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A new study says about half of Nicaragua’s population wants to emigrate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Lawyer Isabel Lazo’s jobs are being systematically canceled by Nicaragua’s increasingly repressive government. Lazo worked at a university before the government of President Daniel Ortega closed it. She now is employed at a nongovernmental organization that she fears will soon be shuttered too. Nicaragua’s poisonous mix of economic decline and repression has led to about half of the country’s population of 6.2 million saying they want to leave their homeland, according to a new study, and 23% saying they had contemplated the possibility deeply enough to consider themselves “very prepared” to emigrate. “A large proportion of them have already taken concrete steps to try to get out,” said Elizabeth Zechmeister, the director of the AmericasBarometer study “The Pulse of Democracy in the Americas.” The study, which was released on Wednesday, shows that the number of Nicaraguans wanting to leave rose from 35% five years ago to almost half today, and that about 32%...

Work resumes on $10B renewable energy transmission project despite tribal objections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

The tractors are back at work clearing land and building access roads for a $10 billion transmission line that the Biden administration describes as an important part of the nation’s transition to renewable energy. But Native American leaders have vowed to keep pushing the federal government to heed their concerns about the project cutting through a culturally significant valley in southern Arizona.Billed by California-based developer Pattern Energy as an infrastructure undertaking bigger than the Hoover Dam, the SunZia transmission line will stretch about 550 miles (885 kilometers). It will funnel electricity from massive wind farms in central New Mexico to more populated areas as far away as California.Executives and federal officials gathered in New Mexico in September to break ground on the project, touting negotiations that spanned years and resulted in the necessary approvals from the Bureau of Land Management.In Arizona, federal land managers briefly halted work this month al...

Two NDP MPs vote against Liberal budget motion over Indigenous, gender issues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

OTTAWA — Two New Democrat MPs voted against a government motion to introduce legislation on the fall economic statement today.That’s despite the NDP pledging their support on key votes as part of a supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals.MPs Leah Gazan and Lori Idlout say they are sending a message to the Liberal government that it is failing on Indigenous and gender issues.The MPs say they voted against the motion because it failed to address challenges facing Indigenous communities, including a sizeable infrastructure gap.They also called out Ottawa’s decision to end pandemic-era funding to women’s shelters that support those fleeing from domestic violence.The rest of the NDP MPs voted in favour of the motion, but Gazan and Idlout say they have the support of their caucus members and leader.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.The Canadian Press

‘It’s an expensive event’: GreekTown BIA pursuing other options to save Taste of the Danforth

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

The head of the GreekTown on the Danforth BIA is hopeful there will be a 2024 edition of Taste of the Danforth but cautions it will not take place with local businesses footing the entire bill.Mary Fragedakis says at the annual general meeting of the BIA on Tuesday business owners were presented with two options in their annual budget, a 2 per cent levy increase which did not include a program for Taste of the Danforth or a much larger increase of 19 per cent which did include Taste.She says small businesses in this section of the Danforth can’t afford a substantial increase to their property tax levy in order to fund a party for the City of Toronto.“In light of all of the difficulties that many small businesses are facing, like the repayment of CEBA loans by the third week of January, and the rising cost of labour and the rising cost of just doing business in this city, our members told us that they did not support significant increases to the levy,” Fragedakis te...

Ferry operators around the country to receive $200M in federal grants to modernize fleets

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Biden administration will issue $200 million in grants to modernize the country’s ferry systems, officials announced Thursday. The grant program will focus on expanding ferry service in rural communities, helping them acquire modern ferries, including electric boats, and upgrading shore infrastructure to support low-emission ferry service, officials said. Twelve ferry operators in the territory of American Somoa and the states of California, Washington, Alaska, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and North Carolina will receive grants, said Nuria Fernandez, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.“The grants help transit agencies make investments to increase reliability, improve connections to other modes of transportation, and bring older ferry systems into a state of good repair,” she said during a news conference at San Francisco’s Ferry Building. The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority will rece...

MSNBC shuffling weekend schedule, debuting new morning ensemble, heading into election year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — MSNBC will shuffle its weekend schedule early next year to try and juice ratings, starting a new morning ensemble program and ending regular shows hosted by Mehdi Hasan and Yasmin Vossoughian.In a memo to her staff Thursday, MSNBC President Rashida Jones said the changes will help the network “better position ourselves as we head into the presidential election.”The new show, “The Weekend,” will air for two hours starting at 8 a.m. Eastern on Saturday and Sunday. Its hosts will be Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend and Michael Steele.Ayman Mohyeldin and Alex Witt will both get more airtime as hosts on both weekend days under the new plans. Jonathan Capehart and Katie Phang will see time shift changes.Both Hasan and Vossoughian will remain as fill-in hosts and also do some commentary and reporting, MSNBC said.The opinionated Hasan, who hosted one hour on Sunday nights, had received external attention for pro-Arab views at a time of war. MSNBC did not address this...

LIVE: APD officers responding to east Austin SWAT call

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Police officers are responding to a SWAT call in east Austin Thursday afternoon. The Austin Police Department posted on social media that officers are responding to a SWAT callout in the 2400 block of Santa Rita Street. Police advised drivers to expect delays in the area or look for alternate routes.APD said a public information officer is en route and a media briefing will be held at a to-be-determined time. APD, SWAT responds to incident in east Austin (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)APD, SWAT responds to incident in east Austin (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)APD, SWAT responds to incident in east Austin (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)APD, SWAT responds to incident in east Austin (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)APD, SWAT responds to incident in east Austin (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)Austin-Travis County EMS medics responded in support of the police department just before 11:30 am, and at last check, no one is being treated for injuries.This is a developing story. Check back for upd...

Anonymous tips help lead to arrest in May murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a May homicide investigation, according to Travis County court documents filed Thursday.Documents said 32-year-old Nicholas Treysean Price was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the May 9 death of 19-year-old Davante Reece. PAST COVERAGE: Woman asks for help solving her son’s murder in east Austin According to documents, Price was connected to Reece’s death through Crime Stoppers tips, cellphone data and social media information.Police interviewed Price on Nov. 8, and he denied being in the area when Reece was shot and killed; however, according to court documents, Price’s call records showed his phone in the area and later showed his phone leaving the area following the shooting, according to police. PAST COVERAGE: Man who died in east Austin homicide identified According to the court documents, police found Price had a “clear motive and intent to shoot Reece.”Travis County jail records showed Pric...

2 injured after vehicle drives into north Austin building

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two people were injured Thursday after a vehicle drove into a building in north Austin, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.At 1:25 p.m., ATCEMS and the Austin Fire Department responded to a vehicle rescue near the 8900 block of Research Boulevard.Officials respond to vehicle rescue in north Austin (AFD photo)Officials respond to vehicle rescue in north Austin (AFD photo)Officials respond to vehicle rescue in north Austin (AFD photo)Officials respond to vehicle rescue in north Austin (AFD photo)Officials respond to vehicle rescue in north Austin (AFD photo)Officials said one person involved in the crash was reportedly unconscious. Both patients needed to be extracted, according to ATCEMS.Medics took one patient to the hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries.Drivers should expect delays around the scene.

Judge allows feds to continue cutting razor wire fencing along Texas-Mexico border; Paxton appeals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed a federal judge's Wednesday decision that allows federal border agents to continue cutting razor wire fencing along the Texas-Mexico border, according to a release from Paxton's office. In October, Paxton filed a lawsuit and a motion for a preliminary injunction against the Biden Administration's Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and other agencies and officials who Paxton's office said "destroyed" Texas' wire fence and other border barriers. Texas National Guard troops have placed the wire fencing along the border to deter migrants from crossing. In some cases, the barrier is located right along the banks of the Rio Grande. In some cases, federal agents have cut through the wire to reach migrants entangled in the barrier, or to rescue people in danger in the river.A federal judge granted a temporary restraining order in late October. It only allowed cutting the barrier in the case of me...