The no-kids-allowed movement is spreading

What's the matter with kids today and why doesn't anyone want them around? In June, Malaysia Airlines banned babies from many of their first class cabins, prompting other major airlines to consider similar policies.

Lately, complaints about screaming kids are being taken seriously, not only by airlines, but by hotels, movie theaters, restaurants, and even grocery stores.

Read more about restaurants around the country banning kids.

Earlier this month, McDain's, a Pittsburgh area restaurant that banned kids under 6 became a mascot for the no-kids-zone movement.

According to a Pittsburgh local news poll, more than half of area residents were in favor of the ban. And now big business is paying attention.

"Brat bans could well be the next frontier in destination and leisure-product marketing," writes Robert Klara in an article on the child-free trend in AdWeek.

Klara points to Leavethembehind.com, a travel website for kid-free vacations, with a massive list of yoga retreats, luxury resorts and bargain hotels around the world that ban children.

"Call me a grinch, a misanthrope, a DINK (dual-income-no-kids), or the anti-cute-police, but I hate (hate a thousand times over) ill-behaved children/infants/screaming banshees in upscale restaurants (ok, anywhere, really, but I don’t want any death threats)," writes Charlotte Savino on Travel and Leisure's blog. She lists a slew of a popular destination restaurants with kid-free areas and policies for travelers looking for quiet vacation dining.

Traveling is one thing, but what about in kids' own hometowns? Should kids been banned from local movie theaters, like they were at a recent adults-only Harry Potter screening? In Texas, one cinema chain has even flipped the model, banning kids under six altogether, except on specified "baby days".

Even running errands with toddlers may be off limits.  This summer Whole Foods stores in Missouri are offering child-free shopping hours and in Florida, a controversy brews over whether kids can be banned from a condominium's outdoor area. That's right, some people don't even want kids outdoors.

When did kids become the equivalent of second-hand smoke? Blame a wave of childless adults with money to spare. "Empty nesters continue to wield a huge swath of discretionary spending dollars, and population dips in first-world countries mean more childless couples than ever," writes AdWeek's Klara.

Catering to the child-free community may be good for business but is it good for parents? It could help narrow choices and make kid-friendly environments even kid-friendlier.  And let's be honest, babies won't miss flying first class. They won't even remember it. But their moms and dads will.

Most parents with young children have self-imposed limits on spending and leisure. This new movement imposes limits set by the public. And the public isn't as child-friendly as it used to be.  As businesses respond to their new breed of 'first-class' clientele, are parents in danger of becoming second-class citizens?

Why didn't PM set up GoM if he found 2G wrongdoing: Raja

New Delhi: Hours after saying he did not seek to implicate Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum case, former Telecom minister A Raja renewed his attack on Singh, saying the Prime Minister should have referred the matter to a Group of Ministers (GoM).

Raja told a special court in Delhi that he had sent back the 2G file to Singh and the latter should have called for a GoM if he had found any discrepancies.

Earlier today, Raja also pleaded before court that Chidambaram be made a witness in the 2G spectrum case. The 47-year-old Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) lawmaker, who has been behind bars for nearly six months, also sought his “forthwith release”, terming his judicial custody as an “illegal detention”.

Raja's counsel Sushil Kumar made the submissions before Special Judge O P Saini while opposing corruption and other penal charges against him for his alleged role in the scam.

Seeking a direction to CBI to make Chidambaram a witness in the case, Raja said the former Finance Minister was privy to the matter relating to dilution of equities by Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless to foreign firms, Etisalat and Telenor, respectively.

“The matters relating to dilution of equities to foreign firms by Swan Telecom and Unitech Wireless were known to the Prime Minister and then Finance Minister Chidambaram,” the Times Now channel quoted Raja, as saying.

Raja clarified that his statement yesterday – about Manmohan Singh and Chidambaram being aware of the dilution of shares by telecom firms – did not amount to making any allegation against them.

Clinton seeks to reassure China amid U.S. debt stalemate

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks Monday during a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

HONG KONG — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton tried to reassure China — the largest holder of U.S. treasuries — and other Asian countries Monday about the roiling debt debate in the Washington even as she urged them to adopt fair competition principles at the core of the American economy.

“Many have questions about how the United States is going to resolve our debt ceiling challenge,” Clinton said in a speech in Hong Kong, the financial hub of Asia. “Let me assure you we understand the stakes. We know how important this is for us and how important it is for you.”

Clinton’s talk was notable for its prodding tone, urging countries to adopt economic rules of transparency, openness and fairness. And while Clinton mostly avoided direct mention of China, much of her sharpest words seemed aimed at the country, whose rapidly growing economy embodies all the problems highlighted by Clinton — loose government regulation, unfair competition by state-owned enterprises and widespread intellectual property theft.

“We all recognize the temptation to bend them,” Clinton said, referring to fair trade principles. “Some nations are making short-term gains doing just that. ... And a number of nations — wealthy in the aggregate but often poorer per capita — might even think the rules don’t yet apply to them.”

Clinton’s words highlighted the complex, intertwined and sometimes antagonistic relationship between the U.S. and China. While China eagerly and aggressively competes with the U.S. in almost every field, it is also the largest foreign holder of U.S. dollar debt.

As a result, the current stalemate in Washington has not only threatened to push the U.S. government into default and downgrade its AAA rating but it has put an enormous pool of Chinese investment at risk.

“I’ve had several meetings where the Chinese have basically made clear that they’ve made a substantial investment in the U.S.,” said a senior State Department official, who was not authorized to speak by name. “And they expect, not hope, expect that U.S. will abide by its various financial international commitments.”

Hours after she spoke, Clinton crossed the border into mainland China to meet with China’s State Counselor Dai Bingguo.

According to U.S. officials accompanying her but not authorized to speak by name, Clinton planned to discuss the recent conflicts over disputed territories in the South China Sea, in which China has played an aggressive role, and the recent resumption of dialogue between North and South Korea over nuclear disarmament.

Witnesses describe scene of terror at Norway camp

Norway Bomb Blast Incidents - Witnesses describe scene of terror at Norway camp

SUNDVOLLEN, Norway (AP) - The man in the police uniform shouted for the campers to come closer. When they did, he killed them.

The gunman who killed at least 80 people at an island youth camp northwest of Oslo used his disguise to lure in his victims, then shot them twice to make sure they were dead, survivors said in the village of Sundvollen, where they were taken after the massacre.

"I saw many dead people," said 15-year old Elise, whose father, Vidar Myhre, didn't want her to disclose her last name. She just feet away from the gunman when he opened fire in the camp on Utoya island.

Elise said she had just come out from an information meeting in a nearby building when she heard gunshots. She saw a police officer and thought she was safe, but then he started shooting.

"He first shot people on the island. Afterward he started shooting people in the water," she said.

Elise said she hid behind the same rock that the killer was standing on. "I could hear his breathing from the top of the rock," she said. Read More...

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President, GOP leaders in secret talks on deficit deal

WASHINGTON -- In secretive endgame negotiations, President Barack Obama and House Republican leaders reached anew on Thursday for an elusive grand bargain deal to cut deficits by $4 trillion or more and prevent a threatened Aug. 2 government default, officials said.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said his rank and file generally stood ready to compromise in order to reach an agreement as a way of "getting our economy going again and growing jobs." Obama, in a newspaper opinion piece, said the talks provided an "opportunity to do something big and meaningful." Read More...

India in England: A History

The 2000th Test match which is being played at Lords on 21st July is also the 100th Test between India and England. Their rivalry goes back to 1932 when CK Nayudu led the Indian team to England. India achieved their first Test win in England in 1971 thanks to a great bowling display from B S Chandrasekhar who took 6/38 at the Oval. They would have to wait for another 15 years before they secured a second series triumph in England. In 1986, Kapil Dev led India to their first victory at Lord's. This set the precedent for the remainder of the tour with India comfortably winning the Test series 2-0 and the ODI series 2-0.

Overall though, India have a poor record in England. They have played a total of 15 series there, with England winning 11 of them and India winning only three. From 1990 onwards, Sachin Tendulkar was a constant presence in the Indian sides to tour England. And it is perhaps fitting that the land where he scored his first century on his first tour, might be likely to see him score his 100th one too. More importantly, from 1990 onwards there has been a slow but steady improvement in every Indian side that has toured England. This is a look at how the series have gone since then.

1990 Tour

India started the tour on a disastrous note when Mohammad Azharuddin opted to bowl on a flat Lord's deck in the first Test. Graham Gooch made the Indians pay heavily for that decision by scoring 333. England notched up a huge 653/4 declared but the Indians fought back well. Gutsy centuries from Ravi Shastri and Azharuddin, followed by Kapil Dev's blistering 77 off 75 balls helped India avoid the follow-on. England declared again at 272/4, with Gooch notching up a classic 123. Chasing 472, India folded up for 224 to hand England a thumping 248 run victory.

In Manchester, Sachin Tendulkar announced his arrival in world cricket when he notched up his first Test century. Displaying immense maturity and calmness, he scored a dazzling 119 to save India from defeat in the second Test. India were denied victory in the final Test at the Oval thanks to a fighting 157 from David Gower. However, the tourists managed to end the tour on a high by winning the two match Texaco Trophy 2-0.

India Vs England Test Series –you can get India in England 4 Test Cricket Series 2011 Match schedule, match update, summary, records, Live Cricket Score & More - Cricbuzz.com

Tests: England 1 India 0

ODIs: India 2 England 0

Highest run scorer (Tests): Graham Gooch- 752

Highest wicket taker (Tests): Angus Fraser- 16

Highest run scorer (ODIs): Sanjay Manjrekar- 141

Highest wicket taker (ODIs): Manoj Prabhakar- 6

1996 Tour

This was not a happy tour for the Indians. They were outclassed in the ODIs and questions were being raised about the leadership of Mohammad Azharuddin. All these distractions took a toll on India's performance at the start of the Test series when they lost by 8 wickets at Edgbaston. Despite a brilliant century from Tendulkar, the other batsmen failed to negotiate some high class bowling from Dominic Cork and Chris Lewis. However, the cricketing world witnessed the spectacular arrival of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in the second Test at Lord's. Ganguly became the third batsmen in history to score a century on debut at Lords while Dravid fell agonizingly short of his debut ton.

Their arrival was like a breath of fresh air for the Indians. Ganguly notched up another century at Trent Bride while Tendulkar capitalized on a flat track to score 177. England were rescued by tons from Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain to secure a 1-0 series win.

Tests: England 1 India 0

ODIs: England 2 India 0

Highest run scorer (Tests): Sachin Tendulkar- 428

Highest run scorer (ODIs): Alistair Brown- 155

Highest wicket taker (Tests): Chris Lewis and Venkatesh Prasad- 15

Highest wicket taker (ODIs): Dominic Cork and Venkatesh Prasad- 5

2002 Tour

India approached this tour with confidence and aggression from the start. In the ODI tri-series featuring England and Sri Lanka, India started their campaign on a winning note by defeating England at Lord's thanks to fifties from Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. The team performed consistently under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly. In the final, chasing a huge 325, India were staring down the barrel at 146/5. On the grand stage, two young men displayed a maturity shown only by experienced campaigners, and in a partnership that involved common sense, calmness and clean hitting, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif dazzled away to a 121 run stand to get India to striking distance. Kaif held his nerve and managed to help India chase the target down by two wickets. Ganguly's shirt-waving celebration after achieving victory will be etched on the minds of Indian cricket fans for a long time.

In the Tests, India started off poorly by succumbing to defeat at Lord's. Rahul Dravid stepped up and helped India avoid defeat at Trent Bridge. In the Leeds Test, Dravid, Ganguly and Tendulkar all blasted centuries to propel India to 628-8. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh spun India to their first Test win in England after 16 years to take the series to the deciding Test at the Oval. Michael Vaughan lashed 197 but Dravid's 217 gave India a chance. This was Dravid's third consecutive century in this series. Rain washed off the final day and the series was drawn 1-1.

Tests: England 1 India 1

Highest run scorer (Tests): Michael Vaughan- 615

Highest wicket taker (Tests): Anil Kumble and Matthew Hoggard- 14

2007 Tour

India managed to escape with a draw at Lord's thanks to rain and a gritty knock of 76 from MS Dhoni. In the second Test at Trent Bridge, they played aggressive cricket and Zaheer Khan bowled one of his best spells in England. His match haul of 9/117 helped India defeat England by seven wickets but the match was marred by an incident involving jellybeans being thrown at Zaheer Khan while batting. At the Oval, India notched up a mammoth 664 to secure India's first series victory in England after 21 years.

The seven match ODI series was a closely fought affair. England had dominated the early going and were leading 3-1. India fought back spectacularly and the sixth match at the Oval was a classic. Dimitri Mascarenhas clubbed five consecutive sixes in the final over bowled by Yuvraj Singh to help England reach 316. Tendulkar's 94 kept India in the chase but it was Robin Uthappa's 47 off 33 balls that steered India to a two wicket win with two balls to go. However, England managed to clinch the series 4-3 thanks to their win in the final ODI at Lord's.

Tests: India 1 England 0

ODIs: England 4 India 3

Highest run-scorer (Tests): Kevin Pietersen- 345

Highest wicket taker (Tests): Zaheer Khan- 18

Highest run-scorer (ODIs): Ian Bell- 422

Highest wicket-taker (ODIs): James Anderson- 14

Best Hospitals 2011-12

Best Hospitals 2011-12: the Honor Roll:

List of Best Hospitals - 2011-12

For clinical excellence, these 17 hospitals possess a rare blend of breadth and depth.

A place on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll is reserved for medical centers that demonstrate unusually high expertise across multiple specialties, scoring at or near the top in at least six of 16 specialties.

Just 17 of the nearly 5,000 hospitals evaluated for the 2011-12 rankings qualified. Hospitals with the highest scores in a given specialty received 2 Honor Roll points; those with slightly lower scores received 1 point.* Honor Roll standing was determined by the total number of Honor Roll points across all 16 specialties. Read More....

British teenager bikes on top of water for charity, won’t say how

Matt Whitehurst - riding by bicycle

A British teenager raised awareness for flood victims in London's Lake District by riding his bicycle on a lake 75-feet deep.

Matt Whitehurst, 16, insists the pictures are real but won't reveal how he managed to perch his bicycle atop the waters of England's Lake Buttermere. He performed the stunt to promote an upcoming cycling event that will raise money to build bridges destroyed in 2009 flooding.

"I can't and won't say how I did it, but plenty of people saw me and they'll confirm it wasn't a camera trick," he said. "The photos are real."

I'm sure the photos are very much real. So is the platform in the water on which Whitehurt's bike is likely standing.

5 Ways to Keep Your Metabolism Up

Amy Paturel, SELF magazine

You're eating healthier than ever, but your muscles feel flabby, your energy is sapped and your jeans feel increasingly snug, particularly in the belly, hips and rear.

Health Tips: 5 Ways to Keep Your Metabolism Up

The sad truth: Metabolic rate (the number of calories we burn in a day) plummets as we age, decreasing about 1 percent each year after we hit 30. But research shows there are things you can do to help combat metabolic slowdown.

"When our metabolisms slow down isn't just age-related," explains Christine Gerbstadt, M.D., registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Body composition, which is determined by genetics, diet and activity, also plays a major role."

Read on for five ways to keep your fat-burning furnace humming.

Related: The Ultimate Bikini Body Workout

1. Build muscle: Since fat is burned in your muscle, you want to activate as many muscle fibers as possible. Weight training increases lean muscle mass, which raises the amount of calories your body uses, even when you're at rest. What's more, since there's less fat in your body (and your muscles), blood moves better so you have more energy -- without eating more food. So if you haven't been incorporating strength training into your fitness routine, now is the time to start!

2. Start eating: "Your body is a 'refuel as it goes machine,' which simply means it needs to be consistently fed to provide energy to live," explains Mark MacDonald, author of the bestselling book Body Confidence. "This type of consistent feeding stabilizes your blood sugar levels and creates internal hormonal balance" -- and that keeps you from packing on the pounds. His advice: Eat within an hour of waking to kick-start your metabolism. Then keep eating every three to four hours ending an hour before bedtime.

3. Nosh on protein at every meal and snack. Protein has a greater metabolic boost than fat or carbohydrates. Biting, chewing, swallowing and digesting food takes energy -- it's known as the thermic effect of food and it can burn up to 30 percent of the calories on your plate. The more complex the food (think steak, legumes and fibrous vegetables), the more calories you burn as it travels through the digestive tract. Protein also contains leucine, an amino acid that prevents muscle loss when you're dieting. A simple strategy: For a quick and easy snack, keep peanuts in your pocketbook, trail mix in your desk drawer and hard-boiled eggs in the fridge.

See Also: 12 Ways to Think Yourself Slim

4. Get moving: Interval training with bursts of high intensity cardio will stoke your metabolic rate and keep it humming for hours. So instead of logging in your regular half-hour on the treadmill at a steady 4.5 mph pace, try the interval option or hit the road and take advantage of changes in the terrain. Run in the sand or up hills and use landmarks to signify a change of pace. And squeeze in extra calorie burning whenever you get the chance, advises Gerbstadt.

5. Drink water: Studies show that people who drink 8-ounce glasses of water eight to 12 times a day have higher metabolic rates than those who drink four. Want to lose an extra 6.6 pounds a year? Drink half a liter of water before breakfast. According to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., people who downed water before their first meal of the day consumed an average of 75 fewer calories at breakfast than those who didn't drink up first.

Computer glitch disrupts United Airlines flights

Computer glitch - disrupts United Airlines flights

A computer problem has caused a disruption with the departure of United Airlines Planes Friday night, the airline said.

The Chicago-based airline said a computer outage at 7:15 p.m. CT interrupted United Airlines' systems of scheduled departures, reservations and processing systems.

"Our technology team is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. We apologize for the disruption being caused to travelers at affected airports and we are seeking to resume operations as quickly as possible," a company spokesman said.

Karen Pride of the Chicago Department of Aviation told CNN the agency is providing extra security personnel and terminal management staff to assist United with the situation at O'Hare International Airport.

Michael Goldenthal, who was on an airplane at O'Hare when the problem occurred, said it became apparent something was wrong as the flight was taxiing.

"We were on the runway when the pilot came on the P.A. and said they had lost contact with the company computer system which measured the weight of the plane."

Goldenthal said the aircraft taxied around for nearly an hour and then returned to the gate for additional fuel. But passengers were not allowed to get off.

The flight crew told passengers, Goldenthal said, that "the computer system was down not only in Chicago but across the system."

Top 5 Exercises that can be done at your residence

Exercise is good for your health, Everyone have to follow these rules

Exercise Tips: We understand that you have an extremely busy schedule. We also understand that there is not a good gym where you live or maybe you don’t really like going to one. So we tell about the top 5 exercises which can be easily done at home. No excuses now!

Here are 5 great exercises that you can do at home, without the need for any equipment:

Push-ups

This is one of the most useful exercises that can be easily done at home. If done correctly it can rev up your stamina and build your pecs and triceps.

How to do it: Lie face down with your palms on the floor about shoulder width apart from each other. Push your whole body up with your back and legs in a straight line and then lower yourself back down towards the floor. To strengthen your chest more place your arms wider apart. To strengthen your triceps and back more, move your arms closer together.

Push-ups

Muscles involved: Chest muscles and triceps

Sit-ups

This is another great exercise to do in the house and can be done almost everywhere. This can help in the strengthening of the hip flexors and abdominal muscles.

How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms across your chest and raise your body up to try and meet your knees.

This can cause strain on the back, so if you have a weak back it may be better to do a crunch instead.

Sit-ups

Muscles involved: Abdominal muscles and back muscles

Jumping on the Spot

This might sound a bit silly but it’s a great workout and is used to get the heart pumping and build stamina. This can also build your leg muscles.

How to do it: Literally just jump up and down raising your whole body off the ground by at least 5-6 inch or more.

Muscles involved: Calf muscles and thigh muscles

Squats

It is another easy but very useful exercise for your thighs and buttocks. It helps to shape your buttocks, strengthen thighs and build stamina.

How to do it: Stand up straight , bend your knees with your arms stretched outright parallel to the floor. Bend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

Squats - Stand up straight , bend your knees with your arms

Muscles involved: Thigh muscles and buttocks muscles

Back Extension

Back extension is a strength training exercise. It is done for strengthening lower back muscles.

How to do it: Lie face down with your arms at your side. Slowly lift your head toward the ceiling and look up as far as you can go. You can extend this by lifting your legs and your head up as far as you can and hold for 5 seconds and release.

Muscles involved: Stomach muscles and Back muscles.

Arizona wildfire sets new record at 469,000 acres

Arizona wildfire sets new record at 469,000 acres

(Reuters) - The wildfire that has roared out of control for more than two weeks through the pine forests of eastern arizona set a record on Tuesday as the largest in state history, having consumed over 469,000 acres.

The Wallow Fire, which authorities suspect started from an unattended campfire, has scorched dozens of homes and displaced as many as 10,000 people since it erupted May 29 in the White Mountains region, an area popular among Arizonans as a weekend getaway from the heat of summer.

The wind-whipped blaze has burned mostly in and around the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, about 150 miles east of Phoenix, churning through vast stretches of thick ponderosa pine.

Evacuation orders were lifted on Sunday for 7,000 to 8,000 residents forced to flee last week from two towns near the border with New Mexico, Springerville and Eagar.

But authorities have warned returning families that lingering smoke and soot in the air pose health risks for children and people with respiratory problems.

An estimated 1,900 additional people from several nearby towns evacuated in the first week of the blaze were notified on Monday night that it would probably be at least a few more days before they would be permitted to go back home. Read More...

Search for missing IU student draws social media attention

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The search for a 20-year-old Indiana University sophomore last seen here early Friday continued Wednesday, drawing widespread attention and celebrity interest on social media sites including Facebook and Twitter.
A Facebook page titled "Help Find Lauren Spierer — Missing from Indiana University" — one of several such pages — had been "liked" by 23,475 as of Wednesday afternoon. On Twitter, celebrities including American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, 1980s TV star Scott Baio and reality TV star Kim Kardashian sent notes to their followers about the search.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay on Twitter Wednesday pledged a $10,000 reward for "serious info that SOLVES Lauren's Missing Persons. Contact Bloomy Police!!!!!"

Bloomington police Lt. Bill Parker said Wednesday that police have few leads and no suspects, but they believe foul play is to blame for the disappearance of Spierer, last seen leaving a friend's apartment early Friday after a night out. Read More...

How far should you sleep from your cellphone?

Cellphone Cause Cancer Alert

Can cellphones cause cancer? As the world debates a worrying new report by the World Health Organization, the man whose agency prepared that report speaks to NDTV about whether users need to think twice before using their phones.

Dr Christopher Wild, Director, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) spoke to NDTV's Noopur Tiwari in France about cellphones being "possibly carcinogenic." He stressed that at least five more years of research need to be devoted to exploring health concerns linked to mobile phones.

NDTV: What about Sleeping with phone next to you?

Wild: The distance is important. The strength of the radio frequency electro magnet field associated with the phone diminishes very rapidly as you move the phone away. There's much lower exposure from phone which is at some distance with the individual. The same thing is relevant for base stations associated with several orders of lower exposure because of distance from people.

NDTV: We've heard mobile phone towers emit more radiations in countries like India as compared to Europe?

Wild: I can't say countrywise but what I do know that technology is evolving very quickly. Even in the case of cellphones, the type of energy emitted by cellphones currently, is very different than 10-15 years ago. The challenge for us is that technology is changing but the pattern of use is also changing and all these variable factors influence the end result.

NDTV: Would the risk, if any, be higher for children and younger adults?

Wild: We don't have any specific evidence for the moment to say there's a higher risk in children than in adults. There's just an intuitive sense in which in relation to any environmental exposure, chemical or physical agents, children are more vulnerable and that's in the case of cancer because the tissues are still growing.

NDTV: We've used cellphones for 30 years now. Perhaps there's been more widespread use for about 20 years. But how much more time do you need before your research can be more conclusive? Did research start quite late?

Wild: You are right the use of cellphones started about 20-30 yrs ago. But if you look at the number of people using them at that stage, there were relatively few and they tended to be older people. Also, the concerns about the technology only arose some years after the start of the use. It's true that first really large studies of cellphone use and cancer were only published in the last few years. However, there are studies that are already ongoing. Results should become available to us in the next five years.

NDTV: Your classification for mobile phone hazards seems to be in a category similar to that of risks involved with coffee & pickled vegetables. Any truth in that?

Wild: One has to be careful in making these comparisons. I've seen a report on pickled vegetables and people have expressed some surprise. And coffee. But when we evaluate, we look very specifically at all the evidence internationally and those exposures were associated with cancers at very specific sites. Coffee with bladder cancer for instance. But we don't make any quantitative evaluations. The report we have published is a qualitative assessment asking is there a risk of cancer 'yes or no?' rather than grade them in terms of strength of risk.

NDTV: How strong is evidence you have right now?

Wild: The key observation is in long-time users of mobile phone use and the evidence there scientifically, we would describe as limited. That means there was an association between duration of use and increased risk.

NDTV: Would there be a possibility of certain body parts being affected more than others?

Wild: Some of the studies were able to look at the part of the brain where the cancer developed. To see whether it was closest to the point of use of the telephone for eg on the side of the head where it was used. Or the part of the brain that is closely exposed around the ear area. Again there was a suggestion that there was a higher frequency of development of tumours in areas close to the position of the use fdfof the phone rather than other areas of the brain. But there's no evidence so far of increased risk on other sites. Also we didn't look into any health effects other than cancer.

Karzai Warns NATO Against Air Attacks on Afghan Homes

[President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan warned on Tuesday that NATO risks becoming an “occupying force” if aerial bombings that cause civilian casualties continue]

KABUL, Afghanistan - President Hamid Karzai warned NATO on Tuesday that Afghans will no longer tolerate airstrikes that result in civilian casualties. If they continue, he said, “we will be forced to take unilateral action in this regard.”
The Afghan president, speaking at a news conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, declined to offer specifics on what actions the government would take, saying only that Afghanistan “has a lot of ways of stopping it.”

In an admonishment that carried an air of threat, he said NATO forces were on the verge of being considered occupiers rather than allies.

“If they continue their attacks on our houses, then their presence will change from a force that is fighting against terrorism to a force that is fighting against the people of Afghanistan,” he said, “And in that case, history shows what Afghans do with trespassers and with occupiers.” Read More...