In molecular biologist David Sinclair’s lab at Harvard Medical School, old mice are growing young again.

Using proteins that can turn an adult cell into a stem cell, Sinclair and his team have reset aging cells in mice to earlier versions of themselves. In his team’s first breakthrough, published in late 2020, old mice with poor eyesight and damaged retinas could suddenly see again, with vision that at times rivaled their offspring’s.

David Sinclair has reversed aging in mice and believes the same can be done for people. - Courtesy Richard Groleau

“It’s a permanent reset, as far as we can tell, and we think it may be a universal process that could be applied across the body to reset our age,” said Sinclair, who has spent the last 20 years studying ways to reverse the ravages of time.

“If we reverse aging, these diseases should not happen. We have the technology today to be able to go into your hundreds without worrying about getting cancer in your 70s, heart disease in your 80s and Alzheimer’s in your 90s.” Sinclair told an audience at Life Itself, a health and wellness event presented in partnership with CNN.

“This is the world that is coming. It’s literally a question of when and for most of us, it’s going to happen in our lifetimes,” Sinclair told the audience.

“His research shows you can change aging to make lives younger for longer. Now he wants to change the world and make aging a disease,” said Whitney Casey, an investor who is partnering with Sinclair to create a do-it-yourself biological age test.

While modern medicine addresses sickness, it doesn’t address the underlying cause, “which for most diseases, is aging itself,” Sinclair said. “We know that when we reverse the age of an organ like the brain in a mouse, the diseases of aging then go away. Memory comes back; there is no more dementia.

“I believe that in the future, delaying and reversing aging will be the best way to treat the diseases that plague most of us.”

A reset button

In Sinclair’s lab, two mice sit side by side. One is the picture of youth, the other gray and feeble. Yet they are brother and sister, born from the same litter – only one has been genetically altered to age faster.

If that could be done, Sinclair asked his team, could the reverse be accomplished as well? Japanese biomedical researcher Dr. Shinya Yamanaka had already reprogrammed human adult skin cells to behave like embryonic or pluripotent stem cells, capable of developing into any cell in the body. The 2007 discovery won the scientist a Nobel Prize, and his “induced pluripotent stem cells,” soon became known as “Yamanaka factors.”

However, adult cells fully switched back to stem cells via Yamanaka factors lose their identity. They forget they are blood, heart and skin cells, making them perfect for rebirth as “cell du jour,” but lousy at rejuvenation. You don’t want Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” to become a baby all at once; you want him to age backward while still remembering who he is.

Labs around the world jumped on the problem. A study published in 2016 by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, showed signs of aging could be expunged in genetically aged mice, exposed for a short time to four main Yamanaka factors, without erasing the cells’ identity.

But there was a downside in all this research: In certain situations, the altered mice developed cancerous tumors.

Looking for a safer alternative, Sinclair lab geneticist Yuancheng Lu chose three of the four factors and genetically added them to a harmless virus. The virus was designed to deliver the rejuvenating Yamanaka factors to damaged retinal ganglion cells at the back of an aged mouse’s eye. After injecting the virus into the eye, the pluripotent genes were then switched on by feeding the mouse an antibiotic.

“The antibiotic is just a tool. It could be any chemical really, just a way to be sure the three genes are switched on,” Sinclair said. “Normally they are only on in very young developing embryos and then turn off as we age.”

Amazingly, damaged neurons in the eyes of mice injected with the three cells rejuvenated, even growing new axons, or projections from the eye into the brain. Since that original study, Sinclair said his lab has reversed aging in the muscles and brains of mice and is now working on rejuvenating a mouse’s entire body.

“Somehow the cells know the body can reset itself, and they still know which genes should be on when they were young,” Sinclair said. “We think we’re tapping into an ancient regeneration system that some animals use – when you cut the limb off a salamander, it regrows the limb. The tail of a fish will grow back; a finger of a mouse will grow back.”

That discovery indicates there is a “backup copy” of youthfulness information stored in the body, he added.

“I call it the information theory of aging,” he said. “It’s a loss of information that drives aging cells to forget how to function, to forget what type of cell they are. And now we can tap into a reset switch that restores the cell’s ability to read the genome correctly again, as if it was young.”

While the changes have lasted for months in mice, renewed cells don’t freeze in time and never age (like, say, vampires or superheroes), Sinclair said. “It’s as permanent as aging is. It’s a reset, and then we see the mice age out again, so then we just repeat the process.

“We believe we have found the master control switch, a way to rewind the clock,” he added. “The body will then wake up, remember how to behave, remember how to regenerate and will be young again, even if you’re already old and have an illness.”

Studies on whether the genetic intervention that revitalized mice will do the same for people are in early stages, Sinclair said. It will be years before human trials are finished, analyzed and, if safe and successful, scaled to the mass needed for a federal stamp of approval.

Science already knows how to slow human aging

While we wait for science to determine if we too can reset our genes, there are many other ways to slow the aging process and reset our biological clocks, Sinclair said.

“The top tips are simply: Focus on plants for food, eat less often, get sufficient sleep, lose your breath for 10 minutes three times a week by exercising to maintain your muscle mass, don’t sweat the small stuff and have a good social group,” Sinclair said.

All these behaviors affect our epigenome, proteins and chemicals that sit like freckles on each gene, waiting to tell the gene “what to do, where to do it, and when to do it,” according to the National Human Genome Research Institute. The epigenome literally turns genes on and off.

What controls the epigenome? Human behavior and one’s environment play a key role. Let’s say you were born with a genetic predisposition for heart disease and diabetes. But because you exercised, ate a plant-focused diet, slept well and managed your stress during most of your life, it’s possible those genes would never be activated. That, experts say, is how we can take some of our genetic fate into our own hands.

The positive impact on our health from eating a plant-based diet, having close, loving relationships and getting adequate exercise and sleep are well documented. Calorie restriction, however, is a more controversial way of adding years to life, experts say.

Cutting back on food – without inducing malnutrition – has been a scientifically known way to lengthen life for nearly a century. Studies on worms, crabs, snails, fruit flies and rodents have found restricting calories “delay the onset of age-related disorders” such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, according to the National Institute on Aging. Some studies have also found extensions in life span: In a 1986 study, mice fed only a third of a typical day’s calories lived to 53 months – a mouse kept as a pet may live to about 24 months.

Studies in people, however, have been less enlightening, partly because many have focused on weight loss instead of longevity. For Sinclair, however, cutting back on meals was a significant factor in resetting his personal clock: Recent tests show he has a biological age of 42 in a body born 53 years ago.

“I’ve been doing a biological test for 10 years now, and I’ve been getting steadily younger for the last decade,” Sinclair said. “The biggest change in my biological clock occurred when I ate less often – I only eat one meal a day now. That made the biggest difference to my biochemistry.”

Additional ways to turn back the clock

Sinclair incorporates other tools into his life, based on research from his lab and others. In his book “Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To,” he writes that little of what he does has undergone the sort of “rigorous long-term clinical testing” needed to have a “complete understanding of the wide range of potential outcomes.” In fact, he added, “I have no idea if this is even the right thing for me to be doing.”

With that caveat, Sinclair is willing to share his tips: He keeps his starches and sugars to a minimum and gave up desserts at age 40 (although he does admit to stealing a taste on occasion). He eats a good amount of plants, avoids eating other mammals and keeps his body weight at the low end of optimal.

He exercises by taking a lot of steps each day, walks upstairs instead of taking an elevator and visits the gym with his son to lift weights and jog before taking a sauna and a dip in an ice-cold pool. “I’ve got my 20-year-old body back,” he said with a smile.

Speaking of cold, science has long thought lower temperatures increased longevity in many species, but whether it is true or not may come down to one’s genome, according to a 2018 study. Regardless, it appears cold can increase brown fat in humans, which is the type of fat bears use to stay warm during hibernation. Brown fat has been shown to improve metabolism and combat obesity.

Sinclair takes vitamins D and K2 and baby aspirin daily, along with supplements that have shown promise in extending longevity in yeast, mice and human cells in test tubes.

One supplement he takes after discovering its benefits is 1 gram of resveratrol, the antioxidant-like substance found in the skin of grapes, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries and peanuts.

He also takes 1 gram of metformin, a staple in the arsenal of drugs used to lower blood sugars in people with diabetes. He added it after studies showed it might reduce inflammation, oxidative damage and cellular senescence, in which cells are damaged but refuse to die, remaining in the body as a type of malfunctioning “zombie cell.”

However, some scientists quibble about the use of metformin, pointing to rare cases of lactic acid buildup and a lack of knowledge on how it functions in the body.

Sinclair also takes 1 gram of NMN, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, which in the body turns into NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. A coenzyme that exists in all living cells, NAD+ plays a central role in the body’s biological processes, such as regulating cellular energy, increasing insulin sensitivity and reversing mitochondrial dysfunction.

When the body ages, NAD+ levels significantly decrease, dropping by middle age to about half the levels of youth, contributing to age-related metabolic diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. Numerous studies have shown restoring NAD+ levels safely improves overall health and increases life span in yeast, mice and dogs. Clinical trials testing the molecule in humans have been underway for three years, Sinclair said.

“These supplements, and the lifestyle that I am doing, is designed to turn on our defenses against aging,” he said. “Now, if you do that, you don’t necessarily turn back the clock. These are just things that slow down epigenetic damage and these other horrible hallmarks of aging.

“But the real advance, in my view, was the ability to just tell the body, ‘Forget all that. Just be young again,’ by just flipping a switch. Now I’m not saying that we’re going to all be 20 years old again,” Sinclair said.

“But I’m optimistic that we can duplicate this very fundamental process that exists in everything from a bat to a sheep to a whale to a human. We’ve done it in a mouse. There’s no reason I can think of why it shouldn’t work in a person, too.”

CNN

Nigeria U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets have booked their place in the quarter-final stage of the ongoing U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Algeria.

The Eaglets showed great tenacity in their final group game on Saturday as they came from behind twice before beating South Africa 3-2 in an entertaining clash at the Stade Mohamed-Hamlaou.

The victory sees the Eaglets secure six points (two wins and a loss) and thus qualify for the quarter-final.

Shaky start

The final group game between fierce rivals South Africa and Nigeria kicked off with a bang as Vicky Mkhawana netted the opening goal for the Amajimbos just six minutes into the match.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets were quick to respond but saw Abubakar Abdullahi miss a golden opportunity from close range.

The Eaglets believed they had equalised in the 10th minute when Charles Agada found the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to an offside call.

The first half continued as a tense, back-and-forth battle, with Nigeria relentlessly searching for an equaliser but unable to break through South Africa’s solid defence.

In the 34th minute, the pressure finally paid off, with Charles Agada levelling the score for the Eaglets, heading the ball into the net with pinpoint accuracy.

However, just before the halftime whistle, Mabena fired South Africa back in front with a thunderous strike that rattled the crossbar before crossing the line.

Second half

Nigeria began the second half with renewed determination, and Light Eke found the equaliser within the first minute of play, finishing off a brilliant run by Agada.

The Golden Eaglets maintained the pressure on their opponents, and their efforts were rewarded in the 65th minute when Emmanuel Michael set up Abubakar Abdullahi for a clinical finish, giving Nigeria a well-deserved 3-2 lead.

Despite creating numerous chances in the remaining minutes, Nigeria could not extend their lead, either due to the South African goalkeeper’s heroics or their own lack of finishing prowess.

Nonetheless, the Golden Eaglets held on to their one-goal advantage, securing a thrilling 3-2 victory that has taken them closer to their first target of qualifying for the U-17 World Cup.

In the other Group B clash, Zambia secured a shock 2-1 win over Morocco.

PT

Fidelity Bank Plc, Nigeria’s best-performing bank share this year, plans to expand in at least five African countries after finalizing the acquisition of the London unit of rival Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.

The 35-year-old institution is negotiating a second purchase, Chief Executive Officer Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe said, without identifying the target. The lender expects to complete the transaction this year, she said. 

“The strategy is for us to move footprint outside Nigeria and be able to compete favorably with our peers,” Onyeali-Ikpe said in a phone interview from Lagos, the country’s commercial hub. “In the next three years, we should be able to be in six countries by doing at least two every year.”

Fidelity is racing to expand and avoid losing out on fees from facilitating trade and corresponding banking roles to larger rivals. Trade within the continent, which stands at more than $350 billion a year, is expected to grow by 52% in the next decade according to the African Trade Policy Centre at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

The Nigerian lender is interested in countries within west, east and southern Africa, Onyeali-Ikpe said. The company’s shares have risen 32% this year making it the nation’s best-performing bank. They rose 0.7% on Friday.

Fidelity Bank in 2022 paid about $15 million in fees to international correspondence banks that handled trade transactions for its customers, Samuel Obioha, head of investor relations said separately.  

Nigeria’s large lenders have been expanding overseas even after taking a hit from Ghana’s debt swap deal. Access Bank Plc set a target this year to expand to 26 countries by 2026 from 16, citing the need to better manage risks and diversify earnings.

The lender plans to use the 13.8 billion naira it raised in a private placement earlier this year for the acquisitions, Onyeali-Ikpe said. The bank, which expects capital adequacy ratio at 19.1% this year, will also use retained earnings to expand, she said. 

Slow economic recovery in Africa’s biggest economy after two recessions in 2016 and 2020, currency devaluations and acute dollar shortages are forcing lenders to look outside to curb their risks and widen opportunities.

Onyeali-Ikpe, who took over the role two years ago, set a target for Fidelity to become one of the country’s top five banks by 2025, in earnings and assets. It’s the country’s sixth-largest lender, with 4 trillion naira in assets.

Fidelity’s private banking customers “want to do business and acquire properties in the UK and its environs and need our support,” Onyeali-Ikpe said. “We’re expecting a lot of growth from the business opportunities, for ourselves and our customers.”             

Bloomberg

Charles III will be crowned king on Saturday (today) in Britain's biggest ceremonial event for seven decades, a sumptuous display of pageantry dating back 1,000 years.

Charles succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth when she died last September and at 74, he will become the oldest British monarch to have the 360-year-old St Edward's Crown placed on his head as he sits upon a 14th century throne at London's Westminster Abbey.

Watched by about 100 heads of state and dignitaries including U.S. first lady Jill Biden, Charles follows 40 predecessors in being crowned at the abbey - which has staged all the country's coronations since William the Conqueror back in 1066.

His second wife Camilla, 75, will also be crowned queen during the two-hour ceremony which, while rooted in history, will attempt to present a forward-looking monarchy and nation.

"No other country could put on such a dazzling display - the processions, the pageantry, the ceremonies, and street parties," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said.

"It's a proud expression of our history, culture, and traditions. A vivid demonstration of the modern character of our country. And a cherished ritual through which a new era is born."

Despite Sunak's enthusiasm, the coronation is taking place amid a cost of living crisis and public scepticism, particularly among the young, about the role and relevance of the monarchy and questions about its finances.

Saturday's event will be on a smaller scale than that staged for Queen Elizabeth in 1953, but will still aim to be spectacular, featuring an array of historical regaliafrom golden orbs and bejewelled swords to a sceptre holding the world's largest colourless cut diamond.

After the service, Charles and Camilla will depart in the four-tonne Gold State Coach that was built for George III, the last king of Britain's American colonies, riding back to Buckingham Palace in a one-mile procession of 4,000 military personnel from 39 nations in ceremonial uniforms.

It will be the largest show of its kind in Britain since the coronation of Charles' mother. Thousands are expected to line the streets and millions will watch at home and across the globe.

Organisers have taken the "best bits" from previous coronations, jubilee celebrations and the late queen's funeral procession to prepare a spectacular event, said a Ministry of Defence spokesperson.

PROTESTS

At the start of ceremonies, Charles and Camilla will travel from Buckingham Palace to the abbey in the modern Diamond State Jubilee Coach, with the service due to begin at 1000 GMT.

They will pass cheering crowds but also what anti-monarchists say will be the biggest protest mounted by republicans. More than 11,000 police will be on duty ready to stamp out any attempted disruption.

Once at the abbey, much of the ceremony will feature elements that Charles' forebears right back to King Edgar in 973 would recognise, officials said. Handel’s coronation anthem "Zadok The Priest" will be sung as it has at every coronation since 1727.

But there will be new elements, including an anthem composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, famed for his West End and Broadway theatre shows, and a gospel choir.

It is a Christian service but there will be an "unprecedented" greeting from leaders of other faiths and Charles's grandson Prince George and the grandchildren of Camilla will act as pages.

However, there will be no formal role for either Charles' younger son Prince Harry, after his high-profile falling out with his family, or his brother Prince Andrew, who was forced to quit royal duties because of his friendship with late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

Charles will swear oaths to govern justly and uphold the Church of England - of which he is the titular head - before the most sacred part of the ceremony when he is anointed on his hands, head and breast by Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby with holy oil consecrated in Jerusalem.

After Charles is presented with symbolic regalia, Welby will place the St Edward's Crown on his head and the congregation will cry "God save the King".

His eldest son and heir Prince William will then pay homage, kneeling before his father, placing his hands between those of the king and pledging his loyalty as "your liege man of life and limb".

ALLEGIANCE

Welby will call for all those in the abbey and across the nation to swear allegiance to Charles - a new element of the coronation, replacing the homage that was traditionally sworn by senior dukes and peers of the realm.

However, that has caused controversy with anti-monarchist group Republic calling it offensive, forcing Welby to clarify it is an invitation not a command.

After returning to Buckingham Palace, the royals will make a traditional appearance on the balcony, with a fly-past by military aircraft.

Also in traditional British fashion, the weather in London could feature heavy bursts of rain, forecasters said, which could mean a slimmed down or even cancelled fly-past.

Celebrations will continue on Sunday with nationwide street parties and a concert at the king's Windsor Castle home, and on Monday when thousands of organisations are taking part in volunteering projects.

Queen Elizabeth said in a television documentary five years ago that her coronation marked the real beginning of her life as sovereign.

"It is sort of a pageant of chivalry and old-fashioned way of doing things," she said.

Reuters

Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu, whose victory in February is being challenged in court, has been keeping part of his wealth in the United Kingdom, where he and his close associates own at least 20 properties that were mostly acquired when Tinubu was governor of Lagos State.

Following the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu is scheduled to succeed Muhammadu Buhari as president on 29 May 2023. His opponents claim the election was rigged.

The 71-year-old is widely seen as Nigeria’s political kingmaker for his role in the elections of several governors in the country’s southwest region, as well as the election of Buhari, who defeated the incumbent in 2015.

The governors he picked tended to be former directors of companies owned by Tinubu or his son.

Bloomberg first reported on Tuesday that Tinubu’s son, Oluwaseyi, is the main shareholder of Aranda Overseas Corporation, an offshore company that bought a controversial US$10.8 million U.K. property in 2017.

At the time it was bought, Nigeria was trying to confiscate the London house that belonged to a Nigerian oil dealer who was facing corruption charges at home and in the United States, according to OCCRP Nigerian partner Premium Times.

However, OCCRP has uncovered more than a dozen other properties with links to Tinubu, mostly acquired while he served as Lagos State’s governor from May 1999 to May 2007. Tinubu’s spokesman did not respond to email and text messages seeking comment.

“If there are reasonable grounds to suspect these assets were bought with criminal funds then they should be investigated,” said Steve Goodrich, head of research and investigations at Transparency International U.K. “Owning a home via an offshore company has seldom made much sense except for securing secrecy,” he added.

Tinubu’s history is not entirely clean. He was forced to forfeit $460,000 to the U.S. government in 1993 as proceeds of narcotics trafficking, according to the ruling of a U.S. District Court in Illinois.

However, about a year later, Abeeb Holdings Limited, an offshore company registered in Gibraltar with Tinubu as the beneficial owner, bought Flat 9 at 96-100 New Cavendish Street in London.

His connection to Abeeb Holdings Limited has been revealed, thanks to the Register of Overseas Entities, a new measure designed by the U.K. to reveal the true owners of offshore firms that hold property in the country.

In 2011, his son’s Aranda Overseas Corporation bought Flat 10A in the same building. The lease agreement was signed by Tinubu’s associate, Oladipo Eludoyin, a director of Aranda Overseas Corporation.

Eludoyin is also the founding director of Aranda Resources Limited, a Nigerian registered company whose shares are owned by Aranda Overseas Corporation.

OCCRP further found that Eludoyin is the beneficial owner of 17 U.K. properties through three offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.

Eludoyin’s properties were purchased between 2004 and 2007 when Tinubu was governor of Lagos State. He did not respond to a request for comment.

Tinubu was succeeded by Babatunde Fashola, who previously served as his chief of staff. Fashola also had a hand in Aranda Resources Limited. He signed and presented the allotment of shares of Aranda Resources Limited to Nigeria’s corporate registry in December 2001. Fashola’s spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.

Following his term as governor, Tinubu remained an influential politician. Local media reported that he picked Babajide Sanwo-Olu and made him governor of Lagos State in 2019, despite entreaties from his party to allow Sanwo-Olu’s predecessor to continue for a second term.

Sanwo-Olu was a director in Aranda Resources Limited until 26 days before his first day in office as governor in May 2019. His spokesperson also did not respond to requests for comment.

Another director of Aranda Resources Limited and Aranda Overseas Corporation, Adegboyega Oyetola, was elected governor of the Nigerian southwestern state of Osun in 2018, and Tinubu was widely credited for his electoral success.

It is not clear when he became the beneficial owner, but when Aranda Overseas Corporation was incorporated in November 1999 in the tax haven British Virgin Islands, the younger Tinubu was 14 and had just been admitted into Milton Abbey School in England for his secondary school education while his father had just spent nearly six months as the governor of Lagos State.

PT

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says President-elect Bola Tinubu has no moral justification to speak on the issue of corruption.

The party said this while reacting to Tinubu’s promise to fight corruption.

While addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Abuja on Friday, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said the statement by Tinubu is “completely sacrilegious and an assault on the sensibility of Nigerians, having regards to his records of alleged corruption and having been described variously as an embodiment of corruption in his public life.”

The main opposition party also warned the “Judiciary to be wary of attempts by the APC and its Presidential Candidate to patronize them in the course of the discharge of their Constitutional duties as impartial arbiter, particularly in the pending Petition before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.”

Ologunagba flanked by other party leaders said, “It is in the public domain that as Governor of Lagos State, Tinubu promoted and institutionalized corruption as an act of governance. It is on record that Tinubu is alleged to be deeply involved in the infamous cases involving Alpha Beta Consulting Limited and Alpha Beta LLP, allegedly owned and controlled by him and through which over N100 billion belonging to Lagos State was reportedly stolen through shady tax collection deals.

“It is also public knowledge that there has been numerous allegations and evidence of corruption and complicity by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the declaration of Tinubu as winner of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election. Today Nigerians and indeed the world believe that declaration was a product of corruption of the Process, Institutions and the Law by the APC and its Presidential candidate.

“It is therefore ludicrous that an individual who has been widely alleged to be an enabler and beneficiary of corruption can attempt to put himself forward to Nigerians as a champion of anti-corruption. Of course, corruption cannot fight corruption!”

PDP said if Tinubu is desirous of fighting corruption, he should publicly and personally address Nigerians, “on the numerous allegations of corruption, including the Alpha Beta cases and alleged improper acquisition and conversion of Lagos State Government landed properties worth billions of naira to himself, family, associates and cronies”.

Daily Trust

Picture this; you're minding your business, browsing the latest cat memes, when suddenly, a mysterious message from a stranger lands in your inbox or DMs. It's not the classic junk email from a Middle Eastern Prince looking to give away half his fortune. Instead, it's a lot more creative, crafty, and for many, a much more believable scam. These thieves know exactly how to bait their hooks with the most tempting lures to reel in unsuspecting folks. It's a sad reality. 

One promises the world; another offers an exclusive investment opportunity or a secret financial tip. In the most desperate situations, these scammers even pose as potential romantic interests from a far-off land. They scrape the internet for data relating to your likes and dislikes and use that information to their advantage. These swindlers, they're masters of manipulation, you see. They tap into our deepest desires - our dreams of love, wealth, and success - and dangle them out of reach. 

Their messages pique our interest because they offer us a tantalizing taste of the life we've always dreamed of living. Who wouldn't be at least a little bit curious? But beware, my friend, as the old saying goes, "all that glitters is not gold." You might have just stumbled into the realm of "pig butchering" scams, where your hard-earned cash is the main course at a swindler's feast. 

What's a pig butchering scam?

These tech-savvy scammers have turned deception into an art form, using social media, messaging apps and even fake online profiles to fatten up their prey before going in for the kill. They'll weave a captivating story of friendship or romance, peppered with tales of impressive gains and once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunities.

Before you know it, you're the piggy being led to slaughter. 

From stranger to trusted friend

How does this fraud unfold? It starts innocently enough with a message from a stranger who claims to have found your name in their contacts or seems genuinely interested in getting to know you. Their profile looks real, and their life story is too relatable to ignore. 

The hook

Over time, they win your trust and start asking about your finances, setting the stage for their grand finale. Soon, they'll introduce you to mouth-watering investment prospects with screenshots of their alleged successes. They might claim insider info from a reputable financial institution or promise massive returns through crypto trading. 

The slaughterhouse

All they need is for you to invest in a specific stock or transfer assets to a particular platform. It's easy to think you're in control, yet in reality, your newfound friend pulls the strings, orchestrating a symphony of deceit. Once you've invested enough, the music stops, leaving you with a deflated wallet and a bruised ego.  

How to watch out for the "Butcher's Knife"

Check for the following red flags to avoid falling prey to these tech-based swine schemes. 

1) If a message comes out of the blue from an unknown contact, resist the urge to engage. These scammers can be charming; however, your wallet will thank you for giving them the cold shoulder. 

2) If your new online buddy refuses to show their face on camera, chances are they're not who they say they are. 

3) If they start asking about your finances, it's time to slam the door on the budding relationship. Be cautious about unsolicited investment tips, especially from someone you've only met online. Take the time to research any opportunity that's presented to you and run it by a trusted third party. 

4) Always be wary of transferring assets to unknown platforms. Do your due diligence and ask yourself who controls the platform, what security measures are in place, and how to withdraw funds if needed. We emphasize the due diligence part, as this step can seriously provide beneficial information. 

5) Finally, keep your emotions in check, and don't let scammers play on your desires and dreams. If an investment sounds too good to be true, it probably is, and if someone's trying to pressure you into making a hasty decision, it's a huge red flag. 

What to do if you fall victim to a scam 

While it may feel embarrassing if you are targeted and fall victim to a scam, know you are not alone. Don’t be afraid to speak up and report any scam. There’s a chance you can stop someone from scamming others, and you want to take these steps so your personal information isn’t compromised. 

If you gave any personal information, contact your bank immediately to flag the potential fraud.

If you mailed any personal checks, call your bank to cancel the check before it clears.

Report the scam to the FTC and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Contact your state attorney’s office.

Use Identity theft protection

If you want a service that will walk you through every step of the identity theft reporting and recovery process, you should consider an identity theft service. 

TOP IDENTITY THEFT SCAMS TO AVOID

Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your home title, Social Security number, phone number and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. 

Some of the best parts of using an identity theft protection service like my #1 pick include identity theft insurance to cover losses and legal fees, and a white glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses.

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft by visiting CyberGuy.com/IdentityTheft.

Final thoughts

In the digital age, swine schemes have evolved to capitalize on our reliance on technology. By staying vigilant and knowing the warning signs, you can ensure you don't become another victim in the pig butchering scammer's playbook.

Fox News

Sudanese say warring factions ignore their plight as hardships grow

Heavy gunfire echoed around Khartoum on Friday as civilians trapped in the Sudanese capital said the army and rival paramilitary were fighting without regard to their plight.

Battles since mid-April have killed hundreds and wounded thousands, disrupted aid supplies, sent 100,000 refugees fleeing abroad and turned residential areas of Khartoum into war zones.

"It's been four days without electricity and our situation is difficult," said 48-year-old Othman Hassan from the southern outskirts of the city. "We are the victims of a war that we aren't a part of. No one cares about the citizen."

Smoke rose into the air in an area outside Khartoum's presidential palace and across the River Nile in the adjoining city of Bahri, live footage on broadcaster Al Jazeera showed.

Despite multiple ceasefire declarations, the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) appeared to be fighting for territory ahead of proposed talks.

So far, army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a career military officer, and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, a former militia leader known as Hemedti who comes from the strife-torn western region of Darfur, have shown little public willingness to negotiate.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday discussed a plan for the warring parties to meet in Jeddah in a bid to reduce tensions, Saudi Arabia said.

Sudan's armed forces said it sent a delegation to Jeddah on Friday evening as part of the initiative. The RSF did not immediately comment, but both forces have said they will only discuss humanitarian ceasefires and not ending the war.

Their power struggle risks dragging in outside countries, further destabilising an already restive region.

A group of countries led by Britain, the United States, Germany and Norway is set to request an urgent meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council on the Sudan crisis next week, a document showed on Friday.

Across swathes of Khartoum, factories, banks and shops have been looted or damaged, power and water supplies have been failing and residents have reported steep price rises and shortages of basic goods.

Whole neighbourhoods have emptied, leading people to fear for the houses they left behind.

Aya Eltahir said she fled with her family to the northern outskirts of the capital after bullets hit their roof.

"I make plans to return every day, even just to grab more essential items, but the situation is too unsafe," she said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said at least 551 civilians had died and 4,926 been wounded, based on data from Sudan, but real tolls were likely much higher due to the difficulty of accessing medical facilities.

'RECKLESS DISREGARD' FOR CIVILIANS

The Sudanese Doctors Union said one of the country's main maternity hospitals, Aldayat, in the city of Omdurman that adjoins Khartoum, and the central medical supply warehouse had been looted and occupied by forces on Thursday.

In total, it said 17 hospitals had been damaged by fighting and 20 forcibly evacuated since the start of the violence. Sixty of the 88 hospitals in Khartoum are out of service, it said, with many of the rest only offering partial service.

"Sudan's warring armies are showing reckless disregard for civilian lives by using inaccurate weapons in populated urban areas," Human Rights Watch Sudan researcher Mohamed Osman said in a report.

The army and RSF, which had shared power after a coup in 2021, have accused each other of breaching a string of truces.

Their conflict has derailed an internationally backed plan to usher in democracy and civilian rule after a 2019 popular uprising that unseated Islamist strongman Omar al-Bashir.

The U.N. has pressed the warring sides to guarantee safe passage of aid after six of its trucks were looted.

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said some $14 million worth of food for the needy has been plundered, while U.N. children's agency UNICEF said more than 1 million polio vaccines were destroyed when cold storages were looted.

Fighting has spread across the country, including the western region of Darfur.

The U.N. refugee agency UNHCR is estimating an exodus of 860,000 people from Sudan and called on governments to look kindly on fleeing civilians. The agency is calling on countries not to return people to Sudan.

"The humanitarian situation in and around Sudan is tragic - there are food, water and fuel shortages, limited access to transport, communications and electricity, and sky-rocketing prices of basic items,” said Raouf Mazou, UNHCR's assistant high commissioner for operations.

Reuters