JERUSALEM, 27 July 2022, (TON): Russia’s Foreign Ministry said “it is up to the Ministry of Justice to decide whether the country’s branch of the Jewish Agency, which helps Jews emigrate to Israel, should be dissolved, and hit out at Israel’s stance over the Ukraine conflict.”

Relations between the two countries have become strained in recent months, after Israel condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and summoned the Russian ambassador over comments made by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

In an interview, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said “Israel’s leadership had taken a biased, anti-Russian stance on the conflict, and dismissed suggestions that her department had a hand in proceedings against the Jewish Agency.”

Zakharova said “it’s a question for the Ministry of Justice, that’s the information I have. It definitely is a legal matter.”

KYIV, 27 July 2022, (TON): Ukrainian military said “Russia targeted Ukraine’s Black Sea regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv with air strikes Tuesday, hitting private buildings and port infrastructure along the country’s southern coast.”

Ukraine’s Operational Command South said “the Kremlin’s forces used air-launched missiles in the attack.”

In the Odesa region, a number of private buildings in villages on the coast were hit and caught fire, the report said. In the Mykolaiv region, port infrastructure was targeted.

Hours after the renewed strikes on the south, a Moscow-installed official in the southern Kherson region said the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions will soon be “liberated” by the Russian forces, just like the Kherson region further east.

LONDON, 27 July 2022, (TON): Britain’s rail network faces major disruption again as rail workers and station staff walk out in a row over pay and conditions, the latest in a catalogue of industrial unrest as wages fail to keep pace with soaring inflation.

The 24-hour strike by more than 40,000 members of the RMT and TSSA unions will see around half Britain’s rail network closed, with train companies operating a much reduced timetable and some parts of the country having no rail service at all.

Network Rail said passengers, including commuters, families heading off on summer holidays, and sports fans on their way to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which begins, should only travel if necessary.

Strike action last month brought Britain’s rail network close to a standstill for three days.

LONDON, 27 July 2022, (TON): The latest televised debate between the two Conservative contenders vying to become Britain’s next prime minister was abruptly halted Tuesday evening after the moderator fainted on stage.

Live footage of the debate, between former finance minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on media channel, was suddenly interrupted about halfway into the hour-long event.

Moments earlier, Truss had stopped speaking mid-sentence with a shocked look on her face as the sound of crashing in front of her engulfed the broadcast.

“Oh my God!” a stunned Truss exclaimed, before leaving her podium to walk toward where the debate moderator.

DHAKA, 27 July 2022, (TON): Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said “the World Bank's decision to withdraw itself from funding the Padma Bridge was a blessing in disguise.”

He said "our self-respect has gone way up after constructing the bridge with our own funding. Our confidence in ourselves has become more robust. Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had said none will be able to suppress us anymore. We have reached that stage.”

The law minister said this while addressing as special guest a function to unveil the cover of a book titled "Our Padma Bridge by Our Money", edited by Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at Foreign Service Academy in the capital.

DHAKA, 27 July 2022, (TON): US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas has concluded a 3-day trip to Rajshahi from July 24 to 26 to promote US higher education and US government-fund exchange programs, economic engagement and law enforcement cooperation in the region.

A US embassy press release said “USAID Mission Director Kathryn Stevens accompanied the US envoy during the visit and they met with local government leaders, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, US Department of State exchange program alumni, students, and teachers in Rajshahi.”

The delegation paid a courtesy call on the Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor A H M Khairuzzaman Liton and discussed the US government's collaborative efforts in partnering with the Government of Bangladesh through the Department of State, Department of Justice, and USAID programs over the past five decades.

NEW DELHI, 27 July 2022, (TON): Terming the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent as sad and painful, north Indian state of Haryana’s Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said India, Pakistan and Bangladesh could unite just like Germany’s reunification.

He said “when eastern and western can unite, the merger of Pakistan and Bangladesh with India can also be possible.”

He said “not long ago but this happened in 1991 and people broke that (Berlin) wall.”

After the defeat of World War II, Germany was divided during the Cold War period between the Western Allies led by the United States and the Soviet Union in the East, with the two regions not being reunited until 1990.

Khattar said “the 1947 partition was done on religious lines and, people from minority communities were given the minority tag so that they would not develop a feeling of fear and insecurity.”

DHAKA, 27 July 2022, (TON): President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages today greeted the recipients of 'Agricultural Important Person ' status for the first time in the country.

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque will confer the AIP status on 13 persons at a function at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city tomorrow

The President said "I welcome the initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture for honoring the AIPs -2020."

Highlighting the importance of the agriculture sector of the country, the head of the state said the success of this country in the socio-economic field is based on the sustainable agricultural production system.

DHAKA, 27 July 2022, (TON): Bangladesh has sent a formal request for a $4.5 billion loan to the Washington-based multilateral lender International Monetary Fund to combat the ongoing financial crisis.

Another reason for the loan request is foreign exchange reserves declining against excessive exports.

The loan request was made in a letter to IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

According to sources, the government sought the amount as a balance of payment and budget support as well as to mitigate the effects of climate change on Bangladesh.

Finance ministry officials said “of the $4.5 billion sought, $1.5 billion would most likely be interest-free and the remaining amount would come at an interest less than 2%.”

DHAKA, 27 July 2022, (TON): A press release signed by Md Kamrul Islam, general manager of organization said “US-Bangla Airlines, one of the largest private airlines in the country, will operate two flights on daily basis from Dhaka to Kolkata from August 4 due to the increase in passengers.”

US-Bangla is currently operating one daily flight from Dhaka to Kolkata which takes off at 10am and again comes back at 12:55pm.

The newly second flight will depart Dhaka for Kolkata at 6:30pm every day from August 4 and depart from Kolkata to Dhaka.

The airlines will operate the flights with Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the route. The US-Bangla has a total of 16 aircraft including 6 Boeing 737-800 to its fleet.