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Ex-Audi chief pleads guilty in automaker’s diesel emissions scandal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The former head of Volkswagen’s luxury division Audi pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges tied to the automaker’s diesel emissions scandal, becoming the highest-ranking executive convicted over cars that cheated on emissions tests with the help of illegal software. Rupert Stadler answered “yes” to a statement read in court by his attorney that said Stadler admitted wrongdoing and regret for his failure to keep rigged cars off the market even after the scandal had become public knowledge, the dpa news agency reported.Stadler entered the plea under an agreement with the judge and prosecutors that provides probation instead of jail time and orders him to pay a 1.1 million euro ($1.2 million) fine in return for a thorough admission of guilt. Three lower-ranking managers also have taken plea deals in the 2 1/2-year-long trial in Munich. Stadler had been charged with fraud and false certification by prosecutors who said he let cars with rigged software b...

6 children seriously injured when school bus and truck collide in Australia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Six children were seriously injured and some were trapped in wreckage on Tuesday when a truck hit a school bus on the outskirts of Melbourne in southeastern Australia, officials said.The bus, which was carrying as many as 45 children, tipped over after being hit in the rear by the truck at an intersection in Eynesbury, police said.An adult and 21 children were taken to a hospital, including six with “serious traumatic injuries,” an ambulance statement said. The conditions of the 16 others were described as stable.About six children were temporarily trapped in the wrecked bus, the Country Fire Authority said. Emergency crews entered the bus through a skylight in its roof. The windshield was the main emergency exit.Paramedics assessed dazed victims who didn’t appear to need hospitalization in the grassland surrounding the crash scene.The bus driver sustained minor injuries. Police crash investigators were questioning the driver of the truck, which was damag...

As NBA coaching changes mount, some lament the lack of job security

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Miami’s Erik Spoelstra and Denver’s Michael Malone are two of the four NBA coaches to have spent at least eight years with their current team.They know how rare that is.Spoelstra and Malone both spoke out Monday following the recent dismissals of three coaches who aren’t far removed from great success – 2019 NBA champion Nick Nurse, 2021 champion Mike Budenholzer and most recently 2021 Western Conference champion and 2022 coach of the year Monty Williams. Nurse was fired by Toronto, Budenholzer by Milwaukee and Williams by Phoenix.“I’ve been thinking more about the great, proven, experienced coaches that have lost their jobs already,” Spoelstra said as the Heat prepared for another trip to the Eastern Conference finals and a matchup against Boston that starts Wednesday. “It just doesn’t make sense to me.”Spoelstra has the NBA’s second-longest current tenure with one team. San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich has coached the Spurs since 1996, Spoelstra took over the Heat in 2008...

$20 million construction project beginning on William Cannon Drive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Construction crews will begin working this month on much needed improvements to William Cannon Drive in southeast Austin. "This is in the best interest of our community. It's for the safety of our kids who want to walk and bike to school safely," council member Vanessa Fuentes, who represents the area where construction is happening, said. Scope of the project The project will bring major changes to the roadway between Running Water Drive and McKinney Falls Parkway. The area has grown considerably in recent years and the city identified the area needed upgrades. According to city data, in the past five years there have been more than 1,000 crashes along William Cannon drive between I-35 and McKinney Falls parkway. Of those crashes, one person died and more than 100 were injured. The project will widen the roadway from two lanes to four. There will be two new signalized intersections along the roadway at Running Water drive and James Ranch road, and a new upgraded tr...

Dell Jewish Community Center celebrates grand re-opening

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A center of Jewish life in Central Texas reached a milestone Monday as Shalom Austin celebrated the official grand re-opening of a renovated and expanded Dell Jewish Community Center. Shalom Austin said the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation matched $6.25 million of the more than $25 million capital campaign to aid in the construction. Dell JCC is named after Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell and his wife Susan.The Dells joined Monday's ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration, which according to Shalom Austin, also included remarks from Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Council Member Alison Alter, and JCC Association of North America President and CEO Doron Krakow. The new two-story, 37,805-square-foot Dell JCC facility has expanded to include a state-of-the-art fitness center, living room, café, education center, meeting rooms, and all-gender restrooms, according to Shalom Austin. Shalom Austin said the grand opening happened exactly 30 years after the 40-acre campus had...

Jay Mathews: Rejected by a top-tier college? Don’t worry, it won’t hurt your chances for future success

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

There is nervousness in the homes of ambitious American high school students awaiting the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University. Will the justices upend preferences for certain racial and ethnic groups? Will they ruin the chances of many teenagers getting into a top school, which would bring them lifelong success?The answer to the second question is no, regardless of how the court rules.Affirmative action admission policies can help colleges achieve greater diversity on their campuses. But in the course of that public debate, we do college applicants great harm if we give them the false impression they will do better in life if they attend highly selective schools.Long-standing research shows that except for some low-income students, being admitted to the most selective colleges has no significant effect on whether those young people achieve their dreams for life.We’re all naturally fascinated with ...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: My Coworker Talks On Her Speakerphone In the Lunch Room

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma is about talking on your speakerphone. Here's the email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I'm having an issue at work, and I'm hoping I can get some good advice. I work in a nice place. Most of my coworkers are fantastic. However, there is one coworkers who feels the need to have conversations on her speaker phone in our office lunch room. It's so annoying. We're all trying to have conversations and she's shushing us because she can't hear what her phone mate is saying. Well put the phone to your ear!!!! Several of us have said something to her, but she just won't stop. We're considering going to the boss, but we don't want to be jerks either. What would you do? Hope you can help! Thanks so much JaneWell, it sounds like several of you have tried talking with her about it and she won't stop. So at this point, I think I would hang a sign in the lunchroom that s...

New Siena Poll covers Hochul, NYS budget, elections, etc.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A new Siena poll released on Tuesday gave insight into Governor Hochul’s favorability rating, as its gone negative for the first time. The poll also highlighted how New Yorkers feel about the new state budget, minimum wage increase, cracking down on unlicensed cannabis sellers, mental health, and more. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to the poll, 45% view Gov. Hochul unfavorably compared to 40% who disagree. Also, her job approval rating slid to 50% from 52% in March. Voters were evenly split on whether Hochul is effective, with each side sitting at 39%. Voters were also even on if she is a strong leader, with each side at 40%. A majority 58% believe she is hardworking, with 20% disagreeing.Image via new Siena Poll released May 16, 2023“While voters think that the recently passed budget and many of its specifics will be good for New York, at the same time they also give Hochul her worst-e...

Pittsfield PD finds missing woman

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- Pittsfield police have found Tara Cremin, a 25-year-old woman who was reported missing on Monday. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Pittsfield Police Department thanks the public for their help in finding Cremin.

Ask Amy: Elderly mother is caught in an anxious cycle

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:41 GMT

Dear Amy: My mother raised eight children. She is now in her late-70s, and lives alone.Recently she received a cancer diagnosis and we have been taking turns getting her to appointments and helping with errands, chores, meals, etc.We are happy to help, and tell her so.My problem is that she gets very emotional and constantly apologizes to us, saying variations of: “Children should never have to care for their mother” and stating that she is “a burden” to us.Constant reassurance from us is not helping.How can we help her to understand that we want to help, and are happy to do so?She spent many years caring for her own mother at the end of my grandmother’s life, so I’m not sure if that is part of it or not.What do you think?— Feeling HelplessDear Helpless: I suspect that your mother’s lengthy experience taking care of her own mother probably is a factor informing her emotional response now.People seldom talk about this, but for some, caregivin...