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As science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that open doors leading to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time-consuming, without it. But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let's consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, researchers used DNA from 30,000-year-old permafrost to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow-leafed campion. Importantly, genetic engineering has facilitated extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle-cell anemia. Thanks to AI, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic exploration. But given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNAand genomeediting methods to re-create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal's genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, because they are closely related. Then, scientists could use the gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon. But based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less eff ort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed. But the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well-being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource-intensive AI, researchers' time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Hosseini is an assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He wrote this for The Chicago Tribune. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Vera will soon return to screens to bow out after 14 years, meaning that a growing number of stars have now been in its cast. And, while the likes of leading lady Brenda Blethyn are on its final series, others have flown the nest, including one who who made an unexpected return after quitting his role. After its launch in 2011, Vera cemented itself as one of the nation's favourite dramas, with BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee Brenda leading the ranks as no nonsense sleuth DCI Stanhope. There have now been 13 series on ITV, with it announced earlier this year, that the next two episodes will be the last, with Vera ending for good with its finale on January 2. Vera's return for a 13th run at the start of this year was tinged with some sadness, with the news that stars Kenny Doughty and Ibinabo Jack would be playing no part in it; having both decided to walk away from the Sunday night drama. Both of them made their exits in last year's Vera Christmas special, The Rising Tide and their departures aren't the first exits to rock Vera. Here, ahead of Vera series 14, we look at what happened to some of the show's stars who've walked away, one of whom made a shock on screen comeback this year. We'll start with the actor who is returning to Vera, to reprise his role as Joe Ashworth; eight years after leaving leading lady Brenda 'heartbroken' with his exit. After appearing in shows like BBC drama Cutting It, David became Vera's original sidekick, with millions of ITV viewers loving the camaraderie between him and Brenda. It came as a massive surprise to Brenda and Vera fans when David left the show after series four. His character Joe wasn't even given a proper exit on screen, with his absence being explained by DCI Stanhope, as she briefly mentioned that he'd moved sway after getting a 'big promotion.' After leaving Vera, David carved out a successful career as a film director, winning a coveted Tribeca film award for Best narrative short for Man and Boy. David also worked on Orthodox and North East set two parter Stable and Hyem, as well as being in the directing team for smash hit drama Killing Eve and returning to Vera behind the camera, to direct an episode of series 8. And, in a turn of events that no-one, particularly the man himself, saw coming, David was back as Joe for series 13, with Brenda Bletyhn suggesting they get him back if they wanted her to continue on as Vera. The lead actress got her way and David is once again by her side in the 14th and final series. Late actor Paul starred as Dr Billy Cartwright in Vera from 2011-13, before going onto have worldwide fame in the cast of Friday Night Dinner. Paul died in 2021 at the age of 54, having battled a brain tumour. Paying tribute to him, Brenda Blethyn took to X (Twitter) to write: "RIP Paul Ritter, the very finest of actors and a gentleman. He will be so sorely missed and I send my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. What very sad news." The most recent of Vera's departing stars, Kenny hinted at his exit from the show when he posted a series of backstage photos of him and his co-stars and captioned them 'Thanks for the memories.' That set alarm bells ringing for fans and their worst fears were confirmed when Kenny then returned to social media to announce he'd decided to walk away from playing Vera's sidekick, Aiden Healy after nearly nine years. Kenny has since confirmed he made the decision to leave before filming series 12, with him then convinced to stay for the Christmas special. He has given no indication as to what's next for him career wise, but he did make headlines in November, after getting married to Extras and Nativity star Ashley Jensen, having headed up to Shetland with her as she joined the BBC drama of the same name, also written by Vera author Ann Cleeves. A few months ago, having already filmed new Channel 5 thriller Au Pair, Kenny announced he'd be joining forces with other half Ashley in Wax Fruit, which he described on Instagram as a 'Scottish period drama with wonderful scripts, locations but most importantly characters & stories for everyone.' Kingsley played pathologist Dr Marcus from series 4-6, before coming back a few years later. S ince flying the nest from the show, has gone onto star in Oscar nominated movie One Night in Miami and played a Ken Doll in Barbie the much publicised Greta Gerwig film that was released in the summer and went onto be 2023's biggest film. Kinsley starred alongside leads Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in the movie inspired by the iconic doll, with other famous faces in the cast list including Will Ferrell, Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera and New Rules singer Dua Lipa. A role in Barbie isn't the only part film fans have seen Kingsley play of late, as he is also took on the lead role in a biopic of music legend Bob Marley; with him being snapped on set alongside co-stars like Happy Valley's James Norton, before the film was released to great reviews. After appearing in series two and five as Bethany, Cush's one episode of Vera's sixth series proved to be her last, as Bethany was killed off. Since her tragic exit from Vera, Cush went onto be a regular cast member in the 2015–2016 season of world famous CBS series The Good Wife, also going onto star in its spin-off, The Good Fight. Last year, she received an Olivier nomination for her star turn on stage in Hamlet and was also a guest judge on BBC's RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 5 in the autumn. She made her return to British TV drama in 2024, alongside Peter Capaldi in Criminal Record and as the lead character in ITV revenge thriller The Beast Must Die. It was back in 2011 that Wunmi first appeared alongside Brenda Blethyn as DC Holly Lawson in the first ever series of Vera and, in a recent interview, spoke about how working with acclaimed actress Brenda 'changed' her approach to her craft, explaining: "The thing I remember most fondly and I think this changed me as an actor was I watched her and you get taught to ignore the camera in drama school, but when I was watching her, I realised she wasn’t ignoring the camera. “The camera was the audience and she was making sure the audience knew what was going on. If she turned away from me, she was never turning away from the audience." After leaving Vera, Wunmi went onto star in Luther and Kiri and in Damilola, Our Beloved Boy, the 2016 TV film about the murder of youngster Damilola Taylor. Most recently she took the lead role in ITV's opinion dividing drama Passenger, with it revealed in the run up to Christmas that it wouldn't be getting a second series, after a mixed response from both viewers and critics. Sonya left Vera at the same time as David Leon, having played DS Ashworth's wife Celine. After her 'off screen exit,' from the ITV drama, Sonya went onto star in a remake of The Man Who Fell To Earth and returned to the primetime schedule in ITV's true crime drama - The Hunt for Raoul Moat last year. Sonya played fictional Chronicle journalist, Diana Barnwell, the first journalist in the scene after Moat's shootings, before she bid to deliver up to the minute reporting on the massive manhunt for the killer. Clare's character DS Rebecca 'Shep' Shephard, was part of DCI Stanhope's team in series three and four; before being replaced by Bethany as Cush returned to Vera. After she left Vera, Clare went onto feature in some massive ITV dramas like Unforgotten, Downton Abbey, Grace and Baptiste. Vera fans were left gutted at the start of series 12, when Paul's character, Dr Malcolm, bowed out after a final bit of vicious banter with DCI Stanhope. Paul's exit from the show was confirmed by Brenda Blethyn before Vera's return at the start of 2023, with both her and co-star Riley Jones saying how sad they were to see him go. Paul has since starred in Olivier Award winning play The Pillowman, alongside Lily Allen and Benidorm and League of Gentlemen star Steve Pemberton. The Pillowman launched at the Duke of York theatre in London's West End in June 2023, with Smile and The Fear singer Lily playing a writer in a police state who is interrogated about the content of her short stories and their similarities to several murders occurring in the town.‘My Driver & I’ Review: Ahd Kamel Pays Tribute to the Chauffeur Who Taught Her How to Take the Wheel of Her Life
Chaikin scores 20 as Lafayette takes down Mercyhurst 77-73
The reigning Super Bowl champions saw their run of 15 straight wins ended by the Buffalo Bills last week, but got back to winning ways thanks to star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. After a late Chuba Hubbard touchdown and two-point conversion had made it 27-27, the Chiefs got the ball back with less than two minutes on the clock and a 33-yard run from Mahomes helped set up Spencer Shrader for a game-winning field goal. Mahomes finished the game with 269 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Noah Gray in the first half. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored two touchdowns as the Detroit Lions beat the Indianapolis Colts 24-6 to improve their record to 10-1, matching that of the Chiefs. David Montgomery also ran for a score before having to leave the game with a shoulder injury. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended a four-game losing streak with a 30-7 win over the New York Giants, who “mutually agreed” to terminate the contract of quarterback Daniel Jones earlier this week. Jones’ replacement Tommy DeVito was sacked four times while opposite number Baker Mayfield ran for a touchdown and completed 24 of 30 pass attempts for 294 yards. Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker also ran for touchdowns in a one-sided contest. The Dallas Cowboys ended their five-game losing streak with a remarkable 34-26 win over the Washington Commanders, with 30 points scored in the final three minutes. KaVontae Turpin’s 99-yard kick-off return for a touchdown looked to have sealed victory for the Cowboys, only for the Commanders to respond with a field goal before getting the ball back with 33 seconds remaining. Wide receiver Terry McLaurin sprinted 86 yards through the Dallas defence for a touchdown, only for Austin Seibert to miss the extra point. The Commanders tried an onside kick and Juanyeh Thomas returned it 43 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw four touchdown passes as the Miami Dolphins cruised to a 34-15 win over the New England Patriots, while the Tennessee Titans pulled off a surprise 32-27 victory at the Houston Texans. The Minnesota Vikings improved to 9-2 thanks to a 30-27 overtime win against the Chicago Bears, Parker Romo kicking the decisive field goal from 29 yards.
Antetokounmpo gets triple-double as surging Bucks beat slumping Pacers 129-117 in NBA Cup play
Beswick makes history and No. 15 Northern Highlands ends 2024 with a statementThe Japanese government says it expects to obligate 300 to 400 major firms to participate in a full-fledged carbon emissions trading system to be introduced in the fiscal year starting April 2026. The tally has come up as the government plans to set a threshold for companies subject to joining the emissions trading scheme at those releasing 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide or more a year, around the same level as the European Union and South Korea with similar systems, the government said. With hundreds taking part from a broad range of industries such as electricity, steel, cars and airlines, the system is estimated to cover about 60 percent of domestic greenhouse gas emissions. Japan is the world's fifth-largest CO2 emitter. Under the trading system, emissions quotas will be allocated to each company for free. If a company's emissions surpass its quotas, it must purchase additional quotas at the market, while a company with surplus quotas can sell them like stocks. While the system is expected to encourage emissions cuts, companies could pass on the costs, burdening consumers.
Burden of power - Punjab and Pakistan's quest for harmony
Theinvestigation into the criminal case against Ruben Vardanyan, whois accused of terrorism, financing terrorism, committing crimesagainst peace and humanity, war crimes, and other offenses againstthe Republic of Azerbaijan and its people, has been completed, reports via the joint report of the ProsecutorGeneral's Office and the State Security Service of the Republic ofAzerbaijan. The case has been forwarded to the Baku Military Court fortrial. According to the report, Ruben Vardanyan, a former citizen ofthe Russian Federation and currently a citizen of the Republic ofArmenia, is the founder and head of Russia’s Troika Dialog company,a member of the board of directors of KAMAZ OJSC in Russia, and anindependent director of the Volga-Dnepr Group, among otherpositions. On September 25, 2023, Vardanyan was placed on thewanted list by Azerbaijan on charges under Articles 214-1, 279.3,and 318.1 of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan. He was arrested onSeptember 27, 2023, and transferred to the investigation. On thesame day, charges were brought against him. Based on the reliable evidence gathered, Ruben Vardanyan hasbeen found guilty of creating and organizing illegal armed groupsand formations in the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,"established in the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia.He faces charges under several articles of the Criminal Code of theRepublic of Azerbaijan, including: Article 100 (planning,preparing, unleashing, or waging an aggressive war); Article 107(deportation or forced displacement of populations); Article 109(persecution); Article 112 (unlawful deprivation of liberty inviolation of international law); Article 113 (use of torture);Article 114 (mercenarism); Article 115 (violation of the laws andcustoms of war); Article 116 (breaching international humanitarianlaw during armed conflicts); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1(financing terrorism); Article 218 (organization of a criminalcommunity); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale,storage, transportation, or carrying of firearms, ammunition,explosives, and explosive devices); Article 270-1 (acts threateningaviation security); Article 278 (violent seizure or retention ofpower and the forcible alteration of the state’s constitutionalorder); Article 279 (creation of unauthorized armed groups); aswell as other related offenses under the Criminal Code. The investigation ensured Vardanyan's right to defense, hisright to use a language he understands, and other proceduralrights. Vardanyan was provided with lawyers of his choice, and themotions filed by him and his defense were considered in accordancewith the requirements of criminal procedural law. All materialsrelated to the case, including physical evidence, documents, expertconclusions, and other evidence, were shared with Vardanyan andother participants in the criminal process. The indictment was approved by the Prosecutor General ofAzerbaijan on December 28, 2024, and sent to the Baku MilitaryCourt for further proceedings.
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic won most of the votes in the first round of a presidential election on Sunday, but must face a runoff against a ruling party candidate to secure another five-year term. With nearly all of the votes counted, left-leaning Milanovic won 49% while his main challenger Dragan Primorac, a candidate of the ruling conservative HDZ party, trailed far behind with 19%. Pre-election polls had predicted that the two would face off in the second round on Jan. 12, as none of the eight presidential election contenders were projected to get more than 50% of the vote. Milanovic thanked his supporters but warned “this was just a first run.” “Let’s not be triumphant, let’s be realistic, firmly on the ground,” he said. “We must fight all over again. It’s not over till it’s over.” Milanovic is an outspoken critic of Western military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. He is often compared to Donald Trump for his combative style of communication with political opponents. The most popular politician in Croatia, 58-year-old Milanović has served as prime minister in the past. Populist in style, he has been a fierce critic of current Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and continuous sparring between the two has lately marked Croatia’s political scene. Plenković, the prime minister, has sought to portray the vote as one about Croatia’s future in the EU and NATO. He has labeled Milanović “pro-Russian” and a threat to Croatia’s international standing. “The difference between him and Milanović is quite simple: Milanović is leading us East, Primorac is leading us West,” he said. Though the presidency is largely ceremonial in Croatia, an elected president holds political authority and acts as the supreme military commander. Milanović has criticized the NATO and European Union support for Ukraine and has often insisted that Croatia should not take sides. He has said Croatia should stay away from global disputes, though it is a member of both NATO and the EU. Milanović has also blocked Croatia’s participation in a NATO-led training mission for Ukraine, declaring that “no Croatian soldier will take part in somebody else’s war.” His main rival in the election, Primorac, has stated that “Croatia’s place is in the West, not the East.” His presidency bid, however, has been marred by a high-level corruption case that landed Croatia’s health minister in jail last month and featured prominently in pre-election debates. During the election campaign, Primorac has sought to portray himself as a unifier and Milanović as divisive. Primorac was upbeat despite such a big defeat in the first round. “I know the difference (in votes) at first sight seems very big,” said Primorac, who insisted that the center-right votes had split among too many conservative candidates. “Now we have a great opportunity to face each other one on one and show who stands for what,” he said. Sunday’s presidential election is Croatia’s third vote this year, following a parliamentary election in April and the European Parliament balloting in June.Nick Kyrgios says positive tests for duo are ‘disgusting’ and ‘a horrible look’
Toshiba (OTCMKTS:TOSYY) Stock Passes Below Fifty Day Moving Average – Should You Sell?Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.