Greece passes pension, tax reform

Greece passes pension, tax reform

ATHENS

Greece’s Parliament has approved a bill reforming the debt-ridden country’s pension and tax systems.

The bill, introduced as part of requirements the country must meet under its third international bailout, is set to increase social security and pension contributions and raise taxes for most people.

The bill was approved by the 153 lawmakers of the ruling Syriza/Independent Greeks government coalition; all opposition parties in the 300-member Parliament voted against.

The vote took place amid a crippling general strike and protests that briefly turned violent Sunday.

Cruise ship to Cuba returns to Miami

MIAMI

The first cruise ship to travel from the United States to Cuba in decades has returned to Miami.

Carnival Cruise Line spokesman Roger Frizzell says the Adonia returned to Miami on Sunday, a week after it departed.

The ship had 700 passengers and almost 375 crew members. The ship included 16 people who had been born in Cuba.

The Cuban government dropped a longstanding ban on Cuban-born people returning to their homeland by sea before the start of the trip.

Before the 1959 Cuban revolution, cruise ships regularly traveled from the U.S. to Cuba. But Cold War tensions shut down travel between the two nations.

Now, both sides hope the cruise is the first step toward a future in which thousands of ships a year could cross the Florida Straits.

Driver charged in death of former justice’s sister

TUCSON, Ariz.

An Arizona man is facing a manslaughter charge in connection with a collision that killed the sister of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Pima County Sheriff’s officials in Tucson said Sunday that 24-year-old Jarrad Barnes has been booked on one count each of manslaughter and driving under the influence.

Barnes was arrested immediately after being released Saturday night from a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening.

The sheriff’s office did not know if he had an attorney.

Authorities say 77-year-old Ann Day was driving Saturday morning when Barnes’ vehicle crossed the median and struck her car head-on.

The collision also led to a truck rear-ending Day’s car. That driver also was hospitalized for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Day also is a former Republican state senator and Pima County supervisor.

Winning Powerball ticket sold in Trenton, NJ

TRENTON, N.J.

Someone is holding onto the sole winning Powerball ticket that was sold in New Jersey and the jackpot was at $429.6 million, lottery officials said Sunday.

Only one ticket matched all six numbers in Saturday night’s drawing, said Powerball spokeswoman Kelly Cripe. The winning Powerball numbers were 5-25-26-44-66 and the Powerball number was 9.

Lottery officials in New Jersey said Sunday afternoon that the winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven store in Trenton, the state’s capital city. It was purchased as a cash ticket and is valued at $284 million.

The ticket holder has not yet come forward to claim the prize.

Associated Press