HERBAL REMEDIES WILL SOON FACE FDA REGULATIONS

The Food and Drug Administration Friday took long-awaited action aimed at
protecting consumers from misleading health claims by the booming
herbal-remedy industry. The new rules would bar makers of vitamins and
herbal remedies such as St. John's Wort and pennyroyal from claiming to
cure, prevent or alleviate cancer, AIDS or other specific diseases.
Instead, the products would be limited to making more general claims about
enhancing the immune system, memory or other bodily processes.

TOBACCO, GAMBLING, LIQUOR INTERESTS MAKE LARGE DONATIONS

Tobacco firms, gambling interests and liquor companies gave large donations
to political parties in recent months, according to Federal Election
Commission reports. While Congress debates proposals to eliminate soft
money -- unlimited donations from wealthy individuals, corporations and
labor unions to political parties -- the reports show how various interest
groups with important matters before Congress have written large checks to
various party committees.

From Mercury News wire services