Colic folk remedies do not work, review says

That nonstop crying of a baby with colic has some parents turning to popular folk remedies. Unfortunately, there's no good evidence they work, according to a review of 15 studies. The results don't surprise New York City mom Leni Calas, 32. She tried many treatments studied, including fennel extract, sugar drops and massage, and says nothing worked for baby Roxy, who cried almost nonstop for six months. "Our daughter would wake up and cry literally morning to night without napping," Calas said. "She would just literally scream herself purple, and then throw up because she had been screaming so much." Calas said she and her husband couldn't...

Read more »

High bacteria levels in bean sprouts

For many, the sprout is the epitome of a healthy food: rich with vitamins, minerals, proteins, not to mention crunchy, tasty and green. But research by CBC's investigative team (I-Team) that included an analysis by a University of British Columbia expert has found high levels of bacteria in packaged sprouts, enough to make consumers turn green. Sprouts, including mung beans and alfalfa sprouts, have become a common food item in grocery stores, salad bars and Asian dishes across Canada. For Peggy LaLune, who made a stirfry for her family last summer, the only difference between hers and the one she served her son was that his did not contain...

Read more »

Food dye risks need more study: U.S. panel

An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended that the agency further study the link between food colouring and childhood hyperactivity, but said products that contain the dyes do not need package warnings. The committee, made up of doctors, academics and consumer representatives, narrowly voted 8-6 that food packages don't need warnings flagging food colourings that could affect attention deficit disorder in children. Packages now must list the food colourings, but there is no warning about a possible link to hyperactivity. The panel agreed with the FDA and affirmed that there is not enough evidence to show that...

Read more »

Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 flight into Outer Space

Soviet pilot and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space on 12 April 1961, handing a propaganda coup to the Soviet Union. Here are some facts about his historic mission. * The flight lasted 108 minutes from launch to landing and orbited the Earth once. * The mission was called Vostok 1 after the type of Soviet spacecraft it was carried out in. * Some sources claimed afterwards that Gagarin had remarked during the flight “I don’t see any God up here.” But no such words were recorded in the official transcript of the flight and his friends later said the phrase had originated from an anti-religion speech given by...

Read more »

Report: Windows 8 seeds being sent to PC makers

A report says Microsoft is already sending early versions of Windows 8 to PC makers so they can get ready for an expected launch in 2012. According to Microsoft news-and-rumors siteWinRumors, Microsoft has begun seeding selected manufacturers with early builds of Windows 8 so they can get ready for the operating systems’ general release, currently expected for sometime in 2012. According to the report, Microsoft is seeding a “milestone 3″ build to Hewlett-Packard and other vendors Microsoft has had relatively little to say in public about Windows 8: after all, the company is still riding high on the retail success of Windows 7. At the beginning...

Read more »

Yahoo! takes on Google, social networking sites

Hyderabad, : Once a favourite with Indian Internet users, who later shifted loyalties, Yahoo! seems to be in a reload phase to win back the lost ground and take competition from Google and social networking sites head on. The mail, search and news portal has lined up Search Direct for release in the second half of this year. The service, which targets Google's prompt-based search, will provide answers based on the user needs. “Users do not come to a search engine with just search strings. They expect some useful information. For one, if you type Spiderman, you may specifically be looking for reviews on the film, film tickets, pictures or news,”...

Read more »

Kalam's Web mantra for societal transformation

HYDERABAD, INDIA: "Don't keep forever on the public road, going only where others have gone. Leave the beaten track occasionally and dive into the woods. You will be certain to find something you have never seen before. It will be a little thing, but do not ignore it. Follow it up, explore all around it; one discovery will lead to another, and before you know it, you will have something worth thinking about...” With this quote from Alexander Graham Bell, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, started his keynote address at the 20th International Worldwide Web Conference, Hyderabad, on Wednesday. Dr. Kalam centered his keynote address...

Read more »

Google accuses China of blocking email

Google said Monday the Chinese government is interfering with its email services in China, making it difficult for users to access its Gmail program, amid an intensified internet crackdown following widespread unrest in the Middle East. "There is no technical issue on our side; we have checked extensively. This is a government blockage carefully designed to look like the problem is with Gmail," the company said in a brief statement. China has some of the world's strictest internet controls and blocks many popular social media sites, including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. The government intensified those efforts after pro-democracy protest...

Read more »

Nations Help Tigers Claw Back from Extinction

Endangered tigers are back in the spotlight at an international conference in India this week, where representatives from all 13 Asian countries where tigers still roam have gathered to work out the practicalities of saving a species from extinction. The conference in New Delhi comes on the heels of the world's first tiger summit, hosted in November of last year by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The landmark meeting in St. Petersburg brought together high-level government officials from all Asian tiger range countries, along with conservation groups and donor nations, and produced the Global Tiger Recovery Program (GTRP), an international...

Read more »

Sebi forms panel on corporate bond market

Market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) today constituted a 16-member committee which will suggest a roadmap for developing corporate bond market in the country. The 'Corporate Bonds & Securitisation Advisory Committee' would be chaired by RH Patil, chairman of Clearing Corporation of India (CCIL), the regulator said in a statement. The committee, which includes representatives from the Sebi, RBI and independent experts, would advise the regulator on development of corporate bond market and the market for securitised instruments in the country. Members of the committee include Nimesh N Kampani (Chairman, JM Financial),...

Read more »

India’s gold demand to grow to 1,200 tonnes by 2020: WGC

Mumbai, : Gold demand in India will continue to grow and is likely to reach 1,200 tonnes or approximately Rs 2.5 trillion by 2020, at current price levels, according to a research by World Gold Council (WGC). “The rise of India as an economic power will continue to have gold at its heart. India already occupies a unique position in the world gold market, and as private wealth in India surges over the next ten years, so will Indian demand for gold,” WGC Managing Director, India and the Middle East, Mr Ajay Mitra said in a statement here. Indian gold demand has grown 25 per cent despite 400 per cent price rise of the rupee in the last decade,...

Read more »

Govt relaxes FDI norms to boost inflow of overseas capital

To boost FDI inflows, government on Thursady provided greater flexibility to Indian firms to raise overseas capital and scrapped norms that required a foreign company to obtain its domestic JV partner's approval for making investments in same field outside the joint venture. Under the new norms, Indian companies have been allowed to issue equity against import of capital goods. The rules also liberalise conditions for seeking foreign investment for production and development of agriculture seeds and planting material. The facility of conversion of capital goods import into equity was earlier available only to companies raising external commercial...

Read more »

Abhishek, Kangana To Pair In RGV's Department

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut  will act  opposite Abhishek Bachchan as his better half in Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Department’, says a media report. RGV said, “I wondered why we haven’t worked together as yet! Kangna very much fits into my vision as a filmmaker. She is intense and emotional on screen. I’ve wanted to work with her, from the time she appeared in ‘Gangster’ and ‘Woh Lamhe’. But I didn’t want to cast her in anything insignificant. The role had to justify her presence.” Sanjay Dutt and Amitabh Bachchan will aslo be a part of the project. Kangna is the only female lead in the film. “It is very much a guys’ film, with...

Read more »

Mixed Reaction In Bollywood To Shiney's Conviction For Rape

Mumbai: From surprise, sympathy, criticism to faith in judiciary, actor Shiney Ahuja’s conviction in a rape case has evoked mixed reaction in film fraternity. The 38-year-old actor, who made his debut in 2003 in Sudhir Mishra’s critically acclaimed ‘Hazaaron Khwahishein Aisi’, was yesterday sentenced to seven-year rigorous jail term by a court here for raping his maid in 2009. Shiney has pleaded innocence and will challenge the conviction. “I was surprised with the verdict as even after the maid retracted her statement (denying rape charge), the court pronounced him guilty. I have interacted with him and he did not come across as a person...

Read more »

SRK's 'Ishaan' Launches Music Album

Mumbai : Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment’s musical television teen drama ‘Ishaan’ has launched its music album. Disney Channel’s popular television series, ‘Ishaan’ launched its new music album on March 29. The album comprises nine exciting tracks featured on Ishaan and special bonus track from the original king of Disco Bappi Lahiri. The album features peppy tracks sung by young artists Nikhil D’souza, Remo Ghosh, Debopriya Bannerjee, Rajiv Sndaresan, Kaizad Gerda and Pawni Pandey. “'Ishaan' is the first locally produced musical for teens on Indian television and for the first time a television show’s music is...

Read more »

WWW Inventor Demands International Regulation

Hyderabad : The international regulation of internet, which is yet to take shape, may have a multi-stakeholder system once it is formed, inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee said today. Berners-Lee, who is the director of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), a body that sets benchmarks and standards for the Internet, said a lot of discussions and deliberations are underway on various aspects of internet regulation and the implementation of the same in different countries. “At the moment a lot of discussion is going on whether international governance (on internet) should be through the countries or if it should be done independently....

Read more »

US Gives Thumbs Up To PM's Cricket Diplomacy

Washington : The US today welcomed the cricket diplomacy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying expansion of dialogue between India and Pakistan is a welcome and encouraging development for the region and the world. “The expansion of dialogue between India and Pakistan is a welcome and encouraging development for both countries, for the region, and for the world. It builds on the substantial progress achieved by the Interior and Home Secretaries earlier this week,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. “The United States congratulates the people of Pakistan and India on the cricket match between the two nations’ teams, and their respective...

Read more »

Pak PM Hails Mohali Talks As 'Milestone'

Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today described his interaction with the Indian leadership in Mohali as a “milestone” in opening a new chapter of good neighbourly relations and cooperation. Gilani, in an official statement issued by his office today, said the World Cup semi-final match in Mohali provided a “very useful opportunity to the leadership of Pakistan and India to get together and discuss the whole gamut of bilateral relations”. “The Prime Minister has termed his interaction with the Indian leadership as a milestone on the way of opening up a new chapter of good neighbourly relations and cooperation between the...

Read more »

Hasan Ali Approaches SC, Fails To Get Relief

New Delhi : Pune-based stud-farm owner Hasan Ali Khan, accused of money-laundering and stashing away huge amounts in foreign banks, today approached the Supreme Court challenging a lower court’s order allowing the ED to interrogate him in its office while being in judicial custody. An apex court bench, however, refused to entertain Khan’s plea saying he has not filed any application or petition before it against the lower court order and it cannot pass any order on the basis of oral submission. Advocate Santosh Paul, appearing for Khan, orally brought matter to the notice of a bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar, that the order...

Read more »

Over Rs 1,600 Cr Loss In Contracts For CWG Venues: Shunglu

New Delhi : “It appears as if to economise was criminal and to splurge was civil.” This was the observation made by the high-level Shunglu Committee which found a loss of over Rs 1,600 crore in construction and renovation of venues for Commonwealth Games by different government agencies. In its fourth report on Games venues, the Committee has blamed senior officials of civic and construction government agencies like Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Public Works Department (PWD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and RITES among others for inordinate delays, inflated prices and rigged tender process. The...

Read more »

Delhi Police Announces Reward In Neetu Sonlanki's Murder

New Delhi : Delhi Police today announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for those who help investigators in arresting a 30-year-old man who allegedly murdered his woman companion and left her body in a bag near New Delhi railway station here last month. City Police Commissioner B K Gupta announced the reward for those who provide information regarding Raju Gehlot, who is accused in the murder of a law graduate Neetu Solanki on February 10 and dumped her body. “The reward is for Rs 50,000. It hold good for a period of one year with immediate effect for any one who may give any information about the accused,” a senior police official said. The accused...

Read more »

Cancer can be thrown away by an aspirin

There is a counting of millions across India to reduce them of pain. They must be guarded against heart disease and cardiac arrest. Moreover it is that cancer can be avoided by having a single pill low dose aspirin daily. This is found by a new research. On Tuesday, scientists have discovered there may be 20% lower chance of being diagnosed and dying of various types of cancer by having low-dose Aspirin - just 75 mg daily to those who take it, it was found while researching in the Lancet. But they may have cancers who don't take it. Dr Peter Rothwell from the Oxford University who has made a team has researched over 25,000 patients in eight...

Read more »

Hastings hospice opened again after 6 months

A Hastings hospice that had been compelled to shut down half a year ago will re-start its inpatient palliative care service. The Hawke's Bay District Health Board had taken control of Cranford Hospice in May after an independent audit had come across a dysfunctional relationship between the staff and a disapproving working environment. Around 50 hospice and hospital staff attended a thanksgiving service on Monday at the Hawke's Bay hospital's chapel. The ceramic guardian angel of Cranford, which has embraced the palliative care patients into the hospital since May, was later ceremonially given back to the Cranford board. According to the...

Read more »

Cancer can be thrown away by an aspirin

There is a counting of millions across India to reduce them of pain. They must be guarded against heart disease and cardiac arrest. Moreover it is that cancer can be avoided by having a single pill low dose aspirin daily. This is found by a new research. On Tuesday, scientists have discovered there may be 20% lower chance of being diagnosed and dying of various types of cancer by having low-dose Aspirin - just 75 mg daily to those who take it, it was found while researching in the Lancet. But they may have cancers who don't take it. Dr Peter Rothwell from the Oxford University who has made a team has researched over 25,000 patients in eight...

Read more »

No details from Apple as Steve Jobs, goes on medical leave

Steve Jobs, who has been suffering from pancreatic cancer for quite sometime now, went out on a medical leave. But no details were given by Apple as to what the real situation is. And when there is no declared successor to Steve, the situation becomes even more critical. Steve is 55 years old and has been waiting for a treatment. He has already gone through a liver transplant in 2009 and does not seem to have clearly come out of it. And experts have finally given their opinion saying that he is in dire need of personalized medical treatment. Way back in 2004, the doctors had removed islet cell neuroendocrine tumor from his pancreas. The tumor...

Read more »

Venghai team goes to Malaysia!

Director Hari has finished canning several scenes and songs in Karaikudi, Munnar for Venghai and the latest is that he will move to Malaysia for the final schedule. Some very important scenes will be canned in Malaysia with the leads. After this, the shooting of the film will be over as both songs and talkie portion will be done with. Venghai (meaning Leopard) has Dhanush and Tamannah in the lead. It has some foot tapping numbers from Devi Sri Prasad and is being eagerly awaited. Will Venghai beat Singam, Siruthai and Singam Puli? Let us wait and watch...

Read more »

Suriya and Shruthi shoot in Chennai

Shooting for AR Murugadoss's 7am Arivu is happening in Chennai for some days now. The scenes are being canned on the streets of Chennai at night time. Recently a few scenes were shot inside the IIT Complex on Sardar Patel Road at night and Suriya and Shruthi Hassan were a part of the scenes that were being shot. The film is said to have a crucial flashback sequence and this will involve a Chinese song to be sung by a famous Chinese singer in Harris Jayaraj's tune. The movie was shot in Thailand and Chennai is the previous schedules and it is said to have come out very well. We hope the shooting is wrapped up soon and the film releases by Ju...

Read more »

Erandaam Ulagam going in fast pace

The shooting of Selvaraghavan's next film Erandaam Ulagam starring Dhanush and Andrea is going on in a fast pace. Selvaraghavan wants to finish Erandaam Ulagam soon so that he can move on to his venture with Kamal Hassan. The final schedule of EU will start on the 11th of April where 4 songs and some of the talkie portion is to be canned. The film is said to be about married couple and how their lives were before marriage. Music is being scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja and expectations are very high. U TV which is producing and distributing the film will start promotions after the shoot and the movie should hopefully release in June like plann...

Read more »

Rana shooting begins today!

Shooting for Superstar Rajinikanth’s Rana with KS Ravikumar began today at AVM studios. It was a simple affair without much fanfare considering that it is a Rajinikanth film. The leading lady Deepika Padukone is very happy to be a part of the Superstar's movie. She will be providing the glam quotient in Rana. This movie will be a joint venture between Eros International and Ocher Studios. KS Ravikumar has collaborated successfully with Rajini previously with Muthu and Padayappa both going on to become super duper hits. The expectations are soaring as the director is considered by many to be the King of commercial cinema while Rajini is the ...

Read more »

Floods strand tourists

More than 200 Australian travellers have been stranded in southern Thailand as mudslides and floodwaters claimed more than a dozen lives in eight provinces. Australians were among tourists isolated on the resort island of Koh Samui, where flooding closed the airport and heavy seas halted ferries. Thai media reported that a massive mudslide on Wednesday in the mainland province of Krabi left up to 15 people dead, while the Royal Thai Navy led the rescue of tourists (left) from the flood-ravaged island of Koh Tao in nearby Surat Thani province. Advertisement: Story continues below Further landslides and possible flooding are expected in the...

Read more »

Libya foreign minister Moussa Koussa must face atrocities trial, rebels declare

Libya's rebel leadership has called for Moussa Koussa, the former Libyan foreign minister who has defected to the UK, to be returned for trial for murder and crimes against humanity after Muammar Gaddafi is toppled. Mustafa Gheriani, a spokesman for the revolutionary council in its de facto capital, Benghazi, said that the rebels were not bent on revenge against the regime's officials but that some of Gaddafi's closest associates "have a lot of blood on their hands" and must stand trial. The British foreign secretary, William Hague, has said that Britain is not offering Koussa immunity from prosecution. Hague called for other regime figures...

Read more »

Libyan rebels 'too weak' to defeat Gaddafi

THE Libyan rebels are so poorly organised that they cannot defeat Muammar Gaddafi without arms or training, British official sources say. British Prime Minister David Cameron admitted his government was considering arming them following talks in London with Libyan opposition leaders, despite having previously indicated this might not be possible under the terms of arms sanctions imposed on Libya. Concern is growing after rebel forces were forced to retreat again and surrendered several towns in the face of heavy resistance from troops loyal to the regime. Advertisement: Story continues below However, there are fears that any move to arm the...

Read more »

Indian census results: 1.21 billion people or or 17 percent of world population

NEW DELHI — India is now home to 17 percent of the world’s people as its population climbed to 1.21 billion this year, though growth actually slowed for the first time in 90 years, census officials said Thursday. The South Asian nation — second only to China in number of people — added 181 million in the past decade, said C. Chandramouli, the census commissioner. That increase alone is nearly the entire population of Brazil United Nations projections show that India could overtake China and its 1.34 billion people as the world’s most populous nation by 2030, though Chandramouli said a more rigorous analysis of data would be needed before India made its own projections. India’s population is now nearly equal to the combined populations of the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Japan, Bangladesh,...

Read more »

DMDK chief Vijayakanth assaults party worker

Chennai:  Actor-turned-politician Vijayakanth, who is also the chief of DMDK, has stirred up a controversy after he was seen allegedly assaulting his party candidate at an election rally in Tamil Nadu. Vijayakanth, whose DMDK is a constituent of the Jayalalithaa's AIADMK-led alliance, allegedly beat up his Dharmapuri candidate in full public glare while canvassing votes from an open vehicle. The victim was in charge of the public address system at the poll rally. Vijayakanth allegedly hit him when the microphone failed. The entire episode was captured in a video that was later aired on his Captain TV channel. A defiant Vijayakanth later...

Read more »