Years after Cathie Wood became the face of pandemic-era investing euphoria, her flagship fund is marking a difficult milestone.
The ARK Innovation ETF (ticker ARKK) completed a 10-day losing streak earlier this month, its longest on record. Over the past half decade — a period that spans the latter part of the pandemic, the surge in interest rates and the market’s subsequent rebound — ARKK is down more than 50%, even as the Nasdaq 100 has seen gains of 80%.
The independent journalist who exposed massive amounts of social service fraud in Minnesota is now calling out alleged voter fraud in California with the release of a new video of his investigation there.
Nick Shirley has released his latest video which chronicles voting irregularities in the Golden State where he says he uncovered inaccurate voter rolls, dead people casting votes, lax voter ID requirements and month-long election processes that cast doubt on election integrity.
🚨 California is the breeding ground for voter fraud in America, as millions of people vote with no ID, month-long election processes, inaccurate voter rolls, dead people caught voting, even a dog successfully registered to vote, and voter verification is all based on your… pic.twitter.com/7nOIZe5x9D
— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) February 16, 2026
Shirley, a 23-year-old Utah native, has had to hire round the clock security after he exposed extensive welfare fraud among the Somali community in Minnesota.
During his visits to addresses obtained through public voter rolls from the California Secretary of State, Shirley found numerous examples of lack of negligence regarding verification of voters in California elections.
Examples of suspected voter fraud included no voter ID and signature-only “verification” in order to vote, 125-year-old voters still active on voter rolls, dozens of voters registered at a single UPS Store/mail drop and a voter who successfully registered her dog to vote in 2021 and 2022.
In a post on X where he shared his latest video, Shirley stated:
Without any voter ID and negligence from the state government to update their voter rolls, California’s one-party state has created a complex system where fraud is inevitable in their voting process.
In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against the Orange County, California Registrar of Voters for refusing to provide records of the removal of non-citizen voters from voter registration lists.
In response to Shirley’s latest video, California governor Gavin Newsom has sought to deflect criticism over allegations of social service and voter fraud by calling upon Shirley and other non-legacy media investigators to go after what Newsom calls “Trump’s massive fraud.”
SoftBank Group Corp. filed its mandatory quarterly report Form 13F with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, confirming the total dissolution of its $5.83 billion stake in Nvidia for the quarter ending December 31, 2025.
The regulatory document, signed by Head of Corporate Legal Department Yuko Yamamoto, shows that the semiconductor giant is no longer among the investment entries held by Softbank and its 13 included managers. This filing provides the official verification of SoftBank's previously signaled strategy to exit its Nvidia last November to reallocate capital toward more specialized AI infrastructure.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Softbank-SEC-filing-confirms-Nvidia-exit/65682168
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated on Tuesday that Tehran does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons, expressing his country's readiness to allow verification, if required.
On the other hand, Pezeshkian again emphasized Iran will not abandon the development of a peace-time nuclear program, a point of disagreement with the United States amid high-profile negotiations between the two nations.
Furthermore, Pezeshkian declared that the peaceful development of nuclear science aids the country's healthcare, industry, and agriculture.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Iran-open-to-verification-of-not-seeking-nuclear-arms/65682869
United States Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced on Tuesday that his country has reached an agreement to restart its uranium enrichment program within its borders in partnership with Orano, a nuclear fuel cycle corporation in which the French government has the majority stake.
Speaking at the EU-US Energy Relations in Times of Global Reshuffling conference in Paris, Wright noted the importance of energy independence, one of the goals of US President Donald Trump and his administration. Commenting on the country's energy cooperation with the European Union, Wright criticized the bloc's carbon-related tariffs, noting that they could make exporting gas to Europe "risky."
Earlier, the US announced that Orano was given $900 million in grants to build a nuclear facility in Tennessee. The US has engaged in uranium enrichment before, but its domestic commercial capacity has been very limited.
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/Wright:-US-to-restart-uranium-enrichment/65682516
Current research supports the idea that remission of type 2 diabetes is increasingly achievable.
A 2023 study published in Diabetes Care showed that an intensive low-energy total diet replacement program in Australian primary care led to diabetes remission at 1 year in about half of the participants with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes, with higher remission rates tracking with greater weight loss. Meanwhile, a September 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis in the same journal pooled 18 nonsurgical randomized controlled trials and found that structured interventions, particularly those producing substantial weight loss, consistently achieved clinically meaningful remission rates.
Evidence from other journals points in the same direction.
Deploying modern tools in a structured, evidence-based progression can still be confusing, and it can be labor-intensive and time-consuming to pull off in a primary care setting. GLP-1 receptor agonists, SGLT2 inhibitors, digital coaching programs, structured nutrition therapy, and metabolic surgery referrals are all valid options for glycemic improvement and, in some cases, reversal. But without a clear framework, reactive care can be an “easier” default, rather than remission-oriented care. Hospitalists increasingly see the results on both sides: patients whose early intervention prevented admissions and others whose stalled outpatient management resulted in crises.
As remission becomes a more realistic clinical endpoint, precise definitions matter.
“Clinically, diabetes remission is defined as the return of glycemic markers to the nondiabetic range without the continued use of glucose-lowering medications, sustained over time,” said William Hsu, MD, chief medical officer of Los Angeles-based L-Nutra, a longevity science company that offers diabetes remission solutions, and the former vice president of Harvard’s Joslin Diabetes Center. “Most major consensus groups align on an HbA1c of < 6.5% maintained for at least 3 months without glucose-lowering drugs.”
Eve Elizabeth Pennie, MD, an epidemiologist with the Texas Department of State Health Services in Austin, Texas, provided some additional data.
A fasting glucose of < 126 mg/dL; continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) or an oral glucose tolerance test may be used as alternatives to A1c when A1c values are not available, Pennie said. “Diabetes remission indicates sustained normoglycemia with minimal use of pharmacologic agents; however, underlying cardiometabolic risks persist, and continued surveillance for complications will occur.”
Finally, Hsu emphasized that a temporary glycemic improvement is not sufficient to be considered remission.
“A transient improvement in A1c while insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and postprandial excursions remain elevated is only a temporary fix and not considered remission in our program. We use a root-cause metabolic lens, not just an A1c lens.”
Because early disease is the most reversible, timing is central to successful remission strategies.
“The greatest opportunity for achieving diabetes remission is through early, weight-centered interventions,” Pennie said.
The majority of clinicians start metformin when appropriate and pair it with a GLP-1 receptor agonist at the earliest time possible to enhance weight loss and improve cardiometabolic outcomes, she said. “The addition of an SGLT2 inhibitor is indicated in those who have evidence of heart failure or CKD [chronic kidney disease]. All newly diagnosed patients should begin an intensive lifestyle intervention and digital coaching immediately upon their diagnosis.”
Hsu said the issue is more one of addressing underlying metabolic dysfunction as opposed to simply suppressing glucose.
“The so-called ‘standard care’ focuses on returning biomarkers to below a specific level at the cost of polypharmacy and patient burden. The reality is when you stop these meds, glucose goes back up,” he said.
Thus, he describes early metabolic unloading as foundational.
“Newly diagnosed patients have the greatest potential to reverse metabolic dysfunction when the liver and pancreas are given early relief from glucose and insulin burden.”
Many studies — including the DiRECT trial, a primary care-led weight management program for diabetes, and the 2023 study published in Diabetes Care — focused on intensive lifestyle intervention. They would treat remission as a structured process, not an incidental outcome, schedule periodic reassessments, adjust therapy promptly, and integrate nutrition and digital supports throughout the early disease period.
If lifestyle management fails to achieve sustainable progress, both doctors said that surgery remains one of the most reliable ways to achieve truly durable remission when used appropriately. However, Hsu said that surgery is often misunderstood as the only “serious” option when, in reality, many patients can experience “profound” metabolic improvements through structured, sustainable metabolic rehabilitation before ever considering an invasive intervention.
“For most people, strict daily dietary overhauls are simply not achievable or sustainable. When those attempts fail or when complications are pressing, surgery is positioned as the next escalation,” Hsu said. “This overlooks the fact that structured, periodic metabolic interventions delivered as part of a comprehensive chronic disease program can meaningfully reduce hepatic fat, improve insulin sensitivity, and shift metabolic trajectories without requiring daily perfection or lifelong restriction.”
He cited L-Nutra’s diabetes remission solution as an example of the kind of intervention that could produce such results.
When it does come to surgery, this is another case where precise definitions matter, Pennie said.
“Referral is appropriate for patients with a BMI ≥ 40, or ≥ 35 with uncontrolled diabetes, and selected candidates may be referred with a BMI of 30-34.9 when other treatments fail to achieve adequate glycemic control,” Pennie said. For these patients, she said, “Surgical interventions are among the most effective methods for achieving durable remission and should be considered in earlier stages of treatment planning.”
With his extensive experience at Harvard’s diabetes center as well as in working with the program L-Nutra offers, Hsu said that patients with successful remission trajectories share key characteristics.
“These patients receive early, aggressive metabolic intervention and interventions that occur earlier in life,” Hsu said. “The interventions include structured low-glycemic nutritional therapy, and they have regular touchpoints with a clinical team.”
Hsu said that for these patients, their CGM is more than just a source for passively monitoring readings; it’s a tool and a learning device that actively shapes activities like eating and exercise.
“They use CGM to understand food responses and adjust their behavior,” he said.
The patients who have successful remission trajectories are not only dropping pounds on the scale but also seeing a consistent reduction in visceral fat, according to Hsu. Then, they are gradually tapering their medications under the supervision of their clinical team — the close supervision enables them to avoid the metabolic crises and side effects discussed previously.
“These patients also have stable circadian eating patterns and reduced postprandial glucose variability,” Hsu said. “All in all, remission emerges when glucose, insulin, and behavior converge, not just when a medication suppresses appetite or glucose production.”
Hsu reported being employed by L-Nutra, and as such, having a financial relationship with the company. He reported being a venture partner at 618 Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm backing companies transforming the future of health. Pennie reported having no disclosures.
Certain genetic traits can significantly influence an athlete’s performance. For example, variants of the erythropoietin gene that lead to increased red blood cell production — and therefore greater endurance during prolonged exertion — can make a decisive difference in top-level competitions such as the Olympic Games. Today, tools exist that can modify these genes: So-called genetic doping is no longer merely a theoretical possibility, and experts are studying ways to address the consequences of these developments.
In the 6 months preceding the start of the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milan-Cortina, Italy, at least 92% of athletes preparing to compete underwent anti-doping testing. More than 7100 tests were conducted on 2900 participants. The figures were released by the International Testing Agency, the independent organization responsible for coordinating anti-doping controls in line with the World Anti-Doping Code of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Among the activities coordinated by the International Testing Agency is the collection and storage of blood samples to implement the athlete biological passport — a system that monitors specific physiologic parameters over time to detect abnormal changes that may suggest doping.
Mauro Mandrioli, associate professor of genetics at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy, has proposed adding a genomic component to anti-doping monitoring — akin to the athlete biological passport. The idea would be to sequence DNA from multiple cell types in elite athletes, securely store those sequences, and repeat testing over time to flag suspicious genetic changes that could suggest gene doping.
“To date, no confirmed cases of genetic doping have been identified,” Mandrioli told Univadis Italy, part of the Medscape Professional Network. “However, since 2004, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of prohibited substances and methods has included interventions of this type, following the first solid clinical results demonstrating the effectiveness and safety of gene therapy.
“Currently, we have a rich arsenal of techniques capable of inducing human cells to produce specific proteins, either temporarily or permanently,” he said. “It is possible to introduce a gene into the cell nucleus using a viral vector; to modify the genome using molecular scissors such as CRISPR-Cas9 — both permanent solutions — or to use a plasmid, a small circular DNA molecule capable of transferring a gene into a cell with transient effects. Alternatively, an mRNA vaccine can be used to induce temporary protein production without altering the cell’s DNA.”
In 2023, a research group at the University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, purchased vials on the black market containing an injectable preparation that, according to the sellers, included plasmids carrying the erythropoietin gene. “The researchers analyzed the vials using a test capable of detecting plasmid DNA and identified the gene in question, although in concentrations too low to produce a meaningful effect,” Mandrioli explained. “However, they demonstrated that the technology is commercially available and that there is interest within the clandestine market for these types of products.”
For now, genetic doping faces significant limitations. “Predisposition to a specific sport is a polygenic trait — it depends on a large number of genes,” Mandrioli said. “You cannot take a person with average performance and transform them into an elite athlete. However, we have identified 20-30 genes that regulate specific mechanisms capable of providing meaningful advantages in high-level competitions. When athletes are already genetically predisposed and highly trained, even a small genetic difference can determine victory.”
Beyond the erythropoietin gene, he cited the gene encoding myostatin, which limits muscle development. Reducing its activity can increase muscle mass without altering training volume. Other potential targets include genes regulating growth factors such as IGF-1, those involved in glucose metabolism, and those controlling inflammatory processes. All are potential targets of genetic doping.
Such interventions would entail nonnegligible risks, foremost among them off-target mutations — accidental alterations of genes other than the intended target — which could cause unpredictable effects. Forcing the body beyond its physiologic limits could, over time, result in cardiovascular, hepatic, or renal damage.
In recent years, experts have been seeking increasingly sophisticated methods to detect the effects of genetic doping. The fact that no confirmed case has yet been identified does not mean that no one has attempted it, as illustrated by the 2023 black-market vial episode.
“Proteins produced by artificially introduced genes are identical to those naturally produced by the human body,” Mandrioli explained. “Therefore, they cannot be detected using current anti-doping tests. This is why I propose an athlete genetic passport — a complete baseline DNA sequence stored for comparison with results obtained during periodic monitoring.”
Growing interest in genetic variations that may confer athletic advantage has also led to the proliferation of “predisposition tests” on the market. These kits claim to analyze DNA traits linked to endurance, power, recovery capacity, and other variables and to recommend tailored nutrition and training regimens. Typically, they include buccal swabs for collecting saliva and mucosal cells, which are then sent to affiliated laboratories for analysis.
“They are unreliable because they fail to account for the complexity of the factors that predispose someone to a specific sport,” Mandrioli said, “and ethically questionable. For example, parents might subject a child to one of these tests and then push them toward a sport based on the result, disregarding the child’s preferences in the hope of producing a champion.”
Mauro Mandrioli declared having no conflicts of interest related to the subject matter.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/coming-age-genetic-doping-olympic-sport-2026a10004yp
