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Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is the first tour to gross over $1 billion, Pollstar says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is the first tour to cross the billion-dollar mark, according to Pollstar's 2023 year-end charts.Not only was Swift's landmark Eras Tour the No. 1 tour both worldwide and in North America, but she also brought in a whopping $1.04 billion with 4.35 million tickets sold across 60 tour dates, the concert trade publication found. Pollstar data is pulled from box office reports, venue capacity estimates, historical Pollstar venue ticket sales data, and other undefined research, collected from Nov. 17, 2022 to Nov. 15, 2023.Representatives for the publication did not immediately clarify if they adjusted past tour data to match 2023 inflation in naming Swift the first to break the billion-dollar threshold.Pollstar also found that Swift brought in approximately $200 million in merch sales and her blockbuster film adaptation of the tour, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” has reportedly earned approximately $250 million in sales, making it the highest-...

Florida senator urges probe into alleged 'sewage garlic' from China

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Florida Sen. Rick Scott is asking federal regulators to crack down on imports of alleged "sewage garlic" from China.In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Scott invoked 1962’s Trade Expansion Act, which authorizes the agency to "initiate an investigation to ascertain the effect of specific imports on the national security of the United States."Scott said he has concerns with trade enforcement, citing over half a billion dollars in unpaid antidumping fees tied to the garlic industry. But his chief concern, according to the letter, is alleged unsanitary growing conditions in "Communist China." Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., speaks at a press conference on appropriations with members of the House Freedom Caucus and conservative senators on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)"But beyond these trade enforcement concerns, there is a severe public healthconcern over the quality and safety of garlic grown in foreign ...

Out-of-state travel for abortions doubled since 2020

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

(NewsNation) — The number of people traveling out of state for abortions has doubled since 2020, following the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.The Guttmacher Institute released new findings on the number of people traveling for reproductive health care. Nearly one in five abortion patients traveled out of state to get an abortion during the first six months of 2023, compared to one in 10 seeking the procedure during the same period in 2020.In the wake of the Dobbs decision, several states have passed laws that ban or strictly limit abortion. While most states include exceptions for emergency care when the life or health of the mother is at risk, many advocates have said the lack of clarity leaves hospitals reluctant to approve procedures. House GOP releases resolution to formalize Biden impeachment inquiry Activists in states where abortion is banned or limited have made efforts to help those needing the procedure to travel, including helping pay for the cos...

Shooting spree suspect tried to run from corrections officers in 'jail incident,' sheriff's office says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The suspect in Tuesday's shooting spree in Central Texas that left six people dead and three injured tried to run from a corrections officer during an "incident" Wednesday after being taken into custody, according to the Travis County Sheriff's Office. Shane James, 34 was taken into custody and charged with capital murder of multiple people at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. On Wednesday, as a corrections officer was opening the door to the unit James was assigned, James pushed past the officer and ran into the hallway, TCSO told KXAN. Corrections officers detained James and he resisted but was ultimately restrained. A court affidavit stated Shane "attempted to escape custody from the Travis County Jail. It was reported Travis County deputies had to use force to subdue Shane," the affidavit said. What we know about the suspect in Tuesday’s shooting spree in Austin, San Antonio TCSO added the Travis County jail is a multi-floor, secure facility and said James w...

APD: Skeletal remains found in greenbelt trail considered homicide

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Skeletal remains found last month at the West Bouldin Creek Greenbelt "revealed injuries consistent with homicide," the Austin Police Department said in a news release on Thursday.On Nov. 27, the APD homicide unit "received multiple tips" that a murder happened on the Greenbelt trail, located in the 1100 block of South Sixth Street. Further information said the murder victim was buried thereThen, on Nov. 29, officials "responded to process the scene with a search and rescue K9," and that is when the skeletal remains were found.Furthermore, an autopsy "revealed injuries consistent with homicide," according to police. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2023? Anyone with any information should contact APD's Homicide unit at (512) 974-TIPS or email [email protected]. You may submit your tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling (512) 472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be ava...

Austin neighborhood light show organizers worry it could be event's last year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A neighborhood tradition of holiday lights returns Friday night for the season, but organizers said they worry it could be the event's last year.Creating decorations out of trash for the 37th Street Lights in Austin (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey)37th Street Lights is an effort of residents on West 37th Street between Guadalupe Street and Home Street. Beginning at sunset, homes on the street light up with a variety of "weird" themes until 10 p.m. 2019: Neighborhood rejuvenates central Austin tradition of ’37th Street Lights’ Some new features on the street include a Barbie themed display and a "Purple Rain" house. The stuffed animal petting zoo returns from previous years.The light show runs until Jan. 1, 2024.An end, or just a pause?The free event began in the 1980s as a collaboration of artists. Now, the neighborhood continues that legacy as a way to keep the "Austin DIY spirit" alive.An (in)security checkpoint at the 2023 37th Street Lights in Austin (KXAN Photo/Todd B...

Deadline today for felony marijuana expungements

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Friday is the deadline for felony marijuana expungements in Missouri.When voters legalized recreational marijuana in February, it also promised to automatically remove marijuana-misdemeanors and felonies involving less than three pounds of marijuana. Win Big This Holiday Season! Enter the Home For The Holidays $15K Giveaway! More than 97,000 charges have been expunged so far, but Friday's deadline will not be met.

Clementine's Creamery holiday flavors now available

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

ST. LOUIS - If you're looking for a treat that's sweet and festive, Clementine's Creamery has you covered.The holiday flavors are now available. The creamery's 'candy cane lane' with crushed peppermint candies and dark chocolate flake. Win Big This Holiday Season! Enter the Home For The Holidays $15K Giveaway! Brown butter brownie: a dark chocolate brownie batter ice cream with house-made chocolate brownies. A red velvet cupcake made with tangy cream cheese ice cream features a red velvet cupcake with a gooey French chocolate center hidden inside and the return of the popular vegan sugar cookie with sprinkles.

Denver could see 2 to 3 inches of snow over frigid weekend as snowstorm moves in

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

Light to moderate snow is expected throughout the day in Denver and the surrounding areas as the next snowstorm makes its way through the state.Heavy snow bands that started along Interstate 70 and south in the mountains will pass into the Front Range through Friday. The highest snowfall will likely be south of Denver from Castle Rock to El Paso County and the southern Front Range foothills.Denver will likely see between two and three inches of snow through Saturday morning.The National Weather Service in Boulder said as of 6:35 a.m. Friday the snow was developing quickly and will spread across most of Douglas County.Heads up am commuters for the Palmer Divide!Snow is quickly developing (as of 635 am) and will continue to spread across much of Douglas County impacting I-25 south of Denver. Pavement temperatures will support road snow and slick travel from ~Castle Rock to CO Springs. #COwx pic.twitter.com/mD83qHPnY1— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) December 8, 2023Forecasters warned ...

The Great Grain Grab: Ukrainian companies are facing takeover attempts by US Hedge funds “for their own long term gain”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:55 GMT

“War has always been a racket, and it is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, and, surely, the most vicious,” said Smedley Butler, once the most decorated US Marine in history before becoming an author and anti-war advocate.Before dying in 1940, Butler said that during his 33-year military career, he was primarily “a high-class muscle man for Big Business, Wall Street, and the bankers.”The war in Ukraine seems to be taking a similar path. War profiteers have already made billions of dollars from death and misery in the country. A Reuters report reveals oil companies made nearly $220 billion in profits in 2022, “a windfall of Russia`s invasion of Ukraine,” as President Joe Biden recently critiqued.When the war ends, rebuilding Ukraine will represent a trillion-dollar opportunity for US and European construction companies, who are already planning how to get their hands on those profits.Opportunist Hedge funds have also emerged as significant war profiteers. According to t...