Health
Pharmaceutical giant allows generic AIDS drugs
One of the world’s largest drug companies, GlaxoSmithKline, has said it will allow the manufacturers of generic drugs to produce versions of all its medicines for treating HIV and AIDS. Anchor Jeb Sharp speaks with Michelle Childs, Director of Policy at the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. Listen
Swine flu hits Argentina
A health emergency is in effect in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, following the latest outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out more from reporter Richard Reynolds.
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Swine flu hits Africa
The World’s Andrea Crossan reports from Nairobi, Kenya on worries over the swine flu hitting Africa. Just under 10 cases have been confirmed in sub-Sarahan Africa. But health experts are concerned about the disease spreading in the continent’s crowded slums. Listen
Soft food and obesity
A Harvard anthropologist says soft food is sabotaging the battle against obesity. He argues that the modern diet is too over-processed and spongy. Anchor Marco Werman gets the story from The World’s science correspondent David Kohn. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Download mp3
World Books Review: The Old Maid’s Tale
All great anti-utopian novels focus on a disturbing aspect of the present, pushing it to its most horrific conclusions. In “1984,” it’s the panoptic police state. In “Brave New World,” the sexualization and Americanization of England. In “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the subjugation of women through the sanctification of childbirth. In Ninni Holmqvist’s “The Unit,” the issue in question is the way the childless, especially the childless elderly, are looked down upon as irrelevant.
Obama addresses health care and Iran
President Obama spoke with reporters today about the unrest in Iran, where protests against the results of the recent presidential election have roiled the country and captured the attention of the world. The president’s comments came at an afternoon press conference in the White House Rose Garden. The World’s Katy Clark has our report. Listen
Innovative Plan to Protect Bogota’s Water Supply
The World’s Marco Werman reports from Bogota, Colombia, on an innovative partnership aimed at protecting the region’s delicate watershed. Listen
What’s a pandemic?
The World’s Katy Clark reports on confusion surrounding what exactly constitutes a pandemic. The debate is sparked by the spread of the swine flu in Australia. The country has been hit hard, but the World Health Organization has stopped short of declaring a pandemic. Listen
Mexico’s economy suffers from swine flu (3:30)
Mexico’s finance minister estimates that the swine flu is going to cost the country’s economy more than two billion dollars. The World’s Lorne Matalon speaks with a number of Mexicans about how the outbreak may not have hurt their health, but it certainly hurt their wallets.
Egypt’s pig slaughter (4:30)
In Egypt, the government has responded to the swine flu outbreak by ordering the slaughter of all of the country’s pigs. Residents of one Cairo slum say the move will do nothing to protect Egyptians from the virus, even as it destroys their livelihood. Aya Batrawy reports from Cairo.
Polio vaccination effort in east Africa (2:50)
Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Chris Maher of the World Health Organization, who is helping coordinate a massive polio vaccination campaign in Kenya and Uganda. Health workers plan to immunize nearly 5 million children tomorrow. The virus had been eradicated from those countries years ago, but it recently reappeared.
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