Health & Science

• Monday, July 7th 2014 - 22:49 UTC

  FAO/WHO elaborating new guidelines for identifying food-borne parasites

  

  A “Top Ten” list identifying the food-borne parasites of greatest global concern has been released by FAO, and new guidelines are being developed to control them. The parasites affect the health of millions of people every year, infecting muscle tissues and organs, causing epilepsy, anaphylactic shock, amoebic dysentery and other problems. Some can live on in our bodies for decades.

• Friday, June 20th 2014 - 06:29 UTC

  Antibiotic-resistant “superbug” detected South Korea raw squid

  

  A dangerous antibiotic-resistant “superbug” has been found in the North American food supply for the first time, according to researchers from the University of Saskatchewan.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:24 UTC

  Jamaica plans decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis

  

  Plans are in the making in Jamaica for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana. Among the proposals is that users of small quantities of the drug will no longer have a criminal record, and smoking of the weed would be lawful under certain conditions. However possession of cannabis would still be unlawful, though it would not lead to a criminal record.

• Sunday, June 1st 2014 - 13:54 UTC

  Obesity and overweight breaks scales in all countries: 30% of world population

  

  Almost 30% of the world’s population, 2.1 billion people, is considered obese or overweight, researchers said, while rates among children have increased by a whopping 47% in the last 33 years.

• Thursday, May 29th 2014 - 02:45 UTC

  WHO calls on countries to raise taxes on tobacco to prevent addiction

  

  On World No Tobacco Day (31 May), WHO calls on countries to raise taxes on tobacco to encourage users to stop and prevent other people from becoming addicted to tobacco. Based on 2012 data, WHO estimates that increasing tobacco taxes by 50%, all countries would reduce the number of smokers by 49 million within the next three years and ultimately save 11 million lives.

• Wednesday, May 28th 2014 - 22:04 UTC

  Antarctica ice sheet melting episodes have occurred over the last 14.000 years, say scientists

  

  A new study has found that the Antarctic Ice Sheet began melting about 5,000 years earlier than previously thought coming out of the last ice age, and that shrinkage of the vast ice sheet accelerated during eight distinct episodes, causing rapid sea level rise.

• Wednesday, May 28th 2014 - 21:11 UTC

  Krill oil more advantageous than fish oil in reducing high blood triglycerides

  

  A study from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet and the University of Bergen, Norway, published in Nutrition & Metabolism found that the omega-3s in Aker BioMarine’s Superba krill oil are advantageous for reducing high blood triglycerides compared to fish oil.

• Wednesday, May 28th 2014 - 08:52 UTC

  Caribbean Community moving closer to decriminalization of marihuana

  

  The Jamaica government is being urged to enact legislation that would decriminalize marijuana as well as establish a medical marijuana industry. The Cannabis Commercial and Medicinal Research Taskforce said Jamaica would significantly benefit from a regulates medical marihuana industry.

• Wednesday, May 28th 2014 - 08:16 UTC

  Falklands and Punta Arenas close medical professional relations

  

  Relationships between medical professionals in Southern Chile and the Falkland Islands have been strengthened following a visit by the Islands’ radiographer to Punta Arenas.

• Monday, May 26th 2014 - 13:23 UTC

  Thousands march across the world to protest against Monsanto and GMO foods

  

  Hundreds of thousands people have united across the world to voice concern over the spread of GMO foods and crops and to raise awareness over the biotech giant Monsanto’s growing grip on the global food supply chain.