Colombo: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Sunday extended the state of public emergency declared a month ago when the Ditwah cyclone made its landfall, leaving a trail of destruction. The gazette notifying the extension by one month was issued by the Secretary to the President to ensure “protection of public order and the maintenance of…
Lagos: U.S.-backed air strikes in Nigeria hit two Islamic State-linked camps in the Bauni forest of Sokoto State, targeting foreign fighters infiltrating from the Sahel, the Nigerian government said. The strikes carried out on Thursday were approved by President Bola Tinubu and launched from maritime platforms domiciled in the Gulf of Guinea, after extensive intelligence…
Taipei: A strong 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late on Saturday, according to the island’s Central Weather Administration. The quake occurred at 11:05 pm local time, with its epicentre located about 32 km east of Yilan city at a depth of around 73 km. The exact coordinates of the epicentre were 24.69°N and…
Dhaka: An internal rift overnight gripped the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) over its proposed alliance with the Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of the Bangladesh election in February, with 30 of its leaders issuing a joint letter opposing the plan and two ranking members announcing their resignation. The NCP, a large offshoot of the Students Against Discrimination…
London: Britain’s senior royals are to be deployed as part of a charm offensive with President Donald Trump to get a coveted trade deal with the US over the line in the New Year, according to a report on Saturday. King Charles III is expected to make a trip to Washington in the first half…
Karachi: Pakistani security forces have killed at least 13 terrorists belonging to outlawed insurgent groups in different intelligence-based operations in the troubled Balochistan province, the ISPR said Saturday. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, these terrorists were killed in two operations conducted on December 24 and 25 in the Kohlu…
Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday visited Dhaka University and offered prayers at the grave of slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi amid heavy security. The 60-year-old BNP leader also offered prayers at the grave of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, located beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque, The…
Dhaka/New Delhi: Bangladesh’s deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday lashed out at the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, accusing it of perpetrating “unspeakable atrocities” against non-Muslims. The 78-year-old Awami League leader also said that the current ruling group, which has seized power illegally, is setting “horrific precedents such as burning religious minorities to…
Beijing: China on Thursday denounced a Pentagon report, which accused Beijing of leveraging reduced border tensions with India to undermine US-India ties while deepening defence ties with Pakistan as an attempt to sow discord with false narratives. “The Pentagon’s report distorts China’s defence policy, sows discord between China and other countries, and aims at finding…
Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday called on countrymen to join hands to maintain law and order, in his first address to party supporters hours after his arrival in Dhaka after a gap of 17 years. “Whatever political party we belong to, whatever religion we believe in, whether we are non-partisan…
