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WhatsApp Joins Instagram in Selling New Premium Subscriptions
WhatsApp is selling a new premium subscription that includes more custom features, part of a broader effort by parent company Meta Platforms Inc. to build a revenue stream that can complement its core advertising business.
Summer Savings Starts Now: Caesars Entertainment’s Las Vegas Resorts Introduce More Value Options
LAS VEGAS, April 20, 2026--Caesars Entertainment is starting summer early with an expansive collection of travel, dining, spa and entertainment deals across its Las Vegas resorts. Highlights include new, limited-time hotel offers launching today, April 20.
Ball x Pit's next update adds 11 more balls to the fray on April 27
A pair of new characters, more passive abilities and a fresh building are included in The Shadow Update.
Michigan Science Center hosting 21+ Aurora Space Party
The After Dark series will include hands-on activities, live programs, and more after the Detroit museum closes for the night.
UP-based basketball flooring provider expands service within WNBA
Connor Sports’ established presence in women’s professional basketball includes work with the Las Vegas Aces, Atlanta Dream, Connecticut Sun and Dallas Wings.
Science Lab: Walker’s 7-Round Cowboys Mock Draft for 2026
The one-and-only annual Cowboys' mock draft from 'No C' has officially arrived — fireworks included.
News | U. of Oklahoma athletics drives plans for $1.1 billion entertainment district
Mixed-use hub's first phase to include performance venue, 'carefully curated' retail
Springfield schools starts elementary science curriculum adoption process
After a two-year postponement, Springfield is rolling out its own elementary science curriculum, made from a patchwork of several different curricula. The adoption will follow an independent review process, which includes an opportunity for the public to view the materials and make comments.
Galaxy S24 and Fold 7 get Galaxy S26 AI features with latest One UI 8.5 beta
Samsung is making good on its promise to bring new Galaxy AI features from the Galaxy S26 lineup to existing devices. It has released new One UI 8.5 beta updates today that include these features for several devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy S24 series. The Galaxy S25 series has also […]
Ingrid may bring more crossovers to Street Fighter 6 based on history, she's the most powerful fighter in the story
Street Fighter 6 received its first DLC guest characters in franchise history, adding in Fatal Fury's Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui, which included quite a bit of backstory and artwork as part of the game's World Tour modes ...
There's a new Republican congressman running in Butler County
Rep. Mike Turner is running for reelection in Ohio's 10th Congressional District, which will soon include parts of Butler County.
Insurance moves: Corebridge, W.R. Berkley and AMERISAFE
They include a new CFO and a new board member
San Francisco’s mental health board, drug policy under scrutiny this week; Pyramid to get landmark status
This week, the highlights at City Hall include the likely reorganization of a commission overseeing mental health policy, support for drug-free supportive housing, and the possible landmarking of the city’s most visually distinctive building after over 50 years on the skyline. On Monday, the Rules Committee will have a full docket ranging from an ordinance […]
Advancing epidemic and pandemic preparedness through research readiness: SEAR Unity Studies Network Sites chart the way forward in 2026
On 25 March 2026, WHO Regional Office for the South‑East Asia Region (SEARO) convened the first meeting of the SEAR Chapter of the Unity Studies Network Meeting in 2026 to take stock of progress and plan next steps for strengthening epidemic and pandemic preparedness across the Region. The meeting focused on reviewing the ongoing adaptation of selected, standard Unity Study methodologies, sharing field implementation experiences from 2025, and identifying key priorities to guide collaborative work in 2026.Held virtually, the meeting brought together representatives from six Unity Studies network sites across five countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) as well as participants from all three levels of WHO.The meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing regional efforts in South‑East Asia to strengthen early investigations and studies for epidemic and pandemic preparedness, with a focus on pandemic influenza and other emerging respiratory pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential. In this context, and as part of preparedness for the rapid generation of evidence, the WHO Health Emergencies Programme in SEAR (WHE/SEAR) encourages Unity Studies sites to adapt prioritized, standardized Unity Study protocols to their national contexts. This approach supports the generation of timely and reliable evidence to inform public health decision‑making during epidemics and pandemics.These efforts are supported through a combination of experience sharing, participation in the global Unity Studies network webinars, capacity‑building of the national public health workforce, and regional collaboration that promotes inter‑country, inter‑agency, and inter‑ministerial action. In parallel, sites are encouraged to explore diversified funding sources to help sustain research preparedness over the long term.Discussions highlighted the importance of WHO’s catalytic financial support through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contributions (PIP‑PC). When combined with national and institutional resources, this support enables countries and sites to maintain continuity of activities at a core level and remain prepared to respond rapidly and effectively to future epidemics and pandemics.Regional and Global Updates: Opening the session, Dr Pushpa Ranjan Wijesinghe, Programme Area Manager, Pandemic and Epidemic Management (PEM) Unit, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, highlighted the progress made in operationalizing the Unity Studies Network across the Region and acknowledged the collaborative efforts of WHO at all three levels, together with country unity studies sites. He emphasized the availability of limited but catalytic funding through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contribution (PIP‑PC) workplan at SEARO to sustain network activities in 2026, while encouraging sites to leverage additional funding sources to expand implementation.Representing SEARO, Dr Ashok Basnet, consultant, Pandemic Influenza Preparedness reported that, at the regional level, the Unity Studies Network currently includes six sites across five countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. He noted that in 2025, catalytic funding supported protocol adaptation, training, and pilot implementation. In addition, a regional Unity Studies symposium held during the Global Public Health Summit in Sri Lanka strengthened and advocated collaboration between the Unity Studies site, national decision‑making forum, relevant technical units of the ministry of health, WHO and other partners.The symposium also highlighted the role of early investigations and studies as a key component of a multi‑source surveillance system needed at country level to generate a broad range of evidence. It underscored the critical role of country Unity Studies sites and similar research entities in generating evidence to support public health decision‑making during epidemics and pandemics.Participants of the WHO GISRS Unity Studies Sites Network- SEAR Chapter Meeting 2026 (Photo credit- PEM/WHE/SEARO). SEARO also updated participants on ongoing efforts to develop a regional Unity Studies webpage and to promote participation in global knowledge‑sharing platforms, including webinars and the WHO Community of Practice. Priorities for 2026 include supporting the implementation of Unity protocols, strengthening collaboration and experience sharing across sites, documenting and publishing findings, integrating Unity Studies activities as a component of multi-source national surveillance systems, and building workforce capacity.Dr Nickle Boddington of the Global Influenza Programme (GIP) at WHO Headquarters, which coordinates the Unity Studies Network globally, provided updates on global Unity Studies activities, noting that the network has expanded to 16 sites worldwide. New and updated protocols, including rapid clinical severity assessment tools and standardized data platforms, are being developed to support implementation. The global Community of Practice has also been launched to facilitate technical exchange, and continued support will be provided to sites for protocol adaptation, ethical approvals, and readiness for early investigation during outbreaks. Updates from Unity Studies sites in SEAR in 2025Unity Studies sites shared progress and experiences in implementing protocols across diverse country contexts. Sites initiated activities in 2025 using catalytic funding from SEARO, complemented by the mobilization of internal national resources. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh, reported the adoption and piloting of investigation protocols on non‑seasonal influenza and emerging respiratory diseases during recent avian influenza outbreaks, demonstrating a multi‑source funding approach involving government, WHO and One Health partners.The Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR), New Delhi, India, highlighted the piloting of household transmission investigation studies, the expansion of the national Unity Studies network, and the contribution of study findings to global evidence through published outputs. The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India, shared experiences from large‑scale seroprevalence studies conducted during the COVID‑19 pandemic, recent efforts to strengthen national Unity network sites through training activities, and plans to initiate multi‑centre studies on respiratory viruses.Similarly, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, highlighted its experience in developing integrated surveillance and diagnostic protocols for multiple respiratory pathogens, enhancing readiness for targeted investigations of emerging threats. The University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, reported ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Health and exploration of additional funding sources to initiate studies. Meanwhile, the National Public Health Laboratory, Nepal, provided updates on continued coordination with national stakeholders to initiate implementation, despite delays related to the country context.Across sites, shared experiences underscored the importance of protocol adaptation, multisectoral collaboration, and sustainable funding to operationalize Unity Studies and generate evidence for public health action.Discussions and Way ForwardThe meeting reinforced key priorities for 2026, including strengthening unity studies protocol implementation, enhancing collaboration, knowledge sharing, integrating research as a component of national multi-source surveillance systems, and ensuring that generated evidence informs public health decision‑making. Participants also emphasized the importance of documentation, visibility, and leveraging multiple funding sources, and agreed on the following action points.Unity Studies Sites and WHO Country Offices:Advance adoption and implementation of at least one Unity protocol, continuing activities initiated in 2025 with catalytic funding, supplemented with other sources of funding where feasible.Document site-specific experiences, outcomes, and lessons learned; participate in regional and global knowledge-sharing platforms including WHO webinars and the Community of Practice.Work closely with ministries of health to establish unified national platforms for translating generated evidence into national public health decision-making. WHO Country Offices may facilitate technical support and complementary, synergistic funding opportunities where feasible. WHO Regional OfficeCoordinate with WHO Country Offices to support implementation of core unity studies activities by network sites through catalytic funding and provide technical guidance and virtual engagement opportunities throughout 2026.Facilitate the participation of all Unity Studies sites in the regional meeting on Unity Studies implementation in October 2026, to be held back‑to‑back with the Annual SEAR Regional PIP‑PC Meeting; develop and host a SEAR Unity Studies website; and mobilize support from academic institutions within the SEAR Unity Studies Network to support the development of regional manuscripts that showcase Unity Studies activities to scientific audiences and promote knowledge‑sharing.Explore complementary funding opportunities and partnerships to sustain and expand network activities across the Region.WHO HeadquartersProvide global technical guidance, updated protocols, and toolkits to support the implementation of Unity Studies in SEAR.Facilitate engagement of SEAR sites in global webinars, the Community of Practice, and opportunities to showcase their work.Support joint publications, inclusion of SEAR experiences in global outputs, and identification of additional funding and collaborative opportunities to strengthen Unity Studies activities.
Penn announces changes to 2026-27 employee health care plan
The changes include new contribution amounts, a deductible increase, and additional voluntary benefit options.
WWDC 2026 Graphic Teases Major iOS 27 Feature
Apple's WWDC 2026 graphic provides "a glimpse of the revamped Siri interface coming in iOS 27," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said iOS 27 will include a new Siri interface in the Dynamic Island.
Mike Myers went full 'Shrek' to honor Eddie Murphy at AFI Life Achievement Award Ceremony
AFI honored Eddie Murphy with its Life Achievement Award in a ceremony that included tears, laughter, and a cameo from a certain green ogre voiced by Mike Myers.
Campaigns raise money for and against girls' sports, parents' rights issues on Nov. ballot
We are already gearing up for a busy midterm election that will include at least two statewide issues on Washington’s ballot.Let's Go Washington collected signa
4.5mm iPhone Ultra/Fold cases and "final design" renders leak; big MagSafe mystery
Leaked iPhone Ultra/Fold cases confirm a wider book-style foldable design for Apple’s 2026 flagship. However, the leaked images suggest a conflict between the device's ultra-thin 4.5mm chassis and MagSafe compatibility, as dummy units lack magnets while cases include them. Known iPhone Ultra/Fold features include a 7.8-inch display, A20 Pro chip, and a late 2026 release date.
Healey signs bill reforming marijuana business governance, sales in Mass.
Gov. Maura Healey will now appoint all members of a reformed Cannabis Control Commission. She signed a bill Sunday that included several changes to Massachusetts' marijuana industry.
Opinion: For its mental health ecosystem, UCLA needs a more imperative culture
Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the United States is available by calling or texting 988.
NFL Draft's most interesting teams: Giants' first draft with John Harbaugh included a big trade. What else is next?
Dexter Lawrence's future is an important part of the Giants' draft moves.
Giants trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals in massive deal that includes No. 10 overall pick, per report
New York now holds two picks in the top 10 of the draft following this blockbuster.
Nebraska Science Festival Expo takes over Durham Museum
The 13th annual expo at the Durham Museum includes appearances from UNO, Creighton, UNMC and more.
NBA player prop picks, odds, free best bets: Model includes LeBron James for NBA Playoffs on April 18
The SportsLine model and team of experts reveal top NBA props picks and NBA predictions for the NBA Playoffs on Saturday
Colorado Politics Calendar Apr. 20-26
CoPo’s weekly political calendar helps you find political and public policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Archaeologists discover perfectly circular ancient Egyptian temple that may have been used for sacred water rituals
The temple included a network of water infrastructure, revealing the importance of the ancient city and the Nile.
Zeldin rebuilds Science Advisory Board
New members include a climate science skeptic and two employees from the chemical manufacturer Chemours.
Slay the Spire 2 gets its first major update, buffing the Regent, bringing sweeping balance changes, and adding a powerful new card
Slay the Spire 2 has gotten its first major update, which includes a host of balance changes, art updates, a phobia mode, and more.
New Codex features include the ability to use your computer in the background
An in-app browser allows visual feedback while building websites and more.
Trump tries economic reset as Republicans fret over high gas prices
Trump is set to use a Thursday stop in Las Vegas to tout his tax and immigration bill that includes campaign promises tailored to court hourly and hospitality workers.
Blackmagic Camera app gets Apple Watch companion
Blackmagic Design, ahead of NAB 2026, updated its Blackmagic Camera app to include a new Apple Watch control option.
FIFA Fan Festival Entertainment Lineup
FIFA Fan Festival concert lineup in Kansas City includes The Chainsmokers, Flo Rida, The All-American Rejects and Tech N9ne.
Entertainment: It’s a Big Week in Milwaukee
Events include Milwaukee Film Fest, Gallery Night, Record Store Day and Keg Standup.
Should Monopoly Verdict and Breakup Risk Require Action From Live Nation Entertainment (LYV) Investors?
In recent days, a jury found that Live Nation Entertainment and its Ticketmaster unit illegally monopolized concert ticketing, opening the door for more than 30 US states to seek remedies that could include curbing the company’s power or even forcing a breakup. This verdict introduces significant legal uncertainty around Live Nation’s vertically integrated concerts and ticketing model, potentially reshaping how major live events are promoted, ticketed, and operated across the...
Railmark announces return to passenger rail business
HENDERSON, Ky. — Railmark Holdings, which operates short lines and provides industrial switching along with a number of other rail services, is returning to the passenger rail business through subsidiary Train Travel Inc., the company announced on Wednesday, April 15. Train Travel’s 38-year history includes operation of the Star Clipper Dinner Train and Reno Fun Train, as well as a rail-centric
University of Idaho Dedicates New Meat Science Laboratory
April 16, 2026 - More than 300 supporters gathered April 10 to help dedicate a new University of Idaho meat science laboratory with ample space and modern technology to better serve the state’s rapidly growing beef industry. The 12,750-square-foot Meat Science and Innovation Center Honoring Ron Richard includes a Vandal Brand Meats storefront, a fabrication room, a further-processing room and more.
Around the MHS
The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of April 13-17, 2026, includes the U.S. Navy medical team recovering Artemis II, a U.S. Army Captain’s unconventional journey to becoming a dentist, and a first-of-its-kind spinal surgery at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Hawaii.
United States and Madagascar Discuss Five-Year Health MOU Implementation Plan - U.S. Embassy in Madagascar
United States and Madagascar Discuss Five-Year Health MOU Implementation Plan The United States and Madagascar’s Ministry of Public Health are in the process of developing a plan for implementing the U.S.-Madagascar five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on health cooperation, signed under the Trump Administration’s America First Global Health Strategy. The two-day workshop, at the U.S. Embassy in Antananarivo, brought together technical experts and senior leadership from the Malagasy and U.S. governments to discuss a shared vision through a preliminary draft MOU Implementation Plan and to establish the joint governance structures that will guide U.S. foreign assistance in health over the next five years. The jointly decided bilateral health MOU, signed on December 22, 2025, builds on decades of U.S. global health assistance to Madagascar. The health MOU involves the U.S.’s plans, working with Congress, to provide approximately $134 million (over 554 billion Ariary) and a Malagasy commitment of $41 million (over 169 billion Ariary). It aims to strengthen Madagascar’s health system, improve disease prevention and response, and support services that address health security concerns for both countries, including malaria, maternal and child health, polio, and global health security issues that could reach U.S. shores if not contained at their source. During the recent workshop, technical staff from the Ministry of Public Health and the U.S. Government health team worked in thematic groups to draft detailed implementation plans for the five-year MOU period. On the second day, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Stephanie Arnold and Ministry of Public Health and Economic and Finance Ministry leadership joined the technical teams to discuss plans and proposed terms of reference for two committees: a Joint Steering Committee and an Operational Committee. These structures will ensure clear roles and responsibilities, regular dialogue between the two governments, consistent monitoring of progress, and accountability for results. The framework includes performance benchmarks that will guide continued U.S. support and track Madagascar’s progress toward self-reliance. “We see this not as a U.S. project, but as a joint framework under Malagasy leadership, with U.S. support,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Stephanie Arnold during the workshop’s opening session. The approach reflects U.S. foreign assistance principles that emphasize strategic, results-driven support that advances American interests while helping recipient countries build sustainable health systems. The framework is designed to build systems that Madagascar will increasingly finance and lead itself, reducing long-term dependence on foreign assistance.
Brevard on a budget: Free, fun things to do this weekend, April 17-23
On a budget? Free, fun things to do in Brevard this weekend include BBQ festival, summer camp fair and a choral concert.
Amazon MGM Studios unveils its ambitious theatrical slate for 2026 and beyond at CinemaCon
The studio’s upcoming lineup includes 13 theatrical releases in 2026 and highly anticipated titles in 2027 like 'The Thomas Crown Affair' and 'Spaceballs: The New One'
Around the MHS
The latest news from around the Military Health System for the week of April 13-17, 2026, includes the U.S. Navy medical team recovering Artemis II, a U.S. Army Captain’s unconventional journey to becoming a dentist, and a first-of-its-kind spinal surgery at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Hawaii.
April Las Vegas headliners. David Byrne, Cyndi Lauper, Phish included
Las Vegas is known for its entertainment and people traveling into the Southern Nevada city may be wondering what shows are coming up. Here's the list.
The Miami-Dade businesses that lost their licenses over alleged illegal trade with Cuba
Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernández announced new enforcement actions that include revoking business licenses for several companies accused of operating in violation of federal regulations related to Cuba.
German health minister announces billions in cutbacks
The comprehensive reform package aims to plug a multi-billion-euro hole in Germany's expensive healthcare system. The reforms include mandatory second opinions for costly surgeries and no more homeopathy.
Rainier, University of Oklahoma Foundation to Build $1.1B Rock Creek Entertainment District in Norman
NORMAN, OKLA. — Rainier Development Co. has executed a master development agreement with the University of Oklahoma Foundation for the planned Rock Creek Entertainment District, a $1.1 billion project in Norman. Rainier will lead planning, design, coordination and development of the 269-acre district in collaboration with Cleveland County, the City of Norman, the University of Oklahoma, community stakeholders and other development partners. Rock Creek Entertainment District is envisioned as a year-round destination that will include an 8,000-seat performance venue designed to host concerts, conventions and community events, as well as University of Oklahoma men’s and women’s basketball games and women’s gymnastics events. Plans for Phase I of Rock Creek include the performance venue; a central outdoor plaza; approximately 140,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment experiences; roughly 250 multifamily units; and a structured parking garage with 1,200 spaces. Phased openings of the venue, restaurants and retail are expected to begin in 2028. Phase II will include approximately 180,000 square feet of office space and a 150-room hotel. Phase III calls for 500 additional multifamily units, as well as townhomes and single-family residences. Future phases are anticipated to include additional expansion, subject to market conditions and planning. The project, located…
Business of Warfighting: ONR to Boost Industry Partnerships at Sea-Air-Space
To strengthen collaboration with industry, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) — to include the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and ONR’s international arm, ONR Global — will host an exhibit at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, April 20-22.
Chef Zubair Mohajir is having fun going into business with friends
At seven restaurants and counting, the chef’s latest ventures include Mariela in the Loop and Muhājir and Bobo, both in Lincoln Park, this year.
From a massive living area to an entertainment room and art collection: Ram Kapoor’s approximately Rs 20 crore Mumbai house
Ram Kapoor enjoys a lavish lifestyle in Mumbai with wife Gautami and kids. He once gave a glimpse of his luxurious Mumbai house in a Farah Khan’s vlog. The house is worth around Rs 20 crore and includes an entertainment room, bar and much more. Here’s a look at his lavish Mumbai house:
Scene Calendar: Local theater, live music, dance, PorchFest 2026
Upcoming events in Alachua County include productions of \
China’s Next Megaprojects Are Built for Big Science
Data shows how China’s infrastructure drive is beginning to include new scientific instruments built to explore the frontiers of physics, astronomy, and energy.
Reno Pro Soccer's $350M entertainment district 'The Boulevard Reno' includes hotel/casino
The group behind Reno Pro Soccer's attempt to build a first-of-its-kind soccer stadium in Northern Nevada has submitted a pre-planning application for its ambit
Reno Pro Soccer's $350M entertainment district 'The Boulevard Reno' includes hotel/casino
The group behind Reno Pro Soccer's attempt to build a first-of-its-kind soccer stadium in Northern Nevada has submitted a pre-planning application for its ambit
Reno Pro Soccer's $350M entertainment district 'The Boulevard Reno' includes hotel/casino
The group behind Reno Pro Soccer's attempt to build a first-of-its-kind soccer stadium in Northern Nevada has submitted a pre-planning application for its ambit
How to Use Google Chrome’s New AI-Powered ‘Skills’
The premade Skills available through the Gemini sidebar in Chrome include ways to maximize protein in recipes or summarize YouTube videos.
Lebanon’s Death Toll Tops 2,100, Health Ministry Data Show
Lebanon’s health ministry said Tuesday that 2,124 people have been killed and nearly 7,000 wounded since the latest round of fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. The Lebanese authorities said the fatalities include 1,702 men, 254 women and 168 children.
Z2 Entertainment Goes With Tixr For Colorado Venues, Including Boulder and Fox Theaters (Exclusive)
Ticketing platfom Tixr has partnered with Colorado independent promoter and venue owner Z2 Entertainment, a deal that includes ticketing at the Fox and
Gossip: Howe still involved in transfer plans despite uncertain future
Newcastle's hierarchy are continuing to include boss Eddie Howe in discussions on transfer plans for the summer despite uncertainty over his future at St James' Park for the first time. The I) Arsenal and Chelsea are leading the chase to sign Newcastle's Lewis Hall, 21, but the Magpies will not let the left-back leave easily. (Caught Offside)
Grasp Hires Chevalier as New Chief Executive
Grasp Technologies has appointed Maria Chevalier as CEO, succeeding Chris Wilson. Chevalier, a former corporate travel buyer, has extensive experience in travel management and previously served on Grasp's board. Her goals include focusing on innovation and client-centric strategies.
Insurance moves: CRC Group and Liberty Mutual
They include new members of a specialty division and a new board member
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0.2 update out now, special gift available
Animal Crossing: New Horizons just released a version 3.0.2 update, and it includes a special item to celebrate the series' 25th anniversary.
Diabetes testing included in free Healthy Heart Project by Henry Ford Health
It's just a little finger poke, a drop of blood and just like that, you can learn if you're at risk for type 2 diabetes which can be doing slow, subtle damage in your body for years unnoticed.
Arctic marine science exhibition opens in Anchorage on May 15
The exhibition will include how communities and western scientists are working together, how all life in the water impacts the health of ecosystems, the importance of science communications, and intricacies of the research vessel itself.
How Amazon is expanding its car-sales business
Amazon (AMZN) is expanding its car-sales business to include Jeep, Chevrolet, and other automakers. Yahoo Finance Senior Autos Reporter Pras Subramanian breaks down the details.
Homo erectus' tools include stunning geodes and fossils, possibly as a way to connect with the cosmos, study finds
Homo erectus may have deliberately selected rocks embedded with fossils and crystals to craft their hand axes — possibly to serve as mediators between humans and the cosmos.
Two Pitt Materials Science Students Receive Ellwood Scholarships
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering students Margo Levenson and Koh Bauman have received Ellwood Metallurgy Scholarships, which include a paid summer internship. Ellwood, a family-owned metals manufacturer, offers the scholarship to high-caliber, third-year college students studying metallurgy.Levenson, a Pittsburgh native who...
Apple Seeds Second iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 Betas to Developers
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming two weeks after Apple released updated first betas. Registered developers can download the betas from the Settings app on the iPhone or iPad by going to the General section and selecting Software Update. iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 do not include new Siri capabilities, suggesting any Siri updates are being held until iOS 27.
FDA shares warning about cath lab procedure kits due to risk of patient injury
The syringes included in several convenience kits commonly used by interventional cardiologists and interventional radiologists should not be used. If treatment is necessary and no other devices are available, it should be done with “extreme caution and vigilance.”
North Shore Health continues CNA training program with new sessions
North Shore Health is continuing its certified nursing assistant (CNA) training program this spring, with a session scheduled from late April through July and another planned for September. The program includes 75 hours of training and provides students with opportunities to work near the end of the course. Participants can have their training costs covered...
A summer of classical music ‘for all’
The Aspen Music Festival and School celebrates its 77th year this summer. The season begins July 1 and ends Aug. 24 and includes over 200 performances.
Surfshark Just Dropped a Next-Gen VPN Protocol That Could Be Faster and More Secure Than Other VPN Connections
The new Dausos connection protocol has been independently audited and includes a few key innovations not found in other VPNs.
KFF: US: Global health funding in the FY 2027 President’s budget request
The proposed budget includes significant reductions in and restructuring of global health funding, including the elimination of some programs and activities.
This accessory lets you play Switch 2 games on your iPad or iMac display at 4K resolution
Apple has included excellent display panels on iMacs for years, but for the longest time, there hasn’t really been a...
Bullpen took care of business for the Hens
The Official Site of Minor League Baseball web site includes features, news, rosters, statistics, schedules, teams, live game radio broadcasts, and video clips.
Deion Sanders Offers Health Update After Colorado's Spring Game
Following his NFL career, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders has had a few complications with his health, which have included blood clots and bladder cancer
ENTERTAINMENT: WAC hosts Australian Chamber Orchestra
The Australian Chamber Orchestra is premiering “Horizon,” a new work it commissioned from Pulitzer- and Grammy-winning composer John Luther Adams, on its current tour. It includes an 8 p.m. concert Saturday at Fayetteville’s Walton Arts Center
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
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