BSS: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government is working relentlessly for further strengthening democracy and speeding up development in the country as Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland QC paid a courtesy call on her. “We’re working tirelessly for further consolidating democracy and accelerating development in the country,” Premier’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim quoted…
Sejuti Mourin: North and South Koreas are scheduled to meet on Monday for high-level talks in preparation for a summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the third such meeting between the leaders in recent months. The announcement was made yesterday by the South’s Unification Ministry, which handles…
Reuters: A row over human rights in Saudi Arabia will not have any impact on Saudi oil supplies to Canada, its energy minister said on Thursday, reassuring customers after Riyadh froze new trade with Canada and ruled out mediation efforts. Saudi Arabia, infuriated by Canada’s demand last week that jailed activists in the kingdom be…
Reuters: Myanmar said on Thursday a request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to seek jurisdiction over suspected deportations of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar to Bangladesh was “meritless and should be dismissed”. Judges at the court had asked Myanmar to respond to the request by July 27. The office of government leader Aung San…
Russia Today: An execution in Saudi Arabia has again caused a media stir after a man was beheaded and crucified in Mecca for murder, robbery and rape. It comes amid a human rights spat between the ultra-conservative kingdom and Canada. The Myanmar man was convicted of killing a woman and other crimes, the state-run Saudi…
MEMO: Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz said his government rejected an EU plan to link the Gaza Strip with the West Bank by train, the Anadolu Agency reported yesterday. “I made it clear that Gaza will not be linked to Judea and Samaria [the West Bank],” Katz told Israel Broadcasting Corporation, according to Anadolu. “Their…
Kabir Humayun: Two suspected drug traders were killed in separate incidents of ‘gunfight’ with police in two districts – Rajshahi and Chandpur – early yesterday, reports NTV Online. In Rajshahi, Manik, 30, a suspected drug trader, son of Shahab Uddin of Natun Para in Charghat upazila, was killed in a reported gunfight with police at…
VOA News: Ahlam Jbara lives in Chicago, Illinois — six hours away from Detroit, Michigan — which means she can’t vote in the state’s primary election. But the race for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District was too important, and personal, for Jbara to miss. So she packed her car, and drove six hours to volunteer for…
Abrar Hussain: Festival organizers in Malaysia have removed two portraits of LGBT activists from a public photo exhibition after complaints from the government. Joe Sidek, Director of the George Town Festival, said he was “directed” to take the portraits out by the minister of Islamic affairs, Mujahid Yusof Rawa. Mr Mujahid said the promotion of…
M Humayun Kabir: The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, has expressed grave concern over recent attacks on working journalists and the detention of noted photojournalist Shahidul Alam. In a letter, IPI urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take robust steps to prevent violence against journalists, according…