Bangalore, June 8 (IANS) The European Union (EU) Thursday invited Indian scientists and researchers to participate in its seventh EU research framework programme (FP7), beginning next year.

European Commission minister counsellor Andrew Sora told reporters here at the on-going Bangalore Bio summit that with a budget of euro 55 billion ($70 billion) for the seven-year programme, Indian scientists would have a great opportunity to undertake research in diverse areas such as health, bio-technology, food safety and agriculture.

London, June 8 (IANS) People in Britain have the longest working hours in Europe - a reason that is driving them to drink and jeopardising their health, says a study.

Stress expert Cary Cooper, of Lancaster University, said the changing patterns of work seem to be having their negative effect on men's health, particularly those working in professions such as law and finance, reported the online edition of the Daily Mail.

New York, June 8 (IANS) A new revolutionary drug manufactured by a US biotechnology company could block the spread of HIV, say scientists after finding its benefits in a small-scale human trial.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) steadily weakens the body's immune system until it can no longer fight off infections such as pneumonia, diarrhea, tumours and other illnesses.

New York, June 7 (IANS) High consumption of tea protects Asians from cardiovascular diseases and cancer, usually caused by smoking, even though people tend to smoke more heavily here than in other countries, says a study.

Bangalore, June 6 (IANS) President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Tuesday sought tough laws to regulate high resolution pictures of vital installations being made available on the Internet by Google Earth and other websites.

New York, June 6 (IANS) Overweight children are likely to suffer from fractures and other orthopaedic complications, suggests a study.

Researchers led by Jack Yanovski from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, studied 227 overweight and 128 normal weight children. The overweight children reported several problems, reported the online edition of BBC News.

Koblenz (Germany), June 6 (DPA) No interest in hobbies, no time for buddies, no appetite for real food - concerned parents may discover that the culprit behind these symptoms in their children is computer games, not drugs.

New Delhi, June 5 (IRNA) Millions of Indians are being exposed to high levels of poisonous gases, including cancer-causing volatile organic compounds and sulfur fumes, and the country lacks the mechanism to monitor or regulate these toxins.

Kolkata, June 5 (IANS) If India is a country of the curvy Mallika Sherawat and hunky John Abraham, it is also a nation of growing obese population that suffers from multiple ailments as a result.

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, at least 17 percent of the male and 15 percent of the female population in India is obese. So it was natural that the opening of a modern Bariatric Surgery Clinic in the city's Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals Monday came as a hope for the obese.

London, June 5 (IANS) Deserts across the world are facing considerable challenges due to global climate changes, high water demands, tourism and salt contamination of irrigated soils, a new UN report said Monday.