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I don’t remember exactly when I became aware of the fact that I could never successfully tell a lie. I had no problem twisting the truth, per se. When I was in school, I was very capable of transferring the blame for any misdemeanour, onto one of my two hapless brothers. 

I mean, why would I not like watching their ears getting boxed by our disciplinarian mother? It was definitely a more preferred option than being subjected to the agony myself. 

But I could not do it. That is because my face gave me away. 

It is not that my nose twitched or eyes became shifty. I could consciously control those doubting gestures by staring vacantly into space. No, that was not the case. The problem was that whenever I lied, my entire visage became suffused in a dark shade of crimson. And there was nothing I could do to stop it. I would be caught out in a jiffy, and the scolding was instantaneous. 

This automatic blushing system, which nature supplied me with as unwanted baggage, was soon utilised as a sort of litmus test. By my friends and family, that is. If the authenticity of any incident or remark had to be checked, they simply put it through me. You know, like the blue paper turning red under acidic conditions, my face would do the needful. 

Somewhere along the way I sensitised myself enough to figure out exactly when a blush was about to make its unexpected appearance. The minute I was subjected to any kind of untruth, at the very onset, the tips of my earlobes would start to tingle. It was as if a lightening rod was being applied to them. This sensation, spreading to my temples, would generate a deep flush on my cheeks, making me resemble a ruddy-faced monkey. 

Also, the same thing happened if I was exposed to too much sunshine, excessive heat, or unblinking stares, from friends and strangers alike. I learned to live with it and took appropriate steps to protect myself from such situations when they presented themselves. 

And then, most unwillingly, I stumbled into a midlife crisis, a time that I was most unprepared for. It altered my personality beyond recognition. The mood swings fluctuated from one extreme to another and, forget others, even I found it difficult to live with myself. There were days when I contemplated running away from home, but how could I hide from my own self? 

The hot flushes were added fallout of this bewildering turn of events. I was used to blushing in shyness, embarrassment or untruthfulness but this was like being in a state of constant blush. Unmindful of the weather conditions, I would break out into a hot flush at the drop of a proverbial hat.

In sheer misery, I took to carrying folding-fans with me. I bought beautiful ones trimmed in Venetian lace, with pretty patterns on them. At the slightest excuse I would unfold one and wave it vigorously. 

“Are you hot?” a suave gentleman asked me at a party recently. 

“In my youth, or now?” I joked. 

“Excuse me?” he was surprised. 

“No,” I clarified. 

“I think not much has changed,” he stated.

“Excuse me?” it was my turn to be startled. 

“Since your younger days,” he explained, smiling. 

“The heat is making you blind,” I muttered. 

“And what is making you blush?” he queried. 

“This lie detector test,” I said, unfolding my hand fan.

USA Today (MCT)

That whole idea of winning... well, it seems like it’s overrated when it comes to what determines whether kids are having fun playing sports, a new study suggests. And perhaps surprisingly, getting “swag”, or cool medals or jerseys, isn’t that big a deal either.

The No. 1 reason that kids drop out of sports is because it’s no longer “fun”, says the new study from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University in Washington, DC The study, recently published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, homed in on the factors that made organised sports fun for kids — findings that could help combat the rising risks of childhood obesity.

The study found that there were 81 “fun” factors, which ranged from sportsmanship, to team rituals to “swag” (aka medals or cool jerseys). The top rated factors weren’t winning or getting medals as you would expect — but being a good sport, trying hard and positive coaching.

“If our goal is to keep kids as physically active for as long as possible, we’re looking at organised sport as this solution to a public health crisis,” said Amanda Visek, author of the study and an associate professor of exercise science at George Washington University.

The study was conducted amid an alarming rise in obesity rates, according to Edward Laskowski, a physical medication and rehabilitation specialist from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. About 70 per cent of kids drop out of organised sports by the time they reach middle school, the report said. And without a constant involvement in sports, children naturally become less physically active as they become older, Visek said.

“We’re seeing a lot less activity in kids than we did before,” said Laskowski. “About one-third of kids in the US are considered overweight or obese. It’s certainly an epidemic.”

Visek said he hopes that this study, which displays its findings on what’s called a concept map that coaches and parents can follow, will help leagues and coaches inject more fun into playing sports. Visek calls these concept maps FUN MAPS, which she said will help give a full picture of what kids think of as fun.

“When we think about fun we think about this abstract, elusive thing, and now we’re trying to define it,” Visek said. “If you look at the map, it gives you a 360-degree picture of what fun is... and we have displayed things in one picture that’s easy for anyone to understand.”

The factors were determined by asking about 230 children on football teams, coaches and parents to identify what made playing sports fun for kids. The participants were from the Washington metropolitan area, with kids ages nine to 19. The majority of the kids who participated in the study play other sports in addition to football.

Kids who are more physically active experience less depression and anxiety and generally achieve more academically, Visek said.

“We can think about children’s sports participation as an investment in not only their current health but future health,” Visek said.

People need at least one hour of physical activity a day to stay healthy, Laskowski said. Organised sports can help with this requirement, but just engaging in play or doing different activities with the family is enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle, he said.

Los Angeles Times (MCT)

How many times will we have to be told? Apparently we haven’t reached the point when we’ll change our habits, but here goes again: Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day can help us live longer.

That comes from researchers’ analysis of 16 studies covering 833,234 people, recently published in the BMJ.

Scientists from China and the United States looked at the growing evidence of a connection between produce consumption and heart disease and cancer. They wanted to quantify the “dose response” — or how much we need to eat — in relation with all causes of death, heart disease and cancer.

The average risk of death from all causes was reduced by 5 per cent for each additional daily serving of fruits or vegetables; risk of cardiovascular death was reduced by 4 per cent for each serving. They did not find the risk of cancer to be appreciably associated with produce consumption.

“There was a threshold around five servings of fruit and vegetables a day, after which the risk of all-cause mortality did not reduce further,” the scientists wrote.

This conclusion contradicts a finding published recently in the BMJ’s Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, in which researchers led by Oyinlola Oyebode of University College London wrote that people “eating seven or more portions of fruit and vegetables daily have the lowest risk of mortality from any cause.”

One of the researchers involved in the more recent study, Wei Bao of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said his group’s analysis did not find additional benefits over five portions.

“There could be debate on how much, but we should be aware that the average intake across the world is very low, far below five,” Bao said.

The studies followed participants for up to 24 years and tallied a total of 56,423 deaths — 11,512 from heart disease and 16,817 from cancer.

Bao said it’s possible that there is an optimal dose or particular kinds of produce that would affect cancer death rates.

Andy Bellatti, a registered dietician, noted that half a cup of cooked leafy greens counts as a serving, as do about a dozen baby carrots or six asparagus spears. But the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only about a quarter of American adults eat vegetables three or more times a day, he said.

In the earlier study, the researchers noted that people do not eat enough produce, citing difficulty in changing habits, lack of motivation, lack of time and cost.

Those scientists used the 2001/08 Health Surveys for England, plus several years of follow-up, on more than 65,000 people 35 and older. The study subjects reported eating an average of 3.8 servings of produce — 1.5 of them vegetables. The study didn’t know how many of those were French fries, which tops many lists of vegetable consumption.

Eating at least seven servings was linked to a 42 per cent lower risk of death from all causes, 25 per cent lower from cancer and 31 per cent lower from heart disease or stroke in the study period, after excluding deaths within the first year of the monitoring, the researchers reported.

The World Health Organisation recommended in 1990 that people eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to protect against cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

These studies suggest potential not only for individuals, Bao said, noting that to “promote people to consume more would be of some benefit” in terms of policy.

SAN FRANCISCO — There may be a growing number of applications for smartphones, but people in the US tend to cling to the few they like and shun the rest, an industry tracker says. 

 Nearly two-thirds of US smartphone owners download no applications monthly, comScore said in its Mobile App Report.

Nearly half of all app—mini-programmes—downloads were done by just 7 per cent of smartphone owners in any given month, according to the report that was released Thursday.

Fun, functional or hip apps for smartphones or tablets are seen by analysts as key to the popularity of the devices, and rivals such as Apple, Google and Microsoft work hard to get developers to tailor apps to devices powered by their software.

Apple’s online App Store boasts billions of titles available for users of devices powered by the California company’s software.

While more than half of US smartphone owners accessed applications on their gadgets daily, “a staggering” 42 per cent of time was spent in just their favourite app, according to comScore.

“Americans have a difficult time living without their mobile devices, as evidenced by the vast majority of consumers using apps on their smartphones and tablets nearly every day,” comScore said in the report.

However, nearly three of every four minutes spent using apps was in any of four preferred mini-programmes.

Social networking, entertainment and messaging accounted for much of the time spent using mobile apps in the United States, the report indicated.

Internet titans Facebook, Google, Apple, Yahoo, Amazon and eBay accounted for nine of the top-10 most used apps, according to the industry tracker.

Facebook is the top application in terms of audience size and share of time spent by smartphone users, comScore reported.

People using iPhones spend large shares of their “app time” on general news, radio, photos, social networking and weather, according to comScore.

Those opting for Android-powered devices devoted a greater share of their time to online search and e-mail.

The annual income of a median iPhone app user was $85,000, compared to $61,000 made in a year by a median Android user, comScore reported.

WASHINGTON — New research suggests a one-two punch could help battle polio in some of the world’s most remote and conflict-torn regions: Giving a single vaccine shot to children who’ve already swallowed drops of an oral polio vaccine greatly boosted their immunity.

The World Health Organisation officials said the combination strategy already is starting to be used in mass vaccination campaigns in some hard-hit areas and is being introduced for routine immunisations in developing countries.

“It could play a major role in completing the job of polio eradication once and for all,” said Dr Hamid Jafari, WHO’s director of polio operations, who led the study recently published in the journal Science.

Oral polio vaccine has played a critical role in the nearly three-decade effort to eradicate the paralysing disease, as health workers have gone house-to-house, to refugee camps and to roadside checkpoints delivering the drops. The number of countries where polio regularly circulates dropped from 125 in 1988 to just three as of last year —Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan.

But with travel, the threat is re-emerging in countries previously free of the highly contagious virus. The WHO in May declared an international public health emergency, citing outbreaks in at least 10 countries. Particularly of concern were Syria, Somalia and Iraq, where violence has complicated efforts to contain new cases.

Which vaccine to use in the eradication push has long been controversial. They each have different strengths. The United States and other wealthy countries have switched back to using only injected polio vaccine, which is made of “inactivated” or killed virus, for routine childhood immunisations after eradicating the disease within their borders. That’s because the oral vaccine contains weakened live virus that children can shed in their stools, which on very rare occasions can trigger a vaccine-caused case of polio.

In developing countries where polio is still a threat, the oral version is cheaper, easier to use and can slow spread of the virus. But a particular type of immunity, intestinal immunity, wanes so that children in high-exposure areas need repeated doses.

Jafari’s team tested whether using both vaccines would protect better than one. The study involved nearly 1,000 children, from babies to 10-year olds, in northern India in 2011, the last year that country reported a case of polio. The children had previously received oral vaccine. This time, they were randomly assigned to receive a dose of injected polio vaccine, another oral dose or no booster. Four weeks later, they all received what researchers called a “challenge” dose of oral vaccine to see how their bodies shed the weakened live virus.

The shots acted as a better booster for the children’s intestinal immunity than giving them yet more vaccine drops — and those youngsters shed far less virus, key to cutting transmission in an outbreak, Jafari’s team reported.

A similar study in 450 children in southern India last year reached the same conclusion, researchers reported in The Lancet last month.

And last December, Kenya put the strategy to its first real-world test. Health workers used both injected and oral vaccine as they sought to immunise 126,000 young children living in Somali refugee camps and nearby areas who were at risk from a polio outbreak spilling over the Somalia-Kenya border. They reached most of the children, according to a report by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

Similar campaigns are beginning in northeastern Nigeria and should start soon in Pakistan, said Jafari and Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO’s assistant director-general for polio.

The injected vaccine is more expensive, Aylward said — about $1 to $1.90 a shot, under specially negotiated prices for low-income countries, compared to about 15 cents a dose for oral vaccine. But he said it was worth the investment if adding the shots wound up eliminating polio in the last infected areas faster.

Using this strategy in these tough-to-reach areas makes sense, said CDC vaccine expert Dr Steve Cochi.

“We want to take maximum advantage of each contact with a child,” he said. “It’s the start of the last stand for wild polio virus, and we’re trying to hit it with both vaccines.”

At the same time, the WHO has called on low- and middle-income countries that now use only oral polio vaccine to add one dose of the injected version to routine childhood immunisations next year.

WASHINGTON — E-cigarettes should be subject to the same regulations as cigarettes and should not be sold to minors, the American Heart Association (AHA) said in new policy guidelines out Monday.

The use of e-cigarettes, which are electrical devices that heat-flavoured nicotine liquid into a vapour that is inhaled, much like traditional cigarettes but without the smoke, has been rising rapidly among youths in recent years, raising concerns about the potential for addiction risks and health damage.

E-cigarettes are currently unregulated, meaning they can be sold to youths and are openly advertised, unlike cigarette makers which must follow strict rules about where and how their products are marketed.

The AHA guidelines go a step further than the US Food and Drug Administration’s April proposal, which set out a new series of regulations on e-cigarettes that included banning their sale to minors, but did not restrict advertising or online sales of the candy and fruit-flavoured liquids that some say are targeted at young people. A public comment period on the FDA’s proposal ended earlier this month, and the new rules have not yet been implemented.

“Recent studies raise concerns that e-cigarettes may be a gateway to traditional tobacco products for the nation’s youths, and could renormalise smoking in our society,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of AHA.

“These disturbing developments have helped convince the association that e-cigarettes need to be strongly regulated, thoroughly researched and closely monitored.”

The guidelines, published in the journal Circulation, recommend that since e-cigarettes contain nicotine, they “should be subject to all laws that apply to these products.”

The AHA “also calls for strong new regulations to prevent access, sales and marketing of e-cigarettes to youths, and for more research into the product’s health impact.”

The sales of e-cigarettes have risen sharply since they were introduced to the market in 2007, according to health officials.

The number of high school students who tried e-cigarettes nearly doubled, from 4.7 per cent in 2011 to 10 per cent in 2012, and sales of e-cigarettes could top $2 billion this year, according to industry estimates.

According to Georgetown University pulmonologist Nathan Cobb, the AHA “is right in calling for this minimal set of regulations to be implemented no later than the end of the year”.

He also said more aggressive regulations should follow.

“They can and should be part of a concerted regulatory push to drive towards a tobacco ‘end game’, which increases the price of combusted tobacco cigarettes while guaranteeing the safety and consistency of e-cigarettes.”

Cobb added that the FDA’s “bare bones regulations” fall short because they subject manufacturers to “significantly less oversight and safety requirements than pet food manufacturers, and are truly a minimum”.

An unconventionally styled crossover vehicle sitting somewhere between compact hatchback and crossover SUV, the Juke is a bold gambit that has paid off handsomely for Nissan. Enthusiastically accepted by the car-buying public the Juke’s initial sales exceeded expectations when it was first launched as a 2011 model. Perhaps best described as a compact urban crossover vehicle largely aimed at a younger demographic, the Juke sits in relatively new market segment alongside the likes of the Kia Soul and Ford EcoSport. A car to be driven before being judged, under the Juke’s adventurous styling is the soul of a lively corner-hungry hot hatch.

Futuristic crossover

Whether one sees the Nissan Juke’s styling as a vibrant, bold and futuristically statement or just plain odd seems to be a matter of personal taste for most, but if anything, the Juke is far from being derivative, bland or boring. Seemingly finding a more receptive audience in young urban drivers, the Juke is an attention-grabbing car that stands out even among other futuristically designed vehicles. One found that its styling was more appealing after a test drive, where the sharp edges, buffed out wheel arches, rakish roof and slanted sports-car-like bonnet seemed to make more sense in light of darty driving dynamics.

Sitting 185mm off the ground, the Juke provides plenty of clearance to for urban bumps and potholes, and unpaved dirt roads too, but especially in the front wheel drive version as tested, the Juke is very firmly designed for on-road use. With wheels pushed wide apart for stability, the Juke also features bulging light clusters atop its front wings, which, like a sports car’s curves, help one place it on the road through corners. With wide grille and round lights set deep on either side, the Juke looks like little else, while its relatively long bumper and hidden rear door handles lend a sporty coupe-like demeanour.

Smoothly efficient

Driven with the base 16 valve 1.6 litre four-cylinder petrol engine option with continuously variable transmission (CVT), the Nissan Juke develops 115BHP at 6,000rpm and 116lb/ft at 4,000rpm. With a moderate 1,208kg weight this allows for an adequately quick 11.5-second 0-100km/h time and a 170km/h top speed, while combined cycle fuel consumption carbon dioxide emissions are frugal at 6.3l/100km and 145g/km respectively. Driven gently for fuel economy, the Juke’s 1.6 engine can feel slightly underpowered, but with more liberally aggressive use of the throttle it becomes considerably livelier, more responsive and eager — if less frugal — in its 4,000-6,000rpm sweet spot. Delivery throughout is smoothly progressive.

Driving the front wheels through the CVT transmission, the Nissan Juke’s variable ratios go through the gamut from 4.006:1 for quickest off-the-line performance to 0.55:1 at the top end for efficient and low-rev motorway cruising. Highly efficient and smooth with near imperceptible ratio changes, the CVT is designed and programmed to alter ratios by keeping engine speed at it most efficient range, especially in the “Eco” drive setting. With “sport” mode engaged and using forceful throttle inputs, the CVT becomes more amenable to engage lower ratios and to let the engine rev freely for more responsive performance and driver involvement.

Adept and agile

Livelier in “sport” mode, the Juke’s CVT has a selectable low ratio position, which encourages a more aggressive shift-pattern for inclines, but unlike other Nissan CVT applications, there are no selectable pre-programmed ratios to mimic a conventional gearbox for greater driving autonomy. On steep inclines the ‘low’ setting works fine, but it’s crucial to keep the engine revving hard to make quick progress. Through briskly driven winding cross country switchbacks where one would otherwise make numerous gear changes for braking, cornering and accelerating through apexes, one soon learns to finesse the throttle to adjust ratios when required and keep revs high for best performance.

With nimbleness not expected of a car this high off the ground, the Juke has the responses, agility and heart of a hot hatch. Light and quick at 2.76-turns, the Juke’s steering offers clarity, directness and good feel, and with a curt wrist flick turns in tidily. With a well-sorted chassis, the Juke turns tight corners with darty agility and pounces through narrow and snaking switchbacks with poised body control, crisp responses and alertness. Gripping tight, the Juke’s under-steer is easily corrected with slight throttle lift-off if provoked, and if desired, can be persuaded to slightly flick its rear to tighten a cornering line.

Buttoned-down

Stable through fast sweeping corners and on motorways, the Juke rides with smooth and buttoned-down reassurance. Over imperfect back-roads the Juke’s sportily firm MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension rates provided a fluent, comfortable and connected ride quality, only feeling slightly stiff over the most severe cracks and damaged tarmac. Rebounding with tight buttoned-down poise over crests, dips and expansion joints, the Juke bobbed slightly vertically over choppy roads, but didn’t jounce from side-to-side, and surprisingly proved more comfortable than more overtly comfortable cars. Finding a good compromise between firm and supple, the Juke’s 215/55R17 tires provide good steering feel. 

Built on an enlarged Nissan-Renault platform shared by many of the alliance’s vehicles, including the superb Renault Clio RS, the Nissan Juke’s darty agility and confidence have the hallmarks of a potential hot hatch. Given a manual gearbox and powerful engine like the 187BHP 1.6-litre turbo variant or Nissan’s in-house tuning arm’s sportier 197BHP Nismo version, the juke could be a brilliant hot hatch. However, the version that best explores and showcases the Juke’s potential is the extreme Juke-R. Built in highly limited numbers, the 545BHP Juke-R pocket rocket is fitted with the Nissan GT-R supercar’s twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 and four-wheel-drive system.

Cabin and kit

Refined inside, Juke cabin noise levels are very quiet in normal driving and on motorways, but engine drone is moderately present when pushed to its redline. Despite its low rear roofline the Juke’s front, over-shoulder and rear visibility quite good, while front seating is comfortably spaced and supportive. Ergonomic in front, one can find a good alert driving position, but no reach steering adjustability. A compact lifestyle car, the Juke’s rear headroom and door access isn’t designed for the especially large and tall but is well accommodating for average size occupants and children.

Well equipped, the tested Juke’s safety kit included ABS and electronic brake-force distribution, four airbags, electronic stability control, three rear three-point seatbelts and headrests, and two rear Isofix child seat latches. Convenience kit includes climate control system, remote central locking and under floor boot storage compartment. Minimum boot space is adequate at 251-litre volume but generously expands to 830 litres with rear seats folded. Cloth seats were pleasant, but one would have liked lumbar support for longer journeys. The Juke features a driving mode display with g-force and other infographics, while its six-speaker infotainment system features auxiliary jack, Bluetooth connectivity and steering controls.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 1.6 litre, transverse 4 cylinders

Bore x stroke: 78 x 83.6mm

Compression ratio: 10.7:1

Valve train: 16-valve, DOHC

Gearbox: Continuously variable transmission (CVT), auto, front-wheel drive

Gear ratios: 4.006:1–0.55:1

Reverse/final drive: 3.77:1/3.753:1

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 115 (117) [86] @ 6,000rpm

Specific power: 72BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 95.2BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 116 (158) @ 4,000rpm

Specific torque: 98.2Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 130.8Nm/tonne

0-97km/h: 11.5-seconds

Top speed: 170km/h

Fuel consumption, urban/extra-urban/combined:  

8.3-/5.2-/6.3-litres/100km

CO2 emissions, combined: 145g/km

Fuel capacity: 52 litres

Length: 4,135mm

Width: 1,765mm

Height: 1,570mm

Wheelbase: 2,530mm

Track: 1,525mm

Overhang, F/R: 855/750mm

Ground clearance: 185mm

Aerodynamic drag coefficient: 0.35

Cargo volume, min/max: 251-/830 litres

Kerb weight: 1,208kg

Suspension, F/R: MacPherson struts/torsion beam

Steering: Power-assisted, rack & pinion

Turning circle: 10.7 metres

Lock-to-lock: 2.76 turns

Brakes: Ventilated discs, 280 x 24mm/discs, 292 x 9mm

Tyres: 215/55R17

Price, as tested: JD23,800 (on-the-road)

WASHINGTON — Botox has frozen the faces of countless Hollywood stars, and international researchers recently said the toxic injections might also be able to stop cancer in its tracks, at least temporarily.

The findings in the journal Science Translational Medicine are based on studies of mice with stomach cancer.

Researchers found that Botox could block signals from the vagal nerve — which extends from the brain stem to the abdomen — slowing the growth of tumours as much as surgery would.

“We found that by removing the effect of the nerve, the stem cells in the cancer tumour are suppressed, leading to cancer treatment and prevention,” said co-author Duan Chen, a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Botox worked when injected locally to the vagus nerve by blocking the release of a neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, that encouraged the tumour to grow.

Other techniques — such as surgically cutting the vagus nerve and giving a blocking drug — also slowed tumour growth.

Blocking acetylcholine through facial injections lessens wrinkles by temporarily paralyzing muscles.

“Scientists have long observed that human and mouse cancers contain a lot of nerves in and around the tumour cells,” said Timothy Wang, professor of medicine at Columbia University’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

“We wanted to understand more about the role of nerves in the initiation and growth of cancer, by focusing on stomach cancer.”

A phase II clinical trial of the method in patients with stomach cancer is now taking place in Norway.

Scientists say the technique, while not a cure for cancer, might extend the lives of people with inoperable stomach cancer, or patients who no longer respond to chemotherapy.

“We believe this treatment is a good treatment because it can be used locally and it targets the cancer stem cells,” said Chen.

Further research is needed to determine if the technique might work in other cancers.

Stomach cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer worldwide, and about one quarter of patients survive for more than five years after diagnosis.

TOKYO — Suppliers to Apple Inc. are scrambling to get enough screens ready for the new iPhone 6 smartphone as the need to redesign a key component disrupted panel production ahead of next month’s expected launch, supply chain sources said.

It’s unclear whether the hiccup could delay the launch or limit the number of phones initially available to consumers, the sources said, as Apple readies larger-screen iPhones for the year-end shopping season amid market share loss to cheaper rivals.

But the issue highlights the risks and challenges that suppliers face to meet Apple’s tough specifications, and comes on the heels of a separate screen technology problem, since resolved, in making thinner screens for the larger iPhone 6 model.

Cupertino, California-based Apple has scheduled a media event for September 9, and many expect it to unveil the new iPhone 6 with both 4.7 inch (11.94 cm) and 5.5 inch (13.97 cm) screens — bigger than the 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5s and 5c.

Two supply chain sources said display panel production suffered a setback after the backlight that helps illuminate the screen had to be revised, putting screen assembly on hold for part of June and July. One said Apple, aiming for the thinnest phone possible, initially wanted to cut back to a single layer of backlight film, instead of the standard two layers, for the 4.7-inch screen, which went into mass production ahead of the 5.5-inch version.

But the new configuration was not bright enough and the backlight was sent back to the drawing board to fit in the extra layer, costing precious time and temporarily idling some screen assembly operations, the source said.

Output is now back on track and suppliers are working flat-out to make up for lost time, the supply chain sources added.

Japan Display Inc., Sharp Corp. and South Korea’s LG Display Co. Ltd. have been selected to make the iPhone 6 screens, the sources said.

Representatives for those three suppliers, and for Apple, declined to comment. 

Wider impact 

Apple is known to make tough demands on its parts suppliers for new iPhones and iPads as it competes to create designs, shapes, sizes and features to set it apart and command a premium price in a fiercely competitive gadget market.

This can cause glitches and delays, including screen problems that crimped supplies at last year’s launch of a high-resolution version of Apple’s iPad Mini.

It also highlights the danger for suppliers of depending too heavily on Apple for revenues, creating earnings volatility.

Earlier this month, Japan Display, said to be the lead supplier for the new iPhone panel, said orders for “a large customer” — which analysts said was Apple — arrived as expected, but shipments may be delayed in the July-September quarter.

Japan Display’s reliance on Apple’s cyclical business has spooked some investors. UBS Securities has forecast that Apple will contribute more than a third of the Japanese firm’s total revenue in the year to March 2015. Japan Display’s share price dropped to a 12-week low of 501 yen after first-quarter earnings on August 7 lagged market expectations.

In Taiwan, home to several Apple suppliers and assemblers, export orders grew less than expected in July, even as factories rushed output ahead of new smartphone launches, reflecting the erratic nature of the business.

“Currently, there’s a small shortage in supply of a specialised component for our communication devices,” said a spokesman for Pegatron, which assembles iPhones. “This kind of problem regularly occurs and the impact on production is negligible.”

Supply chain sources had previously said challenges with the new iPhone’s screen in-cell technology, which eliminates one of the layers in the LCD screen to make it thinner, caused a delay in the production of the larger 5.5-inch version. One display industry source said the in-cell issues had now been resolved.

The pressure on Apple for stand-out products has increased as Samsung Electronics Co. and, more recently, a clutch of aggressive, lower-cost Chinese producers such as Xiaomi Inc. and Lenovo Group Ltd. have eroded the US company’s market dominance.

The iPhone 6 unveiling has been widely anticipated to bolster momentum for Apple shares, which have risen by a third, to above $100 each, since the company posted strong first-quarter earnings in late-April.

KASHMIR, India – Anees, 21, went to school for only two years before he dropped out, like many of the children in his village nestled in the mountains of Kashmir that only shed their green when they are cloaked in the white snow of winter, which offers its own gifts to visitors.

Anees considers himself lucky. The enchanting beauty of his home Indian state has started to attract more and more tourists. Europeans seems to prefer a white Kashmir, when its mountains and valleys are blanketed with snow, making it one of the best destinations for skiing. He works now as a guide and a skiing trainer for beginners, satisfied with the few dollars he earns.

In fact, he says, tourists have found a new Switzerland for their winter hobby, but much more affordable. Beginners pay around $6 for a training session, while professionals, who ski from a height of just over 4,000 metres pay a few hundred dollars a day for a full package of services. They are offered a genuine Kashmiri hospitality at the cottages and lodges scattered in the hills in return for less what they pay in a two-star hostel in any city in Europe, or any of the famous destinations in the world. 

In the summer, tourists come mainly from India and the Middle East seeking refuge from the heat of Delhi, Mumbai, Muscat or Dubai. They enjoy the mesmerising scenery, horseback treks across the mountains, also for a few dollars, and the Kashmiri cuisine, a source of pride for locals. 

However, Anees and his people are more proud when they speak about the peace and stability the area has gained, as violence, the way the area knew in the past decades, has ceased to be for long years.

As witnessed by Jordanian media in a tour of the region arranged by Kashmir’s tourism authorities, life was normal across the areas visited, despite reports of violations to ceasefire and brief exchanges of fire on the border with Pakistan. 

Anees wants to see a permanent peace, more tourists and better living conditions for his people. He told The Jordan Times in Gulmarg that he supports the People’s Democratic Party, whose acronym, PDP, also stands for Peace, Development and Prosperity.

The guide says that the party has better ties with the central government and is intent on more cooperation with Delhi authorities to promote tourism and development in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, where nine million people live. The PDP won three of the six seats in the Lok Sabha (central House of People) in the August elections this year.

Join the elite

What seems to be the secret about the Kashmir experience is that things that are in a normal context exclusive to the elite can be attainable by average people. Apart from transportation costs, there are offers to spend a week in Kashmir and indulge in all the activities offered, including golf, skiing, rafting, hiking, houseboat accommodation, and other activities and adventures for prices within the reach of middle-class visitors. 

The basic price for a five-night, six-day package for a couple is a little more than $500, according to the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC). This includes accommodation and a car transport to and from the destination.

However, tourists need not bargain over any service or activity they have to pay for in the summer or winter. The JKTDC announces on its website and on billboards in the destinations an official prices list of services, including pony hiring, guides, ski guides, trekking guides, sledge, skiing gear, all-terrain vehicles, rafting, cycling, shikara ride, motor boat and others. This saves a lot of hassle. Besides, there are tourism offices in every resort that are willing to offer help.

Mountain resorts

In a mountain resort like Gulmarg, in Baramula district, 57km from Srinagar, there are activities and wonders tourists should not miss.

The name, which means land of flowers, was given to the area by Sultan Yusuf Shah in the 16th century. According to historical sources cited by JKTDC, the sultan was impressed with “the stunning spectacle of the grassy hills adorned with colourful flowers”. The Meadow of Flowers is a huge cup shaped, lush and green with slopes where the silence is broken only by the tinkle of cowbells.

What was noticed during the tour of several resorts in the mountains of Kashmir is that authorities are environment-conscious. One of the strict rules is that polyethylene, the material used to make plastic bags is totally prohibited. Instead, the shops there use a kind of environment-friendly paper bags. 

In general, all the areas visited are clean, except for the hard-to-control horse droppings as hundreds of these animals are used for treks. 

The same applies to other mountain resorts like Pahalgam and Sonamarg, which turned from simple shepherd towns to Kashmir’s premier resorts. They are cool even during the summer peak and feature a number of hotels and lodges that cater to all preferences and budgets.

The roads leading to these places need more attention. The Pahalgam road, which leads you through a string of small beautiful villages, needs a lot of maintenance, while other roads need more direction signs, although services like public convenience stations are available and plans are under way to improve the situation and perfect the experience.

Srinagar experience

Srinagar, the state’s capital, has a lot to offer, so much so that activities there can fill days of your Kashmir vacation. Mughal gardens, romantic shikara rides and the charm of houseboats on Dal Lake are some of the town’s enchantments, if you can avoid the peak-hour traffic jams in the city.

However, you can forget all about the city centre noise when you are on a houseboat or a shikara ride. You can relax on the cushioned balcony of the houseboat and watch birds fishing in the lake, or take a ride on shikara to see the floating tulip gardens.

There is a unique experience that few tourists might know, the fish foot massage, or fish pedicure. Wait until nightfall, sit on the foot of the wooden stairs of the boat and dangle your feet in the water. Hundreds of small fish will immediately invite themselves to literally eat all the dead skin off your feet, giving you a sensational feeling. 

On the shores of Dal Lake are the great Mughal Gardens, which are listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You can visit these attractions in one several-hour tour to have a glimpse into these “earthly heavens” carpeted with a panorama of flowers, grass, centuries-old trees and fountains. On the hills that embrace the city from every direction, there are ancient temples and mediaval mosques that stand as reminders of the glorious past of the region, the great Hindu kings and the Mughal era.

Exquisite shopping 

Either in Srinagar or in the marketplaces of the mountain resorts, shopping is a memorable experience. The low prices for uniquely Kashmiri products are stunning. Regardless of your budget, you can find things to bring back home including saffron and other spices, the Kashmiri white honey and nuts. You can buy hand-painted souvenirs made of recycled paper for peanuts. However, relatively expensive precious items are Kashmir’s signature gifts. Pashmina shawls, which are made of the anterior neck wool of a special breed of goat indigenous to high altitudes of the Himalayas, are a key choice. You can take home the best pashmina shawl for around $150, which is relatively cheap due to the uniqueness and the quality of the item.

The markets of the area also offer a variety of refined crafts that are the source of pride for the people of Kashmir, especially silk and wool handwoven carpets, woodwork and copperware. 

Anees also gives advice about shopping to his clients. He and fellow Kashmiris know that giving a good impression about their state means more tourists to the “paradise on earth”, which, in turn, means that the new generations there will have a better life, more quality education and a prosperous future.