Russia

A top naval official says the Russian navy will once again be a player in world affairs next year, sailing to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in years. The two-month mission will involve mostly surface ships. Because of lingering financial troubles and legal chaos from the Soviet collapse in 1991, the Russian navy has deteriorated in recent years. Government funds have dried up, equipment has been stolen or aged beyond repair, and ships are falling apart at their moorings.

Embryo Research

» The Vatican is giving its blessing to a new research center that would provide an alternative to the use of human embryos for medical research. Earlier this year, Sacred Heart University in Rome opened a "placenta bank," providing researchers with human cells from what the Catholic church considers to be an ethical source. Of particular interest are stem cells—the parent cells of all tissues in the body—which have enormous medical potential. In theory, these cells, found readily in human embryos, could be used to grow new tissues and organs. The Catholic church, however, opposes human embryo research, saying that experimenting with fertilized human eggs is immoral and could lead to the cloning of human beings. A compromise may be possible through the collection and storage of placentas and umbilical cords, which also contain stem cells, at the new research center. Medical research could then advance within the ethical limits of the Catholic church.

» British lawmakers have recently passed a measure that would relax the laws regulating medical research on human embryos, while rejecting opponents' claims that it is a step toward permitting the cloning of human beings. If it becomes law, it would effectively enable scientists to clone embryos and keep them alive for up to 14 days to extract stem cells. Researchers expect cell-based treatments to expand the horizons of medicine, raising the hope of prevention or cure for diseases ranging from Parkinson's to diabetes. Before the vote, government officials downplayed the connection between the change in the law and concerns about human cloning.

British HIV Cases

Even though tallying is not yet complete, the number of Britons diagnosed last year as HIV-positive is expected to be the highest ever. The Public Health Laboratory Service reports 2,868 new cases of HIV for 2000, a 7% increase over new cases in 1999. The final total is expected to exceed the previous high of 3,222 cases in 1985, the first year testing was widely available. For the second year in a row, the number of new cases among heterosexuals was greater than among homosexuals, 1,315 to 1,096. More than 20,000 people in Britain have been diagnosed as HIV-positive, and health experts estimate 10,000 others may be infected without knowing it.

Nuclear Weapons

According to an Iraqi defector, Saddam Hussein has two operational nuclear bombs and is working to construct others. The defector, a military engineer who fled Iraq a year after United Nations arms inspectors left the country, says he played a vital role in the completion of the weapons program. He asserts that 64 factories in northeastern Iraq, near the Iranian border, are involved in building the bombs. He maintains that, apart from the scientists, only four or five people know what is actually happening. International nuclear officials are investigating his claims, which contradict recent reports that the Iraqi dictator's plans were still at an early stage. Under Anglo-US policy, any attempt by Saddam to build nuclear or biological weapons could lead to further military action.