Zero-duty and quota-free access for local goods

Says adviser

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh broke new ground in the WTO negotiations on zero-duty and quota-free access for local goods into US and exploring new markets, the commerce adviser said on Sunday.

AFP, BEIJING - Ronaldinho was back to his best as he led Brazil on a 5-0 romp over

New Zealand Sunday to confirm their quarter-final berth in Olympic men's football along with Argentina and Italy.

Celtic 1-0 St Mirren

Celtic got their defence of the Scottish Premier League title off to a winning start thanks to a controversial Barry Robson penalty against St Mirren, reports BBC..

Reds chief executive claims midfielder's price is 'too high'

Sky Sports

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry insists the club's American owners are not questioning Rafa Benitez's judgement in the pursuit of Gareth Barry.

SW, ROME  - Out of favour Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista is close to signing a contract with Italian squad AS Roma.

VOA

Georgia says it has ordered its troops in the breakaway region of South Ossetia to cease fire, after withdrawing its troops from South Ossetia's capital.

There was no immediate response from Russia to Georgia's offer to negotiate an end to three day's of fierce fighting in the region. Emma Stickgold report for VOA from Moscow.

At least five people were killed and several more were critically injured in a series of bomb explosions in China's far west region of Xinjiang, in what looks increasingly like a concerted bombing campaign by Muslim separatists to coincide with the Beijing Olympics, reports Reuters.

When Barack Obama first showed up in a Hawaii class-room at the age of 10 in 1971, the white kids tittered at his dark skin and a red-haired girl tried to touch his curly black hair. On learning that his father was an African tribesman, one of his classmates asked him whether he ate people, reports The Sunday Times.

A different reception awaited Obama when he returned to the islands of his birth on Friday to begin a week-long family holiday.

NW Pakistan

Reuters, Ergneti, Georgia - Georgia has withdrawn its forces from breakaway South Ossetia, where they had been fighting Russian troops for control, the Georgian interior ministry said on Sunday.

Reuters, Beijing- Rain fell on Beijing on Sunday, cooling oven-like temperatures for the second day of the Olympic Games and raising hopes that the thick haze clogging the Chinese capital might finally clear.

Reuters, Damacus- Syria is willing to answer questions by the UN nuclear watchdog about an alleged nuclear complex but has not agreed with the agency to allow more visits to the site, a foreign ministry statement said on Saturday.

Reuters, Beijing- President George W. Bush on Saturday took another swipe at China on human rights and religious freedoms, a day before he holds talks with its leaders.

Reuters, Milan- The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has raised its forecast of 2008 world paddy rice production by more than 1 million tonnes to 668 million tonnes after improved harvests in India and some other major producers.

BAGHDAD, Sun Aug 10,(bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Iraq insists the United States provide a "very clear timeline" for withdrawing its troops as part of an agreement allowing them to stay on beyond this year, Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said on Sunday.

TEHRAN, Sun Aug 10, (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Iran will not back down on its nuclear stance despite the threat of tighter sanctions, Iranian media quoted a government spokesman as saying on Sunday.

LAS VEGAS, Sun Aug 10, (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - US presidential candidate John McCain on Saturday again accused his opponent Barack Obama of defeatism and said the Democratic senator from Illinois did not have what it took to be the country's commander in chief.

NEW DELHI, Sun Aug 10,(bdnews24.com/Reuters) - A strong earthquake of 6.0 magnitude struck in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, but no tsunami warning was issued, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

ERGNETI, Georgia, Sun Aug 10,(bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Georgia withdrew its forces from breakaway South Ossetia region on Sunday after three days of fighting but Russia has sent more troops into the enclave, the Georgian government said.

ALGIERS, Sun Aug 10, (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - A suicide car bombing killed eight people east of Algiers late on Saturday in the second such attack this month, OPEC member Algeria's official APS news agency reported on Sunday.