51 h. ago US state to review death of prominent author two decades ago

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch

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52 h. ago Death of author Hunter S Thompson to be reviewed by Colorado authorities 20 years later

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will give an ‘independent perspective’ into Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ’ author’s 2005 suicide

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58 h. ago Investigators to review the 2005 shooting death of Hunter S. Thompson, which was ruled a suicide

Colorado investigators are reviewing the 2005 shooting death of journalist Hunter S

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67 h. ago Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry review – a brilliant meditation on mortality

The Essex Serpent author offers a moving account of her father-in-law’s final illness that will resonate widelyThe novelist Sarah Perry’s father-in-law, David, died of oesophageal cancer in 2022. This book tells the story of his dying, from the last time she saw him well, on a trip to Great Yarmouth at the end of summer, to his death less than two months later, just nine days after being diagnosed.It’s not easy to account for what makes this book so special. Its main character is as unpromisingly ordinary as its title suggests, and some may even find him a little boring. David Perry is the kind of man who spends hours sorting his beloved stamp collection into albums with the aid of long-tipped forceps and magnifying glasses, or filling in his Sudoku puzzle books, or reading the latest copy of the Antiques Gazette, looking intently at porcelain dogs and chased silver punch-bowls. Continue reading...

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7 d. ago FA to conduct safety review after death of former Arsenal striker Billy Vigar

A petition is calling for the ‘removal of brick walls and other hard, immovable structures surrounding pitches’ after the death of the former Arsenal academy player

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3 w. ago The Long Walk review – Stephen King death game dystopia is the grimmest mainstream movie for some time

Fifty young men compete in an endurance event, during which they are shot in the head at point-blank range if they slow down, in this horrific buddy story adaptationIf you like your dystopian scenarios lean and extremely mean, then look no further than this Stephen King adaptation, which is surely one of the grimmest mainstream movies we’ve had for some time. The blunt premise is custom built for death and suffering: 50 young American men are selected by lottery for an annual marathon march. If any walker slows to less than three miles per hour, or strays off the road, they are removed from the competition – by being shot in the head at point-blank range. The final survivor wins whatever they want, they’re promised.Why these men would volunteer for a competition with such unfavourable odds we’re left to wonder, as the broader authoritarian society in which the story is set – which looks a lot like 1960s America – is barely seen or explained. It’s clear who we’re rooting for though: ...

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3 w. ago Impact of chatbots on mental health is warning over future of AI, expert says

Nate Soares says case of US teenager Adam Raine highlights danger of unintended consequences in super-intelligent AIThe unforeseen impact of chatbots on mental health should be viewed as a warning over the existential threat posed by super-intelligent artificial intelligence systems, according to a prominent voice in AI safety.Nate Soares, a co-author of a new book on highly advanced AI titled If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, said the example of Adam Raine, a US teenager who killed himself after months of conversations with the ChatGPT chatbot, underlined fundamental problems with controlling the technology. Continue reading...

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