Surfing dogs impress crowds

Liver specialists in the United Arab Emirates are warning that liver disease can develop silently for many years.  Many people do not know they have a liver problem until the damage becomes severe. Doctors explain that the liver does not have pain sensing nerves so it usually does not hurt even when it is damaged.  It is also a very strong organ that can keep working normally even after 70% to 80% of it has been affected. Because of this fatty liver disease and other liver conditions may progress quietly for 10 to 30 years without clear symptoms. If they are not found early they can lead to liver scarring (cirrhosis) liver failure and in some cases the need for a liver transplant. Fatty liver cases are increasing Experts estimate that around 30% to 40% of adults in the UAE have fatty liver disease.  The condition is now called Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) because it is mainly linked to problems with the body’s metabolism. Without treatment MASLD can progress to liver inflammation scarring cirrhosis and even complete liver failure. Young adults are also at risk Doctors say liver disease is no longer a problem only for older adults. Rising rates of obesity type 2 diabetes excess weight and metabolic syndrome are increasing the number of cases among younger people as well. As obesity and diabetes continue to rise experts expect more people to develop serious liver disease in the future.   Why Symptoms Often go unnoticed The liver stays “silent” for two main reasons. First it does not have pain nerves. Second the healthy part of the liver continues to do its job even when a large portion is damaged. Early symptoms if they appear are often mild. These may include ongoing tiredness low energy weakness or slight discomfort in the upper abdomen.  Many people ignore these signs. Who is most at risk? People with type 2 diabetes obesity high cholesterol metabolic syndrome heavy alcohol use or a lack of physical activity have a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease. Research suggests that about 60% of people with type 2 diabetes also have fatty liver disease. However experts stress that even people with a healthy weight can develop the condition especially if they have a family history of liver disease an unhealthy diet or low levels of exercise. Gym goers should be careful too Doctors say they are seeing more people with fatty liver who do not drink alcohol are not overweight and consider themselves healthy. Experts warn that  eating too much sugar taking low quality supplements especially muscle building products getting too little sleep dealing with long-term stress, and sitting for many hours can all harm the liver. Unnecessary medicines and unregulated herbal supplements may also put extra pressure on the liver. Warning Signs that need medical attention Although liver disease may not cause symptoms at first you should see a doctor if you experience •Constant tiredness or weakness •Unexplained weight loss •Loss of appetite •Pain or swelling in the abdomen •Ongoing nausea •Seek urgent medical care if you notice. •Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice) •Dark colored urine •Very pale stools •Swelling in the legs or abdomen •Easy bruising •Confusion or changes in mental alertness •Vomiting blood or blood in the stool Early detection can make a difference Experts say many liver diseases can be slowed down if they are diagnosed early.  In some cases part of the damage can even improve with proper treatment and healthy lifestyle changes. Losing excess weight controlling blood sugar and cholesterol eating a balanced diet exercising regularly and staying active are all important for keeping the liver healthy. Get regular liver checkups Doctors recommend that people at higher risk have liver function tests blood sugar and cholesterol checks and a liver ultrasound or FibroScan at least once a year. A FibroScan is a quick painless test that can detect fat buildup and scarring in the liver within minutes. Experts say the liver often gives no warning signs making regular screening one of the best ways to protect your liver health.

During the rainy season and changing weather cases of dengue malaria viral fever typhoid and other illnesses often increase. When people develop a fever many wonder whether taking a bath could make their condition worse. Health experts say that taking a bath during fever is generally safe. A bath with lukewarm water can help the body feel more comfortable and may temporarily reduce body temperature. However the water should not be extremely hot or cold. Avoid very cold water Experts advise against bathing with ice-cold or very cold water during a fever.  Sudden exposure to cold water can cause shivering. This may make the body work harder to produce heat and can increase discomfort. Very hot water should also be avoided. It can raise body temperature and may make weakness and tiredness worse. Do not use alcohol on the skin Some people use alcohol or spirit on the skin to try to lower fever. Health experts do not recommend this method. Alcohol can be absorbed through the skin and may cause harmful effects. It should especially never be used on children for this purpose. What should you do during a fever? Fever is usually not a disease itself. It is often a sign that the body is fighting an infection.  Therefore it is important to find and treat the cause of the fever instead of only trying to lower the temperature. Drink plenty of fluids during a fever to prevent dehydration. Water, ORS coconut water soup and other suitable drinks can help. Wear light comfortable clothes and make sure the room has good airflow. If a full bath feels difficult you can gently clean the body with a soft cloth dipped in lukewarm water. Eating light and easily digestible foods such as porridge, khichdi, and other soft foods may also help the body recover. When should you see a doctor? A mild fever may improve with rest enough fluids and medicines recommended by a doctor. However medical help should be sought if the fever lasts for more than two to three days or is accompanied by confusion breathing problems severe headache repeated vomiting unusual skin rashes, or other serious symptoms. A baby under three months old with a fever should be examined by a doctor immediately. Overall taking a lukewarm bath during fever is usually not a problem. Staying hydrated, getting enough rest eating light food and finding the actual cause of the fever are much more important for recovery.

By Nabiha Khalid A specific sort of discomfort falls over a newsroom when the instruments of the profession begin to surpass the ethical standards intended to regulate them. Artificial intelligence is now capable of creating text, images, and videos that are indistinguishable from genuine human creations, and the consequences of this change are far from straightforward. When a false quote can be convincingly linked to a public figure, or when a deepfake video can spread more swiftly than any correction can be issued, the very core of journalistic integrity the assumption that reported facts reflect what has truly happened faces significant pressure. This is not an imagined crisis; it is the current reality in modern media. I attened a workshop under the project titled “Digital Trust and Free Expression in the AI Era” at the Department of Media and Development Communication, University of the Punjab, supported by the U.S. Mission to Pakistan in partnership with the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) last week and we discuused in the wrodkshop that what ethical journalism requires in today’s context cannot depend solely on instinct. Verification must be a systematic process rather than something that happens by chance, involving a discipline of cross-checking, sourcing from multiple angles, and being technically adept at identifying manipulated media. Fact-checking, which used to be a background activity conducted before publication, must now be approached as a clear, continual practice that news consumers can observe and rely on. The difference between accurate reporting and unintentionally spreading misinformation often hinges on this one consistent habit of verification, applied uniformly rather than selectively. It is equally important to emphasize responsible digital storytelling, understanding that journalists do not just deliver information but are guardians of public knowledge. In an information landscape dominated by AI, the journalist’s role evolves slightly: from being the first to break news to becoming the most trustworthy source to verify it. This shift does not imply a lesser role; rather, it could very well be the most crucial aspect of journalism in the coming years. It is important to place this change in a broader historical context. Journalism has endured disruptive technologies in the past the telegraph shortened distances, the around-the-clock news cycle diminished patience, and social media altered the role of gatekeeping, enabling anyone with a smartphone to share information. Each disruption brought about its own ethical challenges, and each time, the industry persisted not by opposing the technology but by creating new standards to regulate it. Artificial intelligence is the newest and possibly the most significant example of this trend. What sets it apart from previous disruptions is the remarkable realism of synthetic content: earlier types of misinformation needed some level of narrative development, whereas AI can now generate the very evidence needed an image, a voice, a document ,Journalism has long relied on certain standards as evidence. This brings up a difficult yet essential question: can the technologies that jeopardize trust in journalism also aid in its restoration? The answer, with caution, is affirmative. News organizations are increasingly utilizing AI-assisted verification tools, reverse-image analysis, and metadata forensics to combat the misuse of these very technologies. This dual nature of AI serving both as a threat and a tool indicates that ethical journalism today necessitates a level of technical knowledge that was not mandatory a decade ago but has now become crucial. A journalist who lacks training in identifying the distinctive markers of synthetic media is, in a significant way, not adequately equipped for the current landscape. Additionally, there is a less obvious yet significant challenge to address: the imbalance between the rapid production of AI-generated content and the measured approach of ethical journalism. News organizations facing pressure to publish swiftly areparticularly prone to this disparity, making it essential that rigorous editorial standards, rather than advanced technological capabilities, serve as the key protection.No matter how advanced a detection tool may be, it cannot take the place of an organizational culture which places a priority on accuracy rather than on immediacy. The responsibility for digital trust does not fall solely on journalists. Public media literacy the ability to critically assess a viral image, to look for a second source before sharing, and to identify the emotional manipulation often present in synthetic content serves as a crucial second line of defense. In this regard, ethical journalism and an informed audience are interdependent: one cannot completely substitute for the lack of the other. The diligence of a newsroom holds little value if its audience hasn’t been prepared to recognize and demand that diligence in the first place. So, in an age when artificial intelligence is involved, ethical journalism does not call for rejecting technology; rather it involves basing the use of technology on firm principles of verification, transparency, and accountability. The future of the newsroom won’t be determined by how fast it publishes, but by the care with which it confirms the facts, and perhaps that is the most human safeguard we still have. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Mission to Pakistan or USEFP/PUAN.