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Online cremation companies accused of holding human remains ‘hostage’ agree to pay $275,000 penalty, provide more info on websites 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

A funeral and cremation provider was accused of holding human remains hostage in order to make more money from grieving loved ones. The feds stepped in to stop it, and now, the companies have agreed to clean up their act.Kevin Ozebek has tonight’s 7 Investigates.We’ve seen movers demand more money before releasing customers’ belongings. But two companies were accused of keeping something much more precious; cremated ashes of people.Rebecca Plett/attorney, Federal Trade Commission: “The defendants, we allege, either withheld or threatened to withhold the remains of a consumers’ loved ones.”The Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department took aim at the online companies, they say, were acting as funeral services “brokers.”Rebecca Plett: “The behavior as alleged is egregious and takes advantage of folks when they’re grieving. So it’s very serious.”So serious, the feds sued Legacy Cremation Services and Heritage...

UK Tories opened £2M Santander overdraft as donations slumped amid infighting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

LONDON — The Conservative Party opened a £2 million credit line with high street banking giant Santander after facing a slump in support from donors, new analysis shows.The multimillion-pound borrowing facility is the largest opened by the Conservatives in over a decade, and came after a bruising time for the party’s finances.According to data from the U.K. Electoral Commission, the party opened the pre-approved Santander loan facility on December 10. Donations to the Conservatives in the third quarter of 2022 fell to their lowest level since 2020. That period included the ousting of Boris Johnson as prime minister and a bitter Tory leadership contest.The Santander credit line has been offered over an unlimited term, with a fixed interest rate of base plus 2 percent.The data shows donations to the Tories — now battling to stay in power at the next election under Rishi Sunak — recovered slightly in the last three months of 2022. The Conservatives were then further buoyed this M...

Tylor Megill’s unlucky 4th inning leads to 7-2 loss, ends Mets’ 5-game winning streak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

CHICAGO — It felt like the Mets could do no wrong for five games.Then suddenly, it all went wrong in Chicago and the Mets’ winning streak came to an end. The comeback kids from last week couldn’t overcome an early 4-1 hole and lost 7-2 in the first game of a three-game series on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.Tylor Megill had two easy innings and 1 and 2/3 rough ones in the loss (5-3). He allowed four runs in the second but it was a flukey fourth that may have cost the Mets (25-24) and Megill the most.Megill allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits, walked two and struck out five over 3 and 2/3 innings.“He probably deserved a little better fate,” said manager Buck Showalter. “The mistakes he made didn’t stay in the park, but I thought his stuff was pretty good. We didn’t do a whole lot offensively and didn’t play particularly well behind him either.”Both of the runs allowed by Megill in the fourth were unearned, but after a bob...

Celtics live to see another day, pull away from Heat for Game 4 victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

MIAMI — As Robert Williams sat among a sea of media along the baseline of the Kaseya Center, hours before a do-or-die game for the Celtics, Al Horford walked off the court after a workout and looked at his teammate.Horford had a smile on his face. He was brimming with confidence.“I see you, Rob!” Horford yelled into the crowd. “We got it tonight! We got it tonight!”Less than 48 hours before, the Celtics had been embarrassed. It looked like they had quit after a Game 3 loss that put them in an impossible 3-0 hole in these Eastern Conference Finals.But they were still kicking.“Don’t let us get one,” Marcus Smart said. “Just don’t let us get one.”They got one.The Celtics were laughed off the floor on Sunday night. They were trolled. The Heat took their pride, daring the Celtics to even return to the court where they were humiliated. But they didn’t lay down. Facing insurmountable odds, the Celtics roared back, using a second-half surge to take Game 4 with a 116-99 victory.The Celtics a...

DEA agent attacked by dog during search warrant in East County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

LA MESA, Calif. -- A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent suffered a "significant injury" in a dog attack Tuesday in the La Mesa area, authorities said.The incident occurred at 4870 Harbison Avenue during a search warrant conducted by the San Diego drug organization's Narcotics Task Force, the DEA told FOX 5 in a statement.The DEA agent was taken to a hospital, where his status is unknown at the moment. Sheriff’s investigate inappropriate use of social media allegations against substitute teacher "In an effort to minimize the threat to human life, the dog was shot, and did not survive," the DEA said. No other details were released as the situation remains under investigation. 

China presses Dutch minister for access to chipmaking tech blocked on security grounds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — China’s foreign minister pressed his Dutch counterpart Tuesday for access to advanced chipmaking technology that has been blocked on security grounds and warned against allowing what he said were unfounded fears of Beijing to spoil relations.Chinese frustration with curbs imposed by the Netherlands, Washington and Japan on chip technology has added to political strains at a time when Beijing is threatening to attack Taiwan and is increasingly assertive toward other Asian neighbors.There was no indication the Netherlands changed its restriction on the supply of lithography machines available only from a single Dutch company that use ultraviolet light to etch tiny circuits on next-generation processor chips. Lack of that tool is holding back Chinese efforts to develop chips for smartphones, artificial intelligence and other advanced applications.“As for the issue of lithography machines, China has serious concerns about this,” Qin Gang said at a joint news conference. “...

2 former Alabama governors from opposite sides of the political aisle express doubts over executions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Two former Alabama governors, from opposite sides of the political aisle, wrote in an opinion piece that they are now troubled by the state’s death penalty system and would commute the sentences of inmates sentenced by judicial override or divided juries.Former Gov. Don Siegelman, a Democrat, and former Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican, who both oversaw executions while in office, penned the Tuesday opinion piece for The Washington Post. The governors said that have both come “to see the flaws in our nation’s justice system and to view the state’s death penalty laws in particular as legally and morally troubling.”“We missed our chance to confront the death penalty and have lived to regret it, but it is not too late for today’s elected officials to do the morally right thing,” the governor’s wrote. Bentley and Siegelman each let eight executions go forward while they were in office, according to a list maintained by the Alabama Department of...

Drug and prostitution raids at 3 Gary homes yield narcotics, 12 arrests and one baby in protective custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

GARY, Ind. — Search warrants executed in connection to a suspected drug and prostitution ring at three Gary homes Tuesday led to at least a dozen arrests, seizure of five different illegal substances and guns, and a one-year-old child being placed into protective custody, according to the Lake County Sherriff's Department.Deputies said five men and seven women were arrested at two homes in the 1000 block of Rutledge Street and one home in the 2000 block of Ohio Street. In total, 14 grams of fentanyl, 12 grams of cocaine, two grams of ketamine, two grams of marijuana, one gram of MDMA and two firearms were seized by LCSD SWAT teams executing search warrants at the three homes.49-year-old Tandika Jackson (left) and 55-year-old Arthur Boyd (right) (Courtesy: LCSD)According to LCSD, two men — Arthur Boyd and Tandika Jackson — were believed to have leadership roles in the suspected drug and prostitution ring. Boyd, 55, is facing charges of Dealing a Narcotic Drug with Enhancement, and De...

Amber Alert issued for 14-year-old girl out of Houston

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

HOUSTON (KETK) -- An Amber Alert was issued Tuesday night for a 14-year-old girl in Houston.Authorities said Marisol Avila was last seen wearing a black shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. Avila is about 4'5" and 110 pounds with black hair.The suspected vehicle is a tan, late-model Subaru Forester. 1 dead after hit-and-run crash involving truck, motorcycle in East Texas Anyone with information is asked to call 911.amber_alertDownload

Vikings take a chance on XFL standout receiver Lucky Jackson

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:45:22 GMT

It looks like the Vikings are rolling the dice and hoping to get lucky.Less than an hour before players took the practice field at TCO Performance Center on Tuesday afternoon, the Vikings signed XFL standout receiver Lucky Jackson to the 90-man roster. They waived outside linebacker Kenny Willekes in a corresponding move.Though it’s unclear how much of an impact Jackson will have — if any — he’s an intriguing prospect on the surface after starring as a receiver for the DC Defenders.After finishing his collegiate career at Western Kentucky, then playing in a couple of different pro leagues, Jackson made a name for himself in the XFL this past season. He hauled in 36 receptions for 573 yards and 5 touchdowns.Where will Jackson fit in?That remains to be seen as he joins a position room that includes star receiver Justin Jefferson, first-round pick Jordan Addison, and the highly motivated K.J. Osborn, among a handful of others.Related ArticlesMinnesota Vikings | ...