Russian forces were launching an all-out assault to encircle Ukrainian troops in twin cities straddling a river in eastern Ukraine yesterday, a battle which could determine the success or failure of Moscow’s main campaign in the east.

A Thakurgaon court yesterday sentenced a man to life in connection with a case filed against him for raping a student of Thakurgaon Polytechnic Institute in 2010.

A Dhaka court yesterday sent expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat to jail again after he surrendered before it, seeking bail in a corruption case.

Police recovered the body of a woman from her house in Kushtia Sadar upazila’s Kamalapur area yesterday morning.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the first African to head the World Health Organization, was re-elected yesterday with overwhelming support after running unopposed for a second term.

The first hajj flight of this year will leave Dhaka for Saudi Arabia on June 5 instead of May 31.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal has said the Election Commission is yet to gain the confidence of all regarding the use of electronic voting machines.

The third day of the second and series-deciding Test in Mirpur will be crucial for Bangladesh and their hopes of seizing control by taking a first-innings lead against Sri Lanka. The visitors will resume on 143 for two, trailing by another 222 runs.

The Prime Minister’s Office has sternly warned Biman and others concerned about disruptions to hajj flights and asked them to remain extremely vigilant so that there is no fiasco.

Five accused in the Narayanganj teenage boy Tanwir Muhammad Taqi murder case were present during the hearing at a local court yesterday.

As the Surma has been flowing below the danger level at some points in Sylhet city and Sunamganj town for two consecutive days yesterday, floodwaters are receding fast in many areas.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has once again fallen ill, the party said yesterday.

Lawmaker Haji Md Salim was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University yesterday, a day after he was sent to jail in a corruption case.

Russia has offered to sell crude oil to Bangladesh amid reducing demand from European countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used the Davos summit to appeal for more weapons and “maximum” sanctions against Russia, lamenting that tens of thousands of lives would have been saved had countries acted faster.

At least 15 people were injured in Awami League infighting in Munshiganj Sadar upazila early yesterday. Seven of them suffered bullet injuries.

Chumki Karan, wife of former Teknaf Police Station OC Pradeep Kumar Das, yesterday surrendered before a court of Chattogram in connection with a case lodged by the ACC over accumulating Tk 3.95 crore illegally.

The Supreme Court chamber judge yesterday refused to stay a High Court order that cancelled the bail of expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat in a corruption case.

Today is the 20th death anniversary of Prof Maliha Khatun, said a press release.

The US wants Bangladesh to join the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), a new regional trade initiative launched by Joe Biden in Japan yesterday.