Saturday, October 3

Tag: Featured

Melania Trump accepts Daily Mail damages and apology in libel case
America, ENGLISH

Melania Trump accepts Daily Mail damages and apology in libel case

    The Daily Mail will pay damages to settle a libel claim brought against it by the US first lady Melania Trump over false claims about her work as a professional model. An agreed statement was read out to Mr Justice Nicol in court 14 of the royal courts of justice on behalf of both parties. The newspaper will pay Trump damages, but the amount was not disclosed. The statement said the article published in a double page spread last summer included false and defamatory claims about [Mrs Trump] which questioned the nature of her work as a professional model and republished allegations that she provides services beyond simply modelling. The statement, read out by solicitor John Kelly, of the law firm Harbottle and Lewis, added: “The article included statements that Mrs Trump den...
Umpires can eject players, tethered bails approved
ENGLISH, United Kingdom

Umpires can eject players, tethered bails approved

    Cricket umpires have been given the power to eject disobedient players while tethered bails will be permitted to protect wicketkeepers from eye injuries as part of a series of law changes coming into effect from Oct. 1. The new Players conduct rule will allow on-field officials to remove a misbehaving competitor temporarily or permanently and award five penalty runs to the opposition, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has said. If a captain refuses to remove his offending player, the umpire can award the match to the opposition. If both captains refuse to comply, the contest can be abandoned. The MCC, the custodians of the game’s laws, also merged ‘handled the ball’ offence with ‘obstructing the field’, thus reducing the number of possible dismissals from 10 to nine. It al...
Which is the UK’s slowest motorway
ENGLISH, United Kingdom

Which is the UK’s slowest motorway

    The UK’s slowest motorway has been officially named, with the M25 circling London clocking a miserable average speed of just 25.05 miles per hour last year. The M4 between London and South Wales was found to be the second slowest stretch of motorway in the UK with drivers reaching just 30.46 mph on average, according to the figures by vehicle tracking company Satrak. Analysing data from 527,000 cars for over a year, the firm also found that the average speed on the 10 slowest motorways in the UK was a measly 41.17mph. While London and its surrounding boroughs are the usual suspects for congestion, three of the top five most congested motorways were located further north. Drivers on the M606 in West Yorkshire averaged just 40.68mph over the year, while those driving near Le...
Foreign states may have interfered in Brexit vote
ENGLISH, United Kingdom

Foreign states may have interfered in Brexit vote

    Foreign governments such as Russia and China may have been involved in the collapse of a voter registration website in the run-up to the EU referendum, a committee of MPs has claimed. A report by the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC) said MPs were deeply concerned about the allegations of foreign interference in last year’s Brexit vote. The committee does not identify who may have been responsible, but has noted that both Russia and China use an approach to cyber-attacks based on an understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals. The findings follow repeated claims that Russia has been involved in trying to influence the US and French presidential elections. Related video: Brexit vote 3 months on: How do EU natio...
United Airlines says controversial flight was not overbooked; CEO apologises again
America, ENGLISH

United Airlines says controversial flight was not overbooked; CEO apologises again

    The CEO of United Airlines apologised again amid a global uproar sparked when a passenger was dragged screaming from his seat on a flight that, it turns out, wasn't even overbooked. I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight, and I deeply apologise to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard, CEO Oscar Munoz said in a statement. No one should ever be mistreated this way. United has been under siege since videos of Sunday night's violent confrontation on the plane at Chicago's O'Hare Airport went viral, drawing hundreds of millions of views around the world. Social media outrage rained down on the Chicago-based airline. United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said Tuesday that all 70 seats on United Express Flight 3411 were filled, but the plan...
ARTICLE 19 launches Shuroksha: Lack of protection curbs fearless journalism, speakers say
Bangladesh, ENGLISH

ARTICLE 19 launches Shuroksha: Lack of protection curbs fearless journalism, speakers say

Speaking at the launch of the training programme Shuroksha (well protected), Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, the Honourable Prime Minister’s Media Adviser said that “ press freedom is a constitutional right and the State has a responsibility to protect citizens including journalists and internet users”. He added that “it is a harsh reality that we lost so many journalists like Humayun Kabir Balu, Manik Saha and Mehrun Runi and Sagar Sarwar who were brutally murdered for carrying out professional duties” and concluded that, “Press freedom cannot be ensured unless democracy and good governance are institutionalized. On the other hand, press freedom in a right direction is the oxygen for democracy and good governance.” Organised by ARTICLE 19 Bangladesh and South Asia today at BRAC Centre Inn, the pr...
News brief from Bangladesh High Commission London
ENGLISH, United Kingdom

News brief from Bangladesh High Commission London

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday disclosed that the government has decided to redesign its Ganges barrage construction project. “If we will implement the project with the existing plan this would be suicidal for us, so we scrapped it,” Sheikh Hasina said while replying to a question during a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban. The press conference was arranged to brief the media on the outcome of her four-day state visit to India. She also said, “I‟ve talked to the Chief Minister of West Bengal. If we can make a reservoir, both countries can use it during dry seasons. “She affirmed that 11 agreements and 24 MoUs were signed during her 4 day visit to Delhi and the contents of those agreement would be made public. The prime minister made it clear that she would not d...
What could go wrong for the U.S. in Syria
America, ENGLISH

What could go wrong for the U.S. in Syria

    When Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travels to Moscow this week, topic No. 1 will be Syria and the stakes could not be higher. If the Trump administration and the Kremlin are not able to come to a meeting of the minds on Syria, it could set the two nuclear powers on a dangerous collision course. Early Friday morning in Syria, 59 U.S. Tomahawk missiles slammed into the Shayrat air base in retaliation for the unconscionable gassing of dozens of civilians by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime two days earlier. This was a stunning turnaround for President Trump, who urged his predecessor not to attack Syria under similar circumstances in 2013, and for an administration that had signaled indifference to Assad just five days before the attack. Trump’s forceful action met with ...
Ivanka Trump pushed for her father to bomb Syria
America, ENGLISH

Ivanka Trump pushed for her father to bomb Syria

    Donald Trump’s daughter persuaded him to strike targets in Syria, according to reports of a diplomatic memo. A cable briefing to Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson by Britain’s ambassador to Washington Sir Kim Darroch said Ms Trump was influential in bringing about the bombings, those who saw the memo said. It claimed Mr Trump was genuinely shaken by pictures of more than 80 who died in a Sarin nerve gas attack that were broadcast on cable television, according to The Sunday Times. Sources who read the message said the first daughter's position on the atrocity was a significant influence in the Oval Office. Ministers were told it meant the administration’s reaction was stronger than expected. Sir Kim reportedly pointed to a tweet sent by Ms Trump in which she ...
Sheikh Hasina wants Teesta deal at the earliest
Asia, ENGLISH

Sheikh Hasina wants Teesta deal at the earliest

    Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday stressed the importance of signing the Teesta water‐sharing deal at the earliest saying the India‐Bangladesh relations will undergo another transformation once it happens. On Teesta issue, Prime Minister Modi once again reiterated his government’s strong resolve to conclude the water‐sharing treaty at the soonest. Once it happens, the face of Indo‐Bangladesh relations will undergo another transformation, she said. The Prime Minister said this while delivering her speech at a reception accorded to her at The Imperial hotel here by India Foundation. She said Bangladesh strongly believes that the common water resources must act as a uniting force. A comprehensive, basin‐wide solution with an in‐built solution to water sharing of all the ...