Flesh-eating parasite, Amazon robots, and life-changing apps.

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US News, Politics, & Government

Trump claims Sidney Powell was "never" his attorney after she takes plea deal

Former President Trump stated that Sidney Powell was "never" his attorney, following Powell's plea deal in the Georgia election interference case. While Trump's claim suggests they never had a legal partnership, Powell briefly served as an attorney for Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. In November 2020, Trump listed her as part of his legal team working on election-related issues. In the recent plea deal, Powell pleaded guilty to charges related to interference with the 2020 election. (More)

A Detroit synagogue president was fatally stabbed outside her home.

Samantha Woll, the president of a Detroit synagogue, was found stabbed to death outside her home. Woll had a political background, having previously worked for Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Attorney General Dana Nessel. The police are actively investigating the case and have not yet identified a motive. (More)

Pentagon bolsters US presence in Middle East following Iran proxy attacks on troops

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered another aircraft carrier to move to the Central Command area in the Middle East to “bolster regional deterrence efforts.” The move comes in response to concerns about potential escalations, including rocket and UAV attacks against US military bases in Iraq and Syria. The Pentagon is also strengthening missile defense systems in the region and placing troops on standby. There are growing concerns about the potential for Iran to escalate the conflict through its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon. (More)

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World

Iranian teenager ‘brain dead’ after alleged metro encounter with police

An Iranian teenager, Armita Geravand, who fell into a coma after authorities allegedly beat her for violating the hijab law, is now reported to be brain dead, according to Iranian state media. Authorities deny she was harmed during the confrontation on Oct. 1. This development could reignite protests, reminiscent of those sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish Iranian woman who died in police custody for violating the dress code last year. In related news, two journalists received lengthy prison sentences for their coverage of Amini's death, facing charges of collaborating with the US government and acting against national security. (More)

Second aid convoy enters Egyptian side of Rafah crossing en route to Gaza

A second convoy of aid trucks entered the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing on its way to the Gaza Strip. Nineteen trucks carrying medical and food supplies in total were allowed through. The first convoy with similar supplies entered Gaza on Saturday. UN officials emphasize the need for a higher pace of 100 aid trucks to meet the urgent need in Gaza. Work is underway to develop a streamlined inspection system involving Israel. (More)

Herzog confirms Israel found Hamas files with instructions for making chemical weapons

Israeli President Isaac Herzog confirmed the discovery of a USB key containing instructions for creating a "cyanide dispersion device" on the body of a Hamas operative involved in an Oct. 7 terrorist attack. The authenticity of the Hamas file has not been independently verified, but Israeli officials believe it is reliable. It remains unclear whether Hamas had a serious plan to use makeshift chemical weapons or whether the group attempted to produce them. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed lower on Friday (S&P -1.23%, Nasdaq -1.56%, Dow -0.86%) ~ The yield on the the benchmark 10-year Treasury crossed 5% for the first time in 16 years on Friday. The rise could cause increases in rates on mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and more. (More)

Walmart — America’s largest grocer

Walmart is attracting a growing number of American shoppers looking to stretch their grocery budgets amid rising food prices. High-income consumers are also turning to Walmart, making up about half of the company's market share gains in the food sector in the last fiscal quarter. The company is now twice the size of its next-biggest competitor. While the retailer isn't immune to inflation, it's taking steps to offset price increases. With inflation showing signs of slowing down and prices stabilizing, the question remains whether Walmart can retain its newly acquired shoppers. (More)

Deal to force multinational companies to pay a 15% minimum tax is marred by loopholes, watchdog says

A global agreement to create a minimum corporate tax of 15% has been weakened by loopholes, leading to a significant reduction in expected revenues, according to the EU Tax Observatory. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development brokered the agreement with more than 140 countries in 2021, with a goal to stop multinational corporations from using legal and accounting tactics to shift earnings to low- or no-tax havens. The agreement was supposed to raise roughly $270 billion in 2023. Instead, because of the loopholes, the figure will drop to about $136 billion. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

Patriots' Bill Belichick gets 300th regular-season win

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick secured his 300th career regular-season win as the Patriots came from behind to defeat the Buffalo Bills 29-25. With the victory, Belichick became just the third head coach in NFL history to reach 300 career regular-season wins, behind Don Shula and George Halas. Quarterback Mac Jones' performance was particularly notable after being pulled from two games earlier in the season. (More)

Georgia extends No. 1 streak to 19 weeks in AP Top 25

Georgia extended its No. 1 ranking in the AP college football poll to 19 consecutive weeks, the third-longest streak in the history of the rankings. The Bulldogs No.1 streak started on Oct. 9, 2022, and now only trails Miami's 21-week streak from 2001 to 2002 and USC's 33 straight weeks from 2003 to 2005. Michigan came in second with 19 first-place votes, while Ohio State ranked third with three first-place votes. (More)

Astros reliever Bryan Abreu suspended 2 games

MLB suspended Houston Astros reliever Bryan Abreu for two games after they decided he intentionally hit Texas Rangers outfielder Adolis García with a pitch. The incident occurred in Game 5 of the ALCS, resulting in a bench-clearing conflict between the two teams. Abreu was ejected after hitting García. The Astros went on to win the game and are up 3-2 in the series. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

Amazon trials humanoid robots to 'free up' staff

Amazon is testing humanoid robots, known as Digit, in its US warehouses as part of ongoing automation efforts. The robots have arms and legs and are designed to move, grasp, and handle items like humans. Amazon claims that robotics systems have led to the creation of "hundreds of thousands of new jobs" within the company, including skilled roles. They now have more than 750,000 robots working with human staff, with the goal of freeing up employees to improve customer service. (More)

This flesh-eating parasite spread by sand flies has foothold in US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that a flesh-eating parasite called Leishmania mexicana is likely spreading locally in the southern United States through sand flies. Cases of the disease caused by the parasite have been found in people without travel history, indicating local transmission. The CDC believe the parasite is still isolated in Texas and southern border states. (More)

Scientists uncover one underlying reason for male infertility

A recent study could provide insights into male infertility and potential treatments. Approximately 10% of infertile males produce little or no sperm. Researchers investigated the formation of the synaptonemal complex, a crucial protein structure necessary for the production of sperm and egg cells. By altering a specific point within this structure in mice, the researchers could induce infertility. Their findings may help shed light on human male infertility and possible treatment solutions. (More)

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Bonus Material

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