Finding South Africa’s next HIV-positive hero
This World Aids Day on 1 December the HIV epidemic gets a shot of hope with the launch of the Search for the Next Positive Hero SA, which aims to create HIV-positive role-models for the five million South Africans living with the virus.The project is an initiative by the Change the Stigma Project, founded by Charles Jacobs, the first openly HIV-positive finalist in the Mr Gay South Africa competition. In 2011, when Jacobs was nominated as a finalist, he took a courageous step. Having lived with the HIV virus for nine years, he decided to disclose his status publicly, the first time any finalist had done so, and challenge the humiliation associated with HIV and Aids.“People living with HIV often say the stigma they encounter is worse than the disease itself,” Jacobs says. “That stigma is exactly what prolongs the journey from denial to acceptance for anyone who is HIV positive, and is what we aim to change with the search.”In 2012 the NGO Positive Heroes chose Jacobs as their first positive hero. This prompted him to create the Change the Stigma Project, to search for more positive role-models.Watch Charles Jacobs discuss the Change the Stigma Project:“This is not a beauty pageant,” he says. “It is the exact opposite. It’s about sharing your journey that will help others accept who they are. It is about moving away from feeding HIV with fear, and filling it with hope instead.”Trevor Kleinhans, the author of Secrets Make You Sick, joins the search as a patron. Using his public speaking and press experience on the subjects of HIV, gay rights, sexual abuse and drug abuse, he will help spread the message of hope.“Disclosing one’s HIV-positive status is an immensely powerful act,” he says. “In one moment it takes everything negative that society assumes about the disease, and turns it on its head. To see a person full of vitality openly sharing their story, for someone afraid of the judgment of friends, family and the public, is quite simply life-changing.”Beginning on World Aids Day on 1 December 2014, contestants will be able to enter the search by visiting the Change the Stigma Project website. Once finalists have been selected in March 2015, the public will be able to vote for their favourite positive hero. It is then that the journey begins.Positive Hero finalists will share their personal HIV journey via a self-made video. They will then select their own South African HIV charity or non-profit organisation and create an awareness and fundraising project for them, in this way challenging misconceptions about people living with HIV.“Stigma and discrimination has helped the spread of HIV,” says Jacobs. “It’s made people afraid to test and prevented often the most vulnerable from getting care. It’s time that the human progress in how we handle HIV/Aids in our community begins to match the advances being made in the research lab.”
View comments Pagasa: Kammuri now a typhoon, may enter PAR by weekend Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ Pagasa: Kammuri now a typhoon, may enter PAR by weekend China furious as Trump signs bills in support of Hong Kong Nikki Valdez rushes self to ER due to respiratory tract infection Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games The league will also retain its rule on hand checking.“You can not use your hands to prevent offensive players from moving because we believe that talent should come through and we will not allow dirty tactics and hand checking to prevent that,” he said.Players and coaches will also be given more room to react on calls.“We will not slap automatic warning or technical foul based on the initial reaction of a player or coach because we want to give them a chance to control their emotion and we don’t like the league with robots and not playing with human element, which is the beauty of sports,” said Saguisag.“Of course, there are boundaries and we will punish people who will cross the line,” he added.ADVERTISEMENT Lyceum head coach Topex Robinson. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netNCAA deputy commissioner Atty. Rebo Saguisag said the league has created a 40-man pool of referees from the Basketball Referees Association for Schools, Colleges and University in hopes to have a unified interpretation of rules.The 93rd Season of the NCAA opens on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.ADVERTISEMENT Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Last year, the league had three separate groups in its officiating team under the guidance of then-commissioner Andy Jao.“This year, we tapped BRASCU because we want consistency and one interpretation of our rules,” said Saguisag, who filled in for commissioner Arturo “Bai” Cristobal during the PSA Forum on Tuesday at Golden Phoenix Hotel in Pasay City.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSWin or don’t eat: the Philippines’ poverty-driven, world-beating pool starsSaguisag also said the NCAA will revert back to Fiba ruling with the application of possession arrow instead of jump balls in the last two minutes.“We agreed in principle that we will return to the possession arrow rule the whole game,” said Saguisag. MOST READ Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ For the complete collegiate sports coverage including scores, schedules and stories, visit Inquirer Varsity. Last one for Pacquiao—Roach Another vape smoker nabbed in Lucena LATEST STORIES LOOK: Jane De Leon meets fellow ‘Darna’ Marian Rivera
Ankle sprain is a common condition of the motor system. It occurs when the balance of the body is broken, causing a sudden change in the center of gravity of the ankle joint. When the ankle joint is at the state of planter flexion, a slight movement of both sides of the tarsomegaly causes the ankle joint to become unsteady.As a result, a sprain occurs. We used acupuncture to treat ankle sprain and obtained excellent results.1. CLINICAL DATA1.1. General DataOut of the 126 cases, 70 were males and 56 were females; the oldest was 56 years old and the youngest 15 years old; the shortest course was 3 hours and the longest course was I year. Most patients were treated within two days of a sprain.Ankle sprain occurs when the balance of the body is broken, causing a sudden change in the center of gravity of the ankle joint1.2. Diagnostic CriteriaThe diagnosis revealed external injury, accompanied by tumefaction and pain in the ankle, and difficulty in walking. When entropion and sprain appeared, the upper lower part of the lateral malleolus was distended and tender; the foot was performing various actions; blocking ache occured in the upper lower part of the lateral malleolus. X-ray revealed no fractures, no rupture of ligaments, nor trusion of the ankle joint.2. METHOD OF TREATMENTThe main point was Qiuxu(GB40) in the non-affected leg. Filiform needles (diameter: 0.38 mm, length: 40 mm) were used. After routine sterilization, we fixed the point with the left hand and inserted the needle quickly with the right hand into the subcutaneous part to a depth of about 25 mm. We usedthe reducing method as the main method, with the affected foot moving and the ankle joint doing plantar flexion, entropion, and eversion, we applied sufficient lifting and thrusting to induce a feeling of soreness, numbness, distention, and pain in the local area.advertisementThe needle was manipulated at 5 minutes intervals, and retained for 20 or 30 minutes. For certain patients with minimal sprain, and whose symptoms had disappeared, we did not retain the needle. For patients with serious sprain, we combined cold therapy, massage, and TDP, and obtained excellent results. Treatment was given once a day; one course consisted of 7 days of treatment.3. OBSERVATION OF CURATIVE EFFECT3.1. Standard of Curative EffectCured: The ankle joint recovered its normal functions, pain disappeared, the patient could walk as before. Marked effect: The clinical symptoms almost disappeared, pain was relieved significantly, there was minimal pain when walking. Moderate effect: The clinical symptoms were improved, pain was relieved, ankle joint function improved after treatment. No effect: Symptoms and physical signs showed no improvement.3.2. ResultsOf the 126 cases, 98 cases (77.78%) were completely cured, 17cases (13.49%) showed a marked effect, 8cases ( 6.35%) showed a moderate effect, and there was no effect in 3cases 2.38%. The total effective rate was 97.62%. Of the 98 cases that recovered completely, the least number of treatments is 1 and the most is 7, the average is 4 treatments.4. TYPICAL CASEA 21-year-old male student, was first seen on December 10, 1993. He had sprained ankle joint going down the stairs. Examination showed red swelling and tenderness in the lateral malleolus; he could not walk without aid.He was referred to the Department of Acupuncture and was treated with the above method. Pain was relieved significantly after 10 minutes. The needles were retained for 30 minutes, and the treatment was given once a day. After 4 treatments, the red swelling and tenderness disappeared, and he was cured.5. DISCUSSIONQiuxiu(GB40), which has a powerful analgesic effect, is located at the starting point of the extensor digitonimbrevis where the lateral anterior malleolar artery and vein are distributed; the branches of later dorsal cutaneous nerve of the foot and the superficial peroneal nerve are also located there.Puncturing this point diverts the focus of excitation of pain in the cerebral cortex, or directly stimulates the afferent nerves and blocks afferent pain fibers. The opposite needling method, which involves the selection of points contralateral to the affected side, is often used to treat patients with pain and dysfunction.This study has been done by acupuncture department, Henan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhongzhou, China.The author is the head of the department of Acupuncture at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. You can write your queries to Dr. Raman Kapur at kapuracu@kapuracu.com
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets were the best team in the NBA in the regular season.They played like it Wednesday night, using a balanced scoring attack to rout the Golden State Warriors 127-105 and even the Western Conference finals at one game apiece.James Harden and Eric Gordon each scored 27 points on a night Houston had five players score 16 points or more.“We can beat anybody, anywhere at any time playing the way we play,” coach Mike D’Antoni said.The Rockets didn’t trail after the first quarter and led by double digits for most of the night. They head to Oakland, California for Game 3 on Sunday night feeling much better after rebounding from a deflating 119-106 loss in the series opener.P.J. Tucker added a playoff career-high 22 and Trevor Ariza had 19 as both bounced back after struggling in Game 1. Tucker had just one point in that game and Ariza scored eight, but was limited on defense after collecting his fifth foul early in the third quarter.“I never worry about my offense … it’s all on defense,” Tucker said. “If we get stops we’ll be able to run. It changes the game and it changes the way we play and we know that.”Kevin Durant had 38 points after scoring 37 in the opener, but Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for just 24 points after the pair went for 46 in Game 1.Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket as Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (15) defends during the first half of Game 2 of the NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference finals Wednesday, May 16, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)Houston wasn’t able to slow down Durant, but did a much better job of limiting open 3-pointers by Thompson and Curry, and the two made just 3 of 12 attempts.“They were desperate tonight and played like it, and we weren’t and it showed,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.The Warriors made three free throws to get within 11 early in the fourth quarter before the Rockets scored the next 11 points, with 3s from Gordon, Tucker and Harden to make it 111-89 with about 6 1/2 minutes to play.Durant made a basket after that, but Houston scored the next eight points to extend the lead to 119-91 with about five minutes left.The Warriors got frustrated in that stretch, with Durant getting a technical for shoving Harden in the back and Draymond Green pushing Ariza out of bounds seconds later. It was then that Kerr sent all of his starters to the bench for good.Gordon came off the bench to make six 3-pointers, Tucker tied a playoff best with five and Harden added three.Houston Rockets forward Trevor Ariza (1) scores past Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the first half during Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals, Wednesday, May 16, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)“They were more settled tonight and they hit timely shots,” Durant said. “The first quarter was still the most important part of the game. Eric Gordon hit two big 3s and that kind of settled them in. Those shots did it for them.”Houston avoided losing consecutive games for the first time this postseason and the Warriors lost in the second game of a playoff series for the first time since the 2015 NBA Finals, snapping a 10-game winning streak in such games.“We got outplayed the whole game … we got it handed to us,” Kerr said. “You can look at it any way you want … and parcel it out, but it didn’t matter who we had out there tonight we got beat.”Houston led by as many as 19 in the first half and was up 64-50 at halftime. The Warriors cut it to 74-64 with five quick points from Durant, but the Rockets opened it back up to 89-72 when Gordon made an off-balance layup before crashing to the court while being fouled and made the free throw.The Rockets were up by 16 to start the fourth quarter but Golden State got within 98-86 with about 10 minutes left. Curry had five points in that span, including his first 3 after missing his first six attempts of the night.Curry finished with 16 points and Thompson was 3 for 11 for his eight points.TIP-INSWarriors: It was Durant’s 19th straight playoff game with at least 20 points. … Curry made one 3-pointer to extend his NBA playoff record of 81 straight playoff games with at least one 3-pointer. … Durant and Curry were Golden State’s only players with more than 10 points.Rockets: Houston improved to 8-0 this postseason when leading after three quarters. … Houston made 16 of 42 3-point attempts. … Paul finished with 16 points.A LITTLE SHORTGrammy Award-winning rapper Lil’ Wayne took the Rockets’ first shot for charity before the game. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, the 5-foot-5 Wayne’s shot was a little short. The New Orleans native, who has attended several playoff games in Houston this postseason, still received a loud ovation from the crowd.THEY SAID ITCurry on Durant: “He’s been amazing. He’s making plays. He’s just aggressive and I think we all need to feed off that, the focus and determination.”UP NEXTAfter Game 3, the teams will play Game 4 on Tuesday night in Oakland before returning to Houston for Game 5 on Thursday.—By KRISTIE RIEKEN , AP Sports Writer TweetPinShare0 Shares
Carrick manager for 48 hours as Man Utd seek external caretakerby Freddie Taylor10 months agoSend to a friendShare the loveMichael Carrick will be appointed interim manager until a temporary boss is hired within the next 48 hours, according to Sky Sports.The temporary boss will be hired externally, with the hope they will have ties with the club.United currently sit in sixth position, eleven points off the top four.A club statement on Tuesday confirmed that “manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect”.The statement continued: “The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future.”A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.” TagsTransfersAbout the authorFreddie TaylorShare the loveHave your say
Don’t worry, Sam Ponder fans. The ESPN college football personality won’t be completely gone from your television sets this fall. But late Thursday night, Ponder announced, via Instagram, that she’ll be “hanging up” her sideline reporter flats for Thursday Night Football. Her reason? She no longer wants to take her daughter, Scout, away from her father, Christian, for five days a week. Needless to say, it’s a respectable, mature decision.As Ponder mentions, she’ll still be part of College Football Live, SportsCenter and College GameDay. This year’s college football season starts on September 3.
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for states coast to coast to legalize betting on sports, breaking a longtime ban and creating a potential financial boon for states and the gambling industry. The first bets could be placed within weeks.Despite opposition from the major sports leagues and the Trump administration, the high court struck down a federal law that had barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states. States that want to take advantage of the ruling now will generally have to pass legislation to allow sports books to open. Some, including New Jersey, which brought the case to the Supreme Court, have a head start.Sports leagues had expressed concerns about any expansion of sports gambling. Their huge businesses could be badly harmed if people thought the outcome of games could be altered by someone who had wagered money on a certain result.However, the ruling also could be seen as merely bringing an activity out of the shadows that many people already see as a mainstream hobby. Americans wager about $150 billion on sports each year illegally, according to the American Gaming Association. The law the justices struck down forbade state-authorized sports gambling with some exceptions and made Nevada the only state where a person could wager on the results of a single game.Stock prices for casino operators and equipment makers surged after the ruling was announced.Gambling on sports could quickly become widely available, with one research firm estimating that 32 states would likely offer sports betting within five years.The ruling “opens up the floodgates” for sports gambling in any state that wants to have it, said Daniel Wallach, a sports law expert in Florida.The decision had been eagerly anticipated by gamblers and also states that hope their cut of legalized sports betting can help solve budget problems. States that have already laid the legal groundwork include New Jersey, where one racetrack said it would begin taking bets within two weeks. Mississippi and West Virginia have also been preparing for sports betting, and gamblers there could be placing bets as early as this summer and certainly before the NFL season starts in September.Delaware, too, could quickly expand beyond certain bets currently offered at its casinos. Pennsylvania and New York have also made moves to begin sports gambling. However, other states that want to allow sports betting could still see several Super Bowls come and go before people there can place a legal bet close to home.The Trump administration had urged the high court to uphold the law, surprising perhaps because the president is the former owner of a New Jersey casino, the Trump Taj Mahal, now being remade into a Hard Rock casino resort. All four major U.S. professional sports leagues and the NCAA also had urged the court to uphold the federal law, saying a gambling expansion would hurt the integrity of their games. They also said that with legal sports betting in the United States, they’d have to spend a lot more money monitoring betting patterns and investigating suspicious activity.Sports gambling proponents argued that the leagues already do that work and that legal sports betting will make enforcement easier than it is now, when most bets in the U.S. are made illegally. They say state regulators are capable of monitoring suspicious bets, as is done in Nevada.On Monday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Major League Baseball issued statements saying the “integrity” of their games would remain a priority. Representatives of the National Hockey League, National Football League and NCAA said they were reviewing the court’s decision.Some saw other concerns, including for some gamblers. The ruling “will likely increase gambling participation and gambling problems unless steps are taken to minimize harm,” said Marlene Warner, the president of the National Council on Problem Gambling’s board of directors. The council said any government body or sports league that receives a direct percentage or portion of sports betting revenue should dedicate some of it to treat gambling problems.The law the justices struck down was passed by Congress in 1992 and called the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the court, “The legalization of sports gambling requires an important policy choice, but the choice is not ours to make.” The court’s “job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution,” he wrote. “PASPA is not.”Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor dissented. Ginsburg wrote for the three that when a portion of a law violates the Constitution, the court “ordinarily engages in a salvage rather than a demolition operation,” preserving what it can. She said that instead of using a “scalpel to trim the statute” her colleagues used “an axe.” Breyer agreed with the majority that part of the law must be struck down but said that should not have doomed the rest of the law.Congress could try to step in again. Sen. Orrin Hatch said he would soon introduce legislation to set national standards for sports betting, but It is unclear whether the rest of Congress will want to join him.The ruling was a particular victory for New Jersey, which has fought for years to legalize gambling on sports at casinos and racetracks. Former Republican Gov. Chris Christie tweeted that it was a “great day for the rights of states and their people to make their own decisions.” The state’s current governor, Democrat Phil Murphy, said he was “thrilled” to see the high court strike down the “arbitrary ban.” Several hours after the Supreme Court ruled, New Jersey lawmakers introduced new legislation that would regulate and tax sports gambling in the state.Casinos and racetracks in the state are also moving quickly. Monmouth Park, a racetrack at the Jersey Shore, has already set up a sports book operation and said Monday it plans to start taking bets within two weeks “unless someone stops us.” And Tony Rodio, president of Tropicana Entertainment, said his Atlantic City casino will offer sports betting once it can get it up and running.“It’s been a long time coming,” he said.___Parry reported from Atlantic City, New Jersey. Associated Press reporters Michael Catalini in Oceanport, New Jersey; Ben Nuckols in Washington and Steve Megargee in Knoxville, Tennessee, contributed reporting.___Follow Jessica Gresko on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessicagresko
BOISE, Idaho — Some CenturyLink customers across the country were without the internet as outages stretched from New York to California.The company said on Twitter Thursday that its network was “experiencing a disruption” and that it was working to quickly restore services. It provided no other details, including how many customers were affected. CenturyLink didn’t respond to a request for comment.Jessica Rosenworcel, a member of the Federal Communications Commission, said via Twitter that this was a “nationwide outage” and her agency needed to investigate.It appeared that most of the trouble was in the West.The Idaho Statesman reports that the internet problems led to the temporary shutdown of phone services at the Idaho Department of Correction and the state’s Department of Education.There were reports of ATM machines not working in Idaho and Montana.The Associated Press
MATHURA: Actor and BJP lawmaker Hema Malini on Sunday campaigned in her parliamentary constituency, Mathura, in Uttar Pradesh with her husband and actor, Dharmendra, by her side. The popular Bollywood couple addressed a crowd for the Jat community where a massive crowd turned up. Addressing the rally, Dharmendra recalled how his humble beginnings helped him become a successful actor. “I am the son of a farmer and I have worked very hard in the fields when I was young,” he said. Dharmendra had a brief political stint about ten years ago when he contested the 2004 national elections from Rajasthan’s Bikaner on BJP ticket and won. Raising the poll pitch in the constituency, where the BJP has won four out of six Lok Sabha elections since 1991, Dharmendra told the crowd: “Gao walon, (Hema ji ke liye) vote karna. Nahi to kisi aas paas ki tanki pe chad jaunga aur wahan bahut mausi ko pukarunga. Bahut mausiyan aa jayengi. (Dear villagers, please vote for Hema Malini ji. Else, I will climb on one of the tanks and give a shout out to Mausi ji. I am sure a lot of them will come).” He reminded the crowd of the iconic scene from the movie, “Sholay”, where Hema Malini starred together with her husband and played the role of “Basanti”, a village girl. Hema Malini said she was excited to have her husband by her side. “With just two days remaining for the poll campaign to end in Mathura, people are excited to see me and him together. People have seen both of us together in so many movies. We are seeking votes for Mathura’s development,” she told reporters. Before the rally, she tweeted a picture of two of them together and said it was a “special day”. “Today is also a special day for me! Dharam ji is here in Mathura to campaign for a whole day on my behalf. The public is waiting eagerly to get a glimpse of him & listen to what he has to say! A photo taken in my house in Mathura just now before we leave for campaigning…(sic),” she wrote.
New Delhi/ Lucknow: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu held a flurry of meetings with Opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, BSP’s Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, in an apparent bid to rally support for a non-BJP government at the Centre. Naidu, who arrived in the national capital on Friday, also met Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal leader Sharad Yadav and leaders of the Communist Party of India. Also Read – India gets first tranche of Swiss account details under automatic exchange frameworkHe then flew to Lucknow and met the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party chiefs. “It is a pleasure to welcome Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri N Chandrababu Naidu Ji to Lucknow,” Akhilesh Yadav tweeted. Naidu did not speak to the media after any of his meetings. Sources, however, said that Naidu and Gandhi discussed the possibility of forming a joint alliance of all Opposition parties. He told Gandhi to have a strategy ready, in case the NDA falls short of a majority and still stakes claim to form the government, the sources said. Naidu told all the leaders that “we all should come together and put our act together” to form the next government by keeping the BJP out, a source said. Also Read – Trio win Nobel Medicine Prize for work on cells, oxygenLater, Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other Congress leaders met at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s residence to evolve their party’s strategy. “The campaigning of this Lok Sabha Election 2019 has ended and as we await the last phase of polling, Andhra Pradesh CM Shri N Chandrababu Naidu paid me a visit to discuss the ongoing and future political scenario of our country,” Pawar said in a tweet after the meeting at his residence. Naidu met CPI leader G Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja over breakfast, asking them to “come together”. Reddy and Raja separately met Pawar at his residence. The Telugu Desam Party chief has held several rounds of discussion with various Opposition leaders, including TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury. Naidu’s TDP was a part of the NDA but quit the alliance a few months ago. On Friday Naidu said that not only the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) but any outfit which is against the BJP is welcome to join a grand alliance after the election results are declared on May 23. As Opposition leaders scramble to form a joint anti-BJP front, hectic deliberations among them are likely to continue in the days ahead.