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One Major Side Effect of Eating Too Much Salt, New Study Says

By  KRISSY GASBARRE

Adding to heart and blood pressure problems, researchers now say too much salt hurts your immunity.

A lot of you were recently surprised to learn about the toxic fat that's more harmful than cholesterol. In other news on unexpected nutrition dangers, a study has just discovered that the amount of salt you eat could make you more vulnerable to illness from bacteria (like this deadly food poisoning from pasta) and viruses (like COVID-19).

A newly published study in the journal Circulation sought to deepen understanding that scientists gained from a study in 2015. In that previous study, the research team discovered that elevated amounts of sodium in the blood affected how a certain type of white blood cell prepares to react when it senses an unhealthy cell. But even at the conclusion of that study, says Dr. Sabrina Geisberger of the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), the scientists "still didn't know what was happening in the cells."

So for the new study, Geisberger's team examined "the metabolism of immune cells that had been exposed to high salt concentrations," according to a release. This time, they learned more about how salt impacts immunity: "It disrupts the respiratory chain, causing the cells to produce less ATP and consume less oxygen," Geisberger explains.

ATP, or adenosine triphosphate, is defined in the release as "the universal fuel that powers all cells," providing energy for muscle power and metabolic regulation—meaning that if a high sodium level in the body causes short supply of ATP, it affects how these white blood cells mature… and, in turn, how effectively those white blood cells, which are largely responsible for the body's immune response, are able to function.

So how much salt is safe to eat each day? According to this study: "Nutrition experts recommend that adults limit their daily intake to five or six grams at most. The calculation includes the salt that is hidden in processed foods."

Need another reason to watch your salt intake? Read how salt actually increases your heart disease risk as you age.

https://www.eatthis.com/news-study-salt-decreases-immunity/

PTI regime is busy enriching Imran Khan’s cronies in the cartels and mafia through engineered inflation at the cost of lives and well-being of millions of Pakistanis.

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the PTI regime was busy enriching Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cronies in the cartels and mafias through engineered inflation at the cost of lives and wellbeing of millions of Pakistanis.
In a statement, the PPP Chairman said that living for low-income families has become unbearable and that it was criminal to allow landlords to increase rents at a time when so many of our fellow countrymen were dealing with skyrocketing inflation and unemployment in the country. He added that the government had abdicated its responsibility by not freezing rents while a majority of the country was reeling from the combined pressures of inflation and COVID-19.
He said that Imran Khan’s enmity towards the people has reached an all-time high and that the common man has no where to turn to for relief. “Food items alone have seen at least a 15.9 percent price increase in the country. In Imran Khans “Madina Ki Riasat”, fruit prices have seen an increase of 25.2% during the holy month of Ramazan depriving the average citizen of even the simple pleasures of something as ubiquitous as fruit chaat in this month,” he added.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the sharp rise in tomato prices by up to 67%, and the Prime Ministers complete apathy to the plight of the people is proof that Imran Khan is the ringleader of this inflation mafia and his crony capitalist friends are minting money by raising prices.

He said that on the other hand the PPP’s Sindh government had issued Benazir Mazdoor Card as a support system for some of the most effected segments of society to ease their burden during the days of runaway inflation in the country. In the first phase, the Benazir Mazdoor Card has been issued to 600,000 registered industrial workers in Sindh. “It will make life easier for millions of families in the days to come as next phases will see these benefits extended to unregistered industrial workers, agricultural workers, domestic labour, and we hope to eventually cover all labourers in Sindh. Medical grants, educational grants for labourers children, marriage grants, scholarships, and other benefits will also be provided through the Benazir Mazdoor Card, easing the burden on blue collar workers throughout the province during these immensely trying financial times,” he pointed out.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari termed the Benazir Mazdoor Card as an important milestone and added that any worker to suffer disablity in a workplace accident would be given a gratuity and lifelong pension, and God forbid in the case of a worker’s death those benefits would transfer to their spouse. “In case of serious illness, the workers registered with Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) will be treated in private hospitals,” he added.
He announced that when PPP comes to power in the Federation this program would be rolled out to the rest of the country so labourers across Pakistan would be registered for the Benazir Mazdoor Card and benefit from this revolutionary program. “PPP is the Party of the working class of the country. We were, are, and always will be fighting for the interests of the people and the labour class. No worker will be left unsupported and alone,” he said
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also reiterated his commitment to ending the anti-people measures adopted by this government and said that when elected to federal government he would ensure that the people of Pakistan weren’t left at the hands of the capitalist mafias and cartels that bleed the people dry while they get away by ingratiating themselves to Imran Khan.

https://www.ppp.org.pk/

#Pakistan - NA-249 by-poll - Last call for #PTI

It will do Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) little good to cry foul and dispute the result of the NA-249 by-poll because unlike Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) it did not lose the election by a few hundred votes but rather found itself in the embarrassing and humiliating seventh position. So while a recount may well swing the balance PML-N’s way, there’s practically nothing at all that PTI can hope to gain from such an exercise. Plus, instead of giving the party’s rather offensive mouthpieces the job of ridiculing other parties, as is PTI’s habit, it would be far more productive to dwell on the string of recent losses and what might be possibly done to turn the tide before the big election only two-and-a-half years away.

For it’s not just Karachi that has brought embarrassment to PTI. They also lost in Daska, Naushera, Wazirabad, etc, so it doesn’t really suit the moment for the ruling party to try and win sympathy for being allegedly cheated out of an expected win. It is clear that people up and down the country are rejecting the ruling party as well as its narrative. So this would be a good time to revise its anti-corruption and no-NRO mantra which has put everything else, including protecting people’s lives and livelihoods, on the backburner. It is equally, if not more, important for the economy to grow and jobs to be created, for which the government is solely responsible. If all it has to show after half its term is going blindly after everybody in the opposition, and even then failing to retrieve anything from them, that too at the cost of the economy and issues that matter to the common people, then such electoral verdicts is just what to expect as the party in power.

This is a lesson that PTI seems determined for some reason to learn the hard way. The PM also needs to think what the people that he’s going out of his way to protect are giving him and the party. Faisal Vawda, for example, who lied about his dual nationality was first given another lease of life in the Senate; something that nobody has yet explained. And the Karachi seat that he vacated, which PTI won last time of course, has now thrown PTI down to the seventh position in the by-poll. This ought to sound very loud alarm bells in the highest offices of the ruling party. It doesn’t have much time left to pull itself together. This is truly the last call for PTI. Nobody doubts Prime Minister Imran Khan’s honest or sincerity of purpose, but he needs to turn things around before he runs out of time.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/751345/last-call-for-pti/

Editorial: Firdous Ashiq Awan had absolutely no right to publicly denigrate and demean a govt officer - Unreasonable behaviour

DR Firdous Ashiq Awan should have known better. As adviser to the chief minister of Punjab, she carries the weight and authority of the government on her shoulders. This official gravitas, mandated to her through the office she holds, demands an exhibition of grace, decorum, and above all, restraint. Sadly, Dr Awan showed neither when she unleashed her anger on an assistant commissioner accompanying her to a market in Sialkot.

In a fit of rage caught on tape, Dr Awan reprimanded the official, a woman, in a most severe tone for what she termed a dereliction of duty. This she did in full view of the cameras and the accompanying retinue of people. The officer preferred to walk away from this tirade rather than engage the enraged adviser. The subsequent outrage in the media, and a strong protest by the chief secretary, forced Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to summon his adviser for an explanation. After the meeting, Dr Awan held a press conference and defended her actions. If she was repentant, she did an admirable job of disguising it.

Whatever the merits of the case in this situation, Dr Awan had absolutely no right to publicly denigrate and demean an officer of the government. Decorum and decency demanded that she express her displeasure in private, and if needed, report the assistant commissioner to her superiors. By humiliating the officer publicly, Dr Awan undermined her authority as a member of the district administration and also violated her dignity as a citizen of Pakistan.

This has sent a very bad signal to the bureaucracy which in any case is under pressure as a result of the PTI government’s attitude. If the chief minister takes no action, he would be seen as condoning his adviser’s tirade. This will further demoralise the bureaucracy at a time when the government needs it to work with full diligence. Mr Buzdar should therefore reprimand Dr Awan for her coarse behaviour and make sure she tenders a public apology.

#Pakistan - Human rights 2020

 THE human rights situation in Pakistan, almost predictably bleak every year, was deeply impacted in 2020 by an unprecedented factor — the Covid-19 pandemic. While the contagion has affected all segments of society, it has exacerbated existing socioeconomic inequalities. No ‘great equaliser’, this global crisis has dealt a cruel blow to already disadvantaged sections of society. The recently launched annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan takes into account the ways in which the pandemic led to many of the gains in health and education of the previous decades being rolled back as the economy tanked and people — especially factory workers and private employees — lost their jobs. People suffering from health conditions other than Covid-19 found it difficult to access medical help; and tens of millions of children missed both polio and routine immunisations last year.

The nationwide lockdown in March 2020, though necessary, led to widespread misery among daily-wage labourers and the poorest households. However, the HRCP report notes that the government’s provision of monetary relief through the Ehsaas and BISP programmes mitigated its effects for a number of people. The closure of schools and the extremely patchy switchover to online education left a vast swathe of children unable to continue classes due to absent or unreliable internet coverage. This loss of an entire school year will have long-term consequences for literacy levels, especially where girls’ education is concerned. Meanwhile, the pandemic — with ‘work from home’ directives and curtailed freedom of movement — also threw together victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual abuse in close proximity for extended periods of time, leading to a spike in these crimes. Crammed into overcrowded prisons that are ripe for the spread of disease, prisoners got no relief from the highest court in the land that stayed high court orders to release some of them on a conditional and temporary basis. At least, far fewer convicts were awarded the death penalty last year — down to 177 from 158 in 2019 — and no execution was carried out. In major respects, Pakistan continues to run counter to international conventions. Enforced disappearances remained a blot on this country’s reputation, and the government appeared no closer to criminalising the act of ‘disappearing’ people. In fact, two major national human rights institutions have been without chairpersons since 2019, which raises questions about the centre’s commitment to protecting citizens’ rights. The picture is not a heartening one.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1622127/human-rights-2020

It is shocking that the damning EU resolution caught the govt by surprise - Time to wake up

Zahid Hussain

@hidhussain

IN an unprecedented move last week, the European Parliament took Pakistan to task over human rights violations, growing religious intolerance and shrinking freedom of expression in the country. A resolution was adopted which called for an immediate review of Pakistan’s eligibility for GSP-Plus status. The withdrawal of the concession could deal a serious blow to our exports to the European Union.

It may not be the first time that questions have been raised about our dismal human rights record by the international community, but the latest EU parliamentary resolution is much more damning and consequential. The criticism not only reflects our failure to counter rising religious intolerance and bigotry, but also exposes a diplomatic debacle. It is shocking that the foreign ministry could not see it coming and the resolution caught the government by surprise. The anti-France protests by the religiously motivated TLP and the resolution presented by the government in parliament on the question of whether or not to expel the French ambassador — as per the demand of the group — seems to have been the trigger for such a strong response by the EU Parliament.

Indeed, some other factors too contributed to this toughened stance by the members of the European community. The increasing number of incidents of misuse of the blasphemy law, particularly targeting members of minority religious groups, has long drawn criticism at home and abroad. Some latest cases have raised further concerns. Diminishing democratic freedoms in the country has also been a cause of worry.

It was shocking to see the complete diplomatic paralysis as the resolution was moved in the EU Parliament.

Unfortunately, successive governments here have failed to address these concerns. But the present government with its tendency to encourage religiosity has added fuel to extremism. Its virtual surrender last November to an extremist group and its apparent acceptance of all its demands including the expulsion of the French ambassador has come back to haunt the PTI government.

The government has belatedly announced that it would address EU concerns. But it’s not clear whether it has any strategy to deal with the issues raised in the resolution. It’s not just a matter of satisfying the international community; it is in the country’s own interest to fight extremism and curb human rights violations. Unfortunately, we only wake up to these challenges when there is external pressure. Should we have waited for the EU resolution to initiate steps that the cabinet has reportedly decided to take in order to address issues related to human rights and freedom of expression?

The overwhelming support for the resolution by members of all major European nations also raises questions about our foreign policy imperatives. Like its failure on the domestic front, the PTI government has not much to show for its performance on the external policy front.

It was shocking to see the complete diplomatic paralysis as the damning resolution was moved in the EU Parliament. Was there any effort made to explain our position to its members? In fact, relations with Europe have never been a priority for the current government.

Support for the resolution reflects the cavalier way in which we conduct our diplomacy with one of the world’s most important economic blocs. Europe is vital to us not only because it is our largest trading partner but also because of its position in global politics. In terms of foreign policy, after Brexit, there was a need to develop better relations with France and Germany, the two most powerful European countries.

 

The prime minister continues to claim that no one knows the West the way he does. But does he really have any grasp of the existing political dynamics in Europe? Being familiar with British high society is one thing and understanding politics and values in the West quite another.

His interaction with major European countries during his two and half years in office has been nominal. Therefore, it is not surprising to see the same kind of confusion on foreign policy as the disaster witnessed on various domestic policy fronts. The prime minister’s comments on domestic policy decisions in some European countries have not helped improve our ties. The latest parliamentary resolution is also a manifestation of our failure to give due importance to our relationship with Europe.

One more reason for the drift is that we have what is often described as a part-time foreign minister whose major interest is in domestic politics. Apart from his recent visit to Germany, it is difficult to recall any other trip he has made to a Western capital as foreign minister in the present government. His interactions with his European counterparts are mostly by telephone. One is not sure if the latest diplomatic setback will jolt our foreign ministry out of its slumber. There has been a gradual regression in the quality of leadership in the department. The collapse is apparent all over. It’s not just the handling of Europe, the situation is not very encouraging when it comes to other regions either.

It’s hard to guess who is in charge of our foreign policy. While the defence establishment is apparently in command of policies related to Afghanistan, India, China and the US, there is a huge gap when dealing with other countries. There is certainly no understanding of the evolving geopolitics.

Foreign policy begins at home. It is largely political and economic stability that determine our foreign policy direction. The prevalent political instability, growing faith-based extremism, intolerance and shrinking democratic space all have a serious impact on our foreign relations. Our weak economy and the absence of effective governance have further eroded our capacity to build relationships with other countries as equals.

Most worrying is the illusion of our current leadership that we are playing a global role when there is little understanding of the dynamics of global and regional geopolitics. We could do much better on the external front if our leadership focused on the problems that have put Pakistan in such a humiliating situation. Who can treat us as a responsible country when certain ministers have been perceived as inciting people to kill?

https://www.dawn.com/news/1622132/time-to-wake-up