Inflation reportedly seems to have gone down slightly but the Bangladesh Bank does not seem to be very upbeat about it stating that major challenges remain in increasing productivity which suffers from power shortages, infrastructural bottlenecks and an unstable political situation.

The Journalists Association of Chittagong University(CU) will hold a seminar titled “ Sikshar Jonno Sikshangon” (Educational Institutions for Education) at 10 am tomorrow at the Faculty of Social Science (Dr. Mohammed Yunus Bhaban) of the university, says a press release.

Hon’ble VC Professor Dr. M Badiul Alam will attend the occasion as Chief Guest while Professor Dr. Jamal Nazrul Islam, eminent scientist and Professor Emeritus  will chair it.

The four city corporations and nine municipalities held on Monday with huge turnout has offered some precious lessons for us. All who were elected belong to political parties, not reformist groups, a coinage discovered during the last 18 months. Participation of political parties in the polls, barring the BNP and its allies, generated enthusiasm of the electorate to choose democratically their local representatives. In some polling centers, the turnout exceeded over 85 percent, which is certainly a good news for next general election.

Agency

The 67th death anniversary of Nobel Prize winning Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore was being commemorated throughout the country on Wednesday.

Pleads death row prisoner

A prisoner on death row in the US has filed a lawsuit claiming he is too fat to be executed and could not die humanely, reports AP.

REUTERS, MEXICO CITY- Rising food prices around the world are likely to drive poor women to trade sex for basic goods like fish and cooking oil, raising the risk of new AIDS infections, UN officials said on Monday.

Election under CG

REUTERS

Many developing countries that are combating AIDS are facing dire shortages of qualified doctors and nurses as healthcare workers leave for developed countries where they are paid many times more.

HOUSTON, Mon Aug 4, (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Tropical Storm Edouard moved across the northern Gulf of Mexico on Monday, threatening to come ashore on the Texas-Louisiana coast at near-hurricane strength.

Edouard, the fifth tropical storm of the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph), the US National Hurricane Center said in its 7 a.m. report.

The newly formed Truth and Accountability Commission(TAC) on its operation issued a public notification asking people concerned to voluntarily admit corruption, deposit their ill-gotten wealth and assets to the state exchequer and be forgiven in return. Launched for a five-month term the much talked about TAC, will allow corrupt suspects to seek mercy by voluntarily confessing to their graft, and by depositing their ill-gotten wealth.

Eminent scientist Animesh Roy invited

Jogesh Chandra Roy Memorial Trust arranged a dinner at city’s Lords Inn hotel in honor of Animesh Roy, an eminent scientist and great grandson of Rishikesh Roy and Gopa Hemangi Roy, grandson and grand daughter in law to Jogesh Chandra Roy yesterday, says a press release.

AFP, BERLIN  - A German medical team said Friday it had performed what it called the world's first transplant of two full arms, on a farmer who had lost both his limbs in an accident.

The 15th summit of the eight-member South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation opened in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo today though expectations are not very high. When the regional association was formed way back in 1985, there were high hopes that effective cooperation between the member states would change the face of South Asia where nearly one and half billion of the world’s population lives.

Desk Report

A weeklong international inter-university photography exhibition begins at the National Art Gallery at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Sunday.

Cultural affairs adviser Rasheda K Choudhury will inaugurate the event, organised by the North South University Photography Club.

Forty-seven universities—30 local and 17 foreign universities—from 13 countries are set to participate in the exhibition that will showcase 502 works.

REUTERS, WASHINGTON- The first object to brighten the dark, primordial universe after the Big Bang was the tiny seed of a star that rapidly grew into a behemoth 100 times more massive than the sun, scientists said on Thursday.

CNG use could avert consequences of dirty oil trade

15th SAARC Summit

Staff Correspondent

Terrorism, food security and climate change are likely to top the agenda at the 15th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation starting Saturday in Sri Lanka's capital, to be attended by the regional heads of states.

Against the backdrop of incomplete summits long on promises but short in results, we place our faith in Dhaka’s official assessment that this time the summit was productive and business-oriented. India’s decision to dismantle all trade barriers for all its SAARC partners looks a good beginning and indicates change of mind in the Indian establishment. Given the necessary goodwill it will be possible to build on this major breakthrough.

Magsaysay awards

REUTERS, MANILA - An Indian couple providing medical care and education to tribal people, a Philippine governor crippled by polio and an unconventional Japanese publisher are among winners of this year's Magsaysay awards, its foundation announced on Thursday.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation named Prakash and Mandakini Amte for the community leadership award.

Govt could have a compromising attitude towards major political parties