Latest news with #WorldAidsDay
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Explainer-What to know about the Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial
FILE PHOTO: American Rapper Sean \"P Diddy\" Combs performs during the MTV \"Staying Alive\" concert in Cape Town, November 23, 2002. The concert forms part of the build up to World Aids Day on December 1, and is aimed at targeting a global television audience of up to two billion people./File Photo REUTERS U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian presides as Sean \"Diddy\" Combs stands with his lawyers Brian Steel and Teny Geragos to watch potential jurors enter the courtroom at his sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 7, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg Explainer-What to know about the Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial Sean "Diddy" Combs, the rapper and music mogul who discovered world-famous artists and helped bring the genre into the mainstream, went on trial in New York on Monday on charges that he ran a two-decade racketeering and sex trafficking conspiracy. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. Here is what you need to know about the case in Manhattan federal court: WHAT ARE THE CHARGES? Combs faces one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, and two counts of transporting for prostitution - all felonies. Combs could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted. He faces up to 25 years for racketeering, 15 to life for sex trafficking and up to 10 years for transporting for prostitution. Prosecutors must prove all elements of each count beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning the evidence must be so clear that no reasonable person would have any doubt about the defendant's guilt. All 12 jurors must vote unanimously to convict on each count. WHAT DO THE PROSECUTORS ALLEGE? Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office say that for two decades, Combs used his business empire to lure women into his orbit with promises of romantic relationships or financial support, then violently coerced them to take part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances known as "Freak Offs". In court papers, prosecutors allege Combs kept his victims obedient by drugging and blackmailing them. He is also accused of kidnapping a person at gunpoint, dropping a Molotov cocktail into a car and hitting, choking and dragging victims in acts of violence dating back to the 1990s. Prosecutors say they found a cache of guns including multiple assault rifles - one with its serial number punched out - and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil, which prosecutors say were used in the Freak Offs. WHAT IS COMBS' DEFENSE? Combs' defense lawyers argue that the sex described by prosecutors was consensual and that there was nothing illegal about his 'swinger' lifestyle. His defense team will likely attack the credibility of his accusers during cross-examination, but legal experts say Combs' lawyers could face an uphill battle if the accusers' testimony is persuasive and establishes a pattern of behavior by Combs. Combs' lawyers have signaled they intend to argue the women had financial incentives to falsely accuse him of abuse and say they have evidence the accusers were not candid with investigators. Prosecutors plan to show the jury a hotel surveillance video showing Combs kicking and dragging one of his accusers in a hallway, but Combs' lawyers say the video, first published by CNN, was edited to look as damning as possible and lacks context. WHO IS EXPECTED TO TESTIFY? Three, possibly four, accusers are expected to testify, including Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie. A video released by CNN in May 2024 appears to show Combs violently assaulting Ventura at a hotel in Los Angeles in 2016, an incident he publicly apologized for after the video was released. The three other accusers are expected to testify under pseudonyms. It is unclear whether Combs will testify. Defense lawyers often advise their clients not to take the stand because doing so exposes them to cross-examination by prosecutors. The bulk of the trial testimony will likely come from investigators and expert witnesses. HOW LONG WILL THE TRIAL LAST? Prosecutors expect the trial to last eight to 10 weeks, which is within the typical range for single defendants in racketeering cases. The case has drawn intense media coverage because of Combs' fame. WHAT OTHER LEGAL TROUBLES DOES COMBS FACE? Combs has also been accused of sexual assault and rape in more than 50 civil lawsuits, including one by an accuser who says he was 10 years old at the time of the alleged assault. Combs has denied the allegations in the civil cases, which seek money damages. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
23-04-2025
- Health
- The Star
Nepal HIV prevention efforts grind to halt after USAID pullback
A Nepalese woman (R) helps a school children to light candles as they take part in a rally in Kathmandu, 30 November 2006, on the eve of World Aids Day. By 2023, an estimated 30,300 people were living with HIV in Nepal. - AFP KATHMANDU: Hundreds of female sex workers, gay men and people taking injectable drugs in Nepal have been deprived of pre-exposure prophylaxis since the USAID-funded programmes were suspended in the last week of January. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a medicine that people at risk for HIV take to prevent infection from unprotected sex or injectable drug use. 'With the US government suspending nearly all foreign assistance worldwide for three months in the last week of January, the administration of pre-exposure prophylaxis medicine has been halted indefinitely,' said Lok Raj Pandey, information officer at the National Center for AIDS and STD Control. 'Since the Health Ministry does not have its own preventive programmes, hundreds of at-risk people, including pregnant women whose husbands are HIV positive, have been deprived of medicine. This medicine is given to such women to prevent transmission of infection from infected husbands.' The halt in the administration of pre-exposure prophylaxis medicine is one of several HIV-related initiatives, which have been affected by the abrupt suspension of USAID-funded programmes. Awareness campaigns targeting female sex workers, homosexual men and other high-risk groups, community testing of HIV, behavioural change and other targeted interventions have also been halted indefinitely. Pandey said that over 1,500 at-risk people from 26 high-risk districts were receiving medication through the USAID's programme. Health officials say that the government has allocated funds only for free testing and treatment of those already infected, and the responsibility of launching preventive measures, including awareness campaigns, was entrusted to USAID. They also said that the chances of allocating a budget for preventive programmes in the next fiscal year are also almost nil, as the budget ceiling for the upcoming fiscal year is too low to continue even basic services, including antiretroviral treatment and HIV testing programmes. The budget ceiling for the next fiscal year has been reduced by Rs55 million (US$0.40 million) compared to the current fiscal year. The centre provides antiretroviral medicines to over 25,000 people living with HIV, along with services like prevention of mother-to-child transmission, CD4 count and viral load tests, and HIV testing during pregnancy, among others, all free of cost. By 2023, an estimated 30,300 people were living with HIV in Nepal. It is estimated that 261 people died of AIDS that year. Along with programmes related to HIV prevention, several healthcare programmes for the ongoing fiscal year, including all funded by the USAID have been suspended. Among the terminated programmes are key health surveys, including the micronutrient survey, which was planned over the past ten years, the lymphatic filariasis transmission survey, and the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding at 18 major hospitals. Other affected programmes include 'outbreak investigation training' for doctors, neonatal care training for hundreds of doctors and nurses, and various programmes related to the Sustainable Development Goals, including maternal and child health, nutrition, reproductive health, and family planning. Programmes under the Integrated Health Information Management System have also been hit. Meanwhile, officials at the Center informed that the officials at the Ministry of Health and Population have assured to increase the budget ceiling, and the United Nations agency has committed to invest in HIV preventive programmes. 'UNDP has committed to invest in some preventive measures, including an awareness programme targeting migrant workers, prisoners, and people who inject drugs, but their programme has not started yet,' said Pandey. 'We hope that the UN agency programme will begin soon.' - The Kathmandu Post/ANN
The Independent
13-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘I thought I was going to die': HIV patient calls for end to stigma as cases surge in heterosexual men
HIV diagnoses among heterosexual men has surged in England, with a new survey finding that 73 per cent of men have never tested for the disease. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned that diagnoses among this category have increased by over a third in recent years while knowledge of the illness remains low, with one patient believing he would die upon being told he had contracted the disease. For Allan Batcock, his diagnosis in 2010 came through a random STI test upon entering a new relationship, after previously having a few one night stands once his former marriage had ended. 'When I got the results it really knocked my head off, and I went back to the only information I knew about HIV, and that was the black tombstone advert from the 1980s,' he told The Independent. 'I just thought I was going to die.' According to a new survey led by Newfoundland Diagnostics, 25 per cent of men claimed they 'cannot' contract HIV while 34 per cent believe they are unlikely to ever contract the disease. On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer took a public HIV test in an effort to destigmatise testing for the virus, after pledging in November to end new transmissions in England by 2030. On World Aids Day last year, he also announced £27m for an expanded testing programme in NHS emergency departments. 'There is a massive lack of awareness within the heterosexual community,' Mr Battock said. 'Most straight men have a very outdated view that the only people who catch HIV are either gay or sleeping with prostitutes in Thailand, and that it still kills people. The 48-year-old added: 'There is still very much a stigma around HIV. There is a large amount of people that react with "well you don't look gay!" when I say "I am living with HIV". 'I then usually jokingly ask my wife if I am gay and we then end up having to explain that it can affect anyone. At present the people at the highest risk are those in the heterosexual community that think they are safe.' Around 107,000 people in the UK currently live with HIV, while about 4,700 are thought to be unaware of their status. The recent study found that one in five men don't understand HIV transmission, while one in three don't understand what 'detectable' is and over half incorrectly believe transmission runs high even with medication. There is currently no cure for HIV, which weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and damages cells in your ímmune system. However, advances in medical technology mean that very effective drug treatments such as PrEP can ensure a long and healthy life. 'Accessing HIV care is relatively easy and most big towns have a sexual health clinic. Many of these clinics have moved out of the hospitals to make it easier to access, although where I am in Cheshire, all of our services are run as a satellite of the clinic in Liverpool and this is because none of our hospitals offer HIV care,' Mr Battock said. As part of HIV Testing Week, which goes on until Sunday, members of the public can order one of 20,000 free, confidential home tests that can provide a result in 15 minutes. Dr Hilary Jones has urged sexually active Brits to test for HIV, saying: 'This new data shows that not only is HIV not a problem of the past - things could get much worse. We've already seen a rise in new HIV infections compared to previous years, and judging by these findings, risky sexual behaviours will no doubt exacerbate transmission rates. "This isn't about stigmatising sexual health, but rather using common sense and taking precautions to ensure personal and community wellbeing. "Getting tested regularly, using protection, being open with sexual partners about sexual health status, and being able to access preventative treatments like PrEP are all small steps that can have a massive impact on HIV transmission.' Frederick Manduca, co-founder of Newfoundland Diagnostics, said: "HIV self-tests are more than a diagnostic tool - they're a critical strategy to help shatter misconceptions, challenge the stigma around HIV and wider sexual health, and help to empower people to take control of their sexual health. 'By making testing widely accessible via supermarkets, pharmacies and online, we open doors to honest conversations and understanding."
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sing, eat and praise at annual Soulful Gospel Brunch
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — The Bloomington-Normal Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is inviting you to soulfully sing, eat and be merry as they raise funds for local programming and scholarships. On March 1, the chapter is hosting its 17th Annual Soulful Gospel Brunch. 'This is our signature program,' said President Meta Mickens-Baker. 'We are looking forward to a program of gospel music. So we feed the community spiritually. People come together and really have performers who are more headliner but also our local churches and community members who will do song, dance and spoken word. Plus a delicious brunch.' Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated was founded in 1913. The Bloomington-Normal Alumnae Chapter was chartered in 1983. Some of the chapter's initiatives include Adopt-A-Street on Market Street, hosting blood drives and sponsoring a program for girls in junior high and high school. They also support World Aids Day and are sponsoring a Congolese family in the community. 'In the past we've met some local leaders, like the NAACP, even our police chiefs to talk about policing in our neighborhood and things that we can do to come together to join forces in issues that are happening in our area. And also how to interact with each other in the community,' said Past President Goline Lawrence. The brunch is at Bloomington's DoubleTree Hotel & Conference Center at 10 Brickyard Drive. Ticket sales end on Feb. 22. To purchase tickets click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
HIV tests encouraged as campaign launches
Residents in Wolverhampton are being reminded of the benefits of regular testing for HIV as a national campaign launches this week. Testing at a sexual health clinic or GP was free, quick and confidential and the only way for people to know their status, organisers HIV Prevention England said. Anyone diagnosed will be able to access free treatment and support. Councillor Jasbir Jaspal encouraged annual checks adding: "People can live with HIV for a long time without any symptoms and an estimated 4,700 people are currently living with undiagnosed HIV in England. "If you have HIV, finding out means you can start treatment, stay healthy and avoid passing the virus onto anyone else. "There are many ways to test – at a sexual health clinic, your GP or by ordering a test online so please take up the offer this National HIV Testing Week." Dr Prita Banerjee from the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust said: "It's time we made every effort to end the stigma around HIV and normalised HIV testing for everyone." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Watch: Sir Keir Starmer becomes first PM to take HIV test HIV and hepatitis blood tests start at hospitals A&E HIV testing a game changer - doctor Memorial walk for World Aids Day City of Wolverhampton Council
