Obama gives stem cells a go

A stem cell is a type of cell that can turn into any other type of cell in the human body. Our organs, muscles and even bones were formed out of stem cells when we were just embryos. Many say the researches on the embryonic stem cells can lead to medical breakthroughs; however, it raises ethical questions. 

Former President George W. Bush did not let anybody use government money to support researches on stem cells. Current President Barack Obama decided to lift all the restrictions on the funding of these projects, saying: “The restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem cell research have handcuffed our scientists.” This decision comes as a promise from the current president who said that if elected he would not let politics interfere with any scientific research, and he would reverse the decision of the Bush administration. 

Note that stem cells can also be created without using any embryos. But of course to develop such techniques would require again a huge amount of money, which cannot be raised without any significant support. Therefore several researches welcomed Obama’s decision. Dr George Daley of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute said: "I feel vindicated after eight years of struggle, and I know it's going to energise my research team.” 

But there will always be people who protest against stem cell researches. For example, Dr Robert Evans, a pastor and bioethicist, who expressed his views to BBC early this year: “What it signals is that the human embryo has been denied moral standing and a corresponding right to life. As an evangelical who believes all life is created equal in the image of God, and that we have moral standing from the moment of conception, I would view that as a very chilling decision." 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7929690.stm

North Korea to launch satellite

Soon the communist North Korea will launch a rocket that will carry a communications satellite. This piece of news is official; however, leaders of the country gave no information on the date of the launch that will obviously be a “great step forward for the communist state.” 

According to BBC this is not the first occasion that such a statement has been made. At the end of the 1990’s North Korea tested its short-range missile called Taepodong-1 and it announced that it would launch a satellite into orbit. That, however, has not happened so far. 

Nevertheless, North Korea has not given up his idea to put a satellite on the sky. It is said that the successor of the first Taepodong missile, Taepodong-2 will be launched from the site in the northeast of the country. BBC quoted the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA): „Full-scale preparations are under way to launch a rocket Unha-2 to put communication satellite Kwangmyongsong-2 into orbit. When this satellite is successfully launched, our space technology will make a great step forward toward becoming an economically strong country.” 

Some say that since Taepodong-2 is a long-range missile it has a theoretical range of almost 7,000 km, which is just enough to target the USA. The missile was tested back in 2006 and the test seemed to be a failure: Taepodong-2 exploded. It was not long ago when new US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton visited Asia, including North Korea and gave a warning in terms of „rash moves”. 

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7907039.stm