US, Qatar, Egypt mediators eye last-minute cease-fire, hostage deal ahead of Israel’s Gaza takeover

 As it prepares to sack Gaza City, Jewish state leaders are signaling to the US that their military takeover can be halted in favor of a cease-fire and the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas, Israeli television reported Saturday.

US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators are said to be discussing a comprehensive package of proposals to end the war, which include the release of the remaining 50 hostages — 20 of which are believed to still be alive.

The deal on the table would also see full Israeli withdrawal, demilitarization of Palestinian armed groups and the exile of some Hamas military wing leaders.

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Intense negotiations are ongoing this weekend to prevent further escalation of the war in Gaza.AFP via Getty Images

A new civilian authority would be established in Gaza, according to the Times of Israel reports which cited sources familiar with the negotiations.

The three countries are hashing out the proposal among themselves, before presenting it to Israel and Hamas.

Mediators are also in intense last-minute negotiations with Israel to try and prevent the Jewish state from executing its military objective in Gaza, Saudi media reported.

Israel’s security cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan Friday to take full control of Gaza City in an effort to wipe out the terror group — a major escalation of its nearly two-year conflict.

The timeline for the Israeli operation remains unknown.

But even if the controversial plan moves ahead, Israeli TV said Tel  Aviv would be willing to suspend the operation to strike a deal.

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War in Gaza has been raging for almost two years.MOHAMMED SABER/EPA/Shutterstock

This was amid a flurry of activity around the globe Saturday, aimed at trying to prevent further intensifying the war.

White House special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani in Spain to also discuss plans to end the war.

In Tel Aviv, mass protests for the release of the hostages drew tens of thousands of people, as speakers urged Israeli soldiers not to carry out the Gaza City takeover, the Times of Israel reported.

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People protested in Tel Aviv as they do every Saturday for the release of the hostages and an end to the war.AFP via Getty Images

IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir had warned a takeover of Gaza would imperil the remaining Israeli hostages.

Anat Angrest, whose son Matan Angrest remains among the  hostages, has called for people to protest the decision.

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The parents of hostage Matan Angrest, Anat and Hagai and his sister Adi were among the protesters Saturday.REUTERS

“It was decided to expand the war and conquer even at the cost of Matan’s life,” she wrote in a post on X. “And the silence is killing.”

“Will you be with me when I call for everything to come to a stop, to strike?”

https://nypost.com/2025/08/09/world-news/us-qatari-mediators-shaping-package-of-proposals-to-end-israel-hamas-war/

Should We Think of Alzheimer’s Disease as Type 3 Diabetes?

 Could Alzheimer’s disease (AD) be more accurately defined as diabetes type 3? The idea that altered glucose metabolism in the central nervous system (CNS) could be at the core of AD has taken hold within the past decade. 

Labeling AD as type 3 diabetes would not only reflect a new insight into pathophysiology but it would also open up potential new treatment strategies. 

What evidence is there in favor of a new nomenclature

Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes 

There is already a well-established link between AD and type 2 diabetes. 

Diabetes-induced metabolic changes lead to oxidative damage and inflammation, resulting in protein damage and neuronal cell death in the CNS — ultimately contributing to AD. Additionally, there may be a common genetic link that predisposes some patients to develop both type 2 diabetes and AD. 

Heidi Moawad, MD

According to a 2024 paper in Aging Research Reviews, “the brain was thought to be a tissue that was not sensitive to insulin,” and it was believed that the link between type 2 diabetes and AD is through vascular, inflammatory, or metabolic damage in the brain that occur as a result of altered systemic glucose metabolism. 

However, as the paper notes, the contemporary thinking is that the brain is indeed an insulin-sensitive organ, a concept supported by the presence of receptors on neurons and glial cells such as GLUT-4 and IGF-1 that are involved in the uptake and metabolism of glucose in the brain. The authors also note insulin’s importance for “significant functions in neuronal circuitry formation, synaptic plasticity, dendritic arborization, neurotransmitter expression, neuronal survival, signal transduction and memory function.” 

Proponents of the type 3 diabetes theory claim that the different effects of insulin in the brain, combined with alterations in glucose metabolism in the CNS likely trigger the other changes that we see in AD: accumulation of tau and amyloid beta proteins, hippocampal atrophy, and disordered neuronal communication.

Glycolysis Genes and Diabetes Meds

There is evidence of a relationship between genes that control glycolysis in the brain itself and AD. In a 2025 study in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, researchers found that several of the genes known to regulate glycolysis were downregulated in correlation with cognitive decline and severity of tau accumulation. Additionally, OVO-like zinc finger 2, which represses transcription of glycolysis-related genes, was up regulated in AD and also correlated with increased tau accumulation and low activity of glycolysis genes in the brain. 

There are also data showing lower levels of AD in people taking diabetes medications.

A recent review published in Cells outlined how metformin may protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. The authors suggest that the drug provides neuroprotection by “mechanisms beyond glucose control, including reduction of neuroinflammation, inhibiting microglial activation, combating oxidative stress, and strengthening the blood brain barrier.”

According to a population-based study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease this year, patients diagnosed with diabetes who took semaglutide — a GLP-1 receptor agonist — had a significantly lower risk of AD compared with patients who took other diabetes medications, including metformin and insulin 

However, these studies did not examine whether AD was associated with altered glucose metabolism in the brain or whether this neurodegenerative disease is a comorbidity or a consequence of type 2 diabetes. We also don’t know if it would be safe to use diabetes medications in people at risk of AD who do not have diabetes. 

Are We There Yet?

Based on the existing evidence, we are not quite ready to switch from AD to type 3 diabetes. Many patients with AD have never been diagnosed with diabetes, even at late stages of the neurodegenerative disease. 

The value of the type 3 diabetes concept is that it opens up new avenues of research and treatment. To date, treatment strategies for AD have focused on neuroprotection and reducing the accumulation of tau protein, amyloid beta. They have not yet been successful. 

A key question is whether AD, a common condition that is diagnosed in patients based on clinical symptoms, has only one etiology that could explain the changes in the brain. Some theories have embraced a multifactorial etiology, which may include emotional stress, nutritional factors, poor overall health, or genetics as the ‘trigger.’ If glucose dysregulation is a trigger, that may allow us to diagnose earlier and ultimately stave off or delay neurodegeneration.

While much of the treatment to date has focused on removing proteins in the brain that are associated with AD, the ultimate goal would be to figure out how to prevent these proteins from accumulating in the first place. 

Heidi Moawad, MD, is a neurologist and medical editor. She is on the teaching faculty at Case Western Reserve University. 

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/should-we-think-alzheimers-disease-type-3-diabetes-2025a1000l05

How Music Therapy Rivals Opioids in Pain Relief

 Tango, a rhythmic partner dance that enhances balance and coordination, can help ease the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Choral singing, which combines vocal training and social interaction, may reduce depression in individuals with dementia. Music therapy has been shown to support stroke recovery by improving speech disorders.

Many clinics in Germany have incorporated music therapy to address mental and physical health conditions. “There is good evidence of effectiveness,” said Lutz Neugebauer, PhD, chairman of the German Music Therapy Society and co-organiser of the 13th European Music Therapy Congress, themed “Bridges,” during an online press briefing.

He noted that since Germany last hosted an international music therapy congress in 1996, nearly 9000 music therapy-related articles have been published in PubMed, including 1500 randomised controlled trials and 360 systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Germany’s clinical guidelines on dementia, which reflect the highest level of evidence-based medical recommendations, endorse music therapy to ease symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, and apathy. Music therapy is also included in 37 national clinical guidelines in Germany published by the Association of Scientific Medical Societies, 29 of which follow the country’s highest standard for evidence-based care.

“There is an impressive wealth of evidence,” said Sabine C. Koch, PhD, professor of empirical research in the arts therapies at Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences in Alfter, Germany. She outlined the conditions under which music therapy can complement psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy and its effectiveness

A recent meta-analysis of the effects of arts-based interventions in the treatment and management of noncommunicable diseases included 150 systematic reviews encompassing 3885 randomised controlled trials. “The results particularly support music and dance therapy,” said Koch. The authors reported small-to-moderate effects for neurologic disorders (standardised mean difference [SMD] = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.30-0.50) and moderate effects for cancer (SMD = 0.52), cardiovascular disease (SMD = 0.52), mental illness (SMD = 0.53), and chronic respiratory disease (SMD = 0.76). However, most of these reviews had low methodologic quality. Still, the authors concluded that “arts-based interventions may be a valuable addition to traditionally first-line treatments.”

Clinical Benefits

Music therapy has been well studied in the context of chronic pain and pain management in patients with advanced cancer. “The overall effect is comparable to opioids, but without unwanted side effects,” Koch said. Music therapy also improves sleep and helps reduce fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

Among newborns, music therapy has been shown to improve oxygen saturation, heart and respiratory rates, sleep duration, body temperature, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In premature infants, it also supports the development of a functional brain. Studies have shown positive effects on cardiorespiratory function, pain scores, oxygen saturation, and sleep duration, even during sleep.

“Music therapy helps these children reduce stress and recover,” said Koch.

Neugebauer added that in premature infants, music therapy also strengthens the parent-child bond, “one of the key indicators for better development after a difficult start in life.” Music therapy supports speech development in children with developmental delays.

“Music therapy is particularly effective for adolescents and young adults who have experienced trauma such as domestic violence, during migration, or war,” Neugebauer said. “It enables expression beyond the spoken word and bridges language barriers.” He added that music therapy is often the first-choice approach for individuals struggling to communicate through speech, including those with disabilities.

Oncology and Palliative Use

Koch reported that music therapy has shown significant benefits for people with cancer, including reduced anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, heart rate, and blood pressure. “The effect is strong and significant,” she said, noting that the outcomes are comparable to those seen with cognitive-behavioural therapy.

Music therapy promotes relaxation and reduces fatigue during palliative care. “Music therapy is an effective treatment with a low dropout rate and improves the well-being of terminally ill patients,” said Koch. “In treating depression and anxiety, it often matches the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural therapy.”

Access Barriers

According to Neugebauer, music therapy is an established part of inpatient care for anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and the consequences of social isolation. However, music therapy remains excluded from outpatient reimbursements for health insurers.

“This urgently needs to change, particularly in vulnerable groups who depend on this therapy,” he said.

Despite strong scientific evidence and positive clinical experience, calls to establish music therapy as a standard outpatient service are yet to be addressed at the political level, as Neugebauer noted. A 2011 report by Christine Bergmann, a former commissioner for the investigation of child sexual abuse, called for outpatient music therapy to be covered by health insurance.

In 2019, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care reported that access to outpatient treatment remains unequal, with only higher-income individuals being able to afford it.

“In a healthcare system that prioritises outpatient over inpatient care, access to music therapy must be guaranteed for all patients — including in outpatient settings and health insurers must be required to cover the cost,” Neugebauer emphasised.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/how-music-therapy-rivals-opioids-pain-relief-2025a1000kai

NGO Scare Tactics: '‘Storm’ of Noncommunicable Diseases May Hit South America'

 A new report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), titled Major storm on the horizon, warns that between 2020 and 2050, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health issues will result in economic losses in South America equivalent to the entire annual GDP of Latin America and the Caribbean. This loss is attributed to healthcare spending and productivity decline.

The report was produced in collaboration with Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

This report serves as a wake-up call and a call to action, said Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO’s director and a public health expert, during a press briefing. “The economic impact of NCDs [and mental health problems] is unacceptable because of the harm it causes to families, communities, and society. But we have tools to stop this process, such as health promotion measures and strengthening primary care.”

David Bloom, PhD, the report’s lead author and a professor of economics and demography at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, stressed that healthy people can work more, be more productive, and maintain their savings. He further stated that the report aims to provide PAHO and South American decision-makers with solid evidence to push for significant and transformative increases in health sector budgets, as well as the rational allocation of these budgets to competing uses.

Analytical Model

Bloom and colleagues developed an analytical model to forecast the macroeconomic effects of NCDs and mental health issues between 2020 and 2050 in 10 South American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. They calculated that the total GDP loss from these conditions could reach $7.3 trillion during this period. The report noted that if NCDs and mental health conditions were eliminated, “the annual GDP would be about 4% higher every year for 30 years.”

Brazil, due to its large population, is expected to face the greatest GDP losses during the projected period, with an estimated loss of $3.7 trillion — three times higher than that of Argentina and Colombia. These three countries are also predicted to have the largest losses in disability-adjusted life years. However, when adjusted per 1000 inhabitants, Uruguay, Argentina, and Venezuela top the list. The rise in NCDs and mental health issues in Latin America and the Caribbean is largely attributed to the aging population. “This is an issue that will become increasingly relevant over time, as the region has the fastest demographic transition in the world,” said Barbosa. Additionally, the growing burden reflects greater exposure to preventable risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, and air pollution.

In six of the 10 countries studied (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay), cancer is expected to be the leading cause of GDP loss between 2020 and 2050. In Brazil, cardiovascular diseases will have the most significant impact, while in Colombia and Venezuela, diabetes and kidney diseases will be the biggest challenges. In Paraguay, mental health disorders are projected to be a major burden.

Investment in Interventions

The report stresses that several interventions can help reduce the risk factors and social determinants of NCDs and mental health issues. These include cost-effective strategies advocated by the World Health Organization, such as taxes on tobacco products, alcohol, and sugary drinks; front-of-package food labeling; vaccination against HPV; cervical cancer screening; public awareness campaigns to reduce physical inactivity; and pharmacological treatments for individuals who have experienced myocardial infarction or stroke.

“For every dollar invested in these interventions, the return on investment is estimated at between two and three dollars,” said Silvana Luciani, a master’s degree holder in community health and head of PAHO’s NCD Unit, during the press briefing.

Other recommended strategies include investing in technology, from portable devices for monitoring blood glucose or blood pressure to artificial intelligence tools that enhance diagnostic accuracy. Additionally, strengthening healthcare systems, with a focus on equity and quality in primary care, is critical for timely diagnosis and treatment.

“The goal is to make better use of available resources to identify individuals with diabetes, hypertension, or cancer at an early stage, where better treatment options and potential cures or maintenance therapies can be offered,” said Barbosa. “With a relatively low investment in primary care, we can prevent people in vulnerable situations from being unaware of their condition until they experience severe health problems, such as heart attacks or strokes.”

Link Between Mental and Physical Health

Another key recommendation from the report is integrating mental health with chronic disease management to reduce the health and economic impact of the growing burden.

“When a person consults for diabetes, we must also assess their emotional state. For depression, it is necessary to monitor blood pressure and blood glucose. This integration saves lives and significantly reduces costs. Every dollar invested in treating depression and anxiety generates at least four dollars in economic benefits. The question is not whether countries can afford to invest in mental health, but whether they can afford not to,” said Matías Irarrázaval, PAHO’s regional mental health and substance use advisor and associate professor of psychopathology and mental health at the University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Santiago Levín, professor at the National University Arturo Jauretche in Florencio Varela, Argentina, and president of the Latin American Association of Psychiatrists, agreed. “It’s no longer acceptable to separate mental and physical health as if they were different substances. There is only one health,” he said.

Levín praised the economic analysis presented in the report, which he said was designed to capture the attention of policymakers. He also emphasized that investing in health is not just a cost-saving strategy but also part of promoting the common good. “Public health is the health arm of social equity, and social equity is the ultimate goal of politics,” he concluded.

Levín disclosed having no relevant financial conflicts of interest. 

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/storm-noncommunicable-diseases-may-hit-south-america-2025a1000l3i

Lilly launches "The Court Is Hers™" to help more girls get in the game

 Through partnerships with the Indiana Fever and the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, this citywide initiative helps expand access to youth basketball for girls across Indianapolis

Eli Lilly and Company, in partnerships with the Indiana Fever and the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, today announced the launch of "The Court Is Hers," a bold, citywide initiative in Indianapolis aimed at increasing girls' participation in basketball by eliminating registration fees for girls' basketball programs at the Y.

"Sports can be a powerful force in a girl's life — not just for the joy of the game, but for the physical health, mental well-being and lifelong confidence it can help build," said Jennifer Oleksiw, global chief customer officer at Lilly. "Through partnerships with the Indiana Fever and the YMCA, we're helping to bring those benefits closer to home — increasing access here in our communities and helping every girl see that the court is hers."  

This initiative is designed to remove barriers to entry for youth sports while investing in community efforts that support consistent engagement in physical activity for girls. The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis will deliver all on-the-ground programming, including basketball leagues and clinics for different age groups.       

"At the Y, we believe every child deserves the chance to grow, thrive and discover their potential through the power of play," said Jocelyn Boyd, regional vice president at the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. "Our partnership with Lilly and the Fever helps level the playing field for girls — opening doors to basketball and beyond, where confidence, connection and opportunity can flourish. Together, we're building a future grounded in empowerment and long-term community impact."

A game-changing initiative

Research shows that girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys, often due to barriers such as cost and access.[i] In Indiana, where over 75% of children aren't getting the recommended amount of physical activity[ii], the stakes are high. The challenge is even greater for children from low-income households, who are six times more likely to miss out on organized sports than their higher-income peers[iii]. The Court Is Hers aims to shift this trajectory by promoting greater access to sports for girls — increasing opportunities to build healthy habits through participation in local basketball programs. 

This program reflects Lilly's broader commitment to holistic health — expanding access to physical activity, support and connection as essential building blocks of well-being. The Indiana Fever, a longtime symbol of excellence and inspiration for women and girls in sport, brings powerful visibility and reach to the initiative, with the hope of igniting participation across the city.

"We're proud to team up with Lilly and the Y to help more girls in Indianapolis get in the game," said Amber Cox, chief operating officer and general manager of the Indiana Fever. "As a team rooted in this community, we know the power of sport to help girls grow in resilience and leadership. The Court Is Hers is about making sure girls know there's a place for them on the court and beyond."

For more information, visit https://www.lilly.com/the-court-is-hers.

https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-launches-court-herstm-help-more-girls-get-game

White House considering inviting Zelenskiy to Alaska, NBC News reports

 The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Alaska, where President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15, NBC News reported on Saturday.

The report cited a senior U.S. official and three people briefed on the internal discussions.

"It's being discussed," one of the people briefed on the talks was quoted as saying.

The report added that no Zelenskiy visit was finalized and that it's unclear if the Ukrainian leader would ultimately be in Alaska for meetings but it remained a possibility.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/white-house-considering-inviting-zelenskiy-215616246.html

Abortion shield laws face mounting pressure

 Republicans are waging a multipronged campaign against abortion shield laws in blue states, hoping to force the federal government to ultimately intervene.   

Legal experts say the effort will be difficult — as some states have already learned.   

State abortion shield laws are meant to protect providers and patients from civil and criminal actions. Eighteen states plus the District of Columbia have an abortion shield law, according to Rachel Rebouché dean of Temple University Beasley School of Law.    

Shield laws in eight of those states protect abortion providers regardless of patient location, which has helped cover health care providers who send abortion medication to telehealth patients living in states where the procedure is restricted.   

Republicans are fighting the laws in court, while also pushing for a federal law that supersedes the protection.  

More than a dozen GOP attorneys general recently urged congressional leadership in a letter to preempt the state laws by passing legislation that bans shield laws.   

Signees include Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill (R), both of whom have taken legal action against a New York doctor for allegedly prescribing and mailing abortion pills to women in their respective states.    

Some legal experts don’t think congressional leadership will introduce legislation to preempt state abortion shield laws because it would struggle to pass.

“It’s just not realistic,” said James Bopp Jr., general counsel for the National Right to Life Committee, adding that there is not a single anti-abortion Democratic senator and at most two anti-abortion Democrats in the House.   

“There is absolutely zero prospect of it passing the Senate, and it makes no sense to waste your time on things that are completely hopeless and pointless.”   

Bopp said he believes that the state lawsuits challenging abortion shield laws have an objective legal merit, arguing that since each state is sovereign, no other state can regulate conduct within them. He argues that in attempting to do this, abortion shield laws deny “full faith and credit” to the state laws where these abortions occur.   

Paxton has led the charge in combating these laws in court, most notably with his lawsuit against New York physician Margaret Carpenter.   

His office sued Carpenter in December, accusing her of sending abortion pills to a Texas woman last year. Soon after, a Texas judge ordered Carpenter to pay more than $100,000 in penalties, but she did not respond to the lawsuit nor appear for the subsequent court hearing.   

Paxton has tried twice to force a New York county clerk to file the ruling against Carpenter, but the clerk has refused, citing the state’s abortion shield laws. He is now seeking a writ of mandamus to compel the clerk, Taylor Bruck, to enforce the summary judgment and court summons.  

In January, a grand jury in Louisiana indicted Carpenter for also allegedly prescribing abortion medication to a woman in the state, resulting in state authorities requesting she be extradited.    

Paxton and Murrill have said that they will continue to try and press charges against Carpenter.    

“That case is far from over, and we are continuing to evaluate our options to ensure that Dr. Carpenter faces justice in Louisiana,” Murrill said in a statement to The Hill. 

But New York leadership does seem likely to recognize Texas or Louisiana’s judgments anytime soon. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) has vowed to protect Carpenter.   

This puts Texas and New York at loggerheads, legal experts said, which could lead to a lengthy back and forth of appeals and clashing state court rulings that could lead to nowhere or eventually force a federal court to get involved.    

Legal experts told The Hill that Paxton’s actions regarding the case against Carpenter suggest he is trying to get an abortion shield law case to be seen before the Supreme Court.  

“This is the road toward getting courts to weigh in on whether or not shield laws, in doing what they do, will be upheld by the Supreme Court under various challenges,” said Rebouché.  

A spokesperson for Paxton did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Hill.   

States filing lawsuits that challenge shield laws are going to face obstacles, and cases will be difficult to win, legal experts said.   

This is because a lot of the arguments that a state like Texas would make to suggest that an abortion shield law should be struck down by a federal court are untested in this context, according to Rebouché. Once at the Supreme Court, Texas would likely argue that New York’s shield law is violating the Constitution’s full faith and credit clause, which mandates that all states must respect the judicial proceedings of another state, she said.   

And winning a legal case arguing that an abortion shield law violates the full faith and credit clause could be difficult, since a state like New York could argue that the clause is not absolute, Rebouché said.   

There is a long-held exception to the clause that states are not required to enforce a penal law from another state.  

Mary Ziegler, a professor of law at the University of California, Davis, said the letter to congressional leadership could mean that anti-abortion lawmakers might not be confident they wouldwin a case at any federal level. 

“It’s not much of a vote of confidence in terms of how they think they’re going to, you know, do in federal court when these clashes arrive there,” she said. 

While state courts battle, a Texas civil lawsuit could end up being how an abortion shield law case appears before the Supreme Court. A Texas man is suing a California doctor for allegedly providing his girlfriend with abortion medication.    

Unlike the other state challenges, the wrongful death suit was filed in federal court. It could potentially lead to the downfall of shield laws faster than any action taken by an attorney general.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5441281-gop-targets-state-abortion-shield-laws/