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Wander Franco investigations continue as Rays prepare for the playoffs without their star shortstop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wander Franco remains away from the Tampa Bay Rays as they prepare for the postseason, leaving the team without one of its most dynamic young players amid investigations into an alleged relationship between Franco and a minor.The 22-year-old has been sidelined since mid-August, when he agreed to a one-week stay on the restricted list and later was shifted to administrative leave while Major League Baseball and authorities in Franco’s native Dominican Republic investigate.Here’s what you need to know about Franco’s status for postseason play and beyond:WHAT IS FRANCO ACCUSED OF?The one-time No. 1 prospect in baseball was placed on administrative leave indefinitely by MLB while authorities in the Dominican Republic investigate Franco for an alleged relationship with a minor.The investigations follow reported social media posts suggesting Franco was in a relationship with a minor. The Associated Press has not been able to verify the reported posts. Ángel Dar...

MDPD pass out flyers as search of attempted abduction suspect continues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

Miami-Dade Police officers are on a mission, going door to door near 112th Ave and 196th Street, seeking information on a man who attempted to abducted a mother’s 2-year-old son in broad daylight at Southridge Park on September 15.The suspect remains at large and authorities are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safety of the community. Residents of the area are on-edge as they worry the predator lives close by. According to detectives, the mother and her toddler were enjoying their time at the park when the unthinkable happened. As they were preparing to leave, a man, who police describe as dangerous, approached them. As the mother was getting ready to leave, the male came up to them and tried to take the child from her,” stated Detective Jenesis Mena of the Miami-Dade Police Department. “She had gotten into a struggle and was able to get the child back and leave from the park.” This brazen man, police say, is dangerous.“This individual is someon...

4 NB lanes blocked after vehicle fire on Sawgrass Expressway near I-595

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

Sunrise Fire Rescue responded to a vehicle fire on the northbound lanes of the Sawgrass Expressway, located just north of I-595. The incident resulted in the closure of four northbound lanes.7Skyforce hovered over the scene, just after 12:45 p.m., where firefighters were seen extinguishing the front of a semi-truck.Traffic delays are expected as authorities work to clear the affected lanes and investigate the cause of the fire. Commuters are advised to seek alternate routes until the roadway is fully reopened.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Interrogation tapes played during trial for man accused of involvement in 2021 banquet hall mass shooting in NW Miami-Dade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

As the trial for a man accused of being a lookout outside a South Florida banquet hall during a shooting continued, there were tense moments in the courtroom when interrogation tapes were played.The murder trial for Davonte Barnes entered it’s fourth day, Wednesday. He is being charged with three counts of first-degree murder and 20 counts of attempted murder. “I wasn’t shooting, I don’t know who was,” Barnes said in the tapes. According to police, Barnes confessed to being a lookout during a mass shooting that took place at the El Mula Banquet Hall on May 30, 2021.From the interrogation tapes, Miami-Dade homicide detectives were seen pressing Barnes on what he knew from the deadly night, including whohe was on the phone with while driving to the banquet hall and who was behind the wheel of a white Nissan when at least three shooters get out of the SUV.“I don’t know who was driving,” Barnes said. During his interrogation, Barnes was go...

Sheriff: Miami man wanted for probation violation in homicide case arrested in Key Largo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

A 24-year-old Miami man wanted for violating probation in connection with a homicide case in that jurisdiction was arrested in Key Largo following a routine traffic stop, authorities said.According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Brandon Antonio Mejia was taken into custody on Tuesday at approximately 7 p.m. after he ran a stop sign at the intersection of Card Sound Road and County Road 905. Deputies discovered his outstanding warrant from Miami-Dade County during routine checks.In addition to the probation violation warrant, Mejia is now facing local charges, including driving without a valid driver’s license, disregarding a stop sign and possessing an open container of alcohol while operating a vehicle.He remains incarcerated in Monroe County without the possibility of posting bail.

Italian centrists fight each other ahead of European election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

The divorce between Italy’s centrist parties Azione and Italia Viva is becoming official as the European Parliament election approaches.Led by former MEP Carlo Calenda, Azione has left the European Democratic Party (EDP) — an umbrella EU political party that contains a number of national parties — over a spat with its former ally Italia Viva, led by former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO. Azione will join the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and remain part of the Renew Europe group in Parliament, a press officer for Azione said.The move could slightly weaken the EDP ahead of next year’s EU election, where it will be campaigning on a joint platform with Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party and the ALDE family.Azione and Italia Viva have been allies in Italy and at the European level as they presented common candidates at the 2019 European Parliament election. Their only two MEPs — Giuseppe Fer...

EU conservative chief blasts Germany for ‘blocking’ migration deal as rows over asylum seekers heat up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

The head of Europe’s conservative parties took aim at the German government Wednesday for “blocking” both a controversial EU migration deal and funding for border controls in Tunisia as tensions escalate across the bloc over migration.  The comments from Manfred Weber, head of the European People’s Party (EPP), come as France closes its border to migrants arriving from Italy, and as the German government reinstates checks at its borders with Poland and the Czech Republic amid an escalating row between Berlin and Warsaw. Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also complained to Scholz about Berlin’s plans to finance two migrant NGOs operating in Italy.With EU capitals increasingly at odds, home affairs ministers will be updated Thursday on the state of play on the contentious EU migration pact, which aims to have common rules to deal with non-EU citizens who want to access the bloc, among other mea...

How would a government shutdown affect you?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

By Anna Helhoski | NerdWalletWith days left until a possible federal government shutdown, you might be wondering what this has to do with you.Every year Congress approves 12 appropriations bills to keep the government going before the fiscal year ends after Sept. 30. This year, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, wanted to negotiate, leaving the fate of federal services operations in limbo.If Congress doesn’t act quickly to approve a new spending package or agree on a stopgap to delay the shutdown, the government will close up shop as of Sunday. But even a full shutdown doesn’t shut every door.A government shutdown would play havoc with several federal government agencies and operations. That means nonessential services would be suspended, while other programs that receive mandatory funding would be spared. You don’t have to worry about things like air traffic control or power grid maintenance, for example.Overall, the brunt of the disruption will fall on furloughed federal workers....

Sources: Patriots adding defensive line depth after recent injuries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

The Patriots signed defensive lineman Manny Jones to their practice squad, sources told the Herald.Additional depth along the defensive line was needed after the Patriots placed defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale on injured reserve Tuesday. Defensive tackle Davon Godchaux also missed the second half of Sunday’s win over the Jets with an ankle injury.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Ex-Patriots captain: Mac Jones must stop getting involved in dirty incidents New England Patriots | Everything Patriots HC Bill Belichick said in extensive rundown of Cowboys New England Patriots | Patriots’ Bill Belichick backs away from Micah Parsons-Lawrence Taylor comparison New England Patriots | Patriots extra points: Bill O’Brien calls Cowboys defender a top-5 player in the NFL New England Patriots | OBF: Mac Jones creates controversy with saucy confrontation Jones, who’s 6-foot-4, 290 pounds, ...

6 young climate activists take European governments to court over climate change

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:21 GMT

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Six young adults and children argued that governments across Europe aren’t doing enough to protect people from climate change at the European Court of Human Rights on Wednesday in the latest and largest instance of activists taking governments to court to force climate action.Legal teams for the 32 nations — which includes the 27 EU member countries, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Russia and Turkey — questioned the admissibility of the case as well as the claim that the plaintiffs are victims of climate change harm.But lawyers representing the group from Portugal said the nations they’re suing have failed to adequately address human-caused warming and therefore violated some of the group’s fundamental rights. They insisted on the need for further and rapid action to meet climate targets that have been set for the end of the decade. “Today’s case is about the young. It is about the price that they are paying for the failure of states to tackle the ...