Dolly Bindra: Mumbai crime branch commisioner Himanshu Roy should be on Bigg Boss!

We bumped into Dolly Bindra at a photography exhibition held in Mumbai recently. Dressed in black tee and denims with a shocking pink hat sitting atop her head, Dolly was in high ‘sprits’! Why has she been missing from the screen, we asked.” they can’t afford me, monetarily speaking,” said Dolly.

The motor mouth feels that Mumbai Crime branch commissioner Himanshu Roy is very handsome and she wants to see his tough-cop act on the reality show Bigg Boss

Dolly loves art, music and films. But aren’t artists in India facing the wrath from being liberal, at times politically incorrect? ” There’s nothing wrong with our freedom of expression. It’s just that everyone want their shops to be highlighted. Sabko apnei dukaan chalu rakhni hain aur chalani hain,” said Dolly.

The buzz about Bigg Boss season seven is making a buzz. Dolly has also been on the show and gained the much-needed popularity from the glass-walled house. So how has the experience been and who would she like to see on the show this season? ” I will always want to experience myself being there. Bigg Boss has always been a favourite show of mine. I want Himanshu Roy to be on the show this season, he’s so handsome,” said the colourful babe with her trademark throaty laughter.

Watch the full interview

Monster mom gets her fourth child via 14-yr-old daughter

Appalling it may look, but it is true. A case of a 14-year-old girl having been exhorted by her mother to become pregnant by using syringes of donor sperm has come to light. Despite miscarriage, the teenager was repeatedly forced by her mother to take several attempts with donor sperms until she finally gave birth to baby boy, when she turned 17. The behaviour of the mother, who is serving a five-year jail term for “child cruelty”, was termed  “wicked and selfish”, defying belief, by High Court Judge Peter Jackson in his ruling on Monday. 

The judge said, the mother, an American divorcee living in Britian with three adopted children, hatched the devilish plan to get her daughter pregnant when she was prevented to adopt a fourth. She bought the syringes of sperm online over the internet form a Denmark-based company, Cryos International, Jackson said. The daughter, who is identified as A to guard her privacy, said, she became pregnant by donor sperm bought by her mother to provide her mother a fourth child. Though the daughter was initially shocked at her mother’s suggestion, she finally gave in to be able to gain “more love” for herself, she revealed.

“If I do this ... maybe she will love me more,” the daughter told the court in her statement.  The judge revealed that the mother had even asked her daughter to use douches of vinegar or lemon to increase her chances of having a girl.

US court frees Russian labeled world's sexiest hacker

A Russian woman widely dubbed the "world's sexiest computer hacker," prosecuted in the United States for taking part in stealing $3 million from bank accounts, has been released by a New York court and placed under surveillance.

The New York Southern Federal District Court ordered Kristina Svechinskaya, 24, to pay $35,000 in damages.

Svechinskaya's attorney Richard Palma told the court that she was young and inexperienced when she was drawn into the conspiracy. Like many young people, she failed to assess what she was doing, he said, and asked the court to take into account her lack of a criminal record.

Svechinskaya, in turn, said she deeply regretted what she had done.

Read more about cybersecurity

"This was the biggest mistake of my life and I can assure you that I will never do this again," she said.

The judge presiding over the case took into account the two months that Svechinskaya had spent in pretrial detention.

After the sentence was read, she was given 14 days to file an appeal. However, her lawyer told RIA Novosti that he was satisfied with the ruling.

Svechinskaya also told RIA Novosti that she was satisfied with the verdict. When asked what she was going to do now, she said she did not know.

According to a Department of Justice press release, Svechinskaya was recruited by a criminal group to open false bank accounts into which $35,000 in fraudulently acquired funds was deposited, and from which approximately $11,000 was withdrawn.

Svechinskaya and 37 others allegedly used dummy bank accounts, fake passports and a Zeus Trojan to appropriate $3 million from US banks and another $9 million from British banks.

UK is India's partner in innovation and business: British envoy

97 pc of Indians applying for a business visa get one, says British envoy Ian Felton

BANGALORE,INDIA: The role of government is that of an enabler -- listening to companies and setting a positive policy environment, said British deputy high commissioner Ian Felton at the inaugural of CII's 9th India Innovation Summit in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Felton said the UK is among the world's top research nations --- leading innovations, with an excellent research and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Therefore, it is natural that the UK can be India's partner of choice in innovation and business, he added. An example of UK-India partnership is the initiative of Imperial College, Indian Institute of Science and Indian Institute of Technology that has helped global engine major Rolls-Royce to develop a low-noise technology to make engines less noisy.

India leads the group of Central and Southern Asian countries in innovation and Indian firms must capitalise on the UK's "Patent Box" initiative, where there are tax advantages to encourage innovative companies to locate in the UK (if they are creating high-value jobs and activity associated with the development, manufacture and exploitation of patents in the UK). He added that the UK tax system is the most competitive in the G20. The main rate of Corporation Tax is being lowered to 20 pc by April 2015 the joint lowest level in the G20 (others are Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Turkey).

The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is the main channel through which the UK government supports business-led technology and innovation. Over the next few years, the TSB will invest over £1 billion in high-technology sectors. This includes creating a network (Catapult Centres) to commercialise new and emerging technologies: covering high value manufacturing, cell therapy, offshore renewable energy, satellite applications, connected digital economy, future cities and transport systems.

Felton announced that the TSB and India's Global Innovation and Technology Alliance, a joint CII and Department of Science and Technology initiative, will publish a call for joint industrial research proposals later this month. Under the UK-India Education and Research Initiative the TSB's successful Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme will also be brought to India in a few months. The aim is to use a tested method to help academia and industry work together.

"In September, the UK-India Oncology trade delegation will focus on innovation. There is a lot of R&D going on across the world in cancer medicines. Innovation is important to make this research and treatment affordable and accessible to all. This is the focus for their discussion in Bangalore," he added. The UK is the ‘partner country' for this CII event and Richard Cawdell, Healthcare Tech Lead, AcceleratorIndia, will take part in a session dedicated to cross-border collaboration on Thursday at the CII summit.

Speaking on visa issues, Felton said most people who want a UK visa get one. He highlighted that 97 pc of Indians applying for a business visa get one.

What happens to rape victims after the media hoopla fades?

However widespread the outrage over the gang rape of a photojournalist in Mumbai last week or of the medical student on December 16, 2012, for rape victims the agony continues for years, after the assault.
For nearly 16 months after that dreadful night of February 5, 2012, she was known as the 'Park Street Rape Victim', the woman who had accepted a lift outside a Kolkata nightclub and ended up being gang-raped. This changed in June this year, when she took part in a protest march against rape and outed herself as
Suzette Jordan. “Why must I hide?” asks Jordan over the phone from Kolkata. “I was raped; it is those who raped me who should feel shame. We should speak up, because if we don't, these things will keep happening and the criminals will keep getting away.”
In a country where women often do not report rape cases to the police, Jordan's decision to come out is unprecedented.
Part of the reason, she says, was that despite the media’s attempts to darken or blur her face during interviews many people knew who she was and accosted her on the streets.
They wanted to know if she was indeed the ‘Park Street rape victim’.
“I couldn’t get a job. I went for several interviews but while no one admitted that the rape was the issue, they would not call back,” says the mother of two teenage daughters.
Jordan separated from her husband more than a decade before the assault. It was the support of her family, friends, school teachers and NGO activist Santasree Chaudhuri that kept her going.
In cases of rape, it is often the rape victim who carries the guilt. Take the case of 19-year-old housewife in Sonepat district, Haryana in September last year. The victim filed an FIR but after pressure from parents, in-laws and the dalit community she belonged to, she retracted her testimony.
Ironically, this constituted legal perjury, an offence for which the woman was imprisoned for 10 days in April earlier this year. Jagmati Sangwan, vice-president of the All India Democratic Women's Association, an NGO that took up the case says, “In rural areas, sympathies are usually with the assaulters, especially if they are economically or socially stronger, as is often the case.”
According to Sangwan, people may condone the act, but push for a compromise so as not to “ruin the boy’s life”.  Supreme Court made a statement this Tuesday: ‘Rape is…an offence against the society and is not a matter to be left for the parties to compromise….”
It was in 1994, nearly 20 years ago, that the Supreme Court first directed the National Commission for Women (NCW) to evolve a “scheme so as to wipe out the tears of unfortunate victims of rape”.
This resulted in the rape and rehabilitation scheme, the first draft of which was submitted to the government in 1995 and another in 2005. But the scheme is yet to take off. In 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12, the finance ministry allocated Rs53 crore, Rs36 crore and Rs122 crore respectively, but not a single rupee has been utilised.
Similarly, the Rs1,000 crore-fund announced for a scheme in the name of the Delhi gang-rape victim remains caught in red tape. What rehabilitation schemes are available for rape victims?
In response, Haryana has a scheme to allot Rs2 lakh compensation to dalit rape victims, if the perpetrators are found to belong to the upper caste. Dorothy Kamal, a counselor working with the Centre for Social Research (CSR) remembers a scheme a few years ago where Rs10,000 was given to every rape victim who filed an FIR.
CSR is the designated Crisis Intervention Centre for the south-west region of Delhi as per the  city police guidelines.
Kamal receives a call whenever a sexual offence is registered at the neighbourhood police station. “I help victims are uncomfortable giving details of injuries,” she says. They also run a 24    X7 helpline, but calls made to it on Thursday and Friday went unanswered.
The problem is more acute in the lower courts says activist Rishi Kant of Shakti Vahini, a Delhi-based NGO. “What do you expect when cases come up for a hearing two years after the rape?” Ninety per cent of the time, it ends in an acquittal.
“Criminals have also realised such loopholes in the law,” says Madhu Garg, a Lucknow-based activist who is working on the ‘Ashiana’ case where a 13-year-old daughter of a kabbadiwala was gang-raped by four men in a car in September 2005.
“We have a clear case, but for the past eight-and-a-half years, it has been shunted from one court to another. We have spent more than Rs3 lakh, most of which was collected from donations,” says Garg. Her father is still waiting for justice. 

Live: Asaram Bapu arrested in Indore, will arrive in Jodhpur by noon

"If he was innocent, he should have surrendered on the first day itself," 

says Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

Asaram Bapu 

Arrested religious preacher
 Asaram Bapu, accused of
sexually assaulting a 16-year-
old girl, will arrive in Jodhpur
by noon on Sunday.
Police Commissioner Biju George
Jospeh said that Asaram has
 been moved out of Indore city,
 where he was arrested, but
 declined to disclose where he
 would be put up for the night.
"We are planning to bring him
 in Jodhpur tomorrow morning
 but are yet to decide whether
he will be brought by train, road
 or by air", he said.
Latest updates:
* "If he was innocent, he should
 have surrendered on the first day
 itself," says Congress leader Digvijay Singh
* The flight will leave for Jodhpur from Delhi will leave in sometime. Asaram should reach Jodhpur by noon.
* Supporters greet Asaram Bapu at the Delhi airport. They were shouting slogans inf avor of the
 self-styled god man.
* Asaram Bapu reached Delhi at 10.30am after being arrested from his Indore ashram in the wee
 hours of the night.

HTC’s newest accessory is a phone for your smartphone

Have you ever wished that you didn’t have to use your smartphone to make phone calls? If so then HTC is hoping you’ll throw down $50 for the HTC Mini+, a new accessory that connects with your HTC smartphone via Bluetooth and lets you make calls while you use your smartphone for surfing the web.

HTC says that the new smartphone phone also features a “hands-free remote camera control lets you take pictures from your phone at a distance” and that it “even doubles as a TV remote control, and pairs with select HTC devices to operate multimedia streaming through your HTC Media Link HD.” If accessories like this start to catch on, we might see Nokia release a separate camera to go with the Lumia 1020 so you won’t have to waste your device’s 41-megapixel camera taking pictures.

Aamir Khan's Dhoom 3 vs Hrithik Roshan's Krrish 3: Which will be film of year?

Two of this year’s most anticipated films (and sure-shot blockbusters) — Dhoom 3 and Krrish 3 will be releasing on Diwali and Christmas respectively. Both the films are sequels to big brands and both have big stars at the helm. It will also be Aamir and Hrithik’s first release in 2013. And they are both supremely confident of their films.

Says an insider, “The usually cautious Aamir has been telling people, ‘Mark my words — if there’s one film this year that will break all records, it will be Dhoom 3. It will gross over

Rs 300 or 400 crore. He’s that confident of Dhoom 3. And he has all reason to be. This is also the first time he is playing a baddie on screen. This film will appeal to the youth, as it is slick and stylish.” Meanwhile, Krrish 3 has already created a huge buzz with the trailer. It is a film that kids will love. Family audience will be flocking for this one, so huge numbers are guaranteed. But the question is which film will be bigger?

Aamir will break the record!
Says trade analyst Komal Nahta, “It’s difficult to comment on that as I feel both will be huge hits. They are both big brands. Dhoom 3 has Aamir Khan as an anti-hero, the Aamir-Katrina combination, and the Yash Raj banner and the expertise of Aditya Chopra. Krrish 3 has the Krissh brand, Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik and their banner. Hrithik is a huge craze amongst the kids.” He feels that Aamir will break his previous held unbroken record of 3 Idiots, “I think he can break the record. Firstly, because Dhoom 3 is a huge franchise. Secondly, times have changed. The admission rates at theatres have shot up and there are lot many theatres now. Both Dhoom 3and Krrish 3 will definitely cross over Rs 200 crores.”

The Krrish 3 edge
Says trade analyst Amod Mehra, “We haven’t seen the trailer of Dhoom 3 so it’s a bit early to comment on that film, yet as far as expectations are concerned, I think Krrish 3 has a slight edge over Dhoom 3 because D3 is an established brand and  the audience knows what to expect. Hrithik has already been established as a superhero in the earlier Krrish 1 and 2 so now people expect D3 to be a full fun film where the audience comprises family and children. They will come to see something different than the usual robbery, thrills and chases of Dhoom series.

Also, Krrish 3 has a super villain for the first time. It is looking more exciting, polished and of international standard so I would say K3 has an edge of five per cent over D3. Rakesh Roshan  is one of the most under-rated filmmakers. In Dhoom 3 what we are expecting to see is Aamir Khan who is expected to carry the film on his shoulders. Both films can gross anything between Rs 210-225 crores each. Each has that achievable target. Both have strong content.”

Simon Cowell tells people to 'wait and see' if he'll marry pregnant Lauren Silverman

Simon Cowell 

Simon Cowell has revealed that people will have to “wait and see” if he will marry his pregnant gal pal Lauren Silverman.
Referring to the upcoming show I Can’t Sing - The X Factor Musical, he joked a sequel could deal with the hypothetical wedding.
When asked about the possibility, he told a UK publication that people will have to “wait and see” whether the couple will get married in the future, Contactmusic reported.
The X Factor judge also admitted his opinion on children has changed since he found out he was going to become a father and he is already “very attached” to his unborn child.
While the couple haven’t reached a final decision on a name yet, recent reports claimed that the music mogul wanted to honour his father Eric.

LG G Pad 8.3 tablet announced before IFA unveiling

LG today finally announced its first tablet this year, the G Pad 8.3, which it will showcase for the first time later this week at IFA. The tablet features an 8.3-inch 1920 x 1200 pixels display, a 5-megapixel rear and 1.3-megapixel front camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor and a 4,600mAh battery.

One of the interesting bits about the G Pad 8.3 is the QPair app, which would pair the tablet with any Android smartphone running Jelly Bean. With QPair, users will be able to access every call or text message that comes on their smartphone on the G Pad 8.3 and also respond to them directly from the tablet.

Other customizations include Slide Aside that would enable users to slide aside any open app with a three finger swipe and QSlide that lets users open multiple apps at the same time.

The G Pad 8.3 will be launched in the fourth quarter globally. LG has not announced the tablet’s price and will disclose it at the time of launch.

LG G Pad 8.3 specifications

• Processor: 1.7GHz Quad-Core Qualcomm? Snapdragon™ 600 Processor
• Display: 8.3-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels / 273 ppi)
• Memory: 16GB eMMC
• RAM: 2GB LPDDR2
• Camera: Rear 5.0MP / Front 1.3MP
• Battery: 4,600mAh
• Operating System: Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2
• Size: 216.8 x 126.5 x 8.3mm
• Weight: 338g
• Colors: Black / White

Exiting HTC designers probed for stealing design secrets

Five HTC employees including its chief industrial designer, a division head and a designer are being investigated by Taiwanese officials after being alleged of stealing trade secrets and planning to sell it to Chinese firms. AFPquoting China Daily newspaper reports that the authorities had conducted searches inside HTC’s R&D centres as well as the homes of the accused.

Engadget has identified the trio as Vice President of Product Design Thomas Chien, R&D director Wu Chien Hung and design team senior manager Justin Huang, who had sketched the HTC One. Chien and Hung have been reportedly taken into custody after HTC Chairwoman Cher Wang lodged a complaint with Taiwan’s Investigation Bureau that the trio were planning to set up a design company for mainland China and had already registered it under the name Xiaoyu. They were reportedly planning to resign after collecting their mid-year bonuses.

HTC alleged that they caught Chien downloading files related to the design of HTC’s upcoming Sense 6 and mailed it to external contacts. They were also accused of claiming over $330,000 from the company on falsified vouchers. This is related to the trio outsourcing some of the design of the HTC One to an external design house and then splitting the money among themselves.

The setback cannot come at a worst time for HTC, which has lost over 80 percent of its value in the last couple of years and its CEO Peter Chou is under fire and is being held responsible for the company’s decline.

Melanie Chisholm finds motherhood tough

Los Angeles, July 19: Singer Melanie Chisholm aka Mel C is finding it difficult to maintain her personal and professional life.She has a four-year-old daughter Scarlet and says being a mother is a tough task.

"I find (motherhood) difficult. I don't think you ever get right and it's just like a work in progress - especially because of the way my work is," femalefirst.co.uk quoted Mel C as saying.

Mel C, former member of Spice Girls band, is currently working in the stage version of rock musical "Jesus Christ Superstar".

"I just took Scarlet to Australia for the 'Jesus Christ Superstar' tour because I didn't want to be without her. But the tour and juggling it all with Scarlet really took it out of me and I've been feeling run down," she said.

Scarlet is Mel C's daughter with ex-boyfriend Thomas Starr.

Tom Cruise wants home in London

Los Angeles: Actor Tom Cruise is reportedly looking to buy a house in London. He is eyeing up the upmarket Notting Hill and St. John's Wood areas.The 51-year-old has plans to set up a base in London so that he has a permanent place where his seven-year-old daughter Suri can stay with him whenever he is working in Europe.

“Tom has been planning to set up base in Europe for about four years and he is finally ready to make it happen. He is utterly charmed by London and wants to get a place in Notting Hill or St. John's Wood,” contactmusic.com quoted a source as saying.

“Tom is happy because he thinks putting down roots in London will allow him to take Suri for longer stretches of time. He is just trying to do something nice for Suri.

“She has been grounded in the US for a long time and Tom wants to make sure she gets to experience life fully and know other cultures. He doesn't want her to grow up to be a narrow minded person who's afraid to use her passport,” the source added.

Suri Cruise suffers broken arm

Los Angeles: Actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' daughter Suri is nursing a broken arm.The seven-year-old, who has been living in New York with her mother since her parents' divorce in 2012, is recovering after the injury. However, details about how she got injured have not been revealed, reports people.com.

"Suri did break her arm, but she is okay,” said Holmes' representative.

Michael Douglas' son ruined his marriage?

Los Angeles: Actor-producer Michael Douglas‘ son Cameron, with ex-wife Diandra Luker, is said to have created tensions between the actor and his estranged wife Catherine Zeta-Jones.The duo was married for 13-year-old has hit the rough patch, ultimately leading to the separation.

Cameron,34, has been battling legal issues and drug addiction for years. He was also arested for dealing meth and cocaine out of a New York City hotel room.

“A big divide between Michael and Catherine has become Cameron,” showbizspy.com quoted a source as saying.

“Cameron and Catherine never seemed to have a close relationship and I think Michael always felt she just didn’t care for the situation. He probably felt there was little sympathy from her, toward him and Cameron,” a source added.

Narendra Modi blames ‘perverted male mentality’ for the rise in sex crimes against women

Say what you will about Narendra Modi but no other politician in the country right now understands the public consciousness better than he does. On Friday, the Gujarat CM and PM hopeful blamed the ‘perverted male mentality’ for the growing crimes against women and sought for a change in our thinking. Real men he claimed protected and respected women. Speaking at public rally at the newly formed Chota Udaipur district in Gujarat, the shrewd politician didn’t blame short dresses, drinking, porn, liberal-thinking women, Poonam Pandey, Western values, the heavenly bodies or any of the other scapegoats other politicians turn to explain the rising tide of sexual crimes against women. For once the blame was led firmly on the ‘perverted male mentality’.

Of course he evoked the ancient image of India as the land of Sita and Savitri but he said that the safety of women was a big concern. Not holding back, he blamed the UPA’s inability to curb the growing violence against women, incidents which he claimed shocked a country known for its innate culture of chivalry. It’s also believed that he asked the BJP not to openly support shamed godman Asaram Bapu who was receiving some support from BJP’s party leaders in Madhya Pradesh after he was accused of molesting a minor girl.

India – no country for women

On Independence Day, I had written an article asking why after 67 years of sending our colonial rulers back we couldn’t have an iota of sexual freedom. Sadly, today I realise that the answer isn’t sexual freedom but women’s equality. The concept of women being equals doesn’t exist in India. Our patriarchal mindset simply doesn’t allow men to consider women at par with them. How can they, considering for the better part of their lives they’ve seen their mothers, aunts and daughters doing all the household work while their fathers and brothers just sat there? Or when they’re bought anything their heart desires while their sister isn’t allowed the same luxuries? Or when a girl’s entire life is treated like a liability who has to be found a match and married away as soon as possible?

The problem isn’t porn or Western values but our deeply entrenched belief that women aren’t equal. It’s not a phenomenon exclusive to the poorer sections of society and most educated households display the same beliefs and notions. In the long term, the only way to end such heinous crimes is teaching boys that women are humans and equals. Until we do that we will never stop such sex crimes. As staunch feminist Germaine Greer had said all those years ago, rape has nothing to do with sex whatsoever but men just re-enacting their belief that they have the complete right over a woman – her body, her decisions and her life.

Circumcision isn’t the way to treat tight foreskin in children

There’s a common notion thatcircumcision is the best way to deal with phimosis or tight foreskin in children but the truth is that in over 80% cases the procedure can be avoided. We talked toDr Arbinder Singal, a paediatric urologist about phimosis and how to deal with it. Excerpts from the interview:

What is phimosis?  How is it caused?

Dr Singal: Phimosis or tight foreskin is one of the most common surgical problems that paediatricians face. What you need to understand is that all infants have physiological phimosis at birth. After 3-4 years of age, with gradual erections and the creation of dead skin cell deposits called smegma, the inner layer of the foreskin gradually gets separated from the glans and the condition resolves itself by the time the child is 4-5 years of age.

Is there any difference between a tight foreskin and phimosis? How can parents find out if there child suffers from the condition?

Dr Singal: It’s the same thing. There’s no need to differentiate between the two, the more important thing is to differentiate between the types of phimosis and understand when it’s physiological and when it’s pathological. So a tight foreskin till the age of 4-5 is considered completely normal and no treatment is required unless there are problems like dysuria (painful urination), ballooning, and recurring local infections such as balanoposthitis (inflammation of the glans penis or foreskin) or obstructive symptoms in which case a check-up should be done. It’s important to remember that genital handling is very common and normal in children and it won’t affect the condition or treatment in anyway. In case your child has this condition you should visit a paediatric urologist or a paediatric surgeon.

What are the treatment options? Is circumcision the only option to treat phimosis?

Dr Singal: In children, one long term study that we conducted has shown the application of local steroid cream over the foreskin can lead to resolution of the issue in over 80% cases and thus circumcision can be avoided. The study was published in the Acta Pediatrica in 2011. The most effective and safe steroid for this purpose is Betamethasone Dipropionate 0.05% in ointment base. On the other hand, children who have a scarred foreskin or have failed a steroid treatment should be offered preputioplasty* or circumcision.  Ideally, treatment for this condition should be done at diagnosis.

* Preputioplasty is a surgical procedure in which a limited dorsal slit (as opposed to the complete removal of the foreskin in circumcision) is made to wide a narrow non-retractable foreskin. It’s considered non-traumatic and less invasive than circumcision and heals faster.  There’s also little or no significant alteration to the appearance of the penis.

If one does opt for surgery, what is the recovery period? Will it be painful?

Dr Singal: The recovery period ranges from 3-10 days. During the surgery, the child is given some anaesthesiaand there might be some swelling or pain which can be managed with oral medications. In this day and age, most cases of phimosis can be treated easily when the diagnosis is made. 

The author is a paediatric urologist with over 17 years of experience. For more information on urological problems in children you can check out the websites www.hypospadiasfoundation.com and www.pediatricurology.in. 

How lack of sleep could have caused Michael Jackson’s death

Recently Michael Jackson – the King of Pop was back in the news, after his former nurse Cherilyn Lee testified that the troubled singer was suffering from insomnia and was convinced that the propofol was the only cure for his condition. Jackson had so much trouble falling asleep that he actually wanted propofol – a powerful anaesthetic to get some shuteye!

The testimony was part of a lawsuit filed by Jackson’s mother and children about his wrongful death. Lee claims that Jackson asked her to find him an anaesthesiologist who could help him sleep with the surgical anaesthetic propofol! Incidentally, his personal physician was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter and is serving a four-year sentence in prison. While the cause of death was the drugs, the question is that was it insomnia or lack of sleep that led to Jackson’s untimely demise. What was it that prevented him from sleeping? For that you’ve to understand:

What is insomnia?

Simply put, insomnia is a condition where a person finds it difficult to fall asleep. Sleep is an important part of the human body’s system. It repairs the muscles, tissues and cells of the body, provides much-needed rest to organs and makes and releases necessary hormones and enzymes during this time. Since the sleep cycle of humans is regulated according to daylight and nightfall, it is essential that a person sleeps adequately during the night. This is why insomnia is extremely bad for health. Another reason is that since one does not sleep at night they are generally sleepy during the day – due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation – which interferes with their ability to perform everyday functions normally and efficiently. Read more about sleep disorders.

How can a person die due to insomnia?

While Michael Jackson died due to fatal cocktail of drugs, insomnia itself can take lives. In fact, you’d sooner die due to the lack of sleep than lack of food! Insomnia usually pushes a person towards depression and fatigue with makes their judgement skewered, pushing them to try desperate things to get some sleep. A more sudden and severe reaction to sleep deprivation is death due to cardiac arrest. This happens when a person becomes so weak that the heart muscles can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body. The organ becomes so fatigued that it stops working. 

What are the symptoms of the disease?

Insomniacs show various symptoms like irritability, increased fatigue, sleepiness during the day, irritability and problems with concentration and memory. Think you are suffering from insomnia? Read about what might not be letting you sleep.

What are the types of insomnia?

There are basically two types of insomnia – primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is when the person suffers from insomnia independent of other diseases. Secondary insomnia is when the condition arises as the result of some other prevalent disease.

Risk factors that could lead to insomnia:

Conditions such as intense stress, emotional distress, depression, high blood pressure, allergies, change in the sleep timings and obesity (which leads to sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnoea) can lead to acute insomnia (one that lasts for a short period of time). Factors like extreme anxiety, clinical depression and pain can lead to chronic or long term insomnia.

How is it diagnosed?

Insomnia is usually diagnosed by a physical examination. The doctor may ask the patient or their family about their sleeping patterns for a better understanding of the severity. This usually suffices, but in some cases one may need a sleep test (where one’s sleeping patterns are monitored in a sleep clinic) for more accurate diagnosis.

What are the treatment options?

Mild or acute insomnia is usually treated with some mild sedatives and some changes in sleeping patterns. Here the doctor will tell the patient about healthy ways to help them fall asleep. Although sleeping pills are known to be addictive in nature some people may require it in small doses to overcome their reason for the acute insomnia, like trauma or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). In the case of chronic insomnia a doctor may prescribe a heavier dose of the drugs along with behavioural therapy or counselling depending on the patient’s needs. If the insomnia is due to some physiological condition like high blood pressure, pain or mental health disturbances or obstructive sleep apnoea, he/she will aim to first cure the root cause of the problem. Read about some helpful ways to fall asleep.

What are the complications of insomnia?

Not being able to sleep directly relates to not being able to rest one’s body and mind. Therefore the complications are also related. They are include extreme fatigue that could lead to sudden weight loss, irritability and lack of appetite, malfunctioning of vital organs due to long term use of drugs, inability to concentrate on work, depression and anxiety. In all cases of insomnia, it is always advisable to get a doctor’s opinion at the earliest. Never attempt to use any medication (like sleeping pills) over the counter as they can cause great damage to the body. 

Microsoft in talks to buy stake in start-up networking site Foursquare

Foursquare spokesman Brendan Lewis said via email that the talks fall squarely

 in the 'rumors and speculation' category.

Microsoft Corp is in talks with start-up social networking company Foursquare about a
 possible investment.
The talks are at an advanced stage, but Foursquare is also talking to other potential
 partners.
According to Fox Business, Foursquare spokesman Brendan Lewis said via email that
the talks fall squarely in the ‘rumors and speculation’ category.
A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment.
As social networking companies have come under increased scrutiny, particularly since
the initial public offering of Facebook Inc, Foursquare has lost some of its luster.
Foursquare has raised a total of 112 million dollars, including a 41 million dollars convertible
 debt round in April, the report added.

Australia's foreign minister calls Bashar al-Assad a thug

The minister added that Australian intelligence figures showed that it was "highly likely" that the 

Syrian regime committed the attack against civilians.

Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr has described Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
"a thug and a murderer" while justifying US military strike against his regime for the
 alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians, media reported Saturday.
"What leader other than a thug and a murderer can approve that sort of assault on
 children?" ABC News reported Carr as saying.
With Australia assuming presidency of the UN Security Council Sunday, Senator Carr
 said the Syrian regime "deserves a response" from the international community for using
 chemical weapons to kill hundreds of innocent people.
He, however, said he did not think Australia would need to make a contribution to the US
 response to the crisis.
The minister added that Australian intelligence figures showed that it was "highly likely"
 that the Syrian regime committed the attack against civilians.
Carr said Australia was prepared to support the US but he did not anticipate making a
commitment.
"We think that if a government in this day and age uses chemical weapons against innocent
 men, women and children, it deserves a response. We're confident the (Barack) Obama
administration has weighed carefully what that response will be," he said.
"Given what America has said, there will be no boots on the ground, no commitment to a
 long campaign.
Expressing support for the US strike, Carr said the response would be swift and narrow.
"This isn't about changing the regime in Syria, it's not about aligning America with the rebels.
 It's going to be a swift and narrow response.
"Because America is reinforcing here an international norm, that is a view that a nation that
 gasses its own people with chemical weapons should receive a robust and appropriate response
 from the world community," he said.

Nelson Mandela not discharged from hospital: Presidency

Since Mandela was rushed to a Pretoria hospital June 8 for a recurring lung infection, 

the presidency has declared his condition as critical but stable.

Nelson Mandela. - AFP

The South African government
 Saturday refuted media reports
 that former president Nelson
Mandela has been discharged from hospital.
"Madiba (Mandela's clan name)
is still in hospital in Pretoria,
 and remains in a critical but stable condition," Xinhua quoted presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj as saying.
"The presidency has noted incorrect media reports that former president Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital," Maharaj said.
"At times his condition becomes
unstable, but he responds to medical interventions," said Maharaj.
Since Mandela was rushed to a
 Pretoria hospital June 8 for a
recurring lung infection, the
presidency has declared his
condition as critical but stable.
Last Saturday, presidential
 spokesman Maharaj said Mandela, 95, was in an unstable condition at times but demonstrated great resilience.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has been suffering from a recurring lung infection, which is the result of tuberculosis developed when he was imprisoned during the apartheid period.

Women prefer new haircut over skincare (view pics)

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Los Angeles: Despite being bombarded with products and advice on skincare, women prefer trying out new hairstyles.As women get older they spend less money looking after their skin and are more likely to think the key to looking good is a new haircut, according to a new poll endorsed by the Britain's only national skin cancer-specific charity, Skcin

Prince William-Kate Middleton make royal U-turn on child care with 'active' nanny hunt

Prince William and Kate Middleton 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have reportedly changed their mind on childcare and are “actively” looking for a nanny.
According to British magazine Grazia, Duchess Kate was determined to be a hands on mom to their new born son, Prince George, and had refused to hire a nanny, but the royal couple has realised that they do need help and have started looking for it, News.com.au reported.
Sources revealed that one of the Duchess' best friends from Marlborough and most trusted confidante, Alice Alvenel has already been helping her with her month-old son.
The royal couple, which is currently residing in Anglesey, North Wales, while William completes his final weeks as a pilot with the British Royal Air Force, is apparently looking for someone trustworthy and very well experience.
Sources added that the Duchess, who is apparently looking forward to moving back to London once their apartments at Kensington Palace have been refurbished, will rely on word-of-mouth on hiring someone to assist her and may not go for a live-in nanny.
Catherine is due to return to her royal duties on September 12.

Secret to delay early ageing!

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London: Most women can’t imagine stepping out of the house without makeup, but avoiding it one day a week, can help in delaying the ageing process, suggests a skincare expert.Rita Strazinska, founder of Bio2You Organic Seabuckthorn skincare, has urged women to go makeup free one day a week, for a minimum of 24 hours, to help protect the skin and allow it to rejuvenate without being weighed down by cosmetics, reports femalefirst.co.uk.“By opting to give skin a breather once a week, accompanied by a good skincare routine, women may find their self-confidence levels actually increase as they notice the condition of their skin improving, whilst the world has chance to appreciate their natural beauty,” said Strazinska.Following are 

the key reasons behind her tip:

A clearer complexion: No makeup can help in reduction of spots, blemishes and acne. Makeup can also irritate the skin, leading to redness and allergic reactions.Go chemical free:

 Most cosmetics have harmful chemicals like parabens, so it is wise to give skin a rest from such ingredients at times.

More time: The average woman spends around 20 minutes every morning putting on makeup. Going makeup free means more time to sleep or eat breakfast!

Victoria Beckham to design outfits for 'Fifty Shades...'?

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London: Victoria Beckham will reportedly design the outfits for lead characters Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in Sam Taylor-Wood's forthcoming film "Fifty Shades of Grey", based on E.L. James trilogy."'Fifty Shades...' is going to be more than a movie. We are hoping for spin-offs in fashion and music. Victoria is frontrunner," femalefirst.co.uk quoted a source as saying.The producers are also reportedly considering designers Dolce and Gabbana, Diane Von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs for the film.Victoria, who is married to retired soccer star David Beckham, is a fan of the erotic novel and even got a copy of it for her mother Jackie Adams."I'm halfway through the second one. I even bought my mother the book. But every time she tries to engage in conversation about it, I kind of dodge the subject. I don't really want to talk to my mother about it," Victoria had said.

Fergie and Josh Duhamel welcome baby boy Axl Jack

Fergie and Josh Duhamel - AFP

Singer Fergie gave birth to her first child, 7-pound, 10-ounce Axl Jack Duhamel, on Thursday.
The 38-year-old singer welcomed her baby with actor Josh Duhamel, 40, via C-section, CNN reported.
A rep told the publication that both mother and the baby are fine and everything is well.
Explaining to why the couple has named the baby as Axl Jack, Duhamel told People magazine that it is a mix of traditional and modern names.
He said that they both love the name and think that it will suit their child.