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> Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese pop artist known for her polka-dot designs, dies at age 97 (More) | Scroll through a gallery of her life and artwork (More) > Voice actor Peter Cullen dies at age 85; the Canadian star voiced Optimus Prime in "Transformers" and Eeyore in several "Winnie the Pooh" projects (More) | Listen to over 45 of his character voices (More) > UEFA is reportedly preparing a criminal complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino for alleged financial mismanagement over his dead $20B plan to sell stake in the World Cup (More)

Spanish Museum Heist A group of men raided the so-called Treasure of Villena from a museum in eastern Spain yesterday. The four-minute heist deprives Europe of its most extensive prehistoric treasure, a roughly 3,000-year-old collection valued at over $2M. The robbery took place between 5:20 am and 5:24 am local time, with thieves luring police to a sports center at the town’s outskirts minutes before the raid. In that time, they took all but seven of the collection’s 66 artifacts—bracelets, bowls, bottles, and other pieces made of gold, silver, mixed metals, and amber (see photos). The robbery is the latest in a series of museum heists culminating in a Europol warning last week. Villena's Bronze Age collection was discovered in 1963, when archaeologist José María Soler found the pieces in the town's dry riverbed (watch an archival newsreel; click "settings" for English captions). While the inclusion of two iron pieces stumped researchers for decades, a 2023 study found the metals originated from a meteor.

What Does the Bible Say About Dogs? What does the Bible say about dogs? What roles did they play in the New Testament? https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-near-eastern-world/what-does-the-bible-say-about-dogs/?

We know Christs answer when asked, and even to even before giving gifts to God before the altar and reconcile with their brother, to say nothing of what He declared to Zacchaeus. So my question is, if someone is stealing from you or taking what rightly should be yours, lets say your brother takes over your elderly fathers accounts and drains them before he even dies, do we just forgive and let it go, as your parents fade away, no longer able to understand the injustice being done them? What should a Christian do to forgive and right such a wrong and how far should he go, just forgive and forget, or what?

Dolly Parton may have sung about working “9 to 5,” but the country queen clocked a six-decade shift that leaves behind a massive $450 million empire. Her meticulously crafted estate plan is set to determine who gets the keys to the kingdom — and what happens to the fortune she spent a lifetime building. The music legend’s assets include a 3,000-song catalog estimated at $120 million, an estimated $165 million stake in Dollywood, a sprawling Tennessee property valued at roughly $10 million and, potentially, decades’ worth of personal possessions, including her famously extensive wardrobe and memorabilia. How that fortune will be divided, and who ultimately controls the pieces of Parton’s empire, could remain private for some time. --------------------------------- Seems like a lot of money for a christian singer. I wonder if she left any of it to a church?

Norwegians were gathering on Saturday to say goodbye to King Harald in front of the royal palace, where he lies in state, with many well-wishers remembering his sense of inclusiveness and tolerance. Europe’s oldest monarch, who emerged ‌from the shadow of his well-loved, extrovert father to become a reformer during more than three decades on the throne, died on Friday at the age of 89. Late on Friday, throngs pressed the streets of Oslo under the pouring rain to watch the funeral cortege as it left Oslo University Hospital, where Harald passed away, to reach the royal palace.

The beginning of this episode has Philip and Matthew talking about learning Tora as they walk. Philip shines as a teacher, or what many call a sage. The term sage is used by some eastern religions and some non-religious philosophical groups to describe someone that is wise, enlightened (or highly educated) with a reputation of a strong ethical character. A sage focuses on teaching and caretaking (shepherding). They are not known for leading out in worship or leading movements to reform a religious body or political institution. This scene takes Philip and Matthew to Mary Magdalene and Ramah who also also interested in learning more Tora. The campfire scene transitions as it becomes dark. Philip participates in the discussion as the sun is setting. He doesn't take part after dark. Before the sun sets, the discussion was about becoming famous. Philip points out that it isn't always easy and it creates enemies. When Matthew mentions he has had a lot of enemies, Philip points out that Matthew had protection and those enemies didn't have power. After dark the discussion becomes dominated by Thomas, Peter, Big James and John and develops into an argument focused on Matthew's sin of being a tax collector. That is the part where Peter says he will never forgive Matthew. There are two schools of thought in the disciples in Season 2. One is that of Philip, groomed to be a sage by John the Baptist. The other school of thought is that of Big James, John and Peter. They are fighters and quick to lose their temper. The role of Philip completely changes in Season 4 but it is worth following in Season 2 and 3 and thinking about how that role plays in the church today. In the laity (which are church members that are not ordain clergy) there are some that want to be up front, lead and dominate church board meetings. Those act more like pastor-want-to-bes than sages. Sages do not typically seek the spot light. They tend to hold positions as head of a ministry department like Sabbath School Superintendent, Pathfinder director, men's ministry director, laymen ministries director, prison ministries, etc. They tend to get roped into these positions and would be quite content simply teaching a Sabbath school class or facilitating a small group Bible study. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul uses the metaphor of the church and the various parts of the body. The church needs people like Philip, those like Peter and those like John. In this discussion it is also important to remember that the term pastor is taken from the word shepherd. It refers to a member of the clergy but is a humble title. Some denominations use the term reverend which is a more esteemed title. Pastors sometimes have to rope the sages into leadership roles and help guide over zealous paster-want-to-bes into learning humility. The pastor has a role that is distinctly different from the leadership roles filled by laity. In The Chosen, the disciples are much like the laity of today while Christ was with them. They transition to be more like pastors and denominational leaders after the ascension. Modern chaplains are ordained clergy but many work in hospitals, prisons and military and may be more like a sage than a traditional pastor.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 28 1955 Emmett Till is murdered Emmett Till, a Black 14-year-old from Chicago, is brutally murdered for allegedly flirting with a white woman four days earlier. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1869 Three leave Powell’s Grand Canyon expedition 1980s 1987 HIV-positive Ray brothers’ home burned down African History 1879 Zulu king captured Arts & Entertainment 2003 Britney Spears and Madonna kiss at the VMAs Black History 1963 Martin Luther King Jr. delivers “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington 1963 Mahalia Jackson performs at March on Washington, prompts MLK Jr. to improvise “I Have a Dream” speech Cold War 1952 “Red Scare” dominates American political news Crime 1990 Murdered students are discovered at the University of Florida European History 1996 Charles and Diana divorce 1988 Air-show accident burns spectators Religion 1774 St. Elizabeth born in New York City U.S. Presidents 1917 President Woodrow Wilson picketed by women suffragists World War II 1941 Mass slaughter in Ukraine

Judge again blocks Trump mail ballot executive order in ruling that’s likely to be swiftly appealed A federal judge on Thursday halted — at least for now — attempts to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting mail voting. https://apnews.com/article/trump-voting-mail-ballots-democrats-lawsuits-15cf1ec7dcdb8211bf6b624b75a7f4ab?

What to know about the Lindsay Clancy murder trial Lindsay Clancy's murder trial is in the hands of a jury after a month of searing testimony about the deaths of her three children in 2023 and the psychiatric problems she experienced before she killed them. Closing arguments concluded Thursday in the case, which has sparked debate online and demonstrations outside the courthouse over maternal well-being and the mental health system. The jury was sent off to deliberate at around 12:30 p.m. Here are some basics about the case. Read More.

As midterm elections approach, Republican candidates weigh how closely to align with Trump “AIR FORCE VETERAN. SMALL BUSINESSMAN. TRUMP CONSERVATIVE.” Read More.

Florida grand jury finds DeSantis administration misused $10 million, but no charges filed A Florida grand jury found that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration “misappropriated” $10 million in taxpayer money it diverted to a charity connected to his wife, but it declined to file criminal charges due to a lack of evidence indicating who specifically was responsible. Read More.

Zambia opposition leader sought refuge following disputed elections. Now he's accused of treason Police in Zambia detained the country's main opposition leader Thursday over alleged treason after he handed himself over for questioning after having sought refuge at a United Nations building following a disputed election two weeks ago. Read More.

Parents and teachers in Congo urge delay of school resumption as Ebola outbreak rages on Parents and teachers at the epicenter of Congo’s fast-moving Ebola outbreak are urging authorities to delay the reopening of schools as infections continue to outpace efforts to contain the disease. Read More.

Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emission rules, study says The Trump administration relied on flawed logic to justify scrapping vehicle emissions standards this year, making errors in how it accounted for fuel savings, the price of technology and mileage, according to a new study by a group of economists. Read More.

Meet Microduck Image: Microduck Tech company Hugging Face today unveiled "Microduck," a small duck-like robot that waddles and picks up small objects in its "beak," Axios' Ina Fried reports. The move is an effort to put a friendly, approachable face on a robotics field dominated by attack dogs and humanoids. The $399 Microduck comes in several colors and has many sensors, including an eye-like camera, speaker, microphone, WiFi, Bluetooth and even a small lidar sensor. It will come with several preset behaviors, like following a laser pointer. In sample videos, Microduck was also shown picking up a dirty sock, rollerblading, and recovering from falls and efforts to push it off balance. The target audience: AI developers who can teach the robot new tricks. Go deeper ... Watch a video.

🇮🇷 Meta removed a network of Facebook and Instagram accounts tied to an Iran-based operation that used AI to target U.S. audiences with posts about American politics, Axios' Sam Sabin is first to report. Go deeper.

🇳🇵🇨🇳 The death toll from catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border has reached more than 350, with over 1,300 people still missing. Get the latest.

🌙 Partial eclipse tonight Graphic: NASA Most of the U.S. will be treated to a partial lunar eclipse overnight as the Moon passes into Earth's shadow. The result: The Moon will look coppery red, with a thin sliver left partially illuminated. 🌒 The phenomenon peaks just after midnight Eastern Time, when about 96% of the Moon will fall into shadow. Go deeper ... Livestream.

Dire cyberthreat warning Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and more than 100 other companies warned today there's only months to prepare for AI-enabled cyberattacks, Axios' Sam Sabin reports. Hospitals, water treatment plants and other critical infrastructure will face a swarm of hacking threats as AI makes sophisticated cyber capabilities cheaper and more accessible, the group writes in an open letter. (Read.) 🛡️ The group is calling for "collective action," and urges organizations to secure critical infrastructure. Signatories include a range of cloud providers, cybersecurity companies, AI companies, telecoms and financial services companies, and think tanks. The organizations lay out a plan for how all companies and governments, as well as cybersecurity and AI companies, need to adapt. Organizations need to raise their internal security standards and fix their "highest-risk weaknesses," the group says. They also should "raise the security bar for what you buy, build, and deploy, including AI-generated code." 🤖 Cybersecurity and tech companies must quickly test and build out tools that make "AI-powered defense accessible and deployable for critical-infrastructure operators." Governments need to strengthen channels for sharing actionable threat intelligence, coordinate defense at the local, national and international levels, and fund cyber defense. Frontier AI companies should give defenders access to their most capable response models during major cyber incidents, along with "significant funding, training, and hands-on support." 👾 The letter comes amid a wave of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure, including one targeting U.S. water systems with an apparent AI-generated script. The signatories didn't make any commitments, deadlines or specific investments. Go deeper.

Trump signs order renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ in the United States WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday he is renaming Lake Ontario to be known as “Lake America” in the United States as he escalates his trade war with Canada. https://apnews.com/article/lake-ontario-canada-america-trump-trade-war-3ac58dca0ca83c15605d4dbff146b28a? ps:He can't get anymore pathetic can he? Obviously he can!! Everyday another pathetic decision!!! White House construction contributed to radio problems that let Trump copter come close to jet The ongoing White House construction contributed to radio problems that kept air traffic controllers from hearing calls warning that President Donald Trump’s helicopter was getting ready to take off, so they cleared an airline jet to take off just as Marine One took to the air earlier this month, federal investigators said Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/marine-one-ntsb-trump-reagan-close-call-f2dbe1f79a802508167b1751d79be719? ps:You can only shake your head at every turn with this man who doesn't go by the rules!!!!! 🛢️ The Trump administration is in talks with Venezuela's interim government about taking an ownership stake in the South American country's enormous oil resources.

Exclusive: US Patriot missile stocks in Europe are ‘beyond critical’ due to Iran war, officials say WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military is experiencing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe largely driven by President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, a U.S. defense official in Europe and a NATO official told The Associated Press, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in NATO countries to a potential Russian attack. https://apnews.com/article/patriot-missiles-iran-war-russia-ukraine-trump-09c7d8030a2e11fbd8ee3f7176b3f2d4? Iran scrambles to sustain trade as US threatens to sanction countries that refuse to break ties Iran’s economy, already strained by high inflation, years of Western sanctions and a war that has sharply reduced oil revenue, is poised for more instability as the Trump administration tries to coerce other countries into ending all financial dealings with the Islamic Republic. Read More.

Trump’s Reflection Pool Repairs Reveal New Embarrassment The peely pool saga continues. Efforts to repair President Donald Trump’s botched renovation project have exposed just how shoddy the work truly was. A video shared on X on Wednesday by photographer Joe Flood captured workers pulling up “chunks” of loose blue sealant as they power washed the basin of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The workers could be seen pulling up flaps of the “American Flag Blue” liner with their bare hands, while scraps of damaged sealant were jostled loose by the power washer. The White House deferred questions from the Daily Beast to the Interior Department, which did not immediately return a request for comment. The basin of the reflecting pool was drained once again as crews began efforts to repair its cracked liner last week, according to The Washington Post. Trump, 80, has repeatedly claimed that his peeling pool is the result of vandals who cut a gash hundreds of feet long into its liner, but even his own prosecutors disagree. Jeanine Pirro, the president’s top federal prosecutor for Washington, D.C., dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn after determining that the pool’s damage was likely caused by a “botched installation” by the contractors. The Department of Justice had also dropped misdemeanor charges against three others accused of vandalizing the pool. Trump said that he was “very disappointed with Jeanine Pirro,” adding that she “folded like an umbrella.” “There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!” Trump later wrote on Truth Social. While repairs have been underway, new signs were placed on the fences surrounding the pool, stating that crews were ‘repairing areas damaged by vandals’ and blaming past administrations for tourists being unable to enjoy it. “Since 1922, prior administrations have neglected this iconic landmark, evidenced most recently by more than half of the pool’s pipes being clogged and the sidewalks and granite coping stones being filthy dirty,” the sign reads. “The Reflecting Pool will remain drained while this work proceeds so that it can truly reflect the beauty, dignity, and grandeur of our nation’s capital.” Work on the historic attraction has continued on and off since June, as Trump’s idea to restore the pool by painting it “American Flag Blue” failed miserably. Instead, the renovation spurred the pool’s largest algal bloom in years. The same contractor who worked on the initial renovation, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, was hired again for the repairs, as Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told CNN that “they did a fantastic job.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-reflection-pool-repairs-reveal-new-liner-peeling-embarrassment/? ps:Just pathetic!! Everything this man gets his hands on turns out to be a disaster!!