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Pope opens big Vatican meeting as battle lines are drawn on his reform project

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis opened a big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church on Wednesday, with progressives hoping it will lead to more women in leadership roles and conservatives warning that church doctrine on everything from homosexuality to the hierarchy’s authority is at risk.Francis presided over a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Square to formally open the meeting, with hundreds of clergy from around the world celebrating on the altar before the rank-and-file Catholic laypeople whose presence and influence at this meeting marks a decisive shift for the Catholic Church. Rarely in recent times has a Vatican gathering generated as much hope, hype and fear as this three-week, closed-door meeting, known as a synod. It won’t make any binding decisions and is only the first session of a two-year process. But it nevertheless has drawn an acute battle line in the church’s perennial left-right divide and marks a defining moment for Francis and his reform agenda.Ev...

Swedish media report that the winners of the Nobel Prize in chemistry may have been announced early

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish media say the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences may have announced the winners of this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry prematurely.Public broadcaster SVT said the academy sent a press release by mistake early Wednesday that contained the names of the winners.The press release said the prize went to three U.S.-based scientists for the “discovery and synthesis of quantum dots,” according to SVT.The Associated Press did not receive the press release. “Unfortunately, I cannot comment on what has been published yet. What is important to know is that the Academy of Sciences has not yet met and there is no decision on who will be awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry,” Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences spokeswoman Eva Nevelius said in an email.Heiner Linke, an expert on the Nobel committee for chemistry, told Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter that no decision had been made Wednesday morning and that if a press release had gone out it would “definitely” have b...

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak rallies his Conservatives by saying he’s ready to take tough decisions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will be out of a job next year unless he can persuade his Conservative party and his country that he represents change.Sunak makes his first — and possibly last — speech as leader to the party’s annual conference on Wednesday, with the governing Conservatives trailing in opinion polls and an election due in 2024. His message: He’s not afraid to make tough choices and big decisions that will deliver “long-term success” rather than “short-term advantage.”But he’s struggling to set the agenda and one of his big decisions has already overshadowed the conference and split the party. News has leaked that he plans to scrap much of an ambitious but overbudget high-speed railway line that was planned to link London and Manchester.Some Conservatives think that’s a bad move — and doing it at a conference in Manchester is disastrous.Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands region, called it “an incre...

Indian police arrest editor, administrator of independent news site after conducting raids

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Police in New Delhi have arrested the editor of a news website and one of its administrators after raiding the homes of journalists working for the site, which has been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist-led government.The arrests were made late Tuesday after some journalists associated with NewsClick were detained and their digital devices seized during extensive raids that were part of an investigation into whether it had received funds from China. NewsClick denied any financial misconduct.Suman Nalwa, a police spokesperson, said the arrests were made under a wide-ranging anti-terrorism law. The government has used the law to stifle dissent and jail activists, journalists and critics of Modi, with some spending years in jail before going to trial. Those arrested are NewsClick’s founder and editor, Prabir Purkayastha, and its human resources chief, Amit Chakravarty.Nalwa said at least 46 people were questioned during the raids and th...

Wildfire destroys 3 homes in southeastern Australia and a man is injured by a falling tree

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Three homes were destroyed by a forest fire and a man was injured by a falling tree in the Bega Valley region of southeastern Australia, prompting a government leader to warn on Wednesday that a “horror” wildfire season was approaching.Scores of wildfires have recently raged across the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania as Australia’s driest September on record and unusually warm weather have brought an early start to the annual wildfire season, which peaks during the Southern Hemisphere summer.Three homes were destroyed Tuesday night by a fire that threatened several Bega Valley communities and razed more than 5,200 hectares (12,800 acres). A man aged in his 40s was taken to a hospital in stable condition after a tree fell on his car on Wednesday morning, officials said.Widespread rain across Australia’s southeast eased the fire danger on Wednesday and brought flood warnings to parts of Victoria.New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said firef...

TikTok Shop Indonesia stops to comply with the country’s ban of e-commerce on social media platforms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — TikTok said it will halt its online retail operation in Indonesia on Wednesday to comply with the country’s decision to ban e-commerce transactions on social media platforms — a big blow to the video platform’s fastest-growing market.The Indonesian government announced the new regulation, which prohibits social media companies from facilitating sales of products on their platforms, on Sept. 28 in a bid to protect small businesses from e-commerce competition, accusing the popular apps and websites of predatory pricing.The Chinese-owned video sharing app said in a statement it will stop facilitating e-commerce sales in TikTok Shop Indonesia by 5 p.m. Wednesday.“Our priority is to remain compliant with local laws and regulations,” said the statement released Tuesday on its website.Indonesia’s Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan said the ban aims to “prevent the domination of the algorithm and prevent the use of personal data in business interests” and &#...

More than 20 Indian soldiers missing after flash floods in northeastern Sikkim state

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Twenty-three Indian army soldiers were missing Wednesday after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in the northeastern state of Sikkim, the army said in a statement.The flooding occurred along the Teesta River in Lachen valley, the statement said, adding that some army camps and vehicles were submerged under watery mud and that search efforts were underway. The army said water released from a nearby dam also caused water levels to rise.Defense authorities told the Press Trust of India news agency that 80 local residents have been safely evacuated so far. The agency reported that a bridge over the Teesta River was also washed away in the floods early on Wednesday. Cloudbursts — sudden, very heavy rain — are defined as when more than 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of rainfall occurs within 10 square kilometers (3.8 square miles) within an hour. They have the potential to cause intense flooding and landslides affecting thousands of people.The mountainous Himalayan region ...

Extraordinary Warmth as Chicagoans enjoy July in October, but big changes loom

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY RUN OF LATE SEASON WARM WEATHER HERE IN CHICAGO. Chicagoans were treated to a 14TH CONSECUTIVE DAY OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS.It's not an exaggeration to refer to the current warm spell—particularly the last four days of it—as "July in October"—-a meteorological "achievement" at a time of the year in which normal temps typically come in nearly 20-degrees cooler!  We've lost nearly 4 hours of daylight and the sun treks across the sky 30% lower than it did back on June 21st.  Sunlight that arrives at an angle and is shining down us four fewer hours than at it peak back on June 21st is weaker and delivers less energy.  So for nature to delivering us mid to upper 80-deg temps is an achievement.Hotter Chicago area high temps Tuesday included 91 at Roselawn, IN; 90 at Channahon; 89 at Hobart and Gary IN, Oswego, North Aurora, Warrenville: and 88 at  Tinley Park, Morris, and Valparaiso, IN.It appeared as the day got underway that record or near record early October temps w...

A Cosmic Celebration: The 74th International Astronautical Congress Kicks Off in Baku

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

In a dazzling display of international collaboration and scientific innovation, the 74th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) opened its doors at the Baku Convention Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. The grand event, held on [Date], was graced by the presence of President Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, and their son Heydar Aliyev, underscoring the nation's commitment to space exploration and global cooperation in the field of astronautics.”A Vision of UnityThe opening ceremony of the 74th IAC was more than just a mere introduction to a week-long conference; it was a testament to the power of unity in the pursuit of the cosmos. Delegates from all corners of the Earth gathered in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to celebrate our shared fascination with space and the limitless possibilities it presents.President Ilham Aliyev, a staunch advocate for the development of Azerbaijan's space industry, welcomed the international community with open arms. In his opening remarks, he...

Best Roulette Strategies: Experts Tips & Tricks to Get the Edge When Playing Roulette

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:32 GMT

 Sponsored ContentIn terms of pure sophistication, it’s hard to find a casino game that’s better than roulette. The elegant spin of the wheel, the erratic bounce of the ball, and the thrilling slide of stacks of chips across the felt.Of course, the game is a lot more fun when those chips are being slid toward you — and for that to happen, you need to master some of the best roulette strategies known to man.Math nerds have actually studied the game for centuries, and there are a few techniques you can use to dramatically increase your odds of winning. Below, we’ll reveal some of the best we’ve seen and how to use them when playing at casinos like Ignition. Ready to learn more about how to get an edge at roulette? Let’s get started.5 Best Roulette StrategiesMartingale StrategyD’Alembert StrategyFibonacci Roulette StrategyThe Parlay SystemDouble Street QuadDespite what many people think, roulette isn’t purely a game of chance.While it’s true that luck will ultimately decide your f...