'Lame' mosquitoes to stop dengue

　　

　　

　　The dengue virus is spread by infected female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

　　Scientists are breeding a genetically altered strain of mosquito in an effort to curb the spread of dengue fever.

　　The dengue virus is spread by the bite of infected female mosquitoes and there is no vaccine or treatment.

　　Experts say the illness affects up to 100 million people a year and threatens over a third of the world's population.

　　Scientists hope their genetically altered males will mate with females to create female offspring that will inherit a gene limiting wing growth.

　　The study is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

　　The scientists say their approach offers a safe, efficient alternative to harmful insecticides and could be used to stop other diseases spread by mosquitoes, like malaria.

　　

Current dengue control methods are not sufficiently effective, and new ones are urgently needed

　　Researcher Professor Anthony James

　　They estimate that if released, the new breed could sustainably suppress the native mosquito population in six to nine months.

　　Researcher Professor Anthony James, of the University of California, Irvine, said: "Current dengue control methods are not sufficiently effective, and new ones are urgently needed.

　　"Controlling the mosquito that transmits this virus could significantly reduce human morbidity and mortality."

　　Grounded

　　The plan is to release genetically-altered male mosquitoes who will mate with wild females and pass on their genes.

　　The scientists have shown that females of the next generation who inherit the gene are unable to fly because it interrupts normal wing growth.

　　Male carriers of the gene remain unaffected.

　　Lead researcher Luke Alphey, of the University of Oxford and his own spin-out company Oxitech Ltd, said the approach was highly targeted.

　　"The technology is completely species-specific, as the released males will mate only with females of the same species.

　　"Another attractive feature of this method is that it's egalitarian - all people in the treated areas are equally protected, regardless of their wealth, power or education."

　　Dr Hilary Ranson, of the Liverpool School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the work was a major step forward.

　　"This is a significant advance. It will be logistically challenging to make and release enough of the male mosquitoes and it's not going to be cheap. But it can be done with the right resources."

　　She said dengue fever was an ideal disease to tackle in this way because it is spread by only a couple of species of mosquito.

　　She said malaria would be harder to beat because of the variety of mosquitoes carrying the disease.

 

The Doha Debates

　　

　　The Doha Debates are a unique venture in the Arab world, providing a battleground for conflicting opinions and arguments about the major political topics of the region.

　　SHOWING TIMES

　　0910 GMT on Saturday 20th February

　　Repeated: 2210 GMT on Saturday 20th, 0210 and 1510 GMT on Sunday 21st February

　　View your local programme times

　　While governments around the world tighten restrictions on press freedom, the Doha Debates openly dissect the vital issues of the Middle East in front of its people and on global television

　　ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME

　　

Tell us what you think about this programme and join our viewer panel

　　For more information and to view past Doha Debates online

　　The Doha Debates are chaired by the award-winning former BBC correspondent and interviewer Tim Sebastian, who founded them in 2004 and secured their editorial independence.

　　The Doha Debates are an initiative of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development which is headed by Her Highness, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned.

　　Past speakers have included President Bill Clinton, Shimon Peres, Amre Moussa, Ayad Allawi, Mahmoud Al Zahar and Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

　　Most Debates are held at the Qatar Foundation headquarters in Doha.

　　This House believes Muslims are not getting a fair deal in India

　　FOR THE MOTION: Seema Mustafa, Journalist and political commentator

　　Seema Mustafa is a political analyst. Previously, she was the editor of Covert magazine and Resident Editor of The Asian Age newspaper.

　　She has co-written a number of books on Indian politics and authored a political biography of former Prime Minister of India VP Singh. In 1999 she received the prestigious Prem Bhatia Award for Excellence in Political Reporting and Analysis for her coverage of the Kargil war.

　　FOR THE MOTION: Teesta Setalvad, Civil rights activist

　　Teesta Setalvad is the co-founder of Sabrang Communications, an organisation aimed at protecting and promoting human rights in India.

　　She has been at the forefront of the campaign for justice for the victims of the Gujarat riots and in 2003 she won the Nuremberg International Human Rights Award.

　　In 2007 she was awarded the prestigious civilian honour, the Padma Shri by the Indian Government for her work in public affairs.

　　AGAINST THE MOTION: Sachin Pilot, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology

　　Sachin Pilot made history in 2004 when voters in Dausa, Rajasthan elected him by a record margin as India's youngest member of parliament.

　　In May last year he won the Ajmer constituency, previously a BJP stronghold. He is the son of the late Rajesh Pilot, a prominent figure in the Congress Party and a former government minister.

　　AGAINST THE MOTION: M.J.Akbar, Journalist and Publisher

　　Mobashar Jawed (M.J.) Akbar is one of India's most distinguished journalists. He's the Editor of the recently launched Sunday Guardian, published simultaneously in Delhi and London.

　　Mr. Akbar has launched a number of prominent publications in India including The Telegraph, The Asian Age and Covert magazine. He served as a member of India's Parliament from 1989-1992, and as an adviser to the ministry of Human Resources.

　　M.J. Akbar is also a prolific author and has written extensively on India's political landscape.

No Walcott in England U-21 squad

　　

　　

　　Walcott celebrates his hat-trick against Croatia in 2008

　　Theo Walcott has not been included in Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad to play Greece next week.

　　Walcott's omission could see the 20-year-old Arsenal forward named in Fabio Capello's England squad for the Egypt friendly on Wednesday 3 March.

　　The winger had not played for Capello's England side this season due to knee, hamstring and shoulder injuries, though he has featured for the Under-21 side.

　　Wigan's Victor Moses and Aston Villa's Nathan Delfouneso are in the squad too.

　　"We just felt that Nathan has got a great commodity in his pace," said Pearce, ahead of the European Championship match against Greece which takes place at Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium on the same day as England play Egypt.

　　"I've seen him play for the Under-19s and he can also play out wide as well as down the middle.

　　

606: DEBATE

　　As much as I like Walcott, he just hasn't been good enough this season

　　Rafael and Fabio - Perfect Combination

　　"And Victor has the ability to go past a player and be a match-winner, so between them they give us something different."

　　Jack Rodwell, Lee Cattermole, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere return to Pearce's squad following injuries during the last international break.

　　"The last squad we picked, there were eight players who had played the previous Saturday," added Pearce.

　　"I've named a 24-man squad for this one and there are 14 players who played at the weekend, so we've got a bigger number who are getting first-team football.

　　"There are the likes of Jack Cork and Jack Wilshere, who have recently gone out on loan to Premier League clubs, while Victor signed for Wigan last month.

　　"Amongst this group there are those like Michael Mancienne, Ryan Bertrand, Scott Loach and Fabrice Muamba who have played a lot of first-team footballthis season too.

　　"So we have some experience there that can be very important for us."

　　In September 2008, Walcott became the youngest player to score a hat-trick for England in the 4-1 World Cup qualifying win over Croatia.

Brazil's Ronaldo to quit in 2011

　　

　　

　　Ronaldo is the leading goalscorer at World Cup finals

　　Two-time World Cup winner Ronaldo has announced he will retire from professional football at the end of next year.

　　The Brazilian, regarded as one of the best footballers ever, has spent most of his career in Europe but will end it with Corinthians in his homeland.

　　"I've already made up my mind - these will be my last two," said the striker.

　　Ronaldo, 33, has scored 62 goals in 97 appearances for Brazil and hopes to be in squad for this summer's World Cup.

　　The striker, who is the all-time leading World Cup finals scorer with 15 goals, said there was "still a possibility" of a call-up for the South Africa tournament - despite not playing for Brazil, which will host the 2014 competition, since 2006.

　　"But for 2014 it's impossible - time goes by for everyone," he added.

　　

　　Ronaldo extended his contract with Corinthians on Monday and said of his remaining time at the club: "I'll give my best and I'm hoping to have some fun and win many significant titles."

　　It will bring an end to his 17-year-career, during which time the Brazilian formed part of the World Cup winning teams of 1994 and 2002.

　　The striker also played in the 1998 World Cup final, when Brazil were beaten by France.

　　The match became famous as Ronaldo's name was mysteriously missing from the team sheet, but reappeared shortly before the kick-off and he gave an under-par performance.

　　It subsequently emerged that he had suffered a convulsion but had been cleared to play in the match in Paris.

　　The striker, who began his career with Cruzeiro in his home country, won the Fifa Player of the Year and the Ballon D'or awards in 1997 and 2002, also being handed the former prize in 1996.

　　He moved to PSV Eindhoven while still a teenager, scoring 42 goals in 45 matches.

　　The striker soon came to the attention of Sir Bobby Robson's Barcelona, whom he joined in 1996, scoring 34 goals in 37 league matches.

　　

　　But he only stayed at the Nou Camp for a season, switching to Inter Milan for a then-record fee of £18m, helping the Italian side win the Uefa Cup during his five years with the club.

　　However, it was at Inter that he suffered the first of a series of debilitating knee injuries that would affect the rest of his career.

　　His next club was Real Madrid, who won the Primera Division crown during his first season at the Bernabeu.

　　He returned to Italy in 2007 with AC Milan but made 20 only league appearances, before later joining Corinthians.

　　As to his future after he hangs up his boots, Ronaldo's agent Fabiano Farah said: "Ronaldo will become a representative of Corinthians abroad.

　　"We will combine his name and the importance it has with the strength of the club."

Peru bus crash kills at least 38

 

　　

　　At least 38 people have been killed and more than 50 others injured in a collision between two buses in Peru, reports say.

　　The crash took place on the Panamerican Highway, one of Peru's busiest main roads, about 310 miles (500km) north of the capital, Lima.

　　Reports say the accident was a head-on crash which happened in the early hours of the morning.

　　Fatal coach crashes are said to be a weekly occurrence in Peru.

　　The buses were carrying 80 and 70 passengers respectively.

　　The local police chief said the high-speed impact meant rescuers had difficulty in extracting the dead and injured from the mangled metal.

　　The BBC's Dan Collyns in Lima says that the number of road deaths in Peru increased last year despite a government initiative to try to reduce them.

　　Earlier this year, Peru received a $150m World Bank Loan aimed at improving its trunk roads.

Iran 'arrests leader of Sunni militants Jundullah'

　　

　　

　　Iranian authorities have arrested the leader of the Sunni Muslim militant group Jundullah, according to reports on state television.

　　The Arabic language al-Alam channel said Abdolmalek Rigi had been held in eastern Iran, but gave no more details.

　　He is said to be behind a series of deadly bombings and killings in Sistan-Baluchistan province.

　　Last October 42 people, including six Revolutionary Guard commanders, were killed in a suicide bombing in Zahedan.

　　The Fars news agency, quoting the Iranian intelligence ministry, said the arrest took place of the "Jundullah leader along with two of his group members".

　　Jundullah was founded in 2002 to defend the Baluchi minority in the poor, remote and lawless region of south-east Iran.

　　Mr Rigi has claimed in the past that the group does not seek to break away from Iran but that violence is necessary to draw attention to discrimination.

Ex-Vice-President Cheney in hospital with chest pains

　

　　Mr Cheney has a history of heart problems and has a pacemaker

　　Former US Vice-President Dick Cheney has been taken to hospital in Washington after experiencing chest pains, his office has said.

　　They said Mr Cheney, 69, was "resting comfortably" at George Washington University Hospital and his doctors were evaluating the situation.

　　Mr Cheney, who left office in January last year, has a history of heart problems.

　　He has had four heart attacks and quadruple bypass surgery.

　　Hospital doctors told NBC News that the former vice-president was stable and may receive additional treatment on Tuesday.

　　The television network said that Mr Cheney had had an angiogram test so that doctors could look into his coronary arteries, and that the results showed he might need more treatment.

　　AFP reported that Mr Cheney was due to meet former US President George W Bush and other members of the Bush administration on Friday, for the first time since they left office in January 2009.

　　Mr Cheney has undergone several operations to clear blocked arteries and was fitted with a pacemaker in 2001.

　　In October 2008 he underwent treatment to correct an abnormal heart rhythm.