Latest news with #AngelaSmith
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Newcastle youngsters 'heartbroken' by orchard theft
Fruit trees from a community orchard have been stolen, leaving the young people who planted them project by the D2 Youth Zone group in Newcastle's Newbiggin Hall area, aimed to bring nature into the the group, which includes a number of people with social or mental health challenges or who are neurodivergent, found 15 of the 18 trees had been Smith, a youth project manager at D2, said: "To have all that hard work undone by theft is just heartbreaking. The young people are devastated." She said the youngsters often felt they were "being told they're not good enough" and the orchard had been a way of creating opportunities for them to feel proud of themselves by doing "something positive for the community"."Because of the unusually dry weather, the young people carried 18 10-litre buckets of water each week to keep the trees alive."We had plans to train them in tree care and turn this into a lasting legacy." 'Kindness stronger than selfishness' Newcastle City Council is among the organisations that have partnered for the Hay, deputy leader of Newcastle City Council which is involved on the scheme, described the youngsters' achievements as "truly inspiring".He said: "The theft of these trees is deeply disappointing, but it will not take away from the incredible effort and spirit shown by the young people of the D2 Youth Project."We will do everything we can to help rebuild this project and show that kindness and community will always be stronger than selfishness."Northumbria Police has confirmed it is investigating. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
New European
16-04-2025
- Politics
- New European
Are politicians turning to AI?
Clive Brooke, a Labour peer, wrote to the government earlier this month to ask 'whether artificial intelligence is used to reply to written parliamentary questions and, if so, what is the extent of this'. Have government ministers been using AI to answer parliamentary questions from MPs and peers? It's a question one member of the House of Lords has posed – and the answer's still not entirely clear. On Tuesday, he received a response from Angela Smith, the leader of the House of Lords. She wrote to Lord Brooke: 'All written parliamentary questions are considered on a case by case basis. The Government does not have a specific policy on the use of AI for responding to written parliamentary questions, however staff do have access to AI software tools to support the drafting process. 'All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and parliamentary questions are signed off by Ministers.' Which not only doesn't really settle the question – but the answer itself sounds exactly like it has been written by AI. Are our robot overlords already in charge? If so, Rats in a Sack for one welcomes them.
Washington Post
19-03-2025
- Washington Post
Best friends say they found ‘heaven' — and a racist landlord ruined it
Amanda Mills and Angela Smith thought they had found paradise when they discovered Lazy Cove Campground, a scenic southern Virginia retreat on the banks of Smith Mountain Lake. The two friends had been inseparable since they were 16-year-olds working at Harris Teeter and when the coronavirus pandemic hit, they saw an opportunity to bring their families together in the secluded outdoor area. Mills would be in one camper with her family; Smith would be in one nearby with her husband, Damien Smith, who is Black, and their 8-year-old son, who is biracial.
