The concerns stretch beyond New Mexico, as officials in parts of Oregon and Northern California say gray wolves — the larger, more common cousins of Mexican gray wolves — seem brazen and are killing more livestock. Two California counties declared emergencies in recent weeks and the sheriff in another requested help from state wildlife officials.
Another disappointment came in May 2024,after Italian media quoted unnamed bishops saying he jokingly used the vulgar term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during a meeting. He had used the term in reaffirming the Vatican’s ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and be ordained priests.
This week, DeBernardo looked back at Francis’ legacy mostly with appreciation, even while acknowledging disappointments.“Francis was not only the first pope to use the word ‘gay’ when speaking about LGBTQ+ people, he was the first pope to speak lovingly and tenderly to them,” DeBernardo wrote. “His kind words of welcome to this community, traditionally marginalized in the church, rang loudly around the globe.”It became clear early in Francis’ papacy that he was going to articulate a gentler, more tolerant approach to LGBTQ+ people than any previous pope. The initial high-profile moment came in 2013 -– during the first airborne news conference of his pontificate — with his memorable
comment when he was asked about a purportedly gay priest.Signals had come earlier. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, he had favored granting legal protections to same-sex couples. After becoming pope, he went on to minister repeatedly and publicly to the gay and transgender communities, steadily evolving his position. His abiding message: “Everyone, everyone, everyone” — “todos, todos, todos” — is loved by God and should be welcomed in the church.
On some specific LGBTQ+ issues, Francis initially disappointed activists with his decisions, yet later softened or reversed them as part of highlighting his welcoming approach.
Francis was criticized by the Catholic gay community for a 2021 decree from the Vatican’s doctrine office saying the church cannot bless same-sex unions because “God cannot bless sin.” But that stance was effectively repudiated by the 2023 declaration on blessings.Nutrition experts said that skim and low-fat milk gave kids the benefits of necessary nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D with less fat and fewer calories.
The U.S. Agriculture Department sets nutrition guidelines for the national school lunch and breakfast programs, which serve nearly 30 million students each school day.The nutrition standards are required to meet the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are reviewed and revised every five years. Since 1985, those guidelines have recommended that Americans older than age 2 consume low-fat or fat-free dairy.
The 2025-2030 dietary guidelines are set for revision this year under a joint effort by USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. A panel of scientific experts who reviewed evidence regarding milk fat content recommended that the U.S. policy remain the same.changes in the federal nutrition program after the 2010 law have slowed the rise in obesity among U.S. kids — even teenagers, said Deanna Hoelscher, a nutrition expert and researcher at the University of Texas Health Science Center who served on the dietary guidelines committee.