Starting in 2026, U.S. cancer registries will be forced to classify patient sex solely as "male," "female," or "unknown," a directive from the Trump administration that has sparked alarm among scientists and transgender rights advocates. This policy shift is expected to severely hinder the understanding of cancer diagnoses and trends within the transgender population, making it more difficult to address critical health disparities for this marginalized group.
Niigata province authorities have officially approved the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's largest, marking the first such decision since the 2011 Fukushima disaster and a pivotal step for Japan's energy future. This move aims to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality, though the plant's operator, Tepco, still requires final permission from the national nuclear regulator before Reactor No. 6 can potentially become operational by March 2026.
A powerful earthquake, initially reported at magnitude 5.7, struck Bangladesh on Friday morning, November 21, 2025, causing widespread panic and claiming at least six lives in Dhaka. The shallow tremor, centered near Narsingdi, led to buildings swaying and structures collapsing, with mild tremors also felt in parts of India.
A recent report revealing federal authorities obtained phone data from a House committee chairman overseeing the Justice Department has ignited a fierce debate in Washington over government surveillance and the separation of powers. This controversy intensified after disclosures that the FBI analyzed phone records of several lawmakers in 2023, leading to a Senate provision allowing lawsuits for unauthorized data access, which the House subsequently voted to repeal.
CERN's ALPHA experiment has achieved a monumental breakthrough in antimatter research, dramatically increasing the production of antihydrogen atoms to over 15,000 in just a few hours—an eightfold efficiency boost. This unprecedented success, made possible by a pioneering positron cooling method, promises to revolutionize fundamental physics by enabling faster, more detailed investigations into matter-antimatter symmetries.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa declared his nation "will not be bullied" after the United States initially boycotted the G20 summit in Johannesburg, citing disputed claims of persecution against white farmers. This diplomatic standoff escalated as the US demanded South Africa forgo a joint leaders' statement, a demand Ramaphosa firmly rejected, highlighting broader international disagreements and South Africa's non-aligned foreign policy.
OpenAI has launched GPT-5.1, a significant advancement in conversational AI that introduces highly customizable chat options for both enterprise clients and individual users. This new model allows businesses to fine-tune AI interactions with specialized knowledge and custom tones, while individual users can enjoy a more personalized experience through eight distinct personality presets and adaptive "Instant" and "Thinking" modes.
A fire broke out in a pavilion at the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil, on Thursday, November 20, 2025, causing a chaotic evacuation and disrupting sensitive global climate negotiations. This incident occurred during a critical period for the summit, which is addressing urgent climate challenges and aiming to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Federal Reserve officials are sharply divided on whether to implement another interest rate cut in December, creating significant market uncertainty. This deep internal discord stems from conflicting concerns over persistent inflation and a weakening job market, making a December rate reduction a "coin flip.
MIT engineers have unveiled an ultrasonic device that rapidly extracts drinking water from moisture-absorbing materials using high-frequency vibrations, a significant leap from traditional heat-based methods. This innovative, solar-powered technology promises to revolutionize access to fresh water in arid regions and off-grid communities by providing a fast and efficient solution to the global water crisis.
Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has officially published its Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) today, November 20, 2025, aiming to deeply embed environmental considerations into all government policy development and delivery. This crucial document, mandated by the UK Environment Act 2021, will guide policymakers across Northern Ireland by integrating key environmental principles such as prevention and "polluter pays" into decision-making.
Israeli forces conducted airstrikes in southern Gaza on Thursday, killing at least four Palestinians near Khan Younis, while simultaneously launching a widespread mass arrest campaign in the Hebron governorate, detaining dozens and raiding homes. These escalating military actions contribute to a devastating human cost, with nearly 70,000 Palestinians killed and over 170,000 injured in the region since October 2023.