A Thought - Can India save the world?

Can India save the world?

Humanity is embarking on a bizarre journey into the future. Subconsciously, we all believe (or would like to believe) that we live in a rational, well-ordered universe. The reality is closer to the opposite. If this sounds unbelievable, consider the following analogy. Imagine 660 passengers boarding a ship that is sailing into unchartered waters. After boarding, all 660 retreat into their cabins. No captain or crew is taking care of the ship as a whole.

Sadly, this is a literal, not metaphorical description of how spaceship Earth is sailing into the future. Globalisation has shrunk the world. All 6.6 billion inhabitants now live in a single interdependent universe. From financial crises to health epidemics, from borderless terrorism to global warming, we are moving into a world where more global governance (not global government) is needed to manage the growing interdependence. Instead, precisely when more is needed, humanity is either shrinking or weakening global governance. This essay will explain why. It will also argue that perhaps only one country can solve this crisis — India.

Global governance is shrinking because the West, which spun a rich web of multilateral institutions and norms after World War II, is losing faith in multilateralism. The Western powers were happy to be custodians of the main rules and processes of the global order because they were convinced that a more rules-bound universe, accompanied by greater trade liberalisation, would benefit the Western economies the most since they had the world's most competitive economies. This conviction of economic superiority led the West to bring down trade barriers. They had no doubt that the West would win on an open economic playing field.

John F Kennedy illustrated this confidence when he said in 1962, "A more liberal trade policy will in general benefit our most efficient and expanding industries." The boundless optimism of Kennedy has been replaced by the boundless pessimism of Lou Dobbs, who is convinced that American workers cannot compete with Chinese or Indian workers. Sadly, Lou Dobbs is not an isolated phenomenon. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have joined the race to the bottom by declaring that each is more protectionist than the other. This reflects the new psyche of the American population. Europe is not much better.

If both America and Europe lose confidence in their ability to compete, how can they remain custodians of the rules that ensure fairness and equity? To be fair, humanity should thank both first for creating the 1945 rules-based order at the end of World War II. To understand how visionary the Western founding fathers of this order were, just contrast what they did after World War II with what was done after World War I. After World War I, the world order forced Germany and Japan to go to war as they tried to expand their political and economic space. After World War II, both Germany and Japan significantly expanded their political and economic space without going to war.

If humanity can sustain this 1945 rules-based order, this will enable both China and India to emerge as new great powers peacefully, just as Germany and Japan did. But there are differences now. Both Germany and Japan emerged when America and Europe (including Germany) believed that an open global order would naturally benefit the West. Today, China and India are emerging at a time when the West is losing faith in an open global order. This growing lack of faith explains the strange behaviour of both America and Europe towards global governance.

America has taken cynicism towards multilateralism to a whole new level. Just look at the issue of America and Iran. Every few months, America goes back to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to get a resolution against Iran. It hopes to use the legitimacy of the UN to send a message to Iran that the world disapproves of its behaviour. America is right. The UN does enjoy this legitimacy in the eyes of the world's population, despite the many flaws of the UN. But the world has also become sceptical of America's efforts to use the UN because America had violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the UN's principles by going to war in Iraq without an enabling UNSC resolution. Most international lawyers and Kofi Annan believe that the American invasion of Iraq was illegal. Can a violator of UN principles become an enforcer? Can a thief become a judge?

In an act of even greater cynicism, America sent an Ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, who believed that his mission was not to strengthen but to weaken the UN. He famously declared that "if the UN building lost ten stories, it wouldn't make a bit of difference".

A favourite American expression is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. There is also no such thing as cost-free cynicism. The rampant American cynicism towards the UN in particular and multilateralism in general could now dangerously erode and destroy the 1945 rules-based order when the world has never needed it more. Both China and India will be the biggest losers if this happens. Its destruction could well prevent and derail their peaceful re-emergence of both these great powers.

It is as difficult to explain the critical importance of multilateralism to a lay audience as it is to illustrate the importance of oxygen. We know that without oxygen we would suffocate but we only truly understand this if we are thrown into a room without oxygen. By then, it may be too late. Similarly, one reason why the world is a reasonably stable place is because a sea of norms has been created in all fields to manage growing global interdependence. This sea of norms is a valuable heritage that humanity has developed.

But no norms can survive on their own. Neither would a sea of norms. Norms need custodianship. With America and Europe losing faith in multilateral norms, the responsibility should pass on to the new rising powers, China and India, to maintain these norms. Indeed, both China and India want to preserve them, but only India can provide the leadership to do so. China cannot, for a simple geopolitical reason. The rise of India is not generating alarm in Washington DC. The rise of China is. Hence, China, in an effort to assuage American concerns, is deliberately trying to avoid assuming any kind of global leadership. When the Cancun trade meetings failed, Indian Trade and Industry Minister Kamal Nath could confidently explain India's position and challenge the American and European perspectives. The Chinese Trade Minister said nothing.

By default, the weight of global leadership may fall on India's shoulders. Fortunately, India is well-qualified to provide such leadership. Its credentials as the world's largest democracy; its open, tolerant and inclusive culture; its unique geopolitical and cultural position as a bridge between East and West provides it a unique opportunity to provide the leadership for forging new forms of global governance that spaceship Earth desperately needs as it sails into the future.

 

Kishore Mahbubani is Dean, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. He is the author of The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East.

Conquer Your Fear of Investing

Afraid to start investing? Here are five tricks to help you succeed. - By Erin Burt - Kplinger

Many of the most worthwhile things in life are scary at first. Consider, for example, going to school for the first time, falling in love, learning to drive, starting a family, figuring out your new Tivo...

Investing is no exception. The thought of possibly losing any money is a terrifying prospect. And the fact that today's economy has seen better days probably isn't helping those fears. Investing in the stock market has its risks. But if you give in to fear, you'll pass up some incredible opportunities -- ones that come with big dollar signs attached.

Now is actually a good time for young adults to bite the bullet and get started investing. Think of the market downturn as a clearance sale: It's a good idea to go shopping before prices climb again.

Bottom line: Surrendering to fear only holds you back. If you want to get ahead financially, you've got to invest in your future. Below are five common excuses and the strategies you'll need to overcome them.

 

FEAR: I don't want to lose all my money.

CONQUER IT: Diversify.

If your investments are too heavily weighted in one stock or even one particular kind of stock, you can deep-six your savings goal. (Remember the tech bubble?) Mutual funds are a good way to achieve instant diversification because they allow you to invest in dozens of stocks within a single fund.

One of the quickest ways to diversify if you're new to investing is with a fund of funds such as T. Rowe Price's Spectrum Growth (symbol PRSGX). It invests in ten T. Rowe Price stock funds. The Fidelity, T. Rowe Price and Vanguard target retirement funds are also fine choices. Or, if you'd like something a little more conservative in this uncertain market, go for a so-called "balanced" fund that owns stocks as well as bonds, such as Fidelity Balanced (FBALX). But bear in mind that, for long-term goals, stocks should earn you the highest return. (See The Beauty of Balance to learn more about balanced funds.)

 

FEAR: How will I know the best time to invest?

CONQUER IT: Dollar-cost-average.

There's no crystal ball that tells you exactly when the market will rise and fall. The trick is to invest regularly no matter what the market is doing. A simple strategy called dollar-cost averaging eliminates the guesswork. By investing a fixed dollar amount at regular intervals, such as every month or every quarter, you smooth out the ups and downs of the market. This trick takes out all the emotion -- it's scary to invest when the market's falling, for example -- and investing becomes much less daunting.

Mutual funds are, again, a great investment for dollar-cost averaging because you aren't charged a commission each time you buy (like you are for individual stocks).

 

FEAR: I'm too queasy for the ups and downs of investing.

CONQUER IT: Ignore your investments.

When you obsess over how your investment is doing from day to day or week to week, you could be more tempted to tinker with it instead of sticking to your long-term diversified plan. Not to mention, you'll probably lose sleep.

That's not to say you shouldn't ever reevaluate your investment choices. Just don't fixate on them. See When to Make a Clean Break From Your Funds to learn when it's time to say goodbye.

 

FEAR: I don't have the time or knowledge to manage a portfolio well.

CONQUER IT: All-in-one funds or index funds.

Think simple. When you start investing and aren't sure what you're doing, don't pretend you do. Truth is, most actively managed mutual funds don't beat their market benchmarks. If those fund managers have the time, the education and the motivating paycheck and they can't pull it off, don't worry if you're afraid you can't either.

Go with one of the aforementioned target funds or funds of funds to achieve instant diversification. Or assemble a simple index fund portfolio. Index funds don't try to beat the market benchmarks, they match them. Put 75% of your money into a fund that tracks the overall U.S. stock market, such as Fidelity Total Market Index Fund (FSTMX) and 25% into one that tracks international stocks, such as Fidelity Spartan International Index (FSIIX). Then let 'em ride. As your investments rise and fall, all you'll have to do is realign your money every year or so to maintain the proper weighting in each fund. See Do It Yourself Portfolios for more index fund strategies.

One more way to set it and forget it: Sign up with your broker or fund company to have your regular contributions automatically withdrawn from your bank account.

 

FEAR: What if I need the money?

CONQUER IT: Set clear goals and choose your investments accordingly.

Before you start investing, write down what you're investing for and when you think you'll need the money.

If you'll need the money within the next three to five years, preservation is your number-one aim. Put that money somewhere safe and accessible such as a money-market mutual fund or a high-yield online savings account. You could also opt for a bank certificate of deposit. But bear in mind your money is locked in for the term of the CD, and you'll pay a hefty penalty if you need to cash out early.

If you're investing for the long term, growth is your goal. Invest that money in a broad-based mutual fund that holds mostly stocks. If disaster strikes and you really need the money, you can cash out at any time -- but you'll have to pay taxes on the money you made.

How young consumers could shape Vietnam’s banks - McK

This small but lively banking market encompasses the region’s largest generation gap in attitudes toward banking.

Nigel P. Andrade, Jens Lottner, and Christian Roland

Young adults, 21 to 29 years old, will play a large role in shaping Vietnam’s small but growing retail-banking market. These young consumers are less wary of borrowing, likelier to use remote channels, and more open to foreign banks than are their elders. And on most banking-related issues, the generation gap in preferences and attitudes is larger in Vietnam than in the 11 other Asian markets we examined as part of a study involving about 13,000 urban banking consumers across the continent.

Despite strong growth in recent years, retail banking in Vietnam remains small. Banking assets, for example, amounted to about $75 billion (some 123 percent of GDP) at the end of 2006, compared with $226 billion (110 percent) in Thailand and $302 billion (195 percent) in Malaysia. What’s more, less than 10 percent of Vietnamese have a banking relationship. But like the rest of the country’s economy, the banking sector is likely to continue its rapid expansion. Our analysis suggests that retail-banking revenues could grow by more than 25 percent annually over the next five to ten years—one of the highest rates of increase in Asia—thanks to a vibrant economy with growth approaching that of India and China, rising household income, and the current low penetration of banking services.

To clarify the factors that might shape Vietnam’s nascent financial sector, we surveyed about 400 of the country’s banking consumers as part of our 2007 Asian personal-financial-services study. The pool represents urban households with annual incomes of more than 57 million dong, or about $3,500—almost 70 percent of the population of the cities.

Already, Vietnamese banking consumers 21 to 29 years of age hold, on average, more products than their elders do: 2.3 per respondent, compared with 1.9. Ninety-one percent of the young adults had savings accounts, compared with 55 percent of the respondents 30 years or older. Eighty-nine percent owned debit cards, compared with an average of 40 percent among the rest of our survey pool. In addition, young adults were much more willing than their elders to use remote-banking channels, such as telephones or the Internet (Exhibit 1), if banks could address their security concerns. In fact, the gap between young adults and the rest was much greater in Vietnam than in other Asian countries we surveyed. When we asked Vietnamese consumers whether they would use Internet banking in the future, for example, a 34-point gap separated young adults from those over 30, compared with 6 and 8 points in China and India, respectively.

Young adults were also more inclined to take out loans: 45 percent agreed that borrowing could improve their lifestyle, compared with 31 percent of the older adults. These young customers were also less likely than their elders to see borrowing as dangerous or unwise. On questions about loans, the generation gap was again much more pronounced in Vietnam than in the other countries in our study, including China and India (Exhibit 2).

State-owned banks hold more than two-thirds of Vietnam’s banking assets, deposits, and loans. But local private-sector banks, such as Asia Commercial Bank and Sacombank, have made inroads into this heavily contested sector and could gain further by tapping into the youthful enthusiasm we tracked. In addition, under Vietnam’s World Trade Organization commitments, the country agreed to open its banking sector to foreign banks in 2007. Foreign retail banks, though they still face obstacles, could benefit from latent demand once some of the restrictions facing them today—for instance, on the expansion of their branch networks—are eased.

Sixty percent of our respondents said that the entry of foreign banks into the country will be beneficial for them, with young adults (73 percent) particularly amenable to the idea. This finding reveals a greater openness to foreign banks than we saw in the other countries, where the percentage of those who felt that foreign banks would benefit them ranged from 22 percent (Taiwan) to about 54 percent (the Philippines). In a separate question, most Vietnamese banking consumers also said that dealing with local institutions remained important. The two results indicate that the Vietnamese are willing to consider any bank, local or foreign, that offers them the best deal for a particular product or service.

The Vietnamese survey also revealed clear regional differences, with respondents in Ho Chi Minh City expressing more open-minded attitudes than their compatriots in the north (Exhibit 3). Forty-two percent of our respondents in Ho Chi Minh City said they would try mobile banking, for example, compared with 24 percent in Hanoi. Only 39 percent in the south said it was unwise to borrow for anything except a house, compared with 46 percent in the north.

About the Authors

Nigel Andrade is an associate principal in McKinsey’s Singapore office, where Jens Lottner is a principal and Christian Roland is a consultant.

Notes

1The other markets in the 2007 study were China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. This was our sixth Asian personal-financial-services study since 1998 and the first to include Vietnam.

Celebrity Mania

Heather Mills fails to buy her daughter first-class tickets

London : She has been awarded millions of pounds in royalties by Sir Paul McCartney, but Heather Mills failed to buy first-class ticket for her four-year-old daughter Beatrice. Moments after her 24.3 million pounds settlement with Macca, Mills accused him of failing to provide enough cash for Beatrice to go first class.

 

Britney Spears sent Adnan Ghalib 100 text messages a day, says his secret lover     

Melbourne : Britney Spears was so was so insecure about her boyfriend Adnan Ghalib that she constantly bombarded him with calls and messages, says his secret lover.

 

Heath Ledger's family feuding over his estate

New York : Heath Ledger's family is embroiled in the midst of a battle for control of the late actor's estate. Two uncles of the 'Brokeback Mountain' star have accused the actor's dad Kim Ledger for squandering money and so they want him to be dropped as executor of the estate.

 

Pete Doherty treats shoppers with an impromptu gig

Washington, March 21 : 'Babyshambles' rocker Pete Doherty recently amazed shoppers at a music shop by giving an impromptu performance. Peter Sirrell, the owner of Music Man store in Reading, revealed that Doherty entertained shoppers with a few of his hit songs. He said that Doherty had to stop when a string of the guitar he was playing broke.

 

Nicole Kidman house hunting near BFF Naomi Watts' home

Washington, Mar 21 : Pregnant Nicole Kidman is looking for a new home, and there's nothing she'd like more than a place near BFF Naomi Watts. The Oscar winner's camp recently got in touch with Watts' neighbours, asking them if they were looking to sell their property – even though it isn't on the market, revealed a source.

 

Amy Winehouse's wild ways force neighbours to sell up

London, Mar 21 : It's been just six-weeks since she's moved into her new house, but troubled star Amy Winehouse's wild ways have troubled her neighbours so much that they have finally decided to move. The 'Rehab' star's neighbours did not seem to be too pleased with her wild lifestyle, constant parties and all-hours visits, and decided to pack up and move. According to reports, the 24-year-old singer is seen nipping out for late-night snacks and welcoming weird guests till the early hours of the morning.

 

Jennifer Lopez all set to compete in triathlon

Washington, Mar 21 : New-mum Jennifer Lopez is reportedly getting set to compete in a triathlon – barely six months after giving birth. The curvy singer, who recently gave birth to twins Emme and Max on 2nd Feb, is all set to participate in the endurance sports event, in which participants swim, cycle and run, later this year (08).  The 38-year-old superstar revealed her intention in an exclusive new People magazine interview. In fact, JLo prompted the journalist Peter Castro to ask her when she plans to enter a triathlon.

 

Woman injured in audience stampede sues Oprah Winfrey Show

Washington, Mar 21 : Oprah Winfrey's talk show is being taken to court by woman who allegedly got injured in a stampede when audience members rushed to grab the prime seats during a shoot. The woman, namely Orit Greenberg, has claimed that she was pushed down a flight of stairs by other Oprah audience members as they rushed into Harpo Studios in Chicago, Illinois in December 2006, due to which she suffered serious injuries.

 

Sarah Jessica Parker rakes in £12.5m from TV ads

London, Mar 21 : Sarah Jessica Parker has earned herself a whopping 12.5million pounds since the TV series 'Sex ant the City' ended, thanks to a string of lucrative advertising deals. The 43-year-old has made more than her three co-stars Kristin Davies, Cynthia Nixon and Kim Cattrall, reports the Mirror. Most of her money came from endorsement deals with companies such as Garnier and Gap. Details of the actress' earnings come as all four have reunited to film a movie version of the hit show in New York.

 

Jenna Jameson wants Charlize Theron to pose nude for PETA

London, Mar 21 : Adult movie superstar Jenna Jameson believes that Charlize Theron would be the perfect choice to pose naked for PETA. Jameson wants the Oscar-winning actress to be her successor as the next sex icon. "Bettie Page was the ultimate sex icon. Then next came Marilyn Monroe, then Pamela Anderson, then me," The Sun quoted Jameson, as saying. "Now I'm on the lookout for the next woman to pass my title onto. Charlize would be perfect," she added.

 

Ridley Scott, Leonardo DiCaprio reunite for 'The Low Dwellers'

Washington, Mar 21 : Ridley Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio will reunite for a dark thriller titled 'The Low Dwellers,' bought by Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media after a heated bidding war with Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures.

 

Famous Five returns to TV with 21st Century makeover

London, Mar 21 : Enid Blyton's Famous Five are set to make a comeback on TV in a new animated series - with an updated 21st Century look. 'Famous Five: On the Case' features the children of the original ginger beer-loving adventurers - and their dog, Timmy. Exhibiting the updated look, the Famous Five's offspring are multicultural; their enemies include a DVD bootlegger and they sport modern gadgets like iPods and mobile phones.

The new series launches on 5 May on the Disney Channel.

 

Paris Hilton's 12-day, 20,000 air mile globe trot has greens fuming

London, Mar 21: Paris Hilton has environmentalists fuming with her plans to clock-up 20,000 air miles in just 12 days. The heiress will be travelling the globe with beau Benji Madden and his band Good Charlotte as they start their tour. However, the move has environmentalists less than pleased what with all the carbon fuel being burnt up, reports The Mirror.

 

Fergie is 'not preggers', says rep

Washington, Mar 21: Fergie and fiance Josh Duhamel have slammed rumours that they will soon be joining the celebrity parent brigade. The denial came soon after pictures appeared on the internet showing the Black Eyed Peas singer with a 'baby bump'. A representative for Fergie stated that the couple has no plans to start a family soon, saying she's "not preggers," reports Usmagazine. com.

 

Miley Cyrus immortalised in wax by Madame Tussaud's

Washington, Mar 21: The latest celebrity to be immortalised in wax is none other than teen sensation Miley Cyrus. The multi-talented star's wax replica was unveiled at Madame Tussaud's in New York on 20th March.

 

Now, a sex tape featuring Lindsay Lohan?

London, Mar 21: Drugs, booze binge, rehab – Lindsay Lohan has done it all. Only a sex tape was left to be added on to her notorious 'credentials' – and now, even that has reportedly surfaced on the net.

 

Clint Eastwood set to return as 'Dirty Harry'

London, Mar 21: Clint Eastwood will be stepping into the role of tough cop Dirty Harry once again at the ripe old age of 77.

 

Brits would rather have Victoria Backham and David Beckham as PM than Gordon Brown!

London, Mar 21: David Beckham and wife Victoria BackhamMost Brits would rather have celeb couple David Beckham and wife Victoria aka Posh Spice running the UK than PM Gordon Brown. The finding is based on a poll of 2,122 people polled by Current TV.

 

Bond stunts are leaving 007 Daniel Craig sore         

Washington, Mar 21: All those stunts in the new Bond film are leaving lead actor Daniel Craig rather sore. Craig, who returns for the second time as the suave British spy in 'Quantum of Solace', tells TV show Extra that the bruises from his stunts are starting to trouble him.

 

Hugh Jackman signs on for 'Drive''

Washington, Mar 21: Aussie actor Hugh Jackman has signed on to star in 'Drive'. The Universal pic will be directed by Niel Marshall, and is an adaptation of James Sallis' novel of the same name. 'Drive' will see Jackman playing the role of a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway car driver in heists.

 

Brooke Shields is desperate for a son

Washington, Mar 21: Now that she's got two daughters, there's nothing Brooke Shields would like more than a baby boy. The 'Blue Lagoon' star revealed that she's ready for a son. However, convincing hubby if six-years Chris Henchy is what the star is finding an uphill task. "I want a boy! I'm going to have to convince him and he's a hard sell at this point," usmagazine. com quoted her, as saying.

 

Paul McCartney vows to be friends with Mills

London, Mar 20 : Sir Paul McCartney has vowed to maintain a cordial relationship with Heather Mills for the sake of their four-year-old daughter Beatrice. The former Beatle told his friends that he wants have a friendly relationship with Mills because its time for him to concentrate on their daughter.

 

Amy Winehouse poses nude for charity campaign

Washington, Mar 20 : English singer songwriter Amy Winehouse has posed nude for a photo shoot for a charity campaign. The campaign is in aid of raising breast cancer awareness among young women, Contactmusic reported.

 

Heather Mills to judge upcoming Miss USA pageant

Washington, Mar 20 : Heather Mills has signed up to be one of the judges for the upcoming Miss USA pageant. This will be the first public role that 40-year-old Mills will be taking part in, ever since her divorce battle with McCartney was made public during the week, Contactmusic reported.

Married couples could soon be in the minority by 2031

London : Married parents could soon be in a minority, for a new report has suggested a 65 per cent increase in couples who live together but are not married.

A report on family life by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that cohabiting is a rising trend in Britain, with 2.3 million, mostly young people, living together without being married.

Married couples saw a drop of four per cent to 12.1 families in the same period, however, the ONS said the obvious conclusion of a shift towards non-married couples was not necessarily the case.

However, the ONS said that the increase in cohabitation did not fully explain the decline in marriage, because the research found fewer women aged between 25 and 29 were forming any union, either marriage or cohabitation, before the age of 25.

"This suggests a delay in partnership formation for younger generations of women," the Telegraph quoted the report.

The report further pointed out that the decline of the married family and the rise of cohabitation could have a negative impact on health, as the offspring of married couples tend to be healthier than those of single mothers, and do better at school than those whose parents are separated or cohabiting.

"Partnership continues to be the healthiest state in general. There are health benefits associated with partnership, especially marriage, but there are variations by sex," the report said.

"In particular, older single women have better health then married women on many indicators of health status," it added.

Meanwhile, the research found single parents increased by 8% to 2.6 million, with single mothers tending to be younger than their male counterparts.

The study, which includes forecasts from Government actuaries, predicted a 250 per cent increase by 2031 among people aged 45-64 who cohabit.

The study, which includes forecasts from Government actuaries, predicted a 250 per cent increase by 2031 among people aged 45-64 who cohabit.

Here’s why men like to marry women almost half their age

London: Ever wondered why men like to marry women who are years younger them? Well, you can now give your mind a rest, for a study has found that men prefer young women due to their high fertility.

The study, led by Dr Samuli Helle, University of Turku, has found that young women prefer older men because of their wealth and high social status, which makes them good providers for the offspring.

The finding was made with the help of a study of the nomadic Sami, the 'reindeer people' of Finland.

Finnish parish records from the 17th to 19th century on three Sami populations. For their livelihood, they depended on reindeer herding, fishing and hunting, make it possible for researchers to unravel the effects of medical progress on the number and life span of Sami men who married only once.

From the analysis, the scientists found that the men maximized their 'evolutionary fitness', i.e. ability to pass on their genes to future generations, by marrying women who were 14.6 years younger, and vice versa.

"Those men had the highest number of offspring surviving to adulthood," Telegraph quoted Helle, as saying.

"Young Sami women were the most fertile and had the highest reproductive value, whereas older Sami men had acquired enough skills needed for successful hunting, fishing and reindeer herding and, most importantly, wealth to be good providers for the progeny and thus desirable mates," the researchers said.

However, it was found that most couples failed to marry with the huge age difference, usually settled for a small difference. This suggested that there were social factors at work too, so that Sami society frowned as much on a big age difference as we do today.

The study is published in the journal Biology Letters.

Paris Hilton named as Harvard University’s “Woman of the Year”

Washington : Socialite Paris Hilton is off to Harvard University, and no, it is not for studies, but because she is being named as the University's Woman of the Year. According to the New York Post's Page Six, the Simple Life star will be stopping by the Cambridge, Massachusetts institution on 6 February (08) during a promotional tour for her new movie 'The Hottie and the Nottie'.

She will be picking up her award from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Club the very next day, reports Contactmusic.

Ladies who have won the Women of the Year included Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry and Sarah Jessica Parker.

50 percent Aussies don’t get enough sleep: Study

Research has revealed that 50 percent of Australians don't get enough sleep, with most blaming work and having "too much to do" for their lack of shut-eye.

The survey of 1200 people has shown that the average adult Australian gets less than 7 hours sleep a night, below the 7 to 8 hours recommended by sleep experts.

According to the study by health insurer MBF, people among the age group of 35 to 44 got the least sleep, recording just 6.4 hours.

The study also showed that long hours, work related stress and job insecurity were rated among the top factors contributing to lack of sleep.

The poll also found that 44 per cent people felt "exhausted" when they got back home from work.

Other people blamed poor sleeping patterns, television or computer games or simply having too much to do.

The results of the study has shown that those sleeping less were more concerned about their health and less likely to rate their health as excellent - the opposite of longer sleepers.

Dr Christine Bennett, the chief medical officer with MBF, said that sleep-deprived people were more likely to worry about their overall state of health, weight and happiness than those getting enough quality sleep.

"Australians are paying a price for living in a 24/7 world in which sleep is the most likely casualty as people try to find the time to pack more and more into a day," News.com.au quoted Dr Bennett, as saying.

"People tend to forget that sleep is the third dimension of health and well-being after exercise and a healthy diet," Dr Bennett added.

Sleep experts have recommended that adults should get seven to eight hours sleep each night, with teenagers requiring up to 10 hours.

Lack of sleep results in chronic sleepiness, poor performance and impaired judgment, and has also been associated with obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

Study confirms that the more you work, the less you sleep

London : The time you spend working is the single most important factor that has an impact on your sleep, reveals a new study.

The study, by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, was carried out on nearly 50,000 US participants.

The participants were questioned on three different occasions - in 2003, 2004 and 2005 - and asked how they spent their time between 4am the previous day and 4am that day.

The researchers found that the more hours people work, the less sleep they get.

 

Dr Mathias Basner, and his colleagues found that people who get less than four-and-a-half hours sleep a night worked an average of 93 minutes longer on weekdays and 118 minutes more at the weekend.

People who slept 11-and-a-half hours or more were found to work an average of 143 minutes less on weekdays and 71 minutes less on weekends.

The researchers also noted that short sleepers also spent more time socialising, studying and doing housework, reports the BBC.

Jessica Alexander from The Sleep Council said: "Survey after survey confirms that people are burning the candle at both ends more and more, with no let-up on increasingly global working environments that demand long working hours and 24/7 leisure opportunities.

"Modern technology has done nothing to free up our time and sleep length and quality is the victim.

"Eventually business, government and the medical profession will have to give sleep as much priority in their healthy living messages as diet and exercise - if not more.

"In the meantime, The Sleep Council will continue to spread the word and advise people how to improve their sleep quality, if not quantity, through simple lifestyle and environmental changes."

Like humans, birds also compensate for sleep loss by ‘power napping’

Washington: German researchers have found that birds compensate for sleep loss in the same manner as humans, i. e. by "power napping".

Dolores Martinez-Gonzalez of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen says that just like humans and other mammals, birds also recover from periods of sleep loss by sleeping more intensely at a later time.

In humans, it is described as a deep, dreamless slow-wave-sleep (SWS). It has been so named because slow oscillations of neurons are reflected in the EEG

(Electroencephalogram), as large slow-waves with a frequency of less than 4 Hz, during this pattern of sleep.

Scientists have known it for a long time now that the amount of slow-waves is positively correlated with the depth of sleep.

Although birds also show SWS, it remained unclear until recently whether they show the same response to sleep loss as humans and other mammals.

To find an answer to that query, the research team prevented pigeons from taking naps, something they generally do during the last hours of a day. During the night, the birds were allowed to sleep normally.

Although the time spent in SWS did not increase during recovery, the amount of slow-waves did increase, suggesting that pigeons and presumably other birds have the capacity to recover lost sleep without having to spend more time sleeping.

"If pigeons lose sleep when a predator is around, they can recover this lost sleep at a later time by sleeping more deeply. This intensity dimension to avian and mammalian sleep may give animals a certain degree of flexibility in how they acquire their daily sleep requirement", says Niels Rattenborg, co-author of the study and head of the research group Sleep and flight in birds at the Institute.

Based on their observations, the researchers came to the conclusion that the way sleep is regulated in birds and mammals seems to be more similar than previously thought.

They believe that this finding increases the chances of learning more about the function of sleep in humans by studying sleep in birds.

The study has been reported in the online edition of Journal of Sleep Research.

The Do’s and Don’ts for parents to monitor teen dating

Washington: When it comes to teenage dating and relationships, parents need to lay down boundaries, says a Saint Louis University physician.

The suggestion comes from 10 tips to guide families through teen dating and relationships, given by Marilyn Maxwell, M. D., professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at Saint Louis University, who said that there's a need for the parents to provide guidance and boundaries.

"Some parents feel uncomfortable creating any type of boundaries for their children, particularly as they get older. But contrary to popular belief, kids do feel safer and more secure when they have boundaries," said Maxwell.

According to Maxwell, who is a contributing author to both Questions Kids Ask About Sex: Honest Answers for Every Age and Focus on the Family's Complete Guide to Baby and Child Care, parents should initiate talking with children about relationships long before the first date. He also said that parents should also help their children develop realistic expectations for relationships. This includes talking about qualities that truly matter in a relationship, such as shared values, mutual respect, easy conversation and shared interests.

"Some parents feel uncomfortable talking to their teens about sex for a number of reasons. Perhaps they're embarrassed or feel hypocritical because they themselves did not wait until marriage. Some parents are hesitant because they feel it's inevitable. But I tell parents that it is so important to talk to your children about sex starting even at a young age and certainly more as they get older. Parents need to share their values and expectations with their children. It's not inevitable that a teen will become sexually active, particularly if you let her know how you expect her to act," said Maxwell.

He also advised that instead of condemning premarital sex, children should be told about the benefits of abstaining, such as preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

It's been long-sought that parents should provide guidance and boundaries when they are ready to start dating. Here are 10 tips by Maxwell to guide families through teen dating and relationships:

1. Set the ground rules and stick to them: Putting curfew and limiting the children to acceptable activities can act beneficial. Some parents also require the date to first spend time getting to know the family.

2. Consider your child's maturity level: Many parents set a certain age, say 16, for dating, however, all the children do not mature at the same rate.

3. Encourage group activities rather than solo dates, especially for younger teens.

4. Incorporate dates into family activities: This time should not be used to drill the date, but to get to know him and have fun together.

5. Be involved in your child's plans: Know where he is going, with whom and when he will be home.

6. Provide supervision: Leaving children alone for hours or not requiring accountability might lead to undesirable behaviour.

7. Watch for dangerous behaviours such as rollercoaster emotions, neediness, isolation, verbal disrespect or physical abuse.

8. Pick your battles: Don't forbid a relationship unless it is abusive, controlling or isolating. Maxwell also said that teens shouldn't date someone more than two years older because of the maturity differences.

9. If your child has already had sex, tell her that it is never too late to start making good decisions and encourage her to make a commitment to wait until marriage.

10. Loosen up on the reins: While parents need to set appropriate boundaries, it's important to entrust your teen with increasing responsibilities to manage themselves.

 

According to Maxwell, relationships provide important learning opportunities for children, from kindergarten crushes to teen love. He said that by talking openly and honestly with your child and providing appropriate guidance and boundaries, parents can help their children successfully navigate the world of love.

I was branded a slut at school: Jessica Alba

Washington: Actress Jessica Alba was bullied and branded a "slut" when she was in school after developing her full bosom at a young age.

The actress revealed that the main culprits were her classmates' "self-righteous" mothers and her elementary school principal, who made her life miserable.

Writing in 'If I'd Known Then' - a forthcoming book of essays by female celebrities - Alba writes: "The accusation still ricochets. They think I'm a slut?'"

Revealing her first kiss at the age of 7, Alba also handed out advice to teenaged girls, urging them to have safe sex.

"Boys are awful. They are made of nothing but hormones until they're about 20 or 21," she wrote.

"It's fun to have a crush, but don't think it's forever," she added.

The essay collection, set for publication this spring, features letters by famous women, 35 or younger, written to their younger selves.

Contributors include Olympic soccer gold medallist Julia Foudy, activist Zainab Salbi and actress Danica McKellar.

Early loss of virginity doesn’t turn school kids into criminals

Melbourne : A new study has challenged the widely believed view that high school students who lose their virginity at an early age tend to take to a life of crime.

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Virginia, US, found that an early loss of virginity is not linked to criminal behaviour.

As a part of the Rethinking Timing of First Sex and Delinquency study, researchers led by Kathryn Paige Harden questioned 534 pairs of twins in US high schools.

They found that kids who got intimate earlier were no more likely to shoplift, graffiti objects or engage in drug-related behaviour than their counterparts.

"After controlling for these genetic and environmental confounds using a quasi-experimental design, earlier age at first sex predicted lower levels of delinquency in early childhood," News.com.au quoted the report, as saying.

"Twins differ considerably in their age at first intercourse, indicating that non-shared environmental factors are the strongest influence on sexual timing.

"Nevertheless, the twins who experienced first sex earlier than their co-twins did not demonstrate higher levels of delinquency, suggesting that early sexual timing does not, in and of itself, elevate delinquent behaviour."

The average age that participants had sex for the first time was 16.44 years.

However, the report did note that there were potential problems with having sex at a younger age such as greater psychological distress, undergoing an abortion, lower education etc.

"Early age at first sex has been linked to earlier leaving of the parental home, lower educational attainment, experiencing a pregnancy termination… and receiving medical treatment to facilitate pregnancy; greater psychological distress among college women; and experimentation with cocaine and other substances," the report stated.

"Also, (research has) found that physical involvement with a boyfriend among seventh- and eighth-grade girls predicted disordered eating."

The study is published online in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (ANI)

Islamic fundamentalism has women turning to "virginity repair" operations

London: Women are going for "virginity repair" operations on the NHS due to the result of social regression caused by Islamic fundamentalism, says a new finding.

The finding showed that an increasing numbers of women were paying up to 4,000 pounds in private clinics for the procedure apparently under pressure from future spouses or in-laws who believe they should be virgins on their wedding night.

Official figures revealed that taxpayers funded 24 hymen replacement operations between 2005 and 2006.

Dr Magdy Hend, consultant gynaecologist at the Regency Clinic in London, who started hymen reconstruction more than 18 years ago in the Middle East and the Gulf, said that some cultures want to see their brides bleed at night.

"In some cultures they like to see that the women will bleed on the wedding night. If the wife or bride is not a virgin, it is a big shame on the family, " the Daily Mail quoted Hend, as saying.

The operation can involve suturing of a tear in the hymen, such as might be caused by sexual assault, to help healing.

But it can also be conducted as a purely cosmetic procedure. A membrane is constructed, sometimes including a capsule of an artificial blood-like substance.

Hend also said that he was surprised by the "very good response" to the service and that there was "big competition on the market".

He added that most of his clients were in their teens or early 20s.

"They might be British of ethnic background, they might be immigrants, or some people come from abroad, Asia, Middle East, the Gulf, and they don't want to have it done back home, " he said.

Tory health spokesman Mike Penning expressed concern over the situation.

"If there is any cultural or other pressure being put on the women from any source to have this done, that would be a very retrograde step, " he said.

"If a woman has been violated or raped and lost her virginity, clearly everything possible should be done to assist her.

"But what nobody would understand is if taxpayers' money is being used to fund operations of this kind for cultural or cosmetic reasons, " he added.

The Department of Health said "certain cosmetic procedures" were available on the NHS "to secure physical or psychological health".

The trend has been condemned by critics as a sign of social regression driven by Islamic fundamentalists.

1 in 10 Brits over 50 indulge in risky sex

London : It looks like the 50-year-olds are having most of the fun while putting their sexual health at risk, for a study has found that one in 10 sexually active Brits over the age of 50 do not use a form of contraception.

The hazards of not using any protection can put them at risk of catching sexually transmitted infections. The study also found that the 50-year-olds had no knowledge about their partner's sexual history.

Just over one in five of those surveyed, 21 per cent, were divorced, single or widowed with the remaining 79 per cent married or co-habiting.

Figures from the Health Protection Agency have shown rising rates of infections among the over-45s as a result of risky sexual behaviour among those not in stable relationships.

Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, herpes and warts have all risen between 2002 and 2006.

The survey, conducted by Saga/Populus, reviewed 7,817 people aged 50 and over.

65 per cent of those questioned reported that they were sexually active, with 46 per cent of these saying they "got between the sheets at least once a week".

"These findings shatter the myth that once you hit 50 your sex life is over. There is less pressure than when people were younger and it is likely that you feel more comfortable about your body," the Telegraph quoted Emma Soames, the editor of Saga Magazine, as saying.

"Forget about the dirty thirties or the naughty forties. The frisky fifties are having the most fun. However, while a healthy sex life is a good thing, the over-fifties must be wise to their sexual health, as well as their overall health," she added.

Rebecca Findlay for the FPA, formerly the Family Planning Association, said: "The world has changed, sexual health is a massive subject and people who find themselves dating again after a long-term relationship need to think more like younger people.

"They need to get themselves checked out, ask their partner about their sexual health and use protection." (ANI)

Most parents accurately assess their teens’ substance use

Washington : Most parents have the knowledge of and accurately assess the extent of their teenager's cigarette smoking, marijuana use, drinking and overall substance use, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) also found that in cases where parents provided lower estimates of substance use, they were nearly twice as likely to underestimate frequency of marijuana use and quantity of alcohol use.

The study also revealed that parents, who themselves had personal problems or were using alcohol more frequently, were less likely to be aware of extent of use by younger teens and of their children's use.

For a six-month reporting period, 82 percent of parents accurately evaluated the presence of teen cigarette smoking; the parents' reports corresponded with the teens' reports of their own smoking.

Eighty-six percent of parents accurately evaluated the presence of teen alcohol use, and 86 percent accurately reported the presence of teen marijuana use. However, only 72 percent of the parents in the RIA study accurately reported the presence of illicit drug use (other than marijuana) by teens.

"This study begins to dispel the notion that parents don't know the extent to which their teens are using cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs. It seems that, despite a few exceptions, many parents do know the extent of their teenager's substance use," lead researcher Neil B. McGillicuddy, Ph.D., said.

"Parents can use this knowledge to help themselves cope with teenage substance use and the resulting stress on the family, as well as to begin conversations with their teen about making changes," he added.

For the study, 75 parents and their teenagers were interviewed separately about the teens' recent use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and other illicit drugs. Parent-participants were, on average, female (85 percent), 39 years of age with 13 years of education. Teen-participants were, on average, male (61 percent), 16 years of age and not receiving substance abuse treatment (76 percent).

When parents' and teens' reports were discrepant, parents provided lower estimates of substance use than teens. That is, teens tended to report greater frequency and amount of substance use. Although some of these discrepancies were small (for instance regarding how often teens drank alcohol), others were substantial (parents were nearly twice as likely to underestimate the frequency of marijuana use and the quantity of alcohol use).

In addition, McGillicuddy and colleagues set out to find factors that might explain the discrepancies in parent-teen reports of teen substance use. Parents were less aware of the extent of the teen's substance use if the teen was younger (about 14 or 15), and if the parents did less monitoring of what their teens were doing after school, during the evening and on weekends.

McGillicuddy said that together, these findings suggest that parents need to consider increasing their monitoring of how teens spend their time and begin thinking about substance use at a significantly younger age.

"What we would hope that people come away with from this study, is that parents can be more aware of their teen's substance use, by reducing their own alcohol use, giving more attention to what their teen is doing 24/7, particularly if the teen is younger, and taking steps to reduce their own psychological distress," he said.

"Participation in parenting programs, especially those geared toward coping with an adolescent's substance use, can give the parent important skills to deal with teen behavior and have been found to reduce the parent's distress," he added.

The study is published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse. (ANI)

One-third high school teens spend 30 hrs a week on 'screen time'

Washington: Almost one third of the high school teenagers are spending an average of 30 hours per week in front of the screen, says a new study.

During the study, the researchers examined 1,293 seventh grade students from 10 Montreal high schools and observed the patterns of screen-time including time spent on viewing television, video, computer and the Internet.

"Boys and those whose parents had lower educational attainment were much more likely to be in the 'high-screen time' group," said Tracie A. Barnett, Ph. D., lead author of the study.

"Teens with high levels of screen time may be at increased risk of obesity," she added.

The students were asked to complete in class questionnaires four times a year for five years where they gave the details of their usual number of hours spent watching television or videos, and using the computer or surfing the Internet.

The findings revealed that 52 percent of boys and 26 percent of girls reported average total screen-time levels above 42 hours per week.

52 percent of boys and 39 percent of girls reported average levels of TV/video use above 23 hours per week while 24 percent of boys and 7 percent of girls reported average levels of computer/Internet use of almost 30 hours per week.

Moreover, neighbourhood social factors also played an important role in influencing the patterns of screen-time.

The girls belonging to neighbourhoods ranked as the lowest third were more likely to have high screen-time up to five-fold while boys living in neighbourhoods that had the lowest level of education were more likely to have high screen time up to two- to three-fold.

"Researchers need to explore why adolescents' (notably girls') levels of especially television and video screen-time viewing through high school are higher if they live in neighbourhoods that are socio-economically disadvantaged," said Barnett.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association's 48th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention. (ANI)

Indian call centres may soon answer calls to Brit police stations

London : In a bid to cut costs, British police are privatising their call centres and backroom staff, and it is likely that the calls to police stations in the country could soon be answered in India.

According to the Daily Mail, the government has been forced to relax the rules to allow forces to sign contracts with private companies, including foreign firms, as there is a massive cash shortage.

This will allow police to use Indian call centres to deal with routine inquiries.

In the current set up, all civilian support staff are employed by individual police authorities. But over the next year, about 20,000 civilians will be transferred to private companies with some jobs likely to go overseas.

Meanwhile, unions have expressed concerns over the privatisation decision.

"We are against privatisation of services from the public sector," said Unison official Lisa Youlton, adding, "We have no information on how it would actually work, how it would be set up, whether staff would be transferred or seconded to the new company or whether there will be any job guarantees."

However, police feel the plan will deliver "tangible benefits" freeing up much needed resources to fight crime.

"By joining this partnership we may be able to divert money back to the front line. We broadly welcome that," said Paul Green, chairman of Avon and Somerset Police Federation.

US computer giant IBM is likely to be the first private company to secure a deal, as it has already signed a landmark 400-million-pound contract with local councils in Avon and Somerset. It is also bidding to take over IT and finance for the regional police force.

Besides IBM, British firms BT and Capita are also in the running for over 200 contracts with the UK police forces.

The 999 service will remain unaffected despite the changes.

China closed 44,000 pornographic websites in 2007

Authorities in China shut down 44,000 domestic websites and homepages and arrested 868 people while investigating 524 criminal cases in a campaign against Internet pornography last year, a national teleconference has heard.

Another 1,911 people involved in 1,609 Internet pornography activities were penalized, while the authorities canceled more than

440,000 pornographic messages online.

According to a Xinhua report, a total of 199,000 websites were registered by the authorities last year, but another 14,000 were refused the access to the Internet for failing to get official registration or to apply for official approval.

The campaign will continue until September, after the Beijing Olympic Games ends, the meeting, jointly organized by the Ministry of Public Security, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and 11 other central departments, heard.

The crackdowns would focus on those who profited from spreading pornographic messages via the Internet and mobile phones, porn-site operators in foreign countries and Chinese Internet users, organizers of pornographic performances online and clients of prostitution.

The authorities will give special attention to websites that deal in audio and visual programs, blogging, videos, point-to-point services, and mobile phone sites.

Scientists prove that fish really do sleep

Washington : Since most fish lack eyelids, many people have wondered whether they can even nod off. Now, a Stanford University study has found that fish do snooze at night.

What's more, like humans they also suffer from insomnia.

Scientists led by Philippe Mourrain, PhD, conducted their research on mutant Zebrafish in which the hypocretin system, which plays a key role in providing sleep to fish, was disrupted.

First author on the study Tohei Yokogawa, PhD, found that when kept awake, overall sleep decreased 30 percent in mutant fish, and when they finally did drift off, they remained asleep only half as long as normal fish.

The relationship between the hypocretin system and other sleep regulatory brain systems in zebrafish were also examined in the study.

Differences in expression patterns in the brain were also found, which may explain the differences in behavioural effects.

Emmanuel Mignot, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences and a co-researcher in the study provided proof that zebrafish are a powerful new animal model for studying sleep disorders.

This he attributes to the fact that not only do zebrafish have backbones -thereby better representing the human nervous system, but that their young reveal many details because they are see-through.

"The fact that zebrafish larvae are transparent means you can look directly at their neuronal network, even in living fish," Mignot said.

"The idea is to try to use this as an entry point to understand the neurobiology of sleep regulation," he said.

The study is published in Biology.