Quicktakes — Bangla bandh turns violent

DHAKA: Police fired tear gas and lathicharged activists of Opposition parties as the nation-wide dawn-to-dusk bandh called by them to prote...

DHAKA: Police fired tear gas and lathicharged activists of Opposition parties as the nation-wide dawn-to-dusk bandh called by them to protest recent petroleum price hike in Bangladesh turned violent today, witnesses said.

Protestors hurled country-made bombs at police during the bandh which paralysed normal life in the country with business establishments remaining closed and road and rail traffic coming to a halt.

TDP man stabbed

KURNOOL: A ruling Telugu Desam Party worker was axed to death by his rivals in broad day light in Nandi-Kothukur village in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh this afternoon. Kurva Bhramaiah (42) was attacked while he was returning from his saw mill. He died on the spot, police said. Two persons were arrested in this connection, they added.

Bodo talks

GUWAHATI: Bodoland State Movement Council (BSMC) has urged the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to take initiative for fresh political dialogue with their leaders on the Bodoland imbroglio immediately. Submitting a memorandum to Union Home Secretary K Padmanabhaia during his visit here yesterday, the BSMC leaders requested him to persuade and influence the United Front government at the Centre to intervene in the issue and take all necessary steps to resolve the same.

New world court

WASHINGTON: The international community has finalised modalities for setting up a new world court to investigate and prosecute non-nationals of the permanent members of the Security Council accused of committing crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. The proposed court would, however, not have jurisdiction to try drug traffickers and terrorists, The Washington Times reported. Legal experts agreed during a meeting, which concluded at the United Nations headquarters last week, on a clear picture of what the court will be and how it will function.

Iran surprise

DUBAI: FOR the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran’s reformer President Mohammed Khatami appointed a woman as vice president. Masoumeh Ebtekar, a 36-year-old US-trained journalist-turned-academician was among the five vice presidents named by Khatami yesterday to project the changing and modern face of Iranian women.