US man gets 17yrs in terror plot

A Massachusetts man was sentenced Thursday to 17 years in prison in a plot to fly remote-controlled model planes packed with explosives into the Pentagon and US Capitol.
Rezwan Ferdaus, 27, of Ashland, pleaded guilty in July to attempting to provide material support to terrorists and attempting to damage and destroy federal buildings with an explosive.
As part of a plea agreement between prosecutors and Ferdaus' attorney, both sides agreed to recommend the 17-year sentence.
Ferdaus, a Muslim-American who grew up in Massachusetts and has a physics degree from Northeastern University, delivered a long, soft-spoken statement in which he offered no apology for his actions but thanked his family and friends for supporting him. He said he has accepted his fate and "can dream of a brighter future."
Ferdaus did not make any direct anti-American statements, but he did refer to "a world filled with injustices."
"Who other than God knows best what it takes to make a good human being," he said.
Ferdaus was arrested last year after federal employees posing as members of al-Qaida delivered materials he requested, including grenades, machine guns and plastic explosives. Authorities have said the public was never in danger because the explosives were always under the control of federal agents.
Prosecutors have said Ferdaus began planning a holy war against the United States in 2010 after becoming convinced by seeing jihadi websites and videos that said America is evil.
Prosecutors say he approached a government informant at a mosque in December 2010 and later met with undercover agents to discuss a plot. Prosecutors said Ferdaus also wanted to kill US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan using improvised explosive devices detonated by modified cellphones.
Counterterrorism experts and model-aircraft enthusiasts have said it would be nearly impossible to inflict large-scale damage using model planes.
The defence had suggested that the FBI ignored signs of mental illness in Ferdaus while investigating him. During a bail hearing last year, an FBI agent acknowledged that Ferdaus told undercover agents that he was anxious and depressed and having "intrusive thoughts" in the months before his arrest.
After he was sentenced, his lawyer, Miriam Conrad, said Ferdaus was being treated by a psychiatrist for depression and anxiety in August 2011, a month before his arrest.
US District Judge Richard Stearns said he had received a series of letters from Ferdaus' family and friends that painted a portrait of a "much loved" man who had lived "90 percent" of his life in a positive way.
"Everyone noticed that there was a point when Ferdaus' life turned darker," Stearns said.
In a letter to Stearns, Ferdaus' parents, Showket and Anamaria Ferdaus, said he slipped into a depression during his senior year at Northeastern, which led to mental illness that was "obviously visible" to his family since late 2009. They said they tried to get him to see a doctor but he would not.
"We took a very cautious approach. After all, he was over 18 and we could not force him to see a doctor. That is the American way. We felt helpless," they wrote in their letter.
After the hearing, Ferdaus' mother was mobbed by television cameras. "My son is innocent," she cried. "Go investigate your government."
Ferdaus will receive credit for the 13 months he spent in prison while awaiting trial. The US Bureau of Prisons will decide where Ferdaus serves his sentence.
As he left the courtroom in handcuffs, his family stood and shouted, "We love you, Rezwan!" ''Stay strong, Rez!" and "See you on the other side!"

PM reaches Hanoi

Prime Minister Sheikh HasinaUNB, Hanoi
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at Vietnam capital Hanoi on Friday morning on a six-day official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam Ho Xuan Son and Bangladesh Ambassador in Hanoi Supradip Chakma received the Prime Minister at Noi Bai International Airport at 10:50am (local time).
On her arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, the prime minister was accorded a red carpet reception. Two tiny tots welcomed the Prime Minister by presenting bouquets.
After a warm reception, the prime minister was driven to Sheraton Hanoi Hotel through a ceremonial motorcade where she will be staying during her visit to Vietnam.
In the morning, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Hanoi on a six-day official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
The premier will first visit Vietnam from November 2-4.
From there, she will go to Laos to attend the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit of Heads of State and Government (ASEM9) on November 5-6.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 7:30am.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Home Minister Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruq Khan, Railways Minister Mujibul Haque and Chief Whip Abdus Sahid were present at the airport to see her off.
Cabinet secretary M Musharraf Hussian Bhuiyan, Principal Secretary to the PM Shaikh Md Wahid Uz Zaman, chiefs of the three services, home secretary, dean of the diplomatic corps and the Vietnamese charge d'affaires in Dhaka were present.
Later on the day, Sheikh Hasina will hold official talks with Vietnamese leaders and also attend the signing ceremony of a number of agreements between Bangladesh and Vietnam.
Hasina will make a courtesy call on Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang at the Presidential Palace and then meet General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will host a dinner and cultural function in honour of his Bangladeshi counterpart.
On November 3, Hasina will visit the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh and monument of the national heroes and martyrs and place wreaths there.
Later, she will attend a business seminar to be hosted by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce & Industry at its office.
On November 4, the prime minister will go to Ninh Binh city to visit a Buddhist pagoda (Bai Dinh) before leaving Hanoi for Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
On November 5, she will attend the inaugural ceremony of the ASEM Summit at the Champa Grand Hall of the National Convention Centre and will also deliver a speech at the Plenary Session-1.
Hasina will also attend a state banquet to be hosted by Laos President Choummaly Sayasone and her wife Keosaychay Sayasone at Hotel Don Chanh Palace.
On November 6, the prime minister will deliver speech at the Plenary Sessions 2 and 3 of the Summit.
On November 7, Hasina will call on Laos President Choummaly Sayasone at the Presidential Palace and will also attend a luncheon to be hosted by Laos Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong at Lao Plaza Hotel.
ASEM is a dialogue process that started in 1996 with the main objective of forging a comprehensive partnership between Asia and Europe. It is currently composed of 48 partners - all 10 member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations, nine other Asian member countries, 27 member states of the European Union, the European Commission, and the ASEAN Secretariat.
The theme of this year's summit is "Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity" aimed at promoting mutual understanding, peace, stability, development and prosperity of Asia and Europe.
Hasina is expected to return home on November 7 (Wednesday), by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Tax return deadline now Nov 15

Star Online Report
The National Board of Revenue for a second time has extended the deadline for tax return submission to November 15 to facilitate more taxpayers to submit their returns.
The extension comes as the deadline for return submission was scheduled to end October 31.
"We have extended the time for return submission by 15 days for individual taxpayers as many could not complete their tax related formalities on various grounds," Syed A Momen, senior information officer of NBR, told The Daily Star.
Earlier on September 30, the NBR extended the deadline by a month to October 31.
Earlier, trade bodies and tax lawyers wanted time extension as taxpayers suffered hassles after the NBR more than doubled the number of tax circles to 649 this year from the previous 303 to boost direct tax collection.
In many cases, the change led to a disorder in tax files, making it difficult for tax officials to locate all files.
Other reasons behind time extension include low rate of submission of tax returns. Many taxpayers could not submit their returns as they were busy preparing for the festivals, said Momen.
Till Oct 29, seven lakh tax returns were submitted. It is lower than last year's 8.41 lakh returns submitted till mid October, said an NBR official asking not to be named.
But the amount of tax receipts from return submissions rose to Tk 1,481 crore this year from Tk 1,056 crore last year, according to NBR data.
Of nearly 35 lakh TIN (taxpayer identification number) holders, only a third of them submit returns regularly. Many of them submit returns by seeking time after the deadline.
Over the past several years, income tax receipts grew by more than 20 percent annually thanks to NBR's motivational campaign such as holding of tax fairs.
A steady growth of the economy and rising incomes also facilitated increased direct tax collection, according to tax officials.

Mayanmar ruhinga & Rakhine war

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Latest mobile phones 2012: hottest handsets reviewed Updated Our one stop spot for all our new mobile phone reviews By Matthew Clapham September 20th 2011 6 comments Tweet Latest mobile phones 2012: hottest handsets reviewedCheck out our list of the latest mobile phones around Related stories LG's smartphone line-up 2011 leaked Motorola empathy for Nokia over tough OS decisions ZTE still holding out for Windows Phone 7 success In the ever-changing mobile market, it can be hard to keep pace with the latest mobile phones. That's why we've put together this hub for our latest mobile phone reviews: to give you the ideal jumping-on point for choosing the best handset for you out of the most current models around. We cover a plethora of brands, including Apple, HTC, Nokia, Palm and Blackberry, and operating systems, such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, so you should find something that piques your interest here. In short, if you're seeking a new mobile phone, this is a great place to start. HTC Wildfire S new mobile phones The first Wildfire from HTC spread almost like its moniker, so popular did its blend of HTC Sense, durable form factor and affordable pricing prove. Now that it's burnt out, however, it needs a successor to carry the torch. Rising from the ashes is the Wildfire S. The handset carries on the legacy well enough, with an impressively solid chassis, great social features and responsive touchscreen. The market's changed since the first Wildfire blazed its trail into history, though. With dual-core 'superphones' to contend with, it's hard to consider a 600Mhz processor hot stuff. And while HTC's Sense interface proves as compelling as ever, the lack of grunt means missing out on Flash support for iPlayer and the like. All that wouldn't matter if the Wildfire S only required liberating a token sum from your account, but you'll need a fair few sheets burning a hole in your pocket (around £220 SIM-free, or £15 a month) to lay claim to this little fella. In the highly competitive market of 2011, that makes the Wildfire S a tricky proposition. Beginners will be well-served by the Wildfire S's rounded package, but you can certainly get a lot more for not much extra cash. HTC Wildfire S review • HTC Wildfire S deals Samsung Galaxy S2 new mobile phones It's rare that a direct sequel to something awesome – be it film, game or hardware – is anything other than a disappointment when it comes to a new phone. Rarer still is when the second instalment surpasses the original. We can think of just a scant handful of cases off the top of our heads: The Empire Strikes Back, Terminator 2 and Left 4 Dead 2. Well, add the Galaxy S2 to that list, because this phone is awesome. Thin, light and with an amazingly clear 4.3-inch Super AMOLED plus screen behind its toughened Gorilla Glass front panel, this is one handset you won't be pocketing in shame when your mates pass by. In fact, we suspect you'll be evangelising about it to anyone who'll listen. That's because the dual-core processor within its tiny shell isn't just a marketing bullet point, but rather powers an experience that we're nothing short of effervescent about. For instance, web browsing is blisteringly fast and the Galaxy S2's Flash support is second to none. We're thrilled to say that the plus points are just too numerous to do justice of here. Check out the full review to find out why this is one of the best smartphones we're likely to see in 2011. Samsung Galaxy S2 review • Samsung Galaxy S2 deals HTC ChaCha new mobile phones If you're aged 14-21 and are after a fun mobile rather than a black slab of raw processing power, we reckon you'll find it hard not to like (or +1, if you prefer) the new 'Facebook phone'. As the nickname suggests, Mark Zuckerberg's blue-hued brand of social media is at the heart of the experience – HTC even going as far as to give the site its own dedicated button beneath the ChaCha's decent QWERTY keyboard. Break through the wall of modified HTC Sense and you'll note that Android Gingerbread is powering the experience, which should be welcome for the tech-savvy target audience. Less warmly received will be the Flash integration, which is a bit iffy to say the least. With a funny shape and small screen to boot, you're really going to have to want the ChaCha's style of social oh la la to buy into this. Still, if you do, then this is something to post home about. HTC ChaCha review • HTC Cha Cha deals HTC Sensation XE new mobile phones This phone is so brand spanking new that it was announced just a day before we first held it in our palms. It adheres to the sensational HTC Sensation's template, but with the addition of ear-pleasing Beats Audio processing and a few spec upgrades. You needn't be an audiophile to enjoy the new profile, but you will need a set of Beats Audio headphones. Thankfully, a pair come with the device. In our tests so far, we've noticed a real difference, with the tinny edge of HTC's sound enhancer diminished, the crispness of sounds augmented and the only potential grounds for minor quibbles being the ear canal-shaking levels of bass. The good news continues elsewhere, with a 1730mAh battery that should have more staying power than the original Sensation, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor to keep the experience smooth and an eye-pleasing design. Treat your senses and check out the full review when it lands. HTC Sensation XE review Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc new mobile phones Could Sony Ericsson finally be about to deliver on the promise of, well, every smartphone it's ever made that wasn't quite good enough? Maybe it was stupid to hope, but we did anyway with this new mobile phone. An attractive design with a curved back that's just 8.7mm thick in the middle? Check. Impressive new Exmor camera technology? Check. Good spec list, including HDMI output? Check. Superb video player? Check. The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core 1GHz processor can do it all, although busy, dynamic websites will cause the phone to chug a little. As it is, we're prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc's few minor flaws (small buttons, odd text entry) thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can't help but love it once you've held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display. Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc review • Sony Xperia Arc deals HTC Desire S new mobile phones Though the HTC Desire's technology is now being surpassed, it's aged beautifully thanks to some timely price drops. However, all things must come to an end (or at least be supplanted by something new). The HTC Desire S has arrived to take over from its predecessor in the Android race. In many ways, it's quite similar. We'll still be looking at a 3.7-inch 480 x 800 screen, Android overlaid with HTC's Sense UI and a 1GHz processor. However, HTC hasn't totally rested on its laurels with its new mobile phones. The design and build of the handset is excellent, save for a slight Wi-Fi cutting-out issue. The camera is good quality, producing serviceable still and HD video that would be quite good if it weren't for a small stuttering issue. Call quality was excellent, with voices coming through crisp and clear, and it's a shame how little we get to say that about handsets these days. The browsing experience was generally strong, with the speed that web pages load still impressing us, and Flash is taking yet more steps forward in its 10.2 guise. It was still finicky at times, but when it did work, it was fairly smooth, which is more than we could say for many Flash 10.1 single-core phones. However, the reason the Desire has kept up with everything that's come after is because it was so far ahead in the first place. The Desire S isn't. It's a great phone, and one we would wholeheartedly recommend in a vacuum. The HTC Desire led the revolution, but the Desire S could be just another member of the rabble. HTC Desire S review • HTC Desire S deals BlackBerry Bold 9900 BlackBerry bold 9900 While RIM has a great reputation for push email and corporate handsets, it's not known for being an innovator. For this reason, the Blackberry Bold 9900 is an intriguing proposition, packing some higher-end tech into a rather attractive shell. The capacitive (and high resolution) touchscreen screen is a particular marvel, but the inclusion of a near-field communications chip and the brand new OS 7 show that the Bold 9900 was made to break new ground for RIM. The result is impressive, but only if you're happy to operate within the boundaries of BlackBerry's traditional strengths. Those looking for an outstanding web browsing or media experience will still find themselves disappointed. Still, head over to the review to find out more about what our review dubbed the best BlackBerry to date. BlackBerry Bold 9900 review • BlackBerry Bold 9900 deals HTC Sensation Nokia c2-01 The HTC Sensation is meant to be the new alpha smartphone from the Taiwanese firm, and it certainly lives up to expectations. With a 1.2GHz dual core processor from Qualcomm and a whopping 4.3-inch high-res qHD screen, this is the phone with best specs yet from HTC, plus it's the first smartphone with the new HTC Watch movie download service. Is it better than the Samsung Galaxy S2? We think it's just a shade behind thanks to a slightly larger chassis and less advanced screen technology, but that's going to be a debate that rumbles on and on. HTC Sensation review • HTC Sensation deals HTC Incredible S HTC incredible s Incredible by name and only slightly less so by nature, this phone is HTC's entry into the underpopulated 4-inch touchscreen arena. In fact, it's among the first UK handsets to fill that niche, but more are on the horizon. It's blessed with HTC's slick Sense UI and a high-quality screen, but is this latest mobile phone's foibles enough to warrant waiting for its incoming competitors, or the HTC Desire S? HTC Incredible S review • HTC Incredible S prices Samsung Galaxy Ace Samsung galaxy ace With a middle-of-the-range spec, 800MHz processor and iPhone-aping looks, it may be hard to see why it's worth buying into the new Galaxy Ace. However, its Android 2.2 (Froyo) OS makes a considerable difference and is, in fact, this phone's ace (yes! We said it) in the hole. It won't cost you the Earth either, so look deeper and you may find just what you were looking for. Samsung Galaxy Ace review • Samsung Galaxy Ace prices BlackBerry Torch 9810 BlackBerry torch 9810 This update of the Torch 9800, the first touchscreen-equipped BlackBerry, is mighty similar to its predecessor at first glance. But fire up the 3.2-inch touchscreen and you'll start to notice the difference, with a VGA 640 x 480 resolution making the whole experience far crisper. The processor is fast, the battery life is good, and contacts and messaging are fantastic, but we do have a few gripes. This, folks, is an incremental upgrade and one that struggles to find its niche in BlackBerry's pantheon. There are RIM handsets that are more focused on the demographics that this phone lightly touches, and those who already own a Torch 9800 may well be still locked into a contract, so there'll be little chance to upgrade. It's by no means a bad handset, though, so it's well worth a look alongside phones such as the Bold 9900 or Curve as a point of comparison. BlackBerry Torch 9810 review • BlackBerry Torch 9810 deals LG Optimus 3D LG optimus 3d It's big, it's weighty and it's pretty darn expensive, but that pair of characters tacked on the end of the LG Optimus 3D's name might justify all that and more for you. For this, ladies and gents, is a technological milestone: the first 'glasses-free' 3D phone. The good news is that the effect works brilliantly and that all-important screen is complemented by some great Android customisations on the software side. Web performance is stellar too.The bad news is that even for a dual-core, the Optimus 3D can feel sluggish, the battery life is poor and – oddly for a phone sold on the back of cutting-edge tech – it's 'only' running Android 2.2. If you're undecided about joining the 3D revolution, then head on over to the review to find out more. LG Optimus 3D review • LG Optimus 3D deals Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini

Mini by name and by nature, this is a refresh of the concept behind Sony Ericsson's X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro, the pint-sized and ultraportable handsets launched in mid-2010.
It packs a new 1GHz processor, and a bigger 3-inch screen with the Bravia Engine Reality Display tech used in the Xperia Arc (read: you get a 320x480 resolution touchscreen that's a bit brighter at times).
The user interface has received an overhaul too, so on paper the new Xperia Mini looks like a big leap forward for the tiny form factor.
And so it proves to be, offering a very usable – dare we say, pretty – interface that makes the small screen totally workable. Social media integration is great too.
The story's not perfect, though, with less-than-brilliant video codec support and a weak camera offering. The titchy screen won't suit gamers either, but those after a great little phone that won't keep their hands full with glitches and faffing about could be in for a treat.

LG Optimus 3D

It's big, it's weighty and it's pretty darn expensive, but that pair of characters tacked on the end of the LG Optimus 3D's name might justify all that and more for you. For this, ladies and gents, is a technological milestone: the first 'glasses-free' 3D phone.
The good news is that the effect works brilliantly and that all-important screen is complemented by some great Android customisations on the software side.
Web performance is stellar too.The bad news is that even for a dual-core, the Optimus 3D can feel sluggish, the battery life is poor and – oddly for a phone sold on the back of cutting-edge tech – it's 'only' running Android 2.2.
If you're undecided about joining the 3D revolution, then head on over to the review to find out more.

Samsung Galaxy Ace

With a middle-of-the-range spec, 800MHz processor and iPhone-aping looks, it may be hard to see why it's worth buying into the new Galaxy Ace. However, its Android 2.2 (Froyo) OS makes a considerable difference and is, in fact, this phone's ace (yes! We said it) in the hole.
It won't cost you the Earth either, so look deeper and you may find just what you were looking for.

BlackBerry Bold 9900

While RIM has a great reputation for push email and corporate handsets, it's not known for being an innovator. For this reason, the Blackberry Bold 9900 is an intriguing proposition, packing some higher-end tech into a rather attractive shell.
The capacitive (and high resolution) touchscreen screen is a particular marvel, but the inclusion of a near-field communications chip and the brand new OS 7 show that the Bold 9900 was made to break new ground for RIM.
The result is impressive, but only if you're happy to operate within the boundaries of BlackBerry's traditional strengths. Those looking for an outstanding web browsing or media experience will still find themselves disappointed. Still, head over to the review to find out more about what our review dubbed the best BlackBerry to date.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

Could Sony Ericsson finally be about to deliver on the promise of, well, every smartphone it's ever made that wasn't quite good enough? Maybe it was stupid to hope, but we did anyway with this new mobile phone.
An attractive design with a curved back that's just 8.7mm thick in the middle? Check. Impressive new Exmor camera technology? Check. Good spec list, including HDMI output? Check. Superb video player? Check.
The hardware is extremely impressive, both in terms of looks and performance. Forget the fashionable dual-core phones – when done right, a single-core 1GHz processor can do it all, although busy, dynamic websites will cause the phone to chug a little.
As it is, we're prepared to overlook the Xperia Arc's few minor flaws (small buttons, odd text entry) thanks to its stunning good looks, superb screen and very decent photo performance. You can't help but love it once you've held its magically thin body and gazed adoringly into its dazzling Reality Display.