Type 1 diabetes tied to risk for a wide range of cancers

cancers

Published March 02, 2016

Reuters

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(Reuters)

People with type 1 diabetes are more likely than the general population to develop cancers of gastric organs and the kidneys, as well as endometrium and ovaries for women, according to a large new analysis.
But the authors also found that other sex-specific cancers, including prostate and breast, were significantly less common among people with type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes has been tied generally to increased cancer risk in the past, but studies have relied mostly on data from people with type 2 diabetes, which develops slowly, usually in adults who are overweight or obese, and affects about 28 million Americans.
Type 1 diabetes, typically diagnosed in children and young adults, affects about 1.25 million Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association.
"People with diabetes and (those with) cancer have many common risk factors, including obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity and smoking," said study coauthor Jessica H. Harding of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
However, "the overall excess cancer risk among type 1 diabetes is moderate," Harding told Reuters Health by email. "People with type 1 diabetes should not be alarmed about the results from this study but follow current guidelines for cancer prevention and participate in national screening programs as per the general population."
The researchers analyzed data from national registries of people with type 1 diabetes in Australia, Denmark, Finland, Scotland and Sweden through 2008 or 2012, and linked these records to national cancer registries.

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There were 9,149 first incidences of cancer in the diabetic patients they identified, half of which happened before age 51. Compared to the general population for the same time period, men with type 1 diabetes had a similar rate of cancer diagnosis overall, and women with type 1 diabetes were about seven percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer.
Cancers of the stomach, liver, pancreas, endometrium and kidney were about 25 percent to 50 percent more common among people with type 1 diabetes, though breast cancers were 10 percent less common and prostate cancers were 56 percent less common, as reported in Diabetologia.
The researchers found the biggest risk increase for liver cancer in men, which was twice as common in those with type 1 diabetes, and 78 percent more common in women with diabetes.
Liver cancer occurs at a rate of 7.5 cases per 100,000 people each year in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. So, even doubled, the overall risk remains low, the researchers note.
"The risk of some cancers is altered slightly among people with type 1 diabetes but not enough to cause serious concern," said Sarah Wild, who researches diabetes and cardiovascular disease at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and is also a coauthor of the new study.
"One question that the work addresses is whether long-term insulin treatment increases the risk of cancer and the good news is that there does not appear to be a strong effect," Wild said.
But the pattern of cancers is similar to that seen with people that are overweight or have type 2 diabetes, although the changes in risk are smaller, so weight may play a role, she told Reuters Health by email.
"The apparent reduction in breast cancer among women with type 1 diabetes needs confirming but may be related to different patterns of child-bearing," she said.
Cancer risk was highest shortly after diabetes diagnosis.
"This could happen if the cancer caused symptoms that meant people received a test for diabetes before the cancer was diagnosed, because liver and pancreatic cancers can cause diabetes and also because people with newly diagnosed diabetes will be seeing doctors and nurses frequently and so may report symptoms and get cancers picked up earlier than people without diabetes," Wild said.   source:foxnews

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10 charity races that'll get you sweating for a cause

A sign for the Susan G. Komen Foundation's 2012 Race for the Cure is displayed in Washington. (REUTERS/Joshua Roberts)

With spring right around the corner (hallelujah!), this is the perfect time to sign up—and start training—for a charity run or walk. It may provide just the right dose of fitspiration you need, especially when you know you’ll be sweating it out for a great cause. Below, your guide to fundraising events that will be held across the country in the months ahead.
For breast cancer
The Susan G. Komen Organization is best known for its challenging Susan G. Komen 3-Day, a 60-mile walk that has drawn more than 500,00 participants and crew since 2003, and raised more than $8 million for research and treatment programs. But it’s just one of the many events the nonprofit hosts, including the 5K Komen Race for the Cure.
RELATED: 15 Worst Things You Could Say to Someone Battling Breast Cancer
For leukemia and lymphoma
The Light the Night Walk, held in the evening in more than 200 communities in North America, is put on by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, to raise both awareness and funds. In this unique event, survivors carry white lanterns; supporters carry red lanterns; and people walking in memory of loved ones lost carry gold lanterns.
For pancreatic cancer
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network has an inspiring goal: To double the survival rate of this terrible disease, one of the deadliest types of cancer, by the year 2020. The Purple Stride event, which includes both a 5K and a family-friendly walk, is one key way the organization is raising funds for research.
For multiple sclerosis
Walk MS is a series of events that attracts about 330,000 people every year in cities and towns nationwide. The charity has been raising money since 1988 to fund research and to provide support for those living with the disease. To participate, you can either register as an individual, or start or join a team (of, say, your friends or coworkers).
RELATED: Could You Have MS? 15 Surprising Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
For brain tumors
Rides, walks, 5Ks, 10Ks—the National Brain Tumor Society hosts a variety of events around the country. The groups missing: To raise money to support the nearly 700,000 Americans living with brain tumors.
For families affected by disabilities
Over the last 13 years, Walk With Me events (including 5K races) have raised nearly $41 million for Easter Seals, which provides services for people with disabilities and special needs, and their families.
For Make-A-Wish America
The funds raised through Walks for Wishes help make dreams come true for kids fighting life-threatening diseases. Thanks to donations, a wish is granted on average, every 37 minutes, in the U.S. and its territories, according to the foundation.
RELATED: 7 Tips for Running Your First Race
For arthritis
The annual 5K Walk To Cure Arthritis supports research for the nation’s number one cause of disability. More than 70 events are scheduled through the end of August.
For heart disease
The Heart Walk is one of the American Heart Association’s most popular events. The groups mission: To save more lives from heart disease (the number one killer in the U.S.) and stroke (the fifth leading cause of death in this country). This year, 1 million walkers are expected to participate in more than 300 cities.  source":foxnews

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More young breast cancer patients having genetic tests

(Dreamstime)

In recent years, more than 95 percent of U.S. women diagnosed with cancer at age 40 or younger got tested for mutations that raise their risk of future cancers, according to a new study.
The rate of genetic testing has steadily risen from about 70 percent in 2007, and that's a positive trend, researchers say, because the test results can influence women's decisions about treatment.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends that all women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50 or younger get tested to see if they have BRCA gene mutations, which are known to raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as the risk for recurrent cancers or later cancer in the opposite breast.
"The rates of testing in this population are probably higher than what you see in other populations, but it's still nice to see the improvement and more women having the opportunity to get tested," said senior author Dr. Ann H. Partridge of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston
"We were surprised at how high the rates were over the time period," Partridge told Reuters Health by phone.

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The researchers analyzed data gathered between 2006 and 2014 in an ongoing study of young women with breast cancer. Partridge's team looked at almost 900 women age 40 and younger at 11 health centers across the country to see how many had been tested for BRCA mutations and whether test results had influenced their treatment.
Overall, 87 percent of the women said they had been screened for BRCA mutations within one year of their diagnosis. From 2007 onward, the proportion of women reporting testing increased each year, eventually including 96.6 percent of women diagnosed in 2012 and 95.3 percent of women diagnosed in 2013.
Among a total of 780 women tested during the study period, 59 did have what's known as a BRCA1 mutation and 35 reported having a BRCA2 mutation, while another 35 women said they had an indeterminate result or variant. The rest had no mutation.
Past research has found that women between ages 30 and 34 diagnosed with breast cancer and found to have the BRCA1 mutation have about a 1 in 3 chance of developing a new cancer in the next 10 years, the study team writes in JAMA Oncology. For women ages 35 to 39, the 10-year odds are about 1 in 4.
In the current analysis, almost 30 percent of women who were tested said knowledge of their genetic risk influenced their treatment decisions in some way.
About half of those who were tested and did not have mutations opted for a bilateral mastectomy to remove both breasts, compared to 86 percent of those who were mutation carriers. Mutation carriers were also more likely to have their ovaries removed.
Of the 117 women who were not tested for BRCA mutations within a year of diagnosis, almost a third said they had not discussed possible genetic mutations or screening with their doctor or a genetic counselor and 37 percent were thinking about future testing.
"We know we can reduce morbidity and mortality if we have the knowledge," and there are few to no downsides of BRCA testing for younger women with breast cancer, said Dr. Jeffrey N. Weitzel of City of Hope cancer center in Duarte, California, who coauthored an editorial alongside the new results.
BRCA testing was first commercially available in 1996, and in just 20 years its use has spread widely, Weitzel told Reuters Health.
"The recommendations are to test every woman with breast cancer under 40 for sure," Partridge said, but a small minority of women in this study said they were never told about testing or were told it was not necessary for them. "That's clearly the fault of the system and the provider leading that charge," she added.
More work can still be done to reduce barriers to testing, which may be higher for women who are uninsured, Partridge said.
"It wasn't until two years ago that Medicaid even covered this testing, the public health system hadn't really caught up," Weitzel said.
The study didn't include details on the nature of the genetic counseling offered to the patients, an important aspect of how they absorb and use the results of screening, he said.
"The more women who are tested, the critical thing is having the resources to support them with counseling," Partridge said.  source:foxnews

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Woman diagnosed with breast cancer at 25 urges others to get checked

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  Liz Cooper was just 25 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. (GoFundMe.)

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When Liz Cooper was 25, she felt a lump in her right breast, but didn’t think much of it. She was young, had just lost 70 pounds and was being counseled by a nutritionist and trainer. Breast cancer also didn’t run rampant in her family -- her grandmother had been diagnosed with it, but not until well into her 80s.
“There were no real symptoms, there was just the lump under my armpit in the breast area,” Cooper, now 26, told FoxNews.com.
Cooper works in the billing department at Stamford Hospital near her home in Connecticut, and told a nurse about the lump.
“She asked if I was on my period because during menstruation it’s common to feel lumps or fluid in your breast,” she said. “Two weeks later it was still there, so I made an appointment with my doctor, got a prescription for an ultrasound, had it done and they knew right away at the ultrasound,” she said. A subsequent biopsy confirmed the lump was cancerous.
Cooper was diagnosed with stage 1B invasive micropapillary breast carcinoma and micrometastasis in the lymph nodes. She tested positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells; HER2-positive breast cancers tend to be more aggressive than others. Because her cancer tested positive for estrogen and progesterone, Cooper had her lymph nodes removed to avoid further spread.
“I can’t take birth control because it’ll feed it,” she said.
Cooper’s diagnosis shocked her doctors, and she underwent genetic testing to see if she might be susceptible to any other mutations. She tested negative for mutations to the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes, and aside from her grandmother does not have a family history of the cancer.
Ultimately, she decided to undergo a bilateral mastectomy— removing both the breast with cancer and the healthy breast — despite results testing negative for the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 mutation. Had she chosen a lumpectomy, she would have had to endure biopsies and imaging every six months to monitor any development in her affected breast. In addition to the stress of the surgeries, Cooper also had to decide whether to freeze her eggs before beginning chemotherapy.
“I went through two cycles of egg freezing – oocyte cryopreservation— and my insurance only covered $5,000 of it,” Cooper said. “I also had to get over the fear of giving myself shots for it.”
During this time, Cooper had five surgical drains attached to body and was unable to drive while she recovered from the double mastectomy. Her parents, boyfriend and best friend managed her medications around the clock and drove her to and from appointments. When all was said and done, she was ready to start chemotherapy in August 2015.
“I was terrified of being sick and losing my hair,” she said. “When you don’t have hair, [people] know that you’re sick.”
Cooper decided to donate 14 inches of her hair to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths partnership with the American Cancer Society before she lost it to chemotherapy. Her treatment required a cocktail of four different drugs and six cycles of chemotherapy every 21 days. Once she completed it, Cooper began a targeted therapy that will last through August. At that time, she’ll be placed on a hormone blocker for five years, and continue to go for follow-up scans for the rest of her life.
“The feelings from chemotherapy were like having the flu, pneumonia and severe exhaustion all together,” she said. “It feels like you drink carbonated metallic gasoline – it does not make you feel very well.” 
The drugs also affected her memory, and Cooper said she sometimes feels like she’s in a constant fog. She doesn’t have much time or energy to socialize, as she is in physical therapy three to four times per week to treat painful lymphedema, which is a result of the surgery to remove her lymph nodes.
“I feel like I live at the doctor’s office so my schedule is very hectic with appointments, and it’s just not your average 25-year-old’s schedule,” she said, adding that it's difficult to know she could be attending graduate school or traveling at this time.
“Instead I had to be careful going out in public because if my white blood count was low I could risk getting an infection,” she said. “I couldn’t relate to people’s conversations anymore – I had totally different problems and issues and nobody truly understands how many treatments are involved with having cancer.”
To stay inspired on her darkest days, Cooper turned to the wisdom of two co-workers who are breast cancer survivors, as well as her friends and family urging her to be strong. Her friends started a GoFundMe for her medical care, with the response helping to boost her morale even more. In addition, she found an online support group exclusively accessible to breast cancer patients. On April 2, her alma mater, Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York, is holding a lacrosse game benefitting breast cancer research in her honor.

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The experience has taught he the importance of paying attention to your health, even when you’re young.
“It’s really important to go to your yearly gynecological visits and physicals with your primary care physician,” Cooper said. “If you’re ever worried or concerned about something that you think is unusual with your body – always go get it checked out just to be sure.”

Incidence and Mortality of Breast Cancer in the United States | HealthGrove

Cooper will be back in surgery in two weeks to undergo another step in her breast reconstruction surgery, permanent implants. After the bilateral mastectomy, she had tissue expanders implanted behind the pectoral muscle. Over several procedures, her surgeon injected saline into the expanders to make room for permanent implants. The final step will be nipple reconstruction.  source:foxnews

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Doctors take note as NY demands paperless prescriptions

Dr. Michael T. Goldstein, New York County Medical Society President, use a standard prescription pad which is being made obsolete by a new electronic prescription law, Thursday, March 17, 2016, in New York. E-prescribing has surged nationwide in recent years. Every state now allows it, but only New York has a broad requirement that carries penalties. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

NEW YORK –  The scribbled, cryptic doctor's prescription is headed toward eradication in New York, where the nation's toughest paperless-prescribing requirement takes effect this month.
Instead of handing patients slips of paper, physicians soon must electronically send orders directly to pharmacies for everything from antibiotics to cholesterol pills to painkillers, with some exceptions. Otherwise, prescribers face the possibility of fines, license loss or even jail.
The requirement is meant to fight painkiller abuse, reduce errors and expand a practice that doctors and patients often find convenient. But physicians say digital scripts can present roadblocks for some patients and doctors shouldn't have to fear punishment over a prescription format.
"When it works, it's seamless," says New York County Medical Society President Dr. Michael T. Goldstein, an ophthalmologist who issues many prescriptions electronically himself. "But there are circumstances where it doesn't work, and patients suffer."
E-prescribing has surged nationwide in recent years amid a push to digitize medical records. About 60 percent of scripts are now sent electronically, said Paul Uhrig, chief administrative officer of Surescripts, the leading network for transmitting e-prescriptions.
Every state now allows e-prescribing, but only New York has a broad requirement that carries penalties. Minnesota requires the use of electronic prescribing but doesn't specify how much or set penalties.
Digital prescribing thwarts prescription-slip forgery and theft and saves time for patients who otherwise have to drop off scripts. The secured systems also let doctors look up a patient's other medications and insurance particulars before ordering a drug.
The convenience appeals to patients like Christine Smith, a 44-year-old mother of two from Plainview, on New York's Long Island.
"I like them sending it, so I don't have to carry it. It's one less responsibility for me to worry about," she said.
Studies have found that electronic prescribing reduces medication errors, partly because pharmacists don't have to decipher prescribers' handwriting. Messy writing causes some of the medication errors that kill at least one person per day and injure 1.3 million nationwide each year, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"It is a good thing to make electronic prescribing ever more available," but not to require it all the time, says American Medical Association President Dr. Steven Stack.
Patients, for instance, could accidentally have prescriptions sent to the wrong pharmacy or to one that has closed or out of stock by the time they arrive. Instead of taking a piece of paper to another pharmacy, patients have to get the doctor to re-issue the prescription or the pharmacy to transfer it.
It's also harder for patients to shop around for medication deals when a script is in a pharmacy's system instead of in hand, says Dr. Joseph R. Maldonado, president of the Medical Society of the State of New York.
Carmel Danna is one of those shoppers, having found her out-of-pocket costs can vary widely between pharmacies.
Besides, "I prefer to have (a script) written because I can check it and make sure they did it right," says Danna, 85, a retired secretary from Plainview.
To be sure, despite e-prescribing's potential to improve accuracy, it's not foolproof.
Some studies have suggested digital prescribing carries risks of its own, such as mistyping or choosing the wrong item from a drop-down menu. Minnesota health professionals reviewing their state's e-prescribing progress noted some problems in changing and canceling prescriptions electronically, including a case in which a patient doubled up on cholesterol drugs and died of the complications, according to a presentation at the state's e-Health Summit last year.
Officials and vendors say that they continue working to improve the systems. Meanwhile, about 8 percent of New York's 124,000 doctors, dentists, nurse-practitioners and other prescribers have gotten extensions on the March 27 deadline.
Paper or phone prescriptions are allowed during emergencies, and health officials this week added new exceptions, such as nursing home staffers phoning in prescriptions after-hours. The state Senate passed a proposal to exempt doctors who write very few prescriptions.
While the technology may be new, some users say the way to resolve any uncertainties isn't.
"We do just what we normally would have done: You pick up the phone," said Maria Marzella Mantione, a community pharmacist who teaches at St. John's University and is on New York state's Board of Pharmacy. "And you do your best to help the patient."  source:foxnews

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Nut, seed and flower oils: Which cooking oil to use when

From deep-fried foods to healthy salads, cooking oils play a part in the flavor profile and healthiness of many meals. With such a huge range of nut, seed, and flower oils on the market to choose from, all boasting their own array of nutritional and superfood benefits, it can be hard to know where to start.
Consider the smoke point when selecting an oil to cook with. The temperature at which a type of oil begins to smoke and burn will play a huge factor in the dishes you should use it in. Will you be cooking your food hot and fast? If that’s the case you might want to avoid the delicious and flavorful extra virgin olive oil, which begins to smoke at 320 degrees F, and instead opt for an oil with a higher smoke point, like avocado oil, which smokes at a searing 520 degrees F.
Then there’s your waistline and general health to consider. It’s no secret all oils contain fats, but consulting our list will teach the levels of mono-saturated, mono-unsaturated, and poly-unsaturated fats in 15 popular nut, seed, and flower oils, allowing you to choose the oil that’s right for you.  source:foxnews

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Gene GT198 helpful in detecting breast cancer early

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Washington D.C: A new study has revealed that gene GT198 can cause breast cancer on mutation. This gene that is known for its ability to repair DNA has a strong potential and can diagnose breast cancer early.
The studies performed at Augusta University were done on an international sampling from 254 cases of breast cancer in pre- and postmenopausal women, said corresponding author Dr. Lan Ko.
Mutations of the gene are known to be present in both early onset breast and ovarian cancer. Now, scientists have shown that the stem, or progenitor cells, which should ultimately make healthy breast tissue, can also have GT198 mutations that prompt them to instead make a perfect bed for breast cancer.
Ko noted that this gene mutation can be in both the blood and the tumor tissue of patients, and in the tissue, it's in high percentages, adding "We believe that once this gene is mutated, it induces the tumor to grow."
GT198, which is also a coactivator of receptors for steroid hormones such as estrogen, is normally regulated by estrogen, Ko said. But once mutated, GT198 can enable tumor production without estrogen. "Regardless of how much hormone you have, it's out-of-control growth," Ko said of the resulting classic, rapid growth of cancer.
"It's a new target in cancer. It's very exciting," said co-author Dr. Nita Maihle, adding "This tells you that all the different types of stromal cells in breast tissue are affected by the GT198 mutation because they all come from a common progenitor cell."
The net effect is a tumorigenic environment filled with what Ko calls inappropriate offspring. "Here is a cause-consequence relationship," she said.  source:zeenews

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Biking or Walking to Work Helps Keep You Fit

 Walking, cycling or taking public transit to work helps middle-aged adults lose body fat and weight, new research suggests.
"Physical inactivity is one of the leading causes of ill health and premature mortality," said study author Ellen Flint. She's a lecturer in population health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in England.
"In England, two-thirds of adults do not meet recommended levels of physical activity. Encouraging public transport and active commuting, especially for those in mid-life when obesity becomes an increasing problem, could be an important part of the global policy response to population-level obesity prevention," Flint concluded.
The study, published March 16 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, included information from more than 150,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69 in the United Kingdom. Two-thirds of them drove to work each day, researchers said.
The study found that bicycle commuting offered the greatest benefits compared to using a car.
For example, a 53-year-old man who cycled to work weighed 11 pounds less, the study showed. Cycling to work also resulted in a 1.7 drop in body mass index (BMI -- an estimate of body fat based on weight and height) compared to someone who drove to work.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that a BMI score under 25 is considered normal weight. Twenty-five and above is overweight. Thirty and over is obese.
A 52-year-old woman who cycled to work weighed nearly 10 pounds less than a woman who drove to work. The woman cyclist would also have a 1.65 lower BMI score than a driver, the study showed.
Men and women who walked to work instead of driving dropped their BMI by as much as 0.98, the study found. The farther people cycled or walked to work, the greater their reductions in BMI, the study revealed.
Even taking public transportation made a difference, the study authors found. Men who used public transit had a 0.7 lower BMI than those who drove, as did those who combined public transit with walking or cycling to get to work (lower BMI of 1 for men and 0.7 lower BMI for women).
The connection between style of commuting and BMI was independent of other factors such as income, education, urban or rural home, drinking and smoking, and overall physical activity, health and disability.
"Many people live too far from their workplace for walking or cycling to be feasible, but even the incidental physical activity involved in public transport can have an important effect," Flint said in a journal news release.
Lars Bo Andersen, from Sogndal and Fjordane University College in Norway, wrote an editorial accompanying the study. In it, he said the findings are important, "because commuting to work is an everyday activity that lots of working people need to do.
"Many people are not attracted to recreational sports or other leisure-time physical activities, which are proven to benefit health, and active transport might therefore be an important and easy choice to increase physical activity and the proportion of people achieving recommended levels of physical activity," Andersen noted.
source: The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology

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Breakfast Cereal: The Marketing of Sugar

It’s not often you see an advertisement for Shredded Wheat, All Bran, or low-sugar organic cereals. What you do see, in a very repetitive and aggressive way, are ads for high-sugar, low-fiber content cereals. You know, Trix (Trix are for kids!), Lucky Charms (they’re magically delicious), Corn Pops, and Cap’n Crunch (one of my childhood favorites).
Those Saturday morning cartoons may entertain the kids and even delight a few adults but they also offer up unhealthy choices in the form of commercials. A new study, conducted by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University, shows that cereals marketed to our children have 85 percent more sugar, 65 percent less fiber, and 60 percent more sodium, not to mention the additional unnecessary calories that they add to the breakfast bowl.
The study, released over the weekend, provided a wealth of information on both the content and marketing of cereals in this country. Using a nutrient profile system and reviewing marketing data for the popular cereal brands, researchers found that the average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads per year on television. Eleven of the thirteen cereals advertised most to children on television are also marketed heavily on the internet, with not one of them qualifying for inclusion in the USDA WIC Program.
The Top 10 advertised cereals to children with the poorest nutrition content were: Reese’s Puffs, Corn Pops, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cap’n Crunch, Trix, Froot Loops, Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, Cocoa Puffs, and Cookie Crisp.
Of course the food companies are fighting back. General Mills spokeswoman Heidi Geller says kids who eat cereal more frequently, including pre-sweetened cereals, "tend to weigh less than kids who eat cereal less frequently — and they are better nourished." Given that General Mills has the highest number of brands marketed directly to children (8) and the highest amount of money spent on marketing those cereals ($107 million per year), it’s not surprising that they are trying to spin this in a positive light.
Look for cereals that have 10 grams or less of sugar per serving and look at the serving size, which varies.  Cereal bowls, when filled, tend to be twice what the average serving size is (3/4 to 1 cup), meaning that your child is getting twice the amount of sugar than you intended. And many go back for seconds, compounding the issue.
GoodGuides http://www.goodguide.com/ provides the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home. It has a good cereal ranking system, and also allows you to filter by the following topics:
Environmentally Friendly

• Organic
• Low In Sugar
• Low In Sodium
• Low In Cholesterol
• Low In Saturated Fat

The Top 12 ranked cereals on GoodGuides are:

1. Nature's Path Puffed Millet, Organic
2. Barbara's Bakery, Cereal Shredded Wheat
3. Vita Spelt Flakes
4. Food For Life Ezekiel Cereal, Original, Organic
5. Arrowhead Mills Puffed Wheat
6. Grape-nuts, Flakes Cereal
7. Post Spoon Size Shredded Wheat Cereal
8. Honey Bunches Of Oats, Cinnamon Clusters Cereal
9. Cheerios, MultiGrain
10. Wheaties
11. Total
12. Chex Corn      source    health news

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Intricacies rule Virat Kohli's world of run-making

The 27-year-old's keen eye for finer details of batting showed how far he's come as a player and perhaps, a glimpse of how far more he's destined to go. © Getty

On a harrowing night for batsmen at the Eden Gardens, Virat Kohli finished as the difference between the two sides as India extended their dominance over Pakistan in World Cups. That he's an excellent chaser of targets is well-documented but behind his consistency, lies his knack for attention to finer details of his nuance of the game that makes him so dangerous.
Over the last few years, Kohli has turned into a true modern-day champion, with bucket-loads of runs to show for and an ability to realign his mindset midway through an innings in order to come up trumps against almost every bowler he's faced.
Rewind to a couple of weeks ago. India were tottering at eight for 3 in the third over, the top-order made to look abject by Mohammad Amir's pace and swing on a green-top wicket. The 22-year-old, whose stunning return to the international scheme of things felt like he was never away, turned the screws. By Kohli's own admission, the 49 he scored in this chase was one of his better knocks. It wasn't just Kohli's acumen to take on the challenge and pose a counter to it, but also to be able to think on his feet and blunt the threat posed by Amir.
The left-arm pacer coupled his express pace with his ability to swing the ball into the right-handers and caused all sorts of trouble for the Indian batsmen. Rohit Sharma lasted two deliveries, Ajinkya Rahane wasn't sure of whether to go forward or hold back and Suresh Raina, a left-hander, was comprehensively bamboozled. Kohli walked out, faced a couple of deliveries and quickly opened up his stance to be able to deal better with the ball that swung into him. Kohli's move forced Amir to alter his plans, and therein lay the Indian batsman's genius.
Amir's excellent flow meant he still posed problems but Kohli did enough, despite getting a couple of outside edges, to arrest India's slide. In the 16 balls he faced off Amir, Kohli scored just 10, but in the process, also saw off a little over half of the four-over spell of Pakistan's most impactful bowler of that night in a small chase.

On a viciously-turning track, Virat Kohli's batting proved to be the difference between the two teams © Getty

An innate quality in the best of batsmen is to acknowledge their fallibility and head back to the drawing board to iron them out before the next opportunity arises. The constant urge to erase what looks like a blemish on an otherwise spotless canvas eggs them on, as evidenced by Kohli's reactions.
On an equally potent spin-track in Nagpur, Kohli had perished while trying to drive Ish Sodhi, the New Zealand leg spinner, away from his body. On revisiting his dismissal and the forward stride, Kohli seemed to have figured that staying on and playing late against the threat of Shahid Afridi's leg spin on Saturday would benefit him.
What started as a keen contest was swiftly bossed over by Kohli and his batting re-adjustments allowed him to play a lot more on the back foot and take his time to keep the vastly-turning ball away. On a wicket such as this, batsmen would escape the wrath of a coach even if they fell trying to slog their way out of trouble, but Kohli, as Shoaib Malik reckoned in the post-match press conference, backed his skill even in such adverse conditions and anchored the chase to perfection.
"Even when I am defending the ball, I want to have a big stride forward and show the bowler, 'I've defended it because you bowled a good ball. But if you bowl a bad one, I am here to hit you for a boundary," he had said back in July 2014. A year-and-a-half later, Afridi learnt it the hard way that not much has changed in the way Kohli played his cricket.
That the Pakistan talisman had to work with a negligible margin of error on a favourable track added to Kohli's brilliance. Kohli also reaped the rewards of showing extreme patience and resolve against short of a length deliveries, forcing Afridi to try the fuller approach. Once the deliveries were full, Kohli was able to reach the pitch of the ball and even dish out a couple of picture-perfect cover drives to ease the pressure of the chase, and leave Afridi out of options.
Against Shoaib Malik, the right-arm off-spinner, Kohli chose to step out of his comfort zone and use the sweep shot to nullify the impact of the turn. The move, as risky as it was, yielded instant results as he managed to throw Malik off his rhythm.
"People who've seen me closely, know that I don't play the sweep unless it turns square. But when the need of the hour is to play a sweep, you've got to be good at this level to play it, and if you can't, then people are going to target you there and you keep going down as a batsman. If you need to be ahead of the bowlers, you've got to play every shot in the book," he said in a post-match chat on Star Sports, reflecting his sublime game-reading skills and his ever-improving flexibility.
As his essay progressed, there was a growing feeling of whether Kohli was indeed batting on a different track. His tally of 29 from 20 balls off the two spinners combined, highlighted the vast difference between the batting efforts of the two sides on a wicket that hardly changed through the day.
"You know that famous example of half glass of water, whether it's half full or half empty, how do you see it? I feel his biggest plus point is he takes everything as a challenge," Dhoni summed up Kohli's current frame of mind on a night when the 27-year-old showed how far he's come as a batsman and perhaps, a glimpse of how much further he's bound to go.  source   cricbuzz

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Malik laments batting inferiority; Dhoni keeps it real after 11-0

Shoaib Malik felt Virat Kohli was the difference between the two sides © Getty

As India's unprecedented record over Pakistan in big events continued on Saturday (March 19) in the World Twenty20, Shoaib Malik reckoned it was his team's inability to bat better on a raging turner at the Eden Gardens that denied them the opportunity to break an elusive duck.
"I think there are a few areas where we need to improve, specially our batting. Even though it was a tough pitch to bat on, I believe we could've posted a better target. Credit to Indian team for the way they played on difficult pitch," Malik said, in the post-match press conference.
On a wicket that offered generous amount of grip and turn, Pakistan's top-order was found wanting. Having won both their previous fixtures at the Eden Gardens in the last five days in relatively easier conditions, Pakistan were perhaps, thrown off-guard by the erratic behaviour of the track. After Ashwin sowed some early seeds of doubt in the minds of the batsmen, Pakistan continued to struggle against spinners, managed just 28 runs off the five overs of powerplay and ended up with only 118 in 18 overs, a target too little for Virat Kohli and the rest of the Indian line-up.
"I feel we were not really expecting this kind of pitch. We felt we would get a wicket similar to the one used in the game against Bangladesh. Obviously weather is not in your control. We couldn't win the toss too, but that's not in your hands. There is one area to improve and that is our batting.
"Our total wasn't enough to defend against such a great batting line-up. Credit to Virat Kohli for his innings. He was the only difference between the two teams," Malik opined.

Dhoni was all praise for his team's show of strong character to bounce back after the defeat to New Zealand © Getty

While Pakistan were left to rue their inability to adjust to erratic conditions, the Indian camp enjoyed yet another victory over their arch-rivals. Even as this win adds to India's big-tournament invincibility against Pakistan, Dhoni called for a reality check.
"If you are proud of the fact that we've won 11-0 against them, we also need to know that reality is that we will lose someday. Whether that's today, 10 years later, 20 years later or 50 years later. It can't be that we will always keep winning.
"It's something to be proud of, but we have to put in as much efforts each time. If there is pressure on them for a 11-0 record, then there is pressure on us for 11-0 too," he said.
The Indian skipper preferred to look at the bigger picture of their first two points of the tournament and lauded his players for the show of strong character.
"Credit goes to players and support staff. We all know performances like those (against New Zealand) you don't want to do. To have a very bad game or very bad series and come back strong shows the kind of character that the boys have.
"And I feel it is very important to back them and have confidence in them that they will bounce back and come back strong," Dhoni said.    source  cricbuzz

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Australia look to extend dominance over deflated Bangladesh

Australia opened their World T20 2016 campaign with an 8-run defeat against New Zealand © Getty

Similar yet so very different - the underlying theme of the Group 2 clash between Bangladesh and Australia, to be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday (March 21). Similar because both teams come into the fixture at the back of defeats. Another reverse would severely debilitate the losing team's chances of making out of an intricately poised group. Different because while Australia have acknowledged the predicament caused by the New Zealand defeat, Bangladesh's strategy has been thrown off following suspensions to their lead pacer Taskin Ahmed and the left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny.
On the eve of the match, even as a relatively subdued Bangladesh went about their drills at the 'B' ground of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Stadium, Australia chose to stay put in their hotel room, presumably to conserve energy ahead of what promises to be a hectic couple of weeks. The conditions in Bengaluru are not alien to their players - short boundaries, true pitch, lots of runs. There are, however, question marks, over the T20 pedigree of this side. Steven Smith has adopted a 'flexibility' mantra for his side. This has led to a batting order reshuffle and unclear role definitions for the playing eleven, clearly disturbing the balance of the side.
If a bulk of the Australian players have Indian Premier League (IPL) experience to moot, Bangladesh's players have an 'A' tour of India late last year, one that featured several of the senior team members, to thank for their apparent familiarity with the conditions. Mashrafe Mortaza's men couldn't have asked for a better time to play an Australian side still grappling with the idea of T20 combinations, but off-field developments threaten to leave them under-cooked for a crucial clash.
When: Australia vs Bangladesh, March 21, Group 2 - 19:00 IST
Where: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
What to expect: A stark contrast to what Australia encountered in Dharamsala - Lower altitude, easy-paced wicket and certainly no hailstorms.
Team News:
Australia
Aaron Finch was Australia's T20 captain barely two months ago. Steven Smith took over in order to ensure continuity after the former picked up a hamstring injury. As luck would have it, when the Super 10 phase of the World T20 got underway this past week, he was the one giving up his spot as the selectors sought to fit Shane Watson and Usman Khawaja in the top-order. A return to the top of the order for the former captain would be mooted as would the inclusion of Josh Hazlewood in place of the second spinner, Ashton Agar, who infamously conceded 18 in his opening over against a marauding Martin Guptill.
Bangladesh
"Even if Mustafizur Rahman is 20% fit, he will have to play. We have no options," opined a sombre-looking Mortaza on the eve of the match. With two of his best bowlers suspended, Bangladesh's biggest challenge would be to stitch together a bowling unit that can serve the rigors of bowling on a surface that comes with a reputation for being rather unkind to the bowlers. Mustafizur will return for the first time since sustaining a side strain in the Asia Cup encounter against Sri Lanka, and Nasir Hossain, who scored a 100 and a bagged five-fer in of the one-dayers during the A tour could take up Sunny's spot.
What they said:
Steven Smith: It's a tough group, there are some very good sides in our group. Obviously we didn't start as well as we would have liked the other night against New Zealand. It's in the past now. We know what we need to do now - we need to win every game we play if we want to win the World Cup.
Mashrafe Mortaza: He (Chandrika Hathurasinghe) knows a lot about the Australian players during his time with New South Wales. Obviously, we will be seeking a lot of tips from him. The plans are there but the main thing is to execute them. We know that Australia can destroy any team.
Did you know?
- Australia have won all their three games, all coming in World T20s, against Bangladesh in T20Is
- Australia have lost six of their last seven matches in World T20. Their only win came against Bangladesh in 2014.
- Australia are yet to win a T20I in India. They have lost to India in 2007 & 2013 and to New Zealand at Dharamsala on Friday
- The average score batting first in the last five completed T20 matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium is 199
- 8, 7, 4, 2, 1, 13 - Shane Watson's last six scores in World T20. In the four matches prior to it he scored 51, 41*, 72 & 70 and won four consecutive Man of the Match awards.
Squads:
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Andrew Tye, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa
Bangladesh: Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Shakib Al Hasan, Abu Hider, Al-Amin Hossain, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Tamin Iqbal, Saqlain Sajib, Shuvagoto Hom  source    cricbuzz

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Fletcher, Badree help West Indies hold on to top spot in Group 1

Fletcher remained unbeaten on 84. © Getty

It was a near full house at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday (March 20) as the enthusiastic Bengaluru crowd eagerly awaited for the 'local boy' Chris Gayle. They were left disappointed as the left-handed batsman did not come out to open the innings, having sustained a left hamstring injury while fielding. However, there was no shortage of action as Andre Fletcher's well-paced innings (84 not out off 64) complemented Samuel Badree's fine showing with the ball (3 for 12) to help West Indies register their second win in as many games in the ICC World T20, 2016.
Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka could only manage 122 for the loss of nine wickets. Angelo Mathews's side made West Indies stretch a bit but Darren Sammy's team managed to get over the line with seven wickets in hand and 10 deliveries to spare to be perched firmly atop the Group 1 table.
Fletcher, who was brought in for Jerome Taylor, began in Hulk-mode, an inside-edge helping him get off the mark with a four off Angelo Mathews, before smashing the Sri Lankan captain over the sight screen. Rangana Herath received similar treatment from the stand-in opener, even as chants of "we want Gayle, we want Gayle..." echoed around the stadium.
Meanwhile, Johnson Charles had a lucky break as Chamara Kapugedera dropped a simple catch running in from deep mid-wicket to deny a wicket to Jeffrey Vandersay, the leg-break bowler who replaced Shehan Jayasuriya for this game. The miss, however, did not prove to be too costly as Charles was bowled in the final over of powerplay by the leg-spinner, who made it a wicket-maiden to help Sri Lanka pull things back.
Marlon Samuels did not have a productive outing, an ill-advised trot down the track on a turning wicket bringing about his downfall, as Sri Lanka exerted more pressure on West Indies with a few more tight overs, with Herath completing his quota by the end of the 10th over. Three overs later, Fletcher registered his fifth Twenty20 International fifty before Denesh Ramdin was bowled by Siriwardana. What followed was some drama as Gayle looked set to walk out to the middle, only to be stopped by the fourth umpire, Ian Gould, because his time off the field during the first innings, meant that he had to wait longer for his turn to bat.
Fletcher, unperturbed by all the events, smacked Siriwardana for two consecutive sixes while Andre Russell, the one who actually came at the fall of Ramdin's wicket, scored a four to get off the mark. There was further drama when Fletcher got an outside edge off Dushmantha Chameera and the third umpire's assistance was sought. Replays revealed that Dinesh Chandimal had taken the ball on the bounce, giving Fletcher an extended stay while Gayle, who was looking to come out, had to turn back again. Russell, who was put down by Kulasekara, finished it off in style with a six off Thisara Perera in the 19th over.
Earlier, with a six and a four off consecutive deliveries in the opening over off Russell, Tillakaratne Dilshan continued from where he left off in the previous match and looked set to do a lot of damage again. However, he was unfortunate to be adjudged leg-before off Carlos Brathwaite - replays revealing that the ball was clearly missing the stumps. Chandimal got off to a promising start after Dwayne Bravo's wayward throw gave him a lucky break in the opening over. Even as West Indies were juggling their bowlers, introducing as many as four in the first four overs in their attempt to unsettle the Sri Lankan batsmen, Chandimal was indecisive with his running between the wickets. That cost him dear as he took off for a non-existent single, only to be sent back by Lahiru Thirimanne, and a sharp throw from Johnson Charles made the job easy for keeper Ramdin.
Russell, meanwhile, was not having a great time with the ball, conceding a boundary apiece to Thirimanne and Kapugedera, as Sri Lanka maintained a run-rate of over eight at the end of the Powerplay. Badree, on the other hand, had bowled a couple of tight overs, and he reaped the reward in his third over when Thirimanne sliced one to Andre Fletcher at point. Sammy decided to bowl Badree out and the move paid rich dividends as the leg-spinner sent back Kapugedera and Siriwardana in the space of four deliveries - stumped and an edge to first slip being the mode of dismissals - to finish with excellent figures, which automatically had a bearing on Sri Lanka's scoring rate.
Operating Bravo and Sulieman Benn in tandem, West Indies sneaked in a few frugal overs while Mathews and Perera went about the rebuilding process. The Sri Lankan batsmen were unable to find a boundary for 43 deliveries before Perera thumped one straight back over the non-striker's head when Russell was re-introduced into the attack. Another straight drive off a Benn full-toss yielded Perera his second four and it was about time Sri Lanka got a move on - despite the two boundaries, the run-rate was below six at the end of the 15th over. Benn, who also completed his spell, did not pick up any wicket, but had ensured that the batsmen were kept on a tight leash as he conceded only 13.
Mathews, who was struggling in this outing, departed in a bizarre manner, giving Bravo his first wicket. The Lankan captain, who was well out of the crease, misjudged a full-toss when he went down on one knee, to top-edge the ball to the keeper. The third umpire was pressed into action to check for the height, before Mathews headed back. Sri Lanka, who had managed only 94 runs with three overs remaining in the innings, needed Perera to turn on the defibrillator to give some life to the innings. He managed to do that in the 18th over, which yielded 16 runs. However, Sri Lanka lost more wickets - Russell dismissing Kulasekara, Herath getting run out before Perera got out to Bravo - as Sri Lanka just about managed to cross 120, a total that proved to be insufficient.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 122-9 in 20 overs (Thisara Perera 40, Angelo Mathews 20; Samuel Badree 3-12, Dwayne Bravo 2-20) lost to West Indies 127-3 in 18.2 overs (Andre Fletcher 84*, Andre Russell 20*; Milinda Siriwardana 2-33, Jeffrey Vandersay 1-11) by seven wickets.  source  cricbuzz

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Mashrafe Mortaza despondent over Taskin Ahmed, Arafat Sunny suspensions

Mortaza shared his surprise at the assessment process used to adjudicate against Taskin. © Getty

A sombre atmosphere descended on the Bangladesh camp on Saturday (March 19) evening as the International Cricket Council slapped bowling suspensions on two of the team's in-form bowlers - Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny - throwing Mashrafe Mortaza's World Twenty20 plans into disarray. That the team was shaken up by the developments was evident in their low-key net session at the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) 'B' Ground in Bengaluru on the eve of their crucial Group 2 fixture against Australia.
The usually chirpy Bangladeshi bunch congregated briefly before the session for a team talk before breaking out to respective drills. Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal and Sabbir Rahman led the batting unit in the outdoor nets while Mortaza, the skipper, attempted to infuse the session with some enthusiasm. The Bangladeshi captain, however, made no attempts to mask the disappointments of the unexpected turn of events when he fronted the media at the end of a rather uneventful practice session.
"If two of the boys at home are in some sort of trouble, you can't focus on your work. You will be dispirited. It's like that with us now. If you look at us, you can tell. But we will still try to get on to the ground with the same spirit as before," Mortaza said on Sunday (March 20).
Taskin and left-arm spinner Sunny were reported for suspect actions following Bangladesh's eight-run win over Netherlands in a qualifying match in Dharamsala on March 9. According to ICC's protocols, they underwent an independent assessment in Chennai, and were allowed to continue bowling in international games until the result of the tests, made public yesterday, found them guilty of flouting the bowling action regulations, thereby leading to immediate suspensions.
The loss of the in-form Taskin, particularly in the continued injury absence of Mustafizur Rahman, was a bitter pill to swallow for Mortaza. The 20-year-old pacer was impressive in Bangladesh's defeat of Pakistan and Sri Lanka enroute their run to the final of the Asia Cup - his three wickets coming at a measly economy of 5.75. Even in their World T20 Super 10 opener at the Eden Gardens, one in which Pakistan scored over 200 on a flat track, Taskin returned admirable figures of 2 for 32. The timing of the suspension, right in the middle of a campaign, has left Bangladesh with little to no time to reassess their strategies.
"He is someone who has given us very good starts in our last few matches. Whenever we have won, Taskin has had a big role to play. He has been outstanding all over the world," Mortaza said. "His economy is less than six. It is a big blow. Sunny, too, has been bowling well in the qualifiers and in the last match as well. It (suspension) is shocking for us, and we will now have to rethink our strategies.
"We believe Taskin's bowling action is alright and are very upset with the decision. The timing is bad for us, because it's difficult to deal with this in the middle of the World Cup. If the replacements (Shuvagata Hom and Saqlain Sajib) had been with us even two days back, we could have done something. But they got off the flight this morning and came straight to practice."
Mortaza also shared his surprise at the assessment process used to adjudicate against Taskin. Mustafizur Rahman Khan, a supreme court lawyer in Bangladesh, create a furore on social media late last night over alleged inconsistencies in the action tests. According to the lawyer - the report against Taskin after the Netherlands game stated concerns over his action while bowling the bouncer. The independent test supposedly required Taskin to bowl nine bouncers, three of which were deemed illegal leading to suspension. However, the Bangladeshi captain revealed that Taskin hadn't bowled any bouncers during the said match.
"Taskin was reported after a match. The tests were done accordingly. We have gone through the footage - not a single delivery in that match was illegal. How can he be suspended then? There were some issues during the testing. Not with his full-length deliveries but with his bouncers. But we have seen that he didn't bowl any bouncers in that game. Do you still suspend him?" Mortaza quizzed.

"We believe Taskin's bowling action is alright and are very upset with the decision," said Mortaza. © Getty

Bangladesh Cricket Board could choose to take appropriate measures to challenge the findings and the suspension but the team will have to make do without their star pacer in what is essentially a do-or-die encounter against Australia, considering the competitiveness of the group. Left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, still recovering from a side strain sustained during the Asia Cup game against Sri Lanka, will now be thrown into action faster than the team's physios would have hoped. As Mortaza conceded, they didn't really have any other option.
"Mustafizur is getting better. Coming off that injury is not easy. But even if he is 20 percent fit, he has to play, as we don't have any options. He could play a supporting role to the main bowler against Australia," Mortaza said. "The two replacements who have flown in are very much capable. But the point is that someone who is in form in international cricket, and someone who is coming into international cricket - these are two different things. We can't put the new guys under pressure. We just hope they can contribute as well as they can. I'm sure Hom and Sajib will surely do their best."
Mortaza hoped that the latest setback in Taskin's injury-ravaged fledgling international career was only a minor blip and that his protege would return to action soon but the experienced campaigner allowed himself a philosophical moment as he sought to describe the vibe in the team ahead of the Australia fixture.
"I have seen a lot in life, so it's probably easier for me to accept this," he said. "But right now, we are talking about one of the most promising young fast bowlers of our country, someone who we think will serve us for the next ten years... At the moment it is very difficult to understand them and tell them that everything will be alright. As a group, the coaching staff and players, are helping them cope. All that we can wish and pray is they come out stronger and fight it out and come back and play for Bangladesh.
"The best we can do is make a statement on the field. I want us to perform well tomorrow. But the question remains... whether we are happy with what's happened and what we are feeling. And there is a system. We can't work outside the system. Our minds are in one place but we will have to go and play elsewhere," he summed up.source    cricbuzz

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Delhi likely to lose World T20 semifinal match

DDCA was in troubled waters over a number of issues, but got a go-ahead to host matches just before the tournament. © Getty

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is in the news again for all the wrong reasons, and it's likely that the semifinal clash of the ICC World Twenty20 2016 will be moved out of the Feroz Shah Kotla to some other venue.
The DDCA cannot sell tickets for the RP Mehra Block, which can accommodate close to 1800 spectators. "We were given time till Sunday evening to get clarity over RP Mehra block," said Ravinder Manchanda, the DDCA treasurer, on Sunday (March 20). "Since the case is in court, we have not got any clarity over the same.
"ICC wants to use that area for branding and also for seating purposes, since semifinal is a big game. We have not received an official word from BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) or ICC yet, but our deadline ended this evening."
The semifinal will be played on March 30. DDCA was in troubled waters over a number of issues, but got a go-ahead to host matches just before the tournament.  source  cricbuzz

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Aamir Khan - Flashback to the Future!

01

Aamir Khan is known as Mr. Perfectionist in Bollywood. He has become an institution in himself. A filmmaker, an actor and a person who fervently believes in fighting for social causes, Aamir Khan has become a force to reckon with. Though the past year was controversy ridden for this Khan, he has managed to pull through all the mire with courage and gutso. Let us go through a few pages from the career of this actor who has performed epic roles whether it was an alien in 'PK' or a law enforcer in 'Sarfarosh' to an autistic teacher in 'Tare Zameen Par' or his iconic comedy film 'Andaz Apna Apna'. Lets begin the journey.. source   indiatimes

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Could have gone to a better place, it would have cost me much less: Sri Sri

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's three-day festival made headlines as much for his grand show as for the row with the National Green Tribunal and Delhi High Court who said the event was held on the ecologically sensitive Yamuna floodplains. In an interview in Bengaluru, he tells TOI the fest actually made things better, but he will think twice before venturing into the Yamuna again.
How did the World Culture Festival go? Did the response surpass your expectations?

It was amazing. I was very surprised by the response... by the way people stood, even in the rain, and danced the first day. The rain could not dampen their enthusiasm. I'm more surprised by the pace at which it's been cleaned the very next day. I thought it would take three-four days.

Couldn't the mounds of garbage on the Yamuna floodplains have been avoided by having better waste management systems in place?

Lakhs of people had food, water and other things. They can't take the garbage with them. All that has been cleaned.

Considering it is an ecologically sensitive area, couldn't this adding of garbage have been avoided?

First of all, had you seen the place, it was a dumping ground. Not a park, not a sanctuary. It was not a place with birds, it was not beautiful. It was stinking. Nobody would say it was an ecologically pure place. Today, it has become clean. The place was toxic. Our being there has not created damage, it has cleansed the place.

What was your interest in holding it at that location? Your previous celebrations to mark anniversaries were held in Bengaluru's Jakkur airfield, Berlin's Olympiastadion, places that can handle such crowds

I could have gone to a much better place, it would have cost me much less.

Exactly. Why didn't you?

The intention of having it there is to see that the Yamuna gets more attention, and it is easy for all people to come there. And the government should take notice of the cleaning of the 17 nullahs that was not done.

Is that happening? Or will it happen?

Now the attention is there, we will press for government to do that.

So you're saying the negative attention is a good thing, it has served a purpose?

The 17 drains of Delhi are going into Yamuna without getting treated. So... I have spoken about that already. Let me keep aside those things and let me come to the programme. Is there any place in Delhi that can hold such a programme? No place in Delhi can hold so many people. And so many countries participated. It's a pride for India. It's something happening in India.

As an international dignitary said, PM is talking about Made in India-Make in India, now this is Happening India. India has proven to the world it has the capacity to do something gigantic. Now we can even host Olympics.
We organised a massive three-day programme despite a terror alert and unfriendly weather without incident. This shows we have the capacity. One of the miraculous things is the stage we built. The NGT's main concern was that big stage. They did not believe it was without a foundation. A 3 lakh sqm stage, 40 feet high, they said it is impossible without a deep foundation. But this stage was on plates, we did not dig anywhere.... a floating stage sitting on the river bank. This is the most magnificent stage, the largest stage the world has ever seen — in itself a wonder.

Farmers raised objections and said their crops had been flattened...

Yes, there are people on both sides of the river. Farmers were cultivating, we have spoken to the farmers, we have given them compensation money for three days.

There was a lot of criticism about the army building pontoon bridges for your event. Did you request the Army's help?

It is baseless. It is the duty of the Army, of the government of the moment to take care of people's security. When 172 dignitaries of various countries are coming to a place, the onus of security and of free movement of people, everything lies on the government. They've done their duty. If they had not built the pontoon bridges, they would have failed in their duty to organise such a huge [event], so I thank the Army. In fact, we would have loved to have five bridges but we could have only three, but those three were done very well. There were holding grounds on the other side of the Yamuna with screens and chairs so people could sit there and watch. Otherwise, with such a large event, there could have been a stampede. We have good experience in organising large events without any incidents. We plan very well.

So didn't the planning team anticipate the possibility of damage to the floodplains?

If someone had raised this concern at least three or six months before, we would not have gone to this place at all. But when the stage is half done, just 20 days before the programme, when people have booked tickets, I feel this is done with malicious intention. It's not the right intention.

Why would there be malicious intent?

That I have no idea (laughs). You know, when an event of that magnitude happens, such obstacles come up. But it also shows how determined our volunteers are and we have made the programme a success.

NGT has said the floodplains were levelled, the soil compacted...

I have all the pictures, we are going to contest that sort of thing. But I want to say that NGT also said we have not violated any laws. We wanted place. They should have told me this place is not available, it is ecologically sensitive and we cannot give you.

Does that mean you won't pay the damages?

NGT very clearly said we have not violated anything. They have asked for a compensation. This is a very funny thing. It is like even if you go in a green light, you will get a challan (laughs).

Will you be paying the amount?

To develop that place, we are willing to do it [pay the compensation], but first we need to make it clear that it is not a fine or penalty as mentioned in most of the media. Fine or penalty is only if you violate a law but when you have obtained all permissions, where is the question of penalty? Only when the court clarified that it is not a penalty, we said ok, we'll pay compensation. We have paid compensation to farmers. We have no hesitation in paying this. If there is a fine, I will not.

You've said you wanted to have the event on the floodplains to highlight the state of the river. Will you continue your activities at the Yamuna?

I have to think about it now. Even if you do the best work, if it is not taken in good spirit, why should you even venture into such things?

So you're saying doing good has to be tempered and has to have results?

My commitment to doing something good to Yamuna is always there, but whether I will venture to do something there now, I will have to think.

Another criticism was about the enzymes that Art of Living released into the Yamuna to clean it. What were these enzymes and how were they tested?

Some of these experts do not have any expertise. They don't know what technology is being used around the world. Enzyme use is proven in the world. These people have no idea about it so they will object. That's why I said before doing good, you have to see what type of response you will get. It is easy to work with uneducated people, it is easy to work with educated people, but people with half-baked knowledge is a real challenge. They think they know but they do not know (laughs). That is the challenge but we need to go with patience.

Where did you test the enzymes and who ran these tests and verified the results?

We have labs, we have an institute with ex-agriculture directors from all over the country, we have experts in our institute. We teach farmers organic farming — one wing of our work. Scientists showed 100,000 Delhi homes how to prepare the enzyme that takes three months to make.

Was the government informed about the release?

The Jal Board chief is on our committee. The government, Delhi government, all were informed. It was all done meticulously. It was not some chaotic idea. They should look into the credentials of the petitioners. Who are the petitioners, what have they done? This is what people should do rather than question our credibility. Isn't it?

Did you have an expert team that did an assessment before you decided on the Yamuna banks as your venue?

No damage was done. We left the place even better than what it was before. In one day, they have removed all the garbage, I expected them to take more time. Our job is not to clean the Yamuna, our job is to clean the minds of people. I will first clean the minds of people and then make them clean Yamuna because we have so much negativity for everything. Instead of welcoming an effort which will make India proud... this big a programme has not happened in China...

China hosted the Olympics...

This is nothing short of the Olympics or FIFA games. This was webcast in 185 countries. How many cities this was watched in! If it was not something of importance, why would the world watch? Why would dignitaries from around the world participate? There were many firsts in our cultural programme. Another miraculous thing. Can you imagine a show of that size had only one day of rehearsal? The rest was done online. Thousands of people learnt the music, the rhythm [without meeting]... first time in the world such a thing has happened. We showed the world, such magic can happen.

When we put up the idea, people said it is not possible. Even for five people to sing together needs a lot of practice. We had thousands, especially the masterpiece with 30 kinds of dances in a sequence. We'll present this to Broadway and on such international platforms.

How many months of planning went into the Festival?

Almost a year. Dances and all, we started about six months ago. Real work started a year ago: venue selection, inviting guests. There are a lot of challenges — buses would get stuck, it was muddy. Because of my commitment to environment, I would not allow any tar or cement or anything into that place. No sand was brought from outside. It was all temporary structures. We would not have faced so many challenges elsewhere. Behind the sheds, there is still grass today. And the stage, no cement. Even the security agencies said they couldn't believe this stage would be safe without a foundation. Only plates and rods were used.

Where are your engineering experts from?

That is our speciality. We had to build a special stage for the Prime Minister because security agencies didn't believe it was safe. It is a new concept. Whenever you want to do something not traditional, something innovative, people do not understand. We have a very good team of educated, highly creative young people who should be given a chance to show their expertise.
   source  indiatimes

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