Dust pollution irks Sanguem citizens
The citizens of Sanguem and other neighbouring villages have bitterly complained of the ever increasing dust pollution, ore spillage on the roads.
- German bill rejected
The German parliament rejected a bill that would have placed strict limits on smoking in public buildings and the workplace. The bill was voted down after a year long battle between a cross party anti-smoking alliance and opponents of the legislation, led by Horst Seehofer, health minister.
Cabinet divided over smoking ban
A deep wedge has been driven into Germany's political class by a new anti-smoking law which is pitting pipe-puffing Mr Helmut Kohl against party colleagues. The rift runs right down the Cabinet table- Horst Seehofer, the Health MInister, is insisting on the right to smoke, while Angela Merkel , the …
IMA challenges political parties to adopt its manifesto
It is time to promise, Manifestos come a dime a dozen. For decades political parties have been spelling out manifestos that would have meant a utopian state for India if they had been carried out. So the word has earned a cheaper connotation and no one believes a manifesto proclaimed …
Controversial circular on AIDS withdrawn
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Maharashtra Government has abruptly withdrawn a controversial circular seeking to isolate HIV-positive women in the State and carrying out compulsory Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) tests on them. The move follows an uproar by over 100 non-governmental organisations which opposed the circular …
Court seeks report on Safdarjung burns ward
The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked counsel for the petitioner and the Government to inspect the premier burns ward at Safdarjung hospital, which allegedly is in a bad shape, and submit a report within three weeks.
Gene clue to oral cancer, insight into malaria
The involvement of certain oncogenes and oncogenic viruses in the genesis of oral cancer, the role played by the them as a key regulator in human malaria parasite, advances in the battle against plant pests, the development of a tool to locate genes: these were some of the highlights of …
Saliva test can reveal cancer
A saliva test for breast cancer that would allow women to take home a "spit test" rather than attend a routine mammorgram is two to three years away from completion.
To clone, or not to clone
US debates making humans: Everybody in Congress seems to hate cloning, but legislation to ban it, has become embroiled in emotional debate over what constitutes human life and how to stop human cloning with out impeding vital scientific research.House majority leader Dick Armey of Texas also says he'll move an …
Unicef to assist Bengal in malaria eradication
This year, the West Bengal Government, the Calcutta Municipal Corporation and Unicef plan to make a concerted bid to battle malaria from the lowest level - starting with the people - by launching an anti-malaria public education programme.Unicef officials said the awareness programme, scheduled to be launched later in February, …
Space researchers gain insight into deadly virus
NASA and industry biotechnology researchers have taken an important step toward developing a treatment for a life-threatening virus that causes pneumonia and severe upper respiratory infection in infants and yound children.
Manipal hospital conducts first cadaver transplantation
In a significant breakthrough, Manipal Institute of Nephrology and Urology, has performed the first successful cadaver transplantation (transplantation of an organ from a brain dead donor to a recipient) in Karnataka, at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore.
- Time running out for emission target talks
Environment Commissioner Ritt Bjerregaad now seems almost certain to call for binding carbon dioxide emission targets to be imposed on EU car manufacturers.The European Commission and the auto industry theoretically have until the March meeting of Union environment ministers to try to reach a negotiated agreement on carbon dioxide (CO2) …
- Bid to clarify medicine instructions
New guidelines to clarify what information should be provided on medicine instruction leaflets across the EU are being drawn up by the European Commisson. The move is partly aimed at ensuring that patients are adequately informed of side effects and risks.
- Photosensitive drugs advance
Photodynamic therapy-in which drugs that become toxic when exposed to light are used to destroy tumours-is a highly promising cancer treatment. But it is effective only against relatively flat and thin cancers. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel think they can overcome the disadvantages using new photosensitive …
Detecting groundwater bugs
Groundwater contamination by Cryptospordium and Giardia can cause significant problems. A British consortium has addressed this problem by launching a device designed to continuously detect particles of 4-12 micron size range.
- Demand for action on antibiotics
Pressure is increasing on the EU to ban the use of antibiotics in animal feed, with consumers and some member states calling for action by the European Commission. The Union consumer group Eurocoop is calling for a total ban on the use of antibiotics as growth-promoters in feeding stuffs, to …
New moons
American astronomers have discovered two more moons - temporarily named S1997 U1 and S1997 U2 - orbiting Uranus.
U.S. AIDS deaths drop as treatments improve
AIDS deaths across the United States plummeted 44 per cent in the first half of 1997, accelarating earlier gains against the disease attributed to improved drug therapies, according to health officials, who had also said the gains crossed sex and racial lines.
