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Green campaigners slam von der Leyen’s wolf-hunting mission

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

Brussels is on a mission to make wolves fair game for hunters. Campaigners and legal experts say it’s making a huge mistake.The European Commission on Wednesday said it wants to change the conservation status of wolves from “strictly protected” to “protected.” If it get its way, wolf-hunting will be authorized in the EU.While the Commission says its decision is based on “new data on increased populations and impacts,” environmental campaigners warn President Ursula von der Leyen is throwing away environmental protections to garner favor among her own political group — the center-right European People’s Party (EPP).“Today’s proposal from the Commission to lower the protection status of wolves under the international law is an early Christmas present to von der Leyen’s political family,” said Sergiy Moroz, a policy manager at the European Environmental Bureau.“The proposal is neither justified by science nor supported by public opinion,” he added.Vo...

Police investigating after Nativity scene vandalized at Boston Common

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

Police in Boston say they are investigating after a Nativity scene on the Boston Common was vandalized early Thursday morning.The Boston Police Department said it was just before 8 a.m. when they first received a call stating the Nativity scene off of Tremont Street had been vandalized with spray paint.“At 7:57 AM Officers from District A-1 responded to 139 Tremont St in Downtown for a report of vandalism,” the department stated. “Upon arrival it was discovered that someone had vandalized the base of the nativity scene with graffiti, the incident is currently under investigation and no further information is available at this time.”An image shared with 7NEWS showed the Nativity scene intact, with “JESUS WAS PALESTINIAN” spray-painted in white on a wooden board at the scene’s base. By 9:30 a.m., the words had been painted over. No additional details have been released.

McDonald’s is bringing Squishmallows to Happy Meals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

New York (CNN) — One of the most in-demand toys for kids this holiday season is coming to McDonald’s.Beginning on December 26 for a limited time, US locations of the fast food chain are rolling out the Squishmallows Happy Meal, which contain a miniature-sized version of plush toy.Toys have long been part of the appeal for McDonald’s Happy Meals, with some of them even creating a massive frenzy like Beanie Babies and Transformers in the ’90s. But Happy Meals have been controversial over the years, particularly for concerns over health issues for children. In the past decade, the company has tweaked the Happy Meal menu to make it healthier. In 2018, for example, it promised to remove cheeseburgers from the menu by 2022.The popularity of Squishmallows could help McDonald’s ambitious growth plan, which includes a new recipe for its hamburgers, more restaurants and a spin-off called CosMc’s. Same-store sales at its US locations grew more ...

The US economy expanded 4.9% in the third quarter, slightly weaker than previously estimated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

Washington, DC (CNN) — US economic growth was slightly lower in the third quarter than previously reported, but still robust, underscoring the sheer strength of America’s economy during the summer.Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic output, expanded at an annualized 4.9% rate from July through September, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. That’s a slower pace of growth than the 5.2% reported in the second estimate.Growth in the third quarter was the strongest in nearly two years as Americans spent on live concerts, films, and goods. The US economy has slowed from the red-hot pace set earlier in the year, but both hiring and spending remain solid.The department’s final estimate factored in weaker consumer spending, inventory investment and exports, while revising government outlays and business investment higher. Consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of economic output, was revised down to 3.1% from 3.6%.Investors are bullish that Fe...

Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount CEOs discuss possible merger

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

(CNN) — Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav met on Tuesday with Paramount Global Chief Executive Bob Bakish, and they broached a potential merger between the two companies, two people familiar with the matter told CNN.A potential merger of the two media giants would create an entertainment and news juggernaut, encompassing Warner Bros. and Paramount studios as well as CBS, CNN, and other cable television assets.The discussion over lunch, which was first reported by Axios, took place at Paramount’s global headquarters in New York City’s Times Square.Spokespeople for Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount declined to comment.Still, Warner Bros. Discovery cannot for the time being enter into a transaction with Paramount, or any other entity, until an arcane tax statute prohibiting Zaslav from additional acquisitions or mergers ends in April 2024.The date, which marks the two-year anniversary of WarnerMedia’s $43 billion merger with Discovery, was agreed upon dur...

Fire erupts at San Ysidro trailer park, prompting evacuations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

SAN DIEGO — A fire erupted at a trailer park in San Ysidro Thursday morning, San Diego police confirmed to FOX 5.The fire was reported around 6:20 a.m. in the trailer park at 181 Willow Road. According to San Diego Fire-Rescue, the first units arrived at 6:28 a.m.At least one person is trapped inside one of trailers impacted by the fire, SDPD said. Evacuations were called for surrounding areas.SkyFOX, who was over the fire around 6:45 a.m., caught a large plume of smoke coming from the fire that can be seen from the Interstate 5.It is unknown at this time what caused the fire.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Man arrested after dumpster fire spreads to Burlington restaurant, suspect charged in other fire investigations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

A 69-year-old man is facing arson charges in connection to four dumpster fires in Burlington, including one on Thursday that caused damage to a restaurant.Emergency crews were called to a Tim Hortons in a plaza at Brant Street and Upper Middle around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday for a fire.When firefighters arrived, they found several garbage bins ablaze.“One of these fires extended into the Tim Hortons restaurant, causing significant damage,” Burlington Fire told CityNews.The fire has since been extinguished.The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office has been notified.According to Halton Regional Police Service, the fire was deemed suspicious, and the suspect, who had no fixed address, was arrested near the scene.“He has been charged with arson in relation to that fire, and further investigation has led to him also being charged with arson for three similar dumpster fires that took place on the morning of [Dec. 13] in Burlington,” police told CityNews.No injuries were...

Nigeria slashes transport fees during the holidays to ease some of the pain of austerity measures

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s leader slashed the fees during the holiday season for several public transport routes in half and offered free train rides starting Thursday, hoping to ease — at least temporarily — some of the economic hardship caused by his government’s austerity measures.Elected in May to lead Africa’s most populous country, President Bola Tinubu has introduced several economic changes, including removing decadeslong gas subsidies. The impact of the measures has worsened the cost of living for millions already struggling with record inflation.Nigeria is a nation of more than 210 million people and also the continent’s largest economy but it suffers from widespread poverty, violent crime and religious extremism. The population is almost evenly divided between Christians, dominant in the south, and Muslims in the north, and Christmas is a national holiday. Information Minister Dele Alake told reporters late Wednesday that the government’s decision on the ...

Federal government to announce $471 million for Toronto in housing deal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

TORONTO — The federal government is set to announce nearly half a billion dollar in housing funding for the City of Toronto, according to a senior government source. The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss matters not yet made public, confirms a report in the Globe and Mail that Toronto is slated to receive $471 million from the Housing Accelerator Fund.The $4-billion fund is a federal initiative to encourage municipalities to make changes to bylaws and regulations that would spur more housing construction, in exchange for more money. Some of the changes Ottawa has pushed for include denser zoning and faster issuance of permits. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Toronto this morning to make the announcement alongside Housing Minister Sean Fraser, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and others. Including the announcement today, Ottawa has reached deals with 16 municipalities across the country.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 21, 2023.The...

Saturday night’s Bills-Chargers game on Peacock will not have commercials during fourth quarter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:22:57 GMT

Saturday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers already carried significance as the first NFL game to be exclusively streamed on Peacock.The matchup will also feature another milestone as NBC and the NFL announced Thursday morning that the fourth quarter will be commercial free for the first time.NBCUniversal says there will be a 40% reduction in the standard ad time for an NFL game which should result in at least 12 additional minutes of game-related content.Rob Hyland, the coordinating producer for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” said there have been discussions about this game since June about how to make it unique and distinct from a regular NBC broadcast.“The limited stoppages are exciting for me as someone that wants to tell the story of the game and have the time to do it,” he said.During one of the two breaks of 2 minutes, 20 seconds, in the fourth quarter, the announce team of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark will delve mo...