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Olaf Scholz on budget crisis: No cuts to German welfare state

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday rejected his fiscally conservative coalition partners who are demanding cuts to social benefits, as the government tries to plug a €60 billion hole in its budget.“For me, it is very clear: There will be no dismantling of the welfare state in a situation like this,” Scholz said at the Social Democratic Party (SPD) convention in Berlin, during an eagerly awaited speech after weeks of silence on the subject. Scholz’s vow brought relief to his party colleagues, but poses a challenge to coalition partners from the Free Democratic Party, who have repeatedly called for the budget crisis to be resolved by cutting social benefits. Most recently, FDP deputy leader Johannes Vogel described the German welfare state as a “thicket” in an interview, which he said creates injustice, particularly in the area of family-related benefits.But in a 45-minute speech, Scholz gave little insight into how the government would pr...

DA: Brockton shooting suspect hospitalized after being found with self-inflicted wound

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

A man sought in connection with the deadly shooting of a woman in Brockton early Friday morning has been found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and was taken to a Boston hospital, where he remains in treatment, officials said.Gelson Fernandes, 29, of Brockton, is facing a homicide charge in connection with the fatal shooting of Stephanie Beatty, of Norwich, Connecticut, who was found dead in a vehicle on Nason Street, according to the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office.Investigators say Beatty and Fernandes were previously acquainted. This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Maine’s congressional delegation calls for Army investigation into Lewiston shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Maine’s congressional delegation is calling for the Army to investigate the events that lead up to the October mass shooting – the deadliest in the state’s history – by one of its reservists.Robert Card killed 18 people in a bowling alley and a restaurant in Lewiston on Oct. 25, authorities said, and his body was found – with a self-inflicted gunshot wound – two days later. Reports soon began to emerge that the 40-year-old Card had spent two weeks in a psychiatric hospital and at roughly the same time was amassing weapons.Members of the Maine delegation called for the Department of the Army Inspector General to investigate following a meeting with families affected by the killings in Washington.The delegation said Friday that Army officials have informed them that there will be an administrative investigation into the events that preceded Card’s death. The members said in a statement that they have called for...

2 hospitalized after crash sends tractor-trailer off overpass in Foxboro

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

Two people were rushed to the hospital late Friday night after a crash sent a tractor-trailer down an embankment next to an overpass in Foxboro, officials said.Fire officials say the the 18-wheeler was involved in a crash with another vehicle and ended up on Cocasset Street, where a passerby assisted in getting the driver out of the damaged vehicle.Both drivers involved were taken to nearby hospitals and are expected to survive.The cause of the crash remains under investigation.No additional information was immediately available.This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

Hundreds of Georgians march in support of country’s candidacy for European Union membership

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Hundreds of people marched in Georgia’s capital Saturday to support the Caucasus region country becoming a candidate for European Union membership. The EU is expected to announce Dec. 15 whether it has decided to grant Georgia candidate status, a crucial milestone for potential membership. The government was told last month that it should officially receive candidacy once it addresses specific shortcomings, including in the fight against corruption and election deficiencies. Participants in the “Your Voice to EU” rally in Tbilisi marched from First Republic Square to Europe Square, where a huge EU flag was unfurled. Organizers said that each star on the flag was made in a different region of Georgia, symbolizing the Georgian people’s unity in the aspiration for their country to join the 27-nation bloc. The march was initiated by President Salome Zourabichvili and organized by civil society groups.“This is a peaceful march, a demonstration of the p...

‘Shadows of children:’ For the youngest hostages, life moves forward in whispers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

HERZLIYA, Israel (AP) — After seven weeks held hostage in the tunnels of Gaza, they are finally free to laugh and chat and play. But some of the children who have come back from captivity are still reluctant to raise their voices above a whisper.In theory, they can eat what they want, sleep as much as they choose and set aside their fears. In practice, some have had to be convinced there’s no longer a need to save a cherished bit of food in case there is none later.At last, the 86 Israelis released during a short-lived truce between their government and Hamas are home. But the Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian militants on roughly 20 towns and villages left many of the children among them without permanent homes to go back to. Some of their parents are dead and others are still held hostage, foreshadowing the difficulty of days still ahead.And so, step by step, these children, the mothers and grandmothers who were held alongside them, and their families are testing the ground for a path ...

1 dead, 2 wounded in shooting on West Side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

CHICAGO — A man was shot and killed and two other men was wounded early Saturday in a shooting on Chicago’s West Side.Police said the two men were in a car near Hamlin Avenue and North Avenue around 1:20 a.m. and began shooting at another man on the street.That man, who police say is 31-years-old and a concealed carry license holder, returned fire.One of the men in the car was struck in the chest and died, according to police. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines The second man in the car was shot in the shoulder and taken to the hospital in fair condition.The man on the street was shot in his upper body and was taken to the hospital in fair condition, police said.There is no word on charges at this time.

Rain clears out Saturday as temps begin to drop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

Saturday's morning rain will taper off and temperatures will fall. The area will see gusty WSW winds at 15-35 mph Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here High happened already at 54. We will see around 50 degrees by noon and low 40s by dinnertime. Saturday night is set to be cloudy and breezy with a slight chance of a few flurries. W 10-20 mph Low of 30.Sunday will be cloudy, much colder with some flurries. WNW 5-15 mph High of just 36.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog Extended outlook calls for more sunshine on Monday but temps still quite cold. The work week starts out with temps in the 20s in the morning and only mid 30s in the afternoon. Partly sunny on Tuesday with highs near 40. Mostly sunny on Wednesday with highs in the mid to low 40s. That milder trend continues into Thursday with highs in the mid to upper 40s. 

Here's a list of new Illinois laws going into effect in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed more than 150 laws that go into effect next year, many on January 1st, 2024.One of the new laws will allow noncitizens to become police officers.Another will give legal recourse to victims of "deepfake" pornography.And another requires all residents who own any of 170 “assault-style weapons” banned under law to register them with the state police.Here is a list of some of the laws going into effect in 2024:Mimimum wage for non-tipped workers increases to $14; for tipped employees, it increases to $8.40.The Digital Forgeries Act will give victims legal recourse if they are the victim of "deep fakes," or digitally altered sexually explicit images.Noncitizen immigrants who have a work permit will be eligible to become police officers.Noncitiezen immigrants can get a standardized driver’s license, replacing the current Temporary Visitor Driver’s LicenseVideoconferencing while driving will be banned.Vaping indoors in p...

Cold front moving through this morning

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:14:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until 9 a.m. for a several counties. Before 6 a.m. Saturday the visibility dropped to .0 at Llano and Marble Falls. This fog will lift once the dry air behind the cold front arrives.Starting foggy in some areasClouds, drizzle, fog, and light rain will be part of the forecast before the cold front. Drier air behind it will send daytime high temperatures into many low 70s. The colder air arrives later this afternoon and tonight. Many lows tomorrow morning will drop to the middle to upper 30s under a clear sky. Winds will be strong tonight, coming out of the north 15 to 20 mph with gusts as high as 25 to 35 mph.Wind speeds/gusts increase this afternoon and tonightMany of you have your holiday decorations up so spend some time this morning making sure they are secure.It is also expected that the cedar count will increase tomorrow and Monday due to the strong winds.The wind speeds will decrease overnight to Sunday morning with lower gust...