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Investigators recall surreal moments during years-long investigation in Mexico’s missing students

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Independent investigators leaving Mexico after eight years searching for answers to the 2014 disappearance of 43 students from a teachers’ college say they experienced a “double reality” unlike anything they ever encountered in other international missions.“It’s like you’re in a movie, things are happening and you say, ‘This isn’t real,’” said Spanish physician Carlos Beristain. He said they had to figure out together what was true and what wasn’t to make quick decisions and avoid being fooled.“It was a constant exercise, very tiring, very stressful,” he said, adding that often the most documented purported details in the case ended up being false.Beristain and former Colombian prosecutor Ángela Buitrago, who were interviewed by The Associated Press just before they left Mexico on Monday, were two members of the team sent by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in 2015 to help clear up the so-called Ayotzinapa case. On Sept. 26, 2014, the 43 students in t...

Conservatives ran on similar media policy as Liberals, but now claim it’s censorship

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Liberal legislation aimed at social media platforms is ushering in censorship, despite his party running on similar policy in the last federal election. The Online News Act will require tech giants to enter into agreements that compensate Canadian news outlets for content shared or otherwise repurposed on their platforms. Poilievre claims the new law will make news disappear from the internet, and ban people from seeing news.The Opposition leader’s remarks come after Meta announced it will permanently remove all news in Canada from its social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, in the coming weeks in response to the law. However, the Conservatives’ 2021 campaign platform proposed a similar policy, calling on tech giants to fairly compensate media for the content they create through an arbitration process. Meta has collaborated with a digital literacy expert on a guide to teach Canadians about other ways they can get...

Pope Francis blasts ‘scandal’ of clergy abuse in Portugal as he arrives for World Youth Day

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Pope Francis blasted Portugal’s Catholic Church leaders for the “scandal” of clergy sex abuse Wednesday as he kicked off a trip to the European country, saying their actions had helped drive the faithful away and ordering members of the Catholic hierarchy to change their ways and treat victims better.Francis waded head-on into the scandal roiling the Portuguese church upon his arrival in Lisbon, where he is spending five days for the first World Youth Day Catholic festival since the COVID-19 pandemic. A panel of experts hired by the Portuguese church reported in February that priests and other church personnel may have abused at least 4,815 boys and girls since 1950. The report represented the latest reckoning by a European church with its legacy of abuse and cover-up.Prior to the report, Portuguese church officials had insisted there had only been a handful of cases. After its release, they initially refused to remove named abusers from ministry or to compen...

ATCEMS: Body found near south Austin dog park

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin-Travis County EMS medics responded to a call Wednesday morning of a body near Edgecliff Terrace in south Austin, ATCEMS said.An adult was pronounced dead at the scene near the Norwood Estate Dog Park, ATCEMS said. That's in the 1000 block of Edgecliffe Terrace, near Interstate 35 and Riverside Drive.The Austin Police Department received a call to check in on someone there at 9:50 a.m. Officers found someone who had died. APD said it is not investigating it as a homicide.The Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death, APD added.

Crash in Leander causes outage after vehicle knocks down power pole

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Officials in Leander reported a power outage was caused after a vehicle crashed into a power pole in the area.The crash occurred at US 183 and Crystal Falls Parkway, according to the city.“The power outage is estimated to last two to three hours. PEC reports that 2,550 meters are affected,” the city said.According to the Pedernales Electric Cooperative, crews were on-site working to restore service as safely and quickly as possible.PEC’s outage map showed the outage occurred at approximately 10:45 a.m., and it was estimated to be restored by 2:15 p.m.Leander Police said the intersection where the crash occurred was shut down. Travelers should expect delays until 1 p.m., according to police, and motorists in the area were asked to find an alternate route.

Austin pharmacy braces for possible late summer COVID, flu spikes

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Austin Public Health predicted a possible late summer wave of new COVID-19 cases last week, one Austin pharmacy is beginning preparations for any early respiratory illness spikes.Staff with the Austin-based Tarrytown Pharmacy said they are already seeing plenty of people coming in and seeking over-the-counter cough and cold medicine or complaining of respiratory symptoms. While that doesn't necessarily mean those symptoms are the result of a COVID-19 case, it does support the CDC and APH's concerns that more respiratory cases are emerging. RELATED: CDC predicts late summer COVID wave. What are levels like in Austin? Part of that emergence could come down to the extreme, extensive heat wave Austin has been experiencing this summer, said Rannon Ching, president and chief pharmacy officer at Tarrytown Pharmacy."It's so hot outside that people are actually crowding indoors and they're going to mal...

Austin's 26-day streak of consecutive 100° days is the 2nd-longest in recorded history

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin is currently experiencing one of the longest stretches of triple-digit heat in recorded history.Camp Mabry, Austin's official weather reporting site, has reached 100° or hotter every day since July 8.That means, as of Saturday, temperatures have reached the century mark for 26 days in a row. With records dating back to the 1890s, that ranks as the second-longest stretch of triple-digit temperatures ever recorded in Austin. MORE HEAT RECORDS: What is Austin's hottest month ever? The KXAN First Warning Weather team is currently forecasting at least seven more days at or above 100°, which would extend the streak past 30 days. That would surpass 2011 as the longest of all time. How often does Austin hit 100°? Here’s a breakdown by date, month, year and decade The record streak currently stands at 27 days, set between July 17 and Aug. 12, 2011. That summer went on to have a record-breaking 90 days of triple-digit heat.Meanwhile, Austin-Bergstrom International A...

Albany man sentenced for kidnapping and robbery

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On August 1, Charles Williams, 34, was sentenced to concurrent terms of 20, 10, and 2 to 4 years in state prison. Williams was convicted of second-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, and one count of intimidating a witness in the third degree. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! According to the indictment, on November 13, Williams abducted a victim. Williams forcibly stole property from the victim while allegedly displaying a firearm. The indictment also alleges that Williams threatened the victim regarding an unrelated legal matter.

Dutchess County SPCA looking for home for its longest stay cat

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

HYDE PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- After two years at the Dutchess County SPCA (DCSPCA), 9-year-old Annie has still not found her forever home. This may be because Annie has a rare disorder, said the shelter. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Annie has Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes small focal seizures. When she was surrendered to the shelter in 2021, she started having episodes of chasing and biting her own tail for no apparent reason.After treating her with a medication used for seizures in cats and dogs, Annie improved. According to DCSPCA Shelter Veterinarian Michael A. Berman, she will likely require this medication for the rest of her life. Update: Cat almost euthanized adopted from Dutchess County SPCA "She has not yet been adopted, but finding the right guardian for her is a prolonged process because it has to be someone who understands her condition and will commit to caring for her," said...

Lake George RV Park named #1 dog-friendly campground

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 19:56:34 GMT

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A national list of dog-friendly campgrounds has featured a North Country location in its spotlight. Lake George RV Park has come in at the #1 spot on "Top 9 for K-9s." Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Written by camping resource website The Dyrt, the article uses AI and user-submitted content to analyze campgrounds popular with pups. The ranking is based on the quality of amenities for dogs, as well as other information gathered from photos and online reviews.Lake George RV Park leads the list off at #1. The article cites the campground's two-acre dog park and quality washing station. Located on Route 149 near the Adirondack Outlets, the RV park includes more than 400 campsites, equipped with power hookups, water, sewer, and wi-fi."The serene atmosphere and beautiful surroundings of Lake George set the stage for a truly relaxing and immersive dog retreat," The Dyrt writes. "Lake George RV Park’s larg...