UNICEF Innocenti's Report Card 17 explores how 43 OECD/EU countries are faring in providing healthy environments for children. Beyond children’s immediate environments, over-consumption in some of the world’s richest countries is destroying children’s environments globally. This threatens both children worldwide and future generations. To provide all children with safe and …
leukaemia breakthrough: A study by a team of scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital in Boston, USA, shows that cancer stem cells are different from normal blood stem cells. Led by Scott Armstrong, the team suggests that targeting these cells would be an effective way to treat …
the human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) that causes aids is attenuating (getting weaker), claim scientists at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. They say their study suggests if the attenuation observed in hiv-1 continues, aids may not remain life-threatening 50-100 years from now. Attenuation is a survival tactic used …
resh doubts have been raised about the safety of aspartame, an artificial sweetener used extensively in processed foods and also as a tabletop sweetener. The European Food Safety Authority (efsa) has decided to evaluate its safety in view of the findings of a study carried out by the European Foundation …
October 16, 2003 saw the release in the uk of Farm Scale Evaluations of GM Crops , the largest-ever field trials to be hitherto held. Commissioned by the uk government in 1999, the crops on trial were Bayer's oilseed rape, maize and fodder beet, and Monsanto's sugar beet. According to …
Conflict diamonds (precious stones used to finance clashes aimed at undermining legitimate governments) may soon go out of business. Belgian scientists have devised a method to ascertain the mine from which each diamond is sourced. The development comes as a shot in the arm for those campaigning against illegal trade …
toxic taint: Green Indian seedless grapes have been taken off supermarket shelves in Belgium following the detection of high levels of pesticide residues in the product in the Netherlands recently. The Belgian Food Safety Authority took this decision over fears of high chemical residue levels, leading to stomach cramps in …
Ten European Union (eu) states have shown little urgency in adopting a law on recycling cars. Taking serious note of this, the European Commission has issued formal warnings to them. The countries are France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal and Finland. The eu's end-of-life vehicles law should …
A study carried out by a number of Belgium universities has shown that even a moderate exposure to pollutants like polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons (pahs) can retard sexual maturation in children. Till date only occupational or accidental exposure had been implicated for such problems. The study was conducted on 200 adolescents …
taking a cue from Sweden and Germany, Belgium is going ahead with its plan to phase out the country's nuclear reactors by 2025. Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt recently said that his cabinet would ask parliament to pass a controversial bill to this effect. "We are going to proceed with …
a new food crisis resembling the dioxin scare has cropped up in Belgium after carcinogenic chemicals were found in chicken feed. While allaying public fears, Belgian health officials have extended their search to the makers of the ingredients for the feed given by a compounder in the western Flemish town …
a recent spurt has been witnessed in the demand for ultra low sulphur diesel (ulsd), with several European countries switching over to the green fuel (containing 50 parts per million of sulphur). The resultant shortage has pushed up ulsd prices on the Rotterdam (Netherlands) barge market by us $20 a …
Human exposure to dioxins is mainly through food but the primary source is incinerators. There are more than 210 molecular variations of chlorinated dioxins and furans in emission from incinerators. Modern incinerators still emit large quantities of toxic chemicals and the ashes are dumped in landfills. With heightened public awareness, …
Banned toxic chemicals that can cause cancer are sneaking into food more often and at higher levels than anyone suspected. Tests on over 20,000 food samples in Belgium in the wake of a massive food scandal in 1999 have revealed that up to four per cent of the samples contain …
children exposed to ddt (dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane) attain puberty at a much younger age, reveals a new study. The study shows that girls exposed to ddt develop breasts and start their menstruation cycle by the age of ten, both processes which generally start at the age of 12. The study carried out …
the Sun is going to run out of fuel in about 7-8 billion years. What will happen to the planets then, especially to Earth? Research suggests, if tidal forces are taken into account, then the Earth is likely to evaporate when the Sun treads towards its death ( Icarus , …
japan and the European Union (eu) have legislated to make manufacturers responsible for recycling their products once they have reached the end of their useful life. In Japan it is the electrical appliance producers and in Europe the car manufacturers who will have to adhere to these regulations. In Japan, …
The European Commission said it would file a lawsuit against four European Union (eu) countries as they have been unsuccessful in implementing a law associated with controlling industrial pollution. Luxembourg's European Court of Justice will take legal action against Spain, Greece and Finland and the uk . The commission also …
in a report entitled "North Sea Offshore Wind-A European Powerhouse', the German Wind Energy Institute has highlighted the wind power potential of five countries
in a recently released report, the World Wide Fund for Nature (wwf) says golden toads are disappearing in Costa Rica due to change in natural habitat induced by global warming. The extinction of this particular species is one of the global trends that have sent populations into decline for many …
