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A nail artist's fingers are turning black and falling off after a rare blood vessel disease is causing her in “excruciating and constant” pain. Melinda Jansen van Vuuren first noticed her fingertips turning purple, becoming tender and temperature sensitive in October 2021. The 48-year-old said: “Very quickly – within a matter of two and a half weeks – my fingertips had turned gangrenous." Doctors have now diagnosed her with Buerger's disease, an extremely rare condition that causes small and medium blood vessels to clot and become inflamed. It’s closely associated with smoking and Melinda has since kicked the habit, having used tobacco since she was 13, smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Her fingers started turning purple ( Image: Credit: Pen News/Melinda Jansen van Vuuren) They are now black ( Image: Credit: Pen News/Melinda Jansen van Vuuren) But quitting came too late and today she faces losing three fingertips on her dominant right hand, plus another … [Read more...] about Woman’s fingers turn black and are close to falling off after years of smoking

The future of Britain's fish and chip shops is under threat with a stark warning that a third of chippies could be forced to shut down due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine . Four key ingredients - sunflower oil, cod and haddock, and potatoes - that make up one of the country's favourite meals have soared in price with some becoming scant in supply since Vladimir Putin's Russian army invaded Ukraine. The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) has warned chippies are having to change their menus and pass on the increase in price to their customers. But worst could come with the NFFF saying a third of fish and chip shops could be forced to turn off their friers for good. Speaking to Sky News, NFFF president Andrew Cook said many of his members think those in power "do not care". "We need action before long-term damage is done that can't be repaired," he said. "We aren't after handouts. We are a proud industry. But a lot of businesses will go to the wall and we need a … [Read more...] about Warning that fish and chip shops could be forced to close due to Russia’s invasion

The hotel name Zoetry (in Zoetry Montego Bay Jamaica) has an umlaut mark over the letter “e.” For some travelers, all-inclusive hotels conjure up images of flavorless food served under a heat lamp in lush and vibrant destinations where guests never actually leave the resort grounds. Lower-tier liquor flows freely (the good stuff will cost you more), as the few overindulgers put a damper on the trip. That image is changing, as hotel companies expand their offerings, while redefining what all-inclusive means. HOTELS ARE GROWING THEIR ALL-INCLUSIVE BRANDS Many hotel companies are rapidly adding all-inclusive resorts to their portfolio. Hyatt’s acquisition of Apple Leisure Group in November 2021 made it one of the largest owners of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the world. That acquisition included the luxury-focused AMR Collection, which has beachfront properties in Mexico and Central America. That means there are now more than 100 new resorts for visitors (and where World of … [Read more...] about 2022 is the year of all-inclusive travel, and here’s why

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Four European Union countries plan to build North Sea wind farms capable of producing at least 150 gigawatts of energy by 2050 to help cut carbon emissions that cause climate change, Danish media reported Wednesday. Under the plan, wind turbines would be raised off the coasts of Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, daily Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten said. The project would mean a tenfold increase in the EU's current offshore wind capacity. “The North Sea can do a lot," Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen told the newspaper, adding the close cooperation between the four EU nations "must start now.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo are scheduled to attend a North Sea Summit on Wednesday in Esbjerg, 260 … [Read more...] about Reports: 4 European nations to build North Sea wind farms

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 17 OVID, Colo. (AP) — Shortly after daybreak on the high plains of northeastern Colorado, Don Schneider tinkers with seed-dispensing gear on a mammoth corn planter. The day’s task: Carefully sowing hundreds of acres of seed between long rows of last year’s desiccated stalks to ensure the irrigation water he's collected over the winter will last until harvest time. A two-hour’s drive eastward, Steve Hanson, a fifth-generation Nebraska cattle breeder who also produces corn and other crops, is preparing to seed, having stored winter water to help ensure his products make it to market. Like Schneider and countless others in this semi-arid region, he wants his children and grandchildren to be able to work the rich soil homesteaded by their ancestors in the 1800s. Schneider and Hanson find themselves on … [Read more...] about Colorado, Nebraska jostle over water rights amid drought

After inflation hit a 40-year high of 9 per cent today, Conservative MPs, including some ministers, are again pointing the finger of blame at the Bank of England and its governor Andrew Bailey for raising interest rates too slowly. Worryingly, some senior Tories are even raising the question of whether the Bank should lose its operational independence on monetary policy,  threatening the 25-year consensus since Gordon Brown ceded the politicians’ control of interest rates to the Bank. Liam Fox, the former cabinet minister, argues the Bank should stick to its “day job” of hitting the government’s 2 per cent inflation target, rather than worrying about political matters such as climate change (though Rishi Sunak added that to the Bank’s mandate last year). Fox said : “There is a distinct feeling that those who should be protecting us from the debasement of our currency, the erosion of our earnings and the devaluation of our savings, have had their minds too much … [Read more...] about Giving the government control over interest rates would be a disaster

After a crowded primary night, some of North Carolina and Pennsylvania ’s races are still too close to call this morning. Former president Donald Trump saw many of his preferred candidates triumph in both states, but others flopped or are in races that are too tight to call; we can expect plenty of arguments about who triumphed and who truly lost. Meanwhile in some races, progressive and moderate Democrats duked it out while in others, the field was clear. Here are some of the top takeaways from the events of last night. Firstly, it’s clear that while Trump’s endorsement helps, it isn’t a guarantee. As of Wednesday, it is still too early to determine whether Dr Mehmet Oz , the former television host that Trump endorsed, won or lost the Senate primary in Pennsylvania. But the fact that the ex-president’s backing failed to slingshot him far ahead of the pack shows that a Trump endorsement won’t override reservations conservatives have about a candidate – as many did with Dr Oz, … [Read more...] about From Madison Cawthorn to Dr Oz, who really won and lost on Trump’s big primary night

A Georgia man accused of murder was fatally shot hours after he was released on bond, according to authorities. Damien Felton, 27, was shot outside his home in the 700 block of Harold Street, in Macon, on Saturday morning. The incident happened just hours after Felton was released on a $75,000 bond on Friday night, according to local station WSB-TV . The Bibb County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) stated in a news release on Saturday: "It was reported that 27-year-old Damian Devonta Felton Sr. was fatally wounded by a gunshot wound while he was outside of his residence. "The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. According to Coroner Leon Jones, the next of kin has been notified." Police did not identify any suspects or motives in the fatal shooting. An investigation has been launched. Felton had been on a murder charge over the death of 26-year-old Amond Norwood, whose body was found in May 2021. The body was discovered under a mattress close to an … [Read more...] about Man accused of murder is shot dead hours after being released on bond

Progressive Democrats had a good night on Tuesday as five states held primary contests for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, while a key Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania remains extremely close. Candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump had a mixed night and the final outcomes of some key races are not yet known. However, there is also the real possibility that a Democratic congressman who was endorsed by President Joe Biden could end up losing his primary to a progressive challenger and that a Trump-backed Senate candidate could be defeated. Here are five key takeaways from Tuesday's elections. 1. Trump's Support Not Enough to Save Cawthorn Republican Representative Madison Cawthorn conceded defeat in the GOP primary for North Carolina's 11th congressional district after losing to state Senator Chuck Edwards in what may be the biggest upset of the primary season so far. The 26-year-old, who is currently the youngest member of … [Read more...] about Five key takeaways from primary election results

South Korea's ongoing sex crime crisis forms the focus of a gripping new Netflix documentary— Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror. The latest program reveals just the tip of the iceberg of sex crimes in the Asian country, which can be traced back to a "deep-rooted gender inequality " and an increase in gender-based violence, Boram Jang, East Asia Researcher at Amnesty International, told Newsweek. "According to the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, violent crimes such as murder, robbery and arson are generally decreasing in Korean society, but crimes involving sexual violence are steadily rising," Jang said. Released on Wednesday, the new Netflix documentary follows the exposé of a sexual abuse scandal that saw dozens of women—including minors—allegedly being blackmailed into capturing non-consensual , sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. The footage was shared and sold via online chat rooms—known collectively as the "Nth Room"—on … [Read more...] about ‘Cyber Hell’ only scratches surface of South Korea’s sex crime crisis