An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Pete Hegseth’s orders; a doctor’s simple schedule for a healthier day; hungry microbes; and more

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By Jamie Ross and Hannah Jewell

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Good morning. It's Monday, Dec. 1, and we'll definitely be trying this research-backed tip to cut the costs of our Uber and Lyft rides. Now, let's get to the news.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's boat strike orders are under new scrutiny.

On Friday: The Post published a report revealing that Hegseth gave a spoken order to kill all crew aboard a vessel suspected of smuggling drugs in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 2.
The fallout: President Donald Trump said Hegseth denied giving the order. But House and Senate committees have demanded a full accounting of the September attack.
This week: Hegseth will host a meet-and-greet with right-wing media.

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Trump's ICE raids are impacting Chicago's economy.

How? Businesses in Little Village and other predominantly Latino neighborhoods have seen sales plummet during "Operation Midway Blitz," leading to cuts in staffing and hours.
In D.C.: The shooting last week of two National Guard members has left communities in West Virginia in mourning. But, instead of promoting unity, Trump is falling back on rants.

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Four people were killed in a shooting at a child's birthday party in California.

What to know: The victims — aged 8, 9, 14 and 21 — were killed after gunfire broke out at a banquet hall in Stockton on Saturday. Eleven people were wounded.
The latest: Authorities were still searching for the shooter as of yesterday. They are investigating the incident as possibly targeted.

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More than 500 people have died in devastating flooding in Southeast Asia.

What happened? Rain from two cyclones caused flooding and landslides in countries including Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Hundreds of people are missing.
How did it get so bad? The region has faced months of storms in a La Niña climate pattern. Rising global temperatures are fueling wetter, more dangerous storms.

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The FDA laid out a stricter approach for federal vaccine approvals.

Why? The nation's top vaccine regulator said his team concluded that coronavirus shots were linked to children's deaths, necessitating a new approach. He provided no evidence.
What experts say: Vaccines don't just shield you from diseases. Some can also prevent chronic illnesses, including some cancers — here are the ones experts recommend.
More health advice: A doctor shared her simple schedule for a healthier day.

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Ozempic is changing how we spend money and time.

How? Users are cutting back on snacks and spending more on healthy items. Sales are up for smaller-size clothing. And people are cooking more at home — see more impacts here.
In the wider economy: Trump cut tariffs on these five foods, but it's too late to stop price hikes. Americans want lower prices, but economists say there is a major downside.
An investor called $140,000 the new poverty line: He might have a point.

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These hungry, pink microbes could help fight climate change.

The pink color is a sign of healthy microbes. (Christie Hemm Klok/For The Washington Post)

How? By eating planet-warming methane gas. In an experiment at a California dairy farm, the microbes absorbed 85% of the methane coming from a manure lagoon.
Why that's promising: Methane traps 80 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide before it breaks down. These microbes could disrupt that process.

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Before you go … whether you love or hate voice notes: Here are The Post's definitive rules for sending and receiving them. Plus: A therapist shared four dating "orange flags" to watch out for.

One more good read: The forgotten court case that let billionaires spend big on elections.

We want to hear from you: Do you have questions about stories you've seen in The 7? Send them here. We'll find the right person to answer them and share responses in an upcoming weekend edition.

And finally … take a game break: