The US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is proposing new cybersecurity requirements for healthcare organizations aimed at protecting patients’ private data in the event of cyberattacks, reports Reuters. The rules come after major cyberattacks like one that leaked the private information of more than 100 million UnitedHealth patients earlier this year.

The OCR’s proposal includes requiring that healthcare organizations make multifactor authentication mandatory in most situations, that they segment their networks to reduce risks of intrusions spreading from one system to another, and that they encrypt patient data so that even if it’s stolen, it can’t be accessed. It would also direct regulated groups to undertake certain risk analysis practices, keep compliance documentation, and more.

The rule is part of the cybersecurity strategy that the Biden administration announced last year. Once finalized, it would update the Security Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), which regulates doctors, nursing homes, health insurance companies, and more, and was last updated in 2013.

US deputy national security advisor Anne Neuberger put the cost of implementing the requirements at “an estimated $9 billion in the first year, and $6 billion in years two through five,” writes Reuters. The proposal is due to be published in the Federal Register on January 6th, which will kick off the 60-day public comment period before the final rule is set.

Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic's home was burglarized Friday night. "No one was home at the time, and thankfully Luka and his family are safe," his business manager said.

Apple initially introduced the HomePod mini in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 lineup, and since then, the product has remained mostly untouched. Apple added some new color options in 2021, including blue, orange, and yellow. The company also replaced Space Gray with Midnight this year, which looks the same – except its now 100% recycled mesh fabric.

However, for the first time in half a decade, Apple will finally be updating the HomePod mini, with a couple of enhancements.

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H-1B visa holders can change jobs as long as their employer files the proper paperwork and their petition is approved.

Eva Marie Kogel, the editor of Welt am Sonntag's opinion section, resigned after the billionaire supported the AfD party in a new article.

The Miami Dolphins are surprisingly downgrading Tua Tagovailoa for the potential playoff decider against the Cleveland Browns.

Drake Maye is out of the game after a brutal hit to the head.

The pair began dating after competing on 'Dancing with the Stars' together

The Israeli military has launched a new offensive against alleged terrorist activity in northern Gaza, focusing on a hospital it says has been a "center of gravity" for Hamas throughout the war.

The only thing Greg Gumbel loved more than laughing was making other people laugh. When you were around him, that’s what you usually did.

Former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh has been cremated after a state funeral as politicians and the public mourned his death.

Elon Musk has backed Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD) in a guest opinion piece the Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

Hollywood is mourning one of their own. Olivia Hussey Eisley, star of the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet, has died. She was 73. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia...

Dayle Haddon, 76, was found dead and an unidentified man was hospitalized

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Yoon Suk Yeol told authorised soldiers to break down doors and drag politicians out of parliament, prosecutors say.

Mourners gathered across Delhi to pay respects to a former PM many credit for India's economic reform.

Syrians across the world are still coming to terms with the rapid fall of the Assad regime.

• Homelessness hit a record high this year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development found.
• About 770,000 people were experiencing unsheltered homelessness in January.
• In a silver lining, homelessness among veterans decreased markedly.

This year, homelessness was the worst it has ever been — for everyone except veterans, that is.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development released the results from the annual point-in-time surveys of unsheltered homeless people, which cities nationwide conducted in January.

Overall, homelessness was the highest it has been since the government began keeping track, with about 770,000 experiencing unsheltered homelessness on a single night in January. That's an 18% increase from the same time in 2023, the HUD said in its report released on Friday.

"While this data is nearly a year old and no longer reflects the situation we are seeing, it is critical that we focus on evidence-based efforts to prevent and end homelessness," Adrianne Todman, HUD's acting secretary, said in a press release.

Veterans were the sole group that saw a positive change. According to the survey, homelessness among veterans dropped to 32,882, the lowest number on record and about an 8% decrease from 2023. Unsheltered homelessness among veterans also dropped to 13,851, an 11% decrease from 2023.

"This year, HUD has helped connect nearly 90,000 veteran households to stable, rental homes," the department said in the press release. The Department of Veterans Affairs permanently housed 47,925 vets in 2024.

Researchers at the Brookings Institution found that homeless people in many major cities rely on temporary and emergency shelters. Building paths to permanent housing, on the other hand, improved housing access overall, leading to declines in homelessness in some cities, the researchers found.

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Alex Ovechkin, who has been sidelined since breaking his fibula Nov. 18, will continue his pursuit of the NHL's career scoring record when he returns to the Capitals' lineup Saturday against the Maple Leafs.