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‘Inverse Vaccines’: The Promise of a ‘Holy Grail’ Treatment for Autoimmune Diseases (Maria)
The author writes, “Autoimmune diseases affect as many as 800 million people around the world — around one in 10 of us. From multiple sclerosis and lupus to type one diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, these conditions all share a common trait: the body’s own immune system turns against itself. Current treatments aim to suppress that response, but dialing down the entire immune system comes at a steep cost: it leaves patients vulnerable to other illnesses. … A revolution is now underfoot: researchers are developing a new approach that targets only the specific part of the immune system that’s gone rogue.”
A ‘Trump Card Visa’ Is Already Showing Up in Immigration Forms (Reader Jim)
From Wired: “Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has started rolling out digital infrastructure for a new golden visa immigration program, according to sources familiar with the matter, public records, and tests conducted by Wired. The White House has yet to formally announce the initiative, but some US permanent residents and foreign visitors are already being asked if they have applied for a ‘Trump Card Visa.’”
In Montana, a Rare Sight: Republicans and Democrats Voting Together (Al)
The author writes, “In deep-red Montana, Republicans have controlled both houses of the Legislature since 2011, and the governor’s office since 2021. They ousted the last remaining Democratic statewide official, former Senator Jon Tester, in November. Which has made it all the more aggravating for conservative lawmakers to find themselves effectively in the minority this year. After an intraparty dispute in January, nine Republican state senators began breaking with their caucus on key votes, siding with the 18 Democrats in the 50-person chamber. The result: a 27-person majority that has all but locked Republican leaders out of power.”
AP Photos: Many in Gaza Face Malnutrition and Hunger as Blockade Enters Its Third Month (DonkeyHotey)
From the Associated Press: “Malnutrition and hunger are becoming increasingly prevalent in the Gaza Strip as Israel’s total blockade enters its third month. A shortage of food and supplies has driven the territory toward starvation, according to aid agencies. Supplies to treat and prevent malnutrition are depleted and quickly running out as documented cases of malnutrition rise.
Who Has the Right to Decide What Happens on Indigenous Lands? (Laura)
The author writes, “Today, it’s not just oil companies knocking at communities’ doors. Mining — legal and illegal — has exploded in the Ecuadorian Amazon and beyond. Indigenous lands hold more than half of the world’s minerals used in low carbon and modern-day technologies like computers and cell phones. Those lands also are home to more than a third of the world’s remaining intact forests, and conservation efforts have emerged as another threat. Some carbon schemes and national parks have had links to forced displacements and other human rights violations. In theory, FPIC acts as a safeguard against these and other abuses. But in practice, Indigenous leaders and outside experts say governments frequently carry out performative meetings, with rushed or bare-bones presentations made to select representatives.”
The Blue Jays Are in Seattle. But the Canadians, Not as Much (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “As President Donald Trump has opened a bitter feud with Canada — hamstringing its economy with tariffs and threatening, incessantly, to turn it into the 51st state — something as innocent as a night at the ballpark has been caught up in the cultural and political battles roiling both nations.”
The Beef Bandits of Nicetown: Inside the Biggest Cargo Theft Ring in Modern Philadelphia History (Dana)
From Philadelphia Magazine: “Snow crab legs. Chicken wings. Thousands of pounds of beef. Since 2022, Philadelphia has experienced an unprecedented surge in cargo theft, one that flooded nightly newscasts and social media accounts. That is, until Philly police and the Department of Justice cracked the case.”
