Human origins traced to a worm

The origins of humans and other vertebrates have been traced to a worm that swam in the oceans half a billion years ago.

A new analysis of fossils unearthed in the Canadian Rockies determined that the extinct Pikaia gracilens is the most primitive known member of the chordate family, which today includes fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals.

The research, published in the British scientific journal Biological Reviews this week, identified a notochord (or rod) that would become part of the backbone in vertebrates, and skeletal muscle tissue called myomeres in 114 fossil specimens of the creature. They also found a vascular system.

"The discovery of myomeres is the smoking gun that we have long been seeking," said the study's lead author, Simon Conway Morris of the Cambridge University in England. "Now with myomeres, a nerve chord, a notochord and a vascular system all identified, this study clearly places Pikaia as the planet's most primitive chordate. So, next time we put the family photograph on the mantle-piece, there in the background will be Pikaia."

Humans' humbling origin

The first specimens of Pikaia were collected by early explorers of the Burgess Shale in 1911. But the animals were overlooked as an ancestor of earthworms or eels.

It was not until the 1970s that Morris suggested the 5-cm-long, sideways-flattened, somewhat eel-like animal that likely swam by moving its body in a series of side-to-side curves could be the earliest known member of the chordate family.

"In particular, it was our use of an electron microscope that allowed us to see very fine details of its anatomy," said co-author Jean-Bernard Caron, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto in Canada. "It's very humbling to know that swans, snakes, bears, zebras and, incredibly, humans all share a deep history with this tiny creature no longer than my thumb."

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UN moved for faster Sagar-Runi probe

Journalists and Bangladeshi expatriates in Bonn, Germany, on Tuesday sought the United Nations' intervention for a faster investigation into the killing of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

In a memorandum submitted to UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, they requested UN assistance towards transparency in the enquiry and arrest of the killers without further delay.

Earlier in the morning, dozens of expatriate Bangladeshis along with citizens from other countries joined hands to form a human chain on the UN campus here in the former West Germany capital that currently hosts 17 United Nations institutions.

Journalists from Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) Radio also participated in the human chain. Sagar had worked with the Bangla service from June 2008 to May 2011 as a radio host and reporter.

Sagar stayed there with his wife Runi, senior reporter of Bangla TV channel ATN Bangla, and their only son Mahir Sarowar Megh. On his return, Sagar joined Masranga Television as a news editor in Dhaka and has been working there until he and his wife were murdered on Feb 11 in their West Razabazar residence in Dhaka.

About a month into the killing police have failed to find out the motive behind killing, let alone identify and arrest the killers.

The memorandum submitted to the UN chief mentioned that different statements given by police relating to the killing have already caused frustration and confusion among people in Bangladesh.

Organisers of the human chain told bdnews24.com that they had to turn to UN secretary-seneral since they had not heard any heartening remark from the Bangladesh government high-ups except hollow promises.

"We want to know who the killer is. We demand justice," said Marina Jwarder, Sagar's former colleague from the DW Radio.

She was critical of the recent High Court order on the media to not publish any news regarding the murders unless authenticity of the information was confirmed beyond doubt. "Freedom of press and right to information has been infringed by the direction of the Bangladesh High Court," she said.

Another Deutsche Welle journalist, Supriyo Banerjee, urged Bangladeshi journalists to rally behind their demand of justice.

"I wonder if they (the government) are trying to hide anything regarding the killing," said DW journalist Nikhil Ranjan.

One of Sagar's former German colleagues, Christianne Rabbe, attending the programme t hoped that justice will be served.

Deutsche Welle's Asia Department editor Sarah Berning urged the Bangladesh government to ensure security of journalists.

Bonn university researcher Dr Majharul Islam said, "Our appeal is that the United Nations helps Bangladesh government find out the killers through fair investigation. Through the United Nations we want the world to learn about the brutal killing." 

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Pentagon's robot cheetah 'sets speed record'

A headless robot dubbed "Cheetah" has set a new world speed record, according to its owners.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said the four-legged machine achieved 18mph (29km/h) on a laboratory treadmill.

The agency said the previous land speed record by a legged robot was 13.1mph.

Darpa said that the project was part of efforts to develop robots designed to "more effectively assist war fighters across a greater range of missions".

Darpa - which is run by the Pentagon - funded the Massachusetts robotics company Boston Dynamics to build the machine.

"We plan to get off the treadmill and into the field as soon as possible," said the firm's chief robotics scientist, Alfred Rizzi, in a statement.

"We really want to understand what is possible for fast-moving robots."

Animal designs

 

The robot's movements have been modelled on those of fast-running animals in the wild. The machine is designed to flex and un-flex its back to increase the length of its stride. 

The current version is dependent on an off-board hydraulic pump, requiring one of the researchers to hold the tubing out of its way. However, the researchers said a free-running prototype was planned for later this year.

The four-year project, which was commissioned in February 2011, ultimately aims to deliver a robot which can "zigzag to chase and evade", and be able to come to an abrupt halt.

It builds on other models based on animals created by Boston Dynamics including its BigDog rough-terrain robot, designed to recycle energy from one step to the next, and its lizard-like Rise, which can climb walls, trees and fences by using micro-claws on its six feet and a tail for balance.

Noel Sharkey, professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield said the latest achievement was very impressive.

"With faster than human speed, this is a step in the development of a high speed killer that could negotiate a battlefield quickly to hunt and kill," he said.

"The biggest concern about this is that no artificial intelligence system can distinguish between civilians and enemy combatants, and so if this was operating on its own it would fall foul of the laws of war."

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What do Biplob, Ghulam Azam and Sagar-Runi have in common?

Lately, three cases are seriously affecting people’s already depleted confidence in the law and order situation. These cases are unrelated in content but significant in the essence of the maladies that they represent and as it affect us. The first one relates to the pardon of a convicted murderer Biplob (the son of an AL leader) by the president using his prerogative. The other one is the confusion and obfuscation of the circumstances surrounding the Rumi-Sagar murder and finally the anxiety most face about the prosecution’s ability to present a credible case at the war crimes tribunal against the alleged war criminals.

* * *

A.H.M. Biplob was convicted in two murder cases and sentenced to death by hanging in one and life imprisonment in another. His death sentence has been pardoned and his life sentence reduced to ten years. The father of the boy also happens to be the son of the Laxmipur Pourashava mayor and an AL leader, Abu Taher.

Pardons are presidential prerogative which is why the case draws attention. One can see the connection that binds the president to his party and that’s why there are concerns about the ‘misuse’ of presidential privileges.

There is no question that the privilege exists but when it comes to unaccountable privileges which the president enjoys, the responsibility to enjoy the same is very serious. The president can legally pardon anyone but there is unease about it now. So when does it become less presidential?

He has selectively chosen to use his privileges and has provided no reasons about the extenuating circumstances that were behind the decision. The result has been an accumulation of accusations of partisanship even in this august office.

So the next time a person decides to kill, won’t he make sure that he has political connections and hope that once his party comes to power he can be pardoned no matter how grave the crime is?

The concept of crime and punishment even by its watered down Bangladeshi version has been weakened by exercising such privileges concerning law and order without accountability.

* * *

Thanks to Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, something as national as the trial of the war criminals has become a subject of partisan dispute. For most, it’s not about revenge but justice. The trial itself is a symbolic event that should help our closure but then the trial seems to have become a problem between both parties and not a national event.

Listening to the two leaders slugging it out in a most unseemly manner, one feels that the memory of the martyrs is somehow not given the dignified respect it deserves.

* * *

The Awami League wants to try the prisoners for crimes against humanity and has erected a large legal apparatus around it. But some, maybe more than some are concerned that the prosecution hasn’t done everything to make everyone feel that they are well prepared to convince the judges. Everyone is keeping their fingers crossed that the evidence is strong enough to find all the accused guilty. There is no doubt that all those who supported the birth of Bangladesh in 1971 want the alleged war criminals tried and found guilty in a fair trial.

* * *

It is a curious moral and ethical situation for many of us. We want the alleged criminals to be found guilty but we want a fair trial too.  Few things would be more painful than finding that the prosecution has failed to establish a case. With the integrity of the judges not in question, it is a possibility that they may go free if the prosecution fails to deliver. So we live in some anxiety and hope that it is a fair trial and the accused are found guilty but fair and square.

The government is more concerned it seems about protecting the trial and not its case for the prosecution. One hopes that the conduct of the prosecution of alleged war criminals doesn’t become an advertisement for the safety of war criminals even when tried by a competent court making law and order issues under greater threat due to the state’s lack of will not intent.

* * *

Finally, the ongoing drama of Sagar-Runi murder is becoming a distinct possibility of becoming a carnival of misinformation and statements made without understanding their gravity. This farce began with our home minister and continues with our leader of the opposition as well as the prime minister herself. No one in the public domain is sure what really happened and sadly many suspects what will ultimately be known may not be the actual facts. This situation is fuelling the endless rounds of speculation.

It began with the very irresponsible ultimatum of the home minister that the murderers be caught within 48 hours but when no arrest was made the rumour mill went into full grind. Without realizing the gravity of the statement Shahara Khatun started a train which neither she nor anyone else seems to have the ability to control anymore.

* * *

The public perception of the police is that they always know the facts of the crime fairly quick but doesn’t always make an arrest, either because there is pressure not to or they couldn’t be bothered. In Sagar-Runi case the situation was very sensitive because the murdered couple were journalists and also because of the very gruesome nature of the crime. The issue that journalists speculate is not the point which they do everywhere and mostly without an eye for the consequence but that the police has remained so evasive and confusing and are behaving very differently from the way they usually do in unearthing cases.

Media has got hold of cell phone records, SMS, talked to those close to the killed couple, listened to whatever people are saying and have access to information which in many cases are dribbling down from police sources. The result is a mosaic of facts and fiction that are creating more of the same confusion. The delay means most people have made up their mind about who did what and no matter what the police ultimately reveal , the confusion and suspicion may not disappear.

* * *

Our politicians try to take advantage of murders too and Khaleda Zia’s comment that Sagar-Runi has been killed for government’s corruption information falls in that category. It is cynical of her and shows the kind of level our politicians are ready to stoop to, to gain mileage. The rap on her knuckles by the high court is welcomed. But it doesn’t make the situation better because the blog world is now full of speculations that the murder was a result of some secret information that one or both the deceased had come to know about a tycoon who is close to the powers that be.

And what does Sheikh Hasina mean that the police can’t protect the ‘bedroom”? Where are most people anyway at home? Does it mean that the home is no longer protectable? Or does it imply goings on in the bedroom is outside the normal purview of law and order?

Just about everyone has added to the fog and cloud though the usual blame has been heaped on media which is common and really cuts no ice with anyone nor distracts anyone from the main focus.

* * *

The three cases that are symptomatic of our times and situation is up before everyone and none makes us feel better. That talking less is good and if that is not possible, one should talk sensibly is lost on our leaders.

Governance without accountability is always a great breeder of smoke and haze and as we rot in them, we can only hope that some happy wind will drive them away one day and make matters clearer.

BY :  Afsan Chowdhury

OBL was not buried at sea: Stratfor analysts

Al-Qaeda Chief Osama Bin Laden, who was killed on the May 02 last year in US Special Forces operation in Abbottabad, was not buried at sea but his body was shifted to the military mortuary in Dover, claimed a report on Monday.

The Stratfor analysts did not believe that Osama bin Laden was buried at sea, according to Stratfor emails leaked by WikiLeaks.

According to leaked secret files of Statfor, a US security agency, Osama was not buried at sea in an Islamic ceremony but his body was shifted to the military mortuary in Dover, DE, on a CIA plane.

Then it was shifted to the medical institute of US armed forces in Maryland for examination.

At 5:26 a.m. on May 2, the morning after Barack Obama announced the successful raid on Osama bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound, Stratfor CEO George Friedman sent an email that said: “Reportedly, we took the body with us. Thank goodness.”

Fred Burton, Stratfor’s vice president for intelligence, followed that up at 5:51 a.m. with an email titled “[alpha] Body bound for Dover, DE on CIA plane” that said: “Than [sic] onward to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Bethesda.”

At 1:36 p.m. Burton replied to a thread named “Re: OBL’s corpse” with the message: “Body is Dover bound, should be here by now.”

That contradicts the official story that bin Laden’s body was handled in accordance with Islamic tradition and released into the sea from a U.S. Navy vessel.

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