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Stiff-person syndrome: What is it and how it’s treated

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

This content is sponsored by MedStar Washington Hospital Center.Late last year, Celine Dion announced that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological autoimmune condition, which impacted her ability to move and sing. The diagnosis led her to cancel her 2023 tour dates.“Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to,” the five-time Grammy-winning artist said in a video message.Since Dion announced her diagnosis in December 2022, the public is now more aware of the uncommon condition, which affects one in 1 million people. It’s so rare that MedStar Washington Hospital Center has only seen about 100 people with a suspected diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, also known as SPS.SPS symptoms include stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs. Also, those who have SPS have a greater sensitivity to noise, touch, and emotional distress, ...

Former Giro champion Hindley wins Tour mountain stage to claim yellow jersey as Pogacar loses ground

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

The first mountain stage of the Tour de France produced a new race leader on Wednesday and firmly indicated that defending champion Jonas Vingegaard has the upper hand in his duel with two-time winner Tadej Pogacar.On his Tour de France debut, former Giro d’Italia champion Jai Hindley took the yellow jersey after winning the 162.7-kilometer (100.9-mile) fifth stage that also included a daunting 15.2-kilometer (9.4-mile) grind up Col de Soudet.Vingegaard made the most of the brutal climb of Marie-Blanque, the third and last ascent of the day, to launch a sharp attack that was left unanswered by Pogacar. “He was just stronger today,” Pogacar said. Vingegaard moved into second place in the general classification, 47 seconds behind Hindley. Pogacar was sixth overall, 1 minute, 40 seconds back. Previous leader Adam Yates, a teammate of Pogacar, dropped to fifth.Hindley was part of an early breakaway and became the first Australian leader of the race since Rohan Dennis back in 2015.“I was...

Yankees pitcher Cordero is suspended for the rest of the season under MLB’s domestic violence policy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees pitcher Jimmy Cordero was suspended for the rest of the season by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Wednesday for violating the sport’s domestic violence policy.MLB said the 31-year-old right-hander accepted the suspension and will miss the season’s final 76 games and the postseason.Cordero was 3-2 with a 3.86 ERA in one start and 30 relief appearances and has a $720,000 salary, the major league minimum. He missed the 2021 season after Tommy John surgery while with the Chicago White Sox organization and spent 2022 with the Yankees’ Triple-A team at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.The Yankees said in a statement they supported MLB’s discipline and “there is no justification for domestic violence.”New York pitcher Domingo Germán was given an 81-game suspension under the domestic violence policy that he served in 2019 and 2020. Germán last week pitched MLB’s 24th perfect game.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP...

Amid Mbappé contract standoff, PSG president says club cannot let France star leave as a free agent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The high-stakes game between Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain about the superstar France forward’s future was ramped up Wednesday.PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi insisted the club cannot let Mbappé leave as a free agent next year and get no transfer fee in return.“We can’t let one of the best players in the world go for free,” al-Khelaïfi said at a news conference to confirm hiring former Spain and Barcelona coach Luis Enrique.Mbappé is clearly wanted by Real Madrid, the club he has admired since childhood.The 24-year-old forward has one year left on his PSG contract and informed the club by letter last month he will not take up an option to renew it for the 2024-25 season.Mbappé also said he expects to start the new season in Paris in August and that “staying at Paris Saint-Germain is my only option, for the moment.”Running down his contract to leave PSG in one year’s time would mean the French champion losing out on a transfer fee likely to exceed the world reco...

Westminster officer hits, kills pedestrian on July 4th

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A pedestrian was killed by a Westminster Police officer after stepping into traffic late Tuesday night.The Westminster Police Department said the crash happened at 10:30 p.m. on the Fourth of July when an officer was driving southbound on Sheridan Boulevard and approaching 107th Avenue. The area is near Westminster City Park.The department said that an adult male pedestrian stepped into traffic on Sheridan and was struck by the oncoming officer's vehicle. Caught on camera: Guests dodge out-of-control fireworks The pedestrian was pronounced dead on scene. The officer was uninjured, according to WPD.Per protocol, WPD said the officer was placed on paid administrative leave while the 17th Judicial District Critical Incident Team investigates the crash.The identity of the pedestrian will be released at a later date by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office.

Why aren't people hiking 14ers as much?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Coloradans aren't taking to the state's famed high peaks as much as they used to. Parking and access are to blame. The number of hikers on Colorado 14ers in 2022 was the second-lowest since 2015, according to a new report from the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. The number of people climbing a 14,000-foot peak in Colorado last year fell by 8% to 279,000 hiker use days. Access to 14ers at risk after bill protecting landowners fails CFI chalks the trend up to two factors - parking restrictions and private land use or access restrictions. “The number of people hiking 14ers fell consistently across the state and to levels we have not seen in more than seven years,” said Lloyd F. Athearn, executive director of CFI. “Use continued to fall most dramatically on the peaks closest to Denver due to parking and access restrictions. The only area to see increased hiking traffic was the Mosquito Range, where the re-opening of the Decalibron Loop returned hiking use to more tra...

Trump’s dominance of GOP field has America bracing for a toxic campaign

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

(CNN) — As America celebrated its independence, while divided on the true nature of its values, it also braced for a toxic presidential campaign likely to deepen its political trauma and again push the election system to its limits.Donald Trump, for example, put on a July Fourth weekend show of force, highlighting his early dominance of the Republican race for president and the stiff task his rivals face in trying to thwart his bid to win their party’s nomination for the third time in a row.The former commander in chief drew a massive crowd at a rally in the key early state of South Carolina on Saturday, which reverberated with his false claims about election interference and over his indictment for allegedly mishandling classified documents after he left office. But the raucous event in Pickens also showed the enduring power of his personality and feral political appeal to GOP base voters. And, coupled with his lead in primary polling, it should be a warning to Democrats that the m...

Medford police release video of suspect wanted for nighttime assault on woman near Tufts University

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

The Medford Police Department has released new footage showing an individual they believe is connected to an assault on a woman near Tufts University.Referring to the individual as an assault suspect, the department gave a new description of the person believed to have attacked a woman in her 20s in the area of Main and Royall streets on Sunday night.“The suspect is described as a black male, 5’8″ – 5’10”, 18-30 years old, slim build, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with white writing, dark jeans and black and white sneakers,” Medford PD said in an image shared on its social media channels.Officials said that during the assault, the suspect had run up to the victim and struck her several times after grabbing her around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. The victim told police she initially realized he was following her earlier that night as she passed by Boston and College avenues.The department also shared a 12-second video on its YouTube chann...

Former ‘Smallville’ actress and high-ranking member of Nxivm group Allison Mack released from prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

(CNN) — Allison Mack, the former “Smallville” actress and high-ranking member of the cultlike group Nxivm who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021, was released Monday, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said in online records.Mack was arrested in 2018 along with several other Nxivm leaders, including Keith Raniere, who was convicted of racketeering charges.Raniere, the founder of Nxivm, was sentenced to 120 years in prison in 2020. Mack pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges one month before Raniere’s 2019 trial was set to begin.US District Judge Nicholas Garaufis previously called Mack “an essential accomplice” and a “willing and proactive ally” of Raniere, but also said, “I don’t doubt that you were manipulated and also felt captive.”Nxivm, a company based in Albany, New York, touted “self-help” classes.But prosecutors said within the organization a secretive, female-only group was created that ult...

Scotland marks coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla with day of pageantry

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:28:22 GMT

London (CNN) — Scotland has concluded a day of festivities celebrating British monarch King Charles III’s recent coronation.The highlight of Wednesday’s proceedings in the capital, Edinburgh, was a service of national thanksgiving during which the King was presented with the Scottish crown jewels.Known as the “Honours of Scotland,” these regalia are Britain’s oldest crown jewels, with some parts dating back to around the early 16th century. The sword, however, is a recent commission. “The Elizabeth Sword” – named after the late Queen Elizabeth II – will be the new sword of state, replacing a sword given to James IV by Pope Julius II in 1507, due to its fragility, according to the Scottish government.The service was preceded by a “people’s procession” and a royal procession to the cathedral, and rounded off with a gun salute. A Royal Air Force flypast also featured, coloring the skies with the trails of red, white and blue.The people’s procession, which ...