2 killed, hundreds hurt in Egypt clashes

CAIRO, Nov 20 - Clashes erupted between protesters and police in Cairo and two other Egyptian cities, killing two people and wounding hundreds in the biggest security challenge yet for the country's ruling generals days before scheduled elections.

In scenes reminiscent of the 18-day uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak from three decades of power in February, hundreds of youths chanted "The people want to topple the regime" as they rushed towards riot police, who fired rubber bullets and tear gas.

Protesters broke chunks of cement from pavements and hurled them at police in clashes in which police lost control of Cairo's landmark Tahrir Square twice in the day.

A blaze broke out around midnight at the huge Mogamma state administration building overlooking Tahrir.

As police fired round after round of tear gas at protesters near the interior ministry, closer to Tahrir protesters laid sheets of metal to block roads into the square.
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Regional coop stressed in climate meet

Dhaka, Nov 20 —Environment ministers of Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India have called for adopting a regional framework of cooperation to tackle disasters induced by climate change.

The ministers, who met at Bhutan's capital Thimphu on Saturday, also stressed the need to raise funds for tackling the problem, the Himalayan Times has said in a report.

The framework has also focused on biodiversity conservation, development of alternative energy, sharing of technology, research into hiking food production and adoption of ecosystem management practices to tackle disasters tied to global warming.
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Obama eyes Asia for exports, jobs

NUSA DUA, Nov 20 - US President Barack Obama sought to charm Asia-Pacific leaders this week with Australian slang and memories from his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia in his bid to boost US ties with the fast-growing region.

The top goal of the nine-day trip, which took Obama away from Washington just as US budget battles were intensifying, was to cement a foreign policy "pivot" toward Asia that could open the door to more American exports and jobs.

The Democratic president, struggling in the polls after bitter fights with Republicans in Congress, geared his Asia message to U.S. voters who will decide next November whether to give him another four years in office.

In Honolulu, Australia and the Indonesian island of Bali, Obama sought out every chance to talk about America's export potential, and the White House previewed Boeing and GE deals with Asia that it said could sustain 130,000 US jobs.
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Our economy better than many: PM

Dhaka, Nov 19 —Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has rebutted opposition claims that the economy is in a tailspin.

"I want to tell you that the economic situation has not become critical. We have managed to keep it running. We are better placed given the world economic recession," she said on Saturday.

Speaking at function at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre marking the 40th National Cooperative Day, she refuted claims that there is a liquidity crisis.

"Many say that there is no money. But we have received billions of taka from the renewal of mobile-phone operators' licences. A few months later we will be receiving another such boost," the prime minister said.
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BNP sings 'happy birthday' to Tarique

Dhaka, Nov 19 (bdnews24.com) —BNP plans to celebrate the birthday of Tarique Rahman in style, streaming live the ceremony in his hometown Bogra, a party official said.

Tarique, son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and party's senior vice chair, turns 45 on Sunday.

The daylong programme, at Tito auditorium in Bogra, would be webcast on bnplive.com, assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Jony told bdnews24.com.

On Saturday midnight, several hundred activists turned up at party's Gulshan office to sing 'happy birthday' to Tarique as his mother was set to cut a huge cake in presence of senior colleagues at 12:01am.

The activists shouted "Shubho shubho shubho din, Tarique bhaier jonmodin" to shatter the silence in Dhaka's posh residential district in the middle of the night.

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11th JS session set to resume

Dhaka, Nov 20 -The 11th session of the ninth parliament is set to resume on Sunday after a 23-day break amid uncertainty over the return of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The session is scheduled to begin at 4.30pm.

The current session started on Oct 20 and was initially adjourned on Oct 27 till Nov 14 in line with a parliamentary standing committee decision. The recess was later extended to Nov 20 due to Eid-ul-Azha.

"There has not been any decision regarding whether the current session will end this month," said chief whip Abdus Shahid.

The ninth parliament began its journey on Jan 25, 2009.

The BNP last joined the House on March 23 during the eighth session and walked out the same day.
It has been boycotting the House, saying that there is no 'congenial atmosphere'.

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Indian court orders deportation of 2 Bangladeshis

Dhaka, Nov 20 - A court in New Delhi has ordered deportation of a Bangladeshi woman and her daughter after clearing them of charges of a 2003 robbery.

Additional sessions judge Sanjay Garg, however, found them guilty of residing illegally in east Delhi and sentenced them to prison terms of 11 months and three days on Saturday.

"For the offence punishable under the Foreigners Act, she is sentenced to the period of imprisonment already undergone by her.
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Tipaimukh dam: Govt in touch with India

Dhaka, Nov 19 – The foreign ministry is in touch with its Indian counterpart on Tipaimukh dam, planned to be erected in the state of Manipur.

"Senior officials in the ministry of external affairs of India informed us that they would be able to provide further details on the issue once offices open on Monday," said director general of external publicity wing of the foreign ministry Shamim Ehsan on Saturday.

"We have seen the press release of National Hydropower Corporation of India dated Oct 24," he said adding, "The MEA has referred to the assurances given by India at the highest level in this regard."
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The capture of Gaddafi's son

OBARI, Nov 20 - The chic black sweater and jeans were gone. So too the combat khaki T-shirt of his televised last stand in Tripoli. Designer stubble had become bushy black beard after months on the run.

But the rimless glasses, framing those piercing eyes above that straight fine nose, gave him away despite the flowing nomad robes held close across his face.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, doctor of the London School of Economics, one-time reformer turned scourge of the rebels against his dictator father, was now a prisoner, bundled aboard an old Libyan air force transport plane near the oil-drilling outpost of Obari, deep in the Sahara desert.

The interim government's spokesman billed it as the "final act of the Libyan drama." But there would be no closing soliloquy from the lead player, scion of the dynasty that Muammar Gaddafi, self-styled "king of kings," had once hoped might rule Africa.
bdnews24.com

Maradona's mum passes away

Dubai, Nov 20 - Argentine football legend Diego Maradona's mother died at the age of 81 on Saturday night in the Los Arcos clinic of Buenos Aires.

Hospital sources said in a press release that Maradona's mother had been hospitalised since Friday because of chronic renal failure and hemodynamic instability.

"Manoeuvres began for hemodynamic support, dialysis and mechanical ventilation, despite which Dalma Salvadora Franco presented a cardiac decompensation at 6:30 pm (2130 GMT)," the hospital said.
From:bdnews24.com