Home shopping network pioneer QVC files for bankruptcy protection
The owner of home shopping network pioneer QVC has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing by parent company QVC Group, which also owns HSN, formerly the Home Shopping Network, arrives as long-running TV shopping networks struggle to adapt to the rapid shift by consumers now tuning in to livestreams on TikTok, or online marketplaces like Shein. QVC Group, which filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, said that its international operations are not included in the process. It has more than $1 billion in cash on hand and said that it has ample liquidity to meet its business obligations.
Ford recalls 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks to fix a gearshift issue
Ford is recalling almost 1.4 million of its F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because of a gearshift issue that may lead to drivers losing control of their vehicles and increase the risk of a crash. The automaker is aware of two injuries and one accident potentially related to the issue. The recall includes F-150 light trucks with a six-speed automatic transmission that were produced between March 12, 2014 an Aug 18, 2017.
Men caught competing in the women's category of a prestigious South African marathon
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Two male runners in South Africa who were discovered fraudulently competing on behalf of female colleagues in a top marathon have been disqualified. They could face two-year bans from the event, along with the two women who swapped their bibs with the two men. The two men both finished within the top 10 in the women’s marathon at the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town last Sunday, initially denying those slots to two female runners. But marathon board member Stuart Mann says the deception was discovered, and the men were disqualified from their 7th and 10th place finishes.
South Koreans breathe sighs of relief as escaped wolf is returned to zoo safely
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean internet as erupted in celebration as a 2-year-old wolf that escaped from a zoo in South Korea was safely captured Friday after a nine-day search that drew national attention. The male wolf, named Neukgu, was tranquilized and captured on a hill near an expressway early Friday after an hours-long search involving drones, police and fire personnel and veterinarians, according to officials in Daejeon and at the city’s O-World zoo. The wolf was taken back to the zoo, where veterinarians used a scope to remove a fishing hook from his stomach but found no other significant health issues. Social media was flooded with celebratory posts, including messages like “welcome back” and “Neukgu, it’s dangerous outside the house.”
Ranch dressing: An American staple that actually began life on ... a ranch
NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Ranch dressing is the best-selling salad dressing in the U.S., surpassing Italian dressing near the end of the 20th century. Love it or hate it, it's ubiquitous and it's not just for salads. Ranch is now a popular flavor, and a dip for hot wings, fried pickles, and even pizza. This versatile staple is found in grocery stores, recipes, and on menus across the country. Steve Henson, a plumbing contractor turned dude ranch owner, created it in the 1950s, and it became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring a fandom and sparking debates.
Gatorade, inventor of the sports drink, is getting a rebrand targeting non-athletes
Sixty years after it invented sports drinks, Gatorade is making a surprising pivot: It’s no longer focusing primarily on athletes. PepsiCo, Gatorade’s parent company, says the brand wants to broaden its reach to non-athletes who are looking for ways to hydrate, whether they’re on a long flight or nursing a hangover. New packaging highlights the specific ways Gatorade’s various drinks and powders work and the research behind them. The change reflects U.S. consumers’ booming interest in beverages with perceived health benefits. Rivals like Powerade and LMNT have also recently introduced products designed for non-athletes.
German rescuers plan to use air cushions to save Timmy the stranded whale
BERLIN (AP) — Germans are preparing a rescue operation for a sick humpback whale stranded off the Baltic Sea coast. The whale, nicknamed Timmy, has barely moved for days, raising fears it may soon die. The animal's plight has drawn significant attention through livestreams and protests. State officials have approved a private initiative to transport the whale back to the North Sea and possibly the Atlantic Ocean. Rescuers plan to lift the whale onto a tarp using air cushions, secure it to pontoons and attach it to a tugboat Thursday. Previous rescue efforts temporarily freed Timmy but it became stranded again.
Mount Holyoke’s corpse flower blooms again, drawing crowds to its ‘rotting flesh’ stench
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (AP) — Crowds gathered at Mount Holyoke College’s Talcott Greenhouse to witness the rare bloom of “Pangy,” a corpse flower known for its powerful odor resembling decaying flesh. The tropical plant, native to Sumatra, blooms infrequently and emits the pungent scent to attract pollinating flies and beetles. Visitors described the smell as everything from rotting eggs and compost to stinky diapers, while others traveled hours to experience the fleeting spectacle. Pangy first bloomed at the college in 2023. Botanic garden director Tom Clark said the dramatic plant offers a unique opportunity to engage the public with the diversity and adaptations of the plant world.
Walmart is repackaging its Great Value brand to reflect changing consumer habits
NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart is redesigning the packaging of its Great Value products to make them more appealing to customers and to help shoppers spot nutritional information more quickly. Great Value is Walmart’s biggest store brand and one of the largest food and consumer packaged goods labels in the U.S. The revamp announced on Wednesday comes as shoppers have increasingly treated private-label foods not as a stepdown from national brands, but more as an equivalent. A company executive says the new cartons, boxes, bags and other containers will start to appear on Walmart store shelves next month. He says the overhaul doesn't involve any changes to the products themselves.
Hot dogs and steaks and bacon, oh my! Meat raffles keep a beloved Midwest tradition alive
WACONIA, Minn. (AP) — They're called meat raffles, and they're a tradition in a few pockets of the U.S. They're featured mainly at neighborhood bars or at American Legion or VFW posts in Minnesota, Wisconsin and New York state. Players enter for a chance to win a pack of ground beef, hot dogs, chicken breasts or steaks. The profits go to charity. But the games are under pressure in Minnesota due to rising meat prices. Minnesota’s prize limit was set at $70 total per event nearly 40 years ago. So there’s a move afoot at the state Capitol to raise the cap to $200.
