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Rupert Murdoch’s UK papers could back Labour, biographer Michael Wolff predicts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

LONDON — Some of Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. media titles could switch their allegiance to the opposition Labour Party ahead of the next election, the mogul’s biographer predicted.Speaking to POLITICO’s Anne McElvoy in her new Power Play podcast, Michael Wolff — longtime Murdoch observer and author of “The Fall: The End of the Murdoch Empire” which publishes this week — discussed the impending exit of the Australian media boss from the chairmanship of Fox Corp. and News Corp.And he pointed out that some of Murdoch’s U.K.-based titles — which have traditionally favored the Conservatives — could make the leap and endorse Labour if its leader Keir Starmer continues to lead in the polls.“He’s done it before. Could he do it now? For sure,” Wolff said when asked if Murdoch could back Labour. “I think the voice of his daughter in London is an important voice,” Wolff added, referring to Elisabeth Murdoch, who is based-in the U.K. “And I think that if he saw a Labour government...

Boston police officer hurt trying to stop runaway car after crash in Allston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

A police officer was hurt in a crash in Allston Wednesday, officials said.The Boston police officer was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries after responding to a two-vehicle crash in the area of North Harvard and Cambridge Streets around 3:30 p.m. After the first crash, both drivers got out of their vehicles to exchange information, and police said the Red Subaru slipped into gear. The officer who was on the scene tried to get in the car to stop from rolling toward a busy intersection, but he was dragged until the car crashed into a nearby pole at a Shell gas station.North Harvard Street was closed for several hours while officials investigated but is reopened as of 6 p.m.

Striking actors and Hollywood studios to restart talks days after writers announce a new tentative labor contract

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

(CNN) — Striking actors and the Hollywood studios will resume negotiations on a new labor contract on Monday, SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, said Wednesday.Several executives from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers member companies will be attending the meetings, the union said.The development comes a day after leaders of the Writers Guild of America voted to authorize its members to return to work following the tentative agreement reached Sunday between union negotiators and Hollywood’s studios and streaming services, effectively ending the months-long strike that has paralyzed the industry.After Tuesday’s WGA development, a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson said in a statement regarding its own negotiations that the union is “reviewing the WGA’s tentative agreement and are committed to achieving a fair and just deal for our members.”“We remain on strike in our TV/Theatrical/Streaming contract and will inform our members when there is negotiations news to sh...

Orioles drop AL East magic number to 1 as Adley Rutschman, Grayson Rodriguez lead 5-1 win over Nationals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

For much of the Orioles’ rebuild, standing at the light at the end of the tunnel were Adley Rutschman and Grayson Rodriguez.The two former top prospects — the former a generational catcher, the latter a fireballer — headlined a farm system that was expected to end the dark days of 100-loss seasons and lead the next great Orioles team.They’ve helped do just that, and Wednesday night’s 5-1 win over the Washington Nationals at Camden Yards was the latest example.Rutschman hit a two-run homer in the third and Rodriguez pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball to lead the Orioles to their fourth straight win, lowering the club’s magic number to win the American League East title to one.“It’s pretty special,” Rodriguez said about leading the Orioles to a key victory alongside Rutschman. “But it’s not just Adley. It’s DL [Hall] and it’s Gunnar [Henderson] and it’s [Jordan] Westburg and it’...

Chicago Cubs lose another vital game to the comeback Atlanta Braves, this time 6-5 in 10 innings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

The Chicago Cubs again found themselves holding a lead late against the Atlanta Braves.And again they were on the wrong end of a vital game Wednesday at Truist Park, losing 6-5 in 10 innings after twice failing to maintain a one-run lead in the ninth and 10th innings.Marcell Ozuna slugged the tying solo home run off right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. with one out in the ninth in the right-handed reliever’s first appearance in a week. José Cuas cleaned up the traffic in relief of Leiter, retiring both Braves batters to strand the winning run in scoring position. The Cubs reclaimed the lead in the 10th on Ian Happ’s sacrifice fly, but their one-run lead didn’t hold. Ronald Acuña Jr. tied it with an RBI single, swiped second base for his 70th stolen base of the year, and scored on Ozzie Albies’ single off Daniel Palencia.The Cubs (82-76) now turn to Marcus Stroman in Thursday’s series final to prevent a sweep.Since his move to the bullpen in mid-A...

Column: Chicago Cubs hope to rebound from Seiya Suzuki’s gaffe with time running out in the wild-card race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

It was merely a coincidence the song “Loser” played over the speakers in the visitors clubhouse at Truist Park on Wednesday afternoon, a day after the Chicago Cubs’ heartbreaking loss to the Atlanta Braves.Someone just liked the catchy ′90s song and put it on the playlist.The Cubs had no choice but to pick up the pieces from a game lost Tuesday night after Seiya Suzuki’s gaffe in right field, a moment that conjured up one of the greatest examples of the so-called Cubs curse — Brant Brown’s dropped fly ball during the final days of the 1998 wild-card chase.But they fell apart at the seams for a second straight night, blowing leads in the eighth, ninth and 10th innings in a heartbreaking 6-5, 10-inning loss. Ozzie Albies’ run-scoring single off Daniel Palencia was the fatal blow. Cubs President Jed Hoyer pointed out before the game there was no curse in Boston or with the Cubs, and he was under the impression fans had moved past ...

As the Chicago Cubs move on from devastating loss, their worn-down bullpen and lack of depth loom large

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

Seiya Suzuki is notoriously hard on himself.Whether he hits a home run or produces an 0-fer — and anything in between — Suzuki often expresses self-critiques and the high standard he holds himself to.So it was fair to wonder, shortly after he miscalculated a fly ball which resulted in a two-run error for the decisive play in Tuesday’s crushing loss at Truist Park, how Suzuki would handle the situation. He vowed postgame to not dwell on the moment and let it carry into Wednesday, saying doing so would ruin the Chicago Cubs’ positive vibe for their final five regular-season games.President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was among the people who checked on Suzuki postgame Tuesday and offered words of encouragement.“He’s apologetic, which is exactly what I would expect. He felt terrible and I thought his teammates handled it really well,” Hoyer said Wednesday. “Drew (Smyly’s) comments were perfect. … Obviously emotio...

Republican debate live updates: Boisterous rivals brawl over China, economy, border

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

Republican presidential candidates jumped quickly to make an impression from the start of the second debate Wednesday in Simi Valley, Calif., talking over and taking jabs at one another through the evening.The debate started less than an hour after the 2024 front-runner headlined an event in Michigan.Seven candidates, all polling well behind former President Trump, met the Republican National Committee criteria to participate: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, conservative entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Vice President Mike Pence, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.Trump, meanwhile, again did not join the debate. Instead, he headlined an event of autoworkers near Detroit, amid the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.Find out how to watch the debate here.And follow along here through the night fo...

Hollywood actors to resume negotiations with studios next week, as protracted writers strike ends

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — With the Hollywood writers strike over, actors will now get a shot at cutting their own deal with studios and streaming services.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Radio and Television Artists announced Wednesday night that strike negotiations with studios would resume Monday. The guild said several studio executives will attend, much as they did during marathon sessions last week that helped bring the nearly five-month writers strike to an end.Monday is the same day that network late-night hosts will return to the air. Bill Maher led the charge back to work by announcing early Wednesday that his HBO show “Real Time with Bill Maher” would be back on the air Friday. By mid-morning, the hosts of NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS had announced they’d also return, all by Monday. “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver was slated to ret...

Blue Jays shutout as Yankees expose potential playoff flaws

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 09:33:38 GMT

What a service the New York Yankees have provided for the post-season clubs that may run into the Toronto Blue Jays, should they get there as expected, during the past week.Sure, not every team can run out two starters the calibre of Michael King and the clear American League Cy Young favourite in Gerrit Cole, who punctuated his brilliant year with a two-hit shutout.But there’s lots from their outings for, say, the scouting staff and analytics department of the Minnesota Twins to pull from as they gameplan how Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez might attack the Blue Jays. And while there are no secrets between the Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays, the latter is always on the hunt for any little edge to deploy with the likes of Tyler Glasnow and Zach Eflin.So, as much as Wednesday night’s 6-0 loss was an immediate setback that again pushed back their clinching of a post-season berth, it was also a portent of things to come, both this weekend when the Rays arrive to close out the regular seas...