Rebel News - Independent News and Analysis

Inability to taste fat in food is one of the reasons contributing to excess weight and obesity in some individuals, a new study finds.

The tongue has long been believed to have the ability to detect the main five tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami.

FDA officials have added a new warning label to the anti-clotting drug Plavix, stressing that not metabolizing the pill may cause non-responsiveness in some patients.

Plavix, the second most commonly used blood thinner, is believed to reduce the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, stroke and cardiovascular death in patients with heart disease.

While certain vaccines had long been linked to autism, the US vaccine court says vaccines containing mercury-based preservatives cannot cause autism on their own.

Many parents blame a combo vaccine used for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) for causing autistic symptoms in their children. The US Institute of Medicine, however, has recurrently rejected such a link.

Latest figures have revealed that one in every six American is infected with genital herpes, making it one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the country.

According to the report recently released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 16 percent of Americans aged between 14 and 49 are infected with the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).

Despite the general belief, a new study finds that lowering blood pressure and lipid levels to normal values does not reduce the risk of heart disease in type 2 diabetics.

Previous studies had reported that intensive blood pressure and lipid control can lower the risk of developing fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

While gum diseases in pregnant women had long been linked to early birth, a new study finds that treating the condition can lower the risk of premature birth.

According to the study presented at the annual conference of the American Association for Dental Research, women with untreated gum diseases are three times more likely to give birth to a child before 35 weeks of pregnancy.

Strong winds associated with heavy rainfalls have swept across much of the northeast in the US, leaving around half-a-million customers without electricity.

Wind gusts roaring with a speed of more than 80 km/h downed many trees and power transmission lines on Saturday as up to 12 cm of rain caused flash floods in the region, Xinhua reported.

Vatican officials have denounced attempts to link Pope Benedict XVI to a child abuse scandal in his German homeland.

"The accusations are failed attempts to involve the Holy Father" in the sexual abuse scandals, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said on Saturday.

At least three people died and a dozen people were injured after an avalanche struck a large crowd of snowmobilers in Canada's Rocky Mountains.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on Sunday that the incident left an unknown number missing.

Alberto Gilardino's double has helped Fiorentina come back from a goal down to snatch a 3-1 victory against Napoli at Naples' San Paolo stadium in 15 years.

The hosts took the lead when Ezequiel Lavezzi opened the scoring early in the second half in Saturday's only group A game.