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Orioles roundtable: Predicting breakout players, team record and more for 2023 season

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

The Orioles might not have achieved “liftoff” in free agency this offseason, but expectations are higher than they’ve ever been since executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias took over baseball operations in 2018.After finishing as the American League’s best team to not make the playoffs in 2022, the Orioles enter this season with baseball’s top-ranked farm system and young stars across the major league roster. While analysts and oddsmakers again predict Baltimore to finish near the bottom of the stacked American League East, hope springs eternal for a franchise that has not made the playoffs since 2016 and last won the World Series in 1983.Before the Orioles take the field for Thursday’s opening day against the Boston Red Sox, beat reporters Nathan Ruiz and Jacob Calvin Meyer and editor Tim Schwartz give their expert opinions about how the 2023 season might play out.What stood out the most during spring training?Ruiz: The first nor...

Battenfeld: Former Boston councilor the latest politician to join the pot industry craze

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

Yet another former politician is jumping into the pot business, seeking to cash in on the lucrative industry and convince public officials to approve his license.Former Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim, also a failed candidate for Secretary of State, is seeking special approval for a new recreational adult use dispensary on Boylston Street in the Back Bay, where he once represented constituents.As a city councilor, Zakim proposed moving the annual “Hempfest” rally away from Boston Common, citing the negative impact of the event on the public park and surrounding neighborhoods.Zakim did not oppose legislation to legalize recreational marijuana but said his move to move Hempfest from Boston Common was about the “proper use” of the public park and safety, cleanup, and public disturbances as reasons for banning it.Zakim, when he was on the council, also supported “buffer” zones that ensure pot shops aren’t too close to each other or schools.Now that he’s in the private sector cannabis i...

Feds inspect Springfield factory as part of probe into MBTA’s Chinese contractor

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

Federal transportation officials inspected the embattled Springfield factory where new MBTA subway cars are being assembled, as part of an ongoing probe into whether Chinese contractor CRRC MA complied with federal requirements.CRRC MA spokesperson Lydia Rivera said Tuesday’s visit was a “scheduled review” by the Federal Transit Administration of the company’s Buy America compliance for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Los Angeles Metro Rail projects.“CRRC MA is fully aware of Buy America provisions and meets the requirements,” Rivera said in a statement to the Herald.A Federal Transit Administration spokesperson said “FTA staff are at CRRC’s Springfield facility as part of a Buy America compliance review of federally-funded procurements.”The inspector general’s office of the U.S. Department of Transportation launched an audit of Chinese-state-owned CRRC MA’s $138 million contract with SEPTA — for manufacturing and assembly of 45 new passenger rail cars — o...

ASK IRA: If No. 7 is the ceiling for the Heat, does that put No. 8 or No. 9 into play?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

Q: Ira, the race for the final playoff spot is over. The Heat are now officially in a dog fight with Atlanta, and Toronto. The way the Heat are playing a Nos. 9-10 play-in game against the Bulls is very possible. – Joel, Fort Lauderdale.A: I don’t know about “very” possible. But it certainly is within the realm that the Heat could fall from No. 7 and have to travel for the start of the play-in round on April 11 to either Atlanta or Toronto. These next two games will be telling, at home Saturday against the reeling Dallas Mavericks and then next week’s start of a three-game trip against the Detroit Pistons. Take care of those two, and they should be well enough positioned going into their final three. Of course taking care of business and 2022-23 Miami Heat have been almost contrasting terms. Nothing can be assumed. Just as nothing can be taken for granted.Q: How long before Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley acknowledge that the decision to sign Kevin Love wa...

‘23 Nissan Altima conquers commuter needs and wants

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

Price, price and price!In Grasso’s Garage this week, it’s Nissan back with their ever popular Altima. Our tester, the 2023 Altima SR 2.0 VC-Turbo offered front wheel drive capabilities and an array of interior features fit for every driver.Nissan Motor Co. and their vast display of tech and futuristic appearing vehicles, delivers the Altima with good timing. Consumers have written to me over the past few months inquiring about commuter vehicles and getting the price to a realistic amount in this inflated vehicle market. For the Altima, a below $35K base price with the SR package and one that delivers nicely. Keeping in mind that bang for the buck is the objective in this market, this one certainly stands out. “The new Altima possesses a sporting ethos with tremendous visual punch from its aggressive lines, combined with thoughtful details to play in the field of premium products. The design has a great balance of luxury and sport.” mentions David Woodhouse, VP Design, Nissan D...

Tears, anger as Indonesian soccer fears FIFA sanctions

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian soccer players and fans reacted with tears and outrage after the country was stripped of hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup only eight weeks before the start of the tournament amid political turmoil over Israel’s participation, leaving Indonesian soccer at risk of further sanctions.The youth soccer event was expected to be a rare turn on the global soccer stage for a country that hasn’t been to the World Cup since winning independence. But it was officially canceled Wednesday after two regional governors said they would not allow an Israeli team to play in their territories.FIFA said Indonesia was removed from staging the 24-team tournament scheduled to start on May 20 “due to the current circumstances,” without specifying details.In an emotional meeting with Indonesian youth players and their coach in Jakarta on Thursday, Zainudin Amali, deputy chair of the national soccer association, apologized. Some players were seen shedding tea...

Russia to keep missile test notices under Cold War-era deal

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia will continue to give the U.S. advance notice about its missile tests despite suspending the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the two countries, a top Russian diplomat said Thursday.Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov’s statement reversed one he made Wednesday, when he said Moscow had halted all information exchanges with Washington envisioned under the 2011 New START nuclear pact, including missile test warnings.But Russia intends to stick by its pledge last month to keep notifying the U.S. about missile tests in line with a 1988 U.S.-Soviet agreement, Ryabkov said. Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended the country’s participation in the New START treaty last month, saying Russia could not U.S. inspections of its nuclear sites at a time when Washington and its NATO allies have openly declared Moscow’s defeat in Ukraine as their goal. Moscow emphasized at the time that it wasn’t withdrawing from the pact altogether and would continu...

AP News in Brief at 6:09 a.m. EDT

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

Ukraine by rail: Inside Zelenskyy’s efforts to buoy a nationZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) — The caravan of unmarked vehicles tears across the muddy grass next to the playground. On the merry-go-round, the children stop swinging and spinning. The curious — parents and other residents of this southeastern town — gather around. Car doors swing open, and heavily armed security guards in battlefield fatigues spill out.And just like that, he is among them: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wartime leader and his country’s chief morale officer.This week, Zelenskyy shuttled across the country on a 48-hour train trip to rally soldiers who are battling Russian forces — and, just as important, to buoy the communities often caught in the crossfire. Here, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from the front lines, Zelenskyy came to see for himself the destruction from a Russian attack that damaged dozens of apartments one week ago. The violence hit just steps from the playground and mer...

China renews warnings as Taiwan’s Tsai stops over in US

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — As Taiwan’s president began a stopover in the United States on her way to Central America, China said it was closely watching developments and would “resolutely safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”China claims Taiwan as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and portrays the self-governing island democracy of 23 million people as the most sensitive issue in its increasingly fraught relationship with the U.S. On Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated China’s furious objections to any interactions between Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. officials. “China firmly opposes any form of official interaction between the U.S. and Taiwan,” Mao told reporters at a daily briefing. “China will continue to closely follow the situation and resolutely safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”China has particularly warned that a meeting with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy planned for April 5 in Los...

Russia arrests Wall Street Journal reporter on spying charge

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:10:18 GMT

MOSCOW — Russia’s top security agency has arrested an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal on espionage charges, the first time a U.S. correspondent was put behind bars on spying accusations since the Cold War.The Federal Security Service said Thursday that Evan Gershkovich was detained in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg while allegedly trying to obtain classified information.The Wall Street Journal said it “vehemently denies the allegations” and is seeking Gershkovich’s immediate release. “We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family,” the paper said.The arrest comes amid bitter tensions between the West and Moscow over its war in Ukraine.Gershkovich is the first American reporter to be arrested on espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB. He was released without charges 20 days later in a swap for an employee of the Soviet Union’s U...