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Key gene linked to high blood pressure identified
[Reuters, December 30, 2008]
WASHINGTON - A gene that affects how the kidneys process salt may help determine a person's risk of high blood pressure, a discovery that could lead to better ways to treat the condition, researchers said on Monday.

Researchers unlock secrets of 1918 flu pandemic
[Reuters, December 30, 2008]
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers have found out what made the 1918 flu pandemic so deadly -- a group of three genes that lets the virus invade the lungs and cause pneumonia.

'Abortion' Certificates Renew Calls to Defund Planned Parenthood
[The Christian Post, December 6, 2008]
Many pro-life advocates are renewing their call to legislators to remove all state funding to Planned Parenthood clinics after they discovered the organization's Indiana affiliate was selling holiday gift certificates that could be redeemed for health services, including abortion.

eHarmony Chastised for Abandoning Battle for Marriage
The Christian Post, November 23, 2008]
For nearly a decade, born-again Christian Neil Clark Warren has been working to pair up men and women to help create lasting marriages. After 35 years practicing as a clinical psychologist and counseling thousands of married couples, Dr. Warren had observed that, in many cases, marriages that endured were composed of compatible people, while marriages that deteriorated often did so because the differences between the individuals became harder to resolve over time.

Melissa Etheridge, Lesbian Spouse Defend Pastor Rick Warren
[The Christian Post, December 29, 2008]
Last week, after a flurry of debates and protests broke out over Barack Obama’s selection of prominent megachurch pastor Rick Warren as the invocation deliverer at his inauguration, openly gay singer Melissa Etheridge and her partner stepped into the ring in hopes of avoiding another 'reverse smear-the-queer.'

Pastors Reject Hype, Preach Humble Christmas Story
[The Christian Post, December 23, 2008]
Stages are set, sermons are ready, and tickets are nearly all reserved for the thousands of seats in megachurches across the country as they begin numerous Christmas services this week. But while everyone anticipates a joyous and grand Christmas observance, many preachers are rejecting the hoopla around the season and pointing people to a moment in history that's far humbler and darker than people typically hear about.

Court to Decide on Bible Distribution at Public Schools
[The Christian Post, December 12, 2008]
A federal appeals court in St. Louis heard arguments Thursday in a case involving the distribution of Gideon Bibles to children in public schools. The South Iron R-1 School District formerly had a policy that allowed outside religious groups to distribute Bibles to fifth graders during the school day. The policy prompted a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued the district in September 2006, demanding a stop to the distribution.

Nursing A Recession-Proof Career Choice
The Christian Post, November 25, 2008]
If you've always wanted a career in healthcare, helping people, there's great news. According to the Department of Labor, careers in nursing are skyrocketing, even with a recession looming. In fact, according to Yahoo! HotJobs, health care careers, including nursing, are some of the most 'recession-proof' careers. Fortunately, with online education options, it's easier than ever to get a degree in health and nursing.

Gays outraged by pope's 'homophobic attack'
[The Associated Press, December 23, 2008]
VATICAN CITY (AFP) – A suggestion by Pope Benedict XVI that homosexuality is as much of a threat to the survival of the human race as climate change sparked outrage among gay rights campaigners on Tuesday.

Roman battlefield discovered in northern Germany
[The Associated Press, December 15, 2008]
KALEFELD-OLDENRODE, Germany – Archaeologists say they have uncovered a third-century battlefield in northern Germany which could prove that Roman legions were fighting in the region much later than historians have long believed. Rome's most famous incursion into the north of modern Germany came in A.D. 9, when Roman soldiers were defeated by Germanic tribesman at the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest.