Controversial research claims blacks age faster than whites

Differences in biological age between blacks and whites appear to increase up until ages 60-65 and then decline. (File)

CALIFORNIA, United States, Friday July 25, 2014 – A controversial new study in the United States claims that black people age more quickly than white people.

Published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, the study found that the difference in age can be up to three years and could shed new light on higher mortality rates in blacks.

The study used data on 7,644 black and white participants, aged 30 and over, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Each participant’s body-mass index, level of education, and whether they were present or former smokers were also noted.

The research team calculated each participant’s “biological age” by looking at 10 biomarkers that have been linked to aging, including C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, glycosylated hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, and total cholesterol.

Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)

The researchers then compared biological ages of blacks and whites as indicated from the biomarkers.

“Our results showed that, on average, blacks tend to be more than three years older biologically than whites,” Morgan Levine and Eileen Crimmins of the University of Southern California’s Davis School of Gerontology wrote.

“Blacks experience morbidity and mortality earlier in the life course compared to whites,” they continued.

“This is consistent with findings from previous studies reporting that blacks tend to have levels of biological risk factors that are indicative of someone significantly older chronologically.

“Such premature declines in health may be indicative of an acceleration of the aging process,” the gerontologists said.

Differences in biological age between blacks and whites appear to increase up until ages 60-65 and then decline.

The University of Southern California gerontology researchers said the cause for the biological age differences by race could be stress-related.

“Everyday stressors associated with being black may negatively impact physiological functioning and, under chronic exposure, accumulate over the lifespan and contribute to growing disparities in biological risk,” they wrote.

“Furthermore, if such environmental, behavioural, and mental factors contribute to an acceleration of the aging process, we would expect that persons who are aging the fastest should have the highest risk of mortality, and thus lower life expectancy.”

View the original article here

Controversial research claims blacks age faster than whites

JFJ admits to not vetting controversial sex ed programme

Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is taking blame for what it says is the deficiency of  its Board in not vetting the controversial sex education programme which was administered in six childrens’ homes.
In  a release on Friday, JFJ said it had completed its investigation and came to the conclusion that the children in the homes were exposed to inappropriate content for their age.

It said this arose from a weakness in JFJ’s oversight and vetting process.
According to the human rights body, its former executive director Dr Carolyn Gomes mentioned the programme in three reports to the board.
It also said the communications specialist reported on the programme to the Board on several occasions.
JFJ says the full content of  the programme was never brought to the Board even while admitting that programme details are not normally presented at its meetings.      
It revealed that one of  the providers of  the course material, FAMPLAN, did not sign off  on the final course content which was intended to be delivered to children between the ages of  13 and 17.
JFJ says the programme involved as many as 176 children being trained between January and May this year.

View the original article here

JFJ admits to not vetting controversial sex ed programme

Rihanna denies controversial #FreePalestine tweet

CALIFORNIA, United States, Friday July 18, 2014 – Barbados’ pop princess Rihanna caused a right royal Twitter storm after allegedly posting #FreePalestine, a message of support for Palestine to her 36.4 million fans from her account earlier this week.

The tweet #FreePalestine, was retweeted thousands of times and sparked a flood of replies before it was removed just eight minutes later.

Sources close to the Diamonds girl said she never meant to post it, according to a report on celebrity website TMZ.

“She [Rihanna] didn’t even realise it was a tweet until she started hearing from her fans,” a source told the website, adding that the singer was reading about the Middle East conflict online when she clicked a link.

Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)

Soon after, the Unapologetic star tweeted: “Let’s pray for peace and a swift end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict! Is there any hope?…”

The multiple Grammy award-winner is not the first celebrity to tweet, delete, and face the music after overstepping the political mark on the social media site.

Kim Kardashian was obliged to issue a statement after causing an uproar with tweets about Israel and Palestine two years ago.

“Praying for everyone in Israel,” wrote Kanye West’s love.

Thousands of angry replies later, Kim tweeted: “Praying for everyone in Palestine and across the world!”

According to a Daily Mirror report, she later wrote online: “I want to own up to and explain that earlier today I sent out two tweets about saying prayers for the people in Palestine and Israel and after hearing from my followers, I decided to take down the tweets because I realized that some people were offended and hurt by what I said, and for that I apologize.

“I should have pointed out my intentions behind these tweets when I posted them.

“The fact is that regardless of religion and political beliefs, there are countless innocent people involved who didn’t choose this, and I pray for all of them and also for a resolution. I also pray for all the other people around the world who are caught in similar crossfires.”

View the original article here

Rihanna denies controversial #FreePalestine tweet

Coroner's inquest to be held into controversial hotel shooting death

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has ruled that a Coroners Inquest be held into the controversial shooting death of a man at a hotel in the central parish of Manchester in 2011.

The ruling was handed down two days ago.

The man, said to be a supporter of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) was shot at a cocktail reception.
The event was attended by several JLP officials and activists, following a mass meeting in Central Manchester.

The Mandeville Police reported that a group of persons was at the hotel, when an argument developed and the man was shot.

Investigators collected statements from several JLP members who were present at the reception.
They are expected to give testimony at the Inquest.

Meanwhile, the real estate developer at the centre of the hotel shooting, is now in police custody.

He was picked up earlier this week by investigators from the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Task Force(MOCA).

The cops are investigating him for a recent shooting in Brown’s Town, St Ann.

He’s scheduled to face an identification parade on the weekend.

View the original article here

Coroner"s inquest to be held into controversial hotel shooting death

Report released on controversial sex education at Jamaican private homes

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Friday June 27, 2014, CMC – The human rights group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) had made a monetary contribution to six privately operated homes where a sex education programme had been implemented, according to an interim report released here.

Youth and Culture Minister Lisa Hanna released the report by the Child Development Agency (CDA) that had been asked to probe the matter.

The controversy over the sex education programme has already led to the resignation of former JFJ executive director Dr Carolyn Gomes from the board of directors. Gomes was executive director when the programme was implemented.

Hanna had instructed the CDA, which has responsibility for the regulation of children’s homes and places of safety, to explain the circumstances which led to the programme being implemented for eight or nine months without the agency’s knowledge as well as the suitability of the material for the children.

Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)

Hanna said she was “concerned about the breaches, particularly since the homes acknowledged that they did not advise the CDA about the programme although visited by monitoring officers of the CDA.”

The minister said she would take appropriate action after receiving the responses from the administrators of the homes.

In its interim report, the CDA found that the programme, titled “Realising Sexual and Reproductive Health Responsibly: JFJ’s Pilot Intervention in Children’s Homes” had been implemented in both boys and girls homes and that the six facilities had indicated that they were contacted directly by representatives of Jamaicans for Justice via telephone and later by email and letter.

“The administrators of facilities gave approval to the JFJ for the implementation of the sexual education programme through MOUs,” the report said, noting that “it was confirmed that the six homes each received a monetary contribution from the JFJ for use of their premises for the training.

The report noted that a review of the content of the material “found that parts of the training material were inappropriate for the age cohort and a departure from that approved by the Ministry of Education for use in public schools and legal advice will have to be sought to determine if its presentation contravened any existing laws.”

The report noted that the children received training in the areas relating to homosexuality and anal sex and that the “training schedule was not noticeably displayed at the home in contravention of the regulations.”

Earlier this month, the JFJ defended the programme saying it got the go ahead from administrators of the homes.

JFJ executive director Kay Osbourne said the administrators did not indicate there was a requirement involving the CDA.

View the original article here

Report released on controversial sex education at Jamaican private homes

ICC’s controversial Test cricket proposal re-drafted

Monday, January 27, 2014 | 9:50 PM    

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) –A controversial proposal designed to put more power in international cricket in the hands of India, Australia and England has been re-drafted for presentation before the International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Dubai on Tuesday, reports indicate.

The proposal calling for a complete overhaul of the ICC’s administration and revenue distribution has triggered uproar in the cricket world.

Proposals to be watered down include a two-tier format for Test cricket and the relegation of the bottom two ranked into the ICC Intercontinental Cup, ESPN Cricinfo has reported.

The other proposal which could be reworked pertains to a newly formed Executive Committee (ExCo) and its possible expansion from four to five, with a second nominee coming in from the “small seven,” as opposed to only one according to the draft position paper.

India, Australia and England were lobbying six of the seven members to secure their support should the proposal go to a vote on Tuesday.

Reports from Dubai say India has been leading the talks while the three cricket boards have been making offers to the rest of the boards in a bid to obtain their support.

Cricket South Africa, the only member that has publicly objected to the proposal, has been left out of the discussions and the benefits being offered to the rest of the boards.

There has been public protest in Bangladesh, including a crowd gathering of close to 3,000 in Dhaka on Saturday, over the possibility of their cricket board ceding Bangladesh’s Test match status.

“It is a big thing, (to us) this status. In13 years Bangladesh have managed to win four Test matches. India and New Zealand did not win their first Test till 30 years,” a senior Bangladeshi cricket official was quoted as saying.

“So how come these people are now telling Bangladesh that you will need to fight out in the I-Cup to retain your Test status.”

Zimbabwe Cricket, despite its financial debt to the tune of $18 million dollars is expected to vote in favour of the proposals largely because of their good relations with the BCCI.

Among the other Full Member nations, New Zealand Cricket had come out in support of the proposal while the West Indies Cricket Board only stated that they had taken a position “in the best interests of West Indies cricket”.

View the original article here

ICC’s controversial Test cricket proposal re-drafted

Senate approves controversial tax bill

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Senate Friday approved the controversial Revenue Administration (Amendment) Act, just two days before its deadline as an important bench mark agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Government senators toed the party line, to ensure that it met the June 30 deadline, although accepting that there were areas of concern in the bill.Minister of Justice, Senator Mark Golding, who piloted the measure in the Senate, admitted that there was merit in some of the objections raised by the Opposition.However, he suggested that the Senate pass the amendments to ensure that the IMF deadline is met, and then there could be a review of the provisions at a later date.Golding said that meeting IMF’s deadline was a structural benchmark which the country could not afford to miss, as it could become the basis for the government failing the first quarterly test, which covers the period April-June, and affect the country’s ability to make future draw-downs.“We cannot afford to take that risk. We believe that it is in the best interest of Jamaica that we pass this bill, today,” he insisted.The Opposition offered to give support, if the Government would set timelines for reviewing the bill as soon as possible. But, Golding said that he could offer no timelines, only an assurance that the provisions would be reviewed.The Opposition challenged the government on five of the 15 clauses, calling for a “divide” vote, but lost each time as members voted strictly along party lines, 9-4 in favour of approving the amendments.The Opposition had raised concerns about some provisions of the bill, both in and out of Parliament, since it was tabled in mid-May. It was passed in the House of Representatives on June 19 via a 20-13 government majority.The bill allows for the exchange of tax information on individuals and companies between Jamaica and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which groups powerful developed countries, and widens the powers of the Tax Commissioner General in accessing information on alleged tax dodgers in Jamaica to enforce compliance in all sectors of the economy.— Balford HenryLike our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jamaicaobserverFollow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamaicaObserver

HOUSE RULES

1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.

2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.

3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.

4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.

5. Please don’t use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed:mailto:advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.

6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.

7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

comments powered by

View the original article here

Senate approves controversial tax bill