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Libya investigates dams’ collapse after a devastating flood last weekend killed more than 11,000

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

DERNA, Libya (AP) — Libyan authorities have opened an investigation into the collapse of two dams that caused a devastating flood in a coastal city as rescue teams searched for bodies on Saturday, nearly a week after the deluge killed more than 11,000 people.Heavy rains caused by Mediterranean storm Daniel caused deadly flooding across eastern Libya last weekend. The floods overwhelmed two dams, sending a wall of water several meters high through the center of Derna, destroying entire neighborhoods and sweeping people out to sea.More than 10,000 people are missing, according to the Libyan Red Crescent. Six days on, searchers are still digging through mud and hollowed-out buildings, looking for bodies and possible survivors. The Red Crescent has confirmed 11,300 deaths so far.Claire Nicolet, who heads the emergencies department of the Doctors Without Borders aid group, said that rescuers found “a lot of bodies” on Friday and were still searching.“It was a big number … the sea i...

Egyptian court gives a government critic a 6-month sentence in a case condemned by rights groups

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian court sentenced a fierce government critic Saturday to six months in prison over charges that stemmed from an online spat with a former minister and opposition figure. The case drew condemnation from rights groups and renewed global attention to Egypt’s poor human rights record.Hisham Kassem, who is a leading official with the Free Current, a coalition of mostly liberal parties, was convicted of slander, defamation and verbally assaulting a police officer, according to Hossam Bahgat, head of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, which represents Kassem before the court.Bahgat said the court in Cairo also fined Kassem 20,000 Egyptian pounds (around $647). Saturday’s verdict is subject to an appeal before a higher court.Kassem, who for decades ran a series of news outlets that helped keep alive pockets of independent, free press in the country, was arrested in August after persecutors questioned him on accusations leveled against him by Kamal Abu ...

Millions under storm watches as Lee is downgraded but bears down on New England and Canada

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The National Hurricane Center downgraded Hurricane Lee to a post-tropical cyclone but millions of people remained under storm watches and warnings early Saturday as the storm still could produce hurricane-force winds, torrential rain and coastal flooding. Severe conditions were predicted as a possibility across portions of Massachusetts and Maine and hurricane conditions could hit the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, where the storm had been predicted to make landfall later Saturday.The storm was located about 230 miles (365 kilometers) southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and about 220 miles (355 kilometers) southeast of Eastport, Maine on Saturday morning. The hurricane center predicted hurricane-force winds extending more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) from Lee’s center with lesser but still dangerous tropical storm-force gusts up to 345 miles (555 kilometers) miles outward. States of emergency were declared for Massachusetts and Maine, t...

London police arrest 25-year-old who allegedly climbed over and entered stables at Buckingham Palace

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

LONDON (AP) — London police arrested a 25-year-old man early Saturday morning after he allegedly climbed over a wall and entered the royal stables at Buckingham Palace.The man was detained at 1:25 a.m Saturday for trespassing on a protected site, London’s Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement. He was taken to a London police station, where he remained by late morning.Officers found the man outside the royal stables following a search of the area. He didn’t enter enter the palace or its gardens at any time, police said.Buckingham Palace, which is some 300 years old, is undergoing renovations, and King Charles III does not live there. The monarch was in Scotland on Saturday.The Associated Press

4 people shot overnight in downtown Toronto

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

Four people are in hospital with life-threatening or potentially life-threatening injuries after being shot overnight in downtown Toronto.Officers were called to Dundas and Sherbourne Streets just before 3 a.m. Saturday to reports of a shooting.All the victims are adults and have injuries ranging from serious to life-threatening.There has been no suspect information released at this time.More to come

Montreal’s Mount Royal Park is getting a makeover. What would architect Olmsted say?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

Montreal plans to fundamentally alter its lush, mountain playground.The decision to close one of two roads up Mount Royal Park is the latest twist in a century-old debate over how to balance conservation of the wooded refuge in the city centre with the transportation needs of the metropolis. The park’s architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, is responsible for some of the most celebrated public green spaces in North America, including New York’s Central Park. But what the famous landscape artist would think of the closure of Camillien-Houde Way is unclear, says University of Pennsylvania professor emeritus and Olmsted biographer Witold Rybczynski.“It’s very tricky to try to figure out what a person like Olmsted would think of our world,” Rybczynski said in a recent interview. “He was a very pragmatic person.”Olmsted died in 1903, before car use became widespread. “I’m sure he would have something interesting to say about automobiles,&#...

Annual Trails for Tails Event: fun for the whole family in St. Charles today

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Today, on September 16, the Five Acres Animal Shelter is hosting its annual Trails for Tails event on the streets of St. Charles. This event is both pet-friendly and family-friendly.Runners have the option to participate in a 10K or 5K race, or they can choose the 1-mile run or walk; families and pets are welcome to join in the races. After the run, attendees can enjoy vendors, music, and family fun. The proceeds from the event go towards supporting the Five Acres Animal Shelter, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in St. Charles.The shelter's mission is to combat pet homelessness, encourage responsible pet ownership, and advocate for animal welfare.

Going Beyond Travel visited St. Louis, making travel accessible to all

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Going Beyond Travel is a service that believes that all individuals should be given the opportunity to travel. Visitors from Wisconsin have been in St. Louis for the week, and one of the founders, Pam Hunt, explained what the organization is about.  The goal is to provide adults with cognitive disabilities with the opportunity to enjoy vacations filled with adventure. Their trip began with a train ride from Milwaukee to St. Louis, a vacation that they had planned for a while. Hunt and her group had a well-planned itinerary to explore St. Louis. They visited the Gateway Arch, took a riverboat cruise, explored local parks, and toured the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and Union Station. Hunt said that the organization has been operating for about 25 years, facilitating around 40 trips annually for adults with special needs, ranging from day trips to longer getaways. The core mission of Going Beyond Travel is to make travel accessible to all, emphasizing that everyo...

Cold front brings showers, storms in the evening

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- A cold front will move through this evening and into tonight. Ahead of that front, today we have mostly cloudy to overcast conditions, and temperatures should stay in the upper 70s to near 80s. Showers that have developed to our west this morning. A few showers will be possible, especially in our western and northwestern counties, later this morning into the early afternoon. Otherwise, later this afternoon and evening, storms will develop along or ahead of the front across northern Missouri and move southeast. There is an isolated threat of a strong to severe storm, but again, this is highest across northern Missouri into west central Illinois. As storms progress southeast into our viewing area, they should weaken, especially after sunset. A few showers, maybe an isolated storm or two, will linger into the overnight hours, shifting southeast. It'll be a cloudy start to Sunday, but clouds should clear west to east through the morning and into the afternoon. Highs on Sund...

St. Louis fatal motorcycle-pedestrian collision under investigation

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 10:42:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY -- The St. Louis Police Department is investigating the death of a pedestrian near South Broadway and Gibson Ave. in south St. Louis. The incident occurred around 2:15 a.m., on September 16, not far from the Riverbend City Apartments, when a person was struck by a motorcycle. The victim was transported to a hospital, where they later passed away. The accident reconstruction team of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police is currently handling this investigation.