Bangladesh seeks to restart Teesta water sharing talks with India

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim government is eager to resume discussions with India on the Teesta water-sharing treaty, according to Syeda Rizwana Hasan, an adviser on water resources. Hasan emphasized the importance of adhering to international principles for water distribution between upper-riparian (India) and lower-riparian (Bangladesh) countries. In a recent interview, Hasan expressed optimism about resolving the […]

UNRWA head accuses Israel of buying Google ads to block donations to agency

UNRWA head accuses Israel of buying Google ads to block donations to agency

GENEVA: The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has accused the Israeli government of “buying ads on Google to block users from giving donations” to the agency. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on X that Israel’s attempts to defame the agency both harm its reputation and put the lives of its staff […]

700 forced disappearances: Families in Bangladesh yearn for justice as interim govt forms commission

700 forced disappearances: Families in Bangladesh yearn for justice as interim govt forms commission

DHAKA: In a dimly lit room in Dhaka, Baby Akhtar clutches a faded photograph of her husband Tarikul Islam Tara, who vanished twelve years ago after allegedly being taken by Bangladesh’s security agencies, a personal tragedy reflecting the broader nightmare of enforced disappearances that has haunted Bangladesh for over the last 15 years. “I have […]

UNICEF issues emergency call for mpox vaccines to support crisis-hit countries

GENEVA: UNICEF, in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi, and the World Health Organization (WHO), has issued an urgent request to secure mpox vaccines for countries severely affected by the outbreak. This move aims to quickly supply vaccines to areas in critical need. The emergency tender involves setting up agreements with vaccine manufacturers, allowing UNICEF to […]

Israeli soldiers besiege Jenin as assault on West Bank enters fourth day

Israeli soldiers besiege Jenin as assault on West Bank enters fourth day

OCCUPIED WEST BANK: Israel’s military is conducting raids in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, blocking access to aid for Palestinians in the besieged refugee camp on the fourth day of its assault. Dozens of Israeli soldiers were stationed on the outskirts of the Jenin refugee camp, with Israeli military jeeps and armoured personnel carriers […]

Gaza launches polio vaccination campaign for children

Gaza launches polio vaccination campaign for children

GAZA: A large-scale vaccination campaign to fight a polio outbreak in the Gaza Strip is set to begin on September 1, announced the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative for the occupied Palestinian territories on Friday. Richard Peeperkorn told a press briefing from Gaza that the two-round polio vaccination campaign will see the administration of two […]

She’s a defective person: Trump fires back at Harris’s ‘old playbook’ remark

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump launched a fresh personal attack on his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, calling her “defective”. His latest attacks came after Harris sat for her first major interview with CNN as her party’s presidential nominee on Thursday. Fifty-nine-year-old Harris, who is of Indian and African descent, is the Democratic Party candidate […]

Death toll from flood climbs to 59 in Bangladesh; over 5.4 m people affected

DHAKA: At least 59 people, including six women and 12 children, have died in the devastating floods which affected more than five million people in 11 districts of Bangladesh, officials announced on Saturday. The Disaster Management and Relief Ministry, while giving out updates on the flood situation, said the highest deaths were reported from Cumilla […]