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OTTAWA, Feb 25 (Reuters) -OpenAI's admission it banned the ChatGPT account of mass shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar months before the 18-year-old killed eight people and herself is drawing more scrutiny to her past online activity and raising questions about whether opportunities were missed to prevent one ‌of Canada's worst-ever mass killings.

OpenAI's decision not to report Van Rootselaar to police prompted Canada's Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon to summon company officials to Ottawa this week ‌to explain their safety protocols.

The shooting in the small British Columbia town of Tumbler Ridge is the latest tragedy in which critics have argued interactions with chat bots may have forewarned of or even encouraged violence.

Crime experts noted ​that while greater scrutiny of AI platforms and social media is necessary, police or other authorities may have missed chances to avert the tragedy. Police had previously removed guns from Van Rootselaar's home, though they were later returned. Police also said they were aware of her history of mental health issues.

Van Rootselaar began the attack by killing her mother and sibling at home, before shooting dead an educator and five students, while two others were hospitalized with serious injuries.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the investigation is still active and some questions are subject to relevant legislation or court processes.

"This was clearly ‌a household where there were many problems," said Patrick Watson, a ⁠criminology professor at the University of Toronto unconnected to the case. "But we also need far more scrutiny of the companies who are creating these new platforms, which are essentially becoming a new public sphere with very little accountability."

In a since-deleted Reddit post, Van Rootselaar said she had been diagnosed ⁠with numerous mental health issues, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and was on the autism spectrum.

"I went crazy and burnt my house down my second time trying shrooms but still have a desire to try alternatives," Van Rootselaar wrote.

Van Rootselaar also previously created a game using the Roblox Studio app, involving shooting other characters at a mall.

Roblox told Reuters that Van Rootselaar's account and its content ​were ​removed from the Roblox Studio app the day after the Tumbler Ridge massacre, and that the game had ​only seven visits.

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Open AI said in a statement it had banned Van ‌Rootselaar's ChatGPT account last June after identifying "misuses of our models in furtherance of violent activities" and considered whether to refer her to law enforcement.

The company ultimately decided "the account activity did not meet the higher threshold required for referral," mainly because OpenAI was not able to identify credible or imminent planning. The company said intervening in these situations can be distressing for young people and their families and may also raise privacy concerns.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Tracy Vaillancourt, a professor at the University of Ottawa who specializes in youth mental health and violence prevention, said OpenAI's failure to refer Van Rootselaar to police was "a missed opportunity," but acknowledged there were challenges in protecting users' privacy.

"People using ChatGPT may worry that it's going to spy on them, but AI is so powerful ‌there should be a way to improve how technology and we as a society, are able to ​reduce credible threats," Vaillancourt said.

Cynthia Khoo, a technology and human rights lawyer, warned "it would be a mistake to start ​down a path where AI companies might become deputized as a private surveillance wing ​of law enforcement," saying that invasions of privacy would disproportionately hit already marginalized groups.

Van Rootselaar was born male but identified as a female and began ‌transitioning six years ago, police said. A 2023 report from the U.S. ​government showed that more than 95% of mass ​shooters are male and that transgender people account for about 2%.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said the Tumbler Ridge shooting could have been avoided if OpenAI had warned authorities about Van Rootselaar's violent online activity and called for more transparency from the tech giant.

"It looks like OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent this tragedy, to prevent this ​horrific loss of life, to prevent there from being dead children ‌in British Columbia," he said Monday.

OpenAI said in its statement the shooting was "a devastating tragedy" and that it was doing all it could to support the ongoing ​investigation.

"We reached out to law enforcement immediately after the identity of the shooter was made public and we are engaged with the (police) to support their ongoing work," ​the company said.

(Reporting by Maria Cheng, Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Lincoln Feast.)

VATICAN CITY, Feb 25 (Reuters) - Pope Leo will visit four countries across Africa from April 13-23, the Vatican announced on Wednesday, with the pontiff making his first major overseas trip ‌in 2026 to the continent where the Catholic Church is growing fastest.

The pope will also make ‌a one-day visit on March 28 to Monaco, the microstate on the French Riviera, and will visit Spain from June 6-12, the Vatican said.

In ​Africa, Leo will visit Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. He is expected to draw large crowds, urge world leaders to support development on the continent, and highlight efforts at Catholic-Muslim dialogue.

VISIT SIGN OF VATICAN'S PRIORITY FOR AFRICA

Leo, elected in May to succeed the late Pope Francis as head of the 1.4-billion-member Church, has made only one overseas trip ‌so far, visiting Turkey and Lebanon in ⁠November and December on a visit originally organised for Francis.

Vatican officials and African Church leaders say the upcoming papal tour in Africa is a sign of the priority the ⁠Church places on the continent.

"Pope Leo's visit will remind the world that Africa matters and the vibrancy of the Church in Africa remains at the heart of a thriving (global) Church," said Reverend Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, a Jesuit from Nigeria who led his ​order's communities ​across Africa from 2017-23.

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About 20% of the world's Catholics live ​on the continent, according to Vatican statistics.

As part ‌of the trip to Spain, Leo is expected to visit the Canary Islands, which has become a major point of entry for migrants trying to get to Europe.

LEO WILL BE FIRST POPE TO VISIT ALGERIA

The last papal trip to Africa was in 2023, when Francis visited Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Pope Benedict XVI was the last pontiff to visit Angola and Cameroon, in 2009. John Paul II was the last pope to visit Equatorial Guinea, ‌in 1982.

Algeria, an overwhelmingly Muslim country with a few thousand ​Catholics among its population of some 47 million people, has never hosted ​a papal visit before.

Leo, a member of the ​Augustinian religious order, has a special interest in visiting the country. Fourth century St. Augustine ‌of Hippo, a major figure in the early Christian ​Church, was from an area ​that is now part of Algeria.

The tour will "shine the spotlight on countries in Africa that have experienced high religious growth but struggled politically and economically," said Orobator, dean of the Jesuit School of Theology ​of Santa Clara University in California.

The ‌pope is also expected in 2026 to visit Peru, where he previously served as a missionary and ​bishop for decades. That visit will likely occur in November, local bishops said this month.

(Reporting ​by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Alvise Armellini and Alison Williams)

Tommy Schaefer was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the 2014murder of Sheila von Wiese-Mack, the mother of Heather Mack, during a luxury vacation in a case also known as the Bali "suitcase murder."

Schafer was deported back to the United States from Bali International Airport on Tuesday evening after serving his sentence and receiving a number of remissions for good behavior, said Felucia Sengky Ratna, head of the Bali Regional Office of the Directorate General of Immigration, in a statement.

The badly battered body of the 62-year-old von Wiese-Mack, a wealthy Chicago socialite, was found inside the trunk of a taxi parked at the upscale St. Regis Bali Resort in August 2014.

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Heather Mack, who was almost 19 and a few weeks pregnant at the time of the killing, and her then-21-year-old boyfriend, Schaefer, were arrested on the island a day after the body was found.

Mack served seven years of a 10-year prison sentence in Bali for helping to kill her mother and wasdeported in October 2021.

She was also sentenced to 26 years in prison in Chicago in January 2024, after she pleaded guilty to helping kill her mother and stuffing the body in a suitcase during their vacation.

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"The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time," Short's representative said in a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Feb. 24. "Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world."

No further details surrounding Short's death were shared. USA TODAY has reached out to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner for more information.

It's not the first tragedy to strike the family, as the "Father of the Bride" actor's late wife, Nancy Dolman, died in August 2010 following ovarian cancer.

Martin Short's family is grieving after the actor's daughter, Katherine Hartley Short, died at age 42.

"The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time," Short's representative said in a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Feb. 24. "Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world."

No further details surrounding Short's death were shared.

Scroll through for photos of the comedian with his family through the years, starting with his wife Nancy Dolan and kids, Katherine Elizabeth and Oliver Patrick in 1989 Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short poses with daughter Katherine Elizabeth in 1989 in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short attends the premiere of "Get Over It" with his wife and children in Westwood, California, on Mar. 8, 2001.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and son Henry attend the premiere of the animated film "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" on Dec. 9, 2001 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short, his wife Nancy and daughter Katherine pose with actress Goldie Hawn at the afterparty for "The Producers" at the Hollywood Palladium on May 29, 2003, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and his son Henry hold a large albino boa snake at the afterparty for the premiere of Paramount Pictures' "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" on Dec. 12, 2004, in Los Angeles.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and family attend the world premiere of "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on Dec. 12, 2004.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left: Katherine Short, Henry Short, Nancy Short, Martin Short and Oliver Short attend the after party for the opening night of "Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me" at Tavern on the Green on Aug. 17, 2006, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and son Henry Short attend the Film Society of Lincoln Center 34th annual gala tribute to Diane Keaton on April 9, 2007, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and daughter Katherine arrive at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, California, on Feb. 27, 2011.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and son Henry Short attend the Broadway opening night of "Pippin" at The Music Box Theatre on April 25, 2013, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and Henry Short attend the Centerpiece Gala Presentation and World Premiere of "Inherent Vice" during the 52nd New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall on Oct. 4, 2014, in New York City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> From left: Gavin B. Keilly, Tara-Jane Flynn, Katherine Short and Martin Short attend the HempHera Kosmetikos pre-Emmy luxury lounge presented by GBK Brand Bar day one at Kimpton La Peer Hotel on Sept. 17, 2021, in West Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and his daughter Katherine Elizabeth Short attend the premiere of "X-Files" at Mann Village in Westwood in 1998.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and his son Henry Short attend Cirque du Soleil's KOOZA red carpet premiere at the Santa Monica Pier on Oct. 24, 2024.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Martin Short and Henry Short attend the "You Had to Be There" screening at the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 6, 2026, in Santa Barbara, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

A look at Martin Short's family, including late daughter Katherine

Martin Short's family is grieving after the actor's daughter,Katherine Hartley Short, died at age 42.

"The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time," Short's representative said in a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Feb. 24. "Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world."

No further details surrounding Short's death were shared.Scroll through for photos of the comedian with his family through the years, starting with his wife Nancy Dolan and kids, Katherine Elizabeth and Oliver Patrick in 1989 Los Angeles.

Here's what to know about Short's family.

Who was Katherine Hartley Short?

Born on Dec. 3, 1983, Katherine Short went on to become a licensed clinical social worker working in Los Angeles. She operated a private practice where she specialized in adoption, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, grief and loss, suicidality, and relationship difficulties.

She graduated from New York University in 2006 before earning her master's degree in social work from the University of Southern California in 2010.

During her time at the USC Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, she led group and individual therapy sessions for veterans diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She later spent four years working at UCLA's Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital.

Who was Martin Short's late wife, Nancy Dolman?

Nancy Dolman, the wife of Martin Short, was a former actress whose work included a recurring role on the primetime series "Soap." She and the "Only Murders in the Building" star met in 1972 during a musical production for "Godspell" in 1981, as she was the understudy forGilda Radner, according toPeople.

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The couple welcomed all three of their children via adoption.

Dolman retired from acting in 1985 to focus on raising her family. She died in 2010 after battling ovarian cancer.

"It's been a tough two years for my children," Martin said in a 2012 interview withThe Guardian. "This is the thing of life that we live in denial about, that it will ever happen to us or our loved ones, and when it does you gain a little and you suffer a little. There's no big surprise."

"Our marriage was a triumph," Short said in a2019 interview with AARP. "So it's tough. She died in 2010, but I still communicate with her all the time. It's 'Hey Nan,' you know? How would she react to this decision or that, especially regarding our three kids."

Who are Martin Short's other children?

Short also has two sons, Oliver Patrick Short, 39, and Henry Hayter Short, 46, whom he shared with Dolman.

Both attended college at the University of Notre Dame. Oliver Patrick Short coached the women's ice hockey team and was captain of the men's snowboard team, according to hisLinkedInpage. In 2008, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in film and television production.

Henry Hayter Short also pursued athletics at Notre Dame, joining the men's water polo and fishing clubs, hisLinkedInpage says. He was also captain of the ski and snowboard club before graduating in 2012 with a bachelor's in finance.

In 2019,Martin Shortsaid on "Conan" that none of his children wanted a career in Hollywood, though "I pushed them. I wanted them to go into show business."

Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How many kids does Martin Short have? What to know about actor's family

NEED TO KNOW

• Her family confirmed the news in a statement to PEOPLE, but did not disclose her cause of death

• She was best known for appearing on Showtime's The Real L Word

The Real L Wordalum Francine Beppu has died at 43, PEOPLE confirms.

Beppu's family first confirmed the news on Monday, Feb. 23 in a statement toTMZ.

A cause of death was not shared, but a spokesperson for the family tells PEOPLE that Beppu died on Feb. 17.

"It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of our beloved Francine 'Naoko' Beppu," her family's statement to PEOPLE reads. "The outpouring of care and concern fro her friends and colleagues is a testament to the tremendous impact she had on everyone around her. We are deeply grateful to know how cherished she was and how brightly she will continue to shine through all who knew her."

The Beppu family adds that they appreciate "the many gestures of love for Francine and kindly asks for privacy and time" as they "navigate this unimaginable loss and honor her memory."

The Real L Worddebuted in June 2010 and ran for three seasons. The show followed lesbians in Los Angeles and New York as they navigated their careers, relationships and everything in between.

In June 2023, the Hawaiian native spoke withHawaii Businessabout her role after reality television, working as the VP of integrated marketing at NMG Network, which featured LGBTQ+ programming for travelers.

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"My mom was an actor and a singer in Japan in the 1960s and I'm a big TV and movie buff," Beppu told the outlet of how she got her start in the entertainment industry.

"I loved that energy and the lights, the musicals, the shows. Hawai'i is such a beautiful place and we are so blessed to live here, but I really wanted to live in a big city," she said.

Beppu added at the time, "For a few years into my career, I wasn't out. It affects you. It's stressful to not share who you are when you're at work. I see a trend in larger companies having a DI [diversity and inclusion] program."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"I think there's been progress in understanding the complexities, and happy employees make better workers," she continued.

In addition to her time onThe Real L Word, Beppu has worked for Sony Electronics, as well as Viacom, where she helped launch Logo, the first LGBTQ+ cable channel, per Hawaii Business.

Read the original article onPeople

Seth Meyerscouldn't help but teaseColin Jost's recentbobsleddingexperience. In his recent monologue, the talk show host poked fun at the SNL star's terrified screams while trying out the sport.

Seth Meyers jokes about Colin Jost's bobsled run

In Late Night With Seth Meyers, the iconic host took a playful jab at Colin Jost, roasting his attempt at a bobsled run. Meyers began by congratulating Elana Meyers Taylor, the star bobsledder who won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. "I've always said if a Meyers is going to win a gold medal, it sure as hell isn't going to be me. And it sure as hell wasn't going to be in the bobsled," Meyers joked. The comedian then poked fun at Jost's attempt at the sport.

"If you want to know how a former 'Weekend Update' anchor would do in the bobsled, please listen to a few seconds of current 'Weekend Update' anchor Colin Jost screaming during a practice run," Meyers joked. He then rolled the hilarious clip of Jost yelling "Holy s–t!!" going full speed in a bobsled driven by Team USA's Bryan Berghorn.

The video left the audience in stitches with Meyers continuing to roast Jost. He added, "I love that he finally found something scarier than reading a joke Che wrote about his wife," referring to Jost's viral joke-swap segment with Michael Che on SNL.

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Meanwhile, Jost reflected on his bobsledding experience in a recent interview withNBC Sports. "I was not prepared for the level of terror in this bobsled. I swear to god, I thought I was going to die," the Weekend Update co-anchor confessed.

He added, "I thought my back was going to snap in half. I thought my bones were going to fly off my body and be littered all up and down the bobsled track. It was by far the scariest experience I've ever had in my life."

Originally reported by Namrata Ghosh onMandatory.

The postSNL's Colin Jost Mocked By Seth Meyers for His Bobsled Runappeared first onReality Tea.

A call came in at 8:47 a.m. regarding a man violating a no-contact order at a home, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. The order was not valid because deputies had yet to serve the man with a copy of the order, the sheriff's office added.

Witnesses reported that a man "was stabbing people outside the home" as deputies were en route to serve the order at 9:30 a.m., according to the sheriff's office.

"A solo deputy arrived and shots were reported at 9:33 a.m.," the sheriff's office said.

Three people were killed and another was taken to a hospital where they "later succumbed to their injuries," according to the sheriff's office.

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A 32-year-old male suspect is also dead after being shot by a deputy, Tacoma Police Officer Shelbie Boyd told reporters. Boyd added that officials were working through the identification process for the deceased.

The relationship between the victims and the suspect is currently unknown, Boyd added.

"I'm uncertain of who the initial caller was," Boyd said. "I would assume it was somebody who had knowledge of the order, because that was the initial information deputies received."

Deputies were able to locate the order and intended to serve it to the suspect when they arrived on scene, according to Boyd.

"In order for a violation to be valid, the individual has to have been served so that there's knowledge that the judge has prohibited them to have contact and what those requirements or conditions are," Boyd said.

The sheriff's office described the scene as "very active" and noted that the Pierce County Force Investigation Team has taken over the case.