Your evening brief - Death toll hits 2,300 after major earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
A major earthquake of magnitude 7.9 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday, killing over 2300 people and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed, and triggering searches across the snowy region for survivors trapped in the rubble. The quake, which struck in the early darkness of a winter morning, was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon and Israel, reports Reuters. Read more
Among a number of incidents taking place on Monday (6 February), take a quick look at some of the most important news items The Business Standard has compiled for you…
Inflation eases further to 8.57% in January
The inflation rate has dropped to 8.57% in January, according to data provided by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). Read more
No triple cropping land can be destroyed: PM directs officials
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday directed the authorities concerned not to destroy any land where three crops are planted and harvested a year. Read more
Over 2,000 startups could go out of business for Data Protection Act: US ambassador
Over 2,000 startups could be put out of business, and services that Bangladeshis use millions of times every day could become inaccessible due to the proposed Data Protection Act (DPA), says US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter D Haas. Read more
HC orders removal of graffiti, posters from flyovers within 2 weeks
The High Court has ordered the Dhaka city corporations to remove graffiti work and posters off of all flyovers in the capital within two weeks. Read more
Fish export resumed through Akhaura land port
Fish export has resumed through Akhaura land port in Brahmanbaria as the ban imposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has finally been lifted. Read more
Colombian judge says he used ChatGPT in ruling
A judge in Colombia sparked controversy after he admitted that he used the artificial intelligence programme ChatGPT in a case about the medical rights of a child with autism, according to a report in The Guardian. He stated that he also used precedent from old rulings to support his decision. Read more
US lawmakers clash over Biden's handling of Chinese balloon
Republicans savaged Joe Biden on Sunday over his handling of a suspected Chinese spy balloon, while Democrats defended the president's decision to shoot it down after it floated across the United States for days, further straining taut relations with Beijing. Read more
One peacekeeper killed in Congo after UN chopper comes under fire
One UN peacekeeper from South Africa was killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday when a helicopter operated by the peacekeeping force came under fire while in mid-air, the UN mission in Congo and South Africa's military said. Read more