As much of the world tightens lockdowns to stem coronavirus, Dubai has flung its doors open, branding itself as a sunny, quarantine-free escape -- despite a sharp rise in cases.

Israel’s military said yesterday its fighter planes struck Hamas facilities in the Gaza Strip after Palestinians fired rockets at the Jewish state.

Slovakia yesterday began a new round of nationwide Covid-19 screening -- a process aimed at easing curfew restrictions for people who test negative.

A newly elected Republican congresswoman known for promoting QAnon conspiracy theories accused Twitter of censorship on Sunday after her account was temporarily suspended for “multiple violations”.

The sixth population and housing census of the country has been deferred for 10 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The global Covid-19 vaccination drive gained pace yesterday as Brazil gave its first injections and France and Britain joined a growing list of nations starting mass vaccinations for all elderly citizens.

Normal life came to a near standstill due to the bone-chilling cold coupled with dense fog which also disrupted ferry services and vehicular movement.

Five people were arrested on Sunday night in connection with a case filed over the torture of two people, including a housewife after an attempt to rape her, in Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) yesterday announced that the membership of 154 members of the Senate, national and provincial assemblies had been suspended for failing to submit statements of their assets and liabilities.

A Khulna court yesterday sentenced five outlaws to life imprisonment in a case filed in connection with the murder of Ekushey Padak recipient and journalist Humayun Kabir Balu in 2004.

He used to travel in a helicopter from Dhaka to remote towns and introduced himself as the CEO of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit project on Sunday successfully flew a rocket into space from the wing of a 747 plane, paving the way for a new method of launching low-cost satellites.

Colombian police are investigating whether a shipment of guns and magazines originating from the United States that was seized by authorities late on Saturday was destined for Venezuela, a person familiar with the matter said.

Rohingyas will feel safe if they see the international community’s presence in areas of Myanmar’s Rakhine state where they are to be repatriated, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said yesterday.

Britain’s government yesterday pressed China to allow UN rights inspectors to visit Xinjiang after raising anew allegations of “appalling” human rights abuses against the Uighur minority people.

The bone-chilling cold in the country’s northern and north-eastern region that is causing immense public sufferings may prolong as the ongoing cold wave may continue.

Nigerian troops regained control of a military base in the northeast hours after it was seized by jihadists, sources told AFP yesterday.

Stating that her government would do everything necessary for survival of the country’s cinema industry, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged all concerned to make more films on the Liberation War.

An Australian father and son have been released after almost six months in detention on unknown charges in Qatar, multiple sources said yesterday.

President Abdul Hamid is scheduled to deliver his speech in the 11th session of the 11th parliament commencing this afternoon.