Despite his hardline conservatism, Cheney became isolated from Republican leadership over his condemnation of President Donald Trump, whom he labeled the republic's greatest threat. His career concluded when he supported Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024, demonstrating how the Republican Party's populist shift had rejected his traditional conservatism. Heart disease affected Cheney throughout his adult life, yet he survived multiple cardiac episodes and lived years after his 2012 heart transplant, which he called "the gift of life itself," CNN reported.

On September 11, 2001, Cheney occupied the White House while Bush traveled. Witnessing the second aircraft strike New York's World Trade Center transformed him into someone committed to avenging al-Qaida's assault and imposing American authority across the Middle East. "At that moment, you knew this was a deliberate act. This was a terrorist act," he told CNN's John King in 2002. Operating from a fortified shelter beneath the White House, Cheney managed the traumatized nation's response, issuing the directive authorizing military forces to destroy additional hijacked jets approaching the White House or Capitol. The September 11 attacks triggered American intervention in Afghanistan to remove the Taliban, though al-Qaida commander Osama bin Laden escaped. Cheney then advocated expanding military action to Iraq and dictator Saddam Hussein, whose forces he had helped expel from Kuwait during the first Gulf conflict as President George H.W. Bush's defense chief.

The vice president's aggressive declarations regarding Iraq's purported weapons of mass destruction, supposed al-Qaida connections, and intention to arm terrorists significantly established justification for the 2003 invasion. Post-conflict investigations demonstrated Cheney and fellow officials overstated or mischaracterized defective intelligence concerning capabilities Iraq ultimately lacked. Among his most discredited assertions, that lead hijacker Mohamed Atta encountered Iraqi intelligence in Prague, never received confirmation. Yet Cheney maintained in 2005 that officials operated on "the best available intelligence," and argued any claim the data was "distorted, hyped, or fabricated" remained "utterly false."

The conflicts additionally guided America down troubling avenues including "enhanced interrogations" of terrorism suspects that opponents condemned as torture, though Cheney maintained methods such as waterboarding remained appropriate. He championed detaining suspects without trials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a measure critics characterized as offending fundamental American principles, according to CNN.

Cheney departed office despised by Democrats with a 31% approval rating, as measured by the Pew Research Center. Throughout his remaining years, he voiced no remorse, convinced he had performed necessary actions responding to an assault that claimed nearly 2,800 lives and initiated almost 20 years of overseas conflicts. "I would do it again in a minute," Cheney stated when confronted by a 2014 Senate Intelligence Committee investigation that determined enhanced interrogation techniques as savage and ineffectual. Regarding Iraq, he informed said in 2015: "It was the right thing to do then. I believed it then and I believe it now," according to CNN.

During his final years, Cheney surfaced as an intense Trump opponent, despite backing him in 2016. Trump's refusal to acknowledge his 2020 electoral loss and the January 6 uprising prompted Cheney to protest publicly. His daughter, then-Representative Liz Cheney, sacrificed her Republican career to challenge Trump following his effort to reverse the election outcome. During a 2022 video for his daughter's unsuccessful primary fight, Dick Cheney stared into the camera beneath a cowboy hat and stated: "In our nation's 246-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump," adding "He is a coward. A real man wouldn't lie to his supporters. He lost his election, and he lost big. I know it. He knows it, and deep down, I think most Republicans know." Richard Bruce Cheney was born January 30, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, and met his future wife Lynne Vincent in Casper, Wyoming. After struggling at Yale and receiving two drunk driving arrests, he received an ultimatum from Lynne, who had "made it clear she wasn't interested in marrying a lineman for the county," he told The New Yorker. "I buckled down and applied myself. Decided it was time to make something of myself," according to CNN.

Cheney commenced his Washington career as a Nixon aide, then became Donald Rumsfeld's deputy White House chief of staff under President Gerald Ford before succeeding him in 1975. He won Wyoming's House seat in 1978, serving six terms and advancing to minority whip with an extremely conservative record. President George H. W. Bush selected him as defense secretary in 1989, calling him a "trusted friend, advisor," and he managed the 1989 Panama invasion and 1991 Operation Desert Storm. During Bill Clinton's presidency, Cheney joined Halliburton as CEO. When the younger Bush sought office, Cheney led the running mate search and ultimately joined the ticket himself. "During the process, I came to the conclusion that the selector was the best person to be selected," Bush stated in the 2020 CNN documentary "President in Waiting."

Cheney's health issues began with a 1978 heart attack at 37, followed by three more in 1984, 1988, and November 2000. He stated he'd be the "the first to step down" if unable to fulfill his duties. After a fifth heart attack in 2010, he obtained a heart pump before his 2012 transplant. Following office, Cheney wrote two memoirs and became a vocal Obama critic. Years later, he condemned his own party's reaction to the Capitol assault, returning to the Capitol with Liz Cheney on January 6, 2021's one-year commemoration. "I am deeply disappointed at the failure of many members of my party to recognize the grave nature of the January 6 attacks and the ongoing threat to our nation," he stated. Democrats welcomed the former Republican vice president, with Nancy Pelosi embracing him in a scene that illustrated how Trump's transformation of American politics made former adversaries discover shared purpose defending democracy. "It's not leadership that resembles any of the folks I knew when I was here for 10 years," Cheney stated at the Capitol in 2022. He endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024 due to the "duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution," cautioning Trump "can never be trusted with power again," though Trump secured the presidency months later, CNN reported.

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Brace yourselves – a new study from Oxford University suggests that indulging in daily croissants or other buttery treats can silently increase the risk of serious heart problems, even without apparent weight gain. The research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference in London, found that consuming foods high in saturated fat for just three weeks can have significant impacts on cardiovascular health.

The trial involved 24 participants divided into two groups. One group followed a diet high in saturated fat for 24 days, including foods such as butter, croissants, sausages, cakes, and chocolate. The other group consumed a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats, featuring oily fish, sunflower oil, walnuts, and sesame seeds.

Researchers conducted blood tests and MRI scans at the beginning and end of the study period. Despite maintaining stable body weights, the saturated fat group showed concerning changes in several health markers. On average, their cholesterol levels rose by 10%, and liver fat increased by 20%, elevating the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Nikola Srnic, the lead researcher and PhD student at Oxford, explained, "Even when you are not gaining weight, different fats can have drastically different effects on our health in a short timeframe. The results suggest that a diet high in saturated fat may negatively change cardiovascular disease risk factors even when a person does not gain weight."

In contrast, the group consuming polyunsaturated fats experienced protective effects. Their total "bad" cholesterol levels dropped by approximately 10%, and they showed increased energy reserves in their heart muscle.

Srnic encouraged people to make simple dietary substitutions, replacing saturated fats with healthier polyunsaturated options. He added, "If you're not losing weight, you shouldn't lose hope," emphasizing that positive health effects can occur even without changes on the scale.

The study also examined heart muscle cells in laboratory conditions. Researchers found that these cells more easily broke down polyunsaturated fats for energy, potentially explaining how such fats could help lower blood lipid levels.

Professor James Leiper, associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation, commented on the findings: "This study gives us evidence that saturated fat may silently start to pose a risk to heart health very quickly, without causing any changes to a person's weight." He added that while the results are promising, "Longer studies with more participants are needed to confirm these findings and show whether these short-term changes increase people's risk of serious heart problems in the long term."

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A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London indicates that catching up on sleep during weekends may significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. The research, conducted by cardiovascular experts in China, found that individuals who got the most extra sleep on weekends were 19% less likely to develop heart disease compared to those who slept the fewest additional hours.

The study analyzed data from 90,903 participants in the UK Biobank project, aiming to evaluate the relationship between heart disease and "compensated sleep" – the practice of making up for lost sleep during the weekend. Approximately one in five participants were considered sleep-deprived, getting less than seven hours of sleep per night.

Researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease, Fuwai Hospital, and the National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease in Beijing divided participants into four groups based on their amount of "compensated" weekend sleep. After an average follow-up of nearly 14 years, those who caught up with the most extra sleep on weekends – ranging from just over an hour to about 16 hours – showed a 19% lower risk of developing heart disease compared to the group with the least weekend sleep.

This study adds to the growing body of research highlighting the importance of adequate sleep for overall health. Previous studies have linked insufficient sleep to various health issues, but there has been limited research on how extra weekend sleep affects heart health specifically.

Dr. Muhammad Adeel Rishi, associate professor of medicine in the Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, noted its limitations. "Sleeping longer over the weekend may reduce fatigue and sleepiness; however, [it] may not reduce the risk of obesity in people who are [sleep] deprived," Rishi said.

The study's observational nature means it cannot prove a direct causal relationship between weekend catch-up sleep and improved heart health. Other factors not examined in the study could potentially influence the results.

Additionally, experts caution that sleeping extra hours on weekends may not fully counteract the effects of significant sleep debt accumulated during the week. A 2019 study suggested a link between catch-up sleep behavior and increased snacking and weight gain.

These findings come at a time when many adults struggle to get sufficient sleep. A recent Gallup Poll revealed that only 42% of US adults feel they get as much sleep as they need, while 57% believe they would feel better with more sleep.

While the study provides another reason among many for compensatory weekend sleep, further research is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between sleep patterns and heart health. In the meantime, experts continue to emphasize the importance of consistent, quality sleep throughout the week for overall well-being.

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Nine Israeli healthcare, medtech, and biotech startups have been selected for the PlayBeyondBio initiative, spearheaded by the venture capital fund JVP, British-Swedish pharma giant AstraZeneca, international consulting firm Accenture, Margalit Startup City, Amazon AWS, and the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

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The chosen few were revealed this week at a special event at the Margalit Startup City Center for Excellence in Jerusalem.

The selection process focused on companies that develop tools capable of predicting and pre-diagnosing illnesses. Particular focus was given to startups whose platforms focus on cancer, heart and kidney diseases, and respiratory illnesses.

As part of the six-month program, the selected startups will be put on a fast-track path centering around pilot development, validation projects, and investments from the program's partners, including a package that covers mentoring on medical, regulation and go to market models. The will also be offered business guidance and consulting sessions with experts.

"The world has changed, the world health system has changed, and today it faces new, great challenges," said founder and chairman of JVP and Margalit Startup City Erel Margalit.

"This requires significant technological developments and Israel is a major player in this great evolving story. The nine companies selected, come with technological innovations in various stages of development: some already mature and operating in global markets.  Together with our partners – Astraznica, Accenture, AWS and Shaare Zedek Medical Center, – we will help these companies move on to the next stage on the way to becoming a larger and more significant," Margalit said.

The lucky nine:

C2i Genomics: The company provides personalized technology for cancer monitoring based on standard blood tests using a method based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS), generation of personalized genomic characteristics, and artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms, enabling early detection of disease recurrence. The diagnostic service is provided to research institutes and laboratories worldwide via a cloud-based platform, providing reduction of cancer treatment costs and enabling rapid development of drugs.

Nucleai: The company has developed an AI-powered image analysis platform to unlock the power of spatial biology from pathology images. Nucleai's platform, built and trained off large-scale proprietary datasets, leverages computer vision and deep neural networks to structure and characterize tissue and cell architecture in pathology images to identify spatial characteristics that predict response to therapy and inform treatment decisions.

Itamar Medical: A medical technology company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of non-invasive medical devices and solutions to aid in the diagnosis of Sleep Breathing Disorders and early detection of exacerbation in COPD patients. The FDA-cleared Loop system is a multi-vital sign wearable wristband and real time analytics, designed for remote monitoring of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), allowing the detection of early signs of exacerbation before symptoms are noticeable.

Medial Earlysign: A leader in clinical AI. The company develops and tailors algorithms using its machine learning framework.

iBex: The company focuses on AI-based cancer diagnostics in pathology, using artificial intelligence to develop clinical-grade algorithms and workflows that identify cancer as accurately as a human pathologist. The company's Galen platform is the first-ever AI-powered solution used in routine clinical practice in pathology.

Octopus.health: The company offers a personal healthcare assistant platform targeted to chronic/complex patients. Octopus.health's platform allows behavioral analysis of patients' adherence to treatment plans and uses AI and machine learning capabilities to predict patient compliance with treatment plans.

Imagene: The company provides an Al-based genomic testing solution to help cancer patients receive optimal treatment by leveraging their biopsy image for personalized therapeutics. Using proprietary deep learning algorithms, the company's solution detects the presence of cancer-specific biomarkers from the biopsy image only.

iCardio: iCardio.ai designs machine learning algorithms for everything echo, leveraging a database of over 200 million individual echo images and the iCardio.ai Platform. The company maintains a vast network of echo-technicians, echocardiographers, and cardiologists to both collect and annotate data and has developed deep learning solutions to calculate linear, area, and volumetric measurements as well as disease and abnormality detection and classification.

Cordio: Cordio Medical provides medical-grade solutions that monitor several health conditions by analyzing voice/speech samples recorded in a mobile app backed by proprietary signal speech processing algorithms, which allow near real-time monitoring and early detection of condition deterioration. Using only patient speech, sampled via mobile device, the Cordio HearO can sense fluid accumulation related to CHF and alert healthcare professionals in real-time.

President of AstraZeneca Israel Ohad Goldberg said, "AstraZeneca is proud to take part in the second cycle of the PlayBeyondBio program, alongside our partners. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for investment in digital health. Today more than ever it's clear that advances in remote monitoring, telemedicine and digital health are vital areas for the healthcare industry. AstraZeneca sees such investments in digital technologies to support diagnosis, prediction and prevention of diseases as a key part of its effort to improve healthcare delivery in Israel."

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