March 24, 2006

The most powerful camera ever sent into space has relayed its first batch of detailed test images of the Red Planet. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter sent four photos back to Earth early on Friday morning. NASA says the image "illustrates processes that may have involved water both on ancient Mars (channels and eroded craters) and much more recently in Mars's history (the younger mantle of debris)."

March 25, 2006

The World Bank will donate $2 million to help Palestinians contain an outbreak of the deadly avian flu in the Gaza Strip. Contagions were discovered in two Gaza chicken farms this week, the first cases in Palestinian-ruled areas. But the culling of the poultry has been held up, with the owners insisting they be guaranteed compensation.

March 26, 2006

An Egyptian girl who survived an operation to remove a second head has died from a brain infection. Manar Maged suffered from a rare condition that occurs when an embryo splits in the womb but does not develop fully into a twin. Her second head could smile and blink, but could not survive independently.

March 27, 2006

Weightlifting appears to improve breast cancer survivors' outlook on life, suggests one of the first studies to scientifically measure the effects of such exercise. The physical and psychological benefits of exercise are well-documented. But this study is the first to apply scientific methodology to looking at how weight-training helps women who have had breast cancer. However, the women in the exercise group said they felt they had more strength, speed and self-confidence as a result of the workouts. It appears the weightlifting helped them regain a feeling of control of their bodies, researchers said.

A nationwide polio immunization campaign is underway in Somalia to halt an outbreak of the disease which has paralyzed nearly 200 children since last July. Despite the often difficult conditions, tens of thousands of volunteers are working to vaccinate more than 1.4 million children under the age of five over the coming days.

March 28, 2006

An old-fashioned method may offer a cheap and quick way to protect against the H5N1 bird flu virus. Chinese scientists have produced antibodies in horses that are an effective treatment for bird flu – at least in mice.

March 29, 2006

An estimated 2.5 million Ethiopians are suffering from the effects of the drought that has wreaked havoc in the Horn of Africa. The crisis had been exacerbated by difficulties transporting food to the remote Somali region, damaged water wells and low livestock prices, which had fallen by about 60 percent.

March 29, 2006

The authorities in the Czech Republic have confirmed their first case of the H5N1 bird flu virus. Preliminary tests on a dead swan found last week 130km (80 miles) south of Prague show the bird had the strain. Thirteen EU countries have now confirmed outbreaks of bird flu, which has killed more than 100 people in Asia since 2003.

March 29, 2006

Apple has introduced volume controls for iPods following fears about links between personal music players and potentially irreversible hearing loss. The company has made available a free download update allowing users to set a personal maximum volume limit. Parents will also be able to set a locked limit on their child's players.

March 30, 2006

It began to make its run in Brazil, hit the African mainland in Ghana, quickly spread across Libya, Egypt and Turkey and ended in Mongolia. The shadow thrown by yesterday's total eclipse of the Sun enthralled and amazed spectators across the world as it raced from one end of the earth to the other.