The human body is made up of hundreds of different types of cell, all of which behave differently.
A cell in the kidney, although it contains the same genetic information as a brain cell, performs a completely separate role.
Cancer happens when a tiny part of the cell's mechanism goes wrong.
What is a cancer cell?
And just as there are hundreds of types of cell, there are hundreds of types of cancer, few of which can be treated in the same way.
Every cell's life is mapped out in advance by coded instructions, called genes, held in its nucleus.
These tell it how to behave, when to reproduce by dividing - and when to die.
When the instructions relating to cell multiplication and dying are wrong, the cell may start dividing uncontrollably, and not die when it should.
In addition, the cancer may not follow the usual instructions that keep cells spaced out properly. �3C/p>
Every time the cell divides, the "bad" instruction is reproduced, so the out-of-control multiplication carries on.
As these cells can be multiplying more rapidly than healthy cells, the cancer cells can form a growing lump in the body called a tumour or a lesion.
As this gets larger, it can even grow its own vessels to keep it supplied with blood.
A benign, or non-cancerous tumour shares this uncontrolled growth, but will not generally invade neighbouring tissues and damage them.
Tumours which do this are "malignant", or "cancerous".
The type of cell in which the cancer starts will generally determine the speed at which it grows, and its resistance to treatment, although there are many variations.
Cancers harm health in a number of ways. The very size of the tumour can interfere with nearby organs, or ducts which carry important chemicals, causing pain or other symptoms.
For example, a tumour on the pancreas can grow to block the bile duct, leading to the patient developing obstructive jaundice.
And a brain tumour can push on important parts of the brain, causing blackouts, fits and other problems.
Even benign tumours can cause these problems if located in the wrong place.
When a cancer invade nearby tissues, they can cause bleeding from damaged blood vessels, and stop the organ which they are invading from working properly.
What happens if it spreads?
As a tumour grows, cells can break off and start growing on adjacent tissues and organs.
For example, if a bowel cancer has spread through the wall of the bowel itself, it can start growing on the bladder.
Cells can also enter the bloodstream and travel to distant organs, such as the lungs or brain.
The technical term for this is "metastasis".
When new tumours form on distant organs, they behave like the original tumour - so a bowel cancer cell growing in the lung will not be lung cancer.
Once other organs are involved, then any symptoms of the cancer can get worse.
However, it may be some time before a growing cancer in certain parts of the body produces symptoms that the patient can notice.
Once a cancer has started to spread beyond its original site, then the chances of a cure often begin to fall, as it becomes more difficult to treat.
How is it treated?
There are three principal ways of treating cancer.
The first is surgery, normally an operation to remove the cancerous growth, and, depending on its type, nearby tissues and organs.
A cancer patient may first undergo a minor operation called a biopsy to take a small sample of the cancer for analysis.
The surgeon will try to remove as much of the cancer as possible, but sometimes extra treatment will be needed.
This could either take the form of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or a combination of treatments.
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Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. In the UK, it is the second most-frequently occurring cancer, accounting for 1 in 7 new cases.
Nine in ten of these can be squarely blamed on the pernicious effects of tobacco smoking - and unfortunately the majority of cases cannot be cured.
The risk of lung cancer increases with age. It is less common in people under 40.
We haven't made a big impact on cure rates yet, but I do believe that that is simply a question of time Professor Gordon McVie, Cancer Research UK
Recently, there has been a decrease in the incidence in men, but lung cancer is now rising in women in many countries - this is directly related to changing smoking habits.
Professor Gordon McVie, from Cancer Research UK, is an expert in lung cancer, and says that despite the current poor survival rates, optimism is higher�than ever among researchers.
He said: "I've have been working to research lung cancer treatment for the last 30 years, and there has never been a more optimistic time.
"We haven't made a big impact on cure rates yet, but I do believe that that is simply a question of time."
He said that women in Scotland and the north of England were now more likely to die of lung cancer than breast cancer.
Symptoms
The key symptom of lung cancer is a persistent cough that gradually gets worse.
Other symptoms include:
shortness of breath
drop in ability to exercise
persistent chest pain
persistent cough or coughing up blood
loss of appetite, weight loss and general fatigue
At present there is no effective screening test for lung cancer.
If you are worried that you have lung cancer, your doctor may order a chest X-ray, which allows doctors to look out for shadowy areas on the lungs.
Sometimes a more detailed series of x-rays, called a CT scan, is ordered.
In many cases, this will be followed by a bronchoscopy or mediastinoscopy, which means that a thin flexible telescope is put down the airways of your lungs, after which a biopsy of any suspicious area is performed.
Causes
Most lung cancer cases are caused by smoking cigarettes.
Even passive smoking can cause a problem, and the longer period over which the patient smokes, the higher the risks.
Breathing in other carcinogens in the workplace, for example asbestos, can also trigger cancer.
Some people seem to be genetically pre-disposed to developing lung cancer, and medical checks in smokers may in future look for these key genes to work out how likely lung cancer is.
Treatments
Treatment depends on the type of lung cancer and the state or extent of the disease.
There are two types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). The names simply describe the type of cell found in the tumours.
In NSCLC, the tumour is often located in the outside part of the lung, away from the centre, and if it has not spread, it may be possible to remove it by surgery.
However, overall less than a fifth of all NSCLC patients are suitable for surgery.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy will also be considered in many cases.
Unfortunately, NSCLC is hard to cure, and in many cases, the treatment given will be to prolong life as far as possible - and relieve symptoms.
SCLC is different from NSCLC. In particular, it has a tendency to spread to distant parts of the body at a relatively early stage.
As a result, small-cell lung cancers are generally less likely to be cured by surgery.
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used as well.
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Completely different types of cancer affect different areas of the womb, or uterus.
The best known, perhaps as a result of a nationwide screening programme, is cervical cancer, which affects the cervix, or neck, of the womb.
Many women, thanks to early detection, find they have abnormal cell changes in their wombs which cannot be classed as fully cancerous.
These "pre-cancerous changes" are far easier to treat, and the number of women presenting with the symptoms of cervical cancer has fallen over recent years.
However, more common is uterine cancer, in its more usual form also called endometrial cancer - which affects the lining of the womb that grows, is shed, and regrows as part of a woman's monthly cycle.
Anybody who is sexually active should be having regular smears, Professor Hilary Thomas, Royal Surrey County Hospital
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Professor Hilary Thomas, from the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, said that the key to successfully treating both cervical and uterine cancer was early detection.
She said: "Anybody who is sexually active should be having regular smears, and if they have a history of abnormal smears, they may need to go for more frequent smears.
"Cancer of the uterus, or the womb, is actually cancer of the body of the womb, which has a different kind of tissue in it from the neck of the womb.
"This is a disease which tends to affect elderly patients who have passed the menopause.
"Usually they will be advised to have a hysterectomy."
Another, far less common cancer of the womb is uterine sarcoma, which affects the powerful muscles of the womb.
This is far more similar to other cancers which affect muscles than to either uterine or cervical cancer.
Symptoms
Many cervical cancers are detected by the national screening programme.
Samples of cells from different areas around the womb neck are taken and looked at under a microscope for signs of abnormality.
If a smear is abnormal, the woman may be asked to take a repeat smear, or, particularly if there has been more than one abnormal smear, be sent to a specialist for further checks.
Once cancer is established however, the most common symptom is abnormal (ie non-menstrual) bleeding. This is a sign that the cancer has spread to surrounding tissue.
Menstrual bleeding may be heavier and last longer.
Abnormal bleeding, particularly after the menopause, can also be a sign of uterine cancer.
Women with certain symptoms should always consult a doctor. They are:
any sort of unusual vaginal discharge
pain in the pelvic area
painful or difficult urination
Once there is a suspicion of problems, there are various techniques used by doctors to try and locate the cause.
The first is a pelvic examination, which can be carried out by a family doctor, who will check the vagina, womb, ovaries, bladder and rectum for unusual lumps or changes.
Doctors may carry out another smear test, or Pap test, to gather cells to check for cervical cancer.
A technique called colposcopy, which uses a probe to look in more detail at the cervix, is sometimes used.
The extent of any cancer discovered may be confirmed by taking a deeper slice of tissue in a biopsy.
However, if uterine cancer is suspected, either a "pipelle biopsy", in which a thin tube is used to take a small sample of tissue, or a dilation and curettage (D and C) may be undertaken. The latter, involves scraping tissue from the lining of the womb for examination.
Causes
Scientists have identified a virus which they believe may have some role in the development of cervical cancer.
The human papillomavirus (HPV), is found in most women who have developed cervical cancer.
However, most women who have the virus never go on to develop cervical cancer.
Smoking, as in so many other cancers, appears to increase the risk.
And women with HIV, the virus which causes Aids and weakens the immune system appear to be more prone.
The risk factors for uterine cancer are slightly more clearly understood.
In particular, those taking oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapies to alleviate menopausal symptoms are at higher risk. Most HRT formulations include other hormones such as progestin which appear to reduce that risk.
Overweight or obese women are thought to have more natural oestrogen in their bodies - another reason why they are more vulnerable.
Women who suffer from a condition known as benign endometrial hyperplasia, in which the lining of the womb is naturally thicker, also are more likely to develop endometrial cancer.
Treatments
If caught at their earliest pre-cancerous stage, abnormal cervical cells can be dealt with simply, using either freezing or heat to scour the cells from the cervix.
The action of the deep biopsy, called a cone biopsy, can remove a cervical cancer if it has not spread.
Depending on the spread of the disease, and the age of the woman, a number of options are available, including surgery to remove abnormal tissue or the entire womb, including the cervix.
If there is evidence of spread, then the ovaries and nearby lymph nodes are sometimes removed as well.
If the cancer has spread beyond the wall of the womb, then radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be required to try to clear the disease.
In the case of uterine cancer, it is far more likely that a hysterectomy will have to be carried out, and the ovaries may also be taken out.
If it has not spread beyond the endometrium, then surgery will probably be enough, although other treatments may follow if there is evidence of spread.
It may be possible for the woman to take HRT following the operation, although this is only likely if the cancer has been caught early.
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One in every nine women in the UK will develop breast cancer at some point in her life - more than 41,000 cases are diagnosed each year.
It has become the most common cancer in the UK, and is the leading cause of death for women aged 34 to 54.
More rarely, men can also develop this cancer.
Despite recent improvements in the mortality rates, due to better treatments and earlier detection, the UK still has one of the highest mortality rates in the world.
But research is beginning to reap dividends in new ways of understanding how breast cancer cells work.
We are going, I think, to be looking at improved results over the next 20 or 30 years Professor Charles Coombes, Cancer Research UK �
Professor Charles Coombes, who is director of Cancer Research UK's research laboratory at Imperial College London, says there is cause for optimism.
"The more we understand about how these cells behave, the more likely we are to understand what happens with breast cancer.
"That revolution is ongoing. We are going, I think, to be looking at improved results over the next 20 or 30 years."
Symptoms
The most common way that a potential problem is detected is when physical changes are noticed in the breasts.
Regular breast screening may also highlight changes in the breast.
The key is for the woman to know what "normal" is - then changes can be noticed.
Examples of the kind of things to look out for include:
a change in outline, shape or size of the breast
puckering or dimpling of the skin
any lump or thickening in the breast or armpit
any flaking skin or discharge from the nipple
unusual pain or discomfort
Any changes should be reported to a doctor - although most will turn out not to be cancerous.
Many lumps will be picked up with mammograms - x-rays of the breast taken every few years as part of the NHS national screening programme.
If a lump is found, techniques used to investigate it include ultrasound and "fine needle aspiration", which will show whether the area is a solid lump or is a cyst.
A biopsy may also be carried out, so that a sample of the lump can be examined in a laboratory.
Causes
The precise reasons why a woman develops breast cancer are still unknown, but are thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.
Scientists have identified two genes which are more likely to be defective in a breast cancer patient than someone without breast cancer.
These genes are also blamed for some other cancers.
However, even the two mutated genes are thought only to be responsible for approximately 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases.
Hormones seem to have an important role in breast cancer. Research has shown a link between levels of the female sex hormone, oestrogen, and the risk of developing breast cancer.
Women who take certain types of hormone replacement therapy are at higher risk of breast cancer.
Women who have their first child later in life also appear to be at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Treatments
If cancer is confirmed, then there are variety of treatments available, depending on the size of type of the tumour, and whether doctors believe it has or could have spread.
Most women with breast cancer do not need to have a breast removed.
The bigger the tumour relative to the size of the breast, the more likely that mastectomy will be recommended.
In a procedure known as a "lumpectomy", just the cancerous lump is removed.
After both kinds of operation, radiotherapy may be given to reduce the chance that the cancer will return.
If the tumour is very large, treatment may be given to reduce the size of the tumour before the operation takes place.
In most cases, the surgeon also removes lymph nodes under the arms to find out if the cancer cells have spread into the lymphatic system.
This is a network of vessels which link different parts of the body - if the cancer has reached the lymph nodes, it is more likely to have spread to other parts of the body.
The breast cancer cells may be tested to see if they are sensitive to the sex hormone oestrogen, and are more likely to grow if the hormone is present.
If this is the case, the woman may be given a drug which blocks the action of the hormone, restricting the cancer growth.
However, as some forms of this drug produce menopausal symptoms, younger women whose breast cancer is more likely to have spread could be offered a combination of surgery and chemotherapy instead.
Following breast surgery, or even breast removal, reconstructive surgery is possible to restore the appearance of the breast.
This could even be carried out at the same time as mastectomy.
Techniques have improved in recent years, and surgeons are able to more closely mimic the appearance of the other breast, giving a normal appearance in clothes.
Some of the techniques employed include the use of implants, fat from other parts of the body, such as the tummy, or even a back muscle which is bent round to form the new breast.
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Bowel cancer may also be called rectal, colorectal or colon cancer.
It is the UK's third most common cancer, with more than 35,000 cases diagnosed in 1999.
It is not easy to treat, mainly because it is often detected only once well-established - and possibly spread beyond the bowel itself.
Doctors urge the public to be more aware of the warning signs of bowel problems, and report them promptly to doctors.
Surgery still remains the only definitive and perhaps curative treatment Professor David Kerr, University of Oxford �
However, estimates suggest that nine out of 10 bowel cancers detected early can be successfully treated.
However, once the cancer has spread beyond the wall of the bowel, it becomes harder to treat.
Professor David Kerr, from the University of Oxford, said: "Surgery still remains the only definitive and perhaps curative treatment - sadly though, in half those patients who have that operation, the cancer will come back.
"By the time patients present with the bowel cancer, which can remain hidden for many years, there can be tiny seeds of the cancer which have spread beyond the bowel."
Symptoms
The problem with bowel cancer symptoms is that they could easily be caused by something less life-threatening.
They are:
rectal bleeding
a change in bowel habit
a feeling that you need to empty your bowels even when you have just been to the toilet
abdominal pain
These symptoms are not uncommon - and could be a sign of something far less serious.
However, doctors advise that if such symptoms persist for longer than a couple of weeks medical attention should be sought.
Often, a GP will carry out a "rectal examination" to check for any abnormal changes.
This involves putting a gloved finger in the rectum - this should be a painless procedure.
To investigate these symptoms, doctors often ask patients to undergo sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.
Both these procedures involve inserting a probe into the bowel. This has a tiny camera on the end which allows the doctor to look for cancerous areas on the bowel wall.
This can be uncomfortable, but is very seldom a painful experience.
Sometimes a dye which shows up on x-rays is injected into the lower bowel to help doctors spot signs of cancers.
Doctors may order more tests, such as CT scans, to check to see if the cancer has spread to involve other organs such as the liver.
In November 2002 the government announced the foundation of a national screening programme for bowel cancer, although the most appropriate screening method has yet to be decided.
This could be carried out either with sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or fecal occult blood tests, which involve taking a stool sample which is then checked for signs of bleeding.
Causes
There is believed to be a genetic link to a small number of bowel cancer cases, as those with a family history are more likely to develop it themselves.
However, diet is a key factor identified by scientists - certainly the low fibre, high fat diets favoured in the Western world are thought to have increased the rates of bowel cancer.
People are encouraged to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, as this appears to reduce the risk.
An increase in fibre in the diet has also been linked to a reduced risk of bowel cancer.
Treatments
The main option for treating bowel cancer is surgery , and if the disease can be caught before it breaks through the bowel wall, the patient's chances are much higher.
In these cases, further treatment may not be necessary. This operation is called a bowel "resection" by doctors.
However, once the cancer has spread beyond the bowel, chemotherapy is used.
Radiotherapy is sometimes given if the cancer is inoperable, or perhaps to shrink a tumour to make an operation easier.
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The bladder is the sac which gathers urine produced by the kidneys. It can be found in the lower abdomen.
Many of the symptoms of bladder cancer could easily be caused by other things, but doctors say it is important to consult them so that any cancer can be caught early.
Professor Nick James, a consultant oncologist at Birmingham City Hospital, some of whose work is funded by Cancer Research UK said that patients finding any blood in their urine need to be referred to a hospital clinic.
He said: "If the cancer is superficial, then long term survival is exceptional, but, considering how early it is normally found, if it is an invasive cancer, survival is surprisingly poor."
If the cancer is superficial, then long term survival is exceptional Dr Nick James, Birmingham City Hospital
Certainly if radical surgery has to be carried out, it can have highly inconvenient and lasting effects on the patient, and doctors will try to avoid this wherever possible.
Dr James stresses the importance of discussing other options, such as radiotherapy, before agreeing to an operation.
"I think it's important that patients get the opportunity to discuss alternatives to surgery with an oncologist," he said.
However, bladder cancer is overall considered one of the more surviveable cancers, with more than half of both men and women alive five years after diagnosis.
Symptoms
Most bladder cancers are what are called "transitional cell carcinomas", which means they start in the cells which line the bladder.
Some are not detected until they spread through this lining into the muscle beyond which helps the bladder contract and push out urine.
Some common symptoms of bladder cancer include:
Blood in the urine
Pain during urination
Frequent urination, or wanting to pass water but being unable to do so
These are not definite signs that bladder cancer is present, and many symptoms like these can be explained by a simple infection, treatable with antibiotics.
Even if there is a tumour there which is causing pain, it could be benign rather than a malignant cancer.
To confirm or rule out cancer, the doctor will carry out a full physical examination, and probably a rectal exam using a gloved finger to check for unusual masses which might be a tumour.
Another method used by doctors is cytoscopy.
This involves inserting a very thin probe up the urethra - the tube through which urine is passed. This is an uncomfortable procedure but not usually painful.
The probe allows the doctor to look around for signs of disease, or another cause for the symptoms such as bladder stones.
The probe can also remove a tissue sample which can be removed and examined under a microscope for cancer cells.
If this confirms cancer, then further tests, such as CT scans, MRI, or other x-rays may be carried out to check the spread of the disease.
Causes
As with many other cancers, smokers appear to be at a higher risk of developing bladder cancer - two to three times more likely in fact.
In addition, scientists have found links with certain occupations and perhaps the chemicals used there.
Increased risk appears to affect the rubber, chemical and leather industries.
However, despite these discoveries, researchers do not know exactly why and how the disease first develops.
Treatments
Treatment depends how far the cancer has spread.
If it is confined to the lining of the bladder, then a simple procedure called transurethral resection (TUR) can be carried out.
This is similar to cytoscopy, except the probe is used to burn away cancer cells with an electric current. This is normally carried out under anaesthetic.
The patient may have pain when passing water for a short time afterwards, and some blood in the urine.
However, if the cancer has spread into the bladder muscle, then a bigger operation may be needed.
If the cancer is not particularly fast-spreading and aggressive, and is confined to only one part of the bladder wall, then a partial or "segmental" cystectomy could be carried out.
This involves removing part of the bladder, and allows the patient to urinate normally once recovered.
However, if the cancer has spread more, "radical" cystectomy is carried out, and the entire bladder is taken out, along with any nearby organs that bladder cancer cells may have spread to.
In men, these can include the prostate - a gland near the testicles which makes a component of semen, and the seminal vesicles, the tubes which carry semen to the penis.
In women, the cancer may have spread to the womb, ovaries, and other parts of the reproductive system.
If the bladder has been removed, the patient no longer has anywhere to store the constant slow stream of urine coming from the kidneys.
The surgeon creates an opening in the patient's side, which is called a stoma. This allows a bag to be attached to collect the urine.
A piece of the patient's own small intestine can be used as the tube carrying the urine to the stoma.
Modern surgical techniques may allow a replacement bladder to be fashioned in some patients, giving back a degree of urinary control, and doctors are constantly improving these.
The doctor may also recommend radiotherapy either as the first treatment, or to try to kill any cancer cells which remain after surgery.
This is either targeted on the pelvic area, or the patient is given a radioactive implant which is placed directly into the bladder.
Chemotherapy can also be directly targeted at the bladder in some cases, which helps prevent some of the unpleasant side-effects, with drugs being pumped up a tube into the bladder.
However, if the cancer is widely spread, then standard chemotherapy may be used to try to kill lingering cancer cells.
Immunotherapy - harnessing the immune system to fight bladder cancer, is also widely used in some cases of superficial cancer.
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One in three of us will be diagnosed with cancer during our life.
The disease tends to affect older people - but can strike at any time.
Excluding certain skin cancers, there were more than 270,000 new cases of the disease in 2001 - and the rate is increasing by about 1% a year.
Some cancer, such as breast, are becoming more common, while new cases of lung cancer fall away due to the drop in the number of smokers.
However, while the overall number of new cancers is not falling, the good news is that successful treatment rates for many of the most common types are improving rapidly.
BBC News Online has produced, in conjunction with Cancer Research UK, a guide to some of the most common forms of cancer and the treatments used to tackle them.
To learn more about different types of cancer, and to read the experiences of patients, click on the links to the right.
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UK scientists say the discovery of a new type of stem cell should aid research into cures for disease.
The journal Nature features two studies in which scientists extracted rodent embryonic stem cells which closely resembled their human counterparts.
Previously extracted animal stem cells behaved very differently.
Substituting rodent for human embryonic stem cells could speed up research, as they would be easier to obtain, and less controversial to use.
Making spare parts
The "epiblast stem cells", as they have been named, were taken from the rat or mouse embryo at a slightly later stage of its development than previous rodent embryonic stem cells.
Professor Roger Pederson, who led a team of scientists at Cambridge University, said they constituted "the missing link between mouse and human embryonic stem cells".
In the future it should be much more straightforward to translate results obtained in lab rodents using these epiblast cells into procedures for stem cell therapies in humans Harry Moore Centre for Stem Cell Biology
"On a molecular level, epiblast stem cells are more similar to human embryonic stem cells than to mouse embryonic stem cells."
Independently, scientists at Oxford University, made the same findings, a coincidence which both teams said bolstered each other's research.
Many scientists believe stem cells from embryos - rather than adults - are the most useful as they have the potential to become virtually any type of cell in the human body.
This means they offer great potential for "regenerative medicine", in which doctors hope they might be able to replace tissue that is damaged by disease.
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's are among the neurological diseases which are thought most likely to benefit from stem cell therapies, but they are also said to offer hope for conditions as diverse as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and burns.
But there are both practical and ethical issues surrounding the use of human embryos for stem cell research.
Scientists currently have to rely on obtaining surplus embryos from IVF clinics for their work, while some of those with religious convictions are unhappy at experimenting on and then destroying human life - even if it does pave the way to potentially life-saving treatment.
So what?
Despite the high hopes, so far there have been no major breakthroughs which suggest treatments are imminent.
The two studies do not in themselves offer cures for anything, but independent experts say they could dramatically speed up research if the findings really do stand up.
"In the future it should be much more straightforward to translate results obtained in lab rodents using these epiblast cells into procedures for stem cell therapies in humans," said Professor Harry Moore of the Centre for Stem Cell Biology in Sheffield.
"We would certainly want to use these new epiblast lines to test out the potential of therapies we are developing with human embryonic stem cells."
Professor Pederson himself said he thought the first clinical applications of stem cells were about five years away.
"Those would be very early studies that involve a human individual. I think we can envisage larger scale clinical trials occurring within a decade, certainly."
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Iranian motorists have reacted with fury after the government announced fuel rationing for private vehicles.
One petrol station was set on fire in Tehran. Fights were reported and drivers caused massive traffic congestion as they tried to fill up.
Iranians were given only two hours' notice of the move that limits private drivers to 100 litres of fuel a month.
Despite its huge energy reserves, Iran lacks refining capacity and it imports about 40% of its petrol.
Iran has a large budget deficit largely caused by fuel subsidies and the inflation rate is estimated at 20-30%.
The BBC Tehran correspondent Frances Harrison says Iran is trying to rein in fuel consumption over fears of possible UN sanctions over its nuclear programme.
Iran fears the West could impose sanctions on its petrol imports and cripple its economy.
'Dangerous move'
The restrictions began at midnight local time on Wednesday (2030 GMT Tuesday).
The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says there is anger and frustration the government did not give people more notice.
"Guns, fireworks, tanks, [President] Ahmadinejad should be killed," chanted angry youths, throwing stones at police.
Eyewitnesses have seen at least one petrol station in the outskirts of the west of Tehran on fire.
All over the city there are huge queues and reports of scuffles at petrol stations as motorists try to beat the start of the rationing and fill their tanks.
"I think rationing is not bad by itself but it must be organised," one man told the Associated Press news agency.
"One cannot announce at 9pm that the rationing would start at midnight, they should have announced the exact date at least two days earlier."
Iran's petrol is heavily subsidised, sold at about a fifth of its real cost.
The price of 1,000 rials ($0.11) per litre makes Iran one of the cheapest countries in the world for motorists.
So far there has been no announcement about whether Iranians can buy more petrol at the real market cost.
Licensed taxi drivers will be able to buy 800 litres a month at the subsidised price.
US pressure
Our correspondent says rationing fuel is only likely to add to high inflation.
It is a dangerous move for any elected government, especially in an oil-rich country like Iran where people think cheap fuel is their birthright and public transport is very limited, she says.
The US, which is leading efforts to pressure Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment activities, has said Iran's fuel imports are a point of "leverage".
Washington and other Western nations accuse the Islamic Republic of seeking to build nuclear weapons.
Iran says its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and is solely aimed at producing civilian nuclear power.
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Gordon Brown is set to become prime minister, bringing to an end Tony Blair's 10 years in power.
Mr Blair will see the Queen and leave office after his final prime minister's questions session in the Commons and saying farewell to Downing St staff.
Mr Brown is then expected to travel to meet the Queen, who will formally offer him the role in the early afternoon.
Mr Brown is expected to begin his Cabinet reshuffle by naming the next chancellor and home secretary.
Priorities
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling, a close ally of Mr Brown, is widely tipped to become chancellor.
John Reid has also said he will step down as home secretary, leaving another Cabinet seat empty.
A fuller reshuffle of government jobs is expected on Thursday.
Mr Brown, who has been chancellor since Mr Blair became prime minister in 1997, has promised to create a government "of all the talents".
He has already offered former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown the job of Northern Ireland secretary, but this was turned down.
Mr Brown has singled out education and affordable housing as two of his key concerns, but says the NHS is his "immediate priority".
Iraq 'lessons'
He has also admitted that Iraq is "a divisive issue for our party and our country" and pledged to "learn lessons that need to be learned".
The parents of soldiers who have died in Iraq will protest in Downing Street as Mr Blair leaves No 10.
Members of Military Families Against the War say they are determined the outgoing PM "will not be allowed to forget the suffering he has caused".
The mechanics of leaving office, means Mr Blair is expected to have his final prime minister's questions in the Commons, then travel to Downing Street to say farewell to staff before heading to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen and resign.
Mr Brown will then be asked to the Palace where in a meeting with the Queen he will formally become prime minister.
Once he leaves office, Mr Blair is expected to travel north to attend a meeting in his Sedgefield constituency, in the north east of England, on Wednesday evening to announce he is standing down as an MP after 24 years.
It is thought the decision to step down as a Member of Parliament after 24 years depends on him being confirmed by the Middle East "quartet" of the US, Russia, the UN and the EU as an envoy to the region.
John Prescott will step down from frontline politics after 10 years as deputy prime minister. It is not certain whether Mr Brown will appoint a replacement.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6243558.stm
Actor Tom Sizemore has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for violating the terms of his probation in connection with a drugs charge.
He "abused the privilege of probation and needs to be in a lockdown setting," ruled Judge Cynthia Rayvis at Los Angeles' Superior Court.
Sizemore, whose screen credits include Saving Private Ryan, will be sent to a facility with a noted drug programme.
He was arrested last month on suspicion of drugs possession, which he denies.
'Fallen from stardom'
The actor's lawyer, Fay Arfa, said the sentence would not solve her client's problem, saying he had "literally fallen from stardom, sitting in a jail cell by himself". She added that his legal team intended to appeal.
Mr Sizemore must return to court on Tuesday for a hearing on whether he will receive credit for the time he has spent in residential drug treatment facilities.
The 45-year-old actor has been on probation since October 2004, when he was given a 16-month suspended jail sentence for possessing methamphetamine.
In February 2006, he admitted breaching that probation and was ordered to have weekly drug tests and attend a treatment clinic.
He has been in jail since his arrest last month, following the alleged discovery of methamphetamine in the actor's car in Bakersfield, north of Los Angeles.
Mr Sizemore was supported at the court hearing by actor Martin Sheen, star of US television drama The West Wing.
"I don't think prison is appropriate for anyone who is in the grip of drug and alcohol abuse," he said, but added that Mr Sizemore could be successful in a prison drug rehabilitation programme.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/6240692.stm
Dreamgirls stars Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson led the winners at the US BET awards, taking two prizes each.
Knowles won best female R&B artist and video of the year for Irreplaceable at the ceremony, organised by the Black Entertainment Television network.
Oscar-winner Hudson was named best new artist and best actress.
Forest Whitaker took the best actor prize at the Los Angeles show, while Diana Ross was given a lifetime achievement award.
Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan featured in a tribute to the 63-year-old Motown star, while Eryka Badu performed a cover version of her hit Love Hangover.
'Keep it classy'
On stage, she implored performers to "keep it classy".
"I have tried to keep the standards high," she said.
"We do not have to say the F-word, we do not have to pump and grind, we do not have to some of these things to have longevity in our career."
Hip-hop stars Public Enemy paid tribute to soul legend James Brown, who died in December, by performing a version of Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud).
Hudson, who won a best supporting actress Oscar earlier this year for her role as Effie in Dreamgirls, performed a duet with Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role on Broadway in the 1980s.
"I can't believe I'm still winning awards," she said as she won her first prize of the evening.
Scuffle apology
Actor Don Cheadle was given a humanitarian award for his work in raising awareness of the conflict in Darfur.
The Hotel Rwanda star told the audience he did not feel worthy of the award.
"I started to respectfully decline in defence to those doing it day-to-day," he said.
"As I accept, I hope one day to be deserving of it."
Other winners included best hip-hop artist TI, who apologised on-stage for getting into a scuffle with members of fellow rapper Ludacris's entourage.
"They say it's a fine line between brilliance and insanity," he said.
Ne-Yo won best male R&B artist, while Gnarls Barkley won best group.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/6244162.stm
A few years ago, at a time in my life when I was feeling particularly burned out, I happened to pick up a book about Qigong (pronounced "chee kung"), a Chinese method for building and balancing "life energy" through ritualized exercise.
The "Qi" part of the word represents the vital energy that Taoists believe exists throughout the universe - energy held in perfect balance by the optimal relationship between the opposing forces of yin (soft, feminine, calm) and yang (hard, masculine, energetic). The "Gong" is the part that requires study, practice and training.
At the time I was craving a sense of balance, and the exercises outlined in the Qigong book I bought seemed like something that could help. I also bought some videos so I could see the exercises performed.
One night while I was following the exercises on one video, my then 10-year-old daughter joined me and halfway through the program, she turned to me and excitedly said, "Mom, my fingers are tingling!"
And while I never had such a visceral response to the exercises, her experience, provoked without any knowledge of what was supposed to happen, proved to my satisfaction that something subtle and real was at work. I tried to develop a consistent practice and succeeded for a while. During that time I felt calmer and more resilient.
But as with so many things that require effort and consistency and time, once my immediate crisis passed I lapsed back into my old patterns and abandoned Qigong.
Recently two things conspired to motivate me to return to the exercises. I'm entering menopause and have felt the need to do things that would help me try to mitigate some of the fluctuations going on in my body. In other words, I'd like to try to re-integrate my "yin and yang" feelings and behaviors. I thought that maybe Qigong could once again help me feel a bit more centered.
I also happened across something in one of my favorite magazines, Scientific American Mind. In a larger piece about the psychology and neurobiology of happiness was the statement, "Like a drug or a diet, the exercises work only if you stick with them." Right. I'd sort of forgotten that.
The piece also suggested that timing is important when trying to adopt new behaviors. I know that from the number of times I quit smoking before it finally stuck. Timing is everything. So with fingers crossed and a sense of hopefulness, today I begin anew.
If you're interested in exploring Qigong, I suggest you go to you local bookstore and browse through the various books and videos available. And if you decide to try it, let me know how it goes.
Call it the ultimate Christmas gift for your child or grandchild: a cool $1 million.
It's a lavish gift, but not a prohibitively expensive one. A monthly contribution smaller than your current cable TV bill, made faithfully until the child turns 18 and then left to simmer until retirement, will hit seven figures without outlandish investment choices.
A newborn has nothing but time -- and that's something this strategy exploits to the fullest. Let's say a 30-year-old manages to save up and then invest a lump sum of $10,000. At an annual return of 8%, by the time she's 65, that $10,000 will have grown to nearly $150,000. Not bad, right?
But then compare it to what a 5-year-old could make from the same $10,000. The extra 25 years of growth would give him over $1 million by age 65. A newborn would need just $6,700, less than the cost of a decent used car.
If you don't happen to have $10,000 handy, not to worry. You can get the same results with a monthly investment, made even smaller if you can persuade your child to keep the contributions up over the long haul.
Take a look at what's possible in the table below. All the examples presume 8% average annual growth, a reasonable return from a diversified mix of stocks, bonds and cash, according to respected financial research company Ibbotson Associates.
To accumulate $1 million by age 65:
Starting at:
One-time contribution
Monthly contribution until age 18
Monthly contribution until age 65
Birth
$6,721
$56
$38
Age 5
$9,875
$98
$57
Age 10
$14,511
$200
$85
Age 15
$21,321
$662
$127
Pretty neat, huh? I've heard from quite a few parents excited about the possibilities. Many believe their own financial futures were stunted by not investing early enough, and want their children to avoid the same mistake.
But there's a downside. While time can help the young grow a fortune, it can also magnify any investing mistakes made along the way. If that 5-year-old's account is traded excessively, charged high fees or invested too conservatively, the nest egg may be dramatically smaller.
If our youngster eked out only a 6% annual return over time, for example, his account would be worth just $330,000 at retirement age.
Furthermore, your kid's wealth accumulation plan could cause havoc with future financial-aid packages, so you'll want to know how to minimize the impact.
Who's a good candidate?
As nifty as the math is, you shouldn't start building your children's fortune until your own financial path is secure. That means all of the following are true:
You're on track saving for your own retirement. No matter how much you want to secure your child's financial future, you must attend to your own first. (Your kid won't thank you for your largesse if she winds up using it to support you in your dotage.) You can use MSN's Retirement Planning Calculator to check. If you're a grandparent and already retired, you should be confident you have more than enough money to get you through the rest of your life. T. Rowe Price's Retirement Income Calculator can help you decide.
You have no consumer debt. Again, you want to be on sound financial footing yourself before helping your kids, and that means paying off the credit card balances, unsecured personal loans and any other high-rate debt. (If you've got low rates on your auto loans or student loans, though, you don't necessarily have to pay those off before you invest for your kids.)
Video on MSN Money: Open an IRA for your child
Why not? If the kid has earned income, sock the money in a Roth and the child's on the road to wealth. Click here to play the video.
You're saving for college. That future $1 million won't mean much if your kid doesn't get a good education or winds up saddled with massive student loan debt.
You're willing to spend some time educating your children about money. For the million-dollar plan to succeed, your children have to understand the importance of keeping their mitts off the money so it can grow. They need to know that every $1,000 they withdraw at age 21 will cost them nearly $30,000 in future retirement money -- plus any taxes and penalties that may be owed for tapping the money early.
If you've got your financial bases covered, then you can proceed.
What about taxes?
Lots of expensive financial products are sold to people who panic unnecessarily about the effects of taxes on their investments. While it's true that taxes over time can reduce your investment returns, they're easy enough to minimize without paying a small fortune in fees to stockbrokers or insurance companies.
What tends to generate big tax bills is excessive trading, either by professional mutual fund managers who take a so-called "active" approach to investing or by the parent or grandparent managing the account.
There are better ways. One possibility is index funds, which mimic some broad-based market benchmark. Index funds change their lineup of investments only when the underlying benchmark changes, which isn't often.
Another bonus: Index funds are cheap, which means you're saving on fees. Instead of paying 1.4% a year, which is the average expense ratio for actively traded mutual funds, you pay:
0.54% for Charles Schwab's Total Stock Market (SWTIX).
0.4% for T. Rowe Price's Total Equity Market Index (POMIX).
0.19% for Vanguard's Total Stock Market Index (VTSMX).
Also, with a broad-based stock market fund, you're pretty much guaranteed to do at least as well as the overall stock market. Compare that to the two-thirds or so of actively managed funds that fail to beat their indexes over time, and you'll see that index funds are a pretty good choice.
A big drawback: These funds, like most mutual funds, have pretty hefty minimum investment requirements that can be problematic for folks investing small amounts. Schwab and T. Rowe's funds require a $2,500 minimum purchase; Vanguard wants $3,000, although all three knock their minimums down to $1,000 for custodial and retirement accounts (see below). Schwab lets you make subsequent investments of any amount, while T. Rowe's ongoing minimum is $50 and Vanguard's is $500.
Additional account fees may be charged if your balances are below certain amounts.
Other options: buying and holding individual stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs). ETFs, like index funds, are bundles of investments meant to mimic a benchmark, but unlike funds -- which are traded once a day -- ETFs trade like stocks throughout the day.
Buying ETFs and stocks through a brokerage can get pretty expensive, though; trading fees will eat up a good chunk of your monthly investment. A cheaper alternative: ShareBuilder.com, which charges $4 a trade and has no investment minimums.
Yet another possibility: buying shares directly from the companies, avoiding commissions. Minimum purchase requirements and fees, though, vary widely by company. DirectInvesting.com can help you get started.
What bucket to use
Here's an issue that actually is important: minors generally aren't allowed to hold investments in their own names. But each alternative has its cons as well as its pros. For example:
A custodial account. These accounts, usually known as Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UTMA) or Uniform Gifts to Minors Act (UGMA) accounts, are getting less popular as their disadvantages mount. For one thing, you'll get slaughtered at college time, since financial aid formulas consider this the student's asset and penalize you heavily for it. Also, the kiddie tax rules have changed so that if the account earns more than a certain amount annually ($1,700 in 2006), taxes are paid at the parent's rate, rather than the child's, regardless of the child's age.
A joint savings account. These are pretty easy to set up, but may have tax issues. The same kiddie tax rules apply: If the account earns your kid more than a certain amount ($1,700 in 2006), taxes must be paid at your rate. Also, the account is considered jointly owned for college financial aid purposes, so half of it (your kid's half) will count heavily against you.
Holding the assets in your own account. This will benefit you in financial aid calculations, since colleges expect you to contribute a smaller percentage of your own assets than of your children's to pay for college. (If you're a grandparent, your assets aren't counted at all.) But you'll pay taxes at your higher rate and (if you're wealthy) you could create gift-tax issues for yourself when you finally transfer the money to your kid. By "wealthy," I mean you plan to give away more than $1 million to individuals over your lifetime. If you're in that bracket, definitely talk to your estate-planning attorney first before starting any funds for your kids.
Roth IRAs. These are great: Contributions and earnings are entirely tax free in retirement, and Roths, like other retirement funds, aren't counted in financial aid calculations. But kids can have a Roth only if they have earned income at least equal to the amount they (or you) want to contribute. (The maximum contribution these days is $4,000 annually.) Earned income means wages; allowances and gifts from relatives don't count.
Variable annuities. Anyone who's read my columns for awhile knows that I'm not a big fan of variable annuities for most investors (and that's putting it mildly). Most VAs are overpriced, oversold and just generally a bad idea. But they do have some advantages when used for kids. There's no contribution limit or earned income requirement, as with Roths, and they aren't counted in financial aid calculations. Big downsides: Your kids will get clobbered by taxes when they withdraw the money in retirement, since earnings are taxed as income, and withdrawals before retirement are penalized. (If you held the investments directly, outside a variable annuity, you'd qualify for the low capital gains tax rates.) If you are considering an annuity, go for a cheap one, like the ones offered by Vanguard.
Life insurance. Bleah. Kids don't need life insurance, and your money will go a lot farther if you're not paying for insurance you don't need, plus commissions and an insurance company's overhead.
Making sure they don't blow it
What if you're worried about your child raiding the money prematurely? Your control is limited with all but one of these options: holding the investments in your own name. Otherwise, at some point -- certainly by age 25, if not before -- your kid will have access.
If that unnerves you, you can either opt to keep the funds in your own account or spend a substantial wad on elaborate trusts designed to dole the money out over time.
But bear in mind that your children's future fortune will be worth less than $27,000 at age 18. The real growth will come over the following decades. While prematurely raiding their cache might prevent them from achieving the million-dollar kitty you want them to have, it's not like they'd be able to spend seven figures on a car or decorating their dorm rooms.
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You can warn them about the folly. You can encourage them to see the light. You could even threaten to cut them off financially.
But in this, as in so many other areas of parenting, you may just need to keep your fingers crossed -- and let your kids make their own mistakes.
Liz Pulliam Weston's column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.
