News for Innovation

World latest news from bdnews24,com

2009-02-03T00:15:00.000+06:00

Find the latest news........................................http://bdnews24.com........Find Bangladeshi news on the latest one............now visit..bdnews24.com.....

Download Free ringtones,themes,wellpaper, and more mobile content from zedge...

2009-02-02T23:49:00.003+06:00

Free Download content for mobile from zedge.net...... its so easy to download your needed content......Go to http://www.zedge.com and when the page open then write your model of your mobile phone and use the help of this site..... Then you can easily download your needed mobile contents...... All are free for you.....

A albam comming.....(Shonno Theke Shonno)

2009-02-01T00:09:00.003+06:00

Here This song on the link or login to http://www.faisalergan.com/

Shunno theke shunno ( Faisal)

2009-02-01T00:03:00.002+06:00

About song

Bashanta:
Written on 1st Falgun of 2001 by me, later Bappi khan changed some words.
The piano composition and programming took me a lot of time. Drums piano, strings, acoustic bass was programmed also. Electric guitar was used for the solo.

cholachi
One day Juice vai called me and said he was sad and down for some reason. I told him to come to my house. We sang for an hour or so and it made him very happy then suddenly he told me that he wrote a song while he was in USA. I was surprised to see that a man who doesn’t play any instrument can make such a song. I said to him I want to sing it and he said “it’s yours”
the composition is vary basic with a constant drum and bass pattern running with two acoustic guitars one electric guitar and an organ sounding keyboard. Ripon vai helped with the bass and whistle composition.

Megh.

I and Joy were out on a long drive in late 2002. It was around 3 o’clock in the morning. Suddenly he was altering some lines which caught my attention. I said lets add some more lines and make it into a song. He is a natural and in an instant he gave me 8 lines. I made the tune right then. He was supposed to write me the total lyrics which he never did (of course he is busy with acting). After two years I had decided to record this song and wrote the rest of the lyrics by myself.
The composition idea was to play only acoustic guitar. But my hands are not sweated for this kind of guitar playing. I was looking for someone with soft hands. When I approached shanto vai he agreed. I just gave him the idea of what I wanted. He did the rest. So it can be said that the music was composed by him.

Poth:

I meet bappi vai at trimatrik. He is one of the greatest lyricist bangle band music ever had. We became good friend. One day in my small balcony he was sitting down (very narrow place) watching late night rain. He wrote poth.
I took my guitar and made the tune
The tune of this song is a bit different then all the other songs in the album, it has a bit of Indian touch in it. My friend manab da had a tenor banjo (he plays it as good as his mandolin). I brought that instrument home and started experimenting. I didn’t even know how that instrument was tuned. So just tuned two strings (my own tune). When I found the desired solo I found that tabla goes well with the banjo. I know nothing about tabla bol, called my friend sazal. He gave me hundreds of bols, it took us 4 hours to finalize that simple tabla bol. Sazal also sang the vocal improvisations.

Akash.

It was the Eid day 2000. shafi gave me the lyrics of akash. When I read the lyrics I thought of a man going ebbrace death. Lived it and at that night I tuned that song.
The composition of this song is very special to me and I took me the longest time to compose. All the instruments of this song seem to be going in a separate ways. Shohan vai played the bass. It was funny because I was making the bass sounds with my voice and he plucked the strings with his fingers. I wonder if he would ever be able to play this again.

Priotoma.

Arif wrote the lyrics in February 2002. He was only 17 years old. I made the tune the same night.
Chayan played the piano with his triton LE keyboard. It took him 4 weeks. He doesn’t paly that much now. It was my brain and his hands, amazing combination in the end. It’s my favorite composition.

Dhaka

Shams has been writing lyrics for quite a ling time. But none of his lyrics caught my attention though they were good. In 2007 he returned from peace keeping mission and stayed with me overnight. He wrote Dhaka and I loved it. I tuned the song right then. The next day I asked him for another verse and he sent it through SMS.

Programming the piano was very difficult for me because I decided not to use any other instrument. The piano had to sound like a complete orchestra. Though it sounds very simple.

Ekta shomoy pore

This song was written in 1998 based of the love story of one of my friends. Playing the guitar was a big challenge for me. Thanks to step recording.

Praner shohor.

I miss my home town. I wrote basically what I and my friends did at Comilla.
Very simple composition, two acoustic guitars and some back pipe and orchestra sound (ofcourse programmed) was used.

Sesh kotha.

This is also based on a friends love story. Wrote that song in 2003. The total composition was programmed. Drums, a little bass piano, organ and strings.

Chitkar.

I wrote this song in 1999. Played the electric guitar only. The drums and the bass were programmed.

A new albam Comming from Singer FAISAL......(About ME)

2009-01-31T23:57:00.003+06:00

I grew up like any other small town boy reluctantly listening to mostly Indian music on tape and Bangla film music on the radio. I didn’t like those kinds of music back then but later I realized that those were some of the best musics ever made.

I don’t remember whether I was 12 or 13 years old; I heard Warfaze and suddenly my interest in music started to grow. Then bands like Winning, LRB, Feelings, and Rock Strata came and delighted mewith their distortion guitar. Just after SSC I was introduced to Heavy Metal music by one of my cousins. It was Iron Maiden’s ‘Fear of the dark’. I didn’t like the noisy music in the beginning but in a month I discovered that Rock was my kind of music. And when I saw Slash on MTVfor the first time I said to myself “this is what I want to be”. It didn’t take too long to understood that it takes a lifetime to become a good musician.

In late 1996 I brought home a guitar with 800 taka. I was happy with that and played that all day and all night.

In 1997 I wrote my first song.

In 1998 I joined a local band called 'Flame' as a rhythm guitarist and side vocal. We only did cover songs. Over the time I felt that I am not learning anything by playing in the band and left in 2000. At the sametime I became more interested in songwriting, so virtually stopped practicing the guitar and devoted myself in listening to various kinds of music very carefully, trying to understand the compositions.

In 2001I recorded a song with my 133 MHz pc. I was able to program almost all the music by myself. The computer was painfully slow and took a lot of time and effort. That composition turned out nice in the end(at least to me) and probably I got the confidence which I had been looking for.

I came to Dhaka to try my ability in late 2001. Trimatrik (Pvt.) Ltd.gave me a chance to make music for a TV commercial. The first work Idid was Shahara City. Then came the animated URO cola, “Dekho DekhoShobai Dakho”, it was a big hit. After that I made many jingles and some of those did well. I had to take a regular job because money was a bigfactor back then (and of course still today). At the same time I slowly started buying home studio equipments. I was working almost 16 hours aday, both in my daytime job and at night making music. I started recording and programming music in my own studio. At the end of 2007 the tracks were ready. It took me a longer time because I had to do everything from playing/programing instruments to recording by myself.

I never had the opportunity to learn music from any teacher or institution. Whenever I see a musician or listen to some music, I try to learn at least something, so I have to say all the musicians I listen to are my teachers. Still my most favorite teachers are my ears. I am still learning to trust my ears and everyday discovering new things about music. Books and the web are also helping me a lot.

I am a terrible singer. When I wrote those songs I didn’t think that I would have to sing also. When I started recording the vocals I was a bit scared with the way it sounded. So I had to stop and started working with my vocal skills for the first time in my life. In the beginning I was frustrated and thought it would never sound good. But then thanks to the internet, I found some tips and tricks, and learned a bit to hide my weaknesses to some extent.

Here I am singing in front of you.

Chittagong Stock Exchange

2009-01-29T22:15:00.001+06:00

Bangladesh has two Stock Exchanges, Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), established in 1954 where trading is conducted by Computerized Automated Trading System and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), established in 1995 which is also conducted by Computerized Automated Trading System . All exchanges are self-regulated, private sector entities which must have their operating rules approved by the SEC.

PROCEDURE WITH REGARD TO TRANSFER OF SHARES
• Transfer of shares, is one of the most important right, of a member. Even Articles of Association, of a company, cannot take away this right, although it can place certain restrictions on transfer of shares.
• One of the common restriction on transfer in a private company is the pre-emption clause which states that the intending transfer, must first after the shares to the existing members of the company, so long as a member can be found to purchase them at a fair price.
• Transfer of shares, involves, two types of transaction, namely :
-Buying of shares, i.e. transferee
-Selling of shares, i.e. transferor
BUYING OF SHARES
1. Shares may be brought directly, from the seller, or through a broker. Generally, shares are brought, through a broker in stock exchange, as it is not possible for buyer and seller to come in direct content, because of voluminous trading.

Thus the first method is locate a broker.
2. Then, the buyer gives all the details to the broker, regarding :
- the name of company of which he wants to buy shares,
- maximum price at which he is willing to buy ,
- Commission to be paid to broker and any advance money.
- Number of shares to be purchased.

All these are negotiable, as the buyer may change his opinion, on an advice given by broker.
3. Then, the broker, will hunt for the shares, the buyer wants to buy, at quoted price. The buying may take place on the trading floor of stock exchange, or at any other place. Once the order is fulfilled, broker will send a "contact rate" to the buyer, containing details and specifications.
4. Share certificates will be received by the broker, through clearing house of the stock exchange, or directly from the selling broker. This certificate will be duly accompanied by a transfer deed signed by transferor, and stamped, and authenticated by a witness.
5. When, the share certificate is delivered to the buyer; he will pay the balance money (purchase consideration) to the broker.
6. If buyer wants to retain the shares, he will then fill up the transfer deed, stamp them properly, and shall lodge the share certificates and transfer deeds with the company.
7. Finally after scrutinizing, the transfer deed, and share certificate, the company will register the name of transferee in register of members, as a member. On completion of this, the transferee acquires the status of member.
8. A buyer who does not wish to retain the shares, and wants to sell them further, may ask for a "Blank Transfer form" from the transfer, which will not have name a of transferee. This enables the buyer to further sell it. This practice is common to stock exchange.
SELLING OF SHARES
1. The seller may directly sell the shares, to a buyer, but here also, it is generally preferred to image services of broker.
2. An Order , i.e. "Sale order" will be placed, alongwith:-
- Share Certificate
- Transfer deed, and
- Details like minimum price etc.
3. On receiving, all such things, the broker will hunt for a buyer, and strike the deal over the trading floor of stock exchange or at any other place.
4. Once the negotiations are complete, broker will hand over the share certificate, and transfer form to the buyer, and take the payment.
5. Finally, the payment will be handed over to the seller, after deducting commission.

If, seller was a member of the company, his name will be struck off, from the register of member, once; company receives the share certificates and transfer forms.
Suggestion

Export Processing Zones ( EPZ)

2009-01-29T22:11:00.000+06:00

In order to stimulate rapid economic growth of the country, particularly through industrialization, the government has adopted an 'Open Door Policy' to attract foreign investment to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) is the official organ of the government to promote, attract and facilitate foreign investment in the Export Processing Zones.
The primary objective of an EPZ is to provide special areas where potential investors would find a congenial investment climate, free from cumbersome procedures. Two EPZs, one in Chittagong and the other near Dhaka are now operational.
Objectives:
1. Promotion of foreign (FDI) & local investment
2. Diversification of export
Promotion of export
3. Dev. OF backward & forward linkages
4. Generation of employment
5. Transfer of technology
6. Up gradation of skill
7. Development of management
8. Promotion of int'l marketing skill / access

Prologue
In order to stimulate rapid economic growth of the country, particularly through industrialization, the government has adopted an 'Open Door Policy' to attract foreign investment to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) is the official organ of the government to promote, attract and facilitate foreign investment in the Export Processing Zones. The primary objective of an EPZ is to provide special areas where potential investors would find a congenial investment climate, free from cumbersome procedures. We have six EPZs in Bangladesh. At the moment five of them are in operation and another [EPZ Ishwardi] is in the implementation stage. These are:
1. EPZ-Chittagong
2. EPZ-Dhaka
3. EPZ-Mongla
4. EPZ-Ishwardi
5. EPZ-Comilla
6. EPZ-Uttara
7. EPZ-Adamjee
8. EPZ-Karnaphuli

Export Promotion Bureau EPB

2009-01-29T22:10:00.000+06:00

• A National Export Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Commerce;
• Reorganized by the promulgation of a Presidential Ordinance in 1977 as a semi autonomous body;
• Promote export trade and improve plan & policies helpful to the private sector ;
• Administered by a Board of Management (BOM) comprising members from both public & private sectors.
• Honorable Minister for Commerce is the ex-officio Chairman ; and
• The Vice-Chairman is the chief executive of the Export Promotion Bureau.
WHAT IS THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF EPB
Export Promotion Bureau functions with its Head Office in Dhaka. It has 3 regional offices in Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi. In addition, there are 3 branch offices at Sylhet, Comilla and Narayangonj.
1. The Head Office of EPB consists of the following Divisions/Cell :
(i) Policy and Planning Division.
(ii) Commodities Development Division.
(iii) Information Division.
(iv) Fairs and Display Division.
(v) Administration and Finance Division.
(vi) Textile Cell.
2. In addition, one more Division and a Cell have been created through in house arrangement. These are:
(i) Statistics and Research Division.
(ii) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cell.

The Board of Investment (BOI)

2009-01-29T22:08:00.000+06:00

The Board of Investment (BOI) was established by the Investment Board Act of 1989 to promote and facilitate investment in the private sector both from domestic and overseas sources with a view to contribute to the socio-economic development of Bangladesh. It is headed by the Prime Minister and is a part of the Prime Minister's Office. Its membership includes representatives (at the highest level) of the relevant ministries - industry, finance, planning, textiles, et.al. - as well as others, such as the Governor of Bangladesh Bank, heads of some business associations. The Operation Head and CEO of BOI is the Executive Chairman.

Major Functions of BOI include:
• Providing necessary facilities and assistance in the establishment of industries.
• Implementing investment related GOB policies.
• Preparing investment schedule.
• Registering private sector industrial projects; and
• Identifying competitive investment sectors and facilitating investment by providing information and services.

Suggestion For BBA student

2009-01-29T22:05:00.000+06:00

1. Company-Definition, Types, Formation, Methods of Winding-up, Differences between Private and public limited company
2. Prospectus-definition, objectives
3. Memorandum of Association and Article of Association-Definition and contents
4. Cooperative society-definition, types and principles, Advantages and disadvantages.
5. Types of share capital and different kinds of share, which is the best type of share? Differences between share and debenture.
6. Import and export procedure
7. Middlemen in international trade
8. Barriers of international trade
9. Balance of trade and balance of payment
10. Shipping and non-shipping documents
11. Letter of credit-definition and types
12. Social responsibility-definition, Arguments for and against social responsibility, social responsibility towards investors, customers, employees and competitors
13. Improving business ethics
14. Short notes:
• EPZ,
• EPB,
• BOI,
• Chittagong Stock exchange

Typing lesson. Easy for all bangalis

2009-01-25T13:31:00.003+06:00

ALL IN ONE MESSENGER

2009-01-25T03:24:00.002+06:00

Digsby is a great messenger.

If you use digsby you can log in Yahoo,google,hotmail,live,in, mail at a time and you can also sign up on some social submitter search as facebook,twitter,mypeace,in mail etc

when you use it its so easy to chatting with others. So download digsby messenger from http://digsby.com or go to http://www.google.com and write one in all messenger or digsby messenger and download digsby for your pc.

A picture of a email lottary notifications.....

2009-01-25T03:16:00.002+06:00

keep away from this mail notifications.................

Flag this message Letter From Honda Company London Winning Notification (You haveWon our 2009 Lottery).

2009-01-25T03:09:00.001+06:00

Flag this message
Letter From Honda Company London Winning Notification (You haveWon our 2009 Lottery).

HONDA LOTTERY PROMOTION
Welcome to the official site of the Honda Seasons Promotions.
Our New Year online Consumers Lottery Promotions 2009.

Honda Motor Europe Limited T/A Honda (UK)
470 London Road, Slough, Berkshire, SL3 8QY.
Company number: 857969
Registered in England and Wales.

Ref: 475061725
Batch: 7056490902 / 188

Happy New Year!

Dear winner,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

WINNING NOTIFICATION
We happily announce to you the draw of our (New year) Honda Lottery Promotions held on 24th January, 2009 at our Lotto Draw Headquarters ; London, United Kingdom & nbsp; organized by Honda Company. This is to inform you that your e-mail address has selected as of the lucky winners among eight lucky winners to received our year 2008 lottery promotion online prize won amount of ( GBP 1,000,000.00 One Million British Pounds Sterling) each winner.

TO CLAIM YOUR LOTTERY PRIZE:
Simply contact our Customer Service Information Headquarters (CSIH
Department),

Mrs Susan Gray @
E-mail:(susan.grayoffice@ yahoo.co.uk)

PLEASE SEND THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO THE CLAIM AGENT
Send these following information to the CSIH Department immediately for
further procession.

1 Full Name: .............................. ..........................
2 Cell phone:........................ .............................. ...
or Telephone:.................... .............................. ......
3 Contact Address .............................. ..................
4 Date of birth .............................. ........................
5 Age .............................. .............................. ......
6 Occupation.................... .............................. ......
7 Sex........................... .............................. ...... .....
8 Marital Status........................ ...........................
9 Country of Origin........................ ...........................
10Bank Account Information................... ..............

For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by non-participant or unofficial personnel.

Congratulations once again on your winnings!!!

Yours in service,
Prof. Wilcox Bruce

HONDA NOTIFICATION OFFICE
for your claim of lottery fund won with your email address kindly contact our
Agent claim office @ (susan.grayoffice@yahoo.co.uk ) with the required
informations, see the instructions at the body of this notification.

Dear visitor If you find that kind of mail on your email address, please ignore this or send report on spam. Or dell it from your mail box............

YOU HAVE WON US$1,000,000 !! CONTACT OUR AGENT FOR YOUR PAYMENT

2009-01-25T02:54:00.004+06:00

Sometimes you see some notification when you open your email address. Search as MANY KINDS OF LOTTERY NOTIFICATIONS. There use some condition and its make one greedy. I give there some such example below.

YOU HAVE WON US$1,000,000 !! CONTACT OUR AGENT FOR YOUR PAYMENT

REF: 435062725
BATCH: 7050470902/189
WINNING NO: GB8101/LPRC

Dear Winner,

We are delighted to inform you of your prize which was released on the 21st of January 2009, from the Australia International Online Lottery Promo, which is fully based on an Electronic Selection of winners using their e-mail addresses from some sites.

Your email address was attached to Ticket Number; 4700172507056490102 and Serial Number 7741134002.

All participants were selected through a Computer Balloting System drawn from Nine Hundred Thousand E-mail Addresses from Canada,Australia, United States,Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our International Promotion Program which is conducted annually.

This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have an operational base.

Furthermore, your details (e-mail address) fall within our European Representative Office in Amsterdam, Holland as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of US$1,000,000.00 will be released to you from our Regional Office in West Africa.

To claim your prize, please contact our Claim Agent

Name: Reverend Smith Martins

Email: rev_smithmatins@yahoo.it

TEL: +234 80 3525 6100

While contacting Reverend Smith Martins, furnish him with the information below for the immediate processing and payment of your prize.

FULL NAMES OF BENEFICIARY:
CONTACT ADDRESS:
NATIONALITY:
SEX:
AGE:
MARITAL STATUS:
TEL NO:
OCCUPATION:

For security reasons, you are advised to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you.This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by non-participants or unofficial personnel.

Note: All winnings MUST be claimed before the 31st of January 2009; otherwise all funds will be returned as unclaimed and eventually donated to Charity Organizations.

Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Kate Ross
Coordinator, Australian International Online Lottery Promo

another one

Flag this message
NEW YEAR PROMOTION 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009 12:50 PM
From:
"lawrdonline@libero.it"
Add sender to Contacts
To:
promo.winners@yahoo.com
THE INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS PROMOTION &

Internet Corporation Inc.

AUTHORIZED BY GMAIL, HOTMAIL & AOL, MICROSOFT.

REGISTERS {DIVIDEND & CLAIM DEPT}

22 Gaden close, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 2YP, War Wall London United Kingdom

TEL: +447031810690.

PRO - Number: 7181813-05

MOTTO: TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF COMPUTER.

ATTENTION: Beneficiary,

This is to inform you on the release of International Awareness & Internet
Corporate Promotion program held on the 20th of January 2009. Your email
address was entered as a dependent client with reference pro-number: 7181813-05
and the serial-number: 652-662 drew the ticket numbers: AG-5447443465L44 Batch
number: FA1305U-ID

Therefore you have been approved for a winning prize payment of $250, 000:00
(TWO HUNDRED & FIFTY THOUSAND UNITED STATE DOLLARS ONLY) cheque credited to
file numbers stated above. This prize is secured, bonded and protected by
strict insurance policy which makes it impossible to make any deduction before
prize is remitted to you, this is in accordance with article 22 sub sections
121 of the European and Asian gaming board adopted on 4 May 2006 and amended on
13 October 2006.

Due to this strict payment policy and to avoid (favoritism and embezzlement)
prize cannot be tampered until you received the whole approved money in your
possession.

Congratulations!

Note: you are responsible for the clearance & processing cost before prize
will be released to you.

All participated emails were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites
through a computer ballot system drawn from fifty thousand email addresses
world wide as part of our international internet promotions program to spread
the use of Internet and campaign against poverty worldwide. Your fund is
insured to the real value, deposited with insurance bond policy for your
payment.

Due to mixed up of names and addresses, we ask that you keep this promotion
prize away from public notice until your prize has been processed and your
funds remitted to you to secure prize and identity of the winner. This is part
of our precaution to avoid unwarranted interference or taking advantage of this
program by scammers.

Your payment number falls at Asia regional clearance office in Indonesia, in
view of this, your prize will be released from Indonesia.

To begin your claim, please file your true information stated below and send
immediately, email to clearance manager;

Email:(barr_mohammed_ahmed@hotmail.com)

BARR. MOHAMMED AHMED ESQ

MENARA ANSANA. 12 JL INDAH RAYA.
JATI NEGARA 11248,JAKARTA INDONESIA

TEL: +62--2199317900.

1 PRO No:-

2 FULL NAME:-

3 AGE:-

4 GENDER:-

5 JOB:-

6 EMAIL:-

7 TICKET NO: SERIAL NO: BATCH NO: REF NO:

8 TEL/MOBILE No:-

9 NATIONALITY/PRESENT LOCATION:-

10 DATE & TIME THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT TO YOU:-

To avoid complications, please make sure you keep contact only with the
approved clearance manager mentioned above any transaction you held with other
persons beside him is at your own risk and be aware that paying authority will
affect payment swiftly upon satisfactory report, verifications and validation
provided by the clearance office in accordance with policies of
organizers/European and Asian gaming board

NB: All prizes must be claimed before one month.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah jasmine PhD

(Promotion coordinator)

IMPORTANT NOTICE

All prize winners must abide by the rules & regulations of this program
before receiving prize in accordance with European/Asia gaming board.

© Copyright 2008-2009 internet promotion program. All rights reserved

When you read this mail into your in box then please ignore this or report on spam. If you complete the mail you fall in danger. In the first time they show some easy think to send you money. Then when you give them all your information than they calling you or tell you to send some money for having transfer your wining money. Its create more times from African any country. The funny think that they have no money to eat that how can they give us search kinds of money. how can it possible. Ok go away please to the reader of this article and please understand my word. If you dont understand please call me in my cell phone no +8801913623541 or emailing me nakib_ctg2007@yahoo.com...... To request to the people of the world that dont show greedy ness on this kinds of bad person.

1st Ever DayJobNuker Contest - Win A Million Dollar Wiki Page

2009-01-22T23:32:00.000+06:00

This will be an easy contest for you to enter and the winner will get my Million Dollar Wiki page that I have unfortunately done nothing with. The page is Dating Site and it ranks #8 of the most popular pages. Ranking #8 out of 1182 pages will get you some traffic by itself as people always want to look at the most popular pages to see what they look like. The hosting for that page and all other Wiki pages has already been paid for 14+ years and I paid $90.00 for the page. Hopefully, you can do something with this page to make you some money.

One-Millionth Stock Pick Kicks Off MSN Money Contest

2009-01-22T23:25:00.000+06:00

The Motley Fool and Microsoft Corp. today announced the one-millionth stock pick by Krishna Yalamanchi via The Motley Fool CAPS on MSN, a stock rating service and community site that allows users to trade stocks without using real money. In response to the increasing popularity of the CAPS stock rating services, MSN Money and The Motley Fool have also launched the MSN Money Stock Picks Contest, an online skill contest in which contestants are asked to create their own "fantasy" stock portfolios. The winners will be the three entrants who have achieved the greatest increase in their portfolio values as measured from Nov. 12, 2007, through Jan. 31, 2008. The grand prize winner will receive $2,500 cash; second prize winner will take home an Xbox 360 Elite system console; and third prize winner will get a Zune 80GB digital media player. More information about the contest is available at http://msncaps.fool.com/Contests.aspx.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO)

CAPS member Krishna Yalamanchi, who uses the screen name "krishnay," successfully picked IMAX Corp., an entertainment technology company, and predicted it would outperform the market. As of market close on Dec. 5, 2007, IMAX Corp. was outperforming the market. Yalamanchi will receive an X-Box 360 for the effort.

"I've been using the Motley Fool for over three years now," Yalamanchi said. "It takes a lot of discipline to understand the philosophy of buying and selling stocks, but thanks to Motley Fool CAPS on MSN, I was able to recognize, hold and profit using the service."

Motley Fool CAPS on MSN is one of the most popular services that rates stocks and tracks professional and individual investors to help provide market-beating investment ideas. Powered by a unique process, CAPS is a powerful yet easy-to-use research tool that harnesses investor sentiment and recommendations in real time, with more than 5,000 rated stocks generated from more than 1 million recommendations.

In May 2007 Microsoft and The Motley Fool joined forces to offer Motley Fool CAPS through MSN Money, combining the intelligence and resources of the MSN Money and Motley Fool communities to help people make more educated decisions in the stock market. The strategic alliance enables MSN Money and Microsoft Money users to get insights from the stock trading community and see how their picks perform compared with those of professional Wall Street analysts.

"We are very excited about the tremendous success of the CAPS stock rating service," said John Keeling, senior vice president of Fool.com. "Through our collaboration with MSN Money we are providing investors and consumers with the tools and content they need to make smart financial decisions."

"MSN Money is proud to provide its users with one of the first and best online stock rating services," said Chris Jolley, group manager of the Financial Product Group at Microsoft. "We are confident that the CAPS community will continue to grow and become more and more successful with its stock picks."

"We look forward to continuing the development of community-generated stock ratings with MSN," Keeling said. "In the year since the launch, we are pleased to see that CAPS four-star and five-star stocks are significantly outperforming the S&P 500, while one-star and two-star stocks are underperforming the market. MSN and The Motley Fool are committed to helping investors find better stocks."

Some interesting SMS.

2009-01-08T14:09:00.001+06:00

Title: HOME EARLY
1 day as I came home early from work, I saw a guy jogging naked. I said to the guy, 'Hey buddy, why are you doing that?' He said, 'Because you came home early.'

Title: NEVER LOSE ME!
We gain and lose things every day. But trust me on one thing: YOU WILL NEVER LOSE ME! I will always be there as a friend!

Title: BEST FREN
A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.

Title: SHOOTING STARS
The times we shared is like shooting star... the time is short but really beautiful moments.... Forever engraved in our hearts.... Friends forever~!!!

Quantum of Solace

2009-01-08T13:56:00.002+06:00

A great Hollywood Movie. " QUANTUM OF SOLACE" continues the high octane adventures of
James Bond (Daniel Craig)in "Casino Royale." Betrayed by Vesper,the woman he loved ,
007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal.pursuing his determination to uncover the truth,Bond.

The World famous SMS

2009-01-08T13:22:00.003+06:00

The most selfish 1 letter word is "I" ......
............................... Avoid it.
The most satisfying 2 letter word is "WE"....
...............................Use it..
The most poisonous 3 letter word is "EGO"
...............................Bill it.
The most used 4 letter word is "LOVE"...
...............................Value it..
The most pleasing 5 letter word is " SMILE "
............................... Keep it...
The most spreading 6 letter word is" RUMOUR"
...............................ignore it.
The most hard working 7 letter word is " SUCCESS"
...............................Achieve it.
The most enviable 8 letter word is " JEALOUSY"
...............................Distance it.
The most powerful 9 letter word is "KNOWLEDGE"
...............................Acquire it.
The most essential 10 letter word is " CONFIDENCE"
...............................Trust it.

A World of Crabs from One Tiny Island

2008-11-26T14:25:00.001+06:00

November 25, 2008--During the Santo 2006 biodiversity expedition, funded in part by the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration, scientists from all over the world collected some 10,000 different species in and around the remote South Pacific island of Espiritu Santo in the Republic of Vanuatu. (The National Geographic Society owns National Geographic News.)

About 600 of these were crab species. This two-horn box crab is able to crack and peel open snails' shells using a sharp "tooth" on its right claw to cut open shells and long, slender "fingers" on the left claw to yank out its prey. A glimpse of the island's astonishing diversity of crabs appears in the photos that follow.

Blockbuster takes on Netflix with new set-top box

2008-11-26T14:24:00.000+06:00

Blockbuster Inc on Monday said it would roll out a new digital media player that brings fewer, but more recent titles from the Internet to consumers' televisions than a six-month old offering from rival Netflix Inc.

The MediaPoint player by broadband device maker 2Wire allows Blockbuster customers to download high-definition quality movies to their TVs via broadband lines for $1.99 apiece, after an initial $99 for the box and 25 films.

Consumers have 30 days to watch a film once it is downloaded to the set-top box, and must finish watching it within 24 hours of pushing the "play" button.

The service, called Blockbuster OnDemand, can be ordered at www.blockbuster.com beginning on Tuesday.

Unlike Netflix's "Watch Instantly" feature, which streams movies to subscribers' TVs or personal computers, the Blockbuster on-demand service will be open to customers who do not subscribe to its DVD-by-mail service, Blockbuster Online.

Blockbuster Chairman and Chief Executive Jim Keyes said the company's longtime emphasis on new releases draws different consumers from Netflix subscribers, who are directed by its Web site to older catalog titles.

"Even though this is a very small market, the movies and the devices are the differentiators," Keyes said in an interview, noting that the entire video on demand market is currently about $1.5 billion.

The service is essentially a rebranding and expansion of Blockbuster's Movielink.com Web site, which offers about 10,000 on-demand movies for download to personal computers.

About 2,000 of those titles, such as recent DVD releases "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" and "Get Smart", can be downloaded to TVs via Blockbuster OnDemand, the company said.

After December 15, Movielink.com customers will be redirected to Blockbuster.com, according to a posting on Movielink.com.

Blockbuster also is pursuing deals to package the new service with Blu-Ray DVD players and is considering alliances with video game console makers, but is not ready to disclose the details, Keyes said.

Blockbuster has been playing catch-up to Netflix since it launched its online movie rental service in 2005, and has incurred huge costs to try to win part of the $2.2 billion online rental market.

In May, Netflix launched the $99 Roku set-top box, and followed that with partnerships with companies like TiVo Inc, Samsung , LG Electronics and Microsoft Corp to enable video from its "Watch Instantly" service be streamed to television.

The "Watch Instantly" Web streaming service has a library of more than 12,000 movies and TV episodes, mainly older titles, and is offered free to its more than 8 million subscribers.

Hurricanes Blow Away Bats, Spread Genes to New Islands

2008-11-26T14:22:00.001+06:00

Hurricanes may blow common fruit bats in the Caribbean (above, a colony roosting in a cave in Panama) from one island to another, eventually reconnecting geographically isolated species and boosting genetic diversity, according to new research released in November 2008.

ANALYSIS Telecom gear market faces crash landing in 2009

2008-11-26T14:20:00.001+06:00

The struggling wireless telecom gear market is facing a crash landing next year as operators cut spending in the midst of recession.

The telecom equipment market, worth $49 billion in 2007, has been struggling for years, roiled as low-price Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE aggressively entered the market.

But worse is to come.

No. 2 vendor Nokia Siemens has forecast a market fall next year, with analysts saying it could be sharp as new investments are likely to be cut first when operators around the world tighten their belts.

The companies have started to cut costs -- earlier this month Canada's Nortel said it would axe 1,300 jobs, and Nokia Siemens Networks is cutting another 1,820 jobs as the last part of its major cost-cutting program.

Vendors will also be scrutinizing their costs this year and next, trying to focus on the most promising technologies.

The largest vendor Ericsson has said its 2009 planning is based on expectations of a flat market, but stresses this is not the company's official forecast.

Analysts say the reality will be much grimmer.

"Wireless infrastructure investments could decline by 12 percent in 2009, due to a combination of emerging market slowdown and financing risks at carriers accounting for 25 percent of global wireless spending," Credit Suisse analyst Kulbinder Garcha said in a research note dated Nov 24.

Scott Siegler, analyst with U.S. research firm dell'Oro, said the economic situation was especially likely to hurt investments in 3G networks, which offer faster data speeds, with the total market falling "in the single digits" from 2008.

"We believe wireless has become a 'necessity' today, but add-on services like data packages are not," he said.

OPERATORS CALL

When consumer spending slows telecoms carriers focus more on cash generation -- one of the key attractions for investors as it underpins dividend payouts and share buybacks.

Many operators around the world, including Vodafone, the world's largest mobile group by sales, have said they plan to scrutinize costs and many say they will cut investments.

"For operators it's the easiest option to delay investments. They will wait -- postpone investments and make only the ones they have to do," said Hannu Rauhala, analyst with Pohjola Bank in Helsinki.
"I don't expect to see any major investments in Europe in early 2009," Rauhala said.

The only large investments are likely to come from emerging markets, but the already fierce competition for those -- usually low-margin deals -- is set increase further.

And with many emerging market currencies losing value against the U.S. dollar and the euro, the cost of imported goods to these markets is set to increase.

Last week, Brazilian mobile phone companies went as far as asking the government to postpone payment on taxes and recently acquired operating licenses in order to meet investment plans in the face of tighter credit conditions.

An industry source said most networks in Brazil are at straining with a lack of capacity and operators are requesting faster rollouts from gear makers.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS?

After operators have recovered from the crisis -- whether in 2009, 2010 or 2011 -- rising data traffic is the key opportunity for the industry to return to growth.

The increasing use of services such as television over the Internet is expected to increase data traffic 100-fold in the next 5-10 years, Nokia Siemens has forecast.

A shortage of capacity is also set to hurt operators in developed markets who have sold packages enabling mobile log-on to the internet from laptops, generating massive traffic especially from those on monthly payment plans.

"We are seeing a real explosion in data traffic in many mature markets and that, coupled with voice traffic growth in emerging markets, means that network spend cannot be deferred too much," said analyst Phil Kendall from Strategy Analytics

Israelis develop software to improve your looks

2008-11-26T14:19:00.001+06:00

Want to optimize your looks without radically altering them? An Israeli team of computer scientists may have the answer.

They have developed a computer software model based on the innate preferences that studies show we have for human faces.
"This technology could become a product where for example there's a web service where people upload their photographs and have them enhanced or beautified by our software," said Professor Dani Lischinksi of Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Studies show that eyes a certain shape and distance apart, nose a certain length, lips a certain curve, increase the probability that we will find one face more attractive than another.

"We were able to fit a mathematical model to this set of data that we've gathered, namely the images that we showed to people and their responses in terms of the beauty scores that they chose to give to each image," said Lischinksi.

The team then applied the model to modify images so as to make them appear more attractive. They are now exploring a variety of potential commercial applications for the software, Lischinski said.
"This is something we're looking into," he said. It remains to be seen whether women would simply use the improved image as a guide to more effective makeup application or whether people take it to a plastic surgeon and say: "Make me look like that."

SUBTLE SHIFTS

The results can be striking. The photographed face of one conventionally pretty woman processed by what some Israeli media dubbed "the beauty machine" became clearly more beautiful.
Crucially, the software did not attempt to correct the very slight crookedness in her nose, so she was unmistakably the same person but subtly enhanced to great effect.

The aim is not a world "where everybody looks the same or everybody looks like a Hollywood star or a supermodel. What our program tries to do is to improve the perceived attractiveness of the face but in a manner that tries to change as little as possible," said the professor.

The Israeli scientists say they are well aware of the adage that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"I think obviously the original faces have more. They represent the true character of that face and when we modify the image some of that character might go away. This is one possible criticism," Lischinksi said.

So far, the model simply presents the optimized version of a face which could be used as a photograph -- if the owner was prepared to disappoint in any real-life encounter.

Some of those asked did not prefer the "improved" looks of movie stars, for example. "I think a lot of it has to do with familiarity," Lischinski said.

But if the face is anonymous, the modified version is strongly preferred, the team's trials have shown.

A random trial among Jerusalem women was inconclusive.
One woman said she would not use the program "because then you see yourself in the perfect light and no one is perfect... It's impossible and it's unethical and it will just make you upset."

The software also demands high-quality photographs taken head-on. Blurred images or tilted chins defeat it. Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa loses her enigmatic smile and appears horribly distorted, her lips like those of a cartoon witch.

Mobile apps find a home on touchscreen devices

2008-11-26T14:18:00.001+06:00

Touchscreen phone users are discovering that much of the fun in their devices stems from applications -- those little nuggets of convenience, amusement and distraction available for download on the slightest whim.

A good example is Google Inc's newly updated Mobile App for Apple Inc's iPhone, which has been generating a lot of buzz for one main reason: voice search.

Want to find the nearest pizza place, showtimes for the James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace," or the latest Bruce Springsteen video? Google voice search is uncannily accurate.

But it has obvious limitations, particularly with names. Say "Barack Obama" and you get a full page of data. Try "Emile Zatopek," the famed Czech distance runner? Forget about it.

Of course, there are many applications available for download on all sorts of mobile phones, but touchscreen devices have emerged as consumer favorites.

While the mobile app race is still in its infancy, the iPhone is already well ahead of rivals such as Research in Motion Ltd's BlackBerry and T-Mobile's G1, which features Google's Android operating system.

But competition is going to get more intense. RIM's touch-screen Storm was launched last week, although its app store won't open until next year. The Android app store opened for business last month but so far hasn't generated nearly the momentum of the iPhone app store, which went live in July.

In the first two months, iPhone users downloaded 100 million apps, choosing from among thousands of options. The programs, the vast majority offered by third-party developers under the watchful eye of Apple, run the gamut from utterly frivolous time-wasters to the surprisingly useful.

In addition, many handy iPhone apps are available for free, not a small consideration in these troubled economic times.

FOR FOODIES, ECO-CONSCIOUS, MUSIC LOVERS

The free Shazam mobile app is now available on the Android platform, following its successful debut on the iPhone. The program has developed a devoted following among music lovers as it seeks to solve the age-old question: "What is the name of that song?"

If you hear a song playing -- on the radio, or blasting from a car stereo -- and want to know more, launch Shazam and the program will capture the song, check it against its database and display the song information.

Another popular free app for the iPhone is offered by UrbanSpoon, which features user-generated restaurant reviews, but with a twist. If you feel like trying something new, just punch in your criteria, shake your iPhone, and UrbanSpoon will pick a restaurant for you.

The clever interface looks like a slot machine, and is a good way to break out of a food rut.

Ever been at the supermarket and found yourself wondering how safe or green a certain product might be? The free GoodGuide app -- still an iPhone-only offering -- features ratings on more than 60,000 household and personal use products.

Just punch in the product name and GoodGuide gives you a ranking based on environmental safety, impact and labor policy.

Consumers can expect to see many more mobile apps in the coming months, as the sheer creativity of small, third-party software developers should keep the market buzzing for some time

Khaleda buys form for Bogra-6

2008-11-26T14:16:00.001+06:00

Nomination form for BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for Bogra-6 constituency was collected on Wednesday by Bogra district BNP president Rezaul Karim Badsha.

"The inhabitants of this Bogra seat had voted for [Khaleda] in the last election. They want to see her victorious this time too. So the nomination form for her has been bought again," Badsha said to reporters.

Rizvi Ahmed, BNP office secretary, said, "Khaleda is supposed to run from two more seats in the upcoming polls."

"Nominations forms may be collected and deposited until 10pm Wednesday. Interviewing the candidates is due to start at 8am on Thursday," he told bdnews24.com.

More than 1,600 nomination forms were sold until 10pm Tuesday after the BNP central office started selling nomination forms in the morning, he said.

Former Dhaka mayor Abul Hasnat bought nomination form for Dhaka-7, former minister M Shamsul Islam Munshiganj-2 and Dhaka city BNP general secretary Abdus Salam for Kishoreganj-2 in the morning.

Giant Prehistoric Fish Rebounding in Canada

2008-11-17T14:34:00.002+06:00

November 13, 2008

This is the eighth story in an award-winning, continuing series on the Megafishes Project. Join National Geographic News on the trail with project leader Zeb Hogan as he tracks down the world's largest freshwater fishes.

When dozens of white sturgeon began washing up dead on the banks of British Columbia's Fraser River in the mid-1990s, some feared that North America's largest freshwater fish could be headed toward extinction.
Once plentiful in the river, the sturgeon population had dropped below 40,000, and scientists were unable to explain the die-offs of mostly female fish.

That's when an alliance of government agencies, environmentalists, aboriginal groups, and commercial and recreational fishers came together to save the sturgeon, spurring a robust recovery of the lower Fraser River population.

Recent estimates show the population has increased to about 50,000 fish.

To Zeb Hogan, who leads National Geographic's Megafishes Project and has studied the sturgeon, it's a rare success story. (Learn about the world's gargantuan freshwater fish.)

"Worldwide, most species of large freshwater fish are in danger of going extinct in the near future," said Hogan, a National Geographic emerging explorer. (The National Geographic Society operates National Geographic News.)

"The white sturgeon seems to have avoided the fate of species like the Chinese paddlefish of the Yangtze River and the critically endangered giant catfish of the Mekong River."

(Related: "World's Largest Catfish Species Threatened by Dam" [April 8, 2008].)

But Hogan points out that collaborative conservation programs, such as the one in Canada, would be hard to implement in other parts of the world.

For example "in the Mekong River [in southeast Asia] you have six different countries and their governments, 60 million fishermen, scientists, tourists, all of these different groups," he said.

Healthiest Population The conservation movement is the brainchild of Rick Hansen, a paraplegic athlete and Canadian national hero who became famous for his 1980s "Man in Motion" tour, during which he traveled around the world by wheelchair.

"There was a lack of knowledge of what was happening with the fish," said Hansen, who founded the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society in 1997."We wanted people to volunteer to go out on the river and give them the capacity to tag and then release the fish, and have that volunteer effort be connected to first-class science."

During the conservation effort, the aboriginal peoples of Canada, which call themselves First Nations, ordered a stop to harvest fishing of the sturgeon. Strict catch-and-release regulations for sport fishers were imposed.

A government-research program also led to a volunteer tagging effort of some 35,000 sturgeon—though it's still unknown what caused the die-off.

Today, the lower part of the 870-mile (1,375-kilometer) Fraser River, which flows unimpeded through British Columbia and into the Pacific Ocean at Vancouver, is home to the only white sturgeon population in the world that is entirely wild.

That's because the fish, which are highly migratory, can move and spawn freely throughout their life cycles.

"It's our healthiest population in the province, though it continues to face a lot of pressure from urbanization and habitat degradation," said Steve McAdam, a fisheries biologist with the British Columbia Ministry of Environment in Vancouver.

White sturgeon in three other British Columbia rivers—Columbia, Nechako, and Kootenay—aren't as lucky, and were added to Canada's endangered species list in 2006.

Birdlike Dinosaur Eggs Found

2008-11-17T14:30:00.001+06:00

November 14, 2008—If it looks like a duck-billed dinosaur nest, it's probably from a duck-bill—unless it's a newly identified clutch of fossilized eggs from a private collection in Calgary, Canada.

The eggs, originally found in Montana in the 1990s, actually belong to a carnivorous dinosaur—either a creature related to the fearsome velociraptor (seen above, top left) or a birdlike, upright-walking dinosaur called a caenganathid (top right), a new study says.

Nests for neither of the predators have never been found, making the discovery a major one, according to University of Calgary paleontologist Darla Zelenitsky, who led the study in the journal Paleontology.

When Zelenitsky and colleagues first examined the eggs, they noticed some irregularities that did not point to plant-eating duck-bills, which are not directly related to birds. (See a duck-bill illustration.)

For one, the ancient parents left their eggs open to the elements, probably so the creatures could brood their young as a bird would. The eggs were also pointed, like bird eggs.

(Related: "Dinosaurs Were Doting Parents, Fossil Find Suggests" [September 8, 2004].)

The nest is also the first to be found that preserves the mound (above, bottom) on which the eggs were laid, added Zelenitsky

MANAGEMENT EDUCATION IN BANGLADESH

2008-11-17T14:05:00.004+06:00

The major force for unlocking the forces of economic growth is a stock of skilled manpower.

*The status of Bangladesh in the global economy is likely to be more important in future. Goldman Sachs (2006) stresses the importance of Asian countries in both its "BRIC" list[Brazil,Russia,India,and China} And also its list of the nex-11" [Bangladesh,Egypt,Indonesia,Iran,Korea,Pakistan,Mexico,Nigeria,Philippines,Turkey and Vietnam}
*Whatever economic development has taken place in Bangladesh during the last four decades has has been due to the skilled and knowledgeable manpower.
*Despite, Bangladesh still lacks the educational and training facilities for the proper development of professionally trained executives.
*Management education has remained very much traditional and restricted to campus centric educational institution-both public and private universities.

Lecture by: DR. Mohammed Shamsul Chy
Associate professor, Touro college, NY
Delivered at IIUC, Bangladesh.

IMPACT OF HIGHER MANAGEMENT IN GLOBALIZATION

2008-11-17T13:48:00.001+06:00

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2008-11-17T13:33:00.000+06:00

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How do I get more visitors to my blog?

2008-11-17T13:26:00.000+06:00

A frequently asked question I see here at 'Blogger Help Group' is how do I get more visitors to my blog?

Here are some suggestions for attracting visitors.

• Submit your site to various free blog directories. A comprehensive list of directories can be found at: Robin Good's - Best Blog Directory and RSS Submission Sites. http://www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55/.
• Join social networking sites like mybloglog.com
• Join a bookmarking site like stumbleupon.com and Install their toolbar.
• Join a blogging forum and become an active participant in the forum.
• Write articles and submit them to article directories. Arcanweb.com provides a complete list of article directories sorted by page rank that you can submit to.
• Leave comments on other blogs. To find other blogs on blogger see "How do I find other blogs to read on Blogger?"
• Interact with bloggers who leave comments on your blog by replying to those comments.
• Acknowledge other bloggers by linking to their blog.
• Keep an eye on your inbound links.
• Participate in Memes. Visit the Daily Meme to see a list of memes that you can participate in each day.
• Encourage comments on your blog by installing the top commenter widget on your blog.
For more blogging tips visit Blogger Talk Blog Community.

© Rose DesRochers. Please do not reprint on your blog without the written permission of Rose DesRochers

Obama as role model for black youth? Not so fast

2008-11-17T13:20:00.000+06:00

The election of the first black president in US history should send a powerful signal to young black Americans: If Barack Obama made it, so can you.

But some African Americans living in inner city Atlanta said that while Obama is a role model his life appeared so far removed from their own struggles that it was difficult to see how they could use it to spur their own success.

Others said that even something as momentous as Obama's election would not make it easy to acquire the self-belief that they needed to move forward.

"If Barack has made it into office there is no excuse to say that America is racist because he has proved that you can do something," said Lebron Cook, 22, who registered for the first time to vote for Obama on Nov. 4.

Cook said he wanted to be a successful rapper and admired Jay-Z because he had made a transition from music stardom to corporate power. As an alternative Cook said he would also like to train as a pharmacist.

His dreams, though, looked tough to attain. After leaving school, Cook became homeless for several months and worked in what he described as a series of dead-end, low-paying jobs.

His father and other family members were in an out of jail and he is staying at a relative's home in the Bankhead neighborhood of Atlanta, where he said other young people sold drugs for a living.

"Drugs are everywhere," he said, adding that he lived on about $20 a week.

Cook's story typifies the obstacles faced by many young African Americans in inner cities. Poor schools, families that are often in disarray, drugs and violence impede success.

More than 20 percent of all black men born from 1965 through 1969 served time in prison by the time they reached their early 30s, said a study published in the American Sociological Association journal in 2006.

That figure soared for young blacks who had not been to college. By comparison, less than 3 percent of white men born in the same time period had been to jail, said the study.

"The only way that he (Obama) can make a substantial change is if he addresses things like poverty and joblessness and those deep pervasive factors that affect black boys and men," said film maker Byron Hurt.

IMAGE MATTERS

Hurt's latest film, "Barack and Curtis", is a 10-minute documentary released on the internet that compares the image projected by Obama with the image of Curtis Jackson, who is better known as the rapper 50 Cent.

The movie argues that Obama's image, as an educated, family man is a stark contrast with that of 50 Cent, who made an album called "The Massacre" and is famous in part for having been shot nine times in a gang-related incident.

Even though Obama's election was not a panacea for black men, the importance of the example he sets could not be underestimated, Hurt said in an interview.

"The boost that he has given black men is more symbolic than anything else," said Hurt. "But I don't want to undervalue symbolism and image. When I see images of Barack Obama in a baseball hat taking his daughters to school ... that is a powerful image."

Many black Americans said the election result overturned so many deeply held beliefs about the way America perceived its black minority, which makes up around 13 percent of the population, that it would take time to digest its impact.

But one immediate effect might be to make education and college seem a more viable option for African American young people, said Carla Stokes, founder of a group that works with black teenagers.

"He (Obama) has opened up the door to young black Americans to think that they can be something other than a musician or a sports star," said Stokes, president of Helping Our Teen Girls, a non-profit organization.

NOT WAITING

During the campaign, Obama repeatedly told black audiences about the importance of education, parental responsibility and homework, drawing frequent applause.

Jerrone Strickland, who goes by the name 'Lil Bankhead, said that while he supported Obama and saw him as a symbol of success he did not need him or anyone else to provide motivation for his dream of a career in the music industry.

Bankhead, a D.J. on the V-103 urban music station in Atlanta, said he networked relentlessly, made personal sacrifices and had worked long days and nights to teach himself the skills he needed for his career.

Self promotion and making the right contacts were paramount, he said, adding that a key role model was 50 Cent because he had made it as a rapper, crossed over into mainstream business and still remained true to his roots on the street.

"They (his black friends) can't sit back and say only a white man can be president. You can be anything you want to be -- don't let anybody tell you you can't," Bankhead said.

New Pyramid Found in Egypt: 4,300-Year-Old Queen's Tomb

2008-11-14T03:48:00.001+06:00

A new pyramid has been discovered deep beneath Egyptian sands, archaeologists announced today.

The 4,300-year-old monument is believed to be the tomb of Queen Sesheshet, the mother of Pharaoh Teti, the founder ancient Egypt's 6th dynasty.

Once nearly five stories tall, the pyramid—or at least what remains of it—lay beneath 23 feet (7 meters) of sand.

The discovery is the third known subsidiary, or satellite, pyramid to the tomb of Teti. It's also the second pyramid found this year in Saqqara, an ancient royal burial complex near current-day Cairo.

(See "'Lost' Pyramid Found Buried in Egypt" [June 5, 2008].)

"I always say you never know what the sands of Egypt might hide," said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).

"This might be the most complete subsidiary pyramid ever found at Saqqara," added Hawass, who is also a National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence. (The National Geographic Society owns National Geographic News.)

Surprise in the Sand

Archaeologists also found remnants of a white limestone casing for the surviving, 16-foot-tall (5-meter-tall) pyramid base. The angle of the base helped them determine that the pyramid's walls stood at a 51-degree angle.

Based on that angle, the team determined that the pyramid was originally 46 feet (14 meters) tall and about 72 feet (22 meters) square at its base.

The researchers were somewhat surprised to find a pyramid at the Teti site, since they thought the area had been thoroughly searched. Archaeologists had already found subsidiary pyramids for Teti's two principal wives Iput I and Khuit, about a hundred years ago and in 1994, respectively. Teams have been digging in the area for more than 20 years.

"One hundred years ago they used to take sand and put it in unexcavated areas," Hawass said."The archaeologists in the past used this area as a location for the sand. No one could think there is anything here."

Tomb robbers, however, had known the pyramid was there—archaeologists found that a shaft had been created to allow access to Sesheshet's funerary chamber.

Due to those assumed tomb raids, archaeologists don't expect to find Sesheshet's mummy when they reach the burial chamber weeks from now. But they do anticipate finding inscriptions about the queen, whose name, perhaps coincidentally, evokes the goddess of history and writing, Seshat.

Mother Love

Starting from the 4th dynasty (2616 to 2494 B.C.), pharaohs often built pyramids for their wives and mothers.

"Mothers were revered in ancient Egypt," said Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, who was not involved in the discovery.

"Building pyramids for one's mother in her dead state … was fairly emphasized in the whole vision of kingship that the ancient Egyptians had," Ikram said.

"That was something that was instituted during [a pharaoh's] lifetime and was a very public way of expressing his debt to her, his connection to her, and her importance in Egypt politically and as a symbol for kingship."

Sesheshet's son Teti might have been more motivated than the average pharaoh to pay homage to his mother. Sesheshet had come from a powerful family and probably supported his ascendancy to the throne during turmoil at the end of the 5th dynasty.

"She's one of the important ladies at that time," said Hakim Haddad, general director of excavations in Egypt.

"At the end of the 5th dynasty and the beginning of the 6th dynasty, there was a conflict between two branches of the royal families."

The American University's Ikram added, "I assume Teti thought it would be a good plan to make his mother a pyramid."

Regardless of Teti's motivations, SCA director Hawass says the newfound pyramid is special because of its association with a female ruler.

"You can discover a tomb or a statue, but to discover a pyramid it makes you happy. And a pyramid of a queen—queens have magic."

PHOTOS: New Deep-Sea Species Revealed by Marine Census

2008-11-14T03:45:00.001+06:00

This blind lobster represents just one of the 5,300 likely new marine species identified over the last eight years by the Census of Marine Life.

The Census is a ten-year effort among marine biologists around the world to catalog and understand ocean life. Scientists from more than 80 countries have two more years to examine and document the 95 percent of Earth's oceans that remain relatively unexplored. Their comprehensive report is due in 2010.

The new lobster belongs to a rare genus--Thaumastochelopsis--of which there were previously only four known specimens of two Australian species. The exaggerated claw, or cheliped, is likely used to defend itself in skirmishes with other crustaceans.

Captaincy is a spark: Ganguly

2008-11-14T03:18:00.001+06:00

Speaking after his final day of international cricket, Sourav Ganguly has said his most significant contribution was to raise the image of Indian cricket by building a team that was competitive overseas.

"During the phase from 2000 to 2005 [when he was captain], and it's still going on now, Indian cricket's image has gone up immensely, especially while touring," Ganguly said. "We were always termed as soft when we travelled. I think that has changed considerably. At the present moment India are a formidable side home and away.

"I was lucky to have Sachin [Tendulkar], Rahul [Dravid], VVS Laxman, Anil [Kumble], [Virender] Sehwag and Harbhajan [Singh] probably playing their best cricket at that stage. We've always been a strong team at home. The overseas results I'll always cherish."

Under Ganguly's captaincy, which began in November 2000, India won 11 Tests overseas including matches in Sri Lanka, West Indies, England, Australia and Pakistan. India's success abroad has continued even after Ganguly's tenure ended but he felt that the challenge for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team now would be to continue winning after the retirements of key players. However, he felt Dhoni would be up to the task.

"Captaincy is a spark, it's not just preparation or the homework, it's about the spark on the field, which MS [Dhoni] has," Ganguly said. "He's got that extra bit of luck which you require in captaincy. I have never believed too much in the drawing board. I see a lot of that in MS Dhoni. He doesn't believe much in team meetings and all. He just does what he sees on the field. He will be tested when India goes overseas and I'm sure he will live up to it."

There was a lovely moment during the final passage of the Nagpur Test when Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Ganguly for some time. It was a magnificent gesture and fittingly, it was exactly eight years to the day since Ganguly had begun his tenure as captain in 2005.

"I didn't expect MS to ask me to captain the side for five overs," Ganguly said. "I was already switched off, so he woke me up. I didn't know what was happening the first six seven balls. Luckily they were nine down so I managed to do it for three and then said it's his job, not mine any more."

Ganguly had been under tremendous scrutiny before the start of this series and his place in the squad was uncertain after he was left out of the Rest of India squad for the Irani Trophy. However, he was named in the 15-man squad and he announced his retirement before the series began. Ganguly made valuable contributions during his final series, steering India to safety in Bangalore, scoring a century in Mohali, and 85 in the first innings of the Nagpur Test. He finished the series with 324 runs at an average of 54 and India regained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

"We've beaten the best team in the world 2-0," he said. "I've played well, the team's played well. There were lot of doubts after we came back from Sri Lanka. The way this Test match finished … it's probably one of the best finishes I've seen in terms of a team performance. I want to cherish this for a long period. I could easily sacrifice ten to 12 Tests for this."

When asked which of the numerous series that he's been involved in was the most memorable, Ganguly thought for a moment before picking out two of India's best moments in this century: the 2000-01 home victory against Australia and the drawn series in Australia in 2003-04.

Was he disappointed with his first-ball duck his final innings? "I was disappointed with the 85 I got," Ganguly said. "I was so close to getting a hundred. That was more disappointing than the first-ball duck."

Ganguly left a Test venue as an Indian cricketer for the final time on the shoulders of Harbhajan Singh and VVS Laxman but the dramatic scenes that played out after Kumble's announcement in Delhi were absent. "This is my time to leave," he said, and he went quietly.

Wall Streeters seek work while drowning sorrows

2008-11-14T03:15:00.001+06:00

As the financial crisis bites deeper, laid off Wall Street employees used to fielding calls from head-hunters or hearing of jobs through their contacts are searching for new ways to find work.

And sometimes they get to drown their miseries at the same time.

One such opportunity was a "Pink Slip Party" at a midtown Manhattan bar on Tuesday night which drew about 500 people who enjoyed cheap drinks, networking, and a chance to find a new job with the 25 recruiting firms that attended.

The cover price at the party, sponsored by theLadders.com, an online recruiting firm, and Wall Street blog Dealbreakers.com, was $20, or roughly what a employed Wall Streeter would normally drop for a midtown Manhattan martini.

About 13,000 Wall Street jobs have been cut this year and that number could swell to 35,000 by the time the crisis is over, the New York State Comptroller's office estimates.

At the Pink Slip Party Wall Street workers wore pink neon glow bracelets to show their unemployed status exchanged cards and resumes with recruiters. Many seemed resigned to a long and perhaps fruitless search.

"I'm getting interviews, but the feedback that you get is that they put (the job) on hold," said Dave Cerza, who was laid off from insurance and financial services company AXA in February after working there for eight years.

"A lot of these people that are in this room are not going to have jobs in this industry," said job-seeker Kevin McKiernan.

BE REASONABLE

Some of the largest firms on Wall Street have either collapsed or been restructured in the aftermath of the credit crisis that hit wall street earlier this year.

The 150-year-old investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection in mid-September and Bear Stearns, another large investment bank was sold to JP Morgan.

Jobs may now be in short supply but advice on how to find one was plentiful on Tuesday night. The consensus among recruiters: keep expectations in check.

"Be reasonable," advised Jack Roth, the managing partner of Distributed Technology Solutions, which specializes in technology jobs in financial services.

Flexibility is also important, recruiters said.

"A lot of people think, I'm going to get the same job I had. That's not necessarily true," said Richelle Konian, CEO of the recruiting firm Careers on the Move.

Some recruiters offered advice on dealing with the emotional frustration of getting the dreaded pink slip.

"Release your anger. Write an angry note to your boss, put it in an envelope and tear it up," said Lou Casale, vice president of corporate communications at TheLadders.com.

McKiernan has resigned himself to spending time with his family and working on his "bucket list" -- the list of things to do before he "kicks the bucket", or dies -- before looking in earnest next year when there may be more jobs open.

"Maybe I have to broaden my horizons to another industry," McKiernan said. "In the meantime, I'm jumping out of a plane."

Top newsmakers celebrate with bdnews24.com

2008-11-14T03:13:00.001+06:00

The second anniversary event of bdnews24.com was celebrated Thursday with top news makers joining the editor-in-chief on stage and the glittering event was webcast live to hundreds of thousands of viewers and readers countrywide and beyond.

The first-ever online newspaper of the country stepped into its third year on Oct. 23, celebrating the event at Radisson Water Garden Hotel.

"I don't think I'll live to see that day when every house will have internet and every child a personal computer. But the present government is serious about extending the internet to common people,' said finance adviser ABM Mirza Azizul Islam in his closing remarks onstage.

Agriculture adviser CS Karim, introducing tech.bdnews24.com onstage, said: "The next generation is the tech generation. The youth will be benefited from this site, and I wish them well."

Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed sent a message congratulating bdnews24.com on its second anniversary.

"Within a very short time it has been playing a crucial role in the free flow of information, which is a key pre-requisite for good governance."

The chief adviser hoped bdnews24.com would "continue to enlighten, entertain and empower new and emerging audiences in the digital age with with reliable information".

"Tonight we were supposed to have been joined by two of our most prominent and most popular political leaders of our time.

"The two former prime ministers, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, both have sent us their good wishes, to us at bdnews24.com and to you all," Toufique Imrose Khalidi, the editor-in-chief, said to the audience.

He, however, did not enlarge on their absence.

Khaleda, the BNP chairperson, in her message said: "I am aware that there are so many users of your unique service in Bangladesh and also in many countries of the world. They are getting fast and reliable news of Bangladesh from you.

"I know over the last two years the number of users of bdnews24.com has increased at a phenomenal rate, " the former prime minister added.

A similar message came from Hasina, the Awami League chief.

She commended bdnews24.com's way of doing journalism.

"You are changing the face of journalism in this country," Hasina said in a message.

Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda also congratulated bdnews24.com.

"bdnews24.com has done wonders in online journalism in the span of just two years," the CEC said in a message.

Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar wished the success of the anniversary programme and said, "I am confident that bdnews24.com will serve the nation by providing the latest news and views with proper and realistic approach and perspective."

"As we celebrate bdnews24.com, we celebrate the power of the Internet. When we celebrate the power of the Internet, we actually celebrate people power. Internet is free and accessible to all, rich and poor, weak and mighty," said Khalidi.

"And when top leaders of Bangladesh's 150 million people—leaders from all different fields—join us in this celebration, we get truly excited."

New websites for sports fans and youth were launched on the night, while pages on glitz, arts, take, cricket and kids were introduced.

Among the celebrities and guests present at the function included advisers, political leaders, diplomats, business personalities, IT innovators, poets, writers, artists and famous sportsmen.

The glittering event opened with the chief editor's speech followed by a short film on bdnews24.com's breaking role in online journalism in Bangladesh.

"The name and reputation [of bdnews24.com] as an online news provider has spread even further as a news institution," said former BBC journalist Ataus Samad on film.

The celebrations ended with CPB president Manzurul Ahsan Khan, AL leader Dr Dipu Moni, journalism professor AAMS Sarefin Siddique, DU vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz, former finance minister M Sayeduzzaman, former TIB chairman Prof Khan Sarwar Murshid, DUTA president Prof Sadrul Amin, JP presidium member GM Quader, BNP chairperson's adviser ASM Hannan Shah joining Khalidi on stage to cut the cake.

Those who attended the function include former ministers M Shamsul Islam, Dr Moin Khan and Dr Osman Farruk, former caretaker adviser Geeti Ara Safia Chowdhury, Barrister Rafiq-ul-Huq, Public Service Commission chairman Dr Sa'dat Hussain, Tax Ombudsman Khairuzzaman, chairman of the Energy Regulatory Commission Golam Rahman, telecommunication secretary Mahbubur Rahmman, home secretary Abdul Karim, expatriates' welfare and overseas employment secretary Abdul Matin Chowdhury, rural development and cooperative secretary ATM Fazlul Karim, commerce secretary Feroze Ahmed, energy secretary Md Mohsin, water resources secretary Md Ayub Mia, comptroller and auditor general Ataul Hakim, former foreign secretary Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, Russian ambassador Dr Gennady P Trotsenko, Iranian ambassador Hasan Farazandeh, deputy chief of the US embassy Geeta Pasi, Hevey Sernovitz of the American Centre, educationist Prof Khan Sarwar Murshid, poet Al Mahmud, Hasan Azizul Huq, Mutofa Monwar, CPB president Monjurul Ahsan and secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Huq Inu, FBCCI president Annisul Huq, BGMEA president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury, BKMEA president Fazlul Huq, business leader Mir Nasir Hossain, former president of ICC Mahbubur Rahman, journalists Shafik Rehman, Mozammel Hossain Monju, Sanaullah Lavlu, Azadi editor M A Malek, actress Dilara Zaman, actor Ali Zaker, singers Syed Abdul Hadi, Rizwana Chowdhury Banya and Nasim Ali Khan, activist Tarana Halim, Bangladesh Cricket Board official Gazi Ahsraf Hossain Lipu, former captain of Bangladesh Khaled Mashud and IT expert Mostafa Jabbar.

Online news agency BDNEWS started its journey in 2005. Its management changed in the mid-2006. bdnews24.com took flight on Oct. 23 in 2006.

Reaching news to the broadest spectrum of society, from policymakers to students, have never been easier thanks to as-it-happens voice updates, a range of SMS news alerts on mobile phones and on-site Internet radio.

In partnership with Reuters Thomson, the world's largest international multimedia news agency, it provides investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information.

Breaking newer grounds with cutting-edge technologies and ethical journalism, it reaches 100,000 unique readers, with nearly 90 million hits and 12 million pages viewed a month.

According to the September 2008 statistics, highest number of readers log on to bdnews24.com. Readers use no less than one lakh computers to surf the website and at least nine crore times every month. They browse some one crore 20 lakh pages on the site each month.

The country's first web-based 24-hour bilingual news provider is also the first to launch mobile and news-based WAP sites. It owns the first Bangla-language WAP site, with thousands reading bdnews24.com content on mobiles and PDAs. It has also rolled out internet radio, another first, in partnership with world-famous BBC, VOA and Deutsche Welle.

Saifur, Nizami, Mojahid sent to jail on surrender

2008-11-14T03:03:00.001+06:00

Jamaat men block road in front of special graft court for release of their leaders; next hearing in Barapukuria case tomorrow

A special court yesterday sent BNP leader M Saifur Rahman, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid to jail in Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

It rejected bail prayers of the three after they surrendered on directives from the High Court (HC).

Judge Amar Kumar Roy of the Special Court-2 said since the case is under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR), there is no scope for the accused to be granted bail.

The next hearing will be held tomorrow.

Nizami, also former industries minister, was the first to be at the courtroom. He showed up at 9:45am, followed by Mojahid at 10:00am and Saifur Rahman at 11:30am.

Saifur, also former finance minister, was taken there in a wheelchair.

Later, former state minister for energy and mineral resources AKM Mosharraf Hossain who surrendered in the case Sunday was produced.

Thousands of Jamaat leaders and workers gathered at the north entrance to the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex that houses the special courts set up to try graft cases.

They chanted slogans demanding release of their leaders.

Despite special security measures, the Jamaat activists blocked the road between Khamarbari and Bijoy Sarani intersections. They brought out processions and held a rally, causing huge tailbacks on the adjacent roads.

Saifur, Nizami and Mojahid were taken out of the court for Dhaka Central Jail at around 2:30pm.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on February 26 this year against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 15 others including 10 former ministers from BNP and Jamaat.

The charge is causing a loss of Tk 159 crore to the state exchequer by awarding a contract for Barapukuria coalmine operation to a Chinese company through abuse of power.

After the court sat at 12:40pm, counsels for the accused prayed for time and 'continuation of bail for their clients'.

They argued the proceedings should be adjourned until the HC rules on their petitions for quashment of the case.

As the judge asked Saifur's lawyer whether the ailing BNP leader had obtained bail from the higher court, he replied in the negative.

Abdur Razzak, counsel for Nizami, requested the court to uphold his client's bail, and said a prayer has already been submitted to the HC for bail extension.

Prosecution lawyer Mosharraf Hossain Kajal said the accused were not even on bail. The High Court on November 4 and 5 asked them to surrender to the trial court.

He said the accused did not seek bail by the time operation of the HC directives not to harass or arrest them till submission of police report ceased to be in force.

Besides, he said, the EPR does not provide for granting bail to the accused.

Mojahid's lawyers said the quashment petition will be heard tomorrow and they should be allowed time till then.

In response, the prosecution lawyer said he [Mojahid] is a lawbreaker. He did not surrender even after he was directed by the HC to do so.

After yesterday's proceedings, Nizami said if being a member of the purchase committee renders someone accused, no-one will want to be part of it[purchase committee].

The accused former ministers from BNP are Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, M Shamsul Islam, MK Anwar, Aminul Haque, Altaf Hossain Choudhury, and AKM Mosharraf Hossain. Mojahid and Nizami are accused ex-ministers from Jamaat.

The others charged are former acting secretary to energy and mineral resources Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla chairman SR Osmani, former Petrobangla director Mainul Ahsan, former managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) Sirajul Islam and Hosaf Group Chairman Moazzem Hossain.

LAWYERS' BRIEFING
Defence lawyer Abdur Razzak told reporters that they have accepted the decision, though they do not consider it fair.

He said Saifur is seriously ill and Nizami too is an aged person. Like co-accused Khaleda Zia, Altaf Hossain Choudhury and Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, they should also be allowed bail.

Razzak said they will go to the higher court.

Prosecution lawyer Kajal said the accused did not surrender in time.

JAMAAT'S RALLY
In protest at the court's decision, Jamaat leaders and activists held a rally at the north entrance to Sangsad Bhaban complex.

Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Saidee said by sending their leaders to jail the government has further diminished the prospect of a congenial atmosphere for the parliamentary election.

He said the four-party alliance will not participate in the election unless their seven-point demand is met and leaders released.

The rally ended at around 3:30pm.

Talking to the reporters, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman said the court's decision would have adverse effects on the upcoming election.

Next govt should recognise interim's work: AL

2008-11-09T17:55:00.000+06:00

Any party taking up the reins of government next must recognise the caretaker government and validate its work, said Awami League spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam on Sunday.

"The authority of the parliament of the next government itself will be questioned if it fails to validate the present caretaker government," he told reporters at his Nam flat residence in the morning.

Ashraful made the remarks after a meeting with Philip Burton, South Asia director of British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and British envoy Stephen Evans.

"We had a very interesting meeting," Evans said, introducing Philip Burton to reporters as they were leaving.

Burton said: "We all want that a free and fair election be held on December 18th."

He also expressed hope that the emergency would be lifted and all political parties would take part in the election.

Ashraful said they had explained the position of his party and also threw light on the party's post-election agenda during the meeting.

"We discussed the parliamentary polls and the post-election situation. The foreign envoys asked about our election stance and I said clearly that we must take part as the polls seem to be the only rational way out," said the AL spokesperson and joint general secretary.

"The diplomats were also assured that Awami League would officially recognise the laws passed and the reform activities undertaken by the caretaker government," he said.

"They also wanted to know if we apprehend any conflicts or clashes during the polls," said Ashraful.

"I've assured them that nothing of the sort will happen. We also spoke about the state of emergency."

He said Awami League wanted all parties to join the parliamentary elections.

bdnews24.com/sum/ff/wz/rah/1436hours

England were embarrassed in the finale of the Stanford Super Series as the Superstars team won by 10 wickets to pocket the $20m (£12.4m) prize fund.

2008-11-02T14:58:00.001+06:00

England were embarrassed in the finale of the Stanford Super Series as the Superstars team won by 10 wickets to pocket the $20m (£12.4m) prize fund.

England slumped to 33-4 and then 65-8 after 15 overs before Samit Patel's 22 took them to 99 in 19.5 overs, still easily their lowest Twenty20 total.

Superstars skipper Chris Gayle smashed England out of sight, striking five sixes in a devastating unbeaten 65.

He and Andre Fletcher (32 not out) took just 12.4 overs to bring home the cash.

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We made history - Gayle

The Superstars XI take home $1m each - with four of them winning the money despite neither batting nor bowling - but England's players go away with nothing after a difficult week.

The five remaining members of the winning Caribbean squad share $1m, with their back-room staff members pocketing $1m as well.

In addition, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the West Indies Cricket Board each receive $3.5m.

The tourists had actually begun reasonably brightly with the bat after Kevin Pietersen had won the toss. Matt Prior struck a couple of clean boundaries as he and Ian Bell steered the tourists to 19-0 after three overs.

606: DEBATE
India, with its passion for more traditional forms of cricket, provides a perfect opportunity for adjustment

BBC Sport's Oliver Brett
But Jerome Taylor bowled Bell with a fast and full delivery and two balls later Prior moved across his stumps, missed with his attempted swipe, and also had his stumps re-arranged.

Pietersen never got going, and the excellent Darren Sammy - an unsung seamer from St Lucia - flung himself onto his back in exultation after removing the England captain.

By then, Sammy had seen Owais Shah well caught at square leg off his bowling. And the wicket of Pietersen - almost a carbon copy of Prior's demise - left England in tatters at 33-5.

Kieron Pollard looked to be the weak link in the Superstars attack with his gentle medium pace. Flintoff possibly sensed that and connected cleanly with one rare boundary thumped down the ground.

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Pietersen blames defeat on distractions

He tried to do the same with the next ball, but a well-disguised slower ball did for him as he became the fourth of six England batsmen to be bowled.

All-rounders Paul Collingwood and Luke Wright were caught in the deep before Graeme Swann was bowled by spinner Sulieman Benn. Bankroller Sir Allen Stanford applauded each wicket with a beatific smile, though surely he would have hoped for a better contest than this.

It was a quiet evening for the England players' partners
When Patel was dropped on the boundary by Dave Mohammed off Pollard he had just five runs to his name but the let-off enabled him to hit the same bowler for two boundaries as England attempted a rally.

But he was run out in the penultimate over and Benn bowled last man Steve Harmison to finish with the wonderful figures of 3-16.

Superstars openers Gayle and Fletcher had to weather an impressive hostile opening over from Harmison.

But as soon as Fletcher hit three fours off Stuart Broad's first over it was plain-sailing, with two fours and two Gayle sixes fired off Harmison's third over - which rather made a mockery of any complaints about the pitch.

The celebrations were in full flow among the home supporters long before the finish - with occasional crescendos greeting each Gayle six.

He hit five in all, and appropriately the final one was the winning hit - deposited yards beyond the long-on fence - off England's best bowler, Flintoff.

Gayle's team-mates swarmed onto the pitch to congratulate him and his young partner, while Stanford also made his way out to the middle to join in the celebrations.

HC dismisses petitions; 'no bar to schedule'

2008-11-02T14:56:00.001+06:00

The High Court has dismissed three separate writ petitions challenging the Election Commission's gazette on the demarcation of parliamentary seats, which lawyers say clears the way for announcement of the election schedule.

The EC sat in an emergency meeting after the declaration of the verdict. The commission was originally set to declare the schedule on Nov 2 (Sunday), but was awaiting the High Court verdict.

Election commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain told bdnews24.com immediately after the ruling, and before entering the meeting: "We are relieved."

"The schedule will be announced any day this week."

The HC bench of justices Mir Hasmat Ali and Shamim Hasnain gave the verdict Sunday after concluding hearing of the petitions on Oct 30.

Shahdin Malik, lawyer for the EC, told bdnews24.com after the verdict that the court had ruled the commission's gazette legal.

On voters being listed before the redrawing of 133 out of 300 constituencies—one of the main objections of the petitioners—the court said that the one had no relation to the other.

The ruling meant that the EC had no impediment to declaring the election schedule, Malik said, adding that the commission could announce the schedule any time it wished.

Barrister ABM Nurul Islam, lawyer for the petitioners, also told bdnews24.com that the HC ruling meant the commission could declare the election schedule.

"But the decision whether we (the petitioners) will appeal against the verdict will be taken after discussions on the matter," he said.

The High Court stayed the effectiveness of the gazette on demarcation of 300 parliamentary constituencies—which redrew the boundaries of 133 seats—for three months, on Aug 7.

The stay order came on a petition filed by former BNP lawmaker Abdul Mannan, one of three filed on Aug 6 challenging the EC's gazette. All three petitions were heard by the High Court simultaneously.

The Election Commission primarily redrew the boundaries of 133 parliamentary seats on April 29. The gazette demarcating the boundaries of all 300 Jatiya Sangsad constituencies was published on July 10.

Myanmar enters disputed Bay waters

2008-11-02T14:53:00.000+06:00

Myanmar has begun oil and gas exploration activities in the disputed waters of the Bay of Bengal, prompting the Bangladesh Navy to send its vessels to the spot, foreign ministry officials have said.

"We have lodged a strong protest with the government of Myanmar for entry of its vessels into territorial waters of Bangladesh," foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told bdnews24.com Sunday.

"We summoned the Myanmar ambassador in Dhaka to hand over the protest letter," he said at his foreign ministry office.

Foreign secretary Md Touhid Hossain told bdnews24.com: "There may be this sort of incidence between neighbours. We want that the dispute can be resolved through dialogue as Bangladesh has very good relations with Myanmar."

Foreign ministry officials say Myanmar sent vessels and exploration equipment along with engineers within the past few days ago to carry out the exploration works, some 60 nautical miles off Saint Martin's Island.

One offiicial, not wanting to be named, said the Bangladesh Navy had reached the spot and "seen off the Myanmar vessels" late Saturday, but the vessels had returned on Sunday morning.

The area is claimed by both Bangladesh and Myanmar. But Myanmar has awarded a contract of exploration work to a South Korean company, ministry officials confirmed to bdnews24.com.

The foreign ministry has strongly protested the Myanmar action and urged Yangon to remove its vessels and all structures and equipment from the site until the sea border dispute is resolved.

The foreign secretary on Sunday summoned the Myanmar ambassador to Dhaka and handed over the protest letter.

"We have told the ambassador that his government will have to remove all structures and take their vessels back to their waters until the dispute is resolved," Touhid Hossain told bdnews24.com.

He said the exploration site is in a disputed area claimed by Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Additional foreign secretary MAK Mahmood, who led the Bangladesh-Myanmar maritime delimitation talks in Dhaka earlier this year, told bdnews24.com that Bangladesh would also press the South Koreas company not to conduct the exploration work in the disputed area.

"We are trying to find out the nationalities of the workers involved in the exploration works," he added.

He said Dhaka would also urge the governments of those workers to ward off their nationals from working in the disputed territory.

ALCWC to maintain associate organizations

2008-11-02T14:52:00.000+06:00

The Awami League central working committee (ALCWC) has decided to uphold "all the associate organisations" and overseas units of the party.

The CWC also demanded scrapping of two clauses of the Election Commission Act, giving the EC powers to cancel candidature and declaring utility bill defaulters unfit, the party's acting general secretary said Saturday.

"The powers of the EC to cancel candidature after the returning officer approves the nomination paper are not acceptable," Syed Ashraful Islam told a press conference after a meeting of the committee.

"This law has to be withdrawn."

He told a press conference that the CWC also wanted the forthcoming national elections to follow the previous demarcation of constituencies.

Adjourned till Monday morning, the meeting, held at the AL president's Dhanmondi office, was chaired by senior presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.

Presidium members Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Motia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim were among those present.

"A decision has been made to keep the party's associate orgnisations and overseas branches," the acting general secretary said.

Presidium member Tofail Ahmed will head a powerful committee to recommend changes to the party constitution.

All other members of the presidium, advisory council members Hossain Toufique Imam, Abul Maal Abdul Muhit and six central committee members will join the former commerce and industries minister in the exercise.

This past week has seen the party debate, often publicly, whether to keep the so-called "associate" organisations.

The acting general secretary on Monday said there would be no associate organisations.

On Thursday acting president Zillur Rahman said such organisations would definitely stay.

Later advisory council member H T Imam said Friday night: "In the draft amendment to the party constitution, a recommendation has been made to scrap the associate organisations."

In Saturday's press conference, the AL acting general secretary defended his party's demand that the gazette notification on re-demarcation of the constituencies be withdrawn.

"Many leaders and workers still do not know in which parliamentary constituency they belong. So for the sake of fair election national polls have to be held keeping the former boundary intact."

The provision of disqualifying bill defaulters, Syed Ashraf said, will also have to be cancelled.

The amended Representation of the People Ordinance gives the EC the authority to cancel candidacy (section 91E) and disqualify those who have defaulted on payment of telephone, gas, power and other such bills.

On Upazila election, he said, "The Awami League is pledge-bound to people to hold Upazila elections if it is voted to power. But holding Upazila election immediately after the national election is not logical.

"We demand the dates be deferred and there be a logical timetable."

Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on September 20 announced Dec 18 for Jatiya Sangsad election and Dec 24 and 28 for Upazila election.

Syed Ashraf said the party's nomination process had yet to start.

He said as per the party constitution AL's nomination process would start from grassroots level.

Demanding withdrawal of all cases against Sheikh Hasina and her release, the acting general secretary said, "Awami League will not go to election without Sheikh Hasina."

He demanded withdrawal of the state of emergency and release of all detained leaders and workers of the AL

G7 aims broad five-point action plan at global crisisAFP,

2008-11-02T14:49:00.001+06:00

WASHINGTON - The finance chiefs of the Group of Seven major advanced economies announced have a broad five-point action plan to tackle a global crisis that has markets and the banking system reeling

Schedule in the evening : CEC

2008-11-02T14:48:00.002+06:00

The Election Commission is set to declare the national election schedule on Sunday evening, the chief election commissioner said.

"The schedule for national elections will be declared in the evening," ATM Shamsul Huda told bdnews24.com on Sunday.

EC officials said the polls chief would declare the election date, deadline of submission and scrutiny of nomination papers, date for withdrawal of nomination papers in an address to the nation.

The HC earlier in the day dismissed three separate writ petitions challenging the EC's gazette on the demarcation of parliamentary seats, which lawyers said cleared the way for announcement of the election schedule.

The EC sat in an emergency meeting after the declaration of the verdict. The commission was originally set to declare the schedule on Nov 2 (Sunday), but was awaiting the High Court verdict.

"We are relieved, as are the voting public. The commission now will decide the next move," Muhammad Sohul Hussain told reporters in an immediate reaction to the High Court ruling.

"The election schedule will be announced any day," Sohul told bdnews24.com before entering the meeting.

Asked whether the schedule would be declared on Sunday, he said that the commission would let it be known after the meeting concluded.

Alok Kapali. A run machine

2008-10-31T23:37:00.001+06:00

t would be befitting to call Alok Kapali one of the most ‘talented’ all-rounders from the Dhaka Warriors’ castle. Like any other player in the cricketing world, Kapali has had his share of good days and bad, but when this player is on song; then there are few who can stop him from going all the way.

So unstoppable is he on his day, that record books often have to be re-written just so that his name can be fitted into them - the first Bangladesh player to achieve a hat-trick in Tests, Bangladesh’s fastest centurion in ODIs, one-half of the highest seventh wicket partnership for Bangladesh in the limited overs format of the game - Kapali has had his fair share of success with both bat and ball.

Probably the only format where he did not have his name etched into timelessness was the Twenty20 format of the game. But all that changed in just his second game at the ICL 20s Indian Championship. His team, the Dhaka Warriors were newly inducted into the ICL, he had little knowledge of the pressures and situations faced in such games. Yet, Alok Kapali, like always, made sure he etched his name in the record books in only his second game.

Kapali’s century came off just 60 deliveries in a knock which included 11 boundaries and 5 massive sixes. On his way to becoming the first centurion at the ICL, the mighty hitter treated bowlers of the reputation of Abdul Razzaq, Chris Harris, Nicky Boje and Stuart Binny with disdain, dispatching boundaries at will.

To top it up, he has been one of the most economical bowlers at the ICL from the Warriors’ setup. Handling a young bunch of lads, who are all eager to leave an impression on the ICL, the Warrior has taken up the mantle of responsibility and has shown that he will lead from the front, setting a good example both on the field and off it.

Vampire Moth Discovered -- Evolution at Work

2008-10-30T23:25:00.002+06:00

John Roach
for National Geographic News
October 27, 2008

A previously unknown population of vampire moths has been found in Siberia. And in a twist worthy of a Halloween horror movie, entomologists say the bloodsuckers may have evolved from a purely fruit-eating species.
Only slight variations in wing patterns distinguish the Russian population from a widely distributed moth species, Calyptra thalictri, in central and southern Europe known to feed only on fruit.

When the Russian moths were experimentally offered human hands this summer, the insects drilled their hook-and-barb-lined tongues under the skin and sucked blood.

Entomologist Jennifer Zaspel at the University of Florida in Gainesville said the discovery suggests the moth population could be on an "evolutionary trajectory" away from other C. thalictri populations. This is the second population of vampire moths Zaspel and her team have found. They discovered the first in Russia in 2006.

Next January, she will compare the Russian population's DNA to that of other populations and other species to confirm her suspicions.

"Based on geography, based on behavior, and based on a phenotypic variation we saw in the wing pattern, we can speculate that this represents something different, something new," Zaspel said.

"But it is really difficult to say without knowing genetic differences between individuals in that population, and among individuals from other populations, how different this group is going to be."

(Zaspel's research is funded in part by a grant from the National Geographic Society's Committee for Research and Exploration. National Geographic owns National Geographic News.)

Blood Feeding

If it turns out that Zaspel has indeed caught a fruit-eating moth evolving blood-feeding behavior, it could provide clues as to how some moths develop a taste for blood.

(Related: "Vampire Bats Hunt by Sound of Victims' Breath" [June 19, 2006].)

SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: India's Moon Mission, More

2008-10-30T23:14:00.001+06:00

October 23, 2008--COROT satellite scientists used a type of solar seismology to peer inside three stars and examine their composition by spotting starquakes. It's the first time starquakes have been directly observed on stars other than the sun.

Like earthquakes, starquakes originate far below the surface. These acoustic waves create ripples that spread across the sun's surface and cause its brightness to wobble.

Moving starquake ripples can also reveal clues to a star's age, mass, and chemical composition.

ANIMAL PHOTOS WEEKLY: Rare Leopard, Tiger Cub, More

2008-10-30T18:52:00.004+06:00

Primorsky Krai, Russia :A female Far Eastern leopard, nicknamed Alyona, appears in good health, according to a recent field checkup shown in this undated photo from southwestern Primorsky Krai.

The leopard is perhaps the world's most endangered subspecies of big cat, the Wildlife Conservation Society noted. An estimated 25 to 40 individuals inhabit a narrow strip of land along the Russian-Chinese border.

Scientists are concerned inbreeding may be causing heart murmurs and other genetic defects in the population.

XPERIA X1 dresses up with a new thumbable interface panel

2008-10-27T15:51:00.002+06:00

We guess that you probably know pretty much everything about the XPERIA X1 Pocket PC. So you know Sony Ericsson are staking much on their proprietary panels interface. It turns out that one of the panels will be the highly popular Spb Mobile Shell - a thumb optimized home screen interface that has gained popularity among Windows Mobile fans.

Tk 2,568 billion for three year war on poverty

2008-10-23T21:07:00.004+06:00

Tk 2,568 billion for three year war on poverty
Bangladesh will spend Tk 2,568 billion over the next three years to fight poverty with a clear focus on farming, the finance adviser said Thursday.

The National Economic Council gave the go-ahead to the second poverty reduction strategy paper (PRSP) for the period ending June 2011, to achieve a growth rate of upto 7.5 percent.

Finance and planning adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam briefed the press after the NEC meeting chaired by chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed.

The PRSP-2 (2008-09 to 2010-11) sets sector-wise goals, giving priority to agriculture.

The authors of the plan say they would expect the economy grow at 7-7.5 percent over its duration, the adviser said.

It also puts emphasis on power, climate change adaptation, and takes into account rising food prices in the global market and the impact of a changed political scenario.

The PRSP-2 was modelled on the first. However, the first PRSP had no targets for sector wise expenditure over its three years. "This time the target has been fixed sector wise."

"About 25 per cent of the total expenditure has been allocated for the agricultural sector," said Mirza Aziz.

He said that the power sector would get a large portion of the pie.

The second PRSP authors consulted a cross-section of the public, the adviser said.

Asked whether an unelected government had the jurisdiction to prepare such a long-term strategy, Azizul Islam replied: "This government had to stay on for a longer period for the interest of the nation. Formulating the new PRSP was a part of that responsibility."

He said the next elected government could always make amendments.

The new PRSP has fixed 7 percent GDP growth for fiscal year 2008-09, 7.2 percent for 2009-10 and 7.5 percent for 2010-11.

For 2008-09 the average inflation has been estimated at 9 percent, projected to come down to 7.5 percent in 2009-10 and 7 percent in 2010-11.

Total government expenditure for the period is projected to be Tk 3,190.44 billion, with a revenue target of Tk 2,559 billion. The deficit of Tk 63,094 crore ($9.01 billion) is expected to be met by development partners.

The first PRSP, which expired this June, was adopted on July 25 2005, by the BNP-led four-party alliance government.

The caretaker government on April 30 last year made some amendments to the first PRSP, and extended its term by one year to June 30, 2008.

The new PRSP will be effective from July 1, 2008.

Hyderabad Heroes beat Dhaka Warriors by 4 wickets

2008-10-15T23:49:00.003+06:00

Alok Kapali powers first ICL ton to take Warriors to 168/9 in 20 overs

Income money

2008-10-12T19:21:00.003+06:00

Kamal now wants to be AL partner

2008-10-11T22:20:00.000+06:00

Dr Kamal Hossain, who has maintained his support for 1/11 "reforms" and denounced the two major parties in past months, says he would now like to be part of an Awami League-led electoral alliance.

"I would appeal to all—not just the 14 parties—but all like-minded parties be united based on the 23-point programme," the lawyer-politician told bdnews24.com in an exclusive interview Saturday.

At a massive rally on Paltan Maidan on Nov 22, 2005, Sheikh Hasina announced the 23-point programme on behalf of the 14-party alliance.

Later, HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party, Badruddoza Chowdhury's Bikalpadhara-turned-LDP (now Bikalpadhara again) and several Islamist parties also joined the combine that came to be dubbed a 'Grand Alliance'.

"This unity is needed to ensure a fair election, a good education system, healthcare and overall development of the country," Dr Hossain said.

But who would he call like-minded?

"Like-minded are those having identical policies and principles," said Dr Hossain, who served as law and foreign minister in the early 1970s.

The man who headed the committee that drafted Bangladesh's constitution in 1972 referred to the great campaigns during the pre-independence days.

"We'd like to go the same path as the politics of alliance (Jukta Front) in 1954, later pursued by the Bangabandhu (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) ... the politics of national unity embodied in his six-point and 11-point declarations ... that led to our independence."

He said his quest for unity led to the creation in 1993 of his new party -- Gano Forum.

"We have not deviated for a second (from the ideals of these programmes). We were part of the campaign based on the 23-point programme."

"The whole nation is united about a fair election, free of black money and muscle."

"All is needed now is to unite the like-minded parties."

Turning to recent turn of events, the Gano Forum chief was particularly angry over "secret meetings" between caretaker advisers and top political leaders.

Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman held a 'closed-door' meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Shaheed Mainul Road home on Friday evening.

Said Dr Hossain: "Those who they (advisers) are meeting with are being tried in the court of law," without naming the former prime minister.

"The caretaker advisers are holding constitutional positions. How can they go and hold secret meetings with such people?"

Addressing the caretaker head, he said: "Chief adviser, your job is not to barter or haggle. Ask the advisers to stop pushing for some sort of a deal, and let the law take its own course."

Dr Hossain called for trying all those charged with corruption as quickly as possible.

"Everyone in this country wants these corrupt people tried. Those arrested have all been charged with corruption. They must be tried and the process has to be speeded up."

"And it is the duty of the political parties to take action against the corrupt based on investigations"

On elections under emergency, he said: "It is the job of the Election Commission to see if people will be able to exercise their voting rights properly with the state of emergency in force."

"Let them have their say. I don't want to get into this debate and make things complicated."
EXCLUSIVE
Kamal now wants to be AL partner">EXCLUSIVE
Kamal now wants to be AL partner

Using there a 3D chat room

2008-10-11T22:07:00.002+06:00

We use yahoo messenger for create chat with others. We cant see any one but we can talk or written something. (http://www.there.com) its give you a software that u can chat as a plying games. You get more fun from there and creating your friendship in a great way.There gives you more enjoyable moment that you can get more fun and enjoy. you are seeing a cartoon picture. Its not a cartoon or games. When you on registered with There then you can make you a amination life.Its really true. So lets hurry to visit http://www.there.com. Create or sign up you then download software and enjoy.

Hijbut Tahrir

2008-10-11T00:08:00.000+06:00

Activists of Hijbut Tahrir Bangladesh chant slogan from a rally at Baitul Mukarram Mosque Friday protesting "defamation of the prophet Muhammad (SA) and Hazrat Ayesha (RA) in a book titled Jewel of Madina".Dhaka, October 10, 2008

World Sight Day

2008-10-11T00:03:00.000+06:00

Folk singers perform at Dhanmondi Rabindra Sarobor at a function Friday organised by ORBIS International on the occasion of "World Sight Day". Dhaka, October 10, 2008

All eyes on G7 as fearful investors take flight

2008-10-10T23:57:00.002+06:00

LONDON/HONG KONG, Fri Oct 10, - The world's economic powers faced huge pressure on Friday to devise drastic remedies to revive the banking system and end panic selling in global financial markets.

Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Seven nations meet in Washington against a backdrop of plunging shares after bank bailouts, liquidity injections and coordinated interest rate cuts failed to get funds flowing again.

In a bid to unfreeze bank lending, the U.S. government is weighing guaranteeing billions of dollars in bank debt and temporarily insuring all U.S. bank deposits, The Wall Street Journal reported.

European shares traded down around seven percent, having already lost more than 15 percent in the four days to Thursday's close. They were at their lowest level since 2003.

Japan's Nikkei tumbled nearly 10 percent, registering its biggest one-day drop since a 1987 crash and losing nearly a quarter of its value in a week.

"This is panic," said Takashi Ushio, head of investment strategy at Marusan Securities in Tokyo.

The crisis claimed its first Japanese financial institution -- unlisted Yamato Life Insurance Co., which had $2.7 billion debts. The government looked to prop up smaller banks.

Focus was on the G7 meeting later on Friday. Ministers and bankers face intense pressure to agree a coordinated response to restore faith in the global financial system.

"It's time for the 'kitchen sink' -- as in, throw everything there is at the problem and in such scale that the 'shock and awe' break the current cycle of fear," Charles Diebel, a rate strategist at Nomura," said in a note to clients.

CAPITAL INJECTION

A crisis which began with the collapse of the U.S. housing market has destroyed lenders from Wall Street to Iceland. Much of the industrialized world is on the brink or recession and people are scared about losing their savings and jobs.

The U.S. authorities last week approved a $700 billion bank bailout and central banks around the world cut interest rates in unison on Wednesday.

However, credit markets remain in deep distress. With banks desperate to protect capital, the interbank cost of borrowing dollars rocketed. Three-month interbank rates for dollar loans have hit their highest level of the year.

The U.S. Treasury plans to start injecting capital in U.S. banks as soon as this month, according to a financial policy source familiar with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's thinking.

That partial nationalization of American banks would represent an enlarged role for the U.S. government as the lender and investor of last resort.

U.S. policy had focused on a plan to buy banks' distressed assets. Many analysts say a move to shore up banks' capital would be a more direct way to break a logjam in credit markets that has shut down new borrowing for consumers and businesses.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said other governments should follow Britain in putting money into struggling banks and offering guarantees worth hundreds of billions to persuade banks to start lending to each other.

"Because this is a global problem, it requires a global solution," he wrote in The Times newspaper.

IMF OFFER

Late on Thursday, the International Monetary Fund said it was ready to lend to countries hit by the global credit crunch and had activated an emergency financing mechanism first used in the 1990s Asian crisis.

Elsewhere, South Korea's finance minister Kang Man-soo planned to plead with U.S. bankers for extended credit lines to save the country's banks from the ravages of the global crisis, while the won currency swung wildly for a second day.

Singapore said its export-dependent economy had sunk into its first recession in six years, and eased monetary policy. Neighboring Indonesia kept its stock market closed for a third day.

India injected more money into the banking system.

Stock markets, meanwhile, have been among the most obvious victims of the crisis.

US stocks slumped more than 7 percent on Thursday and have now lost $2.3 trillion this week and $8.3 trillion over the past year, according to the Dow Jones Wilshire 500, the broadest measure of US equities available.

Among the big losers was Morgan Stanley, which saw its shares plummet 25 percent on concern that Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Japan's largest bank, was planning to pull out of a planned $9 billion investment.

Mitsubishi UFJ said it had no such plans, but the Morgan Stanley stock fall underlined the shakiness of financial stocks.

Tigers eye to seal series, Kiwis reversal

2008-10-10T23:53:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 10 – Bubbling with newfound confidence after Thursday's inspiring seven-wicket win in the first match, Bangladesh are eyeing a back-to-back win against New Zealand on Saturday to wrap up the three one-day internationals series with a match to go.

The match starts at 9:00am at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium with state-run television BTV beaming the match live from the venue.

"We had been struggling for one and a half to two years for a good win and everyone is on a high now. We will try to win tomorrow to make sure the series is ours," said vice-captain Mashrafee Bin Mortaza after the training session on Friday.

"We hardly get this type of opportunity to win a series opener against a top team and we don't want to throw the chance of winning the series away as we have two matches in hand. I think all of us will play keeping this fact in mind," said a confident-sounding Mashrafee, who tore through the Black Caps batting order with four for 44.

The Tigers, however, were not being complacent after the win and were planning a different strategy for Saturday's game.

"What happened yesterday is behind us and we are going to face New Zealand in a new game and thinking different for the match. We have already discussed that aspect among ourselves," Mashrafee said.

The 25-year-old pacer played down the importance of toss and believed judicious batting, tight, probing bowling, and sharp fielding were needed if they were to win the game.

"It is more important to play better in all three departments together instead of worrying about whether we win the toss and choose to bat or bowl first. It won't do any good getting if we do better in only one or two departments," said the vice-captain.

Bangladesh have not won back-to-back matches against a top-ranked team and suffered humiliating defeats in the very next match, instead – a fact Mashrafee was quite aware of.

"We had actually been trying to win a good match and it came true. Now we are looking forward to keeping the performance up to the mark and show competitiveness even in a match we may go on to lose," said Mashrafee.

The pace speahead knows it very well that the opponents would come harder at them in the second match after losing the first.

"It is normal that they will try to come harder at us after going down in the first match, but we will try to do even better than we did yesterday (Thursday)."

The team management has kept opener Imrul Kayes and middle-order batsman Mehrab Hossain Jr out of the 14-member squad.

New Zealanders were busy analysing their performance and spent over an hour in the dressing room to rectify their mistakes by seeing the video footages, said the team's liaison official.

The Black Caps also examined the pitch for the second match.

"Just being smarter in the condition, bowling in better length and better line, adapting to the slow and sticky nature of the wicket and fielding better as well. So all three departments we looked at and I am sure tomorrow we will give a better performance," Jamie How told reporters when asked what they had discussed before starting the practice.

"We are obviously disappointed about our performance in the first game. We are determined to turn that round and we are looking forward to tomorrow and win the series," said Howe.

He added they had learnt a lot from their first game and would play a lot better on Saturday.

He, however, thought that Bangladesh deserved their victory as the New Zealanders got outsmarted, outfielded, outbowled and outbatted.

Land phones with broadband links by Dec

2008-10-10T23:47:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 10 – Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited will start connecting land phones with broadband internet connections by December, a senior government official said on Friday.

Telecommunications secretary Iqbal Mahmood told us that internet connections would initially be given to some districts in addition to Dhaka.

Mahmood said 26 telephone exchanges were being prepared for the service.

The state-run company will use Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line or ADSL technology that helps landline users to access phone and internet on the same line, a senior BTCL official said.

The users will have to install a modem costing up to Tk 5,000 for the service.

The speedy internet connection will be available for BTCL phone users at a competitive price.

A BTCL official preferring anonymity said users of Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi, Bogra and some other districts would get broadband internet connection initially.

He said the BTCL would charge less than private companies for the service.

Digital phone users can use dial-up internet without any connection fee. It charges Tk 0.10 per minute in off-peak hours and Tk 0.15 during peak hours or Tk 6 and Tk 9 per hour respectively.

BTCL provides digital data network service in 71 areas in 41 districts.

Internet service providers have over 10 lakh subscribers and BTCL has about 30,000 internet users.

Mobile phone and PSTN operators have approximately 50 lakh internet users.

The government is going to allow 170 more private firms to provide internet connections.

Adviser Zillur meets Khaleda

2008-10-10T23:45:00.001+06:00

Commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman had a closed-door meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Shaheed Moinul Road home on Friday evening, a staffer at the former prime minister's house said

Devotees bid farewell to Durga

2008-10-09T22:39:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 9 —Durga Puja, the major religious festival of Hindus in Bangladesh, ended Thursday with the immersion of idols of the goddess.

Devotees bid the goddess Durga a tearful goodbye, inviting her to return next year.

Advocate Sattendra Chandra Bhakta, general secretary of Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council, said the Bijoya Dashami began around 10am.

Idols of the goddess were immersed in the evening, he said.

Puja pandals in the capital drew huge crowds dancing to drumbeats in front of images of Durga on the last day of the five-day celebrations.

People leaving the pandals assembled at Dhakeshwari at noon to join the immersion ceremony amid tight security.

A large number of police and RAB members were deployed to ensure a safe celebration.

Devotees of all ages, paraded through the city streets the images of the goddess Durga and her offspring—Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh—before the immersion ceremony

The colourful procession began at 5pm from Dhakeshwari Temple.

It reached Waize Ghat through Plassey, Doyel Chattar, Muktangaon, Gulistan and Phulbaria.

Durga Puja was celebrated at 165 pandals in the city this year, according to the organisers.

Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall, Ramkrishna Mission, Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheshwari Kali Mandir, Tanti Bazar, Shankhari Bazar and Bangla Bazar were key festival venues this year.

The last day of Durga Puja, Thursday, was a public holiday.

New-look Tigers trump NZ

2008-10-09T22:32:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 9 – Bangladesh turned around spectacularly from the edge of an abyss to dismantle fancied New Zealand by seven wickets in the ODI series opener, their first stylish triumph against a top team on Thursday since their victory over South Africa in the World Cup.

With the first-ever thumping of No. 4 side in the ODIs, a new-look Bangladesh signalled that all was not lost and a new chapter, indeed, could open up after some top players ditched the national team in favour of the wealthy Indian Cricket League.

They have now beaten all major cricketing nations except England and the West Indies in the shorter version of the game.

The Tigers reached 202 for three with 27 balls to spare after Mashrafee Bin Mortaza helped the hosts restrict New Zealand to 201 for nine at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Opener Junaed Siddique, cool after losing his partner Tamim Iqbal, hammered a career-best 85 while skipper Mohammad Ashraful returned to form with 60 not out to propel the amazing turnaround from the depth of despair.

Man of the match Siddique and Ashraful together put on 109 runs for the third wicket. When the left-handed opener gave an easy catch to Jacob Oram off Mark Gilliespie, Bangladesh had been close to the victory with only eight runs needed from 38 balls with seven wickets in hand.

Ashraful along with Shakib Al Hasan took the side home in 45.3 overs to spark off wild celebrations.

Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim (30 off 57 balls), who was promoted up the order, steadied the innings with 67 runs for the second wicket after Tamim had fallen on 12, leaving the side at 18 for one in 4.1 overs.

The 20-year old opener, Siddique, faced 139 balls and smashed eight fours. Ashraful, who had been going through a bad patch since his century against the United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup, hit his 15th ODI fifty to remain unbeaten off 56 balls, studded with five fours and one six.

Earlier, pace spearhead Mashrafee tore through the Black Caps batting order with four wickets in a miserly spell. His bowling colleagues, at times erratic, put up a spirited show to make sure the visitors did not get too far beyond the 200-mark.

Oram struck his 10th ODI fifty to rebuild New Zealand innings but could not stop the side from posting their lowest total against Bangladesh.

Their previous lowest tally of 224 came in Chittagong in 2004.

Mashrafee found his form to justify his captain's decision to bowl first following overnight showers in Mirpur. The tall pacer deftly exploited the early condition and then relied on accuracy to run through the top order with four for 44 in an unbroken eight-over first spell.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak wrecked the tail with three for 33.

Mashrafee, who returned three for 19 in his eight-over first spell with three maidens, could have snared five scalps had Mahmudullah not dropped Tim Southee in the final over.

New Zealand openers Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum, whose 28-ball 80 helped the Tasmanians plunge Bangladesh to a 10-wicket defeat in the final of three ODIs in New Zealand last December, threatened a repeat of a similar drubbing with a brisk 47 for the opening stand before Mashrafee brought the first breakthrough.

McCullum, who seemed uneasy against Mashrafee's pace, slashed him only to be caught by Syed Rasel at thirdman for 14.

Ryder, who was more attacking of the two, specially against Syed Rasel, soon followed his partner. He scored 19 runs in Rasel's first two overs and then smashed first-change Shahadat Hossain for a first-ball six before being holed out at midwicket.

Mashrafee finally had Ryder caught by Mahmudullah for a quickfire 34 off 35 balls, leaving New Zealand at 55 for two in 10.2 overs.

The visitors lost two wickets in quick succession, triggering a top-order collapse as Shahadat and Mashrafee dismissed Ross Taylor (2) and Jamie How (7) inside three runs.

Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, coming in the 17th over, trapped Scott Styris (4) lbw in his first over and then had Daniel Flynn (6) in his third over to reduce New Zealand to a precarious 79 for six in 21 overs.

However, Jacob Oram and captain Daniel Vettori briefly rescued the Black Caps with a timely 70 for the seventh wicket before Shakib Al Hasan removed the New Zealand skipper for a 57-ball 30 studded with four fours.

Oram, who survived a run-out scare on three, hit 56 off 88 balls featuring four fours and a six before before being caught by Rasel off Razzak.

Tailenders Southee and Kyle Mills scored 19 not out and 16 respectively to give New Zealand bowlers something to bowl at.

Bangladesh did beat New Zealand before, but it was in the warm-up match during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies.

The next match is on Saturday and the third and final game is on Oct 14 in Chittagong.

Pakistan offers rare praise for retiring Ganguly

2008-10-08T23:35:00.002+06:00

KARACHI, Oct 8 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Pakistan cricketers heaped rare praise on former India captain Saurav Ganguly on Wednesday, after the batsman announced he would retire following the test series against Australia.

India's most successful test captain stumped the cricket-crazy nation by announcing on Tuesday he would retire at the conclusion of the four-test home series.

Ganguly, who led India to their first test series win in Pakistan in 2004, was an "icon" of Indian cricket, said Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

"It is a sad day for Indian cricket that he has decided to retire. But he has taken a brave decision and he will go as one of the 'icons' of Indian cricket," Akhtar said.

Senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf credited Ganguly with changing the mentality and attitude of Pakistan's fierce rivals.

"He took over the captaincy at a very difficult time when they had a leadership void in their cricket. And he was one of most inspirational captains," Yousuf told Reuters.

"He has taken the right decision because only he knows the situation he was facing. But his contribution to Indian cricket is immense."

Ganguly has played 109 tests, following a memorable century on debut at Lord's in 1996, and scored 6,888 runs with 15 hundreds. He has played 311 one-day internationals, scoring 11,363 runs with 22 hundreds.

Mayor Mohiuddin freed on bail

2008-10-08T23:31:00.001+06:00

Chittagong, Oct 7 – Chittagong mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury was released from detention at BSMMU Hospital on Wednesday.

"The mayor was released from guard at the hospital just after 3.30pm," deputy inspector general of prisons Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told bdnews24.com.

Speaking to reporters in a BSMMU corridor after his release, Mohiuddin, also an Awami League leader, demanded permanent release of Sheikh Hasina and release of all detained leaders of the party.

Asked about the national election, the mayor said he would go with the party decisions on polls.

Chittagong AL leaders and workers hoped Mohiuddin's release would speed up the party activities in the port city.

"I am very happy that the mayor has been released. Keeping him behind bars without trial was an injustice to the people of Chittagong, not only to the mayor," AL leader Ataur Rahman Khan Kaiser told bdnews24.com.

He hoped his release would accelerate the development activities of Chittagong city too.

Former minister MA Mannan said Mohiuddin was kept behind bars without any specific allegation that was not tenable at all, he added.

The ex-president of the Chittagong city AL said the party's next decisions about the city would be taken in line with the guidelines of Mohiuddin.

Mohiduddin might return to Chittagong Thursday, said Kazi Inamul Huq Danu, general secretary of Chittagong city AL.

Danu said the mayor was likely to go abroad for treatment after staying in Chittagong for up to three days. He would talk to party leaders and workers at his Sholoshahar Chashma Hill home before leaving the country.

Earlier on Tuesday, lawyer Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul told bdnews24.com that Mohiuddin was likely to be released anytime on Wednesday.

He said the mayor had secured bail in all cases against him, which meant there were no more hurdles to his release. The most recent bail was secured in the Bijoy TV corruption with a Tk 80,000 bond.

Arrested on March 7, 2007, he fell seriously ill during his detention in Bandarban jail.

He was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital and later shifted to the intensive care unit at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital.

The mayor has been accused in some 14 separate graft cases.

Wholesale Internet Prices Fall

2008-10-08T23:17:00.000+06:00

The price of wholesale Internet access, the bandwidth sold to Internet service providers and content companies such as Yahoo and Google, keeps falling and is dropping faster in the United States than in countries where it was more expensive to begin with, reports GigaOm.

A report by TeleGeography Research found that the median monthly price for 1,000 megabit-per-second Gigabit Ethernet in major U.S. cities was from $10 to $14 per Mbps in the second quarter, down 30 to 40 percent from the second quarter of 2007. Meanwhile, in Latin American cities, where the bandwidth is more expensive, prices fell 15 to 20 percent and roughly 30 percent in Asian cities, according to InformationWeek.

The report attributed the declining prices to reduced costs for equipment and transport.

Fuel costs to fall on global prices: Tamim

2008-10-08T23:00:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 8 (bdnews24.com)—Fuel prices may be reduced within a month, given continued falls in the price of oil on the international market, said M Tamim Wednesday.

The special assistant to the chief adviser for energy and mineral resources briefed reporters after a meeting with the finance and planning adviser at his Sher-e-Bangla Nagar office.

"With the price of oil falling sharply in the international market, we are considering slashing fuel oil prices at home too," said Tamim.

"The ministry has also finalised an oil tariff formula, for reviewing prices every month and effecting price adjustments every quarter after comparison through the period," said Tamim.

"Since oil prices nosedived to under $100 a barrel in the international market, prices at home may see cuts within a month," the special assistant explained.

Asked about the extent of the mulled price cuts, Tamim said the price adjustments will be effected keeping in view government subsidies of up to Tk 5,000 crore to the sector.

A senior official from the finance ministry seeking anonymity told bdnews24.com that they've received a proposal forwarded by the energy ministry recommending a 10-20 percent cuts in oil tariff.

The government hiked fuel prices on June 30. It raised the prices of diesel and kerosene to Tk 55 from Tk 40, of petrol to Tk 87 from Tk 65, and octane to Tk 90, up from Tk 67.

The global price of oil had risen to $140 per barrel, when the government upped prices. The price stood at $89 a barrel on Wednesday.

Facebook Adds Microsoft’s Live Search

2008-10-08T22:53:00.000+06:00

Microsoft could receive a boost in the online search market with the announcement that Facebook will now offer Web search from within its site using Microsoft’s Live Search service.

The new implementation will live in the search box on the top right corner of Facebook. The search box, also used for access to friend profiles and intrasite search, will now include a “search the Web” option, says this Mashable article.

According to this InfoWorld piece, Facebook will have to convince users to utilize the new tool. A Sterling Market Intelligence analyst is not convinced it will do so in the current form.

Touch-screen BlackBerry coming this autumn: RIM

2008-10-08T22:48:00.001+06:00

Toronto,Oct 08 - Research In Motion will roll out a touch-screen model of its BlackBerry smartphone later this autumn, thrusting it into direct competition with Apple's popular iPhone.

RIM said on Wednesday the BlackBerry Storm will be available exclusively to Verizon Wireless subscribers in the US and Vodafone subscribers in Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand.

RIM's launch of a touch-screen BlackBerry is not a surprise. Technology bloggers and analysts have speculated since early this year that the Waterloo, Ontario-based company was working on such a device. And late last month, Verizon Wireless sent out a promotional e-mail that heralded its arrival.

The Storm -- the latest BlackBerry aimed at the broad retail market -- comes with a touch screen that depresses slightly when it is pressed, RIM said, adding users will feel a soft click as the screen is released.

"This clickable interface is like an engineering marvel," RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie said in an interview. "It is revolutionary."

Analysts have said that as RIM continues to push into the broader consumer market, beyond the executives and other professionals that have been its mainstay, it will see increased competition from other handset makers. RIM has consistently brushed off such concerns and its subscriber growth has backed up its confidence.

The Storm also comes preloaded with software for e-mail and managing documents, as well as a media player for music, movies and photos. It's also equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera.

RIM did not announce a specific release date for the Storm, nor did it offer details on pricing.

The Storm's planned launch comes shortly after RIM said it will roll out a flip-phone version of the BlackBerry to capture more of the retail market.

Launching new, next-generation devices is squeezing RIM's gross margins because of higher costs. And in order to keep luring new subscribers, the company has to make sure its devices are priced attractively.

That has limited the company's ability to pass along the higher costs of making new devices to its customers.

No assurance on Myanmar gas

2008-10-08T22:47:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 8 —Bangladesh is yet to receive an assurance of gas import from Myanmar, although a hydroelectric power station may be set up in the neighbouring country to meet domestic demand, special aide M Tamim said Wednesday.

Tamim, the chief adviser's special assistant for energy and mineral resources, briefed reporters at the ministry following a meeting with Myanmar energy minister Brig Gen Lun Thi.

"Myanmar has no surplus gas at the moment. They are currently exporting gas to China and Thailand from two gas fields," Tamim told reporters.

"Myanmar will start further gas exploration in two blocks. They may export gas to us if that is successful," he said.

"In that case, we would receive gas on a competitive basis. At present Myanmar is selling one million cubic feet of gas to China and Thailand at nine dollars per cubic foot," said the special assistant.

Tamim said the idea of a hydroelectric power station located in Myanmar was a home grown initiative which could potentially mitigate domestic power generation shortfalls.

The special assistant said he was optimistic about the possibility of a new hydroelectric power station being set up somewhere in the Rakhain area of Myanmar.

"Talks between the two countries are ongoing to arrange a visit to potential sites in November," he said.

Tamim said the meeting also touched on the sea-border demarcations between the two countries.

"Myanmar assured us that no gas exploration would be carries out by them until the sea boundary in dispute is settled."

He added there was no dispute with Myanmar about nine blocks in Bangladesh sea territory being leased out for exploration.

The government began to ponder new avenues for gas following a countrywide crisis in supply last year. The energy ministry gave directives to prioritise gas to fertiliser factories during the last Boro rice season following crop-destroying floods last year.

Myanmar had previously assured Dhaka of considering the latter's proposal on gas import, though it said last February that a decision would depend upon discovery of new reserves in Myanmar.

It also said priority would be given to Myanmar's promises to India and China ahead of Bangladesh.

RealDVD Works Great - If You Can Get It

2008-10-07T21:59:00.001+06:00

Though its legal status is still in limbo, Real Networks' RealDVD application is an able-bodied DVD ripper, writes reviewer Jack M. Germain. Though other apps with similar functions can be had for free, RealDVD rips movies quickly and features a polished user interface for cataloging and searching your movie library.

BNP chairperson gets new office

2008-10-07T21:55:00.003+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 6 - BNP has hired a new office for its chairperson in Gulshan, in addition to its central office at Naya Paltan.

Khaleda Zia inaugurated the 'Office of the Chairperson', on Monday by hoisting the party flag. Party leaders and supporters were present.

Party secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain later told reporters: "The new office has been set up considering the physical condition of the party chairperson."

"The party's election activities will also be conducted from this office."

Besides holding meetings of the standing committee, overall activities aimed at strengthening the party would be conducted from the new office, Delwar said..

The owner of the building, House 6 on Road 86, is former BNP lawmaker from Comilla, Zakaria Taher Sumon, he added.

BNP used 'Hawa Bhaban' in Banani as the party chairperson's office during the 2001 elections.

Jatiya Sangsad speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, who was present at the inauguration, later met with Khaleda Zia privately.

Standing committee members Dr RA Gani, Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui and M Shamsul Islam, the chairperson's adviser ASM Hannan Shah, joint secretaries general Selima Rahman, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Nazrul Islam Khan, office secretary Rizvi Ahmed, the former prime minister's parliamentary affairs adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, journalist Shafik Rehman were among those present

Iran says U.S plane violated Iran's airspace

2008-10-07T21:52:00.001+06:00

TEHRAN, Tue Oct 7, - An Iranian news agency said on Tuesday that a US military aircraft had unintentionally violated Iranian airspace and been forced to land in Iran, but later allowed to leave.

The semi-official Fars News Agency did not say when the incident happened or give a source for the report, which comes at a time of tension between Tehran and Washington over Iran's disputed nuclear program.

The news agency said five senior US military officials had been interrogated at an Iranian airport and released a day later after it became clear the plane had not entered Iranian airspace intentionally.

"After it became clear that they unintentionally entered Iran's air space and their destination was Afghanistan, they were allowed to leave Iran for Afghanistan," Fars said.

In Washington, the Pentagon said it was unaware of any US warplanes being forced to land in Iran and that all US aircraft in the Gulf region were accounted for.

In an initial report, Fars described the aircraft as a warplane. But later it simply called it a "Falcon," giving no further details.

No extension to registration deadline: CEC

2008-10-07T21:48:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 7 – Political parties willing to run the Dec. 18 general elections must register with the Election Commission by the Oct. 15 deadline, which will not be extended, the chief election commissioner has said.

"No-one should have any doubts about holding the Jatiya Sangsad polls on December 18. Those political parties willing to run the elections must go for registration before October 15," ATM Shamsul Huda said to reporters at the Election Commission headquarters.

He hoped that the major political parties would complete the registration formalities in time,

The polls chief said the parties, meantime, had been working to amend their constitutions, as necessary.

Huda said he was quite optimistic about the December 18 elections and that the EC had no doubts whatsoever about the polls.

He endorsed the latest amendments to the Representation of the People Order 2008 which were approved by the interim cabinet on Tuesday.

He said he was happy about the clause that barred unregistered parties from forging alliance with registered political parties.

The new amendments excluded the small loan recipients from the threat of being declared as 'unqualified.'

Huda said the second round of RPO 2008 amendments will be gazetted by Wednesday.

As many as 120 application forms so far have been collected and seven political parties have applied for registration. The are Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata Dal, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (M-L), Liberal Democratic Party, Freedom Party
National People's Party, and Anwar Hossain Manju's Jatiya Party.

Election commissioners M Sakhawat Hossain and Muhammad Sohul Hossain, and the Election Commission Secretariat secretary Muhammad Humayun Kabir were present during the briefing.

Ganguly to retire after Australia series

2008-10-07T21:29:00.002+06:00

BANGALORE, Oct 7 - Former India captain Saurav Ganguly announced on Tuesday that he will retire after the test series against Australia that starts this week.

"This is going to be my last series," the 36-year-old left-hander told a packed news conference two days ahead of the first test.

"I have decided to quit. I have told my team mates before I came here. These four test matches are going to be my last. And hopefully I'll go on a winning note."

Ganguly was named in the squad for the first two tests despite being dropped for a premier domestic game, seen as a selection match, following a poor series in Sri Lanka in August.

"To be honest I didn't expect to be picked for this series," said India's most successful test captain who staged a remarkable comeback in 2006 after losing his captaincy and later his spot in the team following a public spat with then coach Greg Chappell.

Ganguly's retirement announcement came at the end of what was expected to be routine media conference, stirring up further a controversy over suggestions that the Indian cricket board had drawn up an exit plan for five senior players.

A board official said last week that skipper Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Vangipurappu Laxman, all well into their 30s, had been told to plan their retirements by December.

Ganguly, however, said: "As far as I am concerned and some of the senior players are concerned, we have not received any intimation from the board on anything."

Ganguly has played 109 tests, following a memorable century on debut at Lord's in 1996, and scored 6,888 runs with 15 hundreds.

He has played 311 one-day internationals, scoring 11,363 runs with 22 hundreds although he has not played since November last year.

The first test in Bangalore starts on Thursday.

Polls under emergency to protect voters: adviser

2008-10-07T21:27:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 7 (bdnews24.com) – The general election may be held under emergency rules to protect voters, women and minorities in particular, an adviser said on Tuesday.

Education and commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman also said the state of emergency had already been eased to such a level that it was now imposed in name only.

He, however, said it would be relaxed further, if necessary, to facilitate election campaign and politics.

The adviser spoke to reporters at the communications ministry at the Secretariat. Communications adviser Ghulam Quader and law adviser AF Hassan Ariff were also present.

Earlier, four advisers charged with the dialogue with political parties held a meeting at the office of communications. Local government adviser M Anwarul Iqbal was also present.

Hossain Zillur said the people expected meaningful elections and political transition to stability after the elections. The government has created an environment for a meaningful voting.

On the government's dialogue with BNP, he said, "There has been much progress regarding the dialogue with BNP.

"The government is taking quick steps for political transition. Dialogue with them would be held soon. They are also showing great interest. I hope the dialogue will be fruitful."

On the debate about whether the elections should be held under the state of emergency, the adviser said emergency had not stood in the way of elections to four city corporation and nine municipalities.

It was a rehearsal for the national elections slated for Dec. 18, and if there were obstacles to smooth holding of the upcoming elections the government would remove them.

Post-election violence, intimidation and vote buying were a reality in Bangladesh, which necessitated elections under emergency, he argued.

"The international community realised the matter and the European Union too would also realise it soon."

Hossain Zillur said the government was going to start dialogue at the grassroots level again to know whether there was any doubt over election and what the common people wanted.

He said no dates for the dialogue had been finalized, however.

The adviser said dialogue between the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia was necessary for post-election stability.

However, it was not a matter only for the government to consider; they would also have to take initiatives, he added.

"Everything depends on whether they are interested," he said.

Chaklader bench gets new jurisdiction

2008-10-07T21:21:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 7 - The judicial jurisdiction of the High Court bench of Justice Sharifuddin Chaklader and Justice Imdadul Haq Azad is being altered, as the chief justice reconstitutes some 30 separate benches during the Supreme Court vacation.

The bench of Chaklader and Azad has caught the media spotlight in recent months by granting bail to over 100 politicians and businessmen. It also suspended proceedings of about 60 cases filed by the Anticorruption Commission.

It has now been given jurisdiction to hear death reference cases instead of new criminal case appeals and will no longer have power to grant bail, for now.

The chief justice, according to long-standing tradition, reconstitutes the High Court benches after a long vacation.

Chief justice MM Ruhul Amin reconstituted the 30 benches on Tuesday, to come into effect on Sunday when the Supreme Court reopens after its annual vacation.

This time, none of the five senior judges of the High Court have been given jurisdiction to hear new criminal case appeals.

The five judges are: Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman, Justice Abdul Quddus, Justice Md Abdul Aziz, Justice TK Das and Justice ABM Khairul Haq.

Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, Saifur Rahman, Dr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Tofail Ahmed and Sajeda Chowdhury were among the high-profile leaders granted bail by the bench of Chaklader and Azad.

Verizon bets big on network infrastructure

2008-10-06T23:28:00.000+06:00

From Verizon CIO Shaygan Kheradpir's 38th floor apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan with panoramic views of the East River, I saw first-hand the fruits of the company's $23 billion gamble to build a new fiber network directly to customers' doorsteps and a glimpse into where the strategy will lead next.

Kheradpir had invited a handful of journalists to his swank pad to show off the latest enhancements to Verizon's Fios TV service. The new features, which include everything from new widgets for getting weather and local traffic to a specially designed ESPN fantasy football application to remote control of DVRs, are rolling out across Verizon's Fios footprint right now with New York, Verizon's largest market, expected to get the enhancements starting October 9th.

While its cable competitors look for ways to curb their customers' usage of their networks by either slowing down certain applications or metering usage, Verizon plans to spend about $23 billion through 2010 to take fiber directly into people's homes to actually increase the amount of bandwidth people consume. The company also recently spent $9 billion on 700Mhz spectrum in the Federal Communications Commission's auction, which it plans to use to build a new fourth-generation wireless broadband network, again with the hope that people will choose bandwidth-intensive applications.

Verizon plans to spend about $23 billion through 2010 to take fiber directly into people's homes.

(Credit: Verizon)

Verizon's commitment to betting big on bandwidth could cement its dominance in the communications market for years to come. But these bets don't come cheap. And as network operators find themselves in tighter competition with Internet giants such as Google, they could end up simply becoming dumb pipe providers, competing on speeds and feeds rather than services.

There's no doubt that service providers are caught between a rock and a hard place. Not only must they compete with each other, but they also have to think differently and innovatively to compete against new Internet competitors, who are using the service providers' high-speed infrastructures to deliver competing voice and video services.

While other service providers, like AT&T and the cable companies, have tried to deliver new services and enhancements by incrementally upgrading their infrastructure, Verizon has gambled all its chips by spending billions of dollars on fiber infrastructure that it believes will future-proof its network.

Verizon's Kheradpir admitted that Verizon's fast fiber pipes will likely be used to deliver new applications and services that Verizon may never be able to monetize. But the super fast infrastructure also provides Verizon with a blank canvas that its own developers can use to create new services.

"The network that Verizon has created with Fios is a dream for software developers," he said. "It's what we all dreamed of when we were in school. It's basically an unlimited pipe that can be used to develop whatever you want."

The main thing the ultra-fast fiber network enables is the ability to deliver rich content, namely high-definition video. According to J.D. Power and Associates, the number of households that report viewing high-def programs has nearly doubled since 2007, reaching 55 percent this year.

Kheradpir also believes that HD doesn't stop with TV. People will increasingly want high-definition Web video and high-definition digital music. That's why Verizon is promising at least 100 HD channels as part of its Fios service in places like New York City. But high-definition content eats up bandwidth, making it difficult for many of Verizon's competitors to keep up with demand. Verizon's competitors are also introducing enhanced offerings. Time Warner Cable, which competes with Verizon in New York City and the surrounding area, is also pushing for 100 HD channels by the end of the year.

Still, Kheradpir believes Verizon is better positioned with its all-fiber network to stay ahead of the HD curve.

Building the network at home
As home networks increasingly look more like corporate local area networks, Kheradpir also sees an opportunity for service providers to manage their networks. He calls this the "consumerization" of IT. The difference between networks in the home and in the office is that instead of shuttling corporate data back and forth, people are sharing digital pictures and music, watching high-definition video and using VoIP services to stay connected to family and friends. And this basic difference means that service providers have to think differently about serving these customers.

"IT in the corporate environment is all about improving efficiency," Kheradpir said. "But in the home, it's about improving quality of life."

Verizon CIO Shaygan Kheradpir

(Credit: Verizon)

And that is where Kheradpir believes Verizon can add value. Not only can it provide the basic infrastructure, but it can build the applications that ride over this infrastructure to improve users' experiences. This means allowing people to access their digital content from wherever they are on whatever device they want, he explained. And because few people have IT managers living with them, it also means hiding the complexity and management of the technology in the network far from the end user.

Verizon has worked this concept into its latest Fios TV upgrade. Its new set-top boxes will automatically discover all connected devices whether they're wired or wireless, and it will allow people to view photos or video or listen to music from any device on the network. This means that you can share pictures from a PC hard drive on a computer. Eventually it could also allow people to listen to the digital music that's stored at home on their PC while on their cell phones.

"The consumer doesn't want to think about where they store their content," Kheradpir said. "Our view is that people should leave their pictures and music where it is. And we will extend the network to get it for them."

The latest version of Fios TV will also include remote DVR control. Initially, this feature will allow users to control their DVR from an Internet-connected PC. But the company also demonstrated how it can be done via a cell phone. Using a mobile Web site on phones such as the LG Voyager and the enV, subscribers will be able to set recording schedules, search for recorded shows, and enable parental controls.

In addition to needing someone to manage their home "IT" needs, Kheradpir believes that consumers want more personalized content. Again, a high-speed network can help facilitate this. For example, Verizon has added widgets to its latest Fios upgrade that allow third-party developers to create applications for personalized local weather, traffic, and horoscopes. One Verizon engineer even created a Facebook application so that people can access status updates on their TV screens.

Verizon has also included a "What's Hot" application that anonymously keeps track of what people are viewing to show people the most popular TV shows in their areas. Kheradpir said that Verizon is able to offer more personalized services because of the bi-directional nature of its network. Not only can Verizon broadcast content to its subscribers, but it can collect information and allow for individual interaction to provide consumers with a more personalized experience.

Seeing returns
So far, Verizon's gamble appears to be paying off. In areas where it sells Fios TV, Verizon has been able to steal customers from cable and satellite providers. And as of the end of June this year, Verizon had increased its Fios TV penetration rate to 19.7 percent from 13.3 percent in 2007. In total, the company has 1.4 million Fios TV subscribers.

Verizon is also getting high marks from customers. In a recent J.D. Power and Associates survey, Verizon Fios TV ranked higher than cable or satellite in terms of customer satisfaction. Specifically, customers said Fios TV's picture clarity and programming exceeded their expectations. AT&T, which provides its U-Verse service, also got high marks for its IPTV offering.

Verizon's goal is to attract 4 million customers by 2010, giving it a market penetration of about 25 percent. And it hopes to attract about 7 million Fios Internet customers, for a penetration rate of 35 to 40 percent.

But Fios is just the beginning. Verizon is also in the early stages of planning its fourth-generation wireless network that will be used to deliver the connected experience to wireless devices. While Kheradpir admits it is still in the early days on the wireless front, he sees it as an important piece of the strategy.

"Wireless is a key lever," he said. "From the time we wake up until we go to bed we generally have a wireless device within reach. So it makes sense to extend this strategy to those devices as well."

Indeed, everyone in the communications sector sees wireless as the next major frontier. Verizon's cable competitors Comcast and Time Warner Cable have invested in the new Clearwire joint venture, which will combine Sprint Nextel's WiMax assets with Clearwire's to build a next generation wireless network. Google has also made various wireless investments. Verizon has clearly staked much of its future on a high-capacity wired infrastructure. But it remains to be seen how aggressively the company will bet on its next-generation wireless network.

B. League resumes Tuesday

2008-10-06T23:26:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 6– After a 10-day recess for the national football camp and the Eid-ul-Fitr festival, the Citycell B. League resumes Tuesday with title contenders Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club hosting the struggling Muktijoddha Sangsad KS.

The match will start at 5:00pm at Bangabandhu National Stadium.

After playing a 1-1 draw against Chittagong Abahani Limited in the first match, Federation Cup champions Mohammedan returned to their own style blanking Arambagh KS 3-0 in the next match.

Coach Maruful Haq, however, was a bit worried over the players' fitness and the combination as the Motijheel-based outfit are out of a competitive match for over half a month since their last match on Sept 18.

The coach is still optimistic about better performance against Mutkijoddha Sangsad as his eight top players were practicing football in the nine-day national football camp at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan.

Haq said that he had almost no problem to pick the best eleven tomorrow though defenders Hasan Al Mamun and Rajani Kanta Barman are in a bit doubtful.

Besides, Mohammedan strike duo, Nigerian Bukola and Robin ,are in a fine form and they will appear against bottom-placed Muktijoddha Sangsad, who remained winless in three matches they played against minnows Khulna Abahani, Chittagong Abahani and Arambagh KS.

Mohammedan are jointly in the third position with Chittagong Abahani securing four points each as Sheikh Russel KC and Brothers Union jointly lead the point table with seven points each from three outings while Dhaka Abahani are in the second position with six points.

Mohammedan, however, played a match short of Russel, Brothers and Abahani's three matches.

Q&A: Henry Blodget on redemption, Eliot Spitzer, and taking criticism

2008-10-06T23:16:00.001+06:00

Words like "scumbag," "fraud," and "crook" once trailed after Henry Blodget's name anytime it came up in Silicon Valley. The budding Web-publishing mogul, who was once a superstar tech analyst before being accused of securities fraud, has spent the past five years trying to recover his credibility. Last week, his efforts may have suffered a setback.

This interview began in August, when I sent Blodget the questions. He e-mailed his answers on Wednesday, two days before Silicon Alley Insider, the technology news blog Blodget co-founded, wrote itself into a controversy. A member of the public posted a false report to CNN's user-generated news site, iReport, that claimed Apple CEO Steve Jobs had suffered a heart attack. SAI followed up with a story that clearly informed readers the rumor was unverified. Nonetheless, SAI appears to have helped fuel the investor panic that led to a 9 percent drop in Apple's stock.

Blodget and I corresponded again on Friday and he said if ever in a similar situation he would play it the same way. He wrote: "We described exactly what the report was, said we didn't know whether it was true or not, and said we were investigating."

Blodget isn't the kind to shy away from the spotlight, regardless of how hot it may be. He became famous a decade ago after he accurately predicted Amazon.com's stock price would double to $400. At Merrill Lynch, Blodget was a cheerleader for tech stocks in the late 1990s. After the dot-com bubble burst, Eliot Spitzer, the former New York State Attorney General, himself since disgraced, accused Blodget of fraud and he was banished from the securities industry for life. Since then, Blodget has launched a journalism career and helped turn SAI into one of the fastest growing tech-news blogs. The insights from this former Wall Street insider have been praised by publications, such as BusinessWeek.

Why journalism? After what you've been through, why didn't you turn your back on Wall Street, on technology, on predicting anything other than the weather?
Well, you've ruled out a lot of professions there--and, thankfully, I only got kicked out of one. What journalists do has a lot in common with what analysts do. After spending a decade learning some lessons the hard way, I didn't want to just throw all that experience in the trash.

"Over the course of the late 1990s, I had the privilege of earning the respect and trust of millions of people, and a few minutes after Spitzer's press conference everyone decided I was a scumbag." --Henry Blodget, founder of Silicon Alley Insider

I liked your story on The New York Times, when you sort of offered to buy the paper's digital unit. What's the best piece of journalism you've produced?
Yes, we'd love to buy NYT Digital. We're sorry we haven't heard back from Janet (Robinson, CEO of The Times) and Arthur (Sulzberger Jr., publisher) yet. The best thing I've written--or at least the longest--is probably a book called The Wall Street Self-Defense Manual: A Consumer's Guide to Intelligent Investing. An alternate title could have been, "I made all the dumb-ass mistakes, so now you don't have to."

You've hired two old-media types in Michael Learmonth (Variety) and Peter Kafka (Forbes). Doesn't that differ from what Michael Arrington and Om Malik are doing by hiring mostly young writers? How do you intend to grow Silicon Alley Insider?
Yes, Michael and Peter are pros. TechCrunch has a couple of pros, too, and Om's been a pro forever. This business is getting professionalized in a hurry, and strong reporting, writing, and editing skills are going to be increasingly important. (Sadly, Peter and Mike have both moved on, but we've hired new pros).

I think the growth opportunities for Silicon Alley Insider, TechCrunch, et. al., are similar to those of CNN in cable's early days, or broadcast news in the early years of TV and radio. This is a new form of news production, and you can't just jam a square old-media peg in a round hole. As an industry, we're still at the beginning of figuring out what is possible, and our hope is that will drive a lot of opportunity down the road.

Give me an example of how journalism can be rewarding.
It's great fun. I was complaining the other day about the ridiculous hours, and my wife said any job in which she can hear me laughing downstairs at 5 a.m. is fine with her.

What led you to put the $400 price on Amazon.com? Did you really see it coming or were you out to make a splashy prediction?
Are you serious? That was a decade ago. But, yes, I thought it was going to $400 ($67 in the current share-split). You humiliate yourself enough in that business without making predictions you don't actually believe. Clients do prefer clear, bold calls to mush-mouthed equivocation, but I wouldn't have made the call if hadn't thought the stock would get there.

"With regard to trying to redeem myself: Hell yes."

Some people strongly believe that your punishment didn't go far enough. What does it mean when someone bans you from your chosen profession for life?
If that's the case, I'm sorry to hear it. The allegations were devastating to me. Over the course of the late 1990s, I had the privilege of earning the respect and trust of millions of people, and a few minutes after Spitzer's press conference everyone decided I was a scumbag. Fortunately, in the years since, a lot of folks have been willing to give me a chance to earn back that trust, and I will forever be grateful for that.

What do you say to investors who took your advice and lost?
The same thing I said at the time: I'm very sorry I missed the market top. I did get the big picture right--that the late-'90s boom was a bubble--and I'm glad I recommended that even aggressive investors only put a fraction of their portfolios in the Internet sector. But I got caught in the typical bubble trap, which was not wanting to miss further upside, and I'll always regret that. (For what it's worth, I also followed my own advice--and lost a boatload of money.)

What's most misunderstood about your career as an analyst?
I think the most important thing to understand about stock analysts--still true today--is that they're not investment advisers. Analysts actually play a limited role in the overall investment process, which starts with asset allocation. Analysts come into play at the end of this process (and then only if the recommended portfolio includes an allocation to the analyst's sector). Internet stocks were great additions to aggressive portfolios for most of the 1990s, but they were never appropriate for conservative investors.

"Any time you stick your neck out, someone's going to hit you in the head with a two-by-four. But if there's one thing I've learned over the last couple of decades it's that if someone's not shrieking, you haven't said anything interesting."

Eliot Spitzer. What do you think of how he handled your case? What is your opinion of what happened to him?
I actually have a lot of respect for Eliot Spitzer. I disagreed with many of his conclusions and tactics, but I admire much of what he was trying to do. I was as shocked as everyone else by his fall.

Much of the coverage about you in the past several years has been positive. What do you say to pundits who argue that you're trying to redeem yourself?
If the coverage really has been positive, I'm grateful. It was horrible there for a while. With regard to trying to redeem myself: Hell yes. As I said, I'm grateful to everyone who gives me the chance.

TechCrunch's Arrington criticized you for predicting Google would hit $2,000. Is it hard to make big predictions when critics are always going to make comparisons to your analyst days and accuse you of being dishonest?
Any time you stick your neck out, someone's going to hit you in the head with a two-by-four. But if there's one thing I've learned over the last couple of decades it's that if someone's not shrieking, you haven't said anything interesting.

Google $2,000 was a 10-year scenario. Last fall, when I wrote that post, Google was trading around $700 and $2,000 in 10 years would have produced a 6 percent annual return. Part of my point was that anyone who didn't believe the stock was going to $2,000 should dump it immediately. For what it's worth, I stand by that target. I just hope the stock drops to, say, $300 in the meantime, so the return justifies the risk.

Make another bold prediction. What company or sector has you most excited?
The Dow's going below 10,000, probably way below. But if you want to invest intelligently, ignore that prediction (not because it's wrong--because it's a prediction). Just keep making regular contributions to a globally diversified portfolio of low-cost index funds, and, in the long run, you'll come out OK.

Finally, what's the smartest thing you've done in the past year?
Not buying newspaper stocks.

Two Europeans indicted over U.S. cyberattacks

2008-10-06T23:14:00.000+06:00

Two Europeans, one of whom is English, have been indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury in connection with a 2003 distributed denial-of-service attack that is the focus of a major FBI investigation.

The two men, who are not in custody, were indicted as part of the FBI's Operation Cyberslam, initiated in 2003 following a series of crippling distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attacks on a large Los Angeles vendor of digital recorders. The attacks effectively knocked that business offline, along with other private and government bodies, for two weeks, resulting in losses ranging from $200,000 to more than $1 million, according to the FBI.

Operation Cyberslam is the first successful investigation of a large-scale DDoS used for a commercial purpose in the United States, the FBI said.

In 2004, two U.S. residents were charged with masterminding the attacks. The two Europeans indicted last week are accused of carrying out the attacks, and they face up to 15 years in prison, if convicted on charges of conspiracy and intentionally damaging a computer system, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Lee Graham Walker, 24, of Bleys Bolton, England, was indicted on Thursday, along with a German 25-year-old named Axel Gembe. Gembe is believed to be the programmer behind Agobot, a well-known worm used to create botnets that can be used in DDoS attacks or for other purposes, such as relaying junk e-mail.

The attacks were allegedly ordered by Saad Echouafni, a native of Morocco who was the owner of Orbit Communications. Paul Ashley, a business associate of Echouafni, was then responsible for contacting Walker and Gembe to carry out the attack, the Justice Department said. Ashley pleaded guilty in 2004 and has already served two years in an Ohio prison for his part in the conspiracy.

Echouafni, also indicted in 2004, is being sought by the FBI, which said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Walker and Gembe allegedly used a botnet they had created together to carry out the attacks. According to the indictment, the two arranged the attacks over Internet Relay Chat (IRC), also using IRC to discuss ways of making their botnet code more damaging to Web sites.

The particular technique used in the attack was allegedly used to direct a flood of synchronization packets to the target Web sites. The botnet used was also capable of directing large amounts of malicious HTTP traffic, according to the Justice Department.

Govt creating commerce friendly climate: CA

2008-10-06T23:09:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 6– Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed on Monday formally inaugurated automation of Chittagong Customs House at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.

At a ceremony, he said an environment friendly to commerce, industries and agriculture is building up in the country thanks to the initiatives of his interim administration.

He described the businesspeople and industrialists as the drivers of the economy, and urged them to make the best of the business-friendly environment, build industries and create employment.

"The present government has taken initiative for macro-economic and infrastructural reforms including formulation of proper planning to survive in the competitive world market and achieve economic stability.

"Better Business Forum and Regulatory Reforms Commission have been formed as parts of it. Information of reduction in cost of initiating business in Bangladesh mentioned in the UNCTAD report is a reflection of it," Fakhruddin said.

Fakhruddin said the caretaker government had freed Chittagong port, the lifeline of the trade and commerce of the country, from irregularities and corruption.

"Chittagong Customs House is an integral part of the activities of Chittagong Port. Earlier one had to move to 42 points for loading or unloading goods in the customs house. As a result, the importers and exporters would face harassment and loss… I am very happy to be able to inaugurate the automation project of Chittagong Customs House."

He said introduction of the most modern system of taxation with the initiative of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry under intensive supervision of the army is a unique example of development activities under government-private partnership.

The first phase of the automated taxation system was introduced at the customs house in the port city on Aug 8, with the online submission of export and import accounts.

The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiated the installation of the automation system with Tk 2 crore in line with a memorandum of understanding between the customs authorities and the CCCI on April 13.

Datasoft, a private local firm, is handling the automation system.

Datasoft managing director Mahbub Zaman on Sunday said: "The 5-year project will cost around Tk 33 crore. The project, as a public-private joint venture, will forge the country ahead economically, once fully implemented."

He pointed out that the project was not being implemented by foreigners.

The chief adviser at the inaugural ceremony also spoke of reforms in other areas in his speech.

"After assuming power we fixed one of our targets as to establish democratic system on a solid foundation and ensure good governance and transparency at all levels.

"For that we are continuing massive institutional reforms. The Election Commission has been reformed as a part of it. An ordinance has been promulgated to establish an independent Election Commission Secretariat.

"The reconstituted Election Commission has already prepared list of more than eight crore voters with photographs in only 11 months with the assistance of the army.

"The Election Commission has proved its efficiency by successfully holding elections to four city corporations and nine municipalities. Now they are taking all-out preparation for the Jatiya Sangsad and Upazila elections."

"Besides, the reformed Anticorruption Commission has taken effective steps as part of the institutional reform. The Commission has already brought a good number of persons to trial.

"The Public Service Commission is now working independently. Unwanted interference and irregularities and corruption in public appointments have been completely stopped. The way to rule of law have been cleared by separating judiciary from the executive branch.

Right to Information Ordinance has been formulated. National Human Rights Commission Ordinance has been approved for establishing human rights in the country and a National Human Rights Commission would soon be formed.

Finance and planning adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam, commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, army chief General Moeen U Ahmed, National Board of Revenue chairman Mohammad Abdul Majid and CCCI president Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed were among those present at the inauguration ceremony.

Saifur, Mojaheed, 7 others face arrest

2008-10-06T23:06:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 6- A Dhaka Court has issued arrest warrants against nine accused in Barapukuria coal mine corruption case, including former ministers of the immediate past BNP-led government Saifur Rahman and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.

Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge Md Azizul Haque issued the warrants and ordered submission of reports of arrest to the court by Oct 12.

The other seven facing arrest are former minister Aminul Haq, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former energy secretary Nazrul Islam, former chairman of Petrobangla SR Osmany, former director (mines and minerals) Moyeenul Ahsan, former managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd Sirajul Islam, and chairman of Hosaf Group Moazzem Hossain, the local agent of the Chinese firm which was awarded the running of the coal mine.

No warrant of arrest has been issued against the five accused that secured bail in the case from High Court. They are former prime minister Khaleda Zia, former ministers Motiur Rahman Nizami, MK Anwar, M Shamsul Islam and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia secured four months bail from the High Court on Sept 8.

Md Abdur Razzak, lawyer of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami, told bdnews24.com: "The High Court granted Motiur Rahman Nizami bail in the case on August 26 until submission of the charge sheet. He will appear before the court on Oct 12 and make a fresh appeal for bail."

As two other charge sheeted in the case, former ministers Khandker Mosharraf Hossain and Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, are in jail in connection with separate cases, the court ordered jail authorities to produce them before the court on the same date.

ACC's investigation officer in the case Abul Kashem Faquir submitted charge sheets against 16 people, including Khaleda Zia, to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Sunday evening.

The case was filed with Shahbag thana on February 26 this year on charges of irregularities and corruption in awarding the production, management and maintenance work of Barapukuria coalmine to a Chinese firm.

The charge sheets said the agreement with Chinese firm Consortium of China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) caused losses of Tk 158.71 crore to the government.

New RPO amendment eases registration rules

2008-10-06T23:02:00.000+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 6- The interim cabinet on Monday approved a second amendment to the Representation of the People (amendment) Ordinance 2008, allowing political parties to register with draft party constitutions.

In this case, the party will have to submit a ratified constitution to the Election Commission within six months from the first sitting of the ninth parliament, the chief adviser's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told reporters after the cabinet meeting, presided over by chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed.

According to the new amendment, people who have been defaulting on loans and utility bills, must pay up 15 days ahead of submission of nomination papers. The time been reduced from six months.

The election expenditure of a party has been set at Tk 1.5 lakh per constituency.

The previous maximum expenditures were set per 300, 200 and 100 constituencies at Tk 4.5 crore, Tk 3 crore and Tk 75 lakh.

Automation to slash Ctg customs clearance

2008-10-05T23:32:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 05-- Chittagong Customs House is set to get a fully automated taxation system, meant to curb irregularities and corruption, from Monday.

Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed will inaugurate the long-awaited system at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre by filling out an electronic bill of entry form.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the automation would make the taxation and clearing of products much easier and quicker.

At a press conference at the National Press Club on Sunday, Javed said: "What now takes four days will take only four hours from Monday."

The automation would cut undue procrastination and the hassles faced by businesses, he added.

"Businessmen will be able to run their business [without] needing to meet customs officials directly," he said.

The first phase of the automated taxation system was introduced at the customs house in the port city on Aug 8, with the online submission of export and import accounts by selected firms.

"Many countries including the United States are pressing countries to automate taxation systems and the automation of Chittagong customs house will reshape the image of Bangladesh," the CCCI president said.

The chamber will run this project for five years. In case of no further extension of the project, the tax authority will take over, he said.

Datasoft, a private local firm, is handling the automation system.

Datasoft managing director Mahbub Zaman sai: "The 5-year project will cost around Tk 33 crore. The project, as a public-private joint venture, will forge the country ahead economically, once fully implemented."

He pointed out that the project was not being implemented by foreigners.

Brigadier General Hasan Nasir, convener of the project's supervising committee, on has said on Sept 24: "Nothing will be handled manually at Chittagong Customs House three months from now."

At least 33 killed in ethnic violence in Assam

2008-10-05T23:27:00.000+06:00

GUWAHATI, India, Sun Oct 5,- At least 33 people have been killed and thousands left homeless in violence over the weekend between indigenous and Bengali-speaking communities in Assam, police and hospital authorities said.

Violence between Bodo tribespeople and immigrant Muslims broke out on Friday in Rowta in Udalguri district, about 100 km north of Dispur, the state capital. It has since spread to neighbouring districts.

The deaths include eight people shot dead by police on Sunday. Police said they opened fire on rioters.

Villagers from the two communities fought with guns, bows and arrows, machetes and spears. More than 100 have been injured and 50,000 have fled their homes to take refuge in makeshift camps set up by the police.

"Shoot-on-sight orders have been issued and curfew has been imposed in the violence-hit areas," Assam's chief minister Tarun Gogoi said.

Many of the dead were burned to death and more than a dozen people with serious burns have been taken to hospital in Guwahati.

A senior police officer, who asked not to be named, told Reuters attackers had set fire to their rivals' houses.

Authorities have called in army and paramilitary forces.

"The local administration failed to take immediate action to control the situation when the trouble initially started and later it flared up," Gogoi said.

Ringed by China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan, India's northeast is home to more than 200 tribes and has been racked by separatist revolts since India gained independence from Britain in 1947.

Muslim settlers from Bangladesh have moved into the region in recent decades.

Sohel Parvez young entrepreneur

2008-10-05T23:23:00.000+06:00

rewarded for the
contribution in business
Sohel Parvez, the young entrepreneur and chairman of chamber of commerce of nilphamari have been rewarded for the contribution in business. his name was announced at a hotel in dhaka on a award giving ceremony. Chairman of Bangladesh press council (PIB) Kazi Ebadul Hoque was present there as chief guest.
This year twelve golden figures have been paid independence salutation. Sohel Parvez is chief of them. Beside the leaders officials of Sadhinota Sangsad, people of various activities, culture, class were attended the award function

Six EU states ready to block climate plan: Poland

2008-10-05T21:08:00.001+06:00

Warsaw, Oct 3 - Poland has assembled a blocking minority among the European Union members enabling them to stall Brussels' climate package, Polish officials said.

Poland and Greece reached an agreement late on Thursday, following a similar accord with Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, that more debate was needed on the EU's package of climate measures.

The European Commission -- EU's executive arm -- aims, among others, to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by a fifth by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. Building up a blocking minority would now force it to seek a compromise on the plan.

"Poland's Environment Minister Maciej Nowicki signed in Greece an agreement referring to the climate package," Joanna Mackowiak of Nowicki's cabinet, told Reuters late on Thursday. "We have the blocking minority."

Under the EU's voting rules, some decisions may be blocked by a certain number of member states representing enough voting power.

The EC's proposal sets full auctioning of the CO2 emission permits as of 2013. The six states want to delay this, arguing their power plants will not have enough cash to compete with giants like the Germany's E.ON on the free-market auctions.

At present, industry gets some permits for free and companies have to buy additional ones only if they exceed their granted quotas.

"This minority refers only to the auctioning," a source responsible for the negotiations told Reuters on Friday, adding the EC would now try to lure particular countries away from the group.

"It's not the biggest success when you build up a blocking minority. It's when the minority sticks together to the very end."

Australia call up White for injured leg spinner McGain

2008-10-05T21:05:00.002+06:00

NEW DELHI, Oct 4- Australia named Cameron White on Saturday to replace injured fellow leg spinner Bryce McGain in the squad for the four-test series in India starting next week.

White, 25, also a useful lower-order batsman, captained Australia A to a tri-series win in India last month.

The Victoria all rounder, who has played 21 one-dayers and two Twenty20 games, will join the side ahead of the first test starting in Bangalore on Thursday, a team statement said.

McGain was sent home on Friday because of a shoulder injury, dashing his hopes of making his test debut at the age of 36 to prop up Australia's weak spin attack.

Bashar sets sight on ICL semis

2008-10-05T21:01:00.001+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 4 (bdnews24.com) – The 'rebel' cricketers, led by former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar, left Dhaka Saturday morning for the Indian city of Chandigarh via Delhi to take part in the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL) with hopes of qualifying for the semifinals.

The Dhaka Warriors will start their campaign against inaugural league champions Chennai Super Star on Oct 11 in the 11-team second edition twenty20 meet.

"We will represent Bangladesh rather than play for a foreign team, and if we perform well, then it will certainly delight Bangladeshi fans," Bashar told reporters during the players' departure at Zia International Airport.

"Our first target is to qualify for the semifinals, and then we will consider the rest," said Bangladesh's most successful captain.

Bashar sought blessings from the countrymen to do well in the 'rebel cricket league', saying the nation's support would greatly inspire them.

"We will hope for a little support from all, and all players from Dhaka Warriors will be very grateful to our countrymen if they back us," said the 36-year-old batsman, adding that they felt cornered after signing for the ICL.

Eight top cricketers, contracted by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, retired last month from all forms of cricket to play the ICL—facing a backlash and prompting huge debate in the country on whether they should play the ICL instead of for the national team.

Following the cricketers' retirement, the BCB who does not recognise the ICL banned those cricketers for 10 years for playing the league.

However, hard-hitter batsman Aftab Ahmed is still dreaming of returning to the national fold and requested the board to reconsider its decision.

"I want to play for the country, but don't know how it is possible now," Aftab said regretfully. "I hope the board will reconsider us."

Aftab felt no better at the airport as he was leaving the country for the first time without wearing the national jersey.

Wicketkeeper Dhiman Ghosh, however, was in a different mood.

"I have given back to Bangladesh as much as it has helped me build up my career," said the 20-year-old wicketkeeper, who has played only 14 one-day internationals for Bangladesh.

Middle order batsman Alok Kapali sees playing in the ICL as a challenge as questions about his ability had arisen in the national team.

"I have taken it as a challenge and want to prove wrong what had been said about me," said Kapali, who returned to form hitting a century against India in the Asia Cup.

Those who left for India are: Habibul Bashar, Shahriar Nafees, Aftab Ahmed, Alok Kapali, Tapash Baisya, Nazim Uddin, Farhad Reza, Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, Dhiman Ghosh, Mohammad Rafique, Manjurul Islam, Mahbubul Karim, Golam Mabud and Mohammad Sharif.

Puja celebrations take off

2008-10-05T20:58:00.002+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 4- Durga Puja, the major religious festival for Hindus in Bangladesh, began Sunday, with Puja pavilions or pandals made ready for five days of celebration.

Arriving immediately after Eid-ul-fitr, Durga Puja promises to bring the country another spell of festivity.

Puja preparations over the weekend included final decorative touches to the pandals and idols of the goddess Durga, throughout the capital and countrywide.

The number of pandals erected countrywide has increased this year, festival organisers said Saturday.

The 22,000 raised across the country this year include 165 in the capital alone.

Spectacular pandals have been erected in a line from Shakaribazar to Tatibazar and Laxmibazar in the capital's old dictrict.

Puja preparations were also completed over the weekend in the festival hotspots of Dhakeswari and Ramna Kali temples as well as Dhaka University's Jagannath Hall.

The design and decoration of the major pandals and idols in Dhaka is traditionally done by art and architecture students of the city.

CR Dutta, Dhaka City Puja Committee chief, said: "More pandals have been built, security has been tightened and police control rooms have been set up countrywide."

In 2007, over 20,000 pandals were counted countrywide.

President of the Puja Udjapan Parisad, Professor Nim Chandra Bhowmik, said this year the number had risen to about 22,000.

President of Dhaka City Sarbajanin Puja Committee Kazal Debnath said: "We had meetings with the home adviser as well as senior police and RAB officials. They assured us of security measures, we have no doubt about the safety of Puja celebrations."

Bhowmik mentioned, however, that pandals had been attacked in some districts including Bagerhat, Satkhira, Gopalganj, Narsingdi and Chittagong.

"The government is yet to take all necessary steps so that Puja celebrations can take place peacefully throughout the country," he said.

Durga Puja, one of the most important events in the Bengali Hindu calendar, sees a series of rituals over the five days to mark welcome Durga to earth.

It is officially recognised as a government holiday, with festivals organised and pandals erected in every district centre, as well as in the thanas and villages.

The five-day celebrations are formally launched with 'Devi Bodhon', when the goddess Durga, wife of Shiva, is invited to visit earth.

The festival will come to an end on Oct 9 through the sacrifice of the Durga idols on Dashamee day.

The Puja is more than just a religious festival, however, it is a cultural event in Bangladesh and West Bengal.

Visiting pandals with friends and family, meeting others and sampling nearby food stalls are a major part of the festivities.

Eden College, Banani playground, Sri Sri Ram Sita Temple in the old city, Shiva Temple in Thatari Bazar, Bhagabati Temple, Pranab Moth, Northbruck Hall Jamidar Bari, Banagram Tarun Sangsad, North and South Mesindi, Narendra Basak Lane, Madan Mohon Temple in Hamanto Das Lane, Rupchan Das Lane, Sri Sri Jamuna Mi Ashram and Siddheswari Kali Temple are among the major festival spots of Durga Puja this year.

Stocks steam ahead after break

2008-10-05T20:44:00.000+06:00

Dhaka, Oct 5– Stocks rallied to gains on Sunday after a nine-day closure since Sept. 26 because of Eid vacations.

Dhaka Stock Exchange gained on non-bank financial institutions, energy and pharmaceuticals shares but the turnover fell compared with the last trading day although it still topped Tk 4 billion.

The benchmark DGEN or general index surged 34.55 points or 1.16 percent to end on 3001.37.

The DSI or all share price index finished at 2498.45, down by 11.57 points or 0.46 percent, due to price adjustments of Rupali Bank shares.

The blue chip, DSE-20 gained 20.40 points or 0.82 percent to 2486.51.

All indices on the Chittagong Stock Exchange ended upbeat paced by huge gains in energy, non-bank financial institutions and pharmaceuticals shares.

The CSCX or selective categories index increased 70.73 points or 1.20 percent to finish at 5936.44.

The CASPI or all share price index closed at 9118.08, gaining 121.40 points or 1.34 percent while the bourse's blue chip, CSE-30 rose 48.45 points or 0.61 percent to 7910.97.

Turnover on the DSE was worth Tk 4.50 billion from trading of 30,064,004 shares – edging down from Tk 4.79 billion on Sept. 25, the last trading day before the Eid vacations.

The port city bourse witnessed 6,250,698 traded shares with a turnover of Tk 616.727 million from Tk 648.264 million on the previous trading day.

Gainers outshined losers on the DSE by 137 to 80 with five issues remaining unchanged. Of the traded 138 scrips on the CSE, 82 advanced and 53 declined, with three static.

Atop the turnover board on the DSE was Beximco, which finished at Tk 234.20, up by 8.82 percent.

The group's pharmaceutical wing, Beximco Pharma followed up, gaining 5.64 percent to Tk 144.20.

Summit Power ended on Tk 827.50, surging 13 percent.

State-owned Titas Gas shook off early losses to advance 2.79 percent to Tk 506.25.

ACI rose 8.41 percent to finish at Tk 636.20.

The other issues on the turnover board – Lanka Bangla Finance, Grameen One: Scheme 2, Keya Cosmetics, DESCO and Power Grid Company of Bangladesh – also rose on buying pressure.

bdnews24.com/rhn/bd/1728hours WARNING: Any unauthorised use or reproduction of bdnews24.com content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.

Some one catching fish in a beautiful lake

2008-10-05T20:31:00.004+06:00

It situated on Bandarban. Mr Mofizur Rahman use this lake to update his condition of economy. He earn monthly 90000 tk in a month by selling fish.

Google, Yahoo delay search ad partnership

2008-10-05T20:27:00.000+06:00

Google Inc and Yahoo Inc have decided to delay implementing a controversial search advertising partnership, Yahoo said on Friday.

"The companies have agreed to a brief delay in implementing this agreement to continue our ongoing discussions with the (US) Department of Justice," Yahoo said in a statement. "We have had discussions with regulators and look forward to responding to their questions about this agreement."

Google issued a similar statement.

"When we announced our advertising agreement with Yahoo in June we agreed to delay its implementation until October to give regulators time to look at the details. As we are still in conversation with the Department of Justice we have agreed to a brief delay in implementing the agreement while those discussions continue," the company said.

The delay was expected to last less than a month, a source familiar with the discussions on the issue told Reuters. "We're still looking at the time frame of October," the source said.

The deal, which allows Google to sell advertising for some of Yahoo's online advertising space, is unpopular with advertisers who fear higher prices. Google's web-search market share widened to 63 percent in August, while Yahoo dropped to 19.6 percent and Microsoft Corp slipped to 8.3 percent, according to comScore Inc.

Bob Liodice, president and CEO of the Association of National Advertisers, said his organization was opposed to the pact. "We're gratified that Google and Yahoo are delaying," he said.

Google uses an algorithm that aims to match consumers with what it says are the most appropriate ads, a formula some advertisers find mysterious and bothersome.

The deal announced in June to share advertising was widely seen as an effort to help fend off Microsoft's efforts to acquire Yahoo, by bringing Yahoo an additional $800 million in annual revenues.

An antitrust lawyer, who regularly brings mergers to the Justice Department, said that the delay was probably not a good sign for Google and Yahoo.

"It means that they were not going to get a clean bill of health in time, and perhaps it's much worse than that. They don't want to go forward and be told that there's potentially a very serious problem there," said the lawyer.

There had been previously been signs that the planned partnership was running into trouble with the Justice Department, in particular reports that the agency had brought on board top litigator Sandy Litvack to work on the deal.

Litvack was the department's antitrust chief under former US President Jimmy Carter and Walt Disney Co's former vice chairman.

Google has argued the tie-up means Google and Yahoo could work together to improve the chances that consumers will be more likely to get ads for products they will want to buy -- thus giving advertisers more bang for their buck. It has also said that since it sells its advertisements by auction that it has little control over prices.

Don't arrest Hasina, HC orders

2008-10-05T20:21:00.002+06:00

The High Court on Sunday ordered the government not to arrest or harass former prime minister Sheikh Hasina until Oct. 20 in Niko and barge-mounted power plants cases.

The court also asked the government not to throw obstacles to her free movement at home and abroad.

The vacation bench of justices Md Anwarul Haque and Zubaer Rahman Chowdhury delivered the orders on two bail petitions by Hasina.

Awami League chief Hasina is on parole since June 11 to receive treatment in the United States after her arrest on July 16, 2007.

Hasina's chief counsel barrister Rafique-ul-Huq argued in the hearing for Hasina. Advocate MA Aziz Khan on behalf of the Anticorruption Commission and deputy attorney general Mohammad Ali Akhand standing for the government opposed the bail pleas.

The vacation bench of justices Md Anwarul Haque and Zubaer Rahman Chowdhury on Sept. 30 fixed October 5 for the hearing. The bail appeals in the two cases were filed on Sept. 22.

Another High Court bench returned the two bail prayers on Sept. 23 on the grounds that it had no jurisdiction to hear them.

On Sept. 29 the two bail prayers were filed afresh with the bench led by justice Md Anwarul Haque.

ACC deputy director SM Sabbir Hasan on Dec. 9 last year filed the Niko corruption case with Tejgaon Police Station against Hasina and six others.

It was alleged that the Hasina administration inflicted Tk 13,600 crore in financial losses on the state by awarding Chhatak, Kamta and Feni gas fields to Canadian firm Niko Resources Ltd without tender.

ACC pressed charges in the court against nine persons including Hasina on May 7 this year.

ACC deputy director SM Sabbir Hasan on Sept. 2 last year filed a corruption case with Tejgaon Police Station against seven persons including the former prime minister. It accused them of giving special benefits in the work of setting up three barge-mounted power plants in private sector by taking Tk 3 crore bribe in the name of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust.

The charge sheet in the case was submitted on Jan. 11.

Another bench of the High Court on Monday rejected Hasina's bail prayer in the extortion case filed by businessman Noor Ali.

Ex-PMs can run if unconvicted: EC

2008-10-05T20:10:00.002+06:00

There is no bar to former premiers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia running the general elections, the Election Commission has said.

In case they are convicted under the emergency powers rules and the conventional law, it might require a little rethinking about if they can still do so, election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hossain told reporters on Sunday.

Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in an interview with the Time Magazine said allowing or barring the two ex-premiers depended solely on the Election Commission.

Commenting on the interview, Sohul said, "The two ex-premiers are no separate issues for us. The chief adviser in his interview might have alluded to the electoral laws. Unless convicted, one would not face any bar to contesting the polls."

He said as of now none of the two former premiers has been convicted. "If someone is convicted under the emergency powers rules, they will stand ineligible to run the polls even if they file appeal against the conviction."

"On the other hand, one could contest the polls even after being convicted under the conventional law when an appeal has been filed with the higher court."

The constitution and the electoral laws say convicts handed down two or more years' jail terms may be barred from the polls. One, however, may be eligible again for running the polls when one has passed five years after serving the punitive term.

On lifting the emergency, Sohul said, "Relaxing or lifting the emergency depends solely on the caretaker government."

He hoped all restrictions would be lifted to facilitate smooth campaigning prior to the elections.

Sohul said they would inform the government of any hurdles that might impede the staging of free and fair elections.

He was confident that all complications pertaining to the redefining the electoral districts will be sorted out before the ensuing polls.

He said all objections should be heard and resolved through the intervention of the court.

The chief election commissioner and his colleagues were also present at the Election Commission headquarters on Sunday, the first workday after the Eid vacation.

When it was pointed out that Khaleda had not registered herself as a voter, though enrolling oneself is the most cardinal precondition for running the elections, Sohul said, "If Khaleda Zia wants to participate in the forthcoming polls, she must enroll as a voter before the election schedules are announced. The EC has alerted her about that too."

Hasina registered herself as a voter on June

Using colourful Mahadi on little baby's hand

2008-10-05T20:01:00.003+06:00

How nice it to look their?

England name squad for India Tests

2008-09-30T05:00:00.001+06:00

Having already drawn the sting from their latest squad announcement by announcing that Michael Vaughan would be excluded from the Test team for India the England selectors have settled the one remaining question - who would take Vaughan's place - in favour of Owais Shah. Shah was competing against Ravi Bopara for the final batting spot in the squad.

"Our decision to pick Owais Shah was based on the fact that he is an excellent player of spin who played a superb innings in India on his Test debut two years ago," said national selector Geoff Miller, "It's a further opportunity for him to build on his success with the one-day side this year and his inclusion in the squad will create real competition for places within the batting unit."

Graeme Swann is the only uncapped player in the squad, providing a second spinning option behind Monty Panesar. Both Tim Ambrose and Matt Prior have been included, with Miller refusing to comment whether one or the other was the leading contender for the Test wicketkeeping position.

England will play two Tests in India after the conclusion of a seven match one-day series.

The selectors also announced the England Development squad, which will also be touring India this winter. The most surprising inclusion is Middlesex's Dawid Malan, the 21-year-old South African who rose to prominence with his violent batting in this year's Twenty20 Trophy. Adil Rashid is also included, while there are returns to the England fold for Saj Mahmood and Liam Plunkett. The notable omission is James Foster, who many touted as an outside pick for the full Test squad.

England Test squad to play India in Ahmedabad (Dec 11-15) and Mumbai (Dec 19-23): Kevin Pietersen, Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Owais Shah, Graeme Swann, Ryan Sidebottom, Tim Ambrose.

England's 15-man performance squad to tour India this winter: T Bresnan, M Davies, SM Davies, JL Denly, RH Joseph, RWT Key, A Khan, SI Mahmood, DJ Malan, EJG Morgan, SC Moore, LJ Plunkett, A Rashid, OP Rayner, IJL Trott.