Children who swim regularly in chlorinated pools are five times more likely to develop asthma, research has found.
Swimming is recommended as a good form of exercise for asthmatics because the warm humid air is less likely to trigger attacks than other physical activities.
But mounting research is suggesting that the chlorine used to keep the pools clean could be contributing to the development of the condition.
It is thought the chlorine fumes floating around the surface of the pool may help to trigger the condition by irritating the upper airways.
More than half of all amphibian species in Europe could become extinct by 2050 because of a combination of habitat loss, infectious diseases and the effects of climate change, scientists have found.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently became the first Bush administration official to admit that high-level discussions of the use of torture had taken place in 2002 and 2003.
