Oil climbs above $116, central bank meetings spur stimulus hopes

SINGAPORE: Brent futures rose for a fourth day in Asia on Tuesday, reaching more than $116 per barrel on persistent hopes for stimulus measures from central banks in the United States and Europe, with key policy meetings this week and next.
Prices were also underpinned by expectations that weak data from China, the world's second-biggest oil consumer, would prompt Beijing to ease policy further, while festering tension between Iran and Israel added support.
The European Commercial Bank meets on Thursday and U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers will begin a two-day gathering on September 12.
"A lot of today's move is on expectations of stimulus, with the ECB and Fed meetings coming up," said Tony Nunan, an oil risk manager at Mitsubishi Corp in Tokyo. "That, and the steady drumbeat of news from Iran and the tensions with Israel, is keeping the heat under the market."
Front-month Brent futures had risen 23 cents to $116.01 per barrel by 0421 GMT. The contract had earlier climbed as high as $116.36, a few cents short of a three-week high.
U.S. crude futures added 72 cents to $97.19, although U.S. markets were closed on Monday for the Labor Day holiday. They could revisit the August 23 high of $98.29 as they have broken above resistance at $96.54.
CHINA WEAKNESS
China's vast manufacturing sector contracted in August, strengthening the view that the slowdown in the economy may extend into the third quarter.
Inflation and industrial data are due on Sunday, while trade numbers will be released on Monday, which may give a clearer picture of the state of the Chinese economy.
Complicating matters, the country's political leadership is set to change hands in a once-in-a-decade transition later this year.
"The steady bad numbers from China indicate beyond a doubt that growth is slowing, and with the change of guard coming up there will be pressure on the authorities to stimulate the economy," said Nunan.
In the short-term, however, investors are awaiting the outcome of the ECB meeting on Thursday. The bank is expected to give some details on a bond-buying scheme to help its crisis-ridden members.
Strengthening those expectations, ECB Chairman Mario Draghi told European lawmakers that the bank's purchases of short-term debt would not breach European Union rules, according to a recording obtained by Reuters.
"Investors are beginning to piece together a scenario under which ECB bond purchases will be limited to shorter maturities," said Ric Spooner, chief market analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney. "Any such arrangement could remove short-term funding problems as a source of immediate concern for markets."
There are also hopes that the Fed, which meets next week, will provide further hints on whether it is leaning toward a third round of quantitative easing, or QE3, as the minutes of its last meeting suggested.
Traders however are not betting on a QE3 announcement on September 13. A poll of 61 economists last week gave a 45 percent chance of an announcement of QE3 after the September meeting.
IRAN, ISRAEL
Investors are also monitoring developments in the Middle East, with a focus on rising tensions between Iran and Israel.
Iran has built about 30 percent of a missile defense system it is developing in place of the Russian S-300 system Moscow refused to sell to the country, and hopes to complete the system by next year, a senior military official said on Monday.
Under mounting pressure from Israel and Western powers over its controversial nuclear program, Iran has unveiled upgrades to weapons systems and held several military exercises this year to demonstrate its ability to defend itself.
Separately, the leader of Lebanon's Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah said on Monday that Iran could hit U.S. bases in the Middle East in response to any Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities, even if American forces played no role in the attack. – AGENCIES

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Australia beat Pakistan to win series

SHARJAH: Australia have won the third ODI against Pakistan here today by three wickets leaving the green shirts dejected after they put a decent total of 244 on the board, SAMAA reports. The Kangaroos won the series 2-1.

Pakistan set 245 runs target for Australia after being put to bat in hot conditions. Australians completed the chase with 18 balls remaining, thanks to sloppy fielding by Misbah’s teammates and brilliant 65 by Michael Hussey.

Hussey who made 65, was awarded the Man of the Match. Pakistan had their chances too. They didn't review against Hussey when he was plumb in front on zero. He turned the game around with Maxwell and Wade.

The star spinner, Saeed Ajmal again proved dangerous for the Aussies taking three wickets in nine overs while conceding just 37 runs.

Michael Clarke hailed his batsmen for star performance in such tough conditions. "Can't have been prouder of the guys. Maxwell is a wonderful talent, today is a great example of a team performance. To be able to chase those runs against that attack is special."

Misbah-ul-Haq admitted wasting advantage of good opening partnership. "The way we started, 15-20 runs short at the end. If I had continued with Ajmal, it could have been a different result."

Pakistani openers Muhammad Hafiz and Nasir Jamshed played very well and provided sound base for green shirts to carry on innings honorably.

Nasir Jamshed scored 46 runs and he was caught by wade on Johnson’s ball in 27th over. Pakistan’s first wicket fell on 129 runs.

Muhammad Hafiz continued playing and scoring smartly but finally he was lbw by Clarke in 33rd over when he was playing at score of 78 runs.

After Nasir Jamshed’s dismissal, Shahid Afridi came to join Hafiz but he was caught by Maxwell near boundary while hitting a high shot on Johnson’s ball in 29th over. Shahid Afridi returned to pavilion after scoring seven runs only.

Asad Shafiq scored 27 runs, Misbah 25 runs, Umar Akmal did not score any run, Kamran Akmal 2 runs, Azhar Ali 27 runs and Abdul Rehman 12 scored 12 runs.

Azhar Ali and Abdul Rehman both were batting when 50 overs of Pakistani innings completed. Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan did not bat.

Australian bowlers added 18 runs as extras in Pakistani score. Australian bowler MA Starc took 4 wickets against 51 runs while MG Johnson took two wickets against 33 runs. Another bowler MJ Clarke bowled only two overs and took one wicket against 3 runs. - SAMAA

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Joker: The joke is on you

 MUMBAI: Akshay Kumar, wearing an outrageous hat, is dancing with a long-haired, ash-smeared, nearly naked holy man perched on his shoulders. At times, Kumar pats the man’s stomach even as the “baba” waves a “We Love Aliens” placard. No one will blame you if you ask — What exactly is going on here?

But hold your breath, for such moments will be too many to count and by the time you see an alien dancing to an item number, your brain will be numb and nothing in life will make sense except the neon EXIT sign that will seem like the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Joker” has Akshay Kumar playing Agastya, a scientist working for NASA who returns to his native village when he learns that his father is unwell. We are told Paglapur is missing from the map of India because the British officer who was supposed to survey it ran away on learning that escaped mental patients had taken over the village (yes, really).

Since then, Paglapur has been untraceable and has no electricity, no water or basic healthcare, but wait a minute, it does have a super-fast internet connection that allows the characters to watch live news, without buffering, on a shiny new Macbook Pro. In such situations, you have to look at the brighter side of life.

So Agastya, in order to put his town on the map, wants to create a crop circle, which will ensure media attention on the village and bring in progress. Director Shirish Kunder’s definition of progress, by the way, is a McDonalds outlet and a computer showroom.

When an old rival usurps that plan by proving that crop circles are man-made, he comes up with another — pretend that aliens have invaded the village and make the villagers fashion alien costumes out of vegetables. If only they had worked at actually trying to make a living, perhaps they wouldn’t be living in such penury, but of course such details don’t bother Kunder.

There is the FBI, the White House, an entire battalion of army tanks and soldiers, and even an actual UFO in the rigmarole and none of it is remotely coherent.

It would be a shame to even talk about technical aspects in the film except to say that I am thankful this movie wasn’t released in 3D as was originally announced. The special effects are slightly better than those on display at a school fancy dress parade. Akshay Kumar sleepwalks through the role and Sonakshi Sinha seems placed just to ask obvious questions and look demure.

If you choose to watch this movie for whatever reason, be warned dear viewer, the joke is on you. AGENCIES

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Exercise, meds both help depressed heart patients

NEW YORK: People with heart disease who are also depressed may get as much relief from their depression symptoms with regular exercise as with medication, according to a U.S. study.

Researchers writing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that of 101 heart patients with signs of depression, those who exercised for 90 minutes per week and those who started taking Zoloft both improved significantly compared to participants assigned to drug-free placebo pills.

Pharmaceutical firm Pfizer supplied the Zoloft, known generically as sertraline, and placebos for the study, but researchers said the company was not involved with any other part of it.

Alan Rozanski, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study, said exercise can be thought of as another "potent tool on the shelf" to fight depression in heart patients.

"The attractiveness of exercise is that it has so many other physical benefits and it ought to be something very highly considered," said Rozanski, of St. Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York.

According to the study authors, up to 40 percent of heart patients have symptoms of depression, and depression itself has been linked to a higher risk of further heart trouble.

Past studies have produced mixed results on whether or not antidepressants or other established treatments may ease depression in heart patients, but there is a growing body of research that suggests exercise may help.

On Tuesday, researchers published a separate study of over 2,300 people with heart failure randomly assigned to exercise or usual care, which found the extra activity led to modest reductions in depression symptoms.

"We wanted to evaluate exercise and antidepressant medications in patients with heart disease and elevated depressive symptoms," said James Blumenthal, the lead researcher on both the current study and the earlier report.

Blumenthal, a clinical psychologist at Duke University medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, recruited 101 heart patients with depression between June 2006 and September 2010.

Those patients were separated into three groups. 37 went to supervised exercise sessions three times per week for a total of 90 minutes, 40 were given Zoloft and 24 took a placebo, with each intervention lasting four months.

The researchers analyzed participants' depression scores on a standard scale from 0 to 68, where 0 to 8 is considered normal and higher scores reflect more severe depression.

Before the start of treatment, each group's average score ranged from about 13.5 to 14.5.

Depression symptoms improved across the board over time, but participants in the exercise and medication groups saw a bigger benefit than those on the placebo.

Scores fell by 6.1 points in the Zoloft group, by 7.5 points among exercisers and by 4.5 points in the placebo group.

Exercisers were also less likely to be tired or report sexual problems than people on antidepressants, the researchers said. - REUTERS

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Psychological distress can lower life expectancy: Study

A new study conducted by the British researchers indicates that people who suffer from mild mental diseases such as anxiety or depression are more likely to die early.

According to the study, funded by independent charity Wellcome Trust, that was published in the British Medical Journal, scientists found a link between psychological distress and death.

A team of researchers from the University College London and Edinburgh University followed the case by analyzing the premature deaths from conditions such as heart disease and cancer of 68,000 people in England from 1994 to 2004.

People who experienced symptoms of anxiety or depression on a standardized scale had a higher risk of death from several causes, including cardiovascular disease, than those without any such symptoms, the researchers found after reviewing the survey data and death certificates.

The result suggested that low-level distress raised the risk by 16 percent, while more serious problems increased it by 67 percent, though lifestyle factors such as drinking and smoking were taken into account.

"While this study looks at depression and anxiety, people with severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia die, on average, 20 years earlier than the rest of us," said chief executive of the charity Rethink Paul Jenkins. (APP)

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Tobacco use entrenched in developing countries

 PARIS: Tobacco use is massively entrenched in developing countries, where one of the biggest worries is the rise of smoking among women, according to a study published on Friday in The Lancet.

A survey of 16 countries that are home to three billion people found that 48.6 percent of all men and 11.3 percent of women are tobacco users, especially in poorer economies, where more girls are starting to smoke early and often at the same age as boys.

The data trawl covered a survey of tobacco habits among people aged over 15 in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam, as well as Britain, Poland, Russia and the United States, from 2008 to 2010.

The surveys covered smoking as well as chewing tobacco - an oral carcinogenic that is especially popular in India, with 205 million users - and snuff.

Topping the table was Russia, where 39.1 percent of all over-15s used tobacco, followed by Turkey (31.2 percent), Poland (30.3 percent), the Philippines (28.2 percent) and China, with 28.1 percent.

By comparison, prevalence in Britain was 21.7 percent and 19.9 percent in the United States.

Policies to discourage or restrict tobacco use are few and flawed in many countries, according to the study, headed by Gary Giovino from the University at Buffalo in New York state.

In low income countries, for every $9,100 received in tobacco taxes, only $1 was spent on tobacco control.

At present, the proportion of deaths from tobacco is greatest in rich countries, where 18 percent of deaths are attributable to tobacco use, compared to 11 percent in middle-income countries and four percent in low income countries.

But smoking rates have been rising steadily in poorer countries and falling in rich ones, so these positions are likely to change, the study said.

On current trends, as many as a billion people could die prematurely from tobacco use during this century, the study said, citing estimates by World Health Organisation experts. (AFP)

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Tobacco smoke tied to flu complications in kids

NEW YORK: Kids hospitalized with the flu are more likely to need intensive care and a longer stay if they've been exposed to second-hand smoke at home, a small new study finds.

Analyzing the records of more than 100 kids hospitalized with flu in New York state, researchers found those exposed to second-hand smoke were five times more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit and required a 70 percent longer stay in the hospital, compared to the kids not exposed to smoke.

"People are being a bit complacent and thinking that because they don't see smoking as often…that it's not a problem anymore," said Dr. Karen Wilson, of Children's Hospital Colorado, in Aurora, who led the study. "But we still need to be vigilant about protecting kids from second-hand smoke."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, passive smoking causes ear infection, breathing problems and lung infections in children, and leads to the hospitalization of up to 15,000 children under the age of 18 months every year.

The new work is the first study to look at the effect of second-hand smoke on kids with influenza, however.

Wilson and her team looked at hospital records for 117 kids admitted for influenza to a New York hospital between 2002 and 2009.

Second-hand smoke exposure was reported on the charts of 40 percent of the kids - slightly lower than the 53 percent national exposure rate for kids under 11 estimated by the CDC in 2008.

During the seven-year study, researchers found that overall, 18 percent of the flu-affected kids were admitted to intensive care, and six percent needed to be intubated with a breathing tube. On average, kids stayed in the hospital for two days.

When Wilson and her team compared the kids who had been exposed to second-hand smoke to those who weren't, they found that 30 percent of smoke-exposed kids needed intensive care versus 10 percent of unexposed kids. Intubation was required for 13 percent of smoke-exposed kids, compared to one percent of those from a smoke-free home.

Hospital stays were up to 70 percent longer for smoke-exposed kids, with kids staying in for four days on average, compared with 2.4 days in non-exposed kids. If kids had a chronic illness as well as the flu, their length of stay increased to about 10 days, on average, if they had been breathing second-hand smoke, versus about three days in non-exposed sick kids.

"We've known that (second-hand smoke) is bad for children in a whole variety of ways," said Dr. Susan Coffin, who has studied flu complications in children at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "With this (study) we see that smoke exposure not only increases risk of hospitalization but it specifically makes the course of illness worse."

The small study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, does have limitations. The authors note in their report, for instance, that children with severe illnesses may have been screened more frequently for smoke exposure, leading to an underestimate of how many kids were exposed to smoke.

Still, the findings do point to a need for better screening when kids with the flu are seen in the ER, researchers said.

"If you have a child who comes into the hospital and they are exposed to tobacco smoke, they have more risk of going on to develop more severe illness," Wilson told Reuters Health. Knowing that kids are at increased risk could help physicians make better treatment decisions, she added.

For Wilson, it's critical that children don't end up in the ER in the first place.

"This is a preventable cause of severe flu, and it's sad that children are in a position to be exposed even though these serious complications can occur," said Wilson.

"Obviously not smoking and protecting children from smoke won't stop them from getting influenza, but it may help it from becoming a severe illness or (preventing) complications that we sometimes see," she added (REUTERS)

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How to Fight Face Puffiness ?

If you have a puffy face this frequently means that you are dehydrated, ate too much salt, have PMS or didn't get enough sleep. Expel inflates and get back to being beautiful with a few natural therapies.

Drinking Water

If you aren't drinking at least eight glasses of water a day, you may be dehydrated. Too much alcohol or caffeine may also be to blame, so replace those beverages with pure water for a day or two to see if that sends the puffiness packing.

Cold Water Compress

If late-night partying or studying keeps you from getting your beauty sleep, the lack may show in your face. When you wake up with a puffy face or eyes, turn to simple, cold water to remedy the problem. Soak a clean washcloth with cold water and wring it out. Place the wet cloth in a plastic bag and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for a half an hour or more. Place the cool cloth over your face and eyes for several minutes to get rid of the puffiness.

Cucumber Slices

For mornings when you wake up with tired, puffy eyes, use cucumber as a cure. Cut a chilled cucumber into round slices and place them over your eyes as you relax

Herbal Tea Bags
The bag from your morning cup of tea may be just the answer to eye puffiness. Place chilled tea bags over your eyes for 10 minutes to immediately reduce that unflattering puffy look. Herbal teas such as chamomile soothe your eyes with anti-inflammatory properties.



Source: www.secrets7days.com

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Whiter Teeth Just At Home

By: May Rostom


We all want a great set of pearly whites. Whiter teeth boosts your confidence, lets you smile more and makes you over completely. Of course visiting the doctor to get them bleached would cost you a considerable amount of money, but trust me it’s worth every penny. Those of you, who hate going to the dentist’s office, try these home remedies today.

1. Baking powder: it’s been there for centuries and people have tried it at least once in their lives, baking soda works wonders with stained teeth. Just add water, brush your teeth, leave it on for 3 minutes, then rinse (tastes really bad though).

2. Salt and lemon: well, lemon and salt should taste better than the soda but be careful getting it on your gums; it might irritate them. Mix equal parts of lemon and salt to make a paste, then rub it on your teeth and leave it over night.

3. Orange peel: polish your teeth three times a day using the white side of the peel for a shiny set of teeth. Just make sure you don’t have any sores or sensitivity against citrus fruits (same goes to the lemon and salt paste.)

4. Strawberries: some people (Catherine Zeta Jones) claim that strawberries give a teeth whitening effect despite being red so give it a try, you can always swallow the strawberries if it doesn’t work.

5. Apple cider vinegar: being a weak acid, this kind of vinegar will whiten your teeth. It doesn’t taste so good so hold your breath while swishing it around your mouth. To go whiter, make a paste out of the vinegar, baking soda and salt (triple attack).

6. Teeth whitening kits: they’re inexpensive, available at major pharmacies and they're effective. Teeth whitening kits are available in many forms such as whitening gels, pens, strips and trays so ask your local pharmacist which would be best for you.

7. Saliva: some foods trigger saliva secretion, for example apples, pears, carrots, and sugar free gum. Saliva helps scrub off stains and neutralizes acids that cause tooth decay, so all in all saliva is good.

8. Prevention: prevention is key, steer clear from stuff like soda, chocolate, coffee, tea, cigarettes, and wine if you want to keep that brilliant glow. If you simply can’t resist, brush your teeth after every meal.

9. Floss: flossing should be part of your daily routine even if you don’t want whiter teeth. Flossing removes small food particles from in between your teeth and also helps remove the stains formed in those gaps.

10. Peroxide: using peroxide on your tooth brush is guaranteed to make your teeth whiter. Just consult your dentist first on the strength of the peroxide that should be used and be careful not to swallow it!

With these inexpensive tips, all you need to do now is SMILE.

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10 Makeup Tips for Better Pictures

Ever since the Tag button was introduced to Facebook, we all started worrying about our photos. We examine each and every tagged photo of ourselves closely to see whether it’s worthy of Facebook or not. We check our messy hair, the size of our butts, and even our runny eye-liner and accordingly decide whether we’re keeping it or untagging it. Here are 10 makeup tips that will ensure better pictures:

1.Apply makeup in Natural Light: indoor lighting can often mislead you and therefore resulting in over blushing or over powdering. Lighting is key when it comes to applying the right amount of makeup.

2.Use Yellow Powders: when it comes to photography, translucent powders and shimmery powders reflect light and therefore shine too much in pictures, that’s why yellow powders are the best.

3.Use flat colors: aka Mattes. Matte colors are ideal for not having shimmer and therefore not reflecting light onto your face.

4.Black Kohl and Mascara: most of us can’t leave the house without our Kohl pencil. Experts suggest using dark kohl and mascara to give contrast and make your eyes pop.

5.Blush and Bronze: without prominent cheek bones, your face will look pale and washed out in every picture. Red/pink shades for the apple, and earth tones (brown, bronze, golden, copper) for the cheekbones.

6.Lipstick: don't skip it. Lipstick adds contrast to the picture, especially when it’s one of the fashionable lipstick trends for this season. Try fluorescent orange, fushia, and Scarlett red.

7.Conceal your concealer: inadequately blending your concealer is one beauty blunder you should avoid. Using a concealer that is much lighter than your skin tone will only result in a grey under eye area. Look for a dark liquid concealer, and blend it with a light-colored loose powder.

8.Stay away from smokey eyes: avoid shadows over your face, especially under the lower eye lid. When facing the camera, look forward and chin up.

9.Bright Eyes: eliminate all red lines caused by stress by using eye drops (like Visine).

10.Highlight your features: using a bronzer, highlight your cheek bones and outer corners of your forehead and using a highlighting white shimmery powder highlight the front of your nose and brow bone.

Now that you have the basic tips to get you picture perfect, just remember; your smile is the most important thing about the picture.



Source: msn.com

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Looking great Without Makeup

It's good to give your skin a breather from wearing makeup, besides cutting out all this time spent in front of the mirror can actually give you some extra quality time.

•Concentrate on your skin care. The best way to go without makeup is if you've been taking great care of your skin, so you can show it off. If you're feeling confident about your skin you're going to feel good about going without makeup as well. So exercise, drink plenty of water and eat lots of fruit and vegetable.

•Get a great cleanser, a very gentle exfoliate and a moisturizer with SPF.

•Get plenty of sleep every night. If you're well-rested, you won't need under-eye concealer or mascara to give yourself that fresh, wide-eyed look.

•Keep your hair and nails looking good so you don't look unkempt, even though you're not wearing makeup. Consider getting a manicure or get a blowout that you can wear for most of the week.

•Have your lip balm handy. If your lips look healthy and moisturized, you won't look scraggly.

•If you must have something on your face, try a tinted moisturizer with SPF. Clinique and Benefit make great ones. They offer moisture, a small amount of coverage and sunscreen -- makeup or no makeup, you should wear sunscreen everyday.


Home-made Treatments for fresh looking skin

Gentle facial exfoliator for sensitive skin: Oats and oatflakes have a gentle but deep cleansing action, and can correct skin imbalances, making them ideal for dry, irritated and sensitive skin.

This scrub can be used once or twice a week to get rid of the dead skin cells and to reveal more radiant skin underneath.

•2 heaping teaspoons fine oatmeal

•2 teaspoons heavy cream

Combine ingredients, apply to skin, and lightly rub using the balls of your fingers, then rinse off. Do not apply sustained pressure to any particular spot.

Cleansing mask: Honey is good for dislodging dead skin cells. It also has soothing, healing, emollient and mildly antiseptic properties. This makes this mask ideal for congested skin.


•2 heaping teaspoons gram flour [also known as chana flour, besan or chickpea flour]

•1 teaspoon water

•1 tea spoon honey

Mix to a thick, sticky consistency. Apply to affected areas and leave for five to seven minutes.


Source: www.msn.com

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