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A high-profile French nun is inspiring hope for Catholic women. But can she really bring change?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

VATICAN CITY (AP) — In her years running Catholic youth programs in France, Sister Nathalie Becquart often invoked her own experience as a seasoned sailor in urging young people to weather the storms of their lives. “There’s nothing stronger than seeing the sunrise after a storm, the flat calm of the sea,” she says. That lesson is especially applicable to Becquart herself as she charts the global church through an unprecedented — and at times, tempestuous — period of reform as one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.Pope Francis named the 54-year-old nun as the first female undersecretary in the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops office in 2021. Since then, she has been crisscrossing the globe as the public face of his hallmark call to listen to rank-and-file Catholics and empower them to have a greater say in the life of the church.That process, which comes to a head in October with a big assembly, reaches a crucial point Tuesday with the publication of the working document for the...

AIF: President Tokayev proposes to hold regional climate summit in Kazakhstan in 2026

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined key global initiatives to address humanity’s shared challenges, focusing on the significance of the Astana International Forum (AIF) at an 8 June opening ceremony and plenary session.Climate awareness and Afghanistan crisisTokayev proposed to the global community to hold a Regional Climate Summit in Kazakhstan in 2026 under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations to facilitate dialogue and find adequate solutions to climate change.Referring to the critically low water level in the two great rivers of the Central Asian region – the Syr Darya and the Amu Darya – which could decrease by nearly 15% by 2050, Tokayev called for “more resources to support the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea to prevent an ecological catastrophe in the region.”“Kazakhstan could offer huge green economy opportunities and become a center for renewable energy. However, time is not on our side. We need resources and ...

Emirates celebrates three decades in partnership with Sri Lankan tea firm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

A leading airline is celebrating over three decades in partnership with a Sri Lankan tea company.Emirates, based in Dubai, has enjoyed a successful partnership with  Dilmah Tea for over 30 years.Sri Lanka, which produces around 300 million kilograms of tea annually and is predominantly an orthodox tea producer, is currently trying to rebuild its tourist sector after recent political turbulence.Tea remains vital to its economy and the country is the largest supplier of orthodox teas, exporting more than 95% of its production. Tea accounts for an estimated 65 per cent of its overall global exports.Last Friday \(16 June), food and drink specialists gathered in Brussels for a special event which showcased the best of Dilmah Tea (served to Emirates’ first class passengers).The first tea plant arrived in Sri Lanka in 1824 from China, as an ornamental plant for a botanical garden. In the years that followed, more tea plants were brought from Assam, Calcutta and Kenya. T...

Man arrested for alleged hate crime attack in Azusa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

An Ontario man was arrested earlier this week for an alleged hate crime attack that was captured on surveillance video.On Dec. 23, 2022, police responded to reports of an assault at a basketball court in Azusa's Memorial Park.The suspect, Sebastian Espinosa, 27, had fled the scene before officers arrived. “Through the investigation, it was learned that the suspect attacked an Asian male who was playing in the game, seemingly unprovoked,” said Azusa Police.As the victim was on the ground, Espinosa continually punched the victim in the head and face. The victim was “putting up no self-defense,” at the time, according to arrest documents.As bystanders pulled Espinosa away, he “delivered a final attack by kicking the victim’s head and face before yelling a racially derogatory slur at the victim.” Video shows man kicking, severely injuring tiny dog in Venice The assault was captured on a courtside surveillance camera, police said. The video has not been released.On June 15, Espinosa wa...

Stock market today: Asia follows Wall St lower as US, Chinese foreign ministers meet

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Asian stock markets followed Wall Street lower Monday after the top U.S. and Chinese diplomats agreed to cooperate during a meeting held at a time of friction over an array of conflicts.Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Seoul retreated. Sydney gained. Oil prices fell.Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index lost 0.4% on Friday after the Federal Reserve held its benchmark lending rate steady but warned last week it might be raised later if needed to cool inflation.On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang held what the Chinese government called “candid, in-depth and constructive talks” at a time when relations are at their lowest point in decades. They indicated willingness to cooperate on major issues but did not indicate there was any progress on disputes over Taiwan, human rights, technology and security.“Whether that will lead to any actual positive outcomes still awaits to be seen,” said Yeap Jun Rong of IG in a report. “Any ...

Gunbattle in Jenin: Palestinian man killed, 22 others wounded in Israeli raid in West Bank

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man and wounded 22 others during a massive gunbattle with militants in the streets of the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The fighting was the latest in more than a year of near-daily violence that has wracked the West Bank.The Palestinian Health Ministry said one man was killed and at least four people were seriously wounded in the shootout, but provided no details about the identity of the casualties. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident. Unconfirmed amateur video footage from Jenin appeared to show an Israeli military helicopter launching a rocket during the ongoing army operation. Israel and the Palestinians have been gripped by months of violence, focused mainly in the West Bank, where some 120 Palestinians have been killed this year. The city of Jenin has been a hotbed of Palestinian militancy.Israel has been staging near-nightly raids in the West ...

What to stream this week: ‘And Just Like That’ back, Kelly Clarkson sings, Robert Downey Jr. drives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

Albums from Kelly Clarkson and Portugal. The Man, as well as the new season of “And Just Like That” are among the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.Among the offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists are “The Bear” back for a second helping, Gabrielle Union leading “The Perfect Find” and the Criterion Channel delving into the cliche of the gay best friend.NEW MOVIES TO STREAM— In “The Perfect Find,” Gabrielle Union stars as a 40-year-old fashion editor who hits it off with a young man (Keith Powers) only to find out later that he’s the son of her new boss, a media mogul played by Gina Torres. The film, which premieres Friday on Netflix, is directed by Numa Perrier and based on Tia Williams’ novel of the same name. — Last year saw a number of excellent memory-drenched autobiographical dramas, like Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and Richard Linklater’s “Apollo 10 1/2.” Best of the bunch, though, may h...

Canada coach John Herdman says more money needed for nation to compete

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Coach John Herdman challenged the Canada Soccer Association to increase resources ahead of co-hosting 2026 World Cup.“We’ve got to figure this out financially,” he said Sunday night after Canada’s 2-0 loss to the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League final. “We’ve got to get serious about winning a World Cup. When you play at home, you get a chance to win it. You get a chance to get to a semifinal, a quarterfinals, semifinal, and then get on the road to win it. And we’re not serious. We’ve brought a World Cup to our country and we’re not serious about winning it.”Canada’s men have not won a trophy since the 2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where it beat Mexico 2-1 in the semifinals and defeated invited guest Colombia 2-0 in the final.Canada reached the World Cup last year for the first time since 1986, losing 1-0 to Belgium, 4-1 to Croatia and 2-1 to Morocco, which reached the semifinals.Because they are co-hosts, Canada, the U.S. a...

Middleboro offense leads way to Div. 3 state softball title

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

AMHERST — There aren’t many teams that can hit as hard as Middleborough does when it gets on a roll. Sunday in the Division 3 state final, the Sachems put that on full display at Sortino Field.Pounding out 13 hits and scoring in every inning but one, Middleborough rolled to a 15-3 win over Norton to win the school’s first softball title.“We’ve been one of the best teams in the state, I think, for the last few years and they came out and proved that (Sunday),” Sachems coach Dan Sylvia said.Tied at 2-2 heading to the third, the Sachems took over and scored 13 of the games final 14 runs to cruise to a title.Leading the way was the heart of the Sachems order which Norton pitching never could slow down.Alex Welch’s two run homer in the third, her fourth of the tournament, gave her team a lead it never relinquished as part of a five run third that saw Middleborough bat around. She also walked four times and scored all five times she reached base.“Alex has that power and everyone knows it,...

A spate of weekend mass shootings leaves 6 people dead and dozens injured across the US

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:15:26 GMT

A spate of weekend mass shootings and violence across the U.S. killed at least six people, including a Pennsylvania state trooper, and left dozens injured.The shootings follow a surge in homicides and other violence over the past several years that experts say accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic. They happened in suburban Chicago, Washington state, central Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Southern California and Baltimore.“There’s no question there’s been a spike in violence,” said Daniel Nagin, a professor of public policy and statistics at Carnegie Mellon University. “Some of these cases seem to be just disputes, often among adolescents, and those disputes are played out with firearms, not with fists.”Researchers disagree over the cause of the increase. Theories include the possibility that violence is driven by the prevalence of guns in America, or by less aggressive police tactics or a decline in prosecutions for misdemeanor weapon offenses, Nagin said. As of Sunday evening, non...