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Argentine bishop named to Vatican office rejects criticism of his handling of abuse allegations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — An Argentine bishop named by Pope Francis to lead a powerful Vatican office that ensures doctrinal orthodoxy on Monday rejected accusations that he refused to believe victims of sexual abuse by a priest, saying he took actions when the allegations resurfaced in 2019.Monsignor Victor Manuel Fernández, archbishop of La Plata, Argentina, was appointed to head the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, whose mandate includes handling sex abuse allegations lodged against clergy. BishopAccountability.org, a Massachusetts organization that maintains an online archive of abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, said over the weekend in a statement that Fernández refused to believe victims who accused Eduardo Lorenzo, a priest in the La Plata archdiocese, of sexually abusing boys. In a statement sent by La Plata Archbishop’s office to the Associated Press on Monday, Fernández stated that he “never” said he didn’t believe the victims, and tha...

UN nuclear chief is visiting Japan to give a final report on release of treated radioactive water

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — The head of the U.N. nuclear agency is in Japan to meet with government leaders Tuesday and to see final preparations for the release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, on a visit Japan hopes will give credibility to the contentious plan.International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi will meet with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later Tuesday to submit IAEA’s final report on the water release. All of IAEA’s interim evaluations have been positive and the final report is expected to say that the water sampling, testing and monitoring plans involved in the release are adequate and fulfill international requirements.The treated radioactive water, stored in about 1,000 tanks that are nearing their 1.37 million ton capacity, must be removed to prevent accidental leaks and to make room for the plant’s decommissioning.Japanese regulators finished their final safety inspection of the equipment last Fr...

'The entire community was impacted:' Grief lingers one year after Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — In the shadow of Highland Park’s City Hall, in a quiet rose garden, there is a memorial dedicated to the victims who were shot at the 2022 Fourth of July Parade. Karina Mendez and Nubia Hogan, two of Eduardo Uvaldo’s daughters, gathered with other family members at their father’s plaque ahead of the somber anniversary of his killing.“I feel close to my dad here,” Mendez said. “It’s the last place he was alive, so I feel like he’s, here. He’s not forgotten. We never forget.” Uvaldo, a 69-year-old retired maintenance worker especially loved the Highland Park parade, and often attended with his grandchildren.  “He was very present in our lives,” Hogan said.Uvaldo was one of seven people who were killed when a gunman, perched atop the roof of Ross Cosmetics, and armed with a semiautomatic rifle, opened fire on the parade crowd below on Central Avenue.These are the names of the victims:  Katherine Goldstein, 64, of Highland ParkIrina McCarthy, 35, of Highl...

CPD: Missing teen last seen in Ravenswood last week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating a missing 16-year-old who was last seen on Thursday, June 29.Emma Chung, 16, was last seen on the 4400 block of North Winchester Ave near Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood on Thursday, June 29. CPD: 58-year-old man missing since end of May Chung is described as 5-foot-5, weighing 140 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.She also has been known for being seen around the 2700 block of South Indiana Ave on Chicago's South Side.Anyone with information regarding Emma Chung's whereabouts are asked to contact the Chicago Police Department at 312-744-8266.

Man taken into custody after south Austin SWAT call

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a man is in custody after a SWAT situation in south Austin.Police were initially called to the 4800 block of S. Congress Ave., between Stassney Lane and Ben White Boulevard, around 5:40 p.m. The SWAT team was called in almost an hour later, according to an APD watch commander.According to Austin police, an officer was pursuing the suspect, who had felony warrants out for his arrest, earlier this evening. The man was able to get away from the officer and ran to a nearby house off of S. Congress.SWAT officers were later able to get the man to come outside. He will be booked into the Travis County Jail tonight, police said.

Housing developer at a crossroads with City of Buda, planning to remove itself from ETJ

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

BUDA, Texas (KXAN) -- The City of Buda and housing developer MileStone Community Builders are at a crossroads. For about six years, the two have been going back and forth about a proposed residential development. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: City of Buda to discuss 775-acre housing development The letterAt the end of June, MileStone sent a letter to people in Buda about its residential development called Persimmon. It's located in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). In it, the company claimed there's been "8 months of inaction and intentional delays by the Buda City Council."MileStone CEO Garrett Martin told KXAN because of that, the project is at a stand still. "We've gotten to a point where we don't know what to do," Martin said. The letter stated, "While we continue to hope the City Council will join us in supporting the Development Agreement it tabled in October 2022, its refusal to take this collaborative path, supported by 70 percent of Buda residents, has forced us to pur...

Bastrop County food pantry in need of donations amid record demand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) — Those working to combat hunger in Central Texas are seeing a rise in food insecurity in rural areas.The Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry has been hit hard this year, seeing a 30% increase in calls for food and support services. The pantry has served a record number of people in a six-month period.Along with the increase in demand, the pantry is also dealing with a 50% reduction in the food supply from sources like the Central Texas Food Bank."When the pandemic was going on, there was a lot of resources that were pushed out into communities to help folks during that time. Since then, those resources are no longer available," said Tresha Silva, executive director of the food pantry. "There was extra COVID SNAP benefits that folks were able to get so that was additional food income for them, and that all ended during the winter."The pantry's mission is to serve Bastrop County residents who are going through periods of transition by providing emergency food a...

Twins blow open tie game with five-run eighth to beat Kansas City

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

Edouard Julien hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit home run on the first pitch of the eighth inning, and Carlos Correa went 4 for 5 with a run scored and RBI as the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals, 8-4, on Monday in front of an announced 28,218 at Target Field.That was just the beginning for the Twins, who sent 10 batters to the plate in a five-run eighth to blow the game open. Emilio Pagan gave up a two-out run on an RBI double by Bobby Witt Jr. in the ninth before striking out Nick Prato to end the game.Byron Buxton and Michael A. Taylor each drove in a pair of runs, and Correa went 4 for 5 from the leadoff spot as the Twins won for the third time in four games and opened a one-game lead on second-place Cleveland in the American League Central.Nick Prato tied the game, 3-3, with a leadoff home run off Brent Headrick in the top of the eighth inning, taking starter Joe Ryan out of contention for the victory. But the Twins answered quickly.Julien, pinch-hitting for right-handed hitter Kyle F...

Man sentenced for chasing family with knife

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An Amsterdam man will serve seven years in prison after chasing three people with a knife in May 2022. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Anthony Ropas, 27, was convicted in March of Attempted Burglary, Menacing and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Prosecutors said he was holding a knife when he chased a neighbor who was carrying a 2-year-old child and his girlfriend.He then tried to force his way into their apartment. Ropas was also sentenced to three years of post-release supervision.

Schenectady Police spread awareness after four overdoses reported

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:28:15 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Four fatal overdoses were reported in Schenectady in just the last three days. Now Lieutenant Ryan Macherone from Schenectady Police Department wants to help spread awareness to the community, especially during the holiday.“We’re always concerned with this type of situation. We knew that there was an overdose on Saturday. Yesterday we heard of another two, one later in the evening,” he said. “And then today, as we were processing that and trying to get the information ready to go out to the public, another one came in this morning.” Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police are now asking anyone who may be dealing with addiction or if they know someone who is to make sure to reach out for help. “It’s extremely concerning… It’s extremely sad,” Lieutenant Macherone said. “In the capacity that I work on a daily basis with these individuals that are living with substance abuse disorders… We’r...