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Donald Trump’s horrible week gets even worse

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This has been a terrible week for Donald Trump. The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Aileen Cannon’s decision to appoint a special master. We knew they would. They did this because, unlike Cannon (I refuse to call her a Judge), these Judges have integrity and know right from wrong. And when they saw wrong, they moved to rectify it.

And then, of course, there is the little matter of Donald’s tax returns which are finally in the hands of the House committee. And let us not forget his dinner with two monsters. It is a terrible story, to be sure, but the public needs to know about it. Everyone needs to know the full truth about his royal narcissist.

So with all of this going on, it brings me to the second part of this article. Perhaps feeling helpless and losing friends at a rapid pace, Trump reached out in the only way he knew how — with hate in his heart.

Trump recorded a video expressing sympathy and solidarity for the American terrorists who attacked the Capitol on January 6. This was in support of a fundraising event by a group called the Patriot freedom project that supports the families of some of these people.

In the video, Trump says the DOJ has been “weaponized,” and we cannot let this happen in our country. No, the DOJ has not been weaponized, and we should applaud what’s happening in our country. Because what’s happening is the ingrates of January 6 are being held accountable.

I rarely respond to Mr. Trump, but today, I felt I needed to. Mr. Trump — you will never be President again. Most of the world hates you and sees you for what you are. And you are frightened, are you not? You see the eyes in the night — watching you.

These eyes are metaphorical and include me. They include the Democratic party. They include all the American people. And they especially include special prosecutor Jack Smith.


Our eyes burn into you as we watch your downfall. You did it to yourself. You spit on America. Enjoy your temporary freedom Mr. Trump for the wheels of Justice are moving. Enjoy your hate and your petty grievances.

For Justice is coming for you, and when it does — millions of the eyes that bore into you will fill with joy and satisfaction as you are finally escorted to where you’ve always belonged — prison.

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Archegos“ Bill Hwang says prosecutor misconduct justifies indictment“s dismissal

2022-12-03T16:50:55Z

Sung Kook (Bill) Hwang, the founder and head of a private investment firm known as Archegos exits the Manhattan federal courthouse in New York City, U.S., April 27, 2022. REUTERS/Shannon

Bill Hwang is seeking the dismissal of his U.S. fraud indictment over the collapse of his once-$36 billion Archegos Capital Management LP, saying prosecutors committed misconduct by sandbagging him when building their case.

Hwang made the request in a Friday night filing in Manhattan federal court, where he has pleaded not guilty to fraud and racketeering conspiracy charges over Archegos’ March 2021 demise.

Hwang’s lawyers said Department of Justice prosecutors concealed prior to his arrest how Hwang had been their prime target, the supposed “mastermind” of a vast market manipulation scheme, and induced him to divulge his defense strategy.

“The government’s conduct cannot be accurately described as anything other than deceitful,” the lawyers said, calling the probe a “sham.”

Archegos imploded when it failed to meet margin calls following trades through so-called total return swaps, leaving banks such as Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.S) and Nomura Holdings Inc (8604.T) with about $10 billion of losses.

In a separate filing, Hwang and co-defendant Patrick Halligan, Archegos’ former chief financial officer, said their indictment should be dismissed because Archegos’ trading activity was “entirely lawful,” using methods that are “clearly permitted by the existing regulatory structure.”

A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Damian Williams in Manhattan declined to comment on Saturday.

In alleging prosecutorial misconduct, Hwang’s lawyers said the government communicated frequently with them over six months, with Hwang sitting for two six-hour interviews, without disclosing that it viewed Hwang as a target and not merely a “subject” of its probe.

These discussions, the last occurring two days before Hwang’s April 27 arrest, “revealed what has now become (as prosecutors doubtless knew it would) his defense strategy,” Hwang’s lawyers said.

“The court should not countenance this lack of candor, breach of prosecutorial duty, and end-run around the Constitution and federal rules,” they added.

Hwang also wants U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who oversees the case, to hold a hearing to determine the extent of any taint.

A trial of Hwang and Halligan is scheduled for Oct. 2023. Halligan has also pleaded not guilty.

The case is U.S. v. Hwang et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 22-00240.

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Vaughan woman charged after posing as psychotherapist, giving sessions: police yorkregion.com/news-story/108… via @@yorkregion

Vaughan woman charged after posing as psychotherapist, giving sessions: police yorkregion.com/news-story/108… via @@yorkregion
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Enemy hits Kramatorsk with four rockets

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The Russian troops strike Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, with 4 rockets. According to preliminary data, nobody was wounded. 

“4 rockets hit the Kramatorsk industrial zone. In accordance to preliminary data, no person was wounded,” Kramatorsk Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko posted on Fb.

The consequences of the destruction are staying clarified.

As reported, the Russian military shelled 11 settlements in Donetsk area over the earlier day, December 2.

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The post Enemy hits Kramatorsk with four rockets appeared first on Ukraine Intelligence.

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World Cup Viewer’s Guide: Rested France faces Poland

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — France, the reigning World Cup champions, has been warned by coach Didier Deschamps not to underestimate Poland and star Robert Lewandowski in the knockout round Sunday.

Les Blues breezed through the group stage and clinched a spot in the round of 16 with a game to spare, which allowed Deschamps to rest his stars in France’s meaningless final first round game. Nine substitutes started in the 1-0 loss to Tunisia, and Adrien Rabiot, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Antonie Griezmann all came off the bench late in the game.

France, with fresh legs, is the overwhelming favorite to beat Poland and is the first defending World Cup champion to reach the round of 16 since Brazil in 2006. France is 5-0 in the first knockout round since the stage was introduced to the World Cup in 1986.

Four years earlier, Poland tied its World Cup-best third-place finish with a 3-2 victory over … France. But Poland, which is in the knockout round for the first time in 36 years, has not beaten France since a win in a friendly 51 days after that victory.

Poland has three losses and four draws in the seven meetings since, the last match in 2011.

Because it’s been 11 years since the two teams last played, Deschamps said France must take Poland seriously.

“It’s not a team we’re used to meeting. They have experienced players,” the France coach said. “If there is one name to stand out, it’s Lewandowski, he’s one of the best strikers in the world. But it’s not just him, it’s a team that has good organization, a good athletic presence. We have three observers here who are following them closely. We will have all the details. Don’t underestimate this team.”

Poland has had a strong tournament behind Wojciech Szczesny, the Juventus goalkeeper who saved penalties against Saudi Arabia and Argentina. His second save was against none other than Argentina great Lionel Messi and his 18 saves this tournament are more than any other goalkeeper.

Lewandowksi believes the key to beating France is through preparation and, frankly, playing better than Poland did in its 2-0 loss to Argentina. Poland also drew 0-0 with Mexico and beat Saudi Arabia 2-0.

“Reaching the round of 16 is a great achievement for us. It’ll be difficult against France, we’ll need to remain focused,” Lewandowski said. “I know that it wasn’t our best performance (against Argentina), but if we prepare better, if we can work on improving what didn’t work, and if we give our all, we’ll definitely have a chance.”

ENGLAND-SENEGAL

England takes an unbeaten record in seven matches against African nations into its game against Senegal.

Despite no head-to-head matches, there’s some familiarity with Senegal: 10 of the players play club soccer in England, six of them in the Premier League. Senegal forward Sadio Mane of Bayern Munich is out with injury.

“Senegal are a really strong, athletic team, with some really good individual players,” England midfielder Declan Rice said. “They are a really good team. It’s the first time we’ve played them since I’ve been in the set-up and we know it’s going to be a tough test.”

England has won five of its seven previous round of 16 matches, including a 2018 victory over Colombia on penalties. Senegal reached the round of 16 once previously, a win over Sweden in 2002, but its tournament ended in the quarterfinals with a loss to Turkey.

But the African teams have played well this World Cup and Senegal believes it can continue its run in this tournament.

“The message is a strong one,” Senegal assistant coach Regis Bogaert said. “We’ve seen Cameroon can beat Brazil and Tunisia can beat France so we know Senegal can beat England. That’s what we’re aiming for. That’s an important message.”

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse missed Saturday’s pre-match news conference because of illness, and turned Friday’s training session over to his assistants. He plans to be on the sideline at Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday.

England was a semifinalist in 2018 and is looking to reach the quarterfinals in consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time since 2002 and 2006.

“It’s the knockout stages and we want to win. If you don’t win, you go home, but that’s not what we’re aiming for. We want to get to the end of the tournament,” Rice said. “We’re building well and we’re in a nice position, and we’re ready for whatever comes.”

___

AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport

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Rail workers say deal won’t resolve quality-of-life concerns

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — When BNSF railroad conductor Justin Schaaf needed to take time off from work this summer, he had to make a choice: go to the dentist to get a cavity in his molar filled or attend a party for his son’s 7th birthday.

He chose his son.

“Ultimately I decided to take the day off for my kid’s birthday party,” Schaaf said. “Then when I am finally able to get into the dentist four, five, six months later, the tooth is too bad to repair at that point, so I have to get the tooth pulled out.”

Those are the kind of tradeoffs that railroad workers worry they might still have to make after Congress voted this week to impose a contract on them to avoid the economic disaster that would accompany a railroad strike. Workers and their unions say the deal didn’t do enough to address their quality-of-life concerns and didn’t add any sick days.

President Joe Biden signed a bill Friday to block a strike and force workers to accept the agreements union leaders made in September, even though four of the 12 unions — which include a majority of rail workers — voted to reject them. Business groups had been urging Biden to intervene for weeks.

For Schaaf, he’s not sure if the new contract will make it any easier to find another day off sometime next year to pay to have a fake tooth implanted in his mouth.

“If I had the option of taking a sick day … I would have never been in that situation,” he said from his home in Glasgow, Montana.

Schaaf said it was discouraging, but not surprising, to see Congress step in to settle the contract dispute ahead of next Friday’s strike deadline. Lawmakers have made a habit of stepping in to impose contracts when railroads and their unions reach the brink of a strike — 18 times since the passage of the 1926 Railway Labor Act, by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s count — because of the potential economic consequences.

Many businesses rely on railroads to deliver raw materials and ship their final products, so a rail strike would send a catastrophic ripple through the economy. Passenger railroads also would be disrupted because so many use tracks owned by the freight railroads.

The five-year deals that rail workers wound up with include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. But concerns about the lack of paid sick time and the demanding schedules that unions say make it hard for workers to ever take a day off dominated the contract talks. The rail unions say they weren’t able to get more concessions out of the railroads because the big companies knew Congress would intervene.

The railroads refused to add paid sick days to the deal at the end of three years of negotiations because they didn’t want to pay much more than a special board of arbitrators appointed by Biden recommended this summer. Plus, the railroads say the unions have agreed over the years to forego paid sick leave in favor of higher wages and strong short-term disability benefits that kick in after as little as four days.

The railroads agreed to offer three unpaid days for engineers and conductors to tend to medical needs as long as they are scheduled at least 30 days in advance. They also promised to negotiate further to improve the way regular days off are scheduled to help workers better know when they will be off.

But to retired engineer Jeff Kurtz, there is still a lot of work to be done to restore the quality of life he enjoyed before he left the railroad eight years ago. He doubts rail workers today would be able to get time off for key family events on short notice the way he did when he found out his son was getting his doctorate right before Christmas in 2009.

“You hear when you hire out on the railroad you’re going to miss some things. But you’re not supposed to miss everything,” said Kurtz, who remains active even in retirement with the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from every union. “You shouldn’t miss your kids growing up. You shouldn’t miss the seminal moments in your family’s life.”

Over the past six years, the major railroads have eliminated nearly one-third of their jobs as they overhauled operations, making the work more demanding for those who remain.

The unions say they won’t stop fighting for more paid sick leave, but now they may have to wait for negotiations on the next contract beginning in 2025.

The head of the Association of American Railroads trade group, Ian Jefferies, acknowledged “there is more to be done to further address our employees’ work-life balance concerns” but he said the compromise deals that Congress voted to impose should help make schedules more predictable while delivering the biggest raises rail workers have seen in more than four decades.

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El Salvador deploys 10,000 troops to gang-run capital suburb

2022-12-03T16:13:18Z

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced Saturday the deployment of 10,000 security forces to a suburb of San Salvador known to be a stronghold for gangs.

The move is the latest escalation in a crusade against gang violence that began in March, which human rights groups say has been marred by unjustified detentions.

“Soyapango is totally surrounded,” the president wrote on Twitter early Saturday, referring to the municipality in the eastern part of the capital region known to be a stronghold of the Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs.

“8,500 soldiers and 1,500 agents have surrounded the city, while extraction teams from the police and the army are tasked with extricating all the gang members still there one by one.”

Government representatives declined to comment on the deployment.

Images released by the government showed troops carrying heavy weapons, helmets and bulletproof vests, traveling in war vehicles. The municipality has a population of about 300,000 and was previously considered impregnable for law enforcement.

Since he began his plan to combat gangs, Bukele has ordered the arrest of more than 50,000 alleged gang members, whom he describes as terrorists and has denied basic procedural rights to.

The plan aims to reduce the Central American country’s homicide rate to less than two a day, after dozens of Salvadorans were killed in a single weekend in March.

Related Galleries:

Troops walk in the suburb of Soyapango, after El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced the deployment of 10,000 security forces to the troubled area which for years has been considered a stronghold of the violent Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs, in San Salvador, El Salvador December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas

Troops walk in the suburb of Soyapango, after El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced the deployment of 10,000 security forces to the troubled area which for years has been considered a stronghold of the violent Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs, in San Salvador, El Salvador December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas

A soldier stands guard in the suburb of Soyapango, after El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced the deployment of 10,000 security forces to the troubled area which for years has been considered a stronghold of the violent Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs, in San Salvador, El Salvador December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas

Troops stand in an alley in the suburb of Soyapango, after El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced the deployment of 10,000 security forces to the troubled area which for years has been considered a stronghold of the violent Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs, in San Salvador, El Salvador December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas

A woman looks at troops walking past her store in the suburb of Soyapango, after El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced the deployment of 10,000 security forces to the troubled area which for years has been considered a stronghold of the violent Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs, in San Salvador, El Salvador December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas
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World Cup knockout match: US trails the Netherlands, 0-2

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Goals from Memphis Depay and Daley Blind gave the Netherlands a 2-0 halftime lead over the United States at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday in the first knockout match of the World Cup.

In earlier matches, Christian Pulisic became an American star with the winning goal — and the injury he got while scoring it — that lifted the United States into the round of 16 at the World Cup.

He injured his pelvic bone, Pulisic insisted, when he collided with Iran’s goalkeeper on the goal that sent him to the hospital as the United States won 1-0 and advanced in soccer’s biggest tournament.

Pulisic was cleared to play Saturday, when the Americans face the Netherlands in the knockout round.

Everybody expected him to be on the field even before doctors gave him the medical go-ahead on Friday.

“I will do everything in my power to work with this medical team and make sure that I can play,” Pulisic said of his intention to be on the field.

The United States is trying to get to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 and continue to delight the American audience, which has tuned into the first three matches in record numbers.

A win against the Netherlands might be enough to convince fans back at home that the United States can, indeed, compete on the biggest stage in soccer.

“The support from the U.S. has been a bit surreal,” captain Tyler Adams said. “My dad’s a teacher at school, and they were all watching during their classes, the game and supporting me. And I was getting videos from the family, all the watch parties in my town and whatnot.

“It’s really, really cool to see how much just a tournament can change that perspective on people supporting soccer.”

The United States is winless in its last 11 World Cup games against European teams, a streak that includes five losses and six draws. On Saturday, the Americans face a Dutch squad that, like several other World Cup teams at this tournament, is battling the flu. The bug ran through the U.S. squad last week.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal gave his team the day off on Thursday instead of running a typical 11-on-11 match.

“I gave them a day of rest,” Van Gaal said Friday. “With this group, they communicate that to me. I listen to my players.”

He declined to elaborate on how many players are affected, but by abandoning the typical training schedule Van Gaal created speculation that at least six players are ill.

“We are not going to elaborate on that,” he said. “But if it goes around in the group, it is worrying.”

Frenkie de Jong has said a scratchy throat disrupted his ability to communicate during a victory over Qatar, and Marten de Roon told reporters he had a cold earlier this week.

Netherlands midfielder Cody Gapko is trying to become the first player from his country to score in four straight World Cup matches, and the Dutch team is on an 18-game winning streak that the United States is determined to snap.

“We felt a responsibility to use this World Cup to create momentum in the United States for soccer,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said. “And that’s why we want to keep going and we want to keep doing well and make the country proud.”

AUSTRALIA-ARGENTINA

Lionel Messi goes into yet another match that could be his last on the World Cup stage.

“No one expects us to win,” Australia forward Mathew Leckie said. “So let’s shock the world.”

Argentina was shocked by Saudi Arabia in its opening match and had to beat Poland earlier this week to ensure that Messi could continue in his fifth World Cup. One of the greatest players of all-time has never won this tournament, and this one in Qatar is expected to be his last.

Argentina turned a corner with wins over Mexico and Poland and emerged as the winner of Group C to face Australia, ranked 38th in the world. Australia is in the knockout round for only the second time, its previous trip a 1-0 loss to Italy in 2006.

Argentina won’t take Australia for granted, even though it has five wins, one draw and one loss in eight meetings dating to 1988. This is the first match between the two teams since 2007.

“We know, at the moment, everything is very difficult,” Messi said. “All the opponents are complicated. We know it as well as anyone.”

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1 stadium built for Qatar World Cup to be dismantled

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Of the seven stadiums Qatar built for the World Cup, one will disappear after the tournament.

That’s what the games’ organizers have said about Stadium 974 in Doha — a port-side structure with more than 40,000 seats partially built from recycled shipping containers and steel.

Qatar says the stadium will be fully dismantled after the World Cup and could be shipped to countries that need the infrastructure. Outside experts have praised the design, but say more needs to be known about what happens to the stadium after the event.

“Designing for disassembly is one of the main principles of sustainable building,” said Karim Elgendy, an associate fellow at the London-based Chatham House think tank who previously worked as a climate consultant for the World Cup.

“It allows for the natural restoration of a building site or its reuse for another function,” he said, adding that a number of factors need to considered “before we call a building sustainable.”

Buildings are responsible for nearly 40% of the world’s energy-related carbon emissions. Of that, about 10% comes from “embodied” carbon or the greenhouse gas emissions related to the construction, maintenance and demolition of buildings.

Qatar has faced international criticism for its treatment of low-paid migrant workers who built over $200 billion worth of stadiums, metro lines and other infrastructure for the World Cup. Qatar says the criticism ignores labor reforms enacted in recent years.

Stadium 974, named after Qatar’s international dialing code and the number of containers used to build the stadium, is the only venue that Qatar constructed for the World Cup that isn’t air-conditioned. During a match Friday in which Switzerland defeated Serbia, the air was noticeably more humid and hot than in other venues.

The stadium is hosting only evening matches, when temperatures are cooler.

Fenwick Iribarren Architects, which designed Stadium 974 and two other World Cup stadiums, says the idea was to avoid building a “white elephant,” a stadium that is left unused or underused after the tournament ends, as happened following previous World Cups in South Africa, Brazil and Russia.

Qatar says it has developed plans for the other six stadiums after the games are over. Many will have a number of seats removed.

The multi-colored shipping containers are used as building blocks for Stadium 974 and also to house facilities such as restrooms in the interior of the structure. Like giant Lego blocks, the bright red, yellow and blue corrugated steel boxes appear suspended between layers of steel. The design gives the stadium an industrial feel.

Qatar has not detailed where the dismounted stadium will go after the tournament or even when it will be taken down. Organizers have said the stadium could be repurposed to build a venue of the same size elsewhere or multiple smaller stadiums.

United States’ Yunus Musah, right, Aaron Long, center, and United States’ goalkeeper Sean Johnson celebrate after defeating Iran in the World Cup group B soccer match between Iran and the United States at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Where its components go matters because of the emissions implicated by shipping them thousands of kilometers away.

Carbon Market Watch, an environmental watchdog group that investigated Qatar’s World Cup sustainability plans, said whether Stadium 974 has a lower carbon footprint than a permanent one comes down to “how many times, and how far, the stadium is transported and reassembled.”

FIFA and Qatar acknowledge that in a report estimating the stadium’s emissions. If the stadium is reused only once, they estimate its emissions would be lower than a permanent one as long as it is shipped fewer than about 4,350 miles away.

If it’s repurposed more than once, it could be shipped farther and still be less polluting than a permanent venue, they said, because of how energy-intensive building multiple new stadiums is.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the organizing committee for the World Cup, did not respond to a request for more information about plans after the tournament.

The report also didn’t factor in operational emissions — or those produced from running a building — once the stadium is repurposed because standards vary in different countries, FIFA and Qatar said.

“The energy required for dismantling and shipping the building components will obviously need to be estimated,” Elgendy said, “but it is unlikely to outweigh the carbon embodied in the building materials.”

For now, the stadium’s design isn’t lost on spectators. On any game night, fans entering and leaving the stadium take selfies against its modern, industrial facade. The temporary stadium is hosting seven games in total — with the final one on Monday between Brazil and South Korea.

Jhonarel Miñoza, a 42-year-old Qatari resident originally from the Philippines, said she and her sister wanted to see a game in each of the seven stadiums.

Miñoza, an administrative officer who has lived in Qatar for five years, said she had heard about Stadium 974′s unconventional design before the game she attended on Friday.

“I was really eager to know how they built it,” Miñoza said. “When I came inside here, I was just checking how they did that.”

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Robotics is changing how we fight lung cancer

(NewsNation) — More than 600,000 Americans are expected to die of cancer in 2022 — an outcome often the result of a delayed diagnosis. That’s particularly true for lung cancer, accounting for one in four cancer deaths. 

“Although the statistics are decreasing, (lung cancer) is still the largest cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide,” said Dr. Janani Reisenauer, a thoracic surgeon and an interventional pulmonologist. “Most of the time, people don’t notice any symptoms until it’s much later in their stage and it’s harder to treat.”

Robotic bronchoscopy, a procedure where the doctor uses a tiny robotic arm to go into the air passages of the lungs and take a biopsy, is aiming to change that.

Reisenauer was one of the first in the nation to test this technology during clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic, beginning in 2019. Their research shows this method is more accurate, can reach further into the lungs and has fewer complications.

“Knowing that the statistics are what they are, if we can figure out how to stop (lung) cancer in its tracks, it has profound implications for the population as a whole,” she said. 

NewsNation spoke with Reisenauer about the promise of robotic bronchoscopy to prevent deaths and change the way cancer is treated.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

NewsNation: Why is this technology so revolutionary?

Reisenauer: Robotic bronchoscopy essentially is a tiny, three-millimeter scope that can be driven anywhere in the lung. 

We can reach almost 98-99% of all nodules, where the old bronchoscopes could maybe only get to nodules about 40% of the time. We’re able to sample and accurately provide a diagnostic result, whether that’s cancer or not, about 85-92% of the time. That’s in contrast to the previous data, which ranged anywhere from 20% to about 70%. 

In addition, complications of severe or significant bleeding is very low, less than 1%. And then the pneumothorax (lung collapse) rate is also exceedingly low, less than 1%.

One in four cancer deaths are due to lung cancer. A robotic procedure aims to change that. Courtesy of Mayo Clinic.

NewsNation: What are some of the challenges with traditional bronchoscopy? 

Reisenauer: Prior to this, bronchoscopic biopsies were with larger bronchoscopes. Only lesions that were pretty central, or pretty close to an airway, or kind of larger in size, were those that we would even attempt (to biopsy). 

Right now, this device is only meant to go down your windpipe and your airways and your airway tubes. But it definitely brings about an interesting opportunity in terms of other technologies that can be made to go through other parts of the body.

NewsNation: But it’s not just being small enough to travel through the airways of the lungs — it’s that you can see where you’re going, right?

Reisenauer: Imaging has become very advanced as well. What we’re using now is a combination of a portable CT scanner in conjunction with these robotic bronchoscopes. These not only allow you to see where you are inside the lung, but see where you are relative to other critical structures. 

That allows us to make sure that we’re actually sampling in the nodule — and not next to or beside the nodule, potentially leading to a false result.

I’m a thoracic surgeon as well. And many times under video guidance, these nodules are difficult to see. These catheters allow us to tattoo lesions so that we can see them at the time of the resection. 


Robotic bronchoscopy is a procedure where the doctor uses a tiny robotic arm to go into the air passages of the lungs and take a biopsy. Clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic show the procedure has higher accuracy and is safer than traditional methods. Courtesy of the Mayo Clinic.

NewsNation: How could similar technology not just prevent but treat cancer?

Reisenauer: There’s endless potential in terms of what this technology will allow us to do. 

There are opportunities to look at injection of drugs — as opposed to having to give somebody drugs through the vein — potentially injecting it focally and avoiding the systemic toxicities and the side effects. There may be opportunities to kill the tumor cells with extreme heat or extreme cold or other energy methods. There’s been a lot of news about immunotherapy, targeted therapies and therapies based on genetic mutations and molecular markers. 

Being able to treat somebody focally — who maybe isn’t healthy enough to tolerate something going into their veins, or is too sick for chemotherapy — there’s tremendous implications for that. And it’s just having another tool in your toolkit.

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