Bamf, with whom Adept had previously played on an 'Overwatch' squad in 2017, refuted Adept's claim that she and xQc had been married for a long time

Oregon’s largest school district says it has reached a tentative agreement with its teachers union and its roughly 45,000 students will be back in class on Monday after more than three weeks

Two men have been charged in the drive-by shooting of an 11-year-old boy in New Mexico -- one of several recent killings cited by the state's governor before she enacted a controversial order suspending open and concealed gun carry laws in parts of the state.

The Senate is moving quickly to confirm Jacob Lew as ambassador to Israel, holding a hearing on his nomination

Alcohol addiction ruins millions of lives every year, but scientists may have found a cure for this terrible affliction. A new treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been trialled in monkeys with impressive results and, if these translate to human trials, the impact could be monumental. A team of neuroscientists and physiologists from across the US tested a new type of gene therapy to see if they could directly target the underlying brain circuitry associated with sustained heavy drinking. As they noted, in the journal Nature Medicine, people suffering from AUD commonly return to alcohol use even if they attempt to quit. This is largely to do with what’s known as mesolimbic dopamine (DA) signalling – meaning how the central nervous system circuit communicates the feelgood neurotransmitter dopamine. A protein called glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is key to keeping these neurons in this reward circuitry functioning. However, experts have found that levels of GDNF are reduced in people with AUD during periods of alcohol abstinence, most notably in a region of the brain called the ventral tegmental area (VTA), as IFLScience notes. Therefore, the researchers decided to test whether using gene therapy to deliver more GDNF to the VTA could help reinforce this crucial dopaminergic signalling and prevent patients from suffering an alcoholic relapse. The team of scientists explained how alcohol consumption in non-addicts prompts the release of dopamine, creating a pleasurable buzz feeling, but chronic alcohol use causes the brain to adapt and stop releasing so much dopamine. “So when people are addicted to alcohol, they don’t really feel more pleasure in drinking,” Dr Kathleen Grant, a senior co-author of the study, said in a statement. “It seems that they’re drinking more because they feel a need to maintain an intoxicated state.” For their research, Dr Grant and her colleagues used eight rhesus macaque monkeys, who were exposed to increasing concentrations of alcohol over four 30-day “induction” periods. The monkeys then had free access to alcohol and water for 21 hours a day for six months, during which they developed heavy drinking behaviours. This was then followed by a 12-week abstinence phase, with the GDNF treatment performed four weeks in for half of the subjects. The gene therapy was delivered using a a viral vector containing a copy of the human GDNF gene injected directly into the primate’s VTA, according to IFLScience. And the results were truly jaw-dropping. “Drinking went down to almost zero,” Dr Grant said. “For months on end, these animals would choose to drink water and just avoid drinking alcohol altogether. They decreased their drinking to the point that it was so low we didn’t record a blood-alcohol level.” The most exciting aspect of their findings is the suggestion that gene therapy could offer a permanent solution for people with the most severe cases of AUD. This will be a welcome glimmer of hope to many, given that some 29.5 million people were diagnosed with AUD in the US alone in 2021, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Of these 29.5 million sufferers, almost a million (894,000) were aged between 12 and 17. It’ll likely be some time before we know for sure whether the gene therapy can be rolled out in humans, but it’s an important first step in tackling this devastating disorder. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Punjabi musicians fear they will be caught in the middle of rising tensions between India and Canada.

Phil Mickelson has placed bets worth a total of more than $1 billion during his career, including a $400,000 wager on the outcome of the 2012 Ryder Cup, according to excerpts from a forthcoming...

Donald Trump has lost a bid to have the Georgia election interference case thrown out after the state’s supreme court ruled against him. The ex-president is accused of trying to bully state officials to change the results in the wake of his 2020 defeat, telling them to “find” him enough votes to win the state. A decision on charges is expected next month. A former Trump White House official has written a new book which quotes a senior former intelligence official warning that a second Trump term poses such a danger that it could mean the country barely exists in its current form by the time of America’s tricentennial in 2076. Meanwhile, the ex-president is considering his Republican 2024 rivals as potential running mates should he win the GOP nomination. The former president told Fox News on Sunday that his running mate could “possibly” be among those in the 2024 field. He said Vivek Ramaswamy had “done a very good job” and Senator Tim Scott is a “very good guy” but stopped short of saying who he might pick. Read More Donald Trump brands US a ‘third-world hellhole’ run by ‘perverts’ and ‘thugs’ Ron DeSantis campaign fires staff as Florida governor trails Trump in the polls Fundraising takeaways: Trump and DeSantis in their own tier as Pence and other Republicans struggle RFK Jr revives antisemitic conspiracy theory that Covid-19 was ‘ethnically targeted’ to spare Jewish people

You may have noticed someone close to you changing – perhaps they are more forgetful, not quite themselves. After a quick search online or a chat with family members or friends, you may be left thinking they’re developing Alzheimer’s. But how do you approach a conversation about dementia when it’s such an emotive topic? “As we get older, we’re all prone to becoming more forgetful, taking longer to remember certain things, getting distracted more easily or struggling to perform several tasks at once,” says head of knowledge at Alzheimer’s Society, Dr Tim Beanland. “These are common signs of getting older, but there is still a very sharp distinction between normal ageing and dementia.” Symptoms that may worry you “Symptoms of dementia gradually get worse over time,” Beanland explains, “and can appear as memory loss, confusion, needing help with everyday tasks, problems with language and understanding, or changes in behaviour. Although symptoms typically occur in people aged 65 and over, they can occasionally appear as early as twenty years sooner.” You may be scared Seeing these types of changes is understandably worrying – it’s a reminder of the age and health of those around us. “Noticing what might be dementia symptoms in a loved one can be distressing and confusing, particularly for people who have never dealt with dementia before,” Beanland says. “Both parties may feel nervous or worried about how to address the topic of potential dementia symptoms, and may not know where to begin.” Be open Beanland suggests asking questions like, ‘How are you feeling lately, physically and emotionally?’ Or ‘Do you have any health worries you’d like to talk about?’ It’s important to remember when approaching someone who may be experiencing dementia symptoms to do so gently, calmly and in a reassuring and supportive manner. “People experiencing dementia symptoms may find it difficult, or take a bit longer, to find the words they wish to say,” notes Beanland. “So, allowing them extra time, or giving them gentle prompts, can help them find the words they’re looking for, without highlighting they’ve forgotten something.” Do your research Dementia or Alzheimer’s may not be the only answer. It’s important to remember there are other conditions which can cause similar symptoms to dementia, such as thyroid problems or urinary tract infections, says Beanland. “Try to focus on helping the person see their GP, to find out what is causing the problems they are having. It’s also important to understand that, whether you are experiencing dementia symptoms personally or you’re a concerned loved one, you do not have to face dementia alone. There is support out there for you. “I’d encourage anyone worried about their own or a loved one’s memory to use Alzheimer’s Society’s symptoms checklist. It will help to unlock the vital care and support you need, and give you the precious time needed with your family to plan for the future.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live As Simon Cowell shares positive therapy experience, how can it help even if you aren’t in crisis? Project launched to bust myth that cancer is a ‘white person’s disease’ 10 slick ways to kit out your student digs

Watch as Italian people pay their respects at the villa of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday (13 June) following his death at the age of 86. Italy's longest-serving premier, who led four governments across three spells as prime minister, died on Monday. Local Italian media reported that Mr Berlusconi passed away after being admitted to hospital last Friday. A Downing Street spokesperson paid tribute to the former Italian leader, praising how Mr Berlusconi "made a huge impact on Italian politics over several decades. "Our thoughts are with the Italian people and his family," they added. Mr Berlusconi's last few years in office were tarnished by allegations of corruption and sex scandals. Tales of "bunga bunga" sex parties at his lavish villa outside Milan surrounded the former prime minister, and he was accused of having unlawful sex with a 17-year-old nightclub dancer known as “Ruby the Heartstealer” but was acquitted on appeal. Several women testified that the "bunga bunga" parties were “elegant dinners”. Read More What happened in Silvio Berlusconi’s notorious ‘Bunga Bunga’ sex party scandal? Why was Silvio Berlusconi a controversial figure? Putin pays tribute to ‘dear friend’ Berlusconi

As the Biden administration prepared to launch speedy asylum screenings at the border this spring, authorities pledged a key difference from a Trump-era version of the policy: Migrants would be guaranteed access to legal representation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday headed to Hiroshima to join G7 talks, after winning long-sought US support for access to advanced fighter jets...