VENTURA, Calif.—Cindy Flores says she’s come a long way from a botched surgery 13 years ago, but she still lives with chronic pain.

“Every day that I wake up in the morning, I'm like Frankenstein. The pain is like it's a debilitating pain. I never know if I'm going to have a great day or not. I just have to get up and do it,” said Cindy, who now lives in Ventura.

What started as a simple surgery to remove an ovarian cyst led to multiple complications after the surgeon made a life-altering mistake.
 
The surgeon sliced part of her intestine. She had a perforated colon and was wheelchair bound for 3 years.
 
The surgeon also performed an unplanned hysterectomy because he suspected endometriosis.

Cindy says she was heartbroken when she learned about the hysterectomy after she woke up from the surgery.

“ I was in so much pain and so sick. I didn't have time to understand in the hospital what that really meant. That my decision now was taken away to never again be able to have children,” said Cindy.

The hysterectomy also sent her into menopause, but she says no one had told her that could happen.

“So I was having huge sweats, buckets of sweat, acne all over the place, hair all over the place. I literally felt like I was going to lose my mind. I remember sitting on the couch and telling my dad that I felt like I was going to lose my mind. I thought it was just because I was so sick. I didn't know that those were symptoms of menopause,” said Cindy.

Cindy was able to get corrective surgery at Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara and says the level of care has been great.

Though she still deals with pain, she said her journey has been a reminder to live life to the fullest.

“Always my dream was to work in Hollywood. And so when I nearly died and came back, I said, I'm going to go do it. I’m going to do it,” said Cindy.

Since then she’s worked with Latin icons like Dolores Huerta and Esai Morales.

And now, Cindy is sharing her story in the docu-series “Balance” — a series that confronts perimenopause and menopause.
 
“Balance” is dropping on Amazon Prime and Apple TV on January 30th.

The post “Surgery and Second Chances”: Botched Surgery Leads to Lifelong Disability, But Paves A New Way For Ventura Woman appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Por Hugo Manu Correa, CNN en Español

Dinero más nostalgia más Mundial 2026, igual a: Brasil a la vista. Ese GPS interno es el que activó Lucas Paquetá, un excepcional futbolista brasileño, para generar un tsunami financiero con su regreso al Flamengo desde el West Ham de Inglaterra. La transferencia confirmada por ambos clubes está valuada en 42 millones de euros (unos 50 millones de dólares), de acuerdo con lo consignado por el sitio especializado Transfermarkt.

Esta descomunal operación gestada por la institución carioca empodera aún más al fútbol brasileño (no solo en lo económico, sino en lo deportivo), dejando al resto de los países de la región, y sus respectivos clubes, cada vez más lejos del imperial fútbol brasileño.

El presidente del Flamengo, Luiz Eduardo Baptista, había anticipado el último domingo que su club estaba en condiciones de realizar “la mayor transacción jamás realizada por un club de fútbol” en Sudamérica.

Este miércoles, el West Ham emitió un comunicado en el que manifiesta que, a “pesar de que el club hizo todo lo posible para convencer a Lucas de que se quedara, él se mantuvo firme en su deseo de marcharse. Por lo tanto, el entrenador (Nuno Espírito Santo) y el club han accedido a regañadientes a su pedido”.

El equipo del sur de Londres atraviesa un momento sumamente complejo en lo deportivo.
Ubicado en los últimos puestos de la tabla, el descenso de categoría se cierne sobre su apremiante realidad. Para no naufragar en la súper competitiva Liga Premier, el West Ham depositó su credibilidad, confianza e inversión en el notable futbolista de 28 años. Por ello, hizo una encendida defensa sobre la decisión de no cederlo, pese a que la oferta económica que llegaba desde el otro lado del Atlántico ya era de gran dimensión.

La cerrada postura de Paquetá, inflexible en querer regresar a su país, hizo que la operación se concretara. Teniendo en cuenta que el contrato entre el futbolista y el club londinense ingresaba en su última temporada, el West Ham acabó reconsiderando sus pasos y aceptando a “regañadientes” el traspaso.

“El West Ham United confirma que Lucas Paquetá ha recibido permiso para someterse a un reconocimiento médico y negociar condiciones personales con el club brasileño Flamengo tras haberse llegado a un acuerdo para su traspaso definitivo”, subrayó la institución británica en el comunicado compartido en sus redes.

Paquetá fue investigado por supuestas irregularidades en apuestas deportivas, concretamente por su supuesta acción de recibir tarjetas de forma intencional para manipular las apuestas. Sin embargo, en julio de 2025 fue sobreseído. La Football Association consideró “no probadas” las acusaciones.

El proceso, de todas maneras, generó una desgastante situación que estresó al futbolista.
Ese factor fue otro elemento de mucho peso en la decisión del astro brasileño para querer regresar a su país. El West Ham mismo consignó en su comunicado este punto como relevante en la decisión del futbolista de dejar el club de Londres: “dejó claro que, por motivos personales y familiares, desea regresar a Brasil”, tras haber superado “un proceso que duró dos años y le causó un considerable estrés mental”.

El crack brasileño emigró en 2019 desde el Fla rumbo al viejo continente. Su primer destino fue el Milan italiano, en 2020 pasó a vestir la camiseta del Lyon francés y en 2022 arribó al West Ham.

Se dice habitualmente que el contexto hace al contenido. Eso es lo que gravitó en Lucas Paquetá para emprender el regreso a Río de Janeiro. Su país, su cultura y su club fueron factores de mucha gravitación en su inclaudicable decisión de retornar en búsqueda de una alegría que se le había fugado de su rostro.

Este elemento lo conecta directamente con la alta exposición deportiva y el gran estatus de competitividad que tiene el Flamengo. El equipo carioca es el actual campeón del torneo

CNN

By Eric Bradner, CNN

(CNN) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, in a CNN town hall Wednesday night, stood by the city’s sanctuary policies and repeated his demand that federal immigration agents leave the city.

Frey’s comments come as state, local and federal officials look for ways to tamp down tensions in the wake of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two US citizens who lived in Minneapolis.

Frey spoke on Monday with President Donald Trump, who then appeared to soften his comments on the mayor and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. But Trump’s tone changed Wednesday, when he said the mayor is “playing with fire” by insisting local police won’t play a role in enforcing federal immigration laws.

Here are four early takeaways from CNN’s ongoing town hall:

‘The present status needs to change’

Frey said he had a “productive” and “collegial” conversation with Trump on Monday. But didn’t back down at all Wednesday night from his demand that federal immigration agents leave Minneapolis.

“I’m saying the same things now that I said then,” he said.

Frey had two specific demands. First, he said, state officials should lead the investigations into the killings of Good and Pretti. He said he doesn’t trust a federal government that “came to a conclusion from the very beginning” that the those killings were acts of self-defense and that Good and Pretti were domestic terrorists.

He also said he wanted the federal operation that has seen thousands of immigration agents swarm the Twin Cities in recent weeks come to a rapid conclusion. Frey told the audience he said as much in a meeting with Trump border czar Tom Homan, who the president sent to Minnesota this week to oversee the administration’s efforts there in an attempt to ease tensions in the wake of Pretti’s killing.

Frey said a meeting between Homan and state and local officials didn’t end with a commitment to ending the federal effort “on any given timeline.”

“But,” he said, “there was a general consensus that the present status needs to change.”

He said he hopes that the number of agents in Minnesota will be drawn down, and the violent clashes between federal agents and local observers will end.

“But again, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Frey said.

Local role apprehending undocumented immigrants?

Trump on Wednesday attacked Frey on social media, saying the third-term Democratic mayor was “playing with fire” after Frey said Tuesday that Minneapolis would not change its sanctuary policies and would not help enforce federal immigration laws.

But Frey insisted Wednesday night that the city and its police “are going to do our jobs, not the federal government’s jobs.”

“I want our police spending time protecting the residents of our city — stopping homicides and carjackings; making sure violent offenders are investigated and held accountable,” he said.

That isn’t to say Minneapolis law enforcement wouldn’t cooperate with federal agents to apprehend any criminals, Frey said.

“Importantly when you’re trying to catch a murderer or a rapist, the first question that you ask is not, ‘Where are you from?’” he said.

“The question that’s important is, ‘Did they rape somebody? Did they murder somebody?’ And if they did, we investigate and we partner to do so,” he said.

“I don’t want them spending a single second hunting down a father who just dropped his kids off at daycare, is about to go work a 12-hour sh

Por Georgiana Ralphs, CNN

Un blog generado por inteligencia artificial en la página web de una empresa de viajes terminó metiendo a los turistas en problemas, y no del tipo que buscaban, después de que se descubriera que las “tranquilas” aguas termales del norte de Tasmania que recomendaba no existen en realidad.

Capturas de pantalla compartidas con CNN del blog, ahora eliminado, en el sitio web de Tasmania Tours muestran recomendaciones para las llamadas “Weldborough Hot Springs”, que supuestamente ofrece “una escapada pacífica” en los bosques del noreste de Tasmania. Descrito como un “refugio tranquilo”, el sitio se promocionaba como uno de los “favoritos” entre los excursionistas.

Weldborough es un pequeño pueblo rural ubicado a unos 110 kilómetros (68 millas) de la ciudad de Launceston.

Scott Hennessey, propietario de la empresa Australian Tours and Cruises, con sede en Nueva Gales del Sur, que opera Tasmania Tours, declaró a la cadena pública australiana ABC a principios de mes que “nuestra IA se equivocó por completo”.

Según explicó, la empresa había subcontratado su material de marketing a un tercero y, aunque normalmente revisa cada publicación, el blog se publicó mientras él estaba fuera del país.

“Estamos tratando de competir con las grandes empresas”, dijo Hennessey a ABC. “Parte de eso implica mantener el contenido actualizado y renovado todo el tiempo”.

“No somos una estafa”, agregó. “Somos una pareja casada que intenta hacer lo correcto por la gente… somos legítimos, somos personas reales y empleamos personal de ventas”.

Australian Tours and Cruises dijo a CNN el martes que “el odio en Internet y el daño a la reputación de nuestro negocio han sido absolutamente devastadores”.

“Solo estamos tratando de seguir con nuestras vidas y dejar todo esto atrás”, añadió la empresa.

Kristy Probert, propietaria del hotel local Weldborough Hotel, dijo a CNN que se sintió confundida cuando los turistas empezaron a hacerle preguntas sobre las aguas termales en septiembre.

“Al principio solo fueron un par de llamadas”, contó Probert, “pero luego la gente empezó a llegar en masa. Recibía probablemente cinco llamadas al día y al menos dos o tres personas llegaban al hotel buscándolas. Estamos en una ubicación muy remota, así que era algo totalmente inesperado”.

Probert dijo que siempre respondía lo mismo: “Si pueden encontrar esas aguas termales, las cervezas corren por mi cuenta”.

El río Weld local es “helado”, explicó Probert, y normalmente solo lo ocupan buscadores de zafiros y estaño. “Ellos usan trajes de neopreno”, añadió. “Hay una sauna en un pueblo cercano. Supongo que alguien podría meterse al río después de pasar por allí”.

Anne Hardy, profesora adjunta de turismo en la Universidad Southern Cross de Australia, dijo a CNN que la inteligencia artificial se ha vuelto “omnipresente en los viajes y el turismo” y estimó que alrededor del 37 % de los turistas utiliza IA para obtener consejos de viaje o planificar itinerarios.

“Los turistas confían más en la IA que en los sitios de reseñas”, señaló, y explicó que los operadores turísticos usan estas herramientas no solo para blogs y marketing, sino también para itinerarios y presupuestos.

“La IA puede ser extremadamente útil”, dijo Hardy. “Ahorra tiempo y, en última instancia, dinero”.

Sin embargo, advirtió que también puede generar imprecisiones o “alucinaciones”, como el caso de las supuestas aguas termales de Weldborough.

Según Hardy, investigaciones empíricas en turismo sugieren que el “90 % de los itinerarios generados por IA contienen errores”.

Afirmó que esto puede tener “implicaciones extremadamente peligrosas”

By Eric Bradner, CNN

(CNN) — Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, in a CNN town hall Wednesday night, stood by the city’s sanctuary policies and repeated his demand that federal immigration agents leave the city.

Frey’s comments come as state, local and federal officials look for ways to tamp down tensions in the wake of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two US citizens who lived in Minneapolis.

Frey spoke on Monday with President Donald Trump, who then appeared to soften his comments on the mayor and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. But Trump’s tone changed Wednesday, when he said the mayor is “playing with fire” by insisting local police won’t play a role in enforcing federal immigration laws.

Here are three early takeaways from CNN’s ongoing town hall:

‘The present status needs to change’

Frey said he had a “productive” and “collegial” conversation with Trump on Monday. But didn’t back down at all Wednesday night from his demand that federal immigration agents leave Minneapolis.

“I’m saying the same things now that I said then,” he said.

Frey had two specific demands. First, he said, state officials should lead the investigations into the killings of Good and Pretti. He said he doesn’t trust a federal government that “came to a conclusion from the very beginning” that the those killings were acts of self-defense and that Good and Pretti were domestic terrorists.

He also said he wanted the federal operation that has seen thousands of immigration agents swarm the Twin Cities in recent weeks come to a rapid conclusion. Frey told the audience he said as much in a meeting with Trump border czar Tom Homan, who the president sent to Minnesota this week to oversee the administration’s efforts there in an attempt to ease tensions in the wake of Pretti’s killing.

Frey said a meeting between Homan and state and local officials didn’t end with a commitment to ending the federal effort “on any given timeline.”

“But,” he said, “there was a general consensus that the present status needs to change.”

He said he hopes that the number of agents in Minnesota will be drawn down, and the violent clashes between federal agents and local observers will end.

“But again, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Frey said.

Local role apprehending undocumented immigrants?

Trump on Wednesday attacked Frey on social media, saying the third-term Democratic mayor was “playing with fire” after Frey said Tuesday that Minneapolis would not change its sanctuary policies and would not help enforce federal immigration laws.

But Frey insisted Wednesday night that the city and its police “are going to do our jobs, not the federal government’s jobs.”

“I want our police spending time protecting the residents of our city — stopping homicides and carjackings; making sure violent offenders are investigated and held accountable,” he said.

“I don’t want them spending a single second hunting down a father who just dropped his kids off at daycare, is about to go work a 12-hour shift, and happens to be from Ecuador,” Frey said. “That guy? He makes our city a better place. We’re proud to have him in Minneapolis.”

He explained the city’s sanctuary policies, saying Minneapolis officials want undocumented immigrants to feel like they can call 911 when necessary without fearing deportation. He called those policies “a safety strategy.”

Police chief says immigration agents using ‘questionable’ tactics

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was sharply critical of federal immigration agents’ tactics in the city, saying that viral social media videos of encounters between those agents and local observers “show a lot of methods that are questionable and tactics that just do not appear sa