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Prosecutor calls for death penalty for Bulgarian nurses in Libya

A Libyan prosecutor on Tuesday issued another call for the execution of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor on trial for allegedly infecting Libyan children with HIV, the New York Times reports (Smith, New York Times, 8/30).

30 Aug 2006

Number of uninsured residents in Massachusetts has dropped 19% over the past two years

The number of uninsured residents in Massachusetts has dropped 19% over the past two years, according to results from a state survey released on Monday, the Boston Globe reports.

30 Aug 2006

Neuropsychopharmacology editor resigns after failure to disclose conflict of interest

Charles Nemeroff has decided to resign as editor of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology after he co-authored a favorable article on a chest implant that treats depression and did not disclose his financial ties to Cyberonics, which manufactures the device, the Wall Street Journal reports.

30 Aug 2006

Brits warned against 'maverick' stem cell treatments

A group of top scientists in Britain have warned patients to be wary of "extravagant" claims made for "unorthodox" stem cell treatments offered abroad and that some stem cell treatments could be killers.

29 Aug 2006

Increasing helmet use promoted as an effective method of reducing road injuries and deaths

Each year about 1.2 million people die as a result of road traffic crashes, and millions more are injured or disabled.

28 Aug 2006

Brits challenge Americans in the obesity stakes

According to a new UK government report, if current trends continue, by the year 2010, 12 million adults plus 1 million children in England will be obese.

28 Aug 2006

Historical records detailing past attitudes towards prostitution, homosexuality and gender issues

Experts will examine a range of sources such as the UK's first-ever sex survey from the 1940s and documents detailing the life of Josephine Butler, the Victorian feminist who campaigned for the welfare of prostitutes.

24 Aug 2006

Benefits, misconceptions, frequency of condom use to protect against unplanned pregnancy, STIs

The New York Times on Tuesday examined the benefits and misconceptions of condom use to protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and unplanned pregnancy.

24 Aug 2006

Chewing gum which fights tooth decay

Consumers will soon be able to buy a chewing gum which contains friendly bacteria which can help prevent tooth decay.

21 Aug 2006

Parasite in crabs causes to lung infection

Californians have been warned by public health officials about eating freshwater crabs after two people contracted a lung infection from eating them.

21 Aug 2006

Church leaders discuss how to talk about abortion rights with congregations

About 30 clergy and lay church leaders representing nine denominations on Tuesday at a seminar in Rapid City, S.D., received advice from several religious organizations about how to hold appropriate discussions with their congregations about "divisive" issues such as abortion, the Rapid City Journal reports.

20 Aug 2006

Wisconsin Governor proposes tax deduction for employer premium contributions

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) on Wednesday announced a plan that would provide a tax deduction for individuals who with their employers share the responsibility of paying their health insurance premiums, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

20 Aug 2006

Missouri Attorney General to appeal ruling requiring state to provide transport for pregnant inmates seeking abortions

Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon (R) on Wednesday said he will appeal a federal court ruling that requires the state to provide transportation to clinics for pregnant inmates who wish to have abortions, the AP/Kansas City Star reports (Lieb, AP/Kansas City Star, 8/16).

20 Aug 2006

Teen wins right to refuse chemo

A teenager in the U.S. who has Hodgkins' Disease, has won a court battle which aimed to order the boy to undergo a second course of intensive chemotherapy.

20 Aug 2006

Global fund director Feachem, Rev. Warren partner to increase funding for faith-based groups

Richard Feachem, executive director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the Rev. Rick Warren on Wednesday at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto announced that they will be partnering to increase funding for faith-based groups in Warren's global church network, USA Today reports.

17 Aug 2006

Wal-Mart criticized for substandard wages and health care benefits

A number of Democrats this week in Iowa and this month nationwide have criticized Wal-Mart Stores, the largest private employer in the U.S., "for what they say are substandard wages and health care benefits," the New York Times reports.

17 Aug 2006

Date set for trial of Chinese human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng

The trial of human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who was arrested in the country's Shangdong province after trying to expose alleged human rights abuses associated with the enforcement of the country's one-child-per-family policy, is scheduled to begin on Friday in county court in Yinan, China, according to Chen's attorney Li Jinsong, the Associated Press reports.

16 Aug 2006