Messi hat-trick seals Barca's 25th title in style

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde was delighted that his side "finally" wrapped up a 25th La Liga title with four matches to spare, after a Lionel Messi hat-trick secured a thrilling 4-2 victory at Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

Valverde's men completed a league and cup double after thrashing Sevilla 5-0 in last week's Copa del Rey final, regaining the Spanish crown from Real Madrid and relegating Deportivo in the process.
"When you chase it for so long you say 'finally'," he told Spanish television.
"I feel very happy because in the end the league is very long, it starts in August... and when spring arrives everything is decided, we have passed everything.
"We've been pursuing it since the beginning, we have been in the lead, we've finished well, with a big margin... It's the first La Liga that I've won."
The only blip on the Catalans' season was the stunning Champions League quarter-final loss at Roma when they blew a 4-1 first-leg lead.

"The elimination (by Roma) marked us a little bit because it was unexpected, but out trajectory has been extraordinary," added Valverde.
"There is always a small 'but', but we'll try again next year."
Barca knew they just had to extend their record unbeaten streak to 41 La Liga matches to seal a seventh title in 10 seasons, and Philippe Coutinho fired them into an early lead.
Messi's 38th-minute volley made it two, but Lucas Perez pulled one back for Deportivo before half-time and Turkish winger Emre Colak stunned Barca with an equaliser midway through the second period.
Barca finally saw off their stubborn hosts, though, as Messi pounced after a brilliant one-two with Luis Suarez before slotting in to complete his 30th La Liga treble.
The Catalan giants now hold an unassailable 11-point lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who have just three games to play, and are closing in on becoming the first Spanish side to go through a top-flight season without tasting defeat.
"We have managed an almost perfect league campaign, without losing so far. I hope we can continue," midfielder Sergio Busquets said.
Andres Iniesta was surprisingly left on the bench after the midfield great announced earlier this week that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
But it was his expected long-term successor Coutinho who broke the deadlock in the seventh minute, bending an exquisite finish into the top corner for his third La Liga goal for the club since signing from Liverpool in January.
Deportivo had to win to stave off relegation for another week, but Clarence Seedorf's men were denied an equaliser when Perez was flagged offside after tapping in from close range.
Messi went close to doubling the advantage just before the half-hour mark, only for home goalkeeper Ruben to pull off an excellent one-handed save to turn his free-kick around the post.
- Deportivo cause problems -
Deportivo were causing Barca plenty of problems at the back, though, and centre-back Fabian Schaer should have levelled as he headed over when unmarked inside the six-yard box.
But Messi drilled a curling Suarez cross past Ruben at the keeper's near post to score his 30th league goal of the campaign, before on-loan Arsenal striker Perez swept home to halve the deficit just two minutes later.
Despite the close scoreline, Barca were playing as if the second half was a pure title party, with centre-back Gerard Pique even performing a few 'keepie uppies' on the left wing.
Their complacency cost them in the 64th minute, as Celso Borges unselfishly squared for Colak to score.
Suddenly the champions-elect were desperately trying to hang onto their unbeaten record, as goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a smart stop from another Schaer header.
But Barcelona showed their class as Suarez and Messi combined to terrific effect with eight minutes to play -- the latter clipping the ball in off the post.
Suarez again sent the Argentinian racing clear three minutes later, and the 30-year-old made no mistake to complete a hat-trick.
The 33-year-old Iniesta came on to a standing ovation in the 87th minute as Barca closed out a successful title-winning campaign in style.

Western diets may improve fat digestion, absorption, says study

Western diets, high in fat and simple sugar, may promote the growth of bacteria in the small intestine that increases fat digestion and absorption, a study claims. The study, published in the journal Cell Host and Microbe, determined if microbes were required for digestion and absorption of fats.
The researchers from the Midwestern University in the US assessed which microbes were involved, and the role of diet-induced microbes on the digestion and uptake of fats. They conducted a series of experiments to demonstrate that mice reared germ-free (GF) are protected from diet-induced obesity and are unable to absorb fat compared to conventionally-raised mice, also known as specific pathogen free (SPF) mice.
When the germ-free animals are given small intestine microbiota from high fat conditions, they are able to absorb fat, said Kristina Martinez-Guryn, an assistant professor at Midwestern University. The findings suggest that these microbes facilitate production and secretion of digestive enzymes into the small bowel, Martinez-Guryn said. Those digestive enzymes break down dietary fat, enabling the rapid absorption of calorie-dense foods, the researchers said. Additional experiments showed that bacteria-derived bioactive products stimulate absorptive cells in the small intestine to package and transport fat for absorption.

Therefore, bacteria in the small intestine orchestrate a series of events that allow the host to efficiently absorb fat. It is expected that these diet-microbe interactions can lead to over-nutrition and obesity over time, researchers said. While most studies have focused on the large intestine, this study highlights the microbiota in the small bowel, the major site of macronutrient digestion and absorption. Understanding host-microbe interactions in this region has significant clinical implications, especially in preventing and treating obesity and diabetes, researchers said.

“I would say the most important takeaway overall is the concept that what we eat – our diet on a daily basis – has a profound impact on the abundance and the type of bacteria we harbour in our gut,” said Martinez-Guryn. “These microbes directly influence our metabolism and our propensity to gain weight on certain diets,” she said. “Our results suggest that we can use pre- or probiotics or even develop post-biotics (bacterial-derived compounds or metabolites) to enhance nutrient uptake for people with malabsorption disorders, such as Crohn’s disease, or alternatively, we could test novel ways to decrease obesity,” she said.

BRTA purges old autorickshaws in Dhaka, Chattogram

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority or BRTA has begun to replace several thousand old autorickshaws, sometimes referred to as ‘moving bombs’, in Dhaka and Chattogram.

 

 

The process began on Apr 1 at the BRTA Ekuria office in Dhaka and on Apr 12 at its Baluchara office in Chattogram.
A replacement autorickshaw is being provided to every owner, said BRTA Dhaka Divisional Deputy Director Md Masud Alam.

The replacement work will be completed according to schedule and is proceeding ‘quickly’, Masud, the convener of the Expired Four-Stroke Three-Wheeler Scrapping Committee told bdnews24.com.
The Roads and Highways Department recently wrote to the BRTA to replace the 13,000 expired autorickshaws over 15 years old in Dhaka by September and in Chattogram by July.
The BRTA was also asked to begin the work at multiple locations in both metropolitan cities to speed up the process.
The BRTA has formed a Expired Four-Stroke Three-Wheeler Scrapping Committee headed by two deputy-directors in Dhaka and Chattogram to handle the matter..
More than 3,000 autorickshaw owners have applied for replacement as Apr 25, BRTA officials said.

 A total of 920 autorickshaws have been purged as of Thursday and at least 70 are scrapped a day, they said.
However, some of the vehicles are awaiting a specialist examination as their chassis and engine numbers are not clearly visible.
The registration of new autorickshaws is proceeding simultaneously with the scrapping of the old ones. At least 150 new autorickshaws have been registered with BRTA Mirpur office, while 63 have done with its Ekuria office, BRTA officials said.
In Chattogram, 554 autorickshaws have been purged while 15 new autorickshaws have been registered, said Chattogram Divisional Deputy Director Md Shahidullah Kaiser.

 BRTA officials say it has issued an advert with the vehicle numbers in newspapers following the application from autorickshaw owners. The owners then came to BRTA with their vehicles and had them scrapped after an examination.
BRTA officials were seen checking chassis and engine numbers of the autorickshaws queued in the BRTA Ekuria office premises when this reporter visited on Thursday.
The gas cylinders, chassis numbers and number-plates of the old autorickshaws were being removed.
It was then sent to the excavator to crush the autorickshaws. The owners took back the remains to sell them as scrap metal.
Cylinders from the scraped autorickshaws were kept aside as the BRTA will require the help of the Department of Explosives to dispose of them, Assistant Director Shamsul Kabir told bdnews24.com.
Although he has received a license for new autorickshaws, the process will still cost him about Tk 1 million, said Mohammed Liton, an owner who disposed of two old autorickshaws.
Deputy Director Masud Alam said the BRTA has the full information regarding all autorickshaw owners.
"Owners are getting a new registration done with their old documents once an old autorickshaw is purged,” said Masud Alam.
He said 250 new autorickshaws have already begun operating on the roads.
Autorickshaw sales and servicing centres in Moghbazar have been busy with installing hood, bumper, light casing and other decorations for the new autorickshaws as owners of new vehicles stream in after the replacement process.
 “New autorickshaws are more powerful than the old one as they have a 205cc engine instead of a 170cc engine,” said Bazlur Rahman, owner of Runa Auto Centre.
At present, a total of 26,652 autorickshaws are operating in the two cities: 13,652 in Dhaka and 13,000 in Chattogram. Among them, 5,561 were registered in Dhaka in 2002 and 7,459 in Chattogram.
The registration of 13,020 autorickshaws expired on Dec 31, 2017 while the rest of them will expire on Dec 31, this year.
Owners of autorickshaws older than 15 years applied to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges to extend the lifetime of the three wheelers.
 However, the drivers have demanded their replacement, calling the gas cylinders in old autorickshaws ‘moving bombs.’
The BRTA wrote to the Mechanical Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology or BUET on Nov 13 to know if the extension is possible.
However, after examining the autorickshaws, the BUET turned down the extensions on Mar 6.

 

Varun to go official about his relationship with Natasha

Varun Dhawan's apparent relationship with childhood sweetheart Natasha Dalal has always made news. The two have been allegedly dating each other for quite some time. Natasha has often been spotted at family events extending her support to Varun. The latest what we hear is that Varun plans to go official about his relationship by the end of this year.
A source close to Varun, recently told a daily, "Varun has become more conscious of the commitment required in a relationship after working in Shoojit Sircar's October. He's ready to acknowledge his relationship and take it to the next level. They are in no hurry to make it official. But Varun feels it's high time he acknowledged his relationship."
Talking about girlfriend Natasha, Varun earlier said in a chat show, "I have never hidden my relationship... (though) I have never spoken about it openly. That's because the media makes different stuff and versions with it. They make you fight, break up, patch up, this and that."

Saudi king launches building of entertainment mega-park

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has launched construction of an “entertainment city” near Riyadh, part of a series of multi-billion dollar projects aimed at helping the oil-dependent kingdom diversify its economy.

The project is part of a sweeping reform and investment programme dubbed “Vision 2030“, the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also attended the launch ceremony at the site on Saturday evening.

Authorities have touted the 334-square kilometre (130 square mile) project in Qiddiya, southwest of the capital, as the kingdom’s answer to Disneyland.

Its first phase, which includes high-end theme parks, motor sport facilities and a safari area, is expected to be completed in 2022, officials say.They hope the park will draw in foreign investment and attract 17 million visitors by 2030.

The kingdom this month hosted its first public film screening in over 35 years, having lifted a decades-long ban on cinemas last year.

In February, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority said it would stage more than 5,000 festivals and concerts in 2018, double last year’s figure, and pump US$64 billion (53 billion euros) into the sector in the coming decade.

Saudis currently splurge billions of dollars annually to see films and visit amusement parks in neighbouring tourist hubs like Dubai and Bahrain.The kingdom has also sought to court investors with three hi-tech “giga projects“, funded in part by its sovereign wealth fund.

Aside from Qiddiya, the kingdom has unveiled blueprints for NEOM – billed as a regional Silicon Valley to be built from scratch – and a reef-fringed resort destination on the Red Sea.

Skeptics have questioned the viability of the projects, worth hundreds of billions of dollars, in an era of cheap oil.AFP.

Messi’s shorts could swallow him’

Former Barcelona manager Terry Venables believes that despite Lionel Messi’s small build, the Argentine remains the finest performer in the world of football.

 

 

The former England player and then manager said that Messi’s long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo is a beast of a player who is like a gladiator. Venables understands that Cristiano Ronaldo has the physical build, power and showmanship that allows him to perform and stay in competition with the Argentine who he has hailed as a genius. This year Mohamed Salah has announced his claim for a Ballon d’or as the Liverpool star keeps banging in the goals for Liverpool. For Venables though, Salah is still far off from Ronaldo and Messi.
“Look, if we're in the playground now and we are picking sides, you could pick between Salah, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Salah would be third pick.
“A good third, mind. Cristiano with his muscle and showmanship, like a gladiator. Power. He's some player. But it would still be Messi as No. 1 for me,” Venables said in the Daily Mail.
Venables had previously compared Messi to Jimmy Greaves, who was just as nonchalant with his talent on the football pitch. Venables had described Messi as an ‘Artful Dodger’ who can be thought of as a character created by famous author Charles Dickens.
“Those shorts of his look like they should swallow him. He's like a Dickensian character. But he's a genius with a ball. I'd pick him as No. 1 every time.”


The former England man also had words of praise for Pep Guardiola and wished that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp can win the Champions League this season.
“He doesn't need me to tell him what to do because this man is special. But I would like to see him stay, to win more trophies, to create a dynasty,” Venables said of Guardiola.
“He is faultless as a coach. Faultless. As a coach, as a teacher, as a man.
“People say he has won because he has been at Barcelona, Bayern, now City, but you can't just buy titles and success, not playing the way his teams play. Long may it continue.
“[Jurgen] Klopp too is impressive. He could win the European Cup and I do hope this happens. He's behind Guardiola, but so is everyone else.
“Pep is a giver, a leader of the orchestra. I hope everyone can see that and appreciate it. I am thrilled to watch him succeed, it completes the set for him,” he concluded.

Taking vitamin B6 could help you recall dreams

If you want to remember your dreams, taking vitamin B6 supplements before going to bed may help, suggests new research from University of Adelaide in Australia. “Our results show that taking vitamin B6 improved people’s ability to recall dreams compared to a placebo,” said study co-author Denholm Aspy from the University’s School of Psychology.
The study, published online in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, included 100 participants from around Australia taking high-dose vitamin B6 supplements before going to bed for five consecutive days. “Vitamin B6 did not affect the vividness, bizarreness or colour of their dreams, and did not affect other aspects of their sleep patterns,” Aspy said.
“This is the first time that such a study into the effects of vitamin B6 and other B vitamins on dreams has been carried out on a large and diverse group of people,” Aspy added. The participants in the study took 240mg of vitamin B6 immediately before bed. Prior to taking the supplements, many of the participants rarely remembered their dreams, but they reported improvements by the end of the study. “It seems as time went on my dreams were clearer and clearer and easier to remember. I also did not lose fragments as the day went on,” said one of the participants after completing the study.

Vitamin B6 occurs naturally in various foods, including whole grain cereals, legumes, fruits (such as banana and avocado), vegetables (such as spinach and potato), milk, cheese, eggs, red meat, liver, and fish. Emphasising the importance of using dreaming time more productively, the researchers said that the average person spends around six years of their lives dreaming. “If we are able to become lucid and control our dreams, we can then use our dreaming time more productively,” Aspy said. Lucid dreaming, where you know that you are dreaming while the dream is still happening, has many potential benefits.

“For example, it may be possible to use lucid dreaming for overcoming nightmares, treating phobias, creative problem solving, refining motor skills and even helping with rehabilitation from physical trauma,” Aspy added. “In order to have lucid dreams it is very important to first be able to recall dreams on a regular basis. This study suggests that vitamin B6 may be one way to help people have lucid dreams,” Aspy added.

German shoppers sample burgers made of buffalo worms

Supermarket shoppers in the western German city of Aachen have stepped out of their comfort zone to sample insect burgers made of buffalo worms.

 

 

The worms, highly nutritious due to their high protein content, are the larvae of buffalo beetles and are bred in the Netherlands.
Served in rolls with lettuce, onions and tomatoes, they are being offered to customers at a supermarket in Aachen where they have just been added to the stock range after proving successful in the Netherlands and Belgium.
One passerby who tried one of the burgers, Manfred Roedder, said he believed they were a good alternative to meat, adding: "I had reservations at first but I got a second serving because it tasted so good."

Baris Oezel, one of the founders of the start-up called Bugfoundation that makes the burgers, said he spent four years working on the concept along with company co-founder Max Kraemer.
The pair got the idea after travelling together to southeast Asia, where it is not uncommon to eat insects.
"It's quite simple. You have to create an aesthetic product that looks good and doesn't show any insects," Oezel said, adding that people were attracted by the smell of the burgers.
But not everyone is sure about them.
"We have people who are totally thrilled to find out about the whole thing and have been looking forward to it for days," said Michael Reinartz, manager of a Rewe supermarket in Aachen where the burgers are now being sold. "And we have people who say: You're not seriously doing that?!"

 

Liza`s stage shows in Germany, Switzerland

Popular singer of present time Sania Sultana Liza visited many countries but could not travel Germany and Switzerland. For the first time, she went to Switzerland to perform in stage show there.
On April 26, Liza went to Germany and performed in a stage show there. Later on April 28, she left for Switzerland. She will perform there on April 29 and will return to Bangladesh May 1. She informed that she visited there with the invitation from the expatriate Bangladeshis who are living in these two countries.
She said, “It is really a great luck for me only for music I can travel many countries of the world. Only music has introduced me to all. I am grateful to all by whom I have come into this position. I am also grateful to my parents, my younger brother Shuvo and my platform Close Up 1 - Tomakey Khunjchhey Bangladesh and alls.”
Before leaving country, Liza performed in a stage show in Chattogram. Liza’s a song titled Chander Alo has already been released on Youtube recently. Its lyrics were written by Robiul Islam Jibon and music was composed by Mushfiq Litu.
Music lovers have accepted her rendering style of this song positively. Niloy and Shahtaz performed as models in music video of her newly released song.
In play-back, Liza rendered a song titled Tarey dekhi ami roddurey dekhi alo chhayatey in Badrul Anam Soud directed a movie. Emon Saha composed its music.    

Siam takes time off from small screen for 3rd film

New generation actor Siam Ahmed has garnered huge popularity among the small-screen audience with his acting skills. However, the audience will miss the actor on the small screen in the upcoming Eid as he is preparing for his third film titled ‘Dahon’ and thus, will not take any Eid projects.

Dahon is scripted by Chairman of Jaaz Multimedia Abdul Aziz, while Raihan Rafi will direct the film.
DhakaLive has news that Siam Ahmed will begin shooting for the film on May 10. Familiar TV face Puja Cherry, who has recently been acclaimed for her Indian Bangla movie Noor Jahaan, has been cast against Siam for the movie. Another newbie actress, whose name will be disclosed on Monday, has been chosen for the lead cast.
About his taking break from the small screen for this Eid, Siam Ahmed said, “I am taking this time off to prepare myself for my role in ‘Dahon’. For this, I am unable to participate in any small screen projects for the upcoming Eid. Even, I’m not accepting any offer for music videos as well.”
“I believe that taking up multiple projects at a time makes a person lose concentration on all fronts. As I am going to work in ‘Dahon’, I am going to take full preparation for that. I am not going to think anything apart from this,” he added.
Apart from this, the actor is waiting for his debut film ‘Poramon 2’ to release. In the meantime,  Siam has finished shooting for ‘Fagun Hawa’ directed by Tauquir Ahmed.l

4G makes a tepid start

Only 26 lakh mobile phone users have embraced 4G technology since its rollout nine weeks ago although top operators expanded network robustly on the expectation of bringing more customers under the fourth-generation service quickly.
Despite the tepid growth, Robi yesterday celebrated reaching a milestone of 10 lakh 4G users.
Market leader Grameenphone said the number of its 4G customers is about 10 lakh and Banglalink said its users of the new service crossed five lakh recently.
But the pace at which the customers are embracing 4G has not been satisfactory, said operators.
Robi has brought 4,440 sites under the faster mobile data coverage in 420 upazilas.

GP upgraded nearly 2,000 sites and Banglalink 1,800 sites to offer 4G services.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission awarded the 4G licences to the three operators on February 19.
Operators said they are expanding network very fast but customers are not willing to convert their 3G SIMs to take the new service.
As of February, there are 7.75 crore active mobile internet connections in Bangladesh. Of them, 6.35 crore enjoy 3G services, while only 3.23 percent are now using 4G on their phones.
Mobile phone operators have invested about $1 billion to roll out the 4G network so far but the response is not satisfactory, said TIM Nurul Kabir, secretary general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh, recently.
The non-availability of cheaper 4G-enabled handsets is standing in the way of 4G.
Operators have demanded a tax cut levied on 4G handsets to make the service viable. There is about 30 percent tax on imported handsets.
Only 10 percent handsets in Bangladesh are 4G-enabled, according to industry people.
Speaking at the celebration, Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, chief executive officer of Robi, hailed the milestone as a significant achievement for the company.
Telecom Minister Mustafa Jabbar, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Telecom Secretary Shyam Sunder Sikder and BTRC Chairman Shahjahan Mahmood were present.

Some antidepressants may be linked to dementia

Long-term use of certain anti-depressants have been linked to dementia in a large British study, researchers said Thursday, though they could not definitively conclude that the drugs were the cause.

The study in more than 300,000 people in Britain found that those diagnosed with dementia were almost a third more likely to have been prescribed so-called anticholinergic medicines to treat depression and certain bladder conditions between four and 20 years earlier.

"What we don't know for sure is whether the medication is the cause" of the dementia, said George Savva from the University of East Anglia's School of Health Science. He had co-authored the study in the BMJ medical journal.

"It could be that these medications are being prescribed for very early symptoms indicating the onset of dementia."

Anticholinergic drugs block certain nerve impulses to reduce spasms of the bladder muscles, for example, and to ease depression symptoms or Parkinson's Disease.

Anticholinergic anti-depressants include Amitriptyline, Dosulepin, and Paroxetine, said the researchers who had compared the medical records of 40,770 dementia patients over 65 to those of 283,933 people without dementia.

"More than 50 million people worldwide are affected by dementia and this number is estimated to be 132 million by 2050," Savva said in a statement.

"Developing strategies to prevent dementia is therefore a global priority."

The study results suggested a "potential preventative approach" that demands further investigation.

The team urged people taking anticholinergic medicines not to stop until they have consulted their doctor or pharmacist.

Mamma Mia! Swedish super-troupers ABBA to release new songs

Swedish pop icons ABBA will release their first new music for 35 years with two new songs set for broadcast in December, the quartet said on Friday.

 ABBA is one of the most commercially successful music groups in history with more than 375 million albums and singles sold. They released nine studio albums between 1973 and their breakup in 1982

 

 “We all four felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and go into the recording studio,” the band said in a press release. “And it was like time had stood still and that we only had been away on a short holiday. An extremely joyful experience!”

ABBA have recorded two new songs and one of them “I still have faith in you” will be performed by digital avatars in a TV special set for broadcast in December.

 The four shot to fame by winning the 1974 Eurovision song contest with “Waterloo” and went on to have global success with hits such as Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, Thank You for the Music and Money, Money, Money.
The group’s members are now in their sixties and seventies. In the past, they have rejected calls to re-form and have appeared only rarely together in public.
The success led strains within the group and the couples that formed the band, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Faltskog and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad eventually divorced.

Yami hopes to help kids, one book at a time

Yami Gautam, actress of the upcoming Batti Gul and Uri posted on her social media that she has just supported and donated towards setting up a library for under privileged kids in Kohlapur, Maharashtra. Her donation will help over 400 children in the area to read, learn and imagine. The books were science, math, history, keeping in mind the age group of 7 to15 year olds.
The actress mentioned the reason she felt so strong for children’s education was, “I have a personal connect as I have grown up watching my grandpa start a school which was for underprivileged kids who could not afford to spend on education. I remember going to that school and interacting with them, when I had an off from my school so that was a small initiative I saw my family start in Chandigarh.”

Farzana Rikta wants to act in films regularly

“Alta Banu’ is my third film. I was very tensed thinking of its consequences. But everyone who has watched the film admired my performance. And this is my ultimate achievement. I am immensely grateful to director Arun Chowdhury. I want to act in the films on a regular basis from now on. With everyone’s cooperation, I want to continue my journey in the film industry”, Farzana Rikta said about her latest film and future plan.

Arun Chowdhury-directed ‘Alta Banu’ was released in the country last Friday. Rikta has played as Banu, the younger sister of Alta—the lead role played by National Film Award winning actress Zakia Bari Mamo.

Rikta revealed that she is very happy with the success of her new film so far as she is receiving positive feedback from the viewers as well as from the industry. She is very encouraged to continue her venture of acting in the industry regularly. She is seeking everyone’s cooperation in this regard.

Director Arun Chowdhury said, “Though Rikta has played a minor character in the film, she did really very well. The audience enjoyed every moment of her skilful acting as long as she was present on the screen.”

Rikta made her debut on the big screen with Bapparaj-directed ‘Kartooz’ in 2015. Late noted actor Nayak Raj Razzak provided her the opportunity to work in this film. Expressing her gratitude to Nayak Raj, Rikta said, “I always feel proud that I stepped into the film industry holding the hand of Nayak Raj. She loved me like her daughter. I miss his love and affection. I am fortunate enough that I received blessing from a legendary actor like him.”

However, Rikta acted in the film ’71-er Mission’ directed by Taher Shipan in 2016. At present, she is working in several drama serials regularly, such as Rahmatullah Tuhin’s ‘Talk of the Town’, ‘Cat House’ and Bachelor.com.

Messi zooms past Ronaldo

Lionel Messi has overtaken Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest earner in world football while Jose Mourinho tops the managers' chart, according to France Football magazine.
The Barcelona attacker is a long way ahead in the figures for the current season, pulling in 126 million euros ($154mn) in salary, bonuses and commercial revenue while his great Real Madrid rival is making 94mn euros.
Last season 'CR7' led with 87.5mn euros with Messi on 76.5mn euros.
That works out at 25,000 euros per minute pitch time this season for Messi in La Liga, the Champions League, the Spanish Cup and Supercup and four international appearances for Argentina this season, and assuming he plays all of Barcelona's five remaining games.
The two players who have split the last 10 Ballons d'Or are followed by Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian star Neymar on 81.5mn euros in the calculations to be published by France Football on Tuesday and released to AFP Monday.
Among coaches, Manchester United's Mourinho remains the biggest earner with 26 mn euros.
Next comes China boss Marcello Lippi on 23mn euros, followed by Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid.

Heart patients who walk faster hospitalised less

Increasing the pace of walking may bring some added benefits as researchers have found that faster-walking patients with heart disease are hospitalised less.

“The faster the walking speed, the lower the risk of hospitalisation and the shorter the length of hospital stay,” said study author Carlotta Merlo, a researcher at the University of Ferrara in Italy.

“Since reduced walking speed is a marker of limited mobility, which has been linked to decreased physical activity, we assume that fast walkers in the study are also fast walkers in real life,” she added.

The study was conducted in 1,078 hypertensive patients, of whom 85 per cent also had coronary heart disease and 15 per cent also had valve disease.

A total of 359 patients were identified as slow walkers, 362 intermediate and 357 fast walkers.

The researchers recorded the number of all-cause hospitalisations and length of stay of the participants over the next three years.

During the three year period, 182 of the slow walkers (51 per cent) had at least one hospitalisation, compared to 160 (44 per cent) of the intermediate walkers, and 110 (31 per cent) of the fast walkers, according to the study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

The slow, intermediate and fast walking groups spent a total of 4,186, 2,240, and 990 days in hospital over the three years, respectively.

The average length of hospital stay for each patient was 23, 14, and 9 days for the slow, intermediate and fast walkers, respectively.

Each 1 km/hour increase in walking speed resulted in a 19 per cent reduction in the likelihood of being hospitalised during the three-year period.

Compared to the slow walkers, fast walkers had a 37 per cent lower likelihood of hospitalisation in three years, the findings showed.

“Walking is the most popular type of exercise in adults. It is free, does not require special training, and can be done almost anywhere.
Even short, but regular, walks have substantial health benefits. Our study shows that the benefits are even greater when the pace of walking is increased,” Merlo said.

Bangladesh to open 2019 World Cup campaign against South Africa on June 2

Bangladesh will get their 2019 World Cup campaign going by taking on South Africa at the Oval on June 2.

 

 

The Tigers will play nine matches in the first round of the tournament in England and Wales.
The International Cricket Council fixed the schedule for the next World Cup at a meeting of its chief executives committee in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The ICC Board, which meets Thursday, was yet to ratify the schedule, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Bangladesh started their most successful campaign, the 2017 Champions Trophy, at the Oval.   
They face hosts England at Cardiff, where the Tigers had defeated Australia and New Zealand.
Edgbaston, the venue of Bangladesh’s match against India in the Champions Trophy last year is unchanged in the World Cup.
The Tigers will play their last match of the first round against Pakistan at Lord’s. This will be the first ODI for Bangladesh at the ground. They have played two Tests in the major cricket venue.
The 2019 World Cup will follow the format of the one held in 1992  with all the teams in the first round playing each other in the first round.
Hosts England will play the opener against South Africa at the Oval on May 30. The final will be played at the Lord’s on July 14.

Schedule of Bangladesh's matches

Date	Opponents	Venue
June 2, 2019	South Africa	Oval
June 5, 2019	New Zealand	Oval (Day-Night)
June 8, 2019	England	Cardiff
June 11, 2019	Sri Lanka	Bristol
June 17, 2019	West Indies	Taunton
June 20, 2019	Australia	Nottingham
June 24, 2019	Afghanistan	Southampton
July 2, 2019	India	Birmingham
July 5, 2019	Pakistan	Lord’s

Alia Bhatt spies on movie goers

Raazi trailer was launched recently. Last week, in partnership with FB & PVR, Alia spied on theatre audiences watching the trailer on the theatre screen and appeared on a two-way facebook LIVE in front of them and interacted with the audience as they could both see each other.
This was done in three cities - Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai while Alia was sitting out of the Dharma Productions office. Raazi Trailer was played before the film and was followed by Alia appearing on the big screen.
She interacted with these viewers who had just watched the trailer and discussed their thoughts on it. The FB feature used for this is called FB LIVE. This was a first of it’s kind, TWO WAY LIVE with Theatre Audiences.
Alia Bhatt who plays the role of a spy, turned a spy quite literally! The audience was thrilled with the innovation and expressed their excitement to watch the film.

Schwarzenegger is back, Terminator to make return in 2019

Arnold Schwarzenegger will make a return to the big screen next year in the first instalment of a new Terminator trilogy backed by Tencent Pictures.

The entertainment arm of the Shenzhen-based internet giant will work with US production firm Skydance Media to revive the Terminator movie franchise, according to Tencent Pictures CEO Cheng Wu.

Tencent invested in Skydance earlier this year for an undisclosed sum, and as part of the arrangement will co-finance movies, TV shows and video game projects while lending their expertise to each other in their respective countries.

China’s tech giants are engaged in intense competition to acquire and create content, whether movies, TV dramas or games, to attract and retain users across their various platforms.

At stake is the world’s largest internet market with almost 800 million users, with the growing number of younger digital-native consumers more willing to spend on content.

The original Terminator movie hit the theatres in 1984, directed by James Cameron and starring Schwarzenegger as a cyborg assassin sent back in time to kill the future leader of human resistance against the rise of the machines.

The movie spawned sequels, a television series, comic books and video games. 

Tencent also won the copyright to develop films, games and cartoon series for the late Chinese martial arts novelist Gu Long’s complete works for 10 years.

Among the famous characters in Gu’s writings are Chu Liuxiang, a Robin Hood-like martial arts expert who uses a fan as a weapon, and Lu Xiaofeng, who can catch his enemies' weapons between his fingers.According to iResearch, China’s digital literature market was estimated to increase by 32 per cent to 12.8 billion yuan last year as it served an audience of 360 million users.

The research firm also estimated that more than 90 per cent of those readers were willing to watch films and TV series adapted from popular online literature.South China Morning Post.

Abahani clinch fourth title

Abahani clinched the Khaza Rahmatullah Club Cup hockey tournament title with a single-goal win over Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.
Sohanur Rahman Sabuj scored the all-important goal, which helped the Sky Blues equal Mohammedan SC and Usha KC's record of four club cup trophies as well. On the other hand, Dhaka Mariner Young's Club had to be content with a runners-up trophy from their first appearance in a final for the last 14 years.
In the final, which was delayed for approximately one hour due to heavy rain, Mariner Young's initially showed promise as they pressed hard for the lead, seemingly motivated to win their first club cup. The Arambagh-based outfit came close in the very third minute when Moinul Islam Koushik launched a fierce hit from the right but Hasan Jubair Niloy failed to connect from inside the circle.
The Sky Blues grew in confidence after that and built up their game from behind after thwarting a few more attacks. Abahani thought they got their noses ahead through former national forward Krishna Kumar, but the goal was disallowed as referee Selim Lucky reverted his initial decision after consulting with his assistant Shahbaz Ali following protests from Mariner Young's players, halfway through the first half.
However, Krishna found the back of the net a few minutes later but once again it was cancelled as the ball embraced the net after a deflection from a Mariner Young's defender. Koushik also took another fierce shot from the right but similarly Niloy failed to connect from in front of the post, frustrating the Mariner Young's fans.


After resumption, Abahani had better control over the ball and got their first penalty corner in the 40th minute. That proved decisive though as Sohanur Rahman Sabuj converted it with a combination of Izwan Firdaus and Sarwar Hossain.
Afterwards, Abahani kept up their dominance and earned three more penalty corners but could not convert any of those. Mariner Young's had a great opportunity to level the margin from a penalty corner in the dying minutes of the game but failed to score while Abahani goalkeeper Abu Sayeed Nippon also thwarted a ferocious shot from Nayeemuddin to ensure their second title in a row.
Abahani dedicated the trophy to the late Khaza Rahmatullah, former national team and Abahani player and BHF general secretary.
“It was a really exciting final. The opponents were better than us but we played according to the plan of coach Mahbub Harun and that was the reason behind such a victory,” said Abahani captain Ruman Saker.
“Both teams played a very good and high-octane match, which was very close. It was hard luck for our boys but I am proud of them. We are now looking forward to defending the premier league title,” said Mariner Young's German coach Oliver Kurtz.

Meditation may lower anxiety, boost heart health

Just a single session of meditation can alleviate anxiety and boost heart health, a study has found.

Researchers from Michigan Technological University in the US found that that 60 minutes after meditating the 14 study participants showed lower resting heart rates and reduction in aortic pulsatile load – the amount of change in blood pressure between diastole and systole of each heartbeat multiplied by heart rate.

Additionally, shortly after meditating, and even one week later, the group reported anxiety levels were lower than pre-meditation levels.

It sounds like a late-night commercial: In just one hour you can reduce your anxiety levels and some heart health risk factors. But a recent study with 14 participants shows preliminary data that even a single session of meditation can have cardiovascular and psychological benefits for adults with mild to moderate anxiety.

“Even a single hour of meditation appears to reduce anxiety and some of the markers for cardiovascular risk,” said John Durocher, assistant professor at Michigan Technological University.

While its well-documented that meditation over the course of several weeks reduces anxiety, there have been few comprehensive research studies on the benefits of a single meditation session.

Researchers wanted to understand the effect of acute mindfulness on cognition and the cardiovascular system to improve how anti-anxiety therapies and interventions are designed.

They designed the mindfulness study to include three sessions.
First, in an orientation session researchers measured anxiety and conducted cardiovascular testing by measuring heart rate variability, resting blood pressure and pulse wave analysis;
Then there was meditation session that included repetition of the cardiovascular testing plus the mindfulness meditation – 20 minutes introductory meditation, 30 minutes body scan and 10 minutes self-guided meditation – as well as repeating cardiovascular measurements immediately following meditation and 60 minutes after.

This was followed by a post-meditation anxiety test a week later.

During a body scan, the participant is asked to focus intensely on one part of the body at a time, beginning with the toes. By focusing on individual parts of the body, a person can train his or her mind to pivot from detailed attention to a wider awareness from one moment to the next.

“The point of a body scan is that if you can focus on one single part of your body, just your big toe, it can make it much easier for you to deal with something stressful in your life. You can learn to focus on one part of it rather than stressing about everything else in your life,” said Hannah Marti, a recent Michigan Tech graduate.

Goodbye yellow brick tours; Elton John announces farewell world concerts

Elton John on Wednesday announced a three-year farewell world tour, saying he would quit travelling afterward to focus on life with his family.

 

 

 

The 70-year-old singer, one of the best-selling recording artists in the world over a 50-year career, told a news conference in New York that his priorities have changed after becoming a parent to two children with his husband David Furnish.
"I love them so much. I don't want to miss them and I don't want them to miss me," he said. "I've had a good run."
He said his last tour, called "Farewell Yellow Brick Road," would start in September 2018 in the United States and would last through 2021, taking him all around the world.
"It will be a wonderful way to thank people," he said. "It's a way of going out with a bang. I’m not the kind of guy to go out with a whimper."
John made the announcement after a live performance of his hits "Tiny Dancer" and "I'm Still Standing."
With a penchant for flamboyant stage costumes and an ear for piano rockers and ballads, John has dominated the pop industry for decades with hits like "Your Song" and "Candle in the Wind."
On Wednesday, he denied British media reports that he was quitting touring because of ill health.
But he said he had been on the road since he was 17, adding; "I can’t physically do the traveling anymore. I want to be home with my children more."
John and Furnish married in 2014 and the couple are raising two sons, Zachary, 7, and Elijah, 5, who were born through a surrogate mother.
"I never thought that I could love anything as much as I love my sons... I never thought I could be a father, I thought I’m too selfish, too set in my ways," he said.
John is due to perform at the Grammy Awards in New York on Sunday. On Jan 30, musicians including Miley Cyrus, John Legend, Chris Martin and Sam Smith will pay tribute to his music and career at a previously announced concert in New York.
John, who has Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards for his work in film and theatre including "The Lion King" and "Billy Elliott," said he planned to remain creative but said that after the tour he would likely take 2 or 3 years off from writing music.
Once a hard-partying rock star with a voracious appetite for cocaine and alcohol, John has achieved the kind of long-lasting fame enjoyed by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.
He also was one of the first celebrities to become involved in the fight against AIDS. His AIDS Foundation, established in 1992, has raised millions of dollars for prevention and services.

Salman, Katrina all set to leave for tour to USA in June

Salman Khan is one of Bollywood's biggest superstars and over the years he has made a brand out of himself. Everything from his dance moves, clothes, accessories to his attitude and body language is a rage among his fans. Salman was recently proven guilty in the 1998 Blackbuck poaching case. But, soon after the actor was given bail from the jail. And just a few days back the actor was given the liberty to travel overseas.
After Salman got a nod from the Jodhpur High Court to travel abroad, the actor grabbed the first opportunity to announce his international tour. The actor will be going to The United States of America as well as Canada along with Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandez, Daisy Shah, Sonakshi Sinha, Prabhudeva, Guru Randhawa, Maniesh Paul and a few other artists for the Dabangg: The Tour Reloaded event. Salman took to Twitter to confirm the news, the actor wrote, "All set to travel the seven seas !Next stop USA & Canada. So be ready for# DabanggReloaded .@ DabanggTour2018@ ZEEAmericas @ sahilpromotions @beingbhav@ theJAEvents @SohailKhan # jaevents# sohailkhanenetertainment."
The tour will commence on June 22, 2018 in Atlanta and end on July 8, 2018 in Toronto.

'Mini-Me' actor Verne Troyer dead at 49

Verne Troyer, best known for his role as Mini-Me in the "Austin Powers" movies, died Saturday. He was 49.

While no cause of death was given, a statement on the actor's social media accounts said he had gone through a "recent time of adversity" and alluded to suicide and depression as "serious issues."

"Over the years he's struggled and won, struggled and won, struggled and fought some more, but unfortunately this time was too much," it added.

"Depression and Suicide are very serious issues. You never know what kind of battle someone is going through inside. Be kind to one another. And always know, it's never too late to reach out to someone for help."

Troyer, who lived in Los Angeles, was taken to hospital early this month for unspecified treatment. The actor spoke about his alcohol addiction during another hospital stay a year ago.

One of the world's shortest men at just two feet eight inches (81 centimeters) due to achondroplasia dwarfism, according to reports, Troyer was born in 1969 in Sturgis, Michigan.

He first entered show business as a stunt person in "Baby's Day Out" (1994)."In 1993, I was working for Sprint in customer service, and a friend of mine who was the president of LPA -- Little People of America -- got a phone call from the producers of 'Baby's Day Out,' and they were wondering if there was anyone close to a stand-in size," he recalled in a 2012 interview with Hollywood Chicago.

"I guess they searched worldwide and couldn't find anyone. I sent in my picture, and they flew me out to Hollywood to meet with them. Two days later, they offered me the job, and I quit my job at Sprint."

- 'Extremely caring' -

Tributes poured in for the small man with an outsized personality.

"Verne was the consummate professional and a beacon of positivity for those of us who had the honor of working with him," Mike Myers, his "Austin Powers" co-star said in a statement. "It is a sad day, but I hope he is in a better place. He will be greatly missed."

Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin said she was "so sad" over the news of Troyer's death.

"A lovely smile with a caring and big heart, he helped raise money on behalf of @starkeycares for free hearing aids for deaf and hard of hearing people. RIP," added Matlin, who is deaf.

Ludacris posted on Instagram a photograph of himself with Troyer strapped to him in a baby carrier, taken from the rapper's "Number One Spot" music video. The pair are wearing the same gray costume.

"R.I.P. Verne Troyer aka Mini Me. You made it to that #1 Spot Glad we got to make history," Ludacris wrote.

In addition to his breakout role as the "Mini-Me" -- a diminutive, hairless clone of villain Dr Evil -- in the first Austin Powers movie "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," Troyer was also known for playing Griphook in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

"Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy and laugh. Anybody in need, he would help to any extent possible," added the post on Troyer's social media accounts.

"He inspired people around the world with his drive, determination and attitude."AFP.

La Liga confirms Iniesta exit?

Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta was taken off with two minutes left to play and the legendary midfielder went off amidst loud cheers and applause in what felt like an emotional final for the Barcelona man.
Barca thrashed Sevilla 5-0 in the final of the Copa Del Rey yesterday and the midfielder had tears in his eyes when he went to the bench. The setting had the feel of a goodbye as this may have been Iniesta’s last final in a Barcelona shirt after reports of a possible move to China were confirmed.
Iniesta himself had said that he will confirm his decision this week.
However, La Liga posted an image of Iniesta on social media and captioned it with the words ‘thank you’ while their tweet read “The Final of Iniesta”.
While Iniesta is yet to confirm his future, La Liga’s message has managed to cause a stir among fans about Iniesta’s possible move away from the Camp Nou.

Low testosterone level linked to chronic diseases in men

Low levels of testosterone in men could be associated with chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, even among those 40 years of age and younger, new research has found.

The total levels of the hormone is commonly associated with just sexual health and muscle mass preservation.

The new study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that the declining levels of testosterone “could be contributing to a silent decline in overall health and increased risk for chronic disease”, said lead author of the study Mark Peterson, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan in the US.

Using data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the research team examined the extent to which hypogonadism, which occurs when the body’s sex glands produce little or no hormones, is prevalent among men of all ages.

The team examined the prevalence of nine chronic conditions, including Type-2 diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, stroke, pulmonary disease, high triglycerides, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and clinical depression among more than 2,000 men in the survey who were at least 20 years old.

The researchers studied the prevalence of multimorbidity, or when two or more of the chronic conditions were present, among three age groups (young, middle-aged and older men) with and without testosterone deficiency.

They found that low total testosterone was associated with multimorbidity in all age groups — but it was more prevalent among young and older men with testosterone deficiency.

“Men should be concerned about declining total testosterone, even if it has not reached a level to warrant a clinical diagnosis (less than 300 nanograms per deciliter),” Peterson said.

Radio disc jockey Musfiq Farhan shows new side in music video

Fans of radio jockey Musfiq R Farhan may be delighted to explore a new side of his character in a new music video.

 

 

Farhan plays the regular, boy-next-door teenager who casually falls in love with a beautiful, but coy neighbourhood girl. The video follows the madness of a hopeless romantic who pursues his love tirelessly, but in-vain.
Fans of Farhan’s may enjoy his wild gestures of romance as he attempts to win the heart of his beloved and refuses to give up. 
The video, titled “Shukh Pakhi” will feature Farhan and Lamia as a romantic couple and is scheduled to release soon under the banner of Drubo Music Station.
Farhan, who is well known as a radio jockey, has recently embarked on an acting career.

West hesitates on Syria response as Russia warns of `war`

Western powers continued to weigh their options on Friday over possible strikes against Syria's regime as pressure built to avoid an escalation following a warning from Russia that military action could lead to "war".
The UN Security Council was to meet again Friday, at Russia's request, to try to defuse the standoff, as US President Donald Trump appeared to back away from imminent action, days after warning Russia to "get ready" for missile strikes.
After a crunch meeting with national security advisors Thursday, the White House said he had not yet decided how to retaliate to last week's suspected chemical attack which the US, France and Britain blame on Bashar al-Assad's regime.
"No final decision has been made," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said, adding that Trump would confer with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May. Later, a White House briefing on a call between Trump and May said that they "continued their discussion of the need for a joint response to Syria's use of chemical weapons."
A Downing Street spokesperson added: "They agreed it was vital that the use of chemical weapons did not go unchallenged, and on the need to deter the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime."
But US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis struck a cautious note, telling lawmakers that the need to "stop the murder of innocent people" had to be weighed up against the risk of things "escalating out of control". During his meeting with Trump and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford, Mattis pushed for more evidence of the Assad regime's culpability for the attack, to bolster the case for air strikes, The New York Times reported.
In France, Macron claimed in a TV interview he had "proof" that Assad's regime had used chemical weapons and vowed a response "in due course".
But he also appeared anxious to avoid a wider conflict, saying France would "in no way allow an escalation".
Western officials believe chlorine was used in Saturday's attack on Douma, the main city in the longtime rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta, where the British government now estimates 75 people were killed.

Gangster brags on facebook after shooting Punjabi singer

Initial reports suggested that Parmish Verma was shot by the assailants after he sent his bodyguard home

Verma had "tried his best to escape, but eventually suffered." The gangster said in the post that he had "warned" the singer, saying that their "face to face" meeting had cost him.

In the post, the gangster also said that the singer had a choice of whether he wanted to "listen to others."

He said that Mr Verma was "lucky to be alive".

Dhahan shared two images in the Facebook status, with one image showing the gangster posing with a pistol and the other of thesinger, marked with a red cross, a sign that the gangster had 'eliminated' his target.

The post was shared on Facebook more than 3,000 times and received over 8,000 likes.

The gangster's motive to claim responsibility for the shooting was unclear. It was also not clear why Mr Verma was attacked either.

Apart from Dilpreet Singh Dhahan, members of the Sampat Nehra gang have also claimed responsibility for the attack, according to news agency IANS.

After the gangster's Facebook status emerged, police officials said they would investigate the incident from this angle as well.

A First Information Report or FIR has been registered against unknown individuals.

News agency IANS also said that Mr Verma will likely be provided with police protection after the shooting.

The singer's popular 'Gaal Ni Kadni' song has over 118 million views on YouTube.

Celebrating Baishakh with celebs

As the light spring air of Falgun grows fuller and heavier, a feeling of joy arises in the hearts of Bangalees as they feel a new era about to descend. Pahela Baishakh, one of the most significant traditional celebrations hailing in the Bangla New Year, is a new beginning for us all. The Daily Star reached out to a few celebrities about their plans for the special occasion.

MOUSHUMI

A whole year has gone by so fast, and now it is Pahela Baishakh already. This is a special day for me, full of joy and happiness. This is the one day when all Bangalees, regardless of their religious backgrounds, come together to celebrate as one. For me, | dearly miss the Pahela Baishakh celebrations of my childhood in Khulna, when I always looked forward to visit the fair.

ZAHID HASAN

I always look back to the Baishakhi celebrations of my childhood. I hold those memories close to my heart today. A Baishakhi fair would be held in Sirajganj every year, where many stalls were put up selling all sorts of fares. I remember the excitement I felt as I returned home with my coveted treasures. I often wonder if the children today would understand these simple pleasures. My family and I wear new clothes on that day too. I wish everyone a 'Shubho Noboborsho'.

FERDOUS

It has been ingrained since childhood that Pahela Baishakh is a day of joy. The New Year is a chance for us to let go of the old, and make room for newer and better things. As Bangalees, we should look forward to uniting as a people with the same feeling in our hearts. I look forward to starting my day with something sweet, before moving onto delightful culinary delicacies throughout the day.

ANKHI ALAMGIR

Pahela Baishakh is a fortunate day for all Bangalees. What I especially look forward to is how we turn to traditions in doing the celebrations justice. At my house we serve only traditional Bangalee food on the day. All of us dress in new Baishakhi colors, and I prefer saris. llish (hilsa) fish is a must, alongside different varieties of bhorta. Traditional sweets are also being passed around, which puts everyone in a festive mood. There's also a get together for those in the media, which I always look forward to.

Genes behind deadly heart condition found, scientists say

Scientists say they have identified genes that cause a deadly heart condition that can only be cured by transplants of the heart or lungs.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension kills 50% of those affected within five years, but little was known about what caused the condition in some people.

Now experts say they have discovered five genes that cause the illness.

The findings could lead to earlier detection of the disease and ultimately new treatments, researchers say.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) currently affects around 6,500 people in the UK and causes the arteries carrying blood from the heart to their lungs to stiffen and thicken, ultimately leading to heart failure.

It is often diagnosed in people who have other heart or lung conditions, but it can affect people of any age and in about a fifth of people there is no obvious cause.

The only "cure" is a transplant of the heart and particularly the lungs, but there is a waiting list for organ transplants and the body will often ultimately reject them, particularly in the case of lungs.

For this latest research, published in Nature Communications, scientists carried out the largest ever genetic study of the disease by analysing the genomes - the unique sequence of a person's DNA - of more than 1,000 PAH patients for whom the cause of the illness was unknown.

They found that mutations in five genes were responsible for causing the illness in these people, including in four genes that were not previously known to be involved in the disease.

In people with the condition these genes fail to effectively produce the proteins that are required for the structure, function and regulation of the body's tissues, researchers found.

Nick Morell, the lead author of the paper and professor at the British Heart Foundation, told BBC News: "Identifying the nature of these new genes and mutations in the new genes tells you what causes the disease.

"It allows you to design and come up with potential new ways of treating the disease because you have really well-grounded knowledge about what's actually causing it in cases where you find these mutations," he explained.

The research was part of a pilot study for the 100,000 Genomes Project - a huge initiative focused on understanding the genetics of cancer and rare diseases.

Prof Morell said such genetic studies were helping to transform our understanding of rare diseases.

He said: "Often people with rare diseases go to lots of different specialists, everybody is scratching their head a bit, we don't know what the cause is, therefore it's hard to find a treatment for it.

"Now being able to [genetically] sequence people with rare diseases at scale allows you to push the genetics into the clinic and into the families, and it also gives you a cause for the disease which you can potentially do something about," he said.

Darren Griffin, professor of genetics at the University of Kent, who was not involved in the study, said the research was "one of the big successes" of the 100,000 Genome Project.

He said: "By studying the role of rare genetic variation in diseases, we come to a better understanding of the disease pathology itself, which can aid in early diagnosis and in tailoring treatment regimes."

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