Europe Inc warns business is tough on home turf
By Silvia Aloisi and Richa Naidu LONDON/PARIS Some of Europe's top companies, including Volkswagen and Unilever warned on
2023-10-26 20:22
How delay to Israel offensive benefits US
Washington hopes to use a delay in Israel's incursion into Gaza to shore up protection for its interests.
2023-10-26 20:20
Mastercard third-quarter profit rises
(Reuters) -Mastercard on Thursday reported a rise in third-quarter profit, as consumer spent on travel and entertainment. The company reported
2023-10-26 20:19
ECB breaks record streak of rate hikes as economy weakens
ATHENS The European Central Bank broke the longest streak of interest rate hikes in its 25-year history on
2023-10-26 20:16
Two Tanzanians and one South African among Hamas hostages, says Israel
None has been named but Tanzania has previously confirmed that two of its citizens were missing.
2023-10-26 19:55
Pope accepts resignation of Polish bishop after ‘orgy’ scandal in diocese
The Pope on Tuesday accepted the resignation of a Polish bishop whose diocese has been hit by reports of an orgy involving priests and a male sex worker. The Vatican did not give any reason for the departure of 59-year-old Bishop Grzegorz Kaszak as head of the diocese of Sosnowiec, in southwestern Poland. The bishop resigned after one of his priests was placed under criminal investigation over reports from last month that he had organised a sex party. It was also alleged that the male sex worker who had been invited to the orgy involving priests from the diocese had lost consciousness due to an overdose of erectile dysfunction pills. In September, Gazeta Wyborcza, a liberal daily Polish newspaper, published a report stating that during the gathering, which took place in a facility owned by the parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Angels in Dabrowa Gornicza, one of the priests had contacted emergency services to request an ambulance. But the paper — according to the New York Times — reported that the priests at the event hindered paramedics from helping the unconscious man. Paramedics later called the police and only then the priests relented. Waldemar Lubniewski, spokesman for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Sosnowiec, said at the time the investigation was focused on a “failure to provide assistance to a person in a situation that poses an immediate threat of loss of life or serious damage to health”. Father Tomasz Z, the priest who allegedly arranged the sex party within his church apartment, was identified solely by the diocese. He spoke with the Polish media last month, contesting the specific details of the incident. He questioned the accuracy of the count of priests present during the alleged sex party and remarked, “it is worth reading what the definition of an orgy is”. He brushed off the controversy over the events in his apartment as “an obvious attack on the church, including the clergy and believers” and said that the uproar would not have happened if “something similar had happened” to a person outside the clergy. But the diocese largely corroborated the media reports. It said that an outside investigative commission had concluded that Father Tomasz committed “a very serious violation of moral norms” as well as of his obligations as a priest. In a statement last month, the diocese said that the “participation” of Father Tomasz “in what happened on the night of August 30-31 is not in doubt”. It said that he had been stripped of all functions at the diocese and was “sent to live outside the parish”. Kaszak announced his resignation on 24 October but did not provide any more details. He has not been accused of having been involved in the alleged orgy but reports say he is being held responsible for the conduct of the priests under his diocese. “I ask everyone to forgive my human limitations,” he wrote in his statement. “If I have offended anyone or neglected something, I am very sorry.” Kaszak was designated as a bishop in 2009 by the then-Pope Benedict XVI, following a brief stint as the second-in-command in the Vatican’s family office. The Vatican embassy in Poland has announced that Archbishop Adrian Galbas of Katowice will serve as a temporary administrator, overseeing the diocese of Sosnowiec until the appointment of a new bishop. Read More The pope's absolute power, and the problems it can cause, are on display in 2 Vatican trials Vatican defends wartime Pope Pius XII as conference honors Israeli victims of Hamas incursion Pope Francis pushes to ‘open church to all’ as critics accuse him of ‘poisoning’ Catholicism 'Let's Fly,' the latest exhibition from the Balloon Museum, awakens childlike wonder in all of us Experts reconstruct the face of Peru’s most famous mummy, a teenage Inca sacrificed in Andean snow Pope accepts resignation of bishop of Polish diocese where gay orgy scandal under investigation
2023-10-26 19:53
Hurricane Otis: Mexico assesses damage after storm
The seaside resort of Acapulco bore the brunt of the hurricane which made landfall early on Wednesday.
2023-10-26 19:52
TikTok influencers warn about ‘potent’ steroid cream risks among black women – dermatologist explains the risks
According to skin influencers on TikTok, topical steroid creams are being ‘illegally sold’ in some black Afro hair and beauty supply stores, affecting black women in particular. Angela Mavalla, a pharmacist and skincare educator, has been sharing TikTok videos garnering thousands of views, encouraging black women to stop purchasing topical steroid creams from these shops – as they are meant to be prescription-only treatments used with appropriate guidance from a doctor. When used incorrectly, the creams can make potentially make skin symptoms worse and harder to manage. “Though these creams tend to address issues like acne and eczema very quickly, because of their potent nature, the skin becomes addicted to it and will flare up badly once you stop using them,” said Mavalla. “A lot my clients – [who are black women] – that I consult privately, were coming to me with issues relating to topical steroid use, such as having terrible flare-ups because they had stopped using the cream, and needed help with tapering off them. “I began making content based on these creams, mainly to warn people of them, and found that these TikTok’s would go viral in a short space of time, with lots of people relating to it, and giving their own testimonials of how the creams damaged their skin,” Mavalla added. “I have seen instances of accidental skin bleaching, worsened eczema and hyperpigmentation, topical steroidal withdrawal and addiction, and worst of all, a crippling low self-esteem and self image. It’s awful. “The first point of call when it comes to steroidal creams should always be a pharmacy. Pharmacists are always willing to help, advise and where necessary, signpost to the most appropriate medical profession, such as a dermatologist.” Dr Unnati Desai, the national GP lead, as well as safeguarding lead for GP services and dermatology lead at Nuffield Health, acknowledged that it can take sometimes take time to correctly diagnose these conditions, and might require a biopsy. It might also take a longer period of time to get symptoms under control, as skin conditions may require trying multiple different treatment regimes to find the one that suits each individual person, as well as getting to grips with individual triggers. What are topical steroid creams and what should they be used for? Doctors prescribe topical steroid creams to treat a wide range of skin complaints – but it’s important to have proper assessments first. “They are topical medications (synthetic corticosteroids) that have an anti-inflammatory action on the skin, by suppressing the skin immune system and constricting the blood vessels of the skin where applied,” Desai told the PA news agency. “They are used for dermatological conditions that result in inflamed, itchy or irritated skin – e.g. eczema, psoriasis, lichen simplex, lichen planus, lichen sclerosus and other autoimmune dermatoses.” Why do people experience topical steroid withdrawal after using steroid creams? When used incorrectly, topical steroids may have potentially significant side-effects. And as Desai warned: “Stopping any steroid treatment suddenly can often result in a flare-up of the condition, which may be worse than the original presentation.” There are some obvious signs and symptoms to look out for to figure out if you are experiencing topical steroid withdrawal, such as red, burning skin and a lumpy, papulopustular rash. “When using a steroid cream to get a dermatitis flare-up under control, especially when a more potent steroid cream has been used for a prolonged period of time, it is necessary to slowly come off the steroid cream and wean your skin off treatment by either reducing the potency of the cream, or the frequency [of application],” said Desai. “This gives the skin time to adjust to coming off the steroid cream slowly, but also clarifies whether the skin condition is coming under control with treatment. “Sometimes, severe dermatoses require long-term use of a medication to be controlled, in which case your doctor will consider alternative treatment modalities.” What damage can it do to your skin?Desai added: “Long-term use of potent steroid creams is not recommended, as there may be some systemic absorption, which can result in suppression of your body’s natural cortisol hormone at the worst. “In most cases, it is the long-term impact on the skin itself that is the concern, as regular or long-term use of steroid creams can impact the skin integrity and thickness, resulting in thinning of the skin, stretch marks, increased hair at the site of use, enlarged skin blood vessels and bruising. “Using a steroid cream when there is an underlying infection present on the skin will make the infection worse, or using steroid creams on the face can result in other chronic skin conditions, such as perioral dermatitis or other acneiform eruptions. “Occasionally, an allergy can develop to components within the cream that can make the dermatitis worse.” How can people remain safe? Desai stressed the importance of only using topical steroid treatments under the appropriate supervision of a qualified clinician. “In addition, as most chronic inflammatory skin conditions tend to result in drier skin, self-care at home with soap substitutes and emollients is important,” she said. “This includes gently cleansing the skin one to two times daily maximum (over-washing will negatively impact the skin barrier function, as will long hot bubble baths), and using unscented emollients (medical grade skin creams designed to gently hydrate the skin), which will better protect the skin and may, depending on the skin condition, make a flare-up less frequent or less severe. “If a steroid cream is needed, a doctor will recommend the amount of cream to be used according to the size of the area affected. We use the ‘Finger Tip Unit’ (FTU) – one FTU is the amount of topical steroid that is squeezed out from a standard tube along an adult’s fingertip – as a method of advising each patient how much cream they need to use with each application.” Read More House of the Year 2023 shortlist revealed by Royal Institute of British Architects Fatima Whitbread supporting new fostering campaign, as research finds ‘misconceptions put people off’ 5 key coat trends to complete your autumn/winter wardrobe 12 ways to weave some woodland wonder into your home Hibernation mode: 5 small self-care adjustments to make before the clocks change 13 possible cancer symptoms you should get checked out
2023-10-26 19:50
Textron raises profit forecast as private jet demand holds steady
Textron Inc on Thursday raised its full-year adjusted earnings forecast after beating estimates for quarterly profit, betting on
2023-10-26 19:49
Your baby has too many names, Spanish duke told
Spain’s prestigious and most senior aristocratic dynasty has come under fire for breaking the rules - for having an unlawfully long name for the duke’s newborn. Fernando Juan Fitz-James Stuart y de Solís, 33, the 17th Duke of Huéscar and heir apparent to the dukedom of Alba, and Sofía Palazuelo, 31, his wife, wreaked havoc in the legal register office after they endowed their second child with over a dozen names. The astonishing name is as follows: Sofía Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Ángela de la Cruz Micaela del Santísimo Sacramento del Perpetuo Socorro de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos Los Santos. But to their dismay, the register rules state that the name given to a child must not exceed more than one “one compound name” and “two simple ones,” as reported by El País. The duke had named his daughter after the late duchess, who died in 2014, aged 88, María del Rosario Cayetana Paloma Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Fernanda Teresa Francisca de Paula Lourdes Antonia Josefa Fausta Rita Castor Dorotea Santa Esperanza Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva Falcó y Gurtubay. In addition to these 19 names, the Guinness World Records states that Cayetana held 46 titles which is more than any other noblewoman. The first name, Sofía, was chosen in honor of the newborn’s mother and grandmother, Sofía Barroso, and the second, Fernanda, as a tribute to her father, Duke of Huéscar, as well as her great-uncle, Fernando Martínez of Irujo, Marquis of San Vicente del Barco. But despite the tributes, “the girl will not be able to be registered in the Civil Registry with a string of names that surpass all rules, even though it is a tribute to the deceased Duchess of Alba and other members of the family and includes religious devotions,” Le Pais wrote. Read More New therapy offers hope for cancer patients with limited treatment options AI-generated child sexual abuse images could flood the internet. A watchdog is calling for action Spain’s acting government to push for a 37½-hour workweek. That's if it can remain in power
2023-10-26 19:49
Britney Spears has revealed why she takes so many nude photos of herself
Singer Britney Spears has revealed why she posts so many nude pictures on Instagram, giving an understandable explanation in her memoir. The 41-year-old pop icon recently released a tell-all book, titled The Woman in Me, detailing shocking new revelations about her life and opening up about headline-making moments like shaving off her hair in 2007 and her break up with Justin Timberlake. Since Spears’ 13-year-long conservatorship ended in November 2021, she has regained control over how own life as well as her social media accounts and regularly posts pictures of herself in underwear or wearing nothing at all. While the posts sometimes baffle fans, she explained why she does it in her memoir, writing that she gets “joy” from being in control over her own body and image. She wrote: “I know that a lot of people don’t understand why I love taking pictures of myself naked or in new dresses. “But I think if they’d been photographed by other people thousands of times, prodded and posed for other people’s approval, they’d understand that I get a lot of joy from posting the way I feel sexy and taking my own picture.” It is not the first time Spears has addressed the nudity on her social media page. In 2021, the singer captioned a topless post, writing: “Before I show you more pics of my body … I want you to understand my thoughts on exposing my skin!!!!” She continued: “In my opinion, it’s quite twisted the immediate response of when any woman is hot and they want to shed a layer … no … I’m not talking in a strip club or a performance … just on a practical scale of being in your car and realising you’re wearing a stupid long sleeve shirt in the summer!!!! “The immediate reaction to any woman who does this after shedding a layer is DAMN I FEEL BETTER … therefore you think you look better!!!” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-10-26 19:48
CenterPoint Energy raises full-year profit outlook, CEO to retire
CenterPoint Energy Inc on Thursday raised its full-year profit outlook and announced that chief executive officer David Lesar
2023-10-26 19:48
