Gunmen Attack Parliament in Chechnya

MOSCOW—Gunmen burst into the Parliament of Chechnya in southern Russia on Tuesday morning, killing several people in a shootout, according to Russian news reports.
Unnamed law enforcement sources speaking to Russian news media said that three or four men entered the building in Grozny and opened fire close to the office of the Parliament’s speaker, Dujuvakha Adurakhmanov. Reports said that Mr. Adurakhmanov was still alive, but that at least four people had been killed.
The gunmen have reportedly begun taking hostages. There were also reports that the Agriculture Ministry was under attack.
Russian forces fought two wars in Chechnya against a fierce separatist movement that has evolved over the last decade into an Islamist insurgency responsible for almost daily attacks against law enforcement and government officials in the region. more... http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/world/europe/20chechen.html?_r=1&hp

Yoga Help Alleviate Fibromyalgia Symptoms

Yoga that includes gentle stretches and meditation may help alleviate  fibromyalgia symptoms, a small study finds.
25 women diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain syndrome, were enrolled in a two-hour yoga class that met once a week for 8 weeks. Another group of 28 women diagnosed with the condition were put on a waiting list and told to continue their normal routine for dealing with fibromyalgia.
After eight weeks, the yoga group reported improvements in both physical and psychological aspects of fibromyalgia, including decreased pain, fatigue, tenderness, anxiety and better sleep and mood.
“The women were somewhat apprehensive when we started, but once they got into the rhythm of it they found it to be very helpful,” said lead study author James Carson, a clinical psychologist and pain specialist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. “They came back after the first week reporting less pain, better sleep and feeling encouraged for the first time in years. That type of change continued to build over the course of the program.see more......http://www.usposttoday.com/yoga-help-alleviate-fibromyalgia-symptoms/

The Rising Incidence of Thyroid Cancer

It’s easy to crunch the numbers on thyroid cancer and assume it is a disease fast on the rise. Incidence has more than doubled since the early 1970s, and for women, it is the cancer with the fastest-growing number of new cases.
But not every statistic tells the obvious tale. Despite the increase, thyroid cancer — a very treatable disease that develops in a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck — is still relatively uncommon. .........morehttp://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-thyroid-cancer-ess.html?ref=health

Golden eagle and taigan sighthound: the best hunting duo

KAZHY-SAI, Kyrgyzstan -- In the yard happily sit a golden eagle and taigan sighthound with the autumn sun on their backs.The door creaks open, and out comes their master. The taigan jumps up to follow him, with the eagle soaring behind. The animals are ready for the hunt.

Ishembek Kadyrov is the last remaining hunter from the village of Kazhy-Sai, Issyk-Kul Oblast, who has mastered the art of traditional Kyrgyz hunting — hunting only with the help of a golden eagle and Kyrgyz taigan sighthound he specially trained.

“I am the last hunter teaching golden eagles and taigans to hunt together — two predators whose very nature pits them in competition for food and prey. … And it is very sad and painful that the skills of our ancestors will fall into oblivion along with me,” Kadyrov lamented as he began his story.

It takes a long time to teach the eagle and the sighthound to hunt together, he said. “It is a very long and complicated process,” he said. Kadyrov is the last of several generations in his family to hunt this way. He began hunting in 1980 with only golden eagles, but in his heart he dreamed of hunting with taigans too. His father taught him authentic hunting. see more......http://centralasiaonline.com/cocoon/caii/xhtml/en_GB/features/caii/features/main/2010/09/18/feature-01