“Personally I don’t know anyone who has died of AIDS. I really, honestly don’t.â€
South African president Thabo Mbeki. Several members of his party, including his own spokesman, have died of AIDS (The Washington Post, 25 September)
“They’ve had an incredible impact on high-end hotels. If the word ‘bedbug’ gets out, it scares a lot of people away.â€
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Entomologist Mike Lawton of the Californian company Western Exterminator on the return of the bedbug (AP, 29 September)
“A wasteful programme such as the planned moon landing is a giant misstep for China.â€
Yu Maochun of the US Naval Academy (Reuters, 29 September)
“The person who relies exclusively on suncream could be in a lot of trouble in terms of skin damage.â€
Mark Birch-Machin of Cancer Research UK on a study showing suntan lotions do not provide enough protection against UVA rays (The Guardian, London, 30 September)
“If we cannot have full disclosure, I’ll have to say that I am not able to verify the Iranian statements [that their nuclear programme is purely peaceful].â€
International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei (Reuters, 30 September)
“We want the air quality forecast to be like the weather forecast, something people check every day.â€
Chet Wayland of the US Environmental Protection Agency, which will now issue daily alerts (USA Today, 30 September)