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First phase of India polls: Nearly 50pc voter turnout in first eight hours
An estimated voter turnout of 40 percent was recorded in the first six hours of voting today as India began a six-week polling in Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and union territories, according to figures compiled from electoral offices in states
Bank Asia moves a step closer to Bank Alfalah acquisition
A day earlier, Karachi-based Bank Alfalah disclosed the information on the Pakistan Stock exchange.
Fire at Dhaka Shishu Hospital doused after an hour
Five fire engines doused the fire at 2:40pm
Explosions in Iran, US media reports Israeli strikes
Iran's state media reported explosions in central Isfahan Friday, as US media quoted officials saying Israel had carried out retaliatory strikes on its arch-rival
In pictures: India's Lok Sabha election 2024
Voters in India started casting votes in the world's largest parliamentary election this morning, setting off a marathon poll battle as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a record-equaling third straight tenure in office
Opinion
To the wire
For this season though, in City’s level of perfection, this is perhaps coming short of the high standards they’ve set themselves.
A cursed harvest
Health risks of tobacco cultivation, particularly among children, are deeply concerning
Government's fatal apathy towards road safety
What’s most appalling is how common these violations of crucial road safety measures are in our country
Business
Levi's now in Dhaka
The 2,270 square feet store on Banani Road 11 opened on April 1, aiming to draw the rising middle-income population with an assortment of imported denim jeans, t-shirts, polo shirts, and formal and casual woven shirts for men and women.
Sports
Rohit Sharma ‘not a fan’ of IPL’s Impact Player rule
Former India pacer Zaheer Khan echoed similar sentiments.
City must use CL exit pain for 'something special’, says Walker
Guardiola's side play Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
A match in which Man City played but Real Madrid won
Antonio Rudiger scored the decisive penalty as Real Madrid beat holders Manchester City in an edge-of-your-seat 4-3 shootout victory to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for a record-extending 17th time after the teams were locked at 4-4 on aggregate following extra time on Wednesday.
News
PM building future Bangladesh: Finance Minister
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina started work on building future Bangladesh to fulfill the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the finance minister has said
Myanmar conflict: 13 more BGP members take shelter in Bangladesh
Thirteen more members of Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) took shelter in Bangladesh yesterday amid the ongoing conflict between the military junta and the Arakan Army in Rakhine state
First-time voters rejoice in India's Maoist rebel heartland
In remote Indian forests home to a decades-old Maoist insurgency battling government rule, few in farmer Ajay Kumaroya's village had ever dared anger the guerrillas by voting
National flag’s first designer Shib Narayan passes away
Freedom fighter Shib Narayan Das, who had designed the first flag of Bangladesh just before the independence, passed away while undergoing treatment at a Dhaka hospital this morning, his family said. He was 78
South Korean man jailed for throwing fake money from apartment’s window
A court recently handed down a two-year prison sentence for a South Korean man for photocopying hundreds of counterfeit banknotes and gift certificates and scattering them through the window of his apartment building
My Dhaka / The dynamic duo of DIYer Studio
When your university courses come to an end and you are left with a few bundles of quality, loose sheets of paper, what do you do with it? Give it away, forget about it, or do you make a bespoke...
My Dhaka / Post-Eid Reflections: Missing the chaos of the city
It is as if Dhaka has been sleeping for the last few days.
Entertainment
No celebrity participation in BFAA election, Rubel expresses disappointment
Rubel, who has been elected as the sports and cultural secretary eight times, reminisced about his long-standing involvement in BFAA elections, dating back to 1990. "I have never seen an election under such strict supervision by the administration," he lamented. "We all wanted to vote joyfully. It's sad if people like actor Alamgir or Ujjal have to show their ID cards to enter," he added, highlighting the somber mood prevailing amongst the fraternity.
‘Kajol Rekha’ sees increased hall screenings in second week
The “Kajol Rekha” team also plans to visit more halls and experience such unique interactions regarding direct feedback from the audience. “We hope to visit Narayanganj next week. As a director, there is nothing more satisfying than receiving responses directly from moviegoers.”
Taylor Swift drops secret double album via ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
Love and poetry converge as Taylor Swift unveils her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department” (TTPD), a creation she teased with a surprise announcement at the 2024 Grammys. This musical venture signals a daring new era, enveloped in a captivating black-and-white aesthetic reminiscent of tortured poets, inkwells, and midnight contemplations.
Life & Living
#Decor / Stress-free bedroom makeover using furniture sets
Here are three reasons why investing in furniture sets, instead of going for individual pieces, can make your bedroom interior designing project smoother.
Wanderlust on two wheels: Musdaque’s expedition across 10 countries
While the allure of the unknown beckons the adventurous spirit within us, only a few capture the essence of exploration like cross-country motorcycling. Riding through the heart of Asia, Musdaque Chowdhury, and his partner Maliha Chowdhury, embarked on a 197-day journey traversing 10 countries.
Coke Studio Bangla’s ‘Tati’ celebrates Bangladeshi weavers
If you are a devoted listener of Coke Studio Bangla, chances are you may not have missed its Season 3 opener, “Tati,” — a song that celebrates not just the music, but the very soul of Bangladeshi craftsmanship. Released under the creative direction of Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, the vocalists include Md Gonjer Ali, Oli Boy and the evergreen Jaya Ahsan.
Youth
BUET crowned Asia West champions at ICPC World Finals
The team “BUET Potatoes” from BUET has been crowned the Asia West champions at the ICPC World Finals 2023.
Mongol Barota: MIST’s Mars rover team participating in the University Rover Challenge finals
Mongol Barota Mars Rover Team from MIST heads to finals with PHOENIX 4.0, aiming for victory.
New PSC member Pradip Kumar Pandey takes oath
Newly appointed Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) Member Professor Pradip Kumar Pandey was sworn in today
Tech & Startup
RUET team secures 3rd place in International ICT Competition
A group of students from the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) has achieved third position in the Huawei ICT Competition 2023-2024 APAC Round. The competition, comprising over 6400 participants from 14 countries, has announced the winners at the APAC Award ceremony held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Vivo V30: Striking looks, capable cameras, mid-range muscle
Vivo's V30 arrives as a contender in the crowded mid-range arena, offering a feature set that aims to impress without breaking the bank. We spent two weeks with the V30, and here's what we discovered.
A beginner's guide to Cudy routers
As we have arrived at the age of AI, it has become quite evident that to remain seamlessly connected to the digital world, we need a high-speed broadband connection, and a superior router is non-negotiable.
Star Multimedia
No Israeli strike on Iran 'likely before April 30'
Israel is unlikely to attack Iran before the end of the Jewish Passover festival, according to media reports.
Israel releases pictures of damage caused by Iran's attack
Iran attacked Israel on Saturday with hundreds of drones and missiles. The Israel Defense Forces released photos of the damage in this attack. The BBC published two of the images today.
A village where lungis are still woven in an ancient way
Chachkia is the sole village in Pabna that still uses ancient looms to weave lungis.
Kangal Harinath, a pioneer of women's education
Kangal Harinath was a pioneer of women's education in a remote area of Kumarkhali subdivision. He also used to publish news of helpless, tortured and oppressed people in his newspaper.
MV Abdullah's chief officer sends audio message to family
Atiq Ullah Khan, chief officer of MV Abdullah, has sent an audio message to family after the ship and its 23 crew were released after more than a month.
Daily Star Books
Environment
Help your pets beat the heat
This year is predicted to be the hottest year so far and the temperatures have already crossed 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country by now
Dubai floods / Thousands of Bangladeshis stranded at Dhaka, Dubai airports
Several thousand Bangladeshi passengers remained stranded at the Dubai and Dhaka airports for the last two days as flights to and from Dubai got delayed or cancelled due to unprecedented flooding in the Middle East country
Rain likely in Dhaka, six other divisions
Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally winds is likely to occur at one or two places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places in the 24 hours from 9:00am today
Climate change to wreck global income by 2050: study
Researchers in Germany estimate that climate change will shrink global GDP at least 20% by 2050. Scientists said that figure would worsen if countries fail to meet emissions-cutting targets
City will face no waterlogging this year: Taposh
Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh today said there will be no waterlogging in the capital during the upcoming rainy season.
How European trash illegally ends up in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, are facing an influx of illegal waste shipments from industrialized nations, with a considerable amount trafficked from Europe
Year's highest temperature of 40.7 degrees Celsius recorded in Chuadanga
Local weather official says 'severe heatwave' will continue
Severe heatwave sweeps over Chuadanga, Bagerhat
A severe heatwave is scorching Chuadanga and Bagerhat while a mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping over Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and parts of Khulna, according to the met office
Fact-check
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.
Fake videos targeting BNP resurfacing on social media: reports
A distorted video featuring a speech by Begum Khaleda Zia, Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has once again surfaced on Facebook, raising concerns about the spread of misinformation during the upcoming election. The video, created by adding together different portions of a speech delivered by Khaleda Zia in London back in 2015, resurfaced on social media platforms despite being fact-checked by three different fact-checking organisations in 2021 and 2022.
Doctors Without Borders targeted by Israel-Hamas war misinformation
"Basically he abused his position as a medic, which the IDF cannot shoot, to break the law and assist terrorists to get a weapon."
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