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USAID, Israel sign MOU to provide agricultural assistance to four African countries

"USAID and MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have signed a memorandum of understanding [MOU] to increase cooperation on the topic of food security in Africa," Globes reports.

21 Apr 2012

Sex bots by 2050

Management professor Ian Yeoman, a futurist with an interest in tourism, and sexologist Michelle Mars from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand write about the red light districts and how they might operate in the year 2050. They suggest android prostitutes will reign supreme, eliminating the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections in an industry free from sex slavery.

19 Apr 2012

Push for plain cigarette packaging reaches new heights

Labor’s plain packaging laws for cigarettes allow the commonwealth to advertise a political message without paying for the privilege and acquire the property of tobacco companies, the High Court has been told.

18 Apr 2012

'Starvation Protocol' guidelines would help India's hunger problem

In the final article of a six-part series titled "Starving in India" in the Wall Street Journal's "India Real Time" blog, series author Ashwin Parulkar of the Centre for Equity Studies writes that the research conducted for the articles shows "that India needs a new legal framework for dealing with chronic hunger and starvation."

17 Apr 2012

Toxic plants and animal products found in traditional Chinese medicines

A study has found that some traditional Chinese medicines contain potentially poisonous plants, unlabelled ingredients and bits of endangered animals. This has triggered a bid for routine testing and tighter regulation of complementary medicines.

15 Apr 2012

Gluten free diet does not help weight loss and may be harmful to the non-allergic

The 19-year-old pop star Miley Cyrus came into news after proclaiming on Twitter that the reason behind her skinny new frame is a gluten and lactose-free eating plan. She reportedly said, “Everyone should try no gluten for a week! The change in your skin, physical and mental health is amazing. You won’t go back!”

11 Apr 2012

Sperm donor found to have fathered 600 babies

Bertold Wiesner and Mary Barton’s controversial clinic for high IQ donors helped women conceive more than 1,500 babies. Now two of the children conceived from the clinic discovered they are Wiesner’s biological sons and have found that he fathered hundreds of other children.

9 Apr 2012

ITC Hotels offers allergy friendly rooms

With over 100 hotels at more than 90 destinations across India, ITC Hotels offers the discerning traveler traditional Indian hospitality combined with globally benchmarked services and sustainable business practices. Adding to these initiatives, ITC partnered with PURE Global, the innovator and market leader of allergy friendly rooms worldwide.

7 Apr 2012

American Forests, ACTIVATE partner to celebrate Earth Month

ACTIVATE, the innovative, enhanced vitamin beverage ideal for people with active lifestyles, today announced it will extend its sustainability efforts and partner with American Forests to celebrate Earth Month through a unique "Plant a Tree" in-store initiative.

7 Apr 2012

Brand of egg truffles recalled due to labelling error

The recall is for five batches of Heritage-brand Belgian Milk Chocolate Egg with chocolate truffles in a 270-gram package, sold exclusively through Coles supermarkets. The product contains almond, hazelnut and gluten, but these ingredients are not listed on the package due to a labeling error.

5 Apr 2012

Elite athletes ambivalent on sports advertising

“Building on the resistance of elite athletes to promoting alcohol and junk food could transform the use of sport in sponsorship and advertising,” said Dr Anne Grunseit from the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney.

4 Apr 2012

Woman left unattended burnt in a hospital shower

Deputy State Coroner Anthony Schapel is hearing evidence about the circumstances of Ms Proctor's death on February 22 - a week after she was first admitted. The court heard Ms Proctor was suffering from multiple illnesses including alcoholic liver disease and her mobility was severely restricted by the time she was hospitalized. She required assistance to move.

4 Apr 2012

FDA won’t ban bisphenol A from food packaging

In a long drawn decision the U.S. government announced Friday that it will not ban bisphenol A, an industrial chemical believed to disrupt the reproductive and nervous systems, from food and drink packaging.

1 Apr 2012

Synthetic Marijuana banned in NY

Brands like “Mr. Nice Guy”, “Smiley Dog”, “K2”, “Spice”, “Galaxy Gold” and other brands of fake pot sold across the counter in convenience stores and tobacco shops face the ban. The ban was issued by New York State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah and his New York City equivalent with immediate effect.

1 Apr 2012

Green Coffee beans - the new weight loss formula

Green coffee beans could be the newest weight-loss fad as a new study finds that the bean extract may help people lose weight. When roasted at 475 degrees, coffee beans are sometimes described as rich and full-bodied. Before that they are termed green.

29 Mar 2012

New sustainable development goals must involve grassroots initiatives

A radical new approach to innovation is urgently needed to ensure a fair and green economy and avoid reversing progress made on global poverty reduction, according to leading scientists.

28 Mar 2012

Newly enhanced version of Brain Swaggle released

"The newly enhanced version 2 of Brain Swaggle, the quick thinking word game that requires strategy and offers 12 levels of play has just been released," said Gary Downing, founder of the game and company of the same name. This new version is literally explosive from the first page and will challenge people of all ages and skill levels. Plus, we guarantee that the more difficult levels will take even the most adept wordsmiths to task, Downing continues.

26 Mar 2012

More supermarkets shun “pink slime”

Supermarket chains Kroger Co. and Stop & Shop announced Thursday that they would no longer sell beef that includes an additive with the unappetizing “pink slime.” Federal regulators say the ammonia-treated filler, known in the industry as “lean, finely textured beef,” meets food safety standards. But critics say the product could be unsafe and is an unappetizing example of industrialized food production.

25 Mar 2012

The health law officially turns two -- now what?

Supporters are marking the health law's second birthday today even as questions swirl about whether it will get to celebrate a third. Meanwhile, media outlets examine where implementation stands and what is yet to come.

23 Mar 2012

The 13th EMBL/EMBO Science and Society conference

Why is the living world so diverse; that is, what forces and processes led to the evolution and proliferation of so many species? The dynamics that allow interacting species to coexist in an ecosystem simultaneously influence the productivity, nutrient dynamics and stability of that ecosystem.

23 Mar 2012