Bangladesh Reopens Educational Institutions After Month-Long Closure Due to Student-Led Protests

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 09:13am on 18 Aug 2024,Sunday International

Bangladesh reopened all educational institutions on Sunday after a month-long closure following student-led protests that resulted in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The closures, which began on July 17, were implemented to ensure student safety during clashes over the job quota system. Schools, colleges, and universities resumed classes under a directive from the Ministry of Education, with many students seen returning in uniform. Traffic congestion was reported across Dhaka as schools reopened. Public university classes, suspended since July 1 due to a teachers' strike, also resumed. Postponed HSC exams will now begin on September 11.

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Hezbollah Launches 50 Rockets After Israeli Strike in Southern Lebanon Worsens Tensions

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:05am on 18 Aug 2024,Sunday International

At least 50 rockets were fired by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel in retaliation for an Israeli airstrike on Nabatieh. The strike on Friday targeted a house and warehouse, killing ten, including two children and their mother, and injuring five. The Israeli military claimed it was a missile depot, but locals insist it was a metal factory with no political ties. Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem reports that the killings are likely to escalate tensions in the region and jeopardize ongoing efforts to prevent a broader conflict. Attempts to de-escalate the situation continue amid rising hostilities.

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Russia, Ukraine Ceasefire Talks in Doha Derailed by Ukraine’s Kursk Offensive

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:45am on 18 Aug 2024,Sunday International

Ukraine's surprise ground offensive in Russia's Kursk region has disrupted potential ceasefire negotiations set to take place in Doha, Qatar. The talks, mediated by Qatar, aimed to end attacks on energy infrastructure affecting both nations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian forces were consolidating their positions in Kursk, intensifying their military efforts. This move, intended to disrupt Russian supply routes, led Russian officials to view the incursion as an escalation, causing a postponement of the meeting. Previous diplomatic efforts, including secret talks in Istanbul and at the UN, failed due to ongoing hostilities.

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Ukraine Strengthens Positions in Captured Kursk Region, Expanding Incursion Deeper into Russia

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:17am on 18 Aug 2024,Sunday International

Ukrainian forces continue to strengthen their positions in Russia's Kursk region, expanding their incursion deeper into Russian territory. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian troops are stabilizing their hold on captured areas, marking the deepest advance since Russia's full-scale invasion began over two years ago. Moscow has labeled the incursion a provocation, vowing a strong response. Meanwhile, Russia claims to have repelled Ukrainian forces near three settlements in Kursk, while Ukrainian officials report ongoing Russian assaults in eastern Ukraine, including the Kharkiv region.

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Kamala Harris Bets America Is Ready to Elect Its First Black Woman President

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:12am on 18 Aug 2024,Sunday International

Kamala Harris, the U.S. Vice President, will be officially confirmed as the Democratic presidential nominee next week. Harris, who would be the first Black woman to run for U.S. president, is betting that America is ready for this historic milestone. Born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, Harris has already broken barriers as the first woman, African American, and Asian American to hold several significant offices. If successful, she will follow Barack Obama as the second Black person to lead the nation. Harris is running alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice-presidential candidate.

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Germany To Cut Military Aid to Ukraine in 2025, Will Use Frozen Russian Funds

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:54pm on 17 Aug 2024,Saturday International

Germany plans to reduce its military aid to Ukraine by fifty percent in 2025, according to a parliamentary source. The government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, will rely on funds from frozen Russian assets rather than increasing the aid budget. This year's aid totaled eight billion euros, but next year's budget allocates four billion euros. The decision aligns with a financial strategy involving the G7 and EU to use Russian assets for Ukraine's support. The budget still faces discussions, with additional spending possible on a case-by-case basis.

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Biden Optimistic on Gaza Ceasefire, But Hamas Denies Progress as Conflict Continues

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:45pm on 17 Aug 2024,Saturday International

U.S. President Joe Biden expressed optimism that a Gaza ceasefire deal is closer than ever, stating that talks have made significant progress. However, a senior Hamas official contradicted this, claiming no real advances have been achieved. Biden has dispatched Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Israel to further negotiations, focusing on a six-week ceasefire and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Despite Biden's confidence, the ongoing conflict in Gaza continues, with Israeli airstrikes killing fifteen people, including nine children, as skepticism remains high on both sides regarding the likelihood of a lasting agreement.

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Israel Forces Say They Have Destroyed 50 Hamas Tunnels along Gaza-Egypt Border Since July

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 02:28pm on 17 Aug 2024,Saturday International

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have announced the destruction of approximately fifty Hamas tunnels in the Philadelphi corridor, a buffer zone along the fourteen-kilometer Gaza-Egypt border. This operation, conducted over the past month, aims to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons and escaping with hostages into Egypt. The IDF's Yahalom combat engineering unit destroyed a three-meter-tall smuggling tunnel on August fourth, large enough to allow vehicles through. The destruction of these tunnels is critical in curbing Hamas’s rearmament. The announcement comes as Israeli and Arab leaders prepare to resume ceasefire negotiations in Qatar.

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Sacked Bangladesh Army General Arrested on Murder Charge After Hasina’s Fall

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:54am on 17 Aug 2024,Saturday International

Sacked Bangladesh Army Major General Ziaul Ahsan, a key figure during Sheikh Hasina's rule, was arrested on murder charges following the government’s fall on August 5. Ahsan, previously the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, was apprehended in Dhaka's Khilkhet area. He is accused of involvement in the murder of street vendor Shahjahan Ali during recent protests. Ahsan, linked to several enforced disappearances, was dismissed by the new army chief following Hasina’s resignation. Human rights group Mayer Dak had issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding his arrest, accusing him of severe human rights violations during Hasina's regime.

Read More at Hindustan Times

Israeli Air Strike in Lebanon Kills Nine, Including Woman and Two Children

Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:47am on 17 Aug 2024,Saturday International

An Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon has killed nine people, including a woman and her two children, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The strike occurred in the Nabatieh area, around twelve kilometres from the Israeli border. Five others were wounded, two critically. Israel's military reported that the air force targeted a Hezbollah weapons storage facility. The incident is the latest in the ongoing conflict, as Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israeli forces have been exchanging near-daily fire since the Gaza War began in October between Palestinian Hamas militants and Israel. International efforts continue to prevent a broader regional conflict.

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