• Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) originates from ancient civilizations in Syria, where it was cultivated and used medicinally. It spread to Greece, Rome and other parts of Europe, and is now grown in temperate regions across West Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe.
• Licorice root contains key compounds like glycyrrhizin, flavonoids, saponins and coumarins. These contribute to its health benefits, including soothing digestive issues, supporting respiratory health, promoting adrenal health and enhancing skin health. However, excessive consumption can lead to side effects such as high blood pressure and water retention, which can be mitigated by using deglycyrrhizinated (DGL) licorice.
• Beyond its medicinal applications, licorice is widely used in culinary traditions, appearing in candies, teas, baked goods and alcoholic beverages. Its sweet and aromatic properties make it a popular ingredient for enhancing flavor in various dishes and drinks.
• Licorice is known by different names across cultures, such as sweet wood in Europe, yashtimadhu in Ayurveda and kan zao in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Each culture has unique uses and beliefs about the plant, reflecting its global importance and versatility.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is a plant with a rich history that spans thousands of years and continents. Its

• Thousands of Venezuelans joined the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years on Thursday, demanding free elections.
• The marches were organized by the movement of opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who wants a presidential vote by July 2027.
• Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's former deputy, has run Venezuela in close cooperation with Washington since his capture in January.
• Trump has praised Rodríguez and called elections too soon while touting a massive U.S. oil deal with Caracas.
• Machado's movement is shut out of U.S.-backed transition talks, and U.S. officials have asked her to delay her return home.

Nicolás Maduro is sitting in a federal jail in Brooklyn. His former deputy runs the country with Washington's blessing. And the socialist movement that has governed since 1999 remains firmly in charge. So when thousands of Venezuelans poured into the streets Thursday for the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years, the obvious question emerged: Did the United States remove a dictator, or just swap one face for another?

The demonstrations, organized by Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado's Vente Venezuela movement, took place in Caracas as well as Maracaibo,

• A study of nearly 486,000 adults in China linked regular tea drinking to an 11% lower risk of vascular disease.
• Black tea showed more consistent links to lower risk than green tea.
• Drinking tea burning hot was tied to a 16% higher risk than not drinking tea regularly.
• Risk was lowest at six to eight cups a day and crept back up at higher amounts.
• Tea drinkers who also exercised and avoided smoking had the lowest risk of all.

For centuries, humanity has sipped tea for comfort, ceremony, and community. Now, a massive new study involving nearly half a million people has answered a question many health-conscious drinkers have asked: Is there actually a "right" way to drink it for your heart? The answer, according to research published this week in the Journal of Internal Medicine, is yes—and the details might surprise you.

Researchers tracking 485,934 adults in China over roughly nine years found that habitual tea drinkers had about an 11% lower risk of vascular disease, a category covering heart attacks, strokes, and other circulatory problems. But here's where it gets interesting: The study, which tracked 14,863 new cases of vascular disease during

• Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport will unveil its Anti-Drone Dome at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on October 28-29.
• The multilayered system links surveillance, jammers, missiles and physical barriers to protect cities, infrastructure and troops.
• Each Dome is customized for the buyer and built entirely from Russian-made components.
• Rosoboronexport Director General Alexander Mikheev says the system safeguards supply chains and reassures investors.
• The pitch comes as Africa faces a surge in drone attacks by jihadists and warring factions.

Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport will debut a comprehensive anti-drone defense system called the "Anti-Drone Dome" at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on October 28-29, the company announced. The system is designed to shield civilians, military personnel, critical infrastructure, bridges, buildings, and energy facilities from unmanned aerial vehicle attacks — a capability Russian officials are actively pitching to African partner nations. Optional packages extend that protection to VIP convoys and sensitive cargo.

The project is built on lessons learned countering drones in recent military and counterterrorism operations, according to Rosoboronexport, which is part of the state-owned Rostec corporation.

Multilayered network links surveillance, jammers and firepower

The Anti-Drone Dome is not a single weapon but rather an integrated

• A joint NSA advisory warns that Chinese state-backed hackers are actively probing U.S. critical infrastructure using AI-generated scripts targeting Siemens programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
• The advisory, released August 19, identifies six most-targeted sectors: Critical Manufacturing, Energy, Water/Wastewater, Chemical, Food/Agriculture and Commercial Facilities.
• The Russia-linked threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure remains elevated, though no incident is guaranteed, per evolving threat intelligence.
• A separate October 8 advisory names China-based Integrity Technology Group as enabling botnets to target power grids, hospitals and law enforcement worldwide.
• The Gunra ransomware-as-a-service operation has expanded to 2026, using double extortion tactics against governments, healthcare and utilities across multiple continents.

A real-time threat to the nation's backbone

For the first time, U.S. intelligence agencies have confirmed that adversaries are actively scanning the nation's most sensitive industrial control systems using artificial intelligence to write custom exploitation code. On August 19, a joint advisory documented how state-sponsored actors are conducting reconnaissance against U.S.-based industrial installations using AI-generated scripts disguised as legitimate monitoring tools. The advisory specifically warns of actors with ties to a cybersecurity company providing infrastructure for botnets and network intrusions. The threat is focused across six critical infrastructure sectors, and the

For years, Libya's eastern parliament treated Turkey's maritime pact as a betrayal. On Oct. 20, it embraced the agreement without a single dissenting vote. The House of Representatives, the legislature, aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar, and unanimously approved the 2019 memorandum that draws a sea border between Turkey and Libya straight through waters that Greece, Cyprus and Egypt claim for themselves. Haftar's son calls the decision "a move toward overcoming disputes of the past." A harder look reveals something colder: a quiet transfer of leverage, in which Ankara collects signatures from both Libyan camps, a path to offshore gas and a foothold in the east, while Europe answers with communiques.

Key points:

• Libya's eastern parliament voted unanimously on Oct. 20 to approve the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum and revoke two 2020 resolutions rejecting Ankara.
• Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and the European Union dispute the pact because it disregards Crete and other Greek islands.
• The reversal follows a July deal on military facilities and surveillance systems, plus years of Turkish courtship of Haftar's camp.
• Turkish media say Athens lobbied Haftar against the deal and lost, exposing the limits of European diplomacy.

The vote endorsed a memorandum

Prolonged sitting can affect the nerves, brain, and metabolism, according to Kuo-Pin Wu, writing for The Epoch Times. In his article, Wu described a pattern familiar to many office workers: lower back discomfort that begins as stiffness and gradually becomes a recurring feature of the workday [1].

Wu's article states that brief walking breaks, gentle exercises, and appropriate strengthening can help make movement part of a busy day.

The recommendations draw on both modern exercise principles and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) approaches, including acupoint stimulation and dietary therapy. Wu's guidance arrives amid broader research attention to sedentary behavior, which studies have linked to musculoskeletal pain and other health risks even among people who exercise regularly [2][3].

Break Up Long Sessions of Sitting

Wu advised that prolonged sitting keeps the body inactive, slowing lower-limb circulation and causing lower back stiffness and mental sluggishness. He added that movements designed to interrupt sitting can activate muscles and relax the posterior fascial chain [1].

Wu discussed a 2026 study that found that five-minute walking breaks every hour during office work significantly improved fatigue and mood while enhancing work performance. The report recommends standing up and taking a short walk before the next

• Clove, derived from the dried flower buds of the syzygium aromaticum tree, is native to Indonesia but is now cultivated in various tropical regions. Its usage dates back to ancient civilizations in China and Egypt.
• Its essential oil is rich in eugenol, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, along with other beneficial compounds such as eugenol acetate, caryophyllene and humulene.
• Clove oil has analgesic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and digestive properties. It can relieve pain, inhibit microbial growth, reduce inflammation, aid digestion, promote oral health, boost immunity and improve skin health.
• Clove essential oil is available as a supplement and can be used topically (diluted) or for aromatherapy. It should be used with caution, especially when ingested and under professional guidance, as it can be toxic in large doses and may cause irritation.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using clove oil and a patch test is recommended to check for any potential allergic reactions before applying it to the skin. Always choose high-quality, pure clove oil from reputable sources.

Clove (syzygium aromaticum) is a beloved spice and essential oil that has been used for centuries for its potent aroma, distinctive taste and numerous