The Tech News Blogger

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Federal regulators confirmed Saturday they are reviewing the crash of a semitruck carrying a toxic substance in central Illinois, resulting in "multiple fatalities" and dangerous air conditions that prompted the evacuation of area residents. Jennifer Gabris, a spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the agency is investigating the incident that occurred near Teutopolis. Firefighters, police and other emergency responders who converged on the scene late Friday were still on site Saturday to try to contain the cloud of anhydrous ammonia that emanated from the overturned tanker. "We have a lot of brave firemen, EMT, hazmat specialists, police officers that are working on this scene as we speak," Effingham County Sheriff Paul Kuhns said at a Saturday press conference. Authorities did not say exactly how many people were killed or injured. "I am sorry to say that we do have multiple fatalities," Kuhns said. "

Here’s a Snoop scoop we didn’t see brewing! Snoop Dogg’s brief foray into the coffee biz has come to an abrupt end, we’ve learned. The Doggfather partnered with Indonesian businessman Michael Riady on the premium coffee brand INDOxyz earlier this year, but the rapper quietly stepped away at the start of the summer, we’re told. An insider told us the hip-hop icon and cannabis connoisseur has pulled out of the brand. Snoop launched the premium coffee, which offered trendy espresso martinis in a can, back in March with a flashy campaign featuring him as the face of the line. Snoop promised to change the coffee industry with Indo. Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock The name of the coffee was even inspired by a lyric from his 1993 song, “Gin and Juice,” and Snoop promised to change the coffee industry when it launched, connecting his passion for coffee to his successful music career. But the brew soon went cold, we’re told. The company was kaput just after two months. Sources told

Britney Spears got cozy with her manager, Cade Hudson , as she opened up about her uneasy divorce from Sam Asghari . In a lengthy Instagram post early Saturday morning, the “Toxic” singer shared some snaps of her longtime friend leaning in towards her, appearing to nearly kiss her on the cheek. “I’m in such a beautiful location !!! l’m so lucky to have amazing friends !!! Positive affirmations are important to me at the moment !!!” she captioned the post. Spears, 41, then spoke about how painful it was to reflect on her past for her forthcoming memoir, “The Woman In Me,” while ending her third marriage . “I say this because I’m going through a divorce and having to reflect my past in a book was … let’s just say not easy !!!” she continued. “I’m just saying !!! But I take one day at a time learning to breathe !!! Self love is so unbelievably important !!! I woke up and just cried because I felt grateful to be in such a beautiful place !!!” The “Toxic” singer’s longtime friend l

We may think we know everything there is to know about Britney Spears, but her upcoming memoir will reveal yet more “bombshells” about the troubled pop star’s life, sources tell Page Six. “The Woman in Me” will be released on October 24, and one Spears insider revealed: “You read some of her family history in the book and you think ‘Oh my God, that poor girl.'” We’re told that, after a fraught few years, Spears, 41, is finally on the road to forging a relationship with her beloved sons, Sean Preston, 18, and Jayden James, 17, who recently moved to Hawaii with their father, Kevin Federline. They all speak regularly on the phone and Spears is said to have discussed the book with the boys. The insider added that it’s “definitely been intense” for the “Toxic” singer to relieve her past. “You have to be really patient with somebody telling their story for the first time and not force them. She details her family history, from her grandparents to her parents to why she is the way

Enlarge this image House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pauses as he addresses reporters about efforts to pass appropriations bills and avert a looming government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. He is joined at right by House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn., and Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., pauses as he addresses reporters about efforts to pass appropriations bills and avert a looming government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. He is joined at right by House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn., and Rep. Monica de la Cruz, R-Texas. J. Scott Applewhite/AP Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz has been threatening for weeks to start the procedural motions to try to remove Kevin McCarthy from the speakership. "The one thing I agree with my Democrat colleagues on is that for the last eight months this House has be

Enlarge this image In this image made from video from Judge Scott McAfee's virtual Zoom hearing, Scott Graham Hall, left, stands with his attorney Jeff Weiner, right, in Superior Court of Fulton County before Judge McAfee on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in Atlanta. USA Today via AP, Pool hide caption toggle caption USA Today via AP, Pool In this image made from video from Judge Scott McAfee's virtual Zoom hearing, Scott Graham Hall, left, stands with his attorney Jeff Weiner, right, in Superior Court of Fulton County before Judge McAfee on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in Atlanta. USA Today via AP, Pool ATLANTA — A bail bondsman charged alongside former President Donald Trump and 17 others in the Georgia election interference case pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges on Friday, becoming the first defendant to accept a plea deal with prosecutors. As part of the deal, Scott Graham Hall will receive five years of probation and agreed to testify in further proceedings.

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories The federal government will run out of money and shut down if Congress can't agree on a deal to fund it by the end of the day tomorrow. In an exclusive NPR interview , White House chief of staff Jeff Zients says President Biden won't meet with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and it's up to House Republicans to avert a shutdown. Enlarge this image Government funding runs out at the end of the day on Sept. 30, meaning many federal government services will halt until funding resumes. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images Government funding runs out at the end of the day on Sept. 30, meaning many federal government services will halt until funding resumes. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Enlarge this image An exam room at North Side Christian Health Center, a safety-net clinic that serves patients in a majority-Black neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Financial fallout from a federal government shutdown could force the clinic to cut back hours or services such as dental or mental health. Sarah Boden / WESA hide caption toggle caption Sarah Boden / WESA An exam room at North Side Christian Health Center, a safety-net clinic that serves patients in a majority-Black neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Financial fallout from a federal government shutdown could force the clinic to cut back hours or services such as dental or mental health. Sarah Boden / WESA Community health centers across the country are anxiously watching the budget impasse in Congress. Some 1,400 clinics depend on federal funds to serve the most vulnerable patients, and any interruptions in their funding will only add to the financial pressures they already face. These federally-qualified health