Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) : Saffron is recommended for breast cancer

Saffron is recommended for breast cancer
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) contains chemical constituents that are responsible for its color, flavor and aroma. Saffron contains numerous phytoactive components, including crocetin, various crocins (such as picrocrocin), zeaxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene and safranal (the main component of saffron's fragrant essential oil). Saffron components have been shown to have strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumor properties, as well as reducing blood pressure, anxiety and depression.

Saffron is recommended for breast cancer
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) contains chemical constituents that are responsible for its color, flavor and aroma. Saffron contains numerous phytoactive components, including crocetin, various crocins (such as picrocrocin), zeaxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene and safranal (the main component of saffron's fragrant essential oil). Saffron components have been shown to have strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumor properties, as well as reducing blood pressure, anxiety and depression.

Breast cancer-related effects of eating saffron
Both saffron and crocin have been found to suppress DNA damage in a dose dependent manner in the livers, lungs, kidneys, and spleens of laboratory mice. Saffron has been shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced skin carcinoma in mice and to have cytotoxic action against human leukemia cell lines. Saffron also has been shown to cause cell death in HeLa and HepG2 liver cancer cells and TCC 5637 transitional cell carcinoma cells. Saffron extract and its constituent, crocin, have been shown to significantly inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer cells while not harming normal cells. Crocetin, a major carotenoid component of saffron, has been shown to have significant antiproliferative and proapoptic effects in pancreatic cancer cells in the laboratory and in laboratory mice. Saffron extract has been shown to have dose-dependent inhibitory effects on the proliferation of human MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Saffron has been found to greatly inhibit chemotherapy-induced cellular DNA damage. However, there is some evidence that saffron could be toxic at very high doses and we recommend consuming saffron as a spice and not taking saffron tablets.

Additional comments
Saffron is hand picked and hand processed, which is one reason for its high market price. Saffron is grown primarily in Iran, but it is also grown in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Kashmir and some parts of North Africa. Much of the Iranian production is redistributed through Spain. Saffron grown in these regions generally is grown without using pesticides. China is also beginning to produce saffron.

Meadow saffron (Colchicum autumnale), also known as wild saffron, Autumn crocus, or colchicum, is an unrelated and poisonous plant that should not be confused with saffron and is to be avoided. It can cause thirst, pain, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, kidney failure, coma, and death from respiratory failure. Diluted fractions of meadow saffron are sometimes used in herbal remedies for gout and arthritis.

Saffron might interfere with Warfarin (coumadin) and other blood-thinning therapy since it has been shown to reduce platelet aggregation and thrombosis formation.

Selected breast cancer studies Flavonoids, Proanthocyanidins, and Cancer Risk: A Network of Case-Control Studies From Italy Nutrition and Cancer, October 2010
The present meta-analysis was designed to investigate the associations between dietary intake of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins and risks of various types of cancer. The meta-analysis analyzed data from multiple Italian case-control studies including approximately 10,000 incident, histologically confirmed cases of selected cancers and more than 16,000 cancer-free controls. Multiple logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the highest compared to the lowest quintiles (fifths) of consumption of six classes of flavonoids and proanthocyanidins. Total intakes of flavonoids, flavanones, and flavonols were found to be inversely related to oral and laryngeal cancers (OR = 0.56 (oral cancer) and OR = 0.60 (laryngeal cancer) for total flavonoids; 0.51 (oral) and 0.60 (laryngeal) for flavanones; and 0.62 (oral) and 0.32 (laryngeal) for flavonols). Intake of flavanols was also found to be inversely related to laryngeal cancer (OR = 0.64), whereas intake of flavanones was inversely related to esophageal cancer (OR = 0.38). Reduced risk of colorectal cancer was associated with high intake of anthocyanidins (OR = 0.67), flavonols (OR = 0.64), flavones (OR = 0.78), and isoflavones (OR = 0.76). Inverse associations were also found between proanthocyanidins and colorectal cancer, especially for proanthocyanidins with a higher degree of polymerization (OR = 0.69 for ≥ 10 mers). No association between flavonoids and prostate cancer was found. A reduction in risk of breast cancer was found for high dietary intake of flavones (OR = 0.81) and flavonols (OR = 0.80). Common flavones include apigenin and luteolin (tricin is another flavone found primarily in brown rice). Common flavonols include quercetin, kaempferol and fisetin. Flavonols (OR = 0.63) and isoflavones (OR = 0.51) were found to be inversely associated with risk of ovarian cancer, whereas flavonols (OR = 0.69) and flavones (OR = 0.68) were inversely associated with renal cancer.

Circulating Carotenoids, Mammographic Density, and Subsequent Risk of Breast Cancer Cancer Research, November 2009
The present nested case-control study was designed to investigate whether the association between carotenoid consumption and risk of breast cancer is related to mammographic density. High breast density as measured by mammography has been reported to be a powerful indicator of increased breast cancer risk. The study included 604 breast cancer cases and 626 cancer-free controls in the Nurses' Health Study for whom circulating carotenoid (alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin) levels had been measured and mammograms obtained prospectively. Using a computer-assisted method to determine mammographic density, circulating carotenoids were not found to be associated with mammographic density. However, mammographic density significantly influenced the association between total circulating carotenoids and risk of breast cancer (P heterogeneity = 0.008). Total circulating carotenoid levels were found to be inversely associated with overall breast cancer risk (P trend = 0.01). Among women in the highest third of mammographic density, total circulating carotenoids were associated with a 50% lower risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 0.5; 95% confidence interval = 0.3 - 0.8). Similarly, among these women, high levels of circulating alpha-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin were found to be associated with a significant 40% to 50% reduction in risk of breast cancer (P trend < 0.05). On the other hand, no such inverse association was observed between circulating carotenoids and breast cancer risk among study participants with low mammographic density. The authors conclude that plasma levels of carotenoids may play a role in reducing risk of breast cancer, especially among women with high breast density.

Crocetin inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and tumor progression in a xenograft mouse model Molecular Cancer

Therapeutics, March 2009
The present study was designed to determine whether crocetin, a unique carotenoid found in saffron, significantly affects pancreatic cancer growth. Crocetin was found to inhibit proliferation of MIA-PaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells. Crocetin also was found to alter the cell cycle proteins Cdc-2, Cdc-25C, and Cyclin-B1 and epidermal growth factor receptor, inhibiting proliferation. In vivo studies also were performed. Pancreatic cancer cells were injected into the right hind legs of athymic nude mice and crocetin was given orally to the mice after the development of a palpable tumor. Significant regression in tumor growth (with inhibition of proliferation) was found in the crocetin-treated animals compared to the control animals. The authors conclude that crocetin stimulated significant apoptosis in both in vitro pancreatic cancer cells and in vivo mice tumors.

Study of cytotoxic and apoptogenic properties of saffron extract in human cancer cell lines Food and Chemical Toxicology, November 2008
The present study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of saffron extract in HepG2 and HeLa liver cancer cell lines. Malignant liver cancer cells and non-malignant cells were cultured and incubated with varying concentrations of an ethanolic saffron extract. Saffron was shown to decrease cell viability in malignant cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Saffron also induced a sub-G1 peak in the flow cytometry histogram of saffron-treated cells compared to the controls, indicating apoptotic cell death was involved. This toxicity was found to be independent of ROS production. The authors conclude that saffron can cause cell death in HeLa and HepG2 liver cancer cells, and that apoptosis or programmed cell death plays an important role in this process.

Crocin from Crocus Sativus Possesses Significant Anti-Proliferation Effects on Human Colorectal Cancer Cells Experimental Oncology, September 2007
The anti-proliferative effects of Crocus sativus and its major component, crocin, on three colorectal cancer cell lines was examined in this study. Crocus sativus' effect on normal cells was also evaluated. The purity of crocin in the extract used was found to be 95.9% and the crocin content was 22.9%. The extract was found to significantly inhibit the growth of all three colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT-116, SW-480, and HT-29) in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.01). Proliferation was reduced most significantly in HCT-116 cells; to 45.5% at 1.0 mg/ml and to 6.8 % at 3.0 mg/ml. The Crocus sativus extract also had significant anti-proliferative effects in non-small cell lung cancer cells. However, the extract did not significantly affect the growth of non-cancerous young adult mouse colon cells. The authors concluded that Crocus sativus extract and its major constituent, crocin, significantly inhibited the growth of colorectal cancer cells while not affecting normal cells.

Inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation by style constituents of different Crocus species Anticancer Research, January 2007
Among the different species of Crocus, only the styles of Crocus Sativus L. have been studied extensively, since these constitute the well-known spice saffron. Saffron is widely used in Mediterranean, Indian and Chinese cuisine. In the present study, hydrophilic carotenoids in the styles of three other Crocuses endemic to Greece (C. boryi ssp. tournefortii, C. boryi ssp. boryi, and C. niveus) were discovered and reported on for the first time. Incubation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells for 48 hours with varying concentrations of extracts of all four styles was found to have a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. The antiproliferative effect did not appear to be estrogen related. Studies on the effect of trans-crocin-4 (the main carotenoid constituent of C. sativus styles, digentibiosylester of crocetin), crocetin and safranal showed that the antiproliferative effect was attributable to crocin irrespective of the degree of glycosylation.

Subacute Toxicity of Crocus Sativus L. (Saffron) Stigma Ethanolic Extract in Rats American Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 2007
The present study was designed to evaluate the possible toxic effects of an extract of Crocus sativus L. stigma on liver, kidney and selected hematological parameters in rats. Establishing the safety of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is important since the medicinal properties attributed to it are extensive. Wistar rats were assigned to four groups of eight. The first group was designated the control. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were treated with an ethanolic extract of saffron in doses of 0.35, 0.70 and 1.05 g per kg, respectively, for two weeks. The body weights of the rats were measured on the first, seventh and final days of the study. Blood-related tests performed on the rats included total RBC count, total WBC count, Hb, %HCT, MCH, MCV and MCHC. Biochemical and serum profile tests included ALT, AST, urea, uric acid and creatinine. Tissue specimens of the rat livers and kidneys were also examined histologically. The extract was found to result in significant reductions in Hb and HCT levels and total RBC count, without a dose-dependent relationship. However, significant dose-dependent increases in total WBC count, ALT, AST, urea, uric acid and creatinine were found in extract-treated rats. Mild to severe liver and kidney tissue injuries were observe microscopically, supporting the biochemical analysis. The authors conclude that extract of Crocus sativus L. stigma is toxic in high doses.

Protective effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) aqueous extract against genetic damage induced by anti-tumor agents in mice Human & Experimental Toxicology, February 2006
The genotoxic potential of chemotherapy drugs limits their efficacy in the treatment of cancers. This study was designed to evaluate the chemoprotective potential of saffron against the toxicity of three well-known chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide and mitomycin-C, using comet assay. Three doses of saffron (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg of body weight) were orally administered to mice for five days prior to dosing with the drugs under investigation. Pre-treatment with saffron was found to greatly inhibit chemotherapy drug-induced cellular DNA damage (i.e., strand breaks). The authors conclude that, together with previous study results, the findings suggest a potential role for saffron as an adjuvant in chemotherapeutic applications.
More details: http://foodforbreastcancer.com/foods/saffron

Fresh Crocus Sativus L. (Saffron) Stigma available at:
e-mail: cikashmir@gmail.com
http://chenabindustries.blogspot.com

IRAN to US: It’s No Pride to Possess 5,000 Bombs!

New York, 23 October: Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has again stole the limelight when he warned that passing tougher UN sanctions against Iran would shut off all chances for diplomatic engagement between Iran and the United States and would not prevent Iran from pursuing its nuclear program. Speaking at a news conference in New York on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad added that it was “no pride” to the US to confess of possessing 5000 bombs.
 
“Experience has proven that sanctions cannot stop the Iranian nation,” Ahmadinejad told reporters at a hotel across from UN headquarters, where a month-long nuclear treaty conference was in its second day. “While we do not welcome sanctions, we do not fear them either,” he said. “It seems to us that the structure of the Security Council is undemocratic and unjust, and is unable to bring about security. ... This Security Council will completely lose its legitimacy.”
 
Ahmadinejad called the US disclosures Monday about its previously secretive nuclear arsenal “a positive step forward,” but one that still raises questions. “It's no pride to possess 5,000 bombs,” he said. “Now, how can you have the trust of a government that announces 5,000 bombs after 60 years?”
 
Ahmadinejad argued any new sanctions would mean that US President Barack Obama had given up on his campaign to engage Iran diplomatically.
 
“We feel that the US government will be damaged, more than us, by those sanctions,” he said. “It's very clear that if the United States starts another sanctions (regime) against Iran, it means that it's the end of Mr. Obama's effort. It means Mr. Obama's submission. It means no change will occur.”
 
Concerning a possible Israeli attack, Ahmadinejad said that Israel would pay a heavy price if it attacked Lebanon or Syria which he said are capable of bringing the Zionist entity “to its knees.”
 
“Israel can't do anything against Iran … However, as far as Palestine's Gaza, Lebanon and Syria are concerned, we will fully defend them and support them,” Ahmadinejad said. “Lebanon and Syria are already capable of confronting Israel to bring it to its knees,” he added.
 
The Iranian president reminded reporters that the Zionist regime was defeated by Hezbollah alone. “It is obvious that it would face the worst defeat if” it attacked Lebanon and Syria. He called Israel a militaristic state imposed on the Middle East by the West and said it would self-destruct if it launched any new wars in the region.
 
Arab countries sought also to turn attention to Israel on Tuesday as delegates from 189 countries debated how to stem the spread of nuclear weapons. On the second day of the month-long meeting at the United Nations, Arab countries reiterated calls for a nuclear-free Middle East with criticism of Israel's unacknowledged nuclear arsenal and failure to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
 
Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh expressed frustration at the lack of progress on implementing a nuclear-free Middle East, a goal that was declared in a resolution of a previous meeting of NPT signatories. He said that Israel's failure to sign the NPT and allow international monitoring of its nuclear program "renders the NPT a source of instability in the Middle East."
 
Egypt has proposed that this 2010 NPT conference back a plan calling for the start of negotiations next year on such a Mideast zone. The proposal may become a major debating point in the month-long session.
 
However, the Israeli UN mission declined to comment on the specifics of the conference, but told The Associated Press that Israel's stance on nonproliferation continues to be that an accepted political solution for comprehensive peace in the Middle East should first be reached.
 
“WHERE IS BUSH TODAY AND WHERE ARE WE?”
 
In an interview with the Boston Globe on Tuesday Ahmadinejad urged Obama to avoid siding with more hawkish voices in the US against Iran. "He should be very careful not to get entrapped in the web laid by radicals around him," he said. "If he can't resolve the impasse with Iran, do you think he can resolve the problems with Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine?" Ahmadinejad asked, adding that sanctions "will mean the end of his opportunity to improve world affairs."
 
“Mr. Bush used to pass resolutions against us. Where did it go? Where did it take him? Where are we today and where is he today? Iran is still advancing, and he is gone,” Ahmadinejad stated.
 
Ahmadinejad also told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that he and Barack Obama would have to refrain from "acting too hastily" if the two sides are to reach agreement on the impasse. "For example, the resolution presented to the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] against Iran in the presence of Mr Obama was a very negative, hasty action that had very negative repercussions in Iran," he said. He was referring to a November 2009 resolution adopted by the UN nuclear agency that criticized Iran for defying a UN Security Council ban on nuclear enrichment. The resolution also rebuked Tehran for secretly building a uranium enrichment facility near the city of Qom. "The resolution was not based on any legal or lawful framework but surely a politicized act ... It reduced public confidence in the negotiation process in Iran."
 
The NPT is formally reviewed every five years at a meeting of treaty members — which include all the world's nations except India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea, all of which either have confirmed or are believed to have nuclear weapons.

Norwegian parliament to start debate on Kashmir from Nov 15

Oslo, October 21:  The Norwegian Parliament, while taking notice of human rights violations in occupied Kashmir, has issued schedule to debate the Kashmir dispute from November 15.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister after replying the points to be raised by members of the Parliament would release a policy statement on Kashmir.

The Chairman of Parliamentary Kashmir Committee of Norway had submitted a motion in the Parliament about the massive violations of human rights in the disputed territory by Indian troops. He demanded of the Foreign Minister to issue a policy statement on the dispute after thorough debate on the Indian state terrorism in the territory.

The Kashmir Committee Chief mentioned in his motion that Kashmir solution was necessary for bringing peace in Afghanistan.

The speaker of the Norwegian Parliament while accepting the motion for debate in the parliament, released the schedule from November 15.(Writer-South Asia)

Kashmiris to observe Oct ober 27 as black day: Mirwaiz

Srinagar, October 21: In disputed state of Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that the people of Kashmir will observe October 27 as black day as the Indian troops invaded Jammu and Kashmir on the day in 1947.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, addressing a party meeting in Srinagar, said that Kashmiris would march towards the United Nations office on the day to draw the attention of the world body towards the gross human rights violations perpetrated by Indian troops in the territory. “The people will appeal the UN to impress upon India to give them their right to self-determination as promised in its resolutions,” he added.

He said that a memorandum would also be presented to the US Embassy in New Delhi during the forthcoming visit of the US President, Barack Obama. Mirwaiz asked the US to press India to resolve the Kashmir dispute through meaningful talks with Pakistan and the real Kashmiri leadership.

The APHC Chairman said the settlement of the longstanding dispute is vital to peace and stability in South Asian region.(Writer-South Asia)

RSS hooligans’ attempt to attack Gilani foiled

New Delhi, October 21: In New Delhi, the hooligans of extremist Hindu organization, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, made a failed attempt to attack veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, at a seminar on Kashmir, today, reports Kashmir Media Service.

According to reports, when the veteran leader reached the venue of the seminar, the RSS people rushed to assault him.

However, their plan failed when a group of enthusiastic Kashmiri youth encircled Syed Ali Gilani and shielded him from attack. The incident was followed by forceful anti-India and pro-liberation slogans, which reverberated the seminar hall continuously for half an hour.

The event was organised by the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners and those who spoke on the occasion included Syed Ali Gilani, Arundhati Roy, Professor Abdur Rehman, Professor Sujatha Rao, Najeeb Bukhari, Dr Sheikh Showkat Hussain, Varvara Rao and Dr N. Venu. The majority of speakers stressed the need for an early resolution of the Kashmir dispute while denouncing the human rights violations by Indian troops in the occupied territory.

Our Agenda Settlement Of Kashmir Dispute: Panel

Srinagar, Oct 20:  New Delhi’s panel of interlocutors for Kashmir, which kickstarted its mission on Wednesday with a formal briefing by the union home minister, P Chidambaram, about its mandate, said its agenda was for a comprehensive and political settlement of the Kashmir "dispute", reports Kashmir Observer.

Emerging from the hour long meeting, eminent journalist Dileep Padgaonkar said, "The tight focus will be for seeking a political outcome so that we put this dispute well and truly behind us."

Padgaonkar was accompanied by two other panel members, noted academician Radha Kumar and former CIC member MM Ansari.

Padgaonkar said the home minister gave an extensive idea of the mandate for the group.

"The mandate, to put very simply, is that our group will hold the largest possible consultations with all sections of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir and the focus of this dialogue is to seek as large area of agreement as you can to get to arrive at a comprehensive, political settlement of the Kashmir dispute, PTI quoted him as saying.

"We are obviously aware of the history of many initiatives that have been taken but now we have been given a wide mandate.

No red lines have been drawn. We have not been told to do this or do that.

Padgaonkar said panel will soon call on the Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh), UPA chairperson (Sonia Gandhi) and the leader of the opposition (Sushma Swaraj) besides members of the All Party delegation that traveled to Kashmir recently.

With a year-long timeframe to hold its discussions and submit a report, the group’s composition was the subject of severe criticism because of its non-political nature.

Though the fourth member of the group is yet to be nominated, the interlocutors are gearing up to get down to business, scepticism and criticism notwithstanding.

Earlier talking to the press Padgaonkar had said that extreme caution was necessary for a “delicate” issue like Kashmir.

“Premature comments on our mission or personal criticism will not dishearten me or tell adversely on our mission,” Padgaonkar said.

“We will be prepared to talk on any issue, and will discuss anything that is brought to the table,” he said.

The group was learnt to be planning week-long visits to the valley every month for discussions with every possible section, with particular emphasis on engaging the youth and students of the valley.

Top separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umer Farooq have already termed the nomination of the interlocutors as a futile exercise not matching their expectations of a major political initiative.

Though mainstream forces repose some hopes in the group, they are not entirely happy with its composition.

Chief minister Omar Abdullah has asked the union home minister to nominate the fourth member keeping in view the expectations of Kashmiris to uphold the credibility of the group.

Farooq Rehmani condemns arrest of Hurriyet leader in Kashmir

Islamabad. October 19 : The Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Freedom League (JKPFL), Muhammad Farooq Rehmani, has strongly condemned the arrest of Hurriyet leader, Masarrat Alam Butt by Indian police in disputed state of  Kashmir.

Muhammad Farooq Rehmani in a statement in Islamabad said that the policy of state terrorism indicated how serious India was to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute.

He urged the Indian government to immediately release all illegally detained Kashmiri Hurriyet leaders and respect civil liberties in the occupied territory. He appealed to the US President, Barack Obama to address the situation of Kashmir during his forthcoming visit to India in a serious and meaningful way and to help resolve the dispute in accordance with the Kashmiris’ aspirations, opening UN history pages to underline his country's sponsored resolutions and India's promises on this issue in 1948.

The JKPFL Chairman also denounced the killing of an innocent civilian in Handwara, demolishing of a mosque and killings in Barzalla area of Bandipore and Palhallan siege besides crackdown by Indian army and police to re-enforce terrorism against humanity in occupied Kashmir (Writer-South Asia)

Journalism Fellowship 2011 open for applications

Accomplished journalists from across the region are being invited to spend three months in Singapore under the Asia Journalism Fellowship  programme at Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of  Communication and Information.

The programme, supported by Temasek  Foundation and NTU, will run from 7 February through 29 April 2011. Up to 17 Asia-based journalists will be selected for the fully-funded fellowship.

Fellows will be given the opportunity to pursue their own intellectual interests away from the usual deadline pressures of their jobs. For their independent projects, the 2010 Fellows used their three-month sabbatical to investigate topics as diverse as the role of the media, free trade agreements, and Singapore’s transport policies.

The programme also includes seminars and workshops to sharpen professional skills and deepen participants’ understanding of latest trends and key issues facing journalism. For the 2011 round, a special seminar is being planned on the challenges of reporting on ethnic diversity and inter-religious issues.

Fellows will also be introduced to key newsmakers in Singapore’s public sector, business community and civil society, providing insights into what makes Singapore tick and its future challenges.

This is the third time the Fellowship is being organised. The 2009 and 2010 Fellows represented print, broadcast and online media, and came from 15 countries and territories.

Details of the programme, including instructions on how to apply, are available on the web at www.ajf.sg, or by contacting Ms Naowarat  Narula at app2011@ajf.sg. Applications are due by 4th October 2010.

Nonna Narula
Programme Manager
Asia Journalism Fellowship Programme
Wee Kim Wee School Of Communication and Information
31 Nanyang Link
Singapore 637718