The Korea Herald

French first lady finds fellow reporter in Eleanor Roosevelt

PeopleJun 7, 2012

PARIS (AFP) ― French President Francois Hollande’s partner Valerie Trierweiler, a journalist, has written in her first article as first lady about former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s career in journalism.The article, published in Thursday’s issue of Paris Match magazine, reviews a biography by Claude-Catherine Kiejman called “Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady and Rebel,” and retraces Roosevelt’s own dabbles in journalism ― not without irony.“Fancy that! A first lady journalist is nothing new.
Seoul to host world tourism congress in Oct.

TravelJun 7, 2012

The world’s largest tourism organization will hold its world congress in Korea for the first time, its organizing committee said on Tuesday. The gathering of tourism professionals is scheduled to be held Oct.2-7 in Seoul and Incheon this year. “The event will be a great opportunity for Korea to promote itself as a major tourist destination to tourism experts. It means more as this year marks the last year of the travel campaign ‘Visit Korea 2010-2012,’ which expects to reach the goal of attracti
Philip Roth wins top Spanish literary award

CultureJun 7, 2012

MADRID (AFP) ― U.S. writer Philip Roth, whose works include the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “American Pastoral,”has been awarded Spain’s prestigious Prince of Asturias literature award, organizers said Wednesday.The 79-year-old edged out 23 other contenders to take the 50,000-euro ($60,000) prize, one of eight given in different fields by the Asturias Foundation each year.The prize jury praised Roth for “his fluid, incisive writing.”“Characters, events and plots form a complex view of contempor
Jogye Order pledges radical reform

CultureJun 7, 2012

The Jogye Order, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, said on Thursday that it will carry out radical reform to improve the public image of the order recently tarnished by a gambling and prostitution scandal. The order will separate monks from those engaged in administrative work of temple management and allow them to concentrate on missionary work and religious discipline.“The size and the role of temples have expanded along with the rapid growth of the Korean society. However, (The Jogye Order
Doctors warn of fake erectile dysfunction drugs

HealthJun 7, 2012

A group of urologists on Tuesday warned against the use of unauthorized erectile dysfunction treatment pills among men, claiming they could be critical to health. The Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology held a press conference Tuesday in downtown Seoul and said fake ED drugs can cause heart acceleration, headache, hot flashes, bad visibility and other symptoms. In the worst case, constant erection or arrhythmia could prevail, threatening lives, they said. Counterfeit drugs, which ar
In California, it’s Big Tobacco vs. Lance Armstrong

HealthJun 7, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Fabled as a mecca for the health-conscious and fitness-obsessed, California is also one of only a few states that has not hiked its cigarette taxes in the last decade, meaning it is less expensive to light up in Los Angeles and San Francisco than in many other places in the country.The tobacco industry wants to keep it that way.It has amassed nearly $50 million to kill an initiative before California voters that has been championed by cycling star Lance Armstrong and support
Global cancer cases could rise 75% by 2030

HealthJun 7, 2012

LONDON (AP) ― Global cancer cases are projected to rise 75 percent by 2030, in part because many other diseases are being stamped out and more developing countries are adopting Western lifestyles linked to cancer, international health experts reported.While population growth and aging explain much of the increase, at least one-fifth of the new cancer cases will likely be due to preventable factors, the researchers predict.Cancers that are caused by infections, such as cervical cancer and some li
Diabetics: Take care of your feet in summer

HealthJun 7, 2012

People who have had diabetes for a long time not only need to take extra care in the food they consume and their blood sugar levels, but they also need to take special care in maintaining healthy feet. Those with diabetes take longer for foot injuries to heal, which can lead to complications. In summer people are more exposed and are more frequently in contact with water. Diabetic foot diseases can come in many different forms, but the most common forms are ulcers that cave in on the flesh of th
Experiment lets spine-injured rats walk

HealthJun 7, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) ― Many scientists are working on treatments to help people with spinal cord injuries walk. Now there’s a striking new demonstration of how one approach might work: Spinal nerve stimulation helped rats in a Swiss lab overcome paralysis to walk and climb stairs.That may sound impressive, but similar progress has been made in people, too. The difference this time is the particular technique used.“It’s a natural extension of exciting work that’s been done by many groups,” said Dr. John
KFDA designates oral birth control pills as prescription-only drugs

HealthJun 7, 2012

The Korea Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that all oral contraceptives will require a doctor’s prescription from as early as next year. Currently the pills are sold over the counter except for Bayer’s Yasmin and Yaz. The change is expected to come into effect from as early as next year after the body finalizes its decision in July.The “ground breaking” decision was made about 50 years after birth control pills were introduced to the country. KFDA officials said they have concluded the
Morning-after pill approved for OTC

HealthJun 7, 2012

Major reclassification switches 212 prescription drugs to OTC itemsThe government has decided to allow emergency contraception pills, known as morning-after pills, to be sold at pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription. Instead the authorities decided to tighten management on ordinary oral contraceptive pills, designating them as prescription drugs. Currently, day-after pills are classified as prescription pills while ordinary pills are sold without doctors’ orders. The Korea Food and Drug Adm
Billionaire selling private island

TravelJun 7, 2012

A Seattle billionaire who purchased the world's most expensive car for $35 million is now attempting to sell his private Canadian island for $75 million.Craig McCaw, who sold his company, McCaw Cellular, to AT&T for $11.5 billion in 1993 and now runs high-speed wireless provider Clearwire, is attempting to sell the 780-acre James Island, part of British Columbia's Gulf Islands, with an asking pri
Scientists do away with body mass index

HealthJun 7, 2012

British researchers say people concerned about heart disease and diabetes should watch their height-to-waist ratio rather than the body mass index.A team of British scientists found people should keep their waist measurement to half of their height, The Daily Telegraph reported.In a study of 300,000 people, the team found this ratio was a better predictor of high blood pressure, diabetes and cardi
Positive attitude plays role in longevity

HealthJun 7, 2012

A positive attitude and a sense of humor might play a role in living a longer, healthier life, U.S. researchers suggested.Study co-author Dr. Nil Barzilai, director of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research in New York, and colleagues developed a questionnaire designed to identify certain genetically based personality traits, and used it to assess 243 Ashkenazi Jewi
J.K. Rowling puts magic in PlayStation interactive book

CultureJun 6, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is putting the magic in a “Book of Spells” that uses augmented reality to make ink-and-paper works interactive using PlayStation 3 videogame consoles.Sony Computer Entertainment chief Andrew House said that the Japanese entertainment titan was collaborating with Rowling and her online Pottermore world on the first title in what will be a vast “Wonderbooks” library.“This takes you on a journey of learning magic, like a student at Hogwarts,” he