Aeromatic Thai Rice

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ tbsp peanut oil
2 tsp chilli flakes
5 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ cup coarsely grounded peanuts
1 radish
2 cup brown rice soaked in water
Salt to taste
9 – 10 sprig chives
¾ cup sprouted beans
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp soya sauce
6 tbsp tamarind water
Oil as required

For garnish

Sprouted beans
Coarsely grounded peanuts
Lemon wedges
Red chilli powder
Chives
Brown sugar

PROCESS

Firstly, heat oil in a pan, sauté chilli flakes, garlic, red chilli powder and peanuts in it.
Meanwhile, dice the radish.
Now, add brown rice, salt, water and chives in the pan to cook.
After this, heat peanut oil in another pan, add garlic, radish, sprouted beans, salt, brown sugar, soya sauce and tamarind water in it to prepare an aeromatic mix.
Next, put the prepared aeromatic mix on the rice.
Garnish the prepared rice with sprouted beans, peanuts, lemon wedges, red chilli powder, chives and brown sugar.
Your Aeromatic Thai Rice is ready.

Multiple explosions, gunfire rock Indonesia’s Jakarta; at least 7 dead including 4 attackers

Suspected Islamic militants launched a massive gun and bomb attack in Indonesia capital Jakarta, leaving at least 7 people dead. Media reports claimed that at least 10-14 gunmen – most of whom are still at large – where involved in the deadly strike, which has been now described by Indonesian President Joko Widodo as a terror attacks. 529-indonesia-1

The deadly attacks were focused on a Starbucks in an area filled with offices and Western brands.

Jakarta police say the 7 dead include 4 attackers too.

Starbucks has confirmed that a customer has sustained injuries from explosion in Jakarta and was treated, latest reports said.

Indonesian police has said that the attack in downtown Jakarta has ended and security forces are in control.

Eyewitnesses said that the multiple terror strike started at 10:30 am local time in the heart of Jakarta when a militant shot dead a traffic cop from close range and then blew himself up.

Moments later one more explosion was heard from across the street at a Starbucks cafe. Reports later said that the gunman who attacked the cafe shoot at bystanders, as a series of explosions rocked the area.

The area is very near to a number of embassies and the regional office of the United Nations. A popular shopping centre called the Sarinah mall along the busy Jalan Thamrin is also in the vicinity.

indonesia-3 Police snipers were deployed among hundreds of other security officers even as latest reports now suggest that the terrorists are holed up in a theatre.

Indonesia has been on edge in recent weeks over the threat posed by Islamist militants and counter-terrorism police have launched a crackdown on people with suspected links to Islamic State.

“We have previously received a threat from Islamic State that Indonesia will be the spotlight,” police spokesman Anton Charliyan told reporters. But he said police did not know who was resposible.

An explosion was heard in the western suburb of Palmerah, according to a domestic indonesia-5 media tweet, but police said they could not confirm a blast there.

Indonesia has the world`s largest Muslim population, the vast majority of whom practise a moderate form of the religion.

The country saw a spate of militant attacks in the 2000s, the deadliest of which was a nightclub bombing on the holiday island of Bali that killed 202 people, most of them tourists.

Police have been largely successful in destroying domestic militant cells since then, but officials have more recently been worrying about a resurgence inspired by groups such as Islamic State and Indonesians who return after fighting with the group.

The last major militant attacks in Jakarta were in July 2009, with bombs at the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels.

Six killed by bomb at Turkey police HQ

A car bomb blast has hit a police headquarters in south-eastern Turkey, killing six people and wounding at least 39, officials say.

A woman and a baby were among the dead. Rescuers were searching through rubble at the scene in Cinar district, Diyarbakir province.

Officials blamed the blast on Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) militants, who are active in the mainly Kurdish province.

No group has so far said it carried out the attack.

The bomb was detonated at the entrance of the Cinar district police complex, officials say. The blast also damaged nearby residential buildings, where the mother and baby were killed.

The attackers then reportedly fired rockets at the headquarters.

Another police station, in Midyat town, in neighbouring Mardin province, was also attacked by militants, according to Turkish media, but there are no reports of casualties.

Diyarbakir province has seen violent clashes between PKK separatists and the Turkish army in recent months.

Last year, the city of Diyarbakir and a number of other areas in the south-east were put under curfew as part of a security crackdown.

This followed a bomb blast that left 16 soldiers dead and a rebel ambush that killed 14 police officers – both incidents in the east.

A ceasefire between the army and the PKK collapsed in July, and Turkish jets have since bombed PKK bases in northern Iraq and the army launched a ground operation there.

Turkey is also part of a US-led coalition that has been carrying out air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq and Syria.

However, Ankara has been accused of hitting mostly PKK targets, angering Kurds who are themselves fighting IS in the two countries.

Pathankot attack: Pakistan says `not aware` of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar's arrest

In a volte-face, Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday said it has no idea if Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar has been detained in connection with terror attack at Pathankot airbase in India.

Talking to press, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qazi Khalilullah also said that dates of Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan, which were scheduled to be held tomorrow, are being rescheduled.

The development raises question mark on Pakistan’s commitment to act against terrorism.

On Wednesday, Pakistani media had reported that the JeM chief, known for his close ties with Pakistani intelligence agencies, was taken to an undisclosed destination and was questioned as part of a crackdown.

Reports had also claimed the detention of his brother Mufti Abdul Rauf and brother-in-law Ashfaq Ahmad as well as some 10 others.

Pakistani media quoted unidentified sources as saying that “concerned authorities” interrogated Masood Azhar and the others about the Pathankot attack that left seven security personnel dead.

India says all six terrorists who raided the IAF base and got killed were Pakistanis and were allied to the JeM. India later said it had delivered “actionable intelligence” for Pakistan to act against the attack plotters.

The Pathankot attack took place just a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Lahore and met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in a bid to push forward the dialogue between the two countries.

Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis win 29th consecutive match, surpass record set by Gigi Fernandez-Natasha Zvereva in 1994

The star pair has now begun to chase an even bigger record. Back in 1990, the dynamic duo of Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova won a whopping 44 matches in a row.

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza, along with her Swiss partner Martina Hingis on Thursday created history by winning 29 matches in a row.

The World No. 1 pair defeated Yaroslava Shevedova and Raluca Olaru 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 in a rain-interrupted semi-final to advance into the final of Sydney International.

With this win, they have surpassed record of Puerto Rican Gigi Fernandez and Belarus’ Natasha Zvereva in 1994 of winning 28 matches in a row.

The star pair has now begun to chase an even bigger record. Back in 1990, the dynamic duo of Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova won a whopping 44 matches in a row.

Earlier on Wednesday, the top seeds Mirza and Hingis got the better of China’s Chen Liang and Shuai Peng 6-2 6-3 in less than an hour to enter the last-four stage and remain on course for a second successive title this year.

Since the beginning of 2015, Mirza and Hingis have won 10 WTA doubles titles together — Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Wimbledon, US Open, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Beijing and WTA Finals in 2015, and last week’s Brisbane International.

Blast close to foreign consulates in Jalalabad in Afghanistan

An explosion was heard in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Wednesday close to foreign consulates including those of India, Pakistan and Iran, witnesses told Reuters.

There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the blast or of any casualties or damage.

There have been several bomb blasts in Afghanistan over recent weeks at a time when efforts are underway to restart a peace process with the Taliban and ease diplomatic tension between Pakistan and India.

Sri Lanka begins process to frame new Constitution

Sri Lanka on Saturday began the process of formulating a new Constitution with President Maithripala Sirisena underlining the need for constitutional reforms aimed at achieving reconciliation with the minority Tamil community and preventing another ethnic war.

“We need a Constitution that suits the needs of the 21st century and make sure that all communities live in harmony,” Sirisena, who completed one year in office today, said in his address to the Parliament. Outlining the previous attempts in the island nation’s history to settle the Tamil issue through various forms of devolution, Sirisena said, “The extremists in the south and the north have caused the loss of thousands of young lives”.

“We must ensure reconciliation and harmony so that we will never go back to war.” “I believe now, through our past bitter experiences, we must prepare ourselves for future challenges,” he said. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also spoke in the Parliament, presented a resolution to set a Constitutional Assembly (CA) made up of legislators, who would seek public input and make recommendations for a new Constitution.

In a special session, Wickremesinghe moved the resolution in Parliament to set up CA and a steering committee of 17 members to draft the new Constitution. “We will have the whole Parliament formulating the Constitution unlike the previous instances when the constitutions were drafted outside Parliament,” he said. The new Constitution will replace the current executive president headed constitution adopted in 1978.

Sirisena acknowledged the difficulty in drafting a constitution that would satisfy both sides – Sinhalese and Tamils. Sinhalese oppose a federal system that would ensure more political power for minority Tamils. Sirisena said he himself had opposed the India-mooted provincial councils system introduced in 1987 as a solution but later realised that it was “a good thing”.

He said a solution has to be found which will lead to lasting peace through consensus. “The move to set up the Constitutional Assembly was done with that aim,” he said. Sirisena, who was elected last year after his stunning electoral victory over strongman Mahinda Rajapaka, wants to abolish the present executive presidential system which for long has faced accusations of being authoritarian.

Sri Lankan troops in 2009 defeated the LTTE which was fighting for an independent state for minority ethnic Tamils. At least 40,000 Tamil civilians may have been killed in just the final months of the civil war, according to a UN report. The Sri Lankan government has promised that it will investigate alleged war crime allegations against government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.

Sirisena’s predecessor Rajapaksa had antagonised both Tamil and Muslim minorities in order to appease the Sinhala majority.

The resolution moved in Parliament noted that there shall be a Committee of Parliament referred to as the “Constitutional Assembly” which shall consist of all MPs, for the purpose of deliberating on, and seeking the views and advice of the people, on a new constitution for Sri Lanka, and preparing a draft of a Constitution Bill for the consideration of Parliament.

It said the Speaker of Parliament will be the Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly and there will be seven Deputy Chairmen of the Constitutional Assembly, who shall be elected by the Constitutional Assembly. A Steering Committee consisting of the Prime Minister (Chairman), Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the House, the Minister of Justice, and not more than 11 other Members of the Constitutional Assembly will be appointed by the Constitutional Assembly.

Sirisena in his address denied opposition’s accusations that the new Constitution is being drafted to please the international community based on their advise. Sirisena, since coming to power, has reduced his presidential powers and strengthened key areas of governance by setting up independent commissions on police, judiciary elections and public service.

Obama puts 'focus on the future' in State of the Union address

US President Barack Obama vigorously defended his legacy while striking an optimistic tone for the future in his final State of the Union address.

He pushed back against the negative tone of the current presidential race, arguing the US has the “strongest, most durable economy in the world”.

“Anyone claiming that America’s economy is in decline is peddling fiction,” Mr Obama told lawmakers.

The speech to Congress highlighted his accomplishments such as health reform.

However, his focus was on cementing his legacy rather than unveiling new policies.

“For my final address to this chamber, I don’t want to talk just about the next year,” he said. “I want to focus on our future.”

Both houses of Congress attended Mr Obama’s annual address

Mr Obama focused on tackling income inequity, using technology to combat climate change and how to maintain national security while not becoming mired in far-flung conflicts.

Finally, he talked at length about improving the state of politics and debate.

“Democracy does require basic bonds of trust between its citizens,” he said.

He called on voters and members of Congress to change the divisive tone of politics and to “change the system to reflect our better selves”.

Mr Obama said a major regret of his presidency is that Republicans and Democrats have become more divided.

Mr Obama took indirect aim to Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump who has been criticised for his comments about Muslims and immigrants.

“When politicians insult Muslims, when a mosque is vandalized, or a kid bullied, that doesn’t make us safer,” Mr Obama said.

“That’s not telling it like it is. It’s just wrong. … And it betrays who we are as a country.”

In the year ahead, Mr Obama said he wants to:

close the Guantanamo Bay prison
achieve meaningful criminal justice reform
address rising tide of prescription drug abuse
authorise the use of military force against IS
lift the embargo on Cuba

He also announced a new national cancer research initiative that Vice President Joe Biden will be leading.

He only mentioned guns briefly, despite a recent policy push for executive actions on gun control, though a chair was left empty in the chamber to symbolise victims of gun violence.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, delivering the Republican response to the address, said Mr Obama “spoke eloquently about grand things,” but that his “record has fallen short of his soaring words”.

“During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation,” she said, likely referring to Mr Trump but not mentioning him by name.

She said Republicans must recognise their role in the declining trust in government in the US.

“We have big decisions to make. Our country is being tested,” she said. “But we’ve been tested in the past, and our people have always risen to the challenge.”

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Sonam Kapoor to present Neerja Bhanot Award to Subhashini Vasanth

The Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust will be conferring the Neerja Bhanot award on Subhashini Vasanth of Bengaluru here tommorrow.

The award will be presented by Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, who is playing the lead role in biopic “Neerja”.

The trust said that “This is the 24th year of the annual award which comprises Rs 1,50,000, a citation and a trophy.”

The awardee is selected by a specially constituted jury who look for a woman who shows grit and determination in adversity.

Subhashini Vasanth is the founder trustee of Vasantharatna Foundation, started in the memory of her husband, Colonel Vasanth V, who was awarded the Ashok Chakra (Posthumous) in 2008 after he lost his life fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

Neerja Bhanot was a flight attendant for Pan Am, based in Mumbai, India, who was murdered while saving passengers from terrorists on board the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 on September 5, 1986.

Posthumously, she became the youngest recipient of India’s highest peacetime military award for bravery, the Ashok Chakra.

Madrasa students on the rampage in Brahmanbarhia

Madrasa students in Brahmanbarhia have gone on a rampage after the death of a fellow student who was injured earlier in a clash with law enforcers on Monday.

Police said the trouble began on Monday when a student of a madrasa got into an altercation with a mobile-phone shop employee in the town.

Other students of the madrasa turned up and vandalised the shop, then clashed with the police who tried to intervene.

Hafez Masudur Rahman, 20, a student of Jamia Islami Yunusia Madrasa, who was injured in the clash with law enforcers, succumbed to injuries at Brahmanbarhia Sadar Hospital early on Tuesday.

The hospital’s duty medical officer, Mainul Haque Upal, told bdnews24.com that Masudur Rahman had been seriously injured on the left side of his chest and abdomen.

As the news of his death spread, several hundred students went on a rampage in Brahmanbarhia town. They disrupted traffic and smashed several display gates.

They held angry demonstrations, attacked a train station and removed railway sleepers, and burnt tyres on the streets to block off several areas of the town.

The angry students vandalised the district unit office of the ruling Awami League, and a music college named after the renowned composer and music teacher Ustad Alauddin Khan. They set fire to a number of instruments at the college.

They also vandalised the district Shilpakala (Arts) Academy, a branch of Bank Asia in the Mukitijoddha Sangsad Complex, and the premises of a non-government organisation named Proshika.

Police had to fire rubber bullets and use tear gas to disperse the students.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was deployed on Tuesday morning amid mounting tension in the town.

The students have called a dawn-to-dusk shutdown in the district for Wednesday.

The assistant station master at Brahmanbarhia Railway Station, Mainul Islam, said train services through the town were suspended at about 11:15am after the railway sleepers had been removed.

“Train services on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet routes have been stopped, leaving the Subarna and Kalni express trains stranded,” he said.

However, Dhaka’s rail link with Chittagong and Sylhet was restored after a seven-hour suspension following the violence.

Islam said train services resumed at around 6:50pm after the rail tracks had been repaired.

Lt Col Nazrul Islam, the chief of the 12th batallion of the BGB based in Brahmanbarhia, said that two platoons of troops have been deployed in the town to maintain law and order.

At least 30 handmade bombs were exploded in different parts of the town during Monday’s clash in which about 20 people were injured.

One of them, a policeman named Rajib Chandra Das, 25, has been shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. The others are being treated locally.

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