HIV Vaccine Breakthrough as Experts Generate Immune Cells to Stop Spread

Efforts to find a cure for HIV by scientists across the world is yielding positive results following a recent milestone.

 

File Photo

 

An effective Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) vaccine may be a short step away now scientists have overcome a major stumbling block hindering its development.

 

The big hurdle has been the inability to generate immune cells that stay in circulation long enough to stop the Aids virus spreading. International researchers believe they have solved the problem by ‘unblocking’ a process linked to an HIV protein that was halting the production of antibody-generating ‘B-cells’ from the immune system.

 

Lead scientist Professor Jonathan Heeney, from Cambridge University, said: “For a vaccine to work, its effects need to be long lasting.“It isn’t practical to require people to come back every six to 12 months to be vaccinated. We wanted to develop a vaccine to overcome this block and generate these long-lived antibody producing cells. We have now found a way to do this.

 

“What we have found is a way to greatly improve B-cell responses to an HIV vaccine. We hope our discovery will unlock the paralysis in the field of HIV vaccine research and enable us to move forward.”

 

The researchers compared their achievement, reported in the Journal of Virology, to “preventing a key getting stuck in a lock”.In laboratory experiments, the new approach produced desired immune system responses that lasted more than a year.In future it should be possible to produce vaccines that stimulate long-lasting B-cell responses against HIV, the scientists believe.

 

Prof Heeney added: “B-cells need time to make highly effective neutralising antibodies, but in previous studies B-cell responses were so short lived they disappeared before they had the time to make all the changes necessary to create the “silver bullets” to stop HIV.

“We hope our discovery will unlock the paralysis in the field of HIV vaccine research and enable us to move forward.” Also, because ongoing pain is a significant problem that affects 39 to 85 percent of people living with Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV), everyone with the infection should be assessed for chronic pain, recommend guidelines released by the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

 

Those who screen positive should be offered a variety of options for managing pain, starting with non-drug treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga and physical therapy, suggest the first comprehensive guidelines on HIV and chronic pain.

 

“Because HIV clinicians typically are not experts in pain management, they should work closely with others, such as pain specialists, psychiatrists and physical therapists to help alleviate their patients’ pain,” said Douglas Bruce, MD, MA, MS, lead author of the guidelines, chief of medicine at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, and associate clinical professor of medicine at Yale University, New Haven, Conn.

 

“These comprehensive guidelines provide the tools and resources HIV specialists need to treat these often-complex patients, many of whom struggle with depression, substance use disorders, and have other health conditions such as diabetes.”

 

The guidelines recommend all people with HIV be screened for chronic pain using a few simple questions:

 

*How much bodily pain have you had during the week?

 

*Do you have bodily pain that has lasted more than three months?

 

Those that screen positive should undergo comprehensive evaluation, including a physical exam, psychosocial evaluation and diagnostic testing. Nearly half of chronic pain in people with HIV is neuropathic (nerve pain), likely due to inflammation or injury to the central or peripheral nervous system caused by the infection. Non-neuropathic pain typically is musculoskeletal, such as low-back pain and osteoarthritis in the joints.

 

HIV specialists should work with an interdisciplinary team to offer multi-modal treatment. The guidelines recommend offering alternative, non-pharmacological therapies first, including cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, physical and occupational therapy, hypnosis and acupuncture. If medication is needed, the guidelines recommend beginning with non-opioids, such as gabapentin (anti-seizure medicine) and capsaicin (topical pain reliever made from chili peppers), both of which help with nerve pain.

 

The online version of the guidelines includes an extensive list of resources for physicians to reference to help them treat the patients comprehensively.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Model Thrown into Jail OverAct of Obscenity at Egyptian Temple (Photo)

 A model's freedom was threatened in North Africa after she was accused of defiling a holy ground in the country with an act of obscenity.

 

Marisa Papen

 

A Belgian model Marisa Papen forced to spend a night in an Egyptian jail after being caught posing n*de in an ancient temple has said she is determined to keep up her ‘yell for freedom’ in conservative Islamic countries.

 

Papen who describes herself as a ‘free-spirited and wild-hearted expressionist’, travelled with photographer Jesse Walker to North Africa for a shoot at some of the most famous landmarks of ancient Egypt.

 

The n*de photo model, from the Flanders region of Belgium, met up in Cairo with photographer Walker who flew in all the way from Australia to do the shoot.

 

And even though the pair said they were aware of the cultural, political and religious differences between Egypt and the West when it comes to nudity, the adventure ended differently than they both expected.

 

Early in their trip during the first photoshoot near the famous pyramids of Giza, the two got into trouble. They reportedly bribed a security guard to start the photoshoot when two other men showed up.

 

Papen said: ‘I was suddenly completely awake, like a cold shower at 5am in the morning.

‘We tried to explain them that we were making art with the highest respect for Egyptian culture, but they could not see a connection between nudity and art.

‘In their eyes it was porn, or something like that.’

 

In the end, Papen and Walker managed to stay out of trouble by bribing them with £15.

 

After Giza, the two travelled to Luxor to visit the vast temple complex of Karnak to shoot pictures with the theme of ‘dance’, which is where their trip unraveled.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

CPJ Urges Congo President SAssou Nguesso to Free Jailed Talassa editor

 Dear President Sassou Nguesso,

The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Sans Frontières, two independent press freedom advocacy organizations, write to express our deep concern about the jailing without charge of Ghys Fortuné Dombé Bemba, editor of the privately owned newspaper Talassa, since January.

Republic of the Congo security services arrested Bemba in Brazzaville on January 11, 2017. According to a statement released by Congolese Public Prosecutor André Oko Ngakala, the editor is accused of "complicity in undermining state security" in connection with his publication of a statement by former rebel leader Frédéric Bintsamou, also known as Pastor Ntumi.

Bemba's arrest followed Congolese authorities' visit to Talassa's office on January 9 to prevent the newspaper's publication, according to news reports.

A formal request on July 13, 2017, for Bemba's release while awaiting trial was denied, and a trial date was not set, according to a person tracking his case. When CPJ in July 2017 contacted Séraphin Ondele, cabinet director of the minister of the interior for Republic of the Congo, he said he was unaware of Bemba's case.

This is not the first time Bemba and Talassa have been targeted by Congolese authorities. Bemba was arrested in 2015 in connection with an article critical of your administration, and Talassa was suspended in 2007 and 2013.

Bemba's detention for more than eight months without trial is inhumane, and sends a chilling message to the media in Republic of the Congo that the government will not respect the fundamental right of journalists to gather and impart information and that they too could be jailed.

We urge you to use your office to ensure that Ghys Fortuné Dombé Bemba is immediately freed and that all investigations against him are dropped. Freedom of the press in the Republic of the Congo depends on a climate in which journalists can work without fear of reprisal, which in turn depends on your leadership.

Sincerely,

Joel Simon
Executive Director
Committee to Protect Journalists

Christophe Deloire
Secretary General
Reporters Sans Frontières

CC:
Arsène Niamba, Communications Adviser to the President
Thierry Moungalla, Government spokesman
Jean Claude Gakosso, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Aimé Emmanuel Yoka, Minister of State, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice and Human Rights
Sètondji Adjovi, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights
David Kaye, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
Moussa Faki Mahamat, African Union Commission Chairman
Georges Nakseu, Directeur, Démocratie et Droits de l'Homme, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
Faith Pansy Tlakula, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights

Read online.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

What To Do if ATM Swallows Your Card

 If the Automatic Teller Machine happens to swallow your card during transaction, there are certain things you are supposed to do.

 

Illustrative photo by The Punch

 

There are steps to protect your cards and what you can do if the Automatic Teller Machine swallows your card, according to http://echeck.org.

• Wait for 10 minutes to restart: As annoying as it may be, I suggest you wait 10 to 15 minutes first before doing anything. There is a good chance the ATM machine software will reset on its own and your card will spit back out.
• Take note of the time, place and location: If waiting for 10 to 15 minutes does not resolve the issue, well move on to this.Note down the time the machine swallowed your card and try to be as specific as possible. Note the date, the place you are, and the type of machine (if possible). For example, is it an ATM outside a bank and/or controlled and branded by the bank, or is it a stand-alone ATM in the street, or an ATM in a mall? Does it have a name, brand logo, and/or any other details?

Is there a number you can call on the machine itself, or any helpful information that may be relevant? If so, you should make a note of it and have a quick look at the ATM to see if it has been tampered with. You may want to use your phone to take a picture of the ATM and the numbers on it so you can show a bank later.

 

Contact the bank account provider: The bank or institution you use will have its own rules and own definitions. Some will say you have to raise a claim with the bank, others will say that you have to raise an inquiry, and some may say your account is frozen and freeze your account until the matter is resolved.

 

It is not wise to contact the ATM provider unless the bank you use and the ATM provider are the same company. In this case, your problem may be resolved a little quicker. When you raise the issue with your bank, they will often contact the ATM provider; but if you raise it with the ATM provider, then they will refer you to your bank and/or account provider.

 

If you can’t find the bank associated with the ATM, look for the contact number on the ATM (there usually is) and call it for support. You may be able to get a technician to come to the location right away and deal with the issue.

 

If ATM swallows your card while abroad

 

This is not a good situation as there may be language problems and it may be difficult to fix the problem on the spot, especially if the ATM is not attached to a bank but is in some other location.

 

If you are not in your home country, the situation is more difficult as you may be dealing with language problems and it may not be easy to call up the bank on the spot.

 

Minimise risk; we suggest you use an ATM outside of or, even better, inside of an actual bank while travelling abroad. If the ATM swallows your card, you can simply walk into the bank or call for assistance — the bank will be able to resolve the issue on the spot.

 

Make sure you have a backup ATM card linked to the same account or a different bank account. If one ATM card gets eaten or lost, you still can access your bank account and get money.

 

How to prevent ATM card issues while abroad

 

Use ATMs inside of a bank branch lobby: If the ATM card gets swallowed, you can enlist the bank staff to resolve this for you. This is much easier than trying to resolve the issue if the ATM is in a remote area. So use ATM’s attached to an actual bank if you can.

 

Enlist the help of a local to contact the number on the ATM/ATM bank: If you are in a foreign country, you may not be able to call the ATM company/bank branch yourself. If you are in a public area such as the metro, mall, airport, try contacting the local security or help desk. They may be able to contact the bank for you and explain the situation. If there is no security around or help desk close, you may have to ask people around you for help. Ask a local to call the contact number on the ATM if you don’t have a working phone and the language is not your own.

 

Know your bank’s policy regarding ATM card problems while abroad: If you have ATM card issues while abroad, it’s a good idea to know your bank’s policy regarding this. Will they send you a new card in a reasonable amount of time for example?

 

Consider using a travel credit card while abroad, especially when making large purchases: Credit cards have better protection, better exchange rates, and can be rush-replaced within a few business days. If you want to use it like debit card, preload the credit card with money (above your monthly balance and use it like an ATM card to withdraw the cash).

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

WWE: Legendary Manager, Announcer Bobby 'The Brain' Heenan Dies at 73

Legendary pro wrestling manager and announcer Bobby "The Brain" Heenan died at age 73, World Wrestling Entertainment announced Sunday. Photo courtesy of WWE/Twitter 

 

Legendary pro wrestling manager and announcer Bobby "The Brain" Heenan died at age 73, World Wrestling Entertainment announced Sunday.
He had battled throat and lung cancer since 2002.

Hennan worked for several wrestling associations before finding fame with WWE. He managed such stars as Andre the Giant, Ric Flair, Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy and "Ravishing" Rick Rude.
WWE wrote of Heenan, "As impossible as it may seem, Heenan's overwhelming success as a manager was matched by that of his announcing career. Heenan's constant verbal jousts with fellow WWE Hall of Famers Gorilla Monsoon and 'Mean' Gene Okerlund on USA Network remain among the most memorable moments in sports entertainment history. In fact, 'The Brain' was so entertaining that 'The Bobby Heenan Show' had a brief run on USA Network as well."
Okerlund told Slam! Wrestling: "Bobby was the guy in wrestling that you'd love to hate. He lived and breathed the profession and did a tremendous job with everything he did. ... As a commentator, I thought he was able to deliver tremendous insight and develop storylines effectively."
Flair tweeted: "Bobby Heenan... The Greatest Manager, One Of The Greatest Announcers, And One Of The Best In-Ring Performers In The History Of The Business"
Wrestling star Triple H tweeted a picture of Heenan with the caption: "... one of a kind"

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Egypt Court Upholds Ex-President Morsi's Life Sentence

Top appeals court makes the final ruling, accusing the overthrown president for leaking secret state documents to Qatar.

 

Mohamed Morsi 

 

An Egyptian court has upheld a life sentence for ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi on charges of harming national security by leaking secret state documents to Qatar while he was in office. 

 

Morsi, democratically elected after Egypt's 2011 revolution, was removed from his position in mid-2013 by a coup led by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief of the time.

 

Morsi was immediately arrested after the coup and Sisi has been the president of the country since 2013. The court also confirmed death sentences against three defendants in the same case. 

 

There have been no explanations yet for the rulings and they cannot be appealed.

 

In 2014, Egypt charged Morsi and nine others with endangering national security by leaking state secrets and sensitive documents to Qatar.

 

Sisi's crackdown

 

Morsi is already serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted for the killing of protesters during demonstrations in 2012.

 

Since toppling Morsi, Sisi has clamped down on dissent. Mass trials have been held for thousands of supporters of Muslim Brotherhood, which Morsi was a member of, and hundreds have received death sentences or lengthy prison terms.

 

Cairo's relations with Doha were already troubled by Qatar's backing of Morsi during the time of the cirisis.

 

Egypt is one of four Arab nations in a Saudi-led bloc that cut relations with the Gulf state on June 5, accusing it of backing "extremist" groups and cooperating with their arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha has repeatedly denied.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Health Minister Disguises As Patient, Doctors Demand Bribe From Her

 

Uganda’s Health Minister, Mrs. Sarah Upendi, on Saturday disguised as a commoner and visited China-Naguru hospital, wearing a veil. Upon arriving at the hospital, she reportedly told the medical officials on duty that she wanted to take hepatitis B test.

Ugandan Minister of Health who disguised herself to visit a General Hospital, discovers patients pay bribe to get treated.

She was told to pay a bribe of shs5,000 at the reception in order to see a doctor, which she willingly paid.

When she finally got to the doctor, the doctor also asked for a bribe of shs100,000 to conduct the test. After paying, police covered up the place and arrested the two corrupt medical officers. Health services at the hospital are meant to be free.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Nigerian Army Declares IPOB a Terrorist Organisation

 The Defence Headquarters of the Nigerian Army has labeled the Indigenous People of Biafra as a militant terrorist organisation.

IPOB members

 

The Defence Headquarters has branded the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a “militant terrorist organisation’’ and urged parents to dissuade their wards from joining the group.

 

In a statement in Abuja on Friday, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, the Director, Defence Information (DDI), therefore, restated the commitment of the Armed Forces to confront “all security challenges facing the country.’’

 

Enenche also assured of the protection of lives and property in all parts of the country by the military. He said that the group posed security challenge and had been metamorphosing from one stage to another.

 

“After due professional analysis and recent developments, it has become expedient to notify the general public that the claim by IPOB actors that the organisation is non-violent is not true.

“Hence, the need to bring to public awareness the true and current state of IPOB.

“In this regard, some of their actions, clandestinely and actively, that have been terrorising the general public include:

“The formation of a Biafra Secret Service, claimed formation of Biafra National Guard, unauthorised blocking of public access roads and extortion of money from innocent civilians at illegal road blocks.

“Militant possession and use of weapons (stones, molotov cocktails, machetes and broken bottles, among others) on a military patrol on Sept. 10, 2017.

“Physical confrontation of troops by Nnamdi Kanu and other actors at a check point on Sept. 11, 2017 and also attempt to snatch their rifles.

“Attack by IPOB members on a military check point on Sept. 12, 2017, at Isialangwa, where one IPOB actor attempted to snatch a female soldier’s rifle.’’

“From the foregoing, the Armed Forces of Nigeria wish to confirm to the general public that IPOB from all intent, plan and purpose as analysed, is a militant terrorist organisation,’’ the DDI said. 

 

-NAN

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Genevieve Flaunts Wedding Ring After Allegedly Marriage

Nigerian actress, Genevieve Nnaji has taken fans by surprise after she flaunted her wedding ring following an alleged secret wedding.

Genevieve Nnaji flaunting her wedding ring today allegedly confirming the rumour

 

It looks like Genevieve Nnaji has confirmed rumours that she secretly married her beau recently after visiting Portugal by flaunting her wedding ring on social media.

 

Genevieve Nnaji and her alleged beau Ishaya Bako

 

The actress was on September 12 alleged to have married her man in a secret ceremony after a picture of the actress and friends surfaced online with Genevieve spotting a wedding ring.

 

 

Many of her friends in the industry have taken to her page to congratulate her on the massive step.

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Bafoussam, Bafang Without Water as Landslide Hits Part of West Region

 Reports say the nightmare on the Bafoussam-Bamendjou road reached its peak on September 16, 2017 after the road collapsed making movement very difficult. Eyewitnesses say the road collapsed in the morning hours after some visible cracked and immediately divided into two, making it impassable for cars and even motor bikes. It is even alleged that the road collapsed at the spot that was rehabilitated and the Minister of Public Works personally received the job. villagers are pointing accusing fingers at witchcraft while administrators say it is the result of landslide. Bafoussam town has been without water due to the effects of the landslide..More details soon

US Considering Military Action Against North Korea Reports Say

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused North Korea on Friday of threatening the entire world, and President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said the administration is not ruling out a possible military action against the regime.

The reactions came after North Korea fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month in defiance of international pressure over its missile and nuclear programs.

“There is a military option,” H.R. McMaster, Trump’s security adviser said during a press briefing at the White House, flanked by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

But he clarified that the military option is not a preferred option, hoping that all other diplomatic moves will succeed.

McMaster urged all nations to do more to rein in the North, which he called “one of the world’s most urgent and dangerous security problems.”

In the latest attempt to deal with an issue that has repeatedly frustrated world powers, the U.N. Security Council was due to meet on Friday to discuss the missile launch, at the request of the United States and Japan.

The council’s 15 members unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea over a nuclear bomb test it staged on Sept. 3, imposing a ban on North Korea’s textile exports and capping its imports of crude oil.

North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under leader Kim Jong Un as it accelerates a weapons program designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile.

Tillerson said in a speech to foreign officials that the tests threaten the world and stressed the United States was working closely with regional allies Japan and South Korea.

“In East Asia, an increasingly aggressive and isolated regime in North Korea threatens democracies in South Korea, Japan, and more importantly, and more recently, has expanded those threats to the United States, endangering the entire world,” Tillerson said.

Taking a tougher line than Tillerson, White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said the United States was fast running out of patience for diplomatic solutions on North Korea.

“We’ve been kicking the can down the road, and we’re out of road,” McMaster told reporters.

“For those … who have been commenting on a lack of a military option, there is a military option,” he said, adding that it would not be the Trump administration’s preferred choice.

North Korea’s latest test missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan on Friday and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) to the east, the Japanese government said.

It traveled about 3,700 km (2,300 miles) in total, according to South Korea’s military, far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, which the North has threatened before.

“The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile,” the Union of Concerned Scientists advocacy group said in a statement. However, the accuracy of the missile, still at an early stage of development, was low, it said.

On Thursday, Tillerson called on China, Pyongyang’s only ally, and Russia to apply more pressure on North Korea by “taking direct actions of their own.

But Beijing pushed back.

Trump will meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York next Thursday, McMaster said.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

FIFA Rankings: Cameroon Drops 10 Places, Nigeria Drops 6

Recent FIFA rankings show that Cameroon has dropped 10 positions to be the 45th while Nigeria have slipped six places below to be placed 44th in the latest rankings released on last Thursday.

In the month under review, the Super Eagles recorded a decent outing against Cameroon in the World Cup qualifiers. First, they pummelled the Indomitable Lions 4-0 in Uyo before they were held to a 1-1 draw in Yaoundé.

Even at that, Gernot Rohr’s moved southward in the grading – as they now rank Fifth in Africa according to the world football governing body.

Cameroon fell 10 places to no. 45 in the world and sixth in Africa. Nigeria’s next opponent in the race to Russia 2018, Zambia zoomed 18 places up (78th in the world) after recording a double against Algeria.

Cape Verde were the biggest movers (up 47 rank, 264 by points) with Switzerland plummeting after losing 119 points.

Germany dethroned Brazil from the summit of the ranking following two impressive Fifa World Cup qualifying victories over Czech Republic and Norway.

Portugal, for their part, are up three to third and, further down, no fewer than 23 teams jumped ten places or more.

Goal.com


When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

President Biya to Attend UN Genreal Assembly in New York

At the invitation of the His Excellency Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations Organization, His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon, and his wife, Mrs Chantal Biya, left Yaounde Thursday morning, September  14, 2017, to take part in the 72nd Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States of America.

The Head of State is accompanied by an Official Delegation comprising:

– Mr. Lejeune MBELLA MBELLA, Minister of External Relations;

– Mr. Martin BELINGA EBOUTOU, Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic;

– Mr. HAMADOU MOUSTAPHA, Minister in charge of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic;

– Mr. Paul ATANGA NJI, Minister in charge of Special Duties at the Presidency of the Republic;

– Mr. Luc SINDJOUN, Special Adviser at the Presidency of the Republic;

– Rear Admiral Joseph FOUDA, Special Adviser at the Presidency of the

– Republic;

– Mr. Henri ETOUNDI ESSOMBA, Cameroon’s Ambassador to the United States of America;

– Mr. TOMMO MONTHE, Ambassador, Cameroon’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations;

Mr. Simon Pierre BIKELE, Chief of State Protocol.

PRC

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

London Subway Terror Attack: Man Hunt Launch, Threat Level at 'Critical' Reports Say

An injured woman is escorted away from 'Parsons Green' station in London on Friday after a terrorist device detonated during the morning rush hour. Photo by Matt Oliver/EPA 

 

Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Police began a manhunt Friday after an explosion rocked a crowded London subway car in what officials say was a terror attack during the morning rush hour.

The blast occurred as a train left Parsons Green station and caused a fire that swept through the subway car. Authorities are investigating the event as a terrorist-related attack, London Metropolitan Police said.

Government officials raised the terror threat level in England from "severe" to "critical," which means an attack is "expected imminently." The last time the threat level was raised to critical was the day after the Manchester terror bombing in May.

Several passengers were burned and dozens hurried to leave the train and get out of harm's way. At least 29 people were injured, with NHS England reporting 21 still in the hospital by late Friday.

Passengers on the train said a wall of fire erupted aboard one car.

A major manhunt for the bomber was launched and police asked for information from any witnesses or other sources.

Police have not yet made any arrests. London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed the manhunt but did not say if any specific person is being sought.

Although reports have claimed police are pursuing a suspect based on images from CCTV at the scene, Scotland Yard told The Standard that "there's no truth to that."

Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Marc Rowley said an improvised explosive device caused the explosion. Authorities added that the IED may not have fully detonated, and might have been set off with a timer.

Rowley also said British counterintelligence agency MI5 is involved in the investigation.

The incident prompted panic in the subway, disrupted schedules and drew a quick and heavy response from rescue workers and armed police. Emergency responders were on the scene within minutes, Rowley said.

The attack drew swift condemnation from U.S. officials.

"Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," President Donald Trump tweeted early Friday. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!"

"The U.S. remains committed to defeating terrorist organizations as well as their evil ideology," Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, said at a White House press briefing Friday afternoon.

British officials criticized Trump's tweets as "unhelpful" and "dangerous," although the president expressed sympathies and offered help in a phone call with British Prime Minister Theresa May Friday.

Friday's was the fifth terrorism-related attack in London this year. The previous four killed 36 people, and police said six other significant plots, soon to be prosecuted, were thwarted before they occurred.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Latest Fashion Brand: Calvin Klein Offers Sleeves only' Sweater Whose Price will Shock you

 

 Fashion brand Calvin Klein has released a sweater that appears to simply be a pair of sleeves.

The $1,650 "multicolor wool cheerleader sweater" features a semi-sheer stretch nylon and wool material that creates the illusion that the garment has no torso.

A thin line of blue contrast stitching along the side breaks the illusion, leading into off-white and blue rib knit sleeves seemingly floating in thin air.

The unusual garment is listed on Canada-based online retailer Ssense, but is currently sold out.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Study links swine flu to increased risk for type 1 diabetes

Researchers report that data on a pandemic in Norway suggests people who contract the H1N1 swine flu have an 18 percent increased likelihood for later diagnosis of diabetes.

 Young people who've been infected with the H1N1 swine flu virus may be at increased risk for type 1 diabetes, a new study suggests.

Researchers examined data from all the 2.28 million people aged 30 and younger in Norway between June 2009, when pandemic H1N1 flu struck the country, and June 2014.

People who reported flu symptoms during the pandemic were 18 percent more likely to later be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes than those who did not get the flu, the investigators found.

This association was even stronger in children aged 15 or younger. Among that age group, those who were infected with H1N1 flu virus had a 25 percent increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes, according to the study.

However, the association seen in the study doesn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study findings were scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, or EASD, in Lisbon, Portugal.

People inherit a genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes, but an environmental trigger is also needed for it to develop, and viral infections may provide that trigger, the researchers explained in an EASD news release.

Previous research has linked H1N1 with the development of autoimmune disorders, the study authors noted.

"This study may support the hypothesis that respiratory infections can contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes, due to stress and inflammation in predisposed individuals," Paz Lopez-Doriga Ruiz and colleagues from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and Oslo University Hospital, concluded in the news release.

Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

President Mugabe Rubbishes South African Entertainer Who Doesn't Wear Panties

Elderly African leader, Mr Mugabe has reportedly expressed his disapproval of a South African celebrity who refuses to wear panties.

 

Zodwa Wabantu

 

South African entertainer, Zodwa Wabantu who is known for not wearing panties recently made news when she said that she would like to meet Zimbabwe's 93 year old president, Robert Mugabe.

 

Zodwa said before she made the trip to Zimbabwe some fans warned her to "behave" because that country's president is a strict man.

 

"They were telling me that Mugabe does not allow nonsense. And as a result I would not be allowed into Zimbabwe because I am too sexy.Some feel I will be half Unclad and that he (Mugabe) knows that I don't wear panties," she told local journalists.

 

"I would love to meet Mugabe if given a chance," she said. "I don't live a fake life. This is me: I am not expensive. I am a "kasi" person. I love you all. God gave me this body and I am using it," she said to cheer.

 

Mugabe has however blasted Zodwa Wabantu for not wearing panties, and any form of underwear for that matter.

 

Speaking at a rally in front of a 10‚000-strong crowd in Bindura on Saturday, Mugabe said he is aware that a decision to ban her from participating at official government events which she had been earlier invited to in Zimbabwe made him a “killjoy"

 

TshisaLIVE quoted the President as saying; “I’m sorry we disappointed many men” before questioning why Zodwa would attend parties without underwear.

 

“You just come without covering your decency. What do you want? Men to see you? We don’t want such‚” he said.

 

The decision has drawn mixed reaction‚ with political figures weighing in on the decision.

 

“There are many things that are wrong in this country and they are not addressed. But suddenly someone asks about Zodwa and it becomes a national interest‚ as if it’s a state of emergency‚” said a prominent political activist Josphat Ngulube.

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See First Photo of Serena William's Daughter

World tennis champion, Serena Williams has shared first photo of her baby who was born on the 1st of September.

Serena Williams and her lovely daughter

 

Serena Williams has shared first photo of her daughter leaving her fans totally excited. The superstar took to social media writing: "Meet Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. You have to check out link in bio for her amazing journey. Also check out my IG stories 😍😍❤️❤️."

 

 

The start had in April announced her 20 weeks pregnancy with fiance, Alexis Ohanian. In August, the tennis champ had a star-studded baby shower in which she opted for a gorgeous 1950’s theme which saw her besties dress in eye-catching 50’s attire.  Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. was born on September 1.

 

Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian

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Hilarious: First Female President Elected in Singapore Without Vote Cast

 The first female President of Singapore has been elected without people casting a single vote.

Singapore's President-elect Halimah Yacob and her husband Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee address supporters before leaving the nomination centre in Singapore September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Edgar Su

 

Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament, was declared elected as Singapore’s first woman president on Wednesday, after the returning officer announced she was the sole candidate to qualify for the contest.

 

Aiming to strengthen a sense of inclusivity in the multicultural city-state, Singapore had decreed the presidency, a largely ceremonial post, would be reserved for candidates from the minority Malay community this time.

“Although this is a reserved election, I‘m not a reserved president,” Halimah said in a speech at the elections department office. “I‘m a president for everyone.”

 

Halimah’s experience as house speaker automatically qualified her under the nomination rules.

 

Of the four other applicants, two were not Malays and two were not given certificates of eligibility, the elections department said earlier this week.

 

The last Malay to hold the presidency was Yusof Ishak, whose image adorns the country’s banknotes.

 

Yusof was president between 1965 and 1970, the first years of Singapore’s independence following a short-lived union with neighboring Malaysia, but executive power lay with Lee Kuan Yew, the country’s first prime minister.

 

The separation of Singapore from Malaysia gave ethnic Malays a clear majority in Malaysia, while ethnic Chinese formed the majority in independent Singapore.

 

Reuters - (Reporting by Fathin Ungku; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan & Simon Cameron-Moore.)

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Over 500 People Die in Congo Cholera Epidemic

A cholera epidemic which broke out in Congo has claimed the lives of about 500 people due to the issue of contaminated water.

 

File Photo

 

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday said more than 500 people have so far died in cholera epidemic sweeping the Democratic Republic of Congo.

 

The world body said in a statement that outbreaks of the water-borne disease occur regularly in Congo, mainly due to poor sanitation and the lack of access to clean drinking water.

 

It stated that this year’s epidemic, which hit at least 10 urban areas including Kinshasa, was particularly disturbing as about 1.4 million people were displaced by violence in the central Kasai region.

 

The WHO said at least 528 people had died and the epidemic had spread to 20 of Congo’s 26 provinces.

 

It noted that “the risk of spread remains very high toward the Grand Kasai region, where degraded sanitary and security conditions further increase vulnerability in the face of the epidemic.

 

“So far, health officials have recorded more than 24,000 suspected cases of the disease across the vast nation this year, averaging more than 1,500 new cases per week since the end of July.”

 

It added that WHO sent a team of experts, including epidemiologists and public health specialists to Congo this month to contain the spread of the disease.

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