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British man pleads not guilty in alleged $99 million wine fraud conspiracy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A British man pleaded not guilty in a New York courtroom Saturday in connection with an alleged $99 million, Ponzi-like fraud involving high-priced fine wine and duped investors.Stephen Burton, 58, was extradited Friday to New York from Morocco, where he was arrested in 2022 after using a bogus Zimbabwean passport to enter that country, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace’s office said.Burton was arraigned in Brooklyn federal court on Saturday and pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. He is detained without bail pending his next court hearing on Jan. 22.“These are all allegations, and we will defend them vigorously,” Burton’s lawyer, John Wallenstein, said. “We’re going to wait for the discovery and examine the evidence very carefully.”Prosecutors said Burton and another British man, James Wellesley, 56, ran a company called Bordeaux Cellars, which they said brokered loans between investors and wealthy wine co...

People’s Party candidate must stop using ‘engineer,’ B.C. Supreme Court rules

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

VICTORIA — A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ruled that a Vancouver Island People’s Party of Canada candidate who ran against Elizabeth May in the last federal election must stop describing himself as an engineer.The decision from Justice Jan Brongers says David Hilderman publicly described himself as an engineer in campaign materials and on social media, while not being a member of the province’s association of professional engineers and geoscientists.Brongers found that to be a breach of the province’s Professional Governance Act and he ordered Hilderman to stop using the title.The association filed a lawsuit in 2022 to stop Hilderman from using the word “engineer” as a non-member, claiming it created the “erroneous impression” that he was authorized to practise as a professional engineer. The judge’s ruling, released Thursday, says Hilderman holds a bachelor of applied sciences from the University of Regina and has worked i...

Activision Blizzard to pay $54 million to settle California state workplace discrimination claims

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Activision Blizzard has agreed to pay about $54 million to settle discrimination claims brought by California’s civil rights agency on behalf of women employed by the video game maker.The settlement, which is subject to court approval, resolves allegations that the maker of Call of Duty, Overwatch, World of Warcraft and other video games “discriminated against women at the company, including denying promotion opportunities and paying them less than men for doing substantially similar work,” the California Civil Rights Department announced late Friday.Allegations of workplace discrimination helped drag down Activision’s stock price in 2021, paving the way for Microsoft’s eventual takeover bid in January 2022. The software giant, which owns the Xbox gaming system, closed its $69 billion deal to buy Activision in October after fending off global opposition from antitrust regulators and rivals.California’s civil rights agency sued Santa Monica-based ...

Quaker Oats recalls granola products due to salmonella risk

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Quaker Oats Company is recalling of some granola bars and cereals due to a possible salmonella contamination.You can view the entire list below, or click here for the information from Quaker Oats. According to the recall, the products were sold throughout all U.S. states, in addition to areas of Puerto Rico. Customers who have these items should dispose of them immediately and visit quakergranolarecall.com for information and/or reimbursement. ‘Wonka’ review: Timothée Chalamet becomes a movie star According to the FDA, people infected with salmonella can experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare instances, salmonella infection can result in bloodstream contamination — producing more severe illnesses, including arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.Quaker says it has received no confirmed reports of illness related to the products covered by this recall at this time.Recalled products:Produc...

Cold tonight, but up near 70º for Sunday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After a gorgeous Saturday we'll see the wind back off tonight and temperatures drop.Overnight lows will be in the 30s for most areas. It's possible parts of the Hill Country could see a freeze by the time the sun is rising Sunday morning. Currently we expect lows in the Austin Metro to be cold enough for patchy frost, but not a freeze.Sunday morning lowsAs winds start to shift to the west and southwest on Sunday we'll see a nice temperature bump with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s to wrap up the weekend. Skies will be mostly sunny with some passing high clouds.Sunday's forecastA weak cold front will knock temperatures down a few degrees on Monday and Tuesday before we're back up near 70º for the rest of the week.Thicker clouds return Tuesday and Wednesday. A strong Pacific storm will bring increasing rain chances to Central Texas late in the week and into next weekend. Pacific Storm could bring Central Texas rain late next weekWe could be looking at several days...

Wild top Canucks in shootout for third straight win

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

Filip Gustavsson stopped 36 shots in regulation, and all three shots he faced in the shootout as the Wild won for the third straight time, beating the Vancouver Canucks 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center.Mats Zuccarello scored the only shootout goal for either team.Freddy Gaudreau scored in regulation for the Wild, who improved to 7-2-0 under head coach John Hynes — and have earned four points in two games without their injured top defensemen, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon. The Wild beat Calgary, 3-2, in a shootout on Thursday.As they did Dec. 7 at Vancouver, the Wild played a strong first period. This time, however, they took a one-goal lead into the second intermission instead of a one-goal deficit (on the way to a 2-0 loss at Rogers Arena).Charging the crease on a rush, Gaudreu tipped in a deadeye pass from Marcus Foligno — streaking down the right half boards — past DeSmith for a 1-0 lead with 1:55 left in the first period.Pat Maroon had the second assist, his 300th...

Natalie Darwitz finds ‘my calling’ leading Minnesota’s new professional women’s hockey team

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

Perched high in the stands at TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul as she watched Minnesota’s entry in the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) go through a recent practice in preparation for its inaugural game on January 3, Natalie Darwitz admitted to suffering a little on-ice envy.Thrilled to be chosen to serve as Minnesota’s general manager in the six-team league on the strength of her own illustrious career that included two NCAA championships at the U, three Olympic medals and successful coaching stints on the college and high school level, she willingly has traded her stick and skates for a desk and cellphone.But as she watches the likes of former Gophers star Taylor Heise get a chance to earn a living playing the game professionally, it serves as a constant reminder of how Darwitz and hercontemporaries were not afforded the same opportunity.It’s part of what motivated her to accept the position, and the responsibility that goes with trying to establish a lucrative...

Vikings suffer heartbreaking loss to Bengals after failed midfield quarterback sneaks in overtime

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

CINCINNATI — On back-to-back plays in overtime, the Vikings turned to a Tush Push with quarterback Nick Mullens needing to gain just a few inches. And both times, the Vikings failed to convert the first down.That proved costly as the Vikings turned the ball over on downs, gifting the Bengals the ball back near midfield.A few plays later, the Vikings walked off the field with a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to the Bengals after Evan McPherson converted a 29-yard field goal.Though the inability to pick up less than a yard in overtime will be the story of the game, and rightfully so, the fact that Mullens turned the ball over twice in the red zone also played a role in the frustrating result.Never mind that Mullens finished 26 of 33 passing for 303 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his first start with the Vikings. He also threw a pair of interceptions that more or less took points off the board for the Vikings.The game started with Mullens leaning heavily on running back Ty Chandler out of...

12/16/2023: Looking Ahead to a Strong Storm

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

The Latest Storm Tracker Forecast from Meteorologist Kevin Appleby:No weather concerns Saturday, but the Storm Tracker Weather Team continues to monitor a developing storm in the Gulf that will rapidly intensify as it heads our way, arriving later Sunday.In the meantime, we will see another winner today across the viewing area, with highs in the 40s to low 50s. Another winner!Temps will again remain mild tonight as clouds increase. Lows will mainly bottom out in the low to mid 30s.Most, if not all, of the daytime will be dry with mostly cloudy skies becoming overcast. It will remain mild, with highs again in the 40s to lower 50s.Localized flooding and power outages are strong possibilities as this storm impacts us beginning Sunday evening. It's peak intensity locally appears to be just in time for the morning commute Monday.Rain will filter in Sunday evening, becoming steadier and heavier overnight.I would recommend budgeting some extra time for that Monday morning commute. Models i...

What Missouri and Illinois dog owners should know about mystery illness

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:44:28 GMT

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)MISSOURI (KSNF/KODE) — Pet owners in Missouri and Illinois may have started to panic about the mystery dog illness that's spreading across the U.S. according to new search data.The illness is a harmful respiratory infection that vets are referring to as “aCIRD,” or Atypical Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease. Respiratory illnesses in dogs are nothing new — many dog owners are familiar with kennel cough. But this recent dog virus that’s been rapidly circulating is different, with some dogs contracting pneumonia, according the team at MarketWatch Guides, who recently conducted a study regarding this mystery respiratory illness.According to the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, the illness has now reached a total of 16 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon.Health officials say t...