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Brazil lawsuits link JBS to destruction of Amazon in protected area, seek millions in damages

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

JACI-PARANA, Brazil (AP) — Meat processing giant JBS SA and three other slaughterhouses are facing lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in environmental damages for allegedly purchasing cattle raised illegally in a protected area in the Brazilian Amazon.The lawsuits, filed December 5 to 12 by the western Brazilian state of Rondonia, target the exploitation of a protected area known as Jaci-Parana, once rainforest but now mostly transformed into grassland by decades of misuse by land-grabbers, loggers and cattle ranchers. Despite a law forbidding commercial cattle in the reserve, some 216,000 head now graze on pasture there, according to the state animal division. The lawsuits contain a type of evidence that is getting the attention of deforestation experts and veterans of Brazil’s illegal cattle trade: transfer documents showing cows going straight to the slaughterhouse from protected areas, with the information apparently provided by the illegal ranchers themselves. “In two d...

Members of a union representing German train drivers vote for open-ended strikes in bitter dispute

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Members of a union representing German train drivers have voted overwhelmingly to stage open-ended strikes in a bitter dispute with the main national railway operator over working hours and pay, union leaders said Tuesday.The GDL union said that 97% of members who voted in a ballot authorized fully fledged strikes at state-owned Deutsche Bahn, easily beating the 75% approval required. It said that turnout was more than 70%.GDL already has staged two one-day “warning strikes,” a common tactic in German wage negotiations. But this dispute has escalated unusually fast. GDL’s chairman, Claus Weselsky, declared last month that negotiations with Deutsche Bahn had failed after only two rounds of talks.Weselsky has said there will be no strikes before Jan. 8. He left open when and for how long members will strike after that.“What is coming now will be more powerful, longer and harder for customers” than the walkouts so far, he said. The central issue is the union’s...

Father dies saving 2-year-old daughter from oncoming driver in Denver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A man from Denver risked his life to save his 2-year-old daughter from being hit by an oncoming car.The family of Alonso Garcia says he pushed his daughter Liz out of harm's way before he was struck by a driver on the evening of Dec. 7. He was transported to a hospital and died shortly after he was released."He loved her very much. He did everything for her. Even sacrificing his own life for her," said Karla Alanis, Garcia's sister. "Alonso took his daughter out to get something to eat, and they were on foot. He took her in a stroller. They were walking across the crosswalk when a car came on head-on and hit Alonso."'It's hard for me to accept he's gone'In that split second, Alanis said her brother made a quick decision.“[He] decided to throw the stroller to push Liz, his daughter, out the way before getting ran over," she said. Dad paralyzed after trying to stop teen with gun near Denver school Alanis told Nexstar's KDVR she rushed to the scene, where she performe...

4 embarrassing mistakes to avoid at your company's holiday party, according to an expert

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – It’s OK to have fun at your company’s holiday party, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of your “executive presence,” according to a longtime etiquette expert.Jacqueline Whitmore, the founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach, is a certified business etiquette coach with decades of experience in proper workplace protocol. But even outside of the workplace — like, for instance, at a company-sponsored holiday party — you should always stay mindful of what Whitmore calls your “executive presence,” or the appearance you wish to maintain in professional settings.“If you do something that embarrasses yourself or other people, it tarnishes your personal brand,” Whitmore tells Nexstar. The worst questions to ask on a first date, according to a longtime dating coach That isn’t to say you can’t loosen up with a few drinks or share some laughs with workplace acquaintances. You should just remain respectful and professional, Whitmore says, and avoid the following mistakes:You...

How Miracle on 5th St. has changed holiday pop-up to accommodate holiday crowds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's the thick of the holiday season, and Miracle on 5th Street is in full swing amid its seventh year as a holiday pop-up bar at The Eleanor downtown. With thousands seeking out a bit of holiday cheer and festive cocktails, Miracle on 5th Street modified its operations last year to try and accommodate as many people as possible while also managing guest volumes at any given time.During its seven years in operation, Miracle on 5th Street has had some form of ticketing system in effect for five years that allow guests to pay to skip the line. However, last year was the first time the pop-up started to charge for general admission along with specialty passes, said Justin Lavenue, owner and operator of The Eleanor and The Roosevelt Room. RELATED: Celebrate the holidays at these Austin pop-up bars The reason behind the paid general admission tickets came down to a variety of factors, he said."Doing business in general with all the supply chain issues, higher wages and...

Austin kids 'shop with a cop' Tuesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A group of Austin elementary school children spent Tuesday morning shopping with local law enforcement.Amigos en Azul and Austin Police hosted the second of their two “Shop with a Cop” events Tuesday at the Target at Southpark Meadows. 2021: Amigos en Azul hosts "Shop with a Cop" event The first event was at the Target at Capital Plaza on Dec. 15.Officers with Amigos en Azul (Friends in Blue) take a group of disadvantaged children on a shopping spree every year.Amigos en Azul will host 300 students from ten schools this year, APD said. The students were paired with an officer and each student will spend approximately $150, according to APD.Amigos en Azul and Austin Police hosted the second of their two “Shop with a Cop” events Tuesday at the Target at Southpark Meadows. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez)Amigos en Azul and Austin Police hosted the second of their two “Shop with a Cop” events Tuesday at the Target at Southpark Meadows. (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez)Amigos en ...

Minnesota has a new state flag design

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

A panel tasked with finding new symbols for Minnesota has selected a new state flag.Members of the State Emblems Redesign Commission on Tuesday chose a flag design with an eight-pointed white star in a dark blue abstract shape of Minnesota on the left, and a field of light blue on the right.The final design was inspired by one of more than 2,000 public submissions and emerged after multiple rounds of elimination by the 13-member commission and final tweaks by professional designers.Members of the commission also made more tweaks to the state seal on Tuesday after selecting the final design concept earlier this month. The design centers around a loon, the state bird, and now is surrounded by a golden circle with 87 segments to represent each county in Minnesota.The state will adopt the flag and seal on May 11, unless state lawmakers reject their recommendations.The design is inspired by a submission from 24-year-old Luverne resident Andrew Prekker. In original form, it had white, gre...

Schenectady man wins $10M on CASH4LIFE ticket

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Schenectady man has claimed $10 million on a single CASH4LIFE ticket. According to the New York Lottery, Robert Goldup won both the first and second prizes on the ticket. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Goldup bought five sets of numbers for the September 19 drawing, using the same five numbers on four of the five games and a different number for the Cash Ball for each game. Goldup won one first prize worth $7,000 a Day For Life and three second prizes each worth $1,000 a Week For Life.The winning numbers for the September 19 drawing were 02 03 06 18 19 and the Cash Ball 01. First prize on the CASH4LIFE game guarantees a minimum payout of $7 million. Second prize guarantees a minimum payout of $1 million, said the New York Lottery. Uncommon Grounds opening new location in Delmar The ticket was purchased at Speedway at 1911 Curry Road in Rotterdam. Goldup chose to receive all of the prizes as a one-time ...

East Fishkill police officer dies after crashing into tree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

EAST FISHKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An officer from the East Fishkill Police Department passed away following a crash on the Taconic State Parkway. According to State Police, the officer was on the way to the Westchester Medical Center to continue a car versus pedestrian crash investigation. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! En route to the hospital, the patrol vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The officer was transported to the Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital, where he passed away. The identity of the officer has not been released. Investigations into the crash are ongoing.

Employees fend off attempted Starbucks robbery in St. Louis; two suspects arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Quick-thinking employees at St. Louis Starbucks averted a dangerous situation over the weekend, leading to two arrests in an attempted robbery. Prosecutors have charged Joshua Noe, 37, and Marquise Porter-Doyle, 35, with a combined 21 felonies in the investigation. Noe and Porter-Doyle are accused of an attempted robbery Sunday at the Starbucks in the 200 block of South Grand Boulevard. Conflicting stories after police SUV crashes into south St. Louis bar According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Noe and Porter-Doyle entered Starbucks around 3 p.m. Sunday in possession of what initially appeared to be handguns. They reportedly ordered seven employees and one customer to the ground, demanding employees to open a cash register and a safe deposit box. Court documents state that Noe struck one victim in the head with "what appeared to be a handgun," but the item broke, and some employees realized it wasn't a real firearm. One victim began fighting back against the s...