Tussle Within
As the war drags on, the US discovers the perils of allying with a dictator who wants to appear a statesman abroad and a politician at home.

Battle Weary Wasteland
An exclusive photo feature captures images of Afghan life during unending conflict.

Down and Out
An account of sebi's undoing under D.R. Mehta and the tasks for a new team that will be at the helm in the regulatory body early next year.

NEWSNOTES

Bouncy Buildings: It sounds like yet another Internet joke, but isn't. If a recent paper in the journal Physica A holds out in practice, skyscrapers could have shock absorption systems so powerful that instead of crashing, jet planes would literally bounce off them. The idea is that buildings should be made of shock-absorbing material, such as brick embedded with a series of specially-shaped components that will act like speedbreakers. They would break down the impact into several but harmless mini-shocks. It's like the action of menacing seawaves breaking on rocks. An engineering detail for rebuilding the World Trade Center?

Fighting TB: With a victim every minute, tuberculosis is India's deadliest infectious disease. The spread of HIV and drug-resistant strains makes the problem worse. Protection is very limited. Far from lasting a lifetime, BCG vaccine-the only one so far-becomes less effective after a decade. Now, after 80 years, human trials are about to begin on a new TB vaccine, developed by Helen McShane (see photo) of the Britain-based Wellcome Trust. When used along with BCG, it is expected to increase the time span for which the patient remains protected from an attack.

Radio-wave Detectors: Smuggling may now become even more difficult. Scientists have developed a new technique using low-frequency radio waves to safely and swiftly detect narcotics, explosives and even land mines. Radio waves affect the spin inherent in the nucleus of all materials. So when the nuclei realign, they emit varying signals for different substances. A computer analysing the signals can easily distinguish between explosives and harmless luggage. Researchers at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington DC have developed a monitor that can be used at airports and checkpoints. Another plus for crime-fighters.

COMPUTERS

Bin Laden Worm: Computer virus researchers have discovered a new mass-mailing worm-"Toal". It arrives with the name binladen_brasil.exe and exploits a security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. So users of Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express may unintentionally infect their machines simply by viewing the message. To fight cyber-terror, delete.

Crash-Proof? Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows XP, launched in the US last week, could spell the end of crashing computers. XP can also handle many more "fun" features such as games and digital cameras. But it needs more powerful hardware.

Minute Music: Good news for Mac-owning music lovers. Apple has unveiled "Ipod", a pocket-sized MP3 player (6.5 ounces, 2.4 inch by 0.8 inch by 4 inch). It has a capacity for 1,000 songs, and can download songs 30 times faster than standard connections. Priced at $399 (Rs 19,152), it includes an ITunes 2-CD, headphones, Fire Wire cable and Fire Wire-based adaptor.

-Compiled by Supriya Bezbaruah

HEALTH
POISON HELPLINE

Quick Treatment Works

There could be poisons lurking in every corner of your house-from the kitchen cabinet to the toilet. Children, in particular, could be easy victims. A recent study of 832 cases of poisoning conducted by the National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) says that 46.1 per cent cases of poisoning occur due to the ingestion of household agents.

The NPIC study found a high incidence of poisoning in boys-specially in the age group of one to five years-and found that all cases of poisoning among children were accidental oral ingestion (in common parlance, swallowing). Commonly consumed items were Baygon, phenyl, napthalene balls, detergents, corrosives, paint thinners, kerosene, antiseptics, camphor, thermometer mercury and cosmetics.

Poisoning due to drugs (15.9 per cent) is also on the rise. Besides pesticides, chemicals, animal bites and stings, even ayurvedic, homoeopathic and unani preparations could turn toxic. "Chronic use of mosquito repellents in a closed room can be toxic," says Dr S.K. Gupta, Head, Pharmacology, AIIMS.

But poisoning is often reversible if treated early. And to aid quick treatment, NPIC has set up a 24-hour helpline (011-6859391, 6593677). Here poisons and information specialists use the Micromedex software-which has an index on the availability of antidotes, dosing schedule, indications and side-effects-to provide life-saving information. NPIC has also suggested that a national antidote bank be set up.

-Teresa Rehman

MetroScape

Banglore: Pub

Delhi: Furniture Store

Kolkata: Restaurant