All posts tagged: blessing

Peruvian shamans perform a blessing ritual ahead of a presidential runoff

Peruvian shamans perform a blessing ritual ahead of a presidential runoff

Published by Sam Flores

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peruvian shamans gathered on Monday for a blessing ritual for the two candidates in the country’s presidential runoff next weekend, a decisive vote for the South American country that has seen a revolving door of presidents kicked out of office over corruption scandals. The ritual is a tradition at the start of every year and before elections. The shamans gathered by the sea on Herradura Beach in the Chorrillos district in Lima, Peru’s capital, holding up posters of the two candidates. The two — Keiko Fujimori, the conservative daughter of disgraced former President Alberto Fujimori, and Roberto Sánchez, a nationalist congressman and former minister — are neck and neck in the polls and will face off on Sunday. Fujimori garnered just over 17% of the votes while Sánchez got about 12% in a crowded field of candidates in the first round of voting in April. That round was mired in logistical problems that left thousands in Peru and abroad unable to cast ballots. It then took weeks for the country’s electoral …

Mourinho Receives Arbeloa’s Blessing Amid Talk of Return to Real Madrid

Mourinho Receives Arbeloa’s Blessing Amid Talk of Return to Real Madrid

Published by Sam Flores

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid’s Álvaro Arbeloa gave his blessing to former boss José Mourinho on Saturday amid intense speculation that the Portuguese coach is set to replace him and start a second stint at the European powerhouse. Speaking like a coach who knows his days are numbered, Arbeloa told reporters in Madrid on Saturday that “if he (Mourinho) is the one who is here next season, I will be happy to see him back home.” Arbeloa played for Madrid when Mourinho was in charge from 2010-2013, a tumultuous time in which Madrid won Spanish league and Copa del Rey titles but was overshadowed by Pep Guardiola’s great Barcelona side. Mourinho’s abrasive attitude to opponents like Guardiola as well as some of his own players turned off many in Spain. He also had his faithful backers, like Arbeloa and some hardcore fans. The Madrid sports papers are rife with rumors that Mourinho is the leading candidate to replace Arbeloa, who was always seen as an interim coach after he was promoted from the club’s …

With US blessing, Israel expels Spain from Gaza military strategy center

With US blessing, Israel expels Spain from Gaza military strategy center

Published by Sam Flores

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Friday he was ousting Spain from the U.S.-led civil-military strategy center, in charge of maintaining peace in Gaza, following persistent criticism from Spain of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.  “Israel will not remain silent in the face of those who attack us,” Netanyahu said in a video message posted… Source link

Joni Mitchell Calls Mark Carney a Blessing

Joni Mitchell Calls Mark Carney a Blessing

Published by Daniella Wilson

Legendary folk singer and songwriter Joni Mitchell made a rare public appearance in Canada at the Juno Awards on Sunday night, where she received a lifetime achievement award. Canadian-born Mitchell appeared on stage at her country’s music awards alongside the country’s prime minister, Mark Carney, whom she praised. “I’m so glad to be back in Canada. This man is a blessing. You guys are so fortunate,” she added in tribute to Carney while he was at her side on stage in Hamilton, Ontario. Mitchell, who lives in Los Angeles, added in a note of contrast: “I’m living in the States and you know what’s happening there.” The legendary musician while on stage also recalled a decade earlier when she “had a (brain) aneurysm, which changed my life. Oddly, for the better. I went into a coma, which helped me to quit smoking. And my house filled up with the most wonderful nurses. I was, on the road with men for years and years; now I live with a house full of women. So my life …

Christina Applegate on life with multiple sclerosis: ‘I won’t lie and say any of this is a blessing’ | Autobiography and memoir

Christina Applegate on life with multiple sclerosis: ‘I won’t lie and say any of this is a blessing’ | Autobiography and memoir

Published by Sam Flores

In 2021 I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. MS attacks your nervous system and slows down your functions – your respiratory system, your organs, everything. The disease eats away at all the things we take for granted. Some of us with MS have a raft of pain; some don’t. I have a lot of it. When I wake up, I often can’t get my arm to move far enough to grab the cup of water by my bed or my phone from its charger. I have infusions every six months to slow the disease’s progress, but those infusions kill all my B cells [a type of white blood cell that makes antibodies], making me prone to infection. My stomach frequently slows to a halt, leaving me to rush to the emergency room in agony. Most days, simply walking across the room feels like scaling a mountain. One of the worst side-effects of the illness is the exhaustion. It feels as though I’ve been on a three‑day sleepless bender – and that’s how I feel after …

The Wanted star Max George explains why heart condition has been ‘a blessing’

The Wanted star Max George explains why heart condition has been ‘a blessing’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Singer Max George has described his serious heart condition as “a blessing in ways,” revealing how the experience has spurred him to champion charity work and raise vital awareness as part of his ongoing recovery. The 37-year-old was hospitalised in December 2024, where doctors identified a 2:1 block on his heart. His heart rate was not improving, necessitating urgent surgery. He was fitted with a pacemaker that same week, an event he candidly described as a “shock.” Since then, George has been on the mend, even returning to the stage with his duo, The Wanted 2.0, last year. He is now actively supporting a new campaign by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), aiming to increase public understanding of individuals living with heart conditions. Speaking to the Press Association, the singer reflected on the “really rewarding” experience of discussing his condition with others. George …

Rolling Stones dispute Melania producer’s claim Mick Jagger ‘gave blessing’ for song to be used in documentary

Rolling Stones dispute Melania producer’s claim Mick Jagger ‘gave blessing’ for song to be used in documentary

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the inside track from Roisin O’Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This A representative for the Rolling Stones has disputed a claim by the producer behind the Melania documentary, that the rock band were personally involved in approving the film’s use of their song “Gimme Shelter”. Released in January by Amazon MGM studios, Melania follows the US first lady in the weeks leading up to her husband Donald Trump’s second inauguration. The film was widely panned by critics, while it also attracted controversy as Radiohead musician Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson. Both condemned the use of the score for 2017 movie Phantom Thread, which Greenwood composed, in the soundtrack. The Guardian reports that a source close to Mick Jagger has now cast doubt on producer Mark Beckman’s claim that his team was closely involved with the singer over the use of the Stones’ music. “We worked very close with them on that,” Beckman …

For open-source programs, AI coding tools are a mixed blessing

For open-source programs, AI coding tools are a mixed blessing

Published by skeptic

A world that runs on increasingly powerful AI coding tools is one where software creation is cheap — or so the thinking goes — leaving little room for traditional software companies. As one analyst report put it, “vibe coding will allow startups to replicate the features of complex SaaS platforms.” Cue the hand-wringing and declarations that software companies are doomed. Open-source software projects that use agents to paper over long-standing resource constraints should logically be among the first to benefit from the era of cheap code. But that equation just doesn’t quite stick. In practice, the impact of AI coding tools on open source software has been far more mixed. AI coding tools have caused as many problems as they have solved, according to industry experts. The easy-to-use and accessible nature of AI coding tools has enabled a flood of bad code that threatens to overwhelm projects. Building new features is easier than ever, but maintaining them is just as hard and threatens to further fragment software ecosystems. The result is a more complicated story …