PHILADELPHIA (AP) — IKEA is agreeing to pay $46 million to the parents of a 2-year-old boy who died of injuries suffered when a 70-pound recalled dresser tipped over onto him. The family’s lawyers disclosed the agreement Monday. Jozef Dudek died in 2017 of his injuries, and his parents sued the Swedish home furnishings company in a Philadelphia court in 2018. The Dudeks accused IKEA of knowing that its Malm dressers posed a tip-over hazard and that they had injured or killed a number of children, but that the company had failed to warn consumers that the dressers shouldn’t be used without being anchored to a wall. IKEA said it is working to address the issue.

PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced that the first phase of the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement has begun. A required 60-day pre-reinforcement period will last until March 4. The automated system will use cameras and other technology to monitor speeds in active work zones. Automated speed enforcement units will be set up in active work zones during the pre-enforcement period, but violations will not be issued. Locations of the systems will be marked with signs and they are also posted on the PennDOT’s website. Once enforcement begins on March 4, the following penalties will be in effect:

First offense: warning letter
Second offense: violation notice and $75 fine
Third offense: violation notice and $150 fine

Officials say the violations are civil penalties and no points will be added to drivers’ licenses.

UNDATED (AP) — Authorities continue to look into the dead-of-night crash on a Pennsylvania interstate that killed five people say a loaded passenger bus passed a truck shortly before the wreck. A National Transportation Safety Board member said Monday an initial report about the incident should be out in about 10 days, and a more detailed analysis could take two years. Dozens were injured in the crash at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday on the Pennsylvania Turnpike east of Pittsburgh.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, JANUARY 7TH, 2020

TODAY – SOME MORNING CLOUDS, FOLLOWED BY SOME
AFTERNOON SUNSHINE. HIGH – 41.

TONIGHT – PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES DURING THE EVENING
WILL GIVE WAY TO A FEW SNOW SHOWERS
AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW AROUND 30.

WEDNESDAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGH – 33.

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) — The global benchmark for crude oil has risen above $70 a barrel for the first time in over three months. The increase came amid jitters over the escalating military tensions between Iran and the United States after an American drone strike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The price of oil is now up more than 5% since the killing, and major stock markets are down around the world amid fears of how Iran would fulfill its vow of “harsh retaliation.” The energy industry is worried that Iran could strike at oil and gas facilities along the Persian Gulf that are important to the U.S. and its regional allies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two top Senate Democrats are calling on President Donald Trump to immediately declassify the administration’s reasoning for the deadly strike on an Iranian official. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Senate Foreign Relation Committee’s Sen. Robert Menendez say there’s “no legitimate justification” for keeping the information from the public. Schumer and Menendez say in a Monday letter to Trump the White House’s classified notification sent to Congress Saturday under the War Powers Act was insufficient. Trump has warned the U.S. will levy harsh sanctions if Iraq expels American troops in retaliation for the strike in Baghdad that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iran has vowed to retaliate.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — China says it believes Iran was “forced” to reduce its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal and says the “recent military adventures by the U.S. violated the basic norms governing international relations.” Iran on Sunday abandoned the remaining limits of the agreement in response to the U.S. airstrike that killed its top military commander. The country mourned him Monday. The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman added that “there is no way out by military means, and extreme pressure will not work.” China is among the countries that signed the nuclear deal.

Pennsylvania has fined Transfer Energy more than 30 million dollars, but will allow it to resume construction of natural gas pipelines. The state said the Texas based energy company had violated several environmental regulations during the construction of the Revolution pipeline in Western Pennsylvania. A 2018 methane explosion in Beaver County destroyed a home and barn, as well as prompted an evacuation. The halt on construction was lifted after the company promised to improve its construction practices.

COLUMBIA, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say there were no working smoke alarms in a Lancaster County row home where two people and two dogs died in a fire Saturday. Columbia Borough Fire Chief Douglas Kemmerly says two people were found in the home’s second floor after the 9:30 a.m. fire. He says one person died at the scene and the other at a hospital. Officials say the blaze was contained in about 45 minutes. The American Red Cross is helping displaced residents while authorities investigate the cause.

UNDATED (AP) — Officials in Pennsylvania say five people have been killed and dozens hospitalized in an early morning crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. State police report around 60 were injured with the victims ranging from 7 to 67 years old. Their conditions are not considered life threatening. State Police spokesman Stephen Limani described the crash as a “chain-reaction” involving a bus, three tractor-trailers and a passenger car. UPS says two of its drivers were killed in the crash. The bus was traveling from Rockaway, New Jersey, to Cincinnati, Ohio. The National Transportation Safety Board says it dispatched a team to investigate. Officials say it’s too early to determine if weather was a factor.