Pope Francis kicks off a yearlong Jubilee that will test his stamina and Rome's patience VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year. It's a celebration of the Catholic Church that is expected to draw some 32 million pilgrims to Rome. And it will test the pope’s stamina and the ability of the Eternal City to welcome them. This begins the Christmas Eve Mass. The ceremony inaugurates the once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee. Francis has dedicated the 2025 Jubilee to the theme of hope. Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas Eve during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about one hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by an issue with a vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Middle East latest: Israel expels patients from a hospital in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli soldiers raided a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya on Tuesday, as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free.Some of the cartel victims said on Tuesday that they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history, and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. Man arraigned on murder charges in NYC subway death fanned flames with a shirt, prosecutors say NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors say a man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train used a shirt to fan the flames, causing her to become engulfed. The suspect, identified by police as Sebastian Zapeta, was arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court on Tuesday. He faces murder charges that could put him in prison for life. Federal immigration officials say 33-year-old Zapeta is a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally after being deported in 2018. The apparently random attack occurred Sunday morning on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn. Amsterdam court sentences 5 men over violence linked to Ajax-Maccabi soccer game THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An Amsterdam District Court has issued sentences of up to six months in jail against 5 men who were involved in violent disorder after a soccer match between the Dutch club Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv in November. The riots caused an international outcry and accusations of deliberate anti-Semitic attacks. The violence following a UEFA Europa League match left 5 people in hospital. More than 60 suspects were detained. The court on Tuesday sentenced one man to 6 months in prison, another to 2 1/2 months, two to 1 month and one to 100 hours of community service.(CNS): The beleaguered, UPM minority, government will be looking to the official opposition as well as the independent members across the aisle to steer through a raft of important laws next month now that the next parliament meeting has been set. At the moment there are 21 pieces of legislation listed for the meeting which will start on 9 December and run for a week. They include around a dozen recently relating to the offshore sector and government’s revised fee regime. New Bills include the Public Transport Bill and the Information and Communications Technology (Validation) Bill. Meanwhile, there is still no sign of the more controversial bills that the deputy premier, Kenneth Bryan signaled last week that government before it is progued likely at the end of February or early March. This includes the referendum bill, changes to the National Conservation Act and amendments to immigration legislation, none of which have yet been published. This means given the need for a 28 day consultation on the final bills parliament will need to meet again in the New Year and the UPM will need to persuade the opposition to support the controversial bills just weeks ahead of the start of the election campaign if the proposed bills are to become law and the referendum to take place on election day. Having lost its majority however, with the departure of four members last month who will be moving on to what will be a crowded opposition bench the UPM will be looking to the PPM opposition to help it steer through the proposed legislation already on the agenda. The former opposition leader, Roy McTaggart, the UPM administration last year when Juliana O’Connor-Connolly brought the 2024/2025 budget and the proposed offshore sector fee increases. But it is the new leader Joey Hew who will now have the task of leading the Progressives in the ‘aye or nay’ vote to these revenue raising bills which have already been calculated in the 2025 spending plan. Members now have until 5pm on 2 December to submit motions as yet none have been approved by the Speaker but it is understood that several are likely to be approved before the meeting starts alongside questions from the opposition to members of the government, and statements by government members. The public is encouraged to stay informed about the proceedings and outcomes of the meeting by tuning in to the Government’s YouTube and CIGTV cable channels. The proceedings can also be followed via Radio Cayman, or in person at the House of Parliament. Documents will be made available at ahead of the meeting.Philadelphia (8-2) at Los Angeles Rams (5-5) Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock BetMGM NFL odds: Eagles by 3. Against the spread: Eagles 6-4; Rams 4-6. Series record: Eagles lead 23-20-1. Last meeting: Eagles beat Rams 23-14 in Inglewood, Calif. on Oct. 8, 2023. Last week: Eagles beat Washington 26-18; Rams beat New England 28-22. Eagles offense: overall (5), rush (1), pass (22), scoring (7). Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (7), pass (2), scoring (6). Rams offense: overall (17), rush (26), pass (T-7), scoring (21). Rams defense: overall (23), rush (18), pass (22), scoring (22). Turnover differential: Eagles plus-2; Rams plus-4. RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley combined for 198 scrimmage yards and two scores, rushing 26 times for 146 yards (5.6 average) while adding two receptions for 52 yards against Washington. With 1,137 rushing yards through 10 games, Barkley only trails Baltimore’s Derrick Henry for the NFL lead. He had his sixth 100-plus yard rushing game this season, which is the most in the NFL. S Kam Kinchens. The rookie third-round pick from Miami had eight tackles, one tackle for loss, an interception and a forced fumble against the Patriots as he continues to come on strong. Kinchens has three picks in the past three games. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts vs. Rams’ defensive line. Hurts shredded Los Angeles for 303 yards passing and 72 yards rushing last season despite the presence of superstar DT Aaron Donald. After Donald retired, the Rams turned to a committee approach to get after the passer, and it has worked with rookie OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske fitting in well next to second-year OLB Byron Young and DT Kobie Turner. But they can only unleash their excellent pass rush skills by limiting Philadelphia on early downs. Hurts has been at his dual-threat best over the past five games, accounting for 15 total touchdowns (six passing, nine rushing) against two turnovers. Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff had surgery on his left wrist on Thursday, a move that could allow him to return toward the end of the season. ... WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring) and DT Milton Williams (foot) each missed practice this week. ... Rams RT Rob Havenstein (ankle) looks to be trending toward a return this week. Havenstein sat out the previous two games because of the ailment. The Eagles have won all three games in Los Angeles since the Rams moved back in 2016. ... Overall, Philadelphia has won seven of the past eight. The only setback came in Week 2 of the 2020 pandemic season. Barkley has passed 100-plus scrimmage yards in eight of 10 games. That is tied with LeSean McCoy (2011) and Brian Westbrook (2007) for the most by an Eagle through 10 games. His 198 yards were his second most as an Eagle (199 in Week 9). ... The Eagles have allowed two passing touchdowns during their winning streak. Only one opponent has topped 200 passing yards against them in this stretch, with Cincinnati throwing for 222 in Week 8. ... Hurts leads all NFL quarterbacks with 11 touchdown runs and is second only to Henry's 13 scores for the Ravens. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the league in receptions of 30 yards or longer. He is averaging 18.7 yards per catch, the best mark of any player with at least 30 grabs. ... Even before he hurt his wrist, Huff struggled in his first season in Philadelphia with just 2 1/2 sacks and four quarterback hits. His snap count has dipped since he was injured ahead of a game earlier this month against Jacksonville. Huff had 17 1/2 sacks in four seasons with the Jets before he signed a three-year, $51 million free-agent deal with the Eagles. ... Philadelphia has run for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns in five straight games, something it hadn't accomplished since 1949. ... Rams WR Puka Nacua caught his first touchdown of the season in New England. He has at least seven receptions and 98 yards in three of his past four games, with only a second-quarter ejection in Seattle having limited Nacua since he returned from a knee injury. ... WR Cooper Kupp has 614 receptions through his first 98 games, which is fourth most in NFL history through 100 games. Julio Jones (619) is third. ... RB Kyren Williams averaged a season-high 5.7 yards per carry, finishing with 86 yards on 15 attempts versus the Patriots. ... Verse has 11 tackles for loss and 4 1/2 sacks through his first 10 games. Verse is pressuring the quarterback on 20.2% of pass rush snaps, which ranks second in the league overall. ... The Rams were 2 of 8 (25%) on third down against New England, their third straight game converting 25% or worse. ... QB Matthew Stafford has not been sacked in each of Los Angeles’ past three wins. Don’t be discouraged using Stafford, Kupp and Nacua against Philadelphia's pass defense. All three put up solid fantasy numbers in last season’s meeting, even as the Eagles sat on the ball for nearly 38 minutes. Stafford had 222 yards and two scores, finding Kupp eight times for 118 yards and Nacua seven times for 71 yards and a touchdown, so they'll find ways to produce. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Tens of thousands of Spaniards marched in downtown Barcelona on Saturday to protest the skyrocketing cost of renting an apartment in the popular tourist destination. Protesters cut off traffic on main avenues in the city center, holding up homemade signs in Spanish reading “Fewer apartments for investing and more homes for living" and “The people without homes uphold their rights.” The lack of affordable housing has become one of the leading concerns for the southern European Union country, mirroring the housing crunch across many parts of the world, including the United States . Organizers said that over 100,000 had turned out, while Barcelona’s police said they estimated some 22,000 marched. Either way, the throngs of people clogging the streets recalled the massive separatist rallies at the heigh of the previous decade’s Catalan independence movement. Now, social concerns led by housing have displaced political crusades. That is because the average rent for Spain has doubled in last 10 years. The price per square meter has risen from 7.2 euros ($7.5) in 2014 to 13 euros this year, according to the popular online real estate website Idealista. The growth is even more acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid. Incomes meanwhile have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Protestor Samuel Saintot said he is “frustrated and scared” after being told by the owners of the apartment he has rented for the past 15 years in Barcelona’s city center that he must vacate the premises. He suspects that the owners want him out so they can renovate it and boost the price. “Even looking in a 20- or 30-kilometer radius outside town, I can’t even find anything within the price range I can afford,” he told The Associated Press. “And I consider myself a very fortunate person, because I earn a decent salary. And even in my case, I may be forced to leave town.” A report by the Bank of Spain indicates that nearly 40% of Spaniards who rent dedicate an average of 40% of their income to paying rents and utilities, compared to the European Union average of 27% of renters who do so. “We are talking about a housing emergency. It means people having many difficulties both in accessing and staying in their homes,” said Ignasi Martí, professor for Esade business school and head of its Dignified Housing Observatory. The rise in rents is causing significant pain in Spain, where traditionally people seek to own their homes. Rental prices have also been driven up by short-term renters including tourists. Many migrants to Spain are also disproportionately hit by the high rents because they often do not have enough savings. Spain is near the bottom end of OECD countries with under 2% of all housing available being public housing for rent. The OECD average is 7%. Spain is far behind France, with 14%, Britain with 16%, and the Netherlands with 34%. Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for Barcelona’s Tenants Union which helped organize the protest, said that renters should consider a “rent strike” and cease paying their monthly rents in a mass protest movement. “I think we the tenants have understood that this depends on us. That we can’t keep asking and making demands to the authorities and waiting for an answer. We must take the reins of the situation,” Arcarazo told the AP. “So, if they (the owners) won’t lower the rent, then we will force them to do it." The Barcelona protest came a month after tens of thousands rallied against high rents in Madrid. The rising discontent over housing is putting pressure on Spain’s governing Socialist party, which leads a coalition on the national level and is in charge of Catalonia’s regional government and Barcelona’s city hall. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez presided over what the government termed a “housing summit” including government officials and real estate developers last month. But the Barcelona’s Tenants Union boycotted the event, saying it was like calling a summit for curing cancer and inviting tobacco companies to participate. The leading government measure has been a rent cap mechanism that the central government has offered to regional authorities based on a price index established by the housing ministry. Rent controls can be applied to areas deemed to be “highly stressed” by high rental prices. Catalonia was the first region to apply those caps, which are in place in downtown Barcelona. Many locals blame the million of tourists who visit Barcelona, and the rest of Spain, each year for the high prices. Barcelona’s town hall has pledged to completely eliminate the city’s 10,000 so called “tourist apartments,” or dwellings with permits for short-term rents, by 2028.McBride: GOP trying to "manufacture a crisis" with transgender Capitol bathroom ban

Louder, wilder, and more combustible than ever, NZ’s finest punk n’ rollers, The D4, will be hitting home shores this coming February / March. They will be celebrating the FIRST EVER VINYL pressing of sophomore album Out Of My Head dropping February 7, 2025 via Warner Music. The D4 are running hot from a riotous, untamed tour across their spiritual stomping ground of Japan, and are now primed to explode back onto the local stage. With appearances at Kickdown Festival, opening for Shihad on their final tour, a mighty doubleheader with notorious stench rockers Head Like A Hole, and headline shows at favourite haunts. Rock'n'roll fans will be treated to their notorious and incendiary live performances, replete with a reputation for amplifiers catching on fire and sweat dripping from the ceiling. Expect the powerhouse show to include the classics ‘Rock'n'Roll Motherfucker’, ‘Sake Bomb’, ‘What I Want’, ‘Party’, ‘Come On!’, ‘Get Loose’ and ‘Ladies Man’ amongst a high octane set that will include a slew of NEVER BEFORE HEARD MATERIAL! This is your chance to see the band LIVE. The D4 full force, sonic assault!!! GET UP! GET OUT! GET LOOSE AOTEAROA!! FEB 7th || MT. MAUNGANUI @TOTARA STREET FEB 8th ||WHANGAMATA @KICKDOWN FESTIVAL FEB 21st || WELLINGTON @MEOW w/ HEAD LIKE A HOLE FEB 22nd || TAUPO @ROSEMARYS FEB 28th || KAIPARA@ THE ORIGINAL KAIPARA TAVERN MAR 1st || RAGLAN @HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL MAR 14th || AUCKLAND @SPARK ARENA w/ SHIHAD MAR 15th || CHRISTCHURCH @LOONS Between 1998-2006, The D4 took on the world and their run sheet is impressive. They toured relentlessly playing clubs and festivals in the US, UK, Japan, Europe, Australia and New Zealand - these included, SXSW, Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds, Fuji Rock, Pukkelpop and The Big Day Out. On the strength of their live shows and the reception of the recorded material, The D4 were lauded by stalwarts of the scene past and present and invited to play and tour alongside legacy heroes and contemporary upstarts including: The New York Dolls, Radio Birdman, Bored!, Powdermonkeys, the Dictators, Bo Diddley, the Pretty Things, Iggy and the Stooges, Guitar Wolf, and The Hives. “One of the greatest Kiwi live bands...” Graham Reid, Elsewhere. John Peel invited the band to record a Peel Live session that aired on his legendary BBC Radio 1 show and they performed live on late night US TV shows, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Kilborn and Last Call with Carson Daly. The D4 was assembled by vocalist/guitarists Dion Lunadon and Jimmy Christmas who put together a collection of songs and built a fierce four-piece combo, featuring founding members English Jake and Rich Mixture. The band was later enhanced by members Vaughan Williams (bass) and Beaver Pooley (drums). To celebrate the anniversary of Out Of My Head, Warner Music NZ and Rhythmethod will be pressing a very limited run on tasty 180g vinyl, accompanied by BONUS UNRELEASED material from The D4 vaults. Records and merch will be available at all shows while stocks last!x YouTube Video Listen to our archived episodes: Pandora | LibSyn | YouTube Support the show: Patreon | PayPal: 1x or monthly | Square Cash * David Waldman didn’t write the rules, but he might be the last one to remember what they all are . Christmas has come early for Trump. Billionaire Secret Santa rules are simple : bring a million bucks . Also, it’s no secret who’s playing Santa this year. Donald can sit on Santa Musk’s lap all he wants, but the naughty boys and girls who threaten Santa’s elves in China will find a primary challenge in their stockings. Musk expects Trump to immediately fire all non-essential employees and rehire them over at DOGE. The Trump doctrine (aka, Sein Kampf ) involves gunboat money laundering in Panama , while around the world tariffs replace thumb breaking. Here such heavy-handed extortion tactics are not required as everyone seems eager to break their own thumbs in advance. Clarence Thomas needs an emotional support billionaire to live with the stigma of cruel people constantly mocking his graft . Fani Willis didn’t deserve to be disqualified from prosecuting Trump in Georgia, and yet she was . The archivist and deputy archivist of the United States said that the Equal Rights Amendment cannot be certified without further action by Congress. But did Joe Biden think to call Colleen Shogan “ unhinged ” and suggest that she is in an affair with William Bosanko , then maybe dox them both? Worth a try!

Bride, groom, spy: India’s wedding detectives

When you hear the words mucus and snot, you might think of colds, snails or drooling babies. But the runny, sometimes sticky substance often plays a vital role in our lives, and mucus also has the potential to be a medicine. From the moist passages of the nose to the winding paths of the intestines, about ten liters of mucus are produced daily. The mucus that most demands our attention is snot—even though we do not notice even a fraction of the approximately two deciliters of snot produced daily. Pär Stjärne, docent at the Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, has primarily researched chronic rhinitis (inflammations), in the nose and sinus mucosa. "The nose has many important tasks that we are not aware of, and the mucous membrane, with its outermost layer of mucus, is essential for all of them," says Stjärne. The nose is not the only part of the immune system where it traps particles, viruses and bacteria in the snot. The nasal mucosa also acts as humidifiers and heat exchangers, "optimizing" the air before it reaches the lungs. The mucosa is also essential for our sense of smell. That is just a handful of the nose's functions. "The nose is able to manage all its tasks partly because it is lined with mucosa, but also due to its narrow anatomical structure, which creates turbulence. The turbulence in the inhaled air causes particles larger than ten micrometers to be ejected into the mucosa, where cilia transport the particles towards the throat," says Stjärne. The functions of the nose are ultimately controlled by the brainstem. Through neurotransmitters, it regulates, among other things, how much or little snot the mucous glands should produce and the blood flow to the nasal mucosa. It is not a myth that one can become addicted to certain nasal sprays —those containing so-called alpha-adrenergic agonists—to reduce swelling and mucus production in the nose. "If used longer than intended, usually ten days, there is a high risk of developing medication-induced nasal congestion. This is because the number of alpha receptors in the nose decreases. When this happens, the brainstem neurotransmitters become ineffective, and more decongestant nasal spray is needed to avoid congestion," says Stjärne. The only cure is to stop spraying and endure a few weeks of congestion until the body's own system kicks in again. "This is a very troublesome situation and unfortunately not uncommon. During the weaning process, it tends to be worst at bedtime as the nose swells more. I usually recommend these patients to take a puff of decongestant children's nasal spray in one nostril at bedtime." The color of the snot does not indicate the cause The idea that the color of the snot can indicate the cause of the infection is a myth, however. Colds are almost always caused by viruses, which produce a transparent snot as the mucous membrane responds with intense mucus production. This makes us want to sneeze, and our noses run. When you think about it, have you ever had a cold where the snot was colored from the start? "The change in color of the snot is due to the mucus becoming thicker over time as a result of dead cells such as white blood cells and bacteria. Bacterial growth often occurs later in the cold, when the normally harmless bacteria in the nose have had a chance to grow undisturbed while immune cells have targeted the virus," says Stjärne. It becomes, as Stjärne puts it, "an inflammatory soup" that maintains the inflammation and is therefore good to remove with the help of nasal spray or homemade nasal rinse with half a teaspoon of table salt and five deciliters of lukewarm tap water. "The important thing is to use clean tools in the form of a syringe or nasal cannula. Otherwise, there is a risk that they become breeding grounds for bacteria, prolonging the infection. As for rinsing your nose, even if you have no problems, there is no scientific evidence, but many people find it increases their well-being. I do it myself," says Stjärne. When it comes to people with chronic rhinitis, long-term inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes, whether due to an allergy or not, there is much to suggest that nasal rinsing is beneficial for mucus production, according to Stjärne. Moreover, working in a dry indoor environment with central ventilation, as many do, dries out the mucous membranes, which changes the pH of the nose and causes inflammation. There are no reliable statistics on how many people suffer from non-allergic rhinitis and chronic nasal congestion, but Stjärne believes it can be classified as a common disease. "I once conducted a survey in my studies that showed that 25 percent of Stockholmers had nasal congestion lasting more than three months." The cause of chronic, non-allergic rhinitis varies, and in some cases, the cause is unknown. "Many factors can affect the nose, from the air environment and hormonal conditions such as pregnancy to medication. All blood pressure-lowering medications can potentially also affect the nasal mucosa," says Stjärne. In response to the question of whether he has any fun facts about snot, he talks about the form snot takes when he operates on chronically inflamed sinuses. "It is an extremely tough secretion that we pull out, sometimes half a meter outside the body, like a long rubber band," says Stjärne. Protecting the intestinal mucosa If the mucosa in the nose is the body's first line of defense, the intestinal mucosa could be described as the second. In addition to handling the snot we swallow, it must interact with everything we consciously put in our mouths. Charlotte Hedin, gastroenterologist and researcher at the Gastrointestinal Centre at Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, has spent many years studying the intestinal mucosa in people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). "If the villi (tiny finger-like projections) are taken into account, the intestinal mucosa is the largest surface in the human body that interacts with the outside world. No other part of the body has the same interaction with our environment," says Hedin. Just like the nose, the production of mucus is a complex process regulated by several factors, including hormones and immune cells. A major difference, however, is that the mucus and the environment in the intestines are affected by the food we eat. A current research area is to find out how the mucosa is affected by today's modern ultra-processed foods. "It has been observed that chemicals such as emulsifiers and preservatives can make the mucus layer in the intestines thinner, making the intestinal barrier more permeable and potentially increasing the risk of inflammation," says Hedin. The intestinal mucosa is also unique compared to other mucous membranes in the body because it is incredibly dynamic. This allows it to absorb nutrients from food while keeping out disease-causing microorganisms at the same time. However, sometimes the intestinal mucosa fails in its task, such as when we get food poisoning. "What happens during such an intestinal infection is that the mucosa is damaged or thinned out. It can even disappear completely. For healthy individuals, the mucosa repairs itself very quickly. However, this is not the case for the patients on whom Hedin focuses her research—those with IBD, where Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the most common diagnoses. Her major research questions are to understand how inflammation arises and how to promote mucosal healing. "The problem with current immunosuppressive treatment is that it does not help everyone with IBD and also that it causes side effects. We really need to find alternatives, and we can do that if we understand why some respond to treatment and heal, and others do not," she says. A large study is currently underway where Hedin and her colleagues have collected samples from the intestinal mucosa of IBD patients when it is most severely inflamed. They have then followed up with new samples at various times after the patients have received treatment. "Some patients get a great effect from immunosuppressive drugs while others are not helped at all. It will be very interesting to compare these samples and see what differs between them. The analyses will be carried out next year and hopefully, it will provide answers as to which molecules or chemicals are activated during healing. "The dream is to find a drug that can promote the healing process without suppressing the immune system. That would really be a long-awaited complement to current treatment," says Hedin. Cow mucus can prevent transmission of viruses We have now established that mucus plays a crucial role in our bodies. But the benefits of mucus extend far beyond its natural functions in our bodies. Hongji Yan, a researcher at Uppsala University and affiliated with AIMES at Karolinska Institutet, leads the work on exploring the potential of mucin, the main non-water-based component of natural mucus. Using mucin from cows, his research team has managed to recreate mucus-like gels. "Our gels are versatile and can be customized for different biomedical applications as they can appear in both solid and liquid form," says Yan. The ability of mucus to take different forms is crucial. As a solid, it can trap viruses and prevent their movement towards the epithelial cells under the mucosa. In liquid form, it can remove virus particles that have reached the epithelium. One of the gels he has developed will hopefully be able to prevent the transmission of HIV and herpes. Laboratory tests on different cell types have shown promising results; the gel prevented HIV infection in 70% of cases and herpes transmission in 80% of cases. "A major advantage is that this gel can be used without the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance, which is a problem with antiviral drugs. We hope to test the infection protection in animal studies in two to three years," says Yan. In addition to protection against sexually transmitted viral infections, Yan believes that these gels could also protect against bacterial infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. His research group has also developed mucin-based gels that remain stable in the body and can function as implants. "The gels can be injected into the body where they then solidify. They can also be molded in the desired way before implantation," he explains. Studies on mice suggest that these gels could be useful in herniated disk surgery to protect intervertebral disks from post-operative inflammation. "In our studies, we have seen that a simple injection at the surgical site can protect both the nucleus and the vertebral body from further degeneration," says Yan. Another potential application is transplant surgery. Yan and his colleagues are currently investigating the possibility of preventing the rejection of insulin-producing pancreatic cells after transplantation to people with type 1 diabetes. "We are trying to create a gel that can be used as an immunoprotective coating around these cell islets when they are injected into the body. The gel should protect the cells from being attacked by the immune system while not preventing them from releasing insulin once they are transplanted," says Yan. If he is allowed to make a prediction, mucus-based treatments and medicines will play a significant role in the future. "Nature provides us with invaluable insights for the design of biomaterials. Right now, we are in an exciting time where we are learning to replicate and customize the properties of gels with mucins for various medical applications," he says.VERNON Kay has NEVER been asked to compete on Strictly Come Dancing in 20 years - despite being married to the host. The BBC Radio Two presenter says he's been missed off the wish list by BBC executives since its launch in 2004. Tess Daly co-hosted the show with Bruce Forsyth until 2013 before taking over his role alongside Claudia Winkleman . Despite this, Vernon has never been called up to be asked to appear on the dance show that's on most celebrities' bucket lists. Instead he will watch from home or in the audience at Elstree Studios where Strictly in filmed. Speaking exclusively to The Sun as part of EE's campaign to improve Christmas with its latest tech upgrade WiFi 7 technology, Vernon Kay told us: "If they asked me, I'd think about it - and then I'd say no. "Let's be honest, it's been 20 bloody years and I've still not had a phone call. "It's like, I'm right here! Hello! "Every now and then I'll bump into the BBC executives at Broadcasting House, so I think it's time I say 'hello, remember me'." The 50-year-old backed Chris McCausland to win before he became the first blind contestant to hold the glitterball trophy. Vernon said: "I think Dianne has been an absolute saint in the way she's allowed people to realise that you know having a disability isn't the be all end all. "Chris has done absolutely amazingly and Dianne had everyone in tears in the semi-final when she said, look, Chris hasn't seen other people dance. "He hasn't seen what he's accomplished, what he's achieved. He hasn't seen his own hand placement or footwork. "It just struck a cord and touched everyone in the studio. Tess was in tears and she had to really fight back tears when she did the next link to introduce the next dancer. "I think it just summed up everything Chris has achieved. "That's what Strictly is all about. Watching it makes you feel good. "When you strip it down, it's about dancing. Dancing is difficult, but when it's done well it looks amazing."

'We take the point and move on': Reading boss reacts to end-to-end Barnsley drawPrincipal Financial Group Inc. Acquires 109,206 Shares of Immunocore Holdings plc (NASDAQ:IMCR)

WASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a . consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. Pickpockets, scammers, and flagrant, snatch-your-phone-right-out-of-your-hand thieves can be found pretty much everywhere. In London, for instance, a staggering , breaking down to an average of 248 per day, according to the BBC. Whether you're visiting a crowded tourist attraction or just want peace of mind, travel experts advise taking precautions to make sure your phone isn't physically stolen or compromised while traveling. There are several antitheft options to choose from. If you want a bag that will protect your phone from theft, experts recommend looking for features like slash-resistant fabric, reinforced shoulder straps, hidden zippers that can be locked, and secure attachment points, like a cross-body strap or a sturdy clip. For tethers, look for those made of tear-resistant material with a reinforced clip or ring. If your phone falls into the wrong hands, there's a good chance you won't be getting it back. Out of those 91,000 phones stolen in London in 2022, only 1,915 (or about 2%) were recovered. The good news is that you can take precautions to make the loss of your phone less devastating by backing up your data before you travel. With backed-up data, you can acquire a new device and still access your photos, contacts, messages, and passwords. Moreover, if you have "Find My Device" or "Find My Phone" enabled, you can remotely wipe your stolen phone's data so the thief cannot access it. It's safest to back up your data to a hard drive and not just the cloud. That way, if you have to wipe your device, you don't accidentally erase the backup, too. In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. Strong passwords for important accounts help protect your information while you travel, but it's just a first step. The National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends creating long, unique, and complex passwords for every account and combining them with multifactor authentication to create maximum barriers to entry. If you're worried about remembering these passwords, password managers can be a vital tool for both creating and storing strong passwords. Password managers are apps that act as secure vaults for all your passwords. Some even come with a feature that allows you to temporarily delete sensitive passwords before you travel and then easily restore them once you return. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.