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None( MENAFN - The Conversation) With the help of new scientific and technological developments , the HIV/Aids research community is increasingly turning to an ambitious goal: finding a cure for HIV/Aids. If the world is to get close to meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal of reducing HIV infections and Aids-related deaths by 90% between 2010 and 2030, a cure for HIV/Aids would be a game changer. Much progress has been made during the 30 years in the fight against HIV/Aids. An HIV diagnosis is no longer the death sentence it was in the 1990s. Antiretroviral treatment – which targets and suppresses the replication of the virus within the body – means people living with HIV are able to live long, fulfilling lives , without the risk of spreading the HIV virus to others. However, even with antiretroviral treatments, living with HIV increases the risk of other serious health issues. All of this is ends up putting an economic burden on states, through increased healthcare spending and losses in workplace productivity. South Africa is a good example of a country that would benefit from the discovery of a cure. South Africa's been providing free antiretrovirals through the public healthcare system since 200 . It is the largest factor behind the 50% drop in the number of new HIV infections in South Africa from 2010 to 2021. But the programme is expensive. In 2023, South Africa's total budget for HIV response was R30-billion (around US$1.5 billion). This amount includes funding from international sources, such as the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief , better known as Pepfar. Consider that the country's total national healthcare budget for 2022/23 was approximately R64.5 billion (around US$3.5billion). Also, we never know when the external funding, or part of it, might dry up. Funding for HIV/Aids response is heavily dependent on political will and leadership . Recent political developments in high income countries, such as the US presidential election, would suggest a reluctance and even opposition towards pumping funds into healthcare beyond their own borders, and especially in Africa. I work in HIV prevention and cure research. My work focuses specifically on understanding interactions between HIV and the immune system and how these may be harnessed and translated for HIV prevention or cure. There is hope and optimism that HIV can be cured, with various strategies beginning to show some promise, with partial successes reported. Cure research is in its infancy, but there are exciting hints that gene therapy and immunotherapies might lead us to a cure. So far, there have been an seven people , worldwide, cured of HIV. They were persons living with HIV who developed cancer, and were treated for the cancer through bone marrow transplantation, a form of gene therapy, and this also led to elimination of HIV because the bone marrow transplants were from donors lacking HIV coreceptors – proteins on cell surfaces that viruses use to bind and enter cells. But a bone marrow transplant is a radical ,expensive and often dangerous procedure . There is no way we can view it as an avenue for developing a cure when there is reliable ART on hand. In contrast, some strategies involving a combination of early treatment and immunotherapy are also showing some promise and these could be developed further for long-term control of HIV without antiretroviral therapy. While curing a viral infection is difficult, medical science is already able to eradicate some viral infections, such as hepatitis C . Others, such as the common cold and Covid-19 , are effectively eliminated by a well-functioning immune system. The challenge with HIV is that it locks into an individual's DNA , making it particularly difficult to get rid of. It also mutates a lot , which is why it is so difficult to develop a vaccine against it. That has led us to explore why some people appear able to neutralise HIV when not taking antiretroviral therapy but on once-off or temporary therapy that boosts their immune system. This seems to happen in some people who are diagnosed with HIV early on in their infection and immediately go on ART, and then interrupt the treatment but simultaneously take the special immune-boosting treatments with antiviral properties. So far, the HIV research community is unable to predict who will react in this way, but the Africa Health Research Institute and the HIV Pathogenesis Programme, within the University of KwaZulu-Natal, are conducting research among a group of young women from a community in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with a high HIV infection rate. These young women are invited to participate in a socio-economic empowerment programme that has them attend a clinic twice weekly for training in basic computer skills, HIV prevention and other life skills. At each attendance, each woman is tested for HIV. If one is found to have acquired the HIV virus, she is immediately given a standard course of ART. After a while, immune-boosting therapies that include broadly neutralising antibodies are added, and then the woman is asked to stop ART treatment under strict monitoring to establish whether she is able to control the virus on her own. If not, she is immediately returned to ART. Of more than 2,500 attendees since the study began a decade ago, 108 have become HIV-positive. Of these 108 living with HIV, 20 are participating in the cure clinical trial. The study is ongoing , and our hope is that this strategy will lead to long-term control of the virus in the absence of ART in some of the women. This can then help us to better understand the immune mechanisms that may control the virus without antiretroviral therapy, and this could lead to a cure. Much work still needs to be done but finding a cure is important, especially for the 40-million people across the world living with HIV. The world is not on track to meet the UN goal of ending the HIV/Aids pandemic by 2030. While the rate of HIV infection has dropped remarkably, it is still much higher than the targets the global healthcare community has set itself. For example, in 2023 there were new HIV infections worldwide against a target of 500 000 to achieve the aim of nearly eradicating HIV by 2030. It is vital that HIV/Aids research continues in Africa because, while the incidence of HIV infection is reducing markedly , this status quo could change at any time and we could be back fighting a pandemic. It would be good to do so with better tools. Also, we must find a cure or vaccine that is tailored to Africa, where HIV is a young woman's disease , while also seeking the same for the regions where HIV infection is rising – Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. We're playing a long game, but there is definitely hope, and that is definitely something to celebrate. MENAFN30112024000199003603ID1108941970 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
A role reversal doomed the No. 22 Xavier Musketeers in their only loss of the season, against Michigan at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday. Normally a team that avoids committing turnovers and pressures its opponent into making them, Xavier (6-1) will try to recapture its early-season winning form when it hosts South Carolina State on Sunday in Cincinnati. Through their six wins, the Musketeers had just 58 turnovers while forcing 82 by their opponents. But against the Wolverines, they lost the turnover battle 19-10 and the game 78-53. The Musketeers committed 14 turnovers in the first half and fell behind 41-30. Xavier head coach Sean Miller credited his team for typically playing an up-tempo style while avoiding mistakes, while also acknowledging that the turnover bug really bit them against the Wolverines. "We lost to a really good team; no shame in that," Miller said. "We, on top of that, didn't play well." "And that (avoiding turnovers) is something you (usually) do well? That's going to be hard to overcome against a quality team like Michigan." Leading scorer Ryan Conwell (17.6 points per game) gave the Musketeers a boost with 19 points. Zach Freemantle, second on the team at 15.4 ppg, added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Problematically, however, they also contributed to the turnover problem with three apiece. "We didn't play well enough to win the game," Miller said. "The game got out of hand. It's not like our guys quit. Their depth just continued to wear on us." The Musketeers also get 11 points and a team-high 4.4 assists per game from Dayvion McKnight. The guard had just one turnover against Michigan, but he also made just one of his eight shot attempts. Xavier may have an opportunity get right in the turnover area against the Bulldogs (4-4), who are No. 207 in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.11. South Carolina State is fresh off an 82-53 road loss to Marshall on Wednesday, in a game in which turnovers weren't a huge problem. But assists and made shots were hard to come by for the Bulldogs. Leading scorer Drayton Jones (12.0 ppg) again paced his team in points with 10 vs. Marshall, but the Bulldogs as a team managed just six assists and shot terribly at the 3-point (18.8 percent) and the free-throw (47.1 percent) lines. Jones is also the team's leading rebounder with 5.1 a game, but no Bulldogs player is averaging more than two assists. It's all part of the learning process for coach Erik Martin, whose first team went 5-26 in 2022-23. The Bulldogs improved to 14-18 last season, including 9-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "The only way you can grow sometimes is by failure or by struggling," Martin said this offseason. "You have to fail in order to learn how to deal with failure and move on and become the person you're supposed to be." --Field Level MediaJeanette Strong: Democracy, law and equal justiceNone
The brother of the late Princess Diana, Charles Spencer, has shared a solemn post visiting his sister's grave over the Christmas period. The 9th Earl Spencer, 60, took to social media on December 24 to share a 'quiet moment' at his younger sister's resting place at Althorp House - the home where the two grew up together. Charles shared a picture of a grand black bench perched under her memorial, writing that it was the perfect spot to remember his younger sister, who died in 1997 aged 36. 'My favourite bench - good place to sit on Christmas Eve during a quiet moment,' he captioned the photo, revealing the black bench beneath a portrait of Diana. Adding a second picture to his Instagram story, Charles shared a pensive snap of Oval Lake, showing the shadows of the leaf barren trees bearing down over the water. Princess Diana is buried on a island in the middle of the lake, which is accessible only by boat to close friends and family. She had initially been planned to be buried at a vault in Great Brington where generations of Spencers have historically been laid to rest. But fearing for her privacy, even in death, Charles elected to change her final resting spot to Althorp House, where the pair spent many happy years growing up. The brother of the late Princess Diana , Charles Spencer, (pictured) has shared a solemn post visiting his sister's grave over the Christmas period Charles posted a picture of a grand black bench perched under her memorial, writing that it was the perfect... Alice WadeLil Wayne, GloRilla, Camila Cabello to perform at College Football National Championship
Temba Bavuma (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: South Africa captain Temba Bavuma described the Proteas’ qualification for the World Test Championship (WTC) final as an emotional moment, following their dramatic two-wicket victory over Pakistan in Centurion on Sunday. "Quite an emotional moment for me. Lot of joy and happiness on our side. We did the hard way. But glad we won. I was still sulking," Bavuma said after the match. Before the Boxing Day Test in Centurion, South Africa topped the WTC standings, needing a win to secure their place in next year’s final at Lord’s. The victory against Pakistan ensured they would finish in the top two and seal their maiden WTC final appearance. Chasing 148 for victory, the hosts struggled as wickets fell, but a determined Kagiso Rabada (31 not out) and Marco Jansen (16 not out) guided them across the finish line to secure the historic win. Bavuma praised Aiden Markram, who scored a crucial 89 in the first innings and was named Player of the Match, for setting the foundation for the victory. "Aiden get them going. Wasn't a lot of conversations. We still had the confidence. I didn't come out to the viewing area and was in the toilet. I came when 15 runs were needed. It is a big win. Not just for myself. But for the coaches. The way we started our campaign against India. We weren't given much of a chance. We weren't ruthless. But we kept finding ways. We hope the guys can get confidence from performances like these. Guys get picked on when they do badly. We would like to enjoy the moment and take stock of what we have done," the skipper said. South Africa’s consistent performances throughout the WTC cycle have been key to their success. After starting with a drawn home series against India and suffering a clean sweep in New Zealand, the Proteas rebounded with impressive away wins against the West Indies and Bangladesh, followed by dominant displays at home, including a 2-0 series sweep against Sri Lanka. Having played 11 Tests in the ongoing cycle, South Africa recorded seven wins with a point percentage of 66.67, finishing ahead of strong contenders like Australia, India, and Sri Lanka. With their spot in the final secured, South Africa will aim to maintain momentum and prepare for their historic maiden WTC final appearance. Only a points deduction for slow-over rates could threaten their qualification at this stage.( MENAFN - Newsfile Corp) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 30, 2024) - On FOX Business News broadcast on Sunday, Dec 1, 2024 - BTV Business Television interviews emerging companies in the markets including: Cannot view this video? Visit: Contango ORE, Inc. 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WASHINGTON — As president-elect Donald Trump rattles his closest neighbours with threats of tariffs, he is also firming up the team of loyalists to put his plans into action. Trump's team to lead his trade agenda and the American economy include trade lawyers, former advisers and Wall Street executives who have all expressed favourable views of tariffs. "He's choosing a lot of people who are going to be loyal to him and his ideas," said Matthew Lebo, a specialist in U.S. politics at Western University in London, Ont. "And that probably will lead to a lot more volatility than even we saw in the first term." On Tuesday evening, Trump picked Jamieson Greer to be U.S. trade representative. The president-elect said Greer played a key role in the first Trump administration imposing tariffs on China and negotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. If confirmed, Greer will oversee the trade pact’s review in 2026. "Jamieson will focus the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on reining in the country's massive trade deficit, defending American manufacturing, agriculture, and services, and opening up export markets everywhere," Trump said in a statement. Greer was the chief of staff to former U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer as the trilateral agreement was being crafted to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was torn up last time Trump entered office. Greer's nomination came the day after Trump said he will impose a 25 per cent import tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico. He has also announced an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China. Trump said the tariffs against Canada and Mexico would remain in place until both countries stop people and drugs, in particular fentanyl, from illegally crossing the border into the U.S. A Canadian Chamber of Commerce report suggested Trump’s previous pledge to impose a 10 per cent levy would take a $30-billion bite out of the Canadian economy. More than 77 per cent of Canadian exports go to the U.S. and trade comprises 60 per cent of Canada's gross domestic product. Some economists have warned across-the-board duties would cause inflation in the U.S., even though Trump campaigned on lowering costs for Americans. Greer was deeply involved in Trump's original sweeping tariffs on China and subsequent negotiations on the U.S.-China Phase 1 trade agreement, online biographies say. In testimony about China's trade agenda at a House trade subcommittee last year, Greer said he believes "good fences make good neighbours, and trade enforcement is an important part of establishing those fences." On Tuesday, Trump also tapped Kevin Hassett to be the director of the White House National Economic Council. The role will be key in fulfilling Trump's campaign promise to fix the U.S. economy. His announcement said Hassett will also "ensure that we have fair trade with countries that have taken advantage of the United States in the past." Hassett served during the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers and the president-elect has called him a "true friend." The latest nominations round out an economic team that includes hedge fund executive Scott Bessent for Treasury secretary and Howard Lutnick, the CEO of Wall Street investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald, who was tapped for commerce secretary. If confirmed by the Senate, Lutnick would oversee a sprawling cabinet agency and Trump's tariff agenda. He has been a vocal supporter of Trump's tariff plans. In an CNBC interview in September he said tariffs are "an amazing tool for the president to use — we need to protect the American worker." Lebo said as Trump prepares to return to office he is removing any person who could prove to be a guardrail or check on his power. "These are people aligned with Trump," Lebo said. "More and more aligned with his campaign rhetoric." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian PressEverton striker Neal Maupay has sparked outrage among Toffees fans by taking a swipe at his parent club in a post on social media. Maupay also had a dig at Everton when he departed on loan to Marseille in the summer and his latest taunt has further angered the Premier League club's supporters. The 28-year-old said on X after Sean Dyche's side had lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Sunday: "Whenever I'm having a bad day I just check the Everton score and smile." Former boxer Tony Bellew was among the Toffees' supporters who responded to Maupay, with the ex-world cruiserweight champion replying on X with: "P****!" Maupay endured a miserable spell at Everton, scoring just one league goal in 29 appearances after being signed by the Merseysiders for an undisclosed fee in 2022. He departed on a season-long loan to his former club Brentford for the 2023-24 season and left Goodison for a second time in August when Marseille signed him on loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent. After leaving Everton in the summer, Maupay outraged their fans by posting on social media a scene from the film Shawshank Redemption, famous for depicting the main character's long fight for freedom. PAClippers, Pelicans seeing different results despite stars' absence
Trump's picks for key positions in his second administrationAmericans still dreaming of a really big Christmas present can keep that dream alive during Friday's Mega Millions drawing for a jackpot worth an estimated $1.15 billion. Friday’s jackpot will potentially be the fifth largest in the game's history. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. But the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials. Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the states where the winning tickets were sold: 1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California) 2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California) 3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida) 4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee) 5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina) 6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine) 7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois) 8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, Oregon) 9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey) 10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)