Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens seen wearing 'Pittsburgh started it' T-shirt

(CNN)Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens was seen wearing a "Pittsburgh started it" T-shirt over the holiday weekend, just days before the anticipated rematch between the Browns and Steelers.

Cleveland Browns head coach was seen wearing this T-shirt at a movie theater.

The shirt is from Cleveland-based boutique GV Art + Design and is a reference to the November 14 game between the teams that ended in a brawl.

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Kitchens wore the shirt to see the movie "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" with his family, and his daughter got him the shirt as a joke, a Browns spokesman told ESPN. The Browns told ESPN the head coach didn't mean for anyone to see him.

"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" stars Tom Hanks as the late children's television pioneer Fred Rogers, who was from Pittsburgh.

"Doesn't get much better than this! Someone spotted Freddie Kitchens rocking our Pittsburgh started it shirt tonight!" the company said in an Instagram post.

The Browns and Steelers will go head-to-head Sunday at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh in their first game since the November 14 brawl that resulted in 33 players getting disciplined. The NFL fined the Steelers and the Browns $250,000 each.

During the brawl, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett ripped off the helmet of Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and struck him in the head with it, resulting in an indefinite suspension for Garrett.

Rudolph was fined $50,000, the most for any of the players and more than the usual fine of $35,096 that accompanies a first-time fighting offense, according to a source with direct knowledge of how the NFL disciplines players. Rudolph was not suspended.

Garrett was fined $45,623, the source said. However, Garrett will not be paid during his indefinite suspension.

Garrett said during an appeal hearing that Rudolph had directed a racial slur toward him, ESPN reported. Rudolph, through the Steelers, denied that allegation.

CNN's Ralph Ellis and Adam Renuart contributed to this report.

Alone, scared and in a strange country

(CNN)Deisi Arreces-Huitz sat quietly in a tiny bus station in South Texas, holding a stack of tickets. Her bus wouldn't come for hours, and she was alone and frightened.

Deisi didn't speak English. She had no money, no cellphone and not even a watch to check how much longer she'd have to wait. Her only possessions were the few clothes inside her black duffel bag and a manila envelope with documents.

It was her 18th birthday.

A white van had dropped her and two other Central American teens at the Harlingen, Texas, bus station that day after she was released from a shelter for migrant children near the US-Mexico border.

A few months earlier, Deisi and her wheelchair-bound father had arrived in Texas after making a long journey north from their native Guatemala. The two were separated at the border, and Deisi joined the thousands of other immigrant children who have been taken from their parents after entering the US and thrust into adulthood without safety nets.

After that her father was released from detention and went north to suburban Chicago, where he has relatives.

Now she was on her way to join him.

Deisi boarded a bus in Texas on her 18th birthday, hoping to reunite with her father in Chicago.

Wearing a blue T-shirt and a pink hoodie she was given at the shelter, Deisi sat in the mostly empty station with nothing to do but watch the '90s music videos that flashed on a small TV atop a nearby vending machine.

Four hours later, she boarded a bus -- the first of four she would need to ride on this journey. Surrounded by strangers, Deisi feared she wouldn't be able to reach Chicago to find her father.

She was on her own in a strange country, and she had no clue what would happen next.

She wants to help her dad walk again

Before she left her hometown of El Jicaro, Guatemala, Deisi was living with her grandparents, finishing her junior year of high school and planning to spend the summer watching movies with her 14-year-old sister. She daydreamed about becoming a doctor.

She wasn't sure about the idea of traveling to the United States and waited until the last minute to tell her mom, who lives elsewhere with her other siblings.

But she knew her dad, whose legs had been broken in a car accident, could get better medical care in the US, and he couldn't travel by himself.

For four years Deisi had watched her father, Artemio Arreces Florian, struggling to fully heal. He underwent a series of surgeries in Guatemala but did not regain much mobility, and his pain would not go away.

While her father mostly uses a wheelchair to move around, one of his legs is strong enough that he's able to use a walker to travel a few feet. But he has a heavy limp, and his face reflects the strain on his body.

"I know we all came looking for a better future," Deisi told CNN. "Personally, I left Guatemala because I want to help my dad walk again."

Deisi and her father, Artemio Arreces Florian.

In May, the father and daughter left Guatemala and crossed into Mexico with a couple of backpacks, a walker and a wheelchair.

They rode regional buses and traveled in Ubers. Sometimes Deisi had to walk for miles, pushing her dad's wheelchair and carrying his walker. They slept in warehouses and ate beans and rice as they made the trip north.

On June 2, they crossed the Rio Grande on inflatable boats and were detained by Border Patrol agents within hours after entering South Texas.

They were brought to a chilly holding area known as a "hielera," or "cooler," where Deisi was separated from her father and taken to a facility for migrant minors.

Father and daughter were only allowed to wave goodbye to each other through a glass window. Deisi feared her dad could be deported, leaving her alone in the US.

"I felt very bad, and I started to cry -- because we were together for the whole journey," she told CNN.

More rain, snow and gusty winds to hit during weekend travel rush

(CNN)Millions of holiday travelers will be met with rain, snow or a messy mix of both this weekend as a winter storm moves through the Midwest and into the Northeast.

More than 45 million people from California to Maine are currently under winter weather alerts Saturday night, according to CNN meteorologist Rob Shackelford.

The winter storm, located over the central US at that time, brought heavy snow to the northern Plains and Midwest, CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said.

She added that high wind warnings and wind advisories cover 20 million people from New Mexico to Nebraska where winds could gust up to 85 mph.

TRACK THE WINTER WEATHER

The storm is expected to shift to the Northeast on Sunday, Brink said, bringing heavy snow to the interior of New England and a wintry mix and rain to coastal cities. Some snowfall could linger into early Tuesday, Shackelford said.

New York City is forecast to receive up to 4 inches of snow mixed with rain into Monday, Brink said. Boston could see 6 to 8 inches of snow through Tuesday morning.

That eastward movement means snow, ice and powerful winds will impact post-Thanksgiving travel on Sunday and Monday, the National Weather Service warned.

As of Saturday afternoon, more than 700 flights had been canceled and more than 10,000 delayed in the US, according to FlightAware.

Ahead of the anticipated winter weather, airlines like American and Delta have started issuing waivers for eligible travelers if they need to change or cancel their travel plans.

Patrick Costanzo brushes snow off a friend's car in St. Paul, Minnesota.

American Airlines issued waivers for passengers traveling Sunday and Monday on flights to and from New York's John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports as well as Newark and the airline's hub in Philadelphia. Other cities in the American Airlines announcement include Boston, Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Toronto, Canada.

Delta Airlines announced weather waivers for 16 cities in the Upper Midwest on Saturday, and 22 cities in the Northeast for Sunday and Monday, including airports in Boston and the New York area.

Travel impacts are likely Sunday afternoon and Monday, the National Weather Service tweeted.

Of special concern is Sunday, which is expected to be the busiest travel day ever for the US airline industry, with an anticipated 3.1 million passengers, according to Airlines for America, an airline trade organization. A record 31.6 million passengers were forecast to travel on US airlines during the Thanksgiving holiday period, up 3.7% from last year.

Another storm that affected the Northeast this week has now pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, Brink said.

West Coast will see impacts, too

This photo tweeted by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows a Santa Barbara Fire Department truck along E. Camino Cielo as snow falls at the 3,500 foot level on the fire footprint in Santa Barbara, California, on Thursday, November 28, 2019

A new storm system is expected to come ashore in California later Saturday, Brink said, bringing feet of snow to the California mountains and heavy rain to the coasts and valleys.

Widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are forecast across the region, she said, but some localized areas could see more than 5 inches of rain through the weekend.

Speaker for resolving conflicts to prevent terrorism

Noting that a longstanding conflict might give rise to terrorism, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Saturday called for not leaving a single conflict unresolved for long. She came up with the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Terrorism: Law and reality’ organised by Bangladesh Law Association at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban Auditorium on the Dhaka University (DU) campus.
Negotiation or any other means like arranging dialogue and mediation as well as constant engagement is important for resolving a conflict, the Speaker said. Stressing on ending ethnic and religious discrimination as well as marginalisation to prevent terrorism, she said, “If you exclude some people for ethnicity or based on religion, this also encourages terrorism. We have to be aware about all kinds of marginalisation, poverty and political exclusion.”
Dr Shirin Sharmin also underscored the need for promoting peace-building measures and a culture of peace and justice to resolve conflicts.
She said alongside a hard approach by the law enforcement agencies, all have to take a soft approach like making people aware of problems, proper use of technology, building cooperation among the civil organisations and promoting religious harmony for ending conflicts.
In his keynote speech at the seminar, Monirul Islam, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police DMP) and head of its Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, said it is not possible in Bangladesh to fully root out terrorism by just arresting and punishing the accused. “Rather, social awareness as well as launching an anti-terrorism movement is important.”
“Considering the drive against terrorism as a national movement, civil society, socioeconomic organisations, families, imams and all the stakeholders of the country have to play vital role alongside police to raise awareness against terrorism,” he added.
President of Dhaka Bar Association and Bangladesh Law Association AKM Afzal Ul Munir presided over the seminar while Justice Hasan Foez Siddique of the Supreme Court, Justice Naima Haider of the High Court and Dean of DU Law Faculty Dr Md Rahmat Ullah, among others, spoke on the occasion

Vacations with wife makes King Kohli feel human

India superstar Virat Kohli told Saturday how he goes to isolated places like the mountains in Bhutan to escape his cricket-crazed homeland.

Facing an even more intense social media spotlight since he married Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma in 2017, the Indian captain said the escapes were the only way the couple can preserve their "own space".
"Virushka", as the couple are known to Indian media, went to Bhutan for Kohli's 31st birthday in early November. "We loved going to treks and interacting with people. On a daily basis you don't get to interact with people," Kohli told India Today TV.
"There we would go on bike rides and in between meet some local people and talk to them. It was beautiful, it was like getting back to being human beings before we became famous."
Kohli, now one of the biggest earners in sport, said there has been a "drastic change" over the past four years as his fame has grown along with the importance of social media.
He said that before, "people would respect our space," without the couple being snapped for a picture wherever they go.
"From 2015 onwards my career grew and social media was also growing simultaneously. It gets difficult understanding this transition that's why we like being in our own space all the time."
Kohli also said his wife was a "soft target" for criticism because of his position. "Some of the things that come out are really funny. Without actually checking with anyone people come to conclusions. The lies are spoken so much they start becoming truth," said Kohli.
"People in this day and age don't bother finding out the truth when someone's a soft target like her. We don't get hurt by it but we need to explain to people what the truth is."

Lifestyle Factors That Cause Cancer

According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is the second leading reason of death globally, and is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. About 1 in 6 deaths is caused due to cancer. And approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low and middle-income countries. When it comes to Bangladesh, cancer is the sixth leading cause of death and accounts for 10% of all mortality here. Nearly 66% of patients with cancer are estimated to be within the age bracket of 30 to 65 years which constitute the main workforce structure in the country. Unfortunately cancer victims of Bangladesh visit doctors late. Thus most of them are diagnosed with advanced stage cancer which ultimately increases the rate of death of cancer patients in the country. It is because until they or any of their family members are attacked by this deadly disease, mass people of our country hardly get any idea regarding cancer. They are unaware of the risk factors which cause cancer. But the fact is that if they know about these factors earlier, they could prevent the fatal disease. It is usually not possible to know exactly why one person develops cancer and another doesn’t. But research has shown that certain risk factors may increase a person’s chances of developing cancer. The list below includes the most known or suspected risk factors for cancer. Limiting your exposure to avoidable risk factors may lower your risk of developing certain cancers.

Tobacco consumption Tobacco use is a major cause of cancer and death from cancer. People who use tobacco products have an increased risk of cancer because tobacco products contain many chemicals that damage DNA. When asked, Dr. Md. Habibullah Talukder, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Cancer Epidemiology, National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital, said, “There are around 4000 chemical substances in tobacco and among them around 48 to 50 chemical substances can cause cancer.” According to a study titled “Economic Cost of Tobacco Use in Bangladesh: A Health Cost Approach”, tobacco consumption causes around 100,961 deaths every year in Bangladesh and second-hand smoke (who are regularly around environmental tobacco smoke) causes 24,757 deaths. Apart from smoking, people in several localities take snuff and chew tobacco leaf which increases the chances of developing cancer in the mouth, esophagus, and pancreas. Tobacco users have 109 percent higher chances of developing lung, larynx (voice box) and oral cancer if compared to non-users. If anyone wants to reduce cancer risk, he/she has to quit smoking. There is no alternative to this.

Over consumption of red meat
Red meat is on top of the favorite food list of many Bangladeshi people. Many studies have found that over consumption of red meat increases the risk of cancer. According to Dr. Md. Habibullah Talukder, “High consumption of red meat in meal can increase the risk of colon cancer as it is a high source of animal protein which naturally forms chemicals during the digestion process that may damage the cells that line the bowel.” Processed meat consumption has also been strongly linked to a higher risk of stomach cancer as it is often made from red meat which contains added nitrates and nitrites that break down during digestion to form chemicals that can cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer reinforces a 2002 recommendation of WHO that people who eat red meat should moderate the consumption of processed meat to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
Dr. Md. Habibullah Talukder opined that limiting the consumption of red meat or processed meat can reduce risk of bowel, breast and prostate cancer. He suggested eating fish, chicken, whole grain cereal, fruits and vegetables instead of red meat.
  Obesity and physical inactivity
Physical inactivity and obesity increase the risk of cancer, including cancers of breast, colon, rectum, endometrium (lining of the uterus), esophagus, kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder. If you remain inactive, it can raise the level of inflammation in your body and increase the risk of cancer due to insulin resistance. Dr. Md. Habibullah Talukder observed that eating foods low in carcinogens, doing physical exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight may help reduce risk of some cancers.

Long-term sunlight exposure
According to Dr. Md. Habibbulah Talukder, people who spend long hours in sunlight (like farmers or rickshaw pullers) have more risk of developing skin cancer. Hundreds of research supports that sun, sunlamps, and tanning booths all emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Exposure to UV radiation causes early aging of the skin and skin damage that can lead to skin cancer. Researchers have found that 15 minutes a day in sunlight is good for body. Even though skin cancer is more common among people with a light skin tone, but it doesn’t mean people of dark skin won’t develop skin cancer.According to the doctors, people should wear a hat with a wide brim all around which shades their face, neck, and ears while working in the field.

Mobile phone
Although mobile phone cannot directly damage body tissue or damage DNA but there are many debates on whether excessive use of mobile phones increase the risk of cancer or not. When asked, Dr. Md. Habibullah Talukder replied, “Mobile phones emit radiofrequency (RF) waves. The waves are not stronger like x-rays or gama rays. But while talking, we typically keep our phones beside our head. The considerable thing is how close we keep them and how long we use them. Impact depends on the amount of RF energy the body will absorb from the phone. It is also known as specific absorption rate (SAR). Different cell phones have different SAR levels. We haven’t conducted enough research to come to a conclusion regarding this. That’s why it is better not to take any risk.”
It is better to check the SAR level of the mobile phone from the respective company’s website and avoid long talks over phone as it may heat the mobile phone and accelerate the negative effects. Using headphones or speaker can be a better option as in that case the mobile phone will be far away from your head.

Talcum powder
Talcum powder is a common summer beauty product in our country. But I guess everyone can remember the allegation of using cancer-generating substances in the powders produced by Johnson and Johnson. Some talc contains asbestos, which can increase the risk of cancers in and around the lungs when inhaled. Though different studies have had mixed result and it is not confirmed yet, but the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies talc that contains asbestos as ‘carcinogenic to humans’. Around two months ago, Times news has reported that, “The Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine provides some of the strongest proofs that exposure to asbestos-tainted talcum powder may cause malignant mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer that affects tissues lining internal organs.” So, it is better not to take risk and cut the risk by avoiding talcum powder near breast and genital areas.

Alcohol
Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, larynx (voice box), liver, and breast. The more you drink, the higher your risk. The risk of cancer is much higher for those who drink alcohol and also use tobacco. So, doctors advise people who drink to consume it in moderate amounts to cut the risk.

Arsenic contaminated water
According to a media report, “Nearly 40 million people in Bangladesh may still be exposed to arsenic through drinking water or food despite availability of drinking water from shallow and deep tube wells.” Arsenic water can increase risk factor of developing skin cancer. WHO reports, “Long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking-water and food can cause cancer and skin lesions. It has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.” Health experts suggest drinking and using low-arsenic water and reserving microbiologically safe sources such as rain water.
Apart from the afore-mentioned lifestyle factors, certain medical procedures, such as chest x-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and radiation therapy, can also cause cell damage which can lead to cancer if they are not performed by a skilled paramedic.
Well, everyone knows the proverb ‘prevention is better than cure’. Yet, we are so reluctant to lead a healthy life. The fact that some lifestyle changes can save us from a deadly disease like cancer should be taken into account by all of us with a view to leading a cancer-free life.

Water transport workers call off indefinite strike

Water transport workers tonight called off their countrywide indefinite strike after the authorities agreed to fulfil some of their 11 point demands.
The decision came during an eight-hour long meeting held among Mizanur Rahman, director general of labor department, leaders of Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation and the water-vessel owners, said Prashanta Dutta, office secretary of the federation.
The meeting ended around 11:15pm, he added.
Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation (BWTWF) went on the countrywide work abstention around 12:01am Saturday to press home their 11-point demand that include implementation of wage scale 2016, issuance of identity cards, service books, appointment letters.

Following the strike, river communications across the country came to a halt, causing immense sufferings to the commuters and hampering business activities.

Commuters wait at Sadarghat Launch Terminal for launch services. Photo: Star/Prabir Das

While talking to The Daily Star, the federation's General Secretary Chowdhury Ashiqul Alam said, “Workers are observing the work abstention programme spontaneously across the country except a few areas”.
He also claimed that the workers across the country expressed their solidarity with their movement.
Operation of all types of passenger and cargo vessels remained suspended from 12midnight.
People were seen waiting at the terminals for vessels to reach their respective destinations. Some of them were seen leaving the terminals following this uncertainty.
Loading and unloading of goods at two seaports and major river ports were severely disrupted, dealing a blow to traders.
In Chattogram, loading and unloading of imported goods to and from lighter vessels at 16 private jetties in the city's Sadarghat and Majhirghat area remain suspended since early morning due to the work abstention of the water transport workers.

Ghat workers sitting idle at Banglabazar Ghat in Chattogram city. Photo: Dwaipayan Barua

In Khulna, movement of all water transports were halted due to the strike, resulting in suspension of cargo handling at Mongla Seaport. Loading and unloading goods to and from lighter vessels at different private jetties in the city were also suspended.

A launch terminal in Barishal. Photo: Titu Das

Besides, the strike also affected the water transport operation in Chandpur, Barishal and many other districts, reports our correspondents.
The federation announced the indefinite strike yesterday through a press release.

Commuters wait for launch at a ghat in Chandpur. Photo: Alam Palash

BIWTA RUNNING FEW WATER VESSELS TO EASE PASSENGER SUFFERINGS
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority today managed some water vessels which made trips since the morning despite the ongoing work abstention of water transport workers.
Thirty vessels left Dhaka Sadarghat with nearly two thousand passengers, Alamgir Kabir, joint director (marine safety and traffic management) told The Daily Star.
Passengers had to wait for long hours to board the vessels and some launches had to make round trips to meet the huge demand, the official added.
WHAT ARE THE DEMANDS?
The demands include implementation of the pay scale of 2016, trial of the attackers; stopping extortion and robbery in vessels; providing appointment letters to workers, issuing identity cards and service books to workers; ensuring social safety of workers; and providing a compensation of Tk 10 lakh to a worker in case of his death while on duty.

Madness for money a disease

Terming the trend of making money illegally “a disease”, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday warned that her government would not allow anybody to lead a lavish life with stolen money.

“Someone will lead a luxurious life with the illegally-earned money, while someone will suffer from hardships by leading an honest and simple life -- it cannot be tolerated,” she told the inaugural function of the triennial council of Dhaka North and South City units of Bangladesh Awami League at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.

Hasina, also the president of the AL, reaffirmed to continue her government’s ongoing drive against corruption, saying that the hard-earned money of the people will be spent for their welfare.
“Those who make money illegally always think about the stolen money. Actually, it’s a disease … those, who once made money illegally, only wish to do the same. But those who earn money in the honest way could sleep in peace,” she said.
The AL president said the children of those who earn money illegally go down to the wrong path, their studies are destroyed and they get addicted to drugs due to that money.

“The parents of these children have no time to look after their sons and daughters. They’ve no attention to the fact that their family is ruining … they’re continuing to run after money,” she said.
While talking about the BNP’s demand for release of its chairperson, the PM said the case for which Khaleda Zia is serving jail is a corruption case, not a political one.
“The case was filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for embezzling the orphans’ money and she is now in jail after being convicted in that case,” she said.
“Begum Khaleda Zia and her two sons had indulged in bribery and graft and it was disclosed in the FBI investigation, not only in our probe,” she said.
Referring to the BNP-Jamaat mayhem in 2013, 2014 and 2015 in the name of movement, Hasina said they killed people and destroyed buses, trucks launches, rails, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and public and private property through arson at that time.
The PM said the country had earned independence in exchange for blood of millions of martyrs. “So our work is to change the lot of the people and develop the country and we’re continuing this work … we want that our every leader and worker will build the country with that ideology,” she said.
Earlier, the PM opened the council of AL’s Dhaka North and South City units as the chief guest by hoisting the national flag as well as releasing pigeons and balloons.

Kidney Donation: Patients suffer for legal constraints

Tamanna Khan, Rezaul Haque and Mostafa Sabuj

Fahmida, who has been undergoing dialysis for the last two years, now desperately needs a second kidney transplant. Her mother Fatema Zohra had donated her a kidney in 2015, but it got damaged within a year.
According to the Transplant of Human Organ Act (amendment) 2018, Fahmida can obtain a kidney either from a “near relative” or from a brain-dead patient, whose kin would agree to this.
Unfortunately, the 26-year-old does not have any “near relative” willing to donate the organ.
A cadaveric transplant, where an organ comes from a deceased donor, is also not an option for her.
Such a procedure has not taken place in the country till date because of a presumed religious bar that apparently exists in the society, according to Prof Harun-ur-Rashid, chief consultant and founder president of Kidney Foundation Hospital and Research Institute.

Fahmida can try to obtain a kidney illegally from a donor in the black market.
But in that case, she has to get the transplant done in a foreign country, where the law allows organ donation from a non-relative who has either an emotional connection with the recipient or an altruistic motive.
Chittagong’s Pahartali resident Lucky took advantage of the emotional donation clause in the Indian law two years ago and obtained a kidney from Md Hazrat Ali, a porter from Rajabirat in Gaibandha’s Gobindaganj.
Although Lucky did not live long to share her story, Hazrat Ali, now almost crippled after selling his right kidney, told The Daily Star how he was duped by organ traffickers active in the northern border areas of the country.
Hazrat Ali said he was persuaded to sell his kidney by a broker named Ziaur Rahman. He was then taken to Dhaka twice in 2017 -- once to undergo some tests and then to prepare his passport and visa.
The transplant was done at a hospital in Kolkata in December 2017.
“When we returned home, broker Zia gave me only Tk two lakh though the contract was for Tk 3.5 lakh,” he alleged.
Following a case filed by Hazrat and his wife against 11 organ brokers, Gobindaganj police arrested two persons, who had sold their kidneys before and then started working as agents for an organ trafficking gang, said police.
In 2011, law enforcers busted a number of kidney trafficking gangs active in Joypurhat’s Kalai, where, as per official data, 42 people sold their kidneys through agents at that time.
“The organ business spread to Gobindaganj from the adjacent Joypurhat’s Kalai upazila,” said Inspector Imranul Kabir, investigation officer of the case filed with the Boiragirhat Police Investigation Centre.
“Now we are conducting regular drives to arrest the kidney brokers.”
According to sources in Kalai, three organ trade ringleaders, Saiful Islam Daud, Abdus Sattar and Tariquzzaman Tareq, who were arrested in 2011, are currently on bail.
CHANGES IN LAW SOUGHT
On August 24, 2017, Fahmida’s mother filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the provisions that limit donations.
Although the law was amended last year and more relatives now can donate their kidneys to a patient, the change will not bring any significant difference to the huge gap between the demand and supply of the organ in the country, said the petitioner’s lawyer Barrister Rashna Imam.
The family filed another application with the HC in August 2018 recommending changes to the law to include emotional donation from an unrelated but known donors as allowed in India; altruistic donation from unrelated living donor as allowed in the United Kingdom and United States, and safeguards to prevent illegal kidney trading.
This year in August, the court asked for the opinion of experts in this regard and in a recent report, experts opposed voluntary donations beyond certain relatives citing the risk of exploitation of the poor by the rich.
According to transplant surgeons, under the existing system in the country, attempting to prove a bona fide kidney donation between the donor and the recipient is very risky.
Prof Dr Kamrul Islam of the Centre for Kidney Diseases & Urology Hospital explained that even now when a donor can either be a spouse or a close relative, the responsibility of proving relationship falls on the hospital doing the transplant.
For relationship identification, his hospital asks for police verification of the donor and recipient, a notarised affidavit from the court, and then DNA test report, if the donor is not a parent, he said.
Such a scrutiny is necessary because doctors risk losing their licences and the hospitals their registrations if no relationship is found between the donor and patient later.
Prof Kamrul suggested the relationship identification be done by a government body like that in India.  This way, the transparency of the process will increase.
Prof Harun said most well-to-do patients in the country take advantage of the emotional donation clause in India. Every year, about 100 Bangladeshi patients are going to India for kidney transplant.
THE WAY FORWARD
Both the surgeons view cadaveric transplant as the solution to meet the current demand for kidneys in Bangladesh.
Prof Kamrul noted that in western countries, 70 percent of the kidneys needed for transplant comes from cadaver or brain-dead patients.
Every day, around 10 to 12 people die in Bangladesh from renal failure, while at least one brain dead patient can be found in most of the 100 ICUs in the country.
As per official data, around 3,000 people die from road accidents yearly but the World Health Organisation and various bodies working on road safety estimate this figure to be much higher.
Prof Harun said if hospital medical boards are made obligated by law to declare road-accident patients brain dead following necessary tests, it may help increase the number of kidney transplant.
The physician related how cadaveric transplant attempts failed in Bangladesh mainly because of opposition from relatives of a deceased person.
He cited examples of Saudi Arabia and Iran where Islamic clerics issued fatwa in favour of cadaveric transplant, thus removing any questions in people’s mind about religious restriction on removal of organs after death.
Noting that 14 vital organs can come from a cadaver, he said, mass awareness is needed to encourage people in consenting to cadaveric transplant that can save at least 14 lives.
Prof Kamrul pointed to the Iranian system, where willing people can actually sell their kidneys to patients through a government agency at a fixed price and also get a medical insurance for any future complications.
That way if the seller faces any complications, like those described by Hazrat Ali, the insurance would help him or her to seek medical help for free and also safeguard him from exploitation, he said.
[With inputs from our Dinajpur correspondent Kangkan Karmakar]

The Month of Victory starts today

Bss, Dhaka

The nation is all set to celebrate the Month of Victory that starts today, through different festivities and programmes to be held throughout the month.

On December 16, 1971, Bangladesh became independent from the Pakistani occupation forces after a nine-month-long Liberation War.

Throughout the month, different socio-political and cultural organisations, and educational institutions will be arranging numerous programmes to celebrate the victory achieved under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The “Freedom Fighters’ Day” will also be observed today, the first day of December, by several organisations.
The programme includes placing floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in the capital.

Processions, discussions, photo exhibition and cultural events will also be held to mark the day.
Teachers, students, and staffers of Dhaka University (DU) are to arrange different programmes on the campus today as part of the Victory Day celebration.
Besides, a play titled “First Dawn of Month of Victory” will be staged at Hakim Chattar on the campus at 7:00am by Podokkhep Bangladesh.
The DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (administration) Prof Muhammad Samad is the chief guest at the programme.
To inaugurate the month-long programmes, Bangabandhu Parishad will hold a discussion at its central office in Dhaka at 10:00am.
Other organisations, including Amra Muktijoddhar Shantan and the National Freedom Fighters Foundation, will organise various programmes across the country to celebrate the month.
On December 14, the nation will observe the Martyred Intellectuals’ Day to commemorate and pay homage to the intellectuals killed by the Pakistani forces and their collaborators in 1971.
The Victory Day will be celebrated on December 16.
On this day in 1971, General AAK Niazi, the commander of Pakistan army, and his 93,000 soldiers surrendered to the allied forces of freedom fighters and Indian army at Ramna Racecourse, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka.

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নতুন বিকাশ অ্যাপ থেকে নিজের একাউন্ট খুলুন মিনিটেই, শুধুমাত্র জাতীয় পরিচয়পত্র দিয়ে। কোথাও যেতে হবে না!
আর অ্যাপ থেকে একাউন্ট খুলে প্রথম লগ ইনে পাবেন ১০০ টাকা বোনাস! সাথে আছে আরো অ্যাপ অফার:
- প্রথম বার ২৫ টাকা রিচার্জে ৫০ টাকা ক্যাশব্যাক
- সেন্ড মানি ও পে বিল এ কোনো চার্জ নেই
- ক্যাশ আউট খরচ হাজারে মাত্র ১৫ টাকা

Germany is closing all its nuclear power plants. Now it must find a place to bury the deadly waste for 1 million years

(CNN)When it comes to the big questions plaguing the world's scientists, they don't get much larger than this.

Where do you safely bury more than 28,000 cubic meters -- roughly six Big Ben clock towers -- of deadly radioactive waste for the next million years?

This is the "wicked problem" facing Germany as it closes all of its nuclear power plants in the coming years, according to Professor Miranda Schreurs, part of the team searching for a storage site.

Experts are now hunting for somewhere to bury almost 2,000 containers of high-level radioactive waste. The site must be beyond rock-solid, with no groundwater or earthquakes that could cause a leakage.

The technological challenges -- of transporting the lethal waste, finding a material to encase it, and even communicating its existence to future humans -- are huge.

But the most pressing challenge today might simply be finding a community willing to have a nuclear dumping ground in their backyard.

Searching for a nuclear graveyard

Germany decided to phase out all its nuclear power plants in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in 2011, amid increasing safety concerns.

The seven power stations still in operation today are due to close by 2022.

With their closure comes a new challenge -- finding a permanent nuclear graveyard by the government's 2031 deadline.

Germany's Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy says it aims to find a final repository for highly radioactive waste "which offers the best possible safety and security for a period of a million years."

The country was a "blank map" of potential sites, it added.

Currently, high-level radioactive waste is stored in temporary facilities, usually near the power plant it came from.

But these facilities were "only designed to hold the waste for a few decades," said Schreurs, chair of environmental and climate policy at the Technical University of Munich, and part of the national committee assisting the search for a high-level radioactive waste site.

As the name suggests, high-level radioactive waste is the most lethal of its kind. It includes the spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants. "If you opened up a canister with those fuel rods in it, you would more or less instantly die," said Schreurs.

These rods are "so incredibly hot, it's very hard to transport them safely," said Schreurs. So for now they're being stored in containers where they can first cool down over several decades, she added.

There are dozens of these temporary storage sites dotted across Germany. The search is now on for a permanent home at least 1 kilometer underground.

Between a rock and a hard place

The location will need to be geologically "very very stable," said Schreurs. "It can't have earthquakes, it can't have any signs of water flow, it can't be very porous rock."

Finland, which has four nuclear power plants and plans to build more in the future, is a world leader in this field. Work is well underway on its own final repository for high-level waste -- buried deep in granite bedrock.

Germany's problem is "it doesn't have a whole lot of granite," said Schreurs. Instead, it has to work with the ground it's got -- burying the waste in things like rock salt, clay rock and crystalline granite.

Next year the team hope to have identified potential storage sites in Germany (there are no plans to export the waste). It's a mission that stretches beyond our lifetimes -- the storage facility will finally be sealed sometime between the years 2130 and 2170.

Communications experts are already working on how to tell future generations thousands of years from now -- when language will be completely different -- not to disturb the site.

Schreurs likened it to past explorers entering the pyramids of Egypt -- "we need to find a way to tell them 'curiosity is not good here.'"

People power

For now, nobody wants a nuclear dumping ground on their doorstep.

Schreurs admitted public mistrust was a challenge, given Germany's recent history of disastrous storage sites.

Former salt mines at Asse and Morsleben, eastern Germany, that were used for low- and medium-level nuclear waste in the 1960s and 1970s, must now be closed in multibillion-dollar operations after failing to meet today's safety standards.

The fears around high-level waste are even greater.

Protesters block railway tracks outside Gorleben in 2010.

For more than 40 years, residents in the village of Gorleben, Lower Saxony, have fought tooth-and-nail to keep a permanent high-level waste repository off their turf.

The site was first proposed in 1977 in what critics say was a political choice. Gorleben is situated in what was then a sparsely populated area of West Germany, close to the East German border, and with a high unemployment rate that politicians argued would benefit from a nuclear facility.

Over the decades, there have been countless demonstrations against the proposal. Protesters have blocked railway tracks to stop what they described as "Chernobyl on wheels" -- containers of radioactive waste headed for Gorleben's temporary storage facility.

An exploratory mine was eventually constructed in Gorleben, but it was never used for nuclear waste. And in the face of huge public opposition, the government in recent years decided to start afresh its national search for a dumping ground.

"If we did not build this big, strong and long-lasting resistance, I think the salt mine would already be used," said Kerstin Rudek, 51, who grew up in Gorleben and has been campaigning against a permanent nuclear repository for the last 35 years.

That doesn't mean she and other activists plan on quitting their campaign anytime soon. "They haven't canceled out Gorleben completely, so we are very suspicious it might still be chosen," said Rudek.

With more than 400 nuclear power plants around the world, many nearing the end of their operating lifetimes, the issue of waste storage will only become more urgent, said Schreurs.

Germany is in the unique position of knowing exactly how much waste it will be dealing with. Knowing where to put it is the challenge.

Steve Smith becomes fastest man to reach 7,000 Test runs

Steve Smith became the fastest man to score 7,000 Test runs Saturday, shattering a record that has stood since 1946, while moving past Donald Bradman to become Australia’s 11^th highest scorer. The 30-year-old took a single off Muhammad Musa during the second Test against Pakistan in Adelaide to reach the milestone and take possession of a record held for 73 years by English great Wally Hammond.
Hammond reached the mark in 131 innings, while Smith made the grade in his 126th. Smith also passed Bradman’s 6,996 Test runs. It took Smith 70 Tests to do so, while Bradman needed only 52.

Doctor raped, murdered and her body set on fire in India

The body of a woman has been found after she was allegedly raped and murdered in Hyderabad, India.

The victim, a 27-year-old veterinary doctor, was reportedly found in an underpass in the outskirts of the city by a passer-by.
Police have reportedly detained at least two people, who they suspect offered to help the woman fix a flat tyre on her motorbike but instead drove her to a secluded spot and killed her. The veterinarian’s remains were reportedly so badly burnt that her family could only identify her from a locket she was wearing. Her identity has not been revealed for legal reasons.
“My daughter was very innocent,” the victim’s mother told the Times of India. “I want the accused burned alive.”
The victim’s sister reported her missing on Tuesday night, after receiving a distressing phone call after a tyre was punctured on the victim’s motorbike.
New Delhi TV reported that the victim asked her sister to remain on the phone with her as there were many unknown men in the area and she was “scared”.
During the call, it appeared someone had offered help and the victim told her sister she would call her again soon but that was the last time they spoke.
Her body was found on Thursday morning, but police are still searching for her vehicle. India is considered the most dangerous country to be a woman due to the prevalence of sexual violence and harassment against women, according to a 2018 poll.
The country has been rocked by a series of sexual assaults in recent years, with the most high profile case being that of the gang rape and murder of 23-year old Jyoti Singh in 2012, which shocked the world.

Shaking head to remove water from ears causes brain damage

Shaking head is one of the most common methods people use to get rid of water in their ears, but it can also cause complications as researchers have found that trapped water in the ear canals can cause infection and brain damage. Researchers at Cornell University and Virginia Tech in the US, revealed that shaking the head to free trapped water can cause brain damage in small children. “Our research mainly focuses on the acceleration required to get the water out of the ear canal,” said Indian-origin researcher and study author Anuj Baskota from Cornell University.
“The critical acceleration that we obtained experimentally on glass tubes and 3D printed ear canals was around the range of 10 times the force of gravity for infant ear sizes, which could cause damage to the brain,” Baskota said.
For adults, the acceleration was lower due to the larger diameter of the ear canals. They said the overall volume and position of the water in the canal changes the acceleration needed to remove it.
“From our experiments and theoretical model, we figured out that surface tension of the fluid is one of the crucial factors promoting the water to get stuck in ear canals,” said Baskota.
Luckily, the researchers said there is a solution that does not involve any head shaking.
“Presumably, putting a few drops of a liquid with lower surface tension than water, like alcohol or vinegar, in the ear would reduce the surface tension force allowing the water to flow out,” Baskota said. The study was presented at the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics 72nd Annual Meeting on November 23 in Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, US.

University girl stabbed to death by husband two months after love marriage

A newly-married housewife died while undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after her husband stabbed her in Kuril Chowrasta area of the capital on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Kaniz Fatema Tumpa, 25, daughter of Shah Alam of Katadia village of Barishal’s Bakerganj upazila as well as a final year student of the Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology.
Tumpa’s husband Safkat Hasan Robin allegedly stabbed her in an open space in Kuril Chowrasta area around 8:00 pm Friday, leaving her seriously injured. The victim was rushed to the DMCH and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
Later, Tumpa succumbed to her injuries around 9:15 pm, duty doctors of the ICC told media.
Aysha Akter, younger sister of the deceased, said, “Tumpa was a final year student of the Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology. She married Safkat Hasan Robin two months ago after their long period’s love affairs.”
Aysha alleged that Robin, a resident of Kuril Chowrasta area, is a drug-addicted youth.
“Tumpa asked my parents to fetch her from Robin’s house yesterday (Friday). Later, my aunt Nazma went Kuril Chowrasta area to bring back her home. On their way to home, Robin stabbed her in an open place in the area,” she added.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Vatara Police Station Muktaruzzaman said, “I have heard about the incident and sent police to the DMCH to look into the matter.”

London attacker named, was convicted of terrorism offences

Armed police with dogs patrol along Cannon Street in central London, on November 29, 2019 after reports of shots being fired on London Bridge. The Metropolitan Police on Friday said several people were injured and a man was held after a stabbing near London Bridge in the centre of the British capital.Photo: AFP

Reuters, London

British police named the man who stabbed two people to death in London on Friday in what the authorities called a terrorist attack as 28-year-old Usman Khan, who had been convicted of terrorism offences and was released from prison last year.
"This individual was known to authorities, having been convicted in 2012 for terrorism offences," Britain's top counter-terrorism police officer, Neil Basu, said in a statement.

This undated file handout photo obtained from West Midlands Police on February 1, 2012 shows Islamist Usman Khan, then 20, who was jailed on February 9, 2012 with others after admitting to being involved with a group of fundamentalists who plotted a spate of mail bomb attacks during the run-up to Christmas in 2010. A man, named by police as the-now-28-year-old Usman Khan, suspected of stabbing two people to death in a terror attack on London Bridge was a former prisoner convicted of terrorism offences and released in 2018, police said on November 29, 2019. Photo: AFP

"He was released from prison in December 2018 on licence and clearly, a key line of enquiry now is to establish how he came to carry out this attack," Basu said.
A person who is released on licence is subject to conditions for the duration of their sentence after leaving prison. The Times newspaper reported that Khan had agreed to wear an electronic tag.
The attacker went on the rampage just before 2:00pm, targeting people at Fishmongers' Hall near London Bridge in the heart of the city's financial district - the scene of a deadly attack by Islamist militants two years ago.
In addition to the man and the woman who were killed, a man and two women were injured and remain in hospital, Basu said.
Just before news broke of the suspect's previous conviction, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is seeking re-election on Dec. 12, said criminals must be made to serve their sentences.
"It is a mistake to allow serious and violent criminals to come out of prison early, and it is very important that we get out of that habit and that we enforce the appropriate sentences for dangerous criminals, especially for terrorists," he said.
Johnson leads opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, according to opinion polls.

During the 2017 election campaign, London Bridge was the scene of an attack when three militants drove a van into pedestrians and then attacked people in the surrounding area, killing eight and injuring at least 48. The attack focused attention on cuts to policing since the governing Conservatives took power in 2010.
"We owe a deep debt of gratitude to our police and emergency services, and the brave members of the public who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others," Corbyn said late on Friday.

PM opens AL Dhaka south and north city units’ council

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the triennial council of Dhaka North and South City units of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, opened the council as the chief guest by hoisting the national flag as well as releasing pigeons and balloons in the morning.
Dhaka South City AL President Haji Abul Hasnat is presiding over the council.
AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Dhaka North City AL President AKM Rahmatullah and General Secretary Sadeq Khan and Dhaka South City AL General Secretary Shahe Alam Murad were present.
The last council of undivided Dhaka City Awami League was held on December 27, 2012.

People suffer in water transport strike across country

Water transport workers start a nationwide indefinite strike early midnight on November 30, 2019 to press home their 11-point demand, causing huge sufferings to passengers. The photo was taken at Sadarghat launch Terminal in Dhaka. Photo: Star/ Prabir Das

Star Online Report

River communications across the country came to a near halt today as a section of water transport workers went on a work abstention since midnight, causing immense sufferings to the commuters and hampering business activities.
Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation (BWTWF) announced the countrywide work abstention to press home their 11-point demand that include implementation of wage scale 2016, issuance of identity cards, service books, appointment letters.

Commuters wait at Sadarghat Launch Terminal for launch services. Photo: Star/Prabir Das

while talking to The Daily Star today, the federation's General Secretary Chowdhury Ashiqul Alam said, “Workers are observing the work abstention programme spontaneously across the country except a few areas”.
He also claimed that the workers across the country expressed their solidarity with their movement.
Operation of all types of passenger and cargo vessels remained suspended from 12midnight.

People were seen waiting at the terminals for vessels to reach their respective destinations.
Passengers were left in a confused state. Some of them were seen leaving the terminals following this uncertainty.
Loading and unloading of goods at two seaports and major river ports were severely disrupted, dealing a blow to traders.
In Chattogram, loading and unloading of imported goods to and from lighter vessels at 16 private jetties in the city's Sadarghat and Majhirghat area remained suspended since early morning due to the work abstention of water transport workers.
In Khulna, movement of all water transports were halted to the strike, resulting in suspension of cargo handling at Mongla Seaport. Loading and unloading goods to and from lighter vessels at different private jetties in the city were also suspended.
Besides, the strike also affected the water transport operation in Chandpur, Barishal and many other districts, reports our correspondents.
The federation announced the indefinite strike yesterday period through a press release.
WHAT ARE THE DEMANDS?
The demands include implementation of the pay scale of 2016, trial of the attackers; stopping extortion and robbery in vessels; providing appointment letters to workers, issuing identity cards and service books to workers; ensuring social safety of workers; and providing a compensation of Tk 10 lakh to a worker in case of his death while on duty.

This is House Democrats' big chance to bring in John Bolton

(CNN)US District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson ruled on Monday that former White House counsel Don McGahn must honor a House subpoena to testify.

Ken Ballen

The logic of Jackson's sweeping ruling that White House aides must answer congressional subpoenas to testify applies to former national security adviser John Bolton's possible testimony before the House Intelligence Committee as well.

"The primary takeaway from the past 250 years of recorded American history is that Presidents are not kings," Jackson wrote. "This means that they do not have subjects, bound by loyalty or blood, whose destiny they are entitled to control. Rather, in this land of liberty, it is indisputable that current and former employees of the White House work for the People of the United States, and that they take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

This powerful decision should help clear the way for the House Intelligence Committee to obtain the testimony of Bolton, who has refused to testify until a court rules on the suit filed by his top deputy, Charles Kupperman that questions if a White House official can be forced by a House committee to testify. The case is currently in front of Judge Richard Leon in Washington who said that he wouldn't hear arguments until December 10 and would rule later in December or early January.

Do the facts matter anymore on Trump impeachment?

While the committee has requested Bolton's testimony, it is not currently pursuing a subpoena in court. With Jackson's ruling, they should, immediately.

There is little doubt that Bolton could be a decisive witness. According to a letter that his attorney wrote to lawmakers, Bolton was "personally involved in many of the events, meetings and conversations" at the heart of the House impeachment inquiry, "as well as many relevant meetings and conversations" that have not been covered in testimony thus far.

Other administration officials have told congressional investigators that Bolton told them that he was determined not to get involved in what he referred to as a "drug deal" involving an effort to get Ukraine to take steps favoring President Trump politically.

Federal judge says former White House counsel Don McGahn must speak to House: 'Presidents are not kings'

Moreover, Bolton's standing and position in Republican circles is head and shoulders above anyone else who has, or could, testify. His conservative reputation would make it difficult to dismiss his testimony in the way so many of the witnesses who have already testified have been denigrated by Trump and his supporters.

So why do the Democrats seem reluctant to pursue him?

The last investigation of similar scope of a Republican president and his administration by a Democratic Congress was the Iran-Contra Affair, when both the House and Senate launched a joint investigation in January 1987. Similar to the plan now the idea had been that the special committees created would investigate fully and, if the evidence warranted, present their findings to the House Judiciary Committee for articles of impeachment against President Ronald Reagan.

That all changed with the testimony of Lt. Col Oliver North. North successfully turned what had been until then a fact-based sober inquiry into a media circus. Wearing his Army uniform (and patriotism on his sleeve), and with unquestionable charisma, North gave a remarkable performance. He successfully became the victim simply by trying to do, as he portrayed it, the right thing as a patriot.

Burnett on judge's ruling: Shatters Trump's immunity claim 01:40

After North's testimony, the Iran-Contra committees never regained their footing. Public opinion swung back in the President's favor and at a meeting of the House Iran-Contra committee members, the goal of investigating Reagan further, never mind a possible impeachment, was summarily dropped.

No doubt the specter of a North like appearance by Bolton now makes the House Intelligence Committee gun-shy.

It shouldn't.

While the effect of Bolton's testimony is hard to gauge in advance, the House is much better off knowing what he has to say before articles of impeachment are considered rather than after.

If the testimony reveals deeper and incontrovertible involvement by Trump in the Ukraine quid pro quo -- does not the country deserve to know?

If on the other hand, Bolton becomes the Oliver North of our times, would not Congress and the public be better off evaluating that fact before impeachment is considered by the House Judiciary Committee?

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Chairman Adam Schiff of the House Intelligence Committee wrote on Monday that he did not want the White House or witnesses running out the clock and delaying proceedings.

Yet a delay of a month or more waiting for a court ruling should not dictate closing the inquiry when a witness as important as Bolton remains to be heard.

The House should proceed now.

The irony is that Judge Leon was a Republican counsel and my counterpart on the House Iran-Contra Committee.