A high-security alert has been issued in Bangladesh and a nationwide internet shutdown put into effect in the aftermath of the deadly violence amid student protests that have reportedly left more than 100 people dead.
The South Asian nation has this week been facing mass street protests over civil service job quotas that critics say are discriminatory.
On Friday, AFP reported that at least 105 people had been killed in clashes between protesters and police. The AFP tally was based on the number of casualties reported by hospitals.
The day before, thousands of protesters stormed state broadcaster Bangladesh Television and set fire to the building.
The demonstrators vandalised furniture and carried out “destructive activities” on numerous police and government offices, police said.
Tear gas and rubber bullets were reportedly used by officers as students blocked the streets.
“About 100 policemen were injured in the clashes yesterday,” Faruk Hossain, a spokesman for the capital's police force, told AFP. “Around 50 police booths were burnt”.
A near-total internet disruption was in effect in the capital, Dhaka, with phone lines also down on Friday.
Websites for the Bangladesh Home and Foreign Ministry, as well as newspapers such as the Dhaka Tribune were also not available, as seen by The National.
Tens of thousands of students in Dhaka and as many as 65 districts have been staging demonstrations for weeks, protesting against civil service job quotas for specific groups, including children of veterans from the country's 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.
The street protests began in June after the Bangladesh high court reinstated the quota system, overturning a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to scrap it.
Students argue that the reservation of 30 per cent of the highly sought-after jobs for relatives of veterans is discriminatory and have demanded that recruitment be based on merit.
They have also clashed with the student wing of Ms Hasina’s ruling party.
The country’s Supreme Court suspended the high court order and will hear the government’s challenge on August 7.
Critics say the reservation benefits children of pro-government groups that back Ms Hasina, 76, who has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fifth consecutive term in January after a vote without genuine opposition.
Critics and political rivals have accused Ms Hasina of authoritarianism, human rights breaches, clampdowns on free speech and suppression of dissent.
She appeared on a local television channel Wednesday night, appealing for calm after days of violent protests.
Ms Hasina condemned protesters' deaths as “murder” but was unsuccessful in calming and quelling the protests.
The internet disruption has caused distress among citizens.
“It's been eight long hours since Bangladesh, a country of 170 million, has been out of communication with the rest of the world,” Sami, a Bangladeshi researcher based in the UK, wrote on X.
“The authorities in Bangladesh shut down the cellular network and internet service across the entire country following violent clashes between security forces and students.”
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Tour de France 2017: Stage 5
Vittel - La Planche de Belles Filles, 160.5km
It is a shorter stage, but one that will lead to a brutal uphill finish. This is the third visit in six editions since it was introduced to the race in 2012. Reigning champion Chris Froome won that race.
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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