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7xm 55

2025-01-10
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7xm 55 WebAssembly (Wasm) has emerged as a transformative technology in the software development landscape, offering developers unprecedented opportunities to create high-performance, secure, and portable applications across diverse platforms. As of 2024, Wasm's adoption has expanded beyond its initial web-centric focus, permeating areas such as server-side applications, edge computing, and mobile development. This article delves into the current state of WebAssembly, its evolving ecosystem, and the myriad opportunities it presents for developers. Introduced in 2017, WebAssembly is a low-level, assembly-like language with a compact binary format that enables near-native performance for web applications. It allows code written in multiple languages , including C, C++, and Rust, to run on the web at speeds comparable to native execution. This capability has been pivotal in enhancing web performance and enabling complex applications to operate seamlessly within browsers. The adoption of WebAssembly has been steadily increasing. According to recent industry surveys, 41% of respondents indicated that their organizations use Wasm in production environments, reflecting a growing confidence in its capabilities. The WebAssembly ecosystem has also matured significantly. The introduction of the WebAssembly System Interface (WASI) has been a milestone, stabilizing fundamental parts of WebAssembly's design and ecosystem and providing developers with an easier way to use the technology. WebAssembly's ability to run code across different platforms without modification is a significant advantage. Developers can write code once and deploy it across web browsers, server environments, and even embedded systems , reducing development time and ensuring consistency across platforms. Wasm enables near-native execution speeds, making it ideal for performance-intensive applications such as gaming, video editing, and complex data visualizations. Developers can leverage this performance boost to create more responsive and efficient applications. WebAssembly operates within a sandboxed environment, providing a secure execution context that isolates running code from the host system. This security model allows developers to run untrusted code safely, opening up possibilities for plugin systems and third-party integrations. Wasm supports multiple programming languages, allowing developers to choose the language that best fits their project's needs. This flexibility facilitates the integration of existing codebases and the utilization of various language-specific features. The lightweight and fast-loading nature of WebAssembly makes it well-suited for edge computing scenarios. Developers can deploy Wasm modules on edge devices to process data locally, reducing latency and bandwidth usage. WebAssembly's quick startup times and minimal overhead make it an excellent fit for serverless computing. Developers can create serverless functions that execute efficiently, leading to cost savings and improved performance. While WebAssembly offers numerous advantages, developers should be aware of certain challenges: The tooling ecosystem for WebAssembly is still evolving. Debugging Wasm code can be more complex compared to traditional languages, necessitating the use of specialized tools and techniques. Although significant progress has been made, some aspects of WebAssembly are still under development. Developers need to stay informed about the latest standards and best practices to ensure compatibility and stability. While Wasm provides near-native performance, certain workloads may experience overhead due to the abstraction layer. Profiling and optimization are essential to achieve optimal performance. The future of WebAssembly is promising, with ongoing developments aimed at expanding its capabilities and simplifying its adoption. The continued evolution of WASI is expected to enhance WebAssembly's integration with system-level resources, further broadening its applicability. Additionally, the growing interest in WebAssembly for artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads indicates its potential to become a universal runtime for diverse applications. Developers who invest time in learning and experimenting with WebAssembly today are likely to be at the forefront of these emerging opportunities. WebAssembly represents a significant advancement in software development, offering developers a powerful tool for creating high-performance, secure, and portable applications. Its expanding ecosystem and increasing adoption across various domains underscore its potential to reshape the development landscape. By embracing WebAssembly, developers can unlock new opportunities and contribute to the next generation of innovative applications.

The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. Allan McMordie with North Shore Rescue managed the Sunday night rescue of a man from Goat Ridge, a backcountry area behind Grouse Mountain. He said the man told rescuers he had not been expecting snow, despite two of the local ski hills opening with fresh powder last month. "All you had to do was look at the top of the mountains from Vancouver and know there's snow up there," he said in an interview. "To be in running shoes and not even expecting any snow was pretty naive." The man from France had set out on a marked route, then decided to make his way through very rough, steep terrain to a separate trail at significantly higher elevation. "This is rugged backcountry," McMordie said. "It's almost impassable." McMordie could not confirm which apps the hikers in both recent rescues were using, but said a lack of any marked route or trail reports is a good indication not to use the application. In any case, he said trip planning should involve multiple sources for information. If the man from France had done any research, McMordie said he would have discovered the backcountry area where he was rescued is closed for the winter. In both recent cases, he said there are signs at each trailhead with maps showing trails and topography, along with reminders about key steps in trip planning, he said. Both men were lucky to have been able to make 911 calls, McMordie added, as service is patchy in the area and their phone batteries had nearly run out. Above all, he said hikers should tell someone else where they're going and when they expect to return, so that person can alert local authorities if necessary. "Absolutely nobody knew where this person was and what he was doing that day," McMordie said of the man from France. "If he had not been able to get that (911) call out, he would still be there." Sunday's rescue on Goat Ridge came three days after a similar call, when another man "seriously underestimated the difficulty" of a route marked in an online hiking app, North Shore Rescue said in a statement posted to social media. The group said there is "barely a trail" in the summer and "nothing whatsoever" in the winter, making for "full mountaineering conditions" at this time of year. The man called for help after hiking for eight hours that left him "tired, soaked (and) hypothermic" as the sun was setting," it said. It's doubtful the man would have survived the night in the Mount Seymour backcountry if he hadn't been able to make the call, the rescue group added. The man had been staying in a short-term accommodation and had taken an Uber to the trailhead. Only his girlfriend in Norway knew where he was, and he was not wearing or carrying adequate gear for the conditions, McMordie said. Vancouver-based Stephen Hui, the author of several B.C. hiking guidebooks, said the rough, mountainous terrain steps away from urban Metro Vancouver and the extent of the snowpack in winter is a surprise for many visiting hikers. Hui said online apps can be helpful and often provide commentary about trail conditions from other hikers, but it's crucial to look at additional sources of information, including complete maps and provincial and national park websites. He said local authorities and outdoor groups have some responsibility for people heading into the backcountry, and there is room for more signage and education. Ultimately, though, he said people must be responsible for themselves. "We can't handhold everybody," he said. "There's always going to be dangers in hiking." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

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The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, now known as GivingTuesday, has become a major day for nonprofits to fundraise and otherwise engage their supporters each year, since the 92nd St Y in New York started it as a hashtag in 2012. GivingTuesday has since become an independent nonprofit that connects a worldwide network of leaders and organizations who promote giving in their communities. “This just really shows the generosity, the willingness of American citizens to show up, particularly collectively,” said Asha Curran, CEO of the nonprofit GivingTuesday. “We are just seeing the power of collective action and particularly collective giving over and over and over again.” This year, about 18.5 million people donated to nonprofits and another 9.2 million people volunteered, according to GivingTuesday's estimates. Both the number of donors and the number of volunteers increased by 4% from the group's 2023 estimates. “For us, it’s not just about the number of dollars," Curran said. "It’s about the number of people who feel like they have agency over the way their communities progress forward into the future.” The nonprofit GivingTuesday estimates the amount of money and goods donated and the number of participants using data from donor management software companies, donation platforms, payment processors and donor-advised funds. Curran said they are purposely conservative in their calculations. Nonprofits in the U.S. raised $3.1 billion in both 2022 and 2023 on GivingTuesday. That mirrored larger giving trends where the overall amount of donations dropped in 2022 and mostly held steady in 2023 after accounting for inflation. It’s never easy to predict current giving trends, but Una Osili, associate dean at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said there were economic forces pushing in both directions. “At the very same time, there’s a lot of uncertainty, especially around prices, the cost of living, the supermarket toll that people are expecting to continue even though inflation has moderated,” she said. Donating or volunteering with nonprofits aren't the only ways people participate in their communities. Many give to crowdfunding campaigns , political causes or support people directly in their networks. But tracking charitable donations is one way that researchers use to understand people's civic engagement. “This country is undeniably in a lot of pain and very divided right now,” Curran said. “And so to have a day that felt as hopeful and as optimistic as yesterday did, I’m sure was not only comforting to me, but to many, many millions of people.” Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy .The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. Allan McMordie with North Shore Rescue managed the Sunday night rescue of a man from Goat Ridge, a backcountry area behind Grouse Mountain. He said the man told rescuers he had not been expecting snow, despite two of the local ski hills opening with fresh powder last month. "All you had to do was look at the top of the mountains from Vancouver and know there's snow up there," he said in an interview. "To be in running shoes and not even expecting any snow was pretty naive." The man from France had set out on a marked route, then decided to make his way through very rough, steep terrain to a separate trail at significantly higher elevation. "This is rugged backcountry," McMordie said. "It's almost impassable." McMordie could not confirm which apps the hikers in both recent rescues were using, but said a lack of any marked route or trail reports is a good indication not to use the application. In any case, he said trip planning should involve multiple sources for information. If the man from France had done any research, McMordie said he would have discovered the backcountry area where he was rescued is closed for the winter. In both recent cases, he said there are signs at each trailhead with maps showing trails and topography, along with reminders about key steps in trip planning, he said. Both men were lucky to have been able to make 911 calls, McMordie added, as service is patchy in the area and their phone batteries had nearly run out. Above all, he said hikers should tell someone else where they're going and when they expect to return, so that person can alert local authorities if necessary. "Absolutely nobody knew where this person was and what he was doing that day," McMordie said of the man from France. "If he had not been able to get that (911) call out, he would still be there." Sunday's rescue on Goat Ridge came three days after a similar call, when another man "seriously underestimated the difficulty" of a route marked in an online hiking app, North Shore Rescue said in a statement posted to social media. The group said there is "barely a trail" in the summer and "nothing whatsoever" in the winter, making for "full mountaineering conditions" at this time of year. The man called for help after hiking for eight hours that left him "tired, soaked (and) hypothermic" as the sun was setting," it said. It's doubtful the man would have survived the night in the Mount Seymour backcountry if he hadn't been able to make the call, the rescue group added. The man had been staying in a short-term accommodation and had taken an Uber to the trailhead. Only his girlfriend in Norway knew where he was, and he was not wearing or carrying adequate gear for the conditions, McMordie said. Vancouver-based Stephen Hui, the author of several B.C. hiking guidebooks, said the rough, mountainous terrain steps away from urban Metro Vancouver and the extent of the snowpack in winter is a surprise for many visiting hikers. Hui said online apps can be helpful and often provide commentary about trail conditions from other hikers, but it's crucial to look at additional sources of information, including complete maps and provincial and national park websites. He said local authorities and outdoor groups have some responsibility for people heading into the backcountry, and there is room for more signage and education. Ultimately, though, he said people must be responsible for themselves. "We can't handhold everybody," he said. "There's always going to be dangers in hiking." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

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Hiking apps prompt warnings after separate rescues from B.C.'s backcountry

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The Secretive Storm: Kim Jong Un’s Mysterious Plot Against Trump’s America RevealedKootenay-Columbia MP Morrison reflects on Liberal Party turmoilAs far as physical activity goes, American kids are mostly C and D students. And “everything is graded on a curve,” says Jordan Carlson, a professor of pediatrics at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Carlson is the committee chair of this year’s , which was released last month. It offers a stark rendering of how our children and youth are “insufficiently active.” The report draws upon data from a number of nationally representative surveys. Its goal is to inform (and in many cases, warn) about how kids are doing in relation to federal physical activity recommendations. More specifically, 20-to-28% of 6-to-17-year-olds meet the 60 minutes of daily physical activity guideline set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Their overall grade: D-. “This is a systemic problem,” says Pam Watts, president of the , which puts out the report card. “This isn't just a funding problem or a programming problem or a localized problem. This is a pervasive, systemic problem.” While the report is a call-to-action for policymaking and advocacy about the "urgent" need to help support and improve our kids’ overall fitness, it also provides an opportunity to take stock in how we’re handling our roles as sports parents and coaches. A across a number of categories — like sedentary behavior (D-), active transportation among kids (D-) and organized sports participation (C-) — give us insight as to how we can improve our kids’ sports experience from the time they are young. “I'm sure you’ve met the parents who were hell-bent on getting their kid into a D-I scholarship situation in college,” Watts says, “and that's how they approach youth sports. There are downsides to that. That's OK for some kids, if that's what they want. “PAA works across a lifetime of physical activity, the youth being such an important part of that.” USA TODAY Sports spoke with key contributors to the report about how its data can benefit all of us, whether our kids aspire to play competitive sports in high school and beyond or use sports for a healthy dose of extracurricular activity and stress relief. As you may have found, those goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive. “The message of the report card is not that kids are failing. It's not that parents are failing,” Carlson says. “It's that there's all of these societal barriers to physical activity and that we need to address those things.” Let’s start with the highest grade in the report (B-). It comes in early care and education, where one study found that 74% of these settings provide two or more physical activity opportunities per day. The federally recommended one hour of “moderate-to-vigorous intensity” physical actions for kids includes aerobic, muscle- and bone-strengthening activities. We don’t realize we’re getting these benefits when we climb playground equipment and run around in the schoolyard early in our lives. We are put in these situations, and we thrive within them, not because we’re faster than another kid, or we win a competition of jumping rope, but because they are so natural. Carlson says we don’t have a lot of data on physical activity among preschool children, but what we learn there reinforces something our bodies are inclined to do: Move. We move as we get a little older, biking to our friends’ houses and running after each other in the backyard during games of manhunt or freeze tag (at least that what’s used to do) not for the exercise, but because we enjoy it. Today, kids are involved in youth sports as early as preschool (as my two boys were) because we feel the need to get them started on what we hope are long and fruitful careers. We put them in sometimes even knowing the odds that and an . Here is another stat you probably don't know: About 70% of adults living in households with children met their . That means, these adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. Instead of from an early age, show him or her how much you love to move, too. In fact, move together during a run or on a basketball court. It's all part of that will develop motor skills and confidence for later sports endeavors. According to a 2022 National Household Travel Survey, 10% of children usually walk or bike to school. The grade “active transportation” among kids received was the same as the one for overall physical activity (D-). Neither grade has increased in a decade. We can point to safety factors, both with traffic and in neighborhoods, and “built” environment factors such as sidewalks and . (The "community and built environment" category got a C+ nationally.) But the lower grade is also a sign of our lives today. “It takes extra time to walk to school versus throwing your kids in the van and driving them or picking them up,” Watts says. “We've just got these societal expectations around all that we accomplish in a day or a week or a month. And you know, when I think about 20, 30, 50 years ago, it's that shift in what we expect of our time, how many things we think we're going to do in a day, to be, whatever you call successful. “It is in your control to rethink some of that.” In addition to being the president of the Physical Activity Alliance, Watts is the executive director for , a non-profit association that provides resources and education for advancing college campus recreation. She’s also the mother of two college-aged kids, a daughter who played club soccer through early high school and a son who played sports whose experience, Watts says, was all about being social and engaged. “It wasn't about winning or caring if you were good,” she says. “So he did a variety of recreation sports, and then had to go club only, because at a certain age, at least in our community, the recreation leagues dry up as the kids move to club or just drop out of sports or whatever. And then in high school, he found a love through swimming and swim team.” Seven out of 10 kids quit organized sports before they become teenagers. , such as and the , but a primary one is that they aren’t fun anymore. We can all take a bike-to-school approach to kids sports. Movement from sports and physical activity, studies have found, improves our cognitive function and, as we get older, enhances academic achievement in addition to physical literacy. Get your kid into sports for those reasons, as well as to build resilience, self-esteem and effort, which can help them achieve their full potential in many areas (while enjoying the ride). Sports participation (defined by whether a kid played on a team or took a sport lesson) among 6-to-17-year-olds declined over five years through 2022, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health. The figure helped give the category of “organized sports participation” a C-. However, Amanda Grimes, an associate professor of health sciences at Missouri-Kansas City who headed this section of the report card, points to steady decline for a decade. She says economic disparities are a driving force behind it. “The pay to play model is becoming increasingly common in organized sports, even among school- and community-based sports, resulting in lower-income youth being forced out of participation,” she tells USA TODAY Sports. “Low-income families also face other burdens such as lack of transportation and often rely on older siblings to care for younger siblings after school. Both hinder sports participation for youth.” The school-based sports category gets a D-. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 50% of high school students attended physical education classes at least one day a week. We can lobby in our schools for more P.E. and in our communities for more low-cost and free opportunities. If we are coaches, we can also offer our rates at reduced costs to families who can’t afford them. But there is a larger theme at play here, too. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the discontinuation of sports for any reason during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of U.S. adolescents failing to meet physical activity recommendations. And rates for 12-to-17-year-olds meeting those recommendations appear around 15%, according to two national health surveys. Sports should always be about inclusion. We need to make everyone on our teams feel welcome within them. Kids can have bad sports experiences because their teammates, or even their coaches, marginalize them. If kids aren’t good fits for a team, help them find another one, or an alternative space to continue to play sports. The sedentary behavior grade dropped from a D to a D- since 2022 because children are on screens more often. The rise in sedentary behavior represents perhaps the most dramatic shift in the report card, according to Amanda Staiano, its co-committee chair. Staiano says there are no federal guidelines and recommendations for sedentary behavior and screen time in children. But international guidelines recommend no more than 2 hours per day on non-school screen time. Only about 20% of 6-to-17-year-olds meet it, according to the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The figure rises to 58% when we include schoolwork, but it’s still nearly a failing grade, even on the curve. “Screens have their place in a child's life for discovering or reinforcing concepts learned in school, writing and researching for papers and projects, playing games that teach academic content,” says Staiano, director of a pediatric obesity and health behavior laboratory at Louisiana State University. “Screens can also be used for social interactions with friends outside of school, including multi-player video games and social media. But kids and adults can become immersed in long bouts of entertainment screen time that results in extended sitting, which has been shown to be harmful for the body." We know as athletes, as we get into the high school years, can be a critical component of the recruiting process. But just remember this , the longtime NBA player who has become a father to Division I athletes: It's hard to make a high school or college team when you’re on your phone 4 to 5 hours per day while your competition for a roster spot is practicing. We can always encourage our athletes to sleep more. Have kids aged 6-to-12 get 9-to-12 hours per night and 13-to-18 get 8-to-10, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says. Sleep received a C+, the second-highest mark among categories. The report card, its contributors says, is a work in progress, a rolling wave of data and insight that helps us better understand and serve our kids. The 2026 report will offer global data as a point of reference. “I think that the report is one of many tools," says Watts, the PAA president. "It is really a way to keep attention and conversation and focus on this frankly bleak reality of what's going on for youth in terms of physical activity." One category in 2024, family and peer support for physical activity, got a grade of incomplete due to a lack of data. It’s our job to help fill it in with positive experiences our kids can take into life. “It's fun, right?” Watts says of sports parenting. "It's social. It becomes a family affair. We really enjoyed all those years. Kind of missed it when they graduated.”

King laughs at British comedian’s impression of Donald Trump at Royal VarietySaturday, December 28, 2024 Cuba’s tourism sector, once a vital economic lifeline, is faltering as the country battles chronic power shortages, a stuttering economy, and the ongoing effects of a decades-long U.S. embargo. Compounding these challenges, the possibility of tighter restrictions under the potential return of Donald Trump’s administration looms large. Tourism in the Dark In cities like Trinidad, known for its colonial charm and proximity to national parks, visitors are greeted by warm evenings but also by frequent power cuts. Guests staying in private accommodations, or casas particulares, often find themselves relying on camping lamps during blackouts, as electricity outages can last hours. Restaurants and hotels power through with generators, but smaller businesses struggle to keep up. Across the island, power shortages disrupt daily life in major tourist hubs, including Havana, Santa Clara, and Vinales. Electricity is sometimes available for only a few hours each day, creating a challenging environment for travelers and business owners alike. A hostel owner in Old Havana described the situation as “very, very difficult,” noting a significant drop in tourist numbers. While his central location ensures a steady stream of guests, others face dwindling bookings, particularly in areas more severely affected by power cuts. Tourism’s Struggles Post-COVID Cuba has been slow to recover from the downturn in tourism caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Emily Morris, a senior research fellow at University College London, attributes the sluggish rebound to U.S. sanctions, which have cut visitor numbers to around half of pre-pandemic levels. The sanctions have also led to foreign exchange shortages, undermining the quality of hotels and facilities. Repairs are delayed, staff morale has declined, and these issues are increasingly reflected in negative reviews, further discouraging visitors. Power Crisis Rooted in Sanctions Cuba’s power shortages stem from a “confluence of different issues,” according to Dr. Helen Yaffe, a political studies expert. U.S. sanctions restrict Cuba’s access to international credit and essential equipment, while also complicating fuel procurement, which hampers power generation. A nationwide blackout in October underscored the fragility of the island’s energy infrastructure. Recent efforts to reduce vulnerability to power outages have shown some progress, with quicker recovery times after incidents. Cuba is also ramping up its solar energy capacity, aiming for renewables to constitute nearly a quarter of its energy mix by 2030. These efforts are often supported by Chinese suppliers, reflecting Cuba’s pivot toward nations outside the U.S. sphere of influence. A Shrinking Population and Economy Beyond power and tourism struggles, Cuba faces a declining population and economic hardship. With shortages of basic medicines and widespread poverty, many citizens are emigrating in search of better opportunities. The World Health Organization forecasts that Cuba’s population, currently around 11 million, could drop to 9.4 million by 2050. Signs of economic distress are evident across the island, from dilapidated housing blocks to the reliance on horse-drawn carts and oxen for transportation and farming. Despite these challenges, the Cuban government under President Miguel Díaz-Canel continues to prioritize energy independence and resilience. A Complex Political Landscape The strained relationship between Havana and Washington, which briefly thawed under Barack Obama, has since hardened. In the latter part of his first term, Donald Trump designated Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism, discouraging travel and financial remittances. If Trump returns to office, experts expect further restrictions, particularly under the influence of Senator Marco Rubio, a vocal opponent of the Cuban regime. Dr. Yaffe suggests that the U.S. aims to create conditions for Cubans to turn against their government. However, she sees little sign of internal collapse, noting that most vocal critics of the regime have left the country. Younger Cubans, while less ideologically aligned with the revolution, appear more focused on personal survival than political upheaval. Outlook for Cuba While Cuba’s economic and social challenges are stark, the country’s resilience remains a defining feature. The energy transition, strengthened ties with nations like China, and the enduring determination of its people suggest that while the road ahead may be difficult, Cuba is not on the brink of collapse. For now, the nation faces the dual task of weathering its internal crises and navigating the external pressures of its geopolitical environment.How To Watch Arsenal vs Ipswich Town Premier League 2024–25 Free Live Streaming Online in India? Get EPL Match Live Telecast on TV & Football Score Updates in IST

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