Atlantis Paradise Island, a beacon of luxury and entertainment nestled in the heart of the Caribbean, has once again set the stage for an unforgettable experience. This time, the resort is thrilled to announce the arrival of seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning singer-songwriter Christina Aguilera to grace the shores of Casuarina Beach on Saturday, July 13th. Patrons can anticipate a mesmerizing performance filled with Aguilera’s signature hits like “Beautiful,” “Fighter,” and “Dirrty,” promising an evening of musical magic under the starlit Bahamian sky.
ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND ANNOUNCES GRAMMY® AWARD-WINNING ARTIST CHRISTINA AGUILERA TO HEADLINE MUSIC MAKING WAVES CONCERT ON SATURDAY, JULY 13TH
The Music Making Waves series, a cornerstone of the renowned “Atlantis: LIVE” platform, is gearing up to kick off its latest season with a bang. Global icon Janet Jackson is set to ignite the stage in April, setting the tone for what promises to be a stellar lineup of musical sensations throughout the year. Atlantis, known for curating top-tier entertainment, has consistently brought an eclectic mix of global stars to its stage over the last 25 years. From Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga to Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, the resort has been a magnet for music lovers from around the world.
“Atlantis Paradise Island is the epitome of entertainment in the Caribbean, offering a platform for live performances and unparalleled experiences for both travelers and the community,” remarked Audrey Oswell, the President and Managing Director of Atlantis Paradise Island. The anticipation is palpable as the resort eagerly awaits the arrival of Christina Aguilera and her legion of fans for what promises to be a concert experience like no other.
Tickets for this exclusive event go on sale starting March 14th, providing music enthusiasts with a range of seating options from bronze to diamond, catering to every preference and budget. To enhance the concert experience further, Atlantis ensures convenience by offering complimentary round-trip shuttle service from its hotels to Casuarina Beach. Additionally, guests can revel in the festivities knowing that designated parking near the concert village is free for all attendees. Not only will guests be treated to an evening of musical enchantment, but a portion of the concert proceeds will also be directed towards the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of sea species and their habitats throughout the Bahamas and the Caribbean.
As the countdown begins to this musical extravaganza, Atlantis Paradise Island stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of entertainment and hospitality. With a commitment to crafting unforgettable experiences, the resort continues to redefine the boundaries of luxury and excitement for its patrons. For more information on Atlantis Paradise Island and its upcoming events, visit www.atlantisbahamas.com and prepare to embark on a journey of music, magic, and memories that will last a lifetime.
Just a moment while I rewrite the text for you.
“Tickets for the concert will be available for purchase starting Thursday, March 14th at www.atlantislive.com or by phone at 1-800-ATLANTIS. Early bird prices range from $139 for bronze seating to $349 for diamond seating. All guests can enjoy complimentary round-trip shuttle service from Atlantis’ hotels to Casuarina Beach, and designated parking is available near the concert village free of charge. A portion of the concert earnings will be donated to the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to preserving sea species and their habitats in the Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas.”
About Atlantis Paradise Island: Atlantis Paradise Island, a lush, oceanside resort located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, is a dynamic destination and offers visitors bold multimillion-dollar renovations, exciting new partnerships, and reimagined guest experiences. Bahamian culture and the spirit of its beloved team members are the heart and soul of this iconic legendary resort. Atlantis’ immersive programming connects guests to the rich history, art, people, food, and festivities of the Bahamas while remaining dedicated to sustainability and environmental conservation.
Home to Aquaventure, one of the world’s largest waterparks, the 141-acre waterscape of thrilling slides and river rides features 14 pools and five miles of white sand beaches. Atlantis is also home to the largest open-air marine habitat in the world, with over 65,000 aquatic animals from 250 species making their home in natural ocean-fed lagoons and habitats, including Dolphin Cay, the unparalleled marine animal conservation and education center created to provide guests with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about some of nature’s most fascinating mammals.
Atlantis has five unique lodging options: the grand, iconic newly renovated towers of The Royal, the family-friendly ambiance at The Coral, water-side villas at Harborside Resort, all-suite luxury accommodations at The Cove and residential-style living at The Reef.
Guests can choose from an impressive collection of over 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges with celebrity chef culinary masterpieces, including Fish by José Andrés, Nobu by Nobu Matsuhisa and Paranza by Michael White. With its unrivaled meeting and convention space and the well-appointed Atlantis Marina overlooking Marina Village, the Atlantis experiences are endless and unique to each traveler. Additional resort amenities include the tranquil Mandara Spa, a newly opened tennis and pickleball center, indoor and outdoor regulation basketball courts, a 500-seat movie theater, Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA) for children ages 3-12, a gaming arcade, CRUSH- a teen nightclub, Jokers Wild comedy club, an award-winning 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf, the renowned and newly redecorated Atlantis Casino, and an array of luxury and boutique duty-free shopping.
Founded in 2005, Atlantis Blue Project Foundation (ABPF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to saving sea species and their extraordinary habitats throughout the Bahamas and surrounding Caribbean seas. Through scientific research, education, and community outreach, the Foundation fosters the preservation and conservation of coral reefs, sea turtles, sharks, manatees, cetaceans, and their Bahamian ecosystems.
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For more information about Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, please visit blueprojectatlantis.org.
About Christina Aguilera:
Christina Aguilera is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter renowned for her powerful voice and hit songs. Throughout her career, she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Aguilera has achieved five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart making her the third female artist, and fourth overall, to top the chart over three consecutive decades (1990s, 2000s, and 2010s). She has won seven Grammy Awards, including two Latin Grammy Awards -with the most recent being the 2022 Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album on behalf of AGUILERA, her second Spanish-language album. In 2021 she received the inaugural Music Icon Award at the People’s Choice Awards, followed by the Spirit of Hope Award at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards and the Advocate for Change Award at the 2023 GLAAD Media Awards. Aguilera continues to use her voice for good, having served as global spokesperson for Yum! Brands’ World Hunger Relief effort since 2009 and has helped raise over $150 million for the World Food Program and other hunger relief agencies, in addition to raising awareness for various social conversations around domestic violence and LGBTQ+ equality. Aguilera is currently headlining a new show in Las Vegas at Volatire at The Venetian Resort, and is the Co-Founder of Playground, a sexual wellness lifestyle brand launched in 2022. She continues to be represented by Roc Nation and imPRint. www.christinaaguilera.com
There is currently no bird flu vaccine for people.
Digicomphoto/ Science Photo Library via Getty ImagesHanna D. Paton, University of Iowa
The flu sickens millions of people in the U.S. every year, and the past year has been particularly tough. Although infections are trending downward, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has called the winter of 2024-2025 a “high severity” season with the highest hospitalization rate in 15 years.
Since early 2024, a different kind of flu called bird flu, formally known as avian influenza, has been spreading in birds as well as in cattle. The current bird flu outbreak has infected 70 Americans and caused two deaths as of April 8, 2025. Public health and infectious disease experts say the risk to people is currently low, but they have expressed concern that this strain of the bird flu virus may mutate to spread between people.
As a doctoral candidate in immunology, I study how pathogens that make us sick interact with our immune system. The viruses that cause seasonal flu and bird flu are distinct but still closely related. Understanding their similarities and differences can help people protect themselves and their loved ones.
What is influenza?
The flu has long been a threat to public health. The first recorded influenza pandemic occurred in 1518, but references to illnesses possibly caused by influenza stretch back as as early as 412 B.C., to a treatise called Of the Epidemics by the Greek physician Hippocrates.
Today, the World Health Organization estimates that the flu infects 1 billion people every year. Of these, 3 million to 5 million infections cause severe illness, and hundreds of thousands are fatal.
Influenza is part of a large family of viruses called orthomyxoviruses. This family contains several subtypes of influenza, referred to as A, B, C and D, which differ in their genetic makeup and in the types of infections they cause. Influenza A and B pose the largest threat to humans and can cause severe disease. Influenza C causes mild disease, and influenza D is not known to infect people. Since the turn of the 20th century, influenza A has caused four pandemics. Influenza B has never caused a pandemic.
A notice from Oct. 18, 1918, during the Spanish flu pandemic, about protecting yourself from infection.Illustrated Current News/National Library of Medicine, CC BY
An influenza A strain called H1N1 caused the famous 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which killed about 50 million people worldwide. A related H1N1 virus was responsible for the most recent influenza A pandemic in 2009, commonly referred to as the swine flu pandemic. In that case, scientists believe multiple different types of influenza A virus mixed their genetic information to produce a new and especially virulent strain of the virus that infected more than 60 million people in the U.S. from April 12, 2009, to April 10, 2010, and caused huge losses to the agriculture and travel industries.
Both swine and avian influenza are strains of influenza A. Just as swine flu strains tend to infect pigs, avian flu strains tend to infect birds. But the potential for influenza A viruses that typically infect animals to cause pandemics in humans like the swine flu pandemic is why experts are concerned about the current avian influenza outbreak.
Seasonal flu versus bird flu
Different strains of influenza A and influenza B emerge each year from about October to May as seasonal flu. The CDC collects and analyzes data from public health and clinical labs to determine which strains are circulating through the population and in what proportions. For example, recent data shows that H1N1 and H3N2, both influenza A viruses, were responsible for the vast majority of cases this season. Standard tests for influenza generally determine whether illness is caused by an A or B strain, but not which strain specifically.
Officials at the Food and Drug Administration use this information to make strain recommendations for the following season’s influenza vaccine. Although the meeting at which FDA advisers were to decide the makeup of the 2026 flu vaccine was unexpectedly canceled in late February, the FDA still released its strain recommendations to manufacturers.
The recommendations do not include H5N1, the influenza A strain that causes avian flu. The number of strains that can be added into seasonal influenza vaccines is limited. Because cases of people infected with H5N1 are minimal, population-level vaccination is not currently necessary. As such, seasonal flu vaccines are not designed to protect against avian influenza. No commercially available human vaccines currently exist for avian influenza viruses.
How do people get bird flu?
Although H5N1 mainly infects birds, it occasionally infects people, too. Human cases, first reported in 1997 in Hong Kong, have primarily occurred in poultry farm workers or others who have interacted closely with infected birds.
Initially identified in China in 1996, the first major outbreak of H5 family avian flu occurred in North America in 2014-2015. This 2014 outbreak was caused by the H5N8 strain, a close relative of H5N1. The first H5N1 outbreak in North America began in 2021 when infected birds carried the virus across the ocean. It then ripped through poultry farms across the continent.
The H5N1 strain of influenza A generally infects birds but has infected people, too.NIAID and CDC/flickr, CC BY
In March 2024, epidemiologists identified H5N1 infections in cows on dairy farms. This is the first time that bird flu was reported to infect cows. Then, on April 1, 2024, health officials in Texas reported the first case of a person catching bird flu from infected cattle. This was the first time transmission of bird flu between mammals was documented.
As of March 21, 2025, there have been 988 human cases of H5N1 worldwide since 1997, about half of which resulted in death. The current outbreak in the U.S. accounts for 70 of those infections and one death. Importantly, there have been no reports of H5N1 spreading directly from one person to another.
Since avian flu is an influenza A strain, it would show up as positive on a standard rapid flu test. However, there is no evidence so far that avian flu is significantly contributing to current influenza cases. Specific testing is required to confirm that a person has avian flu. This testing is not done unless there is reason to believe the person was exposed to sick birds or other sources of infection.
How might avian flu become more dangerous?
As viruses replicate within the cells of their host, their genetic information can get copied incorrectly. Some of these genetic mutations cause no immediate differences, while others alter some key viral characteristics.
Influenza viruses mutate in a special way called reassortment, which occurs when multiple strains infect the same cell and trade pieces of their genome with one another, potentially creating new, unique strains. This process prolongs the time the virus can inhabit a host before an infection is cleared. Even a slight change in a strain of influenza can result in the immune system’s inability to recognize the virus. As a result, this process forces our immune systems to build new defenses instead of using immunity from previous infections.
Reassortment can also change how harmful strains are to their host and can even enable a strain to infect a different species of host. For example, strains that typically infect pigs or birds may acquire the ability to infect people. Influenza A can infect many different types of animals, including cattle, birds, pigs and horses. This means there are many strains that can intermingle to create novel strains that people’s immune systems have not encountered before – and are therefore not primed to fight.
It is possible for this type of transformation to also occur in H5N1. The CDC monitors which strains of flu are circulating in order prepare for that possibility. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a surveillance system for monitoring potential threats for spillover from birds and other animals, although this capacity may be at risk due to staff cuts in the department.
These systems are critical to ensure that public health officials have the most up-to-date information on the threat that H5N1 poses to public health and can take action as early as possible when a threat is evident.Hanna D. Paton, PhD Candidate in Immunology, University of Iowa
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Each state in the U.S. has its own child abuse laws, and all states, tribes and territories aim to protect children from abuse. But all state laws also allow parents to hit their children if it does not leave an injury or a mark.
A typical example is Oklahoma’s definition of child abuse and neglect. It includes an exception that permits parents to use ordinary force as a means of discipline, including spanking, using an implement like a switch or a paddle. However, leaving evidence of hitting, such as welts, bruises, swelling or lacerations, is illegal and considered child abuse in all states.
Parental spanking of children is considered unique from other physical violence because of the relational context and the purpose. Laws entitle parents to hit their children for the purpose of teaching a lesson or punishing them to improve behavior. Children are the only individuals in society who can be hit by another person and the law does not regard it as assault.
Spanking’s impact on a child is unfortunately similar to abusive hitting. Spanking has been labeled as an “Adverse Childhood Experience,” or ACE. These are events that cause poor health outcomes over the span of one’s life.
The practice of spanking also affects parents. Acceptance of the physical discipline of spanking puts parents at risk for the escalation of physical punishment that leads to abuse.
Parents who spank their child have the potential to abuse them and be caught in a legal and child protection system that aims to protect children from harm. It is unclear what triggers a parent to cross over from discipline into abuse. Research shows that spanking at a young age, such as a 1-year-old, increases the chance of involvement by Child Protective Services by 33%.
Some school districts require permission from parents to allow disciplinary paddling in school, while others do not require any communication. State law does not assure agreement between parents and school districts on what offenses warrant a paddling. Parents may feel they have no alternative but to keep their child in school, or fear reprisal from school administrators. Some students are old enough to denounce the punishment themselves.
In this school district, physical punishment is used only when parents give written permission.
Is spanking considered the same as hitting?
The term spank conceals the concept of hitting and is so commonplace it goes unquestioned, despite the fact that it is a grown adult hitting a person much smaller than them. The concept is further concealed because hitting a child’s bottom hides any injuries that may occur.
Types of hitting that are categorized as spanking have narrowed over the years but still persist. Some parents still use implements such as tree switches, wooden spoons, shoes or paddles to “spank” children, raising the chances for abuse.
Most spanking ends by the age of 12, partly because children this age are able to fight back. When a child turns 18, parental hitting becomes the same as hitting any other adult, a form of domestic violence or assault throughout the U.S.
There is a lack of a consistent understanding of what constitutes a spanking. The definition of spanking is unique to each family. The number of hits, clothed or not, or using an implement, all reflect geographical or familial differences in understanding what a spanking is.
How do US adults view spanking?
People in the United States generally accept spanking as part of raising children: 56% of U.S. adults strongly agree or agree that “… it is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with a good, hard spanking.” This view has been slowly changing since 1986, when 83% of adults agreed with that statement.
The laws worldwide that protect children from being hit usually begin by disallowing nonparental adults to hit children. This is happening in the U.S. too, where 31 states have banned paddling in schools.
At a national level, efforts have been made to end physical punishment in schools. However, 19 states still allow spanking of children in public schools, which was upheld by a 1977 Supreme Court case.
With the slow but steady drop of parents who believe that sometimes children need a good hard spanking, as well as the ban of paddling in schools in 31 states, one could argue that the U.S. is moving toward a reduction in spanking.
What does research say about spanking?
Spanking’s negative influence on children’s behavior has been documented for decades. Spanking seems to work in the moment when it comes to changing or stopping the immediate behavior, but the negative effects are hidden in the short term and occur later in the child’s life. Yet because the spanking seemed to work at the time, the parent doesn’t connect the continued bad behavior of the child to the spanking.
An abundance of research shows that spanking causes increased negative behaviors in childhood. Spanking lowers executive functioning for children, increases dating violence as teenagers and even increases struggles with mental health and substance abuse in adulthood. Spanking does not teach new or healthy behaviors, and is a stress-inducing event for the child and the adult hitting them.
No studies have shown positive long-term benefits from spanking. Because of the long-standing and expansive research findings showing a range of harm from spanking and the increased association with child abuse, the American Psychological Association recommends that parents should never spank their children.
What are some resources for parents?
Consider these questions when choosing a discipline method for your child:
Is the expectation of your child developmentally accurate? One of the most common reasons parents spank is because they are expecting a behavior the child is not developmentally able to execute.
Can the discipline you choose grow with your child? Nearly all spanking ends by age 12, when kids are big enough to fight back. Choose discipline methods you can use over the long term, such as additional chores, apologies, difficult conversations and others that can grow with your child.
Might there be another explanation for your child’s behavior? Difficulty of understanding, fear or miscommunication? Think of your child as a learner and use a growth mindset to help your child learn from their life experiences.
Parents are the leaders of their families. Good leaders show strength in nonthreatening ways, listen to others and explain their decisions. Don’t spoil your kids. But being firm does not have to include hitting.
Is spanking children good for parents?
Doubtful. Parents who hit their kids may be unaware that it influences their frustration in other relationships. Expressing aggression recharges an angry and short-tempered internal battery that transfers into other parts of the adults’ lives.
Practicing calm when with your children will help you be calmer at work and in your other relationships. Listening to and speaking with a child about challenges, even from a very early age, is the best way to make it part of your relationship for the rest of your life.
Choose a method that allows you to grow. Parents matter too.Christina Erickson, Associate Dean in the College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines, University of North Dakota
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
(Family Features) Senior year of high school is a time for big changes for most people, but for Emani McConnell-Brent, she did not expect it would include changes to her health. After being rushed to the emergency room with severe stomach pain, McConnell-Brent learned the problem was her kidneys and she was diagnosed with a kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
After her diagnosis, McConnell-Brent struggled to get the right medicines to treat her disease. She was encouraged to undergo a genetic test and discovered her FSGS was the result of APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive genetic kidney disease that can cause kidney failure. The diagnosis brought McConnell-Brent some relief, both physically and emotionally.
“Knowing it’s genetic and knowing I’m taking care of myself makes a big difference in my mental state,” said McConnell-Brent, now 21 and an ambassador for the American Kidney Fund.
Everyone has two copies of the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene – one from each parent – but Black Americans of West and Central African ancestry are more likely to have changes (variants or mutations) in their APOL1 gene that cause AMKD. This genetic form of kidney disease can develop even at a young age, in otherwise healthy people, and can advance faster than other kidney diseases.
An estimated 13% of Black Americans have the two APOL1 gene variants that are associated with AMKD. Those who have variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene have a 1 in 5 chance of developing kidney disease.
“A lot of people don’t even know about how prevalent the APOL1 gene is in the African American community,” McConnell-Brent said.
Early diagnosis of AMKD can keep your kidneys working longer, delaying the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.
If you have kidney damage, symptoms may not occur until your kidneys are close to failing. As kidney damage worsens, one or more of these symptoms may occur:
Protein in urine
Swelling in legs or weight gain
Feeling weak or tired
High blood pressure
The only way to get an official diagnosis for AMKD is through a genetic test. You can find more information about the risks and benefits of genetic testing online.
“If you got genetic testing, you would have the facts of what your genes are telling you,” McConnell-Brent said. “Your genes are telling you a story of what did happen, is happening and could happen.”
This AMKD Awareness Day, on April 29, become APOL1 Aware by learning how your genes impact your kidney health and help build awareness in your community by visiting KidneyFund.org/APOL1Aware.
SOURCE:American Kidney Fund
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Hanna D. Paton, PhD Candidate in Immunology, University of Iowa
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
(Family Features) Senior year of high school is a time for big changes for most people, but for Emani McConnell-Brent, she did not expect it would include changes to her health. After being rushed to the emergency room with severe stomach pain, McConnell-Brent learned the problem was her kidneys and she was diagnosed with a kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS).
After her diagnosis, McConnell-Brent struggled to get the right medicines to treat her disease. She was encouraged to undergo a genetic test and discovered her FSGS was the result of APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive genetic kidney disease that can cause kidney failure. The diagnosis brought McConnell-Brent some relief, both physically and emotionally.
“Knowing it’s genetic and knowing I’m taking care of myself makes a big difference in my mental state,” said McConnell-Brent, now 21 and an ambassador for the American Kidney Fund.
Everyone has two copies of the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene – one from each parent – but Black Americans of West and Central African ancestry are more likely to have changes (variants or mutations) in their APOL1 gene that cause AMKD. This genetic form of kidney disease can develop even at a young age, in otherwise healthy people, and can advance faster than other kidney diseases.
An estimated 13% of Black Americans have the two APOL1 gene variants that are associated with AMKD. Those who have variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene have a 1 in 5 chance of developing kidney disease.
“A lot of people don’t even know about how prevalent the APOL1 gene is in the African American community,” McConnell-Brent said.
Early diagnosis of AMKD can keep your kidneys working longer, delaying the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.
If you have kidney damage, symptoms may not occur until your kidneys are close to failing. As kidney damage worsens, one or more of these symptoms may occur:
