Tag Archives: health

Australia Plans To Implement Plain-Packaging Rule For Cigarettes

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Benny Hollywood

Australia has planned for new rules forcing tobacco companies to use plain packaging carrying graphic health warnings. Starting in July 2012, manufacturers would be required to drop all color and branding logos from cigarette packs. The move which is billed as world-first comes after the recommendations were made by the World Health Organization (WHO). Australia also announced an increase of 25percent in tax on cigarettes that would be effective from 0001 on Friday. The move will put A$2.16 ($1.99, £1.31) on a pack of 30 cigarettes. The law will require all tobacco products to be sold in a standard style and will also carry government health warnings. According statistics, 15,000 Australians died every year because of smoking. Smoking is the largest preventable cause of disease and death in the country. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will hold elections this year and he aims to trim down smoking-related deaths to under 10percent by 2018. He added this will be the most hard-line regime for cigarette packaging anywhere in the world. A spokeswoman for Imperial Tobacco Australia released a statement that the company planned to fight the measure given by the government. Introducing plain packaging will take away the ability of the consumer to identify the brand from another brand. Cigarette companies value their logos a lot for it identifies their brand. The tax hike comes a day after the New Zealand government announced it would raise cigarette taxes by 30% over three years. Australia Plans To Implement Plain-Packaging Rule For Cigarettes is a post from: Daily World Buzz Continue reading →

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First “Canine Blood Bank” Launched In India

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Benny Hollywood

A blood bank which is only exclusive for dogs has been launched for the first time in India. The blood bank has been set up in order for the middle class dog owners to avail treatment for their pets in case of a road accident. The success of the project depends on dog owners if they will donate their pets’ blood. According to Dr. Thangaraju, Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, this is the first blood bank of its kind in the country. Many dogs have lost their lives because facilities such as blood bank do not exist in the country. Even though there are no plans at present to make the blood bank commercially viable still the university has plans to do it in the future. The process in the collection and storing of canine blood is the same with how human blood is collected and stored. Stringent measures will also be done to ensure that donated blood is free from infection. Dogs reaching the age of one to eight with body weight of around 20 kilograms are considered qualified for blood donations. A maximum of 300ml per dog can be donated at any one time while a healthy dog can donate 4 to 6 times a year. First “Canine Blood Bank” Launched In India is a post from: Daily World Buzz Continue reading →

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Guru’s Sister Talks About His Death, Memorial Plans

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Patricia Elam says there may be a public memorial on Gang Starr MC’s birthday, July 17. By Shaheem Reid Guru Patricia Elam, the older sister of late Gang Starr MC Keith “Guru” Elam, said her family learned about his passing through the media — one day after he died. Elam alleges that Solar, Guru’s medical proxy , longtime business partner and musical collaborator, never told the Elams of Guru’s death. “[My son] Justin found out on the Internet and called me. I had to call my dad,” Patricia told MTV News Tuesday (April 27) via phone. “[Keith’s 9-year-old son] KC found out riding in the car, hearing it on the radio. That’s not right if you care about someone. That’s not how you treat them. My brother would never have wanted us to find out that way. Never in a million years. Especially his son. Come on, now.” Solar told MTV News last week that he has “nothing but the utmost respect” for Guru’s family , but acknowledged that the relationship “got weird in the end.” Patricia, said that learning of her sibling’s death was only part of their nightmare. When the family inquired with the hospital as to the whereabouts of Elam’s body, they were told it was on its way to a funeral home to be cremated. “The hospital released the body in [Solar’s] care. I don’t know how it was determined what funeral home it would go to,” Patricia explained. “My son Justin was looking online and saw something that the body was going to be cremated. My father was calling the hospital looking for the body and they were like, ‘We released it to the health-care proxy.’ Luckily my other brother happened to be in New York on something unrelated and he started calling funeral homes in the area, if you can imagine. Fortunately the third one he called was the right one. He said, ‘Listen, I’m the brother of Keith Elam, do not release that body to anyone but me.’ Thankfully he was able to get there in time.” Ms. Elam says that eventually the family did cremate Guru’s body, as it was his wish. “The cremation has already occurred,” she explained. “For our family, we’ll have our own private memorial.” Patricia also revealed that the Elams do understand that Guru’s fans would like to celebrate his life and legacy as well, and that a public memorial for his fans is being discussed that would take place on what would have been the MC’s 49th birthday, July 17. “I don’t have any more specifics at this point in time,” she said. “There’s also talk of a musical tribute; I don’t have the specifics on that yet. We want something for the public and for fans. We’re also working on website so fans can post things. We’ve gotten so many wonderful, loving messages and tributes from around the world. We want fans to have a place for that.” Post your memories of Gang Starr and Guru in the comments section below. Related Videos Gang Starr’s Guru Passes Away Related Photos Gang Starr’s Guru: A Life In Photos Related Artists Gangstarr

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Bret Michaels Remains In ICU As Doctors Continue Testing

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Poison frontman still under 24-hour surveillance while doctors try to locate source of bleeding in his brain. By Gil Kaufman Bret Michaels Photo: Michael N. Todaro/Getty Images Poison frontman Bret Michaels remains in an intensive care unit after suffering a major brain hemorrhage late Thursday.

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World’s 1st Full Face Transplant In Spain Is Hailed As A Significant Advance By Transplant Experts.

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Benny Hollywood

According to United States media reports, there were 30 doctors completed the world’s first full-face transplant last month at Barcelona’s Vall d’Hebron Hospital. It is the most difficult total face transplant ever from world’s eleven (11)face transplants that had been made. It was been done for a patient from spain who is a farmer tha unable to breathe or eat on his own. His was injured and totally affected his face from an accident that he shoots himself in the face way back five years ago. As per report in AP on Friday, during operation and face transplant, doctors lifted his entire face which includes jaw, nose, cheekbones, muscles, teeth and eyelids, and placed it masklike onto the man. Upon completion of operation, the patient has a new face from hairline down. However, an scar which looks like a wrinkle runs across his neck. Anyway, thats only the scar he had after the full-face transplant. which looks like a wrinkle. Read More World’s 1st Full Face Transplant In Spain Is Hailed As A Significant Advance By Transplant Experts. is a post from: Daily World Buzz Continue reading →

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‘Idol Gives Back’ Raises Nearly $45 Million

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘American Idol’ charity event featured performances by Alicia Keys, Black Eyed Peas and Carrie Underwood. By Gil Kaufman Alicia Keys performs on “Idol Gives Back” on Wednesday Photo: Fox Thanks to performances by Carrie Underwood , Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Sir Elton John, Wednesday night’s third “Idol Gives Back” charity event raised almost $45 million for a variety of charities, according to figures provided by Fox. The two-hour-plus show raised funds for U.S. and international charities including the Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children’s U.S. Programs and the United Nations Foundation. In addition to gripping taped packages featuring the show’s four judges and host Ryan Seacrest visiting charitable organizations, stars such as Jennifer Garner, David Arquette, Morgan Freeman and Annie Lennox appeared in segments spotlighting the work of some of the designated organizations. The fundraising figure was slightly below the previous totals for the show, which brought in more than $70 million during its inaugural year in 2007, when Underwood, Fergie, Kelly Clarkson and Green Day performed, and $60 million in 2008, which featured Miley Cyrus, Snoop Dogg, Jordin Sparks and Mariah Carey. The event took a year off in 2009 due to the economic meltdown. “Once again, I am over overwhelmed by the generosity of the AMERICAN IDOL viewers, our sponsors and our special benefactors. I am so thankful to all of the celebrity guests and performers who appeared Wednesday night to support IDOL GIVES BACK” said “Idol” creator Simon Fuller in a statement. The $45 million figure is likely to go up when the totals are in from the iTunes store, which will donate net proceeds from the sales of the top seven finalist performances to “Idol Gives Back.” A select number of performances from Wednesday night’s show will also be featured in the iTunes store. Also performing on the show were Jeff Beck and Joss Stone , the Black Eyed Peas and Annie Lennox, who unveiled a touching new song about the struggles of underprivileged children entitled “Universal Child.” Among the actors, comedians and dignitaries who pitched in were President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Victoria Beckham, Wanda Sykes, George Lopez, David Cook, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, and Bill and Melinda Gates. Donations are still being accepted online at AmericanIdol.com and by telephone at (877) IDOL-AID (877-436-5243; toll-free). Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos Stars Perform On ‘Idol Gives Back’ Related Artists Alicia Keys Elton John Mary J. Blige Carrie Underwood

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Ludacris And Plies To Play Atlanta’s Birthday Bash

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

More performers will be announced for the 107.9 concert in the coming weeks. By Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes Ludacris Photo: Jerritt Clark/ Getty Images Atlanta’s 107.9 has an extra-special birthday in 2010. This year, the radio station celebrates its 15th anniversary, and you already know what the celebration will be: the annual summer Birthday Bash concert. On Thursday evening (April 22), 107.9 announced its first two performers for the June 19 concert at the Philips Arena. First up on the roster will be the always combustible Ludacris. Before Luda embarked on the road to superstardom, he was a personality on the station in the late ’90s. The other name 107.9 announced today should come as no surprise, but fans will love the news nonetheless: Plies. The Florida native is becoming a staple of the concert. He’s had two highly touted performances the last couple of years. A testament to Plies’ potency as an MC is when his album cuts are sung word for word at the Birthday Bash, just like his singles. “The game is a tricky situation,” Plies said about the success of his non-singles. “From what we really stand for and what we’re trying to get across, from a company standpoint, we don’t stand a chance on radio with those records. A lot of times, people don’t understand the impact of the structure of radio. If I could put ‘Old Lady’ on the radio, I’d love to have it on the radio. A lot of times, it’s about trying to balance your situation but understanding your situation at the same time.” Last year, the Birthday Bash show-stealer was Young Jeezy , who brought out Lil Wayne and Mary J. Blige. Rick Ross, Fabolous, Gucci Mane, Trey Songz, Keri Hilson, Soulja Boy Tell’em and the Grand Hustle family also hit the stage. In 2008, Jeezy also had the most talked-about set , bringing out Kanye West, The-Dream and Usher. Stay tuned to MTVNews.com in the coming weeks for more performers who will appear at this year’s Bash. Who would you like to see perform at this year’s Birthday Bash? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists Plies Ludacris

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Solar Details Guru’s Health Decline

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Gang Starr MC’s collaborator says he helped his friend ‘preserve his dignity’ during his last days. By Shaheem Reid Solar Photo: MTV News As questions about the sincerity of his relationship with Guru continue to circulate throughout the hip-hop community and on the Internet, the Gang Starr MC’s longtime collaborator Solar has opened up about the bond between the two men. “The friendship got close fairly rapidly,” Solar told MTV’s Sway of their meeting in 2002 through a mutual friend. When the trailblazing legend fell ill in early 2009, it was Solar who was appointed medical proxy. Guru died Monday at age 43, after succumbing to a cancer-related illness. Solar said Guru’s health started to drastically deteriorate beginning last summer. In May 2009, the rapper was diagnosed with a myeloma (a tumor), and by that July, he had undergone an unsuccessful operation to stop its spread from his back to other parts of his body. “There were times where I’d help him out,” Solar said. “Get his bathing together, get his self together. Help him with his clothes. Help him out with his food. I would help him get in and out [of the bathtub]. With the myeloma, it’s very delicate. So I would help him get in and out, make sure he could stabilize himself so he could do what he had to do. It’s one of the hardest things I had to do. But I loved him as a brother, and I believe he would have done the same for me. I did that to preserve his dignity, that’s what it was even in those times. “It was getting bad,” Solar said of the months that followed the failed surgery. “His mobility was starting to worsen. I was staying in his home with him to help him with his day-to-day. … We did have people from outside come in as well to help out. Doctors and specialists that were treating him recommended he admit himself [to] the hospital for treatment. … He checked himself in the hospital … signed the appropriate documents that we would be his health proxy. He proceeded to undergo treatment, got to the point of chemotherapy. He was responding. At that point, we didn’t think he wouldn’t come out. We thought he would come back out the hospital and be actually able to get back to some independent life again. The doctors were fairly optimistic that the chemo would work and some other drugs they were giving would work. That’s when the unfortunate event of the cardiac arrest happened. The lungs couldn’t take it.” Guru agreed to go to the hospital last February and, tragically, never came out. In the days since his death, many journalists, fans, MCs and even family members have questioned the sincerity of Guru’s relationship with Solar . However, Solar has maintained that he always has done what was in Guru’s best interest. Share your memories of Guru and Gang Starr in the comments below. Related Videos Gang Starr’s Guru Passes Away MTV News Extended Play: Solar Related Photos Gang Starr’s Guru: A Life In Photos Related Artists Gang Starr Guru

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Annie Lennox’s ‘HIV Positive’ Shirt Explained

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘This T-shirt, whoever wears it, is making a statement of solidarity,’ Lennox says. By Eric Ditzian Annie Lennox (file) Photo: Samir Hussein/ Getty Images Wednesday night’s charity-focused “Idol Gives Back” episode featured the likes of Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Garner and Morgan Freeman traveling across the world to raise awareness about issues of poverty, illness and the need for the more fortunate to help those in need. In the midst of the two-hour philanthropic effort, former Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox appeared via satellite wearing a T-shirt that read “HIV Positive.” To some, no doubt, it seemed like a provocative statement to make on a reality show, but Lennox has been wearing the shirt for years. The message is intended as a statement of solidarity with HIV- and AIDS-afflicted people in sub-Saharan Africa. Entertainment Weekly dug up a 2009 YouTube video in which Lennox explains the origins and intentions of the shirt. “In a country like South Africa, where HIV is so prevalent, and yet you have stigma where people are afraid to openly come out and say that they’re HIV positive,” Lennox said, “this T-shirt, whoever wears it, is making a statement of solidarity, and they’re saying, ‘We’re coming out from behind the shadows. We’re trying to normalize what is a preventable thing. It doesn’t need to have the stigma.’ ” While she is helping to lift the shame associated with HIV and AIDS, Lennox herself says she is not HIV-positive. “It will raise questions, I know, as to whether I am HIV-positive,” she said of the shirt. “And I can tell you, actually, the good news is I am not. However, many people are.” Lennox was scheduled to perform on Wednesday’s “Idol Gives Back” — profits from which go to charities like Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America and Malaria No More — but she was unable to travel because of ash from the Icelandic volcano. Still, she appeared in a video segment about medical innovations that saved the life of a 7-year-old girl with pneumonia and AIDS. Lennox reappeared later in the show, wearing the HIV T-shirt, to sing “Universal Child,” a new song currently available for download on iTunes. Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos Stars Perform On ‘Idol Gives Back’ Related Artists Annie Lennox

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Carrie Underwood Says ‘Idol Gives Back’ Matters More Than Contest

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

‘American Idol’ winner and actor David Arquette explain fundraiser’s importance. By Ryan J. Downey  Carrie Underwood backstage at “Idol Gives Back” on Wednesday Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ FilmMagic PASADENA, California — Leave it to a small-town girl from Oklahoma to put “American Idol” into perspective. “This is the stuff that really makes a difference,” season-four winner Carrie Underwood said backstage at Wednesday night’s charity-focused “Idol Gives Back” event.

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