Drug trials causing 'havoc' to human life, Supreme Court says

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court said Thursday that unregulated clinical trials of new drugs were causing "havoc" in the country as it ordered the health ministry to monitor any new applications for tests. The comments were made during a hearing on a petition detailing deaths and health problems caused by clinical trials carried out on Indians, often without their knowledge or consent. "Uncontrolled...

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Brain image study: Fructose may spur overeating

This is your brain on sugar — for real. Scientists have used imaging tests to show for the first time that fructose, a sugar that saturates the American diet, can trigger brain changes that may lead to overeating.After drinking a fructose beverage, the brain doesn't register the feeling of being full as it does when simple glucose is consumed, researchers found.It's a small study and does not prove...

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At least 61 crushed to death in Ivory Coast stampede

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - At least 61 people were crushed to death in a stampede after a New Year's Eve fireworks display at a stadium in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan early on Tuesday, officials said. Witnesses said police had tried to control crowds around the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium following the celebrations, triggering a panic in which scores were trampled. "The estimate...

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Tennis: Davis Cup row brews in India

CHENNAI, India: Indian tennis was hit by controversy on Wednesday over reports that top players may boycott next month's Davis Cup tie against South Korea if a slew of demands were not met.The group of players, headed by Somdev Devvarman, want a better distribution of the Davis Cup prize money, a change in the support staff and involvement in the choice of venues for ties.The All-India...

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Cold wave hits normal life in Punjab, Haryana

CHANDIGARH: Normal life was thrown out of gear as intense cold conditions prevailed in most parts of Punjab and Haryana with mercury dropping by up to three notches below normal in the two states. Due to dense fog and mist which resulted in low visibility, rail, road and air traffic remained disrupted as many trains and flights were either rescheduled or cancelled for various destinations. People...

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Clinton's blood clot an uncommon complication

The kind of blood clot in the skull that doctors say Hillary Rodham Clinton has is relatively uncommon but can occur after an injury like the fall and concussion the secretary of state was diagnosed with earlier this month.Doctors said Monday that an MRI scan revealed a clot in a vein in the space between the brain and the skull behind Clinton's right ear.The clot did not lead to a stroke or neurological...

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Senate Approves 'Fiscal Cliff' Deal, Sends to House

Hours past a self-imposed deadline for action, the Senate passed legislation early New Year's Day to neutralize a fiscal cliff combination of across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts that kicked in at midnight. The pre-dawn vote was a lopsided 89-8.Senate passage set the stage for a final showdown in the House, where a vote was expected later Tuesday or perhaps Wednesday...

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North Korean leader, in rare address, seeks end to confrontation with South

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called for an end to confrontation between the two Koreas, technically still at war in the absence of a peace treaty to end their 1950-53 conflict, in a surprise New Year speech broadcast on state media. The address by Kim, who took over power in the reclusive state after his father, Kim Jong-il, died in 2011, appeared to take the place...

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Japan's Sharp considering US$1.15b public offering: report

TOKYO: Embattled Japanese electronics firm Sharp is considering making a public share offering worth more than 100 billion yen ($1.15 billion) early this year, a report said Tuesday.The public offering could take place in the spring with the firm hoping to use the funds to strengthen its mainstay liquid crystal display (LCD) business and improve its creditworthiness, the Yomiuri Shimbun...

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Strengthen legal regime against rape: UN rights chief to India

UNITED NATIONS: Expressing "deep sadness" at the death of the 23-year-old Delhi gang rape victim, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has asked India to strengthen its legal regime to get rid of the "terrible scourge" of rape. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said rape is a "national problem" in India, affecting women of all classes and castes and requires national solutions. Pillay expressed...

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