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German government backtracks on tax hikes for farmers following protests

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

BERLIN — Germany’s three-party ruling coalition on Thursday partly backed down from a proposal to cut tax privileges for farmers after facing emotional protests.The government said in a statement that it would gradually phase out tax breaks on diesel fuel for farmers over multiple years rather than cut the benefit abruptly as coalition leaders had initially proposed, in order to “give the affected companies more time to adjust.” The government also said it would waive planned tax increases for agricultural vehicles.The leaders of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition had previously announced the tax hikes on farmers as part of a draft budget deal for 2024 presented last month. The planned increases were part of the coalition’s attempts to plug a multi-billion-euro budget gap that appeared after the country’s top court ruled that some of its spending practices were unlawful.In response to the coalition’s proposal, farmers organized a major protest in Berlin in which a ...

Police say multiple people have been shot at a high school in Perry, Iowa; suspect is dead

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say multiple people were shot at the city’s high school Thursday, early on students’ first day back in classes after their annual winter break.Two gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in the state capital of Des Moines, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Perry, a community of about 8,000 people. Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said the shooting occurred before school was set to start, so there were few students and faculty in Perry High School.The suspect in the shooting has died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican presidential candidates were campaigning.An active shooter was reported...

Islamic State group claims responsibility for Iran suicide bombings killing at least 84 people

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Thursday for two suicide bombings targeting a commemoration for an Iranian general slain in a 2020 U.S. drone strike, the worst militant attack to strike Iran in decades as the wider Middle East remains on edge.Experts who follow the group confirmed that the statement, circulated online among jihadists, came from the extremists, who likely hope to take advantage of the chaos gripping the region amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.Wednesday’s attack in Kerman killed at least 84 people and wounded another 284. It targeted a ceremony honoring Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, held as an icon by supporters of the country’s theocracy and viewed by the U.S. military as a deadly foe who aided militants who killed American troops in Iraq.The Islamic State group claim identified the two attackers as Omar al-Mowahed and Seif-Allah al-Mujahed. The claim said the ...

Patriots get good news at Thursday practice before Jets game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

FOXBORO — The Patriots returned defensive back Myles Bryant to practice Thursday after he sat out Wednesday’s session due to illness.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | The inside story of the Patriots’ fall to rock bottom in the Bill Belichick era New England Patriots | Patriots won’t activate offensive tackle acquired before season via trade New England Patriots | Patriots missing 2 key players at Wednesday practice before finale against Jets New England Patriots | Patriots aren’t using final week of 2023 season to find out what they have in young players New England Patriots | Patriots’ Jerod Mayo reacts to ‘hurtful’ report he’s rubbed people the wrong way Bryant, who plays cornerback and safety, has taken the fourth-most snaps of any Patriots defender this season. He’s played in every game, recording 77 tackles, an interception, two forced fumb...

WEEI is looking for a Red Sox play-by-play announcer, fans wonder about Will Flemming’s role

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

With spring training just around the corner, WEEI is searching for a Red Sox play-by-play announcer as local baseball fans wonder about Will Flemming’s future role with the broadcast team.Audacy Boston’s WEEI has put up a job posting for a “Red Sox Play by Play/Analyst Announcer” for the 2024 Sox season — which kicks off with spring training games in late February and then regular season games at the end of March.“If you have experience and expertise in describing baseball action on the radio — to go along with an engaging personality — you could be a perfect match to call games alongside Hall-of-Famer Joe Castiglione in the Sox Booth this year!” reads the job posting.“Some games/innings will be in a play-by-play role, describing on-field action; other games/innings would be spent as an analyst, assisting the lead play-by-play voice with game reaction,” the posting states. “Deliver live game broadcasts that are ...

Strike kills 12 people, mostly children, in Gaza area declared safe zone by Israel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

By NAJIB JOBAIN and JACK JEFFFERY (Associated Press)RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli strike flattened a home Thursday in an area of southern Gaza that the military had declared a safe zone as Israeli troops pressed their assault in the nearby city of Khan Younis. Palestinian hospital officials said the blast killed at least 12 people, almost all of them children.Israel’s offensive has focused on Khan Younis, where the military said Thursday it has uncovered tunnels used by Hamas and battled fighters from the group that attacked into southern Israel on Oct. 7. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.Israel has vowed to continue its campaign in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. Now an apparent Israeli strike that killed a top Hamas leader in Beirut has stirred fresh fears that the conflict could expand into other parts of the region.The killing of Sameh Arouri prompted warnings of retaliation from Hamas’ ally, the Leban...

Two killed in Morrissey Boulevard rollover crash, State Police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

Authorities are investigating a single-vehicle rollover crash on Morrissey Boulevard early Thursday morning that killed two occupants and injured two others, leaving one in “grave condition,” according to Massachusetts State Police.A state trooper patrolling the treacherous roadway in Dorchester observed the vehicle, a 2013 Hyundai Accent, traveling at a “high rate of speed” on the northbound side before it crashed in the area of UMass-Boston.The victims are all males, and three are believed to be teenage juveniles, State Police said in a release. Investigators are working to confirm the identities of the victims.The crash prompted the response of additional State and Boston police patrols along with Boston Fire and EMS.Responders determined one victim to be dead on scene, while the three others were taken to various Boston hospitals. One of the victims was pronounced dead at the hospital.A third victim is in “grave condition” at the hospital, and the fourth is hospitalized with inj...

Lululemon founder Chip Wilson criticizes company’s diversity and inclusion efforts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

VANCOUVER — Lululemon Athletica Inc.’s founder has criticized the Vancouver-based apparel company’s diversity efforts in a new interview.In an article published this week by Forbes, Chip Wilson shares his distaste for Lululemon’s “whole diversity and inclusion thing” and says the people the company is using in its ads are “unhealthy,” “sickly” and “not inspirational.”Wilson adds that he feels Lululemon is trying to be like the Gap by wanting to be everything to everybody. He thinks the company should be clear it doesn’t want certain customers visiting the business.Lululemon declined to comment on Wilson’s remarks.Wilson previously attracted controversy in 2013, when he told Bloomberg some women’s bodies don’t work for the company’s products after Lululemon pulled some of its yoga pants from shelves over concerns they were too sheer.Wilson, who started Lululemon in 1998, eventually stepped down from the company and relinquished his boar...

Blinken heads to the Mideast again as fears of regional conflict surge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to the Middle East this weekend for the fourth time since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October as once-abated fears about a regional conflagration are surging with attacks and assassinations in the Red Sea, Lebanon, Iran and Iraq.The Biden administration had breathed a sigh of relief about the potential for a broader Mideast war in the immediate aftermath of Israel’s military response to the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, when it counseled Israeli officials not to mount pre-emptive strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.Two-and-a-half months later, though, the chances of a regional war have increased with Israel determined to strike Hamas operatives and leaders no matter where they are and Iranian proxies like Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi rebels and pro-Iran militias stepping up attacks on U.S., Israeli and international interests in the Red Sea, Iraq and Syria.Blinken leaves late Thursday on his latest extended Midea...

President of Belarus gives himself immunity from prosecution and limits potential challengers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:32 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus signed a new law Thursday that gives him lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution and prevents opposition leaders living abroad from running in future presidential elections.The law theoretically applies to any former president and members of his or her family. In reality, it only is relevant to the 69-year-old Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for almost 30 years. The new measure appears aimed at further shoring up Lukashenko’s power and eliminating potential challengers in the country’s next presidential election, which is due to take place in 2025.The law significantly tightens requirements for presidential candidates and makes it impossible to elect opposition leaders who fled to neighboring countries in recent years. Only citizens of Belarus who have permanently resided in the country for at least 20 years and have never had a residence permit in another country are eligible to run.Bela...