When SpaceX launched a rocket carrying an Argentine Earth-observation satellite from California’s Central Coast, both the night sky and social media lit up.   People as far away as San Francisco, Sacramento, Phoenix and Reno, Nevada, posted photos of the Falcon 9 rocket’s launch and return on October 7 night. It was the first time SpaceX landed the first-stage booster ...

In a first, scientists have performed prenatal gene editing to prevent a lethal metabolic disorder in animals, offering the potential to treat human congenital diseases before birth.   Using both CRISPR-Cas9 and base editor 3 (BE3) gene-editing tools, researchers from University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in the US reduced cholesterol levels in healthy mice treated in ...

Emergency services in Spain’s Balearic islands say at least five people have died in flooding caused by a torrential rainstorm, with rescuers looking for an unknown number of people still missing. An emergency services spokeswoman said four people died in Sant Lorrenc, a town about 60 kilometers (40 miles) east of Mallorca’s capital, Palma.   The fifth victim was in ...

A court in Guatemala has sentenced the former vice-president, Roxana Baldetti, to 15 years and six months in jail for her role in what became known as the “Magic Water” scandal. Prosecutors said that she embezzled millions from a state fund set up to decontaminate a lake.  The chemical formula used as part of the clean-up was an ineffective solution ...

  The UK’s foreign secretary has told Saudi Arabia that Britain expects urgent answers over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In a phone call to Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, Jeremy Hunt warned that “friendships depend on shared values”.  Mr Khashoggi was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week, and Turkey says he may ...

After a long wait for over 14 years, a speedy trial tribunal on Wednesday sentenced 19 people to death and 19 others, including BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, to life imprisonment in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in the capital in 2004.   Besides, 11 people were awarded different terms of ...

Satkhira, Oct 10 : Seven Rohingyas, including women and children, were held from Abaderghat in Sadar upazila early Wednesday while being trafficked to India. The arrestees are Nur Begum, 45, wife of Selim, their three children — Rashida Begum, 5, Jannatara Begum, 3, and Sagar, 1, Hasina Begum, 22, wife of Azizul Haque, their daughter Rozina Begum, 4, and Usun ...

Sylhet Office  : Newly elected Sylhet city mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury takes charge of Nagar Bhaban office in presence of councillors, officials and employees of the city corporation in Sylhet on Monday. Sylhet City Corporation’s newly elected mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Monday took over the charge of Nagar Bhaban office for second consecutive time. The city corporation secretary Badrul ...

Photo: PM Sheikh Hasina chairs ECNEC meeting at NEC conference room at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Tuesday. Dhaka, Oct 9 : The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved 20 development projects involving Tk 32,525 crore. The approval was given at the 146th Ecnec meeting of the current government held at the NEC conference room. “Today, we ...

Photo: President Abdul Hamid addresses at a program in his home district Kishoreganj on Tuesday. Dhaka, Oct 9 : President on Tuesday called on the lawyers to ensure legal aid services to general people at low cost. The President made the urge while delivering his speech as chief guest at a reception accorded to him on the second day of ...