Watching the World
Watching the World
Kidnappings in Latin America
Kidnapping has become a multimillion-dollar business in Latin America, according to the Argentine newspaper Ámbito Financiero. During 1995 some 6,000 cases were reported there. A recent study revealed that Colombia had by far the highest number, with 1,060 kidnappings during 1995, followed by Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, each with hundreds of cases during the same period. Every year, Colombian kidnappers are paid about 300 million dollars in ransoms. In Brazil the amount paid kidnappers tripled during 1995, reaching a total of about one billion dollars. The victims may be rich and famous or they may be average tourists or housewives from low-income families. In some cases the kidnappers are willing to receive the ransom in installments. Fearing subsequent kidnappings, the victims on occasion continue to pay the installments even after the hostage is released.
Optimism Can Be Healthy
A recent study conducted in Finland reaffirmed the belief that pessimism can increase the risk of mental and physical illness, whereas optimism can promote good health. About 2,500 men between the ages of 42 and 60 were observed over a period of from 4 to 10 years. According to the magazine Science News, scientists reported that the men with “moderate to high hopelessness died . . . at two to three times the rate of those reporting low or no hopelessness; the former group also developed cancer and heart attacks more frequently.”
Overweight Children
According to the newspaper The Weekend Australian, Dr. Philip Harvey, a public-health nutritionist, recently announced that “Australian children are getting fatter and they’re getting fatter fast.” His concern is based on a recent study showing that the proportion of overweight children in Australia has doubled in the last ten years. About 10 percent of children between the ages of 9 and 15 need medical treatment because of their weight problem. Dr. Harvey believes that the percentage of overweight children could double again in the next ten years. As is the case with adults, lack of exercise is the primary cause for the increase in obesity in children, notes the newspaper, and high-fat diets are also a factor.
Bad Air
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has concluded that Rome is being polluted by benzene, a suspected cancer-producing pollutant emitted from automobiles. Researchers for WWF equipped 400 young volunteers between the ages of 8 and 18 with benzene sensors. The study revealed that in Rome one “cubic meter [35 cubic feet] of air contains an average of 23.3 micrograms of benzene,” a figure well above the legal limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter. Based on this study, scientists explained that merely one day of breathing polluted air in Rome is equivalent to smoking 13 cigarettes, reports the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Meningitis Outbreak in West Africa
Over 100,000 people have become sick and more than 10,000 have died in one of the worst West African outbreaks of infectious disease in recent memory, reports the International Herald Tribune. Bacterial meningitis has hit hardest in the dry, dusty region just south of the Sahara Desert, where respiratory infections are common. The disease causes inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. It spreads through the air—a cough or a sneeze can pass it on. The disease can be prevented by vaccines and can be treated, especially in its early stages, by antibiotics. “The meningitis epidemic of 1996 is by far the worst that sub-Saharan Africa has ever seen,” said a spokesman for Doctors Without Borders. “The death toll just keeps going up,” he added.
No Ban on Land Mines
After two years of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, international negotiators failed to agree to a global ban on land mines. Although they decided to outlaw some types of mines and put restrictions on others, a total ban on all antipersonnel mines will not be reconsidered until the next review conference, scheduled for the year 2001. Meanwhile, according to one estimate, during those five years, land mines will likely kill another 50,000 people and maim 80,000—mostly civilians. An editorial in The Washington Post lamented the decision, saying: “Nations with large mine inventories find these weapons devilishly appealing, notwithstanding the brutal and continuing civilian toll they take after the conflict for which they were laid is over.” According to estimates by the United Nations, there are presently some 100 million mines buried in 68 countries.
The Rapid Growth of Cities
Ever more people are moving to the cities, reports the United Nations publication The State of World Population 1996. Within the next ten years, residents of the world’s cities will number 3.3 billion, about half the projected world population of 6.59 billion. In the year 1950, the number of cities with populations over one million numbered 83. Today there are over 280, a figure that is expected to almost double by the year 2015. In 1950, only New York City had over 10 million inhabitants; today, there are 14 such cities, with Tokyo topping the list at 26.5 million.
“Nature Knows Best”
“Nature knows best after oil spills,” reports New Scientist magazine. Conservationists feared an environmental catastrophe in 1978 when the oil tanker Amoco Cadiz wrecked off the coast of Brittany, northern France. Local authorities spent six months removing thousands of tons of oil-contaminated mud and marshland from one area. Another heavily contaminated area remained uncleaned. A comparison of the two now reveals that the cleanup teams removed so much mud and marshland that up to 39 percent of marsh vegetation has failed to regrow. However, in the untouched area, sea waves have cleaned the mud so well that now 21 percent more vegetation flourishes than before the oil spill. The marsh recovered fully, and no sign of oil pollution has been seen there for several years.
Reckless Water-Biking
Personal watercraft, widely known as water bikes, are increasingly popular in the United States. These small boats reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour [100 km/hr] and have the maneuverability of a motorcycle. Of much concern is the growing number of serious, sometimes fatal, accidents involving these boats. According to The Wall Street Journal, it is estimated that “as many as 60% of accidents are caused by renters.” Although most riders wear life vests in compliance with the law, many have little experience with boating etiquette and handle the vehicles recklessly. A Coast Guard official explained that “when a rider is thrown going 50 mph [80 km/hr], the water impact is like hitting a building.”
Found—A 2,000-Year-Old Boat
A record low water level in the Sea of Galilee in 1986 revealed a boat dating from the time of Jesus. Since then, the boat has been soaking in a preservative to slow down its deterioration. Now, National Geographic reports, it has been removed from the preservative and is on display near the town of Magdala. “It is about 27 feet [8 m] long, used a seine net, and would have had four rowers and a helmsman,” explains Shelley Wachsmann, who led the excavation. He added: “At least seven kinds of wood were used, including scraps from older boats. Either wood was scarce or the owner was extremely poor.”
Ensuring Normal Growth
A child’s growth is affected by more than just heredity, says a report in the Jornal do Brasil. “Good nutrition is the main guarantee that proper growth will occur,” notes the newspaper, adding that poor nutrition is common even among middle-class families. “Another fundamental stimulus to growth is regular exercise,” observed professor of endocrinology Amélio Godoy Matos. “Hours of restful sleep should also be guaranteed because the growth hormone is secreted only when the child is sleeping,” he said. Emotional problems likewise can slow the growth of a child. According to endocrinologist Walmir Coutinho, “watching television for hours on end, especially violent films, is harmful to the child’s sleep and may upset sound development.”
Kidnappings in Latin America
Kidnapping has become a multimillion-dollar business in Latin America, according to the Argentine newspaper Ámbito Financiero. During 1995 some 6,000 cases were reported there. A recent study revealed that Colombia had by far the highest number, with 1,060 kidnappings during 1995, followed by Mexico, Brazil, and Peru, each with hundreds of cases during the same period. Every year, Colombian kidnappers are paid about 300 million dollars in ransoms. In Brazil the amount paid kidnappers tripled during 1995, reaching a total of about one billion dollars. The victims may be rich and famous or they may be average tourists or housewives from low-income families. In some cases the kidnappers are willing to receive the ransom in installments. Fearing subsequent kidnappings, the victims on occasion continue to pay the installments even after the hostage is released.
Optimism Can Be Healthy
A recent study conducted in Finland reaffirmed the belief that pessimism can increase the risk of mental and physical illness, whereas optimism can promote good health. About 2,500 men between the ages of 42 and 60 were observed over a period of from 4 to 10 years. According to the magazine Science News, scientists reported that the men with “moderate to high hopelessness died . . . at two to three times the rate of those reporting low or no hopelessness; the former group also developed cancer and heart attacks more frequently.”
Overweight Children
According to the newspaper The Weekend Australian, Dr. Philip Harvey, a public-health nutritionist, recently announced that “Australian children are getting fatter and they’re getting fatter fast.” His concern is based on a recent study showing that the proportion of overweight children in Australia has doubled in the last ten years. About 10 percent of children between the ages of 9 and 15 need medical treatment because of their weight problem. Dr. Harvey believes that the percentage of overweight children could double again in the next ten years. As is the case with adults, lack of exercise is the primary cause for the increase in obesity in children, notes the newspaper, and high-fat diets are also a factor.
Bad Air
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has concluded that Rome is being polluted by benzene, a suspected cancer-producing pollutant emitted from automobiles. Researchers for WWF equipped 400 young volunteers between the ages of 8 and 18 with benzene sensors. The study revealed that in Rome one “cubic meter [35 cubic feet] of air contains an average of 23.3 micrograms of benzene,” a figure well above the legal limit of 15 micrograms per cubic meter. Based on this study, scientists explained that merely one day of breathing polluted air in Rome is equivalent to smoking 13 cigarettes, reports the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
Meningitis Outbreak in West Africa
Over 100,000 people have become sick and more than 10,000 have died in one of the worst West African outbreaks of infectious disease in recent memory, reports the International Herald Tribune. Bacterial meningitis has hit hardest in the dry, dusty region just south of the Sahara Desert, where respiratory infections are common. The disease causes inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. It spreads through the air—a cough or a sneeze can pass it on. The disease can be prevented by vaccines and can be treated, especially in its early stages, by antibiotics. “The meningitis epidemic of 1996 is by far the worst that sub-Saharan Africa has ever seen,” said a spokesman for Doctors Without Borders. “The death toll just keeps going up,” he added.
No Ban on Land Mines
After two years of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, international negotiators failed to agree to a global ban on land mines. Although they decided to outlaw some types of mines and put restrictions on others, a total ban on all antipersonnel mines will not be reconsidered until the next review conference, scheduled for the year 2001. Meanwhile, according to one estimate, during those five years, land mines will likely kill another 50,000 people and maim 80,000—mostly civilians. An editorial in The Washington Post lamented the decision, saying: “Nations with large mine inventories find these weapons devilishly appealing, notwithstanding the brutal and continuing civilian toll they take after the conflict for which they were laid is over.” According to estimates by the United Nations, there are presently some 100 million mines buried in 68 countries.
The Rapid Growth of Cities
Ever more people are moving to the cities, reports the United Nations publication The State of World Population 1996. Within the next ten years, residents of the world’s cities will number 3.3 billion, about half the projected world population of 6.59 billion. In the year 1950, the number of cities with populations over one million numbered 83. Today there are over 280, a figure that is expected to almost double by the year 2015. In 1950, only New York City had over 10 million inhabitants; today, there are 14 such cities, with Tokyo topping the list at 26.5 million.
“Nature Knows Best”
“Nature knows best after oil spills,” reports New Scientist magazine. Conservationists feared an environmental catastrophe in 1978 when the oil tanker Amoco Cadiz wrecked off the coast of Brittany, northern France. Local authorities spent six months removing thousands of tons of oil-contaminated mud and marshland from one area. Another heavily contaminated area remained uncleaned. A comparison of the two now reveals that the cleanup teams removed so much mud and marshland that up to 39 percent of marsh vegetation has failed to regrow. However, in the untouched area, sea waves have cleaned the mud so well that now 21 percent more vegetation flourishes than before the oil spill. The marsh recovered fully, and no sign of oil pollution has been seen there for several years.
Reckless Water-Biking
Personal watercraft, widely known as water bikes, are increasingly popular in the United States. These small boats reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour [100 km/hr] and have the maneuverability of a motorcycle. Of much concern is the growing number of serious, sometimes fatal, accidents involving these boats. According to The Wall Street Journal, it is estimated that “as many as 60% of accidents are caused by renters.” Although most riders wear life vests in compliance with the law, many have little experience with boating etiquette and handle the vehicles recklessly. A Coast Guard official explained that “when a rider is thrown going 50 mph [80 km/hr], the water impact is like hitting a building.”
Found—A 2,000-Year-Old Boat
A record low water level in the Sea of Galilee in 1986 revealed a boat dating from the time of Jesus. Since then, the boat has been soaking in a preservative to slow down its deterioration. Now, National Geographic reports, it has been removed from the preservative and is on display near the town of Magdala. “It is about 27 feet [8 m] long, used a seine net, and would have had four rowers and a helmsman,” explains Shelley Wachsmann, who led the excavation. He added: “At least seven kinds of wood were used, including scraps from older boats. Either wood was scarce or the owner was extremely poor.”
Ensuring Normal Growth
A child’s growth is affected by more than just heredity, says a report in the Jornal do Brasil. “Good nutrition is the main guarantee that proper growth will occur,” notes the newspaper, adding that poor nutrition is common even among middle-class families. “Another fundamental stimulus to growth is regular exercise,” observed professor of endocrinology Amélio Godoy Matos. “Hours of restful sleep should also be guaranteed because the growth hormone is secreted only when the child is sleeping,” he said. Emotional problems likewise can slow the growth of a child. According to endocrinologist Walmir Coutinho, “watching television for hours on end, especially violent films, is harmful to the child’s sleep and may upset sound development.”
posted by Katherine at 10:44 AM
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