Maldivian Medical Association calls to strengthen healthcare system

Maldives Medical Assocaition has called on the government to strengthen the country’s healthcare system, in order to provide healthcare services in a better environment.

In a statement released today, the association called on the government to provide a meaningful compensation to the victim and family of the pregnant woman who received a transfusion of HIV positive blood from Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in February.

The organization also called on political parties to refrain from politicizing such tragedies as a means to attack public confidence in the country’s healthcare system.

The association urged the government to take the necessary steps to prevent such incidents and to improve the country’s healthcare system to ensure that medical care is provided in a better environment.

4 women with new wombs are trying to get pregnant

LONDON (AP) â€" A Swedish doctor says four women who received transplanted wombs have had embryos transferred into them in an attempt to get pregnant.

He would not say on Monday whether any of the women had succeeded. In all, nine women in Sweden have received new wombs since 2012, but two had to have them removed because of complications.

The women received wombs donated by their mothers or other close relatives in an experimental procedure designed to test whether its possible to transfer a uterus so a woman can give birth to her own biological child. The women had in vitro fertilization before the transplants, using their own eggs to make embryos.

"We have already begun transferring embryos into four of the women and plan to make attempts with the others when they are ready," said Dr. Mats Brannstrom, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Goteburg, who is leading the research.

Brannstrom predicted that three or four of the seven women might successfully give birth.

"One or two more will perhaps get pregnant and miscarry, and one or two wont be able to get pregnant," he said.

There have been two previous attempts to transplant a womb â€" in Turkey and Saudi Arabia â€" but both failed to produce babies. Doctors in Britain and Hungary also are planning similar operations, but using wombs from women who had just died.

Brannstrom said any woman in the study who does get pregnant will be on a low dose of drugs to keep from rejecting the transplanted womb and will be monitored as a high-risk pregnancy.

The transplants are intended to benefit women unable to have children because they lost a uterus to cancer or were born without one.

Some doctors said women who got pregnant with a new uterus would have to be watched carefully for how the womb progresses throughout pregnancy.

"There are questions about how the physiological changes in the uterus will affect the mother and whether the transplanted uterus will be conducive to a growing baby," said Dr. Charles Kingsland, a spokesman for Britains Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and a gynecologist at Liverpool Womens Hospital.

In a study published last week, Brannstrom and colleagues described the procedures used to transplant the nine wombs and said there were "mild rejection episodes" in four patients.

He said the transplanted wombs would be removed after a maximum of two pregnancies.

Other experts called it a promising step but said it would be crucial that babies get enough nutrients from the mothers blood supply.

"We really dont know if the blood flow to the uterus will increase and adapt in the same way," as in a regular pregnancy, said Dr. Yacoub Khalaf, director of the Assisted Conception unit at Guys and St. Thomas hospital in London.

"It is a good sign they have done the (embryo) transfers," Khalaf said. "But a live birth will be the best validation that this works."

12 Years a Slave rises up at Academy Awards

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€" Hollywood named the brutal, unshrinking historical drama "12 Years a Slave" best picture at the 86th annual Academy Awards.

Steve McQueens slavery odyssey, based on Solomon Northups 1853 memoir, has been hailed as a landmark corrective to the movie industrys virtual blindness to slavery, instead creating whiter tales like 1940 best-picture winner "Gone With the Wind." 12 Years a Slave" is the first best-picture winner directed by a black filmmaker.

"Everyone deserves not just to survive, but to live," said McQueen, who dedicated the honor to those, past and present, who have endured slavery. "This is the most important legacy of Solomon Northup."

The normally reserved McQueen promptly bounced up and down on stage, later matter-of-factly explaining his joy physically took over: "So, Van Halen. Jump."

A year after celebrating Ben Afflecks "Argo" over Steven Spielbergs "Lincoln," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences opted for stark realism over more the plainly entertaining candidates: the 3-D space marvel "Gravity" and the starry 1970s caper "American Hustle."

Those two films came in as the leading nominee getters. David O. Russells "American Hustle" went home empty-handed, but "Gravity" triumphed as the nights top award-winner. Cleaning up in technical categories like cinematography and visual effects, it earned seven Oscars including best director for Alfonso Cuaron. The Mexican filmmaker is the categorys first Latino winner.

"It was a transformative experience," said Cuaron, who spent some five years making the film and developing its visual effects. "For a lot of people, that transformation was wisdom. For me, it was the color of my hair." To his star Sandra Bullock, the sole person on screen for much of the lost-in-space drama, he said: "Sandra, you are Gravity."

But history belonged to "12 Years a Slave," a modestly budgeted drama produced by Brad Pitts production company, Plan B, that has made $50 million worldwide â€" a far cry from the more than $700 million "Gravity" has hauled in.

Ellen DeGeneres, in a nimble second stint as host that seemed designed as an antidote to the crude humor of Seth MacFarlane last year, summarized the academys options in her opening monologue: "Possibility number one: 12 Years a Slave wins best picture. Possibility number two: Youre all racists."

DeGeneres presided over a smooth if safe ceremony, punctuated by politics, pizza and photo-bombing. Freely circulating in the crowd, she had pizza delivered, appealing to Harvey Weinstein to pitch in, and gathered stars to snap a selfie she hoped would be a record-setter on Twitter. (It was: Long before midnight, the photo had been retweeted more than 2 million times and momentarily crashed Twitter.) One participant, Meryl Streep, giddily exclaimed: "Ive never tweeted before!"

But in celebrating a movie year roundly considered an exceptionally deep one, the Oscars fittingly spread the awards around. The starved stars of the Texas AIDS drama "Dallas Buyers Club" were feted: Matthew McConaughey for best actor and Jared Leto for best supporting actor.

McConaugheys award capped a startling career turnaround, a conscious redirection by the actor to tack away from the romantic comedies he regularly starred in, and move toward more challenging films.

"It sort of feels like a culmination," he said backstage.

Leto passed around his Oscar to members of the press backstage, urging them to "fondle" it. The long-haired actor, who has devoted himself in recent years to his rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, gravely vowed: "I will revel tonight."

Cate Blanchett took best actress for her fallen socialite in Woody Allens "Blue Jasmine," her second Oscar. Accepting the award, she challenged Hollywood not to think of films starring women as "niche experiences": "The world is round, people!" she declared to hearty applause.

Draped in Nairobi blue, Lupita Nyongo â€" the Cinderella of the awards season â€" won best supporting actress for her indelible impression as the tortured slave Patsey. Its the feature film debut for the 31-year-old actress.

"It doesnt escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone elses, and so I want to salute the spirit of Patsy for her guidance," said Nyongo. She also thanked director Steve McQueen: "Im certain that the dead are standing about you and they are watching and they are grateful, and so am I."

John Ridley won best adapted screenplay for "12 Years a Slave," shifting praise to Northup: "Those are his words. That is his life." Spike Jonze took best original screenplay for his futuristic romance "Her," the category Russell had the best chance of winning.

Though the ceremony lacked a big opening number, it had a steady musical beat to it. To a standing ovation, Bono and U2 played an acoustic version of "Ordinary Love," from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom." Pharrell Williams had Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio dancing in the aisles with "Happy" from "Despicable Me 2."

Pink was cheered for her rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," part of a 75th anniversary tribute to "The Wizard of Oz." And Bette Midler sang â€" what else? â€" "Wind Beneath My Wing" for the in memoriam segment â€" an especially heartfelt one, considering the deaths of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Harold Ramis, James Gandolfini and others.

Best documentary went to the crowd-pleasing backup singer ode "20 Feet From Stardom." One of its stars, Darlene Love, accepted the award singing the gospel tune "His Eye Is on the Sparrow": "I sing because Im happy/ I sing because Im free."

Disneys global hit "Frozen" won best animated film, marking â€" somewhat remarkably â€" the studios first win in the 14 years of the best animated feature category. (Pixar, which Disney owns, has regularly dominated.) The films hit single, "Let It Go," won best original song.

"Were all just trying to make films that touch people," said co-director Chris Buck backstage. "Once in a while, you get lucky."

Though the Oscar ceremony is usually a glitzy bubble separate from real-world happenings, international events were immediately referenced. In his acceptance speech, Leto addressed people in Ukraine and Venezuela.

"We are here and as you struggle to make your dreams happen, to live the impossible, were thinking of you," said Leto.

Russian state-owned broadcaster Channel One Russia said it would not broadcast the Oscars live because of the necessity for news coverage of Russias invasion of Ukraines Crimea peninsula. It will instead transmit the Oscars early Tuesday morning, local time.

Venezuelan protesters, via social media, urged Oscar winners to bring attention to their plight. Anti-government protests have roiled the country in recent weeks.

Italys "The Great Beauty" won the Oscar for best foreign language film. In accepting the award for his rumination on life and Romes decadence, director Paolo Sorrentino thanked his heroes, including Federico Fellini, Martin Scorsese and soccer star Diego Maradona.

In her opening, DeGeneres gently mocked Hollywoods insularity, referring to the headlines that have swamped the Los Angeles area lately with a slightly less serious news event.

"It has been raining," said DeGeneres. "Were fine. Thank you for your prayers."

ABC, which aired the ceremony, hoped the drama of a razor-thin best-picture race would be enough to entice viewers. The show last year drew an audience of 40.3 million, up from 39.3 million the year before when the silent-film ode "The Artist" won best picture.

There was a sense of deja vu Sunday. As she hit the red carpet, "American Hustle" star Jennifer Lawrence briefly collapsed in a heap of laughter, just as she tripped ascending the stairs last year to accept best actress for "Silver Linings Playbook."

"If you win tonight," said DeGeneres, "I think we should bring you the Oscar."

No delivery was needed, as the night belonged to "12 Years a Slave."

Tevez: World Cup inclusion depends only on Sabella

MILAN (AP) â€" Carlos Tevez says its up to Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella to decide if he will play at the World Cup.

Since Sabellas appointment as national team coach in 2011, Tevez has not been called up.

Speaking to Italys Sky TV late Sunday after scoring his league-leading 15th goal in Juventus 2-0 win at AC Milan, Tevez said "its only Sabellas choice. I dont know if its a political choice. I think it all depends on Sabella."

Tevez has often come into conflict with coaches, memorably refusing Roberto Mancinis order to enter as a substitute in a Champions League match while with Manchester City in September 2011.

Tevez, who led his country to gold at the 2004 Olympics, has scored 13 goals in 62 appearances for Argentina.

FA charges Newcastle manager Pardew for head-butt

LONDON (AP) â€" Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is facing a long stadium ban after being charged Monday by the English Football Association with improper conduct for head-butting an opposing player during a Premier League match.

Pardew has already been sanctioned by Newcastle, accepting a formal warning and a 100,000 pound ($168,000) fine following his confrontation with Hull midfielder David Meyler on Saturday. But any FA punishment could prevent Pardew from attending several matches, rather than just being banned from the touchline.

"Due to the serious violent and/or aggressive nature of the reported behavior this case has been designated as non-standard," the FA said in a statement.

Pardew, who has already apologized, has until Thursday evening to respond to the charge. Earlier this season, then-Blackpool manager Paul Ince received a five-match stadium ban from the FA for violently shoving a fourth official in an expletive-laden rant.

Pardews confrontation at the KC Stadium happened in the 72nd minute. Meyler initially barged into Pardew as he looked to retrieve the ball for a throw-in. After squaring up to Meyler before moving his head in the direction of the players face, Pardew was sent to the stands.

Newcastle beat Hull 4-1.

Brazil has 100 days left to get World Cup ready

SAO PAULO (AP) â€" Brazil is running out of time.

World Cup organizers will mark 100 days to go on Tuesday with a lot of work still to be done on stadiums and infrastructure in the 12 host cities.

As national teams enter their final phase of preparations â€" a series of warm-up are scheduled for this week â€" the Brazilian government is trying to ensure the country will be ready to host the tournament in June.

Although Brazil had nearly seven years to prepare after winning the bid to host the tournament in 2007, there are four stadiums still under construction and work outside many of the venues is far from completed.

Doubts also remain about whether the cities will be able to host the fanfests they promised years ago. Airports likely wont have all the work completed either, and many of the urban projects initially expected to be ready for the World Cup wont be finalized until after the event.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke recently said work must remain at "full speed" until the opener on June 12. Footballs governing body has been expressing its confidence that everything will be ready despite the setbacks.

"Listen, 100 days, its a long way to go, and its a short way to go if there are still problems," FIFA President Sepp Blatter told FIFA.com. "But now all problems are under control and it will be, in 100 days, an exceptionally good start for an exceptional competition."

There will be a few events marking the 100-day point across Brazil on Tuesday, with some of the host cities lighting up traditional buildings in the colors of the Brazilian flag.

Brazil promised all 12 stadiums would be ready by the end of last year, but only six were completed. Two may be ready less than a month before the World Cup, including the one hosting the opener between Brazil and Croatia in Sao Paulo.

The Itaquerao is not expected to be ready before May 15, Valcke said. Thats when they also believe the venue in the southern city of Curitiba will also be finalized. The stadium in the wetlands city of Cuiaba is almost done, but work outside the venue remains far from complete.

"Eight stadiums are ready and the ninth, in Manaus, will be delivered on Sunday," Brazil deputy sports minister Luis Fernandes said. "The others will also be ready with enough time to be tested before the World Cup."

Infrastructure work outside nearly every stadium is a big reason for concern. Even in places where the stadium was finished, its common to find construction sites filled with workers rushing to finish footpaths, pave access roads, and install lighting posts.

"We have to work in conditions where the cement is not even dry (and) we already put things in place," Valcke said. "There is no criticism, there is just a challenge. For sure, the stadiums are beautiful. It will work and you will have what you expected."

Equipping a stadium to World Cup working standards requires 90 days, so FIFA and local organizers will have to start installing temporary structures needed for media and sponsors while construction work continues outside the venues.

A recent poll showed the lowest support among Brazilians for hosting the World Cup. Many are frustrated with the billions spent to host the tournament, money they would rather see spent to improve hospitals, schools and infrastructure.

"We have learned a lot by hosting the World Cup," Fernandes said. "And we will certainly take advantage of what we learned in other moments."

Cech voted Czech Republics best player of 2013

PRAGUE (AP) â€" Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has been voted the Czech Republics player of the year for 2013.

The 31-year-old Czech international won Mondays poll of players, coaches, football federation officials and journalists for the sixth consecutive year and record seventh time overall.

Arsenal playmaker Tomas Rosicky finished second while Freiburg midfielder Vladimir Darida came third.

Last year, Cech helped Chelsea win the Europa League but failed to qualify with the national team for the World Cup in Brazil.

Pavel Vrba, who led Viktoria Plzen to the lucrative Champions League for the second time in three years in 2013 before taking over the national team, was chosen the best coach.

Vrbas squad, including Cech and Rosicky, will be in action for the first time in a home friendly against Norway on Wednesday.

Ex-US tribal leader pleads not guilty in killings

The lawyer for the former leader of a small California tribe is asking the community not to prejudge the woman as she faces trial on allegations that she shot and killed four people and tried to kill two others at a tribal meeting considering her eviction.

Cherie Lash Rhoades pleaded not guilty Monday in Modoc Superior Court to a complaint charging her with four counts of murder and two of attempted murder. The charges carry a potential death penalty.

Afterward, defense attorney Antonio R. Alvarez asked that people not prejudge Rhoades. He says the facts of what happened â€" "and more importantly why" â€" have not been fully developed.

The attack happened Feb. 20 at a meeting of the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Council. Rhoades was suspended as tribal chairwoman just three weeks earlier, pending an investigation into embezzlement allegations.

US first lady plans 1st visit to China this month

WASHINGTON (AP) â€" Michelle Obama plans a weeklong solo visit to China this month that includes meetings with Chinas first lady and high school and university students.

It will be her first visit to the Asian economic powerhouse.

In an announcement Monday on the White House blog, the first lady says a China visit is important because it is the most populous country in the world, with more than 1.3 billion people, and plays an important role on the world stage.

The White House says Mrs. Obama will travel from March 19-26. She will spend several days in the capital of Beijing, followed by stops in the central city of Xian and the southwestern city of Chengdu. Her schedule includes a meeting with Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mrs. Obama missed meeting Chinas first lady last June when the newly installed Xi, accompanied by his wife, traveled to Southern California for a summit with President Barack Obama. Mrs. Obama stayed in Washington for personal reaons.

She wrote a letter to Peng Liyuan welcoming her to the U.S. and expressing hope that they would meet soon in China, the White House said.

In China this month, Mrs. Obama will focus on the power and importance of education, including in her own life, during visits to a high school and a university in Beijing, and a high school in Chengdu.

She recently began an effort at home to encourage Americas young people, including some of the most economically disadvantaged, to pursue a college education. On past trips outside the U.S., she also has stressed the same points to students from the host country. Mrs. Obama grew up in a poor Chicago family, but ended up with degrees from two of Americas best schools.

In China, she will be accompanied by daughters, Malia and Sasha, and her mother, Marian Robinson, who lives at the White House. President Barack Obama will not be on the trip. He departs the U.S. later that week for stops in Europe and Saudi Arabia.

Mrs. Obama is encouraging students across the U.S. to follow her trip on social media and the White House website, where she will post a daily travel blog.

In preparation for the trip, she scheduled a visit Tuesday to a Washington charter elementary school with a Chinese-immersion, international baccalaureate program. Mrs. Obama will hear a presentation from sixth-graders who visited China last year and visit with pre-kindergarten students who are learning Chinese.

In her post Monday, the first lady said countries today are no longer isolated and are facing many of the same challenges, whether it is to provide students with a good education, combat hunger, poverty and disease, or address threats like climate change.

"These issues affect every last one of us, so its critically important that young people like you learn about whats going on not just here in America, but around the world," Mrs. Obama said. "Because when it comes to the challenges we face, soon, all of you will be leading the way."

"Thats why everywhere I go, whether its here in the U.S. or abroad, I meet with young people to hear about your challenges, hopes and dreams â€" and thats what Ill be doing in China as well," she said. "Ill be focusing on the power and importance of education, both in my own life and in the lives of young people in both of our countries."

Among recent first ladies, Laura Bush traveled to China with President George W. Bush, and Beijing was the place where Hillary Rodham Clinton made her now famous declaration at a United Nations womens conference in 1995 that "womens rights are human rights."

Mrs. Obamas trip will be a highly visible endeavor, but the fact that shes taking the rest of her family suggests "shes not going in search of a crusade of one sort or another," said Jonathan D. Pollack, a senior fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.

Mrs. Obamas previous solo travels outside the U.S. as first lady were to Mexico in 2010 and the African countries of Botswana and South Africa.

Russia says Yanukovych requested troops in Crimea

UNITED NATIONS (AP) â€" Ukraines fugitive president requested Russian soldiers in the strategic Crimea region "to establish legitimacy, peace, law and order," Russias U.N. ambassador said Monday, contradicting the presidents own comments last week, while Ukraines ambassador said 16,000 troops are now deployed there.

The disclosure of ousted President Viktor Yanukovychs support for Russian military intervention was made at the third emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council since Friday. It came amid fears that the Kremlin might carry out more land grabs in pro-Russian eastern Ukraine.

Russia faced demands from almost all council members to pull its troops out of Crimea and got no support for its military action from close ally China.

"With the exception of one member of the Security Council â€" the Russian Federation â€" we have heard overwhelming support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for peaceful dialogue," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said.

Action by the U.N.s most powerful body appears unlikely, though Britains U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said, "We certainly do not rule out presenting resolutions in the Security Council in the next few days." Russia has veto power as a permanent member and can block the council from adopting any resolution criticizing or sanctioning Moscow.

During the heated meeting, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin strongly defended his governments actions as "fully appropriate and legitimate" to defend the human rights of the Russian-speaking minority in Ukraine, which he claimed is under threat of oppression from the north and west after violent protests swept in a new government.

He told the council he was authorized to read a statement from Yanukovych â€" and offered to show council members a copy â€" requesting Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his armed forces to restore peace and defend the people of Ukraine.

Yanukovych fled the former Soviet republic to Russia after his ouster and had said Friday that he would not ask for Russian forces.

Churkin quoted Yanukovych as saying "Ukraine is on the brink of civil war," people particularly in the Russian-speaking Crimea are being persecuted for language and political reasons and "there are open acts of terror and violence" under the influence of Western countries.

French Ambassador Gerard Araud said the letter was just a piece of paper handed to Yanukovych which "got his signature." Asked if the letter was phony, Araud replied, "Its not a false letter, its a false president."

Power, the U.S. envoy, dismissed Moscows contention that it intervened militarily in Crimea to protect the human rights of Russian civilians there as "baseless," insisting there is no evidence of any threats against ethnic Russians in Ukraine.

"One might think that Moscow has just become the rapid response arm of the High Commissioner for Human Rights," she told the council.

Ukraines U.N. Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev again pleaded for help and sent a letter to all 193 U.N. member states detailing Russias takeover of crucial government and military facilities.

The letter described what could be the first reported casualty of the crisis. Sergeyev claimed that Russian forces trying to capture the armory of the Ukrainian Air Tactical brigade near Sevastopol used stun grenades against Ukrainian soldiers Sunday, leaving an officer with a brain injury and in shock.

The letter also said Russian aircraft illegally entered Ukrainian airspace twice Monday night. It said all main roads in Crimea are blocked, military bases and Ukrainian ships in Sevastopol Bay are surrounded and an attempt has been made to capture the Ukrainian Navy Headquarters.

Power said the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe â€" which includes Russia, the U.S., and all European countries â€" was deploying monitors to Ukraine on Monday night. She urged Russia to allow the monitors to go to Crimea, an appeal echoed by many other council members.

Churkin didnt rule that out but said it must be considered by the government in Crimea.

The Russian ambassador claimed the recent protests were hijacked by extremists and gangs of "ultranationalists," and he said Ukraine should return to an agreement signed Feb. 21 by Yanukovych â€" but not Moscow â€" to hold early elections and surrender some powers. Yanukovych fled after sealing the pact with the opposition and foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland.

Every Security Council speaker but Russia urged a peaceful solution to the worst crisis in Europe in the 21st century. Even Chinas Ambassador Liu Jieyi didnt endorse Russias military action, saying: "China consistently stands for the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of a country, and for respect for Ukraines independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity."

The meeting featured several rounds of testy exchanges.

"This meeting was unfortunately totally useless," Frances Araud said afterward. "We were hoping that the ambassador of the Russian Federation would tell us that the Russian Federation is agreeing to mediation, but they did not. They said that the government of Kiev has no legitimacy."