'Something Previously Impossible': New AI Makes 3D Worlds Out of a Single ImageGeorgian police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of pro-EU demonstrators on Monday, who had rallied in the centre of Tbilisi amid a deepening political crisis in the Black Sea nation. The country's prime minister hours earlier had vowed "no negotiations" with the opposition, enraged by the ruling Georgian Dream party's decision to shelve EU accession talks after it claimed victory in an election they decried as fraudulent. The Caucasus country of some 3.7 million has been rocked by turmoil since the October 26 parliamentary elections, with Georgian Dream facing accusations of betraying the country's long-standing ambition of joining the EU and of moving Tbilisi closer to Moscow. Opposition lawmakers are boycotting the country's parliament and the pro-EU president is seeking to throw out the election results in the constitutional court. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze refused any potential negotiations with the opposition, as Monday marked five consecutive nights of clashes between protesters and riot police outside the parliament in central Tbilisi. Thousands of demonstrators, waving Georgian and EU flags and shouting "Georgia", were on the streets again, including in the second city of Batumi, to protest the government's decision to suspend EU accession talks. Police quickly moved in to disperse the crowds, firing tear gas at protestors, some of whom had launched fireworks at the police, who later regathered a few kilometres from the parliament building. Kobakhidze claimed on Monday that the protests were "funded from abroad" and vowed "there will be no revolution in Georgia". He also lambasted Western countries for failing to condemn "organised violence" by protesters, as they have criticised excessive force by Georgian police. Those on the streets of Tbilisi said they were just as defiant about not backing down. "We don't care about their orders, they are breaking the law every day," Giorgi, 35, told AFP. "We have to stand here and protest against this dictatorship that is coming," he added. An AFP reporter saw several dozen young protestors standing still in front of a wall of masked riot police, singing the Georgian national anthem. Others took refuge in a church opposite the parliament while hundreds were hit by tear gas. Rights groups and pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili have slammed the police's forceful crackdown over the last week. Zurabishvili, who backs what she calls a "resistance movement" against Georgian Dream, said Monday that those detained by police "have been subjected to systematic beatings". The "majority of the arrested protesters have injuries to their heads and faces, broken face bones, eye sockets, open wounds", she said. Authorities are accusing the protesters of turning violent and endangering public safety. Dozens have been injured in the protests since Thursday including demonstrators, police and journalists, according to officials and activists, though the exact numbers were unclear. Some protesters have launched fireworks towards police, started fires and thrown projectiles, while police have been seen charging into and forcibly detaining protesters. Authorities have also deployed water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowds. More than 200 were detained during the first four nights of protest, the interior ministry said. Tbilisi has seen numerous bouts of protest over the past two years, as the Georgian Dream party has pushed through legislation targeting civil society, independent media and the LGBTQ community. Brussels has warned those policies are incompatible with membership of the bloc. Georgia's constitution commits the country to seeking membership of the European Union, and opinion polls have regularly shown 80 percent of the country in favour. The prime minister has said that joining the bloc "by 2030" is still his "top priority", a claim not accepted by demonstrators angry at the formal shelving of talks. On Monday the premier said the government would make "maximum efforts" to join the EU, despite ruling out talks on accession for the next four years. He said he had discussed EU integration with Georgian diplomats earlier that day. Zurabishvili has asked the constitutional court to annul the election result, declaring the new parliament and government "illegitimate". Critics accuse Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, of having steered the country away from the European Union and closer to Russia, an accusation it denies. Russia on Monday defended Georgia's crackdown on protesters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tbilisi is acting to "stabilise" the situation, accusing protesters of wanting to "stir up" unrest. Peskov said he drew a "direct parallel" with Ukraine's 2014 "Maidan" protest, which ousted a Kremlin-backed leader who reneged on an EU partnership agreement. led-bur-jc/juA Roman Catholic priest with links to Texas and Louisiana who is facing criminal charges for allegedly abusing his position of authority within the church to pursue sex with vulnerable women fathered at least two children with victims of his behavior, authorities have alleged. The stunning information about Anthony Odiong surfaced at a bail hearing on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, where prosecutors have charged him with several counts of sexually assaulting women to whom he ministered. Odiong requested a reduction of the $5.5m bail on which he is being held in custody. But a judge denied that request after prosecutors established Odiong had communicated plans to flee to his native Nigeria if he were released – while simultaneously airing the most complete account yet about the alleged double life he had built. Authorities are not interested in Odiong’s status as a father in the biological sense because Catholic clergymen are required to abstain from sexual activity. Instead, they perceive the children as proof that Odiong had a pattern of pursuing women he met in his role as a priest, which is a felony in Texas . DNA evidence presented at the hearing concluded there was a more than 99.99% chance that Odiong was the “father of offspring who was created as a direct result of [a] sexual assault ... committed against a known survivor” in the US. Prosecutors on Tuesday asked Waco police detective Bradley DeLange – who has been investigating Odiong for months – at the hearing whether the clergyman and the alleged victim who birthed one of his children had engaged in sexual intercourse within the last calendar year. “Yes,” DeLange said. “They shared a pregnancy scare in June.” Officials also made reference to a second child fathered by Odiong – a minor the Guardian has reason to believe is living in Nigeria. Both children, younger than 18, were born during Odiong’s career in the priesthood, which began in the 1990s and saw lengthy stretches under the command of Catholic church officials in Texas’s capital, Austin, and adjacent Louisiana’s best-known city, New Orleans . Odiong, 55, is facing a total of five charges of sexual assault in the first degree and two more such counts in the second degree in connection with three separate women. DeLange testified that he had confirmed nine alleged victims of Odiong’s across the US and abroad – and had two others that he had identified as recently as Tuesday morning. There is no indication that any of the three women at the center of the charges against Odiong are the mothers of his children. Nonetheless, prosecutors and police believe Odiong’s progeny was relevant because the mother of at least one of the children gave birth during the period of time that he allegedly committed his charged crimes. He could face life imprisonment if convicted of any of the first-degree charges. While some of Tuesday’s hearing focused on Odiong’s children, other parts dealt with his ability to flee to Nigeria – and therefore beyond Waco authorities’ reach – if given the chance. DeLange testified under oath in a two-hour hearing that Odiong was constructing a luxurious home in his native Nigeria to which he could flee if he were to be granted bail. He also has a wealth of money – including from congregants who still believe in his innocence – that could aid any potential escape from the law. But exactly how Odiong has accumulated his wealth is the subject of a parallel, ongoing financial crimes investigation, Texas law enforcement officials said in a separate statement. Many of the priest’s past congregants packed a courtroom gallery on Tuesday. According to DeLange, Odiong sees himself as above the Catholic hierarchy and has managed to raise substantial funds directly from his congregants through claims of healing and spiritual guidance. Prosecutors asked the detective if he was forcing his followers to donate to his defense. DeLange said it wasn’t forced but did describe the situation as “an abuse of faith”. Some of Odiong’s followers confirmed their aid for him was indeed not forced, testifying on Tuesday that they would be able and willing to contribute up to $25,000 to cover their priest’s bond. “He is a dear friend of myself and my family,” said Rose Ann Vanek, who testified she would assist Odiong financially if he were to be released. While she testified, she grinned at Odiong, who smiled and nodded back. “Thank you, father,” she said. “We love father.” DeLange further testified that Odiong had placed monitored calls from jail to his followers, telling them that he planned to escape to Nigeria if he managed to get out. Citing the content of the calls, DeLange added that the faith doctrine Odiong preaches to his followers – which implements non-Catholic religious beliefs – predicts an imminent apocalyptic “coming of the apostles” in Africa . Odiong intends to eventually speak directly with Donald Trump and advise him on that apocalypse, DeLange testified. A naturalized US citizen with an American passport, Odiong has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. Odiong’s attorney insisted on Tuesday that his client would not be able to flee the country because his Nigerian passport had expired. Judge Thomas West rejected that argument, keeping Odiong’s bond amount at $5.5m. Not every past congregant of Odiong watching Tuesday’s hearing in person was there to support him. Nonetheless, West’s ruling prompted one courtroom spectator to gasp: “Are you kidding me?” Prior to Tuesday, Odiong was arrested within months of the Guardian having published a report detailing prior allegations against the clergymen that ranged from sexual coercion and unwanted touching to abusive financial control. All came from women who met him through his work. Sworn police statements show that Guardian reporting from February prompted a woman to walk into the Waco police department in March and allege that Odiong had sexually assaulted her in 2012. Sign up to First Thing Our US morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion DeLange’s ensuing investigation found evidence to suggest Odiong would position himself as a spiritual adviser to women navigating personal problems, particularly marital ones – and then exploit his closeness to seek sex with them. He allegedly had sexual intercourse with at least one of the women he is charged with assaulting. With respect to at least one of the other victims, Odiong allegedly convinced her to submit to anal sex with her husband despite faith-based conscientious objections to that form of intercourse – and he also allegedly made her tell him all about it to satiate his alleged prurient interest. Furthermore, detectives combing through Odiong’s messages via text, email and social media have said they found digital child abuse imagery in his possession. But they have not pursued formal charges in connection with those findings, choosing to focus on the sexual assault aspect of the case. Texas law allowed authorities to charge Odiong without regard to how many years had passed since his alleged crimes because of the sheer number of accusers involved in the case, even if not all led to charges. Police arrested Odiong at a home where he was living in the planned community of Ave Maria, Florida, on 16 July. He has been unable to make bail since. Odiong was ordained into the Catholic priesthood in the diocese of Uyo, Nigeria, in 1993. In 2006, the bishop of Austin, Texas, at the time – Gregory Aymond – allowed Odiong to transfer into the clerical ranks there and work. After a stint of apparent studying in Rome, Odiong in 2015 gained permission to work within the archdiocese of New Orleans, where Aymond had been appointed archbishop six years earlier, according to church documents obtained by the Guardian. There, at St Anthony of Padua church in the community of Luling, Louisiana , Odiong fostered a large following by hosting special masses, after which some congregants maintained they had recovered from major medical ailments. Officials within the diocese of Austin said they notified Odiong in 2019 that their institution had gotten “complaints ... regarding [his] behavior with adult women”. The organization said it then told Odiong he did not have permission “to engage in priestly ministry in the diocese of Austin, even on a temporary basis” – and “that a violation of these restrictions could necessitate making them public”. The notification to Odiong, therefore, implied that the church chose to keep the allegations against him secret from congregants at the time. Austin church officials said they immediately notified their counterparts in New Orleans about the allegations involving Odiong. But, after one of Odiong’s accusers had reported him to church officials in New Orleans hoping they would at least suspend him from ministry there, the archdiocese’s legal counsel issued a letter as late as November 2023 claiming “we do not have other similar allegations” against Odiong, according to copies of the correspondence that were obtained by the Guardian. Nonetheless, just one month later, the archdiocese abruptly pulled Odiong out of ministry, at last announcing that allegations of misconduct with multiple women had forced the organization to remove him from his role at St Anthony in Luling. Odiong at the time sought to falsely persuade his parishioners that his removal resulted from his opposition to efforts endorsed by Pope Francis to make the church more welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community. Furthermore, DeLagne testified on Tuesday that Odiong was allegedly ordered to return to the diocese of Uyo, though he had not complied with that mandate at the time of his arrest. He also said that Odiong made calls within days of his arrest in Florida, instructing a parishioner to empty one of his personal bank accounts, pack up all of his belongings, and ship them to Nigeria. The recipient of the New Orleans archdiocese’s November 2023 letter about Odiong and her attorney, Kristi Schubert, have demanded damages from church officials as part of an unresolved bankruptcy protection case that the organization opened in 2020 after years of grappling with litigation otherwise mostly related to clergy abuse victimizing children. Revelations spurred by that bankruptcy triggered a Louisiana state police investigation – which is continuing – into whether the church ran a child sex-trafficking ring in New Orleans that inflicted “widespread ... abuse of minors dating back decades” that was illicitly covered up, according to statements sworn under oath by authorities. Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.htmlThousands rally after Georgian PM vows 'no negotiations' with pro-EU oppositionreal casino real money 。

DUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubilee

NoneENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway says any remorse over bypassing Josh Allen in the 2018 NFL draft is quickly dissipating with rookie Bo Nix's rapid rise, suggesting the Denver Broncos have finally found their next franchise quarterback. Elway said Nix, the sixth passer selected in April's draft, is an ideal fit in Denver with coach Sean Payton navigating his transition to the pros and Vance Joseph's defense serving as a pressure release valve for the former Oregon QB. "We've seen the progression of Bo in continuing to get better and better each week and Sean giving him more each week and trusting him more and more to where last week we saw his best game of the year," Elway said in a nod to Nix's first game with 300 yards and four touchdown throws in a rout of Atlanta. For that performance, Nix earned his second straight NFL Rookie of the Week honor along with the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. "I think the sky's the limit," Elway said, "and that's just going to continue to get better and better." In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press, Elway also touted former coach Mike Shanahan's Hall of Fame credentials, spoke about the future of University of Colorado star and Heisman favorite Travis Hunter and discussed his ongoing bout with a chronic hand condition. Elway spent the last half of his decade as the Broncos' GM in a futile search for a worthy successor to Peyton Manning, a pursuit that continued as he transitioned into a two-year consultant role that ended after the 2022 season. "You have all these young quarterbacks and you look at the ones that make it and the ones that don't and it's so important to have the right system and a coach that really knows how to tutelage quarterbacks, and Sean's really good at that," Elway said. "I think the combination of Bo's maturity, having started 61 games in college, his athletic ability and his knowledge of the game has been such a tremendous help for him,'" Elway added. "But also Vance Joseph's done a heck of a job on the defensive side to where all that pressure's not being put on Bo and the offense to score all the time." Payton and his staff have methodically expanded Nix's repertoire and incorporated his speed into their blueprints. Elway lauded them for "what they're doing offensively and how they're breaking Bo into the NFL because it's a huge jump and I think patience is something that goes a long way in the NFL when it comes down to quarterbacks." Elway said he hopes to sit down with Nix at some point when things slow down for the rookie. Nix, whose six wins are one more than Elway had as a rookie, said he looks forward to meeting the man who won two Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame playing career and another from the front office. "He's a legend not only here for this organization, but for the entire NFL," Nix said, adding, "most guys, they would love to have a chat with John Elway, just pick his brain. It's just awesome that I'm even in that situation." Orange Crush linebacker Randy Gradishar joined Elway in the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, something Elway called "way, way overdue." Elway suggested it's also long past time for the Hall to honor Shanahan, who won back-to-back Super Bowls in Denver with Elway at QB and whose footprint you see every weekend in the NFL because of his expansive coaching tree. Elway called University of Colorado stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders "both great athletes." He said he really hopes Sanders gets drafted by a team that will bring him along like the Broncos have done with Nix, and he sees Hunter being able to play both ways in the pros — but not full time. Elway said he thinks Hunter will be primarily a corner in the NFL but with significant contributions on offense: "He's great at both. He's got great instincts, and that's what you need at corner." It's been five years since Elway announced he was dealing with Dupuytren's contracture, a chronic condition that typically appears after age 40 and causes one or more fingers to permanently bend toward the palm. Elway's ring fingers on both hands were originally affected and he said now the middle finger on his right hand is starting to pull forward. So, he'll get another injection of a drug called Xiaflex, which is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment, one that he's endorsing in an awareness campaign for the chronic condition that affects 17 million Americans. The condition can make it difficult to do everyday tasks such as shaking hands or picking up a coffee mug. Elway said what bothered him most was "I couldn't pick up a football and I could not imagine not being able to put my hand around a football." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Intelligence community insiders warn against Tulsi Gabbard as DNI: ‘Serious red flags’Report: Bill Belichick has "genuine interest" in coaching at college level

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Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”DUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubilee

Jimmy Carter, 39th US president, Nobel winner, dies at 100The Philippine bamboo industry has an "enormous" potential for bigger and higher-value exports to the global market, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). "The Philippines' major bamboo species, Dendrocalamus asper , is known as the giant bamboo because of its massive culms and towering heights. Compared with other bamboo species, which are superior in carbon capture and sequestration over many tree species, D. asper has a more robust carbon-fighting capability," the ADB noted in a report. As such, the Manila-based multilateral lender cited that the local variety is "highly suitable for engineered bamboo products, bamboo-based paper, textiles, and biofuels." "Realizing the potential of bamboo as a nature-based solution, government officials have proposed legislation to strengthen the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council, update the government’s bamboo industry development strategy, incentivize the establishment of financing facilities for bamboo forests and enterprises, and support bamboo entrepreneurs in developing high-value bamboo exports," the ADB said. While the Philippines is already the world's sixth-largest bamboo exporter, the ADB pointed out the majority of its products sold abroad consisted of merely low-value, unprocessed poles. "In 2021, investments in the local bamboo industry were estimated at only $1.6 million, with domestic sales of $2.56 million, supporting 10,898 jobs and 5,012 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. However, the potential is enormous," the lender said. "The Philippines can aspire to a greater share of the global bamboo market, which was estimated at $71.6 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $92.62 billion by 2027. With the country's huge residential and commercial construction requirements, engineered bamboo can be a tremendous source of sustainable material," it added. The ADB urged addressing constraints to Philippine bamboo industry growth, including the exclusion as a construction material under the national building code. Also, "the industry continues to be constrained by uncoordinated programs, limited financing facilities, and outdated technologies," the ADB lamented. In this regard, the ADB has extended a $570,000 technical assistance special fund to the Philippines and Nepal so these two countries can harness bamboo for climate action as well as green growth. Like the Philippines, the ADB noted that Nepal's bamboo industry is also "underdeveloped" and small at present, but shows "significant growth potential." "With more than 80 species of bamboo and about 63,000 hectares of bamboo forest, primarily in the Terai and hilly regions, [Nepal] can substantially expand its bamboo industry. However, in 2020, the export value of bamboo products was estimated at only $587,882," the ADB pointed out. To unlock bamboo's potential as a nature-based solution, the ADB urged these two developing member-countries to broaden awareness of its commercial potential; deepen appreciation of its ecological and environmental value; establish financing facilities supportive of enterprise development; incentivize adoption of new processing.technologies; and strengthen their bamboo development policy regimes. Through its technical assistance, the ADB aims to demonstrate bamboo's investment potential as a high-value product for sustainable construction and manufacturing as well as carbon markets; support national strategic plans for its supply chain and industries; as well as deliver bamboo capacity-building and knowledge activities for public institutions and private industry players in both the Philippines and Nepal by 2027.