” he says.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>What if I\'m mot meditating the right way?</div><div><br></div><div>Caraballo says he sees many men who think they’re “not doing it right—and that can run really deep for people,” he says. “I try to look at it as even if you don’t do it ‘well,’ whatever that means for you, you are still gaining something. It’s still dedicated time for yourself, and it’s better than having not done it.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It can be common for people to feel like they haven’t “gotten there” if they don’t magically relax after one meditation session, but it’s a process and a journey, and sometimes it takes a while longer to settle into. -verywellmind</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Lifestyle Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 17:25:31', '2022-07-20 17:25:31'),
(535, 535, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Four days after the attacks on Hindu homes and temples in Digholia village under Lohagara upazila of Narail, Hindu women and children who fled in the wake of the violence have started to return to their homesteads.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The village is home to around 300 families, about one third of whom are Hindu. Following the attack on Friday, around 80% of the female members of the community had fled.</div><div><br></div><div>Many of them were seen returning home yesterday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Bizli Rani Saha was in her home with her son and daughter-in-law when the attack took place on July 15. The angry mob attacked her house, destroyed furniture, and looted valuables, including gold. At around 2am on Saturday, the family left the house and moved to Lohagora with support from locals and the administration.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We have not been able to rebuild the house, everything is in a haphazard situation,” she told this correspondent upon her return yesterday.</div><div><br></div><div>“I thought things had become normal, but the anxiety and concerns still remain,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Her daughter-in-law China Rani said they left the house without giving it any second thought that night. Seeing their charred belongings in the daylight brought back their fears and worries.</div><div><br></div><div>“The attackers on the night asked us to open the door and pay them Tk2 lakh for us to avoid the attack, or see everything being destroyed. We had no courage to open the door, and this is why they destroyed everything,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dilip Master, headmaster of Digholia School, said around 80% of the women had to leave the village on the night of the attack and many are yet to return.</div><div><br></div><div>“Some have started to return, but the anxiety remains,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to him, around 108 Hindu families lived in Saha Para, and around 17-18 houses and shops and four temples belonging to them were attacked.</div><div><br></div><div>Narail Police Super Probir Kumer Roy said the police were maintaining surveillance of the area.</div><div><br></div><div>“In addition to investigation, we have beefed up security in the locality,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Angry villagers took to the streets on Friday, attacking and vandalizing several homes on the allegation that a youth named Akash Saha had hurt their religious sentiments through a post on Facebook.</div><div><br></div><div>Two cases were filed in connection with the incident. Akash, the prime accused, is now on a three-day remand in one case and five people are in custody in another case, said the police super.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Around 4,000 incidents of violence against Hindus, who constitute less than 9% of Bangladesh\'s population, have been reported since 2013.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 13 people were killed and 1,037 were injured in different incidents between 2013 and June 2022, alongside damage to households, businesses and temples, according to the rights group Ain O Salish Kendra.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 18:05:01', '2022-07-20 18:05:01'),
(536, 536, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Despite the World Bank\'s forecast that global economic growth is desired to slow down before the end of the year, the Bangladesh government today set a $67 billion export target for the current fiscal year.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Export target for current fiscal has been set as $67 billion. Of these, $58 billion will come from goods exporting and $9 billion from the service sector,\" Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi MP said during a press briefing at the secretariat on Wednesday (20 July).&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"The backbone of any country\'s economic development is finding suitable policies and implementing them timely. Also, the government\'s assistance in helping the private sector\'s growth is important,\" the minister added.</div><div><br></div><div>During the press briefing, Tipu Munshi said: \"The Russia-Ukraine war has been affecting supply chains and raising prices of many necessary commodities. Especially food items.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"Inflation and joblessness are creasing in America and Europe. According to the IMF, the global growth rate would be 4.4%, and in the year next year it might be even lower,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>World Bank\'s latest global economic forecast warned that most countries should begin preparing for a recession. It added that global economy had already been impaired by the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, which left international supply chains in tatters and significantly hampered income growth and poverty reduction efforts in developing countries.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The export target has been ser considering the recession situation. Otherwise, it would have been higher. Bangladesh is getting some global geopolitical benefits. Orders from the USA have shifted from China; Bangladesh along with Vietnam, Cambodia, India and Pakistan are enjoying the benefit of it,\" Tipu Munshi said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is the first time export to a single country is crossing $10 billion, and that is USA. Of the $10 billion earned from exporting to the USA, $9 billion came from the RMG sector. I am myself an RMG exporter and have been BGMEA president. I think the RMG orders will not decline,\" he added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t think production will be hampered by load shedding and rationing. The load shedding won\'t be year-long, it is only temporary. We have kept load shedding in mind while setting the export target,\" the minister further said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said that the rising cases of Covid-19, inflation, demand loss, and heatwave in the west may pose some risk to the export target&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>According to the recently passed FY22-23 budget, Bangladesh\'s GDP growth rate is 7.25%.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The current fiscal year\'s export target is 11% higher than the last fiscal.</div><div><br></div><div>Actual goods export was $52 billion during the last fiscal and the service sector\'s actual earnings were $8 billion.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the actual export of the ready-made garment sector during the last fiscal was $42.2 billion. The target has been set at $46 billion in the current fiscal for this sector.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh\'s ready-made garments industry has been bracing for another battle for survival as most factories are getting orders less than 30% of their capacity as record inflation rates across Europe and the US make consumers less willing to loosen their purse strings for new outfits and fashion accessories.</div><div><br></div><div>Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said that the government will offer policy support to ensure the export target is met.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"A combined effort by the government and private sector will help us achieve the export target,\" the minister said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 18:44:01', '2022-07-20 18:44:01'),
(537, 537, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A budding courtship between Russia and Iran is an unwelcome development for the West that the United States will watch with concern, but it falls well short of a geopolitical game changer.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Russian President Vladimir Putin used a rare foreign trip on Tuesday - his first outside the former Soviet Union since he launched the invasion of Ukraine on Feb 24 - to hold talks in Tehran with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Ebrahim Raisi, as well as Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.</div><div><br></div><div>But the fact that Russia and Iran are competing energy producers is likely to place limits on any deeper partnership, even though the two countries are united in their hostility towards the West.</div><div><br></div><div>Here\'s a look at some of the key questions that their developing relationship poses.</div><div><br></div><div>CAN IRAN HELP RUSSIA IN THE UKRAINE WAR?</div><div><br></div><div>US officials have said Iran is preparing to help supply Russia with several hundred unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, including some that are capable of firing weapons, but neither country has confirmed it. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted by RIA news agency as saying Putin had not discussed the issue with Iran\'s leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Russia deepening an alliance with Iran to kill Ukrainians is something that the whole world should look at and see as a profound threat,\" US National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine has used Turkish-supplied Bayraktar drones to lethal effect in targeting Russian units and destroying huge quantities of tanks and other armoured vehicles. Jack Watling, a war expert at the RUSI think-tank in London, said Iranian drones would be useful to Russia for both reconnaissance and as loitering munitions that can bide their time in locating and engaging suitable targets.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Beyond supplying UAVs Iran can also help Russia evade sanctions and potentially collaborate on the manufacture of weapons systems that are less dependent upon supply chains through Western countries,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>WHAT CAN RUSSIA LEARN FROM IRAN ON SANCTIONS?</div><div><br></div><div>Iran has many years of experience of defending itself against Western sanctions over its disputed nuclear programme. \"The Russians see Iran as being highly experienced at, and a potentially valuable partner, in evading Western sanctions,\" said Watling.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia, meanwhile, has been hit with waves of sanctions against banks, businesses and individuals over the war in Ukraine. Both countries therefore lack access to Western technology and capital, said Janis Kluge of the SWP think-tank in Berlin.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There might be some lessons that Russia can learn from Iran... In exchange, Russia could offer military goods and possibly raw materials or grain,\" he said. Russia is already a major supplier of wheat to Tehran.</div><div><br></div><div>With some Russian banks cut off from the SWIFT international payments system, Moscow is developing an alternative in which Iranian banks could be included, Kluge said.</div><div><br></div><div>More broadly, Iran is part of a wider group of countries - also including China, India, Latin America and Arab and African nations - with which Russia is forging stronger ties in a bid to prove its claim that it can thrive under sanctions and that these will only rebound on the West.</div><div><br></div><div>HOW CAN RUSSIA AND IRAN COOPERATE ON ENERGY?</div><div><br></div><div>This is potentially a sensitive question: both countries are oil and gas producers, and competition between them has intensified since the start of the Ukraine war as Russia has switched more of its oil exports to China and India at knock-down prices.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"On the economic dimension, the war has significantly worsened their relationship. Moscow is eating Tehran’s lunch in commodity markets and has even fewer resources to throw at projects in Iran,\" said Henry Rome, deputy head of research at Eurasia Group.</div><div><br></div><div>Coinciding with Putin\'s visit, however, the National Iranian Oil Company and Russia\'s Gazprom signed a memorandum of understanding worth around $40 billion under which Gazprom will help NIOC develop two gas fields and six oil fields, as well as taking part in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and construction of gas export pipelines.</div><div><br></div><div>WILL ANYTHING CHANGE IN THE IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS?</div><div><br></div><div>The Ukraine war has changed Moscow’s approach towards talks on reviving the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA.</div><div><br></div><div>Eleven months of talks to restore the deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in return for curbs on its nuclear programme, had reached their final stages in March. But they were thrown into disarray over a last-minute Russian demand for written guarantees from Washington that Western sanctions targeting Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine would not affect its trade with Iran.</div><div><br></div><div>Although Russia quickly retreated under Iranian pressure, diplomatic momentum for an agreement was lost. The talks have stalled since then over various remaining issues.</div><div><br></div><div>Whether the deal can get back on track will be one measure of the impact of the rapprochement between Putin and Iran\'s leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Russia’s interference in the JCPOA talks was a significant reversal of the traditional Russian approach and probably further fanned suspicions in Tehran about Moscow’s reliability and trustworthiness,\" said Rome of Eurasia Group. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 19:09:31', '2022-07-20 19:09:31'),
(538, 538, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka\'s parliament on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as president to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the crisis-wracked country and resigned last week.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Official results showed Wickremesinghe polled 134 votes in a three-cornered Sri Lankan parliamentary vote, with his main opponent Dullas Alahapperuma getting 82 and leftist Anura Dissanayake just three - giving him an absolute majority on first preferences.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Ranil Wickremesinghe has been elected as the eighth executive president under the constitution,\" the secretary general of parliament said after counting finished.</div><div><br></div><div>Addressing parliament shortly after the vote, Wickremesinghe declared the country’s “divisions are now over” and invited Alahapperuma to “join me and work together to bring the country out of the crisis we are facing\".</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe also said he hoped to be sworn in later on Wednesday at a simple ceremony within the tightly guarded parliament building.</div><div><br></div><div>The win for Wickremesinghe, opposed by many ordinary Sri Lankans, could lead to more demonstrations by people furious with the ruling elite for the mismanagement that has plunged the country into a severe economic crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters already shouting “Ranil, go home!”</div><div>Wickremesinghe, a six-time prime minister, became acting president last week after then-incumbent Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled to Singapore when protesters seized his official residence and office, roaming the corridors, using his gym and swimming in his pool.</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters also burned down Wickremesinghe\'s private home and stormed his office, but failed to oust him. Wickremesinghe said this week that by the time he joined the current government as prime minister in May, the economy had already collapsed.</div><div><br></div><div>Reporting from Colombo, the capital, FRANCE 24’s Navodita Kumari said protesters were already shouting, “Ranil, go home!” in early displays of discontent. “They are very angry, very disappointed, they all accuse Wickremesinghe of being an ally of the Rajapaksas, and that he has protected this family from corruption charges for years. They say that they are not going to stop protesting,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankans blame the Rajapaksas – a political dynasty that had seven family members in government as of April – for the economic crisis. Their decisions to cut taxes and ban chemical fertilisers, which damaged crops, decimated the debt-laden economy, leaving it particularly vulnerable before the pandemic hit the critical tourism industry.</div><div><br></div><div>The economic crisis has left Sri Lanka’s 22 million people struggling with shortages of essentials including medicine, fuel and food while the government negotiates a bailout with the International Monetary Fund. And the resulting political crisis has left worries about whether a new government will be enough to fix the economy and placate a public furious at its politicians\' failures.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe, 73, has wide experience in diplomatic and international affairs and has been leading the crucial IMF talks. Serving in a double role as the finance minister, he has delivered weekly addresses in Parliament cautioning that the path out of the crisis would be difficult, while also pledging to overhaul a government that increasingly has concentrated power under the presidency. -AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 20:00:37', '2022-07-20 20:00:37'),
(539, 539, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to come and see the newly-constructed Padma Bridge.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In her communication to the West Bengal Chief Minister, she specially emphasised the role that the newly-constructed Padma Bridge is expected to play to enhance trade ties between Bangladesh and India, including West Bengal.</div><div><br></div><div>“This bridge is expected to strengthen bilateral ties between Bangladesh and West Bengal, or rather entire India and open up new avenues for bilateral trade between the two countries,” Sheikh Hasina said in a letter to Banerjee.</div><div><br></div><div>In the communique, Hasina mentioned that the people of Bangladesh have an emotional connection with the people of West Bengal. “I invite you to come to Bangladesh at a time of your convenience. I hope to have an opportunity to meet you during my scheduled visit to New Delhi in September this year. Language, culture and ideological similarities are the binding forces between the two Bengals and there is no alternative to strengthen these existing relationships,” she wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina inaugurated the Padma Bridge on June 25 and said that the mega government-funded project belonged to the people of the nation.</div><div><br></div><div>In a short speech before the inauguration, she said: “I have no complaints against anyone, but I reckon those who opposed the Padma Bridge construction plan and called it a ‘pipe dream’ lack self-confidence. I hope this bridge will boost their confidence, whereas we have built ourselves.”</div><div><br></div><div>She said the project is a symbol of Bangladesh’s pride, honour and ability. - IANS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 20:40:21', '2022-07-20 20:40:21'),
(540, 540, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Large parts of Bangladesh are in the grip of a blistering heatwave, but expect some respite in the next 24 hours.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted light to moderate showers across the country in the next 24 hours.</div><div><br></div><div>“Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rajshahi and Khulna divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country,” the BMD said in its bulletin on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>A mild heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Rajshahi, Pabna, Rangpur, Dinajpur and Nilphamari and it may abate from some places, according to the weather forecast.</div><div><br></div><div>The axis of the monsoon trough runs through Rajasthan, Hariyana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal to Assam across central parts of Bangladesh. One of its associated troughs extends up to the North Bay.</div><div><br></div><div>Monsoon is fairly active over Bangladesh and moderate over the North Bay, as per the weather department.</div><div><br></div><div>Day and night temperatures may fall slightly over the country. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 20:46:57', '2022-07-20 20:46:57'),
(541, 541, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh has set an ambitious export target of $67 billion for goods and services for the current fiscal year.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>This target, announced by Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Wednesday, shows an over 10% growth estate, despite the volatility in the global economy owing to the Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>The Minister pegged Bangladesh\'s export achievements in the past financial year at $60.08 billion, some 17.80% more than the target of $51 billion. These are, however, provisional figures.</div><div><br></div><div>In the previous fiscal year, Bangladesh earned $52.08 billion from export of goods against the target of $43.5 billion. It shows a 19.73% growth.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Bangladesh made a record in export of both goods and services in the FY22 riding on raising consumption across the globe,\" the Minister said.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has set 15% credit growth target in the current fiscal year.</div><div><br></div><div>The export target is 31.5% of GDP (gross domestic product, that\'s the monetary value of final goods and services produced in a country in a given period).</div><div><br></div><div>The government will provide policy support to the private sector to achieve the export target, the Minister outlined. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 22:06:21', '2022-07-20 22:06:21'),
(542, 542, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Abdullah Shafique hit an unbeaten 160 as Pakistan chased down a record target of 342 at Galle to win a tense opening Test by four wickets against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Shafique hit the winning runs in the final session of play on day five to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.</div><div><br></div><div>Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya took a match haul of nine wickets but his efforts were in vain as Pakistan battled past the previous best chase in Galle of 268 by Sri Lanka against New Zealand in 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>The 22-year-old Shafique excelled with his second Test ton. He built crucial partnerships including a 101-run third-wicket stand with skipper Babar Azam, who made 55 after his 119 in the first innings on a tricky pitch to bat on.</div><div><br></div><div>Shafique finally combined with Mohammad Nawaz, 19 not out, to take the visitors home after a brief rain interruption halted their charge. The teams had taken early tea before returning for the third session of play.</div><div><br></div><div>Shafique survived three dropped catches, on 70, 135 and 151, but played the anchor\'s role to perfection as he surpassed his previous Test best of 136 not out.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan had a few anxious moments after Jayasuriya, who sent back talisman Azam before the close on day four, struck at the stroke of lunch to get debutant Salman Ali Agha out for 12.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan Ali fell for five in the second over of the second session after being promoted up the order to hit out the remaining runs.</div><div><br></div><div>Jayasuriya, who took 12 wickets on debut in a series-levelling Test win over Australia last week at the same venue, six in each innings, kept up the pressure but Shafique stood firm.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan resumed the day on 222-3 and Sri Lanka soon used up their remaining two umpire reviews, with Jayasuriya involved in both calls.</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammad Rizwan opened his day\'s account with a boundary off Ramesh Mendis and kept up his positive intent by taking singles and twos before he fell lbw to Jayasuriya for 40.</div><div><br></div><div>A review did not save Rizwan, a wicketkeeper-batsman who has come into the two-match series after a successful stint with English county Sussex.</div><div><br></div><div>Dinesh Chandimal kept up his blazing form in an unbeaten 94 -- his second successive half-century -- when he ran out of partners in Sri Lanka\'s second-innings total of 337.</div><div><br></div><div>In a match of tail-end fightbacks, Azam hit a defiant century in Pakistan\'s first innings and batted patiently with the lower order after the visitors slipped to 85-7 on day two.</div><div><br></div><div>The second Test starts Sunday, also in Galle, after it was moved from Colombo due to the political unrest in Sri Lanka. Source: AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 23:04:44', '2022-07-20 23:04:44'),
(543, 543, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The death toll from the devastating flood in the country rose to 126 with another death in Moulvibazar district in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The latest victim drowned in floodwater, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>The total deaths were recorded between May 17 to July 20, it said.</div><div>Besides, some 21,843 people have been affected by flood during the period, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the total deceased, 99 people drowned in flood water, 15 were struck by lightning, two died of snake bites, one from diarrhea, and nine others due to other reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the deceased, 72 people died in Sylhet, 41 in Mymensingh, 12 in Rangpur and one in Dhaka division, the DGHS said.</div><div><br></div><div>Of a total of 70 flood-hit upazilas, 33 are in Sylhet division, 16 in Rangpur division, 20 in Mymensingh division and one in Chattogram division.</div><div><br></div><div>Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Kurigram are the worst-hit districts, with 13, 11, 10 and nine upazilas affected by floods, respectively. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 23:11:17', '2022-07-20 23:11:17'),
(544, 544, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Six Iraqi police were killed and seven wounded early Wednesday in an attack by jihadists on their position in a remote area north of Baghdad, a military source said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Between 10 and 15 Islamic State group fighters attacked this federal police forward position around 12.30 am (2130 GMT Tuesday). The attack lasted around an hour,” the source said, asking not to be identified.</div><div><br></div><div>The attackers struck near the village of Al-Jillam in an area 140km north of Baghdad where jihadists remain active.</div><div><br></div><div>IS established a so-called caliphate across swathes of Syria and Iraq from 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>It was defeated in Iraq in 2017 after offensives by Iraqi forces with the support of the US-led coalition that has included more than 80 countries, among them Britain, France and several Arab nations.</div><div><br></div><div>Even though Iraq declared victory against the IS jihadists in December 2017, the group’s remnants still carry out sporadic attacks against security forces, particularly in sparsely populated desert or mountain areas.</div><div><br></div><div>The last major attack claimed by the Sunni extremists came in July last year, when they bombed a market in the Baghdad Shiite district of Sadr City.</div><div><br></div><div>The US-led coalition formed to fight IS formally ended its combat mission in Iraq in December, shifting to a training and advisory role.</div><div><br></div><div>The 2,500 US and 1,000 other coalition troops had been acting as advisers and trainers since mid-2020. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 23:25:49', '2022-07-20 23:25:49'),
(545, 545, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) has fined Shohoz.com, an online ticketing platform of the country, Tk 2 lakh after finding evidence of its mismanagement in selling tickets of Bangladesh Railways.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The DNCRP organized a hearing on Wednesday after receiving a&nbsp; complaint form Mohiuddin Rony,&nbsp; a 4th year student of Dhaka University\'s Theatre and Performance Studies Department, over irregularities in ticket sale by Shohoz.com.</div><div><br></div><div>The hearing on Roni’s complaint was held around 10 am at&nbsp; the meeting room of the DNCRP , said DNCRP Director General AHM Shafiquzzaman at a press briefing&nbsp; on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the decision of DNCRP, Roni will get 25 per cent of this penalty (Tk 50,000).</div><div><br></div><div>Mohiuddin Rony and representatives of Shohoz.com were present during the hearing.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking to reporters, Shohoz\'s lawyer Mirza Ragib Hasnat said they are not satisfied over the verdict. \"We will challenge against it,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Rony who was conducting a one-man protest against corruption in the country\'s rail administration, was forced to come off his daily program at Kamalapur Station on Tuesday. Instead he submitted a memorandum containing his demands and grievances to the director general of Bangladesh Railway.</div><div><br></div><div>He has been protesting alleged mismanagement and corruption at Bangladesh Railway since before Eid ul Azha, after falling victim to the dodgy e-ticketing system.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Kamalapur Station authority stopped me from entering the station territory yesterday, and today when I went to submit my memorandum to the director general of Bangladesh Railway (at Rail Bhaban), Ansar-police tried to block me from entering the building,\" Rony said.</div><div><br></div><div>He had been showing up at the station since July 8, with a 6-point charter of demands to reform the railway system. There&nbsp; is no doubt he would be viewed as an irritant, whether in Kamalapur or Rail Bhaban, especially since the fraudulent e-ticketing system had already been uncovered by the authorities, and steps were underway to completely replace it.</div><div><br></div><div>His demands are to stop passenger harassment by e-ticketing platform Sohoz.com, to prevent the black market chain of ticket selling, to stop the online booking system altogether and facilitate an easier, more transparent way to buy any type of ticket for the masses, to increase the number of trains to meet demand, and finally to form strong monitoring cell that truly ensures quality service on behalf of BR, right down to the price of goods like water, food etc... in the train. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-20 23:30:16', '2022-07-20 23:30:16'),
(546, 546, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The first official match at the Lusail stadium that is to host this year\'s World Cup final will be held next month, Qatar\'s national federation said Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Al Rayyan and Al Arabi will dispute a Qatar Stars League game in the 80,000 capacity stadium on August 11.</div><div><br></div><div>Lusail is the biggest of the eight stadiums built or refurbished for the World Cup and will host the final on December 18.</div><div><br></div><div>A spokesperson for Qatar\'s World Cup organisers said the match would be a \"test event\" and that an official inauguration would be held later.</div><div><br></div><div>Lusail, whose futuristic design was inspired by the decoration on Arab bowls, will stage 10 World Cup matches in all, including several group matches, a quarter-final and semi-final as well as the final.</div><div><br></div><div>After the tournament, the capacity is expected to be halved and much of the stadium space turned into community space.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-21 03:21:00', '2022-07-21 03:21:00'),
(547, 547, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday that “more than 500 people” died during a 10-day heatwave in Spain, one of the most intense ever recorded in the country.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sanchez cited figures released Monday from the Carlos III Health Institute which estimates the number of heat-related deaths based on the number of excess deaths when compared to the average in previous years.</div><div><br></div><div>The institute has stressed that these figures are a statistical estimate and not a record of official deaths.</div><div><br></div><div>“During this heatwave, more than 500 people died because of such high temperatures, according to the statistics,” Sanchez said.</div><div><br></div><div>“I ask citizens to exercise extreme caution,” he said, noting that the “climate emergency is a reality.”</div><div><br></div><div>Spain was gripped by a heatwave affecting much of Western Europe which pushed temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in some regions last week, sparking dozens of wildfires.</div><div><br></div><div>The blazes forced the evacuation of thousands of people and claimed at least two lives — that of a firefighter and a shepherd who got caught up in the flames in northwest Spain.</div><div><br></div><div>The July 9-18 heatwave was one of the most intense ever recorded in Spain, meteorological agency AEMET said Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>“At a minimum, it is the third most intense heatwave in terms of its geographic extension and duration” since modern records began in 1975, AEMET spokeswoman Beatriz Hervella said.</div><div><br></div><div>Only two other heatwaves lasted longer — one in July 2015 that lasted 26 days and another in August 2003 that went on for 16 days, she added. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-21 03:33:31', '2022-07-21 03:33:31');
