Health & Science

Friday, July 12th 2013 - 06:40 UTC
Right to abort of raped-pregnant 11-year-old triggers major controversy in conservative Chile

A pregnant 11-year-old Chilean girl who was allegedly raped by her stepfather should be granted all medical options, including the right to abort, rights group Amnesty International said on Thursday. The pregnancy of 'Belen,' as she is known has sparked an outcry in one of South America’s most conservative countries, where abortion is banned under all circumstances.
Thursday, July 11th 2013 - 07:08 UTC
Eight times Manhattan island iceberg breaks off from Antarctic glacier

Pine Island Glacier (PIG), the longest and fastest flowing glacier in the Antarctic, has spawned a huge iceberg. The block measures about 720 sq km in area - roughly eight times the size of Manhattan Island in New York.
Thursday, July 11th 2013 - 06:58 UTC
One third of world’s population benefits from effective tobacco control measure

At 2.3 billion, the number of people worldwide covered by at least one life-saving measure to limit tobacco use has more than doubled in the last five years, according to the WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2013. The number of people covered by bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, the focus of this year’s report, increased by almost 400 million people residing mainly in low- and middle-income countries.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 17:44 UTC
Falklands: multi-disciplinary plan to help tackle veterans’ trauma

Archaeologists, historians, former service personnel and mental health professionals are meeting in London to discuss a plan to use archaeology to tackle war trauma. The plan is the idea of University of Glasgow academic Dr Tony Pollard and is centred on the Falkland Islands conflict.
Tuesday, July 9th 2013 - 00:09 UTC
Brazil drops the idea of Cuban doctors and will hire physicians from Spain and Portugal

The Brazilian government, under pressure to improve public health services, has dropped plans to import a contingent of Cuban doctors and is instead looking to hire physicians in Spain and Portugal, the Health Ministry said on Monday.
Monday, July 8th 2013 - 23:57 UTC
FAO and WHO agree on new Alimentarius Codex with stricter standards for healthier diets

The UN food standards body Codex Alimentarius has agreed on new standards to protect the health of consumers worldwide. These include standards on fruit, vegetables, fish and fishery products and animal feed.
Saturday, July 6th 2013 - 07:01 UTC
H1N1 influenza virus outbreak in north Chile; government considering decreeing ‘health alert’

Eleven people have died from the H1N1 influenza virus in northern Chile in an outbreak that the health minister raised the possibility of decreeing a health alert to restrict people's mobility.
Wednesday, June 26th 2013 - 18:11 UTC
UN warns about the rise of legal ‘designer drugs’ which entice young consumers

A sharp rise in the variety of legal “designer drugs” with names that entice young people into thinking they pose no risk is alarming from a public health standpoint, the United Nations drugs agency said.
Tuesday, June 25th 2013 - 05:56 UTC
Deadly swine virus spreading among hog farms in the US Mid west

A swine virus deadly to young pigs, one never before seen in North America, is spreading rapidly across the United States and proving harder to control than previously believed.
Tuesday, June 25th 2013 - 05:49 UTC
US OK’s new non-eggs flu vaccine for adults with severe allergies

People with serious egg allergies may no longer have to worry about flu shots. A United States government advisory panel said a new vaccine that's made without eggs is an option for adults with severe allergies. Current flu shots are made from viruses grown in eggs and could trigger allergic reactions in some cases.