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Water
Supply 'Unstable' for Most of Africa
March
3, 2006
Water
supplies across Africa could be significantly depleted by climate change by the
late 21st century, say South African geologists in a paper published online.
They say their findings underline
the need to have effective water management systems across the continent, and
particularly in rural areas whose normally year-round rivers are at risk of
drying out in future.
Source:
SciDev.net
NASA
kills off troubled asteroid mission
March
4, 2006
The
Dawn mission to study two of the solar system's largest main-belt asteroids,
Vesta and Ceres, has been cancelled, NASA confirmed on Friday. The mission had
been in development for more than four years.
òSource:
New Scientist
127
Dead in South Sudan Cholera Outbreak
March
5, 2006
The
death toll from a suspected outbreak of cholera in southern Sudan has risen to
127, the World Heath Organization said. Sudanese health authorities, "in
collaboration with WHO and other partners, reported a total number of 5,634
cases and 127 deaths from acute watery diarrhea in southern Sudan," the WHO
said in a statement.
Source:
Sudan Tribune
Researchers
Identify First Compound to Block Progression of Alzheimer's Disease
March
5, 2006
Researchers
at UC Irvine have found that a new compound not only relieves the cognitive
symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but also reduces the two types of brain lesions
that are hallmarks of this devastating disease, thereby blocking its
progression.
Source:
Sciencedaily.com
Himalayan
Melting Risk Surveyed
March
5, 2006
A
new weather station is expected to show the extent of warming in the Himalayas,
one of the world's biggest deposits of ice and a key source of fresh water.
There have been numerous reports of glacial retreats in the Himalayas over the
years, but this weather station will be able to quantify changes to the local
climate.
Source:
BBC News
Austria
Detects Bird Flu in Cats
March
6, 2006
Austria
says it has detected the potentially lethal strain of bird flu in several live
cats. The discovery, in the southern state of Styria, follows the detection of
H5N1 in a dead cat in Germany last week.
Source:
BBC News
Two-Minute
Test Could Prevent Needless Caesareans
March
7, 2006
A
speedy new biosensor to indicate oxygen starvation in unborn children could help
prevent women in labor from undergoing unnecessary caesarean sections, its
inventors claim. Dangerous oxygen starvation, or “fetal hypoxia”, currently
takes time to detect so many doctors proceed to caesarean surgery rather than
risk a child’s life. But such operations also carry health risks for the
mothers.
Source:
New Scientist.com
Dalai
Lama Offers Lifeline to Indian Tiger
March
8, 2006
The
Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, has thrown a lifeline to India's dwindling
tiger population after an emotional appeal to outlaw the trade in animal skins
provoked an extraordinary reaction in his homeland. Conservationists say there
has been a sharp rise in the poaching of tigers and leopards in India in recent
years to feed an explosion of demand from Tibet. They say the tiger faced being
wiped out in India as a result.
Source:
environmental News Network
Iran
threatens U.S. over nuclear program
March
9, 2006
Iran
threatened the United States with "harm and pain" Wednesday if the
U.S. tries to use the U.N. Security Council which has the power to impose
sanctions as a lever to punish Tehran for its suspect nuclear program.
Source:
Abc News
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