The number of deaths from land mines and other unexploded devices left behind after wars has dropped to the lowest level since tracking began a dozen years ago thanks to concerted efforts to clear unexploded ordnances, advocacy groups said in a report issued at the United Nations. Fewer governments are producing or using land mines, with India, Myanmar and Pakistan being the only countries still producing the devices, according to the report.
UN official issues grave Haiti cholera warning
Haiti’s cholera outbreak is spreading quickly and may result in hundreds of thousands of cases over the course of a year, warns Nigel Fisher, United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Haiti. Efforts to prevent more deaths from the outbreak are being hampered by bureaucracy and a lack of dedicated fund, according to Fisher.
Debate over pope’s condom remarks continues
Theologians around the globe are debating the meaning behind remarks from Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican on the use of condoms by prostitutes and others to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Church teachings previously banned the use of condoms under any circumstances, and the remarks have sparked debate over whether the pontiff’s comments reflect a shift on the broader issues of contraception.
Missed vaccinations are behind Congo polio outbreak
Health officials are pointing to a “lost generation” of Congolese who were never immunized as a partial reason for the recent spike in polio that has killed more than 150 people. The virus, which spread from neighboring Angola, primarily is infecting adults between the ages of 15 and 25.