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Father, son sentenced for decadelong, $20 million lottery fraud scheme

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — A father and son from Massachusetts have both been sent to prison for running an elaborate lottery fraud scheme designed to enrich themselves and help prize winners avoid paying taxes on their windfall, prosecutors said.Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, cashed in 14,000 winning lottery tickets over a roughly 10-year period, laundered more than $20 million in proceeds, and then lied on their tax returns to cheat the IRS out of about $6 million, the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston announced Monday.The Jaafars purchased winning lottery tickets at a discount from people who wanted to avoid identification by the state lottery commission, which withholds taxes and outstanding child support payments from payouts.After purchasing the tickets, using the stores that sold them as go-betweens, the Jaafars claimed the full prize amount. Although they reported the winnings on their tax returns, they also claimed equivalent fake gambling losses as an of...

Stock market today: Wall Street futures tick down after US debt talks fail to break impasse

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

Wall Street dipped modestly early Tuesday after talks in Washington on government debt ended with no deal to avoid a default.S&P 500 futures were off less than 0.2% before the bell, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched down about 0.1%.“The resumption of debt ceiling negotiations spurred some hopes despite distinct risks of brinksmanship and blame-shifting,” Tan Boon Heng of Mizuho Bank said in a report.Worries about a potential U.S. debt default have added to investor unease about the health of the global economy following interest rate hikes to cool inflation and high-profile bank failures in the United States and Switzerland.The U.S. government is forecast to run out of money to pay its bills as soon as June 1 if Congress doesn’t increase the amount the Treasury is allowed to borrow. That would send shockwaves through global financial markets and could weigh on an already weakening global economy.President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said they had a pro...

Climate change protesters carried out of Shell shareholders meeting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Climate change protesters were dragged away by security guards at oil company Shell’s annual shareholder meeting in London on Tuesday after activists tried to storm the stage and caused major disruption at the event. Shell chairman Andrew Mackenzie was unable to start the meeting for more than an hour as dozens of protesters stood up, chanting and singing “Shut down Shell” and “Go to hell, Shell.” Several attempted to run onto the stage, but they were stopped by security guards who carried them out of the room at London’s ExCel conference center.The activists, which included members of Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion, say Shell and other fossil fuel firms are making record profits at the cost of the environment. Like other oil companies, Shell posted bumper profits this year as global oil and natural gas prices soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In February, Shell said its annual profits for 2022 was a record $39.9 billion.That drew ...

El fundador de Amazon Jeff Bezos se compromete con su novia Lauren Sánchez

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

NUEVA YORK – El fundador de Amazon, Jeff Bezos, y su novia, la experiodista de origen mexicano Lauren Sánchez, se han comprometido, según informó la cadena CNN que cita como fuente de la noticia a alguien cercano a la pareja.La noticia del compromiso entre el multimillonario, de 59 años, y la periodista ganadora de un premio Emmy, de 53, fue también confirmada por la revista PEOPLE.Al parecer, el compromiso se produjo cuando la pareja estaba de vacaciones en el sur de Francia. Durante el pasado fin de semana, ambos fueron fotografiados en la zona abordo de un yate y asistieron el sábado al preestreno de la película “Killers of the Flower Moon”, en el Festival de Cine de Cannes, señala PEOPLE. Jeff Bezos dice que regalará la mayor parte de su fortuna de $140,000 millones El Viernes Negro de los trabajadores de Amazon frente al hogar de Jeff Bezos Bezos y Sánchez, nacida en una familia mexicanoestadounidense en Alb...

Foodie favorite: No need to cross the Bay Bridge to reach this Md. beach town

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

Vaughan Cheese is a cheese counter and restaurant run by a couple with New York City restaurant experience. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)A charming little beach town in the D.C. region is becoming a hot place to eat and drink, and you don’t have to cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to get there.It’s North Beach, on the western shore of the bay in Southern Maryland.Resident Krista Pfunder said the town is the opposite of Ocean City.“It never feels too crowded here,” said Pfunder, who is the general manager of Chesapeake Bay Magazine.Several restaurants that have opened in North Beach in just the last five years are getting a lot of attention.Among them is Vaughan Cheese, a cheese counter and restaurant run by a couple with New York City restaurant experience.“Megan and Tyler Vaughan, they are experts in the field,” Pfunder said. “They had a stall, or booth, at the local farmer’s market selling cheese, and eventually were able to open their restau...

Formula Systems: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

OR YEHUDA, Israel (AP) — OR YEHUDA, Israel (AP) — Formula Systems (1985) Ltd. (FORTY) on Tuesday reported earnings of $15.7 million in its first quarter.The Or Yehuda, Israel-based company said it had net income of $1.01 per share.The information technology company posted revenue of $670.4 million in the period._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on FORTY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/FORTYSource

AutoZone: Fiscal Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — AutoZone Inc. (AZO) on Tuesday reported fiscal third-quarter profit of $647.7 million.The Memphis, Tennessee-based company said it had net income of $34.12 per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 10 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $30.84 per share.The auto parts retailer posted revenue of $4.09 billion in the period, which missed Street forecasts. Nine analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $4.1 billion.AutoZone shares have increased 6% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P’s 500 index has increased 9%. The stock has climbed 48% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on AZO at https://www.zacks.com/ap/AZOSource

La pérdida mundial de vida salvaje es “significativamente más alarmante” de lo que se pensaba, según un nuevo estudio

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

(CNN) — Casi la mitad de las especies del planeta están experimentando un rápido declive de su población, según un nuevo estudio.Los seres humanos ya han acabado con un gran número de especies y han llevado a muchas más al borde de la extinción. Algunos científicos afirman que estamos entrando en una “sexta extinción masiva”, esta vez provocada por el hombre.El principal factor es la destrucción de paisajes salvajes para dar paso a granjas, pueblos, ciudades y carreteras, pero el cambio climático es también un importante factor de declive de las especies y se prevé que su impacto sea cada vez peor a medida que el mundo se calienta.Los autores del estudio analizaron más de 70.000 especies de todo el mundo (mamíferos, aves, reptiles, anfibios, peces e insectos) para determinar si sus poblaciones habían aumentado, disminuido o permanecido estables a lo largo del tiempo.Según el estudio publicado este lunes en la revista Biological Reviews, el 48% de las poblaciones de...

Photos: Nuggets sweep Lakers to advance to NBA Finals

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- For the first time ever, the Denver Nuggets are headed to the NBA Finals.The Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in a thrilling Game 4 on Monday night. History made: Nuggets sweep Lakers, advance to NBA Finals Photos from Game 4Here is a look at some of the photos from Game 4 and the trophy presentation:Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is mobbed by teammates after accepting the series MVP trophy in after Game 4 of the NBA basketball Western Conference Final series Monday, May 22, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)Members of the Denver Nuggets pose with the Western Conference Championship Trophy (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates with teammates after receiving the Most Valuable Player Trophy (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Members of the Denver Nuggets pose with the Western Conference Championship Trophy (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nu...

Your allergy symptoms may be worse this year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:52:01 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- With allergy season in full swing, you may notice harsher than usual allergy symptoms.Experts say snow melt from this spring helped amp up allergies, and recent rainy weather could be aggravating symptoms as well. The outdoor-lover’s guide to managing allergies According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, raindrops can break up pollen clumps, creating smaller particles that disperse into the air quicker. "Don't be out in the yard when it's really windy, you're just going to have more exposure," Dr. Mark Mantano, the Medical Dir. of Care Now Urgent Care said.Montano says that studies show allergy season is getting worse overall, in part, due to climate change. He said if you have to be outside when your allergies are acting up, change clothes once getting indoors. You should start taking your allergy medicine now, allergists say For problematic symptoms, over-the-counter medicines and consulting an allergist are additional options.Extra ways you ca...