INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5843, 5843, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A 40-year old man was killed and 9 people were injured in an explosion that triggered a fire at a warehouse in Narayanganj’s Nitaiganj Saturday morning.</b></span><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Awlad Hossain succumbed to his&nbsp; injuries at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital, Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Narayanganj Sadar police station, confirmed.&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The rest burned injured are undergoing treatment there, he said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Shahjahan Shikdar, deputy assistant director (media cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the fire broke out in the two-story building around 9 am following an explosion.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">A portion of the building collapsed after the explosion, he said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control around one and an half hours after the incident.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">However, what caused the explosion and the subsequent fire could not be known immediately, he said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Fakhruddin, an assistant deputy director of Narayanganj fire service, said the building was declared risky as it may collapse any time.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Abdul Kadir, president of Nitaiganj Multilateral Cooperative Society, said former president of the district’s flour mills owners’ association Illias Dewan is the owner of the building which was used as warehouse of pulse, rice, salt and other products.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The first floor of around 100-year-old building was declared abandoned around 10 years back, he said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Golam Mostafa Russell, superintendent of police in the district, said onlookers were removed from the spot after the building was declared risky. UNB</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 09:05:07', '2023-03-18 09:05:07'),
(5844, 5844, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ended months of diplomatically charged delays on Friday and asked parliament to quickly back Finland\'s bid to join NATO.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A simultaneous decision by fellow holdout Hungary to schedule a Finnish ratification vote for March 27 means the US-led defence alliance will likely grow to 31 nations within a few months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NATO\'s expansion into a country with a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia will roughly double the length of the bloc\'s current frontier with its Cold War-era foe.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Finland had initially aimed to join together with fellow NATO aspirant Sweden -- a Nordic power facing a litany of disputes with Turkey that ultimately sunk its chance to join the bloc before an alliance summit in July.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Helsinki and Stockholm ended decades of military non-alignment and decided to join the world\'s most powerful defence alliance in the wake of Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Their applications were accepted at a June NATO summit that signalled the Western world\'s desire to stand up to Russia in the face of Europe\'s gravest conflict since World War II.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the bids still needed to be ratified by all 30 of the alliance members\' parliaments -- a process that got hung up once it reached Turkey and Hungary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Friday\'s breakthrough followed months of tense negotiations between Ankara and the Nordic neighbours that threatened to collapse several times.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan told Finnish President Sauli Niinisto that Helsinki had shown a strong commitment to addressing Ankara\'s security concerns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We decided to start the protocol of Finland\'s accession to NATO in our parliament,\" Erdogan told reporters after the talks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan added that he \"hoped\" that parliament will approve the application before Turkey\'s crucial general election in May.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Turkish parliament is expected to end its current session in mid-April.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Not complete without Sweden\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Turkey\'s decision while stressing the importance of Sweden also joining \"as soon as possible\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The most important thing is that both Finland and Sweden become full members of NATO quickly, not whether they join at exactly the same time,\" Stoltenberg said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The White House echoed the NATO chief\'s position. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the United States urged Hungary to conclude its ratification process both for Sweden and Finland \"without delay\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And France\'s foreign ministry called Turkey\'s announcement about Finland \"an important signal\" while reiterating support for Sweden\'s bid as well.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan had accused the Nordic neighbours of breaking the terms of a separate deal they reached in June 2022 under which Turkey agreed to approve the bids.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkey has sought the extradition of dozens of Kurdish and other suspects it accuses of ties to outlawed militants and a failed 2016 coup attempt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan\'s demands became more urgent as he neared a May election in which he will need a strong turnout from nationalist supporters to extend his two-decade rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Turkish leader voiced particular displeasure with Sweden -- a country with a larger Kurdish diaspora and a longer history of disputes with Ankara.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Finland and Sweden had initially resisted the idea of breaking up their bids.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson -- who made NATO membership a priority after assuming office in October -- acknowledged on Tuesday that the likelihood of Finland joining the bloc on its own had \"increased\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Finnish president called Erdogan\'s decision Friday \"very important for the whole of Finland\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he added: \"Finland\'s application is not complete without Sweden.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Swedish regret -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sweden expressed disappointment at being excluded from this round of NATO expansion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This is a development that we did not want, but that we were prepared for,\" Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told reporters in Stockholm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The talks in Ankara put more pressure on Hungary\'s parliament to end its own ratification delays.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban enjoys a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has numerous disputes with both NATO and the European Union.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hungarian parliament began debating the two NATO bids at the beginning of the month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the vote\'s timing was complicated by a separate dispute Budapest had with Brussels over blocked EU funding and Hungary\'s commitment to the rule of law and fighting corruption.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said Orban\'s ruling Fidesz party</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"supports Finland\'s NATO accession\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The parliamentary vote will take place on March 27,\" Kovacs said in a Twitter message.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Orban\'s parliamentary group leader Mate Kocsis said Fidesz \"will decide on the case of Sweden later\". AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 09:27:50', '2023-03-18 09:27:50'),
(5845, 5845, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Police in Pakistan stormed former Prime Minister Imran Khan\'s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 30 people amid tear gas shelling after someone opened fire from the roof of the building, officials said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Senior police officer Suhail Sukhera, who is leading the operation in a Lahore upscale neighborhood, said police moved to remove encroachments and blockade erected by Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his defiant supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said baton-wielding Khan supporters attempted to resist police by throwing stones and petrol bombs, but the officers moved on until a man on the roof of Khan’s residence opened fire. No one was hurt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sukhera said that police broke open the main door of Khan’s residence and found masks, petrol-filled bottles, iron rods and batons used in attacks on police during the week. Sukhera said that inside the sprawling residence, illegal structures were erected to shelter those who have been involved in attacks on police that have injured dozens of officers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Witnesses said police attempted to disperse Khan supporters by firing tear gas and chased them to several homes in the upscale neighborhood of Zaman Park. Khan was expected to appear in an Islamabad court on Saturday after a top court Friday suspended his arrest warrant, giving him a reprieve to travel to Islamabad and face charges in a graft case without being detained.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan has been holed up at his home in Lahore since Tuesday, after failing to appear at an earlier hearing in the case. His supporters hurled stones and clashed with baton-wielding police for two days to protect the former premier from arrest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan, during his road trip to Islamabad, said in a video message that the government had planned his arrest despite his travel to a hearing. He said police had broken into his residence in Lahore while his wife was alone at the home. He condemned the action and demanded those responsible are punished under law.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan, now in the opposition, was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last April. He is accused of selling state gifts while in office and concealing assets. It’s one in a string of cases that the former cricket star turned Islamist politician has been facing since his ouster.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 70-year-old opposition leader has also claimed that his removal from power was part of a conspiracy by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the United States. Both Washington and Sharif’s government have denied the allegations. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 10:53:15', '2023-03-18 10:53:15'),
(5846, 5846, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline will play a pivotal role in ensuring fuel security in Bangladesh while many countries across the globe are facing serious fuel crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;“When many countries across the country are at the verge of fuel crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war at that time this pipeline will play a vital role in ensuring fuel security of our people,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the 131.57-km cross-border \'Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline\' as part of energy sector cooperation between the two neighbouring countries through which Bangladesh will import petroleum, especially diesel from India.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the newly built pipeline.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina was connected from her official residence Ganabhaban while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was connected from his office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said that both Bangladesh and India have materialised many possibilities in the recent past regarding the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have settled all our bilateral problems one by one,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She mentioned that both the neighbouring countries are working together for their development.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are getting cooperation for our development from India,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said that Bangladesh will be benefited variously due to the inauguration of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The time and expenditure for importing diesel from India will be reduced significantly by this pipeline,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also mentioned that the supply of diesel in 16 districts in the northern region of the country will remain stable. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 12:53:02', '2023-03-18 12:53:02'),
(5847, 5847, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Gazipur court granted bail to actor Mahiya Mahi on Saturday,&nbsp; a few hours after sending her to jail in two cases.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The court of Gazipur Metropolitan Magistrate Md Iqbal Hossain passed the order.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The same court ordered her to be sent to jail earlier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Advocate Anwar Sadat, Advocate Ripon Chandra Sarkar and Advocate Nabijul Islam stood for Mahi in the bail hearing.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Advocate Anwar Sadat said that bail has been granted in both the cases filed against her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police arrested her at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 11:45am on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">&nbsp;bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 12:57:19', '2023-03-18 12:57:19'),
(5848, 5848, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the threat of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other BNP leaders to topple the government has become a joke to the people.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP started hatching conspiracy to oust our government just one month after its formation in 2009. They made repeated attempts to topple the government but they couldn\'t do it, rather they have become isolated and have been defeated,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said these while replying to a query of journalists after inaugurating a road construction project in the city\'s Mousumi residential area this afternoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasan said as part of the party\'s conspiracy, the BNP played a role in the BDR mutiny from behind the scene. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia had involvement with the conspiracy of BDR mutiny, he mentioned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said Khaleda Zia had left her cantonment house in the early morning on the day of the BDR mutiny and she talked with Tarique Rahman for many times. \"We have those records,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasan said the people of Bangladesh are the deciders whether the government will remain in power or not, whether it will discharge the duty of running the country or not.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Through the last general elections, the people of Bangladesh gave the responsibility to AL and its President Sheikh Hasina to run the country till the next election, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That is why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is running the country,\" he said. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about Mirza Fakhrul\'s allegation that AL committed forgery and robbery in the Supreme Court Bar Association elections, the minister said all the shameful incidents which took place in the history of the Supreme Court were done by BNP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the past, they kicked the door of Chief Justice office room and this time they snatched away ballot papers to thwart the election process.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"After their defeat in the Dhaka Bar Association elections, they sensed their sure defeat in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) polls. That is why initially they announced boycotting election and later they snatched ballot papers and vandalized election pandal and all structures,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said in 2014 national elections, BNP torched election centers and they carried out such terrorist acts in the Supreme Court. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They should be brought to justice for this reason, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, while inaugurating the road construction project, Hasan, also lawmaker from Chattogram-7, said Bangabandhu\'s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave allocation of around $1.2 billion dollars to remove the water-logging in the port city. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The project work is underway and hopefully the city will not face water-logging in next season like before, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> Noting that 75 lakh people are living in port city, Hasan said it will never be possible for the four thousand workers of the City Corporation to keep it clean, if all the city dwellers make it dirty.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If we don\'t throw polythene and house wastes, drainage system will work properly,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Councilor of Ward No-70 Mohammad Shahidul Alam presided over the function while City Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, councilor of reserved women\'s seat Shaheen Akhter Rozi, among others, addressed it as special guests. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 13:01:19', '2023-03-18 13:01:48'),
(5849, 5849, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pakistan\'s former prime minister Imran Khan said on Saturday he expected to be arrested as he headed to court on graft charges, after days of legal wrangling and pitched battles between his supporters and police.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 70-year-old former cricket star has been tangled in a slew of court cases, a frequent hazard for opposition figures in Pakistan\'s mudslinging politics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan was ousted in a no-confidence motion last year and has been pressuring the fragile coalition government which replaced him to hold early elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I am going to the Islamabad court right now. I want to tell you all that they have made a plan to arrest me,\" he said in a video message from the motorway, claiming he was the target of a plot to stop him from standing in elections due by October.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The point of their attack on my house was not to present me before the Islamabad court. The purpose was to put me in jail.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some 4,000 security officials including elite police commandos, anti-terrorism squads and paramilitary rangers have been deployed around Islamabad with hospitals put on high alert.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police fired tear gas at supporters who had gathered at the court in anticipation of Khan\'s arrival, chanting and pelting stones and bricks at officers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier this week Khan\'s supporters fought pitched battles with police sent to arrest him in the eastern city of Lahore after he failed to appear in court, citing security concerns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities were later stood down after a flurry of court hearings and Khan\'s promise to appear in the capital on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police meanwhile raided his house in a plush Lahore neighbourhood after blocking nearby roads and suspending mobile services in the area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The case has been brought by the Election Commission of Pakistan which has accused Khan of not declaring gifts received during his time as premier, or the profit made from selling them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan\'s courts are often used to tie up lawmakers in lengthy proceedings that rights monitors criticise for stifling political opposition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the political drama unfolds, Pakistan is in the grip of a stark economic downturn, risking default if help cannot be secured from the International Monetary Fund.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The security situation is also deteriorating with a spate of deadly attacks on police, linked to the Pakistan Taliban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan has been pressuring the coalition government that replaced him, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with popular rallies and daily addresses broadcast on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year Khan was shot in the leg during a political rally, an assassination bid he blamed on Sharif. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 13:06:09', '2023-03-18 13:06:09'),
(5850, 5850, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">From the largest aviary in Asia they went, sitting in buckets filled with ice to keep them cool while transported in air-conditioned vans.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A quick 30km (19-mile) drive later, the three king penguins and three Humboldt penguins had arrived at a clinic in Singapore\'s east.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There, a five-person veterinary team were waiting to perform a delicate eye procedure, thought to be a world first for penguins.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The sextet underwent the removal of the cloudy lenses caused by cataracts - a common age-related condition that develops in geriatric animals and hinders their vision - before receiving custom-made intraocular lens implants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The lenses were manufactured in Germany to fit each penguin\'s eye, based on precise measurements, and took about two months to make, said the Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG). The group manages some 21,000 animals, comprising almost 1,000 species, across four wildlife parks in Singapore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We noticed the cloudiness in their lens and [that they were] moving about like they were having difficulty seeing things in front of them,\" said MWG veterinarian Dr Ellen Rasidi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the immediate aftermath, the penguins had to stay out of water and in a separate den from the rest of their colony. Eye drops were also administered twice daily.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But almost three months after the procedure, which took up to 2.5 hours for each penguin, the aquatic flightless birds can see clearly now, with a noticeable increase in responsiveness and activity levels.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">MWG has carried out cataract surgeries on other geriatric animals like sea lions and orangutans in the past. It has also adopted innovations such as printing 3D protective shoes for birds of prey, in order to treat a potentially fatal foot disease.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">But Dr Gladys Boo, a veterinary ophthalmologist who led the procedure, reckons that it is likely the first time penguins have successfully received intraocular lens implants, marking a \"milestone\" in veterinary medicine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As a larger species, the king penguins have eyes large and stable enough to hold the custom lenses in place, so we decided to pursue this world-first procedure,\" said Dr Boo, who is one of only three individuals in South-East Asia certified by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists, a renowned vet institution.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The surgery was complicated by the unique characteristics of penguins, such as a third eyelid, which protects their eyes underwater but had a tendency to close during the surgery.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">MWG declined to reveal the cost of the surgery, but said it was undertaken to improve the penguins\' quality of life.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The penguins were first diagnosed by Dr Boo during check-ups conducted last August as part of the MWG\'s senior animal care plan, which has been providing specialised care for elderly animals since 2017.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It involves more frequent health checks and specialised diets for 361 geriatric animals, as well as specific adjustments to their exhibits. Examples include putting perches for geriatric birds on lower levels for easier access, and adding extra padding or bedding in preferred rest areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The penguins reside at Singapore\'s Jurong Bird Park, a popular tourist attraction which houses some 5,000 birds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">King penguins hail from the South Atlantic and the South Indian Ocean and are the second-largest of their kind in the world, while Humboldt penguins come from South America. The former can live up to 40 years in captivity, and the latter typically live for 15-20 years. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 14:19:15', '2023-03-18 14:19:15'),
(5851, 5851, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday said actress Mahiya Mahi was arrested on the basis of specific allegations.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that the allegation (of bribery) made by the actress against police will also be investigated, and it would come out whether it is right or not after the investigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Home Minister came up with the remarks while talking to reporters in a food distribution programme at a orphanage at Tejgaon in the capital. The food distribution programme was organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Home Minister said that a case was filed against her as she made some statements on Facebook live against Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I don\'t know everything, I heard. I have to know the matter well before I say something,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that Mahi\'s complaint of vandalism and grabbing her husband\'s showroom against the police will also be investigated. \'When a complaint comes, an investigation has to be done. Everything will come out in the investigation.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gazipur Metropolitan Police arrested Mahi from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka after her arrival from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah, but her husband Rakib Sarker, also an accused in the case, did not return home with her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rokon Mia, sub-inspector of Bason Police Station, filed a case under the Digital Security Act against Mahi and her husband Rakib on Friday night on charge of “defaming police” after going live on Facebook.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, in response to another question, the Home Minister said that efforts were underway to bring Arav Khan alias Rabiul Islam, the fugitive accused in the police officer murder case, to the country through the international police agency Interpol.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said, \"All efforts are being made to bring him back with the help of Interpol.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Interpol\'s cooperation has already been sought to arrest him. We have heard many things. Action will be taken after scrutinising the information that we have already received,” he said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 14:23:00', '2023-03-18 14:23:00'),
(5853, 5853, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The \'Made in Bangladesh\' tag will be used for all RMG products manufactured in Bangladesh in their label in Bengali from January 1, 2024, said BGMEA President Faruque Hassan.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that they are working on putting the \"Bangladesh-e Toiri\" tag in Bengali in the export products along with the existing \"Made in Bangladesh\" tag.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) also wants a change to the Bangladesh EPZ Labour Act in order to guarantee trade union and other rights of the workers, which are also a major demand of the US and European Union (EU) authorities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The apex body for the garment industry also believes that all sectors should have rights that are equal, and BGMEA is dedicated to upholding workers due diligence and human rights.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BGMEA President Faruque Hassan revealed it while responding to questions from the journalists at a press conference held today at its office in the capital.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We believe that workers have rights to form trade union in everywhere, but problem is the foreign investors, who invest in the Export Promotion Zones (EPZs), they don\'t want this,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regarding the minimum wage board, he said that they\'ve already submitted three names to the labor ministry in response to their requirement. Once the ministry forms it, apparel manufacturers would voluntarily embrace the new pay.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In response to a question, Faruque said that Bangladesh would continue to benefit from Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) treatment from the EU, the UK, and other nations until 2029 due to its graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category (LDCs).&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the top body is aiming to extend it, at least through 2032, and the government is supporting their initiative as well.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They already have held meeting with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General, the EU\'s senior officials, and the UK\'s appropriate authority in this regard.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our objective is clear. After LDC graduation, we do not want to take punishment (impose responsibility) due to development trap. We might easily enter the global market as competitors if we can keep the GSP till 2032,\" he added.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have two logics to expand facilities. First, we are facing economic crisis due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which was their (US, EU) problem. The Second issue is, Bangladesh accepted 1.3 million Rohingyas, one of the highest ever refugee acceptances in the world,\" he added.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So, the global communities should increase the GSP tenure for Bangladesh considering these issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In response to another question, he said that businesses are not doing so well.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our export to the US market has been dropped, though we have tremendous growth in the new markets such as India, Japan and South Korea,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that the rise in the gas price, electricity price is impacting the sector.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moreover, global economic turmoil, inflationary pressures have curtailed the purchasing capacity and the buyers have changed their sourcing pattern.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Currently, they place orders in small slots which are hampering the production planning,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BGMEA president said that Bangladesh has a huge potentiality in the circular economy, especially recycle textile waste. \"BGMEA is looking for foreign investors in the area, and that is why they are seeking government policy support,\"&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BGMEA Vice-President Md Nasir Uddin, Sparrow Group Managing Shovon Isalm, JFK Fashion Managing Director M Kafil Uddin Ahmed were also present at the press conference. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 15:05:38', '2023-03-18 15:05:38'),
(5854, 5854, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that if the state power goes to BNP, the country will become a safe haven for communal forces.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP is the resort of communalism. If the state power goes to the corrupt people like them (BNP-men), killing, money laundering and unrest will begin again,\" he said while addressing a discussion in the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka City South AL organized the discussion in the city\'s Dholaikhal area, marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children\'s Day 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Noting that BNP has two characteristics- corruption and killing people, Quader said, \"BNP became champion in corruption for five consecutive times. Speaking against corruption doesn\'t suit with BNP leaders and activists. It is ridicules. They have no shame\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina saved the country from being stolen, made the politics corruption-free and driven it into the democratic trend, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is apparently a gentleman, but his mind is filled with hatred. He can tell lie so much. (He is) the best pathological liar,\" the AL general secretary said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said as the people are suffering due to the ongoing crisis, Sheikh Hasina is buying the essentials at high prices and giving those to the people at low cost.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Food security has been increased so that there is no hardship during the Ramadan, the minister said, adding that not a single person will remain homeless.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Urging the BNP to come to the polls, Quader said you should prove your existence if you have soil under your feet.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AL presidium members Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Advocate Qamrul Islam, Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam, Central Working Committee Member Sanjida Khanam, Dhaka City South AL General Secretary Humayun Kabir and Manirul Islam Manu spoke at the event, among others, with Dhaka City South AL President Abu Ahmed Mannafi in the chair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, Dhaka City North AL also organized a discussion at Bhasantek in the city\'s Mirpur area in the afternoon, marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children\'s Day 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AL Presidium Member and Deputy Leader in Parliament Begum Matia Chowdhury, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, AL Relief and Social Welfare Affairs Secretary Aminul Islam Amin and Dhaka City North AL General Secretary SM Mannan Kachi spoke at the discussion, among others, with Dhaka City North AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman in the chair. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 15:15:15', '2023-03-18 15:15:15'),
(5855, 5855, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Boris Johnson will publish evidence in his defence ahead of MPs grilling him over whether he misled Parliament about Covid rule-breaking parties.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The former prime minister faces a crucial televised evidence session in front of the Commons Privileges Committee on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The committee is yet to publish its final verdict - but its initial update earlier this month said Mr Johnson may have misled Parliament multiple times.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Johnson denies misleading MPs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wednesday\'s session, which could last up to five hours, will be a key chance for Mr Johnson to persuade the seven cross-party MPs who make up the committee that he did not mislead MPs in December 2021 - including when he told the Commons that he had \"been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sources close to Mr Johnson claim he will publish a \"compelling dossier\" that will provide evidence and arguments that he did not knowingly mislead parliament.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In May last year, an inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray found widespread rule-breaking had taken place, and Mr Johnson was among 83 people fined by police for attending law-breaking events.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If he fails to convince the committee and is found guilty, he could be suspended from the Commons, and even faces a recall petition, which would trigger a by-election, if that suspension is for more than 10 days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Crucially, though, MPs would have to approve any sanction on Mr Johnson.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Sunday Times, Observer and Sunday Telegraph report thatMr Johnson\'s \"dossier\" will include advice he claims he was given at the time by No 10 aides, advising him that Covid rules were not broken.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Sunday Times quotes one source saying the messages show \"in black and white\" that what Mr Johnson told Parliament was what he had been advised to say by officials and his No 10 team, claiming he was forced to rely on advice because he was not at some of the events.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The newspapers also report that his defence may repeat allegations of bias levelled at the former top civil servant Sue Gray, whose inquiry found widespread rule-breaking had taken place in Whitehall during Covid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sue Gray has since resigned and has been offered a job as Sir Keir Starmer\'s chief of staff, which caused anger among allies of Boris Johnson including his former cabinet colleagues Jacob Rees-Mogg MP and Nadine Dorries MP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Labour Party has said it will give all the information related to its approach to her to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) - the government\'s appointments watchdog.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But minister Jeremy Quin has said her proposed move may have breached Whitehall\'s rules, as approval must be obtained prior to a job offer being announced. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 02:49:17', '2023-03-19 02:49:17');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5856, 5856, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Last month, Cyclone Gabrielle smashed into New Zealand\'s North Island - killing 11 people and displacing at least 10,000 more. It\'s triggered a national debate about climate change and whether vulnerable homes should be rebuilt or written off.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I don\'t want to go back there,\" said Amy Bowkett.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The mother of two lived in the Hawkes Bay area, one of the regions worst hit by Cyclone Gabrielle. When the Category 3 storm hit with wind speeds of up to 159km/h (99mph), her home was completely destroyed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Along with 50 of her neighbours she spent a terrifying 48 hours trapped without power, water or phone signal.  </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eventually she was able to make a call and a friend organised a helicopter rescue from a neighbour\'s backyard.    </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I feel like if we get flooded a third time, it would be our fault,\" she told the BBC from her mother\'s home in the nearby city of Napier. \"Unless we put our house on stilts, I\'d be terrified every time it rained.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She\'s not alone in fearing to return. Many of the victims of New Zealand\'s recent floods lost all of their possessions in the disaster and believe the area their homes are built on has become too dangerous for them to go back.  </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The damage caused by the cyclone is forecast to cost NZD$13.5bn ($8.4bn; £6.9bn), similar to the financial impact of the Christchurch earthquake in 2011 - the costliest natural disaster in New Zealand\'s history.  Last month\'s event prompted a nationwide state of emergency that only ended on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cyclone Gabrielle also struck within weeks of unprecedented flooding in New Zealand\'s biggest city, Auckland, when an entire summer\'s worth of rain fell in a single day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New Zealand\'s climate change minister, James Shaw, attributed the scale of the disaster to climate change, exacerbated by global temperature increases.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There will be people who say it\'s too soon to talk about these things… but we are standing in it right now. This is a climate change-related event,\" he said in a speech to parliament last month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking to the BBC, Mr Shaw said that while many homeowners have taken out a \"total replacement\" insurance policy, which compensates them if their house is destroyed or made uninhabitable, it only covers the cost of the property - not the value of the land it\'s built on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This means people feel \"they have to rebuild on the current land and of course, they\'re really frightened\", he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The country is likely to experience more extreme rainfall events and regional cyclones are likely to become more frequent by 2100, according to New Zealand\'s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. During warm months days are already hotter, drier and windier, increasing the risk of bushfires.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some 55,000 homes in Auckland are prone to flooding, according to government data. Another 76,000 homes across the country are in coastal areas, vulnerable to erosion and sea level rise.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"[When] people are sleeping with lifejackets by the door, you know it\'s bad,\" said displaced West Auckland resident Morgan Allen. \"The anxiety has reached peak levels.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the cyclone hit, the infrastructure designed to stop the main rivers from flooding collapsed, completely burying his orchard in mud and potentially toxic silt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It was just a disaster zone and pretty shocking really,\" said Brydon, who couldn\'t reach his property until three days after the disaster. \"Everything was ruined. The water went up around three to four metres in the house.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brydon, who represents fruit growers in Hawkes Bay, estimates up to half of the region\'s fruit orchards have been hit, some of them totally wiped out. Farmers are desperate to salvage what they can.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'re all pretty resilient. I\'ve still had plenty of cries and hugs with my wife and different people. But we need to remain positive and have hope.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"When we made the decision to try and save this orchard, that actually brought hope,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We thought, we want these trees to bloom again, we don\'t want them to die.\" BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 02:58:17', '2023-03-19 02:58:17'),
(5857, 5857, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Switzerland\'s biggest bank, UBS, is reported to be in advanced talks to buy all or part of its troubled rival Credit Suisse.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shares in Credit Suisse have fallen sharply in recent days after it said it had found \"material weakness\" in its financial reporting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An emergency $54bn (£44.5bn) lifeline from the Swiss National Bank has not resolved the issue.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regulators are trying to facilitate a deal before markets reopen on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are concerns that Credit Suisse shares could continue to plummet, after they fell 24% on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This prompted a general sell-off on European markets, and fears of a wider financial crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Swiss government held an emergency meeting on Saturday night, but so far there has been no official statement on the progress of the negotiations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UBS is said to have asked the Swiss government to cover about $6bn (£4.9bn) in costs if it were to buy Credit Suisse, according to sources quoted by Reuters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Any deal may also result in significant job losses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The problems have coincided with the failure of two lenders in the US - Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank - raising fears over the health of the banking system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse, which was founded in 1856, has faced a string of scandals in recent years, including money laundering charges.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bank reported a loss of 7.3bn Swiss francs ($7.9bn; £6.5bn) in 2022 - its worst year since the financial crisis of 2008 - and has warned it does not expect to be profitable until 2024.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UBS however made a profit of $7.6bn in 2022. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 03:17:56', '2023-03-19 03:17:56'),
(5858, 5858, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 14 people were killed, several were wounded and buildings were damaged in a powerful earthquake that shook Peru and Ecuador Saturday, authorities said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Destroyed buildings, crushed vehicles and debris could be seen in cities such as Machala and Cuenca in Ecuador, as rescue officials rushed to lend aid and panicked residents ran into the streets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quake, which the United States Geological Survey (USGS) put at a magnitude of 6.8 and a depth of nearly 41 miles (66 kilometers), struck at 12:12 local time (1712 GMT).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Its epicenter was in the Ecuadoran municipality of Balao, near the border with Peru, authorities said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I went out into the street because I saw people starting to run in panic, getting out of their cars,\" Magaly Escandon, a sewing supplies saleswoman in Cuenca, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ecuador\'s presidency reported 13 dead -- 11 in the province of El Oro and two in the province of Azuay.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Peruvian city of Tumbes on the border with Ecuador, a four-year-old girl died after a brick hit her on the head, according to an official report.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There where the pool of blood is, I was playing with my... niece and a brick fell on her,\" her uncle David Alvarado told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The tremor was also strongly felt in other cities including Guayaquil, Quito, Manabi and Manta, social media reports said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ecuador\'s presidency reported that \"there are injured people who are being treated promptly in hospitals,\" but did not provide any figures.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Remain \'calm\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Guillermo Lasso traveled to El Oro, where he visited the wounded in a hospital, and will next head to Azuay.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I have just finished visiting the city of Machala... I have ratified government support, the availability of resources,\" he said in a video posted on Twitter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier in the day he urged people to remain \"calm and to be informed through official channels\" about damage to buildings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Quito\'s Risk Management Office, the facade of a house collapsed on a vehicle and left \"a deceased person\" in Cuenca. AFP journalists in the city also reported that old houses in the historic center had been damaged.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Roads near Cuenca were additionally blocked by landsides.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nearby, in the province of El Oro, three people were reported dead when a tower toppled and fatally crushed them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The earthquake shook the north and central coasts of Peru with less intensity. In Tumbes, it damaged 12 homes, according to an official report.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It is a relatively high magnitude for what we have in the country,\" said Mario Ruiz, director of the Ecuadorian Geophysical Institute in an interview with FM Mundo radio.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Peruvian seismological authorities initially reported a magnitude of 7.0, but hours later downgraded the magnitude to 6.7.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A first aftershock of magnitude 4.8 was recorded in Balao, Ecuador. The Ecuadoran navy said there was no tsunami threat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2016, a quake with a magnitude of 7.8 hit Ecuador\'s western provinces of Manabi and Esmeraldas, killing 673 people and causing an estimated $3 billion in damage. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 03:21:57', '2023-03-19 03:21:57'),
(5859, 5859, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Antoine Griezmann pulled the strings for Atletico Madrid as they shredded Ruben Baraja\'s helpless Valencia 3-0 in La Liga on Saturday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The French forward opened the scoring for the hosts at the Metropolitano and continued his own superb form with another fine display at the heart of Diego Simeone\'s side.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yannick Carrasco doubled Atletico\'s lead early in the second half and Thomas Lemar sealed the win, with the Rojiblancos, third, moving six points clear of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, having played a game more.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The defeat leaves the troubled Los Che 17th, level on 26 points with Getafe, 18th, who host Sevilla on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Atletico recorded a fifth win in six La Liga games and tightened their hold on third place with a confident display, the kind they could not find in the first half of the campaign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Before the World Cup nothing was going for us, and now everything is,\" Atletico midfielder Marcos Llorente told DAZN.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The team is happy, and looking forward to keep on winning games, and the objective is to finish as high as we can.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We know all we have left is La Liga so we will try to climb ranks. Above us we have big teams, why not try and catch them up?\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Memphis Depay missed two good chances for Atletico early on before Griezmann broke the deadlock after 23 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Llorente burst forward and fed the striker, and while there was a stroke of luck about his first touch, which appeared to bounce off his foot and set the ball up nicely, the second was a neat finish for his ninth league goal of the season.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Valencia thought they had responded through Hugo Duro but his strike was ruled out by VAR for a foul at the other end of the pitch by Dimitri Foulquier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Atletico stroll -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first half was intense and fairly even, but Atletico strolled to victory in the second after Carrasco tucked home from close range soon after the break.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Griezmann threaded a fine pass through for Alvaro Morata, who left Valencia defender Eray Comert in the dust and crossed for Lemar to head home.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The team is doing very well, when the group is good and the team competes in the way it\'s competing, it\'s a difficult one (to face),\" Simeone told DAZN.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We could have been better in our finishing, we were generating chances, but didn\'t have the decisiveness to kill off the game. In the second half the goals came.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'re happy with how the team is growing.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Samuel Lino hit the post for Valencia late on but they could not even manage a consolation strike on another deeply worrying away day for Baraja\'s side.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'re really down, we didn\'t have a good game,\" Valencia captain Jose Gaya told DAZN.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The disallowed goal affected us. (The ref) didn\'t think it was a foul and with VAR, he changed the decision.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The defeat was Baraja\'s third in five games since taking over the side he used to play for in February.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are very disappointed. Since I\'ve been here this is the game where we\'ve been the least recognisable (as Valencia),\" Baraja said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Penalty pitfall -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rayo Vallecano were held to a 2-2 draw by Girona after missing a penalty which Oscar Trejo attempted to pass to Isi Palazon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trejo saw a first spot-kick saved by Paulo Gazzaniga, but was allowed to take it again for encroachment by Girona.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On his second attempt he laid the ball off to the onrushing Palazon, who fired over.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2016 Barcelona successfully executed the move in La Liga, with Lionel Messi passing a penalty to Luis Suarez, who scored against Celta Vigo.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trejo and Palazon\'s miss brought back memories of Arsenal attempting the same move against Manchester City in the Premier League in 2005, when Robert Pires attempted to pass to Thierry Henry but bungled the move.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The draw leaves Rayo provisionally eighth while Girona sit 12th.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Celta Vigo won 3-1 at Espanyol with talented midfielder Gabri Veiga scoring a fine goal to continue his good form. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 03:51:39', '2023-03-19 03:51:39'),
(5860, 5860, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Zlatan Ibrahimovic became the oldest goalscorer in the history of Serie A on Saturday but couldn\'t stop AC Milan from falling to a 3-1 defeat at Udinese.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ibrahimovic, 41, was in Milan\'s starting line-up for the first time since January last year and smashed home a penalty at the second attempt in first-half stoppage time to make the score 1-1 following Roberto Pereyra\'s ninth-minute opener.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it wasn\'t enough to stop fourth-placed Milan from losing their fourth match away from home in their last five and miss the chance to move provisionally second in Italy\'s top flight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stefano Pioli\'s team stay fourth, two points behind local rivals Inter Milan in second in the race for the Champions League.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They will drop out of the top four if Roma win the Rome derby with Lazio on Sunday evening while Inter face fierce rivals Juventus hoping to steal a march on their rivals for Europe\'s top club competition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"When a team plays like this it means the coach hasn\'t done his job. We played way below our standard,\" Pioli told Sky.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We not in a good position in the league and getting into the top four is so important for us... We\'ve not done enough over the last few weeks.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wearing the captain\'s armband Ibrahimovic missed his first spot-kick but was given a second chance when Beto was penalised for encroachment, and thumped his shot down the middle of the goal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At 41 years and 166 days old Ibrahimovic overtook former AC Milan defender Alessandro Costacurta -- who also netted against Udinese in 2007 aged 41 -- as the oldest scorer in Italy\'s top flight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He had previously made three substitute appearances this season after being sidelined since May last year, following reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Udinese coach Andrea Sottil was sent off for his protests at the decision to award the penalty for a Jaka Bijol handball and then allow Ibrahimovic to retake following Marco Silvestri\'s brilliant save.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Sottil\'s side were ahead at the break as Beto made up for his earlier error by finishing off Isaac Success\' low cross on the stroke of half-time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And Kingsley Ehizibue made sure of Udinese\'s second win in as many league matches, just their third since early October, stealing in at the back post to poke in Destiny Udogie\'s mishit shot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Udinese\'s first home win since mid-September moves them up to eighth, level on 38 points with Juve and a point ahead of Bologna who drew 2-2 at Salernitana earlier on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s a great win, we were in a difficult period but we worked hard and we deserved this win,\" said Pereyra to Sky.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'re going in the right direction and we need to keep going, we know what our qualities are.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'ve got 11 matches left and we\'ll give it a go with everyone.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Monza drew 1-1 with struggling Cremonese in the day\'s first match. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 04:02:17', '2023-03-19 04:02:17'),
(5861, 5861, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russian strikes killed two people and wounded 10 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Saturday, a regional governor said, accusing Moscow of using cluster bombs in the attack.</b></span><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Pavlo Kyrylenko, governor of Donetsk region -- where Kramatorsk is located -- said on his official Telegram channel that Russian forces had targeted a park and damaged \"a dozen residential buildings\", and fired \"cluster munitions\".</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"They purposefully hit the city, trying to kill as many of its civilians as possible,\" Kyrylenko said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">AFP journalists on the ground heard around 10 explosions go off nearly simultaneously just before 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) and saw smoke above a park in the southern part of the city.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">A woman died at the scene from her wounds, they saw.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Soon after, another round of explosions was heard in a neighbourhood two kilometres (one mile) away.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">A taxi driver was seriously wounded in that blast.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"She came to see me briefly. I told her goodbye, closed the door and a few seconds later, I heard the explosions,\" said Lena, 46. \"I was lucky to be inside with my daughter when all this happened.\"</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Goncharenko confirmed that two people had been killed by cluster bombs.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"Russia continues to spread terror,\" he wrote in a Facebook post.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">A UN treaty backed by most Western countries bans the use and transfer of cluster bombs, which spread dozens of tiny explosives, often posing a threat long after a conflict ends.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Russia and Ukraine have not signed the treaty and the United Nations has voiced alarm over Moscow\'s alleged use of cluster munitions in populated areas since it invaded Ukraine last year.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The strikes marked the second time Kramatorsk was targeted in a week. On Tuesday, one person died and three people were wounded after a strike on residential buildings.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Kramatorsk is located in the eastern industrial region of Donetsk, parts of which, including its largest city, have been controlled by Kremlin-backed separatists since 2014.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">In April 2022, a missile strike killed around 60 people at the Kramatorsk train station, in one of the deadliest attacks targeting civilians.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Moscow has been seeking to capture the entire region after declaring it part of Russia last year. AFP</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 04:59:41', '2023-03-19 04:59:41'),
(5862, 5862, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday, Yonhap news agency reported, the latest launch to come as South Korea and the United States stage major military drills.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"North Korea fires ballistic missile towards the East Sea,\" Yonhap reported, citing Seoul\'s Joint Chiefs of Staff and referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a record-breaking year of weapons tests and growing nuclear threats from Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington have ramped up security cooperation, and on March 13 kicked off their largest joint military drills in five years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Known as Freedom Shield, the drills run for 10 days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea views all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion and has repeatedly warned it would take \"overwhelming\" action in response.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sunday\'s launch also comes just days after Pyongyang test-fired its largest and most powerful missile, a Hwasong-17 -- its second ICBM test this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North\'s state media described the ICBM launch as a response to the ongoing, \"frantic\" US-South Korea drills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just hours after the ICMB was fired Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Japan to thaw long-frozen ties and boost cooperation in the face of an increasingly aggressive Pyongyang.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, North Korea declared itself an \"irreversible\" nuclear power, and leader Kim Jong Un recently called for an \"exponential\" increase in weapons production, including tactical nukes. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 05:04:24', '2023-03-19 05:04:24'),
(5863, 5863, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday visited Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula\'s annexation, a day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him over the Ukraine conflict.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkey announced the extension of a deal that has allowed Ukraine to export grain following Russia\'s offensive, but Kyiv and Moscow disagreed over the length of the extension.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin\'s surprise visit to Crimea was his first to the peninsula since he sent troops to Ukraine on February 24 last year, apart from when he drove across the bridge linking the territory to mainland Russia last December.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian state TV showed him visiting the Black Sea port city of Sevastopol, accompanied by the local Moscow-appointed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Razvozhayev said on the messaging app Telegram that Putin had been expected to take part in the opening of a children\'s art school by video link.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But Vladimir Vladimirovich came in person. Himself. Behind the wheel. Because on such a historic day, the president is always with Sevastopol and the people of Sevastopol,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 following a referendum that was not recognised by Kyiv and the international community.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking at the Davos forum in January, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine aimed to take back Crimea, \"our land\". Moscow has refused to include it in possible peace talks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Void\' ICC warrant -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin\'s visit came a day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him over the \"deportation\" of Ukrainian children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv says more than 16,000 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia since the start of the conflict last year, many of them placed in institutions and foster homes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">ICC prosecutor Karim Khan told AFP Friday that Putin was now liable for arrest if he set foot in any of the court\'s more than 120 member states.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 70-year-old Russian leader has yet to publicly comment on the warrant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the Kremlin dismissed the legal validity of the warrant, arguing that since Russia did not recognise the ICC\'s jurisdiction, it was \"void\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hague-based court\'s decision came ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping\'s visit to Moscow next week to sign accords ushering in a new era of ties. Xi will be in Russia from Monday to Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China, a major Russian ally, has sought to position itself as a neutral party, urging Moscow and Kyiv to resolve the conflict through negotiations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Western leaders have repeatedly criticised Beijing for failing to condemn Russia\'s offensive, accusing it of providing Moscow with diplomatic cover for its campaign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Grain deal extended -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the two sides had agreed to extend the deal that has allowed Ukraine, a major grain exporter, to resume shipments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But there was disagreement over the terms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s infrastructure minister said the deal had been extended for 120 days, but a spokeswoman for Russia\'s foreign ministry said Moscow had agreed to a 60-day extension.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s Black Sea ports were blocked by warships after Russia sent in troops last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations in July 2022 -- and signed by Kyiv and Moscow -- had allowed for the safe passage of exports. It was extended for 120 days in November.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fighting on the ground is concentrated in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, particularly the city of Bakhmut.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian strikes hit the nearby city of Kramatorsk on Saturday, killing two people and wounding 10, said regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, who accused Moscow of using cluster bombs in the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the Russian forces had targeted a park and damaged \"a dozen residential buildings\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AFP journalists in Kramatorsk heard around 10 explosions go off nearly simultaneously just before 4:00 pm local time (1400 GMT) and saw smoke rise above a park in the southern part of the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A woman died at the scene from her wounds, they saw. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 05:31:21', '2023-03-19 05:31:21'),
(5864, 5864, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 20 people were killed and 30 others injured as a bus fell into a ditch in Kutubpur of Shibchar upazila of Madaripur on Sunday morning.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The identities of the deceased could not be known yet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident took place near Pachchar area of the approach road to Padma Bridge.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abu Naim Mofazzal Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shibchar Highway police station, confirmed the news.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 05:46:01', '2023-03-19 07:38:37'),
(5865, 5865, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As Dhaka once again topped the list of cities worldwide with the most polluted air, light rain brought some relief for the city dwellers this morning (March 19, 2023).</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Khulna and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places in Dhaka, Barishal and Chattogram divisions with hails in isolated places over the country in 24 hours till 6 pm today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rain or thunder showers may continue for the next two days and temperature may rise within the next five days, the BMD said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day temperature may fall slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A mild heat wave had been sweeping over the country for the last few days. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 06:08:31', '2023-03-19 06:08:31'),
(5866, 5866, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to play an effective role in maintaining peace, security and stability to smoothen Bangladesh\'s journey towards a developed and prosperous country by 2026.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have to forward as developed country. We have time as we will start journey as a developed country by 2026. We\'re preparing from now on. So, we have to maintain peace, security and stability in the country,\" she said</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier also asked the law enforcement agencies particularly the RAB to be vigilant as none can stockpile food and make its adulteration on Ramadan alongside focusing robustly on eliminating drug abuse, teen-gang culture and cyber crime from the society.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She was addressing a programme as the chief guest marking the 19th founding anniversary of RAB at its headquarters in the city\'s Kurmitola area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister highly appreciated the RAB\'s activities in successfully tackling the terrorism, militancy and piracy in the Bangladesh\'s most important place the Sundarban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said: \"I believe, the force will play role likewise the past with due dutifulness, effectiveness and activeness to maintain peace and stability of the country.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Director General (DG) of RAB M Khurshid Hossain also spoke at the function.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM\'s Security Affairs Adviser Major General (rtd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Senior Secretary of Public Security Division Md Aminul Islam Khan and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were present on the dais.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A video documentary on the activities of the RAB was also screened at the function. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 06:59:49', '2023-03-19 06:59:49'),
(5867, 5867, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Benefits of fasting covers various angles in a person’s life. Fasting has been practiced by different people of different religions as a means of healing strategy spiritually and physically. However, intentions of fasting differ from religion to religion and person to person.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some people are fasting to be healthy while some are fasting to be pious and get near to Allah. In this article, we will talk about its physical, mental, and spiritual benefits, and also, we will ponder on the benefits of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>What is Fasting?</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fasting is abstaining from food and drinking from dawn to sunset. There are various types of fasting, including:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Wet and dry fasting:&nbsp;</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>&lt;&gt;</b>A person abstains from all kinds of foods and drinks during a period.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>&lt;&gt;</b>Wet fasting: A person abstains from all food and drinks except water, black coffee, and tea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>&lt;&gt;</b>Partially fasting: A person decides to fast for a short period during the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Benefits of Fasting</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fasting has several physical, mental and spiritual benefits, but we will focus in this article on the important factors for each of them below.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Physical Benefits of Fasting</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are a number of physical benefits of fasting, including the following:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>1- Helps in Weight Loss&nbsp;</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fasting for several days helps in preventing obesity and weight loss. It helps in protecting against the hazard of a fat and sugar-rich diet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>2- Enhances Heart Health</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the Mayo Clinic, “Researchers aren’t sure why, but it seems that regularly fasting — severely restricting food and drink for 24 hours on one to two days a week — can potentially improve your risk factors related to heart health.”&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>3- Defeats Cancer</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the research on curing cancer, there is evidence that fasting can fight against cancer. Researchers from USC states that evidence shows short-term fast starves cancer cells and facilitates the chemo drug therapies to better target cancer. Specific to the new study, the researchers found a fasted diet, particularly when used with chemotherapy drugs. This raises the levels of bone marrow cells that generate immune system cells that infiltrate tumors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>4- Enhancing blood sugar level, lowers bad cholesterol and prevents chronic diseases</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fasting improves the levels of proteins providing insulin resistance. It lowers blood cholesterol and prevents heart attacks, strokes, and other disorders. If a healthy diet is maintained after fasting, the body will retain the newly reduced cholesterol level.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Based on a report published in the BMJ, shows that fasting may be a safe alternative to insulin. More specifically, the report shows fasting reversed insulin resistance, which resulted in the ending of insulin therapy while maintaining control of blood sugars.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>5- Improved digestive system</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fasting positively impacts the digestive system. The human body naturally detoxifies after a month of flushing out the toxins in the body. Further, it balances the heat generation and acidity levels in the human stomach.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Mental Benefits of Fasting</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are many benefits of fasting that provides imposing advantages to mental health and are as follows.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>1- Helps in protecting from Alzheimer’s Disease</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to a study published in Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, fasting protects against Alzheimer’s disease and relieves its symptoms. Fasting is a therapy option that is rapidly gaining traction outside of the domain of pharmaceuticals and treatments.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>2- Helps in the improvement of Memory and Intellect</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Evidence shows that fasting improves brain functions and structures in mice. Because higher glucose levels result in poorer cognitive performance, especially among individuals with pre-diabetes levels.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>3- Boosts the Mood</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the research conducted in the Current Neuropharmacology, fasting shows to boost moving and sleep quality. Additional findings suggest fasting markedly reduces negative emotions, including tension, and depressive feelings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"7\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 07:20:30', '2023-03-19 07:20:30');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5868, 5868, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Imran Khan\'s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan\'s supporters and police, officials said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Senior police officer Suhail Sukhera, who led the operation in an upscale Lahore neighborhood, said police acted to remove a barricade erected by members of Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his defiant supporters. He said they blocked the lanes around Khan\'s residence with concrete blocks, felled trees, tents and a parked truck.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan was not in the home, having traveled to Islamabad to appear before a judge to face charges he sold state gifts while in office and hid his assets. The judge postponed that hearing until March 30.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sukhera said baton-wielding Khan supporters attempted to resist police by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails and a man on the roof of Khan\'s residence opened fire. At least three police officers were injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sukhera said police broke open the main door of Khan’s residence and found automatic weapons, Molotov cocktails, iron rods and batons used in attacks on police during the week. Sukhera said that inside the sprawling residence, illegal structures had been erected to shelter people involved in attacks on police that have injured dozens of officers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan, now the opposition leader, was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last April. He is accused of selling state gifts while in office and concealing assets, charges he denies. It’s one in a string of cases that the former cricket star turned Islamist politician has been facing since his ouster.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 70-year-old Khan, who has called for early elections in Parliament, has claimed that his removal from power was part of a conspiracy by his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and the United States. Both Washington and Sharif’s government have denied the allegation. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 07:40:42', '2023-03-19 07:40:42'),
(5869, 5869, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, has crossed ₹100 crore nett at the domestic box office. The quirky romcom is directed by Luv Ranjan and has attained the feat in 11 days of its release. It is both Ranbir and Shraddha\'s sixth film to cross the ₹100 crore mark in India.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sharing the news, film trade analyst Joginder Tuteja tweeted on Sunday, “Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar has entered the ₹100 Crore Club. Accomplishes the feat in 11 days. This is also Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor’s sixth ₹100 crores film each. Do you know which are their other five?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the worldwide box office, the film has already crossed ₹122 crore. Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is produced by Luv Films and Ankur Garg and presented by Gulshan Kumar and Bhushan Kumar of T-Series. The movie also features Dimple Kapadia, Boney Kapoor and stand-up artist Anubhav Singh Bassi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is Ranbir\'s second consecutive hit after his last blockbuster Brahmastra – Part One: Shiva, which went on to be the highest grossing Bollywood film of 2022. It collected ₹257 crore at the domestic box office. Besides the two films, Ranbir has four more over ₹100 crore films including Sanju, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Barfi. He recently wrapped up shooting for Animal, which also stars Rashmika Mandanna, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before this, Shraddha too has delivered five over ₹100 crore films including Ek Villain, ABCD 2, Stree, Saaho and Chhichhore. Last year, Shraddha was seen in Bhediya, opposite Varun Dhawan, but it failed to reach the mark. She will now be working on Stree 2.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shraddha found her role in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar ‘refreshing’. She told PTI in an interview, “It\'s such a different character from what I\'ve played in Aashiqui 2 and other films after that. She is a girl who is more in charge, she is on the front foot and is confident. For me, it was refreshing to play a character who says what she feels. She is a girl-next-door with some \'tadka (spice)\'. It was a first for me.” HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 08:13:03', '2023-03-19 08:13:03'),
(5870, 5870, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">River police arrested 28 fishermen on Saturday for violating a two-month govt ban on catching Hilsa in the Padma-Meghna river sanctuary area of Chandpur to increase the production of mother Hilsa and protect Jatka.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The arrested fishermen were from Haimchar and Sadar upazilas of Chandpur.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the arrested fishermen, 28 were sentenced to one month\'s imprisonment, said Md Kamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Chandpur River Police Station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The mobile court fined and cautioned five minors and released them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">River police seized about 12,50,000 meters of current nets, 3 fishing boats, and 117 kg of ‘Jatka’ from the fishermen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The seized 117 kg of jatka were distributed among the local poor and orphans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government imposed a two-month ban on catching jatka to increase the production of hilsa in the Padma-Meghna sanctuary under Chandpur, Shariatpur, Lakshmipur, Barishal, and Bhola districts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seventy kilometers sanctuary of Meghna in Sadar, Haimchar, Matlab North, and Matlab South upazilas of the Chandpur district are also under restriction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those who violate the ban are subjected to a maximum of two years imprisonment, a fine of Tk 5,000, or both. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 08:51:28', '2023-03-19 08:51:28'),
(5871, 5871, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said traders have agreed to reduce the prices of sugar by Tk 5 per kg after the reduction in import duty on both raw and refined sugar last month.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“As the import duty has been slashed, the prices of sugar can be reduced by Tk 4.5. However, we have requested the traders to reduce it by Tk 5 per kg and they agreed,” he told reporters a&nbsp; press briefing after the 6th meeting of the task force committee on&nbsp; commodity prices and market situation at the secretariat on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister hoped that the price of sugar would come down by Tk 5 per kg within the first week of Ramadan, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He said, “We will start monitoring from tomorrow. Currently, we’re assessing the impact of import duty reduction on sugar.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also assured that traders have enough stocks of oil and sugar.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 10:04:39', '2023-03-19 10:04:39'),
(5872, 5872, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>At least five suspected criminals and two soldiers were killed in a shootout after gunmen ambushed a military unit in southwest Mexico, authorities reported on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The confrontation occurred Friday afternoon in the community of El Pescado, in a mountainous area of the state of Guerrero that is difficult to access and the scene of conflicts between criminal groups.</div><div><br></div><div>A military unit \"was the target of an attack by approximately 18 armed civilians aboard two vehicles,\" after which a shootout broke out, according to an army report.</div><div><br></div><div>Five gunmen and two soldiers were killed while two people suffered gunshot wounds.</div><div><br></div><div>According to local authorities, the attackers were likely members of La Familia Michoacana, which was formerly one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico but lost much of its influence after the capture of its leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>The cartel has been regrouping and has been involved in various violent incidents.</div><div><br></div><div>According to authorities, La Familia Michoacana is battling the Los Tequileros criminal group for control of the area where they engage in drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping.</div><div><br></div><div>Guerrero, one of Mexico\'s poorest states, has endured years of violence linked to turf wars between drug cartels fighting for control of marijuana and opium production and drug trafficking.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 350,000 people have been killed across Mexico in a spiral of bloodshed since the government deployed the army to fight drug cartels in 2006, according to official figures. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 10:43:05', '2023-03-19 10:43:05'),
(5873, 5873, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed the need for enhancing regional connectivity for boosting trade and commerce, offering India to use Chattogram and Sylhet ports for mutual benefits.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"India can use our Chattogram and Sylhet ports if they want,\" she said when Member of the Governing Council of India Foundation Ram Madhav called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban here.</div><div><br></div><div>PM\'s Deputy Press Secretary K M Shakhawat Moon briefed the reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina mentioned that increased connectivity in the regions will help enhance people to people contacts.</div><div><br></div><div>She conveyed her greetings to the Indian Prime Minister through Ram Madhav.</div><div><br></div><div>Ram Madhav highly appreciated the socioeconomic advancement in Bangladesh under the unparallel leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saying, \"Bangladesh and India have excellent friendship as neighbouring countries and hope that this relation will continue in future.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M. Shahriar Alam and PM\'s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah, among others, were present at the meeting. According to BSS reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 11:42:03', '2023-03-19 11:42:03'),
(5874, 5874, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Potato export from farmers, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), continues to grow, as producers came together today to celebrate another year of success.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Four producer co-operatives joined the fourth annual potato export inauguration in Rangpur - the country\'s main potato growing region, a FAO press release said.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, Bangladesh produced 11 million metric tonnes - making it the third largest producer in Asia, after China and India - of which it exported nearly 0.8 million tonnes. More than a third of potato exports went to Malaysia, a fourth went to Nepal and a fifth went to Sri Lanka.</div><div><br></div><div>Other countries that imported potatoes from Bangladesh included Myanmar, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Brunei, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Jordan, and Lebanon. Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture are looking to start exports to Russia, Fiji and Viet Nam.</div><div><br></div><div>Potatoes are an important cash crop with the potential to transform the lives of those who produce them. For the last four years, potato producer organisations in Rangpur have been producing export-quality potatoes by employing \'good agricultural practices\' - a collection of principles for safe and healthy farming and processing - with training from FAO.</div><div><br></div><div>Rangpur produces a quarter of the nation\'s potatoes. One of the best performing districts for export-quality potato production was Thakurgaon Sadar. This year, potato growers are expecting a good harvest and they already have a contract with the Bangladesh Potato Exporters\' Association (BPEA).</div><div><br></div><div>Farmers started to grow a new potato variety called \'Sunshine\', intended specifically for export. It is quick-growing and achieves high yields.</div><div><br></div><div>The success of the export initiative is due to a partnership between the Sara Bangla Krishak Society (SBKS), a national network of farmers\' organizations, and FAO under its \'Missing Middle Initiative\' project.</div><div><br></div><div>Together, they worked with the Department of Agricultural Extension, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), and BPEA.</div><div>The Ministry of Agriculture, through the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), and BADC have been supporting potato producers to increase exports since 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>Robert D. Simpson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh, who attended the event, stressed that potato production is part of an agricultural export strategy but that it is also important to invest in value addition.</div><div><br></div><div>\"FAO is working with the government to increase exports of key crops, including potatoes, as part of a long-term vision to transform the country\'s agriculture sector. With the right support, Bangladeshi potato producers are able to meet growing international demand in a competitive market. This is a successful model for other crops,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But we also need to consider other potato varieties and invest in processing - this will keep value addition in Bangladesh and meet growing national demand for potato-based products such as chips.\"</div><div><br></div><div>A business session was held at a potato farmer\'s field with participants from FAO, government, potato producer organizations, and farmers.</div><div><br></div><div>At a side event, farmers displayed local and improved varieties of potatoes. There was also a meeting with regional agricultural extension officers and research agencies.</div><div><br></div><div>Wahida Akter, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, was the chief guest.</div><div><br></div><div>Speakers at a business discussion included Abdullah Sazzad, Chairman and Additional Secretary, Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC); Badal Chandra Biswas, Director-General, DAE; Md Aftab Hossain, Additional Director, DAE, Rangpur; Salma Rahman,Managing Director, Agronomy Export-Import Ltd; Zakir Hossain, General-Secretary, Bangladesh Potato Exporters Association (BPEA); and Salma Akhter, potato grower, Dhantola Potato Producer Cooperative.</div><div><br></div><div>An important part of the export success has been the linkages made between farmers and exporters. FAO has facilitated this in the spirit of its Hand-in-Hand initiative which aims to accelerate the market-based transformation of agrifood systems through a robust partnership-building approach.</div><div><br></div><div>Secretary Wahida Akter praised the collaboration, saying that it was \'paying off\' in terms of competitive potato exports.</div><div><br></div><div>The MMI National Project Coordinator, Imanun Nabi Khan, said: \"We link farmers with exporters - this Matchmaking creates a win-win business relationship. Potato growers get a fair price and exporters take the opportunity to inspect quality and ensure transport from the farm to the port. This business model, based on FAO\'s Hand-in-Hand initiative, is effective and scalable,\" According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 12:11:19', '2023-03-19 12:11:19'),
(5875, 5875, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">This year, the consumers will have to spend more money than usual in case of purchasing dates and other fruits—two essential items in iftar during Ramadan, due to importers\' difficulty in opening letters of credit (LCs) on time.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Price hike is a most common phenomenon ahead of the month of Ramadan in Bangladesh, and this year even more&nbsp; due to the LC opening crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Already, the price of dates has doubled in the wholesale and retail markets and it will be dearer ahead of Ramadan, said some businessmen.</div><div><br></div><div>The price of all types of dates has increased in the markets ranging from Tk 40 to Tk 160 per kg while different fruits range from Tk 30 to Tk 100 per kg.</div><div><br></div><div>Some traders said the prices of these essential iftar items will increase further during the month of Ramadan as they are facing difficulties in opening LCs which will push up the prices of dates and fruits.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the sources at Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), the price of dates increased by 20% compared to the last year.</div><div><br></div><div>Milton, a shop owner in the Baridhara area, said “The price of dates went dearer in the past month ahead of Ramadan and I was able to purchase a limited amount of dates due to the soaring price of it. Last year, a cartoon, weighing 5 kg dates of Farida variety was being sold at Tk 750 to Tk 800 but now it is available at Tk 1500. Already it goes beyond the capacity of the consumers.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also feared that the price of dates would be increased further in the month of Ramadan.</div><div><br></div><div>Habibur Rahman, a fruit trader said the price of every fruit has increased.</div><div><br></div><div>During a recent visit at Gulshan kitchen market, this UNB correspondent found that one kg apple is being sold at Tk 250-350 which was Tk 180-260 last year and different varieties of orange are being sold at Tk 250-280.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, ajwa variety of dates is being sold at Tk 750-800 which was available at Tk 600-700 last year. Mariam variety of dates is being sold at Tk 800-850 while the premium variety of dates is being sold at Tk 1000-1200 per kg.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the statistics of Bangladesh Bank, the import of dates has fallen by almost half compared to the demands of it but during Ramadan the demand for dates is about 50,000 tonnes.</div><div><br></div><div>In the past three months, only 22,000 tonnes of dates were imported which is 46% less than the last year. However, the authorities concerned related to import dates have opened LC of 29,000 tonnes dates in January, said sources at Bangladesh Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>Sirajul Islam, president of Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association, said the demand for dates increases three to four times during the month of Ramadan. Besides, there is a demand of 50,000-70,000 dates in the country in a year while 40,000-50,000 is needed in Ramadan alone, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to the opening of LC, Sirajul said “This year the traders faced difficulties in opening LCs in time as they had to open it by paying 100% cash margin while it was 5%. The small traders are the worst sufferers in opening LCs.”</div><div><br></div><div>The dates are being imported from the Middle East and Africa and dates were being stocked five-six months before the Ramadan, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said that the price of dates may increase 30% in Ramadan due to the dollar crisis and transport cost caused by the fuel price hike.</div><div><br></div><div>If the government will take steps in unloading dates in ports on a priority basis, then there will be no instability in the market, said Sirajul.</div><div><br></div><div>Contacted, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, said “We’ll take necessary steps so that the consumers can purchase dates, the most essential items in iftar, at a tolerable price.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also assured of keeping monitoring the market to prevent volatile price hikes of dates.</div><div><br></div><div>Issuing a warning, the minister also said strict action will be taken against those involved in increasing the price of dates after creating an artificial crisis. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 13:54:04', '2023-03-19 13:54:04'),
(5876, 5876, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Commuters in Dhaka remained stuck for hours in unusual traffic jam on Sunday morning after light rain lashed the capital.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Commuters who usually use Abdullahpur-Khilkhet and Airport-Mohakhali roads are the worst sufferers.</div><div><br></div><div>Students and office-goers suffered immensely due to traffic chaos at several points in Dhaka, including Tongi, Uttara, Airport, Mohakhali, Bijoy Sarani and Bangla Motor areas. Vehicles were seen stranded for hours on these roads in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Apart from the rain, VVIP movement and construction work of a foot over bridge in front of Jamuna Future Park in the city caused the traffic gridlock, a senior traffic officer (north division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told UNB preferring anonymity.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they are working to ease the traffic movement .</div><div><br></div><div>Shakawat Hossain Shipon, a private service holder, said he went out of his Gazipur residence to go to Noakhali in the early morning but could not reach Abdullahpur bus stand even after around two and a half hours.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“I don’t know when I will be able to reach home as vehicles remained stranded on the road for hours,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Like him, many commuters suffered immensely on gridlocked roads today. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 14:03:50', '2023-03-19 14:03:50'),
(5877, 5877, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Accusing the government of setting the old trap again to hold a stage-managed national election, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday said no plot will work this time as people have woken up to establish their voting rights.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a discussion, he also alleged that Awami League cannot tolerate the dissidents as the party has a feudalistic characteristic.</div><div><br></div><div>“They (govt) are devising an evil plan to play games with the election and stage a farce so that they can get elected again. But the people of Bangladesh won’t fall into that trap anymore. You have been fooling people repeatedly, but you won’t succeed this time,” the BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) arranged the programme titled “No Alternative to Holding Election under a Non-Partisan Neutral Government to Establish Democracy” at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU).</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said their party wants the caretaker government system not to go to power, but to restore people’s voting and other rights. “We want every people to exercise their right and cast their own vote for whoever they want and thus an elected parliament will be formed.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the government has been deceiving people as they think the country’s people do not understand anything. “We’re coming out of this situation. We’re sacrificing lives. Already, we’ve sacrificed 17 lives while our several thousand leaders and activists have been arrested and jailed.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He called upon people from all walks of life to wake up more to intensify the current movement and realise their rights and force the government to accept the demand for holding the next election under a caretaker government, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>Mirza Fakhrul Islam observed. “We have a very short time in our hands as they (govt) are conspiring to put on a show in the name of election to dodge the global community, they’re now not obstructing us from holding meeting like before. This is their trick.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-19 15:22:46', '2023-03-19 15:22:46'),
(5878, 5878, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Iran says Saudi Arabia has invited Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for an official visit - just over a week since the countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The invitation is said to have come in a letter from King Salman, but has not yet been confirmed by the Saudis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Middle East\'s recent history has been dominated by hostility between the two nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China brokered the thaw, which could reshape the region\'s geopolitics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A senior Iranian official, Mohammad Jamshidi, tweeted about the invitation to visit the Saudi capital, Riyadh, saying Mr Raisi had welcomed it and \"stressed Iran\'s readiness to expand co-operation\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Separately, Iran\'s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told reporters that the two countries had agreed to hold a meeting at foreign minister level, and that three possible locations had been proposed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He did not name the locations, nor say when the meeting might take place.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BBC\'s Middle East Editor, Sebastian Usher, says the recent improvement in bilateral relations, which came unexpectedly following days of talks brokered by China, appears to be building serious momentum.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both have announced they will reopen embassies within two months and re-establish trade and security relations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This development was cautiously welcomed by many, including the US and the United Nations, after previous attempts at reconciliation were unsuccessful.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saudi Arabia cut ties in January 2016 after demonstrators stormed its embassy in Tehran.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That was after Riyadh had executed the prominent Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who was convicted of terror-related offences.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since then, tensions between the Sunni- and Shia-led neighbours have often been high, with each regarding the other as a threatening power seeking regional dominance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have been on opposing sides of several regional conflicts, including the civil wars in Syria and Yemen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Amir-Abdollahian also said that Iran hoped steps would be made to improve ties with Bahrain, a close Saudi ally that followed Riyadh in severing diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2016.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We hope that some obstacles between Iran and Bahrain will be removed and we will take basic steps to reopen the embassies,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bahrain has not responded to the comments, but earlier welcomed the Iran-Saudi agreement to restore diplomatic ties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran has also expressed a willingness to resume or improve relations with other regional Arab rivals, including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 02:57:47', '2023-03-20 02:57:47'),
(5879, 5879, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese President Xi Jinping is embarking on his first trip to Russia since the country invaded Ukraine last year, and is set to sit down for talks with President Vladimir Putin.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg and China correspondent Stephen McDonell have been considering what each side seeks to gain from the talks, and what we know about the relationship between the two countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">You\'ve started a war that hasn\'t gone to plan; you\'re up to your eyeballs in sanctions; and now the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for war crimes with your name on it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s at times like these you need a friend.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Enter Xi Jinping.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Xi once called President Putin his \"best friend\". The two have much in common: they are both authoritarian leaders, and both embrace the idea of a \"multi-polar world\" devoid of US domination.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Moscow they\'re expected to sign an agreement on \"deepening the comprehensive partnership\" between their two countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Chinese president\'s state visit is a clear sign of support for Russia - and its president - at a time when the Kremlin is under intense international pressure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And Russia\'s relationship with China is fundamental to withstanding that.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Putin is building his own bloc. He doesn\'t trust the West anymore - and he never will again,\" believes journalist Dmitry Muratov, a former Nobel Peace Prize laureate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"So, Putin\'s looking for allies and trying to make Russia part of a common fortress with China, as well as with India, some parts of Latin America and Africa. Putin is building his anti-Western world.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this \"anti-Western world\", Moscow is heavily reliant on Beijing - now more than ever, as the war rages in Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"War has become the organising principle of Russian domestic politics, foreign policy and economic policy. There is an obsession with destroying Ukraine,\" concludes Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"For that you need arms, money and an economic lifeline. China provides Russia with, at least, components for arms, and civilian technology that can be used for military purposes. It definitely provides money.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To counter Western sanctions, and to shore up the Russian economy, Russia has been boosting trade with China, primarily in the energy sector. Expect oil, gas and energy pipelines to be on the agenda at the Putin-Xi talks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But, once again, imagine you\'re Putin. One year ago you and Xi proclaimed that your partnership has \"no limits\". If that\'s really the case, might you expect China now to help you out in Ukraine, by supplying Russia with lethal aid and facilitating a military victory for Moscow? The US claims that China is considering doing just that. Beijing denies it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As they say in Russia, \"there\'s no harm wishing for something\" - but it doesn\'t mean it\'s going to happen. If there\'s one thing the last year has shown it is that the \"no-limits partnership\" does have limits. Up to this point Beijing has apparently been reluctant to provide direct military assistance to Moscow, for fear of triggering secondary sanctions in the West against Chinese companies. As far as Beijing is concerned: sorry Russia… it\'s China first.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That very point was made very bluntly recently on a Russian state TV talk show.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Ahead of President Xi\'s visit to Moscow, some experts here have been overexcited, elated even,\" noted military pundit Mikhail Khodarenok.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But China can have only one ally: China itself. China can only have one set of interests: pro-Chinese ones. Chinese foreign policy is utterly devoid of altruism.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officially Xi Jinping\'s visit to Russia is to promote bilateral ties between two neighbours and certainly these governments say they are becoming ever closer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are agreements to be signed, meals to be had, photo opportunities to be staged.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All governments have such visits, so why all the attention on this one?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Well, for one, this is the leader of one of the world\'s two great superpowers visiting an ally - who happens to be the person who has unleashed a bloody invasion of another country in Europe - in 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many analysts have pondered what China might do if it looks like Russia is facing a clear, humiliating defeat on the battlefield.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Chinese government says it is neutral. Would it just step back and let that happen, or start pumping in weapons to give the Russian army a better edge?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After Xi arrives in Moscow, he and his Russian counterpart may speak about other things, but all the attention will be on the Ukraine crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His signals to Vladimir Putin can only go three ways:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">1. Time to consider pulling back with some face-saving compromise</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">2. Green light to keep going or even go in harder</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">3. Nothing either way from China\'s leader</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China is coming off the back of brokering a deal in which Iran and Saudi Arabia have re-established diplomatic relations. It is becoming ever more prepared to inject itself into matters way beyond its shores. This would seem to make option three unlikely.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With option one, if it involves Beijing again being able to claim the mantle of global peacemaker following the Iran-Saudi deal, this would be quite a neat feather in Xi\'s cap.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main problem with that option is the extent to which it would also benefit China.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bleakest of options is number two, but there is a reading whereby Russia\'s war with Ukraine plays into Beijing\'s geopolitical strategy. The Kremlin is taking on the West, eating up Nato resources and, the longer the war goes on, the more it tests the appetite of the Western public for yet more conflict if the People\'s Liberation Army should move to take Taiwan by force.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The calculation from Beijing could be that, the longer the war continues, the fewer people are going to want to get involved in another one.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Chinese government\'s claim to neutrality also does not match the state-controlled news reporting here. The evening TV bulletins run the Kremlin line and devote a huge proportion of their coverage to blaming the \"the West\" for the \"conflict\". It doesn\'t speak about a \"war\" and would never dream of referring to an \"invasion\" of Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Publicly, China says the sovereignty of all nations should be respected (ie Ukraine\'s), but so should the \"legitimate security concerns\" of other countries (ie Russia).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yet it is not Kyiv where Xi Jinping is visiting. It\'s Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So, when Xi leaves Moscow in a few days, Putin will either be worried about wavering Chinese support or buoyed by the backing of one of the two most powerful people on the planet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The smart money seems to be on the latter. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 03:07:57', '2023-03-20 03:07:57'),
(5880, 5880, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">There is no scope to reduce the fare of hajj flights this year, said Managing Director of national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines Shafiul Azim on Sunday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have been working for the past three months over Hajj flight management of Biman. Our first proposal about fare was Tk 2.10 lakh. Later, it was reduced to Tk 1.98 lakh and the National Executive Committee fixed the fare. The reason behind the hike in hajj fare is increased tax, high dollar rate and jet fuel price. We don’t have hands in it,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The CEO of the national carrier said this while speaking at a press briefing held at the Balaka office in Kurmitola.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Replying to a question, he said, “The hajj fare which was fixed for this year is the lowest and we have reduced it as much as possible.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year, the government has fixed the cost of performing hajj at Tk 6,83,018 for each pilgrim under the government management while Tk 6,72,618 under the private management. It fixed Tk 1,98,000 as Biman flight fare.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The High Court on March 14 questioned how common people will perform hajj at the cost of the package set by the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It questioned, “Why doesn\'t the government allocate budgets for the hajj like other countries in the world?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali came up with this observation while hearing a writ petition over revising the hajj package offered by the government this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ashraf-uz-Zaman sent a legal notice to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, requesting it to reduce the cost of hajj pilgrims and bring it under Tk 4 lakh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, he filed a writ on March 12 as the concerned authority failed to respond to the legal notice.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hajj-2023 will be held on 9th day of Zilhaj (June 28) depending on moon sighting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As of March 15, a total of 9,569 people have registered for hajj under government management and another 91,246 people under private management.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still 25,480 empty quotas for registration. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 03:17:10', '2023-03-20 03:17:10');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5881, 5881, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Banking giant UBS is buying troubled rival Credit Suisse for almost $3.25 billion, in a deal orchestrated by regulators in an effort to avoid further market-shaking turmoil in the global banking system.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Swiss authorities pushed for UBS to take over its smaller rival after a plan for Credit Suisse to borrow up to 50 billion francs ($54 billion) failed to reassure investors and the bank’s customers. Shares of Credit Suisse and other banks plunged this week after the failure of two banks in the U.S. sparked concerns about other potentially shaky institutions in the global financial system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse is among the 30 financial institutions known as globally systemically important banks, and authorities worried about the fallout if it were to fail.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deal was “one of great breadth for the stability of international finance,” said Swiss President Alain Berset as he announced it Sunday night. “An uncontrolled collapse of Credit Suisse would lead to incalculable consequences for the country and the international financial system.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Switzerland’s executive branch, a seven-member governing body that includes Berset, passed an emergency ordinance allowing the merger to go through without shareholder approval.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse Chairman Axel Lehmann called the sale “a clear turning point.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It is a historic, sad and very challenging day for Credit Suisse, for Switzerland and for the global financial markets,” Lehmann said, adding that the focus is now on the future and in particular on the 50,000 Credit Suisse employees, 17,000 of whom are in Switzerland.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following news of the Swiss deal, the world’s central banks announced coordinated financial moves to stabilize banks in the coming week. This includes daily access to a lending facility for banks looking to borrow U.S. dollars if they need them, a practice which widely used during the 2008 financial crisis. Three months after Lehman Brothers collapsed in September of 2008, such swap lines had been tapped for $580 billion. Added swap lines were also rolled out during market turmoil in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Today is one of the most significant days in European banking since 2008, with far-reaching repercussions for the industry,” said Max Georgiou, an analyst at Third Bridge. “These events could alter the course of not only European banking but also the wealth management industry more generally.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Colm Kelleher, the UBS chairman, hailed the “enormous opportunities” that emerge from the takeover, and highlighted his bank’s “conservative risk culture” — a subtle swipe at Credit Suisse’s reputation for more swashbuckling, aggressive gambles in search of bigger returns. He said the combined group would create a wealth manager with over $5 trillion in total invested assets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said the council “regrets that the bank, which was once a model institution in Switzerland and part of our strong location, was able to get into this situation at all.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The combination of the two biggest and best-known Swiss banks, each with storied histories dating to the mid-19th century, amounts to a thunderclap for Switzerland’s reputation as a global financial center — leaving it on the cusp of having a single national champion in banking.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deal follows the collapse of two large U.S. banks last week that spurred a frantic, broad response from the U.S. government to prevent any further panic. Still, global financial markets have been on edge since Credit Suisse’s share price began plummeting this week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde lauded the “swift action” by Swiss officials, saying they were “instrumental for restoring orderly market conditions and ensuring financial stability.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the banks “are in a completely different position from 2008” during the financial crisis, partly because of stricter government regulation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UBS officials said they plan to sell off parts of Credit Suisse or reduce the bank’s size in the coming months and years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Swiss government is providing more than 100 billion francs in aid and financial backstops to make the deal go through.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of the deal, approximately 16 billion francs ($17.3 billion) in Credit Suisse bonds will be wiped out. European bank regulators use a special type of bond designed to provide a capital cushion to banks in times of distress. But these bonds are designed to be wiped out if a bank’s capital falls below a certain level, which was triggered as part of this government-brokered deal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Berset said the Federal Council had already been discussing a long-troubled situation at Credit Suisse since the beginning of the year and held urgent meetings in the last four days amid spiraling concerns about its financial health that caused major swoons in its stock price and raised the specter of the 2007-08 financial crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Investors and banking industry analysts were still digesting the deal, but at least one analyst was sour on the news because it could damage Switzerland’s global banking image.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“A country-wide reputation with prudent financial management, sound regulatory oversight, and, frankly, for being somewhat dour and boring regarding investments, has been wiped away,” said Octavio Marenzi, CEO of consulting firm Opimas LLC, in an email.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse is designated by the Financial Stability Board, an international body that monitors the global financial system, as one of the world’s important banks. This means regulators believe its uncontrolled failure would lead to ripples throughout the financial system not unlike the collapse of Lehman Brothers 15 years ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Credit Suisse parent bank is not part of European Union supervision, but it has entities in several European countries that are. Lagarde reiterated what she said last week after the central bank raised interest rates — that the European banking sector is resilient, with strong financial reserves and plenty of ready cash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many of Credit Suisse’s problems are unique and do not overlap with the weaknesses that brought down Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, whose failures led to a significant rescue effort by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Federal Reserve. As a result, their downfall does not necessarily signal the start of a financial crisis similar to what occurred in 2008.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deal caps a highly volatile week for Credit Suisse, most notably on Wednesday when its shares plunged to a record low after its largest investor, the Saudi National Bank, said it wouldn’t invest any more money into the bank to avoid tripping regulations that would kick in if its stake rose about 10%.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Friday, shares dropped 8% to close at 1.86 francs ($2) on the Swiss exchange. The stock has seen a long downward slide: It traded at more than 80 francs in 2007.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Its current troubles began after Credit Suisse reported on Tuesday that managers had identified “material weaknesses” in the bank’s internal controls on financial reporting as of the end of last year. That fanned fears that Credit Suisse would be the next domino to fall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While smaller than its Swiss rival UBS, Credit Suisse still wields considerable influence, with $1.4 trillion assets under management. The firm has significant trading desks around the world, caters to the rich and wealthy through its wealth management business, and is a major advisor for global companies in mergers and acquisitions. Notably, Credit Suisse did not need government assistance in 2008 during the financial crisis, while UBS did.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Swiss bank has been pushing to raise money from investors and roll out a new strategy to overcome an array of troubles, including bad bets on hedge funds, repeated shake-ups of its top management and a spying scandal involving UBS. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 03:22:31', '2023-03-20 03:22:31'),
(5882, 5882, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhallywood actor Shakib Khan went to the Detective Branch (DB) office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Sunday eveing and filed a written complaint with DB against film producer Rahmat Ullah who brought a rape allegation against him.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">DB’s additional commissioner Harun or Rashid assured that he would bring the fraudster under the law, Shakib said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“He listened to everything and saw all the evidence taking enough time. He also saw all the claims of that scammer,” said Shakib Khan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shakib said that he is very confident after hearing the DB chief’s words. “I believe DB will catch the criminal quickly as they solve other cases quickly and catch other criminals quickly”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I have filed a written complaint and he has taken my complaint”, said the Dhallywood actor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on Wednesday (15 March), Rahmat Ullah, a producer, filed a written complaint against the actor in the Bangladesh Film Artists Association accusing him of sexual misconduct and raping an Australian woman, a co-producer of the film \"Operation Agneepath\". UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 03:46:34', '2023-03-20 03:46:34'),
(5883, 5883, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Senior Republicans Sunday echoed Donald Trump\'s claim that a looming indictment in a hush-money case would amount to political \"persecution,\" while Democrats warned his call for protests could trigger a repeat of chaos his supporters unleashed at the US Capitol.</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In an explosive announcement Saturday, the former president said he expected to be arrested Tuesday in connection with a grand jury inquiry into a 2016 payment to a porn star, allegedly to keep her from revealing a past affair with Trump.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Sunday, he blasted the possible move as a \"witch hunt\" on his Truth Social platform, lashing out at the Manhattan prosecutor for \"using the power of his office to persecute, indict, and prosecute a former president of the United States of America -- for no crime!\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even potential Republican rivals in the still-evolving 2024 presidential race reacted sharply.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'m taken aback at the idea of indicting a former president of the United States at a time when there\'s a crime wave in New York City,\" Trump\'s former vice president Mike Pence said on ABC\'s \"This Week.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It just feels like a politically charged prosecution here,\" said Pence. \"I just feel like it\'s just not what the American people want to see.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Manhattan District Attorney\'s office has not confirmed any plans for an indictment, though multiple signs -- including the recent appearances before the grand jury of Trump\'s former fixer Michael Cohen and the porn star known as Stormy Daniels -- point to a quick conclusion.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump has denied any untoward involvement with Daniels. But law enforcement agencies are preparing for a possible indictment, with chaotic scenes outside the Manhattan Criminal Court a near-certainty if it does happen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Building \'sympathy\' for Trump? -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The stunning possibility of a former president being arrested -- a historic first -- has fanned passions and injected considerable uncertainty into the 2024 campaign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a vocal supporter of the former president, called a possible indictment \"an effort that\'s ongoing, never-ending to destroy Donald Trump, everything around Donald Trump.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, an outspoken Trump critic and a potential rival for the 2024 nomination, suggested an indictment could generate a powerful backlash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think it\'s building a lot of sympathy for the former president,\" he told CNN\'s \"State of the Union.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It does drastically change the paradigm, as we go into the \'24 election,\" he said, adding of a possible indictment: \"It\'s going to be a circus.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump\'s call on Truth Social for his backers to \"Protest! Protest! Protest!\" and \"Take our nation back!\" was seen by Democrats as a worrying echo of his language ahead of the January 6, 2021, rioting by his supporters at the US Capitol.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pence, Sununu and other Republicans defended the right to protest any legal action against Trump, so long as people do so peacefully.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Pence\'s former chief of staff, Marc Short, told CNN that \"trying to encourage protests in the shadow of January 6th is reckless.\"&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Fear of \'violence\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Democrats said they feared Trump\'s call could provoke violence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nancy Pelosi, the former House of Representatives speaker, on Saturday called Trump\'s announcement \"reckless,\" saying he was trying to \"foment unrest among his supporters.\"&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Democrat Mark Kelly recalled being in the Senate chamber when the January 6 riots forced him and other lawmakers to seek shelter, and expressed concern that Trump urging protests could spark a repeat of life-threatening unrest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think it\'s going to be important for law enforcement to pay attention to protests and make sure it doesn\'t rise to the level of violence\" seen at the Capitol two years ago, Kelly said on CNN.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Short suggested Trump might be drawing attention to the Manhattan case to plant the notion that other state and federal inquiries into his past actions, seen as legally more serious, are \"all politically based.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The current House speaker, Republican Kevin McCarthy, on Saturday said Trump\'s arrest would be \"an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA,\" adding he would direct congressional committees to investigate whether federal funds are \"being used to subvert our democracy.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some saw that as a thinly veiled threat to the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is leading the hush-money inquiry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As security agencies prepared for possible protests outside his courthouse, Bragg told staff Saturday in an internal message that intimidation or threats against them would not be tolerated, NBC reported. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 03:51:25', '2023-03-20 03:51:25'),
(5884, 5884, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">This year\'s Ramadan is still a couple of days away, but a segment of traders already appears eager to increase profit margins by raising the prices of different commodities.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government however claims to be on to them, and has taken various initiatives to keep the market stable during the holy month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed officials to increase surveillance across the country so that dishonest businessmen cannot make excessive profits. She particularly instructed the field-level administration to be on alert. The Commerce Ministry has said it will keep an eye on the traders so they cannot destabilize the market by creating any artificial crisis.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even detectives from the law enforcement agencies under the Home Ministry have been instructed to keep their eyes open so that unscrupulous syndicates do not create an artificial crisis in Ramadan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the past, it was noticed that traders increased the prices of goods several times before the start of market supervision ahead of Ramadan. Just before Ramadan, the demand for items like edible oil, sugar, pulses, chickpeas, spices, and so on increases. Traders take this opportunity and raise the prices of in-demand items. It is no different this time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Ramadan is a few days away. Like last year, I have bought sugar, pulses, and chickpeas at a much higher price. Every year the same thing happens. There is also an upswing in the vegetable market,” Wahid Fakir, a resident of Bhatara New Market, told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Read: Dates, fruits to be more costly during Ramadan due to LC opening crisis</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prices of sugar, oil, ginger, onion, and other essential goods have all increased in the last week. Vegetables, fish, and meat prices are also going up. Although there is also no shortage of edible oil in the market, daily essentials are selling at an increased price rate every week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This year we are already on alert from before. No one will be spared, if there is an artificial crisis in the market. We, the local administration, including the law enforcement agencies, and consumer rights protection directorate, will continue to monitor the market with mobile courts,” Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“As preparation for Ramadan, I have had meetings with businessmen one to two months ago. That\'s when we asked them to increase imports. In particular, instructions have been given so that the banks open the LCs quickly for the import of food products,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The government has taken all kinds of necessary initiatives to keep the prices of goods under control during Ramadan. We have warned the traders about the preparations in advance this year. Controlling commodity prices was a challenging affair at this time of global crisis and rise in dollar rate,” he also said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Despite this, dollars have been provided for import of all food products commonly used in Ramadan. Besides, the ministry has requested the NBR to reduce the duty and VAT to reduce the prices of commodities like sugar and edible oil,” said the minister. “In addition, we are taking several other programmes to control the prices of goods during Ramadan. Apart from the family card allocated for 1 crore families, sugar and chickpeas will be sold in truck-sales in Dhaka and divisional cities. NBR has also extended the time for import of rice by three more months.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Hopefully, the prices of goods will be stable during Ramadan. The government\'s preparation in this regard is good enough,” added Tipu Munshi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about the role of law enforcement agencies in keeping the market stable during Ramadan, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, \"The law enforcement agencies have been instructed to prevent the rise in the prices of goods.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Detectives have already been instructed to keep an eye so that unscrupulous syndicates do not create any artificial crisis around Ramadan and make the market unstable. Several strict steps have been taken, including conducting mobile courts, to control the prices of consumer goods by suppressing syndicates,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Various strategies are being formulated to prevent artificial crises in the market and to take action against those who stockpile goods. Along with the police, the law enforcement agencies and consumer rights department, including RAB, will be active in the field, the intelligence surveillance will also be increased,” he also said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain said, “If there is an abnormal situation in the market, we can enforce the law. Every deputy commissioner has been told about this. They will monitor it very strictly. We will also monitor from here.” UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 05:04:53', '2023-03-20 05:04:53'),
(5885, 5885, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality continued to be in the \'unhealthy\' zone this morning (March 20, 2023).</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 133 at 9 am, Dhaka ranked 15 in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered \'unhealthy\', particularly for sensitive groups.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iraq’s Baghdad, Pakistan\'s Lahore and South Korea\'s Incheon occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 259, 257 and 194, respectively.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 05:44:21', '2023-03-20 05:44:21'),
(5886, 5886, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Barcelona snatched a 2-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid with Franck Kessie\'s late goal Sunday to move 12 points clear at the top of La Liga.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The victory dents Madrid\'s ambitions of retaining the title and leaves the Catalans close to lifting the trophy for the first time since 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Carlo Ancelotti\'s Real took the lead through a Ronald Araujo own goal but Barcelona pulled level when Sergi Roberto tucked home just before half-time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both sides had chances to win the game and Marco Asensio struck for Madrid, but the goal was ruled offside by VAR, before Alejandro Balde set up Kessie in the 92nd minute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We came from a Marco Asensio goal that we didn\'t know was offside and from losing, we scored Franck\'s goal, and the truth is it tastes a bit better, winning like that in the last minute,\" Sergi Roberto told Movistar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There are a lot of games left and you can never give Madrid up for dead. 12 points is a tricky distance to have to go, but it\'s up to us, and that is good.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The build-up to the match was overshadowed by Barcelona\'s corruption charge in the \"Caso Negreira\" refereeing scandal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid joined Spanish prosecutors\' complaint against Barcelona last week and their president Florentino Perez snubbed the game for the first time in over 20 years, amid rising tensions between the two Spanish giants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That fed the match\'s intensity, both on and off the pitch, in Xavi\'s sixth Clasico as Barcelona coach but only his first at Camp Nou.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xavi asked fans to make the stadium a pressure cooker and they responded, selling it out, whistling Madrid in possession and conjuring one of the best atmospheres of the season.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid did not manage a single shot on target in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg defeat by Barcelona earlier in March, but Karim Benzema stung Marc-Andre ter Stegen\'s palms inside the first minute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Robert Lewandowski responded at the other end by testing Thibaut Courtois as the veteran marksmen exchanged shots.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When Barcelona conceded the opening goal of the game, it was friendly fire. Araujo deflected Vinicius\' cross in at the near post, with Ter Stegen helpless.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Araujo, playing at right-back to counteract the Brazilian, has enjoyed his duels with Vinicius in the past but this time the winger triumphed, albeit fortuitously. Barcelona supporters became enraged by his emphatic celebration in front of them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was the first goal from open play Barcelona have conceded at Camp Nou in La Liga all season long, and only the second strike at home and ninth overall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Comeback charge -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Barcelona complained defender Nacho, already booked, should have been sent off for a hand-off on Raphinha.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The hosts did not get their wish, but were building up steam and found the breakthrough just before half-time, from an unlikely source.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Selected in place of injured midfielder Pedri, Sergi Roberto was in the right place at the right time to control a loose ball in the box and arc it beyond Courtois.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Barcelona had significantly more possession than in their cup win over Madrid and significantly more chances.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lewandowski sent a deflected piledriver narrowly wide as Madrid wobbled, prompting Carlo Ancelotti to roll the dice and bring on Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It almost paid instant dividends as Madrid robbed Sergio Busquets and Rodrygo lashed inches over the bar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid substitute Asensio fired home what might have been the winner but the goal was ruled out for offside after a nervy wait for VAR instruction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Barcelona seemed content with the draw but Kessie\'s last-gasp strike sparked wild celebrations at Camp Nou.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked if Madrid\'s hopes of defending the title were over, Courtois told Movistar: \"Yes, we have to be honest, we will keep fighting until the end but it\'s (12 points) now, we have the better head-to-head, but they have to lose four games and we have to win them all.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Nothing is impossible but it\'s very difficult.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 06:01:24', '2023-03-20 06:01:24'),
(5887, 5887, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Railways Minister Md. Nurul Islam Sujan has said all rail tickets will be brought under online system as he distributed 274 laptops among primary students in Debiganj and Boda upazila of the district.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Hundred percent rail tickets will be brought under online system,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister handed over 158 laptops among Boda upazila primary students and 116 Laptops in Debiganj upazila primary students in separate functions on Sunday evening.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At Debiganj, the function was held at upazila parishad hall room arranged by upazila administration and upazila education office under fourth primary education development project (PEDP-4).&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said now everything is coming under online system. Students will have to be taught about using technology at school level, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mentioning that about 50 percent rail ticket came under online system, he said the hundred percent rail tickets will be brought under online.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Upazila Nirbahi officer (UNO) Md. Golam Ferdous presided over the function as Education Officer Md. Samshul Alam, Upazila Awami League President Gias Uddin Chowdhury and General Secretary Hasnat Zaman Chowdhury Jarje, among others, were present. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 06:21:00', '2023-03-20 06:21:00'),
(5888, 5888, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has proposed that the developed countries should contribute 10 per cent of their defence budget to the climate fund to help the vulnerable countries.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We want to save this planet earth. Because this is the only earth we have. In order to save this planet earth, the development partners agreed to provide us additional funding. Unfortunately, not a single penny till today has been given. Therefore, I have a proposal that the countries that spend any money for defence, they should allocate 10 per cent of their defence expenditure for the climate fund,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Foreign Minister made the proposal through a video message at a seminar which was organized by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) marking its 25th founding anniversary celebrations at the the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He mentioned that Nearly US$ 2.30 trillion is being spent by these countries as defence expenditure, he said adding that by providing 10 per cent of this budget the negative impact of climate change on the vulnerable countries can be mitigated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Foreign Minister said LDC graduation is a success story – so, the graduates should be rewarded, not punished.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are graduating. Since we are graduating, this is a success story. So, the graduation should be rewarded, not punished. We should have a soul-searching to make the process of graduation smooth. I am thankful to UN Secretary General as he said graduation must not be punished but rewarded,” Momen mentioned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Graduation must be a reward, never a punishment,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres at Leaders’ Summit of Least Developed Countries in Doha recently.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Now it is time for us, and you journalists, how we can create a global financial regime as well as trade regime so that LDCs could graduate and they (those LDCs who are graduating) have a smooth transition,” Momen said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister also said: \"We know that unless there is peace and stability in a country, it is very difficult for that country to prosper. Look at the countries that did very well. Take the example of a small country like Singapore. It had the same government for over 56 years. Rwanda has had the same government over the last 26 years.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But also look at the countries where there is no regional peace – for example, Syria, Libya, and Yemen. So, whenever there is no regional peace and stability, there is no internal peace and stability. Only those countries do well where there is peace and stability.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He added that over the last 14 years, Bangladesh has had a very stable government. \"No wonder Bangladesh did very well. And if there is any problem, we would like to resolve that problem through dialogue and discussion. And our examples are very bright to have resolved most of our problems with the neighbours through dialogue and discussion peacefully.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He hoped that journalists will try to promote these issues globally and raise public awareness for the decision makers to come up with constructive ideas and approaches.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Foreign Minister thanked the DCAB members for questioning them and by promoting the government’s issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Whenever anything goes wrong, they pick it up and in the process we rectify ourselves,” he said, adding that the DCAB members have been helping them a lot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While speaking as the chief guest at the seminar, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam said journalists must play a responsible role when it comes to covering sensitive issues concerning national interests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You will find a whole lot of issues in 365 days of the year. Of them, there will be some very significant and highly sensitive communications. … You will have to decide if those should get published,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alam said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs keeps its door open for reaching out on any issue. “A good initiative’s success depends on the timing of its opening up.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said there is nothing as such personal interest in diplomacy and Bangladesh will continue to follow its policy - \"Friendship to all, malice towards none.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It’s a journey that we are undertaking together and we hopefully continue this trend,\" Alam said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The State Minister highlighted the lack of analytical and research-based articles on various foreign affairs including issues on Asia, Europe, Middle East and geopolitics in the media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, former ambassador M Humayun Kabir, Bhorer Kagoj Editor and Jatiya Press Club General Secretary Shyamal Dutta, Dhaka University International Relations Department Chair Lailufar Yasmin, DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus and General Secretary Emrul Kayesh also spoke at the seminar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">DCAB members Sheikh Shahriar Zaman and Mir Mostafizur Rahaman presented a paper on the role of journalists in diplomacy, while DCAB former presidents Raheed Ejaz and Pantho Rahaman moderated the event.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said diplomats put the national interest as their top priority when handling sensitive issues in diplomacy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the media also need to uphold the national interests while covering those issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Former Ambassador M Humayun Kabir said there is no scope for journalists to think that the common people don\'t understand much about what is happening around the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The internet has given them access to these delicate matters. So, journalists need to study more as their credibility will be at stake, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his keynote paper, Mir Mostafizur Rahaman said, in critical foreign policy issues like Bangladesh’s bilateral ties with its neighbours and important countries, local media played the role of both the information provider and opinion builder.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Three founding members of the DCAB – Shyamal Dutta, Anis Alamgir and Mostafa Kamal – were honoured at the event. DCAB began its journey on March 16 in 1998. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 06:26:38', '2023-03-20 06:26:38'),
(5889, 5889, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today put emphasis on formulating new long term export policy, considering graduation to a developing country from LDC after 2026.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“After 2026, while we will graduate to a developing country from LDC, we will get some opportunities… We have to utilise those opportunities to make our economy stronger and develop the country further,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said this while speaking at the 11th meeting of the National Committee on Export, at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She mentioned that after graduating to a developing nation, the next aim will be to become a developed one.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina also asked the concerned to utilise opportunities regarding enhancing Bangladesh’s export items that have emerged due to Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that due to Russia-Ukraine was, there is an opportunity for Bangladesh to create new markets with its own products.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this regard, she said that many countries have already shown interest to import food items from Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We could export food items after fulfilling local demands. We can take initiatives for that,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that immense opportunities could be created through establishing food processing industries in the country and export those items.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that the government has given importance to the export sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“After assuming office, we have taken steps to formulate long term export policies instead of policies on one-year basis. To sustain achievements, there is no alternative to long term strategy,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that the government has formulated export policy until 2024 (2021-2024).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“…But what will we do after that? In the meantime, we are graduating to a developing country. I think this is the right time to consider what we will do in the coming days or how we will advance,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She put emphasis on setting the next moves for economy, keeping in mind the current economic turmoil across the globe.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have to find new markets across the globe. We have to diversify our products, we have to include new items in our export basket,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that the Awami League government has given utmost importance to the private sector and it opened every sector to entrepreneurs as it is not possible for the government alone to develop the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the development of the export sector, she said, a strategy needs to be adopted and products have to be identified.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“For that we have formulated a prospective plan – to turn the country into a developed one by 2041,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM also mentioned ICT and digital devices, RMG, pharmaceuticals, light and medium weight industries, motor vehicles and electronic motor vehicles, while talking about diversifying products.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that the government is preparing 100 economic zones with investment from home and abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Bangladesh has been able to attract foreign investments,” PM Hasina said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 06:39:58', '2023-03-20 06:39:58');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5890, 5890, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The tenth death anniversary of former President Zillur Rahman, a veteran politician, a Language Movement hero, an organiser of the Liberation War and one of the close associates of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is today.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zillur Rahman died of old-age complications at a Singapore hospital on March 20 in 2013.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He started his political career as a volunteer of Awami League and was inducted as the 19th president of the country on February 12, 2009.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He discharged his responsibilities as the general secretary of Awami League for 12 years in five terms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Born in 1929 at a renowned Muslim Family of Bhairab upazila in Kishoreganj, Zillur was elected from Bhairab- Kuliarchar seat for six different terms.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before becoming the President in 2009, he was the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister and the Deputy Leader in Parliament. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 07:11:41', '2023-03-20 07:11:41'),
(5891, 5891, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, has said conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are currently “not conducive” to the sustainable return of Rohingya refugees.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“UNHCR’s position on returns of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar remains unchanged,” said the UN agency sharing its assessment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN agency said it is aware of the visit of a Myanmar delegation to Bangladesh to meet with a group of Rohingya refugees — on a bilateral pilot project between the two countries on possible repatriation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“UNHCR is not involved in these discussions,” it said in a statement on Bangladesh, Myanmar pilot project on Rohingya returns. The statement was shared by the UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific on Sunday night.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the same time, the UNHCR reiterated that every refugee has a right to return to their home country based on an informed choice, but that no refugee should be forced to do so.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has consistently reaffirmed its commitment to voluntary and sustainable repatriation since the onset of the crisis, it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In support of efforts to preserve the right to return, UNHCR considers consultation of and dialogue with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh by all parties in relation to the conditions in Myanmar’s Rakhine State as important to enable refugees to make an informed choice about return and build confidence amongst the community.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This is particularly important as many refugees have reiterated that they do hope to go home to Myanmar as soon as conditions allow,” UNHCR said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following the events of August 2017, UNHCR has also consistently encouraged Myanmar to expeditiously verify the previous residence in Myanmar of refugees in Bangladesh, as part of efforts to lift any administrative obstacles to return when the refugees decide to do so.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“UNHCR therefore supports efforts that could lead to the verification of all refugees and pave the way for eventual return. This most recently included providing logistical support to members of the Myanmar delegation to cross into Bangladesh for the technical verification process,” said the UN agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNHCR said it will continue to work with Bangladesh and Myanmar to ensure that Rohingya refugees maintain the right to return when they choose to do so, based on a fully informed and voluntary decision.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNHCR will also support efforts to create conditions that would be conducive to the sustainable return of Rohingya refugees in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, UNHCR will continue to support building the skills and capacities of the refugees to facilitate their eventual return and sustainable reintegration in Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2023 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis in Bangladesh was recently launched and UNHCR calls upon the international community’s continued robust support for this appeal which is currently 10 percent funded. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 07:39:12', '2023-03-20 07:39:12'),
(5892, 5892, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Britain signed a digital trade deal with Ukraine on Monday granting the war-torn country access to financial services \"crucial\" for its reconstruction efforts.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deal facilitates cross-border data flows between the two countries, allowing Ukrainian businesses to trade more efficiently and cheaply with the UK through electronic transactions, e-signatures and e-contracts, the department of business and trade said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The historic digital trade deal signed today paves the way for a new era of modern trade between our two countries,\" Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deal comes as Ukrainian ministers and 200 UK and international businesses and officials meet in London to discuss future Ukraine reconstruction projects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trading digitally is particularly important in the current conflict, where damage to Ukrainian infrastructure and warfare makes it \"much harder\" to trade physically, the department said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Digital tools and technologies will help Ukrainians access everyday vital goods and services during the war, it added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Badenoch said the UK had pledged to extend the removal of tariffs on all Ukrainian imports until March 2024.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"These initiatives will help protect jobs, livelihoods and families now and in Ukraine\'s post-war future,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UK\'s total military, humanitarian and economic support pledged since Moscow\'s invasion of Ukraine in February last year is now over o4 billion ($4.9 billion), the department said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The British government is currently preparing legislation for the next wave of trade sanctions targeting Russia\'s government and military-industrial complex.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The sanctions were announced last month with the legislation to be presented before parliament \"at the earliest opportunity\", the department said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UK and its allies have introduced \"the most severe\" economic sanctions ever imposed on a major economy, including on o20 billion of UK-Russia goods trade, the department said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Sanctions are having deep and damaging consequences for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin\'s ability to wage war. Since the start of the invasion, UK goods imports from Russia have fallen by 99 percent and goods exports to Russia have fallen by 80 percent,\" it added. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 08:00:47', '2023-03-20 08:00:47'),
(5893, 5893, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Actor Jr NTR told fans that if they asked him about his next projects, he will \'stop doing movies\'. Recently, the actor attended the pre-release event of Vishwak Sen\'s upcoming movie Das ka Dhamki in Hyderabad. The actor had returned to Hyderabad from Los Angeles after the foot-tapping song Naatu Naatu made history and won the Oscar for Best Original Song.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Naatu Naatu, from SS Rajamouli\'s RRR, featured Jr NTR and Ram Charan in the original video. The song was the first Telugu track to be nominated in the Original Song category at the Oscars. Singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava and composer MM Keeravani were also present at the big event. RRR is a fictional story based on the lives of two Telugu freedom fighters, Alluri Seetharama Raju (Ram Charan) and Komaram Bheem (Jr NTR played the lead roles in the film.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As quoted by News18, Jr NTR said at the Hyderabad event, “I am not doing any movie. If you ask repeatedly, I’ll stop doing movies.\" At the same event, Jr NTR made news, when a fan grabbed him from the back for a picture. A video surfaced online in which the actor was seen leaving the stage of the event, when the incident occured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A fan ran towards him, avoiding the security guards, and tightly grabbed the actor by his waist and pushed him back for a picture. The security persons tried to get hold of him, but the actor gestured for them to wait and obliged the fan for a picture. Although the actor lost his balance after the fan grabbed him, he did not lose his calm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jr NTR is gearing up for his next film, NTR 30, with Koratala Siva along with actor Janhvi Kapoor. The film will mark Janhvi’s Telugu debut. It is scheduled to release on April 5, 2024. Anirudh Ravichander will be in charge of the music, R Rathnavelu will be manning the camera, Sabu Cyril will lead the art and Sreekar Prasad will be the editor of the film. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 08:35:49', '2023-03-20 08:35:49'),
(5894, 5894, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A court here today set May 29 for holding hearing on charge framing in the Barapukuria Coalmine graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and 10 others.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The date was announced by Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka Special Judge Court-2, as the defence lawyers pleaded for time on Begum Zia\'s poor health ground.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on February 26, 2008, filed the graft case against Khaleda Zia and 16 others with Shahbagh Police Station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">ACC deputy director Md Abul Kashem Fokir on October 5, 2008, filed a charge-sheet in the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They were accused of causing a loss of around Taka 159 crore to the state</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">exchequer by awarding a contract for operation of Barapukuria Coalmine to aChinese company through abuse of power. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 08:55:08', '2023-03-20 08:55:08'),
(5895, 5895, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Global stock markets sank Monday after Swiss authorities arranged the takeover of troubled Credit Suisse amid fears of a global banking crisis ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting to decide on more possible interest rate hikes.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hong Kong\'s main index slid 2.7%. London, Frankfurt and Paris opened down more than 1%. Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney also declined. Wall Street futures were off 1%. Oil prices plunged more than $2 per barrel.</div><div><br></div><div>Swiss authorities on Sunday announced UBS would acquire its smaller rival as regulators try to ease fears about banks following the collapse of two U.S. lenders. Central banks announced coordinated efforts to stabilize lenders, including a facility to borrow U.S. dollars if necessary.</div><div><br></div><div>Switzerland’s share benchmark was down 1.8%, while Credit Suisse’s shares plunged 63% and rival UBS, which is acquiring it, sank 14%.</div><div><br></div><div>Investors worry banks are cracking under the strain of unexpectedly fast, large rate hikes over the past year to cool economic activity and inflation. Prices of bonds and other assets on their books fell, fueling unease about the industry’s financial health.</div><div><br></div><div>“Investors are waiting to see where the dust settles on the banking saga before making any bold moves,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management in a report.</div><div><br></div><div>In early trading, the FTSE 100 in London lost 1.6% to 7,220.62. Frankfurt\'s DAX fell 1.4% to 14,555.79 and the CAC 40 in Paris lost 1.2% to 6,842.36.</div><div><br></div><div>On Wall Street, the future for the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index was off 1%. That for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.2%.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, the S&amp;P 500 lost 1.1%. The Dow fell 1.2% and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.7%.</div><div><br></div><div>In Asia, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 2.7% to 18,879.20 after being down 3.3% at one point. The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo shed 1.4% to 26,945.67.</div><div><br></div><div>The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.5% to 3,234.91 after the Chinese central bank on Friday freed up more money for lending by reducing the amount of their deposits commercial lenders are required to hold in reserve.</div><div><br></div><div>The Kospi in Seoul retreated 0.7% to 2,379.20 and Sydney’s S&amp;P-ASX 200 lost 1.4% to 6,898.50.</div><div><br></div><div>India\'s Sensex lost 1.3% to 57,241.45. New Zealand and Southeast Asian markets also declined.</div><div><br></div><div>The Swiss government said UBS will acquire Credit Suisse for almost $3.25 billion after a plan for the troubled lender to borrow as much as $54 billion from Switzerland’s central bank failed to reassure investors and customers.</div><div><br></div><div>U.S. regulators have also tried to calm fears over threats to banking systems. The Federal Reserve said cash-short banks had borrowed about $300 billion in the week up to Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>Separately, New York Community Bank agreed to buy part of failed Signature Bank in a $2.7 billion deal, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Sunday. The FDIC said $60 billion in Signature Bank’s loans will remain in receivership and are expected to be sold off in time.</div><div><br></div><div>Investors worry about other lenders with shaky finances. Credit Suisse is among 30 institutions known as globally systemically important banks.</div><div><br></div><div>Traders expect last week’s turmoil to push the Fed to limit a rate hike at this week\'s meeting to 0.25 percentage points. That would be the same as the previous increase and half the margin traders expected earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>A survey released Friday by the University of Michigan showed inflation expectations among American consumers are falling. That matters to the Fed, which has said such expectations can feed into virtuous and vicious cycles.</div><div><br></div><div>In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude plunged $2.45 to $64.29 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.61 on Friday to $66.74. Brent crude, the price basis for international oil, lost $2.67 to $70.30 per barrel in London. It retreated $1.73 the previous session to $72.97.</div><div><br></div><div>The dollar declined to 130.70 yen from Friday’s 131.67 yen. The euro retreated to $1.0647 from $1.0681. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 11:32:38', '2023-03-20 11:32:38'),
(5896, 5896, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said a glorious chapter opened in the country’s military history with the commission of its first-ever submarine base in Cox’s Bazar.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The premier was addressing the commissioning ceremony of the country’s first submarine base ‘BNS Sheikh Hasina’ of Bangladesh Navy at Pekua in Cox’s Bazar through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganabhaban here.</div><div><br></div><div>“A glorious chapter started in the military history of Bangladesh as a full-fledged and modern submarine base is being commissioned in the Bangladesh Navy,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said her government established the Bangladesh Navy as a full-fledged three-dimensional force by adding two submarines (“BNS Navajatra” and “BNS Joyjatra”) to the naval fleet on March 12, 2017.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina asked the members of Bangladesh Navy to work for building the country alongside their professional duty, by playing supportive role to unlock potentials of the blue economy.</div><div><br></div><div>“I hope that being imbued with the spirit of patriotism, every member of Bangladesh Navy will continue their endeavors to build the country as hunger-poverty-free, developed and prosperous Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation, alongside performing their professional duty. Because, we’ve taken a blue economy policy to explore our huge marine resources,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the government has taken steps to utilise marine resources for the country’s economic development. Besides, Bangladesh has many scopes to develop its tourism industry, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said her government has been building the armed forces as capable ones to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty, if Bangladesh is attacked, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>She said, “We don\'t want to make war with anyone. But, we have to attain enough efficiency to protect our independence and sovereignty, if Bangladesh falls into such a situation. We’re preparing our forces keeping that in mind.”</div><div><br></div><div>In the last 14 years, a total of 31 warships, including 4 frigates, 6 corvettes, 4 large patrol crafts, 5 patrol crafts and 2 training ships were added to the fleet of Bangladesh Navy, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina thanked Bangladesh Navy as the force is not only building ships for Bangladesh, but also constructing various water vessels and exporting these to different countries.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 13:18:11', '2023-03-20 13:18:11'),
(5897, 5897, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Naatu Naatu fever is at an all time high after the song won an Oscar during the 95th Academy Awards. Social media is flooded with posts congratulating the team on their historic win. Some people are even doing so with beautiful dance performances. Just like the German Embassy staff recently did and that too after being challenged by South Korean Embassy staff. They took to the streets of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi to celebrate the song’s win. And their performance won them praises from PM Narendra Modi.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“The colours and flavours of India! Germans can surely dance and dance well!” PM Modi tweeted as he re-shared a video tweeted by German Ambassador to India Dr Philipp Ackermann.</div><div><br></div><div>The video opens to show some amazing shots of daily life in Old Delhi. </div><div><br></div><div>The clip shows several things from food being prepared to people enjoying the tasty street foods. As the video progresses, Dr Philipp Ackerman enters the scene and receives a baton with the words “Naatu Naatu” and flag of South Korea printed on it. Recently, the South Korean Embassy staff took social media by storm with their performance to the hit track - so much so, they too received words of praise from PM Narendra Modi.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about the video, it further shows the German ambassador and his Indo-German team dancing to the Oscar-winning song. They keep on dancing enthusiastically as people around them enjoy their performance and record them too.</div><div><br></div><div>Here\'s what some Twitter users wrote while reacting to PM Modi\'s tweet:</div><div><br></div><div>“That’s indeed so beautiful,” wrote a Twitter user. “Excellent,” posted another. “Wow. This is awesome,” expressed a third. A few showed their reactions through heart or rose emoticons. Source: Hindustan Times</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 14:21:53', '2023-03-20 14:21:53'),
(5898, 5898, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The record drought sweeping the Horn of Africa may lead to 135 deaths a day in Somalia between January and June this year, the health ministry, WHO and UNICEF said in a study released Monday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that nearly 100,000 people in the fragile country were facing catastrophic levels of hunger due to the worst drought to hit the region in four decades.</div><div><br></div><div>Monday\'s study used a statistical model to estimate that up to 135 Somalis could lose their lives to drought-related causes every day during the first six months of this year, with the total deaths projected to be between 18,100 and 34,200.</div><div><br></div><div>It also said that the extreme weather conditions may have led to 43,000 \"excess deaths\" last year compared to a 2017 drought, with children under the age of five accounting for half the victims.</div><div><br></div><div>The study was commissioned by UNICEF and WHO and carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are racing against time to prevent deaths and save lives\", said Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO representative to Somalia.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The cost of our inaction will mean that children, women and other vulnerable people will pay with their lives while we hopelessly, helplessly witness the tragedy unfold.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Five straight failed rainy seasons in parts of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia have killed millions of livestock, destroyed crops, and forced more than one million people from their homes in search of food and water.</div><div><br></div><div>Weather forecasters say a sixth rainy season is also expected to fail, confirming the fears of aid agencies who have warned of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe on the horizon.</div><div><br></div><div>While famine thresholds have not been reached, the United Nations says more than half of Somalia\'s population will need humanitarian assistance this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Somalia was hit by a famine in 2011 which killed 260,000 people, more than half of them children under six, partly because the international community did not act fast enough, according to the UN.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2017, more than six million people in the country, more than half of them children, needed aid because of a prolonged drought across East Africa.</div><div><br></div><div>But early humanitarian action averted famine that year.</div><div><br></div><div>The conflict-wracked nation is considered one of the most vulnerable to climate change but is particularly ill-equipped to cope with the crisis as it battles a deadly Islamist insurgency. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 14:34:24', '2023-03-20 14:34:24'),
(5899, 5899, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">To make it more user-friendly, Meta-owned WhatsApp has rolled out new updates to the community feature by introducing some changes to the interface of the “announcement group” for users on iOS and Android, IANS reported.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>According to WABetaInfo, the company has renamed the announcement group to “Home” on WhatsApp beta for Android, and its new name is “Updates” on WhatsApp beta for iOS.</div><div><br></div><div>The community feature on WhatsApp allows users to create and join groups of people who share similar interests or hobbies.</div><div><br></div><div>The report said that this renaming decision may have been made because the announcement group is typically a read-only conversation to which only community admins have access, and it may not fit the traditional definition of a group.</div><div><br></div><div>WhatsApp also moved the community icon from the bottom bar to the chat header in order to improve the user interface and maintain consistency with other chats.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, the latest WhatsApp Communities update for iOS and Android provides community admins with a more bug-free experience when posting messages to their community.</div><div><br></div><div>The new WhatsApp Communities update is now available to some users who have installed the latest versions of WhatsApp beta for iOS and Android, and it will be available to even more people in the coming days, the report said.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a redesigned chat attachment menu for Android beta.</div><div><br></div><div>The tweaked chat attachment menu is more clearer and offers a better user-friendly experience.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 15:19:23', '2023-03-20 15:19:23'),
(5900, 5900, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A total of 85 RAB members received the RAB Director General Medal in recognition of their bravery and service on the occasion of 19th founding anniversary of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and RAB Memorial Day-2023.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The elite force also honoured for the first time one of its dogs for sniffing out three dead bodies from the debris of the Gulistan blast that left over 20 people dead, said a press release.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The dog,-\'Cheetah\' - managed by RAB official Sajib Mia - helped the crime busting force to locate and recover three dead bodies.</div><div><br></div><div>Thirty-five RAB members received special honor (bravery) and 50 members received special honor (service) awards.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>RAB Director General (DG) Additional Inspector General of Police M Khurshid Hossain presented the medals to the members at RAB headquarters\'s Shaheed Memorial Lt. Col. Azad Memorial Hall in Uttara\'s Kurmitola.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, RAB DG paid tributes to the martyred RAB members and exchanged greetings with the family members of the martyred RAB members. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 15:33:56', '2023-03-20 15:33:56'),
(5901, 5901, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would not go to election under an Awami League government and no election will be allowed under the incumbent.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul came up with the remark while speaking at the biennial conference of Nilphamari district unit BNP at Syedpur municipality community hall on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>“It is impossible to hold a fair election under a party involved in vote rigging in even the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election and BNP will not participate in the next election led by the ruling party Awami League and it is final. Rather BNP with people of the country will resist the planned farcical election,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman virtually joined the conference, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“Awami League is involved in confusing the nation by creating a political crisis in a planned way and it also established ‘reign of terror’ after snatching the rights of people. The Awami League pushed the country into bankruptcy by smuggling several thousand crores of money abroad. As a result, people are bearing the brunt of the soaring price of commodities,” said Fakhrul.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“People will not go for any election under Awami League and they will not be allowed to grab the power through the people of the administration they set in the administration. The rights to vote will be returned to the nation through the restoration of freedom and democracy under the leadership of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Zia,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader also told the leaders and activists of the party and people of the country to be prepared for this.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 16:32:13', '2023-03-20 16:32:13'),
(5902, 5902, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Gazipur court on Monday granted bail to Rakib Sarkar, husband of actress Mahiya Mahi, in a case filed under Digital Security Act.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Gazipur Metropolitan Magistrate Niaz Makhdum passed the order when his lawyer filed a petition seeking Rakib’s bail in the two cases.</div><div><br></div><div>Actress Mahi was present at the court with her husband.</div><div><br></div><div>Rakib Sarkar returned home from Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning. Later, he appeared before the Gazipur court on Monday and filed a petition seeking bail in the two cases.</div><div><br></div><div>The bail will remain in force until the police submit a report in this regard before the court.</div><div><br></div><div>The court also fixed April 24 for next hearing in the case filed under DSA.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, on Saturday, a Gazipur court granted bail to actress Mahiya Mahi, hours after she was arrested from Dhaka airport in a case filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA).</div><div><br></div><div>Rokon Mia, sub-inspector of Bason Police Station, filed the case under the Digital Security Act against Mahi and her husband Rakib on Friday night on charge of “defaming police” after going live on Facebook.</div><div><br></div><div>Mahi was arrested from the airport after her arrival from Saudi Arabia but husband Rakib Sarker, also an accused in the case, did not return home with her. Later, a Gazipur court sent her to jail.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, a businessman, filed another case with Bason Police Station against 28 people including the couple on charges of assault, vandalism and land grabbing.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the case statement, Mahi, from her Facebook page, went live early Friday — making allegations against police.</div><div><br></div><div>During the live session, she said Ismail Hossain and Mamun Sarkar, through their people, carried out an attack on a car showroom, Sony Raj Car Palace, owned by Mahi, on Dhaka-Tangail highway near Bhawal Badre Alam Government College.</div><div><br></div><div>The actress and her husband also alleged that the Gazipur Metropolitan Police commissioner “supported the attackers” after taking bribes.</div><div><br></div><div>She also said she feared getting arrested after returning to the country from Mecca. During the Facebook live, Mahiya’s husband Rakib alleged that police arrested security guards of the car showroom.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, owner of Rod Binding Factory in Itahata area of Gazipur city and plaintiff of a case, in his complaint said he has been running a factory in the area for the past 10 years after purchasing land there.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, some people on behalf of Rakib and Mahiya attacked and vandalized the factory, he said. They also beat up 5 people at the factory, leaving them injured, while trying to occupy the land, according to the complaint. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-20 16:36:11', '2023-03-20 16:36:11'),
(5903, 5903, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Vladimir Putin told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Monday that Russia was open to discussing China\'s proposals to end the fighting in Ukraine at the start of high-stakes talks in the Kremlin.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The summit comes as China seeks to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, but Washington warned the world should not be fooled by Beijing\'s moves.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi\'s three-day trip also serves as a show of support for internationally isolated Putin, just days after a war crimes tribunal issued a warrant for his arrest over accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are always open to negotiations,\" Putin told the Chinese leader, who was on his first visit to Moscow since the start of Russia\'s military intervention in Ukraine last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has accused Beijing of mulling arms exports to Moscow -- claims China has vociferously denied.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced scepticism over Xi\'s Ukraine proposals, warning they could be a \"stalling tactic\" to help Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Russia alone could end its war today. Until Russia does, we will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes,\" Blinken said later in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Constructive role\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi and Putin came together in part to discuss China\'s 12-point position paper on the Ukraine conflict, which includes a call for dialogue and respect for all countries\' territorial sovereignty.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During his initial meeting with Putin, Xi hailed \"close ties\" with Russia and the Russian leader said the two countries had \"plenty of common objectives and tasks\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State news agency RIA Novosti said talks between the Russian and Chinese leaders lasted four and a half hours.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The two will meet again for formal talks on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin has welcomed Beijing\'s statements on Ukraine as being indicative of a willingness to play a \"constructive role\" in ending the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Kyiv on Monday reiterated calls for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We expect Beijing to use its influence on Moscow to make it put an end to the aggressive war against Ukraine,\" Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said in comments sent to AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The head of Russia\'s Wagner mercenary group said Monday that his forces control more than two-thirds of the embattled eastern Ukraine town of Bakhmut -- scene of the longest battle of Russia\'s offensive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"At the moment, Wagner units control around 70 percent of the city of Bakhmut and are continuing operations to complete the liberation of the city,\" Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an open letter to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A day before Xi\'s arrival, a defiant Putin went to the Russian-held Ukrainian city of Mariupol -- his first visit to territory captured from Kyiv since Moscow\'s forces pushed across the border in February 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Objective and impartial\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi\'s visit also comes just days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Putin on the accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beijing said Monday the ICC should avoid what it called \"politicisation and double standards\" and respect the principle of immunity for heads of state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia said it had opened a criminal probe into ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, saying he had accused \"a person known to be innocent\" and was planning \"an attack on a representative of a foreign state enjoying international protection\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beijing and Moscow have drawn closer in recent years under a partnership that has served as a diplomatic bulwark against the West.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China has lambasted what it sees as a US-led pressure campaign against Russia as Moscow\'s military effort in Ukraine drags on, instead calling for what it calls \"impartial\" mediation of the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"No single country should dictate the international order,\" Xi wrote in a Russian newspaper article published on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Closely watched -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beijing\'s stance has drawn criticism from Western nations, which say China is providing diplomatic cover for Moscow\'s armed intervention.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They argue that China\'s proposals are heavy on grand principles but light on practical solutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Brussels, EU ministers agreed Monday on a two-billion-euro plan to raid their own arsenals and jointly purchase desperately needed ammunition for Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The European defence and foreign ministers backed an initiative aimed at providing Ukraine with one million artillery shells in the next 12 months as well as replenishing EU stocks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile the United States announced $350 million in new military aid to Ukraine, including ammunition for Himars rocket launchers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Analysts say Xi\'s moves are unlikely to yield a cessation of hostilities, but his trip will be closely watched in Western capitals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Wall Street Journal has reported that Xi could also be planning his first call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the conflict began.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelensky has said he would welcome talks with his Chinese counterpart. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:11:42', '2023-03-21 07:11:42'),
(5904, 5904, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The United States on Monday accused China and Russia of \"encouraging\" North Korean missile launches by thwarting a united response from the UN Security Council on the issue.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield slammed Beijing and Moscow for refusing \"to engage in good-faith diplomacy,\" and charged that their \"obstructionism in the Council encourages North Korea to launch ballistic missiles with impunity.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"How many times must the DPRK violate its UN Security Council resolution obligations before China and Russia stop shielding the DPRK regime?\" Thomas-Greenfield asked at a Council meeting, using an acronym for North Korea\'s official name, the Democratic People\'s Republic of Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last May, China and Russia vetoed a resolution imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Security Council has not adopted any resolutions on the issue since, despite several missile launches by North Korea, the latest taking place over the weekend.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Security Council last acted in unison on North Korea in 2017. Under then-president Donald Trump, Washington spearheaded three unanimous resolutions imposing three rounds of heavy economic sanctions on Pyongyang after missile and nuclear tests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a joint statement on Monday, nine members of the Council, including the United States, France, Japan and South Korea, denounced \"an unprecedented number\" of missile launches, saying the \"growing crisis threatens not only the region but global peace and stability.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The DPRK is testing the council\'s resolve and purpose and the Council must act,\" read the statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China and Russia reject any responsibility for the missile launches, saying that it is Washington\'s joint military exercises with South Korea that are to blame. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:15:31', '2023-03-21 07:15:31');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5905, 5905, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday to offer \"solidarity and unwavering support,\" Japan\'s foreign ministry said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida is the last G7 leader to visit the war-torn country and has come under increasing pressure to make the trip, as Japan hosts the grouping\'s summit this May.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He has repeatedly said a visit to Kyiv was \"under consideration,\" though security and logistical challenges were reportedly a major obstacle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida was in India on Monday and had been expected to return to Tokyo, but instead flew to Poland, where he reportedly boarded a train to cross into Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He will express \"respect for the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people\" and offer \"the solidarity and unwavering support for Ukraine of Japan and the G7, chaired by Japan,\" the foreign ministry said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida is expected to return to Poland for summit talks on Wednesday, the foreign ministry said, before arriving back in Tokyo on Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">News of the trip was first reported by Japanese media, including national broadcaster NHK, whose reporters in Poland filmed a car carrying the premier in the town of Przemysl, from where foreign leaders have often taken the train into Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida became the only G7 leader not to have visited Kyiv after US President Joe Biden made a surprise stop to meet Zelensky in February.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Japanese officials were reportedly worried about the security risks of a trip for Kishida, who becomes the first Japanese prime minister to visit an active warzone since World War II.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His trip comes with Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Moscow for talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, with the Ukraine conflict high on the agenda.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japan has joined Western allies in sanctioning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, while offering support to Kyiv.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It has also taken the rare steps of sending defensive equipment and offering refuge to those fleeing the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It has not offered military support, however, because the nation\'s post-war constitution limits its military capacity to ostensibly defensive measures.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida warned in a speech last year that \"Ukraine today may be East Asia tomorrow\", as concerns grow that China could invade democratic, self-ruled Taiwan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And in December, as Japan overhauled its key defence policies, the government explicitly warned that China poses the \"greatest strategic challenge ever\" to its security.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In its largest defence shake-up in decades, Japan set a goal of doubling defence spending to the NATO standard of two percent of GDP by 2027.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japan is this year\'s host of the Group of Seven nations, which have taken a united approach in sanctioning Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The countries will meet for a summit in Hiroshima in May, which Kishida is reportedly considering inviting Zelensky to attend.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida has been on a diplomatic blitz in recent days, hosting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Tokyo before heading to New Delhi for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:19:30', '2023-03-21 07:19:30'),
(5906, 5906, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The death toll from Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Malawi reached 499 as of Monday evening, from 476 as reported Sunday evening, with the number of displaced people increasing from 490,098 to 508,244.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Search and rescue operations are ongoing, undertaken by the Malawi Defence Force, the Malawi Police Service and the United Kingdom with support from neighboring countries, including Tanzania and Zambia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Commissioner for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Charles Kalemba, said that one more camp has been set to accommodate the displaced people, bringing the total number of camps to 534.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The number of injuries has risen to 1,332 from 918 as reported Sunday, while 427 people are reported missing, from 349 as reported Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The number of affected districts and cities is now 15 from the initial 12 in the southern region, with three more districts in the eastern region receiving more heavy rains even after Cyclone Freddy died out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster in the affected districts, foreign missions, governments, local and international organizations, companies and individuals have mobilized to support the response operations and provide humanitarian aid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Southern African Development Community has since approved 300,000 U.S. dollars for humanitarian assistance to Malawi, announced Monday by the regional bloc\'s Executive Secretary, Elias Magosi. Xinhua</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:22:56', '2023-03-21 07:22:56'),
(5907, 5907, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A US citizen sentenced to 19 years in a Saudi prison for social media posts criticising the kingdom\'s rulers has been released, his son told AFP on Tuesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saad Ibrahim Almadi, a 72-year-old of Saudi origin, was arrested in 2021 for what his son, Ibrahim, described as \"mild\" Twitter posts on topics including the war in Yemen and the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last October, a court handed Almadi a term of 16 years behind bars, which last month was lengthened to 19 years before his surprise release on Tuesday, Ibrahim said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Yes, he was freed five hours ago. He\'s in his Riyadh home,\" Ibrahim told AFP by phone from the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A travel ban also imposed last year means he cannot leave the country, Ibrahim said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Almadi\'s case has risked further ratcheting up tensions between Riyadh and Washington, long-time partners that have recently been at odds over issues including human rights and oil output cuts approved by the OPEC+ cartel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The State Department said last year it had \"consistently and intensively raised our concerns regarding the case at senior levels of the Saudi government\", and that \"exercising freedom of expression should never be criminalised\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saudi officials have not commented on the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Gulf kingdom has come under fire for what human rights groups describe as draconian sentences for social media criticism of its policies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ibrahim previously shared with AFP a list of Twitter posts he said had been used in evidence against his father -- information he said had been confirmed by the State Department.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They included posts on taxes as well as controversial demolition work in Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, and the Red Sea city of Jeddah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One post questions why Saudi Arabia is unable to prevent attacks by Huthi rebels in war-wracked Yemen, where the kingdom heads a military coalition in support of the internationally recognised government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another refers to the \"sacrifice\" of Khashoggi, whose killing by Saudi agents in the kingdom\'s Istanbul consulate sparked global outrage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saudi officials also found an unflattering caricature of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom\'s de facto ruler, on Almadi\'s phone, Ibrahim said. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:26:15', '2023-03-21 07:26:15'),
(5908, 5908, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said intensified global steps were needed to stop war in Ukraine as it continued to cause common peoples miseries across the world, as she gave an exclusive interview to the CNN TV.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“I feel that the world should come forward to stop the war as the common people are suffering,\" she said while the US-based Cable News Network (CNN) broadcast her interview’s first episode this morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked for comments on Bangladesh stance on the war, Sheikh Hasina said \"we believe in a peaceful solution”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If there is any conflict, through dialogue it can be solved. We (Bangladesh) never support any kind of invasion or any conflict,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Numerous questions regarding the Ukraine crisis, Bangladesh relations with China including its loan issues and Rohingya crisis largely featured the first episode of the interview.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">CNN is set to air the second episode of the interaction with the Bangladesh premier later this evening while the network’s famed journalist Richard Quest interviewed her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh\'s foreign policy is very clear, \"Friendship to all, malice to none\" and “and we\'re following that, so, when we see any human rights violation or invasion, we definitely oppose it”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She, however, said no war could be one-sided alone as it needs involvement of both sides “(but) I believe each country has its own rights to live in their own territory (with freedom) and protect their own territory.\" BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:31:16', '2023-03-21 07:31:16'),
(5909, 5909, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas today said his country is committed to working with Bangladesh to eliminate corruption – enabling Bangladeshis to enjoy lives of dignity and drawing more international trade and foreign investment.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“If Bangladesh can assure citizens and investors that corruption is less prevalent here than in other markets, it will attract more investment and help the country continue on the path of economic growth,” he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ambassador Haas made the remarks at an event, titled “Call to Action Against Corruption Summit”, at a Dhaka hotel, organized by Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) and Center for International Private Enterprises.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US ambassador said corruption exists, to one degree or another, in every corner of the globe, and they are all too familiar with what it looks like.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It’s trying to get a driver’s license and having to pay ‘speed money’.&nbsp; It’s knowing that if you want a passport appointment, it’s going to cost you extra.&nbsp; It’s needing to bribe the right official to register a plot of land you just purchased,” Haas said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Corruption is a parasite that feeds on the resources of a society and drains it of its strength and can devastate every level of business and government, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Sadly, some notorious scandals have occurred in my own country,” said the US ambassador.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yet, he said, exposing corruption and holding perpetrators accountable have catalyzed economic growth in the United States and elsewhere.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“When societies exert such efforts, they prosper. I am confident this can be the case here in Bangladesh, as well, and the United States is eager to help,” he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under President Biden, the US government has established the fight against corruption as a core national security interest, he added.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We support initiatives that help Bangladeshi businesses meet international standards and regulations, making them more competitive in the global market,” said the envoy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“By promoting ethical business practices, we can create a more level playing field for businesses of all sizes and encourage more foreign investment,” he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Agency for International Development, USAID, has partnered with Bangladesh’s Registrar of Joint Stock Companies to launch an online registration process for new businesses.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This makes registering new businesses more transparent, faster, and more affordable, Ambassador Haas said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">USAID has also worked with the Bangladesh National Board of Revenue to establish authorized economic operators. This endeavour empowers the private sector, instead of the government, to release shipments at ports, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As a result, Haas said, the process has become more transparent and raised the level of trust between the private sector and the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) works with the Private Public Partnership Authority Bangladesh to conduct workshops to improve the legal and business environment of Bangladesh.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">CLDP also works with Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) to improve municipal governance by improving fiscal transparency. Under this program, CLDP invited over a DNCC delegation, including the mayor, to Miami in January.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Department of Justice trains investigators and attorneys in the Anti-Corruption Commission on topics such as how to investigate and prosecute money laundering, how to use electronic evidence, and how to investigate financial crimes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It has also fostered a relationship between Bangladesh’s Financial Intelligence Unit and the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre,” Haas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The United States is committed to holding corrupt officials accountable for their actions. This can take various forms,” said the ambassador.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just as US laws hold American citizens and businesses accountable for corrupt practices, there are US laws and penalties that apply to non-citizens who use corrupt practices in violation of the laws.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“What can the Bangladeshi government do to reduce corruption?&nbsp; It could think about ways to empower institutions to tackle corruption and promote transparency and accountability in governance and business,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One idea is to reduce the amount of cash that officials handle by replacing cash-based financial transactions with the government with online transactions, Haas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Citizens could pay bills, fines, and taxes electronically. Such a process would minimize the opportunity for bureaucrats to overcharge or misplace public funds into their own pockets,” he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Haas recognized the important role a vibrant civil society and free media play in investigating and exposing instances of corruption.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has many advantages that potential investors would find attractive, he said. “But as American business leaders tell me: multi-national firms have options on where they invest.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They will choose whichever country has the lowest levels of corruption, the fewest bureaucratic obstacles, the greatest respect for rule of law, and the best logistics infrastructure for their business, he added. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:37:13', '2023-03-21 07:37:13'),
(5910, 5910, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The International Monetary Fund said Monday that its executive board has approved a nearly $3 billion bailout program for Sri Lanka over four years to help salvage the country’s bankrupt economy.</span><br></b></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">About $333 million will be disbursed immediately and the approval will also open up financial support from other institutions, the IMF said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">“Sri Lanka has been facing tremendous economic and social challenges with a severe recession amid high inflation, depleted reserves, an unsustainable public debt, and heightened financial sector vulnerabilities,” its statement quoted IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva as saying.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">“Institutions and governance frameworks require deep reforms. For Sri Lanka to overcome the crisis, swift and timely implementation of the EFF-supported program with strong ownership for the reforms is critical.”</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The approval will unlock financing of up to $7 billion from the IMF and other international multilateral financial institutions, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Earlier this month, the last hurdle for the approval was cleared when China joined Sri Lanka’s other creditors in providing debt restructuring assurances.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">“From the very start, we committed to full transparency in all our discussions with financial institutions and with our creditors,” Wickremesinghe said in a statement from his office. “I express my gratitude to the IMF and our international partners for their support as we look to get the economy back on track for the long term through prudent fiscal management and our ambitious reform agenda.”</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Wickremesinghe said he has made some tough decisions to ensure stability, debt sustainability and to grow an inclusive and internationally attractive economy.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Sri Lanka increased income taxes sharply and removed electricity and fuel subsidies, fulfilling prerequisites of the IMF program. Authorities must now discuss with Sri Lanka’s creditors on how to restructure its debt.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">“Having obtained specific and credible financing assurances from major official bilateral creditors, it is now important for the authorities and creditors to make swift progress towards restoring debt sustainability consistent with the IMF-supported program,” Georgieva said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">“The authorities’ commitments to transparently achieve a debt resolution, consistent with the program parameters and equitable burden sharing among creditors in a timely fashion, are welcome,” she said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Sri Lanka last year suspended repayment of its foreign debt amid a severe foreign currency crisis, because of a fall in tourism and export revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic, megaprojects funded by Chinese loans that did not generate income, and releasing foreign currency reserves to hold the exchange rates for a longer period.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The currency crisis created severe shortages of some foods, fuel, medicine and cooking gas, leading to angry street protests that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Since Wickremesinghe took over, he has managed to reduce shortages and ended hours-long daily power cuts. The Central Bank says its reserves have improved and the black market no longer controls the foreign currency trade.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">However, Wickremesinghe’ s government is likely to face hostility from trade unions over his plans to privatize state ventures as part of his reform agenda and public resentment may increase if he fails to take action against the Rajapaksa family, who people believe were responsible for the economic crisis.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Wickremesinghe’s critics accuse him of shielding the Rajapaksa family, who still control a majority of lawmakers in Parliament, in return for their support for his presidency. AP</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:43:12', '2023-03-21 07:43:12'),
(5911, 5911, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality is ‘moderate’ this morning (March 21, 2023).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 86 at 9:15 am, Dhaka ranked 27 in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China\'s Beijing, Pakistan\'s Karachi and South Korea\'s Incheon occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 194, 181 and 172, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered \'unhealthy\', AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 07:55:22', '2023-03-21 07:55:22'),
(5912, 5912, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three people were killed and eight others were injured after a pickup van crashed into a BRTC bus in Dinajpur’s Doshmile area.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident occurred today around 6 pm in front of the Darbarpur Jame Masjid on the Dinajpur-Rangpur highway, UNB’s Dinajpur correspondent reports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Mostakim Ahmed (27), Sohanur Rahman Sohan (26) and pickup driver Foyzar Uddin (40) of Dinajpur’s Chirirbandar upazila. They were all passengers of the van.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The injured were rescued by the locals and sent to Dinajpur’s M Abdur Rahim Medical College and other hospitals. Most of them were sent home after primary treatment. The pickup fell on the side of the road after the crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Contacted, Golam Maola, inspector of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station, said the Thakurgaon-bound BRTC bus crashed with the speeding pickup van coming from the opposite side of the highway. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 08:07:33', '2023-03-21 08:07:33'),
(5913, 5913, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Meat, eggs, and milk will be sold at lower prices in Dhaka from March 23, and it will continue till the 28th of Ramadan.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will sell meat, eggs, and milk at 20 points in Dhaka to meet public demand during the holy month of Ramadan, Iftekhar Hossain, public relations officer of the ministry, told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim will launch the sale of these items -- beef, mutton, dressed broiler chicken, milk, and eggs -- formally at a function in Dhaka on Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Department of Livestock will conduct the sales. However, prices of the items are yet to be fixed, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These essential items will be sold at \"cheaper prices\" to facilitate households\' protein intake throughout Ramadan, Iftekhar Hossain added. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 08:48:06', '2023-03-21 08:48:06'),
(5914, 5914, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh won the prestigious Bangabandhu Cup Int\'l Kabaddi tournament\'s title beating Chinese Taipei by 42-28 points in the final held on Tuesday at Shahhed Noor Hossain National Volleyball Stadium in the city.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The winners led the first half by 20-14 points.</div><div><br></div><div>It was the third occasion Bangladesh won the Bangabandhu Cup Int\'l Kabaddi\'s title after the boys in red and green also won previous two titles of tournament.</div><div><br></div><div>Mijanur Rahman of Bangladesh was named the player of the tournament as well as best raider. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 10:08:47', '2023-03-21 10:08:47'),
(5915, 5915, '<div><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmim Chaudhury has said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going ahead amid</b><br></div><div><br></div><div>expressing strong conviction for building a smart Bangladesh by 2041.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is progressing amid expressing strong commitment for building smart Bangladesh through Information Technology, practice of knowledge and science and inclusive economic development within stipulated timeframe of 2041\", she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Shirin Sharmin said as the chief guest while attending a programme titled \'Nordic Day-2023\' jointly organized by embassies of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden in Bangladesh at Radisson Blue Water Garden hotel here on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Royal Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Espen Rikter-Svendsen, Swedish Ambassador Alexandra Berg von Linde, Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh, HE Ms. Winnie Estrup Petersen and Ambassador of Finland to Bangladesh Ritva Koukku- Ronde, among others, attended the function.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Seeking cooperation from the Nordic countries, the Speaker said, \"We need assistance from the Nordic countries for safely repatriation of the Rohingyas from Bangladesh as excellent relations and necessary development aid are already being exists between Bangladesh and the Nordic countries\".</div><div><br></div><div>Even the peoples of Bangladesh are always remember the Nordic countries cooperation which had been extended on the way to fulfill the target of the Independence achieved under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting the diplomatic relations with Nordic countries, the Jatiya Sangsad Speaker said Bangladesh is celebrating the 50 years of diplomatic relations with the Nordic countries, saying that the relations need to be more strengthen and sustainable as develop partner of the Nordic countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Noted diplomats, elite personalities, invited guests and representatives from Mass media were also attended at the function. According to BSS reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 10:21:43', '2023-03-21 10:21:43'),
(5916, 5916, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>South Korean celebrity couple Se7en and Lee Da-hae are getting married in May.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The K-pop singer and his actress fiancée shared the news of their upcoming nuptials in separate posts on Instagram.</div><div><br></div><div>Se7en, whose real name is Choi Dong-wook, told his 551,000 followers that he had “happy news” to share.</div><div><br></div><div>“I have vowed to marry my girlfriend Lee Da-hae, who always embraced me with love, and shared joy and sorrow together for the past eight years,” he said, revealing that the wedding would take place on May 6.</div><div><br></div><div>Pledging his commitment to his bride-to-be, the 38-year-old singer wrote: “From now on, I will live with more responsibility as a head of a family and a husband.”</div><div><br></div><div>Lee’s post on her Instagram page was accompanied by a series of wedding pictures. In South Korea, couples commonly have their wedding pictures taken ahead of the ceremony and then often use the images for digital invitations and social media.</div><div><br></div><div>The post features four pictures of the happy couple in different settings and different outfits. In one, she is pictured in a sleeveless floor-length lace gown, while Se7en wears a tailored gray suit with black bow tie. Another sees the couple outside a pink hotel, with Se7en in a pink blazer and shorts, with his wife to be in a lacy mini wedding dress.</div><div><br></div><div>One shot features a close-up of the bride, while the final image shows the pair in profile by the sea at sunset.</div><div><br></div><div>Lee told her 207,000 followers: “It may not be a big surprising as we have been dating for eight years, but I am still shy. I pondered a lot about how I should share the news.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have vowed to become a husband and wife from a long-term couple this coming May. Although I’m still used to calling him a ‘boyfriend,’ I will become more considerate and a bigger supporter of ‘him,’ who gave me big happiness by staying by my side and now will be my forever companion.</div><div><br></div><div>“It will be a huge happiness for us if we can get married in your love and blessings.”</div><div><br></div><div>Se7en released his debut album “Just Listen” in 2003. His career has also extended to acting. In 2007, he played the lead role in TV drama “Goong S” (Palace S.) He has also starred in four musicals and numerous commercials, including for Coca-Cola.</div><div><br></div><div>Lee has featured in many popular TV dramas, including “Good Witch” in 2018 and “Chuno” (“Slave Hunters”) in 2010, and the 2013 spy movie “IRIS 2.” Source: CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 11:40:22', '2023-03-21 11:40:22'),
(5917, 5917, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 426.35 crore project to strengthen the village courts across the country in order to ensure wider access of rural poor, female, lagging behind and under privilege people in getting justice.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC held with its chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.</div><div><br></div><div>Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that the day’s meeting approved a total of nine projects with an overall of estimated cost of Taka 1,730.38 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>“Of the total project cost, Taka 633.52 crore will come from the government, Taka 1.44 crore from the concerned organization’s own fund while the rest of Taka 1,095.42 crore as project assistance,”Of the approved nine projects, four are new while five are revised projects.</div><div><br></div><div>The Local Government Division under the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives will implement the Strengthening of village courts (3rd phase) project with a cost of Taka 426.35 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the total project cost, Taka 157.51 crore will come from the government fund while the rest of Taka 268.84 crore as grant from EU and UNDP.</div><div><br></div><div>Once the project is implemented, it would be possible to fulfill the demands of rural people related to Justice side by side the capacity of the local authorities would be enhanced in delivering due legal services.</div><div><br></div><div>The other projects approved in the meeting are : Enhancing capacity of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police in combating terrorism and ensuring public security, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 229.82 crore, Construction of 112 residential flats for the officials of Bangladesh Parliament Secretariat at Agargaon with Taka 98.22 crore, Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries, 1st revised with an additional cost of Taka 588.67 crore, Feasibility study to construct important bridges on rural roads with Taka 80 crore, Countrywide mobile library project, 2nd revised with an additional cost of Taka 37.47 crore, The project for the improvement of equipment for technical education with Taka 98.01 crore, Establishment of Dhaka Technical Teachers Training Institute, 3rd revised, with a reduced cost of Taka 2.55 crore and Installation of prepaid gas meter for TGTDCL, 3rd revised with an additional cost of Taka 174.39 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 11:51:10', '2023-03-21 11:51:10'),
(5918, 5918, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Gunmen killed 11 people including a prominent local politician in northwest Pakistan, police said Tuesday, an ambush blamed on a decades-long vendetta between families.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Inter-family feuds are common in Pakistan, but in the mountainous northwestern region where communities abide by traditional tribal honour codes they can be particularly protracted and violent.</div><div><br></div><div>Police said 42-year-old Atif Munsif Khan, leader of a district council in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was killed on Monday night in the town of Havelian, 33 kilometres (20 miles) north of Islamabad.</div><div><br></div><div>District police official Omar Tufail told AFP that \"up to five people opened fire from two sides\" on a vehicle carrying Khan and 10 others, including bodyguards and a police escort, \"killing them all on the spot\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"The vehicle caught fire as a result and all on board were burned alive and the charred bodies are now beyond recognition,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Tufail said the Khan family registered a police complaint \"blaming the assassination on their rivals\" in a feud \"said to be almost five decades old\", which also claimed the life of Khan\'s father and grandfather.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Dozens of people from both sides have been killed as a result of this family feud so far,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Another local senior police official, Sajid Tanoli, confirmed the incident and ruled out the involvement of militant groups such as the Pakistan Taliban which have long thrived in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan was a member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former prime minister Imran Khan, although the men were not related. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 11:58:11', '2023-03-21 11:58:11'),
(5919, 5919, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A Dhaka court today fixed April 27 for submission of the investigation report in a case filed by Police Bureau of Investigation (PIB) against former SP Babul Akhter, journalist Elias Hossain and two others.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Two other accused are Babul Akhter\'s brother Md Habibur Rahman Labu, 45, and father Md Andul Wadud Miah, 72.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ashek Imam fixed April 27 as the new date as the investigation officer of the case failed to submit it today.</div><div><br></div><div>On September 27 last year, PIB Chief Bonoj Kumar Majumder filed a case with Dhanmondi Police Station against Babul and three others under Digital Security Act and Special Power Act. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 14:10:25', '2023-03-21 14:10:25'),
(5920, 5920, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Islamic Foundation has urged the mosque authorities across the country to follow the same procedure of ‘Khatam Taraweeh’ during the holy Ramadan.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>It made the call through a media release on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The release said Muslims recite a specific part of the Holy Quran during Taraweeh prayers in almost all the mosques of the country. But some mosques do not follow this, said the release.</div><div><br></div><div>But Muslims who travel different places can’t maintain continuity in the recitation of the Quran that creates dissatisfaction among them.</div><div><br></div><div>The foundation requested to recite first nine paras of Quran in the first six Ramadans with 1.5 paras every day and 21 paras (one para each day)&nbsp; &nbsp;from the seventh Ramadan to complete the whole Quran recitation within the night of Shab-e-Barat.</div><div><br></div><div>Mosque committees, Imams and others concerned were requested to follow the procedure of reciting the Quran during Ramadan, it reads. According to UNB reports.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 14:22:40', '2023-03-21 14:22:40'),
(5921, 5921, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>In July 2006, real estate tycoon and reality television star Donald Trump met an adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, at a celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Exactly what happened next is in dispute but it appears likely to culminate this week in the first ever criminal indictment of a former president of the United States.</div><div><br></div><div>These are the events leading up to the politically explosive case and Daniels\' role in it:</div><div>- Lake Tahoe -</div><div><br></div><div>In her 2018 tell-all book \"Full Disclosure,\" Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, recounts her fateful encounter with Trump at the Nevada golf resort on the shores of Lake Tahoe.</div><div><br></div><div>A picture taken at the time shows them posing together at a porn studio booth where Daniels was working as a \"greeter.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Trump is wearing a red hat, yellow polo shirt and khaki pants. The voluptuous Daniels is standing next to him in a tight-fitting black top that exposes her midriff.</div><div><br></div><div>Daniels was 27 at the time and Trump 60. His third wife, Melania, had given birth to their son Barron about four months earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>In her book, Daniels said one of Trump\'s bodyguards invited her to have dinner with \"The Apprentice\" star in his penthouse.</div><div><br></div><div>They proceeded to have what \"may have been the least impressive sex I\'d ever had,\" she writes in an account that also includes an unflattering description of Trump\'s anatomy.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump has denied they ever had sex and has accused Daniels of \"extortion\" and a \"total con job.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Daniels said she remained in touch with Trump over the next year in the hope he would get her on his reality television show but it never happened.</div><div><br></div><div>- Hush money payment -</div><div><br></div><div>Fast forward to 2016 and Trump is the Republican presidential nominee.</div><div><br></div><div>The National Enquirer, a tabloid newspaper owned by a Trump ally, discovers that Daniels is seeking bidders for her potentially politically damaging story about her relationship with Trump.</div><div><br></div><div>The tabloid put her in touch with Michael Cohen, Trump\'s personal lawyer and fixer nicknamed \"The Pitbull.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Cohen, who has since turned against Trump, has acknowledged arranging a $130,000 \"hush money\" payment to Daniels in exchange for her silence about the 2006 tryst.</div><div><br></div><div>Daniels and Trump -- under the respective pseudonyms Peggy Peterson and David Dennison -- were the parties to a non-disclosure agreement prepared by Cohen that has emerged in court filings.</div><div><br></div><div>The payment was revealed by The Wall Street Journal in January 2018 and forms the basis for the charges Trump may be facing this week in New York.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump has denied any wrongdoing and claims that he is the victim of a political \"witch hunt\" by the Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, intended to derail his 2024 White House campaign.</div><div><br></div><div>Cohen, who has served time in prison for tax evasion and campaign finance violations, and Daniels were both interviewed by prosecutors this month in connection with the case.</div><div><br></div><div>- Notoriety -</div><div>Since coming forward, Daniels has been cashing in on her notoriety while battling Trump in and out of court and on social media.</div><div><br></div><div>She suggestively refers to Trump on her Twitter feed as \"Tiny\" while he throws various insults her way, including calling her \"Horseface.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Along with her book, Daniels has made appearances at strip clubs around the country billed as the \"Make America Horny Again\" tour.</div><div><br></div><div>Her one-time high-profile lawyer, Michael Avenatti, is currently serving jail time for stealing money from Daniels.</div><div><br></div><div>Avenatti tricked literary agents into sending $300,000 of an $800,000 advance she received for her book into a bank account he controlled, without her knowledge.</div><div><br></div><div>Avenatti spent the money on personal and professional expenses including plane tickets, restaurants and the lease of a Ferrari, according to prosecutors. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 14:49:09', '2023-03-21 14:49:09');
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(5922, 5922, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked the primary school students to groom themselves as the worthy citizens of the country by paying attention to study, sports and cultural activities.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“The sports are the means of physical exercise. Sports bring mental strength and make&nbsp; minds more liberal. Alongside the sports, you will have to pay attention to study as well. You will have to prepare yourselves as the worthy citizens of an independent country,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The premier was addressing the prize distribution ceremony of Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament-2022 and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament-2022 at the Army Stadium in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>She hoped that the children of Bangladesh will display excellent performance in every sector including study, sports and cultural practices. She also hoped they will bring dignity for the country, joining in the international competitions.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today we’ve built the country as Digital Bangladesh. But we’ll build the country as Smart Bangladesh in the future. You will be the main strength of Smart Bangladesh,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina asked the small children to maintain a disciplined life always, obey the guardian, teachers and parents, maintain a good term with their peers and behave well with disabled persons including autistic ones.</div><div><br></div><div>“You all will have to prepare yourselves with a human quality,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM stressed the need for larger sports competitions like inter-school, inter-upazila and inter-district, inter-college and inter-university competitions in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>She at the same time put emphasis on cultural practices, reading storybooks, history, science and technology books alongside the textbooks.</div><div><br></div><div>“You’ll have to prepare yourselves as a whole. Keep in mind from now on that you will be the most qualified and will build yourselves as the worthiest citizens,” she said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the premier enjoyed the second half of the grand final held between Nalma Government Primary School (Ghatail, Tangail) of Dhaka Division and Bancharampur Model Government Primary School (Brahmanbaria) of Chittagong Division.</div><div><br></div><div>Bancharampur Model Government Primary School clinched the title of Bangamata Gold Cup-2022 defeating Nalma Government Primary School in the grand final match.</div><div><br></div><div>Purba Panchapukur Primary Government School (Nilphamari Sadar) of Rangpur Division won the title of Bangabandhu Gold Cup-2022 beating Binodpur Collegepara Govt Primary School (Rajbari Sadar) of Dhaka Division in the grand final match.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 11,13,993 boys from 65,529 schools and 11,13,976 girls from 65,528 schools participated in the countrywide tournaments-2022, arranged by the Primary and Mass Education Ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister distributed prizes and medals among the members of the champion and runner up teams of the two tournaments.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Bangabandhu Gold Cup Tournament, highest scorer (4 goals) Jahim and best player Monirul Islam, both from Purba Panchapukur Primary School, received the golden boot and the golden ball alongside prize money respectively from the premier.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Bangamata Gold Cup Tournament, highest scorer Nur Nahar Akter of Bancharampur Model Primary School and Rumi of Nalma Primary School received the golden boot and the golden ball along with prize money respectively from Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossen and Primary and Mass Education Secretary Farid Ahmed spoke at the function.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that she is a member of a football family, Hasina said her grandfather, father and brothers –Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Jamal-- used to play football. “Today’s modern football in Bangladesh is the contribution of Sheikh Kamal,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said Abahani Krira Chakra was developed in the hand of Sheikh Kamal. “He had contributed to the development of the sports in this country,” she said, adding that Kamal and Jamal were involved in all sorts of sports including football and hockey, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said that Kamal’s wife Sultana was a sports personality and Jamal’s wife Rosy was also an expert in sports.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, I am a person of a football family. My grandchildren love to play football as well and they play football. Sheikh Rehana’s grandchildren also play football,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Coming to power in 2009, her government started the development of sports from the grassroots and introduced inter-school sports competitions, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM also hoped that more outstanding players would come out from the primary school football competitions and brighten the image of Bangladesh through their performance in the international competitions.</div><div><br></div><div>“We perhaps will play in the world cup one day. The world cup players will be prepared gradually here and come out,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 15:20:24', '2023-03-21 15:20:24'),
(5923, 5923, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A Dhaka University (DU) student, Nur Nabi, who suffered critical injuries in the March 5 building explosion at Science Lab area, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Tuesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Nur Nabi, a fourth-year student of the Islamic Studies department, used to stay at Shahid Sergeant Zahurul Huq Hall, according to media reports.</div><div><br></div><div>He breathed his last around 2:00pm Tuesday while undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital, said DMCH Director Brig Gen Nazmul Haque.</div><div><br></div><div>With this, the death toll in the blast has risen to six.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, on 5 March, Nur Nabi was passing by the area when the explosion took place. He suffered injuries to his head and leg after debris from the blast fell on him. Nur was rushed to DMCH immediately where he was being treated until his demise Tuesday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 15:53:57', '2023-03-21 15:53:57'),
(5924, 5924, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said there are some “fundamental shortcomings and mistakes” in the 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released by the&nbsp; US Department of State on March 20.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“We will raise these shortcomings with the US side so that such things do not exist in the next year’s report,” he told reporters, noting that there will be high-level bilateral visits to the US and meetings at various levels where these issues will be discussed.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to “controversial” rights group Odhikar, which was quoted as one of the sources in the US report, the State Minister said Odhikar does not have any valid document to operate in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to questions from reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said there is no scope to see any civil society organisation or NGO on a neutral point of view which has a “political history and identity.”</div><div><br></div><div>The State Minister hoped that not only the US but other countries also will maintain distance from those organisations, which are not registered in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>He said such report’s credibility gets lost if there are continuous shortcomings. “We will look into it further whether there is any issue that we need to take into consideration at all.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The State Minister said it is very unfortunate that there is a tendency to undermine Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said the United States regularly raises human rights issues with the government of Bangladesh in the spirit of respect and partnership, and they will continue to do so.</div><div><br></div><div>“Promoting respect for individual rights helps create a more secure, stable, and prosperous world.&nbsp; Defending fundamental freedoms is at the core of who we are as a country,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The US Department of State released the 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, an annual report required by US law.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>US President Joe Biden has put human rights at the centre of the United States foreign policy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Guided by the United Nations’ human rights treaties, the country reports document the status of respect for human rights and worker rights in 198 countries and territories.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has issued these reports for nearly five decades.&nbsp; The country reports do not draw legal conclusions, rank countries, or draw comparisons.&nbsp; Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-21 16:35:46', '2023-03-21 16:35:46'),
(5925, 5925, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">China\'s peace plan for Ukraine could be used as a basis to end the war, Vladimir Putin has said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Mr Putin said the plan could be put forward only when they are ready \"in the West and Kyiv\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Russian leader met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday in Moscow to discuss the conflict, and relations between the two countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China\'s plan, published last month, does not explicitly call for Russia to leave Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Listing 12 points, it calls for peace talks and respect for national sovereignty, without specific proposals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Ukraine has insisted on Russia withdrawing from its territory as a condition for any talks - and there is no sign that Russia is ready to do that.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that calling for a ceasefire before Russia withdrew \"would effectively be supporting the ratification of Russian conquest\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a joint news conference after talks with Mr Xi ended, Mr Putin said: \"Many provisions of the Chinese peace plan can be taken as the basis for settling of the conflict in Ukraine, whenever the West and Kyiv are ready for it.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Russia had yet to see such \"readiness\" from the other side, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Standing alongside the Russian leader, Mr Xi said his government was in favour of peace and dialogue and that China was on the \"right side of history\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He again claimed that China had an \"impartial position\" on the conflict in Ukraine, seeking to cast Beijing as the potential peace-maker.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The pair also discussed growing trade, energy and political ties between the two nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"China is the leading foreign trade partner of Russia,\" President Putin said, pledging to keep up and surpass the \"high level\" of trade achieved last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, Mr Xi called China and Russia \"great neighbouring powers and comprehensive strategic partners\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Russian state media, the two leaders also:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;Signed two joint documents - one detailing plans for economic co-operation and one on plans to deepen the Russia-China partnership</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;Reached an agreement on a planned pipeline in Siberia to deliver Russian gas to China via Mongolia</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;Agreed that nuclear war \"must never be unleashed\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;Discussed their concern at the new Aukus pact - a defence agreement between Australia, the UK and US</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&gt;Expressed concern over Nato\'s growing presence in Asia on \"military and security issues\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are growing concerns in the West that China might provide military support for Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking in Brussels, Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said his alliance had not \"seen any proof that China is delivering lethal weapons to Russia\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he added there were \"signs\" that Russia had requested weapons, and that the request was being considered in Beijing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A joint statement released by China and Russia after the meeting between the two leaders said the close partnership between the two countries did not constitute a \"military-political alliance\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Relations \"do not constitute a bloc, do not have a confrontational nature and are not directed against third countries\", they added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Putin also used the press conference to accuse the West of deploying weapons with a \"nuclear component\" and said Russia would be \"forced to react\" if the UK sent shells made with depleted uranium to Ukraine. .</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UK\'s Ministry of Defence said depleted uranium was a \"standard component\" which had \"nothing to do with nuclear weapons\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Xi was given a fanfare welcome when he arrived at the Kremlin for a second day of talks on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said he was \"very happy\" to be in Moscow and described talks with President Putin as \"frank, open and friendly\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His visit to Russia came days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for President Putin on war crimes allegations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The state visit was mirrored by Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida\'s surprise visit to Kyiv - making him the first leader of Japan to visit a country in conflict since World War Two.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Zelensky said he will join the G7 summit in Japan in May via video link at the invitation of Mr Kishida.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that he had also asked China to get involved in talks but was waiting for an answer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We offered China to become a partner in the implementation of the peace formula,\" he said. \"We invite you to the dialogue; we are waiting for your answer.\" BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 03:04:51', '2023-03-22 03:04:51'),
(5926, 5926, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Humanity\'s \"lifeblood\" -- water -- is increasingly at risk around the world due to \"vampiric overconsumption and overdevelopment,\" the UN warned in a report, published hours ahead of a major summit on the issue was set to begin Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The world is \"blindly travelling a dangerous path\" as \"unsustainable water use, pollution and unchecked global warming are draining humanity\'s lifeblood,\" United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a foreword to the report, released hours ahead of the first major UN meeting on water resources in nearly half a century.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Co-hosted by the governments of Tajikistan and the Netherlands, the UN Water Conference will gather some 6,500 participants, including a hundred ministers and a dozen heads of state and government Wednesday through Friday in New York.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Richard Connor, lead author of report, told AFP that the impact of the \"world water crisis\" will be a \"matter of scenarios.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If nothing is done, it will be a business-as-usual scenario -- it will keep on being between 40 percent and 50 percent of the population of the world that does not have access to sanitation and roughly 20-25 percent of the world will not have access to safe water supply.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the global population increasing every day, \"in absolute numbers, there\'ll be more and more people that don\'t have access to these services,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the UN conference, governments and actors in the public and private sectors are invited to present proposals for a so-called water action agenda to reverse that trend and help meet the development goal, set in 2015, of ensuring \"access to water and sanitation for all by 2030.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The last conference at this high level on the issue, which lacks a global treaty or a dedicated UN agency, was held in 1977 in Mar del Plata, Argentina.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some observers have already voiced concerns about the scope of these commitments and the availability of funding to implement them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There is much to do and time is not on our side,\" said Gilbert Houngbo, chair of UN-Water, a forum for coordinating work on the topic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The report, published by UN-Water and UNESCO, warns that \"scarcity is becoming endemic\" due to overconsumption and pollution, while global warming will increase seasonal water shortages in both areas with abundant water as well as those already strained.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Now or never\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"About 10% of the world\'s population lives in a country where water stress has reached a high or critical level,\" the report says.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the most recent UN climate report, published Monday by the IPCC expert panel, \"roughly half of the world\'s population currently experience severe water scarcity for at least part of the year.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those shortages have the most significant impact on the poor, Connor told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"No matter where you are, if you are rich enough, you will manage to get water,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The report notes the particular impact of existing water supplies becoming contaminated due to underperforming or nonexistent sanitation systems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"At least 2 billion people (globally) use a drinking water source contaminated with feces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio,\" it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That high number does not even take into account pollution from pharmaceuticals, chemicals, pesticides, microplastics and nanomaterials.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To ensure access to safe drinking water for all by 2030, current levels of investment would have to be tripled, the report says.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Freshwater ecosystems -- which in addition to water, provide life-sustaining economic resources and help combat global warming -- \"are among the most threatened in the world,\" the report warns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have to act now because water insecurity is undermining food security, health security, energy security or urban development and societal issues,\" Henk Ovink, the Dutch special envoy for water, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s now or never as we say -- a once in a generation opportunity.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 03:31:01', '2023-03-22 03:31:01'),
(5927, 5927, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Tuesday it has reached agreement with Ukrainian authorities on a loan package worth around $15.6 billion, to support the conflict-hit country\'s economic recovery.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The European country has been locked in a deadly war with Russian troops since they invaded the country in February last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In addition to the horrific humanitarian toll, Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine continues to have a devastating impact on the economy,\" IMF Ukraine mission chief Gavin Gray said, according to the statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The four-year plan, which is subject to approval from the IMF board, would support Ukraine\'s \"ongoing gradual economic recovery, while promoting long-term growth in the context of post-war reconstruction,\" and the country\'s path to European Union accession, the statement said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s economic activity contracted by 30 percent last year, while poverty rose and much of the capital stock was destroyed, Gray said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The IMF predicts Ukraine economy will slowly recover over the coming quarters, \"as activity recovers from the severe damage to critical infrastructure,\" wrought by the war, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But \"acute macroeconomic challenges persist due to the scale of the shock and the expansion of the fiscal deficit,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The board is expected to consider the bailout in the coming weeks, according to the IMF. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 03:34:21', '2023-03-22 03:34:21'),
(5928, 5928, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Google on Tuesday invited people in the United States and Britain to test its AI chatbot, known as Bard, as it continues on its gradual path to catch up with Microsoft-backed ChatGPT.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bard, ChatGPT and other similar artificial intelligence apps churn out essays, poems or computing code on command and have taken the world by storm as the biggest new thing in tech since the advent of the iPhone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Google CEO Sundar Pichai told staff that after testing Bard with 80,000 Google employees, the chatbot would be tested with the public in the United States and Britain as a \"first step\" before going out to more countries in other languages.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As more people start to use Bard and test its capabilities, they\'ll surprise us,\" Pichai said in a memo to staff seen by AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Things will go wrong. But the user feedback is critical to improving the product and the underlying technology,\" added Pichai, who had faced some criticism within the company for rushing to catch up with Microsoft.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the launch, people wishing to play with Bard can sign up on a waiting list at bard.google.com website, distinctly separate from the tech giant\'s search engine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'ve learned a lot so far by testing Bard, and the next critical step in improving it is to get feedback from more people,\" Google vice presidents Sissie Hsiao and Eli Collins said in a blog post.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As exciting as chatbots can be, they have their faults, Hsiao and Collins cautioned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Constantly learning\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Google has so far proceeded more carefully in its rollout of generative AI to consumers, in contrast to Microsoft\'s choice to swiftly make the products available despite reports of problems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">ChatGPT\'s OpenAI is backed by Microsoft, which earlier this year said it would finance the research company to the tune of billions of dollars.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked by AFP how its product was different from ChatGPT, Bard said that unlike its Microsoft-backed rival it was \"able to access and process information from the real world through Google Search and keep my response consistent with search results.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bot also underlined that it was still \"under development, while ChatGPT has been released to the public. This means that I am constantly learning and improving, while ChatGPT is likely to remain relatively unchanged.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">OpenAI recently released a long-awaited update of its AI technology that it said would be safer and more accurate than its predecessor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Much of the new model\'s firepower, known as GPT-4, is now available to the general public via ChatGPT Plus, OpenAI\'s paid subscription plan and on an AI-powered version of Microsoft\'s Bing search engine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Microsoft has said that its quick adoption of generative AI has seen usage of its Bing search engine increase in recent weeks, but it is still a clear underdog to Google, which captures about 85 percent of the global search engine market. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"18\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 03:37:21', '2023-03-22 03:37:21'),
(5929, 5929, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates will make a triumphant return in their homeland on Thursday when they play their first match since winning the World Cup in Qatar.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 1.5 million fans applied for 63,000 available tickets for the match against Central American minnows Panama at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Football-mad Argentines were out in even larger numbers following the Albiceleste\'s dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over France in December. An estimated five million people thronged the streets of Buenos Aires a few days later for the trophy parade.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Such was the multitude that the parade had to be abandoned long before it reached central Buenos Aires as it was already hours behind schedule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi had been widely expected to retire from international football after the final in Doha, in which he scored two goals and a shoot-out spot-kick, but the Paris Saint-Germain forward said he wanted to carry on a bit longer so he could wear the blue and white Argentina jersey as a world champion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He is in good shape, he wants to keep coming. When he tells me that he doesn\'t feel good, we\'ll see,\" coach Lionel Scaloni said on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"At the moment he is happy with the national team.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The expectation was slightly soured earlier this month when two men fired shots at a closed supermarket belonging to the family of Messi\'s wife, before leaving a menacing message aimed at the seven-time Ballon d\'Or winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Messi, we\'re waiting for you. Javkin is a narco, he won\'t take care of you,\" said the handwritten message left on the ground, in reference to Pablo Javkin, the mayor of Messi\'s hometown Rosario, around 320 kilometers north of Buenos Aires.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi, though, has taken it all in his stride, as his father pointed out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I spoke to the kid and he told me: \'relax\',\" Jorge Messi told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the mayor of Rosario, it was more of a publicity stunt than a genuine threat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"What story goes more quickly viral in the world than an attack on Messi?\" said Javkin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While it may not directly affect Messi, the incident did highlight a growing problem in the 35-year-old\'s home town.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rosario is a port city on the Parana river that has gradually become a nerve center for drug trafficking and the most violent city in Argentina, with 287 murders in 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Everyone will want to beat us\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A party atmosphere is expected in Buenos Aires for the team\'s competitive homecoming.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With 20,000 places in the 83,000-capacity stadium reserved for invitees, the remaining tickets were snapped up within two hours of going on sale.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cheapest cost 12,000 pesos ($60) up to 49,000 pesos ($245), which is more than half the average monthly salary in the South American country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Argentine football federation president Claudio Tapia said the body had received more than 130,000 requests for media accreditation, in a stadium that has capacity for just 344 journalists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We would love to be able to accommodate everyone, but we would need two ... stadiums, just for journalists. The madness for Argentina is total,\" said Tapia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those not lucky enough to get inside the stadium will at least be able to watch the match for free on television after the government decided to broadcast it freely.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scaloni promised them is that the team would not rest on their laurels, regardless of the occasion or opponents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The aim is to keep playing at the same level,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Now, it will be harder than ever because everyone will want to beat us.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After Thursday\'s match, Argentina will play the island of Curacao on Match 28 in Santiago del Estero. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 03:55:28', '2023-03-22 03:55:28'),
(5930, 5930, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Gas supply will remain suspended for 8 hours — from 2 pm to 10 pm — today (March 22, 2023) for all consumers in several Dhaka areas due to emergency work of pipelines.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The areas include Minto Road, Eskaton, Pirbagh, Habibullah Road, Karwan Bazar, Old Elephant Road and areas adjacent to PG Hospital, Paribagh BPDB quarters, Birdem Hospital, Dhaka Club, Holy Family Hospital, Dhaka University and Buet, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In another notice, Titas said that gas supply will remain off on both sides of the Saoghat- Araihazar road in Narayanganj from 8 am to 5 pm for emergency pipe tie-in work today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regretting for the temporary inconveniences, Titas Gas authorities said the consumers in adjacent areas may experience low pressure in gas supply. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 04:14:29', '2023-03-22 04:14:29'),
(5931, 5931, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has underscored the urgent need for unity and concerted efforts from the international community to resolve the Rohingya crisis, in the true spirit of responsibility and burden sharing.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He urged the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, Noeleen Heyzer, to enhance her engagements with Myanmar authorities as well as other stakeholders to improve the conditions in Rakhine so that the Rohingyas can return to their homes without delay.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen particularly emphasized on addressing root causes of the crisis which lie in Myanmar.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister had a bilateral meeting with the special envoy at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN in New York on March 21.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly and the Security Council on Myanmar, Momen called upon the special envoy to continue taking a multi-pronged approach and remain engaged with all global and regional actors including ASEAN leadership, with a view to fostering lasting peace in Myanmar.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He highlighted the various humanitarian initiatives and skills development programmes undertaken by the government of Bangladesh at the temporary shelter of Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhashan Char, including the introduction of Myanmar curriculum-based education in those camps.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen urged the special envoy to mobilize adequate funding from the international community to provide for the Rohingyas especially in meeting their most urgent needs, such as food and shelter.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If given opportunities, the Rohingya people can be important members of Myanmar society and contribute to their socio-economic prosperity,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen acknowledged with deep appreciation the important mandate and role of the special envoy and assured her of Bangladesh’s full support.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In return, the special envoy reassured the foreign minister to work closely with Bangladesh in securing a lasting solution to the Rohingya crisis, according to the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, Momen met with King Willem-Alexander of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan at a high-level working dinner hosted by Netherlands and Tajikistan as the co-hosts of the Water Conference.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York from March 22 to 24. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 04:42:20', '2023-03-22 04:42:20'),
(5932, 5932, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said he had held \"productive talks\" with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his visit to Kyiv.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our talks with Mr. Kishida were quite productive,\" Zelensky said in his evening address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I also heard a very concrete willingness of Japan to work together with us to even more actively mobilise the world for international order, to protect against aggression, to protect against Russian terror,\" he said. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 05:49:44', '2023-03-22 05:49:44'),
(5933, 5933, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today handed over 39365 more houses to homeless people ahead of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr as part of her government\'s aim to ensure housing for all landless persons.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier handed over the houses in the fourth phase of Ashrayan-2 project through a programme virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, 63,999 houses were distributed to the landless and homeless people in the first phase, 53,330 in the second phase and 59,133 in the third phase.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the distribution of 39365 more houses, its total number stood at 2,15,827 under the Ashrayan-2 project.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister also declared seven districts and 159 upazilas as homeless and landless free areas, raising the total number of homeless-landless free districts to nine and upazilas to 211.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, she declared Panchagarh and Magura as homeless-landless free districts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM\'s Principal Secretary Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the function.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A video-documentary on the changed life style of the house recipients was screened at the function.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the project, the landless and homeless people get good quality tin-shed semi-pucca houses on two decimals of land.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier, as well, exchanged views with the beneficiaries of Nayapara Ashrayan project under Sreepur upazila in Gazipur district, Noagaon Ashrayan project under Gowainghat upazila in Sylhet and Uttarpar Ashrayan project under Banaripara in Barishal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ownership of land is given to both husband and wife and land registration and mutation are also given after their names.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government is not only building houses of the project on khas land rather lands are being bought from the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust to build houses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman introduced the rehabilitation programme for homeless people in 1972.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Following the footprints of Bangabandhu, her daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took the initiative to provide ownership of houses and lands to homeless and landless people through the Ashrayan Project in 1997.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the Ashrayan project, a total of 7,71,301 families have been rehabilitated so far since 1997. The number of rehabilitated people is 38,56,505 (estimated as five persons in a family).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ashrayan Project of the PMO has already rehabilitated 5,54,597 families directly while 2,16,704 families were rehabilitated under different programmes of concerned government offices, including Land Ministry and Disaster Management and Relief Ministry. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 05:51:48', '2023-03-22 05:51:48'),
(5934, 5934, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh and Bhutan today signed an agreement on the movement of traffic in transit.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi signed the agreement on behalf of the government of Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This landmark agreement is expected to facilitate trade and commerce between the two countries for shared prosperity, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 05:58:57', '2023-03-22 05:58:57');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5935, 5935, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 12 people were killed in Afghanistan and Pakistan by a strong earthquake felt across thousands of kilometres, but the region appeared Wednesday to have dodged the mass casualties usually associated with a tremor of such scale.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.5 quake was centred near Jurm in northeastern Afghanistan, but the depth of 187 kilometres (116 miles) mitigated extensive damage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quake, which struck around 09:30 pm (1700 GMT) Kabul time on Tuesday and lasted more than 30 seconds, was felt from central Asia to New Delhi in India -- more than 2,000 km away.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It was a powerful earthquake and we feared maximum damage due to the intensity -- that\'s why we issued an alert,\" Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for Pakistan\'s emergency Rescue 1122 service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But fortunately our fears proved wrong. Residents panicked due to the magnitude of the earthquake, but the damage was minimal.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The region is frequently hit by quakes -- especially in the Hindu Kush mountain range, which lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Stayed awake\' all night -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Jurm district, near the epicentre, a resident of one village reported no casualties despite the location.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are about 2,000 to 3,000 people in our village and we all spent the night outside under the sky,\" said Inamullah, reached by phone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We were all scared and stayed awake the entire night.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Panicked residents of cities and towns in Afghanistan and Pakistan also fled their homes to seek safety away from buildings -- with many too scared to return.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We stayed the night in our courtyard... it was cold outside, but we preferred to stay out rather than go back,\" 24-year-old student Neda Raihan told AFP in Kabul.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khudadad Heights, a vast multi-storey residential block in the Pakistan capital, was evacuated after huge cracks appeared in the building.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over 55,000 people were killed by an earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and parts of Syria last month, heightening fears across the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The children started shouting that there is an earthquake. We all ran out. The horrors of the earthquake in Turkey and neighbouring countries had a strong effect on our nerves,\" said Ikhlaq Kazmi, a retired professor in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, north of the Pakistan capital, said nine people had been killed in the quake, including two women and two children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- High alert -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Afghanistan, officials reported three dead and 44 injured -- but phone and internet links to remote parts of the country had been severed and communication patchy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said health centres across the country had been put on high alert.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Afghan capital Kabul, shopkeeper Noor Mohammad Hanifi set up tents in the street for his family to spend the night in.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Nobody dares to go inside their homes,\" Hanifi told AFP as his family, cloaked in blankets, took shelter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Afghanistan, many families were out of their homes celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year, when the quake struck.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I heard people screaming and yelling as they came out in the streets,\" said Masieh, who was outside with his family when the tremor hit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s possible that there could be another tremor so I\'m still waiting outside.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those indoors also quickly left their houses and apartments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They just fled without wearing shoes, just carrying their children in their hands,\" an AFP correspondent said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan\'s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered the National Disaster Management Authority to be ready to deal with any emergency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last June more than 1,000 people were killed and tens of thousands made homeless after a 5.9-magnitude quake -- the deadliest in Afghanistan in nearly a quarter of a century -- struck the impoverished province of Paktika.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Afghanistan is in the grips of a humanitarian disaster made worse by the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">International development funding on which the South Asian country relied dried up after the takeover and assets held abroad were frozen. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 06:11:50', '2023-03-22 06:11:50'),
(5936, 5936, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government of Japan has made a decision to allocate $470 million for non-repayable aid to Ukraine, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters on Wednesday after a visit to Kiev.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We will donate Ukraine $470 million as non-repayable aid for power generation and other sectors,\" the Nikkei newspaper quoted the minister as sayng.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, Kishida announced that his country would allocate $30 million for supplies of non-lethal weapons to the Kiev government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Japanese prime minister travelled to Kiev on Tuesday, becoming the last G7 leader to visit Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year, Japan holds the rotating presidency in the Group of Seven and will host the organization\'s summit in May. Kishida invited Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to participate in the summit via a video linkup. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 06:47:44', '2023-03-22 06:47:44'),
(5937, 5937, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Despite Bangladesh Bank’s initiatives to promote good governance in the banking sector, 17 banks have recently violated their loan disbursement limits, and are now embroiled in a severe liquidity crisis.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Having been over-aggressive in providing loans, they are now unable to recover the loans and attract new deposits as desired, according to a latest internal report of the central bank seen by UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The banks should not sanction any new loans until they restore the ratio of their loans to deposits in accordance with limits set by Bangladesh Bank, which regulates the financial sector.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Conventional banks can provide loans of up to Tk 87 for every Tk 100 in deposits, while Shariah-based banks can give loans of up to Tk 92 against every Tk 100 in deposits, according to the rules of Bangladesh Bank. This is called Advance Deposit Ratio (ADR) or loan-deposit ratio limit in banking terms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the central bank report covering January 1-26 of this year, 17 banks violated the limits set for them on lending order due to lack of discipline. As a result, the concerned banks have been plunged into an extreme liquidity crisis, making it difficult for them to sanction new loans. Some of them are even unable to pay depositors in some cases.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also Read: Prime Bank receives $50m from IFC to support trade, forex liquidity needs in Bangladesh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Experts fear that the existing situation has created additional risks for depositors. According to them, irregularities, corruption and ‘ghost loans’ - loans to firms that turn out to be non-existent -are behind the collapse of the banking system’s loan disbursement process.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“In the banking sector, there have been allegations of giving large amounts of ghost loans in recent times. If this continues, the sector will be at risk,” said Dr ABM Mirza Azizul Islam, economist and adviser on finance to the last caretaker government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mirza Azizul told UNB, \"Lending beyond the limit against deposits disrupts the credit system.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, the debt collection situation of the banks is not satisfactory now. In such a situation, if the non-performing loans increase further with additional loans, then there is a danger for the bank and its depositors will suffer, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He suggested the intervention of the central bank in these banks immediately.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the Bangladesh Bank report, the ADR of National Bank Ltd stood at 98.23 while that of AB Bank was 96.64 in its conventional stream and 103.45 in its Shariah stream.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State-owned Basic Bank’s ADR stood at 91.17, One Bank’s was 89, and multinational National Bank of Pakistan’s was 87.52. Widespread irregularities and corruption have already been reported in these banks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from this, Community Bank\'s ADR was 88.28, NRB Bank’s at 88.05 and IFIC Bank\'s ADR was 87.48, the report states.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shariah-based Exim Bank\'s ADR stood at 100.28, Standard Bank\'s at 96.28, Premier Bank\'s Islamic Window 155.09 and Bangladesh Commerce Bank\'s Islamic Window\'s ADR was 133.26.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from this, the ADRs of five other Shariah-based banks ranged between 93.01 to 104.54.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A managing director (MD) of a private bank told UNB that the lending limit has undoubtedly been set by Bangladesh Bank based on adequate research and global best practices. No bank should have to cross the limit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“These violations are creating risk in the banking sector. Depositors in particular will be at greater risk. Already some banks and non-bank financial institutions are not able to return money to depositors,” he said, maintaining anonymity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The central bank has also extended the period of ADR adjustment five times to allow the banks to bring their lending practices in line with the limits.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, many banks could not coordinate this. In such a situation, Bangladesh Bank even increased the required ADR to improve the overall liquidity situation of the banking sector to maintain the pace in credit flow to the private sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The executive director and spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank, Md Mezbaul Haque, told UNB that although some banks may at times find themselves in violation of the ADR set for them, the central bank would under normal circumstances give them time to get themselves back within the limit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“But if they stay outside the limit for long, then they must be warned and action would be taken accordingly,” Mezbaul said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 07:16:38', '2023-03-22 07:16:38'),
(5938, 5938, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Actor Radha Nair shared a memory from the sets of Kamal Haasan’s Tamil film Tik Tik Tik. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, she recalled the time on the set when she along with her co-stars Swapna and Madhavi wore bikinis. She said that back then it would have felt like part of the job. However, as the actor recalled the moment, she felt it took a lot of strength and struggle.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Directed by Bharathiraja, Tik Tik Tik was a crime thriller which released in 1981. It was one of the first Tamil films to feature a bikini scene. In her post, Radha showered praises on co-star Madhavi for donning a bikini effortlessly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sharing a still from the film, Radha tweeted, “This is one of my favourite memory from the days of shoot for movie tik tik tik. Back then it might have looked part of job but now if I look back I admire the struggle and strength we have put in to look so, and special admiration goes to Madhavi who has that effortless look on her face along with right posture.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also added, \"Hats off to her to be able to work on attitude along with her body. Some memories if remembered now has many unspoken thoughts which I am sharing here today. And I am glad we were in right hands then for these beautiful outfits on us by our designer Vani Ganapathy.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tik Tik Tik was remade in Hindi as Karishmaa (1984) also starring Kamal Haasan. The Hindi remake was directed by IV Sasi and also stars Reena Roy, Tina Munim, Danny Denzongpa, Swaroop Sampat, Jagdeep, and Sarika among others.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Radha made her acting debut with the 1981 Tamil film Alaigal Oivathillai, which was a hit. In the same year, she worked alongside Kamal Haasan in Tik Tik Tik and subsequently in other films such as Thoongadhey Thambi Thoongadhey, Oru Kaidhiyin Diary, Japanil Kalyanaraman, and Kadhal Parisu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Having predominantly worked in Tamil films, Radha also acted in other languages such as Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Her last on-screen appearance was in the 1991 Tamil film Shanti Enathu Shanti.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Radha stopped acting after she got married to a hotelier in 1991. She has two daughters and a son. Both her daughters – Karthika and Thulasi – briefly worked in a few films. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 07:51:50', '2023-03-22 07:51:50'),
(5939, 5939, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">China has approved its first locally developed messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine against Covid-19, its manufacturer said Wednesday, months after the relaxation of strict Covid-zero regulations sparked a surge in cases.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The vaccine, developed by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd, has been approved for \"emergency use\" by Beijing\'s health regulator, the company said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It showed high efficacy in a trial in which it was used as a booster shot for people who have been given other types of vaccines, the company added, without offering further details.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">mRNA vaccines are considered among the most effective in reducing severe infections and deaths.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While traditional vaccines use a weakened or inactivated germ to prepare the body for a future attack from the real virus, mRNA deploys snippets of genetic material that carry instructions showing the body\'s cells how to produce a protein -- in this case, the spike protein on the coronavirus that causes Covid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The body\'s immune system then triggers antibodies to fight off that spike protein, making it ready for when the real coronavirus comes knocking.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beijing has refused to greenlight mRNA-based vaccines from foreign firms Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for public use.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Its vaccination shortfall was widely believed to have led to more severe infections and deaths after lockdowns and mandatory quarantine rules were suddenly dropped in December.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other Chinese drugmakers including CanSino have previously said they were developing mRNA-based shots to help the country bridge its immunisation gap. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 08:33:43', '2023-03-22 08:33:43'),
(5940, 5940, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Railway will start selling advance train tickets on April 7 for Eid-ul-Fitr, said Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan on Wednesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Nine pairs of special trains will run on different routes to ease journey of home-bound people during Eid, he said at a press briefing at the Rail Bhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>Advance train tickets for April, 17, 18,19,20,21 will be available on April 7, 8,9,10, and 11 respectively while the selling of return tickets will begin from April 15, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the nine pairs of special trains—Chattogram Eid Special 1 and 3 will run on Chattogram-Chandpur-Chattogram route and Chandpur Edi special-2 and 4 and Dewanganj Eid Special-5 will run on Chandpur-Chattogram-Chandpur route, Dewanganj Eid Special 5 and 6 will run on Dhaka-Dewanganj-Dhaka route, Mymensingh Eid Special-7 and Mymensingh Eid Special-8 will run on Chattogram-Mymensingh-Chattogram route, Eid special 9 and 10 will run on Sylhet-Chandpur-Sylhet route.</div><div><br></div><div>All the trains will be available four days before the Eid-ul-Fitr and five days after Eid.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Sholakia Eid Special 11 and 12 will run on Bhairab Bazar-Kishoreganj-Bhairab Bazar route and Sholakia Eid Special 13-14 will run on Mymensingh-Kishoreganj-Mymensingh route on Eid day. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 09:25:34', '2023-03-22 09:25:34'),
(5941, 5941, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russia launched exploding drones that killed at least four people at a student dormitory near Kyiv before dawn Wednesday, just hours after Japan\'s prime minister left the Ukrainian capital following a show of support for the country. The same day, Chinese leader Xi Jinping left Moscow after discussing his proposal for ending the war, which has been rejected by the West as a non-starter.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A high school and two dormitories were partially destroyed in an overnight drone attack in the city of Rzhyshchiv, south of the Ukrainian capital, local officials said. It wasn\'t clear how many people were in the dormitories at the time.</div><div><br></div><div>The body of a 40-year-old man was pulled from the rubble on a dormitory\'s fifth floor, according to regional police chief Andrii Nebytov.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 20 people were hospitalized, Nebytov said, and a few others were unaccounted for.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian air defenses downed 16 of the 21 drones launched by Russia, the Ukraine General Staff said. Eight of them were shot down near the capital, according to the city\'s military administration. Other drone attacks struck central-western Khmelnytskyi province.</div><div><br></div><div>The drone barrage and other Russian overnight attacks that struck civilian infrastructure drew a scathing response from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a day after Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed China\'s proposals for negotiating an end to the war.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Over 20 Iranian murderous drones, plus missiles, numerous shelling occasions, and that\'s just in one last night of Russian terror,\" Zelenskyy wrote in English on Twitter.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Every time someone tries to hear the word \'peace\' in Moscow, another order is given there for such criminal strikes,\" he wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is the current chair of the Group of Seven countries, made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday, throwing his support behind Zelenskyy\'s government as his Asian rival Xi sided with Putin.</div><div><br></div><div>After returning to Poland Wednesday morning, Kishida said he had expressed the \"unwavering determination of solidarity\" of Japan and G-7 to Ukraine during his talks with Zelenskyy.</div><div><br></div><div>Kishida\'s visit to Ukraine was \"very meaningful\" for Japan\'s future support for that country, Japan\'s top government spokesman said Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Through Prime Minister Kishida\'s visit to Ukraine, Japan was able to show not only to other members of the G-7 but also the international society including the Global South (nations) its determination to defend the rules-based international society,\" Hirokazu Matsuno said.</div><div><br></div><div>Kishida\'s visit snatched away some of the attention from Xi\'s trip to Moscow where he promoted Beijing\'s peace proposal for Ukraine, which Western nations had already dismissed as a way to consolidate Moscow\'s gains. Xi left Moscow early Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The visits by Xi and Kishida, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) apart, highlighted how countries are lining up behind Moscow or Kyiv during the nearly 13-month-old war.</div><div><br></div><div>In a joint statement, Russia and China emphasized the need to \"respect legitimate security concerns of all countries\" to settle the conflict, echoing Moscow\'s argument that it sent in troops to prevent the U.S. and its NATO allies from turning the country into an anti-Russian bulwark.</div><div><br></div><div>Kishida, by contrast, called Russia\'s invasion a \"disgrace that undermines the foundations of the international legal order\" and pledged to \"continue to support Ukraine until peace is back on the beautiful Ukrainian lands.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine\'s finance ministry said Wednesday said it has agreed with the International Monetary Fund on a $15.6 billion loan package aimed at shoring up Kyiv\'s finances. Russia\'s invasion has crippled the economy, and Ukrainian officials hope the IMF deal will encourage their allies to provide financial support, too. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 11:03:54', '2023-03-22 11:03:54'),
(5942, 5942, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday (March 22, 2023) stressed the need for preparing a roadmap aimed at making Bangladesh an aviation hub in the region.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Reaping on the dividend of our geo-strategic advantage, we should create a roadmap as to how we can make our country an aviation hub,” she said in a video statement aired in the inaugural session of the first edition of Aviation Summit in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, in collaboration with the UK and France, organised the Bangladesh Aviation Summit-2023 at a city hotel here.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina said this summit is very significant for Bangladesh in the context of the South Asian nation’s aspiration to become an aviation hub in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>She said just after achieving the membership of ICAO in 1973, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman undertook measures to turn Bangladesh into an ‘Aviation Hub’ to connect the East and the West, capitalizing the advantage of our geographical location.</div><div><br></div><div>After the assassination of the Father of the Nation in 1975, the move came to a halt, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have undertaken several measures to support the development of an aviation hub. During the last one decade, we implemented a host of projects to upgrade our airports, airport security and ground handling,” said the prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, a number of projects are running which include HSIA Expansion Project (Phase-I), Construction of General Aviation Hangar, Hangar Apron and Apron at North side of Fire Station at HSIA; Strengthening of Existing Runway and Taxiway at Shah Amanat International Airport, Chattogram; Development of Cox’s Bazar Airport (Phase-I), Cox’s Bazar Airport Runway Extension Project; Strengthening of Existing Runway and Taxiway at Osmani International Airport, Sylhet; and Enhancement of Capacity of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on Public Security at HSIA, she noted.</div><div><br></div><div>The third terminal being constructed under HSIA Expansion Project (Phase-I), will create handling capacity of additional 12 million passengers and 4 million ton cargos, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The transformation of our economy helped boost the travel opportunities for our people and open up new routes and markets for our airlines. When Bangladesh will turn into an Upper Middle Income Country by 2031 and a developed country by 2041, the aviation market will be further expanded,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>PM Hasina said as the economy of Bangladesh has grown, so has the importance of air cargo.</div><div><br></div><div>“The air cargo market of Bangladesh is rapidly growing at 8 percent per year – three times the world average. This underlines the strong demand for a dedicated national cargo operation in our country. With all of this in mind, there are areas where aviation actors need to do more,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM asked relevant government organisations, the airlines and other stakeholders to carry out their responsibility to create conducive environment for the development and sustaining market both for passengers and cargo.</div><div><br></div><div>“The government is going to introduce e-visa system which will also facilitate and expedite the flow of passengers visiting Bangladesh for business or tourism,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that the promising aviation industry requires skilled manpower, she said, “Our youth must have the opportunities to be trained to become pilots, aeronautics engineers, mechanics, crew members and much more.”</div><div><br></div><div>She hoped that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University, established by her government, would be able to cater the demand of skilled manpower in the country’s aviation and aerospace industry.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the aviation industry has to lead by example in tackling climate change and strive to meet SDGs. De-carbonation and sustainable aviation fuel are topics which will require investments, concrete actions and the support from developed aviation nations.</div><div><br></div><div>“The aviation partnership proposed by the UK and France, through Airbus, to support us in our journey is very crucial,” said the PM.</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister’s Private Industries and Investment Advisor Salman F Rahman and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md. Mahbub Ali were also present at the summit.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 14:36:59', '2023-03-22 14:36:59'),
(5943, 5943, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund have agreed on a $15.6 billion loan package aimed at shoring up government finances severely strained by Russia\'s invasion and at leveraging even more support by reassuring allies that Ukraine is pursuing strong economic policies.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s finance ministry said Wednesday that the program will “help to mobilize financing from Ukraine’s international partners, as well as to maintain macrofinancial stability and ensure the path to post-war reconstruction after Ukrainian victory in the war against the aggressor.”</div><div><br></div><div>The loan program will run for four years, with the first 12 to 18 months focusing on helping Ukraine close its massive budget deficit and alleviating pressure to finance spending through printing money at the central bank, the IMF said in a statement Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The remainder of the program will focus on supporting Ukraine\'s bid for European Union membership and post-war reconstruction.</div><div><br></div><div>The IMF deal is expected to leverage even more money for Ukraine since it provides evidence to potential donor governments, including in the Group of Seven democracies and the European Union, that Ukraine\'s government is following sound economic policies.</div><div><br></div><div>The agreement, which still needs approval from the IMF\'s executive board, “is expected to help mobilize large-scale concessional financing from Ukraine’s international donors and partners over the duration of the program,” Gavin Gray, the IMF\"s mission chief for Ukraine, said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>The IMF said that the Ukrainian authorities demonstrated their commitment to healthy economic policy and met all agreed upon goals during a preliminary consultation. The loan program goes beyond previous IMF practice by lending to a country that is at war, under new rules that permitted assistance under circumstances of “extremely high uncertainty.”</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine massively increased military spending while the economy shrank by around 30% in 2022, hitting tax revenues.</div><div><br></div><div>The result was a huge budget deficit that has been covered by outside financing from the U.S., the European Union and other allies. The external help has helped the country end its reliance on money printed by the central bank and loaned to the government, an emergency step considered necessary early in the war, but which could fuel inflation and destabilize the country\'s currency if prolonged.</div><div><br></div><div>Before the war, Ukraine had made progress in reforming its banking system and making government contracting more transparent. But Ukraine still ranked 122 out of 180 countries on Transparency International\'s corruption perceptions index. Its pre-war economy was characterized by political involvement from wealthy individuals known as oligarchs and by slow progress on improving the legal system perceived as too open to political influence.</div><div><br></div><div>The IMF, however, said after the preliminary consultations that the government has \"made progress in reforms to strengthen governance, anti-corruption and rule of law, and lay the foundations for post-war growth, although the agenda of reforms in these areas remains significant.” - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 15:20:33', '2023-03-22 15:20:33'),
(5944, 5944, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>At least 12 people have been killed and more than 200 injured after a powerful earthquake shook large parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The 6.5-magnitude quake damaged buildings, triggered landslides and sent people running into the streets.</div><div><br></div><div>It struck on Tuesday evening, centred in a mountainous region in Afghanistan\'s north-east near the border with Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>Tremors from the remote Jurm valley were felt as far as India.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It was a terrifying tremor. I had never felt such a tremor before in my life,\" Kabul resident Khatera told AFP news agency after rushing out of her fifth-storey apartment.</div><div><br></div><div>Nine of the confirmed deaths were reported in the valley region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>Three others were killed in Afghanistan, the country\'s health ministry spokesman said. A child was among those killed in the Laghman province near the country\'s border with Pakistan, AFP reported.</div><div><br></div><div>Many families had been out of their homes celebrating the Persian New Year or Norwuz when the quake hit.</div><div><br></div><div>But the damage found so far had been less than feared, emergency workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>However the remoteness and rugged terrain of affected areas is likely to slow relief and rescue work.</div><div><br></div><div>Many in the affected regions braved near-freezing temperatures to sleep outside after the quake - fearing aftershocks. Some had dashed out of their homes barefoot when they felt the shaking.</div><div><br></div><div>In the capital of Islamabad, a vast multi-storey residential block was evacuated after huge cracks appeared in the building.</div><div><br></div><div>Phone lines have been affected, and in Pakistan the highway in the worst-hit Swat area has been blocked by landslides.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked disaster agencies to take emergency measures to help people.</div><div><br></div><div>Tremors were felt over a 1,000-km area that spans India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.</div><div><br></div><div>Earthquakes are more likely in this region because it lies at the juncture of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. According to BBC reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 15:40:50', '2023-03-22 15:40:50'),
(5945, 5945, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A report issued on the eve of the first major U.N. conference on water in over 45 years says 26% of the world\'s population doesn\'t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lacks access to basic sanitation.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The UN World Water Development Report 2023, released Tuesday, painted a stark picture of the huge gap that needs to be filled to meet U.N. goals to ensure all people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.</div><div><br></div><div>Richard Connor, editor-in-chief of the report, told a news conference that the estimated cost of meeting the goals is between $600 billion and $1 trillion a year.</div><div><br></div><div>But equally important, Connor said, is forging partnerships with investors, financiers, governments and climate change communities to ensure that money is invested in ways to sustain the environment and provide potable water to the 2 billion people who don\'t have it and sanitation to the 3.6 million in need.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the report, water use has been increasing globally by roughly 1% per year over the last 40 years \"and is expected to grow at a similar rate through to 2050, driven by a combination of population growth, socio-economic development and changing consumption patterns.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Connor said that actual increase in demand is happening in developing countries and emerging economies where it is driven by industrial growth and especially the rapid increase in the population of cities. It is in these urban areas \"that you\'re having a real big increase in demand,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>With agriculture using 70% of all water globally, Connor said, irrigation for crops has to be more efficient — as it is in some countries that now use drip irrigation, which saves water. \"That allows water to be available to cities,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>As a result of climate change, the report said, \"seasonal water scarcity will increase in regions where it is currently abundant — such as Central Africa, East Asia and parts of South America — and worsen in regions where water is already in short supply, such as the Middle East and the Sahara in Africa.\"</div><div><br></div><div>On average, \"10% of the global population lives in countries with high or critical water stress\" — and up to 3.5 billion people live under conditions of water stress at least one month a year, said the report issued by UNESCO, the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.</div><div><br></div><div>Since 2000, floods in the tropics have quadrupled while floods in the north mid-latitudes have increased 2.5-fold, the report said. Trends in droughts are more difficult to establish, it said, \"although an increase in intensity or frequency of droughts and \'heat extremes\' can be expected in most regions as a direct result of climate change.\"</div><div><br></div><div>As for water pollution, Connor said, the biggest source of pollution is untreated wastewater.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Globally, 80% of wastewater is released to the environment without any treatment,\" he said, \"and in many developing countries it\'s pretty much 99%.\"</div><div><br></div><div>These and other issues including protecting aquatic ecosystems, improving management of water resources, increasing water reuse and promoting cooperation across borders on water use will be discussed during the three-day U.N. Water Conference co-chaired by King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Tajikistan\'s President Emomali Rahmon opening Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>There are 171 countries, including over 100 ministers, on the speakers list along with more than 20 organizations. The meeting will also include five \"interactive dialogues\" and dozens of side events. Source:&nbsp; UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 16:16:02', '2023-03-22 16:16:02'),
(5946, 5946, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Myanmar will accept the return of around 1,000 Rohingya refugees in a pilot repatriation programme, with a junta spokesman telling AFP Wednesday the resettlement would likely begin by mid-April.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"We will receive people back according to both countries\' agreement... About 1,000 people will be in (the) first batch,\" Zaw Min Tun told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 16:18:25', '2023-03-22 16:18:25'),
(5947, 5947, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>World Cup winner Mesut Ozil announced his retirement from football on Wednesday after an illustrious international career with Germany and club spells with Real Madrid and Arsenal.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The 34-year-old helped Germany to glory in Brazil in 2014 but bitterly quit the international scene after the Germans crashed out of the 2018 tournament in Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>\"After thoughtful consideration, I\'m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football,\" the attacking midfielder said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'ve had the privilege to be an international footballer for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it\'s become more and more clear that it\'s time to leave the big stage of football.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ozil, born in the German city of Gelsenkirchen but of Turkish descent, played on some of football\'s biggest stages but also became embroiled in international politics and accusations of racism.</div><div><br></div><div>When Germany were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup at the group stage, a wounded Ozil accused the German public of \"racist\" attacks.</div><div><br></div><div>His club career blossomed when his deft passing and vision helped secure his move from the Bundesliga to Jose Mourinho\'s Real Madrid side in 2010.</div><div><br></div><div>He soon led La Liga in assists while helping the Spanish club to their 32nd league title in 2012.</div><div><br></div><div>His big-money move to Arsenal in 2013 helped the London club end their FA Cup drought the following year.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2014, Ozil started the final as Germany beat Lionel Messi\'s Argentina 1-0 in the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro thanks to Mario Goetze\'s extra-time goal.</div><div><br></div><div>Ozil was repeatedly shortlisted for the Ballon d\'Or but the later stages of his career were troubled by disputes over playing time and his close personal friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.</div><div><br></div><div>Erdogan was the best man at Ozil\'s Istanbul wedding to former Miss Turkey and actress Amine in 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>But it was Ozil\'s decision to be pictured with Erdogan on the eve of Turkey\'s 2018 presidential election that caused particular controversy during that summer\'s World Cup.</div><div><br></div><div>Erdogan was then unleashing a sweeping political crackdown that followed a failed coup attempt against his government.</div><div><br></div><div>Ozil\'s picture with the Turkish leader was widely interpreted as his political endorsement of Erdogan in the 2018 election campaign.</div><div><br></div><div>He ended his international career before moving to Fenerbahce and most recently Istanbul Basaksehir. According to AFP reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-22 16:21:08', '2023-03-22 16:21:08'),
(5948, 5948, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un does not appear poised to carry out a nuclear test during U.S.-South Korea military exercises, but the United States is staying vigilant, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency said on Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. officials have warned for nearly a year that North Korea may resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017, a move that would be seen as a serious provocation by the United States, South Korea and Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and other officials warned of that possibility in May 2022 ahead of President Joe Biden\'s trip to Asia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I have been waiting for that as well,\" Lieutenant General Scott Berrier told reporters at DIA headquarters. \"There are a bunch of different factors that play into (Kim\'s) decision calculus on that. And there are a bunch of things that we watch in terms of indications and warning. Those two haven\'t aligned.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Berrier said Kim could have opted to time a nuclear test to coincide with the ongoing Freedom Shield drills by the U.S. and South Korean militaries. The 11-day exercise is set to conclude on Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It doesn\'t look like he\'s going to do that,\" Berrier said. “But he will uncork that at a time and place of his choosing, which is something we\'ll be watching for very, very carefully.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea has long been banned from nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches by the Security Council, which has strengthened sanctions on Pyongyang over the years to cut off funding for those programs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In recent years the 15-member body has been split on how to deal with North Korea. Although both Russia and China backed toughened sanctions after North Korea\'s last nuclear test, in May 2022 they vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more U.N. sanctions over North Korea\'s renewed ballistic missile launches. Reuters</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 02:20:10', '2023-03-23 02:20:10'),
(5949, 5949, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 on the Richter scale struck 51 km north-north west of Novobod, Tajikistan on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Navobod is a town in Tajikistan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The earthquake occurred at 01:37:44 (UTC 05:30) and hit Novobod, Tajikistan on Thursday, at a depth of 5.6 km, the USGS informed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The earthquake\'s epicentre was 39.452°N and 69.953°E, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No casualties have been reported yet. Further details awaited. (ANI)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 02:25:24', '2023-03-23 02:25:24');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5950, 5950, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A 17-year-old student shot and wounded two administrators at his Denver high school Wednesday as they searched him for weapons, a daily requirement because of the boy’s behavioral issues, authorities said.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The student fled and his vehicle was later found in a remote mountain area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Denver, but he remained at large. A shelter in place order was issued by authorities around the small town of Bailey, in Park County.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“He obviously is armed and dangerous and willing to use the weapon, as we’ve learned this morning,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock warned as law enforcement searched for the student, Austin Lyle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shooting occurred at a school shaken by frequent lockdowns and violence, including the killing of a classmate that prompted East High School students to march on the Colorado Capitol earlier this month. Parents who converged on the 2,500-student campus on Wednesday faulted officials for not doing enough to protect their children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I am sick of it,” said Jesse Haase, who planned to talk with her daughter about taking her out of classes for the rest of the school year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Amid the flurry of criticism over lax security, Denver school officials said after the shooting that they would once again put armed officers into the city’s public high schools.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shooting happened just before 10 a.m. in an office area as Lyle was undergoing a search as part of a “safety plan” that required him to be patted down daily, officials said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The gun used in the shooting was not immediately recovered, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the wounded administrators was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and the second remained in serious condition, said Heather Burke, a spokesperson for Denver Health hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hundreds of students on March 3 skipped class and marched in support of stricter gun laws following the death of Luis Garcia, 16, who was shot while sitting in a car near East High School.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were no school resource officers on campus at the time of Wednesday’s shooting, Thomas said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In June 2020, amid a summer of protests over racial injustice following the murder of George Floyd, Denver Public Schools became one of the districts around the US that decided to phase out its use of police officers in school buildings. That push was fueled by criticism that school resource officers disproportionately arrested Black students, sweeping them into the criminal justice system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After Wednesday’s shooting, two armed officers will be posted at East High School through the end of the school year, and other city high schools also will each get an officer, said Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a Wednesday letter to the city’s Board of Education, Marrero said his decision violated district’s policies but added he “can no longer stand on the sidelines.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I am the leader of this district who is charged with keeping our scholars and staff safe every day,” he wrote. The school board said it supported the decision.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gun violence at schools has become increasingly common in the U.S. with more than 1,300 shooting incidents recorded between 2000 and June 2022, according to government researchers. Those shootings killed 377 people and wounded 1,025, according to a database maintained by the researchers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Students from East High School had been scheduled to testify Wednesday afternoon before the Colorado Legislature on gun safety bills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This is the reality of being young in America: sitting through a shooting and waiting for information just hours before you’re scheduled to testify in support of gun safety bills,” said Gracie Taub, a 16-year-old East High School sophomore and volunteer with Students Demand Action in Colorado.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lyle transferred to East High School after being disciplined and removed from a high school in nearby Aurora last school year because of unspecified violations of school policies, said Cherry Creek School District spokesperson Lauren Snell.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Marrero said safety plans for students are enacted in response to “past educational and also behavioral experiences,” adding that it’s a common practice throughout Colorado’s public schools. Officials did not give further details on why Lyle was searched daily.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But daily pat downs are rare, said Franci Crepeau-Hobson, a University of Colorado Denver professor specializing in school violence prevention.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Clearly they were concerned,” said Crepeau-Hobson. “I can’t imagine they’d do that if there wasn’t a history of the kid carrying a weapon.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Safety plans often follow threatening or suicidal behavior from a student, said Christine Harms with the Colorado School Safety Resource Center.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">East High School, not far from downtown, was locked down as police investigated the shooting, and hundreds of parents lined up along a road outside the school.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some parents and students vented frustration over violence at the school as they surrounded the police chief. Thomas listened quietly, nodding and promising to engage with the school board.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the edge of the crowd, a man said the city’s school board members should be recalled for getting rid of police in school, telling a nearby officer “I just want you to be able to do your job.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In response to the shooting, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeated President Joe Biden’s called for stricter gun laws, including bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, and for Congress to “do something” on gun control.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wednesday was also the second anniversary of 10 people being shot and killed at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 03:21:24', '2023-03-23 03:21:24'),
(5951, 5951, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The UN nuclear agency\'s chief said Wednesday that the situation at Ukraine\'s Zaporizhzhia power plant \"remains perilous\" following a Russian missile strike this month that disconnected the plant from the grid.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Europe\'s largest nuclear power plant needs a reliable electricity supply to operate pumps that circulate water to cool reactors and pools holding nuclear fuel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since a Russian strike on March 9, the plant has relied on a single backup power line that remains \"disconnected and under repair\", according to Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Nuclear safety at the ZNPP remains in a precarious state,\" Grossi said in a statement on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The plant\'s lack of access to the grid and necessary repair work on its last emergency power line could cause a complete loss of power, making it reliant on diesel generators for the seventh time since Russia captured it a year ago, Grossi said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I once again call for a commitment from all sides to secure nuclear safety and security protection at the plant.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Emergency diesel generators had been activated to power the plant\'s safety systems, according to Ukrainian nuclear energy agency Energoatom, which has warned of the risk of an accident.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Without the electricity produced by these generators, the overheating of the reactor fuel could cause a nuclear accident, as in Japan\'s Fukushima in 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The plant was cut off from the Ukrainian power grid for 11 hours following the Russian strike. Both sides have accused the other of shelling in the vicinity of the plant since its occupation by Moscow\'s troops at the war\'s beginning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The strike came during a fresh wave of Russian attacks across Ukraine which killed at least nine people and led to power outages across the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed the situation at the plant with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We discussed how to find a more effective mechanism for the de-occupation of our nuclear plant,\" Zelensky told reporters on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Because the format in which we live, with all respect and gratitude for what Mr. Grossi is doing to resolve this situation, does not help the Zaporizhzhia station, no international institution is able to solve this issue.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 03:25:55', '2023-03-23 03:25:55'),
(5952, 5952, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark lending rate on Wednesday, as it sought to strike a balance between curbing high inflation and averting further upheaval in the commercial banking sector.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quarter-point increase, which was in line with expectations, lifted their interest rate target to between 4.75 and 5 percent at the end of a two-day policy meeting, the Fed said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) added that \"some additional policy firming may be appropriate\" to get to a stance that is sufficiently restrictive to bring inflation down.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The latest increase was the same size as the central bank\'s previous rate decision in February, and marks its ninth straight rate hike.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fed also updated its economic projections on Wednesday, slightly lowering its 2023 GDP growth projections 2023 to 0.4 percent from 0.5 percent in December.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Median projections for the Fed\'s benchmark rate at the end of this year were unchanged, while inflation expectations rose slightly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Bumpy ride\' to bring inflation down -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wednesday\'s decision underscores the Fed\'s determination to tackle inflation, which remains stubbornly above policymakers\' long-term annual target of two percent despite the sustained effort to lower price increases.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Getting inflation back down to two percent has a long way to go and is likely to be bumpy,\" Fed Chair Jerome Powell said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fed warned in its earlier rate announcement that the recent banking turmoil sparked by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) could impact the availability of credit for households and businesses, and \"weigh on economic activity, hiring, and inflation.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">SVB\'s excessive exposure to interest-rate risk left it vulnerable when the Fed began rapidly raising rates. The Californian lender was forced to realize losses on bonds it had intended to hold for a long time, which led concerned customers to rapidly pull their money from the bank, bringing about its collapse and striking fear into the financial markets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Banking stocks tumbled in the weeks that followed, leading to the collapse of two additional regional lenders and the merger under pressure between Credit Suisse and its regional rival UBS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In response, regulators introduced a series of policies designed to ensure that banks could access loans in a hurry if they needed, in order to avoid a repeat of the conditions that precipitated SVB\'s collapse.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Fed to consider toughening up regulation -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bank\'s management had \"failed badly,\" Powell told reporters after the rate announcement Wednesday, adding that the Fed would look into boosting the supervision and regulation of US banks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The impact of SVB\'s collapse on monetary policy was equivalent to \"another rate hike, or perhaps more than that,\" he said, suggesting it could aid the bank in its fight against inflation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he insisted that the US banking system remained \"sound and resilient\" overall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We will continue to closely monitor conditions in the banking system and are prepared to use all of our tools as needed to keep it safe and sound,\" he told reporters, adding that the Fed was \"committed to learning the lessons from this episode, and to work to prevent episodes from events like this from happening again.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Confusion over deposits weighs on markets -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A short distance from the Fed, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen caused confusion during a Senate hearing about the level of support US authorities were willing to extend to uninsured depositors -- those who hold more than $250,000 in a single bank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I have not considered or discussed anything having to do with blanket insurance, insurance, or guarantees of all deposits,\" Yellen told Senators on Capitol Hill.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her comments appeared to contradict Jerome Powell\'s comments during the Fed press conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Depositors should assume that their deposits are safe,\" he told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You\'ve seen that we have the tools to protect depositors when there\'s a threat of serious harm to the economy or to the financial system, and we\'re prepared to use those tools,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The S&amp;P 500 index ended the day down almost 1.7 percent following Powell and Yellen\'s comments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wednesday\'s announcement follows on the heels of the European Central Bank\'s decision last week to raise rates by 0.5 percentage points.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">ECB chief Christine Lagarde warned on Wednesday that the eurozone\'s monetary policymakers \"will still have ground to cover to make sure that inflation pressures are stamped out.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the recent banking turmoil could add to \"downside risks\" in the single currency area. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 04:10:05', '2023-03-23 04:10:05'),
(5953, 5953, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Canada\'s Bianca Andreescu won a first-round battle of former US Open champions, defeating Britain\'s Emma Raducanu 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Miami Open.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There was further bad news for Britain with two-time Miami winner Andy Murray crashing out in the first round after a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Serbia\'s Dusan Lajovic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Andreescu and Raducanu, both born near Toronto and both of whom won the US Open as teenagers, battled for 2.5 hours in an entertaining opening to the WTA and ATP combined tournament\'s main draw.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Andreescu, ranked 31st in the world, struck the ball with confidence and freedom as she dominated the first set, but Raducanu regrouped and fought back in the second.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2021 US Open winner went 5-3 up in the set after an epic game which she secured with her seventh break point and went on to force a third set.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Andreescu\'s power proved to be too much for the tiring Raducanu, who had shown promising signs of an upturn in form by reaching the last 16 at Indian Wells.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I thought it was a very good match from both sides. I think Emma played really well. I think the key for me was just sticking with it, fighting as much as I could,\" said Andreescu, who struck seven aces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Injury concern -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Canadian has a tough test in the next round, where she will face seventh seed Maria Sakkari of Greece.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the 20-year-old Raducanu, though, there was yet another injury concern with her reporting pain with her wrist.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s something I\'ve been managing for some time. I just need to review after this tournament really and figure out what my next steps are,\" she said, adding that she may get a fresh pair of eyes to look at the problem.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">World number one Iga Swiatek of Poland withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday citing a rib injury.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Murray has made a reasonably promising start to the year, reaching the final in Doha but he was well below-par as he crashed out to 76th ranked, 32-year-old Lajovic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Serb took his chances - winning 72 per cent of second-serve points and saved two of the three break points he faced, while converting all three opportunities on Murray\'s serve.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At 5-4 down in the second, Murray showed his grit to break Lajovic and raise hopes of a comeback but he was quickly broken back as he paid the price for some mis-timed strokes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Some days you don\'t hit the ball your best but my movement (also) wasn\'t quite there,\" said Murray who said he didn\'t see such a setback on the horizon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'ve been practising pretty well. It\'s a very different court, very bouncy and much faster than last week (in Indian Wells), very different to the practice courts and...I just struggled a bit,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Emilio Nava defeated John Isner in an all-American clash, the Californian triumphing 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4) playing positive, attacking tennis throughout.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 21-year-old Nava ranked 182nd was rewarded for his attacking approach against the 37-year-old Isner, and faces another American in the second round when he comes up against the top US player in the world, tenth-ranked Taylor Fritz.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another American Brandon Nakashima delighted the home crowd with his big-hitting approach delivering a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win against German Oscar Otte.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Italian Fabio Fognini crashed out to Germany\'s Jan-Lennard Struff, hurling his racket as he lost 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Italian Camila Giorgi needed three hours and 32 minutes to defeat Estonian Kaia Kanepi 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/4), tying for the longest WTA main-draw match of the season.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shelby Rogers beat fellow-American Sloane Stephens 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 eliminating the last US woman to win in Miami, in 2018.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rogers has won seven straight matches against her compatriots but faces a daunting task in the second round against world number two and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madison Brengle moved into the second round after Amanda Anisimova retired in the second set of their all-American encounter. Anisimova trailed 7-6 (7/5), 5-2 when she retired.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov claimed her first career main-draw victory at a WTA 1000 event by beating 17-year-old Czech Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sebov earns a chance to take on world number three Jessica Pegula in the second round. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 05:15:29', '2023-03-23 05:15:29'),
(5954, 5954, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Chinese military said it had tracked a US warship in the South China Sea on Thursday and \"warned it to leave\" waters claimed by Beijing.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea -- a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually -- despite an international court ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have overlapping claims in the sea, while the United States sends naval vessels through it to assert freedom of navigation in international waters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Southern Theater Command of China\'s People\'s Liberation Army (PLA) said the USS Milius, a guided missile destroyer, on Thursday entered waters around the Paracel Islands, which are also claimed by Vietnam.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PLA \"organised sea and air forces to track and monitor (the ship) in accordance with the law\" and \"warned it to leave\", spokesperson Tian Junli said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The vessel \"made an illegal incursion into Chinese territorial waters... without permission from the Chinese government, harming peace and stability\" in the region, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There was no immediate response from the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While asserting their claims in the South China Sea, Chinese authorities in recent years have built artificial islands including some with military facilities and runways.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regional nations have also accused Chinese vessels of harassing their fishing boats. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 05:19:20', '2023-03-23 05:19:20'),
(5955, 5955, '<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The price hike of daily essentials has put the people in Khulna district, especially low-income families, under pressure ahead of Ramadan, the holy month that will begin from Friday.</b><br></p><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prices of essential commodities including pulses, chickpea, puffed rice, flattened rice, edible oil, sugar, onion, garlic, potato, dates, fruits and other items used for iftar have already seen a rise, but some traders say the market is “normal” compared to the previous year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Low-income people are worried about meeting their daily needs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During a recent visit to markets in Khulna city, including Moilapota, Dakbungalow, New Market, Chitrali and Doulatpur areas, UNB’s correspondent noted sky-rocketing price of dates, an item generally consumed during iftar, is forcing many to buy in far less amount compared to previous years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One kg of Ambar dates is being sold at Tk 1500 while the price of one kg Ajwa dates is Tk 1000, Mariam dates is Tk 900, Sukkari dates is Tk 750, Medjool (big) dates is Tk 1300.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unripe dates are being sold at Tk 500 per kg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, one kg of green apple is being sold at Tk 320-350, Fuji apple Tk 260-300 per kg, pomegranate Tk 350-400 per kg, orange Tk 220 per kg and malta at 220 per kg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, five litres of edible oil is being sold at Tk 900, two litres of edible oil is being sold at Tk 370, one kg of local pulses is being sold at Tk 140, chickpeas Tk 85, sugar Tk 115, potato Tk 25, chickpea powder Tk 110, puffed rice half kg packets being sold at Tk 70, flattened rice Tk 60-65, onion Tk 35, and garlic Tk 100 per kg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mainul Islam, who works at a private company, said, “Prices of daily essentials are usually hiked before Ramadan begins, but this year the situation is unbearable. One kg of chicken is being sold at Tk 250 while beef at Tk 700. How can I meet the daily needs of my family with my salary that hasn’t gone up to match these prices?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prices of vegetables have also increased. None was below Tk 50-60 per kg, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mamun, a roadside vendor, said, “Every year, my family and I fast during Ramadan. This year, it’ll be difficult for us to have meat with rice.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, price of bananas — that are eaten during iftar and sehri — has also gone up. One dozen medium sized bananas are being sold at Tk 80-120 while large bananas are being sold at Tk 140-150 per dozen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Recently, the government asked deputy commissioners to monitor markets strictly during the month of Ramadan and take legal measures if necessary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked all to be vigilant against the hoarding of foods and the black-marketing of these commodities during the holy month. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 05:45:11', '2023-03-23 05:45:11'),
(5956, 5956, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality is in the \'unhealthy\' zone this morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With an air quality index (AQI) score of 137 at 8:56 am, Dhaka ranked eighth in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div><br></div><div>An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered \'unhealthy\', particularly for sensitive groups.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi and Thailand’s Chiang Mai occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 186, 180 and 164, respectively.</div><div><br></div><div>An AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be \'poor\', while a reading of 301 to 400 is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div><br></div><div>In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 05:51:28', '2023-03-23 05:51:28'),
(5957, 5957, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday handed over Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) to nine individuals and one institution in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the country.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The programme to distribute the highest civilian award was held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Freedom fighter Colonel Shamsul Alam (retired), Lieutenant AG Mohammad Khurshid (posthumous), martyred Khwaja Nizamuddin Bhuiyan, and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya received the award for their contributions to Bangladesh\'s independence and the Liberation War in 1971.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangla Academy winner Begum Nadira Jahan (Surma Zahid) and ICDDRB Acting Senior Director Dr Firdausi Qadri received the award for their contributions to research and training.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Late Mohammad Moinuddin Ahmed (Selim Al Deen) got the award for his contribution to literature.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pabitra Mohan Dey and ASM Raqibul Hasan received the honour for their contribution to culture and sports, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence has been awarded in the public service category.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh honours individuals and institutions with the award every year ahead of Independence Day that is celebrated on March 26. The award was intriduced in 1977. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 07:05:02', '2023-03-23 07:05:02'),
(5958, 5958, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the unprecedented development of Bangladesh has been possible due to unhindered democratic process since 2008.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“After being elected in 2008 election, there has been unhindered democratic process prevailing in the country. The development that is being witnessed right now has been possible for this,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said this in a programme organised to distribute Swadhinata Padak (Independence Award) to nine individuals and one institution in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The programme to give away the highest civilian award was held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina mentioned that after 1975 the democracy of the country was halted several times.</div><div><br></div><div>“The democratic process could not continue smoothly and there was no sustainable democratic process. As a result Bangladesh could not advance at its desired level,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She also raised question regarding the way of thinking of the rulers of that time (after 1975).</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said that the sacrifices of martyrs who laid down their lives for the country’s independence can’t go in vain.</div><div><br></div><div>“their blood and sacrifice can’t go in vain , we will not allow that, that is our promise and pledge,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>ICDDRB Senior Director Dr Firdausi Qadri expressed her feelings from among the award winners.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier urged all to work unitedly for establishing a developed and smart Bangladesh through implementing the long-term perspective plan that seeks to develop manpower skilled in science and technology.</div><div><br></div><div>“Bangladesh has witnessed desired development as the Awami League government has been working with a proper plan,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Describing great sacrifices required to achieve something great, she mentioned that the government is achieving successes one after another due to its sincere and well planned work for the cause of the country and its people.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to various conspiracies against the country like false accusation of corruption in Padma Bridge construction, the PM said, Bangladesh would move ahead overcoming all such hurdles.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned her government’s success in building Padma Bridge with the country’s own fund which proved that “Bangladesh too can” and “none can suppress Bangladesh”</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Hasina gave chronological history of country’s emergence as an independent state starting from the 1952 Language Movement to the War of liberation in 1971 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to the regimes of anti-liberation forces after 15th August tragedy in 1975, the PM said, democracy of the country was disrupted, while the illegal power grabbers distorted history of the victorious nation and the spirit of the War of Liberation.</div><div><br></div><div>Coming to power after long 21 years the Awami League began working to develop the country with the ideals and spirit of the independence war.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister noted that her government has been able to establish Bangladesh as a developing country in the golden jubilee year of independence in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Steps have also been taken to develop the children as skilled and efficient work force through science-and-technology-based education, she said, adding that the government is distributing free books, providing the students stipends and sub-stipends for their education.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said that poverty rate in the country has already come down to 20 percent from over 40 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>“The nation would get a good news on further reduction of poverty soon as the collection of information and data is progressing.”</div><div><br></div><div>Pointing out the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine war, Hasina said, her government is doing everything possible to mitigate the sufferings of the people even though the entire world is going through hardship.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to her government’s Delta Plan-2100, the PM said it has been formulated to establish smart Bangladesh overcoming the adverse impact of the climate change so that the new generations can live with dignity. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 10:54:01', '2023-03-23 10:54:01'),
(5959, 5959, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Ministry of Home Affairs and Bangladesh Mission in Dubai are working over the issues related to Rabiul Islam alias Arav Khan, a fugitive in the police officer murder case.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"He is under watch there,\" Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told reporters in the weekly briefing on Thursday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will extend required assistance if the Home Ministry seeks.</div><div><br></div><div>Rabiul Islam alias Arav Khan, a fugitive in the police officer murder case, has not been arrested in Dubai, said State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>“No, he has not been arrested….it’s an event that’s unfolding. You will know in time,” he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question.</div><div><br></div><div>The State Minister said all he can say that there is no scope for any Bangladeshi accused to stay free in a country if he is granted political asylum or for any reason he identifies himself.</div><div><br></div><div>Interpol has accepted Bangladesh police\'s request to issue a red notice against fugitive accused Rabiul Islam alias Arav Khan, owner of Arav Jewellers in Dubai.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Saturday (March 18) that efforts were underway to bring Arav Khan alias Rabiul Islam to the country through the international police agency Interpol.</div><div><br></div><div>A senior Detective Branch official on Thursday (March 16) said cricketer Shakib al Hasan and content creator Hero Alam who participated in the inauguration of Arav Jewellers in Dubai may be questioned for the sake of investigation. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 11:30:01', '2023-03-23 11:30:01'),
(5960, 5960, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Actor Afran Nisho is debuting in Bangla cinema with “Surongo”.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Shooting of “Surongo”, directed by Raihan Rafi, started in the first week of March. Toma Mirza will be seen opposite to Nisho in the film.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The initial work experience is always different,\" Nisho told UNB about his ongoing experience in the first film.</div><div><br></div><div>“Moreover, as it is a film learning many things before acting . The shooting took place in remote area of Sunamganj in Sylhet. Everyone is finding it tough to stay and eat. Nevertheless, the director of the film did not allow any of these impressions to display onscreen,\" reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is my first collaboration with Rafi. I always try to work comfortably with the director. That\'s why we had a lot of discussions and understanding. The audience will see the hard work on screen,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 11:49:34', '2023-03-23 11:49:34'),
(5961, 5961, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in prison on Thursday in a 2019 defamation case over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi\'s surname.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>A court in Surat of Gujarat found him guilty of the offence and handed down the punishment on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>However, he was granted bail and his sentence was suspended for 30 days to let him file an appeal against the decision.</div><div><br></div><div>The case was filed against Gandhi by BJP MLA and former Gujarat minister Purnesh Modi for saying \"How come all thieves have the common surname Modi?\"</div><div><br></div><div>The Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad Gandhi made the remarks while addressing a rally at Kolar in Karnataka ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Rahul indicated businessmen Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi who ‘fled the country swindling bank money.</div><div><br></div><div>In his first comment after the verdict, Mr Gandhi quoted Mahatma Gandhi, tweeting in Hindi, \"My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, non-violence the means to get it.\"</div><div><br></div><div>His sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted, \"Scared rulers are pulling out all stops to suppress the voice of @RahulGandhi ji. My brother has never been afraid, nor will he ever be. He will continue to speak the truth. Will continue to raise the voice of the people of the country. The power of truth and the love of crores of countrymen are with him.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Gandhi arrived in Surat earlier in the day for the verdict and was received by top leaders of the Congress\' Gujarat unit.</div><div><br></div><div>Supporters and members of the party turned out at various spots in the city as a show of strength and support for Gandhi, with posters extolling him as \'Sher-e-Hindustan\' (Lion of India) and placards declaring that the \"Congress will not bow before the dictatorship of the BJP\" on display.</div><div><br></div><div>Following the conviction, Gandhi earned a rare show of support from Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) boss Arvind Kejriwal, who tweeted he \"disagreed\" with the verdict.</div><div><br></div><div>\"A conspiracy is being hatched to eliminate non-BJP leaders and parties by prosecuting them. We have differences with the Congress, but it is not right to implicate Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case like this. It is the job of the public and the opposition to ask questions. We respect the court but disagree with the decision,\" he wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>The court of Chief Judicial Magistrate HH Varma had last week concluded hearing final arguments from both sides and kept the matter as CAV (case awaiting verdict) in four-year-old defamation case, Gandhi\'s lawyer Kirit Panwala said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Truth is put to test and is harassed, but truth alone prevails. Several false cases have been filed against Gandhi, but he will emerge from all these. We will get justice,\" said senior Congress leader and MLA Arjun Modhwadia on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>Rahul Gandhi had last appeared before the Surat court in the case in October 2021 to record his statement.</div><div><br></div><div>In his complaint, BJP MLA Purnesh Modi alleged that Mr Gandhi, while addressing the poll rally in 2019, defamed the entire Modi community.</div><div><br></div><div>Purnesh Modi was a minister in the first tenure of the Bhupendra Patel government. He was re-elected from the Surat West Assembly seat in the December elections.</div><div><br></div><div>Gandhi\'s lawyer has argued the court proceedings were \"flawed\" from the beginning. The lawyer also argued that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and not MLA Purnesh Modi, should have been the complainant in the case because the PM was the main target of Gandhi\'s speech, according to media reports.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 12:14:22', '2023-03-23 12:14:22');
