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');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5962, 5962, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The world celebrates World Meteorological Day on Mrach 23 to honor the founding of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on that date in 1950.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Theme of World Meteorological Day 2023</div><div>This day has a different theme each year, and the theme for 2023 is “The Future of Weather, Climate, and Water Across Generations”, which is one of the main reasons to commemorate it. and the previous year’s theme was “Early Warning and Early Action”.</div><div><br></div><div>History and significance of World Meteorological Day</div><div>World Meteorological Day started in 1950, when the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) was created. The group was started on March 23, 1950, with the goal of dealing with all national and international problems related to climate and weather change.</div><div><br></div><div>Every year, World Meteorological Day shows what the WMO has done in the past, what it is doing now, and what it could do in the future to help people. On World Meteorological Day in 2023, the World Meteorological Organization will be 150 years old.</div><div><br></div><div>The WMO says that the anniversary is a good way to remember that our climate is changing. The World Meteorological Organization\'s predecessor, the International Meteorological Organization, was set up in 1873, when pollution from factories and people was just starting to become a problem.</div><div><br></div><div>Because greenhouse gases trap heat, the average temperature of the Earth is now more than 1°C higher than it was 150 years ago. </div><div><br></div><div>The weather is getting worse, the ocean is getting warmer and more acidic, the sea level is going up, and glaciers and ice are melting. The speed of change is getting faster. We need to act right away to cut down on emissions and make sure that future generations will be able to live and do well on our planet. - The Economic Times</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 14:55:58', '2023-03-23 14:55:58'),
(5963, 5963, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has taken various programmes to observe the Genocide Day on March 25 at state level with due respect.&nbsp;&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>As part of the programmes, one-minute symbolic \'blackout\' will be observed from 10.30pm to 10.31pm on March 25 throughout the country, said a press release today.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>However, the key point installations (KPIs) and the essential establishments will remain out of the purview of the programme.</div><div><br></div><div>On the occasion, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will issue separate messages highlighting the importance of Genocide Day.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Newspapers will also publish special supplements on genocide committed by the occupation Pakistani forces on the night of March 25, 1971.</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>The liberation war ministry will organize cultural programmes, including ‘Geeti Natya’ (musical drama) based on genocide and Liberation War across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Besides, discussions will be held at all the educational institutions, including madrasahs, where heroic freedom fighters and noted personalities will share their memories with students.</div><div><br></div><div>A discussion meeting will be held at the Liberation War Museum at 9.30am.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Rare photos and documentaries on mass killing will be exhibited on the premises of all the city corporations, including Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Special munazat will be offered at mosques after Zohr prayers and other places of worships will hold separate programmes seeking eternal peace for martyrs who were killed on March 25, 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>Similar programmes will be organized at district-upazila level and Bangladesh missions abroad. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 15:08:05', '2023-03-23 15:08:05'),
(5964, 5964, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The holy month of Ramadan of 1444 Hijri will begin in the country tomorrow.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee at the conference room of Islamic Foundation (IF) at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque held yesterday (March 23), said an IF press release.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the decision, the holy Shab-e-Qadr or Lailatul Qadr, the night when the first verses of the holy Quran were revealed to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), will be observed on the night of April 18 (Tuesday night).</div><div><br></div><div>Muslims are meant to fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, a time of restraint and austerity.</div><div><br></div><div>President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the countrymen and all Muslim Ummah across the world with the advent of the holy month of Ramadan.</div><div><br></div><div>President Abdul Hamid in his message said, \"The holy month of Ramadan filled with blessings (Barkat) has come again after a year. This holy month brings a unique opportunity of getting closer to Allah and attaining taqwa (fear of Allah).\"</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that the whole Muslim Ummah observes the month with due religious fervor to attain self-restraint, self-rectification and forgiveness, he said fasting plays a vital role in establishing sympathy, amity and brotherhood among all, including the rich and the poor.</div><div><br></div><div>The President hoped that the people would be able to realize the sanctity and significance of the holy Ramadan and reflect it in their personal and social lives and contribute to building a peaceful society.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the whole world including Bangladesh is facing economic crisis due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>The President urged the affluent section of people to extend their helping hands for poor people of the country during the month of Ramadan.</div><div><br></div><div>In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this holy month creates an opportunity of self-rectification through self-restraint and getting closer to, and satisfaction and forgiveness of the Almighty Allah.</div><div><br></div><div>The fasting plays a vital role in establishing sympathy, amity and brotherhood among all, including the rich and the poor, she also said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Let\'s be inspired by the teachings of the Ramadan and protect the holiness of the Ramadan, showing modesty, patience and restraint at all levels of life and shunning all forms of pleasure, hatred, merriment and conflict,\" Sheikh Hasina said.</div><div><br></div><div>Ramadan, also known as Ramzan, is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It is a time when Muslims around the world focus on prayers, fasting, giving charity and religious devotion.</div><div><br></div><div>All government, semi-government and private offices have arranged new office schedule coinciding with the special arrangements for iftar for its officers, employees and staff. According to BSS reports </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 15:20:41', '2023-03-23 15:28:44'),
(5965, 5965, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Director General of Directorate of National Consumers Right Protection (DNCRP) AHM Shafiquzzaman on Thursday said the broiler chicken will be sold from the farms at Tk 190-195 per kg during the month of Ramadan.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Now it is expected that&nbsp; broiler chicken price will come down by Tk 30-40 per kg at the consumers’ level during Ramadan, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Shafiquzzaman disclosed this after a meeting with the traders and the farm owners at the conference room of DNCRP at Karwan Bazar on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>He said, “Discussion was held with Kazi, CP, Paragon, and Aftab farms’ representatives. We’ve reached a consensus about poultry chicken price. Currently, broiler chicken is now sold at Tk220-230 per kg from the farms. But the farm owners agreed to sell broiler chicken from the farms at Tk 190-195 per kg during Ramadan,” reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>The decision on reducing wholesale price will have an impact at consumers’ level, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 15:24:49', '2023-03-23 15:24:49'),
(5966, 5966, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A rare Sarus crane has been confiscated from the Indian man who nursed it back to health from injury after the story of their bond made headlines.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Officials in Uttar Pradesh moved the protected bird - featured in a recent BBC video - to a wildlife sanctuary.</div><div><br></div><div>The farmer who found it in his field a year ago said he\'d expected it to fly back to the wild - but it never did.</div><div><br></div><div>Reports say the crane flew away from its new home after being moved but sanctuary officials deny it is missing.</div><div><br></div><div>Local media reported it had been found by villagers who were seen feeding a crane in a video that went viral. But officials denied the reports, saying the crane remained \"within the boundaries\" of Samaspur bird sanctuary where it was taken.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s not been confined to a room, but has been released in the sanctuary. It\'s finding food on its own, but we are also giving it wheat, bread and water,\" forest official Rupesh Srivastava told BBC Hindi.</div><div><br></div><div>Uttar Pradesh is home to at least 17,000 Sarus cranes, where it is the official \"state bird\". Under Indian law it\'s illegal for individuals to keep Sarus cranes or even feed them.</div><div><br></div><div>Farmer Mohammad Arif, who found the crane last year, said officials arrived at his home on Tuesday afternoon, and told him the bird could no longer stay with him. They had received orders from the wildlife department to confiscate it, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t know about wildlife laws. I\'m a farmer. But if I had caged it, tied it up and hadn\'t allowed it to go anywhere, then I could understand the forest department would want to take it away,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But you saw that it flew around and came and went as it pleased. Did you ever see that I was constricting its movements?\"</div><div><br></div><div>In the video by BBC Hindi earlier this month Mr Arif explained he thought the bird would leave once its injuries healed, but it stayed and rarely left his side.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It flies away on some days, but always returns by sunset,\" he\'d said.</div><div>Mr Arif said that he followed the vehicle carrying the crane to the Samaspur sanctuary on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But then they chased me away. I don\'t know what condition they have kept it in. They must have locked it up, otherwise it would have come back to me,\" he said, adding: \"I want it to be set free. I know it will return to me.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The story has set off a political spat, with the leader of the state\'s main opposition party accusing the government of a vendetta. Akhilesh Yadav told a press conference on Wednesday that the crane had been confiscated after he visited Mr Arif and was pictured alongside the bird.</div><div><br></div><div>There\'s been no response from the state government on whether that\'s true.</div><div><br></div><div>But - politics aside - wildlife expert Samir Kumar Sinha, who heads the Sarus Crane Conservation Project at the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), said moving the bird to a sanctuary was the right thing to do.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Conservation and compassion are two different things. You can rescue a bird in distress but you have to hand it over to the custodians of law.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Sinha said not doing so could encourage others to keep wild animals as pets. \"Wild animals have wild instincts. What happens if the bird attacks someone?\"</div><div><br></div><div>The Sarus crane is the tallest of all flying birds, growing to a height of up to six feet (1.8 m). It thrives in the wetlands of Uttar Pradesh where most of India\'s crane population lives.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Sinha says the bird\'s habitat, which once stretched from the western tip of India to cover the entire Gangetic plane, has shrunk and the crane is now found only in small pockets in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar states.</div><div><br></div><div>The WTI, which has partnered with the state authorities to safeguard wetlands, is working with local volunteers from farms and villages to protect crane nests as birds often lay eggs in their fields, reports BSS.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If you really want to help the crane, then the right thing is to protect the wetlands which are the bird\'s habitat. And then let nature take its course,\" says Mr Sinha.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 15:47:22', '2023-03-23 15:47:22'),
(5967, 5967, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP on Thursday requested the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities not to arrest the party’s leader and activists without any warrant.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A five-member BNP delegation made the request during their meeting with DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq at his Mintoo Road office.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking to reporters after the meeting, BNP Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman said the leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies are being arrested in the capital without any warrant.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We saw our party leaders and activists were arrested, harassed, and implicated in false and ghost cases in the same way ahead of the national election in 2018 and 2014. We told them such arrest without any warrant must be stopped,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said their party’s innocent leaders and activists are being arrested and implicated in false cases in the capital. “Even, our leaders and activists are being arrested from stoical events in hotels and clubs. We told them not to arrest our leaders and activists in this way and not to implicate them in false cases at the behest of Awami League.”</div><div><br></div><div>During Ramadan, Aman said they will arrange iftar mahfils at every thana of the capital and they sought cooperation from the DMP authorities in holding these programmes smoothly without any obstruction.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they also talked to the DMP boss about their programmes taken to celebrate the Independence Day.</div><div><br></div><div>Aman said the DMP Commissioner talked to them very sincerely and assured them of taking steps as per their request.</div><div><br></div><div>About the arrest, Aman said the DMP chief told them that they will take measures so that no one is arrested without a warrant in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>The other members of the delegation are BNP Dhaka south city convener Abdus Salam, publicity secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, Dhaka south city unit member secretary Rafiqul Alam Mojnu and north city unit member secretary Aminul Haq. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-23 16:00:56', '2023-03-23 16:00:56'),
(5968, 5968, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A police raid on a favela near Rio de Janeiro Thursday left at least 13 people dead, including the suspected leader of a crime gang active in the north of Brazil, local media reported.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There are 13 dead, two individuals detained and a large number of weapons seized,\" Fabricio Oliveira, from the Coordination of Special Resources of the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, told a press conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police said the violence hit the Salgueiro Complex in the city of Sao Goncalo, part of the Rio metropolitan region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The objective of the raid was \"the capture of members of the Comando Vermelho (gang) from the (northern) state of Para who took refuge in the district,\" a police statement said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Comando Vermelho is one of the oldest and largest crime gangs in Brazil, focusing heavily on drug trafficking.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Upon arriving in the favela, \"police were attacked by criminals,\" leading to \"an intense firefight,\" civil police said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The governor of Para state, Helder Barbalho, said on Twitter that \"Leonardo Araujo, known as \'L41,\' fugitive, died in a clash with security agents. He was the main leader of the biggest crime organization that operates in Para and that also ordered various attacks in RJ,\" or Rio de Janeiro.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And Rio state governor Claudio Castro tweeted that \"two criminals who controlled criminal gangs in (the northeastern state of) Sergipe and Para were captured,\" referencing Thursday\'s arrest and another operation in the northern part of the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to police, Thursday\'s operation specifically targeted individuals responsible for a series of attacks against public security agents in Para, in which 40 officers have been killed since 2021.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was also launched to target gang leaders \"involved in recent attacks\" in the western part of Rio, where several cars had been set on fire Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Amnesty International Brazil slammed the Rio government, saying its actions were \"disastrously lethal\" and part of an \"institutionalization of the policy of extermination\" in the Sao Goncalo area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"How long does the black, marginalized population of the favelas have to withstand the policy of war that drives police in Rio?\" the NGO tweeted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 1,300 people were killed at the hands of police in Rio de Janeiro state in 2021, according to the Violence Monitor data project. 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, '2023-03-24 06:30:52', '2023-03-24 06:30:52'),
(5969, 5969, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lionel Messi capped a night of unbridled joy with the 800th goal of his career as world champions Argentina celebrated their homecoming with a 2-0 friendly victory over stubborn Panama in Buenos Aires on Thursday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 35-year-old seven-time Ballon d\'Or winner\'s stunning free-kick in the dying minutes came after 21-year-old MLS sensation Thiago Almada gave a glimpse of what the future holds with his first goal for the national team in only his third appearance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was an emotional night as fireworks crackled overhead before kick-off at the impressive Monumental stadium where the 83,000 lucky fans that managed to get tickets among the more than 1.5 million people who tried, created an electric atmosphere.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi, coach Lionel Scaloni and numerous players came onto the pitch with their children and several seemed on the brink of tears as fans in unison sung \"Muchachos\", the anthem of Argentina\'s victorious World Cup campaign in Qatar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the match the party continued, with every member of the World Cup winning squad given a replica trophy to lift, surrounded by their families.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I always dreamt of this moment, being able to celebrate with you (the fans), being able to come to my country to lift a Copa America, a World Cup. It\'s the best thing there is,\" said Messi, who was presented with several awards after the game.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I am eternally grateful to this group of players. Football is theirs, it belongs to all those that wear this jersey,\" said Scaloni, who finally cracked and let the tears flow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They leave every last drop of sweat and sometimes the result doesn\'t follow. This time it did and it\'s amazing.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Persistence pays for Messi -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was clear that this was more a celebration than a football match but Panama clearly had not read the script.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite fielding a weakened side, they were organized and disciplined and managed to frustrate the new world champions for 78 minutes before their defenses were finally breached.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Argentina, who started the game playing champagne football, created relatively little given their 73 percent possession in the first period.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi struck the woodwork with a freekick while Enzo Fernandez brought a diving one-handed save out of goalkeeper Jose Carlos Guerra with a shot from distance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scaloni had picked the same starting XI that faced France in the World Cup final in December -- when Argentina triumphed 4-2 on penalties after a sensational 3-3 draw -- but after a goalless first half he made three changes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the second period, Argentina knuckled down to trying to win a football match but Guerra was twice equal to Messi free-kicks and also saved a low curling effort from veteran Angel Di Maria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the minutes ticked by, the tension rose with Argentina acutely aware that their party risked falling flat if they did not win.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But, eventually their main man came to the fore and ensured Panama would not be party poopers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi had a hand in the opening goal, crashing another free-kick off the woodwork, with Almada, a second half substitute, following up to slot home.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The stadium erupted and the tension drained from Argentina\'s players, by now mostly substitutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With a minute to go, Messi was given yet another free-kick within shooting range -- his fifth of the match -- and this time he curled it into the top corner to seal the dream scenario for his delirious fans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Then the party continued with singing and dancing and a video recap of Argentina\'s glorious run to their third world title on the stadium\'s giant screens.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No one left as the players, accompanied by partners and children, embarked on a lap of honor, each clutching their own replica trophy. 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, '2023-03-24 06:37:16', '2023-03-24 06:37:16'),
(5970, 5970, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The nation is set to observe the Genocide Day tomorrow in remembrance of the brutality carried out by Pakistani Army on the unarmed Bangalees on the black night of March 25 in 1971 under the infamous \"Operation Searchlight\".</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has taken various programmes to observe the Genocide Day on March 25 at state level with due respect.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of the programmes, one-minute symbolic \'blackout\' will be observed from 10.30pm to 10.31pm on March 25 throughout the country, said a press release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the key point installations (KPIs) and the essential establishments will remain out of the purview of the programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will issue separate messages highlighting the importance of Genocide Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Newspapers will also publish special supplements on genocide committed by the occupation Pakistani forces on the night of March 25, 1971.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The liberation war ministry will organize cultural programmes, including ‘Geeti Natya’ (musical drama) based on genocide and Liberation War across the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Besides, discussions will be held at all the educational institutions, including madrasahs, where heroic freedom fighters and noted personalities will share their memories with students.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A discussion meeting will be held at the Liberation War Museum at 9.30am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rare photos and documentaries on mass killing will be exhibited on the premises of all the city corporations, including Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Special munazat will be offered at mosques after Zohr prayers and other places of worships will hold separate programmes seeking eternal peace for martyrs who were killed on March 25, 1971.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Similar programmes will be organized at district-upazila level and Bangladesh missions abroad.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) unanimously adopted a resolution to observe the March 25 as the \"Gonohotya Dibos\" (Genocide Day) on March 11, 2017.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Subsequently, the cabinet division at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, unanimously endorsed the decision on March 20 in 2017. 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, '2023-03-24 06:40:04', '2023-03-24 06:40:04'),
(5971, 5971, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality is in the \'unhealthy\' zone this morning.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 155 at 9:37 am, Dhaka ranked seventh 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 200 is considered \'unhealthy\', particularly for sensitive groups.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India’s Delhi, Iraq’s Baghdad, and Thailand’s Chiang Mai occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 223, 182, and 175, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">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 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. Breathing polluted air has long been recognized as increasing a person’s chances of developing a heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies.</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, '2023-03-24 07:02:30', '2023-03-24 07:02:30'),
(5972, 5972, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Focusing on the source-to-sea approach to water cooperation, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has stressed the need for sustainable water management for promoting global peace and stability.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen presided over the plenary session of the UN 2023 Water Conference Thursday. He chaired the third plenary session of the conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister also delivered the closing remarks at the high-level event \"Water for Peace: From Source to Sea\" at the UN Headquarters organised by Bangladesh, Global Center on Adaptation and Deltares.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to UN Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith delivered welcome remarks and State Minister for Water Resources Zaheed Farooque delivered the opening remarks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The panel discussion segment included Abdul Khan, minister for water supply of Nepal, Henk Ovink, special envoy for international water affairs of the Netherlands, Alexandra Ferreira de Carvalho, secretary-general of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Action of Portugal, Francesca Bernardini, chief of transboundary cooperation section of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of Global Center on Adaptation, Ruth Mathews, senior manager and coordinator of Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management, Stockholm International Water Institute, and Toon Segeren, director of Deltares International.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Source-to-sea refers to the connections between what we do on land and along rivers, and the impact this has further downstream, along coasts and in the ocean. Water, sediment, plants, and animals provide such connections as does human waste and pollutants,\" according to the Stockholm International Water Institute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Tracing impacts on the ocean back to its source is central to tackling global development challenges on a system scale. The source-to-sea approach is, in essence, the realisation that if we alter one component in this system, it will have an effect somewhere else. And these effects may jeopardize access to clean water, livelihoods, climate resilience, and ecosystem values and services downstream.\" 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, '2023-03-24 08:36:59', '2023-03-24 08:36:59'),
(5973, 5973, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic \"radioactive tsunami\" that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. Analysts were skeptical that the device presents a major new threat, but the test underlines the North\'s commitment to raising nuclear threats.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The test this week came as the United States reportedly planned to deploy aircraft carrier strike groups and other advanced assets to waters off the Korean Peninsula. Military tensions are at a high point as the pace of both North Korean weapons tests and U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises has accelerated in the past year in a cycle of tit-for-tat responses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pyongyang\'s official Korean Central News Agency said the new weapon, which can be deployed from the coast or towed by surface ships, is built to \"stealthily infiltrate into operational waters and make a super-scale radioactive tsunami through an underwater explosion to destroy naval strike groups and major operational ports of the enemy.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North Korean report came hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to make North Korea pay for its \"reckless provocations\" as he attended a remembrance service honoring 55 South Korean troops killed during major clashes with the North near their western sea border in past years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The testing of the purported \"nuclear underwater attack drone\" was part of a three-day exercise that simulated nuclear attacks on unspecified South Korean targets, which also included cruise missile launches on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said that the drills were supervised by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who condemned the U.S.-South Korean drills as invasion rehearsals and vowed to make his rivals \"plunge into despair.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The drone is named \"Haeil,\" a Korean word meaning tidal waves or tsunamis. The North\'s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper published photos of Kim smiling next to a large torpedo-shaped object at an unspecified indoor facility, but didn\'t identify it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other photos published with the same article showed sea-surface tracks supposedly caused by the drone\'s underwater trajectory and a pillar of water exploding up into the air, possibly caused by what state media described as an underwater detonation of a mock nuclear weapon carried by the drone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said the North\'s latest tests were aimed at alerting the United States and South Korea of a brewing \"nuclear crisis\" as they continue with their \"intentional, persistent and provocative war drills.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. and South Korea completed an 11-day exercise that included their biggest field training in years on Thursday, and are preparing another round of joint naval drills that will reportedly involve a U.S. aircraft carrier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said North Korea\'s latest drills verified the operational reliability of the drone, which it said the North has been developing since 2012 and tested more 50 times in the past two years, although the weapon was never mentioned before in state media until Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said the drone was deployed off the North\'s eastern coast on Tuesday, traveled underwater for nearly 60 hours, and detonated a test warhead at a target standing for an enemy port.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kim Dong-yub, a professor at Seoul\'s University of North Korean Studies, said that it\'s impossible to verify North Korea\'s claims about the drone\'s capabilities or that it had tested the system dozens of times. But, he said, the North is intending to communicate that the weapon has enough range to reach all South Korean ports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ankit Panda, a senior analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, questioned the wisdom of North Korea devoting resources to the drone system as a means of delivery versus its ballistic missiles when it has limited amounts of nuclear materials suitable for weapons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This un-crewed underwater vehicle will be vulnerable to anti-submarine warfare capabilities if it were to deploy beyond North Korea\'s coastal waters. It will also be susceptible to preemptive strikes when in port,\" said Panda.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Indeed, the U.S. and South Korea would have incentives in a crisis to preempt any such systems before they could deploy.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea is believed to have dozens of nuclear warheads and may be capable of fitting them on older weapons systems, such as Scuds or Rodong missiles. However, there are different assessments on how far it has advanced in engineering those warheads to fit on the new weapons it has developed at a rapid pace, which might require further technological upgrades and nuclear tests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking to lawmakers on Thursday, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-Sup said the North probably hasn\'t yet mastered the technology to place nuclear arms on its most advanced weapons, although acknowledging that the country was making \"significant progress.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Wednesday, North Korea also test-fired cruise missiles in launches that were detected and publicized by South Korea\'s military. It also staged another nuclear attack simulation with a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday and flight-tested an intercontinental ballistic missile last week that may be able to reach the continental United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said Wednesday\'s tests were of four cruise missiles and two different types. The missiles flew for more than two hours in patterns over the sea while demonstrating an ability to strike targets 1,500 kilometers (932 miles) and 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) away. It said the missiles\' mock nuclear warheads were detonated 600 meters (1,968 feet) above their targets, which supposedly verified the reliability of their nuclear explosion control devices and warhead detonators.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said Kim Jong Un was satisfied with the three-day drills and directed unspecified additional tasks to counter the \"reckless military provocations\" of his rivals, indicating North Korea will further ramp up its military displays.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He \"expressed his will to make the U.S. imperialists and the (South) Korean puppet regime plunge into despair\" with powerful demonstrations of his military nuclear program to make his rivals understand \"they are bound to lose more than they get\" with the expansion of their joint drills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kim issued similar language Sunday after a test-firing of a short-range ballistic missile from what was possibly a silo dug into the ground. The North\'s media said a mock nuclear warhead placed on the missile detonated 800 meters (2,624 feet) above water, an altitude that would maximize damage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North has fired over 20 ballistic and cruise missiles across 10 launch events this year as it tries to diversify its delivery systems and display the ability to conduct nuclear strikes on both South Korea and the U.S. mainland.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea already is coming off a record year in testing activity, with more than 70 missiles fired in 2022, as Kim accelerated a campaign aimed at negotiating badly needed sanctions relief from a position of strength and forcing the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power. 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, '2023-03-24 08:52:12', '2023-03-24 08:52:12'),
(5974, 5974, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels Thursday, seeking support for action on climate change, sustainable development and addressing the ongoing challenges linked to Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a joint press encounter with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, Guterres called on EU leaders to help the world \"get back on track\" towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a time when progress in so many parts of the world had been reversed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We need an acceleration agenda,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Guterres also highlighted the need for financial system reforms and urgent climate action.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing \"tremendous suffering\" to the Ukrainian people, but also having a \"huge impact\" around the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Guterres also thanked the EU for its strong support of the UN and multilateralism overall, calling for greater cooperation in implementing his \"Our Common Agenda\" blueprint, and next year\'s Summit of the Future.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Ukraine, he stressed the need for a \"just peace\" in line with the UN Charter, international law overall, and the General Assembly\'s resolution.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On climate change, Guterres stressed the importance of his agenda to accelerate specific actions from all parties to implement recommendations of Monday\'s IPCC report, \"to keep the 1.5-degree limit alive.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He welcomed the European Green Deal as a significant step in this direction and encouraged the EU to scale up its financial and technological cooperation with emerging and developing economies to close the emissions gap and deliver climate justice in the form of green jobs, strengthening adaptation, implementing the loss and damage fund, and protecting vulnerable communities everywhere.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The secretary-general expressed concerns about the \"perfect storm\" facing many developing countries from the Covid crisis, and the cost of living crisis stemming from the invasion of Ukraine and accelerating climate change.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He underlined the importance of putting in place measures for a more equitable economic and financial system, including through banking reform, more effective debt relief, and an SDG stimulus. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 09:41:08', '2023-03-24 09:41:08');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5975, 5975, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Interpol on Friday has finally issued a red notice against Arav Khan alias Rabiul Islam, a Dubai-based gold dealer and fugitive suspect in the murder of a Bangladeshi police officer, on its website in red notice list.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With this, the names of 63 Bangladeshis have so far been put in the list.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The International Criminal Police Organization uploaded the details on fugitive Arav Khan by issuing the red notice three days after Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun at a programme in Chattogram told media that the Interpol accepted the request letter sent by the Bangladesh police to issue a red notice against him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the red list, Arav’s picture, gender, birthplace, birthdate, age, nationality and the allegations are available.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though he went to the United Arab Emirates with an Indian passport, his nationality was mentioned in the list as a Bangladeshi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On last Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told reporters in the weekly briefing that Arav has been under watch there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will extend required assistance if the Home Ministry seeks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 16, a senior Detective Branch official 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.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 18, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said that efforts were underway to bring Arav Khan to the country through the international police agency Interpol.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the allegations of having a link between former IGP Benzir Ahmed and Arav Khan surfaced, the ex-police boss denied knowing the fugitive in a Facebook post on his verified account on May 19.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I want to inform you all that I do not know anyone by the name of \'Aarav alias Rabiul alias Hridoy\'. I do not even have a primary acquaintance with him,\" the former police chief wrote in his status.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On April 11, 2019, a chargesheet was submitted against Arav Khan and nine others in the murder case of former inspector of Special Branch of police Mamun Emran Khan. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 09:54:25', '2023-03-24 09:54:25'),
(5976, 5976, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">No fresh case or death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the 24 hours to Friday morning.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Sixteen dengue patients, including nine in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, the DGHS has recorded 819 dengue cases, 794 recoveries, and nine deaths this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The country logged 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after 179 deaths recorded in 2019. Also, it recorded 62,423 dengue cases and 61,971 recoveries last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 09:58:47', '2023-03-24 09:58:47'),
(5977, 5977, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Brazil\'s leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lulada Silva will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week, where he hopes to reinforce trade, discuss international mediation in Ukraine, and reclaim his country\'s role in global geopolitics.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a period of isolation under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, Lula is wasting no time in renewing ties with allies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just three months into his latest term as president, he has already visited Argentina and the United States -- and the six-day trip to China, Brazil\'s largest trading partner, is key to his ambitions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Lula\'s visit is a very clear signal that he wants a high level bilateral dialogue and a deepening of this relationship,\" Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, a China expert at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Analysts say Chinese hopes are also high, as officials in Beijing see Brazil -- a leader in the global south -- as a linchpin in their strategic and economic plans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine will be a main topic of discussion during the visit, which officially begins Tuesday, with Lula hoping to promote his proposal for mediated talks to end Russia\'s invasion of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi himself will be fresh from talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week, where he also presented himself as a peace-seeking mediator -- though he made no apparent breakthrough.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s Western allies have heavily criticized Xi\'s approach as tacit support for Moscow\'s invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Lula sees China as an \"important ally\" of his own initiative of creating a group of countries seeking a negotiated peace deal, the government in Brasilia said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lula, who has been president of Brazil twice before, is keen to position the South American giant as a go-between, like he did during his second term of office during nuclear discussions between Iran and the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, his diplomatic stock took a hit last year when he came under fire for claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was \"as responsible\" for the war as Putin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He has also refused to join Western nations in sending weapons to Ukraine to help it defend itself.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Clear signal\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trade will also be high on the agenda in Beijing, with Lula traveling to China alongside a large business and ministerial entourage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bolsonaro also visited China, but that relationship soured after he joined then-US president Donald Trump in blaming Beijing for the Covid-19 pandemic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That did not affect business dealings, though, with commercial exchanges last year surpassing $150 billion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brazil received a boost on Thursday when China decided to lift a month-long suspension of Brazilian beef imports after an \"isolated\" case of mad cow disease was confirmed in February.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The country wants to promote \"trade, concentrating on the diversification of products... but also to bring Chinese investments and advance in other guidelines,\" said Menezes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He pointed to the potential for developing technology like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, or resuming projects for a bullet train between Brazilian cities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brazil was also the main destination for Chinese investment in Latin America between 2007 and 2020, according to the Brazil-China Business Council, worth $70 billion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The money was mostly invested in oil and electricity generation, but also in the automobile industry, heavy machinery, mining, agriculture and information technology.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brazil is a huge market for Chinese companies, such as technology giant Huawei.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And an agreement between the two countries to use the yuan in bilateral multi-million dollar trade could help internationalize the Chinese currency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The size of Brazil and the size of the relationship also means that successful engagement with Brazil more than any other country supports China\'s global strategic economic goals,\" said Evan Ellis, China and Russia</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">expert at the Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies in Washington.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Strategic partnership\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It is certainly about economics and business and there is a huge business partnership, but one should not lose sight of the fact that there is also a strategic partnership\" based on Brazil\'s role as a leader in the global south, said Ellis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lula made multilateral diplomacy a priority in his previous two terms as president, and visited Beijing three times.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was during his watch that the BRICS group of emerging economies comprising Brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa was created.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Beijing, Lula will also meet with Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, president of the Popular Assembly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He will head to Shanghai where his domestic political ally Dilma Rousseff, who succeeded him as president in 2011, is due to take over as head of the New Development Bank, also known as the BRICS bank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On his way home, Lula will visit the United Arab Emirates for two days. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 10:26:21', '2023-03-24 10:26:21'),
(5978, 5978, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>That day was Thursday. A dark fortnight. Even though the street lamps were lit, the darkness did not end. There were some hints earlier. Many had moved to safe havens. Those who could not, were silent in the corner of the room. A dull hum enveloped the entire Dhaka city in a deep darkness. Through that darkness the assassins came out from the cantonment and spread all over the city. Take the position according to the chart. Artillery, Armored, Infantry—three battalions drawn from the three armies.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US M-24 tanks rolled into the DU campus, cannons raised, leaving teeth marks on the ground with thirty lorries of murderers. The base was built in front of the British Council Library. Around 11 pm, the armored cars started moving. To instill terror, the soldiers started firing indiscriminately. The sound of mortars and machine guns spread panic in the entire area. The flames that started flying all around did not only destroy, but also created a ghostly atmosphere by tearing people\'s breath into pieces and giving birth to a terrible horror.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Armed with modern weapons, the Pakistani soldiers wasted no time and stormed into Iqbal Hall (Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall). Surrounding the entire area like an octopus. The massacre began. During the days of the March non-cooperation movement, the activities of the Swadhin Bangladesh Chhatra Sangam Parishad were conducted from this hall. That is why this hall was the top target of the Pakistanis. They were constantly firing bullets, cannons, grenades, tearing open the chest of darkness. Everything was bruised and bloody. All around was death and people\'s cries. It was a horrible situation. Journalist of \'The Telegraph\', Simon Dring entered Iqbal Hall two days after the incident. He himself counted thirty bodies there. According to him, two hundred innocent students were killed that day in Iqbal Hall alone with mortar shells and machine gun fire. Two days after the attack, innumerable bodies can be seen lying in the burned rooms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At midnight, the invaders entered the Jagannath Hall through the north and south gates and started indiscriminate killings. Rifles and submachine guns started firing along with the mortar attack. They searched every room and started shooting students.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his book \'Dhaka Bissobiddaloy Gonohotta: 1971 Jagannath Hall\', Professor Ratanlal Chakraborty said, 4 teachers, 36 students and 21 staff and guests were massacred there that night. Six students were forced to dig graves by Pakistani hyenas. Those six students were burying their long-time traveling companions through nightmares. Still they could not survive. They were also shot and killed by a group of hyenas. When consciousness is drowning in the dark, when man is no longer man, only such cruelty, such brutality is possible; The evidence of which was left by the hyena group at Jagannath Hall. After playing blood holi at Iqbal Hall and Jagannath Hall, the hyena gang attacked Salimullah Hall. Eleven students were found from different rooms, lined up and shot. The green grass was colored with blood. The red-green flag was made of blood stains.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistani armed forces entered Rokeya Hall that night. Such a great humiliation of Islam happened at the hands of the flag bearers of the establishment of the Islamic state. The girls in the hall were hugging each other in fear and chanting. Even the leaves of the trees wept with their painful screams that night. According to Archer K. Budd\'s book \'The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh\', Rokeya Hall was set on fire that night and the female students were fired upon with machine guns as they ran out of the hall. After that, many girls were killed by bayonets. Some chose to commit suicide by jumping from the roof to save their dignity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the 8th volume of the book \'Swadhinata Juddho: Dalil Patra\', edited by Hasan Hafizur Rahman, The author wrote, Saheb Ali was then the Sweeper Inspector of Dhaka Municipality. According to him, on March 30, 1971, a major of the Pakistani army from the Rokeya Hall of Dhaka University informed the municipality on the telephone that they could not sit there because of the rotting smell of human corpses around the Rokeya Hall. After that, Sahib Ali entered Rokeya Hall with six domes and searched all the rooms of the hall but did not find any corpse. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Ali, I went to the roof of the fourth floor and saw the naked body of a beautiful 18-year-old girl. I asked a Pakistani soldier who was in charge of me, why is there no bullet injury in the body of this girl, but why is she lying dead? He burst into laughter and said, we, all the Pakistani army, raped her to death! I saw the naked body of the rotten beauty! Full-grown eyes are swollen, hair is torn, private parts are swollen up from the abdomen, genitals are bloody. I saw animal like bite marks on both his cheeks, human teeth bite marks on his chest. I covered the body with a sheet and brought it down. Entering the servant quarters of Rokeya Hall, we found five dead bodies of the wives and relatives of five gardeners and eight male bodies (gardeners). Looking at the body, it seemed that everyone was sleeping before death. I took a truck and picked up the dead bodies of a Hindu professor, his wife and two sons from the third floor of Shibbari at Dhaka University.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The report that the US Consul General sent to the US State Department during the Liberation War was published in 2002 citing the \'US Secret Documents\'. It was mentioned that - a businessman said that the naked bodies of six girls were hung from the ceiling fans in Rokeya Hall of Dhaka University. Apparently, the girls were shot dead after being raped and then hanged from fans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is known from \'The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh\' by the Council General Archer K Blood of Dhaka, that the Rokeya Hall was set on fire. When the female students started coming out of the hall to escape the fire, the Pakistani forces opened fire on them indiscriminately. According to Army Unit 88\'s conversation with the Pakistan Army\'s control room, approximately 300 female students were killed at that time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some of the university teachers were equivalent to weapons of mass destruction to Pakistanis. Under their supervision, the student society has increased the momentum of the movement. A group of Pakistani armed forces plan to wipe them out. The list is already prepared. The plan was implemented that night. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Pakistani army killed 9 teachers. In the early hours of the night, Pakistani forces killed Professor Fazlur Rahman and his two relatives. Then Muhammad Muqtadir, a professor of Geology, was shot dead. Then Maths Professor AR Khan Khadeem and Professor Sharafat Ali were killed. During the attack on Jagannath Hall, the former principal of the hall Govindachandra Dev was killed by the invaders. A Muslim girl was his adopted daughter. The name is Rokeya. He married his daughter off to a banker named Mohammad Ali. That girl\'s husband and she were taken for a walk in the dark field and killed by the invaders. The blood of the son-in-law and father-in-law, bound not by blood relation, but only by the Hindu-Muslim harmony of modern times, mingled on the same plane on the grounds of Jagannath Hall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Soldiers hit the door of Professor Jyotirmoy Guthakurta with boots. The proud professor opened the door without the least bit of fear. The ghouls shot him in front of his wife Basanti Devi and daughter Dola. Also, Anudvaipayan Bhattacharya, assistant resident teacher of the hall, was brutally killed in Jagannath Hall. At around 3:00 pm, Professor of Statistics Moniruzzaman, along with his fourteen-year-old nephew Manju, sixteen-year-old son Akramuzzaman and brother Shamsuzzaman were killed by entering the university staff quarters adjacent to Jagannath Hall. He was reciting the Quran Sharif while sitting in prayer. Jainamaz was trampled under boots, dragged outside and shot. A group of mindless butchers who claim the excellence of Islam, debased Zaynamaz and the Holy Quran.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Not only the students and teachers of Dhaka University, but also the officers and employees and their families were killed in the entire campus. EPR guards guarding the British Council were killed before the attack on Iqbal Hall. Then the employees of Iqbal Hall were taken and killed in the teachers\' lounge of the university. A few officers and employees were killed in Rokeya hall premises. The invading forces attacked Gurudwara Nanak Shahi adjacent to Arts Building, Ramana Kali Mandir and Ramana Shiva Mandir adjacent to Shaheed Minar and killed many innocent people that night. Madhusudan Dey, owner of Madhur Canteen, lived in a house adjacent to Jagannath Hall. He was also killed. Not only inside the campus, but also the area around the campus was burnt by the pakistani military forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the account given by M A Rahim in his book \'The History of the University of Dhaka\', it can be seen that more than three hundred people were martyred in the university area that night. Pakistan Army wireless communications also shared information about the killing of over three hundred people at the university. When the sun of the new day was about to rise in the sky after smearing the blood of the martyrs of that terrible night, Tikka Khan\'s public relations officer Major Siddique Salik went out to survey the Dhaka University area. In his book \'Witness to Surrender\' he mentions, \'I was surveying mass graves in Dhaka University area. There I saw three mounds, each three to fifteen meters in diameter. They were to fill with new soil. That\'s why Tikka Khan asked to clean the glasses after giving a river of blood, there are no human beings anywhere.\'</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Almost every hall of Dhaka University, residential areas, academic buildings and graves of martyrs, memorials in various open places continue to bear the signature of the 25th March Genocide even today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Nirodh Kumar Barman', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 10:59:21', '2023-03-24 11:48:14'),
(5979, 5979, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh reported three more Covid-19 cases in the 24 hours till Friday morning.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the new numbers, the country\'s total caseload rose to 20, 37,989 according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,445 as no new fatalities were reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The daily case test positivity rate increased to 0.23 percent from Thursday’s 0.21 percent against the tests of 1,329 samples.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During this time, twenty-five patients recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 2006771.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The death and recovery rates remained unchanged at 1.44 percent and 98.47 percent, respectively. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 11:55:02', '2023-03-24 11:55:02'),
(5980, 5980, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>UN Secretary-General António Guterres attended a European Union (EU) summit in Brussels Thursday, seeking support for action on climate change, sustainable development and addressing the ongoing challenges linked to Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a joint press encounter with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, Guterres called on EU leaders to help the world \"get back on track\" towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at a time when progress in so many parts of the world had been reversed.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We need an acceleration agenda,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Guterres also highlighted the need for financial system reforms and urgent climate action.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing \"tremendous suffering\" to the Ukrainian people, but also having a \"huge impact\" around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>Guterres also thanked the EU for its strong support of the UN and multilateralism overall, calling for greater cooperation in implementing his \"Our Common Agenda\" blueprint, and next year\'s Summit of the Future.</div><div><br></div><div>On Ukraine, he stressed the need for a \"just peace\" in line with the UN Charter, international law overall, and the General Assembly\'s resolution.</div><div><br></div><div>On climate change, Guterres stressed the importance of his agenda to accelerate specific actions from all parties to implement recommendations of Monday\'s IPCC report, \"to keep the 1.5-degree limit alive.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He welcomed the European Green Deal as a significant step in this direction and encouraged the EU to scale up its financial and technological cooperation with emerging and developing economies to close the emissions gap and deliver climate justice in the form of green jobs, strengthening adaptation, implementing the loss and damage fund, and protecting vulnerable communities everywhere.</div><div><br></div><div>The secretary-general expressed concerns about the \"perfect storm\" facing many developing countries from the Covid crisis, and the cost of living crisis stemming from the invasion of Ukraine and accelerating climate change.</div><div><br></div><div>He underlined the importance of putting in place measures for a more equitable economic and financial system, including through banking reform, more effective debt relief, and an SDG stimulus. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 12:05:48', '2023-03-24 12:05:48'),
(5981, 5981, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Key Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has lost his parliamentary seat after a court found him of guilty of defamation over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi\'s surname and he was disqualified from the lawmaking body, a parliamentary statement said on Friday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Gandhi, who represented a constituency in southern Kerala state as a member of the Congress party, was disqualified from his membership in the lower house of Parliament from March 23, the date of his conviction, the statement said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indian parliamentary rules say that a member loses his or her seat if convicted of a crime and sentenced to two or more years in prison.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A court in the western city of Surat sentenced Gandhi to two years in prison on Thursday in the defamation case. But he won’t go to jail immediately because the court granted him bail for 30 days to file an appeal against the verdict. If an appeals court sets aside Gandhi’s conviction, he can get his seat back.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gandhi briefly visited the Parliament on Friday morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The case against Gandhi dates back to an election rally in 2019 when he said: “Why do all thieves have Modi as their surname?” In the speech, he went on to name fugitive Indian diamond tycoon Nirav Modi, banned Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Narendra Modi is not related to either of the other two.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The defamation case was filed by a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in western Gujarat state. The complainant, Purnesh Modi, said Gandhi’s comments had “defamed the entire Modi community.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Modi is a common last name in western Gujarat state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the Congress party, said Gandhi would appeal the verdict in a higher court and called Modi’s government “cowardly and dictatorial.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the verdict, Gandhi wrote on Twitter: “My religion is based on truth and non-violence. Truth is my God, and non-violence the means to get it.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gandhi is one of India\'s main opposition leaders and he will most likely go up against Modi when the prime minister seeks a third term in 2024. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 13:50:09', '2023-03-24 13:50:09'),
(5982, 5982, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon all, including global people, to build a society based on equality and free from all kinds of discrimination and sectarianism.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"We follow Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman\'s peace policy in running the country,\" she said in a message on the eve of the Genocide Day-2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said, \"We do not want war and conflict; killing men, women, and children dipped us in demise. We believe in peace. If sustainable peace prevails, the overall development of the country accelerates.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said Awami League formed the government after being elected by popular mandate in 1996 after a long 21-year struggle, adding, \"On October 5, 1998, we accessed the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. In 1997, we proposed a resolution on the Culture of Peace at the UN General Assembly, which was adopted in 1999. Accordingly, United Nations declared 2000 as the \'International Year for the Culture of Peace\' and 2001-2010 as the \'International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence.\' We have been working tirelessly for more than fourteen years since 2008 to transform the fate of the people with their unwavering support in all elections.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the meantime, Sheikh Hasina said, they tried the perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war criminals by establishing the International Crimes Tribunal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We ensured the people\'s right to vote through the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which also barred the illegal seizure of power. A book titled \'The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide\' was published in 2013, where the brutality of genocide carried out by Pakistanis in Bangladesh was described as reported by Mr. Archer K. Blood, the then American Consul General in Dhaka to the State Department. We have recognized March 25 as \'Genocide Day. We have sheltered more than 1.1 million displaced Rohingya people who escaped with their lives from genocide in neighboring Myanmar,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier said, \"We are working on the principle of \'Zero Tolerance\' to eradicate militancy and terrorism. We have already made Bangladesh a developing country Bangladesh in 2041 will be \'Smart Bangladesh.\' We are formulating and implementing the \'Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100\': Future generations will be able to implement this plan with the amendment of their need.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Bengali nation, was released from solitary confinement in Pakistan, returned to his beloved independent motherland on January 10, 1972, and devoted himself to rebuilding the war-torn country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the help of the allies, though there was an empty treasury, he rehabilitated the displaced people, restored and developed the infrastructure, and put the production sector and the economy on a solid foundation, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In just three and a half years, the UN recognized the country as a Least Developed Country. But our misfortune is that the defeated anti-independence clique of \'71 continues to conspire against him,\" Sheikh Hasina added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On another mourning night on August 15, 1975, the incumbent President, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was martyred by brutal bullets along with his family members, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said the murderous Mostaq-Zia and their successors illegally seized power and established a dictatorship in the country and the BNP tarnished the proud history of the Bengali nation by placing the perpetrators of the infernal massacre on March 25, criminals against humanity and war criminals, and murderers of the Father of the Nation, in the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"On this day (March 24) in 1971, the invading forces of Pakistan carried out the most barbaric crackdown in Bangladesh. I remember with a heavy heart all martyrs who sacrificed their lives on the night of March 25. 1971, whose fresh blood inspired the brave Bengalis to be spirited to take up arms and fight for independence,\" the Prime Minister said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, spent his whole life for liberating the Bengali nation shackled for thousands of years, she said, adding that he was first arrested and imprisoned on 11 March 1948 while protesting to protect the dignity of the Bengali language.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Highlighting Bangabandhu\'s struggling life, she added that since then, he led all the movements, including the language movement of \'52, the twenty-one point of \'54, the anti-Ayub movement of \'62, the six points of \'66, the mass upsurge of \'69 with great foresight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"After the mass uprising of 1969, on December 5, on the death anniversary of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, he declared, \"From now on, the name of this eastern country of Pakistan will be Bangladesh only, instead of East Pakistan,\" she continued.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He left the Minister\'s portfolio and organized and strengthened the party, and prepared the whole nation for independence through struggle, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier went on saying that the Awami League (AL), led by the Father of the Nation, won a single majority in the National Assembly in the \'70 elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the Pak-military junta started delaying the transfer of power, she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By procrastinating in the name of the meeting, they launched a secret conspiracy to kill the unarmed Bengalis, she said, adding that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib called for a non-cooperation movement from March 2. In his historic speech on March 7, he gave a clear outline of the goal of overcoming the long 23-year rule and exploitation and called for compliance with the 35-point directive from March 15, she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib\'s instructions were followed verbatim throughout East Bengal, she continued. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 14:20:52', '2023-03-24 14:20:52'),
(5983, 5983, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League (AL) general secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has no freedom of expression in BNP\'s internal politics.</b><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"We understand the pain of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. In fact, he has no freedom of expression in the BNP\'s internal politics. Without any question, Fakhrul and others (BNP leaders) are compelled to accept the messages coming from faraway London,\" he said in a statement.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the BNP has been running as per the prescription of an convicted fugitive, while undemocratic and unconstitutional committees of BNP are formed and dissolved, and BNP trades over its committees and nominations.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Seeing his hapless face repeatedly in the mirror, he said, Fakhrul makes the people\'s freedom of expression captive in the same frame and that is why he is involved in delivering poisonous statements against the government.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The AL general secretary said Fakhrul talked about the freedom of speech and expression, and such statement is nothing but the devil listening to the scriptures.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">He said BNP never believes in the people\'s freedom of speech and expression as BNP was born by capturing the state power keeping commoners at gun point.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The Awami League continues struggle and movement to establish the people\'s freedom of speech and expression and their freedoms have been sustained under the skilled leadership of successful statesman Sheikh Hasina, Quader said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">He said the closed door of freedom of expression was made open by reconstructing Digital Bangladesh.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The government has expanded the freedom of expression by giving registration to over 50 private television channels, FM radios and community radios and more than 100 newspapers, the AL general secretary said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">At the same time, he said, the door of the freedom of expression was opened through different social media platforms because of Digital Bangladesh.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Quader said through the misuse of the freedom of expression, Fakhrul and other BNP leaders are making constant falsehood shamelessly against the government.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Apart from enjoying freedom of expression, BNP leaders do not hesitate to conduct propaganda against the government, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The AL general secretary said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is running the incumbent government holding the hopes and expectations of commoners.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Observing that there was no freedom of expression and minimum rights of the people during the BNP era, he said innocent people demanding electricity and farmers seeking fertilizers were shot to death during the reign of BNP.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Misusing the state mechanism, BNP carried out grenade attacks on August 21 in 2004 aiming to destroy the Awami League, Quader said. BSS</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-24 14:29:21', '2023-03-24 14:29:21'),
(5984, 5984, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged all international community including the United Nations to recognise March 25 as the International Genocide Day.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“Internationally we want that, March 25 will get recognition as the International Genocide Day,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister said this while delivering her introductory speech in the Awami League Parliamentary Board (ALPB) meeting at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>On the night of March 25 in 1971, the Pakistani military junta resorted to mass killings and arson in Dhaka to implement their blueprint to thwart Awami League assuming office following its victory in the 1970 election.</div><div><br></div><div>The night also witnessed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s proclamation of independence before he was arrested by the Pakistani troops and subsequently taken to West Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh had started its journey with this “wound (genocide).”</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that Pakistani occupational forces had committed genocide over unarmed Bengalis.</div><div><br></div><div>“They unleashed attacks on the people of Bangladesh in a horrific way and killed people for long nine months,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>In this connection, the Awami League chief said that some 30 lakh people embraced martyrdom, three crore people were forcibly became homeless.</div><div><br></div><div>“They torched homes and one crore people took shelter in India as refugee,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that there were dead bodies on the roads, bodies were eaten by jackals and dogs, and the people of the country saw that.</div><div><br></div><div>“There was inhumane oppression on women, they were taken to the army camps,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister said that Father of the nation had built a country ravaged by the war.</div><div><br></div><div>“We also got the recognition as the least developed country during his three years and seven months tenure. It was unfortunate that the father of the nation was killed brutally.”</div><div><br></div><div>She said that blood of the martyrs would never go in vain.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our Independence that we got in exchange of millions of martyrs, we have attained the status of developing country, we want to build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous country. It is our pledge to millions of martyrs and to our father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she vowed.</div><div><br></div><div>In the attack on March 25, 1971 dubbed \'Operation Searchlight\', the Pakistani forces mercilessly killed Bangalee members of the East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers and common people.</div><div><br></div><div>They killed people indiscriminately, set houses on fire and looted business establishments, leaving a trail of destruction.</div><div><br></div><div>The day is being observed as Genocide Day officially for the seventh time in the country since the parliament unanimously adopted a resolution on March 11, 2017. Soruce: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 09:04:43', '2023-03-25 09:04:43'),
(5985, 5985, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said the Election Commission\'s (EC’s) letter inviting BNP to talks is nothing but the latest strategy of the government to hold another election depriving people of their voting rights.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Could anyone cast vote in the past? They (govt) are going to start that deed again. There’s a lot of pressure this time as the foreigners are saying that the voting like before won’t be accepted this time…that\'s why they’re devising new tactics. The Election Commission sent us a letter as part of the latest strategy,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul made the remarks while speaking at a discussion arranged by BNP at Mohanagar Natya Mancha, marking the Independence Day.</div><div><br></div><div>He said their party’s standing committee will hold a meeting on Monday and take a decision on the EC’s letter.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on Thursday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal sent a demi-official letter to the BNP secretary general for taking part in a views-exchange meeting on the next national election.</div><div><br></div><div>The Current EC, led by Awal, held two rounds of talks with the political parties since its formation last year. However, BNP and some other political parties did not participate in the talks.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul questioned the justification of the EC’s talks with the political parties when it has no power to control the administration for ensuring a credible election.</div><div><br></div><div>“Why are you (EC) becoming restless by sending such letters? You live like decent persons and receive salaries,” he said pointing at the CEC and the election commissioners.</div><div><br></div><div>Mentioning that the previous Commission had spent cores of taka on only training purposes, the BNP leader suggested the current EC looking for such a scope to make money instead of thinking about the national election. “Don\'t belittle yourself by unnecessarily saying all these things about the national election.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said the election will not be held in a fair and neutral manner if Awami League remains in power during the voting, According to UNB reports.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s already been proved not only in the national elections but also in local government polls. So come to the real point without doing this exercise (holding talks) unnecessarily. The real point is that the caretaker government must remain in place during the election period.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader also said the country’s people will not accept the election if it is not held under a non-party caretaker government.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 12:55:27', '2023-03-25 12:55:27');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5986, 5986, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 30 shops and 15 dwelling houses were gutted in a fire at Thanchi Bazar in Bandarban district on Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The fire broke out at 8 am at a shop and engulfed the adjoining shops and houses, said Thoaiha Mong Marma, chairman of Thanchi upazila.</div><div><br></div><div>On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after one and half an hour.</div><div><br></div><div>The fire service sources said the fire might have originated from an oven.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 22, 47 shops were gutted in a fire at Bolibazar area in Bandarban’s Thanchi upazila.</div><div><br></div><div>No causalities were reported. ‍Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 14:45:49', '2023-03-25 14:45:49'),
(5987, 5987, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An asteroid large enough to destroy a city will pass between the orbits of the Earth and the Moon this weekend - luckily for us, missing both.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The object, named 2023 DZ2, was discovered a month ago.</div><div><br></div><div>At 19:49 GMT on Saturday, it will pass within 175,000km of the Earth after flying past the Moon.</div><div><br></div><div>It is rare for such a huge asteroid - estimated to be between 40 and 90m in diameter - to come so close to the planet.</div><div><br></div><div>Astronomers have described it as a once-in-a decade event.</div><div><br></div><div>According to Nasa, it\'s an important opportunity for astronomers to increase their knowledge of asteroids, in the event that a dangerous object were discovered with the potential to hit Earth.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no chance of this \'city killer\' striking Earth, but its close approach offers a great opportunity for observations,\" said the European Space Agency\'s planetary defence chief, Richard Moissl.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Moissl said preliminary data suggested 2023 DZ2 was \"a scientifically interesting object\".</div><div><br></div><div>But he added that more data was needed to determine the asteroid\'s composition.</div><div><br></div><div>With such a close pass of the Earth, the asteroid could be visible through binoculars and small telescopes across the globe.</div><div><br></div><div>A live web broadcast of its approach will be provided by The Virtual Telescope Project.</div><div><br></div><div>The object looks set to return towards Earth\'s orbit in 2026, but scientists have ruled it out as a threat to the planet on that occasion, too.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier this month, a similarly sized asteroid, 2023 DW, was briefly given a one-in-432 chance of hitting Earth on Valentine\'s Day 2046.</div><div><br></div><div>Moissl said 2023 DW was now expected to miss Earth by some 4.3 million km.</div><div><br></div><div>Even if such an asteroid was determined to be heading our way, Earth is no longer defenceless.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, NASA\'s Dart (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft deliberately slammed into the pyramid-sized asteroid Dimorphos.</div><div><br></div><div>Before Dart\'s impact, it took Dimorphos 11 hours and 55 minutes to orbit its larger parent asteroid, Didymos. - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 14:59:31', '2023-03-25 14:59:31'),
(5988, 5988, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The death toll from retaliatory US strikes on Iran-linked groups in Syria following a deadly drone attack has risen to 19, a war monitor said Saturday, as Washington insisted it is not seeking conflict with Tehran.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Further rocket attacks by Iran-backed militias took place late Friday, prompting more strikes by coalition warplanes, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.</div><div><br></div><div>Washington carried out the initial strikes after the Pentagon said a US contractor died -- and another contractor and five military personnel were wounded -- by a drone \"of Iranian origin\" that struck a US-led coalition base near Hasakeh in northeastern Syria on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that, at President Joe Biden\'s direction, he had ordered the \"precision air strikes... in eastern Syria against facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran\'s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps\".</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, the Britain-based Observatory, which has a wide network of sources on the ground, said 19 people were killed in the first wave of US strikes: three Syrian regime soldiers and 16 members of Iran-backed forces, including 11 Syrian nationals.</div><div><br></div><div>Following the strikes, Biden sought to lower the temperature saying the United States \"does not seek conflict with Iran, but is prepared to act forcefully to protect our people\".</div><div><br></div><div>- More rocket attacks -</div><div>Hours after the strikes, 10 rockets were fired at American and coalition forces at the Green Village base in northeast Syria, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.</div><div><br></div><div>There were no injuries or damage to facilities at the base, but one rocket struck a home around five kilometres (three miles) away, causing minor wounds to two women and two children, CENTCOM added.</div><div><br></div><div>Iran-backed militias later Friday targeted a base in the Conoco gas field, prompting retaliatory strikes from coalition warplanes on targets in Deir Ezzor city, the Observatory said.</div><div><br></div><div>The war monitor said rocket fire then targeted coalition facilities at the Al-Omar oil field base and in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, \"causing material damage\".</div><div><br></div><div>A \"cautious calm\" returned to the Deir Ezzor area in the early hours of Saturday morning, the Observatory said.</div><div><br></div><div>Militias affiliated with Iran\'s Revolutionary Guards have a heavy presence across Syria, especially around the border with Iraq, and south of the Euphrates in Deir Ezzor province, where the latest US strikes took place.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has about 900 troops in posts across northeastern Syria to keep pressure on the remnants of the Islamic State group and support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which control most of the northeast.</div><div><br></div><div>The Pentagon said two F-15 fighters launched the retaliatory attack -- which spokesman Pat Ryder said was to protect US personnel.</div><div><br></div><div>The strikes \"were intended to send a very clear message that we will take the protection of our personnel seriously and that we will respond quickly and decisively if they are threatened,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>They were \"proportionate and deliberate action intended to limit the risk of escalation to minimise casualties,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>- \'Always respond\' -</div><div>US personnel in Syria have frequently been targeted in attacks by militia groups the United States says are backed by Tehran.</div><div><br></div><div>Two of the US service members wounded on Thursday were treated on site, while the three other troops and one US contractor were evacuated to Iraq, the Pentagon said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We will always take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,\" said CENTCOM chief General Michael Kurilla.</div><div><br></div><div>In January, the US military said three one-way attack drones were launched against the Al-Tanf garrison in Syria, with one breaching its air defences and wounding two allied Syrian fighters.</div><div><br></div><div>Last August, Biden ordered similar retaliatory strikes in Deir Ezzor province after several drones targeted a coalition outpost, without causing any casualties, reports AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We know that these groups are sponsored by Iran,\" Ryder said. \"So Iran certainly plays a role in terms of ensuring that this type of activity doesn\'t happen.\"</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 15:17:22', '2023-03-25 15:17:22'),
(5989, 5989, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said BNP is a dalal (broker) party of Pakistan and that is why it should be resisted.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>He made the remark while speaking at a rally in front of AL\'s Bangabandhu Avenue central office here this afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka south and north units of Awami League arranged the joint rally, marking the Genocide Day on March 25.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the spokesperson of evil communal forces and militancy.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul claimed that Pakistan era was better than Bangladesh, which means that he holds the spirit of Pakistan, the AL general secretary said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said Pakistan did not express sorry or seek apology yet for the genocide it carried out during the Bangladesh\'s 1971 Liberation War.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader said BNP is a datal party of Pakistan as it believes in the spirit of Pakistan. \"They (BNP) must be resisted and defeated. Those who say Pakistan era was good are actually the servants and brokers of Pakistan,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Why did not BNP hold any programme on the National Genocide Day (March 25)? Why BNP does not observe the March 25?\" he questioned, saying that BNP does not hold the spirit of March 25 and 26 and it sits quietly on the Genocide Day.</div><div><br></div><div>Chaired by Dhaka South City AL president Abu Ahmed Mannafi, the rally was addressed, among others, by AL presidium members Tofazzal Hossain Chowhury Maya and Advocate Quamrul Islam, joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organising secretaries Mirza Azam and Advocate Afzal Hossain, Dhaka North City AL president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, its general secretary SM Mannan Kochi and Dhaka South City AL general secretary Humayun Kabir. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 15:41:57', '2023-03-25 15:41:57'),
(5990, 5990, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh started their two-match FIFA Tier-1 International Football Series against Seychelles with a 1-0 win at the Sylhet District Stadium Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Finland-born Bangladeshi defender Tariq Raihan Kazi scored the winner, his first goal for the national side, in the 43rd minute (1-0).</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the only match between Bangladesh and Seychelles ended in a draw in the four-nation football tournament in Colombo in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>The current FIFA ranking of Bangladesh is 192 and Seychelles ranks 199.</div><div><br></div><div>This was the second win for Bangladesh in their last nine international matches, after their 1-0 win against Cambodia, under the Spanish coach Javier Fernández Cabrera.</div><div><br></div><div>Also, the dream of Nigeria-born Eleta Kingsley, who has earned Bangladesh citizenship, was fulfilled today. He entered the field in the second half, for the first time wearing the national jersey of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Eketa, who scored seven goals in the Premier League for Dhaka Abahani, came close to scoring twice.</div><div><br></div><div>The second and last match of the series will be held on March 28 at the same venue.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Television will telecast both matches live while Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the running commentary.</div><div>Seychelles arrived in Dhaka Wednesday at 5pm. They reached Sylhet on the same day.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh</div><div><br></div><div>Anisur Rahman Zico, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Topu Barman, Sohel Rana, M Sohel Rana (Masuk Miah Zony), Remon Hossain, Jamal Bhuyan (Matin Miah), Majubur Rahman Jonny (Rabiul), Rakib Hossain ( Sumon Reza, Saaduddin and Aminur Rahman Sajib (Eketa Kingsley) ‍Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 15:51:30', '2023-03-25 15:51:30'),
(5991, 5991, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Farm loans disbursement is on course to meet the target as banks have disbursed 68.15 percent of the target in eight months (July-Feb) of the current fiscal.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Bank\'s latest loan update shows that around Tk 21,660 crores were disbursed in the agriculture sector against the target set for the fiscal of Tk30911 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>The update revealed that 12 banks had achieved 100 percent of the target set for the disbursement of agricultural loans in the first eight months of FY2022-23.</div><div><br></div><div>However, 14 banks are lagging behind. Even after 8 months, these banks could not distribute even 50 percent of the targeted farm loans.</div><div><br></div><div>Banks that have disbursed more than 100 percent of the target include Bank Al-Falah, Commercial Bank of Ceylon, Habib Bank, State Bank of India, Bank Asia, Dhaka Bank, One Bank, Simanta Bank, Uttara Bank, Citibank NA, HSBC, and Uri Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the report, state-owned banks have distributed Tk8,623 crore while foreign and private sector banks have disbursed Tk 12,434 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the BB, till February 2023, the disbursement of total agricultural loans stood Tk 51,236 crores. Of this, Tk20,986 crores have been paid back,so the loan recovery rate is about 41 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>Default stood at Tk 3932 crores, which is 7.68 percent of loans.</div><div><br></div><div>As per government policy, agricultural production has been emphasized considering food security.</div><div><br></div><div>The BB is also working towards that goal. Banks have been given strict instructions to increase agricultural credit disbursement and it is being constantly monitored. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 16:02:11', '2023-03-25 16:02:11'),
(5992, 5992, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The nation is set to celebrate the 53rd Independence and National Day tomorrow vowing afresh to take the country towards prosperity with the Liberation War spirit.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>On March 26, 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh\'s independence following the crackdown on unarmed Bangalees on the midnight of March 25 by the Pakistani occupation forces.</div><div><br></div><div>After the nine-month War of Liberation with the supreme sacrifices of three million martyrs and the honour of two lakh women, Bangladesh achieved its cherished independence on December 16, 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages extending heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to Bangladesh citizens at home and abroad.</div><div><br></div><div>President Abdul Hamid in his message said: \"Bangabandhu always dreamt to build a happy-prosperous country along with political independence. The incumbent government is working relentlessly to realize his dream. As a result, Bangladesh is moving forward with high speed. Bangladesh is making remarkable progress in various sectors including education, health, human resource development, women\'s empowerment, reduction of infant and maternal mortality rate, elimination of poverty, increase in average life expectancy and social development. Per capita income has increased along with the reduction of poverty. Construction work of Karnaphuli Tunnel, Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Port and Rooppur nuclear power plant are also progressing smoothly. Bangladesh has already been promoted from a least developed country to a developing one. If this sustainable development progress continues, by the year of 2041, Bangladesh will become a developed-wealthy-smart country; it is my expectation on Independence Day.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message said: \"By implementing our \'Vision-2021\', we have made Bangladesh into a developing country. We created a digital Bangladesh. Cent percent of people are brought under the power of electricity. We built the Padma Bridge with our own funds and inaugurated the Metrorail.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, we have established the rule of law in the country by bringing to justice the murderers of the father of the nation and the war criminals.&nbsp; &nbsp;Let us transform Bangladesh into a hunger-poverty-free developed-prosperous Bangladesh as envisioned by the Father of the Nation. This should be our firm commitment on Independence Day.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The public holiday will begin with a gun salute and wreath-laying ceremony at Savar\'s National Memorial in honor of the Liberation War martyrs.</div><div><br></div><div>At sunrise, the national flag will be flown over all government, semi-government, private, and autonomous buildings, and all significant buildings and establishments will be illuminated.</div><div><br></div><div>National dailies will bring out special supplements, while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, private radio stations, and television channels will air special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Shishu Academy, National Museum, Liberation War Museum, and other social and cultural organizations will host seminars, cultural programs, painting and sports competitions for children, as well as film and documentary screenings about the liberation war.</div><div><br></div><div>The families of martyrs and freedom fighters will be honored at the metropolitan, district, and upazila levels. The Bangladesh Post Office Department will unveil a special commemorative stamp to mark the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, different religious institutions will hold special prayers and doa mehfil praying for the country\'s peace, development and prosperity.</div><div><br></div><div>Special-quality food will be distributed at institutions like hospitals, jails, children\'s homes, old-age homes, and daycare centers.</div><div><br></div><div>Children’s parks and museums will remain open to all throughout the day. Also, vessels of the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard will remain open from 2 p.m. until the evening for people to visit at Chattogram Khulna, Mongla, Payra Port, and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) terminals in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Barishal,programs and Chandpur.</div><div><br></div><div>Similar programmes at district and upazila levels and Bangladesh embassies in different countries will be arranged to highlight the significance of Independence Day. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 16:06:50', '2023-03-25 16:06:50'),
(5993, 5993, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Spain’s first major wildfire of the year scorched more than 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of forest and forced 1,500 villagers to leave their homes in the Valencia region.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Residents recounted fleeing their houses and leaving animals behind.</div><div><br></div><div>“Bad, how am I supposed to feel? Your town is burning, your life is burning, Our animals were there and no one can tell us anything,” Antonio Zarzoso, 24, who had to leave the village of Puebla de Arenoso, told Reuters.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 500 firefighters supported by 20 planes and helicopters were working to bring the blaze under control near the village of Villanueva de Viver, emergency services said on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>However, they had managed to stop the fire spreading to other areas.</div><div><br></div><div>“The surrounding forest has been reached by fire and we don’t know how exactly the area looks,” Montse Boronat, from Los Calpes, told Reuters.</div><div><br></div><div>Ximo Puig, president of the Valencia region, told reporters the blaze was made more “voracious” by summer-like temperatures of about 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).</div><div><br></div><div>Las Provincias, a regional newspaper, reported police believe that the blaze may have been started by a spark from a machine used to gather brushwood.</div><div><br></div><div>A Spanish Civil Guard spokeswoman said that an investigation was underway into the cause of the fire.</div><div><br></div><div>An unusually dry winter across parts of southern Europe has raised concern that there could be a repeat of last year’s devastating wildfires.</div><div><br></div><div>The weather will be drier and hotter than usual this spring along Spain’s northeastern Mediterranean coast, increasing the risk of fires, meteorological agency AEMET said last week.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year some 785,000 hectares were destroyed in Europe more than double the annual average for the past 16 years, according to European Commission (EC) statistics.</div><div><br></div><div>In Spain, 493 fires destroyed a record 307,000 hectares of land, according to the Commission’s European Forest Fire Information System. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 16:13:43', '2023-03-25 16:13:43'),
(5994, 5994, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy Saturday urged the international community to recognise the brutal act of Pakistan Army in 1971 as genocide.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In 1971, the Pakistan Army massacred the people of then East Pakistan just because they wanted to have a better life, he wrote in a Facebook post.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Bengalis wanted to be heard, to be recognised as equal to the West Pakistani rulers. Instead, they were killed mercilessly in their sleep,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 25, Yahya Khan\'s underling Tikka Khan mobilised death squads to initiate Operation Searchlight, Joy wrote.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"They killed 7,000 Bengalis in a single night. From that day till the end of the Liberation War in 1971, Pakistani soldiers raped more than 200,000 women and killed more than 3 million people,\" reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This massive genocide displaced 30-40 million Bengalis. More than 10 million people took refuge in India,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-25 16:21:29', '2023-03-25 16:21:29'),
(5995, 5995, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In his first public appearance since speculating a week ago that he would soon be arrested, Donald Trump lashed out against the multiple criminal inquiries that have bedevilled him since he left office in January 2021.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At an airfield rally in Waco, Texas, in front of thousands of supporters, the former president called the New York City investigation into hush-money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels an expletive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The district attorney of New York under the auspices and direction of the \'department of injustice\' in Washington, DC, is investigating me for something that is not a crime, not a misdemeanour, not an affair,\" he said, before belittling Ms Daniels\' personal appearance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Every piece of his personal, financial and business life, he said, has been \"turned upside down and dissected\" - but professed that he was \"the most innocent man in the history of our country\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the past week, Mr Trump has been posting increasingly menacing statements about \"death and destruction\" if he were to be indicted on his social media website, but he avoided any such dire warnings during his speech. And earlier on a sunny afternoon in Waco, Texas, the gathering felt more like the carnival-atmosphere campaign rallies of Mr Trump\'s 2016 presidential bid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of the former president\'s supporters wandered through Trump merchandise tents, where they bought t-shirts emblazoned with \"God, guns and Trump\" and \"Trump won\". Then they packed onto the asphalt tarmac of the local airport hours before Mr Trump\'s private jet was scheduled to land.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They waited in the heat as songs by Abba, Frank Sinatra and Bon Jovi blared on the loudspeakers and cheered as a litany of familiar Trump supporters took turns warming-up the crowd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rock star Ted Nugent played what was billed as a \"fire-breathing\" rendition of the US national anthem on his electric guitar, interrupted by an obscenity-laced diatribe that included attacks on the \"jack-booted thugs\" in the federal government who he said have been wrongfully imprisoning Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol on 6 January, 2021.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia also had their moment on the stage, lobbing pointed attacks on New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who will decide in the days ahead whether to indict Mr Trump.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This attack is an egregious weaponisation of our justice system designed to influence the 2024 presidential race,\" Greene said. \"This is nothing but a witch hunt against President Trump, and he is completely innocent.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was an incident that helped fuel an anti-government movement in the US, as terms like Nugent\'s \"jack-booted thugs\" were frequently used to describe federal law officers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told the crowd that such connections were an expletive and \"fake news\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I picked Waco,\" he said. \"The president called me several weeks ago and said: \'I\'m coming to Texas. I want you to pick a great town.\'</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president\'s plane arrived early evening in the kind of dramatic airfield landing he made a signature of his campaigns in 2016 and 2020. The new \"Trump Force One\" circled the airfield as the song Danger Zone, made popular by the film Top Gun, blared on the loudspeakers. Meanwhile, a speed-artist painted a scowling portrait of the former president on the stage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The work turned out to be an accurately foreshadowing of the mood the embattled former president brought to his appearance. While he would eventually tout his record and make promises about a bright future for America if he is elected, it was clear that his legal troubles - and possible impending arrest - were foremost in his mind. 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, '2023-03-26 02:50:04', '2023-03-26 02:50:04'),
(5996, 5996, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sofiane Boufal and Abdelhamid Sabiri scored to give Morocco a 2-1 victory in an friendly match against Brazil in Tangier on Saturday, earning their first victory ever against the five-time world champions.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">World Cup semifinalists Morocco did not hold back and delivered a statement win against soccer powerhouse Brazil in their first home game after an outstanding Qatar 2022 campaign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cheered on by 65,000 fans in a sold-out Ibn Batouta stadium in Tangier, Morocco tried to make an early run but a steady Brazil held strong and the match almost turned into an ill-tempered affair, with the Brazilian players complaining bitterly to the referee after a series of bad tackles by the home defenders.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brazil were more aggressive and controlled possession while Morocco were always dangerous in the counter-attacks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Palmeiras winger Rony, who was making his debut in his first call with the Brazilian team, missed a sitter from close range in the 13th minute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou almost gifted Brazil a goal in the 22th minute with a comical mistake while trying to put the ball in play with his feet, but Rony\'s shot to an empty goal was blocked by a defender and Bounou managed to recover in time to save Vinicius Junior\'s strike from the rebound.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One minute later, Bono once again made a mistake, gifting the ball to Vinicius score to an empty goal, but the effort was ruled out by the VAR due to a controversial offside in the build-up, with the Brazilian players berating the Tunisian official Sadok Selmi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the very next play, Emerson Royal lost the ball close to his own box and Morocco didn\'t waste the golden opportunity gifted by the defender, with Bilal El Khannous assisting Sofiane Boufal to score from close range.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hakim Ziyech missed wide two great chances for Morocco before the break and goalkeeper Bounou denied a Rodrygo strike from the edge of the area with a Hollywood save.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Brazil found the equalizer in the 67th minute thanks to a schoolboy mistake by Bounou, who failed to hold on to a weak shot by Casemiro and let the ball slip under him and inside the net.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the hosts hit back 12 minutes later with substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri, who took down a lost ball inside the Brazilian box and unleashed an unstoppable strike which bounced off the crossbar into the net.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was a goal that the team and fans needed to complete their celebrations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Morocco, who became the first Arab team to reach the quarterfinals and the first African team to make the semis, once again pumped their supporters with pride after a World Cup run that spurred tears of joy across Africa and the Arab world. ESPN</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 03:00:55', '2023-03-26 03:00:55'),
(5997, 5997, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to the martyrs of Liberation War — placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar this morning, marking Independence and National Day.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Hamid first placed a wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the Prime Minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After placing the wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of Liberation War.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion, while the bugles played the last post.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, flanked by senior Awami League leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also chief of the ruling party, laid another wreath at the altar of the memorial. 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, '2023-03-26 04:54:01', '2023-03-26 04:54:01'),
(5998, 5998, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged all international community including the United Nations to recognise March 25 as the International Genocide Day.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Internationally we want that …March 25 will get recognition as the International Genocide Day,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said this while delivering her introductory speech in the Awami League Parliamentary Board (ALPB) meeting at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the night of March 25 in 1971, the Pakistani military junta resorted to mass killings and arson in Dhaka to implement their blueprint to thwart Awami League assuming office following its victory in the 1970 election.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The night also witnessed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s proclamation of independence before he was arrested by the Pakistani troops and subsequently taken to West Pakistan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh had started its journey with this “wound (genocide).”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She mentioned that Pakistani occupational forces had committed genocide over unarmed Bengalis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They unleashed attacks on the people of Bangladesh in a horrific way and killed people for long nine months,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this connection, the Awami League chief said that some 30 lakh people embraced martyrdom, three crore people were forcibly became homeless.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They torched homes and one crore people took shelter in India as refugee,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that there were dead bodies on the roads, bodies were eaten by jackals and dogs, and the people of the country saw that.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“There was inhumane oppression on women, they were taken to the army camps,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said that Father of the nation had built a country ravaged by the war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We also got the recognition as the least developed country during his three years and seven months tenure. It was unfortunate that the father of the nation was killed brutally.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that blood of the martyrs would never go in vain.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our Independence that we got in exchange of millions of martyrs, we have attained the status of developing country, we want to build Bangladesh as a developed and prosperous country. It is our pledge to millions of martyrs and to our father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she vowed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the attack on March 25, 1971 dubbed \'Operation Searchlight\', the Pakistani forces mercilessly killed Bangalee members of the East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers and common people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They killed people indiscriminately, set houses on fire and looted business establishments, leaving a trail of destruction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day is being observed as Genocide Day officially for the seventh time in the country since the parliament unanimously adopted a resolution on March 11, 2017. 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, '2023-03-26 04:57:28', '2023-03-26 04:57:28'),
(5999, 5999, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh will celebrate its 53rd independence anniversary on March 26. This day is a symbol of freedom from Pakistan in 1971. This day symbolizes the struggle and sacrifice of Bangladeshi people to achieve independence and birth of a new nation.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A notification published on January 22, 1972 recognized this day as a national day and public holiday of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The history of 26 March 1971 is a poignant reminder of the brutality of the Pakistan Army and the resilience of the Bangladeshi people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani army began a brutal crackdown on Bengalis demanding greater autonomy and rights within Pakistan. This event marked the beginning of the Bangladesh Liberation War, which lasted nine months and resulted in the birth of a new nation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the night progressed, news of the horrific atrocities of the Pakistani army began to emerge. Journalist Anthony Mascarenhas wrote in his book \"The Rape of Bangladesh\", \"Dhaka University became a living graveyard. The surroundings were littered with corpses.\" \"The army\'s brutality knew no bounds, they killed and raped with barbaric sounds. Helpless and frightened women students were treated like objects. They were stripped naked and stripped of their dignity.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After Operation Blitz in November 1970, the West Pakistan government ordered the massacre on this day. Which is historically known as Operation Searchlight. The main objective of Operation Searchlight was to capture all major cities by 26 March and eliminate all political and military opposition in West Pakistan within a month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Historian Gary J. Bass wrote in his book \"The Blood Telegram\", Bengalis, however, were not intimidated by the brutality of the army. \"Pakistani troops faced fierce resistance from the Bengali people, who organized themselves into the Mukti Bahini, a guerilla force fighting for their freedom\". The Mukti Bahini managed to take control of large parts of the country and by December 1971 they had effectively liberated Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 25, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was taken into prison custody by the Pakistani occupation forces. Shortly after 12:00 PM on 25 March (early hours of 26 March) he signed the Bangladesh Independence Declaration and then it was sent to the EPR transmitter in Chittagong for broadcast.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was written in the declaration, this may be my last message, Bangladesh is independent from today. I call upon the people of Bangladesh, wherever you are, to continue resisting the occupying army with all your might. May your fight continue till the last Pakistani soldier is lifted from the soil of Bangladesh and the final victory is achieved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 26, Belal Mohammad, Abul Kasem along with several officials of Chattogram Betar Kendra and local Awami League leader M. A. Hannan first miked Sheikh Mujib\'s declaration of independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1971, through this announcement, the bloody independence war began on the soil of Bangladesh, which lasted for nine months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Independence Day of Bangladesh is celebrated in a very colorful way. The celebrations started with the laying of wreaths at the National Memorial. The day was ushered in with 31 rounds of gunfire. At sunrise, the national flag is hoisted on government, semi-government, autonomous and privately owned buildings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion of the day, from morning till night, the main main roads and road islands of the city are decorated with national flags and flags of different colors. At the national stadium, the students of the educational institutions have rallies, parades, displays and physical exercises. Newspapers issue special circulars. Radio and TV channels broadcast special programs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Every year since 1977, the highest civilian honor medal \'Swadhinta Puraskar\' has been awarded on the Independence Day of Bangladesh in memory of the brave martyrs of the 1971 Bangladesh War of Independence. This award is given to individuals or groups who are citizens of Bangladesh in recognition of distinguished and meritorious contributions in various fields determined by the government in the national life.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The declaration of independence on 26th March, 1971, was a pivotal moment in the history of Bangladesh. It marked the beginning of a long and difficult struggle for freedom, a struggle that would ultimately lead to the creation of an independent nation. The sacrifices of the brave men and women who fought for Bangladesh\'s independence will never be forgotten, and their legacy continues to inspire the nation to this day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Nirodh Kumar Barman', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 05:13:13', '2023-03-26 05:13:13'),
(6000, 6000, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 127 at 10 am today, Dhaka ranked 11th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thailand’s Chiang Mai, Ghana’s Accra, and Pakistan’s Karachi occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 218, 169, and 163, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, 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 due to 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, '2023-03-26 05:30:55', '2023-03-26 05:30:55');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6001, 6001, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in neighbour and ally Belarus, bringing the arms to a country at the gates of the European Union.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin has previously issued thinly veiled warnings that he could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine if Russia were threatened, reviving Cold War-era fears.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said he would deploy depleted uranium ammunition if Kyiv received the controversial weaponry from the West, following a British suggestion that it could supply Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin said the move to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus was \"nothing unusual.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The United States has been doing this for decades. They have long placed their tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of their allies,\" Putin said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin said he spoke to Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and said \"we agreed to do the same.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He added that Russia had helped equip Belarusian planes \"without violating our international agreements on nuclear-non-proliferation... 10 planes are ready for this type of weapon to be used.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia has given Belarus an Iskander system that can carry nuclear weapons, Putin also said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It will start training crews on April 3 and plans to finish the construction of a special storage facility for tactical nuclear weapons by July 1.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Most harmful\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin also said that Russia would respond if the West supplied Ukraine with depleted uranium ammunition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Russia of course has what it needs to answer. Without exaggeration, we have hundreds of thousands of such shells. We have not used them yet,\" Putin added in an interview on Russian television.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the weapons \"can be classified as the most harmful and hazardous for humans... and also for the environment.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Depleted uranium munitions are highly effective at piercing armour plate, but their use is controversial.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The metal is toxic for the soldiers who use the weapons and for civilians in areas where they are fired.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin has previously said nuclear tensions were \"rising\" globally but said Moscow would not deploy first.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) has warned nuclear threats were creating a dangerous sense of uncertainty around their possible use.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The longer Russia\'s operation in Ukraine grinds on, the greater the nuclear strike risk, ICAN warned last month ahead of the offensive\'s first anniversary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Nuclear threat -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin announced last month that Moscow would suspend its participation in New START, the last remaining arms control treaty between the world\'s two main nuclear powers, Russia and the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg slammed Russia for suspending the nuclear weapons limitation treaty with the US, saying it marked the end of Europe\'s post-Cold War arms control architecture.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The announcement came after Moscow last August suspended US inspections of its military sites under New START.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US officials have voiced fears that Russia could use nuclear weapons if it feels routed on the battlefield and could plant a fictitious story to justify its actions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia has already spoken of supposed Ukrainian attempts to detonate a \"dirty bomb,\" drawing strong denials from Ukraine and a sharp rebuke from the United States, which had rare direct communication with Moscow to warn against nuclear use.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Neither the United States nor Russia -- by far the largest nuclear weapons powers -- officially has a policy of no first use of the ultra-destructive arms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian officials have repeated that Russia would only use nuclear weapons if it was facing an \"existential threat\" -- but the definition of such a threat remains vague.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A recent US posture review by President Joe Biden concluded that nuclear weapons should only be used in \"extreme circumstances.\" BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 05:37:09', '2023-03-26 05:53:29'),
(6002, 6002, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will battle on Sunday to put out the fires threatening his government as the three-way coalition meets for crisis talks on a growing series of disputes.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A little more than a year after taking office, the relationship between Scholz\'s Social Democrats (SPD) and his governing partners, the Greens and the pro-business FDP, looks more strained than ever.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier this week, Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens accused the FDP of blocking progress, while the FDP\'s deputy chief Wolfgang Kubicki compared the Green politician to Russian President Vladimir Putin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kubicki later apologised but the damaging row underlines the state of the three-way coalition -- the first in Germany\'s post-war history.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The alliance got off to a good start in December 2021 under the motto of their coalition agreement -- \"Dare for more progress\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was put to a tough test when Russia invaded Ukraine just two months on, upending decades of German economic and political certainties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But tensions have since soared -- particularly between the Greens and the FDP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The two are unnatural bedfellows, with the former set on environmental commitments to phase out nuclear energy and combustion engines, and the latter promoting very different economic policies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It could not be \"that in a coalition of progress only one coalition partner is responsible for progress and the others for preventing progress\", Habeck said at a Green party event during the week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Boiling over -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sunday\'s talks would be a good opportunity to \"overcome blockages\" on key issues, Habeck also told broadcaster ARD, blasting the coalition\'s record and policy leaks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the root of Habeck\'s discontent is a controversial project put forward by his ministry to ban the installation of new oil and gas boilers from 2024 -- a year earlier than previously planned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accelerated move from fossil fuels to greener technologies such as heat pumps would be accompanied by a multi-billion-euro package of financial support for switchers, Habeck has promised.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the idea has caused ructions within the coalition, with critics underlining the costs involved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The plans must go back to the drawing board and be fundamentally revised,\" Finance Minister and FDP leader Christian Lindner said after a policy draft was leaked to German daily Bild.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Habeck\'s determination had something in common with Putin, Kubicki said. Both, he declared, had \"a similar belief that the state, the leader, the chosen one, knows better than the people what is good for them\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As tempers frayed, SPD general secretary said the partners needed to \"find a new way of working\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This is an appeal to all three parties in government -- these public arguments must stop now,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Explosive material\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The boiler bust-up is only one item on a growing list of disagreements, including pension reform, child benefits and cuts to red tape.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The parties agreed to speed up the approval process for key projects to revitalise Germany\'s creaking infrastructure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But while the FDP would like to see support for more new motorways, the Greens want to privilege more climate-friendly projects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The FDP have also rallied opposition against European Union plans to ban cars with internal combustion engines from 2035, insisting on a future for alternative engine fuels -- another idea strongly opposed by the Greens.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Spending demands from across government -- including more money for Germany\'s sclerotic armed forces -- have made the maths harder for the finance minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lindner, who has insisted on a return to Germany\'s strict constitutional spending limits, was forced earlier in March to push back the publication of spending plans for 2024 due to a lack of agreement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Divisions over the budget threaten to bring an end to the coalition, if Scholz fails to back his finance minister, political scientist Juergen Falter told Bild.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Much of the coalition\'s discord could be traced back to the fact that \"the ideas of the Greens and the FDP simply do not fit together\", he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bringing their opposing views together was always going to be difficult, according to Falter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Three-way alliances automatically have more explosive material,\" 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, '2023-03-26 05:51:32', '2023-03-26 05:51:32'),
(6003, 6003, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The nation is celebrating 53rd Independence and National Day today in a befitting manner, with the resolution to take the country forward imbued with the spirit of Liberation War.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 26, 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh\'s independence following the crackdown on unarmed Bangalees on the night of March 25 by the Pakistani occupation forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the nine-month long Liberation War, with the supreme sacrifices of three million martyrs, Bangladesh achieved its cherished independence on December 16, 1971.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government has undertaken elaborate programmes marking Independence and National Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to the martyrs of Liberation War — placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar this morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Hamid first placed a wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the Prime Minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After placing the wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of Liberation War.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion, while the bugles played the last post.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, flanked by senior Awami League leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also chief of the ruling party, laid another wreath at the altar of the memorial.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also paid tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman this morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On her return from the National Memorial, the Prime Minister paid homage to the Father of the Nation by placing a wreath at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After placing the wreath, she stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, the architect of Bangladesh’s independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina stayed at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum for some time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Flanked by central leaders of Awami League, Sheikh Hasina laid another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu on behalf of AL.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages extending heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to Bangladeshi citizens at home and abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day began with a gun salute and wreath-laying ceremony at Savar\'s National Memorial in honor of the Liberation War martyrs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At sunrise, the national flag was flown over all government, semi-government, private, and autonomous buildings, and all significant buildings and establishments will be illuminated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">National dailies have brought out special supplements, while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, private radio stations and television channels are airing special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Shishu Academy, National Museum, Liberation War Museum, and other social and cultural organizations will host seminars, cultural programs, painting and sports competitions for children, as well as film and documentary screenings on the Liberation War.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Families of martyrs and freedom fighters will be honored at the metropolitan, district, and upazila levels today. Bangladesh Post Office Department unveiled a special commemorative stamp to mark the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, different religious institutions will hold special prayers and doa mehfil praying for the country\'s peace, development and prosperity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Special food will be distributed at institutions like hospitals, jails, children\'s homes, old-age homes, and day care centers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Children’s parks and museums will remain open to all throughout the day. Also, vessels of the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard will remain open from 2 pm until the evening for people to visit at Chattogram, Khulna, Mongla, Payra Port, and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) terminals in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Barishal and Chandpur.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Similar programmes at district and upazila levels and Bangladesh embassies in different countries will be arranged to highlight the significance of Independence Day. 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, '2023-03-26 06:08:02', '2023-03-26 06:08:02'),
(6004, 6004, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has written a fresh letter for Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez from jail. He confessed his love for Jacqueline and called the ‘biggest gift’ of his life. He is in Mandoli jail, accused of connection to several frauds.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He called her ‘butta bomma’ in Telugu, which means beautiful doll. \"My Bomma, I miss you a ton on this day of my birthday, I miss your energy around me, I have no words, but I know your love for me is never ending, is all over me. I know what is in your beautiful heart. I don’t need proof and that’s all that matters to me, baby. But I must admit, I am missing you, you know how much I love you my botta bomma,\" he wrote in the letter, as per PTI.</div><div><br></div><div>The letter further read, \"You and your love is the bestest gift which is priceless in my life, you know I am here for you standing by you come what may. Love you my baby, thank you for giving me your heart. I also thank all my supporters and friends for all your wishes on my birthday. I have received hundreds of letters, greetings. I feel blessed, thank you.\"</div><div><br></div><div>laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. He is also accused in several other cases being investigated by ED, Delhi Police and Economic Offences Wing.</div><div><br></div><div>The ED\'s case is based on an FIR filed by Delhi Police\'s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) against Sukesh Chandrasekhar who is accused of cheating and extorting Japna Singh and Aditi Singh, wife of the former promoter of Religare Enterprises, who are in judicial custody related to alleged misappropriation of funds at Religare Finvest Ltd.</div><div><br></div><div>Both Chandrasekhar and his actor wife Leena Maria Paul were arrested by the Delhi Police for their alleged role in the duping case.</div><div><br></div><div>Bollywood actors Jacqueline, Nora Fatehi and other several names also surfaced during the investigation of the Economic Offence Wings case of the Delhi Police and Enforcement Directorate. HT</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 06:36:18', '2023-03-26 06:36:18'),
(6005, 6005, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Congratulating Bangladesh, the United Nations today said Bangladesh has many accomplishments — extraordinary economic development, a significant cultural legacy, leadership on a global stage for climate vulnerable countries, and immense generosity in welcoming and hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“The hospitality of Bangladesh’s diverse people is just one of the many facets of a country that my colleagues and I have been fortunate to experience every day,” UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis said in a press statement on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“On behalf of the United Nations, I warmly congratulate the people of Bangladesh on the 52nd anniversary of independence,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Over the last 52 years, Bangladesh has made impressive and remarkable achievements: evolving from a war-torn country to one of the leading economic powers in South Asia, standing at the threshold of upcoming graduation from least developed countries (LDCs) in 2026, and planned achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030, she said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The UN fully supports Bangladesh’s commitments to economic and sustainable development and appreciates the strong and long-lasting relationship with Bangladesh and our shared values.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The constitution of the country, that was adopted even before Bangladesh had formally become a member of the United Nations in 1974, guarantees fundamental human rights. The right to freedom of speech, religion, movement and assembly, the right to speak one\'s own language and other rights that are in line with the UN charter, said the UNRC.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“Wishing you all a Happy Independence Day!” — she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 07:02:18', '2023-03-26 07:02:18'),
(6006, 6006, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday greeted the freedom fighters (FFs) of the country on the occasion of the Independence and National Day.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As in the past, the prime minister sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters and members of the martyred families at Martyred and War-wounded Freedom Fighters’ Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-1) at Gaznavi Road in the capital’s Mohammadpur area as a mark of her good wishes for them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM’s Assistant Private Secretary (APS)-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwer-E-Alom Sarker handed over the items to them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to a media release of the PM’s press wing, the war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred families thanked and expressed gratitude to the PM for remembering them on every National Day and festival like the Independence Day, the Victory Day, Eid and Pahela Boishakh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The freedom fighters expressed unwavering faith in the visionary leadership of the eldest daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and expressed satisfaction over the country\'s irresistible progress.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They specifically mentioned that the people\'s welfare is ensured as well as the freedom fighters and their families remain well when the government led by Awami League, which believes in the spirit of the great liberation war, is in power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They also expressed their gratitude to the prime minister for providing increased allowances, medicate facilities and accommodation to the freedom fighters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The freedom fighters think that under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh will one day earn the world\'s respect as a poverty-free, prosperous and self-respecting \"Golden Bangladesh\" as dreamt by Bangabandhu</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They expressed gratitude to Hasina\'s leadership for presenting the correct history of independence to the new generation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They also expressed satisfaction with the overwhelming development and progress of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They wished the PM good health and long life. 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, '2023-03-26 07:53:02', '2023-03-26 07:53:02'),
(6007, 6007, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman had acted as \'a collaborator of Pakistan\' in disguise of freedom fighter.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP founder Ziaur Rahman actually was an accomplice of Pakistani occupation force impersonating freedom fighter\", he said while paying homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman marking the Independence Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The information minister exchanged views with journalists after paying tributes to Bangabandhu by placing a wreath at his portrait at Dhanmondi road-32 here with other party leaders on the occasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About BNP\'s different statements on Ziaur Rahman, Dr Hasan, also joint general secretary of the ruling Awami League, said Zia was an employee under the first government of Bangladesh that had taken oath at Mujibnagar in Meherpur and conducted the liberation war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also referred to indiscriminate torture on Bangalees committed by the Pakistani occupation forces during the liberation war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said, \"The Pakistani forces killed those people, burnt down their houses and tortured them whom they found providing assistance to the freedom fighters\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But, how it is possible that when Zia was in battle field, then his wife Khaleda Zia was safe under the Pakistan forces\' custody? It proved that Zia was \'spy\' of Pakistan in disguise of freedom fighter,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister also said the BNP was involved in distorting history for long twenty-one years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But, when the history distortion was resisted, then they (BNP leaders) are out of sense. That\'s why; BNP leaders including Mirza Fakhrul are now talking nonsense,\" he added. 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, '2023-03-26 08:21:50', '2023-03-26 08:21:50'),
(6008, 6008, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Tehran has condemned US airstrikes on Iran-linked forces in Syria that reportedly killed 19 people, which Washington said it carried out following a deadly drone attack on US forces.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Iranian foreign ministry late Saturday condemned \"the belligerent and terrorist attack of the American army on civilian targets\" in the eastern Syrian region of Deir Ezzor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Washington said it launched the retaliatory raids after a US contractor was killed -- and another contractor and five military personnel wounded -- by a drone \"of Iranian origin\" that struck a US-led coalition base in Syria on Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor has said at least 19 people, most of them Syrian, were killed in the following US strikes launched early Friday morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US strikes triggered further rocket attacks by Iran-backed militias, the Observatory said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Syrian government, which is closely allied with Iran, has accused the United States of lying about the targets of its air strikes to justify its \"act of aggression.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has about 900 troops in posts across northeastern Syria to keep pressure on the remnants of the Islamic State group and support the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which control most of the northeast.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US personnel in Syria have frequently been targeted in attacks by militia groups that Washington says are backed by Tehran.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said the US troops\' presence was \"illegal\" and a \"violation of international law and the national sovereignty\" of Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In contrast, Kanani said Iranian forces were in Syria at the behest of Damascus.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The military advisers of the Islamic Republic of Iran are present in Syria at the request of the Syrian government\", he said, adding that they will continue to support Damascus to \"help establish peace, stability and lasting security.\" 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, '2023-03-26 08:56:48', '2023-03-26 08:56:48'),
(6010, 6010, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese President Xi Jinping has said the tremendous achievements scored by the Bangladesh government and people have been widely commended by the international community.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"China-Bangladesh friendship boasts a long history and will grow from strength to strength,\" he said in a congratulatory message marking Independence Day of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Premier of the State Council Li Qiang and State Councilor of the State Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang sent messages of felicitation separately to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen respectively.</div><div><br></div><div>At present, President Xi said, Bangladesh and China are enjoying solid and profound political trust, and practical cooperation has been advancing steadily.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the joint construction of the “The Belt and Road Initiative” has yielded fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I attach great importance to the development of China-Bangladesh relations, and I stand ready to work with you to push China-Bangladesh Strategic Partnership of Cooperation to a new height,\" President Xi said in his message to President Abdul Hamid.</div><div><br></div><div>\"On the occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the independence of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, and in my own name, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to Abdul Hamid and to the government and people of your country,\" Xi said.</div><div><br></div><div>In recent years, he said, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in various economic and social undertakings, making great strides toward the dream of “Sonar Bangla”. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 10:48:39', '2023-03-26 10:48:39'),
(6011, 6011, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">England\'s Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League season, his team Punjab Kings said, after he failed to recover in time from a freak golfing injury.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Australian batsman Matthew Short will replace Bairstow in the team, which will begin its campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 1.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We regret to inform you that Jonny Bairstow will not be a part of the IPL this season because of his injury,\" Punjab said in a statement on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We wish him the best and look forward to seeing him next season. We are pleased to welcome Matthew Short as his replacement.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Bairstow, a 33-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, broke his left leg and dislocated his ankle last September while playing golf and has been out of action since.</div><div><br></div><div>Short, 27, was the player of the tournament in the recent Big Bash League, scoring more than 400 runs and picking up 11 wickets with his off spin.</div><div><br></div><div>The Australian domestic tournament is, like the IPL, in the Twenty20 format.</div><div><br></div><div>Other big names missing for this IPL season, which begins on March 31, include Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant after a car crash in December and injured Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 11:43:49', '2023-03-26 11:43:49'),
(6012, 6012, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh is all set to begin their three-match T20I series against Ireland on Monday in Chattogram. Ahead of the first T20I, Bangladesh\'s head coach Chandika Hathurusingha emphasized that national duty takes precedence over any other commitment, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), and hinted that Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das may not be granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the IPL if Bangladesh has international matches during the same period.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Shakib and Litton were recently signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming season of IPL, while Mustafizur Rahman was retained by his old team, Delhi Capitals. However, since Mustafizur is not a regular face in Bangladesh\'s Test team, he may be allowed to play in the IPL after the Ireland T20I series.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The decision of the board is to prioritize playing for the national team over any other league, and this message has been conveyed to all the players, even before they put their names in the players\' draft,\" Chandika said on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>While it is common for teams to release their players for IPL matches during international tours, Bangladesh has chosen not to take that route. The country\'s cricket board has made it clear that national duty takes precedence, and players will not be released for IPL matches if they conflict with international fixtures.</div><div><br></div><div>This year\'s IPL is scheduled to begin on March 31, and Bangladesh has a Test match against Ireland starting from April 4. Therefore, it has been confirmed that Shakib and Liton will not be granted NOCs to play in the IPL.</div><div><br></div><div>Some Indian media outlets have reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may ban Bangladeshi players from the IPL in the future, in response to Bangladesh\'s decision not to release players for IPL matches. However, neither the BCCI nor any IPL team has confirmed the veracity of these reports. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 14:34:47', '2023-03-26 14:34:47'),
(6013, 6013, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to the martyrs of Liberation War — placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar this morning, marking Independence and National Day.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>President Hamid first placed a wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the Prime Minister.</div><div><br></div><div>After placing the wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of Liberation War.</div><div><br></div><div>PM, President pay tribute to martyrs at National Memorial on Independence Day&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion, while the bugles played the last post.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, flanked by senior Awami League leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also chief of the ruling party, laid another wreath at the altar of the memorial. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 14:49:15', '2023-03-26 14:49:15'),
(6014, 6014, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is going to embrace parenthood.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Daniel\'s rep confirmed the news adding that Radcliffe with his longtime girlfriend Erin Darke is expecting his first child,</div><div><br></div><div>The couple is about to become parents after more than 10 years of dating since playing love interests in their 2013 movie \'Kill Your Darlings\'.</div><div><br></div><div>According to a US-based media company, Daniel said earlier that he and Darke are \"really happy\" together.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'ve got a really nice life. I\'ve been with my girlfriend for a decade, pretty much,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>After working together again on the 2016 movie \'Don\'t Think Twice\' and season 3 of Radcliffe\'s TBS series \'Miracle Workers\', he said the experience \"was incredibly special and felt lovely,\" but it was more of a sporadic occurrence.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We definitely like [working together], but it\'s not something we want to do all the time,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Hopefully we\'ll get to do more in the future, but we also both write,\" added Radcliffe.</div><div><br></div><div>\"So maybe we\'d write something together at some point, and that would be cool.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Although the couple has kept their relationship mostly out of the spotlight, Darke accompanied him on the red carpet of his movie \'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story\'s\' TIFF premiere in last September reported People.</div><div><br></div><div>Radcliffe told Newsweek in October that he \"wouldn\'t want fame for my kid,\" although: \"I want my kids, if and when they exist... I would love them to be around film sets.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"A dream would be for them to come onto a film set and be like, \'God, you know, I\'d love to be in the art department. I\'d love to be something in the crew,\'\" added Radcliffe, reports AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Film sets are wonderful places. I think a lot of the time it can be wonderful for kids. But it\'s really the fame side of it that should be avoided at all costs,\" said Daniel.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 14:53:40', '2023-03-26 14:53:40'),
(6015, 6015, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Accusing Awami League of destroying democracy and the electoral system by dashing the dreams of the country’s independence, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday expressed a strong determination to restore democracy and people’s democratic rights, including the right of franchise.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The country was liberated through a bloody war 52 years back in 1971 with a hope to build a truly democratic state. But that democracy has now been unfortunately completely exiled and the democratic rights have been taken away,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking to reporters after placing a wreath at BNP founder Ziaur Rahmank\'s grave, Fakhrul alleged that the country’s people now do not have the right to franchise and the right to speak and write.</div><div><br></div><div>“There’re no democratic rights here at all. All the institutions of the state have been ruined in a planned way. Awami League is going to establish a fascist one-party governance system with a nefarious plot by destroying the electoral system,” he observed.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader called upon the people from all walks of life and all political parties to be more united and organised to get rid of the current situation in the country and restore democracy and all the lost rights.</div><div><br></div><div>“The people of Bangladesh have woken up and started a movement to restore democracy, to get their voting and other rights back, and to live in peace. We have to be more united and organised, to achieve success” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the prices of all commodities and oil, gas, and power have increased so much that people are going through serious ordeals.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the government has raised the prices of the essentials and utility services to plunder public money through widespread corruption.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said they will force the government to free BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia without any condition and withdraw the false cases filed against over 35 lakh people and accept their 10-point demands, including holding the next national election under a non-party caretaker government.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP secretary general along with party leaders and activists came to Ziaur Rahman\'s grave at Sher-e Bangla Nagar around 10am and placed a wreath there, marking the 53rd Independence Day.</div><div><br></div><div>They also offered munajat there seeking the salvation of Zia\'s departed soul.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the morning, BNP leaders and activists, led by Fakhrul, placed a wreath at the altar of the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar, marking Independence Day.</div><div><br></div><div>After placing the wreath, they stood in solemn silence for a while in memory of the martyrs of the Liberation War.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, talking to reporters, Fakhrul said the Liberation War began in 1971 through the “proclamation of independence by BNP founder Ziaur Rahman”.</div><div><br></div><div>“The independence of Bangladesh was achieved through nine months of bloody struggle. We participated in the Liberation War with a dream and hope of building a democratic state. Unfortunately, even after 52 years of independence, people are sacrificing their lives and carrying on a struggle for democracy,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said people have lost their right to speak and right to vote while journalists have lost their right to write the truth as an “authoritarian government” has been established in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>He bemoaned that their party chairperson Khaleda Zia was jailed as she started a movement for the “restoration of democracy” while over 35 lakh opposition leaders and activists have been harassed by implicating them in “false” cases.</div><div><br></div><div>On this Independence Day, Fakhrul said their party leaders and activists took a vow that they will continue the movement that they have started to “bring back democracy, the right to vote, to bring the prices of essential commodities at a tolerable level and to turn Bangladesh into a truly democratic state.”</div><div><br></div><div>BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Vice-chairmen Barrister Shahjahan Omar, party’s Dhaka south city unit convener Abdus Salam, Dhaka north city unit convener Abdus Salam, joint secretaries general Khairul Kabir Khokon, Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, among others were present.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the morning, BNP hoisted the national and the party flags atop its offices, including the Nayapaltan central one, on the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>The party arranged a discussion on Saturday at Mohanagar Natya Mancha, marking the day.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 16, the party chalked out a 10-day day program to celebrate Independence Day.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 27, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, the freedom fighters\' wing of BNP, will organize a “mass gathering of freedom fighters” in front of BNP\'s Nayapaltan central office, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, the party\'s different units and associate bodies also took various programmes, including discussions, to mark the day.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-26 15:52:36', '2023-03-26 15:52:36');
