From Charlie Gard to separating conjoined twins: the agony of life and death decisions on the hospital frontline

The sort of impossible ethical dilemma thrown up at the start of a new BBC documentary on Great Ormond Street Hospital aired tonight, is something to which Dr Joe Brierley has become well-accustomed.

The programme follows a set of conjoined twins, Marieme and Ndeye, who have defied all medical expectations to survive to two-and-a-half-years-old. The twins are conjoined in a certain way meaning they have shared circulation but separate hearts and lungs. While Ndeye’s vital organs are healthy, Marieme’s heart is desperately weak. If she dies, her stronger sister will die with her.

As their health deteriorates the hospital – and their father, Ibrahima – are forced to discuss whether or not they should operate to separate them: perhaps prolonging one twin's life but almost certainly ending another.

As chairman of the hospital’s ethics committee, Dr Brierley, a consultant in paediatric intensive care, leads a series of discussions with colleagues and the father of the girls to determine the best way forward. It is tense, painful viewing as they consider an effective death sentence.

“As a father, how do you get your head around the fact people are even thinking like that?” says Dr Brierley, 50, himself a father of four children, one of whom has suffered their own health complications. “If a decision like this doesn’t weigh on your mind you’re in the wrong job.”

Black women on Twitter drag A$AP Rocky after old photos of him partying with White girls resurfaced

A photo was circulated online shortly after A$AP Rocky was released from prison and it was claimed that the rapper was pictured partying with some white girls shortly after regaining freedom. This angered black women and they took to Twitter to drag him.

The rapper who was locked up in jail in Sweden and faced trial for assault charges, was freed on Friday and he returned to the US on Saturday.

Herbert Macaulay teaser

How glasses have shaped Todays Physiological Perception

Know that old “first impressions” saying? When you see a wearer of glasses walk into a room, superficial judgments begin formulating. “Really wearing glasses is like cosmetic surgery without the knife – it immediately changes how your character is represented and all the more so because they’re located at the most important part of the body in terms of non-verbal communication. A 2013 study found that, all other things being equal, job hunters were more likely to get hired if they wore glasses to their interview. “The connection between glasses and intellectualism is unconscious and metaphoric,” says Cary Cooper, professor of occupational psychology at Lancaster University.

UK-Based Nigerian Student Drowns In River Thames

A 23-year-old UK-based Nigerian student has lost his life.

According to reports, the young man who has been identified as Jonathan Adebanjo drowned in River Thames on Tuesday evening.

The deceased had gone to the river with friends at Shadwell Basin.

Jonathan had gone out to swim due to the extremely hot weather.

The Nigerian art student was among the three who drowned in the Thames in three hours after a 47-year-old swimmer died in Kingston and another person vanished in the water at Waterloo Bridge.

The deceased’s sister, Tundun, 22, said:

'Bachelor' Creator Mike Fleiss Accused of Attacking Pregnant Wife

Photos of the alleged attack and injuries were included in the filings.
Mike Fleiss, creator of ABC's The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, has been accused by his wife of attacking her after she refused to have an abortion, according to court documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

Laura Fleiss on Tuesday filed an emergency domestic violence restraining order in Los Angeles.

In the documents, the 2012 Miss America winner accused her husband of attacking her over the Fourth of July weekend because she would not get an abortion, which he allegedly demanded.

The couple's 4-year-old son, Ben, was in the room during a portion of the argument that went on for several days, according to the documents.

Laura said in the filing, “This was not the first time he had threatened a divorce during our marriage, but now, he was using this threat as leverage to force me to have an abortion. In addition, on July 4th, Mike made the following statements to me: ‘I am cutting you off financially Monday morning’; ‘You are paying for everything with your money’; ‘Next time I see you, I don’t want to see your stomach’; and ‘You have a choice, you can choose. Have an abortion or go back to Wisconsin, but you are not taking Ben.'"

Nollywood Block Buster Movie THE REUNION set to hit cinemas Nationwide Aug 16th 2019

All is set for the release of The Reunion across the cinemas nationwide from August. The movie which is a Fojo Media Productions parades stars like Mercy Johnson-Okojie, Lilian Esoro, Tana Adelana, Mercy Aigbe, Jide Kosoko, Frederick Leonard, Chioma Emeruah Chigul, Jaiye Kuti, Femi Jacobs, Lateef Adedimeji, Steve Onu Yaw among others.

The movie tells the story of four friends from high school who reunite to plan the 50th anniversary of their alma mater. As a battle of superiority stirs up and issues from the past are re-visited, secrets are revealed that threaten to tear up their seemingly perfect lives.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Fojo Media Productions and Executive Producer of the movie, Mrs. Faith Ojo, the Reunion shares the struggles of women while living up to the expectations of the society. “This is a must watch for every household.”

While commenting on the film industry in Nigeria and its performance, Mrs. Ojo said that Nollywood actors are a match to Hollywood actors any day, adding that the support and partnership they give to every project they are involved in makes the difference.

“The Nollywood industry will be bigger than what it is today if Nollywood actors, throw their weight and support from their fans to make each movie a hit, that way the producer makes more money to plunge back into paying them for more movies.”