Weekly News Briefs: Oct. 31

Local

Atlanta clinical trial studies new Alzheimer medication

A ongoing clinical trial in Atlanta is looking for more patients after the Alzheimer’s drug they’re studying has begun to show promising results. The drug is known as Intepirdine, and could be the first FDA approved Alzheimer’s drug, according to 11Alive. The study is aimed at slowing the progression of the illness when taken with one of the most widely used Alzheimer’s medication, Aricept. Dr. Dennie Lacey, an Atlanta neurologist and leader of the study says that so far the results have been positive when patients take both medications together, “in terms of improving cognitive function and improving activities of daily living”.

National

Justice Department discouraged F.B.I. to release Clinton information

Law enforcement officials revealed that the Justice Department did everything in their power to discourage F.B.I director, James B. Comey from announcing new evidence in Hillary Clinton’s e-mail investigation. The officials said that even though the department did not stop him from doing so, they told him he’d been going against policies which prohibited talking about ongoing criminal investigations. They also warned it would be seen as “meddling in the elections”, according to the New York Times.

Global

Earthquake destroys multiple towns in Italy

A 6.6-magnitude earthquake left towns and villages in central Italy devastated. Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi said they would rebuild all the affected towns in the regions of Marche and Umbria. The rocking shake came after two smaller earthquakes that had scared a lot of residents out of their homes and crumbled the sacred site of San Benedetto basilica in Norcia to pieces. According to Italian police, there were no fatalities as of Sunday, but over twelve people were injured, one of which was in serious condition, according to The Guardian.