In The News

The Cutting Edge

Margot Cohen August 8, 2007
Framing the face, hair contributes to human appearance, so much so that European religious leader Martin Luther once observed that “The hair is the richest ornament of women.” Men and women, young and old, pursue wigs, hair extensions toupees and other products. Real human hair offers the most authentic look, and hair collection, sorting, dying and crafting have become a big business in Asia....

China's New Appetite for Milk Forces Price Rise in Germany

Kate Connolly August 4, 2007
Dairy milk, with all its calcium and protein, is an excellent source of nutrients for growing children. Comments from Chinese officials, urging Chinese children to drink milk, have helped boost demand. But the nation does not have a history of dairy farming and turns to imports, especially from Europe. One third of all milk produced worldwide now goes to China, reports Kate Connolly for the...

China Cancels Environmental Report

Mitchell Landsberg July 27, 2007
Governments around the globe continue to prioritize the short-term gains of economic growth over the long-term costs of environmental destruction. But with mounting property damage and increasing reports of illnesses such as asthma, nations can’t help but be embarrassed about the costs associated with environmental neglect. In early July, China convinced the World Bank to alter parts of a report...

Libya’s Release of 6 Prisoners Raises Criticism

Matthew Brunwasser and Elaine Sciolino July 24, 2007
In 1999, Libya accused five nurses and a physician, based in Benghazi, of deliberately infecting hundreds of children with the HIV virus that causes AIDS. Over the next eight years, the health-care providers, five from Bulgaria and one from Palestine, endured imprisonment, three trials and death sentences. Analysts suggest that the unsanitary conditions in the hospitals infected the children...

Japan's Nuclear Accident Should Prompt Review

July 21, 2007
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake damaged a Japanese nuclear power plant, and reports of leaks could slow the rush to develop nuclear-power sources around the world. Many governments plan some nuclear capability as a substitute for declining oil supplies. “Accidents of the kind that occurred in Japan are all too likely to take place in Iran, which has seen seven major earthquakes in as many years and is...

Breastfeeding: A Philippine Battleground

Carlos H. Conde July 18, 2007
Research demonstrates that breastfeeding provides many health benefits for infants. As a result, mothers in developed nations have substantially increased breastfeeding rates since 1990. In search of new customers, pharmaceutical firms that make infant formula target mothers in developing nations, including those in the Philippines. One ad campaign hints that formula’s nutrients can increase...

The End of Vaccines?

Laura H. Kahn July 13, 2007
Since the 18th century, vaccines have been hailed as miracle drugs by some and feared by others. Some individuals do have adverse reactions to vaccines, most recently with parents expressing concern that vaccines may have triggered autism in some children. Health concerns and legal cases, particularly over vaccines that once included thimerosal, a mercury-derived preservative, could slow global...