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Monday, 5:13 AM

December 22, 2025

Good morning news friend! Discover today’s defining stories and the future they set in motion. 📰🌟

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The Epstein Files

The Justice Department released thousands of pages on Jeffrey Epstein’s case, including FBI files, photos, and phone records, with more expected. Sixteen files were removed from the public site shortly after release.

Photos show Bill Clinton with Epstein associates and unnamed redacted women; Clinton flew on Epstein’s jet multiple times, including a 2002 Africa trip. Clinton and Trump both deny wrongdoing and say ties ended before Epstein’s crimes surfaced. Trump appears rarely, mostly in minor photos.

About 500 images were withheld as child sexual abuse material. Other celebrities like Michael Jackson appear but face no allegations. The release is heavily redacted, missing files, and adds little new context.

Sources: AP News, AP News, AP News, Bloomberg, Bloomberg, WallStreetJournal

U.S. Oil Blockade Intensifies

The Trump administration intensified its oil blockade on Venezuela, seizing three oil tankers carrying millions of barrels of crude. Venezuelan oil exports, carried mostly by sanctioned tankers, have plunged.

Venezuela’s oil blockade threatens Cuba, which depends on Venezuelan crude for 40% of its oil needs; shipments to Cuba fell from 100,000 barrels daily in 1999 to 30,000 now.

Cuba’s economy shrank 15% since 2018, inflation rose nearly 450%, and the peso collapsed on the black market. Over 2.7 million Cubans have fled since 2020 amid extreme poverty, food shortages, and blackouts.

Cuba and Venezuela maintain close security ties. Analysts warn further oil cuts could collapse Cuba’s economy entirely.

Sources: AP News, Reuters, Bloomberg, Bloomberg, WallStreetJournall.

Inside TikTok’s Algorithm

TikTok’s algorithm stands out because it builds recommendations based on “interest signals” rather than social connections, unlike Meta’s approach. It dynamically tracks users’ preferences in real time, even by time of day.

The platform’s early focus on short videos and mobile devices gave it an edge over competitors like Instagram Reels (launched 2020) and YouTube Shorts (launched 2021).

Research from U.S. and German teams shows that TikTok’s algorithm exploits user interests in 30% to 50% of recommended videos.

It also intentionally suggests videos outside known user preferences to better capture changing tastes and maximize engagement. This mix of personalization and exploration drives TikTok’s high user retention.

Sources: Reuters, Moderndiplomacy, Thedailystar

Mortgage Rates Fall

Mortgage rates fell to about 6.2%, the lowest in a year, but 54% of U.S. mortgage holders locked in rates below 4% during 2020-21, discouraging moves. Existing home sales rose 0.5% in November 2025 to 4.13 million units but remain 1% below last year, with inventory up 7.5% to 1.43 million homes.

Higher current rates nearly double monthly mortgage payments for many owners. The unemployment rate reached 4.6% in November, wage growth slowed, and median home prices hit $409,200.

First-time buyers account for 30% of sales; cash buyers 27%. Sales hover near 30-year lows. Market recovery depends on rate drops or stronger income growth, neither expected soon.

Sources: Reuters, WallStreetJournal.

Electrical Signatures of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

Johns Hopkins researchers created 3mm brain organoids from patients’ blood and skin cells, replicating the prefrontal cortex. Using machine learning, they analyzed neuronal electrical activity, identifying distinct firing patterns linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Initial classification accuracy was 83%, rising to 92% after mild electrical stimulation. These organoids contain myelin, improving signal transmission. The study involved 12 patients and revealed disorder-specific neural signatures for the first time in human brain models.

Current diagnoses rely on clinical observation and trial-and-error drug use; about 40% of schizophrenia patients resist clozapine. Researchers aim to use organoids for personalized drug testing, potentially accelerating effective treatment discovery.

Sources: SciTechDaily.

Natural Sunscreen Molecule

Researchers identified β-glucose-bound hydroxy mycosporine-sarcosine (GlcHMS326), a new natural sunscreen molecule from thermophilic cyanobacteria in Thailand’s Bo Khlueng hot springs. GlcHMS326 forms under UV-A/UV-B radiation and salt stress, not heat.

It features unique chemical modifications—glycosylation, hydroxylation, and methylation—that enhance UV absorption, antioxidant activity, and free-radical scavenging beyond typical mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Produced by Gloeocapsa species BRSZ, GlcHMS326 neutralizes reactive oxygen species and offers potential for sustainable sunscreen, skincare, and pharmaceutical applications.

This discovery highlights extremophiles’ adaptive mechanisms and could support eco-friendly production of natural UV filters to replace harmful synthetic compounds.

Sources: SciTechDaily.

“You have to bait the hook with the other fellow’s appetite if you want to catch him for your own frying pan.”

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️