Your Must-See News Headlines for Today, September 24

doctor visit

Getty Doctor visit file photo

Women experiencing menopause need to pay attention to how severe their hot flashes are and how often they happen. Researchers say they may be a sign of future health issues such as heart disease.

There’s a new twist in the Making a Murderer story. A confession from a new suspect may flip the case on its head.

And on a lighter note, would you pay extra for a “luxury” KitKat bar?

Here’s what you need to know in the daily roundup.


TOP STORY: Severe Hot Flashes Possibly Linked to Heart Problems & Mental Decline

Middle-aged women need to be paying close attention to the hot flashes experienced during menopause. They’re not simply an uncomfortable or painful inconvenience. If the flashes happen frequently and are severe, then it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor. New research suggests that these hot flashes are an indicator of future health problems.

According to a study recently published by the North American Menopause Society, researchers say severe hot flashes may be a precursor to heart problems later in life. The flashes may also suggest an increased risk of stroke and decline in cognitive capability.

Rebecca Thurston of the Women’s Biobehavioral Health Lab at PittPublic Health was one of the researchers involved in a study of 3,000 women conducted over 20 years. She explained to CNN, “What we found is that women with more frequent hot flashes when they entered into the study in their mid-40s had double the risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure later in life.”

Experts say that estrogen therapy can help to relieve hot flashes, as well as some antidepressants. Thurston recommends that women take steps to improve their heart health during menopause, such as exercising regularly, not smoking, and working to control high blood pressure.


WHAT’S BUZZING THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING: Another Person Reportedly Confessed to the Crime Featured in the ‘Making a Murderer’ Documentary

inmate confesses halbach murder

DOC/Manitowoc CoAn inmate has confessed to murdering Teresa Halbach, the crime for which Steven Avery stands convicted, a director says.

The Making a Murderer saga has a new twist: there may be a new suspect.

Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey were convicted more than a decade ago for the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. Both men have continued to insist that they are innocent of the crime. The popular Netflix documentary first aired in 2016 and created renewed public interest in the case.

A new documentary on the case, Convicting A Murderer, is expected to be released in 2020. The director, Shawn Rech, confirmed to Heavy reporter Jessica McBride that the production team received a confession from a different Wisconsin inmate who claimed to have killed Halbach. Rech did not share the person’s name but said the individual was a “convicted murderer from the state of Wisconsin.” Rech says the admission is on audio and his team turned it over to law enforcement.

Avery’s lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, told Heavy that she had also received a handwritten confession in the mail. Zellner said her team of investigators was looking into the individual’s background and working to verify whether the confession is legitimate. She further cautioned on Twitter, “We received the handwritten confession on Saturday. It is worthless unless it is corroborated. #MakingAMurderer2 #WorkingOnIt #NotsoFast.” Read more details here.


OFF-BEAT: KitKat to Sell $17 Chocolate Bars

Would you be willing to take a break with a KitKat bar that had a sticker price of $17? Chocolate company Nestlé has announced that it will soon begin selling a luxury version of the popular chocolate bar.

Customers will be able to select their perfect taste by picking from 1,500 flavor combinations. The packaging will also be personalized. The head of KitKat Chocolatory, Rabia Khan, said in a news release, “We know how much people enjoy experimenting with new and exciting KitKat flavors and the KitKat Chocolatory offers a whole new, premium KitKat experience as well as the chance to create your very own personalized break and have it delivered right to your door.”

It’s unclear if the new KitKat bar will eventually be sold in the United States. At the moment, Nestle plans to sell them in department stores in the United Kingdom until Christmas Eve. The company plans to launch an online store in November, therefore it’s possible Americans will be able to sample the new KitKats that way.

KitKat is sold under the Hershey brand in the United States. The chocolate wafer first debuted in the UK in 1935. According to Nestle’s website, the slogan “Have a break” was introduced in 1958 and the company has never stopped using it.


DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP

Adult Swim

  • Mike Mendel, a producer on hit shows such as Rick and Morty and The Simpsons passed away at the age of 54.
  • Former NBA player Andre Emmett was shot and killed outside of his Dallas home on Monday.
  • Jarrett William Smith is a U.S. Army soldier accused of discussing plans to “bomb a major U.S. news network,” according to a federal criminal complaint.
  • The Kik messenger app, which was popular with children and teens, is shutting down.
  • Thousands of workers at GM facilities have been furloughed as the strike continues.

CHECK THIS OUT

Check out that throw! Right fielder Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox made headlines last night for an incredible throw he made to third base while playing the Tampa Bay Rays.

The MLB shared the video on Twitter, which you can see embedded above. The ball was hit into the right-field corner. Betts picked it up and launched it 305 feet to tag the hitter out at third. According to the MLB, it was the fourth-longest throw from an outfielder on record that resulted in an out.

Betts told MLB reporters after the game that he wasn’t aware that he could throw that far. “Yeah, that’s probably the best throw I’ve ever thrown.” The Sox went on to lose the game 7-4.

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