When mothers are given multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMN,) they tend to give birth to children who are bigger and heavier. This is contrast to mothers given just iron and folic acid supplementation (IFA). The effect continues into the first three years of the children's lives, according to an article in the February 8 issue of The Lancet, which follows up the Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Undernutrition.

While it is already known that low birthweight affects child morbidity and survival rates in developing countries, it is not always clear what effect interventions to increase birthweight can have on child health. Dr David Osrin, UCL Centre for International Health and Development, Institute of Child Health, London, UK and colleagues from Mother and Infant Research Activities, Kathmandu, Nepal, has previously investigated this issue through a randomized controlled trial in Nepal comparing 1,200 women given either IFA (a control) or MMN, a supplement with the recommended daily value of 15 vitamins and minerals, during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

All present or accounted for, time to begin

Point is, Hampton, right now, this moment, unless he took a bad step off the edge of a bunker somewhere today (he wasn't in camp yet for me to ask), is healthy.

"We're just hopeful that he can stay healthy," Cox said. That statement was a good indication of the difference in the situation entering last spring and now.

New Aqua Teen DVD will get on swimmingly with stoners

As it enters season five, many of us may wonder just how Aqua Teen Hunger Force has survived for so long. But despite being deemed a stoned-college-students-only affair, Aqua Teen has some redeeming qualities.

At the end of the day, most of us derive some kind of pleasure from laughing at others' stupidity, and that is all the humor of Aqua Teen is. Few comedies are universally funny, and by now, Aqua Teen has a reliable fan base that the creators are aware of, I'm sure.

Opinion: We need an experienced Test Team

We know that the test cricket is a game of experience, fitness & performance. The performance of our ever best batsman Habibul Bashar Suman for the last two years is being found very dark & dull. Considering his age & recent poor, non-responsive performance, he should no longer be kept as an ODI & test player.

Before being properly matured & nourished, Mushfiqur Rahim is forcibly kept in our test cricket - that made an easy topic to question our test status. His repeated failure in the test arena is making a vista to expel him from test squad permanently. BCB can't overlook its such sort of irresponsive responsibility. BCB couldn't rear up & nourish many of our promising talented cricketers like Mehrab Hossain Opee, Shahriar Hossain Bidyut, Hannan Sircar, Ehsanul Hoq Shejan, Nafis Iqbal & so on.

Yum joins with U.N. to fight hunger

For a week, Yum! Brands Inc. dished out reminders of world hunger, and asked customers to ease the plight while satisfying their cravings for tacos, pizza and fried chicken.

Patients want GP surgeries to open evenings and weekends

The GPs brigade would happily post their spins today as they opted out of week end working, and are paid more! Only in the UK this scandal happens. The average time I spent in my GPs surgery is about 7 mins, and can some one tell me whether it isenough to give a 'personalised' service. BMA the god father is there to look after them. I would welcome polyclinics or even scrapping GP model as it is today and adapting the French model which is the envy of the world. GPs wrongly diagnosed my problems and thanks to my persistence and a friendly consultant damage was not done. GPs never retrain or go to refresher courses, and for a long time my GP was prescribing tablets which were superseded by better ones. So much for his professionalism. GP practice is a business which works well for the GP and his spouse who is often the practice manager.

Boeing distributes $529M in bonuses, $60M in St. Louis

Boeing distributes $529M in bonuses [Wichita] Boeing wins $49M Air Force laser technology contract [St. Louis] Boeing announces $5.4B in 737, 777 order [Wichita] Boeing IDS names Kohler to head international business development [St. Louis] Raytheon reels in $11.4M Army missile deal [Dallas] .

Former Slovenian president dies of cancer

Former Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek succumbed to cancer at his home overnight at the age of 57, his office said on Saturday.

Drnovsek did not seek reelection and handed over the presidency to his successor Danilo Tuerk last December as he had been suffering from cancer since 1999.

Drnovsek, who served as prime minister for most of the 1990s and president in the last five years, was the main driver in Slovenia's transition to a market economy and entry into the European Union and NATO.

His battle for life started with a surgery to remove one of his kidneys in 1999. When the modern medicine could not stop the spreading of cancer in late 2003, he resorted to a reclusive lifestyle on vegetarian food in a village. Yet, the new way of life and healers disappointed him.

Wise shopping: How to keep a full stomach on an empty wallet

Spend/Thrift stories are part of an occasional series offering everyday ways to cope with the nation's economic slowdown.When finances get tight, luxuries are the easiest and most obvious things to cut.Not always so obvious is how to cut spending on the essentials, such as food. But with the price of what we eat predicted to soar at near historic levels this year, it's well worth looking for ways to cut spending.This year, the overall cost of food is expected to rise between 3 and 4 percent, which is on top of a 4 percent hike last year, the highest jump since 1990, according to federal data. Average years see increases of just 2-1/2 percent.This year's increase could translate into hundreds of dollars for many families. The typical family of four spends more than $8,500 a year on food, according to 2006 data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.Sharp increases in fuel and commodity prices take most of the blame, says Ephraim Leibtag, an economist with the U.S.