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Amazon is accused of enrolling consumers into Prime without consent and making it hard to cancel

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

By HALELUYA HADERO (The Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon was sued Wednesday by Federal Trade Commission for what it called a years-long effort to enroll consumers without consent into its Prime program and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscriptions.In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, the agency accused Amazon of using deceptive designs, known as “dark patterns,” to deceive consumers into enrolling in the program. It said the option to purchase items on Amazon without subscribing to Prime was more difficult in many cases. It also said that consumers were sometimes presented with a button to complete their transactions — which didn’t clearly state it would also enroll them into Prime. Internally, Amazon called the process “Iliad,” a reference to the ancient Greek poem about lengthy siege of Troy during the Trojan war. Company leaders slowed or rejected changes that made...

US approves chicken made from cultivated cells, the nation’s first ‘lab-grown’ meat

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

By JONEL ALECCIA and LAURA UNGAR (Associated Press)For the first time, U.S. regulators on Wednesday approved the sale of chicken made from animal cells, allowing two California companies to offer “lab-grown” meat to the nation’s restaurant tables and eventually, supermarket shelves.The Agriculture Department gave the green light to Upside Foods and Good Meat, firms that had been racing to be the first in the U.S. to sell meat that doesn’t come from slaughtered animals — what’s now being referred to as “cell-cultivated” or “cultured” meat as it emerges from the laboratory and arrives on dinner plates.The move launches a new era of meat production aimed at eliminating harm to animals and drastically reducing the environmental impacts of grazing, growing feed for animals and animal waste. “Instead of all of that land and all of that water that’s used to feed all of these animals that are slaughtered, we can do it i...

4 things to do to welcome the Summer Solstice in San Diego

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Wednesday, June 21 marks the official start of summer with the longest day of the year bringing extended sunlight to the San Diego area. With warmer temperatures expected across the county, according to the National Weather Service, this once a year occurrence may have many taking to the outdoors to celebrate.As the new season begins, here are four things to do to welcome the Summer Solstice in San Diego. 5 places to watch the sunset in San Diego Summer Solstice Bonfire at Hotel del CoronadoWhat better way to welcome the summer season than a bonfire on the beach? Grab your loved ones and head to Coronado for this "Roast experience." Fire pits can be reserved for up to 10 people for a private beach bonfire that includes all s'mores-making items. Tuck your toes in the sand and enjoy the Summer Solstice sunset with the warmth of a fire. Summer Solstice E-Bike TourEnjoy the first day of summer on two electric powered wheels. The Plunge E-Bike Tour starts in downtown...

Court temporarily allows part of New Jersey’s handgun carry law to remain in effect

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A federal appeals court has temporarily agreed to keep part of New Jersey’s handgun carry law in effect as court proceedings play out. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday granted the state attorney general’s request to keep part of the law that bars people from carrying handguns in “sensitive places” in effect. It also denied Attorney General Matt Platkin’s request in part, leaving in place a lower court’s order that put an insurance mandate on hold. The decision means handguns cannot be carried in places such as zoos, public parks, public libraries and museums, bars, and health care facilities. The law bars handguns from being carried in those places as well as schools and child care facilities. The lower court’s May injunction did not specify those locations, and the appeals court also didn’t remove the prohibition in those places. The appeals court, though, rebuffed the state’s effort to undo the lower court...

NDP seeks bigger tax break for volunteer firefighters as fire chief warns of crisis

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

OTTAWA — New Democrats are calling on the federal government to increase the tax credit for volunteer firefighters as they combat wildfires raging across the country. MP Gord Johns held a news conference on Parliament Hill Wednesday alongside Paul Boissonneault, a board member from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, to call for an increase to the volunteer firefighter and search and rescue tax credit from $3,000 to $10,000. Johns introduced a bill in the House of Commons late last year to make the change. “The federal government (has) found billions of dollars to help make economic development investments across the country,” Johns said. “They should be able to find $30 million for the 90,000 plus volunteers right now.”Volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers are currently eligible for the tax credit if they have completed 200 hours of service. The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs says volunteers made up 70 per cent of firefighters in ...

Retail sales grow 1.1 per cent in April as consumer resiliency continues

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

OTTAWA — Canadian retail sales came in stronger than initially estimated, as analysts say consumers proved resilient amid an economically challenging environment but that momentum is expected to slow.Retail sales rose 1.1 per cent to $65.9 billion in April, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday, topping its initial estimate for the month that pointed to an increase of 0.2 per cent.Gains at general merchandise retailers and food and beverage stores led the way higher.The agency’s advance estimate for May suggested a gain of 0.5 per cent for that month, though it cautioned the figure would be revised.BMO economist Shelly Kaushik said the figures show Canadian consumers continued to spend but “higher prices drove most of the increase as spending volumes rose at a much slower pace.”In volume terms, retail sales rose 0.3 per cent for April.“Looking ahead, momentum in consumer spending is expected to slow in the second half of the year, as yet higher interest rates ...

21 passengers injured in a collision between train and truck in northern Czechia

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — A passenger train collided with a truck in northern Czech Republic on Wednesday, injuring at least 21 people, officials said.The national rescue agency said nine passengers on the train sustained moderate injuries. The other 12 passengers, including two schoolchildren were lightly injured.Police said that 19 schoolchildren were among 65 passengers aboard.The accident took place before 2 pm (1200 GMT) at a crossing in Straz nad Nisou near the city of Liberec, 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) north of Prague.Authorities have been working to determine how the collision took place.The Associated Press

Death toll from Manitoba bus crash rises to 16

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

The death toll from last week’s fatal bus crash in western Manitoba has risen to 16 after a woman who was in critical condition died of her injuries in hospital Tuesday.Manitoba RCMP confirmed the woman’s death in a brief update Wednesday.Nine people remain in hospital following the June 15 crash on the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry, west of Winnipeg. Four of those patients are in critical condition.“Shared Health and Prairie Mountain Health would like to express our condolences to the family and friends of the patient involved in the collision who succumbed to her injuries yesterday (Tuesday),” Manitoba’s Shared Health said in a statement.A minibus was carrying a group of seniors from Dauphin, Man., and the surrounding area to a casino when it went into the path of an oncoming semi-trailer truck.The province is scheduled to share the names of those killed on Thursday.

Paris firefighters battle blaze spewing smoke over Left Bank, after reported explosion

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Firefighters fought a blaze on Paris’ Left Bank on Wednesday that is sent smoke soaring over the domed Pantheon monument and prompted evacuation of buildings in the neighborhood, police said.Local media cited witnesses describing a large explosion preceding the fire, and saying that part of a building collapsed. Paris police spokeswoman Loubna Atta said it was too early to determine the source of the fire and could not confirm reports it was a caused by a gas explosion.The Associated Press

In latest crackdown on critics, Russia declares World Wide Fund for Nature ‘undesirable’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian authorities on Wednesday declared the World Wide Fund for Nature to be an undesirable organization, effectively banning it from operating in the country, in the latest move to stifle dissent.The global organization, which promotes wildlife preservation and works to reduce human impact on the environment, encourages activities that are “a cover for the implementation of projects that pose security threats in the economic sphere,” the Russian prosecutor-general’s office said, according to Russian news reports.“Under the pretext of preserving the environment, WWF is carrying out activities aimed at preventing the implementation of the country’s political course for the industrial development of the Arctic, natural resources in the Arctic territories,” it said.Last month, the environmental pressure group Greenpeace was forced to close its Russian division after Moscow declared it to be an undesirable organization. In recent years, Russia has methodi...