29 killed in Thailand bus accident: police
A bus carrying New Year travellers plunged off one of Thailand's highest bridges in the kingdom's northeast, leaving at least 29 people dead, police said Friday.
Vaccine fears in China after hepatitis B scare
Chinese state-run media and Internet users demanded action Wednesday after the deaths of at least seven babies since November following their vaccinations against hepatitis B.
Airline's pay-by-weight fares take off with passengers
The head of a tiny Pacific airline that pioneered a fare system based on passengers' weight said Wednesday the move had been so successful the carrier is upgrading its fleet.
Qantas steward with Parkinson's to sue over pesticide link
A former Qantas steward who believes he developed Parkinson's disease after repeated exposure to government-mandated pesticides sprayed in the cabin plans to sue Canberra, his lawyer said Monday.
Air pollution in Europe kills even at guideline levels
Europeans with long-term exposure to particulate pollution from road traffic or industry run a higher risk of premature death, even if air quality meets EU standards, a study said on Monday.
Polio in Syria poses risk for Europe: doctors
An outbreak of polio in Syria poses a threat to Europe, where the crippling and potentially fatal disease was declared eradicated in 2002, doctors warned on Friday.
WHO launches drive against mercury thermometers
The World Health Organization and campaigners launched a drive Friday to try to wipe out mercury in medical thermometers, a day after nations signed a UN treaty to control the toxic liquid metal.
Early childhood deaths halved since 1990: report
Early childhood deaths around the world have been cut in half since 1990 but some 18,000 children under five still die every day.
New meningitis vaccine slashes cases by 94 percent
A new vaccine being rolled out in the "meningitis belt" that stretches across north-central Africa has reduced cases of the potentially fatal disease by 94 percent.
Kazakhstan may face food deficit by 2050
The climate changes in Central Asian countries may have a significant effect of the region’s food security: WHO.
Iron supplements do not boost malaria risk: study
Global health experts have warned against giving iron supplements in areas where malaria is rampant, but a study Tuesday found no rise in cases of the mosquito-borne disease among children who took iron.
Follow-up study backs circumcision against HIV
A follow-up probe into the use of circumcision to thwart the AIDS virus has confirmed that foreskin removal greatly reduces the risk of HIV infection for men.
Long-term study backs early HIV drugs for children
A landmark five-year trial has strengthened evidence that early use of antiretroviral drugs helps children combat the AIDS virus.
Three new cases of MERS virus confirmed in Saudi: WHO
Three women have contracted the deadly MERS virus in Saudi Arabia, which has been hardest hit by the enigmatic disease.
Nearly six million die from smoking every year: WHO
Despite public health campaigns, smoking remains the leading avoidable cause of death worldwide, killing almost six million people a year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries.
Wave of strange double suicides sweeps through Kazakhstan
An Internet group of young suiciders may be behind the series of the tragic events in Kazakhstan.
WHO urges action against obesity as poor nations get fatter
Alarmed at expanding waistlines around the world, the UN's health agency has urged countries to get serious about reining in a ballooning obesity crisis.
Three new cases of SARS-like virus in Saudi Arabia
Three new cases of a new SARS-like virus have been detected in Saudi Arabia.
WHO team probes bird flu in Shanghai
A World Health Organisation team was due Monday to wrap up a trip to Shanghai, centre of China's bird flu outbreak which has killed 20 people, as part of an investigation into how the virus is spreading.
Saudi death from SARS-like virus: WHO
A SARS-like virus that has struck in Britain and the Middle East has claimed a new victim in Saudi Arabia, bringing the global toll from the mystery illness to nine.