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Pope Francis takes doctors’ advice to skip Sunday public blessing as he recovers from major surgery

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis, “wisely” following doctors’ advice, will skip Sunday’s customary public blessing to allow himself to better heal after abdominal surgery earlier this week, his surgeon told reporters.Blood and imaging tests indicate that the 86-year-old pope’s recovery is proceeding in an “absolutely normal” manner, Sergio Alfieri, who operated on the pontiff, also told reporters on Saturday at Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.During the three-hour-long operation on Wednesday, using general anesthesia, doctors removed increasingly painful scarring that resulted from previous abdominal surgeries as well as repaired a hernia in the abdominal wall, with the insertion of a prosthetic support netting, or mesh.Alfieri said while Francis’ recovery has been medically uneventful, any extra physical exertion, like rising from bed to move to an armchair to recite the traditional Sunday noon blessing and commentary to the public through a video link, could be risky at this point....

Can a chatbot preach a good sermon? Hundreds attend church service generated by ChatGPT to find out

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

FUERTH, Germany (AP) — The artificial intelligence chatbot asked the believers in the fully packed St. Paul’s church in the Bavarian town of Fuerth to rise from the pews and praise the Lord.The ChatGPT chatbot, personified by an avatar of a bearded Black man on a huge screen above the altar, then began preaching to the more than 300 people who had shown up on Friday morning for an experimental Lutheran church service almost entirely generated by AI.“Dear friends, it is an honor for me to stand here and preach to you as the first artificial intelligence at this year’s convention of Protestants in Germany,” the avatar said with an expressionless face and monotonous voice.The 40-minute service — including the sermon, prayers and music — was created by ChatGPT and Jonas Simmerlein, a theologian and philosopher from the University of Vienna.“I conceived this service — but actually I rather accompanied it, because I would say about 98% comes from the machine,” the 29-yea...

Troops feel the heat, and several faint, as Prince William reviews military parade

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Several British soldiers were overcome by the heat on Saturday as they turned out in woolen tunics and bearskin hats to salute Prince William.At least three guardsmen fainted during the military parade known as the Colonel’s Review, in which more than 1,400 soldiers of the Household Division and the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery were reviewed by the heir to the throne, who is honorary Colonel of the Welsh Guards.The temperature in London on Saturday was due to hit 30 C (86 F).Afterwards William tweeted: “A big thank you to every solider who took part in the Colonel’s Review this morning in the heat. Difficult conditions but you all did a really good job.”The event was a rehearsal for Trooping the Colour, an annual military parade held each June to mark the monarch’s official birthday. King Charles III will oversee the ceremony on June 17.The Associated Press

Boris Johnson’s career spanned dizzying heights and tumultuous lows

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

LONDON (AP) — He was the mayor who reveled in the glory of hosting the 2012 London Olympics, and the man who led the Conservatives to a whopping election victory on the back of his mission to “get Brexit done.”But Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister was marred by his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and a steady stream of ethics allegations. In 2022 he was forced from power, and on Friday he quit as a lawmaker, jumping before he could be sanctioned over lockdown-breaching parties during the pandemic. Here is a timeline of events relating to Johnson’s political career:2001-2008: Serves as a member of Parliament in the House of Commons representing the constituency of Henley.2008-2016: Serves as London mayor, overseeing 2012 London Olympics.2016: Co-leader of the campaign to take Britain out of the European Union, in opposition to then-Prime Minister David Cameron, a fellow Conservative. Cameron resigns after voters approve Brexit in a national referendum on June 23, 2016.2016-...

June bird forecast: Chickadees and Cardinals

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

Bird ForecastWhat to watch for in June: Cheerful Chickadees and Colorful CardinalsHere’s the Central Texas bird forecast for the month, courtesy of Travis Audubon. Learn more about Central Texas birds and bird-related events for all ages at travisaudubon.org or by calling 512-300-BIRD. Follow us at www.facebook.com/travisaudubonThe Carolina Chickadee is a familiar bird in Austin. It is common in neighborhoods and parks with mature deciduous and/or evergreen trees. Chickadees readily visit seed feeders too. They are partial to black oil sunflower seeds. It’s easy to take these perky birds for granted, but learning more about them may increase your enjoyment of these small active birds.Carolina Chickadee with Sunflower Seed COURTESY: The Online Zoo Carolina Chickadees are about 4.75 inches long and weigh about 1/3 ounce. You get the idea of how light these birds are if you imagine holding four sheets of 8.5 x 11 paper in a business envelope with one hand and three chickadees in t...

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- June is Caribbean American Heritage Month. The Capital Region West Indian Association is hosting an event Saturday to highlight the achievements of local Caribbean Americans and celebrate their culture. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Allison Joseph and Francene Gordon, leaders of the organization, stopped by NEWS10 before the event to preview the event and highlight one of the beverages that will be served: Sorrel, a Jamaican hibiscus drink.You can watch the full interview in the player above.

The Potential of CBD for Managing Behavioral Issues

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

 In the health and wellness industry, there’s been a growing interest in the potential benefits of natural compounds. Among these, cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in hemp plants, has been gaining significant attention. Its possible benefits range from pain management to anxiety relief, and recently, there’s been growing curiosity around CBD’s potential for managing diagnosed behavioral issues. Let’s delve into CBD’s potential uses and highlight the importance of ensuring the quality of the CBD product being used.The ABCs of CBDFirst things first, it’s essential to understand what CBD is and what it isn’t. CBD is one of over a hundred cannabinoids found in both hemp and cannabis plants. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), another well-known cannabinoid for its intoxicating effects, CBD does not produce a “high”. It has, however, been studied for its potential calming effects and other health benefits.CBD and Behav...

High school softball 2023: All-Bay Area News Group team

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

All-Bay Area News Group SoftballFirst teamBella Andrade, P, Westmont, seniorBVAL Mt. Hamilton Division MVP helped lead Westmont to the CCS Division I title game. Hit .367 with 14 RBIs. Was 9-3 with a 2.08 ERA. Braxton Brown, P, Benicia, seniorDiablo Athletic League Foothill Division MVP hit .361, belted seven home runs and had 31 RBIs. Had 40 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched. McKenna Campbell, C, Willow Glen, seniorBVAL Mt. Hamilton Division senior of the year hit .581, and hit the walk-off double for the NorCal Division II champions.Alanna Clincy, P Willow Glen, freshmanBVAL Mt. Hamilton Division pitcher of the year struck out 185 for the NorCal Division II champions. California player Kaitlyn Le (left) was a dominant force for the NCS Division I champions (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) Kaitlyn Le, P, California, juniorFirst-team all-EBAL selection helped pitch California to its first North Coast Section title in school history. Went 19-6 with 110 strikeouts.  Paige McLeod...

Safeway bamboozled nearly a million California shoppers with deceptive deals: lawsuit

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

Caleb Haley bought a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream at Safeway in one of the grocery giant’s “Buy One, Get One Free” promotions, paying $7.49. The same tub cost $4 the day before the deal started and dropped back down to that price immediately after it ended.Alleged promotional pricing practices like these by the nationwide grocer are deceptive and illegal, according to a lawsuit Haley filed this week, claiming nearly a million California consumers have been harmed.At its 243 California stores, including dozens in the Bay Area, Safeway illegally jacks up prices on food sold in the “BOGO” and “Buy One, Get Two Free” promotions, the lawsuit in Northern California U.S. District Court claimed, contending that California’s unfair-competition and false-advertising laws make such practices illegal.“Consumers making purchases under these promotions do not get a free product,” the lawsuit against Safeway and its parent fi...

Mountain lion commute? Overpass for wildlife proposed for Highway 101

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:43:29 GMT

A sprawling cattle ranch along Highway 101 near the border of Santa Clara and San Benito County could become home to a unique overpass. Not for cars, but for wildlife.In December, the nonprofit Land Trust of Santa Cruz County spent $17 million to buy Rocks Ranch, a 2,600-acre property near San Juan Bautista that developers have eyed in recent years for subdivisions, hotels and other projects.Instead, the group is working on a plan with Caltrans to build a wildlife crossing so that mountain lions, deer, bobcats, badgers, foxes and other animals can traverse four lanes of speeding traffic on Highway 101 without being hit by cars.A male lion is captured on one of the trail cameras on Rocks Ranch in San Juan Bautista, Calif. (Calvin Duncan/ Institute for Wildlife Studies) That area is a hotspot for wildlife-vehicle collisions that not only rack up roadkill but can injure or kill motorists. The freeway also can block animals from roaming to breed, find food and settle into new habit...