By Chinenye Anuforo The internet is a boundless digital realm, yet many communities and organisations in Nigeria struggle to secure their place on this global stage. To address this lingering challenge, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has introduced the Applicant Support Programme (ASP), a visionary initiative aimed at empowering under-resourced groups and closing the digital divide. In this exclusive interview, Pierre Dandjinou, VP, Stakeholder Engagement at ICANN, sheds light on the ASP and how it will create a more inclusive online environment. How will ASP help create a level playing field for those seeking a digital presence? The ASP is intended to make the New Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) Programme application and evaluation processes and fees more accessible to entities that would like to operate a registry but would otherwise be unable to apply, because of financial and other resource constraints. The ASP provides a range of financial and non-financial assistance for qualified applicants including access to volunteer professional services, training, and other resources, and reductions in base gTLD application and evaluation fees. How will it benefit indigenous communities and social enterprises? The ASP provides financial assistance in the form of reduced fees and access to valuable resources like training and volunteer professional services. This support system is specifically designed to empower eligible entities like indigenous communities and social impact businesses to establish their own gTLDs, fostering a more diverse online space. In essence, the ASP provides a reduction in the new gTLD evaluation fee as well as non-financial resources for qualified, eligible entities. How does the ASP contribute to ICANN’s inclusivity goal? The ASP Is intended to make the New gTLD Program attainable to applicants that want to apply for a new gTLD but are unable to do so because of financial constraints and lack of other resources. It also helps diversify the gTLD landscape by providing support to eligible entities that include nonprofits, nongovernmental, and charitable organizations; intergovernmental organizations; indigenous and tribal peoples’ organizations; and small businesses that operate as social enterprises or which operate in a less-developed economy. How does the ASP empower those using non-Latin scripts or facing financial limitations? Nonprofits, nongovernmental, and charitable organizations; intergovernmental organizations; indigenous and tribal peoples’ organizations; and small businesses that operate as social enterprises or which operate in a less-developed economy are eligible for support provided by the ASP. This can include entities that wish to apply to operate an Internationalized Domain Name (IDN), which is a TLD that contains characters other than ASCII letters. Because IDNs support the use of Unicode characters, they can include characters from local languages and scripts. When can organisations apply for the ASP and what are the eligibility criteria? Based on the current criteria, eligible ASP applicants must meet financial need and financial viability criteria, and fall into at least one of the following entity categories: Nonprofits, charities, or equivalent. Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), Indigenous/tribal people’s organizations, Social impact or public benefit micro- or small-sized businesses and Micro- or small-sized businesses from a less-developed economy. Supported applicants will receive access to pro bono service providers, training, and other resources, and also a reduction in gTLD evaluation fees (between 75-85%). The deadline for submitting ASP applications is November 19, 2025, which is about five months prior to the opening of the New gTLD Program application submission period. Any advice for potential applicants? Where can they find more information? ASP applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early for the following reasons: ICANN has budgeted support for up to 40 applicants at an 85% fee reduction. Should demand exceed this amount, the fee reduction can be reduced to 75% to cover up to 45 supported applicants. However, it is important to recognize program resource limitations. Because ASP evaluations are conducted on an ongoing basis, the first applicants to apply and qualify for support will be able to take advantage of the resources available. Those that apply after the available resources have been expended may have to wait until future cycles of the program. Can you clarify the difference between a gTLD and a domain name? Top-level domains (TLDs) are the names at the top of the Domain Name System (DNS) hierarchy. They appear in domain names as the string of letters following the last dot. For example, in the domain name icann.org, the characters “org” identify the TLD. While individuals and organizations can register a domain name, the process of applying for a gTLD is much more complex. In fact, when you apply for a top-level domain, you are applying to operate an Internet registry (a Registry Operator or RO) that supports the DNS. What are the potential benefits and considerations for applying for a new gTLD? gTLDs are unique digital assets that can be used in meaningful ways to help achieve long-term goals. Whether building a brand for a company, spotlighting a geographic region or city on the world stage, reflecting a societal issue, reaching out to new customers via an Internationalised Domain Name, or launching a business to offer domain names under a new registry, a new gTLD can be an innovative tool for commerce and communication. How does ICANN ensure the security and stability of the entire gTLD ecosystem? The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages the DNS for the world’s benefit. Its mission is to ensure the stability, security, and resilience of the DNS so that the Internet continues to be singular and globally interoperable. ICANN accomplishes this by coordinating the unique identifier systems – including domain names and IP addresses – around the worldIn response to this alarming discovery, customs and border protection agencies have heightened their vigilance and stepped up their efforts to detect and prevent the illegal trafficking of invasive species. Increased collaboration with international partners, enhanced training for officers, and the deployment of advanced detection technologies are some of the measures being taken to combat this growing threat.e-sports course 。

I first went to Sphere in Las Vegas for a concert in early 2024, and I was amazed by the visuals and the sound. When it was reported that the groundbreaking venue could be adapting The Wizard of Oz for its incredible 160,000-square-foot screen, I immediately started daydreaming about what movies I would love to see at the venue. Here is the list I came up with—well, at least some of the movies I would love to see at Sphere. Star Wars The first movie I thought of when I started dreaming up this list was, of course, Star Wars. Just the thought of that opening scene of the two starships flying across the enormous screen provides me with vivid dreams. Not only that, but can you imagine that famous John Williams score blasting through that incredible sound system? It's overwhelming, in the best way. Gladiator Do you want to be entertained? Think of Gladiator on the screen at Sphere. From the opening battle scene in the forests of Germany to the final showdown between Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix , it would be a cinematic experience like no other. Avengers: Endgame Really, for this one, it all comes down to that final battle with Thanos on the biggest screen in the world. So much happened in that scene, and so much work went into it , that it all seems right to see it on the massive screen with the insane resolution. Fantasia Really, this one is all about the music. Sure, it would be incredible to see the vintage animation on that screen, but the sound system, which includes 1,586 speakers, would deliver that amazing classical music soundtrack that would sound absolutely incredible. The visuals would be one incredible bonus. At the least, maybe Disney should make a new version of Fantasia made just for Sphere Lawrence Of Arabia One of the first movies I thought of that I would love to see on that giant screen is the classic Lawrence Of Arabia. It's a movie I've never had the opportunity to see in any theater, much less the largest theater in the world. Seeing those incredible, vast vistas sweeping across the screen would be a mind-blowing experience. It's worth noting that for a movie that is really long , the seats in Sphere are very comfortable. The Dark Knight To be honest, as much as I'd love to see the best Batman movie on Sphere's screen, I do worry that the intense (and incredible) action sequences make the audience motion sick. Being immersed in those car chases and the other huge set pieces might actually be too intense. On second thought, it would absolutely be worth the risk. CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News Jurassic Park Not only do I want to see the dinosaurs 10 stories tall (or whatever it is), but there is one other feature that Sphere has that no other theater has - rumble seats. That's right, the seats vibrate. Now, imagine the scene with the T-Rex approaching, as the ground is shaking enough to make ripples in the water glass. Now imagine shaking with the ground in the movie. Wow. What an experience that would be. The Sound Of Music A musical like The Sound of Music would be simply beautiful on the screen at Sphere. The magical vistas across the Alps would be incredible and the clarity of the music would be unlikely any other experience in any other theater. The hills would really be alive. The Thin Red Line No other war film has been as beautiful as director Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line . The cinematography and the sound design are absolutely perfect for the technology that only Sphere can provide. It's an intense war movie, but it's the best war movie to see on screen like this. Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban Without question, I think there would need to be at least one Harry Potter movie adapted for Sphere. I can't think of a better one than Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban . Director Alfonso Cuarón's imprint is all over the movie, especially visually, and for that reason, it's the perfect choice. Plus, the bus scene by itself would make the price of admission worth it. Dunkirk You just knew this one had to be on the list. Christopher Nolan 's Dunkirk is a visual masterpiece and one of the best war movies ever. It deserves the Sphere treatment. Nolan loves to shoot in IMAX and Sphere is like an IMAX screen on steroids. Just dreaming about watching the Spitfires move across the immense screen fills me with joy. I can't imagine how it would really look. 2001: A Space Odyssey There are so many aspects of 2001: A Space Odyssey that would be amazing. The spacewalk and all the scenes in the spaceship would just be so trippy to watch at Sphere. That's not to mention the trippiest part of the movie, the third act with the color and light and the totally wild ending . It would be like a rock concert in there. Top Gun The opening sequence to Top Gun , with the souring guitar of Harold Faltermeyer's theme music and all the action on the deck of the aircraft carrier, would suck audiences straight in. By the time "Danger Zone" started everyone would be fully entranced. Then we'd get to the flying scenes. Wow. Avatar I'm not actually a huge fan of Avatar , but that doesn't matter, because I appreciate how amazing it looks on the big screen. Putting it on the biggest screen in the world - and in 3-D - and I'll bet I'd be a convert. I'd become a huge fan of it. Braveheart Braveheart is another movie I'm not actually a huge fan of. It's a wildly historically inaccurate movie , and that drives me nuts. That said, visually it's an incredible achievement and for that reason alone, I'm ready to see it on the screen at Sphere. The Battle of Stirling Bridge would be absolutely insane to watch. Black Panther I love Black Panther and seeing Wakanda on a screen the size of Sphere would be an amazing experience. Wakanda is one of the coolest places in the entire MCU, visually, and the final battle would absolutely incredible, The Great Escape The Great Escape is classic old-school Hollywood. It's chock full of larger-than-life movie stars like Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough. It's also filled with amazing vistas across Bavaria that would look absolutely amazing on a giant screen. It also has one of my favorite scores of all time, so that would be an excellent bonus through those speakers. Saving Private Ryan I think you all know my thoughts here. The opening of Saving Private Ryan is one of the most incredible scenes ever put on film. It's terrifying and amazing. It is one of the most white-knuckle theater experiences I've ever had and seeing it on the screen at Sphere would be a completely visceral experience that would absolutely blow my mind. Skyfall I love the James Bond franchise and as much as I love the Connery era, it doesn't make any sense for one of those movies to be adapted for Sphere. The Craig-era, on the other hand, has multiple choices. I landed on Skyfall because it's full of wide angel amazing shots and action set pieces. The opening scene of Spectre was tempting, but Skyfall gets the nod. Oppenheimer This one may seem like an odd one, but that's only if you didn't have a chance to see Oppenheimer in 70mm IMAX . Like most of Christopher Nolan, the bigger the screen, the better, so catching the Best Picture-winner on a screen like the one at Sphere would be totally bonkers. Talk about a "big boom"! Ghostbusters There is one reason to see Ghostbusters get the Sphere treatment. Who doesn't want to see a 100-foot-tall Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? I know I certainly do! Sure, the rest of the movie might not work all that well, a giant Bill Murray getting slimed may be too much for anyone, but I'd be willing to deal with that for the last battle of the movie on the streets of New York with the fictional marshmallow man. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid The cliff. That's why Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid would work so well. That scene alone would make it all worth it. It would be such an adrenaline rush to see two of the biggest movie stars of all time, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, drop 100 feet down that huge screen. The Rocky Horror Picture Show Something like 19,000 people can fill Sphere when it's at full capacity. So how about all 19K doing "The Time Warp" together with that sound system blasting the music in The Rocky Horror Picture Show ? I grew up going to midnight showings and seeing it with a huge crowd of dedicated fans would simply be amazing. Plus I keep thinking about that scene in the beginning as the camera zooms in on the criminologist played by Charles Gray. In the midnight showings, someone always "climbed" his tie as it zoomed in. I need to see that here. The Hunt For Red October The Hunt For Red October is rightfully criticized these days for the sketchy special effects in the underwater scenes. But the above-water stuff is still incredibly cool and watching the submarine battle take place on the screen at Sphere is totally worth having to deal with the rest. Plus I just love the movie. The Matrix How much really needs to be explained here? Is there anybody that wouldn't want to see The Matrix at Sphere? Of course not, it would be amazing. Ben-Hur This is another one that is pretty self-explanatory. Ben-Hur is one of the most legendary epics in Hollywood history and there is no place like Sphere to see an epic on this scale. The chariot race alone, especially with the chairs vibrating with every crash, would be worth whatever the cost to see it would be, Patton A 160,000-square-foot American flag with the great George C. Scott playing the titular Patton at the beginning of the movie would be completely overwhelming in the very best way. It's enough to make anyone patriotic! Rocky IV Of all the Rocky movies, Rocky IV is the "biggest." The muscles are bigger, the set pieces are bigger, and the villain is bigger. It's just a huge movie, visually, and for that reason, even if it's not the best Rocky movie , it's the one that makes the most sense for this list. Dances With Wolves No one can argue that Dances With Wolves isn't a visually stunning movie. Director Kevin Costner did an amazing job showing what the American frontier was once like. The cinematography alone makes it worthy of the Sphere treatment. Bridge Over The River Kwai Like the other classic epics on this list, Bridge Over The River Kwai is one of those movies that has always meant to have been on the biggest screens possible. Direct David Lean is a master of movies like that and really, his whole filmography would work for Sphere. Raiders Of The Lost Ark This one seems like another no-brainer. With scenes like the rolling boulder at the beginning and the scene at the end when they make the poor decision to open the ark, there is just so much in Raiders of the Lost Ark that would look amazing on the giant screen. Then there is the John Williams score which would be amazing by itself with that incredible concert-quality speaker system. Tron: Legacy When I first saw Tron: Legacy in theaters, I was completely blown away by the CGI and the visuals. While the original Tron changed the way films were made with the use of computer-generated imagery, the sequel upped the ante significantly. Seeing those amazing effects at Sphere would raise that even more, which is appropriate for Las Vegas.Knicks star details improvement mindset as reason for hot stretch

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") reminds investors of the upcoming February 14, 2025 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired MGP Ingredients, Inc. ("MGPI" or the "Company") MGPI common stock between May 4, 2023 through October 30, 2024, , inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you suffered a loss on your MGPI investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at www.glancylaw.com/cases/mgp-ingredients-inc-1/ . You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at shareholders@glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights. On October 17, 2024, MGPI disclosed that sales were expected to decline 24% in the third quarter 2024, compared to the third quarter 2023. The Company also announced it now expected financial results to be below its prior guidance due to soft demand and high inventories. On this news MGPI's stock price fell $19.71, or 24.2%, to close at $61.86 per share on October 18, 2024, thereby injuring investors. Then, on October 31, 2024, the Company stated that excess inventories would have an "even greater impact" on sales in 2025 than previously stated, forcing the Company to scale back certain operations to save money. On this news, MGPI's stock price fell $8.27, or 14.7%, to close at $48.04 per share on October 31, 2024, thereby injuring investors further. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) there had been a slowdown in consumption and oversupply in their products; and (2) as a result, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , Twitter , or Facebook . If you purchased or otherwise acquired MGPI common stock during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than February 14, 2025 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Charles Linehan, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226821044/en/ © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.As Yamashita Tomohisa shared a heartfelt post on social media alongside a photo of himself and Jay Chou embracing after the concert, fans were reminded of the special bond that was forged on that stage. The image captured the essence of their collaboration – two artists from different worlds coming together to create an unforgettable musical experience.In another significant development, actress Emma Dumont made headlines by coming out as transgender/non-binary. Known for her roles in "The Gifted" and "Bunheads", Dumont bravely shared her personal journey and identity with the world, emphasizing the importance of visibility and acceptance for the transgender and non-binary community. Her courage in sharing her truth has inspired many to embrace their authentic selves and challenge societal norms.

SMU wins ACC basketball debut, holds UVA without a field goal in final 10 minutes

Thomas uses big drives and putts to hold lead in Bahamas

NoneKYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

TORONTO — When Geoffrey Hinton strode across the Stockholm Concert Hall stage Tuesday to receive his Nobel Prize for physics from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, he was beaming. It has taken decades for many beyond the science community to realize the British Canadian computer scientist's life's work was so significant it eventually formed the foundation of artificial intelligence. But on Tuesday, as he accepted the Nobel diploma and its accompanying gold medal with co-laureate John Hopfield, there was no question about the importance of Hinton's discoveries nor how he has shaped history. Instead, there was only pride for the affable 77-year-old, often called the godfather of AI — and that pride stretched from Stockholm to Toronto. A crowd of about 100 students and colleagues at the University of Toronto, where Hinton is a professor emeritus, gathered at the school's downtown campus to watch the Nobel ceremony. Two other watch parties took over the school's Mississauga and Scarborough campuses. Any mention of physics or a sighting of Hinton, clad in a dark suit and white bow tie, generated rousing applause at the Toronto gathering. When the man of the hour headed to retrieve his accolade from the King, a few former students and colleagues wiped tears from their eyes. "There is, at least for me, this sense that Prof. Hinton created the whole ecosystem here, where there are thousands of people who are working on his ideas," Michael Guerzhoy, one of Hinton's former students who went on to teach a course Hinton had once led at the university, said before the ceremony began. The idea that earned Hinton the Nobel dates back to the 1980s, when he was working at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and AI was far from the buzzy technology it is today. It was then that Hinton developed the Boltzmann machine, which learns from examples, rather than instructions, and when trained, can recognize familiar characteristics in information, even if it has not seen that data before. "It was a lot of fun doing the research but it was slightly annoying that many people — in fact, most people in the field of AI — said that neural networks would never work," Hinton recalled during a press conference on the October day he was named as a Nobel laureate. "They were very confident that these things were just a waste of time and we would never be able to learn complicated things like, for example, understanding natural language using neural networks — and they were wrong." Neural networks are computational models that resemble the human brain's structure and functions. When Nobel physics committee chair Ellen Moons presented Hinton to receive his award, she said these networks are good at sorting and interpreting large amounts of data and self-improve based on the accuracy of the results they generate. "Today, artificial neural networks are powerful tools in research fields spanning physics, chemistry and medicine, as well as in daily life," she said. John DiMarco wasn't surprised that Hinton's work paved the way for such possibilities, but the IT director for U of T's computer science department was taken aback that Hinton's Nobel came in the unlikely physics category. DiMarco met Hinton roughly 35 years ago in a job interview and quickly took note of his proclivity for humour and the quirks in how his mind works. "He is quite insightful and he goes straight to the core of things," DiMarco said. "He would sometimes come out of his office and share some new idea. We didn't always understand what he was sharing, but he was very excited about it." Many of those ideas required lots of computing power the school's systems didn't have, so DiMarco's team patched together a solution with graphics processing units from video game consoles. DiMarco brought one of Hinton's GPUs to the watch party, which was also attended by Joseph Jay Williams, the director of U of T's Intelligent Adaptive Interventions Lab. Williams took one of Hinton's classes and said the Nobel winner "changed the course of my life" by encouraging him to go to grad school, which then led him to win the XPRIZE Digital Learning Challenge, a global competition aimed at rewarding people who modernize learning tools and processes. Other notable mentees and alumni of Hinton's classes include OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Cohere co-founders Nick Frosst and Aidan Gomez. With his Nobel win and so many esteemed protege, Williams said Hinton has become a "reluctant celebrity" who is hounded for photos every time he's on campus. Hinton, however, has taken a much more humble approach to his recent win, which he learned of on a trip to California. He initially thought the call from the academy that gives out the Nobel was "a spoof," but later realized it had to be real because it was placed from Sweden and the speaker had a "strong Swedish accent." The award the academy gave him comes with 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1.4 million) from a bequest arranged by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. Hinton and Hopfield will split the money, with some of Hinton's share going to Water First, an Ontario organization working to boost Indigenous access to water, and another unnamed charity supporting neurodiverse young adults. Hinton has said he doesn't plan to do much more "frontier research." "I believe I'm going to spend my time advocating for people to work on safety," he said in October. Last year, Hinton left a role he held at Google to more freely speak about the dangers of AI, which he has said include bias and discrimination, fake news, joblessness, lethal autonomous weapons and even the end of humanity. At a Stockholm press conference over the weekend, he said he doesn’t regret the work he did to lay the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. “In the same circumstances, I would do the same again,” he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press

The investigation into Samantha's disappearance is far from over, as the search for answers continues and the truth behind her ordeal slowly comes to light. The road to recovery may be long and arduous, but with the support of her family, friends, and the community, Samantha is on the path to healing and restoration.“Excessive” call wait times and disclosure violations led to $133,000 in fines for CenturyLink, according to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. CenturyLink, also branded as Lumen Technologies or Lumen, was dinged for nine violations of failing to connect customers to a live representative within 60 seconds of them asking to speak with someone, as required by state law. The company is Washington’s largest local telephone company, as well as a major internet service provider. Under state law, the automated phone system for a business or repair center “must provide a caller with an option to speak to a live representative within the first sixty seconds of the recorded message, or it must transfer the caller to a live representative within the first sixty seconds.” The commission found an additional 169 infractions for failing to properly disclose business records to the commission as required by a 2017 law. The violations were recorded from March 2022 to November 2022, as well as March 2023 to February 2024, according to a news release. Each violation carries a $750 penalty that must be paid by Dec. 30. A spokesperson for Lumen Technologies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This is not CenturyLink’s first run-in with the commission tasked with regulating rates and services of utility companies. In July 2023, the company was fined almost $1 million for violating Gov. Jay Inslee’s proclamation prohibiting telephone companies from disconnecting service due to nonpayment during the COVID-19 pandemic.Three reasons to buy Taito Milestones 3 on Nintendo Switch

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