Health & Science

• Friday, May 31st 2013 - 19:05 UTC

  Tobacco is the deadliest global pandemic, says former Uruguayan president Vazquez

  

  Calling tobacco use the deadliest global pandemic ever, Uruguay’s former President Tabaré Vázquez urged decision makers to step up efforts to curb smoking in Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Friday, May 31st 2013 - 01:28 UTC

  Call for urgent total ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in the Americas

  

  On World No Tobacco Day, May 31, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is calling on countries throughout the Americas to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Such bans are one of the most effective ways to reduce consumption of tobacco, which kills some 1 million people every year in this hemisphere.

• Tuesday, May 28th 2013 - 21:49 UTC

  Frenchman dies of SARS-like virus, 23rd victim of this outbreak.

  

  France's first victim of a new coronavirus, a 65-year-old man who had been travelling in Dubai, has died, while the second man who shared the same hospital room is stable, health officials said.

• Tuesday, May 28th 2013 - 00:08 UTC

  Venezuelan H1N1 flu outbreak has killed 17 and infected another 250, according to health sources

  

  An outbreak of H1N1 flu has killed 17 people in Venezuela and infected another 250, private media and local authorities said on Monday. H1N1, often referred to as swine flu, was a flu strain that swept around in the world in a 2009/2010 pandemic.

• Monday, May 27th 2013 - 05:10 UTC

  Millions take to the streets world-wide to protest against Monsanto and GM

  

  The United States biotech giant Monsanto says it respects people’s rights to express themselves, but that its genetically-modified seeds improve farm productivity and food quality.

• Wednesday, May 22nd 2013 - 10:28 UTC

  UK approves vaccine against Schmallenberg virus which attacks pregnant cattle and sheep

  

  A vaccine to protect sheep and cattle from a virus spread by midges has been approved by UK government vets. The virus, which emerged in the Netherlands and Germany in 2011, can lead to sheep and cattle having stillborn or deformed offspring.

• Saturday, May 18th 2013 - 06:21 UTC

  Argentine Antarctic campaigns disarray and corruption claims turn off recruiting

  

  Argentina’s Antarctica campaigns are losing their flair and the country is having difficulties to fill vacancies for the 2013/14 season. This follows repeated claims of alleged corruption and delays in supplying the bases and stations plus an overall lack of support from the Defence ministry.

• Saturday, May 18th 2013 - 01:11 UTC

  UK attends with 28 companies the largest healthcare exhibition in Sao Paulo

  

  UK Government Minister Ken Clarke is leading the UK's largest ever Healthcare Technology and Life Sciences delegation to Brazil. Twenty eight companies will travel to Sao Paulo to attend Hospitalar (21 – 24 May), the largest healthcare exhibition in South America, which is expecting to attract around 90,000 visitors – as well as taking part in the trade mission.

• Friday, May 17th 2013 - 17:49 UTC

  World Hypertension Day: WHO says avoid processed, canned and ready-to-eat-foods

  

  At least 30% of people in the Americas suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure, for which excessive dietary salt is the main risk factor. For 1 of 3 people who have hypertension, cutting sodium intake can reduce their blood pressure to normal levels. Reducing dietary salt could also prevent an estimated 25% of heart attacks and strokes worldwide.

• Thursday, May 16th 2013 - 06:50 UTC

  In Bolivia and suffering from altitude sickness, try Coca beer

  

  A Bolivian brewer has come up with an innovative solution for quenching thirst and coping with altitude sickness: coca beer, based on the same leaf used to make cocaine.