United News of Bangladesh

Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, saying it was hitting Hamas targets in its heaviest assault in the territory since a ceasefire took effect in January. The strikes killed more than 400 people and wounded over 500, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the strikes because of a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. Officials said the operation was open-ended and was expected to expand. The White House said it had been consulted and voiced support for Israel’s actions. Hamas warned that Israel’s new airstrikes breached their ceasefire and put the fate of hostages in jeopardy. The surprise attack shattered a period of relative calm during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and raised the prospect of a full return to fighting in a 17-month war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and caused widespread destruction across Gaza.   Gaza Health Ministry revises the number of dead and wounded The Gaza Health Ministry has revised its death toll from Israeli strikes on Tuesday, saying a total of 404 people were killed. It had earlier reported 413 dead. It also revised the number of wounded to 562 from 660. It did not provide an explanation. Medics say the situation inside Gaza hospitals has been chaotic since the strikes began hours before dawn, and that many people are still buried under the rubble. A doctor at a Gaza hospital speaks of ‘horror’ as casualties rise A doctor working at a Gaza hospital said she had witnessed “a level of horror” that was hard to articulate after Israel’s surprise bombardment of the territory. Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, a volunteer with Medical Aid for Palestinians based at Nasser Hospital, said the pediatric intensive care unit was full. She said she had personally treated at least five patients who died in the emergency room. “The ER was just chaos, patients everywhere, on the floor,” she said. “There were probably three men, and the rest were all children, women, elderly, everybody caught in their sleep, still wrapped in blankets. Terrifying.” Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 413 Palestinians, officials say The death toll from a wave of Israeli strikes in Gaza Tuesday has reached 413, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza. The ministry says at least 660 people have been wounded in the strikes. Israel launched a new offensive on Gaza Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire between it and the militant group Hamas and threatening to fully ignite the war in Gaza. Palestinians describe a strike on a school-turned-shelter Palestinians at a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza City say they were shaken violently from their sleep early Tuesday when Israeli jets struck. Hospital officials said more than two dozen people were killed. “People are sleeping peacefully, they set the alarm to wake up for suhoor, and they wake up to death,” said Fedaa Heriz, a displaced woman, referring to the early morning meal during the fasting month of Ramadan. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the school strike, which was part of a renewed offensive in Gaza. “I heard screaming, my mother and sister screaming, calling for help. I came and entered the room and found the children under the rubble, under the stones,” said Majd Naser, a displaced Palestinian. Hamas says at least 4 senior officials killed in Israeli airstrikes The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said at least four senior officials, including two top police officers, in the Hamas administration have been killed in Israeli strikes. They include Issam al-Daalis, head of the government administrative committee, Maj. Gen. Mohamed Abu Watfa, undersecretary of the Interior Ministry, Maj. Gen. Bahgat Abu Sultan, director of the domestic security agency and Ahmed al-Hetta, undersecretary of the Justice Ministry. Egypt lashes out at Israel over new attacks in Gaza Egypt, a key mediator in Gaza ceasefire talks, lashed out at Israel, calling its new offensive on Gaza a “flagrant violation of the ceasefire deal.” The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it rejects “all Israeli attacks which aim to … make ongoing efforts to de-escalate and regain stability fail.” It called for the international community to “to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.” It also urged the parties to “exercise restraint” and give mediators a space to “complete their efforts to reach a permanent ceasefire.” UN human rights chief ‘horrified’ by Gaza strikes The U.N. human rights chief says he’s “horrified” by Israel airstrikes in Gaza overnight that have killed hundreds, according to health authorities in the territory. Volker Türk says the last 18 months of fighting between Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, and Israeli forces have shown that “the only way forward is a political settlement” and a “military path” offers no way out of the crisis. The rights chief reiterated his calls for hostages held by Hamas and people held arbitrarily to be released “immediately and unconditionally.” “This nightmare must end immediately,” he added in a statement. 69 killed as Israel launches series of deadly airstrikes across Gaza Families of hostages call for a protest outside Israel’s parliament The families of hostages held by Hamas are calling on supporters to protest with them outside Israel’s parliament, saying the resumption of fighting in Gaza puts their loved ones at risk. “With each passing day, the danger to the hostages grows. Military pressure could further endanger their lives,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing the families, said in a statement announcing the protest. Netanyahu set to meet top security officials on the next step An Israeli official says Netanyahu is to meet with top security officials in the coming half-hour to discuss next steps in the war. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a closed-door meeting. UN secretary-general says he is ‘shocked’ by Israeli strikes in Gaza The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres says he is “shocked” by the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and has called for the ceasefire in Gaza to be respected. Guterres, in a statement, called for humanitarian aid to resume for people in Gaza and for the hostages held by Hamas to be released unconditionally. Freed British-Israeli hostage says she is ‘crushed' by resumption of fighting Freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari says her “heart is broken, crushed and disappointed” by the resumption of fighting in Gaza. In a story on Instagram shared by Israeli media, she said she would keep fighting for the remaining hostages. Israeli strikes kill at least 326 people Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israeli strikes across the territory have killed at least 326 people. The wave of strikes that began early Tuesday is among the deadliest since the start of the 17-month war. Australian prime minister calls for ceasefire to be maintained in Gaza Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for the ceasefire to be maintained following Israel’s attack on Gaza. “There’s already been enormous suffering there, which is why we’re calling upon all parties to respect the ceasefire and hostage deal that was put in place,” Albanese told reporters. “We’ll continue to make representations. Australia will continue to stand up for peace and security in the region,” he added. Israeli airstrike flattens prison, killing dozens of prisoners and police officers An Israeli airstrike flattened a prison run by the Hamas-led government in Gaza Strip, killing dozens of prisoners and policemen, according to hospital records. The prison was located in the urban Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. Associated Press footage showed a collapsed building and people trying to reach bodies buried under the rubble. The bodies of more than three dozen prisoners and guards were taken to the nearby Shifa hospital. The Hamas-run government operates a police force that numbered in the tens of thousands before the war and quickly returned to the streets after a ceasefire took hold in January. Israel’s military orders people to evacuate eastern Gaza after wave of strikes The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate eastern Gaza and move toward the center of the territory after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes across the territory. The orders issued Tuesday indicate Israel could launch renewed ground operations. Classes suspended in dozens of Gaza schools after airstrikes The Hamas-run Education Ministry in the Gaza Strip says classes have been suspended in dozens of schools that had recently reopened. The decision came after Israel launched a wave of heavy airstrikes across Gaza early Tuesday, shattering a nearly two-month ceasefire. Schools shut down across Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war, and most were converted to shelters for displaced people. The ministry said it had resumed classes in around 70 schools in recent weeks. A UNICEF staffer describes a harrowing night in Gaza A United Nations staffer in the Gaza Strip described a “very tough night” as Israel resumed heavy strikes across the territory after a nearly two-month ceasefire. Rosalia Bollen, a communications specialist with the U.N. children’s agency, said she woke up around 2 a.m. on Tuesday to “very loud explosions.” She said the UNICEF bass near the southern city of Rafah “was shaking very heavily.” When the strikes subsided, she heard “people yelling, people screaming and ambulances.” “The bombardments have continued throughout the night,” though at a lower intensity than the initial barrage, she said. “The whole night, there’s been just the constant buzzing of drones and planes flying over.” She said the strikes hit tents and structures housing displaced families. “We’re seeing, as of this morning, at least several dozen children killed,” she said. Families of hostages held in Gaza say they are terrified by the resumed airstrikes The main group representing the families of hostages held in Gaza has slammed the decision to return to fighting, saying the move shows the government “chose to give up on the hostages.” The Hostages Families Forum said “military pressure endangers hostages.” It asked the government in a post on X why it “backed out of the agreement” with Hamas that set out a release of all the living hostages in exchange for an end to the war. “We are shocked, angry, and terrified by the deliberate dismantling of the process to return our loved ones from the terrible captivity of Hamas,” the group said. ISIS leader killed in Iraq, Iraqi prime minister says Netanyahu's hard-line ally welcomes return to fighting in Gaza A key governing partner of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the return to fighting in Gaza. Bezalel Smotrich had threatened to leave the government if fighting did not resume, which would imperil Netanyahu’s rule. Critics said those political considerations were influencing Netanyahu’s wartime decision-making. “We remained in the government for this moment despite our opposition to the (ceasefire) deal, and we are more determined than ever to complete the task and destroy Hamas,” Smotrich posted on X. Israeli strikes have killed at least 235 people in the Gaza Strip Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 235 people, according to local hospitals. The toll from the strikes overnight and into Tuesday is based on records from seven hospitals and does not include bodies brought to other, smaller health centers. Rescuers are still searching for dead and wounded. North Korea criticizes US over airstrikes targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels North Korea has criticized the United States over its new campaign of airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The state-run KCNA news agency on Tuesday quoted Ma Tong Hui, North Korea’s ambassador to Egypt and concurrently to Yemen, as describing the attacks as a “wanton violation of all international laws including the U.N. Charter and it is an open encroachment upon the sovereignty of other nation that can never be justified.” He also criticized “U.S. hooliganism.” Trump during his first term held summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but the diplomacy collapsed over disagreements on US sanctions. Senior Hamas official says Gaza strikes amount to ‘death sentence’ for remaining hostages A senior Hamas official says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to launch widespread strikes on the Gaza Strip amounts to a “death sentence” for the remaining hostages held there. In a statement early Tuesday, Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, accused Netanyahu of resuming the war to try and save his far-right governing coalition. “Netanyahu’s decision to return to war is a decision to sacrifice the (Israeli) occupation’s captives and a death sentence against them,” he said. He said Israel didn’t respect its commitments in the ceasefire deal reached in January and urged mediators to “reveal facts” on which side broke the agreement. US security official blames Hamas for renewed fighting National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said the militant group “could have released hostages to extend the ceasefire but instead chose refusal and war.” U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been leading mediation efforts along with Egypt and Qatar, had earlier warned that Hamas must release living hostages immediately “or pay a severe price.” Israel expects further military action Israeli officials said the latest operation was open-ended and was expected to expand. “Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. White House says it was consulted by Israelis before resuming attacks against Hamas White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says the “Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight.” “As President Trump has made it clear, Hamas, the Houthis, Iran — all those who seek to terrorize not just Israel, but also the United States of America — will see a price to pay: All hell will break lose,” Leavitt continued, speaking to Fox News on Monday evening. Leavitt is one of three administration officials who face a lawsuit from The Associated Press on First- and Fifth-Amendment grounds. The AP says the three are punishing the news agency for editorial decisions they oppose. The White House says the AP is not following an executive order to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Motorbike was the biggest killer in Bangladesh in January as the two-wheeler  claimed 264 lives ( 43.42% of the total fatalities) among 608 , according to a latest estimate by the Road Safety Foundation. The  non-government organisation  prepared the report based on information from nine national dailies, seven online news portals, and electronic media, according to a press release on Tuesday. As many as 608 people died and 1100 injured in 621 road accidents across the country in January this year, according to the report. Among the other victims, 28 (4.6 percent) died in accident  involving bus, 34 (5.59 percent) died in accident involving trucks, covered vans, pickups; 19 (3.12 percent) in accident involving private cars, microbuses, ambulances, jeeps,  90 (14.80 percent) in three-wheelers like CNG, easybikes, and autorickshaws accidents, 18 (2.96 percent) locally-made vehicles nasiman-kariman accidents, and 12 (1.97 percent) in bicycles-paddle rickshaws and rickshaw vans accidents. According to the Foundation's analysis, 214 (34.46 percent) accidents occurred on national highways, 265 (42.67 percent) on regional roads, 96 (15.45 percent) on rural roads, 42 (6.76 percent) on urban roads, and 4 (0.64 percent) in other places. The report reveals that in January, Dhaka division saw the highest number of accidents with 172 reported accidents resulting in 161 fatalities. Barishal division recorded the lowest number of accidents with just 31, while the division had also the lowest number of fatalities. Over 150 families wiped out in accidents in last 5 years: Road Safety Foundation  At least 23 people were killed and 31 were injured in 28 accidents in the capital city Dhaka, Road Safety Foundation data shows. A total of 143 pedestrians were killed in road crashes in the country which is 23.51 percent of the total deceased. Moreover, twenty-six people were killed and seven were injured in accidents on rail tracts in the country during the same period. According to the Road Safety Foundation, on an average around 20 people were killed in road accidents across the country every day in January. 426 deaths, 813 injuries in road crashes during September, says Road Safety Foundation The organization identified several factors contributing to the high number of casualties on the country's roads, including, reckless driving, slow-moving vehicles on highways, absence of fixed pay and working hours for drivers, inadequate traffic management, desperate motorbike riding by youths, lack of knowledge among people about the traffic rules, fragile traffic management, limited capacity of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), and prevalence of extortion within the public transport sector.

Bangladesh reported 21 more Covid cases in the 24 hours till Wednesday morning.With the new numbers, the country's total caseload rose to 2,037,067, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).However, the official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,439 as no new fatalities were reported.The daily case test positivity increased to 0.79 percent from Tuesday’s 0.49 percent as 2,666 samples were tested during the period. Read more: Bangladesh sees another Covid death, 438 cases in 24hrsThe mortality and recovery rates remained unchanged at 1.45 percent and 97.57 percent respectively.In November, the country reported 10 Covid-linked deaths and 1,345 cases.Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and daily fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year.

As many as 709 people were killed and 840 others injured in 668 accidents that occurred on road, railways and waterways in November across the country, according to the Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh.   Among the casualties, 643 people were killed and 826 injured in 586 accidents on roads and highways during the period from November 1 to November 30. Besides, 51 people were killed and four others injured in 64 accidents on the railway while 15 people were killed, 10 others injured and seven people reported missing in 18 accidents on the waterways during the same period.   Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh, a non-government organisation, compiled the report based on published news of various national dailies, online news portals and mass media, said a press release on Tuesday.  Read more: 7 killed in road accidents in 3 districts The group identified several reasons behind most of the accidents. Among them, dangerous overtaking, reckless speed, unfit vehicles, lack of footpaths or grabbed footpaths, sudden entrance of vehicles from feeder roads at railway crossings and highways, increasing number of small vehicles.   Besides, lack of service lanes on various national and regional highways, easy bikes, rickshaws, autorickshaws come down from various feeder roads on national and regional highways were the other reasons, it said. Read more: 5 dead, 4 injured in Narayanganj road accident

One more death from Dengue in 24 hours till Thursday morning raised this year’s fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease to 217. During the period, 685 patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). With the new patients, this year’s dengue caseload rose to 51,444, it said. Read more: No respite from Dengue: Death toll rises to 213 The latest death was reported from Dhaka. The new figure raised the death toll in Dhaka division to 131. Meanwhile, death toll remained unchanged at eleven in Khulna, nine in Barishal, six in Rajshahi, and five in Mymensingh division. Of the new patients, 353 were admitted to different hospitals in Dhaka and 332 outside it, according to the DGHS. A total of 2,750 dengue patients, including 1,524 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. The Directorate has recorded 48,477 recoveries so far this year. On November 8, this year’s fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease reached 182, exceeding all previous records in Bangladesh. Earlier the country recorded the highest 179 deaths from Dengue in a year in 2019.

A joyous scene of marching bands and children dancing in Santa hats and waving pompoms turned deadly in an instant, as an SUV sped through barricades and into a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing at least five people and injuring more than 40 others. One video showed a woman screaming, “Oh my God!” repeatedly as a group of young dancers was struck Sunday. A father talked of going “from one crumpled body to the other” in search of his daughter. Members of a “Dancing Grannies” club were among those hit. The city of Waukesha posted on its social media accounts late Sunday that it could confirm at least five died and more than 40 were injured, while noting that it was still collecting information. The city's statement also noted that many people took themselves to hospitals. The city did not release any additional information about those who died. A “person of interest” was in custody, Waukesha Police Chief Dan Thompson said, but he gave no details about the person or any possible motive. The investigation was ongoing, with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Read:US missionaries say 2 of 17 abductees freed in Haiti “What took place in Waukesha today is sickening, and I have every confidence that those responsible will be brought to justice,” Attorney General Josh Kaul, the state’s top law enforcement officer, tweeted. The horror was recorded by the city’s livestream and onlookers' cellphones. One video shows the moment the SUV broke through the barricades and the sound of what appears to be several gunshots. Thompson said a Waukesha police officer fired his gun to try to stop the vehicle. No bystanders were injured by the gunfire, and Thompson said he did not know if the driver was struck by the officer’s bullets. Another video shows a young child dancing in the street as the SUV speeds by, just a few feet from her, before it hurtles into parade participants a few hundred feet ahead. One video, of dancers with pompoms, ends with a group of people tending to a girl on the ground. “There were pompoms and shoes and spilled hot chocolate everywhere. I had to go from one crumpled body to the other to find my daughter,” Corey Montiho, a Waukesha school district board member, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “My wife and two daughters were almost hit. Please pray for everybody. Please pray.” The Milwaukee Dancing Grannies posted on its Facebook page that “members of the group and volunteers were impacted and we are waiting for word on their conditions.” The group’s profile describes them as a “group of grannies that meet once a week to practice routines for summer and winter parades.” A Catholic priest, multiple parishioners and Waukesha Catholic schoolchildren were among those injured, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee spokeswoman Sandra Peterson said. Chris Germain, co-owner of the Aspire Dance Center studio, had about 70 people in the parade ranging from as young as 2 being pulled in wagons to age 18. Germain, whose 3-year-old daughter was in the parade, said he was driving at the head of their entry when he saw a maroon SUV that “just blazed right past us.” A police officer ran past in chase. Germain said he jumped out of his own SUV and gathered the girls who were with him to safety. Then he walked forward to see the damage. “There were small children laying all over the road, there were police officers and EMTs doing CPR on multiple members of the parade,” he said. Read:Elizabeth Holmes takes the stand in her criminal fraud trial Angelito Tenorio, a West Allis alderman who is running for Wisconsin state treasurer, said he was watching the parade with his family when they saw the SUV come speeding into the area. “Then we heard a loud bang,” Tenorio said. “And after that, we just heard deafening cries and screams from the crowd, from the people at the parade. And people started rushing, running away with tears in their eyes, crying.” The Waukesha school district canceled classes Monday and said in a notice on its website that extra counselors would be on hand for students and staff. The parade’s list of entries included cheer, dance and band entries associated with district schools. Gov. Tony Evers said he and his wife, Kathy, were “praying for Waukesha tonight and all the kids, families, and community members affected by this senseless act.” The parade, held each year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, is sponsored by the city’s Chamber of Commerce. This year’s, the 59th, had the theme of “comfort and joy.” Waukesha is a western suburb of Milwaukee, and about 55 miles (90 kilometers) north of Kenosha, where Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted Friday of charges stemming from the shooting of three men during unrest in that city in August 2020.

After seeing a deathless day from Covid-19, Bangladesh reported seven more deaths in 24 hours till Sunday morning along with 199 fresh infections. Bangladesh on Saturday logged zero Covid-linked deaths with 178 cases. The daily case positivity rate declined to 1.16 per cent today from Saturday’s 1.18 per cent, said the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Also read: Zero death from Covid brings relief for Bangladesh Six of today’s deceased were men and one was a woman. Five of the deaths were reported from Dhaka division while one each from Chattogram and Khulna divisions. With the fresh numbers, the total fatalities rose to 27,953 while the caseload mounted to 1,574,088. However, the mortality rate remained static at 1.78 per cent. The fresh cases were detected after testing 17,135 samples, the DGHS added. Besides, the recovery rate remained the same as 97.72 per cent with the recovery of 192 more patients during the 24-hour period. Huge vaccination target Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday said the government will administer 6 crore more Covid-19 vaccine doses by January next across the country. “So far, 9 crore vaccine doses have been administered and the government aims to administer 6 crore more doses by January next,” he said. With the administering of 6 crore more vaccine doses, some 7.5 crore people of the country will fully be vaccinated, Zahid Maleque added. Zahid Maleque said, some 13 crore people in Bangladesh are eligible to get vaccinated and 1 crore of them are living abroad. After vaccinating 7.5 crore people, he said, the remaining 3.5 crore will soon be brought under the vaccination campaign in phases. Also read: Bangladesh bracing for third Covid wave? Covid-19 Waves On January 12 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City of Hubei Province in China. On December 31, 2019, China reported to the WHO some cases of pneumonia with unknown causes. Bangladesh was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic along with many other countries across the globe on March 8 last year when Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) reported the first three cases. During mid-January to the first week of March, 2021 the infection rate remained below 5 and from the last week of March 2021, the infection and death toll gradually increased suggesting the start of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country. Third wave not ruled out Some of the leading public health experts in Bangladesh have warned that the current trend of plummeting Covid-19 cases in Bangladesh could well be the obvious calm before a cataclysmic storm. Their fears centers around children below 12 who remain out of the vaccine coverage and the elderly people. These experts fear a slow pace of vaccination, waning vaccine immunity, sheer disregard for Covid-safety protocols, reopening of schools and increased travel may set the stage for another Covid wave in Bangladesh -- a trend many European countries are witnessing now.

Bangladesh added 174 fatalities to its national tally on Monday as Covid cases and deaths continue to fall for the fourth straight day. The country is now reporting 9,315 new cases on average each day – 64% of the peak.  The highest daily average was reported on August 3. Bangladesh recorded 6,959 new cases Monday after testing 33,015 samples, down from 11,463 logged a week earlier on August 9. Also read: Much-sought MoU signed for Sinopharm vaccine coproduction in Bangladesh The country has been experiencing a surge of Covid-related caseloads and deaths since June 2021. 

The global Covid-19 caseload is now nearing the grim milestone of 201 million, as the highly contagious Delta variant continues to devastate several countries even with mass inoculations underway. The total caseload and fatalities from the virus stand at 200,792,438 and 4,265,792, respectively, as of Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU). So far, 4,305,633,910 Covid vaccine doses have been administered across the globe, as per the university data. The US has logged 35,432,333 cases and 615,309 deaths to date, according to the university data. The death toll in the United States is the highest in the world. Also read: US plans to require COVID-19 shots for foreign travelers India recorded the world's second highest caseload of 31,855,783, followed by Brazil with 20,066,587 cases as well as the world's second largest death toll of 560,801. Besides, India’s death toll reached 426,785 on Thursday morning. Countries with more than four million cases include Russia, France, Britain, Turkey, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Italy and Iran, while those with over 100,000 deaths include India, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Britain, Italy, Colombia and France. The global caseload reached the grim milestone of 100 million on January 26, and doubled in more than half a year this Thursday. Situation in Bangladesh Grappling with the worst coronavirus wave spurred by the highly contagious Delta variant, Bangladesh reported 264 more deaths in 24 hours till Thursday morning, shattering all the previous records. The country saw the highest-ever 258 Covid deaths on July 27 before that. Also read: Bangladesh shatters its own records; reports 264 single-day Covid deaths Besides, 12,744 people came out positive with the virus after the test of 46,995 samples during the 24-hour period, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The fresh numbers took the total fatality to 21,905 and the caseload to 1,322,654. The case positivity rate during the period fell slightly to 27.12% from Wednesday’s 27.91%, while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate. The country has been seeing over 14,000 cases and 230 deaths every day on an average for the last seven days. The recovery rate, however, rose to 87.47%, with the recovery of 15,786 people during the period. However, the case fatality rose to 1.66% again from Wednesday's 1.65% during the same period, the DGHS added. Dhaka division remained the worst-hit region, logging 87 deaths, followed by 56 in Chattogram, 35 in Khulna, 23 in Sylhet, 19 in Rajshahi, 18 in Rangpur, 12 in Rajshahi, 16 in Barishal and 10 in Mymensingh divisions. Of the deceased, 140 were men and 164 women.

The death toll from Covid-19 in Bangladesh crossed 14,000 on Saturday as health authorities reported 77 fresh deaths. The latest deaths took the overall national tally to 14,053. The last one thousand deaths have been recorded in just 15 days, as the number of fatalities crossed 13,000 on June 11. The previous thousand (from 12,000 to 13,000) took a full month, as the 12,000 mark was crossed on May 11. Still, the number of deaths recorded a substantial fall from the previous day's figure. The deadly virus was reported to have killed 108 people on Friday, the 2nd highest number in daily deaths since the outbreak of Covid in Bangladesh in March, 2020. The daily caseload also fell sharply, with 4,334 new cases pushing up the total caseload to 8,83,138. On Friday health authorities reported 5,869 new cases. But the drop in cases was most likely a function of reduced testing, as the day's positivity rate rose to 22.50 % from 21.22% on Friday, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Saturday's caseload was derived from testing 19,262 samples in 554 labs across the country. Friday's number was derived from testing 27,653 samples. Also read: Strict nationwide lockdown in Bangladesh from Monday as Covid situation worsens If the same number of samples were tested on Saturday (27,653), given the day's positivity rate, the number of cases would have exceeded yesterday's number.    Today's positivity rate is the highest since April 16, when the rate was 23.36%. Meanwhile, the case fatality rate remained static at 1.59%. On a positive note, 3,295 patients  recovered from  Covid-19 during the last 24 hours, with a 90.68% recovery rate. Among the latest deaths, 48 were men, and 29 were women. Chattogram overtook Khulna in terms of highest number of fatalities as 20 people were recorded dead by the viral disease in the last 24 hours in the port city. Khulna came second in terms of daily deaths as 19 people died in the division. Besides, 17 more died in Dhaka, 9 in Rajshahi, 4 each in Sylhet and Rangpur, 3 in Mymensingh, and 1 in Barishal division. Also read: 5 more die of Covid in Jashore; 62% infection rate Jashore's daily caseload hits new high of 469 Jashore, considered to be a high risk zone of Covid-19 spread, reported a record 469 new infections on Saturday. The new cases were detected from 940 sample tests, said Jashore Science and Technology University’s Covid-19 testing team member assistant professor Dr Shirin Nigar. The positivity rate is a fraction under 50% - which is extremely high. The WHO advises a positivity rate of 5% for two weeks as a safe level. The fresh cases raised the district’s total caseload to 11,187. Also, five more people died of Covid-19 in the district pushing the death toll to 129.