Opinion piece By Dan Walsh – Sports Reporter (Sydney Morning Herald) Coming to an NRL franchise not so near you – Port Moresby, to be precise – will be a whiteboard. The interminable expansion talks and reports will finally culminate in a Papua New Guinean NRL side being announced this week. Now the fun begins. And the whiteboard mapping out the all-important 2028 roster becomes the most important item in the planned Port Moresby centre of excellence. Real-life fantasy football, with real-life recruiting challenges never before seen in the NRL, starts now – albeit with a four-year burn until a side has to be put on the paddock. With little appetite for the politics, false starts and grandstanding of what is no doubt a historic move, we put our general manager’s cap on and get into the nitty-gritty of creating a 30-man roster, with lessons and theories gleaned from the successes and failures of previous expansion outfits and the men who built them. The PNG plan, variables and non-negotiables The priority signing Sam Walker, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Xavier Coates and Spencer Leniu are our targets. Chief playmaker, bona fide star, another with Papua New Guinean roots and a leading front-rower. Before his passing in 2021, inaugural Western Reds coach and career-recruiter Peter Mulholland subscribed to two marquee players – “who you might have to pay 10-15 per cent more than the rest of your players” and “two quality props at least” as the ideal club building blocks. Nathan Cleary is the prized target but we just can’t see him leaving Penrith. So Walker is our scrumbase star and will be paid accordingly – we’re banking on the half a million dollars saved on tax sweetening our deal for the Roosters No.7. Tabuai-Fidow, still just 23, is the type of player who can light up a nation, and has emerged as the Dolphins’ own marquee man after the last expansion club missed out on a string of signing targets. If $2.4 million across Tabuai-Fidow and Walker is too much of an outlay, emerging Titans fullback Keano Kini is our back-up target. Coates – born in Port Moresby and a Kumuls international – brings the local connection and ability to shift to centre, while Leniu will be 28 in 2028 and coming into his prime as a front-rower. The prospect of the NSW Origin enforcer strutting, huffing, puffing and coming off the back fence in PNG is one we just can’t resist, and we’re tipping the locals will be of the same mind. Just as Tabuai-Fidow has helped the Dolphins capture the imagination, our quartet of star signings are nothing if not entertainers. Make PNG everyone else’s second-favourite side with magic and madness, we say. What’s the point of fantasy football otherwise? The roster breakdown, local boys and philosophy Rising Dolphins star Max Plath may well be a Queensland Origin regular by the time PNG is up and running, but the 23-year-old represents utility value and salary cap savings. Plath is our pick at hooker with the ability to shift to lock, and with Storm middle Josh King offering similar cover in the front-row, you’re adding more value and cover for one roster position. Accordingly, mid-tier players like Kayal Iro, Kaeo Weekes, Connor Tracey and Erin Clark are among our wider roster targets. Most NRL clubs spend big on their frontline playmakers – in our case Walker and Storm half Jonah Pezet – while their back-ups sit in roster spots 20-30. Cowboys rookie Jaxon Purdue is our pick given he will still only be 23 in 2028, while hooker is where we see real value in Papua New Guinea’s own emerging talent. Kumuls livewire No.9 Edwin Ipape will be familiar to some fans already, and has the likes of Judah Rimbu (the 2024 Queensland Cup player of the year) and schoolboy Finley Glare following in his footsteps. Most NRL squads feature half a dozen or so players aged between 19-23, and picking schoolboys and teenagers to emerge in four years time is a task beyond us, especially when they’d be moving to compound life in Port Morseby. Rising Titans prop Josiah Pahulu – currently agitating to leave the club after missing out on a bonus payment – is one 20-year-old worth building a middle rotation around in four years time. Roughly a third of NRL salary caps (at least $3.5 million by 2027/28) is spent on the big boys, and we’re hoping a front-row/middle market stagnated by lost development years due to COVID-19 has sped up again. The likes of Brisbane’s Xavier Willison, Rabbitoh Davvy Moale, Pahulu and Wests Tigers’ Fonua Pole will be in their mid-20s by 2028, though we’re thinking we can only afford one out Willison and Pole (both off-contract at the end of 2027). Notable off-contract players at the end of 2027 Fullbacks: Jahream Bula, Scott Drinkwater, Clint Gutherson, Isaiah Iongi, Kalyn Ponga, Chevy Stewart, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Sunia Turuva Outside backs: Campbell Graham, Jacob Kiraz, Junior Pauga, Brian To’o, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Dominic Young, Jack Wighton, Latrell Mitchell, Paul Alamoti, Bradman Best, Jack Bostock, Stephen Crichton, Jack Howarth, Valentine Holmes, Tolu Koula Halves and hookers: Luke Brooks, Matt Burton, Latu Fainu, Cameron Munster, Jayden Sullivan, Kaeo Weekes, Nathan Cleary, Lewis Dodd, Ethan Sanders. Sam Walker, Mitchell Woods, Max Plath, Wayde Egan, Peter Mamouzelos Forwards: Spencer Leniu, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Josh Aloiai, Tom Flegler, Moeaki Fotuaika, Royce Hunt, Moses Leota, Terrell May, Daniel Saifiti, Jacob Saifiti, Alex Twal, De La Salle Va’a, Stenao Utoikamanu, Xavier Willison, Jai Arrow, Mitch Barnett, J’maine Hopgood, Corey Horsburgh, Max King, Fonua Pole, Victor Radley, Jason Taumalolo, Connor Watson, Isaah Yeo.Edge forwards: Ryan Couchman, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, Jackson Ford, Jeremiah Nanai, Eliese Katoa, Ethan Bullemor, Coen Hess, Dylan Lucas, Matty Nicholson, Liam Martin, Isaiah Papali’i, Briton Nikora, Brendan Piakura, Jacob Preston, Jordan Riki, Hudson Young, Ben Trbojevic. North Queensland’s Griffin Neame is also on our radar. So too late-blooming Storm prop Lazarus Vaalepu, who debuted this year at 25, and young Papua New Guinean middles Cooper Bai (son of Storm cult hero Marcus) and Kafe Renson. The coach and a culture club The first and most important call of all is the man pulling it all together. Current Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou and predecessor Justin Holbrook are two obvious contenders, while Wayne Bennett will be 78, but off-contract at least, before PNG even take the paddock. Ex-Eels coach Brad Arthur is another with credentials to take up an expansion side, though a potential Perth posting is in his sights, too. Either way, the Dolphins made a point of targeting Melbourne’s vaunted playing stocks to fill key leadership positions, with the Bromwich brothers and Felise Kaufusi instrumental in their first two seasons.Haiti gang attack on journalists covering a hospital reopening leaves 2 dead, several wounded PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s online media association said two reporters were killed and several others were wounded in a gang attack on Tuesday on the reopening of Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital. Evens Sanon, The Associated Press Dec 24, 2024 3:29 PM Dec 24, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message The wife of a journalist, who was shot during an armed gang attack on the General Hospital, cries as an ambulance arrives with his body, at a different hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s online media association said two reporters were killed and several others were wounded in a gang attack on Tuesday on the reopening of Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and they forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire in a vicious Christmas Eve attack. Robest Dimanche, a spokesman for the Online Media Collective, identified the dead journalists as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. Dimanche said an unspecified number of reporters had also been wounded in the attack, which he blamed on the Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs. Haiti’s interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. “I send my sympathies to the people who were victims, the national police and the journalists,” Voltaire said, pledging “this crime is not going to go unpunished.” A video posted online by the reporters trapped inside the hospital showed what appeared to be two lifeless bodies of men on stretchers, their clothes bloodied. One of the men had a lanyard with a press credential around his neck. Radio Télé Métronome initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded. Police and officials did not immediately respond to calls for information on the attack. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. They forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year during violence that also targeted the main international airport and Haiti’s two largest prisons. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event, suspected gang members opened fire. Video posted online earlier showed reporters inside the building and at least three lying on the floor, apparently wounded. That video could also not be immediately verified. Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of a gang known as Viv Ansanm, which that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince , posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. Haiti has seen journalists targeted before. In 2023, two local journalists were killed in the space of a couple of weeks — radio reporter Dumesky Kersaint was fatally shot in mid-April that year, while journalist Ricot Jean was found dead later that month. In July, former Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, more widely known as the General Hospital, after authorities regained control of it from gangs. The hospital had been left ravaged and strewn with debris. Walls and nearby buildings were riddled with bullet holes, signaling fights between police and gangs. The hospital is across the street from the national palace, the scene of several battles in recent months. Gang attacks have pushed Haiti’s health system to the brink of collapse with looting, setting fires, and destroying medical institutions and pharmacies in the capital. The violence has created a surge in patients and a shortage of resources to treat them. Haiti’s health care system faces additional challenges during the rainy season, which is likely to increase the risk of water-borne diseases. Poor conditions in camps and makeshift settlements have heightened the risk of diseases like cholera, with over 84,000 suspected cases in the country, according to UNICEF. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Evens Sanon, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? 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-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email “Why do you draw?” A seemingly innocuous question that in truth carries immense weight. It’s the kind of question that you can brush off with a casual wave of the hand, or it can leave you speechless, unable to even find the words. Art isn’t numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s life itself. In “Look Back,” the film based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s one-shot manga, two teenage girls bond over their love of creating manga. Fujino handles the characters and story, while Kyomoto takes care of the background art. They make a powerful team. When Kyomoto asks Fujino why she draws, we don’t get an explanation. We don’t need it. We’ve seen it. Every moment the pair shares with each other is why. Seasons change outside Fujino’s window as she and Kyomoto work on their first manga together. The duo quietly scribbles away, creating in the presence of one another, as pages of manuscript pile up. We see that life and art are intimately linked. That creation is born out of the wonder, the mystery and of course, the tragedy of life. This is not a review of “Look Back.” Enough beautiful words have already been said about the film, and it is most certainly one that any fan of anime, manga, cinema or art in general should see. But it is that simple-but-not question, “Why do you draw?” asked by Kyomoto to Fujino, that echoed in my head, clanging and clattering in the space between my ears in the days and weeks after I saw “Look Back.” I think it struck a chord because it increasingly feels like the creative process, and deeper and more troubling than that, humanity itself, is under attack . Related The 12 biggest moments in animation in 2023 There is a contingent of craven capitalists who have slowly turned the entertainment industry into just another financial market. Moving into senior positions at major studios in film, television and video games, these ghouls seek only to maximize profit. The art at the center of these industries is, to many of these bigwigs, a means to an end. That end being stock prices and shareholder satisfaction. It’s why we got “ Inside Out 2” and “ Moana 2” this year. Unnecessary sequels that a bunch of suits knew would rake in the dough. Although talented people worked on both, when art is kept within the confines of a giant, soulless corporation, art (and the people creating it) is held captive by the profit motive. Money becomes the mantra. When someone’s life’s work, their passion, their expression of creativity, is diminished to merely being seen as content, as numbers on an earnings report, it is an attack on art. This year, “Coyote vs. Acme” was shelved and seems destined to become lost media , buried before even being given a chance for audiences to see it. The hard work of hundreds of people, a mere tax write-off under the mighty pen of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav . One of my favorite shows from last year , “Scavengers Reign,” was unable to avoid the axe. Despite winning an Emmy (for background design) and being nominated for outstanding animated program, the show didn’t bring in the viewer hours so it was unceremoniously thrown on the heap. Critical acclaim or simply letting art exist in the world and be received by the people (with no concern for the size of the audience) aren’t things that Zaslav and his ilk consider. Imagine if “Mad Men” or "The Sopranos" was cut after its first season because target demos, algorithm data and KPIs just didn’t support renewal. In 2024, the only concern is that the numbers look good, so that CEOs can line their pockets with millions in compensation. And if recent reaction to UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder is anything to go by, the people are getting a little fed up with the unfettered greed of the C-suite. Art isn’t numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s life itself. We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism “Look Back” implores the viewer to see how art and life are intertwined. Every adventure that Fujino and Kyomoto go on becomes the inspiration for another manga. They visit the ocean, and that leads to the duo writing “The Sea Cities.” Looking for bugs in summer turns into “The Cicada Humans.” A trip to the aquarium yields “The Man Who Ate the Crab.” The pair experiences life, and their art echoes those experiences. Reverberating through the creative process, those echoes twist and distort just enough to give the art they produce a fantastical fiction, but at its core, their art is quite literally their lives. The works of Dickens capture Victorian London so well because he lived it; he worked in the warehouses, and his worldview was shaped by these formative experiences. Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto explored forests and hunted for bugs as a child, and wanted to recreate that feeling in a video game, eventually leading to the creation of “The Legend of Zelda.” Hayao Miyazaki ’s works are tinged with autobiographical moments, such as his mother’s hospitalization with tuberculosis — an element of both “My Neighbor Totoro” and “The Wind Rises” — or his father building rudders for fighter planes during World War II, a piece of his own history we see alluded to in the Oscar-winning “The Boy and The Heron.” And for Miyazaki in particular, art and life are nearly one and the same as we come to learn in this year’s documentary that sneakily landed on Max this summer, “Hayao Miyazaki and The Heron.” The documentary chronicles the entire production timeline for “The Boy and The Heron,” starting with Miyazaki announcing his retirement in 2013 through to the film’s Oscar win this year. The iconic director has been the subject of a few documentaries in the past, but in those, Miyazaki always remained guarded, never really letting the viewer understand the man we have so endlessly mythologized. His politics are evident in the films he has made over the past 40 years, but what motivates this man, now nearly 84 years old, to create the worlds of “Nausicaa,” “Castle in the Sky” or the Great Uncle’s tower in “The Boy and The Heron”? Much like Fujino in “Look Back,” the answer seems to be human connection. Throughout “Hayao Miyazaki and The Heron” there is an urgency to Miyazaki’s work. People close to him are passing away; there is guilt and there is sadness. “Why am I still here? Why am I the one that lived?” he wonders aloud. Miyazaki “reeks of death” like Mahito the titular boy of the film. But he storyboards furiously, creating characters based on the people he has lost. Michiyo Yasuda, the color designer on Miyazaki’s films at Studio Ghibli, passed away in 2016, but she appears in the documentary’s footage like a ghost, a vision of the past that haunts the present day Miyazaki. She was the one who told him to make another film, and he felt a sense of obligation to do it. He creates Kiriko in “The Boy and The Heron” based on Yasuda. But no one looms larger than Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli co-founder and director, who passed away in 2018. And it's in their relationship where it becomes clear that nearly everything Miyazaki has ever made has been driven by the man he affectionately calls Pak-san. Pak-san, Pak-san, Pak-san. A clap of thunder rumbles in the distance while on a walk. “That’s Pak-san.” When Miyazaki is asked if he ever dreams, he responds “Only about Pak-san.” A missing eraser is Pak-san playing a trick on him. Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki says that “Miyazaki idolized Takahata, but it was always one-sided.” The Boy and the Heron (Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli) Miyazaki agonizes over the character of the Great Uncle who has built the fantastical world of the tower in “The Boy and The Heron.” The character is Pak-san. In this one-sided relationship, made even more so by the divide between the living and the dead, Miyazaki is determined to show the world who Takahata was. He wants people to know what this man meant to him. The man who was his idol, his rival, his friend. The documentary cuts to a particularly powerful quote from Takahata back in the ‘80s, talking about Miyazaki, where he says, “I’d like to see him make all kinds of films. There are things he hasn’t shown me. I hope to see them one day.” The interview cuts to a wide shot showing Miyazaki beside him with a beaming smile, “Really?” he asks Takahata gleefully. This is how art comes to be. For Miyazaki. For Fujino in “Look Back.” It is driven by the desire for human connection, by wanting to express one’s self to someone, to honor someone who has passed to ensure that they are remembered. Which is why when AI software is used to generate an image , or write a story, it is so revolting . You can’t tell AI to create the Great Uncle. You can’t tell it to create an old man who kinda looks like a wizard who was the whole world to me and everything I did was for him and all I wanted was for him to see my films and enjoy them and I want people to know that. It can’t convey that level of emotional depth, or any emotional depth. AI is mere facsimile (and poorly done at that), and yet, it has been integrated into nearly every piece of technology creating nothing but slop. Related "It's going to destroy jobs": When an AI image won a photo contest, its human refused the award AI is a threat to art, a threat to culture, a threat to humanity itself. How far are we willing to go to utterly dehumanize ourselves? Late capitalism is already turning us away from one another, with the convenience of technology isolating us, keeping us from making a connection to someone. Companies like Disney are fully on board with AI , where acting in a “responsible way” means, “How much can we get away with and not pay people for?” So don’t be surprised when a round of layoffs is announced, so more money can be funneled up to executives at the top. Companies like X are training their AI by using (read: stealing) art uploaded to the platform by artists. And it would be easy to write a whole thesis on how the demands of AI usage and development is causing emissions at companies like Microsoft to rise at a staggering rate, decimating any plans of reaching previously set carbon-neutrality goals. This AI slop, this soulless mimicry of human life, is accelerating the planet’s demise. AI is anti-human in all facets. How far are we willing to go to utterly dehumanize ourselves? 2024 felt like a year where, more than ever before, art was under attack. From corporate fat cats cutting jobs to AI software to humanities programs getting slashed in higher education, the assault on engaging with our world, and on engaging with art is in full effect. It is deeply distressing. But 2024 also produced a film that tells us why art needs to exist, why it is so special, and what it means to be human. “Look Back” yells from the rooftops that art is tough, it is work, but the reward is it connects us like nothing else can. Look Back (Tatsuki Fujimoto/Shueisha Art is beautiful because of the humanity it contains within it. There is energy in a work of art that cannot be quantified, cannot be calculated, cannot be replicated by a machine. It reflects us, it connects us, it bears all of our tragedy, all of our joy. I’m hardly the best writer out here. There are people who write much more eloquently than I do. I admire these writers greatly. But I just want to connect. I want someone to read my words. Someone. Anyone. Even if it just ends up being my family or friends. I have entire worlds inside my head that I want others to experience the way I see them in my mind’s eye. No AI program can scrape these worlds accurately out of my head. There are so many thoughts and ideas in here that I want to share. I hope that my words make someone feel something. I just have to do the work to get them onto the page. That, to me, is something very worth the effort. Art is what makes us human, so why would we want a robot to do it for us? I just want to connect. To prove that I’m alive. I’m not a machine. Read more about this topic The ethics of eating monsters "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" is another barrel-scraping twist on Tolkien "Blue Eye Samurai" addresses multiracial shame, "to be ostracized from both sides," in Edo-era Japan "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is beyond subtitles — and the white gaze By Michael Lee Michael Lee is a writer who might take anime and video games a little too seriously. For more musings on animation, fandom and game worlds, follow him on X @kousatender . MORE FROM Michael Lee Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Ai Animation Anime Artificial Intelligence Best Of 2024 Commentary Hayao Miyazaki Look Back The Bird And The Heron Related Articles Advertisement:
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Online sports betting is only available in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Wyoming Brian Sausa is a New York-based content creator for Catena Media with an extensive betting history and several years of iGaming industry experience. A journalism graduate with a ranging sports background, Brian’s previous employment includes the flagship sites for multiple professional leagues including the MLB and NHL. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Volunteering gives Calah Derocher a fresh start
Issues, Challenges that Shaped Telecoms Sector in 2024Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria falloutWall Street’s New Favorite: AI-Driven Drug Discovery The excitement around artificial intelligence (AI) shows no signs of slowing, especially with companies like Recursion Pharmaceuticals poised to shake up the biotech sector. This AI-focused company promises groundbreaking advancements in drug discovery, positioning itself as a potential major player come 2025. Innovative Approach to Drug Development Recursion Pharmaceuticals harnesses AI to accelerate and economize the drug discovery process. By operating a virtual lab, it efficiently identifies promising compounds for clinical testing. This method could potentially outpace traditional drugmakers in bringing new drugs to market and significantly reduce associated costs. Furthermore, the company has garnered significant backing from tech powerhouse Nvidia. Their collaboration has led to the creation of an unparalleled AI supercomputer for the pharmaceutical industry, allowing for extensive virtual experiments and data analysis. Nvidia’s financial investment in Recursion underscores its potential. Promising Developments and Upcoming Catalysts The past year brought encouraging trial results for Recursion. Their clinical trials for rare and challenging conditions, such as cerebral cavernous malformation and advanced solid tumors, have shown positive outcomes, pointing towards a hopeful future. In 2024, Recursion anticipates critical data releases from trials involving treatments for familial adenomatous polyposis and cancer-related mutations. Success across its pipeline could rapidly elevate investor interest. Looking Ahead: Risks and Rewards While Recursion’s innovative approach is promising, it remains without a commercially available drug. Collaborations with major pharmaceutical players have bolstered the company’s financial position, but it faces the inherent risks of the biotech industry. For those willing to embrace volatility, investing in Recursion could offer substantial rewards should its strategies succeed. Why AI-Driven Drug Discovery Is Transforming the Biotech Industry The integration of artificial intelligence in drug discovery is garnering attention on Wall Street, with Recursion Pharmaceuticals leading the charge. This innovative approach is poised to redefine the biotech landscape by making drug research faster, cheaper, and more efficient. The Mechanics of AI-Powered Drug Development Recursion Pharmaceuticals is at the forefront of utilizing advanced AI technology to streamline the drug discovery process. By implementing a virtual laboratory system, the company is able to rapidly identify promising compounds for further clinical analysis. This method provides a significant advantage over traditional methods, promising to accelerate the timeline to market for new pharmaceuticals and cut down on the costs associated with drug development. A pivotal collaboration with Nvidia has equipped Recursion with a state-of-the-art AI supercomputer specifically optimized for pharmaceutical research. This computing power enables the company to perform extensive virtual experiments and conduct sophisticated data analyses at an unparalleled scale, enhancing both discovery speed and accuracy. Advantages of AI in Drug Discovery – Speed : AI technology drastically reduces the time necessary to screen potential drug compounds, accelerating the timeline from discovery to clinical trials. – Cost Efficiency : By reducing the need for extensive lab resources and manual processes, the use of AI can significantly lower the cost of drug development. – Data Handling : AI systems are capable of analyzing massive datasets quickly, uncovering insights that might be missed by human analysis. Key Milestones and Catalysts for Growth In the past year, Recursion has reported promising results from trials addressing rare conditions like cerebral cavernous malformation and advanced solid tumors. Looking forward, the company is keenly anticipating pivotal data releases in 2024. These include trials for drugs targeting familial adenomatous polyposis and cancer-related genetic mutations. The successful release and interpretation of this data could result in heightened interest from investors, potentially driving Recursion to the forefront of the biotech industry. The Balancing Act: Risks vs. Rewards Despite the promise AI offers, Recursion has yet to release a commercially viable drug. This absence of market-ready products underscores the challenges and risks inherent in investing in biotech. Nevertheless, strategic partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies have fortified Recursion’s financial status, offering a cushion of security while they navigate the risky waters of drug development. For investors with a high-risk tolerance, Recursion Pharmaceuticals could represent a lucrative opportunity provided their AI strategies ultimately lead to market success. Industry Implications and Future Prospects The implications of successful AI-driven drug discovery are vast, promising a new era of efficiency and innovation in biotech. Should Recursion’s strategies prove successful, we can expect widespread adoption of similar technologies across the industry, further accelerating drug discovery practices globally. As AI continues to revolutionize numerous sectors, the biotech industry may witness the rise of new paradigms in drug research and development, ensuring that AI-driven methodologies become central to future advancements. For more information on cutting-edge AI innovations, explore link name .
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) done for year
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Philadelphia star quarterback Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol and has been ruled for Sunday's game against the visiting Dallas Cowboys, with the Eagles expected to start Kenny Pickett. Hurts missed practice all week, and head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed before Friday's session that Hurts remains in the concussion protocol, adding, "It's going to be tough for him to make it this week." Hurts and Pickett (ribs) were both injured during last weekend's 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders, but Pickett was a full participant in Thursday's practice and was limited on Friday. The Eagles also have Tanner McKee as the emergency third quarterback and signed Ian Book to the practice squad this week. Pickett, who grew up as an Eagles fan in Ocean Township, N.J., will have a chance to help Philadelphia (12-3) clinch the NFC East title in his first start for the franchise. "I'm very excited. It's a big opportunity," he told reporters Thursday. "I've been working hard to stay ready and I felt like I was in a good position last game with my preparation and now having a week to practice, I'll feel even better going into the stadium. So, I'm excited. I just want to get the win." Pickett relieved Hurts in the first quarter against Washington and completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Prior to that, he had appeared in three games in mop-up duty. "He's done a great job," Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said on Friday. "He did a great job last week. I know he had a few hiccups, but overall he's doing a great job. It's not his first rodeo. We have a lot of confidence in him, I do, and I'm excited. "(He's) poised, confident. He comes in, he's commanding the huddle and that's what you want to see." Pickett, 26, compiled a 14-10 record as the starter for the Steelers from 2022-23 after being drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round (20th overall) in 2022. After the Steelers acquired Russell Wilson in March, Pickett was traded along with a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-rounders. Pickett has completed 62.3 percent of his pass attempts for 4,622 yards with 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 29 career games. He has rushed for 303 yards and four scores. Hurts, 26, has completed 68.7 percent of his passes this season for 2,903 yards with 18 TDs and five picks in 15 starts. He has rushed for 630 yards and is tied for the NFL lead with 14 rushing touchdowns. --Field Level Media
They're short but no different from 'normal people', and they defy stereotypes every dayMum on mega mission to raise money builds hospice in memory of son, 8
NVIDIA Shakes Up the Market! What This Means for GamersSINGAPORE: The goal sounds simple – hit 20 shuttlecocks in a row, five times. But the catch is he has to start from zero if he misses one or it hits the net. That may seem like an easy feat to most badminton players, but for 23-year-old Xavier Lim, it is a major challenge that he dreads during his thrice-a-week practice sessions. When CNA sat in to watch one recent session, Mr Lim hit five consecutive shuttlecocks successfully on his first attempt before the sixth one hit the 1.55m-high net. “Restart!” his coach shouted with laughter from the other side as he picked up the fallen birdies. The shuttlecocks flew again, sending the 135cm-tall athlete to all parts of his side of the court. He had to start from zero once more before finally making it to 20 on his third attempt. He then had to repeat the feat another four times. Mr Lim is Singapore’s only professional badminton player with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. But his condition doesn't mean that he is given special concessions in his beloved sport. “Everything in the game is the same – the height of the net, size of the court, the shoes I wear and the rackets we use. I wish it (the court) was smaller, but it’s all the same,” Mr Lim told CNA. Despite competing professionally for six years, he still feels amazed how the kid who constantly missed the shuttlecock when playing with his father at the car park now finds himself playing on courts across the region. “My dad always tells me to remember who taught me (badminton) and to let everyone know,” he said. “I have a video of me hitting (the shuttlecock) three times in a row and I dropped the racket and ran around celebrating.” Mr Lim’s free-spirited attitude and zest for life can be seen both on the court and during breaks, when he playfully tried to kick his own head – a party trick that he used to effortlessly flaunt but gets harder as he grows older. The athlete, who works full-time as a pre-registration pharmacist, was determined very early on to prove that his height would not limit him from being the best version of himself. Even when he was growing up, he never allowed himself to feel like an outcast, and counted himself lucky to always be included. He owed this sense of belonging to the sport that has helped him “overcome the mental and physical boundaries” over the years. “I’ll admit that I was initially limited by my own presumptions of my condition. So I assumed I couldn’t run, jump very high, and do many other things.” But his misconceptions changed when he started pushing himself to meet targets and surprised himself with how much he could do, the distances he could run, and even how high he could jump. “At the end of the day, it’s nice to get medals but the biggest lesson I gained was understanding the boundaries were mostly in my mind. Yes, it was hard at some points, but it showed me that I can push the boundaries by pushing myself.” FROM PAINS TO PROGRESS Being an athlete with a disability also meant that Mr Lim was more prone to injuries, and a severe one in 2023 meant he had to prioritise his recovery and refrain from participating in competitions this year. After competing in the 2023 ASEAN Para Games in May, he landed a spot in the Western Australia Para Badminton International in October last year. Although he found the latter competition “much less nerve-racking” and had been injury-free for some time, no amount of practice could have prepared him for what happened next. “I didn’t play well during the games, and even had to undergo surgery after tearing my MCL (medial collateral ligament) and meniscus,” Mr Lim said. Both are types of knee injury. The two months of recovery was no easy feat for the athlete, who spent two months out of training and the last on crutches. "I had to do a lot of reconditioning of my legs, like having to relearn how to walk, regain strength in my leg muscles to do day-to-day activities and also recondition my legs and stamina to play badminton again." The injury was made more difficult as Mr Lim had been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis in 2020, which meant he suffered from burning pains from his back through to his legs, sometimes accompanied by numbness. It was a condition that is often seen in the elderly after years of wear and tear, but sport players with dwarfism tend to develop it at an earlier stage in their lives, he explained. Mr Lim ended up going for spinal surgery in May 2021, and it took him an entire year to fully recover. "It definitely affected the intensity at which I trained and I had to miss some training sessions or take on a lighter load because my back was too sore. I even questioned if I wanted to carry on playing badminton.” But his coach of almost two years was hell-bent on making sure he pulled through. “He’s a driven boy and as much as I love to push him to go beyond his limits, he pushes himself very hard too. Sometimes so hard till he turns pale,” said Mr Andy Wu, a Singapore para badminton coach. Mr Wu, who sees the athlete as “more of a brother”, claimed to be harder on him than his able-bodied students. “I know that he faces a lot of adversity as a para-athlete, but I’ve been touched by his passion and resilience, especially how he would come and train thrice a week after work,” he said, praising the way Mr Lim's game has matured. “He used to say he would give up badminton whenever he felt defeated. But through the years, he has recognised what he can and can’t control on the court. He has improved on what he can control, and let go of what he can’t.” Mr Wu called for more support to be given to para-athletes looking to achieve more, a sentiment that Mr Lim echoed strongly as he has his heart set on taking part in the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics. “It’s a goal for any athlete to be at the Olympics or the Paralympics. It’s the pinnacle of sporting events, and I would definitely want to be there.” A BIG CIRCLE OF SUPPORT As Mr Lim makes his mark as Singapore’s first professional badminton player with dwarfism, others born with short stature have echoed his positive outlook and determination to live a regular life. It never bothered Mr Benovan Sim that his twin brother stands at 194cm, while he was often left waiting around when his friends took rollercoaster rides at Universal Studios Singapore. “There’s a height limit of 120cm for rollercoaster rides, so I’m usually sitting at one corner waiting for them or helping them queue for the next ride.” Mr Sim – who stands at around 110cm – has absent tibia fibula. To put it simply, he was born without shin bones and knee caps, which means his thighs are directly connected to his feet. “I have difficulties walking for long periods, and would often get back and leg aches after just 20 minutes of walking,” Mr Sim told CNA, pointing to his feet which are bent at an angle. Although one might assume that such a condition could result in bullying, especially during the schooling years, the 22-year-old spoke highly of his peers and said he never once felt excluded. “Having friends in secondary school was really a blessing for me and I still keep contact with many of them. They helped and supported me throughout the years, in more ways than one.” Mr Sim found that his love for sports acted as the perfect bridge between him and his peers, especially for those who were wary of how to approach him initially. “I would usually be at the fitness corner or basketball court after school, and other students would invite me to join them. They would always be willing to teach me, so I never felt discriminated (against) because of my short stature.” While Mr Sim counted himself lucky, his parents felt the exact opposite when he was born. “When I was born, the doctors told my mother that I wouldn’t be able to walk. But she was determined to prove them wrong and pushed me to learn,” he said, adding that he used to wear special shoes to keep his feet from bending when he walked. “My parents helped me defy the odds,” he said as he counted with his fingers the different sports that he has been able to take part in, such as swimming and taekwondo. LIVING AN ORDINARY LIFE Mr Sim has grown used to the stares and whispers that he often faces in public, and said that parents sometimes don’t teach their children the polite way to ask about his disability, but would hurriedly pull them away instead. But such occurrences no longer bother him, as he chooses to remember the pleasant interactions he has had in public. “There was a lady who pulled me aside at the MRT station and asked if I was comfortable if she prayed over me. I’m not a Christian but I knew she did it out of goodwill, and it was nice that she did so.” Even though he will be in pain after just 20 minutes of standing, commuters on the train or bus do not always offer him a seat. “Being short means your current centre of gravity is really low, so it's very easy to balance. So even if I fall, my hand reaches the ground quickly,” he said with a laugh. Speaking to CNA at Central Provident Fund Board’s (CPFB) office in Novena, where he has worked for two years, Mr Sim said he greatly appreciated the efforts of his colleagues and managers for the good experience he has had right from the beginning. “CPF will announce to everyone that a person with disabilities will be joining the team, so there was a lot of support from my first day.” CPF has been awarded the Enabling Mark (Gold) award, which recognises organisations for their best practice and outcomes in disability-inclusive employment. “Most of my friends are people without disabilities till I got to CPF and met others with different disabilities,” the associate consultant of the organisation's data protection operations department said. Mr Sim never felt discriminated against for his height, and would often get help from his colleagues without even having to ask. “We have a modem in the data centre that is slightly out of reach and I would have to tip-toe when I use it. But my team members always offer to take on the extra task or accompany me in case I need help.” Mr Lim makes it a conscious point to show those around him that he can do whatever others can, and he encourages others of short stature to ensure they don't allow their height to stand in the way of what they can achieve. “We’re the same as normal people. We can do the same things, we just need some help sometimes.” This is the first of two articles on people in Singapore with short stature. In the next part, which will be published on Jan 1, 2025, CNA speaks to parents whose children have been diagnosed with dwarfism.By Jay Berry The Unbeaten, Indiana Hoosiers travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face the one loss, Ohio State Buckeyes. With two games left in the regular season, the stakes don't get much higher than this. Indiana comes into the game 10–0, looking to prove people wrong that their success has not been due to a weak schedule. On the Ohio State sideline, they're looking to live up to expectations and get one step closer to the Big Ten championship game—a rematch with Oregon, their only loss. The Hoosiers last defeated the Buckeyes in 1988 when they won 41-7 in Bloomington, Indiana. Since then, they have played 31 times, with Ohio State winning 30 of those matchups. There was one tie in the 1990 game. The stakes have never been higher than this year's game, with Ohio State ranked number two and Indiana ranked number five . The last time Indiana was ranked in the top five, they won a share of the Big Ten championship in 1967. It was a three-way tie with them, Purdue, and Minnesota. 🌹 Honoring our 1967 Big Ten Champion & 1968 Rose Bowl team. pic.twitter.com/5PnFeUK2ro What does a win mean for Indiana? The game is big for Indiana to silence the doubters and secure their path to the Big Ten Conference Championship. If they win against Ohio State, they will earn a spot in Lucas Oil Stadium to face Oregon, regardless of the outcome of next week's game against Purdue. Ohio State's path to the conference championship game is to beat Indiana on Saturday and Michigan in their final regular-season game. That would give the Buckeyes a chance to revenge the only loss of the season against Oregon. Once again, Ohio State is playing at noon on Saturday. Fox seems to have put them in that time slot every week. Will Indiana fans be lighting a "CIG," or will the Shoe be rockin' one step closer to a date with the Ducks? We will know around 2:30 on Saturday afternoon, possibly earlier, if one team dominates the game. One thing is or sure, Ryan Day can't afford to lose this game. Buckeye fans will be calling for his firing if that happens. It’s time to show a nation, the Best Damn Fans in the Land 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/siwrXTt5yZShare Tweet Share Share Email The blockchain industry continues to innovate at an unprecedented pace, with groundbreaking projects like Qubetics, Algorand, and Arweave leading the way. These platforms address some of the most pressing challenges in blockchain technology, from scalability and data storage to seamless development and interoperability. These projects present compelling opportunities for those looking for the best cryptos to invest in this week . Let’s dive deeper into their features and why they stand out in the rapidly evolving blockchain. Qubetics: Empowering Developers with Qubetics IDE Qubetics offers an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that simplifies blockchain application creation with user-friendly tools and pre-built components. Drag-and-Drop Components : Developers can seamlessly integrate functionalities like user authentication, token management, and data storage without starting from scratch. Form-Based Configuration : This feature allows users to define smart contract parameters and application logic through intuitive forms, removing the need for complex code editing. Code Snippet Library : A rich repository of pre-written blockchain code snippets accelerates development by enabling users to incorporate sophisticated functionalities effortlessly. By lowering the technical barriers to blockchain adoption, Qubetics makes blockchain development more accessible to a broader audience. In addition to simplifying development, Qubetics serves as a Web3-aggregated chain, unifying multiple networks for seamless asset transfers and data sharing. This interoperability framework ensures developers and users benefit from a cohesive blockchain ecosystem, driving innovation and adoption across industries. Qubetics is in Presale Phase 13, with its $TICS token currently priced at $0.034. The presale features weekly price hikes of 10%, culminating in a 20% increase during the final stage. With over $6.8 million raised, 10,000+ holders, and 347 million tokens sold, Qubetics is gaining traction as one of the best cryptos to invest in this week . Algorand: A High-Performance Blockchain for the Future Algorand is designed to address the blockchain trilemma—simultaneously achieving scalability, decentralisation, and security. Employing cutting-edge technology provides a robust platform for developers and enterprises looking to build efficient and sustainable blockchain applications. Algorand sets itself apart with its strong commitment to sustainability. The platform is carbon-negative, a key consideration for environmentally conscious developers and enterprises. With its focus on scalability, security, and sustainability, Algorand continues to attract a growing community of developers and institutional investors. Its strong technical foundation makes it one of the best cryptos to invest in this week for long-term growth. Arweave: Revolutionizing Data Storage on Blockchain Data storage is a critical challenge for blockchain technology, especially for applications that require long-term, immutable data. Arweave has emerged as a game-changer by offering a decentralised, permanent storage solution that ensures data availability and integrity. Arweave’s technology has gained traction in journalism, research, and content creation, where data integrity and permanence are crucial. Its innovative approach addresses a critical gap in the blockchain ecosystem, positioning it as a leading solution for decentralised storage. Arweave’s unique value proposition and growing adoption make it an attractive investment opportunity. Arweave is well-positioned to become a cornerstone of blockchain-based storage solutions as data-driven applications grow. Conclusion The blockchain ecosystem is pivotal, with platforms like Qubetics, Algorand, and Arweave addressing key challenges and unlocking new possibilities. Qubetics simplifies blockchain development and fosters interoperability, making it an attractive choice for developers and investors. Algorand offers a scalable and sustainable platform, ideal for enterprises and applications requiring high performance. Arweave delivers a groundbreaking solution for permanent data storage, meeting the needs of data-driven industries. As the blockchain space continues to evolve, these projects are poised to play a critical role in shaping its future. Whether you’re a developer seeking cutting-edge solutions or an investor looking for the best cryptos this week , Qubetics, Algorand, and Arweave deserve your attention. Their innovative technologies and strong ecosystems make them standout players in the blockchain revolution. For More Information: Qubetics: https://qubetics.com Telegram: https://t.me/qubetics Twitter: https://x.com/qubetics Related Items: Blockchain , Qubetic Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Shiba Inu News: Shibaswap Fails to Save SHIB As Investors Switch For Viral $0.12 Altcoin Top Cryptos to Watch Now: Market Trends Suggest High-Growth Potential In 2025 Planetarium Labs Elevates Web3 Gaming with Season 2 of Immortal Rising 2: Path of Ascension Campaign Comments
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