Pakistan 9 most famous issues

Between 1991 and 2003, increased contraceptive use among sexually active teenagers played an important role in driving down teenage pregnancy rates. Since then, according to a new report from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, contraceptive use by teens has declined while their sexual activity has remained unchanged. This is a worrisome shift — and it has bearing on the coming budget battle in Congress. The report’s authors, Dr. John Santelli, Mark Orr, Laura Lindberg and Daniela Diaz, said they found a decrease of about 10 percent in contraception use that is consistent with recent gains in the teenage birth rate. They... read more >>

Same-Sex Partners President Obama’s decision to extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees is a victory for fairness in the workplace. It is a serious omission, however, that his new policy does not include health and retirement benefits, which heterosexual married employees receive. The administration has more work to do, on employee benefits and other issues, to keep its promise to work for equal rights for gay Americans. It is deeply unfair that gay federal employees have not been able to give their partners the same benefits coverage as heterosexual employees. Since benefits are an important part of employment compensation,... read more >>

In their heart of hearts, few in the Obama administration would have predicted late last year that they would be this well positioned by June to achieve a major victory on health care. As the economy faltered, and attention focused on Wall Street and Detroit, it seemed unthinkable that Congress would be ready to devote the summer of 2009 to the costly proposition of providing health coverage for all, a goal that has eluded presidents since Theodore Roosevelt. But five months after the inauguration, health care dominates the domestic agenda on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. Any package that emerges will preserve the country’s private... read more >>

For years, interest groups have fought off efforts at greater regulation The US Senate has backed a bill giving the government far-reaching new powers to try to curb smoking among Americans. If approved by the House of Representatives, the bill will permit nicotine levels in cigarettes to be limited and advertising curtailed. Commentators hailed the vote as a major victory against vested tobacco interests which for years have sought to frustrate regulatory efforts. About 20% of Americans smoke, and the habit kills some 440,000 every year. President Barack Obama hailed the passage of the bill, saying it would “make history by giving the... read more >>

Dr Chan said the pandemic would be of ”moderate severity” The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global flu pandemic after holding an emergency meeting. It means the swine flu virus is spreading in at least two regions of the world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile. WHO chief Dr Margaret Chan said the move did not mean the virus was causing more severe illness or more deaths. The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries. Official reports say there have been nearly 30,000 cases globally and 141 deaths, with figures rising daily. Hong Kong... read more >>

At the World Bank, an internal study found what South African economist Alan White side ridiculed as a “silver lining” in the plague. “If the only effect of the AIDS epidemic were to reduce the population growth rate, it would increase the growth rate of per capital income in any plausible economic model,” said the June 1992 report by the bank’s population and human resources department. Exactly that had happened in the 14th century, the report said, with the bubonic plague. The report did not conclude that AIDS would be a benefit to Africa, even in strictly economic terms, but it hardly marked a clarion call to action. ... read more >>

We don’t know yet how bad this outbreak of swine flu is going to get. At worst, it could turn into a full-fledged pandemic. At best, the outbreak could burn out in the USA with a domestic tally not much larger than the 200 mostly mild cases suspected or confirmed as of Monday. Much of this is up to the nature of the virus itself. But for insight on how the situation should be handled, the nation’s last encounter with swine flu is instructive. It was a fiasco. (In San Francisco: Belia Salgado exits customs after flying back from Mexico City on Monday./ Ben Margot, AP) In 1976, a single death from swine flu in New Jersey and fears... read more >>