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The Beatles are releasing their ‘final’ record. AI helped make it possible

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Artificial intelligence has been used to extract John Lennon’s voice from an old demo to create “the last Beatles record,” decades after the band broke up, Paul McCartney said Tuesday.McCartney, 80, told the BBC that the technology was used to separate the Beatles’ voices from background sounds during the making of director Peter Jackson’s 2021 documentary series, “The Beatles: Get Back.” The “new” song is set to be released later this year, he said.Jackson was “able to extricate John’s voice from a ropey little bit of cassette and a piano,” McCartney told BBC radio. “He could separate them with AI, he’d tell the machine ‘That’s a voice, this is a guitar, lose the guitar’.”“So when we came to make what will be the last Beatles record, it was a demo that John had that we worked on,” he added. “We were able to take John’s voice and get it pure through this AI so then we could mix the record as you would do. It gives you some sort of leeway.”...

Creative ice cream flavors could make this a sweet, savory, scoop-worthy summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

Travel anywhere on the planet and you’ll find some version of ice cream. Grab a lemon gelato in Italy; a stick of butterscotch kulfi in Nepal; a cinnamon paleta bar in Mexico. If you’re in Seoul, try a “J”-shaped puffed corn cone filled with soft ice cream.North Americans tend to be loyal to chocolate, vanilla and cookies ‘n’ cream, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. We like our half gallons or waffle cones stuffed with the fondly familiar.Still, the world of ice cream isn’t immune to change, and like any culinary domain, it’s evolving. Recent years have seen an explosion of novel flavor combos, unexpected ingredients and new presentations from ice cream makers large and small, food editors say.On the flavor front, there are floral ingredients like rose, orange blossom, lavender and jasmine, and herbal notes like saffron and tarragon. Unusual combos of savory and sweet are another trend.“ Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has an ‘Everything Bagel’ flavor fea...

COVID-19 inquiry in UK asks whether ‘terrible consequences’ could have been avoided or reduced

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A mammoth three-year public inquiry into the U.K. government’s handling of the response to COVID-19 opened Tuesday by asking if some suffering and death could have been avoided with better planning — and whether Britain’s complex, protracted exit from the European Union distracted authorities from preparing for potential threats.Lawyer Hugo Keith, who is counsel to the inquiry, said the coronavirus pandemic had brought “death and illness on an unprecedented scale” in modern Britain. He said that COVID-19 had been recorded as a cause of death for 226,977 people in the U.K.“The key issue is whether that impact was inevitable,” Keith said. “Were those terrible consequences inexorable, or were they avoidable or capable of mitigation?”A group of people who lost relatives to COVID-19 held pictures of their loved one outside the inquiry venue, an anonymous London office building. The first day of public hearings began with a 17-minute video in which people describ...

Waukegan is latest city to reach out to Bears about being home of new stadium

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

WAUKEGAN, Ill. — Another city near Chicago has reached out to the Bears to express their interest in having the NFL team be the home of their new stadium.The City of Waukegan, a Lake County suburb of 88,614, did so in a letter from Mayor Ann B. Taylor, which was obtained by WGN News, as she extolled the advantages of the team moving their home venue to the city. In the letter, which was addressed to Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren, she pointed out that Waukegan is located just 20 minutes from Halas Hall, the Bears' headquarters that are located in Lake Forest. Taylor also pointed out multiple areas of land, including lakefront property, that could be developed by the team for a stadium and entertainment district. Bears say Arlington Park no longer ‘singular focus’ for new stadium The city's location to Interstate 94, U.S. Route 41, and a major Metra stop on Union Pacific's North Line were among other things pointed out by the mayor about the community in the letter. "Our wor...

It's another edition of 'We Can Help' on WGN Morning News

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

CHICAGO — As part of our mission to help our viewers at WGN Morning News, we figured we'd offer some advice on Tuesday's show. That's why we brought back our "We Can Help" segment so that we can give those watching some thoughts on how they could face real-life problems in the everyday world.Robin Baumgarten, Larry Potash, and Paul Konrad answered questions that were posed to real-life advice columnists, then gave their own perspectives on the issues.You can see what the hosts had to say in this edition of "We Can Help" on June 13's WGN Morning News in the video above.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Trump to appear in court Tuesday over charges he hoarded secret documents

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump is expected to become Tuesday the first former president to face a judge on federal charges as the city of Miami prepared for possible protests by crowds that officials said could number in the tens of thousands.Trump approached his history-making court date with characteristic bravado, insisting as he has through years of legal woes that he has done nothing wrong and was being persecuted for political purposes. But the gravity of the moment was unmistakable as he answers to 37 felony counts that accuse him of willfully retaining classified records that prosecutors say could have jeopardized national security if exposed, then trying to hide them from investigators who demanded them back.The case is laden with political implications for Trump, who currently holds the dominant spot in the early days of the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it also poses profound legal consequences given the prospect of a years-long prison sentence. Even for ...

More than 50,000 cases of elder abuse in 2022, Texas DFPS confirms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, or DFPS, recently released statistics on its 2022 investigations into reports of elder abuse or neglect. Nearly 120,000 Texans filed a report of elder abuse last year, according to DFPS. Of those, 85,000 were investigated by DFPS Adult Protective Services staff, and 50,958 were validated. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and Adult Protective Services staff throughout the state are urging community members to continue to play a part in protecting seniors.APS investigators validated allegations of abuse or neglect in 4,468 cases in Central Texas alone in 2022, according to a release from DFPS. More than 3,500 of those cases involved individuals over the age of 65.Here’s a breakdown of confirmed cases in Central Texas counties: 1,364 in Travis County473 in Williamson County393 in McLennan County222 in Brazos County175 in Hays County601 in Bell County155 in Bastrop County“Elder Abuse Awarene...

Greene County's Catskill Mountain Jubilee lineup announced

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

EAST DURHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The third annual Catskill Mountain Jubilee is set to take place from August 10 to 12 at Blackthorne Resort in East Durham. The three-day festival features over 30 musical acts. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The event includes vendors, arts and crafts, food, and non-profit organizations. Blackthorne Resort has an area designated for camping, hundreds of fully functional RV spots, hotel cabins, a swimming pool, and a haunted house.LineupThe Disco BiscuitsTwiddleLegion of Melvin featuring Karl DensonMihali (Solo)Melvin Seals & JGBDogs in a PileSophistafunkDesert DwellersBluestar Radiation featuring members of Moe & LotusBen Silver (Orchard Lounge) & Allen Aucoin (The Disco Biscuits)Eastbound JesusThe Englishtown ProjectThe Frank White ExperienceSpace BaconBen SilverMike GreenfieldLeilaMentally IllHilltopBands of ElsScrollBeg, Steal or BorrowRose GanacheKaleThe Laura Leigh BandEugene ...

Ulster County introduces competition to address the affordable housing shortage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

KINGSTON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- To combat the affordable housing shortage, Ulster County is launching the Say Yes to ADUs! Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition. Through August 15, participants can submit permit-ready construction plans for Accessory Dwelling Units to help provide affordable housing choices for Ulster County residents. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "This program is a unique opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together to address the shortage of affordable housing in Ulster County,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “We hope the competition will catalyze innovative approaches to building cost-effective accessory dwelling units and educate and inspire homeowners to consider their role in helping provide more housing for our neighbors, young and old."The Professional category is open to New York-based teams with a New York architectural license or partnership between a national arc...

Public meeting on Wahconah Park Project in Pittsfield

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:37:57 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- The Wahconah Park Restoration Committee will host a public meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Berkshire Athenaeum, located at 1 Wendell Avenue in the auditorium. The committee and design team working with the city will share an overview of the project. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Attendees will have a chance to share their thoughts on the future vision for an upgraded facility. This is the first meeting in a series of workshops that will be offered to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.