Demonstrations

PRAGUE — Marta Kubisova sat in a small back room of the cafe at the Lucerna Cinema, pulled a skinny cigarette from a silver case and rattled a long strand of pearls as she remembered the Velvet Revolution. “The young today do not really know what happened then,” she said. “But that is natural, I suppose. For me, it was a resurrection. For them, it is something in the history books.” Twenty-five years ago, in the full force of the uprising against Communism, Ms. Kubisova, now 72, was thrust onto a balcony overlooking a teeming Wenceslas Square by her friend Vaclav Havel and asked to perform an a cappella rendition of her most famous song, “Prayer for Marta.” It was that 1968 pop hit , whose lyrics express gentle yearning for a nation’s self-determination, that led the Communist authorities to ban her in 1970, making that impromptu concert above Wenceslas Square her first public performance in nearly 20 years. “I did not know if they would remember me,” she said. “But I … [Read more...] about Reverently and Defiantly, Czechs Honor Velvet Revolution’s Anniversary

Hong Kong (CNN) Alibaba says it will launch its own ChatGPT-style tool, becoming the latest tech giant to jump on the chatbot bandwagon. The Chinese behemoth said it was testing an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot internally. It did not share details of when it would launch or what the application would be called. "Frontier innovations such as large language models and generative AI have been our [focus] areas since the formation of DAMO in 2017," an Alibaba ( BABA ) spokesperson told CNN in a Thursday statement, referring to an acronym for the company's research arm that focuses on machine intelligence, data computing and robotics. "As a technology leader, we will continue to invest in turning cutting-edge innovations into value-added applications for our customers as well as their end-users." Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares ticked up 1.4% on Thursday morning. Read More Google's AI chatbot Bard had … [Read more...] about Alibaba is launching a ChatGPT rival too

0 Community Corner Find egg hunts, bunny brunches, spring festivals & more in Sherman Oaks and throughout the San Fernando Valley. Susan C. Schena , Patch Staff Posted Reply SHERMAN OAKS, CA — Hop to it! Spring is here, ushering in the annual season of Easter festivities and spring festivals in Sherman Oaks and throughout the San Fernando Valley and nearby. Peruse our annual Patch guide to Easter fun, bunny brunches and egg hunts, along with springtime gardening events and outdoor fests. NOTE: Always confirm with organizers that events are proceeding as planned when posted. And if we missed your city or organization's event, share with readers in the comment section. Happy Easter, and enjoy the season, from Patch! -------- AGOURA HILLS: APRIL 9: Breakfast With The Bunny & Egg Hunts . With crafts & pictures with the Easter Bunny, too. ---------- BEVERLY HILLS: APRIL 27-29: … [Read more...] about Sherman Oaks Easter & Spring Event Guide 2022

0 This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own. Neighbor News ​Volunteers from Meals on Wheels Diablo Region are never deterred by the weather. They know that vulnerable seniors struggle with hunger... Zoe Broussard , Community Contributor Posted Reply Volunteers from Meals on Wheels Diablo Region are never deterred by the weather. They know that vulnerable seniors struggle with hunger every day, rain or shine. In spite of this winter’s rainy and windy weather, these dedicated volunteers never missed a delivery. “This winter our volunteers continued to demonstrate both their commitment and resilience” explains Caitlin Sly, Executive Director of MOW Diablo Region. “Volunteers are the hearts and hands of our organization. We couldn’t do what we do without them, and this winter they never hesitated to deliver, no matter how bad the weather.” Click to join the team: … [Read more...] about Rain or Shine: Meals on Wheels Diablo Region Delivers

The French, not known for their historic love of monarchs, have postponed the state visit of King Charles III after riots gripped the country. The new king had been due to arrive in the French capital on Sunday, from where he was to undertake a three-day program of engagements designed to soothe relations between the two countries, which have been strained by Brexit and rows over immigration in recent years. It was to have been his first overseas state visit. On Wednesday, in the face of violent protests at a raising of the retirement age being forced through parliament by President Emmanuel Macron, palace sources told The Daily Beast they were “keeping a close eye” on developments in the country. Both sides publicly insisted the visit would go ahead, but on Friday morning, Macron said they were postponing the trip, after a nationwide “day of action” on Thursday saw barricaded streets, buildings set alight, refineries and ports blockaded, gas stations running out of fuel, … [Read more...] about Charles Cancels State Visit to France Amid Violent Protests

Two very French attributes—Republicanism and going on strike—look set to combine in chaotic disharmony next week, when striking French workers are expected to disrupt King Charles ’ long-planned visit to the country. Buckingham Palace sources told The Daily Beast they were keeping “a close eye on the situation” after millions of non-union and union members downed tools this week. The widespread protests have been triggered by a rise in retirement age forced through by President Emmanuel Macron’s government. Charles is due to arrive in Paris on Sunday for his first official overseas visit since acceding to the throne. The gesture of affection for the ancient enemy, after several years in which relations have been strained by Brexit, appears to have been met with a less than rapturous response by union bosses. “Charles III, we are going to welcome him with a good old general strike ,” Olivier Besancenot, of the far-left New Anti-Capitalist Party, said in an interview with … [Read more...] about King Charles’ Visit to France Imperiled by Violent Strikes, Sources Say