Author: Arif ArifArman

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the authorities concerned to identify and take legal actions against those who go abroad with fake certificates and their abettors. She made this directive while chairing the Cabinet meeting at her office here in the city. Complaints are there that many people are going abroad for various jobs with fake certificates and even fake certificates of physician and engineer are used here, said Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain while briefing reporters after the meeting. “The Prime Minister has directed the Home Minister to bring the culprits to book, identifying how they…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Canadian authorities have withdrawn permission for the organisers of the Khalistan Referendum to hold voting at a public school after concerns were raised over promotional materials featuring an AK-47 machine gun. The event was scheduled for 10 September in Surrey, British Columbia. The Surrey District School Board cancelled the rental agreement due to a violation of their policies. The referendum seeks to establish an independent Sikh state in Punjab. India has expressed its displeasure over the use of Canadian territory for the separatist referendum. The organisers of the so-called Khalistan Referendum received a jolt on Sunday as Canadian…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s (PoK) Gilgit Baltistan region, widespread injustice plagues the Shia community. They are not seen as equals by the Sunni majority in Pakistan. Places essential to their faith, including places of worship, educational institutions, and employment opportunities, are marred by discrimination. This time around, a Shia cleric Ulema Agha Baqir Al Hussaini finds himself caught in a web of false accusations. Despite his unwavering commitment to Islam, Al Hussaini is being framed by certain fundamentalists who allege blasphemy. However, those present during his speech vehemently denied any wrongdoing. Now streets are buzzing with protesters. Tens of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Water delivery in the city was hampered on Monday due to a power outage at Karachi’s Dhabeji pumping station, ARY News reported. The Dhabeji pumping station, which is responsible for supplying water to all of Karachi, experienced a power outage, which means that Karachi’s residents may face water scarcity. According to a Water Corporation spokesperson, the 72-inch diameter line, known as line number 5, is impacted by the power outage, according to ARY News. According to the spokesperson, representatives from the water corporation are on the scene and thoroughly inspecting the affected line in an effort to pinpoint…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan has witnessed a sharp 83 per cent rise in terror attacks in the month of August, Geo News cited a report compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The month of August saw a significant surge in terrorist attacks around the country, with 99 terror occurrences registered thus far. This is the greatest number recorded in a single month since November 2014, according to the data. The data stated a sharp 83 per cent rise in August when compared with July, as the month saw 54 attacks. The PICSS report also mentioned four…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: A number of vehicles were seen taking the 11.5 km Airport-Farmgate stretch of Dhaka Elevated Expressway as it was opened to traffic at 6 am today. It takes about 10 minutes for a vehicle to reach Farmgate from Kawla with a speed up to 60 km per hour. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 2, 2023 inaugurated the Airport-Farmgate segment of Dhaka Elevated Expressway after paying a Tk 2,000 toll for 25 vehicles in her motorcade. This is the first project in the transport sector being implemented under public-private partnership (PPP) with foreign investment. About 80,000 vehicles will…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The BBC’s article on “speech martyrs” in Kashmir wasn’t just your usual clueless Western rubbish. It was far more sinister — a carefully coordinated attempt to pervert the course of justice. That it was shockingly amateurish in its lack of research may therefore have been its redeeming feature, but that still doesn’t excuse the fact that the reporter in question crossed an unwritten line. One person mentioned in the article that it will be focused on Fahad Shah. Leave aside the unverifiable sexual peccadilloes ascribed to Fahad because that’s not what he’s on trial for. He’s on trial…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Pakistan government has chosen to import 1 million metric tonnes of sugar to replenish the country’s reduced supply after being deceived by sugar mill owners about a “sufficient” domestic stock, Geo News reported. The federal government will import sugar at an inflated price of PKR 220 per kilogram, and the burden will be passed on to the population, which is already suffering from inflation and will be forced to pay exorbitant prices, the Geo News said. The current situation is a result of sugar mill owners misleading the government, securing permission for export by reassuring that the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK:  From the first meeting in Andamans last year to next week’s meeting of sherpas in Manesar, how much distance have you travelled and are things on course? We’ve covered huge ground. As PM Narendra Modi had desired, our presidency has been inclusive, decisive, ambitious and action-oriented. We’ve pursued this vision vigorously. We have driven a vast range of very positive, constructive and forward-looking consensus on a range of developmental issues. We have been pursuing the voice of the Global South. We have worked on the reform and redesign of multilateral financial institutions – what needs to be done…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will be organizing the Global IndiaAI 2023, scheduled for October this year. There will be participation from leading AI players, researchers, startups, and investors in India and worldwide. The conference is poised to cover a wide spectrum of topics, including Next Generation Learning and Foundational AI models, AI’s applications in healthcare, governance, and next-gen electric vehicles, future AI research trends, AI computing systems, investment opportunities, and nurturing AI talent. Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar chaired the conference’s steering committee which is…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India is planning to showcase its rich culture and diversity during its presidency of G20, through the means of cuisine, crafts, and culture along with an insight into its democratic roots and its progress made in the digital space. India is all set to host the G20 Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi from September 9-10. World leaders will arrive in New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit. Muktesh Pardeshi, who is the Special Secretary and the head of operations and logistics of India’s G20 secretariat, in an exclusive interview with ANI said that New Delhi…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Chandrayaan 3’s Pragyan rover captures images of the Vikram lander, taken at a distance of 15 meters. Hours after the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the first image of the Vikram lander resting on the moon, the Pragyan rover’s navigation cameras have captured another series of photographs featuring its companion. Shared by the Indian space agency, these pictures were taken today at 11am, when the rover had covered a distance of approximately 15 metres. In a social media post on platform X, ISRO accompanied the visuals writing, “Beyond Borders, Across Moonscapes: India’s Majesty knows no bounds! Once…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The United States (US) Congress has no objection to the Joe Biden administration’s decision to pursue the GE jet engine deal with India, paving the way for the implementation of the company’s agreement with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) that includes unprecedented technology transfer, manufacturing of jet engines in India and licensing arrangements. A person familiar with developments on Capitol Hill, the home of the US Congress, said, “It is all clear from the legislative end. The sale was approved before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit itself. But, as per the process, the state department notified the House…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Apart from showcasing its rich culture, varied crafts and diverse cuisine at the G20 summit, India will also display its progress in the digital sector, a senior official said on Wednesday while noting that experience panels will be created for delegates to experience how UPI payments are made and how India has been leading in digital payments. Muktesh K Pardeshi, Special Secretary, G20 Operations, told ANI in an interview that He also informed that the catering at the Convention Centre is being handled by the ITC and there is a lot of focus on cuisine, menu planning as…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The political crackdown on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan by the establishment holds no surprise, as the country’s “democratic backsliding” goes further than the embattled former prime minister, journalist and author Lynne O’Donnell stated in her piece in Foreign Policy. According to the author, Pakistan is living under the pall of authoritarianism as the rowdy circus of political survival pushes the urgent need for reform and accountability into the shadows. The rights activists have always alleged that successive governments, regardless of political stripe, have consistently used the law to “weaken civil society” and “undermine the democratic ideals”…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India on Wednesday said it has allowed exports of 1.43 lakh tonnes of non-basmati white rice to Bhutan, Mauritius, and Singapore. The export is permitted through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification, reports our New Delhi correspondent. For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. The DGFT notification late last night said export of 79,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice to Bhutan, 14,000 tonnes to Mauritius and 50,000 tonnes to Singapore have been allowed. India banned the exports of non-basmati white rice on July 20…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India will host the G20 summit next month which will see the “biggest participation” in the history of the grouping with arrangements in place for the mega event including that for the stay of leaders of member countries and the invited guest countries. Delhi Police to be in charge of security and there will be 24/ 7 medical facilities in hotels, officials said. The Group of Twenty (G20) comprises 19 countries – Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, US, UK and the European Union.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A meeting between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India was held on Tuesday to launch the new US-India Renewable Energy Technology Action Platform (RETAP) under the Strategic Clean Energy Partnership. “RETAP was announced during the June 22, 2023 meeting in Washington DC, between His Excellency Joseph R Biden, President of the United States of America and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Modi, when the two leaders announced the expansion of collaboration on new and emerging technologies to accelerate the clean energy transition. This launch marks…

INTERNATIONBAL DESK: Sugar prices in Pakistan have increased to Rs 185 per kg, with the country’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) asking relevant agencies to check for the hoarding and smuggling of sugar, Dawn reported. The rising wholesale rates have been providing an opportunity for various online mart and retail shop operators to make a windfall on the already piled-up stocks. Market traders claimed it appeared that sugar continued to be smuggled to Afghanistan through informal channels followed by unabated hoarding and speculation, Dawn reported, adding that the price rise was surprising as sugar stocks in the country stood at 2.27…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will be in China on Wednesday for a bilateral visit during which he will raise Beijing’s human rights obligations, including in relation to communities in Xinjiang and Tibet. UK government said in a statement that Cleverly will hold bilateral meetings with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Vice President Han Zheng and will discuss issues such as climate change. This is the first visit of a UK Foreign Secretary to China in over over five years The statement said that the climate change issue cannot be tackled without China – as the world’s…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The rising air pollution in Pakistan may lead to a shortening of life expectancy in Pakistan in the country’s most polluted regions like Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Peshawar, The News International reported citing a report. The Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) report by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC) has stated that air pollution may reduce life expectancy by at least seven years. Notably, particulate pollution is the second greatest threat to human health in Pakistan (behind cardiovascular diseases). This is reducing 3.9 years of life expectancy on average in Pakistan, according to the AQLI —…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Tiptala transit at Olangchung Gola in the Taplejung district of Nepal which was closed during the Covid times is still not open after four years of normalcy, Nepal’s state news agency RSS reported. The closure of the border point with China has resulted in the halt of trade between the local people and neighbouring China as well as limited their mobility. The border crossing was closed to stop the spread of COVID-19 following the request of the Government of China shortly after Chinese workers returned home from road construction on the Nepal side, it has been said.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: As Russia comes under renewed pressure to revive the Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine, the US and EU are also talking to India to see if it can use its influence with Moscow to ensure resumption of Ukrainian grain exports. While the deal was brokered by the UN and Turkiye last year to attenuate the effects of the war on global food security, India also had played a role in reaching the agreement, as foreign minister S Jaishankar said earlier this year. While EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was reported to have approached all G20 foreign…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday invoked “mutual trust” and “democratic values” to pitch for investments in India, as he cited disruptions in the supply chain during Covid-19 to hit out at China. Without naming China, the PM said the pandemic had caused irreversible changes. “A profitable marketcan be sustained when there is a balance in the interests of producers and consumers. This also applies to nations. Treating other countries only as a market will never work. It will harm even the producing countries sooner or later. Making everyone equal partners in progress is the way forward,”he said…