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☆ A man destined for Alzheimer's defied that fate. Now scientists want to know how
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

He seems to have been protected by a rare gene change that enhanced the function of a protein that helps nerve cells communicate. Scientists say that understanding how this gene change defended his brain may help prevent Alzheimer’s in other people. “Another big insight from this case is, it seems like maybe you don’t need this everywhere in the brain,” Arboleda-Velasquez said. This is the pathway that is important for extreme protection against Alzheimer’s,’ ” Arboleda-Velasquez said. The sister of the man in the new study also shared the rare protective gene change, and it helped her, but not as much.

☆ Mutation Protected Man From Alzheimer’s Disease, Hinting at Treatment
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Gina Kolata | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dr. Arboleda-Rodriguez is a co-founder of a biotechnology company looking to produce drugs that could act on this research. The mutation results in a potent version of a protein, Reelin, in the entorhinal cortex. That super-potent Reelin ultimately prevents tangled strands of tau proteins from sticking together and forming the structures that are a characteristic of Alzheimer's. “We don’t know what sort of damage it might do, sticking needles in and dropping in chemicals,” he said. The man with what the researchers are calling “resilience” to Alzheimer’s was part of a decades-long study of 6,000 people living in Colombia who have a gene mutation that causes Alzheimer’s in middle age.

☆ End of Title 42 immigration policy has brought fewer migrants than expected, but overcrowding concerns remain
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Nouran Salahieh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

David Peinado Romero/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Migrants carry a baby in a suitcase across the Rio Grande on May 10. Gary Coronado/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images Migrants wait to get paid after washing cars at a gas station in Brownsville on May 10. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Migrants surrender to US Border Patrol agents after crossing the border in Yuma on May 10. Paul Ratje/Reuters Migrants wait to be processed by US Border Patrol agents in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on April 26. Hudak warned in the filing that without measures to conditionally release some migrants, Border Patrol could have over 45,000 migrants in custody by the end of the month.

☆ MLB roundup: Orioles score 13, take another series
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

After mounting an 8-1 advantage in the third, the Orioles surrendered the lead on eight straight Royals runs. Marlins left-hander Jesus Luzardo (2-2) allowed seven hits, three walks and four runs (three earned). Rays 3, Pirates 2Zach Eflin threw seven shutout innings to help host Tampa Bay complete a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh. The Red Sox put up a series-high 16 hits -- delivering one more hit in each successive game of the series after 13 on Monday. George Kirby (3-2) allowed three runs and seven hits in his seven-inning start.

☆ MLB roundup: Padres prevail in offensive showcase in Mexico City
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

Trent Grisham hit a two-run double to increase the Padres' lead to 14-11 in the eighth. Machado had three hits with three RBIs and four runs, while Thairo Estrada had four hits and three RBIs for the Giants. Andujar went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while Connor Joe went 1-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs for Pittsburgh. Patrick Corbin (1-4) gave up three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. Nationals starter Chad Kuhl (0-2) allowed eight runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings.

☆ Mexico's Haitian asylum seekers lack access to basic resources, says IRC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sarah Morland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, April 27 (Reuters) - More than nine in 10 Haitians seeking asylum in Mexico lack the resources to cover basic necessities such as food, shelter and medical care, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid group said on Thursday. More than seven in 10 said they struggled to access reliable information in Haitian Creole, particularly about legal pathways to migration and their rights in Mexico. Language barriers, as discrimination and lack of space made accessing shelters difficult, the IRC said, causing many migrants to live on the streets or in makeshift camps. IRC Mexico director Rafael Velasquez noted that Mexico played a key role as migrants crossed the country in the hopes of reaching the United States. Although migrants generally consider areas in south and central Mexico relatively safe, this was not the case at the country's northern border, Velasquez added.

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - A former Venezuelan treasurer, who also served as an aide to late President Hugo Chavez and was convicted in the U.S. of money laundering, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday. A Florida jury in December convicted Diaz, as well as her husband Adrian Velasquez, on two counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in association with a corruption scheme in Venezuela. U.S. District Court Judge William Dimitroulea in Florida sentenced Diaz and her husband, who also received 15 years, on Wednesday, the Justice Department said. Diaz, Velasquez and Gorrin purchased and paid expenses related to private jets, yachts, mansions, champion horses and a designer fashion line in South Florida, prosecutors said. (This story has been refiled to remove an extraneous word in paragraph 4)Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ MLB roundup: Clayton Kershaw blanks Mets, gets 200th win
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +13 min

Martinez hit two home runs in his first multi-homer game with the Dodgers and the 19th of his career. In addition to his milestone win, Kershaw (3-1) also improved to 11-0 in 17 career regular-season starts against the Mets. Mets starter Tylor Megill (3-1) gave up three runs on seven hits over five innings. Bassitt (2-2) allowed three hits and walked one batter while notching five strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Philadelphia chased Lance Lynn (0-2) with one out in the sixth; he allowed five runs on 10 hits, fanning seven.

☆ MLB roundup: Rays tie modern record at 13-0
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Brandon Lowe had two hits, including a home run, and Yandy Diaz also went deep for the Rays. Rays starter Jeffrey Springs was removed after three-plus innings due to ulnar neuritis in his left arm. He struck out five and allowed one run on a homer by Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder. Nick Lodolo (2-0) worked around trouble in the first two innings, scattered eight hits and allowed two runs over five innings. Toronto right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-2) allowed two runs, four hits and three walks while striking out seven in six innings.

☆ MLB roundup: Kodai Senga shines in debut as Mets down Marlins
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

[1/2] Apr 2, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) pitches against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at loanDepot Park. /Rhona Wise-USA TODAY SportsApril 3 - Right-hander Kodai Senga struck out eight batters in his major league debut, leading the New York Mets to a 5-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Sunday afternoon. Marlins starter Trevor Rogers (0-1) lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, two walks and four runs, three earned. He allowed one run on three hits while walking two and striking out six in his first start of the season. Two of Houck's five hits allowed were home runs by Baltimore's Adam Frazier (3-for-4, two RBIs, two runs) and Cedric Mullins (2-for-5, run, three RBIs).

☆ Hacker Stole My Phone, Credit Card, Identity. I Set Out to Find Them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Avery Hartmans | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

They left the Verizon store and went to a nearby Apple store, where they used my Chase credit card to spend $6,370. And two, because a physical credit card had been used to make the purchases, even though I was still in possession of my card. Typically, when your credit card is about to expire, as mine was, the bank sends you a new card a few weeks ahead of time. All told, the gang allegedly stole hundreds of identities and defrauded retailers and credit card companies of $1.3 million. Whoever hacked my identity, it makes sense that they started with my credit card.

☆ Biggest security benefits, risks with new Meta, Twitter verified identity subscriptions
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

As Twitter and Meta Platforms move to paid subscriptions for social media identity verification and security, the battle to stay safe online continues. With social engineering and phishing the primary sources of social media account compromise, it's unlikely verified accounts will actually be more secure. "Twitter is only eliminating the SMS-based two-factor authentication capability, and does offer two additional methods for two-factor authentication that are stronger and more reliable than SMS-based authentication," Ramzan said. When signing on for a social media account, try to give away as little personal information as possible, Buzzard said. Aura recommends social media users disable third-party apps that are connected to their social media accounts.

☆ Meet the British composer living with a rare type of epilepsy that is triggered by music
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Determined to carry on with their love of music, Bec found a way to overcome their condition. Liza Bec, a professional composer, discovered in 2008 that music — the very thing they had devoted their life to — was causing their epilepsy. "It was complete horror," Bec told Insider: "I just thought: 'I'm going to die. A condition that affects one in 10 million peopleLiza Bec, playing their roborecorder. Doctors told Bec they should go on medication and avoid playing music to avoid damaging their brain further.

Identity theft is often a crime of opportunity, so reducing risk goes a long way to protect against identity theft. How to reduce the risk of identity theftEva Velasquez, president of the Identity Theft Resource Center, says it's best to take multiple steps to secure your identity. Editor's Rating 4.6/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.7/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Editor's Rating 4.8/5 A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Learn more On Aura's website Learn more On IDShield's website Learn more On IdentityForce's website1. While this doesn't necessarily prevent identity theft, it does mitigate any potential damages as a result of identity theft. You can report identity theft over the phone; however, you will not receive an identity theft report.

HAVANA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Cubans suffering long lines for food, fuel and medicine now have a new problem: painfully slow internet. "The internet keeps getting worse and worse and we're reaching the point where getting online is becoming impossible for the average Cuban," he said. But getting online can still be a touchy subject. Global internet watchdogs have also said Cuba has restricted internet access during recent protests to suppress coverage of the demonstrations and limit their spread. Cuba's government has since announced another cable project, called Arimao, which aims to connect Cuba to the Caribbean island of Martinique by April.

☆ Colombia cocaine seizures break record in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BOGOTA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Colombia seized more cocaine in 2022 than any other year on record, the South American country's defense ministry reported Saturday. Security forces seized 671 tonnes of the drug last year, surpassing the 2021 total by about 1.7 tonnes. The data showed that Narino, Bolivar and Valle del Cauca provinces were the site of the most seizures last year. The guerilla group National Liberation Army, dissidents from the FARC rebel group and criminal gangs made up of former right-wing paramilitaries have all been implicated in drug trafficking. Cocaine seizures were 505 tonnes in 2020 and 428 tonnes in 2019.

☆ 10 things about ancient Egypt that movies and TV got wrong, according to an expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Marianne Guenot | Carter Thallon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Movies and television shape what people think about ancient Egypt. Here are 10 things that "Moon Knight", "The Mummy", and others got wrong and one they got right. When it comes to ancient Egypt, they can draw the portrait of pharaohs ruling Egypt with an iron fist, cruel torture, and wicked booby-trapped pyramids. "All of the sarcophagi that I've seen in Egypt were made of stone," said Browder, an author of several books on ancient Egypt. The curse that set Imhotep on his murderous path in "The Mummy" has no historical basisIn "The Mummy," Imhotep was mummified alive.

☆ Guatemala summons ambassador in Colombia for consultations in defense minister tussle
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GUATEMALA CITY, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Guatemala summoned its ambassador in Colombia for consultations, Guatemala's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, a day after Colombia did the same in regard to a conflict over Colombia's defense minister. Guatemala on Monday accused Colombian Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez, who led a United Nations anti-corruption unit in the Central American country, of committing illegal acts. Colombian President Gustavo Petro came out to defend the minister, saying he would not accept any "order for the arrest" of Velasquez. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei told Spanish news agency EFE on Tuesday that Velasquez was not facing "criminal prosecution." Arrest warrants were issued for several others as part of the investigation, including former Guatemalan Attorney General Thelma Aldana.

☆ Colombia's plan to replace fighter planes hits a snag
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BOGOTA, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Initial negotiations between Colombia, France's Dassault Aviation (AM.PA) and Sweden's Saab AB (SAABb.ST) to replace part of the South American country's aging air force fleet have collapsed, the defense minister said on Monday. Colombia, which uses about 20 Israeli-made Kfir aircraft purchased three decades ago, has said replacing the planes is a priority so it can continue to defend its territory, fight organized crime and conduct aerial surveillance. There will be continued efforts this year to see if a purchase is possible, Velasquez said. There have been efforts by various Colombian administrations to replace the Kfir planes for at least 12 years, though the change has been stymied by financial limitations. (This story has been refiled to say Swedish instead of Swiss in reference to Saab in paragraph 3)Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta in Caracas Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Guatemala court sentences ex-President Perez, ex-VP in graft case
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Sofia Menchu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Former Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina leaves the courtroom after being found guilty of a corruption case during his administration, at the judicial building, in Guatemala City, Guatemala December 7, 2022. Perez, who was president of Guatemala from 2012 to 2015, has spent the last seven years in prison awaiting a verdict in the case. Baldetti was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison in 2018 in a separate fraud case. Perez was ordered to pay 8.7 million quetzales ($1.10 million) while Baldetti was fined 8.4 million quetzales ($1.06 million) on Wednesday. The case, known as "La Linea," was originally investigated under the now-defunct International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), backed by the United Nations.

☆ In title bout, 'Chocolatito' fights for Nicaragua leader Daniel Ortega
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Drazen Jorgic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Two years later, the wealthy Coen family contracted Gonzalez to promote their Grupo Coen conglomerate in three world title fights in exchange for a house worth $150,000. Gonzalez's relationship with Grupo Coen also fractured. In 2019, he sued Grupo Coen after it refused to pay the boxer, claiming he didn't contest enough world title fights to fullfil his contract. This year, the courts awarded an extra $150,000 to Gonzalez against Grupo Coen, according to court documents seen by Reuters. Grupo Coen declined to comment.

☆ Microsoft's latest data on hacks and why you may need new login, passwords fast
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Cheryl Winokur Munk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

That's a 74% rise in one year, according to the latest Microsoft Digital Defense Report. But many people still rely on passwords, and don't even use the two-factor authentication now considered critical. "As long as passwords are still part of the equation, they're vulnerable," Joy Chik, Microsoft's vice president of identity, wrote in a September 2021 company blog post. Based on a sample of more than 39 million IoT and OT devices, about 20% used identical usernames and passwords, according to the Microsoft report. Even if a provider doesn't require it to be used, multi-factor authentication is a valuable security tool that's underutilized, according to security professionals.

☆ Climate protesters campaign by throwing food at art, but does that work?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Leila Sackur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

From cake smeared over the “Mona Lisa" to soup splashed over “Sunflowers,” recent climate protests at art galleries have grabbed international headlines but also raise questions about the effectiveness of these high-profile guerrilla tactics. But he said that war in Ukraine, the cost of living and energy crises had added urgency to the protests. While politicians have taken note of the protests, they have tended to criticize the way they have been carried out. Attacking defenseless works of art is not the right way,” Gunay Uslu, the Dutch culture and media minister tweeted Thursday. “What we’ve seen from Extinction Rebellion and other climate activist groups is that they’re very prepared to go to prison,” he said.

Rosa Rivera, 31, and her partner, Guillermo Cuero, faced a difficult choice when it came to protecting their 8-month-old baby, 9-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son. Rosa Rivera said her son had asked her, “Mama, are we going to die?”Jennifer Rosa Rivera, her partner and their three children at a wedding a few days before Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida. Courtesy Rosa RiveraThe family lost nearly all of its possessions, including two cars that were submerged up to their windows. For many families, life in Florida was an escape from other climate disasters or extreme violence and poverty. “He lost absolutely everything,” Rosa Rivera said.

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