Drop seen in asthma attacks in pandemic
To the surprise of public health experts, asthma attacks appear to have dropped significantly in many places hit by the pandemic, contrary to the conventional wisdom that asthma and COVID-19 will feed or exacerbate each other as they target the same respiratory system......»»
Extreme heat straining health systems: WHO
The extreme heat in the northern hemisphere is putting an increasing strain on healthcare systems, hitting those least able to cope the hardest, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. The WHO said the heat often worsens pre-existing conditions, saying it was particularly concerned about those with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and asthma. Millions of people across three continents are enduring a sustained spell of dangerous heat on Wednesday as temperature records tumble. "Extreme heat takes the greatest toll on those least able to manage its consequences, such as older people, infants and children, and the poor and homeless," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "It also puts increased pressure on health systems," he told a news conference. "Exposure to excessive heat has wide-ranging impacts for health, often amplifying pre-existing conditions and resulting in premature death and disability." The WHO was working with the World Meteorological Organization, its fellow Geneva-based UN agency, to support countries in developing hot-weather action plans to coordinate preparedness and reduce the impacts of excessive heat on health, he added. Finding those at risk Maria Neira, the WHO's public health and environment chief, said the agency was particularly concerned about pregnant women and people with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and asthma, as air pollution would be part of the problem. Local and national governments needed to identify all those potentially at risk, while hospitals should ensure they had an action plan in place, she added. Neira also said communities needed to get the message out on avoiding sport during the hottest part of the day, finding a cool place indoors, looking out for the vulnerable, and being aware of heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Experts have blamed the heatwaves on climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels releasing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Besides immediate measures to cope with the heat in the coming days, Neira said that in the longer term, countries needed to decarbonise to mitigate the causes of climate change, which is "exacerbating and increasing the frequency, the intensity and the duration of those heatwaves. "That will be helping us to reduce the heatwaves in a very important way." City officials needed to think through their urban planning to ensure people had refuges in times of extreme heat, she added. The UN's WMO weather agency has said repeated high overnight temperatures are a particular health risk because the body is unable to recover from hot days, leading to more heart attacks and deaths. The post Extreme heat straining health systems: WHO appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
US Justice Department taking abortion pill fight to Supreme Court
The US Justice Department said Thursday that it will go to the Supreme Court to appeal restrictions imposed on a widely-used abortion pill in the latest round of a fierce battle over reproductive rights. The decision by President Joe Biden's administration came just hours after an appeals court rejected moves to ban mifepristone outright, but imposed a series of measures restricting access to the pill. As the Justice Department prepared an emergency filing with the nation's highest court, the White House slammed a Florida bill that would ban abortion in the third most populous state after six weeks, before many women even know they are pregnant. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the bill passed on Thursday by the Republican-controlled legislature in Florida was "extreme and dangerous" and "flies in the face of fundamental freedoms." More than a dozen US states have passed laws severely restricting abortion since the conservative-dominated Supreme Court last year overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that had enshrined the constitutional right to abortion for half a century. Mifepristone, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 and accounts for more than half the abortions in the United States, has become the centerpiece of the country's latest clash over women's reproductive freedom. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department will seek "emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend the FDA's scientific judgment and protect Americans' access to safe and effective reproductive care." Speaking to reporters during Biden's visit to Dublin, Ireland, Jean-Pierre said "we believe that the law is on our side, and we will prevail." Late Wednesday, the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals said mifepristone, also known as RU 486, should remain available pending a full hearing of the case, but limited access to the first seven weeks of pregnancy, down from 10. The appeals court also said in-person visits would be necessary to obtain the pill -- a requirement lifted in recent years -- and blocked the medication from being sent by mail. The 2-1 ruling by the conservative-majority appeals court in New Orleans, Louisiana, came after a US District Court judge in Texas overturned the FDA's two-decades-old approval of the drug last Friday. 'Furious' The appeals court said anti-abortion opponents had waited too long to challenge the drug's approval by the FDA but gave them a victory of sorts by imposing restrictions on its use, a move denounced by groups seeking to maintain access to abortion. "We are furious that yet another court would choose to jeopardize the health and futures of the millions of people who rely on mifepristone for abortion care," said Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson. Jennifer Dalven, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, said "unless the Supreme Court steps in, this decision will prevent many people from getting abortion care and force them to remain pregnant against their will." The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony described the appeals court ruling by two judges appointed by former Republican president Donald Trump as a "win." "The court recognized that the abortion pill is dangerous and rolled back Biden's reckless mail-order abortion scheme," said Susan B. Anthony state policy director Katie Daniel. Mifepristone is one component of a two-drug regimen that can be used in the United States through the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. It has a long safety record, and the FDA estimates 5.6 million Americans have used it to terminate pregnancies since it was approved. 'Unborn human' Last week's ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, also a Trump appointee, seeking to impose a nationwide ban on mifepristone came in response to a suit by a coalition of anti-abortion groups. The judge, in his decision, adopted language used by abortion opponents, saying the drug was used to "kill the unborn human." Kacsmaryk said the two-drug regimen that includes mifepristone had resulted in "thousands of adverse events suffered by women and girls," including intense bleeding and psychological trauma. But the FDA, researchers, and the drugmaker say decades of experience have proven the medication to be safe and effective when used as indicated. The Biden administration and leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies also argued that Kacsmaryk's ruling risked undermining the entire drug approval authority of the FDA. "If this decision stands, no medication -- from chemotherapy drugs to asthma medicine, to blood pressure pills, to insulin -- would be safe from attacks," said Vice President Kamala Harris. Polls repeatedly show a clear majority of Americans support continued access to safe abortion, even as conservative groups push to limit access to the procedure -- or ban it outright. The post US Justice Department taking abortion pill fight to Supreme Court appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Drop seen in asthma attacks in pandemic
To the surprise of public health experts, asthma attacks appear to have dropped significantly in many places hit by the pandemic, contrary to the conventional wisdom that asthma and COVID-19 will feed or exacerbate each other as they target the same respiratory system......»»
JG Summit core profit soars in 2023
Core earnings of conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc. soared in 2023 following a significant turnaround in its airline business, with Cebu Pacific returning to full-year profit for the first time since the pandemic......»»
‘Serenade of the Seas’ arrival restarts Subic cruise tourism program
The arrival here of GTS Serenade of the Seas, a 12-decker cruise liner operated by Royal Caribbean International, is expected to resurrect Subic’s cruise tourism program, which had gained momentum before being halted by the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago......»»
Prevent Pollen From Ruining Your Spring with These Tips
Allergy season has arrived early in the US, affecting more than 80 million Americans, as reported by The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Pollen.....»»
Davao City rape cases drop
Davao City rape cases drop.....»»
Why Business Should Start Investing in the Mental Well-Being of Their Employees
The pandemic has triggered waves of anxiety, uncertainty, and financial strain, impacting the mental health of millions of employees. Poor mental health leads to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and strained work relationships. With that said, it is crucial to address employees’ mental health issues to have a thriving workspace. Encourage Open Communication and Supportive Culture […].....»»
Extreme Heat as a ‘New Pandemic’: Thousands in PH Cancel Classes During ‘Hottest Year’
(Part 1 of 2) CEBU CITY, Philippines — The decades-old Gabaldon building of Leyte National High School in Tacloban City has narrow hallways, high and dark ceilings, and overcrowded classrooms. On hot and humid days, the rooms can feel stuffy and suffocating, prompting students like Dwight Lebrea, a 17-year-old Grade 12 student, to find ways.....»»
Hong Kong, Philippines work to enhance relations
Filipinos are slowly beginning to travel back to Hong Kong following continued efforts by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office to woo tourists from the Philippines, as well as renew and improve trade and economic ties between the two nations following the COVID-19 pandemic......»»
Haiti gangs unleash new attacks
Haiti gangs unleash new attacks.....»»
DFA backs Magna Carta for Seafarers
The Department of Foreign Affairs has expressed support for the enactment of the proposed Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, as the maritime industry grapples with security risks sparked by missile attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea......»»
Wegovy Approved By FDA to Reduce Heart Attack Risk – The Daily Guardian
The FDA has recently approved the popular weight loss drug Wegovy for use in reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular-related death in.....»»
Peru: Congress Runs Roughshod Over Rule of Law
(Washington, DC) - The decision by Peru's Congress on March 7, 2024, to arbitrarily remove two members of the National Board of Justice severely undermines judicial independence, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights, Human Rights Watch said today. The Organization of American States (OAS) should convene a meeting of its Permanent Council to address ongoing attacks on judicial independence in Peru......»»
President Marcos calls for end to Houthi attacks on ships
President Marcos called for an end to attacks on ships and respect for freedom of navigation yesterday after two Filipinos died in a recent attack by Houthi rebels on a shipping vessel in the Gulf of Aden......»»
US-Led Coalition Shoots Down 15 Yemen Rebel Drones, CENTCOM Says
Dubai, UAE - U.S. and allied forces shot down 15 one-way attack drones fired by Iran-backed Yemeni rebels into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden on Saturday, the U.S. military said.Shortly afterwards, the rebels claimed the attack, saying they had fired missiles at an 'American' commercial ship and launched drones at U.S. warships in 'the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.'It was one of the Houthi's largest attacks sin.....»»
US-Led Coalition Shoots Down 15 Yemen Rebel Drones, CENTCOM Says
Dubai, UAE - U.S. and allied forces shot down 15 one-way attack drones fired by Iran-backed Yemeni rebels into the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden on Saturday, the U.S. military said.Shortly afterwards, the rebels claimed the attack, saying they had fired missiles at an 'American' commercial ship and launched drones at U.S. warships in 'the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.'It was one of the Houthi's largest attacks sin.....»»
Vice President Sara sees stepped up attacks vs OVP, DepEd
Vice President Sara Duterte has expressed alarm over the mounting “black propaganda” launched against her and the government agencies she heads, calling on the public to remain vigilant of the political interests of her detractors......»»
Sara Duterte decries organized demolition job against her
Vice President Sara Duterte believes she has been targeted by an “organized demolition job” based on the escalation of personal attacks against her online as well as the public’s reaction to her push for confidential funds last year......»»
2 Filipino sailors dead in Huthi missile attack — Philippine gov’t
Two Filipino crew members were among those killed in a missile attack by Yemen’s Huthi rebels on a ship in the Gulf of Aden, the Philippine government said Thursday. Those killed in the attack on Wednesday appear to be first deaths resulting from Huthi attacks on merchant vessels transiting the key Red Sea trade route......»»