Latest news with #Carrillo
Ammon
3 days ago
- Science
- Ammon
Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex discovered, featuring pyramids and canals
Ammon News - Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex in Guatemala, revealing sanctuaries, pyramids and a unique canal system that could shed further light on the ancient civilization, the country's culture minister said Thursday. The complex was discovered across three sites — Los Abuelos, Petnal and Cambrayal — near the significant Mayan site of Uaxactún in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, the ministry said in a statement. The Mayan civilization arose around 2,000 BC and reached its height between 400 and 900 AD, predominantly in modern-day Mexico and Guatemala. During its height, people built temples, roads, pyramids and other monuments, and developed complex systems of writing, mathematics and astronomy. Los Abuelos, which means 'The Grandparents' in Spanish, lies around 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Uaxactún and gets its name from two human-like rock figures found at the site, believed to represent an 'ancestral couple,' the ministry said. These figures, along with several sacred sanctuaries, suggest it was an important site for Mayan rituals, said Luis Rodrigo Carrillo, Guatemala's vice minister of culture and sports, in a press briefing announcing the findings. A reconstruction of the altar illustrates the painted panels of red, black and yellow which would have depicted a person wearing a feathered headdress and flanked by shields or regalia. Related article Mysterious altar found in ancient Mayan city contains bodies – and wasn't made by the Maya 'Located here is one of the most important ritual centers in the region, with notable sanctuaries, helping to reassess our understanding of Mayan history,' the ministry said in a video announcing the discovery. East of Los Abuelos lies Petnal, which features a 33-meter-high (108-foot) pyramid. At its peak are two preserved rooms adorned with murals depicting various symbolic representations, Carrillo said. In Cambrayal, around three miles (4.8 kilometers) from Los Abuelos, scientists also identified 'unique' water canals inside a palace, marking a notable discovery, the ministry said. 'These sites form a previously unknown urban triangle whose existence we were unaware of until now… These new archeological discoveries constitute a testament of Mayan culture's greatness, which today we are making known to the whole world,' the ministry said. CNN
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Takedown Weekly: Border's Biggest Busts
One bust involved a man accused of smuggling five illegal aliens; another netted a bus passenger wanted for rape. Here are this week's three biggest criminal apprehensions at the Texas border: 1. Yukon or Tahoe? Border Patrol Busts Alleged Smuggler With 5 Aliens A Border Patrol chief announced the arrest and prosecution of an alleged human smuggler last week — but the details seemed to shift depending on where you looked. Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez of the Rio Grande Valley sector posted on X on May 21 that agents had intercepted a white Tahoe allegedly used in an alien smuggling operation near Weslaco. 'Great Teamwork!' she wrote, alongside a photo showing one detained driver and five apparent illegal aliens. A separate post by the same Border Patrol sector — this time on Facebook — described the vehicle as a white Yukon. The types of vehicles described are very similar. However, the photo depicts a GMC, and only GMC makes the Yukon. Both posts claimed the driver was prosecuted under 8 U.S. Code § 1324, a statute commonly used in human smuggling cases. The names of those involved have not been released, and neither post included a specific date of arrest or location beyond the general sector. According to federal law, § 1324 violations can carry up to 10 years per count, with heightened penalties if the smuggling was done for profit or in a manner that endangered human life. The incident appears to be one of several recent smuggling cases in the Rio Grande Valley, a region that federal officials routinely cite as a major corridor for illegal entry and trafficking. 2. Minnesota Rape Suspect Nabbed at Border A man wanted for rape in Minnesota was arrested over Memorial Day weekend while attempting to enter the United States through a Texas port of entry, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release. CBP officials say 50-year-old Nestor Martinez Carrillo was traveling by bus when he arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge near Laredo on May 24. Officers reportedly flagged Carrillo for secondary inspection, then used biometric tools and law enforcement databases to confirm his identity. Officials say Carrillo had an outstanding felony arrest warrant issued by the Stearns County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. The warrant, originally filed in August 2020, stemmed from a third-degree criminal sexual conduct case involving a failure to appear in court. He was transported to the Webb County Jail and booked the same day, The Dallas Express reported. Jail records show Carrillo now faces a charge of 'sexual assault.' Like all criminal charges, the allegations remain unproven until tried in court. CBP officials cited the National Crime Information Center — a federal database for active warrants — as the tool that allowed officers to confirm Carrillo's fugitive status. The arrest was one of several over Memorial Day weekend. According to CBP, another individual wanted in Dallas County for allegedly soliciting minors online was apprehended on May 26, while yet another man accused of rape in Illinois was caught on May 21. A twice-deported sex offender, convicted of assaulting a 14-year-old, was reportedly picked up that same day. 'These types of apprehension perfectly exemplify CBP's ongoing commitment to keeping our communities secure,' said Port Director Tater Ortiz in the agency's press release. 3. Jesus Cedillo Turned A $6K Job Into A 10-Year Sentence for Moving Cocaine A man who admitted to transporting nearly 30 kilograms of cocaine through a Texas Border Patrol checkpoint was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced May 28. Federal prosecutors say Jesus Cedillo, 36, was stopped on October 28, 2024, near the Falfurrias checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 reportedly alerted to Cedillo's vehicle, prompting agents to search the car. Inside the speaker boxes in the trunk, they allegedly discovered multiple bundles of cocaine totaling 28.6 kilograms. Cedillo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He admitted that a former co-worker had recruited him to make the delivery to Houston for $6,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Although the source and destination of the drugs remain undisclosed, the bust adds to a growing pattern of drug couriers using everyday vehicles to ferry large narcotics loads through inland checkpoints, sometimes for relatively small compensation. To read about last week's biggest border busts, click here: Texas Takedown Weekly: Border's Biggest Busts (May 23)
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex discovered, featuring pyramids and canals
Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a nearly 3,000-year-old Mayan complex in Guatemala, revealing sanctuaries, pyramids and a unique canal system that could shed further light on the ancient civilization, the country's culture minister said Thursday. The complex was discovered across three sites — Los Abuelos, Petnal and Cambrayal — near the significant Mayan site of Uaxactún in the Petén region of northern Guatemala, the ministry said in a statement. The Mayan civilization arose around 2,000 BC and reached its height between 400 and 900 AD, predominantly in modern-day Mexico and Guatemala. During its height, people built temples, roads, pyramids and other monuments, and developed complex systems of writing, mathematics and astronomy. Los Abuelos, which means 'The Grandparents' in Spanish, lies around 13 miles (21 kilometers) from Uaxactún and gets its name from two human-like rock figures found at the site, believed to represent an 'ancestral couple,' the ministry said. These figures, along with several sacred sanctuaries, suggest it was an important site for Mayan rituals, said Luis Rodrigo Carrillo, Guatemala's vice minister of culture and sports, in a press briefing announcing the findings. 'Located here is one of the most important ritual centers in the region, with notable sanctuaries, helping to reassess our understanding of Mayan history,' the ministry said in a video announcing the discovery. East of Los Abuelos lies Petnal, which features a 33-meter-high (108-foot) pyramid. At its peak are two preserved rooms adorned with murals depicting various symbolic representations, Carrillo said. In Cambrayal, around three miles (4.8 kilometers) from Los Abuelos, scientists also identified 'unique' water canals inside a palace, marking a notable discovery, the ministry said. 'These sites form a previously unknown urban triangle whose existence we were unaware of until now… These new archeological discoveries constitute a testament of Mayan culture's greatness, which today we are making known to the whole world,' the ministry said. The discoveries were made by Guatemalan and Slovak archaeologists, alongside international experts, as part of the Uaxactún Regional Archaeological Project (PARU) and with backing from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, officials said. While rare, discoveries of new Mayan sites still occasionally happen, thanks to new research and technological improvements. In April, archaeologists uncovered a mysterious 1,700-year-old altar containing human remains in the nearby ancient city of Tikal, approximately 23 kilometers (14 miles) south of Uaxactún. Although discovered in a ruined Mayan city, archaeologists believe it wasn't decorated by Mayans, but was instead the work of artists trained hundreds of miles away in Teotihuacan. Scientists in recent years have also detected new sites using laser mapping technology, revealing the interconnectivity of Mayan cities, towns and villages.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Wanted Sex Offender Caught By Border Patrol Near Laredo
Customs and Border Protection arrested a 'resident alien' near Laredo, who was wanted for rape, over Memorial Day weekend. 'CBP officers at Laredo Port of Entry encounter wanted persons on a regular basis and the apprehensions for alleged violent sexual crimes are among the most heinous we see,' said Tater Ortiz, port director of the Brownsville Port of Entry, in a press release. Border officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge near Laredo arrested 50-year-old Nestor Martinez Carrillo on May 24, according to the release. They found he was wanted in Stearns County, Minnesota, on a warrant for failure to appear on a rape charge. Carrillo was a 'bus passenger' at the border crossing, and CBP officers referred him for secondary inspection, according to the release. They used 'biometric verification and federal law enforcement databases' to verify Carrillo's identity. They discovered he was wanted on an 'outstanding felony arrest warrant' issued by the Stearns County Sheriff's Office in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The sheriff's office first issued the arrest warrant on Aug. 19, 2020, citing 'failure to appear' for a 3rd-degree criminal sex offense. After CBP officers apprehended Carrillo, he was 'transported to Webb County jail pending final adjudication of the warrant,' per the press release. Jail records indicate he was booked on May 24 and faces a charge of 'sexual assault.' Criminal charges are 'allegations,' and defendants are 'presumed innocent unless proven guilty,' the release noted. The National Crime Information Center is a 'centralized automated database' that helps law enforcement share information about 'outstanding warrants,' according to the release. CBP officials cited the same system after arresting a suspect May 26 who was wanted in Dallas County for soliciting minors online, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. CBP officers arrested a suspect on May 21 who was wanted for rape in Illinois, as The Dallas Express reported. That day, Border Patrol agents also arrested a twice-deported sex offender, convicted of assaulting a 14-year-old girl. 'These types of apprehension perfectly exemplify CBP's ongoing commitment to keeping our communities secure,' Ortiz said in the release.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alzheimer's Association Statement on First Blood Test Used in Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease Cleared for Use by FDA
CHICAGO, May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the first blood test to aid in diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The test detects amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, through a blood draw, making it less invasive than other more commonly used diagnostic tools. "Today marks another important step in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis," said Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., Alzheimer's Association chief science officer and medical affairs lead. "For too long Americans have struggled to get a simple and accurate diagnosis; with today's action by the FDA we are hopeful it will be easier for more individuals to receive an accurate diagnosis earlier." While there is no single, stand-alone test to diagnose Alzheimer's disease today — including this newly approved test — blood testing can be an important piece of the diagnostic process. Currently, physicians primarily use other, more well-established diagnostic tools combined with medical history, neurological exams, cognitive and functional assessments, brain imaging, spinal fluid analysis — and, increasingly, blood tests — to make an accurate diagnosis and to understand which patients are eligible for approved treatments. According to the FDA, "the Lumipulse G pTau217/ß-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio is for the early detection of amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease in adult patients, aged 55 years and older, exhibiting signs and symptoms of the disease." There are a variety of laboratory-developed tests on the market that can be used to detect blood-based biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's. This is the first that has been cleared by the FDA for use. For many years, blood tests have been used in clinical trials. Increasingly, they are being used by specialists in clinical settings, often as a first pass detection tool followed by additional testing. "Blood-based biomarkers are reshaping how we identify and understand Alzheimer's disease," continued Carrillo. "At the same time, there are important questions for health care professionals to consider; in particular, who should be tested and when." The Alzheimer's Association is leading the development of clinical practice guidelines for the use of blood biomarker tests in specialty care settings, which will be debuted this summer at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC), July 27-31 in Toronto and online. The first iteration of the clinical practice guidelines will provide evidence-based recommendations for specialists to help guide them through the decision-making process around who should be tested and when. In the meantime, the Association urges providers to refer to the 2022 appropriate use recommendations for blood tests in clinical practice and trial settings. The 2025 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures special report found that nearly 4 in 5 Americans would want to know if they had Alzheimer's disease before it impacted their lives. Specifically, 91% of Americans say they would want to take a simple test — such as a blood biomarker test — if it were available. Access to early treatment and care is the main reason cited for wanting a simple test. "This interest in early diagnosis and treatment highlights how important it is that we keep advancing toward diagnostic testing that is simple to administer and widely available," Carrillo said. This is the latest step toward better diagnosis and eventual treatment of Alzheimer's disease made possible by historic investment in Alzheimer's and dementia research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Alzheimer's Association and other private entities. As a result of this increased investment, scientists have been able to work at a more rapid pace to advance basic disease knowledge, identify ways to reduce risk, uncover new biomarkers for early diagnosis and drug targeting, and develop disease-modifying treatments. About the Alzheimer's AssociationThe Alzheimer's Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer's care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia®. Visit or call 800.272.3900. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Alzheimer's Association
