In a landmark verdict, the High Court has declared illegal the Seventh Amendment to the constitution that had legalised the autocratic regime of military strongman Hussein Muhammad Ershad.

The bench of justices A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain handed down the verdict on Thursday.

Eating more green leafy vegetables can significantly cut the risk of developing diabetes, scientists said on Friday.

British researchers reviewed six earlier studies on links between diabetes and the consumption of fruits and vegetables and found eating an extra serving a day of vegetables like spinach, cabbage, and broccoli reduced adults' risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 14 percent.

Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam was on Sunday granted bail in four cases where it is alleged he illegally took over government land.

The Bashundhara chairman sought bail after surrendering to Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court at around 10.30am, his lawyer Roknuzzaman Prince confirmed to bdnews24.com.

Zimbabwe's cricket team has offered to tour Pakistan to raise funds for the victims of the country's massive floods, despite the suspension of foreign visits following a militant attack last year.

An official of the Pakistan Cricket Board told Reuters the governing body of the ZCU had made contact over a proposed tour.

AUG 21 GRENADE ATTACK

There is no doubt that BNP was involved with the Aug 21 grenade attack, prime minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed on Saturday.

This comes after he comments on Friday alleging that a deputy minister of the then BNP-led government was involved in the attack.

Thirteen people have died between Friday night and Saturday morning after having consumed local alcohol on Wednesday night.

Two others -- Bina Das, 32, and Goyas Mia, 25 -- remain under treatment.

Local people say about 15 people had local alcohol at Goalabazar (fish market) on Wednesday night and had started vomiting since Thursday morning.

The sari market, this Eid too, is seeing a steady rise in demand for traditional locally made saris.

Markets are livening up with the approaching Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, and even though sales are yet to hike up, buyers are crowding the markets to catch a glimpse of the new wears on display.

Visits to the market have found huge crowds shifting through the shops at Mirpur's Benarasi Palli and the Dhanmondi Hawkers' Market.

Locals on Friday handed over to Brahmanbaria police a man who they claimed was a member of the banned Islamist outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The alleged member, Ibad Hossain,20, of the city's Kautali area is a student of the College of Development Alternative (CODA) in Dhaka.

London, Aug 20 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Having opened the defence of their Premier League title with a 6-0 thrashing of West Bromwich Albion last week, Chelsea now face the team they beat 8-0 to secure the crown three months ago.

Chelsea went into that final fixture with a measure of trepidation having lost at Wigan earlier in the season but tore them apart to end Manchester United's three-year grip on the trophy.

BNP senior joint secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has slated the government decision to cancel the parole of party chief Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Coco.

The decision has been made out of 'political vengeance', he claimed at a discussion organised by Shikkhok Karmachari Oikya Jote at the National Press Club on Friday.

Police has received the autopsy report relating to the death of Juba League leader Ibrahim Ahmed.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station sub inspector Azimuddin told bdnews24.com that the report, which was collected from Dhaka Medical College on Thursday, was sent to metropolitan detective branch police on Friday.

Metropolitan DB Police additional deputy-commissioner Mohammed Maniruzzaman told bdnews24.com on Friday that they had not read the report yet.

senior Obama administration official said on Wednesday the US troop strength in Iraq was now 56,000, not 50,000, as he had told Reuters earlier.

"I had incorrect information," the official said.

The Obama administration has said it expects to draw down troop levels to 50,000 by August 31, with those who remain continuing to train Iraqi armed forces and police units.

As many as one in five US teenagers have some degree of hearing loss, according to researchers who said the problem is growing.

"Teenagers really underestimate how much noise they are exposed to," Dr. Josef Shargorodsky of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston told Reuters Health.

The education ministry has given those private universities who have not yet moved to their own campuses three weeks to inform what steps it would take against them.

Although according to the private university law passed on July 11, all universities must move to their own campuses within seven years from their establishment, 45 out of 54 private universities in the country do not have those.

Real Madrid have completed their pre-season spending by signing Mesut Ozil and have new coach Jose Mourinho's powers of persuasion to thank for luring the Germany midfielder to the La Liga club.

The 21-year-old playmaker passed a medical and signed a six-year deal with the Spanish giants on Wednesday to complete a move from Werder Bremen which came to fruition the previous day after weeks of speculation on his possible destination.

Biman chairman Jamal Uddin Ahmed has openly criticised aviation minister Ghulam Muhammed Quader over his decision not to charter the Nigerian company Cabo Air to carry Hajj pilgrims.

This followed criticism previously made by the parliamentary standing committee chairman Moinuddin Khan Badal.

The programme for the sale of rice to poor people holding 'fair price cards' (FPC) was launched on Thursday.

SM Golam Kibria, public relations officer at the food ministry, told bdnews24.com that the programme had started from 10am.

A judge has granted bail to Basundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akber Sobhan alias Shah Alam after he had surrendered to the court in a case alleging that he had illegally taken government land,

Additional judge AHM Habibur Rahman of Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrates' Court granted the bail on Thursday, and fixed Aug 30 as the date for the framing of charges.

The Supreme Court on Thursday has found Mahmudur Rahman, the acting editor of the Bengali-language daily Amar Desh, guilty of contempt of court jailing him for six months.

The full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by chief justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim, also fined him Tk 1 lakh with an extra month in prison if he fails to pay the fine.

A Dhaka court has issued warrants for the arrest of Jamaat-e-Islami executive committee members Delwar Hossain Sayedee and Mir Kashem Ali in two separate tax evasion cases.

Dhaka's Senior Special Judge's Court's acting judge Mohammed Ismail Hossain gave the order on Thursday.