ALWATAN News

Caffeine is known to have many effects on the body’s metabolism, including stimulating the central nervous system. This can make you more alert and give you a boost of energy.

For most people, the amount of caffeine in two to four cups of coffee a day is not harmful. However, too much caffeine can make you restless, anxious and irritable. For some. it may also keep them from sleeping well, and could possibly cause headaches, abnormal heart rhythms or other problems. If you stop using caffeine, you could get withdrawal symptoms.

Some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others. They should limit their use of caffeine, especially pregnant and nursing women. Certain drugs and supplements may also interact with caffeine. If you have questions about whether caffeine is safe for you, it’s best to consult your health care provider.

The release of Apple Inc.’s new 3G iPhone on Friday drew the expected long lines around the world in the 22 countries where the device went on sale as computer-industry analysts anticipated weekend sales to surpass those of the initial iPhone rollout a year ago.

Vodafone Group store in Auckland, New Zealand sold the first 3G iPhone reportedly , after the combination mobile phone, iPod and Wi-Fi device went on sale shortly after midnight there.

At one of Apple’s flagship stores in San Francisco, approximately 500 people were in a line that stretched for nearly two city blocks, as store security officials allowed groups of about 20 people at time inside to purchase the iPhone. Lines were expected to be long as Apple isn’t selling the iPhone through its online store.

Apple sees the 3G iPhone in an effort to establish the mobile phone internationally and secure a position among the leading makers of smart phones worldwide. The company also cut the prices of the device to $199 and $299, and has added support for more services meant to appeal to enterprise customers and take on Research In Motion Ltd.’s popular BlackBerry.

When Chief Executive Steve Jobs showed off the 3G iPhone at Apple’s developer conference in June, he said that Apple had sold more than 6 million iPhones since it first rolled it out in late June 2007. The company has set a goal of selling 10 million iPhones this year.

Apple sold 270,000 iPhones during that first weekend when the iPhone was only on sale in the United States. Based on pent-up demand, expanded distribution and lower prices for the new iPhone, Mike Abramsky of RBC Capital Markets estimates that more than 1 million iPhones will be sold worldwide during the initial weekend of sales. He also pegged Apple’s total iPhone sales for its current, fiscal fourth quarter at 5.1 million units.

The dollar had fell sharply Friday, coming under heavy pressure amid worries about giant mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with continued tensions with Iran, which boosted the price of crude to a new record high above $147 a barrel.

The dollar index which measures the U.S. unit against a basket of major rivals, stood at 71.93 down from 72.49 in late trade Thursday. Labor Department said import prices rose 2.6% in June import price index, led by higher crude oil and natural gas prices. Economists expected another 2% gain in June. A separate report showed the trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in May to $59.8 billion from $60.9 billion.

While Wall Street remained rocked by concerns over the fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose shares plunged for most of the session before getting a respite on a report that the Federal Reserve had opened its discount window to the government-sponsored firms.

The euro was 0.9% higher against the dollar at $1.5931. The greenback also fell 0.8% against the Japanese unit to trade at 106.21 yen, and slipped 1.2% against the Swiss currency to 1.0153 francs.

Crude-oil futures first hit a record $147.47 a barrel on speculation that Israel may be nearer to launching an attack on Iran and on worries that supplies in Nigeria and Brazil may be disrupted. Crude for August delivery closed up $3.43, or 2.4%, at $145.08 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Microsoft Corp. plans to acquire the 50.1% it doesn’t already own in MSN Israel Ltd. from partner Internet Gold Ltd.

Toyota Motor Corp. is planning an overhaul of it U.S. operations following weaker sales in June, with the automaker likely to introduce additional production holidays at its Texas truck factory and two other U.S. facilities to trim output, according to a Japanese media report.

The Corporation is also planning to transfer some employees at its Indiana plant to other facilities and increase production at a facility producing the luxury Camry sedan, along with other fuel-efficient vehicles. Toyota will also cut production at an automotive facility in Japan, which primarily produces vehicles for the U.S. market ,by about 10% this fiscal year.

IndexTrends Watch