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The industrials sector’s trade volume was up 2% to 0.52mn equities, value by less than 1% to QR22.86mn and deals by 18% to 700.
Women with extra fat around their waists are more likely to develop asthma, even if they aren't overweight, a new study finds.
The California Teachers Study of more than 88,000 women found the same association between obesity and increased incidence of asthma that has been seen in other research, according to the Aug. 25 online report in the journal Thorax.
But it also found a 37 percent increased incidence of asthma among women with a waist circumference of 88 centimeters -- about 35 inches -- even if they were of normal weight.
That finding was an offshoot of a study originally intended to look at factors related to breast cancer in women, said study author Julie Von Behren, a research associate at the Northern California Cancer Center. But the researchers also got a lot of other information about the participants, including waistline measure...
"We had a lot of detailed information, also on body weight at age 18 and later," Von Behren said.
Using the standard designations of "overweight" for a woman with a body-mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher and "extreme obesity" for a body-mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, the study found a doubled incidence of asthma among the obese women and a more than tripled incidence among the extremely obese.
While the study was not designed to determine why the location of body fat could play a role in development of asthma, "waist size can be an indicator of the type of body fat," Von Behren explained. "Abdominal fat is visceral fat, which is more biologically active. It has been linked to diabetes and heart disease."
Fat around the waist "could be acting in some inflammatory way," she said.
That is a plausible, though unproven, explanation, said Dr. Alejandro Arroliga, a pulmonologist and chairman of medicine at the Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Clinic in Temple, Texas.
"We know that obesity can cause an inflammatory state," Arroliga said. "Markers of inflammation are increased in obesity."
Other studies have documented the overall association between obesity and asthma, he said. "This is one of the biggest, with more than 88,000 women. It's huge," Arroliga said.
While one conventional explanation is that body fat puts a squeeze on airways, some previous studies have pointed toward the composition of body fat as a possible element in asthma risk, he said.
"But it is still unclear why there is this association," Arroliga said. "The biological explanation lags behind the epidemiological evidence."
Whatever the reason, the association with asthma provides just another reason not to put on extra weight, Von Behren said.
BEIRUT — They dug trenches around towns, reinforced caves for cover and put up sand bags around their positions. They issued calls to arms, urging young men to join in the defense of Idlib, the Syrian province where opposition fighters expect to make their last stand against Russian- and Iranian-backed government troop...
This time, it's "surrender or die."
As the decisive stand for their last stronghold looms, this motley crew of tens of thousands of opposition fighters, including some of the world's most radical groups, is looking for ways to salvage whatever is possible of an armed rebellion that at one point in the seven-year conflict controlled more than half of the ...
In its last chapter, just as it has throughout the long, bloody war, the Syrian rebellion's fate lies in foreign hands. This time, the splintered and diverse rebels have only Turkey.
"The whole world gave up on us, but Turkey will not," said Capt. Najib al-Mustafa, spokesman for the Turkish-backed umbrella group known as the National Front for Liberation.
Idlib, with its 3 million residents and more than 60,000 fighters, is Turkey's burden to bear.
Ankara has appealed to Russia and Iran, its uneasy negotiating partners, for a diplomatic resolution to the ticking bomb. At the same time, it has sent reinforcements of its troops ringing Idlib, a move designed to ward off a ground assault, at least for now.
A wide offensive is only likely after a green light from Russia. But delicate diplomatic moves are at work. Moscow is keen on strengthening ties with Turkey, at a time when Ankara's relations are at their lowest with the United States. Turkey, by calling on the United States and Europe for support, seems to be playing ...
On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met for the second time in 10 days with Russia's Vladimir Putin, this time in Sochi, Russia.
"After proving its influence in Syria and the Middle East, Russia wants to pull Turkey away from the West much more than achieve a military victory over the armed Syrian opposition," Mustafa Ellabbad, an expert on Turkish-Arab relations, wrote in Kuwait's al-Qabas newspaper.
The province, the size of Lebanon, has been the beating heart of the rebellion for years. In rebel hands since 2015, it is the largest contiguous territory they controlled. It has access to Turkish borders, securing supply lines for weapons, fighters and aid.
For the past two years, Idlib saw an influx of an estimated 20,000 rebel fighters from around the country after their losses to government troops and surrender deals negotiated with Russia and Damascus following devastating sieges. Civilians who refused to go back under government rule were also bussed there, nearly do...
Among the estimated 60,000 opposition fighters in Idlib are at least 10,000 radicals affiliated with the al-Qaida-linked group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Arabic for Levant Liberation Committee). The group denies it is linked to al-Qaida. Thousands of foreign fighters, from China, Europe and the Middle East, are the backbon...
The Turkish reinforcements are going to 12 observation points that Ankara set up around Idlib last year under a deal with Russia and Iran creating a "de-escalation zone." The deal also effectively stopped an earlier government advance and set Turkey up as Idlib's protector.
Separately, Turkey has troops stationed in the enclave under its control north and east of Idlib, where it backs Syrian opposition fighters and a civilian administration. It is part of its plan to create a safe area along the border where some of the more than 3 million Syrian refugees it hosts may return.
Ankara initially sent in its troops more than two years ago to push out the Islamic State group and Syrian Kurdish fighters. For Ankara, the increasingly assertive, U.S.-backed Syrian Kurds were an existential threat that encourages the aspirations of its own Kurdish insurgents.
"In the mind of the rebellion, the hope is that from Turkish support they can have ... a republic of northern Syria, protected by Turkey like Northern Cyprus," said Fabrice Balanche, a Syria watcher at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
These Turkey-administered areas are likely to be the destination of the displaced and rebels of Idlib in case of an offensive.
An Idlib offensive holds multiple threats for Turkey right on its border — a humanitarian crisis, a security nightmare with thousands of gunmen loose and a defeat to its plans for the safe zone. If Syrian forces retake Idlib with no agreement on the fate of the opposition fighters, they could threaten the Turkey-contro...
"There is really no way for the Syrian military and Damascus' allies to launch a military offensive on Idlib that doesn't have deeply negative, injurious effects on Turkey. There is no real way they can cushion this for Turkey," said Sam Heller, a Syria expert in the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.
Turkey's strategy in the opposition areas has been complicated by the presence of radical fighters. By backing the National Front, it argued it can draw fighters away from the al-Qaida-linked HTS, the dominant power in the province, forcing it to dissolve and creating a new opposition force ready to negotiate with the ...
The strategy has had limited success.
The National Front in recent months gained control of territory in Idlib from HTS, which still controls nearly 70 percent of the province. HTS began to show signs of splits and two weeks ago, Turkey declared it a terrorist group.
But with the onset of a military offensive, HTS has set up joint operation rooms with different National Front factions.
Making a rare video appearance in late August, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani — wearing an olive-green military uniform — vowed to fight Assad's forces and said Turkish observation points were no protection.
The HTS spokesman in Idlib said now was not the time to talk about dissolving into Turkish-backed rebel groups. He underlined that an arrangement must eventually be made for the foreign fighters in the group.
"Right now, no sound is louder than that of the battle," Imad Eddin Mujahed said. "We have many military surprises; enough to upset the balance and ward off aggressors."
In rallies around Idlib the last two weeks, protesters took to the streets to deny that the province is a hotbed of extremists. Thousands raised only the flag of the Syrian revolution, a reminder that there was once a popular uprising against Assad, and Idlib is now its last bastion.
Some raised banners reading: "The rebels are our hope and the Turks are our brothers."
Syrian forces and Iranian-backed militias are likely to avoid a clash with the Turkish troops. But the stance of the Syrian government and Iran is clear: They vow to recapture all Syrian territory and are loath to see an expansion of Turkish and U.S. influence. They argue the West fueled jihadis with past support of th...
"Assad and Russia gave the choice to the international community: first we kill everybody. Second thing, (they said) if you want to protect (Idlib), then take those people you think are nice. ... It is cynical but puts the international community before its contradictions," Balanche said.
Al-Mustafa, the National Front spokesman, said the rebels are prepared for a battle he called "existential."
But, he added, "our cause will not end if we lose this battle."
This article was written by Sarah El Deeb from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
IMG-Reliance and Star India have pacted to bring a super soccer league to India and foster local talent.
Jim Gallagher, spokesman for IMG Worldwide in New York, said that Reliance Enterprises, IMG and Star India will each have a one-third interest in the super league. IMG-Reliance, which is separate from IMG Worldwide — which is up for sale — is a joint venture that was set up a few years ago. It manages IPL cricket but d...
Rupert Murdoch’s Star India owns broadcast and sponsorship rights to the new super soccer league and are looking to build soccer’s popularity and create as much revenue and excitement as its hugely popular Indian Premier League cricket matches. Annual revenue for football globally is estimated at $28 billion, according...
The Board of Cricket Control of India’s IPL leagues used Bollywood stars to boost the games in cricket-crazy India. And already some of these franchise owners have shown interest in the soccer league including Shah Rukh Khan (pictured), Ranbir Kapoor, John Abraham and Abhishek Bachchan.
The multimillion-dollar pact, which is to run 10 years, kicking off Jan. 18 and ending in March in eight cities with specific teams the league is hoping to tap into the growing interest among young people in India. The cities that are vying for the first teams include Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Bangalor...
“India is hungry for its second sport. Combining top notch infrastructure with our expertise in sports production, our attempt is to bring an unparalleled football experience to our viewers,” said Uday Shankar, CEO of Star India.
The role of Reliance-IMG, an Indian subsid of IMG Worldwide, which is up for sale, is to bring in marquee players and it has started by tapping former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo and Arsenal’s Fredrik Ljungberg and Robert Pires.
“Football, with its largely untapped potential in the country, has the opportunity to grow to an unrivaled commercial success quite unlike any other sport. We hope the growing football footprint will pave the way for the nation’s sporting renaissance,” said Nita M. Ambani, chairwoman of IMG-Reliance.
We were reading over the latest Transportation Energy Data Book, which was released last summer, and noticed a really eye popping chart.
It shows the history of US auto usage per capita, going back to the early 1900s, and then shows where other countries have been/are on the continuum.
See China there? It's basically where the US was in the mid-1910s in terms of autos per capita.
The current cycles aside, if you figure China has years and years of development ahead of it, and it traverses anywhere along the US automobile path, the boom is going to be insane.
Meanwhile, the bet among some companies, like Yum brands -- owners of the KFCs that have grown like wildfire in China -- is betting on China doing lots more development in the interior, laying the groundwork for rail and road infrastructure that really completes the analogy between US and Chinese growth patterns.
Finally, one of the best-reviewed movies can be seen by actual people.
‘Call Me By Your Name’ has gotten critics praises everywhere you look, with winning Best Adapted Screenplay, AFI Movie of the Year, Golden Globe nominees, and I’m sure Academy Award nominations in the next week. The movie has also been doing rather well at the film festivals its entered, and reviewers even calling it t...
The story is based on the novel of the same name by André Aciman. It follows the romantic story of Ello Perlman (multiple award nominee Timothée Chalamet) and his father’s American assistant (Armie Hammer). Its a coming of age story that is also one of a forbidden romance. It is a relationship that I’m sure many can re...
‘Call Me By Your Name’ is in theaters now. For tickets click here.
Corrections and clarifications: This story has been updated to correctly describe the character played by Zachary Quinto.
Is it ever acceptable to hit a child?
There isn't another parenting debate, save perhaps vaccination, that gets parents more riled up. And it's the toxic topic explored in NBC's The Slap, which premieres Thursday (8 p.m. ET/PT).
The miniseries features one unruly, uncontrollable boy, his pandering parents, and a man (Zachary Quinto) who, horrified to see the boy dangerously swinging a bat at a Brooklyn barbecue, smacks him across the face. No bones are broken. There are no serious injuries. And yet he has crossed the line, and it causes a rift...
"It's so dramatic of an issue that it needs to be dealt with, and you see that as you watch the show," says Thandie Newton, who plays a witness and is herself a mother of three. "This show is about something you see every day: an act of violence against a child. It's something the public can really mull over. You'll th...
The Slap is one highly dramatized example, but it joins plenty of other, less in-your-face cases of bad parenting now on TV and movie screens.
• In FX's The Americans, undercover spy Elizabeth (Keri Russell) is a distant and hands-off mom, struggling to understand her teenage daughter and always putting her career ahead of her kids' well-being.
• In Boyhood, best-supporting-actress favorite Patricia Arquette is a devoted single parent, but she makes decisions that don't benefit her two kids, such as living with a violent drunk.
• On NBC's The Mysteries of Laura, police officer Debra Messing can out-investigate anyone on her force but can't corral her wild, rowdy twin boys — and can't be bothered to try.
• On Showtime's Homeland, meanwhile, bipolar CIA agent Carrie (Claire Danes) actually considers drowning her newborn daughter — then flees to a job posting in Pakistan to be as far as possible from family ties.
It is, says writer Ayelet Waldman, a welcome and realistic respite from the blissfully happy, utterly competent moms we're used to seeing in the media.
"I feel like the Carrie Mathison thing — we're not actually drowning a baby, but that feeling of wanting to? I think almost every mother has experienced it," says Waldman, who wrote in a New York Times essay in 2005 that she loved her husband more than their four kids — and incurred the wrath of moms worldwide.
"It's not that you hate your baby, or do what Carrie does. But you feel evil when you have those thoughts. And if society is telling you that no one has those thoughts but you, then you really feel evil. But if society says you can be a good mother and every once in a while want to kill your child, it's a good thing," ...
And while Waldman, author of Bad Mother and the novel Love and Treasure, says it's verboten to ever smack a kid, adult intervention may at times be appropriate.
"I wouldn't want anyone screaming at my kid or hitting my kid. But if my child does something dangerous, and a line needs to be drawn, I'm grateful," she says. "Every time that happens, it's a learning opportunity. It says that we as a society expect certain kinds of behaviors, and that's going to be enforced by societ...
And in fact, many parenting choices are open to interpretation. Some viewers might state, with total conviction, that Russell's spy character Elizabeth lacks the mommy gene. But Russell argues that the opposite is true: Elizabeth puts her job first because she has to.
"It's a rough idea to sell, and it's definitely unsympathetic a lot of times," she says. "My defense was always: 'I'm the better parent because I'm doing my job well. If I do my job poorly, we'll be found out, and those kids won't have parents.'"
Peter Sarsgaard, who plays the cookout host on The Slap, is equally clear about his stance raising his two daughters, Gloria and Ramona. "My approach to these things is practical. I don't hit my children because it adversely affects them emotionally. And it doesn't teach them the kinds of things I want to teach them."
On the show, he's another observer who is appalled by the slap, and the repercussions that ensue, including a lawsuit — even though the child is aggressive, belligerent and reckless and has parents (Thomas Sadoski and Melissa George) whose discipline is half-hearted at best. They mostly they cater to all his whims.
"You're not allowed to hit someone else's kid," Sarsgaard says. "It's a story about the way one relatively insignificant act leads to another thing, leads to another thing. A lot of it, for my character, is being split in loyalty. I like playing someone divided. We do the best we can. It's hard raising kids."
Waldman says such thinking culminates in the "idea that your child is a precious creature only you can criticize — and the end result is a 25-year-old who can't be told 'no' by her boss. At a playground, it's perfectly reasonable to tell someone they're doing something dangerous or aggressive. It's reasonable, without ...
The Slap writer Jon Robin Baitz adapted the story from a 2011 Australian TV series, which was based on a 2008 book. He says he found the subject matter "very compelling" and "felt a kind of responsibility to make it a serious, grown-up, adult, real and complex emotional piece."
"Parents are judgmental — you see it in everything, raising children," Newton says. "It's such a scary thing, becoming a parent, it's such an enormous responsibility, and seeing other people do what we're doing validates us."
"If they do something differently, we question what we're doing. We're insecure about the decisions we've made. ... But everyone is entitled to their opinion."
Christopher Plummer has been nominated for a Golden Globe for the role in which he replaced Kevin Spacey.
The actor took over the role in All the Money in the World after a string of sexual harassment allegations were made against Spacey.
The nominees for best drama film include Call Me By Your Name, Dunkirk, The Post, The Shape of Water and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Dame Helen Mirren and Dame Judi Dench are among the British nominees.
They are in the best actress in a comedy or musical category, alongside Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie and Emma Stone.
The Shape of Water received the most nominations of any film - with seven in total. The Post and Three Billboards each have six.
It was announced last month that Plummer would take over the role of the late oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty in All the Money in the World.
According to Variety, Spacey had already filmed about two weeks of footage for the film, which is directed by Ridley Scott.
Spacey had also appeared in a trailer which was released in September.
Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Williams, who also star in the movie, had to take part in reshoots for the film, which is still scheduled for release at the end of the month.

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