Health & Science

• Monday, June 13th 2016 - 15:45 UTC

  US and Brazil studies confirm the presence of the “super bacteria” in Rio beaches and lagoons

  

  Scientists have found dangerous drug-resistant “super bacteria” off beaches in Rio de Janeiro that will host Olympic swimming events and in a lagoon where rowing and canoe athletes will compete when the Games start on August 5.

• Tuesday, May 31st 2016 - 06:16 UTC

  World No Tobacco Day, 31 May 2016: Get ready for plain packaging

  

  Recent moves to introduce plain (standardized) packaging of tobacco products can save lives by reducing demand for tobacco products, say the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat (WHO FCTC).

• Sunday, May 29th 2016 - 14:28 UTC

  World health experts call for Rio Olympics to be postponed or moved given Zika spread fears

  

  More than 100 health experts have called for the Rio Olympic Games to be postponed or moved because of fears that the event could speed up the spread of the Zika virus around the world, according to a public letter published online.

• Sunday, May 29th 2016 - 13:06 UTC

  Superbug in US: Doctors fear it could herald a post-antibiotic era

  

  A superbug resistant to all known medications has been found in the United States for the first time, raising new concern about the dwindling effectiveness of antibiotics, the top US public health official said this week. . The case involved a 49-year-old woman in Pennsylvania whose urinary tract infection tested positive for a strain of E. coli that is resistant to the antibiotic of last resort for such infections, known as colistin.

• Saturday, May 28th 2016 - 07:27 UTC

  WHO public health advice regarding the Olympics and Zika virus

  

  Based on current assessment, cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus. Brazil is one of almost 60 countries and territories which to-date report continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes. People continue to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons. The best way to reduce risk of disease is to follow public health travel advice.

• Monday, May 23rd 2016 - 14:09 UTC

  Hundreds of thousands in 500 cities worldwide protest against Monsanto

  

  Hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated in nearly 50 countries around the globe to protest against the US mega producer company of genetically engineered (GE) seeds Monsanto, saying the corporation’s modified food and chemical herbicides pose grave threats to health.

• Monday, May 23rd 2016 - 10:50 UTC

  New recommendations for athletes and visitors of the coming Rio Olympic Games

  

  Australian athletes at this summer’s Rio Olympics will be supplied with condoms which offer “near complete” protection against the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced. However, the virus has been linked to a birth defect that causes babies to be born with unusually small heads.

• Friday, May 20th 2016 - 10:40 UTC

  India planning to swap medicines for Venezuelan crude oil to recoup losses of drugs sector

  

  Indian drug companies could recoup some of the financial losses incurred as Venezuela struggles to make foreign-currency payments and the value of its currency plummets--by participating in a barter plan that would swap medicines for crude oil.

• Saturday, May 7th 2016 - 08:25 UTC

  UK's state of the art polar research ship to be named Sir David Attenborough

  

  The United Kingdom's £200 million state-of-the-art polar research ship is to be named after world renowned naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, the Science Minister Jo Johnson confirmed on Friday. Following a call for suggestions that sparked global interest, Royal Research Ship Sir David Attenborough has been selected as a name that captures the ship’s scientific mission and celebrates the broadcaster’s contribution to natural science.

• Wednesday, March 23rd 2016 - 05:48 UTC

  Panel of experts will name the new UK polar research vessel

  

  The name of a new British polar research vessel will be chosen by a panel of experts, even if the public overwhelmingly votes to call it Boaty McBoatface. Lord West, ex-First Sea Lord, said he was rather proud “silly names” had been suggested but hoped none were chosen.