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ESPN strikes $1.5B deal to jump into sports betting with Penn Entertainment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

You know ESPN the sports media giant. Now brace yourself for ESPN Bet, a rebranding of an existing sports-betting app owned by Penn Entertainment, which is paying $1.5 billion plus other considerations for exclusive rights to the ESPN name.The deal, announced Tuesday, could take Walt Disney Co.-owned ESPN into uncharted waters. Disney is fiercely protective of its family-friendly image, not typically associated with the world of sports gambling.Penn will operate ESPN Bet, which ESPN has agreed to promote across its online and broadcast platforms in order to generate “maximum fan awareness” of the app. ESPN Bet will also have unspecified “access” to ESPN talent, the companies said.Penn’s rights to the ESPN brand will initially run for a decade and can be extended for another decade by mutual agreement. In addition to the $1.5 billion licensing deal, which will be paid out over a decade, Penn will also grant ESPN rights worth about $500 million to purchase shares in Penn.“Penn E...

US Navy sailor’s mom encouraged him to pass military details to China, prosecutor says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The mother of a U.S. Navy sailor charged with providing sensitive military information to China encouraged him to cooperate with a Chinese intelligence officer, telling her son it might help him get a job with the Chinese government someday, the prosecution said Tuesday.Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Sheppard made the accusation at a hearing in federal court in San Diego in urging the judge not to release Jinchao Wei, who was arrested last week on a rarely used espionage charge.Wei is one of two sailors based in California accused of providing sensitive military information to China — including details on wartime exercises, naval operations and critical technical material. Prosecutors have not said whether the two were courted or paid by the same Chinese intelligence officer as part of a larger scheme.The Justice Department charged Wei, 22, under a Espionage Act statute that makes it a crime to gather or deliver information to aid a foreign government.Both sailors hav...

Lawsuits filed by Airbnb and 3 hosts over NYC’s short-term rental rules dismissed by judge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York judge on Tuesday dismissed lawsuits filed by Airbnb and three hosts over New York City’s rules for short-term rentals, saying the restrictions are “entirely rational.”In a 14-page ruling, Supreme Court Judge Arlene P. Bluth said having to comply with a registration system does not present an “overly onerous obligation” to the company and hosts. Such a system, she said, will help identify many illegal short-term rentals before they’re listed on the Airbnb platform.“To be sure, these rules will likely not be perfect,” she added. “But it addresses a problem raised by OSE (New York City Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement) and avoids a key obstacle — enforcing the ban on illegal short-term rentals.”A city official cited thousands of illegal short-term rentals when defending the new rules in court, noting 43,000 on just Airbnb in 2018. The city received nearly 12,000 complaints regarding illegal short-term rentals from 2017 to 2021. New York’...

5 white nationalists sue Seattle man for allegedly leaking their identities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Five people affiliated with white nationalist hate group Patriot Front are suing a Seattle-area man who they say infiltrated the group and disclosed their identities online, leading them to lose their jobs and face harassment. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for Western Washington, The Seattle Times reported on Tuesday. The suit accuses David Capito, 37, also known as Vyacheslav Arkhangelskiy, of using a false name in 2021 when Patriot Front accepted him as a member.Then, Capito allegedly took photos at the group’s Pacific Northwest gatherings, recorded members’ license plates, and used hidden microphones to record conversations, according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit also alleges that around November 2021, Capito got in touch with “anarchist hackers” known for targeting far-right groups, who helped him access Patriot Front’s online chats.Resulting leaks published online exposed the names, occupations, home addresses, and other identifying information...

Hoping to score Toronto tickets to see Taylor? How to avoid a Swift rejection

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

Snagging tickets for a Taylor Swift concert can feel like winning the lottery, so it’s no surprise that many Canadian fans hope the odds work out in their favour as ticket sales begin on Wednesday.Last week, the pop superstar announced six concert dates at Toronto’s Rogers Centre in November 2024. And with it being the only Canadian stop on her Eras Tour, seats for the shows are certain to be in hot demand.Here’s what you need to know as the tickets begin to go on sale:You must be registeredIf you’re looking to grab Swift tickets right out of the gate, you already should’ve enrolled for the “verified fan” sale.Ticketmaster launched the registration process to weed out bots and scalpers, but the sign-up window closed over the weekend. Concertgoers who made the deadline will receive a unique access code on Tuesday with instructions on how to purchase tickets, though their pre-registration code does not guarantee they will get seats.Presale tim...

Massachusetts governor declares state of emergency amid influx of migrants seeking shelter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency Tuesday, citing an influx of migrants seeking shelter at a time when the cost of housing — already in short supply — continues to rise.There are nearly 5,600 families or more than 20,000 people – many of whom are migrants — currently living in state shelters, including infants, young children and pregnant women. That is up from around 3,100 families a year ago, about an 80% increase, Healey said.Many of the migrants are arriving by plane from other states. In the past 48 hours alone, she said, 50 migrant families have landed in the state in need of shelter.“It’s exponentially more than our state has ever served in our emergency assistance program,” she said. “These numbers are being driven by a surge in new arrivals in our country who have been through some of the hardest journeys imaginable.”The migrants arriving in Massachusetts are the face of the international migrant crisis and are coming at...

Yukon community of Mayo under state of emergency due to nearby fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

MAYO, YUKON — The Government of Yukon has declared a state of emergency for the Village of Mayo and the surrounding area due to a wildfire burning nearby. The community of about 450 people has been under an evacuation order since Sunday due to the Talbot Creek fire burning about four kilometres away.Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn says the state of emergency provides “absolute clarity” that responders have full authority to protect people and property, control the use of roads and help law enforcement.The declaration covers a 15-kilometre radius around the community, which is about 400 km north of Whitehorse.Yukon Protective Services says the Talbot Creek fire is estimated at nearly five square kilometres.A team of 11 firefighters from Saskatchewan arrived Tuesday to join 35 wildland firefighters, alongside structural firefighters to fight the blaze and set up protections for homes and infrastructure in the community. This report by The Canadian Press was firs...

Teen in critical condition after Wicker Park hit-and-run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

CHICAGO -- The family of a teenager is pleading for witnesses to come forward after a hit-and-run left their loved one in critical condition.17-year-old Nakari Campbell had left her home on Milwaukee Avenue just before 10:30 p.m. on Friday, and was walking to meet a friend to go to a party.Campbell reportedly crossed Division Street heading south on Ashland Avenue when she was hit by someone driving a 2008 red Mercedes Benz C-35 with an Illinois license plate DC60012.The teen landed on the roof of the car, then rolled off with her hair getting caught in the tire and was then dragged.Her family told WGN she is in critical condition at Stroger in the ICU in a medically induced coma and has already undergone several surgeries and skin grafts.Campbell is an incoming senior at legal prep high school in West Garfield Park. Family members said Nakari is a bubbly girl who loves fashion, and hanging out with friends and cousins.Doctors telling them it will be a long road to recovery for her....

Did you find a zucchini on your porch today? This might be why

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

(KXAN) -- Got some zucchini lying around? You could make zucchini bread, or pasta with it. Or you could sneak it onto your neighbor's porch. Seriously. After all, Aug. 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day. National Today describes the holiday as a day for farmers and gardeners to off-load the "way too much" of the vegetable they may have on their hands Aug. 8, which falls in the midst of peak zucchini season. COVID hospitalizations jump again: Maps show where it’s worst According to the Farmer's Almanac, the vegetable's fertility spawned the holiday. "Every gardener who has grown zucchini knows that this time of year vines go crazy producing hundreds of tiny squash," the Almanac's website says. "They quickly grow to gargantuan size if not picked."Thus, Thomas Roy designated Aug. 8 as National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day, according to Better Homes & Gardens.Roy has created dozens of holidays over the past three deca...

Taco Bell offering month of free weekly tacos for 'Taco Tuesday'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:40:25 GMT

(WBOY) — Taco Bell announced on Tuesday that it is offering millions of dollars in free tacos to celebrate the freeing of the trademark on "Tuesday Tuesday." After Taco John's "courageously decided to abandon its Taco Tuesday trademark registration," Taco Bell said it is offering two upcoming deals that have something for all taco lovers, even if they don't eat Taco Bell. The first deal is a free seasoned Beef Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Tacos on Tuesday, Aug. 15, Aug. 22, Aug. 29, and Sept. 5, no purchase needed. The deal is good for one taco per person, per day, and is only available during open hours, while supplies last, and at participating locations. Mega Millions jackpot increases to $1.58 billion ahead of Tuesday’s drawing If you're thinking, "What could possibly be better than free tacos from Taco Bell?" how about free tacos from anywhere? For the second part of the Taco Tuesday celebrations, Taco Bell is offering $5 million worth of tacos through DoorDash on Tuesday, Sep...