Viral News Drift

In this episode of Head to Head , Mehdi Hasan challenges Gowher Rizvi, the adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh on  international affairs , on the state of the country’s democracy and whether it is heading towards authoritarianism. Once one of the poorest countries in the region, Bangladesh’s economy has been booming over the last decade, with economic growth faster than its neighbours India and Pakistan. It also boasts lower infant mortality and longer life expectancy than its peers. Just because a party has been elected three times, it is not a one-party state. Gowher Rizvi However, human rights groups warn that the country is becoming increasingly autocratic, accusing the government of clamping down on any form of dissent and hounding and locking up its political rivals. In recent general  elections, Bangladesh’s ruling party, the Awami League, reasserted its power following a landslide victory. The opposition rejected the results amid violence which saw 17 ki

Yangon, Myanmar – Officials bribed and bullied voters, stuffed ballot boxes and pushed ahead with a May 2008 referendum on a new constitution despite the deadliest natural disaster in Myanmar ‘s recorded history. For the generals, the charter was a vital step towards a carefully planned new system that would resemble a democracy but keep the military firmly in charge. And it could not be postponed. Even by Cyclone Nargis , which tore through the country’s Irrawaddy Delta leaving about 140,000 people dead. Political activist Tint Soe was in the minority, at least according to the official results, when he picked up a pen at a polling booth and voted “no” to the junta’s proposed constitution. “It was enacted by force when hundreds of thousands of civilians were dying,” Tint Soe told Al Jazeera. “It was a merciless act.” Tint Soe is now a lawmaker for the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD), which last month began its boldest bid yet to wrest power from the generals and into

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press After spending years rooting against former   Pittsburgh Steelers   running back   Le’Veon Bell , Baltimore Ravens fans could soon find themselves cheering him. The Athletic’s  Jeff Zrebiec reported Thursday there’s growing speculation at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine that the Ravens are one of the favorites to sign the three-time Pro Bowler in free agency, which opens March 13. This will mark the first time in his career that Bell will be able to explore the open market. He has been unable to do so the past two years as Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on him in back-to-back offseasons. That won’t be the case this year, though. “Le’Veon is still a great player,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert told ESPN.com’s   Jeremy Fowler   last week. “We can’t afford to use any other type of tags. Le’Veon will be an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year.” As a result, teams will be free to pursue the star at will. There m

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Bangladesh told the United Nations Security Council it cannot take any more refugees from Myanmar, some 18 months after more than 700,000 mainly Rohingya Muslims fled across the border amid a brutal military crackdown. Attacks on security posts by Rohingya insurgents in Myanmar ‘s Rakhine state triggered the violence that the United Nations, the United States, Britain and others describe as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar denies the accusations. Rohingya crisis: UN warns of ongoing genocide “I regret to inform the council that Bangladesh would no longer be in a position to accommodate more people from Myanmar,” Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque told the UN on Thursday . Haque accused Myanmar of “hollow promises and various obstructionist approaches” during negotiations on returns. “Not a single Rohingya has volunteered to return to Rakhine due to the absence of [a] conducive environment there,” Haque said. Myanmar says it has been ready to accept returning ref

Andrew Harnik/Associated Press While Doug Williams considers the quarterback position one of the Washington Redskins ‘ options with the 15th overall pick in the 2019 draft, the team won’t move heaven and earth in order to trade up and select its preferred passer. “ I think where we are at this point, and like I said earlier, if there’s a quarterback there that we like at 15, 9 out of 10 we’ll go that route,” Williams, Washington’s senior vice president of player personnel, said Thursday, per NBC Sports Washington’s  Peter Hailey . “ If it’s not somebody we like, we’ll go with Colt [McCoy] and if we got to go out and get a veteran to work with him until that time comes, that’s probably what we’ll do. It all boils down to who’s there when it’s time for us to be.” Alex Smith   suffered   a broken tibia and fibula in Washington’s Week 11 defeat to the Houston Texans last November. NFL Network’s   Ian Rapoport   reported in January the team is planning as if Smith will miss the ent

Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images One day after being released by the Montreal Alouettes, Johnny Manziel is being pursued for a workout by the  Alliance of American Football . Per USA Today ‘s Kevin Allen and Tom Schad ,  AAF chairman Tom Dundon said the league has been in contact with Manziel’s camp about potentially working out for teams.  “Right now, it’s a decision of the GMs, and they can decide what they want to do,” Dundon said.  “If talent-wise this is close, the negative of him is that there is drama with him and you are trying to win games and build a team. The positive is that he brings in fans and attention.” The Alouettes   announced   Wednesday Manziel was being released after “it was found he had contravened the agreement” with the CFL that made him eligible to play.  After news of Manziel’s release broke, the former Heisman Trophy winner   tweeted   his thanks to the Montreal organization and said he was looking “ forward to exploring new options within the Uni

Cuctua, Colombia – Ricardo* sat on the stairs inside a Colombian migration office, dressed in his green Venezuelan military fatigues. He recalled his childhood, watching the late Venezuela leader Hugo Chavez deliver charismatic speeches on television. Ricardo said Chavez inspired him to join the armed forces. A member of the Venezuelan National Guard, Ricardo defected on Saturday, in an escape he had planned for days with a colleague, leaving the military and their homeland behind them. “I was filled with adrenaline, nerves and fear, but I was greeted with open arms by Colombia and now I will continue fighting for Venezuela’s freedom,” said Ricardo, 23, who, after four years training, served for just six months. Saturday’s attempts to deliver US humanitarian aid to Venezuela by US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido turned violent in the Colombian border town of Cucuta as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sent flocks of military to block the borders. Security forces fired ru

Mitchell Layton/Getty Images Bryce Harper ‘s reported 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies , per ESPN’s Jeff Passan , will give him an average annual value of $25.4 million, but had he been willing to accept a shorter deal, he apparently could have shattered the record for AAV. “We had average values of $45 million offered on shorter-term deals,” Scott Boras, Harper’s agent, told Joel Sherman of the New York Post on Thursday. “We had a full buffet.” Zack Greinke’s six-year, $206.5 million pact with the Arizona Diamondbacks currently represents the largest AAV ($34.4 million) in MLB history. And while Harper got the biggest guarantee in North American sports history, Manny Machado’s 10-year, $300 million deal with the San Diego Padres features the largest AAV handed out this offseason. While it’s not clear which team(s) Boras was referring to,   Bob Nightengale   of  USA Today  reported on Thursday that the Los Angeles Dodgers had discussed a short-t

North Korea has disputed US President Donald Trump’s account of why the summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un collapsed , insisting the North demanded only partial sanctions relief in exchange for shutting down its main nuclear complex. Trump, who was on his way back to Washington on Thursday, said talks broke down because Kim insisted that all the punishing sanctions the US has imposed on Pyongyang be lifted without the North committing to eliminate its nuclear arsenal. “It was about the sanctions. They wanted sanctions to be lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that,” Trump told reporters at a press conference in Hanoi, after the summit ended early.  However, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told a news conference held in Hanoi past midnight and hours after Trump left the Vietnemese capital that North Korea had sought only a partial lifting of sanctions and had offered a “realistic proposal”, including the dismantling of its main nuclear site at Yongbyon. The Unit

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Nick Wass/Associated Press The  Philadelphia Phillies   have finally won the Bryce Harper sweepstakes after reportedly agreeing to a deal with the 2015 National League MVP Thursday.  Per MLB Network’s  Jon Heyman , Harper will sign with the Phillies. ESPN’s  Jeff Passan  reported the two sides were finalizing a record-breaking deal worth $330 million over 13 years with no opt-outs.  One source told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal  there aren’t any opt-outs because Harper “ didn’t want one.” Per Jared Diamond of the  Wall Street Journal , Harper’s deal will include a $20 million signing bonus with no deferred money.  All eyes have been on Harper’s free agency dating back to the start of the 2018 season. He struggled out of the gate, at least by his lofty standards, with a .214/.365/.468 slash line in the first half.  After winning the Home Run Derby at Nationals Park, Harper was back to his usual self following the All-Star break. The 26-year-old hit .300/.434/.538 in the fin

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Avery Middleton @a_middleton10 Jason Witten right now https://t.co/UrjlakncqF Dirk Nowitzki @swish41 Welcome baaaaack @JasonWitten The Rush @therushyahoo When you hear that Jason Witten will no longer be doing #MNF games https://t.co/guX7M2vV0F Pete Blackburn @PeteBlackburn Witten realized he still got NFL strength when he broke the Pro Bowl trophy https://t.co/gzCJG9ictE JJ Zachariason @LateRoundQB I know the perfect Witten replacement for Monday Night Football. https://t.co/uYwRVGOHxl Philly Fresh Podcast @PhillyFreshPod @ZBerm 2019 Jason Witten running a passing route like: https://t.co/ndZ2zhjubB Jori Epstein @JoriEpstein ⁦Live look at Jason Witten, probably ⁩ https://t.co/HcWndYxoYg Pickle Rick @mrkentuckyderbe Nobody: Jason Witten: I’ll die for this shit https://t.co/dVtvX6DCOE Clout Dracula @MeechDT Jason Witten is doing what now…? https://t.co/yq5GO77vC6 Yahoo Fantasy Sports @YahooFantasy Jason Witten: “I can

Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone took to Instagram on Wednesday night to tease a potential fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 239 on July 6. Cerrone posted a photo of a bottle of Budweiser and a bottle of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey with the caption: “@budweiser   vs   @properwhiskey … July 6th.” Cerrone is sponsored by Budweiser, and McGregor is the founder of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. Also, UFC 239 is expected to take place on July 6 in Las Vegas, leading to speculation that a fight between the two stars has been agreed upon. After the 35-year-old Cerrone beat the up-and-coming Alexander Hernandez by second-round knockout in January, he called out McGregor. Per ESPN.com’s   Greg Rosenstein , Cerrone said after his return to the lightweight division: “ The old man has still got it. This is the fight that the UFC wanted. I wanted [a] Top Five [opponent]. I want   Conor   if he’ll agree to it. I’m coming for a belt. Cowboy is back.” McGreg

Brad Tollefson/Associated Press Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray measured 5’10 ⅛” and 207 pounds Thursday at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. ESPN’s Adam Schefter relayed the information amid questions about how Murray’s height could impact his draft stock. Albert Breer of The MMQB provided further measurements on the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner: Albert Breer @AlbertBreer More on Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray … Hand size: 9.4 Arm length: 28.4 Wing span: 69.4 Those numbers could end up being the only meaningful results for Murray at the combine. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the dual-threat quarterback plans “not to do much” in Indy after telling teams he won’t throw with the position’s other prospects. NFL Draft @NFLDraft A little more context for Kyler Murray’s #NFLCombine measurements … Murray is heavier than Russell Wilson was at the 2012 combine and his hands measured larger than Baker Mayfield’s did at last year’s combine. https

Alonzo Adams/Associated Press NFL draft prospect Kyler Murray reportedly told “several teams” that he does not plan to throw at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport , the scouts and personnel people who were reportedly informed of the quarterback ‘s decision added the caveat that the Oklahoma product could change his mind after seeing his competitors throw. As of right now, however, the plan is for Murray “not to do much.” Quarterbacks are scheduled to take part in on-field drills with the wide receivers and tight ends Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available. Get the best sports content from the web and social in the  new B/R app . Get the app and get the game. Read More from Daily Trends Hunter https://ift.tt/2GQVrFY

Hanoi, Vietnam –  US President Donald Trump has said North Korea’s demand that the US lift economic sanctions in their entirety forced the US to walk away from reaching an agreement at a summit in Vietnam . The announcement, made in a short statement from the White House on Thursday, confirmed that “no agreement was reached at this time.”  The “Joint Agreement Signing Ceremony”, as well as a working lunch scheduled for Thursday afternoon in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, were cancelled following the announcement. “It was about the sanctions. They wanted sanctions to be lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that,” Trump told reporters at a press conference in Hanoi, which was brought forward by two hours due to the turn of events. Surprise announcement The announcement came as a surprise after Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un  appeared confident and optimistic when talking to the press earlier on Thursday as well as on Wednesday. “ North Korea is willing to denuc

There is evidence that Israel committed crimes against humanity in responding to 2018 protests in Gaza, as snipers targeted people clearly identifiable as children, health workers and journalists, according to a United Nations report. “Israeli soldiers committed violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Some of those violations may constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity,” the chair of the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Santiago Canton, said in a statement on Thursday. In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the report “false and biased”. Razan al-Najjar ‘angel of mercy’: Thousands attend funeral for Gaza medic The inquiry, set up by the UN Human Rights Council, investigated possible violations from the start of the protests on March 30, 2018 through to December 31. “More than 6,000 unarmed demonstrators were shot by military snipers, week after week at the pro

London, United Kingdom – In an industrial park in north London, artisans from Poland, Italy, England, Mauritius, and elsewhere painstakingly stitch mattresses for Savoir Beds, a British luxury brand. Like the craftsmen and women, most of the materials are from the European Union or from around the world via Europe: plywood from Latvia, wool from Spain, horsetail from South America via Switzerland. Savoir Beds only makes about 900 mattresses a year, with customers willing to pay an average of £14,000 ($18,300) – and up to £150,000 ($197,000) – for their custom-made products. To avoid disrupting the supply chain of materials because of border delays, should there be a no-deal Brexit , the manufacturer has stockpiled £250,000 ($328,400) worth of the materials it needs to ensure production doesn’t grind to a halt. It is feared that should the UK quit the EU without a deal, or without an agreement that is useful for small businesses, there would be additional red tape and transport r

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press The No. 3 pick in the 2019 NFL draft is available for the right offer. “Right now, we feel good at No. 3, but I’d definitely say if there’s an opportunity to trade down, we would absolutely look at it,” New York Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan told reporters Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. It is not difficult to envision a scenario when a team in need of a long-term answer at quarterback such as the New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars would look to trade into the No. 3 slot to draft either Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins or Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray. The Jets are certainly familiar with that practice, seeing how they sent the Indianapolis Colts three second-round picks to move into the No. 3 slot last year to draft USC’s Sam Darnold. The Giants (No. 6) and Jaguars (No. 7) may not want to chance it if they strongly prefer one signal-caller over the other. Rich Cimini   of ESPN.com noted the Jets and Giants haven’t traded wit

US President Donald Trump ‘s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen accused him of breaking the law while in office and said for the first time that Trump knew in advance about a WikiLeaks dump of stolen emails that hurt his 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton. In a dramatic televised hearing in Congress on Wednesday, Cohen said Trump approved hush payments to cover up extra-marital sexual relationships in violation of campaign finance laws, and signed a personal check for $35,000 in 2017 to reimburse Cohen for at least one of those payments. Cohen, 52, was a close aide of Trump for years and his testimony could increase the legal and political pressure on the Republican president, but he did not appear to reveal a “smoking gun” that would sink his former boss. Cohen told a House of Representatives committee he had no direct evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Moscow during the election campaign. Possible collusion is a key theme of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Ru