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Two San Diego smoke shops facing lawsuit for alleged sale of flavored tobacco products

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott is suing two local businesses who allegedly continued the sale of flavored tobacco products after the state banned their distribution.The lawsuit accuses Keg n Bottle and Payless Smoke Shop of selling the illegal products repeatedly between May and August of this year. New California bill expands microenterprise home kitchen operations “I sent investigators into these retail establishments and they made purchases of products that were not supposed to be on the shelves," Elliott said. "It didn’t happen once, it happened many times, and that happened over the course of several months."As of Jan. 1, 2023, the sale of flavored tobacco products has been outlawed both in California and the city of San Diego, largely due to how the items attract teens to begin e-cigarette use.Keg N Bottle's owner, Tony Konja, provided FOX 5 the following statement:"Keg N bottle is a family run business that has grown to 12 locations by serving San Diego C...

Ramp between SR-78, I-15 set to close for construction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

ESCONDIDO, Calif. -- One of the connector ramps between State Route 78 and Interstate 15 will be closed overnight several days this week for work to the bridge, Caltrans announced.Crews will be closing the ramp for maintenance between eastbound SR-78 and southbound I-15 through Wednesday morning from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for work to the bridge.According to Caltrans, motorists will be detoured by Portable Changeable Message Signs along the following route during the closure: eastbound on SR-78 to the exit at Centre City Parkway, then left to the westbound SR-78 on-ramp to connect to the southbound I-15. Boulders ‘about as big as a school bus’ fall onto I-8 Caltrans reminds drivers to watch for highway workers and moving equipment while traveling near the work zone.For real-time traffic information including traffic speed, lane and road closures due to construction and maintenance activities, motorists can visit Caltrans’ QuickMap. Drivers can also visit Caltrans on Twitter&nb...

Chinese coast guard blocks Philippine vessels near disputed shoal but two supply boats breach cordon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

ABOARD BRP CABRA (AP) — As a U.S. Navy plane circled overhead, two Philippine boats breached a Chinese coast guard blockade in a dangerous confrontation Tuesday in the disputed South China Sea to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces guarding a contested shoal.Two Philippine coast guard vessels escorting the supply boats, however, were blocked by at least four Chinese coast guard ships for about five hours in the tense standoff off Second Thomas Shoal.The dangerous encounter is the latest flare-up from the long-seething territorial disputes in the busy sea that involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. It’s regarded as an Asian flashpoint and has become a delicate fault line in the US-China rivalry.The Philippine coast guard invited a small group of journalists, including two from The Associated Press, to join its ships that secured the supply boats as part of a new strategy aimed at exposing China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the Sou...

Tsai renews her pledge to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense during her visit to war memorial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen renewed her pledge to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense on Wednesday as she visited a war memorial from the last time Taiwan and China battled. Tsai, visiting the outlying islands of Kinmen where the conflict was fought 65 years ago, commemorated those who died in the conflict. She was accompanied by Minister of Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng and the head of the National Security Council, Wellington Koo.“In order to keep the peace, we need to strengthen ourselves,” said Tsai. “As such, we need to continue to reform the national defense, push for self-reliance, strengthen our defense capabilities and resilience.” Taiwan’s government on Monday revealed plans for the 2024 budget that had a 3.5% increase in the defense budget, a record $606.8 billion New Taiwan Dollars ($19 billion), according to the semi-official Central News Agency. The proposed budget must be submitted to the Legislature for approval.Tsai’s words have par...

As oil activities encroach on sacred natural sites, a small Ugandan community feels besieged

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

BULIISA, Uganda (AP) — Alex Wakitinti is worried about the sacred natural sites he tends in the large swath of bushy grassland near Lake Albert. It’s the same slice of his homeland that oil companies are developing in order for Uganda to become an oil producer by 2026.But French oil company TotalEnergies and others working toward that goal are recklessly ignoring the significance of Wakitinti’s spiritual work, he said, as well as that of the other custodians minding hallowed natural sites in the remote district of Buliisa near the Congo border. “According to the program of Total, custodians are not there,” said Wakitinti, chief custodian of sacred sites in Buliisa. “We are not in their program.”That is a mistake, he said, making note of the bad luck that can come from disturbing these special places without performing the necessary rituals or making sacrifices to spirit mediums — like the tree Wakitinti recently knelt under to pray and present a bird’s ...

Discover statistics in a fun way with ‘My country in a bubble’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

If you want to start exploring the world of statistics, Eurostat has the perfect visualisation tool for you: ‘My country in a bubble’. This tool was created for beginners, being a nice addition to any classroom, making statistics fun to access and understand.The bubbles cover a wide range of data from population to economy and environment, giving all users, not only students, a large statistical playground. The ‘People’ chapter includes data on population by age, young and elderly people, life expectancy, youth unemployment, poverty and tourism; ‘Economy’ includes GDP per person, food prices and expenditure, government expenditure and price levels; and ‘Environment’ covers everything from renewables and waste to organic agricultural areas and electric cars. Click on the theme you are interested in, and the related topics will appear. You choose your favourite and the bubbles for the EU, member states, and EFTA countries move on the screen to their position in the plot area...

Fires: EU mobilizes additional planes and firefighters for Greece

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

As new fires break out in the Alexandroupolis-Feres region of Greece, the EU is deploying two rescEU firefighting aircraft based in Cyprus and a Romanian firefighting team via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism . A total of 56 firefighters and 10 vehicles are expected to arrive in the country today. In addition, a pre-deployed ground firefighting team from France is already present in Greece as part of the EU's forest fire season preparedness plan. Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič said: “Greece has already had by far its worst July since 2008 in terms of forest fires. are more intense and violent, destroying more area than before. The fire in Alexandroupolis-Feres has already damaged homes and caused the evacuation of eight villages. The EU's rapid response is once again essential and I thank Cyprus and Romania for helping the Greek firefighters who are already operating on the ground." The aid follows the EU's response to Greece's previous activation of the EU Civil Pro...

Friends of store owner shot, killed over Pride flag speak out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

Many in the Lake Arrowhead community are trying to come to grips with the tragic shooting death of a mother reportedly killed for hanging a Pride flag outside of her clothing store in Cedar Glen last week.  Officials say Travis Ikeguchi, 27, a Cedar Glen resident, shot and killed 66-year-old Laura Ann Carleton Friday night at her business, Mag Pi. After the shooting, authorities say Ikeguchi fled the scene on foot but was shot and killed by deputies following a confrontation. “She was just an amazing, strong woman that I had a lot of respect for,” Beverly Eskew, who owns a gastropub in Lake Arrowhead, said.  Those that knew Carleton, a popular store owner, are still in shock over her senseless killing.  Eskew said that she first learned that Carleton had been gunned down at her Mag Pi shop for hanging a Pride flag when a woman ran into Eskew’s restaurant that night to warn her.  “She told me it was over a flag,” Eskew told KTLA. “I knew immediately at that point what had happen...

Art the Clown Actor Talks Terrifier and Days of the Dead Convention This Weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

Los Angeles loves its horror conventions and Days of the Dead, coming to the Hilton LAX this weekend is scaring up some big names. From L.A.’s own drag ghouls The Boulet Brothers to stars from Evil Dead Rise, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and the upcoming Five Nights at Freddy’s, the event promises lots to see, do and die for. There will also be screenings, panels, a costume contest, a tattoo expo, comedy shows, workshops and panels.One of the biggest draws will definitely be appearances by the evil geniuses behind the Terrifier franchise, including creator/director Damien Leone and David Howard Thornton, the man who plays the sinister slasher Art the Clown. LA Weekly spoke to the newly iconic character actor about Days and conventions like them, his role in the killer cult hit, the entertainment industry strikes and what’s to come (Art isn’t the only monstrous murderer he’s played recently). Get your tickets for DOTD and read on for our bloody fun chat.LA ...

Oakland police release image of driver sought in fatal hit-and-run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:34 GMT

The Oakland Police Department is searching for this person, who is wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run at the intersection of Bancroft and 45th avenues on July 3, 2023. (Oakland Police Department) OAKLAND – Authorities on Tuesday released an image of a driver wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run collision last month in Oakland’s Fremont neighborhood.The crash happened just before 7 p.m. on July 3, when a Dodge Challenger sped through a stop sign at 45th and Bancroft avenues and broadsided a Mercedes-Benz 220, the Oakland Police Department said in a statement.The driver of the Mercedes-Benz and two of their passengers were taken to a hospital. One of the passengers, a 94-year-old woman, died of her injuries on July 4, according to police.Police said the driver of the Dodge and their passenger tried to run from the scene of the crash. The driver escaped, but the passenger was detained and arrested on firearm possession charges.OPD and Crime Stoppers of Oakland ...