rench politicians adopted a legislation on Tuesday that would make it an offense to encourage anorexia or extreme thinness. Harsh fines and penalties that include a three-year imprisonment await websites or publications that promote anorexia.

Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said the legislation would help stop messages proliferated by pro-anorexia websites urging or even giving advice to girls to become ultra-skinny. The health ministry estimates that between 30,000 and 40,000 women suffer from anorexia in France

lthough most of its European neighbors have already put in place anti-smoking laws, Switzerland is taking time to ban smoking altogether.

So far, only the cantons of Ticino and Geneva have gone for a total ban. And six out of 26 cantons have introduced laws to curb passive smoking with others planning to follow suit

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will reveal on Tuesday a proposed tough consumers protection law that would facilitate recall of unsafe toys, foods and drugs from the market.

Recent product recalls ranging from pet food to spinach to toys with high lead contents had prompted the drafting of the law, which includes easier entry into the market of new drugs, in the process setting aside some safety checks

A study released Tuesday reported growing profitability of the nursing home industry, but declining health care quality.

Researchers from the University of California San Francisco found out that two years after the state passed legislation increasing reimbursements from Medi-Cal, average nursing home income from the state's healthcare program went up to $152 from $124 daily

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is facing growing calls for a free vote on the controversial legislation for embryo research.

The cabinet is split over the bill, with three Catholic ministers - Ruth Kelly, Des Browne and Paul Murphy - and a few junior ministers all struggling to accept parts of it, to the private exasperation of some colleagues