Washington, Oct 27: For smokers with rheumatoid arthritis, kicking the butt might help in controlling its progression, according to a study.

Smoking is known to increase the risk and severity of RA, and its cessation has been shown to have a positive impact in slowing the progression of other diseases like coronary disease and emphysema.

The researchers conducted the study over 14,847 patients with RA based on their smoking status.

Of those, 65.4 percent were non-smokers, 22.1 percent were former smokers and12.5 percent were active smokers

They monitored the change in Clinical Disease Activity Index—a composite measure of disease activity in people with RA that assesses change over time.

After a poor show in the first two tests against India, Australia opener Matthew Hayden is sure that his team will bounce back in the third Test in Delhi starting from October 29.

Speaking in a press conference here on Sunday, “I think we are extremely confident, we've had good preparation … and are optimistic about the competition that's ahead of us.”

The prolific batsman from Queensland has managed to score only 42 runs in the first two Tests, with 29 being his top score.

Commenting on his poor form, the left hander said, "I won't change my strategy, but that aggression I showed in the second innings (in Mohali) is just how I want to play here.”

Islamabad- At least 20 people were killed in a missile attack carried out by a suspected US drone while 10 security personnel and a technician died in a suicide bombing in Pakistan's tribal region, officials said Monday.

A single missile fired from a pilotless aircraft hit the house of local Taliban commander Mohammad Omar late Sunday in the Shakai area of South Waziristan, they said.

"Commander Omar and 19 more people died in the strike, and three were injured," a security official said.

The attack demolished Omar's house and badly damaged two adjacent buildings.

With 11 people founded to be afflicted with Chikungunya at its three blocks — Singur, Chanditala andKhanakul, the Hooghly health authorities has sounded a red alert in the district on Sunday.

The likelihood of the disease surfacing in these areas has provoked the medical fraternity to swing into action.

Speaking on this, Hooghly’s Chief Medical Officer, Bhusan Chakraborty said, “We had sent 30 blood samples for a test. Reports revealed that 11 people have been afflicted. An emergency meeting was held on 23 October, following which an alert was sounded. The reports reached district health department recently.”

New York, Oct 27: It seems that actress Lindsay Lohan is still confused about her sexuality.

Friends of the 22-year-old star have revealed that she denies being a lesbian, and insists that she still loves men.

However, at the same time, Lohan also insists that Samantha Ronson is the only girl she would go for.

“She has been telling everyone over and over that she’s still into guys,” one friend spilled to us,” the New Daily News quoted one of her friends as saying.

Tokyo - Toyota Motor Corp saw its global sales take their first quarterly dive in seven years as petrol prices soared and the global economy slowed, Japan's leading automaker said Monday.

Global sales fell by 4 per cent in the July-to-September quarter, compared with the same quarter a year earlier, to 2.24 million.

The Toyota group, which includes Daihatsu Motor Co and Hino Motors Ltd, recorded a rise in its global sales to 7.051 million units in the first six months of this fiscal year, which ends March 31, from the 7.05 million units from the same period in the previous fiscal year.