Scientists in Russia found that a compound they created in the lab, called HAEE, already exists naturally in the human body. They discovered that people with Alzheimer's disease have much lower levels of HAEE, suggesting this compound could help diagnose and maybe treat the disease.
Key Facts
Researchers were looking for ways to prevent Alzheimer's disease.
They developed a compound called HAEE to stop harmful protein buildup in the brain.
HAEE was found to form a complex with amyloid-beta protein, preventing it from clumping.
In 2021, scientists found HAEE naturally occurs in human blood.
People with Alzheimer's have lower levels of HAEE than healthy individuals.
This is the first time a lab-created small protein was found naturally in the body.
HAEE might be used as a biomarker, which is a sign to detect Alzheimer's early.
Scientists are studying how HAEE might help protect the brain and treat Alzheimer's.
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A US judge has ordered President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath by 11 December in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC. Trump sued the BBC over a TV program that edited parts of a speech he gave before the US Capitol riot in 2021, which the BBC later apologized for.
Key Facts
President Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against the BBC about a Panorama episode.
The episode edited together parts of a speech Trump gave before the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
The BBC apologized, saying the program wrongly suggested Trump called for violence.
A US judge ordered Trump to attend a deposition, an official sworn interview, by 11 December.
Trump canceled a previous deposition appointment due to his campaign activities in Georgia.
Trump's lawyers asked to delay the deposition to between 11 and 22 January 2027.
The BBC has asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit, saying the program was not defamatory and not shown in the US.
Trump dropped the lawsuit against BBC Studios, the commercial side of BBC, which had no role in the program.
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Several West Coast states asked the CDC to approve a new fast and large-scale measles test to better prepare for outbreaks. The CDC declined the request, saying it is focusing on newer testing technologies, while states want better tools to handle potential large measles outbreaks.
Key Facts
California, Washington, Hawaii, and Oregon jointly requested the CDC in May to validate a rapid, high-volume test for measles.
After waiting two months, the CDC denied the request, citing other priorities.
The states want the CDC to develop and publish testing protocols for measles and other important disease threats.
Current measles tests are low-volume and slower, like individual PCR tests. PCR is a way to detect viruses from samples.
During COVID-19, labs bought machines that can process hundreds of tests quickly, but no similar high-volume measles test is available.
Texas labs made a high-throughput measles test but haven’t shared or published it widely.
The CDC completed some incomplete studies on these rapid tests but hasn’t fully validated them.
Health officials warn lack of fast, large-scale measles testing could slow outbreak response and harm patient care.
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UnitedHealthcare and Humana are stopping some Medicare Advantage plans. About 1 million people will be affected, mostly those enrolled in Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans, which allow more choice of doctors.
Key Facts
UnitedHealthcare and Humana will cancel certain Medicare Advantage plans.
Around 1 million Medicare beneficiaries will lose these plans.
The canceled plans are mainly Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans.
PPO plans allow people to see providers outside a set network more easily.
Medicare Advantage plans are alternatives to original Medicare with extra benefits.
The changes mean affected members must find new health plans for 2024.
UnitedHealthcare and Humana are two of the largest Medicare Advantage providers.
This cancellation might require people to choose different doctors or plans soon.
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A federal judge has ordered President Trump to give a deposition for a defamation lawsuit against the BBC by December 11. The deposition is part of a case where President Trump claims the BBC misled viewers in a documentary about his speech on January 6, 2021.
Key Facts
President Trump must sit for a deposition by December 11 or face possible penalties, including dismissal of his lawsuit.
The deposition was originally planned for October 16 but was postponed because President Trump was busy with political events.
President Trump filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over a documentary that aired in October 2024.
The lawsuit claims the BBC falsely edited his January 6 speech, which preceded the Capitol breach.
The BBC apologized for the editing but denies the defamation claim.
The BBC seeks testimony from Jack Smith, the former special counsel who charged President Trump in 2023, related to January 6.
President Trump’s lawyers argue Jack Smith lacks personal knowledge about the speech and that his testimony would be repetitive.
Discovery in the case started in February and ends on December 18; the BBC says they have not yet questioned President Trump.
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J.K. Rowling published a new essay on transgender issues where she critiques eight groups involved in shaping policies on gender and women's rights. She defends her views on sex and gender, criticizes activist groups and institutions, and says she will continue funding legal challenges to policies she believes harm women’s sex-based rights.
Key Facts
Rowling’s new essay is an update to her 2020 writing on sex and gender issues.
She targets transgender rights activists, calling current activism elitist compared to past civil rights movements.
Rowling criticizes LGBTQ+ groups like Stonewall, accusing them of influencing corporations and public institutions to change policies on single-sex spaces.
She emphasizes her support for women’s rights based on biological sex and is concerned about access to single-sex spaces.
Rowling says she rejects being labeled anti-trans and supports the rights and safety of transgender people.
She highlights her legal and charitable work through Beira’s Place and the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund.
Rowling criticizes government and state institutions for adopting policies she disagrees with.
The essay is over 2,000 words and focuses more on institutions than her earlier writing.
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The documentary about Elizabeth Holmes shows her agreeing to be filmed with her family before she went to prison. The film raises questions that remain unanswered about her story and actions.
Key Facts
Elizabeth Holmes is featured in a documentary.
She agreed to have cameras follow her and her family before going to prison.
The film presents parts of her personal life.
The documentary leaves some important questions about her case unanswered.
Elizabeth Holmes is known for her role in the Theranos scandal.
The story focuses on her time before serving her prison sentence.
The film gives a closer look but does not clarify all details about her actions.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia’s recent missile attacks show no real change in Moscow’s approach to the war, despite talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and a US envoy. The attacks caused deaths and injuries across Ukraine, including in Kyiv and other cities, while Ukraine continues to seek advanced defense weapons.
Key Facts
Russia launched ballistic missile attacks across a dozen regions of Ukraine, hitting homes, energy sites, markets, and a monastery.
The attacks killed at least four civilians, including two women in the eastern city of Lozova, and wounded dozens more.
The strikes happened shortly after Russian President Putin met US envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss restarting peace talks.
Zelensky said these attacks show Russia has not changed its attitude toward the war.
Ukraine has asked allies, including the US, for advanced missile-defense systems like Patriot interceptors.
NATO is allowing Ukraine to buy weapons through its central procurement agency case by case.
Zelensky accused Russia of targeting civilians deliberately and using cluster munitions, which spread many small explosives over wide areas.
US President Donald Trump said the peace talks might be the closest to ending the war so far, but European leaders remain skeptical.
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Amy Acton, a Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, criticized an attack ad from her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, that features her estranged mother making negative claims about her. The ad has caused political controversy and led to backlash, including from the current Republican governor Mike DeWine, who endorsed Ramaswamy but found the ad troubling.
Key Facts
Amy Acton is running for Ohio governor as a Democrat.
Vivek Ramaswamy, her Republican opponent, released an ad featuring Acton's estranged mother accusing Acton of lying.
The ad does not mention that Acton and her brother were removed from their mother's custody due to abuse by her husband.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, who supports Ramaswamy, called the ad deeply troubling and asked for it to be taken down.
Acton says many people have experienced trauma and that Ramaswamy's ad is harmful.
Ohio Secretary of State is reviewing complaints that the ad may have aired without proper legal disclaimers.
Ramaswamy’s campaign plans to spend $4 million to air the ad statewide.
Polls show Acton slightly ahead of Ramaswamy, and if she wins, she would be the first Democratic Ohio governor in 20 years.
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A billionaire donor to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, Hossein Ghandehari, was involved in a business with an Iranian religious foundation linked to Iran’s supreme leader. The business was a joint venture to build telecoms infrastructure in Iran, which ended in 2016 as hardline officials took over. Ghandehari’s lawyers say his involvement aimed to encourage political change in Iran.
Key Facts
Hossein Ghandehari, an Iranian-born British businessman, pledged millions to Reform UK and donated £50,000 to Nigel Farage.
Ghandehari’s investment fund, HP Trust, was a major owner of a joint venture to build fibre-optic cables in Iran from 2013 to 2016.
The joint venture was partly owned by Astan Quds Razavi (AQR), a powerful religious foundation in Iran linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
AQR has been sanctioned by the US for controlling large parts of Iran’s economy with ties to the supreme leader and government officials.
Ghandehari’s business ties included John Richard Simpson, another Reform UK donor whose firm worked for Ghandehari’s family.
The business partnership ended when hardline leaders replaced the previous AQR custodian in 2016.
Ghandehari’s lawyers say he faced false allegations by Iran’s security council after 2016 and that his goal was to increase access to information in Iran.
Nigel Farage has publicly criticized Iran as a major security threat to the UK.
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Guinea-Bissau’s government has officially rejected a clinical trial planned by Danish researchers and funded by the US, which would study possible harms from the newborn dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. The trial faced strong criticism from experts and the World Health Organization because it would withhold the vaccine from some babies in a country with high rates of hepatitis B.
Key Facts
The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended worldwide for newborns and has been used safely for many years.
Guinea-Bissau’s Council of Ministers formally rejected the vaccine trial on October 16.
Police in Guinea-Bissau raided the research group’s offices and took vaccines after the trial was rejected.
The trial would have given half the babies no hepatitis B vaccine, which experts called unethical given the risks of the disease.
The World Health Organization said there is no good scientific reason to do the trial and that it puts babies at unnecessary risk.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided $1.6 million funding to the researchers, stirring public outcry.
The lead researchers have been criticized and are under investigation for previous research conduct.
Guinea-Bissau currently does not provide the newborn hepatitis B vaccine routinely but plans to start in 2028; ethical rules say trials should use the best current care available globally, not just what is offered locally.
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A San Francisco startup called Catchouse is creating a new platform for real estate professionals that works mainly with AI agents instead of just human clients. This platform helps realtors share data that AI can use to recommend homes, reflecting a growing trend where people use AI tools to find real estate and other local services.
Key Facts
Catchouse is a startup based in San Francisco focused on real estate technology for the AI age.
The platform is designed to be used by AI agents, which will help match clients with realtors and services.
Catchouse raised $3.5 million in a pre-seed funding round from investors like New Enterprise Associates.
Around 1,000 users are currently on Catchouse, mostly in the Bay Area, with plans to expand nationwide soon.
Over 80% of Americans are now using AI to gather information about real estate, according to Realtor.com data.
The platform aims to include other real estate-related professionals such as interior designers and mortgage brokers.
Younger homebuyers are increasingly relying on AI for home searches, changing traditional referral networks.
The National Association of Realtors sees digital tools and AI as key to the future of the real estate market.
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Experts say that a short, three-day joint military attack by the US and Israel on Iran is unlikely to change the ongoing conflict significantly. The main goal is to pressure Iran to negotiate, but there is a risk that such strikes could cause a larger regional crisis.
Key Facts
The US and Israel are reportedly planning new military strikes on Iran.
A three-day offensive is being discussed but is not expected to produce a decisive political result.
The strikes aim either to reduce Iran’s military capabilities or to push Iran to engage in talks.
There is concern that military action might lead to a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Iran still has some influence over the US in this situation.
The discussion comes just before upcoming US and Israeli elections.
Experts question if limited military attacks can achieve the political goals that long confrontations have not.
The context involves issues such as Iran’s nuclear activities and regional power dynamics.
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Albanian lawmakers fought in their parliament, throwing things and breaking microphones. This happened after many days of street protests about corruption and poor school conditions.
Key Facts
Lawmakers in Albania's parliament physically fought and threw objects at each other.
They also ripped microphones from desks during the scuffle.
The incident followed months of daily protests on the streets.
The protests started because of concerns about corruption in the country.
Protesters later focused on poor conditions in schools.
The situation shows ongoing unrest in Albania related to political and social issues.
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Downing Street rejected Steve Witkoff’s description of Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” during peace efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The UK government highlighted Putin’s role in civilian deaths, attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure, and the ongoing conflict despite negotiations.
Key Facts
Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s chief negotiator on Ukraine, called Putin a “humanitarian” during a meeting in St Petersburg.
Downing Street said they do not agree with this description and cited Putin’s responsibility for killing civilians and damaging Ukraine’s infrastructure.
Ukraine’s foreign minister criticized Russia’s actions, contradicting the idea of Russian humanitarian efforts.
The UK government regularly discusses the Ukraine situation with international partners, including the US.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said Putin is responsible for illegal invasion and attempted assassinations in the UK.
Russia agreed in principle to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the US after Witkoff’s meeting.
Despite talks, Russia continued missile and drone attacks, including one on Kharkiv during the meeting.
President Trump suggested the war might be close to ending but had made controversial comments about Ukraine’s president.
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President Donald Trump said he asked Google’s CEO to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps, but Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, denied this claim. Trump said this during a rally in South Carolina, also mentioning that Google Maps had changed some place names.
Key Facts
President Trump said he called Google CEO Sundar Pichai to rename the Atlantic Ocean on Google Maps.
Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, denied that any such request was made.
Trump made the statement during a rally in Clemson, South Carolina.
The president praised Google Maps for changing some place names.
The Atlantic Ocean's name is a long-established geographical feature.
The news focuses on a dispute over a claimed conversation between the president and a tech leader.
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University professor Jonathan Zimmerman says college programs to prevent sexual assault do not work well enough. He suggests that middle and high schools should teach better sex education that includes the effects of pornography.
Key Facts
Jonathan Zimmerman is a university professor.
He believes college sexual assault programs are not enough.
Zimmerman wants sex education to start earlier, in middle and high school.
He stresses the need to discuss how pornography affects people.
The goal is to prevent sexual assault by educating students earlier and more fully.
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Two Syrian security officers died and five were hurt in a fight with a suspected ISIL group during a raid near Damascus. The authorities killed five ISIL members, arrested six, and seized weapons during the operation in Rankous.
Key Facts
The clashes happened during a raid on an ISIL cell on the outskirts of Damascus.
The fight began when the suspected ISIL members opened fire instead of surrendering.
Two security officers were killed and five wounded; five ISIL suspects were killed and six arrested.
Authorities seized weapons and explosive belts from the group.
Local residents reported the group had about nine people; some escaped, and others were injured.
Syrian security forces imposed a curfew and arrested several people after the raid.
Earlier this month, Syrian authorities foiled another ISIL plot and arrested a top ISIL military commander.
ISIL has frequently attacked Syrian security forces with bombings and ambushes.
Syria joined the international coalition against ISIL in November, after Kurdish forces defeated ISIL in northeast Syria.
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At a rally in South Carolina, President Donald Trump spoke in support of Darline Graham, sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham. A short video showed the crowd booing after Lindsey Graham's name was mentioned, but fuller footage reveals the boos were directed at a heckler interrupting the event, not directly at Lindsey Graham.
Key Facts
President Trump campaigned in South Carolina supporting Darline Graham, who was appointed after her brother Lindsey Graham's death in July.
A viral 25-second video showed the crowd booing right after Trump mentioned Lindsey Graham.
The boos were not against Lindsey Graham but were directed at a heckler who disrupted the rally.
Trump responded to the heckler by calling the noise "loud, horrible, disgusting."
The rally included multiple interruptions from protesters, with at least one protester being removed and one punched.
Polls show Darline Graham leads her Democratic opponent Annie Andrews by a small margin.
President Trump has faced regular protests and interruptions at his recent rallies ahead of the midterm elections.
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Costco is planning to open a new warehouse in a state where it does not currently have any stores. Some states still have not had their first Costco warehouse despite the company's popularity.
Key Facts
Costco has not opened stores in every U.S. state.
The company is now planning to open a warehouse in a new state without a Costco location.
This expansion shows Costco is growing its presence in more areas.
Some states are still waiting for their first Costco warehouse.
Costco warehouses are large stores where customers can buy goods in bulk.
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