Technology

DAN DAVID PRIZE, WORLD’S LARGEST HISTORY PRIZE, ANNOUNCES 2024 WINNERS

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2024

Nine Outstanding Historians, Archaeologists and Archivists Receive $300,000 (USD) Each as the Dan David Prize Recognizes Breakthrough Research on the Past

Winners’ Work Includes Research on the Birth of Democracy in India, the Global Aesthetic Connections of Atlantic Slavery, the Underground Archive Jews Kept in the Warsaw Ghetto, the Socio-Economic Role of Epidemics in the U.S. South, Working-Class Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement, and the Secrets Revealed by the Bones of a Viking Army in Britain

TEL AVIV, Israel, July 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Dan David Prize, the largest history prize in the world, today announced its 2024 winners – nine scholars whose work illuminates the past in bold and creative ways. This year’s winners are early and mid career researchers who work in Europe, Asia and North America. Each will receive $300,000 (USD) in recognition of their achievements and to support their future endeavors.

“To decode the complexities of the present and face future challenges, we need to first of all better understand our past,” said Ariel David, board member of the Prize and son of Dan David, the founder of the Prize. “By using innovative methods and source materials, our winners have offered us precious new historical insight, shedding light on everything from the birth of contemporary India to the underground archive of the Warsaw Ghetto and the deep connections of the Vikings to the East.”

The 2024 Dan David Prize winners are:

Keisha N. Blain, Brown University – A historian of the 20th century United States, in particular Black history and women’s history. Her research uncovers the roles that marginalized, working-class Black women played in the Civil Rights movement and other movements for revolutionary social change. Blain is a columnist with MSNBC and has published several award-winning books, including a biography of Fannie Lou Hamer, an anthology of African American history and an anthology of Black women writers on the future of democracy.

Benjamin Brose, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – A scholar of Chinese religion whose work spans both the early history of Buddhism in China and the transmission of ancient religious narratives into contemporary religious practices in Asia. In his work, Brose explores the power of stories to change people’s understandings and experiences, focusing on classic Buddhist narratives such as the travels of the monk Xuanzang.

Cécile Fromont, Harvard University – An art historian who explores the visual, material and religious culture of early modern Africa, Europe and Latin America. Her recent work has a special emphasis on the aesthetic connections between Europe and Africa, as created and sustained by the Atlantic slave trade. Fromont is also a commentator on restitution questions involving museum artifacts and historical art that conveys controversial messages.

Cat Jarman, Archaeologist – A bioarchaeologist and historian specializing in diet, migration and the Viking Age. Jarman uses forensic techniques–like isotope analysis, carbon dating and DNA analysis on human remains–to interrogate traditional historical narratives and to highlight the lives of often overlooked populations like women, children and enslaved people. In her bestselling trade books, she uses these findings to tell complex and riveting stories about Viking armies and the bones of English kings. Jarman is also a co-host of the history podcast “The Rabbit Hole Detectives,” a frequent commentator on documentaries and podcasts, and a former host of BBC’s “Digging for Britain.”

Daniel Jütte, New York University – A cultural historian of Europe. His work uses inconspicuous material objects and lesser known cultural practices as lenses to understand past societies over large swathes of time. For instance, Jütte’s most recent book explores how the theoretical idea of transparency in Western culture was shaped by the physical experience of glass, and particularly the architectural feature of windows.

Stuart McManus, Chinese University of Hong Kong – A global historian of the early modern period whose work links regions that are generally studied separately, such as North America, Latin America, West Africa and South China. A historian of the Renaissance writ large, McManus studies both the spread of Humanism in a global perspective, and the links between Atlantic slavery and a much wider network of trade and human trafficking that spanned the early modern globe.

Kathryn Olivarius, Stanford University – A social historian of disease whose work highlights how past epidemics shaped societies, citizenship and capitalism, such as the yellow fever and syphilis epidemics in the 19th century American South. Olivarius explores how disease intersects with broader themes in economic and social history, and in particular how perceived immunity to these diseases was central to social and economic standing in these societies by conferring what she calls”immunocapital.”

Katarzyna Person, Warsaw Ghetto Museum – A public historian of the Holocaust and deputy director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum, her work focuses on voices that had been silenced or seen as “unfit” for the transmission of Holocaust memory, such as women, children, those deemed “collaborators,” deportees and refugees. Person also spearheaded the publication of a new 27-volume scholarly edition of the Ringelblum Archive – the underground archive collected by Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto, which provides rare evidence of Jewish life within the Ghetto.

Tripurdaman Singh, Geneva Graduate Institute – A historian of South Asia, Singh explores the nature of the region’s encounter with colonialism, the process of decolonization and the birth of Indian democracy. Singh is active in public debates and scholarship in India, and his book on the Indian constitution provides important historical context into current political dynamics.

“Archaeology and history offer ways into the backstories that frame our current lives,” said Professor Tim Cole, historian and Academic Advisor to the Dan David Prize. “As well as helping us understand how we have ended up where we are, deep knowledge of the past is a reminder that things don’t need to stay the same – and indeed that things never stay the same. Looking to the past is also an invitation to look to different futures.”

The winners were selected after nominations from colleagues, institutions and the general public were submitted in an open nomination process and were chosen by a global committee of experts that changes annually. This year’s selection committee members are affiliated with leading academic institutions in Europe, North America, India and Brazil. A full list of the 2024 committee is available here. The 2024 winners received the prize at a gathering in Italy this summer.

The Dan David Prize was first established in 2001 by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Dan David, to reward innovative and interdisciplinary work that contributed to humanity. In 2021, the Prize was relaunched with a focus on historical research, honoring the founder’s passion for history and archaeology. It now rewards early and mid career scholars to help them fulfill their potential at a time when support for the humanities is dwindling. Nominations for the 2025 Dan David Prize are now being accepted online.

The late Dan David lived through persecution in Nazi-occupied and then Communist Romania, becoming an accomplished photographer and later an entrepreneur and philanthropist. David was fascinated by automatic instant photography, and he built a company that introduced countries around the globe to the automatic photo booth. Dan had a keen interest in history and archaeology, which feature in many of the projects of the Dan David Foundation. His full bio is available here.

About the Dan David Prize
The Dan David Prize, endowed by the Dan David Foundation and headquartered at Tel Aviv University, is the largest history prize in the world. Dan David, the founder of the Prize, believed that knowledge of the past enriches us and helps us grapple with the challenges of the present, and is crucial for reimagining our collective future. At a time of diminishing support for the humanities, the Prize celebrates the next generation of outstanding historians, archaeologists, curators and digital humanists. Each year, up to nine researchers are awarded $300,000 each in recognition of their achievements and to support their future endeavors.

To learn more about Dan David, the Prize and the 2024 winners, visit www.dandavidprize.org.

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Technology

AI-Powered Connectivity: APAC Charts a Path to a Smarter Digital Future

Published

3 hours ago

July 18, 2026

Asia-Pacific’s first Broadband Development Summit brings regulators and operators to Bangkok to set the agenda

BANGKOK, July 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Government officials, standards bodies and telecom operators gathered in Bangkok on 14 July for the inaugural Broadband Development Summit APAC 2026, convened by the World Broadband Association (WBBA) to build consensus on AI-era networks.

Participants included the ITU, Thailand’s National Board of the Digital Economy and Society, WBBA, IAB, FNCAP, WAA, NIDA and the IPv6 Council, alongside operators Telkomsel, XLSmart, Surge, Globe, AIS, CMI and HKT and Huawei.

Denny Deng, President of Huawei Asia Pacific Carrier Business, envisions a “faster, smarter, greener” Asia-Pacific.

VOICES FROM THE SUMMIT

“To seize the opportunities of the AI era, we call on the industry to accelerate broadband evolution, advance computing-network synergy, and strengthen the cross-border connectivity. Together, let us build faster, smarter, and greener digital infrastructure for Asia-Pacific.”
— Denny Deng, President of Asia Pacific Carrier Business, Huawei

“High-speed broadband is no longer just about ‘getting online’ — it is the vital infrastructure upon which the entire AI revolution is being built. We view AI not merely as a tool, but as a primary engine for national competitiveness and a catalyst for improving the quality of life for all.”
— Wetang Phuangsup, Ph.D., Secretary-General, the National Board of the Digital Economy and Society, Thailand

“Three initiatives define the road to 2030. We must close the quality divide so the value of broadband reaches everyone. We must build AI-ready networks — 10G access, 800GE cores, intelligence end to end. And we must do it together, through shared standards.”
— Martin Creaner, Director General of WBBA

“Moving towards next-generation networks, network architectures must continue to evolve to deliver broader connectivity, superior quality, enhanced security, and greater intelligence. This evolution is essential for Net5.5G, positioning the network not simply as infrastructure, but as the foundation that enables AI, strengthens resilience and efficiency, and supports digital transformation across industries.”
— Dhruv Dhody, Industry Standardization Expert at Huawei, Chair of the IAB, IETF

“Across Asia-Pacific, fibre is extending beyond homes and offices into rooms, devices, and machines. By working together, we can accelerate fibre innovation and adoption to build truly AI-ready infrastructure.”
— Ilham Nandana, Chair of the Market Intelligence Committee, Fiber Network Council APAC (FNCAP)

“We fixed it before you feel it! AIS is redefining premium home broadband by combining ultra-fast connectivity with AI-driven network intelligence and smart home ecosystem — delivering proactive, invisible service excellence that transforms connectivity into differentiated customer value and sustainable ARPU growth.”
— Thanit Chaiyaboonthanit, Head of Technology Department, Broadband Business, AIS

“Connecting the Unconnected: Affordable Broadband at Scale. Create equal access to global information and empower Indonesia’s digital society.”
— Shannedy Ong, CTO of Surge Indonesia

“Beyond Connectivity: Telkomsel is transforming into a true value creator. By leveraging our FBB market-leading footprint, we power growth through service excellence, customer loyalty, and a next-generation home ecosystem.”
— Stanislaus Susatyo, Director of Sales, Telkomsel Indonesia

“We stopped treating AI as an add-on feature. Instead, our approach at Globe starts with architecture, embedding intelligence into the very core of how we build, how we sell, and how we operate.
AI continuously monitors network health, customer behavior and service quality. Rather than waiting for failures, the system predicts degradation and initiates corrective actions. By maintaining minute-level awareness of network health, our systems automatically resolve 30% of all Wi-Fi issues without any human intervention.”
— Danny Theseira, Head of Broadband Business Group at Globe Telecom

“Huawei is driving the Optics-AI Synergy to foster their collaborative growth. Through AI-ON, operators could build an AI-centric all-optical target network and establish 1-5-20ms latency circles across the Asia Pacific region. AI-ON also supports efficient computing access and usage while delivering an ultimate network experience through gigabit/ultra-gigabit home broadband, accelerating the widespread adoption of AI services.”
— Kim Jin, Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Optical Business Product Line, Huawei

“Connectivity is not just about technology. It is a lifeline, a platform for opportunity, and a driver of sustainable development. I believe the intersection of connectivity and artificial intelligence will shape the future of smarter, more resilient networks.”
— Dr. Cosmas Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, ITU

“Performance and user experience are the essential path to the next-generation WLAN. Based on standards and AI-driven innovation, let’s jointly explore the path to the future autonomous WLAN with all the stakeholders.”
— Dr. Crane H. Yang, Secretary-General, World WLAN Application Alliance (WAA)

“At the summit, NIDA and WBBA signed an MOU to accelerate next-generation network evolution and establish pioneering smart city benchmarks through the co-development of industry standards, the harmonization of global regulations, and the sharing of vertical industry insights.
NIDA focuses on advancing network architecture standards, while WBBA drives global consensus on broadband evolution. This natural strategic complementarity creates vast opportunities for future collaboration.”
— Joey Deng, Secretary-General of NIDA

“ION-2030 develops the global standard for next generation optical networks in the AI era. It provides exceptional AI application and service experience. The WBBA and ITU will jointly accelerate its development, and this is a unique opportunity for Asia-Pacific stakeholders to actively influence the future of optical broadband networks.”
— Dr. Marcus Brunner, Chief Expert Standardization, WBBA WG1 Chair and Vice-Chair of ETSI ISG F5G

“The transition into the AI era demands a high-quality, deterministic digital foundation. By releasing Net5.5G policy guidelines, Malaysia is accelerating the evolution of next-generation network standards based on IPv6, establishing an innovative infrastructure to unleash AI’s value and drive a prosperous digital economy for 2030.”
— Prof. Sureswaran Ramadass, Chair of APAC at IPv6 Council, Industry Partner of WBBA

“The digital economy is thriving across the Asia-Pacific region, with AI emerging as a core catalyst for intelligent transformation. China Mobile International (CMI) is driving regional growth by integrating China’s advanced AI capabilities with comprehensive communications, computing, and AI services. Moving forward, CMI will collaborate closely with industry partners to foster a shared, AI-driven future for the region.”
— Paul Lin, Managing Director of Commercial and Technology, Asia Pacific, China Mobile International

“Next-generation network infrastructure is the oxygen of the intelligent economy. By integrating cutting-edge 800G connectivity with quantum-safe security, HKT is laying the essential foundations to keep Hong Kong’s enterprises highly competitive, secure, and ready for the computing paradigm shifts of tomorrow.”
— Wilson Cheung, Vice President, Broadband Design & Cyber Security, HKT

“The evolution toward Net5.5G AI WAN is an important step in strengthening XLSMART’s transport network for the future. By progressively adopting AI-assisted operations, SRv6, SDN, service differentiation, and higher-capacity transport infrastructure, we are enhancing network intelligence, operational efficiency, and service resilience while supporting long-term sustainability. This transformation is a continuous journey that aligns with the industry’s vision of AI-native broadband networks. Through collaboration with our technology partners and the broader ecosystem, we will continue to develop capabilities that deliver better network performance and support Indonesia’s growing digital connectivity needs.”
— Regie Ginanjar, Head of Transport Autonomy & Orchestration, Transport Network Transformation, XLSMART

“For the AI era, Huawei upgrades the IP bearer network via security resilience, multi-dimensional awareness, and network autonomy. This empowers carriers to guarantee service experience, accelerate monetization, and enhance efficiency, ushering in a new chapter of intelligent connectivity.”
— Arthur Wang, Vice President of Data Communication Product Line, Huawei

A CONVERGING VIEW

Speakers agreed AI is shifting networks from connectivity to intelligent connectivity, as broadband, IP, computing and cross-border infrastructure converge to support innovation and coordination.

WBBA launched the AI-Net Certification, a global benchmark for national policy, industrial ecosystems and network intelligence. XLSmart was named first AI-Net Champion, and Indonesia was among the first with a certified operator, backed by its Net5.5G roadmap.

In another high-profile segment, WBBA Director General Martin Creaner presented the Gigacity Certification to KOMDIGI, SURGE, Telkomsel, AIS, TRUE, HKT and Globe, recognizing regional broadband pioneers.

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Technology

Laifen Expands U.S. Retail Footprint with Costco Launch of Best-Selling SE Hair Dryer

Published

4 hours ago

July 18, 2026

Starting July 18, Costco Members Can Shop Laifen’s Award-Winning Hair Dryer in Select Warehouse Locations Across the U.S.

NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Laifen, ranked the world’s No.1 high-speed hair dryer brand, today announced the launch of its best-selling SE High-Speed Hair Dryer at select Costco warehouse locations, marking the brand’s largest U.S. retail expansion to date and bringing its award-winning haircare technology to Costco members across select U.S. markets.

The launch brings Laifen’s award-winning haircare technology to Costco, making it easier for consumers to experience the brand through one of the nation’s leading membership retailers. Laifen joins Costco’s growing portfolio of premium beauty and personal care brands. The initial rollout includes select Costco warehouse locations across the United States, with a strong presence across the Western U.S., including California, the Pacific Northwest and the Southwest.

Costco’s reputation for quality and its highly selective merchandising approach make this partnership especially meaningful. The Costco launch reflects Laifen’s continued expansion beyond direct-to-consumer channels as the brand accelerates its U.S. omnichannel retail strategy. “Costco represents an important milestone in our U.S. retail strategy,” said Romeo, General Manager of International Business of Laifen. “As more consumers seek salon-quality performance at an accessible price, we’re excited to make Laifen available through one of America’s most trusted retailers.”

Engineered to deliver professional-level performance in a sleek, lightweight design, the Laifen SE is powered by the brand’s proprietary high-speed brushless motor, delivering fast drying, reduced heat damage and smoother styling. An intelligent temperature control system continuously monitors airflow to help minimize frizz while protecting hair from excessive heat.

The Costco launch represents the next phase of Laifen’s U.S. retail expansion as the brand continues to grow beyond its direct-to-consumer and online channels. By expanding into one of the nation’s most trusted retailers, Laifen aims to broaden access to its category-disrupting haircare solutions while advancing its mission to bring more thoughtful design and everyday excellence into more homes.

The Laifen SE High-Speed Hair Dryer in White will be available at select Costco locations, while Costco.com shoppers will have access to additional color options including Purple and Pink, alongside the White model.

For more information on Laifen, please visit LaifenTech.com.

About Laifen:

Founded in 2019, Laifen is a global personal care technology brand combining high-performance engineering with modern design across hair care, oral care, and grooming categories. Ranked the world’s No. 1 high-speed hair dryer brand by Euromonitor International, Laifen first gained recognition for its self-developed 110,000 RPM high-speed brushless motor, the proprietary technology behind its award-winning hair dryers.

Building on this innovation, Laifen has expanded its portfolio to include electric toothbrushes and shavers, delivering premium technology and elevated everyday experiences to consumers worldwide. Today, Laifen products and accessories are used by over 22 million households across more than 60 countries, supported by more than 600 patents and recognized with over 50 international design and innovation awards. Driven by continuous technological breakthroughs, Laifen is committed to making cutting-edge personal care technology more accessible to consumers around the world.

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Technology

Pillsbury Notice of Data Breach

Published

7 hours ago

July 18, 2026

NEW YORK, July 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP (“Pillsbury”) was among many law firms targeted by sophisticated social engineering attempts in an incident last year. While the firm quickly detected and blocked the activity, an unauthorized actor was able to access some of the firm’s documents during a short window of time. Pillsbury notified any impacted clients last year and undertook a detailed process to review the accessed documents for personal information. Pillsbury then began notifying individuals whose personal information was affected. That process is now complete, and today, Pillsbury is publishing substitute notice as a final step.

For more information, please visit the substitute notice on our website at https://www.pillsburylaw.com/en/breach-notice.html.

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