Taiwan expelled two mainland Chinese journalists yesterday after a talk show on their channel pushed for Beijing “unifying” with the self-ruled island, in the latest sign of deteriorating ties between the two rivals.

An alleged drug peddler was killed in a “shootout” with police in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf upazila early yesterday.

The Pentagon said Thursday it was “concerned” about Chinese military exercises around a disputed archipelago in the South China Sea, noting the maneuvers will “further destabilise” the region.

Police arrested a physician in Pirojpur town on Thursday night in connection with a rape case filed by a 17-year-old girl, who worked at the doctor’s chamber.

Bangladesh has sought substantial UN support to tackle the fallout of Covid-19, saying it could impede Bangladesh’s socio-economic progress and graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category, which was previously expected by 2024.

A little known Bangladeshi company yesterday claimed it has made a Covid-19 vaccine and that the vaccine has shown primary effectiveness during trial on rabbits.

Gunmen on Wednesday attacked a drug rehabilitation center in central Mexico, killing at least 24 people and leaving seven wounded, local authorities said.

India’s government yesterday approved the purchase of 33 Russian fighter jets and upgrades to another 59 planes, acting to beef up its air force at a time when the military is locked in a border stand-off with China.

Four more doctors died of Covid-19 infection in the last two days.

At least 1,500 people have died after showing Covid-19 symptoms between March 22 and June 27 in the country, reported Dhaka University’s Centre for Genocide Studies.

A group of university teachers yesterday said the introduction of online classes without proper planning and preparation would be “suicidal” for the universities and it may “cause discrimination”.

John B Connally, American President Richard Nixon’s special envoy, flies into Dhaka today and has “fruitful” discussions with Prime Minister Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Directorate General of Health Services has submitted a compliance report to the High Court saying it is monitoring whether any hospital refuses to treat patients infected with Covid-19 or not.

Twenty-five Bangladeshi fishermen from Kurigram, stuck in an Assam jail for two months without trial, have little hope of returning home soon while another already has died in custody.

Ali Yusuf is always there to lend a helping hand.

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in yesterday said that US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un should meet once more

Ten people have died with Covid-19 symptoms since Monday in Cumilla.

Hong Kong police fired water cannon and tear gas and arrested more than 370 people yesterday as protesters took to the streets in defiance of sweeping security legislation introduced by China to snuff out dissent.

In Jamalpur, over three lakh people of 42 unions in six upazilas and eight municipalities remained waterlogged.

A 5-year-old girl died after drinking water mixed with acid when she asked for some water at a jewellery shop in Dinajpur’s Nawabganj upazila.