Free Syrian Army fighters help to a fighter shot by Syrian Army soldiers during clashes in the Salah al-Din neighbourhood of central Aleppo on Saturday. — Reuters photo

Shoppers fill the inside of New Market on Saturday as Eid-ul-Fitr nears. — Sanaul Haque

Dhaka Theatre stages Nimajjan on Friday. — Snigdha Zaman

Britain’s Andy Murray reacts after winning his men’s singles tennis semi-final match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on Friday. — Reuters photo

The Democratic Left Alliance holds its council of central delegates at the Tajul Auditorium at Purana Paltan in Dhaka on Saturday. — New Age photo

Cameroon’s Idrissa Adam (top) picks up an injury while running next to (L to R) Nigeria’s Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and Britain’s James Dasaolu during round 1 of the men’s 100m heats at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in London on Saturday. — Reuters photo

People queue up at Kamalapur Railway Station in the capital for advance Eid tickets on Saturday, a day before the authorities announced they would start selling tickets today. — Sony Ramany

Ataur Rahman, centre, briefs the press on Rudra Rabi O Jallianwala Bagh, directed by him, on Saturday at the seminar room of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. National Theatre Reparatory production will be premiered today at the National Theatre Hall. — Snigdha Zaman

Protesters wave placards as they demonstrate against the massacre of Muslims in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, in Benghazi on Saturday. — Reuters photo

A file photo shows farmers working in a paddy field on the outskirts of Dhaka. The contractionary monetary policy taken by the Bangladesh Bank for the July-December period will lead the country’s economy to further contraction, said the Unnayan Onneshan, a local think-tank. — New Age photo

A file photo shows a shopper looking for a bargain at a market stall in east London. — Reuters photo

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (L) crosses the finish line as he competes with Britain’s James Dasaolu (2nd-L), Antigua and Barbuda’s Daniel Bailey (2nd-R) and Saint Kitts & Nevis’ Jason Rogers in the men’s 100m heats at the athletics event of the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on Saturday. — AFP photo

US swimmer Michael Phelps dives as he competes in the men’s 100m butterfly final at the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on Friday. — AFP photo

Nicola Spirig (R) of Switzerland wins the women’s triathlon final during the London 2012 Olympic Games at Hyde Park in London on Saturday. — Reuters photo

MAIN NEWS

Chinese, British companies escape World Bank sanction

The World Bank has taken no disciplinary action against two large international companies, one Chinese and the other British, both of whom New Age can confirm provided false information as part of their tender... Full story

Indian govt to move bill for ratification

The United Progressive Alliance government of India is likely to introduce a constitutional amendment bill designed to improve the country’s ties with Bangladesh, despite stiff opposition from the coalition... Full story

Khaleda asks all parties to unite

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, has called on political parties outside her ‘18-party’ alliance to unite on ‘a single platform’ as she said the planned post-Eid agitations would be gradually... Full story

AL to initiate talks with parties: Hanif

Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif on Saturday said the ruling party would initiate a move for a dialogue to work out a formula for an election-time interim government if the main opposition... Full story

NATIONAL

Purpose not to be served unless reports published: citizens

The submission of financial audit reports by political parties to the Election Commission has turned out to be a futile exercise as the reports are not being made public by either the EC or political parties, said... Full story

DLA for third political platform

METRO

Eid shopping spree marks weekends

Shopping spree reached its peak on Friday and Saturday at the capital’s largest shopping hub Gawsia Market, New Market, Chadni Chawk, Elephant Road areas where people of different ages and income group gathered to buy outfits and... Full story

CU deans’ election tomorrow

BUSINESS

Liquidity crisis, stock crash hit H1 profits of banks, NBFIs

Profits of most of the listed banks and non-bank financial institutions declined in the first half of the current year because of government’s soaring bank borrowing amid intense liquidity crisis. Full story

India’s Lilliput misses another deadline to pay Bangladesh exporters

INTERNATIONAL

ICRC urges respect for humanitarian laws in Syria

The International Committee of the Red Cross Saturday appealed to all parties in the conflict in Syria to respect international humanitarian law as the violence endangers more civilians. ‘We urge all parties involved in the fighting to fulfil their obligations... Full story

N Korea floods kill 169, leave 400 missing

SPORTS

Mohan does better but feels bitter

Bangladesh athlete Mohan Khan finally fulfilled his long-cherished dream of being an Olympian on Saturday but it gave him a hard realisation that how far the country is lagging behind others. Full story

‘Come on Andy’

EDITORIAL

Failure to have elected local govt is failing democracy

The Awami League-Jatiya Party coalition hardly fails to lag behind in... Full story

Indictment of incumbents’ predilection for rhetoric

TIMEOUT

Art should not be only Dhaka based

Chittagong based Ekushey Padak winning artist Monsur-Ul-Karim observes that the promotion of fine arts should not be confined only to the capital city Dhaka; rather it should spread out all over the country. The government should also extend... Full story

Seminar held, Nimajjon staged

LETTERS

Is India really our friend?

We all expect a good relationship between neighbors Bangladesh and India. But reality is far from expectations because India has always made inhuman approaches towards Bangladesh. There are 54 common... Full story