It’s not a medicine... And its inventor won’t patent it. But EM-X is helping in the fight against a range of life-threatening diseases. Health pioneer Japanese doctor, Teruo Higa, has harnessed the power of microscopic bacteria, combined with seaweed, rice bran and papaya, into a tasteless elixir that is acclaimed worldwide for its positive effect on people suffering from cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Higa believes in cooperating with nature and passionately advocates preventative health care. For this reason he has no wish to gain a medical licence for his ‘Effective Micro-organism’ tonic, as this would put it in the hands of doctors, who would use it to cure sickness rather than promote health. He steadfastly refuses to exploit EM-X financially, as he feels that the commercial process, which gives value by restricting supply, flouts his agenda of making the world a better, healthier place. His original research was in agriculture, where EM products have been used very successfully for organic farming.

For more information: http://www.emro.co.jp/english/

Tibetans will begin their New Year celebrations today. But in their Himalayan homeland, what were once elaborate two-week festivities have been suppressed into just three or four days by the occupying Chinese. The Year of the Wooden Monkey begins on Saturday. But today, explains Karma Hardy, director of London’s Tibet foundation, symbolic fires are lit and prayers to the wrathful deity, Mahakala, are recited to banish the negativity of the past and to foster good omens for the coming year.

Mark Winter