The Daily Star - Bangladesh News, Political News, Bangladesh Economy & Videos, Breaking News
Fixed expenses to eat up 40pc of next budget
The government has to spend about 40 percent of the next budget on subsidies, interest payments, and salaries and allowances of government employees, which will limit its ability to spend on social safety net, health and education.
C&F staff halt work at 4 container depots
Staffers of clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents stopped working at four leading inland container depots (ICDs) in the port city since the early hours today following a dispute with customs officials, which eventually led to a clash between C&F staff and staff of an ICD
Don’t be complacent over US sanctions on Aziz, Fakhrul warns party men
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today cautioned opposition leaders and activists against complacency regarding US sanctions on former Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed
Shariatpur chairman candidates arranges beef khichuri for voters for last 25 days
In Shariatpur, a candidate for the post of chairman in the upazila parishad election, has organised beef khichuri for voters for the last 25 days.
Don't pay anyone for visas, or work permits: Italian envoy
Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro has advised visa-seekers not to pay anyone for visas, emphasising that the embassy only charges small taxes and processing fees
Opinion
An alarming lapse in data security protocols
NTMC's revelation about illicit sale of private data raises concerns
We are not taking care of our young generation
One significant factor behind young people’s feeling of disillusionment is the pervasive corruption committed by businessmen, politicians, government officials, and influential figures, among others
Humanitarian funding: A crisis within a crisis
The people affected by crises and destitution must be at the centre of our collective decision-making on humanitarian actions.
Business
Agriculture credit disbursement rises
Agriculture credit disbursements in Bangladesh grew 12.46 percent year-on-year to Tk 23,690 crore in the July-February period of the current fiscal year, central bank data showed.
Sports
Hridoy fifty guides Tigers to 153-6 in T20I opener against USA
USA need 154 runs to win.
Ronaldo to play in sixth European Championship
Ronaldo, who has scored in every Euros since his first appearance in 2004, has netted 14 goals in the finals. He also scored 10 times in European qualifying matches last year.
T20 World Cups: Shakib and Rohit have seen it all
Rohit Sharma and Shakib Al Hasan were the flag-bearers of the next generation of cricketers when they made their respective debuts in the T20 World Cup in its first iteration in 2007. Both of them had memorable starts in the tournament, giving an early glimpse of their unmistakable talent in South Africa.
News
Constable sued for amassing illegal wealth
The Anti-Corruption Commission of Rajshahi yesterday sued a police constable for amassing illegal wealth worth over Tk 62 lakh.
Apu murder / Verdict on June 4
The Supreme Court will deliver a verdict on June 4 regarding appeals in A-level student Ashikur Rahman Khan Apu murder case.
21 more dengue patients hospitalised
Twenty-one more people were hospitalised with dengue in 24 hours till yesterday.
No shortage of rice in country
Agriculture Minister M Abdus Shahid has said the country has no shortage of rice as its entire rice demand is now being met by internal production.
Museum in Sreemangal / Showcasing 150 years of tea heritage
Tea, the most popular and revered beverage in the world, has an over 150-year long heritage of cultivation and consumption in Bangladesh.
Primer to Press: Celebrating the evolution of Bangla alphabets
The recently held exhibition along with the book launch event of Bornomala: Bangla Alphabet Book Collection by Sabyasachi Hazra was profoundly insightful. As an artist, researcher, and prolific...
Where is the grave of Dhaka's Nawab Ahsanullah?
Nawab Ahsanullah is indeed a historic figure. We remember him as a philanthropist and among his contributions was the installment of the first electric lights in Dhaka.
Entertainment
Scarlett Johansson ‘angered’ after ChatGPT uses voice ‘eerily similar’ to hers
The controversy erupted when Sky debuted last week, and many noted the resemblance to Johansson's tone in the 2013 film “Her”. Johansson voiced Samantha, an AI chat system in the film that forms an intimate relationship with a human, which further fueled the comparisons.
Nusraat Faria named goodwill ambassador of a prestigious Indian University
Regarding becoming the goodwill ambassador of the university, she remarked, “They conducted a survey involving several celebrities regarding the goodwill ambassador position, and my name came up at the top. Last month, I officially became their goodwill ambassador. I am proud to be associated with a university from another country."
‘Mr & Mrs Mahi’ likely to release in Bangladesh with its Indian premiere
A soon-to-be-releasing Bollywood film is set to premiere in our local theatres, alongside its release in India, after the government lifted restrictions on screening times, except during festivals. This concession, granted for two years, has allowed several Bollywood films to be released over the past year.
Life & Living
#Perspective / Beneath the surface: Slow breaths and slower time from scuba diving
An adventure in Koh Tao, Thailand, led a group of millennials to explore the underwater world through scuba diving. The deep sea’s mesmerising beauty and silence offered introspection and a shift in time perception.
Let toks be the only thing sour! Tok recipes to turn frowns upside down
Whether you are sipping on a chilled glass of mango cooler or savouring the rich flavours of fish roe in a sour gravy, these recipes promise to transport you to the heart of Bengali cuisine.
10 photogenic places to visit in Asia to blow up your Instagram
If you are someone with a passion for photography, be you a novice or an expert, bring out your camera with you, as we have prepared a list of 10 camera-friendly places to visit in Asia so you can get your dream shots.
Youth
UIU Mars rover team chasing big dreams at this year’s URC
The team is participating in the 2024 University Rover Challenge (URC) finals with its YGGDRASIL rover.
BRACU students secure 1st, 2nd, and 4th positions at National Mathematics Olympiad
Students from BUET, IUT, and SUST also secured positions in the top 10.
A conversation with the coach who led BUET to ICPC glory
Campus sat down with Sohel Rahman, a professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Fellow at the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, and the team coach of BUET Potatoes, to learn more about the process and experience of representing the nation as part of the BUET ICPC team.
Tech & Startup
AI-PCs, new laptops, and more: Everything Microsoft just announced
Ahead of its Build developer conference, Microsoft has unveiled significant advancements in AI and Surface technologies. At a pre-Build event on Monday, which was not livestreamed for the public, Microsoft introduced its vision for AI-centric PCs with the new Copilot+ PCs and announced the latest Surface devices.
Meet the astronaut who waited 60 years to voyage into space
Former US Air Force Captain Ed Dwight fulfilled a lifelong dream on May 19 by venturing into space, becoming the oldest person to do so at the age of 90. His journey on Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-25 spacecraft was the company’s first human flight since 2022. The mission took six tourists to the edge of space including Ed.
Can we rid artificial intelligence of bias?
AI's underlying intelligence, therefore, is only as good as the world it came from, as likely to be filled with wit, wisdom, and usefulness, as well as hatred, prejudice and rants.
Star Multimedia
What we know about MP Azim, who has been missing in India for five days
He went to Kolkata on May 12 for treatment. His family members have not been able to find him since May 17
How was Ebrahim Raisi as a president?
Watch Star Special to find out more
Who is Mohammad Mokhber, the man set to become Iran's interim president?
Mokhber became first vice president in 2021 when Raisi was elected president
Al-Awda hospital out of water, Israeli forces blockade area
Israel is attacking al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza as part of its attempt to destroy Hamas. The hospital has already ran out of drinking water. Israeli forces are not allowing anyone to enter or exit the building, reports Al-Jazeera
Iran's president was on US-made chopper: reports
The United States manufactured the helicopter that crashed while carrying Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, according to Reuters and BBC
Daily Star Books
Environment
NGOs seek climate trial of French oil giant TotalEnergies
NGOs filed a criminal complaint against French oil giant TotalEnergies and its top shareholders in Paris on Tuesday, seeking a trial for involuntary manslaughter and other consequences of climate change “chaos”
Rain, thunder showers likely over 8 divisions: BMD
Rain or thunder showers with temporary gusty winds are likely to occur at many places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal divisions and at a few places over Dhaka, Chattogram, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places, according to BMD's weather bulleting for today
Dhaka’s air quality 2nd worst in the world this morning
Dhaka ranked second on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality this morning
Govt working to improve e-waste management system: Saber
Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury has said government efforts are underway to improve the e-waste management system in Bangladesh
Low pressure likely to develop over Bay on May 22: met office
Low pressure is likely to develop over the Bay of Bengal on May 22, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) told BSS
HC issues status quo on cutting trees along Jashore-Narail highway
The High Court today issued a status quo on the cutting of trees on the roadsides in the proposed six-lane Jashore-Narail highway
Dhaka’s air quality 2nd worst in the world this morning
Dhaka has ranked second on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI score of 183 at 9:00am today
Sea-level rise in Bangladesh: Faster than global average
Bangladesh is experiencing a faster sea-level rise than the global average of 3.42mm a year, which will impact food production and livelihoods even more than previously thought, government studies have found.
Fact-check
India sieves online deluge to stamp out disinformation in world's biggest election
Just last week, two AI-generated deepfake videos of Bollywood stars criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is seeking a rare third term, and asking people to vote for the opposition Congress went viral, drawing half a million views.
Deepfakes of Bollywood stars spark worries of AI meddling in India election
The two videos have been viewed on social media more than half a million times since last week, a Reuters review shows.
Fact check: Mossad did not describe deceased US airman as 'enemy'
More claims suggesting the remark came from Mossad spread across X and TikTok.
Meta to set up team to counter disinformation, AI abuse in EU elections
European Parliament elections will take place June 6-9. Its 720 lawmakers, together with EU governments, pass new EU policies and laws.
Misinformation and disinformation: A threat to democracy in Bangladesh
In today’s digital age, the spread of misinformation and disinformation has arisen as a major challenge to global democracy.
OpenAI to launch anti-disinformation tools for 2024 elections
The explosive success of text generator ChatGPT spurred a global artificial intelligence revolution but also triggered warnings that such tools could flood the internet with disinformation and sway voters.
Deepfake video targeting Gaibandha-1 candidate surfaces on Facebook
On the day of the National Election 2024, a fabricated video surfaced on Facebook featuring Nahid Niger, an independent candidate for the Gaibandha-1 seat, announcing her withdrawal from the election. Subsequent verification by Dismislab, an online platform specialising in media research and verification, confirmed that the video was a product of AI-based deepfake technology.
Podcast on fake news: Impact of Israel-Hamas conflict on Bangladesh's national election
Uncover the sources and intentions behind these circulating rumors.
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