China and Taiwan leaders make history in Singapore

Summit marks first time Chinese and Taiwanese leaders have met since the end of China's civil war in 1949.

Leaders of political rivals Taiwan and China have met for the first time in more than 60 years for talks that come amid rising anti-Beijing sentiment on the self-ruled island and just weeks ahead of elections.
China's President Xi Jinping and his Taiwanese counterpart, Ma Ying-jeou, shook hands at the start of the summit in Singapore on Saturday.
Before the leaders entered a closed meeting, Xi said the two sides are "one family" and cannot be pulled apart.
Ma responded by telling Xi the two sides should observe mutual respect after decades of hostility and rivalry and "respect each other's values and way of life".
"Even though this is the first meeting, we feel like old friends. Behind us is history stretching for 60 years," he said.
"Now, before our eyes, there are fruits of conciliation instead of confrontation."
It was the first such summit since China's civil war ended in 1949.
The talks come ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan, in which the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is favoured to win, something Beijing wants to avoid.

The ruling Nationalists, also known as the Kuomintang (KMT), retreated to Taiwan after losing the civil war to the communists, who are still in charge in Beijing.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring what it considers a breakaway province under its control.
But while bilateral trade, investment and tourism have blossomed - particularly since Ma and his KMT took power in 2008 - there is deep suspicion on both sides, and no progress has been made on any sort of political settlement.
Symbolic meeting
No agreements were expected in what was seen as a highly symbolic get-together at a luxury hotel in Singapore, a largely ethnic Chinese city-state that has maintained good ties with both sides for decades.
Neither of the leaders was expected to address each other as "president", instead using "mister".

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RELATED: Why China's Xi Jinping agreed to meet with Taiwan

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Al Jazeera's Rob McBride, reporting from Beijing, said that China's state media has been largely positive in the lead-up to the landmark meeting.

Inside Story: A new era in Taiwan-China relations?

However, McBride said that Beijing was being careful not to make the summit appear as a meeting of equals.
"At this historic juncture of a meeting between leaders from both sides of Taiwan Strait, we genuinely hope that both sides can show sincerity, demonstrate goodwill, meet each other half way and confront their difficulties," China's official People's Daily wrote on Saturday.
In the heart of the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, about 1,000 protesters marched on Saturday to denounce the meeting.
But their anger was not necessarily representative of the public view of the summit.
"It's a good idea, and it's well timed," one woman told Al Jazeera. "I have faith in the president. I believe this could open a new chapter for Taiwan."
Taiwan lost its UN seat to China in 1971, and only 22 states formally recognise the island.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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Moringa health benefits are tantalizing

Every part of the Moringa tree can be used in medical science

Moringa oleifera has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value and medicinal benefits. Different parts of Moringa contain a profile of important minerals and are a good source of protein, vitamins, beta-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. Moringa provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol.

Moringa can act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine.

Traditional cultures in various parts of the world have long used Moringa in their herbal medicine repertoire for ailments ranging from gout to various inflammations and fevers. Some of the remedies are described here but there is no guarantee they will work for every case!

 Moringa Leaves Medicinal Uses and Benefits

• Leaves rubbed against the temple can relieve headaches.
• To stop bleeding from a shallow cut, apply a poultice of fresh leaves.
• There is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effect when applied to wounds or insect bites.
• Extracts can be used against bacterial or fungal skin complaints.
• Leaf tea treats gastric ulcers and diarrhoea.
• Eating Moringa food products is good for those suffering from malnutrition due to the high protein and fibre content.
* Leaves treat fevers, bronchitis, eye and ear infections, inflammation of the mucus membrane
* The iron content of the leaves is high, and they are reportedly prescribed for anemia in the Philippines.
* Dried Moringa leaves treat diarrhoea in Malawi, Africa.
* The powder ground from the seeds is also used in the treatment of scurvy skin diseases (common bacterial infections of the skin).

 Moringa Flowers Medicinal Uses and Benefits

• Flower juice improves the quality and flow of mothers’ milk when breast feeding.
• Flower juice is useful for urinary problems as it encourages urination.
* In Haiti, villagers boil Moringa flowers in water and drink the tea as a powerful cold remedy.

Moringa Pods Medicinal Uses and Benefits

• If eaten raw, pods act as a de-wormer and treat liver and spleen problems and pains of the joints.
• Due to high protein and fibre content they can play a useful part in treating malnutrition and diarrhoea.

Moringa Seeds Medicinal Uses and Benefits

• Used for their antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties to treat arthritis, rheumatism, gout, cramp, sexually transmitted diseases and boils. The seeds are roasted, pounded, mixed with coconut oil and applied to the problem area. Seed oil can be used for the same ailments.
• Roasted seeds and oil can encourage urination.
• They can also be used as a relaxant for epilepsy.
Moringa seeds are effective against skin-infecting bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They contain the potent antibiotic and fungicide terygospermin.

Moringa Roots, Bark and Gum Medicinal Uses and Benefits

The roots and the bark have all of the properties described above but are more concentrated. Therefore much more care should be taken if using them as medicines.
* The roots and bark are used for cardiac and circulatory problems, as a tonic and for inflammation. The bark is an appetizer and digestive.
* In Senegal and India, roots are pounded and mixed with salt to make a poultice for treating rheumatism and articulars pains. In Senegal, this poultice is also used to relieve lower back or kidney pain
• Fodder-branches
* The alkaloid spirachin (a nerve paralysant) has been found in the roots.
* The gum is diuretic, astringent and abortifacient and is used against asthma.

Moringa Oil Medicinal Uses and Benefits

* Oil of Ben is used for hysteria, scurvy, prostate problems and bladder troubles.
* Villagers in Oman use Moringa oil to treat stomach disorders. They also use it in perfume and hair oil.

Moringa & Ayurveda Medicinal Uses and Benefits

Uses every part of the Moringa Tree and considers it one of the most valuable and useful plants. The ayurvedic medicine of India has many uses for Moringa Tree products, such as a natural antibiotic, an aid in childbirth, for treating liver disorders, and many other uses.

Moringa & Siddha Medicinal Uses and Benefits

In Siddha medicine says that the leaves are full of medicinal properties. The drumstick seeds are used as a sexual virility drug for treating erectile dysfunction in men and also in women for prolonging sexual activity.

Medicinal Properties of Moringa Oleifera: Study on the Promising Healer

Moringa oleifera is a small size tree with approximately 5 to 10 m height. It is cultivated all over the world due to its multiple utilities. Every part of Moringa is used for certain nutritional and/or medicinal propose. Besides being a good source of protein, vitamins, oils, fatty acids, micro-macro minerals elements and various phenolics, it is also reported as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, cardiovascular, hepatoprotective, anti-ulcer, diuretic, antiurolithiatic, and antihelmintic. Its multiple pharmaceutical effects are capitalized as therapeutic remedy for various diseases in traditional medicinal system. Further research on this charismatic healer may lead to the development of novel agents for various diseases. This study provides a brief overview about medicinal potential of Moringa and its future as a component of modern medicinal system. This study concludes that  Moringa  needs legitimate appraisal to establish its pharmaceutical knack in modern medicine.

Moringa has enormous medicinal potential, which has long been recognized in the Ayurvedic and Unani system (Mughal et al., 1999). Nearly every part of this plant, including root, bark, gum, leaf, fruit (pods), flowers, seed, and seed oil have been used for various ailments in the indigenous medicine (Odebiyi and Sofowora, 1999), but recent research is also indicating about several active constituents for accepting its applicability in modern medicine. Few representatives of these are discussed in this article.

Moringa Benefits Antimicrobial and Antihelmintic Activity

Antimicrobial components of Moringa have been validated after the discovery of inhibitory activity against several microorganisms. In a recent study, aqueous extracts of Moringa was found to be inhibitory against many pathogenic bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in dose dependent manner (Saadabi and Abu Zaid, 2011). Moringa extracts was also found to be inhibitory against Mycobacterium phlei and B. subtilis (Eilert et al., 1981). Leaf extract of Moringa was found to be effective in checking growth of fungi Basidiobolus haptosporus and Basidiobolus ranarums (Nwosu and Okafor, 1995). Another study involving aqueous methanolic extract and fixed oil against microorganisms was performed using Scenedesmus obliquus (green algae), E. coli ATCC 13706, P. aeruginosa ATCC10145, S. aureus NAMRU 3 25923, Bacillus stearothermophilus (bacterial strains) and Herpes Simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1) and Polio virus type 1 (sabin vaccine). Varying degree of antimicrobial activity was observed ranging from sensitive for B. stearothermophilus to resistant for P. aeruginosa (Ali et al., 2004). Beside antibacterial activity of Moringa oils, it also posses anti-fungal activity (Chuang et al., 2007). Study comparing relative antimicrobial activity of seed extracts against bacteria (Pasturella multocida, E. coli, B. subtilis and S. aureus) and fungi (Fusarium solani and Rhizopus solani) revealed that P. multocida and B. subtilis were the most sensitive strains, and their activity was influenced by cations (Na, K, Mg and Ca2+) (Jabeen et al., 2008).

Another relative comparison of antibacterial and antifungal efficacy of Moringa steam distillate observed more inhibition for E. coli followed by S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and B. subtilis. In case of fungi, Aspergillus niger was strongly inhibited followed by Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus nidulans (Prashith Kekuda et al., 2010). Contrary to resistance against P. aeruginosa and Candida albicans for Moringa in other studies, one study using ethanolic extract of leaves, seeds and flowers showed the antimicrobial activity against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Enterobacter species, Proteus mirabilis, P. aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi A, S. aureus, Streptococcus and Candida albicans(Nepolean et al., 2009). Moringa contains pterygospermin (originally found in Moringa pterygosperma) which has powerful antibacterial and fungicidal effects (Rao et al., 1946). Several other specific components of Moringa have been reported with antibacterial activity, including 4- (4'-O-acetyl-a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate, 4-(a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy) benzyl isothiocyanate, niazimicin, benzyl isothiocyanate, and 4- (a-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy) benzyl glucosinolate (Fahey, 2005). Other bioactive compounds, such as Spirochin and Anthonine are found in root and are active against several bacteria. Anthonine has potent inhibitory activity against Vibrio cholerae (Nwosu and Okafor, 1995). Moringa flower and leaves are also capable of controlling parasitic worms, their antihelmintic activity has been demonstrated during several studies (Bhattacharya et al., 1982). Moreover, it has also been reported to inhibit Indian earthworm Pheritima posthuma with MO leaves ethanolic extracts (Rastogi et al., 2009).

Moringa Benefits Anti-inflammatory activity

Moringa plant parts have substantial anti-inflammatory activity. For instance, the root extract exhibits significant anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan induced rat paw oedema (Ezeamuzie et al., 1996; Khare et al., 1997). The crude methanol extract of the root inhibits carrageenan- induced rat paw oedema in a dose dependent manner after oral administration (Anonymous, 2005). Moreover, n-butanol extract of the seeds of Moringa shows anti- inflammatory activity against ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation in guinea pigs (Mahajan et al., 2009). Amelioration of inflammation associated chronic diseases can be possible with the potent anti-inflammatory activity of Moringa bioactive compounds (Muangnoi et al., 2011).

Considering potent anti-inflammatory activity of Moringa plant, it can be surmised that this plant shows profound influence on inflammation associated diseases and resultant symptoms. As a consequence, this plant shows beneficial effects on asthma, pain, and other resultant symptoms.

Moringa Benefits Anti-asthmatic activity

It has been reported a long time ago that Moringa plant alkaloid closely resembles ephedrine in action and can be used for the treatment of asthma. Alkaloid moringine relaxes bronchioles (Kirtikar and Basu, 1975). The seed kernels of Moringa also showed promising effect in the treatment of bronchial asthma, during a study to analyze efficacy and safety of seed kernels for the management of asthmatic patients. The study showed significant decrease in the severity of asthma symptoms and also concurrent respiratory functions improvement (Agrawal and Mehta, 2008).

Moringa Benefits Analgesic activity

The analgesic activity of Moringa has been reported in several Moringa species. In a study using ethanolic extracts of Moringa concanensis tender pod-like fruits in experimental animals, a significant analgesic activity was observed (Rao et al., 2008). Furthermore, alcoholic extract of the leaves and seeds of Moringa also possess marked analgesic activity as evidenced through hot plate and tail immersion method (Sutar et al., 2008).

Moringa Benefits Antipyretic activity

As a result of anti-inflammatory action of Moringa bioactive constituents, the antipyretic activity can be hypothesized. A study was designed to assess antipyretic effect of ethanol, petroleum ether, solvent ether and ethyl acetate extracts of Moringa seeds using yeast induced hyperpyrexia method. Paracetamol was used as control during the study. Not surprisingly, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of seeds showed significant antipyretic activity in rats (Hukkeri et al., 2006).

Moringa Benefits Antihypertensive, diuretic and cholesterol lowering activities

Moringa leaves contain several bio active compounds, they exert direct effect on blood pressure, and thus these can be used for stabilizing blood pressure. Moringa compounds leading to blood pressure lowering effect includes nitrile, mustard oil glycosides and thiocarbamate glycosides present in Moringa leaves (Anwar et al., 2007). In addition, diuretic activity of Moringa exists in its roots, leaves, flowers, gum and the aqueous infusion of seeds (Morton, 1991). Moreover, Moringa leaves also contain bioactive phytoconstituent, (that is, b-sitosterol) with cholesterol lowering effect. This compound is capable to reduce cholesterol level from the serum of high fat diet fed rats (Ghasi et al., 2000).

Moringa Benefits Antidiabetic activity

Several medicinal plants have been evaluated for their potential as therapeutic agent for diabetes. Moringa is also an important component in this category. Moringa leaves significantly decrease blood glucose concentration in Wistar rats and Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats, modeled type 2 diabetes (Ndong et al., 2007). Another study indicated that the extract from Moringa leaf is effective in lowering blood sugar levels within 3 h after ingestion (Mittal et al., 2007). As a mechanistic model for antidiabetic activity of Moringa, it has been indicated that dark chocolate polyphenols (Grassi et al., 2005) and other polyphenols (Al-Awwadi et al., 2004; Moharram et al., 2003) are responsible for hypoglycemic activity. Moringa leaves are potent source of polyphenols, including quercetin-3- glycoside, rutin, kaempferol glycosides, and other polyphenols (Ndong et al., 2007). Thus, potential anti- diabetic activity of Moringa can be commercialized through the development of suitable technology with achieving anti-diabetic activity up to conventional drugs.

Moringa Benefits Antioxidant activity

Moringa is a rich source of antioxidant (Chumark et al., 2008). It has been reported that aqueous extracts of leaf, fruit and seed of Moringa act as an antioxidant (Singh et al., 2009). During a study reporting antioxidant property of freeze dried Moringa leaves from different extraction procedures, it was found that methanol and ethanol extracts of Indian origin Moringa have the highest antioxidant activity with 65.1 and 66.8%, respectively (Lalas and Tsaknis, 2002; Siddhuraju and Becker, 2003). It was also reported that the major bioactive compounds of phenolics, such as quercetin and kaempferol are responsible for antioxidant activity (Bajpai et al., 2005; Siddhuraju and Becker, 2003). During another study, quercetin and kaempferol have shown good antioxidant activity on hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) induced Met phosphorylation with IC 50 value for 12 and ~6 µM/L, respectively (Labbe et al., 2009). Another recent study comparing palm oil with Moringa seeds for their antioxidant potential found out that Moringa seed are superiors for radical scavenging (Ogbunugafor et al., 2011).

Moringa Benefits Hepatoprotective activity

Moringa has shown significant hepatoprotective activity in several studies. Moringa leaves ethanolic extracts showed significant protection against liver damage induced by antitubercular drugs [isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), and pyrazinamide (PZA)] in rats. It was found that hepatoprotective activity of Moringa is medicated by its effect on the levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (aspartate aminotransferase), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (alanine aminotransferase), alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin in the serum; lipids, and lipid peroxidation levels in liver (Pari and Kumar, 2002). Moreover, methanolic and chloroform extracts of Moringa leaves also showed significant protection against CCl 4 induced liver damage in albino rats. Besides hepatoprotective activity of Moringa leaves, its root and flowers also possess strong hepatoprotective activity. Moringa flowers contain a well recognized flavonoid (Quercetin), which may be responsible for its potent hepatoprotective activity (Ruckmani et al., 1998; Selvakumar and Natarajan, 2008). In a recent study evaluating the effect of Moringa seed extract on liver fibrosis, it was found that Moringa seed extract has the ability to subside liver fibrosis. This study involved CCl 4 induced liver fibrosis and concurrent administration of Moringa seed extract. Moringa seed extract control the elevation of serum aminotransferase activities and globulin level induced by CCl 4. Moreover, immunohistochemical studies also showed that Moringa reduces liver fibrosis (Hamza, 2010).

Moringa Benefits Antitumor activity

Moringa has been found as a potent anticancer plant and several bioactive compounds with significant antitumor activity have been discovered from Moringa. Among bioactive compounds from Moringa, niazimicin, a Moringa leaves thiocarbamate was found to have potent anticancer activity (Guevaraa et al., 1999). Furthermore, niazimicin also shows the inhibition of tumor promoter teleocidin B- 4-induced Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) activation (Murakami et al., 1998). Another study involving 11 plants used in Bangladeshi folk medicine, Moringa was considered as potential source of anticancer compounds. During this study, the plant extract were analyzed for cytotoxicity through brine shrimp lethality assay, sea urchin eggs assay, hemolysis assay and MTT assay using tumor cell lines. The study also indicated the potential cytotoxic effects of Moringa leaf extract on human multiple myeloma cell lines (Costa-Lotufo et al., 2005; Parvathy and Umamaheshwari, 2007). Beside leaves, Moringa seed extracts also have anticancer activity through its effects on hepatic carcinogen metabolizing enzymes, and antioxidant property (Bharali et al., 2003).

Moringa Benefits Antifertility activity

Moringa plant also has pertinent antifertility activity. The aqueous extract obtained from root and bark of Moringa showed post-coital antifertility effect in rat and also induced foetal resorption at late pregnancy (Prakash et al., 1987). Moreover, aqueous extract of Moringa roots was also evaluated for estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, pro- gestational and antiprogestational activities. This extract induces several consequences for affecting its antifertility property (Shukla et al., 1988). During another study analyzing anti reproductive potential of folk medicine plants, Moringa leaf extracts were found to be 100% abortive with doses equivalent to 175 mg/kg of starting dry material (Nath et al., 1992).

Moringa Antispasmodic and Antiulcer Effects

Moringa root and leaves contain several compounds with spasmolytic activity. These compounds include 4- (alpha- L-rhamnosyloxybenzyl)-o-methyl thiocarbamate which is possibly affected through calcium channel blockade, niazinin A, niazinin B, niazimicin, etc., with hypotensive and bradycardiac effect. The spasmolytic activity of different constituents support for traditional uses of this plant in gastrointestinal motility disorder (Gilani et al., 1994). Moringa methanolic extract is also capable in protecting experimental rats from gastric lesions induced by acetylsalicylic acid, serotonin and indomethacin. In addition, it also enhances healing process of chronic gastric lesions induced by acetic acid in experimental animals (Pal et al., 1995). Another study have reported the antiulcer effect of Moringa leaves aqueous extract on adult Holtzman albino rats (Debnath and Guha, 2007).

Moringa as Cardiac and Circulatory Stimulant

In addition to earlier mentioned bradycardiac effect of Moringa leaves, all parts of Moringa are reported with somewhat cardiac and circulatory stimulant activity. Root bark of Moringa contains alkaloid moringinine which acts as cardiac stimulant through its effect on sympathetic nervous system (Duke, 2001). The aforementioned effects can also result due to the prevention of hyperlipidemia. It has been demonstrated that Moringa prevent hyperlipidemia in male Wister rat due to iron deficiency (Ndong et al., 2007). During a study performing comparison of Moringa leaf extract with antenolol (a selective β 1 receptor antagonist drug, used for cardiovascular diseases) on serum cholesterol level, serum triglyceride level, blood glucose level, heart weight and body weight of adrenaline induced rats, it was found that Moringa leaf extract cause significant changes in cardiovascular parameters. This study reported Moringa leaf extract as hypolipidimic, lowering body weight, heart weight, serum triglyceride level and serum cholesterol level in experimental animals (Ara et al., 2008). In addition to the aforementioned studies, antiatheroscle- rotic and hypolipidaemic effect of Moringa leaves were also analyzed in another study using simvastatin as control (Chumark et al., 2008). Moringa also causes cardio protective effects in isoproterenol (ISP)-induced myocardial infarction in male Wistar albino rats. It was reported that Moringa treatment plays favorable modulation on biochemical enzymatic parameters including, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase-MB. Moreover, it also prevents histopathological damage and ultra-structure perturbation caused due to ISP induced myocardial infarction

Moringa Prevents Ocular Diseases

Vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of blindness, which ranges from impaired dark adaptation to night blindness. Consumption of Moringa leaves, and pods and leaf powder which contain high proportion of vitamin A can help to prevent night blindness and eye problems in children. Ingesting drumstick leaves with oils can improve vitamin A nutrition and can delay the development of cataract (Pullakhandam and Failla, 2007). In fact the use of Moringa as a supplementary food was highly accepted for integrated child development scheme supplementary food (ICDS-SFP) for its potential as vitamin A source (Nambiar et al., 2003).

Moringa Health Benefits Conclusion

Medicinal potential of Moringa is enormous and difficult to cover in a single article, despite this current article provided glimpses of Moringa applications for performing appraisal of this promising nutrition and medicinal plant. Although, many bioactive compounds have been discovered from Moringa, still the knowledge is in infancy, in term of its total reserve. Perhaps, future rigorous studies directed towards the detection, and commercialization of Moringa bioactive compounds can lead to the development of remedies for several ailments. Thus, it can also prove the validity of traditional utility of Moringa in various folklores.

A study from: Fozia Farooq, Meenu Rai, Avinash Tiwari, Abdul Arif Khan and Shaila Farooq
School of Studies in Botany, Jiwaji University, Gwalior-474001 (MP), India.
Life Science Department, Vijayaraje Institute of Science and Management, Turari, NH 75, Gwalior (MP), India.
Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, P. O. Box 2457, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
School of Studies in Biotechnology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior-474001 (MP), India.

Moringa Facts, Science, Research, Studies

Moringa Oleifera on Human Cancer Cells!

The pods and seeds of the Moringa tree protect cells from oxidation damage.

- Antiproliferation and induction of apoptosis by Moringa oleifera leaf extract on human cancer cells

- Moringa oleifera with prostate cancer chemopreventive polyphenols

- Chemomodulatory effect of Moringa oleifera, on hepatic carcinogen metabolising enzymes, antioxidant parameters and skin papillomagenesis in mice

Moringa & Diabetes

Low levels of vitamin E and D are associated with a higher risk of diabetes. Moringa has been used for centuries by healers in India to treat diabetes.

- Novel hypotensive agents from Moringa oleifera: isolation of first naturally occurring carbamates

- Hypocholesterolemic effects of crude extract of leaf of Moringa oleifera in high-fat diet fed wistar rats

- Comparative Effects of Moringa Oleifera Tea on Normal and Hyperglycemic Patients

- Effects of Oral Administration of Moringa oleifera on Glucose Tolerance

- Effect of Moringa oleifera leaves aqueous extract therapy

- Alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity and lipid-lowering mechanisms of Moringa oleifera leaf extract.

Moringa & Liver Health

Liver protective activity of the Moringa oil (also known as Ben Oil) has been used as part of a therapeutic regime in Hepatic (Hepatitus) disorders.

- Protective role of Moringa oleifera seed on arsenic-induced hepatocellular degeneration


- Moringa: Chronic benzylamine administration in the drinking water improves glucose tolerance, reduces body weight gain and circulating cholesterol

Moringa & Kidney Health

The renoprotective qualities in Moringa protect the kidneys from harmful effects by reducing the formation of free radicals.


- Protective effect of Moringa oleifera leaves against gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity

- Effect of Moringa oleifera root-wood on ethylene glycol induced urolithiasis

Moringa - anti ulcer

The flower bud of Moringa widely consumed in Pakistan has been reported to possess antiulcer activity

Moringa oleifera induced potentiation of serotonin release by 5-HT(3) receptors in experimental ulcer model.

Potential of Moringa oleifera root and Citrus sinensis fruit rind extracts in the treatment of ulcerative colitis

Effect of Leaves and Fruits of Moringa oleifera on Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers

Anti-Ulcer and Antioxidant Activity of Moringa Oleifera Leaves against Aspirin and Ethanol Induced Gastric Ulcer

Moringa & anemia

Moringa Oleifera has been used to supplement Anemia. Caused by lack of Iron, deficiency without the harsh side effects of iron pills

- Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract Modulates the Evidences of Hydroxyurea -Induced Testicular Derangement

- Effect of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Moringa oleifera on Aluminum-induced Anemia

Moringa & Antibiotics

The antibiotic properties in Moringa have been known to inhibit the growth of microorganisms naturally. The seeds of the Moringa plant contain a natural antibiotic that has been used to control infection.

- Antibacterial effect of Moringa oleifera and Annona muricata against gram bacteria

- Antibacterial activity of leaf juice and extracts of Moringa oleifera against some human pathogenic bacteria

- In vitro antibacterial effect of aqueous and ethanolic Moringa leaf extracts

Moringa & High Blood Pressure

Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc are all essential for the regulation of blood pressure. As Moringa is rich in all these nutrients, it lowers the risk of hypertension by promoting proper blood vessel function

- Hypocholesterolemic effects of crude extract of leaf of Moringa oleifera

- Effects Moringa oleifera extract on the development of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension

Moringa Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidants play an important role in inhibiting and scavenging free radicals, thus providing protection to human against infections and degenerative diseases.

- Antioxidant properties of Moringa oleifera leaf extracts and enzymatic activity

- Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of Moringa oleifera leaves in two stages of maturity.

- Antioxidant activity of Moringa oleifera tissue extracts.

Moringa & antistress

Assessment of Moringa oleifera for Its Antistress, Antioxidant, and Scavenging Potential

Source: http://miracletrees.org

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Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester United: Red Devils draw another blank

Louis van Gaal's side were fortunate to come away with a point after recording their third consecutive goalless draw in all competitions.
Manchester United failed to score for a third consecutive match as they drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Louis van Gaal's men were beaten by Middlesbrough on penalties at Old Trafford in the League Cup on Wednesday, after playing out a goalless stalemate with Manchester City last weekend and they failed to find the net once again as Alan Pardew's side held firm on Saturday.
Palace welcomed former United winger Wilfried Zaha back into their starting line-up, but he was outshone by Yannick Bolasie on the opposite flank.
The Democratic Republic of Congo international rattled the crossbar inside 10 minutes as Palace applied the early pressure.
United soon found their feet, but were bereft of ingenuity despite their dominance of possession - a Wayne Rooney free-kick that forced a routine save from Wayne Hennessey was their best effort of the first half.
Yohan Cabaye, recovering from a knock sustained in the 5-1 League Cup thrashing at City in midweek to retain his place in the starting line-up, Scott Dann and Dwight Gayle were all unable to take second-half chances, leaving Palace winless in 13 Premier League clashes with United.
United made two changes in defence with Matteo Darmian replacing the injured Antonio Valencia and Daley Blind coming in for Phil Jones at centre-back.
But Van Gaal's side looked shaky at the back in the opening stages and would have fallen behind in the 10th minute had David de Gea not got the slightest of touches on Bolasie's effort to turn it onto the bar.
De Gea came to United's rescue once more two minutes later, leaping up to palm over a header from Dann following Cabaye's corner.
The visitors eventually took control of possession, but struggled to build anything positive against a robust Palace team.
Hennessey was not tested until the 25th minute, when Rooney fired a 25-yard free-kick over the wall that the Palace goalkeeper was able to get across to and save.
Hennessey thwarted Rooney again six minutes later, exposing the striker's lack of pace by rushing out to stop him from latching onto an incisive pass from Anthony Martial.
There were chances for Gayle and Ander Herrera before the interval, but neither player made strong enough contact with the ball to trouble the opposing goalkeeper.
Goalscoring opportunities remained at a premium for the two sides during a scrappy start to the second half, with De Gea and Hennessey acting as spectators.
Although Palace grew into the game and controlled the ball, it took them until the 71st minute to carve out a decent opening.
Joel Ward's delivery from the right found Cabaye unmarked 10 yards out, but he was unable to steer his volley on target. Dann looped a header wide before Gayle had a shot saved by De Gea in the 76th minute.

There were chances for both sides to steal all three points late on, but Damien Delaney got a crucial block on a Martial shot before Bolasie headed over from a corner in stoppage time.

Source: goal.com

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Swansea 0-3 Arsenal: Campbell on target in Gunners win

The Gunners warmed up for Wednesday’s crucial Champions League clash with Bayern Munich with a comfortable victory over Garry Monk’s men.
Arsenal kept pace with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after beating Swansea City 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny and Joel Campbell.

Without Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gabriel due to injuries sustained in a midweek League Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday, Arsene Wenger's men were sluggish in the first half but clicked after the break.

A Bafetimbi Gomis one-on-one and Per Mertesacker's apparent handball gave Arsenal scares, but Giroud glanced home a corner to register the 2,000th goal of Wenger's reign shortly after the interval.

And the visitors doubled their lead through Koscielny midway through the second half when former Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski spilled a cross, before Campbell marked his maiden top-flight start with his first goal for the club.

Swansea had the better of the frenetic opening stages but Campbell curled an effort wide 15 minutes in before Gomis spurned Swansea's first chance shortly after, dawdling when through on goal following a wonderful Jonjo Shelvey pass, allowing Hector Bellerin to sprint back and clear the danger.

The lively Gomis threatened again with a header shortly before Giroud turned an effort over the crossbar in similar fashion to Campbell's earlier effort.
Despite both sides contributing to an entertaining first half, neither found an advantage before the break although the visitors were perhaps fortunate not to concede a penalty when Mertesacker appeared to handle Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick.

Giroud gave Wenger a scare late in the half when he suffered a knock during a tangle with Jefferson Montero, but the Frenchman recovered to open the scoring early in the second period.

Evading Ashley Williams, Giroud headed home Mesut Ozil's corner to mark his 150th Arsenal appearance with a well-taken effort.
Sigurdsson forced Petr Cech into a smart save to his left shortly after, while the dangerous Andre Ayew continued to pose problems of the visitors' back line.

Arsenal struggled to muster much attacking threat in the immediate aftermath of their opener, but doubled their lead eight minutes after the hour-mark when Koscielny prodded home after Fabianski was unable to take a catch.

Monk and his players were furious that Kevin Friend failed to award a foul following Bellerin's cross, but it mattered little when Ozil jinked into the area and crossed for Campbell, who made the most of a rare opportunity up front with the final goal.

Swansea remain winless at home in the league since late August while Arsenal warm up for their crucial trip to Munich with victory.

Source: goal.com

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Manchester United made me the player I am now - Cristiano Ronaldo

The Real Madrid attacker has become one of the best players in the world , and hailed the role of the likes of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville in his development.
Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted his time at Manchester United played a huge role in his development.

The Portugal international joined United from Sporting CP in 2003 and matured into one of the best players in the world at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo, who eventually left United for Real Madrid in 2009, has now revealed that the guidance of players such as Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs helped him become the player he is now.

"Manchester was a huge education for me," Ronaldo told The Times.
"There were guys who always arrived for training one hour early. Scholes and Neville were incredible examples. Neville was the most professional player I saw. This is why these guys played in the top level for 10 years.

"People like Giggsy, too. I learnt from them. I would go to training early, too. I would do exercise, strength, abdominal, core: many things. That example from the older players, I took it.

"Sometimes, you try something different and you say, 'Ooh, if I do that, then the ball is going to do this'. Everything was a lesson for me at that age. [Being at United] taught me to train hard all the time. To eat properly, sleep good, recovery sessions, everything. You have to dedicate yourself 100 per cent."

Ronaldo worked with Alex Ferguson during his time at United and he has nothing but fond memories of his former manager.

"I learnt a lot from Sir Alex, too. One of the terms that I still remember today is 'decision-making'", he signaled.

"'You are great, but you don't have decision-making. Pass the f***ing ball.' He always told me that. 'Cristiano: pass the f***ing ball.'

I still have contact with him. He is a great guy, great coach, great human being.

Source: goal.com

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Major airlines review routes over Egypt after crash

Emirates, Lufthansa and Air France stop flying over area of Sinai Peninsula where 224 passengers and crew died in crash.

At least three major airlines are reviewing their flight routes over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula after a Russian commercial plane crashed there, killing all 224 passengers and crew on board.
The Airbus-A321-200, operated by the Moscow-based Metro jet airline, crashed in a remote mountainous part of the Sinai Peninsula 23 minutes after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh on Saturday morning.
The plane was flying to St Peters burg, carrying mainly Russian tourists returning from holidays in the popular Red Sea resort.
Despite earlier reports stating that the plane's pilot had contacted aviation authorities prior to the crash, Egypt's minister for aviation said late on Saturday that the pilot did not lodge a distress call.
Al Jazeera's Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said while the cause of the crash is not known, three major airlines - Emirates, Lufthansa and Air France - announced they would stop flying over the area for safety reasons.
Their aircraft will take alternate routes to reach destinations in the region, which has been the subject of ongoing violence between Egyptian security forces and a number of armed groups.
"It is perhaps a sign of how uncertain the causes of this crash are that two major European airlines have decided they don't want to fly over Egypt's Sinai Peninsula until the exact causes of this crash have been ascertained," Challands said.
"Of course, the Sinai Peninsula is a deeply troubled region and has been the focus of a years-long armed conflict that is still ongoing, and these airlines want to be sure that that conflict did not have any part to play in the downing of this plane."
Russian officials and Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, however, say they do not believe the plane was targeted.
"Up until this point, there are no indications that anything out of the ordinary happened on this aircraft," Ismail said.
"All we can say is that it happened due to technical difficulties and the team of experts are the ones who will be able to prove or deny this."
Both British Airways and Easyjet have said they have no plans to alter their flight routes to and from Sharm el-Sheikh.

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TIMELINE: Major air crashes since the turn of the century

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In a statement, Egypt's civil aviation ministry said the wreckage of the Russian passenger jet was found in the Hassana area, south of the city of el-Arish.
The Airbus 321 was at an altitude of 9,450m when it vanished from radar screens.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a day of national mourning for Sunday.
Among the passengers were 214 Russians and three Ukrainians, plus seven crew members, the Egyptian government said. At least 24 children were on board, the Association of Travel Operators of Russia said.
The flight recorder which contains the flight data was also found at the scene.
Challands said Russia has dispatched a large investigative team to Cairo to look into the causes of the crash. The team includes the heads of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Transport Ministry, and Russian Air Transport Agency.
Separately, Egypt's top prosecutor ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Nabil Sadek, the prosecutor general, ordered the formation of a team of prosecutors tasked with going to the site of the crash and investigating the debris.


Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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Long-ball Man Utd are BORING: Where does Van Gaal go from here?

The Red Devils crashed out of the Capital One Cup on Wednesday after another performance which lacked any dynamism in the opposition half

While Manchester United’s second successive League Cup exit to lower-league opposition was the main headline of Wednesday night, the manner of their defeat to Middlesbrough was even more frustrating than the loss itself.

Last season’s second-round humbling at Milton Keynes Dons was at least a one-off, with Louis van Gaal having sent out a team full of players who were set to have no real future at the club. That 4-0 defeat was embarrassing but ultimately inconsequential in the bigger picture.

Yet Wednesday’s 3-1 penalty shoot-out defeat to Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough left Van Gaal with much to ponder, with the 0-0 draw in 120 minutes having provided the perfect showcase of United’s current issues on a wider scale.

There were some positives to take from the draws with CSKA Moscow and Manchester City in the previous seven days, but in both fixtures United had started slowly and rode their luck. Too many of their passes went sideways, giving their opponents very little to fret over. In both matches United ended the game with a much higher tempo and looked all the better for it.

But still there was no change in approach when Boro came to town, despite Van Gaal making nine changes to his starting line-up. There were different faces, but the body of work was much the same. United had plenty of ball, but very little to show for it. Once more, it was their opponents who had many of the better opportunities in front of goal, with full-back George Friend in particular missing a gilt-edged chance before skipper Grant Leadbitter spawned two very good openings.


For United’s part they improved slightly after the break, but it wasn’t until extra-time that they really asked questions of the Championship side. And the fact that it took a change to a 4-4-2 formation and long-ball tactics for the 20-time champions of England to pick holes in Middlesbrough’s defence says an awful lot.

“I’m disappointed we are out, that we came so close and we are still out,” said Van Gaal after the match. “I thought we didn’t play so well in the first half. They played in a compact way as Man City did. In the second half we had much more chances but you have to finish them. In extra time we had even better chances, but when you are not finishing the chances it is difficult to win games.”

While it is true that Anthony Martial and Marouane Fellaini both should have done better with close-range headers at the end of extra time, it would have been unjust on Boro to be denied by that point.

The home side had a couple of big penalty shouts, but Jesse Lingard could have seen red for a nasty studs-up challenge in the first half. Lingard hit the post, but Kike did too before Daley Blind sliced into his own net only to be saved by the offside flag. For every argument in United’s favour, there was one for the visitors. The difference was that Boro had the better game-plan, and carried it out to perfection.

So how has it come to this? Why have Manchester United suddenly become a side against whom teams can set up a base of six or seven defensive players and hold out with something to spare? Clubs arriving at Old Trafford with men by the ball used to be asking for trouble, but not any more. Should £300 million or more of spending really result in desperation tactics against a Championship side, with a series of long balls for Fellaini to flick on?

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Cold Remedies

We all know that there is no cure for the common cold, but it is possible to relieve its symptoms at home.Everybody should know about cold remedies because we are all going to get one sooner or later. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that the average American will suffer one cold a year. Some people, unfortunately, will suffer even more.
The likelihood that you or a member of your family will catch a cold is also increasing. Scientists of CDC found that there are over 200 viruses that cause the cold, and they’re everywhere and around all year long. Therefore knowing which home cold remedies work is more important than ever.

Most Popular Cold Remedies at Home

Antibiotics may not cure the common cold, but these popular home remedies actually ease its symptoms. Taking advantage of these remedies will not get rid of the cold virus, but these traditional treatments can make it easier to live with.

1. Chicken Soup

It’s not an old wives’ tale; chicken soup can actually strengthen your ability to fight infections by slowing the move of white blood cells. Those cells protect the body from infection. It also helps hydrate the body, and it tastes good. Best of all, any kind of chicken soup is effective, according to research published in the medical journal Chest. You can enhance chicken soup’s effect by adding other infection fighters, such as garlic and ginger.

2. Honey

A recent study in the journal Pediatrics showed that honey is an effective cough suppressant. Ten grams of the sweet stuff reduces coughing in children at bed time. It also has proven antibacterial and antibiotic properties. To add icing to the cake, honey can relieve sore throat pain. The Pediatrics study also found that honey can help people sleep. Never give honey to babies under a year old, because it can contain harmful spores that can damage their immune system.

3. Garlic

This popular flavoring contains a chemical called allicin, which has been shown to be a natural antibiotic and antiviral agent making it one of the effective cold remedies. Allicin can actually block the development of bacterial and viral infections, so it can prevent you from developing them in the first place. Garlic can also kill viral and bacterial infections after they develop. Adding a lot of garlic to your diet during the cold season can protect you from colds and other infections. It also makes your food taste better.

4. Ginger

This herb has been used to fight colds for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. The traditional Chinese remedy for colds or sore throats was ginger root in boiling water or soup. Adding ginger to chicken soup can create an effective cold remedy. Ginger does not just fight colds; a study published in The British Journal of Anesthesia reported that one gram of ginger could relieve the symptoms of nausea, such as upset stomach and diarrhea.

5. Warm Salt Water Gargle

Gargling with warm salt water four times a day can moisten your throat and bring temporary relief. The easiest formula to prepare is to dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of hot water. You can add to the effectiveness of the gargle by adding a teaspoon of honey or a slice of ginger to it. Another way to enhance a gargle and take advantage of Vitamin C is to add lemon juice or raspberry leaves. More exotic ingredients, such as herbs, can also help.

6. Lots of Hot Liquids

Your mother was right about this piece of advice; hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, soothe nose and throat membranes, and prevent dehydration. Herbal tea is the best liquid to take, but plain old fashioned tea works just as well. The traditional Chinese remedy of ginger in hot water is another good substitute for tea. Experts do not recommend the drinking of toddies—tea mixed with alcohol. Increase the effectiveness of the liquids by mixing in lemon juice or honey.

7. Some Steam Inhalation

Adding hot steam to the air is one of the most effective cold remedies because it can soothe the nose membranes. There are several methods of getting more steam in your air; a popular means is to use a steam humidifier. Taking a shower or bath and inhaling the moisture can also help. Be careful with this, though, because holding your head over a pan of boiling water, a kettle, or a humidifier can burn you.

8. Nose Irrigation

Rinsing or irrigating your nose with saline solution can be highly effective because it actually washes out viruses and bacteria. You can make your saline solution by mixing ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda with warm water. Fill a syringe with the water, and inject it into your nose. Repeat the procedure two to three times a day, and be sure to dispose of the water and clean the syringe after each irrigation to prevent germs from spreading.

9. Plenty of Rest

Battling a cold uses up a lot of your body’s energy, so get plenty of rest. Stay home from work or school, and try to rest as much as possible. When you stay home, try to keep warm and get as much sleep as you can. Try to avoid working from home and instead engage in relaxing activities such as reading or watching television to give yourself something to do.

10. Echinacea

Studies have shown that this herb contains chemicals called flavonoids that can strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. Among other things, it can speed up recovery and reduce the severity and duration of cold and flu symptoms. Just one to two grams of this herb a day can effectively treat a cold. The best way to take advantage of it is in tea.

11. Vitamin C

In recent decades, science has proven that many folk cold remedies, such as hot tea with lemon, are highly effective because they have high levels of Vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts the immune system and the body’s defenses against infection. The best way to get more Vitamin C is to eat more citrus fruit. Lemon tea and lemonade can also help.

Source: newhealthguide.org

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Obafemi Martins recalled to Nigeria squad for World Cup qualifiers against Swaziland.

The Seattle Sounders man has been handed a call up to the Nigeria side for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Swaziland by coach Sunday Oliseh.

Seattle Sounders' Obafemi Martins has been recalled by coach Sunday Oliseh to the Nigeria side that will play next month's double World Cup qualifying matches against Swaziland.
The 31-year-old had been out of the Super Eagles since 2013 when he played in a World Cup qualifier under Stephen Keshi. He had talked about retiring from the national side after being ignored by the former coach who he claimed did not like him.
The Sounders striker has been in impressive form this year scoring 15 goals in Major League Soccer (MLS) so far. He made his Nigeria debut more than a decade ago and has 18 goals in 39 appearances.
Oliseh announced his squad of 23 invitees for the double-header against Swaziland on Thursday afternoon with the inclusion of several young players that include Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi, Feirense goalkeeper Dele Alampasu and Genk midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.

However, Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho was overwhelmingly overlooked a day after he scored for the Citizens in their demolition of Crystal Palace in the League Cup.
Nigeria were shaken up this month by the controversies that led to the untimely retirements of veteran goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and striker Emmanuel Emenike after young CSKA Moscow striker Ahmed Musa was handed the captain’s arm band.

The thought of more senior players ignoring the national team has been stemmed for now as the coach has handed call ups to Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel, Celtic’s Efe Ambrose, Monaco’s Elderson Echiejile and Rizespor’s Godfrey Oboabona.
While overlooking defenders Kenneth Omeruo and William Troost-Ekong, Oliseh called up six players from the NPFL squad that secured qualification to next year’s African Nations Championship against Burkina Faso.
Sunshine Stars goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Sharks defender Chima Akas and Enyimba forward Ezekiel Bassey are all in the team.
The second round World Cup qualifiers will take place on November 13 and 17 in Lobamba and Port Harcourt respectively.

The players are expected to arrive in the team’s Abuja camp on Monday November 8.
FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars); Dele Alampasu (Club de Sportivo Feirense, Portugal)
Defenders: Abdullahi Shehu (Uniao da Madeira, Portugal); Kalu Orji (Enugu Rangers); Elderson Echiejile (AS Monaco, France); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz, Germany); Godfrey Oboabona (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey); Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Austin Oboroakpo (Abia Warriors)
Midfielders: Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Paul Onobi (Sunshine Stars); John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Rabiu Ibrahim (AS Trencin, Slovakia); Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium); Sylvester Igbonu (FC UFA, Russia)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England); Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England); Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders, USA)

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Femi Oke: Women as a force for change.

While significant progress has been made over the last 15 years to reduce extreme poverty, millions of people around the world still exist on less than $1.25 a day.
At a time when the world is looking at how to reduce extreme poverty, the spotlight has been turned to women: wherever they have had the opportunity to be actively involved in their local communities they bring huge benefits to the people around them.
Development experts for years have claimed that projects aimed at women and girls bring benefits not just to the women themselves, but to the broader society. But how does this actually work?
Al Jazeera's Femi Oke talks about the idea behind Women Make Change and explains why investing in women is smart economics.

"If you are looking at the developing world, if you are looking at empowering women, there's absolute research that shows that if you give women the opportunity to really get involved in their local communities, they have a big impact, because they care about their kids going to school, they care about their family making money, their community making money - and there's this huge impact beyond this one individual woman, or those women, that spreads around - and that really changes communities, that really changes how the world develops, so women are a key part of sustainable development."

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Saudi FM: Vienna talks to test if Iran serious on Syria.

The Vienna discussions are expected to be the first time all major international players linked to the Syrian conflict will participate

Saudi foreign minister's comments come after Tehran accepts invitation by US and Russia to attend meeting over Syria.

International talks in Vienna this week will test whether Russia and Iran are "serious" about finding a political solution to the war in Syria, the Saudi foreign minister has said.
Adel al-Jubeir's comments on Wednesday came after Iran announced it was accepting an invitation by the US and Russia to attend the talks in the Austrian capital.
"If they're serious we will know, and if they're not serious we will also know and stop wasting time with them," Jubeir said at a news conference in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, with visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.
The two-day talks beginning on Thursday will "test the intentions of the Syrians and the Russians," Jubeir said.

Hammond said the meetings will be a chance to see if it is possible to "bridge the gap" between Iran and Russia on one side, and other countries against Bashar al-Assad, on the opposite side, on the role of the Syrian president.
While Russia and Iran think Assad should be able to stand for re-election, so that the Syrian people can decide on his future, Hammond said all others agree that Assad has "too much blood on his hands" and should go.
Jubeir said the Saudi position had not changed. "There has to be certainty that Bashar al-Assad will leave," he said.
Iran earlier confirmed that Foreign Minister Javad Zarif will join his counterparts from Russia, the US, Turkey and Saudi Arabia at the talks.
The inclusion of Iran - a key backer of Assad - marks a crucial shift after Tehran was excluded from earlier talks, mainly because of opposition from Washington and Riyadh.
The Vienna discussions are expected to be the first time all major international players in the conflict, linked to the nearly five-year war, will participate.
Russia and Iran are supporting Assad's forces. Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the West are backing rebels fighting Assad.
Iranian losses
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian journalist Ghanbar Naderi said the increasing number of deaths of Iranian soldiers in Syria may have prompted Tehran to join the negotiations.
"The soldiers in Syria are not normal people, they are the top commanders from the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) and [Iranian] elite forces," he said.
"Losing these key people in Syria, it is definitely under pressure. I think if Iran is accepting the dialogue, to now sit next to the international community, to find a way out of the Syrian crisis by dialogue and politics, I think it's because it doesn't want to lose any more commanders."
Tehran officially denies it has combat troops in Syria. But there have been reports that 18 high-ranking officers have been killed in Syria in the last three years.
Iran has also spent billions of dollars in the past four years to keep Assad in power, with hundreds of its troops on the ground.
Renad Mansour, a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut, said dialogue with Iran is essential to end the war in Syria.
"Iran has now accomplished the nuclear issue, which was the top priority and now they're moving on," he told Al Jazeera.
"And Iran isn't happy with the situation in Syria. It wants to move away from being a pariah."

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

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Lampard receives OBE at Buckingham Palace

Frank Lampard on receiving his OBE today!

 The 37-year-old, who is Chelsea's all-time top scorer and boasts over 100 caps for England, was honoured for services to football on Tuesday.
Frank Lampard was honoured for services to football with an OBE at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

The midfielder, who earned 106 caps for England before retiring in August 2014, spent six years at West Ham after coming through the youth ranks before moving to Chelsea in 2001.

Lampard made over 400 appearances for Chelsea, including winning the Champions League, three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Europa League, and left in 2014 as the club's all-time top scorer with 211 goals.
Lampard signed for New York City FC following the expiry of his Chelsea contract in 2014, only to spend the entire following season at title rivals Manchester City. The 37-year-old now plies his trade in the MLS.
"It's right up there with my achievements on the pitch with Chelsea," Lampard said of his OBE. "A very proud day for myself and my family.

"It was surreal. We flew back from New York last night. I was very excited, have never been to the Palace before."

Frank Lampard and Family.

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Exclusive: 'Strong evidence' of genocide in Myanmar

Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit has uncovered what amounts to "strong evidence" of a genocide coordinated by the Myanmar government against the Rohingya people, according to an assessment by Yale University Law School.
The Lowenstein Clinic spent eight months assessing evidence from Myanmar, including documents and testimony provided by Al Jazeera and the advocacy group Fortify Rights.

"Given the scale of the atrocities and the way that politicians talk about the Rohingya, we think it's hard to avoid a conclusion that intent [to commit genocide] is present," concluded the clinic.

Exclusive evidence obtained by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit and Fortify Rights reveals the government has been triggering communal violence for political gain by inciting anti-Muslim riots, using hate speech to stoke fear among the Myanmarese about Muslims, and offering money to hardline Buddhist groups who threw their support behind the leadership.

As the first fully contested general election in 25 years approaches on November 8, eyewitness and confidential documentary evidence obtained by Al Jazeera reveals that the ruling, military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) has attempted to marginalise Muslims and target the Rohingya.

Al Jazeera has made several requests for comment to the Myanmar President's office and government spokespeople but has not received any response.

Genocide Agenda

The investigation, presented in a new documentary, Genocide Agenda, consults legal and diplomatic experts on whether the government's campaign amounts to systematic extermination.

The University of London's Professor Penny Green, director of the International State Crime Initiative (ISCI) said: "President Thein Sein [of USDP] is prepared to use hate speech for the government's own ends, and that is to marginalise, segregate, diminish the Muslim population inside Burma.

"It's part of a genocidal process."

An independent report by the ISCI concluded that riots in 2012, which saw conflicts between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims erupt, were preplanned. The violence saw scores killed, and tens of thousands of people displaced after several thousand homes were burned.

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 Watch Al Jazeera's 'Genocide Agenda' investigation here 

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"It wasn't communal violence," said Green. "It was planned violence. Express buses were organised" to bring Rakhine Buddhists from outlying areas to take part in the aggression.

"Refreshments, meals were provided," she said. "It had to be paid by somebody. All of this suggests that it was very carefully planned."

Former United Nations Rapporteur on Myanmar Tomas Ojea Quintana, meanwhile, called for President Thein Sein of the USDP and the ministers of home affairs and immigration to be investigated for genocide.

Stirring hatred

Genocide Agenda presents evidence that Myanmar government agents were involved in sparking anti-Muslim riots.

An official military document, a copy of which has been obtained by Al Jazeera, shows the use of hate speech, claiming the Myanmarese are in danger of being "devoured" by Muslims.

Al Jazeera is releasing the documents with translations alongside the documentary.

The investigation also reveals how the government uses hired thugs to stir hatred.

A former member of Myanmar's feared Military Intelligence service described how she witnessed agent provocateurs from the army provoke problems with Muslims.

"The army controlled these events from behind the scenes. They were not directly involved," she said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "They paid money to people from outside."

Among other findings is a confidential document warning of 'nationwide communal riots' that was deliberately sent to local townships to incite anti-Muslim fears.

Further evidence from and sources within the Sangha, or monkhood, reveals that monks who challenged military rule in the 2007 Saffron Revolution were offered money to join anti-Muslim, pro-government groups.

While there has been evidence that Myanmar's military rulers deliberately provoked communal unrest during the years of dictatorship, until now there has been no evidence that this continued after the transition towards a partial democracy.

Matt Smith, founder of the advocacy group Fortify Rights, said that taken as a whole, the evidence indicates this trend is resurfacing. 

"In the case of the Rohingya, in the case of Rakhine State, that could amount to the crime of genocide," Smith said. "Several of the most powerful people in the country should reasonably be the subject of an international investigation into this situation of Rakhine State."

Disenfranchised Muslims

In the November general election, the USDP is running against numerous ethnic and other parties, but primarily against the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung Sang Suu Kyi.

The vote is seen as a crucial next stage in steps towards full democracy.

Reform in Myanmar has been under way since 2010 when military rule was replaced by a military-backed civilian government.

But since the military junta stepped aside in 2011, hardline Buddhist groups have taken advantage of liberalisation to gain influence in the country's politics.

Muslim candidates have been largely excluded from the upcoming election, in what also appears to be an attempt to assuage hardliners.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims were disenfranchised earlier this year when the government withdrew the temporary citizenship cards that allowed them to vote.

Source: Al Jazeera

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