Latest news with #Bruni
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BrightRidge pauses any new data center projects
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — With community concerns growing over a potential south Johnson City site for a Bitcoin mine or data center, BrightRidge announced a halt to 'entertaining proposals for new data center projects in our service area…' Nolichucky raft guides likely to lose 2025 season in Gorge The moratorium includes 'the one being considered in south Johnson City,' which neighboring residents have spoken out against. That opposition has come during Johnson City Commission meetings as the city considers implementing new zoning regulations that would put some guardrails around data centers. Opponents have primarily decried the noise many data centers make as massive fans cool the computers that perform complex computations for everything from artificial intelligence to cryptocurrency. BrightRidge's statement Tuesday says the power provider 'values the perspectives of the region's leadership and the long-term economic health of the communities we serve when considering the feasibility of any new development in our region.' The power distributor acknowledged publicly for the first time that it was considering a data center or cryptocurrency mine for property it bought in an I-2 (light industrial) zone last year near one of its substations. A Bitcoin mine in Limestone that buys power from BrightRidge must close by next March as part of a lawsuit settlement, and the south Johnson City site could have been a replacement location. BrightRidge now writes that 'in the case of the south Johnson City project and other similar projects in the near term, the costs currently outweigh the benefits for the communities we serve.' Sylvain Bruni lives near the south Johnson City site and has been among those questioning both the City of Johnson City and BrightRidge about the prospect of a data center there. The Washington County Democratic Party adopted a resolution opposing 'Under-regulation of Cryptocurrency Mining Facilities in Johnson City' Monday night. Bruni welcomed the news of BrightRidge's moratorium but said the general concerns remain. He said citizens need to know the moratorium's timeline and whether any other projects currently in the pipeline could still move forward. Bruni also said the announcement doesn't 'address the specific concerns that neighbors have provided, that is, x, y and z safeguards need to be in place to address the concerns of residents.' Bruni said BrightRidge may have addressed all those concerns, but he believes the lack of clarity on that points to another major concern he has, regarding transparency. 'Knowing where we are in terms of citizens' trust in their government, and the City of Johnson City and BrightRidge, why approach it with less than adequate transparency?' Bruni asked. 'We need to make sure we hold them accountable, so we will continue to have public meetings about it.' The entire BrightRidge statement is below. The utility said it will have 'no further comment' beyond the statement. BrightRidge values the perspectives of the region's leadership and the long-term economic health of the communities we serve when considering the feasibility of any new development in our region. For this reason, BrightRidge is putting a moratorium on entertaining proposals for new data center projects in our service area, including the one being considered in south Johnson City. BrightRidge is a proud regional leader in the adoption and deployment of innovative technology, and we are fully aware of the many benefits a next-generation data center could bring to the communities we serve. However, in the case of the south Johnson City project and other similar projects in the near term, the costs currently outweigh the benefits for the communities we serve. The site in south Johnson City is zoned for industrial use and retains great value to BrightRidge and our customers as a potential power substation and/or a wholesale electricity delivery point for a future industrial user. For this site and others, BrightRidge remains committed to working collaboratively with community leaders to identify future industrial projects that will deliver economic development, create great jobs, and maintain low power bills to the residents we serve. The data center facility located in Limestone, which is currently operating under a settlement agreement with Washington County, remains on track for closure in March 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Herald Malaysia
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Matteo Bruni: Pope Leo XIV's name choice highlights the Church's mission
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, describes Pope Leo XIV's first message to the world as a call to peace and dialogue. He also highlights the significance of his name as a clear reference to the Church's social teaching in the modern age. May 09, 2025 Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, addresses the world for the first time (AFP or licensors) By Francesca MerloShortly after the announcement of the new Pope, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, addressed journalists at a conference in the Holy See Press Office. 'We have heard the Pope's first words,' said Bruni, words of peace, 'unarmed and disarming.' Bruni noted that the Pope spoke of dialogue, and that his first blessing recalled Pope Francis' message just a few days ago, on Easter Sunday: 'God cares for us, He loves you all, and evil will not prevail". Turning to the name chosen by the new Pope, Bruni confirmed that the decision to be called Leo XIV was a clear and deliberate reference to Pope Leo XIII, author of the 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum . That document marked the beginning of the Church's modern social doctrine. 'In this context,' Bruni said, 'it is clearly a reference to the lives of men and women, to their work - even in an age marked by artificial intelligence.' Upcoming events The new Pope will celebrate Mass with the College of Cardinals on Friday at 11:00 in the Sistine Chapel. The liturgy will be broadcast live. On Sunday, he will lead the Regina Coeli prayer at 12:00 from the central loggia of St Peter's Basilica. Then on Monday, 12 May at 10:00, Pope Leo XIV will meet with media professionals in the Paul VI Hall.--Vatican News
Herald Malaysia
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Final preparations, discussions underway before conclave begins
The cardinals voted to meet again the afternoon of May 5 and the morning of May 6 because many were on the waiting list to speak May 06, 2025 Mass Mourning At St. Peter's Basilica Ahead Of Papal Conclave For New Pope. (Photo: Youtube) By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service As members of the College of Cardinals met May 5, all 133 cardinals who plan to enter the conclave to elect a new pope had arrived in Rome, the Vatican press office said. However, only 132 of them participated in the morning general congregation, a meeting that gives all the cardinals -- those under the age of 80 and eligible to enter a conclave as well as those over 80 -- a chance to discuss priorities, challenges facing the church and the qualities needed in the next pope. The cardinals voted to meet again the afternoon of May 5 and the morning of May 6 because so many cardinals were on the waiting list to speak. Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said 26 cardinals spoke at the morning session May 5. The topics, he said, included canon law; the importance of Catholic charities "in advocating for the poor"; and the need for a pope who "should be a person present and close, a door of access to communion, to unity in a world where the world order is in crisis, a pastor, a shepherd close to the people." They also spoke about evangelization, the challenges of climate change and war, and "they spoke with concern about divisions within the church," Bruni said. Others spoke of a lack of vocations to priesthood and religious life in some regions, and the importance of the family. U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, who as chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church is in charge of dealing with practical matters, drew lots May 3 to assign the cardinals their rooms for the conclave, which begins May 7, Bruni said. Some of the cardinals will stay in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the guesthouse St. John Paul II had built precisely to house cardinals in a conclave. It ended up being where Pope Francis chose to live after he was elected in 2013. Because Pope Francis' rooms were sealed with his death and because the late pope named so many cardinals, some of them are staying next door at the "old Santa Marta," which shares a courtyard with the guesthouse. Bruni said he did not know how many of the cardinals would be at the guesthouse and how many would be next door. The dozens of priests and bishops who live at the Domus Sanctae Marthae were asked to leave by April 30, one priest told Catholic News Service. "I had to free up the bedroom, bathroom and desk in my study. I didn't have to pack up everything in my study, but what I leave gets sealed in the shelves and closets there by the gendarmerie after inspection." "Once the rooms are certified, they are locked, and each cardinal has to break the seal as he enters and takes possession," the priest said. The cardinals were informed at the general congregation that they could move into the guesthouse between the evening of May 6 and the morning of May 7 before the Mass "Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice" ("for the election of the Roman Pontiff"). They are scheduled to process into the Sistine Chapel the afternoon of May 7 and, probably, cast their first votes. In the early evening of May 5, two archbishops and dozens of priests and laypeople, both men and women, were to swear an oath of secrecy about anything and everything having to do with the conclave. Bruni said he did not know the exact number of people directly assisting the cardinals and therefore required to swear the oath, but they included: Archbishop Ilson Montanari, secretary of the College of Cardinals; Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of liturgical ceremonies; and a priest chosen by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is presiding over the conclave, "to assist him in his office." Also taking the oath are sacristans, priests who will be available to hear the cardinals' confessions, doctors, nurses, elevator operators, technical services staff, the colonel and major of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, as well as the director of security services for Vatican City State and some of his
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Cardinals come together before the conclave: Senior members of the church start arriving at in Rome as they prepare to elect new Pope
The eyes of 1.4 billion Catholics are fixed on the Vatican City today as 132 cardinals started arriving in Rome as they prepare to elect a new Pope. The Conclave - the ancient and tightly choreographed ritual to elect a new pontiff - begins Wednesday, with white smoke set to signal the moment the Church has a new leader. They will begin moving into the Vatican accommodation on Tuesday where they will stay during the conclave. They normally stay in the Vatican's Santa Marta guesthouse, which has en-suite bathrooms and hotel-style room service, but there are not enough rooms for them all. In the meantime, the Vatican is awash with purple-robed prelates, hushed speculation, and tightened security. This afternoon, Vatican News confirmed that 170 Cardinals, including 132 with the right to vote, participated in the 11th General Congregation - a high-level pre-conclave meeting. According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, key themes included the faith of migrants, ethnocentrism, ongoing conflicts across Asia and Africa, and the Church's future in a fractured world. 'The cardinals outlined the figure of a pastoral Pope,' Bruni noted, 'with a focus on dialogue and building relationships.' But even before ballots are cast, the wheels of tradition have begun to turn. Roughly 100 Vatican support staff — from confessors and translators to doctors and cooks — swore an oath of secrecy in the Pauline Chapel, pledging total silence about the proceedings under the penalty of automatic excommunication. The cardinal-electors will do the same Wednesday before casting their first votes under Michelangelo's famed frescoes. Bruni initially said today that cardinals would be asked to leave their mobile phones at their Vatican residence, Santa Marta, but that they wouldn't be confiscated. But hours later, at an evening briefing, he said that they would hand their phones over at Santa Marta and only get them back at the end of the conclave. The Vatican also plans to use signal jamming around the Sistine Chapel and the residences to prevent electronic surveillance or communication outside the conclave, with the Vatican gendarmes overseeing the security measures. In one of the most tightly controlled events in the modern religious world, conclave protocol ensures that every corner of the Vatican involved in the papal election is locked down - from the private buses that ferry cardinals between residences and the Chapel, to the meals served by laypeople sworn to silence. The conclave's duration is anyone's guess. Some last a day, others stretch for weeks. What is certain is that the world will know the moment a new Pope is chosen — when a puff of white smoke curls from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, followed by the famous Latin declaration, 'Habemus Papam.' Meanwhile, beyond the walls of the Vatican, the Church continues to wrestle with its present and future. On Monday, the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors issued a stark message to the cardinals: Put victims of abuse at the heart of the Church's renewal. 'Let no concern of scandal obscure the urgency of truth,' the commission urged. 'The Church's credibility depends on real accountability, transparency, and action rooted in justice.' In a parallel gathering, nearly 900 leaders of women's religious orders met in Rome this week to discuss their role in carrying forward Pope Francis' vision. Sister Mary Barron, president of the umbrella group of leaders of women's religious orders, urged the superiors and the over 650,000 nuns worldwide to pray that the cardinals make the right choice and reflect on how to carry forward Francis' vision 'We must be vigilant in doing our part to keep that flame of church renewal alive,' she told the assembly of sisters - some in regular clothes, others in traditional habits. With representatives from 70 countries across five continents, this conclave is the largest - and the most international - ever.
Herald Malaysia
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Cardinals discuss need for hope this Jubilee at ninth General Congregation
The 177 Cardinals present in Rome hold their ninth General Congregation in the Vatican on May 3, Saturday morning, and discuss the Church's need for hope during the ongoing Jubilee. May 05, 2025 Cardinals pray in the chapel at the ninth General Congregation in the Vatican (@VATICAN MEDIA) VATICAN: The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told reporters on Saturday morning that 177 Cardinals were present at the ninth General Congregation in preparation for the upcoming conclave. The Congregation began at 9:00 AM with prayer. Of the 177 Cardinals present, 127 of them were electors. There were 26 speeches made during the Congregation. They discussed subjects including: - A dual task: communion within the Church and fraternity in the world - Gratitude was expressed for Pope Francis, often citing his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium , and the processes he initiated, which must be carried forward - Collaboration and solidarity among Churches - The role of the Roman Curia in relation to the Pope - The service of the Church and the Pope in promoting peace - The value of education - The hope that the next Pope will be prophetic, that the Church will not shut itself in the upper room, but go out and bring light to a world desperately in need of hope (citing this year's Jubilee) Among the recurring themes that have emerged in recent days, Mr. Bruni mentioned synodality and collegiality, as well as: - The Jubilee and the theme of hope - A look at the world, and the thirst and interest it shows toward the Church - A Church that lives in the world, not in its own world, to avoid becoming insignificant - Ecumenical dialogue and mission The Cardinals drawn by lot to assist the Cardinal Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, in the Particular Congregations for the handling of ordinary affairs were announced: Cardinals Francis Prevost and Marcello Semeraro. The third member of the Commission remains Cardinal Reinhard Marx in his role as coordinator of the Council for the Economy. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, reminded everyone that St. Peter's Basilica is organizing the Rosary every Saturday evening at 9:00 PM during the month of May. It was also noted that on Sunday, any Cardinals who wish may celebrate Mass in their titular churches. Responding to journalists' questions, Mr. Bruni noted that work at the Casa Santa Marta to accommodate the Cardinals has reached an advanced stage and will be completed by Monday, May 5. He added that the Cardinals will enter the Casa Santa Marta starting from Tuesday evening, May 6, through Wednesday morning, May 7, but that they must move in before the Mass Pro Eligendo Romani Pontifice. On Tuesday, May 6, the Cardinals will meet in a General Congregation at 9:00 AM and will hold an afternoon session, if necessary. On Monday, May 5, the press briefing to update journalists on the Congregations may take place only in the evening, after the second session of the General Congregation ends at 7 PM.--Vatican News
