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Slovakia central bank chief says he won’t step down despite bribery charges against him

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — The head of Slovakia’s central bank, who is a member of the European Central Bank committee that decides monetary policy for 20 countries, said Monday he won’t step down despite bribery charges against him.Peter Kazimir is accused of paying a bribe of 48,000 euros ($52,000) to the head of the country’s tax office in connection with a tax audit of several private companies. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted. It wasn’t clear when a verdict might be issued.Kazimir said he considered the charges illegal and fabricated.“I will never resign,” he told reporters after the trial opened Monday in a court in the town of Pezinok near the capital, Bratislava. “And you know why? Because I haven’t done anything wrong.”Slovakia is one of 20 countries that use the euro currency and Kazimir is a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council, its main decision-making body.The case dates to when Kazimir served as finance minister in the l...

Von der Leyen urges moves to bring Ukraine, Moldova into EU to avoid Russian, Chinese influence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

MADRID (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday it was imperative for the European Union to address the issue of its enlargement as soon as possible to include countries such as Ukraine and Moldova to guarantee they do not fall under the influence of Russia or China.Speaking in Madrid, von der Leyen said the bloc must look forward four years and imagine what the union should be like.“Can we imagine the European Union will be without Ukraine, without Moldova, without the Western Balkans? And those parts of Europe are under the influence of Russia or China? Impossible,” she said. “So, the direction of travel is clear. And therefore, now we have to start to think about how are we making sure that Europe is whole, that those countries are part of the European Union.”Von der Leyen spoke alongside Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez following a meeting of EU commissioners and the Spanish government to review Spain’s plans for its six-month presidency of the E...

Miss the supermoon? You won't have to wait long

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - If you missed the supermoon Monday morning, there will be a few more chances to catch another one before the end of 2023. A supermoon occurs during a full moon while the moon is at close range to Earth, making it seem even larger than other full moons to some. The most recent supermoon peaked at 7:39 a.m. ET Monday morning. The moon will still appear full Monday night, according to WFLA Meteorologist Amanda Holly.Holly points out that the next three full moons will also be super moons. There will also be four consecutive supermoons in 2024. Two of the remaining three supermoons will be in August, the second of which will be a blue moon -- the name given to a second full moon in one calendar month. The third will be in September.August 1, peaking at 2:31 p.m. ETAugust 30, peaking at 9:35 p.m. ETSeptember 26, peaking at 5:57 a.m. ET. The August 30th full moon will also be the closest to Earth of the full supermoons in 2023, according to EarthSky. Despite the pro...

Missing Houston man found 8 years after disappearing as a teen

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) — A teenager who disappeared in 2015 has been found alive but injured. Rudy Farias IV was 17 years old when he vanished on March 6, 2015, while walking his two dogs near Tidwell Road in north Houston. The dogs were later found, but Rudy was not located. An electric billboard was put up in 2017 to help find him. Authorities said that Farias was diagnosed with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.But on Sunday, Farias’ family and the Texas Center of the Missing said that Rudy, now 25, has been found safe and sound."Please continue to keep his family in your prayers as Rudy recovers in the hospital," the agency wrote. His family says he is in the hospital being treated for several injuries and is in "bad shape."According to family members who spoke to the local ABC affiliate, Farias IV was found unresponsive outside of a church. It's not yet clear what led to the teen's disappearance or where he has been for nearly a decade.

Texas 'death star' law will eliminate mandatory water breaks for construction workers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

DALLAS (NewsNation) — A new state law in Texas will soon invalidate mandatory water breaks for construction workers. It’s part of a new bill that empowers the state to override local governments in certain circumstances.Critics of the bill have called it overreach, while supporters said it will make it easier to do business in the state.The new law called the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act has been signed by Gov. Greg Abbott and takes effect on Sept. 1. However, the triple-digit heat that has been plaguing the Lone Star State has prompted concerns about how dangerous the bill could potentially be for workers. How to handle extreme heat on the road The law would eliminate municipal codes in Dallas and throughout Texas that are stricter than the state law.Currently, some cities like Dallas mandate construction workers take a 10-minute break every four hours.With the new law, that would disappear.Opponents of the bill said this takes away the city or town’s right to protect its wor...

Person of interest identified in deadly north Austin shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is KXAN's previous coverage of the June 30, 2023 shooting.AUSTIN (KXAN) — A person of interest has been identified by the Austin Police Department after a deadly shooting in north Austin Friday night, according to an APD release.Officers went to 8800 Redfield Ln., which is near Payton Gin Road and U.S. Highway 183, around 11:15 p.m. Friday after reports of the shooting, the release said. APD investigating homicide in north Austin Police found Larry Jennings, 47, with gunshot wounds. Jennings died at the scene, APD said.Homicide investigators believe Jennings was shot by another man in the parking lot on Redfield Lane "in front of several people," the release stated.APD said this case is being investigated as the city's 34th homicide this year.Police are asking that you call (512) 974-TIPS with information. Tips can be sent anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling (512) 472-8477. There'...

Study: Austin metro is best US city for starting a career right now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Another graduating class has secured their degrees and are preparing to find jobs in an economy and market vastly different from pre-pandemic years.When it comes to the best American cities for young professionals to launch a career in 2023, neither San Francisco nor New York City cracked to the top five, according to a new study.A new study from Bankrate found that younger generations have different values in today's remote work-friendly environment."The coronavirus pandemic pushed flexible work to no longer be a transient response but an enduring feature of the working world," according to Alex Gailey, Bankrate analyst. "More than ever, young workers crave work-life balance, the flexibility to work remotely and higher pay – and these cities offer what young professionals are looking for." Fears of an ‘internet apocalypse’ are brewing: How likely will upcoming solar storms wreak havoc? An April survey from LinkedIn found that a whopping majority of Gen Z professionals...

Anthony Edwards agrees to five year, max rookie extension with Timberwolves

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

Anthony Edwards has agreed to a five-year, max-extension with the Timberwolves that could keep the star guard in Minnesota through the 2027-28 campaign, a source confirmed.The deal can become official as soon as July 6.There are no options — team or player — included in the deal, which will pay Edwards $217 million at minimum throughout the duration of the contract, and could reach as high as $260 over the next five years if Edwards makes an All-NBA team this next season.Edwards is the fourth player from his draft class to agree to the max rookie deal, joining Memphis’ Desmond Bane, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton.Minnesota has one more extension to agree to this offseason, as it hopes to ink Jaden McDaniels to a long-term contract.

Troy man charged with sexual assault of a minor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Troy man has been arrested following an investigation into the sexual assault of a minor, according to police. Perry Ransford, 74, is facing multiple charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The investigation leading to the arrest took place over the last several months, yielding that Ransford allegedly engaged in sexual acts with a 13-year-old victim back in February. The original incident reportedly occurred in Ransford's 6th Avenue apartment in Troy. Police say that the victim was a visitor to Ransford's residence, but the two did not have an existing relationship. The investigation resulted in an indictment by the Rensselaer County Court, and Ransford now faces the following charges:ChargesFirst-degree rapeSecond-degree rapeFirst-degree sexual abuse Aggravated sexual abuse Endangering the welfare of a child Troy police investigating homicide If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual as...

UAlbany men's basketball building winning relationships

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The University at Albany men's basketball team has been putting in summer work with some of the old, and new faces to the team. One of the area's they've been working on other than team chemistry on the floor is developing relationships off the court - an area that head coach Dwayne Killings believes last season wasn't the strong point of his team. Building those bonds early has brought some optimism about what can be expected from the Great Danes in 2023. "I didn't think we had the kind of deep relationships we needed to be a really strong team last year," said Killings. "So, we're spending time off the court, we've done some things already, we'll have what we call mentality meetings on Sunday's or culture meeting's to talk about things that are most important to us, relationships, discipline, commitment, energy, trust, selflessness, toughness those things are really important to our program, but I think we need to define them and really understand them and...