Bruni Blasts Pope Over Condom Stance

(NEWSER) - Judging by the average convenience store condom selection, men with small penises do not exist. Selling small condoms is difficult for marketers, so most brands have opted not to bother, writes Menachem Kaiser of the Atlantic . LifeStyles’ “Snugger Fit” designation is about as straightforward as it gets. Durex has a complicated sizing chart, and Trojan has a Starbucks-like sizing system; its condoms come in Regular, Large, and Extra Large. More»

Condoms make Africa AIDS crisis worse, he had said

(NEWSER) - Irked by Pope Benedict’s anti-condom remarks in Africa, the French foreign ministry today called them “a threat to public health policies and the duty to protect human life” and voiced “extremely sharp concern over the consequences,” the BBC reports. The pontiff said on the first day of his current visit that condom distribution worsens the AIDS crisis. The Vatican advocates abstinence instead. More»

On visit to Africa, pope makes first statement on their use

(AP) - Condoms are not the answer to Africa's fight against AIDS, and in fact exacerbate the epidemic, Pope Benedict said at the start of a 7-day visit to the continent today. It's the first explicit statement about condoms from the pontiff, who has said that the Roman Catholic Church is at the forefront of the battle against AIDS. The Vatican encourages sexual abstinence to fight the spread of the disease. More»

Sex-crazed partygoers get free condoms, morning-after pills

(NEWSER) - As Brazil prepares to indulge in the 5-day party known as Carnival, the president is spearheading a campaign to get samba-crazed revelers to practice safe sex and drink in moderation. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told Brazilians to have fun in his weekly radio address, AFP reports, but reminded them that "the next week we have to work and look after our families." More»

Trying to blend in as Nicolas Sarkozy battles for political life

(NEWSER) - French First Lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy likes to mingle with the hoi polloi in Paris—but she does does so, incognito, in a wig, she reveals. "With a wig on, no one recognizes me on the Metro," she tells the Nouvel Observateur . "Recently, I even had my bag searched at the Maritime museum"—just like any normal person. France erupted in guffaws last month when the multimillionaire heiress boasted that she and hubby Nicolas Sarkozy were just " simple, modest " folk. The image of a bewigged Carla mingling with the populace appears to be the latest effort to remake "President Bling" into a man of the people as he battles Socialist François Hollande in the French presidential election, notes the Guardian . More»