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Germany’s parliament approves a plan for a bigger hike in carbon price after a budget deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s parliament on Friday approved plans to raise the country’s levy on carbon dioxide emissions from fuel by more than previously planned next month, a move that is part of a deal to resolve a budget crisis.The CO2 price will rise to 45 euros (about $49) per ton of emissions from the current 30 euros under the plan approved by lawmakers. The government had previously planned a smaller increase to 40 euros. That is expected to impact prices for gasoline, diesel, natural gas and heating oil.The change is part of a package of measures that leaders of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition agreed upon on Wednesday to plug a budget hole created by a recent court ruling.Last month, Germany’s highest court annulled the two-year-old government’s decision to repurpose 60 billion euros originally meant to cushion the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic for measures to help combat climate change and modernize the country. That maneuver fell fo...

Spanish police arrest 14 airport workers after items go missing from checked-in suitcases

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Fourteen workers at one of Spain’s main airports for tourists were arrested on suspicion of stealing items from checked-in luggage, police said Friday.Police seized allegedly stolen items worth almost 2 million euros ($2.2 million) from the group of employees at the largest airport in Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands, a statement said. Another 20 airport employees are under investigation in the same case.The Tenerife South airport handles about 11 million passengers a year, most of them European tourists seeking the pleasant climate of the islands off the coast of northwest Africa.The investigation began after an increase in passenger complaints about items missing from their luggage, the police statement said.The thefts occurred as baggage was being placed in the aircrafts’ hold, police said. Inside the hold, the alleged thieves forced open suitcases, took out valuables and shut them again.Authorities seized 29 luxury wristwatches, 120 items of jewelry, 22 hi...

Airbnb agrees to pay $621 million to settle a tax dispute in Italy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

ROME (AP) — Short-term rental platform Airbnb has agreed to pay 576 million euros ($621 million) to settle a years-long dispute over unpaid taxes in Italy but said it won’t try to recover the money from its hosts.In November, Italian prosecutors said AirBnb owed about 779 million euros ($840 million) in short-term rental taxes it had failed to pay on behalf of Italian landlords who used the platform between 2017 and 2021.The San Francisco-based company said in a statement on Wednesday that it was working on introducing new tools for hosts to have their taxes withheld automatically and paid to the Italian tax authorities on their behalf.“The vast majority of hosts on Airbnb in Italy are ordinary families that are using the platform for supplemental income,” the company said in its statement. “We hope the agreement with the Italian Revenue Agency and recent legislative changes will provide these families with certainty about the rules around hosting for years to come.”The Court of Jus...

Body found in trunk of burning vehicle on South Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

CHICAGO — A body has been found in the trunk of a vehicle in the Bridgeport neighborhood on the city's South Side.Police said officers and the Chicago Fire Department responded to a car on fire in an alley on the 3700 block of South Parnell around 2:08 a.m. Friday. Firefighters extinguished the fire and discovered a victim unresponsive in the trunk. The person was pronounced dead on scene. Chicago cousins wrongfully convicted in 1981 homicides exonerated The gender and identity of the person is unknown at this time.Area One Detectives are investigating.

Friday Forecast: Temps in low 50s with increasing clouds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

CHICAGO — Increasing clouds Friday with temperatures in the lowers 50s. Winds: SSW 5-10. High: 52. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Cloudy conditions tonight. Winds: SSE 0-5. Low: 39.Saturday Forecast: Cloudy, rain showers, SE 5-10 G15. High: 43.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Manor Police arrest suspect, identify victim in Walmart parking lot shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) -- The Manor Police Department has identified and arrested the suspect allegedly involved in the shooting and killing of a man in the Walmart parking lot. Police also identified the victim. Police responded just before 4 a.m. to the Walmart located at 11923 US 290 for a report of a person being shot in the parking lot. When they arrived, they found a man with apparent gunshot wounds and began life-saving measures. The man was pronounced dead on the scene at 4:13 a.m. MORE INFO: Man found dead with gunshot wounds in Manor Walmart parking lot, police say Manor police identified the victim as Luis Frias-Hernandez, 19, of Elgin.The police department said in an update online that detectives "worked diligently throughout the day" and were able to identify the suspect as Juan Acuna-Goana, 25, of Manor. Juan Acuna-Goana, 25. Mugshot: Manor Police DepartmentAccording to Manor police, a Travis County judge issued an arrest warrant for 1st Degree Felony Murder. Acuna-Gaon...

AUS provides new details on upcoming ramp control program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The acting Deputy Chief of Operations at Austin's airport, Loren Lintner, said he expects a new safety control program to be operating by the end of February. Lintner presented new details about the ramp control program during an Airport Advisory Committee meeting this week. There he said the airport's ramp has become chaotic as traffic continues to increase. "If you got two aircraft trying to push back from adjacent gates, there's no mechanism to de-conflict those aircraft either," Lintner said. Where is the ramp?The "ramp" is the area where planes board and de-board. Austin's airport has an uncontrolled ramp, meaning there is no one directing the flow of traffic as planes push back and enter gates. An aerial view of the airport shows the ramp (green) and the taxiways and runways (blue) (Photo Courtesy City of Austin). The picture above shows an aerial view of Austin's airport. The areas shaded in blue are taxiways and runways. When a plane is traveling on those bl...

Wet weather Friday followed by beautiful weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today will hold our best chance of rain for the week before sunshine and drier skies take over for the weekend.A strong Pacific storm clipping north Texas today will send a cold front our way bringing scattered to widespread rain. Although the heaviest rain looks to stay north of us, we're still favored for a few hours of a good rainfall late this morning through early evening.Cold front brings scattered rain to Central Texas on FridayRain is most likely:Hill Country: 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.Austin area: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.Eastern Counties: 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.Rainfall totals will generally range between 0.25"-0.75" with isolated pockets of higher amounts.Rainfall totals generally expected to fall short of an inch on FridayBecause of the later arrival time of this cold front, afternoon highs are likely to warm back into the 60s, with no major drop in temperatures expected even behind the front.Left in the wake of this cold front will be gusty winds and dry air. Sunshine and seasonab...

5 things to know this Friday, December 15

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Everyone take a collective sigh of relief, you made it to Friday. To make the end of the work week even better, Meteorologist Kevin Appleby says today is going to be a winner weather-wise, as we'll see a surge of unseasonably mild air move into our region thanks to high pressure to our south and a bit of a breeze from the south-southwest. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! The Good Samaritan who confronted the man who allegedly fired shots outside of Temple Israel in Albany shared his account of what happened with NEWS10's Jamie DeLine. Also, one mother’s Christmas wish arrived early. A soldier had an emotional reunion with his family on Thursday when he surprised his mom. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Friday morning. 1. Man who confronted alleged temple shooter speaksThe Good Samaritan who confronted the man who allegedly fired shots outside of Temple Israel in Albany shared...

Holiday traffic enforcement begins today

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:33 GMT

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Law enforcement agencies across Illinois are starting campaigns on Friday targeting impaired drivers.IDOT is in charge of the holiday enforcement campaign. The goal is to keep roadways like Interstate 55 and Interstate 70 safe during this holiday season.From Friday through January 2, law enforcement across Illinois is teaming up with IDOT to show zero tolerance for alcohol and drug-impaired driving. The campaign slogans are "Drive sober or get pulled over" and "Drive high, get a DUI." Law officers in Missouri started a similar effort on the day before Thanksgiving, and it runs through New Year's Day.The numbers show why the efforts of law enforcement are so important. Figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that in 2021, nearly 13,400 people across the country were killed in car crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver. Two St. Louis-area highways among ‘America’s most loathed,’ report says Between 2017 and 2021, a person was k...