Cancer Breakthrough, Pasta Prices, & Christmas Markets

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Adam Rogers
November 12, 2025

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A new drug-delivery implant, TAR-200, eliminated tumors in 82% of patients (70 of 85) with high-risk, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer that had resisted standard therapy, according to a Journal of Clinical Oncology phase 2 trial.
The pretzel-shaped device steadily releases the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine into the bladder over three weeks, allowing deeper penetration of cancer tissue. This approach significantly outperformed traditional liquid infusions that remain in the bladder for only a few hours.
Nearly half of patients remained cancer-free after one year, with minimal side effects, offering a potential alternative to bladder removal surgery for those unresponsive to the standard BCG immunotherapy. The FDA has granted TAR-200 a Priority Review, meaning it’s now being evaluated for fast-tracked approval due to its strong early results.

Merchants can now reject premium rewards credit cards under a settlement announced Monday between Visa, Mastercard, and merchants after a 20-year legal battle. The deal breaks the 'honor all cards' rule that forced stores to accept all Visa or Mastercard cards, allowing merchants to reject cards with higher transaction fees.
The change could affect most credit cards, including airline, hotel, and cash-back rewards cards. Merchants pay interchange fees of 2-2.5% per transaction to card issuers, with rewards cards charging higher rates than basic cards. These fees totaled $83 billion in 2024, up 71% from 2019.
Big banks opposed the settlement because interchange fees fund their lucrative rewards programs that drive cardholder signups. However, merchant groups say the deal doesn't go far enough, and the settlement could face court challenges.

The Commerce Department has proposed tariffs of up to 107% on pasta from 13 Italian brands, including Barilla, La Molisana, Garofalo, and Rummo, accusing them of selling below market value. The tariffs could take effect as early as January, pending a final determination.
Rummo's chief commercial officer said pasta retailing at $3.99 would rise to $6.49-7.99 under the tariffs. Italian agricultural groups say the tariffs would virtually wipe out pasta exports to the US. Some New York restaurants have already stopped buying Italian pasta and switched to making it in-house.
The Commerce Department set the tariff rate using data from two companies, La Molisana and Garofalo, which didn’t provide information about potential dumping, and applied that rate to all 13 companies. However, some Italian brands produce pasta in the US and won't be affected, including Barilla's facility in Avon, New York.

The Pentagon’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier, arrived off Venezuela's coast as part of the largest US military buildup in Latin America since the 1989 Panama invasion. (More)

Alexander Wurm, 53, and his 22-year-old daughter Serena were identified as the victims of a Florida plane crash on Monday. They were en route to deliver hurricane relief supplies to Jamaica. (More)

A Utah judge rejected the Republican Legislature's congressional map and adopted a Democratic-friendly alternative Monday, creating a competitive district in Salt Lake County that could help Democrats flip a seat in 2026. (More)

Russian police arrested 18-year-old street musician Diana Loginova as she left jail Monday and gave her another 13-day sentence Tuesday for performing anti-Kremlin songs, her third jailing in a month. (More)

Thieves stole six ancient Roman-era marble statues from Syria's National Museum of Damascus over the weekend, just months after it reopened following the fall of the Assad family's 54-year rule. (More)

A suicide bomber killed 12 people and wounded 27 outside a district court in Islamabad. A breakaway Pakistani Taliban faction claimed and then denied responsibility for the attack. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday (S&P +0.21%, Nasdaq -0.25%, Dow +1.18%). The Dow closed at a record high, while further tech stock sell-offs hurt the Nasdaq. (More)

SoftBank sold its Nvidia stake for $5.8 billion in October to invest in AI ventures like OpenAI. It also reported that profit nearly tripled to $13 billion in the first half of this fiscal year. (More)

Target is cutting prices on 3,000 food and household items to compete with Walmart and discount chains as shoppers grow more cautious. (More)

Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter will miss the rest of the season after knee surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ligament. (More)

The Dallas Mavericks fired GM Nico Harrison on Tuesday, nine months after he traded superstar Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, who has since missed 30 of 44 games with injuries. (More)

Oscar-nominated actress Sally Kirkland, who won a Golden Globe for "Anna" and appeared in "The Sting," died Tuesday at 84 in Palm Springs. (More)

Scientists built living materials using bacterial spores that can endure tough conditions and even self-heal. It could lead to eco-friendly alternatives for building materials, plastics, and other everyday products. (More)

Western Australian scientists discovered Megachile lucifer, a horned bee species unknown to science. (More)

Google Photos now lets iPhone users describe edits they want using AI, and can reference faces in your library to accurately remove glasses, fix blinks, or add smiles to photos. (More)

Book a trip to one of Europe’s 11 most magical Christmas markets.

Typhoon Kalmaegi exposed a centuries-old shipwreck.

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