Skip to main content

Featured

Israel Enacts Controversial Death Penalty Law Targeting Palestinians

  Soldiers carry the coffin of Israeli soldier Sergeant Liran Ben Zion, who, according to the Israeli army, was killed in combat in southern Lebanon. Israel’s parliament has approved a controversial new law making the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks, sparking intense criticism from rights groups and international observers. The measure, championed by far‑right members of the governing coalition, is set to take effect within 30 days and has already prompted legal challenges and diplomatic condemnation.  Israel’s parliament has passed a landmark—and highly contentious—law establishing the death penalty as the default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of lethal attacks against Israelis. The bill, long pushed by far‑right members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, mandates execution by hanging and requires sentencing within 90 days, with no right to clemency.  The legislation applies spec...

article

Alzheimer’s vaccines get a boost from new drug approval

 

After decades of disappointment and controversy, the field of Alzheimer’s disease research has finally seen a breakthrough with the approval of the first drug that targets the underlying pathology of the condition. 

Aducanumab, a monoclonal antibody that clears amyloid plaques from the brain, was granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2021, despite mixed results from clinical trials and objections from some experts. 

The drug’s approval has rekindled interest in other therapeutic approaches that aim to prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s, such as vaccines that stimulate the immune system to attack amyloid or tau, another protein that accumulates in the brains of people with the disease. 

Several vaccine candidates are currently in various stages of development and testing, and some researchers are optimistic that they could offer a more effective and convenient way to treat Alzheimer’s than infusions of antibodies.


Comments