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The Ukrainian, Igor Mazepa, accused of fraud, was fined for hunting boars from a helicopter in Croatia.

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

Ukrainian businessman Igor Mazepa, accused of creating a fraudulentfinancial Forex pyramid PrivateFX, illegally flew and landed in one of thefields of the Šumbar farm in Croatia, with the intention of hunting wildboars, according to Croatian media. His helicopter was seized, andMazepa faces a large fine.Ukrainian media reports that Mazepa travelled to Europe to acquirehumanitarian aid and crossed the border using the Shlyakh system. Sincethe beginning of military actions in Ukraine, there has been a restriction onmen of conscription age leaving the country. Exceptions are made solelyfor delivering humanitarian aid. However, according to the publicationUkrainian News, Mazepa does not experience such restrictions and easilytravels at any convenient time using the "Shlyakh" system, which onceagain demonstrates the sharp level of corruption at all levels in Ukraine.Whether the boars killed in Croatia can be considered humanitarian cargofor Ukraine is unknown.Due to the illegal border cr...

2 children dead, 2 hospitalized after child abuse report in Lancaster

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

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the deaths of two children and the hospitalizations of two others in Lancaster.According to an LASD release, deputies were dispatched to the 1800 block of East Avenue J-2 shortly before midnight on Saturday after a call came in alleging children were being harmed at the location. “Upon arrival, deputies contacted a female adult and conducted a check of the location,” the LASD release said. “Deputies found four children under the age of ten suffering from lacerations to their bodies.” According to an LASD release, deputies were dispatched to the 1800 block of East Avenue J-2 in Lancaster shortly before midnight on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 after a call came in alleging children were being harmed at the location. (Luis Meza)The children were immediately transported to a local hospital where two of them were pronounced dead, authorities said. The other two children are said to be in stable condition with non-life...

Parts of Laguna Beach may have power shut off ahead of high winds, fire conditions 

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

SoCal Edison has announced that preemptive power shutoffs may occur in parts of Laguna Beach as fire conditions begin to blanket the area. The potential shutoffs could start as early as Sunday, according to a release from the City of Laguna Beach. “The power shutoff is necessary to ensure public safety during the current fire weather conditions and high winds,” city officials said.  When will it feel like winter in California? NOAA updates holiday season forecast A map of the affected areas can be viewed below: The areas affected by the potential power shutoffs. (City of Laguna Beach)As of Sunday morning, incredibly high winds have already began to swirl around SoCal, according to the National Weather Service.The highest recorded local wind speeds as of 6 a.m. Sunday are:Magic Mountain Truck Trail: 83 miles per hourBoney Mountain: 70 miles per hourLAFD Camp Nine: 59 miles per hourEast Simi Valley: 57 miles per hourEscondido Canyon: 55 miles per hourMalibu Hills: 52 miles per hourW...

110 Freeway closed to car traffic for second time in history for ArroyoFest 

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

The Arroyo Seco Freeway has only been closed to traffic once since it was opened in 1940, and that was in 2003. History is set to be made again on Sunday when the freeway closes to vehicular traffic for the first ArroyoFest in 20 years. The event is free and family-oriented and allows participants to experience seven miles of car-free roadways – including part of the historic 110 Freeway – up close. The different spans of the roadway will be broken up by how participants choose to get around; pedestrians are asked to use the southbound, west facing lanes, and those using wheeled devices are asked to use the northbound, east facing lanes to maximize safety. “Another way to think about it [is] the west side of the parkway will be transformed into a giant sidewalk with two-way foot traffic, and the east side of the parkway will become a two-way protected bike and rollway,” the event’s website said.  Fire weather warning issued for the weekend In addition to t...

New festival presents offering of tradition, art, and wellness to South Bay

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

Under cloudless blue skies, young mariachi performers blanketed downtown Gilroy in harmonies, accompanying the thousands of visitors who danced, haggled, and dined at La Ofrenda festival this Saturday. While the festival is only in its inaugural year, attendees say it fills a much-needed space in the South Bay, and organizers hope it is just the first of many to come.“People have been yearning for this,” said festival attendee and Hayward resident Christina Fletes-Romo. “It’s great to have an event like this in Gilroy, (a place) that’s often overlooked.”Leroy Gonsalez, of Gilroy, honors the occasion during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attires enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The ...

EVs abound: modern, handsome, fast

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

Automotive journalists often drive new vehicles for a week and then write reviews about their experiences. It’s rare one vehicle in a manufacturer’s lineup can be quickly compared to a more modest or a higher-end trim of the same car. Also unusual is promptly testing two diverse cars or trucks from the same carmaker.The novel approach was one idea presented at the recent Best of the Bay, a 2 1/2-day gathering of the Western Automotive Journalists (WAJ). It’s the 30-year-old Bay Area community of content creators and industry representatives.Nine manufacturers showcased 13 cars at Vintner’s Resort in Santa Rosa for testing, including two vehicles from Genesis, Hyundai, Kia and Toyota. Acura, Honda, Lexus, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz (AMG) each presented one car.Organizers mapped a 20-minute loop that included entering and exiting freeways, narrow country roads and urban traffic. While individually driving a car or rotating with another journalist as a driver and t...

The 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge AWD Ultimate SUV

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

What is a XC40? The XC40 is a subcompact luxury crossover SUV built in Ghent, Belgium and sold worldwide by Volvo. The XC40 combines the size of a small all electric SUV with twin electric motors that can be driven 223 miles on a full charge.The overall fuel economy rating for this Ultimate Edition all wheel drive (AWD) EV is 85 MPGe, and it can be recharged on a level II 240 volt charger in about 8 hours.The 2023 Volvo XC40 Recharge is an electric SUV based on the gas powered XC40 small crossover. It’s part of a growing number of premium electric SUVs , such as the Audi E-tron, Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Jaguar I-Pace and the Tesla Model Y. The XC40 was introduced in the 2019 model year and for 2023 it’s been nicely updated, modernized and electrified. It comes with more safety, luxury and technology options.Both the gas and electric XC40 vehicles have received significant exterior and interior upgrades with the new 2023 redesign. They feature a new front bumper, ...

New EV Tax Credit Rules Help Low-Income Consumers

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

Starting on January 1st, eligible consumers who purchase a qualified electric vehicle will be able to collect their federal tax credit at the point of sale. The current rules require taxpayers to apply for the credit when they file their taxes and then wait to receive the benefit. The new “cash-on-the-hood” option is likely to increase the effectiveness of the incentive by offsetting the purchase price of an EV immediately. The streamlined procedure will be especially helpful to low-income consumers who have difficulty managing the high up front cost of an EV. The changes coming in 2024 will also grant full eligibility to low-income taxpayers who currently lose out on part or all of the incentive because of insufficient tax liability.The Inflation Reduction Act made many complex changes to the EV tax credit rules that restrict its availability, so the arrival of the straightforward cash-on-the-hood provision will be a welcome development. Many new EV models will only qualify for hal...

Skip the washing machine, shower with your jeans on, Levi’s CEO says

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

(NEXSTAR) — You of course want to have clean clothes. While you likely have your own rhythm of washing them — separating lights and darks, turning your shirts inside out, hanging your clothes on the line to dry — there’s one article you’re probably caring for wrong. Your jeans. A quick search for an answer will give you numerous options. Wash denim inside out and by themselves on a delicate or gentle cycle, then let them air dry, Whirlpool encourages. Use cold water and detergent, Tide suggests. Pre-soak denim jeans in cold water with scented vinegar, Classic Maytag explains. Don’t wash them until they visibly need a clean, or have a certain smell, the vice president of design for Bonobos told the New York Times. Have you been tipping wrong at restaurants? What experts advise You may even find suggestions to never wash your jeans — that may have been caused by the CEO of Levi Strauss himself, Charles Bergh. While speaking at a conference in 2014, Bergh said jeans do...

Juvenile shot, killed during attempted DC carjacking

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

A juvenile male was shot and killed following an attempted carjacking in Penn Quarter.D.C. police say they were called to the 600 block of D Street, NW around 10 p.m. on Saturday night for reports of a shooting.They say a juvenile male was shot and killed after he attempted to carjack a man in the area.A map of the shooting can be seen below: This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest. Source