Women sue over popular birth control patch

Lawsuits claim contraceptive caused serious illness and at least one death - Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - More than 40 women sued the makers of a popular birth-control patch Wednesday, claiming the contraceptive caused serious illnesses and at least one death. One lawsuit alleges that 43 women suffered from blood clots and other health ailments after taking Ortho Evra, one of the fastest-growing forms of contraception in the U.S. A second complaint claims that 25-year-old Kelly Bracken of Elk Ridge, Md., died of severe blood clots in her lungs and legs after she started wearing the skin patch. See: Women sue over birth-control patch

El-Tsadeek Ben Baruch - The next Tiger Woods???

Flowers High team scores well at county championships
Thursday, Oct. 26, 2006
by Ted Black, The Gazette - Staff Writer

"Flowers’ Geoffrey Napper shot an 83 at the county championships last week at Enterprise Golf Course in Mitchellville. It was the lowest male score."

Prince George’s County placed three girls among the top 10 in the state in this week’s state high school championships at the University of Maryland. Among county boys participating at the state tournament, Roosevelt senior Alex Mihalik (158) shot consecutive rounds of 79 to finish among the top 30. Mihalik was 16 strokes behind South River’s Josh Eure (142). Flowers junior Geoffery Napper (166) also had a respectable showing on rounds of 81 Monday and 85 on Wednesday...Sweet was the top female player and was the lowest junior. Napper (83) and Roosevelt’s Matt Zaiger (86) were the top male juniors. Nicole West (85) won the sophomore crown, followed closely by Bowie’s Rob Wiemann (88) and Flowers’ sophomore Gavin Thompson (88). Bowie’s Steven Hyre (87) recorded the lowest round among freshmen, six strokes better than Roosevelt’s Jake Park.

OIL AND GAS DISCOVERED IN ZAMBIA - Part 2

Zambia has announced its first discoveries of oil and gas reserves.
Submitted by Herta Malita Shikapwashya - KNN Staff-International Geopolitics Reporter

The discoveries were made in western Zambia, near the border with Angola, already a major oil exporter. President Levy Mwanawasa said that samples from 12 sites have proved positive in tests conducted in Germany. Exploration had been carried out for the past two years, as part of efforts to diversify the economy away from copper exports.

'Strengthen the economy'
Mr Mwanawasa said the government would now appoint a special cabinet committee to select foreign oil firms to conduct comprehensive exploration. "These results confirm the presence of oil and gas in the sub-surface of the two districts of Chavuma and Zambezi," he said. He said he hoped they could also look for oil in other parts of the country. "It is hoped that the country will see more exploration and extraction activities for oil and gas in different parts that would strengthen the country's economy," said Mr Mwanawasa. The president won a second term in office in September, having campaigned on his economic record. Western donors have praised him for boosting economic growth above 5% and attracting foreign investments, helped by his anti-corruption campaign. Yet Mr Mwanawasa's main rival for the presidency, Michael Sata, alleged that he was cheated of victory.

Britain seeks ‘bold’ climate action, hires Gore

Report by senior economist says it's cheaper to fight than let it happen
MSNBC News Services

LONDON - Unchecked global warming will devastate the global economy on the scale of the world wars and the Great Depression, according to a major British report released Monday that seeks to quantify the costs and benefits of action as well as inaction. British Treasury chief Gordon Brown, who commissioned the report and who could very well become Britain's next prime minister when Tony Blair steps down next year, said former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, who has dedicated himself to warning about global warming, would advise the British government on climate change.

Introducing the report, Blair said unabated climate change would eventually cost the world between 5 percent and 20 percent of global gross domestic product each year...He called for “bold and decisive action” to cut carbon dioxide emissions and stem the worst of the temperature rise. And Blair called the report “the most important document on the future” that he had read since becoming prime minister...Blair emphasized that the scientific community agrees that the world is warming, and that greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are largely to blame. “It is not in doubt that if the science is right, the consequences for our planet are literally disastrous,” he said. “This disaster is not set to happen in some science fiction future many years ahead, but in our lifetime. Unless we act now ... these consequences, disastrous as they are, will be irreversible,” he added. See Article: UK issues warming warning, hires Gore