Duterte to end martial law in Philippine south

Pyongyang: President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to end more than two years of martial law in the southern Philippines after government forces weakened Islamic militant groups there with the capture and killing of their leaders, his spokesman said. Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law in May 2017 after local militants aligned with the Islamic State and occupied a commercial district in Marawi. AP

Jesus, Virgin Mary caged, separated in California scene

Los Angeles: A California church has adapted its Christmas Nativity scene this year by putting baby Jesus, Virgin Mary and Joseph in separate cages to highlight the separation of families by the President Donald Trump administration to deter undocumented migrants from illegally entering the US. The Nativity scene, at the United Methodist Church in Claremont, a town 51 km east of Los Angeles, was set up on its grounds to denounce the situation being faced by refugees who come to the US. IANS

Indian-origin finds dead probiotic that can fix leaky gut

New York: A team, led by an Indian-origin scientist, has identified a dead probiotic that can reduce age-related leaky gut and control harmful, ageing-related inflammation. The study, conducted by Hariom Yadav, assistant professor, Wake Forest School of Medicine, has been published in the journal GeroScience. Leaky gut, in which microbes and bacteria in the gut leak into the blood stream, causes an increase in inflammation. IANS