The European Union will investigate whether ByteDance's TikTok breached online content rules aimed at protecting children and ensuring transparent advertising, an official said on Monday, putting the social media platform at risk of a hefty fine. EU industry chief Thierry Breton said he took the decision after analysing the short video app's risk assessment report and its replies to requests for information, confirming a Reuters story, opens new tab. "Today we open an investigation into TikTok over suspected breach of transparency & obligations to protect minors: addictive design & screen time limits, rabbit hole effect, age verification, default privacy settings," Breton said on X. The European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which applies to all online platforms since Feb. 17, requires in particular very large online platforms and search engines to do more to tackle illegal online content and risks to public security. TikTok's owner, China-based ByteDance, could face fines of up to 6% of its global turnover if TikTok is found guilty of breaching DSA rules. TikTok said it would continue to work with experts and the industry to keep young people on its platform safe and that it looked forward to explaining this work in detail to the European Commission. "TikTok has pioneered features and settings to protect teens and keep under 13s off the platform, issues the whole industry is grappling with," a TikTok spokesperson said. The European Commission said the investigation will focus on the design of TikTok's system, including algorithmic systems which may stimulate behavioural addictions and/or create so-called 'rabbit hole effects'. It will also probe whether TikTok has put in place appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security for minors. As well as the issue of protecting minors, the Commission is looking at whether TikTok provides a reliable database on advertisements on its platform so that researchers can scrutinise potential online risks. This marks the second DSA investigation after Elon Musk's social media platform X found itself in the EU's crosshairs in December last year. This marks the second DSA investigation after Elon Musk's social media platform X found itself in the EU's crosshairs in December last year. Source: Reuters

Four Egyptian officials are going on trial in absentia for the 2016 torture and death of Italian student Giulio Regeni. The 28-year-old was abducted and killed in Cairo while conducting research for his doctoral thesis. The trial of four senior Egyptian security officials accused of the kidnap, torture and murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in 2016 gets underway in Rome on Tuesday. The opening hearing marks the second time the four security officers will go on trial in absentia. The first trial was halted in 2021 after it was argued there was no certainty the men had been officially notified that they were charged with Regeni's death. The four defendants have been identified as senior officers in Egypt's domestic security agency. What do we know about Regeni's death? Regeni, who was 28 at the time of his death, had been conducting research in Cairo for his doctoral thesis, when he was abducted in January 2016. His body was discovered nine days later, dumped near a highway and showing signs of torture. His mother said his body was so mutilated that she was only able to recognize the "tip of his nose" when she viewed it. The family's lawyer said that five of his teeth were broken, and 15 of his bones had been fractured, while letters were found carved into his skin. Human rights activists have said the injuries on Regeni's body resembled those resulting from torture in Egyptian Security Agency facilities. Strained ties after student's death Regeni's death strained relations between Italy and Egypt, with Italian lawmakers accusing Cairo of being hostile to attempts at securing justice. At one point, Italy withdrew its ambassador in an effort to press Egypt into cooperating with the investigation. Investigators believe Regeni was abducted and killed after being mistaken for a foreign spy. Egyptian authorities claim the Cambridge University doctoral student was the victim of common robbers.

The 28th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) is set to begin tomorrow (Jan 21) at the month-long event's permanent venue in Purbachal. The inaugural ceremony of the fair will take place at 10:30 am at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre.   DITF is co-organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the Export Promotion Bureau. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the fair as the chief guest, with State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam presiding over the ceremony.  The fair will open at 10am and close at 9pm on weekdays. On weekends, the visitors can stay until 10pm. The entry fee for adults has been fixed at Tk 50 while that for minors at Tk 25. Freedom fighters and the physically challenged can enter the venue without any fee.  The showcase normally begins on the first day of January, but this year it was delayed because of the January 7 election. Speaking at the press conference, State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam said the goal of the fair is to increase exports by showcasing local products.   "We will focus more on tannery and jute products as part of diversification." He also informed of a transport facility from Farmgate to Purbachal through the elevated expressway so that people from the capital can visit the fair easily.  Ahsanul Islam also vowed to ensure fair prices at the exposition.  Turkey, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Iran (Six countries) alongside local companies are taking part in the fair where exhibitors will showcase products in 351 stalls, pavilions, and mini-pavilions. There will also be a food court which can accommodate up to 500 people. There are also a prayer room, children's playground, media corner, office rooms, medical rooms, guestrooms for officials, and stores. The parking area can provide facilities for 500 vehicles. The Dhaka International Trade Fair was first held in 1995.

The new pipeline connecting Serbia with EU member Bulgaria aims to reduce Serbia's dependence on Russian gas. Serbia and other countries in central and southeastern Europe will now have access to Azerbaijani exports. Serbia on Sunday completed the interconnector to a pipeline in Bulgaria, allowing the Balkan country to diversify its gas supplies and reduce its dependence on Russia. An opening ceremony for the pipeline was attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his Bulgarian and Azeri counterparts, Rumen Radev and Ilham Aliyev. "With this interconnector we are securing alternative gas supplies, apart from the Russian gas," Serbia's energy minister, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, said. Access to gas from Azerbaijan The pipeline, which runs from the Bulgarian town of Novi Iskar to the Serbian city of Nis, will give Belgrade access to gas from Azerbaijan and to the LNG terminal in the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. On November 15, Serbia signed a deal with Azerbaijan to purchase 400 million cubic metres of natural gas per year from 2024. The capacity of the 170-kilometer (105-mile) pipeline on the Serbian side is 1.8 billion cubic meters per year, which is 60% of the country's annual gas demand of about 3 billion cubic meters. The European Union supported the project with grants totaling €49.6 million ($53.4 million) and loans of €25 million. Serbia itself is not a member of the EU, but has been negotiating to join the bloc since 2014. Serbia's reliance on Russia In recent decades, Serbia has relied almost exclusively on Russia for its gas supplies, building pipelines solely for Russian gas and selling a majority stake in its state oil and gas company, NIS, to Russian energy giant Gazprom. Last year, Belgrade signed a long-term contract to continue importing Russian gas, drawing a rebuke from Brussels as the EU seeks to reduce its energy dependence on Russia. While Serbia, which aspires to join the bloc, has condemned Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has not joined Western countries in imposing sanctions on Moscow.  

Awami League (AL) President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on saturday (November 18)  inaugurated selling of party's nomination forms for the 12th parliamentary elections as she also collected for her. The AL chief opened the nomination paper sale at the party's central office on 23 Bangabandhu Avenue in the city this morning. AL Advisory Council Member Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed collected the nomination form for Sheikh Hasina to participate in the polls of Gopalganj-3 constituency as Gopalganj AL President Mahmud Ali Khan and General Secretary B M Sahabuddin Azam were present. At the party headquarters, 10 booths for eight divisions have been set up to sell the nomination forms among the aspirant candidates for the parliamentary elections slated for January 7. The party aspirants can collect and submit the nomination papers from 10 am on November 18 to 4 pm on November 21 every day. The interested party men can collect and submit the application forms for party nomination from the specific booths installed at the AL Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital. Nomination forms for the candidates of Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chattogram divisions is being distributed from the second floor of the party office, while the aspirants from Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna and Barishal divisions will have to collect nomination papers from third floor of the office. Nomination papers of all divisions will be received on the ground floor of the central office. The AL nomination aspirants can collect and submit their application forms by themselves or through a representative of the candidate without any extra gathering at the party office. At the time of collection of the application form, a candidate must bring a photocopy of National Identity Card (NID). Mobile number, name of three previous posts held by the aspirants and current organisational identity must be clearly mentioned on the photocopy. The nomination forms must be submitted within 4 pm on November 21. Surce : BSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thusday (14 November) inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 10,041 structures and houses under 157 development projects including Sheikh Hasina Swarani (Purbachal Expressway) and first elevated expressway in Chattogram at a cost of around one lac crore. She opened and laid foundation stones of the development schemes from her official Ganabhaban residence here through a video conferencing. Of the projects, 4644 were various development infrastructures and 5397 houses for the landless and homeless people under the Ashrayan-2 project across the country involving Taka 97, 471 crores under 24 ministries and divisions. Among the schemes, 15 projects including the Purbachal Expressway, which was recently renamed as Sheikh Hasina Swarani, were completed under the housing and public works ministry while different agencies of the shipping ministries are implementing 15 projects. The four projects are under the primary and mass education ministry. Under one of the four projects, the authorities have constructed buildings for 2023 government primary schools across the country. The premier also opened at least 1,259 buildings of different educational institutions under the education ministry across the country among the development projects. The four day-care centres implemented under a project of the women and children affairs ministry and two technical training centres in Manikganj and Narayanganj built under a project of expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry were inaugurated. Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Md. Tazul Islam, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder were present on the dais. Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah conducted the event. A total of 101 centres across the country were connected virtually to the programme. A video documentary on the overall development of Bangladesh under the current Awami League government was screened at the function. In Dhaka, the long-awaited 12.5 km Purbachal expressway named after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (from Kuril flyover point in Dhaka to Kanchan Bridge in Narayanganj) was constructed at a cost of Taka 14,000 crore. The expressway have no stopover points, traffic signals, or any other obstacles, so vehicles can ply the entire length between as little as six or seven minutes. It is expected to ease road communication between the capital, Chattogram, and Sylhet The premier also opened 100 feet wide and 26km long canals in both sides of the Sheikh Hasina Swarani from Kuril to Balu River. Constructions of 6.20km long eight lane expressway, four lanes service road, six lanes expressway from Balu river to Kanchan in Narayanganj and four lanes service road were completed. Under the project, 184.79 acres of land was acquired. Construction of five intersections over Sheikh Hasina Swarani, 12 bridges, six underpasses, 13 other bridges on the canals, 36.8 km walkways, 12.5km boundary wall, two sluice gates and 11 sub stations have been completed alongside installation of 1170 street lights under the project. Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud had built 51 houses for the landless and homeless people in his locality with his own initiative. In Chattogram, three development projects of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and one of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) involving Taka 6000 crore were opened. The CDA projects are -16 km-long Chattogram elevated expressway, Foujderhat-Bayezid Link Road, Bakalia Express Road. The CDA projects were named after former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Jane Alam Donash and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib. The elevated expressway in Chattogram was constructed at a cost of Tk 4,298.95 crore. The CPA constructed the Patenga Container Terminal at a cost of Taka 1230 crore with its own finance.   Source : BSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday inaugurated the newly constructed Ghorashal-Palash Urea Fertiliser Factory (GPUFF) in Narsingdi, the largest of its kind in the Southeast Asia, which is expected to help slash fertiliser imports significantly,  She opened the environment friendly energy saving and modern technology based factory with production capacity of 9.24 lakh MT of fertilizer annually by unveiling the inaugural plaque at a civic rally on the GPUFF premises in Palash Upazila. State-of-the-art technology are installed to run the factory smoothly while skilled manpower have already been prepared through proper training by foreign experts since the project's inception. Construction of a railway line is undergoing for connecting the factory to Ghorashal Railway Station aimed at facilitating transportation. The prime minister, as well, inspected the factory before its inauguration.  She also released commemorative stamps, opening envelopes and a special canceller marking the opening of the GPUFF. A video documentary on the project was screened at the function. Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun MP, State Minister Kamal Ahmed Mojumder MP, Anwarul Ashraf Khan, MP and Senior Secretary Zakia Sultana were present. The premier is scheduled to address a grand rally to be held at the Mosleh Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium here where she will also inaugurate a number of development projects in Narsingdi. With starting operation of the fertiliser factory, the dependency on importing fertiliser will reduce significantly as the local factories will produce together 19.24 lakh MT against the country's total annual demand of 26 lakh tonnes. The local factories are currently producing about 10 lakh tonnes while the rest of the annual demand is met through import. The factory will create 30,000 jobs, according to the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC). The factory which has capacity of producing 2800 MT of fertiliser daily, was built at a cost of Tk 15,500 crore on 110 acres of land Of the total cost, the government provided Tk 4,580.21 crore, and Tk 10.920 crore was obtained through business loan schemes from JICA, HSBC, and Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Limited. The factory's two steam gas generators are capable of producing 32 MW of electricity while the plant needs 28 MW to run. It is the first fertilizer factory in Bangladesh where the environmental pollutant Carbon-Di-Oxide (CO2) will be captured from the primary reformer flue gas and the production of urea fertilizer will increase (about 10pc ) by using the captured CO2. This is "modern, sophisticated, energy efficient and green" fertilizer factory in the country which will reduce the import of urea fertilizer and save hard-earned foreign currency.   Source : BSS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (saturday) inaugurated the much awaited 102km Chattogram's Dohazari-Cox's Bazar Rail Line at a cost of Taka 18034.47 crore opening a new era in railway connectivity in the country. "Today, the Cox's Bazar is linked with the railway connectivity. This is the day of feeling proud," she said while opening the rail line along with the iconic Cox's Bazar Railway Station unveiling a plaque at the newly constructed rail station here. The prime minister said she was really very much pleased as she in person could present at the inaugural ceremony of Dohazari-Cox's Bazar Rail Line. "I have kept my promise with inaugurating the railway. This was a longstanding demand of this region. The demand was met today," she added. The new rail track ushers new hope in strong footing of country's economy with boosting tourism, industrialisation, business and trade as well. Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan, Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Edimon Ginting and Secretary of the Railways Ministry Dr. Md. Humayun Kabir spoke at the function. A number of ministers including Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, senior Awami League (AL) leaders and other dignitaries were present.   A video documentary on the activities of Bangladesh Railway and the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar Rail Line project was screened at the function. Earlier, on her arrival at the railway station, the prime minister was welcomed with traditional dance performances by the local artistes. With the inauguration of the railway station, Cox's Bazar, having the world's largest sandy beach, has come under the rail connectivity, 133 years after the first initiative was taken during the British period. After opening the train line, the premier took a ride on a train from Cox's Bazar to Ramu. An intercity train on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar route will start operation on December 1 as the Bangladesh Railway has already fixed its schedule and fare. The name of the train has not been fixed yet. The train will take approximately 8 hours and 10 minutes to reach Cox's Bazar from Dhaka with stopping at two stations -- Dhaka airport and Chattogram. The train will leave Dhaka at 10:30pm and reach Cox's Bazar at 6:40am while it will leave Cox's Bazar at 1:00pm and will reach Dhaka at 9:10pm. The fare for a non-AC Shovan chair from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar is Tk 345 while the fare for an AC chair is Tk 656. In the afternoon, the prime minister is also scheduled to open the Matarbari deep seaport's 14.3-kilometre-long artificial navigation channel stretching from the proposed terminal to the sea and lay the foundation stone of the first terminal of the port which is targeted to start operations in 2026. She will also inaugurate the 1200-MW power plant's first unit (600 MW) and Single Point Mooring (SPM) at Matarbari of Maheshkhali upazila. Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League (AL) president, will join a public meeting at Matarbari Thermal Power Plant Project's township ground. Earlier, the premier reached the Cox's Bazar International Airport from Dhaka around 10:45am by a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. A festive mood has been prevailing both in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. The people of Cox's Bazar welcomed the prime minister whole heartedly decorating the entire Cox's Bazar with posters, placards, festoons and banners inscribing various slogans welcoming the premier. Alongside constructing the rail station in Cox's Bazar town, seven more stations from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar have been built while an overpass was also constructed to facilitate the movement of elephants and other wild animals as the rail line crosses a reserved forest area. The spectacular iconic Cox's Bazar Railway Station has been constructed on 29 acres of land in the Hajipara area of Jhelongja Union, seven kilometers east-north of Cox's Bazar Sadar. The area of the six-storey station building is 1, 82,000 square feet with three platforms of 650 metres in length and 12 metres in width. Apart from these, a railway residential area has been built next to it. The station has also residential hotels, canteen, lockers and car parking. As many as 46,000 people can travel through this station a day and tourists can spend time at the beach by keeping their luggage in the station lockers. The premier earlier on April 3, 2011, laid the foundation stone for the construction of the railway between Dohazari-Ramu-Cox's Bazar and Ramu-Ghumdhum of Myanmar.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated 50 more model mosques and Islamic cultural centres across the country. She opened the mosques in sixth phase after joining a programme along with the Imam of the Holy Masjid-e Nabawi in Medina of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan, marking the inauguration of National Imam Council and Prize Giving Ceremony-2023. (Reports BSS) The Religious Affairs Ministry organised the function at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre at Rupganj of Narayanganj. Three pandels including main one were erected at the venue. After reaching the venue, the prime minister first visited two other pandels with the Imam of the Holy Masjid-e Nabawi. Both the premier and the Imam of the Holy Masjid-e Nabawi spoke briefly to the Imams gathered at the venue from different parts of the country. Sheikh Hasina thanked the Imams for joining National Imam Council and urged them to pray for the wellbeing of the country and its people. "Pray to Allah that the development of the country being carried out by her government will be continued," she said. The premier also thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. With opening the new mosques, 300 model mosques and Islamic culture centres out of 564 have so far been inaugurated across the country. Earlier, she opened 50 mosques each in the first phase on 10 June, 2021, in the second phase on 16 January this year, in the third phase on 16 March, in the fourth phase on 17 April and in the fifth phase on July 30. The construction of the remaining mosques and Islamic cultural centres is scheduled to be completed by June, 2024. Aimed at reaching the true message of Islam to people and following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina has come up with the idea of constructing 564 model mosques across the country. The model mosques and Islamic cultural centres include separate places for ablution and namaj along with air-conditioned system. There will also be registration and training arrangements for Hajj pilgrims, Imam training centre, research centre and Islamic library, autism corner, ritual system before burial, car parking facility, hifzakhana, pre-primary education and Quran learning arrangement, conference room for Islamic cultural activities and Islamic dawat, Islamic books sale centre and boarding facility for local and foreign guests. In 2017, the government has taken a project with Taka 9,435 crore for constructing Islamic Cultural Center and Model Mosque in every district and upazila as well as municipality of the country. Visiting Imam of the Holy Masjid-e Nabawi Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Al-Bua'Yjan spoke at the function. The Imam expressed his satisfaction over establishing 564 model mosques across the country and thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "I am very happy to join such a mahfil (Islamic council) --- the Allah will give the Prime Minister ability to do well further," he said. State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the event, addressed, among others, by President of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, Maulana Dr. Mohammad Kafiluddin Sarkar Salehi and Maulana Ehsanul Haq Al Mojaddedi, spoke at the function. Secretary for Religious Affairs Ministry Md A Hamid Zamadder delivered the address of welcome An audio-visual documentary on the model mosques and Islamic cultural centres was screened at the function.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been inaugurated the much-anticipated Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel constructed beneath the Karnaphuli River.  She unveiled a plaque on the west bank of river Karnaphuli at Patenga and after crossing the tunnel, she will unwrap another plaque at the south bank of the river at Anwara at 11am on Saturday, October 28. More to Follow...