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Advances Drive ‘Stunning’ Drop in Infant RSV Hospitalizations

September 25, 2025

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While pregnant with her third child last year, Alison Carroll pondered options that hadn’t been available during her first two pregnancies: not one but two ways to help prevent her newborn from ending up in the hospital, fighting for breath because of a severe infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

A pediatric hospitalist herself, she already had for years witnessed and treated the worst of RSV’s ravages in children, including a scary situation that landed her own daughter, Stella, in the same wing of Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, where Carroll works.

So Carroll didn’t need to think long before saying yes to one of the new preventative options that have revolutionized the medical world’s ability to prevent the most severe symptoms of RSV, especially in infants, who are particularly vulnerable. Since they debuted in 2023, the preventatives—a vaccine for pregnant people and an antibody shot for newborns—have reduced hospitalizations of the youngest babies by up to half.

“That’s amazing,” says Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “It actually caused a slight decrease in the infant mortality rate in this country,” a figure that wasn’t more dramatic, mainly because RSV is responsible for a small proportion of infant deaths relative to other causes.

Although the infant mortality rate is low, respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants in the U.S., with newborns up to the age of two months being at the highest risk, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Roughly 60,000 to 80,000 children under age five are hospitalized with RSV every year in the U.S., and an estimated 100 to 300 children in that age group die annually.

In some babies, RSV progresses beyond cold-like symptoms, spreading from the upper respiratory tract (primarily the nose and throat) to the lower, where it affects their lungs and ultimately causes severe breathing difficulties, low oxygen levels and other serious complications.

That’s why pediatricians and infectious disease specialists have reacted with such enthusiasm to the development of the preventative measures, which, in both clinical trials and early real-world results, have produced dramatic reductions in RSV infections that require medical attention or hospitalization among babies. A CDC analysis of data from two different groups of children in the U.S. found that RSV-related hospitalization rates among infants seven months and younger decreased by about 28 and 43 percent, respectively, during the peak of the 2024–2025 RSV season, when both preventatives were available, compared with pre-COVID-pandemic RSV seasons from 2018 to 2020.

Looking at the data more narrowly, the researchers saw an even larger effect: for infants aged zero to two months, the decreases were 45 percent and 52 percent for the two groups, respectively. That 45 percent reduction jumped to 71 percent when the Houston, Tex., region was excluded because of its early-onset RSV season, which began before the new drugs were available.

Offit says the CDC data were not limited to babies who received antibodies through the maternal vaccine or monoclonal antibody injections but rather included all RSV-related infant hospitalizations. “This wasn’t an efficacy study,” he says. “They were looking from 30,000 feet, saying, ‘Has there been a decrease [in hospitalizations]?’”

“And there has,” he adds, “which is remarkable.”

Offit isn’t the only expert offering superlatives.

“I think the results have been stunning, actually,” says Yvonne Maldonado, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stanford University School of Medicine and a former member of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. “Those two treatments, or preventive measures, have resulted in massive reductions in infections and, among infected kids, massive reductions in hospitalizations.”

The protective measures work in different ways. With an injection of the Pfizer vaccine Abrysvo at 32 to 36 weeks of gestation, a pregnant person develops antibodies against RSV that are conferred to the fetus through the placenta, giving babies crucial protection that lasts for the first six to nine months of life.

Chiara Vercesi

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-rsv-preventatives-dramatically-reduce-infant-illness-and-death/

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The best countries for expats in 2025

September 25, 2025

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From Panama’s jungles to Vietnam’s buzzing cities, these five countries offer expats the best mix of affordability, friendliness, and quality of life.

More people than ever are living outside of their country of origin: according to the World Migration Report, 3.6% of the global population are considered international migrants. Moving abroad brings both challenges and rewards, but one recent survey suggests a single factor is shaping expat happiness more than ever right now: money.

Internations, a global community for people living and working overseas, surveyed more than 10,000 expats across 172 nationalities. This year, the countries that scored highest for overall happiness also ranked near the top in the survey’s Personal Finance index, alongside strong results for quality of life and ease of settling in.

We spoke to expats in each of the top five destinations to understand the best parts about living there – and their advice for others considering an international move.

1. Panama

Ranking 1st out of 46 countries overall, Panama placed in the top three across all five of the survey’s major indexes – including first in Working Abroad, second in Ease of Settling in and Expat Essentials (like digital life and housing), and third in Quality of Life and Personal Finance. Popular with freelancers, digital nomads, and retirees, Panama attracts people who appreciate its natural beauty and outdoor activities.”I love beyond words being surrounded by this lush jungle landscape where we see toucans, monkeys, iguanas, agoutis, birds, butterflies every day,” says Cari Mackey, an American who owns and operates Morrillo Beach Eco Resort. “Our area is so remote that we rarely see anyone else on our beach other than our own guests of the resort, so, the waves are never crowded and the vibes are always nice.”

Mackey warns, however, that deforestation is an issue and urges expats to respect the environment. “A lot of people move to Panama and before getting to know the land, [they] start cutting down trees or the understory of the forest and then [we] lose that eco system forever,” she said.

The top 10 countries for expats, according to Internations:

1. Panama

2. Colombia

3. Mexico

4. Thailand

5. Vietnam

6. China

7. UAE

8. Indonesia

9. Spain

10. Malaysia

Bureaucracy can also be a challenge, she says, and hiring professional help like lawyers can go a long way when navigating the systems; even renewing vehicle license plates can require complex paperwork. To appreciate Panama’s beauty, Mackey recommends visiting Cerro Hoyas National Park. “The park is home to endemic species of plants and animals that I didn’t know existed,” she said. “It is a dream for birders, a challenge for hikers, and an all-round inspiring place to explore with waterfalls everywhere!”

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Click the link below for the complete article (and all choices):

https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250922-the-best-countries-for-expats-in-2025

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Russia hits back at Trump after his abrupt swing toward Ukraine

September 25, 2025

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President Donald Trump’s abrupt change in rhetoric on Ukraine, in which he declared it could retake all its territory with help from NATO, was warmly welcomed by Kyiv and quickly dismissed Wednesday by Moscow, particularly his calling the Russian military “a paper tiger” that had been “fighting aimlessly for three and a half years.”

The few early reactions trickling out of Moscow on Wednesday demonstrated how deeply Trump’s unexpectedly friendly appearance in New York alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly vexed the Kremlin, which just weeks ago was gloating over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warm reception in Alaska.

“Russia is in no way a tiger. Still, Russia is more compared with a bear. There are no paper bears,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said to local radio on Wednesday.

Peskov also suggested the motivation behind Trump’s push to halt European purchases of Russian oil and gas — which are helping fund Russia’s war machine — is tied to his desire to boost American sales.

At a later briefing with reporters, Peskov pushed back on Trump’s comments that the war is “aimless,” while still thanking Trump for his willingness to promote peace — and warning that Ukraine was in a dire position.

Kyiv is “trying to demonstrate to their sponsors in Europe and their handlers that they can fight, but they should not forget that with each passing day when the Ukrainian side refuses to negotiate, the negotiating position of the Ukrainian side will only worsen,” he said.

The outspoken former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev mocked Trump’s new position, saying he had been given a dose of “alternative reality,” and noted his often-changing views of the conflict.

“I have no doubt — he will come back. He always comes back,” Medvedev wrote about Trump on X. “The main thing is to radically change your point of view on various issues more often. And everything will be fine. That’s the essence of successful government through social media.”

Margarita Simonyan, who heads the Russian English-language state news channel RT, dismissed the U.S. president’s support for Zelensky as that of a carnival huckster.

“Trump debuts as the tarot card reader telling the thrice-divorced lady that she is going to meet that billionaire prince after all, as long as she buys the magic crystals,” she wrote on X.

European leaders, however, seized on Trump’s about-face, which matches their long-stated support for Ukraine’s struggle against the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion. Trump’s statements Wednesday acknowledged Russia’s inability to make significant ground advances. He praised Ukraine’s military for holding off the much larger Russian army for so long.

“I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Trump said on Truth Social. “With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” he said.

Olof Gill, a European Union spokesman, said Wednesday that the bloc welcomed Trump’s engagement, describing it as “now so strong and meaningful as regards coordinated efforts to try to end Russia’s aggression.”

Although Russia has made some small gains in recent months, the results of the summer offensive were limited. Russia has still failed to take the eastern city of Pokrovsk, after its more than year-long quest to seize it.

When asked on Fox News if he thought Trump’s position on the war had changed, Zelensky replied he believed it had — and that Trump appeared to understand that the two countries could not “swap territory.”

“God bless, I really count on this,” he said. In the past, Trump had talked about the need for territorial swaps in any peace agreement.

Zelensky has touted in recent days a small Ukrainian counteroffensive in the eastern Donetsk region. At the same time, Ukraine has lost some territory in other regions, including in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk. Ukrainian commander in chief Oleksandr Syrsky dismissed two commanders responsible for defending those areas.

“We agree. Ukraine is indeed in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,” Jonatan Vseviov, secretary general of Estonia’s Foreign Ministry, wrote on X in response to Trump’s assertion that Ukraine could win the war.

Estonian lawmaker Marko Mihkelson, who chairs his Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, shared a post from the White House that quoted Trump describing Zelensky as “a brave man” who is “putting up one hell of a fight.” The post included an image of Zelensky laughing next to Trump on Tuesday — a stunning contrast to Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s dressing down of Zelensky in the Oval Office in February.

“Incredible turnaround. Now actions should follow,” Mihkelson wrote.

Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, tweeted a bicep emoji in response to the White House post.

Russia hits back at Trump after his abrupt swing toward Ukraine © Leonardo Munoz/AFP/Getty Images

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/russia-hits-back-at-trump-after-his-abrupt-swing-toward-ukraine/ar-AA1NctYJ?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=68d4fdcb6dc64965b6a74350bfb66e08&ei=29

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We Can Stop Teen Suicide

September 24, 2025

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I have a patient named “Alex.” He is 15. He feels alone, down almost every day. He tells me he’s having trouble with schoolwork. He worries about his future. He struggles to make friends and keep the ones he has. He says it’s hard to get out of bed, to shower, and brush his teeth. He doesn’t find joy in things he used to love, like painting. I met him in our emergency department; he was in the middle of a crisis and came to us for help.

Alex has depression and anxiety, and these feelings had been going on for about one year. Recently, he told me he’d been thinking about hurting himself or overdosing on medication. These thoughts were becoming more frequent. He talked a lot about wanting to die.

The teenage years are difficult. Our kids carry huge emotional burdens, and more youths than ever face anxiety, depression or have trouble regulating their emotions. Unfortunately, suicide is now the second leading cause of death in youth ages 10 to 24. Among this age group, suicide rates have risen more than 60 percent in the last 20 years. Chronic physical health issues, abuse or other traumatic events, substance use, bullying or negative experiences with social media, family history or past history of contemplating or attempting suicide are huge risk factors.

I’ve sat beside far too many children who’ve told me they don’t want to live anymore. Some whisper it. Others say it with tears streaming down their cheeks. It doesn’t have to come to this. And parents are key to prevention.

So why was I, a child psychiatrist, particularly concerned about Alex? He initially had a hard time opening up and minimized concerns his family had about him. His parents knew something was off but attributed it to teenage angst until the changes became more pronounced. His struggles and the progression of his symptoms were seriously concerning. We needed to act.

There are many things that I and others think has led to the rise in suicide risk. Our teens constantly question their self-worth, struggle to cope with distressing situations, or feel disconnected and unvalidated. Family, school, and community can make these feelings worse, and the risks worsen alongside other mental or physical health problems.

Getting Alex treatment, establishing a clear safety plan, limiting access to things that could pose harm (like medications or firearms), finding friends and family to build a support network, and making sure he was getting support at school, home and within the community would be important in reducing his risk. But this goes for all children at increased risk of suicide.

Having a child at risk can be scary and uncertain. Even if everything looks okay on the outside, it may not be. It’s the last thing any parent ever expects to hear. But you’re in a powerful position. You can protect your child by knowing what leads to suicide, picking up on warning signs, and getting help.

You are not alone in this. There is hope. Your child can get through it. Here’s how:

Warning signs vary, and some are less obvious than others. Alex complained that he was tired on school days, that he had a stomachache,e and didn’t want to eat. Of course, these can be symptoms of physical health concerns or, if brief and transient, they may be related to typical teenage behavior. When it’s vague, persistent, impairing, however, and there is no clear medical cause, it could very well be a symptom of anxiety, depression, chronic stress or general emotional distress.

Recognizing when your child is acting differently and uncharacteristically may be a subtle sign that there is something wrong. For you, here’s the opportunity to be curious and check in. “I noticed you have been having more bellyaches before school. I wonder if there is something about school or something else that is bothering you. I am here to listen and want to understand how I can help.” Acting early can help reduce overall risk.

But there are some warning signs that are more obvious: Making statements about wanting to die or not be around, expressing intense guilt or shame, saying things like they feel like a constant burden to family or others, are all red flags. Others include talking about feeling empty, trapped, or hopeless; or isolating themselves, or, like Alex, no longer doing activities they enjoyed. Mood matters too. Some children are irritable, sad, or constantly worried. Others talk about unbearable emotional or physical pain. You might see significant changes in eating or sleep patterns, and involvement in risky and uncharacteristic behaviors, including substance use.

Alex told his primary care doctor and his family how high his risk had gotten; he told his family how trapped he felt. A mental health screen affirmed concerns about worsening depression, anxiety, and more frequent thoughts about hurting himself. The emergency visit confirmed he was in crisis.

Nataliia Nesterenko/Getty Images

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-can-stop-teen-suicide/

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‘One Battle After Another’ Review: Probably the Best Movie Experience I’ve Had All Year

September 24, 2025

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One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie that drops on Friday, and is the first release of his set in the present day since 2002’s Punch Drunk Love, takes place, well, now. It drops the viewer directly into a tumultuous, politically-charged landscape and tackles some difficult subject matter. Yet, somehow, it doesn’t feel that heavy. In fact, it’s the best movie experience I’ve had in a movie theater all year.

Leonardo DiCaprio leads the movie as Bob Ferguson, a washed-up revolutionary and former member of the gang known as the French 75. He ditches explosives for diapers once his girlfriend and fellow revolutionary Perfidia (Teyana Taylor) gives birth. And when she decides to continue her life of crime, Bob and his daughter Charlene go on the run and live under the radar. And there they stay until the past comes back to haunt them — launching father and daughter on an unrelenting, erratic race for survival.

A decade and a half after leaving the French 75, Bob’s let himself go. Weed and terrible decisions put his teenage daughter, who now goes by the name Willa (played by Chase Infiniti in her big screen debut), in a resentful caregiver role. Bob is strict where he needs to be and has trained her for certain emergency situations — even though she really doesn’t know his past or the truth about her estranged mother.

The demons Bob has been keeping at bay resurface in the form of a vengeful, cantankerous law enforcement officer named Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn). When he and his team arrive on Bob’s doorstep, the action truly kicks off and forces Bob into the biggest fight of his life.

One Battle After Another feels like a living, breathing thing. The movie’s raw unpredictability permeates it, which isn’t a new aesthetic for Anderson. But this release feels like a personal achievement. When you consider that he’s been developing it for over two decades, that makes perfect sense.

Cinematically speaking, One Battle After Another has this timeless vibe in that it very much feels like a product of 2025, yet thanks to the VistaVision camera equipment — a widescreen 35mm film format that was brought out of retirement — there’s a Hitchcockian quality in many of the sequences. This all clicks, considering the fact that Hitchcock’s classic thriller Vertigo was shot on the format. Michael Bauman’s camera work and Jonny Greenwood’s unnerving score are vital components to the journey Anderson takes you on here. In fact, just like the cast, the cinematography and music appear as important characters throughout the story.

Then there’s the cast, which is operating on the highest levelDiCaprio is superb as Bob. He is a mess, physically and emotionally, and barrels through every obstacle and challenge thrown at him with a disbelieving bravado that convinced me, as a dad, that if I were put in a similar predicament, I would do it all exactly the same way. As Bob, DiCaprio carries every emotion on his sleeve and teeters between heartbreak and slapstick comedy as he strives to do everything he can to protect his daughter. I said it above, and it bears repeating: This is Chase Infiniti’s first film role. She nails it. Willa is strong-willed, emotionally available, and commands the screen. Infiniti’s chemistry with DiCaprio is fiery and magnetic. If she wasn’t the actor hired to play Willa, I wonder how strong his performance would’ve been.

Speaking of strong female characters, One Battle After Another is stacked with formidable women. Teyana Taylor is a force to be reckoned with as Perfidia. She owns the movie with every moment she is on screen. And when she’s not, her impact on the story is ever-present. Regina Hall, who is most recognizable for her comedy work, delivers some of her best (and thoroughly heartbreaking) work as Deandra.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob Ferguson in One Battle After Another. Warner Bros.

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/one-battle-after-another-review/

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Jimmy Kimmel, Somber but Defiant, Defends Free Speech in Return to ABC

September 24, 2025

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Jimmy Kimmel broke his silence on Tuesday night in an emotional return to ABC’s airwaves, by turns defiant, joking, and somber as he addressed the controversy that temporarily sidelined his late-night show and set off a national debate over free speech.

His voice breaking at times, Mr. Kimmel said he understood why his comments last week about the suspected shooter of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk seemed “ill-timed, or unclear, or maybe both.” He added, “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.”

But Mr. Kimmel also had harsh words for President Trump and the government regulator who suggested that the Trump administration would punish ABC because of his remarks, saying that “a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American.”

“This show is not important,” Mr. Kimmel said in his opening monologue. “What’s important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”

Executives at Disney, ABC’s parent company, pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” off the air last week, shortly after the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, suggested that his agency could take action against the network.

On Tuesday, Mr. Kimmel said he disagreed with Disney’s decision to pull his show. But he also credited the company, where he has worked for 22 years, for defending his right to poke fun at the powerful.

“Unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk,” Mr. Kimmel said. “The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from our jobs. Our leader celebrates Americans losing their livelihoods because he can’t take a joke.”

During his monologue, which was frequently interrupted by a cheering crowd, Mr. Kimmel thanked several Republican officials, including Senators Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, and Rand Paul, who had expressed misgivings about the F.C.C. pressuring ABC. “I want to thank the people who don’t support my show and what I believe, but support my right to share those beliefs anyway,” he said.

“A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American,” said Mr. Kimmel, hugging Guillermo Rodriguez on Tuesday.Credit…Randy Holmes/Disney, via Getty Images

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/23/business/media/jimmy-kimmel-return-monologue.html

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Nobody Knows How Tylenol Really Works

September 23, 2025

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You’re unlikely to open a medicine cabinet in the U.S. without seeing a bottle of Tylenol, the brand name of a pain reliever and fever reducer also sold generically as acetaminophen. A health care trade association estimates that 52 million consumers use a product containing acetaminophen every week in the U.S. The drug is in the news today after Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., head of the Department of Health and Human Services, implied that acetaminophen, that is taken when a person is pregnant, can cause autism in that person’s offspring. His statements run counter to the most conclusive scientific evidence to date.

The drug is safe and effective when used as directed, but there is something surprising about it: no one is certain how acetaminophen works to relieve pain and fever.

There are at least two theories about the mechanism of the drug, which was first synthesized in the late 1800s. One is that the medication works by interfering with cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes, which ultimately lead to the formation of prostaglandins, substances that can heighten pain sensations and drive inflammation and fever. By interfering with one of those COX enzymes, acetaminophen inhibits these prostaglandins from forming, says Steven Dudley, a clinical toxicologist and pharmacist, who directs the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona. “So it’s probably an indirect effect on prostaglandins,” Dudley says.

The other idea is that the medication acts on body chemicals called endogenous cannabinoids, says Alex Straiker, a neuropharmacologist at Indiana University’s Gill Institute for Neuroscience. Straiker has researched the mechanism and found that acetaminophen inhibited cannabinoid production in rodents and that this reduced their pain response.

“Pain pathways are very complicated,” Straiker says. “So acetaminophen is likely to have multiple targets.” It could affect both prostaglandins and cannabinoids, or it could act on other substances involved in pain perception, such as the neurotransmitter serotonin. Both he and Dudley say the medication’s excellent performance may have reduced scientific interest in understanding the mechanism in order to improve it. “There could be no big incentive to figure out how it works,” Straiker says.

Tylenol is used by millions for pain relief. Brendan Smialowski/Stringer/Getty Images

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/tylenol-is-popular-and-safe-yet-nobody-knows-how-it-works/

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Are Treasury Bills a Good Investment?

September 23, 2025

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If you’ve been looking for a place to store your savings and earn interest in the short term, you’ve probably considered a high-yield savings account or a 1-year CD.

These are both good options. But there’s another short-term investment class you should consider: Treasury bills.

Among bills auctioned on a regular schedule, there are six maturity terms: four weeks, eight weeks, 13 weeks, 17 weeks, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks, according to Treasury Direct.

You’ll receive an interest payment once your bill matures. Lately, Treasury bill yields have been hovering around 4%.

If you’re looking for a risk-free way to earn interest on your cash over a short period of time, a T-bill is a good choice.

When are Treasury bills a good investment?

Treasury bills are good investments for individuals looking to make a large purchase in a short timeline, as the money will only be tied up for at most a year.

Although T-bills don’t typically earn as much as other securities, or in some cases CDs, they still offer higher returns than traditional savings accounts.

Plus, they’re one of the safest places you can save your money.

The support of the full faith and credit of the U.S. government makes them a great fit for conservative investors who want to avoid risk while still putting their money to work earning interest.

How to buy a Treasury bill

You can either buy a Treasury directly from the government through TreasuryDirect.gov or through a broker. The minimum purchase is $100.

To start an account with TreasuryDirect, you’ll need to provide a U.S. address, a Social Security number and a bank account.

Afterwards, since T-bills are sold on auction, those looking to invest will need to place a bid. Once it’s accepted, it will arrive in your TreasuryDirect account.

If you use a brokerage account, T-bills can also be bought through ETFs and mutual funds.

If you’re looking to buy a T-bill for your IRA, you’ll need to go through a broker, as you can not do so on TreasuryDirect.

How a Treasury bill works

A Treasury bill, or T-bill, is a short-term debt obligation issued by the Department of the Treasury.

Backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, T-bills top the list of the safest places you can save your cash.

T-bills are auctioned off at a discount and then redeemed at maturity for the full amount.

Interest on T-bills is the difference between how much you pay and how much value you get when the bill matures. The most common maturities for T-Bills are four, eight, 13, 26, and 52 weeks.

In addition to Treasury bills, there are other Treasury securities to invest in as well .

Compare Treasury bills vs Treasury bonds, which pay a fixed interest rate every six months and have the longest maturity periods, either 20 or 30 years.

Treasury notes also pay a fixed rate of interest every six months but have shorter maturity periods than T-bonds, ranging from two to 10 years.

An image of a Treasury bill with the Statue of Liberty. (Image credit: Getty)

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/why-treasury-bills-are-a-good-bet

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ABC ends Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and his show will return Tuesday

September 23, 2025

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ABC will reinstate Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show in the wake of criticism over his comments about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, officials with the network said Monday.

“We have spent the last days having thoughtful conversations with Jimmy, and after those conversations, we reached the decision to return the show on Tuesday,” ABC said a statement.

ABC suspended Kimmel indefinitely on Wednesday after comments he made about Kirk, who was killed Sept. 10, in a monologue. Kimmel said “many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalize on the murder of Charlie Kirk” and that “the MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.”

Kimmel has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on ABC since 2003 and has been a fixture in television and comedy for even longer. He is also well known as a presenter, having hosted the Academy Awards four times.

Backlash to Kimmel’s comments was swift. Nexstar and Sinclair, two of ABC’s largest affiliate owners, said they would be pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from their stations. Others, including several fellow comedians, came to his defense.

Sinclair said Monday that it would not air Kimmel’s show Tuesday and would broadcast news programming instead. “Discussions with ABC are ongoing as we evaluate the show’s potential return,” the company said. There was no immediate comment from Nexstar on its plans for Kimmel’s return.

Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Kirk and now headed by his widow, posted on X about Kimmel’s reinstatement: “Disney and ABC caving and allowing Kimmel back on the air is not surprising, but it’s their mistake to make. Nexstar and Sinclair do not have to make the same choice.”

Stephen Colbert joyfully reacted to the news during the opening of his “Late Show,” telling his audience that “our long national, late nightmare is over.”

Colbert, whose late show is being canceled by CBS after this season, said he was happy for his friend and the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” staff. Grabbing his recently-won Emmy Award for outstanding talk series, the comedian could hardly contain his glee. He added, “Once more, I am the only martyr on late night!”

President Donald Trump, one of Kimmel’s frequent targets, posted on social media that Kimmel’s suspension was “great news for America.” He also called for other late night hosts to be fired. He has yet to comment on Kimmel’s reinstatement.

Kimmel’s suspension arrived in a time when Trump and his administration have pursued threats, lawsuits, and federal government pressure to try to exert more control over the media industry. Trump has reached settlements with ABC and CBS over their coverage.

Trump has also filed defamation lawsuits against The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Republicans in Congress stripped federal funding from NPR and PBS.

Brendan Carr, the head of the Federal Communications Commission, issued a warning prior to Kimmel’s suspension that criticized Kimmel’s remarks about the Kirk assassination.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr said. “These companies can find ways to change conduct, to take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there is going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Carr denied on Monday that he threatened to revoke ABC’s local station licenses because of Kimmel’s remarks.

“Jimmy Kimmel is in the situation he’s in because of his ratings. Not because of anything that’s happened at the federal government level,” Carr said at the Concordia Annual Summit.

Kimmel’s suspension has cast a spotlight on the web of business interests that require approval from the U.S. government. Disney, for instance, needs approval from the Trump administration for ESPN to complete its acquisition of the NFL Network, while Nexstar needs the administration’s approval to complete its $6.2 billion purchase of broadcast rival Tegna. Sinclair has petitioned the FCC to relax rules limiting broadcaster ownership of stations.

The suspension also happened at a time when the late night landscape is shifting. CBS announced the cancellation of Colbert’s show over the summer.

Kimmel’s contract with The Walt Disney Co.-owned network had been set to expire in May 2026. His representative did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

Word of the reinstatement came as hundreds of Hollywood and Broadway stars — including Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep — urged Americans “fight to defend and preserve our constitutionally protected rights” in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension

More than 430 movie, TV, and stage stars, as well as comedians, directors, and writers added their names to an open letter Monday from the American Civil Liberties Union that argues it is “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation.”

Also, on Monday, ABC’s “The View” weighed in on the controversy after not raising it for two episodes after Kimmel was suspended. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg opened the show saying, “No one silences us” and she and her fellow hosts condemned Disney’s decision.

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani said Monday evening he’s willing to appear at a town hall hosted by a local ABC station after earlier canceling his appearance due to Kimmel’s suspension.

Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks at the Oscars in Los Angeles on Feb. 26, 2017. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) © The Associated Press

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment/tv/abc-ends-jimmy-kimmel-s-suspension-and-his-show-will-return-tuesday/ar-AA1N4Fuu?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=68d25dae5b7e4131b89edaa40d1cceef&ei=30

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Can Diet and Exercise Really Prevent Alzheimer’s?

September 22, 2025

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When Juli comes home after work, her husband doesn’t regale her with stories about his photography business the way he once did. Instead, he proudly shows her a pill container emptied of the 20 supplements and medications he takes every day. Rather than griping about traffic, he tells her about his walk. When they go out to a favorite Mexican restaurant, he might opt for a side salad instead of tortilla chips with his quesadilla. “He’s actually consuming green food, which is new,” says Juli, who asked to be identified by only her first name to protect her husband’s privacy.

Over the past year, Juli’s husband has agreed to change his daily habits in hopes of halting the steady progression of Alzheimer’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in December 2023 at age 62. Juli and her husband are both self-employed, and their insurance plans didn’t cover the positron-emission tomography scans for disease tracking that a neurologist prescribed, which would have cost thousands of dollars. So they decided to spend that money on a doctor who promises that diet and lifestyle changes can treat Alzheimer’s. He recommended a keto diet, along with light cardio exercise and strength training. He also prescribed a bevy of supplements, such as creatine, which Juli’s husband takes alongside the memantine and donepezil prescribed by his neurologist. Juli doesn’t expect the diet and daily walks to cure her husband, but she hopes the healthy lifestyle will help manage and even improve his condition. It feels like common sense. “You stop eating fried food, you move your butt, and you feel better,” she says.

Increasingly, evidence suggests that addressing health problems such as vision and hearing loss, stress, poor diet, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure can help slow or even prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms. It’s a tantalizingly simple solution to a complicated condition that has proved difficult to treat. For families like Juli’s that have been left with a grim diagnosis and few options, lifestyle changes bring a much-needed sense of hope and agency. But researchers worry about overpromising on the efficacy of these changes, especially for people already experiencing dementia symptoms. Evidence around the importance of different diets, exercises, and activities—when to start them and which to prioritize—is mixed, and only in a few high-quality studies have researchers examined large, diverse groups of people. It’s a promising but nascent field of research, one that scientists worry gives patients dangerous and heartbreaking hope for a cure that doesn’t exist.

“There are a lot of claims,” says Miia Kivipelto, a dementia researcher at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. She worries about expensive but unproven regimens that promise to reverse cognitive decline, restore and protect the brain, or significantly improve cognition for people with early-stage Alzheimer’s or other dementias. “Of course, people want to have hope,” she says. But she cautions against making promises that can’t be upheld. “It’s risk reduction,” she says. “That’s maybe what we can promise.”

Kivipelto led the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), a trial that enrolled more than 1,200 residents of Finland between the ages of 60 and 77. Results were published in 2017. They showed that after two years, participants who were given nutritional advice, exercise regimens, and brain-training games had improved their executive function, processing speeds, and complex memory by about 83, 150, and 40 percent, respectively, compared with those who didn’t take those measures. Kivipelto has continued to follow that initial FINGER cohort and found that several years after the initial trial, their health in general continues to be better than that of their counterparts. The participants had a lower risk of stroke, had fewer medical emergency room visits, and needed less inpatient care. Now Kivipelto is running World Wide FINGERS, a global network of studies investigating the same interventions in different countries and populations.

It’s not clear whether these interventions prevent disease onset or simply delay it.

Similarly encouraging data have come from the Systematic Multi-Domain Alzheimer Risk Reduction Trial (SMARRT), a two-year randomized, controlled study. Researchers tested the effect of treating modifiable risk factors such as uncontrolled hypertension, social isolation, and physical inactivity with more than 170 septuagenarians and octogenarians at high risk for dementia. Participants chose a few interventions to prioritize out of eight options, such as improved physical fitness or social connection. After two years, no matter which intervention people opted for, those who received individualized treatments had reduced risk factors for dementia and a 74 percent greater increase in cognition compared with their counterparts in the control group.

Luisa Jung

Click the link below for the complete article:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-diet-and-exercise-prevent-alzheimers-disease-what-the-research-says/

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ABC ends Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and his show will return Tuesday

Can Diet and Exercise Really Prevent Alzheimer’s?

It’s not clear whether these interventions prevent disease onset or simply delay it.

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