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German government wants ex-minister to foot $267 million bill for a failed highway toll plan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — The German government is considering whether it can make former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer foot at least part of the quarter-billion euro compensation it has to pay a private company over a failed plan to introduce highway tolls.Scheuer, who was in office from 2018 until 2021, had insisted on the total despite expert warnings that it would unfairly penalize drivers from other EU countries. A European Union court ruled it illegal in 2019, prompting a lengthy arbitration procedure with the company hired to set up the toll system that ended in a 243-million euro ($267-million) settlement last week.Scheuer’s successor, Volker Wissing, told German weekly Bild am Sonntag that taxpayers shouldn’t have to bear all of the cost of “this serious political mistake.”“We will look the legal situation very closely and carefully examine whether and to what amount compensation claims (against Scheuer) are possible,” he was quoted saying Sunday.Scheuer is a member of...

Los Angeles police arrest suspect in apparent random shootings at 3 locations with 1 person wounded

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police in Los Angeles arrested a suspect following what appeared to be a series of random shootings that wounded one victim Saturday morning, a news report said.The suspect allegedly fired randomly at people in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, with shootings reported between 6:20 a.m. and 7:20 a.m., KTLA-TV reported.The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was taken into custody after the Los Angeles Police Department located an unoccupied vehicle believed to have been used in the attacks. Officers later arrested a man who matched the suspect’s description when he exited a nearby home, KTLA reported.Police found a rifle believed to have been used in the shootings during a search of the vehicle, the station reported.Police said the first shooting occurred around 6:20 a.m. when a man in his 30s was critically injured while walking along a street. A suspect with a rifle was reported to have driven away from the scene. The victim was transported to a ...

Jordanian security forces kill 3, including 2 escaped prisoners, in a gunbattle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — Jordanian security forces killed three men, including two escaped inmates, in a shootout in a remote part of the country, authorities said Sunday.The Public Security Directorate said that the two prisoners had recently fled from jail, prompting a search that ended with the gunbattle. The third man killed had alleged ties to a militant group and was wanted in connection with unspecified crimes, the directorate said.One of the two escaped inmates was charged in connection with the 2022 killing of a senior police officer.The officer, Abdul Razzaq Abdel Hafez Al Dalabeh, was killed during clashes with protesters that broke out over high fuel prices. Three additional officers were killed while trying to arrest suspects in connection with Al Dalabeh’s death.A statement by the directorate said Saturday’s shootout took place in a rugged area in the kingdom’s southeast. It said authorities were investigating how the two men had escaped from prison.The r...

Snap presidential vote is underway in Uzbekistan and expected to extend incumbent’s rule

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Voters in Uzbekistan cast their ballots on Sunday in a snap presidential election that is widely expected to extend the incumbent’s rule by seven more years. The vote followed a constitutional referendum that extended a presidential term from five to seven years and allowed President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to run for two more terms in office. In 2021, Mirziyoyev was elected to his second five-year term, the limit allowed by the constitution at the time. A set of constitutional amendments approved in April’s plebiscite allowed him to begin the count of terms anew and run for two more, raising the possibility that he could stay in office until 2037. In May, the 65-year-old Mirziyoyev called for a snap election. He is set to win the vote by a landslide against three token rivals.More than 10,700 polling stations opened in Uzbekistan at 8 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) and were scheduled to close 12 hours later. By 11 a.m., more than 33% of voters have cast their ballots, el...

Syria revokes BBC’s media accreditation and accuses the British broadcaster of spreading ‘fake news’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s Information Ministry has canceled the BBC’s media accreditation, accusing the British public broadcaster of biased and fake news in its coverage of the war-torn country.The announcement came days after BBC Arabic released an investigative documentary about the illicit drug trade in Syria, where they highlighted links between the estimated multi-billion dollar industry and the Syrian army as well as members of President Bashar Assad’s family.The Syrian Information Ministry in a statement late Saturday said the decision was made after“ warning the channel more than once that it has broadcasted its misleading reports relying on statements and testimonies from terrorist entities and those hostile to Syria”. Damascus revoked the licenses of both the British broadcaster’s radio and television correspondents in Syria, as well as their videographer.“We speak to people across the political spectrum to establish the facts,” the BBC said in a state...

What is swimmer's ear and what causes it?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- With plenty of people turning to swimming pools and local waterways for reprieve this summer, some might unfortunately find themselves dealing with swimmer's ear. But what, exactly, is it, and what causes it?Mayo Clinic defines swimmer's ear as an infection in the outer ear canal, often caused by water that lingers in your ear and leads to bacteria growth. Symptoms traditionally start off mild before worsening if the infection is left untreated. What are the symptoms of swimmer's ear?Mild signs include itchiness in your ear canal, slight redness inside of your ear, some clear, odorless fluid draining from your ear and mild discomfort. That discomfort is worsened if you pull on your outer ear or push on the tragus, or "bump" toward the front of your ear.Moderate symptoms noted include more intense itching within the ear along with increased pain and extensive redness of the ear. More fluid can be found draining from the ear along with the feeling of "fullness" in the...

Arden Hills products for natural hair make it onto Macy’s Marketplace. How they did it.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

De’Vonna Pittman spent most of her life using chemical relaxers to straighten her hair. One day, she decided to cut it all off, “to experience my hair the way it grew out of my scalp,” she said. A week after cutting her hair, she realized the products she’d been using for so long didn’t work for her natural hair, so she started making her own.Nature’s Syrup Hair and Skin Care, founded and run by Pittman, has over 800 e-commerce customers and is now available at Macy’s Marketplace, an online platform that allows customers to purchase directly from third-party sellers.Based in Arden Hills and founded in 2017, Nature’s Syrup was not an overnight success, but rather a grassroots labor of love with the goal of helping individuals feel comfortable in their own skin.But it’s origins really precede that. Pittman began formulating products and sharing them with her community in 2013. “I started making products for people at my church and they loved it so much, they said they would pay ...

Lincoln County deputy killed in motorcycle crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

TROY, Mo. -- The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is mourning the loss of a deputy killed in a motorcycle crash Saturday night. A car suddenly crossed the center lane and killed Deputy Steven Tucker on Highway J in unincorporated Lincoln County just before 7:30 p.m.A statement from the Lincoln Sheriff's Office says, "Deputy Steven Tucker embodied the spirit of service, honor, and selflessness, exemplifying the qualities expected of a law enforcement professional. His unwavering commitment to protecting and serving the community will forever be remembered by his colleagues and the citizens he served. Deputy Tucker's loss is a significant blow to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, and he will be deeply missed by his fellow deputies, friends, and family."The crash is currently under investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol. Funeral arrangements have yet to be released.

Crystal Quade announces run for Missouri governor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A Democratic state representative from southwest Missouri is throwing her name in the hat to be the next governor. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade announced this morning she is running for governor in 2024. She is the first Democratic candidate to enter the race.Quade was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and has been leading house democrats since 2019. She will term out next year. Her background is in social work. If elected - she would be the first female governor of the state. Quade says as governor she would work to repeal the ban on abortions and protect farmers by prohibiting China and Russia from owning farmland. Lincoln County deputy killed in motorcycle crash Quade is launching her campaign with a kick-off event Monday in Springfield.Governor Mike Parson is not seeking re-election due to term limits. Being the only Democrat to announce so far, she will face off next November against the Republican nominee from the August primary.So...

Storm chances increase Tuesday through the rest of the week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:21 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- A nice day today with highs in the 80s and decreasing cloud cover. Monday and Tuesday will be hotter with highs in the low 90s. Storm chances increase Tuesday night and stay with us through the rest of the work week and into the weekend as an active pattern sets up. There will be some potential for heavy rain and severe storms through this time frame as well.