A popular anti-HIV drug, Abacavir, appears to dramatically increase the risk of heart attack, a new study says. The anti-retroviral drug is used in many anti-AIDS regimens worldwide but Danish researchers have found that it almost doubled patients' chances of heart problems.

In a study published online Tuesday in The Lancet medical journal, European researchers said patients may wish to consider changing treatment programs after studying more than 33,000 patients using the drug. The lesser-used drug didanosine also increased the heart attack risk by about 50 percent

The Pesticide Action Network Europe, an umbrella organization for concerned groups in Austria, France and Germany, said wines sold in the European Union (EU) systematically contain traces of pesticides.

According to the environmental group, it has "uncovered substantial evidence" of contamination by studying 40 sample bottles of wines of Australian, Austrian, Chilean, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and South African

n another blow to smokers, the British government is considering implementing a ban on cigarette display to dissuade children from getting into the habit of smoking.

Banning the display of cigarettes in shops, pubs, and restaurants came at the heels of the wholesale banning of smoking in public places implemented in July last year. On top of these, tighter control on vending machines in public is also being eyed

A study has recently discovered that of the number of Australian children in need of car booster seats, almost half of them are now too fat to fit, and need bigger-sized seats to accommodate them.

Experts from the Monash University Accident Research Center said that about 40 percent of children who based on their height are in need of booster seats have grown too fat for them. Because of this, parents have been forced to restrain their children by using seatbelts, which actually place the children in more danger of an accident

A recent study determined that should current trends persist, Australia's state of Victoria will witness a 75 percent increase in the number of HIV infections in the next seven years.

Scientists from the National Center in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research drew their conclusions from statistics pointing to a rise in unprotected sex, coupled with the increase in the number of sexually-transmitted disease infections among homosexual men. The data was gathered from research beginning in 1999