In many Japanese cities large central kitchens deliver food each day to many schools
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More than 950 schoolchildren have fallen ill at nine schools on Japan’s northern Hokkaido island in a suspected outbreak of food poisoning.
Thirteen children are in hospital in the city of Iwamizawa; 48 teachers and other school staff also have symptoms.
The affected schools will remain closed until the end of the week.
The outbreak was so widespread because, like many cities in Japan, Iwamizawa operates large central kitchens which deliver food each day to many schools.
Three of these kitchens have been shut as well while an investigation is carried out.
The children began to fall ill last week after eating lunch of miso soup, salad and Japanese radish with minced meat.
In all 953 students have been affected but none is in a critical condition.
The health authorities in Hokkaido suspect a salmonella infection may be to blame but have yet to determine the cause of the outbreak.
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The Army said it had apologised to the men for the distress the e-mail “will have caused”
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The Ministry of Defence has apologised after a newspaper reported that 38 soldiers – including one on the Afghan front line – were sacked by e-mail.
An Army spokesperson said commanding officers had spoken to those concerned to ensure they got advice and support.
The men, all warrant officers, were told they were the victims of the defence cuts, according to the Sun.
It comes as up to 100 trainee RAF pilots – a quarter of the total – will be told on Tuesday they have to leave.
The Sun said the Army soldiers each received a message advising them to “start planning your resettlement”.
It said the warrant officers included a Royal Tank Regiment veteran who was serving on the front line in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, up to 20 fast jet pilots, 30 helicopter pilots and 50 transport aircraft pilots are said to be facing the axe because of defence cuts.
The Ministry of Defence would not comment directly on the RAF claims but said all three services were facing cuts.
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Forde (centre) was found guilty on eight counts, including first-degree murder and attempted murder
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The leader of an anti-illegal immigration group has been convicted for the murder of a nine-year-old girl and her father during a 2009 home invasion in the US state of Arizona.
Prosecutors said Shawna Forde broke into the family’s home to steal drug money to fund her group’s operations.
The 42-year-old was found guilty on eight counts, including first-degree murder, attempted murder and robbery.
Jurors will meet on Tuesday to decide if the death penalty will be sought.
The Pima County jury found Forde guilty of killing Raul Flores, 29, and his daughter, Brisenia, at their home in Arivaca, near border with Mexico.
Forde was also convicted of the attempted murder of Brisenia’s mother.
Forde and two men dressed as police officers forced their way into Mr Flores’ home and then shot him, his daughter and his wife, who survived the attack, authorities said.
Albert Robert Gaxiola and Jason Eugene Bush, Forde’s alleged accomplices, are scheduled to go on trial later this year.
Forde’s lawyer, Eric Larsen, argued his client, who had pleaded not guilty, did not enter the home.
But prosecutors disputed the claim and said the leader of the Minutemen American Defense, a small immigrant watch group based in Arizona, must take responsibility for the organisation’s actions.
“She didn’t put a gun to Brisenia’s head… but she was the one in charge,” prosecuting lawyer Rick Unklesbay told jurors.
“Because of that you must hold her accountable,” he added.
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One in four people in the UK, aged between 18 and 24, claims to have experienced severe violence, sexual abuse or neglect, says the NSPCC.
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The report highlighted the lack of specialist science teachers
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Scientists are calling for a new Baccalaureate-style qualification at A-level that allows students in England to study a wider range of subjects.
The Royal Society says the standard three choices at A-level limits the number of students applying for science degrees.
This is because few take the two sciences and maths required by universities.
Ministers say they want to strengthen maths and science in schools.
Schools minister Nick Gibb says the government’s move to include mathematics and science in the new English Baccalaureate would drive up participation rates and attainment in these subjects pre- and post-16.
“We are already committed to looking at new ways to encourage the take up of science qualifications, in particular physics, at all levels,” he said.
He added that ministers were open to ideas from leading societies and universities about how to do so.
The Royal Society report says: “The levels of participation in science and mathematics, particularly outside Scotland, indicated problems with the structure of post-16 qualifications provision and an underlying cultural indifference towards science across the population as a whole.”
It says many students would welcome being able to take a wider range and number of subjects at A-level, and argues “it is clear that A-levels are not fit for purpose”.
Across the UK in 2009, just 17% of 16 to 18-year-olds took one or more science A-level, or equivalent qualification, the report says.
In the same year, 17% of secondary schools in England did not enter a single pupil for A-level physics. In Wales this figure was 13% and in Northern Ireland it was 43%.
And it warns that UK universities produce fewer than 10,000 home graduates in science and maths.
Chair of the Royal Society Education Committee Professor Dame Athene Donald said it should be a top priority for the government to reform England’s education system.
She added: “At a time of economic uncertainty, when science and scientists can play a key role in revitalising the UK’s financial outlook, it is deeply worrying to find that numbers of A-level science students are at such low levels.”
The report also points out that in the Scottish education system, where youngsters take Highers instead of A-levels covering five subjects, a greater proportion of pupils take core sciences at this level.
It also notes that England’s Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced a new English Baccalaureate at GCSE, which requires those wishing to gain it to study two sciences along with English, maths, a language and either geography or history.
The report also calls for more efforts to maximise the number of specialist maths and science teachers and for the diversity of A-level and equivalent qualifications to be reviewed.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Preventer inhalers might not be needed in mild asthma
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Mild asthma might not need to be treated every day, say US researchers.
A “preventer” inhaler containing corticosteroid is part of many asthma sufferers’ daily routine, but it can result in reduced growth and children often forget to take it.
This study, published in The Lancet, shows that it is possible to manage the symptoms without a daily dose.
Asthma UK said daily treatment was still the most effective, and concerned patients should speak to their doctor.
The disease causes inflammation of the tubes which carry air to and from the lungs. If they become irritated, then the airways narrow, sticky mucus is produced and breathing becomes difficult.
More than 5 million people in the UK are being treated for the illness and Asthma UK estimates 1.1 million have asthma which is mild and under control.
Researchers at the University of Arizona believe there is a problem with the way the disease is managed.
Two types of inhalers are used: “relievers” which are used when breathing is difficult and “preventers” which are taken every morning and evening.
However, the researchers said that many children stop taking the daily medication if their symptoms disappear.
“If you have any concerns about your asthma treatment, Asthma UK recommends you speak to your doctor or asthma nurse”
Dr Samantha Walker Asthma UK
Professor Fernando Martinez, from the University of Arizona, told the BBC: “If you have a daily drug and a very significant number are not taking it, then that tells you it’s a losing strategy.”
“We want to find something which is more child- and parent-friendly as well as avoid the growth effect.”
In all, 288 children and teenagers with mild and persistent asthma took part in the 44-week trial.
The study showed that taking corticosteroids twice a day was still the most effective treatment, However, those taking the medication grew by 1.1cm (0.5in) less than children not taking the drug during the trial.
Importantly, asthma was also managed without daily treatment if the corticosteroids were combined with the “reliever” inhaler.
This eliminated the effect on growth and the researchers say it would be an easier form of treatment for children.
Further clinical trials will be needed to verify the results.
Professor Martinez said: “I’m continuing to recommend daily corticosteroid to my patients, but I know some of them will not take it.”
Asthma UK said the study confirmed that daily inhaled corticosteroids were the most effective treatment.
Dr Samantha Walker, executive director of research and policy at Asthma UK, said: “We know that long-term adherence to medicine treatment plans can be difficult, particularly when a child’s asthma seems to be under control.
“The use of combined ‘preventer’ and ‘reliever’ medicines as rescue therapy appears to be superior to ‘reliever’ inhalers alone and offers a new ‘step-down’ approach to the management of mild, well-controlled asthma in children and young people who find it difficult to adhere to long-term daily treatment with inhaled steroids.
“Many parents have concerns about their child’s steroid intake. However, research shows that children on low daily doses of ‘preventer’ medicines show no difference in growth. At higher doses, the picture is less clear. For all children, treatment plans should be reviewed at least every six months.
“If you have any concerns about your asthma treatment, Asthma UK recommends you speak to your doctor or asthma nurse.”
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Asia’s financial markets are some of the most heavily traded in the world at the moment
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A planned $8bn (£5bn) merger between stock market operators in Australia and Singapore may be moving closer after talks started up again.
Analysts said the original deal will probably be restructured in order to make it more attractive to politicians and regulators.
The planned merger is between the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and the Singapore stock exchange (SGX).
It comes after rival market operators in the US and Europe announced tie ups.
Smoother road?
The deal was first announced in October last year, but ran into problems with regulators and policymakers in Australia who were worried about which company would have control of the new firm.
Should the problems be ironed out then analysts said the deal would help boost Singapore as a major financial hub in Asia.
At the same time, it would give Australian investors greater access to Asian markets.
Asian stock markets and investors are benefiting from quicker rates of economic growth than are being seen in Western markets.
ASX asked for its shares to be suspended while the talks were going on.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Mini exercise bikes could combine a desk job with a workout
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Portable pedal machines could be used in every office to improve the health of workers, according to scientists in the US.
The researchers, writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, said sedentary lifestyles were a serious health problem.
They argue that small exercise bikes could be a cheap solution.
Charity Weight Concern said improving the health of workers would also benefit employers’ bottom lines.
Hours spent sat a desk staring into a computer screen is not an alien experience for many office workers.
Physical inactivity has been linked to obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Previous attempts at increasing the health of workers have involved hooking a treadmill up to an office computer.
Now researchers at East Carolina University are investigating mini exercise bikes, which can be used while sat at a desk.
“If used regularly, not only would individuals benefit, but employers would see reduced absenteeism and improved performance and job satisfaction”
Dr Ian Campbell Weight Concern
During a small study with 18 workers, they assessed how feasible it would be for the bikes to be introduced.
On average, the workers each used the machine on 12 out of the 20 days of the study and pedalled for 23 minutes at a time.
In a questionnaire, the workers said they would use the machine regularly at work if they were offered one by their employer.
They researchers said: “Portable pedal machines may serve as a tool to reduce sedentary times in the work environment without necessarily influencing the sitting time necessary for performing computer-related tasks.”
The authors note that the novelty factor of having an exercise bike did wear off so additional motivation would be needed to keep employees using them.
Dr Ian Campbell, of Weight Concern, said: “It’s increasingly being recognised that employers have an opportunity to provide options for staff to become more active during the working day.
“In principle this is a good idea, and relatively inexpensive. If used regularly not only would individuals benefit, but employers would see reduced absenteeism and improved performance and job satisfaction.
“However, it’s not for everyone and I was concerned that, not surprisingly, use of the pedal machine decreased gradually over the one month trial period as enthusiasm waned.”
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Footage of the protests in Tehran was captured on mobile phones
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has expressed her firm support for the thousands of opposition supporters who protested in Iran’s capital on Monday.
Mrs Clinton said they deserved to have “the same rights that they saw being played out in Egypt” and that Iran had to “open up” its political system.
One person was reportedly shot dead in the violent clashes between protesters and security forces in central Tehran.
Dozens were detained, and opposition leaders were placed under house arrest.
The BBC received reports of banned demonstrations in other Iranian cities, including Isfahan, Mashhad and Shiraz.
In their first major show of dissent December 2009, when eight people were killed, thousands of opposition supporters gathered at Tehran’s Azadi Square on Monday in solidarity with the popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
They chanted: “Death to dictators”.
At the scene
Riding on the back of a motorbike, holding my mobile to take video footage, I went to central Tehran on Monday afternoon. My driver skilfully found back alleys to reach Azadi (Freedom) Square, the Iranian counterpart of Egypt’s Tahrir Square.
Thousands of people made their way amicably and silently towards the square, most of them young. Many wore trainers, suggesting they were anticipating having to run away from the security forces to escape arrest.
Riot police began to disperse the crowd before they even started the rally. Men on motorbikes belonging to the police and Republican Guards charged the protesters and beat them severely with batons. However, this merely emboldened them.
When the troops fired tear gas at the crowd, it became very difficult to breathe. Some girls and women fainted. Many of the protesters were also detained. Others set rubbish bins on fire to combat the effects of the gas.
My driver was hit by a paintball fired by a policeman and lightly injured, but he was still able to drive me back to the office. Once there, I was shocked to see that official and semi-official news agencies were saying everything was normal when for a couple of hours, there had been total chaos.
Will Iran import Arab uprisings?
But the BBC’s Mohsen Asgari, who was at the rally, says it was not long before riot police fired tear gas, while men on motorbikes charged the crowd with batons.
Witnesses told the Associated Press new agency that at least three protesters had been wounded by bullets, with dozens of others taken to hospital as a result of the beatings.
Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency meanwhile reported that one person was shot dead by protesters and several others wounded.
Opposition websites said hundreds of people were arrested. There has been no official confirmation.
As night fell, hundreds of riot police remained on the streets of the capital.
Later in Washington, Mrs Clinton told reporters that the US administration “very clearly and directly” supports the protesters.
“What we see happening in Iran today is a testament to the courage of the Iranian people, and an indictment of the hypocrisy of the Iranian regime – a regime which over the last three weeks has constantly hailed what went on in Egypt,” she said.
Mrs Clinton said the US had the same message for the Iranian authorities as it did for those in Egypt, where President Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down after 29 years in power by nationwide mass protests.
“We are against violence and we would call to account the Iranian government that is once again using its security forces and resorting to violence to prevent the free expression of ideas from their own people,” she said.
Thousands defied the government’s ban on demonstrations and gathered in Tehran
“We think that there needs to be a commitment to open up the political system in Iran, to hear the voices of the opposition and civil society,” she added.
Earlier on Monday, police placed the opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, under house arrest and blocked access to his home.
His website said they intended to prevent the former prime minister attending the Tehran rally.
Fellow opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi, a former speaker of parliament and a senior cleric, is also reportedly being held under house arrest.
Both men disputed the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009, which triggered protests that drew the largest crowds in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The authorities responded by launching a brutal crackdown.
The opposition says more than 80 of its supporters were killed over the following six months, a figure the government disputes. Several have been sentenced to death, and dozens jailed.
Although Iran’s establishment supported the Egyptian and Tunisian protests, describing them as an “Islamic awakening” inspired by the Islamic Revolution, it said the opposition rallies were a “political move”.
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This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
