08 January 2007
[Brazil - Rising Costs of AIDS Drugs]
A decade after Brazil became the first developing country to guarantee free AIDS treatment to every citizen, the spiraling cost of new drugs is threatening to bankrupt the highly effective program. Advocates for AIDS patients say that ballooning drug prices must not be allowed to undermine a free, universal drug program. In the early 1990's Brazil's epidemic rivalled that of South Africa where 20 percent of adults are now living with HIV/AIDS. Today, only 0.6 percent of the adult population is infected in Brazil. ...[more]
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[USA - Fewer Register To Use Medical Marijuana]
Hawaii - After five years of rapid growth in the number of patients certified to use marijuana for medical purposes, enrolment in the state registry dropped sharply last year for the first time since medical marijuana was legalized in 2000. Under the program, a doctor must certify that the patient has a qualifying medical condition such as cancer, AIDS or glaucoma, and that the potential benefits of medical marijuana use would likely outweigh the patient's health risks. It is believed that specialists in Honolulu rarely certify patients for marijuana use because they are prescribing other, more effective drugs. ...[more]
[South Africa - Police Clamp Down on Drug Dealers]
There is a sharp spike in the use of hard drugs during the holiday season, say KwaZulu-Natal narcotics experts. To counter this, police have arrested more than 100 drug runners already in undercover operations, and 200 other drug-related arrests have been made since December 11. Drug analysts confirm that Durban is one of the cheapest places to buy drugs in South Africa, with most of the hard drugs coming into the city via the harbour. ...[more]
[USA - Dr Death Gets Out of Jail]
Jack Kevorkian, after serving about 3000 days in prison for euthanizing 130 people, will be paroled early next year. He will have served about three weeks per victim - some of which were not even ill. He has promised not to assist any suicides on release. http://edition.cnn.com/2006/LAW/12/13/kervorkian.parole.ap/index.html. ...[more]
[Rome - Pope Condemns Abortion as ‘Attack on Peace’]
In a speech marking the Church's World Day of Peace, Pope Benedict denounced terrorism, the spread of nuclear weapons, and described abortion, experimentation on human embryos and euthanasia as an “attack on peace”. "The duty to respect the dignity of each human being, in whose nature the image of the Creator is reflected, means in consequence that the person can not be disposed of at will," the pope writes. "As far as the right to life is concerned, we must denounce its widespread violation in our society: alongside the victims of armed conflicts, terrorism and the different forms of violence, there are the silent deaths caused by hunger, abortion, experimentation on human embryos and euthanasia.” ...[more]
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[USA - US Army General: Homosexuals should serve openly]
The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs -- who during his tenure, the DOD adopted its “don't ask, don't tell" policy on homosexuals -- says he no longer opposes allowing them to serve openly. Homosexuals were initially prohibited from joining the US Army on the basis that it “seriously impairs the accomplishment of military missions and that the presence of such members adversely affects the ability of the armed forces to maintain discipline, good order, and morale.” ...[more]
[UK - ‘Report Anti-Homosexuality to Cops’]
According to a report published by the Home Office, students and parents should report schools to the police for "homophobic hate crimes", if the institutions fail to adequately address anti-homosexual beliefs and language among the student body. The paper defined 'homophobia' as "resentment, or fear, of gay and lesbian people," including "just a passive dislike of gay people.” Police should maintain a record of the names and personal details of those individuals identified as anti-homosexual by the activist groups, the report said. ...[more]
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[USA - Adult Stem Cells Regenerate Damaged Brains]
University of California, San Francisco, scientists have determined that adult stem cells in a specific region of the mouse brain have a built-in mechanism that allows the cells to participate in the repair and remodeling of damaged tissue in that region. As the cells are also present in the human brain, the same capacity or potential may exist in humans, the researchers say. If they do, it is possible that the cells' behavior could be enhanced to treat tissues damaged throughout the brain by disorders such as stroke and traumatic injury. ...[more]
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[Italy blocks Child Porn Web Sites]
The Italian government has enacted a new law to block child pornography Web sites in the country. The law would make is mandatory for Internet Service Providers (ISP) in the region to block access to any such site within six hours of being told to do so. This was confirmed by the communications ministry which said that the law is applicable with immediate effects.The law also requires the ISP in the region to set up a system that blocks child pornography Web sites from being viewed soon after the providers are notified of their existence. ...[more]
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[South Africa - Durban Plans Red-light District]
Durban wants to develop South Africa's first red-light district, moving strip clubs, sex shops, escort agencies and nightclubs into the same neighbourhood. Durban's municipal manager said the proposal - intended to “police, monitor and control” the Durban sex industry and attract tourists - was at a “conceptual” stage and that he would seek political approval for it in the new year; and though he expected criticism of the plan, ordinary residents had nothing to fear. The Organisation of Civic Rights said: “We must not lose sight of why many women sell their bodies - it is out of hardship, poverty and economic depression…the city should instead focus on tackling social issues like unemployment and poverty.” ...[more]
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[USA - Down-Syndrome Testing Urged For All Pregnancies]
Washington - Down syndrome testing no longer hinges on whether pregnant women are older or younger than 35. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has begun recommending that every pregnant woman be offered a choice of tests for this common birth defect. The main reason: Tests far less invasive than the long-used amniocentesis are now widely available, some that can tell in the first trimester the risk of a fetus having Down syndrome or other chromosomal defects. Each test comes with pros and cons, and the new guideline advises doctors to check what's available in their communities, and discuss the best options with each patient. ...[more]
[China Bans Retail Sale of Abortion Drugs]
Retailers in central China's Henan Province are banned to sell abortion drugs as of January 1, 2007, as part of the province's efforts to keep gender balance among newborns. China's fifth population census in 2000 showed the ratio between newborn boys and girls in Henan, which has more than 100 million registered residents, was 118.46:100, considerably higher than the normal ratio of 103-107:100. The direct cause of such imbalance was gender identification with "advanced technology" and abortions of female fetuses, according to Henan Population and Family Planning Commission. ...[more]
[Israel - Scores of Children Saved by Pro-Life Group]
The Jerusalem based Efrat organization announced it prevented 2,623 abortions in Israel in 2006 by providing support to pregnant women. There are nearly 50,000 abortions in Israel every year, many of which are due to economic concerns. The 30-year-old Efrat organization has saved over 20,000 Jewish children in Israel since 1977. Pregnant women who qualify for help receive free baby equipment and are matched with one of Efrat's 2,800 volunteers. ...[more]
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[USA - American Indians Seek Funding for Traditional Healing Practices]
The CNMI Amot Natibu Association, a group that aims to promote the CNMI's traditional healing methodologies, has outlined its four-year strategic plan, chief of which is to tap federal funds to meet its goals. The group has submitted a proposal for a possible funding assistance from the Administration of Native Americans Grant, which awards funds through grants to American Indians. Amot Natibu vice president Isidoro Cabrera said the group's goal is to strengthen the capacity of the group's social and economic development by promoting indigenous peoples' knowledge in traditional healing practices in the CNMI. ...[more]
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