Chuetas recognised by rabbi after centuries of persecution dating back to before the Spanish Inquisition Almost six centuries after most of them converted to Christianity, a rabbinical court has declared that descendants of a “lost tribe” from the Spanish island of Mallorca can once more be considered Jews. A decision by the ultra-orthodox rabbi Nissim Karelitz recognises that the Chuetas of Mallorca, who were persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition and remained a distinct group within Mallorcan society until the 1970s, had the right to call themselves Jews. Today’s Chuetas are descendants of Jews who are considered to have been forcibly converted in the early 15th century, decades before Spain formally expelled its Jews in 1492. “Since it has become clear this it is accepted among them that throughout the generations, most of them married among themselves, then all of those who are related to the former generations are Jews,” the rabbi’s decisions said, according to the Arutz Sheva website. The ruling does not affect the descendants of other Jews who remained in Spain rather than joining the Sephardic communities formed in other countries after the expulsion. Some of the Chuetas continued to practise Judaism in secret and at great personal risk. They became a target for the Inquisition, which condemned hundreds to death. Members of the community were persecuted in the 15th and 17th centuries. Today there are 15 popular surnames on the island that originate from the Chueta community. Around 18,000 people, including some of the island’s wealthier families, bear the surnames. Genetic studies have shown the tendency to intermarry that continued until the 1970s had produced a degree of “genetic homogeneity”, according to researchers at the university of the Balearic Islands. The term Chueta is thought to come from the Catalan word for pig. Rabbis will now start teaching any who are interested in embracing Judaism. Only a handful, however, are reported to have started to attend a synagogue in the Mallorcan capital of Palma. The decision to recognise their descendants comes as another step in the hunt to recover what have been called the “lost” or “hidden” Jews. Shivei Isreal, an organisation dedicated to finding them, has welcomed the decision. “Their ancestors were kidnapped from us and taken against their will six centuries ago,” the group’s founder, Michael Freund, told the Jerusalem Post. “The Inquisition sought to quash their Jewish identity down through the ages and we are coming here today to say that the Inquisition did not succeed. “Although there is no actual discrimination any longer against Chuetas, on a societal level many feel ostracised and to a certain extent outsiders.” “Acceptance of the Chuetas over the past 40 years has grown, which is positive, but brings with it a greater danger of assimilation.” Spain Judaism Religion Giles Tremlett guardian.co.uk
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New cancer statistics show that four in 10 Britons will get the disease in their lifetime, as incidence of cancers rise, says charity It was one of the starkest statistics about the nation’s health – that one in three of us would get cancer. Sadly, the figures have just got worse. Cancer experts now believe 42% of Britons will get the disease. Macmillan Cancer Support has revised the figure after its researchers analysed official data covering diagnosis of cancer, death from the disease and overall mortality. Of the 585,000 people who died in the UK in 2008, 246,000 of them – 42% – had been diagnosed with cancer at some point. The one in three figure has been used by cancer experts, campaigners and ministers for a decade. It is based on the fact that research into every death in the UK in 1999 showed that 220,000 people – some 35% of the 630,000 total deaths – had previously been found to have the disease. The new figures tally with recent research that the incidence of cancer is rising, mainly due to the UK’s ageing population. “It is alarming that the number of people who will get cancer is now well past one in three, and that there are so many more people with cancer today than even 10 years ago,” said Ciaran Devane, Macmillan’s chief executive. “These figures highlight the increasing impact that cancer can have on so many of our lives,” said Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of GPs. About 310,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in 2008, and 157,000 died from it. The number of people developing the disease is estimated to be rising by 3.2% a year because of ageing and other factors such as increasing obesity and some cancers emerging later in people’s lives, after they have spent many years smoking. The figure for the number of Britons alive who have or have had cancer at some point has recently been increased from 1.5 million to 2 million. But Devane warned that this, too, is set to rise sharply. “There are currently 2 million people living with cancer in the UK and that number is doubling to 4 million over the next 20 years. Yet no one thinks the country can afford to double its spending on cancer,” Devane said. More positively, improvements in diagnosis and treatment mean survival from some cancers is increasing, too. “Survival rates have doubled over the last 40 years, and this is one of the success stories of modern medicine,” said Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK’s science information manager. Gerada said: “Thanks to clinical advances and brilliant research, we are now more likely to know people living with cancer, rather than dying from it. If diagnosed early enough, cancers such as breast, skin and colon cancers are treatable, and many patients will go on to live long and healthy lives. Early diagnosis is vital, and this depends largely on patients presenting to their GPs as early as possible, and GPs having greater access to diagnostics.” GPs are working hard to improve their early diagnosis of cancer, added Gerada. Failings on that have been blamed for Britain’s poor survival rates compared with other European and western countries. Cancer Health Denis Campbell guardian.co.uk
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New cancer statistics show that four in 10 Britons will get the disease in their lifetime, as incidence of cancers rise, says charity It was one of the starkest statistics about the nation’s health – that one in three of us would get cancer. Sadly, the figures have just got worse. Cancer experts now believe 42% of Britons will get the disease. Macmillan Cancer Support has revised the figure after its researchers analysed official data covering diagnosis of cancer, death from the disease and overall mortality. Of the 585,000 people who died in the UK in 2008, 246,000 of them – 42% – had been diagnosed with cancer at some point. The one in three figure has been used by cancer experts, campaigners and ministers for a decade. It is based on the fact that research into every death in the UK in 1999 showed that 220,000 people – some 35% of the 630,000 total deaths – had previously been found to have the disease. The new figures tally with recent research that the incidence of cancer is rising, mainly due to the UK’s ageing population. “It is alarming that the number of people who will get cancer is now well past one in three, and that there are so many more people with cancer today than even 10 years ago,” said Ciaran Devane, Macmillan’s chief executive. “These figures highlight the increasing impact that cancer can have on so many of our lives,” said Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of GPs. About 310,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in 2008, and 157,000 died from it. The number of people developing the disease is estimated to be rising by 3.2% a year because of ageing and other factors such as increasing obesity and some cancers emerging later in people’s lives, after they have spent many years smoking. The figure for the number of Britons alive who have or have had cancer at some point has recently been increased from 1.5 million to 2 million. But Devane warned that this, too, is set to rise sharply. “There are currently 2 million people living with cancer in the UK and that number is doubling to 4 million over the next 20 years. Yet no one thinks the country can afford to double its spending on cancer,” Devane said. More positively, improvements in diagnosis and treatment mean survival from some cancers is increasing, too. “Survival rates have doubled over the last 40 years, and this is one of the success stories of modern medicine,” said Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK’s science information manager. Gerada said: “Thanks to clinical advances and brilliant research, we are now more likely to know people living with cancer, rather than dying from it. If diagnosed early enough, cancers such as breast, skin and colon cancers are treatable, and many patients will go on to live long and healthy lives. Early diagnosis is vital, and this depends largely on patients presenting to their GPs as early as possible, and GPs having greater access to diagnostics.” GPs are working hard to improve their early diagnosis of cancer, added Gerada. Failings on that have been blamed for Britain’s poor survival rates compared with other European and western countries. Cancer Health Denis Campbell guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …New cancer statistics show that four in 10 Britons will get the disease in their lifetime, as incidence of cancers rise, says charity It was one of the starkest statistics about the nation’s health – that one in three of us would get cancer. Sadly, the figures have just got worse. Cancer experts now believe 42% of Britons will get the disease. Macmillan Cancer Support has revised the figure after its researchers analysed official data covering diagnosis of cancer, death from the disease and overall mortality. Of the 585,000 people who died in the UK in 2008, 246,000 of them – 42% – had been diagnosed with cancer at some point. The one in three figure has been used by cancer experts, campaigners and ministers for a decade. It is based on the fact that research into every death in the UK in 1999 showed that 220,000 people – some 35% of the 630,000 total deaths – had previously been found to have the disease. The new figures tally with recent research that the incidence of cancer is rising, mainly due to the UK’s ageing population. “It is alarming that the number of people who will get cancer is now well past one in three, and that there are so many more people with cancer today than even 10 years ago,” said Ciaran Devane, Macmillan’s chief executive. “These figures highlight the increasing impact that cancer can have on so many of our lives,” said Dr Clare Gerada, chair of the Royal College of GPs. About 310,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in 2008, and 157,000 died from it. The number of people developing the disease is estimated to be rising by 3.2% a year because of ageing and other factors such as increasing obesity and some cancers emerging later in people’s lives, after they have spent many years smoking. The figure for the number of Britons alive who have or have had cancer at some point has recently been increased from 1.5 million to 2 million. But Devane warned that this, too, is set to rise sharply. “There are currently 2 million people living with cancer in the UK and that number is doubling to 4 million over the next 20 years. Yet no one thinks the country can afford to double its spending on cancer,” Devane said. More positively, improvements in diagnosis and treatment mean survival from some cancers is increasing, too. “Survival rates have doubled over the last 40 years, and this is one of the success stories of modern medicine,” said Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK’s science information manager. Gerada said: “Thanks to clinical advances and brilliant research, we are now more likely to know people living with cancer, rather than dying from it. If diagnosed early enough, cancers such as breast, skin and colon cancers are treatable, and many patients will go on to live long and healthy lives. Early diagnosis is vital, and this depends largely on patients presenting to their GPs as early as possible, and GPs having greater access to diagnostics.” GPs are working hard to improve their early diagnosis of cancer, added Gerada. Failings on that have been blamed for Britain’s poor survival rates compared with other European and western countries. Cancer Health Denis Campbell guardian.co.uk
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Explosion kills head of provincial religious council and two others, local officials say A suicide bomber has killed three people at a Kandahar mosque during a memorial service for Ahmed Wali Karzai, the Afghan president’s brother who was assassinated last week. Zalmai Ayoubi, a spokesman for the Kandahar governor’s office, confirmed three people were killed and 15 were wounded in the attack. However, witnesses said five people had died and more than 25 were injured. “The suicide attacker entered the mosque. One of the people who died was Maulawi Ekmattulah, the head of the local ulema shura (the provincial religious council),” Ayoubi said. The identity of the others killed has not yet been confirmed. Haji Padshah who had been paying his last respects to Karzai at the service, said: “I was on the other side of the mosque when I heard the bang. It deafened me. I could not hear anything but I saw everyone running around.” Speaking from the hospital where he had been rushed he said he saw five dead bodies and more than 25 injured survivors. Ahmed Wali Karzai was shot by his personal bodyguard on Tuesday and was buried at the family gravesite in the village of Karz. The funeral was attended by the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, politicians, dignitaries and thousands of other mourners. Islamic custom dictates the deceased must be buried within 24 hours of death. Thursday’s memorial service was planned to allow those travelling from further afield who would not arrive in time for the burial to pay their respects. The police have launched an investigation into the killing of Karzai as it is unclear why a trusted aide would murder him. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination but a personal conflict has not been ruled out. Hamid Karzai was not at today’s memorial service, having already returned to Kabul. The burial of of AWK , as he was known, passed without incident amid tight security provided by the Afghan national security forces. However, Helmand’s governor, Gulab Mangal, was targeted by a remotely detonated roadside bomb in Maiwand district of Kandahar as he travelled to the funeral. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesperson Qari Yosuf Ahmadi said he did not have any information about the attack. Afghanistan Hamid Karzai guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Explosion kills head of provincial religious council and two others, local officials say A suicide bomber has killed three people at a Kandahar mosque during a memorial service for Ahmed Wali Karzai, the Afghan president’s brother who was assassinated last week. Zalmai Ayoubi, a spokesman for the Kandahar governor’s office, confirmed three people were killed and 15 were wounded in the attack. However, witnesses said five people had died and more than 25 were injured. “The suicide attacker entered the mosque. One of the people who died was Maulawi Ekmattulah, the head of the local ulema shura (the provincial religious council),” Ayoubi said. The identity of the others killed has not yet been confirmed. Haji Padshah who had been paying his last respects to Karzai at the service, said: “I was on the other side of the mosque when I heard the bang. It deafened me. I could not hear anything but I saw everyone running around.” Speaking from the hospital where he had been rushed he said he saw five dead bodies and more than 25 injured survivors. Ahmed Wali Karzai was shot by his personal bodyguard on Tuesday and was buried at the family gravesite in the village of Karz. The funeral was attended by the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, politicians, dignitaries and thousands of other mourners. Islamic custom dictates the deceased must be buried within 24 hours of death. Thursday’s memorial service was planned to allow those travelling from further afield who would not arrive in time for the burial to pay their respects. The police have launched an investigation into the killing of Karzai as it is unclear why a trusted aide would murder him. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination but a personal conflict has not been ruled out. Hamid Karzai was not at today’s memorial service, having already returned to Kabul. The burial of of AWK , as he was known, passed without incident amid tight security provided by the Afghan national security forces. However, Helmand’s governor, Gulab Mangal, was targeted by a remotely detonated roadside bomb in Maiwand district of Kandahar as he travelled to the funeral. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesperson Qari Yosuf Ahmadi said he did not have any information about the attack. Afghanistan Hamid Karzai guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Explosion kills head of provincial religious council and two others, local officials say A suicide bomber has killed three people at a Kandahar mosque during a memorial service for Ahmed Wali Karzai, the Afghan president’s brother who was assassinated last week. Zalmai Ayoubi, a spokesman for the Kandahar governor’s office, confirmed three people were killed and 15 were wounded in the attack. However, witnesses said five people had died and more than 25 were injured. “The suicide attacker entered the mosque. One of the people who died was Maulawi Ekmattulah, the head of the local ulema shura (the provincial religious council),” Ayoubi said. The identity of the others killed has not yet been confirmed. Haji Padshah who had been paying his last respects to Karzai at the service, said: “I was on the other side of the mosque when I heard the bang. It deafened me. I could not hear anything but I saw everyone running around.” Speaking from the hospital where he had been rushed he said he saw five dead bodies and more than 25 injured survivors. Ahmed Wali Karzai was shot by his personal bodyguard on Tuesday and was buried at the family gravesite in the village of Karz. The funeral was attended by the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, politicians, dignitaries and thousands of other mourners. Islamic custom dictates the deceased must be buried within 24 hours of death. Thursday’s memorial service was planned to allow those travelling from further afield who would not arrive in time for the burial to pay their respects. The police have launched an investigation into the killing of Karzai as it is unclear why a trusted aide would murder him. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination but a personal conflict has not been ruled out. Hamid Karzai was not at today’s memorial service, having already returned to Kabul. The burial of of AWK , as he was known, passed without incident amid tight security provided by the Afghan national security forces. However, Helmand’s governor, Gulab Mangal, was targeted by a remotely detonated roadside bomb in Maiwand district of Kandahar as he travelled to the funeral. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Taliban spokesperson Qari Yosuf Ahmadi said he did not have any information about the attack. Afghanistan Hamid Karzai guardian.co.uk
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BMA warns doctors against interacting with patients on social networking sites to prevent blurring of professional boundaries Doctors are being warned not to befriend patients on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter because of the risk that this could breach rules on confidentiality. The British Medical Association said medical staff and students should reject any approaches by current and former patients to avoid the risk of blurring the boundaries of the doctor-patient relationship. Clearly concerned that doctors will repeat mistakes that have already landed numerous Facebook users in trouble, the new BMA guidance, published today, also cautions against posting “informal, personal or derogatory comments” about patients on social media sites. Tony Calland, chairman of the BMA’s medical ethics committee, said that while most doctors would not accept Facebook friend requests from patients, “a minority said they would consider doing so”. “Yet accepting Facebook friends presents doctors with difficult ethical issues,” he said. “For example, doctors could become aware of information about their patients that has not been disclosed as part of a clinical consultation. “It would also be wholly inappropriate for doctors to disclose information about their patients online.” The BMA advice follows similar guidelines issued this week by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which says a number of medical staff have been investigated and struck off for “improper use” of Facebook. In addition to rejecting friend requests from people they have treated, it said, nurses and midwives should avoid posting photos of patients, discussing work online and publishing sensitive information. Dickon Weir-Hughes, chief executive of the NMC, said: “I would advise nurses and midwives to exercise caution when using social networking sites. They could risk their registration if they share sensitive information, make inappropriate comments, or befriend patients online.” The nursing watchdog also warned that sites such as Facebook “should not be used for whistle-blowing or raising concerns”. Andy Jaegar, who compiled the NMC social networking advice, said: “If your profession is nursing or midwifery, it is particularly inadvisable to discuss work issues online. What you regard as just an amusing story could end up causing serious offence more easily than you think.” Doctors Facebook Social networking Internet NHS Health Public sector careers Barry Neild guardian.co.uk
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City experts warned that the lack of progress in Washington in recent days over the debt ceiling was fanning fears that the world’s biggest economy might default on some of its debt America’s debt crisis reached a critical stage on Thursday as lawmakers remained deadlocked over whether raise the US debt ceiling, and Moody’s threatened to downgrade the country’s credit rating. The dollar lost ground against most major currencies after Moody’s and Chinese ratings agency Dagong both put the US on negative watch. Reports, later denied, that President Obama had walked out of debt negotiations with top Republicans added to the drama. World stock markets suffered another bout of heavy losses when trading began on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 falling 57 points within the opening minutes to 5879. City experts warned that the lack of progress in Washington in recent days was fanning fears that the world’s biggest economy might default on some of its debts. Michael Hewson of CMC Markets called the threat of a Moody’s downgrade a “cruise missile across the bows of US politicians”. “One thing is certain it won’t take long for Fitch and S&P to follow suit if the politicians don’t come to their senses,” Hewson added. Moody’s said on Wednesday night that there was a greater risk that the US government would not agree to increase its debt ceiling above the legal limit of $14.3 trillion (£8.86tn), hit in May . Dagong swiftly followed suit, saying slow economic growth and rising debts meant the federal government’s ability to repay its debts was deteriorating. Despite mounting concern in the financial markets, America’s political leaders remain some distance apart over the issue of the debt ceiling. Little progress appeared to be made on Wednesday. Republican House majority leader Eric Cantor claimed that Obama had shoved back the table and walked out of White House talks, after Cantor refused to discuss the president’s proposal to raise taxes on wealthier Americans. “The president told me, ‘Eric, don’t call my bluff. I’m going to take this to the American people,’” Cantor said after the meeting. Democrats, though, disputed whether Obama had quit the meeting prematurely. “Left abruptly is perfectly fair,” one official told the LA Times . “But the meeting was over — in no sense did he walk out on it.” Officials have warned that, as things stand, America will run out of money to pay its bills on 2 August. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said on Wednesday that without agreement, the US would continue to service its debts and stop benefits like Social Security payments instead. Republicans are demanding hefty spending cuts, worth around $2.4tn over the next ten years, in return for voting to raise the debt ceiling. Obama is pushing for a $4tn deficit reduction plan over the same period, with a hefty slice of increased tax revenue. Europe’s own debt crisis will be under the spotlight on Thursday as Italy holds an auction of government debt. A sale earlier this week saw the country pay its highest interest rate since the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Plans for a new austerity package, which the Italian parliament will start to approve on Thursday, may bring some calm. US economy Economics Global economy Obama administration United States Ratings agencies Graeme Wearden guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Date of Birth : 25 January 1980 (31 years old) Place of Birth : New York, USA Dated : Rick Fox, Crucial Keys, Swizz Beatz, David Ayi Alicia Keys is an American singer who started playing the piano at age seven and started writing songs at age seven. Her debut album “Songs in A Minor” has sold over six million copies. Besides being a musician, Keys is also a philanthropist. She is the Global Ambassador for Keep a Child Alive, a non-profit organization that provides life-saving AIDS medicines directly to children and families with HIV/AIDS in Africa. Alicia Keys Photo’s :
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