Arabian food festival on at the Westin

•  Food lovers are in for a treat as they will get to taste the popular middle-eastern rice dish Kabasa 
  Photo- Dhaka Tribune

Man’s love for exquisite food can be observed in all cultures, especially in the Arabian regions, where luxury and indulgence in all that is good, is the norm in every aspect of life. Arabia’s cultural heredity lie deep in antiquity. Although isolated from the centers of ancient civilizations, its people had a diversity of acquaintances with Egypt, Syria, Iraq and with the Roman and Byzantine empires.

To introduce the flavours and diversity of the Arabian cuisine to the foodies and food connoisseurs of Dhaka, the Westin is holding an Arabian food festival titled Aroma of Arabia at the Seasonal Tastes restaurant of the hotel. Guest chefs from Egypt are flown in to preside over the kitchen of the signature restaurant for the duration of the festival, to maintain the authenticity and flavours of the dishes.

Food lovers are in for a treat as they will get to taste the popular middle-eastern rice dish Kabasa, that is served with whole roasted lamb, tender and delectably aromatic, the flavour of dried leamon and other fragrant spices can be tasted in the dish.

A variety of Arabian kebab made of chicken, lamb and beef is being served at the festival. What sets them apart from other kebab dish is that Arabian kebabs are infused with special condiments and the distinct flavour of the coal that is unique to that region only.

Traditional Middle Eastern dishes such as chicken shawarma, sayadiah sea food, an array of lamb dish, chicken with freaka and many more make up the carte du jour of the festival. Another special addition to the event is that, seven different menus will be served in the seven-day long festival that will run till November 14.

Today’s main items include an array of Egyptian dishes such as, Egyptian moussaka, Egyptian style macaroni gratin, duck with freaka, sea bass with felafel and lamb okra.

The festival was inaugurated on November 7 at the Silver Room of the hotel. Etihad airways is the airline partner and Dhaka Tribune is the media partner of the event.  

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Parthenium: A new threat to food security

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The plant protection wing of the government is deeply concerned about rapid spread of highly invasive parthenium in north-western and south-western regions as this new alien weed will be the cause of 40% loss of agricultural produce.

Rice, wheat, maize, potato, tomato, groundnut, pea, sugarcane, cotton and other crops are the major victims of Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorous) detected in the bordering areas of the greater Rajshahi, Kushtia and Jessore districts.

In addition to causing skin diseases and respiratory malfunctions Parthenium’s toxic Parthenin harms cattle and domestic animals. Parthenin is also the cause of pollen allergy.

At an internal meeting in Dhaka on May 8 the quarantine entomologists from across the country warned about the danger of parthenium suggesting its immediate check.

This is the second detection of an alien organism in Bangladesh after the Giant Mealy Bug that has spread different parts of Dhaka since its first spotting in a naval base in the capital.

“Unless stopped immediately, this highly invasive species will hugely harm our crop cultivation. It can cause up to 40% loss of agricultural yield, including rice, potato, sugarcane and others,” Ahsan Ullah, a quarantine entomologist at the plant protection wing, said.

He said Bangladesh was immune from parthenium, the newest alien species that sneaked into here, possibly through the consignments of imported wheat and food items.

Manjurul Haque, the entomologist posted at the Sonamasjid Land Port in Chapainawabganj, said: “We have spotted huge presence of parthenium in the bordering areas in Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Jessore, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Jhenaidah districts and other adjoining areas.”

Jashim Uddin, another entomologist posted at the Bhomra Land Port, said he also saw parthenium in Satkhira terming the weed alarming.

Available literature says the apparently invisible parthenium came to India’s Pune in 1955 through wheat consignments, strongly believed from the USA, ultimately spread into other parts.

This is also seen in Australia that exports wheat to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh imports huge food grains from India through land ports where the plant protection wing has quarantine centres for checking invasive species. But informal trade was another likely cause of parthenium’s intrusion.

Ahsan Ullah said the farmers in the US and other developed countries harvest crops by machines causing the mix of parthenium seed with the lot and ultimately affecting the importing nations.

“A single plant produces 10,000 flower heads and spread into the eco-system. It spreads fast and eats up the food and nutrients of the crops. Besides, the invasive plant can adapt to almost all adverse climatic conditions,” he said.

Ahsan said the quarantine department lacked adequate human resources, logistics and resources to check parthenium.

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Argentine journalist dies in Brazil

Jorge Lopez, an Argentine journalist and a friend of Lionel Messi, was killed in a fatal road accident in Sao Paulo on Wednesday.

Also known as “Topo”, Lopez was working for La Red Radio at the World Cup in Brazil and died after the taxi he was travelling in was hit by a stolen vehicle that was being pursued by the Military Police.
The 38-year old reporter was heading back to his hotel around 1:30am when the taxi was struck by a fleeing vehicle at Tiradentes and Barao de Mauá crossing in Sao Paulo.

Lopez, who was sitting at the back seat, flew out of the vehicle as a consequence of the crash, while the driver suffered injuries on his shoulder.

The three occupants of the vehicle, two of them teenagers, were unharmed and arrested by the police and taken to the 1st DP Guarulhos.

He was responsible for conducting interviews with the star of Barcelona’s Messi for the daily “Ole”. According to the Argentine newspaper, Lopez met the top player during the period he lived in Barcelona. Lopez’s wife, who is also a journalist and is in Brazil to cover the World Cup, learned of the accident via a Twitter post of Argentine Diego Simeone, coach of Atletico Madrid. 

- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/football/2014/jul/10/argentine-journalist-dies-brazil#sthash.eg6r0Xdt.dpuf

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6 killed in US home shooting

A gunman has shot six people to death, four of them children, in a Houston suburb in Texas of US on Wednesday.

Harris County Constable Ron Hickman told reporters after the suspect’s arrest, reports Reuters.

The victims ranged from 4 to 40 years of age, and preliminary information indicated two of the dead were children adopted by the gunman and his estranged wife.

Hickman added that the violence stemmed from "obviously a domestic situation that went south, probably a divorce or separation."

A 15-year-old girl who also was shot but survived provided police with the name of the suspect and where he was believed to be going after he fled the scene, enabling officers to head him off before he arrived at the home of another family where he intended to shoot more relatives, police said.

The gunman then led police on a nearly half-hour pursuitcapped by a standoff in a residential cul-de-sac a few miles from the scene of the slayings.

Streaming video footage from local television station KTRK showed the suspect's car sandwiched between two trucks where the chase ended, with more than a dozen police vehicles nearby.

After a four-hour interlude in which the suspect was seen placing a gun to his head, he walked out of the vehicle with his hands raised, then laid down on the ground to be taken into custody.

Five of the victims were found dead on the scene, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said.

Two others were flown by helicopter to an area hospital, but one, a child, later died while the other was listed in critical condition, the sheriff's office said.

The names of the suspect and the victim

- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/north-america/2014/jul/10/6-killed-us-home-shooting#sthash.kusCDHqU.dpuf

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Nepali girl commits suicide after Brazil's defeat

A die-hard 15-year-old fan of Brazil in Nepal has committed suicide after the humiliating defeat of the south Amarican football team at the hands of Germany in the World Cup semifinal.

Quoting Sharad Thapa, a Nepal police inspector, India Today reports: “Pragya Thapa, 15, from Sunsari district in east Nepal, hanged herself on Wednesday morning after some of her friends teased her that her team had suffered a humiliating loss to Germany.”

Pragya, a 10th grader in a local school, hung herself when her mother and sister also joined her friends and took Germany's side, police said.

Germany defeated Brazil on its home soil 7-1 disheartening millions of fans across the world

- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/world/2014/jul/09/nepali-girl-commits-suicide-after-brazils-defeat#sthash.y1Zi85hi.dpuf

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Actress Emma Watson named UN Goodwill

British Actress Emma Watson, best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movie series, has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women. (Also
The UN Women is dedicated to issues of gender equality and empowerment of women.
Emma, a humanitarian and recent graduate of the Ivy League Brown University, will dedicate her efforts as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador towards the empowerment of young women and will serve as an advocate for the body’s ‘HeForShe’ campaign in promoting gender equality, the organisation said.
Emma described her appointment as Goodwill Ambassador as “truly humbling” and said she would take up her new responsibility with all seriousness since not everyone got a “chance to make a real difference”.
“Women’s rights are something so inextricably linked with who I am, so deeply personal and rooted in my life that I can’t imagine an opportunity more exciting. I still have so much to learn, but as I progress I hope to bring more of my individual knowledge, experience and awareness to this role,” the 24-year-old actress said.
Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said Emma “embodied” the values of UN Women.
“The engagement of young people is critical for the advancement of gender equality in the 21st century, and I am convinced that Emma’s intellect and passion will enable UN Women’s messages to reach the hearts and minds of young people globally,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
Emma has been involved in the promotion of girls’ education for several years and previously visited Bangladesh and Zambia as part of her humanitarian efforts.
Watson is the first Goodwill Ambassador appointment under Mlambo-Ngcuka’s leadership.

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Harry Potter returns in new JK Rowling short story

Harry Potter has returned, in a short story posted online by J.K. Rowling that features her best-selling hero at a school reunion, approaching the age of 34 and showing a few grey hairs.
Written as an article in the fictional Daily Prophet newspaper under the headline “Dumbledore’s Army Reunites at Quidditch World Cup Final”, the 1,500-word story also features the two other main characters in the Harry Potter trio, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley – now married to each other.
Potter, Rowling writes, has clung to some aspects of his youth : “About to turn 34, there are a couple of threads of silver in the famous … black hair, but he continues to wear the distinctive round glasses that some might say are better suited to a style-deficient 12-year-old.”
As the trio watch the final of the Quidditch contest – the celebrated Hogwarts sport involving flying broomsticks and enchanted balls – Rita Skeeter, a vicious journalist from previous novels, discusses their lives in a gossip column.
The seven Harry Potter novels, the first of which was published in 1997, became the best-selling book series ever and has been adapted into a multibillion-dollar film franchise. The new story, on Rowling’s website Pottermore, an interactive site for fans begun in 2011, is here.

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In Bolivia, silver mountain at risk of collapse

POTOSo, Bolivia – Cerro Rico, the fabled peak towering over the Bolivian city of Potosi that supplied silver to fund Spain’s colonial empire, is at risk of collapse from overmining, putting thousands of workers in jeopardy, reports AP.
Potosi, which earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 1987, was seen as the world’s largest industrial complex in the 16th century thanks to its massive deposits of silver and tin.
But last month, the UN cultural body placed the colonial city, perched high in the Andes, and the increasingly unstable Cerro Rico on its World Heritage in Danger list due to “uncontrolled mining operations”.
A symbol of the colonisation of Latin America and the exploitation of its rich resources, Potosi and its 200,000 residents now largely live in poverty in the shadow of Cerro Rico — “Rich Hill”.
So despite the dire warnings, no one imagines that silver extraction-basically the region’s only source of revenue- could eventually halt altogether, leaving wary officials in a bit of a quandary.
“We are not going to leave this place, because it’s the source of food for our families,” says Carlos Mamami, who leads one of the privately-run cooperatives that bring together Potosi’s 12,000 miners. “Where would we go?” Cerro Rico has been mined continuously ever since a Quechua Indian named Diego Huallpa accidentally discovered silver there in 1545, early in the era of Spanish colonial rule.
Silver from Spain’s New World mines, especially Cerro Rico, was turned into coins and used to fund Madrid’s empire for centuries. The coins remained a global currency well after Bolivia’s independence in 1825.
Today, pierced by more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of tunnels, Cerro Rico is something of a giant ant hill. So much silver has been extracted that experts believe the mountain, currently 4,787 meters (15,700 feet) tall, has lost 400 meters in height over the years.
Miners still work as they did centuries ago, with picks and shovels, and in difficult conditions, the president of the society of Potosi engineers, Ronald Fajardo, told AFP.
About 5,000 tons of soil, silver and tin are extracted every day.
Each year, about 30 miners die there, according to official figures. But because of the transient and informal labour system, the death toll could actually be much higher.
“UNESCO does not want a World Heritage Site to become a cemetery, a disaster zone,” Bolivian Culture Minister Pablo Groux said soon after the UN cultural body’s announcement.

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Syria conflict National Coalition elects new leader

Syria’s main opposition alliance, the National Coalition, has elected a new president, reports AFP.
Hadi al-Bahra, the coalition’s chief negotiator at the failed Geneva II peace talks with the Syrian government, was chosen at a meeting in Turkey.
He has close ties to Saudi Arabia like Ahmed al-Jarba, whom he replaces.
Though it is backed by the US and Gulf Arab states, the National Coalition has little influence over the rebels trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
The hardline Islamist and jihadist fighters that dominate the rebel movement reject the alliance’s exiled leadership.
One group, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), has announced the creation of a “caliphate” in the territory under its control in northern and eastern Syria, as well as in the large swathes of neighbouring Iraq.
‘Not seeking power’
The National Coalition has repeatedly warned of the threat of Isis and called on its foreign allies to arm rebel forces to counter the gains made by the al-Qaeda breakaway.
“While Assad’s allies have been supplying him with unlimited support, the aid provided by the Friends of the Syria [an alliance of Western and Gulf states] to mainstream rebels has decreased to the minimum level. The flow of arms to the Syrian rebels has almost stopped lately,” spokesman Louay Safi told Wednesday’s meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sile.

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50 bodies found south of Baghdad

Baghdad – Iraqi officials say 50 bodies have been discovered outside a city south of Baghdad, many of them blindfolded and with their hands bound, reports UNB.
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan Ibrahim says the bodies were discovered Wednesday in an agricultural area outside the city of Hillah.
Hillah is a predominantly Shiite city about 95 kilometers (60 miles) south of Baghdad.
Ibrahim says an investigation is underway to determine the identities of the dead as well as the circumstances of the killings.
The discovery of bullet-riddled bodies was common during the worst days of Iraq’s sectarian bloodletting in 2006 and 2007. Security officials said an investigation was under way to determine the identities of the bodies discovered in an agricultural area near Hilla early on Wednesday, as well as the circumstances of their killings. The victims were men aged between 25 and 40, police and mortuary officials said. It appeared they were killed several days ago.

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Israel air strikes kill 20 on third day of Gaza campaign

 International Desk: Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed 20 people on Thursday including four women and four children, medics said, on the third day of a widening military operation.

The deaths bring to 70 the number of Palestinians killed since Israel on Tuesday launched Operation Protective Edge to halt rocket fire from the besieged territory.

Israel’s army said it carried out raids during the night against more than 300 Hamas targets, claiming to have hit the Islamist group a total of 750 times since the operation began.

Emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP that an early morning strike hit a coffee shop in the city of Khan Yunis, killing eight people and wounding at least 15.

A second attack blasted a home in Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing one person and wounding several others, Qudra said.

Further strikes targeted two houses in Khan Yunis, killing four women and four children, he said.

After dawn, a car was hit in western Gaza City, killing three people and wounding four others.

Throughout the night explosions were heard across the Palestinian territory after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of even tougher action to come.

The military operation is Israel’s largest against Gaza since 2012.

On Wednesday, 29 Palestinians were killed, and Tuesday’s toll stood at 21, bringing the total number of dead to 70.

The dead include at least 11 women and 18 children, according to an AFP count based on medical reports.

There have been no Israeli deaths so far, but Hamas showed its firepower as it launched waves of rockets across Israel that triggered sirens in cities as far from Gaza as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa

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Snowden to extend Russia stay: lawyer

Fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has formally requested to stay in Russia past July 31, when his one-year asylum status expires, his lawyer said yesterday.
"We have already filed documents to extend his stay in Russia," Anatoly Kucherena told AFP.
Snowden has been in Russia since flying in from Hong Kong in June last year after shaking up America's intelligence establishment with a series of leaks on mass surveillance in the United States and around the world.
He could not travel on from Sheremetyevo however after his passport was revoked, and was holed up in its transit zone for weeks before Moscow granted him a one-year refugee status.

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Kiev tightens grip on rebels

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko was to face renewed European pressure yesterday to talk to pro-Russian rebels on a truce as Kiev tightened its grip around jittery rebel stronghold Donetsk.
French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were expected to push the Western-backed leader on a ceasefire in three-way telephone talks but Kiev has until now shrugged off calls to halt an offensive that has reclaimed a string of key rebel towns.
Ukraine's military says it controls all routes in and out of the cities and a spokesman for Kiev's National Security and Defence Council warned a plan was in place that would give the rebels an "unpleasant surprise."
Nearly 500 lives have been lost since Poroshenko came to office in May.

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Germany probing new US spy case

German authorities said yesterday they were investigating an alleged foreign spy as reports said the suspect was the second within days believed to be working for US intelligence.
The latest case comes hot on the heels of an arrest last week of an unidentified employee of Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the BND.
If confirmed, it would further strain transatlantic relations, which have taken a bruising since last year with the NSA surveillance scandal revealed by Edward Snowden.
Die Welt daily said that the suspect was a German army officer. The German defence ministry, when asked about the case by AFP, said that "an investigation is ongoing" within the ministry, without elaborating.

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Kurdistan HQ of militants

Iraqi premier Nuri al-Maliki Wednesday accused the country's autonomous Kurdish region of harbouring jihadists, further ratcheting up tension despite calls for Iraq's leaders to unite against a Sunni militant offensive.
The crisis triggered by a jihadist-led offensive that started exactly a month ago and soon overran swathes of five provinces north and west of Baghdad, has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and heaped pressure on Maliki as he bids for a third term.
The incumbent yesterday appeared to damage his efforts to retain his post by turning on Kurdish leaders whose support he needs.
"Honestly, we cannot be silent over this and we cannot be silent over Arbil being a headquarters for Daash, and the Baath, and al-Qaeda and terrorist operations," Maliki said in his weekly televised address.

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Both sides claim victory in tight race

Both sides claimed victory yesterday in Indonesia's tightest and most divisive presidential election since the end of authoritarian rule, as unofficial tallies showed Jakarta governor Joko Widodo leading over ex-general Prabowo Subianto.
The standoff in the hotly contested race to lead the world's third-biggest democracy prompted President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to call for restraint from both sides until official results are announced in two weeks' time.
The popularity of Widodo -- known as "Jokowi" and the first serious presidential contender without roots in the era of dictator Suharto -- was clear earlier in the day, when hundreds of supporters mobbed him as he voted in central Jakarta.
As a series of unofficial tallies, which are considered reliable, started to show him with a lead of four to five percentage points, a smiling Widodo declared victory flanked by members of his party, extending his thanks to "all the Indonesian people".
But shortly afterwards Prabowo, who has admitted ordering the abduction of democracy activists before the Suharto's downfall in 1998 and was formerly married to one of the strongman's daughters, also claimed victory.
The 62-year-old, who has pushed a strongman image on the campaign trail to win votes, said survey institutes used by his campaign team showed that he and running mate Hatta Rajasa "have received the support and mandate from the people of Indonesia".
Speaking earlier in the day, he had pledged to "respect the people's decision".
However he added: "It must be really their decision and not an engineered one. If it's engineered, we must take clear action."

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Love that hurts so much Asylum-seeker mothers 'attempt suicide' to get kids to Australia

A dozen mothers in an asylum-seeker camp have reportedly attempted suicide so their children can be settled in Australia, piling pressure on Prime Minister Tony Abbott who said yesterday he would not be morally blackmailed.
The Sydney Morning Herald said the women tried to kill themselves this week after being told they would be taken from a detention centre on Christmas Island to Papua New Guinea or Nauru.
Any boatpeople who arrived in Australia after July 19, 2013 cannot be resettled in the country, regardless of whether they are eventually judged to be genuine refugees.
They are instead sent to detention facilities or for resettlement on islands in the Pacific.
The Australian Human Rights Commission told AFP it was aware of "seven women who have either attempted suicide, threatened suicide or self-harmed on Christmas Island" in the last two days.
"In recent weeks we are aware of 13 asylum-seekers who fall into those categories," a spokeswoman added.
The damaging claims come as Australia faces growing pressure over its controversial immigration policies, with High Court action under way over the fate of 153 Sri Lankans being held in custody on the high seas.
They are currently detained on a Customs boat as lawyers argue that any transfer back to Colombo would be illegal, with concerns about the way they were screened.

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New UN envoy to Syria named

Italian-Swedish diplomat Staffan de Mistura, who has served previously in Afghanistan and Iraq, is to become the new UN envoy to Syria, diplomats said Wednesday.
He is to replace Lakhdar Brahimi who resigned at the end of May after two rounds of peace talks yielded no concrete results and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was re-elected in June.
His nomination was been confirmed to members of the UN Security Council but has not yet been announced officially by the United Nations.
One diplomat said de Mistura would represent the United Nations and "have an Arab deputy."
OPPOSITION ELECTS NEW LEADER
Meanwhile, the main exiled Syrian opposition group yesterday elected Saudi-based businessman Hadi el-Bahra as its new president in a bid to end internal divisions and breathe fresh life into its flagging struggle to oust Assad.
The Syrian National Coalition, the main exiled opposition group seeking the overthrow of Assad, will be hoping el-Bahra enjoys greater success than his predecessor Ahmad Jarba in keeping up the pressure on the regime.
More than 162,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011.

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Modi Tightens grip on BJP

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's closest confidant Amit Shah was appointed the new President of ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party yesterday.
The appointment of 49-year-old Shah, one of the youngest presidents of the party who succeeds Rajnath Singh, gives Modi, who singlehandedly steered BJP to an emphatic victory in parliamentary elections less than two months ago, complete control over both the party and the government.
Rajnath Singh, who is currently India's Home Minister, is stepping down as BJP chief as the party's constitution does not allow a leader to hold two posts.
Shah's appointment as BJP chief was approved at a meeting of BJP parliamentary board, the party's highest decision-making forum yesterday afternoon and caps a meteoric and rapid rise for the party's key election strategist who is credited with crafting the party's unprecedented victory general elections in politically key state of Uttar Pradesh which sends the highest number of members -- 80 -- to Lok Sabha.
After Modi as Prime Minister, Shah's becoming the party president marks a generational change in BJP where veterans like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and M M Joshi, have called the shots since its inception in 1977.
The change of guard at the top in BJP comes at a time when the party is gearing up to wrest power in key states like Maharashtra and Haryana ruled by Congress. Polls to legislatures are also due in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Bihar within the next year.
Many in BJP had initially doubted Shah's political management skill when he was appointed as in-charge of BJP's affairs in Uttar Pradesh as he was considered a rank outsider because he spent all his political life in Gujarat and that he is new to Uttar Pradesh where the politics is highly caste-ridden.    
Shah's name for the post was in doubt initially also considering the cases against him that dates back to his stint as the minister of state (home) in Gujarat when Modi was the chief minister. He faces a court case relating to in Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife Kausar Bi and Tulsi Prajapati fake encounter killing.

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China, US vow to end old rivalries

China and the United States met for high-level talks yesterday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping urging the world's two biggest economies to break old patterns of confrontation.
Given their different histories and cultures "it is natural that China and the US may have different views and even frictions on certain issues", Xi told the opening of the two-day annual talks in Beijing.
"This is what makes communication and cooperation even more necessary," he urged. This year marks 35 years since the establishment of formal US-China ties.
The sixth Strategic and Economic Dialogue comes as tensions have risen in recent months -- racked by maritime disputes between China and its neighbours as well as US fears over cybersecurity and Chinese hacking.
"Our interests are more than ever interconnected," Xi insisted, saying the two "stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation".
"If we are in confrontation it will surely spell disaster for both countries and for the world," he said, adding the Pacific powers needed to "break the old pattern of inevitable confrontation".
In a statement sent to the opening of the meetings, US President Barack Obama agreed, saying: "The United States and China will not always see eye-to-eye on every issue."
That was "why we need to build our relationship around common challenges, mutual responsibilities, and shared interests, even while we candidly address our differences", Obama said.
Obama, who has made the so-called pivot to Asia a focus of his administration, will return to Beijing in November when it hosts a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders.
Kerry, who is leading Washington's team with Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, earlier sought to address Chinese concerns that the US was seeking to rein in the country, insisting "the United States does not seek to contain China".

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Romero the shootout hero as Argentina reach Final

                                                           Arena de Sao PauloSao Paulo (BRA)

                                                                   Semi-finals

                                                            

                                                                         

                                                                  

                                                                         VS

 

                                                                      

                                                                     Full-time

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                                                         Argentina win on penalties (2 - 4) 

Sergio Romero inspired Argentina to a 4-2 victory over the Netherlands on penalties and FIFA World Cup™ Final place for the first time in 24 years. After 120 goalless minutes in Sao Paulo, the 27-year-old repelled Ron Vlaar’s spot-kick before making a stunning save from Wesley Sneijder to send La Albiceleste into a showdown with Germany at the Maracana.
The first half was a tense, chance-shy affair. Lionel Messi had Argentina’s best opportunity, with a centrally-positioned free-kick from the edge of the box, but he curled it straight into the arms of Jasper Cillissen.
Ezequiel Gonzalez bravely ducked his head between flying boots from a corner, but the 27-year-old centre-back was unable to keep his effort down, while the sliding Ron Vlaar did well to intercept a low Ezequiel Lavezzi cross before Gonzalo Higuain could pounce.
The Netherlands, for their part, struggled to get the ball to danger man Arjen Robben and failed to force Sergio Romero into a save before the half-time whistle sounded.
If the first half was tame, the second was even tamer. Argentina finally sprung to life on 75 minutes, however, when Messi spun his man ner the right touchline but was felled. The referee played the advantage, allowing Enzo Perez to surge forward and cross for Higuain, whose first-time stab hit the side-netting.
After the contest crawled into added time, the Netherlands conjured up what was, indubitably, its best chance. Sneijder’s crafty flick sent Robben racing into the Argentinian area. The 30-year-old nevertheless took too many touches, which enabled Javier Mascherano to make a superb sliding block from his strike from point-blank range.
Shortly into extra-time, Klaas-Jan Huntelaaar replaced Van Persie. It was Louis van Gaal’s third substitution, eliminating the possibility of quarter-final saviour Tim Krul coming on should the game go to penalties and signalling the Oranje coach’s desire to go for it.
That his charges did. Robben sped in behind the Albiceleeste defence, only for Mascherano to divert his cut-back behind, before the Bayern Munich player tested Romero’s hands with a fizzing 25-yard piledriver.
After 115 minutes, Argentina had their finest opening of the match. A long ball over the top bounced into the path of substitute Rodrigo Palacio, but he failed to generate sufficient power on his header to trouble Cillessen.
Both goalkeepers had had little to do in normal and extra time, but Romero did plenty thereafter to send the masses of Argentinians in Sao Paulo delirious. 

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Syria conflict National Coalition elects new leader

Syria’s main opposition alliance, the National Coalition, has elected a new president, reports AFP.
Hadi al-Bahra, the coalition’s chief negotiator at the failed Geneva II peace talks with the Syrian government, was chosen at a meeting in Turkey.
He has close ties to Saudi Arabia like Ahmed al-Jarba, whom he replaces.
Though it is backed by the US and Gulf Arab states, the National Coalition has little influence over the rebels trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
The hardline Islamist and jihadist fighters that dominate the rebel movement reject the alliance’s exiled leadership.
One group, the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), has announced the creation of a “caliphate” in the territory under its control in northern and eastern Syria, as well as in the large swathes of neighbouring Iraq.
‘Not seeking power’
The National Coalition has repeatedly warned of the threat of Isis and called on its foreign allies to arm rebel forces to counter the gains made by the al-Qaeda breakaway.
“While Assad’s allies have been supplying him with unlimited support, the aid provided by the Friends of the Syria [an alliance of Western and Gulf states] to mainstream rebels has decreased to the minimum level. The flow of arms to the Syrian rebels has almost stopped lately,” spokesman Louay Safi told Wednesday’s meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sile

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Bagerhat rivers run dry: Agriculture, ecology imperiled 11 lose navigability due to silt accumulation

Bagerhat : With drastic fall in the levels of their waters, the rivers and canals flowing through the district are being filled with silt and running dry putting agriculture and ecology here in jeopardy, reports UNB.
The rivers and canals are also losing navigability for emergence of char (shoals emerged from their beds) due to accumulation of silt hampering smooth movement of vessels on different routes in dry season.
Talking to UNB, M Mainuddin, executive director of Water Development Board (WDB), Bagerhat, said due to impact of climate change, water flow in the rivers of the district has declined and silt deposited up at the confluence of the sea.
He said the flow of water from the upstream has also declined in the rivers, adding that with further decline in water flow during ebb, the rivers’ beds are being filled up with sediments.
He mentioned that 11 rivers flowing through Bagerhat and 139 canals in the district have already lost navigability and turned into plain lands for silt deposition.
Local agriculture officials said the rivers cannot contain sufficient water due to deposition of silt in their beds, adding that millions of people become marooned during the rainy season while crops worth crores of taka get damaged due to water stagnation in crop fields as the rainwater cannot be drained out to the clogged-up rivers.
They said farmlands are being affected by saline water intrusion as salted water from the sea cannot recede from there swiftly, adding that as a result, fertility of the croplands is declining day by day.
Besides, in dry season, water flow in the rivers and canals reach low level suspending waterway communication on different routes.
At the same period, farmers cannot cultivate paddy for lack of water.
WDB officials said some 50 rivers and canals are gradually getting lost from the map of the district because of drying up of their beds.
Experts attributed the decrease in water containing capacity of the rivers to emergence of shoals in their beds.
They said water level in the Padma and its tributaries continues to recede due to Farakka barrage built by India in the upstream and added that a section of people are catching fish and cultivating shrimps in an unplanned way hindering water flow of the canals.
They mentioned that about 400 kilometre areas of different rivers and canals have already been filled up due to silt deposition.
According to the WDB office in the district, the rivers with their beds filled up for silt deposition are Daudkhali, Bishna, Putimari, Atharobeki, Chitra, Bhairab, Bhola, Baleshwar, Kumarkhali, Kat Bhairab and old Pashur.
Sources concerned said the rivers have lost navigability due to lack of dredging works.
No rivers were dredged except the Bhola over the last 100 years, the sources added.
Besides, 139 small and big canals have dried up for lack of dredging.
WDB officials apprehend that Doratana, Madhumati and Panguchi rivers are likely to die down in next 20 years.
Contacted, deputy director of the Department of Environment in Bagerhat Sukumar Roy said due to the rivers and canals being filled up, coastal people have become more vulnerable to environmental disasters.
Besides, if the rivers and canals die down, the river communication will be suspended, agriculture will face difficulties and fish production will decline, he warned.
It will also hinder crop farming in dry season and create water-logging in rainy season, leaving negative impact on the country’ s overall economy, said Sukumar.
Deputy Commissioner M Shukur Ali said they in no way allow activities hindering water flow in the canals, adding that upazila nirbahi officers (UNO) have been asked to take steps to restore water flow in the canals.
Directives were also given to the UNOs to take action against those who try to hinder water flow in the canals anyway, said the DC.
WDB executive director M Mainuddin said they have taken up a project to re-excavate 110 km area of 18 rivers and canals to bring back navigability in the water bodies.

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11 die in Polish plane crash

TBT International Desk: Eleven people were feared dead during a parachute club outing in southern Poland on Saturday. A local resident said the light aircraft was making “strange sounds” before crashing close to houses.

The plane, a Piper Navajo, was taking off from an airfield at Rudniki, near the city of Czestochowa, 210 kilometers (130 miles) southwest of Warsaw.

Emergency services spokeswoman Justyna Sochacka said 12 people were on board the plane. The only survivor was in “serious condition” in hospital, she said.

TVN24 television showed the burnt out wreckage of the aircraft.

String of fatal skydiver takeoffs

Since 2010 there have been at least four fatal accidents involving parachutists while being taken aloft to their drop off zones.

In 2010, nine people were killed in New Zealand near the Fox Glacier tourist spot when their skydiving plane crashed shortly after takeoff.

In October last year, 11 parachutists and their pilot died when their plane caught fire and lost a wing near Namur in Belgium shortly after taking off.

Last March, a pilot and four skydivers were killed in eastern Australia during takeoff from an airstrip at Caboolture near Brisbane.

Last April, eight skydivers were killed in Finland, when their aircraft disintegrated in flight. Two other parachutists and the pilot managed to jump to safety, with minor injuries.

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World Bank cancelled Padma Bridge funding at US behest

TBT Live Update: Construction work for the $ 2.97 billion Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project is underway with government funding as five firms have been shortlisted for appointment of Construction Supervision Consultant (CSC) for the main bridge and river training, the Prime Minister told Parliament on Wednesday.

“The work on implementation of the Padma Bridge Project with an estimated cost of Tk 20,507.20 crore ($ 2.97 billion) with own funding of the government is going on,” she said, answering a tabled question of BNP lawmaker Nazim Uddin Ahmed (Laxmipur-1).
Hasina said that 11 organizations have submitted the proposals and of them, five firms have been short-listed in the evaluation for appointing the CSC. “The RFP will be issued soon,” she added.

She also said that the work on the riverbank protection at the Jazira Construction Yard at a cost of Tk 95.98 crore is underway where 65 percent of the work has already been completed. Besides, the construction of the Jnzira Approach Road at a cost of Tk 1,262.96 crore is also going on.

The PM informed that the construction work on Mawa approach road will begin soon as the cabinet committee on public purchase has approved a proposal for appointing contractors for the construction of Mawa approach road at a cost of Tk 259.56 crore.

She said the work on land acquisition for the project and rehabilitation of the affected people is at the last stage.

Agreement has already been signed among Special Works Organization (SWO-West), Bangladesh Army in association with BRTC and BUET for appointing Construction Supervision Consultant (CSC) for the Jazira approach road, Mawa approach road and Service Area-2 at a cost of Tk 133.48 crore.

The Prime Minister expressed her optimism that the work for the 2nd Padma Bridge at Paturia-Goalondo point will start soon as three firms have submitted their bids for implementing the 6.10-kilometer bridge on PPP basis following invitation of Expression of Interest (EOI).

Besides, the Chinese government firm China Communications Construction Company Ltd has expressed their interest for constructing the bridge on Government to Government basis.

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10 Best Movies of 2014 till June

The movies on most critics’ annual 10 Best lists tend to be released late in the calendar year, when studios release their prestige Oscar bait. The first half of 2014, though, has brought a rich harvest of distinguished, challenging and just plain fun films in the indie, animation, documentary and blockbuster categories. My greedy wish: that the second half is even more bountiful.

1.The Grand Budapest Hotel

Gustav H. (Ralph Fiennes) is the perfect concierge for a sumptuous hotel in an imaginary Eastern Europe country about to surrender its luxe to the brutes of war. Wes Anderson’s masterpiece is a dizzyingly complex machine whose workings are a delight to behold.

2.The LEGO Movie

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller turn those blocky, personality-deficient toys into living, lovable movie stars. It’s the best animated feature since — well, Frozen, but you know what we mean.

3.Jodorowsky’s Dune

In the 1970s, nutsy auteur Alexander Jodorowsky planned a lavish movie of Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. It never got made, but this enthralling documentary shows that, at 83, Jodorowsky still has the power of a mad artist.

 4.Captain America: The Winter Soldier

“Hail HYDRA!” whisper U.S. Senators loyal to Marvel Comics’ favorite Nazi social club. Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, turns Edward Snowden with way more muscles in this superior sequel — a thrill ride into paranoia.

5. Only Lovers Left Alive

Two-thousand-year-old vampires in love: that’s the super-suave duo played by Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston, in Jim Jarmusch’s weirdly sweet love story for the ages.

6.Noah

Darren Aronofsky turns God’s first zookeeper into a survivalist who gets the Creator’s cleansing, destructive message in dreams. Russell Crowe lends a loopy magnificence to this dead-serious, madly ambitious Biblical epic.

7. Night Moves

From Crowe the eco-freak to Jesse Eisenberg the eco-terrorist. Instead of building an ark, he wants to blow up a dam. Kelly Reichardt’s political parable boils with silent rage and explodes with the violence of ideals gone wrong.

8. Edge of Tomorrow

Tom Cruise, nearly 52 but still G.I.-Joe fit, is a soldier who must keep reliving — and redying in — a bloody battle with alien monsters in Europe. Private Ryan meets Groundhog Day in the early summer’s smartest action fantasy.

9.Stranger By the Lake

Gay men take their anonymous pleasures at a French lakeside where a killer awaits. The tension has an icy grip in this gay spin on Rear Window, this Blowup on the beach.

10. 300: Rise of an Empire

My feta movie: Greek cheese and sleaze. Seven years after the homoerotic 300, cool, luscious Eva Green makes war a game both sexes can play, on nearly equal terms.

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