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With new rules, MLB to draw more than 70 million fans, highest attendance since 2017

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 70 million fans will attend Major League Baseball games for the first time in six years, a post-pandemic rebound for a sport that instituted its biggest on-field changes in decades.A pitch clock to speed play — game times are down 24 minutes to 2:40 for nine-inning games — limits on defensive shifts to increase offense, new social spaces at ballparks and technology innovations to speed entry have factored into a 9.2% rise in average attendance to 29,176. Expanding the playoffs to 12 teams, which began last year, led to more than half the teams remaining in mathematical contention.“Getting back above 70 million is an accomplishment for us,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday. “I think it’s the playoff format, balanced schedule, the rule changes this year in terms of the product, the stuff clubs have done locally in terms seating options.”Still, the average attendance remains below the record high of 32,785 in 2007 and MLB hasn’t reached 30,000 ...

Roma’s problems increase with 4-1 loss at promoted Genoa in Serie A

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Roma’s problems increased Thursday as it was humiliated 4-1 at promoted Genoa in Serie A.Mateo Retegui scored again for Genoa and there were also goals for Albert Guðmundsson, Morten Thorsby and Junior Messias in the team’s first home win of the season.Bryan Cristante scored Roma’s sole goal and Jose Mourinho’s side has just one win in its opening six league matches to leave it 16th in the table with just five points. Genoa has two points more after its first home win of the season.The whole Roma team and Mourinho gathered in front of the traveling fans at the end of the match.Roma had a poor start to the season but had thought it had turned things around with a 7-0 win over Empoli, although it followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Torino.However, it got off to the worst possible start when Guðmundsson fired Genoa in front in the fifth minute.Cristante headed Roma level in the 22nd but Retegui restored Genoa’s lead with a delightful team goal on the stroke of halfti...

BlackBerry: Fiscal Q2 Earnings Snapshot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

WATERLOO, Ontario (AP) — WATERLOO, Ontario (AP) — BlackBerry Ltd. (BB) on Thursday reported a loss of $42 million in its fiscal second quarter.The Waterloo, Ontario-based company said it had a loss of 7 cents per share. Losses, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to 4 cents per share.The cybersecurity software and services company posted revenue of $132 million in the period.In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, the company’s shares hit $4.76. A year ago, they were trading at $4.99._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on BB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/BBSource

Police in Portland, Oregon, are investigating nearly a dozen fentanyl overdoses involving children

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Nearly a dozen children, including a 1-year-old, have overdosed on fentanyl since June in Portland, Oregon, its police bureau said Thursday, intensifying alarm in a city like so many others that has struggled to address the deadliest overdose crisis in U.S. history.Police said 10 minors have overdosed since June and that fentanyl is suspected in all but one of the cases. Half of the incidents were fatal. A 1-year-old, 2-year-old, 5-year-old and two 15-year-olds are among the dead, the Portland Police Bureau said in a news release.A growing number of children are dying of fentanyl overdoses across the country amid an escalating opioid crisis that last year claimed nearly 80,000 lives, according to federal data. In the past month, a 2-year-old with a significant amount of fentanyl in her system died at her home south of Seattle, a 1-year-old died of a suspected fentanyl overdose at a day care in New York City and a 15-month-old in California died after being expo...

La Policía acudió a la casa de Britney Spears tras el video en el que baila con cuchillos

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

(CNN) –– Las autoridades respondieron a un llamado para ir a la casa de Britney Spears, en el sur de California, este miércoles y revisar que ella estuviera bien después de que la cantante publicara un video en sus redes sociales en el que aparece bailando con cuchillos.Una persona cercana a Spears, que estaba “realmente preocupada por su bienestar”, llamó a las autoridades, dijo a CNN Dean Worthy, capitán de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Ventura.“Algunos podrían decir que simplemente ella (Spears) está expresando su libertad creativa, y otros podrían argumentar que esto es peligroso y que hay un problema de seguridad o de salud mental”, indicó Worthy. Sin embargo, las autoridades decidieron verificar el bienestar de la cantante debido a la llamada inicial de alguien cercano a Spears.CNN se comunicó con un representante de la artista para solicitar comentarios.Britney Spears pide a sus admiradores que respeten su privacidad tras ‘llamadas telefó...

Photos released of 2 people of interest in deadly carjacking

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Law enforcement released photos of a man and woman wanted for questioning in a deadly carjacking last week in Arapahoe County.Ahmed Zainuldeen, 23, was shot and killed in a carjacking outside an apartment complex at East Harvard Avenue and Quebec Street. It happened around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19.Now, investigators say they want to question two people linked to another stolen vehicle found in the area that night.Persons of interest in carjackingThe man and woman were seen on video using or trying to use a stolen debit card, which was later found in a stolen vehicle recovered near the crime scene, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office.Investigators released the following photos and descriptions.A person of interest wanted for questioning in a deadly carjacking in Arapahoe County on Sept. 19, 2023 (Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office)Hispanic male in his early 20sBlack short hair, mustache/goateeSunglasses, gray Pokémon "Kanto Region" hoodie with Pok...

17-year-old girl, woman arrested, charged in brutal Lincoln Road beating caught on video

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

A 17-year-old girl and a woman were arrested and charged after, police said, they beat up two store employees following a brazen theft at a popular Lincoln Road store, a brutal takedown that was caught on camera.A cellphone camera rolled as one of the suspects repeatedly punched a man and another grabbed a woman by the hair, Sept. 19.The footage showed the perpetrators as they slammed the woman’s head against a garbage can and then threw her to the ground. The older suspect is seen kicking the victim at least once.Miami Beach Police said the suspects, a Miami Beach Senior High student and a 26-year-old woman, were taken into custody arrested and charged with battery.Speaking through a translator on Thursday, the female employee who was attacked opened up about the incident.“We shouldn’t feel scared in our workplace,” she said.This employee showed 7News bruises on her neck from the beating.“It was just so fast, I didn’t understand why this happened...

Surfside commission approves luxury condo plan at Champlain Towers collapse site

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

The Surfside commission voted 3-1 in favor of approving a luxury condo site plan for the location once occupied by the ill-fated Champlain Towers South. The contentious meeting saw intense exchanges between Commissioner Nelly Velasquez and Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger, who has been accused of voicing racially insensitive comments towards Velasquez. After Mayor Danzinger adjourned the meeting, Commissioner Velasquez continued to voice her opinion. “I’d like to speak before we adjourn,” she stated. Before she could finish her sentence, Mayor Danzinger continued with a vote. “You see this?” Commissioner Velazquez exclaimed. “He wants to make a motion to adjourn so I can’t make another motion to change. You see this?” Emotions ran high as former and current commissioners, Surfside residents, and the families of the victims turned out to protest the proposal. They gathered outside the chambers, voicing their concerns and demanding respec...

Former Methuen police chief, former officer indicted on fraud, other charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

Former Methuen Chief of Police Joseph Solomon and former Methuen police officer Sean Fountain have been indicted on several charges including fraud, officials said Thursday. The Essex County District Attorney’s office and the state Attorney General’s office announced indictments Thursday afternoon.The DA’s office in a statement said the charges are “related to fraud and corruption.” The indictments, in turn, come after a monthslong investigation that started in January after a review of “various reports from the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission and Office of the Inspector General’s Office outlining past serious misconduct by Methuen Police Department officials,” the DA’s office said.The AG’s office said charges against Solomon “arise from Solomon’s deployment of part-time intermittent officers into full-time positions in circumvention of the civil service laws and his subsequent efforts to deceive others into believing that part-time intermittent officer Sean Fountain had...

Two Sharon police officers fined thousands for entering exclusive suite at Pats game without tickets

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:48:59 GMT

Two Sharon police officers have paid civil penalties for using their position to get into an exclusive suite at a New England Patriots game without tickets last year, officials announced.The State Ethics Commission announced Thursday that Officers John Avelar and Robert Awad paid $8,000 and $4,000 respectively for violating the state’s conflict of interest laws by their positions to obtain privileges and benefits.Avelar asked Award, who was working the security detail at the game on Dec. 1, 2022, to get him and his friend into the Gillette Stadium Putnam Club – a high-end indoor suite with tickets ranging from $6,000 to $10,000.Awad, who had been an officer for less than a year and was in his probationary period, met Avelar and his friend outside Gillette before escorting them to the club. Once in the club, security tried to remove Avelar and his friend. The State Ethics Commission said Awad said, “What’s wrong, don’t you like cops?” and, “Why don’t you trust me?” to the securi...