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Twitter keeps confusing rockets for intimate content because of the platform’s reliance on machine learning tools, an ex-employee says

January 5, 2023 Published by

Business Insider 

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk beside a Falcon 9 launch.

REUTERS/Mike Brown/Getty Images

An ex-Twitter worker told Quartz the firm keeps misidentifying photos of rockets as intimate media.
They said relying more on machine learning tools and less on humans can lead to more errors.
Twitter flagged rocket videos from some news accounts as “intimate” and suspended their accounts.

A former Twitter employee said Elon Musk’s company keeps mistaking photos of rockets as intimate content because of the platform’s reliance on machine learning tools, per Quartz.

The confusion resulted in several Twitter accounts posting about rocket launches getting suspended from the platform.

Quartz interviewed an anonymous ex-employee who used to work on Twitter’s content moderation systems. They told the outlet the tools had been known to misidentify appropriate pictures for pornographic content. This could include, for example, a pedicure photo that contains lots of flesh-colored pixels.

“You can imagine how a rocket might be misidentified,” the former worker told Quartz.

A Twitter account can be suspended when the tools are 95% certain that the post has broken the platform’s rules, the former Twitter content moderator added.

They said in the report that if Twitter wanted to rely less on human moderators, it could reduce the precision thresholds of the machine learning tools, which distinguish sensitive content, without flagging every post as inappropriate.

“The downside of doing so is an increase in the rate of errors — in essence, more incorrect censorship,” the former employee told Quartz.

Since Musk acquired Twitter in late October, the company laid off around half of its workforce, including some staff in charge of moderating content on the site.

Spaceflight Now, along with Michael Baylor, who livestreams launches for NASASpaceflight, and Starbase Watcher, which tracks activity at SpaceX’s Texas facility, were all locked out of their accounts after posting content about a SpaceX launch on Tuesday.

Spaceflight photographer John Kraus said his account was also suspended after he shared a video of NASA’s Artemis I launch. All four accounts have since been unlocked.

According to a screenshot seen by Insider, Twitter flagged Spaceflight Now’s tweet as “violating our rules against posting or sharing privately produced/distributed intimate media of someone without their express consent.”

Similarly, Starbase Watcher said its account was suspended because Twitter claimed that one of its tweets contained intimate content.

In response to a tweet by Baylor’s colleague about his account being suspended, Musk replied “seems like our image recognition needs some work!”

The mix-up hasn’t just happened under Musk’s leadership. Previously, an astronomer was locked out of her Twitter account for months after a video of a meteor she posted was flagged as “intimate content,” per the BBC.

Twitter didn’t immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment made outside of normal US working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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‘Do me a favor and don’t follow too close’: New video shows traffic stop involving Idaho stabbings suspect

January 5, 2023 Published by

Just In | The Hill 

HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. (WXIN) – Police released new video Wednesday of a traffic stop involving a man charged in connection with a quadruple murder in Idaho.

A Hancock County sheriff’s deputy stopped Bryan Kohberger and his father for allegedly tailgating on I-70 eastbound through Indiana, saying their white Hyundai Elantra was following a van too closely.

Kohberger and his father were making the 2,500-mile drive from Washington state to Pennsylvania for the holidays. His father had flown to Washington in order to accompany his son on the drive, Kohberger’s attorney, Jason LaBar, said.

They were stopped twice by authorities while on the road.

The first stop happened around 10:41 a.m. on Dec. 15, according to body camera footage provided by the sheriff’s office.


Police in Indiana stopped Idaho murder suspect for traffic violation during cross-country trip

The deputy asked for Kohberger’s driver’s license and informed him and his father that they were “right up on that van” and had been pulled over for tailgating.

Kohberger and his father told the deputy they were heading to Pennsylvania from Washington State University and had been driving “for hours.” They also referenced an incident in Pullman, Washington, in which a man died in a SWAT standoff.

The incident, unrelated to the Kohbergers or the Idaho slayings, happened on Dec. 14.

The exchange is cordial, with Kohberger telling the deputy he works for Washington State University and was pursuing his PhD.

“Do me a favor and don’t follow too close,” the deputy said before returning Kohberger’s driver’s license and sending the pair on their way with a warning. The two were stopped less than 10 minutes later, again for following too closely, according to Indiana State Police.

The responding state trooper in the second stop also released them with a verbal warning. The video of that stop was released Tuesday.


Suspect faces 4 murder charges in Idaho killings, police say

Police announced Kohberger’s arrest in Pennsylvania on Dec. 30. He’s accused of killing 21-year-olds Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen, and 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin in Idaho on Nov. 13. He’s charged with four counts of first-degree murder and a count of felony burglary.

Kohberger agreed to waive extradition following his arrest and is being taken back to Idaho to face charges.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office said it delayed releasing the video to make sure it didn’t jeopardize the criminal investigation into the Idaho killings.

“This afternoon, we learned releasing the video will not hinder the investigation in Idaho and are therefore releasing the video to the media,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

​News, State Watch, Idaho killings Read More 

Bessie Hendricks, oldest American, dies at age 115

January 5, 2023 Published by

Just In | The Hill 

LAKE CITY, IOWA (WHO) — Bessie Hendricks, the Iowa woman who became the oldest living person in the United States one year ago, has died at the age of 115.

Bessie was born on Nov. 7, 1907. She was a teacher at a one-room schoolhouse before she married and started a family. She raised a family that grew to include five children, nine grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and 42 great-great-grandchildren.

At her 110th birthday party in 2017, Bessie told Nexstar’s WHO that the secret to a long life was hard work. She continued crocheting past her 100th birthday. She was also a lifelong Iowa Hawkeye fan and her family says she still followed their teams closely.

At that party, she also stunned friends and family with a verse from her favorite song, “You Are My Sunshine.” A timeless classic, the song was written when she was 32 years old.

Memorial arrangements have not been announced.

Hendricks was named the oldest person in the U.S. in January 2022. According to multiple online resources, that title now belongs to 114-year-old Edie Ceccarelli of California. She’ll turn 115 on Feb. 5.

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Johnson & Johnson Files For IPO of Consumer Health Division Kenvue

January 5, 2023 Published by

TheStreet 

Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health care division, named Kenvue, will have annual sales of around $15 billion.

Johnson & Johnson  (JNJ) – Get Free Report shares edged lower Thursday after the group unveiled plans to list its consumer healthcare division as a stand-alone company with around $15 billion in annual sales.

Johnson & Johnson, which first unveiled the spin-off plans in November of 2021, will list the consumer healthcare division, now known as Kenvue, on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KVUE. The new group will include brands such as Band-Aid, Baby Powder, Listerine, Neutrogena and Tylenol.

Kenvue’s sales for the nine months ending in October were around $11 billion, Johnson & Johnson said, with net income of around $1.7 billion.

The group’s pharmaceutical and medical devices division, which recently purchased heart pump specialists Abiomed  (ABMD) – Get Free Report for around $16.6 billion, recorded sales of around $80 billion in 2021, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Stocks Edge Higher, Jobs Data, Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, Walgreen – Five Things To Know

“We are well positioned to capitalize on this large market opportunity through our holistic approach to delivering consumer health solutions,” Johnson & Johnson said in the SEC filing. “Our portfolio of brands is widely recognized and represents a combination of global and regional brands, many of which hold leading positions in their respective categories. Ten of our brands had over $400 million in net sales in 2021, and we currently hold five #1 brand positions across major categories globally, in addition to many #1 brand positions locally across our four regions.”

Johnson & Johnson shares were marked 0.1% lower in pre-market trading to indicate an opening bell price of $180.00 each.

Johnson & Johnson’s dividend will remain “at least at the same level” following the separation, the company said when it first published plans for the consumer healthcare split in 2021. Earlier this week, the group said it would pay a first quarter dividend of $1.13 per share on February 17, the same payout it made in October, July and April.

Moody’s Investors Service, however, has warned that Johnson & Johnson may lose its coveted triple-A credit rating after the spin-off, given that liabilities tied to court rulings on talc product liability, which are likely to remain with the consumer health group, would also “represent an overhang to J&J’s otherwise excellent credit quality.”

Johnson & Johnson will publish its fourth quarter earnings on January 24, with analyst looking for an adjusted bottom line of $2.23 per share on revenues of around $23.8 billion.

Last fall, the company lifted its 2022 earnings forecast by around 5 cents per share, to between $10.70 and $10.75 per share, with adjusted operational sales growth of between 6.7% and 7.2%.

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[World] Israel plan to curb Supreme Court’s powers sparks outcry

January 5, 2023 Published by

BBC News world 

Getty Images

The planned reforms would give a parliamentary majority the right to overrule the Supreme Court
By Raffi Berg
BBC News

Israeli opposition figures and activists have warned that plans to curb the powers of the Supreme Court pose a serious threat to democracy.

The reforms unveiled by the new justice minister include enabling parliament to overrule the top court’s decisions.

Critics say such a move will undermine the independence of the judiciary and could be used for political ends.

It follows the instalment last week of a new coalition government that is the most right-wing in Israeli history.

Under the plans announced by Justice Minister Yariv Levin on Wednesday evening, a simple majority in the Knesset (parliament) would have the power to effectively annul Supreme Court rulings. This could enable the government of the day to pass legislation without fear of it being struck down.

Critics fear that amongst other things, the new government could use this to scrap Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial, although the government has not said it would do that. Mr Netanyahu is being tried on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust – something he strongly denies.

The reforms would also give politicians more influence over the appointment of judges, with most members of the selection committee coming from the ruling coalition.

“We go to the polls, vote, choose, but time and time again people we didn’t choose decide for us,” said Mr Levin, alluding to the power of judges to overturn laws.

“The time has come to act.”

If it passes into law, the plan could make it easier for the government to legislate in favour of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank without worrying about challenges in the Supreme Court. Israel has previously highlighted the power of the court to rule against it, as a way of blunting international criticism of such moves.

Palestinian fears heightened as Israeli far right heads to powerBenjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s comeback leader

The proposed judicial reforms have drawn a fierce reaction from political opponents and civil society activists.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who was defeated by Mr Netanyahu in November’s elections, said they amounted to “a unilateral revolution against the system of government in Israel”.

The new government was “threatening to destroy the entire constitutional structure” of the state, he warned, vowing that he would reverse the reforms “the moment we return to power”.

Mr Netanyahu’s former coalition partner and alternate prime minister, Benny Gantz, said the reforms meant that Israel had “a government that with its majority controls the Knesset, and now together they will control the court.”

The plans were announced a day before the Supreme Court heard a challenge against the appointment to Mr Netanyahu’s cabinet of a would-be minister currently serving a suspended sentence for tax fraud. If the appeal is upheld, it could pave the way for a showdown between the court and the government.

 

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Texas fires Chris Beard amid felony domestic violence charge

January 5, 2023 Published by

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News 

FILE – Texas’ head coach Chris Beard, left, meets with Tyrese Hunter (4) and Marcus Carr (5) at the bench during the first half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Illinois in the Jimmy V Classic, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022, in New York. Texas fired basketball coach Chris Beard on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, while he faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has fired basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, with the school telling his attorney on Thursday that Beard is “unfit” for the position.

Beard had five years left on a seven-year guaranteed contract that included a provision he could be fired for cause if he was charged with a felony or committed other behavior unbecoming of his position or that reflected poorly on the university.

The charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation family violence carries a possible prison sentence of two to 10 years if convicted; the woman told police Beard strangled and bit her, but later denied he choked her.

Beard had been suspended without pay since he was arrested, and school officials had said there was internal investigation.

The university’s vice president of legal affairs, Jim Davis, wrote in a letter to Beard’s attorney Thursday that Beard engaged in “unacceptable behavior that makes him unfit to serve as head coach at our university.” Whether prosecutors continue with the case does not determine whether Beard engaged in conduct unbecoming of the school, Davis wrote.

Hub peek embed (Collegebasketball) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

Police responded to an emergency call at Beard’s house after midnight on Dec. 12 and arrested him after Beard’s fiancée, Randi Trew, told officers he choked her from behind, bit her and hit her when the two got in an argument.

The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of extreme violence, but Trew issued a public statement on Dec. 23 in which she denied telling police Beard choked her. She also said she never intended for him to be arrested or prosecuted.

“Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening,” Trew said in her statement. “Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that. I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way.”

Trew’s statement did not address why she made the emergency call or other details in the police report, such as bite marks and abrasions on her face and telling officers that she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds.

Beard’s attorney, Perry Minton, has said the coach is innocent, and pointed to Trew’s statement in a letter sent early Thursday to the university in which Minton pressed the school to keep Beard.

“Coach Beard has not done anything to violate any provision of his contract with the University of Texas,” Minton wrote, adding he expects the charges to be dropped.

Minton’s letter also said Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte “has repeatedly reported to our team that he is certain that Chris Beard did nothing wrong — and is innocent.” It also said said that Texas officials told Beard to resign or be fired.

“Your letter this morning reveals that Mr. Beard does not understand the significance of the behavior he knows he engaged in, or the ensuing events that impair his ability to effectively lead our program,” Davis wrote in the school’s termination letter.

“This lack of self-awareness is yet another failure of judgement that makes Mr. Beard unfit to serve as a head coach at our university,” Davis wrote.

According to the arrest affidavit, Trew initially told police that she and Beard they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.” Police reported Trew said Beard slapped her glasses off her face and “choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”

The Travis County district attorney’s office has not responded to previous requests for comment on Beard’s case or whether Trew’s Dec. 23 statement would change how prosecutors proceed with the felony charge. A Jan. 18 court hearing is scheduled, according to online records.

Beard led Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA Tournament championship game and was hired at Texas in 2021 with the expectation that he would lift his alma mater to the same elite level. He had the Longhorns program humming this season, starting 6-0 and ranked as high as No. 2.

Associate head coach Rodney Terry took Beard’s place during the suspension, and Del Conte said Thursday that Terry would remain acting head coach through the rest of this season.

“We thank Coach Rodney Terry for his exemplary leadership both on and off the court at a time when our team needed it most,” Del Conte said. “We are proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who throughout this difficult time have continued to make us proud to be Longhorns.”

The Longhorns (12-2, 1-1 Big 12) won their first five games under Terry before losing 116-103 to Kansas State on Tuesday.

A Texas graduate, Beard spent 10 seasons at Texas Tech as an assistant under Bob Knight from 2001-2011, then returned there as head coach in 2016.

He was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders and was named The The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.

His departure for Texas — a deal reached after a meeting with Del Conte that included a McDonald’s breakfast an hour’s drive north of Lubbock — left Texas Tech officials frustrated.

As soon as he landed in Austin, Beard set out to rebuild a program from the ground up, changing the roster and trying to whip up new enthusiasm for the program as he engaged with students and often held comedic “fireside chats” on campus. In his first season, he led Texas to a first-round victory over Virginia Tech that was the Longhorns’ first NCAA Tournament win since 2014.

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

 

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Salesforce is a cautionary tale for other tech companies

January 5, 2023 Published by

Business Insider 

What a year this week has been, reader. It’s only day five of the month, but there have already been more tech layoffs than there were in all of January 2022. I’m your host Diamond Naga Siu, and I’m here to walk you through the latest tech job cuts.

I’ll probably do that a lot this year. The harrowing 2022 trend of slashing headcount has continued into 2023 and shows no sign of slowing down.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced on Wednesday that 10% of his employees would lose their jobs. Vimeo similarly announced that it’s slashing 11% of its staff. This is the second significant round of layoffs in less than one year for both companies.

These past few days are likely only a preview of what’s to come. Happy new year — it’s going to be a rough one. But let’s partially take your mind off this layoff blitz and dive into today’s tech.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Insider’s app here.

People wear protective face masks outside Salesforce Tower.

Noam Galai/Getty Images

1. Salesforce is a fearful example for Silicon Valley. The past year has been dismal for tech, and it’s not over yet. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff announced yesterday that it’s shuttering multiple offices and entering its second round of layoffs within months. (You can read Benioff’s full memo here).

Experts said an unfortunate confluence of events have prompted the tumult at Salesforce: The company’s revenue growth plummeted; top executives peaced out; it’s still figuring out its mega-acquisition of Slack.These are issues unique to Salesforce, but other tech companies have also been fumbling for a while. And the cloud company’s layoffs signal that the tech industry is going to continue downhill this year, as customers cut spending.My colleague Paayal Zaveri and our editor Matt Weinberger break down how Salesforce’s turbulence is simply a preview for a bigger storm. 

Get the full blustery forecast here.

In other news:

Stephen Swintek/Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/Insider

2. Underpaid virtual assistants are the secret weapon for many thriving companies. Western entrepreneurs are jump-starting their businesses by hiring workers in countries with lower costs of labor. These overseas virtual assistants often prove to be a boon to the companies that hire them, but hourly rates as low as $2.50 leaves the workers themselves financially unstable. More on this practice here.

3. Elon Musk cuts Twitter fertility benefits. In his latest cost-cutting method, Musk is reducing coverage of IVF and surrogacy — services he used to conceive at least five of his 10 known kids. Employees told Insider this move is “cruel” and “infuriating.” More details here on the reduced benefits.

4. Work from home(ownership). Remote work has impacted many housing trends. The latest one is home ownership. People are changing their living situations with space and affordability in mind, ultimately increasing the demand for housing. Get an inside look at the rush for ownership now.

5. Amazon is worried people won’t return its money. Leaked documents showed that Amazon economists are worried its invite-only money loaning program will backfire. Internal docs showed the loaning program is set to double this year but the approval process will become tougher. Learn more about the program here.

6. Behind the (financial) scenes of OnlyFans creators. Eight people who create content for OnlyFans gave Insider a peek at how much they make from the platform. In one year, they brought in anywhere from $143,000 to $5.4 million. Here’s a breakdown of how much they make.

7. Even some Salesforce VPs were blindsided by layoffs. Leaked internal Slack messages showed that many high-ranking managers at Salesforce didn’t know about the layoffs. One employee told Insider that managers are “scrambling.” Read more of their internal Slack messages here.

8. DoorDash now picks up packages. The food delivery company is adding another service — package delivery. For $5, the company will bring people’s packages to local UPS, FedEx, or USPS locations. More on the new service here.

Odds and ends:

Withings’ U-Scan tests your pee and sends results straight to your phone.

Withings

9. Test your pee at home for $500. A new pee device wants to make urine testing more accessible. The company said it can “potentially help prevent diseases, improve quality of life, and reduce healthcare costs.” More on the number 1 device here.

10. These North American cities have the best public transport. North America remains largely car-dependent. But cities with thriving transportation still exist. Hop aboard for the full list here.

What we’re watching today:

CES Day 3. Keep up with the latest innovations from the conference here.The funeral of former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Current Pope Francis will preside.

Curated by Diamond Naga Siu in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email [email protected] or tweet @diamondnagasiu) Edited by Matt Weinberger (tweet @gamoid) in San Francisco and Hallam Bullock (tweet @hallam_bullock) in London.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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[World] Pope and 50,000 mourners say farewell to Benedict

January 5, 2023 Published by

BBC News world 

Getty Images

Benedict’s coffin was carried before Pope Francis at the end of the funeral
By Bethany Bell
BBC News at the Vatican

The dome of the Basilica was shrouded in mist as the cypress-wood coffin containing the body of former Pope Benedict was brought out and placed on the steps facing St Peter’s Square.

There was applause from the faithful who had gathered for the funeral.

Pope Francis, who presided over the service, was brought out on to the dais in a wheelchair.

Clergy from around the world were there – cardinals in red vestments, nuns and monks in their dark robes.

Latin chants sung by the Sistine Chapel choir echoed across the square. The mood was solemn and subdued.

Daniele, a teacher, who had met the former pontiff at a church in Rome, told me the weather matched the occasion. “The fog represents the mystery of Pope Benedict, the mystery of death and life. I feel very happy and emotional to be in St Peter’s Square.”

The pope was “an important voice in the church”, Daniele said.

During the Mass, concelebrated by cardinals, bishops and priests, Pope Francis spoke of “wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years”.

“Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom,” he said referring to Jesus, “may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever.”

Some 50,000 mourners came to the funeral, according to police. Official delegations were there from Italy and from former Pope Benedict’s home country of Germany. Other leaders, including the king and queen of Belgium attended in a private capacity.

Benedict’s death brings to an end the era of a pope and a former pope living side by side in the Vatican – an unprecedented situation brought about by Benedict’s resignation almost a decade ago.

In February 2013, I stood watching in St Peter’s Square as he flew away from the Vatican in a helicopter, at the end of his pontificate.

The ceremonies surrounding his death have been simpler than those for a sitting pope.

Over the past few days, some 200,000 people came to the Vatican to pay their respects to the former pontiff, as he lay in state in front of the main altar in St Peter’s Basilica.

ETTORE FERRARI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

An estimated 50,000 pilgrims attended Benedict’s funeral

On the day before the funeral, I joined the long line of visitors and mourners queuing to view his body. Dressed in red and gold vestments, he had a rosary clasped in his white, waxy hands.

There was no display of usual papal regalia like the silver staff, a sign that he was no longer Pope when he died.

But in line with tradition, a lead tube containing an account of Benedict’s papacy, as well as other items, including Vatican coins minted during his reign, were placed in the coffin.

At the end of the service, the choir sang “May the angels lead you into paradise.” Pope Francis placed his hand on the wooden coffin in a final prayer, before it was carried away, to be sealed and placed in another coffin of zinc and an outer one of wood.

It was buried in the crypt under St Peter’s Basilica, where Pope John Paul II was originally interred in 2005 before his body was moved up to a chapel, after his beatification.

While many leading figures have praised Benedict since his death – paying tribute to his theological studies – there has also been criticism, particularly by victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.

The Snap Survivors network said the former pope “virtually ignored the burning problem of clergy sexual abuse during his tenure in office”.

“In his more than 25 years as the world’s most influential religious figure, Pope Benedict XVI fell short in protecting children and adults around the world.”

Getty Images

In St Peter’s Square, feelings about the former pope were mixed. Gaia from Sardinia said that while Benedict had been “a very good pope, I prefer Pope Francis. I think that he’s closer to people in 2023”.

Simona from Monza in northern Italy told me she was concerned that Francis might follow Benedict’s example and retire.

“I’m worried that he is sick,” she said. “And I really do hope that he still has the strength to keep the Church united and to go on and give hope to this world.”

Christopher Lamb, Vatican correspondent of the Catholic magazine, said Francis now faced a new moment in his pontificate but he expected him to continue his pace of reform within the Church.

“The death of Benedict does leave it open for Francis to step down if he wishes but I wouldn’t bet on it because this Pope really has a lot to accomplish in terms of reforms.”

 

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Pope Francis to lead funeral of his predecessor Benedict XVI in prestigious ceremony at Vatican

January 5, 2023 Published by


Rome
CNN
 — 

Pope Francis paid tribute to his predecessor former Pope Benedict XVI Thursday, in a funeral attended by tens of thousands of mourners at St. Peter’s Square.

The funeral marked the first occasion in modern times that a pontiff had presided over the funeral of his predecessor – and the first ever of one who resigned. Benedict, the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position, rather than hold office for life, died aged 95 on December 31 at a monastery in Vatican City.

It was an occasion characterized by simplicity, as per the wish of the former pope. “It’s difficult to have a simple service in St. Peter’s Square, but I think it was,” Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest, writer and editor, told CNN’s Max Foster and Bianca Nobilo on CNN Newsroom.

“You have to have some pomp and ceremony for a former pope, but I think within the guidelines of what Pope Emeritus Benedict wanted, it succeeded very well.”

About 50,000 people attended the funeral in St. Peter’s Square according to Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni, compared with an estimated 1.1 million people for the funeral of Benedict’s predecessor, Pope John Paul II. There were 500,000 people in St. Peter’s Square and the surrounding area in 2005, and another 600,000 who watched on video screens in other parts of Rome.

John Paul II’s funeral was the largest gathering of heads of state ever outside the United Nations. Delegations included nine monarchs along with 70 presidents and prime ministers.

Over the six days between John Paul II’s death and his funeral, an estimated 3 million people came to pay their final respects. Each hour, 21,000 people passed through St. Peter’s Basilica. The average wait to see the pope was 13 hours, and at its maximum the line was 3 miles long.

An estimated 50,000 paid their respects to the late Benedict in St. Peter's Square.

Dignitaries and religious leaders lined the square on Thursday, which can seat approximately 60,000 people, for the ceremony. Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic, was among those in attendance, according to CNN affiliate CNN Prima.

The ceremony was similar to that of a reigning pope but with some modifications. Benedict was named pope emeritus during the funeral, and the language of some prayers was different because he was not the reigning pope when he died.

Francis started leading the mass Thursday morning, during which he gave a homily at about 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). Members of the crowd later took part in a Communion.

“God’s faithful people, gathered here, now accompanies and entrusts to him the life of the one who was their pastor,” Francis said as he delivered the homily.

“Like the women at the tomb, we too have come with the fragrance of gratitude and the balm of hope, in order to show him once more the love that is undying. We want to do this with the same wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years. Together, we want to say: ‘Father, into your hands we commend his spirit.’

“Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever,” Francis added.

Benedict’s coffin was transported through the Basilica and will be transferred to the Vatican crypt for the burial, in the first tomb of John Paul II. The tomb was vacated after John Paul II’s body and remains were moved to a chapel inside the Basilica after he became a saint.

As Benedict’s coffin was carried to St. Peter’s Basilica, many members of the crowd could be heard chanting “Santo Subito,” which is a call for the Pope Emeritus to become a saint immediately.

Francis stands by Benedict's coffin during his funeral mass at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, on January 5, 2023.

Members of the faithful, including Georg Gänswein (second from right), archbishop of the Curia and longtime private secretary to the late Benedict, are in attendance.

At the time of the burial during the rite, a webbing will be placed around the coffin with the seals of the apostolic chamber, the pontifical house and liturgical celebrations. The cypress coffin will be placed inside a zinc coffin that is soldered and sealed, and subsequently placed inside a wooden coffin, which will be buried.

The ceremony is expected to end at around 11:15 a.m. local time (5.15 a.m. ET).

High-profile dignitaries including Queen Sofia of Spain and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are set to attend the funeral, alongside US Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donelly.

Benedict's coffin was carried through St. Peter's Square.

Cardinals paid tribute to the former pope.

Benedict was elected pope in April 2005 following John Paul II’s death. He was known to be more conservative than his successor, Pope Francis, who has made moves to soften the Vatican’s position on abortion and homosexuality, as well as doing more to deal with the sexual abuse crisis that has engulfed the church in recent years and clouded Benedict’s legacy.

The scroll that was put inside Pope Benedict XVI’s coffin, which is a biography of his life and mentions some of the most important moments of his tenure, recalls that he “firmly” fought against pedophilia.

“He firmly fought against crimes committed by members of the clergy against minors or vulnerable persons, continually calling the Church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification,” the scroll said.

His death prompted tributes from political and religious leaders including US President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Dalai Lama.

About 200,000 mourners, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella, paid their respects to the former pontiff earlier this week during his lying-in-state in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The public viewing of Benedict finished Wednesday, before an intimate religious rite during which items including coins and medals minted over his tenure and a scroll about the pontificate were placed into his sealed cypress coffin ahead of the funeral.

Francis paid tribute to his predecessor during an audience at the Vatican Wednesday.

“I would like us to join with those here beside us who are paying their respects to Benedict XVI, and to turn my thoughts to him, a great master of catechesis,” he said.

“May he help us rediscover in Christ the joy of believing and the hope of living.”

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AP sources: NFL will not resume Bills-Bengals game

January 5, 2023 Published by

Top News: US & International Top News Stories Today | AP News 

An ambulance leaves the field with Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin during the first half of an NFL football game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati. The NFL will not resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel), File

The NFL will not resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Both people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the league is still figuring out how to determine playoff seedings and scheduling. The NFL Players Association must approve changes.

Hamlin has shown what physicians treating him are calling “remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the team announced Thursday, three days after the 24-year-old player had to be resuscitated on the field.

The Bills-Bengals game had major playoff implications.

Buffalo (12-3) entered Monday night needing a win to maintain the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Kansas City Chiefs (13-3) now hold that spot. The Bengals (11-4) had a chance to earn that top seed with two more wins and a loss by the Chiefs.

The league is considering various scenarios. A decision is expected no later than Friday.

Seedings could be determined by winning percentage. In that case, the Chiefs would remain in the top spot with a victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday.

The Bills lost a thrilling overtime game at Kansas City in the divisional round last year. They beat the Chiefs 24-20 in Kansas City in October to earn a tiebreaker advantage for the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Hub peek embed (NFL) – Compressed layout (automatic embed)

Adding an eighth playoff team to the field in both conferences and giving the top two teams a first-round bye is perhaps the most intriguing among the many possibilities.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8) are among the teams that would be impacted by an additional playoff team. The Steelers must beat Cleveland on Sunday and need losses by Miami and New England to clinch a playoff spot that seemed unlikely when they began the season 2-6. Adding an eighth playoff team would give Pittsburgh a little more wiggle room to reach the postseason for the third straight year.

“That works for us,” Steelers inside linebacker Myles Jack said. “That would be good. To get another chance to get up in there so it increases our odds. I’m all for it. That’s up to them. That’d be pretty cool.”

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AP Sports Writers John Wawrow and Will Graves contributed to this report.

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

 

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