Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. People are also reading... 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Change is coming New sick leave law promises change, but adds worry for Nebraska businesses Former Millard West wrestling champion dies after being struck by vehicle near Nebraska City Stromsburg man faces child pornography charges Dukes land six on Central Conference volleyball Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia’s bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. “The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined,” he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday’s previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations “in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it’s not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday’s attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed From tuberculosis to heart disease: How the leading causes of death in America have changed We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. Infectious diseases lead causes of death in America According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. Leading causes of death tip toward lifestyle-related disease From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Crown Royal Paints Nashville Purple During "The 58th Annual CMA Awards" Week from launch of Crown Royal 31 Year Old in Partnership with Daniel Diamond to Generous Moment on CMA Awards Stage Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. 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Holiday hotel bookings in Mexico have risen by 15% in the days leading up to Christmas compared to last year, according to a study conducted by hotelier technology company SiteMinder. The company’s Changing Traveller Report 2025 said such growth is driven by a 7% increase in international bookings compared to December 2023. The countries fueling this demand include the United States, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. In addition to a rise in international bookings and arrivals, the study showed a year-on-year increase in both the length of stay and lead time for bookings during the Christmas week in Mexico. The average length of stays booked from Dec. 21 to 25 is expected to increase by 4%, from 3.07 days to 3.20 days, while the average lead time for booking would increase by 7%, from 84.80 days to 90.44 days. “The Christmas holidays have always attracted people to Mexico,” Alfredo Rodríguez, SiteMinder’s Mexico manager, said in a statement. “It is encouraging to see that this year will be no exception.” The increase in hotel reservations is occurring despite a 2% rise in the hotel’s average daily rate (ADR) during Christmas week, going from US $374.04 in 2023 to US $380.89 in 2024. According to Rodríguez, these figures will generate “significant revenue” for hotels by the end of 2024 and suggested that hotels in Mexico should take full advantage of Mexico’s popularity amongst travelers by focusing on providing memorable experiences this Christmas season. Mexico’s popularity amongst international travelers has positioned the country amongst the 14th most visited destinations in the world, along with Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States, according to SiteMinder. In the first six months of the year, Mexico recorded a 6.24% increase in international tourist numbers compared to last year. Data by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) showed that Mexico received 21.8 million international tourists between January and June, compared to the 20.4 million during the first six months of 2023. Still, Mexico does not appear on the list of the most popular travel destinations for 2025. According to SiteMinder, the countries at the top 10 of the traveler’s wish-list include Japan, the United States, France, Australia, Italy, China, Canada, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom. The report concludes that the growing trend in international tourism shows that people’s trust in the tourism industry is strengthening as they become more familiar with international travel. With reports from El Sol de México

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These board, video and card games will bring cozy vibes to your holiday gamingNone

As Russia’s war effort heads toward a breaking point, Europe must remain steadfastCyberattackers are targeting users of the OpenSea nonfungible token (NFT) platform with a phishing attack that lures users with the potential sale of items listed on the marketplace. The aim? Draining their cryptocurrency wallets dry. Researchers at Cofense discovered the campaign, in which adversaries impersonate the OpenSea website and claim a user has a new offer on a listing on the site to try to bait them into clicking on a malicious link. "The goal of the phishing scheme is to get recipients to connect their crypto wallets to the phishing page, which will drain their wallets," Cole Adkins of the Cofense Phishing Defense Center wrote in a post . "The phish presents itself as an offer on an NFT the recipient has listed on OpenSea, in hopes they will click on it and connect their wallet once redirected." OpenSea is the largest marketplace for NFTs and thus "the go-to platform for many entry-level NFT enthusiasts looking to enter the crypto collectible market," who are likely unaware of the common tactics of phishers and thus can easily be fooled, he wrote. The campaign demonstrates the speed with which attackers are targeting new and emerging technologies like NFT — which held little interest for people until OpenSea was launched in 2017 — with custom campaigns tailored to their particular interests, he said. OpenSea marketplace currently has more than 2 million users with at least one transaction on the site, many of them enterprise users . Related: CyCognito Report Highlights Rising Cybersecurity Risks in Holiday E-Commerce The attack begins when targeted victims receive an email that appears to come from OpenSea. To a savvy user, it would be a clear phish, as the sender address is "administrator[at]motordna[dot]io," and thus unrelated to the NFT marketplace. However, the branding in the content of the email mimics OpenSea using a look that's similar to the site, and it could fool someone not keeping an eye out for phishing clues, according to Cofense. "By branding the email as OpenSea and employing the same email format used for an actual notification from the OpenSea NFT marketplace, the threat actor hopes to ease the recipient’s suspicion so they will click the button in the email body," Adkins wrote. Recipients are prompted to hit an "Access Now" button to direct to a purported offer that's come on one of their items on the marketplace, demonstrating the use of social engineering that adds urgency and aims to instill excitement at the potential of a sale, he wrote. Users that click on the button are directed to a fake OpenSea webpage that's also been designed by attackers to appear legitimate. The page shows that an offer has been made on an NFT owned by the victim and they must accept it quickly by connecting to their crypto wallet via a "Connect Wallet" button, or else lose their chance at a sale. Clicking presents the user with multiple ways to access the wallet, such as via a QR code or signing in with credentials. Once this step is complete, an attacker can control the wallet and any credentials associated with it. Related: Faux ChatGPT, Claude API Packages Deliver JarkaStealer The campaign is not the first time OpenSea has been targeted by a potential threat actor. A couple of years ago, an employee of one of the marketplace's email vendors, Customer.io, accessed and downloaded the company's email list, ostensibly for future phishing attacks. The cybercriminal group Marko Polo also has impersonated OpenSea as a way to target its users for fraud. While NFT hasn't quite gone mainstream yet, attackers are increasingly targeting those interested in the novel technology to expand their attack surface. These attacks will likely ramp up as the technology gains popularity, according to Cofense. "This ... highlights why recipients must stay vigilant and up to date with common phishing threats in order to protect their assets," Adkins wrote. Related: MITRE: Cross-Site Scripting Is 2024's Most Dangerous Software Weakness Cofense recommends that users of OpenSea and other NFT marketplaces use the same online hygiene as any other e-commerce user when navigating access to their accounts. Best practices for protecting assets include avoiding clicking on links in emails from addresses or users they don't recognize, and learning to recognize common phishing and social-engineering tactics. The company also recommends that OpenSea users should check the sender field of any email that purports to be from the marketplace for suspicious-looking addresses that could alert them to foul play. Elizabeth Montalbano is a freelance writer, journalist, and therapeutic writing mentor with more than 25 years of professional experience. Her areas of expertise include technology, business, and culture. Elizabeth previously lived and worked as a full-time journalist in Phoenix, San Francisco, and New York City; she currently resides in a village on the southwest coast of Portugal. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, hiking with her dogs, traveling, playing music, yoga, and cooking.

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By KRISTEN WOOD Chilly weather and early nights make the holiday season the best time of year for cuddling up with your favorite games. From enjoying a quiet afternoon alone to gathering with family, these board, video and card games will bring cozy vibes to your holiday gaming. The holidays are prime time for coziness. Cold weather, hot drinks and days off work or school are perfect for snuggling up under a blanket. With many games designed to be cozy, relaxed and lighthearted, accompanying your cozy afternoons with a game might be your new holiday tradition. Many holidays bring together friends and family as well. While some families may look forward to feuding over the Risk board or resources in Settlers of Catan, more low-key games can be an opportunity to bond with loved ones. Cooperative games or games with a bit of friendly competition let you focus on who you’re playing with. Since these cozy games often have easier instructions, everyone can get involved. A busy holiday season also benefits from rest. Take a break from shopping, cooking, traveling and other holiday tasks with some games. Stress-busting games let you enjoy a couple of hours of quiet gameplay or raucous laughter, both sure to provide some relaxation. Relaxing board games are great for a lazy afternoon with friends or after dinner at a holiday party. These games often feature cooperative play or minimal competition, beautiful artwork and straightforward gameplay ideal for all ages. For the holidays, these games provide a whimsical escape from seasonal chaos. Related Articles Entertainment | As Americans are beyond burned out, Tricia Hersey’s Nap Ministry preaches the right to rest Entertainment | Coca-Cola’s AI holiday ad sparks controversy for not being the ‘real thing’ Entertainment | Album review: For Kendrick Lamar, spite is an engine on the exhilarating ‘GNX’ Entertainment | With Trump as president, can TikTok in the US survive? Entertainment | Column: ‘Wicked’ box office proves Hollywood needs to take family films seriously again Patchwork Patchwork is a chill two-player puzzle game where you and your opponent compete to create the best quilt. The tactile experience and cozy results are relaxing on a chilly day. If you have more than two players, try Calico instead where you’ll create quilts for cats. Carcassonne In Carcassonne, players compete to build Medieval cities and fields by laying tiles. The game takes a bit of strategy and luck, and it will generate some friendly competition among children and adults alike. The charming artwork of parks, featuring America’s national parks, will also transport you on a road trip from the comfort of your home. Everdell and Flamecraft For those looking for longer gameplay, Everdell will have you playing as cute forest creatures building new cities during a game that averages a little over an hour. Flamecraft is another delightfully whimsical game where players try to attract dragons to improve the reputation of their shops. Each of these games is simple to pick up and, with every playthrough offering something new, they’ll get you through the entire holiday season. Parks, Everdell and Flamecraft can also be single-player games if you need a break from socialization. Snuggling up on the couch with a video game is inherently relaxing. Whether you enjoy mobile, computer, handheld or console games, the cozy game genre provides dozens of options. This season, try games ranging from relaxing to enchanting. If having everything in its place provides calm in the chaos of the holiday season, you’ll love Unpacking. This puzzle game, available on Switch, PC and Xbox, has you unpacking boxes and putting items away. Playing games like Unpacking can be a meditative experience. Other puzzle games like A Little to the Left and Spiritfarer blend stories into the gameplay. For spooky autumn vibes, try Strange Horticulture and play as the owner of a plant shop and potion maker. Maintaining a virtual farm or building a make-believe castle from your sofa can be a great stress reliever. Stardew Valley is a quintessential farming game surrounded by charming townspeople. With the highly anticipated November update, you can now play on console, mobile and PC. Palia , a massively multiplayer online game, features farming, quests and community building with other players. It’s also free. For those with a Nintendo Switch, the Animal Crossing series has you interacting with other animal players in a peaceful village. With multiplayer modes, these games are great options for playing with friends and family from afar during the holidays. For a single-player escape, try the recently-released Tiny Glade on PC where you’ll build castles. This cozy game’s detailed artistry and conflict-free gameplay will bring hours of relaxation. Or build a world from tiles in Dorfromantik. The game can be entirely chill or provide a bit of strategy if you want to go for a high score. A pack of cards is reliable entertainment at any gathering. From classics to innovative new card games, having a few in your game collection can be worthwhile. Card games can range from simple to complex, a few minutes to a few hours and single-player to dozens of players. If you have a standard deck of playing cards, Blitz is a great option for any number of players. Also known as Thirty One, this game gives every player three cards and lets them trade out a card on each turn, trying to get a value of thirty-one. President is another simple social card game where players race to get rid of their cards in ascending order. If you are imbibing this holiday season, some people play it as a drinking game. For a two-player card game, try The Fox in the Forest. This trick-taking card game features cozy graphics, and its fast, simple gameplay is perfect for a winter date night. For two to four players, Arboretum has darling tree graphics on its cards. Players lay cards down with the goal of creating a beautiful garden. This holiday season, be sure to take time to connect with loved ones and catch a few moments to yourself. Cozy games are a lighthearted escape. As the genre grows, there are options for everyone this season, from mindless games to those that require a touch of strategy – perfect for any mood or moment. Kristen Wood is a writer, photographer, avid cozy gamer and creator of The Cozy Gaming Nook , your source for everything cozy games. Her work has been featured in various online and print publications, including Elle, NBC, Forbes, Chicago Sun-Times, Martha Stewart, Seattle Times and more.None

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Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday started examining four cases that turn on how far social media should be regulated, and what responsibilities platforms have in cracking down on illegal content. The judicial review comes a month after the same court forced Elon Musk's X platform to obey rulings aimed at battling online disinformation. That issue has taken on heat in recent days in Brazil, with federal police accusing far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro and allied officials of using social media disinformation as part of a 2022 "coup" plot against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, then the country's president-elect. The alleged plot involved using online posts to undermine public trust in the electoral system to justify Bolsonaro holding onto the presidency after Lula defeated him at the polls. Bolsonaro says he is innocent. The Supreme Court's deliberations in the cases are not expected to be concluded until sometime next year. One key point it is looking at is whether social media platforms can be fined for illegal content posted by users. Another is whether the platforms should themselves be required to monitor and remove any illegal content without a prior court order to do so. The court's rulings will become precedents that will have to be applied generally to all social media platforms operating in Brazil. Brazil -- many of whose 216 million inhabitants are heavy users of WhatsApp and Facebook -- does not have legislation in that area. Global social media networks, however, already have to abide by laws in the EU against illegal online content, under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA), which could guide them in terms of Brazilian compliance. One of the Brazilian Supreme Court's judges, Alexandre de Moraes, in August ordered Musk's X be blocked across the country for failing to comply with a series of court orders against online disinformation. On October 9, the platform was allowed to resume activities after paying around $5 million in fines and deactivating the accounts of several Bolsonaro supporters accused of spreading disinformation and online hate speech. The court's presiding judge, Luis Roberto Barroso, told AFP that "digital platforms... open paths to disinformation, hate, deliberate lies and conspiracy theories." He added: "In the whole democratic world there are debates about protecting free speech without permitting everyone to fall into a pit of incivility." He pointed to the European Union's DSA as a form of regulation "that seeks a point of ideal equilibrium". Brazil, in his opinion, should carve out its own regulation "with a minimum of government intervention where it comes to freedom of thought, while preventing increased criminality and inciting violence." ffb/rmb/st

SS&C Signs Agreement with Insignia Financial

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Donald Trump has nominated health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a vehement critic of COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates , to lead America's leading research agency, the National Institutes of Health. This is his latest pick as several of his Cabinet picks received "violent" threats recently. This nomination follows Trump's choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead Health and Human Services and Make America Healthy Again , a decision that has met with concern and criticism from the healthcare industry. In a statement Tuesday, Trump, who has previously tried to claim credit for the lifesaving Covid vaccines , declared Bhattacharya as his pick. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His nomination is pending Senate approval. Dr. Oz seeks to privatize Medicare as uninsured 'do not have right to health' Israel warned over 'extremely dangerous' next move that makes Gaza look like 'child's play' He will work together with RFK Jr. "to direct the Nation’s Medical Research, and to make important discoveries that will improve Health, and save lives," Trump's statement said. "Together, Jay and RFK Jr. will restore the NIH to a Gold Standard of Medical Research as they examine the underlying causes of, and solutions to, America’s biggest Health challenges, including our Crisis of Chronic Illness and Disease," he added. Bhattacharya, 56, shared a statement on X, saying that he is "honored and humbled" by Trump's decision. "We will reform American scientific institutions so that they are worthy of trust again and will deploy the fruits of excellent science to make America healthy again," he said. He is one of the three authors of the Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter written in October 2020 during Trump's administration and before the vaccine. It denounced the pandemic lockdowns, saying that they cause great harm to society. The document perpetuated "herd immunity." This concept says that people at low risk should live normal lives to build up immunity to the virus by contracting the infection. Those at higher risk should be protected instead, the document insisted. During a panel discussion with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in March 2021, he called lockdowns "the single biggest public health mistake." DON'T MISS: Israel launches 'final punishment' airstrike before Hezbollah ceasefire begins [LATEST] Senior Hamas official announces readiness for ceasefire deal amid Lebanon truce [NEW] How to survive a nuclear attack as US government shares chilling warning [CHILLING] The document was widely denounced by many disease experts, many of whom deemed it dangerous. Bhattacharya has also argued that vaccine mandates have undermined American trust in the public health system as many unvaccinated people have been barred from workplaces, schools and actitivies. Bhattacharya faced social media restrictions due to these views and was a plaintiff in Muthy v. Missouri, a Supreme Court case that argues against federal officials allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints on social media in the quest to combat misinformation. The Biden administration emerged a victor in the case. After Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2022, he met Bhattacharya and later reinstated him on the platform like many other right-wing influencers.None