Canada's domestic spy agency concluded that China interfered in the last two elections, an official probe heard on Monday, the firmest evidence so far of suspected Chinese meddling in Canadian politics. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party won both the elections, held in 2019 and 2021. Under pressure from opposition legislators unhappy about media reports on China's possible role, Trudeau set up a commission into foreign interference. The commission was shown a slide on Monday containing an extract of a February 2023 briefing from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). "We know that the PRC (Peoples' Republic of China) clandestinely and deceptively interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 elections," it said. "In both cases, these FI (foreign interference) activities were pragmatic in nature and focused primarily on supporting those viewed to be either 'pro-PRC' or 'neutral' on issues of interest to the PRC government." The existence of the assessment had previously been reported by Global News. China denies it interferes in Canadian politics. Erin O'Toole, who led the Conservatives during the 2021 campaign, estimated Chinese interference cost his party up to nine seats but added it had not changed the course of the election. A legislator for the left-leaning minority New Democrats told the inquiry that once she started criticizing Beijing's Hong Kong policy, invitations to events held by the politically influential ethnic Chinese community started to dry up. According to the official 2021 census, Canada is home to around 1.7 million people of Chinese descent, just under 5% of the total population. The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CSIS statement. Last year, Canada said a Conservative legislator with family in Hong Kong had been targeted in an online disinformation operation, and kicked out a senior Chinese diplomat. "State actors are able to conduct foreign interference successfully in Canada because there are few legal or political consequences. FI is therefore low-risk and high-reward," said the CSIS assessment. Intelligence analysts and the Conservatives say Trudeau's government has not done enough to combat Chinese interference. Trudeau is due to testify to the commission on Wednesday. The Conservatives, who generally take a harder line on China than the Liberals, campaigned in 2021 on a platform that condemned Beijing's treatment of its Uyghur minority and vowed to ban Chinese mobile giant Huawei from the 5G network.   Source: Reuters  

Former India head coach, Ravi Shastri has weighed in his opinion on Chennai Super Kings' decision to pass the captaincy baton before the start of the Indian Premier League 2024. Shastri believed that this move depended on MS Dhoni's fitness and the team's demands for him to play in the current season of the cash-rich tournament.  On Sunday, CSK are playing their third group stage game against Delhi Capitals in Match 13 at Vizag's Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium. The defending champions have been unbeaten so far in the ongoing tournament and will aim to continue their winning streak against the winless DC team. Shastri also stated that Dhoni would allow the opening batter to captain and intervene only when necessary. “This is MS Dhoni’s last season, okay, very clear. You know, it depends on how his body copes with everything, whether he plays the whole season or doesn’t, only time will tell. But what he has done is that he said, I don’t want to give the job to Ruturaj halfway through the tournament,” Shastri said as quoted by News18. “Be in the hot seat from the outside, I'm (Dhoni is) watching from the back, and if he (Ruturaj) needs some help I’m there to help him out, but I think as compared to the year when Jadeja was captain, MS will take more and more of the backseat and probably contribute just in a little way between the drinks break or something like that,” he added.  Source: Crictracker

Translating kids’ animation to live-action is a tricky proposition, as Disney and the 2010 movie version of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” can attest. Netflix gets the look and action right in a lavish series based on the Nickelodeon show, but too-elemental dialogue and uneven performances make this eight-episode sit a bit of a grind for anyone who has gotten past puberty. Built around four tribes of “airbenders” with the ability to control water, earth, fire and air, “Avatar” establishes a mythical world filled with strange creatures and fantastic powers, none more so than those possessed by the Avatar, the legendary figure who alone can command all the elements. That heavy burden falls to a 12-year-old boy with a strategically placed arrow on his forehead, Aang (Gordon Cormier), who awakens after a century in ice to discover the firebenders and their leader Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim) have sought to take over the world, and, fearing the Avatar’s return, dispatched Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) to neutralize him. Taken in by Sokka (Ian Ousley) and the waterbender Katara (Kiawentiio), Aang embarks on an episodic quest through this elaborate mythology, yielding familiar situations, the occasional fleeting hint of romance (which much of the logical audience will likely call “icky”) and no small amount of spinning, kicking, element-hurling action. Adapted by writer-showrunner Albert Kim (“Sleepy Hollow”), the series seems to consciously seek to correct the missteps of M. Night Shyamalan’s lightly regarded film version, without overcoming the creative hurdles raised by having two-dimensional youths as its featured players. The credible visual effects thus adorn what too often feels like a community-theater package, replete with stilted lines about how saving the world must wait if it means endangering friends. While derived from the animated series, bringing its trappings into live-action perhaps most charitably recalls the tone of “The Neverending Story,” a 40-year-old artifact (with more practical special effects) that also put a young boy at the center of its magic-filled journey. Ultimately, though, this feels like another pretty expensive bet by Netflix to capitalize on a proven title and the nostalgia surrounding it, after other animated-to-live-action series like the short-lived “Cowboy Bebop” and more recently “One Piece.” As with the latter show, the result is generally inoffensive, with the potential to run several seasons, but executed in such a blandly earnest way as to be unlikely to win over many who aren’t well versed in the material and eager to take the plunge. On the plus side, in terms of truth in advertising, at least Aang’s arrow is pointed in the right direction.  

Election Commissioner Mohammad Alamgir has said the upazila elections will begin in the country in phases in the last week of April and continue until the last week of May. He disclosed this information at the Election Commission office at Agargaon in the capital on Tuesday (Jan 23) . “The elections may be held by using EVM or ballot. Even, the elections can be held with the coordination of EVM or ballot,” he said.   Regarding the mode of conducting elections, Commissioner Alamgir remained uncertain about whether electronic voting machines (EVM) or traditional ballot papers would be used. He said, "The elections may use EVM or ballot. We are considering both options, and the decision might involve a combination of EVM and ballot."

A resident pushes his wheelchair in the hallway of Taoyuan Veterans Home in Taoyuan, Taiwan October 26, 2023. Taiwan's veterans department does not keep exact numbers on how many soldiers who fought against China are still alive.  As of last year, it lists about 56,000 male veterans aged 85 and above, who would have been old enough to fight in that war. The veteran's home in Taoyuan is surrounded by mementoes of past conflict, including an old fighter plane and a tank flaking its entrance.  A large statue of former president Chiang Kai-shek, reviled by many Taiwanese as a despot but revered by others for fighting Mao's Communists, stands in the courtyard where the veterans exercise or are pushed about in wheelchairs. 

Rafael Nadal said on Thursday he could not confirm that 2024 would be his final season before retirement, saying it "makes no sense" to set a deadline for the end of his career.   The 22-time Grand Slam champion will make his return from a near year-long injury absence at the Australian Open warm-up event in Brisbane next month.    The 37-year-old had previously suggested he would hang up his racquet at the end of 2024.   "There's every chance that it's going to be my last year and I'm going to enjoy the tournaments in that way," Nadal said in a video posted on his social media accounts.   "I don't want to announce it because in the end I don't know what can happen and I have to give myself the opportunity not to say one thing as then I'll be a slave to what I said.   "I think it's going to be like that but I can't be 100 percent sure because in the end I've worked a lot to come back to compete and if suddenly things and my physique allow me to continue and enjoy what I do, why am I going to set a deadline?   "I think it makes no sense."   Nadal was named on the entry list for the Australian Open earlier on Thursday ahead of the start of the first Grand Slam tournament of the year on January 14.   The Spaniard has not played since a second-round loss to American MacKenzie McDonald at Melbourne Park 11 months ago.   He twice needed surgery after struggling with a hip injury and has slipped to 664th in the world rankings while sidelined. Source: BSS

Dhaka's air quality was categorised as 'unhealthy for sensitive groups' for the third consecutive day including today.  With an air quality index (AQI) score of 152 at 9:55 am, Dhaka ranked 5th on the list of cities worldwide with worst air quality, according to a report of UNB, a news agency of Bangladesh. Pakistan’s Lahore, Indonesia’s Jakarta and India’s Delhi occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 170, 161 and 158, respectively.

The United States and India on Friday announced the settlement of the last outstanding dispute at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over poultry products.  India also consented to lower tariffs on a number of American goods, including frozen turkey, frozen duck, fresh and frozen blueberries and cranberries, dried and processed blueberries and cranberries, and fresh and frozen cranberries, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.   Following the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers' Meeting in August this year, Ambassador Tai met with Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. The two leaders discussed the WTO issue at the meeting, and they both indicated a desire for a speedy resolution. “Resolving this last outstanding WTO dispute represents an important milestone in the US-India trade relationship, while reducing tariffs on certain U.S. products enhances crucial market access for American agricultural producers,” said Ambassador Tai. “These announcements, combined with Prime Minister Modi’s State Visit in June and President Biden’s trip to New Delhi this week, underscores the strength of our bilateral partnership. I look forward to continuing to work with Minister Goyal to deliver inclusive economic opportunities for our people,” Tai said, according to the release. Notably, the six previous disputes were resolved during PM Modi's state visit to the US in June. India also agreed to reduce tariffs on certain U.S. products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents. US President Joe Biden on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues ranging from defence cooperation, and technology sharing. The US President also congratulated India for the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.  The two leaders held bilateral talks at PM residence - 7, Lok Kalyan, Marg in New Delhi, ahead of the G20 Summit over the weekend.  The two leaders called on their governments to continue the work of transforming the India-US Strategic Partnership across all dimensions of our multifaceted global agenda, based on trust and mutual understanding.  After the meeting, both the leaders lauded the India-US relations and said that the friendship between the two nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good. “Happy to have welcomed @POTUS @JoeBidento 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Our meeting was very productive. We were able to discuss numerous topics which will further economic and people-to-people linkages between India and USA. The friendship between our nations will continue to play a great role in furthering global good,” PM Modi said in a post on 'X' (formerly known as Twitter).  President Biden also affirmed support towards making the India-US partnership stronger, closer, and more dynamic.   “Great seeing you, Mr Prime Minister. Today, and throughout the G20, we'll affirm that the United States-India partnership is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than any time in history,” President Biden posted on X.

Expatriate Bangladeshis sent around US $ 1,599.45 million remittances during the month of August in the fiscal 2023-24. Reports BSS. It is the lowest remittance in last six months. As per Bangladesh Bank (BB) available data, state-owned banks brought in $183.19 million while 43 private sector banks brought $1,376.02 million remittances. The highest $340.17 million remittance came to the country through Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. 

Over 2.3 billion people didn’t have constant access to food last year, as many as 783 million faced hunger and 148 million children suffered from stunted growth. Five U.N. agencies said on the report of State of Food Security and Nutrition 2023, the U.N. delivered grim news on Wednesday. While the global hunger numbers stalled between 2021 and 2022 many places are facing deepening food crises. They pointed to Western Asia, the Caribbean and Africa, where 20% of the continent’s population is experiencing hunger, more than twice the global average. Qu Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization said, “Recovery from the global pandemic has been uneven, and the war in Ukraine has affected the nutritious food and healthy diets,”  FAO chief economist Maximo Torero said the FAO food price index has been declining for about 15 months, but “food inflation has continued.” But he said not knowing if the deal that has enabled Ukraine to ship 32 metric tons of grain to world markets and is trying to overcome obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer shipments will be renewed when it expires on July 17 “is not good for the markets.” If it isn’t renewed immediately “you will have a new spike for sure” in food prices, but how much and for how long will depend on how markets respond, he said. According to the report, people’s access to healthy diets has deteriorated across the world. More than 3.1 billion people – 42% of the global population – were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021, an increase of 134 million people compared to 2019, it said. Torero told a news conference launching the report that reducing the number of people eating unhealthy diets “is a big challenge, because it’s basically telling us that we have substantially to change the way we use our resources in the agricultural sector, in the agri-food system.” According to the latest research, he said, between 691 million and 783 million people were chronically undernourished in 2022, an average of 735 million which is 122 million more people than in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Source: UNB