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Pope Francis says former pope Benedict ‘very sick,’ asks for prayers
Former pope Benedict, 95, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to step down, is “very sick,” his successor Pope Francis said on Wednesday. “I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the church,” Francis said in a surprise…
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More snow in store for Buffalo after blizzard ‘for the ages’
Storm-battered Buffalo braced Tuesday for fresh snow while still striving to recover from an epic blizzard that killed at least 34 people, stranded others in cars for days and shuttered the city’s airport. The National Weather Service predicted that as much as 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimetres) of snow could fall Tuesday in Erie…
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South Korea ends ban on imported sex dolls
South Korea has formally ended a ban on the import of full-body sex dolls, ending years of debate over how much the government can interfere in private life. Although there are no laws or regulations banning the import of sex dolls, hundreds and perhaps thousands have been seized by the customs, which cited a clause…
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Winter Storm: Americans and Canadians face mass outages on Christmas Day
More than one million Americans and Canadians are facing Christmas Day without power as a massive winter storm continues to pummel North America. A bomb cyclone, when atmospheric pressure plummets, has brought snow, strong winds and freezing temperatures. Nearly 250 million are affected, and at least 19 deaths have been linked to the storm that…
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King Charles pays tribute to late mother, champions Elizabeth’s ‘faith in people’ in 1st Christmas address
King Charles paid tribute to his late mother Queen Elizabeth in his first Christmas address as monarch, championing her belief in community and those who embrace it in trying times. “Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones,” Charles said from the St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.…
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Canadian PM, the family, headed to Jamaica for weeklong vacation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is heading to Jamaica after Christmas for a one-week vacation with his immediate family. The Prime Minister’s Office says Trudeau will remain in constant contact with Ottawa during the trip and continue to be briefed and updated on issues. The Prime Minister’s office also said it checked with the federal ethics…
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Pele’s family gathers at hospital in Sao Paulo
Family members of Brazilian soccer great Pele are gathering at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo where the 82-year-old global icon has been since the end of November. Doctors said earlier this week that Pele’s cancer had advanced, adding the three-time World Cup winner is under “elevated care” related to “kidney and cardiac dysfunctions.”…
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FIFA investigating Bae’s ‘undue access’ at World Cup
FIFA is investigating how celebrity chef Salt Bae and a number of other people gained “undue access” to the pitch at the end of the World Cup final in Qatar. Salt Bae, the Turkish chef whose real name is Nusret Gokce, was pictured holding and kissing the World Cup trophy while celebrating with Argentina players…
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N.Y. bishop robbed during livestreamed service is arrested on fraud and extortion charges
The New York City bishop who was robbed of around $1 million in jewelry during a livestreamed service in July was arrested Monday morning and is facing fraud and extortion charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office. Lamor Whitehead, who leads Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries church in Brooklyn’s Canarsie neighborhood, was charged with two…
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Antigua and Barbuda diplomats discuss major priorities
On the margins of the 2022 Effective Development Cooperation Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, Ambassador Walton Webson, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations in New York, paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Boris Latour, Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations Office in Geneva, and Ambassador Colin Murdoch, Permanent…
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Woman arrested after breaking into Robert De Niro’s home, trying to steal Xmas gifts: reports
It’s not just the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas. A 30-year-old woman was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning when she was caught attempting to steal Christmas presents from under Robert De Niro‘s tree in his Manhattan townhouse, local police reported. According to The Associated Press, officers from the New York Police…