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Supreme Court won’t hear dispute over California law barring sale of foie gras

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t get involved in a dispute over a California animal cruelty law that bars foie gras from being sold in the state, leaving in place a lower court ruling dismissing the case. Foie gras is made from the enlarged livers of force-fed ducks and geese, and animal welfare groups had supported the law. As is typical, the court did not comment in declining to hear the case, and it was among many the court said Monday it would not hear.The law doesn’t completely bar Californians from eating foie gras in the state. Courts have ruled that residents can still order foie gras from out-of-state producers and have it sent to them. Restaurants and retailers are still forbidden from selling it or giving it away, however.The foie gras case had been on hold at the high court while the justices considered a different case involving another California animal cruelty law, that one governing the sale of pork in the state. In that case, the justic...

Ukrainian ambassador welcomes pledges of F-16 fighter jets; urges patience on counteroffensive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova welcomed pledges of F-16 fighter jets to her country Monday while also urging patience for the launching of a spring counteroffensive against Russia’s full-scale invasion. For Ukrainians, she said, the effort to repel Russian has essentially been one long counterattack.“I wouldn’t label it. Whether it’s going to be one offensive or several. Whether it going to be just the hard, daily work on every front line or we will see some big results in any of them, it doesn’t really matter,” Markarova said. “What matters is the goal is to liberate all Ukraine.”Markarova, speaking after delivering a commencement address at Boston College, said the delivery of F-16 jets is critical to the short and long-term security of the country.The U.S. has agreed to help train pilots in Ukraine to fly F-16 fighter jets, but it has provided few details and said decisions on when, how many, and who will supply the F-16s will be made...

UN urges Sudan’s warring parties to honor 7-day cease-fire starting Monday night

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Sudan urged the country’s warring generals to honor a seven-day cease-fire starting Monday night, warning the growing ethnic dimension to the fighting risks engulfing Sudan in a prolonged conflict .Volker Perthes told the U.N. Security Council that the conflict, which began April 15, has shown no signs of slowing down despite previous declarations of cease-fires by both sides. But he said this time they must stop the fighting so desperately needed humanitarian aid can get to those in need and civilians caught in the fighting can leave safely.U.S. and Saudi mediators announced after a meeting in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Saturday that representatives of the Sudanese army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, signed off on the short-term cease-fire due to take effect at 9:45 p.m. local time in Sudan on Monday night. The pending truce is the seventh cease-fire...

Chicago police seek whereabouts of missing 14-year-old from Austin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police are seeking the public's help locating a 14-year-old girl reported missing out of Austin. Shemya Scott was last seen in the 1700 block of N Long Ave. on Sunday, May 21. According to Chicago police, Shemya Scott stands 5-feet-1-inches, weighs 130 pounds with a medium build and has black hair and brown eyes. Chicago police searching for missing 19-year-old possibly in need of assistance Anyone with information should call police at (312) 746-6554.

Venmo to open to teenagers, though many use it already

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Teenagers will officially be allowed to open a Venmo account with their parent's permission, the company said Monday, expanding the popular social payments app to an age demographic that is likely to embrace it almost immediately.Using Venmo won't necessarily be new to a good number of teens — parents often set up accounts for their children through their own accounts, which is a violation of Venmo's terms of service. There have been guides on the Internet for some time showing parents how to create a child's account without Venmo penalizing them.Venmo has been a popular way to send money to individuals for years, and now has more than 90 million users. The product for teens comes at a time when other social apps are being watched closely by politicians and regulators. The state of Montana banned TikTok last week and other states are considering a ban as well.Opening up Venmo to teenagers will be a significant expansion of Venmo's market. Company executives in March ...

Illinois' Lotto jackpot nears record amount

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

ILLINOIS — The Lotto jackpot in Illinois has increased to the near-record breaking amount of $15.95 million after no one matched all six numbers for Saturday's drawing.The current record drawing stands at $16.5 million which was won in June 2020. The next shot for players to win, or for the jackpot to grow even larger, is Monday night's drawing. Facebook parent hit with record $1.3 billion fine by European regulators According to the Illinois Lottery website, "Lotto is an Illinois-only $2 jackpot game with three chances to become a millionaire. Each play enters your numbers into three separate drawings: the Jackpot drawing with prizes from $2 up to the jackpot, plus Lotto Million 1, and Lotto Million 2, each with a prize of $1,000,000."Drawings happen three times per week: Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Georgetown police responding to suspect refusing to come out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- The Georgetown Police Department is asking residents to avoid the area near Axis Loop as officers respond to a call involving a barricaded suspect. The police department tweeted at 10:54 a.m. that officers were "working a barricaded subject" in the 200 block of Axis Loop, which is off Williams Drive in the Deer Haven subdivision. Residents are urged to avoid the area. It's not clear what caused the call or if anyone was hurt. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

District: Court order from Uvalde district attorney stalls school demolition plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) — Plans to move forward with demolishing the elementary school where 21 people died last year are paused right now due to a court order, according to the district's interim superintendent. During a news conference Monday morning, Interim Superintendent Gary Patterson from the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District told reporters that he cannot share a timeline on when crews can tear down Robb Elementary School because of "litigation." He clarified that this is related to a court order filed by District Attorney Christina Mitchell, but he said he hopes this will be resolved by this summer. Uvalde ‘moving forward’: Horror to hope, one year later "Litigation has tied that up and will continue to tie that up. We hope to be fairly close to the end of that," Patterson said about the school demolition plans Monday. "When everybody's cleared that building, we're waiting for one more party to clear it. When that's cleared, then we can begin the plans for the ...

Loons’ Robin Lod to be out 4-6 months with knee injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

Robin Lod’s season is in serious jeopardy.Minnesota United manager Adrian Heath said Monday afternoon the Loons integral midfielder might be sidelined four to six months after having reparative surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee on Monday morning.“Obviously not great news,” Heath said in a video call with reporters. “Big disappointment for us because he is so important for us, but, hey, this is football and you have to overcome these things. He will, too. He’s a strong kid. … We’re hopeful he will make a full and speedy recovery.”The Loons’ 2023 season will stretch more than five more months. In four months’ time, the Lons will have three regular season games in October before a possible berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs into late October and November.Heath said he will get a better idea of Lod’s full recovery timeline later Monday, but didn’t rule out the injury might be season ending.“That is something that will need to be discussed,” Heath said. “… I’ve not spoke to the (cl...

Minnesotans can expect $260 per filer tax rebates by fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:23:24 GMT

Minnesotans can expect to see tax rebate checks in their mailboxes or bank accounts by early fall as long as Gov. Tim Walz signs the tax bill sent to him by the Legislature.The checks are $260 per taxpayer, or $520 for couples, with $260 more for each dependent for a maximum of rebate of $1,300. The rebates have income caps of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for families with no phase out, so taxpayers above those thresholds get nothing.The Minnesota Department of Revenue plans to use 2021 tax filings to determine eligibility, a spokesman said. Taxpayers will not have to apply for a rebate, those who are eligible will have a chance to update their address and banking information before rebates are distributed this fall.The rebates are part of a $3 billion tax bill that cleared the Legislature over the weekend along party lines and is headed to Walz for his signature. The $1.1 billion need for the checks comes from the state’s historic $17.5 billion budget surplus.Ever sin...