Friday, 28 Mar, 2025

International

Sisi hails ‘historic moment’

DHAKA: Ex-army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has been sworn in as Egypt’s new president after a landslide win in May elections. He said his election was ‘a democratic, peaceful handover of power’ that represented ‘a historic moment and turning point’ for the nation. Security

India, China hold first major talks

DHAKA: India hailed talks with China on Sunday as a good step towards stronger ties in the first high-level meeting of the rival Asian giants since prime minister Narendra Modi took charge.China’s foreign minister Wang Yi met his Indian counterpart in New Delhi during a two-day visit to

Norway peace envoy keen to testify on SL war

DHAKA: A top Norwegian peace envoy said he is willing to testify to any international war crimes investigation over alleged rights abuses during Sri Lanka’s separatist conflict, a report said on Sunday.Norway’s former international development minister Erik Solheim said he was

Sri Lanka arrests more Indian fishermen as tensions rise

DHAKA: Sri Lanka’s navy said on Sunday it has arrested 73 Indian fishermen for illegal poaching amid heightened tensions between the neighbours over the long-standing issue.The navy said it seized 16 Indian trawlers with 73 fishermen on board for poaching in Sri Lankan waters over the

Freed Taliban militants say committed to Qatar deal

DHAKA: Five leading Afghan militants freed from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for a US soldier have pledged to honor an agreement between the Taliban and Qatar, which is hosting them.The men, officials in the Taliban regime driven from power by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001,

Majority of Spaniards want referendum on monarchy

DHAKA: The majority of Spaniards want a referendum on the future of the monarchy, according to a poll published on Sunday, less than a week after King Juan Carlos abdicated in favor of his son. Nearly two-thirds, 62 percent, believe a referendum should be held ‘at some point’ to

‘Rapes happen accidentally’

DHAKA: A minister from Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party has said rapes happen ‘accidentally’ in the latest controversial remarks by a politician amid renewed anger over attacks against women. Ramsevak Paikra, the home minister of central Chhattisgarh state who is

Thai junta amasses security forces

DHAKA: Thailand’s junta has prepared a force of over 6,000 troops and police for deployment in Bangkok on Sunday to smother protests and prevent opposition to the May 22 coup from gaining momentum. The military has cracked down hard on pro-democracy dissidents and supporters since it

Sisi to be sworn in as Egypt's president

DHAKA: Former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi is to be sworn in as Egypt’s new president after winning by a landslide in May’s elections. Security forces have been deployed at key locations around the Cairo in preparation for the ceremony at the Supreme Constitutional Court. The

BJP Leader Vijay Pandit shot dead

DHAKA: BJP leader Vijay Pandit (37) was shot dead allegedly by four unidentified persons in Dadri area in West Bengal on Saturday night, after which a mob set ablaze 16 vehicles near a police station in protest. The assailants came on two motorcycles and held the pistol at Pandit's

New Ukraine president presses for peace talks

DHAKA: Ukraine's new president has called for a dialogue with representatives of the country's east that has been swept by a separatist insurgency, but insisted he will still not talk with rebels, who he described as "gangsters and killers". In a combative inaugural speech on Saturday,

India to step up defence procurement

DHAKA: India’s military, one of the world’s largest arms importers, aims to speed up defence procurement in the interests of ‘national security’. The country’s new defence minister announced Saturday, reports The Straits Times. The policy announcement comes just after the new

30 killed in DR Congo fighting

DHAKA: At least 30 people have been killed in an inter-ethnic attack on a village in the South Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Witnesses say the dead included women and children, some killed inside a church where they had been sleeping. All the victims were of the

Ukraine leader sets out peace plan

DHAKA: Petro Poroshenko has been sworn in as president of Ukraine, setting out a plan to bring peace to the conflict-torn east of the country. The 48-year-old tycoon, who won the 25 May election, offered political concessions to people in the east and said he did not want war or revenge.

Iran announces nuclear talks with US, Russia

DHAKA: Iran will hold two days of nuclear talks with the United States starting Monday, and then conduct two further days of negotiations with Russia. The foreign ministry in Teheran announced, reports the Straits Times. The official IRNA news agency, quoting the ministry, said the

‘Balkan states have clear prospect of joining EU’

DHAKA: Balkan countries have a ‘clear prospect’ of joining the European Union, but the process will be long. German chancellor Angela Merkel said in a podcast released Saturday, reports The Straits Times. ‘We support accession. But we don’t think that we have anything to gain if

Over 70 killed in Afghanistan flood

DHAKA: Flash flooding in the remote northern Afghan province of Baghlan has killed at least 73 people and forced thousands to abandon their homes. Police say, reports the BBC. The flooding has been deadliest in the Guzargah-e-Nur district of the province 140km north of the provincial

Compulsory military service for men in UAE

DHAKA: The president of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday issued a law implementing compulsory military service for Emirati men, a move highlighting the Gulf state’s concern over turmoil in the region. The UAE, a federation of seven emirates with a mostly expatriate population,

Malaysian woman allegedly raped in India

DHAKA: A Malaysian woman on a business trip to India is alleged to have been raped by a man she met there. A 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the rape, Bernama reported, says The Straits Times. The woman said in her complaint that she arrived in Jaipur, the capital

Egypt court postpones verdict in trial of MB leader

DHAKA: An Egyptian court on Saturday postponed to July 5 the verdict in the trial of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie and 47 others for inciting violence that killed two people last summer. However, it sentenced to death 10 defendants who are on the run, and a final ruling on