When losing 1 million pounds is a good thing

Oklahoma City is among the '10 fattest cities' in the United States. And with an official state meal that includes cornbread, sausage and gravy, chicken fried steak and pecan pie, mayor Mick Cornett thought the beginning of a new year was the right time for a radical New Year's resolution. He has challenged Oklahoma City residents to lose 1 million pounds (a little less than 500 thousand kilos!) in 2008. Learn more about his plans in this AP article.

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New Year's resolutions - listening practice

In the news: Stem cell research

American president George W. Bush used his veto pen again yesterday to impose restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research (read the original text here). Recent polls indicate that about 60% of all Americans support stem cell research, so the subject is likely to become a priority during presidential campaign. Democrats, a few republicans as well as scientists have been quick to express their disagreement with Bush's decision. Senator Hillary Clinton, for example, said she believed the veto proves that the present administration does not take into consideration the needs of the American people. The president justified his position saying that the government is backing studies that focus on alternative ways of collecting embryos.

Here is an opinion article published in the New York Times. What views does it express? CNN also asked their viewers to say whether they agree or disagree with the veto. Read all about it clicking here.

Brazil in the news: AIDS

President Lula has given the green light to let Brazil manufacture a generic AIDS drug whose patent originally belongs to the American pharmaceutical industry Merck & Co. The "compulsory license" allows the country to buy or produce the AIDS drug efavirenz at a smaller price, and although there had been threats to bypass drug patents before, this is the first time it has been done here.

Read more about the issue in this article published in the New York Times. What do you think? Is the Brazilian government right in breaking Merck's patent?