8th grade students’ results as per schools' evaluation
This year the annual results of the students of 8th grade will be based on the evaluation of their respective educational institutions. The information came through a press release of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board of Dhaka.
The decision came following the government’s move to cancel this year’s JSC and JDC examinations due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic situation in the country.
The press release said that the educational institutions will be provided instruction to this end soon.
AH
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'Silent Hands Support Inc. Initiates Transformational Program in Bhola, Bangladesh'
In a monumental event, Silent Hands Support Incorporated running zakat Project in Bhola, Bangladesh, on March 3, 2024. They offered an Auto Rickshaw to a physically challenged man named Md. Siraj, initiative signifies the organization's steadfast dedication to uplifting communities since its establishment in 2018.
The project aims to catalyze positive change and improve the lives of many in Bhola and beyond.
Key figures including Mohammad Anwar Hosen Choton (Chairman) and Mohammad Delowar Hosen (Upazila Social Welfare Officer) graced the ceremony, highlighting the significance of this endeavor.
Among the attendees from the organization were Md. Rofiqul Islam, Rezaul Karim, Asmaul Husna Shimu, and Md Jeshan Gazi, pivotal members driving the project's implementation and the broader mission of Silent Hands Support Incorporated.
Reflecting on the occasion, the organization's founder Tahamina Ahammed Tania (Tajj Momo) emphasized, "The zakat Project symbolizes our unwavering commitment to effecting meaningful change in the lives of those in needs."
Mohammad Anwar Hosen Choton, Chairman, echoed this sentiment, stressing unity and collaboration as indispensable in addressing societal challenges. The Zakat Project embodies hope for Bhola's community, championing values of compassion, solidarity, and progress.
As it unfolds, the project promises enduring impact, paving the way for sustainable development and empowerment. Silent Hands Support Incorporated pledges to continue its mission, ushering in a brighter future for all.
Biodiversity: Can extinctions be stopped?
Humans actions are pushing countless plant and animal species to the verge of extinction. Can this be reversed?
Researchers last spotted the tiny, dark red splendid poison frog five years ago in the humid, lowland forests of western Panama. Since 2022, it's joined the likes of the lumpy brown Wyoming toad, the black Hawaiian crow and vivid blue Spix's macaw on the growing list of species dying out in nature.
Around 30% of 150,000 plant and animal species assessed by biologists face extinction through dangers like starvation as humans destroy habitat, poisoning from pesticides or hunting for profit and sport.
The last time such huge numbers of flora and fauna died so rapidly was when a large chunk of rock hit the planet 66 million years ago. The strike ended the age of the dinosaurs and wiped out 75% of all species.
Humans driving sixth mass extinction
In the geological epoch that has become known as the Anthropocene, humans are the asteroid. The natural or "background" extinction rate is about 10 to 100 species a year. Human activity is pushing that number to around 27,000 annually. Amazon deforestation alone could wipe out over 10,000 species in Brazil — a global biodiversity hotspot home to 15 to 20% of the world's flora and fauna.
Amphibians, insects, reptiles and fish are vanishing at ever-increasing rates. As species disappear, ecosystems lose stability and eventually collapse — with serious repercussions for humans.Fewer pollinators, for instance, reduces fruit, vegetable and nut production, while dwindling wild animal and fish populations means a loss of protein sources.
Conservation measures, environmental laws, breeding stations and nature reserves have helped reverse declines in some species. But their recovery cannot compensate for rapid global extinction rates, with more and more species under threat.
When breeding programs go wrong animals die
Conservation measures can fail if the approach isn't right. Take Madagascar's Sahafary sportive lemur. A 2019 survey found 87 individuals, said Edward Louis, head of NGO Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership. Louis has devoted about 25 years of his life to saving the bug-eyed primate.
Attempts to catch and breed the animals just haven't worked, explained Louis. "When you take them out of the wild, their bacteria flora changes, and they unfortunately die like 8 to 10 days later."
The main problem for the sportive lemur is destruction of forest habitat by locals who need charcoal for cooking. That's why conservationists are now trying to find an alternative fuel source to get locals on board with protecting lemur habitat.
Local acceptance is crucial for conservation success, said Magnus J.K. Wessel from German conservation group BUND.
"Wherever people value animal species for their self-identification and that of the region, and they benefit financially, things change," said Wessel. "You can clearly see it in Indian national parks with the tiger, even though it is a very dangerous animal."
Tiger numbers in India have risen from 1,400 animals 17 years ago to 3,600 today, thanks to protected areas, the fight against poaching and a $2.1 billion (€1.94 billion) investment over the last decade. Communities now see value in protecting the big cat and benefit from tourism. Current populations are still far from the 100,000 animals that lived in India around 1900 but conservationists see the increase as a success.
Still, there are no guarantees that numbers will go up, and even well-intentioned measures can have disastrous side effects. "You also have to be honest and face up to uncertainties," said BUND's Wessel.
In the 1990s, the WWF campaigned for an end to hunting rhinos for their horns used in Chinese medicine. Instead, they suggested saiga antelope antlers be used as a substitute. Antelope populations collapsed by 97%.
Conservation mascots: Naked mole-rats and rhinos
Few people directly experience the consequences of species' extinction, so getting the message out is important. According to Wessel, large, charismatic animals like rhinos and tigers, as well as little, cute furry ones can help to win the public over to the cause.
"Whimsical works too," he said. "There is a large fan community for the naked mole-rat and, it's certainly not a pretty an animal."
But the wrinkly rodent is an exception. Most species are found in the ground and as Wessel points out, humans tend not to like creepy crawlies. So, the only way to protect these animals is by establishing reserves for the more charismatic species.
And such conservation costs money, which is problematic given that not all countries are deeply invested in environmental protection, and even those that are, usually commit a maximum of 1 to 1.5% GDP to the cause.
European countries invest the most, followed by Asian and South American states. Senegal leads Africa with 0.5% of its GDP.
Even the countries that do invest more in conservation are seeing species go extinct. Since 1990, the proportion of endangered species has risen sharply in Malaysia, Uganda and Tanzania, which spend comparatively little on protection, as well as in higher spending France, China and New Zealand.
Calculating the survival chances of species
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) tries to assess when conservation pays off, using a kind of scale. It predicts the potential of a species to recover with or without conservation efforts, for instance, as well as the maximum population size for each species.
Southern Africa's blue crane is one species that could see major benefits from intervention. Over the next decade, the population could nearly fully recover in the wild. But the outlook for the Sahafary sportive lemur, which Edward Louis is trying to save, isn't as bright. Populations could become viable in the next 10 years if reforestation efforts are carried out, but the animal is currently on the brink of extinction.
Louis is now working with a local company in Madagascar to produce fuel briquettes from fast-growing eucalyptus as an alternative to charcoal made from clear cutting lemur forest habitat.
So far, the briquettes have not caught on with locals. "They don't seem to want eucalyptus," said Louis. "They [would] rather use endemic trees." The eucalyptus aroma is absorbed into the rice during cooking.
Still, Louis is trying everything he can to save the lemur.
Facebook service resumes after 1 hour
Social media platform Facebook has been activated again after a temporary server error. Facebook, Messenger and Instagram were restored after being shut down for about an hour.
Earlier, there was a sudden outage on Facebook after 9 pm. At the same time, Instagram was not working.
"There were more than 3,00,000 reports of outages for Facebook, while there were more than 20,000 reports for Instagram," according to Downdetector.com.
"We're aware people are having trouble accessing our services. We are working on this now," Meta spokesperson Andy Stone stated in a post on X social media.
Football star Kerr pleads not guilty to racially aggravated offence
International women's football star Sam Kerr is facing trial in England after pleading not guilty to a racially aggravated offence against a London police officer, prosecutors said.
The Chelsea striker and Australia captain was charged following an incident in January last year, when the Metropolitan Police said they were called to a dispute over a taxi fare.
The 30-year-old Kerr, born to an Anglo-Indian father and Australian mother, is a treasured sporting figure in Australia and one of the most famous players in women's football.
Australia's all-time leading scorer last year graced the cover of the FIFA video game alongside Kylian Mbappe.
She is expected to face trial in February 2025. The charge, relating to "threatening, abusive or insulting" behaviour, can carry a fine or custodial sentence if proven.
The alleged incident occurred before last year's World Cup, which was held in Australia and New Zealand, but was not publicly disclosed until now and appeared to take Australian football bosses by surprise.
Matildas coach Tony Gustavsson said he had only found out about the allegation on Tuesday and was yet to speak to his skipper.
"I was informed this morning and obviously I was surprised," he said.
"I can't comment on the offence because it's a legal matter at this point. The only thing I can comment on is my experience and interaction with Sam as a person, and as a footballer.
"And I have only had positive experiences," he said.
Gustavsson said it was too early to say whether the allegation would rule Kerr out of selection for this summer's Paris Olympics.
Kerr has been sidelined since January with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
"I think it's a bit too early to look at selection at this time and as we all know with Sam's serious injury in January, there's obviously a very big question mark whether she will even be up for selection," said Gustavsson.
Very serious
Football Australia CEO James Johnson called the allegation "unsettling" and "very serious".
"We've got our own questions that we'd like to know. We've got to find out what actually happened," he said.
"It's regarding racism, and there's no place for racism in our sport. At the same time. Sam has rights, natural justice rights, procedural rights, that she's going to work her way through and we're respectful of that."
Former Australia men's team captain Craig Foster said the news was unexpected and distressing.
"Racism is a very serious issue (not only) in sport. Let's acknowledge the rights of the other person involved and hope that February absolves Sam," he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Pace, agility
Kerr has been credited with helping drive the booming popularity of the women's game both in Australia and globally.
She played Australian Rules football as a youngster and was convinced she would one day represent her beloved West Coast Eagles, like her elder brother.
She switched to football aged 12 and made her full international debut against Italy in 2009, a precocious talent aged just 15 at the time.
Known for her pace, agility and heading ability -- as well as her trademark backflip goal celebrations -- Kerr left for the United States in 2013.
She went first to Western New York Flash, then Sky Blue FC in New Jersey and finally Chicago Red Stars.
After moving to Chelsea in 2020, Kerr rose to a new level.
The 2023 Ballon d'Or runner-up scored the only goal in Chelsea's 1-0 win over Manchester United in last season's FA Cup final.
As her star has continued to rise over the years, Kerr has signed lucrative endorsement deals with the likes of Nike and Mastercard.
She has scored 99 goals in 128 games in all competitions for Chelsea.
In 2019, Kerr became the first Australian, man or woman, to score a hat-trick at a World Cup.
Source: BSS
JCI Dhaka Premier holds first general member's meeting of 2024
JCI Dhaka Premier proudly hosted its first General Member's Meeting of 2024, marking the beginning of a dynamic year filled with impactful initiatives and community engagement.
The meeting, held on Saturday (March 2), brought together members from across the region to discuss upcoming projects and opportunities for collaboration.
The event was graced by the presence of esteemed guests, including Imran Kadir, the National President of JCI Bangladesh, and Ashabus Safa, the Local President of JCI Dhaka Premier. Their participation underscored the importance of community involvement and the commitment to fostering positive change.
Additionally, the board of Dhaka Premier were present including Executive Vice President Gazi Nayeem Manzoor, Vice Presidents Md. Asifur Rahman and Syed Ziaul Ahsan. Secretary General Gazi Shahriar Islam Mridul and Treasurer Md. Shahinur Rashid were also present. To add more light to the board, Local Directors including Syed Moinul Ahsan, Mosharraf Hossain Saikat were present.
Last but not the least, Local Committee Chairs namely Ariana Afrin, Ayman Nasim and Md.Shoeb shared the floor and represented the Dhaka Premier Board of Directors 2024.
During the meeting, general members also had the opportunity to share their ideas and insights on various community projects and initiatives. About 80% of the General Members were present during the meeting. Discussions ranged from youth empowerment programs to environmental sustainability efforts, highlighting the diverse interests and passions of the JCI Dhaka Premier community.
"I am delighted to see the enthusiasm and dedication of our members at our first General Member's Meeting of 2024," said Ashabus Safa, Local President of JCI Dhaka Premier. "Together, we are poised to make a meaningful impact in our community and inspire positive change."
Imran Kadir, National President of JCI Bangladesh, commended the efforts of JCI Dhaka Premier in driving forward the organization's mission of creating positive change. "It is inspiring to see the passion and dedication of the members of JCI Dhaka Premier," said Kadir. "I look forward to seeing the incredible work that will emerge from this dynamic group."
The first General Member's Meeting of 2024 was a resounding success, setting the stage for a year of collaboration, innovation, and service within the JCI Dhaka Premier community.
Pentagon study says no evidence of alien life
The investigation into reports of UFO sightings also concluded that there have been no efforts by US governments to keep the information of aliens hidden from the public.
There is no evidence of aliens or extraterrestrial intelligence, a Pentagon report that examined the sighting of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) over the last century said on Friday.
The report concluded that most of the sightings reported were misidentified ordinary objects and phenomena, a conclusion that matches the assessment of past US governments into the claims.
The report from the Defense Department's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (ARRO) analyzed US government investigations since 1945 of UFO sightings.
The study which followed a 2022 Pentagon announcement also said that there were no efforts by the US government or private firms to keep the information about them secret.
Flying objects: White House says no sign of alien activity
"All investigative efforts, at all levels of classification, concluded that most sightings were ordinary objects and phenomena and the result of misidentification," said the report, which was mandated by Congress.
Why was the investigation conducted?
Over the past several years, US authorities have received a slew of reports of UFO sightings.
In 2021, a government report that examined 144 sightings held that no evidence of any extraterrestrial life was found and it called for better data collection.
The issue was once again brought to the fore last year after a retired Air Force intelligence officer testified to Congress that the US government hides a longstanding plan that reverse engineers unidentified flying objects.
The authors of the report said they wanted to meticulously investigate the subject which has occupied many American minds over the years.
"AARO recognizes that many people sincerely hold versions of these beliefs which are based on their perception of past experiences, the experiences of others whom they trust, or media and online outlets they believe to be sources of credible and verifiable information," the report said.
Ramadan moon sighted in Bangladesh
The moon of holy Ramadan has been sighted in the sky of Bangladesh. Therefore, Ramadan will start from Tuesday. As such, the Muslims will offer Taraweeh prayers tonight.
Religious Affairs Minister Faridul Haque Khan said this after a meeting of the moon sighting committee on Monday evening ( March 11).
However, the first Taraweeh prayer and Sehri will be held tonight. Tomorrow is the first Ramadan.
Meanwhile, the holy month of Ramadan has begun in Saudi Arabia. Ramadan began in the country on Sunday (March 10) evening as the moon of the holy month of Ramadan was sighted.