What am I doing?

WTF???

So this is actually not surprising at all given the USA's history of deportation of people of color (Japanese internment camps, Mexican repatriation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Repatriation, the trail of tears etc).

but like yeah I'm gonna be watching this closely.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/appeals-court-rules-students-can-sue-us-fake-university-set-ice-rcna160295

Cowpybara

prints to north america: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/guilhernunes/cowpybara/

"A patient with type 1 diabetes has become the first in the world to produce his own insulin via transplanted cells edited with CRISPR.

The edits halted his own immune system from attacking the cells, leading to production of insulin in the pancreas as if he never had the disease in the first place.

Unlike the rampant type 2 diabetes, type 1 manifests as an autoimmune disorder whereby the patient’s immune system attacks and destroys a type of cell created in the pancreas to produce insulin, known as islet cells. 9.5 million people worldwide suffer from type 1 diabetes and there is no cure.

The standard of care beyond daily insulin injections involves using donated islet cells to allow a patient’s metabolism to function normally, followed by medications used to prevent the immune system from attacking those cells. These medications have harmful side effects.

A team of biomedical researchers primarily from Uppsala University, Sweden, in collaboration with UC San Francisco, successfully used the CRISPR gene-editing method to take a donor’s islet cells and modify them so as to evade prosecution by the patient’s immune system.

Three changes in total to the genetic code were needed to ensure the transplanted donor cells didn’t trigger an immune response, including changes to cell membrane signal proteins used as a sign of attack by white blood cells.

CRISPR TO THE RESCUE:

Infant With Incurable Disease is First to Successfully Receive Personalized Gene Therapy Treatment

Aggressive Leukemia Disappears in 13-Year-old Girl Who was First to Receive New CRISPR Treatment

First Patient to Receive Gene Therapy ‘Cure’ for Beta-Thalassemia Living Pain-Free

As a preliminary study, the man received only a small amount of the donated, modified cells, meaning he still requires daily insulin injections. However the results show that the cells produced their own insulin and remained unperturbed by the immune system.

After 12 weeks, the cells were still producing endogenous insulin, setting the stage for longer-term and more robust experiments in the future.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine."

A federal judge in Miami late on Thursday ordered the closure of the Trump administration’s notorious “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration jail within 60 days, and ruled that no more detainees were to be brought to the facility while it was being wound down.

The shock ruling by district court judge Kathleen Williams builds on a temporary restraining order she issued two weeks ago halting further construction work at the remote tented camp, which has attracted waves of criticism for harsh conditions, abuse of detainees and denial of due process as they await deportation.

In her 82-page order, published in the US district court’s southern district of Florida on Friday, Williams determined the facility was causing severe and irreparable damage to the fragile Florida Everglades.

They have basically hired a human trafficker to help build an internment camp.

CW: Sexual Abuse.

Here are some ways to help Immigrants and the anti-ICE Protesters:

Immigrant Defenders: https://give.immdef.org/give/545119/#!/donation/checkout

The Bail Project: https://bailproject.org/

National Bail Fund Network: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/en/nbfn-directory

Amnesty International: protect asylum-seekers: https://donate.amnestyusa.org/page/113080/donate/1

The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights: https://www.theyoungcenter.org/ CHIRLA: https://www.chirla.org/

AL Otro Lado: https://alotrolado.networkforgood.com/projects/63833-al-otro-lado-fund

Mid-South Immigration Advocates: https://miamemphis.org/

Portugal recently introduced three consecutive days of employer-paid leave per month for employees who experience severe and disabling menstrual pain caused by endometriosis or adenomyosis. This change took effect on 26 April 2025.

Background

Law 32/2025 aims to promote the rights of individuals with endometriosis or adenomyosis by strengthening access to healthcare and creating a new entitlement of justified absences from work.

In 2023, Spain became the first European country to introduce leave for female employees who suffer severe menstrual pain, including pain due to conditions such as endometriosis or polycystic ovaries (see previous Lockton article here (opens a new window)). While the new entitlement in Portugal is more limited and only applies to employees who have been diagnosed specifically with endometriosis or adenomyosis, it represents a significant step in the region towards raising awareness and providing support for individuals affected by painful or disruptive menstrual symptoms.

Key details

Employees who experience severe and disabling pain caused by endometriosis or adenomyosis during their menstrual period are entitled to paid leave for up to three consecutive days per month of work (i.e., up to 36 days per year). This leave is fully paid by the employer.

To be eligible for this leave, the employee must provide the employer with a medical certificate confirming a diagnosis of endometriosis or adenomyosis accompanied by debilitating pain. This certificate is only required when the leave is initially taken and does not need to be renewed.

Under Law 32/2025, new rules and guidelines are expected to be introduced by the National Health Service (NHS) by 25 June 2025 to ensure universal healthcare coverage for all Portuguese citizens and residents affected by endometriosis or adenomyosis accompanied with severe and disabling pain. These guidelines will outline the symptoms to monitor, available diagnostic tests and procedures, and recommended follow-up care.

The law also mandates the establishment of a co-payment scheme for medications prescribed by NHS specialist doctors to treat or manage symptoms associated with these conditions.

In addition, individuals diagnosed with endometriosis or adenomyosis will be entitled to access fertility preservation services through the NHS, including the collection and storage of oocytes (egg cells)."