Lead News

Ferdinand Marcos Jr claims victory in Philippine election

Shawdesh Desk: The son of the late Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos on Wednesday claimed victory in the presidential election, vowing to be a leader “for all Filipinos”, his spokesman said.

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Poll panel still lacks capacity to use EVMs in all 300 seats, says CEC

Shawdesh Desk: The Election Commission still lacks the capacity to hold the entire national election through electronic voting machines (EVMs), Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said on Tuesday. “We

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Heavily armed troops evacuated outgoing Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa from his official residence in Colombo on Tuesday after thousands of protesters breached the main gate. Protesters who forced their way into the capital’s “Temple Trees” residence then attempted to storm the main two-storey building where Rajapaksa was holed up with his immediate family. “After a pre-dawn operation, the former PM and his family were evacuated to safety by the army,” a top security official told AFP. “At least 10 petrol bombs were thrown into the compound.” Rajapaksa’s evacuation to an undisclosed location followed a day of violent protests in which five people, including a lawmaker, were killed and nearly 200 wounded. The security official said police kept up a barrage of tear gas and fired warning shots in the air to hold back mobs at all three entrances to the colonial-era building, a key symbol of state power. Dozens of homes of top Rajapaksa loyalists were torched elsewhere in the curfew-bound country, which has been under a state of emergency since Friday. The emergency order from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the outgoing premier’s younger brother, gave sweeping powers to the military as protests demanding the duo’s resignation escalated over the country’s worst-ever economic crisis. Protestors and Sri Lankan religious leaders blamed the former prime minister for instigating the family’s supporters to attack unarmed protestors on Monday, sparking retaliatory attacks.

Shawdesh Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said Bangladesh needs enhanced investment from its friendly countries, especially from the USA, as it aspires to become a developed and prosperous

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Outgoing Sri Lankan PM evacuated by troops; violence kills 5, injures 180

Shawdesh Desk: Heavily armed troops evacuated outgoing Sri Lankan prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa from his official residence in Colombo on Tuesday after thousands of protesters breached the main gate. Protesters

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Severe cyclonic storm Asani likely to weaken, says weatherman

Shawdesh Desk: Asani, the severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to move in a northwesterly direction and weaken into a cyclonic storm over the next 12

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Putin says Russia defending ‘Motherland’ as Ukraine war rages

Shawdesh Desk: President Vladimir Putin on Monday defended Russia’s war in Ukraine as necessary to protect the “Motherland” as Moscow flexed its military muscle at a huge parade marking the

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Global Covid cases near 518 million

Shawdesh Desk: The overall number of Covid cases is now approaching 518 million amid a rise in new infections in parts of the world. According to Johns Hopkins University (JHU),

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PM seeks ADB support to implement Delta Plan-2100

Shawdesh Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday sought support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement the Delta Plan-2100, saying, “It is very important for Bangladesh.” The premier

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