Malaria : Drug as effective in low doses

A new study finds that lower doses of the drug primaquine are as effective at preventing transmission of malaria as standard doses.

Primaquine targets the transmission stages of the malaria parasite, the gametocytes, and is considered an important tool for malaria elimination .

The new study, led by researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in the UK, is published in the latest online issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The findings are good news because there are not many drugs that target this stage of the disease, and unfortunately, at standard doses primaquine can reduce blood count in people with a red blood cell disorder caused by a deficiency in an enzyme called G6PD.

The inherited blood disorder is common in places where malaria is endemic and so has limited the use of primaquine in those areas.

Because of this side effect, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised that dosage of primaquine be reduced from 0.75 mg/kg to 0.25 mg/kg. However, until now, nobody had formally evaluated the effectiveness of the drug at lower doses. 

Lead author Dr. Alice Chi Eziefula, Wellcome Trust clinical research fellow at LSHTM, says:

"Until now, the use of primaquine was limited because of safety concerns, but lower doses had never been tested formally."

Half of standard dose just as effective

The study took place in Jinja, Uganda, where children without the red blood cell disorder were treated with a malaria drug either on its own or with one of three different doses of primaquine. 

The children were then monitored for 2 weeks to test their malaria gametocytes, and they were kept under observation for another 2 weeks. 

The resuls showed that a dose of 0.4 mg/kg of primaquine, or about half of the previously recommended (standard) dose, was as effective at reducing the transmission potential of individuals with malaria. 

Dr. Chi Eziefula says:

"More questions remain to be answered regarding the best operational strategy for the deployment of primaquine to block malaria transmission."

The next step is to evaluate the effectiveness of the current WHO-recommended 0.25 mg/kg dose of primaquine in people without the red blood cell disorder, and then to test the safety of such a dose in people with the blood disorder. 

Co-author Moses Kamya, a professor with the Infectious Disease Research Collaboration in Kampala, Uganda, says:

"This study provides important contemporary information that allows malaria control programmes in endemic countries in Africa to consider the use of primaquine as part of their efforts to deal with this killer disease."

Tips to choose scent for men

Your perfume speaks volumes about your style and personality. So read on to find out what they are. Fragrance aspiration: A scent is a blend of various notes and elements. And, each fragrance belongs to a certain family, like fruity, woody, natural, spice, etc. Find out to which fragrance family you belong the most. knowing the olfactory pyramid can help a lot in this!

Try and test: Before purchasing a scent, try a couple of them and then make your decision.

Give some time: After trying and testing, give it some time to see how it reacts with your body. Each scent creates different smell when it mixes with your body odour.

If, after an hour, you feel that you like the fragrance, then buy it.

Sotting the signs of serious illness

Headaches are extremely common and most of them aren't a cause for anxiety. Occasionally, though, a headache is a symptom of a serious illness, such as meningitis or a brain haemorrhage, and requires urgent medical attention. Tension headaches are the most common type. What are the causes?

About three out of four headaches are caused by tension in the scalp or neck muscles due to stress. Tension headaches tend to occur frequently and cause moderate pain, particularly at the back and front of the head. It's often described as a tight band encircling the head. Other common causes of headaches include hangovers, having irregular meals, long journeys, noise, a stuffy atmosphere, thundery weather, too much sleep, too much excitement, a fever, sinusitis and toothache.

A migraine is a one-sided severe headache with eye symptoms and possibly vomiting and can run in families. A severe headache with fever, a stiff neck and rash may be a sign of meningitis, a condition in which the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord become inflamed. 

A sudden headache that feels like a blow to the back of the head could be a subarachnoid haemorrhage, in which bleeding occurs between the membranes covering the brain. 

In elderly people, a headache with tenderness of the scalp or temple may be due to temporal arteritis, in which blood vessels in the head become inflamed. 

What might be done?

If your doctor suspects an underlying condition, you may require tests, such as CT scanning or MRI of your brain, and an opinion from a neurologist. 

What's the treatment?

The treatment depends on the cause of the headache. For example, a tension headache will usually clear up with rest and painkillers. Cluster headaches and migraines can be treated with drugs. Excess painkillers, especially those containing codeine, can actually cause a headache.

1.6 billion people on social networks

An estimated 1.61 billion people, more than one in five globally, will log in to social networking sites at least monthly this year, the research firm eMarketer said Tuesday. The study said the number was up14.2 percent from a year ago and growth will push that number up to 2.33 billion by 2017.

The highest penetration of social network users, according to eMarketer, is in the Netherlands, at 63.5 percent. Norway was second at 63.3 percent, followed by Sweden (56.4 percent), South Korea (54.4 percent), Denmark (53.3 percent), the United States (51.7 percent) and Finland (51.3 percent).

A majority of residents were also on social networks in Canada (51.2 percent) and Britain (50.2 percent, according to the report based on data from research firms, government agencies, media outlets and company reports.

The 1.61 billion figure represented 22 percent of the world's estimated population, the survey said.

The report said India is seeing the highest growth this year of 37.4 percent, though only 7.7 percent of the population uses social networks. Indonesia's numbers will climb 28.7 percent and Mexico will grow by 21.1 percent. e Marketer said.

Bangladesh-SL Tests from January 27

Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh, which was scheduled for February 2014, has been advanced by a few days to allow the Asia Cup to kick off on February 24. Bangladesh will now host Sri Lanka for two Tests starting on January 27, a week after Sri Lank's Test series against Pakistan in the UAE concludes. The teams will also play two Twenty20s and three ODIs during the series, which ends on February 22, two days before the Asia Cup begins in Bangladesh.

Mirpur and Chittagong will get a Test each, while the teams will also travel to Sylhet for the limited-overs games. The ODI in Sylhet, on February 17, will provide the BCB an opportunity to check how match-fit the ground is. The Twenty20 scheduled between Bangladesh and New Zealand here in November 2013 was shifted out, with the BCB scrambling to meet the ICC's deadline of November 30 to have the stadium fully ready for the World Twenty20. The Sri Lanka ODI will be the first International game at the venue since its completion. 

The two teams last faced off in March 2013, in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won the two-Test series 1-0, the ODIs were tied 1-1, and the hosts won the one-off T20.

Labour leaders to work with garment owners to iplement new wages

Leaders of 52 labour organizations on Friday agreed to work together with garment owners for implementing new wages to be announced finally by wage board on November 21. The labor leaders expressed the view at a meeting with leaders of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) held at BGMEA Bhaban here, said a press release.

BGMEA president M Atiqul Islam presided over the meeting.

Vice-president M Shahidullah Azim, vice-president Riaz Bin Mahmud, former president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) AK Azad and former leaders of BGMEA attended the meeting. 

The labour leaders said there will be no vandalism of garment units centering the announcement of wages.

Owners and workers will work in a coordinated manner to carry the multi- billion dollar apparel industry forward, they observed.

Factory workers, who went on work stoppage, will also join their respective work places from Saturday and help smooth production at factories.

Rekha rejects offer to work with Amitabh Bachchan

Rekha, who debuted as a heroine in the successful kannada film Goa Dalli CID 999 opposite Rajkumar in 1989, has reportedly turned down an offer to work with Amitabh Bachchan. The two were last together in Yash Chopra's 1981 film Silsila. According to reports, filmmaker Anees Bazmi had his heart set on pairing the two stars in his film Welcome Back. Producer Firoz Nadiadwala and Anees created ripples when they revealed that they had approached Big B and Rekha to be a part of the film. While Amitabh is said to have signed, Rekha has, according to sources, turned it down as the dates clash with Indra Kumar's film, Super Nani.

Rekha plays Sharman Joshi's grandmother in Super Nani, which is a heartening tale about a woman trying to find respect as a senior citizen. The film also stars Anupam Kher and Randhir Kapoor.

Robot talks in 19 languages!

Designed for companionship, a new toddler-sized robot can hold a conversation in 19 different languages. Built by Paris-based robotics company Aldebaran and infused with language-learning software developed by voice-technology company Nuance, the robot has a voice that doesn't sound much older than it looks. The android can walk, brace itself if it falls and will develop its own personality as it gets better at speaking through repetition. 

"He lives his life on your side at home," Marine Fabrea, Aldebaran's head of communications, told Mashable in an email. " You can discuss with him, you can ask him to tell a story to your kids."

The difference between these robots and mindless machines is built-in emotional intelligence, according to Arnd Weil. Nuance's vice-president and general manager of automotives.

"What they are trying to do with the robot is mainly capturing what is the mood of that other person," he said. "It's more like somebody's coming home and he had a bad day, he's angry, so the robot should capture that.... and react accordingly."

The robot will be able to access a cloud of data that builds its vocabulary, as well as help it understand the flow of conversation, Weil added; this way, it can better react to users the more they interact with it, much like how Nuance's text-reading app develops language skills. 

Weil foresees the robots bringing out drinks, chatting with people who are waiting for appointments, acting as highly functional pets, and providing companionship to the elderly or children with disabilities.

"People do need somebody to talk to," he said. " A lot of people have animals or a dog or something, and this is just a new way of engaging with people."

The robots will be available next year.

Foods to fight immunity in winter

Here are a couple of super-foods that will protect you from cold and flu this winterA diet rich in a variety of produce like lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products along with adequate sleep, moderate exercise and minimal stress contribute to a well-functioning immune system and may promote a faster recovery if you come down with a cold or a flu. 

• Carrots: Packed with beta-carotene carrots make an excellent base for soups, stews and risotto. Rich in vitamin A, carrots help fight cold and flu and also protect you from infections which are very common during the colder months. 

• Green tea and chamomile tea: Green tea is a powerful antioxidant and has strong antiviral and antibacterial properties. Drinking approximately three to five cups of green tea a day keeps your immune system in check. Chamomile tea is also said to possess antioxidants that help fight against cold and flu during the winters.

• Mushrooms: Mushrooms are said to be immunity boosters. Mushrooms protect your system against cold and virus during winter. White mushrooms have significantly increased levels of natural killer cells - a vital component of the immune system.

• Garlic: Garlic is known to be the easiest home remedy to cure fever and cold. Western medicine has theorised that garlic has the ability to increase levels of enzymes that help the liver detoxify the blood that gives it special immune powers. Eating raw garlic provides maximum potency but if you cannot stomach the strong taste, you can have that cooked in food.

• Honey: Known to be the safest and the easiest way to cure cold and fever during winter. Honey is known for its anibacterial properties that help fight bacteria and virus. You can have honey every night before going to bed, or mix it in a cup of warm milk for added advantage.

Sex is not the secret to lasting love

Scientists have claimed that sex and having good communication can have a significant influence on relationships but factors like knowing partner's favourite pizza topping, being employed and ability to support yourself also matter. Scientists tested 2,201 participants, head to head, in seven "relationship competencies" that previous researchers had found to vital for promoting happiness in romantic relationships.

The researchers idea was to rank them in order of vitality to start building data on the aspects of relationships most important to keep them healthy.

The researchers, in addition to communication and conflict resolution, also looked out for love-making or romance, stress management, life skills, knowledge of partners and self-management to find the best predictors of relationship satisfaction. 

Couples were queried about their competency in these areas and then asked how satisfied they were in their relationships; the researchers then correlated each partner's strengths and weaknesses in each area with the relationship satisfaction of the person.

Couple, reporting communicating effectively, showed highest satisfaction with their relationships.

Study's lead author Robert Epstein, a professor of psychology at the University of the South Pacific, in Fiji, said that learning more about partner is also important for a successful relationship. Time Magazine reported.

He added that even more important was to know critical things like whether partner wants kids.

Cyclone Helen moves northwest

The severe cyclonic storm "Helen" over west-central Bay and adjoining area moved slightly northwestwards over the same area and was centred at 12 noon today.

It is about 1.185 kms southwest of Chittagong port. 1.140 kms southwest of Cox's Bazar port and 1.010 kms southwest of Mongla port, a Met Office weather bulletin said today. It is likely to intensify further and move in a west-northwesterly direction.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 64 kms of the storm centre is about 90 kph rising to 110 kph in gusts/squalls. Sea will remain very rough near the centre of the storm.

The maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted distant warning signal No.two (r) two.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice. They are also advised not to venture into the deep sea.

Joynal Abedin Faruk urges President to initiate talks in time

Opposition Chief Whip Joynal Abedin Faruk has urged the president to take an initiative in time to hold talks in a bid to arrange a free, fair and credible election. "Time has not ended yet and it is possible to reach a consensus between the ruling and the opposition parties for holding the next election under a non-party government. You are not President of Awami League rather than the guardian of country's 16 crore people", he said.

Joynal Abedin Faruk was speaking at a discussion on 'on-going crisis, role of President and our expectations' at the National Press Club on Thursday. 

He opined that the time of present parliament can be extended in a bid to restore the caretaker government system in the constitution if it is needed.

Still waiting for BNP : Obaidul Quader

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader has said we are still waiting for the main opposition BNP that it will join the polls-time interim government. Otherwise, the chance for BNP will slip away as no one will be allowed to join the polls-time government after the polls schedule. 

Obaidul Quader said this at a press briefing at the Secretariat on Thursday.

He urged the opposition to join the cabinet before the polls schedule and again offered that BNP would be given 10 to 12 ministries if it joins the cabinet.

Ten information about Paracetamol

10 information about Paracetamol:

1. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a pain reliever and a fever reducer. It is used to treat many conditions such as headache, muscle aches, arthritis, backache, toothaches, colds and fevers.
2. Take this medicine exactly as directed on the label, or as  prescribed by doctor. An overdose of paracetamol can cause serious harm. The maximum amount of paracetamol for adults is 1000 mg per dose and 4000 mg per day.
3. Measure the liquid form of paracetamol with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. You may need to shake the liquid before each use.
4.  The paracetamol chewable tablet must be chewed thoroughly before you swallow it. Make sure your hands are dry when handling the paracetamol disintegrating tablet whole. Allow it to dissolve in your mouth without chewing.
5. To use the paracetamol effervescent granules, dissolve one packet of the granules in at least 4 ounces of water. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away.
6. Do not take a paracetamol rectal suppository by mouth. Wash your hands before and after inserting the suppository. Try to empty your bowel and bladder just before using the paracetamol suppository. Avoid handling the suppository too long or it will melt in your hands.
7. For best results from the suppository, lie down and insert the suppository pointed tip first into the rectum. Hold in the suppository for a few minutes. It will melt quickly once inserted and you should feel little or no discomfort while holding it in. Avoid using the bathroom just after inserting the suppository. 
8. Before using paracetamol, tell your doctor if you have liver disease or a history of alcoholism Do not use this medication without first talking to your doctor if you drink more than three alcoholic beverages pr day or if you have had alcoholic liver disease (cirrhosis).
9. Before using paracetamol, tell your doctor if you are pregnant. This medication can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.
10. Do not use this medication if you are allergic to acetaminophen or paracetamol. Stop using paracetamol and call your doctor if you still have a fever after 3 days of use or if you have a skin rash, ongoing headache, or any redness or swelling.

A sprain in the neck - when to consult

A sudden impact from a car crash or a bad fall can lead to a neck sprain. If you have any of these symptoms mentioned by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, you should visit your doctor:

1. Neck pain, particularly pain at the back of the neck that worsens when you move.
2. Pain in the neck that becomes worse about a day after an injury.
3. Pain and muscle spasms in the upper area of the shoulder.
4. A headache that affects the back of the head.
5. A sore throat, feeling tired and irritable, or having trouble sleeping and concentrating.
6. Numb sensation in the hand or arm, or a tingling sensation or weak feeling affecting the arms.
7. Limited range of motion or stiffness in the neck.

Eat more nuts to cut risk of cancer and heart disease

Eat more nuts to cut risk of cancer and heart disease. Nut-eaters reduce their risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the journal BMC Medicine.

The results suggested that people who eat more than three servings of nuts (1 serving - 28g or about an ounce ) a week had a 55% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 40% reduced risk of death from cancer.

Khaleda: 60 hour strike if no caretaker

Bangladesh opposition leader khaleda Zia says she and her allies will stage a three-day general strike from Sunday morning to back demands for a caretaker government made up of people from outside political parties to oversee elections due by early January.

Zia told a rally Friday that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has two days to agree to the demand, otherwise more protests will be announced.

Such a caretaker government has been used in the past but Hasina's government scrapped it in 2011, citing a Supreme Court ruling saying the provision was unconstitutional.

Hasina has proposed establishing an all-party government with herself as the leader to oversee the elections, but Zia, a former prime minister, rejected that.

ICC extends Bangladesh's T20 World Cup venue deadline to Nov 30

The International Cricket Council has handed Bangladesh an extension until 30 November to be able to complete work on stadiums for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament next year.

According to the BBC, it had been widely reported that concerns over facilities might cause the tournament to be moved to another country, such as South Africa.

However, the ICC board has now approved a request to extend the deadline, the report said.

The full schedule for the event, due to take place between 16 March and 6 April 2014, will be released on 27 October, the report added.

The news follows an inspection report by the ICC's venue consultant, the report further said.

The World Twenty20 will feature men's and women's tournaments played in parallel, as has happened at three of the four previous events, and both are set to be the biggest yet with 16 men's teams rather than 12, and 10 women's teams rather than eight, according to the report.

Eid ul Azha on October 16, 2013

The holy Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims, will be celebrated in the country on October 16 as the moon of  the month of jilhaj was sighted in the Bangladesh sky on Sunday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held at Islamic Foundation's Baitul Mukarram conference room in the city on Sunday evening.

Director General of Islamic Foundation Shamim Mohammad Afzal presided over the meeting in absence of State Minister for Religious Affairs and also Chairman of the committee Advocate M Shahjahan Mia, Other committee member also attended the meeting.

After the meeting, the Islamic Foundation DG told reporters that the Jilhaj moon was sighted in Gaibandha district.

Facebook expands ad service for app developers

Facebook Inc (FB.O) is expanding an advertising service aimed at developers of smartphone and tablet apps, the social network's latest move to bolster it's fast-growing mobile business.

Facebook's so-called mobile app ads - which allow companies to promote their mobile apps to Facebook's 1.15 billion users - will include new capabilities designed to boost the amount of time that consumers use the third-party apps, the company said on Tuesday.

Since the start of the year, more than 145 million third-party apps have been installed by Facebook users, said Deb Liu, Facebook's director of platform monetization, providing the company's first public data about that portion of it's business. Roughly 8,400 advertisers used Facebook's mobile app ads in the second quarter, Liu said.

That is a small group relative to the more than 1 million total advertisers that Facebook counts, but analysts say that app developers represent an attractive and growing group of customers for Facebook to tap into. Smartphone apps, designed for Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone or Google Inc's (GOOG.O) Android-based phones, have struggled to stand out in a crowded field.

Facebook's new mobile app ads will allow the maker of a travel app to offer to promote an airfare or hotel room, for example, while a music app like Spotify could promote a band's new song. Previously, Facebook's mobile app ads were designed only to entice its users to install a third-party app on their smartphone or tablet, but not to encourage repeat visits to the app.

Airtel Bangladesh joins Bridge Alliance

Bridge Alliance has announced Airtel Bangladesh as it's member. The addition of Airtel Bangladesh brings Bridge Alliance to a new total of 14 members with a combined customer base of over 500 million mobile subscribers.

JICA to help repair risky garment factories

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Taka 100 crore in loan for repairing risky buildings of garments factories to minimize accidents like Rana Plaza collapse.

Bangladesh Bank (BB), Public Works Department, JICA,Bangladesh Garment Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) will sing a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) tomorrow.

After the singing of MoU, the central bank will publish a circular for the commercial banks informing them about the fund and its utilization, said BB's SME and Special Programmes Department General Manager Sukamal Sinha Choudhury.

"Only the owners of risky building will get the loan facility...the highest tk. 10 corer will be given to a owner," he added.

Loan will be allocated on the basis of the inspection reports of the JICA representatives and first come, first served basis.

30 dead in Indian road crash

A heavy goods truck careered onto the wrong side of the road and smashed head-on into two packed vehicles in the northeast of India on Thursday, killing at least 30 and injuring 10, officials said.

A police spokesperson said the accident took place on a highway on Thursday near the village of Doholapara in the Barpeta district of Assam, about 140 kilometres (90 miles) west of the main city of Guwahati.

The driver of the truck was arrested by police shortly after the accident.

"The two pick-up vans were carrying more people than the permissible limits. A probe has been ordered," district magistrate Siddhartha Singha said, saying 28 died on the spot and another two had succumbed to their injuries.

Some 110,000 people were killed in road accidents in 2011 - more than 300 every day - according to the latest available statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau.

Clashes flare at pro-Mursi march in Egyptian city, one dead

A high school student was killed when opponents and supporters of deposed Egyptian president Mohamed Mursi clashed in the city of Suez on Wednesday night, medical and security sources said.

The two sides exchanged gunfire and threw petrol bombs after supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood's Mursi chanted anti-army slogans as they marched in the city, the sources said.

Abdullah Mohamed Attia, 17, died from a bullet wound, the state news agency reported. The student was supporter of Mursi, the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice party said in a statement.

The European Union's foreign policy chief is in Cairo this week to encourage reconciliation between the Brotherhood and the government installed after the army removed Mursi on July 3 following mass protests against his rule.

Since Mursi's downfall, security forces have killed hundreds of pro-Mursi protesters, and senior members of the Brotherhood have been arrested - actions that drastically reduced the size of protests.

A pro-Mursi alliance said it would march on Tahrir Square in central Cairo on Sunday. Mursi supporters on Tuesday briefly protested in the square for the first time since the army forced Mursi from office.

Prime Minister defeated forces want to see the state fail

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, "When defeated forces come to power, they try to make the state fail. It is as if they want to take revenge for their defeat." The Prime Minister said this when inaugurating the second unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday. She said only the pro-liberation forces want to see the country flourish and develop.

"Everyone has to work together to realize the dream of creating a golden Bengal by the year 2021," the Prime Minister said. She also asked everyone to remain vigilant against the conspiracies of the defeated forces.

BCB elections set for October 10

The Bangladesh Cricket Board's elections will be held on October 10, according to a gazetted notice of the National Sports Council (NSC). It will be held at the NSC Tower in Dhaka, with the results announced on the same day.

The polls will coincide with the second day of the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand in Chittagong. But BCB's acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury has insisted that it will not affect the holding of the match.

Twenty-three directors will be elected through votes from 172 councillors of various entities around the country. These include all the divisional and district sports associations, the Dhaka clubs, former cricketers, governmental institutions and education boards. the NSC, the sports regulatory body in Bangladesh, will select three directors among their 15 councillors. From these 26 directors, the BCB will choose its president, the first elected chief in the board's history, A date has not been declared for the presidential election.

The BCB's current president, Nazmul Hassan, and former chief Saber Hossain Chowdhury are taking in the part in the elections, and are likely to head two panels and battle for the president's post. Both are ruling-party MPs, but have been involved in verbal battle through the media in recent weeks.

While it is the first time the BCB head will be elected, it's the fifth BCB elections - previously they were held in 1988, 2001,2005 and 2009. The directors elected in the last election ran the board till October last year, after which the governmet appointed an ad-hoo committee. The body was supposed to hold elections within three months of their appointment, but have taken almost a year to complete preparations for the elections.

Priyanka Chopra named India's most dangerous celebrity online

Actress Priyanka Chopra has topped the list of the most dangerous celebrities in the Indian cyberspace this year followed by Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, according to a study.

Priyanka knocked off Sunny Leone, who topped the list last year but dropped to the ninth position this time, in the study by security software maker McAfee.

Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar were in the top five in the study which highlights how cybercriminals use celebrities to take advantage of fans seeking more information about their idols.

"In India where celebrities enjoy demigod status, cybercriminals often use their names to lure people to sites which host malicious software designed to compromise personal details and disrupt devices." McAfee India Centre VP Engineering (Consumer and Mobile Business Group) Venkatasubrahmanyam krishnapur said.

This year, searching for a celebrity's name, with search terms like "wall paper", "videos" and "nude pictures" resulted in the highest instances of malware-laden sites. Chopra, showed 79 infected search results, while Shah Rukh was at the second spot with 75 malicious sites, Salman ranked third, with 68 infected sites.

The top-10 list was rounded off by Saif Ali Khan, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Leone and Hrithik Roshan.

Alamgir; Any attempt to thwart polls to be resisted

Home Minister Dr. Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Thursday said any attempt to thwart the upcoming elections would be resisted strongly.

"Those who will try to foil the polls will be resisted with full force," the minister said while speaking at the inauguration programme of the new headquarters of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7), Chittagong Zone at Patenga here at noon.

"Some autocratic forces undercover of political parties want to foil election which is the main foundation of democracy," he said.

The Home Minister also urged the law-enforcers to play their due role in holding a free and fair election to safeguard democracy.

He said Rab was established as a force to mete out torture and repression during 2004-2008 but the present government has turned it into people-friendly one.

Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud, who was present at the progreamme as a special guest, said as along as the schedule for the election is announced the present government will work with its full force. "It'll be turned into an interim government when the election schedule will be announced."

PM: Remain united to protect the country

"Remain united in favour of war crimes trials. Keep this above party strategies. Remember, if they had the chance, they would not have spared you either," said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to freedom fighters who are loyalists to BNP.

The Prime Minister made the call when a representative group of US Freedom Fighters Sangsad met with her at Grand Hyatt Hotel on Wednesday.

She said BNP is blatantly trying to protect the war criminals of 1971. She said as freedom fighters they should not support such program mes.

With apple power, battle cancer and cut calories

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" is certainly no exaggeration, for the mighty apple is indeed a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and many other valuable substances. In fact, apple consumption has been associated with reduced risk for a number of diseases including cancer, particularly lung cancer, as well as cardiovascular diseases, asthma and type 2 diabetes. Apples are rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, the content varying with the 7,000 known varieties. Vitamins C and E are powerful antioxidants, which help to build immunity. fight chronic diseases and slow down ageing.

Apples are also an excellent source of disease-fighting soluble fibre in the form of pectin. Its high pectin content helps lower cholesterol and acts as a laxative by bulking the stool and maintaining intestinal balance. Pectin also helps to bind toxic metals such as mercury and lead, and helps excrete them.

Cooked apples are known to relieve diarrhoea, dysentery and colitis. One large apple a day has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol levels by 8-11 percent.

The pectin in apples supplies galacturonic acid to the body, which lowers the body's need for insulin and may help in the management of diabetes. Apple pectin helps in gelling and it is this property which helps in making apple jams and jellies.

Apples and apple juice are rich in phytochemicals (plant chemicals) including flavonoids and polyphenols. Polyphenols such as tannins (tannic acid) are potent enemies of viruses particularly herpes simplex virus. Two polyphenols - phloridzin and phloretin xyloglucoside found in apples have not been found in any other fruit.

Not only are apples exceptionally rich in phenols, they also have the highest concentration of "free phenols", which means that they are more available for absorption into the blood stream. Quite impressively, the anti-oxidant capacity of approximately one apple is equivalent to about 1,500 mg of vitamin C (although one apple has only about 5mg of vitamin C). A recent study reported that risk of colorectal cancer was reduced by about 50 percent on intake of more than one apple a day.

Is Katrina Aamir's new best friend?

After Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, the latest in the growing list of B-town Khan's charmed by the gorgeous babe Katrina Kaif is none other than Aamir Khan!

We hear that Aamir is charmed with kat to the extent that he made his pleasure at working with her in Dhoom3 and felt great when she managed to take time out for a special screening of his wife Kiran Rao's Ship of Theseus.

Dhoom3 is an upcoming Hindi action thriller film, written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and produced by Aditya Chopra. It will be the third installment of the popular Dhoom series.

Abhishek Bachchan and Uday Chopra will reprise their roles as Jai Dixit and Ali Khan while Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif form the antagonist duo. Dhoom 3 will be released on 25 December 2013 in regular 2D and IMAX formats.

IPL7 may move to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka -BCCI

The next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) - or at least some matches of the T20 tournament may be played outside India. Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, or both, could be the likely host, a top cricket board official said.

The reason is the same as in 2009, when the second season was played in South Africa: Lok Sabha elections. The election dates are not known yet, but the BCCI has begun to prepare for a possible overlap with the IPL, which is played in April and May.

"A clear picture will emerge only after the dates for the Lok Sabha elections are announced. Until then, we are considering whether to have a few games in India and then move abroad, or vice versa. Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are short journeys, so logistically, it won't be much of a problem," the BCCI offcial said.

The current Lok Sabha's term ends in May 2014, and if the election is not brought forward, the IPL will coincide with  campaigning and voting, and severely stretch security forces.

"The decision to move to South Africa in 2009 was taken at the last minute, and nobody had expected than that there would be an issue regarding security. But we now know that such a situation may arise again, and we are getting ready for it," the official said.

IPL CEO Sundar Raman will come up with detailed plans in due course. The BCCI is considering splitting season 7 into two halves, one of which might travel outside India.

Unlike in 2009, the board will not this time knock on the doors of Cricket South Africa (CSA) - the reasons being the recent tensions with their CEO Haroon Lorgat, and the expensive dollar, which would make playing the tournament in South Africa Significantly more expensive.

AbRam makes Eid special for Shah Rukh Khan

Although SRK is releasing his much published film "Chennai Express" on Eid, Aug 9, his happiness is primarily because of his son. "This Eid is very special as I have got a new son. That is the best production I have, everything else is secondary," Shah Rukh told IANS. He has two more children - son Aryan and daughter Suhana - with wife Gauri.

He was unable to keep roza completely this time, as he had to take painkillers every morning.

When asked about his plans for Eid, he said: "We will read the namaz and offer 'dua'. Whoever wants to read, they can come. I have told Gauri to make some biryani for everyone. Normally, I celebrate Eid and my birthday with everyone."

Talking about Rohit Shetty directed "Chennai Express"; the 47-year-old said he doesn't believe in holding a film after it is completed.

"When my film finishes, it comes out. The same thing is happening now. It is a holiday and I hope people enjoy it. We had thought of releasing it on October 11, but I had to get a surgery done, so I requested Deepika Padukone if she could give a month to the film. When we did that, we could release it on Eid," he said.

While making a film, SRK is not bogged down by any thought and added: "When I am doing a film, I don't think or anything else."

He hopes that everyone earns profit from "Chennai Express".

"I hope my film comes and whatever it is worth, it will do. I hope everyone recovers their money. I don't have any calculation. I don't even calculate how much my last film had done," he said.

Police in open fire as textile workers protest over pay

Bangladeshi security forces have opened fire on textile workers protesting in pursuit of a higher minimum wage.

Police used batons, rubber bullets and tear gas on day five of demonstrations near the capital Dhaka.

Workers on a minimum wage equivalent to 28 euros a month, want their monthly income to rise to 74 euros.

The huge Bangladeshi garment trade has been under the spotlight amid deadly incidents including the collapse of a building housing factories in April that killed more than 1,130 people.

In the latest protests, workers are said to have dispersed after security forces moved in. Police did not provide details of the injuries sustained.

Sayedee's petition rejected

The Appellate Division has rejected Jamaat Leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee's two petitions urging the Supreme Court's two judges to voluntarily abstain from the proceedings of his appeal challenging his death sentence.

The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain passed the order the order on Thursday. The two other members of the bench are- Justice Wahab Mian and Justice Hasan Fayez Siddiqui.

The two judges against whom the petitions were filed are Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik.

Sayedee filed the petition on Wednesday fearing these two justices in question may not be unbiased when dealing with the appeal fighting his death verdict.

'Bebasi' - James' Brand New Song from Warning 3D released

The Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha of 'Warning 3D' have released a new song from the film. Sung by the legendary James & solo voice by Aditi Paul, 'Bebasi' reflects the helpless situation in which the characters of the film are stuck. The visuals of the song gives viewers a small glimpse into what India's first 3D underwater film has in store for them!

Starring Santosh Barmola, Manjari Fadnis, Jitin Gulati, Madhurima Tuli, Sumit Suri, Varun Sharma & Suzana Rodrigues, Warning follows the story of 7 friends that reunite after 5 years in the beautiful island of Fiji. What starts off as a celebration of long-lasting friendship turns into utter horror & terror when boundaries are overlooked & Warnings are ignored. Directed by Gurmmeet Singh & produced by AnubhavSinha & Sunil Lulla, the film hits theatres on 27th September, 2013.

Warning Movie touted as India's first 3D underwater film, Anubhav Sinha & first-time director, Gurmeett Singh will take audiences on a journey into the lives of 7 young friends who do not heed a warning and find themselves stranded in shark-infested seas, unable to find themselves back on to their luxury yacht.

Shot in its completion with 3 dimensional cameras in under 41 days, the film hopes to take audiences on a novel cinematic experience. The survival franchise, Warning will see an all new cast consisting, Santosh Barmola, Suzana Rodrigues, Varun Sharma (of Fukrey fame), Manjari Phadnis, Jitin Gulati, Sumit Suri & Madhurima Tuli.

Government to procure 650 taxicabs with help from army

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader said the government will provide 650 new taxicabs to Dhaka and Chittagong. Dhaka will get 250, Chittagong 250 and army will supervise 150 cabs.

The Minister said the decision came at the annual development programme (ADP) review meeting on Wednesday at Communications Ministry.

The Minister said considering Dhaka's transportation system, a decision has been taken to give route permits in Dhaka to AC minibuses only.

He said the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of the Metro Rail, Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project and second Kanchpur, Meghna, Gomoti bridge construction next month.

Obaidul Quader said the Tk. 22,000 crore project will be implemented under Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project. Of the total cost, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide Tk. 16,600 crore.

Government prepares for execution

Government is preparing to execute Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah's death sentence. Government believes there is no scope for review appeal against the apex court's verdict. In fact, there is even no need to wait for the full verdict. Jail authorities can start the procedure once it receives the certified copy of the abridged verdict. But is this case Quader Mollah will get a week to seek presidential clemency. Meanwhile, Quader Mollah's counsel has applied for a certified copy of the abridged verdict. They have appealed for a stay on the execution procedure stating a review petition will be filed as soon as the copy of the verdict is received. 

Executions are processed under penal codes and jail codes. The jail codes mandate that after receiving the verdict the authorities allow 1 week for the convict to seek presidential pardon. If the convict is not pardoned then the sentence is executed between 21-28 days. But these penal codes and jail codes will not be applicable to war crimes convicts because International Crimes (Tribunals) Act-1973 is a special law. The sentences in this case will be executed as per the government's orders.

The Appellate Division allows 30 days to file any review petition. Quader Mollah's chief defense counsel said yesterday filing a review petition is Mollah's constitutional right. However, law experts believe Section 105 of the Constitution does not apply to war crime convicts and as such there is no scope for review in Mollah's case. Both Law Minister and Attorney General believes there is no scope for a review of the verdict.

Defense counsel on the other hand believes execution of the verdict without first allowing to file a petition would make it a judicial killing. The jurisprudence in a death penalty cannot be resolved through a court. The Constitution also allows the filing of a review. A death sentence cannot be executed on the basis of the abridged verdict only. The convict has to receive a copy of the verdict. Even the President needs to have the copy of the full verdict to evaluate clemency decision.

Asia Cup set for February 24-March 7 in Bangladesh

The Asia Cup will be held between February 24 and March 7 in Bangladesh, pending confirmation by Nimbus, which owns the broadcasting rights for the event. The dates along with the venues and other details of the tournament were discussed at the Asian Cricket Council meeting in Chennai on Saturday. The meeting was attended by the BCCI president N Srinivasan and representatives from Sri Lanka (Nishanta Ranatuga, Sri Lankan Cricket secretary) and Pakistan (Subhan Ahmed, Pakistan Cricket Board Chief operating officer) as well as ACC chief executive Syed Ashraful Huq.

"India has confirmed those dates. Now we will wait for the broadcaster to confirm they are fine," an official privy to the meeting told ESPNcricinfo. "Those are the only dates when all the four participating countries are available to play."

Earlier the participation of India was in doubt, with the Asia Cup beginning too soon after the finish of the 2014 New Zealand tour as per the original schedules. But the BCCI worked out a revised itinerary for the New Zealand tour-five ODIs and two Tests will be played between January 19 and February 18. "The BCCI said because we want to play the Asia Cup, we have cut down on the New Zealand tour," the official said.

The perceived doubts about Nimbus emerge from the company having filed for bankruptcy. However, the official was confident Nimbus would not pull out because the broadcaster had already paid the first installment of the bank guarantee. "There is no reason why they should not broadcaster had already paid the first installment of the bank guarantee. "There is no reason why they should not broadcast. We will provide them with a cut-off date, otherwise we will have to approach another broadcaster," he said.

Dhaka and Fatullah are likely to host the Asia Cup matches but a final decision on whether the tournament will be played at one or both venues will be taken in the near future. The tournament had been moved to Bangladesh after original hosts India said they were unable to organise the tournament due to a packed international calendar, forcing the ACC to shift the venue at a meeting on April 8 in kuala Lumpur .

Grameenphone wins 3G bid

Bangladesh sold third generation mobile phone spectrum to four of the country's mobile telephone operators for a total of $525 million at a much-awaited auction on Sunday, the telecoms regulator said. 

Top operator Grameenphone, which is majority owned by Norway's Telenor, won the auction to acquire 10 megahertz of spectrum for $210 million.

Egyptian Orascom Telecom's Banglalink, Robi, a joint venture between Malaysia's Axiata Group and Japan's NTT DoCoMo, and Airtel, majority owned by India's Bharti Airtel, won bids for 5 megahertz of spectrum each at a price of $105 million.

The upgrade to a faster 3G network was needed to widen Internet access in Bangladesh, one of the world's fastest-growing telecoms markets, said Sunil Kanti Bose, chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

The operators have to pay 60 percent of the total price of spectrum as the first installment within a month and the balance within the next three months, he said.

State-owned mobile operator Teletalk last year launched the 3G service on a test basis. Teletalk will have to pay $210 million for 10 megahertz.

Another operator, Citycell, a joint venture between Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited and Singapore Telecommunications, was out of the auction after failing to deposit the $20 million earnest money.

The country's six mobile phone operators have a total of 107 million users while internet services lag far behind with nearly 40,000 subscribers.