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Jet crash in Russia kills 10 and Wagner chief was on passenger list, officials say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — A business jet en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg crashed Wednesday, killing all 10 people on board, Russian emergency officials said. Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list, officials said, but it wasn't immediately clear if he was on board.Unconfirmed media reports said the jet belonged to Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner private military company.Russia’s civilian aviation regulator, Rosaviatsia, said Prigozhin was on the passenger list. However, it was not immediately clear if he had boarded the flight.Russia's state news agency Tass cited emergency officials as saying that the plane carried three pilots and seven passengers. The authorities said they were investigating the crash, which occurred in the Tver region more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Moscow.Prigozhin, whose private military force Wagner fought alongside Russia's regular army in Ukraine, mounted a short-lived armed mutiny against Russia's military leadership in late J...

Texas Pete isn't plaintiff's 1st class action lawsuit. Here's how 3 others went

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

(WGHP) — The Texas Pete lawsuit isn't California man Phillip White's first rodeo.On Sept. 12, White, 28, filed a class-action lawsuit claiming that T.W. Garner Food Co. is deceptively marketing Texas Pete as a Texan product when it's actually made in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. White's complaint, filed on behalf of all people in the U.S. who have purchased Texas Pete hot sauce, asks the court to force Texas Pete to change its name and branding and to give money to past customers. T.W. Garner Food Co. filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Nov. 10, 2022, but U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong denied the motion to dismiss on July 31, 2023.Court records show White has been involved in a number of other cases against brands. White filed a class-action lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Holdings in 2020; The Kroger Company and Fruit of the Earth Inc. in 2021; and Whole Foods Market California and Mrs. Gooch's Natural Food Markets Inc. in 2022. He was re...

Dollar Tree and Family Dollar agree to make changes after OSHA violations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. regulators on Wednesday announced a settlement with the company that runs Dollar Tree and Family Dollar aimed at improving worker safety at thousands of the bargain stores across the country.Labor Department officials cited hazards at the stores including blocked exits, unsafe storage of materials, and improper access to fire extinguishers and electrical panels.Under the agreement, the chains operated by Dollar Tree Inc. are required to find the “root causes” of violations that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has repeatedly cited at multiple stores and fix them within two years, the department said.Assistant Labor Secretary Doug Parker noted that OSHA has issued 403 violations at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores since 2017, resulting in more than $13.1 million in fines to date. The company “made some significant improvement” in worker safety following a 2015 settlement that expired in 2018 but continued violations show more work needs to be...

Texas' interim Attorney General responds to lawsuit over age verification on adult websites

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The interim Attorney General of Texas, Angela Colmenero, issued a response to a lawsuit brought by a coalition of adult content producers over a new law that would require users of adult websites to transmit their legal identification to those websites. Previous: Pornhub, coalition of adult websites sue Texas over law requiring them to collect user’s legal ID That lawsuit, filed by the Free Speech Coalition (FSC), claims that the method would be insufficient in preventing minors from accessing pornographic materials and would present a security risk to adult users. The law also requires adult websites to post "health and safety" messages on their websites. Related: Porn industry group sues over Utah age verification law Colmenero's lengthy response, in excess of a 20-page limit, makes counterarguments to some of FSC's claims.What's in the responseThe key counterargument by Colmenero is that the law, HB 1181, does not violate constitutional rights because the mat...

Almost daily low rain chances return Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Following 45-consecutive days at or above 100 degrees, Tuesday afternoon downpours from Tropical Storm Harold broke Austin's extended stretch of triple-digit heat.A heat dome moves back overhead Wednesday through the coming weekend, sending temperatures back north of 100 degrees each day. A slight chance afternoon and evening rain is in the forecast, however, beginning Thursday, as the area of high pressure will be slightly weaker overhead.7 day rain chances Live interactive weather radar Temperatures are back to being hot as triple digits should be with us for at least the majority of the next week. We don't have a chance at dropping below 100º until next Tuesday, but right now it looks like it will be close.Highs the next 7 days Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters Stay up-to-date with the First Warning Weather teamFollow the K...

Central Texans turn to prayer, music amid drought

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) --- Even with Tuesday's rainfall, all of Central Texas is still in an extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. It's left some people turning to prayer for more rain and others creating music to spread awareness of the situation. Praying for rainOn Monday, a group of people stood in front of the Hays County Historic Courthouse in San Marcos and prayed for rain."We got farmers, ranchers, all kinds of folks here and we're just asking the Lord to send us rain. Our aquifers are at historic lows. Our rivers are drying up. So we've got to have some divine help from heaven," Jimmy Darnell said. The group said they're praying for a slow and steady rain throughout September. (Photo: KXAN Photo/Sarah Al-Shaikh) Darnell, a local pastor, said they are praying for a week straight. "Elijah the prophet prayed seven times for rain. On the seventh time he prayed, the rain came. So we're taking seven mornings to pray," he said.Darnell said their prayers were an...

Local players to represent Canada at Walking Football World Nations Cup

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

By Justin SewardSouthern Alberta NewspapersThere will be three Lethbridge players on the over-60 Team Canada roster for the inaugural Walking Football World Nations Cup in Derby, England next week.The sport is like soccer but except no running, no physical play, shot can’t go any higher than the head and shots have be taken outside the box.Players had a chance to submit their name in the spring and were picked accordingly.“I think it’s amazing to be able to you know get a chance, you know, finally to be able to represent your country at an international sporting event,” said George Lubberts.“I think it’s something else. Incredible.”Lubberts has been preparing through the once a week matches with fellow Walking Football players from the city.“We basically play once a week and we try to stay in shape and get rid of a few bad habits,” said Lubberts.“So we’re in a bit better shape. But it is walking. So it’s not that you have to (be) really, really good and we’re allowed free unlimited ...

Corn Maze open for 24th season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

By Theodora MacleodSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterEvery year, Theo Slingerland designs an intricate maze full of twists, turns, and dead ends. From above it’s a detailed image made of lines and curves, each year with a different theme.In 2011, he made a compass, 2013 was an ode to the 100th anniversary of 4-H Canada, 2018 a beehive complete with the words “Bee Amazed” and “Bzzz.” They’re a labour of love and open to guests of all ages. And they’re completely made of corn.The official history of the corn maze only dates back 30 years. The first maze of maize is said to have been in Pennsylvania in 1993 – though some records suggest it may date back to 1982. Slingerland and his family, however, have been welcoming visitors to get lost on their farm for the last 24 years.The process begins before May when Slingerland starts drawing out his idea. He plots an entrance, exit, loops, and trails that lead nowhere.In May the work begins – acres of corn are pla...

Nobleford Council Briefs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

Southern Alberta NewspapersAugust 15, 2023 Regular Council MeetingDuring the 15 minutes “open floor” portion of the meeting, Barbara Gibson raised concerns regarding a manhole cover on Highway Avenue, informing the Council and Administration about the issue.Lara Forsberg also attended the meeting to discuss worries regarding the purchase of Rose Butte apartments.DelegationsRepresentatives from WSP Engineering, John Lobbezoo, P.Eng., and Stephen Van Essen, P.Eng., were present at the Council Meeting to address WSP’s request for an increased engineering budget for the Raw Water Reservoir Rehabilitation and Expansion Project.With Council approval, the engineering budget for the Raw Water Reservoir Rehabilitation and Expansion Project has been granted an increase of up to $150,000.Chief Administrative Officer ReportIn the CAO’s report, updates were provided on the progress of the raw water reservoir project, the subdivision, completion, and grand opening of the pickleball court, payment...

Competition Bureau asked to investigate Meta

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:20 GMT

By Al BeeberSouthern Alberta NewspapersCanada’s Competition Bureau is being asked to investigate news blocking by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.News Media Canada, along with the Canadians Association of Broadcasters and CBC/Radio-Canada have applied to the bureau to investigate what they call Meta’s “abuse of its dominant position, as evidenced by its decision to block news content from its digital platforms in Canada.”Those two sites – Facebook and Instagram – began blocking Canadians from seeing content posted by Canadians news creators on its platforms earlier this month.News Media Canada said the applicants have asked the Competition Bureau “to use its investigative and prosecutorial tools to protect competition and prohibit Meta from continuing to block Canadians’ access to news content. The applicants also request that Meta refrain from discriminating, by algorithm or by any other means, against content from Canadian news organizations on its digital platf...