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Adult Stem Cells Used in Treating Wounded Soldiers From Iraq, Afghanistan Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life advocates have long supported the use of adult stem cells over embryonic stem cell research because no human life is destroyed in obtaining the cells. Now, new reports show wounded soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan are helped by the ethical stem cells. Showing how far adult stem cells have come in a very short time, our wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan are being treated with their own stem cells to help treat wounds involving bones. According to ABC News, the Bush administration has spent $85 million to fund the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Thomas Einhorn, the chairman of orthopaedic surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, has used adult stem cells to repair a patient's hip after conventional surgeries failed. Noted bioethics watchdog Wesley Smith says he's not surprised by the news. "Illustrating how the hype overcame reality, the story's author felt the need to say that the stem cells did not come from embryos," he said. But, as pro-life advocates know, "no human applications have yet come from human embryonic stem cells." Smith added: "It will not take much time for this procedure to become available in the civilian sector. The good news just keeps coming."

Slowed economy forces USCCB to freeze wages, budgets in 2009 WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The slowed economy has forced officials at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to freeze wages and department budgets for 2009. Msgr. David Malloy, USCCB general secretary, made the announcement to staff Dec. 11. Mercy Sister Mary Ann Walsh, USCCB director of media relations, said the step became necessary when investment income fell as the economic situation worsened throughout 2008. She said conference officials decided to roll back individual department budgets to 2008 levels even though the bishops approved a 2.25 percent increase in allocations to conference programs at their annual fall meeting in November. The wage freeze became necessary in large part to meet pension obligations, Sister Mary Ann told Catholic News Service Dec. 17. At CNS, which is part of the USCCB communications department, Anthony Spence, director and editor in chief, said the news agency is working to minimize the impact of the budget freeze. Staff members belong to the Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild and are under contract to receive a 3.25 percent wage increase Jan. 1. Spence said he has scheduled a meeting with guild representatives to seek "some accommodation that will acknowledge CNS' financial condition."

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Waves from Hurricane Ike lash Texas coast Texas faces "potentially catastrophic" damage when Hurricane Ike hits in the next few hours, US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has warned. He said as many as 100,000 homes could be destroyed by flooding. There are fears the hurricane could cause a high storm surge that leaves miles of low-lying coast underwater. Residents of the Texan coastal city of Galveston face "certain death" if they do not evacuate, the National Weather Service has warned. Hurricane Ike could have 'catastrophic effects' At 0000 GMT on Saturday, the "very large" hurricane was about 100 miles (160km) south-east of Galveston, with winds around 110 mph (175km/h). The massive system is already buffeting Texas and causing flooding along the Louisiana coast, still recovering from last weekend's Hurricane Gustav. More than a million people in Texas have been advised to leave their homes before Ike hits late on Friday or early Saturday morning. But people in Houston city have been told to shelter at home, board up their properties and stockpile supplies. Authorities are trying to avoid a repeat of 2005, when some 110 people in Houston died during a chaotic evacuation in the face of Hurricane Rita. Enlarge Map The US National Hurricane Center said Ike could grow from a Category Two to a Category Three storm - a "major hurricane" - by the time it reaches the coast. Ike has already caused devastation in Cuba and Haiti, where hundreds of people have died in several tropical storms over the last month. The hurricane's predicted path will take it through Galveston and on to Houston, home to America's biggest oil refinery and Nasa's Johnson Space Center. "Our nation is facing what is by any means a potentially catastrophic hurricane," said Mr Chertoff. Latest Hurricane Ike weather forecast He added: "This storm is so big in fact that its impact is already being felt all along the Gulf Coast." The Texas authorities have laid on more t