The Election Commission secretariat has taken a fresh initiative to enlist freed BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia as a voter, reports bdnews24.com.

The Guardian Online

Iraq is being flooded with weapons despite human rights violations by all parties in the conflict there, and without any proper monitoring by the US and Britain over where the weapons end up, Amnesty International says today.

There is no clear accountable audit trail for some 360,000 small arms supplied to the Iraqi security forces, many by the US and UK, it says.

Bdnews24.com

The first batch of transparent ballot boxes intended for use in the upcoming national polls have arrived in Dhaka, with the Election Commission scheduled to receive them on Wednesday, an EC official said Tuesday.

AFP, JERUSALEM - Members of Israel's governing Kadima party were voting for a new leader on Wednesday, with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni favoured by opinion polls to replace scandal-plagued Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

AFP, BEIJING - China said Wednesday more than 6,000 babies had fallen ill and three died after drinking milk powder contaminated with a toxic chemical, as it vowed massive efforts to contain a widening food scandal.

AFP, BEIJING - The Paralympics flame was extinguished over the "Bird's Nest" National Stadium after a lavish closing ceremony on Wednesday, ending a spectacular summer of sport in Beijing.

The Guardian Online

Zimbabwe's new prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, yesterday described Robert Mugabe as "giving up" and said that he would seek to govern by sidelining the beleaguered president whose own party is "moving on" without him.

The Guardian Online

It is voter registration day on the campus of Kutztown university in Pennsylvania and a small but dogged group of students are trying to persuade classmates to sign up for the November presidential election. Decades ago they might have done so through bribery or, failing that, the fist; but these days the preferred method is humour.

Maritime border demarcation

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh and India wrapped up maritime border demarcation talks on Wednesday with no tangible agreement on the mid-flow of the Hariabhanga, a border river, officials say.

Staff Correspondent

The chief election commissioner has said the dates for elections to parliament, Dhaka City Corporation and Upazila Parishad will be announced on Monday.

Desk Report

The High Court on Wednesday granted three months' bail to a number of BNP leaders including Mir Nasiruddin, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Zafrul Islam Chowdhury, Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, Daud Saluddin, Manjurul Ahsan Munshi and Ariful Haque Chowdhury.

Rooppur N-plant

Staff Correspondent

The government will send a team of scientists and technical experts to China to put the Rooppur nuclear power plant on stream with Chinese assistance, an adviser said on Wednesday.

Sheikh Hasina has shown positive attitude towards a proposed meeting with her political rival Khaleda Zia, barrister Rafiqul Huq, who stood for both in the higher courts, said Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.

Changes have been brought to nine deputy secretary-level posts in the administration, according to an establishment ministry circular Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.

Desk Report

The government will close down the jute mills still in operation and lease them out to private management if the workers pressed on with their demonstrations, the local government adviser has warned.

Staff Correspondent

Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said on Wednesday that the commission would hold dialogue on Saturday with the BNP and its allies Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Oikyo Jote in the four-party .

He had earlier said the talks would be held Thursday.

Bdnews24.com

The monsoon deep depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal, off the Orissa coast, is likely to move in a north-northwesterly direction further inland and weaken gradually, said a special weather bulletin.

Informs adviser

Staff Correspondent

Chief adviser Fakhrudin Ahmed is likely to address the nation on various issues including the elections schedule after he returns home from China, an adviser said on Wednesday.

REUTERS, DHAKA- Bangladesh will ban rebel players from playing for the country for 10 years if they participate in any unofficial tournament, its cricket board said on Wednesday.

The government has closed an agreement with the World Bank on a $ 350 million credit to electrify the flagging power sector, a senior official said on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.