MNA National Desk: New US Ambassador-designate Earl Miller has arrived in Dhaka on Sunday. Miller earlier served as ambassador to Botswana from 2014 to 2018. He is a career member of the US Senior Foreign Service and joined the Department of State in 1987, the embassy said. He served previously as consul general at the US Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 2011 to 2014. Ambassador Miller also served in Washington, San Francisco, Miami and Boston and at US embassies in El Salvador, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iraq, and India. The US senate confirmed his appointment on Oct 11.

MNA Editorial Desk: Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed on Tuesday said the election observers should follow the Election Commission’s policy during the 11 parliamentary elections He also urged the election observers not to make any comment to the media on the day of the 11th parliamentary elections. “The election observers must stay at polling stations like statues, even if there’re irregularities,” said the secretary while briefing election observers about the rules and regulations while performing duties during the election, reports UNB. Besides, Helaluddin said, they will not be allowed to enter the polling stations with mobile phones and restricted polling ...

MNA National Desk: Police have arrested six people with alleged ties to vandalism and arson attacks on law-enforcement agencies’ vehicles in Naya Paltan. All of them are linked to Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the opposition BNP, police said on Tuesday. A helmeted man seen on a police car with his arms stretched in a show of defiance during violent clashes on Nov 14 was among the arrestees. The picture of the young man trended on the social media. Police identified him as Md HK Hossain Ali, an adherent to BNP leader Mirza Abbas. Hossain, a resident of ...

MNA Sports Desk: Nic Pothas has been appointed West Indies’ interim head coach for the tour of Bangladesh following the end of Stuart Law’s stint. Law was named Middlesex coach in September and the recently concluded India tour was his final assignment having originally joined West Indies in early 2017. West Indies hoped Pothas, who become fielding coach earlier this year, would bring some continuity for the Bangladesh series before a full-time appointment is made. “Having Nic lead the team at this juncture is important for continuity and we look forward to strong and positive performances from the squad under ...

MNA National Desk: Bangladesh government will be giving out ‘Mother of Humanity Social Welfare Award’ to five benevolent souls or organisations every year, reported news agency. The cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, okayed the draft Mother of Humanity Social Welfare Policy at its regular meeting today. Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam told reporters after the meeting, the ‘Mother of Humanity’ title indicates to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Every year, the award will be given out to five individuals or organisations for contribution to social welfare under five separate categories. Each awardee will receive a gold medal, a replica ...

MNA National Desk: Tarique Rahman has continued to attend the BNP parliamentary board’s interviews of nominees for the upcoming 11th parliamentary elections on the second day. Nominees for the BNP ticket in the Barishal Division began sitting for interview at the BNP Chairperson’s Offices in Gulshan on Monday morning. Nominees for the Khulna Division will begin their interviews from 2:30pm. BNP Standing Committee chair Mirza Abbas and members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: Myanmar police shot and injured four Rohingya Muslims on Sunday, after detaining two men accused of smuggling people out of a camp for displaced people in western Rakhine state, reported news agency. Some 20 police entered Ah Nauk Ye camp, about 15 km (9 miles) east of the state capital Sittwe on Sunday morning, apprehending the two men accused of owning a boat used in an attempt to smuggle 106 Rohingya out of the country on Friday. The rickety vessel, which carried 25 children among its passengers, had been bound for Malaysia when authorities stopped it south ...

MNA International Desk: US President Donald Trump said he does not want to listen to an audio recording of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi despite facing mounting pressure to punish Saudi Arabia for the killing. Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, and Turkey has given the US government a recording of the murder, but Trump said he would not listen to it “because it’s a suffering tape, it’s a terrible tape.” “I don’t want to hear the tape, no reason for me to hear the tape,” Trump said in an interview with ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh women’s cricket team finished their Women’s World T20I with all losing note as they suffered a 30-run defeat to South Africa in their group A last encounter held on Monday at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium at Gros Islet, St. Lucia. Salma Khatun produced a superb bowling display to restrict South Africa to a small total of 109 for 9 from their stipulated 20 overs. Marizanne Kappan top scored with 25 runs while opener Lizelle Lee followed her with 21 for South Africa. Chloe Tryon (18) and Dane van Niekerk (17) were the other notable ...

MNA Business Desk: A Chinese official on Sunday said that leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific economies have failed to agree joint declaration at the end of their two-day summit, amid a row between Beijing and Washington over trade. “The leaders agreed that instead of a traditional leaders’ declaration, they would leave it to the hands of PNG as the chair to issue a chair statement on behalf of all the members to capture the consensus,” senior Chinese diplomat Zhang Xiaolong said at the close of the two-day summit in Papua New Guinea, reported news agency. A Leaders’ Declaration has been issued ...

MNA Tech Desk: Posts, Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology (ICT) Minister Mustafa Jabbar said ICT lab and multimedia classrooms will be set up at every educational institution of the country within next two years. Mustafa Jabbar said, “The existing professions are getting extinct everyday. Therefore, it is imperative to learn technology-based knowledge to cope with competitive world.” The minister was addressing a function at Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) auditorium of ICT Tower on Sunday. The minister distributed laptops to the best trainees and educational institutions. The laptops were given under two projects- ‘Learning and Earning’ and ‘Computer and Language Training ...

MNA National Desk: Home Ministry has prohibited all kind of celebrations on thirty first night due to the 11th parliamentary election slated for December 30, reported news agency. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal came up with the disclosure while talking to journalists at the Secretariat on Sunday. He told reporters that the restriction has been imposed as polls date falls a day ahead of thirty first night. Home Minister said, “Arranging any programme, DJ party and displaying fireworks are not allowed anywhere at thirty first night.” He also said, “Bars, excepts in international standard hotels, will remain closed from afternoon ...

MNA National Desk: BNP has started interviewing its nomination seekers to determine which candidates will contest in the 11th general elections on its ticket, reported news agency. The interview began at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office around 9am on Sunday. Nominations seekers from Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions are facing interviews today (Sunday). BNP’s parliamentary board, which is comprised of members of the party’s standing committee, is taking the interviews. The nominees have to submit their application receipt during the interview. The nomination seekers from various constituencies across the country collected nomination forms from Nov 12 to Nov 17. A ...

MNA Education Desk: Primary School Certificate (PSC) and Ebtedayee Examinations-2018 began on Sunday across the country with the participation of 30,95,123 examinees. The examinations started around 10am, reported news agency. As many as 27,77,270 examinees are appearing for PSC examinations while 3,17,853 students are participating in Ebtedayee examinations this year. Among the PSC examinees, 12,78,742 are male and 14,98,528 female while 3,17,853 students including 1,66,814 male candidates will appear in the Ebtedayee examinees examination. The examinations will continue till November 26. The authorities concerned have taken adequate security measures with taking maximum privacy to check question paper leakage. Special initiatives ...

MNA International Desk: A powerful cyclone in southern India has killed at least 33 people, caused massive damage to homes and roads and drove tens of thousands of people into relief camps, reported news agency. India’s navy assigned two ships and a helicopter for relief work as state authorities rushed drinking water, food and paramedics to nearly 82,000 people who took shelter in more than 400 state-run camps. They were evacuated from areas in the path of Cyclone Gaja, which struck six districts of Tamil Nadu state on Friday with heavy rains and winds that reached 90 kilometers (55 miles) ...

MNA Feature Desk: Four decades ago this Sunday, the Rev Jim Jones, the charismatic leader of an American cult in the Guyanese jungle, ordered his followers to murder a US congressman and several journalists, then commit mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced fruit punch. The Jonestown massacre was, before 9/11, the largest single incident of intentional civilian death in American history. More than 900 people died, many children. It was also a devastating cultural trauma: the end of the last strains of a certain kind of 1960s idealism and 1970s radicalism. Jonestown’s legacy lives on in the ironic phrase “drink the ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh Test captain Shakib Al Hasan and batsman Soumya Sarkar will return to the squad for the first Test of two-match series against the West Indies, reported news agency. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Saturday made the announcement. BCB has also drafted in 18-year-old off break bowler Naeem Hasan. The star all-rounder Shakib has been out of action since returning home midway through the Asia Cup with a long-standing finger injury that needed surgery. SQUAD Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Soumya Sarker, Imrul Kayes, Md Mithun, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Ariful Haque, Mahmud Ullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ...

MNA Business Desk: The rate of youth unemployment in Bangladesh remained one of ‘the most worsening’ situation among the countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The country’s overall unemployment rate rose by 1.0 percentage point in 2017, according to International Labour Organisation (ILO). Bangladesh’s youth unemployment rate increased by 6.4 percentage points in 2017 since the year 2010, the Asia-Pacific Employment and Social Outlook 2018 of the ILO revealed. “… the countries experiencing the most severe worsening situation of youth unemployment were Bangladesh (+6.4 percentage points), Pakistan (+5.3) and Vietnam (+3.7),” ILO said in its outlook, which was launched on Saturday. ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Pop singer Justin Bieber has confirmed his marriage to model Hailey Baldwin, posting the ultimate status update on social media two months after it was reported the couple had obtained a marriage license. “My wife is awesome,” Bieber wrote on his Instagram account, next to a picture of himself and Baldwin walking and holding hands. The Canadian singer is one of the world’s biggest-selling musical acts. Since releasing his last studio album in 2015, he has been featured on hits by other artists, including Major Lazer’s “Cold Water” and a remix of Luis Fonsi’s global sensation “Despacito,” ...

MNA Lifestyle Desk: If you are too much committed while brushing your teeth, you must know that over-brushing can damage your teeth. Using your toothbrush too enthusiastically can permanently damage teeth and gums, dentists warn. People who brush longer and harder than necessary not only fail to make their teeth cleaner but actually risk harming themselves, a study shows. When researchers asked people to increase the length of their brushing regime, and the pressure they applied, the removal of bacteria was only improved up to a point. Beyond that, the risk of causing oral health problems, such as the abrasion ...

MNA National Desk: The Election Commission today warned the election officers of punitive action if any allegations of bias were raised against them during the 11th parliamentary election. “If any allegations of bias are raised against any of the election officers in the election and those are proved through investigations, the commission will take punitive action,” said Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury. “Neutrality is very important for this election,” he added. Shahadat was speaking at a training programme for the field-level election officers at Dhaka’s Nirbachan Bhaban this morning.

MNA International Desk: Recovery teams with cadaver dogs pressed on with their search for more victims in a flame-ravaged northern California town on Friday as authorities sought clues to the fate of more than 1,000 people reported missing in the deadliest wildfire in state history. Remains of at least 71 people have been recovered so far in and around the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise, which was home to nearly 27,000 residents before the town was largely incinerated by the deadly Camp Fire on the night of Nov 8. More than a week later, firefighters have managed to carve containment ...

MNA Sports Desk: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) honoured two Bangladeshi cricketers—opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim with special crest and blazer to mark their feat of crossing the 10,000 runs in international cricket across all three formats of the game. Mushfiqur Rahim reached the landmark of 10,000 runs as the 3rd Bangladeshi cricketer scoring 10,313 runs featuring country’s individual best 219 runs not out in the first innings on way to their comfortable 218-run victory over touring Zimbabwe in the 2nd and last Test in Dhaka to level the series 1-1. BCB President Nazmul Hasan Papon MP honored ...

MNA Exclusive Desk: A UN committee has approved a resolution Friday condemning the continuing “gross human rights violations and abuses” against Rohingya Muslims who are treated as outsiders in Myanmar and were victims of a brutal campaign by the country’s military, reports news agency. The report says the General Assembly’s human rights committee approved the resolution by a vote of 142-10, with 26 abstentions. The resolution could formally be adopted by the 193-member world body in December. Myanmar neighbours China, Cambodia and Laos and Russia voted against the measure. Bangladesh, which has given refuge to approximately 1.1 million Rohingyas, voted ...

MNA Feature Desk: The 42nd death anniversary of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, a great national leader, was observed across the country with due respect. Popularly known as ‘Majlum Jananeta’, the leader of the downtrodden, Maulana Bhasani, passed away on November 17 in 1976. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages paying rich tributes to the leader. Marking the day, different political parties and organisations organized various programmes. Bhasani was a popular leader in his fight against imperialism and oppression of the Pakistani rulers. Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, born in 1880 in Dhangara in Sirajganj, was ...

MNA Business Desk: Bangladesh remains one of the largest recyclers of old ships in the world, despite a decrease in the total tonnage demolished last year, according to a UNCTAD report. The country has become the burying ground for more than one-fourth of the world’s total tonnage of vessels sold for demolition in 2017, says the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) annual Maritime Review that came out last month. Only neighbouring India has recycled more ships in terms of tonnage than Bangladesh during this period, the figures show. Last year, the global report says, the gross tonnage ...

MNA Entertainment Desk: Andy Serkis’s upcoming Netflix film “Mowgli,” starring Rohan Chand, Christian Bale, Freida Pinto and Cate Blanchett, will have its world premiere in Mumbai on November 25, reported news agency. Serkis, along with the film’s stars Chand, Bale, Pinto and his son Louis Ashbourne Serkis will walk the red carpet at the movie’s premiere in Mumbai. An adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book,” the film stars Chand as Mowgli, the feral child raised by wolves in a jungle in central India. The cast includes Serkis as Baloo the bear, Benedict Cumberbatch as the tiger Shere Khan, Blanchett ...