Brazilian Church Holds Cultural Fair

Florianópolis, Brazil ... [ANN]  Seventh-day Adventists in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil say they are finding new ways to interact with their community. Students and professors of the Adventist secondary school in the city’s downtown area invited local residents to their annual cultural fair July 1. The theme of the fair was “Communication: Breaking Down the Barriers of Distance, Time and Financial Limitations.” Students presented projects about different aspects of communication, including sign language, Braille, broadcasting, mail, fax, telegraph, visual communication, and prehistoric communication. The finals of a state-wide oratory contest and performances by school choirs were also featured at the fair.  [Aline Metzer/ASN/ANN]

Month of Prayer Declared by Church in Haiti

Port-au-Prince, Haiti ... [ANN]  The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Haiti has declared a special month of prayer in response to the worsening socio-political situation in the country. The political crisis has contributed to the increase of divisions between the Haitian population, say church leaders. A large majority of the nation lives in desperate poverty. There is a rising rate of crime in the country, especially in the capital, Port-au-Prince. The Adventist Church in Haiti also declared a day of fasting and prayer May 2. [Joseph Monius Lornéus/ANN]

Smoking and Drinking Combination Raises Cancer Risk

Lyons, France ... [ANN]  The rate of throat cancer is increased 50 times for people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day and who drink more than a bottle of wine a day, according to preliminary results from a European study of diet and cancer. Results from the 15-year-old study, also show that individuals reduce their chance of throat cancer by 50 percent when they eat around 500 grams of fruit and vegetables every day. The ongoing study, called the European Prospective Investigation into Nutrition and Cancer, involves some 400,000 people. [ANN Staff]