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Greek authorities say the bodies of 18 people have been found in area struck by a major wildfire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

ALEXANDROUPOLIS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities sid the bodies of 18 people were found Tuesday in an area of northeastern Greece struck by a major wildfire.Hundreds of firefighters struggled Tuesday to control major wildfires burning out of control for days in northeastern Greece and on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. The following is AP’s previous story. Hundreds of firefighters struggled Tuesday to control major wildfires burning out of control for days in northeastern Greece and on Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands, with strong winds fanning the flames and prompting evacuations of villages and a city hospital in Greece. Hot, dry and windy conditions have seen dozens of wildfires break out across Greece, with the most severe entering its fourth day and encroaching on the northeastern port city of Alexandroupolis. On Monday, two people died and two firefighters were injured in separate fires in northern and central Greece.The fire ri...

Microsoft budges on video game streaming rights in push for UK to approve Activision Blizzard deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

LONDON (AP) — British competition regulators opened a new investigation Tuesday into Microsoft’s revamped bid to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, representing the last major hurdle to closing one of the biggest deals in tech history.The Competition and Markets Authority said it has until Oct. 18 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its preliminary investigation into an in-depth review. The companies agreed earlier to extend the transaction’s deadline to that same date. Xbox maker Microsoft has been on a quest to acquire Activision, maker of the popular Call of Duty game franchise since announcing the $69 billion deal in January 2022. The companies have secured approvals from antitrust authorities covering 40 countries, including the European Union. The blockbuster deal faced pushback in the United States, but the Federal Trade Commission lost a court fight to stop it, effectively clearing the way for it to proceed.The purchase is now only held up in...

A plan to solve the rental crisis needs governments to coordinate. Can they?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

In today’s Big Story Podcast, Canada’s housing crisis is bad and getting worse, and a huge part of it is a lack of rental units in major cities. Every government has its own proposed solutions, but none of them work without the others.A detailed report last week outlines ways that every level, from federal to municipal, can work together to speed up the process, eliminate lengthy delays and actually get shovels in the ground. The only catch is it requires everybody in power to get on the same page.Dr. Mike Moffatt is a co-author of A Multi-Sector Approach to Ending Canada’s Rental Housing Crisis. He an assistant professor in business, economics, and public policy at Ivey Business School at Western University and the senior director of policy at the University of Ottawa’s Smart Prosperity Institute. He said that even in the same level of government, here might be departments at odds with each other — let alone at the different governmental levels.“It’s just a big, b...

Barricade situation ongoing on South Side following shooting, police chase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

CHICAGO — A SWAT standoff is underway on the city's South Side following a shooting and police chase.The incident started around 10 p.m. Monday near 91st and Ellis in the Burnside neighborhood. Police said officers witnessed at least three suspects shooting at a vehicle, and then fled the scene. Officers were able to arrest two of the suspects.Police believe the third suspect ran into a nearby home in the 9100 block of South Ellis. SWAT officials were called to the scene and have remained there.No injuries have been reported and officers said they did recover a gun.No further details have been provided at this time.This is a develping story. Check back for details.

Excessive Heat Warning issued for Wednesday as dangerous temps enter Chicago area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

CHICAGO — Dangerously hot conditions are starting to move into the Chicago area Tuesday and will continue to build through Thursday evening.An Excessive Heat Warning will go into effect starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday through 9 p.m. Wednesday for the entire area. Temperatures will feel like 105-115 degrees with a 10 percent storm chance. Skilling: Excessive heat to peak Wednesday, Thursday An Excessive Heat Watch has been issued for Wednesday evening into Thursday evening with feel-like temperatures hitting 105-115 degrees. List: Cooling centers in Chicago TODAY: Mainly sunny conditions and cooler lakeside. A Heat Advisory has been issued for LaSalle County. Winds: ESE 5-10. High: 90/82. Feels like: 95-105 degrees.TONIGHT: Partly cloudy conditions. Winds: SSW 5-10. Low: 74.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Street signs continuously stolen in Hill Country

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas (KXAN) -- Texas Department of Transportation officials and law enforcement say street signs in the Hill Country continue to be the targets of theft year after year and are asking people to stop. Some of the most recent signs to be stolen include the Gillespie County line sign, the Fredericksburg marker sign, and the most popular sign to be stolen is anything with Luckenbach on it. Let's go to Luckenbach, TexasAuthorities believe signs directing traffic to historic Luckenbach Town Loop are stolen so they can be hung as a decoration in homes. A working theory is that it could be college students wanting to hang something on their wall, or people just looking for a souvenir. It is a costly theft for the state. Glynda Chu, a spokesperson for TXDOT in Austin, said it cost at least $500 to replace each sign. "It's not free," Chu said. "It is costing tax payers some money. It's also for people who are traveling. They need those road signs to know where they are going....

San Marcos CISD votes to look into creating district police department

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

SAN MARCOS (KXAN) -- San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District at a meeting Monday night voted to create a subcommittee that would weigh what it takes to create a district police department.The school district does not currently have a police department, but it did recently roll out a school marshal program, which is new this school year. Every elementary school now has a school marshal on campus. SMCISD also already had school resource officers at every secondary campus. What San Marcos CISD wants parents to know about school marshals on campus The agenda item approved at Monday night's meeting was the "discussion and possible action to form a subcommittee to investigate actions needed to create an SMCISD police force." This would be different than the school marshal program already in place within the district. This is in response to House Bill 3, a school safety bill that goes into effect Sept. 1 and requires an armed officer at every school. The bill was a response t...

Georgetown ISD to seek exception for armed guard legislation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) – The Georgetown ISD Board of Trustees voted Monday night to seek a "good cause exception" to a new law requiring the presence of an armed, "qualified" security officer on each school campus during regular school hours. District leaders cited a lack of "available qualified personnel and a lack of available revenue" as reasons for the request. KXAN spoke with several districts earlier in August that said they were struggling to come up with the money and personnel to comply with the new law by the time it goes into effect Sept. 1.According to the resolution adopted Monday night, the Georgetown Police department provides Georgetown ISD with seven school resource officers (SROs). Those are commissioned peace officers including an SRO stationed at six of the district's secondary school campuses and a supervising sergeant of the SRO Unit. The resolution also said the SROs also serve as needed in other areas. They serve at other campuses as mutually agreed upon be...

Affordable housing program launches in Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A new City of Austin program to help small-scale real estate developers grow their businesses and create more affordable housing and job opportunities in the Austin area launched in July and will continue through October, organizers said Monday. The Austin Housing Finance Corporation said 20 participants were selected for the Austin Small Developer Training Program. It said the program, led by Capital Impact Partners and HousingWorks Austin, will provide small developers with training, mentorship, networking and potential pathways to financing for eligible real estate projects in Austin. The city said in April the money for the program came from the City of Austin Housing Finance Corporation.The Austin Small Developer Training provides opportunities to historically excluded and overlooked small-scale real estate developers, helping to create more affordable housing and job opportunities locally.The city said participants will learn ways to fi...

Austin animal shelter seeking fosters for distemper dogs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A deadly dog disease is on the rise in Austin.In August alone, the Austin Animal Center has recorded 39 positive test results for canine distemper virus.Some symptoms of this sickness include watery eyes, fever or vomiting.To help ease the burden, Austin Pets Alive! has taken 33 of these dogs — 15 of which have the canine distemper virus — into its own shelter.This partnership was put in place to avoid overcrowding while helping slow the spread of this deadly disease.Some of the critical puppies are fighting for their lives and in need of round-the-clock care while requiring IV fluids to help get them through the day.Yet, Austin Pets Alive! medical director Dr. Alexis Bardzinski says that the dogs’ odds of survival increase dramatically when they’re healing in a home."The distemper virus is very bad, there's a high chance that they're going to die,” she said. “But we do see success, which gives us the hope to try and go forth with treatment."Dr. Bardzinski added that...