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Tech Selloff Rattles Wall Street as Iran Peace Talks Ease Oil — June 23, 2026

A sharp selloff in technology stocks weighed on North American markets Tuesday as investors continued to digest the fallout from Alphabet's steep decline and reassess valuations across Big Tech. Canada's TSX hovered near the 35,000 level, oil drifted lower on progress in U.S.-Iran peace negotiations, and gold pulled back from recent highs as hawkish Federal Reserve signals kept pressure on precious metals. 🇨🇦 Canada — TSX & Economy Index / Asset Level Change S&P/TSX Composite ~34,857 ▼ −0.32% CAD/USD ~$0.705 USD ▼ −0.19% WTI Crude Oil ~$73.67 USD/bbl ▼ −0.26% Canada CPI (May 2026) 3.2% YoY ▲ Above 3% target The S&P/TSX Composite Index dipped slightly Tuesday, retreating from the 35,000 level it briefly crossed on Monday after Canada's banking regulator freed up capital requirements for major lenders. The pullback came as tech-driven weakness from Wall Street spread northward. Financials had been a bright spot on Monday — RBC and BMO each added more than 1% aft...

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Revolutionary Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in Deaf Toddler

 

In a remarkable medical breakthrough, an 18-month-old toddler named Opal Sandy has regained her hearing thanks to a pioneering gene therapy trial. Born deaf due to a rare genetic condition affecting the OTOF gene, which is responsible for producing a protein essential for hearing, Opal’s prospects for natural hearing were bleak. However, the innovative treatment at Cambridge University Hospitals in England has opened up a world of sound for her.

The procedure involved the infusion of a working copy of the OTOF gene into Opal’s right ear, a process that took a mere 16 minutes. Remarkably, within weeks, Opal began responding to loud noises, and after 24 weeks, she could hear whispers, indicating a near-normal level of hearing restoration.

Opal’s case is part of the Chord trial, which is recruiting more children from the UK, Spain, and the US to undergo similar treatment. The trial is being closely monitored, with participants followed up for five years to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy.

The success of this gene therapy is a beacon of hope for many suffering from genetic deafness, signaling the dawn of a new era in medical science where conditions once thought incurable are now within the realm of treatment. Opal’s story is not just a personal victory; it’s a milestone in genetic medicine, showcasing the incredible potential of gene therapy to change lives.

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