Police arrested another alleged member of Lashkar-e-Taiba in the capital's Motijheel area on Saturday on suspicion of plotting to attack the Indian and US embassies in Dhaka.

Detective Branch of Police assistant commissioner S M Rafiqul Islam told bdnews24.com on Sunday Abu Motaleb was arrested on Saturday following the information given by the three LeT members arrested on November 13.

The government has urged garment factory owners to pay workers all arrears due up to October, and half month's salary for November and festival bonus before the Eid-ul-Azha.

Any industry owner failing to comply with the directive would be legally dealt with, warned labour, expatriate welfare and overseas employment minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday.

There was no immediate improvement noticed on Dhaka roads following the launch of automated traffic lights in the capital on Sunday.

Drivers complained that it took them even longer than usual to reach their destinations after automated signals replaced traffic police at many key intersections.

Police arrested 14 members of the blacklisted extremist group Allahr Dal, suspected of having links to outlawed terrorist outfit JMB, in Jhenaidah on Saturday.

The men were arrested at a private residence in the Kanchanpur area of the district town, Jhenaidah police superintendent Rezaul Karim told bdnews24.com.

At least 31 miners were killed and 78 remain trapped 500 meters (yards) underground following a gas blast at a mine in China, state media said on Saturday.

The blast ripped through the mine around 2.30 on Saturday morning, when there were 528 people at work, but 419 got out safely, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Democrats in the US Senate geared up for a fierce battle over a new healthcare reform plan on Thursday as Republicans condemned the bill's price tag and tax hikes before the first crucial test vote on Saturday.

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid's 2,074-page blueprint for overhauling the $2.5 trillion healthcare system sparked what promises to be a long and bitter debate over President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

Iraqi sports authorities were not surprised football's world governing body decided to suspend the country from international competition and already have lawyers working on an appeal, an official said.

FIFA banned the Asian champions on Friday after the country's Olympic Committee disbanded the governing board of the Iraqi Football Association, the culmination of a feud over control of the sport that has lasted for at least a year.

Two million children countrywide began taking primary level exams under a new system Saturday.

The Class 5 students were sitting the newly introduced Primary Education Terminal Examinations, in the biggest round of public exams in the country.

President Zillur Rahman and prime minister Sheikh Hasina honoured the nation's fallen war heroes on Saturday, placing wreaths at the Shikha Anirban (Eternal Flame) in Dhaka Cantonment to mark Armed Forces Day.

The day pays tribute to members of the armed forces who fought and lost their lives for Bangladesh's liberation in 1971.

Final list of teams qualified for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after Wednesday's playoffs in Europe, Africa and South America.

EUROPE

Denmark

Germany......

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has signed a contract to play for English county club Worcestershire in 2010, it was announced on Wednesday.

Shakib is the first Bangladesh player to be signed by a county. The Bangladesh captain will join the team in 2010 following the conclusion of the tour of England, subject to completion of visa arrangements.

The following is a chronology of the key events since the assassination of Bangladesh's independence hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Aug 15, 1975: President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife, three sons, relatives and close associates are killed in the family's Dhanmondi home in Dhaka by renegade army officers. His daughters, Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, and Sheikh Rehana survive the carnage as they were abroad.

Begum Fazilatunnesa (Birth: Tungipara, Gopalganj., Aug 8, 1930) – Begum Fazilatunnesa was the wife of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, mother of prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina says her mother was actively involved in forwarding the cause of Bangladesh's independence and bent on making her husband's dream come true.

Sheikh Kamal (Birth: Gopalganj, Aug 5, 1949) – Sheikh Kamal was the eldest son of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He was a freedom fighter. He was the founder of Abahani Krira Chakra. He also played significant roles in the 1966 movement for self-determination, and the 1969 mass uprising.

Sheik Mujibur Rahman, b. March 17 1920, d. Aug 15 1975

Prime minister of Bangladesh 1972–5; president 1975

Charismatic leader, who epitomised anti-colonial leadership in the subcontinent. Organised dissent and rebellion against the British and rose against the injustice of West Pakistan against the Bengalis of East Pakistan, finally founding independent Bangladesh in 1971.

Fazle Noor Taposh, son of slain Shekh Fazlul Haque Moni, said he received the 'best birthday gift' on Supreme Court confirming Thursday the death sentence of the killers of his father.

"My parents could not celebrate my birthday on Nov 19, 1975. Today, I have got my best birthday gift," an emotional Taposh, who is also one of the lawyers of the state panel in Bangabandhu murder case, told a press briefing.

Sheikh Rehana, one of the two surviving daughters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in her reaction, said it was important that the verdict had been upheld by the Supreme Court.

Rehana told bdnews24.com by phone from abroad: "I pray for the peace of the departed souls of those killed that day. I hope the shame of the incident will be erased from our history through this final verdict.

Attorney general Mahbubey Alam called Thursday's judgment "epoch-making".

"It'll be remembered as one of the greatest trials in the history of mankind," he said in a post-verdict press conference.

Awami League leaders and supporters, defying party instruction, took to the streets on hearing the Supreme Court verdict on Thursday.

AL backed lawyers were also seen chanting the slogan 'Jai Bangla Jai Bangabandhu' at the Supreme Court premises.

Abul Hasanat Abdullah, whose father was killed on Aug 15 1975, welcomed the final judgment.

"We have received justice after 34 long years," he said.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has asked for people to remain calm and patient following Thursday's verdict.

Hasina, eldest daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, expressed satisfaction with the final judgment on her father's killers, deputy press secretary Nakibuddin Ahmed told reporters.