December 11, 2023 - Monday

[WORLD] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that dozens of Hamas militants are surrendering as the Israeli military intensifies its effort to crush Hamas.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that dozens of militants have surrendered as the Israeli military continues to intensify its efforts to crush Hamas and eliminate its leadership. Netanyahu confidently declared that the war was in full swing and urged Hamas terrorists to surrender, claiming that their end was near. However, Hamas accused Israel of detaining unarmed civilians and surrounding them with weapons in an attempt to weaken the resolve of the militants. Additionally, the US vetoed a UN cease-fire resolution, leaving Israel with fewer global supporters as the Palestinian death toll rises.

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[NATION] University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Board Chair Scott Bok have resigned following criticism of Magill's testimony on antisemitism on Capitol Hill.

Liz Magill, president of the University of Pennsylvania, has voluntarily stepped down from her position after facing backlash for her testimony about antisemitism on Capitol Hill. Board Chair Scott Bok also resigned. Although Magill had been under scrutiny for her handling of antisemitism on campus, her disastrous testimony was the final straw. She struggled to answer questions about whether calls for genocide against Jews would violate the university's code of conduct. Magill will remain as a tenured professor at the Penn Carey Law School.

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[BUSINESS] The FDA's approval of a revolutionary sickle cell gene therapy is a landmark development in treating the debilitating disease.

The FDA has approved a gene therapy for sickle cell disease, a condition characterized by deformed red blood cells that cause frequent and severe pain. The therapy involves a grueling treatment process of transfusions, chemotherapy to wipe out the immune system, and waiting for the bone marrow to regenerate. The approval of this therapy is seen as a significant step in providing relief for patients and addressing the underlying cause of the disease.

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[TECHNOLOGY] Google unveils Gemini, its rival to OpenAI's GPT-4, claiming it outperforms in math, coding, and subject knowledge.

This week, Google introduced Gemini, a new AI model that competes with OpenAI's GPT-4. Google claims that Gemini surpasses GPT-4 in math, coding, and subject knowledge at its most advanced level. Google also asserts that Gemini is the first model to match human-level experts in a test featuring 57 subject areas. This announcement comes as companies like Google and OpenAI continue to vie for dominance in the field of generative AI.

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[SPORTS] Cowboys dominate Eagles to even NFC East race, sending a message to the league about their legitimacy as contenders.

The Dallas Cowboys convincingly defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in a 33-13 victory, showcasing their improvement since their loss to the Eagles six weeks ago. Dallas now leads the NFC East based on a tiebreaker, but the Eagles still have a chance to win the division if they win out. Dak Prescott threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, while the Cowboys' offense put up a clean performance with touchdowns from CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Rico Dowdle. The Cowboys sent a message to the league and themselves, solidifying their status as legitimate contenders.

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[SCIENCE] The US Space Force's X-37B unmanned drone, speculated to be used for satellite threat search, faces a delay in launch.

The launch of the US Space Force's X-37B unmanned drone has been delayed due to storms. Some speculate that the drone may be utilized for searching threats from hostile nations' satellites. The launch was originally scheduled for Sunday night but has been rescheduled for Monday night. The X-37B, with its unique design, is a secretive spacecraft with unknown capabilities. SpaceX won the $130 million contract to launch the drone, suggesting a potential higher orbit for this mission.

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[HEALTH] The CDC estimates that 3.3 million U.S. adults have chronic fatigue syndrome, a larger number than previous studies have suggested.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the first nationally representative estimate of how many adults in the U.S. have chronic fatigue syndrome: 3.3 million. This number is larger than previous studies have suggested, likely due to the inclusion of patients with long COVID. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a debilitating condition characterized by severe exhaustion and symptoms that worsen after exertion. There is currently no cure or quick diagnosis method for the illness. The cause of chronic fatigue syndrome remains unknown.

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[ENTERTAINMENT] Reality TV star Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell dies at 29 due to complications from stage four adrenal carcinoma.

Anna Cardwell, known as "Chickadee" from the reality TV show "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," has passed away at the age of 29. Her mother, Mama June Shannon, announced her daughter's death on Instagram, revealing that Cardwell had been battling stage four adrenal carcinoma for 10 months. Cardwell's death comes after her family made a plea for prayers on social media. She was known for her appearances on TLC's Toddlers & Tiaras and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

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