INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(273, 273, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">People have been enduring severe power cuts for the last few days as electricity production was hampered mainly due to a shortage of natural gas supply.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Around 52 percent of the country\'s power is produced using gas, according to Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) data.</div><div><br></div><div>However, according to data from state-owned Petrobangla, the government has been injecting less LNG into the national gas-supply grid for the last few days. The government decided for the time being to not buy LNG from the international spot market where the price has gone up significantly in recent months.</div><div><br></div><div>Power production accounts for around 70 percent of the country\'s total gas consumption, according to energy division data.</div><div><br></div><div>Due to less power generation, people across the country have been experiencing power outages multiple times a day, raising the spectre of a return to the days before 2012 when \"load-shedding\" had become a dreaded household word.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the word had started to fade from the national consciousness since 2018, it featured in a Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) statement issued yesterday, in which the state-owned organisation apologised to the consumers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Due to gas shortage, DPDC is being allotted less electricity. As a result, we have to conduct load-shedding in some places,\" read the statement.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>DPDC Executive Director Bikash Dewan said, \"We are trying to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to important service sectors and key state establishments.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, in a Facebook post on Sunday said the power generation is facing disruption due to gas supply shortfall.</div><div><br></div><div>The country is facing a supply crunch of fuel like the rest of the world as a consequence of the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He, however, did not mention how long the situation would last.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Power generation will return to full normalcy once gas supply is restored,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 854mmcfd (million cubic feet per day) of LNG was supplied to the national gas grid on June 29. It had dropped to 507 mmcfd by yesterday, according to Petrobangla data.</div><div><br></div><div>Multiple officials of Petrobangla told The Daily Star that about 250-300 mmcfd of LNG demand was fulfilled from the international spot market, but after the recent price hike, they decided not to buy LNG from the spot market till prices came down.</div><div><br></div><div>According to energy ministry data, on average 3,100-3,200 mmcfd of natural gas was distributed across the country since the beginning of the year.</div><div><br></div><div>But since June 30, the average supply stood at 2,800-2,900 mmcfd, according to the daily production and distribution report of Petrobangla.</div><div><br></div><div>Petrobangla Chairman Nazmul Ahsan said they would buy LNG from the spot market only after the price comes down.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The world is in a crisis situation and everyone is taking steps to be thrifty. We are trying to produce more gas from our internal sources,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Officials of the power, energy and mineral resources ministry said the government is in trouble. \"The spot market price of LNG was $26 per Metric Million British Thermal Unit when we last bought it in May. It has now increased to over $36,\" said an energy ministry official, preferring anonymity.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka dwellers said they have been experiencing power outages of 30-40 minutes three-four times a day since June 30.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We didn\'t sleep the whole night because the power was out at least four-five times. We have a newborn and he was sweating all night. It was painful,\" said Hasina Begum of the capital\'s Banasree area.</div><div><br></div><div>Some city dwellers complained that the power cuts sometimes last more than an hour.</div><div><br></div><div>\"On Sunday, there was no electricity in our home for about an hour,\" Hasanur Rahman of Adabor told The Daily Star.</div><div><br></div><div>Residents in Chattogram complained that they experienced power outages about 8-10 times a day.</div><div><br></div><div>The port city has a daily supply shortage of 200MW, said Shahidul Islam, deputy director of BPDB\'s Chattogram zone.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they were making up the shortfall mainly by interrupting supply to households, keeping industrial areas unaffected.</div><div><br></div><div>Power Cuts Return</div><div><br></div><div>In 2012, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed implementing a two-hour daily outage to manage power supply shortfall.</div><div><br></div><div>But since 2018, load-shedding -- the interruption of power supply -- became almost non-existent in urban areas, although there were regular outages in rural areas.</div><div><br></div><div>The government had then said there was no load-shedding across the country due to shortage on the production side, and that outages in rural areas happened due to lack of distribution capacity and system loss.</div><div><br></div><div>Contacted yesterday, Saiful Hasan Chowdhury, director of public relations of BPDB, said they have a countrywide daily demand of 14,000 megawatts in peak time.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But we are generating 12,000-13,000MW,\" Hasan said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We had no load-shedding due to production shortfalls earlier, but now we are in shortage. If we don\'t manage alternate sources, it will continue for some days,\" he feared.</div><div><br></div><div>DPDC has a peak demand of 1,300MW daily but have been getting 1,000MW for the last two days, according to a power division official.</div><div><br></div><div>DESCO, another distributor in Dhaka, has a demand of 1,000MW, but were getting 850MW for the last couple of days, the official said.</div><div><br></div><div>Shahidullah Azim, senior vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said many factory owners have been complaining to the association that their production is affected due to load-shedding in industrial zones.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many of the manufacturers are facing delays in shipment of goods,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The factory owners have to buy diesel for generators to run their production units [in case of power outage]. As a result, the cost of production has been increasing at an already tough time,\" Azim said.</div><div><br></div><div>An energy ministry official wishing anonymity said, \"We have decided on about an hour of load-shedding in Dhaka city. The BPC is also in trouble as fuel prices have gone up in the international market. To avoid huge losses, we have also decided not to run most of the oil-based power plants.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Another power division official feared that the power crisis would continue for a long time.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are taking various austerity measures to tackle the extraordinary situation. We will reinstitute the measure to shut down all markets and shopping malls by 8:00pm after Eid,\" the official said.</div><div><br></div><div>Shortage everywhere&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>In Gazipur, there were about three-four hours of outages daily in residential areas, while about one hour of power cuts in industrial areas.</div><div><br></div><div>\"When the power disruption occurs for an hour, the workers have no option but to take a break and at least 1.5 to 2 hours of working hours are wasted,\" said Nasir Uddin, director of a knitwear company.</div><div><br></div><div>Residents in northern districts including Rajshahi, Bogura, Gaibandha and Joypurhat are facing acute load-shedding.</div><div><br></div><div>A doctor of Bogura\'s 250-bed Mohammad Ali Hospital said yesterday, \"We have experienced load-shedding in the operation theatre while conducting surgeries and the doctors had to wait for generators.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"Some machines don\'t run on generators,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Residents said they have not seen such outages in the last several years.</div><div><br></div><div>Sabina Akter of Rajshahi city\'s Laxmipur area said load-shedding has plagued them day and night for the past few days.</div><div><br></div><div>Jakiul Islam, managing director of Northern Electricity Supply Company Limited (NESCO) said the outages are happening as Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions have been witnessing an average 200MW power shortage daily.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 14:45:08', '2022-07-05 14:45:08'),
(274, 274, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mats Wilander believes that Roger Federer will play at least one more Wimbledon title before he retires.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Eurosport pundit thinks that the 40-year-old Swiss tennis legend will be successful in his attempt to mount another comeback from knee surgery.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2020 Federer used the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to go under the knife to address a knee problem, having surgery in February and then March of that year.</div><div><br></div><div>He appeared at Wimbledon last year, in his last competitive action before undergoing more surgery.</div><div><br></div><div>Given his age there has been plenty of speculation that he would retire rather than attempt a comeback but he appears steadfast in his refusal to step away from the sport as he tries to find full fitness.</div><div><br></div><div>Federer has eight Wimbledon titles to his name and Wilander, who has seven Grand Slam titles on his resume, paid tribute to his longevity.</div><div><br></div><div>“I think his biggest achievement so far is the dominance that he had early on as soon as he won his first major,” he said. “The dominance he had towards Leighton Hewitt, Marat Saffin, Andy Roddick, Juan Carlos Ferrero, who were all great players. And then Federer just literally went out and won everything except the French Open.</div><div><br></div><div>“Second thing is to actually step up and win the French Open when [Rafa] Nadal lost to [Robin] Soderling. To actually take that pressure and say okay, this is my chance and then actually delivering. Then I think the big thing for me, the biggest accomplishment is him coming back and winning three majors from 2017. He hadn\'t won four, five or six years and then suddenly wins the Australian, Wimbledon and then the Australian again in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>“I think tennis wise, that is probably his biggest accomplishment because he is fighting against a generation that is five or six years younger than him. And there\'s nearly no players in the history of the game that have been able to keep up with the generation that\'s knocking on the door because the game moves in one direction.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>While Wilander was not 100 percent certain Federer could come back to challenge the very best on the tour, he still thinks he will make at least one more appearance at SW19.</div><div>He said: “I don\'t think Federer is going to come back unless he feels that he has a level where he can compete with most guys on tour. Does he have it inside of him in his confidence to go out on the centre court at Wimbledon and play Novak Djokovic next year in the quarters and feel like he has a chance? That\'s again, something that I don\'t think he knows.</div><div><br></div><div>“I\'m pretty convinced that we will see him. If there\'s any chance physically, I\'m very, very hopeful that we will see him play another Wimbledon and maybe even more than that. Now that we\'ve seen Serena come out and actually say that ‘I never thought of retirement, I’m just enjoying playing’. I\'m here to win another Slam or I’m not. I\'m just here to win the match that I\'m involved in and enjoy the process.</div><div><br></div><div>“I enjoy practising and I\'m healthy. It\'s sort of the same attitude as when you\'re 18 years old. Serena now has when she\'s 40 years old that I\'m sure Federer is going to come back with the same thing.” -Eurosport</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"22\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 15:08:08', '2022-07-05 15:08:08'),
(275, 275, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">James Cameron may have created the planet of Pandora, but there’s a chance the filmmaker does not direct all of the Avatar films.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>After the franchise’s game-changing first film, Cameron decided to continue the saga with four more stories, the first of which,&nbsp; Avatar: The Way of Water, hits theaters on Dec. 16, 2022. The third installment hasn’t been announced, but it’s slated to be released in December 2024, since it was filmed back-to-back with Avatar 2.</div><div><br></div><div>The fourth and fifth movies haven’t gone into production yet, but when they do, Cameron says he might not be at the helm.</div><div><br></div><div>“The Avatar films themselves are kind of all-consuming,” Cameron said in an interview with Empire magazine, adding that there are some other projects he’s developing that he’s excited about.</div><div><br></div><div>“I think eventually over time – I don’t know if that’s after three or after four — I’ll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can go do some other stuff that I’m also interested in,” he continued. “Or maybe not. I don’t know.”</div><div><br></div><div>Despite being uncertain about whether or not he’ll direct the rest of the Avatar franchise, Cameron is looking forward to seeing the storylines play out.</div><div><br></div><div>“Everything I need to say about family, about sustainability, about climate, about the natural world, the themes that are important to me in real life and in my cinematic life, I can say on this canvas,” he said, sharing that he gets more excited with every new film in the saga.</div><div><br></div><div>“Movie four is a corker. It’s a motherfu*ker,” he said. “I actually hope I get to make it. But it depends on market forces. Three is in the can so it’s coming out regardless. I really hope that we get to make four and five because it’s one big story, ultimately. -THR</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 15:42:21', '2022-07-05 15:42:21'),
(276, 276, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Torrential rains kept battering Australia\'s east coast on Tuesday, intensifying the flood crisis in Sydney as thousands more residents were ordered to leave their homes after rivers swiftly rose past danger levels.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>About 50,000 residents in New South Wales, most in Sydney\'s western suburbs, have been told to either evacuate or warned they might receive evacuation orders, up from Monday\'s 30,000, authorities said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This event is far from over, please don\'t be complacent,\" New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet told reporters. \"Wherever you are, please be careful when you\'re driving on our roads. There are still substantial risks for flash flooding.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The latest wild storm cell - which brought heavy rains with several places receiving more than Australia\'s annual average rainfall in three days - is likely to ease in Sydney from Tuesday as the coastal trough moves north, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said.</div><div><br></div><div>But the risk of flooding could remain through the week with most river catchments already near capacity even before the latest deluge.</div><div><br></div><div>About 90mm (3.5 inches) of rain could fall over six hours in the state\'s mid-north coast from Tuesday, reaching up to 125mm in some places, BoM said.</div><div><br></div><div>Winds up to 90km per hour (56 miles per hour) are also forecast in several flood-hit places, raising the risk of falling trees and power lines.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We\'re asking people across Sydney today to please stay at home unless you really need to leave the house,\" state Emergency Management Minister Steph Cooke said.</div><div><br></div><div>The federal government late on Monday declared the floods a natural disaster, helping flood-hit residents receive emergency funding support.</div><div><br></div><div>Emergency crews will continue their rescue operation on Tuesday to tow a bulk carrier ship that lost power off the coast of Sydney after tow lines broke in severe weather, officials said.</div><div><br></div><div>Major flooding is occurring at Windsor in Sydney\'s west, which is going through its third flood this year, with current water levels higher than seen in the deluge early this year, the weather bureau said.</div><div><br></div><div>Footage on social media showed submerged roads and bridges, while emergency crews rescued stranded people from partially submerged vehicles that became stuck in rising waters.</div><div><br></div><div>Nigel Myron, a Windsor resident, said he has kept an inflatable boat ready if he had to evacuate though he is looking to move back to his place once waters recede.</div><div><br></div><div>\"At the end of the day, what can you do? It is what it is and we dust ourselves off from the ashes and rebuild after the floods have come and gone,\" Myron told to media. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 16:32:14', '2022-07-05 16:32:14'),
(277, 277, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has imposed a 100% cash margin when opening letters of credit (LC) on cars (sedans, SUVs, MPVs), electronics, gold, precious metals, RMG, and pearls, among other items to discourage imports in a bid to keep the country\'s currency and debt management more integrated and stable.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The central bank issued a circular in this regard and sent it to all concerned offices on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Banks have also been instructed to refrain from giving credit to importers to meet the margins.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the circular, the decision comes against the backdrop of the long-term negative effects of Covid-19 and more recently the Russia-Ukraine War, which led to a more unstable global economy already rocked by the pandemic.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The BB move aims to further strengthen the country\'s monetary and debt management amid times of such volatility, added the circular.</div><div><br></div><div>The other products that fall under the central bank\'s latest directives – leather products, jute products, cosmetics, furniture and decorative items, fruits and flowers, non-grain food products, processed foods and beverages.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Meanwhile, for – baby food, essential food products, fuel, life-saving drugs and medical equipment recognised by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), directly imported capital equipment and raw materials for manufacturing oriented local industries and export-oriented industries, essential commodities for use in government priority projects – the margin for LC opening has been set at a minimum of 75%.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 18:39:55', '2022-07-05 18:39:55'),
(278, 278, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government set the price of salted rawhide of sacrificed cattle for Eid-ul-Azha at&nbsp; Tk47-52 per square ft in Dhaka and Tk40-44 outside the city.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The prices have increased Tk7 per square ft compared to last year.</div><div><br></div><div>Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi announced the price after a virtual meeting at 11:30 am on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, the cow rawhide price was fixed at Tk40-45 per sq ft in the capital and Tk33-37 outside Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the minister said, the price of goatskin has been fixed at Tk18-20 per square ft across the country, which was Tk 15-17 last year.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the price of female goatskin has remained the same at Tk12-14 per square ft.</div><div><br></div><div>The Minister emphasized applying salt on animal hides soon after their sacrifices. “It will be good if people are made aware about applying salt in sermons after the next Jumma prayer,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 20:09:46', '2022-07-05 20:09:46'),
(279, 279, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">France has repatriated 35 children and 16 mothers from camps in Syria holding family members of suspected jihadists since the Islamic State group was ousted in 2019, the foreign ministry said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“France has today undertaken the return to the country of 35 French minors who were in camps in northeast Syria. This operation also includes the return of 16 mothers from these same camps,” a statement from the foreign ministry said.</div><div><br></div><div>It added that the minors were handed over to child protection services while the mothers would face judicial proceedings.</div><div><br></div><div>Rights groups have long urged the French government to bring home some 200 children in detention who were either brought to IS territory by their parents or born there during the years of fighting.</div><div><br></div><div>They are being held in Kurdish-run camps in northeast Syria where malnutrition and disease is rife.</div><div><br></div><div>One of the biggest and most overcrowded is al-Hol where two children die every week on average, according to a report by the Save the Children campaign group last September.</div><div><br></div><div>France has argued that its security concerns are paramount, having suffered a series of attacks from IS jihadists, including the November 2015 assaults on the Bataclan concert hall and other targets around Paris that left 130 people dead.</div><div><br></div><div>Many of the children are with their mothers or fathers who pose a risk, and France has insisted that French nationals face local justice.</div><div><br></div><div>Before Tuesday’s operation, France had repatriated 126 children since 2016. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 20:36:26', '2022-07-05 20:36:26'),
(280, 280, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Heatwaves are predicted to sweep through northern China in the next two weeks, with more than 250 million people expected to grapple with temperatures exceeding 40°C in some regions.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>For four to six days, the regions of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia, and the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Gansu and Shaanxi, will see temperatures of more than 40°C, said Fang Xiang, deputy head of the National Meteorological Center (NMC).</div><div><br></div><div>China has faced extreme weather contrasts this summer, with heatwaves in the north and heavy rain and floods in the south.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has blamed climate change, which it says will increasingly affect the economy and society.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, heatwaves affected nearly half of China’s population.</div><div><br></div><div>Part of northern China’s power grid load saw new highs last month, affecting energy supply, Fang said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The lasting high temperatures will cause a marked impact on production and life, such as increased pressure on power supply,” Fang said.</div><div><br></div><div>The risk of forest fires and harm to the stable growth of crops such as rice, cotton, and corn can also be expected, he said at a news conference.</div><div><br></div><div>Drought-like conditions are expected to affect crops in Shandong, Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi and Gansu, Fang warned.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, China’s average temperature was the highest since 1961, Wang Yawei, a weather official, said at the news conference.</div><div><br></div><div>It was also 0.9°C higher compared with the same period in previous years, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Last month, the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu, which have a combined population of more than 180 million, set new daily power usage records. - Reuters</div><div><br></div><div><b>bnbd24/fas</b></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-05 21:05:33', '2022-07-05 21:05:33'),
(281, 281, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The World Health Organization (WHO) said today that 5,322 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox had been reported to it in the current outbreak, 85% of which are in Europe.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Though case numbers are rapidly increasing, the UN health agency has not set a date for its emergency committee on monkeypox to convene for a second meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>“From Jan 1 to June 30 this year, we have 5,322 laboratory-confirmed cases and one death,” WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told reporters in Geneva.</div><div><br></div><div>The number has increased by 56% in eight days. The previous figure given by the WHO, for the period up to June 22, was 3,413 cases.</div><div><br></div><div>A surge in monkeypox cases has been reported since early May outside the West and Central African countries where the disease has long been endemic.</div><div><br></div><div>Chaib said infections had now been reported in 53 countries.</div><div><br></div><div>“Eighty-five percent of cases are in Europe, followed by the African region, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Pacific,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>“WHO continues to ask countries to pay particular attention to monkeypox cases to try to stop further infections.”</div><div><br></div><div>Most monkeypox infections so far have been observed in men who have sex with men, of young age and chiefly in urban areas, according to WHO.</div><div><br></div><div>The normal initial symptoms of monkeypox include a high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery chickenpox-like rash.</div><div><br></div><div>On June 23, the UN health agency convened an emergency committee of experts to decide if monkeypox constitutes a so-called Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) — the highest alarm that WHO can sound.</div><div><br></div><div>But a majority found the situation had not yet crossed that threshold.</div><div><br></div><div>However, they acknowledged the emergency nature of the outbreak and said controlling its further spread required intense response efforts.</div><div><br></div><div>The committee can reconvene at any time, depending on the changing situation.</div><div><br></div><div>WHO’s 16-member emergency committee on monkeypox is chaired by Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who is a former director of WHO’s Vaccines and Immunisation Department. Source: AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 00:23:59', '2022-07-06 00:23:59'),
(282, 282, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said that she is thinking of introducing area-based load shedding for a specific time to save the fuel that is used for power generation.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Today, I think that I will tell (authority concerned) to reduce electricity production for some time (everyday) to save the fuel that is used for power generation,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said this at a function at the PGR Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment to mark the President’s Guard Regiment’s (PGR) founding anniversary. She joined the programme from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that the country witnessed 8-10 hours of power cuts in the past from where her government, taking over office in 2009, increased the electricity generation ensuring an uninterrupted power supply in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that the government has accomplished a feat reaching electricity to every house.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said there won’t be any indiscriminate load shedding. It will be announced earlier for a specific area and for a specific time, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If we specify the time for load shedding for specific areas... If we take that step from now on... we will be able to save ourselves from the much harder days coming ahead,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about the recent economic turmoil across the globe due to the impact of coronavirus pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, she said that the prices of fuel oil have soared.</div><div><br></div><div>As a result that there is scarcity of power in many countries around the world, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that the prices of electricity-producing like diesel, fuel oil, LNG, have increased heavily.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, transportation has been hampered due to the Russia-Ukraine war compounding the crisis, she said. She added that even coal is not available.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina reiterated her call to maintain austerity and increase savings which will be beneficial to face any type of crisis in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If every family resorts to pro-savings mentality and utilise their own lands for optimum productivity (of food grains), it will bring positive results,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She reiterated her call not to leave single inch of land uncultivated and make sure no water body remains unutilised.</div><div><br></div><div>\"All empty places have to be utilised for production, whatever it is. We have to try to produce our own food to reduce pressure on the market and make profit through selling the surplus foods,” the premier said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that every person, family and organisation have to take that step.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I think, if we take this step then we will be able to save ourselves from the ongoing economic shock worldwide.\"</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Hasina said that many countries including America and Britain facing higher inflation amid scarcity of power.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have to remain alert from the very beginning, if we remain cautious inshallah we will not face any problem,’’ she asserted. “I can say that and I will request everyone to do so.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about the development of the armed forces following the Forces Goal 2030, the prime minister said, “We will not fight with any one, we want peace, the father of the nation gave us the defence policy which is friendship to all, malice to none. We follow that policy.”</div><div><br></div><div>\"But as an independent country we have to ensure all sorts of preparations, especially build up the organisations that are the symbols of the independence and sovereignty. We have taken steps for that and are implementing those,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She also said that her life has always been in grave risk while repeated attempts were made after she came back in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many leaders and activities sacrificed their lives to protect me forming human shield,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Turning to the opening of the Padma Bridge she said, Bangladesh constructed the much-cherished bridge with its own resources.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Those who wanted to malign Bangladesh, or humiliate me and my family members, minister, advisor and secretary through corruption allegations have got a befitting reply after we built the bridge with our own fund,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said \"Padma Bridge is the expression of our independence, sovereignty and unique ethnicity.\"</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that this one decision changed the attitude of the whole world regarding Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to those who thought that Bangladesh means begging and grants, Hasina said “We have proven that Bangladesh is the country that got liberated under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangalee nation never bows to anyone.”</div><div><br></div><div>\"... it will not beg to anyone, we will advance on our own, we are trying to move forward like that way we have gained significant self-reliance economically,” said the premier.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that the government has been able to reduce poverty, provide electricity to all houses. It is implementing projects&nbsp; to ensure no one remains homeless.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about flood in the Sylhet region, she said that the flood water is coming downstream and now it is in the middle region of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It will gradually flow down to the southern region where vast areas may be inundated. It takes time for flood water to recede while the water level of the sea rises one inch,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that any calamity can come anytime and the father of the nation taught the nation how to face that. \"We are tackling that calamity following his footsteps,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM called for going all out for staring cultivation of crops after the flood recedes. It must be ensured that no food shortage occurs, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have attained the status of a developing nation and we have to go farther. We have adopted plans like Delta Plan 2100 for a better future for the next generations,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, She urged all to follow the Covid-19 safety measures as the infections are increasing.</div><div><br></div><div><b>bnbd24/fas</b></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 00:57:20', '2022-07-06 00:57:20'),
(283, 283, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">England have defeated India by seven wickets in the rescheduled 5th Test match at Edgbaston in Birmingham of the United Kindom on Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>An unbeaten stand of 269 runs between Joe Root and Jonny Bairtsow for the fourth wicket helped the hosts chase down a 378-run target in the fourth innings.</div><div><br></div><div>This is their highest successful chase in the final innings of a Test.</div><div>The hosts resumed their innings at the score of 259 for 3 on Tuesday and got home quite comfortably as Root and Bairstow tore apart the Indian bowlers.</div><div><br></div><div>On Day 4, England got a target of 378 to win the fifth Test after India were dismissed for 245 in their second innings shortly after lunch. Source: NDTV</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 01:02:21', '2022-07-06 01:02:21'),
(284, 284, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Five people, including a five-year old minor girl and a woman, were killed in a road accident at Soreyartal point on Rangpur-Pirgachha road under Mahiganj Police Station of Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RpMP) in the city.</span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The deceased were identified as driver of the auto-rickshaw Raja Miah, 50, and its passengers Foyzar Rahman, 65, Chari Paul, 45, Zannatul Mawa, 5, and a woman. Identity of the deceased woman could not be known till the filing of this report at 4:45 pm.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>All victims were hailing from different villages of nearby Pirgachha upazila of the district.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;“The accident occurred when a truck hit a battery-run auto-rickshaw in the area around 1:15 pm, leaving two persons dead on the spot and injuring five others,” Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mahiganj Police Station Mostafizur Rahman told journalists this afternoon.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Police with assistance of local people rescued the wounded and rushed them to Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RpMCH) where three more succumbed to their injuries between 2:30 pm and 4 pm today.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;“We have seized the killer truck and arrested its driver and helper from the area,” the OC said, adding that the process of filing a case in this connection with Mahiganj Police Station was in progress. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 01:36:31', '2022-07-06 01:36:31'),
(285, 285, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Bank (BB) has re-fixed the limits on daily and monthly transactions from Mobile Financial Services (MFS) accounts to bank accounts.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>From now on, people will be able to make daily transactions of up to Taka 50,000 and up to Taka 3,00,000 monthly from MFS to bank accounts, as per a BB circular issued Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, there was no limit fixed by the central bank which created confusion among the MFS providers like bKash, and Nagad.</div><div><br></div><div>So, in the past MFS service providers did not allow transactions above Tk25,000 daily, reports BSS.</div><div><br></div><div>The other instructions on MFS will remain unchanged, the circular added</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 01:55:35', '2022-07-06 01:55:35'),
(286, 286, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Load shedding continued across the country on Tuesday as consumers in many areas in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere&nbsp; experienced power cuts for several hours in a number of spells.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), the country had to experience about 1400 MW of load shedding as it generated less than 13,000 MW against a demand of over 14,000 MW.</div><div><br></div><div>As a result, consumers in and outside the capital had to experience frequent interruption and load shedding, said an official of the BPDB.</div><div>He attributed the fall in power generation to the shortage of gas supply to the power plants saying that the BPDB had to hold up generation of about 3400 MW of electricity despite having the capacity.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka city alone had to experience over 500 MW of load shedding.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Managing director of Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) Bikash Dewan informed that his areas had to go for 400 MW of load shedding to cover the gap between demand and supply.</div><div><br></div><div>“DPDC received 1200 MW of electricity against the demand for 1600 MW”, he told UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that he is trying to design a plan for load shedding so that people could be aware of the interruption to mentally accept the power cut.</div><div><br></div><div>“If we could implement the plan, it will give lesser sufferings to the people”, he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The areas under DPDC in the city include Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Lalbagh, Sutrapur, Jatrabari, Malibagh, Mogbazar, Tejgaon, Kakrain, Santinagar, Agargaon, Kalabagan, Kawranbazar and Tejturibazar area.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The areas under the Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) also had to experience black outs on several spells.</div><div><br></div><div>Desco had to resort to load shedding of 134 MW in its areas, said its managing director Kawsar Ameer Ali.</div><div><br></div><div>He informed that the Desco was allocated 800 MW plus electricity against a demand of over 1000 MW.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Desco mainly distributes electricity to the city’s west, north-west, and eastern parts which include Uttara, Mirpur, Badda, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Niketon, and Badda.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>However, electricity consumers outside the capital alleged that they had to experience blackouts for several hours.</div><div><br></div><div>“Even, consumers in many areas had to keep without electricity for 5-6 hours a day in different spells”, said an official of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) which received reports from different areas across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources held a high level meeting with officials of BPDB and Petrobangla to find a way to improve the power and gas supply situation.</div><div><br></div><div>An official who attended the meeting said that the Petrobangla was asked from the meeting to increase gas production so that more gas-fired power plants could resume operation. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 02:22:15', '2022-07-06 02:22:15'),
(287, 287, '<div>Fake Covid testing scam: Shahed denied bail</div><div><br></div><div>The High Court has rejected the bail application of disgraced Regent Hospital chairman Mohammad Shahed, in a case of fraud and embezzlement.</div><div><br></div><div>The HC bench of Justice SM Kuddus Zaman and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order saying the petition was ‘not placed’.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 31, Shahed filed a petition seeking his bail in the case.</div><div>On July 6, 2020 Rab conducted a drive in the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital. During the operation, fake Covid test reports and various irregularities including collection of money from patients in the name of Covid treatment were unveiled.</div><div><br></div><div>A complaint was lodged against 17 people at Uttara West Police Station on the next day.</div><div><br></div><div>Regent Group and Regent Hospital Chairman Shahed was detained by RAB on July 15 of the same year from the border area of Satkhira district.</div><div><br></div><div>Shahed has been imprisoned since then.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment in an arms case. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 03:07:00', '2022-07-06 03:07:00'),
(288, 288, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that the Awami League government will not be able to earn the confidence of the people even if it builds 1000 Padma bridges keeping “democracy besieged”.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Hold a credible election to see how much confidence people have in the government. Ayub Khan also carried out development activities during the Pakistan period. There is no point of constructing 1000 Padma bridges if there is no democracy and political emancipation of people and if they don\'t have voting and other rights,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul came up with the remarks at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office reacting to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent comment that people are giving Awami League votes again and again as they have confidence in her government on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>He questioned how the government gained people’s confidence by rigging votes the night before the election day and by depriving people of their voting rights.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Reiterating their party’s stance on the next polls, the BNP leader said their party will participate in the election if it is held under a non-party neutral government.</div><div><br></div><div>“A neutral and non-partisan government is a must for a free and fair election in Bangladesh. Otherwise, even if you bring the election commissioners from heaven, you won’t have a credible election. It is impossible,” he observed.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul who recovered from Covid-19 infection recently came up with the outcome of their party’s standing committee meeting at the press conference.</div><div><br></div><div>He said their standing committee meeting feels that the government has completely failed to stand by the affected people in the flood-hit areas.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“It could not reach adequate relief materials among people. There is no visible activity by the government for rehabilitating flood victims,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said the meeting demanded the government immediately take steps for ensuring food, clothes, medical treatment and construction of houses for the affected people.</div><div><br></div><div>He said their standing committee members expressed serious resentment as the planning minister himself admitted that the sixth Population and Housing Census was not done properly across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“It has never been possible to get the actual information through all kinds of surveys and studies during the tenure of the current government as data collection are done as per its instructions. As a result, international organizations can’t trust all the information and data of Bangladesh,” the BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>About the sudden rise in load-shedding, Fakhrul said people across the country have been experiencing terrible power outages. “The frequent power cuts have proved that the government’s comments on cent percent electricity coverage are just rhetoric,” he claimed.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the ruling government set up quick-rental power plants with the main goal to make their pockets heavier by indulging in corruption.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said the frequent power cuts are signs that Bangladesh is moving towards a fragile condition.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said their meeting observed that the real foreign exchange reserves now stand at 34.02 billion as $7.5 billion loans from the reserves were given to the influential persons close to the government high-ups in the name of the Export Development Fund (EDF).</div><div><br></div><div>These are forced loans given by the state-owned banks and the IMF has suggested not to include this amount of money in foreign exchange reserves.</div><div><br></div><div>The meeting also observed that the $7.5 billion are unlikely to return as foreign currency to the country\'s foreign exchange reserves.</div><div><br></div><div>The government is doing this terrible damage to the country by violating all the rules and regulations of the economy and the reserves only for the benefit of its own close and influential people.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 03:34:04', '2022-07-06 03:34:04');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(289, 289, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was fighting for his political survival on Tuesday after finance minister Rishi Sunak and another senior minister abruptly resigned over the latest scandal to blight his administration.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sunak and health minister Sajid Javid sent resignation letters to Johnson within minutes of each other in which both took aim at his ability to run an administration that adhered to standards.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite mounting anger among his lawmakers, two people close to Johnson said they expected him to stay and fight as well as appoint a new finance minister shortly.</div><div><br></div><div>The resignations came as Johnson was apologising for appointing a lawmaker to a role involved in offering pastoral care, even after being briefed that the politician had been the subject of complaints about sexual misconduct.</div><div><br></div><div>So far, they are the only two ministers in the prime minister\'s top cabinet team to resign, with other senior figures expressing support for Johnson. Foreign minister Liz Truss, considered a leading contender to replace him if he is forced out, said she was \"100% behind the PM\".</div><div><br></div><div>Three other lawmakers quit junior government roles while a trade envoy resigned and a vice chairman of the Conservative Party resigned his post on live television.</div><div><br></div><div>The resignations come after months of scandals and missteps, with Johnson so far weathering criticism over a damning report into parties at his Downing Street residence and office that broke strict COVID-19 lockdowns and saw him fined by police. read more</div><div><br></div><div>There have been other policy U-turns, an ill-fated defence of another lawmaker who broke lobbying rules and he has also come under fire for not doing enough to tackle a cost-of-living crisis, with many Britons struggling to cope with rising fuel and food prices.</div><div><br></div><div>Economists say the country is now heading for a sharp slowdown or possibly a recession. Both Sunak and Javid had previously publicly supported Johnson, but in their letters said enough was enough.</div><div><br></div><div>Sunak, who had reportedly clashed with the prime minister in private about spending, said: \"For me to step down as Chancellor (of the Exchequer) while the world is suffering the economic consequences of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and other serious challenges is a decision that I have not taken lightly.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously,\" he added. \"I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Javid said many lawmakers and the public had lost confidence in Johnson\'s ability to govern in the national interest.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is clear to me that this situation will not change under your leadership - and you have therefore lost my confidence too,\" his letter said.</div><div><br></div><div>The pound fell on the resignation of Sunak but economists said Johnson\'s removal could bring needed stability and offer a boost to sterling and the markets.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Late apologgy&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The resignations came just minutes after Johnson went on television to apologise for appointing lawmaker Christopher Pincher to a role involved in offering pastoral care in the Conservative Party, his latest public expression of contrition for his mistakes.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In hindsight, it was the wrong thing to do. I apologise to everyone who\'s been badly affected by it,\" Johnson told broadcasters. \"I just want to make absolutely clear that there\'s no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or who abuses their position of power.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Pincher\'s resignation last Thursday triggered days of a changing narrative from Downing Street over what the prime minister knew of the deputy chief whip\'s behaviour and when he knew it.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on Tuesday after a former top official accused Johnson\'s office of lying, the prime minister\'s spokesman was forced into a quick about-turn to say the British leader had been briefed in \"some form\" about the case but had forgotten about that last week.</div><div><br></div><div>For many in the governing party, another allegation of lying and the explanation of a loss of memory only heightened their frustration with the Johnson administration, which some lawmakers say is paralysed by having to deal with scandals.</div><div><br></div><div>Some Conservative lawmakers are trying to renew attempts to unseat him, just a month after the prime minister survived a confidence vote, while others earlier appealed to his cabinet ministers to move against Johnson.</div><div><br></div><div>\"He\'s finished,\" said one previously loyal Conservative lawmaker on condition of anonymity. \"He shouldn\'t prolong the agony. It\'s disrespectful to his colleagues, his party and his country.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Another previously loyal lawmaker agreed: \"It is all over. I would be amazed if he lasts until the summer now.\"</div><div><br></div><div>But some party veterans said Johnson, who according to his closest aides relishes a fight, could stay on, and hope to yet again reset his administration.</div><div><br></div><div>Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said those who had backed Johnson were complicit in how he had performed his job.</div><div><br></div><div>\"After all the sleaze, the scandals and the failure, it’s clear that this government is now collapsing,\" he said. - Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 07:46:48', '2022-07-06 07:46:48'),
(290, 290, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Turkish security forces killed a child on Sunday after opening fire on a vehicle carrying migrants from the eastern Van province near Turkey\'s border with Iran, a local official told CNN on Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The official, who is from the office of the Van governor and who did not want to be named, said that the boy\'s DNA was being examined in order to reveal his identity. The age of the child has not been confirmed.</div><div><br></div><div>Twelve other people were injured as a result of the incident but remain in good condition, the official said, adding that none of those injured were children.</div><div>According to a statement released by the governor\'s office on Sunday, Turkish forces first asked the vehicle to stop. When it continued driving on, security forces opened fire in an attempt to stop the vehicle.</div><div><br></div><div>Once it stopped, Turkish personnel found the vehicle was used for smuggling migrants and found \"40 irregular migrants\" in it, according to the statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Although forces aimed at the wheels of the vehicle, one person was killed by a bullet that had ricocheted off the ground, the statement said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Efforts are ongoing to capture the driver of the vehicle, and the migrant smuggler who managed to run away after the incident. A judicial and administrative investigation is underway,\" the statement added.</div><div><br></div><div>Kemal Tosun, who witnessed the incident, told Serbest TV in Turkey that some of the people in the vehicle managed to \"escape.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Another eyewitness, Dindar Tosun, said that she saw families with children among the migrants.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities have not confirmed the nationalities of the people in the vehicle.​</div><div>Van province is located near Turkey\'s border with Iran and serves as a transit route for migrants coming from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and central Asia. -CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 07:52:19', '2022-07-06 07:52:19'),
(291, 291, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A wild storm system that has pounded several parts of Sydney with torrential rain for four days has moved away from the city, satellite images showed on Wednesday, although rivers remained above danger levels, forcing more evacuations.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>More than 85,000 people in New South Wales, most in Sydney\'s western suburbs, have been asked to either evacuate or warned they might receive evacuation orders, up from Tuesday\'s 50,000, authorities said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This still remains a dangerous situation and we need to respond appropriately,\" Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during a media briefing, as he declared a one-off emergency cash payment of A$1,000 ($680) for flood-hit residents.</div><div><br></div><div>The intense low-pressure system off Australia\'s east coast moved to the mid-north coast of New South Wales stretching across 300 km (186 miles), with the weather bureau predicting rainfall in excess of 200mm (8 inches) there over six hours.</div><div><br></div><div>Torrential rains since Saturday continue to dump waters into river catchments around Sydney, already near full capacity before the latest deluge, as authorities warned the floods crisis could prolong until early next week.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Australia\'s east coast weather has been dominated by the La Nina phenomenon, typically associated with greater rainfall, two years in a row. The event ended in June, but there is a 50-50 chance it may re-form later this year, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.</div><div><br></div><div>Television footage showed cars parked on top of rooftops and residents lining up homes and businesses with sandbags, while emergency crews were seen rescuing stranded farm animals.</div><div><br></div><div>Some regions in New South Wales were hit with up to 700 mm (28 inches) of rainfall since Saturday, more than the annual average, but conditions have begun to ease in Sydney.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We\'re looking at some dry conditions (in Sydney) tomorrow and then Friday, some slight showers returning on the weekend but nothing quite as heavy as what we have seen,\" meteorologist Jonathan How told Australian Broadcasting Corp. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 16:14:22', '2022-07-06 16:14:22'),
(292, 292, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">China is willing to expand collaboration with Russia within multilateral plan including the G20, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told the Russian Ambassador to China, Andrey Denisov.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>China is also willing to strengthen strategic coordination with Russia and expand practical cooperation in various fields, Ma told Denisov in a meeting on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry on Wednesday. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 16:20:43', '2022-07-06 16:20:43'),
(293, 293, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">\'\'Stranger Things\'\' Season 4 is now Netflix\'s 2nd title ever to rack up over one billion hours viewed.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>This milestone comes after the July 1 debut of the season’s second volume, consisting of two episodes that run for approximately four hours. The new episodes brought Season 4 up to 1.15 billion hours viewed in total since Volume 1 premiered on May 27.</div><div><br></div><div>The first Netflix series to cross the 1 billion mark was the South Korean drama “Squid Game,” which debuted in September 2021. “Squid Game” remains Netflix’s most popular TV title ever with 1.65 billion hours viewed — which the streamer calculates during each title’s first 28 days of availability, after which viewership is no longer counted. “Stranger Things” Season 4 is Netflix’s most popular English-language series ever and second most popular overall. And technically, it still has a chance to beat “Squid Game.” Because of the season’s segmented release, viewership of Volume 2 during the 28 days after July 1 will contribute to the popularity tally, though viewership of Volume 1 is already done being counted.</div><div><br></div><div>Season 4 was viewed for 301.3 million hours during the June 27-July 3 viewing window, during which Volume 2 was only available for three days. This has been the season’s second most successful week following the May 30-June 5 viewing window, Volume 1’s first full week of availability, which brought in 335 million hours viewed. Unsurprisingly, the season is back in the No. 1 position on the Netflix Top 10 chart, where it has resided almost every week since the premiere of Volume 1. The only exception was last week, the June 20-26 viewing window, during which the remarkable June 22 premiere of “The Umbrella Academy” Season 3 took first place. In the No. 2 position this week, “The Umbrella Academy” is continuing to perform. Season 3 was viewed for 88 million hours during between June 27 and July 3, its first full week of availability.</div><div><br></div><div>Both “The Umbrella Academy” and “Stranger Things” dominate the rest of the chart. As fans rewatch both series, all previous seasons appear in the Top 10. This has been a trend for “Stranger Things” since Season 4 debuted, and this week Season 1 landed at No. 3 with 34.5 million hours viewed while Season 3 took fifth place (30.3 million) and Season 2 took sixth (30.3 million). “The Umbrella Academy” Season 1 took this week’s No. 4 position with 32.8 million hours viewed after coming in seventh place last week, and Season 2 re-debuted at No. 8 (20.3 million).</div><div><br></div><div>The rest of the June 27-July 3 chart includes “Man Vs. Bee” (25.4 million), “Peaky Blinders” Season 6 (18.4 million) and “Snowflake Mountain” (15 million).</div><div><br></div><div>See Netflix’s Top 10 lists for the week of June 27-July 3 below, beginning with English-language series and followed by non-English-language TV shows, English-language movies and then non-English-language movies. -variety</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 16:27:01', '2022-07-06 16:27:01'),
(294, 294, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The climbing cost of living is turning into a thorny political issue ahead of Japan\'s upper house election this weekend, as opposition parties peg blame for recent price hikes on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida\'s policies.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>While Kishida\'s ruling coalition is set to win a majority, public discontent over inflation may undermine efforts to strengthen his grip on power and phase out the legacy of his predecessors\' economic policies. </div><div><br></div><div>Already, rising prices are taking a toll on the strong popularity Kishida had enjoyed since taking office in October, with a poll by public broadcaster NHK on July 4 showing his approval rating at 54%, down from 59% three weeks earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>Fuka Sato, a 28-year-old stylist working at a magazine publisher, says she will vote for an opposition party for the first time in her life.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I feel extremely insecure about the future,\" said Sato, who says she eats out less often and gave up buying fruit because it became too expensive.</div><div><br></div><div>Soaring commodity costs, fuelled by Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine, pushed Japan\'s consumer inflation above the Bank of Japan\'s 2% target for the first time in seven years.</div><div><br></div><div>While the rate of inflation is still modest by global comparisons, it has shocked a population that has not experienced steady inflation for decades and hasn\'t seen wages rise enough to compensate for the cost of living.</div><div><br></div><div>Households, restaurants and schools have had to adjust their food purchases just to cope. read more</div><div><br></div><div>Opposition politicians have used the label \"Kishida inflation\" in their criticisms of the government\'s response to price pressures.</div><div><br></div><div>Tabloids and blogs are full of features on how households can mitigate the pain from rising prices, a new development in a country where deflation, not inflation, had long been the economy\'s enemy No. 1.</div><div><br></div><div>For now, Kishida\'s victory seems solid thanks in part to a weak and fragmented opposition.</div><div><br></div><div>He has set a low bar for himself, saying the ruling coalition, which comprises his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and junior partner Komeito, aims to secure a majority in the election.</div><div><br></div><div>To achieve this, the ruling camp needs to win at least 55 of the 125 seats up for re-election.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s true voters are concerned about inflation and rising costs of living, and that they feel the government\'s response has been far from enough,\" said veteran political analyst Atsuo Ito.</div><div><br></div><div>\"That said, many voters have not reached a point where they would vote for the opposition to punish Kishida.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The bite from inflation, however, may dash Kishida\'s hopes of achieving a more ambitious goal for the LDP to win an absolute majority. That requires winning 69 seats - no easy feat with an opinion poll on Monday showing the LDP landing about 60. read more</div><div><br></div><div>\"The LDP will win but the victory will be less impressive than initially hoped, given Kishida\'s sliding approval rates blamed on inflation,\" said Yasuhide Yajima, chief economist at NLI Research Institute in Tokyo.</div><div><br></div><div>\"After the election, he\'ll probably seek to win political points with steps to combat inflation and curb fuel costs, such as by moving faster toward restarting nuclear power plants.\"</div><div><br></div><div>No respite </div><div><br></div><div>While the upper house elections are unlikely to immediately affect policy, Kishida\'s performance this weekend will be important for his own political fortunes.</div><div><br></div><div>Kishida belongs to a smaller LDP faction and needs the political capital upper house gains would deliver to fend off rivals such as former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who belongs to a bigger faction.</div><div><br></div><div>For now, Kishida is likely to maintain current policies that support growth with legacy \"Abenomics\" stimulus, notably big spending and ultra-low interest rates.</div><div><br></div><div>But going forward, he may seek to differentiate his policies from Abe\'s.</div><div><br></div><div>\"He has adopted Abenomics as the party\'s current economic orthodoxy, but at heart he is more of a fiscal hawk,\" said James Brady, a vice president analysing Japan at U.S. advisory firm Teneo.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Kishida is not inclined to phase out Abenomics in the short term, but won\'t want to continue down that free-spending, debt-ballooning path in the medium-to-longer term.\"</div><div><br></div><div>So far, Kishida has pledged to use fiscal spending to cushion the inflation blow, such as gasoline subsidies, which analysts say are unsustainable for a country saddled with a huge public debt.</div><div><br></div><div>A better way to soothe public anxiety would be to convince companies to raise wages to help households deal with rising costs, and boost productivity, analysts say.</div><div><br></div><div>However, these remain longer-term objectives that have also eluded past administrations. </div><div><br></div><div>\"Ideally, the focus for Kishida\'s post-election should be on adapting Japan to a post-COVID world such as through digitalisation and flexible working styles,\" said Yuri Okina, chairperson of Japan Research Institute, a think tank.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But the situation surrounding the economy is very difficult due to rising prices and a weak yen...Inflation is a huge problem for Japan. It\'s something that affects everyone.\" -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 16:32:23', '2022-07-06 16:32:46'),
(295, 295, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Manchester United have signed left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord for a reported fee of £12.9m.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The 22-year-old has penned a contract until June 2026, with the option to extend for a further year.</div><div><br></div><div>Malacia becomes United\'s first signing of the summer transfer window under new manager Erik ten Hag.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s an incredible feeling to have joined Manchester United,\" Malacia told the club website.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is a new chapter for me, a new league with new team-mates and a tremendous manager leading us. I know from playing against his teams in the Eredivisie, the qualities that he has and what he demands of his players.</div><div><br></div><div>“Whilst I know that I am still young and will continue to develop, I can promise the United fans that I will leave everything on the pitch every time I pull on the red shirt. I’ll always be thankful to Feyenoord for all they have given to me and my family.</div><div><br></div><div>“None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for them. Now I’m ready to focus on the future with United, and help my new club achieve success.”</div><div><br></div><div>Lyon had reportedly reached a verbal agreement with the Eredivisie club for the left-back but United hijacked the deal at the last minute.</div><div><br></div><div>Malacia has the same agent as Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong who is also reportedly close to joining United this summer. United also look set to sign free agent Christian Eriksen after he reached a verbal agreement with the club following the end of his short-term contract with Brentford.</div><div><br></div><div>Malacia made 50 appearances for Feyenoord last season.</div><div><br></div><div>The Netherlands international has five caps for the national team and will likely be a part of Louis van Gaal\'s squad of the World Cup in Qatar in November.</div><div><br></div><div>Man Utd football director John Murtough said: “Tyrell is an exciting, dynamic young footballer with excellent experience for his age, including five seasons in the Eredivisie, a European final and full international honours for the Netherlands.</div><div><br></div><div>“We look forward to seeing him continue to develop under the guidance of Erik ten Hag and his coaching team in the years ahead.\" -eurosport</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"10\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 16:36:56', '2022-07-06 16:36:56'),
(296, 296, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the country\'s first university campus-based IT business incubator at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) as part of building \"Smart Bangladesh\".</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The premier opened it naming after Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman\'s eldest son \'Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator\' at a ceremony at CUET campus this morning.</div><div><br></div><div>She joined the function virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>Following the occasion, CUET campus took a festive look as colourful lights were lit up all over the university while banners, festoons and balloons of different colours were also displayed.</div><div><br></div><div>Faculty members and students of the university expressed their enthusiasm hoping that this incubator will create a bridge between industry and academia.</div><div><br></div><div>The incubator aims to develop IT entrepreneurs and expand knowledge-based economy for building the \"Smart Bangladesh\" by 2041 as the country has already materialised the \"Digital Bangladesh\" campaign.</div><div><br></div><div>The business incubator, which has a complete innovative eco-system for start ups and businesses, will provide some 220 entrepreneurs, trainees, freelancers and potential startups with financial and logistical services, alongside mentorships.</div><div><br></div><div>Industry insiders opined that the IT Business Incubator will be one of the keys in implementing \"Smart Bangladesh\" as it will be a centre of materialising new ideas to be explored by the university students and graduates as well as evolution hub of talents, intellects and knowledge of the next generations towards building the \"Sonar Bangla\" as dreamt by Bangabandhu.</div><div><br></div><div>The incubator also focuses on providing assistance to university graduates to develop themselves as entrepreneurs, establish effective links between universities and the IT industry, as well as create opportunities of research and innovation activities for the faculty and students of the university.</div><div><br></div><div>Constructed on 4.7 acres on the CUET campus involving Taka 113 crore, this will be the new cap to transform the country into \"Smart Bangladesh\" from the Digital Bangladesh campaign, first unveiled in the election manifesto of the present government in 2008.</div><div><br></div><div>In the incubator, there is high speed internet connection through BTCL. This unique project, implemented from July 2017 to June 2022, includes an oval incubation building up to 10-storey with 50,000 square feet (sft) space as each floor has 5,000 sft.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the prime minister also opened two separate four-storey dormitories for male and female named after Sheikh Jamal and Rosie Jamal respectively. The total area of the two buildings is 40,000 sft and each dormitory has 40 rooms.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, there is a 6-storey multipurpose training building with a total floor area of 36,000 sft and each floor has 6,000 sft.</div><div><br></div><div>The incubation building has a startup zone, innovation zone, industry-academic zone, brainstorming zone, an exhibition centre, an e-library zone, a data centre, research lab, video conferencing room and a conference room.</div><div><br></div><div>There will also be separate corners for banks and IT firms, cyber cafes, food courts, cafeterias, recreation zones, display zones and media rooms.</div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, the multipurpose training building houses a state-of-the-art auditorium with a capacity of 250 people, and four computer/seminar rooms with a capacity of 50 people.</div><div><br></div><div>An Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab, a machine learning lab, an optical fibre backbone, a substation and a solar panel are also being set up. -bss</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 16:44:17', '2022-07-06 16:44:17'),
(297, 297, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mentioning that electricity from the second unit of Payra, Rampal power plants and 1600MW imported from India will be added to the national grid by this year, Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy, and mineral resources, said, \"Hopefully, the current situation will not last long.\"</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Due to energy crisis, power cuts have become frequent across the country, including in Dhaka, over the last few days. The minister said the situation has been created due to the spike in price of oil and gas in the global market. This instability stems from the Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>Nasrul Hamid said this in a post on his verified Facebook page last night (July 5, 2022).</div><div><br></div><div>He said that at present, daily gas production in the country is 2,300 million cubic feet. Around 1,600-1,700 million cubic feet is required for electricity generation. Only 900 million cubic feet gas is being supplied to power plants while prioritising the agriculture and industrial sectors.</div><div><br></div><div>Since the country\'s gas demand was greater than its gas production, the problem was being solved by importing LNG. However, if LNG is imported at a higher cost now, the nation\'s economy might be under stress.</div><div><br></div><div>According to Nasrul Hamid, the cost of one unit of LNG was minimum $4 prior to Covid-19. It\'s now over $41.</div><div><br></div><div>He said LNG is now coming under long-term agreements with Qatar and Oman.</div><div><br></div><div>He added that the exploration of gas is ongoing with the exploration of fuel, increasing production and digging the existing wells deeper. In the meantime, an upgradation, workover short-term plan for the next three years has been taken so that 618 million cubic feet of gas per day from 46 wells can be re-added to the national grid.</div><div><br></div><div>The state minister advised people to use gas and electricity sparingly until things return to normal.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 17:20:00', '2022-07-06 17:20:00'),
(298, 298, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday set a $100-billion apparel shipment target by 2030, which is more than double the country fetched in the just-concluded financial year.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The platform is upbeat about hitting the goal as significant orders are shifting to Bangladesh from China and other countries and exporters are increasingly producing mid-range items, manufacturing more and more products from manmade fibre (MMF), and entering new markets.</div><div><br></div><div>For all latest news, follow The Daily Star\'s Google News channel.</div><div>The fresh target means suppliers will have to ship $7.17 billion additionally per year from the current level to reach the goal.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh exported garment items worth $42.61 billion in the last fiscal year that ended on June 30, data from the Export Promotion Bureau showed.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is possible to achieve the target as we are diversifying the products and markets,\" said Faruque Hassan, president of the BGMEA, while unveiling the new logo and new vision of the platform at the Westin Hotel in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh will mainly rely on three important products, including the shipment of mid-range garment items, MMF-made items and technical clothes like the uniforms used by healthcare professionals and professionals in other service sectors, said Hassan.</div><div><br></div><div>Exporters\' presence in the $700-billion global MMF-made garment market is not that much as local producers are stronger in making apparel items from cotton fibre.</div><div><br></div><div>In the global fashion industry, 78 per cent of items are made from MMF and the rest are from cotton fibre. In the case of Bangladesh, cotton accounts for 74 per cent of items produced and only 26 per cent are MMF-based.</div><div><br></div><div>\"So, we have a huge room to expand in the MMF and technical item segments as well as continuing our strength in the mid-range items,\" Hassan said.</div><div><br></div><div>Another strength of Bangladesh is the development of the local primary textile sector.</div><div><br></div><div>In the past, manufacturers used to face challenges in securing the supply of raw materials like fabrics and yarn on time. But the local primary textile sector has made huge strides in recent years, expanding its capacity significantly, thus cutting the long lead time.</div><div><br></div><div>The primary textile sector is also expanding its capacity to meet the demand for additional MMF, technical and other garment items.</div><div><br></div><div>The garment sector, however, had failed to achieve its $50 billion export target set for 2021, mainly because of externalities in 2016 and 2017 and the severe fallout of Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021, said Hassan.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"We expect that buyers will pay better prices for our diversified garment items.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Currently, the BGMEA is carrying out three studies to boost exports.</div><div><br></div><div>The studies are looking into how to innovate products, sell technical clothes and market products through digital platforms.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The future of the garment business will depend on online sales,\" Hassan said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the BGMEA chief, of the export-oriented garment items produced in Bangladesh by 2030, some 80 per cent would be manufactured in green garment factories as local manufacturers are turning to eco-friendly production in keeping with the demand from consumers more concerned about businesses\' impacts on the environment.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh is already a global champion in green garment factories and is home to 163 such factories, including 49 platinum-rated, the highest certification given by the US Green Building Council.</div><div><br></div><div>Although international retailers and brands are not paying higher prices for the green initiatives, they are placing more work orders with garment factories.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at the logo-unveiling event, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, speaker of parliament, suggested garment manufacturers not forget the issue of climate change and the importance of protecting waterbodies during production.</div><div><br></div><div>Abdus Salam Murshedy, a former president of the BGMEA, said many industries would be set up in the southwestern region of Bangladesh thanks to the opening of Padma Bridge.</div><div><br></div><div>The BGMEA\'s new logo represents nine concepts: people, inclusivity, transparency, infrastructure, innovation, circularity, global network, brand Bangladesh, and environment.</div><div><br></div><div>However, lifting the garment export to $100 billion won\'t be easy since Bangladesh will have to navigate challenges in the coming years.</div><div><br></div><div>The country is set to lose duty-free export benefits, which have turned Bangladesh into an apparel manufacturing hub, once it becomes a developing nation in 2026 after moving out of the group of the least-developed countries.</div><div><br></div><div>In an unpromising sign, the apparel industry could lose $5 billion in export earnings annually if the country can\'t retain the preferential trade benefit.</div><div><br></div><div>In a positive development, the European Union, the largest export destination of Bangladesh, has extended the duty-free export benefit to 2029. Australia has also assured Bangladesh of continuing the duty-free benefit after graduation.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 18:14:48', '2022-07-06 18:14:48'),
(299, 299, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">England\'s record run chase against India was up there as one of the best wins I have seen during my time as a Test Match Special commentator.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>India are such a strong side, so it is quite staggering that England managed to make 378 - their highest chase in Tests and fourth of more than 275 in a row this summer - and draw the rearranged series 2-2.</div><div><br></div><div>There are some caveats because India were missing some players, with captain Rohit Sharma unavailable after a positive Covid-19 test in the week before the Test, while fellow opener KL Rahul is out with a sports hernia.</div><div><br></div><div>They also had little preparation with just a four-day game against Leicestershire as warm-up, with this Test being rearranged from September last year, as a result of Covid in the touring party.</div><div><br></div><div>You have to put all of this into the debate to balance it out, but India have got one of the best bowling attacks in the world and they\'ve got fine batsmen.</div><div><br></div><div>For England to be able to attack as they have done, it really does make this very notable.</div><div><br></div><div>They\'ve been able to put pressure back on the bowlers and it puts the achievement right up there in the top bracket.</div><div><br></div><div>The 2019 Ashes win at Headingley, where Ben Stokes crashed an unbeaten 135 as he and last man Jack Leach shared 76 for the final wicket, was obviously more dramatic than this one.</div><div><br></div><div>But to score that number of runs to win a Test match doesn\'t happen too often - this was the ninth-largest chase in the history of the game.</div><div><br></div><div>The fact they managed to score the runs so easily and so quickly - at 4.93 runs an over - with only three wickets down is quite remarkable.</div><div><br></div><div>The pitch behaved itself entirely and there were very few rogue deliveries, but just the manner in which England attacked the target was extraordinary exhibition of confidence.</div><div><br></div><div>That\'s what strikes me about the way that they are playing at the moment.</div><div><br></div><div>They were a team that had absolutely no confidence whatsoever in the winter - they were battered 4-0 by Australia in the Ashes and lost 1-0 to West Indies in March - and it is largely the same personnel playing.</div><div><br></div><div>What Brendon McCullum has done is exactly what we were hoping he would. He has been able to pick up these same players and erase recent painful memories.</div><div><br></div><div>They have all lost the fear of failure and there is no longer the feeling of defeat being inevitable.</div><div><br></div><div>He\'s managed to do all of that from a standing start and that\'s what is exceptional.</div><div><br></div><div>As a player, when you feel you\'ve got that backing from the coach, management and selectors - and know you\'re not going to get dropped for playing this way - it unleashes your attacking potential. It is very exciting.</div><div><br></div><div>We saw that with the way opener Alex Lees played - he surprised me. He wouldn\'t normally play an attacking, free-flowing four or five-day game.</div><div><br></div><div>To see him charging down the pitch third ball and hoicking Mohammed Shami over mid-wicket for four and then taking the attack to Ravindra Jadeja, who was bowling into the rough, his approach typifies the change in attitude.</div><div><br></div><div>Zak Crawley was able to take his time as a result and he definitely benefited.</div><div><br></div><div>It was interesting that the chase was basically a run-a-ball throughout apart from the third 50, during which England scored closer to a run every two balls.</div><div><br></div><div>It was when Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow first came together after England had lost three wickets for two runs and it showed there is a necessity, even with the way they are playing, to take your time and get yourself in. It takes away any criticism about being reckless.</div><div><br></div><div>England have now set off on this new journey. When Stokes and McCullum first took their jobs it was about halting this massive tanker that was drifting out of control down the English Channel - they had to stop it, turn it round and steer it in the right direction. They\'ve done more than that - it is full stream ahead, which is great.</div><div><br></div><div>It isn\'t always going to be like this, they are going to have to adapt, and I\'m sure they will.</div><div><br></div><div>I expect England to turn up for the three-Test series against South Africa in August, pick the same team and just carry on. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"9\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 18:49:11', '2022-07-06 18:49:11'),
(300, 300, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">By some estimates, roughly 4 billion people across the world use networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This usage has prompted mental health experts to investigate whether the enormous popularity of social media plays a role in depression.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Research suggests that people who limit their time on social media tend to be happier than those who don’t. Studies also indicate that social media may trigger an array of negative emotions in users that contribute to or worsen their depression symptoms.</div><div><br></div><div>Defining depression</div><div><br></div><div>Clinical depression or major depressive disorder is a mood disorder characterized by ongoing feelings of sadness and loss of interest in activities that an individual once enjoyed. Depression can be mild or severe and make it difficult for those with the condition to concentrate, sleep or eat well, make decisions, or complete their normal routines.</div><div><br></div><div>People with depression may contemplate death or suicide, feel worthless, develop anxiety or have physical symptoms such as fatigue or headaches. Psychotherapy and medication are some of the treatments for depression. Limiting time on social media and prioritizing real-world connections can be beneficial to mental health.</div><div><br></div><div>The facts on social media and depression</div><div><br></div><div>Social media has never been more popular, with more than half of the world\'s population active on these networking sites that roll out nonstop news, much of it negative.</div><div>A Lancet study publbished in 2018 found that people who check Facebook late at night were more likely to feel depressed and unhappy.</div><div><br></div><div>Another 2018 study found that the less time people spend on social media, the less symptoms of depression and loneliness they felt.</div><div><br></div><div>A 2015 study found that Facebook users who felt envy while on the networking site were more likely to develop symptoms of depression.</div><div><br></div><div>Causation or Correlation?</div><div><br></div><div>Some studies about social media and mental health reveal that there’s a correlation between networking sites and depression. Other research goes a step further, finding that social media may very well cause depression. A landmark study—“No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression”—was published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>The study found that the less people used social media, the less depressed and lonely they felt.</div><div><br></div><div>This indicates a relationship between lower social media use and emotional wellbeing. According to the researchers, the study marked the first time scientific research established a causal link between these variables.</div><div><br></div><div>“Prior to this, all we could say was that there is an association between using social media and having poor outcomes with wellbeing,” said study coauthor Jordyn Young in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>To establish the link between social media and depression, the researchers assigned 143 University of Pennsylvania students to two groups: one could use social media with no restrictions, while the second group had their social media access limited to just 30 minutes on Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat combined over a three-week period.</div><div><br></div><div>Each study participant used iPhones to access social media and the researchers monitored their phone data to ensure compliance. The group with restricted social media access reported lower severity of depression and loneliness than they had at the beginning of the study.</div><div><br></div><div>Both groups reported a drop in anxiety and fear of missing out (FOMO), apparently because joining the study made even the group with unrestricted access to social media more cognizant of how much time they were spending on it.</div><div><br></div><div>Less social media, less FOMO&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It’s not certain why participants who only spent 30 minutes daily on social media experienced less depression, but researchers suggest that these young people were spared from looking at content—such as a friend’s beach vacation, grad school acceptance letter, or happy family—that might make them feel bad about themselves.</div><div><br></div><div>Taking in the photos or posts of people with seemingly “perfect” lives can make social media users feel like they just don’t measure up. A 2015 University of Missouri study found that regular Facebook users were more likely to develop depression if they felt feelings of envy on the networking site.</div><div><br></div><div>Social media can also give users a case of FOMO, for example, if they were invited on their friend’s beach vacation but couldn’t go for some reason. Or if the friend didn’t ask them on the trip at all, users might feel hurt and left out to see that others in their social circle were. It can lead them to question their friendships or their own self-worth.</div><div><br></div><div>Social media users who visit an ex’s social media page and see pictures of their former partner wining and dining a new love interest can also experience FOMO. They might wonder why their ex never took them to such fancy restaurants or lavished them with gifts.</div><div><br></div><div>Ultimately, limiting one’s time on social media can mean less time spent comparing oneself to others. This can extend to not thinking badly of oneself and developing the symptoms that contribute to depression.</div><div><br></div><div>Why young people are at risk</div><div><br></div><div>Prior to social media and the internet, children only had to worry about bullying on school grounds, for the most part. But social media has given bullies a new way to torment their victims.</div><div><br></div><div>With just one click, bullies can circulate a video of their target being ridiculed, beaten up, or otherwise humiliated. People can swarm a peer’s social media page, leaving negative comments or spreading misinformation. In some cases, victims of bullying have committed suicide.</div><div><br></div><div>While many schools have anti-bullying policies and rules about online student conduct, it can still be difficult for educators and parents to monitor abusive behavior on social media.</div><div><br></div><div>Worsening matters is that the victims of bullies often fear that the bullying will increase if they speak to a parent, teacher, or administrator about their mistreatment. This can make a child feel even more isolated and go without the emotional support they need to handle a toxic and potentially volatile situation.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Bad news and ‘doomscrolling’&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>One in five Americans now get their news from social media—a larger proportion than those who get their news from traditional print media.6</div><div><br></div><div>For heavy social media users, people who log in for multiple hours at a time or multiple times a day, this means frequent exposure news, including bad news. Headlines related to natural disasters, terrorist attacks, political strife, and celebrity deaths frequently top lists of social media trends.</div><div><br></div><div>Before the advent of social media and the internet generally, one’s exposure to bad news was limited. The public got news from broadcasts that aired at certain times of the day or from newspapers.</div><div><br></div><div>The habit of binging bad news on social media sites or elsewhere online is known as “doomscrolling,” and it can adversely affect one’s mental health, leading to development or heightening of anxiety or depression symptoms.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A 2018 Lancet Psychiatry study of 91,005 people found that those who logged onto Facebook before bedtime were 6% likelier to have major depressive disorder and rated their happiness level 9% lower than those with better sleep hygiene did.</div><div><br></div><div>Psychologist Amelia Aldao told NPR that doomscrolling locks the public into a “vicious cycle of negativity.” The cycle continues because “our minds are wired to look out for threats,” she said. “The more time we spend scrolling, the more we find those dangers, the more we get sucked into them, the more anxious we get.” Before long, the world appears to be an altogether gloomy place, making doomscrollers feel increasingly hopeless.</div><div><br></div><div>Safely using social media</div><div><br></div><div>Using social media comes with mental health risks, but that doesn’t mean it should be completely avoided. Experts recommend using these networking websites in moderation.</div><div><br></div><div>Set a timer when you’re on social media or install an app on your phone or computer that tracks how long you’ve spent on a networking site.</div><div><br></div><div>Without these timers or apps, it’s easy to spend hours on social media before you know it. To limit your time on social media, you can also plan real-world activities that help you focus on your immediate surroundings and circumstances. Read a book, watch a movie, go for a stroll, play a game, bake some bread, or have a phone conversation with a friend. Make the time to enjoy life offline. -verywellmind&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Lifestyle Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 18:59:46', '2022-07-06 18:59:46');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(301, 301, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming accused Washington of spreading \"lies\" about \"forced labor\" in China\'s Xinjiang region, and told Bangladesh to be wary over such campaigns which could harm Bangladesh\'s RMG business.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said this in a video posted on the Chinese Embassy\'s verified Facebook page on Tuesday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It has come to my attention that a certain RMG industry association in Bangladesh recently alerted its members to the risks associated with cotton from China, due to the US\'s allegation of \"forced labor in Xinjiang,\" Li said citing Bangladesh Garments Buying Association’s (BGBA) instruction last month warning its members to stay cautious while importing fabrics from China for making readymade garments as United States begins implementing an import ban on goods from China\'s Xinjiang region, where Washington says Beijing is committing genocide.</div><div><br></div><div>US Customs and Border Protection on June 21 began enforcing the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which President Joe Biden signed into law in December.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>CBP issued a list of Xinjiang entities presumed to be using forced labor, which includes textile, solar-grade polysilicon, and electronics companies. It has said imports from other countries would be banned if related supply chains include Xinjiang inputs.</div><div><br></div><div>Beijing has been accused of locking up thousands of Uighur in re-education camps and forcefully integrating them into China’s Han majority.</div><div><br></div><div>Beijing has denied such charges saying that it is providing vocational training to reduce the allure of Islamist extremism following violence, according to an AFP report.</div><div><br></div><div>The Chinese ambassador cited a meeting last month between BGBA president KI Hossain and two representatives from ‘Indo-Pacific Opportunity Project’ in his video titled \"#AMinuteWithAmbassador.\"</div><div><br></div><div>“I also noticed that the alert was issued following a meeting between the association and two representatives from ‘Indo-Pacific Opportunity Project,’ affiliated to some US Agency,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“The so-called \'forced labor in Xinjiang\' is entirely a lie. But why do they lie? It is now circulated on the internet that two US diplomats previously posted in Guangzhou reportedly confessed in 2021, and I quote, \'Nothing is wrong about Xinjiang, but to attack their human right policies is an effective means to make Xinjiang break away from international industrial chain, and to make Uighurs unhappy, turbulent and then fight against the Chinese government,\' unquote,” Li said in his video.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Calling Washington’s accusations a smear campaign, Li said: \"The reason why I brought it up here today is that, if Bangladeshi people are not cautious enough, this lie may hurt Bangladeshi RMG industry as well. Don’t you think so?”</div><div><br></div><div>Last Month, BGBA president KI Hossain cautioned its members against importing fabrics made with Uighur cotton and shipping it to the US, as the whole shipment would be seized and forfeited under the new US law.</div><div><br></div><div>“The US has put a restriction on Chinese cotton growing in Xinjiang province from June 21. So, I request all the buying houses, before importing any fabrics from China, please see the procedure regarding how to avoid this restriction. Otherwise, you will not be able to ship anything to the US,” said the BGBA president in his message to the members of the association.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 19:56:02', '2022-07-06 19:56:02'),
(302, 302, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said her government is bound to carry out load shedding and limit electricity production as the fuel prices are continuously increasing globally due to Russia-Ukraine war, urging countrymen to comply with the situation.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"We have reached electricity to every house. But, now, we are compelled to execute load shedding and limit electricity generation as we couldn\'t give (any more) subsidy in the power,\" she said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said this while inaugurating the country\'s first university campus-based IT business incubator at the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) named Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator (SKIBI).</div><div><br></div><div>She virtually joined the programme held at CUET campus from her official Ganabhaban residence in the capital while she also opened Sheikh Jamal Dormitory and Rosy Jamal Dormitory.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said she asked authorities concerned to prepare a routine to accomplish area-wise specific time based load shedding across the country, urging the countrymen to save power in line with their best ability.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Prepare a routine on how long load shedding will be executed in which area so the people can prepare themselves for that and their suffering can decrease this way,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She hoped that the countrymen would help the government in this regard realising the fact that the prices of everything including food, transportation, fertiliser, oil, LNG and diesel increased globally for Russia-Ukraine war and the situation is worsening as America-Europe imposed sanctions on Russia.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>She also said the situation impacted on the whole world even on Bangladesh. But, the country is forwarding facing all these problems, she added.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister noted that her government is currently giving a total subsidy of Tk 28000 crore to the power sector.</div><div><br></div><div>She said, \"We have to provide a subsidy of Tk 25000 crore for LNG import to meet the demand of gas for making the power plants operational.\"&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>She also said they have to give a subsidy of TK 84,000cr every year and allocation for the subsidy have also been made in the current budget, adding, \"If we don\'t reduce the subsidy, then, from where the government will get the money.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Besides the subsidy, she said her government has given stimulus packages for rolling out the country\'s economy along with giving one crore ration cards to get essentials at subsidized prices and is providing vaccines free of cost which many rich countries couldn’t do.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister also announced to include 2716 educational institutes across the country, 2051 of them under secondary and higher secondary education division while 665 others under vocational and madrashah education board, in the MPO (monthly payment order) list as she has attached topmost priority to education.</div><div><br></div><div>She said her government has considered investments in education as asset rather than expense as they want to prepare science and IT knowledge based generation so they can compete with the world.</div><div><br></div><div>An audio-video documentary on the IT business incubator was screened on the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, gave the address of welcome while its Senior Secretary NM Zeaul Alam moderated the function. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 20:22:47', '2022-07-06 20:22:47'),
(303, 303, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday declared 2716 privately run educational institutions eligible for monthly payment order (MPO).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Under the MPO scheme the government pays 100 per cent of the basic salaries to the teachers of non-government institutions.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM made the announcement while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of country’s first campus-based business incubator ‘Sheikh Kamal IT Business Incubator’ at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) through video links from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the new MPO beneficiaries are 666 lower secondary schools, 1122 secondary schools, 136 higher secondary schools, 109 higher secondary colleges and 18 degree colleges.</div><div><br></div><div>The new MPO list also includes some 665 educational institutions under the vocational and madrassa education board.</div><div><br></div><div>These are 97 SSC vocational or Dakhil vocational, 200 SSC business management and technology, two diploma in agriculture, 264 Dakhil Madrassa, 85 Alerm Madrassa, six&nbsp; Farazi Madrassa and 11 Kamil Madrassa.</div><div><br></div><div>Along with unveiling the Sheikh Kamal Business Incubator the PM also inaugurated Sheikh Jamal Dormitory and Rosy Jamal Dormitory. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 20:37:15', '2022-07-06 20:37:15'),
(304, 304, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Baitul Mukarram National Mosque is scheduled to host five congregations on Sunday on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a statement, the Islamic Foundation said that the first of the five congregations will be held at 7am.</div><div><br></div><div>The second will take place at 8am, the third one at 9am and the fourth one at 10am. The last one of the day will be held at 10.45am.</div><div>The foundation also fixed Imams and Mukabbirs for the congregations.</div><div><br></div><div>The holy Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims, will be celebrated in the country on July 10 (Sunday) as the new moon of the Arabic month of Zilhaj was sighted in Bangladesh sky on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>The decision was made at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee after reviewing information about the sighting of the Jilhaj moon, said Md Abdul Awal Hawlader, additional secretary to the Religious Affairs Ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>The meeting was held in the office of the Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mukarram on Thursday evening with Awal Hawlader in the chair. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 21:16:52', '2022-07-06 21:16:52'),
(305, 305, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The fossilized skeleton of a T. rex relative that roamed the earth about 76 million years ago will be auctioned in New York this month, Sotheby\'s announced Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Gorgosaurus skeleton will highlight Sotheby\'s natural history auction on July 28, the auction house said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Gorgosaurus was an apex carnivore that lived in what is now the western United States and Canada during the late Cretaceous Period. It predated its relative the Tyrannosaurus rex by 10 million years.</div><div><br></div><div>The specimen being sold was discovered in 2018 in the Judith River Formation near Havre, Montana, Sotheby\'s said. It measures nearly 10 feet (3 meters) tall and 22 (6.7 meters) feet long.</div><div><br></div><div>All of the other known Gorgosaurus skeletons are in museum collections, making this one the only specimen available for private ownership, the auction house said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In my career, I have had the privilege of handling and selling many exceptional and unique objects, but few have the capacity to inspire wonder and capture imaginations quite like this unbelievable Gorgosaurus skeleton,\" Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby\'s global head of science and popular culture, said.</div><div><br></div><div>Sotheby\'s presale estimate for the fossil is $5 million to $8 million. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 21:33:33', '2022-07-06 21:33:33'),
(306, 306, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Although flood situation continues to improve in most places it claimed three more lives in Netrokona, Kurigram and Moulvibazar districts in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, raising the total fatalities to 110.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>All of them downed in floodwater, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>The total deaths were recorded between May 17 to July 6, it said.</div><div>The fatalities occurred due to lightning strikes, diarrhea, skin diseases, snakebites, electrocution, landslides and drowning.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the deceased, forty people died in Mymensingh, 57 in Sylhet, 12 in Rangpur and one in Dhaka division, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, some 13,892 people have been affected by flood during the period, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>Among a total of 70 flood-hit upazilas, 33 are in Sylhet division, 16 in Rangpur division, 20 in Mymensingh division and one in Chattogram division.</div><div><br></div><div>Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Kurigram are the worst-hit districts where 13, 11, 10 and 9 upazilas were affected by flood respectively.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 1,944 flood shelters have been opened, while 2,051 medical teams are working to provide various health services to the flood-affected people. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 22:03:51', '2022-07-06 22:03:51'),
(307, 307, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Thirty-two new dengue patients were hospitalised in 24 hours till Wednesday morning as cases are on the rise in Bangladesh.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>All the new patients were hospitalised in Dhaka division, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>As many as 149 dengue patients, including 136 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The dengue cases are rising in the capital allegedly due to insufficient measures taken by the two Dhaka city corporations for preventing mosquito-borne diseases like dengue.</div><div><br></div><div>On June 21, the DGHS reported the first death of the season from the mosquito-borne viral disease.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, the DGHS has recorded 1,316 dengue cases and 1,166 recoveries so far.</div><div><br></div><div>Dengue – a leading cause of serious illness and death in some Asian and Latin American countries – was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000 and claimed 93 lives. In three years, the fatality number almost fell to zero.</div><div><br></div><div>However, 105 dengue patients, including 95 in Dhaka division, died in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.</div><div><br></div><div>About 4 billion people, almost half of the world\'s population, live in areas with a risk of dengue, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</div><div><br></div><div>Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue while approximately 100 million get sick from infection, and 40,000 die from severe dengue, it says.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue. Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1 percent,\" according to the World Health Organization. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 22:40:02', '2022-07-06 22:40:02'),
(308, 308, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With barely three-four days left for Eid-ul-Azha, cattle farmer Azizul Haque is a bit worried. The reason -- he has not been able to fatten naturally the four bulls he has been rearing since last October.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Like him, many small-time farmers in Bangladesh have been struggling to feed their cattle properly since March 2022 as retail inflation has taken a toll on fodder. And most of them are yet to fix a good asking price for the sacrificial animals.</div><div><br></div><div>These farmers say that the prices of staple cattle feeds such as wheat bran, rice bran, oil cake, maize, Indian peas and molasses have all increased two to three-fold of late.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I may not be able to cash on the growing demand for meat this Eid. This is because I could not spend much on fodder to naturally fatten my bulls ahead of Eid. Retail inflation is really pinching,\" says Azizul.</div><div><br></div><div>Take for instance, maize. Its price has doubled in the past one year -- from Tk 17-18 per kg in 2021 to Tk 33-34 per kg this year. Similarly, wheat bran now costs Tk 60 a kg, up by 100% from last year\'s price.</div><div><br></div><div>Khail (oil cake) was available for Tk 32 a kg and Indian peas for Tk 34-36 per kg in 2021. This year, Khail is being sold at Tk 50 per kg and Indian pea at Tk 55-60 per kg.</div><div><br></div><div>Vai Vai Cattle Farm in Mymensingh that rears almost 200 to 300 cattle for every Eid has been hit by the rising fodder prices too.</div><div><br></div><div>\"People will also have to spend more money for buying sacrificial animals. Each animal will cost almost Tk5,000 to TK 10,000 more this Eid. Quality cattle will really be a costly deal for potential customers,\" says owner Milon Hossain.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many farmers who own two or three bulls have already sold their cattle to our farm,\" he adds.</div><div><br></div><div>\"People who plan to buy a sacrificial animal this Eid will have to hike their budget this year as compared to last year,\" says Alamin Hossain, manager of Bushara Organic Agro Farm, a venture of Prome Agro.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the Feed Industries Association of Bangladesh, the annual demand for animal feed here is around 6.4-million tonnes -- poultry 60%, fish 25% and cattle feed 15%.</div><div><br></div><div>The prices of these products have been rising for more than a year now. Moreover, transportation costs have also increased, as per the Association.</div><div><br></div><div>There are around 1.21 crore animals suitable for sacrifice in the country, against the demand of 97.75 lakh. But there is a shortage of 15.37 lakh animals in Dhaka division, 22,000 in Chattogram, and two lakh in Sylhet.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, there is a surplus of 25 lakh sacrificial cattle in Rajshahi division, 4.78 lakh in Khulna, 1.76 lakh in Barishal, 7.67 lakh in Rangpur, and 1.84 lakh in Mymensingh as compared to demand.</div><div><br></div><div>On Eid-ul-Azha, more than one crore animals, including cows, buffaloes and goats, are usually sacrificed in the country. But the number of animal sacrifices has been declining since the Covid pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the Department of Livestock, over one crore animals were sacrificed in the country in 2019. The following year, 94 lakh animals were sacrificed. Last year, the figure dropped further.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, a total of 4,407 Eid cattle markets will be set up across the country. Ten cattle markets will be set up in the Dhaka North City Corporation area and 12 in the Dhaka South city Corporation area. - UNB&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-06 23:42:31', '2022-07-06 23:42:31'),
(309, 309, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Education Minister Dipu Moni said that decision has not yet been taken that when the SSC examinations of this year will begin.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dipu Moni said that while speaking at a press conference at Secretariat in the capital this noon.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dipu Moni said, “Books of many students were damaged due to flood. New books will have to be sent to them. The extent of damage caused by flood is being estimated.”&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Mentioning that people of Sylhet region did not see such a devastating flood of this year, she said, “It is very tough to survive under such a situation. It was impossible to go to shelters with books. Now, we are assessing the loss. We are enquiring continuously.”&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“ If needed, we will publish new books and send those to the students. Flood created trauma among the students. At least, it needs to give them two-week time. So, the schedule of the exam cannot be determined now,” She added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 00:10:09', '2022-07-07 00:10:09'),
(310, 310, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Opener Shikhar Dhawan will lead India in three one-day internationals in West Indies later this month with Ravindra Jadeja named deputy in the squad announced on Wednesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Top names including all-format captain Rohit Sharma, star batsman Virat Kohli and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah have been rested and are not part of the 16- member touring group.</div><div><br></div><div>The three matches will be played at Port of Spain on July 22, 24 and 27, followed by five Twenty20 internationals.</div><div><br></div><div>The left-handed Dhawan, 36, has previously led the team in ODI and T20 matches in Sri Lanka last year.</div><div><br></div><div>During that tour he became the oldest person to captain India in the 50-over format at the age of 35.</div><div><br></div><div>India, who lost their Covid-delayed fifth Test to England on Tuesday, will play three T20 matches and three ODI games in England before touring the West Indies.</div><div><br></div><div>Bumrah captained in the absence of Rohit, who missed the Test due to Covid but will return to lead the team in the white-ball matches in England.</div><div><br></div><div>Squad: Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja (v.capt), Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 00:21:47', '2022-07-07 00:21:47'),
(311, 311, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ashraful Islam Jitu, prime accused in a case lodged over beating Ashulia Haji Yunus Ali School and College teacher Utpal Kumar Sarkar to death, gave confessional statement before the court.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Rajib Hasan recorded Jitu\'s statement under section 164 as police produced him before the court after the end of his five-day remand and pleaded to record his statement. After recording Jitu\'s statement, the court sent him to jail.</div><div><br></div><div>The same court on June 30 placed Jitu, 19, on five-day remand in the case.</div><div><br></div><div>Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Jitu, student of class 10 of Haji Yunus Ali School and College in Ashulia, from his hideout in Sripur area of Gazipur on June 29.</div><div><br></div><div>Another court on June 29 also placed Jitu\'s father Uzzal Hossain on five-day remand in the case. He was arrested from Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia on June 28. Uzzal too, gave confessional statement in the case on July 5.</div><div><br></div><div>Jitu attacked teacher Utpal Kumar Sarkar with a cricket stamp, striking him on head indiscriminately on the school field on June 25. Utpal died of his injuries at Enam Medical College Hospital on June 27.</div><div><br></div><div>Utpal\'s brother Asim Kumar Sarker filed the case with Ashulia Police Station. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 01:39:34', '2022-07-07 01:39:34'),
(312, 312, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Police on Wednesday recovered the remains of one individual from the shade of BM container depot in Sitakunda, one month after the devastating fire incident.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With the recovery of the skull and bones the death toll from the massive inferno rose to 51.</div><div><br></div><div>Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Sitakunda Police Station, said a skull and some charred bones of an individual were recovered during the cleaning work in the depot around 1:15 pm.</div><div><br></div><div>The recovered skull and bones were sent to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital morgue for DNA test.</div><div><br></div><div>Fifty were killed and&nbsp; over 200 injured in a fire and subsequent blasts at BM Container Depot at Sitakunda of Chattogram on June 4.</div><div><br></div><div>Ten&nbsp; firefighters died in the incident. It is said to be the ‘largest death figure’ the fire service has seen in a single incident. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 02:48:21', '2022-07-07 02:48:21'),
(313, 313, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming said that Washington is lying about Xinjian \"forced labour\" which may affect Bangladesh RMG sector.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a video post, titled \"#AMinuteWithAmbassador\" on the Chinese Embassy verified Facebook page last night, he urged Bangladesh to be aware of the lies.</div><div><br></div><div>“It has come to my attention that a certain RMG industry association in Bangladesh recently alerted its members to the risks associated with cotton from China, due to USA\'s allegation of \'forced labour in Xinjiang\'. I also noticed that the alert was issued following a meeting between the association and two representatives from \'Indo-Pacific Opportunity Project\' affiliated to some US Agency.</div><div><br></div><div>According to media reports, the so-called \'forced labour in Xinjiang\' is entirely a lie. But why do they lie? It is now circulated on the internet that two US diplomats previously posted in Guangzhou reportedly confessed in 2021, and I quote, \'Nothing is wrong about Xinjiang, but to attack their human right policies is an effective means to make Xinjiang break away from international industrial chain, and to make Uyghurs unhappy, turbulent and then fight against the Chinese government.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 03:00:33', '2022-07-07 03:00:33'),
(314, 314, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today urged international community to play more active role in Rohingya repatriation to their homeland, realising the huge burden of over one million displaced Myanmar nationals on Bangladesh under the fallout of Coronavirus and Russia-Ukraine war.</span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"Rohingyas are huge burden for us. All the countries are facing difficulties due to Coronavirus and Russia-Ukraine war. So, all should realise Bangladesh\'s difficulties to tackle another burden of Rohingyas as it has also a population of 16.50 crore,\" she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier said this while virtually inaugurating the newly constructed 8-storey building of the Foreign Ministry and conferring \"Bangabandhu Medal for Diplomatic Excellence\", from her official Ganabhaban residence here.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) organised the programme at the Hall Room of its newly constructed building in the city.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said Rohingyas can return to their motherland, if the international organisations and countries play a more active role in this regard.</div><div><br></div><div>She said Bangladesh has sheltered Rohingyas on humanitarian ground and four years have already passed.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Rohingyas also have human rights to live in a better place instead of camps and their children can be brought up in a dignified atmosphere at their homeland, she said, adding: \"The international community should realise it.\" -bss</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 18:34:41', '2022-07-07 18:34:41'),
(315, 315, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urges the US to withdraw the sanctions it imposed on Russia as their punitive action is causing immense sufferings across the globe.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"I think that it is justified to retreat from the act of punishing one country which is hurting the people of the whole world,” she said while inaugurating the new building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister joined the event virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that the US-led sanctions were tantamount to violation of human rights as it is not fair to deprive all humans of their basic rights.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina said it is unfortunate that when the whole world is being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war has brought more miseries.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Above all, the US-imposed sanctions have blocked the availability of items that Bangladesh imports,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The transportation cost bas gone up while the pockets of availability of the goods have been shrunk, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She also said that this is not only for Bangladesh. The USA, Europe, England and the whole world are affected by the sanctions.</div><div><br></div><div>\"People are the sufferers. The developed countries should specially think about it,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>In this connection, she said that the US should understand that the sanctions are inflicting pain for their own people too. They also should look into the matter.</div><div><br></div><div>\"You want to hurt a country by slapping sanctions. But how much are they affected?\" she questioned.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that the people of the other countries from low-income to developing and developed are much more affected by the restrictions. -UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Staff Correspondent', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 18:39:08', '2022-07-07 18:39:08'),
(316, 316, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Rafael Nadal will have a scan on an abdominal injury before his Wimbledon semi-final after it almost forced him to retire from his last-eight match.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Spaniard, who faces Nick Kyrgios on Friday, said he ignored calls from his dad and sister to quit as he struggled with his movement against Taylor Fritz.</div><div><br></div><div>Nadal had a medical timeout and somehow - even he said he did not know how - came from behind to win in five sets.</div><div><br></div><div>\"[Retiring] is something that I hate to do,\" the 36-year-old said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"So I just keep trying, and that\'s it.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He also had strapping on his abdomen during his previous match but said the pain had got worse during Wednesday\'s 3-6 7-5 3-6 7-5 7-6 (10-4) victory over American Fritz.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s obvious that today is nothing new. I had these feelings for a couple of days. Without a doubt, today was the worst day,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"[There has] been an important increase of pain and limitation. Tomorrow I am going to have some more tests.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Nadal says he is well used to pain, and playing with problems, during a career in which he has won a men\'s record 22 Grand Slam singles titles.</div><div><br></div><div>Only last month, he won his 14th French Open title without being able to feel his left foot as it was anesthetised because of a chronic condition.</div><div><br></div><div>But he will not jeopardise his health when deciding whether he can play Kyrgios on Friday to continue his bid for a calendar Grand Slam, having already won the Australian and French Open titles this year.</div><div><br></div><div>\"[There is] something more important than winning Wimbledon, that is health,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He went off court during the second set against Fritz, with the doctor giving him anti-inflammatories and painkillers and the physio trying to relax the muscles.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s difficult,\" he said. \"Nothing can be fixed when you have a thing like this. That\'s it.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I just wanted to give myself a chance. [It is] not easy to leave the tournament. Not easy to leave Wimbledon, even if the pain was hard.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Asked what he thought his chances were of playing on Friday, Nadal replied: \"I don\'t know. Honestly, I can\'t give you a clear answer because if I gave you a clear answer and tomorrow another thing happens, I will be a liar.\" -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 18:43:53', '2022-07-07 18:43:53'),
(317, 317, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India has now put restrictions on the exports of wheat flour and other related products like semolina wholemeal.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to a notification from India\'s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the decision will come into effect from 12 July, reports the ANI.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The DGFT notification issued on Wednesday (6 July) makes it mandatory for all exporters to seek prior permission from the inter-ministerial committee on wheat export before undertaking any outbound shipment.</div><div><br></div><div>Global supply disruptions in wheat and wheat flour have created many new players and have led to price fluctuations and potential quality-related issues, the DGFT said. The notification said it is imperative to maintain the quality of wheat flour exports from India.</div><div><br></div><div>The export policy of wheat flour will remain free and there is no outright ban on it, the notification said, adding that exporters must seek permission from an Inter-Ministerial Committee on wheat export.</div><div><br></div><div>Before this revised policy comes into effect, certain consignments of wheat flour will be allowed to be exported including situations wherein the loading of wheat flour on the ship has commenced before this notification, and where wheat flour consignment has been handed over to the customs and is registered in their system.</div><div><br></div><div>In May 2022, the Indian government amended the export policy of wheat by putting its export under the \"prohibited\" category.</div><div><br></div><div>India had then stated that the move was made with the purpose to manage the overall food security of the country as well as meeting the needs of the neighbouring and other vulnerable countries. -ANI</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 18:48:19', '2022-07-07 18:48:19'),
(318, 318, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The flood water in Sylhet increased once more on Wednesday due to a heavy downpour since Tuesday night.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Many areas of the district went under water as the flood situation slightly worsened.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the Water Development Board, water in Surma River at Kanaighat point and Sylhet point has increased 6 and 1 centimetres, respectively, in the last 24 hours to Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>At the same time, water in the Kushiara River has increased 2 centimeters at Fenchuganj point.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, water in the Sari River and Lova River has increased by 10 and 7 centimeter, respectively. However, water in the Dhalai River has slightly receded.</div><div><br></div><div>AKM Niloy Pasha, deputy assistant of Sylhet Water Development Board, said, the water in the rivers of the district has increased due to excessive rainfall. The situation might continue till Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>District administration data said a total of 314 shelters have been opened for the flood-affected people while 22,176 flood victims have taken shelter. -UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 18:52:03', '2022-07-07 18:52:03'),
(319, 319, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was defiantly hanging onto power on Thursday despite the resignation of four top ministers and a seemingly unstoppable revolt by his own lawmakers, threatening to paralyse the British government.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>More than 50 ministers have quit the government in less than 48 hours, saying Johnson was not fit to be in charge after a series of scandals, while dozens in his Conservative Party are in open revolt.</div><div><br></div><div>Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, became the latest Cabinet minister to quit early on Thursday, following the resignations of the finance, health and Welsh ministers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I cannot sacrifice my personal integrity to defend things as they stand now,\" Lewis said. It is clear that our party, parliamentary colleagues, volunteers and the whole country, deserve better.\"</div><div><br></div><div>A delegation of senior ministers and a senior figure representing Conservative lawmakers who are not in government went to Downing Street on Wednesday evening to tell Johnson he needed to go and to make a dignified exit.</div><div><br></div><div>But he refused to budge, and even sacked Michael Gove, one of his most effective ministers who, according to media reports, had told the British leader he should quit.</div><div><br></div><div>Not going&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"I am not going to step down,\" Johnson told a parliamentary committee. The Sun newspaper quoted an ally of the prime minister as saying that rebels in his party would \"have to dip their hands in blood\" if they wanted to get rid of him.</div><div><br></div><div>Johnson has suggested that he had a mandate to govern from the almost 14 million voters who voted for the Conservatives in December 2019 when he swept to power with a promise to sort out Britain\'s exit from the European Union after years of bitter wrangling.</div><div><br></div><div>He says it would not be responsible to walk away from the job in the middle of an economic crisis and war in Europe. Johnson has been a visible supporter of Ukraine following Russia\'s invasion in late February.</div><div><br></div><div>He has also refused to say if he would try to stay in the job even if he lost a confidence vote from his own lawmakers. That could come next week if they agree to change the party\'s rules, which only allow one such challenge a year. He narrowly won a similar vote last month.</div><div><br></div><div>Opposition lawmakers said the chaos meant government could not function. Committees due to meet on Thursday to scrutinise legislation, including the National Security Bill, were being cancelled because there was no minister available.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I do think the time has come for the prime minister to step down,\" Suella Braverman, the attorney general for England and Wales, told ITV late on Wednesday, although she said she herself would stay in post. \"If there is a leadership contest I will put my name into the ring.\"</div><div><br></div><div>There have also been suggestions Johnson might try to call a snap national election if rebel lawmakers tried to force him out, although he said such a vote was \"the last thing this country needs\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"The prime minister is deluded if he feels he can cling on in the face of collapsed parliamentary support,\" said a senior Conservative lawmaker on condition of anonymity. \"He is embarrassing the Conservative Party and showing contempt for the electorate.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The crisis erupted after lawmaker Chris Pincher who held a government role involved in pastoral care was forced to quit over accusations he groped men in a private member\'s club.</div><div><br></div><div>Johnson had to apologise after it emerged that he was briefed that Pincher had been the subject of previous sexual misconduct complaints before he appointed him. The prime minister saying he had forgotten.</div><div><br></div><div>The issue followed months of scandals and missteps, including a damning report into parties at his Downing Street residence and office that broke strict COVID-19 lockdown rules and saw him fined by police. -reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 18:56:47', '2022-07-07 18:56:47'),
(320, 320, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chris Rock and Christian Bale are facing a sticky situation in the manic first look at director David O. Russell’s star-studded thriller “Amsterdam.”</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“You have a dead white man in a box,” Rock’s character says at the start of the trailer. “Not even a casket. It doesn’t even have a top on it.” As he wheels the pine container away, he laments: “Who do you think is going to get in trouble here?”</div><div><br></div><div>From there, the 1930s-set trailer backs up in time to offer a little context to the confounding circumstances at hand. Described as “a fascinating and richly intricate tale that brilliantly weaves historical fact with fiction,” the crime epic follows three close friends — two soldiers played by Bale and John David Washington and a nurse portrayed by Margot Robbie — who find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history.</div><div><br></div><div>“We formed a pact and we swore to protect each other… no matter what,” Bale’s character narrates in the clip.</div><div><br></div><div>That’s all good and well, until the trio find themselves accused of killing someone — “Which is not true,” Bale confides in compatriots played by Rami Malek and Anya Taylor-Joy.</div><div><br></div><div>But they sure look guilty, at least according to those at the scene of the crime. From there, the trailer goes off the rails as they set out to find someone, anyone (starting with Robert De Niro’s character, a friend of the victim who was killed “because of something monstrous he had seen”) to help them uncover the truth.</div><div><br></div><div>“This is becoming a lot larger than any of us,” observes Robbie’s character, who has seen some stuff. “I had to stab a guy; I had to hit a lady with a brick one time.”</div><div><br></div><div>The cast, a real who’s who of Hollywood, also includes Taylor Swift, Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers and Zoe Saldaña.</div><div><br></div><div>Russell also wrote and produced the film, marking his first feature since 2015’s “Joy.” The Oscar nominee’s credits also include “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle.” Drake and Adel Nur (a.k.a. Future the Prince) serve as executive producers on “Amsterdam.”</div><div><br></div><div>Disney’s 20th Century Studios and New Regency will open “Amsterdam” in theaters on Nov. 4. - variety</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 19:06:01', '2022-07-07 19:06:01'),
(321, 321, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Disney’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” the fourth standalone story about Chris Hemsworth’s hulking God of Thunder and the second (of three) Marvel movies to play in theaters in 2022, is gearing up to turbocharge the domestic box office. The ninth sequel in the sprawling MCU is expected to bring in anywhere from $145 million to $155 million over the weekend, with some estimates reaching as high as $170 million. The film debuts on Friday in 4,300 North American theaters.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Those ticket sales should guarantee that “Thor: Love and Thunder” enjoys one of the biggest opening weekends of the year, ranking above “The Batman” ($134 million debut) and somewhere in between “Jurassic World: Dominion” ($145 million debut) and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($185 million debut). Based on initial projections, “Thor 4” will also represent a sizable jump on the results of its predecessor, 2017’s beloved action-comedy “Thor: Ragnarok,” which opened to $123 million in North America. The third “Thor” movie ended its box office run with $315 million domestically and $853 million worldwide.</div><div><br></div><div>At the international box office, “Love and Thunder” is on track to earn $140 million to $150 million as it opens in most major overseas markets aside from China, Russia and France.</div><div><br></div><div>For Disney’s MCU, a debut of $150 million or more would be a strong result. That’s because although Thor is a fan favorite at this point, the quirky superhero adventure doesn’t have the multiversal appeal that fueled the massive turnout for “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” or “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The Guardians of the Galaxy briefly appear in “Love and Thunder,” but “Thor 4” is basically all Thor all the time. That being said, Hemsworth isn’t the only Norse god who can summon a Mjölnir. In this flick, Natalie Portman, returning to the series as astrophysicist Jane Foster, has gained her own superpowers to become the Mighty Thor. Together, this hammer-wielding duo embark on a journey to defeat Gorr the God Butcher (a terrifying Christian Bale), a galactic villain whose name sheds light on his mission to arrange the extinction of all things divine.</div><div><br></div><div>Critics were mostly impressed with “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which was directed by “Ragnarok” filmmaker and Kiwi favorite Taika Waititi. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman was among the more enthusiastic reviewers, praising the film for its “pleasing, let’s-try-it-on-and-shoot-the-works effervescence.”</div><div><br></div><div>“‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ is far from standard, and that’s a good thing,” Gleiberman wrote “…It builds on the earlier film’s highly winning tone of skewed flippancy.”</div><div><br></div><div>As the only new nationwide release, the Marvel movie looks to continue Hollywood’s stellar summer at the box office, which has fielded plenty of hits including “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” “Jurassic World: Dominion” and, of course, “Top Gun: Maverick.”</div><div><br></div><div>The overall box office has generated $3.9 billion to date in 2022, which is up 246% from the same point in 2021 but down 32.4% from 2019, according to Comscore. -variety</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 19:11:31', '2022-07-07 19:11:31'),
(322, 322, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Barapukuria 525MW coal-fired power plant may be mothballed once its current stock of coal is depleted later this month due to uncertainty over the resumption of coal supply from the nearby mine for underground development works.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Coal production at the mine has been suspended since April. The power plant, which is located at Dinajpur\'s Parbatipur upazila, is fired entirely by the coal supplied by the mine.</div><div><br></div><div>At present, the power plant\'s third unit, which is of 275 MW, is operational, while the other two units -- of 125MW each -- are in recess for insufficient coal supply.</div><div><br></div><div>There are about 60,000 tonnes of coal in stock, which is enough to run the third unit for the next 20 days at the current rate.</div><div><br></div><div>About 3,200 to 3,500 tonnes of coal are needed in a day to keep the unit fully operational.</div><div><br></div><div>In the last couple of days, 300MW of power has been generated, which is beyond the unit\'s capacity to ease the rising load shedding around the country.</div><div><br></div><div>If coal supply is not resumed by early next month, power generation will either be halted or the plant will be operated at minimum production capacity, said officials of the Bangladesh Power Development Board.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is unlikely that coal supply will resume in early August as the development works are still going on,\" said a top official of BPDB.</div><div><br></div><div>Those development works require at least four months, so as per schedule, it should wrap up at the end of August.</div><div><br></div><div>Everyone is working arduously to complete the work as early as possible, according to Md Kamruzzaman Khan, managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Limited.</div><div><br></div><div>Production is supposed to start in the middle of August, he told to the media.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 19:29:33', '2022-07-07 19:29:33');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(323, 323, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The heads of MI5 and FBI warned of the growing long-term threat posed by China to UK and U.S. interests, in their first joint appearance on Wednesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the service has already \"more than doubled our previously-constrained effort against Chinese activity of concern,\" adding it was running seven times as many investigations as in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the Chinese government \"poses the biggest long-term threat\" to economic and national security, for the UK, the U.S. and allies in Europe and elsewhere.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The Chinese government is trying to shape the world by interfering in our politics (and those of our allies, I should add),\" Wray said, saying Beijing had directly interfered in a Congressional election in New York this year, as it did not want a candidate who was a critic and former protester at Tiananmen Square to be elected.</div><div><br></div><div>Wray warned that the Chinese government \"poses an even more serious threat to Western businesses than even many sophisticated businesspeople realize,\" and is \"set on stealing your technology.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The Chinese governement\'s hacking program is \"bigger than that of every other major country combined,\" according to Wray.</div><div><br></div><div>Over the past year, the UK has shared intelligence with 37 countries to help them defend against cyber espionage, McCallum said, adding that in May they had disrupted a sophisticated threat targeting critical aerospace companies.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking about Taiwan, which China regards as a province, Wray said that China may try to forcibly take it over and if that were to happen, \"it would represent one of the most horrific business disruptions the world has ever seen.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Advertisement · Scroll to continue</div><div>\"The widespread Western assumption that growing prosperity within China and increasing connectivity with the West would automatically lead to greater political freedom has, I\'m afraid, been shown to be plain wrong,\" McCallum said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The allegations against China by U.S. and UK intelligence officials are completely groundless and the so-called cases they listed are pure shadow chasing,\" a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the UK said, in response to a question about the comments made by McCallum and Wray.</div><div><br></div><div>The spokesperson said that China urged both the countries to \"have a clear understanding of the trend of the time, abandon the Cold War mentality which has long gone out of date, stop spreading \"China threat\", and stop creating confrontation and conflicts.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at MI5 headquarters in Thames House, London, both the security services heads gave numerous examples of issues linked to China, asking an audience which included businessmen and academics to be cautious and encouraging them to partner with the FBI and MI5 so they can have the appropriate intelligence about this threat. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 19:55:14', '2022-07-07 19:55:14'),
(324, 324, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">South Korea\'s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd turned in its best April-June profit since 2018 on Thursday, underpinned by strong sales of memory chips to server customers even as demand from inflation-hit smartphone makers cools.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Shares of the world\'s largest memory-chip and smartphone maker closed up 3.2% after preliminary results were announced, versus a 1.8% rise in the wider market.</div><div><br></div><div>Shares of other chipmakers, including rival SK Hynix (000660.KS) and the world\'s biggest foundry TSMC (2330.TW), also rose as analysts said tight supply of certain chips could help offset slower demand that is driving down memory chip prices.</div><div><br></div><div>Samsung posted an operating profit of 14 trillion won ($10.7 billion), up 11% from 12.57 trillion won a year earlier, just shy of a 14.45 trillion won SmartEstimate from Refinitiv.</div><div><br></div><div>Revenue for the second quarter rose 21% to 77 trillion won, in line with market estimates.</div><div><br></div><div>The strong quarter for Samsung comes at a time when other chipmakers have warned of a looming chip glut at customers who stocked up during the pandemic to meet higher demand from people working from home.</div><div><br></div><div>Chipmakers including Micron (MU.O) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) have also recently signalled waning demand as red-hot inflation squeezes spending. read more</div><div><br></div><div>\"Memory chipmakers are expected to build inventory this year, keeping supply conservative, and hike shipments when prices rebound and demand recovers next year\", said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment &amp; Securities.</div><div><br></div><div>Prices of specific DRAM chips, used in devices and servers, fell about 12% last month from a year ago, according to data provider TrendForce. Prices of NAND Flash chips, used for data storage, are also projected to fall as much as 5% in the July-September period from the previous quarter.</div><div><br></div><div>Rising inflation, concerns about a downturn in major markets, the war in Ukraine and China\'s COVID-19 lockdowns have resulted in slowing smartphone sales, leaving server chip demand as the only bright spot, analysts said.</div><div><br></div><div>Samsung\'s profits have been shielded as large U.S. tech firms such as Amazon (AMZN.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O), Alphabet\'s (GOOGL.O) Google and Meta (META.O) that use a lot of data centre services kept buying chips to meet cloud demand, they added.</div><div><br></div><div>Making a case for strong server demand, Taiwanese contract electronics supplier and Apple iPhone maker Foxconn (2317.TW) on Monday raised its full-year outlook and said it was optimistic about the third quarter.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A strong dollar, which hit a 20-year high, may have also aided Samsung\'s chip profits in the second quarter. read more</div><div><br></div><div>Samsung\'s chip sales are made mainly in dollars, while it reports its profit in Korean won, so a firm greenback translates to higher chip earnings.</div><div><br></div><div>Estimated smartphone shipments by Samsung\'s mobile business in the second quarter were about 62-64 million, about 5%-8% lower than a March estimate, Counterpoint Research said, as inflation hit smartphone demand.</div><div><br></div><div>Samsung shipped 74 million smartphones in the first quarter.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This trend is the same for major global smartphone makers, although there is variance to some degree ... In particular, the hit to the demand for low- and mid-end smartphones seems more severe,\" said Jene Park, Senior analyst at Counterpoint.- Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 20:07:07', '2022-07-07 20:07:07'),
(325, 325, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Boris Johnson will resign as Conservative party leader on Thursday, the BBC reported, paving the way for a successor to replace him as British prime minister, after dozens of his ministers quit the government.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Boris Johnson will resign as Conservative leader today -- he will continue as prime minister until the autumn,\" BBC political editor Chris Mason reported, adding a Tory leadership race will take place this summer and the victor replace Johnson by October. Source: AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 20:25:45', '2022-07-07 20:25:45'),
(326, 326, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India will impose restrictions on the export of flour in a fresh move to insulate domestic markets from a global wheat crisis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Wheat grain exports were severely curtailed in May to shore up national food reserves following global shortages and surging prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has said flour exporters will need to seek prior government approval to maintain quality and stabilise domestic prices.</div><div><br></div><div>“Global supply disruptions in wheat and wheat flour have created many new players and has led to price fluctuations and potential quality related issues,” the regulator said in a notice issued yesterday.</div><div><br></div><div>“Therefore, it is imperative to maintain the quality of wheat flour exports from India.”</div><div><br></div><div>India banned all exports of wheat grain without government approval in May, sparking a record surge in global prices and condemnation from other countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia and Ukraine together account for almost a quarter of the global wheat supply but their ongoing war has disrupted the supply chain and caused a worldwide shortage.</div><div><br></div><div>Wheat is the main cereal crop in India, which is the world’s second-biggest wheat producer after China.</div><div><br></div><div>India produced 109 million tonnes of wheat last year but only exported around seven million tonnes.</div><div><br></div><div>A punishing heatwave in March and April led to a drop of around 5% in the wheat harvest, prompting fears of shortages in the domestic market. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 22:22:08', '2022-07-07 22:22:08'),
(327, 327, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A disputed Russian-flagged cargo ship carrying grain Kyiv alleges was stolen from Ukraine has moved away from the Turkish coast nearly a week after its arrival, a marine traffic website showed today.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Zhibek Zholy moved at least 20km away from Turkey’s Black Sea port of Karasu before apparently switching off its transponder and disappearing from view, data on the marinetraffic.com website showed.</div><div><br></div><div>Kyiv alleges that the 7,000-tonne vessel had set off from Ukraine’s Kremlin-occupied port of Berdyansk after picking up confiscated wheat.</div><div><br></div><div>But Russia claims to have “nationalised” Ukrainian state assets and to be buying crops from local farmers.</div><div><br></div><div>Nato member Turkey has been trying to negotiate a solution that could preserve its good relations with both Moscow and Kyiv.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine has demanded that Turkey impound the vessel and return the allegedly stolen wheat.</div><div><br></div><div>The traffic monitor showed the ship moving across the Black Sea toward Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>An unnamed crew members of the Zhibek Zholy told Russia’s Tass news agency that the crew intended to offload the grain to another ship so as “not to lose money”. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 22:33:37', '2022-07-07 22:33:37'),
(328, 328, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sent high quality Bangladeshi mangoes for King Yang Di Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri as gift.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>On behalf of the King and Prime Minister of Malaysia, the Istana Negara and the officials of the Prime Minister\'s Office received the mangoes respectively.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Under the supervision of Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, 1,000 kgs of mangoes were also sent to the ministers of various important ministries, heads of political parties, high-ranking government officials, businesspeople, media personnel, heads, and deputy heads of various diplomatic missions.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The gift from the Prime Minister is a manifestation of the existing brotherly relations between Bangladesh and Malaysia, said the High Commission.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The High Commission hoped that this initiative will further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries as well as help in promoting Bangladeshi mangoes and agricultural products as a potential item in Malaysia. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 22:54:20', '2022-07-07 22:54:20'),
(329, 329, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A&nbsp; Dhaka court fixed August 16 for indictment hearing in a case lodged for allegedly amassing illegal wealth and laundering money abroad against former managing director of NRB Global Bank Proshanta Kumar Halder and 13 others.</span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Qayesh set the date this morning. At the same time, the court transferred the case to Dhaka Special Judge\'s Court-10 for further proceedings.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The other accused in the case are PK Halder\'s mother Lilabati Halder, Purnima Rani Halder, Uttam Kumar Mistry, Amitabh Adhikari, Pritish Kumar Halder, Rajib Som, Subrata Das, Ananga Mohan Roy, Swapan Kumar Mistry, Avantika Baral, Shankha Bepari, Sukumar Mridha and Anindita Mridha.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Among them Avantika Baral, Shankha Bepari, Sukumar Mridha and Anindita Mridha are in jail.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Earlier on March 27, the court issued arrest warrants against ten fugitives in the case. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-07 23:30:04', '2022-07-07 23:30:04'),
(330, 330, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A million pilgrims began the spiritual journey of a lifetime as the first rituals of the annual Hajj began.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Hundreds of thousands of worshippers circled Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. Many held umbrellas to block the sun as the temperature climbed to 42C.</div><div><br></div><div>On Thursday, the pilgrims will move to a vast tented city at Mina, about 5 kilometers from the Grand Mosque, ahead of the main rite at Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.</div><div><br></div><div>Saudi authorities have mounted a massive operation to ensure the health and safety of pilgrims. The Saudi Health Ministry has prepared 23 hospitals and 147 health centres in Makkah and Madinah, the second-holiest city in Islam, to accommodate pilgrims.</div><div><br></div><div>Four hospitals and 26 health centers are also ready to treat pilgrims in Mina. There are more than 1,000 beds for patients requiring intensive care and more than 200 specifically for heatstroke patients, and more than 25,000 health workers are ready to respond to cases as they arise.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;“It’s all going well so far. I have moved around a lot and saw rules are being respected,” said Faten Abdel Moneim, 65, a mother of four from Egypt.</div><div><br></div><div>Naima Mohsen, 42, also from Egypt, said: “Being here is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can’t wait for the rest. My only problem is the weather. It’s just too hot.”</div><div><br></div><div>One million fully vaccinated Muslims, including 850,000 from abroad, are allowed at this year\'s Hajj, after two years of curtailed numbers because of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2019 about some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world took part in Hajj, but after that the pandemic forced a downsizing. Only 60,000 fully vaccinated residents of the Kingdom took part in 2021, up from a few thousand in 2020.</div><div><br></div><div>The restoration of the Hajj stirred bittersweet emotions for pilgrims Sutrisno and Sri Wahyuningsih, two teachers from Indonesia. Sri’s parents were supposed to take part in 2020, but their plans fell victim to the pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri’s father will now never make the journey after he died from a stroke in March, and her mother could not take part because she is over this year’s age limit of 65.</div><div><br></div><div>Nevertheless, Sutrisno, 54, and Sri, 51, are joyful at undertaking the Hajj in place of Sri’s parents. “It’s such a huge moral burden to me,” said Sri. “But my mother has given her blessings to me and I have to think that this is a journey I have to go through, everything is Allah’s decision, and I have to go on the Hajj.” Source: Arab News&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 00:12:14', '2022-07-08 00:12:14'),
(331, 331, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Russia-Ukraine is a major humanitarian crisis affecting millions of people and a severe shock to sustained economic development of the world, said the International Chamber of Commerce, Bangladesh (ICCB) on Thursday.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Bangladesh is already facing the affect of Russia-Ukraine war, with inflation reaching 7%, the highest in decades, reduction in exports to Russia and Ukraine as well as rise in import bills, mainly for oil and food,\" said the ICCB in its editorial of the current news bulletin released on Thursday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The world, after getting battered by the pandemic, supply chain chokeholds and leaps in prices, is now faced with worst human and economic catastrophe due to uncalled for Russia-Ukraine war.</div><div><br></div><div>Countries are preparing for the worse, depending on their immediate and long-term concerns.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>For the West, it is preeminently a security concern and they are gearing up accordingly, apart from efforts to find alternatives to energy and food supplies, said the ICCB.</div><div><br></div><div>But for the rest of the world, it said, the humanitarian sufferings and economic concerns come first as the war has disrupted the entire supply chain, making production, business and life unpredictable.</div><div><br></div><div>International Chamber of Commerce and its 45 million members in over 100 countries urged upon the super powers to abandon their fight for world supremacy at the cost of loss of millions life, sufferings of humanity and obstacle to continued global growth.</div><div><br></div><div>According to World Food Programme (WFP) some 276 million people are facing acute food insecurity.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that the impact of the war could lead to 11-19 million more hungry people.</div><div><br></div><div>The War has compelled more than six million Ukrainians to take refuge in neighbouring countries.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>This has added to the already existing 26.4 million refuges globally, including some more than one million Rohingyas in Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>According to UNHCR at the end of 2020 there were 82.4 million forcibly displaced people in the world, of which more than a quarter (26.4 million) are refugees.</div><div><br></div><div>WFP Executive Director has announced it’s decision of cutting food rations for refugees by as much as half, as it faces a hunger crisis worsened by war in Ukraine and funding constraints.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine is the world\'s biggest producer of sunflower oil, with Russia number two, according to S&amp;P Global Platts.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The two countries account for 60% of global production.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, Ukraine grows enough food to feed 400 million people worldwide, which includes 10% of the worldwide grain supply and 13% of global corn supply.</div><div><br></div><div>According to FAO, spiralling costs of farm inputs like fertiliser could deter growers from expanding production and worsen food security in poorer countries facing record import bills.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>As a result, some countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia, such as Bangladesh and Indonesia, also being highly impacted.</div><div><br></div><div>Oil and natural gas prices rose sharply following the invasion and they are expected to remain elevated this year, said the ICCB.</div><div><br></div><div>The energy supply crunch reminds the world of the 1970\'s oil crisis that stagnated global growth amid surging inflation.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Russia\'s war in Ukraine could take years.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>After US military aid in millions of dollars were disbursed and several billions more pledged, European leaders, including the French president and the German chancellor are also offering Ukraine more weapons and European Union\'s candidate status. Russian President, on the other hand, declared \"the end of the era of the unipolar world\". All these moves point to the prospects of a prolonged war.</div><div><br></div><div>The developed nations are experiencing record inflation in decades and taking tough steps to control spending, which will dampen consumer demand – a concern for Bangladesh that depends on exports to these countries.</div><div><br></div><div>The US Federal Reserve has hiked, for the first time in more than two decades, its benchmark interest rates by 0.75 percentage points, as it had has no choice but to address inflation more forcefully, regardless of the impact on markets.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Bank for International Settlement (BIS), considered as the Central Bank of Central Banks, in its Annual Economic Report has observed that the central banks must act quickly and decisively before inflation become entrenched, with the thread of stagflation looking over the global economy. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 00:23:31', '2022-07-08 00:23:31'),
(332, 332, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Boris Johnson said on Thursday he was resigning as Britain\'s prime minister, bowing to calls from ministerial colleagues and lawmakers in his Conservative Party.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>KEIR STARMER, LEADER OF OPPOSITION LABOUR PARTY</div><div>\"It is good news for the country that Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister.</div><div><br></div><div>\"But it should have happened long ago. He was always unfit for office. He has been responsible for lies, scandal and fraud on an industrial scale.\"</div><div><br></div><div>JUSTIN TOMLINSON, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF CONSERVATIVE PARTY</div><div>\"I was Team Boris, as the GE (general election) showed he was our star player who connected across traditional political divides. Yes there were ups and downs, but he turbo-charged social mobility and opportunity.</div><div><br></div><div>\"His resignation was inevitable. As a Party we must quickly unite and focus on what matters. These are serious times on many fronts.\"</div><div><br></div><div>ALISTER JACK, SCOTLAND MINISTER:</div><div>“I am sad to see Boris Johnson stand down as Prime Minister. He has achieved a huge amount in office, including delivering Brexit, supporting the country through COVID, and leading the international response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Most importantly, he has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Union.\"</div><div><br></div><div>KWASI KWARTENG, BUSINESS MINISTER</div><div>\"What a depressing state of affairs. So much needless damage caused.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We now need a new Leader as soon as practicable. Someone who can rebuild trust, heal the country, and set out a new, sensible and consistent economic approach to help families.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The wheels of Government must continue in the meantime.\"</div><div><br></div><div>SENIOR CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKER</div><div>\"Relief basically. And also sadness at a missed opportunity. A man destroyed by his own fundamental flaws.\"</div><div><br></div><div>GEORGE FREEMAN, CONSERVATIVE LAWMAKER AND FORMER MINISTER</div><div>\"We need Ministers back at their desks.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Now PM has finally done the decent thing he needs to hand in the seals of office, apologise to Her Majesty, allow her to appoint a Caretaker under whom Ministers can serve, so the Conservative Party can choose a new leader properly.\"</div><div><br></div><div>NICOLA STURGEON, SCOTTISH FIRST MINISTER</div><div>\"There will be a widespread sense of relief that the chaos of the last few days (indeed months) will come to an end, though notion of Boris Johnson staying on as PM until autumn seems far from ideal, and surely not sustainable?\"</div><div><br></div><div>MICHELLE O\'NEILL, LEADER OF SINN FEIN IN NORTHERN IRELAND</div><div>\"It has been an utter absurdity that the people here have been subjected to Boris Johnson for any length of time. He is a figure of absolute disrepute. Anyone who tries to sabotage our peace agreements, a quarter century of progress and our shared future is truly no friend of ours.\" Source: Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 00:28:20', '2022-07-08 00:28:20'),
(333, 333, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Shakib Al Hasan will skip the Tigers\' three-match ODI series against the Caribbeans and not play in the Zimbabwe series, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh already lost the two-match Test series against the hosts West Indies to begin the tour.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Shakib informed us that he will not be available for the Zimbabwe tour,\" Jalal Yunus, chairman of the cricket operation of the BCB, told the media Thursday. \"But other senior players will travel to Zimbabwe.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Shakib recently returned as the captain of the Bangladesh Test team. He led the Tigers in the two-match series against the West Indies. The all-rounder batted well in the series, but his team failed to impress.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh\'s ODI series against the West Indies will take place on July 10, 13 and 16. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 00:46:51', '2022-07-08 00:46:51'),
(334, 334, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has given permission to 280 private firms to import 8.37 lakh tonnes of rice as different corporate organisations and unscrupulous traders are allegedly trying to create an artificial crisis in the market of rice across the country.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The food ministry has given permission to some 280 private firms to import 8.37 lakh tonnes of rice from abroad within next August aiming at tackling the artificial crisis of rice, caused mostly by some unscrupulous hoarders in the country,\" said Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman, Senior Assistant Secretary (Foreign procurement) of the Ministry of Food.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Of the total import, these firms will import some 7.21 lakh tonnes of boiled and 1.16 lakh tonnes of non-boiled (Atop) rice, according to an official order.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The private sector importers have been asked to open the Letter of Credit (LC) within this month to import the amount of rice and market those food grains within August this year.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The government has given permission to the importers and traders of the private sector for importing rice with a 25 per cent tax with a view to ensuring its adequacy to stable the volatile rice market.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Some private importers and traders have already submitted their applications to the ministry intending to import rice.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The importers, who have been given permission, will have to import rice within a month of opening LC. A portion of the imported rice must have to be available in the market within the next 15 days of reaching those food grains to the country,\" he added.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>On June 22, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) under the Internal Resources Division of the Finance Ministry issued a notification clearing a Food Ministry proposal to cut import tax for facilitating rice import under the private sector.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Importers would have to just pay only 25 per cent import tax - 15 per cent regulatory duty, five per cent advance tax and five per cent advance income tax, according to the NBR notification, adding that \"There would be no customs duty. Customs duty was 25 per cent and regulatory duty was 25 per cent before.\"</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>However, the Food Ministry proposed to allow rice import at \'zero tax\'. Responding to the proposal of the ministry, the Prime Minister has also given her approval to import rice at zero tax.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>But, the NBR has given its clearance to import rice paying 25pc taxes in total.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>According to the Food Ministry and Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) statement, retailers are selling per kg fine rice at Tk 65 to 80, which is up 14 per cent from a month ago. Prices of coarse rice edged up 8.6 per cent to Tk 48 to 53 per kg, during the same period.</div><div><br></div><div>At present, the food grain stock in the government godowns is around 16.41 lakh tonnes.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the grains, the stock of rice is around 14.08 lakh tonnes, 1.63 lakh tonnes of wheat and 1.07 lakh tonnes of paddy. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 00:52:15', '2022-07-08 00:52:15'),
(335, 335, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Although flood situation continues to improve in most places, it claimed two more lives in Moulvibazar in 24 hours till Thursday morning, taking the total fatalities to 112.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Both of them drowned&nbsp; in floodwater, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>The total deaths were recorded between May 17 and July 7, it said.</div><div>Among the total deceased, 85 people died by drowning in floodwater, 15 from lightning strikes, two from snake bites, one from diarrhoea, and nine due to other reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the deceased, 59 people died in Sylhet, 40 in Mymensingh, 12 in Rangpur and one in Dhaka division, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Among a total of 70 flood-hit upazilas, 33 are in Sylhet division, 16 in Rangpur division, 20 in Mymensingh division and one in Chattogram division.</div><div><br></div><div>Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Kurigram are the worst-hit districts where 13, 11, 10 and 9 upazilas were affected by flood respectively. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 00:57:40', '2022-07-08 00:57:40'),
(336, 336, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">English is a fun language to learn (here are 6 reasons why it rocks), and even though it’s considered an accessible and relatively easy one to learn, learning English fast can seem impossible. But I’m here to tell you that it isn’t - as long as you have the right strategy.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>1. Read everything you can get your hands on</div><div>Classic literature, paperbacks, newspapers, websites, emails, your social media feed, cereal boxes: if it’s in English, read it. Why? Well, this content will be full of juicy new vocabulary, as well as a fair amount you already know. This helps you improve quickly, as re-exposure to learned vocabulary gives you new examples in context, therefore reinforcing those words in your mind.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, learning new words and expressions is essential to building your vocabulary arsenal, particularly in a language like English with so many words!&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>2. Actively take note of new vocabulary</div><div>This tip is a classic one for good reason: it works! When learning, we often enjoy a new word of phrase so much that forgetting it seems impossible. But trust us, not everything sticks the first time. To fight this, get into the habit of carrying around a funky notebook or using a tool like Evernote.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Whenever you hear or read a new word or expression, write it down in context: that is, in a sentence and with its meaning noted. This saves you time as you won’t return to that word and ask yourself: “What did that word/expression mean again?”</div><div><br></div><div>3. Talk with real live humans</div><div>What is a language for if not to communicate? Sure, we humans have become experts at communicating without opening our mouths – thanks Whatsapp! – but when push comes to shove, it’s true that speaking a language helps it stick in your head far better than only reading or writing it. Just think of how many times you’ve heard people say that they “understand, but can’t speak English.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A lot of would-be English speakers have turned talking into a huge insurmountable barrier that only serves to psyche them out. Don’t be like that. Seek out native speakers for an informal language exchange, enroll in a course, or take classes online.</div><div><br></div><div>4. Subscribe to podcasts or Youtube channels (in English)</div><div>Like humor? Politics? Blogging? Cooking? With topics covering every interest imaginable, there’s an English-speaking podcast or Youtube channel out there for you. Subscribe to a few and listen while driving or watch during the commute to school or work. At first, you might find the native accents difficult, but stick with it and you’ll soon start to understand what you hear (as well as learning lots of new vocab from a native speaker!)</div><div><br></div><div>5. Go abroad</div><div>If there’s a better way to learn English than being immersed in it while living and studying in an English-speaking country, we’d love to know! It’s no secret that English is the most widely-spoken language in the world, and with a long list of countries to choose between, you can select your ideal learning environment based on hemisphere, weather, or favorite city.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Think Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Canada, and South Africa to name a few!</div><div><br></div><div>6. Use your friends</div><div>Have friends who post online in English? Don’t gloss over them in your newsfeed: scan the items they share and commit to exploring one or two each day. They might be news or magazine articles, videos, talks, blog posts, songs, or anything else: if it’s in English and the topic interests you, it’s going to be helpful!</div><div><br></div><div>7. Ask a lot of questions</div><div>Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it also propelled the language learner to fluency! As you learn English, you’ll soon collect a mountain of questions. Don’t sit on your doubts – be curious and resolve them! If you’re enrolled in a course, ask your teacher (it’s what they’re there for, after all). But if you’re learning alone, don’t worry: find answers in blogs or language websites, ask other learners, or read through forums. You’ll be happy you did! - EF</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 01:18:24', '2022-07-08 01:18:24'),
(337, 337, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Millions of Muslims across the world have begun celebrating the three-day Eid-al-Adha. One of the most important festivals in Islam, Eid-al-Adha takes place after the end of Haj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to give up his beloved son on Allah’s command.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Religious Affairs Ministry has given a number of instructions for the congregations of the Eid-ul-Azha.</div><div><br></div><div>A notification issued by the Religious Ministry revealed this information, according to reports.</div><div><br></div><div>The instructions are as follows:</div><div>1. There should not be any lighting marking the Eid-ul-Azha.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Everyone should come to Eidgah or mosque after making ablution (wudu) from home.</div><div><br></div><div>3. It needs to keep soap or hand sanitizer at ablution places of mosque or Eidgah to check the Covid-19 infection.</div><div><br></div><div>4. Muslims must wear masks while going to mosque or Eidgah for congregations.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Reserved prayer-mat and cap of mosque and Eidgah should not be used.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>6. It has to maintain social distancing and follow health rules while standing for Eid prayers.</div><div><br></div><div>7. There should be gap between two lines during payers.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>8. The instructions of Fisheries and Livestock Ministry will have to be followed in terms of sacrificial animals.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 01:28:10', '2022-07-08 01:28:10'),
(338, 338, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India will impose restrictions on the export of flour in a fresh move to insulate domestic markets from a global wheat crisis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Wheat grain exports were severely curtailed in May to shore up national food reserves following global shortages and surging prices triggered by Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has said flour exporters will need to seek prior government approval to maintain quality and stabilise domestic prices.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Global supply disruptions in wheat and wheat flour have created many new players and has led to price fluctuations and potential quality related issues,\" the regulator said in a notice issued Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Therefore, it is imperative to maintain the quality of wheat flour exports from India.\"</div><div><br></div><div>India banned all exports of wheat grain without government approval in May, sparking a record surge in global prices and condemnation from other countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia and Ukraine together account for almost a quarter of the global wheat supply but their ongoing war has disrupted the supply chain and caused a worldwide shortage.</div><div><br></div><div>Wheat is the main cereal crop in India, which is the world\'s second-biggest wheat producer after China.</div><div><br></div><div>India produced 109 million tonnes of wheat last year but only exported around seven million tonnes.</div><div><br></div><div>A punishing heatwave in March and April led to a drop of around five percent in the wheat harvest, prompting fears of shortages in the domestic market. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 01:35:04', '2022-07-08 01:35:04'),
(339, 339, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has imposed restriction on all sorts of illumination until further order in order to save electricity.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Cabinet Division issued an order in this regard today.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In view of abnormal price hike of fuel globally, the government has requested all to refrain from illumination at social functions, community centres, shopping malls, shops, offices and residential houses until further order to save electricity,\" said the Cabinet Division. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 01:45:09', '2022-07-08 01:45:09'),
(340, 340, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Boris Johnson has announced he will resign, which means there will now be a leadership election to decide who becomes the next Conservative leader and prime minister.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>They will have to secure the backing of Tory MPs, with the final two candidates going to a ballot of Conservative members. But who are the potential candidates?</div><div><br></div><div>Remember, most of these MPs and ministers have not yet said whether they want the job of Tory leader and PM - but they are the ones to watch. Others may also come forward, reports BBC.</div><div><br></div><div>After an acute political meltdown in the U.K., Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, setting in motion a race for a new prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>Johnson stood at a lectern outside No. 10 Downing Street at lunchtime Thursday and announced his resignation, stating that “no one in politics is remotely indispensable” and that he was “sad to be giving up the best job in the world.”</div><div><br></div><div>Crucially, Johnson said he would continue to serve as prime minister until a successor is chosen in a leadership contest set to take place over the coming weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>But given Johnson’s extraordinary fall from political grace, there is disquiet among some - both within his ruling Conservative Party and beyond - over the prospect of Johnson remaining in office for any time at all.</div><div><br></div><div>Here’s what could happen next in this fast-moving political drama:</div><div><br></div><div>Leadership contest</div><div>Among those expressing concern over Johnson remaining caretaker prime minister until a new leader is selected is Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. He said he would rather Johnson goes now and urged the party to elect a new leader “as soon as practicable.”</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, another Tory MP tweeted that, “it is beyond credulity that Mr Johnson can stay in office.” Others have said an interim prime minister should be installed to look after government business over the summer, while Parliament takes a break.</div><div><br></div><div>Unsurprisingly, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, has said that Johnson needs to go “completely” and that “there should be none of this nonsense about clinging on for a few months.”</div><div><br></div><div>If the Conservative Party does not support Johnson remaining in his post, it could recommend that the queen appoint another Conservative lawmaker as a stopgap - with current Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab likely to be a front-runner.</div><div><br></div><div>Allan Monks, an economist at JPMorgan, said the Conservative leadership process was likely to be completed in a matter of weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>“The first round is likely to start imminently and will consist of a series of votes among the party’s MPs designed to whittle down the process to two candidates (taking two weeks or less). The second round will be a ballot among party members to decide who becomes the next leader (and hence Prime Minister). This could take a further four weeks or so,” Monks said.</div><div><br></div><div>This implies the whole process could be completed by September — well before the Conservative Party’s annual conference.</div><div><br></div><div>Who could replace him?</div><div>All eyes are now on Johnson’s successor, with speculation rife over which of the “big players” - such as current or former Cabinet ministers - will announce their intention to run.</div><div><br></div><div>Prominent Conservatives who are seen as potential contenders include former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Defense Minister Ben Wallace and current Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, as well as other less prominent officials including Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt and former Health Minister Jeremy Hunt.</div><div><br></div><div>None of them have yet declared their interest in running for the top job with only Attorney General Suella Braverman announcing definitively that she is running so far.</div><div><br></div><div>A snap YouGov poll which asked 716 Conservative Party members who they’d like to succeed Johnson found that Wallace and Mordaunt came out neck and neck, with 13% of those polled backing each of them, respectively. Sunak was behind with 10% and Truss with 8%.</div><div><br></div><div>Notably, however, a separate YouGov poll comparing the individual candidates showed that Wallace was the clear favorite among Conservative Party members to be the next party leader.</div><div><br></div><div>What impact on markets?</div><div>As the U.K.’s political future remains uncertain, the impact on sterling and financial markets will be closely watched. Both sterling and the FTSE 100 gained on news that Johnson was set to resign.</div><div><br></div><div>“The next few months in U.K. politics are difficult to call,” Kallum Pickering, senior economist at Berenberg Bank said in a note Wednesday, saying that financial markets were likely to be rattled over the next few months and likely into the fall.</div><div><br></div><div>“If the fight to oust Johnson turns even messier, and it is followed by a noisy leadership contest, increased near-term uncertainty may add further downward pressure to UK risk markets and sterling.”</div><div><br></div><div>Looking past the populist Johnson, Pickering said both of the U.K.‘s major parties have mostly sensible economic policies - to the center-left for Labour and center-right for the Conservatives - reflecting the parties’ political leanings.</div><div><br></div><div>“Relative to, say, a potential Biden versus Trump presidential election in the U.S. in 2024, the next U.K. general election and the outlook for economic policy seem positively boring. After some six years of Brexit and Boris, that’s not a bad thing,” Pickering noted.</div><div><br></div><div>The backstory</div><div>The U.K. has been in full political meltdown mode this week with scores of officials quitting government.</div><div><br></div><div>The avalanche of departures was sparked by the high-profile resignations of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Minister Sajid Javid on Tuesday. Many officials publicly stated that they no longer had confidence in Johnson’s leadership and that for the sake of the party and the country he should - must - go.</div><div><br></div><div>Resignations among the Conservative Party - from ministers to top officials - kept on coming Thursday until over 50 men and women had quit their posts as the fast-moving political drama unfolded.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Johnson, a leader embroiled in controversy and facing a government collapse, had vehemently refused to step down, saying he had a “colossal mandate” to govern after a landslide election win in 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>His critics respond that in the years since that vote, the public has tired of allegations of misconduct - ranging from partying within government departments during Covid lockdowns, to instances of sleaze - that have racked Johnson’s government and party over recent months. - CNBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 02:05:44', '2022-07-08 02:05:44'),
(341, 341, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Expect some respite from the scorching heat and frustrating humidity, as the weather department has predicted monsoon showers at many places across the country in 24 hours.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty winds is likely to occur at a few places over Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rangpur, Rajshahi and Mymensingh divisions with moderately heavy rainfalls at places over the country,” the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said in its forecast.</div><div><br></div><div>Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>The Met office recorded the highest 35mm rainfall in Sylhet district in 24 hours till 6am on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>The mercury reached 36 degrees Celsius – the highest – in Rajshahi, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 25 degrees in Sylhet.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the monsoon trough runs through Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, and Gangetic West Bengal to Assam across the southern part of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Monsoon is less active over Bangladesh and moderate over the North Bay, as per the bulletin. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 02:12:16', '2022-07-08 02:12:16');
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(342, 342, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan\'s longest-serving leader, died on Friday after being shot during campaigning for a parliamentary election, an official from his political party said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A man opened fire on Abe, 67, from behind with an apparently homemade gun as he spoke at a drab traffic island in the western city of Nara, Japanese media showed earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of prewar militarism in the 1930s.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking before Abe\'s death was announced, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the shooting in the \"strongest terms\" while Japanese people and world leaders expressed shock at the violence in a country in which political violence is rare and guns are tightly controlled.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This attack is an act of brutality that happened during the elections - the very foundation of our democracy - and is absolutely unforgivable,\" said Kishida, struggling to keep his emotions in check.</div><div><br></div><div>A fire department official had said Abe appeared to be in a state of cardiac arrest when airlifted to hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>Police said a 41-year-old man suspected of carrying out the shooting had been arrested. NHK quoted the suspect, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, as telling police he was dissatisfied with Abe and wanted to kill him.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe was making a campaign speech outside a train station when two shots rang out at about 11:30 a.m. (0230 GMT). Security officials were then seen tackling a man in a grey T-shirt and beige trousers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There was a loud bang and then smoke,\" businessman Makoto Ichikawa, who was at the scene, told Reuters, adding that the gun was the size of a television camera.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The first shot, no one knew what was going on, but after the second shot, what looked like special police tackled him.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Transfusions&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Kyodo news service published a photograph of Abe lying face-up on the street by a guardrail, blood on his white shirt. People were crowded around him, one administering heart massage.</div><div><br></div><div>Nara emergency services said he had been wounded on the right side of his neck and left clavicle. His brother, Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi, had said Abe was getting blood transfusions.</div><div><br></div><div>NHK showed live footage of Abe\'s wife, Akie, on her way by train to the hospital where he was being treated.</div><div><br></div><div>Airo Hino, political science professor at Waseda University, said such a shooting was unprecedented in Japan. \"There has never been anything like this,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior Japanese politicians are accompanied by armed security agents but often get close to the public, especially during political campaigns when they make roadside speeches and shake hands with passersby.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2007, the mayor of Nagasaki was shot and killed by a yakuza gangster. The head of the Japan Socialist Party was assassinated during a speech in 1960 by a right-wing youth with a samurai short sword. A few other prominent postwar politicians were attacked but not injured.</div><div><br></div><div>Police said the suspected shooter was a resident of Nara. Media said he had served in Japan\'s military for three years until 2005. Defence Minister Kishi declined to comment on that.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe served two terms as prime minister, stepping down in 2020 citing ill health. But he has remained a dominant presence over the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), controlling one of its major factions.</div><div><br></div><div>Kishida, Abe\'s protege, had been hoping to use the election to emerge from Abe\'s shadow and define his premiership, analysts have said. Kishida suspended his election campaign after the shooting. All main political parties condemned the attack.</div><div><br></div><div>\'Very, very sad\'&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking before Abe\'s death was announced, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed deep concern over his condition.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of Japan,\" Blinken said on the sidelines of a G20 meeting on the Indonesian island of Bali.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States is Japan\'s most important ally.</div><div><br></div><div>The yen rose and Japan\'s Nikkei index (.N225) fell on news of the shooting, partially driven by a knee-jerk flight to safety.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe is best known for his “Abenomics” policy of aggressive monetary easing and fiscal spending.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He also bolstered defence spending after years of declines and expanded the military’s ability to project power abroad.</div><div><br></div><div>In a historic shift in 2014, his government reinterpreted the postwar, pacifist constitution to allow troops to fight overseas for the first time since World War Two.</div><div><br></div><div>The following year, legislation ended a ban on exercising the right of collective self-defence, or defending a friendly country under attack.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe, however, did not achieve his goal of revising the U.S.-drafted constitution by writing the Self-Defense Forces, as Japan’s military in known, into the pacifist Article 9.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe first took office in 2006 as Japan’s youngest prime minister since World War Two. After a year plagued by political scandals, voter outrage at lost pension records, and an election drubbing for his ruling party, Abe quit citing ill health.</div><div><br></div><div>He became prime minister again in 2012.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe hailed from a wealthy political family that included a foreign minister father and a grandfather who served as premier. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 20:37:01', '2022-07-08 20:37:01'),
(343, 343, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangabandhu Bridge, also known as the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge, has earned a new daily toll collection record.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A total of 43,595 vehicles crossed the bridge and around Tk3.35 crore toll was collected in 24 hours to Thursday midnight, setting a record.</div><div><br></div><div>In accordance with the bridge authorities, 25,113 north-bound vehicles crossed the bridge and a toll of around Tk1.74 crore was collected.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, 18,482 Dhaka-bound vehicles crossed the bridge and a toll of Tk1.62 crore was collected.</div><div><br></div><div>Previously, on April 29, Tk3.20 crore was collected in tolls – also during the Eid holidays.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ahsan Masud Bappi, executive engineer of the Bangabandhu Bridge site office, said: “The bridge authorities achieved this record after 43,595 vehicles crossed the bridge. Toll was collected from 11 booths on the east side of Bangabandhu Bridge and nine on the west side.”</div><div><br></div><div>The Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge Highway is the second-largest one in the country.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It is the only means of communication by road between northern districts and Dhaka. Vehicles from at least 23 to 24 districts ply this road daily.</div><div><br></div><div>The bridge authorities have been collecting tolls since it was opened in 1998.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 20:47:58', '2022-07-08 20:47:58'),
(344, 344, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Veteran Bangladeshi actor Sharmili Ahmed has passed away at the age of 75. She breathed her last at her Uttara home at around 8:30am on Friday. Actor Shahed Ali confirmed the news to the media.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She had been receiving chemotherapy for cancer, Shahed said. “We had hoped that she would make a recovery.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fellow thespians and fans posted numerous tributes following the announcement of Sharmili’s death.</div><div><br></div><div>She would be laid to rest beside her husband in Banani, said her sister Wahida Mollick Jolly, who is also an actor.</div><div><br></div><div>Born on May 8, 1947 in Murshidabad, Sharmili Ahmed started acting in films in 1964.</div><div><br></div><div>She went on to star in around 400 dramas and 150 movies.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 20:53:32', '2022-07-08 20:53:32'),
(345, 345, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Many low-income homegoers have been traveling on trucks while putting their lives in risk on the Dhaka-Aricha and Nabinagar-Chandra highways since this (July 8, 2022) morning.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The passengers took decision to travel on the trucks since public vehicles were seen less on these roads in Hemayetpur, Radiocolony, C&amp;B, and Nabinagar areas of Savar, our local correspondent reports.</div><div><br></div><div>Arman Ali, a RMG worker, who was onboard a truck, was going to Aricha in Maniganj from Hemayetpur. \"Only two buses were available and they asked four times the usual fare, so I returned home in a truck for Tk 200.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Meantime, a seven-kilometre long traffic cobngestion was seen on the Dhaka-Aricha highway from Nabinagar to Dhamrai.</div><div><br></div><div>Also, a tailback was created from Nabinagar to Chandra on the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Abdus Salam, inspector (administration) of Dhaka North Traffic, confirmed to The Daily Star.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are working to normalise the traffic situation. It will be normal within half an hour,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 21:03:21', '2022-07-08 21:03:21'),
(346, 346, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A team of scientists in Argentina say they have discovered a new giant predatory dinosaur that had a huge head - but tiny arms for its size.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Writing in the Current Biology journal, the scientists say extensive skeletal remains of a previously unknown species were dug up in northern Patagonia.</div><div><br></div><div>Meraxes gigas was about 36ft (11m) long, with a 4ft skull - but its arms were only 2ft long.</div><div><br></div><div>The scientists believe small limbs gave the carnivorous survival advantages.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'m convinced that those proportionally tiny arms had some sort of function. The skeleton shows large muscle insertions and fully developed pectoral girdles, so the arm had strong muscles,\" said Juan Canale, lead author of the study.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They may have used the arms for reproductive behaviour such as holding the female during mating or support themselves to stand back up after a break or a fall,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>His co-author Peter Makovicky said the dinosaur\'s arms were \"literally half the length of the skull and the animal would not have been able to reach its mouth\".</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Makovicky said he believed the species\' massive heads were the main predatory tool, taking on the functions that arms would have had in smaller species.</div><div><br></div><div>Peter Makovicky says the dinosaur\'s arms were \"literally half the length of the skull\"</div><div>Meraxes gigas - named after a fictional dragon from the Game of Thrones book series - belonged to carcharodontosaurids, or shark-toothed lizards.</div><div><br></div><div>The four-tonne reptiles are believed to have roamed the Earth some 90-100 million years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>The scientists say two other species - tyrannosaurids and abelisaurids - also developed small arms for similar reasons. -bbc</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 21:23:33', '2022-07-08 21:23:33'),
(347, 347, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Western officials on Friday tried to coax Russia into allowing Ukraine to ship its grain out to the world as the four-month-old war threatened to bring hunger to countries far away from the battlefields.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Moscow, however, accused the West of waging economic warfare on Russia by attempting to isolate it with sanctions imposed over the Feb. 24 invasion.</div><div><br></div><div>President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia\'s military operations in Ukraine had barely got started and the prospects for negotiation would grow dimmer the longer the conflict dragged on.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have heard many times that the West wants to fight us to the last Ukrainian. This is a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, but it seems that everything is heading towards this,\" Putin said in a speech to parliament on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>On the frontlines in Ukraine\'s eastern Donbas region, officials reported continued Russian shelling of towns and villages ahead of an anticipated new push to grasp more territory.</div><div><br></div><div>\'Not your country\'</div><div><br></div><div>At a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Bali, Indonesia, some of the staunchest critics of the Russian invasion confronted the Kremlin\'s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov.</div><div><br></div><div>High on their concerns was getting grain shipments from Ukraine out of blockaded Black Sea ports. Ukraine is a top exporter and aid agencies have warned that countries in Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere face devastating food shortages if supplies do not reach them.</div><div><br></div><div>At a plenary session, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Moscow to let Ukrainian grain out to the world, a Western official said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"He addressed Russia directly, saying: \'To our Russian colleagues: Ukraine is not your country. Its grain is not your grain. Why are you blocking the ports? You should let the grain out,\'\" the official said.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Lavrov had berated the West, saying that instead of focusing on how to tackle global economic problems at the meeting, ministers had embarked on \"frenzied criticism\" of Russia over the Ukraine conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi called on the G20 to \"find a way forward\" to address global challenges and said the repercussions of the war, including rising energy and food prices, would hit poor countries the hardest.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is our responsibility to end the war sooner than later and settle our differences at the negotiating table, not at the battlefield,\" Retno said at the opening of talks.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Putin\'s comments in Moscow indicated that the prospects of that happening were dim right now.</div><div><br></div><div>No sorrow&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two has killed thousands, displaced millions and flattened Ukrainian cities.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia says its \"special military operation\" is intended to degrade Ukraine\'s military and root out people it calls dangerous nationalists. Ukraine and its Western backers say Russia is engaged in an unjustified land grab.</div><div><br></div><div>After failing to quickly take the capital Kyiv, Russia is now waging a war of attrition in Ukraine\'s industrial heartland of the Donbas, made up of the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday, Moscow declared it had \"liberated\" Luhansk and now plans to capture parts of neighbouring Donetsk it does not control.</div><div><br></div><div>Luhansk governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Friday Russian forces were indiscriminately shelling villages, towns and cities.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They hit houses, every building that seems to them a possible fortification. To move forward, do not count personal losses and do not feel sorry for the inhabitants of the area,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The situation was similar in settlements in Donetsk.</div><div><br></div><div>Vadym Lyakh, the mayor of Sloviansk in Donetsk, said a woman was killed overnight when Russian shelling hit a residential building.</div><div><br></div><div>Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield accounts.</div><div><br></div><div>Britain\'s defence ministry said Russian forces were likely to be pausing to replenish before undertaking new offensive operations in Donetsk. The ministry said Russia\'s immediate tactical objective might be Siversk, a small industrial city in the north of Donetsk.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in his nightly video message, said the raising of the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island in the Black Sea on Thursday was a sign his country would not be broken.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia abandoned Snake Island, about 140 km (85 miles) south of the port of Odesa, at the end of June - a victory for Ukraine that Kyiv hoped could loosen Moscow\'s blockade of Ukrainian ports.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Let every Russian captain, aboard a ship or a plane, see the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island and let him know that our country will not be broken,\" Zelenskiy said. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 21:29:25', '2022-07-08 21:29:25'),
(348, 348, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A total of 29 new dengue patients were hospitalized in 24 hours till Friday morning, amid a rise in the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>All the new patients were hospitalized in Dhaka division, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>As many as 121 dengue patients, including 113 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The dengue cases are rising in the capital allegedly due to insufficient measures taken by the two Dhaka City Corporations for preventing mosquito-borne diseases like dengue.</div><div><br></div><div>On June 21, the DGHS reported the first death of the season from the mosquito-borne viral disease.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, 1,376 dengue cases and 1,254 recoveries were recorded so far.</div><div><br></div><div>Dengue – a leading cause of serious illness and death in some Asian and Latin American countries – was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000 and claimed 93 lives.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>In three years, the fatality number almost fell to zero.</div><div><br></div><div>However, 105 dengue patients, including 95 in Dhaka division, died in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Dengue is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.</div><div><br></div><div>About four billion people, almost half of the world\'s population, live in areas with a risk of dengue, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.</div><div><br></div><div>Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue while approximately 100 million get sick from infection, and 40,000 die from severe dengue, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue. Early detection of disease progression associated with severe dengue, and access to proper medical care lowers fatality rates of severe dengue to below 1%,\" according to the World Health Organization. -UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 21:36:55', '2022-07-08 21:36:55'),
(349, 349, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India\'s top court granted bail on Friday to a Muslim journalist accused of insulting Hindu religious leaders on Twitter, after his arrest last month raised concerns over media freedom.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>But Mohammed Zubair, who co-founded fact-checking website Alt News and regularly tweets on the increasing marginalisation of India\'s Muslim minority, will remain in police custody due to another complaint filed in the capital New Delhi.</div><div><br></div><div>A complaint filed in June in the Sitapur district of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh alleged that Zubair had hurt religious sentiments by describing a group of Hindu religious leaders as \"hate mongers\", according to a court document.</div><div><br></div><div>Ruling on the Sitapur complaint, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court granted Zubair five days bail, and also ordered him to refrain from tweeting and tampering with any electronic evidence.</div><div><br></div><div>Zubair was initially arrested based on a complaint from a Twitter account that said he insulted Hindus in a 2018 post commenting on the renaming of a hotel after the Hindu monkey god Hanuman.</div><div><br></div><div>Human rights group say that Indian authorities are increasingly picking on journalists and online critics, a charge that government officials deny. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 22:27:33', '2022-07-08 22:27:33'),
(350, 350, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Legendary music director and composer Alam Khan passed away in Dhaka on Friday at the age of 79.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The five-time National Film Award winning music director breathed his last around 11:30am, his family said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Father has left for the eternal journey. Inna lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun (Quranic command used by Muslims when someone dies),\" his son Arman wrote on social media.</div><div><br></div><div>Many media personnel expressed shock over his death.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Born on October 22 in 1943, Khan composed many popular songs which brought stardom to many actors and singers.</div><div><br></div><div>He was the composer of timeless songs like “iboner Golpo Ache Baki Olpo”, “Ore Nil Doriya” and “Ami Rojonigondha Phuler Moto Shurbhi Biliye Jai”.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the popular songs, he directed some Bangladeshi films like “Hayre Manush Rangin Fanus”, “Dak Diyachen Dayal Amare”, “Ki Jadu Karila”, “TumiJekhane Ami Shekhane”, “Sabai To Bhalobasa Chay”, “Chader Shathe Ami Debona” and “Chumki Choleche Eka Pothe”.</div><div><br></div><div>Alam won his first National Film Award in 1972 for directing music in the film “Bara Bhalo Lok Chil” by Mohiuddin.</div><div><br></div><div>He later received the award again for “Three Daughters” of 1985, “Surrender” of 1987, and “Dinkal” of 1992, and “Ebadat” of 2009.</div><div><br></div><div>He also won the Best Music Composer Award for the films “Bagher Thaba” of 2005, and “Ki Jadu Korila” of 2008.</div><div><br></div><div>Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud expressed shock over the demise of eminent actress Sharmili Ahmed and legendary musician Alam Khan on the same day.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He prayed for the peace of the departed souls and conveyed condolence to their families.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 23:33:50', '2022-07-08 23:33:50'),
(351, 351, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">U.S. President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Friday to help safeguard women\'s access to abortion and contraception after the Supreme Court last month overturned the Roe v Wade decision that legalized abortion, the White House said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Biden, a Democrat, has been under pressure from supporters, particularly progressives, to take action after the landmark decision, which upended roughly 50 years of protections for women\'s reproductive rights.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden will direct the Health and Human Services Department to take action to protect and expand access to \"medication abortion\" approved by the Food and Drug Administration, the White House said.</div><div><br></div><div>He will also direct the department to ensure women have access to emergency medical care, family planning services, and contraception, including intrauterine devices (IUDs.)</div><div><br></div><div>Biden\'s attorney general and White House counsel will convene pro bono attorneys and other organizations to provide legal counsel for patients seeking an abortion as well as abortion providers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Such representation could include protecting the right to travel out of state to seek medical care,\" the White House said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>The Supreme Court\'s ruling restored states\' ability to ban abortion. As a result, women with unwanted pregnancies face the choice of traveling to another state where the procedure remains legal and available, buying abortion pills online, or having a potentially dangerous illegal abortion.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden has condemned the court\'s ruling.</div><div><br></div><div>The issue may help drive Democrats to the polls in the November midterm elections, when Republicans have a chance of taking control of Congress. Democrats have a slim majority in the House of Representatives and control the evenly divided Senate through Vice President Kamala Harris\'s tie-breaking vote.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden\'s executive order on Friday is also aimed at protecting patients\' privacy and ensuring safety for mobile abortion clinics at state borders, and it directs the establishment of a task force to coordinate the administration\'s response on reproductive health care access, the White House said. -Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-08 23:39:59', '2022-07-08 23:39:59'),
(352, 352, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Huge crowds of robed Muslim pilgrims prayed on Saudi Arabia’s Mount Arafat on Friday, the climax of the biggest Hajj pilgrimage since the pandemic forced drastic cuts in numbers two years in a row.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Groups of worshippers, many holding umbrellas against the fierce sun, recited verses from the Qur\'an on the rocky rise, where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have given his final sermon.</div><div><br></div><div>Prayers on Mount Arafat, also known as the “Mount of Mercy,” are the highlight of the pilgrimage, capped this year at one million people including 850,000 from abroad after Covid greatly reduced numbers over 2020 and 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Pilgrims, many of them in simple white robes and chanting “Oh God, here I am,” reached Mount Arafat on foot or in buses from the tents nearby where they spent the night.</div><div><br></div><div>After sunset, they will journey the short distance to Muzdalifah, where they will sleep under the stars before performing the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ceremony on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>“I am so happy to be here, like everyone else. This is the biggest Hajj in the coronavirus era, but it isn’t big enough yet,” Egyptian pilgrim Saad Farhat Khalil, 49, told AFP.</div><div>“There are one million here today, but if the Saudis allowed more, 10 million would have came,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Entry roads were packed with worshippers as helicopters buzzed overhead and volunteers handed out bottles of water and collected rubbish in green plastic bags.</div><div><br></div><div>“Let’s keep the purest of all lands clean,” read a sign on a large garbage container.</div><div><br></div><div>The Hajj, usually one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings, is among the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2019, as in previous years, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world took part, a figure that dropped to a few thousand in 2020 and 60,000 in 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Even though the crowds are back, Covid fears remain and the Hajj is taking place against the backdrop of a resurgence in the region, with some Gulf countries tightening restrictions to keep outbreaks in check.</div><div><br></div><div>All participants were required to submit proof of full vaccination and negative PCR tests. On reaching their white-tent encampment at Mina on Thursday, they were handed small bags containing masks and sanitiser.</div><div><br></div><div>The pilgrimage can be physically draining even in ideal conditions, but worshippers this year have faced an added challenge: scorching sun and temperatures rising to 42 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit).</div><div><br></div><div>Islam forbids men from wearing hats once the rites start, and many have been seen shielding themselves with umbrellas, prayer mats and even, in one case, a small bucket filled with water.</div><div><br></div><div>Women, meanwhile, are obliged to cover their heads with scarves.</div><div><br></div><div>“We can tolerate (the heat). We are here for the Hajj. The more we tolerate, the more our pilgrimage is accepted,” Laila, a 64-year-old Iraqi pilgrim who gave only her first name, told AFP in Makkah, where the rituals started.</div><div><br></div><div>Saudi officials have touted their preparations for the extreme conditions, highlighting the hundreds of hospital beds allocated for heatstroke patients and the “large number of misting fans” they have provided.</div><div><br></div><div>A truck has also been allocated to distribute umbrellas, water bottles and small fans.</div><div>Nevertheless, the National Center for Meteorology, which has set up an office in Mina, is sending warnings to pilgrims on their mobile phones, urging them to avoid outdoor rituals at certain times of the day, especially at noon.</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, Muslim pilgrims will take part in the “stoning,” the last major ritual of the Hajj which has previously led to deadly stampedes, as hundreds of thousands of participants converge on a small space.</div><div><br></div><div>After the stoning ritual, pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque in Makkah to perform a final “tawaf” or circling of the Kaaba, the cubic structure draped in a gold-embroidered black cloth that is the focal point of Islam.</div><div><br></div><div>Eid Al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice that begins on Saturday, marks the end of Hajj. -arabnews&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 00:05:45', '2022-07-09 00:05:45'),
(353, 353, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday urged drivers of public transports across the country to remain cautious and follow proper rules on the highways to keep their Eid journey safe and sound.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Thousands of people are going to their respective homes to observe Eid-ul-Azha with their loved ones. Because of newly inaugurated Padma Bridge, more people from the country\'s Southern and Western regions have joined this Eid journey. I urge all the drivers of the public transport to drive their vehicles carefully,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, made the remarks at a press briefing held at his residence in Dhaka in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister also called for commuting on highways by giving priority to human lives, rather than time.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said: “Apart from those, we should keep the operations of trucks and covered vans suspended for certain time, which are carrying emergency and export goods. We should also be alert so that the cattle markets beside the highways cannot cross their designated boundary.”</div><div><br></div><div>“The growing infection rate of Covid-19 is another challenge for us. Little lethargy and negligence towards health safety can invite terrible disaster,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>He called upon all to wear masks at all times during the Eid-holiday season.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 01:13:49', '2022-07-09 01:13:49'),
(354, 354, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Words are not enough to express how appalled we are by the increasing incidents of violence against women and girls across Bangladesh. According to a new report by Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), at least 476 women have been raped in the country in the first six months of 2022. Among them, 24 were killed after rape, and six died by suicide.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Our women and girls have suffered many other forms of violence as well during this period of time. Reportedly, a total of 228 women were victims of domestic violence between January and June this year. Of them, 140 were killed and 42 died by suicide. ASK found that dowry was one of the major reasons behind domestic violence, and the number of dowry-related deaths and suicides are extremely concerning. These numbers are truly horrifying, but we shudder to think what the real picture could be as these numbers were collected from newspaper reports only.</div><div><br></div><div>For all latest news, follow The Daily Star\'s Google News channel.</div><div>These revelations point to the fact that all the efforts made by human rights groups, legal aid organisations, and the media to combat violence against women and children in Bangladesh have hardly yielded any results. And how will they, if the state is not willing to take responsibility to ensure the safety of half of its population?</div><div><br></div><div>In the cases of rape, it is still the survivors who have to suffer from social stigma, while the perpetrators often roam around freely, further intimidating the victims and their families. When it comes to the legal side of it, there are a number of loopholes that discourage survivors from filing rape cases and pursuing justice. The archaic definition of rape in our law is one of the biggest examples of this. Although the controversial \"two-finger test\" was finally prohibited by the High Court in 2018, a more extensive reform is still needed so that the law can do justice to rape survivors.</div><div><br></div><div>Therefore, if we can\'t change our mindset towards the victims of such a heinous crime, bring the necessary reforms to our existing laws, sensitise the law enforcement officials and the society at large about the issue, and break the existing culture of impunity that the rapists enjoy, things will not change for our women and girls, and we might continue to witness such high number of rape cases in the coming years.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 01:44:31', '2022-07-09 01:44:31'),
(355, 355, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chelsea owner Todd Boehly flew to Barcelona on Thursday to discuss a number of potential trades.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Barcelona want Chelsea full-backs Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso and are prepared to offer players as part of negotiations rather than pay more than a nominal fee.</div><div><br></div><div>Dutch-born USA international full-back Sergino Dest and Holland international Memphis Depay are thought to be among the names offered.</div><div><br></div><div>Barcelona director Mateu Alemany, consultant Jordi Cruyff and president Joan Laporta were all at the meeting with Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.</div><div><br></div><div>Barcelona president Joan Laporta says he has submitted a \'correct offer\' for Polish striker Robert Lewandowski</div><div><br></div><div>Chelsea have been linked with Frenkie de Jong but he would prefer to link up with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.</div><div><br></div><div>He has long been United\'s No 1 target of the summer and they have agreed a transfer fee that could rise to £70million.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>But as Sportsmail reported on Wednesday, a move is now being held up by the fact that Barcelona still owe De Jong £17million in deferred payments and bonuses from during the pandemic.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>De Jong has played 140 times for Barcelona since joining from Ajax, scoring 13 times in his three seasons. His only trophy at the Nou Camp was the Copa del Rey in 2021.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A switch has also been complicated by Barcelona president Joan Laporta publicly insisting the club have no intention of letting De Jong leave.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Bayern Munich, meanwhile, believe they have a commitment from Matthijs de Ligt to join them ahead of Chelsea this summer.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Germans are still to agree a fee with Juventus though.</div><div><br></div><div>The Blues are looking to strengthen at the back following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. -eurosport</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 01:50:50', '2022-07-09 01:50:50'),
(356, 356, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The train schedule at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka has gone haywire over the last two days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Several North-bound trains were behind schedule, leaving holidaymakers in trouble amid sweltering heat.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Panchagarh-bound Ekata Express, Dhumketu Express and Silk City Express, Chapainawabganj-bound Banalata Express, Khulna-bound Sundarban Express, Chilahati-bound Nilsagar Express, and Rangpur Express trains were more than two hours late on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Passengers’ suffering reached its peak due to the delays amid the oppressive heat.</div><div><br></div><div>“Trains are always late during Eid journeys. I arrived at the station with my family in the morning. But the train was late to arrive,” said Sazzad Hossian, a passenger of Sundarban Express that departed at 11 am, nearly three hours behind schedule.</div><div><br></div><div>The passengers at the Airport Railway Station also faced delays in train departures amid the hot and humid weather in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Sylhet-bound Jayantika Express train was scheduled to arrive at the station from Kamalapur at 11:45am but it did not reach the station until 2 pm.</div><div><br></div><div>“We bought tickets in advance but it made no sense. We\'ve been waiting at the station for several hours. My little child is really upset. It’s not clear why the condition is so bad this year,” said Wazedul Islam, who was travelling to Brahmanbaria.</div><div><br></div><div>North-bound Ekata Express was more than three hours late. “The station master asked us to wait, but we don’t know when the waiting will end,” passenger Razia Begum said.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 65 trains were scheduled to depart Kamalapur Railway Station on Friday. Among them, 25 trains had left the station until 3pm, said Md Aminul Haque, an assistant transport officer of Bangladesh Railway.</div><div><br></div><div>“The trains are taking time to return to Dhaka due to the pressure of passengers. The passengers are taking time to get on and off the trains,” he explained. -bdnews24</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/TR</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 01:54:44', '2022-07-09 01:54:44'),
(357, 357, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 16 people have been killed while 15,000 pilgrims, who were stranded near the Amarnath holy cave in Jammu and Kashmir due to a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst, have been shifted to the lower base camp of Panjtarni, officials said Saturday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A Border Security Force spokesperson in Delhi said “16 bodies have been shifted to Baltal.” The ITBP has expanded its route opening and protection parties from the lower part of the holy cave up to Panjtarni, a spokesperson of the force said.</div><div><br></div><div>The pilgrimage that began on June 30 has been suspended following the tragedy and a decision on its resumption will be taken after rescue operations get over, a senior administration official had said.</div><div>“Most of the pilgrims, who were stranded near the holy cave shrine area due to the flash flood that occurred Friday evening, have been shifted to Panjtarni. The evacuation continued till 3.38 am.</div><div><br></div><div>“No pilgrim is left on the track. About 15,000 people have been safely shifted till now,” the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) spokesperson said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BSF spokesperson said doctors and medical staff of the force treated nine patients who were critically injured in the floods. “They have been shifted to lower altitude Neelgrath base camp,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>A small BSF team is also deployed at the Neelgrath helipad to assist the pilgrims coming from the cave shrine.</div><div><br></div><div>About 150 pilgrims stayed at the BSF camp set up in Panjtarni on Friday night and 15 patients have been airlifted to Baltal on Saturday morning, he said.&nbsp; A Mi-17 chopper of the BSF’s air wing has been pressed into service apart from similar assets of the Army. Source: PTI</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 17:34:46', '2022-07-09 17:34:46'),
(358, 358, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least thousands of passengers got stuck on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge highway as a 32 kilometres long tailback has created from the eastern end of the bridge to Tangail Sadar Upazila’s Karatia, according to media reports.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The traffic jam is causing great suffering for passengers, especially women and children who are having to spend three times the travel time to reach home.</div><div><br></div><div>Tangail Deputy Commissioner Dr Md Ataul Gani inspected the highway on Saturday morning and said to media that more than 700 policemen are on duty on the highway to ease traffic congestion.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 17:46:24', '2022-07-09 17:46:24'),
(359, 359, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Debutant spinner Prabath Jayasuriya claimed six wickets as Sri Lanka bowled out Australia for 364, leaving Steve Smith unbeaten on 145 on the second day of the second Test in Galle on Saturday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka were eight for no loss at lunch with Pathum Nissanka, on three, and skipper Dimuth Karunaratne, on five, surviving three overs of pace from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.</div><div><br></div><div>The tourists resumed on 298-5 with Smith and Alex Carey taking their sixth-wicket stand to 77 before Jayasuriya broke through with the score on 329.</div><div><br></div><div>Jayasuriya, who took three wickets on the opening day, set a trap for Carey who miscued a reverse sweep to be caught at backward point for 28.</div><div><br></div><div>The left-arm spinner soon got Mitchell Starc out for one to become the seventh Sri Lankan bowler to take five wickets in an innings on Test debut.</div><div><br></div><div>Fast bowler Kasun Rajitha and \'mystery\' spinner Maheesh Theekshana also struck as Smith ran out of partners.</div><div><br></div><div>Jayasuriya was one of the three Sri Lankan players, along with Theekshana and Kamindu Mendis, to be awarded a first Test cap following a Covid outbreak sidelining several members of the squad.</div><div><br></div><div>Smith and Marnus Labuschagne led Australia\'s dominance on day one with a third-wicket partnership of 134 as the pair took the attack to the opposition bowlers.</div><div><br></div><div>Labuschagne hit his first overseas century as he made 104 before being stumped off Jayasuriya.</div><div><br></div><div>Smith ended his century drought of 18 months to notch up his 28th Test ton, ending the first day on 109.</div><div><br></div><div>The second day\'s play in the port city had few spectators, with hundreds of protesters demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa outside the ground.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka is enduring its worst ever economic crisis and much of the public has accused Rajapaksa\'s government of chronic mismanagement.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia lead the two-match series 1-0 after a crushing opening win inside three days during last week\'s first Test. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 18:33:36', '2022-07-09 18:33:36'),
(360, 360, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Muslim pilgrims cast pebbles in the \"stoning of the devil\" ritual marking the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday on Saturday, as this year\'s expanded hajj pilgrimage was winding down.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>From first light, small groups of worshippers made their way across the valley of Mina, near Mecca in western Saudi Arabia, to throw stones at three concrete walls representing Satan.</div><div><br></div><div>The ritual is an emulation of Abraham\'s stoning of the devil at the three spots where it is said Satan tried to dissuade him from obeying God\'s order to sacrifice his son, Ishmael.</div><div><br></div><div>The stoning ritual has in past years led to deadly stampedes, as millions of participants converge on a tight space.</div><div><br></div><div>The hajj, usually one of the world\'s largest annual religious gatherings, is among the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2019, some 2.5 million Muslims from around the world took part.</div><div><br></div><div>But that figure slumped to only a few thousand in 2020 and 60,000 in 2021, all of them Saudi citizens or residents, as the kingdom tried to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, participation was capped at one million fully vaccinated worshippers. Authorities said Friday that almost 900,000 were in attendance, nearly 780,000 of them from abroad.</div><div><br></div><div>Hosting the pilgrimage is a matter of prestige and a powerful source of political legitimacy for Saudi rulers, the custodians of Islam\'s holiest sites.</div><div><br></div><div>Barring overseas pilgrims for the past two years had caused deep disappointment among Muslims worldwide, who typically save for years to take part.</div><div><br></div><div>The hajj, which costs at least $5,000 per person, and umrah pilgrimages that occur at other times of the year are a major engine of Saudi Arabia\'s tourism sector.</div><div><br></div><div>In normal times, they generate about $12 billion annually, keeping the economy humming in Mecca.</div><div><br></div><div>- Virus and heat -</div><div><br></div><div>After the stoning ritual, pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque in Mecca to perform a final \"tawaf\", or circling of the Kaaba, the cubic structure that is the focal point of Islam.</div><div><br></div><div>Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice that begins on Saturday, marks the end of hajj.</div><div><br></div><div>Muslims across the world buy livestock for slaughter to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son to show obedience to Allah.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, huge crowds of robed Muslim pilgrims prayed on Mount Arafat, the climax of the annual pilgrimage.</div><div><br></div><div>Groups of worshippers, many holding umbrellas against the fierce sun, recited verses from the Koran on the rocky rise where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his final sermon.</div><div><br></div><div>After sunset, they travelled the short distance to Muzdalifah, where they slept under the stars before performing the stoning ritual.</div><div><br></div><div>- Covid fears -</div><div><br></div><div>The large crowds have spurred fears that Covid will spread, especially after many pilgrims remained maskless, despite claims by Saudi authorities that masks would be mandatory.</div><div><br></div><div>The hajj has been taking place against the backdrop of a resurgence of cases in the region, with some Gulf countries tightening restrictions to keep outbreaks in check.</div><div><br></div><div>All participants were required to submit proof of vaccination and negative PCR tests.</div><div><br></div><div>Since the start of the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has registered more than 795,000 coronavirus cases, over 9,000 of them fatal. Some 67 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country of over 34 million people.</div><div><br></div><div>The hajj, whose timing is determined by the lunar Islamic calendar, can be physically draining even in ideal conditions, but worshippers this year faced an added challenge: scorching sun and temperatures climbing to 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit). - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 18:40:55', '2022-07-09 18:40:55');
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(361, 361, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In keeping with Saudi Arabia, residents of a number of villages in Satkhira, Faridpur, Barishal and Chandpur districts are celebrating the holy Eid-ul-Azha on Saturday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Saudi Arabia and a number of countries across the world are celebrating the festival of sacrifice on Saturday. But Bangladesh is slated to celebrate Eid on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>In Satkhira, people from 20 villages in Sadar upazila, including Baukhola, have started the Eid celebrations.</div><div><br></div><div>The main congregation was held at Satkhira Sadar\'s Bhaokhola Purbopara Jame Mosque at 8am. Imam Mohabbat Ali conducted the congregation with a small number of Muslim devotees.</div><div><br></div><div>In Faridpur, thousands from 10 villages of Faridpur\'s Boalmari upazila are celebrating Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of the Muslims, in keeping with Saudi Arabia.</div><div><br></div><div>Muslims of Shekhar union\'s Sahasrail, Maitkomra, Rakhaltali, Ganganandapur, Baragaon, Durgapur and Rupapat union\'s Katagor and Kalimajhi follow Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries while celebrating Eid.</div><div><br></div><div>Like every year, the main Eid congregations of the upazila were held in Rakhaltali, Mitcomra and Sahasrail.</div><div><br></div><div>In Chandpur, residents of 40 villages in Chandpur district are celebrating Eid on Saturday amid much enthusiasm and religious fervour.</div><div><br></div><div>The villagers of Barishal, Sreepur, Monihar, Barkul, Olipur, Belcho, Razargaon, Jakni, Kalcho, Menapur in Hajiganj upazila, Sachonmegh, Khila Ubhayarampur, Paikpara, Bigha, Uttoli, Balithuba, Sholla, Rupsha, Goalbhaor, Koroitoli, Noyarhat in Faridganj upazila, Mahanpur, Ekhlaspur, Dashani, Nayergaon,, Beltoli in Matlab South and Kachua upazilas are celebrating Eid.</div><div><br></div><div>The main Eid congregation was held this morning on Shadra Senior Madrasa premises in Shadra village under Hajiganj upazila.</div><div><br></div><div>In Barishal, the holy Eid is being celebrated in advance in some villages of six upazilas of the district.</div><div><br></div><div>Around 20,000 devotees of Babuganj, Hijla, Mehendiganj, Bakerganj and three areas of Barisal metropolis offered Eid prayers in the congregations from 8 am to 9 am.</div><div><br></div><div>Maminuddin Kalu, president of Shahsufi Jahagiri Mosque in Barishal city, said they offered their Eid jamaat following the government\'s directives and maintaining all Covid-safety protocols. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 19:18:19', '2022-07-09 19:18:19'),
(362, 362, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Padma Bridge has hit a new 24-hour toll collection record as the bridge authorities collected Tk4,19,39,650 on Friday .</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A record 31,723 vehicles used the bridge to travel to and from the country\'s southwestern region in the 24 hours to Friday midnight.</div><div><br></div><div>Mahmudur Rahman, executive director of Bangladesh Bridge Authority, confirmed the news.</div><div><br></div><div>Some 19,667 vehicles accessed the bridge from the Mawa end during that time, accounting for Tk 2.47 crore of the total revenue.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, tolls worth Tk 1.71 crore were collected at the Zajira end, from which 12,056 vehicles ascended the bridge.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 19:43:15', '2022-07-09 19:43:15'),
(363, 363, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka\'s beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence in Colombo Saturday, a top defence source told AFP, before protesters gathered to demand his resignation stormed the compound.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The president was escorted to safety,\" the source said, adding that troops fired in the air to prevent angry crowds from overrunning the President\'s Palace.</div><div><br></div><div>Sirasa TV, a private broadcaster, showed crowds entering the once tightly-guarded residence.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka has suffered through months of food and fuel shortages, lengthy blackouts and galloping inflation after running out of foreign currency to import vital goods.</div><div><br></div><div>Huge crowds had poured into the capital for the demonstration, the latest expression of unrest sparked by the island nation\'s unprecedented economic crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Police had withdrawn a curfew order issued on Friday after opposition parties, rights activists and the bar association threatened to sue the police chief, reports AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>Thousands of anti-government protesters ignored the stay-home order and even forced railway authorities to operate trains to take them to Colombo for Saturday\'s rally, officials said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-09 19:47:38', '2022-07-09 19:47:38'),
(364, 364, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on the eve of the holy Eid-Ul-Azha, urged all to devote themselves in the welfare of the country being imbued with the spirit of sacrifice.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Eid-ul-Azha means the festival of sacrifice. Let us devote ourselves, being imbued with the spirit of sacrifice, for the welfare of the country and its people,\" she said today in a video message to greet the people of the country on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina called upon all to share the joy of Eid-ul-Azha with all maintaining the tie of brotherhood.</div><div><br></div><div>She also requested all to maintain the safety measurers to remain healthy.</div><div><br></div><div>\"All remain healthy and safe, Eid Mubarak,\" said the premier to end her message. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 03:25:01', '2022-07-10 03:25:01'),
(365, 365, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Water levels at 14 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) have marked rise while 95 stations recorded fall.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Among the 109 monitored river stations, water levels at two stations are flowing above the danger level, a bulletin issued by the FFWC said here today.</div><div><br></div><div>All the major rivers of the country are in falling trend, which may continue in next 5 days, the bulletin said adding there is no risk of flood in the major river\' basins of the country in next 5 days.</div><div><br></div><div> As of July 8, significant rainfall was recorded at some stations in different districts during the last 24 hours ending at 9 am today, the bulletin added.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 72 mm (millimeter) rainfalls were recorded at Sunamganj and 38mm at Dakhinbagh (Sylhet).</div><div><br></div><div>Significant rainfalls (mm) recorded during last 24 hours in Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura regions of North-East India, the bulletin added.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 46 mm rainfalls were recorded at Passighat (Arunachal). Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 03:29:11', '2022-07-10 03:29:34'),
(366, 366, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with her close relatives, including sister Selina Islam and granddaughter Zahiya Rahman at her Gulshan residence on Sunday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Selina will go to Khaleda’s house bringing traditional food items at noon on Eid, while senior BNP&nbsp; leaders, including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, will exchange greetings with her in the evening.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking to UNB, Selina said her sister is still sick and remains under the observation of doctors.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, we can’t always meet her directly any time we desire. As tomorrow (Sunday) is Eid, I will go to her house and spend the day with her,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Selina said Khaleda’s granddaughter Zahia, the younger daughter of late Arafat Rahman Koko, will also spend the Eid day with her.</div><div><br></div><div>She said some other close relatives, including her younger brother Shamim Eskandar\'s wife Nasrin Eskandar and mothers-in-law of her two sons, are also likely to meet the BNP chief.</div><div><br></div><div>Thrice-former prime minister Khaleda, 76, has long been suffering from various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart, kidney, lung and eye problems.</div><div><br></div><div>She returned home after a 14-day stay in the capital\'s Evercare Hospital on June 24. The hospital visit was prompted by a mild heart attack, that led to doctors inserting an artificial ring, or stent, in one of her arteries where it had 95% blockage.</div><div><br></div><div>Two more blockages were found in the arteries of the BNP chairperson through a coronary angiogram, which may require stenting later. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 03:35:03', '2022-07-10 03:35:03'),
(367, 367, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka, July 9: The government of India has appointed Sudhakar Dalela as the next Ambassador of India to the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dalela, currently Deputy Chief of Mission in the Embassy of India, Washington, is expected to take up the new assignment shortly, said the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 03:50:09', '2022-07-10 03:50:09'),
(368, 368, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A man has admitted assassinating the former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, police have said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Mr Abe, 67, was shot twice from behind while giving a speech at a campaign rally in the western city of Nara.</div><div><br></div><div>He bled to death after sustaining two deep neck wounds that damaged an artery.</div><div><br></div><div>It is the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the 1930s.</div><div><br></div><div>Named in media reports as 41-year-old Yamagami Tetsuya, the gunman appeared unemotional when talking to investigators and has been responding calmly to questions.</div><div><br></div><div>Explosives have been found at the unemployed suspect\'s home and officers are recommending nearby residents evacuate their homes.</div><div><br></div><div>Pictures from the scene show what appears to be a homemade firearm. It was made of a mix of materials including metal and wood, police said.</div><div><br></div><div>It remains unclear whether the parts for it were bought on the internet and if it was made on a 3D printer.</div><div><br></div><div>An image isolated on video appears to show him moments before the shooting took place.</div><div><br></div><div>Dressed in a grey T-shirt and beige trousers, he was wrestled to the ground by police.</div><div><br></div><div>He told investigators he spent three years working for Japan\'s Maritime Self-Defence Force.</div><div><br></div><div>According to state broadcaster NHK, he told police he was unhappy with Mr Abe and intended to kill him.</div><div><br></div><div>But Kyodo News said he had not been motivated by a grudge against Mr Abe\'s political beliefs.</div><div><br></div><div>Major damage to the heart</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Abe had no vital signs when he arrived at Nara Medical University Hospital and was never revived after suffering major damage to his heart.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 100 units of blood were given during four hours of blood transfusions as Mr Abe haemorrhaged.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Abe held his chest as he collapsed, his shirt smeared with blood. NHK showed footage of security guards running towards him.</div><div><br></div><div>A puff of white smoke was seen as he made a campaign speech outside a railway station ahead of elections to Japan\'s upper house on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>A reporter at the scene said they heard two consecutive bangs during Mr Abe\'s address.</div><div><br></div><div>Fumio Kishida, the prime minister, said the \"act of brutality\" was \"absolutely unforgivable\". He has asked all members of the cabinet to return to Tokyo.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Kishida said a free and fair election is something that must be defended at all costs, and that campaigning will continue on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Kishida said he had great respect for Mr Abe\'s legacy.</div><div><br></div><div>\'Absolutely unforgivable, no matter what the reasons are\'</div><div><br></div><div>Political violence is rare in Japan, which has strict gun regulations.</div><div><br></div><div>In a nation of 125 million people there were only 10 gun-related criminal cases last year, resulting in one death and four injuries, according to police.</div><div><br></div><div>The majority of those cases - eight - were gang-related.</div><div><br></div><div>\"A barbaric act like this is absolutely unforgivable, no matter what the reasons are, and we condemn it strongly,\" chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said.</div><div><br></div><div>Boris Johnson, the outgoing prime minister, said Mr Abe\'s death was \"incredibly sad news\".</div><div><br></div><div>Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said Mr Abe was a \"wonderful person, great democrat and champion of the multilateral world order\".</div><div><br></div><div>Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, said the \"heinous act of violence has no excuse\".</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Abe served two terms as prime minister - becoming Japan\'s longest-serving premier - before stepping down in 2020, saying a chronic health problem had resurfaced.</div><div><br></div><div>He has suffered from ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager.</div><div><br></div><div>He has remained a dominant presence in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, controlling one of its major factions. - Sky News</div><div><br></div><div><b>bnbd24/fas</b></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 04:01:17', '2022-07-10 04:01:17'),
(369, 369, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday sent greetings to the country’s heroic freedom fighters on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, the festival of sacrifices.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s Assistant Private Secretary-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwar-e-Alom Sarker handed over the gifts to them this morning.</div><div><br></div><div>The war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred families expressed gratitude to the prime minister for remembering them on every national day and festivals like the Independence Day, the Victory Day, Eid and Pahela Baishakh.</div><div><br></div><div>They lauded the visionary leadership of the prime minister in national development and welfare of the people.</div><div><br></div><div>They thanked Sheikh Hasina for constructing the Padma Bridge overcoming domestic and foreign conspiracies.</div><div><br></div><div>They also wished the prime minister good health and long life. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 17:44:31', '2022-07-10 17:44:31'),
(370, 370, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Protesters who stormed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa\'s house on Saturday amid the country\'s worst economic crisis claimed to have recovered a large sum of money from the mansion, local media reported.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to Sri Lanka\'s daily newspaper, Daily Mirror, it was reported that the recovered money was handed over to the security units, reports ANI.</div><div><br></div><div>Several dramatic videos have been doing the rounds on social media after Saturday\'s upheaval where thousands of protesters stormed his official residence in the capital of Colombo, forcing him to flee to an unknown location.</div><div><br></div><div>With the demand for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa\'s resignation, they stormed into the President\'s house, tore down security cordons placed by police, took a dip in the swimming pool and romped through his kitchen and home.</div><div><br></div><div>In one of the videos on social media, protesters are seen counting the currency notes that they claimed were unearthed from the President\'s official residence, said the media outlet.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankan authorities said that the situation can only be understood once they probe it and come up with relevant facts.</div><div><br></div><div>Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Shavendra Silva urged all citizens to give their support to the armed forces and the police in order to maintain peace in the country, as per the media portal. He made these remarks in a special statement accompanied by Tri Force Commanders.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando and Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said they have decided to step down from their ministerial portfolios with immediate effect.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankan protesters also broke into Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe\'s private residence and set it on fire, angered by the unprecedented economic crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Several journalists were also attacked by the security forces after which more protestors gathered in the area, Daily Mirror reported.</div><div><br></div><div>Police resorted to water cannons to stop the enraged protestors.</div><div><br></div><div>The police also fired tear gas at the protesters but despite that, they entered PM\'s house and set the house on fire.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) fire brigade said they were informed that the Prime Minister\'s private residence in Colombo was set on fire and its teams were unable to reach the location due to the unrest, according to Daily Mirror.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe, who was appointed as Prime Minister in May, has announced that he will resign from his post in order to ensure the continuation of the government and the safety of all the citizens.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also agreed to step down from his post on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 17:59:37', '2022-07-10 17:59:37'),
(371, 371, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Elon Musk is seeking to end his $44bn (£36bn) bid to buy Twitter, alleging multiple breaches of the agreement.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The announcement is the latest twist in a long-running saga after the world\'s richest person decided to buy Twitter in April, reports BBC.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Musk said he had backed out because Twitter failed to provide enough information on the number of spam and fake accounts.</div><div>Twitter says it plans to pursue legal action to enforce the agreement.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk,\" Twitter chairman Bret Taylor wrote in a tweet, setting up a potentially long and protracted legal battle between the two sides.</div><div><br></div><div>The original merger agreement includes a $1bn (£830m) break-up fee.</div><div><br></div><div>Row over fake accounts</div><div><br></div><div>In May, Mr Musk said the deal was \"temporarily on hold\" as he was awaiting data on the number of fake and spam accounts on Twitter.</div><div><br></div><div>The billionaire businessman had asked for evidence to back the company\'s assertion that spam and bot accounts make up less than 5% of its total users.</div><div><br></div><div>In a letter filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr Musk\'s lawyer said Twitter had failed or refused to provide this information.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Sometimes Twitter has ignored Mr. Musk\'s requests, sometimes it has rejected them for reasons that appear to be unjustified, and sometimes it has claimed to comply while giving Mr. Musk incomplete or unusable information,\" the letter reads.</div><div><br></div><div>Spam accounts are designed to spread information to large numbers of people and manipulate the way they interact with the platform. On Thursday, Twitter said it removed around 1 million such accounts each day.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Musk believes that spam or bot accounts could account for 20% or more of Twitter users.</div><div><br></div><div>Shares in Twitter fell by 7% in extended trading after the announcement.</div><div><br></div><div>Elon Musk has for weeks been trying to get information about how many daily active users Twitter has.</div><div><br></div><div>Twitter has a problem with bots. In fact only yesterday it said it removed a million spam accounts a day.</div><div><br></div><div>In a filing, Mr Musk said he\'d repeatedly been refused information about the number of bot accounts on Twitter - which is why he wished to terminate the deal.</div><div><br></div><div>Elon Musk though has already put pen to paper on this deal, and it is not totally clear whether he can back out at this stage. Mr Musk will need to prove that Twitter breached their agreement.</div><div><br></div><div>There are other potential reasons why Mr Musk might want to pull out of the deal.</div><div><br></div><div>The stock market price for large tech companies has fallen steeply in the last few months - did Musk offer too much?</div><div><br></div><div>And then there was the impact the potential merger was having on Mr Musk\'s other companies. Tesla\'s share price has fallen significantly since he announced his interest in Twitter.</div><div><br></div><div>His position on free speech and how Twitter might moderate in the future - based on the laws of individual countries - also at times came across as naïve. Did Elon Musk ultimately decide he had bitten off more than he could chew?</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Musk, said to be the world\'s richest person, is the founder of rocket company SpaceX and CEO of electric car company Tesla.</div><div><br></div><div>A self-described \"free speech absolutist\", he had pledged to loosen Twitter\'s content moderation rules once the company was under his ownership.</div><div><br></div><div>He has long criticised Twitter\'s ban of some accounts, like that of former US President Donald Trump.</div><div><br></div><div>He has also called for more transparency over how the platform presents tweets to users, a system that currently allows some to be promoted and given wider audiences.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 18:04:45', '2022-07-10 18:04:45'),
(372, 372, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Japanese police have admitted there were flaws in the security for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot dead in the southern city of Nara on Friday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"It is undeniable that there were problems in the security,\" said Nara police chief Tomoaki Onizuka.</div><div><br></div><div>A gunman opened fire on Abe at a political campaign event - a crime that has profoundly shocked Japan.</div><div><br></div><div>Sunday\'s elections for the upper house are going ahead as planned.</div><div><br></div><div>Voting began at 07:00 local time (22:00GMT), just two days after Abe\'s assassination.</div><div><br></div><div>Analysts suggest his killing could boost support for the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), for which Abe was a leading and hugely influential figure.</div><div><br></div><div>Elections for Japan\'s less-powerful upper house of parliament are typically seen as a referendum on the current government. But a big victory for the LDP would strengthen the current prime minister\'s ability to push though his key policies, including a doubling of defence spending.</div><div><br></div><div>Police say the suspect, named as Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, held a grudge against a \"specific organisation\".</div><div><br></div><div>Japanese media quote sources close to the investigation, who say Yamagami believed Abe to be linked to a religious group which, Yamagami alleged, had ruined his mother financially.</div><div><br></div><div>The suspect has admitted shooting Abe with a homemade gun, according to police.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The urgent matter is for us to conduct a thorough investigation to clarify what happened,\" police chief Onizuka said, without specifying where he saw failings. He was on the verge of tears, addressing journalists.</div><div><br></div><div>Yamagami told police he had served in Japan\'s navy, the Maritime Self-Defense Force, for three years. More recently, he had worked at a factory in western Japan.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe was Japan\'s longest-serving prime minister and died aged 67. He was campaigning for the LDP in the run-up to upper house parliamentary elections on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, also an LDP member, said he was \"simply speechless\", vowing that Japan\'s democracy would \"never yield to violence\".</div><div><br></div><div>He said the election campaign would continue on Saturday with tightened security, with Sunday\'s vote still set to go ahead.</div><div><br></div><div>Police are investigating why Abe was targeted and whether his killer acted alone.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe was giving a speech on behalf of a political candidate at a road junction when he was shot from behind. Photos show the suspect standing close to Abe moments beforehand.</div><div><br></div><div>Witnesses described seeing a man carrying a large gun moving within a few metres of Abe and firing twice. The former prime minister fell to the ground as bystanders screamed in shock and disbelief.</div><div><br></div><div>Crude firearm</div><div><br></div><div>Security officers dived on to the gunman, who made no attempt to run.</div><div><br></div><div>The twin-barrelled weapon that killed Abe was crudely made with metal and wood, wrapped in heavy-duty black tape.</div><div><br></div><div>Several other handmade guns and explosives were later found at the suspect\'s home.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe was wounded in the neck and was bleeding profusely as he was airlifted to hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>He was said to be conscious and responsive in the minutes after the attack, but doctors said no vital signs were detected by the time he was transferred for treatment.</div><div><br></div><div>Medics worked for hours to save him before he was pronounced dead at 17:03 local time (08:03 GMT) on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>On Japanese social media, the hashtag \"We want democracy, not violence\" was trending throughout Friday, with many users expressing their horror and disgust over the incident.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2014, there were just six incidents of gun deaths in Japan, compared to 33,599 in the US. People have to undergo a strict exam and mental health tests in order to buy a gun. Even then, only shotguns and air rifles are allowed.</div><div><br></div><div>Abe first held office for a year in 2006 and then again from 2012 to 2020 before stepping down, citing health reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>While he was in office, he pushed more assertive policies on defence and foreign policy and had long sought to amend Japan\'s pacifist post-war constitution.</div><div><br></div><div>He also pushed for an economic policy that came to be known as \"Abenomics\", built on monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 18:12:17', '2022-07-10 18:12:17'),
(373, 373, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bobby Deol and Kajol-starrer Gupt: The Hidden Truth has completed 25 years. Reacting to Kajol and Bobby\'s camaraderie at the film\'s special screening in Mumbai, fans demanded that the actors should work together again in a sequel to their 1997 film.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bobby Deol and Kajol were all laughs as they had a reunion in Mumbai on Saturday. The actors, who were seen together in their film Gupt: The Hidden Truth, attended a special screening to celebrate their movie completing 25 years. Kajol and Bobby were seen in high spirits as they joked with each other and interreacted with fans at the event. Gupt also starred Manisha Koirala, who was not seen at the film’s anniversary celebration in Mumbai.</div><div><br></div><div>Kajol, Bobby and the cast of Gupt, which released in July 1997, came together for a special screening to celebrate the film’s 25 years. Kajol, who won the Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role trophy at Filmfare Awards 1998 for the film, was seen in a happy mood as she posed with Bobby at the screening. The actors could be seen engaging in animated banter, as they held hands and posed for paparazzi at the event. Source: Hindustan Times&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 18:17:50', '2022-07-10 18:17:50'),
(374, 374, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Abdul Hamid on Sunday offered Eid-ul-Azha prayers along with his family members and officials at the Hallway (Darbar Hall) of Bangabhaban.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Pesh Imam of Bangabhaban Jame Mosque Mufti Maulana Saiful Kabir conducted the Eid prayers in the morning, the press wing of the president’s office said.</div><div><br></div><div>He offered his prayers maintaining Covid-19 health guidelines, including keeping social distance amid a rise in the infections.</div><div><br></div><div>The president avoided taking part in the traditional Eid prayers in the capital\'s National Eidgah Maidan due to Covid situation, the press wing said.</div><div><br></div><div>Many state programmes were also curtailed for this reason.</div><div><br></div><div>A special munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of Bangladesh and welfare of the people as well as the Muslim Ummah.</div><div><br></div><div>Doa was offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other members of his family on August 15 in 1975, and the war martyrs of 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>After the prayers, President Hamid spent his time with his family members at the presidential palace. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 18:21:23', '2022-07-10 18:21:23'),
(375, 375, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Abdul Hamid on Sunday urged all to continue their efforts at reaching relief materials to the country’s flood-affected people.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In his Eid greetings at Bangabhaban the president said the government is carrying out relief works in the flood-hit north and northeastern parts of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>He urged the country’s affluent people to join hands with the government in boosting the relief work.</div><div><br></div><div>He made the call after saying his Eid-ul-Azha prayers in the Hallway of Bangabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>President Hamid said the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war have put the global economy under pressure amid increasing inflation.</div><div><br></div><div>\"To deal with this situation, the government is implementing various programmes including providing package incentives to keep the wheel of the economy moving,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He once again urged the people to be imbibed with the spirit of sacrifice and sharing as they celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha, the Muslim festival of sacrifices.</div><div><br></div><div>Hamid termed the inauguration of the Padma Bridge before Eid as a blessing for the three crore people of 21 south and southwestern districts of the country. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 18:25:19', '2022-07-10 18:25:19'),
(376, 376, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his country’s optimism to deliver inclusive growth for the citizens working together with Bangladesh despite an \"increasingly complex and challenging\" international environment.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Our shared commitment to intensify the excellent cooperation and partnership between India and Bangladesh is one of the most important means through which we can continue to deliver inclusive growth,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Modi said he looks forward to discussing these and other issues when they meet in New Delhi in a few weeks\' time.</div><div>Modi extended his personal good wishes to PM Hasina for Eid-al Azha.</div><div><br></div><div>On the occasion of Eid-al Azha, Prime Minister Modi sent a message to her Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I have the pleasure to wish you (PM Hasina), your family and the fraternal people of Bangladesh Eid Mubarak,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"As our people prosper, this festival reminds of the virtues of sacrifice and sharing, especially with less fortunate members of our societies, whose interests have been of priority to both of us and our governments,\" the message reads. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-10 19:02:29', '2022-07-10 19:02:29'),
(377, 377, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The race to replace Britain\'s Boris Johnson as Conservative leader and prime minister is underway, with nine candidates already declared and more Tory MPs likely to join.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>While several possible successors are seen as frontrunners, there is no clear favourite -- and such contests are notoriously volatile.</div><div><br></div><div>- Rishi Sunak -</div><div>The UK\'s first Hindu finance minister, Sunak quit on Tuesday and declared he was standing three days later.</div><div><br></div><div>Long seen as Johnson\'s most likely successor, his prospects were dented earlier this year by questions over his private wealth and family\'s tax arrangements.</div><div><br></div><div>But a recent poll of Conservative members who will eventually vote for their new leader put him on top.</div><div><br></div><div>Sunak, 42, has a high profile on social media -- launching his bid in a slick video posted to Twitter -- and won plaudits for shoring up the economy during the pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>But his apparent reluctance to embrace the immediate tax cuts being promised by rivals could harm his prospects.</div><div><br></div><div>- Jeremy Hunt -</div><div>Former foreign and health secretary Hunt, 55, lost to Johnson in 2019, but confirmed Saturday he will run again.</div><div><br></div><div>A supporter of remaining inside the European Union during the 2016 referendum, he has revealed Brexiteer Ester McVey will be his deputy if he wins.</div><div><br></div><div>A fluent Japanese speaker lacking Johnson\'s charisma, he has also vowed to cut corporation tax from 25 to 15 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>- Liz Truss -</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Secretary Truss is widely expected to stand but is yet to say so.</div><div><br></div><div>The 46-year-old is popular among Conservative members for her outspokenness.</div><div><br></div><div>But that has also stoked questions about her judgement, for instance when in February she encouraged Britons to fight in Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>Critics say her leadership posturing is too overt.</div><div><br></div><div>When she headed the Department for International Trade, some MPs dubbed it the \"Department for Instagramming Truss\" because of her prolific output on the social media site.</div><div><br></div><div>- Sajid Javid -</div><div><br></div><div>Javid, who also quit as health secretary Tuesday and had previously resigned as finance minister in 2020, announced his candidacy Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>The 52-year-old son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver was previously a high-flying banker.</div><div><br></div><div>Like Sunak, he also faces questions about his personal wealth and tax affairs but tried to brush them off in media interviews Sunday, promising a raft of tax cuts.</div><div><br></div><div>- Nadhim Zahawi -</div><div><br></div><div>Newly appointed finance minister Zahawi was praised for overseeing Britain\'s pandemic vaccines rollout, before helming the education department.</div><div><br></div><div>The 55-year-old is a former refugee from Iraq who came to Britain as a child speaking no English. Before entering politics, he co-founded the prominent polling company YouGov.</div><div><br></div><div>But his private wealth has also drawn adverse attention, including when he claimed parliamentary expenses for heating his horse stables.</div><div><br></div><div>His fledgling campaign was endangered Sunday after newspapers reported he is being investigated by UK tax authorities, though he has denied wrongdoing.</div><div><br></div><div>- Tom Tugendhat -</div><div><br></div><div>The prominent backbencher who chairs parliament\'s influential Foreign Affairs Committee was the first to launch his bid.</div><div><br></div><div>A former army officer who served in the Middle East, he is also a hawk on China and been critical of the government\'s handling of the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.</div><div><br></div><div>The 49-year-old is pitching himself as a \"clean start\" after Johnson\'s turbulent three-year tenure.</div><div><br></div><div>- Penny Mordaunt -</div><div><br></div><div>Mordaunt, 49, the first woman to have been UK defence secretary and currently a trade minister, was the latest to join the contest, announcing in a video posted to social media Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>A strong Brexit supporter and key figure in the 2016 \"Leave\" campaign, she has been tipped as a potential unity candidate who could draw support from the Conservative party\'s warring factions.</div><div><br></div><div>- Suella Braverman -</div><div><br></div><div>Attorney general and arch-Brexiteer Braverman declared her campaign in mid-week media interviews.</div><div><br></div><div>The 42-year-old is popular within the party for her Euroscepticism. She is one of 28 so-called \"Spartan\" Tory MPs, who refused to back ex-Prime Minister Theresa May\'s Brexit deal on all three occasions it was voted on in parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>- Grant Shapps -</div><div><br></div><div>Transport Secretary Shapps emerged onto the crowded field on Saturday, also promising tax cuts and competent government.</div><div><br></div><div>The 53-year-old is seen as an effective communicator and campaigner, but considered a long shot for the top job.</div><div><br></div><div>- Kemi Badenoch -</div><div><br></div><div>Former equalities minister Badenoch, who resigned Wednesday, has the lowest profile of the current contenders and is another unlikely victor.</div><div><br></div><div>The 42-year-old has promised to tell \"the truth\", saying people are \"exhausted by platitudes and empty rhetoric\". Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-11 03:28:14', '2022-07-11 03:28:14'),
(378, 378, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has earned Tk 10.97 crore in revenue from tolls collected from vehicles that crossed the Padma Bridge in a total of 72 hours.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Tk 10.97 crore was collected from 12am on Thursday to 11:59am on Saturday, according to Bangladesh Bridges Authority.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 74,222 vehicles crossed the Padma Bridge during this period.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the bridge on June 25 and it was opened to traffic the next morning. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-11 03:34:13', '2022-07-11 03:34:13'),
(379, 379, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Protesters remained in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence, his seaside office and the prime minister’s home, saying they would stay until the resignations are official.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">&nbsp;The president’s whereabouts were unknown, but a statement from his office said he ordered the immediate distribution of a cooking gas consignment to the public, suggesting that he was still at work.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Soldiers were deployed around the city but troops simply watched from afar as crowds of people splashed in the pool of Rajapaksa’s sprawling residence, lounged on beds and took selfies of themselves on their cellphones to capture the moment.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">&nbsp;The chief of defense staff, Shavendra Silva, called for public support to maintain law and order.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Occupants of the prime minister’s official residence cooked in an outdoor kitchen, played the tabletop game carrom and slept on sofas.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Ranjith Madduma Bandara, a top official in the main opposition United People’s Force, said that separate discussions were held with other parties and lawmakers who broke away from Rajapaksa’s ruling coalition and more meetings were planned.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">&nbsp;It was unclear when an agreement might be reached. - AP</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">bnbd24/fas</span></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-11 16:36:34', '2022-07-11 16:36:34'),
(380, 380, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia opened fire with artillery, multiple rocket launchers and tanks around Ukraine’s second-largest city Kharkiv and shelled cities in the east, where an earlier strike killed 15 people in an apartment building, Ukraine’s general staff said on Monday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>An apartment building in Kharkiv was hit by a missile overnight, but no casualties have been reported, authorities said.</div><div><br></div><div>A rocket strike on a five-story apartment building in the eastern town of Chasiv Yar on Saturday night killed 15 people and left two dozen people feared trapped in the rubble.</div><div><br></div><div>President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said the strike was “another terrorist attack” and that Russia should be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism.</div><div><br></div><div>Moscow denies it targets civilians, but Ukrainian cities, towns and villages have been left in ruins after Russian shelling, with basements and bomb shelters the only safe place for those who remain.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday, rescuers in Chasiv Yar used a crane to lift a concrete slab and their hands to dig through the debris, while dazed residents who survived the attack retrieved personal belongings and told stories of their escape.</div><div><br></div><div>One woman was seen walking out of the destroyed building carrying an ironing board under her arm, an umbrella and a plastic shopping bag. Others simply watched rescue efforts, fearing the worst as the dead were removed.</div><div><br></div><div>“We ran to the basement, there were three hits, the first somewhere in the kitchen,” said a resident who gave her name as Ludmila.</div><div><br></div><div>“The second, I do not even remember, there was lightning, we ran toward the second entrance and then straight into the basement. We sat there all night until this morning.”</div><div><br></div><div>Another survivor, who gave her name as Venera, said she had wanted to save her two kittens.</div><div><br></div><div>“I was thrown into the bathroom, it was all chaos, I was in shock, all covered in blood,” she said, crying. “By the time I left the bathroom, the room was full up of rubble, three floors fell down. I never found the kittens under the rubble.”</div><div><br></div><div>Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, calling the conflict a “special military operation” to demilitarise Ukraine and rid it of nationalists.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine and its Western allies say Putin’s war is an imperial land grab and has accused his forces of war crimes. Moscow denies attacking civilians.</div><div><br></div><div>The biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two has killed thousands, left cities and towns in ruins and seen more than 5.5 million Ukrainians flee their country.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s general staff said on Monday that Russian forces had launched a wave of bombardments in the east as they seek to take control of the Donbas industrial heartland.</div><div><br></div><div>It said the widespread shelling was preparations for an intensification of hostilities.</div><div><br></div><div>The Kremlin has declared victory in the Donbas’ Luhansk province and its troops are now concentrating on seizing control of neighboring Donetsk.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin has promised to hand control of the Donbas to pro-Russian separatists who have declared independence from Kyiv.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia abandoned an early advance on the capital Kyiv in the face of fierce resistance bolstered by Western arms.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk warned civilians in the Russian-occupied Kherson region on Sunday to urgently evacuate as Ukraine’s armed forces were preparing a counter-attack there, not giving a timeframe for action.</div><div><br></div><div>“I know for sure that there should not be women and children there, and that they should not become human shields,” she said on national television.</div><div><br></div><div>Reuters was unable to independently verify the battlefield reports. Source: Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-11 20:57:09', '2022-07-11 20:57:09');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(381, 381, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The quickly changing coronavirus has spawned yet another super contagious omicron mutant that’s worrying scientists as it gains ground in India and pops up in numerous other countries, including the United States.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Scientists say the variant – called BA.2.75 – may be able to spread rapidly and get around immunity from vaccines and previous infection. It’s unclear whether it could cause more serious disease than other omicron variants, including the globally prominent BA.5.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s still really early on for us to draw too many conclusions,” said Matthew Binnicker, director of clinical virology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “But it does look like, especially in India, the rates of transmission are showing kind of that exponential increase.” Whether it will outcompete BA.5, he said, is yet to be determined.</div><div><br></div><div>Still, the fact that it has already been detected in many parts of the world even with lower levels of viral surveillance “is an early indication it is spreading,” said Shishi Luo, head of infectious diseases for Helix, a company that supplies viral sequencing information to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</div><div><br></div><div>The latest mutant has been spotted in several distant states in India, and appears to be spreading faster than other variants there, said Lipi Thukral, a scientist at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology in New Delhi. It’s also been detected in about 10 other countries, including Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada. Two cases were recently identified on the West Coast of the US, and Helix identified a third US case last week.</div><div><br></div><div>Fueling experts’ concerns are a large number of mutations separating this new variant from omicron predecessors. Some of those mutations are in areas that relate to the spike protein and could allow the virus to bind onto cells more efficiently, Binnicker said.</div><div><br></div><div>Another concern is that the genetic tweaks may make it easier for the virus to skirt past antibodies — protective proteins made by the body in response to a vaccine or infection from an earlier variant.</div><div><br></div><div>But experts say vaccines and boosters are still the best defense against severe COVID-19. In the fall it’s likely the US will see updated formulations of the vaccine being developed that target more recent omicron strains.</div><div><br></div><div>“Some may say, ‘Well, vaccination and boosting hasn’t prevented people from getting infected.’ And, yes, that is true,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“But what we have seen is that the rates of people ending up in the hospital and dying have significantly decreased. As more people have been vaccinated, boosted or naturally infected, we are starting to see the background levels of immunity worldwide creep up.”</div><div><br></div><div>It may take several weeks to get a sense of whether the latest omicron mutant may affect the trajectory of the pandemic. Meanwhile Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies viruses at India’s Christian Medical College in Vellore, said the growing concern over the variant underlines the need for more sustained efforts to track and trace viruses that combine genetic efforts with real world information about who is getting sick and how badly. “It is important that surveillance isn’t a start-stop strategy,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Luo said BA.2.75 is another reminder that the coronavirus is continually evolving – and spreading.</div><div><br></div><div>“We would like to return to pre-pandemic life, but we still need to be careful,” she said. ” We need to accept that we’re now living with a higher level of risk than we used to.” - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-11 22:24:04', '2022-07-11 22:24:04'),
(382, 382, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mango farmers in Pakistan say production of the prized fruit has fallen by up to 40 percent in some areas because of high temperatures and water shortages in a country identified as one of the most vulnerable to climate change.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The arrival of mango season in Pakistan is eagerly anticipated, with around two dozen varieties arriving through the hot, humid summers.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, however, temperatures rose sharply in March — months earlier than usual — followed by heatwaves that damaged crops and depleted water levels in canals farmers depend on for irrigation.</div><div><br></div><div>“Usually I pick 24 truckloads of mangoes... this year I have only got 12,” said Fazle Elahi, counting the bags lined up by his farm.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are doomed.”</div><div><br></div><div>The country is among the world’s top exporters of mangoes, harvesting nearly two million tons annually across southern parts of Punjab and Sindh.</div><div><br></div><div>The total harvest is yet to be measured, but production is already short by at least 20 to 40 percent in most areas, according to Gohram Baloch, a senior official at the Sindh provincial government’s agriculture department.</div><div><br></div><div>Umar Bhugio, who owns swaths of orchards outside Mirpur Khas — locally known as the city of mangoes — said his crops received less than half the usual amount of water this year.</div><div><br></div><div>“Mango growers confronted two problems this year: one was the early rise in temperatures, and secondly the water shortage,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, a problem made worse by poor infrastructure and mismanagement of resources.</div><div><br></div><div>It also ranks as the country eighth most-vulnerable to extreme weather due to climate change, according to the Global Climate Risk Index compiled by environmental NGO Germanwatch.</div><div><br></div><div>Floods, droughts and cyclones in recent years have killed and displaced thousands, destroyed livelihoods and damaged infrastructure.</div><div><br></div><div>“The early rise of temperatures increased the water intake by crops. It became a contest among different crops for water consumption,” said food security expert Abid Suleri, head of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).</div><div><br></div><div>A rise in temperature is generally expected in the mango belt in early May, which helps the fruit ripen before picking starts in June and July.</div><div><br></div><div>But the arrival of summer as early as March damaged the mango flowers, a key part of the reproductive cycle.</div><div><br></div><div>“The mango should weigh over 750 grams but this year we picked very undersized fruit,” Elahi said.</div><div><br></div><div>Known in South Asia as the “king of fruits,” the mango originated in the Indian subcontinent.</div><div><br></div><div>The country’s most treasured variety is the golden-yellow Sindhri, known for its rich flavour and juicy pulp. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-11 22:34:03', '2022-07-11 22:34:03'),
(383, 383, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Colombo: Sri Lanka\'s entire Cabinet of ministers on Monday agreed to resign once an agreement is reached on the formation of an all-party interim government, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe\'s office said after the president and premier offered to resign as unprecedented protests broke out and thousands of enraged demonstrators stormed the leaders\' homes over their mishandling of the country\'s worst economic crisis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>President Rajapaksa on Saturday announced that he will resign. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also said that he will step down after a new government is formed.</div><div><br></div><div>Opposition parties on Sunday held talks and decided to form an all-party interim government after President Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe agreed to resign.</div><div><br></div><div>\"All the ministers who participated in the discussion were of the opinion that as soon as there is an agreement to form an all-party government, they are ready to hand over their responsibilities to that government, the Prime Minister\'s office said.</div><div><br></div><div>This was following a discussion held on Monday with cabinet ministers, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Party sources said that the issue of an all-party government would be discussed with the Speaker of Parliament later on Monday. Source: Firstpost</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-12 03:13:45', '2022-07-12 03:13:45'),
(384, 384, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday expanding a fast-track procedure to receive Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians, in yet another effort to expand Moscow’s influence in war-torn Ukraine.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Until recently, only residents of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as residents of the southern Zaporizhzhia and the Kherson regions, large parts of which are under Russian control, were eligible for the simplified procedure.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian officials haven’t yet reacted to Putin’s announcement.</div><div>Between 2019, when the procedure was first introduced for the residents of Donetsk and Luhansk, and this year, more than 720,000 residents of the rebel-held areas in the two regions — about 18% of the population – have received Russian passports.</div><div><br></div><div>In late May, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the fast-track procedure was also offered to residents of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. A month ago, the first Russian passports were reportedly handed out there.</div><div><br></div><div>The move by Putin came as Russian shelling of Ukraine’s second-largest city killed at least three people on Monday and 31 others were injured, the local administrator said. Hours earlier, Russian troops launched three missile strikes on Kharkiv which the official described as “absolute terrorism.”</div><div><br></div><div>Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said on Telegram that the shelling came from multiple rocket launchers, and those hospitalized for injuries suffered in the attacks included children ages 4 and 16.</div><div><br></div><div>“Only civilian structures — a shopping center and houses of peaceful Kharkiv residents — came under the fire of the Russians. Several shells hit the yards of private houses. Garages and cars were also destroyed, several fires broke out,” Syniehubov wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, he said that one of the missiles the Russian forces launched on Kharkiv overnight destroyed a school, another hit a residential building, while the third landed near warehouse facilities.</div><div><br></div><div>“All (three were launched) exclusively on civilian objects, this is absolute terrorism!” Syniehubov said.</div><div><br></div><div>Kharkiv resident Alexander Peresolin said the attacks came suddenly, without warning, causing him to lose consciousness.</div><div><br></div><div>“I was sitting and talking to my wife,” he said. “I didn’t understand what happened. There were two strikes, two or three.”</div><div><br></div><div>Peresolin said neighbors carried him to the basement where he later regained consciousness.</div><div><br></div><div>The strikes came just two days after a Russian rocket attack struck apartment buildings in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 24 people. A total of nine people have been rescued, emergency officials said.</div><div><br></div><div>The attack late Saturday destroyed three buildings in a residential quarter of the town of Chasiv Yar, inhabited mostly by people who work in nearby factories.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian attacks in the east also have continued, with Luhansk regional Gov. Serhiy Haidai saying on Monday that the shelling hit settlements on the administrative border with the Donetsk region.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian forces carried out five missile strikes and four rounds of shelling in the area, Haidai said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Luhansk and Donetsk regions together make up Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland known as Donbas, where separatist rebels have fought Ukrainian forces since 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier this month, Russia captured the last major stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in Luhansk, the city of Lysychansk.</div><div><br></div><div>After the seizure of Lysychansk, some analysts predicted Moscow’s troops likely would take some time to rearm and regroup, but Ukrainian officials said there has been no pause in attacks.</div><div><br></div><div>The British military assessed that Russian troops weren’t getting needed breaks.</div><div><br></div><div>The Defense Ministry tweeted Monday that online videos suggested at least one tank brigade in the war was “mentally and physically exhausted” as they had been on active combat duty since the start of the war on Feb. 24.</div><div><br></div><div>The British said: “The lack of scheduled breaks from intense combat conditions is highly likely one of the most damaging of the many personnel issues the Russian (Ministry of Defense) is struggling to rectify amongst the deployed force.”</div><div><br></div><div>Also on Monday, the main Russian gas pipeline to Germany began a 10-day closure for maintenance amid European fears that Moscow may not turn the flow back on after its completion. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-12 03:32:21', '2022-07-12 03:32:21'),
(385, 385, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The new UK prime minister to replace the outgoing Boris Johnson will be announced on September 5, the ruling Conservative party said Monday, with 11 hopefuls currently vying for the job.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The leadership contest was triggered last week when Johnson, 58, was forced to step down after a frenzy of more than 50 resignations from his government, in opposition to his scandal-hit premiership.</div><div><br></div><div>The influential 1922 Committee of non-ministerial Tory MPs in parliament on Monday outlined a timetable for the party\'s leadership election.</div><div><br></div><div>Nominations will officially open and close on Tuesday, with a new prime minister set to be installed when parliament returns from the summer break on September 5, Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, told reporters.</div><div><br></div><div>Tory MPs will whittle the current list down to a final two through a series of ballots, with the worst-performing candidate eliminated after each round, before party members choose the winner.</div><div><br></div><div>With calls for Johnson to leave Downing Street as soon as possible -- and to avoid the process dragging into MPs\' summer holidays -- the numbers are likely to be pared down quickly to just two.</div><div><br></div><div>The joint-executive secretary of the 1922 Committee, Bob Blackman, said they were committed to doing that before parliament breaks for the summer on July 21.</div><div><br></div><div>The first ballot will be held on Wednesday, with a second ballot likely on Thursday, said Brady.</div><div><br></div><div>In a bid to speed up the process, candidates must have at least 20 MPs backing them in order to enter the race, up from the usual eight, and any candidate who fails to get the support of 30 MPs in the first ballot will be eliminated.</div><div><br></div><div>Among those running are Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, whose departures as finance minister and health minister sparked the wave of resignations.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Sunak\'s successor Nadhim Zahawi have also declared, and Home Secretary Priti Patel is reportedly mulling a bid.</div><div><br></div><div>But a poll of grassroots members by the influential ConservativeHome website released on Monday showed strong support for less high-profile candidates, with former defence minister Penny Mordaunt holding a narrow lead from arch-conservative Kemi Badenoch.</div><div><br></div><div>Brexit figurehead Johnson dramatically announced his departure as party leader last Thursday but is staying on in Downing Street until a replacement is found.</div><div><br></div><div>Javid said that with Britain facing a soaring cost-of-living crisis, energy price hikes and the war in Ukraine, there was a need more than ever for \"competence\" in the country\'s leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'ve every hope that this campaign can and will be the turning point that we need,\" he said at a campaign launch.</div><div><br></div><div>- Fall from grace -</div><div><br></div><div>On a visit to a science research institute in London, Johnson was asked directly if he would endorse any of the candidates, six of whom are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The job of the prime minister at this stage is to let the party decide, let them get on with it, and to continue delivering on the projects that we were elected to deliver,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Johnson\'s fall from grace has been spectacular. In December 2019 he won a landslide 80-seat victory on a promise to take Britain out of the European Union.</div><div><br></div><div>His parliamentary majority allowed him to do just that but his premiership was hit by waves of scandal, not least about lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street that saw him fined by police.</div><div><br></div><div>Another row blew up last week about his appointment of a senior colleague despite knowing of sexual assault allegations against him, sparking the government resignations.</div><div><br></div><div>In his speech, he blamed the \"herd\" for moving against him, and his allies have been briefing angrily against Sunak.</div><div><br></div><div>But Johnson refused to say Monday whether he felt betrayed.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I don\'t want to say any more about all that,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There\'s a contest under way and that has happened and you know, I wouldn\'t want to damage any chances by offering my support.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I just have to get on and in the last few days or weeks... the constitutional function of the prime minister in this situation is to continue to discharge the mandate. And that\'s what I\'m doing,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The more we focus on the people who elect us... (and) the less we talk about politics at Westminster, the generally happier we will all be.\" Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-12 15:56:34', '2022-07-12 15:56:34'),
(386, 386, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Our view of the universe just expanded: The first image from NASA’s new space telescope unveiled Monday is brimming with galaxies and offers the deepest look of the cosmos ever captured.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The first image from the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope is the farthest humanity has ever seen in both time and distance, closer to the dawn of time and the edge of the universe. That image will be followed Tuesday by the release of four more galactic beauty shots from the telescope’s initial outward gazes.</div><div><br></div><div>The “deep field” image released at a White House event is filled with lots of stars, with massive galaxies in the foreground and faint and extremely distant galaxies peeking through here and there. Part of the image is light from not too long after the Big Bang, which was 13.8 billion years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re going to give humanity a new view of the cosmos,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told reporters last month in a briefing. “And it’s a view that we’ve never seen before.”</div><div><br></div><div>The images on tap for Tuesday include a view of a giant gaseous planet outside our solar system, two images of a nebula where stars are born and die in spectacular beauty and an update of a classic image of five tightly clustered galaxies that dance around each other.</div><div><br></div><div>The world’s biggest and most powerful space telescope rocketed away last December from French Guiana in South America. It reached its lookout point 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth in January. Then the lengthy process began to align the mirrors, get the infrared detectors cold enough to operate and calibrate the science instruments, all protected by a sunshade the size of a tennis court that keeps the telescope cool.</div><div><br></div><div>The plan is to use the telescope to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the early days of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus.</div><div><br></div><div>Webb is considered the successor to the highly successful, but aging Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble has stared as far back as 13.4 billion years. It found the light wave signature of an extremely bright galaxy in 2016. Astronomers measure how far back they look in light-years with one light-year being 5.8 trillion miles (9.3 trillion kilometers).</div><div><br></div><div>“Webb can see backwards in time to just after the Big Bang by looking for galaxies that are so far away that the light has taken many billions of years to get from those galaxies to our telescopes,” said Jonathan Gardner, Webb’s deputy project scientist said during the media briefing.</div><div><br></div><div>How far back did that first image look? Over the next few days, astronomers will do intricate calculations to figure out just how old those galaxies are, project scientist Klaus Pontoppidan said last month.</div><div><br></div><div>The deepest view of the cosmos “is not a record that will stand for very long,” Pontoppidan said, since scientists are expected to use the telescope to go even deeper.</div><div><br></div><div>Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s science mission chief said when he saw the images he got emotional and so did his colleagues: “It’s really hard to not look at the universe in new light and not just have a moment that is deeply personal.”</div><div><br></div><div>At 21 feet (6.4 meters), Webb’s gold-plated, flower-shaped mirror is the biggest and most sensitive ever sent into space. It’s comprised of 18 segments, one of which was smacked by a bigger than anticipated micrometeoroid in May. Four previous micrometeoroid strikes to the mirror were smaller. Despite the impacts, the telescope has continued to exceed mission requirements, with barely any data loss, according to NASA.</div><div><br></div><div>NASA is collaborating on Webb with the European and Canadian space agencies.</div><div><br></div><div>“I’m now really excited as this dramatic progress augurs well for reaching the ultimate prize for many astronomers like myself: pinpointing “Cosmic Dawn” — the moment when the universe was first bathed in starlight,” Richard Ellis, professor of astrophysics at University College London, said via email. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-12 16:03:58', '2022-07-12 16:03:58'),
(387, 387, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India is set to become the world\'s most populous country next year, overtaking China with its 1.4bn people, according to UN figures.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>By this November, the planet will be home to 8bn. But population growth is not as rapid as it used to be.</div><div><br></div><div>It is now at its slowest rate since 1950 and is set to peak, says the UN, around the 2080s at about 10.4bn though some demographers believe that could happen even sooner.</div><div><br></div><div>But the population of the world is expanding unevenly.</div><div><br></div><div>More than half the growth we will see in the next 30 years will happen in just eight countries - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania.</div><div><br></div><div>At the same time, some of the world\'s most developed economies are already seeing population decline as fertility rates fall below 2.1 children per woman, which is known as the \"replacement rate\". In 61 countries, the report says, populations will decline by at least 1% by 2050.</div><div><br></div><div>With one of the lowest fertility rates in the world (at 1.15 children per woman), China has announced that its population is due to start declining next year - much earlier than previously thought. That is despite the country abandoning its one child policy in 2016 and introducing incentives for couples to have two or more children.</div><div><br></div><div>As India\'s population continues to grow it will almost certainly overtake China as the country with the biggest population in the world.</div><div><br></div><div>Fertility rates are falling globally - even in many of the countries where the population is expanding. That is because, as previous generations expand, there are more people having children, even if individually those people are having fewer children than their parents did.</div><div><br></div><div>Growth is also largely thanks to developments in medicine and science which mean that more children are surviving into adulthood and more adults into old age. That pattern is likely to continue, which means that by 2050 the global average life expectancy will be around 77.2 years.</div><div><br></div><div>But this pattern means that the share of the global population aged 65 years or above is projected to rise from 10% this year to 16% in 2050. Again the distribution will be unequal with some countries, in East Asia and Western Europe, already seeing more extremes in ageing. - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-12 16:15:00', '2022-07-12 16:15:00'),
(388, 388, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">SAS operatives in Afghanistan repeatedly killed detainees and unarmed men in suspicious circumstances, according to a BBC investigation.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Newly obtained military reports suggest that one unit may have unlawfully killed 54 people in one six-month tour.</div><div><br></div><div>The BBC found evidence suggesting the former head of Special Forces failed to pass on evidence to a murder inquiry.</div><div><br></div><div>The Ministry of Defence said British troops \"served with courage and professionalism in Afghanistan\".</div><div><br></div><div>The BBC understands that General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the former head of UK Special Forces, was briefed about the alleged unlawful killings but did not pass on the evidence to the Royal Military Police, even after the RMP began a murder investigation into the SAS squadron.</div><div><br></div><div>General Carleton-Smith, who went on to become head of the British Army before stepping down last month, declined to comment for this story.</div><div><br></div><div>BBC Panorama analysed hundreds of pages of SAS operational accounts, including reports covering more than a dozen \"kill or capture\" raids carried out by one SAS squadron in Helmand in 2010/11.</div><div><br></div><div>Individuals who served with the SAS squadron on that deployment told the BBC they witnessed the SAS operatives kill unarmed people during night raids.</div><div><br></div><div>They also said they saw the operatives using so-called \"drop weapons\" - AK-47s planted at a scene to justify the killing of an unarmed person.</div><div><br></div><div>Several people who served with Special Forces said that SAS squadrons were competing with each other to get the most kills, and that the squadron scrutinised by the BBC was trying to achieve a higher body count than the one it had replaced.</div><div><br></div><div>Internal emails show that officers at the highest levels of Special Forces were aware there was concern over possible unlawful killings, but failed to report the suspicions to military police despite a legal obligation to do so.</div><div><br></div><div>The Ministry of Defence said it could not comment on specific allegations, but that declining to comment should not be taken as acceptance of the allegations\' factual accuracy.</div><div><br></div><div>An MOD spokesperson said that British forces \"served with courage and professionalism\" in Afghanistan and were held to the \"highest standards\". According to BBC reports.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-12 17:07:54', '2022-07-12 17:07:54'),
(389, 389, '<div><br></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A petition has been filed in Sri Lanka\'s Supreme Court seeking an interim order restraining on the Rajapaksa brothers.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his youngest brother Basil, who resigned in April as finance minister, faced similar standoffs with airport staff as they tried to flee the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The Sri Lankan Parliament will elect the new president to succeed Gotabaya on July 20.</div><div><br></div><div>The decision was taken during a crucial all-party leaders meeting. Protestors in Sri Lanka who have forced the president and prime minister out of their official residences said they will occupy the buildings until the two quit office. Source: Times of India&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 00:14:24', '2022-07-13 00:14:24'),
(390, 390, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Israeli authorities have allowed 400 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to visit the city of Jerusalem and pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque during Eid al-Adha, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a press statement sent to The New Arab, the Hamas-led interior ministry said that \"Israel required that men must be over 55 years old and women must be over 50 years in order to be granted permits to reach Jerusalem and pray at Al-Aqsa.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Asaad Nassar, a resident of the city of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, expressed his joy in being able to obtain a permit, therefore giving him the opportunity to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque after years of being denied.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I was very eager to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque (...) I have been denied access to this holy place for more than 15 years,\"&nbsp; the 65-year-old father of ten said to The New Arab.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have the right to visit all Palestinian cities and towns and to practice our religious rituals freely without any restrictions,\" Nassar added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He called on the international community to help the Palestinians live \"in safety and peace.\"</div><div><br></div><div>For her part, Fathia Abdel Jawad from Gaza City shed tears of joy as soon as she arrived at Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the Eid prayer. She\'s been waiting for this moment for years until a permit was granted by the Israeli authorities.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Several years ago, Israel allowed women to visit Al-Aqsa, but I could not obtain the permit because my age was less than what Israel required (...) I wished that the years would pass quickly so that I could visit Jerusalem and pray in Jerusalem,\" the 51-year-old mother of six told The New Arab.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is not easy for us [Palestinians in Gaza] not to be able to reach Jerusalem and the West Bank, despite the fact that the distance between us does no more than tens of kilometres,\" she said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"The tightened&nbsp; Israeli restrictions imposed on the Gaza Strip isolate us from the whole world and not only the Palestinian territories,\" she complained.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>However, she hopes that Israel and the Hamas-led Palestinian factions will reach a long-term ceasefire agreement that will allow Gazans to easily move between all Palestinian cities, especially Jerusalem, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, about a further 500 Gazans have received approval to visit their families inside the occupied West Bank and the 1948 Palestinian lands, according to the Hamas-run Interior Ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>Ghassan Alyan, the Israeli government coordinator in the Palestinian territories, announced in a press statement that the issuance of all permits to Gazans will be subject to security assessments.</div><div><br></div><div>Elham al-Shami from Gaza City is busy preparing her luggage to travel to Ramallah in the West Bank to spend the last day of Eid Al-Adha with her family for the first time in 15 years.</div><div><br></div><div>Al-Shami and her Gaza-based husband moved to live in Gaza in 1997. In the past, she used to visit her family at least every two months and spend several days in the West Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Israel has prevented her from visiting the West Bank since 2007, after imposing a tight blockade on the coastal enclave.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I am very excited to spend the Eid holiday with my family and to meet with my mother, brothers and relatives there,\" the&nbsp; 40-year-old mother of five children told The New Arab.</div><div><br></div><div>She hopes that her children will be allowed to visit their grandfather\'s house one day. - The newarab</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 00:20:23', '2022-07-13 00:20:23'),
(391, 391, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Iran plans to supply Russia with potentially hundreds of drones for its war in Ukraine, some with combat capabilities, a US official has said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that information received by the US suggested Iran was preparing to train Russian forces to use the drones.</div><div><br></div><div>He added that it was unclear whether Iran had delivered them yet.</div><div>Drones have played an integral part in the war for both Ukraine and Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>Just last week, Ukraine appealed for donations of thousands of drones to aid its war efforts.</div><div><br></div><div>Both sides are using them to spot the enemy\'s positions and then help direct and correct their own artillery fire on a target.</div><div><br></div><div>The Kremlin has said Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to Iran\'s capital, Tehran, on 19 July. He is expected to meet Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkey\'s Recep Tayyip Erdogan for peace talks on Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Sullivan added that intelligence received by the US supported the view that Russia\'s assault on eastern Ukraine was \"coming at a cost to the sustainment of its own weapons\".</div><div><br></div><div>He also observed that Iranian drones had previously been used by Yemen\'s Houthi rebels to attack Saudi Arabia.</div><div><br></div><div>His comments came ahead of US President Joe Biden\'s visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia this week. Neither country has so far joined sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel sees Iran, which calls for its elimination, as its biggest regional threat.</div><div><br></div><div>The US and other allies have supplied billions of dollars\' worth of weapons to Ukraine since the invasion in February.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Sullivan said the US would continue to \"sustain the effective defence of Ukraine\". - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 00:29:29', '2022-07-13 00:29:29'),
(392, 392, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three more deaths from flood were reported in Sunamganj and Moulvibazar districts in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, taking the total fatalities to 116.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The latest victims drowned in floodwater, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>The total deaths were recorded between May 17 and July 12, it said.</div><div>Among the deceased, 88 people died by drowning in floodwater, 15 from lightning strikes, two from snake bites, one from diarrhoea, and nine due to other reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the deceased, 63 people died in Sylhet, 40 in Mymensingh, 12 in Rangpur and one in Dhaka division, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Among a total of 70 flood-hit upazilas, 33 are in Sylhet division, 16 in Rangpur division, 20 in Mymensingh division and one in Chattogram division.</div><div><br></div><div>Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and Kurigram are the worst-hit districts where 13, 11, 10 and 9 upazilas were affected by flood respectively. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 00:40:26', '2022-07-13 00:40:26'),
(393, 393, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two more Bangladeshi Hajj pilgrims died in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). With this, as of now 15 Bangladeshi pilgrims, including five women, died in the KSA after going there for performing holy Hajj of this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Hajj management website of the Religious Affaits Ministry revealed this information.</div><div><br></div><div>The latest pilgrims who died in the KSA are: Shirina Akhter (60) and Md Rafiqul Islam (52).&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Shirina Akhter was a resident of Sultanpur of Brahmanbaria Sadar. Her passport number is EF 0852839 and she died on July 7.</div><div><br></div><div>Another deceased is Rafiqul Islam, a resident of Sapahar upazila of Naogaon.His passport number is EF 0420040 and he died on July 3. The first Hajj flight began on June 5 from Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 01:12:56', '2022-07-13 01:12:56'),
(394, 394, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The leader of Islamic State in Syria, one of the top five leaders of the militant group, has been killed in a U.S. air strike, the U.S. military said on Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a statement, U.S. Central Command said Maher al-Agal had been killed in a drone strike in northwesten Syria and a close associate of his was seriously injured.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Extensive planning went into this operation to ensure its successful execution. An initial review indicates there were no civilian casualties,\" the statement added.</div><div><br></div><div>It said al-Agal was responsible for developing ISIS networks outside of Iraq and Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>Reuters had earlier reported on the killing, citing U.S. officials.</div><div><br></div><div>It would be another blow to the Islamist insurgent group\'s efforts to reorganize as a guerrilla force after losing large swathes of territory.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has roughly 900 troops in Syria, mostly in the east of the country splintered by a decade of civil war, although President Joe Biden\'s administration has yet to detail its long-term plan for the eight-year-old mission.</div><div><br></div><div>The Syrian Civil Defence, a humanitarian organization operating in opposition-held areas, said an unidentified drone targeted a motorcycle in the village of Khaltan in the northern countryside of the Aleppo region, killing two people.</div><div><br></div><div>In February, the top leader of Islamic State blew himself up during a U.S. military raid in Syria.</div><div><br></div><div>At the peak of its power from 2014-2017, Islamic State ruled over millions of people and claimed responsibility for or inspired attacks in dozens of cities around the world. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 01:35:57', '2022-07-13 01:35:57'),
(395, 395, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka\'s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the country on a military jet, amid mass protests over its economic crisis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The country\'s air force confirmed the 73-year-old flew to the Maldives with his wife and two security officials.</div><div><br></div><div>They arrived in the capital, Male, at around 03:00 local time (22:00 GMT), BBC Sinhala understands.</div><div><br></div><div>Mr Rajapaksa\'s departure ends a family dynasty that has ruled Sri Lanka for decades.</div><div><br></div><div>He had been in hiding after crowds stormed his residence on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>The president had earlier pledged to resign on Wednesday 13 July. On Wednesday morning officials told Reuters news agency that he had yet to submit his letter of resignation to the parliamentary speaker.</div><div><br></div><div>His brother, former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, has also left the country, sources have told the BBC. He is said to be heading to the US.</div><div><br></div><div>As Sri Lankans awoke to news of the president\'s departure, thousands of people took to the streets of the capital, Colombo. Many gathered at Galle Face Green, the city\'s main protest site. Some listened to fiery speeches at a makeshift stage set up for ordinary people to take the mic.</div><div><br></div><div>Punctuated by cries of \"Victory to the struggle\" in Sinhalese, the rallying cry of the protest movement, speakers railed against a government and the leaders they feel have failed them.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lankans blame President Rajapaksa\'s administration for their worst economic crisis in decades.</div><div><br></div><div>For months they have been struggling with daily power cuts and shortages of basics like fuel, food and medicines.</div><div><br></div><div>The leader, who enjoys immunity from prosecution while he is president, is believed to have wanted to flee abroad before stepping down to avoid the possibility of arrest by the new administration. - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 15:30:20', '2022-07-13 15:30:20'),
(396, 396, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Award-winning dissident Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi was arrested Monday, the third director to be detained in less than a week, the Mehr news agency said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Panahi, 62, has won a slew of awards at international festivals for films that have critiqued modern Iran, including the top prize in Berlin for \"Taxi\" in 2015, and best screenplay at Cannes for his film \"Three Faces\" in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Jafar Panahi has been arrested today when he went to the prosecutor\'s office to follow up on the situation of another film-maker, Mohammad Rasoulof,\" Mehr reported.</div><div><br></div><div>State news agency IRNA had reported late Friday that Rasoulof, also an award winning film-maker, had been arrested along with colleague Mostafa Aleahmad.</div><div><br></div><div>Panahi was also arrested in 2010, following his support for anti-government protests. He was later convicted of \"propaganda against the system\", sentenced to six years in jail and handed a ban on directing or writing films.</div><div><br></div><div>Since then has been barred from leaving the country to pick up any of his awards.</div><div><br></div><div>- Restrictions -</div><div>Rasoulof, 50, won the Golden Bear in Berlin in 2020 with his film \"There Is No Evil\" but was likewise unable to accept the award in person as he was barred from leaving Iran.</div><div><br></div><div>Rasoulof and Aleahmad were arrested over events relating to a deadly building collapse of the Metropol building in the city of Abadan, an event which sparked angry protests, IRNA said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In the midst of the heart-breaking incident in Abadan\'s Metropol, (the filmmakers) were involved in inciting unrest and disrupting the psychological security of society,\" the agency said.</div><div><br></div><div>The 10-storey Metropol building, that was under construction in southwestern Khuzestan province, collapsed on May 23, killing 43 people.</div><div><br></div><div>It sparked demonstrations in solidarity with victims\' families.</div><div><br></div><div>Demonstrators demanded that \"incompetent officials\" responsible for the tragedy be prosecuted and punished, while many faced tear gas, warning shots and arrests by the police.</div><div><br></div><div>A group of Iranian filmmakers led by Rasoulof published an open letter calling on the security forces to \"lay down their arms\" in the face of outrage over the \"corruption, theft, inefficiency and repression\" surrounding the Abadan collapse.</div><div><br></div><div>Rasoulof\'s passport had been confiscated after his 2017 film \"A Man of Integrity\" premiered at Cannes, where it won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the festival.</div><div><br></div><div>Cannes film festival organisers, in a statement Monday, said they \"strongly condemn the (directors\') arrests as well as the wave of repression evidently under way in Iran against its artists\", calling for their immediate release.</div><div><br></div><div>The Berlin film festival, which last week protested against the arrests of Rasoulof and Aleahmad, said Monday it was \"dismayed and outraged to hear of the arrest of another Iranian filmmaker.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said the arrest of Panahi was \"another violation of freedom of expression and freedom of the arts\". Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 15:39:58', '2022-07-13 15:39:58');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(397, 397, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Jasprit Bumrah routed the top order as India thrashed 50-over world champions England by 10 wickets in the first one-day international at the Oval on Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Fast bowler Bumrah took a career-best 6-19 as the hosts were dismissed for just 110 in 25.2 overs.</div><div><br></div><div>India captain Rohit Sharma, who won a good toss, then made an unbeaten 76 before Shikhar Dhawan (31 not out) cut Brydon Carse for four as the tourists finished on 114-0 with more than 31 overs to spare.</div><div><br></div><div>Victory gave 2023 World Cup hosts India a 1-0 lead in a three-match series that continues on the other side of London\'s River Thames at Lord\'s on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>Bumrah produced an opening burst of 4-9 in five overs against an England side featuring arguably their strongest batting line-up at this level since their 2019 World Cup final triumph.</div><div><br></div><div>England avoided the embarrassment of being dismissed for less than their record low completed ODI score of 86 all out against Australia at Old Trafford in 2001.</div><div><br></div><div>But an innings featuring four ducks in the tops six -- Jason Roy, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Liam Livingstone were all out for nought -- saw England bowled out with nearly half of their 50 overs remaining.</div><div><br></div><div>Bumrah, 28 returned to clean up Brydon Carse and David Willey to surpass his only other five-wicket haul of his 71 match ODI career -- 5-27 against Sri Lanka at Pallekelle five years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammed Shami, Bumrah\'s new-ball partner, took 3-31 in seven overs as he became the fastest Indian and joint-third fastest to 150 ODI wickets in matches played on his 80th appearance.</div><div>- \'Third in a two-horse race\' -</div><div><br></div><div>England\'s innings boasted just four double-figure contributions, captain Jos Buttler top-scoring with 30 and Willey managing 21.</div><div><br></div><div>This was England\'s sixth ODI defeat by 10 wickets and their heaviest defeat at home when batting first.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s a very tough day, we really came third in a two-horse race,\" said Buttler, who has now lost three out of four games since succeeding the retired Eoin Morgan as England\'s full-time white-ball skipper.</div><div><br></div><div>Overcast skies and a well-grassed pitch favoured the faster bowlers, but it was still a superb display by Bumrah and Shami.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We know the quality of our new-ball bowlers and they did magnificently,\" said Rohit.</div><div><br></div><div>Buttler praised the tourists\' play.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I thought India exposed the conditions fantastically, in the T20 series and now in this first ODI they\'ve bowled superbly in the powerplays and that is something that we have to address,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The tone was set when Roy, on his Surrey home ground, played on trying to drive Bumrah\'s fourth ball of the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Two balls later, Root -- the world\'s top-ranked Test batsman -- was undone by a Bumrah delivery that lifted off a good length.</div><div><br></div><div>And in the next over Test captain Stokes fell for a golden duck when an inside edge off Shami was brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.</div><div><br></div><div>Jonny Bairstow, fresh from two hundreds in England\'s seven-wicket win in the Covid-delayed fifth Test against India at Edgbaston, then fell for seven, caught behind off Bumrah.</div><div><br></div><div>Bairstow, Root and Stokes all missed the recent T20 series which India won 2-1.</div><div><br></div><div>This was the first time the star trio had played a 50-over international together since England\'s World Cup final win over New Zealand three years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>They managed just seven runs between them.</div><div><br></div><div>England were 26-5 in the eighth over when Livingstone, walking across his crease, was clean bowled leg-stump by Bumrah.</div><div><br></div><div>Buttler tried to turn the tide, hitting six fours, only to hoist Shami to deep square leg, where Suryakumar Yadav held a well-judged catch just inside the rope.</div><div><br></div><div>No. 11 Reece Topley drove leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for England\'s lone six but two balls later the innings was over when Bumrah bowled Willey with a thunderbolt yorker.</div><div><br></div><div>Rohit was quickly into his stride and went to fifty in style when he hooked Carse for a third six in just 49 balls faced. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 15:50:20', '2022-07-13 15:50:20'),
(398, 398, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Firefighters battled wildfires in Spain and Portugal Tuesday as Western Europe faced its second heatwave in less than a month which threatened glaciers in the Alps and worsened drought conditions.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The mass of hot air which pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in large parts of the Iberian Peninsula since Sunday was set to spread to the north and east in the coming days.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We do expect it to worsen,\" World Meteorological Organization spokeswoman Clare Nullis told a briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.</div><div>\"Accompanying this heat is drought. We\'ve got very, very dry soils at the moment,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The glaciers in the Alps, are really being punished at the moment. It\'s been a very bad season for the glaciers. And we\'re still relatively early in the summer.\"</div><div><br></div><div>PUBLICITÉ</div><div><br></div><div>Last week an avalanche set off by the collapse of the largest glacier in the Italian Alps amid unusually warm temperatures killed 11 people.</div><div><br></div><div>Heatwaves have become more frequent due to climate change, scientists say. As global temperatures rise over time, heatwaves are expected to become more intense.</div><div><br></div><div>In Spain, some 300 firefighters backed by 17 planes and helicopters were battling a wildfire in the eastern region of Extremadura which has ravaged 2,500 hectares of land, local officials said.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking in parliament, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez promised \"more resources\" for the fight against forest fires that are being fanned by \"the climate emergency the planet is going through\".</div><div><br></div><div>\'It\'s hell\'</div><div><br></div><div>Temperatures are forecast to keep rising in Spain until Thursday, with highs of up to 44 Celsius expected in Guadalquivir valley in Seville in the south.</div><div><br></div><div>Spain\'s health ministry warned the \"intense heat\" could affect people\'s \"vital functions\" and provoke problems like heat stroke.</div><div><br></div><div>It advised people to drink water frequently, wear light clothes and \"remain as long as possible\" in the shade or in air-conditioned places.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s hell,\" said Dania Arteaga, a 43-year-old cleaner in a shop in central Madrid, her forehead covered in sweat.</div><div><br></div><div>In neighbouring Portugal, firefighters were battling a blaze which has ravaged some 2,000 hectares (4,900 acres) of land in the central municipality of Ourem since Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>The blaze has been brought under control on Monday but it flared up again on Tuesday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>With temperatures set to surpass 40 Celsius on Tuesday in much of the country, Portuguese Prime Minster Antonio Costa urged \"a maximum of caution\".</div><div><br></div><div>The government has issued a \"situation of alert\" for wildfires for the whole country until at least Friday, raising the readiness levels of firefighters, police and emergency medical services.</div><div><br></div><div>\'Vulnerable people\'</div><div><br></div><div>The current situation is stirring memories of devastating wildfires in 2017 which claimed the lives of over 100 people in Portugal.</div><div><br></div><div>Local officials in the town of Sintra near Lisbon closed a series of tourist attractions such as palaces and monuments in a verdant mountain range popular with visitors as a precaution.</div><div><br></div><div>In France, temperatures -- which reached 30 Celsius in much of the country Monday -- could spike to 39 Celsius in some areas Tuesday, the national weather service Meteo France predicted.</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne urged all government ministers to be ready to deal with the consequences of the heatwave which is forecast to last for up to 10 days.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The heat affects people\'s health very quickly, especially that of the most vulnerable,\" her office said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Britain issued an extreme heat warning, with temperatures forecast to hit 35 Celsius in the southeast of the country in the coming days.</div><div><br></div><div>The extreme heat warning was classified as \"amber\", the second-highest alert level, indicating a \"high impact\" on daily life and people. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-13 17:25:56', '2022-07-13 17:25:56'),
(399, 399, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today laid emphasis on the importance of integrated learning environment for the evolution of intellect and thinking of children with special needs.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Integrated learning environment is very important for the development of intellect and thinking of children with special needs,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Premier said this while witnessing the presentation of the architectural design of the National Academy for Autism and Neuro-Development Disabilities (NAAND) Complex this morning at her official residence Ganabhaban, according to a press release of the Prime Minister\'s Press Wing.</div><div><br></div><div>Moreover, open and natural environment also plays a more important role in the physical and mental growth of such children than any normal child, she opined.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina reiterated her call for ensuring \"cross-ventilation\" system in the construction of any residential building in the urban areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>She also stressed on providing training to the existing teachers alongside developing new teachers and trainers for autism and neuro-development disabilities children.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the designing of the complex building, the Prime Minister put emphasize on the optimal use of daylight and open air/ oxygen circulation as well as ensuring conservation of necessary water reservoirs and adequate open space with proper fire extinguishing system.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The National Academy for Autism and Neuro-Development Disabilities (NAAND) Complex is being constructed as an international standard academy to ensure fair and equal education of Autism and NDD children in the country.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, MP, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, MP, PMO Senior Secretary Md. Tofazzel Hossain Miah, and Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Division Secretary Md. Abu Bakr Siddique were present. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-14 03:51:55', '2022-07-14 03:51:55'),
(400, 400, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh Captain Tamim Iqbal got another favour of luck, winning the toss in the second ODI against West Indies and sent them to bat first on a slow pitch at Providence Stadium in Guyana today.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Tigers who won nine consecutive matches against West Indies lead the three-match series 1-0 following their six-wicket victory in the first game.</div><div><br></div><div>A victory in the second game will not only confirm their fourth straight series victory over the Caribbean but also gave them a 10th straight victory.</div><div><br></div><div>In a bid to clinch the series with a match to spare, Bangladesh brought up one change to their squad, bringing Mosaddek Hossain Saikat in place of Taskin Ahmed.</div><div><br></div><div>Mosaddek\'s spin and batting capability is believed to give the side more depth in both departments.</div><div><br></div><div>In a bid to keep the series alive and snap their losing streak against Bangladesh, the hosts made two changes with Keemo Paul and Alzzari Joseph making the cut, replacing Jayden Seals and Anderson Phillip. Paul, however, is back to the side after recovering from Covid-19 .</div><div><br></div><div>Line Ups:</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal(c), Litton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan(w), Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam</div><div><br></div><div>West Indies: Kyle Mayers, Shai Hope(w), Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran(c), Rovman Powell, Keemo Paul, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie and Alzarri Joseph. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-14 04:01:27', '2022-07-14 04:01:27'),
(401, 401, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A week of gang violence in Haiti’s capital has left at least 89 people dead, a rights group said Wednesday, as soaring prices, fuel shortages and gang warfare accelerate a brutal downward spiral in the security situation in Port-au-Prince.</span><br></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">The unrest erupted on July 7 between two rival factions in Cite Soleil, an impoverished and densely populated neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">As gunfire crackled in the slums for nearly a week, police, short-staffed and ill-</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">equipped, did not intervene, while international humanitarian organizations struggled to deliver crucial food supplies and provide medical care to the victims.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Thousands of families living in the slums that have sprung up here over the past four decades had no choice but to hide inside their homes, unable to fetch food or water — and, with many houses made of sheet metal, dozens of residents fell victim to stray bullets.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">“At least 89 people were killed and 16 others are missing” in the past week’s violence, the National Human Rights Defense Network said in a statement, adding that another 74 people sustained gunshot or knife wounds.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Mumuza Muhindo, head of the local mission of Doctors Without Borders, on Wednesday urged all combatants to allow medics to safely access Brooklyn, an area of Cite Soleil most affected by the violence.</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">Despite the danger, Muhindo said his group has operated on an average of 15 patients a day since last Friday. - AFP</span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">bnbd24/ fas</span></div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-14 15:48:21', '2022-07-14 15:48:21'),
(402, 402, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka’s embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the Maldives on Thursday after fleeing his own country amid mass protests demanding he resign over his country\'s economic collapse.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A Maldives government official said Rajapaksa boarded a flight of Saudia, formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, on Thursday bound for Singapore. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.</div><div><br></div><div>Rajapaksa and his wife fled Sri Lanka early Wednesday aboard an air force jet as protesters were taking over government buildings to demand he resign. Rajapaksa promised over the weekend he would do so, but instead he named his prime minister acting president in his absence, further incensing those who blame the government for the crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile Thursday, the government announced a curfew in the capital Colombo and its suburbs to run until 5 a.m. Friday and protesters were withdrawing from the presidential palace after occupying it during the weekend. Some were seen unrolling a red carpet in the palace as they left.</div><div><br></div><div>Anticipating more protests after a group attempted to storm the Parliament’s entrance a day earlier, troops in green military uniforms and camouflage vests arrived by armored personnel carriers Thursday to reinforce barricades around the building.</div><div><br></div><div>Some protesters had posted videos on social media pleading with others not to storm the Parliament, fearing an escalation of violence.</div><div><br></div><div>Protest leader Devinda Kodagode told The Associated Press they were vacating official buildings after the Parliament speaker said he was seeking legal options to consider since Rajapaksa left without submitting his resignation letter as promised.</div><div><br></div><div>The protesters accuse the president and his powerful political family of siphoning money from government coffers for years and Rajapaksa’s administration of hastening the country’s collapse by mismanaging the economy. The family has denied the corruption allegations, but Rajapaksa acknowledged some of his policies contributed to the meltdown.</div><div><br></div><div>It was not immediately clear what Rajapaksa’s destination would be. Maldives officials initially indicated he planned to travel onward to Saudi Arabia, but later could only confirm his first stop in Singapore. Since Sri Lankan presidents are protected from arrest while in power it’s likely Rajapaksa planned his departure while he still had constitutional immunity and access to a military jet.</div><div><br></div><div>On Wednesday, protesters undeterred by multiple rounds of tear gas scaled the walls to enter the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the crowd outside cheered in support and tossed water bottles to them. Protesters took turns posing at the prime minister\'s desk or stood on a rooftop terrace waving the Sri Lankan flag.</div><div><br></div><div>Amid the mounting chaos, Wickremesinghe’s office imposed a state of emergency giving broader powers to the military and police. Defense leaders have called for calm and cooperation with security forces — comments that have rankled some lawmakers who insist civilian leaders would be the ones to find a solution.</div><div><br></div><div>The protesters blame the Rajapaksas for leading the country into an economic abyss, but they are also furious with Wickremesinghe. They believe he has protected the president and that his appointment in May alleviated pressure on Rajapaksa to resign.</div><div><br></div><div>Wickremesinghe also has said he will resign, but not until a new government is in place. He has urged the speaker of Parliament to find a new prime minister agreeable to both the ruling and opposition parties.</div><div><br></div><div>It\'s unclear when that might happen since the opposition is deeply fractured. But assuming that Rajapaksa resigns as promised, Sri Lankan lawmakers have agreed to elect a new president on July 20 who will serve the remainder of Rajapaksa’s term, which ends in 2024. That person could potentially appoint a new prime minister, who would then have to be approved by Parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>The political impasse threatens to worsen the bankrupt nation’s economic collapse since the absence of an alternative government could delay a hoped-for bailout from the International Monetary Fund. In the meantime, the country is relying on aid from India and China.</div><div><br></div><div>The shortages of basic necessities have sown despair among Sri Lanka’s 22 million people. The country’s rapid decline was all the more shocking because, before the recent crisis, the economy had been expanding, with a growing, comfortable middle class.</div><div><br></div><div>“Gotabaya resigning is one problem solved — but there are so many more,” said Bhasura Wickremesinghe, a 24-year-old student of maritime electrical engineering, who is not related to the prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>He complained that Sri Lankan politics have been dominated for years by “old politicians” who all need to go. “Politics needs to be treated like a job — you need to have qualifications that get you hired, not because of what your last name is,” he said, referring to the Rajapaksa family.</div><div><br></div><div>After the president fled to the Maldives the whereabouts of other Rajapaksa family members who had served in the government were unclear. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-14 22:19:03', '2022-07-14 22:19:03'),
(403, 403, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Neetu Chandra, who is known for her movies such as Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Mithila Makhaan, opened up on the incident when a businessman asked her to become his \"salaried wife\".</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The actress in a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama revealed that even after working with 13 National Award winners, she has no work and feels unwanted in the industry. She also recalled an audition where she was rejected by a popular casting director in Bollywood within one hour of auditioning.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Meri story ek successful actress ki failure story hai (My story is a failure story of a successful actor). Having worked with 13 National award winners and in such big films, today I am nowhere. I was told by a big businessman that he will give me 25 lakhs per month and that I have to become his salaried wife,\" Bollywood Hungama quoted Neetu Chandra saying.</div><div><br></div><div>Recalling an auditioning incident, she said, \"Ek casting director, kaafi bada naam hai but main naam nahi bolna chahti, audition ke time pe hi matlab, ek ghante ke andar usne bola.. I am really sorry Nitu, this is not working out. So you literally audition me, to reject me taaki meri confidence toot jaye. (A casting director, who is quite famous but I don\'t want to take the name, rejected me in an hour after the audition. I mean he called me for the audition only to reject me so that my confidence breaks?)\".</div><div><br></div><div>Neetu Chandra made her acting debut in Bollywood in 2005 with the movie Garam Masala, co-starring Akshay Kumar and John Abraham.&nbsp;</div><div>She has also worked in movies such as Traffic Signal, 13B, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Rann, to name a few. She also has her own production house Champaran Talkies and produced two films, Deswa and&nbsp; Mithila Makhaan.</div><div><br></div><div>Her movies Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and Mithila Makhaan won National Awards. Also, she made her Hollywood debut in 2021 with the film Never Back Down: Revolt. Source: NDTV</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-14 22:25:27', '2022-07-14 22:25:27'),
(404, 404, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A man who travelled from the UAE has tested positive for monkeypox in Kerala, state Health Minister Veena George said today. He landed at the Thiruvananthapuram airport and is \"quite stable, with all vitals normal\", she told the news agency ANI.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>His primary contacts have also been identified, including his father, mother, a taxi driver, an auto driver, and 11 fellow passengers from adjacent seats, she added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Monkeypox is a virus that causes fever symptoms besides a distinctive bumpy rashes. It is usually mild, though there are two main strains. The Congo strain, which is more severe, causes death in up to 10 per cent of the patients; and the West African strain, which has a fatality rate of around 1 per cent.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Two months ago, scientists were alarmed after a few cases of monkeypox - which occurs mostly in Africa\'s western and central regions - were reported or suspected in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Spain</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 03:30:39', '2022-07-15 03:30:39');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(405, 405, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lalit Modi, the first chairman of Indian Premier League, today announced a \"new beginning\" with actor Sushmita Sen. Calling Ms Sen his better half, Lalit Modi sent their fans into a frenzy with several discussing if the two were married. Spoiler alert: They are not.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Just back in london after a whirling global tour #maldives #sardinia with the families - not to mention my #betterhalf @sushmitasen47 - a new beginning a new life finally. Over the moon (sic),\" Lalit Modi said in a tweet.</div><div><br></div><div>Lalit Modi, in the next tweet, clarified that they both aren\'t married yet, just dating. \"Not married - just dating each other. That too it will happen one day,\" he tweeted.</div><div><br></div><div>Lalit Modi had left India in 2010 amid investigations into tax evasion and money-laundering. He has been in London since then.</div><div><br></div><div>Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe in 1994. She made her Bollywood debut in the 1996 film Dastak. She has featured in films such as Biwi No 1, Do Knot Disturb, Main Hoon Na, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya and Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge and No Problem.</div><div><br></div><div><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,[encoded data, 64296 characters]', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2022-07-15 03:51:47', '2022-07-15 03:51:47');
