FDA Approves New Alcon Nonprescription Eye Drops for Eye Redness Relief

 The FDA has approved Brytly (apraclonidine ophthalmic solution, 0.125%), a nonprescription eye drop solution, for the treatment of eye redness caused by minor irritations, according to the agency.

Brytly, manufactured by Alcon, is the first over-the-counter eye drop containing apraclonidine and is approved for adults and children ages 12 and older.

The FDA advises patients to remove contact lenses before using Brytly and to wait at least 10 minutes after applying the drops before reinserting them. Patients who are using other eye drops should wait 5 minutes between products, according to the release. The medication should not be used more than twice daily, the FDA said.

Apraclonidine is available in higher concentrations by prescription for patients who have glaucoma or plan to undergo some eye surgeries 

Patients should stop using Brytly and consult a doctor if they experience eye pain, vision changes, continued redness or irritation, or if symptoms persist for more than 3 days or worsen.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/fda-approves-new-nonprescription-eye-drops-eye-redness-2026a100132f

Lawsuit Challenges How Dietary Guidelines Were Developed

A nonprofit physicians’ group has sued to force withdrawal of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, alleging the process violated federal administrative law.
A Challenge to the Process

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed its complaint in US District Court in Washington, DC, contending that the guidelines were written by a committee with conflicts of interest and little transparency. The suit resembles the ongoing litigation over the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. In that case, a federal judge put a temporary hold on the panel’s recommendations after concluding that the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had appointed its members unlawfully.
Legal Scholar Sees Potential

One legal scholar says the suit could succeed, noting that the Administrative Procedure Act bars arbitrary federal action. The scholar says HHS set aside a scientific committee’s decisions without adequate justification or convincing evidence.

Two Panels, Two Processes

A committee of 20 independent nutrition experts spent nearly 2 years reviewing evidence for a Scientific Report intended to serve as the basis for the guidelines. The Physicians Committee alleges HHS instead rapidly convened a panel drawn from the meat, dairy, and fad diet industries, with no outside oversight or public participation. The suit also alleges the panel lacked the balance of viewpoints federal law requires and that the government did not publish a charter or meeting notices. The group wants the guidelines withdrawn and reissued through a lawful process.

Broad Reach, Broad Criticism

The guidelines help set standards for federal nutrition programs, including school meals, military food programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Debate over dietary guidelines is longstanding, but criticism after the January 2026 release seemed unusually broad, reflecting in part transparency concerns and reported links between panel members and the beef, dairy, and supplement industries. More than 200 medical and research professionals wrote to HHS and the US Department of Agriculture, voicing concern that the guidelines were not evidence-based and could harm public health.

Public Trust and a New Graphic

In a March 2026 poll in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, half of US adults said they did not trust that the recommendations rested on sound science, and 44% found them unhelpful. The new food pyramid, which replaced the My Plate graphic, places meat and whole-fat dairy at the top and whole grains at the bottom.
Bottom Line

At issue is whether the process used to develop the 2025-2030 guidelines complied with federal law. The Physicians Committee’s claims are allegations, not court findings, and it is asking that the guidelines, which help set standards for federal nutrition programs, be withdrawn and reissued through a lawful process.

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/lawsuit-challenges-how-dietary-guidelines-were-developed-2026a10012p0

China AI supply chain IPOs hold firm despite valuation pullback, Citi says

As anxiety over valuations rises, Chinese AI supply chain firms are set to remain resilient in the marketplace. Ongoing listings in Hong Kong are supported by high domestic and global demand, with capital influx from mainland China being vital. In the upcoming year, attention will pivot to AI model developers that exhibit robust profitability. Remarkably, there has been a notable surge in public offerings within equity capital markets this year.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/china-ai-supply-chain-ipos-hold-firm-despite-valuation-pullback-citi-says/articleshow/135009896.cms

Global hedge funds hammered by AI selloff this week, Asia managers lead losses

 Global hedge funds suffered steep losses this week, battered by a sharp unwind of a swathe of AI bets, with Asia-focused funds hit the hardest.

Investors are increasingly ‌questioning whether massive AI spending can pay off anytime soon as elevated inflation keeps borrowing costs high. Wall Street ended ‌the week sharply lower on Friday, with AI-related technology stocks including CoreWeave and Broadcom under renewed pressure, while a jump in oil prices spooked traders heading into ​the weekend.

CoreWeave has been one of the biggest casualties of the latest selloff, with the data center operator's bonds selling off sharply this week, pushing yields above 15%.

Global fundamental long-short funds, or stock pickers, lost money every single day this week, the Goldman Sachs prime brokerage unit said in a note to clients, with losses for the week to October 15 coming to 2.9%. For the year to date, they have gains ‌of 14.3%.

"Following a sharp AI unwind on Wednesday ⁠and week-over-week, global equities were net sold again yesterday (Thursday) though at a much slower pace, driven by continued risk unwinds with long sales outpacing short covers," Goldman said in the note on Friday. "In dollar terms, ⁠yesterday's global de-grossing activity — long selling and short covering combined — was roughly half of what we saw on Wednesday."

Goldman added that global AI stocks collectively have been sold by long-short fund managers for six straight sessions.

On Thursday, hedge funds across strategies retreated sharply, with stock pickers globally losing 0.9%. ​Among them, ​Asia-focused managers were down 2.6%, while tech-focused funds were off 2.0%. Global ​systematic long-short managers and multi-strategy funds also declined roughly ‌1%.

"What we saw was less a fundamental rejection of AI and more a classic, high-velocity unwind of a crowded trade meeting a macro reality check," said Bruno Schneller, managing partner at Erlen Capital Management, which invests in hedge funds. "Hotter-than-expected US inflation data forced markets to reassess the path of interest rates, putting immediate pressure on the most capital-intensive parts of the AI complex."

US inflation data this week increased expectations of further rate hikes, fueling declines in semiconductor and AI supply chain stocks.

Semiconductor-heavy markets bore the brunt of the selloff. ‌South Korea's benchmark KOSPI tumbled 8% to close at a six-month low on ​Thursday, while Taiwan stocks also lost more than 3%.

"From COVID through end-2025, all ​three broad strategies never fell more than 80 bps on ​the same day," Goldman Sachs said in an earlier note from Thursday, referring to fundamental equity long-short, ‌systematic and multi-strategy trades.

The note added that this has ​now occurred three times this year: ​on February 4, July 28 and October 15.

Asia-focused stock pickers have lost 6.8% for the first half of this month and have erased more than half of the gains from their late-June peak, when they were up more than 40% for ​the year, according to Goldman Sachs.

"The interesting ‌thing about this selloff is that it exposes just how much of the hedge fund industry has effectively been ​trading the same underlying theme, even when portfolios look very different on paper," said Schneller.

https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/ai-selloff-hammers-hedge-funds-020957793.html

Russia says it struck Ukrainian steel plants and power infrastructure

 Russia's defence ministry said Saturday that its forces carried out a large-scale overnight attack targeting Ukrainian steel plants, electricity infrastructure and a cargo vessel in the Black Sea.

The ministry said the strikes targeted several industrial and energy facilities, including Ukraine's largest steelworks in Kryvyi Rih, owned by multinational steel producer ArcelorMittal (NYSE).

The facility had already suspended operations in September following a series of Russian ballistic missile attacks, highlighting the continuing pressure on Ukraine's industrial infrastructure.

Russia's defence ministry claimed the Kryvyi Rih plant supplied steel products to Ukraine's military-industrial complex, making it a target of the overnight operation.

The ministry also reported strikes against an electricity substation in the northwestern city of Zhytomyr and another steel plant in Zaporizhzhia, a city close to the front line.

Separately, Russian forces reportedly struck a cargo vessel in the Black Sea, with Moscow alleging that the ship was transporting military supplies to Ukraine's Odesa port.

The claims could not be independently verified, and the extent of any damage or disruption to the targeted facilities remained unclear.

The reported attacks underscore the continued vulnerability of Ukraine's industrial and energy infrastructure as the conflict with Russia persists.

Steel production remains an important part of Ukraine's industrial economy, while electricity infrastructure is essential to maintaining manufacturing operations and other economic activity.

For ArcelorMittal, the latest reported strike adds to the challenges facing its Ukrainian operations, which were already suspended following earlier missile attacks.

The situation also highlights ongoing security risks to Black Sea shipping routes, which remain important for Ukraine's international trade.

Further developments will depend on confirmation of the reported damage and whether the attacks result in additional disruptions to industrial production, electricity supplies or maritime transport.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-stop-refinery-strikes-russia-110219079.html

Evacuation Orders Issued As Wildfire Burns Homes In Southern California

 by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,

Evacuation orders have been issued after a wind-fueled wildfire ignited Friday in a Southern California coastal community, burning through homes and 465 acres, fire authorities said.

The fire started in vegetation in San Clemente, and strong winds quickly pushed it into neighboring San Juan Capistrano in Orange County.

Fire authorities received a report at 11:33 a.m. Friday. The blaze grew to cover an area equal to about 350 football fields by 5 p.m., according to fire authorities.

"We rapidly launched an assault of air and ground resources to head towards this fire," Orange County Fire Authority Division Fire Chief Mark Backoff said in an update on social media. "We can confirm six homes have either been damaged or destroyed by this fire. Our hearts go out to the folks that are impacted by that."

Videos taken by local news outlets at the scene showed flames reaching a neighborhood off Via La Mirada in San Juan Capistrano at the north end of the blaze. Homes were quickly engulfed as firefighters attacked the flames to stop them from jumping to the next house.

One firefighter was overcome with heat exhaustion fighting the fire, Backoff said.

The department had prepared for the wind event, placing equipment in the area before the fire started, Backoff said.

Winds Whip Up Flames

Santa Ana Winds, a regional weather phenomenon that produces strong winds and dry, warm conditions, helped the blaze expand rapidly and pushed flames into residential neighborhoods.

Wind gusts reached 69 miles per hour in Orange County's Santiago Canyon and were measured at 45 miles per hour at the John Wayne Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

The Santa Ana Winds also fueled last year's deadly and destructive Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County.

Orange County and San Diego County coastal areas were under a heat advisory Friday as temperatures were expected to reach the mid-90s in some cities.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday and Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom directed Cal Fire and OES to pre-position resources and activated the State Operations Center ahead of the expected Santa Ana winds and heightened fire danger. Newsom also declared a state of emergency in four counties, including Los Angeles and Orange, on Thursday to support recovery from Tropical Storm Rachel.

"California is confronting these threats head-on," Newsom said.

Newsom directed the state's emergency services and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to move firefighters, engines, aircraft, and special equipment into the region.

Cal Fire is investigating the cause of the fire.

Evacuation orders were issued for several neighborhoods in San Juan Capistrano. The city opened shelters at its community center.

Fire authorities said more than 500 firefighters were assigned to the fire, and more resources were en route.

Thousands of people statewide had their power shut off before the winds picked up. About 134,000 customers were without electricity after Southern California Edison implemented a public safety power shutoff ahead of Friday's wind event.

Another wildfire started Thursday in the coastal city of Malibu. The city was still recovering from damage sustained in the Palisades Fire last year.

Malibu firefighters contained nearly 40 percent of the wildfire by Friday afternoon, and it had grown to 147 acres, fire authorities reported.

https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/evacuation-orders-issued-wildfire-burns-homes-southern-california

Groups Sue DHS, Alleging Effort To Compile Voter Data Is Illegal

 by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,

Federal officials obtaining and compiling data on voters as part of an effort to combat voter fraud is illegal, three organizations said in an Oct. 15 lawsuit.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) compilation of the data from nearly every state violates the Privacy Act, which only lets agencies maintain information that is relevant and necessary for authorized purposes, the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and the League of United Latin American Citizens said in the lawsuit, filed in federal court in the District of Columbia.

"Congress created DHS to prevent terrorism, secure the border, and address other specified threats - not to conduct a voter-fraud dragnet centered on the private voting information of millions of Americans and records reflecting the exercise of constitutional rights essential to democracy," the plaintiffs said.

DHS did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Federal law requires states to keep lists of registered voters. The lists always have the names of all registered voters, and usually include other details such as their addresses, sex, date of birth, and partial or complete Social Security number.

Certain individuals can request the data from states, but there are restrictions on requesters and other restrictions on disclosure.

For instance, most states do not allow people who obtain the data to disclose Social Security numbers.

The Privacy Act states in part that for information concerning activity protected by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, agencies can "maintain no record describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual about whom the record is maintained or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity."

The Department of Justice has been sharing voter lists it obtained with DHS, according to letters released by the government. DHS has obtained some version of voter registration lists from at least 47 states, according to the lawsuit.

The Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel said in a May legal opinion that the department "has authority to seek statewide voter lists and share them with the Department of Homeland Security as part of its effort to identify individuals who are ineligible to vote."

The office also said that DHS is "authorized by law to investigate ... voter fraud."

DHS has since been reviewing the data, along with information it purchased from commercial sources, to try to identify people who are not eligible to vote. In litigation filed separately on Thursday, the government said an analysis of the list and federal data showed that more than 20,000 people registered to vote in California are likely noncitizens.

The lawsuit shows that DHS possesses voter files for California and is improperly using them for election administration purposes, the League of Women Voters and the other plaintiffs said in the District of Columbia filing.

They're asking the court to declare the voter data collection policy violates federal law, enjoin government officials from carrying out the policy, and to order officials to delete information it has collected.

"The federal government has no business secretly collecting the sensitive personal information of millions of American voters and feeding it into immigration enforcement systems under the guise of election security," Celina Stewart, the CEO of the League of Women Voters, said in a statement.

"Let's be clear: Voting is a fundamental right, not a privilege granted by this administration, and our personal information is not theirs to exploit. The League will not stand by while this administration weaponizes voter data, undermines public trust, and threatens our fundamental freedoms."

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/groups-sue-dhs-alleging-effort-compile-voter-data-illegal