
A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and netsMugs, hats, holiday sweaters: CEO shooting merch is for sale online
None
NEW YORK — Stoli Group USA, the owner of the namesake vodka , has filed for bankruptcy as it struggled to contend with slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack that has snarled its operations and several years of fighting Russia in court. The company in its bankruptcy filing said it is “experiencing financial difficulties” and lists between $50 million and $100 million in liabilities. Stoli vodka and Kentucky Owl bourbon will continue to be available on store shelves while the company navigates the Chapter 11 process, which only pertains to its U.S. business. Until 2022, Stoli was sold as Stolichnaya in the United States, which loosely translates to “capital city” in Russian. The company shortened its title following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and boycotts against Russian-branded vodkas . Stoli Group’s founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, was exiled from that nation in 2000 because of his opposition to President Vladimir Putin. People are also reading... Intel announced on December 2 that CEO Pat Gelsinger has resigned after a difficult stint at the company. The once-dominant chipmaker’s stock cratered as it missed the AI boom and was surpassed by most of its rivals. The liquor has long been marketed as a Russian vodka, but its production facilities have been in Latvia for several decades. Stoli Group is a unit of Luxembourg-based SPI Group, which owns other spirit and wine brands. “The Stoli Group has been targeted by the Russian Federation since it was formed nearly 25 years ago,” said Stoli Group CEO Chris Caldwell in a statement. “Earlier this year the company and our owner were both named by the Russian state as ‘extremist groups working against Russia’s interests.’” Its ongoing legal battle with the Russia government has forced Stoli to “spend dozens of millions of dollars on this long-term court battle across the globe with the Russian authorities,” according to its court filing. Caldwell also said that Stoli’s global operations has been a “victim of a malicious cyber attack” that has forced the company to operate “entirely manually while the systems are rebuilt.” A slowdown in demand for alcohol has crushed several company’s bottom lines following the pandemic when people were stuck at home and stocked up. Stoli’s filings said that it has seen a “decline and softening of demand for alcohol and spirits products post-Covid and especially beginning in 2023 and continuing into 2024.” Stoli Group USA, maker of Stoli vodka, has filed for bankruptcy due to slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack, and ongoing legal battles with Russia. The-CNN-WireTM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Residents of a small village in northern Vancouver Island are voicing their concern after a resident suffered a medical emergency shortly before the community was struck by an internet, cellphone and power blackout. Firefighters received a call of a woman suffering from a stroke around 7 a.m. Wednesday, while winds from a bomb cyclone were still battering the Island . Firefighters contacted BC Emergency Health Services requesting an ambulance, however, Highway 19, which connects Woss to other Island communities, was closed due to the wind storm . “When we got paged out they said they were not willing to send a crew because the highway was shut down, there [were] too many trees down across the road,” said Woss Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brock Soderman. “So we sent three of our guys in a pickup with chainsaws to Port McNeill to prove to the ambulance that the road was clear and that they could come to pick up the patient.” Crews did eventually reach the patient, but Soderman says the delay lasted between one to two hours. During that time, the community also lost electricity, as well as cellphone and internet coverage. Story continues below: Christopher Swiston, who works at the Woss General Store, says he’s concerned about what would’ve happened if someone had a medical emergency while the cell service was out. He added that the general store, which also double’s as the town’s only gas station, can’t operate without electricity, meaning anyone who needs fuel has to travel about 100 kilometres to the nearest communities of Campbell River or Port McNeill. “So our town’s been pretty much dead in the water for about a day-and-a-half now,” he said Thursday, before the power and cell service came back online overnight. “No one has any coverage at all, you can’t even dial 911,” he said. “You can’t call anyone, so we’re stranded out here in the middle of nowhere.” He says it’s fortunate that the village’s volunteer fire department is so dedicated to the community, and they were able to help the person suffering from the medical emergency. Otherwise, having the internet, power and cell service all go down was “quite catastrophic for everything all at once.” READ MORE: Nanaimo mans tells of close call driving on Highway 4 during storm Another Woss resident, Micha Rogg, says he’d like to see improvements made, especially for vulnerable people in the community. “If someone does have a health problem – it’s bad luck. Something needs to change,” he said. “I don’t know what can be done, but surely with all the technology we have these days, a place like Woss, where there is so many people living, there’s over 200 people here – we should deserve the same service as Victoria or Nanaimo or Courtenay, or these places that are well served.” CHEK News has reached out to the Ministry of Transportation, which is responsible for closing highways in B.C., and BC Emergency Health Services. This story will be updated if responses are received.Election 2024: Form your own government with our Coalition builder toolDallas (3-7) at Washington (7-4) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox BetMGM NFL Odds: Commanders by 10 1/2 Against the spread: Cowboys 2-8; Commanders 7-4 Series record: Dallas leads 78-48-2. Last meeting: The Cowboys clinched the NFC East title last season by beating the Commanders 38-10 at Washington on Jan. 7. Last week: Cowboys lost to the Texans 34-10 on Monday; Commanders lost to the Eagles 26-18 on Thursday, Nov. 14. Cowboys offense: overall (20), rush (31), pass (T-7), scoring (T-24) Cowboys defense: overall (27), rush (31), pass (19), scoring (31) Commanders offense: overall (6), rush (6), pass (15), scoring (4) Commanders defense: overall (18), rush (30), pass (5), scoring (T-14) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-11; Commanders plus-5 Star pass rusher Micah Parsons has six of his 43 1/2 career sacks against Washington, more than any opponent. But Jayden Daniels is the biggest threat Parsons has faced at QB with this opponent. There’s no question the Dallas pass rush suffered in the four games Parsons missed with a sprained ankle and has been substantially better in the two games since the two-time All-Pro’s return. Parsons making life difficult for Daniels might be the only way for the Cowboys to stay close. Rookie CB Mike Sainristil held his own against A.J. Brown despite being at a sizeable height disadvantage. With trade deadline pickup Marshon sidelined again with a hamstring injury, Sainristil could be counted on to do more of the same against CeeDee Lamb, who is still productive no matter who the Cowboys quarterback is. Commanders rushing offense vs. Cowboys rushing defense. Dallas allowed Houston RB Joe Mixon to pick up 109 yards and three TDs and the ground and has struggled against the run all season. Brian Robinson Jr. returned last week after missing the previous two games with a hamstring injury, and Austin Ekeler and Jeremy McNichols provide some depth for Washington. Cowboys: Perennial All-Pro RG Zack Martin and promising young LG Tyler Smith sustained ankle injuries on the same drive in the fourth quarter for the Cowboys against the Texans. Martin, who is also battling a shoulder issue, is doubtful, and Smith is questionable while also dealing with a knee injury. ... Rookie LT Tyler Guyton re-injured a shoulder trying to run with a fumble after QB Cooper Rush had the ball knocked out of his hand on a throw. He is expected to play. ... TE Jake Ferguson was ruled out after sustaining a concussion in the first quarter against the Texans. ... CB Jourdan Lewis (neck) and RB Hunter Luepke (calf) missed the Houston game but are listed as available this week. ... Dallas might get some reinforcements in WR Brandin Cooks (knee), rookie DE Marshawn Kneeland (knee), CB DaRon Bland (foot) and T Chuma Edoga (toe). Cooks last played in Week 4 and Kneeland in Week 5. They are questionable along with Edoga, who hasn't played all season. Bland also hasn't played this year after having surgery for a stress fracture late in the preseason, but it appears he will make his season debut after setting an NFL record in 2023 with five interception returns for touchdowns. ... DB Markquese Bell, a key special teams player, is set for season-ending surgery after injuring a shoulder covering a kickoff against the Texans. Commanders: Lattimore was on the field Wednesday but didn't take part in practice all week. He will miss a third consecutive game since being acquired at the deadline from New Orleans. ... K Austin Seibert appears to be trending toward returning from the right hip injury that sidelined him the past two games. The Cowboys have won five of the past six meetings. Washington's only victory in that span was in the 2022 season finale when Dallas had nothing to play for once it was clear Philadelphia would finish first in the NFC East. ... The Cowboys are 16-4 against NFC East opponents since 2021 and haven’t lost consecutive division games since 2020, when they finished 6-10. Dallas lost to Philadelphia two weeks ago and plays the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day. ... This is Commanders coach Dan Quinn's first game against the Cowboys since spending the past three seasons as their defensive coordinator. ... Washington with a win would have its best start through 12 games since 1996 and first 3-1 division record since 2012. The Cowboys are on a five-game losing streak, their longest since a seven-game skid in 2015. Mike McCarthy has matched the longest losing streak of his coaching career. He lost five in a row in 2008, late in the third of his 12-plus seasons in Green Bay. McCarthy is on an expiring contract and the possibility of returning to the Cowboys diminishes with each loss. ... Dallas is 3-2 on the road. ... Rush has lost three consecutive starts as an injury replacement for Dak Prescott after winning his first five. He is 0-2 this season with a touchdown, an interception and three fumbles lost. Prescott had season-ending surgery on his torn hamstring last week. ... Lamb needs 81 yards receiving to become the fastest Dallas wideout to reach 6,000 yards. ... WR KaVontae Turpin had a career-long touchdown catch of 64 yards against the Texans. It’s the only TD at home for Dallas since Week 3. ... K Brandon Aubrey has 10 field goals of at least 50 yards this season. That’s one behind Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn, who has already tied Daniel Carlson’s single-season NFL record from 2022. ... Daniels has thrown for 10 TDs and three INTs, including one of each against the Eagles. He has four rushing TDs but none since Week 4. He's 18 yards away from being the first rookie QB since Kyler Murray in 2019 to run for 500. ... Robinson's seven TD runs through eight games match his first two professional seasons combined. ... Ekeler had a season-high eight catches for 89 yards at Philadelphia. ... WR Terry McLaurin had just one catch on two targets last week. ... Zach Ertz's 428 yards receiving are his most in a season since 2021. He's 35 away from moving into the top 10 among tight ends in league history. ... LB Bobby Wagner is nine tackles away from joining London Fletcher as the only players with 100-plus tackles in 13 consecutive seasons since 2000. ... LB Frankie Luvu sacked Jalen Hurts twice to tie a career high with seven. McLaurin will almost certainly be targeted more often than last week, especially after he, Daniels and the offense got a full week of practice. Washington's top receiver could be in for a big game. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl