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How will 'deepfake' political videos affect elections?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — A consumer advocacy is raising concerns that advanced artificial intelligence tools used to create "deepfake" versions of politicians could affect the 2024 presidential election.Deepfakes are digitally altered images. They've already been used to dupe high-profile politicians like former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif."Fake videos, fake audio clips … that look real, convincingly real," Robert Weissman of progressive think tank Public Citizen explained deepfakes.Public Citizen is calling for deepfakes to be banned in campaign ads. Last week, the Federal Election Commission agreed to consider it. It will take public comment for 60 days before making a decision."The technology is at a high enough quality that we're going to see political deepfakes that will fool people, that may fool everyone and that could turn an election," Weissman said.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican running for president, and the Repu...

Trans teen testifies in court over Texas ban on gender-related healthcare

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (Nexstar) — For the first time since the law was passed, a state court heard from a Texas transgender teenager Wednesday about how that law that banning gender-transition health care for minors will impact him.16-year-old Nathan Noe — a pseudonym he uses out of fear of being targeted — testified in a Travis County district court about how he felt uncomfortable in his skin before beginning hormone therapy to transition from female to male. “It felt like something was wrong with me, or something wrong was happening to me, and I couldn’t describe that," Noe said. About two years ago, Noe began taking testosterone after seeking mental health care and said he and his family consulted with his primary care physician. "When I started taking testosterone, it really improved my life to a point where gender dysphoria didn’t bother me as much," he said. "It felt like a weight being lifted…I felt better about myself."Noe represents one of the five Texas families with transg...

With a wide-open competition, Longhorns are buying into running back by committee

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas had more than 2,000 rushing yards speed out the door after Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson were selected in the NFL Draft. Now with returning backs ready to shine plus newcomers who could see significant time in the backfield, the competition at running back in fall camp is one of the most intriguing for the Longhorns.With the pounding running backs take, having a handful of guys trusted to pack the pigskin is essential at any level of football. The Longhorns certainly have that, and as far as senior Keilan Robinson is concerned, everybody is going to get a chance to have the ball this season.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters"The way we see it, everybody is going to eat," he said. "It doesn't matter how many bites someone takes, everybody's going to eat in some kind of way, and the better we are as a unit, the better everybody looks individually...

Austin pharmacy to pay $200K to resolve allegations against Controlled Substances Act

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin pharmacy agreed to pay $200,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), according to the Department of Justice.The DOJ said a routine inspection was conducted at People’s Pharmacy Inc., or Peoples Rx, in June 2022. Peoples Rx operates five retail pharmacies and one compounding laboratory in the Austin area, according to the DOJ.A release said investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration determined the pharmacy violated certain regulatory recordkeeping provisions, improperly dispensed controlled substances to practitioners for office use and issued prescriptions without authorization.“During their inspection, DEA diversion investigators also learned that Peoples Rx had sold pseudoephedrine products without self-certifying as required by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 (CMEA),” the DOJ said.According to the release, the Diversion Control Unit in DEA’s San Antonio District Office...

Vikings rookie receiver Jordan Addison in concussion protocol

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

Vikings rookie receiver Jordan Addison was not on the field for Wednesday’s joint practice against the Tennessee Titans. Asked about his absence, head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that Addison is in concussion protocol after making a catch late in a practice earlier this week.“Just had some very, very light symptoms,” O’Connell said. “He’s working his way through that right now.”It sounds like the Vikings are being cautious with Addison as he goes through the process of getting back onto the field.“No reason to risk anything,” O’Connell said. “He’ll be back ASAP when the doctors clear him.”There’s hope within the organization that Addison could be back on the field by early next week. That timeline would prevent him from playing in Saturday’s preseason game between the Vikings and Titans.Though it doesn’t sound too serious, this is still an unfortunate setback for Addison. He has...

Two charged in shooting undercover Minneapolis police officer

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

Two people were charged Tuesday in connection with last week’s shooting of a Minneapolis police officer who was in plain clothes and driving an unmarked vehicle.The Hennepin County Attorney’s office announced that it charged Frederick Leon Davis, 19, with one count of attempted second-degree murder and charged Nevaeh Lee Page, 20, with one count of aiding an offender. The two were expected to appear in court on Wednesday.Frederick Leon Davis, left, and Nevaeh Lee Page (Courtesy of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office)The investigation continues with forensic testing of the crime scene, the vehicle the two were in and two firearms that were recovered.“We experienced a disturbing level of gun violence over the weekend. The danger that comes with all gun violence is intensified when firearms are modified to make them fully automatic, as occurred in this attack,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “Our office will continue to prioritize prosecution of this ty...

Lawmakers, developers celebrate clean energy project

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

SCHODACK, N.Y. (NEWS10) – 55-miles of transmission lines, running through Rensselaer, Columbia and Dutchess counties, have increased the amount of energy that flows down state. The developer said the project makes the New York State power grid more reliable and helps the state meet its nation-leading clean energy goals.The electricity delivery system, called the New York Energy Solution (NYES), was rebuilt on an existing transmission corridor, according to New York Transco President Vic Mullin.“It helps the clean energy initiative of New York state and our goals to improve the resiliency of the transmission system,” said Mullin, adding it alleviated a strain on the system. “That area was historically congested, unable to transmit as much power as it can today.”New York Transco, NYES, and lawmakers celebrated the project’s increased capacity on Wednesday  – which is now able to transfer an additional 2,100 megawatts. The new monopoles were designed to deliver energy more ef...

Cannabis recall in Missouri: Dispensaries pulling 60K products

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – Missouri regulators have issued a recall for more than 60,000 marijuana products sold in dispensaries and manufactured by Delta Extraction LLC.Customers who recently purchased edibles or drinks from a dispensary in Missouri need to make sure those items are on the recall list. Stores across the state removed the products from the shelves immediately, including Star Buds in University CityChris Chesley, who owns Star Buds, said they’ve quarantined the Delta Extraction products in their safe room until further notice.“The recall has not been easy. We are still working with the state, and we are working with our vendors to make sure that everything is being taken care of,” Chesley said.The Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation issued the recall on Monday. According to regulators, the products “were not compliantly tracked in the statewide track and trace system (METRC) in order for DCR to verify the products came from marijuana grown in Missouri or that the pr...

'I am a murderer:' Illinois son stabbed father to death over marijuana use before work, court doc reveals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

GLENVIEW, Ill. — A Glenview man stabbed his father to death after a dispute over using marijuana before work, a court document revealed Tuesday afternoon.According to a bond proffer from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, 20-year-old Isaac Thurston and his father, 50-year-old Perron Thurston, were arguing inside their home over whether Isaac should go to work after smoking marijuana Monday morning.The proffer said that Isaac's father was upset over the choice to do so, and later called the coffee shop where his son worked to tell them he could not work today. At that point, the argument spilled over into the kitchen, and during the argument, Isaac picked up a knife from a block on the counter and stabbed his father in the left side of his torso.After being stabbed, Perron called out to his wife, saying, "Isaac just stabbed me."Isaac's mother got out of bed and ran into the kitchen, where she called 911 after seeing that her husband had been stabbed. The married couple's seco...

St. Louis Downtown Airport celebrates $5.4M upgrades to propel aerospace industry

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:57:50 GMT

CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill. - City officials gathered Wednesday to celebrate the completion of a $5.4 million project at the St. Louis Downtown Airport. Officials cut a ribbon to celebrate the Ground Engine Run-Up and Compass Calibration Pad Project. This benefits aircraft maintenance providers operating at the airport and supports high-tech aerospace manufacturing jobs. Multiple people quit within hours at Jennings City Hall Airport officials are hopeful this will improve production safety, boost airport business, and increase global competitiveness for southern Illinois. "It helps generate $422 million annually in our economic impact and provides more than 15 hundred full-time and part-time jobs to the bi-state area, between the airport and its tenants," said Herb Simmons, director of the St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency. "That's what today's celebration is all about. It's about jobs." Nearly $5 million in state funding was used to support the project. The St. Louis Downto...