The New Nation - Internet Edition

Package plan for city’s transportation: Mass transit for Dhaka city

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed addressing the
inaugural function of the construction work of Airport
Road-Rokeya Sharani Link Road at the Old Airport in the city
on Thursday. PID Photo

UNB, Dhaka

As a package plan for improving the capital's transportation system was unveiled, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Thursday said the government is thinking about mass transit in the city so that huge people can move at a time smoothly.

He said though implementation of such mass- transport scheme is a matter of long time, but the decision should be taken now. He mentioned some options of mass transit, including underground train and human hauler.

The head of caretaker government made the remarks while inaugurating the under-implementation Airport Road-Rokeya Sarani (Agargaon-Mirpur-10) Link Road on the western side of Tejgaon Old Airport.

The 2.6-kilometer-long and 53-foot-wide four-lane link road will connect the roads of east and west sides of the old airport joining in front of the Chief Adviser's office and Agargaon area passing inside the peripheral side of the old airport.

Implementation of the project involves a cost of around Tk 25 crore, and it is expected to be completed this October, two months ahead of the targeted time.

The link road is being constructed by the Core of Engineers of Bangladesh Army with Dhaka City Corporation as implementation organization and the Local Government Division of LGRD and Cooperatives Ministry as initiator.

The objective of the project is to establish connection between east and west parts of Tejgaon Old Airport, reduce traffic congestion on roads adjacent to the old airport and improve transportation and ensure continuous movement of vehicles by the end part of Mohakhali Flyover.

Advisers, Special Assistants to Chief Adviser, Chiefs of the three services and civil and military officials were present at the function.

BUET teacher Dr Shamsul Huq briefed about 10 projects on road and bridge communications in the capital city, including Airport-Rokeya Sarani, of which some are ongoing and some are under process.

Two other BUET teachers--Dr Mojibur Rahman and Dr Jubaer-bin-Alam--also briefed about Dhaka City communications networks and some projects.

The ongoing projects have been taken up under the personal initiative of the Chief Adviser for reducing nagging traffic congestion in the capital city.

The Chief Adviser said the present government, besides other activities, is also giving attention to resolving traffic congestion.

Mentioning that Strategic Transport Plan (STP) has been endorsed by the Advisory Council, he hoped that various policies and projects would be taken up under this comprehensive plan in the future. Referring to various ongoing projects of road-bridge communications in the capital, he said, "The objective of taking such initiative is to resolve the traffic congestion in a short time."

He said the government would also take initiative to construct underpasses.

Referring to Hatirjheel project in the city, he said the project is important both in respect of environment and reducing traffic jams.

"The future generation will enjoy a beautiful environment of the lake being made out of the Hatirjheel."

He emphasized giving further attention to traffic signaling, management and traffic education for streamlining the entire communications system in the burgeoning capital.

Addressing the function, LGRD Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal described the ongoing projects of road-and-bridge communications in the capital city, some of which will be completed within this year, some by 2009 and some by 2010.

He mentioned the projects like construction of road from Bijoy Sarani to Tejgaon commercial area, development of Hatirjheel area, including Begunbari canal, construction of link road from Zia Colony to Mirpur Cantonment, link-bridge between Banani and Gulshan lakes, construction of road from Mirpur Grameen Bank to Agargaon.

"East-west and north-south transport movement will be easy after completion of these projects," he told the function.

He also mentioned that the project for construction of Jatrabari-Gulshan flyover is being prepared freshly as the project was canceled due to anomalies.

Emphasizing the need for improving and expanding roads, the LGRD Adviser said about 1.21 lakh new motorized vehicles adds up to the country's transport pool every year, of which 37 thousand new registrations are taking place in Dhaka city alone.

From the Foreign Press: Peace fills a vacuum Where’s Washington?

Hussein Agha and Robert Malley

In the last few weeks, three long-frozen conflicts in the Middle East have displayed early signs of thawing.

Israel and Hamas may be inching toward a cease-fire that would end attacks by both sides and, perhaps, loosen the siege imposed on the impoverished Gaza Strip. The factions in Lebanon, after a long period of institutional paralysis and a near civil war, have reached a tentative political agreement. And eight years after their last negotiations, Israel and Syria have announced the resumption of indirect peace talks.

That so many parties are moving at the same time in so many arenas is noteworthy enough. That they are doing so without - and, in some cases, despite - the United States is more remarkable still.

The Gaza deal is being brokered by Egypt. Qatar mediated the Lebanese accord. Turkey is shepherding the Israeli-Syrian contacts.

All three countries are close allies of the United States. Under normal circumstances, they would be loath to act on vital regional matters without America's consent.

Yet in these cases they seem to have ignored Washington's preferences. The negotiations either involved parties with whom the United States refuses to talk, initiated a process the United States opposes or produced an outcome harmful to its preferred local allies.

The region is in a mess, and Washington's allies know it. They privately blame the United States and have given up waiting for the Bush administration to offer them a way out.

By acting as they did, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey gave the true measure of America's dwindling credibility and leverage after American debacles in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and Lebanon. They are willing to take matters into their own hands and overlook American ambivalence about their doing so.

Intent on isolating its foes, the United States has instead ended up marginalising itself. In one case after another, the Bush administration has wagered on the losing party or on a lost cause.

Israel wants to deal with Hamas because it - not America's Palestinian partners - possesses what Israel most wants: the ability to end the violence and to release Corporal Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier held by Hamas. Israel has come around to dealing with Syria because Damascus - not America's so-called moderate Arab allies - holds the crucial cards: Syria has a clear strategy of alliance with Iran; it supports the more powerful forces on the ground in Lebanon; and it provides refuge to opposition and Islamist forces in Palestine.

Likewise, America's Lebanese friends had to give in to Hezbollah's demands once it became clear that the support of the United States could not undo their country's balance of power.

Meanwhile, the process President George W. Bush seems to care about most - that elusive Israeli-Palestinian track - is also the least likely to go anywhere.

The United States has cut itself off from the region on the dubious assumption that it can somehow maximise pressure on its foes by withholding contact, choosing to flaunt its might in the most primitive and costly of ways. It has pushed its local allies toward civil wars - arming Fatah against Hamas; financing some Lebanese forces against Hezbollah - they could not and did not win. And it has failed to understand that its partners could achieve more in alliance than in conflict with their opposition.

How much more powerful would Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and leader of Fatah, have been if, at the head of a national unity coalition, he could deliver a truce and Corporal Shalit to Israel while simultaneously broadening the support he needs to sell a peace agreement?

How much stronger would Prime Minister Fouad Siniora of Lebanon and his colleagues have been had they agreed two years ago to the very power-sharing accord they were forced to swallow last month?

Many questions surround these three still-incomplete deals. They could collapse or move in unintended directions. They may end up serving a quite different purpose, like constraining Syrias, Hezbollah's or Hamas's ability to retaliate in the event of an American or Israeli attack against Iran. On all this there is understandable uncertainty.

But for now at least, there's no great mystery about where the United States stands. At a critical time in a critical region, it is quite simply missing in action.

Hussein Agha is the author, with Ahmed S. Khalidi, of "A Framework for a Palestinian National Security Doctrine." Robert Malley, the director of the Middle East Programme at the International Crisis Group, was a special assistant for Arab-Israeli Affairs to President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2001.

-International Herald Tribune

Hillary will quit, back Obama

BBC Online

Hillary Clinton will withdraw from the race to become the Democratic candidate for the US presidency, and back her rival Barack Obama, her campaign says.

On Tuesday, Obama gained enough delegates to win the nomination, after the final votes of the primary season.

Mrs Clinton has still not admitted in public that she lost the contest, but on Saturday she will do so "and express her support for Senator Obama".

Obama has already announced a team to help select his running mate. Reports that Mrs Clinton was ready to concede came after she made a conference call to senior Democrats in Congress.

At a Democratic Party event in Washington, Mrs Clinton will also "express her supportt for party unity", her communications director Howard Wolfson said.

Earlier, it had been announced that the event would be held on Friday, but Wolfson said it had been delayed a day "to accommodate more of Senator Clinton's supporters who want to attend".

The BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says that as Obama was claiming victory, Hillary Clinton stunned even her own supporters with a speech that offered no indication that she was giving up.

There is speculation that the delay in conceding was an attempt to position herself as a possible vice-president, our correspondent adds.

Obama's three-member panel to look for a presidential running mate comprises Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President John Kennedy, former deputy Attorney General Eric Holder and Jim Johnson.

Johnson performed the same selection task for John Kerry in 2004. "Senator Obama is pleased to have three talented and dedicated individuals managing this rigorous process," said Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Illinois senator.

"He will work closely with them in the coming weeks but ultimately this will be his decision and his alone."

Earlier, Obama had paid tribute to Mrs Clinton and hinted that she would play a role in any future Obama administration.

Mrs Clinton has said she would be "open" to the idea of being Obama's vice-presidential running-mate.

Referring to a brief conversation he had held with his defeated rival, the Illinois senator said: "I'm very confident of how we're going to be able to bring the party together."

The Republican party's candidate, John McCain has challenged Mr Obama to take part in debates in 10 town hall meetings before August's Democratic convention, and the Obama team is said to be considering the invitation.

The final primaries of the season were held on Tuesday - with Obama winning Montana and Mrs Clinton winning South Dakota.

A candidate needs 2,118 delegates to secure the nomination and Obama now has the support of 2,154 delegates. Mrs Clinton has 1,919.

Basic reproductive health education for adolescents stressed

Chittagong Correspondent

Speakers at a seminar on 'Adolescent Reproductive Health' underscored the need for basic health education and friendly relations of the parents and children for easy handling of different health hazards.

They also said that time had come to change traditional attitude to the younger family members and help them aware of their reproductive health.

Calling the age between 10 and 19 as the 'transition and vulnerable', the speakers suggested parents and senior family members to be accessible to the younger so that the adolescents are duly heard.

"Unless the adolescents are duly informed about the probable health hazards and their possible remedies they may get frustrated and derailed," they added.

The Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) hosted the seminar for journalists at the auditorium of Chittagong Zila Parishad.

Commissioner of Chittagong Division Hossain Jamil addressed the first session of the seminar as chief guest while Director General of the PIB Mohammed Nazrul Islam presided over it.

Director of Chittagong Divisional Health services Dr. Mohammed Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Mohammed Mofazzel Hossain addressed the seminar as the special guests while Manager (Advocacy) of Merie Stops Avik Rahman and Director General of Family Planning Dr. Mohammed Ashraf Ali presented keynote paper.

Hossain Jamil said that there was no alternative to be aware of the reproductive health for averting mishaps like unsafe sex, unplanned and early pregnancy, traumatic syndrome what often pushes to immorality.

He called upon the news workers to help enhance awareness about the issue by repeated write-ups.

Avik Rahman said, "Nearly 1.7 million adolescents across the country suffer death simply because of accident, violence, illness and reproductive complications a year."

They said 78 of every 100 girls got married before 18 years of and nearly 60 of them turn mothers before they reach 19.

A strategy is now under process where all adolescents will be provided adequate reproductive health counseling in the socially comfortable and legally supportive environment by 2015.

Biofuels row stalls UN hunger declaration

BBC Online

Latin American countries are refusing to sign a declaration on dealing with the world food crisis, delegates at a UN food summit have told the BBC.

Senior European officials say some of those countries, prompted by Brazil, will not sign a final statement which might "demonise" biofuels.

Brazil - one of the main biofuels producers - has fiercely defended its right to grow sugarcane for ethanol.

A final declaration had been set to be released at 1500 (1300 GMT) Thursday.

"The whole Latin American group is making it very complicated. Brazil is perhaps behind the whole thing. They are so worried that biofuels will be demonised that they would prefer that no deal was reached rather than one that was ambiguous on biofuels," the official - who asked to remain anonymous - told the BBC News website.

"All the regions without exception have accepted the language of the draft declaration. All countries and regions are unhappy with some elements, the EU is unhappy with the mentions of trade, for example, but they have compromised. But the Latin Americans are not budging," the official added.

The UN food summit in Rome, called in response to soaring prices around the world, is to issue a declaration setting out its proposals.

The declaration aims to express an international commitment and a shared path to responding to the crisis which has led to political unrest in 30 countries.

"It is supposed to be adopted by 1500 (1300 GMT), but that is looking unlikely. The chairman of the regional groups is meeting with the head of the UN taskforce now to see if they can reach a deal, but Brazil is fiercely resisting any decision on biofuels," the delegate added.

The summit wants urgent action to help farmers plant more crops this year, but there are disagreements over the role of biofuels in driving up food costs. The World Food Programme has also said it will try to source most of its food from developing countries.

The conference was not about raising money, but securing political momentum for short-term food aid, medium-term help for farmers and a longer-term focus on better technology, says BBC International Development Correspondent David Loyn in Rome.

Some £3bn (£1.5bn; £2bn euros) of new aid was pledged during the summit to help ease the food crisis.

And on Wednesday, the World Food Programme announced an extra $1.2bn in assistance for 60 of the hardest hit nations. But the big sums needed will not be announced until later in the year, our correspondent says.

Jacques Diouf, the head of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which is hosting the summit, said investment in seeds was essential in the next few weeks to take the maximum opportunity from this year's harvest.

The most contentious issue remains the question as to whether biofuels are a silver bullet helping climate change and providing cheap energy or rather an expensive solution gobbling up farm land and threatening forests, our correspondent adds.

The draft declaration says "it is essential to address the challenges and opportunities posed by biofuels, in view of the world's food security, energy and sustainable development needs".

It goes on to recommend that in-depth studies are conducted to "ensure that production and use of biofuels is sustainable in accordance with the three pillars of sustainable development and take into account the need to achieve and maintain global food security".

The US, Brazil, many European countries and India are already committed to biofuel technology. But poorer countries are opposed to them for pushing up food prices.

The declaration also says it is "unacceptable that 854 million people are still undernourished in the world today".

Food costs have reached a 30-year high, causing riots in several countries.

The crisis is believed to have pushed 100 million people into hunger worldwide.

Tribute to Tajuddin

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a ceremony in the capital yesterday paid rich tributes to Tajuddin Ahmed as the architect of independent Bangladesh.

Tajuddin had successfully led the liberation war to achieve the independence of the country foiling internal and external conspiracies and weathering many impediments. The prime minister of the exile government demonstrated his forthrightness, talent and wisdom for winning the independence of the country, they noted.

They were speaking at a publication ceremony of a biographical book on Tajuddin Ahmed at the Liberation War Museum in the city.

Assistant Professor of Rajshahi Government College Dr Kamal Hossain is the author of the book styled "Tajuddin Ahmed: Emergence of Bangladesh and After Then. "

Former Chief Adviser Justice Habibur Rahman was chief guest at the ceremony chaired by Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain. Former Director General of Bangla Academy Prof Syed Anwar Hossain, Trustee of the Liberation War Museum writer Mafidul Haque, Semin Hossain Rimi, daughter of Tajuddin Ahmed and Publisher of the book and owner of the Angkur Publication Mesbah Uddin Ahmed addressed the function.

Justice Habibur Rahman said the book would help the people to understand the causes of instability that had been prevailing in the country during post liberation period.

Dr Kamal Hossain said Tajuddin Ahmed dreamt of an independent, democratic, progressive, self-reliant and non-communal state since 1940s. But his cherished dream is yet to be fully materialised, he noted.

Prof Anwar Hossain said if Tajuddin had not led the liberation war our history might have been different.

Call to reduce dependence on carbon-based energy

BSS, Dhaka

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Environment and Forest Raja Debasish Roy urged all to make efforts to reduce dependence on carbon-based energy saying their economical use would largely help reducing level of carbon in the air, the main causes of greenhouse affect.

Inaugurating the programmes of the World Environment Day at the Osmani Memorial Hall here on Thursday, he said, "Wherever it is possible, we should use and promote wind, hydro and solar power instead of fossil fuel to keep our atmosphere clean and carbon free.

Pointing out this year's theme of the day-'Kick the habit! Towards A Low Carbon Economy', Raja Debasish said the theme put great emphasis on urgent need of lessening our dependence on fossil fuel across the globe.

Referring to the scientific indications on earth's climate, he said about 30 per cent bio-diversity on the planet would be at risk, provided, temperature of the earth increases one and half degree to two and half degree along with creating great danger for four billion people of tropical countries of Asia.

He said Bangladesh, despite having its very little contribution to climate change, might loss its 20 percent land due to sea level rise by 2050 and sea water would likely to enter into 100 kilometre inside, posing threat to agriculture, drinking water and environment.

The Special Assistant urged all to make their concerted efforts to save the country from the impending situation and said regeneration of mangrove across the coastline and a green belt from Khulna to Teknaf might save Bangladesh from recurrent cyclones and water surges.

With Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests AHM Rezaul Kabir in the chair, the function was addressed, among others by Director General of the Department of Environment Dr Khandakar Rashedul Haque.

At the function, noted environmentalist Professor Abdullah Abu Sayed, Executive Director of Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and UNEP's 'Champion of the Earth 2008' award recipient Dr Atiq A. Rahman and Managing Director of Grameen Shakti Bhupal Barua were given award for their contribution in environment study, research and technology development.

Raja Debasish Roy highlighted the steps taken by the government for improvement and solution of the indigenous environmental problems and said the government would take necessary legal and administrative measures for simplification of the judicial system to settle the cases relating to environment.

Later, the Special Assistant inaugurated a two-day 'Paribesh Mela' on the Osmani Memorial Hall premises.

Schedule for city corporations, 9 pourashabha polls June 15

UNB, Dhaka

The Election Commission is likely to start on June 12 the process of hearing on piled-up objections against the draft delimitation of parliamentary constituencies.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain yesterday said more than 50 percent out of some 3,000 objections are not worth considering.

He further said the EC has a plan of meeting the Chief Adviser before announcing the election schedule for Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal city corporations and nine municipalities. Sakhawat said the EC would hopefully be able to announce the election schedules as per their earlier statement, that is, within June 15.

"Of the considerable ones, there are objections on 90 constituencies," he told reporters at his office in the afternoon.

Sakhawat said the hearing on draft delimitation would be held division-wise and the districts concerned would be given notice prior to starting the process.

"After finalising the exact dates and schedules on June 9, it will be notified as gazettes and there will also be circular in the media," he said.

Hearing on the objections from Dhaka division would be held on June 12, 14 and 15 at the EC secretariat, the Election Commissioner said, adding that there are more objections in Dhaka than the other divisions. "There are objections in more than half of the constituencies in Dhaka," he said.

The hearing would be held between 10am and 2pm on the first day and 10am and 4pm on the last two days. "If necessary, the time will be extended on the last two days," he said.

In Sylhet, Chittagong, Barisal, Khulna and Rajshahi divisions, the hearings would be held respectively on June 19, 23, 25, 26 and 29, Sakhawat said.

"As there are also a number of objections from Comilla and adjacent areas, there will be hearing on June 22. But that can be omitted if the objections don't have any merit," he said.

Sakhawat said hearings outside Dhaka would be held between 10am and 4pm at the circuit houses of divisional headquarters and the time could be extended, if possible.

Scrutinising the objections, he said, it would be categorised so that the EC, if gets time, could have a look into most of the objections. "We've taken into account all the objections and, if possible, will look into all," he said.

Asked if the EC would pronounce the verdict immediate after the hearings, the Election Commissioner said they would need some time for thinking on the matter.

He also replied to a query that there would not be any opportunity of filing appeal against the verdict.

Protect Lawachhara forest

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar urged the government to make Lawachhara free from Chevron by cancelling the permission of gas exploration to protect the environment.

To mark the World Environment Day-2008, the Environment Affairs Sub Committee of Awami League organised the seminar at Engineers' Institute in the city yesterday.

Former Water Resources Minister Abdur Razzak, Former Forest and Environment Affairs Minister Syed Sajeda Chowdhury, AL leader Rahmat Ali, Dr Dipu Moni, Tania Amir and Suvash Shingha Roy addressed the seminar with Former Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University MA Mannan in the chair.

Dr Subrata Kumar Shah, teacher of Geology Department of Dhaka University presented the keynote paper at the seminar, while Dr Hasan Mahmud moderated it.

Abdur Razzak said the developed countries in the world are responsible for environment disaster warming the climate by nuclear explosions and arms testing.

He said allout development of the country was possible, if its water resource could be properly utilised.

Bangladesh has to face severe flood every year as the dried up rivers are not excavated in time, he added.

He warned that if the Sundarban forest could not be protected, about three crore people of the southern belt of the country would face environmental disaster.

He blasted the BNP-Jamaat government for cancellation of all environmental projects taken by the Awami League government like excavating the river projects.

Syed Sajeda Chowdhury said the environment of the country has fallen in severe disaster due to lack of coordination plan and activities among the administration.

The administrations do not pay heed any proposal and suggestion concerning the protection of environment, she alleged.

She also alleged the BNP-Jamaat Government destroyed the all trees that were planted under the project of the Tree Plantation during the Awami League Period.

ACC to sue Kazi Faruk, Zafarullah

Staff Reporter

The Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to file a case against Proshika chairperson Kazi Faruk Ahmed and four others on charge of illegal transfer of foreign currency worth Tk 56,00,000.

The four other accused are Mahbubul Karim and David William Biswas,Vice-presidents of Proshika , its chief financial officer Md Yusuf Miah and Standard Chartered bank director Mirza Aminur Rahman said ACC Director General (Administration) Colonel Hanif Iqbal.

The ACC approved the filing of the cases against them, he added.

The case will be filed against Kazi Faruk and four others on charge of illegally transferring Tk 37,35,520 abroad which was meant for distribution among poor people and awarding scholarship to students. They will also be charged with violating NGO guidelines, the ACC officials said.

The case will be filed under section 13 of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2002.

AL leader Zafar Ullah and his wife Nilufa Zafar Ullah are bing sued for allegedly amassing wealth worth Tk 19 crore beyond known sources of income.

The charge sheet will be submitted against former Post and Telecommunications Minister Aminul and Mofiz Uddin for causing loss of over Tk 16 crore by constructing a footbridge at a place of their convenience.

Former minister Morshed Khan's son and daughter-in-law will be charge-sheeted for acquiring wealth worth Tk 7.08 crore beyond known sources of income and concealment of information of wealth worth Tk 6.93 crore.

About the rumour of resignation of ACC chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, now on vacation in Australia, Hanif said, "Rumour is rumour and there cannot be any comment on rumour."

About allegations of corruption of NGOs, Hanif said the Commission would act on specific allegations.

On progress of the case against Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka and his family, he said the investigation of the case is now on.

Graft case: Probe report against Khoka, his wife not submitted

Court Correspondent

Inquiry report in the graft case filed against Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, his wife Ismat Ara, daughter Sharika Sadeque and son Israt Hossain was not submitted yesterday while Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Golam Rabbani refixed July 7 for submission of the report.

Md. Shamsul Alam, Assistant Director of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed he graft case with Ramna Thana of the city for amassing wealth through illegal means. The accused allegedly earned wealth beyond their known sources of income and concealed facts about their assets in the wealth statements, they submitted to ACC.

Meanwhile, the scam case filed against former MP of Dhaka Mosaddek Ali Falu and 5 others was yesterday transferred to special court No.5, set up in the Parliament House.

Other accused are at large, they are Ward Commissioners Sharmila Imam, Ruhul Amin Bhuiyan alias Zahangir and SM Majid Mahbub Hossain and ABM Mahmudur Rahman.

They were accused under sections 409/420/109/471 of the Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act and Emergency Power Rules 2007.

The accused allegedly misappropriated CI sheet, blanket and rice of Government Relief work through fraud.

ASI Md Abdus Samad filed be case with Tejgaon Industrial Area Thana of Dhaka on March 2, last year,

While IO SI Md Arshed Ali submitted the charge sheet on September 17 of last year.