Acting Pentagon chief not decided yet on funding border wall
President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency in a bid to fund his promised wall at the US-Mexico border without congressional approval. By declaring a national emergency, Trump can use certain Department of Defense funding to build the wall. According to the law, the defence secretary has to decide whether the wall is militarily necessary before money from the military construction budget can be used. Shanahan said he did not expect to take money away from projects like military housing. The Republican president’s move, circumventing Congress, seeks to make good on a 2016 presidential campaign pledge to build a border wall that Trump insists is necessary to curtail illegal immigration.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
February 17, 2019 00:56 UTC
Grimes catches calf at San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo
Courtesy photo Mackenzie Grimes of Barry was one of many who caught a calf during the calf scramble Feb. 14 at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Grimes is a member of the Blooming Grove Future Farmers of America Chapter. She plans on purchasing a heifer with her certificate. Her future plan is to attend Texas A&M University.
Source:Daily Sun
February 17, 2019 00:00 UTC
More US aid for Venezuela touches down in Colombia amid distribution uncertainty
But it remains unclear whether Maduro, who has called the aid a US-orchestrated show and denies any crisis, will allow the supplies to cross into Venezuela. Millions of Venezuelans will be traveling to the border to safeguard arriving aid, Lester Toledo, a Guaido representative, said at a news conference in Cucuta. Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Saturday that the United States used military aircraft to send aid to the Venezuelan border in Colombia because of the urgency of the humanitarian needs. The first aid shipment, which included basic foodstuffs and medical supplies, arrived Feb 8 and is being stored in a Cucuta warehouse. A bridge outside Tienditas, Venezuela, which has never been used, remains blocked on the Venezuelan side by shipping containers.
Source:bd News24
February 17, 2019 00:00 UTC
Huskers wake up the bats, split doubleheader with Highlanders
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Source:Daily Sun
February 16, 2019 23:48 UTC
UK PM May to hold Brexit talks with EU's Juncker
Her office did not give a date for the talks but said May planned to speak to the leader of every EU member state over the coming days. On Monday, Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay will meet EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, it added in a statement. On Tuesday, Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, will make a speech setting out what changes would be required to eliminate the legal risk that Britain could be trapped in a Northern Irish backstop indefinitely. The issue has become one of the main points of contention ahead of Britain's planned departure from the EU next month after 45 years. May's office said she had written to her divided Conservative lawmakers urging them to overcome their differences over leaving the EU in the national interest.
Source:bd News24
February 16, 2019 22:41 UTC
Messi penalty helps under-par Barca beat Real Valladolid
The Catalans played far below their vibrant best but were not troubled by the visitors at the Nou Camp as they ended a run of three consecutive draws in all competitions. Ousmane Dembele was handed his first start after injury, and loan signing Kevin-Prince Boateng featured for only the second time since joining in January as Ernesto Valverde rested Luis Suarez ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash at Olympique Lyonnais. Barcelona struggled to create chances against a tight Valladolid defence, only breaking the deadlock when Messi converted a penalty won by Gerard Pique just before halftime for his 22nd league goal of the season. Messi almost scored his second early in the second half but former Barcelona goalkeeper Jordi Masip pulled off a breathtaking stop to deny La Liga's top scorer from close range. The Argentine had another chance from the penalty spot in the final stages after substitute Philippe Coutinho was fouled but Masip made another impressive save to deny him.
Source:bd News24
February 16, 2019 22:07 UTC
Gas supply outage hits Chattogram after digging causes line leak
Different parts of the port city including Agrabad, EPZ, Patenga, Port and Halishahar faced a gas outage from Saturday evening onwards. The accident occurred during the Chattogram Cty Corporation’s canal digging works in the EPZ’s Akmal Ali Road, said Mohammad Sarwar Hossain, the general manager (engineering) of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL). “During the canal digging work in the early hours of Saturday, city corporation workers dropped a piling hook which pierced the gas supply line. “Our workers went to the site and began repair works at 4pm. Gas supply in various parts of the city has been halted since then.”The location of the gas line nearly 20 feet below the surface has made it difficult for workers to carry out swift repairs, said Sarwar.
Source:bd News24
February 16, 2019 21:22 UTC
Aaron Jones, Jamaal Williams eager for Packers’ new, more balanced offense
GREEN BAY — Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams haven’t gotten to talk very much with their new boss just yet. But the Green Bay Packers running backs have done their research on new head coach Matt LaFleur — and his affinity for running the football. I see he’s top 10 at running the ball, so your boys are happy about that. “I think anytime you can take as much off the quarterback as possible, that only helps them out in the long run,” LaFleur said. By comparison, the Packers ran it on just 32.5 percent of their offensive snaps with head coach Mike McCarthy (12 games) and interim head coach Joe Philbin (four games) calling the plays.
Source:Daily Sun
February 16, 2019 21:22 UTC
Barcelona protesters: Seeking independence 'is not a crime'
Chanting “Freedom!” and “Independence!,” around 200,000 people, according to local police, took part in the peaceful march at a time when the region’s divisive independence drive is back in the spotlight. The trial of 12 separatist leaders, nine of whom have been jailed since late 2017 or early 2018, started this week in Madrid. They are being tried for their role in a referendum and an independence declaration deemed illegal by Spanish courts. “I came here today because there are people, with kids, that have been jailed for a long time. Spain’s public prosecutor is seeking prison terms of up to 25 years on charges of rebellion and misuse of public funds for their role in Catalonia’s failed 2017 break away from Spain.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
February 16, 2019 20:37 UTC
‘Info Lady’ project begins
A 15-day long training course for newly appointed upazila information service officers under the project was inaugurated at the National Institute of Local Government in Dhaka’s Agargaon. “All concerned will have to be sincere in implementing the project,” she added. Project Director (Additional Secretary) Meena Perven said the government has launched information service centres in 490 upazilas across the country, with the aim of improving access to information services for women. One information service officer and two assistants have been recruited for each centre. Presided by Director of Local Government Institute (Additional Secretary) Md Golam Yahya, the program was also addressed by Executive Director (Additional Secretary) of the National Women Organization Jahanara Parvin, among others.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
February 16, 2019 20:15 UTC
For a fistful of US dollars
Creating a non-dollar payment system for the oil is trivially easy and makes near no difference to anything at all. Creating a payment system that avoids the US banking system is near impossible. Instead, it says that if there are sanctions upon a country then it’s the dollar payment system that cannot be used. The argument is that, ultimately, every transaction that is done in US dollars at some point takes place inside the US. Transactions in British pounds eventually take place in London, in taka in Dhaka and in dollars in New York.
Source:Dhaka Tribune
February 16, 2019 20:03 UTC