Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said BNP has secret ties with Israel and its intelligence agency. “The meeting between a representative of the Israeli intelligence agency and a senior BNP leader was exposed to the media. BNP is always involved in such anti-state activities,” he said in a statement. For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has made a false statement about the use of Israeli technology to hack the phones of opposition leaders. Such an…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Paris on July 14 to attend the Bastille Day Parade as the Guest of Honour at the Champs-Elysées. France celebrates this day as National Day marking the fall of the Bastille, a French prison on July 14, 1789, a key celebrative moment that binds the French together, especially the values of “liberty, equality, fraternity”. Modi’s presence in Paris holds special significance as in 2023 France and India are celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership. Modi will be the second Indian PM to be the Guest of Honour at Bastille…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan’s economy experienced serious imbalances in 2022 as the existing troubles were made worse by an unfavourable external environment, according to Dawn. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday issued the annual Financial Stability Review for 2022 and found that financial system performance and resilience remained firm during the year. The report said: “The domestic headwinds including the twin deficits, high inflation, catastrophic flooding, delay in the completion of IMF programme reviews as well as the global challenges such as a fast-paced increase in commodity prices and monetary tightening by major central banks in advanced economies, manifested…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: To foster environmental responsibility and tackle plastic waste, Green Road is making strides in the country with its innovative initiative of blacktopping roads with plastic waste. This time, the company is collaborating with schools in Thimphu in reusing plastic waste. It buys eco-bricks from schools at Nu 10 per kilogram to blacktop roads. Eco bricks are created by tightly packing clean and dry plastic waste into plastic bottles. Since 2015, Green Road has been using plastic waste to blacktop roads in more than four districts, a venture that has proven immensely successful in terms of durability and repurposing…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to Malaysia on an official visit from July 10-11 with a focus on further consolidating bilateral defence cooperation and Enhanced Strategic Partnership. During his visit, Singh will hold bilateral talks with his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release. The two leaders will review defence cooperation between India and Malaysia and explore new initiatives to further strengthen the engagements. Rajnath Singh and Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan will exchange views on regional and global issues of shared interest. Singh will also call on Malaysia’s Prime…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: July 14 is celebrated as France’s National Day commemorating the taking over of the ‘Bastille’ state prison by ordinary French people in 1789 marking the symbolic fall of the Bourbon monarchy’s ancien régime and signalling the beginning of the French Revolution. While the day is significant for the French everywhere, this year, India will officially join in the celebrations as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as the Guest of Honour at the Bastille Day Parade. “Maximum impact and maximum outcomes” is how French envoy to India, Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain has termed the upcoming visit of PM…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Amid the heavy monsoon rains splashing over the different regions of Pakistan, nationwide power outages have averaged around 10 to 12 hours a day on Friday, according to The Express Tribune. Sources have confirmed that the electricity shortfall had hit 6,705 MW. According to Power Division sources, the total production of electricity in the country was 20,795 MW while the demand has hit 27,500 MW. Moreover, unannounced outages are happening in some regions due to technical faults with the most rampant load-shedding being reported in areas prone to power theft. However, the residents of Lahore faced difficult circumstances…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has spearheaded a significant transformation in the administrative practices of the Union Territory. Soon after assuming office on August 7, 2020, he made the decision to abolish the long-standing and costly practice of the Darbar Move, which had imposed a significant burden on the exchequer. Addressing the BHU Urology Update and Alumni meeting at SKICC, Sinha emphasized the positive outcomes of this historic decision. Under the Darbar Move practice, which spanned over decades, government offices would shift between Srinagar and Jammu, necessitating the transportation of files and furniture in a convoy…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The ground-breaking ceremony for North East Grid Natural Gas Pipeline Project in Pakyong district on Friday. The event organised by Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited had the attendance of Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya. The ceremony commenced with a bhumi pujan (ground-breaking ritual) with symbolic welding of the pipeline, marking a significant milestone in the project’s progress. Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), a joint venture company of five Petroleum PSUs, namely IOCL, ONGC, GAIL, OIL, and NRL, is implementing the North East Gas Grid Project. The project aims to connect the state capitals, major cities, and demand centres of the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he is looking forward to his meeting with President Macron in Paris on Bastille Day, adding that the India-France Strategic Partnership holds great significance for global good. Emmanuel Bonne, the Diplomatic Advisor to French President Macron has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday. The meeting has come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit as the guest of honour on France’s Bastille Day. Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, “Pleased to receive Mr Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Advisor to President @EmmanuelMacron. Looking forward to meeting with my…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Swaika on Thursday called on Kuwait Commerce Minister HE Mohd Othman Al Aiban and apprised him about the increasing trend in bilateral trade between the two countries. The Indian envoy talked about the prospects for greater diversification between the two nations. Notably, India was the biggest importer from Kuwait in the third quarter of the last financial year (2022-23). “Amb @AdarshSwaika1 called on the Commerce Minister of Kuwait H.E Mohd Othman Al Aiban. He apprised the Minister of the increasing trend in bilateral trade and prospects for greater diversification. India was the biggest…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Executive Senior Vice-President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Yamada Junichi today paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Bhaban office here this evening. During the meeting, the Prime Minister requested the JICA official to explore the opportunity of producing drinking water from the wastage water that comes from seawater following salt production by the local people at the project area in Cox’s Bazar. Prime Minister’s Speechwriter M Nazrul Islam briefed newsmen after the meeting. The Prime Minister said there will be huge salt in the wastage water and the…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Head of Division for South Asia of the European External Action Service Rensje Teerink has highlighted how at the 50th anniversary the relations between Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) have become more mature and geostrategic. She said there is great potential in Bangladesh and in its cooperation with the EU, especially given its geostrategic role in the Indo-Pacific and in view of its graduation from LDC status. The European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) and Study Circle London jointly organised the conference ‘EU-Bangladesh Cooperation: Opportunities and the Bengal Tiger Economy’ at EIAS in Brussels, Belgium on July…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Reserve Bank of India’s inter-departmental group constituted to look at the internationalisation of the rupee has suggested that in an increasingly polarised world, India should explore alternatives to the US dollar and the euro as strong forex reserves are not a sufficient defence against economic sanctions. The group has proposed a host of measures to increase the acceptance of the rupee outside Indian borders. One of the short-term recommendations is to allow foreigners to hold rupee accounts in overseas branches. It has also recommended round-the-clock trading in the currency market and increasing the use of united payments…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Offering a platform for ground-breaking innovation, the G20 takes center stage with the launch of Startup20 under India’s prestigious global presidency. Comprising an esteemed gathering of 20 influential nations, the G20 sets the tone for the world’s most powerful economies and leaders. Anchored by the overarching theme of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — one earth, one family, one future — this year’s summit emphasizes the intrinsic value of life and its interconnectedness with environmental sustainability, paving the way for a cleaner, greener, and bluer future on the individual. , national, and global scales. The G20 consists of Argentina, Australia, Brazil,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Sipping Kashmiri Khewa and fruit juice in a busy restaurant at Lal Chowk, a group of tourists from Czech Republic are on a maiden visit to Kashmir. Showering praises on the beauty of Srinagar, the group, however, were annoyed over keeping their visit confined to just three days but pledged to come again for a long trip soon to explore the natural beauty of the valley. “We had heard a lot about Kashmir from friends who would often visit this place. Somehow, we decided to visit Srinagar. This time our trip is confined to three days only. We…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The successful ‘Tourism Working Group Meeting’ of G20 delegates held in Srinagar from May 22 to May 25 this year marked a turning point for the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir. The summit, which saw the participation of representatives from the world’s most influential economies, has not only strengthened international relations but also served as a catalyst for the resurgence of tourism in the Himalayan region. In the first six months of this year, as per official figures, over 15000 foreign tourists arrived in Kashmir, which was more than the last year. The visitors also included tourists…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The US National Security Council’s coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, Kurt Campbell, on Thursday said that Washington cannot or should not “lecture” India or any other country on matters of democracy and human rights. Campbell, who holds a prominent position in the Bidenadministration, addressed the challenges faced by both India and the United States and said, “each of our counties is imperfect. I think what President Biden sought to do was to suggest that for India to meet its full potential, it would need to become more of an example on a number of fronts. And I think that…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The seventh edition of the bilateral Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) hosted by the Indian Navy, commenced on Wednesday at Visakhapatnam. It aimed to foster mutual cooperation and reaffirmed the shared commitment towards maritime security in the region, informed an official release. The edition, being conducted at Visakhapatnam from July 5-10, marks the 11th anniversary of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012. Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) units under the command of Rear Admiral, Nishiyama Takahiro, Commander Escort Flotilla One, and Indian Naval ships under the command of Rear Admiral Gurcharan Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A total of 67,566 pilgrims have visited the Amarnath cave shrine since the beginning of the Yatra on July 1, an official statement said on Wednesday. On Wednesday, 18,354 pilgrims left for the Amarnath cave shrine both from the Baltal base camp and Nunwan base camp performed the darshan. “These include 12483 males, 5146 females, 457 children, 266 sadhus and 2 sadhvis,” an official statement said. “The total number of yatris who performed Darshan since the beginning is 67566. More yatris will visit the shrine in the coming days,” it added. According to the official spokesperson, pilgrims are…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Taiwan will be establishing the ‘Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre’ in Mumbai to expand mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities between Taipei and New Delhi. “In recent years, cooperation between Taiwan and India has witnessed significant progress in numerous domains, including economics and trade, science and technology, critical supply chains, culture, education, and traditional medicine. In light of this development, the Taiwan government will establish the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in Mumbai in order to further deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two countries,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan stated.. In 2012, TECC was set…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Indian Railways has transformed train journeys in the country with the introduction of Vistadome coaches. These coaches, equipped with large glass windows and roofs, provide passengers with a 360-degree view of the scenic landscapes, offering a breathtaking and immersive travel experience. The introduction of Vistadome coaches has redefined train travel, allowing passengers to enjoy panoramic views of pristine nature during their journeys while also providing state-of-the-art passenger amenities. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has been at the forefront of implementing Vistadome services. On August 28, 2021, NFR introduced Vistadome services on two sections: Guwahati-New Haflong and New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar.…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has praised the recent Chinese diplomatic efforts that bore positive outcomes in the Middle East. He hoped China would continue to play important roles in mitigating many other crises in different parts of the world, “including ours.” Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen met FM Momen on Wednesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, Momen reiterated Bangladesh’s commitments for further enhancing the ‘South-South Cooperation’ for greater collective benefit of the global South, according to the foreign ministry. He referred to innovative approaches including that of the Community Clinics introduced…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday placed significant emphasis on the importance of connectivity for the advancement of member states within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). PM Modi, in an apparent dig at Pakistan and China, called on member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to maintain respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity while pursuing connectivity initiatives. “Strong connectivity is crucial for the progress of any region. Better connectivity not only enhances mutual trade but also fosters mutual trust. However, in these efforts, it is essential to uphold the basic principles of the SCO charter, particularly respecting…