Amader Brahmanbaria.com

Saudi Arabia's new king has announced a major cabinet reshuffle that puts in a place a new generation to succeed him as head of the kingdom. King Salman appointed his nephew and interior minister, 55-year-old Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, as crown prince. The king's son, Mohammed bin Salman, believed to be in his early 30s, has been made deputy crown ... Read More »

KHULNA, Bangladesh — Mominul Haque scored 80 as Bangladesh made an impressive start in the first Test against Pakistan here Tuesday, reaching 236 for four by stumps on the opening day. The talented 23-year-old left-hander batted fluently to cross 50 for the 12th time in his first 13 Tests before being trapped leg-before by Zulfiqar Babar off the last ball of ... Read More »

TEHRAN: Iran said a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship was ordered to dock in its Gulf port of Bandar Abbas on Tuesday because of a commercial dispute. US defense officials said at least five Iranian ships demanded that the Maersk Tigris head toward Iran’s Larak Island while it was in the Straight of Hormuz.   Google map showing the Strait of ... Read More »

In the last episode, Part 4, I spoke about some of the effects of coconut oil as well as the controversy going around it. Because lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid in coconut oil, mainstream medicine claims it to be a harmful saturated fat to the cardiovascular system. On the other hand, its proponents attack the flawed research done ... Read More »

NEW DELHI: India has canceled the registration of nearly 9,000 charities for failing to declare details of donations from abroad, as New Delhi tightens surveillance on foreign-funded non-governmental organizations in the country. The crackdown comes days after the government suspended the license of Greenpeace India and put US-based Ford Foundation on a security watch list, ordering government approval of any ... Read More »

MANILA: The mother of a Filipino drug convict reprieved at the 11th hour after facing execution in Indonesia told Philippine radio: “Miracles do come true.” Mary Jane Veloso was spared after someone suspected of recruiting her and tricking her into carrying drugs to Indonesia turned herself in to authorities in the Philippines, MetroTV and the Jakarta Post reported in Indonesia. ... Read More »

Kathmandu — Hundreds of thousands of Nepalis spent another night in the open Monday after a massive quake which killed more than 4,000, as officials warned the final toll could yet rise sharply once rescuers reach cut-off areas. With fears rising of food and water shortages, Nepalis were rushing to stores and petrol stations to stock up on essential supplies in ... Read More »

SINGAPORE/TOKYO: One by one, Japan is turning off the lights at the giant oil-fired power plants that propelled it to the ranks of the world’s top industrialized nations. With nuclear power in the doldrums after the Fukushima disaster, it’s solar energy that is becoming the alternative. Solar power is set to become profitable in Japan as early as this quarter, ... Read More »

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s President Omar Bashir was elected to another five years in office, results showed Monday, despite international war crimes charges and a vote marred by low turnout and an opposition boycott. Bashir, 71, took more than 94 percent of the vote in the election held earlier this month, the electoral commission said, prompting the opposition to reject the result ... Read More »

PARIS: The uncle of Syrian President Bashar Assad is under investigation in France for amassing a 90-million-euro fortune, including a stud farm and luxury apartments, despite being kicked out of Syria “with nothing” 30 years ago. French investigators have provided details to AFP of their year-long probe into the finances of Rifaat Assad, the younger brother of late dictator Hafez ... Read More »

AMMAN: A coalition of rebels seized an army base in northwestern Syria at dawn on Monday after a suicide bomber from Al-Qaeda's Nusra Front drove a truck packed with explosives into the compound and blew it up. The capture, reported by a rebel commander and social media videos showing militants inside the base, brought the coalition closer to seizing most ... Read More »

DHAKA: The leader of Bangladesh’s main opposition party threatened retaliation if local elections being held this week are not conducted fairly. Bangladesh has been marred by months of violence, much of it attacks against vehicles during transport blockades organized by the opposition. More than 120 people have been killed and hundreds injured. Campaigning in the upcoming elections for Bangladesh’s two ... Read More »

KATMANDU: Tent cities have sprung up for those displaced by the earthquake in Nepal, which is now reported to have killed over 3,200 people. Many residents of the capital, Katmandu, lost their homes as a result of the tremor. And others are afraid to return home — especially after strong aftershocks hit the region on Sunday. There is still time ... Read More »

DAMASCUS: Syrian authorities will allow citizens abroad, including refugees who fled the war, to obtain passports without an intelligence service review for the first time, Syria’s Al-Watan newspaper said on Sunday. The daily, which is close to the government, said the move would “create an appropriate climate” for consultations in Geneva next month on the possibility of renewed peace talks. ... Read More »

Traditional diplomacy was about government-to-government relations. Modern diplomacy is more about people-to-people relations. And culture is central here. Whoever said diplomacy exists only on paper has been proved wrong. In a sincere effort to connect to the masses, the German Embassy in New Delhi has just created a music video for Kal Ho Na Ho. But here's why this one ... Read More »