Cord Blood

Cord Blood

Q: Where can I donate cord blood?

A: If you are interested, or someone you know is interested, in donating cord blood, look for a Cord Blood Bank or collecting hospital within or close to your community. There are only a small number of cord blood banks in the United States, so donation to a local bank is not possible in many areas.

If there is not an NMDP Cord Blood Bank in your community, refer to the Non-NMDP Cord Blood Bank list on this Web site or contact any major university hospital or medical center in your state to see if they accept cord blood donations.

Q: Why isn't there a cord blood bank or collecting hospital in my area?

A: Cord blood donation is currently not possible in many communities. Many communities do not have the technical and financial resources needed to establish and operate a public cord blood bank. Although cord blood banks are developing throughout the United States, the annual number of births far exceeds the expected need for cord blood storage.

Q: Does it cost me anything to donate cord blood?

A: There is no cost for donating. Unrelated donor cord blood banks will take care of the procedure and cover the cost of processing and storing your baby's cord blood unit. However, parents also have the option of storing cord blood exclusively for use within their own family for a fee. Several banks in the United States will collect and store cord blood reserved for private use. A list of these banks is available at www.parentsguidecordblood.com.

Q: Are there any risks to donating cord blood?

A: Donating cord blood is medically safe. Donating poses no health risks to you or your baby. Donating does not affect your baby or your birth experience because the cord blood is collected after your baby is born. If you or your baby experience any complications during delivery, your doctor will not collect the cord blood.

Q: I have been approached, or contacted, by a self-storage program about storing my child's cord blood. Should I store the cord or donate it?

A: Donating your child's cord blood or storing it for private use is a personal decision that only you can make. If you have a child with leukemia or other disease that may be treatable by transplant and you are pregnant, talk with your oncologist or pediatrician about saving your baby's cord blood. For more information see the Non-NMDP Cord Blood Bank list.

Families may feel a great deal of pressure from the promotions and advertisements they receive from the for-profit private storage cord blood banks. The NMDP agrees with the policy statement of The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued in 1999:

AAP's second recommendation follows:

"Given the difficulty of making an accurate
estimate of the need for autologous [donation
from self] transplantation and the ready
availability of allogeneic [donation from
sibling or unrelated person] transplantation,
private storage of cord blood as "biological
insurance" is unwise. However, banking should
be considered if there is a family member with
a current or potential need to
undergo a stem cell transplantation."

(Words in italics added by the NMDP.)

Q: What will happen to my child's cord blood if I donate it?

A: After the baby's birth, the umbilical cord is clamped, breaking the link between the baby and the placenta. The small amount of blood remaining in the placenta and umbilical cord, typically three to five fluid ounces, is drained and taken to a cord blood bank where the unit is processed and samples are sent for tests. To be stored, the cord blood unit must meet these standards:

• The unit must be large enough.
• The maternal and family health history must meet eligibility guidelines.
• Tests of the cord blood unit and the mother's blood sample must show no signs of infection or other possible problems.

If the unit meets these standards, it is frozen and stored in a liquid nitrogen freezer. The cord blood unit is then listed on the NMDP's Registry, where it will be searched for a matching recipient and then transplanted.

Q: Who has access to the donated cord blood?

A: Once the donated cord blood is processed and stored at the Cord Blood Bank, it is listed on the NMDP Registry and available to patients all over the world who are searching for a match. The cord blood can be transplanted into any patient whose doctor selects the cord as a match for that patient.

Remember that donating cord blood to a public bank is different than storing the cord blood for your family's private use. The donated cord blood is not reserved for your family. Also, some donated cord blood units cannot be stored. Some units are too small or have other factors that make them unsuitable for storage in a public bank.

Q: How long can cord blood be stored before it expires?

A: Studies have shown good cord blood cell recovery after up to ten years of storage (Clin Exp Immunol 1997; 107, Suppl 1). Studies are ongoing to determine the storage life of cord blood units.

Q: How soon should I notify the cord blood bank in my area or my doctor about donating my child's umbilical cord blood?

A: It is recommended that someone who is interested in donating contact the cord blood bank by the 34th week of pregnancy.

Q:Why is there a need for women from all racial and ethnic groups to donate their baby's cord blood?

A: Because the tissue traits that are used to match a cord blood unit with a patient are inherited, a patient's most likely match will be cord blood donated by someone of the same heritage. American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and multiple-race patients face a greater challenge in finding a match than White patients.

NMDP cord blood banks are working in local communities to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of NMDP cord blood listings. From 2001 to 2003, the likelihood of finding a matched cord blood unit has grown at least twofold for patients from all racial and ethnic groups. Still, some patients are unable to find a match because of the rarity of their tissue traits. Some tissue traits are more likely to be found among people of a particular racial or ethnic heritage. That is why a pressing need remains for more cord blood donations from American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Black and African American, Hispanic and Latino, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and multiple-race donors.

Q: Is cord blood donation confidential?

A: Identifying information is never exchanged between a cord blood donor and cord blood transplant recipient. The identity of the cord blood donor is kept confidential at the cord blood bank.

Q: How does the National Marrow Donor Program support cord blood donation?

A: The NMDP has developed a central Registry of cord blood units that physicians may search. In addition, several mechanisms exist for physicians to search cord blood banks not currently participating with The NMDP. Physicians can obtain additional information from the NMDP Office of Patient Advocacy at 1 (888) 999-6743. Outside the United States, call 1 (612) 627-8140.

Mesothelioma

Cancer Facts

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Mesothelioma: Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant(cancerous) cells are found in the mesothelium, aprotective sac that covers most of the body's internalorgans. Most people who develop mesothelioma haveworked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles. What is the mesothelium?The mesothelium has different names, depending on itslocation in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelialtissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominalcavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds thelungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity.The pericardium covers and protects the heart. Themesothelial tissue surrounding the male internalreproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis.The tunica serosa uteri coversthe internal reproductive organs in women. What is mesothelioma?Mesothelioma (cancer of the mesothelium) is a diseaseinwhich cells of the mesothelium become abnormaland divide without control or order. They can invadeand damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer cellscan also metastasize (spread) from their original site toother parts of the body. Most cases of mesotheliomabegin in the pleura or peritoneum. How common is mesothelioma?Although reported incidence rates have increased inthe past 20 years, mesothelioma is still a relativelyrare cancer. About 2,000 new cases of mesotheliomaare diagnosed in the United States each year.Mesothelioma occurs more often in men than in womenand risk increases with age,but this disease can appearin either men or women at any age. What are the risk factors for mesothelioma?Working with asbestos is the major risk factor formesothelioma. A history of asbestos exposure at workis reported in about 70 percent to 80 percent of allcases. However, mesothelioma has been reported insome individuals without any known exposureto asbestos. Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occurnaturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that canbe separated into thin threads and woven. Asbestos hasbeen widely used in many industrial products, includingcement, brake linings, roof shingles, flooring products,textiles, and insulation. If tinyasbestos particles float in the air, especially during themanufacturing process, they may be inhaled or swallowed,and can cause serious health problems. In addition tomesothelioma, exposure to asbestos increases the risk oflung cancer, asbestosis (a noncancerous, chronic lungailment), and other cancers, such as those of the larynxand kidney. Smoking does not appear to increase the risk ofmesothelioma. However, the combination of smoking andasbestos exposure significantly increases a person's riskof developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung.Who is at increased risk for developing mesothelioma?Asbestos has been mined and used commercially since thelate 1800s. Its use greatly increased during World War II.Since the early 1940s, millions of American workers havebeen exposed to asbestos dust. Initially, the risksassociated with asbestosexposure were not known. However, an increased risk ofdeveloping mesothelioma was later found among shipyardworkers, people who work in asbestos mines and mills,producers of asbestos products, workers in the heatingand construction industries, and other tradespeople.Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration.(OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levelsof asbestos exposure in the workplace. People who workwith asbestos wear personal protective equipment tolower their risk of exposure. The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavierexposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However,some individuals with only brief exposures havedeveloped mesothelioma. On the other hand,not all workers who are heavily exposed developasbestos-related diseases. There is some evidence that family members and othersliving with asbestos workers have an increased risk ofdeveloping mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposureto asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hairof asbestos workers. To reduce the chance of exposingfamily members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers areusually required to shower and change their clothingbefore leaving the workplace. What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?Symptoms of mesothelioma may not appear until 30 to50 years after exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breathand pain in the chest due to an accumulation of fluid inthe pleura are often symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include weightloss and abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup offluid in the abdomen. Other symptoms of peritonealmesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, bloodclotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancerhas spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts ofthe body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or byother, less serious conditions. It is important to see a doctorabout any of these symptoms. Only a doctor can make adiagnosis. How is mesothelioma diagnosed?Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because thesymptoms are similar to those of a number of otherconditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient'smedical history, including any history of asbestos exposure.A complete physical examination may be performed,including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung functiontests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful.A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas insidethe body created by a computer linked to an x-raymachine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to acomputer is used to make detailed pictures of areas insidethe body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and canalso be printed. A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of mesothelioma.In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctorwho specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer)removes a sample of tissue for examination under amicroscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done indifferent ways, depending on where the abnormal areais located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor mayperform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctormakes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin,lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest betweentwo ribs. Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside thechest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in theabdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. Toobtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a smallopening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrumentcalled a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. Ifthese procedures do not yield enough tissue, moreextensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary. If the diagnosis is mesothelioma, the doctor will want tolearn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involvesmore tests in a careful attempt to find out whether thecancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body.Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plantreatment. Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer isfound only on the membrane surface where itoriginated. It is classified as advanced if it has spreadbeyond the original membrane surface to other parts ofthe body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall,or abdominal organs.How is mesothelioma treated?Treatment for mesothelioma depends on the location ofthe cancer, the stage of the disease, and the patient'sage and general health. Standard treatment optionsinclude surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.Sometimes, these treatments are combined. Surgery is a common treatment for mesothelioma.The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chestor abdomen and some of the tissue around it. Forcancer of the pleura (pleural mesothelioma), a lung maybe removed in an operation called a pneumonectomy.Sometimes part of the diaphragm, the muscle below thelungs that helps with breathing, is also removed. Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, involvesthe use of high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrinktumors. Radiation therapy affects the cancer cells only inthe treated area. The radiation may come from a machine(external radiation) or from putting materials thatproduce radiation through thin plastic tubes into the areawhere the cancer cells are found (internal radiationtherapy). Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to killcancer cells throughout the body. Most drugs used totreat mesothelioma are given by injection into a vein(intravenous, or IV). Doctors are also studying theeffectiveness of putting chemotherapy directly intothe chest or abdomen (intracavitary chemotherapy). To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor mayuse a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has builtup in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removingfluid from the chest is called thoracentesis. Removal of fluidfrom the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may begiven through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluidfrom accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery mayalso be helpful in relieving symptoms. Are new treatments for mesothelioma being studied? Yes. Because mesothelioma is very hard to control, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring clinical trials (research studies with people) that are designed to find new treatments and better ways to use current treatments. Before any new treatment can be recommended for general use, doctors conduct clinical trials to find out whether the treatment is safe for patients and effective against the disease Participation in clinical trials is an important treatment option for many patients with mesothelioma. People interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor. Information about clinical trials is available from the Cancer Information Service (CIS) (see below) at 1–800–4–CANCER. Information specialists at the CIS use PDQ®, NCI's cancer information database, to identify and provide detailed information about specific ongoing clinical trials. Patients also have the option of searching for clinical trials on their own. The clinical trials page on the NCI's http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary/db_alpha.aspx?expand=C#Cancer.gov Web site, located at http://www.cancer.gov/clinical_trials clinical_trials on the Internet, provides general information about clinical trials and links to PDQ. People considering clinical trials may be interested in the NCI booklet Taking Part in Clinical Trials: What Cancer Patients Need To Know. This booklet describes how research studies are carried out and explains their possible benefits and risks. The booklet is available by calling the CIS, or from the NCIPublications Locator Web site at http://www.cancer.gov/publications on the Internet # # # Sources of National Cancer Institute Information

Forex Trading

Asia embraces new financial landscape after China's forex move 7/24/2005 SINGAPORE, July 23 (AFP): Asia embraced a new financial landscape after China finally abandoned its decade-old peg to the dollar, with regional governments and analysts widely applauding Beijing for the move. Asian currencies were uniformly tipped to appreciate in the long-term following China's announcement Thursday that it had abandoned the yuan peg for a managed float against an undisclosed trade-weighted basket of currencies. The region's economic growth rates were also expected to get a boost, according to analysts who further predicted China's move would inevitably be the start of a long process of the yuan regime becoming more flexible. The most immediate impact came in Malaysia, which announced virtually straight after China Thursday that it had scrapped the ringgit's seven-year-old peg to the dollar in favour of a managed float. "Do not underestimate the significance of a new currency policy for China," JP Morgan equities strategist Adrian Mowat said. "An appreciating renminbi would accelerate the current trend of appreciating Asian currencies while boosting the region's reflating economies. "Strong currencies should attract capital and discourage the export of savings, adding to demand for Asian assets." The yuan, or renminbi, was revalued at 8.11 to the US dollar compared to 8.28, a 2.1 per cent revaluation. It will be allowed to trade 0.3 per cent either side of a daily fixed rate and trade in a managed float against a basket of trade-weighted currencies. On its first day of trading, the yuan closed slightly easier at 8.1111 to the dollar, its low for the day and off a high of 8.1100, the Foreign Exchange Trading Centre said. Thursday's move came after sustained pressure from the United States and other Western nations worried about China's perceived trading advantage with an artificially weak currency unfairly boosting the nation's exports. Japan, the largest economy in Asia and China's biggest trading partner, was one of the first to urge still greater yuan flexibility, while welcoming the first step. "A shift to a basket-trading system of the Chinese yuan is positive for the Chinese and global economies," Minister for Economic and Fiscal Policy Heizo Takenaka told a press conference. "While the movement of the Chinese yuan is expected to be limited in the near-term after the introduction of the new trading system, it will affect corporate as well as the export activity of Japan in the mid- to long-term." Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Hiroyuki Hosoda, said Tokyo "would welcome it if the yuan becomes more flexible" and Takenaka expressed similar sentiments. "We will be watching closely whether the Chinese monetary authorities manage the currency trading system more flexibly and in a more market-driven fashion in the long-term," Takenaka said.

Forex News

Global News / Markets
China hives up forex

BEIJING: China's foreign exchange reserves has zoomed to a record $711 billion in the first half of this year, according to statistics released by the Chinese central bank.

The People's Bank of China said that the country's foreign exchange reserve surged to $711 billion by the end of June, representing a year-on-year increase of 51.1 per cent.

The apex bank said that the foreign exchange reserve increased by $101 billion in the first six months of this year, $33.7 billion more than the same period of last year.

In the January-June period, the Chinese currency, yuan, was pegged at $8.2765, remaining the same level as that at the end of last year. By the end of 2004, China's foreign exchange reserves reached $609.9 billion.
China is the world's second largest ho lder of forex reserves after Japan. - PTI

FOREX-Dollar rebounds after US trade report

FOREX-Dollar rebounds after US trade report
NEW YORK, July 13 (Reuters) - The dollar rallied on Wednesday, extending gains after a U.S. trade report showed a narrower deficit than expected, easing concerns about the country's external financing problems.

The U.S. trade gap narrowed to $55.35 billion in May, lower than economists' forecast for a $57 billion shortfall. The trade deficit with China, however, swelled 7.1 percent in May to $15.8 billion.

"The indication was for major U.S. ports showing an improvement in exports rather than imports. We also had lower oil prices for April and May, which helped," said Aziz McMahon, senior foreign exchange strategist, at ABN Amro in New York.

The wide trade deficit was a key factor that pushed the dollar into a 30-percent decline against the euro over three years through the end of 2004, but rising U.S. interest rates have fueled a dollar rally in 2005.

"Together with data later in the day on the federal budget, it seems that the structural picture is turning a little bit more positive for the dollar," McMahon said.

The Federal Budget, due this afternoon, is expected to show a surplus of $23.0 billion in June.
In early trade, the euro fell against the dollar to $1.2130, down 0.9 percent from late Tuesday. The dollar traded 0.9 percent higher against the yen at 111.83 yen and was up more than 1 percent against the Swiss franc at 1.2853 francs.

Sterling, meanwhile, dropped more than 1 percent as well to $1.7601.
Some analysts, however, expressed caution about the report. Brian Taylor, managing director of foreign exchange trading at Manufacturers and Traders Bank in Buffalo, New York said that the "market is definitely forward looking and oil prices have since risen." U.S. oil futures hit a record above $62 last week on weather and supply concerns.

So far this year, the dollar has shaken off concerns about structural weakness in the U.S. economy, such as the current account deficit, and gained some 10 percent versus the euro as investors have sought to benefit from rising U.S. interest rates.

The dollar's rally over the last few months, which brought it to 14-month highs versus the euro, has wobbled in the last few days on investor worries about recent weak jobs data and the market grew cautious ahead of the trade numbers.

But traders said it was unclear whether rising U.S. interest rates would continue to give the dollar support or whether worries about structural imbalances would regain the upper hand.
U.S. June retail sales and inflation data will be closely watched on Thursday. (Additional reporting by John Parry)
Source:http://today.reuters.co.uk
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Forex

Forex - US dollar up vs euro, flat vs yen in Asian trade ahead of US jobs data
07.08.2005, 04:47 AM

SINGAPORE (AFX) - The US dollar firmed against the euro in late afternoon trade here with the market shrugging off a short-lived downward blip in the greenback in the wake of yesterday's London bombings with players now focused on tonight's US June non-farm payroll data, dealers said

The bombs killed more than 30 people and brought the city's transport system to a halt early in the London session. It also rattled global financial markets with one of the blasts taking place in the heart of London's financial district. 'The initial reaction in the currency markets was for sterling and the US dollar to weaken, while the Swiss franc firmed across the board on safe-haven buying,' UBS told its clients in a morning note.

The dollar regained some composure in New York trading time and continued to rebound when Asian markets opened, although sterling remained under pressure. With no sign of any follow up bombings, Asian markets shifted their attention to the key US nonfarm payrolls data due tonight, with most expecting a strong increase in jobs.

'We think the dollar is broadly in recovery mode and yesterday's events could add momentum to its rise, though non-farm payrolls data tonight will be key to moves next week,' UBS said.

Non-farm payrolls are expected to rise 195,000 after the soft 78,000 gain in May which pulled the second quarter average below the first quarter despite a strong April gain, according to a Market News International survey of economists.

Sterling remained under pressure in Asia but has held remarkably well despite concerns of what how the blasts would affect the UK economy. The blasts happened just before the Bank of England announced it was keeping its benchmark interest rate unchanged.

'The terrorist attacks on London will quite obviously be in the media limelight for several more days,' said Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi's Singapore-based economist Wong Keng Siong. 'The key issue to note, however, is that the overall infrastructure at the world's largest financial center remains intact,' he said.

'Despite the human tragedy, therefore, the economic impact is likely to be fairly limited.' Singapore 3.05 pm (0705 GMT) Tokyo 1.05 pm (0405 GMT)

US dollar yen 112.31 unchanged
sfr 1.3023 up from 1.2984
Euro usd 1.1913 down from 1.1934
stg 0.6842 down from 0.6850
yen 133.77 down from 134.11
sfr 1.5512 up from 1.5499
Sterling usd 1.7406 down from 1.7417
yen 195.42 down from 195.65
sfr 2.2663 up from 2.2619
Australian dollar usd 0.7378 up from 0.7376
stg 0.4238 up from 0.4233
yen 82.860 down from 83.880

Source:http://www.forbes.com
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Forex reserves fall by over $1 b

Forex reserves fall by over $1 b

Mumbai , July 9

THE country's foreign exchange reserves declined in excess of $1 billion on account of currency revaluation. Forex reserves have shrunk for the second week in a row.

For the week ended July 1, forex reserves fell by $1.447 billion to touch $137.443 billion, according to the Reserve Bank of India's Weekly Statistical Supplement. In the earlier week, the total reserves were at $138.890 million. In the last two weeks alone, reserves have fallen by $2.123 billion.

The decline in reserves was mainly due to the huge dip in foreign currency assets, which fell by $1.516 billion to touch $131.426. Foreign currency assets expressed in US dollar terms include the effect of appreciation/depreciation of non-US currencies (such as euro, sterling, yen) held in reserves.

This fall was partly offset by gold, which increased by $77 million to touch $4.453 billion. Special Drawing Rights were unchanged at $4 million. The country's reserve tranche position in the IMF fell by $8 million to touch $1.560 billion, the WSS said.

The week under review saw an inflow of $515 million into the country's equity market.
Currency revaluation was the only reason for the decrease in reserves, said a chief dealer with a private bank.

The week in question saw a significant fall in all non-dollar currencies. According to another bank official, inflows of dollars into the country have been matching outflows. As the RBI has shifted a significant part of the reserves to euro, any change in the value of the euro would have an impact on the reserves, he said.

About the movement of the rupee in the coming week, he said the rupee was likely to trade along the levels of 43.60.

Source:http://www.thehindubusinessline.com
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War of The Worlds:Movie Review

"No one would have believed in the early years of the twenty-first century that our world was being watched by intelligences greater than ours"...

"We always thought they would come in peace...but we never know... "

With this Steven Spielberg takes us to the adventurous journey of alien invasion.
Back 1982 when Speilberg gave us all time classic blockbuster E.T.(Extra territorial).It seems only few days back it had released but it had been 23 years old still charming in our mind.

Comes 2005 and here again spielberg brings another alien movie.But...but this time the aliens are not for friendship,not for war but for total extermination of human beings.H.G.Wells 1898 novel had been turned into visual stunner by Steven Spielberg

Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) is an average blue-collar worker living in a cluttered house with a job that probably allows him to barely meet his mortgage payments. He rushes home from work one morning to greet his kids - 10-year old Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and her 16-year old brother, Robbie (Justin Chatwin) - who are being dropped off by his ex-wife, Mary Ann (Miranda Otto), for a weekend visit.

Ray doesn't have the best relationship with his offspring, and his deficiencies as a father are immediately apparent. But this isn't a normal day. Before it has ended, bizarre lightning storms have caused gigantic alien tripods to explode from beneath the ground and entire towns are being leveled.

Ray grabs his kids and takes them on a frantic roadtrip to find their mother. But, in a world where nothing can stop the mechanical monsters and humans are turning on humans for basic necessities, where can safety be found?

Tom Cruise yet again gives a knockout performance.Dakota Fanning is outstanding as Cruise's daughter.Tim Robbins is excellent in his small but significant role.

The only negative aspect of the movie is its ending.The ending is a total letdown especially if we consider its a 'spielberg' movie.However the movie takes you to the ride of breathtaking devastation and destruction by the aliens."Techno maestro" Speilberg proves that no one can beat him when it comes to special effects.

Fabulous,shocking and stupendous words should be used for such type of special effects.For every destruction there is new technique,for every devastation there is new style.Best ever special effects for such kind of movie.Cracking of buildings,shattering of earth and nervous gasps can make your blood chilling even in this summer.

So get ready this summer for joycoaster ride and breathtaking adventure never seen before in an alien movie.
H.G.Wells would be very pleased.his novel had been turned into visual stunner.
One of the best alien invasion movie

We always thought they would come in peace...but we never know
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Forex - Dollar firmer

Forex - Dollar firmer after FOMC confirms US rate hikes to continue
07.01.2005, 05:43 AM
LONDON (AFX) - The dollar was firmer against major currencies after last night's Federal Reserve Open Market Committee raised US interest rates to 3.25 pct and confirmed that monetary tightening will continue to rise at a measured pace.

The rate hike was fully expected, but the dollar rallied on the back of the accompanying statement which removed fears that the Fed could soon take a pause in raising rates.

'The 25 basis point rate hike at the FOMC meeting yesterday was no surprise nor was the repeat of the 'measured' pace comment, but some had looked for signs that the Fed is close to ending its rate hike cycle,' said CALYON analyst Mitul Kotecha.

He said the dollar is likely to find further support from the Fed statement, sufficient to push the euro below 1.20 usd in the coming days, due to favourable US interest rate spreads -- given that the next moves in the euro zone and the UK are set to be down.

'The Fed revealed no signs of being close to putting the brakes on further rate hikes in the months ahead,' he said. The dollar rose across the board, with the yen unable to benefit from an upbeat Tankan report which showed widespread improvement in Japanese business sentiment.

The euro also failed to capitalise on a survey showing an improvement in manufacturing sector activity in June. The purchasing managers' index for the 12-nation single currency zone rose to 49.9 in June from 48.7 in May, still showing a contraction but well above analysts' expectations for a more modest rise to 49.0.

Meanwhile, the pound remained weak after a string of very disappointing data over the past few days intensified speculation that the Bank of England will cut interest rates as soon as August.

'Sterling has remained under pressure as the weakness in UK data persists,' said HBOS currency analyst Steve Pearson.

Short sterling contracts indicate that the market has fully discounted two rate cuts this year, with a third now partially priced-in, whilst the spread between UK and euro zone short-term interest rates continues to narrow, he added.

Yesterday saw a sharp and unexpected downgrade in UK first quarter GDP and a weak consumer sentiment survey add to the negative sentiment prompted after Wednesday's dismal retail sales survey from the Confederation of British Industry.
Today will see the release of the latest purchasing managers index on UK manufacturing activity.

Given that the latest German IFO and Japanese Tankan surveys have begun to show some signs of improvement, however, there is a good chance the UK report could beat expectations and prompt a slight rebound for sterling, Pearson said.

Source:http://www.forbes.com/
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