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UK’s Refusal to Allow U.S. Iran Strike Plans Sparks Diplomatic Fallout

                                                       British PM Keir Starmer and US President Donald A growing diplomatic rift has emerged between London and Washington after the United Kingdom declined a U.S. request to use RAF bases for potential military strikes on Iran. British officials reportedly argued that authorizing such operations could breach international law, prompting Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government to block access to key facilities, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The decision has reportedly angered President Donald Trump, who has been weighing military options amid rising tensions with Tehran. Several outlets note that the dispute has spilled into other areas of U.S.–UK cooperation, including disagreements over the future of the joint base at Diego Garcia and Trump’s withdrawal of sup...

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Revolutionary Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in Deaf Toddler

 

In a remarkable medical breakthrough, an 18-month-old toddler named Opal Sandy has regained her hearing thanks to a pioneering gene therapy trial. Born deaf due to a rare genetic condition affecting the OTOF gene, which is responsible for producing a protein essential for hearing, Opal’s prospects for natural hearing were bleak. However, the innovative treatment at Cambridge University Hospitals in England has opened up a world of sound for her.

The procedure involved the infusion of a working copy of the OTOF gene into Opal’s right ear, a process that took a mere 16 minutes. Remarkably, within weeks, Opal began responding to loud noises, and after 24 weeks, she could hear whispers, indicating a near-normal level of hearing restoration.

Opal’s case is part of the Chord trial, which is recruiting more children from the UK, Spain, and the US to undergo similar treatment. The trial is being closely monitored, with participants followed up for five years to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy.

The success of this gene therapy is a beacon of hope for many suffering from genetic deafness, signaling the dawn of a new era in medical science where conditions once thought incurable are now within the realm of treatment. Opal’s story is not just a personal victory; it’s a milestone in genetic medicine, showcasing the incredible potential of gene therapy to change lives.

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