Bangladesh: Anti-graft watchdog warns rising mob violence could affect Feb 12 election

IANS | February 2, 2026 9:21 PM

Dhaka, Feb 2 (IANS) As the law and order situation continues to deteriorate in Bangladesh under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, the anti-graft watchdog--Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB)-- on Monday warned that failure to curb mob violence could impact the February 12 national election in the country, local media reported.

Bangladesh: Extremist groups seek to legitimise feminism with intimidation and threats

IANS | February 2, 2026 9:10 PM

Dhaka, Feb 2 (IANS) Bangladesh is witnessing a striking paradox as the right-wing radical groups in the country depict feminism as a “Western agenda”. At its core, women’s rights activism in non-Western regions cannot be dismissed as an imported Western idea, especially when Western societies have themselves subjected women to persistent discrimination and oppression, a report said on Monday.

Bangladesh: Jamaat's chief 'misogynistic' social media posts draw widespread condemnation

IANS | February 2, 2026 9:03 PM

Dhaka, Feb 2 (IANS) Bangladesh’s radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shafiqur Rahman sparked widespread condemnation after a recent post on his social media platform X claimed that women pushed out of their homes in the name of modernity are exposed to exploitation, moral decay and insecurity, describing it as “another form of prostitution,” a report said on Monday.

ICC announce match officials for U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 semi-finals

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:59 PM

Dubai, Feb 2 (IANS) The Inyernational Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced international panels of umpires and referees for the two semi-finals at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026.

Activists urge removal of Chinese surveillance cameras from UK's Salisbury Cathedral: Report

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:56 PM

London, Feb 2 (IANS) Several activists have called on the United Kingdom’s Salisbury Cathedral — home to one of four surviving copies of the Magna Carta --considered as “Charter of Rights” -- to remove surveillance cameras manufactured by Dahua Technology, a Chinese company based in China’s Hangzhou city, a report said on Monday.

Media watchdog reports arrest of five Afghan journalists in Pakistan

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:48 PM

Kabul, Feb 2 (IANS) As many as five Afghan journalists were detained by the Pakistani police over the past two weeks as per the details released by the Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO), local media reported on Monday.

Mananchaya and Leolia Jeanjean cruise into the next round on day one of the Mumbai Open WTA 125K Series

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:36 PM

Mumbai, Feb 2 (IANS) The opening day of the main draw served up a series of well-contested matches at the Mumbai Open 125K Series, held at the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) on Monday.

Meryl Streep confirmed to play Joni Mitchell in biopic

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:19 PM

Los Angeles, Feb 3 (IANS) Hollywood actress Meryl Streep is set to portray Joni Mitchell in a new biopic. Music mogul Clive Davis recently made the revelation.

Rohit Shetty firing incident: Vehicle sourced from Pune used in the attack

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:15 PM

Mumbai, Feb 2 (IANS) The shooting incident outside director Rohit Shetty’s house has taken an interesting turn. The investigation by the Mumbai Crime Branch has revealed that the vehicle used in the firing was sourced from Pune.

Bangladesh: Jamaat's regressive stance on women's leadership exposes its gender bias

IANS | February 2, 2026 8:09 PM

Dhaka, Feb 2 (IANS) Bangladesh, led for decades by two women --former Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League and late Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -- stands in sharp contrast to the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami’s assertion that a woman cannot be a party chief or head of government – a stance widely seen as absurd and deeply regressive, a report said on Monday.