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Bloggers Scrutinize Fox News' O'Reilly's Past Comments On Murdered Abortion Provider Tiller
Some liberal journalists and bloggers are criticizing Fox News host Bill O"Reilly for the language he has used when discussing abortion provider George Tiller, with some suggesting that his harsh rhetoric incites violence, the New York Times reports. Tiller, who was one of a small number of U.S. doctors who performed abortions later in pregnancy, was shot and killed on Sunday while serving as an usher in his local church. On Monday, O"Reilly said that "clear-thinking Americans should condemn" the murder but also defended his past remarks about Tiller. O"Reilly said that "every single thing we said about Tiller was true, and my analysis was based on those facts."Salon within nine hours of Tiller"s death had posted video clips of 29 on-air references that O"Reilly had made about Tiller on past programs. O"Reilly has said that Tiller and other abortion providers conduct the "business of destruction" and that he "wouldn"t want to be these people if there is a Judgment Day." Media Matters for America on its site published a 2006 clip in which O"Reilly said, "If I could get my hands on Tiller," adding, "Well, you know. Can"t be vigilantes. Can"t do that. It"s just a figure of speech."According to the Times, O"Reilly often draws particular attention because his cable news show has held a No. 1 rating for the past seven years. Burt Neuborne, a New York University law professor and a former legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that a commentator"s language, regardless of its severity, usually cannot be treated as an incitement of violence unless it includes direct instructions to individuals. He added, "It"s important not to allow that to happen. It would have a dramatic effect on the ability to speak vigorously" (Stelter, New York Times, 6/2).

Depression Medications May Reduce Male Fertility
As many as half of all men taking the antidepressant medication paroxetine (trade names Seroxat, Paxil) may have increased sperm DNA fragmentation -- a predictor of compromised fertility. Research led by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center also found that the changes are reversible with normal levels of sperm returning after discontinuation of the drug.
News of the day
Nonstick And Laser-safe Gold Aids Laser Trapping Of Biomolecules
Biophysicists long for an ideal material - something more structured and less sticky than a standard glass surface - to anchor and position individual biomolecules. Gold is an alluring possibility, with its simple chemistry and the ease with which it can be patterned. Unfortunately, gold also tends to be sticky and can be melted by lasers. Now, biophysicists at JILA have made gold more precious than ever - at least as a research tool - by creating nonstick gold surfaces and laser-safe gold nanoposts, a potential boon to laser trapping of biomolecules.
Nutrition

Global Commitment Announced In Fight Against Leading Killer Of Children

A new strategy in the fight against pneumonia, the world"s greatest killer of children, was announced in Lecce, Italy. Global health partners gathered to sign an innovative new financing agreement called the Advance Market Commitment (AMC), designed to accelerate access to life-saving new vaccines and medicines in developing countries. The first AMC to be implemented will focus on vaccines against pneumococcal diseases, which kill an estimated 800,000 children under five each year, with more than 90 per cent of these deaths occurring in developing countries. Pneumococcus is also the leading cause of pneumonia, which is implicated in 17 per cent of deaths of children under five, making it deadlier to young children than AIDS, measles and malaria combined. "The introduction of pneumococcal vaccine in developing countries has the potential to give us the kind of dramatic progress we desperately need in the fight to reduce under-five mortality globally," said Peter Salama, UNICEF"s Chief of Health, from New York. "But we have to go even further and take this opportunity to revitalize the whole package of services necessary to tackling pneumonia, such as providing treatment with antibiotics at the community level, ensuring high coverage of other vaccines such as Hib and measles, and promoting breastfeeding and hand-washing with soap." The AMC will use funds committed by donors to guarantee the price of yet-to-be-developed vaccines, providing manufacturers with more certain market conditions and the incentive to make the considerable investment required to develop new vaccines in the quantities required by developing countries. The goal is to create a self-sustaining marketplace with affordable prices for eligible countries, who in turn will receive support from the GAVI Alliance to purchase the new vaccines. "Vaccines are critical to saving children"s lives but developing them is expensive and often market conditions can make developing new vaccines unattractive for suppliers," said Shanelle Hall, Director of UNICEF"s Supply Division. "The AMC has been designed to take some of the risk out of the process by supporting market development and providing a level of security for a product before it even exists." Over the last 18 months, the GAVI Alliance, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Bank have been working alongside donors to ensure that the financing, legal and operational instruments serve the AMC objectives. UNICEF will be responsible for the procurement and international distribution of the new vaccines as they become available, and will be supporting governments at country level to help ensure the vaccines reach the children. The AMC model will also have future applicability for the development of other new vaccines and commodities to help fight childhood diseases. Finance Ministers from Italy, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia, and Norway, and representatives from the GAVI Alliance, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Bank, were on hand for the official signing of the AMC. About UNICEF UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world"s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. UNICEF


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