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Column: Rangers-Diamondbacks World Series continues a disturbing trend of diminishing audiences

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

Seven years ago Thursday the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians staged an epic Game 7 of the World Series that averaged 40 million TV viewers.The once-in-a-lifetime win by the Cubs led MLB and Fox to crow that the game was healthier than ever, and who could dispute them after an audience like that?It was the most-watched World Series game in 25 years, since the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves before 50 million viewers in another Game 7 in 1991. The 2016 Cubs were a likable, young team that figured to be back again, and around the league, team executives plotted their own rebuilds to emulate Chicago’s success. But that didn’t happen. The Cubs’ win in ’16 turned out to be a blip, not only for their hopes of creating a dynasty but for baseball’s resurgence on the national sports scene.Fast-forward to 2023, a year when new rules were implemented to bring fans a faster-paced game with more hitting and added speed on the base paths. It was an instant ...

No Canadians among hundreds of foreigners preparing to exit Gaza Strip

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

TORONTO — No Canadian citizens have been included in a list of more than 400 foreign nationals who would be permitted to leave Gaza for the first time since Israel launched its retaliatory war on Hamas militants more than three weeks ago. An agreement appeared to have been reached Wednesday to allow hundreds of foreign passport holders, along with some wounded people, to leave for Egypt.The General Authority for Border Crossings in Gaza published a list of those who would be permitted to leave that included citizens of Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Indonesia, Japan and Jordan.The Canadian government says it continues to work to help Canadians exit Gaza and is communicating directly with Canadians to provide updates on how and when it will be possible to leave for Egypt through the Rafah border crossing.   Communications began to be restored in Gaza after a second blackout in recent days, and aid agencies are warning that the disruptions severely hamper t...

Crown’s cross-examination of Peter Nygard set to continue in sex assault trial

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

The Crown’s cross-examination of former fashion mogul Peter Nygard is expected to continue today at his sexual assault trial in Toronto.The 82-year-old founder of a now-defunct women’s clothing company has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual assault and one count of forcible confinement in alleged incidents ranging from the 1980s to mid-2000s.Multiple complainants in the trial have alleged they were taken to Nygard’s Toronto headquarters under pretences ranging from tours to job interviews, with encounters ending in a top-floor bedroom suite where they allege they were sexually assaulted. Related: Nygard lured victims to bedroom suite at Toronto headquarters, Crown alleges Complainant at Nygard trial says shame, fear for career prevented her coming forward Complainant in Nygard trial says door in bedroom suite would not open for her Complainant’s ex-husband, mother testify at Peter Nygard sexual ...

Do you believe? Cher set to star in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Cher is obviously a superstar but even a superstar can be the opening act when it comes to Santa.Organizers of this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade have nabbed the Oscar-, Emmy- and Grammy Award-winner for their 97th annual event. Cher will make her appearance just before the parade’s end, signaled by the arrival of Santa’s sleigh, parade organizers said.This year’s parade will feature 16 giant character balloons, 26 floats, 32 novelty and heritage inflatables, 12 marching bands, 700 clowns and eight performance groups.It’s a busy time for Cher, who is preparing to release a 25th-anniversary edition of her Grammy-winning album “Believe” and just dropped her first new album in five years, “Christmas.”For the first time in its long history, the holiday tradition will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET, half an hour earlier than previous years, kicked off by multi-instrumentalist and Grammy-winner Jon Batiste. There will be appearances by Bell Biv DeVoe, Bran...

Luxury parka maker Canada Goose lowers financial guidance for full year

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

TORONTO — Canada Goose Holdings Inc. cut its financial guidance for its full year as it reported a second-quarter profit attributable to shareholders of $3.9 million, up from $3.3 million a year earlier.The luxury parka maker says it now expects total revenue for its 2024 financial year between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion, compared with its earlier guidance for between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion.The company also says it expects adjusted net income per diluted share between 60 cents and $1.40 for its full year, compared with its earlier guidance for between $1.20 and $1.48.The updated outlook came as Canada Goose said it earned four cents per share for the quarter ended Oct. 1 compared with three cents per share in the same quarter last year.Revenue for the quarter totalled $281.1 million, up from $277.2 million a year earlier.On an adjusted basis, the company says it earned 16 cents per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of 19 cents per share for the s...

Crews work to rescue 2 trapped after collapse of Kentucky plant being readied for demolition

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

INEZ, Ky. (AP) — Crews were working Wednesday to rescue two men trapped after the collapse of a more than 10-story Kentucky coal preparation plant being readied for demolition, officials said.The collapse was reported around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Martin County Sheriff John Kirk said first responders were able to find and make contact with one of the two men, news outlets reported. Officials didn’t know the extent of their injuries.In a social media post Wednesday morning, Gov. Andy Beshear said he had declared a state of emergency in the county — mobilizing state resources to help with the rescue. The plant hasn’t been in use for several years and the men were salvaging material from the building when it collapsed, Kirk said. The men were on the bottom floor of the building when it collapsed, trapping them beneath tons of rubble, Kirk said.Several rescuers were inside the rubble as part of the rescue effort, Kirk said. The rescue could take days, Kirk said.“This is a lot of weight. ...

Addiction can lead to financial ruin. Ohio wants to teach finance pros to help stem the loss

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Joe Smith did not picture raising his granddaughter at age 66, but when his daughter’s substance use disorder meant she couldn’t care for her child, that’s where Smith and his wife found themselves nineteen years ago.That brought all the costs that come with a new baby in the house, like clothes, a crib, a third mouth to feed — and sometimes a fourth, when Smith’s daughter lived with them on and off. His granddaughter’s father provided no child support. When Smith and his wife finally gained legal custody of their granddaughter, Olivia, Smith had missed countless hours of work as a construction electrician to attend court hearings and attorney meetings.“You don’t get paid sick days… They expect you to be there every day. They don’t care what goes on in your personal life. I mean, at least the companies I was working for,” said Smith, who runs a weekly peer support group for parents of those struggling with addiction in Columbus, Ohio.Smith’s story isn’t u...

Man in 60s dead after being struck by vehicle in Mississauga

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

A pedestrian is dead after they were struck by a vehicle in Mississauga on Wednesday morning.Police were called to the area of Lakeshore and Orchard roads, just west of Dixie Road, around 7:20 a.m. for reports of a crash.A man in his 60s was pronounced dead at the scene.A Jeep involved in the collision remained at the scene.Lakeshore is closed in both directions west of Dixie for the investigation.This is a developing story. More to come.

Germany’s president has apologized for colonial-era killings in Tanzania over a century ago

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s president on Wednesday apologized for killings under colonial rule in Tanzania more than a century ago as he met descendants of an executed leader of a revolt against German rule, and vowed to seek answers to questions about that era that leave Tanzanians no peace.President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on a visit to Tanzania noted that many bones and skulls were taken to Germany from East Africa and ended up in museums and anthropological collections, and that they were largely forgotten after the end of the colonial era and two world wars.One of those skulls could be that of Chief Songea Mbano, who was executed by the Germans in 1906.German East Africa — today’s Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi — existed from 1885 until Germany’s defeat at the end of World War I, when it lost its colonies under the treaty of Versailles. Up to 300,000 people are believed to have died during the Maji Maji rebellion against the colonial power between 1905 and 1907.Stei...

A media freedom group accuses Israel and Hamas of war crimes and reports deaths of 34 journalists

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:14:48 GMT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Thirty-four journalists have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas, an international media freedom group said Wednesday, accusing both sides of committing possible war crimes.Reporters Without Borders called on International Criminal Court prosecutors to investigate the deaths. The organization said it already filed a complaint regarding eight Palestinian journalists it said were killed in Israel’s bombardment of civilian areas in the Gaza Strip, and an Israeli journalist killed during Hamas’ surprise attack in southern Israel.“The scale, seriousness and recurring nature of international crimes targeting journalists, particularly in Gaza, calls for a priority investigation by the ICC prosecutor,” Christophe Deloire, director-general of the group also known by the French abbreviation RSF, said. The organization is headquartered in France.It’s the third such complaint to be filed by the group since 2018 alleging war crimes against Palestinian jo...