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Putin reaches deal with Wagner mercenary leader to avert further rebellion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

The rebellious Russian mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow before abruptly reversing course will move to neighboring Belarus and not face prosecution, the Kremlin said Saturday, as part of a deal to defuse a crisis that represented the most significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power.The charges against Yevgeny Prigozhin for mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped and the troops who joined him also will not be prosecuted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced, and fighters from his Wagner Group who did not take part in the uprising will be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry.Putin had vowed to punish those behind the armed uprising led by his onetime protege, whose forces seized a key military facility in southern Russia before advancing on the capital. In a televised speech to the nation, Putin called the rebellion a “betrayal” and “treason.”In allowing Prigozhin and his forces to go free, Peskov sa...

Quebec wildfires: more evacuations ordered in northwestern Quebec

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

MONTREAL — Officials in northwestern Quebec have ordered residents of two villages near the Ontario border to leave their homes as a wildfire continues to spread in the area.Residents of the villages of Val-Paradis and Beaucanton, home to around 340 people, were given an hour and a half to evacuate on Friday night due to the approach of a nearby fire.Local officials said winds blew the flames away from the village Friday night but that a fire currently burning in Ontario continues to head towards the area and that the two fires will likely become a single blaze. Since Thursday, more than 6,000 people have been ordered to leave their homes in northwestern Quebec due to heavy smoke from the fires.In Obedjiwan, an Atikamekw community, officials encouraged people not to go into the forest to check on their cabins.A video circulating on social media appears to show members of the community running from flames.“I’m closely monitoring the current wildfires in the Haute-Mauricie...

Freight train carrying hot asphalt, molten sulfur plunges into Yellowstone River as bridge fails

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

COLUMBUS, Mont. (AP) — A bridge that crosses the Yellowstone River in Montana collapsed early Saturday, plunging portions of a freight train carrying hazardous materials into the rushing water below.The train cars were carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur, Stillwater County Disaster and Emergency Services said. Officials shut down drinking water intakes downstream while they evaluated the danger after the 6 a.m. accident. An Associated Press reporter witnessed a yellow substance coming out of some of the tank cars. David Stamey, the county’s chief of emergency services, said there was no immediate danger for the crews working at the site, and the hazardous material was being diluted by the swollen river. There were three asphalt cars and four sulfur cars in the river. The train crew was safe and no injuries were reported, Montana Rail Link spokesman Andy Garland said in a statement. The asphalt and sulfur both solidify quickly when exposed to cooler temperatures, he said.Rai...

Biden slams 'devastating consequences' of abortion bans on Dobbs anniversary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

(The Hill) — President Biden slammed the “devastating consequences” of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. on Saturday — the one-year anniversary Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which struck down a constitutional right to abortion. Biden said in a statement that the court’s ruling has allowed states to implement “extreme and dangerous” abortion bans that have jeopardized the life and health of women, forced them to potentially travel hundreds of miles to receive health care and threatened to declare doctors as criminals for providing care that their patients need.  His LGBTQ teen book is one of the most banned in the U.S. Here’s why he keeps writing About two dozen states have enacted abortion restrictions in the year since Roe was overturned, most of them restricting the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant, or almost entirely. Biden said state abortion bans are only part of the effort to re...

Can you refute resort fees on your next hotel stay?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

(KTLA/NEXSTAR) — If you’re traveling, there’s hardly a greater feeling than finding a discount on a hotel room. That joy and the relaxation of your trip can, however, come crashing down quickly once it’s time to pay the bill. Even some of the cheapest hotel rooms can become expensive stays thanks to added fees. Their presence on your bill doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pay them, though. In the U.S., hotel prices are up roughly 3% compared to this time last year, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index, and they’re expected to remain relatively high. The average room price has hovered over $200 a night, sites like Hopper show.   Crowds, high prices and the ‘White Lotus’ effect: Worst places to travel this summer Amenity fees can tack on another $25 to $100 a night, Clint Henderson, frequent traveler and managing editor at The Points Guy, tells Nexstar. It wasn’t always as widespread as it is today, he explains. What are resort fees?Hotel fee, resor...

State of Texas: Rules set for trial that could remove Ken Paxton from office

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) - After two days of delays and private deliberation, the Texas Senate voted Wednesday night to approve rules for the upcoming impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton.The trial is scheduled to begin on Sept. 5. Senators approved a separate resolution ordering Paxton to appear before the Senate by 9 a.m. on that date.One highly-anticipated decision was whether Paxton's wife, State Sen. Angela Paxton, would be required to recuse herself. That issue was addressed in the final rule senators approved, which states that as Ken Paxton's spouse, Sen. Paxton "shall not be eligible to vote on any matter, motion, or question, or participate in closed sessions or deliberations."However, the rule also states that Sen. Paxton "shall be seated in the court of impeachment." It also said she "shall be considered present and eligible only for the purpose of calculating the number of votes required for any and all matters, motions, and questions under these rules."Th...

Lunds & Byerlys workers authorize strike if necessary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

On Friday, the union representing more than 2,500 workers at Lunds & Byerlys in the West Metro area voted to authorize a strike if negotiations with the company can’t be resolved.The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 663 announced that union members of the bargaining committee can enact Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strikes “should it become necessary.”“Today, our coworkers demonstrated the power that comes from standing together against company intimidation. Lunds & Byerlys has engaged in unfair labor practices meant to stop us from exercising our rights despite our tireless efforts to serve customers every day – throughout the pandemic and beyond.”They called the decision to call a strike a “last resort” but said they “refuse to continue to be bullied by our employer. A family owned, hometown hero such as Lunds & Byerlys should surely understand that this type of behavior has a negative impact on workers, customers ...

Los Angeles police bust drug lab disguised as a pizza shop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

What appeared to be a pizza shop in North Hollywood was really cooking up illegal THC concentrates, authorities said.The illicit “super lab” was located in the 7300 block of Radford Avenue next to a pet hospital, according to a tweet from LAPD Commanding Officer Lillian L. Carranza.Photos posted to social media by LAPD show what looks to be a functioning commercial kitchen, but instead of pizza, there were batches of THC honey oil in the boxes and on the cooling racks. An illicit THC honey oil extraction lab disguised as a pizza shop was busted in North Hollywood on Thursday. (Twitter/@LAPDCARRANZA)An illicit THC honey oil extraction lab disguised as a pizza shop was busted in North Hollywood on Thursday. (Twitter/@LAPDCARRANZA)An illicit THC honey oil extraction lab disguised as a pizza shop was busted in North Hollywood on Thursday. (Twitter/@LAPDCARRANZA)"We've heard of secret ingredients, but this takes the pie!," LAPD posted to social media. "It seems like criminals are ge...

Man arrested after stolen e-bike pursuit, standoff in Ventura

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

A man with a stolen e-bike was arrested after leading officers on a pursuit in Ventura on Friday.The suspect, Jesus Belmontes, 33, was spotted riding the electronic bike against oncoming traffic near the intersection of Main and Olive Streets around 8 a.m., according to Ventura police.When officers attempted to pull Belmontes over, he refused to stop and “actively tried to evade the officers.”During the pursuit, Belmontes hopped off the e-bike and fled on foot, running to the rear of a business near Main Street and Ventura Avenue. Officers deployed a drone and located Belmontes hiding in a fenced yard of an art studio, armed with pruning shears.The studio’s occupants were evacuated as police began confining the suspect. During negotiations, Belmontes “threatened to kill officers if they approached and brandished the shears,” said police. WATCH: Man stops elderly couple from being robbed in San Gabriel After an hour-long standoff, Belmontes surrendered and was taken into custody. D...

Right-hander’s rough inning leads to Oakland A’s lopsided loss in Toronto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:14:52 GMT

TORONTO — Opener Shintaro Fujinami didn’t last a full inning as he gave up two earned runs in the bottom of the first in what would become a 7-3 A’s loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday at Rogers Centre.Fujinami allowed four base hits as George Springer and Bo Bichette both reached base to open the inning, with Bichette’s double putting runners on the corners. Brandon Belt hit a sacrifice fly to score Springer, and Matt Chapman added an RBI single.Oakland pitchers allowed 12 hits in all as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen each hit two-run homers to hand the A’s their ninth loss in 10 games.Oakland changed up its pitching plans and used right-hander Fujinami as an opener ahead of left-hander Hogan Harris.Fujinami (3-7) has had a mostly solid month with a 1-1 record and a 3.52 ERA in 7 2/3 innings pitched in seven June appearances before Saturday. Still, he struggled against the Jays with no strikeouts as his ERA increased to 10.57 for the season.Fuj...