Transcript

8.7.25 · Washington Post

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Speaker 1: Welcome for the reading Today's Washington Post. It is Thursday,
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August the seventh of twenty twenty five. Your reader is
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Alis Dainer, with the reminder that radioize a service for
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those blind or with other difficulties in being able to
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hold or read printed material. So I'll start off with
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the front page of Today's Washington Post. Its motto is
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democracy dies in darkness. On the left side, criticism on
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human rights is set to ease. Draft reports on Russia, Israel,
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l Salvador shows softest dances from US that Adam Taylor,
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Hannah Nattison, and John Hudson. Now I think if I
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said on the right, I'm wrong, it's on the left
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because in the middle between the right and the left
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is a picture of Japan marking eight decades since the
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atomic bombing, and there are lanterns floating on a river
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in Hiroshima, Japan, on Wednesday, during commemorations for the eightieth
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anniversary of the United States atomic bombing of the city
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during World War II. It was followed days later by
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detonation over Nagasaki. The bombings, the only uses of a
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nuclear weapon in war, precipitated the conflicts end the next month.
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And these lanterns are big squares with candles in them,
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and they are red and orange and yellow and green.
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And you see a bridge in the background and a
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gentleman putting one on the water to float. On the
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right hand side, Trump putin to meet on Ukraine, President hopeful,
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short on details. Zelenski Kremlin must not to see us
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or Kiev by Robin Dixon and Natalie Allison. Below the
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picture of the Hiroshima lanterns on the left side of
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the picture. Fight over Texas's map has gone nationwide. Politicians
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in both parties pushed for new partisan tactics in redistricting
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by Hannah Knowles and to the right of that, Trump
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revisits vow of safe and beautiful, d c his throat
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of a threat of a takeover followers order stepping up
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federal law enforcement by Natalie Allison and Olivia George. And
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at the very bottom of the front page on the left,
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after ten years, this actor still tells Hamilton's story. The
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last original cast member of the Broadway hit just About
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lives in the Room where it happens by Hannah Sampson
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and to the right of that, Lithium a potential key
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in treating Alzhemer's research showing role of metal and brain
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function could yield new therapies. And we will begin with
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US plans to ease human rights criticism of El Salvador, Israel, Russia.
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Leaked draft reports so that Trump administration is planning to
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eliminate or downplay accounts of prisoner abuse, corruption, LGBTQ plus discrimination,
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and other alleged abuses. The administration says the reports are
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shorter for readability. And there's a picture of President Trump
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in the Oval Office hosting El Salvador's president, Yaid Bukili,
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who is on the the President's right, with the Vice
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President and Secretary of State on a sofa. And this
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picture was in April by Adam Taylor, Hannah Nattison, and
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John Hudson. Leaked drafts of the State Department's long delayed
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annual human Rights reports indicate that the Trump administration intends
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to dramatically scale back US government criticism of certain foreign
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nations with extensive records of abuse. The draft human rights
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reports for El Salvador, Israel, and Russia, copies of which
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were reviewed by The Washington Post, are significantly shorter than
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the ones prepared last year by the Biden administration. They
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strike all references to LGBTQ plus individuals or crimes against them,
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and the descriptions of government abuses that do remain have
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been softened. The draft report for El Salvadoor, which at
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the Trump Administration's urging, has agreed to incarcerate migrants deported
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from the US, states that the country had no credible
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reports of significant human rights abuses in twenty twenty four.
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The State Department's previous report for L Salvador, documenting twenty
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twenty three, identified significant human rights issues there, including government
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sanctioned killings, instances of torture, and harsh and life threatening
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prison conditions. Several of Venezuelans whom the Trump administration sent
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to a Salvador in prison said they were subjected to
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repeated beatings. The leaked draft reports for L Savador, Israel,
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and Russia underscore how the Trump administration is radically rethinking
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America's role in global human rights advocacy. The documents also
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are consistent with internal guidance circulated earlier this year by
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State Department leaders, who advise staff to truncate the reports
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to the minimum required by statutory guidelines and executive orders
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signed by President Donald Trump and to remove references to
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government corruption, gender based crimes, and other abuses the US
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government historically has documented. The State Department declined to address
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questions about the documents reviewed by The Post. The twenty
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twenty four Human Rights Report has been restructured in a
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way that removes redundancies, increases report readability, and it's more
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responsive to the legislative mandate that underpends the report, a
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senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity
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to Breath the News media said Wednesday, adding the Human
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Rights Report focuses on core issues. This official or said
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the Trump administration will bring a new focus to some issues,
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including backsliding on freedom of expression in some countries allied
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with the United States, even as the administration has itself
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faced criticism on free speech grounds for seeking to deport
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foreignas studying in the US who have criticized Israel's conduct
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in Gaza. U S diplomats have complied or compiled the
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State Department's annual Human Rights Reports for almost fifty years.
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Their findings are considered the most thorough and wide ranging
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of their kind and are routinely relied upon by courts.
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Inside and outside the United States. The human rights reports
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are congressionally mandated to be sent to lawmakers by the
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end of February. Public release typically happens in March or April.
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The State Department is yet to officially release this year's reports,
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which covers actively vities and observations made in twenty twenty four.
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Current and former US officials say most of this year's
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reports were nearly completed when the Bad administration transitioned out
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in January. The drafts for El Salvador and Russia are
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marked finalized, while the draft for Israel is marked quality check.
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All re dited in the past few days, the document showed.
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It is unclear whether the reports eventually transmitted to Congress
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and released at the public will mirror the drafts. The
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internal guidance circulated by State Department leaders earlier this year,
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instructed diplomats responsible for drafting reports to remove references to
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numerous potential human rights violations, including governments that had deported
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people to a country where they could face torture, crimes
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that involve violence against DELBGTQ plus people, and government corruption.
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The internal guidance was written by Samuel Sampson, a Trump
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political appointee at the State Department. Samson, initially little known
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in Fargy Bottom, attracted attention for writing an article for
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the agency's substack in May criticizing Europe for what he
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alleged was the countenance to sent into a hotpad of
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digital censorship, mass migration, restrictions on religious freedom, and numerous
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other assaults on democratic self governance. Samson was tasked with
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reviewing the country reports for Alsavador, Israel, and Russia. While
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three reports continued to describe human rights abuses in those countries,
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each was riddled down considerably from a year before, and
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all by significant changes to the language used to describe
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alleged abuses. The draft prepared for Israel for instances twenty
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five pages long. Last year's report was more more than
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one hundred pages. Meanwhile, a comparison of the documents covering
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Al Salvador shows the Trump administration downplaying the country's history
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of prison violence, emphasizing that there has been a reduction overall,
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while stating that purported deaths were under government review. Trump
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has expressed fondness for Al Salvador's president, Nayab Bukili, and
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hosted him in the Oval office. This year after the
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administration secured an agreement to deport people to the country's
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notorious Sea Cut Mega prison. That's Capital C, Capital E,
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Capital C, Capital O, Capital T Mega Prison. The Salvadorian
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embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to her request
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for comment. Scrutiny of corruption and judicial independence also is
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significantly scaled back in the draft report for Israel. The
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re report compiled by the Biden administration addresses the corruption
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trial of Prime Minister of Benjamin Natinyahu, another of Trump's
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international allies and judicial overhaul efforts, which critics say threatened
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the independence of the country's judiciary. The Trump Administration's draft
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report for Israel makes no mention of corruption or threats
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to the independence of Israel's judiciary. Previous human rights reports
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also have mentioned Israeli's surveillance of Palestinians and restrictions of
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their movement, including an Amnesty International finding of Israel's use
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of an experimental facial recognition system to track Palestinians and
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enforced movement restrictions. This issue is not addressed in the
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draft report either. The Israeli government did not immediately respond
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to a request for comment, and there is a picture
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of President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Knight
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Netting Yahu in the White House in April. Both have
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on blue suits. The presidents is a little bluer than
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Netti Yahoo's. Both have on red ties and its perfect
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alliance with this gentleman in military uniform with a pea
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coat of the same color or in between the colors
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of the President and net nahus with the American flag
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with the red and white stripes matching their ties. The
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draft reports examined by the Post contained no reference to
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gender based violence or violence against LGBTQ plus people. Kiefer Buckingham,
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who worked on these issues at the State Department until January,
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said it was a jarring omission in the case of Russia,
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where the country Supreme Court had banned LGBTQ plus organizations
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and labeled them extremist with raids and rests last year.
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The Russian embassy did not immediately respond to her request
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for comment. Buckingham chased Secretary of State Mark or Rubio, who,
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as a US Senator for many years, was a vocal
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defender of human rights. Secretary of Rubio has repeatedly asserted
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that his State Department has not abandoned human rights, but
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it is clear by this and other actions that this
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administration only cares about the human rights of some people
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in some countries when it's convenient to them, said Buckingham,
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who now works as Managing director at the Council for
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Global Equality. During his time on the Senate FIM Relations Committee,
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Rubio praised the State Department's annual human rights reports in
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twenty twelve. He said that the world has been a
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better place for two centuries because America has strived to
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defend these fundamental human rights, both at home and god.
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The State Department's annual Human Rights Report sheds light on
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foreign government's failure to respect their citizens' fundamental rights, Rubio
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said in a statement, then adding that it was important
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for the world to know that the United States will
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stand with freedom seeking people around the world and will
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not tolerate violations against their human rights. U S officials
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have repeatedly pointed to a speech given by Trump during
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a visit to the Middle East in May as an
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example of the new way Washington relates to the world,
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with an emphasis on sovereignty over universal rights. Speaking riad
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Saudi Arabia, Trump had criticized Western interventionists given you lectures
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and how to live or how to govern your own affairs.
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The shift of the US role in promoting human rights
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has coincided with the change in the US promotion of democracy.
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In a cable sent in July, Rubio instructed diplomats to
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no longer publicly comment on other countries' elections, including making
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an assessment of whether the election was free and fair,
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unless there is a clear and compelling US foreign policy
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interest to do so. MOUD was a shift from long
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standing US practice even under Rubio himself. The Secretary has
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personally congratulated world leaders in Trinidad and Tobago, as well
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as Ecuador for conducting free and flair elections since January.
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Last month, the Trump administration tightened sanctions from Brazilian Supreme
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Federal Court Justice Andre de Moraes, stepping up a feud
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with the Brazilian government for the prosecution of former president
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Heir Bolsonaro A Trumpella for his alleged role in violent
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coup plot in twenty twenty two. In announcing those sanctions,
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the U. S Treasury Department invoked the Magnitsky Act, a
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law that allows the American government to impose penalties on
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foreign nationals accused of corruption and human rights violations. In
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a statement, Ribio said that Maras had committed serious human
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rights abuse, including arbitrary detention involving flagrant denials of fair
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trial guarantees and violations of the freedom of expression. Maray
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says said that the court will not yield to foreign pressure,
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but on Wednesday eased some house arrests restrictions on Bolsonaro
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and next article. Trump and Putin planned meeting on Ukraine
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as early as next week. It was unclear whether Putin
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offered Trump any concessions in exchange for a meeting, but
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it would be a significant win for Putin after weeks
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of Trump's verbal attacks. And there is a picture of
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Special and Boy Steve Whitkoff meeting with Russian President Vladimir
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Putin at the Kremlin on August six. It is by
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Robin Dixon and Natalie Allison. President Donald Trump intends to
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meet very soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss
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the war in Ukraine, the President said, adding that he
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believes there's a very good chance of reaching an agreement.
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It was unclear, however, whether Putin had offered any concessions
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to Trump in exchange for a meeting, which a White
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House official said could come as early as next week.
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A meeting between the two leaders would be significant win
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for Putin after weeks of Trump's verbal attacks on him.
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Trump repeatedly has said that while he and Putin had
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good conversations, those are followed by renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine.
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Asked by reporters at a White House event, if Putin
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had offered anything in return for the meeting this time,
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Trump offered no specific saying only that we had very
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productive talks today. I've been disappointed before with this one,
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Trump noted, But he said, we're having very serious talks
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right now about getting it settled, getting it ended. Trump's
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openness to meeting with Putin came after a meeting earlier
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in the day in Moscow between Putin and the President's
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Special envoy, Steve Whitkoff. In an interview on Fox Business,
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that as a result
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of Witkoff's meeting, I think, for the first time, perhaps
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since this administration began, we have some concrete examples of
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the kinds of things that Russia would ask for in
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order to end the war. Now, they may not be
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the conditions Ukraine can accept, or frankly that others would accept,
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but at least we have something to work off of,
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he said, adding I've always believed, I've always said this,
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if there's going to be a deal to end this war,
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it will have to require the President to come in
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at the end and close on it. Typically, summit meetings
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take place to seal agreements that have been worked out
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by lower level officials. Trump have has long believed in
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his ability to personally negotiate agreements. Skeptics of Trump's approach
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warned that Putin could take advantage of Trump's eagerness to
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reach a deal and use a face to face meeting
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to enlist US in putting pressure on Ukrainian President Vlodimir
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Zelensky to make major concessions to Moscow. It seems that
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Russia is now more committed to a ceasefire. The pressure
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on them is working, but the main thing is that
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they do not deceive us or the United States in
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the details, Zelensky said during a scheduled appearance a Ukrainian television.
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A meeting with Trump is something Putin always wanted, without
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anything being agreed, said Leona Fix, a specialist in European
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security policy and Russia at the Council on Foreign Relations.
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I'm pretty skeptical, Vic said about a lot of a
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meeting is always a victory for the Russian side, a
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very successful diversion for him from the moment of pressure
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that was building up. Vix added, Ukraine's European allies have
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tried to persuade Trump to keep up pressure on Putin,
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but they won't be present at a summit meeting. She noted.
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The idea always was to this summit, especially between Trump
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and Putin, would be the crowning act of a campaign
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to put Putin under pressure, Vic said. Russian opposition figure
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Gary Gasparoff offered a harsher assessment, writing in a social
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media post that the agreement to meet was part of
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a process of normalizing and elevating Putin, offering him concessions
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and lifelines that only embolden him to further aggression. The
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announcement of a possible Trump Putin meeting capta day of
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mixed signals. Trump praised Whitcoff's meeting with Putin, writing on
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his social media platform that the session was highly productive
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and that great progress was made. Several hours after Whitcock
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met Putin, however, Trump doubled tariffs on India to fifty percent,
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moving on his earlier threat to impose penalties on trading
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partners that have helped sustain the Russian economy and the
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Kremlin's war machine, especially by continuing to buy Russian oil.
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Trump's executive auto announcing the new tariffs stated that Russia's
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actions continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to
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the national security and foreign policy of the United States
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through its war on Ukraine, and that India is directly
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or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil. He ordered the increases
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in tariffs on India to take effect in three weeks,
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once more providing a window of several more weeks for
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some kind of deal, but the delay also allows more
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time for Russian forces to advance in Ukraine. In addition
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to hitting India, Trump's orders said the US could increase
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tariffs from other countries buying oil from Moscow, such as China,
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another major importer of Russian oil. At the White House
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event Wednesday, Trump said he might add additional countries to
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the sanctions list in coming weeks. The Talks between with
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Coff and Putin began shortly before midday Moscow time and
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ended around two forty pm, according to the Kremlin. Earlier,
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with Cough and Koreo Dmitriev, the head of the Russian
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Sovereign Wealth Fund, visited a restaurant in Karayadi Park near
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the Krimlin, where they spent about ninety minutes before visiting
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an observation deck overlooking the Moscow River. State run Ria
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Novasi reported. After the meeting, Dmitriyev described the talks as successful,
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adding dialogue will prevail and a post on x instead
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of a full truce that Trump has demanded for months.
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Putin was reportedly considering a partial cease fire, possibly by
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ending the missiles and drone attacks Russia has ramped up
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against Ukrainian cities in recent months. More than sixty seven
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hundred Ukrainian citizens have been killed in the first half
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of this year, according to the United Nations. Last week,
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Trump described Russia's attacks on Ukraine as disgusting and a
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dist but there were no immediate indications from either side
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about whether Pudin tried to deflect the sanctions on Russia's
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trading partners by offering a partial ceasefire. A partial truce
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might have halted the deadly attacks on civilians, but would
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not prevent Russia from advancing in eastern Ukraine, where it
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has been making slow but steady progress, gaining eight hundred
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and eighty six square miles from the end of December
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to the end of June, according to data from the
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Institute for the Study of War think tank. It also
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would have neutered Ukraine's most effective tool in the war,
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drone attacks on key Russian military facilities, including strategic air bases, bombers, spyplanes,
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oil refineries, fuel and ammunition storage facilities, and factories associated
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with military production. On Saturday, Ukrainian drone attacks hit two
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major Russian oil refinereries. Writers reported the Razian oil refinery,
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operated by Rosneff Oil Company has halved its refining capacities
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since the attack, and the company's novak Ubisi Hikobiv refinery
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shut down. Ukraine is a disadvantage in ground fighting because
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of chronic shortages of soldiers and weapons, another reason the
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partial ceasefire could benefit Russia. With Witkoff in Moscow, rescuers
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in Ukraine were responding to a Russian strike on a
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civilian recreation center in the Zipuriazivia region. They killed two
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people and injured twelve. According to Zelensky, there is zero
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military sense in this strike, just cruelty aimed at instilling fear.
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Zelensky posted on ESKS. In Ukraine's Odessa region, a Russian
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strike on a natural gas facility left hundreds of families
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without fuel. He said, Russia consistently claims that all IT
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strikes target military facilities. No matter what the Grimlin says,
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they will only genuinely seek to end the war once
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they feel adequate pressure, Zelensky said, And right now it
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is very important to strengthen all the lovers in the
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arsenal of the United States, Europe and the G seven
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so that a ceasefire truly comes into effect immediately. Ukraine
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sees the political will, appreciates the efforts of our partners
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of America and of everyone who is helping, and we
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are counting on the necessary decisions to follow. Before Wednesday, Ritkoff,
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as Trump's semessary, had met putin four times whereout denting
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the Russian let us maximalist conditions to halt attacks. Despite
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numerous concessions put forward by Washington, including keeping Ukraine of
27:00
NATO and enabling Russia to continue to occupy the territory
27:04
it has illegally annexed. But little progress has been made,
27:09
with Putin successfully deflecting US pressure for a ceasefire, arguing
27:14
that the matter is too complex to be solved quickly,
27:18
and insisting that Russia would keep fighting. The most recent
27:22
direct talks between Russia and Ukraine took place last month
27:26
in Istanbul and appeared to last less than an hour,
27:30
with both sides agreeing on a prisoner exchange, while their
27:33
positions on a ceasefire remained far apart. Whitkov has been
27:38
criticized in the past for echoing Krimlin rhetoric, appearing not
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to know details about the conflict, attending lengthy meetings with
27:46
Putin and other top Russian officials alone, and relying on
27:49
a Kremlin supplied interpreter. Despite Trump's criticism of Russia's apparent
27:55
delaying tactics, Putin said last week that any disappointment over
27:59
peace Peast negotiations was due to excessive expectations, reiterating that
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Russia's conditions haven't changed. Trump is stepped back from direct
28:10
military support for Ukraine, but said last month that the
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US will still will sell weapons to NATO countries, including
28:19
air defense systems and interceptors, which they could then send
28:23
to Ukraine. Crane has for months called for tougher sanctions
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on Russia to press Putin to end the war. Andre Yermak,
28:32
head of Ukraine's presidential office, wrote in The Washington Post
28:36
on Monday that sanctions need to target Russia's military industrial complex,
28:41
block major Russian bank Gazprominc. And prevent dual news electronics
28:49
from reaching Russia. Trump's decision last week to raise tariffs
28:55
on India for purchasing Russian oil above the price capu
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early rattle the Kremlin. It's a great first step. More
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pressure is needed, Yrmak said russia Threatened sanctions could impose
29:14
a significant challenge to Russia, which is defending about forty
29:19
percent of its state budget on its military and security
29:23
amande a sharp decline in revenue from oil. Although the
29:27
Kremlin appears confident that it could withstand new sanctions, its
29:31
economy is under intense pressure from the wall, with high
29:34
interest rates bankrupting small businesses, regions struggling with higher expenditures
29:40
or military recruitment and manufacturing suffering a decline. The Zvestia
29:46
newspaper reported Tuesday that nearly one hundred and forty one
29:50
thousand Russian businesses were liquidated in the first six months
29:54
of the year. Western sanctions include capping oil prices its
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SL sixty dollars, a barrow for crude designed to barrow
30:03
companies from trading and transporting Russian oil above the price cap.
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Russia has weathered sanctioned so far through oil sales mainly
30:13
to China and India. Evading was dictions via a shadow
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fleet of several one hundred aging oil tankers with olpaiic
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ownership and registration details flags from countries with lax regulations.
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Sanctions on oil tankers have proved relatively successful, analysis say,
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with the Key School of Economics reporting in June that
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the US, European Union, Britain and Canada had sanctioned a
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total of four hundred and ninety six tankers, but it is
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said there was scope for better enforcement, with one hundred
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and thirty five sanctioned tankers recorded to have taken shipments
30:52
at Russian points between March and May. I'm sure all
30:58
of us have known people affected by Alzheimer's. I look
31:03
forward to reading this article. Research on reversing Alzheimer's reveals
31:09
lithium as potential key. Years of investigation by scientists at
31:14
Harvard has revealed that lithium is deeply involved in Alzheimer's disease,
31:20
of finding that could lead to new treatments. By Mark Johnson,
31:26
several seven years of investigation by scientists at Harvard Medical
31:31
School has revealed that the loss of the metal lithium
31:36
plays a powerful role in Alzheimer's disease, of finding that
31:41
could lead to earlier detection, new treatments, and a broader
31:45
understanding of how the brain ages. Researches led about Bruce A. Yankner,
31:52
a professor of genetics and neurology at Harvard Medical School,
31:56
reported that they were able to reverse the disease in
31:59
MYCA and restore brain function with small amounts of the
32:03
compound lithium orotate enough to mimic the metal's natural level
32:09
in the brain. Their study appeared Wednesday in the journal Nature.
32:16
The obvious impact is that because lithium orientate is dirt cheap,
32:23
hopefully we will get rigorous randomized trials testing this very
32:28
very quickly, said mac Claberline, former director of the Healthy
32:33
Aging and Longevity Research Institute at the University of Washington,
32:38
who did not participate in the study, and I would
32:41
say that it would be an embarrassment to the Alzheimer's
32:44
clinical community if that doesn't happen right away. Yankner, who
32:50
is also the co director of the Paul F. Glenn
32:53
Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard, said, I
32:58
do not recommend that people take lithium at this point
33:01
because it has not been validated as a treatment in humans.
33:06
We always have to be cautious because things can change
33:09
as you go from mice to humans. He added that
33:13
the findings still need to be validated by other labs.
33:17
Although there have been recent breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer's,
33:21
no medication has succeeded in stopping or reversing the disease
33:26
that afflicts more than seven million Americans, a number projected
33:30
to reach to almost thirteen million by twenty fifty according
33:34
to the Alzheimer's Association. Lithium is widely prescribed for patients
33:40
with bipolar disorder, and previous research indicated that it held
33:45
potential as an Alzheimer's treatment and an anti aging medication.
33:51
A twenty seventeen study in Denmark suggests that the presence
33:54
of lithium in drinking water might be associated with the
33:58
lower incidence of However, the new work is the first
34:03
to describe the specific roles that lithium plays in the brain,
34:08
its influence on all of the brain's major cell types,
34:12
and the effect that its deficiency later in life has
34:16
on aging. Results of the study by Yankner's lab and
34:21
researchers at Boston Children's Hospital and the Rush Alzheimer's Disease
34:26
Center in Chicago also suggests that measuring lithium levels might
34:32
help doctors screen people for signs of Alzheimer's years before
34:36
the first symptoms begin to appeal. Yanknes said doctors might
34:41
be able to measure lithium levels in the cerebralbrospinal fluid
34:45
or blood or through brain imaging. How our brains use lithium.
34:53
In a healthy brain, lithium maintains the connections and communication
34:58
lines that allow neuron to talk with one another. The
35:02
metal also helps form the myelin that coats and insulates
35:06
the communication lines and helps microgeal cells clear cellular debris
35:12
that can impede brain function. In normal aging mice lithium
35:19
promotes good memory function in normal aging humans. Hihlithium levels
35:25
also correspond to memory function. Yaikno said the depletion of
35:31
lithium in the brain plays a role in most of
35:34
the deterioration. In several most models of Alzheimer's disease, loss
35:40
of lithium accelerations of developmental Loss of lithium accelerates the
35:46
development of harmful clumps of protein almaloid beta and tangles
35:52
of the protein tar that resemble the structures found in
35:55
people with Alzheimer's. Emyloid plaques and taut tangles disrupt communication
36:01
between nerve cells. The plaque in turn under mine lithium
36:07
by trapping it, weakening its ability to help the brain function.
36:13
Lithium depletion is involved in other destructive processes of Alzheimer's
36:18
decay of brain synopsis, damage to the myelind that protects
36:22
nerve fibers, and reduced capacity of microgeal cells to break
36:27
down anyloid plaques. Lithium's persasive role comes despite the fact
36:34
that our brains contain only a small amount of it.
36:38
After examining more than five hundred human brains from rush
36:41
and to other brain banks, Yankner's team discovered the naturally
36:46
occurring lithium in the brain is one thousand times less
36:51
than the lithium provided in medications to treat bipolar disorder.
36:57
Lee hu eat Si, director of the pick gaua Institute
37:02
for Learning and Memory, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and
37:07
who was not involved in the study, called it very exciting,
37:11
especially when many in the field, including our own lab,
37:14
have focused on genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's, Tasai said,
37:21
who is also a PICAR Professor of neuroscience. But clearly
37:25
genetic risk factors are not the only things. There are
37:29
a lot of people walking around carrying these risk genes,
37:32
but they are not affected by Alzheimer's disease. I feel
37:36
this study provides a very important piece of the puzzle
37:41
pathways for treatment. Alzheimer's. Treatments mostly help to manage symptoms
37:48
and sloth the decline it causes in thinking and functioning.
37:52
I do Khanubab, Lanta Khanumab, and Dona nnebob all lab
37:58
made antibodies bind to the harmful amyloid plaques and help
38:03
remove them. The nons appeal rivasimine and I glantamine all
38:09
in the class of medications known as cholestrices. Inhibitors worked
38:15
by replenishing a chemical messenger called aceticchlonine, which is diminished
38:20
in Alzheimer's. Aciticlonine plays an important role in memory, muscle movement,
38:27
and attention. Yankna and his team found that when they
38:31
gave otherwise healthy mice a reduced lithium diet, the mice
38:36
lost brain synopsis and began to lose memory. We found
38:41
that when we administered lithium orotate to aging mice that
38:46
had started losing their memory, the lithium orotate actually reverted
38:51
their memory to the young adult six months level. He said.
38:56
Lithium orotate helped the mice reduce production of the amyloid
39:00
plaques and tall tangles and allowed the microgeal cells to
39:05
move the plaques much more efficiently, allowed the geo microgeo
39:12
cells to remove remove the plaques much more effectively. Yankness said.
39:17
One factor that might help lithium rotate reach clinical trials
39:21
sooner is the small amount of the treatment needed, which
39:25
could rate greatly reduce the risk of harmful side effects
39:29
such as kidney dysfunction and thyroid toxicity. Aside from its
39:35
potential in treating Alzheimer's Yankness said lithium rotate might have
39:40
implications for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, an area his
39:45
lab is investigating that needs to be rigorously examined, he said.
39:52
But we're looking at a whole slew of disorders. Trump
39:58
vowed to make DC's and beautiful. Here's what's happened. An
40:04
order by Trump has led to stepped up federal law
40:07
enforcement in DC, including many arrests for low level offenses.
40:13
The White House says that has cut crime that Natalie
40:18
Allison and Olivia George. When a young man pulled out
40:22
a marijuana joined in Logan's Circle Park and proceeded to
40:26
smoke it on a bench one evening last month, three
40:30
law enforcement officers quickly appeared, handcuffed him, and took him away.
40:36
The officers were with the US Park Police, and they
40:39
were there to enforce one of Donald President Donald Trump's
40:43
executive orders making the District of Columbia safe and beautiful.
40:49
The man was one of four people arrested that evening
40:52
in Logan and dupart Circle Parks, both of which are
40:56
federal land. The other three were charged with possession of
41:00
open containers of alcohol. The arrest, which generated outrage from
41:06
some residents, were among the latest operations that White House
41:10
officials say are part of an effort to improve the
41:14
quality of life in the nation's capital, a city Trump
41:17
has derided as a dirty, crime ridden death trap and
41:22
pledged to turn around. Trump amplified the campaign Tuesday, sharing
41:27
a photo of a blooded young man who he said
41:31
had been beaten by local thugs. People familiar with the
41:35
incident identified the victim as Edward correstein a proge of
41:41
Elin Musk under former US Doege Service staffer, Trump wrote
41:46
on social truth that if DC doesn't get its act
41:51
together and quickly, we will have no choice but to
41:54
take federal control of the city. Violent crime in d
41:58
C has been on the decline starting last year, part
42:02
of a nationwide drop that brought murder rates nationwide to
42:06
their lowest level in decades in twenty twenty four. In DC,
42:11
the drop in crime reversed to sharp spike in killings
42:15
in rapperies that in twenty twenty three rendered the nation's
42:18
capital one of America's deadliest cities, prompt in Congress to
42:23
black revisions to the city's criminal code that all makers
42:26
said were too permissive. On the campaign trail, Trump made
42:31
the city a symbol of dysfunction. The crime rate has
42:35
continued this year, both nationally and in the city. The
42:41
crime drop has continued this year, both nationally and in
42:46
the city. In DC, assaults with a dangerous weapon, for example,
42:51
have fallen by nineteen percent year to date compared with
42:55
twenty twenty four, and ropperies have fallen about thirty nine percent,
42:59
according to police data. There have been fourteen fewer homicides. Still,
43:06
ninety eight people have been killed citywide so far this year,
43:10
including a congressional intern killed by a straight bullet on
43:14
a downtown street and a three year old struck while
43:17
on the backseat of a car with her family. White
43:21
House officials say Trump's executive order targeting crime and vacancy
43:26
has led to improvements across the city, despite complaints from
43:31
some residents who say the administration is going after non
43:35
violent offenders. Officials defended arrests like those in Logan and
43:39
DuPont circles as key to remaking the capitol into what
43:43
Trump has envisioned. A spokesperson for DC Police referred to
43:50
the Mayor's office for comment, but a senior member of
43:54
the police Department, speaking on the condition of anonymity given
43:58
the sensitivity of the district's relationship with federal agencies, said
44:03
that significant decreases in crime are because of the hard
44:07
work and dedication of m p D the Metropolitan Police Department,
44:14
and have a little to do with the recent law
44:17
enforcement action. DC Mayor mural E Bowser, Democrat, has faced
44:26
pressure to accommodate Trump on several fronts. Earlier this year,
44:30
the mayor ordered the removal of the back of the
44:33
Downtown Black Lives Matter Plaza, painted after the twenty twenty
44:38
killing of George Floyd, a decision Bowser's hinted was made
44:43
to preserve federal funding the Jackhamering to remove the plaza's
44:47
yellow painted bricks was the most viserable sign of Trump's
44:51
impact on the city upon his return to office, despite
44:56
his repeated comments threatening to take over d C. However,
45:02
Trump and Bowser have shared a more positive relationship than
45:05
during his first term in the White House, with Bowser
45:09
telling The Washington Post that her administration welcomes the closer
45:13
partnership with federal agencies to tamp down on crime. The
45:19
federal effort has included an increase in the address of
45:23
undocumented immigrants in this city, more crime enforcement on the
45:27
transit systems and in other public places, the coordinated cleanup
45:32
of parks and monuments, and the clearing of homeless encampments.
45:36
According to that of the White House shared with the
45:38
Post as an update on its initiative, much of the
45:43
work has dimmed from a DC's Safe and Beautiful Task Force,
45:47
created by Executive Order in March, which is sought to
45:51
ensure increased law enforcement patrols, graffiti cleanups, and prosecutions of crime.
45:58
With all the large scale events happening in DC this summer,
46:02
the increased focus and support from the task Force has
46:06
allowed IMPD to be focused on driving down crime in
46:10
our neighborhoods while partners assist on federal properties. Vowsas said
46:15
in a statement, we appreciate the collaboration with federal partners,
46:20
and we will continue working together on our shared priority
46:24
of keeping dcs safe and beautiful. A White House official,
46:29
speaking on the condition of anonimnity to describe private interactions,
46:34
characterize the White House's relationship vows of this term as
46:39
respectful and highly productive. White House deployed more federal offices
46:45
in d C. The task force established by Trump's order
46:49
includes representatives from the Departments of the Interior, Transportation, and
46:54
Homeland Security, as well as the FBI, the US Marshal Service,
46:59
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the
47:04
U S Attorney's offices for d C, Maryland, and the
47:07
Eastern District of Virginia. The group has met four times,
47:11
with its next meeting set for August thirteenth. A key
47:15
component of the executive order involves putting more federal law
47:20
enforcement officers around d c's parks, monuments, and museums. It
47:24
also instructed the Interior Department to develop a beautification plan
47:29
for areas in the district, including restoring monuments and statues
47:33
that have been damaged in recent years, removing graffiti from
47:37
frequently visited areas, and generally ensuring the cleanliness of public spaces.
47:45
Arrest in d C have increased across a number of
47:48
federal and local law enforcement agencies this year compared with
47:52
the same period last year. Citations and arrests by Metro
47:57
Transit police, for example, were up the twenty three percent
48:00
from January through July compared with last year. According to
48:05
data provided by the task Force, recorded crimes were down
48:10
thirty eight percent on Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority property
48:15
during the same period. US Park Police increased arrest during
48:21
the first half of this year about thirty seven percent.
48:24
The White House officials said, from five hundred and eighty
48:27
nine arrests from January to June last year to eight
48:31
hundred and six this year. In December, Vows accredited district
48:36
leaders embrace of a more aggressive approach to law enforcement
48:40
for the citywide drop in crime, and said they had
48:44
rebalanced public safety through strategic choices. The progress was a
48:51
focus of her outreach to Trump's transition team. White House
48:56
Press Secretary Caroline Levitt told the Post that DC is
49:01
an amazing city, but it has sadly been plagued by
49:04
problems like homelessness and crime for far too long. President
49:09
Donald Trump is committed to making our nation's capitals safer
49:12
and even more beautiful for its residents, lawmakers, and visitors
49:16
from all around the world, Levitt said in a statement.
49:21
For Trump, d C push is personal issue, official say.
49:28
The White House official described a persistent lack of encouragement
49:33
by the federal government in d C officials since the
49:37
passage of the Home Rule Act of nineteen seventy three,
49:41
which allowed d C to elect a mayor and city
49:44
council to have greater self governments. As the official called
49:48
the last initiative a personal issue to Trump. I mean,
49:53
he does live here. He's very aware of the problems
49:56
that we have in this area, the official said, suggesting
50:00
that others who live in the city would probably have
50:03
a hard time opposing the measures that Trump administration is
50:06
taking to improve crime and vagrancy. DC residents don't want
50:12
the city to be more dangerous. Trump and his white
50:17
hosts have pointed fingers at the Biden administration, arguing that
50:22
problems with crime and vacrancy worsened during and in the
50:26
aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, and that federal resources weren't
50:30
adequately deployed. Trump was in office during the first ten
50:34
months of the pandemic. Last month, Trump said as Chief
50:39
of Staff Suz Wilds was working very closely with Bowser
50:44
to make improvements in the district. But in the same
50:48
cabinet meeting, Trump also floated the idea of taking over
50:52
the local government suggesting that federal government could run DC
50:58
while the city maintains its autonomy. Trump's administration has been
51:03
busy increasing its presence throughout d C. The National Park Service,
51:09
for example, in recent years, largely acted only on request
51:13
by the DC government or other third parties to track
51:16
and remove homeless encampments. Now the agency takes a proactive
51:22
approach and tracks the camps. According to the White House official,
51:27
the Park Service has carried sixty four encampments since Trump's
51:30
executive order was signed. The official said. Similarly, from twenty
51:36
twenty one to twenty twenty four, the Park Service regularly
51:40
removed graffiti and landed managers throughout d C, but it
51:44
did not track that activity, the White host official said.
51:48
Now it has started using a GIS system to track
51:52
graffiti to better coordinate its removal. Park Service spokesperson Jasmine
51:57
Chanti said that since trump Executive or, the agency has
52:03
acted decisively to carry out its directives and restore public
52:07
safety and order across in PS managed lands in the district.
52:13
As part of the executive or, Interior Secretary Doug BERGMAM
52:18
was instructed to direct the National Park Service that's in
52:22
PS to promptly clean up all homeless encampments and graffiti
52:27
on federal land in d C. The Interior Departments work
52:31
on a rehabilitating Folger Park on Capitol Hill, as well
52:35
as making improvements at Lafayette Square across from the White House.
52:41
Roughly ninety percent of the parkland in d C is
52:44
under the responsibility of the federal government, from the National
52:48
Mall to humble neighborhood hangouts where locals have long bemoaned
52:52
broken water fountains, uncut grass, and other signs of what
52:56
they see as neglect. In addition to an overall increase
53:02
in law enforcement, the White House has pushed for a
53:06
crackdown on what officials referred to as quality of life offenses.
53:12
The Federal Protective Service has begun have visibility patrols of
53:17
downtown during morning and evening rush hours. According to the
53:21
White House, the Drug Enforcement Administration has seized more than
53:25
four thousand fuentatl A pills, in addition to fenanyl powder
53:29
from alleged drug traffickers operating in d C at Union Station.
53:35
Officials from a range of agencies Amtrak, Metro Transit Police,
53:40
d C Police, US Capitol Police, Park Police, the Federal
53:44
Protective Service, and the Transportation Security Administration and the Department
53:49
of Humland Security are conducting monthly surges of enforcement. White
53:55
House eased process to legally owned guns in d C.
54:00
The Trump administration is also toting changes to ease the
54:04
process of legally owning a firearm in the district. DC
54:09
police this year revised the city's concealed carry website to
54:13
make it more user friendly, and they have also made
54:16
it easier to get an appointment. Walk in appointments are
54:20
now available, where some applicans previously waited up to four
54:24
months for a firearm registration appointment. The White House official
54:28
said applicants in May, for example, had their registrations issued
54:34
in an average of eight point three days, while concealed
54:38
carriage licenses were issued in four point six days. On Tuesday,
54:43
Janine Pierrot, the U S Attorney for the District of Columbia,
54:47
met with Trump to discuss local crime, a meeting that
54:51
came just before Trump posted the photo of Coustine's injuries. Pierro,
54:58
in the video she recorded a inside the White House,
55:01
said her job as the newly installed federal prosecutor for
55:05
the district was to fight crime with a vengeance and
55:09
make sure, there are consequences if you don't buy into it.
55:13
Piro said, you're going to have to deal with us.
55:18
Corstine relates back to the identified of victim who was
55:22
the protege of Elon Musk, the former Doge Service staffer
55:26
who had been beaten by local thugs. Not only have
55:30
a little time left, but I will read what I can.
55:34
Texas election map fight swells into national political warfare. The
55:40
battle of a Republicans pushed to create more safe red
55:44
US host seats seats has widened, with red and blue
55:49
states moving to counteract each other and ambitious politicians vowing
55:54
aggressive partisan combat. By Hannah Knowles, the fight of a
55:58
Republicans pushed to redraw the Texas congressional map is widened
56:03
into a national political war, with red and blue states
56:07
moving to counteract each other and ambitious politicians around the
56:11
country vowing aggressive partisan combat. From California to New York,
56:16
Democrats are pushing to redraw their states maps to add
56:20
more blue seats if Texas Republicans carvert five more red ones,
56:24
as they are trying to do this month, Republicans from
56:28
Missouri to Ohio have expressed interest in changing their host
56:31
district lines to benefit the GOP, and Vice President jd
56:36
Vance is headed Thursday to Indiana, another state that could
56:40
boost his party midterm candidates and potential twenty twenty eight
56:45
presidential contenders are playing to their base and raising their
56:49
profile while jumping into the fray, and President Donald Trump
56:53
is weighing in, declaring this week that Republicans are entitled
56:57
to redraw the maps in Texas. Officials in both parties
57:02
are embracing raw partisan tactics, with Democrats reprevieately promising to
57:08
fight fire with fire despite some past opposition to Jerry Mandarin.
57:13
Some Democrats see the moment as an especially pivotal one
57:17
for their leaders, who have struggled this year to convince
57:21
the frustrated rank and file they are pushing back hard
57:24
enough against Trump. It's critically important for Democratic leaders to
57:30
step up and meet the moment in a period where
57:33
voters are looking for leadership, said Democratic consultant Joe Sazio.
57:39
If the current set of leaders cannot meet the moment,
57:42
then voters will look to outside voices to fill that void.
57:46
It appears that their leadership is ready for a fight,
57:49
he added. The Democratic posture was clear at a Tuesday
57:54
news conference in Illinois, where a host of party leaders
57:58
rallied to Texas Democrats side after they left the lone
58:02
Star state in hopes of stopping the GOP effort to
58:06
create five new save red seats. Illinois Governor JB. Pritsk,
58:12
a potential twenty twenty eight presidential candidate who welcomed the
58:16
Texas legislators to his state, called the playing lawmakers heroes.
58:22
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton, who is running for US Senate
58:26
and competitive primary, spoke at the event too, saying that
58:31
nothing will be off the table in responding to Republicans
58:35
moves in Texas. And with that, I do conclude the
58:39
reading for the day's Washington Post. It is the seventh
58:42
of August of twenty twenty five. Please enjoy this wonderful
58:48
weather and continue listening to programming on RADIOI throughout the day.
58:54
I'll be back on Saturday. Bye.