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Battenfeld: Boston city officials, police desperately need new strategy to combat gun violence

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

After Boston’s most violent night of the summer – in the middle of an important NAACP national convention – city officials and law enforcement are in desperate need of a new strategy to deal with the surge in shootings.Mayor Michelle Wu, hours after the spate of shootings and stabbings that had police rushing from scene to scene in Dorchester and Roxbury, focused instead on her executive order banning fossil fuels in new city buildings.“Week after week, we see the signs of extreme heat, storms and flooding that remind us of a closing window to take climate action,” she said.Wu also announced that the city would be holding the second biennial Roxbury Poetry Festival on Saturday.In her regular interview with WBUR Radio, Wu was not asked about the violence.It’s discouraging that Wu did not tackle the violence head-on yesterday the way she has done with previous deadly incidents in the city.Perhaps Wu did not want to shift the focus to the shootings just after NAACP delegates toured Bos...

Massachusetts suddenly evolves into a high school quarterback factory

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

It’s the sort of thing you expect from California, or Texas, or Georgia.Or, for that matter, anywhere but Massachusetts.But in another sign that times are changing in the football recruiting world, the state has suddenly produced a boatload of quarterback talent.In the classes of 2024 and ’25, some major talents from the Bay State have committed to the most big-time of big-time powerhouse programs. And the party feels like it is going to continue.In the ’24 class, Xaverian’s Henry Hasselbeck has pledged to Michigan State. Marblehead native Miles O’Neill, who will attend his senior year at the Hun School in Princeton, N.J., has verballed to Texas A&M. Central Massachusetts natives Dante Reno of Cheshire Academy, and Ryan Puglisi of Avon Old Farms, are committed to South Carolina and Georgia, respectively.For the ’25 class, Central Catholic’s Blake Hebert has already committed to Clemson.That all followed Springfield Central’s Willia...

At least 20 dead and 27 missing in floods surrounding China’s capital Beijing, thousands evacuated

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — At least 20 people were killed and 27 are missing in floods surrounding China’s capital Beijing, with thousands of others evacuated to safety, state media reported Tuesday.Days of heavy rains have prompted authorities to close train stations and evacuate people in vulnerable areas to school gyms. Homes have been flooded, roads torn apart and cars piled into stacks by the rushing waters. The level of rainfall is rarely seen in Beijing, which generally enjoys moderate, dry summers but has experienced record-breaking extended days of high temperatures this summer. Flooding in other parts of northern China that rarely see such large amounts of rain have led to scores of deaths. Seasonal flooding hits large parts of China every summer, particularly in the semitropical south, while some northern regions this year have reported the worst floods in 50 years. Indicating the level of urgency, President Xi Jinping issued an order for local governments to go “all out” to rescue t...

Scarborough shooting leaves man in life-threatening condition

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

A man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries following an overnight shooting in Scarborough on Tuesday.Paramedics tell CityNews they responded to the area of Pharmacy Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East around 2:25 a.m. for reports of a shooting.A man was rushed to hospital in life-threatening condition.This is a developing story. More to come.

BP profits are cut in half to $2.6 billion as oil and natural gas prices fall

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Energy giant BP said Tuesday that it earned nearly $2.6 billion in the second quarter, almost half what it posted in the first three months of the year as oil and natural gas prices that surged after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have fallen.The company’s underlying replacement cost profit, which excludes one-time items and fluctuations in the value of inventories, was down nearly 70% from the April-to-June period a year ago, when London-based BP brought in $8.45 billion.It’s the latest oil and gas major to see profits fall from record highs last year, following British rival Shell, France’s TotalEnergies and U.S.-based ExxonMobil. Energy prices spiked after Russia launched its war in Ukraine, raising fears about Moscow’s supplies of oil and natural gas before it cut off most of its gas heading to Europe.Energy costs were a major driver of inflation around the world, stirring outcry as households and businesses faced skyrocketing electricit...

India’s northern Haryana state tense after 5 killed in communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

NUH, India (AP) — Indian authorities imposed a curfew, suspended internet service and deployed thousands of paramilitary forces on Tuesday to parts of northern Haryana state after deadly communal clashes spread to Gurugram, a city just outside the capital, New Delhi.The violence began Monday afternoon when Hindus and Muslims clashed with each other in Haryana’s Nuh district during a religious procession by a Hindu nationalist group, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. At least four people, including two police officers, were killed in the clashes.More than 20 police officers were injured in the violence and dozens of cars were set on fire, a police statement said.Tensions later spilled over to Gurugram, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from New Delhi, where mobs torched a mosque and killed a Muslim cleric late Monday night. Police said some attackers have been arrested.There were no reports of fresh violence from either place on Tuesday, but authorities said they had ordered...

Chatbots sometimes make things up. Not everyone thinks AI’s hallucination problem is fixable

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

Spend enough time with ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots and it doesn’t take long for them to spout falsehoods.Described as hallucination, confabulation or just plain making things up, it’s now a problem for every business, organization and high school student trying to get a generative AI system to compose documents and get work done. Some are using it on tasks with the potential for high-stakes consequences, from psychotherapy to researching and writing legal briefs.“I don’t think that there’s any model today that that doesn’t suffer from some hallucination,” said Daniela Amodei, co-founder and president of Anthropic, maker of the chatbot Claude 2.“They’re really just sort of designed to predict the next word,” Amodei said. “And so there will be some rate at which the model does that inaccurately.”Anthropic, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and other major developers of AI systems known as large language models say they’re working to ...

South Glens Falls 'Vocal Point' opening for Foreigner

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- These "Juke Box Heroes" are sure to bring the "Night Life" up to another level at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). "Vocal Point," an a cappella group from South Glens Falls High School will be opening for Foreigner and Loverboy Tuesday night at SPAC. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The show begins at 7 p.m. The show is a part of Foreigner's "The Historic Farewell Tour."

Mohawks win back-and-forth affair against Stallions

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- After battling in a game that saw three lead changes, the Amsterdam Mohawks are moving on to the East Divisional final against the Utica Blue Sox.The Mohawks got off to a slow start against the Saugerties Stallions in the first inning, giving up three runs, but responded in the bottom half with a solo blast from Gage Miller, making it a two-run ball game. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! They scored again in the second inning to cut the lead to one. When the fourth inning came around, Jalen Debose hit a one-run double that tied the game at three. The Stallions galloped their way back into it thanks to Ethan Conrad shooting a sacrifice fly ball to left field, allowing Alex Rodriguez to score, giving the Stallions a 4-3 lead.Amsterdam scored again to tie the game at four but scored in the fifth to take their first lead. They scored another run in the seventh to make it 6-4. Despite that, Saugerties thre...

Siena basketball helps dedicate refurbished court

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:19:30 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, NY (NEWS10) -- The Siena men's and women's basketball teams were on hand at Cheryl's Lodge in Clifton Park on Monday, helping to unveil a refurbished court for the community. Fans were able to shoot around with their favorite Saints, and get some free ice cream. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The court was dedicated to Dr. Bill Long for the work he's done with the CAPTAIN Community Human Services organization. The mission of CAPTAIN Community Human Services supports and empowers people of all ages to reach their goals of personal growth and self-sufficiency, while also strengthening communities. Siena men's basketball head coach and Clifton Park native Carmen Maciariello is happy to be able to have an impact in his community. "For our fans to come here to Cheryl's Lodge, obviously CAPTAIN and Fenimore Asset Management being able to put this on to refurbish a court that the youth of the community will b...