Hasina’s party fears Zia will change Bangladesh’s name

Hasina’s party fears Zia will change Bangladesh’s name

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party has said that opposition leader Khaleda Zia may change the country’s name in case she returns to power. The apprehension was expressed by the ruling Awami League (AL) party’s publicity secretary Hassan Mahmud while participating in a human-chain and protest programme Monday at the capital city’s Bangabandhu Avenue Monday, […]

US treasury secretary to visit Europe next week

US treasury secretary to visit Europe next week

US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is scheduled to travel to Europe next week for economic talks with top European officials, the Treasury Department announced Monday. Lew will travel to Europe between Jan 6 and 8 for discussions with officials on economic developments in Europe and policies to boost global growth and promote financial stability, Xinhua […]

Israel frees 26 Palestinian prisoners

Israel frees 26 Palestinian prisoners

Israel has freed a group of 26 Palestinian prisoners as part of a US-brokered agreement for resuming direct peace talks, BBC reported Tuesday. They released prisoners, making up the third tranche of a total of 104 prisoners set to be freed, were greeted by cheering crowds on their return to the West Bank and Gaza. […]

Nepal’s anti-graft body fines 35,000 state employees

Nepal’s anti-graft body fines 35,000 state employees

 Nepal’s anti-corruption body Monday ordered 35,000 government staff to pay cash penalty of Nepalese Rs.5,000 ($52) each for not submitting their property details, officials said. To make sure that the bureaucrats are not making money by foul means, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) requires government employees to make their property details […]

China’s earth observation satellite inducted into service

China’s earth observation satellite inducted into service

Beijing, Dec 30 (IANS) China’s high definition earth observation satellite Gaofen-1 has been formally inducted into service, it was announced Monday. According to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), the satellite has undergone eight months of in-orbit tests since it blasted off April 26. It has met requirements and […]

40 gunmen killed in Democratic Republic of Congo

40 gunmen killed in Democratic Republic of Congo

 At least 40 gunmen were killed Monday in clashes which ended in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital Kinshasa, and the situation is under control. A government source said at least 40 attackers, who took part in gunfights, were killed in the city, Xinhua reported. The attackers took hostages at the Congolese national TV station, […]

Diplomat row: US accused of interfering in Indian affairs

Diplomat row: US accused of interfering in Indian affairs

New Delhi, Dec 19  India hit back Thursday at the US over the arrest of its diplomat Devyani Khobragade and accused American officials of interfering with the Indian legal system. Describing Khobragade as the “only … victim” in this case, the external affairs ministry said the action taken against her violated the Vienna Convention. “There […]

Stronger sexual impulses drive men to cheat

Stronger sexual impulses drive men to cheat

New York, Dec 17  Why do men succumb to sexual temptations — like cheating on a partner or preying on a female colleague — more than women? A new study has the answer. “The study suggests that men are more likely to give in to sexual temptations because they tend to have stronger sexual impulse […]

India-US diplomatic standoff continues

India-US diplomatic standoff continues

New Delhi/Washington, Dec 18  The India-US diplomatic standoff continued Wednesday with New Delhi refusing to relent on its demand for “unconditional apology” from the US for alleged mistreatment of its consular official even as the US stuck to its guns saying it acted “appropriately and demanded restoration of security for its missions in India”. Amid […]

India talks tough, seeks unconditional apology from US

India talks tough, seeks unconditional apology from US

New Delhi, Dec 17  India Tuesday sought “unconditional apology” from the US over the arrest and the purported strip search of its ranking diplomat Devyani Khobragade in New York and also took a slew of steps to pare down the privileges of American diplomats in an apparent retaliatory measure. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said […]