Mar
18
Articles.sniperslive:Being obese can take years off your life
Filed Under BBC News, Health, News, Top Stories | 59 Comments
LONDON – Being obese can take years off your life and in some cases may be as dangerous as smoking, a new study says. British researchers at the University of Oxford analyzed 57 studies mostly in Europe and North America, following nearly one million people for an average of 10 to 15 years. During that time, about 100,000 of those people died.
The studies used Body Mass Index (BMI), a measurement that divides a person’s weight in kilograms by their height squared in meters to determine obesity. Researchers found that death rates were lowest in people who had a BMI of 23 to 24, on the high side of the normal range.
Health officials generally define overweight people as those with a BMI from 25 to 29, and obese people as those with a BMI above 30.
The study was published online Wednesday in the medical journal, Lancet. It was paid for by Britain’s Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and others.
“If you are heading towards obesity, it may be a good idea to lose weight,” said Sir Richard Peto, the study’s main statistician and a professor at Oxford University.
Peto and colleagues found that people who were moderately fat, with a BMI from 30 to 35, lost about three years of life. People who were morbidly fat – those with a BMI above 40 – lost about 10 years off their expected lifespan, similar to the effect of lifelong smoking.
Moderately obese people were 50 percent more likely to die prematurely than normal-weight people, said Gary Whitlock, the Oxford University epidemiologist who led the study.
He said that obese people were also two thirds more likely to die of a heart attack or stroke, and up to four times more likely to die of diabetes, kidney or liver problems. They were one sixth more likely to die of cancer.
“This really emphasizes the importance of weight gain,” said Dr. Arne Astrup, a professor of nutrition at the University of Copenhagen who was not linked to the Lancet study. “Even a small increase in your BMI is enough to increase your risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
Previous studies have found that death rates increase both above and below a normal BMI score, and that people who are moderately overweight live longer than underweight or normal-weight people.
Other experts said that because the papers used in the study mostly started between 1975 and 1985, their conclusions were not as relevant today.
Astrup worried that rising obesity rates may reverse the steep drops in heart disease seen in the West.
“Obesity is the new dark horse for public health officials,” he said. “People need to be aware of the risks they’re taking when they gain weight.”
Dec
7
Riots continue across Greece after teen killed by police
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ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- The Greek government has appealed for calm after rioting returned to cities Sunday, following a night of violence during which youths battled police across the country.
Athens riot police come under attack near the capital’s main police station Sunday.
Athens riot police come under attack near the capital’s main police station Sunday.
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Athens and other cities were hit by the overnight violence after a member of an elite police corps shot dead a teen in the Greek capital, triggering angry protests.
The officer who fired the fatal shot has been charged with murder with malicious intent and suspended from duty, police said, adding that an autopsy on the youth is scheduled for Monday, in an effort to discern the circumstances of the shooting.
Demonstrators barricaded city streets Sunday in Athens and Thessaloniki and hurled petrol bombs as they battled with police, who fought back with tear gas in the second day of rioting. Video Watch youths riot in Greece ยป
Rampaging youths smashed storefronts and burned businesses, leaving shattered glass and burnt debris scattered across both cities.
Government officials, fearing more violence, swiftly condemned the shooting.
“An investigation is underway and those found responsible with be punished,” said Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who earlier had his resignation refused by prime minister Kostas Karamanlis. “Measures will also be taken to avoid such incidents again in the future.”
“It’s still very tense,” journalist Anthee Carassava told CNN from Athens. “You can almost cut it with a knife. The scenes in downtown Athens have been harrowing.”
“These are the worst disturbances I have seen in covering the country in the last 20 years.”
Residents of an apartment building in central Athens were evacuated Sunday after angry demonstrators torched a car dealership on the basement floor.
A police statement about the teenage boy’s death said the incident started when six youths pelted a police patrol car with stones.
The teen was shot as he tried to throw a fuel-filled bomb at the officers, police said.
Other youths — often referred to in Greece as ” the known-unknowns — converged on the site almost immediately, using texting and Web sites to organize and communicate.
Fighting between youths and police quickly erupted in other parts of Greece, including Thessaloniki, the country’s second largest city.
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Hundreds of youths took to the streets of the sprawling port city, and finally barricaded themselves behind the gates of a state university, where police are barred from entering.
Police say several police officers have been injured and that some protesters have been rounded up for questioning.
Oct
24
Sri Lanka’s England tour in doubt
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Sri Lanka’s 2009 tour of England looks to be under increasing threat of being postponed, BBC Sport understands.
The tour clashes with the Indian Premier League (IPL) in which a host of top Sri Lankan players have contracts.
“It’s a precedent people wondered how long it’d take to happen, one country choosing Twenty20 rather than Tests,” BBC Sport’s Jonathan Agnew told 5 Live.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said it had heard nothing from the Sri Lankan authorities.
Big names such as Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan are among 13 Sri Lankan players with IPL contracts.
Previously, the Sri Lankan sports minister said they should be excused Test duty to honour those deals.
Two Tests are scheduled in England between 7 and 19 May, while a three-match one-day series begins on 27 May, two days after the six-week IPL finishes.
“I told Sri Lanka Cricket to release the IPL-contracted Sri Lanka players to play the IPL tournament and select a team with the remaining group of players, who are also equally talented, for the England tour,” said Gamini Lokuge.
“But I understand that (the England and Wales Cricket Board’s) television rights and income for the proposed tournament could be jeopardised if you do not send the star players.”
606: DEBATE
I can’t see how the Sri Lankans can get away with this sort of ‘adjustment’, only to honour a local league in India
RugbySlayer
The Sri Lankan tour was arranged after Zimbabwe’s visit was cancelled and it is believed the West Indies are now being sounded out as alternative opposition for England, but Agnew said it looked like player power had won the day.
“The players have these very lucrative deals with the IPL and don’t want to give them up,” he said.
“The senior players saw the window in April and May when they could go to India and earn lots.
“The board – which is cash-strapped – pushed them into touring England, and the players have rebelled.
“It hasn’t helped that Sri Lankan cricket was bailed out by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to the tune of about $70m, so that tied them into the BCCI so they’ve had to accept IPL and other Indian tournaments ahead of other international cricket.”
No-one from the International Cricket Council was available for comment, but Agnew said the situation was bound to be a major cause for concern.
“Alarm bells will be ringing in Dubai at ICC headquarters and elsewhere where Test cricket is held dear,” he said.
“It exposes once and for all the overriding interests of Indian cricket, which has said Tests are paramount, but this reveals that it is the IPL which, in that part of the world, is paramount.”
Oct
24
Woodgate admits Spurs drop fears
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Despondent Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate admits they are “one million per cent” in a relegation battle after suffering another defeat on Thursday.
Spurs lost to Udinese in the Uefa Cup to compound their league problems.
“People say we are too good to go down but we aren’t. I’ve seen it happen at Leeds and they had a better team than we do here,” Woodgate told BBC Sport.
“We’ve got to roll our sleeves up and start grafting because, I am telling you now, it’s going to be hard.”
He added: “We are bottom of the Premier League with two points and it doesn’t really get much worse than that.”
When asked if Spurs were fighting for their Premier League life, Woodgate added: “One million per cent we are at the moment.”
Udinese won after a blunder by Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes saw them concede their third penalty in two matches, while Jamie O’Hara was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in the space of a minute, becoming the third Tottenham player to be dismissed in the last two games.
Asked if he could take any positives from the game, Woodgate said: “No, none at all.
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“What went wrong was the same as has been happening in every single game we have played in this season – a lack of concentration. We have got to start learning quickly.”
The defeat was a fourth in five games for Spurs and, with Bolton their next opponents in the Premier League on Sunday, Woodgate said Juande Ramos’s side must end that dismal run quickly.
“A goal goes in and you think ‘here we go again’,” the England defender added.
“When you have a losing mentality like we’ve got at the moment you have got to get really stuck in and start winning games or you just get used to losing and losing and losing.”
606: DEBATE
Juande Ramos is not solving the problems – he’s not telling the players how to perform on the pitch
Klinsmann90
Woodgate left Leeds for Newcastle before they dropped out of the Premier League but he has not forgotten the fate of his former team-mates.
Indebtedness, administration and relegation to League One followed for the Elland Road club and the 28-year-old is anxious for Spurs to avoid their fate.
“We have really got to roll our sleeves up here and start grafting because, I am telling you now, it is going to be hard,” he said.
“We are bottom of the Premier League with two points and it doesn’t really get much worse than that.
“Without a doubt I will take responsibility – I have got to stand up like everyone else. It is the players who shoulder the blame because we are not pulling our weight on the pitch.
I’m very angry because I don’t like to lose. We lost this match in this competition and now we have to win matches to qualify for the next stage
Juande Ramos
“If we are not producing the goods and getting the wins then pressure is going to be put on the manager, the chairman and Damien Comolli (Spurs’ sporting director).
“The way we have been playing, we deserve to be down at the bottom of the table – we deserve to be where we are, end of story.”
Ramos is under increasing pressure at White Hart Lane after the worst start to a season in the club’s history.
He revealed his frustration after they were beaten in Italy, saying: “I’m very angry because I don’t like to lose. We lost this match in this competition and now we have to win matches to qualify for the next stage.”
Oct
24
Trio hold talks on ’southern IPL’
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Australia, South Africa and New Zealand are in discussions to set up a southern hemisphere version of the successful Twenty20 Indian Premier League.
The concept centres on an eight-team league with four franchise teams in each country by 2011.
A conference would be contested in Africa and another in Australasia, with the top teams meeting in the finals.
The timing of the tournament would complement the IPL, enabling Indian players to participate in both events.
Cricket Australia chief executive officer James Sutherland said detailed discussion with South Africa over the past year and preliminary discussions with New Zealand had shown strong interest in the concept.
606: DEBATE
Can this rival the IPL in terms of success and popularity among players and spectators alike?
David O, BBC Sport
“The idea developed out of blue sky Twenty20 thinking over the past 18 months,” he said.
“Regional-level Twenty20 cricket played at the level immediately below international cricket has shown it can capture the public imagination and create new audiences for cricket.
“But as we have seen in India, it needs critical mass to generate major public excitement and the regional concept we have been charged with developing provides that critical mass.”
New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said the success of the inaugural IPL was an indication of the demand for regional Twenty20 competitions.
“Gathering a large number of the world’s marquee players into a single competition over a compressed timeframe can capture the public imagination and create new audiences for cricket,” he said.
“The challenge for the three southern hemisphere boards is to create the stage for that opportunity to be captured in a way which complements international cricket.”
Oct
22
India v Australia 2nd Test
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Australia skipper Ricky Ponting had no excuses after his team’s dismal 320-run defeat in the second Test with India.
“Right from the first morning India were aggressive and took the momentum away from us,” the 33-year-old said.
“They used the reverse swinging ball better than we did and we have been under pressure from the start.
“At different times we put up a bit of a fight but we weren’t good enough. They deserved to win, they outplayed us in every aspect of the game.”
Ponting, who was critical of India’s approach in the drawn first match of the series, could offer no defence of his team after their second defeat in the last four matches with the Indians.
Overall, I think it was one of India’s best matches in Test cricket
India stand-in captain Mahendra Dhoni
“We weren’t good enough in any aspect of this game – fast bowling, spin bowling, batting and, at times, our fielding was a bit sloppy, so we’ve been outplayed,” he said.
“Sometimes as a captain and player you have to accept that and say they were better than us this week. We were better than them last week, but that’s irrelevant now and they’re 1-0 up going into the next Test.”
The skipper admitted that it has been hard to replace the retired Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, who had 1,271 Test wickets between them, but insisted his current attack were capable performers.
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“I have total confidence in my group. With the experience and talent that we have, I am sure we can turn things around pretty quickly,” he said.
“Ideally of course I would have liked to have an attack with the McGraths and Warnes. But we’ve got what we’ve got. There is a bit of inexperience and we don’t have a match-winning spinner, but I am not worried about the inexperience. The spinners we have did their job reasonably well.”
606: DEBATE
When a team bats, bowls and fields like India did over the past five days, there’s not much an opponent can do -even if it is Australia
CT
India, by contrast, were jubilant, with acting skipper Mahendra Dhoni insisting: “Overall, I think it was one of India’s best matches in Test cricket. It was a perfect match for us.”
After Sachin Tendulkar broke the Test run-scoring record and Sourav Ganguly scored a century in his final Test at Mohali, Gautam Gambhir also reached three figures and spinner Amit Mishra took a five-wicket haul on his debut.
In addition Dhoni, deputising for the injured Anil Kumble, won man-of-the-match after scoring 92 and 68 not out, plus taking two catches and a stumping.
“When we had an opportunity we made it count,” he said. “That was what was important. Everybody contributed.
“Nothing went wrong and we would like to be in this position more often, but that’s hard. I guess credit goes to all the players and our support staff. I thought they were brilliant too.”
Dhoni, though, expects a different Australia in the next Test, which begins in New Delhi on 29 October.
“They had a few bad games, that doesn’t mean they have lost it,” he said. “They are still the number one team in the world.
“They have the potential, they have very talented guys in the side. They will come back strongly.
“That is what you expect from the Australian team. That is what they are all about.”
Oct
22
Man Utd 3-0 Celtic
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Manchester United strolled to victory to leave Celtic’s Champions League hopes hanging by a slender thread.
Dimitar Berbatov looked offside when he flicked home a close-range finish to put United ahead after 30 minutes.
And there were similar doubts about his second, turned in on the rebound after Celtic keeper Artur Boruc could not hold Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick.
Wayne Rooney emphasised the gulf in class between the sides with a 20-yard shot on the turn with 14 minutes left.
United are now sitting pretty at the top of Group E and on course to qualify for the knockout stages, but Villarreal’s win against Aalborg leaves Celtic with an uphill task to emerge from the group phase.
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Gordon Strachan’s side was below-strength and it showed as they never looked like making a dent in a dismal Champions League record on their travels that now reads played 17, lost 16 and drawn one.
But they will also point to two debatable United goals, although in reality they were massively inferior to their English counterparts.
Manchester United lost Rio Ferdinand with a groin injury, but Ronaldo kept his place despite speculation that he might be rested – and he played his part in a vibrant first-half display from Sir Alex Ferguson’s side.
It was Celtic, however, who posted the first danger after 11 minutes when Aiden McGeady forced Edwin van der Sar into a save low to his left with a 20-yard shot.
606: DEBATE
Pure class performance
RD16 – Rafael And Fabio *Double Trouble
United went ahead on the half-hour, but it was a contentious moment that will have left Celtic and their massed ranks of supporters nursing a sense of injustice.
When John O’Shea jabbed the ball into the danger area following Nani’s corner, Berbatov was clearly in an offside position as he flicked a finish beyond Boruc.
Scotland captain Darren Fletcher should have made it two on the stroke of half-time when he cut inside and shot over the top from only 12 yards.
United doubled their lead six minutes after half-time, but again Celtic will ask justifiable questions about the legitimacy of the goal.
Boruc could only palm out Ronaldo’s vicious long-range free kick for Berbatov to turn in the rebound, but the Bulgarian appeared to be in an offside position when the ball was struck.
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Rooney had the ball in the net again seconds later but it was ruled out for offside, although this time it was United who could ponder a questionable decision.
Ferguson made a double change on the hour, sending on Carlos Tevez and Wes Brown for Berbatov and Gary Neville.
And the Argentine almost got in on the act instantly with a 25-yard shot that was deflected just inches wide.
Celtic had sent on substitutes of their own, with Paul Hartley and Shaun Maloney replacing Barry Robson and Shunsuke Nakamura – but they were having trouble creating any clear-cut opportunities.
And they were powerless to stop United as they swept forward to add a third with 14 minutes left, almost inevitably through Rooney.
A move that started with Van der Sar’s throw out ended with the in-form England striker scoring on the turn from 20 yards to make it nine goals in seven games for club and country.
It was a fitting flourish to another outstanding display by Rooney as United continue to move ominously into top gear.
Oct
21
Dundee sack Rae after poor start
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Alex Rae has been sacked as manager of Dundee after a disappointing start to their First Division promotion bid.
The former Rangers, Sunderland and Wolves midfielder was relieved of his duties after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at home to struggling Ross County.
Rae, 39, had lost support in the boardroom but was unhappy at the summer sale of top players like Kevin McDonald, who was sold to Burnley.
Dundee are third bottom of Division One but remain just six points off the top.
Assistant manager David Farrell will take charge of the first-team for Saturday’s match against Morton in Greenock as Dundee aim to resurrect their pursuit of leaders Queen of the South.
Queens manager Gordon Chisholm, along with coach Billy Dodds, are among those already being mentioned as possible successors to Rae.
Airdrie United’s Kenny Black and former Raith Rovers manager Jimmy Nicholl, presently assistant with Aberdeen, are also possible targets.
Rae became player-manager with Dundee in May 2006 and this season gave up playing to concentrate on his management role.
Oct
21
Newcastle 2-2 Man City
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Ten-man Newcastle earned a brave draw after referee Rob Style’s early penalty decision had enraged St James’ Park.
Home supporters were furious after he sent off Habib Beye in the 13th minute when he appeared to clear from Robinho.
The Brazilian easily converted the resulting penalty but City mistakes let Shola Ameobi equalise before half time.
The Magpies led through Richard Dunne’s spectacular own goal after 62 minutes but Stephen Ireland stroked in a classy equaliser with five minutes remaining.
Having made their worst start to a Premier League season in nine years and with owner Mike Ashley still looking for a buyer for the club, second-from-bottom Newcastle were desperate for a win.
606: DEBATE
Coloccini was surely man of the match. He was a rock and didn’t give Jo a thing. Just a shame we couldn’t hold on…
King-Habib
But it was City that started the strongest with Micah Richards, playing at right-back, linking up dangerously with the rejuvenated Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Fabio Collocini had to snuff out danger from that pair on 10 minutes just before Newcastle midfielder Geremi went close with a 25-yard free-kick after Tal Ben Haim hacked down Obafemi Martins.
Controversy exploded soon after as Ireland nodded down for Wright-Phillips to instantly knock a beautifully weighted through-ball into the path of Robinho beyond Newcastle’s back-line.
Beye turned and, in challenging to clear from the Brazilian, touched the ball before making contact with Robinho.
Oct
21
India v Australia 2nd Test
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Australia succumbed to only a second Test defeat since the 2005 Ashes as India took just 18.4 overs on the final day to win the second Test by 320 runs.
The tourists resumed on 141-5 needing a further 375 to achieve a target never before reached in a first-class match.
But only one run was added before left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan uprooted Brad Haddin’s off-stump in the first over.
In his next over Zaheer struck twice in two balls and though Michael Clarke hit 69 he was last out in a total of 195.
Clarke and Haddin had stemmed the flow of Australian wickets with a determined stand of 83 on the fourth evening.
But Zaheer produced a masterful display of swing and seam to snare three wickets in four balls and end any lingering concerns about polishing off the Australian batting.
Having begun the day by pushing the ball across the right-handers, he moved the final delivery of the opening over back in to Haddin and splattered the timbers, the middle pole knocked askew in addition to the off being knocked over.
Cameron White needed some runs after a less than convincing bowling performance with his leg-spin, but made only a single before he was Zaheer’s next victim.
The previous ball had swung away and beaten the edge, and White reached for a similar delivery, got a thin edge and jubilant skipper Mahendra Dhoni snared a neat low catch to his right behind the stumps.
Brett Lee, who defied the Indians with a spirited 35 in the first innings, is one of the more accomplished Test number nines, with five fifties to his name, but his stay was even shorter – one ball to be precise.