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El Salvador’s leader, criticized internationally for gang crackdown, tells UN it was the right thing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — El Salvador President Nayib Bukele trumpeted the success of his gang crackdown during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, crediting his administration’s will against international criticism over human rights violations.Bukele said that if El Salvador had listened to external critics — including some at the United Nations — the tiny Central American country would again be the murder capital of the world.“Today, I come to tell you that that debate is over,” Bukele said. “The decisions we took were correct. We are no longer the world death capital and we achieved it in record time. Today we are a model of security and no one can doubt it. There are the results. They are irrefutable.”More than 72,000 people have been arrested under a state of emergency Bukele requested in March 2022 after a surge in gang violence. The special powers that Congress granted Bukele suspended some fundamental rights such as access to a lawyer and being told the reason fo...

UNGA Briefing: Security Council, climate summit and what else is going on at the United Nations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — It’s Day 2 of the U.N. General Assembly high-level meeting that brings world leaders together at U.N. headquarters in New York. Here are the highlights of what happened Tuesday at the U.N. and what to keep an eye on Wednesday. Follow our live updates to keep up with developments all week.WHAT HAPPENED AT THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON TUESDAY— Motorcades and barricades choked midtown Manhattan as the world’s top dignitaries convened for the first day of the U.N. General Assembly’s annual meeting, which kicked off with a stern speech from U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.— The first day saw speeches from high-profile leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.— While speeches have likely been in the works for a while, the addresses Tuesday still referenced very recent events — from last week’s floods in Libya to renewed...

Blinded by a Russian shell, a Ukrainian soldier couldn’t see his wedding. But he cried at new love

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Blinded by a Russian mortar shell, Ukrainian veteran Ivan Soroka couldn’t see his bride when she walked into his family home in a shoulderless white dress, a bouquet of white flowers in her right hand. But when Vladislava Ryabets, 25, stepped toward him, Soroka wept with joy at the new chapter of life starting months after enemy artillery stole his sight. “The first thing I said after I was wounded was, who will want me now?” said Soroka, 27, sitting inside his family home in a village in the outskirts of Kyiv.“I succeeded in rebuilding myself,” he said. “I am seeing with my feelings, with my emotions.”Dozens sat around a garden table in Bortnychi village under a tent decorated with balloons and garlands for a day of festivity steeped in Ukrainian rural tradition. Folk songs and laughter filled the air as neighbors and friends poured into the humble pastoral home, gulped drinks and toasted the young newlyweds. A round loaf decorated with viburnum ber...

Prince William, billionaires Gates and Bloomberg say innovation provides climate hope

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — With deadly extreme weather hitting all over the globe, rising temperatures peaking during the hottest summer on record and carbon pollution levels that keep climbing, Britain’s Prince William and wealthy entrepreneurs Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg promised a warming world a degree of hope.That comes in the form of innovation, creativity and technology, the trio and others said at a summit Tuesday in the posh Plaza Hotel. They announced finalists for William’s third annual Earthshot Prize that offers five awards of 1 million pounds ($1.2 million) to companies and groups that come up with new ways to save the planet.“We’ve got to hang onto optimism and hope because it is the biggest driver of change, the biggest driver of innovation,” William told the crowd of movers and shakers, after mentioning that he’d slipped away for a morning jog in New York’s Central Park.While a healthy dose of realistic pessimism about Earth’s climate is important, the heir to the B...

New Mexico official orders insurance companies to expand timely access to behavioral health services

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s top insurance regulator on Tuesday ordered health insurance companies to expand timely access to behavioral health services in response to the governor recently declaring a public health emergency over gun violence in the state’s largest metropolitan area.Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham initially sought to ban people from the open and concealed carry of firearms in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County, but a federal judge put that effort on hold pending the outcome of multiple legal challenges. Still, other provisions of the order remain in place, including mandates by the governor for public health officials to address substance abuse and mental health problems.Superintendent of Insurance Alice Kane’s emergency order mandates that major medical health insurers cover out-of-network behavioral health services at in-network rates.“My office is committed to reducing barriers to vital care and doing everything we can t...

Second teenager arrested in video recorded hit-run crash of ex-California police chief in Las Vegas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police on Tuesday announced a second teenager has been arrested in a series of hit-and-run crashes, including the death of a former California police chief who was riding a bicycle last month.Deputy Chief Nick Farese said in an afternoon news conference that the arrest was made earlier Tuesday at the teenager’s home. Farese did not identify the teenager.Family members of the cyclist, Andreas Rene Probst, 64, a retired former police chief from the small Southern California city of Bell, also attended the police briefing.The briefing by police came a day after the elected district attorney in Las Vegas said he would charge the 17-year-old alleged driver of the car as an adult with murder and possibly other charges. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in a statement that the investigation to identify and arrest a “second perpetrator” was continuing.“I am confident that justice will be served in this matter once the investigation is complet...

Danny Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, files for divorce after rape convictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

(KTLA) — Danny Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, has filed for divorce less than two weeks after the former “That ’70s Show” actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003.The filing was submitted on Monday in Santa Barbara, with Philips citing “irreconcilable differences" as the reason behind their split, People Magazine reported. The two got married in 2011 and have a 9-year-old daughter together.News of the divorce filing was first reported by TMZ.“Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter. This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family. Mr. Masterson was always present for Ms. Phillips during her most difficult times of her life," Peter Lauzon, Phillips’ lawyer, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement."Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter." After her husband’s sentencing, a source told P...

New technology allows those with hearing loss to feel the sounds of Chicago opera

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

CHICAGO — A new audience is getting to experience some of the most beautiful music ever created for the first time. And it's all thanks to a new groundbreaking piece of technology.SoundShirt is designed to allow audience members who are deaf or hearing impaired to enjoy the Lyric Opera of Chicago by using real-time vibrations to convey a performance. Lyric's senior director of digital initiatives, Brad Dunn, was introduced to the technology in February 2020. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, musicians union agree to 3-year contract "I was familiar with the company CuteCircuit. They are based in London," Dunn said. "I had been in London on other business in February 2020 and I visited their studio. They showed me the shirt. They were like, 'This is our newest thing.' I tried it and it was amazing. And then the pandemic happened and they really couldn't launch it."With the pandemic now over, The Lyric will be the first in the world to apply the innovation in live opera.Lyric Opera general...

Illinois family found dead inside home, 'not a random incident': police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (WGN) — A homicide investigation is underway after a couple, their two children and three dogs were found dead inside a home in Illinois.Police conducted a well-being check around 8:40 p.m. Sunday on the family's home in Romeoville after a member of the household did not show up to work and was not responding to phone calls. Romeoville is located about 30 miles southwest of Chicago.Upon arrival, officers found two adults and two children dead with gunshot wounds inside a residence.Police said three dogs were also found fatally shot. According to authorities, the adult victims have been identified as Alberto Rolon, 38. and Zoraida Bartolomei, 32. Police said the deceased children, ages 7 and 9, belonged to both Rolon and Bartolomei. The children's identities have not yet been released.Investigators said the shooting happened sometime between 9 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday. Police do not believe the shooter is among the victims. Ins...

Pflugerville FD says city hired unskilled ambulance service, autopsy says private paramedic caused patient death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:11:40 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County ESD No. 2 said it is concerned for the public's safety after seeing problems with private paramedics hired by the city. An autopsy report showed a paramedic caused a patient's death while in their care earlier this year.The City of Pflugerville hired Allegiance Mobile Health last year to provide emergency medical and ambulance services. Travis County ESD No. 2, also known as the Pflugerville Fire Department, often responds to calls if needed in the same area as Allegiance paramedics. Pflugerville petition aims to transfer funds from ESD 2 to City with ultimate goal of city-run ambulance service The hiring came just months before a localized push to reduce the special taxes that fund ESD No. 2 in favor of a city-run ambulance service.Fire Chief Nick Perkins said his crews have witnessed skill issues by Allegiance paramedics such as not having the proper equipment for certain medical calls."We've seen incidences of not bringing the equipmen...