News stories by Patricia Grogg*

The death of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden at his hideout in Pakistan earlier this month was hailed by people across the United States and around the world as a fitting end for a self-confessed mass murderer.

The risk of meningitis outbreaks rises during the dry season -- December to June -- in some 20 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Meningitis in the region is too often deadly, though the disease can be prevented with vaccination.

Scientists and experts took on the challenge of sharing their environmental concerns with filmmakers at the Third Thematic Showcase of the Humberto Solás Low-Budget Film Festival in the Cuban capital.

At the age of 17, Meybelin Bernárdez is clear about the future: 'When I finish my studies, I'll return to help my community get on its feet,' the young Garifuna woman from Honduras, who is studying medicine in Cuba, says without hesitation.