Latest news with #HIV
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
'Shut up and dribble' crowd has no problem mixing sports, politics now
The very people who insisted athletes need to stick to sports sure are making it hard to do that these days. Masked federal agents were spotted outside Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning, and the team later said it had denied ICE's request to use the parking lots as a staging area for its immigrant roundups. (This in Chavez Ravine, of all places.) Also Thursday, Senegal's women's basketball team scrapped a training camp in the United States after multiple players and staff were denied visas. And on Wednesday, President Donald Trump used Timothy Weah, Weston McKennie and their Juventus teammates as props, inserting politics into what was intended to be a photo op for the FIFA Club World Cup. "I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird,' Weah, a starter on the U.S. men's national team, said. 'When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like, I just want to play football, man.' There was a time when Trump and his faithful claimed that's what they wanted, too. Trump suggested NFL owners fire players who protested police brutality of people of color. Conservative commentators told LeBron James to 'shut up and dribble.' Then-U.S. Senator and Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler disparaged the WNBA's social justice efforts. And yet, here we are now, politics and sports mixing as if they're the most natural of bedfellows. More: Dodger Stadium becomes flashpoint after team denied entry to masked feds More: 'Immigrant City Football Club' - Angel City sends message amid ICE raids To be clear, it is impossible to separate politics and sports. Always has been. Sports is a prism through which we view society, our thoughts on thorny issues filtered and shaped through the lens of athletes and games. There is a direct link between Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier and the civil rights movement. Billie Jean King was, and still is, instrumental in the fight for equal rights for women. Magic Johnson's announcement that he was HIV positive prompted a seismic shift in attitudes about AIDS and, by extension, the LGBTQ community. And on and on. But whether you think that's a good thing has often depended on how you feel about the politics in question. Military flyovers and singing the national anthem before games? That's either patriotic or jingoistic. Politicians affiliating themselves with sporting events or athletes? It's either what every American does or a shameless co-opt. Team owners donating to politicians and causes that might run counter to the interest of their fans? That's either their own business or a slap in the face to the people who are helping fatten their wallets! Players, particularly Black, brown and LGBTQ ones, protesting or speaking out about injustice? That's either a hell no, athletes ought to know their lane and stay in it, or using their platform to make sure our country is living up to its promises is the ultimate expression of being an American. All of which is fine. One of the greatest things about this country is we're allowed to have different opinions, to see the same thing from different angles. What is not fine is the hypocrisy, the "OK for me but not for thee" attitude that permeates so much of our discourse these days. You cannot howl that athletes need to "shut up and dribble" then turn around and cheer a president who uses sports to burnish his image. You cannot say you just want to enjoy the game and then be OK with politicians inserting themselves into them. And you absolutely cannot cheer individual athletes while at the same time celebrating the harassment, abuse and discrimination of millions of others who look and love like them. You want to keep politics out of sports? Fine. You go first. Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Shut up and dribble' crowd has no problem mixing sports, politics now
The very people who insisted athletes need to stick to sports sure are making it hard to do that these days. Masked federal agents were spotted outside Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning, and the team later said it had denied ICE's request to use the parking lots as a staging area for its immigrant roundups. (This in Chavez Ravine, of all places.) Also Thursday, Senegal's women's basketball team scrapped a training camp in the United States after multiple players and staff were denied visas. Advertisement And on Wednesday, President Donald Trump used Timothy Weah, Weston McKennie and their Juventus teammates as props, inserting politics into what was intended to be a photo op for the FIFA Club World Cup. "I was caught by surprise, honestly. It was a bit weird,' Weah, a starter on the U.S. men's national team, said. 'When he started talking about the politics with Iran and everything, it's kind of like, I just want to play football, man.' There was a time when Trump and his faithful claimed that's what they wanted, too. Trump suggested NFL owners fire players who protested police brutality of people of color. Conservative commentators told LeBron James to 'shut up and dribble.' Then-U.S. Senator and Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler disparaged the WNBA's social justice efforts. And yet, here we are now, politics and sports mixing as if they're the most natural of bedfellows. Advertisement More: Dodger Stadium becomes flashpoint after team denied entry to masked feds More: 'Immigrant City Football Club' - Angel City sends message amid ICE raids To be clear, it is impossible to separate politics and sports. Always has been. Sports is a prism through which we view society, our thoughts on thorny issues filtered and shaped through the lens of athletes and games. There is a direct link between Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier and the civil rights movement. Billie Jean King was, and still is, instrumental in the fight for equal rights for women. Magic Johnson's announcement that he was HIV positive prompted a seismic shift in attitudes about AIDS and, by extension, the LGBTQ community. Advertisement And on and on. But whether you think that's a good thing has often depended on how you feel about the politics in question. Military flyovers and singing the national anthem before games? That's either patriotic or jingoistic. Politicians affiliating themselves with sporting events or athletes? It's either what every American does or a shameless co-opt. Team owners donating to politicians and causes that might run counter to the interest of their fans? That's either their own business or a slap in the face to the people who are helping fatten their wallets! Players, particularly Black, brown and LGBTQ ones, protesting or speaking out about injustice? That's either a hell no, athletes ought to know their lane and stay in it, or using their platform to make sure our country is living up to its promises is the ultimate expression of being an American. Advertisement All of which is fine. One of the greatest things about this country is we're allowed to have different opinions, to see the same thing from different angles. What is not fine is the hypocrisy, the "OK for me but not for thee" attitude that permeates so much of our discourse these days. You cannot howl that athletes need to "shut up and dribble" then turn around and cheer a president who uses sports to burnish his image. You cannot say you just want to enjoy the game and then be OK with politicians inserting themselves into them. And you absolutely cannot cheer individual athletes while at the same time celebrating the harassment, abuse and discrimination of millions of others who look and love like them. You want to keep politics out of sports? Fine. You go first. Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump, Dodgers incidents show hypocrisy in mixing sports and politics
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Tripura CM mulls sex education in Class VIII-XII curriculum
Agartala: Tripura CM on Friday said the state govt is considering the introduction of sex education in the curriculum for students in Classes VIII to XII. Speaking at the legislative forum in the state assembly, Saha emphasised the importance of this initiative, stating, "We are considering incorporating sex education and HIV/AIDS awareness in the school curriculum in Class VIII-XII. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is not a matter of controversy, it is a necessity." He also encouraged community involvement, suggesting that MLAs could allocate funds to support HIV/AIDS patients. Saha highlighted the equal impact of HIV/AIDS on both boys and girls and stressed the importance of engaging youth in sports, cultural activities, and other creative pursuits to steer them away from drug addiction and reduce their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. He said Tripura was the first state in India to introduce Red Ribbon Clubs in schools and plans to create youth ambassadors to lead campaigns against drug abuse. Expressing concern over the rising number of HIV/AIDS cases and injecting drug users, particularly among teenagers, Saha said an average of 120 new HIV infections are reported each month in the state, despite preventive efforts by the state AIDS Control Society. In response to a proposal by Congress legislator Sudip Roybarman, the chief minister supported the idea of adding a dedicated chapter on sex education and HIV/AIDS to the school curriculum to raise awareness among the most vulnerable age group. Additionally, he suggested that each MLA could allocate Rs 1 lakh per year from their area development fund for initiatives against drugs and HIV.
5 hours ago
- Health
In Uganda, a tougher bicycle offers hope for better health coverage in rural areas
LIRA, Uganda -- The bicycle parked in Lucy Abalo's compound doesn't belong to her. Any one of the hundreds of people in her village can show up and ask to use it. A man might wish to take his pregnant wife for a checkup. A woman might need transport to pick up HIV medication. An injured child might need a trip to a hospital. 'The goodness about this bike,' Abalo said, is its availability to all. She is one of dozens of 'village doctors' in rural Uganda who recently were supplied with the Buffalo Bicycle, so called because its steel parts are reinforced to perform in areas with bad roads. World Bicycle Relief, a Chicago-based nonprofit, promotes the Buffalo Bicycle in remote parts of Africa. It collaborates with governments, non-governmental groups and others who use the bikes to improve access to health services. In Uganda, an east African country of 45 million people, efforts to market the bicycle have focused on supporting health workers like Abalo, who visits people's homes and reports any issues to authorities. As a community health extension worker, or CHEW, she has gained the trust of villagers, who can knock on her door in emergency situations. She said she helps to look after about 8,000 people in the area. And at least twice a week, she is required to report to a government-run health center about 5 kilometers (3 miles) away and assist with triaging patients. Ugandan health authorities acknowledge that one challenge for CHEWs is transportation, part of a larger burden of poverty that can leave health facilities lacking ambulances or even gas to move them. World Bicycle Relief, operating locally as Buffalo Bicycles Uganda, has collaborated with Ugandan health authorities since 2023 to equip 331 CHEWs in two of the country's 146 districts. One is Lira, 442 kilometers (274 miles) north of the capital, Kampala. Bicycles have long been ubiquitous, and many families tend to have one. Cultural norms in northern Uganda don't prohibit women from riding. While the roads in Lira town are paved, dirt paths lead into the heart of the district where farming is the main economic activity. The Buffalo Bicycle is a recent arrival. Many have never heard of it, or can't afford it. Retailing for roughly $200, it is three times more expensive than the cheapest regular bicycle — otherwise out of reach for many CHEWs, who do not yet earn a salary. The bike's promoters cite its durability in rough terrain, needing fewer trips to the mechanic as a way to save money. The Buffalo Bicycle's heavy-gauge steel frame is so strong that it comes with a five-year warranty, said Amuza Ali, a monitoring officer in Lira for Buffalo Bicycles Uganda. Abalo and others told the AP the Buffalo Bicycle felt uncomfortable to use in the beginning, with a braking system that doesn't permit carefree backpedaling. 'When I climbed on it, it wasn't that easy as I thought,' Abalo said. 'I was like, 'I am trying again to learn how to ride.'' CHEWs using the bicycles reported a 108% increase in households reached each week, and the time to reach health facilities dropped by nearly half, according to a study published in May by World Bicycle Relief. The study shows that 'mobility is not a luxury in healthcare' but a lifeline, CEO Dave Neiswander said in a statement released for the report. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health, has urged the distribution of bicycles to more CHEWs across Uganda, saying front-line health workers save an unknown number of lives each year. Abalo received her Buffalo Bicycle from the health minister last year. One of her neighbors, Babra Akello, said she has used the bicycle at least six times already. The first was for transport to an antenatal checkup. She praised Abalo's willingness to help. The bike has also been used for emergencies. One evening earlier this year, a neighbor's 4-year-old child suffered a deep cut while playing in the dirt. With the child's parents away, Abalo transported the bleeding boy to a facility where he briefly lost consciousness before being revived. 'That bike, not me, saved the life of that child,' Abalo said. 'If that bike hadn't been there, I don't know what would have happened.'
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
African gay men blame President Trump for their recent HIV diagnoses after he cut prevention funding
Gay men in Africa are blaming President Trump's decision to cut funding for HIV /AIDS prevention for their diagnoses of the virus. The administration's sweeping cuts to foreign aid have reduced access to medications like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, which decreases the risk of contracting HIV by 99 percent. Emmanuel Cherem, 25, a gay men in Nigeria, told Reuters that he tested positive for HIV two months after losing access to the US-supplied drug. 'I blame myself... Taking care of myself is my first duty as a person,' he said. 'I equally blame the Trump administration because, you know, these things were available, and then, without prior notice, these things were cut off.' Echezona, 30, another gay man from Nigeria, told Reuters that he took PrEP pills daily for three years until he was told by a clinic worker that the drug was now only available to pregnant and lactating women. 'I just pray and wish that Trump actually changes his policy and everything comes back to normal so that the spread and transmission of the virus would be reduced,' he said. Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office that paused foreign development assistance for 90 days, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a 'stop work order' to employees of the State Department's Office of Foreign Assistance. The department oversees the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which have seen drastic cuts since Trump took office. The administration has defended its position, arguing that other countries need to shoulder the burden of providing aid. During South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's White House visit, Trump acknowledged that the foreign aid cuts have been 'devastating.' 'Hopefully a lot of people are going to start spending a lot of money,' Trump added. 'I've talked to other nations. We want them to chip in and spend money too, and we've spent a lot,' he continued. 'And it's a big - it's a tremendous problem going on in many countries. A lot of problems going on. The United States always gets the request for money. Nobody else helps.' Russell Vought, the director of the US Office of Management and Budget, echoed Trump's stance during a Congressional committee meeting in early June. He argued that African countries should take on the responsibility of fighting HIV/AIDS, alleviating the financial burden on the US. Vought added that some of the nonprofits facilitating HIV prevention programs 'are not geared toward the viewpoints of the administration.' The director's comments are in line with a waiver issued to PEPFAR programs on February 1 allowing prevention programs to restart only for pregnant mothers. Vulnerable populations, like members of the LGBTQIA+ community, sex workers, or injecting drug users, weren't included in the prevention measures. PEPFAR grants often covered the cost of clinics supplying PrEP at public health centers for these populations, which have suffered closures due to decreased funding. A spokesperson for the State Department told Reuters that PEPFAR-funded programs would continue to be reviewed for 'assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy.' Public health officials and activists fear that if Trump's hardline policy toward foreign aid stays consistent, HIV infections will continue in the region. Linda-Gail Bekker, an HIV expert at the University of Cape Town, said that African countries may not cover the expense of supplying the drug, leaving a gap for more diagnoses. 'It's as predictable as if you take your eye off a smoldering bushfire and the wind is blowing: a bushfire will come back,' she told Reuters. Countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique were almost entirely dependent on US funding for HIV prevention measures, according to UNAIDS. Other countries, like Ethiopia, responded to the USAID funding cuts by introducing a new payroll tax to pay for HIV medication previously provided by US funding. Medical advancements for HIV prevention and treatment have progressed significantly in recent years. However, UNAIDS projects that gaps created by a lack of funding could see steps backward.
