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The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland faced another day of recriminations Thursday as the government prepared to publish an investigation into why child abuse by Dublin priests went unchecked for decades.

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Model mutt walks the catwalk A dog wearing a latest creation walks on the catwalk during the Pet-A-Porter Pet Fashion Show at Harrods in London, Thursday. In the 7th annual Pet-A-Porter show, the dogs wear the season’s most sensational outfits as well as designs from the top dogs of fashion including Vivienne Westwood, Roberto Cavalli and Robert Rodriguez.

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The investigation focuses on cover-ups in the Dublin Archdiocese, and is one of several government inquiries ordered after the chronic child rape, beatings and other cruelty was revealed in Catholic-run schools, children’s workhouses and orphanages. The first major priest-pedophilia court case in 1994 triggered the collapse of the government of the day. More than 15,000 abuse victims have since come forward to pursue claims.

Thursday’s report looks into the circumstances under which 46 Dublin priests were able to molest or rape children in 1975-2004.

FALL RIVER, Mass.

Cops: Kids locked in trunk

Massachusetts police say a man locked his two young sons in the trunk of his car while he ran an errand.

Fall River police say Michael Monahan put his kids, ages 3 and 6, in the trunk of his Pontiac Trans Am for several minutes Tuesday morning while he went inside a sailing shop.

According to court records, Monahan told investigators the boys like to play in the trunk.

The 35-year-old Monahan pleaded not guilty Wednesday to assault and reckless endangerment of a child. He was released on cash bail.

RAMALLAH, West Bank

Palestinians make appeal

Palestinians appealed to the United States on Thursday to raise pressure on Israel, saying an Israeli plan to halt new construction in the West Bank was insincere.

Yasser Abed Rabbo, a top presidential adviser, said he hopes U.S. envoy George Mitchell can bring about what he called “a real peace process” that would halt all settlement construction. Mitchell is expected in the region soon in his latest attempt to bring the sides back to the negotiating table.

On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a 10-month halt to new construction in West Bank settlements as a step toward restarting Mideast peace negotiations.

SAN LUIS, Colo.

Calf deaths are mystery

A creepy string of calf mutilations in southern Colorado has a rancher and sheriff’s officials mystified.

Four calves were found dead in a pasture just north of the New Mexico state line in recent weeks. The dead calves had their skins peeled back and organs cleared from the rib cage. One calf had its tongue removed.

But rancher Manuel Sanchez has found no signs of human attackers, such as footprints or ATV tracks. And there are no signs of an animal attack by a coyote or mountain lion. Usually predators leave pools of blood or drag marks from carrying away the livestock.

Some in the area believe the mutilations are the work of aliens. An area UFO chaser, Chuck Zukowski of Colorado Springs, has been to the Costilla County pasture to investigate.

He told the paper there have been other unexplained calf mutilations in the area, including three in March.