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Canada’s Trudeau shows up in Kyiv on second surprise visit

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

OTTAWA, Ont. — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a surprise visit to Kyiv Saturday to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and commit C$500 million in new military aid at a pivotal moment for Ukraine.The Canadian leader started his day placing a wreath at the wall of remembrance at St. Michael’s Monastery, looking at pictures of the thousands of faces of Ukrainians killed in the war so far.Trudeau’s show of solidarity comes at a critical time for Zelenskyy, who has been busy appealing to world leaders for weapons and jets to mount a long-awaited counteroffensive.It’s been nearly 16 months since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Progress has been incremental. Canada has pledged more than C$8 billion in financial, humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine to date — and the visit signals there’s more support to come.Trudeau arrived with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. The unannounced visit to Ukraine is both Trudeau and Freeland’s second since war broke out in the co...

Nord Stream saboteurs may have used Poland as base of operations, WSJ reports

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

Poland could have been used as an operating base to carry out the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing findings of a Germany-led investigation.German investigators are examining why the yacht believed to have been used to carry out the sabotage deviated into Polish waters, according to the report. The investigators have been able to reconstruct the two-week journey of the the boat — the Andromeda — during the operation, the newspaper said.The investigators established that the yacht had entered Polish waters by looking into the Andromeda’s radio and navigation equipment, satellite and mobile phones, as well as Gmail accounts, the WSJ said.The report comes after the Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Western intelligence agencies were aware of a Ukraine-backed plan to damage the Nord Stream pipelines three months before the blasts took place. The allegations were promptly dismissed by Ukrainian President Vo...

Boston’s Pride Parade kicks off at Copley Square Saturday morning

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

Boston’s Pride Parade returns Saturday morning as a part of the city’s celebrations for Pride Month.Last year, the parade was canceled because of leadership shake-ups within the Boston Pride Committee.The parade starts at 11 a.m. in Copley Square, and the route will end at Boston Common.

Thousands of bees descend on cricket match forcing play to be suspended

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

(CNN) — In the world of sport, there are many reasons for games to be suspended or postponed.Fans are used to seeing games stopped for downfalls of rain, heavy snow, injuries or even, as seen in recent days, smoke from wildfires.But have you ever heard of bees stopping play?At a cricket festival in Ireland, a game had to be suspended as a swarm of bees descended onto the pitch forcing everyone in the vicinity to hide from the buzzy mob.Players and umpires were pictured lying on the ground at the Mardyke in Cork, trying to avoid the 20,000 bees making themselves familiar with their new surroundings.The bees felt so at home that they even started to make a hive near the pavilion, where lots of the spectators were sat watching.The live stream showing the event declared “bees stop play” as the presence of the bees near the clubhouse meant the game had to be suspended for 112 minutes before it could be restarted.Mauro Dias, who works for local bee rescue service Buzz ...

Trump set to appear at Georgia, North Carolina GOP events | Live updates

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Follow along for live updates on former President Donald Trump, who has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate. The indictment marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president faces criminal charges by the federal government he once oversaw. Trump faces the possibility of prison if convicted.___What to know:— A timeline of events leading to Trump’s indictment in the classified documents case— Indictment accuses Trump of scheming and lying to keep secret papers— A look at the charges, the special counsel’s investigation and what’s next— Trump faces a string of inquiries in various states and venues as he campaigns for a return to the White House— Does the indictment stand to damage Trump’s standing with voters?___TRUMP HEADED TO GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA FOR CAMPAIGN APPEARANCESTrump is set to campaign in Georgia and North Carolina on Saturday, making his fir...

Canada to send more weapons to Ukraine, Trudeau says on trip to Kyiv

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine — Canada will spend $500 million to help Ukraine’s military fight Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday on an unannounced visit to Kyiv, including more weapons and fighter-pilot training.“Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine with whatever it takes as long as it takes,” Trudeau said in a press conference while standing beside Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.“You’re fighting for your country and for values like democracy, freedom, respect, and dignity. And in fighting for Ukraine, you’re also fighting for the future of us all,” Trudeau told Zelenskyy.The visit, which is happening at the invitation of Ukraine, comes amid signs a long-awaited spring counteroffensive against Russia could be underway.It is also happening as there have been wildfires across Canada, with smoke reducing air quality, and after Friday’s resignation of the special rapporteur Trudeau had assigned to p...

Trump’s Congressional allies ready public defense | Live updates

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Follow along for live updates on former President Donald Trump, who has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate. The indictment marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president faces criminal charges by the federal government he once oversaw. Trump faces the possibility of prison if convicted.___What to know:— A timeline of events leading to Trump’s indictment in the classified documents case— Indictment accuses Trump of scheming and lying to keep secret papers— A look at the charges, the special counsel’s investigation and what’s next— Trump faces a string of inquiries in various states and venues as he campaigns for a return to the White House— Does the indictment stand to damage Trump’s standing with voters?___INDICTMENT EXPECTED TO ADD FUEL TO GOP CAMPAIGN AGAINST JUSTICE DEPARTMENTCongressional Republicans have prepared an aggressive campaign against the Justice Department for months, a key part of former Presi...

Children who were stabbed in France no longer in life-threatening condition as suspect is charged

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 GMT

PARIS (AP) — French judges on Saturday handed preliminary charges of attempted murder to a man suspected of stabbing four young children and two adults in a French Alps park, an attack that reverberated across France and beyond.The suspect, a 31-year-old Syrian refugee with permanent Swedish residency, has a 3-year-old daughter living in Sweden, regional prosecutor Line Bonnet-Mathis said. Witnesses told investigators that the suspect mentioned his daughter, his wife and Jesus Christ during the attack Thursday targeting a playground in the lakeside town of Annecy.The victims, who came from multiple countries, are no longer in life-threatening condition, the prosecutor said. The children, between 22 months and 3 years old, remain hospitalized.Police detained the suspect in the lakeside park in the town of Annecy after bystanders — notably, a Catholic pilgrim who repeatedly swung at the attacker with his backpack — sought to deter him.The suspected attacker, whose name was not release...

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

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 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, 23 Dec 2024 14:16:40 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...