INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6926, 6926, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The death toll in cyclone-hit villages of Myanmar\'s Rakhine state rose to at least 41 on Tuesday, local leaders told AFP.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Packing winds of up to 195 kilometres (120 miles) per hour, Mocha made landfall on Sunday, downing power pylons and smashing wooden fishing boats to splinters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We can confirm there are 17 deaths,\" Karlo, the administrator of Bu Ma village near the state capital Sittwe, told an AFP reporter at the scene.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There will be more deaths, as more than a hundred people are missing.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The village is inhabited by the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Bu Ma number was on top of a death toll of 24 given to AFP by a Rohingya village leader in nearby Khaung Doke Kar village.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That leader requested anonymity due to fear of reprisals from the country\'s junta.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The junta said on Monday that five people had been killed, without specifying exactly where they had died.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was not clear whether the junta\'s death toll included any of those killed in Bu Ma and Khaung Doke Kar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AFP has contacted a junta spokesman for comment on the new death toll.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bu Ma on Tuesday morning, residents walked the seashore searching for family members swept away by a storm surge that accompanied the cyclone, AFP correspondents said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'No one has come to ask\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Widely viewed as interlopers in Myanmar, the Rohingya are denied citizenship and healthcare and require permission to travel outside of their villages in western Rakhine state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many others live in camps after being displaced by decades of ethnic conflict in the state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United Nations refugee office said it was investigating reports that Rohingya living in displacement camps had been killed in the storm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"UNHCR is saddened at hearing reports of deaths at displacement camps in Rakhine State in the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha,\" it said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It added that it was \"attempting to conduct detailed assessments at displacement camps and sites to get a clearer picture of the situation\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Tuesday, contact was slowly being restored with Sittwe, which is home to around 150,000 people, AFP reporters said, with roads being cleared and internet connections re-established.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, state media footage showed troops unloading aid from planes at Sittwe airport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Rohingya villagers told AFP that they were yet to receive any assistance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"No government, no organisation has come to our village,\" said Kyaw Swar Win, 38, from Bu Ma village.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We haven\'t eaten for two days... We haven\'t got anything and all I can say is that no one has even come to ask.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 14:52:54', '2023-05-16 14:52:54'),
(6927, 6927, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Met Office has predicted rain or thunder showers in parts of the country including Dhaka in 24 hours from 9am on Tuesday.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely at many places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions,” said the Met Office bulletin.</div><div><br></div><div>A Mild heat wave is sweeping over Khulna division and Rajshahi district and it may continue, according to the bulletin.</div><div><br></div><div>Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, said the bulletin.</div><div><br></div><div>The highest temperature was recorded at 36.7 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi while the lowest temperature was recorded at 20.2 degrees Celsius in Rajarhat of Rangpur on Monday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The weather office recorded the highest 33 mm rainfall in Dimla of Rangpur.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, a trough of westerly low lies over West Bengal and adjoining area. Accoridng to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 15:33:33', '2023-05-16 15:33:33'),
(6928, 6928, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP on Tuesday chalked out a 13-day programme to observe the 42nd death anniversary of its founder and&nbsp; leader Ziaur Rahman with due respect.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The observance of the anniversary will begin on May 29 and end on June 10.</div><div><br></div><div>The programmes were finalized at a joint meeting of the party and its associate bodies held at its Nayapaltan central office with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the chair.</div><div><br></div><div>After the meeting, Fakhrul announced the programmes that include discussion meetings, seminars, photo exhibitions and wearing black badges, paying homage to Zia, and distributing food and relief materials among the destitute.</div><div><br></div><div>Ziaur Rahman, a military-ruler-turned-president, founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. He was assassinated by a group of army officers at Chittagong Circuit House on May 30, 1981.</div><div><br></div><div>As part of the programmes, black flags will be hoisted and party flags kept at half-mast atop the offices of the party, including its Nayapaltan headquarters, at 6am on May 30.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, party leaders and activists, led by senior leaders, will place wreaths at Zia\'s grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP and its associate bodies will arrange discussions on Zia’s activities, from May 29 to June 10 as part of the death anniversary programmes.</div><div><br></div><div>The party leaders of Dhaka\'s south and north city units will distribute food and relief materials among the destitute in different parts of the city on May 30.</div><div><br></div><div>The party\'s all district, city and thana units will also observe the day with various programmes. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 16:37:10', '2023-05-16 16:37:10'),
(6929, 6929, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The release of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan\'s film “Pathaan” in Bangladesh on Friday was greeted by sold-out tickets.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The moment finally arrived for Bangladesh fans. The movie was released at 41 movie theaters around the country. Every day, there will be 206 shows of the film.</div><div><br></div><div>“Pathaan” has been released in Bangladesh under SAFTA agreement. According to the import conditions, Shakib Khan\'s “Panku Jamai” has been exported to India. “Pathaan” has been imported in Bangladesh by Action Cut Entertainment.</div><div><br></div><div>Another Bollywood star John Abraham shared the screen with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time in Siddharth Anand\'s “Pathaan”. Deepika Padukone has once again shown glimpses against the King of Bollywood.</div><div><br></div><div>“Pathaan” has already made history in Bollywood. It has broken the records of many films of the past. And even in the international arena, “Pathaan” was the result of a long wait for Shah Rukh fans.</div><div><br></div><div>With “Pathaan”, the box office is opening for the first time in some halls of Bangladesh. Ananya Mamun, owner of Action Cut Entertainment, said initially 15 halls will be arranged for the box office. There will be an extension from the second week. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 17:54:22', '2023-05-16 17:54:22'),
(6930, 6930, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Tuesday said the government will offer the services of the Ansar – a paramilitary auxiliary force – to the foreign missions in Dhaka as alternatives as the withdrawal of “additional security escort” for four diplomats came into effect.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Talking to reporters, the foreign secretary said they are likely to hold a meeting with the Director General of the Ansar on Wednesday to know about the facilities they can offer and build a connection with those missions who are willing to take this service.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We will talk to Ansar and will let the missions know officially,” Masud Momen said, adding that additional escort was mainly used for traffic clearance purposes.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to a question, the FS said the government is aware of the responsibilities as a host country under the Vienna Convention and regular security measures for foreign missions and their personnel remain unchanged.</div><div><br></div><div>Momen said they don’t see any security deficit in the country and militancy and the law and order situation is fully controlled.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said there is shortage or constraint of police personnel.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked about using flags by the diplomats in their vehicles, he said this is something that depends mainly on individual’s discretion and he thinks the diplomats have the sense where they will use flags or not.</div><div><br></div><div>Sharing his own experience as a diplomat, Momen said there were no systems to use flags when he was in New York but in many countries flags are used while attending any state function.</div><div><br></div><div>“If I go to a market or a personal event of a colleague I will not use the flag at that time. It depends on the individual.”</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Monday said, “If they (foreign missions) want it, they can get it on payment. We won’t provide this extra (security) escort service with taxpayers’ money.”</div><div><br></div><div>“In developed countries, no government provides such extra facilities,” the foreign minister said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said there has been no deterioration of the law and order situation that such service is required.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has said the safety and security of their diplomatic personnel and facilities are of utmost importance.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, I’m not going to get into the specifics about security details concerning the U.S. embassy or its personnel,” Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State, said during a press briefing on May 15 (US time) at the State Department while responding to a question.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He, however, noted that as per the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, any host country “must uphold its obligations to ensure the protection of all diplomatic mission premises and personnel and take all appropriate steps to prevent any attack on personnel.”</div><div><br></div><div>Patel made the remarks after Bangladesh decided not to provide additional security escorts for a number of foreign diplomats, including the US and UK envoys, in Dhaka, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the United States is looking forward to deepening relationship and cooperation with Bangladesh on a number of key issues, “regardless of political party or candidates.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 18:44:55', '2023-05-16 18:44:55'),
(6931, 6931, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Gas has been found again in new gas well named Ilisha-1</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>BAPEX, the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited, successfully extracted gas from a separate third level of the well today.</div><div><br></div><div>BAPEX extracted gas experimentally from the well for the first time on 28th April.</div><div><br></div><div>The well is capable of yielding 20 to 22 million cubic feet of gas daily which may not sound like much in a country where the daily demand runs into the billions, but in the current situation where the government is having to import LNG cargoes every month from the international spot market.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has taken various steps to increase domestic gas production to eliminate the energy crisis in the country. The discovery of the Ilisha-1 gas field in Bhola brings hope amidst the high global fuel gas prices and the crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>International company Gazprom of Russia conducted the well drilling based on the BAPEX design and location, which was successfully completed through Drill Stem Test at a depth of 3,436 meters.</div><div><br></div><div>BAPEX\'s General Manager of Geophysical Department, Alamgir Hossain, estimates that initially, 20 to 22 million cubic feet of gas can be available from this well daily, with 180 to 220 BCF of gas reserves.</div><div><br></div><div>However, further testing will be conducted to determine the actual production per day. The gas reserves in these wells are 1.7 TCF cubic feet.</div><div><br></div><div>Currently, only four wells are extracting gas, with 140 MMcf of gas being extracted per day but not fully utilised. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 19:11:05', '2023-05-16 19:11:05'),
(6932, 6932, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP has called upon the country’s people to boycott the upcoming elections to five city corporations under the current government.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>BNP standing committee at their virtual meeting on Monday made the call to votes to implement the party’s earlier decision of not participating in the five city polls to be conducted by the current Election Commissioner under the Awami League government.</div><div><br></div><div>“The meeting feels that the City Corporation elections announced by the Election Commission under the government ahead of the National Assembly elections are motivated,” said a press release signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Stating that no election can be neutral, free and fair under the Awami League government, the BNP policymakers said the forthcoming city polls will also be controlled by the government and public opinion will be reflected.</div><div><br></div><div>“BNP has decided not to participate in this meaningless election. The BNP National Standing Committee sincerely urges people not to participate in this farcical election,” the press release reads.</div><div><br></div><div>The meeting also discussed the issue of bringing all the democratic forces to the field in the ongoing movement of the party.</div><div><br></div><div>The elections to five city polls will begin with voting in Gazipur City Corporation on May 25.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the schedules announced by the Election Commission, the voting will be held in Khulna and Barishal on June 12 and in Rajshahi and Sylhet on June 21, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, BNP announced that it would not go to the city elections and the party threatened to expel its leaders in five cities if they participated in the polls.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 21:33:57', '2023-05-16 21:33:57'),
(6933, 6933, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said historically, BNP holds a sordid record of refraining from standing beside people especially during mighty disasters that swept across the county.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“It can be safely said the party is more focused on ballot stuffing and capturing state power than on public safety,” he said in a Facebook post from his verified account.</div><div><br></div><div>As the cyclone Mocha hit Bangladesh fiercely, the entire state machinery, alongside Awami League, undertook an all-out evacuation scheme, Joy said.</div><div><br></div><div>But, Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders and activists turned a blind eye to safety of people in the costal belt who were prone to the disaster, he mentioned.</div><div><br></div><div>“And such apathy to public welfare is nothing new on part of BNP,” Joy said in his Facebook post that contained a video, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“Take a look at this video and decide if BNP really takes public safety into account,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-16 22:48:35', '2023-05-16 22:48:35'),
(6934, 6934, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">After emergency talks at the White House, Republican congressional leaders have begun to sound hopeful that a deal to raise the US debt ceiling is within reach.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters the two sides are still far apart.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The standoff has forced President Joe Biden to cut short a foreign trip.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Without a deal, the US could enter a calamitous default on its $31.4tr (£25tr) debt as soon as 1 June.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Biden said Tuesday\'s hour-long Oval Office meeting was \"good, productive\", sounding upbeat about the prospects of an agreement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr McCarthy told reporters he believed a deal was possible by the end of this week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He told reporters a Biden-appointed representative would negotiate directly with his staff, which he said was a sign that \"the structure of how we negotiate has improved\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A number of senior Democrats were also at the talks, including Vice-President Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In exchange for support for raising the debt ceiling, Republican leaders are demanding budget cuts. They also want tougher work requirements on government aid recipients.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Citing sources familiar with the talks, the Associated Press news agency reports that this idea was \"resoundingly\" rejected by House Democrats at another meeting earlier on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Biden has repeatedly said that a potential debt default and budgetary issues should be separate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president is due to fly to the G7 summit in Japan on Wednesday. He was then expected to head to Papua New Guinea for talks on regional security and to Australia for a meeting of the \"Quad\" alongside leaders from India, Japan and Australia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he will now return after the 19-21 May summit in Hiroshima ends to \"ensure that Congress takes action\" to avert a default, the White House said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reaching the debt ceiling would mean the US government is unable to borrow any more money.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This means the government would no longer be able to pay the salaries of federal and military employees, tax refunds and Social Security cheques - payments that millions of pensioners in the US rely on - would stop.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Every so often the US Congress votes to raise or suspend the ceiling so it can borrow more.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A default - which would be a first in US history - could upend global financial markets and shatter trust in America\'s political ability to pay its bills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Experts have warned it could also see the US spiral into recession and stoke unemployment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said at an event on Tuesday that \"a US default would generate an economic and financial catastrophe\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: \"There\'s countries like Russia and China that would love nothing more than for us to default.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A deal to avoid this scenario has so far proven elusive. In April, Republicans proposed an agreement that would suspend the debt limit by $1.5tn or until 31 March, whichever comes first.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In exchange, they would maintain spending at key government agencies at 2022 levels for the next financial year and limit spending growth to 1% annually over the next 10 years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They argued this would lead to $4.8tn in savings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The proposal, however, would scupper several of Mr Biden\'s legislative priorities, including student loan forgiveness.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The last time the US was approaching a default in 2011, lawmakers struck a deal hours before the deadline.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That standoff led to a downgrade in the US credit rating, sent the stock market plummeting and increased the government\'s borrowing costs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Nobody should use default as a hostage,\" Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at the US Capitol on Tuesday. \"The consequences would be devastating for America.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US debt ceiling has been raised, extended or revised 78 times since 1960. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 07:36:40', '2023-05-17 07:36:40'),
(6935, 6935, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">When Muaz Razaq left Pakistan for the first time in 2019 to study for his computer science master’s degree in South Korea, he never expected to become the lightning rod of a bitter battle putting the country’s religious tolerance to the test.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“South Korea stands out as a leader in software engineering and Kyungpook National University was my first choice owing to the positive things I had heard from my seniors and the presence of a mosque nearby,” the 27-year-old, who is now studying for a doctorate, told Al Jazeera.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“Some locals were curious about my traditional attire and beard, which reminded them of Korea’s past aristocrats, but I never felt animosity or direct discrimination.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">All that changed when the university’s approximately 150 Muslims decided to renovate the mosque they established in 2014 near the school’s west gate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The dispute over the plan has turned the construction site into a target of virulent Islamophobia</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Officially known as Dar-ul-Emaan Kyungpook and Islamic Centre, the mosque is located in the Buk district of Daegu, South Korea’s third-largest city and a conservative stronghold about 240km (149 miles) from the capital Seoul.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">There are about a dozen mosques around Daegu, mainly in the suburbs, catering to migrant labour populations of practising Muslims.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Students raised the funds to demolish their old building next to the university, which was too cramped and lacked proper heating, and put up a new two-storey structure. To secure the necessary planning permission, they had to buy the house next door, which now serves as a temporary prayer hall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Soon after the new beams were erected in early 2021, the Buk district office abruptly issued an administrative order halting construction, citing complaints from local residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The concerns were apparently related to the smell from the students’ cooking inside the mosque, noise and obstruction of traffic – things Razaq says had not previously been mentioned as problems. Aljazeera</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 07:42:55', '2023-05-17 07:42:55'),
(6936, 6936, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Novak Djokovic eased into the Italian Open quarter-finals on Tuesday after breezing past Cameron Norrie although there was tension with the Briton after the top seed was hit by a smash.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While Djokovic dispatched Norrie 6-3, 6-4, Monte Carlo Masters winner Andrey Rublev and home hope Jannik Sinner both crashed out in Rome.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Djokovic has reached the last eight in each of his previous 16 appearances in the Italian capital and he did it again, getting past Norrie on centre court to set up a clash with Holger Rune in a tournament which is a key warmup for the French Open.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It will be a rematch of last year\'s Paris Masters final, when the 20-year-old Dane won his first Masters 1000 title by beating Djokovic in a thrilling match.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Even though he\'s really young, I know his game quite well. He\'s been on the tour now for last few years playing some great tennis, particularly in the last I would say six to eight months,\" said Djokovic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He\'s in very good form and I look forward to a challenge. I think it\'s going to be a very physical match.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Djokovic is gunning for a seventh title on clay in Rome and his chances have been made a little easier by the shock elimination of Carlos Alcaraz on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alcaraz, who won two consecutive tournaments at Barcelona and Madrid, will take world number one spot from Djokovic on May 22 but it is the 22-time Grand Slam champion who could go into Roland Garros with yet another title under his belt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Djokovic won the first three games against Norrie and closed out the first set with little fuss, without needing to be at his best.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 35-year-old then took the second set to 2-1 with a break, but in the next game Norrie broke back while angering Djokovic with a smash which hit him on the back of his left leg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Norrie had the whole court to put the ball away as Djokovic had given up on the point and was walking back to the service line.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Bringing the fire -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Briton raised his hand to apologise but at the changeover after Norrie moved to 3-2, Djokovic gave him another long stare as he passed him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And after Djokovic sealed victory with his second match point he gave Norrie a cursory handshake at the net, while avoiding eye contact and without exchanging a single word with his dispatched opponent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Djokovic later explained that he had been irritated by Norrie\'s on-court behaviour since the start of the match, doing \"things that we players know in the locker room it\'s not fair play\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He\'s very nice guy off the court, so I don\'t understand this kind of attitude on the court, to be honest. But it is what it is. He brought the fire, and I responded to that,\" said Djokovic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'m not going to allow someone behaving like this just bending my head. I\'m going to respond to that.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"That\'s all it is. What happens on the court, we leave it on the court, and we move on.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Third seed Daniil Medvedev came through 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) against Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud dispatched Laslo Djere, and Croatian Borna Coric prevailed in three sets over Fabian Marozsan, the Hungarian outsider who shocked Carlos Alcaraz in the third round.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Lorenzo Sonego 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) in a third-round match which was suspended on Monday due to the rain to set up a meeting with another Italian, Lorenzo Musetti.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rublev, seeded six, was upset 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3 by the world\'s 101-ranked player, German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And Italian eighth seed Sinner was sent packing by Argentina\'s Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-2.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the women\'s draw, Iga Swiatek took her Rome winning streak to 14 matches with a 6-3, 6-4 success over Donna Vekic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">World number one Swiatek will take on Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals after coming through the toughest match of her tournament so far.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her bid for a third title in as many years has been boosted by seeds two to six all being eliminated. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 09:22:46', '2023-05-17 09:22:46'),
(6937, 6937, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US President Joe Biden cut back a major upcoming trip to Asia and will return to Washington early for talks to avert a potentially catastrophic debt default, the White House said Tuesday.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Biden flies to Japan on Wednesday for a G7 summit, but subsequent stops in Papua New Guinea and Australia were scrapped to deal with the domestic stand-off over raising US borrowing limits.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"President Biden will return to the United States on Sunday, following the completion of the G7 summit, in order to be back for meetings with Congressional leaders to ensure that Congress takes action by the deadline to avert default,\" the White House said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The President and his team will continue to work with Congressional leadership to deliver a budget agreement that can reach the President\'s desk.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the G7 summit, Biden was due to attend a Quad leaders\' meeting in Sydney, bringing together the United States, Australia, Japan and India.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the White House said that Biden had called Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to inform him the visit was canceled, and had invited him for state visit to Washington at an undecided date.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US president was also scheduled to visit Papua New Guinea on a \"historic\" first trip for a sitting US president, as Washington vies with Beijing for influence in the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The South Pacific was seen as a diplomatic backwater after World War II, but it is an increasingly important arena for powers to compete for commercial, political and military influence. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 09:26:56', '2023-05-17 09:26:56'),
(6938, 6938, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The head of Russia\'s private Wagner mercenary group on Tuesday said a US volunteer had died fighting alongside Ukrainian troops in the country\'s east.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a video shared by Russian military bloggers, Yevgeny Prigozhin showed the body of what he said was an American laying in the rubble of a building.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The clip shows the Wagner chief walking with his men at night, and explosions can be heard -- but it is not clear where or when it was filmed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Standing beside the body, which appears to have suffered a stomach wound, Prigozhin said: \"He came to meet us. Citizen of the United States of America\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin shows the camera what appears to be the soldier\'s identity documents, without giving a full name.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We will return him to the United States. We will put him in a coffin (with) the American flag. With respect, because he didn\'t die in a grandfather\'s bed but in the war,\" the Wagner boss said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin\'s paramilitary group is fighting on the front line in the bloody battle for Bakhmut, a flashpoint town in eastern Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AFP could not independently verify Prigozhin\'s claims. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 10:05:24', '2023-05-17 10:05:24'),
(6939, 6939, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Gunmen attacked a US convoy in southeast Nigeria\'s Anambra State on Tuesday, police and a US official said, killing four people and abducting three others.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Separatists who operate in the region have escalated their attacks in recent years, usually targeting police or government buildings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"No US citizen was in the convoy,\" said police spokesman Ikenga Tochukwu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The gunmen \"murdered two of the Police Mobile Force operatives and two staff of the consulate,\" he said, before setting their vehicle \"ablaze\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The attack took place on Tuesday at \"3:30pm (14:30 GMT) along Atani, Osamale road\" in Ogbaru district, according to the police.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Joint security forces deployed to the scene, said Tochukwu, but the gunmen managed to abduct two police operatives and a driver.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A \"rescue/recovery operation\" was underway Tuesday evening, he added in his statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed the attack during a briefing with reporters in Washington DC.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A US convoy of vehicles was attacked. What I can tell you is that no US citizens were involved,\" Kirby said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The State Department also confirmed the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"U.S. Mission Nigeria personnel are working with Nigerian security services to investigate,\" a spokesperson said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The security of our personnel is always paramount, and we take extensive precautions when organizing trips to the field.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Outlawed group -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nigerian officials often blame attacks in the southeast on the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra movement (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">IPOB has repeatedly denied responsibility for the violence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The group\'s leader Nnamdi Kanu is in government custody and faces trial for treason after being detained overseas and brought back to Nigeria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Separatism is a sensitive issue in Nigeria, where a declaration of an independent Biafra Republic by Igbo army officers in the southeast in 1967 triggered a three-year civil war that left more than one million dead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Violence in the southeast is just one of the many issues facing president-elect Bola Tinubu, who takes the helm of Africa\'s most populous nation later this month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The military is also battling a 14-year-old jihadist insurgency in the northeast, gangs who kidnap and kill in the northwest and central states and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a brief calm period during February and March elections for the presidency and governorships, attacks have been on the rise in the last few weeks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, who ran and lost in the February 25 presidential election, is one of those contesting Tinubu\'s victory, claiming fraud.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The electoral commission has recognised \"glitches\" during the vote but has dismissed claims that the process was not free and fair. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 10:08:06', '2023-05-17 10:08:06'),
(6940, 6940, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United Nations has unanimously adopted the first-ever resolution on community-based health care.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The resolution, titled “Community-based primary health care: a participatory and inclusive approach to universal health coverage,” acknowledged the important role community clinics play in promoting primary health care, women’s empowerment, community engagement and mobilization towards achieving universal access to health.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The resolution, in recognition of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s stellar contribution in establishing model community clinics in Bangladesh, highlighted “the Sheikh Hasina Initiative” as an exemplary innovative model of public-private partnership, said the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By introducing the “Community Clinic Model of Bangladesh’, the resolution asks member states to explore measures to scale up and reference best practices to benefit from successful national experience.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It reflects Bangladesh’s commitment to improve health and well-being of its citizens and to contributing to global health equity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith introduced the resolution in the General Assembly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The resolution, the first of its kind in the United Nations or the World Health Organization, was co-sponsored by 70 countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ambassador Muhith highlighted the impact of this resolution on achieving universal health coverage through inclusive community-based primary health care. Referring to today’s adoption of the resolution as a watershed moment in global efforts for universal and equitable access to health for all, he said that implementation of the resolution can make a world of difference to the lives of billions and their families and communities around the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It has a far-reaching impact in promoting international cooperation for universal health coverage as it invites international financial institutions, multilateral and regional development banks and donors to provide appropriate resources, especially for developing countries, to strengthen community-based health services towards the full implementation of the SDGs,” he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To bring all people of Bangladesh under primary health care coverage, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina introduced this unique community clinic model in Bangladesh in 1998 which has revolutionized the health care delivery to reach the doorsteps of people all over the country, particularly those in under-served areas and hard-to-reach populations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government has so far established more than 14,000 community clinics all over the country, with each clinic serving 6000 population.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Adoption of the resolution is a great recognition of the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in accelerating the progress to universal health coverage and implementation of SDGs by 2030, said the Bangladesh Mission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On behalf of the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York, the resolution was facilitated by Dr. Md. Monwar Hossain, Deputy Permanent Representative.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Mission has been playing a key role in global health diplomacy over the last few years and as a continuation of its effort, this resolution was conceptualized and initiated by the Mission earlier this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After four months of intensive negotiations among the Member States, the resolution was adopted unanimously. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 10:50:40', '2023-05-17 10:50:40');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6941, 6941, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Today marks the 43rd Homecoming Day of Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On May 17, 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned home from India, after nearly six years in exile, following the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members by some misguided army officers on August 15, 1975.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both daughters of Bangabandhu -- Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana -- survived as they were in Germany at the time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina was elected president of Awami League in her absence at the party\'s national council held on February 14-16, 1981.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Awami League and its associate bodies have chalked out various programmes to mark the day. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 11:10:31', '2023-05-17 11:10:31'),
(6942, 6942, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United States is providing $250,000 to assist Cyclone Mocha emergency relief efforts in the most severely affected areas.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The people of the United States stand with the people of Bangladesh and the Rohingya refugees affected by the cyclone,” US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas said today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On May 14, Cyclone Mocha moved through the Bay of Bengal, making landfall in Myanmar and Bangladesh, affecting over nearly half a million Bangladeshis living in coastal areas and almost one million Rohingyas in refugee camps.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The storm was one of the strongest in recent years causing significant tidal surges, heavy rain, and wind speeds of up to 140 km per hour in Bangladesh, resulting in widespread wind damage, flooding, and landslides.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has worked closely with Bangladesh to improve disaster preparedness and response over the past five decades of partnership.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Through the US Agency for International Development, the US government has built 900 multi-purpose disaster shelters in the most vulnerable areas of Bangladesh since 2001 and invested in early warning systems that keep hundreds of thousands of people safe from cyclones, flooding, and other emergencies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States is also the largest contributor to Rohingya refugee relief efforts, said the Embassy. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 11:27:52', '2023-05-17 11:27:52'),
(6943, 6943, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The crowd of thousands in central Bangkok erupted into deafening cheers at the arrival of Pita Limjaroenrat, the politician who led his party to a stunning victory over the military-backed groups that have dominated Thai politics for nearly a decade.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Smiling and waving from the back of a pick-up truck, the charismatic 42-year-old businessman led a short victory rally on Monday from Bangkok’s Democracy Monument to a plaza in front of the capital’s Metropolitan Administration Office, where he declared a “new day, bright with hope” for the people of Thailand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Anything is possible in our country when we all work together,” he told a sea of supporters clad in the party’s signature orange. “The next prime minister of Thailand will be named Pita Limjaroenrat and soon, we will change this country together.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hours before, the Elections Commission had declared Pita’s Move Forward Party the biggest winner in the general election held on Sunday. The progressive party, contesting elections for the first time, took 151 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives after campaigning on a bold platform of reforms to the monarchy and the military.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The populist opposition Pheu Thai came in second with 141 seats. The two parties have now agreed to begin coalition talks. But even with their stunning majority, it remains unclear if the royalist-military elite — who have staged two coups in the past 20 years — will hand over power easily.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several roadblocks lie in Move Forward’s path to Bangkok’s Government House.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chief among them are parliamentary rules that allow a military-appointed Senate an outsized role in choosing the next prime minister. But the ambitions of Move Forward’s potential coalition partner, Pheu Thai, may also yet prove to be an obstacle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">‘Hard times’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Analysts foresee a long and drawn-out process that could end in deadlock and say they fear this may trigger new instability in a country that has seen multiple coups followed by waves of protests — potentially paving the way for the military to step in again.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If Move Forward cannot form a government, we have to worry about party dissolution and even a military coup,” said Punchada Sirivunnabood, associate professor of social sciences and humanities at the Mahidol University in Bangkok. “Thailand faces hard times ahead. My hope is that the process of government formation will go smoothly and that there is no more conflict. Everyone is sort of sick of it, this cycle of protests, coups and protests.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is reason for concern.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Already, several senators have said they would not support a Move Forward-led coalition. Appointed during military rule, the 250-member upper chamber is allowed to vote on the prime minister, and any candidate for the top job must secure 376 votes across the combined chambers. If they wish to overrule the Senate, that number must come from the lower chamber alone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The biggest issue for the Senate is the party’s pledge to reform laws related to the monarchy — an institution revered in Thailand’s constitution. The plans include amending Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law, known as Article 112, which punishes insults to the monarchy with up to 15 years in jail. Move Forward has accused the current ruling coalition of using the law to stifle dissent, noting that at least 242 members of a huge youth-led protest movement that backed the party in Sunday’s elections are currently facing charges.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The youngest of them is only 15 years old.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Move Forward and Mr Pita once announced they will scrap Article 112, which will affect the monarchy. This is unacceptable.” said Senator Jadet Insawang in an interview with the Bangkok Post. “If Mr Pita is nominated [for prime minister], I will reject it because I will observe the constitution and keep my oath,” he added. Aljazeera</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 12:09:28', '2023-05-17 12:09:28'),
(6944, 6944, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><div><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The world\'s most famous shipwreck has been revealed as never seen before.</b><br></div><div><br></div><div>The first full-sized digital scan of the Titanic, which lies 3,800m (12,500ft) down in the Atlantic, has been created using deep-sea mapping.</div><div><br></div><div>It provides a unique 3D view of the entire ship, enabling it to be seen as if the water has been drained away.</div><div><br></div><div>The hope is that this will shed new light on exactly what happened to the liner, which sank in 1912.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 1,500 people died when the ship struck an iceberg on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There are still questions, basic questions, that need to be answered about the ship,\" Parks Stephenson, a Titanic analyst, told BBC News.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the model was \"one of the first major steps to driving the Titanic story towards evidence-based research - and not speculation.\"</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<img src=\"https://i.postimg.cc/TY3Djqhn/jjjjjj.jpg\" style=\"width: 600px;\"></div><div><br></div><div>The Titanic has been extensively explored since the wreck was discovered in 1985. But it\'s so huge that in the gloom of the deep, cameras can only ever show us tantalizing snapshots of the decaying ship - never the whole thing.</div><div><br></div><div>The new scan captures the wreck in its entirety, revealing a complete view of the Titanic. It lies in two parts, with the bow and the stern separated by about 800m (2,600ft). A huge debris field surrounds the broken vessel.</div><div><br></div><div>The scan was carried out in summer 2022 by Magellan Ltd, a deep-sea mapping company, and Atlantic Productions, who are making a documentary about the project.</div><div><br></div><div>Submersibles, remotely controlled by a team on board a specialist ship, spent more than 200 hours surveying the length and breadth of the wreck.</div><div><br></div><div>They took more than 700,000 images from every angle, creating an exact 3D reconstruction.</div><div><br></div><div>Magellan\'s Gerhard Seiffert, who led the planning for the expedition, said it was the largest underwater scanning project he\'d ever undertaken.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The depth of it, almost 4,000m, represents a challenge, and you have currents at the site, too - and we\'re not allowed to touch anything so as not to damage the wreck,\" he explained.</div><div><br></div><div>\"And the other challenge is that you have to map every square centimetre - even uninteresting parts, like on the debris field you have to map mud, but you need this to fill in between all these interesting objects.\"</div><div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<img src=\"https://i.postimg.cc/dt6gpvqz/kkkk.jpg\" style=\"width: 600px;\"></div><div><br></div><div>The scan shows both the scale of the ship, as well as some minute details, such as the serial number on one of the propellers.</div><div><br></div><div>Parks Stephenson, who has studied the Titanic for many years, said he was \"blown away\" when he first saw the scans.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It allows you to see the wreck as you can never see it from a submersible, and you can see the wreck in its entirety, you can see it in context and perspective. And what it\'s showing you now is the true state of the wreck.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He said that studying the scans could offer new insight into what happened to the Titanic on that fateful night of 1912.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We really don\'t understand the character of the collision with the iceberg. We don\'t even know if she hit it along the starboard side, as is shown in all the movies - she might have grounded on the iceberg,\" he explained.</div><div><br></div><div>Studying the stern, he added, could reveal the mechanics of how the ship struck the sea floor.</div><div><br></div><div>The sea is taking its toll on the wreck, microbes are eating away at it and parts are disintegrating. Historians are well aware that time is running out to fully understand the maritime disaster.</div><div><br></div><div>But the scan now freezes the wreck in time, and will allow experts to pore over every tiny detail. The hope is the Titanic may yet give up its secrets. BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 12:20:52', '2023-05-17 12:29:53'),
(6945, 6945, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality remained unhealthy for sensitive groups, despite the rain last evening and this morning.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 110 at 8:43 am, Dhaka ranked 7th in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India’s Delhi, Pakistan’s Lahore and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first three spots in the list, with AQI scores of 303, 179 and 154, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 101 and 150 is considered \'unhealthy\', AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 12:40:59', '2023-05-17 12:40:59'),
(6946, 6946, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A senior US State Department official has said Washington does not define its relationship with Bangladesh taking into account Dhaka’s ties with Russia, China or any other country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“US-Bangladesh relationship isn’t defined by China, by Russia and any other country,” US Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter told BSS diplomatic correspondent Tanzim Anwar in an exclusive interview this week in the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">She said that Washington had a broad range in multifaceted, multi-dimensional relationship with Bangladesh found lots of synergies as Dhaka recently released its Indo-Pacific Outlook (IPO) as many of its elements were common with US Indo Pacific Strategy (IPS).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Broadly, we see lot of synergies between our two documents, our strategy, and your (Bangladesh’s) outlook. We both are focused on building economic prosperity in the region and through infrastructure, through our substantial development projects,” the senior state department official said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh last month released its IPO envisioning a free, open, peaceful, secure, and inclusive indo-pacific region that appeared Dhaka’s expression its cohesion with the IPS which has been pursuing by the US in the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The State department official’s comments came months after US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas said Washington does not force countries to choose sides over relations with other countries and particularly with Beijing as “we don’t expect every country to have the same exact assessment of China as we do”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Haas, however, said the Russian actions in Ukraine currently appeared as the “most pressing strategic challenge” for the US vision for an “open, interconnected prosperous, secure and resilient Indo-pacific”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking to BSS Akhter pointed out with note of thanks Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent joint statement with Japanese premier Fumio Kishida “condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a violation of an International law and the UN charter”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I just want to say Prime Minister (Sheikh) Hasina’s recent statement on Russia . . . we really welcome it very positively,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Indo Pacific Outlook (IPO)</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US diplomat welcomed Dhaka’s announcement of IPO and said the two documents – US’s IPS and Bangladesh’s IPO – share “tremendous amount in common”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from the US, the other members of QUAD - an informal strategic forum of the US, Australia, India and Japan – welcomed Bangladesh IPO with Indian external affair minister Dr S Jaishankar this week saying “we are glad” about Bangladesh’s Outlook.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Akhter said Bangladesh’s IPO laid emphasis on “maritime security” issue which was a key focus of the US and the other QUAD partners and “so we will look for opportunities to continue to collaborate on that”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said economic growth is a key component of Bangladesh IPO while the US is the top export destination for Bangladesh as well as the top investor in Bangladesh and “so again we really look to build that out in the years to come”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Security cooperation:</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US official said that the US was currently working “very closely” with Bangladesh government on the remaining elements of General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), a foundational government-to-government agreement that permits greater collaboration.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We hope that (GSOMIA) will be signed in the coming months,” she said without any elaboration further.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">GSOMIA is a reciprocal legally-binding agreement between US and other governments to protecting classified military information regarding their security cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Akhter said that the US embassy defense attaché in Dhaka was in very regular consultation with concerned Bangladesh authorities on security cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the US planned to provide radar technology in countries throughout the Indo-pacific region to develop a common operating picture in the maritime domain under its Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative (IPMDA).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>RAB Sanction</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US deputy assistant secretary said Washington was pleased to see “a substantial decrease of extra judicial killings” after its sanction on Bangladesh’s elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We welcome that decrease (of in extra judicial killing) . . . (but) we need to see a long time sustained trend, positive changes of behavior (in RAB),” she said adding that Washington focused on ensuring accountability, reform and transparency of RAB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I would say that with respect to lifting sanctions on the RAB, we need to see long term systemic change for sanctions to be considered to be removed,” the state department official said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deputy assistant secretary also said Washington was concerned about the application Bangladesh’s Digital Security and particularly “where the Digital Security Act has been applied”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Rohingya Issue</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The state department official said that her country was working to find out a longer term durable solution to the crisis through repatriation of Rohinyas to Myanmar under the right condition, a task she termed as “difficult and challenging”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We believe very firmly that the conditions in Myanmar right now do not warrant a safe voluntary dignified return and so we would oppose any effort to forcibly repatriate individuals to Myanmar,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Akhter said the US might take more Rohingyas to the USA in future under its third country resettlement initiative which has started last December.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We started a very small pilot programme to relocate some of the most vulnerable Rohingya refugees to the US . . . we are hoping for increase the number of third country relocation,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Akhter said the US was the largest donor by far to the Rohingya crisis and regretted that other members of the UN Security Council “have not provided a Dime (as humanitarian support for the Rohingyas)”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Investment Plans</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Akhter said that the US government was giving priority on Bangladesh’s clean energy sector for investment. “We will be looking for opportunities to collaborate with Bangladesh on and looking forward (about energy sector cooperation).”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the US private sector’s relationships with Bangladesh was incredibly strong though Bangladesh’s regulatory environment needed to be improved to attract US business.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our trade attaché here is working with the government of Bangladesh for making Bangladesh economy more transparent and more attractive for the US private sector investors”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, Akhter said that the US embassy’s labor attaché here is also working very closely with Bangladesh government on improving labor conditions with respect of union registration and uniform application of the labour laws.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Akhter led the US delegation at the 6th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) hosted by Dhaka from May 12 to 13. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 12:47:43', '2023-05-17 12:47:43'),
(6947, 6947, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">United Arab Emirates (UAE) new ambassador here Ali Abdulla Khaseif AlHmoudi today assured Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of continued cooperation over development of Bangladesh\'s infrastructure and sea port as he called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"UAE will continue cooperation in development of Bangladesh\'s infrastructure and sea port for mutual benefit,\" PM\'s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted the UAE envoy as telling the premier at their courtesy meeting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chattogram port authority officials said a G to G deal has already signed between Bangladesh and UAE on particularly Chattogram port development cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said the UAE also want to operate a jetty of the bay terminal and New Mooring container terminal at Chattogram port.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While briefing newsmen after the meeting, Karim said the UAE envoy also assured that his county will carry forward the friendship of cooperation with Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UAE ambassador, as well, apprised the prime minister of his meeting with the state minister of civil aviation and tourism regarding the issue of cooperation in the aviation sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the foundation of the bilateral relation between Bangladesh and the UAE was laid by Fathers of the two nations Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan through the visit of Bangabandhu in 1974.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan also visited Dhaka in 1984 and played very pivotal role in establishing solid foundation of the bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meeting, the prime minister highly appreciated the UAE leadership as they are going to host the COP-28 summit in Dubai in November next.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While talking about Bangladeshi expatriates working in the UAE, Sheikh Hasina put emphasis on learning Arabic language for those willing to go to the UAE and other Arab Countries for seeking job.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Welcoming the new envoy of the UAE in Dhaka, the prime minister assured him of providing all cooperation during his stay in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also conveyed her best wishes to the UAE leadership through the ambassador.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister\'s Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin and Prime Minister\'s Principal Secretary Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah was present. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 14:44:49', '2023-05-17 14:44:49'),
(6948, 6948, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two soldiers of Bangladesh Army were killed and two officers injured in an attack by armed terrorists of Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA) in Ruma upazila of Bandarban district on Tuesday, said an ISPR press release issued on Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were Altaf Ahmed and Md Touhid while the injured were Major Monwar and Captain Ishtiak Ahmed Shawkat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the ISPR release, tipped off about a hideout of armed terrorists, a team of army, led by Major Monwar from Susingpara Army camp, conducted a drive at Jarulchharipara on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When they reached near a water fountain at Jarulchhari around 1:55 pm, the armed KNA members opened fire on them and hurled improvised explosive device (IED) targeting the army personnel, leaving four of them injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, the wounded army personnel were airlifted to Chattogram Combined Military Hospital (CMH) where two soldiers succumbed to their injuries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The injured army officers were undergoing treatment at the hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, on March 13, a senior army warrant officer was killed and two soldiers suffered injuries when members of the armed separatist group Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA) opened fire on a patrol team in Rowangchhari upazila of Bandarban district. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 14:58:26', '2023-05-17 14:58:26'),
(6949, 6949, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukraine denied on Wednesday that a Russian hypersonic missile had destroyed a US-made Patriot missile defense system during an air strike on Kyiv.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Russia’s defense ministry made the assertion on Tuesday after an overnight air attack on the Ukrainian capital. Two US officials later said a Patriot system had probably suffered damage but that it did not appear to have been destroyed.</div><div><br></div><div>“I want to say: do not worry about the fate of the Patriot,” Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television.</div><div><br></div><div>He ruled out the possibility of a Russian “Kinzhal” missile knocking out a Patriot system.</div><div><br></div><div>“Destroying the system with ‘Kinzhal’, it’s impossible. Everything that they say there, it can remain in their propaganda archive,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Patriot system is one of an array of sophisticated air defense units supplied by the West to help Ukraine repel Russian air strikes following Moscow’s invasion last year.</div><div><br></div><div>It is considered one of the most advanced US air defense systems, including against aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, and typically includes launchers along with radar and other support vehicles.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian president Vladimir Putin has touted the Kinzhal missile as proof that his country has world-beating military hardware.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine said it had shot down six Kinzhal missiles on Tuesday, but Russia denied this. It was not clear which Western weapon Ukraine used, and the Pentagon had no immediate comment. According to Reuters reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 15:44:07', '2023-05-17 15:44:07'),
(6950, 6950, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan secured an extension to his protective bail until May 31, his lawyer said on Wednesday, as an official announced people involved in violent protests over his arrest would be tried in military courts.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Khan had been bailed by the Islamabad High Court last Friday following his May 9 arrest, which sparked violent protests across the country that killed at least eight people.</div><div><br></div><div>The court extended the bail, which had been due to expire on Wednesday, because the prosecutor requested more time to produce details of the case against him, Khan’s lawyer Faisal Chaudhry told Reuters.</div><div><br></div><div>The arrest of the former prime minister, who was ousted in a parliamentary confidence vote in April last year, has deepened political instability in the South Asian nation of 220 million.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan was already facing its worst ever economic crisis, with a long delay in securing an IMF funding which is critical to avert a balance of payment crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>Thousands of Khan supporters had attacked and set on fire scores of government and public buildings, including the army’s headquarters, following his arrest.</div><div><br></div><div>On Wednesday the information minister for Punjab province, Amir Mir, said those accused of attacks on the army would be tried by military courts.</div><div><br></div><div>Rights groups have previously voiced concerns that military courts often conduct summary trials hearing only abridged evidence.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan, who is facing graft allegations he denies, has disowned those involved in arson, demanding an impartial inquiry.</div><div><br></div><div>The military has said the May 9 attacks against the army were “pre-planned” and ordered by Khan party’s leaders. Khan has denied the allegation and demanded an investigation. According to Reuters reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 16:32:53', '2023-05-17 16:32:53'),
(6951, 6951, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United Nations is racing to extend a deal that has allowed shipments of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea to parts of the world struggling with hunger, helping ease a global food crisis exacerbated by the war Russia launched more than a year ago.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The breakthrough accord that the U.N. and Turkey brokered with the warring sides last summer came with a separate agreement to ease shipments of Russian food and fertilizer that Moscow insists hasn\'t been applied.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia set a Thursday deadline for its concerns to be ironed out or it\'s bowing out. Such brinkmanship isn\'t new: With a similar extension in the balance in March, Russia unilaterally decided to renew the deal for just 60 days instead of the 120 days outlined in the agreement.</div><div><br></div><div>U.N. officials and analysts warn that a failure to extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative could hurt countries in Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia that rely on Ukrainian wheat, barley, vegetable oil and other affordable food products, especially as drought takes a toll. The deal helped lower prices of food commodities like wheat over the last year, but that relief has not reached kitchen tables.</div><div><br></div><div>“If you have a cancellation of the grain deal again, when we’re already at a pretty tight situation, it’s just one more thing that the world doesn’t need, so the prices could start heading higher,” said William Osnato, a senior research analyst at agriculture data and analytics firm Gro Intelligence. “You don’t see relief on the horizon.”</div><div><br></div><div>U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Monday that the deal was “critical” and talks were ongoing.</div><div><br></div><div>Negotiators who gathered in Istanbul last week made little apparent headway. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the grain deal “should be extended for a longer period of time and expanded” to “give predictability and confidence\" to markets.</div><div><br></div><div>Moscow says it opposes broadening or indefinitely expanding the deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that there\'s an “intense session of contacts” but that ”a decision is yet to be made.”</div><div><br></div><div>Russia, meanwhile, is rapidly shipping a bumper harvest of its wheat through other ports. Critics say that suggests Moscow is posturing or trying to wrest concessions in other areas — such as on Western sanctions — and claim it has dragging its heels on joint inspections of ships carried out by Russian, Ukrainian, U.N. and Turkish officials.</div><div><br></div><div>Average daily inspections — meant to ensure vessels carry only food and not weapons — have steadily dropped from a peak of 10.6 in October to 3.2 last month.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia denies slowing the work, with shipments of Ukrainian grain also declining in recent weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>“We cannot agree that the role of the Russian representative (inspector) should be reduced to automatic rubber-stamping, or approval, or appeals submitted by Kyiv,” Russia’s ambassador in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, told reporters last month.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked whether a blockade of Ukraine\'s coast or more attacks on its ports could follow any withdrawal from the agreement, Gatilov said Russian authorities were “considering all possible scenarios if the deal is not extended.”</div><div><br></div><div>Russia has five main asks, according to Gatilov:</div><div>A restoration of foreign supplies of farm machinery and replacement parts.</div><div><br></div><div>— A lifting of restrictions on insurance and access to foreign ports for Russian ships and cargo.</div><div><br></div><div>— Resumed operation of a pipeline that sends Russian ammonia, a key ingredient in fertilizer, to a Ukrainian Black Sea port.</div><div><br></div><div>— An end to restrictions on financial activities linked to Russia\'s fertilizer companies.</div><div><br></div><div>— Renewed access to the international SWIFT banking system for the Russian Agricultural Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>The U.N. says it\'s doing what it can, but those solutions mainly rest with the private sector, where it has little leverage.</div><div><br></div><div>The deal has allowed over 30 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain to be shipped, with more than half going to developing nations. China, Spain and Turkey are the biggest recipients, and Russia says that shows food isn\'t going to the poorest countries.</div><div><br></div><div>U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says Ukrainian corn for animal feed has headed to developed countries, while “a majority” of grain for people to eat has gone to emerging economies.</div><div><br></div><div>Even if a “meaningful part” of the shipments goes to developed nations, that “has a positive impact to all countries because it brings prices down,\" Guterres told reporters in Nairobi, Kenya, this month. \"And when you bring prices down, everybody benefits.”</div><div><br></div><div>Osnato, the analyst, said markets aren\'t reacting to Russia’s threats to exit the deal, with wheat recently hitting two-year lows. If the agreement isn’t extended or negotiations drag on, the “loss of Ukraine grains wouldn’t be a disaster” for a month or two, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He says there is “bluster” coming from Russia to push for easing some sanctions because it\'s shipping record amounts of wheat for the season, and its fertilizers are flowing well, too.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s more about trying to get a little leverage, and they’re doing what they can to put themselves in a better negotiating position,” Osnato said.</div><div><br></div><div>Trade flows tracked by financial data provider Refinitiv show that Russia exported just over 4 million tons of wheat in April, the highest volume for the month in five years, following record or near-record highs in several previous months.</div><div><br></div><div>Exports since last July reached 32.2 million tons, 34% above the same period from last season, according to Refinitiv. It estimates Russia will ship 44 million tons of wheat in 2022-2023.</div><div><br></div><div>The issue is more pressing with Ukraine’s wheat harvest coming up in June and the need to sell that crop in July. Not having a Black Sea shipping corridor in place at that point would “start taking another large chunk of wheat and other grains off the market,” Osnato said.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine can send its food by land through Europe, so it wouldn’t be completely cut off from world markets, but those routes have a lower capacity than sea shipments and have stirred disunity in the European Union.</div><div><br></div><div>Uncertainties like drought in places including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Syria and East Africa — big importers of food — are likely to keep food prices high, and an end to the U.N. deal wouldn\'t help.</div><div><br></div><div>“Any shock to the markets can cause massive harm with catastrophic ripple effects in countries balancing on the brink of famine,\" said Shashwat Saraf, emergency director for East Africa at the International Rescue Committee.</div><div><br></div><div>“The expiration of the Black Sea Grain Initiative is likely to trigger increased levels of hunger and malnutrition, spelling further disaster for East Africa,” Saraf said. According to AP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 18:38:35', '2023-05-17 18:38:35'),
(6952, 6952, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister’s ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy today said the nation can enjoy the fruits of freedom because Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter Sheikh Hasina returned to the country on May 17, 1981.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“On May 17, 1981, Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangabandhu, returned to the country with a sad heart, tearful eyes, and deep sorrow after losing her parents and siblings. Today we can enjoy the fruits of freedom because she returned to the country,” he wrote in his verified Facebook post.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Marking the Homecoming Day of Sheikh Hasina, now Prime Minister, he wrote that return of Sheikh Hasina began a new era in Bangladesh and shared a video documentary.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>With the elimination of the politics of violence, Joy wrote, “Today we have become wealthy, and we can breathe a sigh of peace in a clean and green Bangladesh”.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that the Awami League government has completed revolutionary work in changing people\'s living standards from village to village, city-suburb-downtowns, Joy wrote even through the modernization of the education sector with information technology, the new generation is getting the opportunity to develop themselves as humane and smart citizens, reports BSS</div><div><br></div><div>“With the visionary plan of Bangabandhu and Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Smart Bangladesh is gradually being developed by the hands of the smart generation,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 19:49:17', '2023-05-17 19:49:17'),
(6953, 6953, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said Bangladesh Awami League has successfully been able to retain its popularity even though it has been in power for a long time.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Staying in power for a long time, very few parties or men can sustain popularity or work for the welfare of the people continuously, But Awami League has been able to do so. We’ve proved it,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier said this when leaders of AL and its associate bodies greeted her at Ganabhaban on the occasion of her 43rd homecoming day.</div><div><br></div><div>On May 17, 1981, AL President Sheikh Hasina returned home from India, after nearly six years in exile, following the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members by some misguided army officers on August 15, 1975.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about AL’s steps to establish democracy and voting rights, and reform the electoral system,&nbsp; Hasina said those who were once vote riggers are now vocal on democracy and voting rights in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“Those who were the thieves and dacoits of votes (in the past) now want democracy and are talking about the voting rights. They were born in an illegal way. But we are to hear such words (lesion) from them,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The AL chief asked her party men not to consider such political rhetoric seriously rather stay beside the people, work for them to change their fortune and thus maintain the public trust and confidence in their party.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’ll have to retain the confidence of the people. The trust of the people is our only (source of) power. We’ve no other power except it.</div><div><br></div><div>She asked the party members to reorganize the party and its associate bodies stronger from the grassroots and stay alert so that the parties of terrorism, killing or war criminals can’t play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people anymore</div><div><br></div><div>She said AL is the only party that thinks for the welfare of Bangladesh and others are the parties of plunderers.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, I would request you all to pay attention so that the parties of terrorism, killings or war criminals can’t play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of Bangladesh anymore,”</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said Bangladesh has gained success in every area including saving the environment, food production or protection of human rights, curbing militancy and terrorism.&nbsp; Bangladesh has also been able to display this success before the whole world, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>“Since we’ve truly made development with limited resources, a small land and a large population, Bangladesh is now getting dignity as a role model for development internationally ,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>So, anti-liberation elements, war criminals, their successors and their local and international patrons would not like this progress of Bangladesh, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to the 2008 general election, she said the BNP-Jamaat alliance secured only 29 seats out of 300, while the AL-lead grand alliance gained the remaining others, proving the public perception wrong that the Awami League and BNP are the same and both are equally big parties.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina recalled her early days when she returned home from the 6-year exile and recollected the persons who assisted her in the tough days, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Since then (1981), the people of the country and the Awami League have been my family,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-17 23:10:23', '2023-05-17 23:10:23');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6954, 6954, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Myanmar’s military has imported arms worth at least $1bn since seizing power in February 2021, despite “overwhelming evidence of its responsibility for atrocity crimes”, a United Nations expert has said.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most of the weapons came from Russia, China and companies in Singapore, Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar said in a report [PDF] released on Wednesday in New York.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The exports cover weapons, dual-use technology and materials used to manufacture weapons exported from the day of the coup on February 1, 2021, to December 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“These weapons, and the materials to manufacture more of them, have continued to flow uninterrupted to the Myanmar military despite overwhelming evidence of its responsibility for atrocity crimes,” said the report. It identified more than 12,500 unique purchases or recorded shipments directly to the Myanmar military or known Myanmar arms dealers working on the military’s behalf.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The diversity and volume of goods provided to the Myanmar military since the coup is staggering,” it added, saying the military had taken delivery of weapons and equipment from fighter jets to drones, communications equipment and components for navy ships.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Myanmar was plunged into crisis by the coup, which triggered mass protests. A deadly crackdown ignited armed resistance, with ethnic armed groups that have long been fighting the military joining forces with so-called People’s Defence Forces (PDFs) to fight against the generals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PDFs are aligned with the National Unity Government (NUG) established by legislators removed in the coup and others opposed to military rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN and rights groups have accused the military of human rights abuses in its attempts to suppress opposition, saying some incidents may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his report to the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva, Andrews pointed to last month’s attack on Pazigyi village in the central Sagaing region, where reports indicate near-daily confrontations between resistance forces and soldiers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As some 300 villagers, including children, gathered to mark the opening of a new NUG office, a Russian-made Yak-130 fighter jet dropped two 250kg (550 pounds) bombs on the crowd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The ordinance detonated with deadly impact – ripping the bodies of men, women, and children open, turning their skin to ash, and inflicting critical shrapnel wounds,” the report said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Amid the carnage, the attack continued as two Mi-35 attack helicopters fired on the survivors and those trying to help the wounded.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least 160 people were killed and the remains of only 59 people were identifiable, the report noted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The attack is yet another example of the Myanmar junta’s probable crimes against humanity and war crimes against the people of Myanmar,” it said. Aljazeera</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 08:11:26', '2023-05-18 08:11:26'),
(6955, 6955, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Ukraine’s foreign minister told a top Chinese envoy that Kyiv would not accept any proposals to end the war with Russia that involved Ukraine losing territory or the of the placing the conflict on hold, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba made the remarks during a meeting in Kyiv with Li Hui, who is China’s special representative for Eurasian affairs and former ambassador to Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kuleba discussed with Li “ways to stop Russian aggression”, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his meeting, Kuleba “emphasised that Ukraine does not accept any proposals that would involve the loss of its territories or the freezing of the conflict”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Restoring a “just peace” in Ukraine depended on “respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”, Kuleba said, according to the statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There was no word on how Li responded to Kuleba.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Li was in Kyiv on Tuesday and Wednesday seeking to promote Beijing-led negotiations to resolve the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Li is the highest-ranking Chinese diplomat to visit Ukraine since Moscow invaded in February 2022 and his arrival in Kyiv comes three weeks after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke by telephone with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelenskyy also appointed a new Ukrainian ambassador to China on the same day, the Kyiv Independent media organisation reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials in Kyiv had warned ahead of the Chinese visit that Ukraine did not need “mediation for the sake of mediation”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Ending the war with a compromise at the expense of Ukraine will not work,” a senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the French news agency Agence France-Presse.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beijing said the aim of the visit was to “communicate with all parties on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Li is now expected to visit Moscow, according to the Chinese government, and also Poland, Germany and France to discuss a possible political solution to the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi, who visited Moscow in March and has aimed to position China as a neutral mediator, has been criticised for refusing to condemn the Kremlin’s attack on its neighbour and the now 15-month-long war. China has also supported Moscow politically.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials in Beijing recently ordered foreign embassies to remove so-called “propaganda” on display at diplomatic missions in what is being interpreted as an apparent reference to shows of support for Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A spokesperson for the European Union said the Protocol Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry circulated a note on May 8 to all diplomatic missions to the effect that they should “respect Chinese laws and regulations” and “not to use the external walls of embassies to carry out politicised propaganda to avoid causing disputes between countries”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The note does not specify what might constitute “politicised propaganda”, nor communicates further on the matter, said the EU spokesperson.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to diplomats in Beijing, Ukrainian flags and placards set up by the embassies of Canada, France, Germany and other governments are the only public displays by most foreign missions other than tourism advertisements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Countries supporting Ukraine see little current prospect for a negotiated peace, particularly owing to Russia’s insistence on achieving its war aims and the Kremlin’s demand that Kyiv acknowledge Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and the Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhia, which most nations have denounced as illegal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine has rejected those demands and ruled out any talks with Russia until its troops pull back from all occupied territories.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelenskyy’s own 10-point peace plan also includes an international tribunal to prosecute crimes of aggression, which would enable Russia to be held accountable for its invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelenskyy told reporters during his recent visit to Italy that there was little point in efforts by certain countries to attempt to “mediate between Ukraine and Russia to end the war”, what was needed was a “just peace” based on Ukraine’s formula for peace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Russia started the war. Russia took lives. The war is on our land. We know all the crises that have happened, the challenges: nuclear, environmental, food, energy. Only we know what it is like,” Zelenskyy said in respone to questions regarding China or the Vatican’s possible role in a peace efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have not proposed an artificial plan – we have proposed how to get out of this situation, to end the war – according to the law, respecting the UN Charter, international law, people, values,” he said, according to a transcript on President of Ukraine’s website.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several African countries as well as Brazil and the Vatican have spoken out in favour of peace talks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Tuesday that Putin and Zelenskyy had agreed to host “an African leaders peace mission” in Moscow and Kyiv, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ramaphosa did not give a time frame or outline any parameters for the possible peace talks which would involve a delegation of leaders from six African countries to discuss a possible peace plan. Aljazeera</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 08:24:55', '2023-05-18 08:24:55'),
(6956, 6956, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Leaders of seven of the world’s most powerful democracies will gather this weekend for the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, the location of the world’s first atomic attack at the end of World War II.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">From the emergence of crucial developing countries to security worries, including growing aggression from China, North Korea and Russia, here’s a look at the G-7, who will attend and some of the key issues:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS THE G-7 SUMMIT?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Group of Seven is an informal group of leading industrialized nations. It consists of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year is Japan’s turn to host, but the presidency of G-7 summits revolves among the seven members. Two representatives of the European Union also join.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As is customary in recent years, leaders from some non-G-7 countries and international organizations will also participate in some sessions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The leaders discuss a wide range of issues, including economic policy, security, climate change, energy and gender.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first summit was in 1975, when France hosted what was then a Group of Six meeting to discuss tackling a recession that followed an Arab oil embargo. Canada became the seventh member a year later. Russia joined to form the G-8 in 1998 but was expelled after Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHO ELSE IS COMING?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year, the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Comoros, Cook Islands, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam are invited, as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stresses the importance of reaching out to developing countries in the so-called Global South and U.S. allies and partners.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The invitations to leaders outside the G-7 are meant to extend cooperation to a broader range of countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The G-7 countries’ share of global economic activity has shrunk to about 30% from roughly 50% four decades ago. Developing economies such as China, India and Brazil have made huge gains, raising questions about the G-7′s relevance and its role in leading a world economy that’s increasingly reliant on growth in less wealthy nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Leaders of the United Nations, the International Energy Agency, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the World Trade Organization are also invited.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHY HIROSHIMA?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hiroshima is Kishida’s hometown. His choice of venue underscores a determination to put nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation at the top of the agenda of this year’s summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A path to nuclear disarmament has appeared more difficult with Russia’s recent nuclear weapon threats in Ukraine, as well as nuclear and missile development by China and North Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japan, which is protected by the U.S. nuclear umbrella, has also faced criticism that its nuclear disarmament pledge is an empty promise. Kishida is trying to forge a realistic roadmap between the current harsh reality and the ideal of a world without nuclear weapons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida on Friday will welcome arriving leaders at the Hiroshima Peace Park. He also plans to escort the leaders to the A-bomb museum, in the first group visit by heads of nuclear states. There might also be a meeting with atomic bomb survivors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I believe the first step toward any nuclear disarmament effort is to provide a first-hand experience of the consequences of the atomic bombing and to firmly convey the reality,” Kishida said Saturday during a visit to Hiroshima to observe summit preparations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT ARE THE TOP ISSUES?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">G-7 leaders are expected to strongly condemn Russia’s war on Ukraine while pledging their continuing support for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join the session via the internet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There will also be a focus on Beijing’s escalating threats against Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island Beijing claims as its own, and ways to reduce Western democracies’ economic and supply chain dependency on China.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To address the rise of Global South nations, including many former colonies of Western powers with varied views on and ties to Russia and China, the G-7 will offer these countries more support in health, food security and infrastructure to develop closer ties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a closely watched event on the sidelines of the summit, Kishida will meet together with President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to discuss closer security cooperation, possibly including stronger nuclear deterrence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kishida and Yoon will pay their respects together at a Hiroshima memorial for Korean atomic bomb victims in a trust-building gesture as the two countries repair ties strained by disputes stemming from Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 09:04:21', '2023-05-18 09:04:21'),
(6957, 6957, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A high school student who killed three women in northwestern New Mexico with an indiscriminate spray of gunfire left a cryptic note presaging “the end of the chapter” and wore a bulletproof vest that he discarded before being shot to death by police, authorities said Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police added new details to the profile of the lone gunman and the weaponry he used as he walked through his residential neighborhood before being confronted by officers and fatally shot outside a church. The shooter discharged more than 190 rounds during the rampage, according to authorities, most of them from the home he shared with his father.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe said in a news conference that 18-year-old Beau Wilson was wearing what appeared to be a modified vest with steel plates and that the note was found in his pocket. Handwritten in green lettering, the message said in part, “if your reading this im the end of the chapter.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wilson began shooting with an AR-15 rifle just outside his home, from the front porch area, but quickly dropped that into some bushes even though it still held more live ammunition, police said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The gunman continued firing with two pistols, discarding a .22-caliber gun and then depleting rounds from a 9-mm handgun in the final shootout with police, during which he let off at least 18 rounds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Slain by the shooter were longtime Farmington residents Gwendolyn Schofield, 97, her 73-year-old daughter, Melody Ivie, and 79-year-old Shirley Voita, police said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The women were well known in the community, in part through participation in faith-based groups. Ivie ran a preschool for four decades that was attended by several generations of residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those wounded in the attack include Farmington police Sgt. Rachel Discenza and New Mexico State Police Officer Andreas Stamatiadas. The officers were treated at a local hospital and released.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police are probing Wilson’s access to weapons and concerns about his prior mental health, and efforts are underway to subpoena medical and school records that might shed light on any issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also read: New Mexico high school student killed 3 women in \'random\' shooting rampage, police say</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have been talking with family members and trying to do more investigation into his mental health that appears to — early on — to be a factor,” Hebbe said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the same time, Hebbe said, “there did not appear to be significant indications that ... something was going to happen that day.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New Mexico enacted a so-called red flag law in 2020 that can be used to seize guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others. Judicial records show the Farmington Police Department has petitioned successfully for the removal of guns in other instances, most recently in February.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In November, after he turned 18, Wilson legally purchased the assault-style weapon used Monday, according to police. They believe two of the three weapons he carried were owned by relatives.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two days before the attack, Wilson purchased additional ammunition magazines, police said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities said it appears he shot indiscriminately at vehicles, and bullets struck 11 of them along with seven homes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Additional weapons and ammunition were found at the home Wilson shared with his father, but Hebbe said he did not appear to have organized those before he left the house. The suspect had access to over 1,400 rounds of ammunition and 10 other weapons at the time of the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“He planned to use the three weapons he had,” Hebbe said, “and he went outside and he did just that.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police say evidence shows that at least 176 rounds were fired by Wilson from an assault rifle near his house at the outset of the rampage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A community vigil was planned for Wednesday night at the Farmington Museum, the latest in a series of gatherings to remember and mourn victims of the shooting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wilson was a senior at Farmington High School and had been scheduled to graduate the next day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the school’s commencement ceremony Tuesday, speakers talked of resilience and hope.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A chair was left empty with a bouquet of white roses “in memory of those we lost throughout the years,” school district spokesperson Roberto Taboada said. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 09:07:57', '2023-05-18 09:07:57'),
(6958, 6958, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Netflix on Wednesday wooed marketers with word that its nascent ad-supported plan has grown to nearly five million users globally.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The streaming television star touted its shows, viewer demographics, and more at a virtual \"Upfront\" presentation to advertisers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Since early this year, our ads member base has more than doubled),\" Netflix cochief Greg Peters said as the event kicked off.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"On average, more than a quarter of our sign-ups now choose the ads plan in countries where it\'s available.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As growth at Netflix cooled last year, the Silicon Valley-based streaming company focused on creating a lower priced subscription tier with advertising.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Membership in its ad-supported tier has more than doubled since early this year, growing to nearly five million, according to Netflix.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Netflix in April said that its total number of subscribers hit a record high 232.5 million.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We share a common goal,\" Peters told advertisers during Upfront.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You want to connect consumers with your amazing brands, and we want to connect them with amazing entertainment they\'ll love.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 70 percent of those subscribing to the ad-supported plan at Netflix range in age from 18 to 49, according to the company.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Netflix shows and movies are generating global audiences that are many times bigger than our closest competitors,\" said Netflix cochief Ted Sarandos.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During Upfront, Netflix touted its line-up of shows including new productions such as “Griselda\" with Sofia Vergara and new seasons of hit originals including \"Stranger Things.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 09:47:34', '2023-05-18 09:47:34'),
(6959, 6959, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukraine\'s capital Kyiv has been attacked from the air by Russia for the ninth time this month.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking before the all-clear was given, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said a fire in one district had been caused by falling debris.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Blasts were also heard in central Ukraine in the regions of Vinnitsa, Khmelnitsky and Zhytomyr.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv\'s military administration said preliminary information indicated all incoming missiles had been destroyed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Writing on Telegram, Mr Klitschko said the fire had broken out in a garage in the Darnitsya area of Kyiv, but added no one had been injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The head of Kyiv\'s civilian military administration said a heavy missile attack had been launched from Russian strategic bombers over the Caspian sea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Serhiy Popko said the attack probably included cruise missiles, adding that Russia had deployed reconnaissance drones over Kyiv after unleashing its wave of air strikes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Wednesday, at least eight people were reportedly killed - including a five-year-old boy near Kherson - and 17 injured by shelling in Ukraine, as both sides traded accusations of striking civilian areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Western officials say Ukraine\'s army is at \"an increased state of readiness\" ahead of a long-awaited counter- offensive against Russia\'s invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The officials said many of Kyiv\'s military capabilities were now \"coming together\" - including its ability to deploy tanks, fighting vehicles and combat engineers, as well as clearing mines, bridging rivers and striking long-range targets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said Russian troops were in a parlous state but warned that Moscow\'s defensive lines in Ukraine were \"potentially formidable\" and guarded by \"extensive minefields\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So the officials argued the success of any Ukrainian offensive should be measured not just by territorial gains but also by whether it convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin to rethink his strategy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The \"cognitive effect on the Kremlin\", they claimed, was more important than Ukrainian forces cleaving through Russian lines all the way to the border. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">&nbsp;bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 09:53:33', '2023-05-18 09:53:33'),
(6960, 6960, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka saw light rainfall this morning, which helped improve the air quality and provide relief from the heat.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The weather department recorded 50 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, till 6 am today, said Bazlur Rashid, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several districts had rain since last night, and Dhaka will likely be drenched again in the afternoon and tonight, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The rain in the morning, however, caused gridlock on several major streets in Dhaka, and city dwellers were stuck on the road during rush hour.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People, especially office and school goers, struggled to reach their destinations in the rain due to lack of public transport in the morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers and rickshaw-pullers were seen charging fares higher than usual.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People were seen heading towards schools to drop their children with umbrellas and raincoats while traffic police were seen struggling to control vehicle movement during the rain.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the Met Office bulletin, “Rain or thundershower accompanied by temporary west/northwesterly squally wind at the speed of 60-80 kph is likely to occur over the regions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Pabna, Bogura, Jashore, Kushita, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Khulna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Cumilla and Sylhet wherein riverports should hoist riverine warning signal two.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rain or thundershower with temporary west/northwesterly gusty or squally wind at the speed of 45-60 kph is likely to occur elsewhere over the country wherein river ports shall hoist cautionary signal 1, or said. The inland river port warning is valid till 1 pm on May 18. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 09:58:54', '2023-05-18 09:58:54'),
(6961, 6961, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Manchester City produced a landmark performance to reach the Champions League final as Bernardo Silva\'s double put Real Madrid to the sword in a 4-0 thrashing that secured a 5-1 aggregate win for the English champions on Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eder Militao\'s own goal and Julian Alvarez\'s strike in stoppage time rounded off a memorable night for Pep Guardiola\'s men as they moved to within three wins of matching Manchester United\'s treble in 1998/99.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"To play like that against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals is a huge satisfaction,\" said Guardiola.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A fifth Premier League title in six seasons appears a formality with City needing just three points from their final three games, while United await in the FA Cup final on June 3.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it is a first ever Champions League that City crave the most and they will be strong favourites to finally conquer Europe against Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seven years into Guardiola\'s reign as City boss, the home fans were sent into seventh heaven by the quality of a display that rivalled the former Barcelona boss\' Champions League final wins in charge of the Catalan giants in 2009 and 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid dashed City\'s dreams at this stage last season with a remarkable comeback from two goals down in the dying seconds of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Carlo Ancelotti\'s men this time had no answer to City\'s excellence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I had the feeling we had the pain of last year in our stomach,\" added Guardiola.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Today it all came out in our energy and desire. Sport always give you a second chance to take revenge. We had the luck to get that chance this year and we took it.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Were it not for Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the defending champions would have been on the end of a hiding before half-time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The giant Belgian needed all of his two-metre (6ft 7in) frame to claw Erling Haaland\'s header round the post.Haaland had already been denied his 53rd goal of the season by Courtois with another downward header.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rodri, John Stones and Jack Grealish also saw pot shots fly off target from the edge of the area, but Madrid\'s luck finally ran out on 23 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kevin De Bruyne unpicked the lock as his pass found Silva inside the area, and he smashed high past Courtois\' left hand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- No \'drama\' for Ancelotti –</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The visitors had barely registered a touch inside the City half for the opening half hour, but were inches away from an equaliser 10 minutes before half-time when a piledriver from Toni Kroos rattled the crossbar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just as Madrid were beginning to settle, City grabbed the second goal their first half dominance deserved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The in-form Ilkay Gundogan was denied a fifth goal in May by Militao\'s block, but the ball looped up kindly for Silva to head into an unguarded net.City had to show a different side to their game early in the second-half to weather Madrid\'s reaction and ensure there was no repeat of last season\'s late drama between the sides.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have played against a team that deserved to win,\" said Ancelotti.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We don\'t have to make a drama of it. This squad did very well this year, did very well last year and we weren\'t able to reach another final.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The closest Real came to a lifeline was a dipping free-kick from David Alaba that Ederson tipped over.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the other end Courtois continued to win his personal battle with Haaland by turning the Norwegian\'s shot onto the bar when one-on-one.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But City won the war to move within one match of completing a transformation in the club\'s fortunes since an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The next blow to the Spanish giants was self-inflicted as Militao deflected Manuel Akanki\'s header past Courtois 15 minutes from time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Haaland was replaced by Alvarez two minutes from the end and that was all the Argentine World Cup winner needed to make his mark as he slotted home from Phil Foden\'s pass. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 10:26:22', '2023-05-18 10:26:22'),
(6962, 6962, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia and Ukraine agreed Wednesday to extend a deal allowing grain exports across the Black Sea, a rare example of cooperation as the war rages and one of Kyiv\'s valuable Patriot anti-missile systems was confirmed to be damaged.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The grain deal was welcomed by the United Nations and United States, though both called for more certainty over the exports as Russia has threatened to end the pact, which is crucial to global food security.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The agreement came as Ukraine\'s foreign minister met China\'s special envoy in Kyiv, and insisted that the war-torn country would not accept any peace plan that relied on giving up territory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China, a close ally of Moscow, has not publicly condemned Russia\'s invasion, and envoy Li Hui sought to promote Beijing-led negotiations to resolve the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his meeting with Li, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed \"Ukraine does not accept any proposals that would involve the loss of its territories or the freezing of the conflict\", his ministry said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since Russia invaded, Western arms -- mostly from the United States -- have poured into Ukraine, including Patriot systems to help shield against relentless missile strikes targeting civilians and infrastructure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of only two Patriot systems confirmed to be in Ukraine was damaged by an unspecified projectile landing nearby, US officials confirmed Wednesday, though they said it was still functioning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Russian defense ministry said Tuesday that its forces had struck a Patriot system in Kyiv with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, but the claim was not confirmed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s air defenses have played a key role in protecting the country from strikes and preventing Moscow\'s forces from gaining control of the skies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But as Russia faced increasing setbacks on the ground, it began air attacks that have disrupted electricity, water and heat to millions of people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Key Ukrainian ports -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, which has a central role in the grain deal, announced the two-month extension, saying Russia had agreed not to block ships from leaving two Ukrainian ports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"These agreements matter for global food security; Ukrainian and Russian products feed the world,\" UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I hope we will reach a comprehensive agreement to improve, expand and extend the initiative.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia has repeatedly threatened to pull out of the deal, which was meant to expire on May 18, and again on Wednesday denounced \"disparities\" in how it is implemented.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv has accused Russia of effectively still blocking its ships by refusing to register them and conducting lengthy inspections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s a good thing that (the deal) has been extended,\" said US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. \"Unfortunately, Russia continues even in a moment of extension to rhetorically hold it hostage in various ways.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the ground, fighting continued for control of the eastern town of Bakhmut.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine is seeking to take back territory occupied by Russian forces in the wake of the February 2022 invasion and also areas seized by Russia in 2014.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The battle for Bakhmut has turned into the longest standoff of the war. Ukraine is now saying it is advancing in the area, retaking Russian positions in Bakhmut\'s suburbs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a sign of the conflict\'s toll on Russia\'s economy, the statistics agency Rosstat said Wednesday that the country\'s gross domestic product shrank by 1.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The economy was weighed down by another wave of Western sanctions, including a ban by the European Union on Russian petroleum products, on top of an oil price cap agreed with the G7 and Australia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And in Iceland, a meeting of European leaders agreed to establish a \"register of damages\" to record the destruction wrought by Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Created by the 46-nation Council of Europe, it sets up a record ahead of possible prosecutions of Russian leaders, laying the groundwork for potential compensation. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 10:56:16', '2023-05-18 10:56:16');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6963, 6963, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Farmers are all smiles thanks to the bumper production of mango in Chapainawabganj district.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Mango is the main cash crop in Chapainawabganj, and this year the price of mango seems profitable in the local market.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The mango farmers are busy nurturing their orchards in the district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After meeting local demand, a huge quantity of different varieties of mangoes are being supplied to other parts of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the district’s Department of Agriculture Extension, there are 37,588 hectares of mango orchards and the government has set a target to produce 4,40,956 metric tonnes of mango this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Production of mango this year has exceeded that in the previous years. Last year, 3.25 lakh metric tonnes of mango were produced in the district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This correspondent spoke to some mango farmers. They said, due to the hot temperatures and inadequate rain, the average size of mangoes are a tad small, but ripe, juicy mangoes will start flooding the local markets within next week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Serajul Islam, a mango farmer of Nashipur area in Sadar upazila, said, “This year we have seen a good yield of mango, though a drought-like situation is going on. We sprayed water on the trees to deal with the situation.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He expected a bumper yield of mangoes if no hailstorm happens.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abdur Rakib, another mango farmer, said, “We are happy with the local administration’s decision over not fixing the day for harvesting mangoes. We hope we will be able to provide our mangoes when they are fully matured.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also claimed that the market price of mango is good and if it remains so, farmers will make profit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azizul, another mango farmer, said that this year, the farmers saw a good yield of four varieties of mango including Fazli, Khirsapat, Bombay Khirsa and Langra.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">First, the farmers will be harvesting Guti and Gopalbhog varieties of mango then the market will be flooded with Khirsapat, Langra, Fazli, Amrapali, Bari-4 and Aswina mangoes in phases, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Palash Sarkar, deputy director of the district DAE, said, “This year, mango trees in the district were blessed with an abundance of blossoms, and the yield of mango is also good.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“During drought-like situations, we asked the mango farmers to spray water on their trees,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year, the local administration has not fixed any schedule for harvesting mangoes in Chapainawabganj.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There will be no fixed time for plucking and marketing mangoes. The fruits can be harvested only when they are matured, said Chapainawabganj Deputy Commissioner AKM Galiv Khan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They have decided to take strict action if anyone tries to pluck and market mangoes that have not fully matured, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local administration also decided to conduct mobile court drives to check use of chemicals on mangoes, and a monitoring team will remain in force to ensure safe and chemical-free mangoes. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 11:50:47', '2023-05-18 11:50:47'),
(6964, 6964, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin today urged lawyers to play their due role to establish good governance in the country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The incumbent government wants to ensure good governance in the country ... Lawyers must perform their assigned duties in a proper manner,\" he told a view-exchange meeting with the lawyers at Pabna District Bar here this evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Head of State added: \"The present government believes in the rule of law. So the independence of judiciary has been ensured in the country\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A former district and sessions judge Shahabuddin said the independence of the judiciary depends on the coordination of judges and lawyers.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If there is a good relationship between lawyers and judges . . . the rule of law will be established then,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The President said purification strategy is very urgent here and the lawyers cannot assist the bench where corruption taints society.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Lawyers not only assist judges in their legal profession but also sometime guide them,\" the former lawyer observed.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The President said laws are introduced for the welfare of common people and it is the job of lawyers to present the law naturally and give a clear and correct interpretation of the law.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bar association leaders and senior lawyers were present on the occasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, the President unveiled the portrait plaque of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - \"Bangabandhu Corner\" - at the Pabna District and Sessions Judge Court premises.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, he visited the District and Sessions Judge Court Museum there.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, on his arrival there, the President was welcomed by judges led by District and Sessions Judge Begum Shamim Ahmed with a flower of bouquet.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, the President visited \"Valiant Freedom Fighter Shahabuddin Chupu Amusement Park\".&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He spent some time there and exchanged greetings with all concerned.&nbsp; BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 12:04:39', '2023-05-18 12:04:39'),
(6965, 6965, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Four Indigenous children, including an 11-month-old baby, have been found alive in the dense Colombian Amazon after a plane crash more than two weeks ago, President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday, declaring \"joy for the country.\"</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Petro said on Twitter the children were found after \"arduous search efforts\" by the military, which has yet to confirm the rescue.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 100 soldiers had been deployed with sniffer dogs to search for the minors who were traveling in an airplane that crashed on May 1, leaving three adults including the pilot and the children\'s mother dead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rescuers had said they believed the children -- who in addition to the 11-month-old include a 13, nine and four-year-old -- were wandering through the jungle in the southern Caqueta department since the crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Petro did not provide any details on where the children had been rescued or how they survived alone in the jungle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Avianline Charters, owner of the crashed aircraft, said that one of its pilots in the search area was told the children had been found and that they \"were being transported by boat downriver and that they were all alive.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the company also said that \"there has been no official confirmation\" that the children were completely out of danger, and thunderstorms in the area still posed a risk to them reaching safety.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The armed forces had earlier said their search efforts intensified after rescuers came across a \"shelter built in an improvised way with sticks and branches,\" leading them to believe there were survivors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In photographs released by the military, scissors, shoes, and hair ties could be seen among branches on the jungle floor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A baby\'s drinking bottle and half-eaten pieces of fruit had been spotted before the shelter\'s discovery.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday and Tuesday, soldiers found the bodies of the pilot and two adults who had been flying from a jungle location to San Jose del Guaviare, one of the main cities in Colombia\'s Amazon rainforest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the dead passengers, Ranoque Mucutuy, was the mother of the four children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inaccessible region</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Giant trees that can grow up to 40 meters tall and heavy rainfall made the \"Operation Hope\" search difficult.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Three helicopters were used to help, one of which blasted out a recorded message from the children\'s grandmother in their native Huitoto language telling them to stop moving through the jungle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities have not indicated what caused the plane crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The pilot had reported problems with the engine just minutes before the airplane disappeared from radars, Colombia\'s disaster response body said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is a region with few roads and is also difficult to access by river, so airplane transport is common.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The children are from the Indigenous Huitoto community, also spelled Witoto, who are known for living in harmony with the remote jungle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The community develops skills in hunting, fishing and gathering, which may have helped the children to survive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Exploitation, disease and assimilation have reduced the population sharply over many decades.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Petro, who announced the rescue, is Colombia\'s first leftist president.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">4 Children, Including Baby, Found Alive In Amazon After Plane Crash</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities have not indicated what caused the plane crash. (Representatinal Image)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bogot, Colombia: Four Indigenous children, including an 11-month-old baby, have been found alive in the dense Colombian Amazon after a plane crash more than two weeks ago, President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday, declaring \"joy for the country.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Petro said on Twitter the children were found after \"arduous search efforts\" by the military, which has yet to confirm the rescue.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 100 soldiers had been deployed with sniffer dogs to search for the minors who were traveling in an airplane that crashed on May 1, leaving three adults including the pilot and the children\'s mother dead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rescuers had said they believed the children -- who in addition to the 11-month-old include a 13, nine and four-year-old -- were wandering through the jungle in the southern Caqueta department since the crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Petro did not provide any details on where the children had been rescued or how they survived alone in the jungle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Avianline Charters, owner of the crashed aircraft, said that one of its pilots in the search area was told the children had been found and that they \"were being transported by boat downriver and that they were all alive.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the company also said that \"there has been no official confirmation\" that the children were completely out of danger, and thunderstorms in the area still posed a risk to them reaching safety.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The armed forces had earlier said their search efforts intensified after rescuers came across a \"shelter built in an improvised way with sticks and branches,\" leading them to believe there were survivors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In photographs released by the military, scissors, shoes, and hair ties could be seen among branches on the jungle floor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A baby\'s drinking bottle and half-eaten pieces of fruit had been spotted before the shelter\'s discovery.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday and Tuesday, soldiers found the bodies of the pilot and two adults who had been flying from a jungle location to San Jose del Guaviare, one of the main cities in Colombia\'s Amazon rainforest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One of the dead passengers, Ranoque Mucutuy, was the mother of the four children.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inaccessible region</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Giant trees that can grow up to 40 meters tall and heavy rainfall made the \"Operation Hope\" search difficult.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Three helicopters were used to help, one of which blasted out a recorded message from the children\'s grandmother in their native Huitoto language telling them to stop moving through the jungle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities have not indicated what caused the plane crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The pilot had reported problems with the engine just minutes before the airplane disappeared from radars, Colombia\'s disaster response body said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is a region with few roads and is also difficult to access by river, so airplane transport is common.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The children are from the Indigenous Huitoto community, also spelled Witoto, who are known for living in harmony with the remote jungle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The community develops skills in hunting, fishing and gathering, which may have helped the children to survive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Exploitation, disease and assimilation have reduced the population sharply over many decades.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Petro, who announced the rescue, is Colombia\'s first leftist president.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He came to power last August but has been unable to usher in the fundamental reforms in labor law, healthcare, pensions and the judiciary that he promised during his campaign. NDTV</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 12:32:55', '2023-05-18 12:32:55'),
(6966, 6966, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the election of Md Shahabuddin as president of the country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The eight-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order and fined the writ petitioner Advocate MA Aziz Tk one lakh “for wasting the court’s time” by filling an “illogical writ petition.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The other members of the bench are: Justice Md. Nuruzzaman, Justice Obaidul Hassan, Justice Borhanuddin, Justice M. Enayetur Rahim, Justice Md. Ashfaqul Islam, Justice Md. Abu Zafor Siddique, Justice Jahangir Hossain.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Advocate MA Aziz Khan stood for the petitioner while Attorney General MA Amin Uddin represented the state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 7, a writ petition was filed challenging the legality of the process for electing Md Shahabuddin as president and publication of the gazette notification by the Election Commission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The writ petition also sought a stay order of the operation of the gazette notification issued by the Election Commission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 15, the High Court rejected the writ petition. On March 21, an appeal petition was filed against the HC order that has rejected the writ petition. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 12:58:32', '2023-05-18 12:58:32'),
(6967, 6967, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with her mother Doria Ragland, were involved in a car chase while they were being pursued by paparazzi in New York City on Tuesday night. Now a witness to the car chase has called out the hyperbolic description of the incident as \"near catastrophic\" to be nothing more than \"sensational.\"&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement, \"Last night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi. This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone’s safety. Dissemination of these images, given the ways in which they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all involved,\" it added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, according to a report by People, a photographer on the scene has shared their opinion calling out the description of the incident. They said that it is \"sensational\" to term the car chase as \"near catastrophic.\" They said, \"Nobody got a ticket or arrested... I don\'t see how it was near catastrophic other than crazy hyperbole.\" The source also reports, \"Prince Harry and Meghan Markle\'s driver gets pulled over after he was observed by NYPD swerving and almost hitting pedestrians while trying to evade the paparazzi.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The trio were attending the Ms. Foundation\'s Women of Vision Awards at Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan where Meghan was honored with the Women of Vision award from feminist icon Gloria Steinem. “It\'s never too late to start. You can be the visionary of your own life... There is still so much work to be done,\" she said in her acceptance speech. It was the first public event which was attended by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle together since King Charles\' coronation. Only Prince Harry was present at the ceremony, as Meghan Markle did not attend it. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 13:33:27', '2023-05-18 13:33:27'),
(6968, 6968, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka Metro Rail will run for 12 hours – from 8am to 8pm – on the Uttara-Agargaon route, starting from May 31.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique confirmed the information at a press conference today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">According to the new schedule, Dhaka Metro Rail will not operate on Friday instead of Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 12-hour schedule will be split into 4 segments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the new schedule, Dhaka Metro Rail will leave the station every 10 minutes during the peak hours (from 8 am to 11 am and from 3:01 pm to 6 pm). During off-peak hours (from 11:01 am to 3 pm and from 6:01 pm to 8 pm), the metro rail will leave the station every 15 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, Dhaka Metro Rail services will be closed on,, the DMTCL Managing Director said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 13:56:50', '2023-05-18 13:56:50'),
(6969, 6969, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said her government has been able to provide healthcare services at the door steps of the common people up to the rural areas due to the community clinics.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The community clinics set up across the country have been able to reach health care services to the door steps of the common people up to rural areas,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said this at the weekly Cabinet meeting held at her office (PMO).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United Nations on Tuesday unanimously adopted the first-ever resolution on community-based health care. The resolution, titled “Community-based primary health care: a participatory and inclusive approach to universal health coverage,” acknowledged the important role community clinics play in promoting primary healthcare, women’s empowerment, community engagement and mobilisation towards achieving universal access to health.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh can share its experience of the community clinics with other UN member states to ensure primary healthcare services in those countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She thanked people of Bangladesh for giving her Awami League party chance to remain in the power since 2009 that resulted this achievement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If they had not voted us again and again, and given me the opportunity to serve, I would not have come here,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said that coming to power in 1996 after long 21 years following the 15th August killing in 1975, the Awami League government took up programnes to reach health services to the doorsteps of the people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She particularly mentioned the steps of her government taken during 1996-2001 tenure for construction of 11000 community clinics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The activities of providing services were introduced from four thousand such clinics during the time,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that survey had revealed that up to 70 percent successes were achieved in those community clinics, while now the people in villages particularly females including pregnant women are getting quality health services from there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elaborating role of the community clinics in achieving targets of ensuring primary health care, she said, these played crucial role in reducing child and maternal mortality rate, and women are also getting health services during their maternity period.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said that the people are now getting 30 types of medicines from there free of cost, while these facilities have created medicare opportunities for the marginal and poor people including rural women.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Besides, job opportunities have also been created in rural areas centering the community clinics,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Hasina regretted that coming to power in 2001, the BNP-Jamat government closed the community clinics fearing that the beneficiaries might cast their votes for Awami League.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I felt very sad that only Awami League people would not take treatment at the clinics we established. The common people get service there.There are also supporters of other parties in those areas. Then why did it stop?” She questioned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The government has also formed a trust so that none can stop the activities of the community clinics even after the change of the government,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also thanked Almighty Allah as she is still alive after repeated attempts to kill her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“…and able to work for the people of the country despite facing grenades, bombs and bullets. This is the most important thing,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While talking about the UNGA resolution on “The Sheikh Hasina Initiative”, the prime minister said, some 70 member countries of the UN were co-sponsors&nbsp; of the resolution and it was unanimously adopted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister conveyed thanks and gratitude to the co-sponsors and member states of the UN which played significant role in adopting Bangladesh’s community Clinics model “The Sheikh Hasina Initiative” at the UNGA on Tuesday. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 14:56:52', '2023-05-18 14:56:52'),
(6970, 6970, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">After observing a similar programme in Dhaka, BNP on Thursday announced to stage marches in 10 other metropolitan cities on May 23 and 28 to press home its 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the programme was also meant for registering the party’s protest against the filing of ‘ghost’ cases against opposition leaders and activists, soaring prices of essentials, frequent power cuts and the all-pervasive corruption by the Awami League government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We staged marches in Dhaka city’s north and south areas on Wednesday. Our programme was successful. A similar programme will be observed by BNP in all metropolitan cities, except Dhaka south and north cities, on May 23 and 28,” Rizvi said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on Wednesday, BNP’s Dhaka South and North City units staged spate marches towards Malibagh from Basabo and Shahjadpur areas in the capital respectively to realise the same demands.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the marches, carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party\'s top leaders.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before the Eid-ul-Fitr, BNP observed the march programme across the country including the capital in several phases to press home their 10-point demand. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 15:04:20', '2023-05-18 15:04:20'),
(6971, 6971, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russia fired 30 cruise missiles against different parts of Ukraine early Thursday in the latest nighttime test of Ukrainian air defenses, which shot down 29 of them, officials said.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>One person died and two were wounded by a Russian missile that got through and struck an industrial building in the southern region of Odesa, according to Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the region\'s military administration.</div><div><br></div><div>Loud explosions were heard in Kyiv as the Kremlin\'s forces targeted the capital for the ninth time this month in a clear escalation after weeks of lull and ahead of a much-anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive using newly supplied advanced Western weapons.</div><div><br></div><div>Debris fell on two Kyiv districts, starting a fire at a garage complex. There was no immediate word about any victims, Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv Military Administration, said in a Telegram post.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine also shot down two Russian exploding drones and two reconnaissance drones, according to authorities.</div><div><br></div><div>The missiles were launched from Russian sea, air and ground bases, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Ukrainian commander in chief, wrote on Telegram.</div><div><br></div><div>Several waves of missiles were aimed at areas of Ukraine between 9 p.m. Wednesday and 5.30 a.m. Thursday, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian forces used strategic bombers from the Caspian region and apparently fired X-101 and X-55-type missiles developed during Soviet times, Kyiv authorities said. Russia then deployed reconnaissance drones over the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>In the last major air attack on Kyiv, on Tuesday, Ukrainian air defenses bolstered by sophisticated Western-supplied systems shot down all the incoming missiles, officials said.</div><div><br></div><div>That attack used hypersonic missiles, which repeatedly have been touted by Russian President Vladimir Putin as providing a key strategic advantage. The missiles, which are among the most advanced weapons in Russia\'s arsenal, are difficult to detect and intercept because of their hypersonic speed and maneuverability.</div><div><br></div><div>But sophisticated Western air defense systems, including American-made Patriot missiles, have helped spare Kyiv from the kind of destruction witnessed along the main front line in the country\'s east and south.</div><div><br></div><div>While the ground fighting is largely deadlocked along that front line, both sides are targeting each other\'s territory with long-range weapons.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Kremlin-installed authorities in occupied Crimea reported the derailment of eight train cars Thursday due to an explosion.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian state media reported the train was carrying grain.</div><div><br></div><div>Quoting a source within the emergency services, state news agency RIA Novosti said that the incident occurred not far from the city of Simferopol. The Crimean Railway reported that the derailment was caused by \"the interference of unauthorized persons\" and that there were no casualties.</div><div><br></div><div>The Russia-installed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said that train services on the affected section of the line were suspended.</div><div><br></div><div>Also, two people were wounded in a drone attack in Russia\'s southern Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, the regional governor reported Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>In a Telegram post, Roman Starovoit claimed Ukrainian forces dropped an explosive device from a drone on a sports and recreation complex. Accoridng to AP reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 17:07:32', '2023-05-18 17:07:32'),
(6972, 6972, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>River ports in some regions have been asked to hoist ‘warning signal no. 2’ as temporary west or north westerly squally wind is likely to hit many parts of the country, according to Bangladesh Meteorological Department.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to the Met Office bulletin, “Rain or thundershower accompanied by temporary west/north westerly squally wind at the speed of 60-80 kph is likely to occur over the regions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Pabna, Bogura, Jashore, Kushita, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Khulna, Barishal, Patuakhali, Noakhali, Cumilla and Sylhet wherein riverports should hoist riverine warning signal number two.”</div><div><br></div><div>Rain or thundershower with temporary west/north westerly gusty or squally wind at the speed of 45-60 kph is likely to occur elsewhere over the country wherein river ports should hoist cautionary signal 1, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>The warning for inland river ports is valid till 1 pm on May 18, starting at 5 am today, according to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 17:50:30', '2023-05-18 17:50:30'),
(6973, 6973, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has stressed on the exchange of high level visits between Bangladesh and South Korea to tap the full potential of the existing bilateral relations.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>State Minister Alam expressed his happiness for the ongoing development activities between the two countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Outgoing South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun had a farewell meeting with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs at his office on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>They exchanged views on furthering the bilateral cooperation in the sectors of trade &amp; investment, skilled labour, connectivity, Indo Pacific, high level visits, people to people contact etc.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ambassador Lee highlighted on four major milestones that have been achieved during his tenure in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>These are: increase of bilateral trade (from USD 1.5 billion to USD 3 billion), ODA (USD 700 million to USD 3 billion), EPS Workers (from 1,500 to 10,000 per year) and FDI (USD 1.4 billion in 2022).</div><div><br></div><div>He also expressed his satisfaction for the ongoing Dhaka-Seoul direct flight and the inauguration of the assembling plants of 2 Korean giant companies - Hyundai and Samsung in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>The State Minister thanked the Ambassador for his successful tenure in Bangladesh and wished him success for his future assignment. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 18:07:28', '2023-05-18 18:07:28'),
(6974, 6974, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>After observing a similar programme in Dhaka, BNP on Thursday announced to stage marches in 10 other metropolitan cities on May 23 and 28 to press home its 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi came up with the announcement at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the programme was also meant for registering the party’s protest against the filing of ‘ghost’ cases against opposition leaders and activists, soaring prices of essentials, frequent power cuts and the all-pervasive corruption by the Awami League government.</div><div><br></div><div>“We staged marches in Dhaka city’s north and south areas on Wednesday. Our programme was successful. A similar programme will be observed by BNP in all metropolitan cities, except Dhaka south and north cities, on May 23 and 28,” Rizvi said.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on Wednesday, BNP’s Dhaka South and North City units staged spate marches towards Malibagh from Basabo and Shahjadpur areas in the capital respectively to realise the same demands.</div><div><br></div><div>Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the marches, carrying banners, festoons and portraits of the party\'s top leaders, according to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 18:17:08', '2023-05-18 18:17:08'),
(6975, 6975, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In an effort to enhance the skills of staff members and improve the well-being of at-risk street children, Caritas Bangladesh Alokito Shishu Project organized a two-day training program on Anger and Street Management. The program, held at the Caritas Bangladesh central office, concluded on Wednesday with great success.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Dr. Sukleash George Costa, Director (Program) of Caritas Bangladesh, inaugurated the training program on Tuesday morning with a warm welcome speech. The sessions were led by Dr. Lipy Gloria Rozario, the Director of Healing Heart Counseling Unit and adjunct faculty at Dhaka University\'s Educational and Counseling Psychology Department. The program was moderated by Gregory, Program Officer of the project.</div><div><br></div><div>Throughout the two-day program, Dr. Rozario covered a wide range of important topics, including case management, self-care, ways to improve positive hormones, professional and personal life balancing, and non-violent communication. The training aimed to equip the staff members of the Alokito Shishu Project with effective strategies to manage anger and effectively address the unique challenges faced by street children.</div><div><br></div><div>The Alokito Shishu Project, which commenced its activities in January 2021, focuses on improving the perspectives of at-risk street children in Bangladesh. By enhancing their access to better-coordinated care and protection systems, the project aims to improve their health, education, and overall well-being.</div><div><br></div><div>The program witnessed active participation from a total of 26 staff members from Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Mymensingh regions associated with the Alokito Shishu Project.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 19:43:05', '2023-05-18 19:43:05'),
(6976, 6976, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the Qatar Economic Forum, the Middle East\'s leading voice dedicated to global business and investment, to be held in Doha on May 23-25.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister will attend the Forum titled “3rd Qatar Economic Forum: A New Global Growth Story” at the invitation of Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin told reporters at a weekly briefing on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>The main objective of this forum is to find a solution by increasing mutual cooperation among the international community to deal with the multi-faceted challenges and crises going on globally and the adverse economic consequences arising from them.</div><div><br></div><div>Strategically located in Doha, the Forum draws on Qatar’s ability to link Asia with Africa and beyond, as well as its position as a key global diplomatic hub and a leader in LNG energy technologies.</div><div><br></div><div>With its laser-like focus on the major economic issues facing international CEOs, Heads of State, and money markets, the Qatar Economic Forum, Powered by Bloomberg, provides fresh and unique perspectives on the issues driving global boardroom conversations.</div><div><br></div><div>The forum features a curated group of global leaders and innovators exploring solutions for some of today’s more pertinent challenges as they draw up a blueprint for our shared future, said the organisers.</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq, Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, Akbar Al-Baker, Group CEO of Qatar Airways, Khalid A. Al-Falih, Minister of Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan, Minister of Finance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, State of Qatar, President &amp; CEO of QatarEnergy are among the guests.</div><div><br></div><div>The organisers of the event put Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s name as one of the guests among Heads of State and Government.</div><div><br></div><div>Qatar Economic Forum 2023 will focus on prominent global challenges that affect societies and economies around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>The 2023 edition will revolve around global growth and establishing a new roadmap for global growth in this challenging economic environment.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister will be heading for Doha on May 22 and will return home on May 26. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-18 19:49:38', '2023-05-18 19:49:38'),
(6977, 6977, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the Hajj Programme-2023 (1444 Hijri) at the Hajji Camp in the capital\'s Ashkona area.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Opening the Hajj Programme, the Premier sought doa from the Hajj pilgrims for the people of Bangladesh so that none could play ducks and drakes with the fate of people of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first hajj flight is scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia at 2:45am on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year, a total of 122,221 pilgrims from Bangladesh are going to perform the holy hajj. The number of hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh was 57,585 last year due to Covid-19 restriction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh performed hajj in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hajj is expected to be held on June 27 depending on the sighting of the moon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With State Minister for Religious Affairs Md. Faridul Haque Khan, MP, in the chair, secretary of the ministry Kazi Enamul Hassan delivered welcome address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali, Habib Hasan, MP, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan and president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Shahadat Hossain Taslim also spoke on the occasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the outset of the ceremony, a video documentary on Hajj Management was screened. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 14:05:00', '2023-05-19 14:05:00');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6978, 6978, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon the Hajj pilgrims and Alem-Ulema (Islamic scholars) to move forward to contribute in building a modern and knowledge-based developed nation by keeping the children away from militancy and terrorism.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;\"I urge you (Hajj pilgrims) and Alem-Ulema to stand boldly against militancy and terrorism so our children can stay aside from it and equip with modern-technology to build a developed Bangladesh,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;The premier made this call while inaugurating Hajj Programme-2023 (1444 Hijri) at the Hajji Camp in the capital\'s Ashkona area as the chief guest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;She said Islam is a religion of peace and it is always a religion of welfare of people which ensures the rights of people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mentioning that Islam is being denounced because of few people, who perpetrate militancy and terrorism in Islam, she said, \"Actually those people who create militancy and terrorism they have no religion.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Sheikh Hasina noted that the people who are creating militancy and terrorism exist in all religions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;\"If someone thinks they will go to heaven by killing innocent people, it will never happen. Almighty Allah didn\'t say it, and our Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) also didn\'t say it,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina continued that \"Our Islam is the best religion of the world and these few people are becoming the reason for denouncement of Islam.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She opined that everybody has to take initiative to stop these people from doing this (heinous) job.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"All of us have to be aware of our children,\" she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister also sought doa from the hajj pilgrims for her younger daughter Sheikh Rehana and other family members.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;\"My biggest demand to you (hajj pilgrims) is that you people will pray for my people of Bangladesh so that none could play ducks and drakes with the fate of them,\" the premier said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;She also urged the hajj pilgrims to pray for keeping Bangladesh and its people protected from any manmade or natural disaster.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I would like to request you to pray so that any disaster or crisis -either it manmade or natural calamity- can\'t damage Bangladesh and the people of Bangladesh,\" Sheikh Hasina said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister said manmade disaster alongside natural calamity happens in Bangladesh as the people are killed here by resorting to arson violence and setting transport vehicles on fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;She asked the pilgrims to pray so that the development and the current progress of Bangladesh would continue in the future.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first hajj flight is scheduled to depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia at 2:45am on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This year, a total of 122,221 pilgrims from Bangladesh are going to perform the holy hajj. The number of hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh was 57,585 last year due to Covid-19 restriction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh performed hajj in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hajj is expected to be held on June 27 depending on the sighting of the moon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With State Minister for Religious Affairs Md. Faridul Haque Khan, MP in the chair, secretary of the ministry Kazi Enamul Hassan delivered welcome address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali, Habib Hasan, MP, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Essa Yussef Essa Al Dulaihan and president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Shahadat Hossain Taslim also spoke on the occasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;At the outset of the ceremony, a video documentary on Hajj Management was screened. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 14:26:33', '2023-05-19 14:26:33'),
(6979, 6979, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Nearly 337 million life years were lost in the two first years of the Covid-19 pandemic, as millions of people died prematurely, the World Health Organization said on Friday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The UN health agency\'s annual world statistics report also showed a swelling&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">and diabetes.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The most dramatic finding, based on data up to 2022, was the estimate of how&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">many years of life Covid had taken, WHO said.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The pandemic has wreaked global devastation and officially killed nearly&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">seven million people, with the true figure believed to be closer to 20&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">million.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><br></span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The WHO report lays bare how the virus itself and the broader impact of the&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">crisis abruptly cut short the lives of millions of people.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">While the WHO officially registered 5.4 million Covid deaths in 2020 and&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">2021, its excess mortality data shows around 14.9 million people actually&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">likely died due to the crisis over that period.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even more striking, perhaps, it said the statistics show that during those</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">two years alone, Covid resulted in the loss globally of 336.8 million years&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">that otherwise would have been lived.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s like losing 22 years of life for every excess death,\" Samira Asma,</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHO\'s assistant chief for data and analytics, told reporters ahead of the</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">launch.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Off-track -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Significant inequities underpin the distribution of Covid-19 cases and</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">deaths, as well as access to vaccinations,\" the report said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The WHO warned that the pandemic had helped throw off-track many health-&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">related indicators that had been improving for years.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the first two decades of the century, the world saw significant</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">improvements in maternal and child health, with deaths falling by one-third&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">and one-half respectively.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The incidence of infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria also&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">declined significantly, as did the risk of premature death from NCDs.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Global life expectance rose from 67 years in 2000 to 73 in 2019.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But after the pandemic hit, existing inequalities in access to high-quality&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">health care, routine immunisations and financial protection deepened, among&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">other things sending the long improving trends on malaria and TB in the&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">opposite direction.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Stark message\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">And while the world still enjoys health progress overall, the share of deaths&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">caused each year by NCDs has grown, the study showed.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">In 2000, around 61 percent of global deaths annually were linked to NCDs. By&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">2019, almost 74 percent were.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"If this trend continues, NCDs are projected to account for about 86 percent&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">of the 90 million annual deaths by mid-century,\" WHO said in a statement.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"The report sends a stark message on the threat of noncommunicable diseases,&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">which take an immense and increasing toll,\" WHO chief Tedros Adhanom&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ghebreyesus said.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The findings, he said, show the need for \"a substantial increase in</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">investments in health and health systems to get back on track towards the&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sustainable Development Goals.\"</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">NCD deaths were increasing despite a reduction in exposure to many health&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">risks, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption and unsafe water and&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">sanitation, WHO said.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Exposure to other risks like air pollution however remained high, it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The report warned in particular that the prevalence of obesity was growing&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">with no sign of reversal. AFP</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 15:55:40', '2023-05-19 15:55:40'),
(6980, 6980, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee will be held tomorrow (Saturday) to review the information on the appearance of the new moon of the holy month of Zilqad of 1,444 Hijri, the 11th month of the Islamic calendar.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The meeting will be held at the Islamic Foundation Conference Room at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque here at 6.45pm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Religious Affairs and National Moon Sighting Committee President M Faridul Huq Khan will chair the meeting, according to an IF press release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People have been requested to inform the concerned district administrator or the Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNO) over telephone or fax if the moon of the holy Zilkad month is seen anywhere on the sky of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The telephone numbers are 02-223381725, 02-41050912, 02-41050916 and 02-41050917. The fax numbers are 02-223383397 and 02-9555951. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 15:57:32', '2023-05-19 15:57:32'),
(6981, 6981, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The official death toll from the powerful cyclone that struck Myanmar has burgeoned to at least 145, including 117 members of the Muslim Rohingya minority, state television reported Friday.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It said the figure applied to the western state of Rakhine, where Cyclone Mocha did the most damage, but did not say how many storm-related deaths there have been in other parts of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accounting of casualties from the cyclone has been slow, in part due to communication difficulties in the affected areas and the military government\'s tight control over information. The military government has said that unofficial death tolls surpassing 400 are false, but in the absence of independent confirmation, uncertainly remains about the actual extent of casualties and destruction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mocha made landfall near Sittwe township in Rakhine state on Sunday afternoon with winds of up to 209 kilometers (130 miles) per hour before weakening inland. The cyclone, the nation\'s most destructive in at least a decade, brought widespread flash floods and power outages, while high winds tore roofs off buildings and crumpled cellphone towers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Millions of people live in the path of the cyclone and a massive effort is now underway to clear debris and provide shelter to those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed,\" the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Thursday. \"Coastal Rakhine took the heaviest hit from the cyclone with severe impacts across the northwest and some damage in Kachin (state) also reported.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Friday\'s report on MRTV state television said four soldiers and 24 local residents in Rakhine, in addition to the 117 Rohingya, had been killed, blaming the deaths on people refusing to evacuate their homes despite warnings from the authorities before the storm hit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The authorities evacuated 63,302 of the 125,789 Rohingya sheltering in 17 camps in 17 townships including Sittwe, starting last Friday, MRTV said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Its reports identified the Rohingya as \"Bengali,\" the official designation given the minority group to suggest they are illegal immigrants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rohingya have lived in Myanmar for generations, but they are not recognized as an official minority in Myanmar and denial citizenship and other basic rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Rohingyas caught in the storm lived mostly in crowded displacement camps, to which they were moved after losing their homes in a brutal 2017 counterinsurgency campaign led by Myanmar security forces. Their ramshackle housing on low-lying land was battered Sunday by a storm surge.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 700,000 other Rohingya fled in 2017 to refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh, which also had damage from the cyclone but reported no deaths.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">OCHA\'s report did not give a death toll for the storm, but said casualties and missing people were still being documented, including internal displaced people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Theinn Shwe, a teacher from Headway education center for the Rohingya community in the camps, said Friday that the bodies of at least 116 people from 15 camps and villages, including 32 children and 46 women, had been given burial rites. He said that reports that some had declined to evacuate were correct.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although the authorities have provided some food and shelter assistance, there is still the need for more, he said, adding that aid from international organizations and private donors have not yet arrived.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If the authorities give travel authorization to international organizations as soon as possible, the Rohingyas here will get help quickly. If the travel authorization is limited, the people here are likely to suffer more,\" Theinn Shwe said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">OCHA said there is an urgent need for fuel to ensure the running of key public services, notably health and water treatment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Clean water supplies are a concern. Other critical needs include shelter, food aid, medical supplies, and healthcare services. In flooded areas, concerns persist about the spread of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines,\" a legacy of decades of civil conflict in Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations in the impacted areas is critical,\" it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rakhine state spokesperson and attorney-general Hla Thein said Thursday that there were no restrictions on local or international organizations sending aid, an assertion that could not be independently confirmed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A previous military government was badly discredited when it delayed the acceptance of outside aid in 2008, when Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar with a storm surge that devastated populated areas around the Irrawaddy River delta. At least 138,000 people died and tens of thousands of homes and other buildings were washed away.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stare media this week had carried extensive coverage of domestic efforts to provide disaster relief by the current military government, which came to power in 2021 by seizing power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. It is engaged over much of the country in warfare against armed resistance forces opposed to military rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several nations, including India, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States have already earmarked monetary or material assistance to aid in recovery from Sunday\'s cyclone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Three Indian navy ships carrying relief material reached Yangon, Myanmar\'s largest city, on Thursday and a fourth ship was to arrive Friday, said India\'s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Yangon is southeast of the cyclone-hit area and has a major international port.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The ships are carrying emergency food items, tents, essential medicines, water pumps, portable generators, clothes, sanitary and hygiene items,\" Jaishankar said in a message posted on Twitter. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 16:00:10', '2023-05-19 16:00:10'),
(6982, 6982, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Dhaka and other divisions may experience rain or thundershowers in 24 hours from 9 am on Friday.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at many places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram &amp; Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi divisions with hails at isolated places over the country,” said a bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The country’s highest temperature was recorded at 33.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday while the highest rainfall was recorded at 57mm in Mongla. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 16:02:58', '2023-05-19 16:02:58'),
(6983, 6983, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has accused the ruling coalition of planning a plot to put the army against the \"largest\" political party and incite animosity among Pakistanis, saying that this might lead to the country\'s dissolution.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This is high time that the powers that be should sensibly rethink otherwise the country might face an East Pakistan-like situation,” Pakistani news outlet Dawn quoted him as saying.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The PDM leaders and Nawaz Sharif, who is absconding in London, are least concerned whether the country’s constitution is desecrated, state institutions are destroyed or even Pakistan Army earns a bad name. They are looking for their vested interests of saving the looted wealth alone,” said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief during a speech via video link from his Lahore residence on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I am seeing a frightening dream that the country is heading towards an imminent disaster,” he claimed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elections were the only way to remove political instability, he also said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan asserted that he had supported the Pakistan Army in foreign media throughout his political career, saying, “When I reprimand the army, it is like I am criticising my kids.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I have repeatedly stated that I do not interfere in state institutions’ internal matters. I did not interfere when I had confirmed reports that the former army chief was conspiring against me,” he said, stating that several politicians told the present army chief that Imran Khan will de-notify him if elected, according to the Dawn report.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan strongly reacted to the Punjab government\'s assertion that 40 terrorists were hiding at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, saying the authorities must inspect the house lawfully after getting a search warrant since his own life was at risk in the presence of terrorists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“But don’t make this an excuse to launch a crackdown on the country’s largest political party PTI,” he warned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Observing that 25 PTI workers had been killed, 700 had been injured by bullets, and over 7,500 had been imprisoned, the PTI chairman warned that this would result in a \"big backlash\" harming the country\'s interests. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 16:05:01', '2023-05-19 16:05:01'),
(6984, 6984, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Iranian authorities on Friday executed three men convicted of involvement in the deaths of members of the security forces during protests triggered by Mahsa Amini\'s death last year, the judiciary said.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi were convicted of \"moharebeh\", or \"war against God\", for drawing a gun during a demonstration in the central city of Isfahan, the judiciary\'s website Mizan Online said. AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 16:07:31', '2023-05-19 16:07:31'),
(6985, 6985, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">More than 100 people in central Nigeria have died in several days of intercommunal violence that have destroyed hundreds of homes and caused thousands to flee, local officials said on Friday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The clashes between cattle herders and farming communities in Plateau State are the worst in years in a region that has long struggled with ethnic and religious tensions and reprisal attacks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The death toll from attacks by gunmen on farming villages in and around the district of Mangu since the start of the week has passed the 100 mark, after earlier reports said 85 people were killed, a local official said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Plateau state security forces had said on Thursday that calm had been restored, but local sources said several villages were still struggling with violence and residents were fleeing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The number of people killed has exceeded 100 people from those attacks,\" Mangu district chairman Daput Minister Daniel told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Up till now there were reports of attacks and burning of houses in many places within the local government area.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A lawmaker representing Mangu and neighbouring Bokkos in the House of Representatives also said around 100 people had been killed and more than a dozen communities ravaged by attacks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lawmaker Solomon Maren told AFP on Friday that the situation was now calm but access to some communities was still complicated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Plateau State government has so far not given any death toll, only saying the violence \"left many dead.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The state government convened an emergency meeting over the attacks and said security forces would maintain a presence on the ground to stem further violence, a statement said on Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said more than 3,000 people had been displaced and hundreds of houses destroyed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police said five people had been arrested.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Violence across Nigeria has been on the rise in the last few weeks after a brief calm period during the February presidential and March state elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last month, gunmen suspected to be Fulani herders have killed 33 people in an attack on a farming village in northwestern Kaduna state, where intercommunal herder-farmer violence is also common.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nigeria\'s security forces in the northwest are also battling heavily armed bandit militias, as well as a 14-year-old jihadist insurgency in the northeast and separatist tensions in the southeast. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 17:48:42', '2023-05-19 17:48:42'),
(6986, 6986, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister\'s Private Sector Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman today underscored the need for resuming commercial flights between Dhaka and Tashkent to boost bilateral trade, investment and business among the two countries.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There are huge potentialities to export Bangladeshi products, specially textile, to Uzbekistan. Moreover, Afghanistan, a neighbouring country of Uzbekistan, can be a large market for Bangladesh,\" he told reporters after a meeting with visiting Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister Bakhrom Aloev at Prime Minister\'s Private Sector Industry and Investment Adviser\'s office in the city\'s Gulshan area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meeting, they discussed various issues, including IT, pharmaceutical, tourism, trade and investment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Salman said the government has been developing 100 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across the country where the Uzbek businesses can invest in different sectors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He informed that Bangladeshi pharmaceutical companies have been sending medicines to 152 countries, including the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia, after meeting the domestic demand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So, there is an ample scope for bilateral cooperation in business arenas like pharmaceuticals and IT, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meeting, Aloev said he will take measures so the direct flight is established between the two countries soon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He informed that Bangladesh and Uzbekistan can work together in the field of tourism, specially religious tourism.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Salman assured Aloev to work together for developing the tourism sector of both countries and informed that Uzbek people can come to Bangladesh to see many attractive places of Bangladesh, including the world largest sea beach in Cox\'s Bazar, tea gardens in Sylhet and hills of Chittagong Hill Tracts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the 2021-22 fiscal year, Bangladesh exported goods worth $26.33 million to Uzbekistan and imported goods worth $8.80 million, according to the commerce ministry data. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 19:21:55', '2023-05-19 19:21:55'),
(6987, 6987, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 30 people including police personnel were injured in a clash between the law enforcers and BNP supporters over holding a pre-scheduled rally of the party in front of Khulna Press Club in the city on Friday afternoon.&nbsp;&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shafiqul Islam Tuhin, member secretary of Khulna Metropolitan Unit BNP, claimed that at least 20 leaders and activists of their party were injured in the attack by the police.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several party men including their leaders Mujibur Rahman and Jahidul Rahman also sustained bullet injuries, he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moreover, 10 people were detained from the rally venue, he said, adding that the injured were admitted to several hospitals of the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader alleged that police opened fire on them, charged batons and used teargas to spoil the rally without any provocation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Party insiders said there was a scheduled rally in front of the Press Club on Friday afternoon to press home their 10-point demand including resignation of the government, stoppage of fake cases and mass arrest and protest of the government’s corruption among others.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The party men from different areas of the district and city started gathering at the venue at noon. A clash broke out when police obstructed a procession heading towards the rally venue, they said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Md Tajul Islam, deputy commissioner (South) of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP), said, “We were forced to use teargas when the BNP men threw brickbats targeting us without any excuse”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said they detained 10 BNP men from the spot and some cops were injured in the incident.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An additional number of the law enforcing agencies were deployed to avert any unexpected incident, he said, adding that the situation was now under their control. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 19:25:55', '2023-05-19 19:25:55'),
(6988, 6988, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad back to the Arab League on Friday, over a decade after the war-torn country was suspended from the bloc.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are pleased today by the attendance of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in this summit,\" Prince Mohammed, the kingdom\'s de facto ruler, said in a speech, adding he hoped the return would lead to \"stability\" in Syria. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 19:29:44', '2023-05-19 19:29:44'),
(6989, 6989, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman on Thursday attended at a two-day high-level international meeting on disaster risk reduction begun at the United Nations headquarters in New York and highlighted the relentless work of the Bangladesh Government to address the disaster risk reduction challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the first day of the meeting on Thursday, the state minister highlighted its achievements, challenges and future commitments on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pointing out that Bangladesh become a role model in the world in terms of disaster management activities and the government has allocated 8.8 percent of the national budget for disaster risk reduction in the last seven years, Dr Enamur Rahman said, \"The disaster risk reduction strategy has been included in the standing order on disasters and the national plan for disaster management 2021-2025.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Eighth five-year plan of 2021 to 2025, about 9 to 11% of the national budget is allocated for disaster risk reduction, the state minister added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The high-level international meeting on disaster risk reduction will end on Friday (May 19). State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Enamur Rahman is leading a five-member Bangladesh delegation to the meeting. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 21:09:10', '2023-05-19 21:09:10'),
(6990, 6990, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Youth activists in Bangladesh have called on global leaders from G7 countries to immediately halt the financing of fossil fuel-based power projects and prioritize investments in renewable energy.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During a climate strike held Today (19th May) in front of the National Press Club in the capital, Fridays for Future Bangladesh and YouthNet for Climate Justice pledged to end fossil fuel financing and reduce the country\'s dependence on fossil fuel imports, primarily liquefied natural gas (LNG).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speakers said Oxfam\'s latest analysis reveals that the Group of Seven (G7) nations have an outstanding debt of $13.3 trillion (€12.3 trillion) to low- and middle-income countries in unpaid aid and funding for climate action.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This urgent plea comes ahead of the 49th G7 Summit, scheduled to take place on May 19–21, 2023, in Hiroshima, Japan. The summit will address regional and global crises, including the pressing climate crisis.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Bangladesh, as a developing country, is deeply concerned about the transition to renewable energy and urges developed nations to sever their ties with fossil fuels,” they said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In their passionate plea, the youth activists also emphasize the importance of loss and damage financing while cautioning against false solutions such as hydrogen and ammonia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladeshi youth activists demand that the G7 countries prioritize energy security and clean energy, particularly by refraining from investing in fossil fuels within Bangladesh and by providing support for renewable energy financing.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They shed light on the existing ambiguity, delays, and instability surrounding discussions on fossil fuel and renewable energy financing within the G7.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unfortunately, commitments from member countries are currently stagnant or even moving in opposite directions, youth activists opined.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The passionate youth of Bangladesh call upon critical stakeholders to address the electricity crisis in their nation, highlighting the detrimental consequences of importing expensive fossil fuels like LNG, which burden the country financially.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They further emphasize the compounding challenges posed by escalating living costs, inflation, and frequent power outages. Their strong advocacy for a higher proportion of renewable energy in the new power sector master plan aims to ensure national energy security and promote equitable transitions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition, the Bangladeshi youth demand that developed nations adhere to the Paris Agreement, strictly limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, and discourage multinational corporations from investing in fossil fuel power generation, thereby reducing harmful carbon emissions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet for Climate Justice, declares, \"We cannot afford to wait for tomorrow to realize the urgent need to phase out harmful and expensive fossil fuels. The time for action is now.’’ He added, The world is already suffering from the climate and energy crisis, and substantial investments in renewable energy and fair compensation from global leaders like the G7 nations are imperative. We cannot afford any further delays; they must awaken to the urgency of this moment.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The young activists also emphasize the need to substantially increase global commitment to climate financing, advocating for an annual commitment of $100 billion, with at least 50 percent allocated specifically for renewable energy financing.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Furthermore, they firmly demand that G7 countries, including Japan, refrain from imposing untested, debatable, and expensive technologies like hydrogen fuel and ammonia upon developing nations like Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prof. Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, Chairman at the Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS), adds, \"We must act promptly to combat climate change and curb air pollution, for there are two interrelated challenges. Let us unite as individuals, businesses, and financial institutions to facilitate investments in renewable energy and pave the way toward a sustainable future. Each breath we take and every heatwave we endure is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prof. Saleemul Huq, COP28 President\'s adviser and Director of the International Centre for Climate Change &amp; Development (ICCCAD), asserts, \"The climate crisis is not a distant threat confined to the future; it is already wreaking havoc on vulnerable communities in Bangladesh and worldwide, despite their minimal contribution to its creation.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It is high time for wealthy nations and fossil fuel corporations, the main culprits, to take responsibility and compensate for the damage they have caused, ensuring a just and sustainable future for all. We owe it to our children and grandchildren to act decisively now before it is too late,\" he added. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 21:11:18', '2023-05-19 21:11:18');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(6991, 6991, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin today congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for an unanimous adoption of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)\'s resolution on community-based healthcare \"Community Clinic\" in Bangladesh, recognizing it as the successful innovative initiative.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a felicitation message, the President congratulated the Prime Minister for adopting a unanimous resolution titled \"Primary Health Systems: A Participatory and Inclusive Approach to Achieving Universal Health Services\" by the UNGA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Head of State said in the resolution proposed by Bangladesh, the United Nations member states have referred to this initiative as \'The Sheikh Hasina Initiative\' to establish \'Community Clinics\' terming it as a matter of great pride and joy for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh as well.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to premier\'s far-sighted thinking, talent, wisdom, courage and efficient leadership, he said, \"Bangladesh has now graduated to the status of the developing countries from a less developed one\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calling medical care as one of the basic rights of the people, the President said, country\'s health sector, like other sectors, has also been influenced by the ongoing development.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Shahabuddin said the \'Community Clinic\' programme is one of the Prime Minister\'s 10 special initiatives and these are being widely appreciated by various international organizations, including the United Nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 14,000 community clinics, established in country\'s marginal level, are playing an important role in improving the nutrition-level of the poor and underprivileged people at the grassroots, increasing the quality of life and protecting the overall public health, he mentioned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Valiant Freedom Fighter Shahabuddin said, \"Establishment of community clinics is a landmark step to bring healthcare at the people\'s doorsteps . . . International recognition of this initiative is a result of your (PM) visionary leadership.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The President believed that \'community clinics\' would serve as a model in other countries across the world where healthcare is not self-sufficient.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh would move forward and become a developed and prosperous nation in the world in days to come, he hoped.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Shahabuddin said soon after independence, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took all-out plans to turn war-ravaged Bangladesh into a happy and prosperous country and make it free from hunger and poverty, but the anti-independence vested quarter stopped that effort by killing Bangabandhu and his family on August 15, 1975.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Subsequently, Sheikh Hasina\'s return to Bangladesh on May 17, 1981 after a long 6-year exile from 1975, paved the way to the spirit of the Liberation War, the values of Independence and the establishment of democracy, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Shahabuddin said after the establishment of the Grand Alliance Government under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina in 1996, the journey of development began with the aim of creating a hunger-and-poverty-free \'Sonar Bangla\' envisioned by Bangabandhu, the Greatest Bangali of all times.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But in 2001 it turned into back again . . . The wheel of development started turning in the opposite direction,\" he observed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The President said Bangabandhu\'s daughter was attacked many times including a grenade attack on Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004 and the infinite mercy of Almighty God saved her from all dangers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the formation of the Alliance government led by Bangladesh Awami League in the 2008 general polls, Bangladesh started moving forward on the path of development and progress under PM Sheikh Hasina, he pointed out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the message, the President wished Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family member\'s good health, long life and continued prosperity and prosperity. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 21:25:53', '2023-05-19 21:25:53'),
(6992, 6992, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP is taking preparation secretly for resorting to arson terrorism in the name of road march.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP is getting ready for violence and conspiracy in the name of movement. BNP is taking preparation for arson terrorism during its road march. BNP\'s road march would be a march of fall,\" he told a peace rally here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka South City unit of Awami League arranged the rally in front of the AL\'s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue this afternoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said toppling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s government is the key target of the BNP and that is why the party in collusion with foreign power has been involved in conspiracy to assume the state power.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Hatching conspiracy won\'t bring any results. As per the constitution, there will be a fair and peaceful election in the country,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Terming BNP\'s Nayapaltan office a factory of falsehood, the AL general secretary said BNP\'s Gulshan office is a factory of rumours and it must be shut down.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP may call for a movement but the country\'s people will not allow the party to make its movement a success, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quader said BNP has failed in movement and struggle. \"Even if they (BNP) call for a movement, the country\'s people will not respond to it. Although you talk about movement frequently, the day of your movement is over now,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He added that people would not join the BNP\'s movement as they have understood that nothing will happen through them (BNP).&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I want to assure my foreign friends that the next elections will be a free, fair and historic election. You don\'t need to be worried about anyone. You don\'t need to pay heed to knee-broken parties like BNP,\" the road transport minister said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chaired by Dhaka South City AL president Abu Ahmed Mannafi, the peace rally was addressed, among others, by AL presidium members Dr Abdur Razzaque, Advocate Qumrul Islam and Dr Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin, joint general secretaries AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Dr Dipu Moni, and organising secretary Mirza Azam and Afzal Hossain. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 21:28:10', '2023-05-19 21:28:10'),
(6993, 6993, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said time is up for the Awami League government, no matter how many countries Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits and what she says.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking at a rally in the capital, he called upon the law enforcers to play a neutral role as the country’s people and the democratic world want a credible national election in Bangladesh under a caretaker government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The time of this regime is over, no matter how much its Prime Minister shouts.&nbsp; Whether you (PM) go to Japan, the USA, the UK, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and China, you can\'t make any gains. Your time is up and that’s the reality,” the BNP leader said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul urged the government to take steps before time runs out fast for freeing people from \'misrule\' and accept their demand for holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of the party’s countrywide programme, BNP’s Dhaka North City unit arranged the rally in Shyamoli Club Field in the capital to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party neutral government and to protest against the arrest and harassment of party leaders and activists in \'false cases\'.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The party also organised rallies in 27 other cities and districts also for registering the party\'s protest against the filing of \'fictitious\' cases against opposition leaders and activists, soaring prices of essentials, frequent power cuts and the ‘all-pervasive’ corruption by the Awami League government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul alleged that people are going through suffering due to the crisis of power, gas, and water though the government has been repeatedly hiking the tariffs of the utility services.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said people are struggling to survive as the prices of all the daily necessities including rice, oil, eggs, salt, sugar, onion, garlic and ginger have increased two to three-fold.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“But the ministers and the ruling party leaders who live in air-conditioned rooms in luxury say everything is fine and the people of Bangladesh are in very good condition. The ruling party leaders often mock people by saying that they are better off than those in Singapore,” the BNP leader said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders cannot understand the pulse of people as they got isolated from them. “Stand before people without any state protocol to read their eye and body language.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader said people have got fed up with the ‘misrule’ of the current regime. “They’re finding it difficult to survive. “Those who stay in power against the will of people can’t respect people. Those who stay in power depending on the law enforcement agencies and different forces can’t read the mind of people until their fall.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He alleged that the government has destroyed every sector of the country. “They steal Tk 78,000 crore every year only from the power sector through quick rental…they also destroyed the education system. There’s no academic atmosphere anywhere, including in colleges, schools, and universities.&nbsp; The Chhatra League cadres have occupied every educational institution. People with third-class degrees are becoming university teachers.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader also said the government has also ruined the health sector by indulging in widespread corruption and plundering.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the government is now using the “false and ghost’ cases against the opposition leaders and activists as a last resort to clinging to power at the fag-end of its rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul said their party leaders and activists have been subjected to repressions, imprisonment, and killing as they have been on a movement to restore democracy and people’s rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our 17 brothers have sacrificed their lives in the current movement. We have heard police opened fire on our leaders and activists in Khulna today (Friday). It won’t be possible to stop this movement of people by firing,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul slammed the ruling party leaders for their comments that the caretaker government system has already gone to its grave.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We want to make it clear that the people of this country will not accept any election without a caretaker government to ensure fair polls, vote by themselves and get fair results,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader also said no election will be held in a free and fair manner under the Awami League government. “We saw the election in 2018 and in 2014…..there is no reason to trust them anymore. There can be no question of going to the elections under you (Sheikh Hasina).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the government must quit, dissolve parliament, free Khaleda Zia and withdraw the false cases against 40 lakh people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul also questioned the capability of the Election Commission for holding a credible election as it is going to enact a law curbing its power to cancel the election of any constituency.&nbsp; “So where is the independence of the Election Commission? Do you think all the people of Bangladesh are fools? How long will you cheat people?&nbsp; You won’t be able to do it anymore.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He asked the law enforcers not to play any biased role as the current government has lost support both at home and abroad. “The people of the country and the democratic world want a fair, credible and participatory election and they know that it will not be possible without a caretaker government. So please don\'t create a situation where you (law enforcers) will be identified (for your biased role).\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP will also arrange rallies in Dhaka south city, 21 organisational districts and other metropolitan cities on Saturday. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-19 22:35:31', '2023-05-19 22:35:31'),
(6994, 6994, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The first hajj flight, carrying 419 pilgrims, is scheduled to leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Saudi Arabia at around 3.20am on Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"A Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate the first hajj flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Jeddah on Sunday at 3.20am,\" Biman\'s spokesperson Tahera Khondoker told BSS.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday inaugurated the Hajj Programme-2023 (1444 Hijri) at the Hajji Office in the capital\'s Ashkona area.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, a total of 122,221 pilgrims from Bangladesh are going to perform the holy hajj. The number of hajj pilgrims from Bangladesh was 57,585 last year due to Covid-19 restriction.</div><div><br></div><div>Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 127,198 pilgrims from Bangladesh performed hajj in 2019.</div><div><br></div><div>The Hajj is expected to be held on June 27 depending on the sighting of the moon. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 16:07:29', '2023-05-20 16:07:29'),
(6995, 6995, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Authorities in the western Canadian province of Alberta battling devastating wildfires have closed twelve local parks ahead of the long holiday weekend, fearing fresh flames, officials said Friday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Alberta has declared a state of emergency and asked for foreign aid with more than 800,000 hectares of land destroyed in fires and thousands of people evacuated since the beginning of the month.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, there were 94 active forest fires in the province, 26 of which were out of control, according to officials.</div><div><br></div><div>The situation was also dire in neighboring British Columbia with 22 out-of-control fires and dozens of evacuation orders issued.</div><div><br></div><div>All of Alberta\'s 12 parks will be closed, state officials announced. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 16:47:46', '2023-05-20 16:47:46'),
(6996, 6996, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Saturday urged the big countries which are heavily investing in Myanmar, to come forward for a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis for their own interests and protecting their investment.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"If the situation deteriorates, they could be easily succumbed to radicalism,\" he said at a seminar in a hotel in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Diplomats World, a publication that deals with cultural, legal, regional, global security, politics and various other issues, hosted the seminar titled \"Rohingya Repatriation: A Pathway to Peace, Stability and Harmony in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) Region.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Momen said if the Rohingyas who are frustrated become terrorists big countries’ investment in the whole region would be at risk.</div><div><br></div><div>Momen said peace is required in the region so that their investment can sustain.</div><div><br></div><div>\"If there is a commitment, if there is a will, they can do it. It is the commitment that is lacking on the part of our global leadership. There are lip service, unfortunately,\" said the Foreign Minister.</div><div><br></div><div>He, however, said he always remains hopeful and mentioned that both the USA and China have engaged senior level focal point for resolving this Rohingya issue.</div><div><br></div><div>\"These are good news. We want to resolve this issue amicably through dialogue and discussion,\" he said urging the global leadership to come forward instead of talking too much.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They should come forward with sincerity and commitment. I must keep the hope alive. The Rohingyas have to go back to their own country for a better life and future. I hope it will happen one day,\" Momen added.</div><div><br></div><div>Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Executive Advisor of the publication Abul Hasan Chowdhury and Executive Editor Nazinur Rahim, among others, spoke. Accoring to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 17:04:56', '2023-05-20 17:04:56'),
(6997, 6997, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Police filed a case with Khulna Sadar Police Station last night against 1,300 leaders and activists of BNP for attacking the law enforcers during the party\'s countrywide demonstrations yesterday near Khulna Press Club and adjoining areas.</span><br></b></div><div><b>&nbsp;</b></div><div>Sub-Inspector of Khulna Sadar Police Station Khalid Uddin filed the case against the 1,300 BNP men over the attack on police as complainant against 49 named accused and others unknown accused.</div><div><br></div><div>The named accused includes Azizul Bari Helal, ICT affairs secretary of central unit of BNP and Shafiqul Alam Tuhin, member secretary of city unit of BNP.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>According to the FIR, leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations attacked police on Friday afternoon from a procession in front of the Khulna Press Club and adjacent areas in the city.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>BNP men chanted a slogan against on-duty police and threw brickbats from a procession which prompted police to reiterate baton charge, tear gas and rubber bullets, narrated the FIR.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Talking to reporter, Tazul Islam, deputy commissioner (South) of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP), said police hurled rubber bullets and tear gas on unruly BNP men as they attacked on duty police from a procession.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Khulna Sadar Police Station Hasan-Al-Mamun told BSS that BNP brought out a procession in front of the Khulna Press Club without getting permission from KMP.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"They chased and attacked on duty police chanting anti-government slogans from the procession as the law enforcement agencies requested the leaders of BNP to stop the procession,\" he said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The on-duty police were compelled to charge batons and hurled tear gas and rubber bullets while facing heinous attacks by unruly BNP men, he added, reports BSS.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The OC said, Police, so far, arrested 13 BNP men.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 17:36:46', '2023-05-20 17:36:46'),
(6998, 6998, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 30 people, including activists of Awami League (AL), Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and police personnel, were injured in clash between the two parties over holding rally in Sadar upazila of Patuakhali on Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Police used teargas to disperse the fighting groups while an additional number of law enforcers have been deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident.</div><div><br></div><div>Local BNP leaders said there was a scheduled rally to press home their 10-point demand, including resignation of the incumbent government and holding the next parliamentary election under a neutral government, in front of the party office in Patuakhali\'s town\'s Banani intersection area at 10 am.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP activists and leaders from different parts of the district started gathering with processions since early morning, they said, adding that they were barred by the ruling party activists on their way to the rally venue.</div><div><br></div><div>A clash broke out between the activists of the parties when an AL procession was passing by, witnesses said.</div><div><br></div><div>Brickbats were thrown targeting each other, while BNP’s district office was also vandalised. The rival groups chased each other several times in the area, causing panic among the commuters and locals.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP Central leader ABM Mosharraf Hossain said at least 25 BNP activists were injured in the attack by AL men.</div><div><br></div><div>Md Saidul Islam, superintendent of police (SP), said, the situation is now under control and an additional number of policemen have been deployed in front of the BNP office in the town.</div><div><br></div><div>The SP said they used teargas to bring the situation under control but instantly could not inform how many rounds were used.</div><div><br></div><div>Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mainul Hassan said several policemen were injured in the clash.</div><div><br></div><div>Sadar Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Md Moniruzzaman, said a process was underway to file cases against those who attacked law enforcers and tried to deteriorate the law and order situation.</div><div><br></div><div>The district unit of BNP held an emergency press conference in favour of their 10-point demand and protested the \"attack\" on their rally at a hotel this afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>At the press conference, BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo said the next national polls won’t be free and fair without a caretaker government.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, local AL leaders and activists held a peace rally in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>AL\'s district unit President and freedom fighter Kazi Alamgir and Vice President Sultan Ahmad Mridha, among others, spoke at the rally, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>The district AL president said they will file a case against BNP men for \"attacking\" their rally.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 17:49:03', '2023-05-20 17:49:03'),
(6999, 6999, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The cluster admission test for the 2022-23 academic session in 22 general, science, and technology universities was conducted at Comilla University. A total of six centers, including Comilla University, conducted this admission test from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>This year, the cluster exam was scheduled for 6,962 students, but 6,690 students took part in the examination at the Comilla University center, which accounts for approximately 98.05% participation in the admission test.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The examination was held peacefully, and there were no reports of any untoward incidents. The university authorities, law enforcement agencies, and other concerned authorities were highly vigilant to prevent any untoward incidents,\" said Professor Dr. A.F.M. Abdul Moyeen, the Vice Chancellor of Comilla University, after visiting the exam halls.</div><div><br></div><div>After the B unit admission test, the convener of the B unit admission test and dean of the Social Science Faculty of Comilla University, N.M Rabiul Awal Chowdhury said, \" Despite the campus being closed for a long time due to Eid Vacation&nbsp; and then various deficulties, we have successfully completed the admission test with the co-operation of others. We will aspire that the&nbsp; upcoming&nbsp; addmission test for the students of Science -Unit A and&nbsp; for the students of bussiness Unit C will also be conducted smoothly.\"</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'CoU Correspondent', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 19:04:07', '2023-05-20 19:04:07'),
(7000, 7000, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader urged BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to disclose whether the directives of their movements to oust the government will come from London or Thakurgaon.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Pointing out at Fakhrul, he said: \"If the date of when the government has to leave is known, the government can make preparations to leave. Besides, it\'s also better to be known that whether the storm of falling of the government is coming from London or Thakurgaon.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"BNP is saying every day that the government\'s time is over so as the general secretary of the party, I want to know from Mirza Fakhrul when the day (fall of the government) will come. I have been hearing this for the last 10 years,\" he reiterated.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said these while addressing the first triennial national conference of Awami Olama League at the auditorium of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) here.</div><div><br></div><div>The AL leader said BNP has to wage movement to bring down the government and the AL men are busy waging movement to save lives of the countrymen.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have to hold the peace rallies in this regard,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>AL General Secretary further said that the people of the country will decide when the time of this government will end.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The people of this country will also decide who will lead this country in the future,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Reminding BNP of AL\'s popularity, reputation, strength and dedication to work for the people, Quader said BNP would be wrong to consider Awami League a drop of morning dew on taro leaf.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said BNP is involved in waging movement to overthrow the government whereas Awami League is busy holding movement to protect people\'s lives.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"People of the country think that Bangladesh will not lose its way if Sheikh Hasina is in power,\" he continued.</div><div><br></div><div>From a least developed country, he said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has turned Bangladesh into a developing country despite facing variousdifficulties.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to Russia-Ukraine war and the difficult times of corona pandemic, he said:\"Due to the war crisis, the price of fuel and the dollar increased so that the price of daily necessities also increases. Moreover, we have to import many products from abroad.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Reducing the import of some products will increase people\'s suffering, he addeed.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite all these things, Quader said Bangladesh remains better than other countries of the world as it has a leader like Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He criticized a vested quarter that spread false propaganda about the pro-people leader and the Premier Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>He also lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her enormous contribution to maintain massive development spree in the country for which she is being praised in the international area.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>With Bangladesh Awami Olama League Convener Dr K M Momen Siraji in the chair, the conference was addressed, among others, by AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 20:31:46', '2023-05-20 20:31:46'),
(7001, 7001, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The head of Russia\'s Wagner mercenary group on Saturday claimed the complete capture of the east Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, scene of the longest and bloodiest battle in Moscow\'s offensive.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Today on May 20, around mid-day, Bakhmut was taken in its entirety,\" Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video posted on Telegram, with fighters behind him holding the Russian flag surrounded by ruins. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 20:34:37', '2023-05-20 20:34:37'),
(7002, 7002, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made a courtesy call on President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban here this evening.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister informed the President about her recent tri-nation visit and discussed various issues relating to the affairs of the state.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister visited Japan, UK and USA from April 25 to May 9 and took part in different bilateral programmes on trade, investment and mutual cooperation with those countries, World Bank and IMF, President\'s press secretary Md. Joynal Abedin said.</div><div><br></div><div>President Shahabuddin thanked and congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the successful visit. He particularly appreciated the premier\'s excellence shown during the meeting with her counterparts and officials of the multilateral organizations.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister\'s visit would further expand bilateral and multilateral ties, including trade and investment with Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, the President hoped, as his press secretary was saying.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>President Shahabuddin presented a copy of his book \"Egiye Jabe Bangladesh\" (Bangladesh will go ahead) to the Prime Minister.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The President and the Prime Minister also enquired about the health and personal wellbeing of each others.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>President Mohammed Shahabuddin and his spouse Dr. Rebecca Sultana greeted the Prime Minister with a bouquet of flowers on her arrival at Bangabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 21:21:32', '2023-05-20 21:21:32'),
(7003, 7003, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will arrive in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on a French plane Saturday afternoon to attend the G7 summit, a diplomatic source told AFP.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Zelensky will hold talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the G7 summit, the source said. He will also hold separate meetings with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 21:52:02', '2023-05-20 21:52:02'),
(7004, 7004, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>New Zealand\'s Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad smashed half-centuries to fire Chennai Super Kings into the IPL play-offs with a thumping 77-run win over Delhi Capitals on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The left-handed Conway (87) and Gaikwad (79) put on a blazing opening stand of 141 to steer Chennai to a mammoth 223-3 after electing to bat first in Delhi.</div><div><br></div><div>Skipper David Warner hit a valiant 86 but Chennai kept down Delhi, who are coached by Ricky Ponting, to 146-9 and book their spot in the top four.</div><div><br></div><div>They join holders and table-toppers Gujarat Titans, who are assured of a top-two finish.</div><div><br></div><div>Four-time winners Chennai have finished the group stage with eight wins and can stay as the second-ranked team in the table, depending on the day\'s second result between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants.</div><div><br></div><div>The season remains special for Chennai skipper M.S. Dhoni, who is believed to be playing his last season and has attracted huge crowds wearing the teams\' yellow as a tribute to the legendary cricketer.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhoni, 41, though has kept the fans guessing and still not clarified on his swansong.</div><div><br></div><div>Delhi, who were the first team to get eliminated from the play-off race, bowed out with nine losses and five wins.</div><div><br></div><div>Batsmen set up victory for Chennai after Gaikwad and Conway, in his 52-ball blitz, got cracking on the opposition bowlers with fours and sixes.</div><div><br></div><div>Chetan Sakariya sent back Gaikwad, who hit seven sixes in his 50-ball knock, but Conway kept up the charge in another attacking partnership of 54 with Shivam Dube, who hit 22.</div><div><br></div><div>Dube\'s wicket raised the noise as Dhoni walked in with thunderous applause and stood unbeaten with Ravindra Jadeja, who hit a seven-ball 20.</div><div><br></div><div>Delhi were never in the chase as Warner played a lone hand in his attempt to drive the teams\' reply in his 58-ball knock but got little support from the other end.</div><div><br></div><div>Pace spearhead Deepak Chahar took three wickets while Sri Lankan duo of Matheesha Pathirana (fast bowler) and Maheesh Theekshana (off-spinner) took two each. According to AFP reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 21:54:43', '2023-05-20 21:54:43'),
(7005, 7005, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Sheikh Hasina\'s resignation is his party\'s only demand.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Solution (to the political crisis) will come, on the streets. Bangladesh has to be returned, the Bangladesh we got after the Liberation War is a democratic Bangladesh,” he said at a rally organized by the district BNP at Lalmonirhat Collectorate ground on Saturday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have said that there will be no election in this country without a neutral caretaker government. For this, the Sheikh Hasina government will have to resign first. The election commission should be formed by forming a neutral caretaker government. According to the new law, the Election Commission cannot cancel any election. We don\'t want such an Election Commission,\" said Fakhrul.</div><div><br></div><div>“Those who have taken away our voting rights and democracy cannot be in power anymore. It\'s time to oust them. Wake up, everyone. The only demand is the resignation of Sheikh Hasina,” he also said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP secretary general urged all to unite in the movement to topple the government, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“The government who came to power through vote-rigging could not feed rice at Tk 10 per kg, and increased the price of fertilizer several times, today people are unable to buy onions, eggs. By increasing the price of goods, The Awami League has destroyed the country\'s economy by looting the country\'s resources and smuggling it abroad,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“False cases have been filed against about 40 lakh leaders and workers of our party. Many leaders and activists , including former MPs, have been made disappeared. The Awami League government has killed our leaders and activists in the name of crossfire. Many children are waiting for their father, many wives for their husbands, many mothers are waiting for the arrival of their children. Sheikh Hasina\'s government has given us such a country,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-20 23:14:40', '2023-05-20 23:14:40'),
(7006, 7006, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Warring factions in Sudan have agreed to a seven-day ceasefire following talks in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, according to a statement from Washington and Riyadh, as fighting that has killed hundreds and displaced more than a million entered its sixth week.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ceasefire agreement was signed late on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It will take effect 48 hours after, at 9:45pm local time (19:45 GMT) on Monday, the sponsors of the talks, the United States and Saudi Arabia, said in their joint statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Numerous previous ceasefire agreements were violated. However, this agreement will be enforced by a US-Saudi and international-supported monitoring mechanism, the statement said without providing details.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The agreement also calls for distributing humanitarian assistance, restoring essential services and withdrawing forces from hospitals and essential public facilities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It is past time to silence the guns and allow unhindered humanitarian access. I implore both sides to uphold this agreement — the eyes of the world are watching,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged the country into chaos. Stocks of food, cash and essentials are rapidly dwindling, and mass looting has hit banks, embassies, aid warehouses and even churches.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Will this truce hold?</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan, reporting from the capital’s twin city, Omdurman, said the agreement will freeze the conflict, with the warring sides allowed to hold on to their current positions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The Rapid Support Forces will keep control of the presidential palace and the army keeps control of its headquarters, the General Command of the Armed Forces. As for the airport, the RSF has more control of the facilities there, so they will keep that,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the Sudanese people — who are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance — were deeply sceptical of the agreement, said Morgan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“People say that they are not sure if this ceasefire will hold. They’ve seen how previous ceasefires have played out. And they say that until Tuesday or Wednesday, when and if they do not hear the sound of artillery in their neighbourhoods and when and if they see humanitarian aid, then they will know if there’s an actual ceasefire.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ceasefire came as residents in Omdurman and Khartoum North, the two cities that lie across the Nile from Khartoum, reported heavy air raids.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some of the attacks took place near the state broadcaster in Omdurman, the witnesses said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We faced heavy artillery fire early this morning, the whole house was shaking,” Sanaa Hassan, a 33-year-old living in the al-Salha neighbourhood of Omdurman, told the Reuters news agency by phone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It was terrifying, everyone was lying under their beds. What’s happening is a nightmare,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The RSF is embedded in residential districts, drawing almost continual air attacks by the regular armed forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Witnesses in Khartoum said that the situation was relatively calm, although sporadic gunshots could be heard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Fighting in Darfur</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The conflict, which began on April 15, has killed at least 705 people and wounded at least 5,287, according to the World Health Organization. Some 1.1 million people have been displaced internally and into neighbouring countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">In recent days, ground fighting has flared once again in the Darfur region, in the cities of Nyala and Zalenjei.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both sides blamed each other in statements late on Friday for sparking the fighting in Nyala, one of the country’s largest cities, which had for weeks been relatively calm due to a locally-brokered truce.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A local activist told Reuters there were sporadic gun clashes near the city’s main market close to army headquarters on Saturday morning. Almost 30 people have died in the two previous days of fighting, according to activists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The war broke out in Khartoum after disputes over plans for the RSF to be integrated into the army under an internationally-backed deal to shift Sudan towards democracy following decades of conflict-ridden rule by former President Omar al-Bashir, who had appointed himself as leader of the country after staging a coup in 1989. Aljazeera</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 07:14:00', '2023-05-21 07:14:00');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(7007, 7007, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The US’ decision to support the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine is certainly a military boost for Kyiv – but the devil is in the detail.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The crucial questions are: how many, how quickly, and what weapons will the jets will come supplied with?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No-one doubts the ability of the F-16, which has more than proved itself in conflicts around the world, and will be a step up from Ukraine’s Soviet-era Mig-29s and Su-27s, which fly comparable missions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However it’s not yet clear which of its capabilities will be available to Ukraine, while training and delivery will also be a challenge.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">We\'ve seen a significant meeting already this morning - with the South Korean and Japanese leaders holding talks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japan\'s PM Fumio Kishida and South Korea\'s President Yoon Seok-youl visited a cenotaph dedicated to the Koreans victims of the nuclear bombings in Japan during WW2.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The backdrop is highly symbolic as the two leaders try to repair a decades-long historic feud. Encouraged by Washington, this is the leader\'s third such meeting this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea\'s leader also met with Korean survivors of the Hiroshima bombing on Sunday and said that the Japanese PM\'s earlier declaration that \"his heart hurts\" for those who suffered from forced labour under Japan\'s colonial rule resonated with South Koreans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yoon is also expected to meet Volodymy Zelensky later on Sunday for the first time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">How did this year’s summit compare to last year’s?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominated the agenda at last year’s G7 summit in Bavaria, Germany.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It took place in June 2022, just months after the war started. At the time,G7 leaders said they were “appalled” by Russia’s “war of aggression” and promised to provide financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also addressed the summit via video-link.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>What is the G7 and what does it do?</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The G7 (Group of Seven) summit is an annual meeting of the world\'s seven largest so-called \"advanced\" economies – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japan took over the G7 presidency from Germany in 2023, meaning it will host a number of meetings throughout the year, most notably this summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Throughout the year G7 ministers and officials hold meetings, form agreements and publish joint statements on global events.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The EU is not a member of the G7 but also attends, while representatives from countries including Australia, Brazil, South Korea and India have also been invited.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia was expelled from the group - previously known as the G8 - in 2014 in response to its annexation of Crimea. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 07:20:07', '2023-05-21 07:20:07'),
(7008, 7008, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Group of Seven wealthy democracies united in urging China to pressure its strategic partner Russia to end its war on Ukraine and resolve territorial disputes peacefully, and China lashed back.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a joint statement, the G7 leaders emphasized they did not want to harm China and were seeking “constructive and stable relations” with Beijing, “recognizing the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing our concerns directly to China.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We call on China to press Russia to stop its military aggression, and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine,” said the statement Saturday. “We encourage China to support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on territorial integrity and the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter,” including in direct talks with Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cooperation with China is needed given its global role and economic size, the group said, in appealing for working together on challenges such as climate change, biodiversity, debts and financing needs of of vulnerable countries, global health concerns and economic stability.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the leaders expressed “serious concern” about the situation in the East and South China seas, where Beijing has been expanding its military presence and threatening to use force to exert its control over self-governed Taiwan. They called for a “peaceful resolution” of China\'s claim to Taiwan, which has remained unresolved since the communists gained power on the Chinese mainland in 1949.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The statement said there was “no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and we oppose China’s militarization activities in the region.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“A growing China that plays by international rules would be of global interest,” the statement said, alluding to charges that Beijing is undermining the “rules-based international order.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The G7 also united in voicing concerns about human rights in China, including in Tibet, in Hong Kong and in the far western region of Xinjiang, where the issue of forced labor is a perennial issue.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the statement also sought to counter accusations that the G7 is seeking to prevent China\'s rise as a global power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our policy approaches are not designed to harm China nor do we seek to thwart China’s economic progress and development,” it said. The statement highlighted a consensus that efforts to diversify manufacturing supply chains and ensure stable access to strategically vital minerals and other resources is not aimed at unraveling trade ties with the world\'s second-largest economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are not decoupling or turning inwards,\" the statement said. “At the same time, we recognize that economic resilience requires de-risking and diversifying. We will take steps, individually and collectively, to invest in our own economic vibrancy. We will reduce excessive dependencies in our critical supply chains.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the same time, the G7 members vowed to take a stand against various types of “economic coercion,” saying they “will counter malign practices, such as illegitimate technology transfer or data disclosure,” while also avoiding “unduly limiting trade and investment.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chinese officials have reacted to various G7 statements about economic coercion and other issues with outrage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the G7 “used issues concerning China to smear and attack China and brazenly interfere in China’s internal affairs. China strongly deplores and firmly opposes this and has made serious démarches to the summit’s host Japan and other parties concerned.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The G7 needs to stop pointing fingers at China on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet and take a hard look at their own history and human rights record,” it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Taiwan, meanwhile, thanked the G7 for its support.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Taiwan will stand alongside with democracies and communities of the world to cooperate in defusing the risks,” its president, Tsai Ing-wen said Saturday. “Nowadays, the consensus around the world is very clear, which is the fact that cross-strait issues have to be solved in a peaceful manner. War is not an option,\" she said at a news conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from Japan, this year\'s host of the leader\'s annual summit, the G7 includes the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and Italy and the European Union.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The G7 statement was released on the second day of a three-day summit. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Hiroshima on Saturday to participate in meetings planned for Sunday. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 08:44:43', '2023-05-21 08:44:43'),
(7009, 7009, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 162 at 9:00 am this morning (May 21, 2023), Dhaka ranked 4th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan\'s Lahore, India\'s Delhi and China’s Shenyang occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 190, 190, and 163, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 151 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 10:17:45', '2023-05-21 10:17:45'),
(7010, 7010, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least nine people were killed and dozens more injured when stampeding soccer fans pushed through one of the access gates at a quarterfinal match in the Salvadoran league Saturday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The National Civil Police said in a preliminary report via Twitter that nine dead were confirmed at the match between clubs Alianza and FAS at Monumental stadium in Cuscatlan, which is about 25 miles (41 kilometers) northeast of the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least two of the injured transported to hospitals were in critical condition, the police said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local television transmitted live images of the stampede by Alianza fans. Dozens made it onto the field where they received medical treatment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It was an avalanche of fans who overran the gate. Some were still under the metal in the tunnel. Others managed to make it to the stands and then to the field and were smothered,” an unidentified volunteer with the Rescue Commandos first aid grouptold journalists. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 10:20:05', '2023-05-21 10:20:05'),
(7011, 7011, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin late Saturday congratulated the Wagner mercenary group and the national army on their claimed capture of the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, according to a Kremlin statement quoted by Russian news agencies.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate Artemovsk (the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut),\" the TASS news agency quoted the Kremlin statement as saying. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 10:24:20', '2023-05-21 10:24:20'),
(7012, 7012, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Manchester City clinched a third straight English Premier League title after second-placed Arsenal lost at Nottingham Forest 1-0 to cap its end-of-season collapse on Saturday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">City holds an unassailable four-point lead, with Arsenal — the once long-time leader — having only one game remaining.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is City\'s seventh league crown in a 12-year period during which the Abu Dhabi-owned club has changed the face of the English game.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">City’s latest title is the fifth in Pep Guardiola\'s seven years at the club and owes as much to its end-of-season streak of 11 straight victories as it does to an implosion by Arsenal, just when a first league title since 2004 was in sight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arsenal led by eight points on April 1 but has since won only two of eight games.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A win at the City Ground likely would have delayed the inevitable but Taiwo Awoniyi\'s 19th-minute goal brought an end to the title race with City still having three games to play.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The victory also ensured Forest was safe from relegation in its first season back in the top-flight since 1999. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 10:28:17', '2023-05-21 10:28:17'),
(7013, 7013, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russia said Saturday it has captured the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, epicentre of the fighting, as President Vladimir Putin congratulated his troops and private mercenary group Wagner.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The announcement from the Russian army came hours after Kyiv said the battle was continuing, while admitting the situation was \"critical\", and with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky meeting G7 leaders in Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bakhmut, a salt-mining town that once had a population of 70,000 people, has been the scene of the longest and bloodiest battle in Moscow\'s more than year-long Ukraine offensive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fall of Bakhmut, where both Moscow and Kyiv are believed to have suffered huge losses, would allow Moscow to bring home a key victory after a series of humiliating defeats.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It would also come before a major counteroffensive that Kyiv has been preparing for months. Zelensky himself has warned that the fall of the city would open the way for Russian troops to capture more parts of Donbas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As a result of offensive actions of the Wagner assault units, with the support of artillery and aviation of the \'Southern\' unit, the liberation of the city of Artemovsk was completed,\" Russia\'s defence ministry said, using the Soviet-era name of Bakhmut.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate\" the city, the TASS news agency quoted a Kremlin statement as saying.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wagner\'s boss Yevgeny Prigozhin earlier claimed the city had fallen to his mercenaries in a video posted on Telegram, in which fighters held Russian flags against a backdrop of ruins.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Today on May 20, around midday, Bakhmut was taken in its entirety,\" Prigozhin said in the video, adding that Wagner fighters would search the captured city before handing it over to the Russian army.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"By May 25 we will completely examine (Bakhmut), create the necessary lines of defence and hand it to the military,\" Prigozhin said. \"We ourselves will go into field camps.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Artillery sound could be heard in the background of Prigozhin\'s video.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Bakhmut will be liberated\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine, which this month claimed successes in and around Bakhmut, said earlier that the battle was not over.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Heavy fighting in Bakhmut. The situation is critical,\" deputy defence minister Ganna Malyar posted on Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said Ukrainian troops were \"holding the defence\" in the city\'s \"Airplane area\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As of now, our defenders control certain industrial and infrastructure facilities in the area,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was not possible for AFP to verify either claim.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia\'s announcement that the city had fallen came hours ahead of Zelensky\'s meeting Sunday with US President Joe Biden in Japan, during the G7 summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden, who has spearheaded Western backing of Ukraine with sanctions and supplies, \"looks forward\" to the meeting, a senior administration official said, adding that it is expected to take place after 2:00pm (0500 GMT) Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelensky made a surprise appearance Saturday at the summit in Hiroshima -- another diplomatic coup a day after he attended the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ukrainian president, who was flown in on a French government plane, was able to meet not just G7 leaders but those from other key international players such as unaligned powers Brazil and India.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fruits of his diplomatic efforts have already paid off, with the US announcing Friday that it would allow Kyiv to acquire F-16 fighter jets, the most sophisticated material yet supplied by the West.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- ICC denounces Moscow warrant -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin meanwhile continued his running battle with Russia\'s military establishment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The operation to capture Bakhmut -- the Bakhmut meat grinder -- lasted 224 days,\" Prigozhin said, wearing a camouflage uniform. Moscow\'s losses would have been far smaller if it was not for incompetent generals, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wagner, which spearheaded the fight for Bakhmut, is believed to have suffered huge losses in the months-long storming of the city. Prigozhin has long complained about Wagner not being given appropriate amounts of ammunition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There was only Wagner here (in Bakhmut),\" he said in the video. \"We fought not only the Ukrainian army here, we fought Russian bureaucracy.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He blamed Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for turning the offensive into \"their own amusement\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The two camps are now awaiting a counteroffensive announced by Ukrainian authorities who are backed by Western arms deliveries. Zelensky said recently that his army needs more time before launching the assault.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The International Criminal Court on Saturday denounced the previous day\'s \"unacceptable\" move by Moscow to put ICC prosecutor Karim Khan on a wanted list over his issuance of an arrest warrant for Putin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The court will remain undeterred in the conduct of its lawful mandate to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes,\" the Hague-based tribunal said. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 10:32:04', '2023-05-21 10:32:04'),
(7014, 7014, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The first hajj flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia in the early hours of today.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The national flag carrier\'s aircraft \'BG-3001\' departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) around 3:20am and it was scheduled to land in Jeddah at 7:20am (local time).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday inaugurated the Hajj Activities-2023 (1444 Hijri) at the Hajji Office in the capital\'s Ashkona area. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"7\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 11:01:47', '2023-05-21 11:01:47'),
(7015, 7015, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Met Office has predicted rain or thundershowers in parts of the country over 24 hours, starting from 9 am today (May 21, 2023). </b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind are likely to occur at a few places in Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places in Khulna and Barishal divisions,” said the Met Office bulletin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A mild heatwave is sweeping over the districts of Rajshahi, Pabna, Jashore and Chuadanga and it may continue, according to the bulletin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged across the country, according to the Met Office bulletin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The highest temperature was recorded at 37.1 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi while the lowest temperature was recorded at 20.5 degrees Celsius in Kishoreganj’s Nikli and Sylhet. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The weather office recorded the highest 34 mm rainfall in Sylhet. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 12:41:44', '2023-05-21 12:47:41'),
(7016, 7016, '<div><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US President Joe Biden announced Sunday a new weapons package for Kyiv, as he met his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima.</b><br></div><div><br></div><div>Biden said the package would include \"ammunition, artillery, armored vehicles\" -- days after giving allies the okay to transfer advanced F-16 jets to Ukraine. AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 12:45:36', '2023-05-21 12:45:36'),
(7017, 7017, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United States has said that they maintain a \"broad and deep\" relationship with Bangladesh, and that they also want to advance the ties.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The United States maintains a broad and deep relationship with Bangladesh that we seek to advance,\" an official at the US Embassy in Dhaka told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The response came when the US Embassy\'s attention was drawn to a media report that claims more US sanctions could be coming. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 13:33:33', '2023-05-21 13:33:33'),
(7018, 7018, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">World Meditation Day is an annual observance held on May 21st, dedicated to promoting the practice of meditation and its profound benefits. In today\'s stressful and fast-paced world, the practice of meditation has garnered significant prominence owing to its multiple mental, emotional, and physical benefits. Meditation offers a profound way to reconnect with ourselves, reduce stress, and cultivate a sense of balance and well-being.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yet, a sizable number of individuals struggle to make meditation a routine habit despite the initial zeal. Designing a consistent meditation practice demands commitment and a well-defined strategy. Whether you\'re a beginner or have dabbled in meditation before, these practical tips will help you establish a consistent practice that brings peace and mindfulness into your daily routine.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Ways to make meditation a habit:</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Raman Mittal, Meditation Expert and Co-founder and CEO of Idanim, shares with HT Lifestyle, seven proven strategies that will help individuals incorporate meditation into their daily routine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>1. Keep realistic expectations and be consistent</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It takes time to build muscles once you hit the gym. It takes time to lose weight once you start a diet. It takes time to learn a skill you just began. Similarly, once you begin meditating do not expect wonders overnight. Meditation is a journey and requires dedication and patience. Consistency is crucial when it comes to embracing any habit, and meditation is no exception. Select a specific time and place for your practice with minimal distractions. Be it early morning, lunch hour or before bedtime, maintaining a uniform schedule helps prepare your mind and body to expect and embrace the practice regularly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>2. Adopt a gradual approach</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When venturing on your meditation journey, do not jump-start with advanced meditations. Start with short sessions of 5-10 minutes, and gradually expand the duration as you become more comfortable and acquainted with the practice and develop the habit of staying still. By designing attainable goals, you build momentum and avoid feeling overwhelmed or disheartened.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>3. Pick a suitable location</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Establishing a dedicated area for meditation can improve your focus and build a peaceful environment, facilitative to your practice. It is important to remember that it doesn\'t need to be an elaborate setup and could include a comfortable chair or merely a cushion or chair. Practitioners can also adorn it with objects that promote tranquillity like candles, plants, or meaningful symbols.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>4. Leverage meditation apps</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For beginners, meditation apps can deliver valuable support by offering guided sessions tailored for different durations and skill levels. They offer a structured framework, making it convenient to delve into the practice and stay focused. Also, integrating meditation into your existing daily routines can assist in framing it as a daily habit. For example, you can include mindfulness practices while conducting routine tasks like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or commuting to work. By purposefully bringing awareness to these moments, you fill your day with mindfulness and make meditation an essential part of your life.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>7. Keep track of your progress</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scrutinising your progress can be a motivating factor in maintaining a meditation habit. Keep a log of your meditation sessions, recording the duration, any insights or experiences, and how you felt before and after each session. By following your progress, you can follow patterns, identify improvements, and celebrate accomplishments, strengthening your commitment to regular practice. Meditation apps are a great way to keep track of your progress. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 13:44:56', '2023-05-21 13:44:56'),
(7019, 7019, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Israel\'s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound Sunday, police said, a controversial move by the extreme-right politician amid heightened tensions in annexed east Jerusalem.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Minister Ben Gvir visited the Temple Mount this morning. There was no incident during the visit,\" police said in a statement, using the Jewish name for the holy site in the heart of the Old City. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 14:00:59', '2023-05-21 14:00:59'),
(7020, 7020, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzaque has said a decision on onion import will be taken within two to three days after monitoring the market situation.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"I know that all middle- and limited-income people are suffering. The price of onion should not be Tk 80 per kg. At the policy level, we are putting emphasis on the interests of our local farmers,” the minister said while talking to reporters at his Secretariat office today.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have discussed it at the highest level of policymaking. We are monitoring the market very closely. Insha\'Allah, you will get a decision on whether we will import onions in 2-3 days,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Last week, the Agriculture Secretary Wahida Akhter said the government is considering importing onions due to the hike in onion prices in the market.</div><div><br></div><div>Due to government intervention, onion production in the country has increased by more than one million tonne in the last two years, according to the DAE (Department of Agricultural Extension).</div><div><br></div><div>This year alone, more than 34 lakh tonnes of onion have been produced in the country. Meanwhile, the demand for onion in the country is 26 to 28 lakh tonnes per year. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 16:52:14', '2023-05-21 16:52:14'),
(7021, 7021, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A guitar smashed on stage by Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain sold for nearly $600,000, several times its original estimate, an auction house said Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The busted black Fender Stratocaster has been put back together, but is no longer playable, Kody Frederick of Julien\'s Auctions told AFP earlier this month.</div><div><br></div><div>It was signed by all three members of the Seattle grunge outfit as they rocketed to global fame.</div><div><br></div><div>The auction house said it had expected the instrument to sell for $60,000 at the event in front of a live audience at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City.</div><div><br></div><div>Instead, it went for $595,000, Julien\'s said in a statement, calling the total \"astounding.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"You can see here the break that took place as he slammed down the guitar, where the neck here kind of connects, as well as down here on the bottom where he slammed the guitar down,\" Frederick told AFP earlier in May.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Kurt Cobain, when he was on stage, when he played, he was a machine. The man was angry, and you could feel that on stage. And you would feel that by the way he would treat his instruments.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This broken element, in a strange way, from this broken musician, that really defined this rough and tumble era of music.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Nirvana\'s hits, many of which were penned by Cobain, included \"Come As You Are,\" \"Lithium\" and the 1991 breakout \"Smells Like Teen Spirit\" -- a track that became anthemic for a generation of alienated teenagers.</div><div><br></div><div>Cobain struggled with substance addiction and depression, and had a tumultuous relationship with his wife, Courtney Love.</div><div><br></div><div>He took his own life in April 1994.</div><div><br></div><div>The three-day auction, which concludes Sunday, also includes memorabilia from the careers of Eddie Van Halen, Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Bill Wyman and Janet Jackson. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 17:23:16', '2023-05-21 17:23:16'),
(7022, 7022, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday has said that the people have no interest in the city polls being held under the Election Commission which is regulated by the government.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a discussion programme, he also feared that the upcoming elections to the five city corporations will be stage-managed even though BNP is not fielding any candidate.</div><div><br></div><div>“They (govt) have completely destroyed the election system by using the state machinery. The Election Commission is under the control of the government. People are not interested in the election taking place in the country,” the BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said opposition parties are not fielding candidates in most of the city corporation elections due to the “collapsed’ election system.</div><div><br></div><div>”Arif (Ariful Haque Chowdhury) is a very popular two-time mayor in Sylhet and the people of Sylhet want him to see as mayor again. In a public meeting, Arif yesterday (Saturday) said this election will never be accepted as the government has made a blueprint. So, there is no point in going to this election as it will be meaningless,” Fakhrul said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the people of Sylhet City shed tears as their beloved leader decided against participating in the election.&nbsp; “He (Arif) clearly said this election will be meaningless and no election will be fair under this government.”</div><div><br></div><div>A faction of the Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the party founder Shafiul Alam Pradhan’s sixth death anniversary.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said all the authoritarian and fascistic regimes destroy the election system and use the stage-managed voting a tool to hang onto power.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, We would like to say it very clearly that there will be no free and fair elections if the current government remains in power…the election must be held under an impartial caretaker government,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said the government has taken the election system to such a situation that ruling the party’s alliance partner and Workers Party President, Rashed Khan Menon, said a few days back that they do not want ‘planned’ elections.</div><div><br></div><div>“The message is very clear that Awami League holds planned elections and he (Menon) does not want such polls. Another state minister said that the ministers create syndicates here and they increase the prices of commodities,” the BNP leader observed.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to a World Bank report, he said Bangladesh is the champion of default loans. “Bangladesh has even surpassed Sri Lanka in this regard.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said the number of loan defaulters is increasing in the country as the ruling party leaders, including the ministers, do not repay after borrowing crores of taka.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also warned the BNP rank and file not to be confused by different ‘evil games’ by the government ahead of the national election, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“We must remain united to free our leader Begum Khaleda Zia, ensure the return of our leader Tarique Rahman to the country, restore democracy, people’s voting rights and establish equality, the movement has already begun. We all have to take to the streets with all strengths to take it a final stage for establishing a caretaker government ousting the current regime,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 21:24:29', '2023-05-21 21:24:29'),
(7023, 7023, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister’s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said BNP leaders described 2018 general elections as fair and participatory while speaking to the media on election day but they changed their statements in the evening as results were coming in.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The leaders of BNP did not talk about any kind of rigging or widespread irregularities on the election day. News reports show people voting spontaneously, BNP leaders expressing satisfaction,” he said in a facebook post along with uploading a compilation of news clips on Friday night.</div><div><br></div><div>He added: “But later in the evening, Mirza Fakhrul-Dr Kamal Hossain\'s statements changed completely.”</div><div><br></div><div>They started giving speeches blaming the government for their failure, he said, adding that so far they have not been able to present any concrete evidence in support of their claim.</div><div><br></div><div>“The leaders of BNP and Oikya Front have been lying continuously regarding the 11th Parliamentary Election in which they were defeated by a large number of votes. Even in the anti-Awami League media, a group is relentlessly trying to establish the \'night vote\' theory,” he wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>Joy said representatives of foreign observer groups ruled the election fair.</div><div><br></div><div>“The reason for BNP\'s collapse is BNP itself,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>In the facebook post, Joy uploaded a video which is compilations of news clips of private-run television channels including Independent, Somoy Television, DBC, News 24 and it also gave references of the daily Ittefaq, Jugantor, Prothom Alo and bdnews24.com. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 22:14:19', '2023-05-21 22:14:19'),
(7024, 7024, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Saudi Arabian Ambassador in Dhaka Essa Yousef Essa Alduhailan paid a courtesy call on President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban here this noon.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"During the meeting, the President said Bangladesh\'s relationship with Saudi Arabia is very excellent…,\" President\'s press secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS later.</div><div><br></div><div>The Head of the State thanked the Saudi government for facilitating the Hajj process for Bangladeshis and launching e-visa.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that Saudi Arabia is the biggest destination for the export of Bangladesh\'s manpower, President Shahabuddin said Bangladeshi expatriates in Saudi Arabia are playing an important role in the economic development of both countries.</div><div><br></div><div>He put emphasis on increasing mutual communication and visit-exchange both at public and private levels to enhance trade investment between the two countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Along with strengthening relations with Bangladesh, the Saudi ambassador said Saudi investments in different sectors, including electricity and energy, are also increasing gradually.</div><div><br></div><div>After Kuwait, Bangladesh is the second country, where mobile Umrah Visa has been implemented, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The envoy also said many big companies in Saudi Arabia are showing interest in investing in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>President\'s Office Secretary Sampad Barua, President\'s Military Secretary Major General SM Salahuddin Islam, President\'s press secretary Md Joynal Abedin and Secretary (Attachment) Wahidul Islam Khan were present on the occasion. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 22:18:40', '2023-05-21 22:18:40'),
(7025, 7025, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Full scale gas supply from one of the Maheshkhali floating LNG terminals, which remained off from May 11 due to the impact of cyclonic storm Mocha,&nbsp; resumed on Tuesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Aslam Alam, public relations officer (information officer) of Power,&nbsp; Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said the operation of one of the floating LNG terminal in Mahishkhali of Cox’s Bazar district resumed on Saturday night.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the gas supply from the two LNG terminals in Maheshkhali remained suspended due to the impact of Cyclone Mocha from May 11.</div><div><br></div><div>On May 16, the authorities resumed the operation of one the floating LNG terminals.</div><div><br></div><div>With the resumption of gas supply from the second floating LNG terminal, some 800 million cubic feet of gas (mmcfd) is being added to the national pipeline from the two LNG terminals.</div><div><br></div><div>People of the country, especially the residents of Chattogram, faced frequent load shedding for several days due to the suspension of the gas supply from two LNG terminals.</div><div><br></div><div>Production in many factories also remained suspended due to the lack of gas supply. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 22:46:15', '2023-05-21 22:46:15'),
(7026, 7026, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Some 315 active members of extremist organizations in the North-Western of the country voluntarily surrendered by relinquishing their weapons to the Rapid Action Battalion in Sirajganj on Sunday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>They are members of Purba Banglar Communist Party (red flag), Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party (MBRM) and Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party (Janajudda).</div><div><br></div><div>The extremists from seven districts- Sirajganj, Pabna, Bogra, Meherpur, Kushtia, Rajbari, and Tangail- turned themselves in, handing over 216 weapons in the presence of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the RAB-12 headquarters.</div><div><br></div><div>Addressing the surrender ceremony as the chief guest, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal assured that the current government is committed to rehabilitating the surrendered extremists fully.</div><div><br></div><div>He said, “They will receive the necessary assistance to reintegrate into normal life, including legal support.”</div><div><br></div><div>The Home Minister further said that prior to the event, the Prime Minister had conveyed her message, stating, “Those who have abandoned the path of darkness and are returning to the path of light will receive comprehensive support, including financial assistance,” reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>The government aims to provide a supportive environment for the former extremists to lead a normal life and reintegrate into society successfully, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 22:54:29', '2023-05-21 22:54:29');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(7027, 7027, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday made his most direct statement yet that some amendments will be made to the Digital Security Acts as part of steps to stop misuse of the law.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The Digital Security Act has not been enacted to regulate freedom of expression or the media or it is not being used to do these. Several solutions have already been taken to prevent the misuse of the law. As part of these solutions, some amendments will be made to the Digital Security Act,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister made the remarks while speaking at a discussion meeting titled ‘Digital Security Law in Bangladesh and freedom of expression’ at Brac University of the city\'s Mohakhali area. UN Resident s Coordinating office in Bangladesh and Brac University organize the program.</div><div><br></div><div>The government had lengthy discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office on the DSA and received some inputs which are under review now, the minister added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Women are often harassed online which needs to be addressed. The country, the government or any individual will not be allowed to be defamed through indiscriminate misuse of the digital space,” said Anisul Huq.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister also said “We need to protect our national interests and those who are targeted and vulnerable to digital attacks. That\'s why we need a DSA.”</div><div><br></div><div>So there is no question of repealing this law, the law minister said adding, “However, amendments to the law are being reviewed. It must be considered.”</div><div><br></div><div>Parliament Member Ahsan Adelur Rahman, BRAC University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, Senior Journalist Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Professor Dr Kaderi Gayen, among others, spoke on the occasion. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-21 23:07:48', '2023-05-21 23:07:48'),
(7028, 7028, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A beach resort bristling with fortifications. A major road lined with anti-tank ditches. Satellite analysis by BBC Verify has uncovered some of the extensive defences built by Russia as it prepares for a major Ukrainian counter-attack.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After months of stalemate, the expected assault is likely to be a crucial test for Ukraine as it seeks to prove it can achieve significant battlefield gains with the weapons it has received from the West.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By examining hundreds of satellite images, the BBC has identified some key points in the significant build-up of trenches and other fortifications in southern Ukraine since October.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These four locations offer an insight into what Russia expects from the counter-offensive, and what defences Ukrainian forces might encounter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1. Crimea\'s west coast</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seized by Russia in 2014, Crimea was formerly known for its beach resorts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, instead of sun loungers and parasols, the coastline stretching for 15 miles (25km) is littered with defence structures installed by Russian troops.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The image below shows the only open sandy beach on the west coast without natural defences such as cliffs or hills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Firstly, there are \"dragon\'s teeth\" along the shore: pyramid-shaped blocks of concrete, designed to block the path of tanks and other military vehicles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Behind them is a line of trenches, providing cover from incoming attacks. Several bunkers can also be spotted along the trenches.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stacks of wood, digging machines and stores of dragon\'s teeth along the coast suggest building work was still in progress when the image was taken in March.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some military experts suggest the defences are likely to be a precaution, rather than a sign that Russia expects to defend a seaborne assault, since Ukraine has little naval capacity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Intelligence analyst Layla Guest says: \"The fortifications are likely in place to deter any bold Ukrainian operation to attack Crimea via the sea rather than on land.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The beach fortification is just one example of a vast network of trenches, as shown by the black dots in the map below, based on work by open-source analyst Brady Africk.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BBC Verify has been able to identify other key fortification sites by pinpointing individual trench locations from videos on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Once an exact location was discovered it was then possible to trace an entire trench network using satellite images.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>2. Tokmak</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The small city of Tokmak lies on a key route in the south-east of the country that Ukrainian forces may want to use to cut off Crimea from other Russian-held territories.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There have been reports that Ukrainian civilians have been moved out in order to turn the city into a military fortress. This would provide soldiers with access to supplies and a base to retreat to.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The satellite image above shows that a network of trenches in two lines has been dug north of Tokmak - the direction Ukraine would have to attack from.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Behind these trenches is a further ring of fortifications around the city, with three layers of defences that can be seen distinctly in this close-up satellite image.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The top of the satellite image shows an anti-tank ditch. These are usually at least 2.5m deep and designed to trap any enemy tanks that attempt to cross.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Behind the ditch are several rows of dragon\'s teeth and another trench network.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Ukrainian forces are likely to face further traps.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s highly likely that mines have also been hidden between Tokmak\'s three defence lines, says Mark Cancian from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Minefields are a standard part of every defence, and the Russians have used them extensively throughout the war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Here they will be large and better concealed, slowing down Ukrainian attacks so that other combat elements, like artillery and infantry, can strike the attacking forces.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">BBC Verify has also discovered three other towns near Tokmak have been similarly fortified.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>3. E105 highway</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A line of anti-tank ditches and trenches now runs alongside a 22-mile (35km) stretch of the E105 main highway, west of Tokmak.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The E105 is strategically important, connecting Russian-held Melitopol in the south with the northern city of Kharkiv, held by Ukraine. The side that controls it can easily move around troops around the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If Ukrainian forces attempt to use this road, Russia will likely target it with heavy artillery from behind their defences. Russia\'s position is also in range of another nearby road - the T401 - which could also be targeted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The Russians are worried about the recently built Ukrainian armour units. If these units can get on a main highway, they can move very quickly,\" says Mr Cancian.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The Russian defences aim to push them off the roads and therefore slow them down.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>4. Rivnopil, north of Mariupol</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The port of Mariupol has a strategic position between the Russian-occupied territories in the east and Crimea in the south. It also became a symbol of resistance to invasion when a hard-core of fighters held out for months as the city was besieged.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Given Russia expects Ukraine to try to retake it, BBC Verify decided to look at the territory surrounding the city - leading to the discovery of a collection of circular trenches.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Located near the small village of Rivnopil about 34 miles (55km) north of Mariupol, each circular trench has a mound of soil in the middle, possibly either to protect artillery or to keep guns stable. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 07:17:07', '2023-05-22 07:17:07'),
(7029, 7029, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said his conservative party had unleashed a “political earthquake” with a thumping win in Sunday’s election but hinted that he would seek another election in order to secure an absolute majority that would allow the party to govern alone.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With most votes counted, his New Democracy party was on 40.8 percent of the votes — a 20-point lead over the left-wing Syriza party of Alexis Tsipras, which had 20.1 percent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite the clear lead, projections from Greece’s interior ministry showed New Democracy falling six seats short of an outright majority in parliament, leaving Mitsotakis with the choice of building a coalition or bringing about a new ballot for a decisive result.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 55-year-old made clear his preference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The citizens want a strong government with a four-year horizon,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Today’s political earthquake calls on all of us to speed up the process for a definitive government solution,” he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tsipras also indicated a new vote was likely, saying “the electoral cycle is not over yet”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The next battle, he said, will be “critical and final”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">From Monday, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will give the top three parties — New Democracy, Syriza and the socialist PASOK — three days each in turn to form a coalition government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If they all fail, Sakellaropoulou will appoint a caretaker government to prepare new elections about a month later.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have said that we want to govern outright because that would ensure stability and the way forward. So we have the right to ask the Greek people for that in the next election,” Public Order Minister Takis Theodorikakos said on Skai television shortly after polls closed Sunday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The election was held under a new law of proportional representation, which makes it particularly difficult for any party to win enough parliamentary seats to form a government on its own.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If a second election is held, probably in late June or early July, the law will change again, shifting to a system that rewards the leading party with bonus seats and making it easier for the frontrunner to secure a parliamentary majority.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Political disengagement among youth</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sunday’s election is the first in Greece since its economy ceased being under strict supervision by international lenders who had provided bailout funds during the country’s nearly decade-long financial crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mitsotakis, a 55-year-old Harvard-educated former banking executive and global management firm consultant, won the last election in 2019 on a promise of business-oriented reforms and has promised to continue tax cuts, boost investments and bolster middle-class employment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His popularity took a hit following a February 28 rail disaster that killed 57 people after an intercity passenger train was accidentally put on the same rail line as an oncoming freight train. It was later revealed that train stations were poorly staffed and safety infrastructure broken and outdated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of people, many of them university students like the railway disaster victims, staged rallies across Greek cities in protest at what they saw as negligence on the part of the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Still, with the economy growing at 5.9 percent in 2022, and unemployment and inflation falling, opinion polls showed the prime minister steadily ahead in the run-up to the election.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">George Tzogopoulos, lecturer at the Democritus University of Thrace, told Al Jazeera that young people were dissatisfied with the political class as a whole. “But what happened is that they didn’t show up and vote, they expressed their anger with demonstrations or through social media [instead],” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This is how New Democracy managed to score such an impressive success,” Tzogopoulos added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turnout reached 60 percent, with abstentions lower than earlier feared.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Welcoming the results, 62-year-old retiree Glykeria Tzima said: “Democracy won today — not only New Democracy, but democracy as a whole. Aljazeerz</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 07:22:15', '2023-05-22 07:22:15'),
(7030, 7030, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United States said Sunday it was \"concerned by today\'s provocative visit\" by Israel\'s right-wing National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This holy space should not be used for political purposes, and we call on all parties to respect its sanctity,\" State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ben-Gvir\'s visit came three days after he and tens of thousands of Jewish nationalists marched through the Old City and just over a week into a fragile Gaza ceasefire. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 09:01:44', '2023-05-22 09:01:44'),
(7031, 7031, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that Bakhmut was \"not occupied\" by Moscow, while the head of Russia\'s Wagner mercenary group insisted his fighters had taken control of the eastern city \"to the last centimetre\".</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv\'s military said it was hanging on to a small part of the city and said its troops were advancing on its flanks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bakhmut, a salt-mining town that once had a population of 70,000 people, has been the scene of some of the bloodiest fighting in Moscow\'s 15-month Ukraine offensive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A day earlier, Wagner and Moscow\'s regular army claimed to have fully captured Bakhmut, with Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulating them on the alleged conquest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But speaking at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Zelensky denied Russia\'s claims.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Bakhmut is not occupied by Russia today,\" he said during a press conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I cannot share with you the tactical views of our military. The most difficult thing would be if there was some tactical mistake in Bakhmut and our people were surrounded.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sitting next to US President Joe Biden, Zelensky suggested it would be a pyrrhic victory for Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You have to understand there is nothing\" there in Bakhmut, he said on the sidelines of the summit in Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelensky compared the \"absolute total destruction\" in Bakhmut to the devastation in Hiroshima when the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city in 1945.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There is absolutely nothing alive (there).\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ukrainian army on Sunday said it retained an \"insignificant\" part of the city and that soldiers were advancing in from the city\'s outer limits.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We continue to advance on the flanks in the suburbs of Bakhmut,\" said Oleksandr Syrsky, commander of Ukraine\'s ground forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Wagner claims no Ukrainian soldiers left -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Wagner whose fighters have spearheaded Russia\'s advance on Bakhmut, insisted there were no Ukrainian troops there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There is not a single Ukrainian soldier in Bakhmut as we have stopped taking prisoners,\" he said in a post on Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There are a huge number of corpses of Ukrainian soldiers.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin said Zelensky was either not telling the truth or \"like many of our own military leaders, simply does not know what is happening on the ground, this is a possibility.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Saturday, he had announced that his fighters had taken full control of Bakhmut.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin said Wagner would hand over control of the city to the Russian army by May 25.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But a spokesperson for Ukraine\'s Eastern Grouping of Forces, Sergiy Cherevatyj, said Ukrainian troops were conducting counterattacks in the city and its surroundings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian forces \"are trying to take the whole city under their control. Our units are holding defense -- several buildings and a number of fortifications in the southwestern part\" of Bakhmut, he said on national television.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fierce clashes occurred in other eastern cities and towns including Mariinka and Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, according to a Ukrainian General Staff report, which said Russians conducted four missile strikes and 45 air strikes Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Bakhmut and Mariinka remain at the epicenter of hostilities,\" the report said. \"Battle for the town of Bakhmut continues.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The loss of Bakhmut would be hugely symbolic for the Ukrainians, who had held on for months -- ignoring US advice behind the scenes to focus elsewhere.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But some analysts have said Ukraine has inflicted heavy losses on Russia in Bakhmut and forced it to commit large resources, potentially weakening its defences in other parts of the front line.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fall of Bakhmut would allow Moscow to bring home a key victory after a series of humiliating defeats.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It would also come before a major counteroffensive that Kyiv has been preparing for months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelensky himself has warned that the city\'s loss would open the way for Russian troops to capture more of the Donbas region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Congratulations from Putin -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Russian army released a statement several hours after Prigozhin on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The liberation of the city of Artemovsk was completed,\" it said, using the Soviet-era name of Bakhmut.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Kremlin later congratulated both Wagner and the Russian army, who have been at increasing loggerheads during Moscow\'s offensive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate\" the city, TASS news agency quoted a Kremlin statement as saying.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The two camps are now awaiting the Ukraine counteroffensive, but Zelensky said recently his army needs more time before launching the. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 10:00:58', '2023-05-22 10:00:58'),
(7032, 7032, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A day after national elections, Greece on Monday was bracing for a new ballot which vote-winner Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis\' party is poised to seek in order to govern alone.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The conservative New Democracy party of Mitsotakis scored a thumping win in Sunday\'s vote, with a clear 20-point lead over its nearest rival -- Syriza led by leftist Alexis Tsipras.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Voters handed the conservatives their best result in 14 years, crediting the party with bringing economic stability back to a nation once known as an EU laggard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mitsotakis himself said the \"great victory surpassed our own expectations\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But it fell short of an outright majority, leaving Mitsotakis with the option of either seeking a coalition or calling a new vote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 55-year-old Harvard graduate on Sunday made clear his preferred option.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Together we will fight as of tomorrow, so that in the next elections, what citizens have already decided -- a self-reliant New Democracy -- will be mathematically confirmed at the ballot.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We will move forward, boldly and steadily, to complete today\'s important first step, and be the final winners,\" he said, adding that Greeks \"want a strong government\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tsipras also set the stage for a new vote, saying \"the electoral cycle is not over yet\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The next battle, he said, will be \"critical and final\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Economic stability -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In power over the last four years, former McKinsey consultant Mitsotakis, 55, had steered the country through the pandemic which devastated Greece\'s vital tourism industry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On his watch, the erstwhile EU economic headache has enjoyed a post-Covid revival, booking growth of 5.9 percent in 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With unemployment and inflation falling, and growth this year projected at twice that of the European Union average, Greece\'s outlook was a far cry from the throes of the crippling debt crisis a decade ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mitsotakis\' term had been blighted by a wiretapping scandal as well as a train crash that claimed 57 lives in February.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government initially blamed the accident -- Greece\'s worst-ever rail disaster -- on human error, even though the country\'s notoriously poor rail network has suffered from years of under-investment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nevertheless, neither the accident nor the wiretapping scandal appeared to have dented support for his conservatives -- which scored a far bigger win than that predicted by opinion polls ahead of the vote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite the massive protests that broke out in the aftermath of the rail crash, the transport minister at the time, Kostas Karamanlis, was reelected on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Turn the tide -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under a new electoral law that comes into play in the next election, the winner can obtain a bonus of up to 50 seats. Based on Sunday\'s showing and that calculation, New Democracy is virtually assured of a victory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the left will likely seek to turn the tide by campaigning on cost-of-living problems which occupy many voters\' minds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both Tsipras and socialist party Pasok-Kinal, led by 44-year-old Nikos Androulakis, face an uphill task however.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pasok was credited with just 11.5 percent of the vote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another casualty Sunday was Tsipras\' former maverick finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, whose anti-austerity MeRA25 party failed to garner enough support to make it to parliament. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 10:06:35', '2023-05-22 10:06:35'),
(7033, 7033, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave Dhaka for Doha this afternoon on a three-day official visit to attend the Qatar Economic Forum 2023 at the invitation of Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the premier and her entourage, will depart Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3 pm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flight is scheduled to land at Hamad International Airport in Doha at 6 pm local time (9 pm Bangladesh Time).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister will attend the Forum, titled “3rd Qatar Economic Forum: A New Global Growth Story”, to be held on May 23-25.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Qatar Economic Forum is the Middle East\'s leading voice dedicated to global business and investment. The main objective of this forum is to find a solution by increasing mutual cooperation among the international community to deal with the multi-faceted challenges, global crises and the adverse economic consequences arising from them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On May 23, Sheikh Hasina will join the opening session of the 3rd Qatar Economic Forum, address students of Qatar University in Doha, and hold meetings separately with Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi and Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia Khalid A. Al-Falih.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On May 24, the PM will join the forum, have a meeting with Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (at Amiri Diwan) and visit Awsaj Academy (a specialized school).&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM Sheikh Hasina is expected to return to Dhaka in the morning of May 25, leaving Doha the previous night. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 10:11:28', '2023-05-22 10:11:28'),
(7034, 7034, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Despite the rain last night, with an air quality index (AQI) score of 156 at 8:45 am this morning (May 22, 2023), Dhaka ranked 4th on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan\'s Lahore, China’s Shenyang, and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 198, 174, and 160, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 151 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 10:40:18', '2023-05-22 10:40:18'),
(7035, 7035, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ilisha-1 in Bhola district was announced to be the country\'s 29th gas field where substantial gas was found recently.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We believe, Ilisha-1 has a reserve of 200 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas. The entire Bhola area, including this one, has a reserve of 3 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas,” State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid told reporters today during a briefing at his Dhaka residence while formally announcing the discovery of the gas field.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said this is great news for the people of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ilisha-1 is located in an union in Bhola district, about 182 km from the capital city Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 8 this year, Ilisha-1 excavation started in the Maler Hat area of Ilisha union under Bhola Sadar upazila and the drilling was completed successfully on April 24 through the Drill Stem Test in three levels at a depth of 3,475 metres.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The state minister said earlier that gas was found in different wells under Bhola north and Bhola south structures.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said a plan is being prepared to bring gas from the Bhola area to Dhaka through a pipeline where many industries are facing a nagging gas sh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A pre-feasibility was conducted and now work is in progress for conducting a feasibility study on the issue, he noted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nasrul Hamid said it will take about 3 years to bring the gas from Bhola to Dhaka through a pipeline.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Initially, he said, a private company has signed a contract to bring a total of 25 mmcfd gas from Bhola through a big trailer. Primarily, it will start with 5 mmcfd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He informed that the government has a plan to create a ring-fence of pipeline covering Bhola, Barishal and Dhaka to use the gas for this region while another ring-fence will be created covering the districts in Dhaka, Sylhet and others.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the commercial value of the gas in Bhola will be Tk 6500 crore if calculated in local value and Tk 26000 crore in the value of gas being imported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nasrul Hamid said the Ilisha-1 gas field’s discovery was announced after completion of necessary drilling and other works.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Currently, about 2300 mmcfd gas is being produced from 22 gas fields in the country, while about 700 mmcfd gas is being imported to meet the demand of about 4000 mmcfd, leaving a deficit of about 1000 mmcfd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from Ilisha-1, two Bhola gas fields have around 200 mmcf production capacity, while the production hovers between 80-85 mmcf.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Therefore, around 120 mmcf surplus capacity remains unused in the eight wells of the Shahbazpur and Bhola gas fields.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Due to the lack of pipeline and transmission facilities, the government was unable to supply the surplus gas from the Bhola field to energy-hungry industrial zones in Dhaka and elsewhere.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 11:27:25', '2023-05-22 11:27:25'),
(7036, 7036, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Vinícius Júnior was subjected to racist abuse yet again on Sunday with the Brazil star saying the Spanish league \"now belongs to racists.\"</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The latest abuse against Vinícius came in Real Madrid\'s 1-0 loss at Valencia, a match that had to be temporarily stopped after the Brazil forward said he was insulted by a fan behind one of the goals at Mestalla Stadium.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It wasn\'t the first time, or the second or the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition thinks it\'s normal, as does the federation, and the opponents encourage it,\" Vinícius said on Instagram and Twitter. \"The league that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and (Lionel) Messi now belongs to racists ... But I\'m strong and I will fight until the end against the racists. Even if far from here.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 22-year-old Vinícius, who is is Black, has been subjected to racist abuse since moving to Spain five years ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti considered replacing the star forward after Vinícius said fans at Mestalla chanted \"monkey\" toward him. He said Vinícius initially didn\'t want to continue playing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"What happened today shouldn\'t happen,\" Ancelotti said. \"When a stadium yells \'monkey\' to a player, and the coach considers taking him out of the field because of that, it means that there is something bad in this league.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The veteran coach refused to talk about the game after what happened, saying his team\'s loss meant nothing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The game should have been stopped,\" Ancelotti said. \"This shouldn\'t happen. It wasn\'t only one person, as it has happened in several stadiums. Here, it was a stadium racially insulting a player, the game had to stop. I would have said the same thing if it was 3-0 for us. You have to stop the game, there was no way around it.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ancelotti said he asked the referee to stop the match, but was told that the protocol was to first make an announcement to fans, then take other action if the problem continued.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ancelotti said Vinícius didn\'t want to keep playing but he told the player that he wasn\'t guilty of anything and that he was the victim. Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he would have left the field with Vinicius if his teammate had decided to stop playing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Vinícius is upset, obviously, but more than upset, he is sad,\" Ancelotti said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Spanish media reports, Valencia has identified two fans who allegedly insulted Vinícius behind one of the goals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some comments on social media claimed fans were saying the Spanish word \"tonto\" (silly) instead of \"mono\" (monkey).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Valencia later said it expected Ancelotti to apologize to Valencia fans for accusing them of racism after misunderstanding what was said. The coach told a news conference that the referee wouldn\'t have started the racism protocol if he didn\'t think there was racism in the stadium.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vinícius was later sent off after an altercation with Valencia players, and gestured to home fans about their team\'s fight against relegation as he left the field. Valencia took a huge step toward avoiding the drop with the 1-0 victory opening a five-point gap to the bottom three teams entering the final three rounds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The reward for the racists was my ejection!\" Vinícius said on Instagram, along with the Spanish league\'s slogan \"It\'s not soccer, it\'s LaLiga.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vinícius had called the referee around the 70th minute and started pointing to a person sitting among the Valencia supporters. The player went near the stands and confronted the fans while players from both teams tried to restore calm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police eventually arrived in the stands to deal with the supporters. An announcement was made asking fans to behave.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The match at Mestalla was stopped for about seven minutes, and not long after it resumed Vinícius clashed with Valencia players and was sent off for pushing one of his opponents away with a hand to his face.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the decision of his ejection was made following a video review, Vinícius started applauding ironically. As he was leaving the field, he made a \"going down\" gesture over relegation. That upset players on the Valencia bench and some charged toward Vinícius as he left the field, causing the game to be temporarily stopped again.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Valencia coach Rubén Baraja condemned the behavior of Valencia fans but also criticized Vinícius, saying he should have respected the club and its supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vinícius\' teammate Dani Ceballos criticized the fans but said he also expected Vinícius to apologize for his gestures after being sent off.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ancelotti said Vinícius\' reaction was normal considering what he had gone through moments earlier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Spanish league said it has requested images from the game to investigate what happened. It will also probe possible insults against Vinícius outside Mestalla, when a large group of fans also allegedly called the player a monkey as the Madrid bus arrived.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">League president Javier Tebas criticized Vinícius for attacking the league without fully understanding what it has done recently to combat racism, and saying the player didn\'t show up for talks on the subject that he had requested himself.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The league has made nine formal complaints over racist abuse against Vinícius over the last two seasons, with many of the cases being shelved. A Mallorca fan may end up going on trial after allegedly racially insulting the Brazilian during a game.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva joined a wave of Brazilian politicians, players and clubs coming out to support Vinícius and criticize racism in the Spanish league.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lula told a news conference in Japan on the sidelines of a G7 meeting that he hopes FIFA, the Spanish League and other soccer bodies \"take measures so we don\'t allow racism and fascism to take over\" in the sport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first trial against a fan accused of racial abuse in Spanish professional soccer is expected to happen at some point this year in a case involving Athletic Bilbao forward Iñaki Williams, who was insulted by an Espanyol supporter in a match in 2020. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 11:36:58', '2023-05-22 11:36:58');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(7037, 7037, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A SpaceX Falcon 9 carrier rocket launched a Crew Dragon spacecraft with a crew of four to the International Space Station, according to a livestream on the SpaceX website.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The missile started at 17:37 local time from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral. The mission commander is NASA ex-astronaut Peggy Whitson, who already made three flights to the ISS and holds the NASA record on time in orbit: 665 days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;The crew also includes businessman John Shoffner and Saudi astronauts Ali al-Qarni and Rayyanah Barnawi. During its almost two-week mission, the crew will carry out over 20 scientific and technological experiments. TASS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"18\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 12:15:19', '2023-05-22 12:15:19'),
(7038, 7038, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday conferred with the highest honour of Fiji by its premier Sitiveni Rabuka in recognition of his global leadership, in a rare honour for a non-Fijian.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Modi arrived here in Papua New Guinea on Sunday on his maiden visit to the country to host a key summit between India and 14 Pacific island countries to boost bilateral ties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Indian premier had also met Rabuka on the sidelines of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) summit in Papua New Guinea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Big Honour for India. Prime Minister Modi has been conferred the highest honour of Fiji by the PM of Fiji: Companion of the Order of Fiji in recognition of his global leadership. Only a handful of Non-Fijians have received this honour to date,\" the Prime Minister\'s Office said. PTI</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 12:33:03', '2023-05-22 12:33:03'),
(7039, 7039, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">El Salvador soccer fans were mourning Sunday after 12 people died and hundreds were injured in a stampede at a stadium, with the country\'s president vowing an investigation.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities said initial reports pointed to a crush of fans who tried to enter the 35,000-seat Cuscatlan Stadium in the Central American country\'s capital San Salvador to watch a game between two local teams, Alianza and FAS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The match was suspended as emergency personnel evacuated people from the stadium, where hundreds of police officers and soldiers gathered as ambulance sirens wailed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Carlos Fuentes, spokesman for the emergency services group Comandos de Salvamento, said they were treating more than 500 people for various injuries, while civil protection authorities said 88 people in total were hospitalized.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The stampede started after a stadium gate fell, causing people to crowd together, Fuentes said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fredy Alexander Ruiz, a 28-year-old survivor, said he was \"traumatized from seeing people thrown on the ground, dead, bruised, with their faces stepped on.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The stampede started 10 minutes into the game and after it was suspended even the players joined in the frantic rescue efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I had five people on top of me that were suffocating me,\" said Ruiz. \"Thank God, I was able to grab the foot of a policeman, and he and a friend of mine pulled me out.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Sunday night, dozens of Alianza fans set up a memorial to victims, placing a \"Rest in peace\" banner on the stadium wall, where they also left flowers and 12 candles to represent the dead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After saying a prayer, the fans left, some of them in tears.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">El Salvador\'s President Nayib Bukele said Saturday that authorities would investigate the incident and those responsible would be punished.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, box office, league, federation,\" Bukele said on Twitter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He warned that \"whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'I couldn\'t even breathe\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Survivor Sandra Guzman described chaos at the stadium in the moments the stampede began.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A huge crowd of people fell on me. I couldn\'t even breathe, they were choking me,\" Guzman, 40, told AFP early Sunday as she was leaving the Rosales National Hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When she was in front of the stadium gate that collapsed, she said, \"people were pushing me to get in. They did not give me a chance to go back.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She panicked when people toppled onto her, Guzman said. \"I fainted, and when I woke up I was in the hospital.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Salvadoran Football Federation (Fesfut) said in a statement it \"deeply regrets\" the events that occurred at the stadium and \"expresses its solidarity\" with the families of those \"affected and killed.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Fesfut will immediately request a report of what happened and will communicate the relevant information as soon as possible,\" it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Due to the incident, the federation said \"all soccer is suspended at the national level\" on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The chief of world soccer body FIFA offered his condolences after the \"tragic\" stampede.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The tragedy comes seven months after 135 people, including more than 40 children, were killed in a stampede following a football match in Malang, Indonesia. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 12:56:41', '2023-05-22 12:56:41'),
(7040, 7040, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh\'s Dr AK Abdul Momen today (May 22, 2023) said there is no reason for new sanctions, and if that happens it will be very unfortunate.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said he does not have any idea on new sanctions as it depends on individual countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We hope good sense will prevail,” Momen told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The briefing was arranged to inform the media on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Qatar visit that begins this afternoon. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Seheli Sabrin, among others, was present.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protested and condemned part of a media report, terming it “false, baseless” and done with an “ulterior motive.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign minister reiterated that he had never worked as a Chinese firm’s lobbyist before becoming a minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rather, he said, he stayed in the US and worked there. “This (the media report) is something very strange,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It was very strange and surprising. No reference (source) is mentioned,” Momen said regarding the , g.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He referred to Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque who also said there is no reason to impose sanctions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to the news published in the daily Kalbela newspaper, titled “US sanctions coming, government remains ready,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last night said in a part of the report, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen “was defamed.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The report mentioned that Dr Momen worked as a lobbyist for a Chinese organization before becoming a minister. “It is completely false and baseless,” the ministry said in a media release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Through such lies about AK Abdul Momen, the image of the government has been tarnished along with defaming him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 14:29:52', '2023-05-22 14:29:52'),
(7041, 7041, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An already-qualified Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will have to wait for another season to exact revenge on Royal Challengers Bangalore as the Virat Kohli-starrer side has failed to set up a mouth-watering meeting with the KL Rahul-less side at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 playoffs. Faf Du Plessis and Co. were outplayed by visitors Gujarat Titans (GT) in their final league fixture of the IPL 2023 on Sunday. RCB received another unceremonious exit from IPL as Shubman Gill slammed a brilliant century to seal a memorable win over the hosts at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With RCB suffering a heartbreaking exit from the playoff race, record-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) punched their tickets for the business end of the celebrated tournament by securing the fourth spot in the final league standings. Reflecting on Kohli\'s heated rivalry with Lucknow mentor Gautam Gambhir, the official social media handle of the LSG franchise posted a noteworthy message for the Bengaluru heavyweights. “Give it? Take it? Let\'s leave it. Well fought, @RCBTweets. See you next season,” LSG tweeted after GT defeated RCB by 6 wickets in the final league game of the season.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the unversed, former RCB skipper Kohli took a sly dig at Gautam Gambhir and Co. after RCB defeated LSG in their away match at the IPL 2023. \"That\'s a sweet win boys. A sweet win. Let\'s go. If you can give it, you got to take it. Otherwise don\'t give it,\" how Kohli opted to hit back at LSG stars after the ex-RCB skipper\'s post-match altercations with Gambhir, Naveen-ul-Haq and Kyle Mayers created a ruckus in Indian cricket. Kohli and Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees for breaching the IPL code of conduct.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While Gambhir\'s LSG side has made it to the playoffs, RCB have finished sixth in the IPL 2023 after registering a defeat at the hands of table-toppers Gujarat Titans. Kohli shattered Chris Gayle\'s century record with his sublime 101-run knock against GT in match No.70 of the IPL 2023. The 34-year-old smashed 639 runs in 14 matches for RCB this season. Lucknow Super Giants will meet five-time winners Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023 Eliminator at MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 14:49:52', '2023-05-22 14:49:52'),
(7042, 7042, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ragi or finger millet is a wonder grain that can provide holistic health benefits. With zero cholesterol and sodium, ragi is high in dietary fibre, calcium, iron and other essential micronutrients. Consuming it on a regular basis can also prevent cardiac ailments, aid weight loss, help with blood sugar management in diabetes to cholesterol control. Ragi is also a summer-friendly grain as it keeps your body cool in hot weather. As per Ayurveda, ragi helps reduce Ama (toxin) and also cut cholesterol. Ragi is a storehouse of protein and mineral and is a good source of protein for vegetarians.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>What is ragi</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ragi, is a millet and its scientific name is Eleusine coracana. It is found in the tropical regions of Africa and Asia, such as in India, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. Ragi looks like mustard seeds in appearance. It can be powdered and consumed as ragi flour in dishes like dosa, roti, idli, upma, paratha, halwa, barfi. In India, Karnataka is the highest producer of ragi. Good thing about ragi is that it can be consumed in its original form and doesn\'t need to be polished like other grains which makes it ever healthier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nutritionist Sakshi Lalwani in an interview with HT Digital talks about benefits of ragi and delicious summer recipes you can try.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Benefits of ragi</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>1. High in calcium, iron and fibre</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ragi is abundant in calcium and is excellent for bone health. The wonder millet is also a storehouse of iron and fibre which can boost immunity and keep your digestive system on track.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>2. Gluten-free and easy to digest</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ragi unlike wheat is gluten-free and those who have gluten intolerance can easily switch to this grain. Ragi is also good for digestion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>3. Can help regulate blood sugar levels</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ragi being high in fibre and keeps one full for longer. This can be beneficial for people with diabetes as it helps prevent blood sugar spikes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>4. Known to reduce the risk of heart disease</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Ragi has dietary fibres that helps increase HDL cholesterol and control bad cholesterol levels. This can help reduce chances of heart disease.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>5. Great for weight management due to its low glycaemic index</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">For those aiming to lose weight, ragi can be a good choice as the grain has a low GI and curbs cravings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Summer ragi recipes</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>1. Ragi milkshake: </b>Blend cooked ragi with milk, banana, and honey for a tasty and nutritious summer drink.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>2. Ragi dosa: </b>This traditional South Indian dish is gluten-free and a great source of protein. Mix ragi with water, onion, coriander and spices, then cook it like a pancake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>3. Ragi salad bowl:</b> Mix cooked ragi with vegetables like bell peppers, cucumber, and tomatoes for a refreshing and filling summer salad. Add a dash of lemon juice and some herbs for flavour.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>4. Ragi popsicle: </b>Mix ragi flour with coconut milk, sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract before pouring it into ice pop moulds. Freeze them and enjoy a healthy and tasty cold treat on hot summer days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>5. Ragi pancakes:</b> Mix ragi flour with eggs, buttermilk, and oil to make fluffy and nutritious pancakes. Serve with fresh fruit and maple syrup for added sweetness.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Give these recipes a try and you will surely enjoy the nutritional benefits of ragi while satisfying your taste buds in the process. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 14:57:47', '2023-05-22 14:57:47'),
(7043, 7043, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The United Nations food agency said Monday lack of funding has forced it to cut food aid for around one million Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh for the second time in three months.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Rations would be cut from $10 per person per month to $8 from June 1, World Food Programme spokesperson Kun Li told AFP in an email.</div><div><br></div><div>The full ration of $12 had already been cut in March.</div><div>\"The reasons for the ration cuts are lack of funding. We need urgently $56 million to restore the full ration ($12),\" Kun Li said.</div><div><br></div><div>There was no immediate reaction from Bangladeshi authorities.</div><div><br></div><div>Aid groups said the cut in March caused hardship in the overcrowded camps, where malnutrition was already rampant.</div><div><br></div><div>Khin Maung, who heads the Rohingya Youth Association inside the camps, told AFP the new food cut decision came as a surprise to the refugees and that it would lead to hunger.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s a shameful action by the United Nations,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I think it is political. Some people have said it is a ploy to send Rohingyas back to Myanmar.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Aid workers said the move could worsen security in the camps, which last year saw scores of deadly drug-related clashes between Rohingya criminal groups.</div><div><br></div><div>UN and foreign diplomats have urged the Bangladeshi government to drop a ban preventing Rohingya working outside the camps in the surrounding Cox\'s Bazar region.</div><div><br></div><div>Experts have warned, however, that this could stoke resentment among the local population and further discourage the Rohingya from returning to Myanmar.</div><div><br></div><div>After several failed repatriation attempts, Myanmar has launched a pilot project to resettle around 1,100 Rohingya to a border township.</div><div><br></div><div>A team sent by Myanmar authorities is expected to visit the camps this week in an effort to convince the refugees to return.</div><div><br></div><div>But Rohingyas who visited the resettlement villages this month told AFP they have serious misgivings, with one saying: \"We don\'t trust the Myanmar government one percent.\" According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 16:58:41', '2023-05-22 16:58:41'),
(7044, 7044, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Preparations for the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal must balance expectations in an election year with the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and tackle inflation, foreign exchange crisis and revenue shortfall.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Balancing public satisfaction and protecting the economy is a major issue. Economists say it has been seen in the past that election year budgets often prioritise public satisfaction over the improvement of the economy.</div><div><br></div><div>As such, the opportunity to deliver a budget that is satisfactory is very limited, said macroeconomist and public policy analyst Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, who is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).</div><div><br></div><div>He told UNB, \"Before the election, all governments want to give a budget that satisfies the people. But due to the financial situation, fiscal deficit, and trade deficit, the opportunity is very limited for the government. If such a big effort is made, it will have a negative impact on the overall economy.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is important to remember that this budget will be implemented by two governments. In this budget, flexibility must also be preserved. Because, if the government makes any big promises, there is doubt as to how much they can implement,\" he pointed out.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Debapriya said that the budget is coming at a time of political uncertainty in the country. Plus exit from LDC, and the Covid-19 response revival are issues hanging over the budget.</div><div><br></div><div>“Compared to any other year, this year\'s budget has to be prepared in a very complicated situation. Because earlier, there would be a deficit in terms of income and expenditure in the country, but there would be comparative relief in terms of foreign transactions. But this time it is not,” he opined.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Debapriya said, \"There has been a major disruption in the growth rate. It is going down further because there is no money, no dollar. There is a huge deficit in both areas to be dealt with together.”</div><div><br></div><div>So the government has to control imports and limit its investment program. As a result, next year\'s growth target should also be moderated.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The financial structure has actually weakened,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Executive Director of the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM) Salim Raihan, also a professor of economics at Dhaka University (DU), said that in the previous election years, the economy was not in such a crisis as this time, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"As a result, no new major pressure was created in the economy despite budgeting for public satisfaction at that time. But this time, if the budget is made considering only public satisfaction in view of the election, it will create new pressure on the economy,\" Professor Raihan said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 18:29:46', '2023-05-22 18:29:46'),
(7045, 7045, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bengali actor Suchandra Dasgupta died on Saturday night in a road accident while returning home in Panihati from the sets. The accident took place in the Baranagar area while she was on a bike taxi, as per eyewitnesses.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The actor was reportedly run over by a lorry near Ghoshpara of Baranagar Police Station&nbsp;</div><div>Baranagar Police reached the spot and brought the situation under control as the accident disrupted traffic for some time. According to a report of Anandabazar Patrika, Suchandra had booked the bike taxi online.</div><div><br></div><div>While crossing the Baranagar area, the driver reportedly applied brakes when a bicycle came in front of the vehicle. At the moment, Suchandra fell from the bike and was run over by a 10-wheeler lorry, as per reports. Although she was wearing a helmet, she died on the spot as per reports. Reportedly, her helmet broke into pieces.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the latest update, the lorry driver has been arrested by the police. Suchandra Dasgupta was seen in the Bengali TV serial Gauri Elo. She was reportedly 29. Source: Hindustan Times</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 18:36:53', '2023-05-22 18:36:53'),
(7046, 7046, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Memorisation will not prepare students for future challenges, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Monday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The ability to learn will be critical in the future for which we are training our students, a student should have communication skills, subtle thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work with many people. And the more creative and free-thinking a student is, the more proficient the student will become in these subjects. It will not be possible to meet the challenges of the future with memorisation,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a prize distribution ceremony of the winners of various creative works on the national days at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Monday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel was present as the special guest, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have come up with a new curriculum to transform education. The evaluation system of the students has been revamped. The new curriculum will be implemented in all secondary level classes by 2025,” the minister said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 20:12:22', '2023-05-22 20:12:22'),
(7047, 7047, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Haznah Md. Hashim has said the tourism sector has emerged as a vital component of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Malaysia.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"This is acting as a bridge to bring our people closer and allowing us to experience the unique beauty and diversity each nation has to offer,\" she said while speaking at a B2B networking dinner on Sunday at a Dhaka hotel.</div><div><br></div><div>Marking the \"Roadshow to Bangladesh\", the High Commissioner said Malaysia registered more than 10 million tourists’ arrivals in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This shows that Malaysia is on track to gain back 26 million tourists’ arrivals. Out of 10 million tourists in 2022, about 59,000 were originated from Bangladesh,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>With respect to Bangladeshi tourists, leisure tourism plays a significant role in attracting them to Malaysia.</div><div><br></div><div>The High Commissioner said Malaysia, Truly Asia, offers the Bangladeshi travellers a perfect blend of natural landscapes, vibrant cities, and rich cultural heritage – which is a multitude of experiences for every traveller.</div><div><br></div><div>The Tourism Malaysia Roadshow serves as a platform to showcase the immense potential of our partnership and the opportunities that lie ahead, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is a testament to the dedication of the Malaysian government in promoting tourism and strengthening the ties between our nations. Through this roadshow, we aim to highlight the range of tourism offerings in Malaysia, from leisure and medical tourism to educational opportunities,\" said the High Commissioner.</div><div><br></div><div>The envoy said Malaysia and Bangladesh share many cultural, traditional, and culinary similarities, which is why Malaysia is a popular destination for Bangladesh tourists, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>\"And halal food has never been an issue in Malaysia. Besides this, we are also encouraging our trade partners to develop and sell more holiday packages to Malaysia with a special focus on niche products like medical tourism, luxury travel, and spa as well as Education tourism,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 21:03:31', '2023-05-22 21:03:31'),
(7048, 7048, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Philippine military said on Monday it had received reports of the death of Radullan Sahiron, the remaining top leader of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Formed in 1991, ASG was initially heavily influenced by Al-Qaeda and has been notorious since the early 2000s for assassinations, extortion, and kidnappings.</div><div><br></div><div>The group was a significant source of violent conflict between 2011 and 2018, with some of its factions pledging allegiance to Daesh in 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>Sahiron is ASG’s chief leader and was one of its first members. He has been on the FBI’s most-wanted list since 1993, with a $1 million bounty on his head.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have obtained information (that Radullan Sahiron) is dead,” Maj. Gen. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of the 11th Infantry Division designated to fight militancy in Sulu, told Arab News on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Sulu province, in the country’s Mindanao region, was formerly a known stronghold of ASG.</div><div><br></div><div>Patrimonio added: “We haven’t seen the body… We have (made) efforts to find his corpse, so slowly we are reaching out to his former members and even members of his family.</div><div><br></div><div>“He is recognized as the remaining senior leader of the group and no one has emerged to become his successor… so it would lead to the demise of the ASG.”</div><div><br></div><div>Sahiron took over ASG’s leadership in 2006 after the death of Khadafi Janjalani, who had succeeded his brother and the group’s founder Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani.</div><div><br></div><div>ASG has been identified as the main Daesh affiliate in the Philippines due to some of its factions, but Sahiron has never pledged allegiance to the militant group.</div><div><br></div><div>Patrimonio said authorities had received “a lot of reports” of Sahiron’s death, adding that at least 21 of his closest followers had surrendered earlier this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Patrimonio added: “There are reports saying that he is already sickly, probably due to old age. He is, I think, in his late 70s.”</div><div><br></div><div>Sahiron’s death would provide a chance for the Philippine military to eliminate the ASG, said Rikard Jalkebro, an expert on international relations and associate professor at Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi.</div><div><br></div><div>Jalkebro told Arab News: “It could be a golden opportunity for the military. Right now, the demise (of ASG) has already started based on high-profile people being captured and killed and also surrendering. It’s a good sign.” - Arab News</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 21:09:13', '2023-05-22 21:09:13'),
(7049, 7049, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A Dhaka court on Monday granted bail to singer Mainul Ahsan Noble in a fraud case filed with Motijheel Police Station.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shafi Uddin passed the order till the submission of a chargesheet on bond of Tk 5,000.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the day, DB inspector also the investigating officer of the case Humayun Kabir produced him before the court after completion of his one-day remand in the case.</div><div><br></div><div>Advocate Abdullah Al Mamun stood for Noble.</div><div><br></div><div>Md Safayet Islam filed a case on May 16 on behalf of Shariatpur’s Vedorganj Headquarter Pilot High School’s HSC 16th batch.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, a court granted one-day remand to Noble on May 20.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the case details, Noble received TK 1.72 lakh for performing at the high school’s reunion programme but he didn’t perform at the event organised for April 28 and he did not even return the money.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, his ex-wife Salsable Mahmud complained to the police and wrote on social media about the constant physical and emotional abuse of Noble, citing that he is an avid drug addict and his demeanour got drastically changed in recent years due to his addiction.</div><div><br></div><div>Noble won the 2nd runner-up position in the popular Indian TV reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s West Bengal edition on Zee Bangla in 2019 and received the \"Viewer\'s Choice\" award, winning hearts in both countries.</div><div><br></div><div>However, his addiction led him to several miserable acts one after another, degrading his popularity among his audiences. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 21:19:51', '2023-05-22 21:19:51'),
(7050, 7050, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The death toll from clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group has risen to 863 civilians, according to local medics on Monday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In a statement, the Sudan Doctors Syndicate said that 3,531 people have also been injured in the violence since April 15.</div><div><br></div><div>The NGO said that 28 civilians had been killed in clashes between the two military rivals in Nyala city, the provincial capital of South Darfur province, in recent days.</div><div><br></div><div>Last week, the syndicate had put the death toll from the violence at 850 and 3,394 others injured.</div><div><br></div><div>A 7-day cease-fire is set to come into force between the army and the RSF on Monday following talks between the two conflicting parties in Saudi Arabia.</div><div><br></div><div>A disagreement had been fomenting in recent months between the army and the RSF over the paramilitary group’s integration into the armed forces, a key condition of Sudan\'s transition agreement with political groups.</div><div><br></div><div>Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok\'s transitional government and declared a state of emergency in a move decried by political forces as a \"coup.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Sudan\'s transitional period, which started in August 2019 after the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, had been scheduled to end with elections in early 2024. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 21:57:51', '2023-05-22 21:57:51'),
(7051, 7051, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Doha on Monday evening on a three-day official visit when she will attend the Qatar Economic Forum 2023.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She is visiting the Gulf nation at the invitation of Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.</div><div><br></div><div>A regular commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airline, carrying the premier and her entourage landed at Hamad International Airport at 5:32 pm local time (BD time 8:32pm). Earlier in the day it took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 3:13 pm Bangladesh time.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Ambassador to Qatar Md Nazrul Islam received the prime minister at the airport.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister will attend the Forum titled “3rd Qatar Economic Forum: A New Global Growth Story” to be held on May 23-25.</div><div><br></div><div>The Qatar Economic Forum is the Middle East\'s leading voice dedicated to global business and investment. The main objective of this forum is to find a solution by increasing mutual cooperation among the international community to deal with the multi-faceted challenges and crises going on globally and the adverse economic consequences arising from them.</div><div><br></div><div>On May 23, Hasina will join the opening session of the 3rd Qatar Economic Forum, address the students of Qatar University in Doha, and hold meetings separately with Qatar Minister of State for Energy Affairs Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi and Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia Khalid A. Al-Falih.</div><div><br></div><div>On May 24, the PM will join the forum, have a meeting with the emir of Qatar at Amiri Diwan and visit Awsaj Academy (a specialized school).</div><div><br></div><div>PM Hasina is expected to return home in the morning of May 25. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 22:20:06', '2023-05-22 22:20:06'),
(7052, 7052, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A Dhaka court on Monday fixed June 22 for submission of the probe report in the murder case of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With this, the deadline for submission of the probe report in the case was deferred for the 98th time.</div><div><br></div><div>Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was supposed to submit the report today but as it failed to submit the report Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rashidul Alam fixed the new date for submitting it.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 2, 2021, RAB submitted a progress report in the Sagar-Runi murder case in affidavit form to the Attorney General’s Office.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the report, two unidentified people were involved in the murder.</div><div><br></div><div>Maasranga Television News Editor Sagar Sarowar and his wife ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Runi were found dead at their rented apartment in the city’s West Rajabazar area on 11 February 2012.</div><div><br></div><div>Nousher Ali Roman, brother of Runi, filed a case with Sher-e-Banglanagar Police Station on the following day.</div><div><br></div><div>Police arrested Tanvir Rahman in connection with the murder case on October 1, 2012. Later, he secured bail in 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>Law enforcers have so far arrested eight people, including Tanvir, in connection with the murder case.</div><div><br></div><div>The seven other suspects are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Mia, Abu Syed, Mintu alias Baggira Mintu alias Masum Mintu, Quamrul Hasan alias Arun, security guard Enam Ahmed alias Humayun Kabir and Palash Rudra Pal. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-22 22:58:40', '2023-05-22 22:58:40'),
(7053, 7053, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An armed group has crossed from Ukraine into Russia\'s Belgorod region and clashes there have injured a number of people, Russian authorities say.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Russian forces were searching for \"saboteurs\" who, he said, had attacked Grayvoronsky district by the border.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vladimir Putin\'s spokesman said the Russian president had been informed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine denies responsibility and said Russian citizens from two paramilitary groups were behind the incursion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Gladkov said eight people had been hurt, including two people admitted to hospital after a village was shelled and three people who were hit by shrapnel in the town of Grayvoron.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fighting had also damaged three houses and a local administrative building, and the situation remains \"extremely tense\", he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The governor said a \"counter-terrorist operation\" had been launched in the region, giving special powers to the authorities including on identity checks and communications surveillance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BBC Verify has been analysing footage from the Belgorod region that emerged on social media on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, the team has located a video apparently filmed from a drone that features several armoured vehicles near a border checkpoint south of Belgorod. Additionally, BBC Verify has geolocated footage of helicopters operating in the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The footage is recent, but it is hard to say for certain from the videos what the exact sequence of events is.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv said those behind the ongoing incident were from groups called the Liberty of Russia Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Liberty of Russia Legion - a Ukraine-based Russian militia which says it is working inside Russia to overthrow President Vladimir Putin - said on Twitter on Monday it had \"completely liberated\" the border town of Kozinka. It said forward units had reached the town of Grayvoron, further east.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However Mr Putin\'s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies that efforts were under way to eliminate the sabotage group, and said its purpose was to draw attention away from the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut - which a Russian mercenary group claims to have taken control of after months of intense and bloody fighting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We perfectly understand the purpose of such sabotage - to divert attention from the Bakhmut direction, to minimise the political effect of the loss of Artyomovsk [Bakhmut] by the Ukrainian side,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv says it still controls parts of the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Behind these attacks are Russian citizens who are fed up with the actions of their terrorist regime\", commented Yurik Sak, an adviser to Ukraine\'s defence minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking to BBC Radio 4\'s World Tonight programme, he welcomed the developments and pointed to what he called a \"growing trend of Russian partisan movements\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he said he could not confirm or deny whether his country was harbouring or supporting the groups involved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The latest incident comes ahead of a widely expected counter-offensive by Kyiv against invading Russian forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Parts of Belgorod and several other Russian regions have come under artillery or drone attack since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Russian officials have blamed the Ukrainian military, although Ukraine has denied responsibility for alleged sabotage attacks on Russian territory. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-05-23 07:40:01', '2023-05-23 07:40:01');
