Bangladesh Newspapers

Surmatimes sylhet newspaper

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Sylhetexpress Newspaper

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Prothom Alo Newspaper

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Huffingtonpost

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Nature way to boost immunity

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:48:00 +0000

Foods that boost your immunity Naturally

Source: 10 news

The plant world contains a natural army of foods that are ready to fight — infections, that is! Getting a steady supply of the following foods helps you build up immunity so that, when that cold comes for you, you may be able to block it entirely — or, at the very least, not let it affect you as much.

In addition to eating these ten foods regularly, you can use them to make home remedies at the first sign of a cold or flu!

1. Garlic
The most pungent of the plant kingdom inhabitants, garlic contains the immune-stimulating compound allicin, which promotes the activity of white blood cells to destroy cold and flu viruses. It also stimulates other immune cells, which fight viral, fungal, and bacterial infections. Garlic kills with near 100 percent effectiveness the human rhinovirus, which causes colds, common flu, and respiratory viruses.

Because allicin is released when you cut, chop, chew, or crush raw cloves, allow freshly chopped garlic to stand for 10 minutes and then cook it, sprinkle it over foods, drop it into soup, or swallow bits of garlic with some water like a pill. You can also drop a clove of garlic into some honey and swallow it immediately for a quick dose that tastes good!

2.Onions
Onions, like garlic, contain allicin. They also contain quercetin, a nutrient that breaks up mucus in your head and chest while boosting your immune system. Additionally, the pungency of onions increases your blood circulation and makes you sweat, which is helpful during cold weather to help prevent infections. Consuming raw onion within a few hours of the first symptoms of a cold or flu produces a strong immune effect.

Chopping onions into your favorite soup or cooked recipe is a great way to enjoy them. Also, it may sound a little weird, but putting half an onion in your bedroom while you sleep can help absorb some of the circulating bacteria and potentially lessen the symptoms of your cold.

3.Ginger
Spicy, pungent, and delicious, ginger reduces fevers, soothes sore throats, and encourages coughing to remove mucus from the chest. Anti-inflammatory chemicals like shagaol and gingerol give ginger that spicy kick that stimulates blood circulation and opens your sinuses. Improved circulation means more oxygen is getting to your tissues to help remove toxins and viruses.

Research has indicated that ginger can help prevent and treat the flu. Ginger is also extremely helpful for stomachaches, nausea, and headaches.

If you’re feeling a little sickly, a homemade ginger tea is one of the best things you can drink. Slice some fresh ginger root, place it into a pot with water, and bring to a boil. Then drop in a bit of lemon juice or cayenne, which makes the tea that much more effective at nourishing and purifying your system.

4. Cayenne
The cayenne family of hot peppers (cayenne, habanero, Scotch bonnet, and bird peppers, to name a few) contains capsicum — a rich source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids, which aid your immune system in fighting colds and flus. It does this by increasing the production of white blood cells, which cleanse your cells and tissues of toxins.

Cayenne pepper is also full of beta carotene and antioxidants that support your immune system and help build healthy mucus membrane tissue that defends against viruses and bacteria. Spicy cayenne peppers raise your body’s temperature to make you sweat, increasing the activity of your immune system.

The fresher the pepper, the more effective it is. However, fresher also means spicier, so choose accordingly.

When you’re sick, add organic cayenne powder to some warm water with lemon juice for an intense immune boost.

5.Squash
Squash is a good source of vitamin C and carotene. The six carotenoids (out of the 600 found in nature) found most commonly in human tissue — and supplied by squash and other gourds — decrease the risk of various cancers, protect the eyes and skin from the effects of ultraviolet light, and defend against heart disease.

One of them, alpha-carotene, helps slow down the aging process. Butternut squash is the strongest source of these nutrients, but you can also try acorn, Hubbard, delicata, calabaza, and spaghetti squash.

6. Kale
Like other leafy greens, kale offers up a good dose of vitamin E. This immunity-boosting antioxidant is known for increasing the production of B cells, those white blood cells that kill unwanted bacteria. Whether you eat kale raw in a salad, steam it, or lightly sauté it, you’ll reap all of its wonderful benefits.

7. Citrus Fruits
Adding a bit of citrus to your diet goes a long way toward fending off your next cold or flu. Packed with vitamin C, oranges and grapefruits help increase your body’s resistance to nasty invaders.

The best way to enjoy citrus fruits is to eat them whole. Otherwise, you can make fresh juice yourself (stay away from the premade stuff in cartons or in the freezer section at your supermarket).

8.Green Tea
Green tea is a potent source of antioxidants called polyphenols — especially catechins. Some studies have found that catechins can destroy the influenza and common cold viruses.

Sipping a hot cup of green tea when you’re feeling under the weather can really help you come alive again. Try adding some honey or lemon to kick it up a bit.

9.Miso Soup
Miso soup is the plant-based version of chicken-noodle soup. It has wonderful healing properties that are amazing at boosting immunity. As a living food, miso is loaded with enzymes and healthy bacteria that help fight infection and keep your cells thriving.

All you need is one teaspoon of miso paste stirred into a mug or bowl of warm water, and you’re set. Sip this down, especially at the first sign of a cold or when you’re just feeling “off” with a stomachache, headache, or something like that. This is sure to hit the spot and make you feel good all over.

10.Mushrooms
For centuries, people around the world have turned to mushrooms for a healthy immune system. Contemporary researchers now know why. Studies show that mushrooms increase the production and activity of white blood cells, making them more aggressive. This is a good thing when you have an infection.

Shiitake, maitake, chaga, and reishi mushrooms appear to pack the biggest immunity punch. Experts recommend eating a quarter ounce to an ounce a few times a day for maximum immune benefits.

Simple way to lose weight

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:34:00 +0000

Simple way to lose weight is probably one of the most common questions people ask themselves. The answers are both simple and not so simple. You lose weight basically by consuming less energy each day than you burn. It is straightforward mathematics. However, the answer is also complicated, because maintaining the numbers' discipline is not as easy as it may sound. Some other factors are also involved in helping you lose weight, such as metabolism, hormones, the type of food you eat, your body type and lifestyle.

Most experts stress that physical activity is as important as dieting when people want to lose weight and to keep it off.

People lose weight for many different reasons:
Appearance - they want to look fitter, more attractive, or healthier.

Overall health - they want to become healthier, live longer, and avoid developing diseases associated with obesity/overweight

Comfort - simply to be more comfortable in their bodies

For a specific condition or illness - obese people with sleep apnea who lose weight have less severe symptoms - sometimes the sleep apnea goes away completely. Obese or overweight individuals with diabetes type 2 will usually have less severe symptoms if they can bring their weight down to healthy levels. One study found that overweight/obese males with diabetes type 2 who lost weight reported enhanced libidos.

Fitness - to become fitter, to have more energy and stamina

Fashion - to be able to wear a greater variety of clothing. To be able to fit into their existing clothes.

Sports competitions - a boxer, for example, may wish to lose weight so that he can remain within his weight category

Employment - fashion models who are overweight have much less work than thin ones. An obese firefighter may find it harder to run up stairs, climb up ropes, and generally do emergency fire work effectively.

Confidence and body image - some people lose weight so that they can become less self-conscious about their bodies

Fertility - obese women who are finding it hard to get pregnant sometimes are more likely to do so if they lose weight

Preparing for a special event - many people prefer to be thinner for an expected event, such as a wedding, or a vacation in the tropics where they are going to show lots of bare skin.
Negative Energy Balance - in order to lose weight you need to be exerting more energy than you are consuming, this is called a negative energy balance. If you are in a state of negative energy balance, your body will seek out stores of energy, such as fat or muscle to make up for the shortfall - it will start using up your excess weight. In extreme cases, however, when the individual has little fat, more muscle and lean tissue will be used up.

Sports - some sportsmen and sportswomen will try to lose weight even though doctors would say their bodyweight is ideal. In some cases it might be to get better speeds, or as mentioned above, to be within a weight classification for a competition.

Losing too much weight - if you become underweight there are also certain health risks. Your chances of developing infections might increase, there is a risk of osteoporosis, reduced muscle mass and strength, and problems regulating your body temperature. There may even be a higher risk of death if your weight goes down a lot. Diets to lose weight There are literally thousands of different diet plans on the market which make amazing weight loss claims. Some of them are well thought out, safe and effective, while others are not. Most health care professionals, dietitians and nutritionists agree that a combination of a weight-reduction healthy diet with physical activity tends to have the best results, especially in the long term.

Related reading: "What are the 8 most popular diets today?"

Proponents of many diets say they are extremely effective and require no effort at all. Unless they have been proven to be so in scientific studies, it is not possible to know how really effective they are. How many calories should I consume? The number of calories per day you should consume in order to lose weight depends on several factors, including your sex, how much you want to lose, how quickly you want to lose it, age, etc. Below are some estimated figures on how many calories the average person in the USA, Canada and Western Europe should consume in order to maintain their weight (neither put on nor lose weight).

Daily recommended calorie consumption for males:
Age 19-30
Sedentary - 2400-2600
Moderately active - 2600-2800
Active - 3000

Age 31-50
Sedentary - 2200-2400
Moderately active - 2400-2600
Active - 2800-3000

Age 51+
Sedentary - 2000-2200
Moderately active - 2200-2400
Active - 2400-2800
Daily recommended calorie consumption for females:
Age 19 to 30
Sedentary - 1,800 to 2,000
Moderately active - 2,000 to 2,200
Active - 2,400

Age 31-50
Sedentary - 1,800
Moderately active - 2,000
Active - 2,200

Age 51+
Sedentary - 1,600
Moderately active - 1,800
Active - 2000 to 2,200
If you want to lose weight, you would have to consume a little bit less than the amounts listed above. The less you consume, the faster you lose. However, it is important to follow a healthy, well balanced diet so that you do not become ill, or lose lean tissue (muscle). Ideally, you should check with a dietitian, nutritionist or your doctor.

In some regimes, dieters are on 1,200 calories per day if they are female and 1,500 if they are male. However, do not try to do this yourself without the supervision of a trained expert.

You need to make sure your carbohydrate, protein and fat ratio is right for good health. Recommendations vary, from 20 to 60% carbohydrate intake for losing weight.

Further reading: 1. "What are fats?" 2. "What are carbohydrates?" 3. "What are proteins?"

Some studies found that not only do people risk malnutrition if their diet is not well planned, but loss of motivation too. Most dieters drop out before reaching their target weight.

When dieters have reached their target body weight, they should gradually increase their daily intake until they reach their "weight maintenance" figure. Dieting alone rarely results in significant weight loss A 2010 study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University showed that people who just reduce their daily calorie intake rarely lose much weight. They explained that natural compensatory mechanisms in the body reduce a person's physical activity as soon as calorie consumption drops - in other words, the body slows right down if you eat much less.

Diet must be combined with exercise
Source : medicalnewstoday
Study leader, Judy Cameron Ph.D., said:

Weight loss surgery preventing diabetes

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:29:00 +0000

The research team, including Prof. Martin Gulliford of King's College London in the UK, publish their findings in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Past studies have indicated that weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, may be an effective strategy to treat type 2 diabetes in obese patients. But Prof. Gulliford and colleagues note there have been very few studies looking at whether weight loss surgery can prevent the development of diabetes in obese patients. For their study, the team wanted to find out.

They analyzed health records from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink and identified 2,167 obese adults without diabetes who had undergone one of three surgical procedures: gastric bypass, gastric banding or sleeve gastrectomy.

Gastric bypass, which involves redirecting the digestive system past the stomach, is the most common weight loss procedure. Gastric banding involves having an inflatable band placed around the top portion of the stomach, creating a smaller stomach, while sleeve gastrectomy involves removal of around 80% of the stomach.

To act as controls, the team also identified 2,167 obese individuals - matched for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and blood sugar levels - who had not undergone weight loss surgery or had any other obesity-related treatments. Participants were followed for up to 7 years.

Weight loss surgery reduced type 2 diabetes risk by 80%
The researchers found that 177 of the control participants developed type 2 diabetes during follow-up, compared with only 38 participants who had undergone weight loss surgery.

The team calculated that even after accounting for other factors that influence diabetes among obese individuals - such as smoking, hypertension and high cholesterol - weight loss surgery reduced participants' risk of type 2 diabetes by 80%.

Commenting on these findings, Prof. Gulliford says:

"Our results suggest that bariatric surgery may be a highly effective method of preventing the onset of new diabetes in men and women with severe obesity.

We need to understand how weight loss surgery can be used, together with interventions to increase physical activity and promote healthy eating, as part of an overall diabetes prevention strategy."

The researchers point out that there are some limitations to their study. For example, they did not include patients who had undergone less common weight loss procedures, such as duodenal switch - surgery that combines gastric bypass and creation of a smaller stomach pouch. Therefore, it is unclear how such procedures would affect type 2 diabetes risk in obese patients.

Furthermore, the team says that patients who underwent weight loss surgery may have been more adherent to diabetes prevention advice - such as adopting a healthy diet and exercise - than control patients. "However," they add, "we noted that people who received surgery were more likely to be prescribed antihypertensive drugs or statins, which can sometimes be associated with diabetes."

In an editorial linked to the study, Dr. Jacques Himpens, of Saint Pierre University Hospital in Belgium, says that the findings from Prof. Gulliford and colleagues bring us closer to understanding the effects of bariatric surgery for prevention of type 2 diabetes. However, she notes that "many questions remain unanswered."

"More evidence is needed to convince endocrinologists about the nature of this effect," she adds.

In February of this year, Medical News Today reported on a study revealing that although most women who undergo weight loss surgery say they do not regret having the procedure, many of them feel it causes emotional problems.

Source : Medicalnewstoday

Ebola From Bats To Man

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 08:23:00 +0000

London - Bats are living up to their frightening reputation in the world's worst Ebola outbreak as prime suspects for spreading the deadly virus to humans, but scientists believe they may also shed valuable light on fighting infection.

Bats can carry more than 100 different viruses, including Ebola, rabies and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), without becoming sick themselves.

While that makes them a fearsome reservoir of disease, especially in the forests of Africa where they migrate vast distances, it also opens the intriguing possibility that scientists might learn their trick in keeping killers like Ebola at bay.

“If we can understand how they do it then that could lead to better ways to treat infections that are highly lethal in people and other mammals,” said Olivier Restif, a researcher at the University of Cambridge in Britain.

Clues are starting to emerge following gene analysis, which suggest bats' capacity to evade Ebola could be linked with their other stand-out ability - the power of flight.

Flying requires the bat metabolism to run at a very high rate, causing stress and potential cell damage, and experts think bats may have developed a mechanism to limit this damage by having parts of their immune system permanently switched on.

The threat to humans from bats comes en route to the dinner plate. Bushmeat - from bats to antelopes, squirrels, porcupines and monkeys - has long held pride of place on menus in West and Central Africa. The danger of contracting Ebola lies in exposure to infected blood in the killing and preparation of animals.

NATURAL HOSTS

Scientists studying Ebola since its discovery in 1976 in Democratic Republic of Congo, then Zaire, have long suspected fruit bats as being the natural hosts, though the link to humans is sometimes indirect as fruit dropped by infected bats can easily be picked up by other species, spreading the virus to animals such as monkeys.

This nexus of infection in wildlife leads to sporadic Ebola outbreaks following human contact with blood or other infected animal fluids.

This no doubt happened in the current outbreak, although the scale of the crisis now gripping Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, which has killed around 5 000 people, reflects subsequent public health failures.

“What is happening now is a public health disaster rather than a problem of wildlife management,” said Marcus Rowcliffe at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), which runs London Zoo.

Bats' role in spreading Ebola is probably a function both of their huge numbers, where they rank second only to rodents among mammals in the world, as well as their unusual immune system, according to Michelle Baker of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia's national science agency.

Baker, who is intrigued by bats' ability to live in “equilibrium” with viruses, published a paper with colleagues in the journal Nature last year looking at bat genomes. They found an unexpected concentration of genes for repairing DNA damage, hinting at a link between flying and immunity.

“(This) raises the interesting possibility that flight-induced adaptations have had inadvertent effects on bat immune function and possibly also life expectancy,” they wrote.

UNDERSTANDING BATS

As well as tolerating viruses, bats are also amazingly long-lived. The tiny Brandt's bat, a resident of Europe and Asia, has been recorded living for more than 40 years, even though it is barely the size of a mouse. Bats also rarely get cancer.

“We are just at the beginning,” Baker said in a telephone interview. “But if we can understand how bats are dealing with these viruses and if we can redirect the immune system of other species to react in the same way, then that could be a potential therapeutic approach.”

It won't be easy. Turning on components of the immune system can bring its own health problems, but the idea - which has yet to get beyond the basic research stage - is to turn up certain elements to achieve a better balance.

One reason why Ebola is so deadly to people is that the virus attacks the immune system and when the system finally comes back it goes into over-drive, causing extra damage.

Ebola works in part by blocking interferon, an anti-virus molecule, which Baker has found to be “up-regulated”, meaning it is found in higher levels, in bats.

VENISON, WITH WINGS

The bat immune system may or may not lead to new drugs one day. Still, experts argue there are plenty of other reasons to cherish bats, which also play a vital role in pollination and controlling insect pests.

They are also a traditional source of protein in West Africa, often served in a spicy stew, and restrictions on bushmeat consumption are now contributing to food shortages in parts of West Africa, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute.

Hunting and butchering bats may be risky but cooking is thought to make them safe. The World Health Organisation advises animals should be handled with “gloves and other appropriate protective clothing” and meat should be “thoroughly cooked”.

“In the long run it would be sensible to see people moving away from hunting bats but in the short term they provide an important source of food,” said Rowcliffe of ZSL.

“Essentially, wild meat is a good, healthy product. People in Britain eat venison and rabbit, and in many ways it's no different to that.” - Reuters

Source : Iol

Dhaka district map

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 17:43:00 +0000

Maps of Bogra district

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Map of Habiganj

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 16:46:00 +0000

Habiganj most complex maps of Habiganj road map satellite view, navigation

bangladeshi hot actress

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 17:24:00 +0000

Bangladeshi hot actress

Bangladeshi Girls Photo is a Awesome Photos And Wallpapers Sharing place where you get Biography, Girls Bangladesh Sexy Young Hot Actress

Potrika Bangla Newspaper

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 16:45:00 +0000

Potrika Bangla Newspaper

Meet the new Guinness record holders

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 16:38:00 +0000

Meet the new Guinness record holders

Afp, London

A 12-year-old Indian rollerskating fanatic and a skateboarding goat were among the record-breakers who made it into the 2014 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, released on Thursday.
Schoolboy Rohan Kokane, from the western Indian city of Belgaum, won his place in the famous book as the Lowest Limbo Skater, rollerskating beneath a height of just 25 centimetres (10 inches) over a distance of 10 metres (33 feet).
The 12-year-old, the only member of his family who skates, said he hoped his place in the Guinness World Records would “bring great prestige to my country”.
A Puerto Rican chihuahua called Milly was honoured as the world’s smallest dog, coming in at just 9.65 centimetres tall, while Happie the American goat skateboarded her way to glory by gliding 36 metres in 25 seconds.
A German woman, Julia Plecher, was listed as the fastest person to run 100 metres in high heels — crossing the line in just 14.531 seconds.
Six times bigger than a normal motorbike, a five-tonne vehicle made by Italy’s Fabio Reggiani was officially named the world’s largest rideable motorcycle — while at the other end of the spectrum, Austin Coulson of the United States had the smallest car at just 126.47 centimetres long.

Catalans form vast human chain

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Catalans form vast human chain

Afp, Barcelona

Catalans massed in a vast human chain stretching hundreds of kilometres along the Mediterranean coast on Wednesday, demanding independence from Spain in the face of fierce opposition from the national government.
Proud of their Catalan language and culture, but suffering now in a recession, many of the 7.5 million people in debt-laden Catalonia say they feel short-changed by the central government which redistributes their taxes.
The timing was a reference to the year 1714, the date of the military defeat which for many Catalan nationalists marked the beginning of oppression by the Spanish state.

US strike would up-end world order

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 16:29:00 +0000

US strike would up-end world order

Says Putin; holds rebels responsible for chemical attack

Afp, Washington
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday warned that unilateral US military action could unleash chaos as the former Cold War rivals discussed a plan to neutralize Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.
In a bid to appeal directly to US voters and policy-makers over the head of President Barack Obama, Kremlin leader Putin penned a commentary in the New York Times.
Putin welcomed Washington’s willingness to engage with the Moscow initiative, but he rebuked Obama for his previous threat to launch US military strikes to punish Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
He warned that carrying out such a move without the approval of the United Nations Security Council, where Moscow wields a veto, would destroy the credibility of the world body.
“No-one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage,” he said, referring to the United Nations’ failed inter-war predecessor.
“A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism,” Putin wrote, in a piece that emphasized that many of the rebels ranged against Assad have ties to al-Qaeda.
“It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa,” he continued.
“It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance,” he said.
Russia is a traditional ally of Assad, and Moscow has blocked any attempt to sanction his regime through the United Nations during Syria’s bloody two-and-a-half year civil war.
Despite deep skepticism about both Russia and Syria’s sincerity, Obama agreed to examine the plan.
In an address to the American people on Tuesday he postponed, but did not withdraw, the threat of military action and ordered Kerry to meet Lavrov and work on the details.
“Judging by the statements of President Obama, the United States sees this as an alternative to military action,” Putin wrote.
“I welcome the president’s interest in continuing the dialogue with Russia on Syria. We must work together to keep this hope alive.”
However Putin demonstrated the gulf that exists between the United States and Russia by saying the strikes were probably carried out by Syrian rebels rather than Assad’s forces.
“No one doubts that poison gas was used in Syria,” Putin wrote.
“But there is every reason to believe it was not used by the Syrian Army but by opposition forces to provoke intervention by their powerful foreign patrons…”

I nearly died: Stephen Hawking

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:40:00 +0000

I nearly died: Stephen Hawking

Pti, London

Famed UK physicist Stephen Hawking had come so close to death while writing his bestseller ‘A Brief History of Time’ in 1985 that his doctors offered to switch off his life-support machine, it has emerged.
The 71-year-old genius scientist reveals in a new documentary film that he was so close to death that doctors had offered his wife the chance to turn off the life support, in order to end his agony, after he contracted a chest infection in Switzerland that turned into pneumonia.
At the time Hawking was writing his bestseller ‘A Brief History of Time’, ‘The Sunday Times’ reported.
“It was very serious and I was put into a drug-induced coma and then on a life-support machine. The doctors thought I was so far gone that they offered (his first wife) Jane [the option] to turn off the machine,” Hawking said.
The award-winning scientist has suffered from motor neurone disease for five decades — a condition that kills most victims in five years, the report said.
In the documentary, which will be released later this year, his ex-wife and the mother of his three children talks about the breakdown of their marriage in graphic terms. The film provides candid insights into Hawking’s life, from his childhood to the constant possibility of death. The scientist even wonders aloud in the film if “I am more famous for my wheelchair and disabilities than my discoveries”.

World’s most inventive city

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:36:00 +0000

World’s most inventive city

Afp, Eindhoven

From cancer-busting ultrasound techniques to ways to boost vitamins in tomatoes, Dutch tech-hub Eindhoven’s avalanche of patents has just earned it the crown of “most inventive city in the world.”
Despite the Dutch economy hobbling through its third recession since 2009, this southern city of around 750,000 has become a beacon of high-tech hope and is even compared to Silicon Valley in the United States.
With 22.6 patents filed for every 10,000 residents, US-based Forbes magazine this month named Eindhoven the world’s most inventive city.
Using a commonly-used metric for mapping innovation, called ‘patent intensity’, Forbes based its award on statistics from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)

Israel cabinet okays Palestine prisoner release

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:36:00 +0000

Israel cabinet okays Palestine prisoner release

Afp, Jerusalem

The government yesterday approved the contentious release of long-serving Palestinian and Israeli Arab prisoners, reportedly including some with Israeli blood on their hands, to coincide with renewed peace talks, public radio said.
It said the 22-member cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to free prisoners by a vote of 13 in favour, seven against and two abstentions.
In an open letter published on his official Facebook site Saturday, Netanyahu said he had agreed “to free 104 Palestinians in stages, after the start of negotiations and according to progress” and that he would seek cabinet endorsement.
His office said in a statement yesterday that the cabinet also approved peace talks with the Palestinians brokered by the United States but without elaborating where or when.
The statement, however, did not announce that a prisoner release had been approved, only mentioning the formation of a committee on the issue.
A Palestinian official told AFP on Saturday that peace talks, stalled since September 2010, would open in Washington on Tuesday.
The chief Palestinian negotiator lauded the Israeli vote on prisoners.
While the names of the prisoners have yet to be officially published, or even revealed to ministers, they reportedly include militants convicted of killing Israeli women and children or of killing Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel.

UN chief to review Syria chemical arms accord

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:35:00 +0000

UN chief to review Syria chemical arms accord

Afp, United Nations

UN leader Ban Ki-moon will review an accord struck with Syria on investigating the use of chemical weapons before any details are announced, a spokeswoman said Saturday.
Ban will meet in New York Monday with one of the two envoys who struck the accord, United Nations spokeswoman Morana Song told AFP.
The UN and the Syrian government said in a joint statement late Friday that agreement had been reached “on the way forward” in the probe, following a visit to Damascus by Ake Sellstrom, head of the UN inspectors, and Angela Kane, the UN disarmament envoy.
The statement did not say whether UN inspectors would be allowed into Syria as Ban has demanded.
Ban was to meet yesterday in New York with the two envoys who struck the accord, spokeswoman Morana Song told AFP.
The UN says it has been given reports of 13 chemical weapons attacks during the 28-month-old conflict that has claimed more than 100,000 lives.
The United States and other countries say they believe sarin and other banned chemicals have been use in “limited” quantities.
Britain, France and the United States say all the attacks were carried out by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. But Russia, Assad’s main ally, says its inquiry found opposition rebels used sarin gas in Khan al-Assal.
On the ground, at least 29 people, mostly children, died in a regime missile strike on the Syrian city of Aleppo, a watchdog said Saturday, as Hezbollah-backed regime forces advanced in flashpoint Homs.
A militant group said the toll could rise as rescue operations were still underway on Saturday.

Keep it simple

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 16:35:00 +0000

Keep it simple

Pope urges church to reach out to the poor

The Guardian Online

Catholic pilgrims attending World Youth Day crowd at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro yesterday after spending the night sleeping here following a prayer vigil headed by Pope Francis, inset. Photo: AFP

Pope Francis drew hundreds of thousands of flag-waving faithful to Rio’s Copacabana beach on Saturday for the final evening of World Youth Day, hours after he chastised the Brazilian church for failing to stem the “exodus” of Catholics to evangelical congregations.
Francis headed into the final hours of his first international trip riding a remarkable wave of popularity.
In the longest and most important speech of his four-month pontificate, Francis took a direct swipe at the “intellectual” message of the church that so characterised the pontificate of his predecessor, Benedict XVI. Speaking to Brazil’s bishops, he said ordinary Catholics didn’t understand such lofty ideas and needed to hear the simpler message of love, forgiveness and mercy that he said was at the core of the Catholic faith.
“At times we lose people because they don’t understand what we are saying, because we have forgotten the language of simplicity and import an intellectualism foreign to our people,” he said. “Without the grammar of simplicity, the church loses the very conditions which make it possible to fish for God in the deep waters of his mystery.”
Francis asked bishops to reflect on why hundreds of thousands of Catholics had left the church for Protestant and Pentecostal congregations that have grown exponentially in recent decades, particularly in Brazil’s slums or favelas, where their charismatic message and nuts-and-bolts advice has been welcomed.
Francis offered a breathtakingly blunt list of explanations for the “exodus.” “Perhaps the church appeared too weak, perhaps too distant from their needs, perhaps too poor to respond to their concerns, perhaps too cold, perhaps too caught up with itself, perhaps a prisoner of its own rigid formulas,” he said.

Death toll hits 15 in Indonesia

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 07:33:00 +0000

Death toll hits 15 in Indonesia

Afp, Cianjur

The death toll after a boat carrying some 200 asylum-seekers bound for Australia capsized has risen to 15, rescuers said yesterday, adding they did not know if any passengers were still missing.
Three days after the boat sank in the seas off Indonesia, rescue operation chief Rochmali, who goes by one name, said it was “unlikely” any more survivors would be found, as weather conditions deteriorated with strong winds and waves hampering the search.
“We don’t know the exact number of people who were onboard. It’s possible they’re all accounted for, but we’ve sent a helicopter out anyway to scan the sea,” Rochmali told AFP.
Among the 15 dead are six children, including an 18-month-old baby, and a pregnant woman, Rochmali said.
Police are questioning the asylum-seekers, which include Iranians and Sri Lankans. Some have been handed over to immigration officials and are staying in hotels in West Java’s Sukabumi city.
Australian authorities alerted Indonesia of the incident Tuesday evening, just days after Canberra announced that asylum-seekers who arrive by boat would no longer be resettled in Australia even if they secure refugee status.
An AFP reporter who spoke to survivors on Wednesday said one group of 38, including women and children, had swum in darkness for up to four hours in high seas to reach the shore Tuesday night.

Manmohan repeats old pledges

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 07:31:00 +0000

Manmohan repeats old pledges

Gives no specific timeframe for Teesta agreement; BJP support for land boundary deal unlikely

Pallab Bhattacharya, New Delhi

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni calls on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the latter’s office in New Delhi yesterday. Photo: PID

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday assured that India would do nothing to harm Bangladesh’s interests on the issue of waters, but gave no indication when the much-expected Teesta water-sharing deal would be signed.
The assurance came when visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni called on him at his official residence in the afternoon.
Manmohan also said he intended to take the bilateral Land Boundary Agreement to parliament for approval, but senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley in a meeting with Dipu Moni in the evening did not give any categorical assurance that his party would support this agreement.
Implementation of the land boundary deal by India depends on approval by its parliament with two-thirds majority, for which BJP’s support is essential.
The Indian constitution has to be amended before signing the deal, as it envisages swapping of land spread over 161 adversely-held enclaves by India and Bangladesh.
India’s ruling Congress-led UPA lacks two-thirds majority on its own in either House of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
BJP, as also Asom Gono Parishad, a political party of Assam and BJP’s ally, has been opposing the land boundary agreement on the grounds that India will be conceding more territory to Bangladesh than getting from it.
During the nearly 40-minute meeting that began at 1:00pm, Manmohan told Dipu Moni that his government was seeking a national consensus on the Teesta water-sharing issue.
Sources said Manmohan reiterated to Dipu Moni India’s vision on water resources and asserted nothing inimical to Bangladesh’s interests would be done.
Manmohan added that water continued to flow to Bangladesh and data-sharing in this regard was also taking place regularly, the sources said.
A proposed deal on Teesta water-sharing was held up by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in September, 2011 when she opposed it at the eleventh hour and pulled out of the Indian prime minister’s entourage to Dhaka on an official visit.
Asked if Jaitley gave any categorical assurance to her about BJP backing the land boundary agreement, Dipu Moni told reporters that the BJP leader told her that he would consult his party colleagues and firm up a response.
Replying to a question about land boundary agreement, she, however, said: “I thought I have got a very positive response from both the Indian prime minister and the BJP leader.”
Asked again specifically about Jaitley, she said: “I thought his response was very positive.”
Dipu Moni said the Indian PM conveyed to her that New Delhi was “totally committed” to implementing all the decisions taken during the visits of the two prime ministers in the last four and a half years.
“He [Manmohan] has assured that India will not do anything to harm the interests of Bangladesh,” she said.
She added the two countries had brought to near-completion the Teesta water-sharing and land boundary agreements and that they were now waiting for results.
Replying to a question about BJP’s stand on the land boundary deal, she said, “Sometimes domestic political compulsion does not allow one to see the larger picture. But I think that across the board, all political parties in India should support the land boundary agreement.
“We must be able to resolve these two issues and put them behind us. We now have a good opportunity to do so and it will be good not only for India and Bangladesh but for the entire neighbourhood.”
Manmohan suggested that Bangladesh join as a stakeholder in the Tipaimukh multipurpose project in northeastern state of Manipur surrounding which there has been widespread concern about the possible effect on water flow downstream, Indian official sources said.
The sources added that during the meeting, Manmohan underlined that India-Bangladesh trade had grown impressively and that exports by both countries to each other had risen significantly.
Exports from Bangladesh to India last year stood at $565 million, the highest ever to India.
In the meeting, there was recognition of cooperation in power sector, and by September 2013, 500 MW of power would be flowing to Bangladesh with inter-grid connectivity, the sources said.
India’s state-owned National Thermal Power Corporation-assisted power project in Khulna would be initiated by September, 2013, they added.
There was also discussion on Indian financial assistance to Bangladesh. It was noted that the $1 billion Line of Credit by India to Bangladesh had been flowing in a satisfactory manner, including the $200 million grant of which $150 million has already been provided to Bangladesh.

US House votes to continue NSA’s phone surveillance

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 16:08:00 +0000

US House votes to continue NSA’s phone surveillance

BBC Online

The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to continue collecting data on US phone calls, in the first legislative move on the programme.
In a 205-217 vote, lawmakers rejected an effort to restrict the National Security Agency’s (NSA) ability to collect electronic information.
The NSA’s chief had lobbied strongly against the proposed measure.
The vote saw an unusual coalition of conservatives and liberal Democrats join forces against the programme.
The details of the NSA dragnet were made public by Edward Snowden, a former contractor for America’s electronic spying agency. He is now a fugitive, seeking asylum in Moscow.
The rejected amendment would have blocked funding for the NSA programme which gathers details of every call made by or to a US phone, unless the records were part of a specific investigation.
It was introduced by Michigan Republican Justin Amash, who warned during Wednesday’s debate that the proposal’s critics would “use the same tactic every government throughout history has used to justify its violation of rights: fear.
“They’ll tell you that the government must violate the rights of the American people to protect us against those who hate our freedom.”
Despite the White House’s lobbying against the amendment, a majority of House Democrats – 111 – voted for it. Eighty-three Democrats voted against.
Among Republicans, 94 voted for the Amash amendment and 134 against.
‘We’ve gone overboard’
Before Wednesday’s vote there were fierce exchanges on the House floor during what was the first sustained legislative debate on the NSA’s reach since Mr Snowden’s revelations.
“We’ve really gone overboard on the security side,” said Democratic Representative Peter Welch of the surveillance, which is part of a classified $30bn (£19.5bn) intelligence budget.

Syria death toll above 100,000

noreply@blogger.com (Digital Marketing in Bangladesh) — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 16:07:00 +0000

‘Syria death toll above 100,000′

Afp, United Nations

More than 100,000 people have now been killed in the Syria civil war, UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Thursday as he appealed for new efforts to convene a peace conference.
The UN chief and US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters before talks at the UN headquarters that there could be no military solution to the 28-month-old conflict.
While Syrian activists say the death toll is well over 100,000, the UN had been more cautious. One month ago it said about 93,000 had died.
But on Thursday, Ban said: “More than 100,000 people have been killed, millions of people have either been displaced or become refugees in neighboring countries.
“We have to bring this to an end. The military and violent actions must be stopped by both parties, and it is thus imperative to have a peace conference in Geneva as soon as possible.”
The United States and Russia vowed in May to press for a follow up to a peace conference held in Geneva last year, which set out a transition plan.
However, divisions between Syrian opposition groups and diplomatic hurdles thrown up by President Bashar al-Assad’s government have blocked efforts to call a new meeting.
Syrian National Coalition president Ahmad Jarba is in New York on Thursday and was to hold talks with Kerry ahead of a meeting with UN Security Council envoys on Friday.
Kerry said there are “enormous levels of suffering, suffering that is growing by the day, which requires all of us to work even harder to try to bring about peace negotiations.”
He added: “There is no military solution to Syria, there is only a political solution. That will require leadership in order to bring people to the table.”