Almost 200,000 play kitchens recalled after death of toddler who was strangled on hook

Almost 200,000 play kitchens recalled after death of toddler who was strangled on hook

A recall of around 192,000 play kitchens has been issued after a toddler died of strangulation in Oregon while playing with one. Backyard Kids, LLC, of Plano, Texas, announced the recall of the KidKraft Farm to Table Model Play Kitchens on Thursday. The company is offering to replace the hooks on all units, which are used to hold toy kitchen accessories, like pots, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The kitchens are originally manufactured by KidKraft, Inc., and only about 400 of them were sold by Backyard Kids LLC to consumers, including 12 sold in Canada. The kitchens retail from $120 to $270 and were sold on KidKraft.com, Amazon.com and Walmart.com from 2018 to this month, per the safety commission. The recall comes after a hook caught onto the shirt of a 23-month-old in Oregon who was crawling through an opening in the back of the play kitchen in 2023. "The child was unable to rescue himself and died from strangulation and asphyxia," the safety commission said in a news release. In astatement, KidKraft said that the model 53411 play kitchens "pose a strangulation and asphyxia hazard and a risk of serious injury or death to young children who are climbing on the counter or crawling through the opening at the back of the play kitchens." "Your safety is our first priority," the toy manufacturer said in the statement. The company filed for bankruptcy in May 2024. It is unclear if this is connected to the toddler's death in 2023. Backyard Kids, LLC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. People who have the toy kitchens are advised to stop using them, remove the original hooks and contact Backyard Kids, LLC for replacement hooks, the safety commission said.

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August 01, 2025

Almost 200,000 play kitchens recalled after death of toddler who was strangled on hook

Almost 200,000 play kitchens recalled after death of toddler who was strangled on hook A recall of around 192,000 play kitchens has been iss...

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El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends terms to 6 years

El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends terms to 6 years

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The party of El Salvador PresidentNayib Bukeleapproved constitutional changes in the country's Legislative Assembly on Thursday that will allow indefinite presidential reelection and extend presidential terms to six years. Lawmaker Ana Figueroa from the New Ideas party had proposed the changes to five articles of the constitution. The proposal also included eliminating the second round of the election where the two top vote-getters from the first round face off. New Ideas and its allies in the Legislative Assembly quickly approved the proposals with thesupermajoritythey hold. The vote passed with 57 in favor and three opposed. Bukeleoverwhelmingly won reelectionlast year despitea constitutional ban, after Supreme Court justices selected by his party ruled in 2021 to allow reelection to a second five-year term. Observers have worried that Bukele had a plan to consolidate power since at least 2021, when a newly elected Congress with a strong governing party majority voted toremove the magistratesof the constitutional chamber of the Supreme Court. Those justices had been seen as the last check on the popular president. Since then, Bukele has only grown more popular. The Biden administration's initial expressions of concern gave way to quiet acceptance as Bukele announced his run for reelection. With the return of U.S.President Donald Trumpto the White House in January, Bukele had a new powerful ally and quickly offered Trump help by taking more than 200 deportees from other countries into a newly built prison for gang members. Figueroa argued Thursday that federal lawmakers and mayors can already seek reelection as many times as they want. "All of them have had the possibility of reelection through popular vote, the only exception until now has been the presidency," Figueroa said. She also proposed that Bukele's current term, scheduled to end June 1, 2029, instead finish June 1, 2027, to put presidential and congressional elections on the same schedule. It would also allow Bukele to seek reelection to a longer term two years earlier. Marcela Villatoro of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena), one of three votes against the proposals, told her fellow lawmakers that "Democracy in El Salvador has died!" "You don't realize what indefinite reelection brings: It brings an accumulation of power and weakens democracy ... there's corruption and clientelism because nepotism grows and halts democracy and political participation," she said. Suecy Callejas, the assembly's vice president, said that "power has returned to the only place that it truly belongs ... to the Salvadoran people." Bukele did not immediately comment. Bukele, who once dubbed himself "the world's coolest dictator," is highly popular, largely because of his heavy-handed fight against the country's powerful street gangs. Voters have been willing to overlook evidence that his administration like others before it had negotiated with the gangs, before seeking astate of emergencythat suspended some constitutional rights and allowed authorities to arrest and jail tens of thousands of people. His success with security and politically has inspired imitators in the region who seek to replicate his style. Most recently, Bukele's government has faced international criticism forthe arrestsofhigh-profile lawyerswho have been outspoken critics of his administration. One of the country's most prominenthuman rights groupannounced in July it was moving its operations out of El Salvador for the safety of its people, accusing the government of a "wave of repression."

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August 01, 2025

El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends terms to 6 years

El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection and extends terms to 6 years SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The party of El Salvad...

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Weekend forecast to bring more dangerous threats across the U.S.

Weekend forecast to bring more dangerous threats across the U.S.

Heavy rains and severe thunderstorms may bring more flooding to the East Coast on Aug. 1 afterdownpours struck parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Flash and urban flooding are possible in the northern Mid-Atlantic and southern New England through the night before the storms move across the country this weekend. Showers and thunderstorms will then bring heavy rain to parts of the East Coast and the Southern Plains region through the morning of Aug. 2, creating "localized areas of flash flooding, with urban areas, roads, small streams, and low-lying areas being the most vulnerable,"the National Weather Service said. Severe thunderstorms are also expected to strike parts of the Northern and Central High Plains regions, bringing frequent lightning, wind gusts, hail and occasional tornadoes. Storms are expected to dump heavy rainfall onto parts of the Central and Southern High Plains as well as the Southeast through the morning of Aug 3. Hard rain and flash floodingstarted arriving by early afternoon on July 31, with scattered reports of flooded roads and stranded cars in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York City. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey's Acting Gov. Tahesha Way bothdeclared a state of emergency. Emergency management officials in New York City urged residents to avoid travel through Friday afternoon. Stormy weather appeared to be the cause of travel disruption across the region. At least 1,170 flights were cancelled and hundreds more were delayed at the eight major airports serving the region - Washington Dulles, Baltimore-Washington, Ronald Reagan Washington National, Philadelphia, Newark Liberty, LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy International and Boston Logan - according to online flight tracking service FlightAware. Amtrak suspended rail servicebetween Philadelphia and Wilmington for about two hours after the severe storms flooded the tracks. "Residual delays" were expected as the water receded, Amtrak said on X. Though temperaturesare expected to be 5 to 10 degrees below normalin the East by the weekend, heat advisories are being put in place for parts of the Gulf Coast and southeastern United States due to high temperatures and high humidity.The National Weather Service warnedan extended period of extreme heat and with little relief overnight can cause heat stress. "As temperatures rise, plan to limit outdoor activities, stay hydrated, and ensure access to air conditioning and other cooling areas," the weather service said. "Additionally, be sure to check on vulnerable family members, friends, and neighbors." Contributing: Reuters;Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Weather forecast calls for more dangerous threats across the U.S.

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August 01, 2025

Weekend forecast to bring more dangerous threats across the U.S.

Weekend forecast to bring more dangerous threats across the U.S. Heavy rains and severe thunderstorms may bring more flooding to the East Co...

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Paris Jackson and fiancé Justin Long end engagement

Paris Jackson and fiancé Justin Long end engagement

Less than a year after announcing their engagement,Paris Jacksonand her fiancé, Justin Long, have called it quits. The middle child ofthe late pop icon Michael Jacksonconfirmed the split on July 31 witha post on X,trolling the tabloid publication Daily Mail. Responding to a headline that claimed Jackson, 27, was shedding tears during a solo walk ahead of the anniversary of her father's death,the "Let Down" singerwrote: "those are breakup tears." "Y'all are … reaching again,"shecontinued. The Daily Mail article pictured her appearing to cry on a walk in Malibu. USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Jackson for comment. Paris Jackson talks 'shadows' cloudingmusic career, sexuality in new series: 'My dad caught on pretty quick' Jackson, the King of Pop's only daughter, announcedher engagementto Long in December. In an Instagram post at the time, she revealed he had popped the question on his birthday. "Happy Birthday sweet Blue," she captioned the now-deleted post. "Doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and I couldn't dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with. Thank you for letting me be yours. I love you." The pair first began dating in 2022. Jackson,a model and musician, is themost public-facingof Michael's three children. The late musician often attempted to shield his young children from the spotlight. After his death in 2009 of an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, Paris and her two brothers – who go by Prince, 28, andBigi, 23– went to live with their grandmother,Katherine Jackson.Paris moved out at 18, launching a successful modeling, acting and singing career. Contributing: Jay Stahl,Cydney Henderson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Paris Jackson breakup: Singer splits with fiancé Justin Long

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August 01, 2025

Paris Jackson and fiancé Justin Long end engagement

Paris Jackson and fiancé Justin Long end engagement Less than a year after announcing their engagement,Paris Jacksonand her fiancé, Justin L...

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See Julie, Todd Chrisley's emotional return home in new Lifetime trailer

See Julie, Todd Chrisley's emotional return home in new Lifetime trailer

After two years in federal prison, cameras are once again rolling onthe Chrisleys. On July 31, Lifetime released afive-minute trailerfor "The Chrisleys: Back to Reality," a fall docuseries that shows the "Chrisley Knows Best" family members' fight forToddandJulie Chrisley's release, followed by the former real estate moguls' return home afterPresident Donald Trump's pardonin May. The trailer shows Todd, wearing a "45-47" hat in honor of the two-term president, telling wife Julie: "I never thought I'd be with a dark-headed woman, but I'm willing to try it tonight." Julie, known for her voluminous, shoulder-length blonde 'dos, is sporting natural brown locks with grown-out gray hair toward her roots in the footage of the couple reuniting with their family. Family members from 27-year-old daughterSavannahto sons Chase, 29, and Grayson, 19, give their input throughout the upcoming series as they give talking head interviews about their family's dynamic during their parents' imprisonment. Grandparents "Nanny" Faye Chrisley, as well as Harvey and Pam Hughes, also make appearances alongside Todd's granddaughter Chloe, whom he and Julie adopted in 2016. One person who likely won't show up in the series is Todd's daughter, Lindsie Chrisley Campbell. "We're no longer family. Lose our last name," Savannah says at one point, referring to her half-sister's past communication with the FBI. A screenshot of a December 2020 email shows Lindsie saying, "I'm still a victim of Todd Chrisley's harassment." 'Not going to lie':Todd Chrisley addresses Julie Chrisley's post-prison look "With our parents gone, our household is completely divided," Savannah, who spearheaded the charge to get her parents released, says. "We can tell this story today and then we can be done with this part of our life," Julie is heard saying off-camera. Todd tells the cameras, "I'm looking at this as me exposing the truth, and depending on how long this interview goes, you might see more than what you bargained for." What happened with the Chrisleys?What landed them in prison, why they were pardoned On May 27,Trump calledSavannah to let her know her parents were "going to be free and clean, and I hope we can do it by tomorrow." In May, Julie and Todd Chrisleywere releasedfrom their respective prisons in Lexington, Kentucky, and Pensacola, Florida. Both had served more than two years of their prison terms, which were commuted following Trump'sfull pardon. In June 2022, Todd and wife Julie Chrisley, who portrayed themselves as real estate tycoons in the South on their USA Network shows, werefound guiltyof conspiring to defraud community banks in Atlanta out of more than $36 million.The pairwas accused of running a scheme that, through fraudulent loans, defrauded the IRS and committed tax evasion. Julie Chrisley was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice and wire fraud. Todd Chrisley was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley received a seven-year sentence, and both reported to their respective federal prisons in January 2023. "The Chrisleys: Back to Reality" will have a two-part premiere, with each episode lasting two hours. The first part will air at 8 p.m. ET Sept. 1, followed by the second half at 8 p.m. ET Sept. 2. The rest of the episodes air weekly on Tuesdays, from Sept. 9-16, at 8 p.m. ET. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Julie, Todd Chrisley reunite in trailer for new Lifetime show

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August 01, 2025

See Julie, Todd Chrisley's emotional return home in new Lifetime trailer

See Julie, Todd Chrisley's emotional return home in new Lifetime trailer After two years in federal prison, cameras are once again rolli...

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