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A man carrying a backpack was arrested after breaching the White House outer perimeter fence on Friday night, the US Secret Service has said. President Donald Trump was in the building at the time. The intruder was arrested on the south grounds without incident and no hazardous materials were found in the backpack, the Secret Service said. Trump and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly were briefed on the incident. Court documents identified the suspect as California resident Jonathan Tran, 26. Speaking to reporters about the incident, Trump praised the Secret Service for doing a "fantastic job" and called the intruder a "troubled person". The Secret Service said agents searched the grounds and found "nothing of concern to security operations". Intruders have broken into the grounds of the White House before by scaling the perimeter fence. They are usually handed over to local police. In 2014, 42-year-old Omar Gonzales made it through the north portico doors into the building, armed with a three-and-a-half-inch (9cm) folding knife. He was arrested just after making it inside the doors, the Secret Service said at the time.....

Published at: 2017-03-12 00:00:04

Major development works like construction of connectivity roads, embankments and bridges and supply of drinking water for commissioning the first phase of Mirsarai Economic Zone have almost been completed. Government high officials on a spot inspection said the phase one of the economic zone in a 550-acre area would generate 100,000 employments after its successful completion. Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) has chosen Powerpac-gasmin-Eastwest JV as developer for the zone and would sign an agreement on March 22. Around 70 per cent of works on connecting roads, 75 per cent of embankments and bridges and 80 per cent of safe drinking water through pipeline have been mostly completed so far. In the second phase, two EZs would be established on 1300 acres of land. Already, feasibility, and social and environmental-impact studies have been completed in the second phase. The BEZA has also obtained clearance from the directorate of environment. BEZA has acquired Khas land measuring around 12,000 acres in Mirsarai outside the port city so far and has yet to acquire any of public land. But it would need to acquire some of the public land against proper compensation. The government will provide direct compensation to the local people on the acquired land so that they do not face any unusual intervention by middlemen. "The process relating to land-acquisition compensation should be resolved smoothly," said Abdul Kalam Azad, chief coordinator (Sustainable Development Goal) at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), while visiting the Mirsarai Economic Zone site Thursday. He also underscored the need for planting trees, ensuring proper power supply to the EZ and its adjacent area for successful implementation of economic zones. State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid, who was also on the tour, assured of ensuring power supply to the EZ. Senior secretary of the ministry of land Mesbahul Alam, power secretary Dr Ahmed Kaikaus, environment secretary (in charge) Ishtiaq Ahmed, shipping secretary Ashok Madhob Roy and executive chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Paban Chowdhury visited the Mirsarai and Feni Economic Zone, Chinese Economic and industrial zones in Anwara 1 and 2 belts, Bashkhali, Matarbari coal-fired power project, Sonadia and Cox's Bazaar that day. The BEZA chief said the authority has been trying to bring two-three investors immediately as a pilot project in the Mirsarai special economic hub. "Already 33KV power line has been made available in the area," he said. The senior secretary of the ministry of land said the government is amending the relevant land policy to categorise compensation for acquisition of large volume of acquired land and small amount of land. Chief coordinator of the PMO Mr Azad said the government has dream to generate employment of some 10 million people in this area by establishing EZs. BEZA is working to establish an industrial city spanning Sonagazi Upazila of nearby Feni district and Mirsarai of Chittagong on 30,000 acres land. The hub is 10 kilometres from the Dhaka-Chittagong highway and 65 kms from the commercial capital, Chittagong. BEZA has already invited international tender for master plan for an integrated industrial city. Work on connecting road from Barotakia (Abu Torab) to Mirsarai EZ at an estimated cost Tk 1.23 billion is going on in full swing. Gas-pipeline project for the EZ, involving Tk 2.66 billion, embankment construction project at Tk 11.83 billion, 230KV grid station, port-and rail-construction projects for the EZ are also in progress. doulot_akter@yahoo.com  ....

Published at: 2017-03-12 00:00:04

Bangladesh's top apparel business body has six months to pull down its multi-storey office building in which was built nearly two decades ago endangering wetlands in the capital Dhaka. The 16-storey office building of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) was built in violation of the Wetlands Protection Act, reports bdnews24.com. On Sunday, the Supreme Court's three-member appeals bench led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha gave the order after hearing a petition by the BGMEA, which sought three years to move their offices and demolish the building.  ....

Published at: 2017-03-12 00:00:04

Sevilla's hopes of winning a first La Liga title since 1946 were dented for the second time in five days as they fought back for a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Leganes thanks to Stevan Jovetic's first-half equaliser on Saturday, reports Reuters. Sevilla are third on 57 points, three behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday, and two behind Real Madrid, who host Real Betis also on Sunday and have an extra game in hand on both their title rivals. Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann scored for the fourth time in three games to earn a hard-fought 1-0 win at Granada which leaves Diego Simeone's side fourth on 52 points, four ahead of Real Sociedad, who meet Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. Gabriel Pires gave Leganes a shock third minute lead at Sevilla with a clever backheel from close range and the Madrid outfit, who are 16th, missed two chances to double the lead. Jovetic pulled Jorge Sampaoli's side level two minutes before halftime after Fernando Vazquez had an effort narrowly ruled offside but Sevilla barely threatened to find a winner in a disappointing display after the break. They were booed off by supporters after again failing to win following Monday's 1-1 draw at Alaves. Sevilla visit Premier League champions Leicester City on Tuesday in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with a slender 2-1 lead.....

Published at: 2017-03-12 00:00:04

Cyclone Enawo has killed at least 38 people and injured 180 in northeast Madagascar, according to officials, reports Al Jazeera. The cyclone, which made landfall in the Indian Ocean island on Tuesday, has also driven more than 53,000 people from their homes, the country's disaster management agency said on Saturday. The new death toll issued by the agency was significantly higher than the earlier estimate of just four deaths and 10,000 people displaced issued on Thursday. "The damage is enormous wherever the cyclone has gone," Thierry Venty, executive secretary of the National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management, said late on Friday on national television. Officials say the full extent of the damage is not yet known because of a breakdown in telecommunications which has made it hard to contact rural communities. With 89 per cent of Madagascar's roads being dirt, getting into the hardest-hit areas of the north and east is expected to be difficult. Up to 0.70 million (700,000) people could be affected by the cyclone which was the most powerful to strike the Indian Ocean island since 2012, according to the Red Cross. Enawo is also expected to have a big impact on the country's economy, with vanilla farmers in the northeast region of Sava, which produces about half of the world's output, predicting a very bad harvest. Enawo brought heavy rains and winds in excess of 225 kilometres per hour - the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. It has weakened since making landfall and has now been reclassified as a tropical depression that is moving southwards, away from the island. Madagascar has suffered severe drought and food shortages since 2015, with the southern region the worst affected.....

Published at: 2017-03-12 00:00:04