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Instablog9ja
24-year-old Man Arrested For Circulating A Girl’s Private Video Online
~0.5 mins read

Police operatives in Bayelsa State have arrested a 24-year-old man, Godgift Bai, alleged to be behind the circulation of a viral ‘private’ video of a young girl on social media platforms.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Musa Mohammed, in a statement on Friday, September 6, said the suspect was arrested in Yenagoa, the state capital, on September 3, 2024.

The arrest of the suspect who hails from Ogbolomabiri in Nembe Local Government Area, follows a thorough investigation by the Cyber Crime Unit, acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP. Alonyenu Francis Idu.

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Investopedia
The Yield Curve Righted Briefly This Week. What Does That Say About Recession Fears?
~1.6 mins read

The yield curve righted itself Wednesday after a long run of inversion for what's sometimes seen as a recession indicator. The reprieve, however, didn't last long.

Put another way: The 10-year Treasury yield was briefly higher than the 2-year yield. The spread between the two hasn't closed above zero since 2022, leaving the yield curve inverted for the longest run in about 60 years.

However, the spread fell back into negative territory shortly after the markets opened Thursday. That reversion, however, remains significant for investors.

When long-term U.S. Treasury debt earns less interest than its short-term counterpart, that has historically indicated that a recession is on the way.

An inverted yield curve typically indicates some pessimism about the near future of the economy, since investors are understood to generally expect higher yields for longer-term debt as compensation for the later maturity date. (Bond yields move inversely to prices.)

Mike O'Rourke, chief market strategist for JonesTrading, wrote in an analysis that optimism over the Federal Reserve's plan to cut its benchmark interest rate in September likely spurred the moves.

"The bullish flattening of the yield curve might be considered a positive if the economy or markets had ever been held back by its inversion," he wrote. "No recession materialized and the S&P 500 rallied 45% over the two years of inversion."

Some economists said the brief righting of the yield curve isn't necessarily a positive signal.

"The historic precedent isn’t particularly favourable on this front, as in previous cycles the final stage before the recession was actually a re-steepening of the curve back into positive territory," wrote Deutsche Bank Strategist Jim Reid on Thursday. "So we have to be cautious in being too optimistic about waving bye to an inversion."

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Healthwatch
A Fresh Look At Risks For Developing Young-onset Dementia
~4.3 mins read

A light blue background with a side view of human head illustrated in dark blue gears, some flying away at the back of the brain; concept is young-onset dementia

Dementia usually develops in people ages 65 years and older. So-called young-onset dementia, occurring in those younger than age 65, is uncommon. Now, a new study published in December 2023 in JAMA Neurology has identified 15 factors linked to a higher risk of young-onset dementia.

Let's see what they found, and — most importantly — what you can do to reduce your own risks.

Are early dementia and young-onset dementia the same?

No. Experts think of early dementia as the first stage in dementia. Mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia are forms of early dementia. So, someone age 50, 65, or 88 could have early dementia.

Young-onset dementia refers to the age at which dementia is diagnosed. A person has young-onset dementia if symptoms and diagnosis occur before age 65.

What has previous research shown?

A previous study of men in Sweden identified some risk factors for young-onset dementia, including high blood pressure, stroke, depression, alcohol use disorder, vitamin D deficiency, drug use disorder, and overall cognitive function.

What to know about the new study

In the new study, a research team in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom looked at data from the UK Biobank. The biobank follows about half a million individuals in the United Kingdom who were 37 to 73 years old when they first joined the project between 2006 and 2010. Most participants identified as white (89%), and the remaining 11% were described only as "other." Slightly more than half of the participants (54%) were women.

The researchers excluded anyone age 65 or older and people who already had dementia at the start of the study, leaving 356,052 participants for the analyses. Over roughly a decade, 485 participants developed young-onset dementia. The researchers compared participants who did and did not develop young-onset dementia to identify possible risk factors.

What did the researchers learn about risks for young-onset dementia?

In reviewing the results, I think it is helpful to group the risk factors into several categories, and then to examine each of them. These risks may act on the brain directly or indirectly.

Eight factors that we know or strongly suspect cause dementia:

  • Genes: Carrying two apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 alleles is a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The risk is thought to be caused by the APOE ε4 protein not clearing amyloid efficiently from the brain. This allows amyloid to accumulate and cause plaques, which starts the cascade to cell death and Alzheimer's disease.
  • Being diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been associated with damage to several parts of the brain, including the frontal lobes, which leads to trouble with executive function and working memory. When combined with poor nutrition, AUD also harms small regions connected to the hippocampus that are critical for forming new memories.
  • Being socially isolated is a major risk factor for dementia. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, it may be because our brains evolved, in large part, for social interactions. Individuals with fewer social contacts have fewer social interactions, and simply don't use their brains enough to keep them healthy.
  • Not getting enough vitamin D can lead to more viral infections. A number of studies suggest that certain viral infections increase your risk of dementia.
  • Not hearing well increases your risk for dementia, as I discussed in a prior post. This is likely because of reduced brain stimulation and reduced social interactions. Using hearing aids lessens that risk.
  • Previously having had a stroke is a risk factor because strokes damage the brain directly, which can lead to vascular dementia.
  • Having heart disease is a major risk factor for strokes, which can then lead to vascular dementia.
  • Having diabetes if you're a man can lead to dementia in many different ways. Why only if you're a man? The researchers suggest that it is because middle-aged men are more likely to have a diabetes-related ministrokes than middle-aged women, which can, again, lead to vascular dementia.
  • Two factors that reduce cognitive reserve

    Cognitive reserve can be described as our capacity to think, improvise, and problem-solve even as our brains change with age. These two risk factors make it more likely that dementia symptoms will show up at a younger age.

  • Having less formal education may affect your familiarity with the items on the pencil-and-paper cognitive tests that are used to diagnose dementia.
  • Having lower socioeconomic status may be related to lower-quality education.
  • Is every factor identified in the study a clear risk?

    No, and here's why not: Sometimes research turns up apparent risk factors that might be due to reverse causation. It's possible, for example, that symptoms of impending dementia appear to be risk factors because they become noticeable before obvious dementia is diagnosed.

  • Lower handgrip strength is a sign of frailty, which is often associated with dementia.
  • No alcohol use is a risk factor because people may stop drinking when they develop memory loss (also known as the "healthy drinker effect" in dementia).
  • Depression is a risk factor because many people get sad when they have trouble remembering or when they are worried about having dementia.
  • Lastly, there are risk factors that could be either a contributing cause or a result of the impending dementia.

  • High C-reactive protein is a sign of inflammation.
  • Orthostatic hypotension is an abnormal drop in blood pressure when a person stands up after lying down or sitting. While this condition can lead to brain damage and dementia, it can also be a result of some types of dementia, such as Parkinson's disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies.
  • What can you do to prevent young-onset dementia?

    Taking these five steps can reduce your risk for developing dementia before age 65:

  • Don't drink alcohol in excess.
  • Seek opportunities to socialize with others regularly.
  • Make sure that you're getting enough vitamin D. You can make your own vitamin D if your skin (without sunblock) is exposed to sunlight. But in northern climates you might need to take a supplement, especially in the winter. Because vitamin D can interact with other medications, ask your doctor about this option.
  • Make sure you are hearing well and use hearing aids if you are not.
  • Exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy body weight, and work with your doctor to reduce your risk of strokes, heart disease, and diabetes.
  • Source: Harvard Health Publishing

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    Instablog9ja
    Fuel Scarcity: There Is Sufficient Fuel Supply In The Country But We Have No Control Over The Price — FG. #Instablog9jaNews #Information #Awareness #StayUpdated
    ~0.3 mins read

    The Nigerian government has cautioned Nigerians not to engage in panic buying of petrol, saying it has sufficient product in the country.

    Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) disclosed this in a statement  posted on his X handle on Thursday.

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    Instablog9ja
    U.S. Court Hands 18-year Prison Sentence To Nigerian Brothers For S+xtortion
    ~1.4 mins read

    Nigerian brothers, Samuel Ogoshi, 24, and Samson Ogoshi, 21, has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment in the United States for their role in a s+xtortion scheme that tragically claimed the life of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay from Michigan.

    The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten also ordered that the convicts will undergo five years of supervised release after they served their time.

    On March 25, 2022, 17-year-old high school student, Jordan DeMay, from Marquette, Michigan, di3d as a result of this s+xtortion scheme, which targeted over 100 other victims, as well.

    Speaking at the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said: “Today’s sentencing of Samuel and Samson Ogoshi sends a thundering message to crim+nals who commit these schemes: you are not immune from justice. We will track you down and hold you accountable, even if we have to go half-way around the world to do so. The day when you could commit these crimes, rake in easy cash, d£§troy lives, and escape justice is gone.

    And to parents, teenagers, and everyone who uses a cell phone: please, please be careful. These devices can connect you to crim+nal networks around the world. Don’t assume people are who they say they are. Don’t share compromising images. And if you’re a victim, please reach out. There’s help, and law enforcement stands ready.”

    Samuel and Samson Ogoshi used hacked social media accounts to pose as young women and solicited explicit images from victims.

    They thr£@tened to share these images with the victims’ family and friends unless they paid money, this was contained in a press release from the office of the United States Anthony’s Office.

    In November 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged the Ogoshi brothers and another Nigerian, Ezekiel Robert, in connection with the scheme. Ezekiel Robert is currently appealing his extradition to the U.S.

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    Instablog9ja
    My Mother’s Boyfriend ‘hugged’ Me When I Tried To Help Her During The Incident — Ugandan Athlete Rebecca Cheptegei’s Daughter
    ~0.8 mins read

    New details have emerged regarding Ugandan athlete Rebecca Cheptegei who passed away after being s3t abl@ze by her boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema.

    Local news reports that Ndiema entered Cheptegei’s home while she and her two children were at church on Sunday, September 2.

    He was said to have dou§£d her with gasoline before s3tting her alight. He was also engulfed by the flames and rushed to hospital. He was b¥rned over 30 percent of his body and is reportedly in the intensive care unit recuperating.

    The gruesome att@ck occurred in the presence of the runner’s two daughters, aged 11 and nine. During the att@ck, one of them rushed to her aid but was reportedly a§§aulted by Ndiema.

    “He ki+ked me while I tried to run to the rescue of my mother. I immediately cried out for help, attracting a neighbor who tried to extinguish the flames with water, but it was not possible,” she told newsmen.

    Cheptegei’s two children are not fathered by Ndiema.

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